Myrsvai felt like he had woken early. The sun had barely started to rise when he heard shuffling. It was familiar, and it was comforting. He sat up, trying to stay as quiet as possible.

Suta moved through forms, though Myrsavai was caught by surprise as Suta produced more arms while throwing punches. He was already getting used to the odd ability and was constantly causing arms to appear and vanish.

Suta immediately mastering an ability wasn't the slightest bit surprising. Suta practicing was a normal part of every morning.

What really caused Myrsvai to stare in surprise were the stark white arms that sometimes grew from Suta. They were thinner than the others and had long, sharp nails. It was too reminiscent of . . .

Suta stopped and cocked his head.

"I don't know," Myrsvai said.

All the extra arms retracted. Suta pointed at the door. "Breakfast?"

"A little something would be nice." Myrsvai reached across his body with his right arm to grab the covers, then stopped. He consciously moved his left and carefully, slowly lifted the sheet. The movement was awkward and uncomfortable.

Suta watched closely, then opened the door and gestured. His arm split into five.

"I don't know how I feel about it."

"Arm?"

"Your arms, Suta. I am happy to have my arm back."

Suta grew five more arms on his other side.

Myrsvai relieved himself, changed into some loose training clothes, and went into the kitchen. Suta walked right at his side. With the fusion, their growing power, and the shards, Suta hardly needed rest at all. He hadn't been unsummoned in a few weeks, and if he could properly draw power from the Abyss, he could potentially stay summoned forever.

The little familiar's mastery of abyssal energy wasn't quite there, but after training for so many years to master his emotions and body, abyssal control would likely come easy. Myrsvai glanced down as Suta formed some violet fire in his palm.

"Exactly."

Myrsvai turned into the kitchen and stopped.

Althowin stood in front of a stove, leaned over with hands on each side. Her metal fingers tapped on the countertop.

"Excuse us," Myrsvai said.

"Hm?" Althowin turned, revealing a small pan with a single egg cooking. "Ah, you."

Suta waved with ten hands.

"Don't know how I feel about that."

"I'm unsure about the ability myself. Thalgodin never had a way to grow arms or hands." Myrsvai grabbed a mug and found a coffee machine that was actively dripping dark, fragrant coffee into the pot. He slowly lifted the large glass pot with his left arm and poured with cautious precision. A few drops fell from the machine and sizzled on the burner. He set the mug aside, poured a second, and brought it to Althowin.

She took it without a word.

Suta was already sitting at the table like an eager child. He took the mug when Myrsvai sat down and sipped the coffee.

"Bad."

"You don't have to drink it."

Althowin sat nearby with her single egg. It looked poorly cooked for someone who had incredible alchemical knowledge. She sprinkled some pepper on top and ate it in a few quick bites.

"I never learned how to cook anything special." She let her fork clatter to the plate. "Weird, isn't it?"

"What did you do instead?" Myrsvai asked. He wasn't sure what was happening, but Althowin had never talked candidly with him before. It seemed like an opportunity that he would be foolish to spoil.

Althowin fetched an egg still in its shell and sat back down. Her fingers glowed a variety of colors over a minute or so, then she carefully cracked the egg. The inside was a perfectly cooked, though small and oddly shaped, omelet.

"I've been doing some of the same things for so long that I hardly know how to do anything else. I burnt that egg so quickly." Althowin slid the weird omelet over to Suta. "Eat that."

The familiar did as he was told.

"I guess a magus doesn't have that kind of issue. You just summon and fight." Althowin's metal hand glowed red like it was melting. "Alchemy is all I think about." Her fox eyes flicked to Myrsvai. "I forgot you had even returned to the compound. It's all recipes, all training, all ideas. No people. I wished for this."

Myrsvai waited to respond. The last thing he wanted to do was cut off the 7 Shard Hero while she was sharing something so intimate and vulnerable. After a moment Althowin let her head hang back so she stared at the ceiling.

"Do you ever regret it?" Myrsvai asked.

"You can't live as long as I have and not regret. Friends, family, most people I can think of . . . all dead. I'm starting to think letting Owin in here was the biggest mistake I've made." She lifted her head and stared directly into Myrsvai's eyes. "All I care about are Ernie and Kat, and now they're in danger. Relax, I'm not going to do anything to Owin. I just . . . I didn't think helping a goblin would put everyone I love in danger."

