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“Oh no, I missed something!” Eithan cried. “Quickly, repeat your entire conversation before you forget a word!”
He gave up his spear for a broom, but he didn’t mind that. He liked being the only sacred artist in the world to fight with a broom. It had style.
“Lindon! Lindon. Lindon. How dare you say something so hurtful and yet so accurate.”
“I know, Eithan. I do know. You have done more for the Empire than anyone since my mother, but you make it so hard to be grateful. If only you weren’t so…infuriating. All the time.”
Lindon watched as Eithan flew as a rapidly vanishing speck to the west. “I think he might make it all the way to Sacred Valley.” Naru Huan clapped his hands and shouted. “Bring me a blank tablet!” His escort of Golds on the neighboring cloudship scurried to obey. Lowering his voice back to normal, the Emperor spoke to Lindon and Yerin. “I need to record this memory while it’s fresh. I can never forget this.” Indeed, he looked like he’d been injected with a good night’s sleep in an instant. Kicking Eithan. Lindon would have to try that.
Lindon saw Orthos emerge. At about the level of Lindon’s ankle. Orthos snapped up a bee that had crawled along the ground too close to his mouth. “Don’t give me that look. My spirit is as strong as ever.”
If Lindon wasn’t careful, he was going to end up with some sort of reputation as a Sage who kept tiny pets.
“You ever spent time chatting with a sword spirit? No, because they’re always cutting.
He wondered aloud if maybe not everyone could advance as quickly as he did, even given the chance. Yerin had stared at him for five straight minutes when she heard him say that, while Eithan laughed himself sick and then stored the memory in a dream tablet to share with others.
Cassias was happy for him, he really was, but he still kicked Eithan off the tower. It felt just as good as the Emperor had promised.
Orthos had already hopped off of Lindon’s shoulder and started munching at a defunct hammer. “Stop that,” Lindon said. “That could be a thousand years old.” Orthos met Lindon’s eyes and deliberately took another bite.
“This isn’t fair,” he said. “You all know Enforcer techniques are my weakness. That, and fine imported silk.” [These weaknesses have been logged for future reference,] Dross said dutifully. Eithan looked startled.
“Good thing it hasn’t attacked us yet!” Eithan shouted. It immediately attacked.
“You’ll catch up,” Yerin said confidently. “And until you do…what’s so bad about letting me carry you?”
“Say, ‘please, Eithan, solve this problem for me.’” “It’s not a problem, really. I could examine it now, but I think it’s better to wait until later.” “Okay then, say ‘If only I had a place to practice Soulsmithing right here!’” “That would be convenient, but I’m not really looking to make a construct.” “Please say it.” “If only I had a place—” “Worry no more, my student! With my incredible foresight, I have solved your problem long ago!”
“Come here, everybody. Family hug.”
[A noble artifact,] Dross said. [I will accept it as tribute.]
You think Arelius is going to smile him to death?” “I’ve done it before!”
“Next time, we won’t have to leave you behind,” Lindon promised. “We’ll catch you up to us, no matter what we have to do.” “This is nice,” Mercy whispered to Yerin. “Quiet!” Eithan shouted. “They’re having a moment!”
“And then there were three,” Eithan murmured. [Three humans,] Dross agreed. […and one almighty mind-spirit.]
“When you’re strong enough to move forward on your own, the only thing you can’t do is bring others with you.”
“You know, even as a child, all I ever wanted was people to grow with me. Every extraordinary thing I ever accomplished, I left behind another friend. And the world celebrated.
Dross laughed uproariously. [Weep! Despair! No matter what you do, you end up alone!] Lindon turned to face down the hallway. “I’m not alone. I have you.” Dross’ laughter faded.
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.”
“Begone,” Lindon commanded. His authority ran through the labyrinth, but Reigan Shen laughed. His golden portals paused, and he waved a hand casually. “Why don’t you begone.” In the labyrinth, their wills clashed. Reigan Shen had spent almost a year living here. He had absorbed the Soulsmith inheritance of Ozmanthus Arelius. He was a Monarch in his own right, and he held the core binding of Subject One. His authority over the labyrinth was strong. Lindon had grown up here. His Void Icon resonated strongly with the power of hunger in the labyrinth. He was the apprentice of one of Ozmanthus’
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[You did not abandon me, so I have nothing left to fear!]
“Eithan…this is it for us,” Lindon said. “We’re all gone.” Eithan brushed off his hands and wiped his face clean with a cloth. He let the cloth fall, and all trace of his tears was gone. He held out his right hand, and revealed that he had been holding something else. A black marble. “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.”
“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 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.”
[Give me your secrets!] Dross whispered. [Let me taste your power!]
“We have stared into the abyss and lived to tell the tale,” Ziel said. “I’m going to sleep.”
