The burgundy minivan died with a pathetic wheeze on the Saskatchewan highway, stranding us in an ocean of wheat.

  I was fourteen, trapped between my little brother Danny and a broken air conditioner that made the van feel like a furnace. Outside, the prairies stretched forever—flat, endless, merciless.

  "If it's so flat, why don't they build a giant roller coaster?" Danny asked, kicking the seat.

  "Because it would be boring as shit," I shot back.

  "He's not wrong," Dad said from up front.

  "Ben, language! And don't encourage him, Sean!" Mom snapped.

  Then Dad popped the hood, and the smell of burning antifreeze invaded the car like poison gas. He emerged with grease-black fingers and that sheepish grin that meant we were screwed.

  "Well, boys, another car claimed by the prairies. We belong to the Earth now."

  Mom's hand connected with his shoulder hard enough to make him wince.

  We waited. Thirty silent minutes. No cars, dust trails, nor cell signal. The sun climbed higher, shrinking our shadows to nothing while Danny kicked stones and Mom checked her dead phone for the tenth time.

  "What do we do now?" Danny's voice cracked with worry.

  Mom wiped sweat from her forehead, scanning the shimmering highway. "Gas station about six kilometers back. We can make it in an hour if we hustle."

  Sean raised both hands in theatrical surrender. "Six clicks? I'll guard the ship. Danny and I will keep the snacks from forming a coalition."

  Mom's eyebrow arched dangerously. "I thought you were solar-powered, Sean? Sometimes I wonder if Mother was right about you."

  He clutched his chest as if she'd stabbed him. "Oh, the knife, Jasmine! At least now you can marry a nice Chinese boy. Your parents will be so happy."

  She hurled a granola bar at him. He caught it one-handed. "Nice! Food delivery!"

  Shaking her head, she shouldered a backpack and handed me warm water. Her face shifted into that stoic mask she wore when channeling my Aapo.

  "Come on, Ben.

  means perseverance. Nothing is hopeless—just hard."

  The pavement ahead shimmered like liquid mercury. Heat ripples made the sky dance. Gravel crunched under our sneakers as we started walking into hell.

  My calves burned after the first kilometer. The sun hammered down without mercy, turning my shirt into a sweat-soaked rag. Mom shared the last drops of water—I drank, passed it back, watched her lips barely touch the rim.

  "You okay?" she asked, her stride never faltering.

  "Better me than Dad," I panted. "He'd complain the whole time."

  She laughed—actually laughed. "True. But he'd get it done. You can complain all you want when you're the one doing what no one else wants to do."

  My phone buzzed. One fragile bar glowed in the corner like a dying star.

  "Mom, I could try calling—"

  She studied the empty road behind us, then the shimmering distance ahead. "If we stop and wait, a truck still has to reach the van. We'll have to walk back anyway. We're already this far. Better to finish what we started."

  I pocketed the phone. "Hard, not hopeless?"

  Pride softened in her eyes. "Exactly. We do the hard stuff so others don't have to. Maybe complain a bit while we do it."

  A blessed breeze rose, giving us fresh momentum. We crested one of the prairie's rare hills, and there it was—the weather-beaten gas station, paint peeling but real.

  Inside, a familiar scruffy elf looked up from his newspaper, eyebrows lifting at our dust-streaked faces.

  "Car trouble?"

  "Radiator, maybe worse," Mom said. "Six clicks south."

  I stared at Ted as he pulled keys from a pegboard. "Hop in the truck. Let's go get 'em."

  The AC felt like salvation. On the ride back, Mom finally slumped against the headrest, exhausted but still tracking every kilometer. We found Dad propping up makeshift shade with sweaters while Danny whooped at the sight of rescue.

  While Ted hooked the van, Mom squeezed my shoulder. "Good work, Ben. Sometimes the hardest stretch is after help appears. runs in the Guan clan."

  "Okay, Aapo," Danny said, making us all laugh.

  I looked at Ted, who flashed his toothy grin and slapped the van twice.

  "You're an asshole, Ted."

  "Language, Ben!" Mom snapped, and the memory shattered.

  My eyes snapped open. Floor. Neck screaming. Red pressed against my side, tail tucked low.

  "I know, buddy. I feel it too."

  The air vibrated at the edge of perception like a ringing that wouldn't stop. How long had I been out? Hours? Minutes? My exhausted brain couldn't tell.

  We stumbled into the parlor and

  The multicolored orb outside had tripled in size, rippling like something massive was trying to claw its way out from the inside.

  A shockwave exploded from the orb without warning.

  Everything went white. Energy slammed into an invisible barrier just beyond our balcony, and the entire tower shook like it might collapse. My ears rang as the sickening, wrong sensation of Hollowflame crashed over me like poison.

  Cass and Malcolm burst from their rooms looking like they'd been dragged from the dead.

  "What the fuck was that?!" Cass screamed, eyes wide with terror.

