Almost a week had passed since the Sage had brought Lindon to the Akura capital, Moongrave. The city looked like a fortress for evil giants. Remnants that looked like evil spectres guarded the black and spike walls. Their forms were twisted, and he had thought they were sacred beasts when he had first seen them.

  He had spent most of his time in an inn in the city. He was surprised by the number of Truegold guards placed inside for such an ordinary-looking inn. There were some Underlords too. Even now, as he ate breakfast in the dining area, there was a guard in every corner of the room.

  [Are you that surprised]? Dross chimed in Lindon's mind. [We're not travelling alone].

  Lindon looked next to him. Mercy sat, uncommonly quiet, with her staff resting on the table next to her. She did not touch her food, and her gaze was distant. Her thumb picked at the corner of the wooden table. They had spoken with each other, but something about Mercy had changed, especially when she had not exchanged a single word with the Sage throughout their journey.

  He had wanted to go home at first, but it did not sit right with him to leave Mercy in such a state. He felt that she needed a friend more than ever right now.

  "Mercy?" Lindon asked. "Are you alright?"

  "Hmm?" Mercy shifted her gaze from the window to him. "I'm," she paused. "I'll get better."

  She smiled at him, but Lindon could feel the strain in them. Her smile doesn't reach her eyes anymore.

  "Is there anything I could do to help?" Lindon asked.

  Mercy replied after a brief thought. "Maybe. I don't know yet."

  Finally, she picked up a fork and ate one of the fruit slices.

  "What about you?" she asked after swallowing the fruit. "Do you miss Yerin?"

  Lindon felt his stomach turn.

  He hadn't been expecting the question so suddenly.

  "Yes," he whispered a moment later. Then, normally, "I want to go home."

  Mercy gave him a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry, Lindon. I didn't know the Sage would take you right there and then."

  Something about the way Mercy spoke of her aunt now felt wrong.

  [Haven't you noticed]?" Dross asked. [She refers to the Sage, well as the 'Sage.' She doesn't call her aunt Charity anymore].

  Lindon tried to lift the mood and returned his own smile to her. "It wasn't your fault. Nothing you could've done once the Sage makes up her mind."

  He hadn't expected his word to sour the mood even further.

  "Yes," Mercy muttered, looking away. "There isn't, is there."

  Lindon didn't know what else to say.

  Suddenly, Mercy jolted out of her seat. She slammed the table with her palms as she stood. Some of the guards flinched, and Mercy smiled sheepishly at their reaction.

  "We're getting out of here," Mercy declared, grabbing Tsu in one arm.

  "But the Sage had told us to,"

  "Lindon, I'm taking you up on that favour. We're leaving."

  Lindon did not remember owing Mercy any favours, but he did offer to help. Lindon looked to the guards, then back to Mercy.

  He whispered softly so only Mercy could hear. "I want to go. I really do. But I don't think I should defy a Sage in a Monarch's territory."

  "The Sage needs me more than she would admit," Mercy replied. "And technically, my mother had not officially called me back to the clan."

  She waved her free hand. "Besides, you're going to get more and more homesick being stuck in this place for so long."

  Without waiting for Lindon to reply, she grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the exit.

  One of the two guards guarding the exit raised a hand. Lindon thought his hands were shaking. "Underlord," he began. "The Sage had ordered us to guard you here."

  For the first time, Lindon thought he saw Mercy glared.

  Mercy's tone was even when she spoke, almost like the Sage. "You understand that aiding me in any way goes against the Monarch's decree, yes?"

  The guard broke out a cold sweat.

  Mercy didn't wait for a reply and pushed onwards through the door. The guards didn't stop them. Lindon thought they didn't dare.

  Mercy took a deep breath and exhaled in satisfaction once they were outside.

  "Please, Underlord!" one of the guards shouted behind them.

  "Lindon, let's go!" Mercy chimed, riding on Tsu and began flying away.

  Lindon activated his soulcloak and began running after her. She slowed down so he could catch up.

  When Lindon looked at his side, he saw Mercy was grinning ear to ear.

  Lindon felt like this would not end well for him.

  [She's a monarch's daughter,] Dross pointed out the obvious. [You, on the other hand...], he trailed off.

  "Mercy, is this wise?" Lindon asked hesitantly as they turned into an alleyway and up a building.

  "Probably not," Mercy shrugged, unable to wipe the smile off her face. "But it's fun."

  Lindon was lost for words.

  She waved her hand dismissively, wiping away his worries. "We'll be fine," she assured him. "Besides, doesn't this remind you of the race we did when joining the Skysworn?"

  Lindon had ridden on Orthos then. And he felt a quick pang of absence at the thought of the turtle.

