Tad repeated it, this time out loud, "Oh crap."

He cast light to illuminate the chamber. The spell was weak, and he had to put in a lot of energia to get it bright enough to see the crowd. They were all looking at him, smiling. The watchers must all think it was part of the performance.

Tad said forcefully, "The curtain protecting the valley is down. We need to get to the island's bridge, " he collapsed his cittern, placing it back on the platform next to Marina's flower. He grabbed his stave from where it lay next to him. There were gasps, but Tad didn't slow to register any of their emotions.

Nico had ported and was up the stairway before Tad had reached the stairs.

Kettle projected, "Tad, a group from Bismuth, is making its way down the ramp. I think there might be a thousand standing outside now. The main force of the army hasn't moved in yet. "

Tad kept muttering, damn, damn, damn as he sprinted up the stairs three at a time. He had cast a second light lancer leaving it at the bottom, but he didn't stop to see if the dwarves and other Carnival members were keeping up. He had to get to that bridge. He thought he knew where he could take it down if he hit it with enough magic. But he had to get there first.

He was issuing orders to the constructs that had moved the wagons. They were all standing in the Cathedral with their stone weapons in hand. He ordered them to move to the bridge's other end as fast as possible. He visualized a shield wall with the smaller statues in front and the larger ones above and behind them, making a second layer. He sent this image as a command to the constructs.

He ordered them to space out while crossing the bridge as he saw them in a giant cluster and thought the bridge might collapse. Something Tad might have to do soon, but he didn't want it to happen just yet.

"Kettle, is that another negotiator? " asked Tad looking at several larger bronze automatrons coming straight at the bridge from the lower cliffs from the main road of the ruined city. They were moving fast, and they had a circle of light glowing around them, and they wanted to be seen.

"It might be Tad. Yes, one of them is anyway. Be careful what you say. They might offer you another chance to surrender, but it will come at a cost. We fled last time, " said Kettle.

"Don't worry, Kettle. I am not running. I'm done with running no matter how this turns out," said Tad. He thought about his battle with the Torque. No, he was never going to run again.

Nico was already across the bridge. He was still in his human form, standing on the other side where Herman had mentioned they would need to destroy it if they wanted to deny Bismuth its usage.

Lamruil and Zanna were pacing Tad. Neither seemed to be stressing in the effort. Tad noticed Maximilianus was keeping pace too. His robes just flowed around his legs as he ran.

Tad jogged past Nico, making it to the other side, standing where the road extended out from the bridge. The two posts of the railings on each side of the bridge were intact here, and these were taller pillars with round balls of stone sitting on top where the railing and bridge started. He looked up at the sun. It was set and already partially over the edge of the valley. If the curtain had been up, it would have already been dark here.

Tad looked back. The constructs would be here before the Bismuth delegation, barely. Now, his friends were arrayed behind Tad, with Maximilianus standing just to the rear of the four.

Seven Bismuth automatrons stopped ten yards in front of the shield wall. The group had two very large members, roughly the size of the city guard constructs, and four smaller ones about Tad's height. The one in the middle was a negotiator with a humanoid-shaped body. It was wearing a tricornered hat and a metal jacket that came almost to its metal knees and a saber on its waist. He could sense none of their intentions or feelings. Tad couldn't help but think that most of the others looked like metal buckets with eyes.

The Negotiator with the hat marched three steps forward and stopped abruptly, slamming his foot down and tapping his heels together in some sort of military-looking pose. Then he spoke.

"Thaddius Rockgrip, I am here to negotiate your surrender and the release of your kidnapped prisoner Kettle 01. Please do not resist. You will both be treated in accordance with the accords of Bismuth and are to be jailed until your trial. " said the Negotiator.

Tad took a step forward in front of the shield wall.

"Well, I was going to offer you the same terms. You stand illegally in the Valley of Statues. You have brought an army onto our territory without declaring war first, which is not proper, and you previously assaulted our citizens near the Grand Bazaar. " said Tad. He didn't know where to take this, but it sounded very official.

"Thaddius Rockgrip, I assure you that we have every right to pursue fugitives fleeing justice and to bring enough protection to make sure you and Kettle 01 arrive safely at Bismuth for your trial. " said the Negotiator.

"When is this imagined trial? " asked Tad.

"It is scheduled for 91 years from now your time, " said the Negotiator.

"So you are offering a death sentence in place of justice? There is little chance I could live that long given that I'm almost twenty years old," said Tad.

