WE DID IT, GUYS! RISING STARS #1, WITH 1337 FOLLOWS AT THE TIME OF REACHING IT!

  Thank you SO MUCH for this. I will try to post two chapters a day until I drop off of RS, but I can't guarantee it!

  Sorry for this being late, I got distracted by my dog. Puppers do be pupping. Please enjoy, and woo! Rising Stars!

  As a final note, ratings help stories immensely. Drop a rating if you think the Story deserves it, and make sure to comment! Authors live and die by ratings and comments!

  “When the change happens, it will feel painful and pleasant in tandem,” Mortarius said to Katherine, who was kneeling before the throne. “Your primary focus should be on appealing to the Dark Lady. As Autarch, Romulus represents Her Authority—but you must be the one to implore Her to bequeath the Benediction. It does not require devotion, but it does require reverence for She of the End.”

  “So not worship, directly, but genuine respect?” Kate clarified.

  “Correct,” Mortarius said approvingly.

  “That’s easy,” the redhead said with a grin, “she’s super hot, and from what Lulu said, she’s a total badass. I can absolutely get behind that.”

  Mortarius stared at Kate for a long moment, and then turned to Romulus.

  “Hey, don’t look at me,” Romulus said with a grin from where he stood in front of the throne, Lightsbane pressed to the top tier of the dais and his hands settled on the skull-head pommel. “That’s as close to genuine reverence for anyone you’ll get from Kate. She meant every word.”

  The specter looked dubious, and Romulus understood why, but it didn’t seem enough to motivate Mortarius to recommend they choose another course of action. Instead, the dead King turned back toward Kate and spoke levelly.

  “Remember, Katherine: how you word your appeal is up to you, but know that the Divinarch hates deception above all else. Given her Dominions, I know it sounds strange, but Death is a direct and ordered force. She will appreciate disagreeable honesty above even the mildest selfish deception.”

  Kate simply nodded at Mortarius’ words and breathed out in preparation.

  Romulus smiled at her wryly, and then raised his right eyebrow.

  “Ready, Kay?”

  “Ready, Revenant-King,” she replied slyly.

  Romulus tried not to acknowledge his blush of embarrassment, and instead spoke to the air.

  “System, activate the Actualize Benediction function for the Mana Nexus. Target designation is the Traveler Katherine Dragomirov. I confirm my choice. You may proceed without delay.”

  Mortarius had given him that ‘tip’ to skip even faster through the prompts, though he had warned that doing it during more formal occasions would be regarded as a social faux pas. Romulus had agreed that ceremony had its place, but even Mortarius had conceded that time was of the essence.

  Instead of the usual blue screen pop-up, energy instead built within the chamber, and Romulus observed as a circle of black fire surrounded Kate—immolating to life with her at its exact center, and building until it was almost above her kneeling head. His best friend showed no fear, though a hint of wariness entered her features, and she locked her jaw in the way he recognized as pure determination.

  A moment later, the flames surged inward and consumed Kate in the time between eyeblinks, and then they roared upward before solidifying into a large coffin of pure obsidian. Romulus blinked twice in surprise and then turned to Mortarius, who gave him a reassuring nod.

  The two didn’t exchange words, but the former Autarch clearly knew what he needed, and Romulus accepted the reassurance silently.

  Seconds passed without event, and Romulus wondered once again if he’d done something wrong. Had he offended Lilith by using the System the way he had? Had he committed a ceremonial blunder? Had Mortarius misjudged the Dark Lady’s lack of concern for pageantry? Lilith was hedonistic. It was very plausible that she actually enjoyed pomp and ceremony.

  His concerns were ameliorated just before he could do more than frown when a soft sigh of pleasure echoed through the throne room from everywhere at once, and an all-too-familiar voice filled the chamber with a single word.

  “AWAKEN.”

  Lightsbane pulsed in excitement while Romulus looked on.

  The coffin split down the middle seamlessly and melted into black flames that surged inward and collected around Kate’s silhouette, burning fiercely before being absorbed into her body. In their place, his best friend stood tall and opened her jade eyes to look at him.

  Kate’s armor had been modified by Lilith with clear intention, undergoing a makeover that preserved her femininity while offering far greater protection.

  She wore something closer to half-plate armor instead, with a ‘boob window’ of all things, likely by Lilith’s own hand given the debaucherous Divinarch’s predilections. Her leather, chainmail, and the new half-plate had been seamlessly blended with primary black coloration and crimson highlights.