Myrsvai took a long drink of his coffee. He hadn't realized he had been on edge, but she saw it immediately. What would he have possibly done if she had shared a plan to kill Owin? He would have had to listen and not say a word. A single threat against her would be his death.

"I know what you mean," Myrsvai finally said. "Artivan Morro was one of the friendliest, kindest people I have ever known, and he died to protect Owin. It wasn't until I traveled with him that I saw who Owin is, and as much as I miss Artivan, I thank him for teaching Owin that kindness. He cares about Ernie and Katalin as much as you do. He cares for every single person who has helped him. That danger to your apprentices is a danger to Owin."

"Brother," Suta said. "Protect against everyone."

Althowin raised an eyebrow. "Will you?"

Suta nodded.

"And how will you do that? With all those arms?"

Suta nodded again.

"No, Suta," Myrsvai said. "We will be going to get our third shard. We'll fall behind if we don't go soon."

"Yes. Shard." Suta pounded five fists on the table. "Time to go."

"No, let me eat something." Myrsvai took a drink of his coffee. "I appreciate your hospitality and your insight. I swear I will do everything in my power to assist you in protecting those you love."

Althowin snapped. "Basolia."

The specter formed at her side.

"Collect travel supplies for Myrsvai and Suta." She eyed him for a moment. "Which tower?"

"Do you have recommendations?"

"Ocean and Fortress." She scratched a spot behind a fox ear. "Why not Tundra? Get the cold out of the way. You can warm yourself with abyssal flames. Basolia, get Myrsvai a furred . . . thing. Scarf? Fuck, I don't know."

"I will look at the stock." The specter disappeared.

"You don't have to do that."

Althowin looked at her plate that still had bits of burnt egg. "You live here, so you're my responsibility. Are you going to say goodbye to your friends?"

"I spoke with Miya, Cixilo, Potilia, Sanem, and Raif over dinner last night. They know I will be on my way."

"Good." She rubbed her nose. "Good. Alright. I don't know why I felt the need to tell you any of that. You're a good kid."

"Kid? Ma'am, I'm forty."

Althowin raised an eyebrow. "And? Let me know when you're eighty so we can talk like adults. Finish your coffee. Basolia will have everything waiting for you in the lobby." She stood, smoothed out her coat, and walked to the door. "Thanks."

Myrsvai just nodded.

Althowin left, leaving the kitchen calm and quiet.

Suta climbed off his chair, slid it over to Myrsvai, and climbed up so they were sitting directly beside one another. "Breakfast?"

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"I'll eat something from Basolia. How was that omelet?"

"Squishy."

"Ah." Myrsvai passed his coffee to Suta.

The familiar sniffed it, stuck a finger into the dark liquid, then put the mug on the table. "No."

***

Tall, twisted tree trunks jutted from the ground. The wood had long since turned to stone with no leaves or branches at the top of the sharp spires. If not for the petrified roots snaking over the ground, Owin would've assumed they were leftover stalagmites from some long-gone cave.

The riverbank appeared to have been a park before the siege of Amnopis.

If the siege ever actually happened.

Only old stones and sand remained at the bottom of the river. It looked like it had been ages since any water had run through. With how much dust and sand covered most of the city, that was no surprise.

"I wouldn't mind washing my face," Chorsay said as he squatted in the riverbed. He picked up an old riverstone and rubbed his thumb over its smooth surface. "It can wait. See anything?"

"Rocks," Shade said. "And . . . A goblin. Oh my! A goblin!"

Owin sighed.

Around the river were some ruins of old buildings. They were far more devastated than anything else in the city with little more than foundations remaining. Even things like furniture had long since rotted away.

Shade ran over some rubble, tripped, and popped right back to his feet with a bone in hand. "Does this look like something?"

"It looks like a bone," Owin said.

Shade held it up to his arm. It matched, though the found bone was a little small. "Ah. Good eye." He tossed the bone over a shoulder, bent, and grabbed another. "What about this one?"

It was covered in black lines. From afar, it almost looked like cracks were spread through the old bone.

"Can I see?" Chorsay asked. The old man approached and held out a hand. Shade immediately passed it over and went back to digging in the rubble.

Chorsay crouched by Owin and held the bone out. It had little black lines over its surface. Up close, he thought they looked like roots, though they had a lot of texture, almost like a rope.

"A giant mob made of that would be horrible," Owin said.

