—— ? ——

  Serel rushed toward the new commotion. Over this distance, she couldn’t make out the yelling. She did hear loud steps behind her as Kurda followed. As he caught up with her, his hand reached out and tapped her shoulder. A notice appeared.

  ——————————

  > You have received a party request from Kurda Wovenstone

  > Party Name: The Three Idiots

  > Accept?

  > Yes - No

  ——————————

  She shot a glance at Kurda. “The Three Idiots?”

  “Oie didn’t name it.” Kurda replied with an eye roll.

  Serel accepted the invite. She quickly glanced at the names. Emrick, Dravlen, Jorik and Kurda were all part of the group.

  “I’m going to need to give this a new name.” Dravlen’s voice echoed in her mind. “Now that we have the shadow of the council, this is all official.”

  “Is that really the priority right now? Do you know what's going on?” Serel asked.

  Kurda and her were now on the edges of the gathered frost-kin.

  “I think Brian’s gone mad. He just charged in and started yelling for people to back away from Kaelalin’s body.”

  Serel looked over the crowd and saw the man. The inventor was wild-eyed and pointed his purple, bruised hands toward anyone who stepped close. Magical energy crackled from them as he held a prepared spell.

  “Council comin’ through!” Kurda bellowed and stomped forward. “Make way!” Frost-kin that didn’t move fast enough were bounced away as the thurgen didn’t stop moving.

  Movement to Serel’s left drew her eyes. Emrick slid in.

  Serel blinked at his bandaged and ruined appearance. She had never seen the tailor like this.

  She had also never seen anything like what his hand and leg now looked like.

  The twisting strands of silvery thread flexed and moved with his every step. His gait was unsteady, but he kept pace with them.

  “Quit staring, Serel.” Emrick chastised. “I will explain later. Right now, we need to stop Brian from doing something he’s going to regret.”

  Serel nodded, then turned her attention back to the researcher.

  “Back away! Back away! There’s still a way to save her!” They heard him yell.

  “I don’t know what you’re trying, Brian. But you will not interrupt the honored rest.”

  Serel glanced at the speaker. Kranofis, the king of the frost-kin.

  He was flanked by royal guards and rune mages who were slowly moving to encircle the crazed man.

  “Oie! Brian, what in all der’ wasted sands are yer’ doin'?” Kurda boomed out.

  Brian and the Frost-kin turned to them as they broke from the crowd. Serel spotted Dravlen as he stepped from behind a Frost-kin and moved next to them.

  “Kurda. I. It’s. I have a way!” Brian stuttered. His eyes stopped on each of them. Pleading.

  “What way?” Kurda asked.

  “It's… “ Brian’s eyes darted between them and the Frost king. “ A way…”

  “He’s just mad with grief,” Kranofis interjected. “Obviously drained from powering the barrier. Please, Councilor Brian, move away from her body before you ruin any chance at letting her have the honor she deserves.”

  Brian looked at the Kranofis, then glanced back toward Serel’s group. He was silent, but his glowing hands did not lower.

  “Bah.” Dravlen sent. “Hold a moment.”

  In an instant, the yoreboon appeared next to Brian. The Inventor snapped his glowing hands towards him, but Dravlen held up his in return.

  “Whoa, easy there, Brian. I’m just confirming that Kaelalin’s body is unharmed.” Dravlen spoke loudly, letting everyone hear.

  He bent over and scanned Kaelalin’s peaceful form. Dravlen glanced at the sparking Zerathis who was still resting on a metal plate and contained in a flickering small barrier.

  Dravlen patted Brian on the shoulder, then blinked away. He appeared next to the Frost King.

  “She’s fine, Kranofis. Everyone needs to calm down before something happens that we all will regret. Let's not make this day any worse than it is.”

  Serel schooled the small grin from her face as she saw the notice.

  ——————————

  > Brian Kent has been added to the party.

  ——————————

  “Say what you need to, Brian.” Dravlen sent. “ I don’t think you’re the type of man who just lets his emotions take control.”

  Brian glanced towards the group. “There’s a way to bring her back.”

  “Brian, you keep saying that, but we need more details.” Serel’s voice echoed.

  “I…” A frostkin guard took a step forward. Brian whirled to face him, his jaw tensing. “Can’t explain any more. It’s… It’s complicated!”

  “Then how are we supposed to help you?” Serel asked.

  “I don’t know!”

  The tension in the air was palpable as the frost-kin guards looked ready to rush the inventor.

  “Oie, Brian. Why aren’t you just doin’ whatever it is that you say you want to do?” Kurda’s deep voice resonated.

  “It’s not something I can do here,” Brian replied. “There’s a way th–”

  “God damnit man, just tell us something.” Jorik cut in, his tone annoyed. “We can’t help you if you aren’t going to explain even a vague idea of what you are trying to do.”

  There was a momentary pause.

  “Look. I got a reward. I can’t tell you what it’s going to do, but I need two minutes to channel it.”

  Silence.

