Chapter 15

The Beastmaster

“Don’t move. Don’t call for the Corps. You scream, Cario bites.” Meredith’s body shook at the finger on her throat. Her skin was crawling, like something was inside it. Eddie had the same face, his eyes reliving their memory of the Frostfall Cavern. Making this all the more palpable was Cario, the jet-black dog with red eyes, swirling around their feet. It growled, ready to snap at any second or order. “Now, let’s go.”

“Why would we help you?” Meredith said, her voice strained. It pitched higher as the Beastmaster’s fingers tightened on her windpipe, but let go. The action was little more than a reminder of what he could do, especially with the flecks of darkness that floated off his skin.

“We’re both looking for the same thing, are we not?” Caleb’s grin could be felt, leering and looming over their very existence. “The Weapon. I hate an unfortunate stumbling block, but it’s why I laid the breadcrumbs, and you came running.”

“You planned this?” Eddie asked. Cario barked, though the sound was drowned in darkness. Eddie recoiled, but remained resolute in his stance. “All those attacks? Everything?”

“You’re a monster.”

“How hurtful,” Caleb said, licking his lips once more. “And here I thought your desire for answers would connect us, though it matters little. I suggest we get moving into the palace. You suspect that’s the way in, yes?”

“What if we don’t care what you do to us? What if I scream for the Corps right now?” Meredith tilted her head back to fix a defiant stare upon Caleb. He blinked, but the grin never went away.

“Well, we’d have a problem. Those Renegades are on the way, right? The longer we stand here, the more likely they’ll arrive and I’ll be forced to defend myself. How many more will die? You know just as much as anyone what I’m capable of,” the Beastmaster said. The flow of his dark particles increased, an unspoken threat. “But if we find the path inside, then needless bloodshed will be averted. Besides, I’ll find a way to slip into the shadows, and that will lead to two very angry sides. We don’t want that.”

“Yeah, well, joke’s on you,” Meredith said. With her head tilted backwards, she offered a smirk to the Beastmaster. “We just had a hypothesis. There’s no guarantee we’ll find the path, you know.”

“You will. You have a very special compass, girl.” His grip never released, but Cario indicated exactly what he was talking about. The dog trotted up, white teeth bared while it zeroed in on the broken blade. Meredith’s breath stopped in her throat, and Caleb laughed, having felt it. “Surely you realized from our time in the Metropolis that the Weapons call to each other. Even Cario could sense it when warrior and blade joined hands. I was led astray because I never expected one in such a pathetic state.

“Though I’ve no doubt you can lead me to the Weapon in the alchemic settlement. Your magic has already proved itself useful. Now, move!” His barking command was emphasized by his fingers scratching against both of their throats. Meredith tried to look towards the lights in the heart of the upper settlement, hoping beyond hope that Raymond had already spoken with Marcus and the guild master. No one was seen in the darkness, and Caleb was pressuring them onwards.

Having no other option, Meredith and Eddie took shaky steps forward, on to the stairs that led into the Abyssal Palace.

Caleb said nothing, allowing Cario to be his persistent threat. He guided them up the stairs and to the threshold of the Trial of Enlightenment. Meredith exhaled, choking back a bitter laugh, before they walked through the door-less entrance to the palace and were drowned in darkness. For a moment, nothing was visible, and she considered ramming into Caleb and taking advantage, but his hand tightened, making her head lighter.

That moment was all it took for flames, colored blue, to light the corridor ahead of them. The Beastmaster pushed them onwards. There was no room for examination or admiring of architecture to Meredith, though she noticed the ancient design that was matched by all of the other trial sites. Surpassing all of that was the end of the entrance corridor, where the palace opened into an antechamber. This was even more spectacular in design.

“Marvelous, isn’t it?” Caleb expressed. His voice was breathy, in reverence of the room around them. “Did you know that long ago, this used to be a beautiful temple to worship the goddess and one of her creations? It was a marvel before the darkness infested this place, a shadow laying thrall. Over time, it fell to disrepair and became abandoned until the Corps decided to use it for their own ends, defiling such history.”

“I don’t think you’re in a position to talk about defilement…” Meredith said. Cario didn’t like that, preparing to pounce. Caleb found it amusing.

“Perhaps, but I think you’d find I’m not all that different from you. For now, though, I have but a simple need. Let’s find the correct path.”

Now that the Beastmaster had spoken, Meredith could see the fullness of the room they were in. The antechamber was truly that: a branching point for many different paths through a maze of darkness. There was no hint as to which way to go, and with no Guardians around to protect the entrance, it was impossible to know which way was right and which was death. The only things of note in the room, itself, were the giant swirling orb that was reminiscent of the magic core (but a clear facsimile as decoration) and the collection of moth-eaten tapestries and unlit candelabras around the orb. Something appeared off about the latter object, but Caleb’s breath down her neck offered her no time to study them.

