Waybound (Cradle, #12)

by Will Wight

“I’m going to transfer everything I can to you, but it’s not just madra. There’s still willpower and memories left in the spirit, and traces of blood and life essence. I’m going to send it to you and help you separate it all, but you’ll have to endure and control it on your own.” [Not everything, of course,] Dross pointed out. [We’ll start with about forty percent of the mental power, because you don’t have me. Your brain is like…have you ever filled an eggshell with so much egg that it cracks from the inside?] “No,” Orthos said. “No one ever has.” [I find that unlikely.]

“I want you to know who killed you.” He gripped the hammer tightly and thought of his own years of pain. Then he listened to the song of the Shield Icon. “No one else will suffer at your hands.” With that, Ziel lifted his hammer. He brought it down, but he had no Enforcer technique. Empowered by his strengthened body, the hammer still crashed onto him, but the Storm Sage caught it on both lightning-crackling hands. He lifted himself into the air on streams of aura, grinning a manic blood-stained grin. He opened his mouth to speak. Then Yerin cut him in half. “Nope,” she said. “Not waiting for that.”

“There you go! Oh, and I gave some big trees to the Ulethians. Don’t hurt them! If the Bisons or the Trees are gone, I’ll come back. And then I’ll have to kill you. Or whoever’s responsible.” Sulthurus gave a deep chuckle. “You?” “Yeah! Just keep the Bison and the Trees alive, and there’s nothing to worry about! But don’t cross me. But enjoy! But don’t make me come back, okay?” [We’re clear on the Fate end,] Dross reported. [Their legends of you are going to get…weird.] Wait, how weird? Mercy asked. How weird, Dross? Dross wouldn’t answer her.