My word is the law upon which all mortal lives are judged. I am the maker of kings and the breaker of mages. None may sit upon a throne without my blessing, and whatever his connection to the void, Nathair has been granted the authority to rule by my hand. The dragonkin will never again lead from atop a throne; their time has ended.

  Dievas, God of Magic and Kings

  said of the interference in the matters of rulers

  in Pantheon, Avalon

  Shadowy wisps and tendrils of darkness made each corridor of the keep infinitely more dangerous to mortals as the vampires searched for Solomon under the light of the moon. The vampires were systematic in their search, posting lesser undead as markers for cleared areas. Their accumulated wisdom that came with age was clear to Solomon.

  “No wonder folks fear the undead and hate necromancy,” Solomon said to himself, cutting down and setting fire to two zombified guards with his arcane enchanted blade. “Re-killing the mangled reanimated corpses of people I once knew is leaving a foul taste in my mouth.”

  Solomon sensed rather than saw the vampire leap at him from the shadows, fangs bared and ancient broadsword leading. His dragonkin blood stirring, Solomon met the vampires’ sword in a deadly flurry of strikes. The vampire initially attacked with reckless fury, expecting to overwhelm Solomon easily. As Solomon matched it blow for blow, fear tempered its’ strikes. Then as Solomon began to dominate it, the vampire turned to flee and was swiftly dispatched – crumbling into ash as though consumed from within.

  Calling upon his powers, Solomon quickly made his way to his quarters to arm himself for battle. As he ascended the stairs, he noted the piles of burnt corpses and molten stone. He reached out to open the remnants of the door to his quarters and thought better of it.

  “Cortana, I would appreciate it if you do not burn me to ash when I open the door,” Solomon called out.

  “Solomon!” Cortana said, swinging the door open with glee. “Welcome back, master.”

  “Thank you for defending my quarters,” Solomon said, entering the room. Most of the furniture was smouldering, and his clothing turned to ash. “Actually, I withdraw my thanks, seeing as everything I owned is reduced to rubble. I am glad you are alright.”

  “Fewer material possessions to weigh you down; you should thank me. Your gold is stored in your sanctuary, as you instructed. As are most of your more valuable items.” Cortana said.

  “You have been preparing for my departure then?” Solomon said.

  “Our departure,” Cortana said, throwing him his armour and a couple daggers. “I only kept a few lighter items here so that we could make a quick escape from the guards.”

  “Cortana, the vampires, are here for me,” Solomon said. “I cannot just leave. They want my dragonkin blood to tap into its’ power. Based on the story that Kastytis told me, I suspect that the reason behind why everyone seems to want to kill is my lineage.”

  “So, he told you,” Cortana said.

  “That I am the forgotten prince?” Solomon asked. “Yes, and he told me of a maid who served my mother.”

  Cortana sighed. “I should have incinerated the fool long ago.”

  “Who are you really?” Solomon asked.

  “I am an ancient red dragon. Dragons were one of the original denizens of this world before the cataclysmic events that merged our two different planets into what the progenitors called Eden,” Cortana said. “Your mother sought me out just before you and your sister were born.”

  “Why did she seek you out?” Solomon asked. “And how did you know how to find me? The curse laid upon me should have camouflaged me from those seeking me.”

  “Ausrine sought me out for my power. Twins are considered a dark portent by the dragonkin.” Cortana said. “As to how I found you, that is relatively straightforward. The curse only hides your power but does not affect your soul.”

  “So you recognized me from the feeling of my soul?” Solomon said.

  “Yes. It helped that you reappeared near my actual body – this form that I am in is a projection only.” Cortana said. “Lord Ulric’s domain was chosen by Ausrine because of the combination of my body being hidden here and Ulric’s allegiance to her. The oddity was that you took several years to reappear in the world. I had nearly given up hope.”

  “But that delay also allowed King Nathair to hunt down most of those who openly opposed him and ensure that no dragonkin remained to wage war against him,” Solomon said. “I am literally his worst nightmare.”

  “Yes, you are,” Cortana said with a huge grin. “A nightmare to him and the archdemon he serves.”

  “He serves an archdemon?” Solomon asked, aghast.

  “The archdemon Mincatu,” Cortana said. “You have faced his minions twice now – first, you defeated Tichaz’ama, then you managed to kill Vanir. When you defeated Tichaz’ama, you did not manage to kill the wretch. That was how King Nathair knew of your actions so quickly. You forced Tichaz’ama back into his realm. Humans have called the home of demons hell, the void realm, and even the nether.”

