Dexter stood between the statues that spoke of tranquility and war, ready to place his offering at the base of the warrior to his right. As he made ready to unsheathe his Wind Scythe, he couldn't help but imagine them as a devil and angel residing over his shoulders. Perhaps he was reading the imagery wrong, but he filed the concepts away and watched as the wind blade exited his sleeve.

It floated to the draconic warrior, weaving in the pattern of the Bladed Vortex. But as Dexter suspected, the skill elicited no response. Something tangible was required, like the claws and fangs on display.

"Vain bastard…" Dexter muttered, contemplating defacing the statue with the skill. "We'll see who has the better weapon, brace face."

"What are you doing?" Baskoro asked, startling Dexter.

"Huh? Oh, nothing," Dexter turned. "I was just cleaning its teeth. There's some dirt stuck in there."

"There's a fire behind you!" Baskoro said with wide eyes.

Other survivors gathered, curious yet afraid after witnessing the encounter the two of them had.

"I've solved the test this bastard wants to put us through," Dexter said, pointing a thumb at the barrier. "Well, at least it's partially solved. We're supposed to give an offering to this statue, preferably something sharp and stabby."

Baskoro pulled out an arrow from his quiver. "Will this work?"

"I hope not," Dexter mumbled. He stepped aside as he waved Baskoro on to try. He never considered himself to be a jealous person, but as the statue completely ignored the arrow, a wide grin grew on his face.

"Should I try two?" Baskoro asked.

"Sure," Dexter said. "It shouldn't hurt."

As more people gathered to offer their weapons, Dexter headed back to check on the others. As he entered the tent, he wondered if he could find something to bribe the Zone spirit with, but outside of gold he wasn't sure what a dragon would want.

Inside the tent, he saw Alina eating from a fruit basket filled with fruits that weren't native to earth. They were basic, causing him to lose interest and shed a tear for the rosha berries in the courtyard of the Sky Priests garden.

"How are they?" Dexter asked Alina.

"Kwame has stirred, but Nyo has shown little signs of awakening."

"She's mage spec'd. I wouldn't be surprised if the green thumb out there drained past her energy reserves." Digging into his pocket, Dexter fed Nyo another nourishment egg to recover her vitality.

"Will that song of yours work?" Alina asked

"Breeze of Vitality," Dexter said, filling her in on the nature of the spell. "Vital energy isn't rejuvenated by the song, but the Constitution bonus may help. It's part of the reason I came back here."

"Part?" Alina asked.

"Yup," Dexter said, filling her in on the Zone spirits requirements.

After removing his guitar he ate a nourishment egg to lessen the drain of the spell, then he poured his energy into the instrument and an acute melody echoed out of the tent. A breeze stirred the flap, circulating energy to invigorate the occupants.

Alina looked at Dexter with a question on her face. "You said it rejected your offers. I don't have a better weapon."

"But you do. The Razor Claw skill is superior to my spear, and more physical than my energy blade. If that doesn't work, then we break in." Dexter simply said.

As the spell stacked, Dexter informed Alina about energy channels and warned her about their effect on her energy reserves. He suggested she unlock the Sage Title first for the boost to vital energy capacity, but as it stood they both knew she'd never draw in enough wind energy away from the mountain.

He was about to reassure her when Kwame opened his eyes. "You look like you just had a nightmare," Dexter said to Kwame.

"Your music," Kwame moaned. "I thought I had died and was on my way to heaven."

"Is it that bad?" Dexter frowned. "Depending on your answer, I'll charge you a fee. This spell isn't cheap."

"No, it's—fine," Kwame faltered as he noticed Alina. "Did you find her?"

"Partially," Dexter answered for Alina. "The night stalker variant was intelligent. It used a skill to create tracks that led in different directions."

"Then is she…?" Kwame worried.

