Kai summoned a bastard sword, only getting it up in his defence just in time to deflect the incoming attack.

  “Slow!” This would be Master Inego shouted as his blade took Kai's deflection effortlessly, the man's blade already coming back round for another attack.

  Again Kai had his sword up just in time for the heavy blow to beat his defensive swing aside like it was nothing.

  “Weak!” Inego yelled as he stepped into Kai’s reeling attempt at a defence and slashed open the leather on his chest.

  Kai fell back a couple of paces to check the cut, feeling that the skin was somehow unbroken; he still pulled his hand away to see the fingertips of his glove were slick with blood. The man's attack had been so shallow his regeneration rings barely had to do anything to heal him.

  “Foolish,” Inego said as he used the expanded distance between them to bring his sword down again, the blade trailing thick wisps of flame as it descended towards him.

  The time Kai had taken to check his wound was used against him by the man, as he had prepared some kind of magical attack.

  A wave of blistering heat washed over him as Inego’s attack bit into the arm Kai raised in his defence, the metal of his plate vambrace changing to a deep purple as the intense wave of heat washed over him.

  “Inadequate,” Inego tsked as he stepped forward, disappearing as Kai lost track of him.

  Tired of being beaten back, Kai swung his blade preemptively, infusing his strike as he brought the blade down where he predicted the man would appear.

  His blade caught nothing but air as Inego’s own ripped through him from behind in a flash of blinding pain.

  “Better…”

  Kai looked down to see the man's blade skewering him in the side.

  All he could think about was how surprisingly clean the tip of the sword was; shouldn’t it be covered in his blood? It was a foolish thought.

  Kai needed to do something; he couldn’t just die like this.

  Stepping forward on shaky feet, he lifted his sword and swung again, swinging with all his might and mana pushed into the blade in an infused strike, he roared.

  Inego just raised his sword to block; the moment metal met metal, Kai's blade burst into shards, the fragments continuing past Inego’s defence to bounce harmlessly off the man's soft and wrinkled flesh.

  Kai collapsed to his knees, and clutching at his side, he smiled.

  “I never stood a chance, did I?” Kai groaned as he looked at his glove, slick with his own blood.

  “Pish, you were never in any danger,” Inego scoffed. “If I wanted you dead, you would be.”

  Inego rolled his moustache between his thumb and forefinger. “You seem to be underestimating the potency of those runic regeneration rings. Just one of those rings is packed with far more regenerative power than the terror of the woods had, and its regeneration was stacked such that no one your level was supposed to kill the beast. And yet you found its one weak point and blew it to pieces, didn’t you?”

  Kai felt through his armour. Expecting to find broken skin, his fingers were able to reach inside himself like he had when hit with the goblin crossbow bolt. But as his fingers felt through the rent in his armour, he found nothing but the rough, bumpy texture of fresh scar tissue.

  “And you have two of them working in sync,” Inego said as he reached out a hand to help Kai to his feet. “Anyone else would have to get the whole damn rune set tattooed all over them just to get half of the effect you have; quite frankly, it’s broken,”

  Kai took the man's offer of assistance, groaning in anticipation of pain that never came when he was pulled up to his feet like he weighed nothing; he felt foolish.

  “But Atheos has allowed it,” Inego grumbled, “It’s not my place to argue with one such as the mistress. But I suggest you heed this warning: forget you have those rings; never let yourself come to rely on them; it will make you weak, and it will most certainly stifle your potential. Best you keep the effects of those rings secret too, though I despise them; they could still prove pivotal should you ever be outmatched by an opponent foolish enough not to kill you outright.”

  “I- Yes, I think I understand.” Kai said, deciding there was definitely some logic there.

  Inego’s eyebrow rose slightly. “So you can listen, but do you actually understand? How about you explain exactly what your understanding was?”

  Kai spoke without thinking, “If I rely on the ring's regeneration, I’ll become sloppy.”

  Inego’s stare bored deeper into him.

  “Never developing my swordsmanship beyond mindlessly attacking… ignoring my defence in lieu of regeneration?” Kai asked rhetorically, forming his answer as he spoke, “You knocked my attempts to block aside like they were nothing, even using the opening to slip inside and attack… I’m clearly lacking.”

