“I’m telling you, the man is gone,” Van repeated.

  Raven stared angrily up at Marcus Shrale’s abandoned shanty. The bitter chill running through Supenheil frosted the few window panes remaining, and icicles extended cruel spines all along the makeshift roof. Van had just finished reconnoitering inside, but the owner of the hut was nowhere to be found. And it looked like Shrale had been gone for some time.

  “Most of his stuff is still inside, though, so he could come back. What do you want to do?” Van asked, putting his hands in his pockets.

  “We have to find him.”

  “Do you think he might have the lost pages to the Star Tome? He did have two other priceless treasures related to Valius. And wasn’t there a third?”

  “When I was spying on him, night after night, I went through every scrap of paper he possessed. The third object under the glass cloche was some kind of statue, but nothing of note upon inspection. It would be highly unlikely Marcus ever had the pages. If he did, he would have restored the tome long ago.”

  “But you still want to find him now?”

  “Unless you know a better source to research Valius Shrale’s genealogy?”

  “I might, but it will take some time. We could try City Hall, but they’re notoriously stingy with their documents.” Van looked up. “It’s nearly nightfall. We won’t have a chance tonight.”

  Raven growled under his breath. “It’s one impediment after another. We’re running short on time. Let’s check the casino. If there’s one thing I’m sure of, Marcus will have the Shrale heritage memorized.”

  They turned to leave, but stopped abruptly.

  At the end of the wide, makeshift road, a large man stood alone among the snow drifts and paupers’ tents, watching them. The vagrant residents had somehow vanished without their knowledge, leaving them alone. Cruel eyes focused, and a square jaw clenched when his gaze met Raven’s. Black tendrils of hair drifted in the frigid wind, a gale affecting him little. A large bag was slung over his back, filled with all manner of long objects, some metal, some stone, and some others unidentifiable. One of his immense exposed arms reached for a sword inside the sack, and he drew it – an ebony spike lined with jagged teeth and casting a vile green pale against the snow.

  After a silent standoff, Raven finally sniffed. “And who is this?”

  He turned to look at Van, but was surprised to see he had disappeared. He turned in place, looking everywhere, but his partner was instantly gone without a trace. Not even a sound had betrayed his abrupt retreat.

  Raven grimaced. You’ve been hiding secrets from me, Vanyard von Sephim.

  He returned his focus to the mysterious foe.

  “Seems you’re ignorant to your friend’s cowardice,” the man said. His deep voice carried malice on the wind. He pointed his sword at Raven. “You should have picked better associates.”

  Raven’s eyes narrowed ruthlessly. “And you should heed your own advice. Approaching me in such a way… it would seem you have befriended Death.”

  Without warning, the man exploded into a bursting sprint. Powerful strides brought him before Raven in a moment. He brought his sword high to strike him down. An explosion crashed into the night, knocking the villain back. Rue drifted out from Raven’s sleeve to float between them. She had easily blocked the blow. Yet despite the pulsating force emanating from her pandora, the man stood strong against the wave of gravitational push, pressing against it with a roar. He drove his sword into the ground, holding himself in place. He smiled evilly, pulling on his sword to inch closer.

  Raven tilted his head. Twelve sets of black wings materialized behind his back, combining to form two larger sets. Rue’s power increased, surging from her now blinding pandora. The enemy held onto his sword, but he grimaced as he was slowly driven back, his sword trailing a large gash as he slid back down the road. When he had been returned to his original location, Raven relented, snatching Rue from the air with two fingers. The wings dissipated, and he calmly replaced her back inside his robes.

  “You mistake me for prey, little son of Mune,” Raven said scathingly. “And on the worst of nights. I’ve been itching to hurt someone today. Are you gifting me an opportunity?”

  The man picked up his sword. “You’re quite a runt for someone who masquerades as a champion,” he grunted. “Without that pandora, you’re nothin’ and I’m gonna make sure you understand that before you die.”

