Unbound

Chapter Seven Hundred And Seventy Two – 772

As he walked the path back through his Void Sanctuary to Elderthrone, Felix couldn't help but feel a melancholy longing. Leaving Pit and Vess was hard. It wasn’t loneliness, exactly—he could get back to them soon enough.

Lost.

Felix stopped. "Hunger. What was that?”

Yet no matter how he poked, she didn't speak again.

Dammit, Hunger. You can’t drop shit like that and go silent. His Mind whirled through the implications of what his dark passenger might have meant…but most of them were dumb. My friends aren’t Lost to Ruin, and Hunger can’t tell the future. Unless she can…No that’s stupid. The Maw wasn’t an oracle, she was just a hungry jerk, and all I inherited was her appetite.

Best he could figure, Hunger was just commenting on his friends’ absence, and Felix would leave it at that.

He had other worries.

He slipped through the Shadowgate and back into Nagast only a few minutes later, exiting the darkness into the hub to find the last group mingling in knots of diverse people. Giants, Henaari, and Legionnaires of all Races chatted casually among themselves, many laughing as they waited to deploy.

Karys stood beyond them, close to their exit gate, and flanked by the four Eidolon Exults. Rafny and Elle Coldfire stood nearby, watching them all proudly, alongside the Farwalker, his Synod, and a smattering of leaders from the Legion and Frost Giants. Felix walked to them, giving his Chancellor a nod.

"It will be defended, my Lord. The arrays are engaged, the Seal is protected, and you've eliminated all of our internal threats."

That we know of, Felix thought, though he didn't dare say it aloud. Karys knew his thoughts on the subject, knew how worried he was over leaving Elderthrone almost abandoned.

“We shall keep your home safe, Lord Colossus,” Eagin said, bowing at the waist.

Iiana bowed as well. “None shall threaten Elderthrone while we live.”

“And none shall live that make the attempt,” Telys added.

Orun punched his fists together, and his voice was stone against stone. “We’ll make sure of it.”

"We also have a plethora of Legionnaires who were not fit for this mission, and the Farwalker and Battlelord have volunteered their people to man the city walls." Karys’ Spirit smoothed into something calm and warm. "We shall be fine."

"I worry more for my Companion," the Farwalker said with a laugh. "It has been a long time since A’zek has left my side. I fear he'll be inconsolable come tomorrow."

"Battle will keep them occupied, I'm sure," rumbled Battlelord Vidar. His second, Trond, grunted in agreement.

"Perhaps," the Farwalker said lightly. "Still, the company of your Companion is soothing to me. Together, I don't doubt they'll return hale and whole, just as you will, Autarch."

"That's the plan," Felix agreed. "Thank you all for stepping into the gap. We will return as soon as possible."

"And then we fight the Hierophant?" Vidar asked eagerly.

"Then we will take the next step," Felix said, careful not to agree with the giant. He raised his voice and pitched it toward the last of the soldiers around them. "Team Magic, to me!"

Atar, Alister, Zara, and a slew of Chanters, Legion, Claw, and Dawnguard joined him. There were a few Risi outside those that had joined the Legion, including a handful of Witches—but the numbers for his team were few when compared to the others. That was very much on purpose.

"Listen close," he said. "We don't know what we're heading into in Levantier, but I can almost guarantee it won't be simple. Stick close and follow orders, and we'll all make it back."

The team gave a wordless cheer of affirmation, and Felix dearly hoped he wasn't lying. He'd chosen to go to Levantier for a reason. The other locations were relatively remote, with few settlements compared to the size of their Territories. Levantier, however, was a densely populated city full of powerful mages. It was by far the most dangerous assignment. If he'd had his way, Felix would have gone alone. It was only Zara, Alister, and Atar that had convinced him otherwise.

He stepped away toward the final Shadowgate. It was sculpted with a mountain that had been crushed by some sort of meteor at one point. A massive crater was taken out of it, and in the hole were a series of towers that rose to great heights. The mountain was carved of deep granite flecked with something silver, while the towers were made with gemstones and ranged through all the colors of the spectrum.