  "Oh fuck," Malcolm whispered, pointing toward the city.

  A towering lizard-monster reared up between buildings, all black skin and glowing violet veins. Like an upright Komodo dragon crossed with a nightmare—long clawed arms, thick shoulders, death in its eyes.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  It threw back its head and roared.

  Another tremor shook the tower. The beast inhaled deeply, snapped its head forward, and unleashed obliteration.

  A sickeningly purple beam erupted from its maw, wiping out city blocks as if they were made of sand. Then it swept upward, aiming straight for us.

  The impact threw us to the ground. The invisible barrier flickered, strained, held—barely. A high-pitched shriek filled the air.

  "What the shit is that thing?!" I yelled.

  A brilliant white beam shot down from somewhere high above us, slamming into the creature's chest and knocking it flat. The monster hit the ground with an earth-shaking thud that rattled my bones.

  "Shelter!" Malcolm screamed over the ringing. "We need to get to a shelter!"

  The hallway was chaos—people scrambling, shouting, bolting for the stairs. Red stayed glued to my side as we sprinted to help stragglers up, pointing them toward escape routes. Cass and Malcolm spread out without hesitation, making sure everyone moved before we followed.

  Cass shot me a quick look and a faint smile. She approved. Good.

  We poured down the stairwell with the crowd, emerging into a lobby packed with warriors. Maris's people with weapons drawn, Monster Hunters in distinctive leather, Plate-armored Guardians, The Oathbound warriors, and dozens of Sylvarus students.

  All faced the massive doors as Maris stood on the central desk, mid-briefing.

  "—Class-B Monster event," she was saying. "Thousands trapped in the city. Your duty is getting as many to the tower as possible. Each team takes a Sylvarus Adept who knows the layout."

  Her eyes found ours, focused on Malcolm. Something shifted in her tone—worry for the son she'd just been berating.

  "Stay clear of the primary monster. The Oathbound will handle subjugation, but academy streets aren't safe. You'll encounter aquatic-based monsters. Voltghasts. Varglid and Glid are patrolling and laying siege."

  She turned back to the crowd.

  "We're fighting our way out."

  Thea shoved through the crowd, waving us over. "You three—uh, four—are with me if you're going out there." She produced cloth sacks filled to the brim. "Red coins." Then, three ornate boomsticks materialized. "Worked all night after trading that mana core. Was gonna be a surprise for round three, but we need 'em now."

  These looked professional. Two handles—one at the butt, another halfway up the barrel.

  "These look incredible!" Malcolm shouldered one, sighting down the barrel. "This handle helps with recoil?"

  Thea's grin showed too many teeth. "Fucking right it will. They kick like a damn mule, so I had the genius idea of adding handles."

  "We're really going out there?" Cass asked, excitement bleeding through her fear.

  "All-hands situation," Thea stated. "Seekers and above pitch in or we don't get through this. Nothing most of us haven't seen before. Well, except you." She motioned to me.

  "But a Class-B?" I looked at Cass. "Didn't you say something about one attacking La-Roc? Your grandfather—"

  Cass nodded grimly. "Yeah... but there are so many powerful Runebinders here. Not just Hunters. After seeing what Grace could do—I don't really know what to think."

  "We'll be fine," Thea said confidently. "Stick to the mission." She handed us healing potions and pills. "If shit goes south, slam a potion and leg it. Mana is replaceable. People aren't."

  Malcolm and I shifted into our armor. I stored the boomstick, drew Winchester.

  "Oh shit," Cass said. "My armor's upstairs."

  Thea's smile turned wicked. "Time for gift number two." An armor case materialized from her mana sanctum. She knelt, spun it toward us.

  Inside sat armor so black it seemed to absorb light. Cass pulled out the tunic—it had a furry quality that tickled a memory.

  "Is that the Ash Stalker?!" Malcolm blurted.

  "Damn right," Cass said, shrugging into it without hesitation. She changed right there in the crowded room—several others were doing the same. "What the fuck?" She flexed her gloved hand. "I can still feel mana in this."

  "Class-D armor set!" Thea announced proudly. "Also fucking fireproof, which is the best part."

  Cass squeezed her fist, testing flexibility after her sword belt. "Alright, what's the plan?"

  "Couple pretty easy stops," Thea replied. "Far enough from whatever that monster is that we should only hit a few Glids, maybe some smaller nasties. Scoop up whoever's there, haul ass back. Rinse and repeat."

  We nodded, ready. But the doors remained closed, and I spotted Dara on a nearby staircase, staring at the ceiling with tears streaming down her face.

  I jogged over, climbing to where she stood.

  "Hey, Dara... I don't know what that barrier is, but—" My words died as her eyes met mine. Raw emotion had replaced her usual serenity. Something broken and furious.

  "That monster out there," she whispered, voice mixing calm and rage. "That's Gu Li. Someone stole my son and burned his soul out. To send a message. We were together over a century, Ben. None of this would have happened if you weren't here."

