I wake up with sweat dripping down my back, chest heaving. I must have had a nightmare, though I don’t remember it.

I reach for my glossY and check the time. The clock is hopelessly out of sync with the locale, but it still keeps track of how long I’ve slept. Less than I hoped. Groaning, I stay under the covers with my eyes closed, unable to find the will to get up and start the day.

Karanos provided a rough itinerary the night before. We’re to have breakfast in Shurvan, a major city in Furemarn, and then visit the planar rift station. What comes next, I have no idea–just that it will involve finding a way to contact Eury.

Eventually I sense Maria’s approach, her body a lifeless silhouette that sticks out from the inanimate walls. I can sense a faint stirring of emotion over our bond, though it isn’t strong enough to be named.

Maria brandishes a plastic card, taps it to the door, and turns the handle.

“Hello,” I murmur, eyes staring at the ceiling.

“You’re still in bed.”

I shift under the sheets and yawn. “So I am. What is it?”

“Wanted to make sure you were up.” She scrutinizes my face. “How did you sleep?”

“Fine. You?”

She blinks. “I thought I didn’t need to sleep. I don’t get tired.”

I frown and sit up, the covers clinging to my shoulders. “I think you’re in a similar position to ascendants who need minimal sleep. It’s optional for you, rather than required, but is probably a good idea.”

Her expression is skeptical. “How do you fall asleep if you aren’t tired?”

I shrug. “Ask Karanos.”

She snorts and rolls her eyes. “A little too soon, Ian, for me to be asking him anything not strictly necessary.” Glancing at my clothes discarded in a heap on the floor, she shakes her head. “Get ready and meet us in the lobby. We’ll head over and see just what Karanos has in store for us.”

“Wait.”

I sense her interest. “I’m listening.”

Karanos agreed too readily to my demands yesterday–I feel like I should’ve negotiated for more. Maria said I did a good job, but in hindsight, her cheers ring hollow–my actions didn’t deserve praise. “Do you think working with Karanos is a mistake?”

“You made your choice, Ian. Unless you intend to break your word, you’ve pledged yourself to help him wholeheartedly.”

My stomach churns. “That’s my point. Did I promise too much? I could always try to negotiate again.”

She sighs. “It’s ultimately irrelevant. Karanos is the kind of person who pursues what he wants and won’t take no for an answer. He’s a better ally than enemy.”

“I guess.”

She smiles. “It’s just five years you’ll be working for him–if he can really whip you into shape that soon.”

“Less than that, depending,” I murmur, clenching the sheets between my fingers. “I’m the limiting factor.”

Her smile fades and she runs a hand through her hair. “All the more reason to be earnest in absorbing as much as you can from Karanos. When you confront Achemiss, it’ll be with a double-edged sword–the return beacon puts you both in danger. The only advantage you’ll have is surprise and preparation. If you fail against him, you’ll die.”

“I wonder what Karanos sees in me. Failure seems almost inevitable given that Achemiss has far greater experience and resources, and his vengeance won’t come to fruition unless I win.”

“I doubt he’s planning to let you die. Maybe he has some kind of weapon that will kill Achemiss–some kind of bomb, perhaps.”

I hadn’t considered that. “Relying on a powerful weapon would make more sense. He might just need to get me powerful enough to deliver a fatal payload, versus outmuscle Achemiss using my practice alone.”

“Regardless, you need to get ready–the sooner we’re out of here, the better.”

—

Karanos sits at the head of the table inspecting a pictographic menu.

We’re in a small diner, not at all the kind of place I’d imagine Karanos frequenting. The tablecloth is thin and white, made out of a synthetic material that absorbs the condensation coming off my glass.

If the ascendant was expecting anything to change in our dynamic after the cruise and swim yesterday, the empty seats to either side of him betray the truth. Though Karanos seems more stable, I can’t forget the way he treated us.

“You’ve known Maria for a handful of weeks at best. She was enemy, then friend–now dead.” And when I confronted him over his statement, his response was unbelievable: “I’m not mocking you–I’m mocking her.”

I’m still processing everything that happened, but of everything, that moment has stuck with me. The more I think about it, the more I regret the deal from yesterday. I don’t care if Karanos is protecting the universe or some other bullshit–you can’t pull that crap and expect to keep your integrity.

But if there really is a way to see Eury...how can you back out now?

