Screams. Blood-curdling, coming from outside the room. The color from Tutsoi’s face drained too, though he seemed less bothered by it.

  “Oh gods!”

  Another scream echoed again, preceded by a crunching sound that made a chill go up Corrin’s spine.

  “Tell me what your goals are, or I’ll snap the others too. Why did Nevarii want Lukas dead? What's his significance?”

  “I don’t know! I swear!!”

  “Liar!”

  Another crunch echoed, accompanied by a squeal. It was Edwin’s voice. He couldn’t imagine what horrible things he was feeling at this moment. Corrin also couldn’t stand idly by while his once-best friend was being tortured, even if it was to get information out that was necessary. Corrin stood up and walked to the door.

  “All I know is something about his soul! Nevarii just kept mentioning how his soul was important!”

  “What about his soul?”

  “I don’t know! He just-”

  Another snap seemed to splinter bone. Edwin screamed again as Corrin pushed open the door, holding his stomach. The sight horrified Corrin. Edwin’s face was bruised, and blood poured from his crunched nose and black eye. His busted lip muttered Corrin’s name softly.

  He wore nothing aside from tied pants. His fingers were tied to the chair, half of them on his right hand being pulled back until they broke, bruises forming on them as Corrin watched. Numerous bloody teeth littered the floor. Blood poured from Edwin’s ear as well, the hair around it dry-shaven and bleeding.

  “Oh gods, Edwin…”

  Scabbing cuts already ran along his face and chest, the wound caused by Corrin. Though it seemed like a paper cut compared to the wounds of torture inflicted by Falcia. Falcia was indeed there, hovering just over Edwin. Her face and arms were cut up from the attack the bird monster made the previous day, though that did not stop her from getting information out of Edwin.

  She looked over to Corrin, her wounds forcing her left eye to stay closed and swollen.

  “For the gods’ sakes, Corrin, do you know this jackass or not? Cause you’re being confusing as hell.”

  Corrin gripped his hand.

  “Yes, his name is Edwin Farris. He was once a good friend of mine. In fact, he saved my life.”

  Corrin, at that moment, was thinking of how he and Edwin, with the help of Merri, had managed to kill the Queen. Those moments had only been a few, though they seemed so much longer in the moment.

  “I haven’t seen him since I awoke from my coma after a… difficult battle.”

  He hadn’t explained anything related to the Queen to Falcia. Though he didn’t want to. He had only ever explained such things to Omna whilst Tutsoi and Lukas were present. Even the thought of the Queen brought back memories of betrayal and the pain of loss all over again. Those were moments he did not wish to relive.

  Falcia seemed a little suspicious after “difficult battle” was used. Corrin’s past was none of Falcia’s business. To her, Corrin was nothing but a strong Anees boy on par with Tutsoi. Though if she wanted information, she would have to pry.

  “What do you mean by a difficult battle?”

  Corrin had promised himself that he wouldn’t talk to anyone who didn’t need to know the information. But he figured this was a good enough reason. So he gave the short version.

  “A few years ago, my village burned down. Edwin and I were close friends back then…”

  Falcia already grew confused. To her, there was nothing but this realm. Corrin was sure that all she ever knew was the Fali Realm. Perhaps she had heard of the Holy Realm, though it never crossed her mind that Corrin had ever been there. Corrin knew that she was aware that Tutsoi had the Shard of Realms, yet perhaps it had never crossed her mind that Corrin or Lukas were from other realms.

  “...this was– not in your realm. I come from the Holy Realm. We think that–”

  Corrin was cut off.

  “How the hell did you get here?”

  Corrin sighed.

  “Lukas found it first in a tower before I arrived. We think that–”

  Corrin stopped for a moment, wondering whether or not he should disclose such information.

  “...Omna mentioned that… because Lukas’s souls have a connection, it could be that when he tampered with it, my soul was being affected by it also.”

  Corrin recalled the moment unfolding. It was a light conversation he had with Omna. Omna wanted to know how Corrin truly arrived here without the Shard of Realms in his possession. He remembered something Omna had said. Corrin repeated it to Falcia.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “‘Souls are a funny thing. They seem to do as they wish with no regard for how one might feel about it.’ That's what Omna told me. We figured that because Lukas’s souls are… connected in a way, that my frustration at the exact moment Lukas was tampering with the shard created a portal from my world into his, though… I guess it was off, with how I landed in the snow instead of where Lukas was.”

