Koa carried the pail with one arm, sloshing water falling on his boots as he carried the bucket all the way back to camp. Other than the monotonous thumping of his feet, the swaying of the oak pail, and the sleepy chirping of birds, Koa’s only company was himself. Just how he liked it.

  A setting sun glared over two hills, piercing through the leaves to reflect in Koa’s gathered water. He couldn’t bring himself to look at his own crest-fallen expression, shimmering in the liquid, instead setting his many eyes directly on the treeline ahead.

  Everyone in the Wilderness Sect had always told Koa how similar he and his brother looked. Now the thought made Koa want to gag.

  He didn’t blink, didn’t dare to look anywhere else but forward. Past the woods ahead was one base of the Talents of the Future. The largest by far, and in constant need of extra supplies. Eliane’s approval of the movement had seen thousands of clansmen from Hybrid flocking to join them. Yet any members hailing from the Water Clan currently had their hands full in another division. They were a touchy sect to deal with. Half of them despised Remus for helping lead Maris to her demise — the rest commended Remus for doing them a favour. Clearly, the mad Queen’s personality had been grating for some.

  The Feast Clan saw that their men never starved; getting enough to drink was their problem.

  With the threat of the Paladins being suspiciously silent as of late, there was little to do but train and send missionaries to the rest of Descent. That meant that Koa was assigned with water duty. With his Mark more powerful than ever, there was no doubt in his mind that a more efficient way of completing the task existed. Trekking back and forth from the base to the nearest river, day by day, Duration by Duration, was not necessary.

  Alas, Koa needed the time to think.

  There it was again. The perpetual thorn in Koa’s side; the bud of doubt planted deep and waiting to sprout. Unearthing all of his fears, all of insecurities as it blossomed.

  Ash’s face floated before Koa’s eyes. Koa shook his head, expelling the apparition.

  Koa placed his pail against the stump of a tree, took a deep breath, and sought a seat beneath a shadowy canopy. He focused on his breath, mediating for a second, drawing his mind away from the darker shores of his consciousness.

  He felt the woman’s presence immediately.

  Koa’s brow furrowed. Even a moment's respite evaded him. Opening his eyes without a trace of panic, Koa’s voice was a low whisper. “I suppose it’s time, isn’t it?”

  Through a rift of whirling leaves, weaved in a verdant green, Juniper stared down at Koa. Perpetual Sight was a mighty ability indeed. Just beyond her, the background slightly blurred, Koa could make out the wooden interior of their arboreal home in Territory Five. As regal as the towering tree was, Koa knew the chagrin Juniper had been forced to overcome when first returning to the base.

  As chaotic as ruling Hybrid was, kissing goodbye to a throne radiating Infinity was a difficult matter indeed.

  “What a peculiar path you’ve taken in life, Koa.” Juniper began without preamble. Perhaps all the formalities that had come with being monarch had chafed against Juniper. Now the ex-Queen cut straight to the point. “Marrying into another sect, joining a rebellion against Damosh . . . what an interesting character you are.”

  Koa wasn’t sure whether to be offended or prideful. “I hope none of my choices have offended you, your Majesty.”

  Koa was about to crouch down onto a knee when Juniper held out a hand. “Oh, I’m not Queen anymore Koa; let’s not play pretend. Besides, what you decide to do with your life is none of my business. Except, of course, if you were to bring shame onto the clan name.” Juniper paused for a second. A second that saw Koa sweating bullets. “Yet I am glad to report, unlike a certain brother of yours, your doing has only brought valour and honour to the Wilderness Sect.”

  Here it was. The knife plunged into his heart, handle-deep. Koa tried not to make the fact he was gritting his teeth too obvious. “About Ash-”

  “I suppose we both know the reason I’ve come here, then. Let’s not bend around the bush — Enos has your kin in a chokehold.”