Her hand inched downward, Caleb monitoring her every movement in those still halls. She made no sudden moves, and merely touched to the sword. It quivered under her hand, but provided no direction. All it could do was inform her that there was a Weapon close by. Having no other choice, she slipped her Soul Vision on, looking for the large soul. Sure enough, the object in the center of the room held no soul, but there was one underneath. More importantly, down the hall directly across from the entrance was a similar soul to the one underfoot. Her eyes looked to Eddie, and he nodded.

“You don’t have to be so threatening; I can find the Weapon for you,” Meredith said.

“I’m sure, but I’m leaving nothing to chance. I still need you.”

“Okay, fine. We’ll get you there.” Meredith allowed her own steps to guide the way this time, around the magic core and towards the hallway. For a brief second, she allowed a glance behind her, to the sight of a newly-crafted and glistening line of rocks. Her eyes towards Eddie again, he managed a smile, but when Cario gave attention, he reacted with appropriate fear. Only his fingers and knitted brow gave indication otherwise as they continued on. “What did you mean, you’re not all that different? Because the way I see it, you’re a monster.”

“We deviate in methods, but our drives are much the same,” Caleb said. His grip loosened a bit, but the threat remained and Meredith didn’t take any chances. She just followed her soul, the quivering of the broken blade increasing its resonance the closer they got. Unsure where they would end up, or if it would work, she kept gambling on hope. “The only thing is, you believe in the Corps, while I believe in the goddess. But both of us seek answers.”

“I don’t think murdering innocent people seeks answers.”

“Means to an end. Like I said, we differ in our approaches. That’s all.” The Beastmaster paused a moment, his body briefly spasming. His hand left Meredith’s throat for a second to touch to his side. By the time it was back, Meredith realized it was the exact spot where Raymond had injured Caleb. “Aren’t you interested in learning the secrets of this world? Why the desertification happened? What the goddess has in store for us?”

“Not really,” she lied. Well, partially lied; she really didn’t care about whatever goddess crap the fanatic with a hand on her throat was spewing. “And what do things like the attack on the Metropolis and destroying all those towns have to do with anything?”

“Returning souls to the goddess. A necessary evil. After all, it drew you here, complete with another Weapon.” Caleb drew close once more, his breath tickling her ear and her neck. She was unable to repress the shudder that resulted from it. “Isn’t that why you came? For answers? To forge the broken blade?”

“You…expected this?” Meredith stopped, but Caleb nudged her on. Eddie continued to say nothing as another intersection of halls appeared. Her Soul Vision faltered, but turning to the right, she could sense what she wished, and the weapon on her belt resonated the same. It helped that a shimmering paling of darkness blocked the other way forward, a different concentration of souls concealed behind it.

“I knew you would arrive eventually, especially if I acted. Your actions in the Metropolis showed that to me,” Caleb said. The hand on her throat went up, caressing her cheek for a second. Darkness flashed from the Beastmaster’s soul, and Meredith was reminded of a more oppressive force, surfacing in her mind. “It was a hazardous guess, perhaps, but a worthy one. And now I can get two birds with one stone.”

“What are you after?” Meredith asked. Her voice was trembling as another paling of darkness blocked their path, the hall becoming more and more devoid of light. She tried to slip her Soul Vision back on, and located what she was looking for, farther away than she hoped. The only advantage was finding themselves in a larger room with other paths.

“The Weapons…and a new world. I want answers as to my existence and my purpose for the goddess. Think of it as…a trial,” Caleb said. His finger was starting to scratch at her throat now, moving so fast, it was as if he relished being able to talk about it. Meredith reached a hand out, which Cario took notice of, but all she did was touch to Eddie’s arm. He took notice and she pointed down a hall where she saw the light. “Every Weapon to gather is a trial to prove something. To prove what an asset I am to the goddess. It’s no different from your own trials, like this place.

“If the Trial of Ice is said to help you deal with terrain, the Trial of Desert to show your intelligence and the Trial of Self to acknowledge who you are…then this place must acknowledge your deepest regrets and fears. An enlightenment of the world, so to speak, hee hee hee.”

The Reaper was there again at his words, the thrill of death and fear returning. This place was no longer just a building or a trial site, but a frightening representation of what lay beyond the Trial of Self. Of what had been eating inside her since she’d overcome her shadow. Fear…

What was worse, was that the Beastmaster looked like he reveled in it.

“So, you see, I’m after enlightenment, as well. That all see the goddess’s grace and understands their part of the puzzle. Not everyone is needed for their vision. Not everyone can apply to her will. My trial is what I’m willing to overcome in obtaining these Weapons. See? Not that different.”

“You’re twisted,” Eddie said. His fist was clenched while Meredith bit her inner lip. She couldn’t let it come back; she promised she’d overcome it. Fear was there, but it was irrelevant. Fear couldn’t stop her from a man who had no fear of anything, even his goddess. The Beastmaster was nothing but a villain. “You think it’s just a differing in methods. They’re still people. Who cares if they don’t fit in your grand plan? What gives you the right?”

Caleb was taken aback, blinking, and even Cario tilted its head in curiosity. “Well, it looks like someone’s grown up since Frostfall Cavern.”

