Convergence

By Samuel Knight

On the debut night of a new tabletop roleplaying game, a group of friends are swept away to the world of Renea. It's a beautiful world with incredible landscapes and real magic. They now have one mission: to have the ultimate adventure and become the strongest Heroes of all time!

Now deep in the heart of their chosen realms, the Heroes continue on their quests to find their patron gods. Though their powers grow by the day, so do the stakes. New questions dredge up old mysteries left unsolved for thousands of years. An unseen, malignant force looms on the horizon. Even the gods themselves seem to be bracing for something they can't fully comprehend, and it all points back to a place all too familiar...

The second installment of his epic trilogy, author Samuel Knight continues to impress with lovable characters, intense cliffhangers, and an ending that will leave you desperate for more.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Samuel Knight
• Release date: Oct 17, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370494477

Samuel Knight

I was born in Oregon in 1996 and moved to Florida in 2005. I'm currently working as an engineer, but my true passion has always been writing books and telling stories. I mostly write epic fantasy and adventure. Three books self-published, three billion in the making.

Book preview

Convergence: Triumph of Heroes (Book Two)

By Samuel Knight

Distributed at Smashwords

Copyright 2016 Samuel Knight

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 – Smoke and Mirrors

Chapter 2 – Deals

Chapter 3 – Lost in a Fog

Chapter 4 – Fame

Chapter 5 – Funeral Pyre

Chapter 6 – Training

Interlude 1 – Truth

Chapter 7 – Awakening

Chapter 8 – Oaths

Chapter 9 – A Shortcut

Chapter 10 – Fortune

Chapter 11 – Ozymandius

Chapter 12 – Escape

Interlude 2 – Searching

Chapter 13 – Rise Up

Chapter 14 – Betrayal

Chapter 15 – The Marble Room

Chapter 16 – Power

Chapter 17 – The Right Track

Chapter 18 – A New Beginning

Chapter 19 – Game Over

Chapter 20 – Reunion

Chapter 21 – Revelations

Epilogue

Message to the Readers

About the Author

Connections

Character Map

Introduction

Somewhere on the world of Renea

How much longer?

Gnosis appraises his companion. The man with magenta eyes paces in front of him, hands stuffed in his pockets. Moonlight streams down from the raven black sky, casting a silver glow in the grass. The world is quiet—perhaps too quiet. It’s the perfect night to make plans in the dark.

Be patient, Max, Gnosis says. All things happen in due time.

Max glances over his shoulder. I hate it when you do that.

When I do what?

When you try to be mysterious and mystical. Just shut up and be specific.

I’ve been specific with you before. I’m just choosing to be unspecific now.

Max frowns. "We’ve worked together for how long and you still can’t tell me what’s going to happen? What, is it going to break the fabric of space-time for you to just let me into the loop?"

No, but it’s still very dangerous. If I tell you anything I’m not supposed to, it could drastically affect my plan.

What plan?

The plan I’ve been given. Don’t you remember the strings that bind us? We’re only the tributaries of a much larger river; should we diverge too far, we’ll suffer the consequences. Gnosis sits up. And since we’re here together, you should stop trying to conspire with Ariana. It’s against the rules.

Max snorts and crosses his arms. I have no idea what you’re talking about.

I know you went to see her a few nights ago. I know every word you said and everything you thought. What made you think you could hide something of that magnitude from me? You know how dangerous it is to step out of line. You know how dangerous it is to struggle against our binding strings.

I hate being used like this, Max mutters. For once in my life I’d like to believe I have free will. Even if it’s baseless and nothing more than a dream, I still want to believe. I want to have hope.

Gnosis spreads his hands, defeated. What hope have we, the forgotten toys of time? We make our moves and we play exactly as we’ve been told to play. Straying from the path will get us killed or worse. He points at his companion. You shouldn’t hold on to hope when there is none to have.

Max grins. Aren’t you curious, though? I want to see what these little kids can do once they get really strong. Maybe they’ll become so powerful they’ll put us out of commission for good. Wouldn’t that be something?

It would be something, yes. However, you forget about our colleague.

Max’s smile fades. Right, he says. I forgot about him.

"I’ll admit, though: I am a little bit curious. Perhaps they can finish what the Emissaries started."

You should know, right? You’re the omniscient one here.

I may know everything about everything, but that doesn’t mean I can see what will happen. Dark holes cloud the edges of my vision and they grow each day.

Max laughs. Maybe you’re just going blind.

I’m being serious! Gnosis says. It’s as if something is blocking my vision, or something is tampering with the ebb and flow of space-time. It goes beyond my power to see what it is, and that frightens me.

Maybe he’s waking up, Max says. Maybe he’s finally returning to the land of the living.

"Even if he woke up right this instant, I should still be able to see further than I can now. Whatever is blocking my vision goes beyond even his power."

Seriously? Max runs a hand through his hair. "I don’t want to imagine something beyond what he’s capable of."

It doesn’t matter now. The pieces are falling into place. He’s preparing to make his entrance, but he’s waiting for something to trigger it, and when I try to see what it is, all I find is a dark hole, like a picture that’s been burned through the center. Gnosis sighs. It’s very frustrating.

Max looks up at the sky. The moon hangs high above Monarch, the Greatest City in the World, and bright blue and purple galaxies cut through the clear night sky. A perfect night for walking, and a perfect night for dreaming.

Do you remember the last time you slept? Max leans on his hand, his eyes on the distant galaxies. The last dream you had?

You’re unironically directing that question at an all-knowing, omniscient being?

