Far away from Wolf’s Manor, along the ancients’ roads, was Galdish, the capital city of the Pantheon Alliance. Founded on one end of the great central plain of Freesan, along the Luath River, the capital was far from many of the old powers and nations in the south. Surrounded by plots of farmland and small communities reaching out to the horizon, the city of nearly a million souls seemed to grow year after year.

One of the famous sights was the White Walls of Galdish. Transported hundreds of kilometers from quarries at the foot of the Great Teeth, the stones were renowned for their resistance to elemental and physical damage. A wide stone path, built between the wall’s battlements, wended its way along the top where warriors could swiftly move as needed. Rising even higher than the wall were four massive gatehouses, almost castles in their own right, built around the city at its cardinal points with eight round towers spaced evenly along the walls completing the fixed outer defenses. Combined with the Eternal Shields, warriors raised from a young age to defend the borders with their lives, the city had never fallen to outside invaders.

Within the city, many families and associations had built both wide and tall as a testament to their egos and power, while giant structures reached high into the sky to pierce the heavens with their audacity. The famous Comistri Arena was where nearly one hundred thousand could gather to watch the competitions with nearby cities. Or the Gardens of Sundarata, where some could walk among the wonders of the Alliance. To find any item under Lackar’s light, visit Treadala’s Market, where thousands of golds change hands daily. But even among this multitude, one monument rose above the rest. Constructed out of the same white stone as the famous walls, Star Tower was a physical manifestation for all to see – a sign of what the Pantheon Alliance could create within the northern wilds.

At the top of this imposing structure was a large obsidian stone platform polished to a shine. In the center of the black stone, another smaller pillar reached even higher into the sky with the tower’s namesake, Ascendant Star, at the very top. Shining day or night, countless songs, tales, and epics waxed poetic on the beautiful light. Even far from the sprawling city, travelers could see the distant twinkle of the tower’s peak – a sign of their journey’s end.

Almost halfway down the tower were a series of platforms built into the walls of the white tower. Made from stone, wood, leather, and cloth, skybirths served as the landing target for the various skyships that called Star Tower home. The framework was not only the pilot’s final target for landing but would also hold and support the grounded ship once its flight enchantments disengaged. The structures were relatively recent but necessary with how popular skyships had become.

Standing near the tall entryway at one end of the skybirth, a group of people waited quietly, their eyes on a descending grand sky yacht as it cut through the clear blue sky. The natural brown cloudwood exterior gleamed in the cold morning air as its glowing enchantments protected its passengers from many dangers, including gravity. A red and white checkered flag along the ship's stern announced to all below that Dia Aaric, leader of the Pantheon Alliance, was on board. Two smaller skyships kept station alongside the larger yacht as the Alliance’s many-pointed star flag flew atop each stern.

Blessed Jaxon stood at the front of the group and looked up at the approaching ship, shading his eyes from the early morning light even as the wind gusts whipped around his long dark hair. He didn’t have a sight ability, so he could only just make out his lord, Dia Aaric, near the ship’s bow. His lord’s four Gifted Sworn stood guard behind him, keeping any others away during the landing.

When they’d moved into their final approach, Jaxon frowned at his lord’s working clothes – sturdy trousers, a simple light red coat, with no robe or cape in sight. It was the kind of ensemble Aaric wore when there was a lot of work to do and would be stern, if not harsh, with those who got in his way. He sighed, not looking forward to the upcoming conversation.

The light brown craft descended above the platform before smoothly touching down. Only moments later, the enchanted cloudwood’s gleam dissipated as the wooden beams underneath barely creaked from the load. The skybirth crew worked efficiently on the platform below as they swarmed the lines and tied the ship down while preparing for debarkation. In only a couple of minutes, the wooden stairs soon swung over to attach with a click near the end of the bow, just beyond their lord’s waiting party. Following two of his Sworn, Aaric grabbed the stair’s side railings as he descended.

Jaxon and the rest of the people waiting bowed in unison when Aaric’s feet touched the tower, with only Aaric’s own guards immune from the gesture. “Divinity,” he said as he straightened from his bow. “Welcome home. I’m sorry to disturb your time, but some serious matters have arisen.”

“I’m sure, Jaxon,” Aaric said with a snort. “I can’t see you bothering me without reason, so let’s get started. I have a lot to do, as you well know.”

