All was still, so still. This quiet, too quiet.

  Why?

  Dammit, I asked why?

  This stasis of eternal bliss…

  This wonder that was supposed to remain…

  Is no more!

  A stasis is constant, supported and held.

  It is and will be.

  I say to fuck with the truth!

  To hell with the hold and the how!

  What if I was to go stagnant? So bloody and stale?

  I would have seen, my eyes would have opened!

  Why must it be that it would so crack?

  I begged you!

  I loved you!

  I followed you!

  I lost all for you!

  And you gave me all I asked!

  Then began to take it away...

  Why must this happen?

  Why has this been caused? This hourglass was to hold, to house!

  My pain to stop, my friends to be found, my miseries to be lost!

  Why! Why, my God, with your powers almighty, why?!

  Was it because…

  Could it be…

  Because of... my truth? My lack of faith?

  The very multitude of sin, that is I?

  I have betrayed.

  I have failed.

  I have stolen.

  I have been selfish.

  I have lied.

  I have killed.

  The sand around me crumbles now,

  and burns, as if a fuel unseen gives it life.

  My diamonds… the jewels, not gone like the ruby…

  Worse…

  My precious friends…

  So worse than the loss of the ruby…

  For the ruby left. Abandoning, and betraying.

  But my friends… You were failed.

  My diamonds…

  You were taken.

  I have sinned!

  Alas, my Lord God, I- have- sinned!

  Is such, why I now stand in this hourglass?

  Not paused, nor frozen, but at its end?

  Why I stand atop my friends, as reality burns?

  Was not I to be free?

  Why are they to suffer?!

  Take me! I beg thee, take me instead!

  My God, punish not them for my failings!

  Them not to be allowed the suffering I once lived!

  Let torture not touch their skin!

  Let violation not rip their flesh!

  Let their screams not fill the air!

  Let their blood not stain the ground!

  At the hands of my tormentor…

  For that fate was mine, and mine alone!

  Please, do not let it be theirs!

  Not to share, not even to know!

  Let them not spend countless nights crying to those that would not come!

  Nor let them cry for those of us that will!

  The glass cracks more. And now I see the darkness.

  I have failed you, my God.

  And in turn…

  I failed them.

  This to you, I vow this day-

  I may fail, but never you will I betray!

  I swear my God, I will fight and burn and no longer complain!

  I will smile in the ashes, and praise your name in the depths!

  And from the love of your Son, I swear to my friends;

  not will I do to them, what was done to I.

  For as this glass breaks.

  As this promised stasis shatters.

  If they cry for me in the darkness.

  Their smiles consumed.

  Always treasured.

  I will find them.

  We will find them!

  I swear to you both, fight and do not give up!

  You are not abandoned!

  Please, my two lost diamonds,

  the very heavens as my witness,

  we will not leave you!

  All of us,

  every single one, and more, will not stop, nor give up!

  We will come for you!

  As you both once came for me.

  ~Stasis Shatter

  ~Feldyn Goldchord, the Endless Bard

  * * *

  The force of the spin, and then the impact that Pazely hit the dead brush and broken trees along the side of the Rock with, she knew she was hurt bad. She just didn’t know where, since she hurt, like, everywhere at once. Landing on a very steep slope, she kept from falling by hanging on to some tree stumps. Paze knew she had to keep moving, no matter how bad it hurt. And keep moving she did. The teen couldn’t even cry the pain was so great, only managing to gasp and gag. Climbing at an angle, she finally reached one of the small footpaths that zigged and zagged along the Rock.

  It hurts just to breathe! Sitting on the dirt trail, trembling, trying to not whimper, she finally looked back to see what all the noise was. Oddly enough, the gigantic demon stomping and kicking around only made her feel sorta like, ‘huh’. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Pazely knew Bryan might be dead; closer to the front, she knew she might be dying.

  Being practically naked (topless, but soaked and ripped leggings didn’t feel much like pants) at the moment made it easier to check her body for serious injury. No bad bruising… no bad cuts, no blood spilling everywhere… her body, stiff and sore, still had a more or less full range of motion... But the pain! It was bad enough, she hardly cared about anyone but herself. Actually… she didn’t care about herself much either. That wasn’t right. Her heart felt funny… She was dizzy too. Something had to be wrong with her somewhere!

  Looking around in a bit of a daze, Pazely noticed for the first time that there were corpses littering the area. Thinking they were zombies, she reflexively screamed, though it came out as a painful wracking cough instead. Leaning over, more than a little blood splattered on the ground from her coughs, the taste of copper strong in her mouth.

  Well… that wasn’t good. She was coughing blood. Didn’t that mean internal injuries? Then, remembering the corpses, Paze back looked up, and was relieved that they were still inert. Who would have thought that one day they would being dealing with actual zombies.

  Or giant dogs, vampires, gargoyles… It was actually reality, right? She wasn’t still strapped to a bed, in that… place; unable to move, and in some kind of nightmare? No. No, that wouldn’t make sense. There was too much normal stuff that had happened since she got out. As confusing as a dream was, or as real as a dream was, when you started wondering if you were dreaming, you always just knew somehow. Besides, if this was a dream, and she really was still in that place, drugged and immobilized… she would prefer to remain dreaming. Even if this dream fucking sucked, it was still better.

  Hearing someone screaming for help, Pazely’s attention returned to the pit where she and Bryan had been, but didn't have a clear enough view. She was pretty sure that wasn't Bryan's voice though. Unless he got kicked in the nuts. Pazely giggled, causing another round of wracking bloody coughs.

  Dammit, she couldn’t thiiiiiink. “I’m dying,” the girl stated to no one, then vomited blood. “Fuck.” she mumbled after, surprised to find she was crying. Where was Caleb? Why hadn’t he broken free, beat up everyone, and come to save her?! Why did he have to be such a pathetic moron lately?! This wasn’t fair! This wasn’t fucking FAIR!

  A bright flash, and the sound of a giant window breaking, startled her momentarily. Manastorms zapping all over the place, the ground started quaking, knocking the small teenager onto her back, inducing a scream of agony; the ground slamming into her a few times before it quit.

  Lying there, not having the energy to move, Pazely noticed the cracked sky. She hoped that when it broke, it didn’t rain giant pieces of glass, or whatever it was made of, all over the place. Wincing with each breath, she heard voices. Were they coming from behind her?

  With a groan and sob, she she rolled over, raising to hands and knees. Paze found it weird that almost the entire area behind her was gone. That giant demon was back down where the amphitheater had been. Which was now full of dirt, partially burying the monster. Hah! That’s what you get!