  Koa’s balled fists began to shake. Why did she have to word it so crudely? Koa was forced to swallow as a tide of emotions threatened to erupt in his throat. Crying in front of a sect leader, as if she didn’t have bigger problems, was no way to act. But no matter how hard he tried to put on a stoic mask, he found it slipping.

  Tears welled in the corner of his facial eye. “First those Unbounded take Elmore away from me, and Donovan. Now they want to do the same to my only brother — no, worse. They’re turning him into a monster.”

  Juniper said nought for a long second. Koa was grateful for the pause, using it to compose himself.

  “What has he done now?” Koa slowly raised his face, blinking out the remnants of tears. “What atrocity must he have committed that’s bad enough that you’re finally forced to intervene?”

  Juniper’s poker face was formidable. Koa couldn’t read what she was thinking, what she could possibly want Koa to do. Just imagining the possibilities . . . he had to admit it scared him.

  “Are you familiar with an archipelago known as the Forgotten Isles? They’re somewhat obscure, but you must have seen them if you’ve ever perused through some world maps.”

  “I can’t say that the name rings a bell, but I may have seen the islands you’ve mentioned. You don’t mean to say that there are people there, do you?”

  There was such a thing as ripping the bandaid off, but what Juniper proceeded to say next could only be described as pouring acid into an open wound.

  “Not just people, but an alliance. An alliance whose leaders have been taken hostage by Ash. Leaders who are likely to fall prey to Enos’ fell coercion any day now. Bringing an entire nation under Ash’s control.”

  Koa’s jaw dropped and didn’t cease until it crashed to the floor.

  He paced around one tall tree, unable to remain still. He wished he could hide in the shadows of the canopy, to become as insignificant as one of the ants that were crawling across the mud. Why was his life, the life of Koa of the Wilderness Sect, seemingly so integral to the fate of humanity? All Koa’s life, he had longed to be important. To be as powerful as his brother, or cousin. Only now that he had a taste of true strength, did he realise how meaningless it all was. Was somebody’s worth as a person determined by their Rank? By how well they could tear and shred enemy flesh? By how much unadulterated violence they could stomach?

  What kind of a society was that?

  “What do you want from me?” Koa’s voice tremored. “If he’s powerful enough to take down an entire society of people, what can I hope to do? I’m only a Foot-Soldier, remember? I may have been able to best Ash a thousand times over, mere Passings ago, but the brother I once knew . . . he’s no longer with us.”

  Koa flinched as Juniper’s pale hand reached towards him. Perhaps he should have kept his tongue in check. Juniper may have insisted on an informal air, but she was still his sect leader – still a God-Graced. She could destroy Koa in all kinds of vile ways.

  “You’re wrong Koa. The Three Pillars visited me, asking for advice and assistance on how to best subdue Ash. I told them I knew somebody perfect for the job.”

  Koa bared his teeth like a feral dog. “I’m not going to kill Ash, if that’s what you're asking. I don’t care if he’s lost forever, I won’t give Enos the satisfaction of watching me murder my own kin.”

  Koa didn’t realise how heavily he was breathing. He was seconds away from hyperventilating; it was all too much.

  He had to get out of here. If Juniper asked him to kill his brother, Koa didn’t possess the power to disobey. His eyes roved anxiously across the ensnaring woods that entrapped them, searching desperately for a means to escape. Juniper was only present here through Perpetual Sight, and not with her fully powered flesh and blood body. Perhaps, with all the luck in the world, and if Koa purged all of his energy, all of his Infinity, in one explosive instance, he would be able to sneak a-

  “I’m glad we’re on the same page.”

  Koa’s eyes stopped shifting, glued now to Juniper’s hard stare.

  “We’re going to save Ash, Koa. You’re the only man alive close enough to the boy to rescue him from Enos’ influence. To remind him of who he once was.”

  “But he’s Tainted.” Koa retaliated, not letting the spark of hope settle in his heart. “Enos has branded him twice, for the gods’ sake. First, through one of the most powerful Divine Rights the world has ever seen, and now, through his Tainted Mark. He must possess some sort of monstrous form. All of the Paladins do; even Edmar!”