  “And yet, you didn’t fall. I had you dead to rights. My blade was run through your kidney, a fatal wound on anyone else your level. But you did not give up; you charged your blade with as much mana as your channels would allow and struck back with all your body could give,” Inego grinned, dismissing his blade in a flourish.

  “That actually impressed me, boy. Not many manage to do that; sure, most everyone fights to live; they beg, they plead, they run, but few fight back when it has been made clear they stand no chance. That is the mark of a true survivor.”

  “I live to impress,” Kai said as he looked down at the hilt of his ruined bastard sword.

  Inego nodded, “Yes, I will indeed let you call me master… Though I think the woman you’ll meet next will probably try to claim you too, you're full of magical potential. Luckily those two ladies you got with you seem pretty keen; that should hopefully buffer you from her feminine charms.”

  Concerned there was going to be another temptress in his near future, Kai coughed, “One of those ladies has a master… You'll have to forgive me if I’m not so eager to give a man I just met such honours. Especially one who is just a dungeon copy.”

  Inego's eyebrow rose questioningly as his moustache twitched in annoyance.

  “I mean, what would the real you think if I showed up randomly one day calling him master? Would he accept it or strike me down for impudence?” Kai elaborated, hoping he wouldn’t get run through again.

  “Hmm, you have a point.” Inego looked off to the side. “I do not know what the real me has achieved since I was created here. I don’t even know if I’m still alive. But yes… I can see how showing up before what I would hope by now is something like the god of arcane blades door proclaiming some kind of relationship might be problematic. Especially with some of my more competitive followers and sycophants, they like to cut out the competition….”

  He gave Kai a long look before eventually blowing a puff of air through his moustache, “You may call me Inego until you are satisfied I am worthy.”

  Kai nodded, smiling at the first and possibly only victory he would have in this test.

  “Do you know why your blade shattered with that last strike?” Inego suddenly asked.

  “Too much mana for the material to handle,” Kai said; he had already thought about this and was still feeling the sting of breaking three of his swords just the day before.

  “Yes, and no. If you learnt to perfect your mana control, you should be able to infuse the blade with just enough mana that, if held at the right frequency, your attacks would be amplified whilst also improving the integrity of the sword far beyond its mundane properties.”

  Kai nodded; he had just learnt the skill-infused strike, and he had only just begun his experimentation. In the fight against the kobolds, he had opted for power over finesse, as one was easy and the other took time he didn’t have at the time to perfect.

  “However, despite this being possible, it is not something I would actually recommend.”

  “Really? I would assume being able to empower your weapon's properties would be crucial.”

  “You would be wasting your time. Please, bring out your favourite sword.”

  Kai did as he was asked, bringing out his chipped and pitted longsword.

  “If you wanted to make a sword of this level truly shine, you would have to learn everything about this blade, how your mana flows through it, how every molecule of iron and carbon is affected by it… Do you know what molecules are?”

  “Yes.” Kai said, surprised to hear someone refer to something he didn’t expect in his new, more magical world.

  “Good. What you need to realise is every time you block, deflect or parry, you will have to adjust the mana infused in the blade to compensate for the minute changes in the material caused by the impacts. When channelling the amount of mana you would need to compete with those above your level as you have been known to do, one mistake would cause fractures and flaws,” Inego said as he tapped a particularly bad pore that pitted the edge of the longsword.

  “And with each mistake, each attack, I would have to adjust. Something that I'm guessing is beyond me at my current level of skill.”

  “Boy, it’s beyond everyone; only a chronomancer would find the time to make such adjustments in the middle of a fight. Sure, a superior weapon is made to compensate. The better materials and improved crafting techniques are able to handle higher levels of energy without ruining the weapon's characteristics when you find yourself in a bind and need to push the weapon that little bit more just to survive.”

  “So what should I do?” Kai asked, getting the feeling Inego was leading him somewhere.