  Sitting back on her heels, she thought for a moment her heart had stopped, but then felt it slam a few times. Not dead yet! Her eyes opened wide when a bunch of fireballs, or something, started shooting from the top of the Rock, killing the giant demon, and making a humongous cloud of dirt. That and some manastorms.

  Wondering if there were more magic-wielding vampires nearby, Pazely heard movement near her, to the left. What remained of the girls adrenaline had her crawling up a small hill, to see what was moving. Logic, and common sense, should have had her crawling away, but, well, where exactly could she go that would be any safer? Made more sense to see what kind of monster was close by, than just sitting and waiting for it eat her. Right? No? Well, whatever.

  It didn’t take long for her to clear the incline, where three -she assumed- people in ugly, creepy, dark red armor with chrome dome-like helmets, were walking down a trail. She froze, at least one normal train of thought putting along in her mind told her she was in danger. Again. Or more like, still. 'Are those demon soldiers?! Is the gate to Hell on the Rock?!'

  Pazely’s pulse started racing, her ears squealed, her head spun. The figures were almost out of view when she toppled over, vision going black, noisily rolling through dead brush.

  Noisily enough, that the legionnaires decided to investigate.

  * * *

  Bryan didn’t really care exactly what was going on now; he just knew it was yet another problem. Hiding around the ridge, trying to see the top of the Rock, the villainous armored figures that were heading down towards him were new.

  Where was everyone else? They should have been here by now, shouldn’t they? He was determined to believe they were alive, because soon as he started doubting, he would began to despair. And if he started to despair, he would begin to fear. He could not afford to go all anxiety spaz! The immediate concern, aside from the armored soldiers, and the giant getting loose, was finding Pazely. Which he couldn’t do if he melted down!

  When she had been sent away, Bryan took it harder than he was willing to show. Eventually, like the others, he had to just accept there was nothing he could do for her. They were children, the adults their masters. Now, it was these kids that were risking their asses, of their own accord, to try and save… to save… huh…

  At first, they were just trying to not die. Then, they were trying to get to Pazely. Then Feldyn, and whomever else. Weren’t they here just to see if Miss Terra was still alive? Bryan himself, wondering the fate of his parents, came afterwards with John to help, which turned into trying to rescue Caleb. Now it’s gone almost full circle, and Pazely is missing.

  This… entire thing… has been one big clusterfuck, hadn’t it? A group of morons, bumbling along, fatefully not dying against all odds. That was not realistic. Shouldn’t at least one of them have died by now? Or maybe… someone already had. Maybe he was the only one left? Just him and the imp. Was that why he couldn’t bring himself to kill her? Because deep down he knew they were the last two left alive?

  ... Bryan swore he was stupid as Caleb. He could ace any test, understand any mathematical or scientific equation or theory. But in daily life, he felt as generic and normal as the next ass-hat, everything he learned applying to nothing in real life, the knowledge hiding away in some corner of his mind.

  Okay, enough introspection. There were only three of these new enemies, and Bryan could do that faith physics thing now, defeating them shouldn’t be a problem. No more hiding. It was time for some good old-fashioned ass kicking!

  Manastorms flash-banged, and numerous heavy impacts hit in the amphitheater pit. Bryan couldn't see from here, but his guess was someone or something just took out the giant demon. Whatever was impacting threw up large clouds of dirt, and flew over the ridge. He reflexively started back towards where the unconsious imp was to check on her, before stopping himself with a growl. It was normal instinctual reaction, right? He had just saved her! If she died now, his risk had been pointless!

  The impacts had stopped, as had any noises from the giant, but the manastorms continued in the vicinity. Perfect distraction for an assault! Heading back up the ridge-slope, the evil-looking armored soldiers were definitely distracted, looking at the storms. One of them was much closer to Bryan than the other two, staring off along the dike. Bryan quickstepped to him, and shoved him from behind - right into the arcing blue lightning of a manastorm. 'Not intentional, but not complaining.'

  The remaining two soldiers were still looking up at the storms. As any gamer knew, a surprise attack coming right at the enemy’s face was a bit… improbable. Unless they were freaking out about the environment, and paying no fucking attention to the nerdy-looking teenager that suddenly appeared in front of them in a whoosh of wind, spear from their fallen comrade in hand.

  Stabbing two-handed with the weapon, Bryan hit the left soldier pointlessly in the chest, not even leaving a scratch. Well, shit. Wasn’t like there were any seams or gaps in this impossibly crafted armor! Spinning the spear around and over his head, he smacked the surprised soldier across the side of his head, which at least made him take a step back.

  Dammit! Without thinking, Bryan kicked the closer soldier in the same way he had hit Iiyni- fueling it with Trell physics. The soldier was knocked off of his feet, and fell off the side of the slope into the pit, which was mostly filled from the landslide, so it wasn’t really much of a fall. Bryan was also pretty sure he had just dislocated his hip. Crying out, the boy stumbled, struggling to endure the pain, balancing using the spear as a staff.

  Not that it mattered. The remaining soldier punched him in the face; heavy metal gauntlet knocking him out cold, and destroying his glasses.

  * * *

  The sound of the battle between the gigas and the imp had shaken Caleb from his self-imposed emo coma, just enough that he hoped whatever was fighting would hurry up and kill him. Nameless was on the verge of attempting a full possession. Everyone had been through so many terrible things, yet the Dragonheart here was too busy whining, while all the others were busy trying to save his stupid ass! There was no way Nameless was going to let him lie here and die! The angel had even abandoned Gigi in her time of need to be with the boy he resided in.

  Due to such residence, it was possible for Nameless to feel everything Caleb did. Know everything Caleb did. It wasn't by default, heavens no! There were... layers, for lack of a better word. When inhabiting a human, you were on the outer most layer. If you dug deeper, and tapped into the right areas, you could very well know their thoughts and experience their physical and emotional sensations. Doing such, however, was not only an egregious violation of Law, it was also difficult. All that said, Nameless had spent a good deal of time inside this boy. And during that time, he learned a lot about Caleb. Including how to piss him off.

  'Just give up and die then. Be a coward and run. Because you are a FAILURE! A nobody! A nothing!'

  'Shut up! You don’t know me!'

  'I know that everyone is right about you! You are nothing, and never will be. Ever! Your mother left you. Your father doesn’t think you are worth the time. Everyone knows you're a flake. You never have, and never will, amount to anything.’

  'Yes I will! You, and everyone else, are wrong about me!'

  'As you give up and whine! Coward!'

  'I am not a coward!'

  'You are abandoning everyone, you weak, pathetic, loser of a child! You are the same as the adults you judge! It gets tough, and you just give up!'

  'SHUT UP!'

