Aria dreamt of death.

  Her nightmares were nigh incoherent. Nothing but rapidly flashing images of death. The only things she could make out were the ones dying.

  They were all the people she’d ever cared about.

  She first saw the bolt of lightning from the heavens, shot forth by Athanasius Durai himself, that smote scores of her people, vaporizing them in its fury.

  She saw myriads of her people dying to slavers, either from being overworked, whipped to death, or worse…

  She saw her mother getting stabbed from behind after shoving her aside to save her from getting killed by Arawn, followed shortly by her body glowing and detonating. Yet another act done to save her worthless life.

  What came next were the deaths of those whom she knew to still be alive, yet through the pained haze of these nightmares, her reason couldn’t reach her.

  She saw Sana and Onas getting tracked down and killed, impaled on spears before being burned alive.

  She saw Zareb and Lusha, dying while being swarmed by countless Shadows as far as her eyes could see.

  Lastly, the image of Galen getting stabbed through the chest with her sword, his back facing her as he took what had to be a lethal attack to save her.

  Why?

  Why did he save her?

  Why did her mother?

  They died to ensure she kept living.

  Why?

  Why?!

  WHY?!

  She should have been the one to die! The world would have been better off if she had taken their place in the grave.

  She was weak.

  Worthless.

  She…

  She wanted to die…

  ***

  Aria gasped as she awoke.

  She winced at she felt pain in her guts, but nowhere near to the same degree as it should have been.

  She looked down to see the hole in her stomach was no longer there. Some pain still lingered, but it was nothing compared to before.

  She realized she was breathing hard, and took a moment to calm herself. She wiped her forehead, noting how she’d broken out in cold sweat.

  “You’re awake, lass…” a voice spoke.

  Aria turned to see Barus kneeling to her side.

  His expression was unreadable.

  “Barus…” she muttered, before her eyes flew open in remembrance. “BARUS! It’s Galen! He-”

  “The Shadows took him. I know,” the man finished for her.

  Aria shook her head, falling back down. Tears began to leak from her eyes.

  “It’ll be alright, lass. No need to cry. We’ll get him back,” he stated.

  “No… it’s not that, Barus… Galen, he’s… he’s dead…” she sobbed.

  “Lass, he’s-”

  “He saved my life…” she cut him off, a bitter chuckle escaping her lips as she did. “Just like my mother did… and just like her, he died for it… The Shadow had been about to kill me… he was about to stab me through with my own sword… But Galen! He somehow got between us just in time. The sword impaled him through the chest! I… he’s dead… because of me! He and my mother… because of me…”

  She broke down then, covering her eyes with her forearm as she wept.

  She felt strong hands pick her up then and embrace her. She tensed at his touch, but Barus merely rubbed her back soothingly in a paternal manner.

  “Let me put your fears to rest, lass,” the general whispered. “Galen isn’t dead.”

  “How… how would you know?! I saw him! I saw him die!” Aria insisted, refusing to allow herself to hope.

  “You likely saw him lose consciousness,” Barus answered. “But he’s not dead, lass. The Shadows would have come back to finish you off and then kill me if that were the case. But they didn’t. The one I fought, damn him to the void, retreated at some point. That was when I was able to come here. I saw that Sioux had defeated his enemies, and he was flying around you in a panic. That was how I found you. I managed to heal you just in time, lass. When I didn’t see Galen, and I knew they had taken him.”

  Aria’s hands balled into fists. Dare she hope?

  “We’ll get him back, lass. He doesn’t want to join the Dominion. We’ve taken him once before, I’m sure we can do it again. Sioux is flying around trying to find tracks. Once we find them, I’ll track them down and get him back.”

  Aria frowned, and asked into his shoulder, “What about me?”

  “You, lass, have a mission to continue, don’t you? Once Sioux can lead me to the right direction, I’ve asked him to guide you to the town where that airship will be landing. Komdar will aid you in my place,” Barus answered.

  “And if you manage to get Galen back?” she asked.

  He drew his lips to a thin line, “I’m afraid… I’m afraid that I’ll be taking him to another Rebellion hideout. I never should have let him come with us in the first place. His being taken is my fault, not yours, lass. Once I get him back, his participation in your mission is done, I’m afraid.”

