Unbound

Seeing the Nagafolk off didn’t take long and Felix was thankful for that. He had entirely too much to do and too little time to do it in. Lists of supplies, people to wrangle, and Pit had gone off somewhere without telling him. The last wasn’t a big deal—Pit was entitled to his alone time—but when he was setting out on a trip like the one they’d planned…well, even little things started to feel overwhelming.

He and Karys stood atop his Stronghold, near his Bastion of Atlantes and the swooping trunk of the Spirit Tree itself. The winter wind was bracing, and it helped calm his rampaging thoughts. “Karys, have the people I requested been assembled?”

“Yes, all have been briefed on your journey, though the details were held back for the majority as you requested.”

Felix grunted. He didn’t like hiding things, and he wouldn’t for long, but the only way to stay ahead of events was to keep everyone guessing. Even in his own Territory. “The Chanters?”

“Zara was informed. I left it up to her to speak with the others, as you desired.”

Felix didn’t love the idea of leaving the Chanters behind; he didn’t trust them well enough yet. “I’ll be leaning on you to watch over the Cantus while I’m gone, Karys.”

“Do you truly think they are a threat to Nagast?”

“I don’t know. I want to trust them. If even half of them are as powerful as Zara they’ll prove incredibly useful to the Territory. I just don’t know how much Isla’s attitude is simply her…and how much is a reflection of the Cantus Sodalus.”

Felix trusted Zara to have his back in a fight, but pitting her against her own order? His confidence could only stretch so far. It was why he’d allowed Zara to inform her order of his departure. Depending on how the rest of them reacted, Felix was certain he was going to learn a great deal.

“Evie and Harn are gathering the Frost Giants, while Vess leads the contingent of Claw members to the northern gates,” Karys reported.

“Mm.” The real question was how to get everyone out of town without being noticed. “I suppose I’ll find the first group and use Abyssal Skein to move them to the grove. The Henaari hunters aren’t—” A noise filled the air that was a combination of music and laughter. Felix pivoted, peering into the depths of his town. “What’s going on down there?”

Karys tilted his big, metal head. “You claimed you needed a distraction. I arranged for one.”

The laughter and music grew, and far below Felix spied a procession of Henaari musicians that wound across the residential Wing district. Behind them, clapping and dancing to their jaunty tune, was a growing crowd of folk. Children skipped ahead, trailing brightly dyed ribbons in their hands as bouquets of blossoms bloomed atop lamp posts and cornices. Further up, where the Wing met the markets of the Scale district, a profusion of stalls were piled high with delectable food and sweet treats. Manned by folks in cloaks emblazoned with his personal glyph, and the moment the crowd reached the market it spread everywhere, rushing to visit vendors and dance in the swept Fiendstone square.

“Huh.” More musicians and singers came from other directions, from all districts, until the market square overflowed into another and another.

“I asked a few of your Shadows to stir up the crowd, get them ready to celebrate, but it seems that was largely unnecessary.” Karys closed his eye-fires, clearly listening. “Their joy spreads so quickly.”

“No kidding.” Petals flowed around the squares, carried by song and scent and a sense of released tension. Illusory glimmers sparkled above them, hung like bunting from the air itself, and they rained down like fallen stars—much to the delight of the children. Food and wine flowed freely, Felix seeing not a single cent exchanged, as shadow-play performers began to tell tall tales. “They wouldn’t notice if I marched out of town with every giant singing a dirge.”

“If anyone asks, the Lord Autarch will be sequestered within his Temple, doing Lord things,” Karys said with a laugh.

“You’re a cool dude, Karys. Have I ever told you that?”

“I don’t believe those exact words have ever graced my ears, my Lord. But I appreciate them, regardless.”

Felix couldn’t help his own Spirit rising in the presence of so much enjoyment. His heart bubbled in syncopation. Down below, a young family danced with abandon, treats clutched in their hands. “You did good here. Send my thanks to the Farwalker too.”

“No need, my Lord. ” The Farwalker wheeled out in his chair, easily navigating over the rocky terrain.

“Oh,” Felix said with a blink. It wasn’t often people snuck up on him. “I’ll tell you in person then. Thank you for this.”

“There is a reason why most celebrate often in the colder months, especially as the storms of spring approach.” The Farwalker wheeled a bit closer, his hood still covering his features in an impenetrable shadow. “A bit of levity to withstand the dire.”

Karys rumbled agreement, a metallic sound from deep in his chest. “Governance is a convoluted creature.”

“Tell me about it,” Felix said. “But I doubt you rolled yourself all the way up here just to say that, Farwalker. What’s on your mind?”

The Henaari spread his calloused hands. “Since you are leaving yet again, I hoped that we three could chat for a time.”

“About your tenth Pillar,” Karys added.

Felix glanced between the both of them. “Teaming up on me, huh?”