"The office of prosecution and corrections assured me that given your lineage, you can and most likely will live much longer than that. The wait is not out of line with expectations of your life span, and it is neither cruel nor unusual. You will be fed twice a day and given ample time in the sun and opportunity for exercise. We are a just people, " said the Negotiator sounding perturbed that Tad had called his methods into question.

What does he mean by his lineage and lifespan?

"Humans do not live 110 years very often, and to expect me to say yes to spending all my years in prison while you prepare for a trial is out of the question. I find your methods cruel and inhuman," said Tad; then, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Maximilianus spoke quietly, "Thaddius may I have a word with you. "

"Maximilianus, is it your intent to interfere with the arrest of this fugitive? " asked the Negotiator.

Maximilianus smiled and looked right at the negotiator automatron, "Orion, you and I both know that I can be asked to negotiate as a neutral party between two in conflict. Master Rockgrip here has hired me to answer many questions for him. Also, I must protest your timing and interference in an ascendence ceremony when the domain your interfering with is not at war. That seems a little much for even you. "

The Negotiator stood and stared at Maximilianus for several moments, "I assure you the timing of this apprehension is purely coincidental and will not interfere with your ascendence ceremony. "

"We will see. I wish to consult with Thaddius for one moment on your request," said Maximilianus, then he turned and walked several feet onto the bridge.

Tad looked at the metallic Librarian. The gears and springs under his skin seemed to be whirling faster than normal. Tad walked back to find out what Maximilianus wanted.

They were suddenly standing in Tad's soul space tent.

"Thaddius, I would like to offer you my assistance with your little problem with the Plane of Bismuth. I would trade my results against you giving me a single container of Primordial ooze from the World Egg. Bismuth will bury you in bureaucracy, laws, procedures, and in the end, you will be found guilty because you have no understanding of how any of their laws work. I do, and I believe I can either get you completely off the hook or get you released until such a time as your trial begins, " said Maximilianus.

"Why did you call him Orion? And I'm not convinced giving you this Primal ooze is something I should do. I don't wish your people ill, but I understand less every time we speak. " said Tad

"Orion is the name of the intellect that inhabits the Bismuth planet. It has taken direct control of that Negotiator over there. If he hadn't, I suspect you'd be buried in their troops as they overwhelmed this bridge, quite possibly killing you and all your friends. They will take Kettle and the Artifact if I let that happen. Hence I offer my services in trade to keep that from happening, " said Maximilianus

"Ahh, so you want the artifa--- " Tad was interrupted.

"Tad, Tad! There is a problem in the Temple," said Kettle in a projected shout.

Tad left his soulmancy tent as time took on its normal speed. Tad could hear something in the distance towards the Cathedral.

Tad heard a high-pitched voice, "Maaassssttteerrrr!!!, " shouted Dammit as the Imp came flying out of the cathedral entrance. Even at this distance, the little creature sounded louder than it should.

Zanna held her hand to stop the Imp from flying too close to the group. It was flapping its wings fast, and Tad could hardly keep track of it bobbing around.

"Dammit, what is wrong?" said Zanna loudly.

"There is a serpent, a huge serpent it enters the caverns. It glows green with necromancy! " said the excited Imp. Tad was having a hard time understanding the words.

Zanna looked at Tad, concern on her face.

Tad spoke softly but with a stern overtone so the Negotiator could not hear, "What kind of serpent. Did you close the hidden door? "

"Master, you commanded me to come to you and report. I was not instructed to close doors. I am sorry I have failed you. The serpent burst through the stairwell leading down to the lower waterfall. I left the entrance blocked as you instructed. It did not stop the serpent. " said Dammit excitedly.

Tad went from concerned to angry. Fricken imps are worse than monkeys. "How big is it, and where did you last see it? "

"It is huge, dozens of feet long. I left it in the gretchic cavern. I ordered the gretchic to attack it so I could escape," said Dammit.

Could the Imp order the gretchic to attack? Tad turned back to Maximilianus, frowning while staring at the metallic man. He had a feeling this creature knew more about events going on than Tad. You didn't get as old as this being was without the ability to see things. Did he know the curtain protecting the valley would come down? Is this just some setup to take the Artifact?

"Kettle, get the non-fighters into the World Egg and close it up. Do not open it until I tell you too. Keep all cabinets closed." projected Tad.

"Tad, I do not know if there will be enough air if I do that. I'll close the cabinets and keep the door open slightly. If there is any threat, I'll close it," said Tad.

"Fine, do not let anyone take it or anything inside without my knowledge and agreement, " said Tad.

