by TJ Reynolds
Those who’d risen first were lining up in ranks. This not only terrified Kai, but surprised him. He’d expected unbridled rage and chaos.
Instead, it seemed they were waiting on orders.
What monster could command such a legion? Kai wondered as he neared finishing the spell. And how am I supposed to challenge them?
Kai glanced behind him.
Down below, standing in the front ranks of the Hintari soldiers, stood Rhona. She was watching him intently. Her voice reached up from the distance, saying simply, You can do this, Kai. We are all with you.
He nodded, knowing the gesture would be enough.
Then he turned back and faced the Gil’Rahim.
The dragons fell from the sky, Atros at their head. Bale Fire, Winter’s Wrath, and Forge Storm carved out a swath of the abyss monsters. Several died outright, but many of the monsters resisted the spells with more ease than Kai would have liked.
Kai held his breath, but the Gil’Rahim didn’t counterattack at all. They simply waited for whatever fell commander would come.
At last, Kai’s greatest spell finished charging and he silenced the doubts pestering him. With hope brandished like a flaming torch in his heart, Kai cast the newly augmented version of Helio Inferno.
The same pillar of light fell from the heavens, but this time, the light was golden. It scorched down through the yawning chasm, tearing through the Gil’Rahim it touched.
Infinite Inferno differed in two ways.
Not only did the spell have a wider distance of effect, but it also splashed outward like a wave of liquid metal.
The Gil’Rahim roared in anguish as the spell consumed them.
Its effect was undeniably effective.
Dozens of the monsters died in a single terrible blast.
But then it was over.
And after a brief reprieve, the abyss monsters continued their ascent upwards.
If he could cast Infinite Inferno as often as he liked, the battle would no doubt be theirs.
His AE wouldn’t last, though, and that was not even considering the two-hour cooldown. Kai ignored the thought and starting casting Luminous Champion.
This spell created an even larger version of the Spectral Champion, and, Kai hoped, a stronger one as well.
As the spell completed, Kai took to the air and headed to join with the dragons who were dropping down for another pass. He flew in beside Atros. Falling toward the Gil’Rahim, Kai opened his mouth and released Light Spear.
The spell activated similar to Flame Spear, but as the stream of golden light lanced through an abyss monster, it fragmented and blasted outward in all directions.
The monster he’d struck fell dead, and several others nearby were injured.
Atros triggered another spell called Magma Funnel, and a cone of Fire ether rose up and began spitting out lumps of scorching magma.
Anatoth rocked the Gil’Rahim with Storm Shriek, and Freya unleashed her claws. The others attacked with claw and fang.
Though Calreem’s Cluster Smite proved more effective than any other spell besides Infinite Inferno, the gathering horde was largely unaffected.
Kai and the dragons veered away and rose up in the air to circle back for another attack. Before they could descend once more, the earth shook and a final beast clawed its way onto the green field.
Larger than all the rest and covered in obsidian horns, the lion-shaped Gil’Rahim roared loud enough to crack open the sky itself.
Crack the gates and smite the dragons from the sky, the beast said with its mind. When their resistance breaks, you may begin your feast.
The front ranks of the dark beasts lowered their heads and charged the gates.
A horn sounded, and the cavalry charged at the opposite flank. Kai and the dragons swooped down to attack the other side. The valiant horsemen clashed against a wall of unbelievable strength, slamming lances into black hides with precision and courage.
But the Gil’Rahim were no longer waiting for their leader. They attacked the Hintari, tearing them from their horses with ease. A score of spells released from the abyss monsters at the same time.
Spheres of Abyss ether shattered among the cavalry, rending their mounts to pieces.
In a matter of seconds, nearly half of the cavalry fell.
A concussive explosion shook the air, and Kai looked over to see a hundred Gil’Rahim crushing the city gates to pieces. A section of the wall wobbled and fell.
After more spells launched, the once stalwart protection gave way.
Fear for Rhona’s safety pushed Kai to the edge of panic, but he brushed it aside, focusing on doing what damage he could.
With wings spread wide, Kai and the dragons unleashed with all of their might.
Atros let loose another spell, one that far surpassed the others. Like twin beams of Bale Fire, Scorching Reaver sliced through five or six abyss monsters in a second.
Kai activated Light Spear again, focusing the attack on a wolf-shaped abyss monster.
The beast fell, but those around it responded with spells of their own. Two blasts of Abyss ether slammed into Kai’s chest and another ripped through the fabric of his wing.
He careened sideways, his flight suddenly thrown off.
As he fell, Kai saw his dragons take much worse.
Atros was lashed with ropes of writhing Abyss energy that burned into his red scales. Freya took several thin beams of ether, including one that cut one of her forelegs off at the joint cleanly.
Anatoth, Calreem, and Hazel were knocked form the sky when a dozen arcing waves of ether ripped their wings to shreds.
No, Kai thought grimly, this cannot happen. I won’t let them die to save myself.
Glancing to the great lion who led this fell army, Kai turned his wings and flew in its direction. Atros! Do what you can to save the others! Kai commanded. I am going to try to defeat their leader!