  Raven regarded the sudden appearance of this would-be assassin with vague interest. He withstood an attack from Rue, however, so there was no denying his strength. There was little chance the Titan would send a mercenary to do his dirty work, but many others longed to see him dead.

  “Am I to know your name before my untimely death?” he asked, clasping his sleeved hands together.

  “You hurt my little brother. I’m gonna hurt you worse. My name is Soren Davies, and I am your death sentence.”

  Raven smiled wickedly. “Ah, so that’s what this is. The deadbeat Khern Davies has a kind-hearted big brother. I’m sure he was looking forward to school, wasn’t he? Before I broke every bone in his body. Perhaps next year… after he learns how to walk again.”

  Davies pointed his sword again, unaffected by Raven’s words. “Pick your weapons. I don’t care which.”

  Raven raised his arm to the side, holding out another pandora. “I think I’ll use the sword.”

  The pandora Deep View slipped out of his hand to float. Raven touched the card with the starry night sky design, and it grew in size until it became a door. Raven grasped for the handle that formed and hurled the door open. The ethereal purple screen shivered from the chill wind, but remained unbroken. A shadowy void lay beyond.

  “Bartón!”

  The pandora entity butler appeared on the other side of the screen in a moment, standing inside the murky, shapeless space. He bowed curtly. “What is your desire, Lord Whitesong?”

  “My sword,” Raven replied.

  Bartón reached across his chest and parted his suit jacket to the side and then pulled his undershirt open, revealing his ashen chest. A slit appeared right down the middle, and two panels opened wide like a doorway. But instead of human bones and innards, a single black handle lay inside empty space. Bartón pulled the long object out and closed the doors to his chest. He tossed the black rod through the View, which Raven caught.

  The gray-hued entity bowed again. “This will be your fifth use of the Zenkanite Tompotsuu, Lord Whitesong. Three uses remain.”

  “This may seem like a trivial time to use it, Bartón…” Raven held up the long rod. “But my lust for vengeance has encountered a convenient outlet.”

  “Very good, sir.”

  The door to Deep View closed, and the pandora shrunk and returned to Raven.

  “Raven…” Rue suddenly spoke up after being strangely quiet. “Please, can you defeat him quickly? I… don’t want any more violence.”

  Before he could respond, Davies sniffed in contempt and said, “A swordfight… against me? Will you fight me with sticks?”

  Raven twisted the simple-looking rod around in his hand. Near the end that he held, the rod parted in two directions to form a rectangular space serving as a makeshift cross guard before reforming again and extending about five spans long. He held up the crude sword so that he framed Davies in his sight within the formed space.

  “Approach at your peril.”

  Davies again burst into a sprint toward Raven. He swung his sword mightily, and Raven countered. The wind burst into a frenzy at the clash, sending snowflakes whirling. Davies’ eyes widened in shock as he struggled to drive his sword down. Raven held his own sword firm, barely moving.

  “‘Uh oh!’ he thinks to himself!” Raven smiled sinisterly, pushing the much bigger man back inch by inch. “What is happening? How can this be real?”

  Raven pushed him away and then struck back. Davies barely countered in time. Raven attacked again and again, blazing fast. Not a scratch was made on his rod as it clashed repeatedly against Davies’ sharp blade. Effortlessly, Raven sliced and parried, attacked and then withdrew. With each strike, realization spilled across Davies’ that Raven was not the amateur he had assumed.

  “How can this boy be a better swordfighter than me, you must be thinking,” Raven continued, striking effortlessly at Davies’ defenses. “Someone who trained his whole life with the sword? Me! A man of the blade. A man of Mune! It’s impossible!”

