Chapter 37: The Altar of Souls

Note: Thanks to WRC 264 for beta reading this!

Kora Falk – Princedom of Kivoneth, The Strifelands of Zeutch

I gripped the ruby amulet as we climbed the small hill revealed behind the massive illusion. At the top, something glinted. Something crystal. The Altar of Souls. My heart beat faster and faster. A hot thrill built and built in me, it grew with every step.

I could almost feel the soul of the Biomancer pulsing and quivering inside the ruby. Did he know that his phylactery’s destruction neared? That as soon as we reached the summit, Ava would destroy the vessel and cast his soul back to the Astral Realm? There he would spend eternity in whatever punishment that he deserved for his crimes.

I was ready to be done with wearing this necklace.

The faceted angles of the gem bit into my hand. It felt so familiar. I hated that I had grown used to wearing it. To having this evil thing around my neck. It was almost over. The gem twitched again in my hand.

I smiled. “You’re about to die,” I whispered. “For good.”

Sven Falk

A tremble raced through my body. Despite the strength my new armor gave me, lead weighted my feet, my boots filled with it. My heart labored. I stared at the crystal altar at the summit of the hill. It was all about to end. My deal with Rithi was about to be completed.

I’d have to give up my sister soon.

My breath quickened. I was almost gulping air. I have to be ready for this. Hard for this. I couldn’t be weak. I had to hurt my sister. I had to end our relationship to save her. To save all of my women. I needed to rip out my own heart.

I didn’t want to.

My teeth ground together. What choice did I have? Rithi would undo her miracle that saved my wives. All my women but Ealaín, Ava, Greta, and Carsina would die. I trudged against the weight in my boots. My heart beat faster and faster. It ached. I wanted to clutch it.

Zanyia, padding beside me, looked up at me. Her ears twitched. Her tail swished and swayed, brushing my leg. How would she take it? She was the reason that Kora and I had taken that final step into our incestuous relationship. Would Zanyia hate me? Would Nathalie? Ava?

Would I lose them all by breaking Kora’s heart?

I stared at her striding ahead. She stepped with such confidence up the hill in her pink robe. Her twin braids of blonde hair swayed down her back. She marched with such eagerness. She had no idea the pain that awaited us.

My steps slowed. I wanted to do anything to stop this. I wanted to find some excuse not to get up there. To be selfish. If we didn’t destroy the Biomancer’s soul, then we wouldn’t have to be parted because of my deal with Rithi.

I rubbed at the back of my neck. It prickled. I shifted, slowed. Was I just being selfish now? Could I stop this? It would mean letting the evil bastard’s soul survive. It would mean allowing him the chance of having a new body, of living again. He would continue his experiments. He would keep making more and more monstrosities. The Paragon would continue to hunt us.

Maybe we could just hunt her down and kill her...

No. Rithi would see this as a breaking of our deal. No choice. Better for Kora and my women to live hating me than to die today.

Kora and Ava reached the summit. They were at the altar. It was about to be over. It was all going to change. I couldn’t believe it. I only had to walk up the last dozen or so feet and witness the end of my harem.

“Gods damn it all,” I muttered, rubbing at my neck.

“Master?” Zanyia asked as I stopped. “What’s wrong?”

“I...” I turned around, looking down the slope of the hill, desperate for anything to stop this. My eyes slid out to the plain we crossed and...

Riders galloped towards the hill. Metal glinted off their armor. Twenty or more soldiers with a black-robed figure charged behind two figures running on foot. One was a massive thing, as big as the ogre we fought, its features indistinct, looking almost patchwork even at this distance. Beside the hulk was a leaner figure, skin looking gray and waxy, almost like an insect.

Monsters.

Price Meinard’s soldiers and the monsters raced toward us.

My shadowy rapier formed.

Princess Ava

I shuddered as I reached the altar. My imbuer senses responded to it. My soul quivered as I stared at the crystal altar resting on the top of the perfect cone of the hill. The Altar of Souls was more than this small part of thrusting out of the grass. It was the entire hill. It was all one machine, an arcane device created by the God Krab. I could feel the power it contained. It gathered energy, pulling it out of the air, building it up in vast batteries deep in the earth.