Armareth's Tower

Zoey’s arrows struck one of the dolls and exploded. It staggered back briefly and rushed forward again, its cloak pulled off its head as it ran. It moved as smoothly as any human, but it had no face; its slim hands had no real definition. Just carved, polished stone. A lance of pure light appeared in his hand and in one seamless move, it threw it at Zoey. She dodged, calling for Elisha to move her. Shadow enveloped her and then spat her out behind the doll, close to Krak. She let an arrow go quickly, only for another doll to block it, taking the brunt of the attack.

David leaned left, dodging the golem’s arm. It had morphed into a sword even though it was still attached to its shoulders. And it moved unnaturally. Its arms rotated completely and transformed at will. He’d gotten the first and second golem easily, but the others had gotten a clue on his left hand.

This golem was the smartest and its weapons were convenient for its fighting style. It weaved right, staying away from David’s gauntlet. And as it had no eyes and no recognizable human mannerisms, it was difficult to read. Its body moved at random, twisting inhumanly to dodge or attack.

You have to read the essence, how it flows, Ignis said, guiding David to finding a crack in the doll’s technique. David grunted sliding down under the doll’s sudden thrust to get close to it, but before he could touch it, the golem leaped over him, turning suddenly with a kick that David blocked with his sword. Still, the force pushed him back, sending him rolling into a large pillar.

The stone groaned behind Peter and when looked up, he could see a crack down the face of the statue. He cursed. He wasn’t sure where this hall was, but if the stones caved in, they’d be trapped or dead. Which meant he had to get to Krak fast. He pushed up, watching as the golem ran for him. Everything was seamless. Whoever had created them had both skill and an adept control of essence. Then it lunged for David and he felt a small jolt of fear as he sensed a spike of essence.

Move! But he was too late, he hadn’t expected the change. A sharp shard of clay shot from the golem’s arm. By instinct, David brought up his sword to block it, but he was too slow. It sank into his chest, just below his shoulder, and then it began to grow. David cursed as the pain intensified. He dragged the shard out, his mind going blind with pain, and then tamed the chaos in the shard and it turned to smooth, brown sand. David staggered forward, sweat rolling down his face. He hated losing, but more than everything that had happened, he hated that Krak might win. His vision blurred and for a moment all he wanted was to fall and go to sleep. He felt the beginning of silence, a shade of black too deep overcoming him.

Something–no, someone was coming and he couldn’t stop it. He brought his hand up to block the kick that suddenly appeared in front of his face, but he felt it in his belly. He retched but nothing came out.

He could hear the thuds of battle around him, the cries of struggle from the others. No one was coming to save him.

“You bloody idiot,” a familiar voice said with a grunt. The kicking stopped and the doll leaped back just as Tez’s robe came into sight. The half-blind man turned to him, frowning. “You talk big, but you don’t know the first thing about fighting these things.”

“Ch…Chloe!” David sputtered, blood oozing out of his mouth. His vision swam in and out of focus and the sound echoing around seemed to pierce his brain. Why, he wondered. He’d pulled the shard before it pierced far into his chest, why wasn’t essence soothing him, healing him? He tried to stand up, leaning on his sword.

You don’t need them…The voice came like the sweetest of temptations. In David’s blurry vision, he saw Chaos. The boy’s hair was ragged, and his eyes were like coal. He hovered right in front of him, disappointment oozing out of him. He stared at David, his mouth set in a thin line even as the voice slipped into David’s subconscious and registered as a thought—a sweet, calming thought. He knew it was wrong, yet he couldn’t help the pull like muscle unknotting after a long day. It was soothing.

We can do it. Give in to it. You are overburdened. Pressed down by this many souls you have to protect. I can help you. I will provide safety, you just have to watch as I show you. There is no harm in resting. You will be free.

Freedom. David hadn’t thought about that. He’d always thought this was how life was going to always be. They’d be in trouble all the time; running, surviving, fighting until they died or beat the tower. But this felt like real freedom dangling in front of him. He could simply sit back and never feel the weight again.