  Raven’s edgeless sword streaked by the opponent’s blade and landed a hard blow on Davies’ shoulder, knocking him back. He struck again, catching his torso, then his arm, and finally his thigh. Each blow caused his foe to grunt in surprise and pain, but no blood was drawn. Finally, Raven sliced his rod across, quick as lightning. Davies’ mighty sword slipped from his grasp and burst into pieces. But the pieces did not fall. Rather, they evaporated into white wisps of ghostly effervescence. The luminescent balls floated for a moment before rushing to Soren Davies and sinking into his body.

  Davies retreated, grasping his shoulder and breathing heavily. Shock and concern littered his expression.

  Raven breathed deep, holding his rod up. “Next.”

  “What the hell are you?” Davies grunted.

  “Your superior.”

  “You are Munian, then. Khern said you were from Surlance!”

  “I am not Munian.”

  “Liar! You liar! Who would train an outsider in our ways? Especially a dog from Surlance?”

  “A fine question. And you shall have an answer: I trained under the greatest swordsman to ever live.” Raven pointed his Zenkanite. “If anyone in this place is an outsider, it is you. Or have you forgotten? Mune loves strength.”

  Davies roared in fury at his statement. He reached into his bag and withdrew a long metal rod. The material began to glow white-hot and then transformed in his grasp. The rod melded, like floating liquid, into a long, sinister sword. In moments, the transformation was magically competed. The blade glowed red, replete with emeralds lining the flat. The handle appeared as a serpent’s head.

  Raven tilted his head. “Oh? Was that titanium? A Class Four material? I bet you were saving that. Once upon a time, I never used to tire of watching a Munian use his gift to transform mere objects into mighty blades. But now… seeing you in such a state… it’s not so impressive.” He laughed out loud. “You give a bad name to your people.”

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  “Please Raven…” Rue pleaded once more. “Please just beat him quickly? Okay?”

  Raven barely heard her as Davies charged with another roar, eyes alight with new rage. His red sword blazed hot, sizzling as it struck through the snowfall. But Raven countered with ease, smiling like a devil as he blocked and immediately went back on the offensive. The power behind Davies’ attacks had been amplified by his upgraded sword, but still he was no match for Raven’s prowess. Within minutes, Raven again struck his foe three times before bashing the new sword to pieces with his rod. And again, the pieces melted into wisps retreating into Davies’ body.

  Davies withdrew, but he was alight with fury now. He produced another shaft from his bag, and Raven recognized it immediately. His smile faded as a new sword formed in the man’s hand.

  Chicoree wood? He can wield a Class Five material? I haven’t seen this since…

  But Davies gave Raven no further time to ponder, immediately attacking with a long rapier, ice blue and humming. Raven parried, but the newfound power behind the blow had doubled. Davies’ strength and speed had been amplified, as his soul meshed with the newly formed weapon.

  Raven suddenly found himself in a tight duel, driven back by incredible blows and heightened speed. Only through his training did he maneuver himself away from a disadvantaged state. After several exchanges, Raven struck hard and fast, slicing his rod down and striking Davies’ wrist. His foe didn’t drop his weapon, but Raven used the opening to cast the enemy sword aside with a mighty strike. Three more strikes followed, pummeling the man’s chest in quick succession before one final lunge.

  Davies sailed through the air with a painful shout, landing hard. He gasped, struggling to get up. Murder filled his expression as he grit his teeth. He finally got to his feet and stared at Raven with loathing.

  Raven brought up his rod once again, inviting him for more but assuming the exchange would be the last Davies invited. The silence of their stare-down was broken by the caw of a snow crow. Several dozen of the birds lined the darkened shanties and barren trees of Supenheil, watching as if to bear witness to Raven’s victory.

  Davies briefly glanced at his Class Five sword. He seemed to come to some sort of resolution before dropping it. The sword melted as if made from the snow on which it fell, and the spirit returned to him. He then reached for his belt and withdraw a small box tucked inside. Opening it, a yellow glow immediately enveloped his face. He plucked a small, golden jewel from it and tossed the box inside.

  “I’m going to kill you,” he rasped. “No matter the cost.”