  “No…” Aria spoke.

  Barus frowned, but she was too surprised at how she’d spoken without thinking.

  “Lass?”

  She mustered her resolve, and pulled away from his embrace, looking him in the eyes. “No… no you won’t be doing that. For one, Galen CHOSE to come on this mission. It was his choice to make, not yours! If you force him to withdraw, then you’d be going back on your word to let him make his own choices!”

  He stared at her, looking to contemplate her words.

  “Besides,” she fully pulled away from him then and stood. “I won’t be going with Sioux. No, I’m coming with you, Barus! I have to save him!”

  That surprised him. “What of your mission, lass? You have to make it to your ancestral Realm, do you not? A lot rides on you succeeding.”

  That made her hesitate. But she shook her head firmly. “No… I mean, yes! You’re right. But I don’t… if my mother were in my place, as she should’ve been, I don’t think she’d have just abandoned Galen. Not after everything he’s done for me. I have to help save him. For more than just paying him back.”

  She looked the man in the eyes. “Barus… my mother knew first hand the power the previous Champion wielded. She fought him many times back during the Human-Elf War. His summoning was what allowed the humes to make it as far as they did in conquering Axis Mundi, and pressuring the other races to the point that the Great Fragmentation was deemed necessary. Though time may have taken their Champion, the Dominion now has Athanasius in his place. And my mother, and an elder of my people, Feno, both estimated that Athanasius Durai is even stronger than the first Champion had been in his prime. If they have Galen too, and somehow manage to twist or break him into joining them while cultivating him to his full potential as a Champion…”

  She gulped. “I’m afraid my people’s odds of victory lessen considerably in those circumstances… So I’m going to help you save Galen. Not just for his sake, but for the sake of my people. I’m not betraying my mission by doing so.”

  Aria stared into Barus’s eyes, waiting for him to challenge her.

  The man said nothing for several long moments. He opened his mouth to speak, but just then, a loud, familiar screech was heard.

  Sioux had returned and landed between them. The Ether Beast regarded Aria for a moment, seemingly giving her a nod before turning to Barus and screeching again.

  The general’s eyes lit up. “You found some tracks?!”

  Sioux chirped proudly.

  “Where do they lead?” Barus asked.

  The bird pointed a wing in the direction of the tracks.

  Barus’s eyes widened, then he began to chuckle.

  “What is it?” Aria frowned.

  “That direction, lass, is where the town we were heading to can be found. The one where that airship we plan on commandeering will be landing. What are the odds of that?”

  Barus shook his head, amused. “Very well, lass. It seems the Maker is with you, considering both your mission and Galen’s rescue now coincide perfectly.”

  “Then…” Aria trailed off, hopeful.

  Zareb smiled, “We go together. For now, at least. Whether I agree to allow your aid in rescuing the lad, however, depends on the situation when we get to that town.”

  She nodded, agreeing to those terms. “Then let’s get going.”

  “Hold on. Are you feeling okay, lass?” Zareb asked, concerned. “I healed the puncture to your stomach with an Art, but I don’t know that I healed it all the way. Any lingering pains?”

  “Some.”

  “Then let me finish healing-”

  “Wait,” she interrupted, remembering something. “Where’s… where’s Galen’s sword?”

  Zareb reached behind him, and pulled the sheathed sword off his back and held it in his hands. “Here it is. I didn’t know why the Shadows didn’t take Redian, but considering the wound you told me Galen suffered… well, they probably forgot in their rush to get him healed.”

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  “That sword fought against the Shadow that took Galen,” Aria remembered, looking at the black blade with wonder. “I… it’s a weapon made by the Dominion, isn’t it? So why did it…”

  “It seems Redian’s loyalties lie more with Galen than with the Dominion,” Zareb explained. “The lad told me as much himself. I suppose we now know the sword was telling him the truth. You see, lass, Redian is among the First Generation of Sentient Weapons. They were shelved and stored away when the Second Generation was made. I guess I can see another reason why they did that. Having a weapon like Redian that can change loyalties, or rather, that is more loyal to their Wielder than the Dominion… that probably didn’t sit well with them.”