  “But I killed Vanir?” Solomon asked.

  “Yes,” Cortana confirmed. “It is why the usurper king fled after retrieving the princess. With Vanir, you ruined his physical form, and then you absorbed his essence to fuel your spell casting.”

  “Is that why that spell was so powerful?” Solomon asked.

  “Yes, although you should avoid that technique in the future,” Cortana said. “Harnassing souls in that manner is a large part of blood magic.”

  “And blood magic taints the soul of the user,” Solomon said. “It taps into the unmatched potential of life itself to fuel void spells, which is why my spell became void empowered.”

  “Yes,” Cortana said. “Using the void as a power source is not inherently evil, but it is difficult to harness such a destructive force without enough spell power. That is why most void magic users also wield blood magic; additional power is necessary. It is simpler to balance out the elements and use arcane energy instead.”

  “Arcane magic is the power of creation,” Solomon said. “What would happen if you combined it with the power of destruction?”

  “You have an ancestor who tried that,” Cortana said. “He failed and ruined a vast swath of land. Few will now venture into the lands controlled by the Darkcaster.”

  A scream sounded in the distance, causing Solomon to shiver. Even as a coincidence, it did not bode well that a mention of the Darkcaster aligned with a scream. Grimacing, Solomon realized he had lost track of his purpose with the enthralling discussion with Cortana. The castle was under attack, and there was little time to waste with idle chatter. Solomon put his armour on, putting the daggers away on his belt while keeping Morgana out to the side.

  “Can you return to the sanctuary and monitor me from there? It is likely that after this, I will need to flee into exile.” Solomon asked. “With your power, you should be able to watch from that distance, right?”

  “I can,” Cortana said, her displeasure tinging her words. “Do your best not to die while I am away.”

  “I would be more worried for the vampires,” Solomon replied. He watched as Cortana’s form seemed to fold in upon itself, forming an orb before it faded into nothingness.

  The undead swarmed around the town and castle grounds, killing any living thing they encountered. The villagers attempted to flee to the rooftops and sturdier buildings, but the zombies and skeletal minions were relentless. Solomon went to the edge of the village to help the defenceless first.

  The tides of shambling corpses could not put up a fight against Solomon. Wherever the undead encountered Solomon, their forces faced Solomon’s decimating power. He quickly eliminated the enemy forces within the village. Those he rescued were fighting fires or shoring up the outer defences. He fought very few vampires – the newborn vampires that had been left to shepherd the lesser undead. They could not compare to a vampire with experience, and Solomon cut them down quickly.

  The remaining vampires were pressing their assault on the keeps’ chapel. Under Solomon’s guidance, Zaria had weaponized her healing magic to defend against the undead creatures. Together with the local priest, they had enspelled the holy doors to prevent a further assault upon anyone sheltered within. They had also armed the guards with holy water to help stop the undead advance.

  Their efforts enabled Solomon to make a slow, methodical and deadly advance, slaughtering the remnants of farmers, merchants, and even guards. One by one, Solomon struck down the undead and returned them to the peaceful sleep of death. Eventually, he ran into his actual targets: the vampires leading the assault.

  Unlike the rotting corpses and decayed skeletons he had faced before – and much like the lone vampire he’d fought earlier – Solomon felt visceral fear of his vampiric opponents despite their enhanced beauty. He rushed them as he neared the chapel, engaging the vampires with magic and might. Using enhancement magic, Solomon managed to keep to the speed of the vampires without drawing too heavily on the power of his bloodline. Under his breath, he said a quick prayer to his goddess. Solomon was a challenging foe for any who turned from the chapel to engage with him.

  Solomon struck down small groups of the vampires as they turned to face him in groups of three or four, as swift as a lightning bolt with each strike. Their leader noticed Solomon and halted their advance on the chapel doors – they no longer needed to breach the hallowed hall. They turned as one.

  The leader spoke to Solomon as his minions advanced. “So, our target chooses to come to us. How wise.”

  “Rather, how kind of you all to gather in one place; it removes the need to hunt you down,” Solomon said. “My name is Solomon, blessed by the goddess of time. Ancient one, would you give me your name so I can inform your living kin of your fate?”

