"I had expected there to be more…" Benny trailed off as he searched for a word. "...substance."

  They were traveling in a tight pack, concealed by a manifestation Rolland had created. The mounts had been left at the cliff, untied. Whether or not they retrieved them would be left to chance.

  "It's way more than I would have expected," Cal commented as they stepped over the rubble. In stark contrast to their destination—the tower—it was gleaming white. "We didn't see anything above ground."

  He'd blocked out the annoying whisper informing him of what he trod over. It was like a broken record, replaying the same word over and over again.

  Cal liked to think he'd been around the Waste more than your average Joe. And by liked to think, he meant he absolutely had. He didn't doubt there were people who had seen more of it than him, but that number could be counted on a single hand. Maybe two, if he was being extremely generous.

  And in all that traveling, the best he'd seen were scattered bricks, a coin or two, and bits of porcelain. This place was aptly called the Waste, and so he never would have believed any trace of a city would be left. Let alone a massive tower.

  "I almost would have preferred it if there was nothing," Lily said, glancing at a wall. There was a blackened silhouette on it, resembling that of a shadow. "I feel like I'm being judged."

  It was not the first such marking they'd found. In fact, many of the walls facing that direction sported similar features. He'd not realized what it was originally, but the repeated occurrences jogged an obscure memory.

  Intense light bleached the surroundings, whether stone or concrete. If that light was blocked by something, it would create what appeared to be a shadow of whatever stood in the way.

  He'd lost count of how many people he'd passed.

  "They would smile on us," Rolland said, his voice deep with conviction. He was in the lead, holding one hand outstretched. There was a look of concentration on his face as he did his best to prevent any excess magic from leaking. They wouldn't want their future hosts to sense something amiss. "What could be more noble than rescuing another of their descendants and putting a demon to the blade?"

  Ignoring the whole ancestor part, which Cal only ever played lip service to, Rolland was on the mark. That was the nice thing about one side having demons; it made them unequivocally the bad guys.

  "Realistically," Cal began, recalling a recent memory. "They'd look at us in utter confusion. We're a bit different from them." Lily and Benny turned to him with questioning looks, and he continued. "There's an exhibit at the museum that shows what I'm talking about."

  Evidently, that wasn't enough for them to drop their stares.

  "Oh? I didn't realize how long you'd spent prior to my arrival." The looks shifted to the prince, who spared them a small smile. "I interrupted Callum's visit there. I believe he was attempting to abscond with some of the displays."

  That wasn't true. He hadn't decided he would; he was simply testing if he could.

  "I was curious," Cal gave himself a brief defense before firing back. "And I seem to remember you being the one to end up breaking the ward. Something that I hope wasn't a fluke, because we'll be needing more of that soon."

  They knew the walkways would be warded and strongly suspected there would be redundant wards set up inside to close off certain sections. He could dismantle them himself, but it would be noisy and this was a stealth mission. Not that he didn't expect it to devolve into a frontal assault, but dreams were important.

  "Worry not. I've practiced on the finest of wards."

  A flicker of life entered Lily's face, and the severity she carried herself with lessened.

  "You mean like your own palace vault?"

  Rolland didn't spare her a glance, responding promptly.

  "Precisely."

  Cal snorted at the shamelessness of it, and a short stint of silence followed until it, too, was broken.

  "I hadn't realized His Highness and yourself visited the museum together," Benny said, a strange note in his tone. "When did this occur?"

  Ah, the boy was probably feeling left out. It reminded him that he still needed to visit the grocer with him.

  "This past week," Cal replied after mentally confirming with himself that it had only been that. It had felt like weeks had passed. "Nice place, but beware of fashionably dressed blondes. They'll lure you in with a smile and then lock you in a room for hours on end."

  He had been free to leave at any time, but social niceties had urged him to endure. Breaking them would have been easy, but Jessica had been pleasant enough. It would also be unwise to alienate the group, given the situation with Gregor and Anne.

  "You went there more than once?" Lily asked, making a leap of logic. She made no effort to mask the surprise in her voice. "Why? And with whom?"

  Accompanying her statement was a hint of accusation. It didn't concern him, as his trips to the museum were never meant to be a secret affair.

  "You guys take a lot for granted," Cal said ruefully, shaking his head. "Do you have any idea what I would have done to be able to go to a place like that as a kid? And I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but it sure beats what I had available."

  Three books, himself, and the beasts waiting beyond the perimeter. That would be enough to drive people mad. Lucky for him, the void had tempered him well.

  "I, shit, sorry. I shouldn't have—"

  "You're fine," Cal interrupted her bumbling apology. "And I didn't go with anyone, but I ran into a classmate I know." He held his hands up in preemptive surrender. "And no, I didn't get her last name, but her fiancé is from House Exporiena."