  "Yeah," Lindon answered as they leapt from one building to another. He quickly looked back and saw the guards attempting to pursue them.

  They quickened their pace.

  "There," Mercy pointed ahead towards a fortress.

  The fortress's black stone looked darker than the rest of the city, lined with purple scripts. It looked like the lair of an evil spirit.

  "What's that?" Lindon asked.

  "That's ho-, where I grew up," Mercy answered. "I haven't seen my brother since I left. I miss him."

  "What is he like?" Lindon asked, eyeing the large fortress they were heading towards.

  "He can be... hard sometimes," Mercy hesitated. "But I think you guys would get along. My aunt said," she paused to correct herself. "The Sage said that he felt that I abandoned him."

  Lindon thought of how to respond. A moment later, he said, "I left my family behind without a word. They were accused and taken by the school for what I did."

  Mercy looked at him over her shoulder.

  "Whitehall told me he protected them," Lindon quickly said. Then he slowly said, "But sometimes I can't help but wonder if they would blame me."

  He nodded to Mercy. "I just wanted to say I know how you feel."

  She patted his back gently. "You left to save them. I'm sure they'll understand."

  Then she looked away to hide her frown. "But I left for selfish reasons."

  [Smooth], Dross commented. [Way to go, dragon].

  "Apologies," Lindon replied. "I didn't mean to make it about me. I just wanted you to know that I know how you feel. And if you ever need to talk... My ears are open."

  "Not your fault," Mercy replied. "It's just that...," she paused to calm her quivering lips. "I saw people uselessly die. My people. Our vassals."

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Lindon stayed silent.

  "It didn't have to end up that way. There's not even a reason to speak to the Sage about it. She would just say that the sacrifice had brought us this far, and we'll save even more lives in the future for it."

  She turned to face Lindon and tilted her head. "I'm beginning to sound like Sadi and Whitehall, aren't I?"

  "A little," Lindon admitted.

  Mercy shrugged. "I guess their demeanour had rubbed off onto me. Anyways," she clapped. "We're here. Stick close to me."

  Two remnant guards had risen into the air and were coming towards them.

  "Don't stop," Mercy told Lindon. "Just pretend like you belong here."

  Lindon gulped. They were scary-looking remnants.

  [Overlord level, too], Dross added.

  "Dross," Lindon drolled inwardly. "You're not helping."

  [You're welcome], Dross chimed.

  The two remnant guards began making a technique, blue and green madra built up on the ends of their swords.

  Lindon cycled and prepared to switch to Blackflame at a moment's notice.

  Mercy zoomed through as if the guards weren't there, and Lindon followed her lead.

  Surprisingly, the guards lowered their weapons and allowed them to enter without confrontation.

  They landed in an empty courtyard, where a single tattoed Sacred Artist stood, punching a training dummy. His tattoos glowed purple every time he struck.

  "Pride! Pride!" Mercy yelled as she landed. "I'm back. I missed you!"

  So that was Mercy's brother. He was shirtless, revealing his large muscles. He looked like Lindon's age but he was shorter—much shorter.

  "Mercy?" Pride turned around, his voice sounding surprised.

  Mercy tackled him to the ground. "I missed you!" she squeaked. Kissing his forehead and cheeks.

  "Mercy, get off me!" Pride retorted. "We're not kids anymore."

  Lindon saw Pride's tattoos glow as he tried to push Mercy away.

  He failed.

  Finally, around a minute later, Mercy let her younger brother go.

  "Look at you," she said, her gaze drifting over her brother. "Underlord now. You were really strong. You must've trained hard."

  Pride seemed to have felt insulted by the compliment, and his lips tucked into a line. By now, several Akura Clan members had begun to gather around them.

  "Hi, guys!" Mercy waved at the crowd. "I'm back!"

  There were several fearful smiles and bows as the crowd realised who was present. Some even took a few steps back.

  "Mercy. I wasn't informed you have returned," Pride said.

  "The Sage had told us to wait for her in the city," Mercy shrugged. "But I got bored of waiting."

  "The Sage," Pride replied slowly, raising an eyebrow. "And you got bored."

  Mercy shrugged. "Long story short."

  That was when Pride's gaze shifted to Lindon, and Pride's back stood straighter. "And who is he?"

  "Oh!" Mercy yelped. She had forgotten about Lindon in her excitement. She grabbed Lindon's hand and brought him to stand next to her.

  Lindon noticed a few disapproving glares from the crowd. He let go of Mercy's hand as soon as possible.

  [Wow], Dross mused. [You have an unworldly talent for antagonising people without saying a word].

  "This is Lindon," Mercy introduced him. "He's a friend from one of our vassals."

  Pride's eyes narrowed. "You can go home now," he said to Lindon. "She's home now."