  “Elessa’s instructions will be easy to carry out.” The vampiric leader said cautiously. “I am High Lord Barde Plaguefury, last of my bloodline. If any of my kin yet live, I am sure they live a terrible, cursed life. I unleashed a plague amongst my people and lured my enemies in, infecting their armies and wiping out rival lords.”

  Solomon dodged shadow bolts tossed his way by Barde’s followers. There were records of Barde’s crimes in Ulric’s library. Supposedly, the high lord had died from the very plague he had unleashed after blighting the nearby lands. “How did you come to serve Elessa?”

  “I had thought myself immune to plagues but found myself in dire need shortly after my victory. Then I saw the vampiric high priestess, ancient even then.” Barde said. “I will never forget her beauty or her power. She brought me across, drinking deeply of my blood. Her power binds me and holds me in its grasp. Her will is my will.”

  “Then, I shall set you free,” Solomon said. He darted forward through the remaining vampires, pinning Barde to the blessed chapel’s door with his sword. The hinges creaked and shattered, breaking the door, and throwing both of them into the room. The light magic burned at Barde, the elder vampire hissing and thrashing under Solomon’s firm grip.

  Kastytis darted forward, his sword leading. It pierced the heart of the vampire, and Barde howled in pain and fury.

  “Cut off his head!” Solomon shouted at the older warrior.

  “Yes, sir,” Kastytis said. He pulled his blade in, then struck downwards in an arc. The sword cut clean through the vampire’s neck, removing its head and crumbling the rest of the body into ash.

  Not waiting to watch Barde disintegrate, Solomon spun around. He flung a wall of fire down the hallway, burning the remaining vampires to ash. Wisps of smoke were all that remained in the hallway of the younger vampires.

  “Are they all dead?” Zaria said from near the altar. She had been working with the local priest to maintain the sanctity barrier. Her water and light magic talent were well suited to the sacred arts.

  Kastytis glanced at Solomon. The young mageknight gave a short and quick nod. “It looks that way.”

  “Thank you both for your assistance – without your timely aid, we would have all died. Yet, I must ask you both to return to your cells if the danger has passed,” Ulric said, waving Zaldimere and Felix to escort them. “Zaldimere, you know what to do.”

  “We know the way,” Solomon said with a lopsided smile.

  “Be that as it may, it is my will that you be escorted to prevent your escape,” Ulric said. He was geared with his ceremonial armour and a large battle axe. There was blood on his gear, still damp and sticky. “The king would be furious if you two took advantage of the confusion to escape into the wilderness. As dragonkin, both of you are precious prisoners.”

  Zaldimere paused on his way past Lord Ulric to whisper something inaudible to the rest of the room. The tutor then left the room, beckoning Solomon and Kastytis to follow. “Come on now, we do not have all day!”

  “Yeah,” Felix muttered. “We need to go and help the townsfolk recover their dead and reinforce the defences. If you left anything for us to do.”

  “Sorry,” Solomon said softly as he followed Zaldimere and Kastytis from the room. Felix sullenly tailed behind the group.

  As they made their way down towards the dungeon, Zaldimere suddenly halted. He pulled out a small knife from within his robes. Zaldimere drew the blade across the palm of his hand. “This should be far enough.”

  “True,” Kastytis said. “It was a clever farce.”

  “That does not help with the pain,” Zaldimere said, waving away a distraught Felix as he rubbed blood onto his robes. “Solomon, is there a secret passageway anywhere near here?”

  “Yes, just a short distance. It leads to the central courtyard, which is less than ideal for escaping.” Solomon said. “It is a winding passage, so you will likely be found first.”

  “The reinforcements from King Nathair will arrive here shortly. We called for aid when the undead first started their assault.” Zaldimere said. “Incinera, Robert, and their elite demon-slaying squadron should be arriving. Try to avoid fighting them as you escape.”

  “Wait, Solomon,” Felix said. “While you have no life here now, you have a new opportunity to forge a new life. One that is free from societal constraints. Take to the night and hide far away from here.”

  “Thank you,” Solomon said. He then flung Felix into the stone wall and bound him to the wall. Solomon threw a wall of force at Zaldimere, causing the mage to pass out. “Let us go, Kastytis.”

  As Kastytis and Solomon rushed through the gates, Solomon felt Cortana approaching rapidly. The usually quiet maid had abandoned her human form and let her true self be known. Solomon laughed, shouting a warning to Ulric’s hapless soldiers as the two warriors ran by.