  Lily frowned at that, and she sent a heated gaze toward Rolland.

  "Let me guess, you had nothing to do with that?"

  Rolland chuffed and shook his head.

  "Believe what you will, but House Exporiena and I are allies of convenience. I hold no special sway over them. Let alone on someone betrothed to one of their members."

  Cal lagged, as usual, but eventually picked up on what Lily had been implying. He gave it serious consideration before deciding her budding hypothesis was nonsense. If Ryan was a secret agent of the prince, then Cal had some tips to provide because the sandy-haired boy was somehow managing to do a worse job than he was.

  "Alice said they were a good connection," Cal added, partially addressing her concerns. "If she's not worried, you shouldn't be either."

  He did, however, file away the connection for his own knowledge. Whether it would prove useful was unknown, but having another piece of the Empire's political landscape uncovered was welcome. Okay, it wasn't welcomed, but it was accepted.

  Slowly but surely, he'd get this politics thing down.

  "I suppose they're not officially connected," Lily groused, clearly unsatisfied. "But they flipped sides quickly. Some people call them radicals now."

  And suddenly, Cal cared again. Radical was a strong word. It wasn't bad per se, but it raised eyebrows.

  "They simply saw the logic in His Highness's arguments." Benny defended his liege. "As many others should."

  That was a good thing. Wasn't it? From his understanding, Rolland's views were rather progressive for the Empire. Which, if he thought about it, might actually be bad for the Federation. Thankfully, that was not his problem. This was an aid mission, not one of sabotage.

  "And I forgot who I was talking to." She made a shooing motion toward both boys. "Leave us out of your schemes."

  He agreed with her in principle, but it wasn't Rolland's scheme they should be concerned about right now.

  "Table that. We have bigger fish to fry and then others not to get fried by. I think we'll all agree Basem's goal is secondary to Ferguson's. After we grab him, all bets are off, and we're using the relic at the first sign of trouble. And before anyone gets offended, we didn't promise Basem anything. I was careful about that."

  Cal maintained that Basem wasn't out to get them, but their safety wasn't the man's priority. They could work together, but if he had to short him, Cal wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

  "The demon must perish." Benny was the first to voice his disagreement, his hands fidgeting as he played with his knives. "Our duty there is clear.

  On that, Cal absolutely agreed. He would not be leaving without ensuring its death. However, it would be much easier to deal with if everyone else left.

  "If Basem can't kill it, then we're better off escaping. Getting a message to the Empire has to be our priority. This group summoned a category five on the border. We can't afford to let that knowledge die with us."

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Had he not been who he was, he would have advocated immediate extraction. This was a national crisis, not a job for plucky Academy students.

  "I don't like running," Lily said, her face twisting, as if the words tasted bad in her mouth. "Hate it actually. But he's right. We're alone out here." The severity on her face lessened, and her tone turned lighter. "Buuuuuuut, let's not be too hasty about that. Some of us could use that reward."

  Apparently not him, because he was rich anyway. Hypothetically, that is, as he wasn't sure what would happen if he tried to withdraw his supposed funds. He didn't expect Lily to be so eager for it. He guessed it had to do with her wanting independence from her father, but that was her business.

  "Fair enough," he said simply, accepting the compromise. "I'm not trying to cross an ally to begin with, but if he's going to be evasive about his goals, he can't expect our full support."

  Rolland hummed, and Cal got the sense he'd been thinking about it as well. Which was good, because out of all of them, he would have the best idea of what Basem was after.

  "His survival is preferable. Leaving on his own accord provides us some defense, but Shirai will be less than pleased if he disappears. We would also not want to bear responsibility for delaying the Conference."

  Ah yes, that thing. Edin had been responsible for hosting the first, and it rotated between the rest of the Free Cities ever since. Officially speaking, it was a sporting event. Behind that flimsy mask, it was a diplomatic summit and was responsible for what few agreements the Empire had with the Federation.

  Cal had never been specifically told to stay away from it, but he was pretty sure many bricks would be shat if he ever decided to attend. He couldn't say the thought of going had never occurred to him, but Millie was pretty adamant that it was an all-around boring affair, and she had won the damn thing.

  "As for what he seeks," Rolland said in a slightly hesitant tone. "It must be sensitive in nature. With Shirai not posing a direct threat to the Empire and our current circumstances, we would do best to allow him his secrecy."

  That way would probably work out best for everyone, but Cal was curious about what could drive an Adjunctor out here. Was it enough to jeopardize the safety of everyone involved? No.

  The ground shuddered, and he took a knee, placing his hand on the ground. He dug his fingernails into the ash, holding off on injecting his magic for now. The others had copied his actions, dropping low with him.

  "Another aftershock," Cal said, his eyes traveling overhead. "We still have time."