"Yes, Tad, " projected Kettle.

Tad turned to the Librarian, a frown creasing his face, "Maximilianus, you are hired to negotiate the best agreement for my people and me. And if I survive all this, you will have a single container of this element you are asking for. I suggest you work hard making sure I survive," said Tad.

Tad looked at Lamruil and Nico, "Guard the bridge and watch the negotiations. Come help as soon as they are done. "

Tad commanded the constructs to follow Lamruil and Nico's orders. Then he turned back to the Bismuth negotiator. He took his staff from his back, holding it in both hands and making the metal bracer form a gauntlet as he held the staff before him. He tapped the stone, and the ground reverberated with the energia he fed into it. Everyone could feel it as it struck the stones.

"Orion, is it? I have business to attend to. Maximilianus will handle these negotiations. I appreciate your not attacking first before talking, but hear me. If anything happens to my people, I swear by all that I hold dear, arresting me will be the least of your worries, " said Tad staring at the bronze man with the Tricorner hat. Tad staff tapped the stone a second time. This one gave a resounding boom, and the pulse of a magically bound promise was emanating from it. He paused a few more seconds, then he turned and started at a full run back across the bridge, with Zanna and Dammit keeping pace.

The sun had set, and the light of the cook fire burning in the Cathedral was the only thing Tad could see from the bridge.

Tad searched with his soulmancy ahead for anything out of place. He felt the bees, the ponies, the lasso spider in its cage, the guards, their wives, Bernard, and the druid Iliphar. They were all there, and he felt no other creatures nearby.

As he reached the other end of the bridge Kizzac with his squadron of dwarves, were arrayed in a line set to defend this end of the bridge if needed.

"Kizzac, I need you to come with me. We are being attacked from the river below," said Tad as he slowed only slightly then continued.

"You heard him, men, get to it!" yelled Kizzac loudly. The dwarves formed two lines and started to follow Tad as he sprinted across the gardens to the Cathedral entrance.

"Tad, you should not have threatened Orion. There are laws for everything, " projected Kettle.

"I didn't threaten him. I made him a promise. There is a difference, " said Tad.

"Well, you should stop doing that. It never ends well, " said Kettle.

Tad came into the Cathedral center.

Tad stopped and said loudly, "Anyone that doesn't want to fight, I need you to go into the World Egg with Kettle. He will protect you if it comes to that. Everyone else protects this camp as best you can. Close the wagons up. Pay attention to these stairs. We have creatures coming into the tunnels." then he jogged to the stairs down to the lower Temple, sending two lights ahead of him. Zanna and two columns of dwarves followed.

***

Tad was reaching out in front of him. He could sense Bubbles. She was in distress, and he thought she might be in a fight. But at the same time, he didn't feel the sense that she was being physically hurt. Some sort of battle of wills was going on inside the cocoon. Another being was fighting her in a soulmancy or mental battle. He wasn't sure which. The stairs down were not very long, and he came out into the chamber, sending a third light down towards the platform Bubbles had been on when he left. The cocoon was still there, darker now, almost charcoal color. There was some movement inside, but Tad didn't see any physical threat.

Tad sent another light towards the lower tunnel doors into the chamber as he heard noise from that direction. He moved his senses in that direction at the same time, and he felt disgusted. He pulled back at the view of four broken stone statues trying to fight the front half of a large snake whose scaled skin was sluffing off where the statues still stabbed it with spears. It slithered forward, crushing them under its weight. It half curled, slamming and breaking them against the wall and stone entrance. It had to be four feet wide. It took up half of the opening with its mass. It was long, very long. The creature started slithering downward towards the cocoon, going over benches as if it was one long walkway down.

Tad said quietly, "Kizzac take the tunnel. I'll distract it, close the passage doors and come back, "

Tad then jumped down, taking leaps across the benchtops to cut the giant snake off. He expanded his soulmancy tent to overlay and encompass the entire round chamber. He could watch the snake now in a slower motion as he moved to cut it off. He cast Ice Path on the benches in front of the serpent, and then he cast it again just below that. A thin layer of ice formed, causing the snake to slide as it slithered to one side, still downward but more towards the center instead of directly at Bubbles.

The giant snake took notice of Tad now and his lights. It turned its gaze upon him while Tad came to a halt below it, standing on a stone benchtop as fire engulfed the staff in his hand.