"Certainly a Horror." Chorsay tapped the bone on Owin's pauldron. "Are you certain you want to fuse with this?"

"If Althowin and Potilia both think it's a good idea, I have no reason not to." Owin touched his scarred face. "It's not going to make me look worse."

"Positive self talk," Shade said as he ran over. "We speak nicely of ourselves now, Owin. See? Watch this. I'm a thick-skinned skeleton!" He stuck his arms out, looked at the bones through narrow eye sockets. "Wait."

Chorsay grabbed Shade's arm and pulled him into a crouch. "How much have you heard about fusions?"

"Just what people have said in Vraxridge." Owin shrugged. "Willpower and something . . . something."

Chorsay tapped the root-covered bone against Owin's breastplate. "It's your heart and mind against them. After everything you've endured, I don't expect you to give up. The only way to lose, to die once you've initiated fusion is to lose hope and give in. It happens. It happens often. No matter what you're feeling before you start, just think of your goals while you're inside. Think of Artivan. Think of your family."

"The Nimble Hogs," Owin said.

Chorsay tapped the bone against chitin. "Yes. Exactly."

"We still have to find it." Owin stood on his toes and tried to look past Chorsay and Shade. All he could really see was rubble and the dry riverbed.

"You've suffered horrific damage before, haven't you?"

Owin nodded. "The first time I saw Nikoletta and tried to fight her. The second time, I kind of pushed through it. That was before a shard, so if the vines are stronger, then I don't know what I might see."

"Just don't kill me," Shade said. "I'm fragile and sad."

"You're not either of those. How are you fragile?" Owin tapped a metal finger against Shade's arm. "Your bones aren't dusty at all anymore."

"I could still be sad."

"Are you sad?" Chorsay asked.

"No."

Owin pushed the skeleton away. Shade flopped onto his back.

Chorsay smiled and stood. He grunted and stretched. The bags of bricks tapped against his armor a few times as he loosened up. "Time to hunt?"

"I can't see anything over all the piles of rocks," Owin said. "I'll probably just walk right into it and die."

Chorsay rested a hand on his sword's pommel. Thinking back to Artivan holding the sword had made it look big and imposing, but compared to Chorsay, it looked like a common shortsword. The golems in Amnopis had experienced the danger of the unique sword.

"I suppose that is its purpose," Chorsay said. He looked across the ruins, nodded to the other side of the river, and started walking. A quick tap of his foot to Shade's ribs brought the skeleton to his feet.

"To hide?" Owin asked. He followed along. As he glanced back and forth, and tried to look around corners, he only saw brown and tan. If the Horror was as dark as the roots on the lone bone they had found, it would be difficult to miss against the brown stone.

"An ambush predator." Chorsay took careful steps on the smooth rocks of the riverbed. Clear footprints of his boots were left on the dust covering each stone. "It hides, waiting for prey. Heroes, in this case. With horrific damage hallucinations, the prey would likely not even know they'd been attacked. Clever."

"So, how do we find it?" Owin leapt over the riverbed, slipped on some dust, and tried to walk casually.

"We look in corners and closets," Shade said.

"Few closets left around here," Chorsay said. The street meandered like it hadn't been built until there were already buildings placed haphazardly through the city. They followed the center, away from any potential ambush sites, and looked around every corner with the wariness of a shardless hero.

"Check it out," Chorsay said of a ruined building. It still had three walls standing, which was significantly more than anything else within the lower section of the city.

Shade ran into the building, and within a minute came running around from the other side. "Empty!"

A fork split the road, leading north to the wall or continuing west to a section of the wall that butted against a tall rock face at the boundary wall. The park with the petrified trees was behind them, still partially visible over the piles of rubble.

"Potilia said it was by a wall or on a wall." Owin pointed at a few ruined structures that still had at least one wall standing. "Did she mean the city wall or a wall like that?"

Chrosay scratched his cheek. "Hm. Good question."

Shade pointed at the sky and moved his finger in a small circle. "Want me to run some laps until I'm captured, tortured, and inevitably killed?"

"Have at it," Chorsay said.

Shade took off running down the north street.

"If he finds something, will you know?"

Owin continued following Chorsay toward the west wall. "Kind of. Maybe. We don't have a connection like Suta and Myrsvai, but there is a connection. I sometimes get a vague sense of something."

"Something?"

