CHAPTER 16

  A squat man stood in the doorway, no more than four and a half feet tall. He wore heavy red and black robes that hid his frame, and he carried a walking stick worn smooth from use. He had patchy, sandy-blond hair, framing a face that looked well over sixty-five.

  The man walked in and waved his hand; when a masked man leaned in and shut the door.

  I looked over at Jorik and raised an eyebrow. “Didn't you say this room was getting too cramped?"

  The newcomer looked up at me. "Still your nerves, young one. We won't be staying long."

  His laugh came from deep in his belly, as if he had just heard the funniest joke he’s ever heard.

  "Guru Kael." Jorik bowed slightly. "You always arrive at the most opportune times. We were just about to send for you.”

  "I wouldn't deserve my title if I didn't use my gifts, Young Crier Jorik."

  "You know I'm older than you." Jorik said.

  “By only a year, perhaps. In spirit, though? That’s another story.” Kael shrugged. “My Criers are everywhere, always watching. They told me about the commotion at the spire."

  "Commotion?" I stood up, anger flaring. "You mean massacre?"

  Kael turned to me. "Ah, young one, our green-haired savior. Calm your anger; it’s wild and uncontrolled. If you were to harness it properly, you would hold it like an egg and crack it at the enemy, not friends." He studied me for a moment longer. “But don’t let that go completely. You'll need it.”

  "What are you talking about?"

  His face grew serious. All humor vanished. “When your friends were killed, the clock started. Jorik explain this to you yes? The Siblings, Igi-igi and the others, they will all become truly unstoppable if they consume those souls.”

  I gulped. “Yes, he said we had fifty days.”

  “He did now? Well that’s good! Saved me some time old boy!” Kael smiled at Jorik, and his jovial self returned.

  "In Paradize, souls take fifty days to reach the Nexus from the First Tier. Fifty days to be travel through the tiers, and become refined within the black pyramid of the Necus, until they are ready for consumption." Kael's voice grew urgent. The First Son personally delivered them. Three hundred of the most powerful souls this city has ever seen. Butchered at the same time.”

  “What will they do? What is their goal?”

  Kael shook his head. “They are trapped in Paradize as much as we are. Trapped by their father, their creator. If they gain enough strength to challenge him, they will do so immediately. They wish to break free from Paradize and descend on your world below."

  “Shit. Are you kidding me?” The words ripped from Hakashi’s throat. “So, we are sitting ducks from the magebloods who want revenge for us taking their magelord, AND now you’re saying, the same magelord was actually a demigod, and plans to get stronger with his demigod Sibling and attack us from above?”

  I shook my head. “We are caught in the middle.”

  "Which is why you need to learn Breath. Now." Kael pointed his stick at me, then at the others. "I can teach you to channel your Breath into energy and into recovery. You can learn to use it for utility and power to gain the upper hands on the Siblings. With your transformations and Breath, you may be able to stand up to these demigods yourself.”

  "You want us to kill five immortals in fifty days?" Raine's voice cracked. "That's impossible."

  “Who said anything about killing them? We need to destroy their Nexus. If we do that, they have no more access to souls, meaning they can never get strong and recover again. We cut off their tap to immortality.”

  Hakashi stepped up. “How can we trust you?”

  Jorik spoke up. “Do you really have a choice? If you leave us, you just play a waiting game until the Siblings come down from Paradize. This is the only option.”

  Kael moved to the door. “We move fast though. We can recover on the Second Tier. You two." He pointed at Hakashi and Hyper. "Find your other groups. Tell them to meet us at the red tree on the north side of the spire, in a broken-down home. Go!"

  "What about—" Hakashi started.

  "NOW!" Kael's stick cracked against the floor.

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  Hyper grabbed Hakashi's arm. "Come on, buddy. We'll be fast. Stay safe Forgemen.” They vanished through the door.

  "The rest of you, we leave now.”

  Everything happened so suddenly that no one had time to protest. I believed we all felt the pressure from the hunting Igi-igi, and the reminder of the magebloods reminded us how little choice we had.

  I grabbed the black sword and wrapped it carefully. Raine stuffed her papers and Jorik gave her the prophecy scrolls to put into her pack. Mel helped Jessa to her feet, the quiet healer still clutching the stuffed animal.

  "My children," Jorik said to Kael.

  "Bring them." Kael's voice softened slightly. "The safest place for them now is with us. Specifically on the Second Tier.”

  Jorik looked at his children, then at us. Some internal war played across his face until finally, he nodded. "Ana would want them to see this through." He called up the stairs. "Pack light. We're leaving."

  Silas secured his mechanical arm, checking whatever crystals powered it. Jorik eyed him and smiled then looked at me. “Metal replacing flesh.”

  I hated how so much of that prophecy seemed true.

  Kael moved to the door and we all lined up behind him. "Stay close. Don't get left behind.”

  We filed out into the alley, and Kael led us through the streets, underneath shadows and over hangs. His short legs moved fast. Behind us, in the distance, I heard Igi-igi roar.

  He must have woken up, Fern said.