“Just working with an ally to work at this particular knot. I am out of my depth. My memories regarding Pillars are clear enough…but a tenth is a rarity I am unsure how to approach. Just as I told you. The Farwalker has provided me with sound counsel a number of times now, so when he approached me about the matter, I saw no harm in discussing it.”

“Oh really.” Felix frowned at the Henaari. “What do you think, then?”

“The Henaari do not have records of such a thing, but I know of the realms beyond Master Tier. Pillars. The Tapestry and Revelation. All of it bound tight with the weight of significance, firmly rooted in the world. It is a heady combination that no few seek…and most cannot hope to reach so far. If they do, they often flounder at the finish line, their foundations too weak to contain the might they seek to bear.”

“Not a problem with you, of course,” Karys said. “Your foundation is truly outrageous as it is now. The issue comes from introducing a tenth Pillar into things.”

“Yes. You must find balance, above all else.”

“Balance.” If anything, Felix just frowned harder at the two of them. “Explain.”

The Farwalker pushed back his hood, revealing a gaunt face that could be anywhere between sixty and two hundred. “The nine Skills that encompass the bulk of your Pillars are evenly distributed across Body, Mind, and Spirit. To choose a tenth Skill that is only of one Aspect would be to introduce imbalance to your foundation. It is our advice that you must choose a Skill that encompasses all three Aspects at once.”

“Which Skill matters a great deal. We surmise it will have a…cascading effect on the rest of your foundation. Especially once you incorporate this Core Manifestation as well. The resulting implosion of your core space would render you worse than dead. You would be…nothing.” Karys shuddered, setting a loose panel to rattling. “Lost.”

That gave Felix pause. “Is that what happens when the Ruin comes? They’re...imploded?”

Karys flinched. “Another jagged edge in my memory. You know as well as anyone that the Ruin cannot be recalled. The feelings, however…they linger.”

Felix mulled that over. I’ll need to re-categorize all of my Skills. I know Sovereign of Flesh straddles two Aspects, but I haven’t fully investigated the rest. His hands twitched, eager to be on the road so he could start poking at his options. “I appreciate the advice. It makes a good amount of sense, with what I know of the System. Do you know anything about Core Manifestations?”

The Farwalker shook his head. “Precious little. So few of the Henaari have reached Master Tier, let alone anything beyond that. I know that it is a thing that should set the heavens to trembling and that it represents the heart of who you are. You are bringing forth a Skill built of all of your accumulated choices and designs. Or so the shadow-plays claim. In a more real sense, I suspect that whatever you accomplish with your Pillars will directly affect its creation. I would give your Skills a great deal of thought.”

“How’d you find out about my tenth Pillar?” Felix asked the Henaari. He said nothing, only shrugged, but Felix could guess. “The Raven?”

“Perhaps not the most powerful of Urges, but She has ears in the most unexpected places.”

“And spreads rumors wherever she can, apparently.”

“Not rumors. Truth. It is Her Role. And you do not guard your tongue as much as you think, Felix.”

“That’s fair. I didn’t forget about that Windcaller, though. I dislike being used to start revolutions, Farwalker. People died because of the Raven, in Neer and in who knows how many other places.”

“Stories inspire. They ignite. But they cannot catch on green wood, Felix. It was the world that piled the kindling high and set us all in a pot to stew…it is not the Raven’s fault, nor yours, that it boiled over.”

“She’s turned up the heat, at least.”

“As have you, Autarch. Did you think your ascension would have no consequences? Did you think none would be hurt as this world turns to face the obliteration that comes for us?” The Farwalker toyed with his cloak, fashioned of dark feathers. “It has been hidden from all, but that will not last. The Endless Raven would see it rectified.”

“She plans to spread the word on the Ruin?” Felix asked, surprised.

“She does. Do you object?”

“No. They should know what they’re dealing with. People in charge like to contain information to stop people panicking, but…this feels too big to be a secret.”

“When people know, it will spark fear. That is certain. Fear of the unknown, and rage at those who hid it all. But it must be faced, and if we die, then we die knowing the truth.”

“When the Ruin comes,” Karys said with an echoing, somber tone. “We will all face it together.”

“It is a test the world must weather.” The Farwalker gave a seated bow. “Your place, it seems, is to lead us.”

“I never asked for that,” Felix said. He knew it sounded whiny, but there it was. The truth. “I didn’t ask for any of this.”

Karys laid a dark bone hand on Felix’s shoulder, but the Farwalker merely replaced his hood. His features vanished into shadow once again. “None of us ask for our fates. The System touts choice, but we only choose the turnings; we aren’t the ones who built the Paths. You’re different. You’ve become different. You can forge new paths, new trails for us to follow.”

He tapped Felix’s chest, just above his core. “Primordial. Unbound. King. Fiend. The choices before you are different and vastly more important than our own.

“Choose well.”

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