The surroundings were beautiful and seemingly void of danger. The forest’s beasts didn’t appear pressed for water in this region. The waterfall was nowhere to be seen, and even the thunderous cacophony of water crashing into the depths could not be heard.

  Nox and Volix secured the perimeter, with the Elemental Phoenix circling my position from high above at a great distance, while the Ferronox Mantis dashed toward locations Volix couldn’t scout from the sky. Somehow, Nox and Volix coordinated their efforts and confirmed the area was safe as strength gradually returned to my body.

  Checking the weave and my Gates after all that had happened, I felt good – relatively speaking. I was still wounded.

  The weave felt more fortified now that the Earthen Gates had formed, and I was surprised to find no mark like the one left by the Elemental Phoenix. Either Volca’s mark was something special, or a mark of the Earth Spirit would only appear once Aureus grew even stronger.

  Removing my clothes was a challenge that required as much endurance as willpower. I gritted my teeth and cleansed my body, removing the grime and dirt smeared across my wounds. Falling into the depths and taking a swim had removed the worst of it, but being dragged through mud afterward hadn’t helped at all.

  Looking at my reflection in the water, I couldn’t help but sneer. The burn marks from using Volca’s mark and Volix’s fire to amplify my own were no longer visible, but the damage remained. It wasn’t the first time I’d lost my hair in the last year, but I looked especially odd with no eyebrows and a bald head.

  The hair would grow back in a few weeks with a bit of luck, but until then, I looked rough around the edges. Volca’s mark did little to alleviate that, as it only amplified how intimidating I appeared. There wasn’t a speck of fat on my body. A chiseled physique, a glowing tattoo stretching across my chest and reaching up to my sharp jawline. I definitely looked like a thug. Maybe even a little handsome with some hair. At least some eyebrows would be nice. The rest I could deal with.

  Shaking my head, I refocused on my injuries. Cleaning the gaping hole in my abdomen was an ordeal. It no longer looked as bad, which was a relief, but it would still take a week or two to heal. Not even Volix’s phoenix fire could restore lost limbs…yet.

  The Elemental Phoenix had been adamant about consuming more soul energy to unlock his Pyromantic Recovery, allowing me to heal like a phoenix. However, a few pointed questions made it clear that unlocking Pyromantic Recovery anytime soon would be nearly impossible. The gaping wound felt like it was back on fire as I splashed river water over it. After cleansing it with phoenix fire, of course.

  My abdomen was the lesser issue. It had stopped bleeding, unlike the marble-sized wound in my thigh. That injury was far more troublesome, tearing open again when I tried to cleanse it. Circulating ether through the wounded area was efficient enough to stop the bleeding temporarily, but it was not a perfect solution. The real solution was rest and a good number of serums.

  Once cleansed and bandaged, that was exactly what I did. With Nox and Volix scouting and Aureus playing in the sky, there was little for me to do besides rest and think. Naturally, my thoughts drifted back to the weave and the fortifications provided by the Earthen Gates.

  Being able to fortify the weave simply through the Gates’ existence, once filled and connected, was exceptional. Still, it made sense. The Blazing Gates functioned similarly. Their presence accelerated the weave’s recovery through the creation of a self-sufficient circulation system, which also helped manage the ether leaking from the Gates.

  I didn’t necessarily need such a circulation system right now, but it would become essential in the future as the number of Gates feeding into the weave increased. What would otherwise be a cumbersome task – keeping every Gate filled – would turn into a far more manageable process.

  Studying the weave of all the Gates, whether already linked or still empty and awaiting connection, I realized how much I had neglected them. With the new formations, I now had ten combined 1-Star and 2-Star Gates, along with eleven 3-Star Gates to fill. And that didn’t even account for the higher-ranked Blazing Gates.

  That had to change… or maybe not.

  The Ether Gates provided by Resh’s bond weren’t all that important at this point. Given the extreme ether purity and density in this place, filling several 1-Star Gates wouldn’t take more than a few days, a week at most. Besides, I already possessed more than enough ordinary Ether Gates to fight Unblemished beasts, and that without a single Gate of equivalent rank bound to the weave just yet.

  Resh’s Gates could be put aside. I decided as much. The same could not be said for the Earthen and Blazing Gates. They were crucial in more than one way. That much was clear from the modifications to Aureus’s Gates, ten of which were already linked to the weave, each proving immensely useful.

  The two filled 3-Star Earthen Gates were the most powerful, forming layered protection around the weave’s damaged sections. Even the smaller Earthen Gates reinforced the weave significantly, their protective structures resembling ether-conjured stone and soil. At the same time, liquefied ether–residual energy from the Blazing Gates–circulated through those reinforced areas, further strengthening them while providing the phoenix’s ether with a conduit for healing.