  Juniper’s uneasy silence proved his suspicions.

  “I love that boy, maybe the only person alive who still does, but I can’t perform miracles.” Koa’s voice rose, his functioning eye feeling wet again. “I can’t talk him out of Enos’ branding. It doesn’t work that way. Brison only has a Tainted Mark, and he’s been surrounded by familiar faces for Durations. His entire clan at his side! And still, we’re hardly making any progress. His old self may surface for a moment every once in a while, but the echo of something isn’t the thing itself.”

  “I’m not suggesting for a moment that it will be easy, Koa. And your tone is certainly beginning to rub me the wrong way.” Juniper drew closer than ever. Koa could feel the heat of her hand pressing against his cheek. “You’ll have to beat him to near death. We can’t risk restraining him, he’s too powerful for that. Those few minutes between life and death will be your window of opportunity. That’s your shot to talk him back to his past self. If you can’t, I’m sorry, but we’ll have to kill him.”

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  Koa felt an ebbing heat crawling up his throat, a rapier reply edging out of his mouth. Then he swallowed, with a croak that even he found pathetic. “There’s no other way, is there?”

  Juniper simply shook her head.

  They took a minute for the emotions swelling in the air to disperse. Only then did Koa sigh. “This is all assuming I’m even strong enough to bring him to near death.” He swivelled on his feet, placing a palm to his weary brow. “Last time we fought, Ash annihilated me, and that was back when he was far weaker. What hope do I have of winning this time?”

  “Unless you’d rather feel sorry for yourself, there’s only one option.”

  Koa understood instantly. “To grow stronger.”

  Juniper nodded, a spark of fiery approval in her eyes. “To grow stronger.”

  “And you’re sure about this? Absolutely certain?” Remus asked, for what must have been the hundredth time. “You can ask me to stop whenever.”

  “I couldn’t be more sure.”

  Remus and Koa stood at opposite ends of a field marked into the ground. This was one of many sparring areas scattered across their main camp, and without either of them announcing anything, a crowd had already gathered. A sea of faces stared at Koa, their excited murmurs reverberating across the entire grounds. A wave of voices seemed to slap him in the face, jolting Koa fully awake.

  As if the adrenaline coursing through his veins wasn’t enough to keep him alert. His entire biology was in a fight or flight sequence. Perfect.

  “Don’t hold back Remus. I need to be pushed to my limits to master control over my Vault and Mark.” Only then would Koa be able to ascend to Splintered Rank.

  He needed to be a protector. The shield of this world against the insidious crimes of his brother, and, the real villain behind all this, the puppetmaster of Enos. He needed to be able to endure the horrors of the Celestial War that others could not.

  He had to become a Warden. Whatever it took.

  Remus reached for his chains. Koa clutched his silk halberd until his hand turned red.

  Whatever he did, Koa couldn’t seem to stop his teeth from chattering.

  A line of blue flames separated the pair of them, their summoner, Aziel, situated at the side of the field, in front of the spectators. Whenever he called back the fires, they would pounce.

  This whole scene gave off the atmosphere of a dank fighting club, as if Remus and Koa were two drunkards brawling it out. Koa felt a warm presence as plates of wood crawled up his shoulders and arms. Mossy stone interweaved between the plates, and the skull of some unknown predator sat on Koa’s head. A sprawling cape swept behind him, finishing his primal armour.

  Lightning streaked up and down Remus’ own Infirnite paddings. His chains, carved out of the corpse of the Supreme Being, were illuminated from the inside by a neon blue and gold. Merely looking at the kaleidoscopic streaks of light was enough to make Koa squint his many eyes.

  Remus’ own azure flames engrossed his body. Two sharp eyes, glowing a terrifying turquoise, were all he could make out of the Vanguard’s face.

  Koa felt so small; so insignificant.

