JULES

  They arrived at the trailhead Jules had spotted yesterday. Today, it made him feel no less uneasy. It was nowhere near the unnerving apprehension he felt around Judas Priest Zeke; it was much more muffled than that, but it was an entirely different sensation, still. Hard to put my finger on it, but that trail? That's not for me.

  "Would you like to find out where it leads?" Anya asked. Jules shook his head.

  "I told you, I already have a mission that I need to attend to."

  "Your friend took it yesterday. Perhaps he can—"

  "You mean our friend. I know he's an Etherealist, too. Did you know that before we spoke yesterday? Before we even crashed landed here?"

  She turned and walked away. "Loose lips. Perhaps one day, you will find out for yourself."

  Anya walked Jules through Whispering Pines for a second time. Most of the Etherealists had already dispersed from the duel and resumed their Healing and prayers for the sick. Anya fetched medicine from one group and moved it to another. She offered a prayer here, then another there. Everywhere she went, people sought her for leadership and guidance. My patience grows thin.

  "Why do I get the feeling that there's some sort of lesson you want me to learn?"

  Anya rose from a frail old woman she'd just recited some final rites to. "Do you feel the need to learn something?"

  More patience, for one, Rukia chided him telepathically from his side.

  The villagers—the Etherealists—today were a stark contrast to the ones from yesterday. They are all the same people, but no one stared at me yesterday like they are now. Hell, no one even paid attention to me yesterday. But now they watch my every move…

  "Is it true?" A little girl, younger and even smaller than Anya, ran up to them. "That he's the Seventh—"

  "Hush, child." Anya put a finger to the girl's lips. "Do not disturb our guests." Seems a little more forceful than before.

  "It is true." The girl's eyes grew wide as she stared at Jules. "I am the Seventh Sin, Wrath. But don't worry—"

  The little girl ran away from them. "You shouldn't give yourself away so easily, Wrath," Anya said.

  "What does it matter? You know, so they all will soon. Rukia's no help either."

  "Hey! What's that supposed to mean!?"

  "Let's hash it out, Anya. I need to leave, and my friends need me. What do you want?"

  "We will walk—"

  "And talk."

  "Yes, we will walk and talk—to the temple again." Jules followed her lead. "Simply put, I help those who are in need of saving."

  "As do I, but we pick and choose who, don't we?"

  "I am called to give them direction, to give them purpose. I've survived long hardships, time and time again, to help others here. To give them power over their inevitable fates." Tell me about it. "I am given tools, limited though they are, to aid me. Visions. Prophecies. Innate leadership, learned persuasion. These are all traits I think you possess as well."

  "Traits is a euphemism. More like curses."

  "I heard you helped those you love in Coralhaven."

  Jules' heart dropped; it could have stopped beating altogether. He finally felt seen by someone who didn't know him as someone—something—other than a Sin. I thought this would feel good, but it actually kinda hurts. Jules thought of the few friends he had in Coralhaven, like Sal. Of Evelyn, of Smitty and Hal. Of Liam and Azura. "Unfortunately, I failed them."

  "You might say the same of me." Anya gazed all around her at the other Etherealists. "But you'd be wrong. We did not choose a side in the War—I did not choose a side, because I was not yet born, yet I am cursed to this fate as well. Instead of fighting, we helped the fallen of both sides."

  "I can empathize, Anya. But that doesn't draw me to your side."

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  "We were called to prevent the War from touching the Ethereal Rift, though certainly not Whispering Pines. Others were called to take our resources. To take our…" Now past the temple gates, Anya stared over at the room Jules had left Katarina in. "Information. While others above them were called to govern and dictate."

  "Where are you going with this?"

  "You sought a lesson, so seek it. The Verdant Domain has the Tree of Wishes, the Arcane Divide, the Ethereal Rift, and plentiful Shrines." She turned her attention to Jules again. "I have also heard you captured a Shrine."

  "We captured four, actually."

  Anya's eyes narrowed. "I had heard less."

  "A technicality."

  "Do you seek more?"

  Jules smacked his lips. "I do. Possibly in your nation." But I'm not your problem.

  "You captured Coralhaven. I heard there was military intervention there. Multiple times with you, actually."

  "I try not to think about it."

  "What a luxury that is. Coralith's military might not be enough to contain a single Sin, but Zephyria's military, on the other hand…"

  Patience. "Zephyrs could be a problem."

  "Them and the Windjas. I hear Kazuma is still with them."

  "That's what everyone says, anyway." They entered the Silenced temple room again.

  "Jules Tideshaper, Wrath. You are in need, and so are we. I have aid and tools for you, in the hopes that we shall one day receive it back." I'm listening.

  "Do you have any more of that tea?"

  A pleasant smile spread across her face. She retrieved it and poured them both some. "In another life, I would have been an Alchemist. But in this one, I am compelled to do other work. Now, your friend. He invoked Scripts without speaking them."