"No, at worst she's been turned into one of them. Why else would it go through the trouble of concealing its tracks? A normal beast wouldn't do that," Dexter said. "That's my theory, anyway. We planned to get a tracking skill, but the Zone spirit was dropped on its head and refused to let us in."

"Then where do we go," Kwame asked. "George—the bastard, he took the compass after telling them what it does."

"Don't worry," Dexter said, handing Kwame the fruit basket. "He'll get what's coming to him."

After another ten minutes, Nyo woke up and Alina handed Asha to her, who snuggled into her arms. Compared to Kwame, Nyo's hunger was ravenous, and she scarfed down the fruits until the basket was empty.

"I'll have them bring in another," Dexter said. Then he turned to his new offering. "Are you ready, princess?"

Alina rolled her eyes, but as she stood her aura carried the weight of the buffs Dexter applied to her and a moment later they exited the tent making their way to the front of the temple.

It seemed word had spread to the entire camp, and they were all gathered in front of the entrance. Each member held a weapon to offer, and it was a pitiful sight, showcasing just how desperate they were. From rocks to sharpen sticks, which couldn't even be classified as unranked gear. Dexter had even spotted the little boy who served him at Yassa's grill carrying what appeared to be a stone spearhead.

Pushing through the crowd, Dexter made way for Alina until they reached Yassa who was ostensibly the matriarch of the group. There was another elder, but he had ventured into the forest and never returned.

"Are the others healed?" Yassa asked, offering another apology. At Dexter's nod she asked if he found something else the dragon spirit would accept.

"You're looking at her," Dexter said, introducing Alina in a flamboyant manner. "She's a noble princess, descended from the…uh, Romanvis-ka-cheska-vich line," he finished with terrible pronunciation.

Alina bumped Dexter in the ribs as she stepped forward to the statue. It loomed over her with a primal visage, standing three and a half meters tall. Placing her hand over the stone claws, Alina activated her skill Razor Claw, and the metallic bone blades answered her call. They stretched over two inches, chipping off pieces of stone that were in their way.

The ground rumbled, and a spark flickered off and on above the statue's other claw. It seemed as if she had far exceeded the strength required, but the Zone spirit was reneging on the test. Turning, Dexter looked into the shadow beyond the barrier as the survivors behind him stepped back in alarm from the minor earthquake.

"Okay," Dexter said, flaring Iron Shroud. "Plan B it is."

Having reached level 8 in the skill, his critical hit chance had practically doubled, and his damage wasn't too far behind that. The effective boost to his attributes from his Titles didn't affect the attunement, but combined with the buff from Breeze of Vitality, his Wind Scythe almost erupted from the channeled energies. Yet before he issued a command to the glowing energy blade, a booming laugh echoed around them.

"I'm impressed, Storm Hawk."

Dexter's brow furrowed at the title. Apart from the second half containing his last name, it almost felt as if the entire moniker was his true name. It held an essence that made him shiver as he repeated it in his mind.

"Who are you?" Dexter said, readying his spear.

The large shadow inside the barrier shrank, and out walked a scaled man with clawed feet, clad in sleek black armor with black scales on his bare arms and brow. His eyes were a sharp blue with vertical slit pupils, and golden-white hair was braided down his back. The air around him shimmered like a ghost, trailing in the breeze as he scrutinized Dexter. "After all these years… you look different than I imagined," his voice was subtle as if he often vocalized his thoughts.

Dexter stepped back, looking towards Alina, who he was surprised to see had shied away from the spirit along with everyone else. Only Yassa stood near him, having already met the spirit. "I don't know you," Dexter said, turning back to the alien gaze. Apart from the skeletal structure, it was clear the being before him wasn't human.

[ Kel'zar the Wanderer ]

No level? Dexter thought. Is it possible to hide such a thing?

"No," Kel'zar said, "I suppose you don't." He started walking around Dexter, inspecting his bearing. "Interesting attunement. Mind telling me its name?"

"That depends on whether you're going to let us in?"