“We all have, even if it’s just an inch,” Meredith said. Slowly, her soul was steeling itself, her hand sliding away from Eddie to touch to her belt. Cario reacted to that, growling at impending danger. “We’re not the kids who failed at the Metropolis. I’m not the same magic-less brat who could do nothing but tell everyone else of the danger. I’m a Guardian, and I’m not going to be scared of you or whatever insane vision you have. If this place is about fear and regret, then I’m not walking away with either.

“And if you want a Weapon…you can have it.”

Cario bounded two seconds too late. Meredith gripped the broken blade, switching it to her other hand and jabbing it backwards. The dog sunk its teeth into Meredith’s arm, causing her to grit her teeth from the momentary pain, but Eddie took care of it. With a combination of wind and ice, Cario was frozen, right as the jagged edge of the blade struck into Caleb’s wound.

“Gah!” The cry forced the Beastmaster back, and Meredith whipped her arm out. Cario was flung into its master, the sleeve of her shirt traveling with it. The bite marks weren’t all that bad, despite the momentary snaking of black particles around her arm, and she felt no further pain.

“Mera, dodge!” Meredith ducked. With a thrust of his palms, Eddie sent a flame rocketing in two directions: the one she’d indicated earlier, and the one they’d come through. It was a jet of flame that appeared endless, soon illuminating the whole room to give them enough to see by. Smaller than the entrance but larger than the halls, Meredith could see the Beastmaster gripping his side as he recovered, and Cario was doing much the same. She used the momentary distraction to help her swap out the broken blade for her own, extending it.

“Well, that was quite a cheap shot…and very foolish,” Caleb panted out. Cario whimpered, rubbing its fur against its master before growling. Darkness swirled around the Beastmaster as the best friends closed ranks, taking defensive stances. “But you made one very large calculation error in whatever plan you tried.”

The flames around the area sputtered, but the once-hidden braziers on the wall remained lit, showing both the inky darkness in the halls beyond, but also the Beastmaster’s feral rage. The darkness was coalescing, but not above, as Meredith usually expected. Rather, it was all funneling into Cario, who began to change size. Meredith heard Eddie swallow. “I think we might have a problem.”

“How far you think that signal spread?” Meredith asked. Her friend shrugged.

“I don’t know. It’s less whether it got there, and more if someone got the notification…and if we can survive until then.”

Meredith would have argued there was no chance of them dying, but Cario had finished transforming. It was no gigantic titan, or a mantis with legs that acted as blades. Instead, Cario had become a three-headed beast only barely resembling a dog, with horns and spikes protruding from its head and neck. In its maw was smoke, but not from fire, but the power of darkness itself.

“You see, the Trial of Enlightenment, in the Corps’ infinite wisdom, is built where the magic core of darkness is. The very same producing this endless night. And what element do you think mine aligns with?” Meredith’s arm trembled as she raised her blade. “You’ve stepped into hell. I’ll beat you until you’re nothing but a ragdoll. Cario!”

Growar! From Cario’s maw came darkness, all-encompassing and deadly. The breath was like a smoky beam of horror, and one that Meredith didn’t want anywhere near her. Nor did Eddie, because he dropped to a crouch and slammed his hands on the floor. An earthen pillar shot up, which the breath broke into, scattering the pieces around the area.

“It may be the location of darkness, but there are still elements I can use. Go!”

Meredith gripped her sword with both hands and charged forward, the metal glinting in the light that remained. Cario’s eyes flashed between white and red, stalking her as she swiftly leapt over what remained of the pillar and dropped to the ground. The beast’s legs were ripe for the slicing, and Meredith sent her sword slashing in a wide arc.

The attack tore through one of the legs, causing Cario to stumble while it lifted one of its paws. Meredith turned her sword up to slice at that one, as well. This time, the Beastmaster was faster.

“It’s no use.” His frivolity had vanished, replaced with cold fury. Darkness wrapped around Cario, restoring its once lost leg, and its paw came tearing down. Meredith changed her assault to block the hit, though the beast’s claws came dangerously close to piercing her chest.

“Eddie, get me up!”

“Fountain!” True to his promise for support, Eddie wasted no time in following her request. His quick-thinking, magical mind kept itself composed better than ever before. He grabbed one of his canteens and tossed it to Meredith’s feet. With a wavy motion of his hands, the water spouted from the ground with greater value, jettisoning Meredith to the air. It was only once she was above Cario that she realized that Eddie wasn’t just using water, but wind as well, the air wrapping around her body in currents. “Now!”

Air vanished and the water receded, sending Meredith into a fall towards their beastly enemy. Her sword angled down, towards one of the three heads. The other two turned for her, snapping their jaws as they moved in to bite her. She never let her own eyes leave Caleb as the bite missed and she sunk her sword into the creature’s skull.

GRRRRAR! Cario’s scream echoed around the halls, bouncing off. None of the humans let it concern them, least of all Caleb, who snapped his fingers.