All of the Heroes are asleep now. They’re vulnerable, and weak. I could kill every single one right now, save us the trouble of doing it later. Slice a throat here, stab a heart there…

Do as you please, Gnosis says, but don’t forget the consequences of your actions. The Heroes aren’t ready to die—at least not yet. Changing the script is dangerous, and you know what happens when the timeline goes haywire.

I was just thinking—Max stretches out on the ground—how cruel would it be to kill them while they slept? How evil do you have to be to slay someone as they rest, as they escape from their living nightmares? I don’t think I have it in me to be so evil, and I’ve been doing this since time began. He shrugs at Gnosis’s blank stare. Just thinking, that’s all.

Stop thinking so much. Gnosis knits his hands in front of him. These Heroes wake to living dreams, not living nightmares. It’s when they sleep that they fall back into normalcy, into a world without powers or friends or a beautiful world like Renea. Their dreams are their nightmares, and their day-to-day lives are their dreams. And by that extension, if they’re really asleep when they wake up, doesn’t that mean killing them when they’re awake is really the evil thing? Doesn’t that mean killing them in their waking dreamland is the cruelest death of all?

Max stares at the stars, silent.

Gnosis looks out over the darkened landscape. Just food for the thought.

Chapter One

Smoke and Mirrors

In an abandoned house in Chaldir’s Ruins

Kexal’s Journal, date unknown.

It’s been another hard day protecting the girls from the Skeletons. Jenna’s finally awake after a few days of rest, but she’s not strong enough to fight. Bennie is taking a long time to heal. She’s well enough to be moved via sling and sled, so we’re making progress towards Palace Center. Every now and then I’ll demand that Jenna lays in the sled with Bennie and rest. It makes the load heavier on me, but I can’t stand to listen to her wheeze and cough like that. I’ll grind through the extra weight if it keeps her alive.

My left arm is still hurting from where that Skeleton soldier slashed me. Luckily it was a clean cut, so not much muscle was shredded. Stitched it up as best I could—Opat would have done a better job. Despite Jenna’s insistence that it was an easy fix, I refused her magic treatment. She needs to save her magic for healing Bennie. This whole journey is lost without her.

I have to be more careful out here. If I lose the use of my right arm we’re all going to be in big trouble. I haven’t seen many Skeleton soldiers yet today but I know they’re out there. I’ll be up all night again tonight keeping watch.

Bennie wakes about once a day, mumbles something incoherent, and quickly goes unconscious again. Jenna says she’s not a coma, so I suppose that’s good news, in a strange and dismal way.

This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Even though we’re making progress, I feel like we’re only going backwards. I don’t know if I can do this much longer. It’s too much for one person—for me—to handle alone. I haven’t prayed to Chaldir in a long time, but…

Kexal taps the bottom of his metal pen against the page, trying to think of a good way to wrap up his journal entry for the night. After several moments of thought, nothing deep or exciting comes to mind. His brain feels as empty as his stomach, which has only become more empty since he started giving his already sparse rations to Jenna.

He closes his journal and tucks it away into his backpack. The warm orange fire across from him provides a small degree of comfort in his troubled world. Bennie sleeps soundlessly next to Jenna, who clings to Bennie like a mother would cling to her hurting child. Kexal laces his fingers together and leans back, mentally cataloging the supplies they still have.

We have a little bit of bread, some fruits, a couple skins of water. That should last us for a few days. Kexal pauses, then shakes his head. A few days? We’re probably weeks away from Palace Center. We need food and we need it soon. With the poisonous magic still taking its toll on the girls…

Kexal runs a hand through his dark brown hair. Flecks of soot fall into his face, his fingers streaked with ash and dirt. His left arm, though still in a sling and wrapped with tight bandages, stings from the ash that somehow manages to creep into his wound. It’ll need to be cleaned again before sunrise.

He rests his head against the brick wall behind him. Through the hole in the front of the single-room house he can see the crimson sky slowly filling with the nightly ash clouds. The sun dipped below the horizon only a few minutes ago; judging by the color of the sky, the ashfall won’t begin until early in the morning, probably just before sunrise.

Kexal once again looks at his two companions. They look peaceful in their sleep, aloof to their situation and not caring about what the future holds. He looks at his hands. They’re vulnerable out here with me like this. He frowns. No, they’re vulnerable out here because I’m like this. If I had seen that stupid Skeleton…

He plants a fist on his leg, frustrated. The past few days have rapidly devolved from carefree adventure to desperate survival. Each day is spent dragging at least one person through heavy ash with a ruined left arm and poor nutrition. Each night is spent searching his mind for options to get through the next day without incident. As independent and cynical as Kexal is, he knows he needs help. And he knows there’s only one place to get it.

Kexal takes in a deep breath, preparing himself for prayer.

Chaldir? he calls softly. Are you out there?

He immediately feels like an idiot for talking to an empty sky. Unsurprisingly, the only sound that answers him is the crackling of the fire.

I haven’t done this in a long time so… Sorry for being awkward about it. Kexal stops to gather his thoughts. I suppose being honest is the best thing to do, so let me give you some background. I’ve got a useless left arm, Bennie is out of commission, and Jenna is struggling to get back on her feet. I’m dragging both of them by a makeshift sled I pieced together from scraps I stole from abandoned buildings. I know you don’t condone stealing but if I didn’t do something they might have died. I can’t let either of them die. I told Bennie I would help her find you.

Kexal bites his tongue. Talking to no one is harder than he thought it would be.

But I need help, he finally says. These girls are counting on me to keep them safe until they get back up to full health. I get less than four hours of sleep every three days, we’re running low on food, and I’m pulling almost twice my body weight for hours at a time. If there’s anything you can do—

Kexal? Jenna sits up and rubs her eyes. Kexal jumps, his heart going berserk in his chest. Who’re you talking to?

