Sidrick weighed his options.

He was hundreds of feet in the air, the pyramids were marching away from him, and a swarm of magic weapons was rapidly approaching.

As he started falling, he modified the ice array for directional manipulation. It felt ridiculous, like using training wheels after riding a bike for years. On Yenoriha, manipulation arrays were teaching tools for children and little more. They were limited in commands. Unfit for combat.

Sidrick poured mana into his array, wrapping ice around Cyrina and growing a platform with her at the center. The ice enveloped and bound his feet. Then it moved. It jerked up, right, up again…

Sidrick cursed. It was like shouting directions to a blind man. Anyone else would have their legs torn off.

The weapon swarm was almost upon him. He pumped mana into the arrays and swung toward the pyramid. The weapons flew past him before curving around for a second pass.

The currents fed Cyrina more and more as he picked up speed. It felt like his reservoir had doubled in size. It was a high beyond highs. A drug assigned higher meaning, with countless followers to preach its power, its ease of use, its necessity.

A bell rang.

Then again.

Again.

Again, again, again.

Sidrick’s gaze fell on Oswin. He was deflecting blade after blade, each strike accompanied by a ring. Invisible slashes smacked weapons out of the air. The shells around him were riddled with weapons. Several of the crabs watched, more intrigued than worried.

The weapon mage hovered a distance away, likely just outside Oswin’s range. She watched Oswin with contempt. Sidrick saw the small flecks of scales on her cheeks, closer to a fish than a reptile’s. They reflected all the colors of the rainbow in the right light. There were two white stumps on her forehead. Cut off horns?

Sidrick frowned. A white-horned woman versus a black-horned man. Both with scales. Both using a type of weapon magic. Sidrick couldn’t tell if the woman was hiding a tail. Maybe it had been removed like her horns.

Still, something told him he’d stumbled into a clan dispute. Or something close, at least.

Wonderful.

Well, he’d already picked a side.

There had to be a way to reach the weapon mage. Controlling this many items was impossible unless she was an archmage or higher. They’d be dead if she was either. Which meant there was a trick or treasure involved.

Sidrick narrowed his eyes.

How large would a storage space need to be for this many weapons? Only the most powerful Yenorihan mages would possess a storage item that needlessly vast. And it was more difficult to create any type of storage item on Linea. Having more than a single one was possible, but the woman’s clothes weren’t made to conceal 20 pouches.

He jerked up, narrowly avoiding the swarm of weapons pursuing him.

Why were the weapons so massed together? Why not split them up and corner him?

Rudimentary movements. Lack of complex pathing. She also required a manipulation array of some type. Could a type of treasure group the weapons together, then make them register to her magic as one item? Her manipulation would do the rest.

Sidrick watched the weapons closely. His eyes widened. There are duplicates.

His gaze whipped back to Oswin. He watched closer, noting the weapons he deflected and the ones he let go. Several always veered off course to rejoin the larger swarm. He tracked one that veered away, rejoined, shot, veered away… Like it was afraid to touch anything.

Illusions.

Sidrick sucked in a breath as he took in the sheer size of the swarm.

Incredible. He could scarcely believe it. Part of him wished it wasn’t true, that Linean illusionists weren’t that absurdly powerful. He wondered how much of it was the currents’ work.

He wondered how far he could push his ice creation…

A harsh ring interrupted his thoughts.

Sidrick saw the weapons around Oswin vibrating.

The woman started to shout something but was cut off by a thunderous gong. The sound hung in the air before dissolving into a sprinkle of bell chimes.

The woman raised her arms, expelling the weapons away from her. The ones hunting Sidrick froze.

A dozen slashes chimed against her swarm. A new weapon chimed with each strike, then another, and another. The endless cascade blended into a cutting melody. A chorus of bells.

The air twisted into a storm of harsh distortions.

Sidrick watched atop his platform of ice. What could he possibly do in a fight like this? Oswin and the illusionist weren’t even archmages. They looked around his age.

Sidrick clenched his fists. Even if he wasn’t holding back, could he beat them? With all the preparations he could muster, was there a way to win in a straight fight? How did you win against mages who used siege magic on command?

