Late Evening

  Year 612 of the Divine Empire

  Inquisitor Balor had never been so humiliated in his life. He had trained in combat for decades, longer than most humans could be expected to live. Dozens of would-be champions had fallen to his blade, many of them magi who claimed to be on the brink of reaching the astral realm. Even compared to the monstrous high inquisitors, men and women who had served the first regent since the founding of the empire, Balor was considered to be an impressive specimen. And yet here he was, hanging a few yards off the ground with his arms and legs bound tight with coils of glimmering darkness. He wasn’t injured, not to a debilitating degree at least, but his defeat was undeniable. For all of his skill and power, he still found himself helpless against the strength of a higher being. Struggling to move against his inky bindings, Balor stretched his neck to look forward at the force that had so thoroughly humbled him. Or at least he tried to, for no matter how hard he strained his eyes, all he could see was the starry night sky, deep and unfathomable.

  Balor’s voice was garbled and choked with spit, and yet came across clearly to his captor. “H-how did you. . .”

  The wall of night before him shifted slightly, the stars morphing and sliding into a new configuration. He wasn’t sure how he could tell, but Balor couldn’t help but see this. . . expression? As exasperated, or perhaps morbidly entertained. A slow, dry chuckle emanated across the sandy beach upon which this battle took place. Not that most would call this exchange a battle, given that it was ended in less than a second.

  “Surely you of all people would know that killing a god was never going to be that easy.

  “But. . . how did you move without. . .” Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t quite manage to keep a quivering tone out of his voice.

  Pō’ele’s laughter grew louder as the dark tendrils tightened further. “Oh please, we both know only that fool Aeon had the power to stop time. While I have to admit you’ve managed a pretty good approximation, altering my perception to match it isn’t difficult for someone as old as I am.”

  Balor hung his head, attempting to release the spell before being interrupted once more.

  “No, no, leave that up. It might be best if you leave that up. I’d rather no one else notice this conversation.”

  “A. . . conversation?” Balor’s eyes narrowed warily. “I thought you-”

  “Wanted to kill you? Yes, that would usually be my reaction to you invading my territory, but given the circumstances I think I’d rather hear you out first.” The tendrils loosened and allowed the inquisitor to fall to the ground. “So. Why are you here?”

  There was a long stretch of silence as Balor regathered himself, struggling to restore his typical veneer of unnerving cheerfulness. Eventually, he decided that it would probably be less risky to simply be genuine. Assuming a more rigid, professional stance, he began to speak to the impatient deity.

  “I came here seeking two people, a kālai named Kanoa and a human traitor named Gabriel. The paths showed me that they would both arrive around here this evening, so I decided to head them off. I was not aware this island had been claimed, so I do apologize for that.”

  The night sky began to reform and sharpen into something not quite tangible, but disturbingly similar to a living creature. “Hmm. . . Sounds like a useful ability. I’m almost jealous. The kālai has some significance to me, so you’ll be leaving her alone until her trial is completed. Do what you want with the human, though. I couldn’t care less about him.”

  Despite himself, Balor let out a barely audible gulp. Kanoa was his target, the only one he was technically supposed to be hunting. Whatever this trial was, there was a chance that it could make taking her out more difficult. That said, it wasn’t unreasonable to imagine her getting killed or at least worn down in the process. With how cruel he knew the gods to be, that might even be guaranteed. Giving him some extra time to deal with the heretic would probably be useful as well, especially if that sasqal were to be drawn away by the god. . . The more he thought about it, the better the situation was starting to look.

  “Well then, that sounds wonderful to me.” Confidence restored, he flashed his most curated smile to the lord of night. “Despite our differences, I must thank you for your magnanimity.”

  “Well, I imagine such hypocrisy would be trivial for someone like you.” The pressure in the air began to fade as Pō’ele Hakahaka released his influence on the sky, allowing it to return to its previous form. “Now release your spell. All this time nonsense is giving me a headache.”

  “Very well.”

  Using a curt bow to hide his annoyance at that last jab, Balor ended the spell. Now standing alone on the beach, he began making his way to the spot he knew those disparate paths would converge. His smile started to become more genuine as the promised moment got closer and closer. Things were finally going to get fun for the first time in years.

  Elsewhere

  “Did you see that?”

  Kanoa shielded her eyes from what remained of the setting sun as she squinted towards the far end of the island. She was standing at a point where the marshland that covered much of Moku Hāweo met the sea. Ailu lay in the shallow water next to her, worn out from a long day of traveling. She lifted her massive head up to look where her friend was pointing, but wasn’t able to see much of anything.

