Kael stood still for a long moment, the open world stretching before him. His square, that claustrophobic, confining place, felt distant. He had always dreamed of this, always thought that one day, he'd step beyond the blue walls. But now, as the reality of it dawned on him, Kael was still stunned.

  He was free.

  He took a deep breath, letting the wind fill his lungs, feeling the rush of freedom flood his senses.

  "Skrindle!" Kael called.

  The imp appeared with a poof, his translucent form hovering just a few feet from Kael. He floated there for a moment, taking in the wide expanse of open land before looking at Kael with a grin.

  "Wow, the outside," Skrindle said. "And here I thought you’d never see it."

  Kael didn’t reply immediately. The feeling of freedom was intoxicating but the aftereffects of the battle still lingered. His companions, the ones who had fought and died at his side, the ones who had given everything to bring him to this point.

  "What happens when the time for the Wallbreaker Ritual runs out?" Kael asked, his gaze shifting over the battlefield littered with the bodies of both his fallen and the enemy's.

  "The Master is teleported back to the square," Skrindle explained. "Any summons that remain outside become wild summons. They'll act on your last command until they’re killed, but they’ll no longer be under your direct control."

  Kael processed the information. He didn’t want his companions to be roaming around aimlessly. And there was work to be done.

  "And how much time do I have left?"

  "Forty five minutes, Kael."

  Kael’s eyes narrowed, and he glanced over the battlefield again. The Golden Legionnaires lay broken and lifeless. Grymos stood, his greataxe in hand, his scales bent and bruised. Boney hovered near the bodies of the fallen, its skeletal frame cracked. His slimes moved sluggishly, still licking their wounds.

  He had to make the most of the time he had left. This land, this freedom, was his now but the mission wasn’t done. Not yet.

  "Move the chests of gold, the bodies, the loot, everything," Kael ordered. "Get it all back to the square. Quickly."

  He didn’t need to say more. His companions, the ones who still stood, moved immediately. Gerry, despite his injury, grabbed hold of a chest and began to carry it back towards Kael’s square, his steps slow. Three Arms and Boney followed suit, hauling equipment, weapons, and the spoils of war toward the square that was still waiting for them, still out of reach for the moment.

  As he watched his companions work, Kael’s thoughts wandered. He glanced up at the night sky, the stars blinking in a distance. What if? he thought, allowing himself a brief moment of imagining.

  He imagined Lira. Her soaring high above the ground, her wings large and strong, her face alight with joy. She deserved the freedom, the wings, and the world beyond the limitations of their square. Kael imagined her smiling, the wind catching her wings as she flew free.

  But his reverie was broken by a voice. A shaky, uncertain voice.

  “Urm...”

  Kael turned, his thoughts snapping back to reality. Myke Keys stood there, looking completely disheveled. His golden doublet rumpled, his usually sharp eyes now wide and filled with panic. He was shaking, his hands twitching at his sides as if he didn’t know what to do with them.

  “Can you believe what I’ve done?” Myke muttered. “I attacked the Golden Legion.”

  “I mean, they were going to capture me. I had no choice… But still,” he continued muttering. He faltered, his shoulders slumping as the weight of the situation crushed him.

  “We lost the egg too.” Myke’s voice cracked. "What are we going to do?"

  Kael stepped toward him and he grabbed Myke’s shoulders firmly, steadying the shaking man. He could feel the tension in Myke’s body, the desperation, the fear.

  “Calm down,” Kael said, his voice steady and firm. “We were planning on selling the egg anyways. At least we got the gold now."

  The mention of gold seemed to have the desired effect. Myke’s shaking slowly subsided, and he stood a little straighter, though his hands still twitched nervously at his sides. Kael released his grip on Myke’s shoulders and Myke adjusted his gold-buckled doublet, his fingers brushing over the gold buttons absently.

  He looked Kael straight in the eyes. “Thank you,” Myke said. “Thank you for saving me from being imprisoned.”

  Kael's gaze lingered on Myke’s wrists, the golden shackles still tightly bound around them. Beneath the shackles, the skin around his wrists were burnt, the mark clearly visible.

