“Are you really ready to take on Tymo?” Choshi asked.
“Let's find out,” I replied.
The golem shifted out of the doorway, and I paused at the arch to look back at my friends. Vesma and Mahrai watched me with concern, and Hamon viewed me with the same dispassionate gaze he’d worn since I’d arrived at the castle. Cinder’s face was a mixture of confusion and fear, but she offered me a nod as my eyes combed over her.
“Gods go with you, Swordslinger,” she said.
“I’ll see you back at the Radiant Dragon Guild House,” I said. “All of you.”
Then, I left them behind. The corpses of the Wysaros squelched underfoot as I bore Ultin’s body through the halls and retraced my steps to the courtyard. Ashes, corpses, and scorched armor scuffed against my feet as I pressed on toward the tower. The smell of death and destruction hung heavily in the air as I propped Ultin against the wall for a moment and opened the pouch that Faryn had given me. The last Vigor potion swirled in its glass vial as I held it up to the torchlight.
“Thanks, Faryn,” I said to myself.
I drained the potion down, and new Vigor caught fire within my veins. My layers of Augmented armor fell away from my body at a thought. I’d already be carrying a heavy load through the air, and extra weight would just slow me down. I scooped up Ultin’s corpse and activated Flight. The castle shrank away beneath me as I added raw Vigor to the technique and shot away, leaving the fortress behind. The night sky was obscured with dark clouds, and the first drops of rain hit my face as I sped over the valley. Distance meant nothing to me anymore. With Flight and the Environmental energy of the Seven Realms, I could go anywhere I needed to.
“And now you understand what it is to be a dragon,” Nydarth told me.
“How did you deal with rain?” I asked with a grimace.
Lightning crackled through the sky overhead, and Choshi squealed at the violence of the sound. Nydarth laughed at my question, and I could hear the smile in her voice.
“Dragons have two sets of eyelids,” she said. “One to repel moisture, the other to use while we sleep. I’ll be sure to show you, once you’ve completed your task here.”
An image of a mighty dragon at my fingertips sent excitement through me. Nydarth, Yono, and Choshi held incredible power, even within the Immense Blades. If I could find a way to release their power out into the world, I could take on entire armies. My Augmentation was strong enough to defeat an entire garrison of guards and demons already, but with three dragons at my side? I could take on a city, an entire battlefield, or even the Emperor himself.
“You’ve got to survive Tymo first,” Choshi reminded me. “One step at a time.”
A chill of trepidation countered my excitement, and I nodded. Soon, the Dying Sun Monastery appeared in my sights. Rain lashed at me and soaked Ultin’s corpse in my arms. I looked down at the contentment etched into his face.
Tymo would pay for his treachery. Of that, I had no doubt.
The monastery’s gold trim lit up as another crackle of lightning tore across the sky. I landed lightly on the front steps. The golden dragon statues shimmered under a coating of rain, and their open maws stretched out into mocking defiance of the storm. I scanned the stairs for a sign of the Wysaro messenger I’d left behind, but his corpse had vanished.
Perhaps the monks weren’t as corrupt as I thought. But it didn’t make a difference.
I needed to find Jiven, no matter the cost.
I paused before the doors, centered myself, and started a rapid breathing exercise to recover the small amount of Vigor I’d spent on the journey over the valley.
“Bear us with pride, Master,” Yono said encouragingly. “We’ll be here for you until the very end. But I feel that the tides of fate shift in your favor. Your journey does not end here.”
“Fear nothing from this traitor,” Nydarth said. “His power is great, yes. But we stand by your side, ready to serve your will. I am proud to call myself a servant of the Immortal Swordslinger. Fight hard, and fight well.”
“I believe in you,” Choshi whispered.
“You guys should band together and do TED talks,” I said.
I lifted my foot, fortified my body with strength, and kicked the mighty doors of the monastery. They swung open with an echoing crash, and I strode into the main hall.
The soft glow of candlelight cast flickering shadows across the massive pillars against the walls. Eresin and Myrdel warred in their golden engraving above the main altar, and the Immense Blades quieted in the back of my mind as I set Ultin down against the nearest pillar. The corpse’s head lolled to the side, and I tugged the Demure Rebirth from my harness as I turned to face the altar.
“Tymo!” I thundered.
A movement beside the altar drew my attention. Tymo stepped out from the shadows. Loose trousers hung from his frame, but his usual red robe had vanished. Scars carved their way across his chest and arms, forming into a proud badge of honor from centuries of fighting. Every muscle under his skin stood out in sharp relief and reminded me more of steel plates than actual flesh and blood. He took his time to position himself at the very center of the dais and turned to face me.
Anger and hatred boiled in my gut, but I did my best to suppress them. There wasn’t a shred of remorse on the man’s face, but the sorrowful curl of his eyebrows and slightly inclined head just pissed me off. He knew why I was here, but he was still playing the long-suffering teacher to a hot-blooded student.
“What did you expect?” Nydarth asked.