The serpent reared up as if to strike then it started to smoke and transform. Its giant half-decayed head and serpent scaled face slid backward, becoming smaller as the area below its neck took on the form of a woman with four arms. Where the head of the snake had once been, it was now a woman's face. The serpent looked like a decaying naga, much like the embossed picture on the door of the temple chamber. Decaying flesh and scales covered it. It was a smaller version of the Goddess before Bubbles had cocooned her.

The hair on the naga woman writhed. Where a woman would have hair, long-dead white serpents looked like giant maggots writhing around her face. Some reared up, and green spittle dripped from their mouths.

The stench hit Tad. He half gagged at the decaying smell, then he smirked. The smell was almost as bad as the Monkeys of Mayhem's magic attack.

Tad stopped himself at that thought. His friends needed him to stay focused.

The creature before him exuded magic, necrotic, and void, both laced with the brown of cursed energia.

Tad could hear Zanna above him. He chanced a brief look. Zanna was turning red and glowing. She looked angry, and she was growling. This wasn't good. Having her go full demon right now was going to make this whole thing a shitshow. Demon succubus or Undead Naga, he steeled his resolve.

The decaying Naga spoke first in a long hissing, gurgling voice, "I see Niucrelathss has found a new playss thing, did she entice you withss power childsss? Did she tell you the priceesss of bargainsss made with a goddesssss?"

Tad could hardly understand the creature even with his charm of languages going hot trying to convert this creature's speech. He hoped it would translate what he said correctly.

"No, I think you are mistaken. You see that there is my friend Bubbles. Perhaps it's the other Temple to the east your looking for, " said Tad.

The Naga glared, and her eyes flashed necrotic green.

"Do not mock me childsss, I have waited for millennia for this chance. The goddesss power will be mine. Did she tell you about me childsss? Did Niucrelathsss tell you about old Samathe, who once made a deal with a goddesss? Did she tell you how she twisted me, hurt me, formed me into thisss creature you seeess before you???" asked the undead Naga.

Another person projected to Tad then, a soft female voice, " Do not listen to her, Thaddius. She lost her way long ago. She received exactly what she asked for from her deal."

Great thought, Tad. He was in the middle of a thousand-year-old catfight that was about to go demonic and necrotic at the same time.

Tad projected back, "Where is Bubbles?"

"She is here, Thaddius. I am in need of a champion. Will you choose the way of the sun and follow me, Thaddius Rockgrip, Son of Beothorn and Friend of Monkeys? " asked the voice.

"I want to speak to Bubbles, " said Tad. Something wasn't right here, and he couldn't sense Bubbles the way he had before.

"I'm afraid that will not be possible. You need to choose, Thaddius, " said the voice.

Samathe hissed then, it sounded wet like bubbling mud, "Ah sheesss hasn't chosen yet, then I finishss thisssss."

Samathe's lower hands reached into her chest through a rent of rotting flesh and pulled out two long curved daggers. Each looked like a giant snake fang. At the same time, her upper hands started a spell that glowed green. She spoke a word that sounded repugnant to Tad, and a beam of green necrotic energia shot across the twenty feet down towards him.

Tad had started moving and brought up a shield as soon as her hands reached into her chest. The forward shield slanted up as he pushed more energia into the flame spell surrounding his staff, and a spray of red flame shot from the end of his staff towards the Undead Naga.

The green bolt went through the top of his shield as it was deflected upwards above him into the ceiling, leaving a long rent in the stone that dripped acid onto the floor, sizzling.

Tad's flame hit the Naga as he dodged around to his right. The Naga simply lowered her daggers, and the fire was sucked into them. The flame danced around her hands for a moment then the flame spell simply stopped. Put out by the Naga's magic.

"ahh, childsss such a simple spell will not harm meeess, " said Samathe as a horrible grin broke across her half-rotted face showing teeth through her cheek. She started another spell. This one was the black of void magic.

Ahh crap, thought Tad, void magic will go through just about anything. He needed to stop that casting. Tad heard a screech above him as a very red and very demonic-looking Zanna came flying at the Naga. What in hells … she had wings. This was really going downhill fast.

The Naga turned the casting towards Zanna as she glided toward it, mace in her right hand and large claws formed from her left hand. As Zanna closed on the Naga, Tad saw large horns and bony ridges for eyebrows and features of a succubus. Crap.

Samathe finished the spell, and a ball of dark void energy shot towards Zanna, who swung her mace at the ball faster than Tad thought possible. The Mace of Neutralizing struck the spell, but instead of sending it away or neutralizing it, a massive explosion happened. It knocked Tad and the undead Naga backward. Zanna went flying across the chamber into the darkness out of Tad's light spells range. He could hear her hit the wall with a heavy thump as he landed painfully on the stone benches.