  Myke’s voice broke the silence, a hollow laugh escaping him as he spoke, the words tinged with a bitter kind of irony.

  “It’s a mark of a prisoner of the Golden City,” Myke said, looking down at the burns. “Looks like we won’t be selling any more eggs then.”

  Kael’s expression remained unreadable, but inwardly, he felt a twinge of sympathy for the merchant. Myke had done what was necessary to survive, betray his fellow Outside Race. It seemed the Outside Races and the Masters were not too different in the end.

  “We need to make sure the gold we have will last,” Kael said. The gold from the Golden Legion was considerable. It would give him leverage, resources, but there were limits to how far it could stretch, how long it could last.

  And then Kael made a decision. He could see it in Myke's eyes, the glint of greed. He had learned quickly that the merchant was driven by wealth, but there was something else now, something that had shifted in their relationship.

  They were no longer merchant and customer. They were brothers in arms. Like his summoned companions.

  “You helped fight off the Legion,” Kael continued. “You can have a third.”

  Myke blinked, clearly taken aback. His eyes widened, and for a moment, Kael could see greed flash across his face. But then, just as quickly, something else appeared. Guilt. Gratitude.

  “No, Kael,” Myke said. “You saved my life. You saved me from an eternity of imprisonment. A quarter like we first agreed would do.”

  Kael watched, surprised by the sudden humility in Myke's tone. He hadn’t expected this. Myke was, by nature, a man who valued gold above all else, yet here he was, offering Kael a gesture of what seemed like true gratitude.

  Myke laughed out loud. It was dry, like the sound of a man coming to terms with the hard truths of his situation. “It’s not like I can carry the gold away anyways. I don’t have a cart.”

  “Your portion will be kept here till you can collect it,” Kael said. “When you’re ready.”

  Myke nodded, glancing at the distant horizon, his shoulders slumped slightly.

  “I should go,” Myke said, adjusting his gold feathered hat.

  “Where are you going?” Kael asked.

  “The only people that can help me is the Merchant Guild. They have enough reach to protect me from this. Maybe.”

  Kael had more to learn about this world, about the networks that governed it. He couldn’t afford to be ignorant of them, especially if he hoped to expand his influence beyond the walls of his square.

  Before Myke could turn to leave, Kael called after him.

  “Before you go, Myke, could you point me in the direction of Newvale?”

  ******

  The night was thick with shadows as Kael urged Shadow onward. His hooves had barely touched the ground before vanishing into the next shadow. The moon hung high above, its pale light casting a soft glow over the forest as Kael galloped through the night.

  The air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth, and the only sound was the whisper of the wind and the soft thudding of Shadow's hooves against the forest floor.

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  Myke had warned him of the outpost near Newvale, one that had been set up as part of the ceasefire between Kael and Terrance. Kael knew that if he was to move freely beyond the walls of his square, he would need to understand the men and forces gathered there.

  The outpost soon came into view. The wooden structure was hastily constructed but was still sturdy. Torches flickered along the walls, casting long, jagged shadows across the ground. There was movement within.

  A lot of movement.

  Men running back and forth, weapons slung over their shoulders, orders shouted from one corner of the outpost to another.

  Kael slowed Shadow, melting into the darkness. The sight and sounds of their hurried actions piqued his curiosity.

  Through the murky shadows, Kael could hear the voice of a man shouting commands.

  “The walls went down! We need to get ready!”

  Another voice answered from somewhere inside the outpost. This one was less certain, the voice of a man who wasn’t so sure about what was going on.

  “Ready? Ready for what? What is happening?”

  Kael chuckled softly as he nudged Shadow forward. He could see the men now, their faces illuminated by the glow of their torches, their hands gripped tightly on the hilts of their weapons, their eyes darting about in anxious anticipation.

  These were not Golden Legion men.

  And he wasn’t interested in fighting. Not now. Not here.

  He wasn’t here to burn bridges. He had no need for bloodshed at this moment.

  His thoughts lingered for a moment on a direct approach. Walk right up to the front gate, announce myself, and politely ask for a tour? The absurd idea made him smile, though he quickly dismissed it.

  He knew what would happen: arrows would rain down upon him the moment his presence was noticed. He could imagine their faces, the guards with their bows raised. No, that wouldn't do.