  He studied the walls ahead for movement. They were modest in size, rising at maybe fifteen meters. From the destroyed portion, he could see they were maybe three meters thick. Slopes, indents, and curves told him that beneath the thick layer of ash, the walls had once been richly decorated.

  Disappointingly, he didn't spot anyone out on top of them. It might have been too much to ask to have someone volunteer themselves for a quick kidnapping.

  "Forward then," Rolland said, resuming their sedate pace. "We make for the base and then await Basem's assault."

  Good. It was about time he got to punch something.

  Waiting sucked. Especially when he knew there was a demon less than a hundred meters from him. There should be at least, as he could sense nothing. That could be explained by strong wards or its dormancy. Of course, the other explanation was that it wasn't there to begin with. In which case, Basem and he would have a nice chat.

  Sitting behind a heap of rubble, they were close enough to enter the ruined courtyard in mere seconds. He brought a fist up to his face, yawning. It wasn't out of exhaustion but out of boredom.

  'Seriously?'

  Lily mouthed the word to him, and he flicked a pebble at her. It bounced off her nose and Benny's quick hand snatched it before it could land on the floor. Cal closed his eyes before the scowls were sent his way. If there was one thing he'd learned out here, it was that this group could use a vacation from his vacation.

  He sat in darkness, forcing patience on himself. His trance would have made passing the time easier, but he wasn't that careless. It wasn't long before his eyes fluttered open, locking on to what they had decided was east. He exhaled, his breath visible in the newly frigid air.

  "Anyone still think we can take him?" Cal asked jovially, standing up to better see the show.

  High above the tower grounds, a whirling blizzard had formed. Bright blue ice swirled around, each rotation growing tighter. It coalesced at the center, and a flash lit up the surroundings. When it died down, everyone could see that what remained was an icicle nearly the size of a building. It hung there, tauntingly, for a split second before lumbering through the air, slowly accelerating.

  "Under the right circumstance," Benny responded, sounding parched. "Maybe not in direct combat."

  Cal disagreed on the combat part. Even if he held back, they still had a decent shot. Manifestations like these were pretty, but it didn't matter when all you had to do was rip out the caster's throat.

  The air seemed to still as the spear of ice soared past the wall. From their vantage point, the collision was missed, but it was felt as the ground trembled beneath them. A cloud of debris erupted upwards, and with it came the confirmation Cal had been waiting for.

  "W–" Lily didn't finish, doubling over and hurling on the ground as the wave of wrongness hit them.

  Benny and Rolland reeled back, the former hunching over as he fought the visceral feeling sweeping through them. It was telling—no, screaming—at them that something not of this world was among them. That if they did not flee, it would see them torn asunder, helpless to resist.

  "Welp, it was nice knowing the dude," Cal muttered, quickly realizing his words were lost on them.

  Not one to be left out, and because he realized not reacting would be suspicious, Cal directed the magic within him and promptly stumbled to the ground, throwing up. He stayed there on his hands and knees, spitting into the dirt as he waited for the others to gather their bearings.

  "This—this is far worse than I experienced," Benny choked out. He tried to step forward but misjudged it, nearly falling. "Your Highness?"

  Rolland was doing the 'best' out of them, but his posture was rigid. Cal recognized it well enough; he'd locked his limbs in place.

  "Acclimating," Rolland articulated carefully. "Temper your emotions; we need not stray now."

  Cal hacked a cough, pretending to still struggle. He waited for Benny to right himself before following suit. A screech resounded, and he witnessed a shadowy figure emerge from the cloud. He immediately pegged it as a beast, and the winged creature slammed into the tower. Its claws raked across it, trying to prevent gravity from pulling it down as it shook its head.

  "Up you go," Cal said in a strained voice, grabbing Lily by the shoulder and forcing her upright. "No time for that."

  He gently slapped her cheek, and his hand was clumsily swatted away.

  "I'm good," she breathed, blinking her eyes rapidly. "Hit me like a train, but I'm good. I can fight."

  Honestly, Cal was impressed any of them were standing. This was at a level he'd never experienced on this side. It was like they'd stepped into the hells.

  He felt the earth shake again, and a guttural roar reverberated from beyond the intact southern walkway. The temperature began to drop as he spied an array of icicles taking form overhead, streaking out as quickly as they were formed. He could feel every step the unseen demon took as it charged its foe. There was another crashing sound and parts of the eastern wall were shattered, flying off into the distance.

  "We need to move," he urged, jumping over the pile of rubble that hid them.

  He dashed forward, entering the destroyed courtyard. It wasn't an open area, instead being filled with excavated pits and twisted metal. It was clear there were pathways that were meant to lead through it, but the majority were blocked off by other types of debris. It was nothing detrimental to them, and he deftly maneuvered past the obstacles.

  "Former beast pens," Rolland noted, coming up to his side. "Counting the ones Basem is attacking, there must have been near a hundred of them."