“I hope everyone had a good evening to themselves,” Karanos begins.

“Why did you choose the oldest looking restaurant on the block?” I interrupt. The other establishments are sleek, futuristic venues mostly staffed by mechanical golems. This one is dated, kitschy. Colored wallpaper on the interior feels cheap before the marble and chrome accents around us.

“It’s been ages since I’ve been to a diner. You don’t seem very impressed by it–tell me about your world. I know it’s developed Infinity Loop technology, so it must be fairly advanced, but that doesn’t mean its regulars are treated well.” He gestures with his hands. “This kind of establishment is only possible in a world with empowered regulars.”

“What is the alternative?” Maria asks, looking up from her menu.

“Affinity is at least somewhat heritable. As a result, strict caste hierarchies are common, reinforcing the status quo. My world was particularly egregious, however. Rather than letting regs dominate by numbers, my oldest ancestors tried to scour them from the earth. Their thinking makes sense in a perverse way–clear the way for practitioners to dominate, unthreatened, uncontested.”

Karanos appraises Maria and I. “From your reactions, it’s clear your world never resorted to such extremes. Which is good–what my ancestors did was evil.”

My hair rises. “Is your world still...?”

He smiles coldly. “If you couldn’t guess, my world produced a lot of ascendants. It was a place of violence and greed, where might dominated. Something very similar to what happened to you with Ari happened to me, Ian–suffice to say that soon after my ascension, my world was in its death throes. But I digress, now isn’t the time to delve into my past.

“We’ll be using Furemarn’s planar crane to cross directly to Cadivu. It’s quite distant, and while I could carve a way there on my own, it would take at least a week.”

I’d ask what a planar crane is, but we’ll be finding out soon enough. “Isn’t the edge of Eternity even farther away?”

“Remember that distance is relative,” Karanos replies. “But more importantly, if you’re just traveling to a vague destination, such as any plane on the edge, it’s rather easy to find a route. But if you’re trying to reach somewhere specific, you have to be much more deliberate while navigating. Thankfully, while Cadivu isn’t on the edge, it’s close–the void is somewhat unstable there. That makes it easier for us to go there directly in one leap.”

Do you have any idea what he’s talking about? I ask, consulting Crystal. She’s waiting outside with Sah, the two lounging quietly in the closest park.

“No–I think the planar crane is something specific to this plane. Karanos clearly came here for a reason.”

One uncomfortable breakfast later, we take the local tram system to the planar rift station. It takes a little while since we need to wait for an empty car; even then, Sah barely fits through the door.

“Are you sure this is allowed?” Maria murmurs.

“The local authorities that be are aware of my identity,” Karanos replies dismissively. “It’s fine.”

The tram is a bit like the hovergloss cars I’m familiar with, but it’s made of metal, rather than gloss material, and the cars hang off a sturdy network of wires, separated from the rail by magnets. “How is all this possible without practitioners?” I murmur as we disembark.

“Don’t underestimate Beginning affinity,” Karanos replies, walking briskly toward the planar rift station. The building is a massive hangar, its upper half covered by windows, filling the interior with natural light from the sun-like orb above.

“Beginning isn’t just the power to make yourself think faster, or analyze the world–it’s the power to enlighten others,” he says as he leads us inside. “Not everyone needs to be brilliant, so long as they can follow instructions.”

“There’s still a limit to what regulars can do on their own.” I retort. “They can’t imbue things with energy or power arrays.”

Maria frowns. “Dunai–that’s actually not true. The glosSword makes use of a natural energy reactor. That energy doesn’t come from practitioners, but the world itself.”

Karanos smiles. “You can make armies of dead, while Maria can ensorcel others to her aid through networks of End bindings. This is all well and good. Beginning takes it all a step further, producing armies of living. Without the aid of others, regulars can produce weapons that threaten the most powerful peak practitioners.”

“There are some things that can’t be done, though–there’s no way they can teleport without End and Dark affinity,” I muse.

“Beginning and End are the affinities that most rely on others, but they also have enormous potential. As you point out, Beginning can’t do everything, but it can do a lot with very little.”

Sounds like he’s speaking from experience.

“He is,” Crystal replies. “Regardless of how you feel about Karanos, he has seen more than the oldest, wisest person on your entire home world.”