  Raven’s eyes widened in shock. A Wickerstone!

  Before he could do anything else, a quivering blast ignited from Soren Davies. The golden stone in his hand burst with light, expanding as it became a fearsome new sword. A silver blade, clear as a mirror, extended forth. White wings formed a lustrous crossguard to sit on a gilded handle.

  As Davies gripped the new sword, the shine of his weapon surged through his entire being. He breathed deep, and his rigor faded. But the wind flurry caused a hurricane force to swirl up and down the street.

  Raven was stunned at the sight, but before he could react further, the man suddenly snapped, surging toward Raven with wild, newfound speed. In a moment, like lightning, he blazed a direct strike. Raven tried to counter, but it was too fast. The sword glanced off his rod and tore through the side of his face, launching him into the air as it did.

  Raven hit the ground with a thunderous plume of snow. He gasped as the wind was knocked out of him. He slid for several spans before coming to a painful stop. Warm fluid streamed down his neck. He quickly sat up, still grasping his own weapon tightly. The world spun in circles. Heaving, he touched his face, shaking from the tremendous pain. A deep gash had been sliced across the left side of his face, so deep he could feel his own bone. And the top half of his ear had been cut clean off.

  Davies roared in mirth. “How does it feel, little son of Surlance?” He held up his mighty sword, exulting in its majesty. “My day has finally come. Your death heralds my arrival!”

  Raven stood. Anger bubbled to the surface as his mind raced. How could this fiend wield a Wickerstone? To be able to successfully manipulate a Class Seven material like that… it could only mean one thing.

  “Wait!” Rue suddenly shouted pleadingly. “Wait, Raven. Please. Don’t look! Don’t look at him!”

  He ignored her, grasping his face. Concentrating, his eyes focused on Davies. The green of his irises disappeared, turned red with a purple halo. And when they did, the winter night transformed into a world of light and shadow, swirling about with the wind. In the distance, Soren Davies stood, appearing as a being of pure light. At the center of the mass of human-shaped Hydra, Raven spotted his Mantra. His jaw dropped as he beheld the form of his very soul. Eight shards of light surrounded a mighty shield with a depiction of an eye. The shards slowly rotated around the blinding shield, churning with immense energy.

  Raven shook his head, and the green of his eyes returned. The snowy town of Supenheil returned, along with the normal form of his enemy. Soren stood at the ready, uncertain by what he had just seen.

  Raven produced Rue from his robes, glaring at Davies with pure wrath.

  “Please, Raven,” Rue cried. “Oh, I beg of you! Please don’t kill him!”

  “You knew all along,” he said angrily.

  “Raven… you don’t have to kill him! You have a choice!”

  “You are wrong.”

  He placed Rue inside the empty rectangular space within his rod. She fit perfectly, and the moment she was placed, Raven’s Zenkanite Tompotsuu surged with intense light. The simple rod gained its own new form. Rue wept as the power of her pandora surged through his artifact, igniting in black fire. The dull end sharpened into a wicked blade, growing in mighty strength. A torrential wind hurtled into the night, blasting abandoned tents, sending snow crows fleeing, and snuffing out campfires. Supenheil was consumed in the dark, screeching hurricane of Rue’s amplified power.

  Davies approached again, pushing against the force, but before he took even two steps, black hands of fire reached out from Raven’s sword and snatched him up. Davies screamed, dropping his weapon. Raven floated off the ground, lifting his enemy up with him. He raised a hand, and the appendages of fire slammed Davies to the ground, pushing him with torrential force. The snow in the area burst into steam. A tornado of shrieking wind surrounded them. There Davies remained, slowly crushed by Rue’s clout.

  “Oh, Raven, please…” Rue sobbed. “Don’t make me kill him. Please show him mercy.”

  Raven shook tremendously, overcome with fear and anger. A crater formed in the ground as he increased the force against him.

