Chapter 21 - Jigsaw of Death

788 I.C, February 21, Ferrel Grove, Midday

I looked toward the forest and I could sense the approaching army. They were moving with the speed of horses and there were points near the front that crackled with energy.

Mages in the front...

Based on the aetheric footprint I'd guess that there were about 300 of them, an impressive amount, although useless if not composed right.

Showtime...

Heat flared inside my chest and I commanded the energy inside me. It reacted to my will and the air started to shimmer. Threads poured out, enveloped me, and began to infest the area. Shields, blockades, and offensive spells took the shape of a semi-transparent fortress.

Crystals rose around me, energy began to loop through them, and the deeper layers of the aether opened up. I closed my eyes to focus, looked through the dark sea of the transporter network, and took aim at the city of Dracwyn. The wulfkin crystals were everything I had hoped for. Powerful, sharp like scalpels, and more than capable of transporting me out of here.

Within moments I located the guildhall and transporter I had built. I knocked on it, waited, and felt the transporter on the other end open up.

That's the exit strategy taken care of...

I opened my eyes, looked around the wulfkin camp, and pondered if I might have missed something.

I've packed one of the wulfkin armors...

The logbook is in my possession, and so are the crystals...

I cleaned up the trail that Clyde left... He removed the plates from his armor... I wonder how he knew?

The rumbling march of the army grew louder and I could feel their forces spread out.

They're surrounding me...

Shapes began to appear within the forest's depths, and within moments the army emerged from the woodwork. Their horses navigated the rough ground with ease and a circle of heavy cavalry began to surround me.

Their armor glinted in the sunlight and the horses stomped in agitation while looking around. The riders kept their eyes on me like hawks but made sure to keep their distance to me.

Within moments a gap formed within the circle and a pair of riders marched forward. The first one was a feline with dusty yellow fur and a light uniform covered in runic patterns. The second was a well armored human with a black uniform and blue sash.

They make it quite easy to spot their leaders...

The feline turned to focus on the human and whispered something while motioning toward me.

The human nodded, faced me, and raised his hand, "I'm Ortega, captain of the Watchmen at Sigil Fortress, and this is-"

Ortega was interrupted when the feline raised his voice, "I'm Leyland, and I represent the Academy of Agron. Where are the rest of your forces?"

I kept myself from smiling and answered, "Gone, by transport. I was selected to parley with you."

Ortega tried to speak up but Leyland brushed him off, "The scrolls that Cedric delivered, do you know what they contain?"

Cedric... The watchman on the wagon... Guess he did as I asked...

"Of course," I answered.

Leyland paused for a moment and stared, "With whom are you aligned? Karashak? The leagues?"

So eager... Let's use it to our advantage...

I shook my head, "I represent an order of old formed to fight the necromancers."

The feline's eyes widened in amazement while the ropey tail moved along the horse's back, "There were rumors of such an Order, but I never thought it real. What do you call yourself?"

I made a humble smile and motioned toward him, "There's no name, no place to call home, just a loose band of individuals sworn to safeguard the continent."

Leyland made an understanding nod, "Anything more organized would no doubt have been undermined by the necromancers. The spells you provided, they're written in the necromancer's language. We would appreciate assistance in its use."

I tipped my head, "Surely the Academy has the resources to do that on their own?"

"Yes! But-"

I interrupted him, "Then do so. We have no manpower to spare and we're urgently needed elsewhere."

Leyland seemed ready to protest but then made a begrudging nod, "I understand."

Ortega visibly frowned and focused on me, "The entire continent is being terrorized by the wulfkins! If you have the means to stop them, then you are bound to help us!"

I raised my brow, "Which is what we are attempting to do."

Ortega frowned, "By hiding behind guilds to scatter your trail? Demanding payment like common mercenaries!?"

I shook my head, "You misunderstand. Our goal is to show that the wulfkins can be fought, and to spread the tools necessary to do so. We do not have the resources or the manpower to wage war. That's the responsibility of nations. Understand?"

Ortega kept his stare, "Why the need for cash to line your pocket?"

I sighed, "Staying hidden is surprisingly expensive, and there are many palms to be greased. A concept that should be well known to you, Captain Ortega."

Ortega's eyes bulged, "What do you mean?"

I let my expression shift into a wicked grin of sharp fangs, "Oh, I believe you know perfectly well what I mean. Unless you want me to start dropping names?"

Ortega squirmed and raised his hand, "Stop, you have made your point."

I mused and let my smile die down, "Anything else?"

Ortega glanced at the destroyed wulfkin camp, "Are they all dead?"

I nodded, "The wulfkins in the camp are all dead, though there is a sizable force within Birchtooth forest. They may come this way, and if they do, then they will bring the black obelisks. Treat them as something far worse than mere wulfkin."

Leyland leaned forward on his horse, "We have heard reports of these floating obelisks, what are they?"

I shrugged, "We don't know, but they are extremely powerful. The bullets that are capable of piercing magic could work against them."

Ortega raised his brow in wonder, "What are you talking about?"

Leyland motioned toward Ortega, "He speaks of nothing, do you understand?"

Ortega frowned, "I am-"

Leyland interrupted him in an instant, "You are nobody, Ortega, and you will forget what you heard unless you want to tangle with the Academy. Understand?"