The monster glared up at him as he approached, its eyes darker than midnight. Endless loathing poured out at him from those terrible eyes.
He pounded into the grassy field and inspected the beast.
Nightmare Lion Alpha
Scorching Abyssal Fauna
Violet 1
Violet! Kai thought as hope and strength fled his body. How am I to withstand this thing if I couldn’t even defeat Veldane?
The monster waited for Kai, seemingly patient. Those around were either focused elsewhere or were leaving this fight to their leader.
Kai stalked forward, ignoring the doubt that pestered him.
He would try this last option.
He had to.
Kai pounced, slashing at the lion’s face with his claws. Impossibly hard skin resisted his attack, so Kai let Light Spear explode from his gullet a second later. The Lumen flames splashed over the lion’s hide, burning away the black fungus that covered it.
The lion watched his movements but made no move to counter.
Kai struck again with his claws, and then darted in to sink his fangs into the lion’s neck. He bit with all of his might, and after a half second of strain, felt his teeth shatter.
His opponent lashed out with its huge paw, and its claws raked through Kai’s scaled chest. A blast of Abyss ether added to the force of the attack, sending him tumbling away. He landed hard some forty feet away, one of his wings buckling.
The Fundamental Dragon has never been so weak, the lion said in a malevolent tone. No worry. Your flesh and ether will feed my army.
Without waiting for Kai to respond or even get up, the lion gave another command. Kill him and be done with it!
Kai turned to face the monsters bearing down on him, and he transformed back into a man.
Suddenly cold, with only a cloak wrapped about his shoulders, Kai stared at the hundreds of monsters who’d torn their way up from the abyss.
Kai held up his hand, palm facing the nightmares.
Briefly, his faith wavered.
He didn’t want to lose himself, nor did he w
ant to give up the life he’d struggled so hard to create.
But thinking of Rhona, Bancroft, and the dragons was enough.
Gritting his teeth, Kai activated Abyssal Apocalypse.
This spell alone, Kai had not tested.
One could not experiment with a spell that destroyed the caster in its casting. All he could do was hope the transformation would not ruin its intended effect.
A single flash of white light pulsed across the raging army. Its pure light made the sky seem suddenly dark after, and time all but halted.
Kai watched the rippling hides and unearthly scales of the monsters approaching him. An antlered beast with the face of a snake charged Kai, closing the distance now in slow motion.
Beyond, the lion of the abyssal herd watched Kai carefully.
Its body, too, was caught in time.
Its eyes remained keen and aware, however, and Kai clearly saw recognition there.
The beast knew its own demise had come.
Behind the terrible gaze, Kai spotted a well of fear.
Then a surge of Lumen tore out from Kai’s core. Filling the air around him with an impossibly bright light, the spell formed a sphere of power around his body.
He felt the delicate shape of his Mandala warp dangerously.
As the force increased, his core began to shred and then burn.
The spell unfolded.
Kai’s core immolated within him.
A scream belted from his ragged throat, lasting until his lungs were depleted. Unbearable pain burned away his every thought until a cool hand touched his back.
We are with you, Kaius, a voice said. I am here.
The eight that formed the ninth stood behind him.
The Fundament channeled its power, using Kai as a vessel. He became a sword, a wave, a blazing fire before the darkness of the Gil’Rahim.
And he knew the transformed spell’s name. No longer fueled by Abyss ether, Abyssal Apocalypse had been transformed into Luminous Beginning.
Kai’s Mandala burned away, and as the last of its flames filled the golden sphere surrounding Kai, the accumulated power blasted outward in a second ring.
Time resumed its normal pace. The Gil’Rahim were knocked to the ground, the blight covering their hides flaking off and blowing away.
Too long have you held a part of my soul, the Fundament said. I reclaim the one you have stolen.
The hulking beasts broke apart into massive fragments of stone, and the Abyss ether that had saturated their flesh bled away. It formed rivulets, and then thick streams.
Soon, an ocean of black ether writhed in the now empty field.
Kai panted, still nude but for his cloak.
He saw the injured dragons recovering, the decimated cavalry retreating, and the soldiers standing in awe behind the toppled gates.
His body had been emptied.
Where Kai’s core once burned, only a cold, vacant pit remained.
Kai fell to his knees, hands trembling.
The Abyss ether rippled in a great pool in front of him. Then it writhed and started to coalesce.
The ether shrank away and formed a body darker than night. Angut, Kai knew, had reclaimed his form at last.
The hand on his back let go, and the godhead strode forward and merged with the black shape. Now whole again, the Fundament glowed brighter and brighter.
Distantly, Kai felt joy at having done his duty.
He’d given over his life, and those he loved would live now. Perhaps the world to come might be brighter still.
Kai slumped forward and his heart slowed. It beat sluggishly, a weak drum in a hollow cave.
Then he fell and rolled to his back.
The daylight dimmed and Kai started to drift away.
But the godhead approached, and soon it was looming above him. The eight-sided god reached out its hand, holding it above Kai’s body. When a field has been burned in sacrifice a new one shall grow in its stead. Love well, Kaius, and live boldly.
Kai’s cold body filled with warmth as a new core was granted to him.
