I’d saved the world from annihilation by dark forces no one else could stand against. The only way to make sure we never came so close to destruction again was to wield my righteous authority with a heavy hand.
“It’s not bad for some of us,” Eric admitted. “Look at me. Clem’s fine, too. Abi went home; I haven’t heard from him in years. But for others...”
The rest of the story flickered past me, one well-intentioned atrocity after another. The Church of the Grand Design went first, because its oracles had nearly destroyed the world of mortals with their lies and half-truths. The other schools were next on the list to be torn down, because they’d stood against me during the Empyrean Challenge and threatened the world with their arrogance. One after another, I crushed my enemies, real and imagined, beneath my heel. I’d saved the world, but only by turning its people into prisoners to my protection.
“That’s why I need you to come with me, Eric,” I said at last. “I can’t allow that to happen. This is me turning my back on everything I thought I wanted. It’s not worth the price I’ll pay for it. I need you to be with me at the Umbral Forge to save me from becoming a monster who crushes the world.”
Eric poured himself another glass of whiskey to kill time. He watched it swirl in his glass, the amber fluid sloshing on the sides, leaving behind the faintest oily residue that glimmered with a rainbow sheen in the moonlight. My friend sniffed his glass and raised it to me.
“You, you, you,” he said. “And not a word about why I should leave this palatial estate, buddy.”
“Eric,” I said. “All this is your destiny, no matter what the Grand Design says. You fought for it. You earned it. Even if we reforge the Grand Design, no one can take that away from you. You’ll be the champion because no one can stand in the way of your raw determination. But if you stay here, I don’t know what will happen when we rewrite the Design. Your thread of fate is dangerously thin, already. This could all go away, and you with it.”
“And?” he snapped, his anger like a spike aimed at my core. Pressure built between us again, and I felt my grip on this vision slipping. “If you finish your quest and it vanishes me, at least I lived the dream. I’ll go out on top, not like Abi with his legs torn off, or Clem hanging on to you and praying she doesn’t get burned. Besides, let’s be honest here. I can’t stop you from doing whatever you want to do. Not now, and certainly not back then. You’re a force of supernature, Jace. If you think I can save you from yourself, you’re already doomed.”
The fighter’s head slumped, his chin nearly touching his chest. His shoulders drooped, and he pondered what I’d told him. When he looked at me again, I caught a glimpse of hope. And then I saw something I’d never expected in his gaze.
Defeat.
My thoughts raced to catch the fleeting hope I’d seen in Eric’s eyes. He was almost convinced. But he was right—none of my friends could stop me if I went rogue in the Umbral Forge. There was no doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t do such a thing, not after what I’d just seen. That was not the world I wanted.
But my assurances that I’d play nice wouldn’t convince Eric. He needed to be certain that giving up his dream wouldn’t end in disaster for all of us. And I thought I knew just the thing that would prove that to him.
“What if I made it impossible for me to mess this up?” I asked.
Eric laughed and tossed the last of his whiskey down his throat. “Right. You’re the most unpredictable and cunning person I know, Jace. No offense, but I can’t outfox you, even if I tried. Which I’m not stupid enough to do.”
“What if it wasn’t just you?” I pushed the point, excitement creeping into my voice. There was a way to make this happen, I could see it. I’d need Clem’s help, but it would work. “What if Abi and Clem had a say in how we rebuilt the Grand Design, too?”
Eric looked up at the moon and pressed the cool whiskey glass against the bruise on his cheek. “Tell me your plan.”
I laid it all out for my friend. He listened patiently, asked some questions, and then finally nodded.
“I’ll regret this,” he said, “I just know it. But if you can do what you say, it’s worth a shot.”
When I went to hug Eric, he held up a hand and shook his head.
“Don’t get too excited. You still have to show me you can do this. And you’re really going to regret agreeing to be my sparring partner until I make the big leagues.”
“I never...” I started. The look on Eric’s face told me this wasn’t a negotiable point. “Fine, fine. I’ll bring the others here. Thank you.”
Then I bowed to my friend and left him alone in his castle on the hill.
The Bond
IT WAS ALMOST TOO EASY to drift out of Eric’s vision of his destiny and back to my position over the Grand Design. His thread was so tenuous I was afraid if I was distracted from it for too long I’d lose it. Rather than risk that unfortunate turn of events, I decided not to go into Clem’s and Abi’s visions. Instead, I touched each of their threads with one of my serpents, like a spider feeling for vibrations in its web.
Fortunately, I believed it would be much easier to convince the