Ortega drew a deep breath, and grew red in his face, "I understand."

Leyland then looked toward me, "We will regard the obelisks with utmost caution, and please... Keep what you know to yourself."

"As you wish," I answered.

Leyland sighed in relief, "How can we contact you?"

I motioned to myself, "My order has entrusted the guild with a messenger stone, take care not to bother them needlessly. We will know, and we won't appreciate it."

Leyland shifted uncomfortable, "The Academy understands these issues, and we will do our best to respect it."

Ortega looked at Leyland with a frown, "You believe this?"

Leyland motioned to the battlefield, "You don't?"

Ortega snapped, "I'm not arguing the results! I'm arguing the story that you've swallowed hook, line and sinker!"

I raised my hand, "Have you considered that whether we exist or not doesn't matter?"

Ortega turned his head to look at me with a flabbergasted expression, "What is that supposed to mean?"

Leyland chuckled and broke into a big feline smile, "What he's saying is that the results are what matters. They've defeated a force that has so far been unbeatable, and they've provided the tools to fight back. The news will spread from this point on, and the tides will turn. Thus the question if the order actually exists... is irrelevant, because it will henceforth live in the hearts of people."

Ortega blinked in confusion, "You're all insane."

Leyland looked at me and nodded, "The best of wishes to you, not just from myself, but from all of Agron."

I reached out to the crystals surrounding me and began to feed energy into them, "Thank you."

Ortega snapped to attention and glared at me, "We're not done here!"

"Yes, we are," I mused.

Ortega raised his hand to protest when I let the energy surge and the world distorted around me.

788 I.C, February 21, Aetherius, Midday

A heavy thump shook the world and brought a spark of sensation. It reached out, hit another node, and divided once more. In a cascade it spread outward to form an intricate web. It tingled, burned, jabbed, thumped, and it set a rhythm that was familiar yet wondrous.

I'm alive?

Pain buzzed through every limb yet there was an odd warmth and a strange scent of food in the air.

How? I should be dead...

Raymond opened his eyes and saw a blurred world devoid of color. It made him blink in wonder while his vision started to clear up. The floor was made of polished black rock, and there was a campfire just a few meters away. Color blossomed across his field of vision and he could see the orange-red fire lick at the air. His eyes focused on the fire's center and he saw something odd, burning books, pages being blackened as they were incinerated.

Where am I?

He looked across the room and noticed bookshelves that reached from the floor to the roof. They were made out of the same polished stone as the floor and were stacked with books of all manner.

A library?

Something moved near one of the bookshelves and Raymond squinted to see past the campfire. It was one of the beast-races, a small one with fur that was red and white, while the hands and wrists were black. The fox wore armor that didn't belong to Everwinter, and was busy looking through the books.

Raymond felt his heart pick up pace, he didn't know what was going on, but he wasn't staying here.

He moved his arms, felt resistance, and heard chains rattle. The fox by the bookshelf turned to look while Raymond felt a surge of adrenaline. He pulled with his legs, but they were also chained and did little more than yank on the restraints.

"You've woken up," The fox's voice carried a hint of surprise, and a gentle yet pitying tone.

Raymond pushed on the ground in panic, set his paws on the polished floor, and pushed. The claws scraped, the chains rustled, and a sudden dizzy spell made him slump to the ground. Stars glittered in his vision, his heart pounded, while his ears screamed with distorted noise. It made him pant in exertion while he squirmed on the ground.

"Calm down. If I wanted you dead, then you'd be dead," The fox said.

Raymond tried to focus but what little energy he had faded in moments. It forced him to rest his head on the ground while glancing up.

The strange fox kept out of reach and motioned to the books, "There's very little food around here, only the occasional insect clinging to life among the books. Imagine my surprise when supplies started washing up on the beach."

Raymond felt his heart slow down and fought the urge to fall asleep.

"I'm Robert. Who are you?" The fox asked.

Raymond blinked, but found his thoughts sluggish while he pondered the words.

Robert stepped closer, "Can you understand me? Wulfkins speak Common, right?"

Raymond blinked and stared back but didn't answer.

"You have no reason to speak with me, an outsider to your hierarchy, a 'lesser' creature? Is that it?"

Raymond averted his eyes.

Robert pointed at Raymond, "Wulfkins are known to be hardy, but I'm surprised that you're alive, considering the state I found you in," Robert said.

Raymond ignored it.

"You were dead. No heartbeat, lungs full of water, you shouldn't be alive," Robert said.

Raymond glanced up at Robert and felt his memories clear up for a moment.

I fell... Into the water...

Robert tipped his head a little, "You do understand me, don't you?"

Raymond looked away while the Robert grew a slight smile, "I was busy fishing supplies out of the water when you washed up. A huge brown lump, with frost forming all over. I tipped you over, realized what you were, and would have struck you dead if I didn't think you had already departed."

Raymond stared at the ground.

Robert's voice softened to become a sympathetic whisper, "That's when I noticed... The missing tail, the scars, the wounds. You may be taller than me, but I'd suspect we weigh the same."

Raymond glanced up and felt his lips pull back in anger. It was humiliating to be compared with one of the lesser races, let alone a small fox.

