Jeze and Lady Kalina ran through the wasteland located outside of the encampment. The Wandering Spire loomed behind them like an ominous mountain range created by a demanding god. Lady Kalina ran fast, and Jeze kept pace despite her shorter stature and living body. Was Lady Kalina an undead? Jeze wondered.

  The teenager enjoyed the fast and strenuous pace they ran at. It allowed Jeze to let loose and clear her mind. She still felt hurt over leaving the Frostsworn, but in the end, they fought for her. Jeze recalled seeing Helga, Dunar, and Rolfe get into a brawl with Berserker Orn and the Carls while Mikal stood back and shook his dark curly head. Jeze grinned. She had paused at the edge of the encampment and watched the Frostsworn throw down their weapons and fight hand to hand. That was how they settled their disputes, and Jeze never knew who won because Lady Kalina dragged her away. Jeze glanced over her shoulder and only saw the steady stream of merchant wagons that had constant business with the Spire. No one was pursuing them, so Jeze imagined the Proven did well.

  “Move faster,” Lady Kalina said without taking a breath.

  Jeze kept pace with the pale-skinned Amber Guard. “Where are we going?” She asked.

  Lady Kalina continued to run and after a few moments she answered, “Gibelt, it is a town two to three days travel from here.”

  Jeze noticed that the pale lady kept looking up at the sky and she wondered something. “Why are you helping me?”

  “It is the right thing to do.”

  Jeze stopped running. “Tell me the truth.”

  Lady Kalina sighed, even though she didn’t really need to breathe. “The Lich wants the Hold Core and he is loose on our realm. All I know is that he must not possess it.”

  “If that is true, wouldn’t the Hold Core be safer with the Frostsworn?” Jeze asked.

  Lady Kalina narrowed her pure black eyes and replied, “I want to kill the Lich.”

  Jeze arched her eyebrows. That answer took her by surprise, and a smirk played upon her cheeks. “I’m to be your bait, then?”

  Lady Kalina paused for a moment where Jeze started to feel uncomfortable. Especially due to the unblinking black orbs that were her eyes. Finally, Lady Kalina chuckled.

  “Yes,” she answered.

  Jeze nodded and snorted, “Well, I do appreciate your honesty.” She tapped her chin and asked, “Why are you not asking for the Hold Core for yourself?”

  Jeze retrieved the fist-sized sphere from her pack. It was wrapped in a cloth covered with Runes from the Portal aspect in order to keep its energies contained. Lady Kalina’s pure black eyes went wide, and she pulled back as if Jeze were holding a pile of stinking filth.

  “Put it away!” Kalina cried as black veins formed around her eyes.

  Jeze immediately complied and placed the Hold Core back into her pack. “What happened? Does its presence hurt you? You shouldn’t have felt its power. I had it contained with the Portal aspect .”

  Lady Kalina was gasping, and the black tendrils faded from her face. “I didn’t need to feel its power. I just simply needed to know what it was.”

  “I don’t understand,” Jeze stated.

  “I do want it! I crave it! I hunger for it!” Kalina cried. Her voice turned guttural and was deeper than normal.

  Jeze flinched and she took a step back. Her hands moved closer to her sword and battle axe.

  Lady Kalina bent over and gasped for air. Finally, she held up two hands. “I’m fine, relax. I have it under control.” Her voice returned to normal.

  “Have what under control?” Jeze growled. Her hands remained by her weapons.

  Lady Kalina exhaled slowly and glanced off into the distance toward the Spire. They were still on the red sand of the wasteland and a few more kilometers from the edge. The never-ending caravan of wagons continued to kick up dust, and from their vantage point, it looked like an enormous centipede. The wagons came from all over the world to make a profit off of the Wandering Spire event.

  Lady Kalina motioned to them and observed, “None of them know the danger our realm is in.”

  Jeze growled, “Don’t change the topic.”

  “It’s no secret that I’m an undead now. I believe I am a Revenant, to be exact,” Lady Kalina answered.

  Jeze narrowed her eyes, and she slowly drew her weapons. Lady Kalina chuckled.

  “I admire your confidence. Allow me to explain. My mind and memories are slowly being consumed by a hunger within me. In order for me to remain the Lady Kalina that you know, I need to learn how to control this hunger. If I were to take the Hold Core, I wouldn’t be able to control myself.”

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  “It would destroy you,” Jeze stated. She recalled what happened to Couzart.

  “Probably, I am not sure. It could grow me to Hero Rank,” Lady Kalina said.

  “That’s what Couzart thought,” Jeze pointed out.

  Lady Kalina narrowed her eyes. “What happened to him?”

  “He was wrong and paid the ultimate price,” Jeze replied.

  Kalina’s pale lips pulled back into a grin. “Well, Jeze, you will remain the Hold Core’s guardian. Let us go.”

  Jeze jutted her chin out and replied, “No, I do not like the idea of being bait.”

  Lady Kalina glanced off in the distance and squinted. The undead returned her black orbs to Jeze and said, “It is not just the Lich who wants the Hold Core. The Elites will come for you soon. They can not turn down the opportunity to advance to Hero Rank.”

  The teenager sighed and slouched as if a heavy burden finally revealed itself on her shoulders. Lady Kalina’s pale face relaxed.

