JULES

  "We're not allies?" Jules asked. "Given the circumstances, and all our common foes, I have to say I'm a bit disappointed."

  "We need to leave now," Whiskers whispered in Jules' ear. "Kat is—"

  "The enemy of my enemy… Perhaps we can build off of this, yes." The Shinsorai adjusted their mask, and the voice modulation faded away. "Why did you show up in Shinsora, today of all days? And why," she crouched down, ready to strike, "did you fight Seraphina in The Shadow's Path ceremony?"

  That voice. Jules dis-Integrated Kaizen from the Sound and sheathed his sword through the sash. "We came here looking for her. I'm sure you know who I am. This is Rukia, my Familiar. This is Whiskers, and this is…another one of us. We came here for Lust, who spoke very highly of you, Odessa."

  "But why did you come for her? It seems you weren't the only ones."

  "We received a tip after the Battle of Marina Veridia from Krakenbane." Odessa winced at the name. "We came straight to her."

  "And brought down an entire army with you, you fools. To The Verdant Domain, of all damn places." Why does that matter?

  "What they say about us isn't true. We saved Marina Veridia—"

  "Don't take me for a simpleton. I know my Seraphina's heart, and I know propaganda when I see it. I'll trust in you for now. Follow me."

  Great. More passageways, but at least we aren't in the streets anymore—or the sewers, thank Salvos. Jules followed Odessa through the cramped space, careful not to drag Katarina, still draped over his shoulder, along any stray nails in the wall paneling. You'd better find us quick, Cy.

  Through a slight crack in the walls, Jules saw the Shinsorai's royal palace up close, in all its glory. A single building rose high about a courtyard, and each story featured its own terraced and overhanging roofline. Amazing, it's nothing like Lustris Haven, Whispering Brook, or Aquilantis—all of Coralith, really.

  Acid dripped down onto Jules' shoulder and burned him. Good, Kat's Regeneration has at least started, however slow it may be. They traveled in complete silence, not daring to speak and risk being caught. On the other side of thin interior walls, and large exterior stone walls, the Shinsorai waged war against the Iron Maidens, as well as the Harbormasters. Must have been the alarms we heard sound off. War follows us wherever we go…

  Odessa removed a false stone wall at the corner of the courtyard, but she held up a hand for them to halt. Two Shinsorai, wearing regal armor similar to what Seraphina wore earlier that morning, fought a small troop of enemies near a massive well. Odessa whispered a few Scripts that Jules couldn't decipher. Several invaders collapsed to the ground, and, nearby, a boulder lifted slightly on a hinge. She motioned to the rock, slid open the false door of their passageway, and sprinted into a hole beneath the boulder. Jules followed immediately, and the rock slammed shut over top of them.

  They descended an uneven, rocky staircase to a large underground chamber, right beneath the palace courtyard. A lone tree grew near the center of the cavern. Light pierced down onto it from an opening above. From the well I saw earlier?

  Behind the tree towered a massive structure constructed of crude black stone. It reminded Jules of a Shrine, but had no veil or magic flowing through it—he knew what it was instantly from the picture books he and Cyrus pored over as children. Rocky soil and dirt covered the ground, except a concentric circle of white sand that radiated out from the structure. A single, massive Rune had been raked into the zen garden's sand.

  "So this is the escape route Sera mentioned…" And the Space Rune? I guess Sera's not the only illegal secret the Raventrees have been keeping—and in plain sight, at that. Jules looked up the well, where the sounds of the waging war carried on.

  "I need to tune the Teleportal." Odessa picked up a rake. "Get ready, and make a plan."

  "I need to wake her up and find my other friend." Jules gently laid Katarina on the ground.

  "Then be quick about it," Odessa snapped.

  

  ? Activate ?

  Jules burned through all of his Healing Inked Arts, and tried adding in some Dark magic to her wounds to counteract Katarina's Holy damage. Rukia laid down next to her with her snout between her front two paws, moping. Jules grew frustrated as none of his tactics seemed to take effect.