Robert inched closer, "Did you do something to upset your Master? Or is this what happens to those at the bottom of the hierarchy? Starved? Tortured? Raped?"

Raymond glared in silence while his heart started pounding.

Robert tipped his head and raised his brow, "Thrown off the cliffs with the rest of the garba-"

" SHUT UP!" Raymond lunged forward with a snarl in his throat.

The chains rattled, and strained while Robert stumbled back in fright. Moments later Raymond's energy faltered and the chains grew heavy. It made him slump to the ground once more while he curled up in a ball of fur.

It felt like the world itself had turned into a twisted mockery, and the moment he thought it was all over, something new took its place.

"I'm not... garbage," Raymond whispered with a whimper in his throat.

Moments passed, and Robert's voice returned, "So, you do speak."

Raymond kept his silence while Robert crouched and motioned toward him, "Are you hungry?"

Yes...

Seconds passed and Robert watched in silence. After a while he stood up, walked over to a bookshelf, and fetched a leather package. He unwrapped it and Raymond raised his nose while looking.

Robert plucked a meaty string of jerky and showed it off, "Do you want it?"

Raymond blinked and felt something weird, a dripping wetness on his hand. It made him glance down and notice that he was drooling.

SPLAT!

A wet splat was heard as a piece of jerky hit the ground. Raymond wanted to snarl at the indignity, but something far more primal took over. Within the blink of an eye he had grabbed hold of it, and within a second he had stuffed it in his maw.

Raymond chewed and held his muzzle, it was salty, moist but crunchy in a few spots, and there was an almost stinging sensation of herbs baked into it. For some reason it made his vision blur while he gnawed and enjoyed the treat.

With a gulp the jerky was no more, and the hint of hunger in his stomach grew to become a raging inferno. It hurt, it ached, and it made him look up in desperation.

More? Please?

Robert stood just outside of reach and held out another piece of jerky, "You want it? Take it."

The moment I reach for it he'll take it away... But if I'm fast enough...

Raymond tensed his muscles and stared at the morsel while his senses peaked.

Robert must have noticed as he pulled back the jerky, "Take it from my hand, slow and careful. Give me the benefit of the doubt, and I promise I won't keep it from you."

A notion of pride tickled in the back of his mind. A moment later it was overruled and he reached out like a pup begging for scraps. Self-worth, dignity, pride, they all felt like obscure concepts now. Once he had almost reached it, he hesitated. It seemed like a trap, another opportunity to make him suffer once more.

"Go on," Robert whispered.

Raymond inched a little closer, and he clasped the jerky with two claws. Robert let go and Raymond slunk back against the wall.

I don't understand...

788 I.C, February 21, Cromwell's Guild: Tower, Evening

I leaned onto the wall and gazed out of the window. The sun had settled beyond the horizon and the bright blue sky was shifting into a black expanse. As the darkness grew the city responded and lights were starting to bloom all over. The streets brightened and the fortress of Dracwyn became a beacon of warm light. Even the drifting blimps grew strips of decorative lights that challenged the moon's beauty.

There was a rustle behind me and I glanced back. The drapes had been pulled aside and Talwin glanced inside my spot of solitude.

"Hey there," Talwin said with a cautious smile.

"Evening, Talwin."

"Mind if I join you?" Talwin asked and stepped inside.

I smiled back, "Window's big enough for two."

Talwin stepped up, made a point of brushing against my shoulder, and focused on me, "Are you all right?"

I made a simple nod, "Just tired."

"Do you remember what you've told me a few times? To cut the bullshit and just talk."

"I remember," I answered with a curious smirk.

Talwin raised a claw and pointed at me, "You rattled off what you had accomplished, answered a few questions, and then you darted up here. What's wrong? Because it's obvious you're not just tired."

I took a deep breath and looked out of the window, "Many things."

"What really happened out there?" Talwin asked and leaned onto the window sill.

"I killed a lot of people, got the logbook, crystals, and convinced the Watchmen to tread carefully."

"The devil is in the details," Talwin whispered.

I felt my ears fold while my tail grew slack, "Yes, it is."

"... If you need more time, then-"

I focused on Talwin and interrupted him, "I got rid of the mages first, and without their protection the Master's Blessing was worth jack shit. It was a slaughter out there. They hid, they screamed, and pleaded for mercy."

Talwin nodded, "Is that why you're upset? Because you were forced to kill your own people?"

I sighed, "I'd be hesitant to call them my people, I'm not sure I even consider the wulfkins of Everwinter to be my people."

Talwin's ears perked and he cocked his head in confusion, "These were special?"

I nodded, "They had become massive, almost too big for their own armor. But it was more than just muscle, the fur had grown wild, their necks looked longer, even their hands looked strange, as if they were turning into paws."

"Why? How?" Talwin asked.

I faced Talwin with a gentle smile, "Let's start with another lesson, all right?"

Talwin made a determined nod and stood tall, "Sure."

I motioned toward him, "I told you earlier that the more you use magic, the more you'll change. Remember?"

"Yeah, but I'm not sure if I ever understood it."

"Every living being taps into the aether and converts it into life energy. Thus the saying, life is magic, magic is life. Some of us can go beyond that. We gather the aether in greater quantities and use it in our spells. That potential needs to be developed though, and it needs to be actively used, like muscular strength."