Tad was suddenly pulled into the goddess Niucrelath's soulmancy place of power. Tad stood in the center of a Cathedral. It looked exactly like the one above this chamber, but this one was not in ruins. The stained glass windows were still intact, lighting the room in soft colors of the image of Niucrelath in the glass high above a stone altar. Behind him, he saw row upon row of dark wooden benches, and there were pennants and flags hanging from the gallery above. It was all grey granite with bright white streaks running through the stone. There was a red carpet running from the main doors down the center to the altar, two steps above him.

Niucrelath floated above the altar outlined by her image in the stained glass behind her, giving her a glow of majesty. A vision of splendor and time appeared to stop outside in the physical world.

"You will not be able to beat Samathe even in her corrupted form. If you choose my path and become my champion, I will give you the power to defeat her. " said the Goddess.

"Where is Bubbles?" asked Tad.

"That spirit will be absorbed when I emerge. I need an answer, Thaddius. There are rules even I must follow. If you refuse, I'll ask another. I'm sure one of those human guards or even one of those dwarves will agree with my offer. I'd prefer the strongest, though, which is why I dally, " said the Goddess as she slowly floated towards Tad. He stood between the first pews. She came to rest in front of Tad. She looked human now, not like a Naga. Well, except for the hair. Her skin wasn't scaly either. Tad thought that might be a trick to confuse him. She was definitely a naga before.

The Goddess spoke again, "I am the form of my worshipers when I came into existence. Now that I am coming into existence again, it appears I will have a new form, Thaddius. This is not to deceive you. "

"You know the only reason your awake is because of my friend Bubbles. It is the only reason I'm defending you now. If you did something to her, then why would I defend you? " asked Tad.

The Goddess looked contemplative, "I do not need you, Thaddius, as I said, but you will certainly be dead if you do not accept my offer. I promise the burden of servitude will be lite. " said Niucrelath.

"You didn't answer my question, WHERE IS BUBBLES?" asked Tad with as much force as he could put into his projection without actually screaming at her.

"I see your desire to help your magic little friend is clouding your judgment, " Niucrelath waved her hand, and the glowing image of Bubbles appeared trapped in a magical birdcage made of energia.

Tad seethed inside. This Goddess was going to kill and eat his friend. He squinted a bit, focusing fulling on the Goddess. Anger was clearly visible on his features. He needed to think. He closed his eyes then, breathing, calming, thinking.

"Kettle can you hear me?" asked Tad.

The small avatar image of Kettle appeared next to Tad. "Yes, Tad, I heard all of it. "

"Tell the nice goddess what happens to her only follower left in existence if she hurts Bubbles and doesn't come to an agreement with me," said Tad calmly, pronouncing each word slowly as if he was talking to a stubborn child that would not leave the pony rides at the Carnival.

"I'll close the World Egg, which is quite impervious to all damage, and at the crack of dawn when the light shines down over the valley wall through the main cathedral window. I will open it up and then open the chambers holding all three vampire women to the warmth of the sun," said Kettle loudly.

Niucrelath looked sharply at Tad now, then back at Kettle.

"Please tell her what the chances of her survive will be after that happens, " said Tad.

"Given the nature of her current state and lack of other followers. She has a zero chance of surviving. She also has little to no chance of stopping me as the Artifact will shield me from any power she currently possesses, " said Kettle.

Tad had discussed this with Kettle before he had moved the vampires to the World Egg's growth tubes. He was certain this was the only high card he had to play, but it was the biggest one there was where Niucrelath was concerned.

"What if I just bring the entire Cathederal down upon you and cover any chance of light reaching your buried form? " asked the now angry Niucrelath.

"I will instead just use the mana I have stored and bring the heat up inside the chambers one at a time until their bodies burst into flames. I will start with the unblooded one. I will then wait for the army of Bismuth to dig me back up. If you have not ceased to exist by then, I'll just stay closed until I believe the sun is up again, and we will try this all over. I do not think you can withstand the might of Bismuth when it wants a World Egg. " said Kettle.

"I see now. You have a World Egg, how interesting. So what do you want? Without this spirit's energia, I'll also not exist, and killing myself to save myself is a ridiculous notion. Did your big plan have some solution that didn't involve both of us ceasing to exist shorty, Thaddius Rockgrip?" asked an angry Niucrelath.