Nothing! he says quickly. I mean, no one! Just… Just talking to myself. Keeping myself company. That’s all.

Jenna merely yawns, accepting his lie; he breathes a sigh of relief.

With you two injured I get a lot of time to be alone, so I’ve gotten used to talking out loud. It helps me think.

That so? Jenna rubs her eyes again. What’re you thinking about?

Kexal searches for another lie. Gold, he says after a moment. "I’m trying to picture how much gold I’ll be able to get from Palace Center. If it’s the palace of a god, it has to have tons of gold, right?"

Jenna leans on her knee. I suppose so, she says after a moment.

How’re you feeling today? Kexal asks.

About the same. Draining the poison magic from Bennie’s body took a big toll on me—more than I thought it would. I’m fighting to avoid relapse. She gives him a look. How about you? Feeling alright?

Kexal looks around and debates telling another lie.

I’m great. He offers a smile. Towing you two around isn’t the worst thing in the world. We’re moving a lot slower than normal but at least we’re moving. I’m confident that we’ll reach Palace Center in no time!

Jenna fixes him with a stare. You’re never this optimistic. What’s on your mind?

What do you mean? I’m just as grumpy as ever. Now shut up and go back to sleep. See? Completely normal.

Kexal.

He grits his teeth, then lets out a sigh. I’ve had… A change of heart, I guess you could call it. Trying to keep you and Bennie safe has made me realize that I can fight back against the world when it throws me around. It made me realize that even though bad things happen, I can still get back up and try again. Kexal shrugs, ignoring the butterflies in his stomach from bluntly lying to one of his only two friends. People change, Jenna. I’m proof of that.

Fine, she sighs. Don’t tell me what’s wrong. I’m going back to sleep.

I know I’ve been talking about gold pretty often, so I want to make it up to you. When we get to Palace Center, you can have half of my spoils. Kexal mentally kicks himself as soon the words fly out of his mouth. Playing it too hard will expose he’s cracking.

Sounds like a deal, Jenna yawns. A good deal. Good night.

Kexal says nothing further and lets Jenna crawl over and snuggle up next to Bennie, who sleeps without snoring and without moving. To an uninformed eye, she looks to be dead. But if Kexal listens closely, he can hear the faint sound of her breathing. Sighing, he repositions himself against the back wall and watches the front of the abandoned house for movement, a knife at the ready. The crackling fire sits at the edge of his vision, its orange and yellow light hypnotic and dreamy. The heat warms Kexal to his core, weighing his eyelids down like two tons of bricks.

Without meaning to, he dozes off.

While asleep, Kexal has a dream. A big-top circus rolls into the Ruins from nowhere, simply springing up overnight. Dancers and clowns and acrobats run through the streets. The alcohol is free all day, no matter where you get it. Kexal runs through the circus with a bright smile on his face, full of energy and spirit. No one stops to challenge him for being happy. As a matter of fact, no one even looks unhappy. Intense jubilance radiates from every booth, corner, and alleyway.

Kexal pulls to a stop at a little booth with a bearded old man sitting on a stool. He waves to Kexal, who immediately waves back.

Come closer! I want to make a deal with you!

A deal? Kexal jumps up and down. How exciting! What kind of deal?

Come closer! I want to make a deal with you!

What kind? What kind?

The dream abruptly ends and Kexal jolts awake. He whips out his knife and stands, brandishing it with a wild look in his eyes. Bennie stirs slightly, then rolls away. Jenna murmurs something incoherent. The fire crackles softly at his feet. Everyone is safe.

Kexal slinks to the ground, feeling no more rested than before. He goes over the dream to keep himself awake. When he reaches the part about the old man’s booth, he unconsciously replays it over and over again, as if he can’t get enough of it.

Come closer! I want to make a deal with you!

A deal, eh? Kexal snorts. Old man was probably going to rob me blind.

An outrageous thought pops into his mind. He looks around to make sure no one saw or heard what he thought, despite the impossibility. The more he thinks about it, the more he realizes that it’s a desperate shot in the dark—no, more than just desperate. The chances of it paying off would be the chances of hitting a snake’s tongue with an arrow while wearing a blindfold and rolling down a hill with a broken arm.

With them in such a condition, could I really take such a gamble?

But the payoff… He allows himself a moment of debate. The payoff could be huge. Kexal looks at Bennie and Jenna. His stomach wrenches at the thought of digging their graves; he knows he doesn’t have a choice. Standing, Kexal grabs his backpack and sheathes his knife. He steps out of the abandoned house, places a slab of wood in front to serve as a makeshift door, and walks off into the Ruins.

Unsurprisingly, the typically quiet realm is even quieter at night. The dancing fires hide themselves between broken-down buildings and ruined homes, respecting the night sky that hangs overhead like a seamless piece of black cloth. The only sound comes from Kexal’s feet as he tromps through the pockets of ash cluttering the roadway. He makes no attempt to hide or silence his movement.

After several minutes of walking and checking to ensure he’s far enough from the camp, Kexal stops moving. He stands alone, unsheltered, in the middle of the road. A sensation slowly crawls up his spine and tingles him to the bone. The overwhelming urge to flee surges through his body, but Kexal forces himself to stay rooted. He can feel a nameless horror creeping up on him, with soulless eyes and thousands of razor sharp teeth just waiting to dig into his skin and eat him alive.

Hey! Kexal finally screams. Face me!

Dozens of Skeleton soldiers emerge from the ashen wasteland, materializing like ghosts passing through a wall. They all wear red and gold armor, though the metal doesn’t slow them down at all. Half of them hold gleaming swords; the other half hold metal shields with spikes on the front.