Bats flew from the darkness, descending upon Meredith in a horde. She ripped her sword out, darkness spewing from the wound, but not enough to end Cario once and for all. No, she knew well from their confrontation in the Metropolis that no matter how many beasts she could kill, it wouldn’t end their fight until she took out Caleb, once and for all. First, she had to find a way to deal with the infernal bats. Flailing around with her blade was doing little.

Then she saw the tongue of flame and the direction it was coming from. No matter the annoyance and the attempted bites, Meredith ducked low as the whip cracked over her head. Embers burst into the air, some trickling down on to her skin and making her neck blister. While it ached, Meredith saw her chance from the distracted bats and jumped.

One of Cario’s heads followed.

“Out of my way, mutt!” Meredith’s sword came swiping out, notching into the head’s neck and cutting through. With her momentum carrying her to the floor, and Eddie keeping the rest distracted with his whip of flame, Meredith cut the head clean off, darkness pouring out. She didn’t let herself stop there, running right at Caleb, who held his hands forward.

Cario screeched, a bellow that was deafening, and brought a momentary halt to all movement but Caleb’s. The bats had vanished, defeated by Eddie. For those that remained, their darkness was filtered into Cario’s missing piece. Still, the beast reacted violently, its roars and stomping shuddering the whole palace. One paw flew out without Meredith realizing, hitting her in the side and sending her to the floor.

She hissed, the pain of the claws stinging on her side. At the same time, Cario’s other two heads were thrashing back and forth while their partner was repaired. The dark breath from earlier spewed throughout the hall, knocking out one of the braziers and cutting into the stone of the room. Some fell, narrowly missing Meredith and Eddie, while tumbling on to Cario’s larger back. With a groan, Meredith stood in time to hear the snap from Caleb.

The head reformed, and all six of Cario’s eyes locked on Eddie. Whenever the next breath attack would come, it wouldn’t be a random one, but a targeted strike set to obliterate Eddie. Meredith tightened on her sword and rounded on Caleb, unsure of the decision to make.

So, she gambled and ran for the Beastmaster himself.

The crackling of earth told Meredith she’d done the best she could. With Cario’s attention on Eddie, Meredith made a leap, her blade swinging down at Caleb. For the first time, the man actually looked surprised, but it was replaced with a perverse grin as more darkness formed, this time with a blackened sword.

“The living blade. You surprise me, girl, leaving your friend to death.”

The blades locked, gritting against one another until Meredith saw her own beginning to rust up, as if Caleb’s was eating into hers. Behind her, the breath of darkness blasted out. It tore through Eddie’s shield of stone and exploded against the wall behind him, causing Meredith to grit her teeth while the room was doused again, the lights going out. Afraid of being taken off guard, she disengaged and pulled back.

“Eddie, please tell me you’re okay!” Meredith pleaded. No answer came, and she felt her lip quiver involuntarily. It took a moment longer, but the room suddenly brightened once more, and the grin dropped off Caleb’s face. He was irritated now.

“You absolute idiots!” Emil shouted from the air, holding tight to Eddie. Part of his pantleg was blown off, leaving a dark burn on his skin that made him grimace. Meredith blew out with relief. “I came with you to make sure you didn’t get yourselves in danger and the first thing you do when I leave is this! If I hadn’t seen those weird water-rocks outside the trial and that flame, I would’ve never followed you inside.”

“Good timing, though,” Eddie said, tossing a thumbs up. “More help the better. Now we have a chance. Mera, take him out. We got this one.”

“Conscripting me into your battles…” Emil muttered, but he never let go of Eddie. In fact, he floated to the side, strategically maneuvering himself and Eddie into a prime position for assaulting Cario. “But that’s fine with me. We have a score to settle from the Metropolis. Let’s do this, Eddie!”

“Flaming Daggers!” Eddie spread his arms out, points of fire manifesting near the ceiling. With a push, the flaming knives cascaded upon Cario. They peppered the beast, making it whimper and hunker down. Its body smoked, though pieces were repairing themselves. Meredith wouldn’t let that happen.

Pushing off the ground, Meredith made right for Caleb, himself, and swung. He mimicked her action, but she feinted, changing the direction of her blade. He saw it coming, but his reaction was slow. Her sword sliced into the other side, making the man gag. Cario stopped healing, and the Beastmaster swung his living blade down. Unable to do little else, Meredith swung her blade up to block, and the two became locked into position again. Caleb pushed down.

“Is that all? All you’ve grown from the Metropolis?” he taunted, face getting ever closer. The flaming assault from above ended, and Cario crouched low before leaping into the air. The floating duo barely missed the strike, and the creature slammed into the wall, offering another shudder. “I’ll eat your blade until there’s nothing left.”

“Damn…it…Emil, was the Corps on their way? Might need some help!”

“Not sure. Might’ve been. I was more worried about where you’d gotten to, whoa!” Emil dodged a blast of darkness that nearly blew his ear off. His grip loosened on Eddie, but it was Eddie who faltered moments later.

“Well, that’s just great!” Meredith raised a leg and brought it careening into Caleb’s fresh wound. The Beastmaster gagged, and Meredith backed off. Her sword was damaged, but holding, if becoming more brittle by the second.