  Damn Maidens. And the Shinsorai were no better—probably could have gotten away if they hadn't intervened. And someone knew we were coming. The only person who knew we were coming is Krakenbane. And possibly Maddie, but surely she didn't do anything about it. And fucking Cy is still gone.

  He rubbed his temple and sat down in the dirt. Whiskers growled and picked up where Jules left off, trying to heal her. Practically let Kat die out there, and she's blind, for who knows how long. And Sera—who even knows where she is right now.

  Cy, can you hear me? Jules extended his Telepathy out shallowly at first, then expanded it, further than he felt comfortable doing. Still, nothing.

  "How could you possibly hesitate to make that choice?" Whiskers practically held back tears.

  "I didn't? I made the choice once I had all the information—"

  "And you, fox. You didn't step in to help." Rukia only moved her puppy dog eyes to gaze at Whiskers, then she returned her attention to Katarina, without a defense.

  "Whiskers, I'm telling you—"

  "Summon the ghost." Whiskers abandoned his task and arched his fur-ridged back. Jules sighed. Fine.

  

  ? Summon ?

  Kaizen took his place in their little circle, sitting on the ground, in rare form. "Whiskers."

  "You fucking son of a bitch!" Jules flinched—he'd never heard Whiskers yell with such fury, such passionate hatred before. "How could you dare to even—"

  Whiskers cut himself off and looked around at the various incarnations of Wrath. Rukia, Kaizen, Jules—they all looked and felt defeated in their collective failure to protect Katarina, to protect Seraphina.

  Rukia drew a heavy sigh, and Jules felt its meaning deep in his heart.

  "I'm sure this isn't easy for you, either," Jules said to Kaizen. "Meeting her and then losing her immediately."

  "It is…not easy to lose someone."

  "And yet we could have lost Katarina. What the fuck were you thinking?"

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  "I…" Kaizen looked away.

  "Say it, you coward!"

  "I loved them both."

  "Well I only love one. And the only one you know in this world, is Kat, you heartless bastard."

  "It's not the same to me. You wouldn't understand."

  "Fuck you, Kaizen. You'd have left her in The Iron Maiden's clutches Herself for that, that harlot—"

  "Listen here, pussy," Kaizen snapped. "I gave Jules the option so he knew there was no choice but to pierce her Seal!" Whiskers recoiled, and Odessa briefly stopped what she was doing to look over at them, before resuming again. "It came with a heavy cost, and if he wasn't sure he'd lose her—actually lose her—we may have lost everyone today. I knew who he'd choose."

  Whiskers glared at him, then walked back over to Katarina, careful to lift up his tail and show his ass to Kaizen. He sat down next to her, back turned to them. "Fuck you."

  "So, Ghost-man—You knew he'd abandon my granddaughter?" Great.

  "I take it your name is Odessa." That was a statement, not a question?

  "Who are you?"

  "I'm him," Kaizen motioned to Jules. "In another life. I've met your granddaughter before. Though…in another world."

  "Then you know what's about to befall my blood. She's been identified, she's alone, and she'll be tortured, all because you couldn't think fast enough on your feet."

  "You knew her name was Odessa," Jules said. "Did this happen to you?" Kaizen shook his head.

  "Sorry, kiddo. This is an entirely new feeling of defeat for me, something with which I'm very familiar with." Kaizen glanced at Rukia. "My master, on the other hand…" Rukia rose and popped her neck, and Kaizen didn't continue.

  "I heard your voice before, in the passageways with Sera. It seems like you were talking to her, in retrospect. Advising her."

  "My city burns." Odessa ignored Jules and continue to rake the sand. "Its heritage, about to be ruined. Our most honorable festival, shattered." Chaos follows me wherever I go. "And now my son fights the Church itself, if not its most fanatic segment. He's broken the law many times over. And my—" Odessa dropped the rake. "My grandson. He will fall to the same fate."

  "What about you?" Jules asked.

  "Who gives a shit! Family is everything. Without it, I have nothing."

  OK, then. Jules meditated to calm himself down, and Odessa resumed her preparation of the Teleportal. I need to think of a plan—

  A body crashed down into the zen garden sand, right where Odessa had just completed some design work.

  "Owwww!"