Huh. It must have updated its look when it was connected to Levantier properly. He found that fascinating, same as how the gate back from Sunara had now shown Elderthrone sculpted into its circular frame. It must be pulling that information through the network. How, though? Felix recalled that Knowledge functioned in a similar way, able to access the other Territories and slowly absorb information through the Shadowgates. The how on that still wasn't clear, either, but at least it was consistent.

"Something wrong?" Atar asked.

Felix blinked and realized he'd just been staring at the gate without acting. "No, nothing.”

the man hesitates.

“The man thinks," Felix corrected the Urge. "Step back."

He engaged the Shadowgate, and the darkness within deepened. It was a subtle change, but profound. A faint rush flowed through him as Felix felt it connect to something deeper than where he stood, and a soft thrum rippled across his Aspects.

“Follow close.”

"You've probably heard this a dozen times now, but blind gods, this city is incredible," Alister said, staring around them as they walked.

Atar simply looked grumpy. "You have an entire walled city inside your core space. This is ridiculous.”

“I do believe it's a small world of sorts, is it not, Felix?" Zara corrected.

"A patch of one. Some plains, forests, mountains, and a stretch of coastline. I'm not really sure how far out the thing extends.”

Alister’s jaw dropped. “Your core space is a realm in and of itself?”

"No, this is simply a Skill," Zara corrected. "The Shadowgates pair to a Mind Skill in order to facilitate the transfer between points."

Atar closed his eyes, and for a moment, Felix was certain the man was praying. When he opened them, he looked calmer.

"What does your core space look like, then?"

Felix tilted his head back, trying to summon the right words. "Uh, it's like space—you know, the black void between the stars in the sky? Like that, but there's a giant tree there, and a net woven of roots that contains my Skills, which float like giant planets. Or moons. You'd be more familiar with those. And all of that is around and on top of my spinning cores, and a deep darkness where a Primordial Hunger hangs out."

"Oh, is that all?" Atar said lightly.

"Plus my ten Pillars."

monster, Flame said. Quietly.

"Pillars. Ten of them." Atar frowned. "How?"

"Special Title. If I can figure out a way to have you folks earn it, too, I will, but I haven’t gotten there yet," Felix admitted. "Now that you're all pushing toward Master Tier, though, it's time to start weaving your Pillars. Zara?"

The Chanter pulled several hand-bound tomes from her pack. They were thin and clearly handwritten, but each had a name inscribed in bright aquamarine ink on the pale covers.

"Felix and I have collaborated, putting together what we know of the process in these books. I've already given similar copies to the others."

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

She handed them out to Atar and Alister. The mages opened them immediately, their gazes hungry, and they started reading as they walked.

"This is quite bare bones," Atar noted. "It speaks of these pillars in such vague terms.”

Zara pursed her lips. “It is circumspect, but that is the nature of our abilities. Detail too much and we risk ruining your advancement entirely, especially at higher Tiers.”

“That's what the Elders used to tell us all. I figured it was just gatekeeping drivel," Alister admitted. “After all, reaching Adept Tier is merely gathering greater and greater power to yourself. The right Titles and Skills make all the difference, and it's clear the Guild never wanted to share that information."

"You're right. It's all about gatekeeping power and always has been." Felix shook his head. "I don't like that. I've had Karys and Knowledge compiling a list of Titles and Skills for a while now and made it all freely available to our people in the Librarium. It's designed to combat that issue, and it's helped raise many of the Legionnaires into capable fighters.

"Beyond Adept Tier, things change, however," Felix said. "Forming your Pillars, reaching Master Tier, and the steps past that are…complicated. If I had followed an established path, I don't think I would be half as strong as I am now. Still, those guides will give you everything we can figure to press yourself forward.”

Zara tapped Atar’s book. “My experience, and Felix's ability to delve into your core spaces, has helped us truly hone them to your specific circumstances."