Worse yet was Cario, who had stopped jumping around. More darkness was pouring on its figure, jet-black wings to match its fur sprouting from its back. It took to the air, creating wind currents with every flap of the appendages. This thing just keeps evolving…

“Cario, pluck those birds out of the sky.”

Grrrrrr! The growl this time sounded almost…pleasured. It was enjoying the fight now, and with issues on both fronts, Meredith wasn’t sure how to prevent either situation from worsening. All three of Cario’s heads grinned, and then it charged.

Emil and Eddie dropped, though Cario matched them. The living blade swiped at the air, causing Meredith to duck, and that was when she saw it. The light down the tunnel from earlier.

It wasn’t much, but it was a distraction.

“Eddie, defense!” Meredith kicked again, gaining the distance necessary. She joined up with the boys and Eddie plunged his hands to the floor. Stone erupted upwards as the attacks she knew were coming exploded outward, literally.

Arrows of pure energy scattered across the floor, one making contact with Caleb and sending him sprawling with grunts of pain. Explosions rocketed through the air, and Cario barked before its body hit the wall and slid down. Its wings remained. The heat of the explosion washed over the trio. They huddled together, their skin bubbling behind the shield. As it faded, Meredith heard a hated and welcomed voice.

“What the hell is wrong with you, trash? Are you so desperate to not feel inferior that you have to interrupt a trial?”

“Vivian, you know damn well there’s no trial. So, take the stick out of your ass and just be helpful for once!” Meredith said. She stepped around the base of the pillar to find Vivian and Max at the other end of the room, towards the hallway that Eddie had thrown a flame down earlier. Both were in fierce battle stances, observing the damage done to beast and master. Vivian changed her bow around, transforming it into a sword.

“Well, since you asked so nicely. Looks like a familiar face.”

“So, the gang’s all here, is it? Hee hee…” Caleb’s wheezing laugh from the ground pulled attention to him. The boys also emerged from the pillar, shaken but alive. “So, this is what you were doing…getting help. Smart, if foolish. You’ve led another to me.”

“But you’re not getting any.” Meredith punctuated her statement by pointing her sword at their foe. “This ends here and now.”

“Oh no, my dear. This is only the beginning. You’ve no idea what’s coming.” Caleb gripped to the wall, coming to stand as his living blade floated around him, defensively observing each person there. “But for now, I’ll sate myself with your souls rejoining the goddess.”

“How about you die first? Offensive Enchantment! Tri-fortis!” Vivian said. Her body glowed red and Meredith saw her own blade glowing as well, a measure of good will from the girl. Max, for his timid nature, joined with Eddie and Emil as Cario recovered, shaking its head. “I wasn’t able to take the trial, but I thought I’d get a leg up on it. Lucky for you, I was just exploring. Don’t slow me down.”

“Same. Eddie, can I trust you to handle the monster?”

“Sure can.”

“Then let’s finish it! Viv!” The two red-tinged blades flashed out. This time, Caleb took no chances. His darkness poured out into smaller shapes, creating the same imps that had been the source of havoc in the Metropolis. They pounced on Meredith and Vivian, but the two girls slashed into them, dispersing them with ease. Behind the girls, Cario was back into battle, only to be hit by an inelegant explosion that could only come from Max. The move allowed both Eddie and Emil to get some air.

“It’s about to get hot!” Eddie yelled. The girls gave a nod of acknowledgement and dashed right for Caleb. His blade zipped forth, free of his hand, to get to the two. They ducked but continued running. The blade changed its trajectory and aimed for Vivian’s back.

“Go away!” Vivian’s blade made a backslash that knocked the sword away, careening into the ceiling and disintegrating. Meredith scoffed; the power of a Legendary Weapon really was something else. More than that, it gave her opportunity, and Meredith ran right for Caleb. A wall of imps formed. “Keep him busy.”

“Not the ordering around thing again!” Meredith said. She skidded to a stop at the wall and made a flurry of slashes. Flame exploded from above and below, consuming the room with heat that prevented Cario from making any offensive moves. Its wings melted, the creature’s claws digging into the wall to prevent it sliding down. Nevertheless, its many heads sent the darkness out, cutting into walls and making the boys go off track. “What are you even thinking?”

“Max, time for a targeted explosion. You remember it?”

“Very well, Lady Vivian.”

Meredith decided she didn’t want to know. She focused on whirling around quickly, sending the imps flying. Right in front of the Beastmaster’s rageful face, she slipped her Soul Vision on, sensing the souls of the rock that formed the building they were in, and the darkness that tied it all together.

Both girls enacted their plans at once.

“Penta-strike! Target Strike!”

“Come on out, stone!”

Meredith’s soul reached out, asking the stone within the walls to act on her behalf. It hesitated, but as Caleb’s rage peaked, his pure malice activating with it, the stone chose a side. It nodded, and with a scream, Meredith yanked the stone from the wall. That one move collided with Caleb from behind, sending him flying forth to her waiting sword.