  Yep, definitely not something ordinary thieves could pull off.

  "Not our problem," Cal reminded him, looking back to see the other two beginning to catch up. "I'll cover you while you get the door."

  He'd already spotted it up ahead. The walkway was five meters shorter than the walls and covered in dark red tile. The base was solid marble, with skinny columns starting at waist level and holding up the roof. In between the columns was packed earth. It read to him as added after the fact, presumably as a surface area for the wards. Two columns were longer than the others, starting at the ground. Nestled between them was a thick wooden door.

  Rolland strode up to it, placing his palm flat onto it. Cal pivoted, putting his back to the prince while he watched for threats. He gave a nod to Benny and Lily as they fell in beside him, forming a semi-circle. Cal turned again, and his eyes strayed up the walkway.

  A tendril slammed against the roof and as Cal was preparing to intercept an attack, he noticed it was limp. It looked familiar for some reason, but he didn't have a chance to understand why, as Rolland's voice sounded.

  "Done," Rolland said, pushing the door open.

  Cal went past him, taking point. He scanned the interior. It was narrow, around two meters, and completely unlit. That didn't stop him from spotting the metal door on the far end, the entrance to the tower itself.

  The walkway shook as something impacted the other wall. Dust fell from the roof and he placed a hand on the wall, confirming the wards were still in place. They were reinforcing the structure, but there was no telling how long that would last.

  "Let's not wait for that to break through." Cal put the obvious in words. It was needed, as the feeling from the demon had only magnified once they'd stepped past the layer of wards. "Keep your lunches in and keep moving."

  It was all he could do for them, and he started jogging down the corridor. He came to a halt as the door ahead creaked open.

  A pale hand clutched the side before a gaunt face appeared out of the darkness. There seemed to be a second of realization flicker across his eyes before his other hand emerged, carrying a stave. He tapped it on the ground, and fire jutted out from its gem-like focus. The flames twisted down the hallway before spreading out, forming a grid that occupied the space fully.

  It burned their way, and Cal raced to meet it. His spear lashed out, and on contact, he wrestled the magic away. The manifestation lost form and fell to pieces.

  Lily zipped past him, claws extended. She flipped over a beam of fire and her claws struck down. The man held his stave horizontally with both hands, meeting her strength head-on. That proved to be a mistake as he was violently flung away, his back hitting the door. He stayed on his feet, and as Lily went for another strike, he ducked under her blow, coming around her and pointing her stave at her back. It lit up, but before his attack could launch, a shadow emerged from the floor, wrapping around his hand and throwing him against the wall.

  Cal was on him next, and his spear attempted to pierce through his palm, meeting the resistance of a shell. The man sneered and stamped a foot. Flames enveloped his body and then exploded outward. Cal swept a hand down, cutting through the magic again.

  He thought there might have been a blink of surprise, but it was replaced by one of pain as Rolland's shining blade impaled the man's shoulder to a wall. A needle flew from beside Cal, pinning the man's robe to the wall. Cal spared Lily a brief look on account of her weapon choice and then refocused on the threat.

  The man gripped the rapier with his bare hand, and Rolland winced as the blade began to glow with heat. There was a thud as the side of the walkway was impacted, and Cal grimaced.

  He rushed forward with his spear, intent on finishing this before they could be interrupted. The man noticed his intent, and the fingers on his free hand snapped, flames dancing above them. A shadow wrapped around it, forcing it flat against the wall. Cal took the opening and moved to impale it. His spear met the man's shell and, in a moment of excellent timing, shattered in two.

  Whatever restraint the man had was unshackled, and his mouth parted. His head snapped upwards, and Cal read his intent.

  Cal bit back a swear and dropped the pieces of his weapon. His fist lashed out, racing to beat the man's attack. It won out, but for a moment, he forgot he was fighting a human.

  He cringed at the squelching sound that followed and pulled back the offending hand.

  "In my defense," Cal said, stepping back from the body that was pinned against the wall. Blood began to pool, and Cal shook his hand, trying to remove the brain matter. "The fucker was trying to bring the place down on us."

  He couldn't tell what manner of manifestation he was attempting, but the magic felt sharp, and it was aimed at the roof. That was enough of a tell for him. Cal didn't turn to see their expressions, patting the man down but finding nothing in his robes. The robe was plain and gave no hints of his affiliation.

  "And to think that is how our first encounter could have ended," Rolland said with a sigh, retracting his rapier and causing the body to slump down. "Come now, I'm certain there will be more."

  Benny patted him on the back, and Cal looked up. The boy offered him a nod and a slight squeeze of the shoulder before his attention moved toward the entrance.

  "One down," Lily said in an upbeat tone that came off only a little forced. "Countless more to go. Just try not to go all murdery on the next one. Okay?"

  Cal gave no promises.