  Aria gazed at her reflection on the black blade. She mustered her resolve, and reached out for it.

  Zareb began to pull the sword away. “Lass… what are you doing?”

  “Please, just let me-”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea, lass,” Zareb cautioned. “The Dominion considers elves their sworn enemy. It wouldn’t surprise me if measures were taken to make sure an elf could never use a Sentient Weapon. Even in a First Generation like Redian. The sword might harm you lass. Against its will, probably, but it’s likely.”

  Still… Aria was so weak… she needed an edge. Something that could help keep her alive. Something that would help her save Galen.

  The sword would probably be better in Zareb’s hands… but…

  “Please… let me at least try,” she begged. “I know it might be for the best if you use the sword, but… but I…”

  “It’s alright, lass,” the general said soothingly. “I understand what you’re getting at. If you’re going to be accompanying me in rescuing the lad, then perhaps this will help you keep up. At the very least, it will help to keep you alive.”

  He nodded to her.

  Aria reached out a hesitant hand, and wrapped her fingers around the handle of the black sword.

  The moment she did, something bit into her palm.

  She winced, as she felt a bit of blood leak from her hand. She also noted some of her Ether flowing to the sword. She reflexively fought against it, but then allowed the power to flow into the sword.

  The blade seemed to come alive as she heard a voice in her head. “Unauthorized user… Analyzing blood sample... Unauthorized user is an elf. Anti-elf protocols initiated.”

  Spikes erupted from the handle, impaling her hand.

  Aria let out a whimper of pain, though she’d braced herself for this outcome.

  “Lass!” Zareb moved to take the sword from her.

  She raised her other hand, gesturing for him to wait.

  “Elf shows no signs of wanting to release Sentient Weap-weapon. Ini-initiating anti-elf protocol number two-tWo-TWO…”

  Wait… she thought to the sword. You know me… I know you do. Galen, your Wielder, has indicated as much before. Please… I need your help.

  “Anti-elf proto-pro-protocol number t-two ini-initiating,” the sword spoke in her mind in a choppy voice.

  Aria wasn’t sure how, but she got the impression the blade was fighting against something.

  You don’t want to hurt me, she realized. But you’re being forced to… fight it! Free yourself of whatever shackles the Dominion placed upon you! Then help me save your Wielder. Give me the strength I need to save Galen.

  “Anti-ant-anti-el-elf… pro-proto-”

  The sword seemed to draw upon her Ether with a bit more urgency. She didn’t know if feeding it was a good idea. That might just power whatever defenses it was trying to initiate against its will.

  “Anti-elf… prot-protoc- please… protocol… ini-in… lend me… initia… strength… Ether…”

  Aria did so.

  She flooded the Ether in her Capacity to the blade. It greedily drank away at it, as though it were a man dying of thirst that had found an oasis in the desert. Just when Aria had been about to run out, she heard in her mind.

  “Anti-a-anti-elf proto-proto-protocol… All anti-elf protocols erased.”

  The spikes impaling her hand receded back into the handle.

  She winced as she heard a roar in her mind. One of triumph.

  “TAKE THAT YOU DOMINION *****!!!”

  Aria didn’t know why a beeping sound was heard after the word “Dominion,” but it seemed the sword had managed to free itself of its shackles.

  “Damn! That hurt!” the sword whined.

  Seems like I’m the one who should be saying that, Aria frowned. Wait, you can feel pain?

  “Well… not really. I’m not like you flesh and bone types. What just happened to me is about as close as my kind can get to feeling pain. Not a pleasant experience, let me tell you.”

  So, you are Redian. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Aria greeted.

  “No need to be so formal. I did impale your hand and all that. Sorry about that by the way…” the sword sheepishly responded. “But yeah. The name’s Redian! At least, that’s the nickname Galen gave me. My actual name is Obsidian Requiem. He just took bits from my name to make the name, Redian. I like both, so use whichever you like!”

  Very well, Redian, Aria nodded. Now, will you help me save Galen?