  “I don’t think so. . . is it something dangerous?”

  “Maybe? I could have sworn I saw some sort of distortion, but it’s gone now. Maybe it was some kind of magic? It would make sense to see some oddities given who controls this island.”

  “Do you want to get closer to see what it was?”

  Kanoa shook her head after giving that area another look over. “Hmm. . . No. As curious as I am, it would probably be best to go along with the trial for now. It would be rude to ignore such an obvious challenge.”

  The challenge in question took the form of a large column of power that had formed near the center of the island. It loomed and pulsed from the base of the central mountain that the marshlands had formed around. Given how controlled the power seemed, it was hard to see that as anything but a marker leading Kanoa to the location of her divine trial. She wasn’t quite sure how the dark god knew about her Erudite Eyes, but it was clear that she was expected.

  “I guess so. . .” Ailu simply had to trust her friend, as while she had learned to sense core power to a certain degree, it was far from what an exemplar of Curiosity could manage. “I’m sorry, but I’ll need some more time to rest. . .”

  Kanoa chuckled as she laid back against Ailu’s flank. “It’s fine. Take as much time as you need.”

  As Ailu recovered her strength, the two of them watched the sun slowly slip down below the horizon. They were hardly relaxed, as by this point a smothering tension had fallen over the pair. They were in enemy territory now, a land deeply feared by generations of Kanoa’s people for the dangers it posed. She had heard the tales of all the warriors who had come here to slay the dark god, often coupled together due to them all ending the same way. There are only two things that the kālai knew for sure about the island of glowing reeds: that it was under the complete control of Pō’ele Hakahaka, and all who entered would never be seen again. The weight of these facts only set in further as evening turned to night and the marsh reeds began to shimmer with silver light.

  Kanoa had thought she would be prepared for this environment after her time in the deep jungle, but all it did was show how out of her depth she truly was. The glow was no mere bioluminescence, as she could see the magic that was coursing through each stem. It was far more than that, though, for looking around them made it clear it was far more than the reeds that were unnatural here. The water was darker than it should have been, an inky blackness that she could not see the bottom of. She could see yet more light far deeper than should have been possible, little pinpricks that made it feel as if she was seeing the night sky reflected in the pitch-like waters. With a start, she realized that the entire island was somehow mirroring the starry sky above them. The presence of such a powerful higher being had warped this land until it had become an extension of his power. As terrifying as the idea of challenging a god was, it was made far worse by the understanding of how much control he had over his territory. It was no wonder that generations of divine champions had failed to defeat the dark god, as doing so would require you to overcome an entire island wanting you dead. It was fortunate, then, that they only needed deal with his champion, because otherwise it would seem that Kinohi had sent Kanoa on a suicide mission.

  Regardless of any of these revelations, there was no choice other than to push forward. Ailu and Kanoa exchanged no words, only rising once they were ready and making their way to that pillar of magic. It was now visible even those without the Erudite Eyes, resembling a beam of starlight that descended from the heavens. Ailu had now returned to her hominid form, claiming that it used less energy than when she was a serpent. They both stalked through the mire, hopping from islet to islet, entirely focused on the destination ahead of them. That beam of light became closer and closer, until they could see the small stretch of solid land it was illuminating. It was a round islet, without a single glowing reed growing on it. Instead there was a large tree growing from the center, surrounded by no other natural life. The leaves of this tree gleamed with the same light as the reeds, the only one they had seen so far that did so. There was no real effort to contemplate this, however, as the pair’s focus was now solely on the men that faced each other before its massive trunk.

  Makaio stood before the inquisitor, though no one here had any idea who Balor actually was. In contrast to the well groomed, uniformed man, the former alaka’i had clearly seen better days. His cords were messy and tangled, having not been properly cared for in years. Where he had once borne beautiful kaha depicting the sea beasts he had defeated in his youth, Makaio’s shell was now bare and scarred. Kanoa’s burst of fire during their last moment together had left him mottled and warped, turning a man who was once considered handsome into a menacing looking warrior. He held a spear tipped with what looked like a silvery glass, pointing it directly at the human’s throat. His voice had a slight rasp to it as he continued the argument the two had presumably been having.

  “-don’t condescend me, human. This trial has centuries of history that you cannot begin to understand. Whatever business you have here, it can wait until the coming evening,” Makaio said.

  Balor, for what it was worth, seemed utterly unconcerned about the spearhead a centimeter from his throat. “Yes, yes, ancient traditions and whatnot. . . Honestly, all this seems like quite a bit of work to appease a set of higher beings who wouldn’t even notice if you died, but I suppose you would know better than me.” Makaio tightened the grip on his spear, but otherwise did not react. “That aside, I’m afraid my business cannot wait. Don’t worry, I won’t be interfering just yet. . . especially now that the lead actor has just arrived.”

