By the time Dharn got off the tree, they were already surrounding the cadaver in front of them. It looked as monstrous in death as in life, dark blue oozing from the holes and seeping into the soil.

  Yet it did not dissipate.

  This was the first time Jude had heard of anything that broke that rule.

  “It’s like I thought. Something’s trying to bring us somewhere.” he shook his head, “We’ve either been walking in circles or something’s messing with our heads. The mountains are still a long way forward.”

  “The woman…”

  Both of them turned towards the girl, “Who?”

  She glanced at them in surprise.

  “Didn’t you see her? She killed it with her sword, and had these horrible, white eyes..”

  “Looked like a blur to me.” Jude admitted.

  Dharn was silent, before murmuring, “As I thought.”

  The girl reacted instantly, “What? You know something about this don’t you? I need some answers! Why is this happening? Who is it?”

  This was the first time they’d seen her so animated since Cillin’s death. Jude held his breath, waiting to see the scarred man’s reaction. His face stiffened, all emotion evaporating in an instant.

  “My curse is about to be lifted. I hope that you don’t fall under the Thrall that easily, girlie. You seem like the weak type. The last thing I want is to have you in the way when they come for their deal.” he looked at Jude, “I don’t know about you, though. Come with me and you might have a chance.”

  He seemed to have lost all pretence of friendliness, walking forward again.

  After that enigmatic speech, Jude continued to walk alongside Dharn. None of what he said made Jude think that he’d try anything, and if he did, it would be better to be right next to him, considering he had the knife. But his mind was whirring, trying to piece together what he could from the fragments that his words had given. The curse, the Thrall. There was something in here that could help the scarred man, and he wanted it, but it came with some sort of risk. It required strength or something, and he didn’t think that she would survive.

  Speaking of whom, she had appeared ready to prise the knife out of Jude’s hands and stab the scarred man herself. If it weren’t for the subtle peace effect, he was sure she might have done just that. He shot her a look, only for his eyes to widen.

  Some sort of revelation had come over her, and she was smiling. It was small, and uncertain, but some confidence seemed to have returned. There was certainly apprehension as she gazed at the man leading them, but the doubt had lessened considerably.

  “What did you…”

  His words trailed off.

  The forest that they had been navigating through had finally come to an end. It trailed off into a large open expanse that was almost completely submerged by the dense, swirling fog. As they stepped through the final branches, the mist that had persisted throughout their journey began to vanish.

  Revealing one of the most breathtaking sights that he had ever seen.

  Liquid erupted seemingly from nowhere, falling into a pool of shimmering water that twisted trillions of colours together into a kaleidoscopic pattern that swallowed his entire vision. It was as if Jude was looking through a tetrachromat lens, peering into a different world. Shades of red, blue, yellow, every colour imaginable and many more unimaginable merged into a pureness that lit up the roaring edges of the fountain. It seemed to coalesce around a core in the centre, bubbling from a hole that appeared to stretch all through the entire planet as the very centre lit with a light that could not be captured. Droplets of this precious liquid sprayed onto the side, and the base of the rock where it landed was coated in vibrant moss that sucked in the deluge with an insatiable hunger.

  It was otherworldly, so majestic that it hurt his eyes the more he looked at it.

  “Great Spirit of the Wellspring, I wish to bathe in your waters.” Dharn took the initiative, as if he did not want to waste any time.

  A few moments went by, and Jude nearly thought that he was talking to nothing, until something landed next to the wellspring. It was a red-haired woman, just like the girl had described. She had a thin, starved frame that looked like it would fall at the lightest breeze. Her eyes were their own sunken pools of milky white, staring at them. And one hand carried an enormous broadsword.

  It was all frighteningly shocking enough to make him faint. But the clues had been laid out, and the peace seemed far stronger here than in any other place. He physically could not bring himself to feel even the slightest bit of fear or worry, even logically.

  In fact, he could barely think at all.

  “It’s very interesting how the waters shape fate, even when it knows that such fickle things could be changed.” the woman opened her mouth, and the melodic words emanated from the wellspring itself, “Three very different individuals, some are far more gifted than others.. It knows what I want enough to anticipate my desires. But of course, I will grant your request, enemy of the world. And you as well, forger of dreams.”All of them felt an overwhelming desire to sleep. Dharn did not resist, falling into the lure willingly. Soon followed the girl who he still did not know the name of.

  Yet Jude bitterly held on. He had a little of an idea what was happening, but needed some answers.

  She walked up to meet him.

  “As for you, I can see that you, more than even him, crave power the most, despite the disparity in your ripples. That is a pretty impressive achievement in itself. Believing in the truth that it will bring you the autonomy and wealth you desire, so utterly that you would risk anything for it, but knowing that such an opportunity will never come. And yet your fate is the most clouded of them all. You are one of the most compatible I have ever seen. So, even though either of them would be far more likely to succeed, I suppose he would prefer you.”

