Three days later, Kalden pushed open a pair of massive wooden doors and stepped into his father’s throne room. The space stretched before him like a cathedral of solid stone, bigger than most buildings. His footsteps echoed in the vast emptiness, bouncing between columns of black marble that supported the high ceiling. Open archways dominated the western wall with no glass between the room and the mountains beyond. Snow fell in lazy spirals, and several stray flakes dusted his path.

  At the far end of the room, a series of wide steps led up to a raised dais. The throne was carved from a single block of dark stone. The high back rose like a blade toward the ceiling, sharp enough to draw blood.

  Kenzo Trengsen sat on the throne as if he’d been carved from it. His bare arms rested on the cold armrests, and dark marks wrapped around them like cords. Starting on his palms, they spiraled upward along the muscles of his arms and vanished beneath his sleeveless black tunic. The marks resembled tattoos from a distance, but Kalden saw the truth as he stepped closer. The marks weren’t made of ink. They looked more like black dragon scales or interlocking crystals.

  He and his disciples must have used those weapons to break open the Aegis.

  Kalden stopped at the foot of the dais and gave a blade artist’s salute—fist to palm, a slight bow of the head. “You summoned me, father?”

  “I did,” Kenzo replied. “It’s time to discuss our clan’s future.”

  “Did you know about Sozen?” The words tumbled out before Kalden could stop them. Things had been hectic after the battle, and they hadn’t had time for a proper talk. Then again, they’d never had much of a connection. Kalden’s younger self had yearned for this man’s approval, but he’d outgrown such yearnings.

  Or so he told himself.

  His Master advancement had made him feel ten years older. Now, standing here in this cold throne room, he felt like a Novice again.

  Kenzo nodded once. “I know your brother escaped the Archipelago and joined the Solidor’s cult.” A shadow fell over the Mystic’s face. “I also know he died at Valeria Zantano’s hand.”

  “And you let it happen,” Kalden said. “Just like you let my team enter the Palace Prime. In my experience, people do exactly what they want. So either you refused to help us, or you.”

  An amused smile touched the corners of Kenzo’s lips. Not warm, but appreciative. “Finally, a spine from you. It was the latter.”

  “Because you’re a Mystic? You couldn’t move against Moonfire?”

  He cocked his head to the side. “What do you know of the Mystic advancement?”

  “Just what Elend and Irina told us. You and your peers are caught in a web of your making. You have power, but your oaths bind that power in chains.”

  “Do you believe them?”

  “Belief is a strong word,” Kalden said. “But I suspect they were right.”

  “Our enemy controls the Mystic revelation,” he confirmed. “Our consciousness goes elsewhere when we advance. A place beyond space and time.”

  Kalden blinked. He hadn’t expected such a direct response on this topic. Then again, he’d never spoken with a friendly Mystic until this moment. Even Akari’s parents had advanced off-world where the rules didn’t apply.

  “And yes,” Kenzo said. “We swear oaths there. Oaths not to oppose the enemy in direct combat. The other details are hazy, but most of us recall a golden throne, floating in a sea of endless stars. The enemy hides the rest in shadow. I married the world's best dream artist—even she couldn’t break through.”

  “And the enemy's name?”

  “Hidden.”

  Kalden had expected as much. “And what if you refuse to swear the oath?”

  Kenzo raised his chin. “You know that answer all too well.”

  “The Archipelago,” Kalden said in a low voice.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  “The enemy’s prison,” he said. “Filled with Grandmasters who refused the swear oath. And more who tried to dodge it.”

  “Like Akari’s parents.”

  Kenzo gave a sharp nod. “The Cliftons had a project in Last Haven. Something to oppose the enemy. He found out, and you know what happened next.”

  “What project?” Kalden asked. Akari’s parents had mentioned this in her dreams, but they always refused to elaborate.

  “I don’t know the specifics,” Kenzo said. “Your mother and I were just Grandmasters back then. Not privy to their secrets.”

  Kalden pressed on. “Why doesn’t the enemy reveal his face? Why has no one ever heard of him?”

  “Because he doesn’t want to rule this world,” Kenzo said. He wants to ascend beyond it.”

  “Ascend? You mean . . . become an Angel?”

  His father didn’t answer that. A result of his mysterious soul oath, no doubt. Still, the answer made sense. Some Mystics like Ashur Moonfire sought political power, but ascension was a far more common dream.

  Of course, that opened the door to a thousand more questions. If the enemy didn’t care to rule this world, then why did anyone bother opposing him? Why not simply let him leave? But they had more pressing issues to deal with right now.

  “You say you can’t fight him directly.” Kalden studied his father’s face, searching for any tell. “But why not break the Aegis sooner? Why not help my team before we attacked the Palace Prime?”

  If he had, then the Darklights might still be alive.

  Another thin smile crossed his father’s face. “That answer is more complicated.”

