“I’m unsure of what the future will bring, very unsure, for the first time in a long time. I’m in uncharted territory, territory that for most of history. But whatever happens, I’ll tackle it with every ounce of mental and physical power I can muster.”

Oreanan Vainen, upon leveling up to level 47

“Levels are a measurement of how much of yourself has become ethereal, part-Spirit. That’s how we beat the Archons: they’re just really high level. Oh, sure, they’re practically unstoppable in a head-to-head confrontation, but we’re not suicidal. If we approach this just right, we might be able to topple the corrupt world order, and cripple or at least cage the Archons.”

“Spells-- in what little experience I have with magic, spells have a minimum level you have to be to get them. Level 28 is very impressive, but there are a handful of people alive today in the high 30s, and if you look at history there were in the low 40s level-wise. You’re saying that a spell you got in your leveling 20s was able to send away an Archon, possibly permanently? Why haven’t all of the Archons been banished or usurped already, if that’s the case?”

“First, because the number of people who have broken free from the Archons’ control in Esun is very small.” Bim responded seriously. He counted off the names he knew. “Vainen, me, you, Zaran. A few dozen in Ushorin, and the leader of Gontad in the East. That’s where the list ends, though again, my knowledge on the subject isn’t perfect. Most people have to get to at least level 40 to even start the process; the highest level one of our posse is Zara, and she’s in, what, the low thirties? We’re very lucky. Secondly, the Archons are constantly watchful to make sure that their mortal playthings don’t get wise to the corruption at the heart of the system, and those that catch a glimmer are pacified or put down. Those that slip the net, like us, are rare enough and usually weak enough to be manageable.

Thirdly, because of the people with the power, resources, and knowledge to do what I did to Kandrev, a lot of them just don’t want to bring the wrath of the other Archons down on them, triggering a cosmic struggle by gunning for one. Even the mightiest mortal in all of history, Oreanan Vainen, is a scholar by trade, not a great direct combatant, and could only take on one Archon at a time, tops. Everything lined up for me: element of surprise, Kandrev being the weakest Archon, its desperation and willingness to be freed from its duties setting it apart from its peers, etcetera. But we won’t get so lucky next time.”

“Next time?” Greg said, voice sounding strained.

“I don’t know about you, but after everything they’ve put us through, I’m not stopping with just one of the Hexad. I’m taking down as many as I can, maybe all of them. First off, we need to find Zara. Then, we need to get to Ushorin, or, failing that, Gontad. They’re the most attuned to what’s going on right now.”

“Wait. Earlier-- you said we had days to do all this. Why so little time?”

“Because the Clockwork of the World is coming undone, Greg. The fundamental Machine of Creation is breaking down, and it has been for a long, long, time, possibly since its inception. It was built to last, but it’s finally seeing its last days. We might have days, we might have weeks, we might even have several months, at a stretch, but the breakdown is speeding up more and more, with the Archons straining and pushing it to create more Demons than they ever have before, and to keep everyone they can under control. They tried to take away my levels, but I managed to wrangle them back. They likely are going to try to hammer us to death like we’re vermin, so it’s gonna be a fight. But we have to win. We’re going to win. Otherwise nothing, not even the Archons, will endure what’s coming.”

“O-okay. This is a lot. Wow.”

“I need you with me here, Greg. I don’t know where Zara is, Helena’s out for the count and probably has an Archon wriggling around in her brain, and we’re in the middle of a city falling into anarchy, just like last time. I know it’s above anyone’s paygrade, but I need you here, now, with me.” He grabbed his friend’s face, staring him dead in the panic-stricken eyes.

“We can stop them if we believe we can stop them.” He went on in an even more intense, quieter tone. “They’re four-fifths beings of Spirit, whereas we’re mostly Material. Their footholds in physical space are difficult to hold and grow, and they often have to act through and empower others. We can learn new powers and means to subvert their authority and escape their senses. I already have, and some few others have before. They’re, in many ways, ginormous illusions, constructs of their own will, and, to a lesser extent, our perceptions of them. But here’s the thing: their greatest weakness is their hubris and their lack of dedication. They don’t care, they don’t work for anything, they don’t invest in themselves or others any more than the bare minimum necessary for survival and shallow comfort, or to look good in the eyes of those they consider insects. We can topple them, if we have the will.”

“You want to fight an Archon in a battle of wills? That’s insane.”

“Maybe a few weeks ago it would be, but I’ve changed a hell of a lot. I can feel it. Now, let’s get moving. Like I said, we don’t have much time.”

He got to his feet, making to grab Helena’s arms to carry her. Greg, after pausing, in shock and contemplation, rose, shouldering him aside, and lifting Helena on his own with some strain.

The , the , and the unconscious went off to find the .

Zara found herself back in the streets of Brosiad, corpses and wandering, pained Corruption-touched creatures strewn across the street. She felt her new levels pumping in her veins like adrenaline, and her perception was sharp. She took a broken peam of wood, it’s end torn off and jagged, in one hand, filching it from a wrecked house. Wielding the five foot long piece of housing material as a club, she strode swiftly down the streets, a presence akin to a thundercloud surrounding her, crackling and booming with power.

She began to, one by one and bunch by bunch, clear the streets of Corrupted, helping to defend and relocate scattered citizens as she found them. Hours into her work, she was interrupted by the frantic calls of-- was that Bim? And Greg, carrying Helena, behind him. She hugged both of them tight as they approached, and gazed at Bim for a long moment. “You seem like you’ve seen too much, young man.” She said, half-worried, half-kindly. “

“I banished an Archon, so I’d hope so.” Bim said, his smile strained and his eyes filled with an ancient weariness.

Zara was taken aback. “You what?”

“I know, it’s probably against the law. Arrest me later.” He quipped half-heartedly, his smile becoming a little more solid.

“I’m gonna have to process that. You’re a man of miracles, and no mistake.” Zara murmured toward him, before nodding to Helena. “What happened to her?”

“Archons took away some of her levels, if not all of ‘em, and it messed up her mind royally. We don’t know what to do, so I’ve just been carrying her around. Bim used some new healing spell on her, and said she should likely be fine in a few more hours.” Greg looked at Zara a bit longer, then blinked hard, and looked confused. “I know it isn’t the time or the place, but was your hair always gray at the fringes?”