  ‘You let your daughter die! Because you are afraid and WEAK! You abandoned your child, just like you judge the adults of abandoning you! Yet, you are exactly like them!’

  'I AM NOT LIKE THEM! I AM NOT LIKE MY DAD! I AM NOT WEAK!'

  'YOUR FRIENDS FIGHT FOR YOU WHILE YOU HIDE!'

  'NO!!!'

  'PROVE IT THEN! PROVE THEM WRONG! DID YOU NOT PROMISE PAZELY YOU WOULD ALWAYS COME FOR HER?! DO YOU NOT WANT TO MAKE EVERYTHING UP TO ALLY?! TO GIGI?! FIGHT! OR LIE HERE AND DIE, AND FREE US OF YOUR HYPOCRISY!'

  'I WON’T ABANDON MY FRIENDS! I WON’T GIVE UP, AND LEAVE THEM TO DIE!!!!!'

  ‘Then let's go, shall we?’ the voice in his head said, calmer, and for the first time, feeling like an actually other person to the boy, and not just a presence in his head.

  Caleb realized he was standing now, fists clenched, teeth grinding, panting in a fury. ‘Wait, what’s going on?’ he asked mentally. ‘Honestly, I’m not sure.’

  ‘You’re not sure?’

  ‘I am not some all-knowing navigational system!’ It took Caleb a second to realize the angel wasn’t answering what he had meant, but what he should have been asking.

  Before the irritated and -perpetually- confused teen could give a mental retort, the crashing and shouting finally registered. As did the gargantuan thing he could just catch glimpses of, past the mounds of dirt and walls of concrete near him. “Holy shit!”

  ‘Indeed. Now could we maybe move somewhere a bit safer? I would prefer to not find out what happens to me if you die.’

  Everything lit up in one big flash, ground quaking, storms cracking. ‘Lovely, more problems to deal with,’ the angel complained; Caleb stumbling, arms flailing, yet managing to stay standing the duration of the quake. Reflexively, he jumped backwards when a landslide crashed into view from around the nearby wall of concrete and dirt. ‘Oh relax, it’s nowhere near you.’ The giant roared, apparently caught in the slide, and none too happy about it. Caleb couldn’t see, but fuck was it close.

  ‘Think we could climb up on this ridge, along the canyon here? In order to get a better view?’ Caleb stood frozen. Nameless really wished he could physically slap the boy. Of course Nameless had a pretty good idea what was going on, but if he started explaining everything, he risked the boy going into another emotional breakdown. Or just rushing to his doom. However, the boy, the… Dragonheart, must be told something.

  ‘Everyone has been fighting to rescue you.’ Caleb tensed some with the revelation. True, the angel had yelled something about that to him, but the reality hadn’t exactly clicked. ‘I will explain, but first, should we not join the fight? Or would you prefer to lie back down?’

  “Okay, okay, I get it, fuck!” Caleb snapped verbally. Having someone talking in his head was going to get old in a hurry. The ‘voices’ were bad enough, but they had felt off. Like insanity. This was clear and audible as if he was wearing an earpiece. ‘That’s the spirit! Now climb up on the ridge in front of you. And be careful!’

  Without having a better idea, Caleb hurried over to the lowest mound of dirt, and started climbing. It was packed firm, plenty of rocks and sticks giving good handholds. Getting swiftly to the top, he was basically within spitting distance of the terror inducing creature, that the angel casually explained to be a gigas.

  Caleb was knocked off of his feet when the gigas exploded or something; sailing backwards over the wall of the canyon, landing on his back, knocking the wind clean out of him.

  Dirt, sand, and rock rained down, obscuring everything he could see, and making breathing even more difficult. ‘I would advise moving.’ Holy crap, was this thing really an angel? ‘Yes, this -thing- is really an angel.’

  ‘Quit reading my thoughts!’ Caleb was on hands and knees, surprised he wasn't more injured falling from that height. Coughing, then on his feet, hurrying through the blinding cloud towards where he guessed was the exit. ‘I do not exactly have a choice. You think, I hear it. Trust me, I would love to avoid the lust-filled melodrama that is your mind. Alas, that is not my fate.’

  Sighing despite it all, Caleb had now returned to where he had been lying a moment ago. ‘Don’t dally! Climb back up! For some reason, a portal has opened, quite near to where Pazely is.’

  ‘Wait, huh? A portal? Pazely?’

  ‘When you were trying to not soil yourself at the sight of the gigas, I was surveying the area. I couldn’t actually see the portal, but I could make out an elderly elf, and a glimpse of our noisy little friend. Where else could the elf have come from but Aethra? It would also explain why the storms intensified enough to crack the barrier.’

  Having no clue what the overly wordy angel was talking about, Caleb was back up on the ridge. At least one thing made sense to him: Pazely was nearby. ‘Is she okay?’

  ‘Who?’

  ‘Pazely! I thought you could hear my thoughts?’ Nameless chose to ignore the jab. He could hear them. And see them. And feel them. The intentional surface ones anyway. It was all quite disorienting. The angel also had thoughts and feelings of his own, it wasn’t like he could just pay undivided attention to the chaos in the boy’s mind! ‘I honestly do not know. But if I had to guess, she is going to need your help. I think that elf may be the Necromancer.’ Knowing Caleb was going to just ask who that was, Nameless let the memory of Feldyn naming Antioch’s generals some days ago, cross the boy’s mind, and emphasized Darlothz.

  Caleb’s head was swimming, hurrying along the ridge. Everything looked different… Manastorms were everywhere, the violet sky was cracked, there were clouds of flies, gnats, and mosquitoes. The amount of spiders and maggots he crushed under his feet as he ran… he tried not to think about. Nothing, nowhere he looked, was anything green. It was all black, brown, and dead.

  Dead, just like his daughter…

  ‘If you start getting all dramatic again-’

  ‘I’m not, okay? I get it, life sucks, it’s my fault, and right now I need to help my friends!’

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Reaching the Rock, he grabbed pieces of dead stumps, and paused, noticing for the first time numerous corpses on the side of the Rock. They looked too mangled to be effective zombies. Taking a moment to see if any were moving, he started pulling himself up an area that would avoid most of them. ‘Do you have any idea at all what happened to the others?’ The angel delayed long enough in his answer, Caleb began to worry. ‘Somewhat. Reba was gravely injured, but thanks to the combined efforts of Pazely, Stryker, and John, she survived.’

  ‘John? John is here now? What about Bryan?’

  ‘Yes, Bryan is here too. In fact, he should have been with Pazely.’