  “He has a Class Eight soul, Rue! A Class Eight!” A tear fell down his cheek as he shook. “The Titan will find him! I know you understand this! He will find him and turn him into a weapon against the world! People will suffer on account of him. People will die! I can’t let that happen. I have to kill him!”

  “I am a Class Eight, too! If I were still alive… would you kill me also?”

  Raven grit his teeth, ashamed and tormented. Soren Davies’ cries of pain faded as he fell unconscious. His body was moments from being crushed to death. Raven groaned in hatred and frustration, aching to drive him through and end it.

  “I can’t…” he gasped. “I can’t let the Titan have him…”

  “This world is full of terrible things, Raven,” Rue said with sudden calm. Her soul reached out so tangibly, he could almost feel her hand on his face. “And there will always be new ways people hurt each other. The Titan is no different. But you can be.”

  Raven put a hand on his face, squeezing. So many faces of so many dead people flashed before his eyes. People he once cared about. People he had promised to protect. He raised his sword high.

  “Don’t become the villain you are trying to defeat. Let him go. You are a good man.

  “Let him go.”

  Raven shouted in rage and sadness.

  Then, he relented.

  The hands of flame receded, returning to Raven’s sword. The wind died. He floated back to the ground and hung his head. Wisps of smoke issued from Davies’ body, but he remained alive. His once magnificent sword faded to ether.

  Raven stood in silence for a long while, looking down at his fallen foe tiredly.

  “One day… the Titan will find this man,” he finally said. “He will find Soren Davies. He will find him, and he will kill him and turn his soul into a devastating pandora. It’s just a matter of time.”

  “Perhaps. But what you did was right,” Rue replied comfortingly. “Tonight, you proved your worth. And that worth will shine in the final days.”

  He nodded. But anger and sadness still afflicted him. Would the soul of Soren Davies one day become a weapon as strong as Rue? Perhaps stronger? And more importantly… would it lead to the failure of his vengeance?

  “Raven Whitesong.”

  He looked up. Standing some distance away was Sarratica Lively. Raven hadn’t sensed her presence, and it seemed Rue hadn’t either. She slowly approached, still holding the jade mask to her face. For a few moments, they looked down at Soren Davies together in silence.

  “What are you doing here?” Raven finally asked.

  “I have been watching you.”

  “So, it would seem. Why?”

  “You need medical attention. You may not even be able to feel it, but your face is tremendously injured.”

  “Pay it no attention,” he replied. “What is it you want from me?”

  “What transpired just now has convinced us.”

  “Who is ‘us’ and what have you been convinced of?”

  “Meet me in front of the Morborium in the market district in two hours, and I will tell you. Do not concern yourself further regarding this man.” She gestured to Davies. “I will see that he gets immediate medical attention. I know how to make sure he receives it without anyone discovering his true nature. You would agree we must keep it a secret as long as possible.”

  Raven looked at her guardedly. Who are you really, Sarratica?

  But she left without saying another word, hastily departing the makeshift settlement and disappearing into the night.

  “Woah, what happened?”

  Raven turned to now find Van approaching, huffing as he ran up to meet him. He looked down at Davies and then to Raven’s face.

  “Holy Wild! Your face! You’re covered in blood. Are you alrigh—?”

  “You’ve been spying on me,” Raven cut him off harshly.

  Van backed up a step in surprise. “What do you mean?”

  “Cut the crap. You’re able to disappear at whim. And this time I felt you do it, even when I didn’t see it. And you’ve been using this ability, whatever it is, to spy on me. I want to know how you’re doing it. Tell me the truth, or we’re through!”

  Van’s face transformed from shock into guarded wariness. He stood in silence for a few moments as Raven stared him down.

  “I…” He started to answer, but then he stopped. Raven stared daggers at him.