  “If you want to continue fighting like you have been, then I suggest you find a beautiful weapon like the bow the el’vie girl has. That thing makes your stupid rings look like trinkets. How three children took a bow and a growth stone and made a true soul weapon, I will never know…” Inego trailed off, clearly fishing for an answer from Kai.

  “We used the growth stone on a bow from my world… Whilst in my domain. It started sucking in materials like mad, so I decided to help it; once I ran out of real bows to feed the process, I may have used bows conjured from the domain itself.” Kai answered nonchalantly.

  From what Syl had said, there was no way for this man to communicate any of their secrets outside, so there should be no harm in him knowing what they did.

  There was a rumble in the distance, the sand below his feet shifting as the coliseum began to shake around them. Inego’s moustache twitching violently.

  Despite the man's twitching facial hair, Inego seemed set to ignore the shaking altogether. At least until he let out a forced cough, and as if his cough were a command, the sand settled and the shaking stopped as he said, “Yes, I do believe… that would do it. though it should have been impossible for someone below level five.”

  The man looked off to the side for a moment before looking back to Kai.

  “You don’t actually realise what you did, do you? Giving up a part of yourself like that at your level of development could, no, it should have crippled you.” Inego said as he started walking, circling around Kai, giving him a good look up and down, occasionally reaching out to poke and prod him, mumbling to himself.

  “Just how old are you, boy?”

  He shrugged. “Got caught up in a time loop, told my souls around a thousand years, give or take.”

  Inego stopped in front of him, a slight smirk cocked on his face.

  “You should know, you unlocked many things that were hidden away within that growth stone the mistress gave her. You see, Atheos is a renowned archer within the multiverse; amongst the gods, she is considered peerless. Assuming the girl would use the stone on a bow, my mistress hid many skills and abilities within that stone, even things most would consider divine... And the three of you somehow managed to break down and weaken some of the protections that had been put in place,” Inego said as he shook his head.

  “Is that why Gift was able to do those things, the scattershot and the rain of arrows?”

  “Yes… my associate who deals with egos, the one tasked with your companion's testing, is both impressed and terrified. They have asked me to deliver a message, a warning. That bow is beautiful but dangerous. It has potential you cannot fathom. Where you are a child, it is an impressionable embryo. Make sure it is cared for for the life it truly is.”

  “If it’s so dangerous, why are you recommending I find a weapon just like it? From what you’re saying, if I got my hands on a growth stone and did the same thing, I would achieve similar results, another living ego weapon at the minimum.”

  Inego waved his hand, dismissing Kai’s words. He said, “I made no such recommendation. I was merely about to point out that if you wanted to continue fighting the way you were, a growth sword would be the best way to do it. Its connection to you, your soul, would simplify learning the ins and outs of the blade. You would know just the right amount of mana to get the most out of each attack on an almost instinctual level once you fully adjusted to the item.”

  “But you’re saying that’s not your recommendation.”

  “Yes, I am. You see It would limit you to just that sword and all its quirks… You know I have watched the dungeon records. I asked for the right to perform your trial because I saw you standing on the cusp of something most do not attempt or even cannot... Do you know what it was?”

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  Kai tried to think.

  Waiting on his answer Inego’s eyes seemed to bore into Kai as he stared down his nose and past his impressive moustache.

  “Using an arsenal of weapons?” Kai suggested.

  Inego scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Boy, there are thousands upon thousands of weapon masters in the multiverse; they’re anything but special. Anyone can build up a collection of fancy weapons and learn to wield them if they live long enough. The problem is they all fall for the first issue you face right now; they're never able to make their weapons shine without breaking them and moving on to the next.”

  Kai thought for another moment, trying to think what Inego was reaching for when he said he was on the cusp of something.

  “Boy, you almost did it when you barreled into the two goblins on the first floor. And Atheos just gave you a skill that would facilitate it. You tried it a few times but gave up when the results weren’t robust enough for real combat.”

  To Kai, it sounded like the times he had tried something other than real steel.

  Hoping he was right, he held Inego’s gaze, dismissed his battered longsword, and then, using some of his rapidly regenerating mana, he conjured another in its place.