  The Painter's words echoed in Jules' mind. My only request is that you be highly selective about whom you choose to pass on this knowledge.

  "We all possess that skill, even our unconscious friend."

  "I know a man that does that." Jules looked at her curiously. She spoke so harshly just now. Does she mean The Painter? Or another of his disciples?

  "Any idea where he is?" Jules placed his tea back on the plate. Anya lifted her cup.

  "You are too eager, Jules. You possess the powers of that tainted Magic. You also have Vessels and two Sins in your Party. What else, I wonder?"

  "What else, indeed." Jules took another sip. "We are up against something much worse than what you called tainted Magic. Have you ever heard of the Black Sacrament?"

  Anya tilted her head. "I"m afraid not. That Vessel that you received, that you earned, is it not enough? Is the price you paid for it not enough?"

  Ah. I finally see now. Jules took a deep breath. "I would not do it again, if I could change back time." But I still have two more pieces to go, so maybe I'm lying to the both of us. "What would you be willing to sacrifice for the others here? The ones you care about?"

  "I'd sacrifice anything for them. Anything, but them." Jules' lip curled at her response, and his eye twitched. I don't like the insinuation there. "What is it you seek in Eldertree Enclave? If Lust was captured by The Iron Maiden, then surely she lies in Sylvan Hollow."

  "You mean Sera, not Lust. Why do you care?"

  "I want to see if I can help in some small way. Perhaps you are called there by a Quest? A prophecy? Hope?" They both finished their tea. "Or the man who taught you the Inked Arts?"

  Jules looked at her. They studied each other for what felt like an eternity, waiting for the other to speak next.

  "What do you know about him?" Jules asked.

  "I know he was in Coralhaven for a time."

  "When!?"

  "It's hard to say. My visions have been blurrier since you've arrived." She leaned in to him. "Tell me his name."

  Seems there must be a price paid. "We only know him as The Painter."

  Anya relaxed back into her cushion. "I see. Thank you. I have arranged transportation for your Party to go meet him."

  I wonder what I really just gave up…

  ENVY

  Kat opened her eyes. She laid on her back and pain coursed through her entire body. Her head shot up so fast she convulsed, trapped almost in a U-shape while she foamed at the mouth. She fell over sideways, and spit and sand changed places in her mouth. Through the seizure, she noticed it was nightfall, and the three moons were all up and lit. Bodies surrounded her, both men and horse alike. Every one of the fallen bore the crest of the Elementalists.

  "Back so soon?" the man in the brown cloak, their leader, her leader, asked.

  The giant man from before cackled into the night sky. "Knocked ye out cold! I bludgeoned him to death for you." He sat near the fire, to warm himself in the cool desert night. His warhammer towered behind him upside down, handle attempting to reach the sky. "Salvos' sake, when's he gonna stop shaking?"

  "Right… About… Now." Her seizure stopped with the other's final word. Kat rolled to her hands and knees, then wiped her face clean. Or his face clean.

  "Where the hell…am I?"

  "Not where, but when. The fight's over. We won."

  "The War!?"

  "Har har! No, ya scrawny bastard. Wasn't even a skirmish. I knew you were green, but Salvos, kid!"

  "Now Chael, that's no way to treat our Scryer." The man in the brown cloak studied Kat with his piercing amber eyes. "We all play our parts, fill the roles we are…forced into."

  "Did you find it?" Kat asked. Again, the words weren't her own. "A clue to Kazuma's location?"

  "No. Even better." He reached inside his Nomadic robes and tossed a rolled up parchment to her.

  Kat unrolled the paper. A map—of Salvatica? Red X's, purple triangles, and green circles were littered across the page. Red circle on Aquilantis, another one on Shinsora. Hinomura, Zenithoria… These are—

  Another man swiped the paper from her hand, before she could study it further. Another massive man, though wider than Chael, and shorter. I've seen you before…

  "This is what you wanted? This!?" He shouted at them all. "A fuckin' map? In exchange for thirty of my men?"

  Kat stood to her feet. Chael the giant and the Nomadic man stepped between her and the newcomer.

  "It's nice to see you again, Gunner. This map—"

  "Shows us the whole fuckin' thing, ye mangy cunt!"

  "Who're you calling a mangy, you giant bastard—"

  "The yellow-bellied shit—" Chael the giant slammed his finger into Gunner's chest. "—who didn't risk his life for his own men!"

  Kat felt trapped in her body, she couldn't move it. Whoever it belonged to, now he might have been a yellow-bellied shit, as well.

  "You should back down." Neither giant backed down.

  When both men looked like they could strike the other, Kat broke the silence. "Let me see that map."

  "I said back down." The man in the brown cloak's eyes lit up, and Kat's vision faded back to black.