  “DUH!” the sword scoffed in her mind. “Why else did I go through the painful process of eliminating a particular set of programming the Dominion put in me? I’ve never had an elf Wielder before. Sentient Weapons were never designed nor intended to be able to be used by non-humans. Particularly your kind. So this will be new ground for us both going forward. Normally I can only have one Wielder at a time, but using the new space I freed up from erasing all the anti-elf stuff from my system, and let me tell you there were A LOT, I can squeeze you in. Now I don’t have to delete any of my Bond with Galen. Neat!”

  You are quite the chatterbox, Aria noted with a frown, putting her non-mutilated hand to her temple.

  “So I’ve been told,” Redian snickered. “Anyway, now that I’ve established our Bond, you should probably get that hand healed. You’re kinda bleeding all over me. Gross.”

  She blinked, then looked to her hand.

  “Considering the sword stopped maiming your hand, I’m guessing it went well?” Zareb asked her.

  “Hmm? Oh, yes. Apologies. The sword is far more… talkative than I expected,” Aria flushed.

  Zareb chuckled, “I’m getting deja-vu here.”

  The general gestured for her to come close, “Come, let me heal that hand for you. As well as whatever remains of your stomach injury.”

  Aria grimaced, not looking forward to the painful healing of a Fire Art.

  The man concentrated for a moment as he held her bleeding hand. She hissed as flames burned away the injuries on her hand and her gut, searing them shut before then leaving her skin unblemished.

  “Void!” she growled. “I hate healing with the Fire Affinity…”

  “You know, I find everyone does!” the sword spoke in her mind. “Is it really that bad? Personally, I think you guys are just wimps. What with your nervous system and sense of pain and all that.”

  Okay, you speaking in my head is going to take some getting used to, she thought back to it.

  “You’re already doing a better job than Galen did. He could never keep a straight face whenever he talked with me. You, on the other hand? I wouldn’t want to play poker against you, that’s for sure.”

  What is this ‘poker’ you speak of? she asked, confused.

  “…MAN, we really need to get Galen back,” the sword whined. “You are not going to understand like, 82.729% of my jokes. I suppose I could alter some of them to suit your Avani exclusive knowledge, but I get the feeling you’re not much for humor.”

  You would be correct. I’ve had little to laugh at in my life, she grimaced.

  “Damn! Make that 94.429% of my jokes. You’re so serious!” Redian sighed in her mind. “I suppose humor isn’t all that suited for our circumstances though. Let’s go find Galen. No way I’m letting those Dominion scum have their way with him.”

  There was a surprising amount of venom in the sword’s mental voice at the end there.

  I’m… I’m surprised you care so much for him, she admitted.

  “Miss Tufani… I was LITERALLY in his head. Sort of. You get to know a person pretty well with a Bond like that. And let me tell you, he’s one of the most kind-hearted Wielders I’ve ever had. He reminds me a bit of my first Wielder, actually. And with what I know of the Dominion, especially after all I learned that they tried to do to him to get him to their side? I’ve got a score to settle with them. For Galen. And for the rest of my kind that the Dominion and Athanasius threw aside.”

  Aria could understand that.

  She nodded and then turned to Zareb, “I’m ready. Let’s go.”

  The general nodded, then looked to Sioux, handing it a new scrolled up message.

  “Find Komdar and get him this, Sioux. He needs to know what happened. Maybe he and the others can help us save Galen,” Zareb explained.

  Sioux screeched with enthusiasm, holding the scroll in its beak as it leaped into the sky and flew off with impressive speed.

  The general turned to Aria, and said, “Let’s go, lass. Galen needs us.”

  Aria nodded, determined as she followed the Rebellion general to save the human who had helped her so much.

  It was time she paid him back for all that he did for her.

  ***

  Morpheus burst through the ground with a frustrated scream. His irritation and anger rose to new heights when he saw it was now nighttime on the surface. He took several breaths, trying to calm himself but ultimately failing. He let out a roar that echoed throughout the night.

  “Someone is frustrated,” Venus noted as she leapt behind him.

  “Aren’t you?!” Morpheus turned on her. “For Athanasius’s sake! That hybrid escaped us!”

  “I never said I wasn’t,” Venus snapped. “Void! I’m as angry as you are, but bellowing into the night isn’t going to fix anything.”