Kel'zar stopped before Dexter, looking over the humans behind him. "Why should I? Their offerings were… unsatisfactory."

"So you will leave us to die?" Dexter asked.

"No, they are more than welcome to provide a proper donation for my protection," Kel'zar said. "It's only fair."

Fair my ass. "Then what is it that you want?" Dexter asked.

The dragon man's demeanor changed as he looked into Dexter's eyes, speaking past his body to the soul beneath. "I want what I have been seeking for over a thousand years, Storm Hawk. To uphold your end of our deal."

Dexter's blood stilled as the name echoed in his mind. Once more, his aura responded as if it were answering a call. It took all his willpower to get himself under control, but his energy had a will of its own. Without realizing it, Dexter collapsed on his knees, hearing the gasps from those around him.

"Oh my," Kel'zar said.

"What have you done to him?!" Alina shouted, rushing to his side.

Her voice drowned out as pain spiked in Dexter's head, flashes of bygone memories. Cold crept alongside the memories until he became submerged in their current, swept back to his distant past.

Agony ruled over him, and he was vaguely aware that he was losing far too much blood to sustain life. Trembling, Dexter attempted to reach for his vital energy, when a scream caught his attention… someone was calling him.

No, that wasn't right… the voice screamed for Storm, shouting over the cries of a dying world—tears and pain clouding their voice. Forcing his eyes open, Storm saw mountains of crimson fire surrounding him—a stark contrast to the cold he felt—only to realize that the mountains weren't rising, he was falling. Clarity rushed back to him alongside the pain that clung to his chest, biting deep into his bones.

Looking down at a fist sized hole in his chest, Storm attempted to place a hand over the cauterized wound when he noticed his arm had been cut off. Pieces of his memory returned, causing him to look towards the sky where the familiar voice had originated.

Golden feathers smeared in blood blocked out most of his vision, falling beside him. But as he took his last breath he caught a final glimpse of a woman marked by ash and soot, tears visible beneath her windswept hair. Above her floated a single demon burning with crimson armor. It hovered over the world, radiating corruption and hatred.

Dexter's eyes passed from the woman to the demon, pain bubbling within him, though of a different sort. His eyes clouded with tears as a profound darkness eclipsed his sight, until he sank further into the abyss, waking up back in his body with a racing heart.

"You're back," Kel'zar said with relief in his voice. "Most people don't react to their death well. It tends to break them, leaving a scar on their mind."

Dexter tried to collect his thoughts as Yassa passed a nourishment egg to him. The demon who had killed him stood like a calamity, leaving him speechless even though he knew it was all a memory. The woman brought great anguish to his heart, followed by a sudden bout of joy to see her face one last time. The emotion tugged at him as he tried to remember who she was.

"Don't get up so fast," Yassa said as Dexter winced from the residual pain left in his right arm. He flexed his fingers just to make sure the limb still functioned.

"W-what…" Dexter stuttered.

"Soul recollection," Kel'zar said. "A record of your past life lingers within you. Or rather, your first life. Your first death. The Nexus reverts your soul back to the time of assimilation, but some wounds are too great for time to heal."

Truth rang within the Zone spirit's words, and Dexter shivered as he recalled that final moment, attempting to imprint the faces of the two people he saw before everything went dark. They were familiar yet strangers at the same time. "So what are you saying, am I truly dead? Is this place hell?"

"I'm not very good with philosophy," Kel'zar scratched his chin. "But if you want my perspective, you're both dead and alive. The current you is a version of your spirit when your planet was first assimilated. And no, you're not in hell. You're in one of the many Shards of the Nexus. A pocket realm that was a pain in the ass to find."

At the look of confusion on their faces, Kel'zar continued.

"I suppose a history lesson is in order," Kel'zar said. "Shard realms comprise the Fragmented Planes of the Frontier. Worlds claimed by the Nexus to refine the souls of the dead."