  “I understand acceptable losses.” Kalden’s voice hardened. “Three days ago, I was one.” That didn’t mean he would forgive his father if he’d intentionally let Sozen and the Darklights die. But that line of thought was unproductive right now.

  Kenzo tapped his fingers on the stone armrest. “My hands were tied. There are many possible futures, and most led to our destruction.”

  “Destruction?”

  “The enemy needs fuel for his ascension.” Kenzo spread out his hands to either side of the room. “We’re the source. Our mana and our souls. Our entire world.”

  Kalden closed his mouth, and his blood turned to ice. It was the same thing he and Akari had done to their fallen enemies, but on a scale that defied comprehension.

  “And so he hides,” Kenzo went on. “And he stops anyone else from climbing too high. You either swear the oath, or you rot in his prison. Either way, his reign continues unchallenged.”

  Kalden drew in a shaky breath. “I fought a Mystic three days ago. He was nothing like the enemy you describe.”

  His father stood in one smooth motion, looming over Kalden on the dais. “You fought an Espirian puppy. Our western counterparts might be the same rank, but they’re a different breed.”

  The thin black mark slithered along his father’s right arm. Then it faded from his skin, coalescing in his outstretched hand. “Espiria is a gilded cradle. Moonfire sought to remedy the problem, but he’s still a product of his own land. A minnow who thinks he's a shark.”

  The Veilcord hung like a whip of black crystal from his father’s hand, extending more than a dozen feet to the bottom of the staircase. Then Kenzo raised his arm several inches, and the whip hardened into a blade. Silver mana shone beneath his father’s skin, gathering into his weapon until it glowed like a white star in the depths of space.

  Then Kenzo slashed.

  Pure instinct threw Kalden sideways as silver light tore past him, missing his throat by a hair's breadth. The air screamed, as if every molecule were splitting apart.

  The western wall blasted outward as the stone columns snapped like broken trees. The floor split with a crack like thunder, so loud it drove Kalden to his knees. The crack raced across the throne room, wider than his body, deeper than he could see.

  Kalden dove left, but the destruction was already ahead of him. Behind him. Everywhere. The ceiling collapsed, stones falling in a granite rain.

  The technique kept going. A silver line of pure destruction reached across the landscape like lightning through a dark sky. The nearest mountain split in half, its north face sliding away in a cloud of white. The next mountain suffered the same fate. And the next, and the next.

  Dust and snow filled the air. Kalden’s ears rang, his whole body vibrating from the impact.

  Then he blinked, and the world snapped back into order.

  The floor was smooth and unbroken. The pillars stood tall, supporting the stone ceiling once again. The mountains beyond lay untouched—just soft white snow against the night sky.

  What was this? Time mana? Dream mana? The Ethereal?

  Regardless, the damage was gone as if it had never happened. Was it real, or just in Kalden’s mind? Perhaps it didn’t matter. One thing was certain beyond a doubt: if Ashur Moonfire possessed this power, they wouldn’t have lasted three seconds against him.

  His father’s Veilcord dissolved into black liquid, spiraling up his arm and settling into his skin. “That’s a small fraction of my power. But the enemy still makes me look like a child with a stick.” His voice was calm, as if he hadn’t just demonstrated the power to reshape continents. “I still intend to break him, but I will need every possible advantage. That includes you.”

  Despite everything, Kalden felt a sudden thrill race through his veins. This was the power the Solidors used to seize multiple aspects. Not just power over mana, but energy, matter, and thought. This was the power they needed to face their enemy and save their homes.

  Now, they might finally have a path to achieve it.

  “The army is ready,” Kenzo said. “We have two hundred Masters, and twenty-five Grandmasters—all Corded in the Shadow Garden. Ten dreadnaught-class airships. Fifty bladewing fighters. Twenty kyrinshi and their kyrin. But they still need a general to lead them.”

  Kalden’s throat went dry. “To what end?”

  “Advancement, of course.” His father’s eyes gleamed. “I can’t touch the enemy, but you can. I foresee an army of Mystics with you at their head. We will travel beyond this world. You and the others will advance in a place where he can’t stop you.”

  He paused to let the weight of his words sink in. “Then we’ll return home and take what’s ours.”

  Thanks for finishing Web of Chaos with me! Overall, I was happy with how this book turned out. It might even be tied with Book 1 for my favorite in the series. It definitely had some of my all-time favorite training and power-up scenes.

  As is tradition, I’ll be taking a break from posting new chapters to edit old books and plan new ones.

  My biggest goal right now is to get Book 3 (Web of Knowledge) rewritten and published on Amazon. This is going to the copy editor in November, and the rewrite is around 30% done.

  As for what happens next, I’m not sure yet. I might be itching to write Book 6 at this point. On the other hand, I could jump straight into editing Book 4 so I can publish both books on Amazon next year. In that case, Book 6 might not start until closer to February 2026.