"I usually get a weird feeling when he dies. It feels like, uh, loss, actually. I felt it first with a cultist mob in the Great Forest, and with Artivan. But it's only quick. I know he died and I don't stay sad because he'll just get resummoned and have critiques against the person who killed him anyway."

"Sounds like Shade." Chorsay held up a hand, stopping Owin. He carefully peeked around a wall. "It's clear."

"Lately, I've been getting a little more. More emotions. From what Myrsvai said, he gets everything from Suta. They can always tell how the other is feeling. It's enough where they can communicate silently with emotions, and I don't understand that. With Shade, it's just been the faintest hint of something. I don't know."

Chorsay sidled up to the next wall, partially unsheathed his sword, and stepped around the corner like he might surprise the Horror. There was nothing there. Nothing but rubble.

"I wonder if more bones will change that connection," Chorsay said. "Unless the gods plan to give him skin, I can't imagine what else the bones might change."

Owin grunted. "When he first got the scarf, I thought he might just get a full set of clothes."

"It could always be a question for the gods. They're obliged to answer."

"I could ask something that big?"

Chorsay gave a single nod. "Ask anything."

"They've said I can't ask some things."

Chorsay stopped. "Was it about you?"

"Yeah."

"Interesting."

"Yeah." Owin shrugged. "I can still try."

Something flashed a few streets away. Just one quick flash, then nothing.

Owin felt a pit in his stomach. The same, faint feeling he had felt before when Shade died out of view.

Summon the Withered Shade

Cooldown: 120 seconds

"Shade died."

Chorsay's sword was already drawn. "That wasn't a Horror."

"The hero?" Owin reached for Torban, who was already pushing the Incandescent Blade out again. "Torban gave me a weapon."

"Behind me," Chorsay said. He backed away from the wall and waved for Owin to get away.

"I'm stronger than you."

Chorsay didn't take his eyes off the street. "I don't care, Owin. Get behind me." His voice was as serious as Owin had ever heard it.

Owin did as he was told. He held the Incandescent Blade with both hands. His mana was ready to flow in and ignite the sword, but for now, he kept it calm. His hands shook, however faintly, while squeezing the grip of the sword.

"I know you're here," a voice said. A somewhat familiar voice.

Chorsay stood tall. His sword arm dropped, surprisingly relaxed. "Veph?"

A few moments later, Veph appeared from around the corner. Her crystal sword was sheathed at her side and her twisted wand was likely hidden away. Her golden jacket had a few light marks of dust, while her matching golden pants and mask were flawless. The slight wind made her ponytail move as she stopped in the middle of the street.

"Why did you kill Shade?" Chorsay asked.

"He's obnoxious."

Owin tugged on one of the brick bags. "Why is she here?" he whispered.

"Why are you here, Veph? I thought you completed the dungeon a couple of years ago." Chorsay took a step closer, but Owin's grip on the bag stopped the old man.

"I did." Veph's eyes flicked to Owin. "I have other business to handle."

"Veph, darling," Chorsay said, voice getting quieter. "Why are you here?"

She flicked her wrist. The wand appeared in her right hand and spun around metal fingers. "We both know why, Chorsay. You can parent me when we're back in Atrevaar. Not now. Not here. I'm done pretending I care about this little fucking monster. Please, step aside and I will make it quick and painless."

"Danger," Torban whispered.

"I know," Owin hissed. "What are we going to do?"

Chorsay stuck his arms out. "I won't fight you. I don't want you to get hurt. Not in the slightest. Even a scrape."

Veph drew her crystal sword. The moment her hand made contact with the grip, the matching crystal headband glowed. "Then I'll have to test your speed, old man. Can you stop me from getting to him?"

"This isn't funny." He finally took a step closer. "Why don't we let Owin go? You and I can talk and make our way back to Atrevaar. Together."

"It's too late for that. The goblin isn't leaving."

Chorsay shifted his feet and raised the Winged Sword of the Swift Behemoth once again. "I won't fight you, but I will protect Owin."

Veph pointed her crystal sword. Faster than Owin could think, a bolt of lightning flashed out and hit him directly in the chest. He flipped, over and over, and crashed into a ruined wall. The ground shook. Something exploded.

Owin jumped back to his feet and ignited the Incandescent Blade.

Chorsay stood three feet away with Veph's crystal sword gripped in his hand. If he hadn't caught it, Owin would've been decapitated. Veph's eyes were angry, locked on Owin.

"You'll need to be quicker than that."

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