  “Run, you fools!” Solomon called to the guards. “Fear, fire, and death await you here; so, flee, and flee now!”

  “Dragon at the gate!” Incinera said, rattled. The archmage had no spells that would turn aside actual dragon fire. Despite knowing that his quarry would put considerable distance between them, the royal magus did not hesitate to turn and fall back from the castle gate. “Robert, with me unless you fancy yourself a dragon slayer.”

  Robert scowled darkly at the mage but heeded Incinera’s warning. They had come to seize Solomon into custody or slay him if he resisted, not to fight mythical monsters or dark creatures.

  “What now?” Robert asked.

  Cortana answered for Incinera; her roar stunned many soldiers in the vicinity, many of whom fainted or ran, cowering. Not even bothering to land, she circled the keep once, then breathed forth fiery destruction. Her dragon fire was so hot it vaporized any guards caught in her path, melting even stone. The entry gates were ablaze, molten metal and stone burning alive the guards who had taken refuge there. After ensuring that none attempted to follow Solomon, she left, taking wing above the clouds.

  “We get reinforcements,” Incinera said, opening a portal to his sanctum. The archmage was not happy.

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

  Cortana flapped lazily in the breeze, watching the chaos unfold below. She could see Solomon and Kastytis running full tilt through the town as Ulric’s guards abandoned their posts and ran into the safety of the keep. The townsfolk were also panicked, for a good reason. An idle spat of flame from Cortana would set the entire town ablaze in moments.

  No one would harm Solomon while he was under the eyes of such a powerful entity – but it seemed that some wished to try their luck. Cortana spotted Incinera’s fireball flying towards her and changed her flight pattern to charge into it, the flames swirling harmlessly around her, a tepid temperature compared to the hot magma of the planet and barely noticeable compared to the heat of dragon fire.

  “Humans.” Cortana thought. “Such arrogance to believe that their little magic can harm a divine one.”

  Soaring lower, Cortana could hear a slight buzzing noise. Reinforcements led by Robert loosed a barrage of arrows against her. A simple glance revealed that they were ordinary arrows, wooden with iron barbs. She continued her descent, landing in the courtyard of the keep. Cortana knew this left the gate unguarded but figured they would attempt to deal with her first rather than pursue Solomon.

  She was right. They pelted her with arrows and spears to no avail. Their meagre weapons lacked the bite of the dragonkin armaments that nearly drove Cortana’s kind to extinction. From her perspective, the humans posed as much danger to her as ants did to them.

  Besides, her proper form was safely elsewhere.

  As she distracted them, she fought the soldiers viciously. Cortana felt no pity for the puppet king’s soldiers as she set them ablaze, turning them into human torches. The stones themselves melted before the fury of her flames. She kept an eye open for Robert or Incinera, knowing that their deaths would please Solomon.

  And Cortana knew that as an archmage, Incinera could potentially harm her. His mastery of destruction magic, if applied correctly, was a threat. Luckily, few living humans had ever encountered a dragon, and the art of dragon-slaying had been lost to the sands of time. Or so she thought.

  A strange group of humans charged at Cortana, wielding large shields and a mix of swords and lances. As she breathed dragon fire on them, a peculiar force repelled her flames. Void energy swirled around them as they moved to surround her, manifesting as purple flame. Their weapons scratched across her scales, leaving scratches. A solid blow would inflict a wound. Cortana whipped her tail at them and drove them back a step as she took flight.

  Moments after leaving the ground, fierce winds battered Cortana back to the ground. Cortana growled, furiously looking for where Incinera and his mages were hiding. She could sense demonic influence on each of the soldiers present. She could only assume that this was King Nathair’s so-called demon-hunting force, soldiers tainted or possibly possessed by demonic power. But they were clearly not immortal, as Cortana crushed one soldier with her immense weight as she crashed into the ground. Her head surged forward, biting around another soldier’s lance, killing them.

  Finally, Incinera showed himself, unleashing a powerful spell that sent a giant spear of ice catapulting through the sky to strike Cortana like a lightning bolt. Cortana let her astral form collapse with an air-rending shriek, fading away as she returned to her physical form. Incinera’s spell had caused her great pain, but she could not help herself. Cortana grinned at Incinera’s expression as he realized that all he had done was defeat a projected astral form.