  Lindon's eyes widened. That's exactly what he wanted.

  "Of course," Lindon bowed, and he tried to hide his eagerness when he spoke. "This one does not dare to defy the words of the great Akura Monarch's son."

  "Not so fast," Mercy rolled her eyes, grabbing a handful of Lindon's robes to prevent him from running away. "He's the Sage's nomination. He'll be part of the Akura's main team."

  "Him?" The Akura Underlord choked out. "Surely you're jesting."

  "I'm afraid not," Akura Charity echoed through the courtyard. She appeared between Pride and Mercy through a wisp of shadow.

  "Greetings to the Sage!" the gathered Akura Underlords yelled in unison as they dropped to their knees.

  "I would've thought my instructions were clear," the Sage spoke to the remaining two Underlords who hadn't knelt. "Wait for me."

  Mercy didn't reply. She didn't even meet Akura Charity's gaze.

  The Sage's expression revealed nothing.

  "Apologies," Lindon pressed his fists and bowed.

  Charity waited for the Underlords to rise before speaking to them. "You all know Akura Mercy. The daughter of the Monarch and bearer of Eclipse, Ancient Bow of the Soulseeker, and the Book of Eternal Night. To fight alongside her, you must prove yourself her equal."

  The Underlords seemed like they had lost their spine when their gazes fell on Mercy. Some fidgeted, some looked away, while others gulped. However, Mercy's form seemed to shrink under the Sage's words.

  The Sage continued to Lindon. "The stranger is Wei Shi Lindon Aurelius. He rose from nothing in the Blackflame Empire, developing a Pure Madra Path and Fire and destruction under the tutelage of an Aurelius Underlord. He also owes our family a debt, and I have called him here to repay that said debt."

  Lindon didn't like how she used the word 'debt,' but he hid it. "This one is eager to serve and learn," he bowed.

  "You chose him over us, Aunt Charity?" Pride asked his expression a mixture of disbelief and rage.

  Charity answered with a single word. "Yes."

  "If your nomination goes to the outsider, then Mother's would go to Mercy. Only Uncle Fury's would remain. What if there are two of us-," Pride never finished his sentence.

  One moment, he was standing straight; the next moment, shadows engulfed him for less than a second. When he reappeared, he was kneeling on one knee.

  Mercy frowned.

  "Forgiveness honoured Sage," Pride shivered, speaking with reverence. His head faced the ground, and his long hair shielded his expression.

  "Let this be a warning to everyone," Akura Charity told the entire crowd. "Do not question my decisions when you have nothing to show for it."

  The gathered Underlords stood still, their expressions filled with fear. Most lowered their heads, while others fell to their knees or bent their waists.

  Mercy stepped forward and lifted Pride to his feet. His head remained facing the ground, however.

  "We shall treat him as an honoured guest," he muttered.

  "Good," Charity replied. Then, slowly, her head turned to face Lindon. When she spoke, Lindon felt his bones shiver. "Do not disappoint me."

  Lindon bowed again. "This one shall do his best."

  And just like that, the Sage disappeared as her form was engulfed in shadows.

  It took a few moments for the crowd to recover their wits, and soon enough, their glares returned.

  "You," Pride seethed, raising his eyes to look at Lindon. "I challenge you to a duel."

  This was it, Lindon thought. All he had to do was lose, and surely he would be sent back home.

  [Didn't you just give your words to the Sage that you'll do your best]? Dross asked.

  Well, what if his best wasn't good enough?

  "He'll destroy you," Mercy said nonchalantly. "Besides, didn't you hear the Sage? She said he was on a Path of Destruction. You're asking him to fight with two arms and a leg tied behind his back by constraining him to dueling rules."

  "We can have Uncle Fury watch over us," Pride replied, his eyes drifting to the man behind Lindon.

  Akura Fury's laughter boomed as he approached from behind. "Well, I can't say I'm not curious."

  "With him here, he can intervene before Lindon can get hurt too badly," Pride sneered.

  Mercy sighed and shook her head. She walked towards Lindon and whispered to him.

  "Don't hold back," she said. "They'll keep getting in your way if you do."

  "I don't think I'm qualified," Lindon replied.

  "You're not going home," Mercy spat.

  Lindon took a step back. He had never seen Mercy speak to him like this. Not to anyone.

  "Get that through your head," Mercy continued. "Yerin would be participating with the Blackflame team. If you step out now, you will be left behind while the rest of us go to the tournament. Is that what you want?"

  Lindon gulped. "No."

  "Then don't hold back. If you impress him enough, Uncle Fury might even spare a few minutes to train you. And he's a herald."

  That sealed the deal. A few pointers from a Herald would do wonders for his techniques.

  Lindon nodded to her. His eyes grew with determination. "You're right."