“Hello,” Karanos says, stepping up to the front desk in the “VIP” area of the terminal. Elsewhere, people wait in long lines, some with big suitcases, others with nothing but backpacks.

“How can we assist you today?”

“I have an agreement with Charise Laad to power the crane for an hour in exchange for being able to take the last jump.”

The man behind the desk flinches and blinks. “Ah–are you Karanos, sir?”

“Yes. Just because I’m an ascendant doesn’t mean you should be intimidated, Jeremy,” Karanos states, reading the man’s name card. “Now, if you wouldn’t mind leading me to the planar crane...”

Jeremy snaps out of his stupor and nods. “Right away, sir. Will your entourage be coming with you?”

“They shall.”

I expected Karanos to be a lot worse around regulars, I confess, following Jeremy through the crowded terminal. He treated Maria like trash.

“Maria killed Ari.”

I frown. When I revived Maria, Karanos finally agreed to teach Maria now that she was “useful.” If it was really because of Ari, he wouldn’t have changed his tune so readily.

“You killed Ari, but at least you could help avenge her. Now Maria can help as well. I will admit that Karanos is complicated, and that this reasoning is a simplification of his true motivations.”

“It’s through this door, sir,” Jeremy says, bowing his head. “Ascendant Laad is inside.”

On the other side of the door is a large room dominated by a towering metal machine that almost looks like a flattened telescope, its lens at least ten feet in diameter. Drawing closer, I see that the lens is covered in tiny etchings. I can’t imagine how long it took to inscribe all of them.

A woman in a gray coat, dark trousers, and with her brown hair up in a messy bun turns away from a panel full of buttons and knobs. She smiles and laughs. “Oi, about time you got here.”

Karanos snorts and walks over. “Ungrateful, are we? How much energy am I saving you all today?”

“Best left unsaid,” the woman replies, grimacing. She bows her head when he comes near. “Regardless of the savings, it’s always an honor being in the presence of Void Seeker Karanos.”

“Hmph. You’ve known me for too long to act so formal, Charise.”

She smiles and points to the metal vessel. “I recall you saying the same thing the last time you visited. This is your, what, fifteenth time using the crane?”

“Seventeenth,” Karanos corrects.

“So you should know what to do,” she continues. “Do you have any time to talk theory today?”

He frowns. “Unfortunately I’m on a bit of a tight schedule.”

She recoils nervously. “Forget I mentioned it.”

Karanos steps up to the crane’s lens and narrows his eyes, inspecting the etchings. “Is this even busier than I remember?”

“We added a few new destinations,” Charise replies. “It’s been a long time since you were last here.”

Karanos sighs. “So it has.” He glances over. “I presume you’ve been well?”

The woman nods. “We all have our own means to explore Eternity–this is mine. The crane hasn’t had a single malfunction in fifty years, now, if you can believe it.”

At this point, Charise finally turns to the rest of us. “Hello, I should properly introduce myself. I’m Ascendant Charise Laad, master of Beginning. You’re Karanos’...friends?” she asks, her gaze lingering on Crystal.”

“Something like that,” I reply.

“Or...” she trails off. “You look like an ascendant. Is he your teacher?”

I nod. “That’s more accurate.”

Her eyes widen. “You must be incredible for him to take you under his wing. Congratulations. How long have you been attending him?”

Congratulations? What a different way to view the current circumstances. “Not long–less than a month.” It’s technically been a few days, though feels like far longer given all the time we spent in the dilated rift.

She looks from me, to Karanos, then back. “You don’t sound particularly excited. You should be more excited! He’s going to show you the world–wait. Wait...” She taps her bottom lip. “Heavens, you’re new, aren’t you?”

“He’s fresh, alright,” Karanos interjects from across the room. “Ascended just over a month ago.”

Charise runs her hands through her hair, messing it up further. “You really have no idea how lucky you are.”

“It isn’t luck, but circumstance,” Karanos calls out. “Just drop it before you embarrass him.”

Realization dawns in the woman’s eyes. “Ah–I won’t pry, then. Wait, I never even got your name.”

“I’m Ascendant Ian Dunai, master of Death. This is my companion, Maria.”

“And who are these?” Charise asks, pointing toward Crystal and Sah.

“A frost dragon and an experiment of mine, a fish with legs.”

She raises an eyebrow. “How unique.”

“Charise,” Karanos calls out, ending our smalltalk. “Get over here and tell me what destinations you need, and when.”