  Solomon could hear Kastytis gasping as they ran, darting through the city and across the meadow, jumping over tree stumps and small creeks. The older warrior had grown soft with his role as a weapons master, never needing to truly push himself beyond his limits. Both had heard Cortana’s death screech mere moments ago.

  “Where are we going?” Kastytis asked, interrupting the sound of their footsteps pounding against the ground. “To your fabled sanctuary?”

  “Yes,” Solomon replied. “Once we are there, we will grab anything useful, rig the area with traps, and join up with Cortana.”

  “Solomon, we just heard her die. Either Robert or Incinera managed to kill her.” Kastytis said. “Maybe Robert stabbed her with his enchanted blade, or Incinera struck her down through the use of dark magic.”

  “No, one of them merely destroyed Cortana’s projected form. Her true body is hidden elsewhere.” Solomon said. “She is very apt at using astral magic apparently, probably why she has lived so long.”

  Solomon slowed as they entered the forest proper so that Kastytis could keep up. The forest was treacherous; Kastytis had not visited the sanctuary grounds before. Still, they moved fast, faster than the soldiers would be capable of, especially after their encounter with Cortana in her proper form. Every moment that the two warriors put distance between themselves and their pursuers contributed to the likelihood of their successful escape. It did not take them long to arrive at Solomon’s sanctuary.

  “This is amazing,” Kastytis said as they entered the area. “It is efficient; it has a very defensible design while incorporating sustainability principles and economic viability. The tower design you opted for, what inspired it?”

  “In Ulric’s library, there were several stories about wizards entrapping folks in towers as well as a detailed textbook on designing outposts,” Solomon said in reply. “Combining the historical and fictional elements while using magic and manual labour on the various sections of the land here felt very educational and rewarding. I will miss it.”

  “It is definitely well done,” Kastytis said. “Had Ulric or I bothered to check it out, your standing with us would have increased by many multitudes. We always assumed it was a ramshackle hut made from logs and spare timber.”

  “I did not attempt to dissuade you from that assumption. It was safer for everyone to remain oblivious,” Solomon said, using his magic to open the door to his tower. In the main room, provisions and items from Solomon’s room were stacked neatly by Cortana. “Feel free to search the grounds and tower for anything you think is useful. I must prepare doubles of us and activate all the elemental constructs I have created here.”

  “How many do you have prepared here?” Kastytis asked.

  “Eighteen along the walls, six in the river, another six scattered around the grounds,” Solomon said. “They vary in element type and strength. I have made them mostly self-sustaining, so they will last a considerable amount of time.”

  “That is ridiculous,” Kastytis said incredulously. “I have never met someone able to sustain more than five at a time.”

  “I will take the compliment, but this will take a bit to set up unless you want to be roasted. The fire elementals can be a bit temperamental. Besides, I will not be directly fuelling or controlling them, at least, not really.” Solomon said. Kastytis could only shake his head and search for anything that might come in handy, leaving Solomon to his work.

  Solomon used his magic to create a lifelike statue of Kastytis in the front foyer, then imbued it with light and shadow magic to grant it the illusion of being alive. He then made his way to the top of the tower and repeated the exercise for a similar statue of himself. The statues would delay their pursuers as they would need to fight their way into the building. Walking to the center of the room, Solomon stopped in front of a large stone slab. He waved aside the illusionary magic that camouflaged a miniature representation of the surrounding area. Enchanted gemstones marked the location of each elemental construct and would remotely power them. The ceiling had a large embedded diamond, a font of power passively emitting magical energy that overflowed its reserves. It was a wizard’s tower, carefully constructed and designed to harness magic from the environment and channel it at a master’s discretion. Solomon tapped the stone and air elementals awake, activating them with his magic and securing them to the font of power. After each activation, Solomon had to pause for several minutes as the magical energies stabilized. After the eighteen on the walls, he moved on to the six water elementals in the river. As he paused to take a break, he noticed Kastytis had returned.

  “I am almost done,” Solomon told him. “Just the fire elementals left. Are you done with your search?”

  “Yes, but I did not find a whole lot of things that Cortana had not already pillaged,” Kastytis said. “I found rope, blankets, and a variety of food that was ready to be gathered up, so we should not go hungry for a time.”

  “Excellent,” Solomon said. “Head down into the cellar and wait for me there – I just need a little time to finish up.”