  Skull motifs completed the look, and a large black cloak that she could presumably use to cover her head and armor entirely complemented the outside.

  “Woah, Kate,” Romulus said simply.

  Lightsbane pulsed its approval.

  “I know, right?”

  “Impressive,” Mortarius said approvingly, “she made you a Nightstalker.”

  “A what?” Romulus asked.

  “An enforcer, Lulu,” Kate answered in place of Mortarius. “I had a long discourse with the Dark Lady, actually. She’s awesome. She knew so much about me, too, and about you, our friendship, and my desires for—” she abruptly coughed. “Sorry, I had to clear my throat. Um. She knew a lot, a lot. She basically promised me that I’d be able to get everything I wanted if I agreed to dedicate myself to her service. I totally agreed, of course.”

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  “Okay, but what the hell is a Nightstalker?” Romulus pressed.

  “It’s a role,” Mortarius explained when Kate turned to him. “Katherine has been charged to enforce the Dark Lady’s Law. She enforces the cycle, hunting down and assassinating renegade Necromancers, Fiends, and those that violate the Dark Lady’s sacrosanct edicts. Nightstalkers were most often wielded as the personal assassins and intelligence operatives of the Dark Autarch.”

  Romulus let loose an ‘Ooh’ of understanding and stepped down from the dais toward Kate while sheathing his runeblade. Now at his side, Lightsbane faintly vibrated in approval and curiosity both.

  “She of the End has given you your own personal assassin, Romulus. This is a truly rare gift. It appears she put a great deal of stock in Katherine’s loyalty to you, and her trustworthiness.”

  “Why’s that? Because it’s a rare job?” Romulus asked of the ghost.

  Lightsbane pulsed its exasperation, and he sighed at being ganged up on.

  “No,” Kate answered instead. “It’s because a Nightstalker’s most sacred duty is to ensure the Dark Autarch's fidelity to the Dark Lady's core precepts, Dee. My sworn duty is to kill you if you betray the Divinarch,” the redhead said with a glint of dark amusement in her gaze. “Nightsalkers excel at killing people with Dark Mana abilities. She needed to be sure I wouldn’t betray you.”

  “Precisely,” Mortarius said while joining the pair with a considering look at Katherine. “Katherine is both your precision weapon and the blade at your throat, Romulus. That is the way of the Dark. She is the check to your total autonomy. If you ever betray She of the End, truly betray her, it is the duty of the Nightstalker Enclave to kill you.”

  “Lilith promised me Agency,” Romulus said with a frown at their words.

  Lightsbane pulsed soothingly, and with reassurance.

  “You still have it, Dee,” Kate said to him with a grin. “She only asked three things of you, right? Well, one really, but with a few key points.”

  “Remain loyal to her before any other Power, restore her Faith, and restore the Worship of her Dominions,” Romulus said with a nod.

  “Then that’s it, really,” she chirruped slyly. “Don’t give your fealty to any other Powers, don’t tolerate apostasy or heresy, and you’re totally free of threat from my badass self.”

  Kate grinned up at him and reached out to pat his armor reassuringly.

  “Besides, I made it pretty clear that you were the most important person in my life, Dee. I think she’s counting on me not wanting to kill you. Deathmommy kinda seems to be doing this to, like, fulfil some sort of expectations and keep you safe at the same time.”

  “That sounds like the Dark Lady,” Mortarius said with a nod of consideration, and a tacit look of disapproval for ‘Deathmommy’. “Nightsalkers lend you a legitimacy which your title alone may not, and are a core part of the Divinarch’s legends and scripture. They even have their own entry in the [Liber Nox].”

  “Really?” Romulus asked in surprise, though Mortarius only gave him a dreary look.

  “You would know this if you read it,” the ghost pointed out before continuing. “The risk with Nightstalker is that they are still agents of the Dark as we all are, and as such, they are more susceptible to Avarice, Envy, and the other Sins like we are in kind. A Dark Autarch’s longest-serving Nightsalker traditionally leads the others, and using Katherine to refound the Enclave will mitigate the chance of you being betrayed and having your position stolen at a critical juncture.”

  “Also, she totally digs my vibe,” Kate chirped.

  “You’re enjoying this,” Romulus accused the redhead before turning back to Mortarius. “Lilith did warn me to be wary of betrayal and people vying for my place. She also seemed adamant that she didn’t want to lose me any time soon.”