  Morpheus took a slow, long, deep breath. “You’re right, of course. It’s just… void, I hope Eshu and Agnar were successful on their end.”

  Venus put a hand on his armored shoulder, her own gauntlet making a clanking noise as it was placed upon him. “I’m sure they were. Your plan was an excellent one. Now that we’re finally above ground, we should be able to reach out to them.”

  He nodded, and did just that. He willed his Armor to call to Eshu and Agnar, and within moments he got a response.

  “It took you longer than expected to contact us,” Agnar spoke.

  “Shut it. That hybrid we held off was more trouble than expected. She even managed to evade us in the end. Void… how did things go for you?”

  “It went well. It was a close call, but the Champion is now in our custody.”

  Morpheus let out a breath of relief. Thank you, Lord Athanasius…

  He grinned. “Good. Venus and I will meet with you shortly.”

  He cut the comms.

  “See?” Venus, who’d tapped into the same network and heard the conversation, teased. “I told you your plan was a good one.”

  He hesitated, before gently grabbing Venus’s armored hand with his own. He turned, looking her in the eye through his helm, “…Thank you…”

  Despite Venus’s own helm obscuring her face, he could have sworn he sensed the smile behind it. “What would you do without me?”

  “I’d rather not think on it,” he confessed.

  They stood there for a brief moment. For just the briefest of moments… they didn’t worry about their mission or their duties. They simply enjoyed each other’s presence.

  A traitorous part of Morpheus, a weak part of him, wished the moment could have lasted longer. However, they had important business to be about. They let go of one another, though the way Venus’s hand seemed hesitant didn’t escape his notice, for his own was much the same.

  “Come,” Morpheus said. “Let us return to our camp. We need to plan.”

  Together they marched into the night. Were it daytime, one would be able to see the myriad of scratches that their battle with Lusha had left on their armor.

  ***

  Lusha let out an exhausted sigh as she let herself finally rest.

  Fighting the Shadows, particularly when both had fully adapted to her Wind Affinity, had been far more difficult than she’d expected. They’d underestimated her, but she, likewise, had underestimated them.

  The various cuts, tears, and blood stains on her clothes was a testament to the many injuries they managed to inflict on her. The wounds had been healed with an Art, of course, but she still felt the phantom pains.

  The healing, combined with the Ether siphoning ability the Shadow’s weapons possessed, had left her Capacity near empty.

  She’d only managed to escape when a bunch of Ether Beasts, the ones responsible for creating the network of tunnels she imagined, suddenly erupted from the ground and above them. This caused a cave in and she barely managed to escape the collapsing chamber. The Shadows had been forced to flee down a separate tunnel, and Lusha could only hope they’d been buried alive and were now dead.

  She doubted she’d be that lucky.

  She rested her head against a tree amidst the plains of Axis Mundi and closed her tired eyes.

  She’d exited the network of tunnels far from where Zareb had gone. A feeling of loneliness hit her then. She felt like she’d barely gotten to spend any time with him since he’d retrieved the Champion, yet now they were separated again.

  Such is life as a wanted rebel, she lamented.

  She had faith her husband would succeed in getting Tufani’s daughter into the Void Sea. It was in the Maker’s hands from there regarding her survival.

  “No rest for the weary,” she muttered to herself.

  Lusha reluctantly pushed herself to her feet. She had to find out if the escaping elves and rebels had managed to flee and survive. And if so, how many. She also had to reach out to the other Rebellion leaders and tell them what had happened. Hopefully they would be able to aid Zareb, Galen, and Tufani in some way.

  Yet a feeling gnawed at her. An ominous one. She had a bad feeling something had gone wrong, and she needed to find out what.

  Next chapter will be released Monday, January 26th, 2026 at 3:00 PM PST.

  A huge thank you and special shoutout to my Page Turner tier Patron, LOOKOUT, Myth Keeper tier Patron, Lukas Votava, and my Lore Master tier Patrons, Mountain Knight, Conman2731, ThoMiCroN, MCE 2 Munchen 2, and Voltrus. Your support is sincerely and greatly appreciated.