I… Kexal takes in a breath as the Skeletons make a circle around him. I want to make a deal with Riel, the Skeleton King.

Do you, now? says one Skeleton with a metallic, scratchy voice. What kind of deal?

That’s none of your business. I’ll talk with him directly or I won’t talk at all.

We have ways of making you talk. The first Skeleton steps forward with its sword pointed at Kexal’s throat. Don’t make this a bloodbath.

I said I’ll only talk to Riel, Kexal snaps. If you want to fight, go ahead and swing.

The Skeleton immediately slashes at Kexal’s throat, but the blade stops mere inches from his skin. Kexal blinks, astonished at how fast the soldier moved. Had that blow actually connected…

The Skeleton steps back, bowing its head in respect. The other Skeletons follow suit, bowing their heads respectfully towards Kexal. He looks around, confused, until he notices a bright blue glow. Kexal turns around to see a tall Skeleton wearing a black cloak, its body covered in iridescent blue fire.

Just in time, it says. The voice is male.

Kexal takes a step back, his hand on his sheathed knife. Riel?

No, but I serve the Skeleton King. I’m Nekros Mathis, necromancer. Nekros spreads his hands. If you want to talk with Riel, I’ll hear you out in his stead. Riel can’t teleport to his soldiers like I can. Besides, he’s very busy at the moment.

A necromancer… You use magic, then?

Yes.

Then you must have planted the gemstone for us to find. Kexal points a finger at Nekros. You knew we were hunting for treasure. You put it right where we would find it and filled it with poisonous magic. It was your trap, wasn’t it?

Don’t be ridiculous, Nekros says. Raw gemstones are poisonous to all magic users. I’m no more immune to a raw gemstone than fire is immune to water.

If that’s true, then why did it hurt Bennie but not Jenna? Kexal thinks for a moment before he makes a connection. Jenna’s gloves. She was wearing gloves. If she had put even a hand on that stone she’d be in the same spot as Bennie.

He sizes Nekros up, gauging his power by the amount of magic he can sense. The Skeleton necromancer offers nothing in the line of readability, his face lacking all facial tissue. Magic, however, radiates from Nekros’s body like a bonfire. Briefly, Kexal wonders how it must feel to be around Riel, especially if his second-in-command is this intimidating.

Well? Nekros says. Are we going to talk or not?

After another moment, Kexal nods. I want to make a deal. Or rather, more of an exchange—what I want for something you want.

The only thing I want is the Hero. Would you just willingly hand her over? What could you possibly desire that is worth her life?

I’m not trading Bennie, Kexal says. "I told her I would help her find Chaldir and I intend to keep my promise. However, I have something worth almost as much as her, if you’re willing to hear me out."

Nekros walks forwards until he stops right in front of Kexal. The Skeleton necromancer leans down into Kexal’s face. Do explain.

Bennie’s been in an accident; she’s currently in a coma. Our friend Jenna has been trying to heal her, but there’s only so much she can do when our food is as low as it is.

Ah, so you need a healer. Nekros leans back; Kexal lets out his breath, not realizing he’d held it in. My magic only raises the dead. Unless they both die, I can’t help you.

I don’t want your damn magic. I want food, water, and several bottles of Orange to give to Bennie and Jenna.

"Food? You want… You want food?"

I don’t see why not, Kexal says. Orange is the only drink on Renea with enough vitamins to keep Bennie alive until she can eat real food again. I don’t have enough supplies to keep me and Jenna in good health for much long, and Bennie won’t be able to eat real good food when she wakes up.

Nekros turns away, attempting to grasp what Kexal is asking. He wants food. Unbelievable.

Kexal pulls out his knife and extends it handle-first. If you can get us food, I’ll give you this.

Nekros takes the knife and inspects it. You’d try to trade me this piece of junk? You couldn’t get a loaf of moldy bread with this.

Kexal snatches it back and whispers a word under his breath. The knife comes alive, holy grey light flooding the street and levitating particles of ash into the air. Nekros backs away, watching as grey magic spills out of the knife like an overflowing cup. Kexal grits his teeth in an attempt to hold on as long as he can.

With a gasp, he drops the knife and collapses to one knee, wheezing for air. The grey light fades, the knife discarded on the ground. The Skeleton soldiers remain impassive. Curious, Nekros reaches down and plucks the knife out of the ash.

So it’s not a piece of junk after all—it’s a magical weapon. He inspects it closer than he did before, then tosses it at Kexal’s feet. It’s still not enough for what you’re asking.

What if I told you this wasn’t just any magical weapon? Kexal takes the knife and slowly gets to his feet. What if I told you this was a one-of-a-kind legendary weapon?

Nekros’s mind goes to the half-pike sitting in the bowels of the Dark Hollow. It, too, reacted in strange ways to certain words and phrases. Riel would be upset if he came back without Bennie in hand, but if he were to find another legendary weapon, the Skeleton King’s mood might be less stormy.

Do you know its name?

Casix, says Kexal.

The knife glows at the mention of its name, emitting piercing grey light.

I was told its name by a strange man with oddly colored eyes, he continues. He told me that this knife would help me at some point in my journey to Palace Center, but so far it’s done nothing but sit in my backpack like a useless rock. Kexal sheathes it and presents it to Nekros. It’s useless to me and I’m getting desperate. We’re going to run out of food in three days, I know that for a fact. If I don’t keep Bennie hydrated and full of vitamins, she’ll… He swallows. She may be a Hero, but she’s not going to last forever.

Nekros chuckles. Why should I help you? Killing Bennie is Riel’s ultimate goal. Refusing your offer benefits me in every way.

Kexal offers what he hopes is an intelligent smirk. Something tells me you and Riel have different goals.