  He exhaled, seeming to come to some sort of decision. Then, a tremendous roar suddenly filled the night air. Blue fire erupted around Van, and an apparition leaped out of the ground, charging into him. The specter formed a huge leopard that snatched Van by the arm with his teeth and pulled him down. In a single moment, Van was dragged into the ground and disappeared. This all happened within mere moments, leaving Raven stunned. There was no hole or crevice left behind. He whirled in place, but Van was gone. It was as if he had been spirited away.

  Then, the apparition of blue fire appeared some distance away, leaping out of the ground like a spirit and dragging Van along with him. In a wide arc, the giant cat plummeted back down to the ground and then disappeared again, taking Van with it. But this time, there was no accompanying roar or any other sound. If Raven hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he would never have known it happened. Over and over, this phantasm of fire leaped in and out of vision in profound silence, dancing around Raven whilst dragging Van along for the ride.

  Finally, with one last leap, the giant cat freed Van, dropping him to the ground before diving effortlessly into the earth one last time. Raven’s eyebrow rose as Van shook his jacket and then ran a hand through his wind-blown hair, completely unharmed. He produced a pandora from his jacket, one Raven had never seen before. A picture of a crouching leopard decorated the card.

  “That was how,” Van said simply.

  Raven regarded him coolly. “A Class Four.”

  “It’s how I get around sometimes.”

  “And it’s how you’ve been spying on me.”

  Van didn’t reply, but he didn’t shy away either.

  “So, you don’t deny it?” Raven said. “It was you I felt on my way to the Gold Lecher’s place, wasn’t it? And in the courtyard before I left for Reyk Zaliance? I assume there have been other times.”

  “If you expect you instantly gained my full trust the day we met, then you made a mistake,” he replied. “The fact is, I’ve never fully trusted you. I just keep my cards close to my chest… in a manner of speaking.”

  Raven sniffed. “I can respect that. So, who is this?”

  He held up the pandora. “I call it ‘Cast Off Tommy.’ It’s the soul of an old friend from school. Tommy Updike. He, uh… well, he died a long time ago, and his pandora was sold to some wealthy people. Long story short, I filched it from them. I didn’t want my friend serving some snooty rich family. But after understanding what he could do, I’ve been using the power ever since to spy and gain information. It’s the main reason I’m the best at what I do.”

  “How does it work?”

  “It can carry me to any place within shadow. And as you saw, it can even jump from shadow to shadow, carrying me along invisibly and quietly. I can see and hear beyond the hiding place, like I have eyes and ears in the surface of wherever I am, and I’m completely hidden. At least I thought I was. You’re the first person who’s ever detected me. I guess I should be glad I’m now aware it’s possible.”

  “Interesting. Seems an incredible gift. So, are you saying you trust me now?”

  “I don’t know if I can say that. I’m still a little sore you didn’t tell us about Rue, but…” He looked askance at Davies. “Maybe, I gained a little insight into who you really are tonight. I don’t dislike what I saw.”

  Raven smiled a little, and nodded.

  “So…” Van cleared his throat. “This little friendship huddle we have going on right now is fine and dandy, but Raven, you need to take a look at your face. It is really messed up. You are covered in blood. Your ear is half gone! Can you not feel it?”

  “I will be fine. We have to get going.”

  “To the Morborium?”

  Raven leered at him. “So, you heard that too?” He smirked and shook his head. “Yes, Sarratica pointed us to the Morborium, but I assume she is actually directing us to that store on the other side of the street.”

  “Oh, the one Barkley Chessex told us about!” Van snapped his fingers. “Master Cooley’s secret meeting place of some sort, right?”

  He nodded. “It must be. They both wear the same rings. I want to hear what Sarratica wants. It sounds important, and we’re due for a reversal of fortunes. On the way, you can tell me everything you know about her.”

  “What about him?” Van pointed to Davies. He remained unconscious in the crater.

  “Rue saved me from killing him. But that doesn’t mean I have to coddle him. We’ll leave him to Sarratica’s devices. Let’s go.”