  Caleb’s self-loathing was almost fully gone from his mind. ‘I am not sure everyone’s status currently, but Masque passed by a bit ago. Presumably to fight X’al’antra.’

  A root Caleb was holding broke, and he almost fell, but caught himself and continued his climb. ‘If you are inside of me, how do you know what they were doing? Can you leave, and come back?' He was almost to a trail now. 'Oddly enough, I am able to communicate with Gigi. When doing so, I can more or less take in what is around her. Even better than I can with you, actually. It’s quite peculiar.’ That’s an understatement… 'And, no. I am currently stuck in here. Quite the inexplicable situation.'

  ‘So, you are an angel?’

  ‘I am.’

  ‘And there is a… demon, inside of me too?’

  ‘There is, though I have it controlled for now. It is nothing major, only a lowly possessor. We will exorcise it once the current fiasco has been dealt it. Peculiar it could enter at all, the Sprit shouldn’t allow it. Though it shouldn’t leave me in here either. Trying times.’ Caleb found it a bit hard to accept he had a demon in him and to just ignore it, let alone a very sarcastic angel. But what could he do? Every single damn fucking thing going on had been hard to accept.

  Almost high enough to reach a small footpath, Caleb realized he had no idea what the angel’s name was.‘I do not have a name.’

  ‘Will you quit doing that! It’s unsettling having you commenting on thoughts without them being… uh, thought at you yet!’

  ‘My apologies. It feels about the same on my side of it, but I will try harder. Can’t have the mythical Dragonheart being unsettled.’ Were all angels such smartasses?! ‘There has to be something I can call you? Some unique identifier, or something?' There was no answer at first, as Caleb pulled himself onto the trail. ‘Well, Gigi refers to me at times as Namey, or Nameless. I must say, Nameless, though ridiculous, is better than Namey, which sounds so… effeminate.’

  Caleb had many more questions, but they would have to wait. As soon as he stood, and looked to the right, he immediately saw three creepy red-armored soldiers with big spears, two of them investigating a couple of the many random corpses.

  The third one had Pazely slung over their shoulder!

  Hair loose, and only wearing destroyed leggings, the huge dark bruise across her lower back was clear as day. They were going to take her, and he didn’t even have a way to fight them!

  ‘What do I do?!’ he frantically asked the angel. ‘Why ask me?’ was the unhelpful reply. So Caleb did what he did best, and charged in blindly, with no weapons or plan.

  “Hey, assholes!” Caleb yelled, flipping them off when they looked up, startled at the sudden appearance of the tall, skinny, half-naked teenager. ‘Wonderful plan.’

  ‘Better than nothing!’

  ‘Not much…’

  ‘Just stay quiet, unless you actually have something helpful to contribute!’

  The armored opponents hesitated for a moment, unsure if the boy was truly going to defy them with nothing but his bare hands. Then, when a manastorm arced close, they acted. Two of them jogged down the steep grade to Caleb. The one carrying Pazely backed up a bit, then just stood there. Presumably to wait while his comrades dealt with the interloper.

  Even though the two running at him were going downhill, they managed to control their momentum quite well. Caleb held his ground, bending knees slightly as the first soldier reached him and stabbed with the spear. Caleb jumped backwards, barely avoiding the thrust, then was forced to practically do a backbend to avoid the second rapid thrust. The legionnaire quickly retracted the spear, and just as quickly swiped it, forcing Caleb to give into his back angle, fall, and roll to the side, clumsily. He kept the awkward barrel-roll going, the enemy stabbing into the ground as he pursued- once, twice, thrice, four times!

  Trying to stand, Caleb had dive into a shoulder roll this time, to avoid the quick thrusting attacks of the second enemy. Fuck, all I ever do is dodge! And dodge he kept doing, avoiding the two spear-wielders, barely keeping from getting hit time and again.

  ‘I have an idea,' Nameless stated. ‘Do share!’ Caleb practically shouted in his head, tripping and almost going over a hill on the far side of the Rock. Which would have been bad. ‘Since you have faith the size of an atom, which is a far cry from a mustard seed, if you will allow, I believe I can open your mind enough to sort of… empower your beliefs a bit.' Dodging another thrust, Caleb had to grab the shaft of it to keep from going over the edge again. ‘The hell does that mean?!’ He yanked, pulling himself back up, and almost sending the legionnaire down the hill instead. Would have been a nice accidental win, but noooooo.

  Nameless wasn't sure at first how to answer . For some reason, he had developed understandings that were never given to him. If he had to guess, it was due to being inside the Dragonheart. As much as he would like believe Caleb was not a hero of Aethra, the events that continued to occur made it impossible to deny.

  ‘Trell physics,' Nameless explained, having no memory of when such a concept had been revealed to him. 'The thing that allows Feldyn to move so quickly.’ Caleb dropped low and kicked backwards, hitting the spear-wielder behind him in the ankle, causing the kicked soldier to stumble into his comrade. ‘Great, fine, what do I do?!’ he asked, on his feet clearing some distance from the edge. ‘When I say; charge one of them, and think of being fast. When you do, you will feel an extreme… moving sensation. It will last but an instant, and then you will be within range to strike.’ Caleb was panting. ‘Strike with what, exactly?!’

  ‘Do I need to think of everything?’

  ‘Just do it!’ Caleb snapped, the two enemies advancing, spreading to come at him from both sides.

  Still suppressing the demon, Nameless had to focus hard to try and convince the boy’s mind, that second-guessed everything, to accept the ability to move faster than he should be able to. Much easier said than done.

  Deciding he needed to implant the knowledge at the core, Nameless delved deep into the boy’s subconscious, through smothering doubts and confusion. He had never heard of a human having a mind like this. It was vast, yet so crowded with thoughts, beliefs, and feelings. It was almost as if Caleb was several people, all combined into one consciousness, yet not able to accept the truth of his own reality.

  Continuing deeper, through the secrets and the fears, talents and the weaknesses… Nameless started to get an odd sensation. A feeling… that was hard to describe. And inexplicably, amidst all the clutter and confusion, he started to feel… that Caleb wasn’t actually Caleb.

  Then he saw it. The core, the point where the soul and the mind connect! And... No… that’s impossible! Nothing like this should have been allowed to exist! Later, not now. Later, if they lived, then Nameless could try to figure out the…. the abomination. For now, they must survive! And it had taken far too long to find the core, and the kernel that resided within.

  The kernel where faith is housed, was dead center in the middle of the paradoxical scar. It was as if… as if belief itself was the only thing holding Caleb's scarred and anomalous dual-soul together. No time to ponder more; Nameless empowered the kernel, that seed of faith and truth, and pulled himself back to the conscious forefront of the boys mind.