  Inego eyed the blade made of mana and smiled as the weapon started to vibrate in Kai’s grip.

  Kai was doing his best to keep the image of the sword perfect and intact, but the other man's scrutiny alone seemed to fight against his ability to maintain it.

  “Yes… this is the cusp I was speaking of. Now, tell me, how many times do you think you could use this fake longsword in a fight? How many times do you think you could strike out against me?”

  “Just the one…” Kai admitted it.

  Inego bowed flamboyantly, exposing the back of his neck in the flourish, “If you please, strike me, give it your all.”

  Kai didn’t have to be told twice; he knew the blade couldn’t harm the higher-level man who clearly thought divinity was within his reach; that and his conjurations were crap.

  Just as he predicted, the conjured blade shattered into shards of condensed mana the moment it connected with the back of Inego’s exposed neck.

  The old man didn't even give Kais the courtesy of flinching. He simply rose from his bow and asked, “Do you know why your conjured weapons all break so easily?”

  “I think it's a combination of things: poor control, not enough mana or that the image I have of the weapon is lacking.”

  Inego nodded along.

  “That and I haven’t had time to practice. I know it’s possible to make something that will stand up. Syl makes stuff in our domain all the time, and it's indistinguishable from the real thing.”

  “Ah…” Inego looked uneasy. “Try not to confuse domain conjuration with mana conjuration. They work on similar principles, but when one is in their domain, their willpower alone can overcome almost any issue. I bet you haven’t seen your lady display any similar skill with conjuration outside.”

  Now that Inego had mentioned it, Syl hadn’t used mana conjuration outside once, at least so far as he knew. It wasn’t like he watched her every move, but considering she had to cast her spells through him, it was almost impossible she snuck a conjuration past him.

  He shook his head.

  “Okay, conjure another sword and I will explain why they are no better than toys.”

  Kai did as he was asked.

  The moment the sword was fully formed, the old man just reached out and pinched the blade between his thumb and forefinger; twisting it like it was his facial hair, the sword shattered.

  “Your conjurations fail so easily for the same reason your current collection of steel cannot keep up with your infusions. You lack a thorough understanding of what it is you are conjuring; you really should be starting with something much smaller, not something so complicated as a sword. Sure, on the outside what you make looks like a sword; it even feels like one. But the problem is the inside is an unstructured mess. The atomic structure is missing; it lacks the structure a smith would impart on the material as they took raw materials and forged them into a weapon worth wielding.”

  “So you’re suggesting what, I learn material sciences or take up smithing?” Kai asked cautiously, already knowing that what he said didn’t seem right. It would take him years, possibly decades, to achieve the level of knowledge Inego was implying he needed to conjure a half-decent sword.

  “Gods no,” Inego scoffed as he held out his hand, mana visibly condensing into a beautiful black-bladed sword. “This is Brightsteel, or at least this is a conjuration of Brightsteel. After I reached the fourth tier, my amplified power proved to be just a bit too much; I destroyed the real Brightsteel. To this day it is the only sword I can reconstruct to a degree I find acceptable. And that is only because Brightsteel was a sword I was intimately familiar with after using it almost nonstop for roughly two hundred years.”

  “Brightsteel?” Kai asked, “You do know it’s black?”

  “Yes, it confused my enemies too,” Inego chuckled as he dismissed the blade; the mana that made up the blade broke apart into motes of light that hung in the air.

  “Conjuring a sword, or any weapon for that matter, from mana is a common mistake. One I wish someone had done me the decency of telling me to avoid. Why use your mana to make a sword to cut something when you can simply use the mana itself to a greater effect?”

  The mana that had remained floating around Inego re-condensed as his open hand closed around the hilt of a grey-ghostly, phantom copy of Brightsteel. “This is so much easier.”

  Kai watched as the man ran the vaporous blade silently through the air, sweeping it in beautiful arcs that trailed grey wisps, the movements both powerful and mesmerising. Finishing his kata, Inago slashed the blade down to his side in a snap; the final swipe swept a flash of light that shot out across the arena to impact the empty stands.

  With a crash, a whole tier of seats came crashing down in the distance.