  “With the Dark Lady’s Faith in its current eroded state, stability in leadership is paramount,” Mortarius concurred. “Yes, based on what you’ve said, it further convinces me that this was done to lay the foundations for you to have a very secure grip on your position—so long as you maintain the strength to keep ahold of it.”

  “She just had to pick the gremlin,” Romulus said with a glance at Kate.

  “Um, duh? I’m absolutely awesome!”

  Mortarius nodded in sage agreement, and Romulus sighed in annoyance.

  “Lilith did this to mess with me. I know she did.”

  Kate just grinned at him.

  “We should see to our final preparations before the Hunt,” Mortarius cut in simply. “Night will be upon us in a few scant hours, and there are still a few things to do—namely, Romulus, Katherine, you two must come to better understand one another’s strengths and weaknesses. The best way to achieve that is to fight.”

  “Like a spar?” Romulus asked with interest, while Katherine bounced on the balls of her feet and let out an ‘Ooh’ of excitement.

  “No, not a spar, a battle,” Mortarius said while looking between them. “You two must fight properly, as if your lives are on the line. Here in the heart of the Necropolis, you need not fear the consequences of mortal wounds, so long as your bout is done by the Dark Lady’s sanction. Tests of mettle are commonplace within the Dark Faith, and in a place of such potent Dark Mana and religious significance, She can intercede even against the most egregious wounds.”

  “I thought she couldn’t do that,” Romulus said while recalling his discourse with her. “She told me she was constrained due to her imprisonment.”

  “Normally, that would be correct—but we have the Nexus. I would not advise making a habit of it, but we can afford a single full-mending from its coffers.”

  Romulus hummed at that and then turned to Kate again.

  “What do you th—?”

  “I’m going to absolutely fucking murder you,” she answered with savage excitement.

  Romulus peered at her for a long moment, and then sighed. Why had he expected anything else? This was Kate he was talking to, the most notorious PK-Hunter in Avalon Online and RunEscape. Her not wanting to leap at the chance for brutal player versus player violence was like a shark not surging for blood in the water.

  “Okay,” Romulus said without further preamble. “What do we do?”

  “Simply offer your fight to the glory of the Dark Lady, and your blood for Her pleasure, and She shall do the rest,” Mortarius said while calmly stepping away from them. “I shall be the Dark Lady’s proxy adjudicator, since She cannot Manifest for this particular match.”

  “We just dedicate it to her?” Romulus asked. “That’s it?”

  “Indeed,” the specter answered. “You are the Revenant-King now, Romulus. You have a direct link to Her. That is why Hyperion and the Pantheon want you dead so very badly.”

  Romulus eyed the ghost and then looked up at the ceiling.

  “Dark Lady Lilith, She of the End, Divinarch of Darkness and Death. I, Romulus, Autarch of the Dark and Revenant-King, do hereby offer this coming battle in your glory, for your pleasure and entertainment. All I ask is your blessing and observance, that Death not claim myself, nor my opponent, no matter who takes victory.”

  Romulus looked back toward the redhead and ghost after he was done.

  Kate let out a low whistle, and Mortarius nodded in approval.

  “Despite your questionable diction at times, Romulus, that was quite the orator’s inducement. Were you trained in speechcraft where you came from?”

  “I was n—”

  “Nah,” Kate cut in with an evil smile before Romulus could finish. “He’s just a Romeaboo NERD!”

  Romulus stared at the grinning redhead and wordlessly drew Lightsbane.

  “Oho?” Kate taunted with gleaming jade eyes while quickly darting backward and pulling an arrow from her quiver. “Did I strike a nerve, Lulu?”

  Around them, a subtle mist filled the throne room, and an echo of ethereal laughter filled the chamber.

  “The Dark Lady has accepted your offering, Autarch Romulus,” Mortarius said formally. “Are you both prepared?”

  “Ready,” Romulus said while glaring at his best friend. He had fought Kate more than anyone else during his not-so-professional gaming career. While she held an almost 2:1 win record against him, he was determined to make Eternus a very different story.

  “Ready!” Kate called with a voice that sounded coldly focused, in complete opposition to her playfulness from earlier. He recognized the tone of voice. She was locked in.

  Mortarius raised his arm.

  “On my order,” he said gravely.

  Lightsbane vibrated with savage glee in his grip, and Kate nocked an arrow.

  “Combatants…!”

  Dark Mana flooded out from Romulus’ Core, and he bared his fangs at Kate.

  “...Begin!”