Nekros goes silent for a moment. When he reaches for Casix, Kexal pulls it away.

Do we have a deal or not?

Nekros pauses, then nods. We have a deal.

Relieved, Kexal passes the knife over to the necromancer. And call off your Skeletons for a few nights. I haven’t slept in an eternity.

That wasn’t part of the deal. Nekros eyes the knife greedily. However, since I’ve been meaning to collect more of these legendary weapons, you’ve put me in a good mood. You have three days.

Kexal nearly sinks to the ground in gratitude.

My soldiers will deposit a week’s worth of food at your campsite before the night is over. The following morning, your three day vacation begins.

You know where my camp is?

I have eyes all over the Ruins. I know every place you’ve slept for the past month. Nekros places the knife into the folds of his robes.

Why haven’t you attacked us? I’ve been up each night watching for your soldiers.

It’s unsportsmanlike to kill opponents while they sleep. That’s poor taste. Nekros waves Kexal off. Away with you. Our business here is done.

Kexal walks back to camp with so much excitement boiling inside him that he can barely think about sleeping. The walk back to camp goes far faster than the walk into the Ruins, and Kexal soon finds himself removing his makeshift door and settling back into his previous position as if he had just left. Bennie and Jenna haven’t moved one inch since he’s been gone.

With a smile and a quick thank-you to Chaldir, Kexal leans against the wall behind him and passes into a deep slumber.

Many hours later, Kexal wakes up long after the sun has risen in the sky. The fire is nothing more than smoldering ash. He shields his eyes and gauges the time to be almost noon. With a yelp, Kexal leaps up and runs outside. His foot catches on something and he flops on the ground, jarring his right arm. As he stands, grumbling and cursing his luck, Kexal freezes in place.

Bags of fresh vegetables. A wooden box full of salted meats. Bread, cheeses, bottles of Orange and wineskins full of water. Kexal looks inside the house to make sure the girls are still asleep before pumping a fist into the air; Nekros came through on his promise.

Kexal rekindles the fire and cooks breakfast, making sure to ration out enough to feed him and Jenna while leaving enough to last for a week, with or without Bennie. Halfway through his preparations, Jenna wakes up.

What… Jenna rubs her tired eyes, then gasps when she sees the food. Is that what I think it is? I must be dreaming. Am I dreaming?

Kexal smiles, sifting food around in his skillet. I’m almost done cooking the first batch of bacon. Do you want some fresh bread with yours?

Jenna’s jaw drops. "You’re smiling? I’m not dreaming, I’m dead!"

I sure hope not! I could use you alive. Kexal inhales deeply, steeling himself to weave another lie. Last night, I prayed to Chaldir for help; we were running out of food. I begged him to help us get by for one more day, and, well… Kexal gestures to his bounty. It looks like he gave us enough to last for a week!

This isn’t possible. Jenna picks up a loaf of bread, inspecting it in disbelief. "This can’t be possible. She bites into it and groans. You know, I don’t care if it’s possible anymore." She corks open a fresh wineskin full of water and drowns her bread with a huge gulp.

That’s the spirit! Kexal pushes the bacon out of the skillet on to Jenna’s loaf of bread. Eat up. You need to keep refueling so your body can heal. Chaldir was thoughtful enough to give us a few bottles of Orange, too. While you eat, I’m going to get Bennie to drink a little bit. Every time we stop I’m going to make her drink some Orange and some water.

Jenna tears into her bacon and bread with voracious hunger. I’m surprised, she says through mouthfuls. I’m surprised you prayed to Chaldir about getting food for us. It’s almost like you care about something other than gold.

Kexal forces a laugh. Yeah, aren’t impossibilities fun to entertain? Jenna merely nods and continues eating.

The sun peaks at noontime when Jenna and Kexal finish their meal. Kexal packs the excess food away into another makeshift bundle that he ties, bandages, and otherwise stitches together from loose bags and rags he finds during a quick scavenge of the surrounding area. He loads the bag on the front of the sled, places Bennie in the sling behind the bag, and lashes himself to the ropes.

Jenna takes up a pair of ropes beside him.

"And what do you think you’re doing?" Kexal demands.

You honestly think you can tug me, Bennie, and all that food by yourself? Jenna laughs. I get it now. You’ve completely lost your mind.

I won’t have you putting stress on your body while you’re trying to heal. Either butt out and walk or lay with Bennie in the sled.

I know my body better than you, and I think I’m perfectly capable of towing this sled for a few hours. If I get tired I’ll take a break and let you do it by yourself.

Fine, you can help, Kexal says. But if you’re going to tow the line, you’d better keep at my pace. I’d hate to leave you behind.

Jenna smirks and elbows him in the ribs. With a determined huff, the two step off together down the road, set on finding Palace Center and meeting Chaldir. Though Kexal would never openly admit it, he’s very glad to have Jenna pull the sled with him. It makes the weight easier to bear while making the walk less lonely.

In the sling on the sled, Bennie’s face remains unchanged and emotionless as she drifts through her dream-like unconsciousness, blissfully unaware of the changes taking place around her.

Bennie wakes to an empty white void. She slowly gets to her feet, sound echoing as if traveling down a long corridor. This isn’t the first time she’s been in this blank room.

Back so soon? she thinks. Well, I best get started.

Bennie puts one knee to the ground and plants a hand in front as a brace. Her body bursts into flames in a roar of heat and light, burning her clothes to ash and leaving her cloaked in white-hot fire. In response, a rocky world littered with lava pits springs up around her. Black clouds hang overhead and red forked lightning zigzags across the sky. Bennie straightens herself up, appreciating the fine training grounds.