"Are you saying I'm going to grow a liking for robes and unkempt beards?" Talwin asked.

I grinned in response and shook my head, "No, but your presence in the aether is changing, and so are the parts of you that can be viewed under a microscope."

Talwin blinked, "Really?"

I nodded, "As the Seer of Everwinter it was my job to keep tabs on how pure the bloodlines were. In other words, who of us that were going to mature into wulfkins. That work required me to look into the very essence of life, that which exists underneath the subconscious barrier we all form."

"And what did you learn?" Talwin asked.

"There is no mystical reason why some people become mages and why some don't. The potential for magic is hidden within the schematics of life itself. That's why mages tend to come from parents with magic potential. Imagine if you could control that in a more precise manner? If you could make a normal person into a mage? Or something far stranger, to change people, to transform them into something else?"

Talwin shut his eyes for a few moments, "Something like that would change everything in this world."

"It's not just a crazy idea. It's what was happening to the wulfkins at the camp. The black armor they wore, it was changing them, rewriting what they are on a fundamental level."

Talwin met my eyes in wonder, "Turning them into what?"

"I don't know. Fortunately I could sense what the armor was trying to do, and managed to stop it before it had any chance to affect me," I said.

"Is it infectious? Like a disease?" Talwin asked.

I shrugged, "I don't know, maybe. Rastlin's Tome has taught me plenty of things, but nothing like this, and I've only encountered it once before."

"Where?" Talwin asked.

I motioned to myself, "Rastlin did something to me, changed me. There's an aetheric construct living in my blood, and it doesn't like being poked at."

Talwin nodded, "It's the spell that keeps the Star hidden from the Master. You also think that's what stopped you from becoming a true wulfkin."

I nodded, "Exactly. I think it began to weaken once I left Everwinter and Rastlin died, but that's just my guess."

"You're scared it might be doing something more?" Talwin asked.

I drew a deep breath clenched my teeth, "That is a concern of mine."

Talwin's ears folded back, "So this is what's been bothering you."

I shook my head, "Not really. So far the construct hasn't tried to harm me, and I'm confident I'll be able to solve it with time."

Talwin ears perked in confusion, "So what's the big problem?"

"I... let one of the wulfkins escape," I answered.

Talwin's eyes widened, "You did? Why?"

I felt the words flow as if retelling an age old story, "His name is Clyde, he's the son of Commander Amarok, leader of the wulfkin forces."

"So... he's important?" Talwin asked.

"As a hostage? No. Amarok is a competent leader but he'd be replaced the moment his personal issues got in the way."

"So why did you spare him?"

I squirmed in response and could almost hear Rastlin lecture me in the back of my mind. "Clyde was my childhood friend, we were supposed to be a pack one day, and that means a lot."

"Was?" Talwin asked.

"Everyone turned their backs on me once they figured out I wasn't going to turn into a wulfkin. That includes my own brother, parents, my friends, and Clyde. They tormented me, hunted me, and did everything they could to make my life miserable."

"Why?" Talwin asked.

I raised my brow and glanced over, "I was human. I was a disgrace to the bloodline. Any connection to me had to be purged with a vengeance, and they did that by tormenting me. Meeting him face to face made it feel as if I was back in Everwinter. It reminded me of the fear, the hatred, the constant pain. The mere thought of it sickens my stomach."

Talwin clasped my hand and held tight, "I can understand that."

"All that pain and anguish came rushing to the surface, and I lost control. I fought and I hurt him badly. After that I ordered him to strip and banished him to the forest."

"So, this is what's bothering you," Talwin whispered.

I nodded, "I had good reason to kill the others, and I did it out of necessity. No good would have come from their suffering, and it leaves me with a clear conscience. Clyde changed all that. I wanted him to suffer, to see him crawling through the forest with a crippled leg. Unable to hunt, writhing in pain and starvation. Not only was it stupid, but I also endangered everything."

"Because if the others find and interrogate him, then..." Talwin whispered.

"The representative from the Academy was eager to buy into the story of an ancient order. But if Clyde makes them realize that I'm actually Red Eye... then everything unravels."

"What if he manages to contact the other wulfkins?" Talwin asked.

I shook my head, "Unlikely, but that's a possibility as well. In either case, I messed up."

"So what's the plan?" Talwin asked.

"I couldn't leave a transporter like I did back in Bellkeep. That means I have to go there by foot, and the area is likely crawling with soldiers trying to shore things up in case the wulfkins attack."

"So we're screwed?" Talwin asked.

I shook my head, "I gave Clyde a rather horrific description of what would happen if he got caught. Given how little he knows about Agron I'd bet he believed every word of it. So I directed him towards the mountains."

"So we approach from the mountains, and hope to find him again?" Talwin asked.

I raised my brow in wonder, "We?"

Talwin flashed me a grin, "You're expecting me to sit here and worry again?"

I made a shy smile and whispered, "It won't be pleasant, Talwin."

Talwin leaned back and flashed me a bright smile, "So? We're in this together, aren't we?"

I tipped my head in wonder, "What do you expect we'll do when we find him?"