Its shape changed, and its flames burned brighter than before.
Strength returned in a surge.
Kai took a deep breath and sat up.
He found himself in an empty field. Shattered monsters lay all about, their bodies made of stone.
In the distance, he spotted a streak of color.
A woman with red hair raced ever closer, and moments later, she crashed into him.
Rhona crushed Kai in her arms, whispering his name over and over again. He held her back and breathed in deeply.
Somehow, he’d done the impossible.
He’d stopped the Gil’Rahim and kept the life he so longed to live.
30
The Golden Valley
Kai
Ban’s diplomatic champion walked in measured strides, heading up from the feast halls beside Kai. The gathering had gone much better than anyone could have imagined. Only a single duel had broken out—involving a Brintoshi captain and a Hintari noble—which turned out to be quite entertaining.
“Truth be told, Kai, I was most surprised how the two men came together as friends! Is it common for humans to seek out friends by fighting them first?”
Kai laughed and placed his arm over Ban’s shoulder as they walked. “Sadly, I think it is pretty common. We don’t always do so intentionally, but there’s something to be said about learning a man by how he fights.
“One of my best childhood friends and I got into it once over a fishing spot of all things. He said he’d gotten there first, but I was determined to join him since I had come there every week for months. After the tussle, we agreed to share the spot and were inseparable for a few years after.”
Ban shook his head, still obviously confounded by humans. “What happened after that? Were you forced to fight again to renew your friendship?”
Again, Kai laughed, his voice echoing in the large meeting hall they were entering. Golden light shone in from the air vents Ban had enlarged when reclaiming the dungeon. “No, his father was a scribe. Got hired by a noble in Creshon, so they packed up and left. Anyway, let’s leave it to say that humans might be quick to fight, but we are also loyal creatures at heart. Might be good to remember that today of all days.”
Ban nodded solemnly, muttering to himself a few moments until he saw Tirale’s champion ahead. Then he straightened up, smiled, and turned into his most dapper self.
Kai watched the two head off to where a ring of dungeon champions stood along the edges of the chamber. Each was accompanied by a dragon except Ban and Tirale. Their dragons, unfortunately, were too busy to stand by during the ceremony.
Kai walked up to meet with Atros. Now inside an active dungeon, the Elder Dragon had taken his human form. Atros stood some six inches taller than Kai, and his slitted eyes were still a bit disconcerting.
He was the same old gentle soul, however, and Kai was comforted by his presence.
The old dragon nudged Kai with his elbow. “You going to give a long and heartwarming speech? Your father was quite good at them if I remember correctly.”
“Unlikely,” Kai replied. “I do have a plan for that, though. No worries, there will be grand words spoken this day.”
When the leaders of Brintosh, Kaltan, and Hintar had at last finished filing in, they all sat on the stone benches Ban had carved out for them. Fanning around a central stage, the wide benches could each hold well over a dozen royal arses.
There were nine benches in total, three given to each of the human kingdoms.
The Earth Cores and their dragons represented the fourth kingdom. They ringed the outer edge of the vast chamber, their position meant to signify both protection as well as exclusion from the politics of men.
Kai and Atros alone wore human forms.
Standing on the low stage as dragons would take up far too much room. Besides, Kai was expected to give at least a few words.
He watched the squad of elite kobol
ds march in, Caw and an additional squad of daldrim coming behind. Thankfully, the lesser creatures hadn’t been required to do much fighting in Ban’s defense.
The daldrim worked the many traps and mechanisms Ban had designed, and Kotsi and his warriors did engage briefly when invaders neared Ban’s core room. But the order for surrender trickled down through the ranks of the Hintari forces in time, and only two of the kobolds were slain in the fight.
Kotsi had taken thirty followers with him when he’d decided to move. The old war chief was now simply a chief, his own fledgling village already growing happily in a side cavern that branched off of Ban’s new dungeon.
The daldrim had likewise been divided so that Tirale and Ban could both benefit from the assistance of the benign monsters.
Briefly, Caw squabbled with one of his daldrim. Kotsi endured the confrontation for a few moments until silencing the leader with a well-aimed thump delivered by the cane that had replaced his axe.
Kai and a few of the guests chuckled, waiting for the monsters to get settled in.
he cleared his throat and, when the gathering had quieted, gave his humble speech. “It has been three months since the Gil’Rahim attacked. No kingdom was spared their wrath. Thankfully, the Fundament protected us.
“And for the first time in written history, they were not only vanquished, but their source of Abyss ether taken back to its rightful place. Angut’s body will no longer be a vessel for destruction, which is cause for all to celebrate.
“Also,” Kai added with a smile. “I got to live, so that’s nice too.”
The nobles and leaders from the four kingdoms chuckled politely at his small jest. He took a relieved breath and gestured to the tablet behind him.
“We will each sign the Oath Stone as was done in the past. But I will ask each ruling party to add to my lackluster speech… if they so please.”
The Kaltanese monarch walked up to the stage first. His layered robes of gold, red, and white made his appearance as gaudy as the Brintoshi king, but in the company of Anvar’s elites, none seemed to notice or care.