The lava pits bubble and hiss, clouds of smoke and shards of molten rock bursting into the air. Bennie turns as a long arm emerges from the pit, followed shortly by a shoulder and then a misshapen head—her training partner. A second arm emerges, and then a torso made of lava, and finally two heavy legs. The lavabeast’s mouth hangs open and gobs of magma fall to the ground, cracking and sizzling on the black rocks.

It lurches forward, then dashes at full speed. Bennie moves out of the way just moments before its strike lands. Hot fire surges through Bennie and bursts from her outstretched hands, consuming the lavabeast and knocking it off balance. It catches itself, turns on its heels, and roars.

Bennie grinds her heels into the ground and roars right back.

The lavabeast rushes Bennie again, arms reared back to strike. Instinct takes control and she sends a blazing shield of fire from her body, knocking her attacker away. The monster slips back into position, unfazed, and mounts an assault. Bennie throws herself aside and tucks into a roll. She recovers and swings an arm behind her. A plume of fire erupts into the air and the lavabeast reels back—just enough time for Bennie to charge in.

Hot energy boils in her hands and a raging fire burns in her chest. She launches hard, fast punches into the monster’s face. The creature stumbles back and tries to shield itself, but its efforts are in vain. Bennie throws a particularly heavy blow at the lavabeast’s chest, blasting a hole right through to the other side.

Then, with a shout of victory, Bennie sweeps her right leg up and kicks the lavabeast in the head for all she’s worth. Fire surges through her foot and blasts its head into oblivion, leaving a half-formed standing organism made of lava. It collapses in on itself, turns into a pool of magma, then slides back toward the lava pit it came from.

Bennie plops to the ground and breathes slowly, trying to regain her breath. She’s still not used to fighting in a place that changes landscapes with a mere thought. Previous versions of her world had included trees, gardens, and sometimes buildings. Most of them had been spliced together, fragments of fever dreams stolen in haste to fill the emptiness of the white void. This one is different, though. It feels planned and thought-out, as if constructed by Bennie’s own mind.

A shudder ripples through the air and everything shivers. The rocks waver from side to side as if they are illusions about to come undone. Bennie stays seated, watching it without fear. The first time the world started changing, Bennie tried to run from it. When she did, she found herself in the middle of an enormous thunderhead crackling with teal-colored lightning and a downpour of neon blue rain. Now she simply sits back and accept the changes as they come.

As the world changes, Bennie feels hot magic surge into her chest like magma from the planet’s core—the magic of pyrokinetic creation and wanton destruction. She lets it flow through her chest, into her arms, up her throat, and down her legs. Her cloak of fire flares brighter.

Bennie’s rocky, barren wasteland fades with a small, imperceptible shiver, giving way to an alley facing a street. She stands and peers out, looking down the wide main street. It slopes down towards a gorgeous blue lake. Fishing boats float on the water and seagulls call from a distance. Carts and their owners populate both sides of the street; it must be market day. Stone buildings painted in shades of white, peach, blue, and green extend as far as the eye can see in every direction.

Boy, she thinks. Stanley would love this place.

Bennie stands at the edge of the alleyway to get her bearings. Her body is still covered in a raging orange fire in this new world, but so far no one’s noticed. A few creatures walk past the alley and glance at her, but they all say nothing. One or two are bipedal organisms similar to humans, but their eyes are exotic colors and their ears are pointed. Some of them have rows of sharp teeth instead of flat teeth. One creature who passes by looks like a tangle of swamp moss and vines. Other creatures move aside when they see it coming.

A tall, dark creature glides past, glances at Bennie, then immediately stops and turns back to stand in front of her. She tenses up.

That mark, on your forehead. Where did you get it?

Bennie touches her forehead and finds herself tracing the symbol of Chaldir.

The mark, it says again, drawing closer. Bennie steps back. Where did you get it?

Who’s asking?

A fellow Renean. Are you the Hero of the Ruins?

Bennie considers her options, never breaking eye-contact. The creature moves back to give her space, looming several feet taller than her.

Yes, she finally says. I’m a Hero. Who are you?

I’m a scientist. I’m here conducting research. The creature quirks its dark head. What are you doing in the astral realm? Coming here should be far beyond your abilities.

Astral realm? Bennie looks around. The sky above her wavers slightly, as if made of glass panels. That would explain the white room.

Your dream world, says the creature. I’m astonished you managed to create a fully functioning world without knowing you were in the astral realm—I saw it in the sky just before you came here.

It felt natural, like having a dream that you could control. Bennie steps out of the alleyway and looks down the wide, sloping street. People pass her by without saying anything; no one stares or points. Where am I?

You’re at a crossroads between your dream world and the rest of the astral plane. This is Lakeshire, Haven of the Spirit World. What’s your name?

Bennie.

Pleased to meet you, Bennie. My name’s Salvation.

They shake hands.

Can you help me? Bennie asks. I have no clue how I got here.

You didn’t come here on purpose?

Bennie shakes her head.

That’s a problem in and of itself. No one just ‘enters’ the astral realm. It’s a place you have to train to reach. What’s the last thing you remember doing?

"I don’t even remember the last thing I remember. I was with Kexal and Jenna, and we were looking at something, but I don’t remember what it was or why it was important. Maybe whatever we found sent us here. She shrugs. Look, you seem like a busy guy, so I don’t want to keep you any longer than I have to. Do you know where I can find my friends?"

You think they’re here, too?

Most likely, Bennie says. If they’re not here, where else could they be?

Probably back on Renea, taking care of your unconscious body.

Unconscious?

When you enter the astral realm, you pass out in the real world.

Really? Then I’ve got to get out of here and wake up! She takes a step out into the street, then slowly steps back into the alley. Uh, do you know anyone who…?