As she did so, Vivian changed her blade back to a bow, aiming high towards the ceiling and firing. The shots of light gathered as one and then scattered, raining across the floor and embedding themselves into stone and monster. Cario howled, but hunkered down. Its gasping breath began to form the dark beam once more, all three heads aiming in a different direction. There was little time left. The arrows finished firing, each a shining beacon of energy. It took a singular glance before the Beastmaster met her to tell what Vivian had created: a grid of energy strikes.

Then Caleb reached Meredith. His hand stretched out, perilous and grasping for the broken blade on her belt. She offered him no satisfaction, however, lips set in a grim line.

“For all the people you killed.” She cried out, heaving her sword and slashing across his chest. The man’s eyes widened in shock, his bowl cut flapping about uselessly while his body began to crumple. Meredith took that last moment before Vivian’s plan was enacted to whip her leg around and send their foe careening into the wall, where he slumped, unconscious and defeated. The particles around him dispersed.

The battle, however, hadn’t ended yet, and Meredith turned to see the three males battling the giant creature. Each head was about to fire as Eddie pelted it with flames and wind. Max was backing up, preparing his own spell, slow as he was, while Vivian was beginning to glow. Her own strategy was about to be enacted; something Emil took notice of.

“Eddie, lock it in place! Let’s end this!” The two moved in unison, and Emil dropped Eddie. His Gravity Magic activated, sending Eddie further back, towards the edge of the room, away from Cario. At the same moment that Emil began to fall, Eddie acted, his hands rising up. Frost gathered on Cario’s legs, extending to the floor around it as it mixed with earth to create a stable base. The lock evaded Vivian’s shots, but did its job: Cario was stuck in place, a fact it quickly realized as the glow in its mouth reached a zenith.

Emil didn’t give it the time. He dropped, impaling his translucent blades through the creature’s head and flipping off. The jaws snapped shut and Cario recoiled, but was unable to move from Eddie’s trap. Everything was set for the final attack, but Cario decided to make one last attempt at taking them all down.

At this moment, Vivian finally acted.

“Defensive Enchantment! Septa-def!” Unlike her previous spells, Vivian’s quick-ditch spell enchanted the air around them, creating a blue shield that blocked all of them from harm, even as she dropped to one knee. Before Max slipped through, he clapped his fingers together and sent a tiny spark at one of Vivian’s embedded energy shots.

Once he was safe, it reached the point and exploded. So did the rest.

It became a chain of explosions, each new one triggering the next. With the shield blocking all humans in the room from harm, the attack had nowhere to go but in the direction of Cario, who decided that the easiest way to put it out was via darkness. Its earlier attack finally flew out, tearing along the walls, ceiling and shield. It made no dent in the bursting explosions until all of its eyes widened and the explosion reached it at last.

BOOM! With a final blast, the plume of flame rose up, sending Cario flying into the air. Even through the shield, Meredith could feel the heat and wind pushing her back. The Beastmaster’s body knocked against the wall a few times, but no one held any sympathy. Part of that may have been each of them focusing on keeping their own balance until the explosions stopped, ash and darkness filtering through the air.

Silence followed, and then Meredith watched Cario come crashing down. The shield dropped and Eddie made one final move. With a hand to the floor, a stone spire emerged from beneath Cario, impaling it as it made its way down. The thud was sickening, but everyone watched a moment longer until, at last, Cario’s body began to fade away.

The Beastmaster had, at long last, been defeated.

There was a moment that passed, where the teens and Max allowed silence to fill the hall. Meredith didn’t move, for fear that they had misjudged their opponent. That perhaps Cario wasn’t down yet and Caleb would stand, ready for a round two. Neither of those happened, and as the black mist of Cario’s defeat dispersed, Meredith let out a great sigh of relief and fell to her knees.

Her pain returned as well, causing her to wince.

“Well, that wasn’t so hard,” Emil said with a laugh, making light of the situation as usual. “Can’t believe this guy was a challenge for us just a month ago, yeah? Go, team!”

“You do realize it was my plan that secured us the victory, right? You were floundering and helpless without me,” Vivian retorted. She, too, had fallen to her knees with beleaguered breaths that belied how exhausting her use of magic had been. Max was patting her on the back with consoling. “Well, at least the record is made clean now. That’s a shame erased.”

“Wow, you really think a lot of yourself, don’t you?” Meredith called across the room. Vivian shot her an equally dirty look back.

Eddie was the first to move towards where Caleb was slumped over. He bent over and touched to the man’s neck. His own body language was tense, as if the Beastmaster was coiled and waiting to strike. To his relief, it didn’t happen and with a moment of concentration, icy cuffs wrapped around every part of the Beastmaster that they could. “I think he’s just out cold, if bleeding, but I don’t think we should leave him here.”

“Of course not!” Emil agreed. His hand was outstretched and everyone watched him levitate the body, despite whatever strain was placed on him. “Maybe we should just get rid of him right now and save everyone the trouble. Would stop Rico from poking his head in and making things worse.”

