Chapter 7

He was dreaming.

He stood amidst the black dunes of the Midnight Desert, the blue sun of Secundus hung directly in the sky above his head. Despite its proximity, and the heat haze obscuring his surroundings, he felt nothing. The intense temperatures, the dry air that would sear his skin and lungs, it was all absent.

Wil waited patiently, knowing what was to come. The dream was too real, despite the missing feelings, to be anything else but a vision. An occurrence that he had experienced before.

“You’ve grown stronger.” A voice spoke from behind him.

Turning, he saw a woman, stunningly beautiful, with perfect features and an elegant bearing. Her long blond hair hung low down her shoulders and back. Her eyes were an intense blue, matching the sun overhead perfectly. Wearing white robes, she was a divine being, untouched by mortality. A goddess.

“Secundus.” Wil whispered, greeting the deity. “Seven years in the Wilds will do that to a person.”

“And yet, most would have succumbed to the turbid mana present there. The chaotic energies would have changed them, making them stronger, but less than human.” She responded, slowly walking towards him. She reached out, caressing his cheek gently with her delicate hand. Her skin felt cool on his, surprising him with the sensation. He felt nothing here, save for her touch.

“You may thank your encounter with the ‘Patriarch’. His mana affected yours, granting you a resistance to the chaos.” She explained, removing her hand. Wil felt a sudden ache at the loss.

“Was that your plan? For me to take Serena to the Wilds and grow stronger in the process?” Wil asked.

She had warned him beforehand that he would need to make a choice, to do what was right. At the time, nothing felt more right than protecting the girl. Now, he would see the world burn before allowing her to be harmed.

“One of many. Plans within plans, Wil. We see the world differently than mortals. Where you see a single path, leading ever forward to the future, I see many paths. Unfortunately, I cannot force you where I wish you to go. If only you could see what I see, you would know that I am working in your best interest.” Secundus explained, her face taking on an expression of sorrow.

“I don’t understand. You’re leading me somewhere. Since I left home, you’ve been interfering, sending me where you want me to go. Why can’t you just speak clearly and let me make my own decision!” Wil asked, frustration lacing his tone.

“If I could, I would. There are chains that bind me, that hinder my involvement in this world. If I was alone, I would tell you everything.” Secundus said.

“The other gods are impeding you?” Wil asked, confused.

“No, we would call it balance. Not all agree on our course of action, although our goals align. The gods wish to safeguard this world, some for the goodness of their hearts, others in their desire to rule over it.” Secundus said gently, looking at the desert around her.

“And I’m your way of safeguarding it? Is that what this has all been about?” Wil questioned, desperate for answers.

“Yes, but not entirely. Have you felt it yet? The barrier separating mortals from divinity? You’re Rank should allow you to touch upon it soon.” Secundus asked. Nothing could be hidden from her sight, and Wil’s rank was no exception.

He had reached Rank 19, only a single step away from being a demigod. He had never imagined that he would come so far, but it also allowed him to see how truly large the gap lay between what he was now, and Rank 20. It was a chasm, nearly insurmountable. No amount of experience, of training or effort could bridge that gap.

“Yes. I’ve felt it.” Wil confirmed.

“For some, they use force to overcome their limits. Others use contracts with demons, or gods, or even the outsiders, if they are desperate enough. You remember the Lich of Aachen? I admit I do not understand the drive that would cause a mortal to make such a covenant.”

“You were mortal once, weren’t you. Is it truly that foreign to you now? The drive to succeed, the fear of death and loss, it’s not so strange a desire.” Wil explained.

“Yes, I was mortal. Millenia ago, we all were mortal once. But my ascension was different, one who’s path I wish you to share.” Secundus stated, surprising Wil. She wanted him to become a god? His ascension was something he had thought about, although he expected the process to come to him naturally at some point.

After witnessing the Patriarchs attempt, he knew some of what it involved. Unless that was the ‘forceful’ was that Secundus had mentioned… was there another way?

“Some Ascend through blood and fire, others through evil and darkness. And a precious few, they earn the gods respect, their admiration. They share a mortal’s desire for ascension.” Secundus spoke quietly, barely a whisper.

“What would you have of me?” Wil asked.

“Go home, Wil. See your father, for good or for ill.” Secundus ordered.

“And what of Serena?”

“Bring her with you. With you as her guardian, what harm could befall her?” Secundus answered.

The dream began to shake, the wind howling, throwing up a curtain of blinding sand. Wil’s last view of the goddess was of her standing in the eye of the storm, a vortex of black sand spiraling around her.

With a gasp, Wil came awake, momentarily disoriented by the unfamiliar room. Every time he summoned this mansion, it changed slightly, as if it were created anew from his imagination. Unfamiliar reliefs covered the walls, and thick rugs in strange patterns obscured the stone floor.

With a sigh, he threw back the covers, making his way to bath. A strange quirk of the windows in this mansion allowed natural light through, allowing him a rough estimate of the time, although he could see nothing but a grey void beyond the mansion’s walls.

Judging it to be early in the morning, Wil washed and dressed, before making his way to the dining area where the others were waiting. The table was once again full of food and drink, delicate pastries and delicious breads filled the room with an aroma that made his mouth water and his stomach growl.

“Junior, you look like shit.” Garman observed, already halfway through a mountain of food. Next to him, a steaming cup of tea waited, along with a large mug of ale. Wil looked tired and haggard, the vision robbing him of valuable sleep.

“Thanks.” Wil muttered, walking forward, and rubbing Serena head, patting down a few stray hairs that seemed determined to stick up. Next to her, Mara smiled at him, already sliding a plate of food towards an empty place at the table. Nodding gratefully, he settled into a chair. Ignoring the plate, he looked at Garman.

“I can send us to Ur, but what’s the plan once we arrive. They’ll know who we are as soon as we step through the array. And before you ask, no, I can’t send us anywhere else, not from here. Once we’re in Ur, I can transport us to the Foreigner’s Port, but we would still need time in the city to prepare the spell.” Wil asked. Garman paused his eating, watching the younger man carefully.

“Does that mean you’re coming with us, Wil?” Mara asked, her eyes wide open in surprise. Next to her, Serena practically bounced with excitement.

“If we can do so safely, yes. But what’s the plan?”

“Honestly? Either smuggle you both into the city in a sack or chuck the kid at the guards while we run. The smuggling plan was shot as soon as you sent those adventurers back to Ur. They’re expecting us now, and Mara won’t let me give up the kid.” Garman answered, lifting his fork, and continuing his meal. Wil scowled in disgust at the answer.

“Alright, finish your meals, then pack up. I don’t see a way out of here without a fight. I want the both of you guarding Serena.” Wil ordered.

“What about my ring? They won’t know its me if I look human.” Serena asked.

“No, they already know what we all look like, changing your appearance makes little difference. We’ll teleport, grab Quentin as quickly as possible and Teleport again to the Port. How far from the Guild will she be?” Wil asked Mara.

“She has a caravan in the merchant’s quarter, along with dozens of people, guards, drivers, and servants. Can you send everyone to the Foreigner’s Port?” Mara responded, concerned that they would leave someone behind.

“With time, which we don’t have… They will need to come to the existing Teleportation Array, I don’t have time to build a new one outside the city. Once we arrive, I will cause a distraction while guarding Serena. Both of you will go and bring Annabelle and the Caravan to the Guild Array. You will need to hurry, I doubt I can hold long against an entire city.”

Making plans, they finished breakfast. Despite the lunacy of what they were about to attempt, Serena couldn’t stop smiling. They were going on an adventure!