  “This blade of mana is not trying to be anything other than what it is. Because of that, it is everything I need to be. A conduit for my skills and abilities, a means to express my swordsmanship, a way to attack and defend. A tool to strike who a want and-”

  Faster than Kai could react, Inego swept the blade up and out, slicing through his throat.

  Kai leapt back too late, Inegos's blade taking his vitals before he knew what was happening.

  Panicked, clutching at his throat hoping his runic rings would save him, he realised he felt nothing. The attack passed through him but did no damage. Kai pulled his hands away to see only dry, crusty blood marring the leather.

  Looking up at Inego, he dismissed his weapon and continued his sentence, "Glide harmlessly through those you wish no harm.”

  “Ghostblade?” Kai asked after he found his voice.

  Inego’s moustache twitched in obvious annoyance. “That is but a nickname I have learnt to bear, though I admit it comes from my use of this technique as my main weapon; it is by no means its name.”

  “So… what is it called then?”

  Inego sighed. “It has many names. Some call it a mana or shard blade, others a soul sword. The problem is the system's not picky with this one, as technically it’s just pure mana control. I mean, technically, there are spells and enchantments that have similar results. But as any true aficionado will tell you, what I do is superior. True, mastering it takes a lot of mana and even more control. In the end, I guess you may call it whatever makes you happy. All that concerns me now is if you have what it takes to learn the fundamentals in…” Inego looked off to the side. “Three… maybe four hours, if we are lucky.”

  Kai rubbed at his throat and nodded, “So, where do we begin… Master?”

  Achievement unlocked.

  Divine Shadows Apprentice.

  The shadow of a divine has taken you under their wing.

  “Oh…” Kai wasn’t expecting another achievement.

  “I recognise that look; what happened?”

  “I just got an achievement called divine apprentice. You didn't tell me you were a god.”

  “I'm not, or at least I wasn't when my image was taken. Good to know I'm still around out there. I wonder if the system will notify the real me. Should have been an apprentice title, but I guess you're not the real me’s apprentice.”

  Kai shrugged; he had no clue.

  Inego grinned, his eyes flashing with personal pride as he pinched the point of his moustache, “Well then, I best make sure i don’t embarrass my divine self. Bring out that hilt you had from the sword you broke; I don’t recommend trying to wield raw mana before you are ready.”

  Inego had him working on what he considered the basic principles for a good hour.

  Only when Kai had finally managed to make something that didn’t chew through his mana did Inego let him move on.

  The man took perverse pleasure in another hour of shattering his blade with one of his own, each time making sure Kai could feel the mistake, his cuts only ever skin deep.

  When Kai eventually had something that could take the ruthless old man's onslaught for more than a minute or two, they worked on turning Kai's magical stick, as Inego put it, into something that could cut, slash and pierce, instead of just bashing.

  Much to Inego’s amusement, Kai had made the mistake of expecting light-sabre-like qualities from the new phantom blade he was learning to wield.

  Kai had described the weapon from popular fiction, and the old man had just laughed at him.

  Apparently unless he had some inane source of power, Kai would have to use equally insane amounts of mana just to maintain a hot enough blade that could burn through things instead of just cutting them. Never mind him trying to control the rampant plasma, or more importantly, using the thing as a conduit for spells, skills and other abilities.

  This meant Kai still had to spend some time working on the image of his blade, slimming it down, thinning it out and giving it a fine edge. Fortunately, after so many attempts at conjuring a decent sword, it was easy, especially now that he wasn’t trying to force the mana into imitating high-carbon steel anymore.

  In the end, after shattering his already pitiful longsword for its hilt, Kai had two workable phantom blades he could call up and use at any one time so long as he kept a suitable amount of his mana set aside.

  Their time growing short, Inego lectured, “You will find as you refine your control and learn to finesse just the right amount and frequency of mana into the blade, you’ll be able to cut through almost anything. Though for now, even steel will still prove to be obstinate, though it will be significantly marred by such a blade as you can currently wield. Skills, tools, weapons and armour all have a way of progressing in the multiverse. So you will find yourself in a constant arms race, always needing to improve. When you start slicing through steel like it’s tissue paper, don’t be surprised when you find your next opponent has a weapon, armour or skill that somehow rebuffs your recent improvements. Unless, of course, you can get ahead of the curve and stay there.”