  The next second was stretched out to an eternity. In seemingly slow-motion, Aziel called out, raised an arm, and the fires dividing them both began to shimmer.

  This one instance in time, as unimportant as Koa in the grand scheme of things, was his own personal hell. The stripping back of reality. Already, he could sense the mountains of power between him and Remus. This was the difference he would have to cover in impossible time, if he ever hoped to stand a chance against Ash. Ash, who, after Koa had finally overtaken him in power, he had neglected to pay much mind to. Ash, who, now that he really thought about it, had always cared for Koa, even when his own desires got in the way.

  Ash, his brother.

  I saw him unravelling. Koa whispered. I saw him begin to break down, fighting me over and over again, and I did nothing. I let it happen.

  All at once, the fiery barrier dispersed. Remus didn’t hesitate, a swept metal chain sweeping through the humid air, inches away from piercing Koa’s face.

  It stroked my ego to see him struggle against me, over and over again. I could never admit it before, but that was why I really played along. I could have refused to fight him! Nobody cares about some ancient code of our sect. Nobody would have done anything if I ignored it.

  Koa pressed all of his weight into the earth below, a formed creator dragging him down as Remus flew past. Pincers of oak and birch emerged out of Koa, spider-like tendrils rapidly expanding outwards to cover the whole field.

  I wasn’t a good brother. What kind of person doesn’t help his own family when they’re in need?

  Remus was a cannonball blasting through the skies. He clutched his legs in a crouch as he rolled in the air, stretching outwards only when above the very centre of the field. Koa didn’t even have time to blink, let alone draw a breath, when Remus’ hand seemed to quadruple in size.

  It continued to grow, until a hundredfold larger.

  The paw of some colossal beast, a creature of blazing plasma, searing flame, and crackling lightning slapped down across the entire field. Remus’ entire body swept down with the movement.

  Immediately, protections built around each sparring area flickered into being. Great invisible walls encompassed the pair of them, the eager faces of onlookers pressed against the barely tangible barriers.

  This is how powerful you have to become.

  A firestorm seared the atmosphere, scorching every last one of Koa’s wooden tendrils. Koa focused both Infinity and his Mark's power into creating a protective wall of oak. He had to hold back back the swarm of biting blue, his voice an agonised scream through a rasping throat.

  Patches of his skin were charred black, his armour melting into paste against his skin. Moisture wetted his eyes, his gums hurt from how hard his teeth were biting down, and the skin around his Mark was going to blister.

  You need to step up and help your brother. He needs you now more than ever.

  Suddenly, Koa was swept up by a storm of memories. He saw him and Ash as small children, long before they were separated. They were playing with crude toys, sprinting through vast fields, and giggling as they wrestled boisterously.

  He felt a sudden searing heartache, a homesickness for a long ago past.

  It was time for Koa to truly put himself on the line for his family. He would have to train to the death.

  He allowed his focus to slip away from the wooden barrier, which instantly erupted into ashes without his power sifting through. If Koa was a magician, this next trick would be the equivalent of pulling a bunny out of an empty hat, or appearing to slice somebody in two.

  For this to work, his Vault and Mark would have to work in conjunction. He had told Remus explicitly to continue fighting, even when Koa appeared to be on the verge of death. Only when Koa screeched out for the man to stop, or made some sort of signal, or was damaged to the point where he couldn’t communicate, would his companion cease to attack.

  Those moments were special, Koa had found, when the chill touch of the grim reaper’s scythe was pressed against your neck. Those were the moments where your body was pushed to reach new heights, when your very biology had to simply do better.

  Do or die. The great divider of the weak and the strong.

  Infinity swept through Koa’s Delicate Touch Mould like hot magma. His Mark glowed with all the illumination of a watchtower beacon. Every vein in his body bulged against his skin as hot currents of Ichor ran laps around the marathon of his body.