  ‘Now!’ he commanded, and Caleb charged the legionnaire in front of him without hesitation. And he didn’t move any faster than usual. Fuck! Stumbling, he barely ducked the swipe of the spear. Shit! He was off-balance, and out of pure reflex balled his right fist and punched the legionnaire in the chest. The armor collapsed inward, Caleb feeling no impact at all, yet his enemy’s armor crushed and caved, the boy’s fist going almost clean through him. The legionnaire dropped his spear and fell to the ground, quite dead, in a growing puddle of gore

  … What… the hell? Caleb looked at his fist in stunned horror. ‘WATCH OUT!’ Caleb turned, seeing the spear thrusting for his face. He barely dodged, getting a deep laceration across his right cheek. Running a few steps to the side, he tripped, and almost fell; the remaining soldier looking to his comrade, body language just as shocked as the teenager. And Nameless.

  The angel had no idea what had happened. It should have worked! Yet, somehow… That punch… “NO!” Caleb yelled at the legionnaire that was carrying Pazely. Seeing one of his comrades fall, he turned and continued his ascent of the Rock.

  Running up the hill after him, Caleb was blocked by the last spear-wielder he had been fighting, who had charged to be in front of the boy. “Get the fuck out of my WAY!” he seethed, and sidestepped the spear. With a right cross, shattered the shaft of the weapon. The legionnaire, stumbled back, off-balance and rightly shocked.

  There! That time, Nameless did sense it! For a moment, just a brief moment, right before impact, Caleb’s fist was completely encased in pure force! Pure and unstoppable force! That was impossible! Force was solid matter! What all physical creation was supported by! No one could command, let alone manipulate it! Was this the power of the Dragonheart?!

  As the legionnaire with Pazely vanished out of sight over the top of the Rock, Caleb became completely enraged. He threw himself at the now weaponless enemy, roaring, spittle flying from his mouth, hitting his opponent in the forearm he held up to instinctively block his face. Caleb’s right fist ignored the blocking arm like it was a blade of grass, and continued to completely obliterating the legionnaire’s head.

  Without hesitation, and totally oblivious to the increasing storms, Caleb ran as hard as he could up the hill, the way the legionnaire had carried Pazely. Towards the top of the Rock. Towards Darlothz. Towards the portal.

  * * *

  John and Ally lost sight of Feldyn immediately. That equipment of his sure added agility, to say the least. “He promised...” Ally whispered, John glancing back at her. You would think a broken promise from the bard was worse than everything else they had been going through. “He did,” the old man confirmed. She looked into his eyes now. “I trust him,” she said, and the old man sighed. “You don’t?” Ally asked, sounding a bit defensive.

  “I trust him enough to risk my own life to save his.” John walked back to the edge of the building, showing his back again to the beautiful teenager. “But sometimes, Ally, promises need to be broken.”

  “A few seconds after making them?” was her smug-sounding retort. John chose to not answer. “We cannot remain hiding,” he told her instead, watching storm after storm tear through the air, the flashing barely noticeable to him anymore. “I agree,” she said. “So let’s hurry up and head to the Rock!”

  Ally was... unfortunately correct in where their destination should be. More than anything, John wanted to head back to check on Reba. However, if his daughter had been killed, it had long since happened. His only chance to assist would have been returning immediately upon hearing the combat back that way. And John had chosen to stick to the plan.

  Even if the elf ran off alone, it did not mean they were supposed to disband. Masque could still be fighting his battle, Bryan and Pazely had their role, and... Stryker had his. John and Ally needed to follow after their half-elven friend. When this was done, success or failure, the survivors -if any- would regroup. And deal with the next, currently unaddressed, problem.

  The Order.

  They were still out there, no doubt having completely surrounding the area by now. And when this barrier inevitably comes down, they will converge. Which begs the question of how the Terrors intended to escape. Obviously, their intent had not been to pass into Hell, or they would not have remained post gate closure. And no apparent army of demons arrived to assist them in battling their way to freedom.

  Two huge arcs from a manastorm cracked nearby, the one to their right destroying three houses at once. Ally cursed, ducking as several more normal sized storms, flash-crackle-exploded all around them. “Okay, is it just me, or is this getting way more intense than usual?” the teen worried. And she had good reason. The storms were picking up in ferocity. There may be no quaking at the moment, but the lightning arcs were rapidly growing in number. Wind had also began to blow and whirl.

  As said wind whipping his hair, larger and larger cracks grew in the violet sky above, a question crossed John’s mind: what happens when the shield breaks? Its purpose, it would appear, was to allow magic within the shield. Or so he had thought. Now that logic sounded flawed. Almost everything the enemy had planned, and accomplished, could have technically been done without the elaborate barrier. Especially if they knew of the Echoes of Aethra.

  “John?” Ally was standing in front of the priest, his eyes focusing on nothing, his mind elsewhere. “If you try to run off on me too…” her voice sounded threatening, and a weak smile crossed the old man’s lips. “I am sorry. I was thinking; what would happen if the barrier were to break completely?”

  “Is that really important?

  “I believe it is. I believe the enemy had no intention of it breaking.”

  A manastorm suddenly tore through the ground mere feet behind them, causing Ally to (embarrassingly) scream. Both of them were knocked down, the ground tearing open, the house they were near finally crumbling. Ally stumbling as she tried to stand, scrambling to get clear of the toppling building. John, nimbly tossed his staff in the road, and grabbed her under the arms, dragging her clear. Good thing too, because another manastorm ripped through the area where Ally had just been.

  “Is there anywhere safe we can go?” Ally asked, on her feet, voice tight. John didn’t readily have an answer. Was it possible for manastorms to hit people? So far, he had never seen evidence of such, assuming they could only hit magic, and magical things. Then again, he had never seen the storms acting like this.

  “Ally,” John said, the tone in his voice making her feel cold. “John,” she replied, and winced, not trying to be a smartass. “I think… perhaps we should hurry after Feldyn.” He looked at her now, and she saw worry in his eyes. That was probably bad. “Whatever you think best,” Ally agreed, trying to sound strong. “What I think best, is for us to stay together.” John retrieved his staff, Ally right beside him the entire time. “And Ally,” John continued, “when this barrier breaks… I fear the release of energy may well kill all of us within.”

  She blinked at him. “Well,” she sighed heavily, “may as well get a move on then. I would rather be doing something when I explode, and not just be standing around waiting for it.”

  The two started off the way Feldyn had gone; both expecting to die at any moment.