Talwin pondered it, "Is this guy beyond redemption? Or do you think you can ever forgive him?"

I reached up, scratched my neck, and chuckled, "Clyde wasn't twisted like the others and his armor was missing the plates responsible for the spell. I can't forgive him for what he did to me, but I can understand why he did it. In either case, I'd like to capture him alive."

"Oh, why?" Talwin asked.

I met Talwin's gaze once more, "The Master's Blessing fades the moment a wulfkin dies."

Talwin's fur bristled, "You're going to experiment on him?"

I raised a hand to calm him, "I don't intend to torture him, Talwin. But there's a big puzzle out there, and the stakes keep rising."

"What do you mean?" Talwin asked.

I looked out the window, "It's something I realized while reading the wulfkin logbook. At first their priority was to find me and they used the bounty hunters to help them. It was a good plan, but priorities have changed since then and they're now focused on causing as much damage and bloodshed as possible. In less than a month all trade with Everwinter has stopped, and there are armies gathering to oppose them."

"So what's their secret plan?" Talwin asked.

My eyes watched the dark sky outside and I focused on a blimp passing near the moon's outline, "There isn't one, not for Everwinter at least."

"I don't get it?" Talwin asked.

"There are rebels back home, and someone triggered a gigantic explosion in the mountain. Everwinter is in ruins but the wulfkins are too proud to realize they're expendable. I don't think the Master intends to save Everwinter, he's planning to use it as a scapegoat while he sets his sights on a new place to call home."

"Where?" Talwin asked.

I looked back at Talwin, "Agron, and by the sound of things he has already taken control of your capitol."

788 I.C, February 22, Dracwyn: Cromwell's guild, Morning

I lifted the cage and could hear the rabbits squeak in panic. They scratched at the bottom, ran in circles, and slammed their weight on the sides. The ones back at the farm had been scared, but after my transformation their reaction had become that much worse.

Talwin was waiting when I approached the worktable and set them down. He looked tense and his expression was frozen in place.

"Do you want me to do this on my own?" I asked.

Talwin shook his head and focused on me, "No. We're doing this for my father, the least I can do is to be part of it. Besides, I'm curious."

"Curious?" I asked while I fetched a bottle from the table.

Talwin drew a deep breath, "The things we talk about. The things I'm learning. It's not something you usually talk about, it would frighten others, rile the status quo. It's the kind of thing that led to the war two hundred years ago. It's what fueled the necromancers, eternal life, power."

"Who told you such things? Taught you that concepts like these are forbidden?" I asked.

Talwin's ears folded back, "Father, the mages, and the Temple."

I unscrewed the bottle, "The temple? The Antalorian one?"

Talwin nodded, "Yes. The Academy and the Antalorian temple offer their services and the schools are more than happy to accept it, as long as they don't try to push their agenda."

"Agenda?" I asked.

Talwin shrugged, "It shouldn't come as a surprise that the temple not only seeks to expand its influence, but also gain new followers."

I raised the bottle above the cage, "I'm not sure I understand this topic at all. The only 'god' that wulfkins follow is quite real, and evil on top of that."

Talwin pointed at the bottle, "What is that?"

I started dripping it into the cage, "A sedative in liquid form. It forms a gas when released, and it'll calm the rabbits. It only lasts a few minutes though, so we'll have to be quick."

"I see," Talwin answered.

The rabbits started to calm and I put the lid on again, "I remember you telling me that the Temple and the Underground cooperated, but what about the Academy?"

Talwin huffed and smiled, "What do you expect? The Temple and the Academy hate each other."

I glanced over in wonder, "Why?"

"The Temple of Antaloria believes that magic is the source of all evil in this world."

"Really?" I asked and opened the cage.

Talwin squirmed for a moment, "Well, it's more complicated than that. But I was never a good student with these things. If you want to know more, then I'm sure the temple would be eager to explain."

I observed the rabbits, waited until they slumped to the ground, reached in, and grabbed the first one, "I'm a strong mage, wouldn't they dislike my presence?"

"The Temple accepts all people, it only asks that those with magic refrain from using it in any form."

I held out the rabbit for Talwin, "Want to do it?"

Talwin's ears perked in an instant, and his voice became high pitched whimper, "What?"

"Pinch the skin along the neck, cut it with the scalpel, insert a crystal, and sew it up," I said.

Talwin gulped and stared at the rabbit, "I..."

"I remember your willingness to eat it raw, why is this so different?" I asked.

Talwin reached out, eased his hands around the rabbit, and held it in his arms, "That's different. We were starving, desperate, my instincts were pounding in my head. I can't help but feel guilty when I consider what we're about to do."

"Using rabbits to save your father?" I asked.

Talwin glanced up with a stark frown, "No. I mean... Of course a few rabbits are worth nothing in comparison to my father. But it's the act... Toying with life like this, we're going to take their life force, and bind it to a crystal."

"And how's that different from eating it?" I asked.

Talwin was silent for a few moments, "I guess it isn't, it just feels that way."

I reached into the cage, "So what is it that the Temple believes in? A god in the sky? An old prophet?"

Talwin pinched the thick fur near the rabbit's neck, "Do you remember the story in my old book? About Antalos, Eternity, and all that stuff?"