“No way!” Meredith said in protest. She brought herself to stand, joining the vanguard of Eddie and Emil. “We’ll turn him over to the Corps. What kind of Guardians would we be to just kill a man? He’s horrible, sure, but come on.”

“Was just joking, Mera.” Meredith wasn’t sure of that, but didn’t argue. Vivian was standing again, if slouched over.

“Whatever we do with this lower lifeform, can we do it soon? Then they might actually start the trial up again. Otherwise, this trip was an absolute waste,” she said. Emil shrugged and looked around, finding the stones that Eddie had created and beginning to follow them back to the entrance. “I would hope the path back hasn’t changed. This has been such a disaster.”

“Your scattershot was as impressive as ever, though, Miss Vivian. You created more than before with only a five-tier enchantment. No doubt it will serve you well in the remaining trials,” Max said with compliments. True to form, Meredith saw Vivian frown as they retreated from the chamber, back the way they came. She didn’t look particularly impressed with her own feat.

“It was a nice work of magic, Vivian,” Eddie said. “I think we’ve all improved in that regard…well, except for Emil. You just carried me. Kind of lazy.”

“Hey, do not insult the one who introduced you to Lacardia!” Emil snapped. Eddie laughed. “I was here to provide support and make sure you idiots didn’t die, remember?”

“And you did such a fine job of it. Myself carrying all the weight must have made your own exertion as a light breeze.” The two acquaintances looked ready to start a brawl, one that Meredith was tired of before it could even begin. Which it didn’t, to her gratitude, if only because Vivian looked to Eddie with pursed lips. “That flame message I saw was something, though. That was you, right? You’re certainly better than you once were…uh…Edwin?”

“Just call me Eddie.”

“Yeah, no. But your magic came in handy. That lock was particularly inventive for an elemental user.”

“Oh, thanks. I’ve been trying different combos now that I’ve learned more about manifesting magic. Still kind of crude, though.”

Vivian had some response to give, but Meredith stopped paying attention. She came even with the cuffed Beastmaster and acted as the advance party to get them out, turning at the corner that would lead them right back to the antechamber of the palace. The fight had improved her skill with magic, even if it wasn’t much. That gave her some relief.

Of more relief was that they had prevented the Weapons from falling into their enemy’s hands. All that was left was re-forging her own. Meredith breathed easier, doubly so when she stepped into the antechamber and was met with the fortunate sight of familiar faces.

“Mera! What are you doing here?” Raymond called clear across the room. He wasn’t alone, joined by the faces of Jay, Emily and Marcus, along with the guild master. The last of those reacted with shock, his eyes going wide as he nearly fell on Jay. The others were scrutinizing the emerging teens with worry, suspicion or flabbergasted expressions.

Except for Marcus. When he saw the Beastmaster floating out, he just laughed; an expression of mirth that grew louder when Emil dropped the man to the floor.

“Uh…one Beastmaster for the Corps?” Meredith said. Her smile was shaky, but her hands motioned to the collapsed man.

“Well, look at that. Your sister went and did something faster than you, Raymond,” Marcus said, holding to his chest as he prevented his guffawing from causing wheezing. Raymond didn’t look too happy about it, storming across the room until he was even with his sister and her “accomplices”.

“One Beastmaster…are you stupid, sis? You, of all people, should know how dangerous that man is!” Raymond’s yells caused the others to flinch as well, even Vivian, who turned away and bit her lip. “He could have killed you, and I wasn’t there to help. Why didn’t you come to the Corps if you found him?”

“We didn’t have a choice, Ray! He found us once we determined where the alchemic settlement really was!” Meredith argued back. Her hands were on her hips, glaring right at her brother, though she couldn’t see his eyes thanks to the blue flames reflecting off his glasses.

“You shouldn’t have gotten near in the first place! This was my mission, and I don’t want to see you doing something so foolish again!”

“You’re not the boss of me, Raymond.”

“Well, you’re not a Guardian yet, Meredith. And your recklessness gets you in trouble time and time again. Did you even think about what others were doing?” Raymond’s fists were balled, close to Meredith as he could be, but she didn’t back down. Emil retreated a few steps but Eddie made sure to hold him in place, all of them facing the punishment together.

“That’s enough, Raymond,” Marcus called. “Your sister is relatively unharmed, and while she made some less-than-wise choices, everything seems to be okay.”

“And thank goodness for that!” Raymond broke down, his arms encircling his sister and hugging her tightly. She was surprised by the show of affection, but patted him on the back to prove her own. “Don’t ever do something so reckless again. Leave it to the professionals.”

“Yes, though for an amateur, not bad. Lieutenant Emily, could you cuff him with some anti-magic cuffs, please. He seems to be stirring, and I’d rather not have another situation on our hands,” Marcus ordered. Raymond’s subordinate saluted and then walked past all of them to Caleb’s form. True to the commander’s words, he looked to be waking, groans issuing from his mouth. The groans turned to a grunt when the ice broke off and Emily cuffed the man. “You’d best heal him, too. I’ll not have us be seen as inhumane.”