  * * *

  “Lance, do ye understand me?” Feldyn asked, voice desperate. “Regardless of where that portal comes out, you would be safe! Even Antioch cannot sense ye when invisible! It ‘tis imperative ye return to the professor! Let him analyze all the data and information we have gathered in your collar, and tell him what has taken place!” Lance had still not answered Feldyn, even upon repeating himself a third time. His accent and tone were all over the place. An Akurian legionnaire had just carried Bryan out of his sight and onto the top of the Rock, he didn’t have time for this!

  “Lance, do what I tell you to do, now!” He had lost patience with the tikirin perched on his shoulder. “If that portal closes, this may be our only chance to get word back of all that transpired! In case I fall here, the professor has to have that knowledge, so that another may return and get Caleb back to Aethra!” Feldyn was about to strangle his small friend.

  Starting up the slope, he remembered the imp lying unconscious behind him. The idea of an enemy so powerful at his back, was not something he was comfortable with. He needed to end her while she was out. And Lance needed to listen! “Lancetron Que Delimitrix, I, as your master, command you to get your collar through the portal to Aethra!” Feldyn ordered, and Lance finally left his shoulder, turning invisible. A sob escaped the bard’s throat, as he returned to the demon. I am so very sorry, Lance! Please forgive me!

  Reaching for the blade at his hip- nothing. Feldyn was again in the rags he wore before equipping to fight Shuzariel. Equipment which needed to be stored in Lance’s glisserant collar before returning to Aethra. Bloody FUCK! There was no time left! He had to hope the imp would stay unconscious! If he were to dally much longer, Bryan may get taken through the portal! Feldyn knew firsthand what Darlothz was capable of, and such a fate would not befall the teen!

  Now sprinting up the slope, Feldyn briefly reminisced on the recent events since finding the Dragonheart. How he had wished for, had assumed, that the Dragonheart would already be an amazingly responsible leader! Even if young, he would take charge! Telling the half-elf what to do! Be his king! Feldyn had never been one that others would have looked to for leadership! He was there to assist, not give orders!

  Feldyn had no bloody idea what he was doing! He had tried his best, time and time again, and failed, time and time again! Surrounded by children, he had been looked to; to save them, and guide them. And he had failed. For fuck’s sake, he was on Earth! EARTH! In his desperation, his terror-filled escape, he jumped into the portal Lance had opened, without thinking twice, and ended up on this world of legend! That was when he finally knew, he bloody knew everything the professor had taught was the truth! That the Esseff were right!

  And then this portal opened, and what was taught as an impassibility strode through!

  Was as it possible that truth and lie were mixed? Had not the myth of Earth been proven? Had Feldyn not located the young man in his dreams that prophecy said would be the Dragonheart? What did it matter if others could traverse a portal? Enough truth was still truth for Caleb to remain the Dragonheart, and their priority. This event simply meant that the Esseff had lied. It wasn't like everyone had access to the prophecies, they only saw what the Esseff allowed. Which was a gigantic red flag to most, and had been to Feldyn as well. What else had the Esseff lied about? And why?

  Halfway up the slope, Feldyn was just as surprised as the the red-armored figure, who came climbing out of the pit (Bryan had knocked him into), right in front of him. Feldyn, however, recovered from his surprise first. Shoving the Akurian before he had even fully stood, the legionnaire pinwheeled his arms, trying to keep his balance, but Feldyn kicked him in the chest, knocking him back into shallow pit. Well, that was lucky. It would take him a moment, in that heavy armor, to extricate himself once again from the soft earth, and climb back up.

  The bard realized he desperately needed a weapon. It would do him little good against the necromancer, yet he still needed something to defend himself with!

  A quick look around and he saw a spear lying off to the side, partway over the edge of the slope. That would come in handy. Feldyn hurried to the spear, and grimaced when picking it up, half expecting it to burn his flesh, as if it was evil as the man who commanded the Legions of Akur. It did no such thing. In fact, it wasn’t even enchanted, as far as Feldyn could tell. Which was odd, given its material.

  Feldyn was no weaponsmith, but he was pretty sure the tip was made from mithantium. Which was an impossible combination of mithril and adamantium. The shiny silver, which looked rough like gravel on closer inspection, with a faint gray-blue tint, was forged by the the dwarves of Hj’ytrud. The secret of how such a fusion was performed known only to their royal line of blacksmiths. It did not chip, rust, heat, or chill. Lightweight, and able to house essentially any type of enchantment one desired. It was the same substance his songsword was made from. His rapier was made of mithril.

  The Hj’ytrud would trade their weapons and armors, but not their secret to forging them. Why one of the Akur would have such a weapon, without bothering with enchantments, was a mystery. Actually, Feldyn was pretty sure the armor of the enemy soldier also held no enchantments, or he wouldn’t be stuck so easily. More questions for another day.

  The shaft of the weapon appeared to be darkwood. A fairly benign and generic-sounding name, darkwood trees were plentiful, and weak; a child could push a finger into the wood of a living tree. But once the trees died, they hardened to be one of the toughest substances on Aethra. Breaking something made of darkwood was not only improbable, but almost impossible. Drunken braggarts were commonly known to tell tales of darkwood tools, boards, and weapon shafts that they had managed to sunder, shatter, or snap. It also did not burn, rot, or degrade, making it the best wood from which to build a dwelling, which is precisely why most wooden structures -of those who could afford it- on Aethra were made of such.

  A substance didn’t have to be rare to be the best of its type, and cost a small fortune. Darkwood trees grew like weeds, cut down by the tens of thousands, to keep them from falling or dying, then quickly hardening. Which could easily turn a lush forest into an almost indestructible barrier of annoyance for those who would wish to clear the land. Clearing dead darkwood forests have been known to cost entire treasuries! Usually requiring the pricey employ of wizards, alchemists, or both! Another forest like the great Darkwood Deep itself, was not something anyone wanted. Especially not in their country.

  Weapon in hand, storms cracking and arcing all around him (even on the land itself now), wind blowing his hair wildly, Feldyn took a deep breath, and continued his climb.

  * * *

  What was taking these wretches so long? Darlothz was getting impatient. Oh, how he preferred the dead! They did as told efficiently, or incompetently, as the one to command them. No more, no less. Within reason of the specific undead’s capabilities, of course. Bound demons almost as good, though he was never a fan of slavery. The undead have no will to enslave. One could argue demons were evil, though Darlothz too had taken on the mantle of evil, had he not? And he would be very much unhappy summoned to Hell and forced to serve a demonic master.

  He sighed a long, deep, crackling sigh, making the commander shift uneasily. Bored, attention drifting, his eyes wandered to the multitude of corpses scattered about. General Tch’tlegion was saddened.