  Kastytis left, hurrying down into the cellar as Solomon awoke the fire elementals. Fire elementals were particularly complicated compared to the other elementals. Water elementals specialize in binding and healing. Earth elementals as guardians and protectors. Wind elementals as guides and watchers. Fire elementals specialize in wreaking destruction as warriors and assassins. Due to their combative nature, they could be hasty towards their allies – even their summoner. Solomon could feel their raging spirits as they awoke, their fiery energy searching for a substance to consume.

  Solomon wasted no time as he hurried downstairs to collect the supplies. Cortana had done well in her duty, and Solomon quickly spied an enchanted pouch on a shelf near the stockpile. The bag was enchanted with storage magic, enabling it to hold a nearly endless supply of goods. Using his magic, it took Solomon moments to pack the supplies into the magical pouch. Supplies secured, he headed down to the formerly well-stocked cellar to collect Kastytis.

  “What now?” Kastytis asked.

  “Just follow me closely and do not fall too far behind,” Solomon said. He walked forward and through an illusionary wall. After Kastytis joined him on the other side, Solomon used earth magic to seal the entrance and set spell traps on the door to explode if someone managed to breach it. The spell would immolate any pursuers and likely collapse the tunnels. The tunnels were straight and well constructed, allowing Kastytis and Solomon to quickly arrive at a damp ramp that led behind the waterfall.

  “Careful here; it is slippery.” Solomon cautioned. “This tunnel exits behind the waterfall before joining up with an existing cave system that sprawls endlessly as far as I can tell.”

  “I guess that means we are travelling underground,” Kastytis said, sighing heavily. “I hate caves and tunnels. They always make me feel trapped.”

  “Luckily, a few different types of magic can help us make our way through the cave system. If we get stuck, I can always use my magic to make a tunnel out to the surface,” Solomon said, standing in the nook behind the waterfall. “We will take a break here to watch the fun before we descend deep into the earth.”

  “Would it not be better to continue to add distance between the kings’ soldiers and us?” Kastytis asked.

  “Not necessarily,” Solomon said. “If they used a life-detection spell to search for us, then I would not be able to intercept their spell casting if we are too far away. It could lead to them tracking us down into the caves, which I would like to avoid if possible.”

  Solomon knelt, preparing himself to counter magical sensing spells and ensure that any pursuers were confident that he and Kastytis had perished. Kastytis closed his eyes, resting for a moment while Solomon began to meditate.

  Robert paced back and forth, his irritation evident to the soldiers nearby. The soldiers cowered before him, except for the demon hunters, and Ulric shivered whenever one of them glanced his way. Their murderous intent was enough to discourage Ulric from protesting as Robert and Incinera brought forth a veritable legion of imperial troops. Transported by a portal maintained by Incinera, the troops marched through the ruined remains of Ulric’s keep and out into the fields. Every so often, a commanding officer would pass through. The commanders gave off a similar vibe as the demon hunters, a wicked thirst for bloodshed.

  “How many soldiers and mages are you bringing across?” Ulric asked, his voice carefully neutral. “Surely you have transported enough warriors to hunt down Solomon and Kastytis by now.”

  “If you had prevented their escape, then such a show of force would not be needed,” Robert said. “Unfortunately, you acted with poor judgement. You allowed the treacherous scum to roam freely while an undead assassination force wreaked havoc on your townsfolk. The king does not suffer fools.”

  “Robert, stop,” Incinera said. “These are unexpected times. Lord Ulric could not have predicted any of this, and he acted as he would be expected to as a lord within the kingdom.”

  “In the best interest of the throne and its people?” Robert said.

  “To the best of my abilities,” Ulric said. “While Solomon and Kastytis were instrumental in scattering the vampires, they broke out of the cells of their own volition. Their assistance against the undead was likely incidental to their own escape plan.”

  “Father, may I be excused? I would like to pray.” Zaria asked, her voice trembling with sadness and stress. “All this excitement has wearied me.”

  Ulric looked at Robert and Incinera before responding with a short nod. With tears in her eyes, Zaria fled from the room. Lady Caroline, Felix, and Zaldimere stood firm, cold-faced, as Incinera closed off the portal. The closing of the portal was a signal that the reinforcements had finished arriving.

  “With your permission Robert, Incinera, I would like to have my guards tend to the injured and the townsfolk,” Ulric said. “Felix and Zaldimere can start organizing the recovery efforts.”

  “Cleaning up from the attack is important,” Incinera said, sharing a sideways glance with Robert. “Their forces are disorganized, useless in pursuing the traitors. Thoughts, Robert?”