Feeling the warning in his lord’s words, he moved quickly to steer his patriarch towards the opening in the platform beyond. The nearby crews stayed clear as the small procession made its way inside and down the well-lit stairwell.

A few floors below, they arrived in the Alliance’s heart. Dominated by the massive round heavy darkwood table in the center, lightwells lit the room brightly. Twelve chairs surrounded the table, each shaped to their owner’s desire, though none were currently occupied. A massive, detailed map showing the Pantheon Alliance’s domain took up one of the room's walls, where hundreds of cities and towns twinkled with different colored lights, each denoting specific qualities or details.

A man and woman were standing and writing quick notes near the wall, even as their eyes moved from town to city. Feeling their lord’s approach, they both bowed.

“Dia Aaric, your timing is impeccable as always,” Gifted Clista said smoothly after straightening from her bow. Her assistant, Gifted Nathaer, nodded in agreement. “The Battlemap changed minutes ago, and I was just reviewing the update,” she finished with another bow.

The lord’s eyes locked on a deep red flashing light near the top of the map pulsing like a beating heart. “Well, that’s not good,” Aaric said grimly, pausing there while staring as if lost in thought. Finally, he turned to his chief analyst and nodded to Clista, bestowing a smile. “Please prepare a report with any changes since my last review.”

Leaving the bowing analysts behind and moving toward his personal office, Aaric turned a head to one of his sworn, “Summon Ardamas.” Sworn Karli pulled out a small circular device and quietly murmured into it for a moment before putting it away again.

Jaxon’s face didn’t twitch though he wanted to shake his head in disgust. Just as he was Aaric’s Left Hand as head of internal security, Gifted Ardamas was Aaric’s Right Fist as the enforcer of his divine will.

Aaric’s office was the largest in the Star Tower, with a massive darkwood desk taking pride of place at one end of the room. Two of the room’s walls were a series of interconnected windows, letting in plenty of light and affording Aaric a view of southern Galdish. Another wall had a detailed mundane map without lights or enchantments but was kept updated by others every morning. The final wall had a small bookcase and a few artifacts on a series of pedestals that, along with the two battle standards on the wall, were spoils of war that marked Aaric’s greatest victories.

“Let’s discuss your issue while we wait for Ardamas,” Aaric said with a small sigh as he sat in his plush upholstered chair and gestured at one of the hard wooden chairs across from him.

Jaxon took a seat with a small nod before passing a small bundle of papers across the desk. On top was a small burnished metal cylinder no larger than a man’s thumb with a miniature golden wolf stamped on one end.

Aaric popped off the top, unrolled the small slip of paper, and began to read. It wasn’t a long message, and he swore under his breath almost immediately before rereading it. He finally put the note down with a long sigh before tapping the paper with one finger as if lost in thought.

“Trouble rarely travels alone,” Aaric muttered before lifting his eyes to Jaxon. “I presume you’ve already read this. Thoughts?”

“We need to confirm this information,” Jaxon answered slowly. “I suggest sending a discrete inquiry to Blessed Solas in Bishal. I know she serves Dia Leigheas, but she owes us and knows how to keep her mouth shut. Better to discover the truth in secret than to rush in and have every rumor and falsehood spread to others. We need to control this since Dia Hesh could try to use this against you, Divinity.

“No,” Aaric said with an almost tired sigh as he stood up and walked over to one of his large windows, his back and shoulders tense as he stared at the city below. After a few minutes of silence, he turned around to begin pacing in front of the window – his hands clasped tightly behind his back. “No, Jaxon. I can appreciate your discretion, but time is too important here. We must move fast, and Wolf says the initial events occurred at least a week ago. Send some of your best to Duarte’s home – I imagine they’ll be able to hitch a ride with Ardamas and his team. Do not inform Solas or anyone else not of our family. I won’t have an Aberrant bring us down, but nor will I hide from it. If the secret gets out, we’ll handle it.”

Jaxon buried his frown. He knew better than to argue when Aaric was this excited, and he’d do better to follow his lord’s directions and bide his time until he could suggest a more measured and safe approach.

A loud knock interrupted his thoughts, and the door opened a moment later. The dark-skinned Ardamas in his black leather armor stood in the doorway as he passed his large axe to the Gifted standing just outside the door.