The illusionist burst from the chorus, riding atop her spear. One of her arms hung limp at her side, a dripping mess of flesh and bone. She produced a shortsword from thin air and sliced it off. A new limb began to grow at visible speed.

Illusion, healing, and likely a metal affinity.

Maybe more.

Sidrick detached from his ice platform and landed on the pyramid. He controlled the ice to float close—it was less mana to maintain its form than to create a new one.

“What affinities do you have?” Oswin asked from above, his eyes fixed on the illusionist. She was taking her time to heal outside his range.

“I can only use ice,” Sidrick said.

“But you have more.”

Sidrick didn’t elaborate. “Who’s the woman?”

“Rielle. My best friend,” Oswin said, sadness creeping into his voice. “She isn’t herself.”

“Mind magic?”

He nodded.

“The caster?”

“Knowing their name would do you no favors,” Oswin said. “Ignorance is the greatest shield from those like Olivant. We already met by coincidence. What other coincidences will happen when your face becomes known?”

“A little late for that,” Sidrick said. They were fighting in what was essentially a tournament. Who was watching? Taking notes?

“Yes.” Oswin chuckled sadly. “Yes, I suppose it is.” His gaze hardened. “We capture her, then we leave. I have help waiting. Do you have a way to disable her? Freeze her? I would prefer not to exhaust her reservoir.”

Sidrick watched Rielle’s arm finish healing. Right. Healing magic did take a lot of mana.

Several of her illusory weapons dissipated as she withdrew three spears. All black. Their silvery heads reflected a myriad of colors in the sun. More weapons dissipated as the spears glowed with white mana.

Sidrick let his platform of ice dissipate. He felt the freed mana drift away on invisible currents, disappearing from view after only a few seconds. Like foggy breath on a cold morning.

“I might have a way,” Sidrick finally said. He erased the arrays on Cyrina’s page as he thought back to the labyrinth. He thought of Hedwin. Of the room full of ash. Ranged creation.

How had he done it?

Sidrick closed his eyes to think.

At the same time, Rielle began her second assault.

#

Hedwin arrived in Ede Alonse’s office. His face slowly dropped as he surveyed the room. Vivi leaned against the wall, a complex expression on her face. Jonah was sitting alone, arms crossed as she stared at the floor. He’d never seen her look so angry. And there were traces of shame in her eyes. Layla silently boiled off to the side, her gaze fixed on Jonah.

Hedwin sighed.

Ede Alonse sat at his desk with his hands clasped together, deep in thought.

“Which Sovereign?” Hedwin asked.

“Olivant,” Ede Alonse said.

Hedwin frowned deeply.

“He was able to pass my defenses in an instant,” Ede Alonse said. “Which leaves a few terrifying possibilities as to what his affinities are.”

“Who cares? How are we getting Sidrick back?” Layla asked as she turned to stare down at Ede Alonse. “Surely the great and powerful Ede Alonse can locate him.”

“I tried,” he said.

“And?”

“My scrying pointed me down. Into the labyrinth. Except your brother isn’t there,” Ede Alonse said, his eyes narrowing. “How many bodies did you leave?”

“We did all we could to survive. It worked,” Layla said.

Ede Alonse was stone-faced as he looked away and toward Jonah. “Clues, Jonah? Did Olivant say anything important?”

She shook her head.

Ede Alonse nodded as if he expected it. “Vivi. The student’s injuries?”

“Spiritual pressure, not much else. Nothing deeper,” Vivi said. She was holding her staff tight, her face more solemn than Hedwin thought possible for her.

“One piece of good news,” Ede Alonse said. “As for the diplomats and foreign nobles, they see this as Alind sending a warning. A few of the independent cities will probably start reviving their military.”

Layla was about to say something when Ede Alonse spoke to Hedwin, “Your assessment of Yenorihan magic?”

Hedwin sighed. It didn’t feel right talking about it. Ede Alonse was different, but he was still a Sovereign. Still a part of their games. “Jonah and I believe it would be extremely dangerous if their magic got out.”

“Be specific.”

Hedwin shifted uncomfortably. He glanced at Layla. She seemed to be listening too, curious to know just how much the enemy had gained. “Memory implants, a revision of alchemical methods, and an intense review of Hockney’s Rules.” He turned to Layla to offer an explanation. “The rules the currents follow.”