  The Gates formed by the sacred beasts were far more complex in nature, but they worked well together and were invaluable. Still, doubts resurfaced.

  Should I really do it?

  There was no doubt the Gates were valuable enough to fill and bind to the weave, but just thinking about returning home with a dozen Blazing Gates, each altering Volca’s mark, scared me.

  You do have a solution for that.

  Aureus commented, our eyes meeting as I looked up to see his majestic shape circling high above.

  I did have a solution. The Mirage Serpent’s natural ability. And I did use it to shift the mark until it merged with the rest of my skin.

  Watching Volca’s mark disappear, determination pumped through my veins. I could do it!

  ***

  Talk.

  Aureus said as the Elemental Phoenix returned. His weight shifted, and he shot into the air to scout the area in Volix’s stead.

  Volix dove to the ground, his wings spread to slow himself near the end. He swung upward, trails of fire following closely behind even as he swooped back into the air. He circled me, a mixture of chaotic emotions trickling through the bond until he finally stopped, hovering before me.

  We located a few beasts in the distance, but they do not seem hostile. Runic enchantments have been placed all across this place, sealing it from the outside world. We shouldn’t have been able to step inside, but it appears we found one of the stability nodes.

  The Elemental Phoenix reported, his voice neutral.

  Essence, no more than traces, permeates this place. It’s everywhere in the nature around us. I know the sequence, but that should not be possible. Although–

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  “Are we in danger?” I intercepted, a mixture of worry and anger occupying my mind.

  Everything is overflowing with ether, creating mutations in both beasts and plant life. These mutations can birth sentience, but they are increasingly difficult to control. What I mean to say is that while it appears safe, we don’t know what awaits us. Everything in this place is old. Centuries old and possibly evolving and mutating for just as long.

  That was not what I wanted to hear. Neither were the images from Aureus’ point of view.

  Trees–no, a single tree–towered on the horizon. It stood tall, piercing the clouds, dozens of kilometers from the center of this place. Rivers snaked inward from all directions, each flowing toward the massive tree.

  More images followed as Aureus flew lower, revealing several beasts I did not recognize. They looked ordinary at first, but the Earthheart detected an immense amount of ether within them. It swelled and revealed liquefied ether inside what appeared to be Wild beasts.

  Wild beasts shouldn’t be able to live for hundreds of years, but if Aureus’ perception wasn’t wrong and Volix was right as well, it appeared that even the Wilds had lived in this place for centuries. I was curious how strong Wild beasts carrying liquefied ether were, but more importantly, they roamed this place freely. If Wild beasts could walk around without a care in the world, then my Soulkins and I should be fine.

  That was good enough for me, especially since we had more pressing issues to deal with.

  “We need to talk.” I eyed Volix, trying to figure out how to breach the topic. “What exactly happened earlier? The Great Spirit of Fire took control of you… That was Volca, wasn’t it?”

  I exhaled deeply, cursing myself for the indecisiveness plaguing me.

  “Look, I really hate this. I just got used to the fact that a reborn Emperor beast bound itself to me–an Elemental Phoenix who’s literally desired by just about every Ruler. Hiding you is already hard enough as it is, but if someone else can control you… that’s a whole different level of fucked up. I don’t know how it usually works for Emperor beasts or Voices or whatever is going on, but you bound yourself to me. That makes you my Soulkin, no matter how you look at it. And I don’t like being pulled into some stupid Challenges when I’m already struggling to survive. I was wounded and had to risk permanently damaging the weave and our bonds just to escape the Chimera, all because someone took control of you.”

  At some point, I realized I was rambling. I knew it, but there was nothing to be done. My mind was a mess, and my emotions needed an outlet.

  Volix listened in silence. He hovered in the exact same spot, not a single thought escaping through the bond even as his form twisted in conflict. Tendrils of fire burst from his wings and abdomen, the crackling of flames echoing in my ears and muffling the sounds around us. Only my heartbeat remained, racing as though I’d just fought a small army of those forsaken Chimeras.

  You are right. This is probably a lot for you, and I am sorry to place such a heavy burden on you.

  Volix sounded genuine, his voice filled with remorse… and hope.

  Surprised to hear him apologize, I continued to listen in stunned silence.

  To be honest with you, it is a lot for me as well. It is the first time I have created a bond. Even that was instinctive and unexpected. Something that never happened before. Something that should not have happened… I think. I sensed your World, felt it reach out to me every time you entered the Pyrosh, but it was not until I released my Essence that it beckoned me to join you, to become part of its greatness. I was certain I would return to Volca, that he would reshape me and give me purpose once more. Instead, I was free.

  Free.