  Why there was so much death wasted, the necromancer hadn’t a clue. One rambling prophecy or another may provide some insight, but Darlothz didn’t have time for such foolishness. A prophecy was only a prophecy when given by God. Outside his holy Word, it was all nothing but drivel. Even if that drivel came true, time and again.

  Antioch was a madman. Darlothz himself had been called such in his time. They would have been right… If he had been mad. The stupidity of people knows no limit. His own country turned on him, after everything he had done for them! Then they spread lie upon lie about his deeds! All were told how he murdered his parents, raided the castle and slaughtered his king! Ridiculous! Preposterous fiction, is what it was! His so-called king had conscripted his own parents to murder him!

  Bah, curse this planet for making him think of such times. For even acknowledging what history had made him out to be. A villain? Yes. That he had become. Though at first… at first he had been a hero. A hero in the employ of his king and country. Now? Now he was a slave to the psychopath known as Antioch, and an enemy of the Creator.

  It wasn’t all bad, he supposed. Antioch was more powerful than power itself. Darlothz had access to more knowledge and resources for his experiments than his mind could fathom. Not to mention the gifts bestowed upon him since his release. If not for Antioch, he would have also been stuck in that infernal prison until the Day of Judgment. And now he had the promise, the hope of freedom. Freedom that God would never allow.

  One of the soldiers returned, the commander barking some order or another. Darlothz hardly cared, or paid attention. What he did pay attention to was who the legionnaire was carrying over his shoulder. “A boy?” the Ilcai rose an eyebrow. “Where are your others?”

  “Sir! One of us was killed, by this boy, knocked into... an arc of this blue lighting. He employed Trell physics to assault us. The second lives, temporarily delayed due to the same. I was urged me to make haste with the captive, sir!"

  “Trell physics, you say?” That was curious. Though he was still skeptical that this… human, was the Dragonheart that Antioch was so obsessed with finding. “Fine, wait for the others to return.” He waved him off dismissively. “Sir!” the legionnaire snapped respectfully, then walked to stand by the portal, tall teenager still draped over one shoulder like he weighed nothing.

  Now, what was taking the other group so long? And what was with all the commotion in that direction? Had they found some opposition to entertain themselves with? They best make haste; God’s countermeasures were growing stronger. Why were they even needed to begin with? Could He not just butt out and let his creation be?

  “Darlothz!” came the shout from a familiar voice behind him. From where the boy had just been carried. The necromancer turned, to see none other than Feldyn Goldchord. Wearing… What exactly was he wearing? Some tattered breeches, and a ripped and torn shirt, both covered in blood, dirt, and other filth.

  “Well, well,” Darlothz grinned, leaning on his staff. “Prince Goldchord. You did make it. Impressive,” he complimented in earnest. Feldyn snarled, spear in hand. “I am not a prince.” He bent his knees, as if preparing to strike. Oh, good grief! “Blood is blood, prince. And birthright is birthright. Coup or not,” he lectured the half-elf. “Kill him,” Darlothz ordered the commander, and turned back around. The commander drew his sword and charged the talentless bard.

  The sounds of the two sparring rang out behind him, as a legionnaire returned with another slung over their shoulder. Darlothz paid the figure only a passing glance. 'An imp? That is why they were having problems, no doubt. Wait, no, I do not sense the demonic. That hair... Interesting...' Motioning to the portal, “Stand with the other,” he dismissively told the soldier, who silently complied. It was time to leave this planet.

  Returning his attention to the battle behind him, Darlothz watched as the second legionnaire had come up behind Feldyn, and that the former prince was losing, trying to fend off both at once.

  A large arc from the manastorms tore along the earth, right next to the necromancer’s feet, startling him. Another flashed in the air near the combatants, knocking the commander to the ground, and sending the foolish prince stumbling backwards, into the legionnaire; both of them going over the edge, of what Darlothz presumed was a cliff. So pathetic…

  “Pazely! Bryan!” The shout came from, of course, behind him, the way the direction the imp-looking girl had been brought. Now what? Turning yet again, Darlothz saw a very tall, very skinny teenager, shirtless, but thankfully wearing pants. “And who might you be?” the necromancer sighed loud and dramatic. He couldn’t wait to leave… “I’m the Dragonheart! Let my friends go, now!” Dragonheart? Friends? How very amusing. “Is that so?” Darlothz grinned, and made eye contact with the legionnaire holding the boy, and nodded. The soldier clicked his heels, turned, stepping through the portal with Bryan.

  “NOOOO!!!” the skinny man-child wailed, and charged- stopping as abruptly as if he had hit a brick wall; Darlothz holding out his hand, having muttered an incantation under his breath before Caleb had finished his third step. The boy made a choking sound, and grasped at his neck, clawing at the unseen force that now lifted him from his feet and into the air by the throat.

  “Tell me then, Dragonheart, are you not supposed to be a warrior of God?” Darlothz mocked. “Which begs the question; why would you have a demon within you? Hmm?” Obviously, the boy could not speak, the spell of holding crushing his throat. “How about this,” Darlothz continued, giving another grin. He had gone from bored and irritated to amused. “I will assist you by removing the demon from your body. Then, I will query it. If what you say is true, you may live, and return with us. If you are not whom you say…” he shrugged hunched shoulders, one hand still held like it was physically around the boys throat, and not just the conduit of magic. “Come out,” Darlothz commanded.

  Caleb, who was struggling to make sense of what was going on (what else was new), suddenly began to vomit. And vomit. And vomit. 'It won’t stop! It won’t stop!! I can’t breathe!!' He panicked at the steady stream of black gunk erupting from his mouth, spilling into a pile on the ground at his feet. 'Nameless, help me!!!' he panicked, vision going dim. Then it quit. Caleb gasped, trying to take in as much air as he could, with the crushing pressure on his neck.

  Looking to the puddle of demon-goo on the ground, Darlothz then turned his head to the commander. “Allow the demon inside of you,” he ordered, and the legionnaire complied. The puddle of filth almost immediately lifted into the air, like some type of liquid snake, then it struck at the helmet of the commander, pouring into and through the dark eye slots of the helmet; the man inside not so much as twitching. Darlothz remained staring at the possessed legionnaire. “Well?” he finally asked, impatience heavy in his voice. “Is this boy the Dragonheart? And is this the fabled planet of Earth?”

  “Yup,” was the smug-sounding reply. “Will that be all, master?”

  Darlothz was at a complete loss for words. Not because the demon was being a smartass, but because of the admission. The control the necromancer held over the possessor, it could not lie. Meaning, this boy was truly the Dragonheart, and this world was the source world Earth. Or the demon at least honestly believed so.