“Memory implants are outside the rules?” Layla asked.

“We think so. The currents don’t like magic that’s too intricate.”

“Well, my uncle was capable of it. It took a lot of work and prep, but…” Layla looked around. “What’s wrong?”

Everyone’s faces had turned grim.

“That does not leave this room. Under any circumstances,” Ede Alonse said. “Layla, you will stay in Centralis under guard until you can completely pass as Linean.”

Layla’s face twisted. She was about to say something when Ede Alonse allowed his presence to slip past his grip. Suffocating pressure flashed through everyone in the room.

He quickly withdrew it.

“Apologies,” he said as he stood. “It has been a long time since I’ve been this worried. And I am sorry, Layla. I know you want to join the rescue team. I wish you could. However, I cannot allow Olivant to capture you. Or any other Sovereign, for that matter.”

“Your wards already weren’t enough to keep him out. What are a few guards?” Layla asked. “I should be helping to find Sidrick. You need all the muscle you can get, right? I won’t endanger my party for personal revenge either.”

Jonah clenched her teeth and rose to speak.

“Let’s focus on solutions, please,” Hedwin said, drawing glares from the two. He ignored them and looked to Ede Alonse. “Your scrying shouldn’t be picking up Sidrick in the labyrinth. Something else could be at work. Layla can go with me to find out what.”

“No,” Jonah piped up. “I don’t want you down there because of me.”

“Quantify makes investigations much quicker,” Hedwin said. “The sooner we find out what’s happening, the sooner Ede Alonse can find Sidrick.”

“I’ll join you,” Vivi quickly said. “I’m better in a fight than Renya.”

“Thank you. Your help will make the trip down much easier,” Hedwin said, glancing at her. She was the last one he expected to volunteer. What had gotten her so motivated?

“Layla, if you join us, you still get to help find Sidrick without putting yourself at too much risk,” Hedwin said.

She thought for a moment before nodding. She looked at Ede Alonse. “I assume you can’t just fly around scrying due to treaties or similar nonsense.”

He nodded with a sigh.

“I’ll work with Kor on finding Sidrick through other methods,” Jonah said, her eyes hardened with focus. “I can reach out to people I trust, tell them to look for him.”

“Yes, let’s spread my brother’s name around, give them a sketch of his face. That can’t go wrong.” Layla threw her hands up as she started toward the door. “Just tell me when we’re going.”

They watched her leave, slamming the door behind her.

“Child,” Vivi growled.

“She’s afraid. Terrified, even,” Hedwin said. “Her last living relative is at the mercy of a madman.”

Vivi frowned. “That doesn’t make her behavior acceptable. She’s supposed to lead a House? Please.”

Hedwin gave her a look. Maybe she was remembering something unpleasant.

“Jonah, I will notify Kor of your intentions,” Ede Alonse said. “However, Layla does have a point. Both of you will keep your inquiries to the bare minimum. We cannot risk too much attention falling on either of them.”

“Northwatch it is. But they aren’t very good at information gathering. Or stealth, really,” Jonah said.

Ede Alonse just smiled.

#

A labyrinth’s layers were fixed and ever-growing. Some pieces would fall away if they branched too far, too close to the Ethereal. Creatures scooped them up, made them their own. The Fae had done just so for centuries. They had built a city between the layers, a nation of refashioned corridors and rooms invisible to all except the most observant Sovereigns.

Yet today, mold ate away at its edges.

A Fae tried to scurry away from the intruder, its wings half eaten by mold. It screamed and pleaded as its pursuer bent down to pick it up. With a sickening crunch, the living mold bit the little Fae’s head off. Its bones added a most delightful texture to the otherwise stringy meat. Its blood fizzed and popped, reminding Sidrick of one of his favorite candies.

He watched distant Fae flee.

Every drop of their blood was a memory retaken.

He looked down at his body. It was more silhouette than human. He pulled branches of mold into himself, condensing into a more concrete form. His skin was still furry, but from a distance? Passable. It would grow better with time.

The Fae blood soaked into his core. The mold became more tangible in his mind, more a part of him than a loosely dominated extension.

Sidrick tried to take a breath. Nothing. He frowned. No more lungs.

He would remake them in time.

All he needed was more blood.