  Kai listened intently.

  “You will be constantly refining this ability; don’t be afraid to experiment with aspects or other skills you possess. For example, I like attaching invisible barriers that catch and hold an opponent's weapon, opening them up to other attacks. And remember, your infused strike is not an enchantment; it is an attack. Try pulsing the skill with mana the moment you connect with your target; the same amount of mana used to maintain an effect can be used to do more damage if it is instead used in a burst at the right time.

  Kai nodded as he remembered an earlier demonstration that tore through his plate vambrace, nearly taking off his left arm. Inego must have noticed Kai as he subconsciously rubbed at the now useless piece of armour.

  “Yes… Find a good smith and get some better armour, or learn some kind of passive mage armour skill… actually do both. Remember, it is always good to have contingencies and backups. And for God's sake, stop stashing everything; get yourself a bag or something to hide the fact you have such an insane storage method. You may think it's inconvenient or even looks stupid when you can draw anything out of your storage with a thought. But a man with a possible storage device will always be an inviting target,” Inego said as he twirled the point of his moustache.

  “Those hilts, keep them out and don’t worry too much about hiding them. Make people think they’re some dungeon item. Let any would-be foes think that they can disarm you. We both know they don’t do much more than help you anchor the mana and protect you from melting your fingers off. No harm in letting your enemies misconceptions grow only to come back and bite them when they least expect it.”

  Inego’s hand flashed out and grabbed one of the sword hilts from where Kai had stuffed it under his belt.

  He rolled it over and tapped it against his open palm, the hilt rattling with each tap.

  He tsked, “You should get some good materials, stuff that takes enchantment well, good mana tolerance, flow, and capacity, like orichalcum, mithril or,” he chuckled, “some unobtainium… Have a smith you trust make something that’s more fit to carry around. Something that looks like anyone could use if only they knew how. What else…” Inego said, searching for pearls of wisdom he could impart in their waning time together.

  “Don’t rely on items, only on my skill. Practice my control daily. And then there is the dungeon master-“

  Inego snapped his fingers. “Do not, I repeat, do not trust him. He did not enter the dungeon under the same condition as everyone else. The bitter blue dragon is a merchant through and through, and he will try to cheat you. It's his job; he takes pride in coming out on top. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of him when you get the chance, and I mean the first chance you get-“ Inego cut himself off with a quick look off to his side.

  “No, I don’t think it’s too much… Okay, maybe… Just give me five more minutes,” Inego grumbled into his moustache.

  “Is it time already?”

  “Yes, apparently it is. Oh, find some way to turn off or hide those blasted eyes of yours; it’s bad enough you have a chiselled face. All anyone has to do to put a target on your back is say, Stab the guy with the distinct and easy-to-see blue glowing eyes, and every assassin worth their salt will know who to kill.” Inego’s eyes flashed off to the side again, and his moustache twitched in frustration.

  “My associate is finished with your lady friend; apparently, you have to be put out together. How did you manage to get attached to such a fine woman? I… no time. Find a way to contact me; we have only just begun to cover the finer points of what someone with your raw potential can do.” Inego said.

  Their time over, Inego let out a long sigh as he held out a mysterious shard for Kai to take.

  “I'll do what I can, master; no idea how long it will take, but I'll do my best.”

  “That’s all I ask… Though I make no promises as to my divine self, I’ve seen power corrupt plenty. And be careful of Kain; she has already claimed your next trial. She’s a mean, sexy, frustrating piece of work, but the one thing she isn't is malicious.”

  Reaching out to take the shard Kai nodded. The moment his hand wrapped around the shard, he found himself back in the room with all the archways.

  “What happened to you!?” Syl cried, floating over to him in alarm the moment he felt things settle.

  He turned to see Syl fussing over him with wide eyes and red, puffy, tear-streaked cheeks. “Never mind me; you’ve been crying. What happened to you?”