  Terror again filled his body. He knew it had to be Earth, that these were manastorms, yet he could not fully accept it. It was… preposterous. Though what other answer was there? The timing, the signs, the prophecies...

  Darlothz then began to laugh. It was an awkward sensation for him, and did not feel natural. Though in this moment it most certainly was. The absurdity of this expedition! “Looks like you get to live after all!” he told the suspended, and barely conscious Dragonheart. “We leave!” he snapped, and didn’t bother to look back, the possessed commander. The legionnaire carrying an unconscious Pazely, went through the portal. Staring into the boy’s eyes for a moment longer, Darlothz used the holding spell to fling the scrawny teenager through the air and into the portal.

  Or he would have, if that blasted tikirin had not just appeared from nowhere! With a -FWOOM- Lance unleashed a psyblast, violently changing Caleb’s velocity, knocking him to the side, landing on his head, rolling, and coming to a stop at an awkward angle, unmoving. Lance tried to go invisible, but Darlothz was faster- a thin purple missile of energy shot from an extended finger, followed by three more.

  Lance gave a loud feline scream of pain when the first missile slammed into him. Through nothing but reflex, and will, he erected a kinetic shield, and flapped his wings, flying several feet towards Caleb, before the other two energy missiles smashed into him, and he fell, sizzling, and unmoving to the ground.

  Darlothz hissed loudly. He hadn’t expected that bloody cat to interfere! He hadn’t prepared anything fast enough to cast before he could vanish, so had resulted to a pathetic cantrip! Tikirin and their gods dammed magic resistances! Those missiles, cantrip or not, would have fried the organs of a full-grown man! Yet, the sizzling pink feline still lived. And Darlothz had no time to either finish him, or retrieve the Dragonheart-

  For the portal was collapsing!!

  Without more than a half shouted curse, Darlothz hurriedly jumped through the portal, which instantly vanished as he crossed the threshold.

  The manastorms also quit. And seconds later, the barrier shattered in one ear-piercing crash. There was not a single flash, or crackle of energy when it broke. Nor did anyone inside get spontaneously cooked. Instead, in the moment it shattered, many pieces of earth, some over a hundred feet tall, rocketed into the air, like the land itself was yanked straight up one, some parts heeding the call, others staying unmoved.

  Then, all was still.

  * * *

  In another bout of apparent random luck, the Rock was not one of the pieces of land yanked towards the sky when the barrier came down. Which was especially good for Feldyn, as he had been barely hanging on. If not for the spear he wedged into some stone, he would have fallen into the river, and to his death, like the legionnaire.

  It was drizzling, the clouds heavy, telling the time of day was impossible, but it was obviously close to dark. Soaked to the bone, Feldyn finally pulled himself back to where he had been fighting before going over the edge. With the barrier gone, there was no more artificial heat, and it was cold. His hands were numb, his body shivered violently.

  Standing in the rain, he could feel the mana in the air no more. Not a single storm split the sky, and the top of the Rock was calm, the portal closed. Bryan and Pazely had presumably been taken. And Caleb… the Dragonheart… lie at such an angle… His neck…

  Had this… What… had happened? … Everything… Had everything, all he had gone through… been for nothing? Feldyn was hollow. Empty, as he walked to Caleb’s side and fell to his knees. “I’m sorry,” he told the boy that could not hear him. “I am so sorry!” He began to cry now. How had he failed so greatly?! If Caleb was dead… all hope was gone. Antioch had won, Pazely and Bryan sentenced to a fate worse than the bard could imagine! As had all of Aethra!

  Carefully, he reached two fingers to check for a pulse… There! He yet lived! But… if he broke his neck… There was no way to know until he woke. And if Reba still lived, perhaps she could heal him. So… there was still hope…

  On his knees, Feldyn fell back to sit on his heels. Arms slack, he looked to the sky. “WHY?! WHY HAS THIS HAPPENED?!” he shouted to the God he knew would not answer. Oh, how he wanted to cast the blame above! To say it wasn’t his fault! To accuse the Creator of all!

  But he knew better. And helplessness overcame him. Sobs wracked his body. Not worse than he had ever felt, no… Feldyn had too many moments in his life in which sorrow and guilt had over taken him. It wasn’t fair! It wasn’t FUCKING FAIR! “RAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!” he shouted, until his breath was no more, falling facedown to the ground, not a sob left to give. And he looked to the right.

  Lance.

  “No!” Frantically crawling through the mud, he was gasping and choking, hurrying to the best friend he had ever known, had ever had! The friend he had commanded to leave! “Lance! Lance!” now he was again sobbing, delicately lifting the tikirin. Lance opened his eyes. “Oh, thank Jesus!” Feldyn sobbed, and held his small pink and white friend in a gentle hug. “Oh thank Jesus!” He allowed himself a few more sobs before holding Lance out in front of him again. He was singed, injured, but how badly, Feldyn wasn’t sure. “Are ye okay?” he asked, and Lance nodded feebly. That was when Feldyn noticed he no longer wore his collar.

  Lance must have sent the collar back through the portal! Genius! Feldyn had forgotten that a tikirin’s collar let off a sort of homing signal in order for it to be located by them or their master, in the off chance it was lost or stolen! Lance no doubt had a way to keep it safe from the enemy, or he would not have sent it. And Feldyn bet the professor had a way to locate the same signal! “You did good, my friend! You did very good!” Feldyn praised.

  Knowing he couldn’t break down, his friends and possibly enemies still out there, he forced himself to swallow his pain, fear, and guilt. Feldyn got to his feet. The event of the three Terrors had come to an end. Caleb was still alive. Lance was still alive. And as far as he knew, so were the others. His goal had not changed, there were simply now additional conditions. Two of his friends had been taken, and he would be damned if they would be abandoned! No, even if it cost him everything, he would find them!

  With a grin despite himself, Feldyn realized Ally may get her wish after all; that it may be possible for others than just himself, Caleb, and Lance, to return to Aethra.

  Raising his face to the heavens once more, Feldyn shouted, “We will find you!” Thunder rolled, as if acknowledging his oath. “We will not abandon you! Keep strong, my friends! Keep faith! No matter what happens, we will come for you!” Lowering his head, “All of us.” Even if now, with the glisserant color back on Aethra, they had no way to open a portal. Feldyn growled through clenched teeth, Lance barely conscious. There had to be a way! Someone on this planet had to know about portals! Someone must know something!

  And someone crossed his mind. For there was still one known enemy remaining; one small demoness, unconscious, at the base of the Rock. And one way or another, by whatever means- Feldyn was going to find out the truth.

  And here so ends Stasis Shatter

  …part one…

  of

  The Echoes of Aethra