Reaper (Cradle, #10)

by Will Wight

“One more thing, if you don’t mind. You say you’re not part of our team. I say you’re the only one who thinks that.”

“Anyone who fights a Dreadgod by my side is on my team,” Lindon said quietly. Ziel didn’t have much to say to that. “You can call us what you want,” Lindon went on. “But whether or not you consider yourself my ally, I am yours. You have only to call on me.”

“Let him kick you,” Yerin suggested. Everyone looked to her—Naru Huan’s face had grown substantially brighter—but she didn’t back down. “You want to show you’re sorry? Let him kick you.”

need to record this memory while it’s fresh. I can never forget this.”

“I told the Golds everything was fine. We’re going into the labyrinth, aren’t we? Well, now I can fit anywhere. You’re the one who might get stuck.” He lifted his chin proudly, as though being less than a foot long was his life’s greatest accomplishment.

“Stop,” Reigan Shen commanded. But Lindon had felt his authority gathering and met it with his own. Their words overlapped. “No.”

“You are not my goal. You’re just in my way.” “Very well.” The Monarch lightly twirled the sword in his hand and another golden portal appeared behind him. “Die, then.”

“It’s not him,” Lindon whispered. “And even if I were twice the Soulsmith, I don’t know if I could do anything about it.”

I’d take any number of Icons, just not anything Ozmanthus manifested. I don’t want to end up as he did.” “Famous?” Yerin asked. “Powerful?” “Alone.”

“If we can’t use our power for this, why have it?” He looked from Eithan to Yerin, and he could feel a fire in his eyes even with no Blackflame. “I don’t want to win by giving something up. I want it all. I want all of it.”

Now, she was whispering. “I don’t want that. I’ve never wanted that. I want the opposite. I want to be…” She stopped. Then, she corrected herself. “She’s Malice. I am Mercy.”

he was pulling something into existence, and out of nothingness. That resonated with the Void Icon, but he wasn’t sure exactly how yet.

Finally, a Monarch had come to him. Finally. Finally, one of those who had cursed the world had come to end what they had created.

Orthos ignored them, and Lindon felt his fondness in his spirit. “There’s no need. I’m content just being along for the adventure.”

“Good-bye, Orthos. I’ll punch the Monarch an extra time in your name.” “And someone bite Dross,” Orthos added.

“It is a corruption of the natural order of Cradle,” he went on. “A manifestation of ambition, of selfish desire. Created by the presence of the Monarchs.” Subject One met Lindon’s eyes and spoke clearly. “The Dreadgods will die only when there are no more Monarchs.”

But when your body and your spirit have both grown too great for this world to contain, you must escape to a place that can contain you.”

“Slay the Monarchs,” Subject One whispered. Lindon froze. “No one but the Monarchs can do battle with Dreadgods.” “It is the Monarchs who sustain the great beasts,” the Wraith continued. “If they are gone from our world, hunger aura will fade away. And we can finally…rest.”

When one of the beasts dies, the others inherit its power until it is reborn. They become smarter. Stronger. And the hunger takes hold.

“You’re not hungry enough.” Lindon forced his way to his feet, and though both of his arms were now crippled, he stared into the Monarch’s eyes. “You want the Dreadgods? You want to be the only Monarch? You’re satisfied with ruling this world? “Well, I’m not.”

“This world doesn’t have enough for me. I’m going beyond it.” He reached through the aura, for the natural treasures that the Monarch had so generously scattered all over the room. Reigan Shen’s will clashed against his. “These are mine,” Shen said. “No.”

I practice the sacred arts so that I won’t be worthless anymore. “I am not content with this world,” Lindon said. I advance. “I want more. I want…everything.” And now he felt the third advancement in him. He almost said the words: I will never stop. But the Archlord revelation was all about his future, and this one wasn’t to his liking. So he changed it. “We,” Lindon said, “will never stop.”

“The stars,” he said. When she looked to him for explanation, he pointed up. One by one, the stars were winking out.

Lindon sat down next to Orthos. The turtle was headbutting him over and over, but each one was weaker. “Run,” Orthos mumbled. “We have to…” “There’s nowhere to run,” Lindon said.

“Now?” Ziel demanded. “It had to be now? I pull myself back together, and the world ends!”

You’ve been quiet, he said to Dross. [I am ready to face this despair!] Dross cried. He spun out into reality, smile crazed. [If the darkness is to snuff out the stars, I say, let us see what waits on the other side of oblivion!] Lindon rested his sealed right arm on Dross’ head. “Looks like we’ll find out together.” The spirit’s large eye swiveled to Lindon. [You did not abandon me, so I have nothing left to fear!]

“We don’t have much time left. If this is going to be the end, then remember one thing from me: I loved every second with you all. I really, truly…had so much fun.”

“No,” Eithan said, “just me.” The marble cracked. Eithan looked into the sky as he held out the black marble. “Remove restraints and release authority. Authorization zero-zero-eight…Ozriel.”

A destroyer has come]—now flickered out. It was replaced with a new message, and if the previous one had brought with it the chaos of panic, this one came along with the silence of the grave. White letters on a black surface declared: [The Destroyer has come.]

“He’s here,” the Sage whispered. Reigan wasn’t much interested—he figured they were all dead either way. He sighed. “Who?” “The Reaper.”

The Mad King saw him protecting himself and struck. With his scythe. The Iteration split in half as he cut at the fabric of existence, but Eithan held out a hand. The slice in reality stopped exactly at the edge of his palm. Eithan laughed. “A poor choice of weapon.” Who could have more authority over Ozriel’s Scythe than Ozriel?

“Maybe I have been away too long,” Eithan continued, “if you thought you could destroy my home and walk away.”

“The truth? Here is the truth you deserve. You do not decide who lives and who dies.” Eithan levered the scythe up onto his shoulder. “That’s my job.”

“My full name is Ozmanthus Tiberian Mereithan Arelius. Always hated it. Such a mouthful. My mother called me Eithan.” He looked from one face to another. “My power was restricted, but I was still…me. It was real, I promise! I⁠—” He cut off and looked down as Little Blue stared up at him.

Whisper leaned forward. “Attend me closely, for this is ancient knowledge. There is only one thing that can kill the Dreadgods: points.” Lindon gasped. “I knew it!”