  Instead, Kael stuck to the shadows, moving swiftly yet silently. He passed the outpost without incident, continuing on his journey.

  Newvale loomed ahead, and Kael could feel the pull of curiosity as he neared the settlement. It was the largest and nearest human town, Kael thought.

  As Kael drew closer, the telltale signs of civilization became more obvious. He could feel the ground shift beneath Shadow. It was no longer the damp, uneven earth of the forest but a paved cobblestone road, worn smooth from footsteps and wheels alike.

  The path grew more defined, winding through the outskirts of the town, and soon the buildings of Newvale came into view. It was a small settlement by any measure, not the sprawling metropolis he had imagined.

  There were no grand spires or vast walls like Golden City, no monumental structures. Instead, it was humble. A cluster of houses, some with wooden frames, others with stone foundations.

  The town felt more like a village. It was simple, practical, and somewhat worn, but there was life here. Life, and the quiet hum of people resting after a long day working, oblivious to the Master riding through their town.

  Kael continued his silent approach, drawing closer to the heart of the town. There was a stillness in the air, a calm that signaled the town had slipped into slumber for the night. Kael had no doubt that the streets would be bustling at some point soon, once the sun had risen and the daily grind began again. But for now, it was silent.

  Kael brought Shadow to a slow walk as he passed through Newvale’s market square. The stalls were closed and the signs hanging limp, swaying slightly in the cool night air. It was far smaller than the Master’s Marketplace, but for some reason, Kael found himself intrigued by the simplicity of it.

  But then, a sound caught his attention.

  Footsteps. Fast footsteps.

  Too fast to be the clatter of normal human movement. Kael’s sharp instincts kicked in immediately. He pulled the hood of his robes down low over his face, hoping that the shadows would conceal him better. His hand instinctively went to the hilt of his scimitar.

  There was no one in sight. But Kael’s senses told him something wasn’t right. The footsteps grew louder, but they weren’t coming from the ground.

  They were coming from above.

  Kael’s eyes flicked up, following the sound. And then he saw it.

  A figure darting across the rooftops, a shadow that jumped from one wooden structure to the next. The figure landed soundlessly on the ground, crouching briefly before standing tall. It was too fast for any ordinary person. This wasn’t a town guard or a wandering trader. It was something else.

  Then he heard a voice. A familiar voice.

  “Hey, friend. You really shouldn’t ride a horse on the stones of the market. Hurts the horse's legs, you know?”

  Kael froze. The words hit him like a storm sending a ripple of recognition through him. It was Ryan, the same swordsman from the earlier days of his struggles in the square. The young adventurer who had challenged him and lost.

  Kael’s fingers tightened around the reins of Shadow, the misty horse hidden in darkness. Ryan's voice echoed in his ears, that familiar tone driving into Kael’s head.

  Ryan had no idea, of course. He didn’t know that the very Master he’d once crossed swords with, the one who had defeated him so easily in the square, was standing just yards away.

  Kael’s first instinct was to strike. Take Ryan down before he could make another move. Kael wasn’t the same fledgling Master anymore but in the moment, Kael hesitated.

  The battle with the Golden Legion had drained him more than he cared to admit. He was victorious but they had left him weakened.

  And there was something else, something in the air, something different about Ryan. Kael could feel it in his gut. There was something more, something Kael couldn’t place but could sense nonetheless.

  Ryan had changed.

  Kael considered his options. Striking first. But that wouldn’t solve the problem. Ryan, if he was stronger now, would be a challenge.

  So Kael went with his other option. Deception.

  Kael’s voice dropped, the tone shifting dramatically. He imagined the hyena creature from Tyrannix’s store. The voice came out high-pitched, almost unrecognizable.

  “Thanks, pal,” Kael called, the voice grating against his throat.

  “No problem, friend.” Ryan's words were light, easy, dismissive. “Don’t mind me, I’m just looking for someone.”

  “You have a good night, pal,” Kael said, pushing his voice even higher, before vanishing into the shadows, his shadowy form blending with the darkness of the night.