  “You think this will help bring Kaelalin back?” Dravlen asked.

  “Maybe. It’s a… guess.”

  Serel could almost hear the inaudible groan of Emrick’s body language beside her.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  “A... Guess?!”

  “It's worth trying!” Brian snapped. He glanced over his shoulder towards them, his gaze steel. “I don’t know, okay?! All I know is she’s dead, and no one here is changing that. Zerathis is barely alive, and I might be able to save both of them.”

  He paused for a moment. “Please. It might not work. It might be foolish. But if there’s any chance it could… I want to try.”

  The frost-kin Guard took another step forward.

  “BACK UP!” Brian yelled, the sparking magic on his hands arcing violently.

  “Good enough fer me. Brian, when I say so, shoot that spell towards them.” Kurda said, taking several large steps forward.

  “What?”

  “When I fire, yer fire, got it? I’ll get yer’ those two minutes.” Kurda strode along the edges of the crowd, moving toward the guard.

  “Kurda, are you sure?” Emrick asked.

  “Definitely.” The big man clasped his hands behind his back. From where Serel was standing, she could see glowing green wisps surge across them. “Annnnnddd NOW!”

  Brian hesitated for just a moment, but then released the spell.

  At the same time, Kurda’s hands blurred forward, and the square rumbled. A solid wall of stone rose, and the spell splashed against it. With a flurry of motions, walls rose on every side of Brian

  “Oie, Simmer down, Brian!” Kurda boomed, stomping toward the wall. “Don’t worry, everyone, I’ll contain him.”

  Telepathically, Kurda added. “Hurry, Brian. Not sure how long this will work.”

  Emrick moved from Serel’s side, his hands pulling spools from a satchel at his side. Glittering metallic thread shot out in a wave to the top of the stone box. They wove across, crisscrossing into a checkered pattern, sealing the top.

  Serel felt a pulse of magic explode from within the ‘prison’.

  “Well, shit. Couldn’t have been any more obvious, could you, Brian?” Dravlen grumbled as he stepped forward. He moved to a side of the stone box and made a show of preparing his daggers.

  For a few seconds, it seemed as if everyone just accepted the actions of the group. Serel made her way to where Kurda was.

  The frost-kin and Kranofis seemed unsure of what to do. The large thurgen just stood and smiled towards them.

  “Oie think it’s best if Brian gets a moment to calm down, don’t yer’?”

  Kranofis’s eyes narrowed as he saw Serel, then Jorik, come around the other side.

  “What is the meaning of this!?”

  “I don’t know what you mean, King Kranofis,” Serel replied. “It’s like what Councilor Kurda said. It’s probably best for Brian to take a moment.”

  Several heartbeats. Kranofis’s face twisted.

  “Enough.” He stepped towards Kurda. “Out of the way.”

  Kurda shook his head. “Can’t do that.”

  “Can’t? Or won’t.”

  “Oie need to stand still to channel der’ skill.” Kurda lied.

  “Drop the wall. We will take the body back by force.”

  Serel stepped between them. “King Kranofis, is that really the best option here?”

  “Brian, yer’ better be close to done.” Kurda sent, his face unmoving. “Things about ter’ get nasty out here.”

  “60 seconds.” Came Brian’s strained reply.

  “Best option?!” Kranofis scoffed. “The best option would have been for us to slay the man for touching and dishonoring the dead.” The frostkin King stepped within arm's reach of Kurda. “Now move.”

  Kurda stared at him, then glanced towards Serel. “Sorry.”

  Serel raised an eyebrow towards Kurda. “Kurda…”

  The thurgen turned back to the frost-kin and smiled. With a rush of wind, Kurda’s fist snapped out and slammed into Kranofis. The frostkin king flew back from the impact and tumbled to the ground. Guards yelled, and curses filled the air as they all advanced.

  Kurda stepped forward, his body glowing. He took another step, and the stones of the square erupted. Chunks flew out, colliding with the oncoming wave of guards.

  One ducked to the side, dodging the chunks of stone, but then crumpled to the ground as Jorik joined and delivered a devastating jab.

  Dravlen appeared from the shadows, his legs blurring in a wide sweep, toppling a guard. Quick steps and expert jabs followed, frost-kin yelping as they found vulnerable points impacted by the weaving yoreboon.

  Serel stared, stunned at the mayhem. She had expected the tension to break and something to happen, but this? She paused in indecision, weighing her options. No matter how this brawl played out, the fallout would be a nightmare.

  But she was a member of the Three Idiots, wasn’t she?

  She sighed, then stepped forward into the melee.

  A bruised frost-kin guard on the edge noticed her movement. Long strides brought him face-to-face with the glowing celestial. He looked torn on what to do.

  Serel solved it for him. Her slender hand, held open, snaked through the air. At the last moment, her fingers collapsed into a fist and slammed into the guard’s throat before he could react.

  His face turned to shock, as he fell to his knees, wheezing. His eyes turned up just in time to see Serel’s knee smashing into his face.