"I almost can't believe it." Alister closed the book and bowed his head, his Spirit singing with an awed gratitude. "Thank you both for this.”

“I've been meaning to do it for ages. It took a while to figure out what I needed to convey, though, and it wasn't until I hit Master Tier myself that things started to click." Felix pointed at Atar's book. "I accounted for Flame, but it's speculative at best. I don't know how he'll affect your growth."

I am a boon of domination, autarch. together, atar and I will ascend the vault of heaven and—

"Good," Felix said, interrupting the Urge's tiresome rant. "See that you do."

It was quieter as they passed through the city. The mages engrossed in their notebooks enough that they barely glanced at the Fiendstone buildings, Spirit saplings, and towers. It was a nice walk, at least until the sky shivered. Felix immediately pinpointed the direction: to the north, out beyond the walls. He could feel the drain on his significance as Void Nexus flared, keeping them away. They soon vanished entirely.

"Voidbeasts?" Zara asked.

"Minor ones. No sign of the Whalemaw."

She shivered. "I'm glad to hear it. I've lived for many centuries, Felix, and not much frightens me. But that creature? It should not be."

"I'd kill it if I could," Felix admitted. "Hunger wants to eat it more than anything else. If I was confident I could take it down and survive, I'd go after the thing. But it's strong—and too much like me, I think. Just a piece of it tried to devour me from the inside out." Felix shook his head. "It's dangerous, and I'm not strong enough."

"It is a piece of you," Zara said. "A piece of what once was the Maw. As much as it terrifies me, you cannot avoid it forever, Felix."

"Yeah." He knew that, deep down. He had felt it like a burning in his bones when he saw the thing last. One day, they would have to face each other—and only one would survive.

That day wasn’t today.

A short while later, they approached a lone tower in the western portion of his city, rising at least four stories taller than the nearest building, and looking as wizardly as Felix's imagination could conjure. Here, the exit gate split the air with a shadow.

"Ah, we've made it already," Atar said, a bit annoyed. He closed his notebook reluctantly. "I suppose we haven't the time for extended study."

Alister tucked his own book into his outer robes. "We'll make the time."

strange.

Atar frowned. "What is?"

this place feels familiar.

"You've never been through here," Atar said. "Not through Felix's Skill, anyway."

i couldn't place it at first. it's in the air. A smell of smoke.

Felix frowned. There was no smoke in his city. It was entirely uninhabited.

where smoke rises, fire abides. it feels like family. The Undying Flame rippled within Atar's Spirit. Felix sniffed cautiously, but there was nothing to smell.

"How can a city feel like family?" Atar asked, clearly exasperated. "Why don't you say anything normal?"

i speak what i feel. value is something mortals ascribe to.

Felix swallowed. "You smell like an Urge." The words rolled through his memory unbidden of a bloated monstrosity beneath the waters of Garion. It had said something similar before it died. Felix had brushed it off at the time. He'd had more than a few interactions with captured Urges, and they weren't the most stable of beings.

The Skill is me, and it feels like family to Flame. Felix stepped up to the exit portal. What the hell does that mean? Am I changing again?

He looked at his scaled hands before clenching them tight. In the end, it didn't matter.

There was work to be done.

Felix was the first to exit, and he swiftly realized this gate was different than most. Around him stretched row upon row of shelving, each section filled with crates and boxes. The air was stale, and the light was almost non-existent as the rest of his people poured through the gate.

"Check the room," he said, directing the Legionnaires. They spread out carefully, their Perception and Affinities bared to any possible dangers. He didn’t wait long.

“My Lord, we’ve found numerous wards woven through the space, but most are tied to the objects on these shelves.”

“What about the aisles?” Felix asked.

“They are clear. Here and here, beneath the dust, there are triple lines etched into the stone.” The Fist knelt down, clearing a space with her hand. A trio of lines were there, like the tip of a triangular tool had been dragged half an inch into the floor. It was made extremely straight and led down a nearby path. “We cannot sense any active magic from them. We believe they are safe places to traverse this chamber.”