  Odessa drew a blade.

  "No!" Jules yelled. "Cy—you're OK! He's with us, Odessa. The friend I mentioned."

  "Well get him off the Salvos-damned sigil," Odessa threatened.

  "Jules! Holy shit—Do I have good news for you!"

  "Cy—"

  "I fought alongside Musashi—and it was spectacular, and he sent me here—"

  "Cy—"

  "And I learned some more info about becoming an Alter—great advice, actually—"

  "Cy!"

  "Super straightforward, unlike someone else we know, and I even got some information on the—" Cyrus cut himself off and looked over at Odessa. "Uh, hey. I'm Cy! Where's Lust? And—Sweet Salvos, Kat!" He ran over to her side, and Jules joined him.

  "The Iron Maiden has some new form of magic, Cy. Some type of light and explosion from those third eyes did this to her. One melted my hand, and, well, another did this to Kat."

  "How bad?"

  "She was blind, but could still see, somehow—the third eyes, anyway. I don't know if it'll fully heal. We were overwhelmed by zombies. Really could have used you back there."

  Cyrus shot him a side-eye, then crouched down to Whiskers and pet him. "You holding up?" One corner of Whisker's lip curled up and exposed his teeth, and Cyrus made sure to rub a knuckle into it. Seems to like it, at least.

  "The Shinsorai arrived, and split us all up. Kat was knocked out. Double Integration wasn't enough." Cyrus whipped around to him, stunned. "We got stuck in the Shadow Realm, and I had to make a choice. I pierced Kat's Seal and escaped to the real world."

  "So she's a Sin, too?" Odessa asked. Dammit. "And that's why the Shadowland was empty."

  "Shadowland?" Jules asked. "I thought Kaizen called it the Shadow Realm."

  "You didn't crack the Realm, child. Only one layer of it. How do you think I came from the shadows after you expelled everyone? Rather, I should say she did."

  "Someone betrayed us, Cy, and Odessa—Someone betrayed Sera as well. Daiki, the Recruiter, after that meeting you had with your son."

  "Blasted Daiki. I'll take care of him when I'm done here."

  "Sera already did."

  "Hmph. Good girl, good girl…"

  "So what exactly are you doing?" Cyrus asked.

  "She's prepping a ritual for the Teleportal."

  "And we're going…?"

  "Not sure yet. What happened with you? It better have been worth it." Jules glanced over at Katarina.

  "I…learned a little." Not so confident in the results of your little side Quest now, are you? "I spoke with some Etherealists earlier, there's some conclave going down in Whispering Pines. I've had a weird feeling since I met them, Jules. And being so close to the Ethereal Rift…"

  "And Musashi? We're short on time—relevant stuff only."

  "Right—Got a lesson on becoming an Alter. Musashi said to—"

  "Who cares!?"

  "Right—I asked him about, uh…" Cyrus looked at Odessa. "The M word."

  "And!?"

  "He said there are three of them, and its best to leave them alone." Cyrus, Jules, and Whiskers all stared at Kaizen. Only Rukia didn't join in.

  "My lips are Sealed."

  "So who knew we were coming here?" Jules asked.

  "Krakenbane, obviously," Cyrus said. Jules noted Odessa winced again. "Maddie, maybe. I alluded to The Verdant Domain with Davy Jones."

  "Krakenbane's the obvious choice. He could have set up a trap, but I don't know why he'd trust the Iron Maidens after Zeke…"

  "It wasn't Magnus." Everyone, even Rukia, shifted their attention to Odessa.

  "Who said anything about Magnus Tharlsson?" Cyrus asked.

  "Magnus Krakenbane, you fool."

  "Oh. Guess I only ever knew his last name." Cyrus crossed his arms. "And we should just take that information as is, that you know this for a fact it wasn't Krakenbane?"

  "Yes."

  "Fine," Jules said. "You're in this, just like us. You clearly want to rescue Sera, so I'll trust you on that one. But how did you find us?"

  "I felt the Shadow Realm crack and went straight to it. I couldn't enter the Shadowlands, but the next fold was open." The next fold? "In all my decades, I've never known anyone with the power to do that before. At least, anyone who would do it."