  Ryan, thankfully, had not pursued. He hadn’t questioned the voice. It was too far-fetched. Kael also had the advantage of the night. The shadow that hid him from Ryan and the shadows to help Shadow teleport.

  They slipped from one darkened corner to the next as he left Newvale behind. Kael’s mind still buzzing from the encounter.

  That was too close, Kael thought. His strength, Kael could feel it.

  The moment of tension passed quickly, and now Kael found himself returning to his primary mission. He was heading back to his square, back to the many tasks left to handle.

  But then, shouting, followed by the unmistakable noise of water splashing broke the silence of the night. The noise was at the outskirts of the town and something about it caught Kael’s attention.

  Kael turned, veering off his path and heading toward the source. Shadow moved quietly and soon, Kael’s sharp eyes picked out a large stone shrine. At its center, there was a pool of glowing water, a faint blue light emanating from its surface.

  In the pool, several men were standing in the rippling water. But one figure in particular stood out. His broad shoulders and distinct posture were unmistakable, even without the golden armor or the Thunderhammer he had wielded in the earlier battle.

  It was that leader of the Golden Legion. His golden armor was gone, replaced by less ostentatious clothing—though his presence still carried the weight of someone who had once commanded armies. The man looked ragged, his face twisted in pain and frustration.

  “Arrghhh!”

  Kael moved closer, staying hidden in the shadows. He could hear the words of the men surrounding the leader, their voices hushed.

  “Captain Titus, what happened?” one of them asked. “We lost to a bronze square?”

  “The damn square had a wallbreaker,” Titus spat. “We need to let the local army know. If those monsters from that square come here—”

  Kael had stumbled upon this place by accident, but now that he stood at the edge, watching the scene unfold, he realized it was no accident at all.

  The Outside Races were reborn here. They were not bound by the same rules that governed his own existence.

  Kael’s eyes widened as another soldier began to take shape in the pool. The figure materialized slowly, almost like a phantom rising from the depths. A Golden Legionnaire, reborn.

  The sight chilled Kael to the core. Ryan, Titus, the countless others who had died at his hand—they had all returned. Time and again, they came back, resurrected by whatever strange magic allowed them to. And yet, he, a Master of the Square, could not be so lucky.

  They could die and return again, again and again. But Kael, Lira, hell even Avaris and Vor—they were different. Masters of the Square could not be reborn. At least reborn with their memories intact.

  They were bound by a different rule, one that made failure an unforgivable sin. A mistake could cost them everything.

  And here, in this moment, Kael understood something he had not before: They don’t fear failure. Not like I do.

  The griffins, Kael noticed, were not brought back. No rebirth for monsters like them. Monsters like him. Only the Golden Legion. Only the Outside Races.

  If this is how they come back... then what if I could destroy the pool?

  The thought came to him in a flash of insight, a spark that flared brightly in his mind. What if severing the connection to this water could stop their reincarnation? Could it be that simple?

  Was that the way to stop the Outside Races?

  But Kael’s thoughts churned further. The realization struck him with the force of a hammer: What if this magic could be used by Masters?

  Could he, too, be reborn? Could Lira, Nexi, Avaris, Vor, Pathox? Any of them? What if they could tap into the magic of the pool, using it to escape death, to defy the natural order as the Outside Races had? Could he use it to reincarnate?

  He pulled his hood further down, melting into the shadows once more, slipping silently through the night passing the shrine. Kael held Shadow’s reins tightly, moving forward until he reached the top of a hill that overlooked the rolling plains.

  He paused there to take a breath in. The moon was high above, casting a silver light across the valley. The trees whispered in the wind, the grass swayed gently beneath him. For a moment, Kael allowed himself a brief moment of peace.

  But that peace was fleeting. His time had run out.

  The one hour was up, the time ticking away like sand slipping through an hourglass. Kael had no choice but to leave this world, to return to the place that held him like a cage.

  With a final glance at the view before him, Kael let out a deep breath and closed his eyes. He didn’t want to go back. Not yet.

  The world around him began to blur, fading into a swirl of mist and darkness. Kael’s breath caught in his throat as the air around him thickened, pulling him away from the hilltop and back toward the familiar blue walls of his square.

  The Wallbreaker Ritual had come to an end.

  ******