Laughing nervously, she attends his side. “It’s a rather packed hour,” she admits. “I allotted you ten minutes to get set up. After that...”

Charise rattles off a list of destinations, all within six minutes of each other, including how many people will be traveling through each rift. One of the destinations has two-hundred travelers–are they going to throw people through the portal to make sure everyone makes it in time?

“The terminals have conveyor belts that help people walk into veil rifts faster.”

Can you already sense people lining up for their trips now? I wonder.

“I sense everyone in this terminal–regulars are unguarded, so yes, I know where they are all going and vaguely why.”

Is anyone else going to our destination?

“There are fifty others going to Cadivu. It is known for its good weather and its famous Perennial Palace. The keeper of the palace is Karanos’ associate–it is she who will be able to help us.”

Suddenly, the telescope-like crane whines. It shifts in place on an axis along its base, then begins to rise up on a platform, Karanos ascending up with it. Part of the upper wall comes down, making room for the scope.

“Alepha Gorge–manual energy source selected. All ready?” Karanos calls out.

Charise nods. “Clear. You know, I added that setting explicitly for you.”

Karanos places his hands on two sleek, glassy bars that almost look like the tongs of a transparent tuning fork. Red energy crackles from his fingertips, only to shoot up through the glass bars and disappear into the planar crane. The scope suddenly extends outward, going out of view, though I can sense it through the walls using my practice. Thin lenses rotate up and away like flower petals.

So it wasn’t just one etching, I realize. It was many different etched lenses layered on top of one another.

“How on earth does this work?” I mutter. This definitely seems like a big step-up from manually tearing the veil with my ascendant energy.

“Karanos asked the same thing when I first showed it to him, way back when,” Charise comments. I needed to ask a few other ascendants to collaborate on it. The lenses, in particular, are a nasty bit of work–I can design them myself, but I still need an End practitioner to engrave them while channeling ascendant energy.”

She gestures for me to go upward. “It’s more interesting up there.”

Blue ascendant energy glows around Laad’s body and she kicks off the ground, propelling herself up to the platform with one smooth motion. I levitate myself and Maria up using my practice, bringing us up even further so we can look beyond the hole in the wall.

White light streams out of the scope and through the lens, projecting an ornate array inscription onto a clear platform surrounded by regulars bearing luggage. The ground begins to fizzle and distort, as though the air’s been transmuted into carbonated water. Red sparks fly around the white projection’s circumference, slowly rising up to form the outline of a dome. Then, what can only be described as a red energy needle manifests in front of the lens and plunges downward, piercing the shimmering red dome.

The dome pops like a water bubble, revealing a lush, green world where once was only terminal. The sound of waterfalls can be heard even over the constant buzz of the terminal.

As soon as the rift appears, terminal staff lead regulars to the conveyor belts Crystal described. The few people that hesitate are politely pushed through the threshold.

Sure enough, within five minutes, the seventy or so people waiting around the portal are all through. Karanos releases the glass bars and takes a deep breath, then plants a hand to his head.

“The beacon incident has left me in a less than ideal state,” Crystal conveys, passing along Karanos’ thoughts. “I didn’t think it would have this much of an effect. You’re going to help me with the next one–it’ll be good for you.”

I sense nervousness from Maria–Crystal must be transmitting Karanos’ request to both of us. I hope he’s not vindictive, Maria adds privately.

Let me guess–he doesn’t want to ask for help out loud, I suppose.

“That is accurate,” Crystal confirms.

And he says he isn’t prideful. “Hey, Karanos,” I pipe up, playing up the image of an inquisitive student.

“Yes, Ian?”

“Can I give it a try?”

Charise’s eyes widen in horror. “Oh, I don’t–”

Karanos grins. “If I help, I don’t see how there could be any problems. If you’re truly curious, Ian.”

Truly curious my ass. “Just show me what to do.”

The ascendant woman rubs her brow. “You better not ruin my crane, Karanos.” She turns to me. “No offense.”

“None taken.”

“I do need to use the crane for my own purposes, Charise–I’m not going to let less-experienced hands damage it.”

I hover up next to Karanos, dropping lightly onto the platform between him and Ascendant Laad. “What do I need to do?”

Karanos chuckles. “Hands over here. You take the left prong.”

This is going to be fun.