“You summoned me, Dia Aaric?” Ardamas said with a bow. He sat down in the other chair at his lord's gesture even as his eyes tracked over to glance sidelong at Jaxon.

“Yes,” Aaric said as he retook his own seat. His mouth firmed as his eyes moved from one man to the other. “The three of us have much to discuss. The Battlemap has alerted us to Boruta breaking the Accord. We don’t know why or really much about this entire situation, and he’s already beyond any further tracking. That means I need you and your best to depart immediately for Bishal. Boruta free would make the Bailemore disaster seem little more than a regional spat. How fast can you get there, Ardamas?”

“The demon of Eld Forest?” Ardamas asked, leaning forward in his chair. “My first and third squad can leave within a few hours, but the rest will take at least another day.”

“Good,” Aaric said with a slight smile. “Send one of those to Wolf’s Manor, just in case Boruta moves in their direction. Wolf has a few surprises ready, but they can do little more than slow down that monster.”

Jaxon sat back with surprise while Aaric and Ardamas planned their response, clasping his hands tightly in his lap to hide their sudden shaking. With Boruta in play, all his plans had just been upended. His mind worked through the implications and how his arrangements might have to change, realizing he’d have to be even more careful with how he handled matters.

***

A young woman walked swiftly down the metal-walled hallway while her shoes clicked along the hard floor. She gripped a memory tablet tightly yet away from her body as if it were a creature ready to bite her. The large door at the end of the hallway remained closed as she stopped in front of it, and she requested entrance with a mental thought towards the nearby controls as she tried not to bite her lip in worry.

“What is it, Sera?” An angry woman’s voice seemed to emerge from the very air.

Sera gave a deep bow towards the door controls. “Lady Peja, I have troubling news from Lurra,” she said. Without any further reply, the heavy metal doors swished open.

“Fine. What is it,” The voice emerged from within the brightly lit room.

Sera walked in, placed the tablet on the pristine white desk, and glanced briefly at her boss before looking away again. Lady Peja was in rare form with an even bigger scowl marring her otherwise beautiful face. Her long silver hair pulled back into a tight braid almost sparkled in the room’s bright light while two small jeweled clasps along her scalp kept any unruly strands firmly in place. With steepled hands resting in front of her, she looked down her nose at Sera.

As she answered, Sera focused on the tablet resting atop the spotless white surface. “Boruta Dunmaru has left his forest. We don’t have information on why at the moment, but he only left recently. I thought you’d want to be informed immediately.

“Who?” Lady Peja leaned forward with a dangerous look in her eye. “You know I don’t care to remember the name of every insignificant creature in our experiment. Sera, you’d better not be wasting my time. I’m far too busy dealing with the council’s investigators to handle trivial tasks better left to people like you. Precision and conciseness, girl! Try again.”

“My apologies, merciful Lady Peja,” she said with a more profound bow even as sweat started to bead along her forehead and temples. She tried to hide her swallow while her tongue fought to find the right words. “I should say that the Demon of Eld Forest left his woods seven hours ago, and we believe that the Pantheon Alliance is already aware of this event. In the last hour, a group of skyships departed the Star Tower with Right Hand Ardamas and his team. We believe they're heading north to investigate.”

“What?” Lady Peja asked as she slowly stood and leaned onto her desk with a snarl, curling one lip up. “Why am I only finding out now? No, never mind. You’ll deliver a report on why it took this long in your after-action. For now, get with Lugh and track down our wayward test subject. That creature is far too important for our future plans.”

“I can’t,” Sera started to reply but hesitated with an almost audible gulp. “My apologies. I meant to say that Lugh is unavailable as he’s in the middle of his downtime. He’ll be back in two days unless you’d like to interrupt him?” she finished with almost a murmur, afraid of her boss's next eruption.

“That shitty worm,” Lady Peja said with some venom, her mouth working as if to spit before her face cleared again. “Fine. Get with that other analyst, Gaffy. He’s next to useless, but he’s better than nothing. Put together a report for me within the next day, make a copy, and put it at the top of Lugh’s work queue. I want Priority One on this, so he sees it first thing once he’s back. Now get going.” Lady Peja waved Sera away in annoyance as her eyes returned to her wall screens.

Sera backed out of Lady Peja’s office with another deep bow, grateful to escape without further punishment.