“Ignis,” David grunted and he felt a sharp pain his eyes widened and a scream tore out of his throat. Whatever was within him wasn’t letting him go. It was punishing him from within. David tried to push it away. He imagined metal walls, creating some kind of subconscious protocol to isolate him from whatever it was, but the pain was only heightened, increasing even more. He writhed and heard his bones snap so loud like a boulder dropped in a canyon. Too much pain, he thought.

Give in…want it…I have suffered and now I must rule… you must be swallowed into the darkness. I have waited so long for this moment, you will not take it from me. You will break, under the weight of your own failure. You will fall and I will ri…no, not you Zelerun! You will not save him. You will not protect him from me. I will take hold and I will…

Hush, a familiar voice whispered and the harsh voice vanished, fading to nothing, and so did the pain. The weakness stayed, but the ache was manageable. David opened his eyes to see Chaos kneeling before him. The boy was taller, hair wilder and longer. His skin was darker now, and his eyes might have been twin burning stars.

You have passed the first test!

You have gained 5% Insight on World Tilter!

You have been gifted a part of Chaos memory: Master of Chaos chapter one

Amareth rewards your struggle and grants the second crack of Ignis’ bone.

Chaos’s hands guide you!

“What did you do–” Chaos pointed to Tez. The old man was struggling against the golem. His robe was shredded and he was bleeding from many wounds. David sighed. He picked up his sword and then checked his wound. It was bleeding but he could move the hand. He would have to be quick or he’d died from the blood loss. He would have asked Chloe to heal him, but she was not awake and it was not a good time to wake her.

“Ignis,” David called. “I need your help!”

Dragon Resonance: Ignis grants you partial access for five minutes.

You have been found worthy by the father of dragons!

New title: Dragon Sovereign (Can only be used at the peak of dragon resonance)

David inhaled, and then he sank into the grand storm of Ignis’ power. His skin was covered in burning armor, different from what he used when he touched the full World Tilter power. Essence oozed out of him and he felt the ache from his legs vanish, even the stab wound to his chest sealed into a scab. The scar was there, and he wasn’t healed, but he couldn’t feel the pain. Chaos stared at him with unimpressed eyes, but David didn’t care.

“I have questions for you when this is over,” David said, nodding to Chaos as he walked up to join the fight. From the haze of the armor’s helm, he could see why he’d lost. The golem had noopening. It wasn’t just speed, it was completely protected. Its defense was superhuman and David had been using only the gauntlet. His sword didn’t cut through because he didn’t use enough essence. But now it would be different. He didn’t have to find an opening.

David slid into Tez’s attack, following the old man’s slash with his own. The golem’s left arm slid off its socket and hit the ground. David pushed Tez back softly, his breathing was ragged and he was bleeding. The doll stared at its arm on the floor, bent to pick it, and then fused it back together with essence. David turned to Tez.

“You should rest with–” the golem attacked, shards shooting against David’s armor. He thought about letting them hit him but decided it wasn’t smart. He needed this to be over so he could go for Krak. One glance left and David could see him fighting with Zoey and Tara while another doll protected him.

Dragon Resonance:

Sword technique: Swift Blade.

David moved as if traveling with a gust of wind. He felt himself moved instead, and when his mind focused he was already swinging the blade. The doll had almost no time to react before its head was sliced off. David caught the head and tamed the chaos in the spell. The corruption in the essence tried to mingle with his own but the heat of Ignis’s armor burned it away.

David walked over to the doll’s main body and placed his left hand on it. He was about to tame it when he felt something from within it. It shook him for a moment until he realized he was sensing an essence core. He tamed the chaos rioting in the doll and once it turned to sand, the blue core rolled to a stop in front of David. He stared at it, there was so much essence in it, but it was stable and contained. David picked it, deciding he would show it to the others later.

He turned to his new prey, and at that moment Krak threw something in the air and a wave of wind tore through the hall as a new portal opened. David ran for him immediately the portal began to expand. Krak gave him one victorious glance and leaped into the portal. David cursed. The portal was closing and if he didn’t follow the bastard they wouldn’t have completed the task. This would all have been for nothing.