  Falcia’s mind didn’t seem to comprehend fully what Corrin was saying, though she was trying.

  “What kind of connection are you talking about?”

  Corrin gritted his teeth for a moment; he was never supposed to spill such information. Even among his comrades, only the Council, Tutsoi, Lukas, and himself were ever supposed to know about it. Anybody else was forced to stay quiet.

  “Lukas and I… have the same soul. It was split in two when we were children. One half was Shem, the other was Anees. Lukas was sent far away and landed in this realm.”

  Falcia walked back and sat down.

  “How the hell could the council not tell us these things? We’re called the information division for the gods’ sakes! How the hell do I even know if you’re telling the truth? If this is the case, then Nevarii must have been trying to kill Lukas because he shares a soul with you, is that correct?”

  Corrin tightened his grip on his stomach, which still hurt.

  “I think so. And… he wants to kill us, because he fears what we can do.”

  Tutsoi looked up; he hadn’t heard this part. In fact, Corrin had only ever told Omna this. Months ago, when he was with Oknata in his dreams, Oknata told him very crucial information. The Shards, the motives of the Shem Empire, Katan… Corrin told Omna all of it. Omna must have kept it a secret, though Corrin did not understand why. There must have been some other motive for not letting the others know.

  “Did… Omna not tell you anything?”

  Corrin was more than a bit confused. Falcia shook her head.

  “He told us next to nothing. He said that we needed to gather information from Nevarii and Edwin. Find out their motives. What else do you know, Corrin?”

  Corrin took a seat. He had a clear view of Edwin, who was trying to mitigate the pain with controlled breaths.

  “The Shem Empire, which was an evil empire that controlled nearly half of a continent before being overtaken by the Vrebathian Rebellion, wanted one of the Shards of the Cornimax so that Katan, the god of the Shem, could be brought back from the Realm of Grief.”

  Corrin had nearly forgotten about all that Oknata had told him. The information was tough to digest in the first place.

  “Using some kind of relic that was in the desert to the south, where the Mostiis Empire grew in power, and a single Shard of the Cornimax to power it, they could have the ability to bring back Katan. Both the Shem and the Mostiis see Lukas and me as a serious threat because of our bloodline. The Hisstion bloodline is one of serious power, apparently.”

  Falcia leaned forward a bit and quickly took in the information.

  “Where did you get this information, Corrin?”

  “I… can sometimes create contact with a man named Oknata. Oknata Hisstion. He’s my ancestor, and wields the Shard of Life, which he has been using for centuries to keep himself alive.”

  Falcia looked upon Corrin in a different light.

  “Damn, I knew you were a strong kid, Corrin. Even with one of the Shards of legend in your possession, I still never took you seriously. I’m sorry, Corrin. You and Tutsoi both have a much bigger role in all this than I do. This is no longer a battle of information. This is a war of strength. What the hell are you still doing here? Those shards right there are far too powerful to be exposed to the enemy like that. You must take them back and–”

  “West. He went west…”

  All of them turned to Edwin, who was tearing up as he spoke.

  “Nevarii went to the west, to a city. I’m sorry, Corrin… my family… They survived the attack on our village. They held them captive and tortured them continuously. There was so much blood… they forced me to fight for them.”

  Corrin gained a hint of sympathy for Edwin. If Corrin had learned that his father had somehow survived the attack on their village, he would have done many things to keep him alive. Though he knew he was dead. He himself had buried his father.

  “Arkai, Elliot, you two with me. Corrin, Tutsoi, I want you two to lead Mary and Lukas back to Avitou.”

  She then turned her gaze to only Corrin and Tutsoi.

  “ This is serious. Bring Edwin along, too. Tell Omna that I express, with the utmost seriousness, that Lukas and you two need to do everything you can to destroy, hide, or do anything else to remove the Shards of Time and Realms from the equation. Their use on the frontlines against Nevarii is incredibly foolish. Go, now.”