  As the word rang in my ears, a sense of longing and hope bloomed through the phoenix’s soulshare.

  For the first time since I was created, I did not hear Volca. But what was a Voice without an owner to speak for? I felt hollow, yet… I was also free. I could make a decision for myself, for what felt like the first time. It might as well have been. So I decided. To either return to the Fire, or to reach out to the strands of the World that called for me.

  And he did. He reached for the World. My World.

  Volix spoke calmly. He was composed, yet something in his voice put me on edge. Or perhaps it was the way he emphasized certain words.

  “Return to Volca… reshape you… created…” I mumbled to myself, the fragments echoing in my mind as the pieces slowly fell into place.

  Yes. Volca created me. He shaped me from his body. All of us were created like that. The Voices of the Spirits.

  The Elemental Phoenix confirmed it.

  My lips parted, but no sound escaped. Words formed in my mind, sharp and heavy, yet they never reached my mouth.

  Volix was part of Volca. A portion of the Great Spirit’s body had shaped the Elemental Phoenix. But he could no longer hear Volca. What did that mean? Had my bond with the Elemental Phoenix severed Volix’s connection to the Great Fire Spirit?

  “So you are Volca,” I said slowly. “A part of him. And he can control you… or could?” I recalled the Chimera incident as I spoke.

  Volix read my thoughts the instant they formed. He could have lied. He could have reassured me, told me there was nothing to worry about. He didn’t.

  The Elemental Phoenix was still within Volca’s grasp. Volix worshiped Volca and that made far more sense now. The Great Spirit was like a father to him in a way… though their relationship was far more intimate than that. They were parts of each other. Volca had once held complete authority over the creature he had created.

  In a sense, Volca felt like a transcendent being. An existence even beyond the Emperor Rank, forget about Ruler. And the Elemental Phoenix was his right hand. His underling. His voice–quite literally. They were intertwined so deeply that separating them seemed impossible.

  Or was it?

  The Elemental Phoenix couldn’t ease my doubts. He couldn’t convince me that there was nothing to fear, because there was. What if Volca wanted to reclaim what was his? Was that possible? Could he retrieve the Elemental Phoenix… without killing me?

  Volca does not want to kill you.

  Volix chirped, agitation bleeding into his voice.

  It was the first time I’d heard him chirp. It sounded uncharacteristically cute, which would have been amusing under different circumstances. I could tease him about it later.

  “He wanted me to fight,” I said, nodding slowly as I recalled the words spoken through Volix–by Volca, or something acting through him.

  Fight, Child of Earth and Fire. Let loose and fight the Devourer’s Spawn. Show me that you deserve the Primal’s intrigue.

  Child of Earth and Fire made more sense now. Before the Elemental Phoenix entered the picture, Volix had called me the Child of Earth. The Caldera had mentioned Aureus being a sacred beast. Simplified, binding a sacred beast granted me the title Child of…

  To fight the Devourer’s Spawn.

  To take part in the struggle against the Scourge.

  Volix spoke as if it were the most obvious truth in all of Razarn.

  A trace of disappointment seeped into his voice as he continued.

  The remnants of his authority surfaced when the Spawn approached, and he chose to satisfy his thirst for knowledge by issuing a Challenge. What should have been sacred was tarnished by misfortune. You were meant to accept the Challenge. To fight the Spawn. To kill it. You would have earned a favor from the Great Spirit. Instead, you disrespected him. You exiled his authority from the very creature he created. I can only worry about the consequences.

  That didn’t sound good. Not at all.

  And yet, a small smile crept onto my lips as the Elemental Phoenix’s emotions trickled through the soulshare. He was satisfied. Relieved, even–though the feeling was unfamiliar to him.

  There was a hollowness within Volix, a gap yet to be filled, but it didn’t seem to trouble him as much as I expected.

  “So, I’m on his bad list now,” I said. “But you don’t think he wants to kill me. Is this some kind of power play?”

  Volca is likely impressed that you expelled the remnants of his authority. However, he will not be pleased that you failed to kill the Spawn. So yes–by your terms–you are probably on his bad list. I would not worry too much about it. For now. He will not act against you. Kill a few Spawns and offer him their Cores as tribute, and you should be fine. Should be.

  This was a mess. A pretty big one.

  It would take time to digest everything that had been revealed. And I knew there was more, far more, waiting ahead. Countless questions surged through my mind, each heavier than the last. The Scourge. The Devourer. Their Spawn.

  I couldn’t bring myself to ask about them. Not because I lacked curiosity but because I feared the answers.

  Even without asking, I knew one thing.

  If a Spawn was already this dangerous, then the Devourer itself would be something far worse.

  And that was far beyond my current power.