  Her speech brought out some of his most innate thoughts, drenching him in shock and revulsion as it was all stated in plain, brutal words. But he did not fall. Seeing it, she shook her head.

  “Don’t you wish to become a Blessed?”

  That was the final straw that broke the last of his resistance.

  Each of the three lurched towards the well-spring, and fell into the waters. Hopefully, her words weren’t for nothing, and they did pass the Trial, or she would have a few useless Thralls on her hands. None of their trials could have been easy, considering the potential of their Talents. And well, perhaps she had made them a little more interesting than they expected.

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

  Evangeline chuckled. Her tests were probably the most unique out of any Celestial fragment. Considering that she was the one that retained most of her memories, it made her one of the most human. Capable of feeling light-hearted.

  But it soon shifted into a sombre frown. Remaining hidden, a rogue ‘spirit’ had been her main priority for the last thousand years. Now with this, there was no more of that. She could feel the thrums of the future battle through the edge of her domain. Both in the mortal, and in the astral realm, with the arrival of her ‘friend’.

  It was time to prepare.

  Jude opened his eyes, and found himself standing next to a fountain. This one however, was completely normal, trickling in a display that would have been dazzling if he hadn’t seen much better. He shuddered, furiously whirling his head around to find the one that had just been speaking to him.

  But of course, he was in a completely different place. A large city, by the looks of it. Long, dome-shaped buildings clotted together on the side of long roads, with dozens of carriages and chariots running across them. Above him, an amber sky appeared to be bleeding life as shadows lengthened across the various moving parts that was ready to fade away into night. And in the very distance, an enormous brick wall loomed, encircling everything.

  Nothing he saw was anything like he was used to. There was no traces of electricity, no Fringes, barely any alleyways, and despite the fact it was sinking, the sky was unusually clear. It was like peering into the ancient past.

  That was probably what it was. Jude accepted what had happened, after having some of his most hidden wishes pulled open by a force with powers that he had never seen before.

  So, to summarise, a few hours ago, I was trying to figure out how to escape a death sentence and get to Zola. Then a Fellstorm came, I fought a Ravager, journeyed through a terrifying forest, before meeting an otherworldly being that brought me here to awaken my Talents.

  Well, when he put it like that, it certainly felt like it was all a hallucination. But he had heard of Trials before. They said all Blessed had to face a test against their mettle to see if they were worthy to wield such power. What he had never known was that it was done inside a wellspring.

  Jude remembered the smile on the girl he had yet to learn the name of’s face. She had known about this. That meant that she had more secrets than he first thought. Then again, all of them had been known to the sect.

  Then there was Dharn. He was actively seeking this out, and had finally got his wish. The spirit had called them titles. Enemy of the world? Forger of dreams? Sounded like some embarrassing childlike fantasy nickname.

  But then she had gone and stirred up the memories of the worst days of his life. At his very lowest, he had demanded revenge, as all wronged often did, but he soon realised how impossible such a task would be. That was when he first realised how powerless people like him were against the Blessed.

  And now, here was his chance to become one.

  Although, how was he supposed to prove anything if they didn’t tell him what to do? Realising that night would soon fall, Jude decided to wander around instead of staying by the fountain. Perhaps there was a clue somewhere. Also, the opportunity to see the past, even if it was all fake, intrigued him.

  Was this how life was like without Fellstorms? Where was the advanced technology? How far in the past was he in? It was time to find some answers.

  His clothing stood out amongst the crowd, attracting some attention. Passing by what appeared to be the markets, everything appeared to be closing down. Rows and rows upon stalls were carefully dismantled, as people in robes assisted them. A few bars were the only things that did not look affected, already attracting a few interesting customers. One thing he did notice were the buntings that hung like wires between stone rooftops, weaving an intricate web of colours. Some sort of festival?

  He made his way without little issue, until one of those in purple robes suddenly stopped him. Inquisitive eyes bored into his own.

  “Are you lost, child? It is approaching the hours of the curfew. You do not want to be caught outside, do you?” he spoke in an old-fashioned lilt, accentuated in inflections that he had never heard before.

  At least they seemed to speak the same language. But curfew? That was strange. A similar sort of thing did exist in the Fringes, but it was mostly just a formality. Very few actually bothered to listen to the Great House’s wishes, because they never bothered to enforce them.

  And he was not a child. Even though he might be a little short for his age. But Jude had no idea what to say.

  “Uh, yeah.” he managed, “I’m heading home now.”

  The man in robes appraised him, raising an eyebrow, “Ah, then where is your home, mayhaps?”

  “Down there.” Jude pointed.

  “I shall believe you for now, but I hope that you are not caught amongst those lawbreakers. If you see any that are loitering, do remind them that the temple has enough free rooms to house such people. Especially after the last few days, we cannot afford leniency on this matter.”