  The words hit like a physical blow. That gentle giant was her son? Twisted into that... thing?

  "How?" I asked quietly. "And how can I help?"

  Suddenly her rage washed over me like a tidal wave. Valor vanished. The bustling room faded. Something in her eyes screamed I was the problem—that getting rid of me might fix everything. I tried to back away, but my legs wouldn't work. I couldn’t tell if my heart was beating. She towered over me as if death was on the horizon, staring at me.

  "Oh, havin' a pity party, are ya, toots?" Ted's voice cut through the suffocating atmosphere.

  The tension vanished like it had never existed.

  Dara turned to Ted, jaw quivering as a sob escaped.

  "Look, condolences," Ted said, pointing at me. "But you think this guy had anything to do with this shit? Just 'cause he's here doesn't mean none of this wouldn't have happened. At least this way, there're hundreds of people willing to help." He gestured across the lobby. "What would've happened if this went down without a goddamn tournament here, huh?"

  Dara blinked, gaze sweeping over the sea of people suiting up to fight. Then her knees buckled. Red rushed over, licking her face until she laughed and shoved him away.

  "I'm sorry, Ben," she blurted. "I've grown used to losing friends and family, but... the way this happened is unforgivable. Diana said it's called Hollowflame—an affront to everything I am. We have to slay what's left of Gu Li, then find who did this."

  I nodded, helping her up. Valor returned like a warm embrace. Everyone was watching as I pulled her to her feet and hugged her tight.

  "I'm sorry too, Dara. I didn't know him long, but I would have liked to."

  She released me, turned to Ted, knelt, hugged him tight, and planted a kiss right on his lips.

  His eyes went wide. Then, he exploded into multicolored dust.

  A quick check revealed Ted in my soul-space, smirking and muttering about being the luckiest spirit around. He even pulled off a heel-click.

  A familiar presence settled on my head. A small yellow canary hopped onto my shoulder, then into my hand.

  "Stanley!" I admired his new black, wide-brimmed hat that screamed undertaker.

  "Hey Junior Brother,Would be a fucking travesty if I didn't get to help. Don't worry Dara, baby, Stanley's got you.

  Dara rolled her eyes. "I've told you not to call me baby, ."

  Stanley puffed up indignantly. Drama there, but no time to unpack it.

  The room had gone dead quiet. Everyone was staring.

  Dara stepped past me, addressing the crowd.

  "There are hundreds of abominations outside these doors," she said, voice regaining steadiness. "It'll be a fight just to get out. Once you're out, you can't come back until the path is clear and I can lower the barrier."

  The massive doors swung open with a gesture.

  We should have seen the gorgeous harbor. Instead, a nightmarish wall of neon-streaked black skin pressed against a shimmering barrier just beyond the entrance.

  Hundreds of them. Maybe thousands.

  Collective despair settled over the room. Even Maris looked shaken. Several Aldertrees wavered, started toward the stairwell. Maris faltered, eyes flicking to the seething mass before sighing.

  "Jianchi!" I shouted, stepping beside Dara. "Nothing is hopeless! Just really... really hard."

  The words came out with twice the conviction I felt. Those heading for the stairs stopped. Every eye snapped to me.

  "Perseverance!" I continued. "For those unfamiliar with Eloquentia. If I've learned one thing since arriving on Ark, it's that everyone here perseveres. When monsters destroy something, you rebuild. When someone's in trouble, you help."

  The tower shook again. Hanging lanterns swayed, casting dancing shadows across determined and fearful faces.

  Why was I giving this speech? Maris was in charge. But even she was staring with something like gratitude.

  "So we fight our way out," I pressed on, feeling a surge of... not confidence, but something like it, as Valor spread out over everyone. "Gaius Valerian showed you we're stronger together. Guardians front, Strikers behind, Arcanists in the back. There are people out there who need help, so we push through these assholes and them."

  A guttural chant erupted from Alexander's Guardians as they surged forward, forming a shield wall. Heavy plate materialized from mana sanctums, weapons gleaming.

  Maris stared as if my words had actually reached her. She recovered quickly, organizing Strikers with sharp commands. Sylvarus Arcanists gathered behind, bracers flaring to life, hands crackling with power.

  Stanley flitted off my hand, shimmering into Fenghuang form. His usual jewelry was gone, replaced by interlocking golden chain mail that flowed like liquid sunlight.

  "Breaker!" a Guardian shouted from the front, voice muffled by his helmet. "Alexander's out there with Charles Blackwood and the Oathbound. We could use you at the Vanguard!"

  I shot a look back—my friends had melted into the ranks. Cass with Strikers, Malcolm and Thea with Arcanists.

  Sighing, Red and I walked to the front. Winchester shifted to glaive form, blade glowing soft yellow with light-aspected mana. Red's tails spread as energy rippled over his fur.

  We joined the grim-faced Guardians at the tip of the spear.

  Stanley flew overhead, golden armor blazing like a sun.