I heard the equivalent of a frustrated sigh in my mind. Okay. There was a moment of silence as I began to make my way towards Val, then Lia’s voice returned. We’re stronger than the last time we faced her. Don’t let your emotions get the better of you. Everyone is still safe. You’re in control.
Her carefully chosen words skirted around the point, but I heard the message loud and clear: don’t let the anger take control. The darkness lurking inside me was a topic I had been able to blissfully ignore during our time of isolation, and I detested the idea of Lia being forced to worry about it. I’m in control, I answered before turning my attention back to Val. Her careful trek put her on a path that would end well north of our hidden homestead, but her presence alone told me it was only a matter of time until she found what she was looking for.
I slipped ahead through the trees until she entered the range of my Enhanced Senses, and the crunching of the underbrush beneath her heavy boots sounded clearly in my ears. Energy raced out along the ground between us and suffused into every rock, shrub and tree, producing a perfect map of the area that I could manipulate as I saw fit. Her measured pace continued to bring her closer until her hand absentmindedly reached out and brushed along the trunk of a large emberwood in her path. As soon as I felt her fingers make contact with the bark, I activated the energy stored within the tree and shattered the entire structure from top to bottom.
An angry hail of splinters peppered Val as she spun away and raised her shield against the unknown threat. Her retreat sent her spinning towards another tree, which exploded into a second round of shrapnel as she approached. She slid back and crouched behind her glittering bulwark in an attempt to collect herself as she grimaced through the multitude of cuts across her face. Her head whipped side to side as she rose cautiously, clearly avoiding the remaining trees around her. When she took her first step forward, I sent a rush of mana up over her body and pressed against her mind with an overpowering phrase.
I see you.
She raised a hand to her temple as she winced, revealing that the message had successfully gone through. “Lux,” she called out, “I need to speak with you. It is urgent.”
I told you what would happen if I saw you again.
“I remember,” she answered through clenched teeth, flinching away from my booming mental voice. “I am willing to die once we have had a chance to speak. Face to face.” The reply caught me off guard; if it had been anybody else, I would have assumed it was a ploy to get me to reveal myself, but Val’s statement sounded genuine.
How did Virram know where to find me?
“King Yorrell does not know that I am here,” she answered. “I have sought you out of my own volition. My presence in Lybesa is...not condoned.”
I see. You’ve suddenly decided to stop following orders now. Now, but not before.
“Lux, please,” she said, lowering her shield. “I cannot change what has happened. This meeting is larger than our personal grudges.”
Grudges?! my mental voice boomed. You tried to have me killed! After everything we went through together, YOU gave that order. Not Virram, not the Trinity Guard—you. I trusted you! I felt my heartbeat grow more erratic as the old wound was cut open again, and I took a series of long breaths to regain my wits. I trusted you. You can’t expect me to forget what happened.
“I do not. I am not here to ask for your forgiveness; I do not deserve it,” she said plainly. “I am not here to make amends, as I have no way of doing so. I am here to ask for your help.”
Two more trees exploded behind her in unison, and she spun to shield herself from the debris. My enhancements flared to life in a sudden burst of energy, and I sprinted ahead through the trees, reaching the circle of fresh wood chips around her in seconds. I extended my arm towards her back, and the point of my sword appeared over her shoulder, resting against her neck. “Speak.”
Val turned slowly, unfazed by the cold manasteel scraping against her skin. With deliberate movements, she unstrapped the glittering relic from her arm and dropped it on the ground, then straightened and met my gaze. “There has been an incident at Shadowmine.”
“Virram mentioned as much at our last meeting,” I said dismissively. “Another issue of his own creation, no doubt.”
“No,” she responded quickly, “not this time. What once seemed like an isolated event has become a recurring problem: monsters have been emerging from beneath the mountains.”
“Monsters?” I scoffed. “You came all this way, and that was the best you could come up with?”
“It is the truth, Lux,” she said, without a trace of emotion to indicate otherwise. “There are no records of the beasts in the Royal Archives, nor are there legends or folktales matching their description. They are truly an unknown force.” My stomach began to churn as she continued. “The beasts are remarkably difficult to kill and have been swarming throughout northern Kaldan for the past twenty-nine days. Civilian casualties are rising quickly.”
“I fail to see how any of this is my problem,” I lied.
“It is not; this burden rests upon my shoulders.” As she spoke, I felt as though I could see her shrink beneath a physical weight as her imposing frame sagged the smallest bit. “I am under orders to keep the peace at the Mountain Gate remnants. While I have done so, and will continue to do so, I am also rallying a force to strike at the heart of the infestation. I believe it is in the best interest of Kaldan to stop the source of these beasts in order to