Tad hadn't thought it would come to this. Actually, he thought they would have just merged and been both of them for some reason. Clearly, he had been wrong. Now what?.

"Well, I suggest you share. I will never swear loyalty to you or follow you if Bubbles dies. Rest assured, I'll even help this Naga consume your remains before I leave if that happens. Share or don't. One gets you most everything you want, and the other does not. " said Tad.

Kettle chimed in, "Goddess, my friend Tad here. He is kind of crazy when he gets worked up. He just made an oath of destruction to Orion if something happens to his friends. He will follow through with it. Perhaps there is a place for both of you. A split persona goddess has occurred in the past in other places. "

Tad could see that Samathe was slowly starting to slither back upright. He didn't have forever to solve this problem.

"Fine, I agree to this arrangement. You displease me, Thaddius. Here I thought we would be such good friends, " said Niucrelath.

"I'm sure I'll make it up to you in a couple of seconds by saving your existence. There are a few other things you will agree to before I fight to save you and my friends here. You are going to agree to help my friends and me in this valley and not turn anyone else into that Naga thing or anything else against their will. No tricks will be played to get agreements either. " said Tad.

Niucrelath definitely did not like being told what to do by a mere mortal. Tad could see it on her face.

"Agreed, you will agree not to destroy Aea. You will swear loyalty and become a faithful follower and my champion till the end of your days," said Niucrelath.

"No, that's not the way this is going to work. He nodded to Bubbles in the magic cage. Release her. I'll swear to her all of the things you ask. If you keep your word, then it will be the same for you, " said Tad.

Niucrelath sighed, "Thaddius Rock, I see you will be a thorn in every god's side as long as you exist. Hopefully, you will be my thorn from this day forward. " She waved her hand at the magic cage, and Bubbles was free.

Bubbles floated there as a bright wisp. Tad could feel her now. Her presence was refreshing for him.

Niucrelath waved her other hand, and Bubbles floated over to her. She held the ancient free spirit in both of her hands, and there was a flash of light so bright Tad thought his physical eyes might go blind from it. When the light receded, two Goddesses stood in front of him. One was dark as night, and the other a clean, bright white. The darker Goddess had a face exactly like Niucrelath, the Naga on the door to the Temple. Her hair danced around her head, appearing as small snakes that waved around looking at Tad. She had two human legs. Next to her stood Bubbles. Tad could feel it was his friend and long-time companion. She looked like a woman made of wood, where Niucrelath's hair danced around her head. Bubble's hair was made of thin branches with small leaves growing along them. The leaves shifted as if in a magical breeze. She was beautiful.

"Thaddius, thank you, I suppose Bubbles is no longer an appropriate name. You may call me Gweleth, Goddess of the Sun," said Gweleth.

Niucrelath spoke then, "You may call me Niucrelath, Goddess of the moon. We shall share our time with the cycle of the sun and moon. When both are high, we will both exist in conjunction. Now I will have your oath Thaddius Rockgrip."

Tad smiled then. Gweleth was the Elvin word for bubbles. Smiling the whole time, Tad kneeled and spoke the words.

"I swear to follow you, Gweleth, Goddess of the Sun, with all my heart and be your champion in all things. I will serve until the end of my days, and I will work to the best of my ability to carry out your requests and carry your faith forward, " said Tad.

He didn't know where the words came from. They felt like something ancient that he was tapping into beyond his current understanding of the universe and its magic.

Tad felt it then. The skin on his chest was on fire.

Tad looked down on his chest under his tattered shirt. There was a four-pointed star blazing on the skin of his chest, with many different colors in three of the four points. Tad knew what they were. They represented the various magic types by color. Each point was a domain. Yellow, white, black, and orange-red. Inside each domain, there were colors that represented what he knew in each domain. Black was empty, but he had several in life, law, and chaos. Healing, ice, and fire, he thought. In the center of the star was a small circle that he knew represented soul magic. It was not part of a domain but part of his soulmancy.

Tad said, "Kettle, can we talk about this later? I think I understand something now that Jack had been trying to teach me all along, " as the magic glow left the star. It looked like a faded tattoo. What little hair he had on his chest was now gone.

He looked at Gweleth and then at Niucrelath, "I was going to get some help? " He could see that Samathe was starting a painfully slow spell directed straight at him.

Kettle interrupted, "Tad, we have another problem! The army from Bismuth is screaming a warning, well projecting it very loudly. It's a warning. A horde of undead comes across the desert from the river valley. "

Well, this just keeps getting better and better, thought Tad bitterly.

***