  Koa screamed as fire poured over his unprotected flesh, first-degree burns making patchwork patterns out of his skin. A new wave of power pressed against the boundaries of the field, and, if Ash wasn’t mistaken in his haze of desperation and wild hope, they were trembling. They would have to see about strengthening those boundaries.

  All around Koa, a city was rising out of the hellfire.

  Dust seeped down each rickety wall, crenelations stabbing high above to the roofless-crest of the arena.

  Koa scattered his eyes all across the field, each floating organ ensnared by a new stretch of walls. Now he had his sights set on every crevice of the labyrinth, the material of which didn’t waver in the face of Remus' impossible flames. Even as hungry licks of heat climbed up the fortification, it held steady.

  The man should have thought twice before teaching him how to make fire-resistant walls.

  Koa collapsed to his feet, heaving against the floor of the newly formed room. He was inside an inconspicuous antechamber at the centre of the network. Vaulted doorways led in various directions, winding in maddening patterns for the entire space of the arena.

  For a few tumultuous seconds, Koa struggled to process half a dozen scattered viewpoints. His sight blackened in multiple perspectives, and the sound of his heavy breathing resounded across the quaint chamber.

  It was the equivalent of the dam he had constructed prior. That had drained Koa to his last shreds of power, rendering him unconscious. But this time, this time, he couldn’t afford to give in.

  No doubt about it, Remus was going to destroy Koa. If he didn’t hold back as Koa had made him promise, then there was no way Koa could win. Such was simply one of the many facts of the universe: grass was wet after a long rain, the sun was highest at noon, and snow melted in fire. In much the same fashion, a Foot-Soldier could never hope to win against a Splintered Ranked.

  Memories flickered in the back of Koa’s mind like an old film reel. Remus leaping into the mouth of Belindo, Remus screaming bloody murder as he duked it out with the dying Supreme Fiend.

  Some people can make up the difference between Ranks through sheer grit, and some exceptional abilities . . . Koa acknowledged, beginning to dash away from Remus’ location. But I don’t have the advantages Remus does. If I can’t win, the least I can do is give him the fight of his life!

  Remus was located at the centre of the wooden labyrinth, wall after wall of oak separating the two of them. Already, the man was smashing through the walls, a blur of lightning disintegrating Koa’s rogue eyeballs.

  They would regenerate soon enough — unlike typical organs that would require a high Rank to heal, the remote eyes were the equivalent of summoned techniques. But Koa didn’t have time to waste.

  With complete mastery over the arboreal fortress, Koa commanded vaulted doorways to widen in each of the walls. He leapt from barren hall to barren hall, the ozone smell of lightning, and the smoky burn of flames invading his nostrils. He was operating in a mad scramble, changing course every second moment as Remus reoriented himself, sniffing out Koa’s abundant use of his Mark with his spiritual senses. Like a fox closing in on a family of bunnies.

  Several times, Koa slipped. On too many occasions to count, he smashed against a wall before it could fully open, grazing his flesh all over.

  He swiped the sleeve of his tunic upwards, sprinting into another scarce hallway. A simple timer ticked away on his Progress Calibrator. Remus had been in recent talks with the Matter Clan, trying to organise a complimentary Calibrator for every member of the Talents of the Future. Only members of the rebellion situated in Gold’s Bane, their largest base, had been granted access to the marvellous devices. If they could arrange for them to become standard equipment for their rebellion, however, it would be much easier for all members to grow stronger.

  Koa took one glance at the timer built into his Calibrator, and was appalled.

  Twenty seconds.

  It had felt like a year had passed since their battle commenced, and yet Koa had been drained to the brink in one third of a minute.

  Remus was truly something else.

  By the twenty-first second, the wall in front of Koa was blasted into splinters.

  Koa did his best to avoid Remus’ rampage, backing away in one instinctual shriek of movement. Too slow.

  By the time the snaking streaks of lightning struck into his flesh, Koa smiled through the pain.

  Twenty two seconds. That was the time to beat.