If you’re up for a long trip, Salvation says, you might go see the Lady of the Woods. She’s an astral demigod who lives across the lake. Salvation points at a thick, green forest on the far side of the bright blue lake. If anyone can help you, it’s her.

How do I find her?

I couldn’t say; she’s notoriously hard to find. I’ve never personally been to see her, at least not until now. I’m going there to ask for her help. She might have a cure for the sickness that’s poisoning my realm. He pauses, then grimly adds, "If there is a cure."

Bennie casts her gaze at the forest. How long is the walk? Two, three days?

In Renean time, yes, a few days. But the astral realm doesn’t have the same grasp of time as Renea. You could spend a few weeks in here, return to Renea, and find that only a few minutes has passed. On the other hand you could spend a few hours here, return to Renea, and find that years have passed.

Then it’s worth my effort to try. Bennie looks at Salvation. What happens if I wake up in the real world before I’m ready on this end?

Salvation shudders, then looks away. He doesn’t answer.

That’s answer enough for me, Bennie says. So if I’m passed out somewhere in the middle of the Ruins, the last thing I want to do is be woken up before I’m ready. How can the Lady of the Woods help?

If you’re trying to wake up safely, especially if you got here by accident, she’s the only one who can help you. The way I enter and exit the astral realm would tear your brain apart. But she can help you discover a way to wake up that doesn’t harm you.

Bennie frowns. To travel all that way for something as lame as a wake-up call feels pretty dumb.

Salvation grins widely. I hear there’s also a legendary treasure hidden in the forest.

A legendary treasure! Bennie condenses her blazing coat of fire into her typical adventure clothing—mid-calf leather boots, a skirt with a split down the leg, and interlocking plates and chain mail for everything above the waist. There’s no time to lose!

What’s the rush? It’s a beautiful day in Lakeshire. Salvation clasps his shadowy hands behind his back and turns towards the lake. We should take time and enjoy the view.

Time isn’t our side, Bennie says. "At the very least, it isn’t on my side. If you’re going my way, I think it’s wise for us to put our feet to the ground and get moving."

Salvation looks down at the ground. Murky darkness pools where his feet should be. I suppose so, yes. I keep forgetting that you have a shorter time here than me. I tend to pass in and out of this world often, so astral time is a problem I’ve learned to control. He pauses, then frowns. What do you mean by ‘us’?

Isn’t it obvious? We’re going to travel together. That way we have twice the eyes and twice the strength. Bennie puts her hands on her hips. I don’t know about you, but when I hear about an elusive demigod living in the woods, my first two questions are ‘How strong is it?’ and ‘How do I kill it if it attacks me?’

You’re definitely a different breed of Renean, Salvation muses. Most Reneans would approach a demigod peacefully and respectfully.

I’m not Renean. I came from a planet called Earth.

Salvation fixes Bennie with a hard look. She holds her ground.

What does it look like? Salvation asks.

Big and blue, she replies. Lots of oceans. Some mountains, huge cities, deserts, ice caps—

Ice what?

Ice caps. Big sheets of ice covering the top and bottom of the planet. She tosses a few glances up and down the street. Okay, looks safe. If anyone’s got their eyes on this alley, they’re in for a surprise when they try to attack. Bennie starts down the street and heads directly toward the lake. Salvation hurries to catch up.

Is it a feral world? he asks. Are there lots of dangerous creatures lurking about? Is that why you’re so suspicious of other creatures? What about gods? What kind of gods do you have?

Sheesh! Bennie exclaims. One at a time, would you? No, it’s not feral; we have a lot of advanced technology and we’re mostly civilized. The only dangerous creatures left are in zoos or are so rare you would never meet one face-to-face. To many people there’s only one true God, but other people think there are different gods, and some think there are no gods at all.

What an odd world. How do you live with so many conflicting views? Without gods, who governs the land?

Fresh fish! a man yells in Bennie’s face, throwing a salmon in her arms. Good choice, ma’am! That’ll be—

Bennie’s palms explode and she torches the salmon a charred black. She dumps it in the astonished fisherman’s arms and continues on her way. The Master of Shades looks at the blackened fish for a moment and then at the woman making her way towards the lake. Sighing, he glides down the street and pulls up next to her.

Your race must have a sad, violent history, Salvation says. To be suspicious of so many things all the time is so… Alien.

It certainly is, Bennie says softly.

Does Earth have many monsters?

"We don’t have any monsters anymore. We have stories of monsters, but that’s all that’s left. Stories say that we killed most of the monsters that once plagued our world. In truth, my race—the human race—is pretty awesome. If you think of it like I think of it, instead of hiding from our monsters, we hunted them to extinction."

Salvation’s pink eyes glimmer with scholarly delight. What kind of monsters did you have? Were they fierce? What did they look like?

Bennie smiles good-naturedly. We had one monster called a dragon. It was a lizard with wings that could breathe fire. There was also something called a kraken that lived in the deepest parts of the ocean. Think of huge, hungry octopus with a nasty temper.

Ah yes, Salvation mutters absently. Dragons and leviathans. That’s one for the notes.

But they’re all gone now. Life moved on from the unbeatable dragon and the unkillable kraken. Now the real monsters use people like pawns and stab you in the back the moment you’re no longer worth their time.

Salvation looks away, pondering his own inner demons. As he tries to recollect his history and his past, clouds roll across his memories, blotting out his vision. Salvation drifts away from thought and observes the fog as it passes by. What secrets lie hidden in there? he wonders. What things hide beyond that impenetrable wall?

Hey, you listening to me?

Salvation perks up out of his reverie. Sorry, you were saying?

