Milton sat in one of the towers atop the damaged walls of the Third Circle, overlooking the remains of Ignis. He silently wept bitter tears, a hand over his mouth. The destruction of Axis Mundi’s capital, and the loss of many of the Dominion’s citizens grieving his heart.

  He composed himself as he heard footsteps approaching.

  “It’s not like you to cry like that. This might be the first time I’ve seen you weep,” a familiar woman’s voice called to him.

  He wiped the tears from his eyes as he saw one of the Shadows approach him. He stood, making sure to stand with a straight back as he overlooked the ruined city. “How could I not weep over what has happened here today?”

  “I wasn’t teasing you. Apologies, I now realize it might’ve come across that way,” the Shadow replied.

  Milton smiled, “You have a tendency to do that, Callista.”

  The Shadow removed their helm, revealing the unrivaled beauty of Callista Philomena. She lightly smacked his shoulder, “You used that name on purpose, didn’t you, ‘Milton.’”

  She used air quotes around his alias.

  She leaned forward, leaning on the rails as she overlooked the ruined city with him. “Quite a mess we found ourselves in, eh Morpheus?”

  As if on cue, Milton, rather, Morpheus threw off his cloak, revealing a muscular and well trained body underneath.

  His true name, Morpheus, was one given to him by his father, holy Athanasius Durai himself when he’d become a Shadow. It was a mark of pride for him. One he’d hated hiding under an alias. However, there was no longer a need for “Milton the scribe.” That persona had merely been to get close to and interact with the newly summoned Champion. A mission given to him by Lord Athanasius given their closeness in age.

  And I completely failed in that regard, Morpheus thought bitterly.

  The Champion, Galen Daxton, had been far more difficult to manipulate and deceive than any of them had expected. Except for Lord Athanasius, of course. That was no doubt why he’d assigned Morpheus to this mission. Yet he’d underestimated the difficulty and importance of the task, and failed.

  It was a failure he’d soon rectify.

  “How is Arawn, Callista?” Morpheus asked.

  She shot him look, and he shrugged in response, “What? That is your birth name, isn’t it? You weren’t born into the order, you were scouted later on in life.”

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  He then quickly added, “Don’t get me wrong. Though you may not directly carry the blood of Lord Athanasius, being not only deemed worthy of scouting, but passing the training and becoming a Shadow is very commendable in its own right.”

  “Still,” Callista said, “this is Shadow business, Morpheus. So I’d appreciate it if you used the name given to me by Lord Athanasius.”

  Morpheus chuckled, “Very well, Venus.”

  Venus nodded in approval, and then finally answered his question, “Arawn is in critical condition. Honestly, it’s a miracle he’s even alive given he’s as close to dead as one can be without actually dying. No doubt the Holy Emperor intervened to save him. The surgeons are having a void of a time trying to remove his armor. Do you have any idea how hard it is to remove armor that has melted, grafted, and seeped into your skin?”

  Were Morpheus an ordinary man, he’d have shuddered at the thought. Instead, he said, “He’ll survive. That man is one of the most tenacious bastards I’ve ever known. He’s too stubborn to die.”

  Venus nodded, and then asked him, “Did you get the new orders?”

  Morpheus did. The Champion had gone missing shortly after they parted ways. His incompetent guards were also gone. If they weren’t dead, then Morpheus would personally torture and execute them for their blunder. As for the Champion, he’d suspected what had happened, and when his new orders came in those suspicions were confirmed.

  The Champion had been taken by the Rebellion.

  “Yes. We’re to track down the Champion, save him from the rebels, and return him to the Dominion. And put down what we can of the accursed rebels while we’re at it,” Morpheus answered Venus.

  She nodded, before sighing and saying, “That Galen Daxton… we already had a hell of a time with him, and it’s only going to be worse when we get him back.”

  Morpheus smiled and said ominously, “Don’t worry, he’ll be convinced to work with us. One way or another.”

  Venus pushed herself off the railing, “So? What’s the plan?”

  “First, I get my Sentient Armor and Weapon,” Morpheus chuckled as he saw he elicited an eye roll from Venus, “now, now. Don’t give me that. I’ve gone far too long without them. After, we contact the other Shadows spread throughout Axis Mundi. Preferably, the ones in our faction. Time is of the essence. The longer the Champion spends away, the more obstinate he’ll become.”

  Venus was quiet for a moment before asking, “How do you know the rebellion hasn’t killed him already?”

  “They haven’t. And they won’t,” Morpheus stated confidently.

  “And what makes you so certain?”

  “Because Aleksi cares too much for him. He’s too soft to take such an action. The Champion is alive. We’ll find him, and then turn him into the sword of the Dominion. Just as Lord Athanasius had planned. Whether he likes it or not.”

  Venus nodded a final time, and she and Morpheus jumped down together from atop the massive, damaged wall surrounding the Third Circle. They landed on the ground harmlessly, the ground cracking from the impact.

  They marched to retrieve Morpheus’s armor and weapons from the underground armory of Axis Mundi, which had thankfully survived the Etheric Fusion explosion. Morpheus sent out a thought into the Realm, Galen Daxton, Aleksi, and the wretched daughter of the knife ears who threw all our plans awry. Ready yourselves. The Shadows of Athanasius are coming for you!

  The End of Volume 1: Champion and Slave

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