  Both heads turned to meet the gazes of the two young women who had just arrived on the islet. Sighing, Makaio withdrew his spear and took a few steps back, fixing his former ward with a firm stare. His expression was difficult to read, a strange mix of fear and resignation.

  “Kanoa. . . It seems you’ve been doing well for yourself,” Makaio said.

  She raised her sword-spear into a fighting stance, uncertain of the situation. “Don’t even try to take credit for that. Everything I’ve achieved was in spite of you, not the other way around.”

  “Heh. Wouldn’t dream of it.” He leaned against the tree with a sad smile. “I’m well aware of my failings these days.”

  “So you’re some sort of enlightened man now?” Kanoa’s voice was starting to rise despite her attempts to keep it level. “I suppose you expect me to believe you’re proud of me now?”

  A slight moment of shock crossed Makaio’s face, quickly replaced with a tired smile. “Hmm. . . No. Despite my growth, I cannot find it in myself to be proud of you. I had wished that we would never meet again, but it looks like our respective duties have forced our paths to cross.”

  Kanoa narrowed her eyes, trying to get a feel for the man. He seemed different than she remembered. Without any of his old pride and bluster, it didn’t really feel like there was anything left of him. She could only assume he was being honest here. It just didn’t look like he had any reason left to be deceitful.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  “It seems so,” Kanoa said.

  Ailu stood slightly behind her companion, uncertain of what her role was meant to be at this moment. As her vision flicked around, trying to find some new insights of what was to happen, she found herself making eye contact with the one person here that she couldn’t identify. Despite the confidence she had in her strength, she found herself shuddering upon seeing him. Something about this human felt fundamentally wrong, as if he existed outside of the natural order she had grown used to. It didn’t help that he hadn’t said anything since the pair had arrived. He just stood there, holding some unreadable smile. She began to reach for her water gourd focus, expecting a fight to break out at any moment.

  Balor, on the other hand, couldn’t have been more excited. It looked like he was going to have even more fun than he had expected.

  Kanoa lowered her weapon, confused by Makaio’s seeming unwillingness to fight. “Well, are we going to fight or not? I was under the impression that was the point of this trial.”

  “Your impression was correct. We just need to wait for one last person to arrive,” Makaio said.

  “What does that-”

  “Sorry about the wait, I had something to attend to.”

  Startled, everyone looked up towards the sound of that voice. Even Balor had no choice but to tremble in fear as, for the first time, the lord of this island appeared in his full splendor.

  Most legends about the gods describe their subjects in terms that make sense to a common audience. The higher beings are shown as having sensible forms, like giant monsters or hominids with the heads of animals. These depictions barely resemble reality and the priests that told them knew that. It was not out of ignorance or any desire for deception that they made these alliterations, but instead because the common man would simply struggle to comprehend the true forms of their patrons. Kanoa knew this fact quite well, but was still fully unprepared to witness it firsthand. Staring at Pō’ele Hakahaka, the god of night, she was starting to understand why the Divine Empire feared the gods.

  He was shaped like some sort of predatory animal, though not any one seen by mortal eyes. It sort of resembled a wolf, though far more narrow and angular, with six clawed legs perching him atop the massive tree. Though perhaps unsettling, it was not so much the shape of him as what this shape was formed from. Or perhaps, wasn’t formed from, as his body seemed to have been a space where reality no longer existed. It was a black void, constellations twinkling within it, resembling some hole into another world that was shaped like a vicious beast. Though he had no eyes, or truly any features to speak of, there was a cluster of stars and glowing mist that always rested where his face should have been. The cluster swam through his head like a school of fish, focusing on each figure on the islet one by one. Looking at the god of night didn’t make sense, and yet everyone had no choice but to try and rationalize it. Only Ailu, who had spent her life surrounded by higher beings, had any mental space left to think about anything else. Though even she struggled to look at a god of one of the more abstract domains. A deadened silence filled the air as those gathered there attempted to catch up with what they were seeing.

  “Right. I assumed at least one of you would be prepared for that.” He crawled his way down the tree, extending his long neck until his eyes were level with Kanoa’s. “So, you’re Kinohi’s would-be champion?”

  Shocked out of her stupor, Kanoa choked out a response. “I-Yes. So far, anyways.”

  “So far? Sounds like you have something planned. . . Well, no matter. I’ve already accepted your patron’s challenge, so we’re all going to have to let this play out. Have fun, you two.”