  We ran through twisting passages, over walls, and through gaps barely wide enough for Jorik's children. The city was a maze with no street signs or landmarks, but Kael never hesitated. He knew every turn, and every hidden path.

  Finally, we emerged near the spire's base. A massive tree grew against its north wall, with bark deep red like dried blood.

  The other scout teams were already gathered. Sora stood with her sister and Lucius, one eye still red from crying. Tevin stayed protective of Zenobia, who leaned against Ruriel behind the big guys back. Waelid tried to look unconcerned and tough. He and the rest of Bartholomew's team were covered in dust and mud, Galina's glass skin was cracked and patched with white paste from a tin she kept. They must have run into trouble.

  But, they were all alive, thankfully.

  "Good." Kael surveyed our ragged group. Fifteen teenagers, barely full-fledged warriors. He had just finished giving us all a debrief of the current object, which was to get stronger and learn this thing called… Breath.

  "So let me get this straight," Raine said, pen poised over her notebook. “You and some other gurus will teach us several ‘Breath’ techniques that, when combined with our infusions, will level the playing field against the Siblings?"

  “IF you have an infused Ashsteel weapon Precisely! So, two things actually! One, we need to get a Soul Glass, and two, you need to master Breath as soon as possible. The faster you can defend yourselves the sooner we can liberate Paradize."

  "Wait." Waelid stood. "Who said we agreed to this?"

  “Not much of a choice Waelid,” I said. “We are biding our time until the mages come for us, and if we don’t do try to stop these Siblings, they will come for us eventually too.”

  "This isn't our battle. No one knew Paradize existed until now." He said annoyed.

  "The Guardians are dead, and the First Son has returned to Paradize,” Kael said. “He will have told them everything. They know about your Academy, and they know you all are still alive having witnessed what they did. That’s not to discount the prophecy too, it speaks of all of this. This is your destiny. Our Destiny! We must rally under Green Hair's leadership."

  "Under Erik?" Waelid scoffed. "He's not even stronger than the Firebrands here. You're telling me these techniques will make us THAT much stronger?"

  "Our entire expedition was stronger than us by years of experience," Zenobia added. "The Second Floor has several other Infernal ranked Cinders, as well as Pyrach Thorn. They should learn this, they could help us."

  "The prophecy speaks of many beast souls fighting the Siblings and their armies. Your leaders and allies below must join us too."

  Lucius exploded. "Does anyone believe this crackpot? We're not prepared for this! We're barely graduated and are no match for whatever the hell those demigods are!”

  Arguments broke out among themselves while Kael stood smiling. After several minutes, he tapped his staff hard against the ground.

  "Decide now. Join us, or rush home and flee. But if Astrifer tells them about your Academy below, they'll descend to harvest more. They will kill every one of your beast-transforming soliders and grow beyond strength. Their goal has always been to slowly gain power to throw their father over and descend upon the surface world. Your expedition's death simply fast-tracked it."

  "Then what's the point?" Lucius shouted. "What chance do we have?"

  "We have fifty days before those souls reach the Nexus. Fifty days to train you to destroy it."

  "We can't abandon the others below," Galina said.

  "The Mages could attack the Academy any day,” Quill added.

  Bartholomew stepped forward, chest puffed out. "I'll take my team down to warn the Academy. It will take several days to reach them, and if we can get a rescue unit created, we will return. The rest of you should go. Learn these techniques, and become stronger.”

  “H-hey Bartholomew why not let me go instead?" Hakashi asked, pushing past us.

  “I’d never allow someone of higher rank to do the least important job, Firebrand.” Bartholomew saluted Hakashi who let out a disappointed sigh.

  "Cheer up!" Hyper said, clapping his back. “We are about to witness a power boost like no Cinder's ever seen!"

  "Supposedly." Hakashi said, rolling his eyes.

  Waelid looked at Bartholomew. "So we miss out on the power?"

  "Weren't you just complaining?" Sora snapped. "I'm tired of waiting. More power means victory. I want to show those bastards who they messed with."

  "Sora..." Rinka reached for her sister.

  "Settled then!" Kael tapped his staff against the red tree's trunk. A door materialized in the bark, revealing darkness within. A masked Crier woman emerged, beckoning us forward.

  Waelid grabbed my arm. "Erik. Just remember, even with this power, I'll prove I'm stronger. Let’s duel when this ends."

  I grinned. "You're on."

  Bartholomew gathered his team. "We leave immediately. Stay alive, all of you."

  "You too," I said. "Tell them everything. The Siblings, the souls, the fifty days. Everything."

  He nodded and vanished into the streets with Galina, Quill, and Waelid.

  Kael turned to the rest of us. "Time for the Second Tier. Nerida's Wake." He stepped through the tree door into darkness.

  I looked at my remaining friends. Twelve of us now. Fifty days to become demigod-killers, and fifty days to destroy the Soul Nexus before the Siblings can rampage on the world below.

  I touched the cursed sword on my back and followed Kael into the dark.

  We had no choice but to keep moving forward.