  Mercy smiled. "Good." And then she added. "Sorry for speaking with you that way. It's been... trying times for me recently."

  "No," Lindon shook his head. "I should be the one to apologise. Thank you for setting me straight."

  He thought of the numerous lives lost in Night Wheel Valley. Of his friends nearly dying. Of being hunted down by people of higher advancement than him. He had won. They had won. And he would not start losing now.

  "Akura Pride!" Lindon yelled to the Underlord. He had to hold back from apologising for raising his voice. He wasn't used to this. "I accept your challenge."

  A shockwave echoed from behind, pushing everyone to their knees.

  "My bad, my bad," Akura Fury said, scratching the back of his head. "Clapped too hard due to all this excitement." He gave a wide grin that reminded Lindon of Eithan. "Spread out, kids."

  The crowd did not take long to surround Lindon and Pride in a large circle.

  Mercy stood in the front row by the side.

  "Try not to hurt each other too badly," Akura Fury spoke, his tone as if getting ready for a race. "And no constructs allowed. Well, unless it's your Paths, but that doesn't apply to either of you. So no constructs except your weapons if you wield one."

  Lindon cycled his Pure Madra, and he quietly prepared to shift to Blackflame.

  Pride narrowed his eyes, his tattoos glowing purple.

  "On my mark," Fury held up a finger.

  Lindon doubted that Akura Pride was a pushover. But he wouldn't wait to find out.

  "Help me, Dross," Lindon said in his mind.

  [Umm, it's not like we know anything about Pride's Path], Dross replied. [But I'll try my best].

  "On three!" Fury yelled.

  [First step. You go to him].

  "Two!"

  [Whack him].

  "One!"

  [You win]!

  "Start!"

  [Tadaaa]!

  Lindon's eyes turned black, and his Burning Cloak flared.

  He was on top of Pride in an instant.

  Surprised, Pride lifted his forearms to guard his face.

  Lindon sent a weaker version of his Black Dragon's Breath at the Underlord.

  Pride bent backwards and dodged the attack, which gave Lindon time to shift back to Pure Madra.

  The Akura's tattoos on his right arm glowed brighter, and he pulled his arm back, ready to release a punch.

  Lindon met it with his empty palm.

  As soon as the Pure Madra around Lindon's hand met Pride's fist, the tattoos on Pride's arm faltered immediately as the Pure Madra disrupted the Akura's enforcer technique.

  Pride's eyes widened at the sudden loss of spiritual control in his arm.

  [I doubt he would ever forget that feeling].

  And with Lindon's Soul Cloak activated, when his hand finally met Pride's defenceless fist-

  -He broke the Underlord's arm.

  Lindon had tried to hold back, but he hadn't have enough time to gauge his strength now that he was an Underlord properly.

  "Winner!" Akura Fury announced. "Wei Shi Lindon Aurelius."

  To Pride's credit, the Underlord didn't yell and remained standing. His expression was a mask of pain and disbelief.

  "What was that?" Pride demanded.

  "Now, now," Fury waved the Underlord away. "Go to the healers. You have lots of opportunities for questions later." Then Fury's gaze shifted to the crowd. "Who's next?"

  That was when Lindon noticed the expressions of the gathered Akura Underlords. Some of those who had been glaring at him were now staring at him with uncertainty. Some looked more eager to fight. But the overall mood was much less hostile than previously.

  When Lindon's gaze landed on Mercy, he saw a faint but genuine smile.

  The courtyard remained silent for a moment.

  "Alright then," Fury said, picking his ear. "Since no one is that eager anymore, I'll start picking randomly. You. Over there. Yes, you. You're next."

  Lindon beat them all.

  The only one who showed no fear or disdain when facing him was Akura Grace. She had pressed her fist into her palm in greeting and introduced herself. She had also accepted her loss gracefully without any insults or giving petty reasons.

  [Well, it's in her name, isn't it?]

  She had asked for pointers on what he thought was her weakness. He answered them, and she thanked him for it before leaving.

  "Alright then, I'm getting bored," Fury said when there were around half of the original Underlords left. He gave a thumbs up to Lindon. "Good job, kid. I'll see you around."

  Lindon pressed his fists and bowed to the Herald. "This one thanks the Herald for his words."

  Akura Fury didn't reply. One moment, he stood in the middle of the makeshift ring, and the next, he appeared beside Mercy.

  "Mother wants to meet you," he said, grabbing Mercy by the shoulder.

  The next thing everyone heard was a loud boom, followed by Mercy's shrieks as she was suddenly dragged into the sky at a very high momentum.

  Lindon looked around. None of the Underlords would meet his gaze as they began to leave.

  "Umm, Dross?" Lindon asked. "Where should I go?"