"It detailed what happened at the end of the war, Antalos betrayed the thing that called itself 'Eternity', and the 'world was robbed of its future'."

Talwin nodded and grabbed a scalpel, "I've been thinking about it, and I've puzzled together what little I know of everything else. My parents were quite incessant about me never showing it to anyone."

"Why?" I asked and fetched another rabbit.

"Because the Temple would consider it heresy. Antalos was not a betrayer that robbed the world of its future. He was a savior that was guided by the stars and who stopped the war. Whoever wrote that book of mine didn't believe or belong to temple."

I chuckled, "The necromancers practiced dark magic, started a war, and a man guided by the stars stopped it. No wonder such a religion got traction."

Talwin nodded and started cutting, "That's probably how it went."

"Did you figure out anything else?" I asked.

"Just a feeling," Talwin whispered.

"A feeling?"

"You said there was a puzzle, and I agree. The Master dates back to the necromancers and the war. We're dealing with strange magic, and there's that book of mine. It's written in ancient Karashian, yet you understood it as the language of the necromancers. Does that mean the necromancers originated in Karashak? Did the coyotes have something to do with it? Is that why the hatred of my kind started?"

"Many questions, but who do we ask if we want to know more?" I asked.

Talwin eased the crystal into the rabbit's neck, "Difficult to say. The local Temple? The Academy? The planetarium? Or maybe even one of the coyote tribes?"

I nodded, "We'll need to keep it in mind, but for now, let's focus on this."

788 I.C, February 22, Dracwyn: Cromwell's guild, Night

"Avery?" Talwin whispered.

My mind stirred from sleep and I groaned in response, "What?"

"The rabbits..."

THUMP!

SHREE!

The sudden noise snapped my mind awake and I sat up in bed. Moonlight from the window bathed the tower but my attention was drawn to the closet where the rabbits were stored.

THUMP!

The closet visibly shook from the loud thump and another hissing shriek filled the room.

"What the hell is that!?" Talwin snapped with a hushed voice.

I focused on the closet and sensed the aether. For some reason the surrounding area was disturbed and there was life energy trickling onto the floor like blood.

"Be ready to defend yourself," I whispered and stepped out of bed.

SHREE!

I grabbed a nearby dagger, let an aetheric shield form around me, and then walked toward the closet. My claws clicked on the floor and I stopped to glance out at the city. Things were calm, no moving shadows, and whatever had disturbed the aether was localized.

THUMP!

Once more the closet rocked and I felt my fur stand on edge.

Rabbits should not be capable of that...

I stepped up to the closet, readied several offensive spells, and then reached out with an aetheric thread. It grabbed the handle, twisted it, and the closet opened with a creak.

Dust floated into the air drifted as it was illuminated by the moonlight. It was so thick that I could hardly see the cages and it made me step back in confusion. A moment later I realized that it was more than dust, it was fur and something akin to ash.

I raised my hand and conjured a barrier around the closet, it stopped the strange vapor from spreading further.Another spell created an orb of light that illuminated the closet.

What the...

The rabbits that had been placed in isolated cages were quite dead. They had lost all fur, the skin was gray, stretched, clung to their bones. All of them were locked in twisted poses and they glared into the room with beady eyes.

HISS!

The noise came from a larger cage near at the top of the closet. Several rabbits had inhabited it, but only one remained. Blood and chunks of rabbit was spread throughout the cage while something sat in the very middle of, staring at me.

Its form had grown a twisted mockery of life. Gray pallid flesh devoid of fur. Claws and teeth that had become sharp from the carnage of eating the others, and bulging eyes that glowed with an eerie blue point.

It lunged forward, slammed into the cage, and sent it falling out of the now open closet. I stumbled back in fright and hit the wall while the cage slammed into the floor. The cage door cracked open and the rabbit sprung into action. It crawled out with a flexibility and range of motion that its musculature shouldn't have allowed, and it flung itself toward me once more.

THUD!

With a rough thud it slammed into the barrier and fell to the ground in a writhing frenzy.

I stared down and was about to act when I noticed something strange. Its movements slowed, it twitched, and it raised its head with another hiss. Within moments the glow within its eyes began to fade, and it relaxed on the ground.

The glow dissipated, the rabbit stopped moving, and the aetheric presence dissipated.

Seconds ticked by and my mind snapped back to reality. In an instant I realized that I was both panting and clutching the dagger as if it was the last thing keeping me alive. I relaxed and glanced up to see Talwin perched on the bed, staring at me in horror.

788 I.C, February 23, Dracwyn: Cromwell's guild, Morning

This isn't good... All this progress and now this?

"Morning," Talwin said without warning.

I glanced back and saw Talwin holding a mug with steaming tea near his muzzle, "Morning, Talwin."

Talwin glanced at the now truly dead rabbit on my desk, "Is it... dead?"

I stifled a chuckle and nodded, "Yes, it is."

Talwin glanced back at the staircase, "I left your mug of tea downstairs."

"... Why?" I asked in wonder.

Talwin pointed at the table with one claw, "To get you away from that... thing."

I smirked and glanced at the table, "What if I leave... and it wakes up again?"

A shiver ran through Talwin and he gritted his teeth, "Not funny!"