Swing the sword, Ignis said. You can use this only once and it might not be wise but I will help you one last time. Then after a moment, Ignis added, don’t die yet.

Dragon Resonance:

Sword technique: Ripper!

A bright arch of golden light shot off the blade and tore open the portal. Something ferocious from within howled as David reached the base of the brimming sea of essence. It was glassy, and nothing like the other portals he’d seen before. He glanced at the others, caught Zoey’s worried look, and leaped in before she could say anything.

Inside, he felt the last of Ignis’ essence dissipate. That last sword skill had used everything the dragon could share. On the other side of the portal, David met a familiar darkness. It pulled him in, dragging him to the white door that appeared out of nothing. David opened it and froze.

You have entered Orion, Krak’s hidden world.

Your entry has been allowed.

The ruler of Orion will now pass judgment.

“I knew you would come!” Krak said from his throne. His unique world was a wasteland. The distant figures wandered the expanse, staggering like zombies. There was nothing here—nothing living except Krak. Dull wheat-colored sand stretched into the horizon on all sides and in the middle of it all was Krak’s pyramidic throne dais, set up with steps on all sides. His throne was golden, lit up by the pale sun that flared harmless above him. Here, his face was different. David realized something at that moment, he couldn’t remember what the man looked like before. Here, though, he was covered in scars, as if he’d been gnawed by rats.

“Yes,” Krak hissed, his lower lip half falling. “Heroes! Here to save this lifeless city.”

David took a step up, walking up to the throat. His movement was slow now. The pain was back and it was agonizing. Almost as if his legs would fall apart from under him if he stopped. He kept going, eyes set on the bastard as he talked.

“You will all become food for Lord Balek,” Krak said. “You will enrich his rule, and help him topple the others. You and your siblings, chosen by Amareth the oaf, will fuel Lord Balek’s divinity and I will be blessed as the one who delivered you to him.”

David winced. Every move he made exposed a new wound, a different kind of pain. He stopped, chest heaving. There were so many steps to climb. The throne sat high up in the distance and yet Krak seemed near. David swore. He could sense the essence now. It was in the fabric of everything that made up Orion. This world was different from Galan’s. He didn’t stay in Galan’s hidden world for long, but it felt solid. He recalled the wind on his face briefly before he died. Here there was nothing. No wind, no smell…nothing. Even a dream world would have had more substance than this. He continued again, letting Krak’s monologue recede to the back of his mind, like a noise in the background. He had to think, how could he reach him.

I can help, Chaos supplied, but David shook his head. He was tired of being helped. He had to do this himself, had to finish this task with his own hands. That was what all those humans the bastard turned into monsters deserved. Some kind of vengeance. A punishment befitting his crime. David lifted his head, his breath coming hard and painful. Again the throne seemed close. He could see Krak’s breaking skin, his sores. His face was disgusting, but David held it.

“You think you can hide behind this silly illusion?” David asked, an idea took form in his mind and he grasped it. He sensed Chaos shifting away as he knelt. It was so simple now that he could see it. This world was an adulteration of what Galan had done before. It needed more essence to create and David felt the corruption in it. The essence within this spell was revolting, yet whatever powers Balek had given to Krak suppressed it. He simply had to undo that.

You have tamed Chaos!

Orion is undone!

David saw it happening before his eyes. Now he could see why he hadn’t been able to undo Chloe’s spell. It was in perfect harmony. This was not. David grinned as the world shattered, and then a twirling storm carried them, sweeping them out of the world and throwing them right back into the hall. Krak stood up and tried to summon something else but Elisha’s shadow pierced him through the back. His torn mouth spread in a scream, but David’s left hand clamped his mouth shut and leaned close enough to whisper.

“I hope this hurts.”

You have tamed Chaos

Krak’s screams echoed in the hall as his dark essence oozed out of him and his body crumpled slowly, one part at a time.