  “Wait, I need-” Kanoa’s exclamation was cut off as the ground beneath her became unsubstantial, causing her to fall through as if she were trying to stand on water. Balor and Ailu could only watch as both her and Makaio vanished from sight.Ailu quickly channeled power through her gourd, producing a geyser of water that shaped itself into a set of azure spears.

  With a wrath and vitriol she didn’t know she was capable, she screamed at the dark god. “What did you just do!? Tell me where you sent her or I’ll-”

  “I think not.”

  She blinked, only then realizing that Balor had already crossed the several yards between the two of them and currently had the tip of his thin saber scratching her throat.

  He sneered as his blade drew a thin line of blood. “I don’t know who or what you are, but your association with that blessed friend of yours is more than enough reason to-” Balor stopped.

  “Think again, bastard!”

  Balor didn’t even have time to turn his head before a black wooden staff had already embedded itself in his left cheek. The force at which he was struck was enough to turn an ordinary man’s head into pulp, though the power of his Ideals was enough that he was merely sent flying into the nearby swamp water. Ailu looked in the direction that the staff had come flying from, getting a good look at her rescuers.

  Surendra was wearing an outfit she had never seen before, some odd combination of a monk’s robes and armored plates. He was sprinting as quickly as he could across the marshland, his simian anatomy allowing him to bound over any obstacles with ease. Following close behind was Ikaika’s hulking form. The pāpaka lacked the flexibility needed to navigate this terrain gracefully, and instead merely crashed his way through like a one man stampede. Straddling his back was the knight Gabriel frantically strapping on his plate armor while being roughly held on with a large claw. The lord of night drew himself back slightly, curiously watching as the final members of the evening’s performance made their appearance.

  Ailu’s mouth was agape. “Wha- Surendra!? What are you doing here?”

  Surendra gave out a loud snort as he arrived in front of her to pick up his staff. “What do you think? I’m here to keep you idiots from getting yourselves killed. Where’s Kanoa?”

  “I don’t know, Pō’ele sent her and Makaio away with some kind of magic!” Ailu exclaimed.

  “Who the hell is Makaio? Actually, that doesn’t matter, we need to figure out where they were-” Surendra said.

  “I’m sorry, do you mind?” Balor dragged himself out of the water, a massive welt throbbing on the side of his face. “As much fun as this has become, I’d rather we not have too many pieces on the board.”

  Gabriel made a standing leap off his impromptu mount, positioning himself between the inquisitor and his. . . allies? “I’m afraid the game is over, Balor. It is time you faced justice!”

  “Oh? And I suppose you’ll be the one to give me my just rewards?” Balor said. “Watch your ego, brat, I’ve been killing fools like you for longer than you’ve been alive!”

  “All you’ve done is butcher people before they had a chance to react! I’ve trained to fight you on even ground, so don’t think your tricks will work on me.”

  Balor narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “I suppose that would be your heretic captain’s teachings then?”

  “Heretic?” Gabriel leveled his longsword toward the false magus. “That’s rich coming from someone with powers like yours.”

  The inquisitor raised his saber to match. “Call me a hypocrite all you like, but I walk with the first regent!”

  Ailu raised an eyebrow towards Surendra. “Who are these people?”

  “Just some idiots making a mess of things.” Surendra hefted the black staff to a fighting stance. “The creepy one’s a problem though, so we should probably help the knight out a bit.”

  “Well. . . alright, if you say-”

  “Aren’t you forgetting someone?”

  The god of night landed on the ground with a muffled thud. He towered above everyone, being large enough to swallow Ailu’s true form whole. Menacingly, he began to circle the three remaining mortals.

  “Though you may not have entered here with the intent to invade, the fact remains that you are in my territory.” He bore his teeth, showing off black fangs that were somehow even darker than the void of space. “It would reflect poorly on me if I were to ignore such disrespect.”

  First, his eyes fixed on Ailu, whose adrenaline was slowly draining into utter dread as her water spears began to lose form. “Had your mother not warned you about the consequences of invading a higher being’s domain? Rules must be enforced if they are not respected.”

  Next, he faced Surendra, who was only now realizing that his wine flask had run empty. “As for you, I will at least commend the boldness of bringing a celestial artifact to face me. I do not know how an unbonded mortal was able to obtain such a thing, but the achievement is respectable regardless. Nevertheless, it makes your transgressions all the more severe.”

  “Unlike that warlord Kinohi, I have no desire to subvert the laws of the Astral Court. You will face my judgement for the invasion of my lands, and I will not be showing mercy.”