"Purgatory…" Dexter found himself saying when he looked to Alina, who shared his alarm.

"Does that mean we can't return to earth?" One of the survivors shouted.

"This is earth, dumbass!" Another shouted back at him.

Panic started rising in the group and Kel'zar gave Dexter a look that said I told you they weren't worthy.

"How do we get out of this… Shard?" Dexter asked.

"Ordinarily you'd gather materials from the void zone and summon a void gate, but it seems your portals have already been corrupted by a demon incursion. The bastards are like pests, you can never truly get rid of them."

"Where do we get the materials then?" Alina asked.

"Well you steal them, of course. How else do you think those damned bugs are breaking in?" Kel'zar said. "The energy around the planet has yet to stabilize which is why void spawns hunt near these Shards, and by hunting the hunter, the demons gather what they need for an invasion. Honestly, they are truly just the lowest of the low." Kel'zar looked like he was about to go off on a tirade due to a personal vendetta, but he stopped himself when Alina spoke.

"So will you shelter us from these demons?" she asked. "We need access to the Zone," desperation crept in her voice and Dexter knew she was more concerned about the night stalkers.

"That depends," Kel'zar said, turning to Dexter. "Are you ready, Storm Hawk?"

"For what?" Dexter shivered.

"For the chance to reclaim your fate."

After the draconic man spoke, a ball of shadow erupted in front of Dexter, morphing into a rune.

[ Seal of the Intrepid Wanderer ]

[ Kel'zar the Wanderer has offered you a piece of his power. Warning: A Soulbound contract has been initiated, breaking contract will result in a crippling Soul backlash. ]

Dexter cursed his past self as he read the warning of a Soul backlash. Alongside corrupted rifts and the night stalker raids, it was as if fate conspired against him.

If he refused, could he recover and search for another Safe Zone? It sounded like wishful thinking even to his ears, but perhaps the deal wasn't as one sided as he first assumed. Staring at the rune, Dexter felt a distant connection to its power. There was a slight resonance that tugged at him, and he could feel something churning within.

"What is that?" he said, pointing at the floating shadow.

"A gift," Kel'zar said. "One I've been tasked with to return to its owner."

"By who?" Dexter asked, knowing the answer before the words left his lips.

"You." Kel'zar said. "That was part of our deal, and I'm here to uphold that bargain."

Once again Dexter questioned if he should trust his past self. He looked at the seal, feeling his energy pulled towards its direction. "And what deal did I agree to for this gift?" Dexter asked.

"A small favor," Kel'zar said, rubbing his golden beard in a scholarly manner. "In exchange for the safe delivery of your fate in the case of your demise, you'd deliver me an Essence Core."

The name dredged up a memory from Dexter's past, but it fled from his mind before he understood what it meant.

"You'll learn in time," Kel'zar said. "At your level you'll die as soon as you step foot out of this Shard."

What the hell did I get myself into? Dexter sighed. It felt like his past was haunting him. Chickens that came home to roost.

"And if I refuse?" Dexter said, calling the spirit's bluff.

"You don't want to refuse," Kel'zar said. For an instant it seemed the languid man switched places with an ancient beast. A tired wisdom filled its gaze as it expected Dexter to do something foolish. "Vows bind us, even in death. It's one of the many truths of the Nexus… you'd find yourself relinquishing far more than you bargained for. A Soul backlash is the least of your worries."

Dexter felt the gaze of those surrounding him, and once more looked towards the mountains. A weight fell over his shoulders, but one he felt he had bore a thousand times.

As he made up his mind, he reached out and grabbed the burning rune. It was as if time slowed around him, and then it crashed back into being with a mind agonizing pain that raced through his arm and into his body. He would swear he was melting, being boiled from the inside.

The last thing he saw was Yassa and Alina standing over him. They yelled something at the Zone spirit, but he was only able to make out the response.

"I'm not hurting him, it's part of the process. Soul transfers tend to sting when a piece is being carved out."