I asked you a question.

I’m sorry, I missed it.

I figured. It wasn’t that important anyways.

It sounds like it was.

It’s just… Bennie gestures vaguely. I don’t know, I just don’t understand.

Salvation quirks his head, curious.

I don’t understand a lot of things, Bennie says. "I don’t understand why people have to be so evil, why they have to use each other like a craftsman uses his tools. I don’t understand why there has to be so much violence and hatred and misery in the world—in both our worlds. I haven’t even met Riel yet and all I know is that I’m supposed to fight him. What if he turns out to be really nice? Maybe I can reason with him and get him to stop whatever it is he’s doing."

She sighs, rubbing her arms. Fire sparks off her skin.

I’ve been here for a while now, but also for not that long at all, and no matter how much I learn about myself or learn about the world, it feels like I’m not learning anything at all. I still don’t even know why I was called to Renea in the first place. She looks up at Salvation, her brown eyes brimming with curiosity. I guess that leaves one question: do you know why Renea brought me here?

I’m hardly the type of person— He shakes his head. "I’m hardly the type of creature who should talk about philosophy, about why things happen, why they don’t, or what it all means in the end. I’m still seeking my own truths; it wouldn’t be right to answer your truths for you. Salvation smiles shortly. That being said, you must have been brought here for a reason. How did you get to Renea?"

I was playing a game with some friends, Bennie explains. There was this flash of blue light, and the next thing I knew I was on my back with a huge headache. Everything after that just spiraled towards, well… She sweeps her arm around her. Towards this.

Salvation looks toward the forest. Let’s entertain a thought. Assume Renea’s soul—the Essence of the World, if you would—called you here all the way from Earth, your home. Why would she do it? Surely not out of spite nor out of desire for a greater population.

Maybe out of fear?

Salvation grimaces. Not what I was going for, but sure, let’s suppose it was fear. What would cause an entire world to feel fear? What exists out there that threatens Renea’s very soul?

The image of the man with the magenta eyes plants itself at the forefront of Bennie’s mind. She doesn’t answer, unsure of how to phrase her response.

It may very well be fear, Salvation continues. Privileged Heroes revel in their sloth in Monarch, the Greatest City in the World. A sickness chokes the life out of the once beautiful Cemetery. Dark magic thrums in the ground, in the air. We may be at peace for now, but you’d be a fool not to see the storm on the horizon.

A storm… Bennie looks up. What can we do to stop it?

If there’s any place to find answers, it’s the astral realm. And if there’s anyone in the astral realm who’s likely to know anything about Renea’s soul, it’s the Lady of the Woods. He chuckles drily. All the more reason to visit her.

Bennie forces a laugh. This is all hypothetical, right? Renea didn’t really call me because it’s afraid of something, right? This is all smoke-and-mirror speculation.

Salvation smiles grimly. Sure, Bennie. Smoke and mirrors.

The conversation dwindles. Bennie keeps her eyes facing forward, though doubts tumble about inside her. Why else would Renea have called me? Maybe it was just sick of the Heroes not adventuring. Yeah, that’s it! It wanted someone proactive to jump on the opportunity! She nods. That’s it. That’s the real reason.

However, her logic feels baseless. She grinds her teeth in silent agony and wishes Stanley was nearby. He would know why Renea called them.

Salvation entertains neither thought nor emotion. He simply floats at Bennie’s side, his eyes tracing the edges of the buildings of Lakeshire, Haven of the Spirit World. The forest ahead looms forebodingly, and though he tries to fight it, Salvation can’t help but feel a heavy weight sink into where his stomach used to be.

Please, he prays silently. Please let the Lady of the Woods have the answers I seek.

Chapter Two

Deals

Somewhere in Magnus’s Cemetery

Scott opens his eyes to a grey sky and a pounding headache.

Damn it! he shouts. Every single time!

Pain shoots up his spine and throws a wild party in his skull. Headaches. Why is it always a headache? Scott tries to sit up and get his bearings, but stars burst in front of him. He slumps back to the ground with a groan. Jinas is beside him not a moment later, a washcloth in hand.

Give it to me straight, Scott says. Who’d I kill this time?

No one. Jinas dabs the washcloth on Scott’s forehead. You talked to some dead people and then passed out. It could have been much worse.

I’m glad it wasn’t. Scott waves Jinas away. Where are we? What day is it?

We haven’t moved since you passed out; that was two days ago.

That’s it? Scott sits up, grinding his teeth against his body’s protests. You sure nothing else happened?

Considering I’m the only person a day’s walk in any direction, I’d take my word for it. Jinas gently guides Scott back to the ground. "I warned you to not push yourself too hard, and look where you ended up. Now I have to play doctor yet again until you’re fixed."

I’ll heal, Scott says. It should only take me a few minutes to get that burst of energy. Once that hits I’ll be on my feet and ready to adventure before you can say— A jolt of pain flashes through him and he groans involuntarily.

Jinas smirks. Before you can say…?

Scott shifts himself. Give it a few minutes. It’ll come.

No, it won’t. You’ve run out of stamina. There’s nothing you can do now but wait, rest, and heal. Jinas folds his arms. So since you’re here, we might as well clear the air. Katrina left a couple nights ago. What did you say to make her leave?

Scott is silent for a moment, but then he relents. I told her that I wasn’t a native Renean—that I was from Earth. Then she stood up and ran away. He looks up. You don’t think I scared her away just from that, do you?

"I’m still having a hard time believing you came from another planet. You walk, talk, and have the same anatomy as a Renean. I thought you might be going insane when you first told me. Scott goes to protest, but Jinas holds up a hand. But as you described Earth, I became convinced you were who you said you were. I