  “Agreed, they are worthless to our cause,” Robert said.

  “We will take our leave then,” Zaldimere said, shoving Felix to get him started. They quickly exited, leaving Ulric and Caroline with the kings’ representatives. Their footsteps faded fast while Ulric and Caroline shared a carefully measured glance.

  “As we discussed,” Ulric whispered under his breath so that only his wife could hear him. The tenseness in her shoulders told him she had heard him even with no other indicators. They had been married long enough that few secrets could be kept away from the other. Ulric deeply regretted keeping Solomon’s bloodline and the origin of Kastytis from her. A better husband than he would have been transparent and direct with his wife.

  “My lords, I would like to join your entourage as a companion for your search,” Ulric said. “I have some skill with a blade and can help protect your forces.”

  “We have heard,” Incinera said as Robert drew his sword and advanced menacingly on Ulric. “Perhaps we will put that skill to the test.”

  “What is the meaning of this?” Lord Ulric said.

  “I am not sure Solomon would have fled of his own volition,” Incinera said. “He seemed to be the type to die for his friends.”

  “My lords,” Lady Caroline said. She moved to put an arm around her husband but stabbed him instead. “Such concerns are easy to resolve.”

  Ulric collapsed onto the ground, convulsing and gasping as he started bleeding. Robert bent over to check his vitals as Ulric’s thrashing slowed.

  “Lady Caroline, now this is a surprise,” Incinera said. “Where is that dagger from?”

  “These are the wildlands, no one can roam around defenceless, or they would not live long,” Caroline said. “Ulric had made enough mistakes; I could not let him continue to ruin my children’s future.”

  “Well, he is dead now,” Robert said, rising from the corpse. “I know few seasoned soldiers who could have pulled off such a precise blow. But you never answered Incinera’s question.”

  “I am a lady, after all,” Caroline said with a thin-lipped smile. She lifted her arm and shook her billowy sleeve to reveal a light scratch. “The dagger was attached to my gown in a specially crafted sheath originally used by assassins.”

  “Impressive,” Incinera said. “Robert, move aside, and I can incinerate the corpse to ash.”

  “What about his people?” Caroline asked. “Their lord is dead; they will need closure after his death. Since the wound is on his back, no one will notice the injury. I can tend to the preparation rights with Zaria.”

  “What would you tell her?” Robert said.

  “That her father died from falling on a piece of sharp rubble,” Caroline said. “There are plenty of sharp stones scattered around from when Solomon unleashed that dragon upon the keep as he fled. Ulric simply lost his balance on the uneven ground.”

  “That narrative shows some promise, and it could work as it redirects the blame away from us,” Incinera said. “The king appreciates and accepts your service Lady Caroline. We will be watching you closely.”

  The cold stone floors of the chapel were only mildly uncomfortable to Zaria as she knelt amongst the broken pews. It was nice to have a few moments of silence to contemplate the numerous disasters. Solomon had run away, the keep was highly damaged, and her family had abandoned Solomon to his fate. Zaldimere and Felix were trying to help put everything right again, but what could they do?

  “Zaria, I am sorry,” Solomon said telepathically. The sudden intrusion into her mind made Zaria jerk her head up to look around. “I did not mean for this to happen.”

  “Solomon,” Zaria said, her voice filled with emotion. “I think I have a name for my ring now.”

  “What name have you chosen?” Solomon asked her.

  “Provenance,” Zaria said. “Like Zaria’s Provenance.”

  Solomon’s thoughts echoed in the deepest recesses of her mind. “It is a good name. Let it forever be so.”

  A surge of power flickered through the ring, making the metal hot yet cold to the touch. The ring glimmered with energy as the name was engraved into the metal. Zaria felt Solomon’s mind recede from her own as she stood up. Telesilla and Chrysame carried someone on a stretcher from down the hall, escorted by her mother. A scream threatened to erupt from Zaria as she realized that the person on the stretcher was her father, Lord Ulric.

  “What happened?” Zaria asked frantically, running to Lady Caroline.

  “I stabbed him with a poisoned blade,” Caroline said curtly. “The poison is designed to render the target unconscious and minimize signs of life. It has been used by those trapped in a siege to facilitate escape.”

  “Then father – I mean, then Lord Ulric is alright?” Zaira asked.