  Syl backed up a bit at his question. She licked her lips, about to say something, when Alicia stepped in through the archway and said, “By the spirits, Kai, your armour is in tatters and you're covered in blood. Is that your blood?”

  Distracted Kai looked down at his crusted armour and winced; he hadn’t realised just how many times his mana weapon had failed him, and Inego gently encouraged him to do better. After a while, with his runic rings regenerating his flesh, he had actually started dismissing the injuries as nothing more than scratches.

  “Forget about me; I always look like shit.” He gestured over to Syl as she tried to drift silently away. “Syl’s the one who’s been crying.”

  Alicia didn’t miss a beat as she crossed the room in a dash and was trying to get Syl to look at her.

  Syl groaned as she backed further away from the unwanted attention, rubbing at the tear marks to hide the evidence of her tears, only to make her puffy eyes angrier.

  “What happened, Syl?” Kai asked again, unable to hide his concern.

  To his surprise, Alicia spun on him, giving him a look that told him to be quiet and watch his words as she shook her head.

  An awkward silence filled the room as Kai didn’t know what to do or say; he felt useless as he looked over to his two party members, who seemed to be having their own silent exchange.

  Thankfully Syl eventually spoke up, “I was told, no… I was all but ordered to get the next test done today.” She paused just to let out a frustrated breath, her fist clenched at her side as she continued, “We should have something to eat, and Kai, you should get yourself cleaned up and changed into another set of armour before we move on. That is, if everyone has no problem doing the next test today?”

  Kai spoke carefully, “I’m good if Alicia is. My test was more training than anything else.” Despite Alicia’s look, he still couldn't help his concern, and he asked, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  Syl’s fist tightened, but she smiled at him softly. “I’ll be fine; I just need to… decompress. Kain was… demanding. And bitter.”

  “Did you say Kain?”

  Syl nodded.

  “I was just warned about her, apparently the next time I walk through that arch,” Kai pointed over his shoulder to the archway that had a fresh green light, “she will be the one I encounter. Inego called her a mean piece of work.”

  Syl's knuckles turned white as her fist shook. “Kai… Kain a Kyrilic; it’s a race with powerful psychic abilities. She got inside my head, found what made me me. Despite my mental defences, all my hopes, dreams, fears and weaknesses were all laid bare before her. Kai, she…” Tears threatened in Syl's eyes. “She found my worst fear and pushed, and pushed, and pushed until it nearly broke me.”

  Kai stepped forward; he wanted to take her in, hold her in his arms, and tell her she was okay. As he got close, he realised where they were, that he couldn’t do what he needed to do. “Domain now,” Kai said as he reached inside himself without waiting for a confirmation.

  He appeared in their living room, Syl appearing before him a moment later, confusion writ large on her face; he took her in his arms, pulling her into a tight embrace.

  Syl broke, weeping.

  Touching his lips gently to the top of her head, he gave her a soft, gentle, reasoning kiss.

  Syl pulled back, looking at him in confusion as she fought to stop her tears. Cautiously, she came in closer. Kai could feel her breath on his lips as her eyes begged him not to run away. Her heart thumped in her chest, beating against his embrace; his own raced to match her cadence.

  His heart racing, he realised they were alone; he hadn’t brought Alicia in with him, and Syl hadn’t had the chance to pull her in after her.

  Syl closed her eyes.

  This was it, what she needed.

  What he needed.

  Kai closed his eyes, and for once he let all his fears go.

  His lips met hers.

  Soft, sweet and salty, Syl pressed in, and a moment turned into a craving.

  Breaking for just a breath, he heard Alicia squeak from somewhere.

  Embarrassment fought for control, but the moment he tried to turn his head, Syl groaned and held him tighter, not willing to let him go.

  Her lips moved, devouring every last trace of embarrassment as he sank under her spell. Not caring they had an audience in the slightest, he shifted his hold on her and lifted her up into his embrace.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t think; I tried looting myself… it worked.” She whispered from somewhere that seemed oh so far away. “Oh spirits, ill be outside with Gift.”

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