I stood tall and stretched, "Fine, I could use a nice cup of tea and some fresh air."

Talwin nodded, headed down the stairs, and I followed. I then fetched the tea and joined him in the salon by an open window. The fresh air rustled the curtains and Talwin sipped his tea while keeping an eye on me.

"Yes?" I asked and took a sip of my own.

"What the hell happened last night?" Talwin asked.

"I don't know for sure, but I have a vague theory," I said.

Talwin eyed me carefully, "Rabbits are supposed to be nice and cuddly, not undead shrieking monsters that want to eat you. Please tell me that this was an isolated incident?"

I cocked my head, "Well..."

Talwin glared in response and I stifled a chuckle, "Relax, Talwin. The crystals were meant to extract the aetheric life-force, and that's precisely what it did. It's just that the effect was a lot harsher than I expected, and it distorted that energy along the way."

"Distorted?" Talwin asked.

"The unconscious barrier does more than keep your aetheric energy from leaking out. It keeps things from getting inside. It's like an aetheric variant of blood poisoning."

Talwin's eyes widened, "And the life crystals?"

I raised my hand to calm him, "The energy of the life crystal isn't directly injected. It's placed in the stomach like food, and your body is allowed to absorb it as it will. Thereby purifying it."

Talwin nodded, "I see, and you were saying?"

"The crystal feeds on life energy in a rather crude manner. It rips the host open and allows all manner of filth to enter and distort it. It's only reasonable to expect that such a process would trigger a fight-or-flight response. In fact, the process might trigger something far worse."

"In this case... an undead rabbit?" Talwin asked.

I looked out the window, "The rabbit felt its energy draining and it sought to stop it, somehow. Perhaps it lashed out at the others in sheer panic? But the point is that once it found a way to nurture its corrupted state. To feast on the life energy of others, then it clung to that solution."

"And kept going..." Talwin whispered.

I nodded, "For each one it killed, the longer it clung to life. The longer it lived, the more distorted it grew."

Talwin sighed and looked into his mug, "It sought to escape, and it felt our presence in the aether."

"Once the energy faded, it died, permanently."

Talwin looked up, "I wonder if this is how the undead came to be. A mistake made while trying to save others."

"Maybe, but I'm afraid that things get worse," I said.

Talwin squeezed his mug, "I'm almost afraid to ask."

I sighed, "We'll need to do it again, and we'll need a lot more rabbits."

Talwin stepped closer and snapped at me, "What!?"

I eased back and felt my ears fold back, "The crystals are horribly inefficient at their task. Most of the life energy just leaks out."

Talwin opened his muzzle to speak, and then hesitated, "But... I..."

I drew a deep breath, "This is your decision, Talwin. If you say we stop, then we stop."

Talwin stepped back with a pained expression, "But without the crystals... Then..."

I made an understanding nod, "I know, Talwin."

Talwin bit his lip and his tail lashed in frustration, "The crystals you brought from Everwinter, how were they made? Did you have farms dedicated to harvesting life?"

I sighed, "No, we didn't. Most likely they used subjects that are far more potent. Humans, beastkin, perhaps people from the caravans they caught."

Talwin turned around and gulped, "I need to think about this."

788 I.C, February 23, Dracwyn: Cromwell's guild, Evening

It was late at night, calm and quiet. Almost a bit cold as a draft pulled through the tower.

I focused on the table and realized that it must have seemed quite macabre. One side was filled with rabbit carcasses, and the other was occupied by pieces carved out of wulfkins. All of them featured crystalline growths but each was unique in their own way.

The crystal in the rabbit was light blue, and quite robust. It was made from Rastlin's recipe and had managed to absorb a small amount of life energy.

Next to it was a chunk of Cujo's ribcage, it was twisted, jagged with crystalline growths, and its once rich blue hue was starting to darken. I raised my scalpel and poked at the flesh clinging to it, to my surprise it resisted, and seemed to have hardened.

The spell may have faded... But it's still changing for some reason...

Settled beside it was a piece harvested from a younger wulfkin. The crystal on it was changing hue as well, but the flesh was starting to rot, as one would expect from the remains of a once living being.

The wulfkin alpha was old... Whatever spell that lived in the crystal had that much longer to do its work...

I dropped the scalpel, leaned back in the chair and sighed in frustration.

I'm not an alchemist at heart... I'm a mage... I study the aether...

It made me glance over at a small box in the corner, where I had hid the armor-plates. I could still sense the lingering energy inside them but I felt hesitant to study them.

Clyde was exposed to it... If he has started to become like the others... Then I'll know it's infectious...

A thought rose in my mind and lingered.

You're searching for things to keep you busy... Talwin is the one that needs help at the moment...

I rubbed my temple as I pondered it. We'd need a warehouse of rabbits, and weeks of time to harvest proper crystals.

Think... There has to be a better solution...

The chain around my neck rustled and the Star on my chest shifted a little. I felt it with my hand, and fished it out of my shirt.

The Star... The reason all of this started... The Master's source of power...

I had felt its power in the forest, it had fed on the deer we fell and I had felt a surge of energy.

A hunger for life...

I clutched the Star in my hand and focused on it. Within the aether it had no presence, it was practically invisible apart from the times when I felt it activate.