  “If you can heal him… then he should be fine,” Caroline said, gesturing to the guards to place Ulric near the altar. “I might have stabbed him too deeply to play my part in this.”

  “I can try,” Zaria said. She placed her hand on his wounds. Her magic could not fully heal the injury, but it could be used to seal the exterior damage and ease the pain. The glimmer of her ring attracted her attention. Zaria placed it over the wound and used it to magnify the healing effects of her spell. Her power surged and sealed the cut rapidly. As the magic took hold, it cleansed the poison from Ulric’s body.

  “Thank you, Zaria.” Lord Ulric whispered. His breathing was still laboured and wheezy.

  “I do not understand how you can help those fiends!” Zaria said. Tears ran down the side of her face. “Why would you help them?”

  “To survive,” Zaldimere said, emerging from the hallway with Felix. The two still looked very battered from their ordeal on the way to the dungeons. “The king wants us all dead, and therefore Solomon needed to escape with Lord Ulric taking the blame. This allows Felix to ascend as the lord over this land. And Lord Ulric becomes just another guard.”

  Soaring gently on the breeze, Cortana shapeshifted from her dragon form into her usual maid figure and landed gracefully on the stone ledge behind the waterfall at Solomon’s sanctuary. Solomon watched her approach with a flabbergasted Kastytis.

  “Welcome home, for now,” Solomon said. “You leapt right back into astral form after your defeat?”

  “Yes,” Cortana said with a slight smile. “And I bring company. The soldiers are at least an hour away with the unfamiliar terrain blocking their advance.”

  Solomon nodded firmly. “We will need to be long gone by then.”

  “Where are we going?” Kastytis asked.

  “Deep into the underground labyrinth, where those who enter the great darkness are never seen again,” Cortana said.

  “The orc village gave me the idea. Beneath the overworld was a sprawling metropolis built amongst the infinite layering of tunnels.” Solomon said. “The various species intermingled, able to work together to live beneath the land. The tunnels run a long way, interconnected.”

  “And eventually, wanders find death or madness.” Cortana smiled. “Luckily for us, Solomon’s magic can identify which passageways to take, which we need to avoid.”

  “Have you been planning to flee this whole time?” Kastytis asked.

  “I have been planning to live. There is no life that I value more than my own.” Solomon said. “With my dragonkin ancestry unlocked, my will to live only grew stronger – and now I am the reaper of souls, the avatar of the goddess of time. All will learn to fear me and obey my will. I will be allowed to live in peace.”

  Kastytis had nothing to say and fell into a nervous silence as Solomon and Cortana walked into the shadows. He stood at a crossroads and knew it well. Should he follow his prince into the darkness? Did he have a choice? Bitter despair flowed through Kastytis as his internal war teetered on the edge of a knife.

  Suddenly, Lord Ulric’s voice came from all around the trio. Solomon recognized the spell power as partially Zaria’s – likely her power, magnified by the ring and Zaldimere’s spell structures. Since the ring was crafted to act as a legendary piece of equipment and keep an eye on Zaria, it could be used as a telepathic beacon.

  “Solomon, did you escape alright with Kastytis and Cortana?” Lord Ulric’s voice echoed around them, and his voice sounded pained, even through the magic. “The pursuit will be fast and brutal; they will burn down everything in their path.”

  “If you seek warmth, you cannot fear the fire’s light,” Cortana murmured in response. “We live, as of yet.”

  “Solomon knows all, my lord,” Kastytis said.

  “That is not surprising,” Ulric said. “His power grows, exactly as was foreseen. Even within the depths of the labyrinth, his shadow will stand strong to protect those whom he has chosen.”

  “We now go where mortal races fear to tread. The human taint exists even below ground, the land corrupted by their insidious greed.” Solomon said. He could feel the magical power running out. “From there, I will seek allies, power, and ultimately a place suitable for my habitation.”

  “Solomon,” Ulric said, speaking urgently as Zaldimere’s magic faded. “I believe that what matters is how you choose to live rather than what you are. Hold onto the young man that you are rather than the monster that circumstances have made you out to be.”

  “I am no man,” Solomon said to the darkness of the labyrinth. He knew that Lord Ulric could not hear his words anymore. “I am myself, and my power exists only to serve my wishes. Call me a monster if you will; it is no matter how I might be labelled by the ignorant. I shall wield a sword of flame and deliver death unto my enemies. Destruction shall be their fate.”