  “Come, let us get out of the open to a place where we can talk safely,” she suggested.

  Jeze looked up and nodded, and the two sprinted across the remainder of the wasteland. In moments, they found themselves in the open field where they fought the Monster Waves. The Boundary markers were still embedded into the dirt. The two were still in sight of the wagons, and they made their way into the lush forests of the Ironfist Kingdom. They ran through the woods as agile as deer and came to a stop by a stream. Jeze was starting to breathe hard and she took the moment to refill her waterskins. Lady Kalina stalked off to the side, and Jeze remained on her guard. She watched the pale lady with vigilant eyes. Kalina’s hand snaked out faster than a blur, and she grabbed a wild rabbit hiding in a bush. Jeze watched, mystified, as Lady Kalina absorbed the animal’s energy. Black tendrils extended outwards along the poor creature’s fur as it squirmed. Eventually, the rabbit went limp in Kalina’s hand and shriveled to a tiny husk. Kalina nodded her head.

  “This is good. I can feed off of animals as well. I was worried I would have the same curse as a Vampire or a Wight where I need to consume people,” she said.

  Jeze narrowed her eyes and asked, “What is a Revenant?”

  Kalina shrugged her shoulders and replied, “I only know a little, and it is a guess. But, this further proves my theory.”

  “How so?” Jeze asked with an arched eyebrow.

  “Most undead need to consume intelligent beings to exist and to get stronger. Zombies, Ghouls, and Wights need to consume flesh. Vampires can drain soul energy, but they prefer to drink blood,” Kalina answered.

  “And you?” Jeze asked.

  Kalina’s pale face pulled back into a snarl, and she growled, “My purpose is vengeance. That is what drives Reverants, and it does not matter what life force I consume as long as it allows me to fulfill my purpose.”

  “To kill the Lich?”

  “Yes.”

  Jeze narrowed her eyes. “How does this benefit me?”

  Lady Kalina tilted her head and replied, “The Lich is a danger to the realm. Stopping him will save many lives. I know you Jeze Zanchi, you are a true Adventurer. Where others flee from the darkness, you run toward it.”

  “And my purpose is to seal away the Fiendish Lord at the top of the Stronghold, which I can not do from out here,” Jeze snapped back.

  Lady Kalina looked in the direction of the Wandering Spire. It’s massive presence was obscured by the heavy foliage of the lush forest they were in. The pale lady turned back toward Jeze.

  “Allow me to explain with logic,” Kalina said.

  “Go ahead,” Jeze replied while she crossed her arms.

  Kalina tapped her chin and continued, “You have shut down half the Spire by removing two Hold Cores, and two remain in the upper levels. You effectively cut the Fiendish Lord’s invasion force in half. From the tomes you shared with me, I know that a Hold Core is needed to free the Fiendish Lord.”

  “Or to seal him away forever,” Jeze interjected.

  Kalina nodded and added, “That means the Cultist will need to find another Hold Core, which will further reduce our enemy’s fighting capability. Lastly, the Elites will also be searching for a Core within the Stronghold. The two groups will fight each other out of self-interest and, in doing so, will reduce the threat of the Fiendish Lord. So, the way I see it, the Lich is the larger threat to our realm.”

  Jeze unfolded her arms and replied, “That is sound logic, except for the fact that it primarily serves your purpose.”

  Lady Kalina shook her head. “It is the best course of action for you. Let’s be honest. You do not stand a chance against the Elites or whomever they sent after you.”

  Jeze narrowed her eyes and growled, “I disagree. I faced the Lich and succeeded where you failed.”

  Lady Kalina’s pale face pulled back into a scowl. Then it softened as she chuckled. “Fair enough. But how much longer can you do that?”

  “So, you suppose you can face an Elite?” Jeze inquired.

  Kalina nodded. “I can. I am Elite rank now, I can feel it in my bones.”

  “Show me,” Jeze challenged. Both of her weapons were out.

  The Revenant shook her pale head. “No, I do not want to risk it. I have the power of an Elite, but I am also engaged in a continuous struggle to keep this hunger at bay in order to maintain my sanity,” Kalina paused and added, “to maintain my identity. But, there is more I can offer you.”

  Jeze arched an eyebrow. “Oh yeah?”

  “I can train you to achieve Adept rank,” Lady Kalina replied.

  Jeze chuckled, and she crossed her arms to consider it. “I’m interested.”

  “Good,” Lady Kalina replied.

  Both ladies turned their heads to look off into the thick foliage of the forest.

  “Did you hear that?” Lady Kalina whispered.

  Jeze nodded and quietly replied, “Yes, it sounded like a group of people coming toward us.”

  “Took them longer than I expected,” Kalina stated.

  The teenager gathered her gear and prepared to depart. Lady Kalina held up a hand.

  “We have to go,” Jeze insisted.

  Lady Kalina shook her head. “No, stay put.”

  Jeze narrowed her eyes and growled, “Are you insane? You said you would help me keep the Hold Core safe.”

  “I did say that. And I also said that I would help train you,” Lady Kalina replied.

  Jeze’s face remained in a scowl for a moment before it was replaced by a grin.

  “I don’t want to kill fellow Guild members,” she said.

  Lady Kalina shrugged. “Good, that’s an added challenge to make for harder training.”