  The brawl raged.

  The recently formed party looked to be doing well, but eventually, numbers caught up with them.

  Kurda went down first. He had grabbed a guard by their vest and thrown them into two more. But another had snuck behind him and walloped him over the head with a baton-like weapon. The thrugen grunted and fell to his knees, two guards rushing to his sides. His arms were pulled behind him as a rune mage moved up.

  Ice flowed from the mage’s hands, and Kurda’s arms were firmly locked in place.

  The frost-kin king landed a nasty kick into Dravlen’s face, and the yoreboon was restrained before he could recover.

  One after the other, they were all restrained.

  Serel, her lip bloody, looked over her shoulder at the guard who held her wrists. Dark blood oozed from the frost-kin’s forehead where her knee had landed.

  “Sorry,” Serel whispered, giving him an apologetic smile.

  The guard gave her a bloody grin. “Shouldn’t have let my guard down. Didn’t realize you could fight like that.”

  Serel smiled, then her face turned serious as she brought her eyes forward.

  The king sneered, his eyes filled with rage. He gave Serel a long stare, then glanced at the other Councilors. Then he stomped towards the stone walls.

  White and blue energy crackled as his hands raised towards the structure, and his mouth opened to speak the spell into existence… but froze there.

  The square was silent, as all eyes watched. Serel gasped as a line of dark blood appeared and oozed on his neck.

  “No, no, no. I don’t think so…” A thin voice tutted. “You should step back.”

  Serel’s eyes caught the slight glint in the air near the king’s neck. They followed it to the top of the structure to find Emrick. His hands were held out, well, at least one of them was. The other was more of a suggestion of a hand, an outline made of dozens of threads that danced in the air.

  One was extended. The one currently wrapped around Kranofis’s neck.

  “Emrick,” Serel telepathically pleaded. “Please, don’t kill him. Don’t kill anyone.”

  “I’m not going to, Serel. I’m just buying time.” Emrick snapped back.

  Kranfofis’s eyes rose, meeting Emricks. “Do you think my people will just stand by after I am slain?”

  Emrick stared back, his face unreadable.

  Kranofis scoffed. “I won’t be cowed by a mere tailor. Do what you must.”

  With that, he stepped forward, and strange syllables left his mouth.

  Emrick cursed as the king moved. With a swift motion, his good hand blurred across the tight thread. A heartbeat later, the strand drifted in the air, cut in two. Emrick leapt from the wall as a surge of magic bubbled out from the king. The glowing orb shot through the air, and an explosion rocked the square as the wall shattered.

  Kranofis had a victorious grin as the dust of the wall settled, revealing the interior of the structure.

  Brian stood, eyes closed, with the strange metal plate held out. Radiant magical light had enveloped him, Kaelalin, and Zerathis. The magic had formed a multi-hue bubble around them, and fractal designs flowed across its surface.

  As the dust cleared, Brian’s eyes opened. They turned toward the King but looked past him to Serel.

  Brian smiled.

  “Two… One.”

  The bubble’s radiance multiplied. The air in the square suddenly felt thick with magic, like moving through honey. Kranofis stepped back, his face a mixture of emotions.

  “Good luck, everyone.” Brian’s voice echoed over the link. “I hope I get to see you again.”

  And then he was gone.

  A loud *POP* echoed out, and a wave of air knocked everyone within thirty feet off their feet.

  Serel hit the stone, her hip bruised. She pushed herself to her feet, and her eyes snapped to the structure.

  Everything in the structure was gone. It looked as if someone had placed a large sphere in it and simply deleted everything within it from reality. The remaining walls had a concave shape, and some of the stone of the square was missing.

  “What just happened?!” Kranofis yelled as he got to his feet. “Where did he go?!”

  *Ding!*

  Serel, Kurda, Dravlen, Emrick and Jorik all read the notice.

  —- SYSTEM NOTICE—-

  > A member of your party has left the span.

  > Name: Brian Kent.

  > Note: Brian Kent has been removed from the party.

  ——————————

  “Godspeed, Brian.” Serel heard Jorik mutter. She stared at the scooped-out hole that was left. She hoped wherever he’d gone, he would find the answers he was looking for.

  To her side, the Frost-king cut off his barrage of curses and whirled around. His eyes fell on Serel, then narrowed. He stomped towards her.

  Serel sighed.

  The next few hours were about to be a diplomatic nightmare.

  “Councilor SEREL!”

  Brian had the right idea.

  Right now, Serel wished she could be anywhere but here.

  —— ? ——

  — AUTHOR NOTICE —-

  ............. I scheduled this one wrong... Oops. Here's the chapter! Sorry!!!

  Also, this week are the final chapters! :D Chapter 99 is on Friday, and the epilogue for book 1 is on Monday.

  This break is so I have time to build up a backlog for my patrons and give me time to edit. I'm so excited, I have the official cover art in progress, and I can't wait to share it.

  My new story goes live next Monday as well!