  Surendra gritted his teeth and braced himself to face the bored deity. “Ikaika, put as much focus as you can into that defensive technique of yours. Ailu, I’ll be relying on you to slow this bastard down so I can get a good hit in. This staff is the only weapon we have that can do any real damage to him, so don’t try anything stupid!”

  Using his orders as a way to bolster her resolve, Ailu started to summon as much water as she could control. “Right!”

  Ikaika merely clacked his claws, scuttling into position as his rhythm shifted towards as much bravery as he could muster. “--.. . .- .-.. / -.. . ... .--. . .-. .- - .. --- -.”

  Pō’ele Hakahaka, one of the only lesser deities bold enough to challenge his superiors, let out a deafening cackle. Shadows deepened and the night sky began to twist and morph as droplets of pure Astral power began to fall from the celestial sphere. He loomed over the trio of warriors, growing more spikes and claws and mouths as he could finally face an opponent that was ever so slightly interesting.

  “Show me your worth, hunters! Impress me enough, and I will let you live long enough to witness the fate of this land!”

  —

  Nearby

  Balor and Gabriel stood on a thin strip of land, only wide enough for each to stand at a duelist’s form. For a brief moment, Gabriel had truly thought that he was pushing his opponent back, but it was now clear that he had merely been lured to a location that was more appropriate for the inquisitor’s sense of theatrics.

  Balor laughed mockingly, lazily waving his blade in a fool’s guard. “Well, then. I suppose this is good enough. Now that no one’s listening, why don’t you be honest with me. Do you really think you can beat me, or is this just more chivalric foolishness?”

  Gabriel had nothing more to say, only tightening his grip as a response. In truth, he had no idea if any of this was going to work. He had trained for this very moment for years, ever since the captain had first realized the potential use for his technique. He had studied the fighting style taught to inquisitors, learned as much as he could about the domain of time, yet this was the first time any of his plans could truly be tested. To slay an inquisitor of the first regent, someone given the explicit trust to single handedly defeat any magus they came across,

  was a feat that had only ever been achieved through dumb luck. Even with all his preparations, Gabriel knew very well that the odds were not in his favor. And yet, he couldn’t help but allow a morbid grin to stretch across his face. This was the moment he had long awaited, after all. It did not truly matter whether he lived or died here, because one way or another he was going to get what he always wanted. Finally, a challenge worthy of all those years in training. All he needed to do was step forward and experience it in all its splendor.

  With an idle wave, Balor began to weave his core power into the area around them. It didn’t take the Erudite Eyes to tell that the difference in their cores was staggering. Even a fool could tell that these two were incomparable in nearly every metric. It was only thanks to the cheap trick that was Gabriel’s technique that made this anything close to a fair fight. The two began to approach each other in nearly perfect unison, eager for a fight that only one of them would be able to walk out of.

  —

  Elsewhere

  At the peak of Moku Hāweo, two kālai stood facing each other. Kanoa was a mess of emotions and memories, everything slowly piecing itself back together as she stared at the man who had once claimed to be her father. It would have been fair to expect her to be barely holding herself together, yet she found her focus unbroken. All of the anger, regret, and sadness her memories brought simmered together into a strange kind of catharsis. After all, it’s not like that man that stood before her was anything like those memories. There was none of the severity, none of the cruelty. He looked tired and worn down, only alive because neither he nor his patron saw any reason to kill him. To see the shape of these old memories be turned into a god’s puppet was freeing in a way that Kanoa could barely understand. But more important than that was the fact that her freedom was finally in arms reach. All that was left was a single obstacle, this foolish old man who was too stubborn to take a step forward.

  Makaio, for what it was worth, seemed remarkably unbothered by the situation. He knew very well that he was meant to die today. Though he may have seemed stronger than the child before him, it felt foolish to believe that a mere puppet could overcome such vibrant intensity. In the end, he had never achieved much of value in his life. His only accomplishments had been made by holding back the people around him. This was not about to change, but he was at peace with that. There was a strange sort of relief that came from fully giving up on your life. If there was one thing he was truly grateful for, it was that he would finally be able to become useful . All that was left was to try his hardest, then quickly be forgotten by a child who would surely grow up to become greater than he could possibly imagine.

  With a sigh, he allowed the power from his core to flood through his body. “Shall we begin?”

  Kanoa stared out into the distance, seeing the flares of core power as the others began to fight, too far away for her to tell what was happening. Hearing Makaio’s question, she gave a sharp nod and channeled as much of her core as she could manage.

  “Let’s just get this over with.”