“Sir.” Emily turned Caleb over, light from her hands sprinkling towards the gash on his chest. He coughed, beginning to splutter as he awoke, his eyes unfocused while he did. Meredith took a step back, but Marcus stepped forward, kneeling down to observe the man that had caused so much havoc.

The second Caleb’s eyes were clear, Marcus grabbed the Beastmaster. “What was your aim, Beastmaster? For what reason did you cause harm?”

“Aim…? Harm…?” Caleb’s words were slurred, his eyes trying to find someone to look at. He soon saw Meredith, the girl staring back at him. A chuckle escaped his lips, which quickly turned maniacal. “Hee hee hee! Aahahahaha!”

“Sir, I don’t think we’ll get anything from him,” Raymond said with caution. Marcus clearly disagreed, for he remained at Caleb’s side. Meredith tore her eyes from Caleb’s to watch Marcus.

“Get anything? No…we’ll get something. This isn’t the end! Beginning! Beginning! Beginning of the end!”

“His mind isn’t lucid yet. Lieutenants, please take him to one of our skyships and make him sane…er, as sane as he can be,” Marcus ordered. His stance was rigid as he stood. “I’ll be along shortly.”

Both Jay and Emily saluted their commander and their captain. Both hooked Caleb’s prone form between them and started to drag him from that place of darkness. The Beastmaster couldn’t stop laughing, his eyes rolling as he passed by a frightened guild master. He only uttered one more thing before disappearing with the Corps, back into the night.

“See you later, little miss Earth-Splitter! Ha ha ha!”

Meredith was glad to be rid of him.

“Girl, that man…did he reach the settlement? Did he-?” The guild master’s agitation caused the man to approach Meredith, though he was intercepted by Marcus.

“Fear not. I do not think he’d still be in the palace were that the case,” the commander said. “I don’t think Miss Childs would be so foolish, either.”

“Well, yes, but…there’s no telling. You usually have guards so that no one will discover the secret. It’s why we request administration changes once a month.” The man’s agitation reached its peak, causing him to shuffle around to the candelabras that surrounded the dark orb. All of the teens watched, as did Raymond and Marcus, to see him twist them in a specific order. Once he had, they lit themselves. A loud grinding noise echoed through the room, but Meredith was unable to locate the source…until the floor right at the entrance began to split away, revealing an elevator down.

“So that’s the secret, eh, guild master? Candelabras…”

“In a specific order. Any other would be disastrous, but I’m worried. If he was this close, he may have feigned ignorance,” the guild master said. His hands were twisting over themselves, worry creeping into every movement of his. Meredith now clearly saw the elevator down, lips twisting in anticipation.

“Perhaps. I’ll see what information I can get. Raymond, why don’t you take your sister and her friends to check on the state of the true settlement. Is that all right with you, master?” Marcus was resolute in his stance. The fretting man had no choice but to nod.

“Yes, I suppose. If everything’s all right, then I see no harm in you seeing the truth.”

“But…Meredith, sir?” Raymond said.

“You think we can hide this from them when they stand right there?” Marcus asked, pointing back to the group. Vivian scoffed while Eddie’s excitement met Meredith’s silent own. Raymond looked them over, deliberating the notion in his head, but when he saw how impatient the guild master was, he sighed.

“Very well. Guild master, if you’ll lead the way.”

“With haste.” He certainly wasted no time getting aboard the elevator that had risen from the ground. Everyone else was more hesitant, even Meredith, who swallowed at the thought of being so close to her goal. A clearing of the throat spurred them all to step forward, towards the platform that led to the depths of the settlement below. Marcus was separate, tossing a salute to Raymond.

“Report back once you have full knowledge. Do what you need. I’ll extract information and see if I can join you.” His orders delivered, Marcus dropped the salute. At the same moment, the guild master pressed a button and the elevator began to lower, faster than Meredith expected. The decorative orb flashed as they sunk beneath the surface, resonating with the elevator.

“Whoa, it’s like a tube!” Emil commented once their sight of the antechamber and Marcus was cut off. “This isn’t magic, is it?”

“No,” the master responded. His tone was stern, almost unforgiving as he looked at each teen in turn. “This is science with magical objects. Our smiths have worked countless years to master the techniques of combining magical objects and elements with technological prowess. Our ancestors once built the first skyship.”

“Do you still have the designs?” Meredith asked, a giddy smile on her face until Eddie jerked her back. Vivian seemed the least impressed, arms folded across her chest. That changed as light began to enter the elevator.

“Our oldest smiths are privy…and I suppose it’d be a courtesy to show you,” the older man replied. “Not many have witnessed the true alchemic settlement…but I think there’s no harm in showing you all. I’d even take it you were searching for it with that broken blade of yours. However, ours is a clan long kept secret. It’s best to keep it that way.”

His warnings concluded and the final shaft of light came in, blinding them all a moment. When it receded and the elevator stopped, however, they had stepped into a world of majesty. After so long, Meredith had arrived at the true alchemic settlement.