What triggers it? Death? Large gatherings of people? Or...

I tipped my head a little.

Anxiety... Fear... Hunger... Intense emotion... If I'm the one who triggers it... Then...

My hand tightened and I glared at the Star while trying to rile myself.

Useless... We came this far... Yet when it matters most we get stuck...

I closed my eyes and whispered, "No, not frustration. Anger, hunger..."

For a moment I was back in Everwinter, during training with Doros and the others. The massive wulfkin mocked me, pushed me around, riled the others to hunt and torment me.

One day, Doros... You will burn... I promise it...

I opened my eyes and this time I could see movement within the Star. Its dark depths swirled, shifted, and there was a presence in my hand, thrumming with power.

An instrument of hatred and anger... How lovely...

I rose from the chair, plucked a crystal from my worktable, and walked over to a crate holding one of the few rabbits we had left. The pitiable creature skittered over to a corner, huddled, and then sat there looking up with beady eyes.

Sorry about this...

With the star in one hand and my palm aimed at the rabbit I focused on the same sensation I had felt during the hunt.

Hunger... To feed...

I breathed through my nose, caught its scent, and imagined it in my jaws. My thoughts called out to the beast within me, and I felt it stir. My muzzle opened, my lips trembled in anticipation to taste it, and I licked my chops.

A dot formed within the depths of the Star and while faint, it started to grow. The glow swirled within the Star and its light began to bathe the room. It grew warm in my hand and I felt a trickle of energy ripple through my arm. Fur stood on end as I felt it traverse my arm and chest before it surged into my hand that was aimed at the rabbit.

The reddish glow bloomed from my fur and jolts of energy began to dart between my fingertips. A presence grew in my mind, a faint whisper that was impossible to put into words, yet relayed a sensation that carried meaning.

Satisfaction...

Threads of aetheric energy reached out from my fingertips. They glowed red and danced through the air with the elegance of dispersing smoke. The whisper grew in my mind and the sensation shifted.

Joy... Relief...

The threads of energy grew jagged like spikes and with a surge of activity they plunged into the rabbit!

Excitement! Delight!

I had expected the rabbit's life to be shredded, instead the jagged spikes spread like an infestation. It absorbed the energy, twisted it into its own form, and made the rabbit twitch in shock. I tried to pull back in fear of what was going on, yet I found myself mesmerized as I watched it.

In desperation I focused on the presence in my mind, and posed a question.

What are you?

To my surprise the whisper shifted in tone and meaning.

Confusion... Wonder...

I shifted my thoughts for a moment and tried not to think of words, but rather of concepts and emotion that would relay my question. The answer came in an instant and I felt new concepts flare in my mind.

The Star is a tool to be used... To fulfill one's purpose is a goal onto itself... It pleases the Star to be used...

The aetheric threads began to pull on the rabbit, and with a sudden twist it pulled the rabbit's essence in a single go. The rabbit slumped to the ground, dead, devoid of energy, nothing more than a pile of raw materials.

To my horror the now hovering essence was still in the shape of a rabbit, and it twisted in the air as if still alive. Within moments that visage began to collapse on itself and coalesced into a ball of twirling red energy.

It ripped the aetheric energy from its host... Without loss... This is why the Star is critical for the Master...

My mind felt strained and I tried to focus as I held up the crystal and thought.

There... In there... Into the crystal...

The Star's whisper grew more coherent. It willingly complied with my wishes, perhaps out of gratitude to finally be of use once more. A moment later a conduit formed between the two, and the energy rushed into the crystal.

A few seconds later the reddish ball of energy faded, and the crystal glowed as it changed hue. From pale blue, to intense red, it grew in radiance before settling on a green color. The glow of the Star faded, the room grew dark once more, and I was left with a crystal that shimmered with the pure essence of life.

788 I.C, February 23, Dracwyn: Cromwell's guild, Night

I set my paw on the last step and heard a gentle creak from the staircase. It made me grit my teeth in irritation while I eased onto the floor and raised my nose.

Talwin's scent still lingered in the air and I followed it to the salon. I then glanced into the dark room, and saw him sitting by the bar. A spell cloaked my presence in the aether, and I slipped inside with gentle steps on the carpeted floor.

I circled him in the darkness and caught his expression. Ears hanging low, slack tail, a defeated look made worse by a deep stare into a glass of some kind.

The air doesn't smell of alcohol... Most likely water... Good boy, Talwin...

Talwin tipped his head and made a deep troubled sigh. A moment later his tail swished and he clenched his hands while muttering something under his breath.

In silence I moved up behind him, and let my breath tickle his ear. It made him flinch for a moment but didn't wake him from his trance.

It's strange...

I held my arms out wide, and then eased them around him. In an instant he stiffened like a statue and his breath shuddered. He then glanced with the moonlight trickling over his fur.

Talwin gulped and his lips wavered for a moment, "Avery, I-"

I've discovered something amazing...

"Shh," I hushed him.

And terrifying at the same time...

I raised my hand to make him focus on it, and then eased it onto the bar.

Yet all I can think of...

I dropped the contents and lifted my hand to reveal three crystals that glittered with a green glow.

Is a way to ease you pain...

"This time, there's no need to make hard choices," I whispered.