“This is our third day here, and I think I’m losing time. It’s time I meet this other elder,” Leon said, looking at the elders.

  “As you wish. Please come with me,” Tork replied, leading the way for Leon and Azeya.

  “One can only wonder how many died,” Azeya remarked, surveying the ruined infrastructure and the fractured ground.

  “All who live here know what stupidity means; some just needed a reminder,” Tork replied. They entered a large house—large at least from the outside—but the interior was nothing but empty space. There was no light except from a hole at the very top, which sent a beam of sun straight onto the bed.

  “This is a very good prison,” Leon noted.

  “Even I would like to live here. The quiet, the air—it’s perfect,” Azeya added.

  “She is respected, that’s why it is like this. It would be worse for you two,” Tork said, walking toward her friend.

  “Can we talk to her in private?” Azeya asked. Tork simply grabbed a chair in response.

  “Seems not. Aisha, I’m Leon and this is Azeya. To cut the story short, we are looking for Sky and Ben,” Leon said as Aisha shifted to sit more upright.

  “I don’t…”

  “No, don’t tell me that. I’ve already played this game with the elders,” Leon interrupted.

  “I’m sorry, but when I went to call the elders, that was the last time I saw them.”

  “Seems like you truly liked them, but you misunderstand the situation. I’m not asking. If I wanted, Miraen would be dust and ashes before I left,” Leon said, smiling.

  “You are strong,” Aisha said, sweat beading on her forehead. “But I don’t know.”

  “I don’t like making empty threats. I’ll kill, just in case someone else decides they can talk after that,” Leon said, relaxing into his chair.

  “Fair enough. You can think of it as helping the process,” Aisha replied, while Tork stared at Leon, stunned by the comment.

  “But before that, tell me how you met her—or them,” Leon said.

  .........

  “Was that what you meant by spirits doing stupid things?” Joe asked Rheis.

  “Careful, don’t say that out loud,” Rheis warned. “And no, that wasn’t it yet.”

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  “Then what was it?”

  “I see spirits, but not everything and not everywhere,” Rheis replied. She stood up. “But I got what I needed from you. If we meet again, I’ll update you. Wendy, let’s go, cousin. We have a lot to see.”

  Rheis stopped abruptly. “Oh, and thanks. Joe, tell the Guild Master that as much as he follows the fight, he shouldn’t forget about his own land. He will understand. If you don't, tell him anyway.” Rheis walked out of the room.

  ..........

  “Brother, I see you’ve been busy with something,” Jonathan said, approaching Chiko.

  “Yeah, well, I’m chasing this shadow. Considering I can’t do it myself, I need some help,” Chikondi replied.

  “Hard, huh? Well, that’s your job. But why…”

  “It’s flickering. It’s not my first time seeing something like this. It doesn't always mean something powerful is coming, but…”

  “It’s worth looking for. You do your job, but how about a break? Let’s take the boys hunting.”

  “No—hey! Damn it, give me the Dawaye! Jona, I’ll beat you!” Chiko yelled, watching his brother sprint toward the throne room with the book. “Iwe, Jona! Give me that!”

  “You can’t leave without making noise,” Mass said, seated on his throne.

  “Says you. But what do you say about hunting with the boys?” Jonathan asked.

  “Sounds good. Chiko, we’re going hunting!” Mass shouted as Chiko finally burst into the room.

  “Can I get the book now?” Chiko asked, hand extended.

  “Here,” Jonathan said, tossing it onto the table. “You, get the boys. Tell them it’s time to hunt,” he added to a servant.

  “Let’s go then. They can find us downstairs,” Mass said, standing up and placing his crown on the chair.

  “Won’t we just meet them as we walk down?”

  “Walk?” Jonathan asked, stepping backward toward the balcony.

  “We,” Mass added, discarding his animal leather coat.

  “No, wait!”

  “Too late, Chiko! Don’t let me die!” Jonathan shouted, leaping off into a long free fall.

  “You know he wouldn’t die from the jump; if he does, you’re free from all that,” Mass whispered in Chiko’s ear.

  “And you would kill me, or someone at least. Damn you, Jonathan,” Chiko sighed, taking a deep breath. “Hey, you’re too heavy!”

  “So eat more! I’m strong, not fat—it’s the muscle!” Mass shouted, his voice fading as he too plummeted.

  “I just had to have these two for brothers. Triplets are the worst,” Chiko muttered. He ran to the balcony and dove off like he was hitting water.

  'Seems like we won’t ever grow up' Chiko thought, smiling down at his brothers. Jonathan was closest to the ground, both of them facing up, waiting for him. Chiko held out both hands and shouted a spell.

  .........

  “Is that so? Then we change plans. We search for them here. Did she say anything else?”

  “Yes. Green eyes. They are stronger than normal levels. We know nothing about how they became that and finding the original body is hard. It’s best to just kill them,” Joe said to his listening friends.

  “Then we move. If they arrived yesterday, some are already out there,” Eddie said.

  “Then take these,” the Guild Master said, handing Eddie several rings. “You are the next Guild Master, after all. Familiarize yourself with them.”

  “But you—”

  “I’ve got more. Just take them,” the Guild Master insisted.

  “And since one of us impregnated the other, our healer is out,” Joe teased.

  “I’ll handle that. Move quickly. I’ll spread the word to everyone else. It needs to happen fast,” the Guild Master said.

  As he headed down, his eyes fell upon a woman kneeling, her head pressed to the floor as tears flowed. “What happened here?”

  “We don’t know. She’s having trouble speaking,” the receptionist said. Just then, a man burst in, panting heavily.

  “The…” he gasped for air. “Adventurers… they’re causing havoc. Look!” He pointed to smoke that started small but was growing rapidly.

  “Call everyone. Shut the gates. We’re killing them all,” the Guild Master commanded, walking out with four rings, two each hand.

  ....

  “Ryke!” Veryn shouted. Ryke leaped away just as the wall was struck down. The thunderclap was powerful enough to knock out the green-eyed men.

  “More coming,” Neyra said, her eyes sharp.

  “Behi—” But Neyra was already steps ahead. She turned, locked eyes, and drove a kitchen knife into a man’s throat three times. She only left go when her eyes shifted to a woman nearby.

  “I don’t like killing without payment,” she said, watching blood gush from the woman’s severed neck.

  'Run, run, run! Out the window!' “Run! Out the window!” Ryke shouted. He switched from thinking to sensing no, not sensing but trying to catch a glimpse of a familiar feeling—one that had appeared far too often since he met Leon.

  They were barely out when the house erupted in flames from the ground. Veryn, the slowest, got his leg caught in the blast.

  “Those screams… what is it?”

  “His left leg is burnt,” Neyra said, pinning Veryn’s leg down and covering his mouth. “Shhh. They will find us.”

  “Forget that. Here’s the person who did it, with company ofcourse,” Ryke said. “I can’t believe it, but a thunderclap would do.”

  The woman who had nearly killed them was standing right infront, engulfed in fire herself, flanked by seven others.

  Just as Ryke moved, the woman suddenly appeared normal; even Ryke couldn’t sense her or anything even if he tried.

  “Give me the knife,” he said, extending his hand to Neyra.