  He hurried away, and Jude released a breath. That went better than expected. The temple rooms, huh? Visiting that would be a priority. He could already make out a massive golden silhouette peeking out above the houses. Now that the man had mentioned it, he did also notice the abnormal amount of worry plastered over one too many faces. He was too used to such emotions that he forgot that it would be out of place in a city like this. Something had happened, and the peace had been disturbed.

  If only the Trial came with a page of instructions.

  This was the sort of task that would fit those who liked to speak to people. Jude was not one of those, so all he could do was keep walking. Although… Jude scanned the surroundings for a place to hide, which there were remarkably few of. Slipping into what looked like an empty gap between shops, he closed his eyes and breathed out. His only weapon manifested in a comforting shimmer.

  Whatever this place was, he wasn’t completely unarmed.

  Dismissing it, he was about to leave, before a hand grabbed his mouth, and he found himself pulled into a dark, concrete room. A face wearing a veil looked down at him.

  “You’re one of them aren’t you? The raiders. What are you doing here so early?” she sounded young, perhaps only a few years older than him.

  He swung his dagger in another breath, stopping right before it impaled her legs, and she retreated immediately. Jude pushed his back against the wall, keeping the dagger pointed forward. Even though he couldn’t see her face because of the veil, he could tell she was caught off guard by her rabid breaths.

  This was the perfect chance that he’d been waiting for.

  “What year is it?”

  The question appeared to be the last thing that she was expecting.

  “Wh-what?”

  “You heard me. What year is it?”

  “What is a year?”

  That threw off his performance as well.

  “Then, who are the raiders?”

  “You’re not part of them. But you’re wearing their clothes! It makes no sense.”

  “You aren’t answering my questions.”This was not how a typical interrogation was meant to go. He supposed he wasn’t the most threatening, but still. Before she could reply however, the door suddenly opened.

  “Eva, what is going on in there?”

  A short, stubby looking man poked his head in, before his expression slowly morphed into a mask of shock.

  “I think there has been a misunderstanding here.”

  “I think I need some answers.”“No, no, I’ll tell you whatever you need to know. Just come with me.”

  He dropped the knife soon after that, keeping it by his side just in case, and found himself being led across the city, ending up underground into a cellar.

  “The others have yet to arrive, Eva. Why don’t you go find them?” that was the cue for the veiled young woman to leave, yet she did not move.

  “They all know the way.”

  The stubby man sighed, but gave up. It was clear he was used to her disobeying orders.

  “Before you ask, who are you? That knife is not something that I’ve seen, except in the hands of the raiders. But you say you’re not with them.”

  It was not like anyone was going to believe what actually happened.

  “I’m from a different place. Outside of the city. Just ended up here on accident.”

  He did not expect the man to walk over to one of the tables and pull out a set of scales, that sank in one direction. Jude tried not to be stunned. As far as he knew, enchanted artefacts had only emerged after the Fellstorms arrived. Another lie from the Court.

  “You’re telling the truth.” he sounded surprised, “But being very vague.”

  “I’m actually from another world, outside of this place, and I was brought here by some spirit who told me that this was a test. You all might also not be real.”

  He smirked as the weight tipped all the way to one side, and watched their faces implode.

  “What sort of Magik is this? Are you with the Honoured?”

  They seemed to be so dumbfounded that he realised that it was probably the wrong thing to say if he wanted them to hurry up.

  “So, the raiders. You guys are working with them. Why?”

  “The Honoured are planning to overthrow the Council. We cannot allow that to happen. But support of them has only increased amongst the people because they are misguided. They need to see who their heroes truly are.”Even the past wasn’t safe.

  “And do you guys know what Fellstorms are? The Spawn?”

  “The creatures that the-”

  A loud bell echoed down into the chamber. A few figures stumbled into the room.

  “They’ve betrayed us! Semyon’s been taken!”

  He was practically forgotten then, ushered out back into the street without another word. So close, and yet so far from the answers that he sought, Jude could only run as the loud ringing brought an upheaval to the city on the verge of sleep.

  Grasping the basic narrative, Jude realised that he was probably expected to help in the fight against the raiders.

  But with the virtue of actually having a brain, he ran in the opposite direction.

  Until he was flung off his feet by an explosion of the shop right next to him. He grimaced, quickly trying to escape again, only for a very familiar looking person to land right in front of him.

  Her hair was kept in an almond knot, as usual, only a few stray curls brushing against the porcelain cheek. Despite the fact that she was at least thirty-five, not a single wrinkle polluted her wiry, muscular shape. The woman that he had tried his hardest to forget approached him with a nonchalant look.

  The rage that had simmered for over the last seven years urged him forward, overwhelming the logic that tried to make him question why she would be here of all places. It was the damn Trial’s intervention; he was sure of it.

  So, all the years of common sense gone, he charged.

  “As pathetic as I remember.” a coaxing, angelic voice sighed, folding like the finest of fabrics.

  Before everything disappeared in a searing flash of pain.

  His eyes jerked open, and found himself looking at a very normal-looking fountain, that would have been amazing if it weren’t for the fact that he had seen better.

  What the fuck?