"It's a storage room," Alister said. "My father had a similar place for sorting and storing the ore he mined from the mountains. She’s right. It's meant to be walked through."

"Not often," Atar said, using a foot to wipe away more dust. "I'd guess that it's been years since anyone stepped foot in here. Perhaps longer."

it does not stink of mortals enough.

Felix agreed. The place looked long abandoned, which was great for them. Far less chance anyone would come and check in on this place and their only way home.

The storage room was large, but only a few thousand square feet, no bigger than a moderately sized warehouse back on Earth. Alister wandered down an aisle, peering closely at several of the larger crates before lifting his wrist up into the air.

"My Mana gauge is pulling a lot of sound, earth, and shadow Mana out of this place," he said, checking the colors that populated across his forearm. "The amounts are shifting as I move. There's a lot more back there."

“Lord Knacht.” A Chanter stepped up to the mage, pointing at a row further back. "These are made of high-Tier wood and metal, and the languages are ones I do not recognize. They are exceedingly ancient, and even the sigaldry feels ponderous."

"Fascinating," Alister said.

Felix smiled as the force mage scurried after the Chanter, eager to check things out. For his part, Felix looked back at the Shadowgate, which had remnants of sigaldry around its base and walls. The actual circular portal, however, was empty of any inscription, save that which was native to the artifact.

The gate was partially restored when Atlantes was bound to the network. That must have wiped away a lot of the sigaldry at its base. And yet, there's still such a strong emanation here.

A scout returned. "There's no evidence of anyone entering this place in a long time, sir. Our tracking Skills cannot pick up even the faintest trace, whether people or even vermin."

"The exit?" Felix asked.

"Located on the far side. It's secure. There's sigaldry all over it."

"Show me."

Felix, trailed by Atar and Zara, was led to the exit. It was a very big door, similar in size and form to the one in Haestus, and stamped with a large Nymean star in its center.

“Four points,“ he said.

"This was once a ruin of some sort," Zara said. "I'd heard there were some around the city."

Felix ran his hands just above the door's surface, not quite touching it. "How close have we traveled, do you think?"

"Considering the amount of Mana I can feel resonating in these crates, this warehouse is operated by one of the Towers. I cannot imagine such a place would be outside the bounds of the city. In fact," she said, running a hand across a series of glyphs filled with a faint sepia Mana. "I'd guess we're at the heart of Levantier."

"These are sealing wards, meant to shut out moisture, sound, and physical passage," Atar said, pointing to various knots of symbols. "It's not horrendously complicated, but it is very well designed."

“Do you think they know what they had?" Felix asked.

"Possibly. More likely that they knew the Shadowgate was important rather than what it did. If they had even suspected, it's likely we would have walked into one of the most guarded chambers on the Continent."

"Right. These things are priceless."

Felix could agree with the sentiment. Shadowgates let him move entire armies thousands of miles and would have amounted to minutes. If the Hierophant had a Heart of Shadows, they wouldn't have stood a chance against the redcloaks.

"Can you break the seal?" he asked Atar.

"I can. If we want stealth, it's going to take a bit, though."

"That's fine." Felix stepped back. "I need to fix the Shadowgate first."

Felix walked back to the gate, his eyes roving across the shelving and their magically contained artifacts. A deep curiosity burned in him with each ceiling array he spied. He spotted Alister leaning over a metal box as tall as his waist, peering down at sigils.

"Alister, get the Chanters and the Legion to catalog this place. Things here could be useful."

The man gave him a distracted salute. "Aye, aye."

Beyond him, the gate rose on the dais it had been set upon. It looked in far better condition than most Shadowgates he'd found, but it was still off. Felix wasn't sure how he could tell, other than experience, perhaps. He'd fixed a lot of them at this point.

"Fix the gate, open the doors, then we're off." He cracked his knuckles. "Let's start this house fire.”

Unite the Lost!