  "And where were you when Sera was taken?" Jules asked.

  "You bastard. I'm keen to destroy this monstrosity, now." Odessa motioned toward the Teleportal.

  "Where were you?" Jules wouldn't backtrack now. I feel like an ass, but it's a valid question.

  "I felt another presence like yours. I went to investigate."

  "Clear skies, Jules," Cyrus said.

  "Seems to be a common theme when he's around," Jules said.

  "Who?" Odessa asked.

  "Patience. The bane of my existence, it seems. If he's here, we need to follow him."

  "Sylvan Hollow is his most likely destination," Cyrus said.

  "Yeah, Zeke said She never leaves there."

  "This Teleportal is synchronized to Whispering Pines, as it's the closest coordinate and we have a…prior relationship established there. I'll have to adjust it, but I need a location." Must have been a failsafe for Sera to escape if word got out.

  "Whispering Pines," Cyrus said. "Etherealist conclave. Lot of coincidences going on."

  "Focus," Jules said. "We need to find Sera and keep Kat safe. No more cults right now, and—"

  "Yeah, I know. I won't be running off on you again. Not after this last time."

  "Good. Sylvan Hollow's out of the question. We'd be playing right into her hands, and before Sera would even arrive. Assuming Patience flew in on that zephyr with the weather, he'd take it back."

  "Unless The Iron Maiden needed Lust back immediately." Cyrus walked around and inspected the Teleportal. "And Musashi just teleported me here on a whim."

  "Where else can we go?"

  "The next closest coordinate is Eldertree Enclave," Odessa said. "It's close to Sylvan Hollow itself."

  "That's where Sera wanted to go originally. Do you know why?" Jules asked.

  "Uh, Odessa," Cyrus interrupted. "Who else knows about this place?"

  "My family and Musashi. Everyone else who discovered it…met unfortunate ends."

  "You sure?" Cyrus read aloud from a note:

  

  My star pupils! Rumor is, you lost a friend. Meet me in Eldertree Enclave.

  —TP

  "Oh fuck." Whiskers scratched an ear.

  "Holy fuck." Jules gazed at the stone ceiling.

  "Who the fuck?" Odessa asked.

  "Fuck," Cyrus said. "I could have asked Musashi another question."

  "He's our instructor. Of sorts," Jules told Odessa. "We were actually going to find Sera, then go to him next. Seems he found us, as always."

  "Why wouldn't he have helped?" Cyrus asked.

  "Who knows with that man," Whiskers said. "He probably wanted to see the Sins in action."

  "So it's Eldertree, then. No one else knows about The Painter."

  "Well…"

  "Sweet Salvos, what, Cyrus?"

  "Whoah, went for my full name there, didn't you? Musashi knows him, and I mighta mentioned him."

  "Lord Musashi fights with my son," Odessa said. "The Harbormasters arrived during the midst of this chaos. And the Cat of Ninetails was with them."

  The others emitted a collective Oh fuck.

  Me, Cy, Kat, Whiskers, Rukia, Kaizen. Six of us. "Are you coming, Odessa?"

  "No, child. There's too much for me to do here. I trust you will save Seraphina; I must save my city."

  "I see. Good luck."

  "I'll adjust the Script to send you seven to Eldertree Enclave. I'll need one of you to hold the Space Rune crest." She gave it to Cyrus.

  "Sounds good, I'll get Kat." Jules walked onto the sand, careful to avoid its lines and patterns. The six of them all assembled underneath the Teleportal's arch, with Odessa off to the side. "Wait—Did you just say seven? I thought you weren't coming?"

  "Of course not," Odessa said without looking up. "Raven's going with you."

  "Raven!?"

  "CAWWW!" He flew down the well hole, through the light, though he was still a ways off.

  The door behind them burst open in a massive explosion. An unknown voice called out to them. "Come out, come out, wherever you are…"

  Jules and Odessa locked eyes. He saw fear in hers for the first time. Though Raven was still too far away, Odessa's eyes lit up, and she invoked the forbidden Rune.

  

  ? Space ?