The Beginning After The End novel Chapter 434

Vajrakor’s presence receded with each step we took while Caera’s strength returned bit by bit. Cramped tunnels gave way to sprawling, ornate halls, and finally, to the open expanse of Vildorial’s primary cavern. From the steps of the palace, the entire underground metropolis sprawled out before us.

Varay eyed me with an air of uncertainty, clearly second-guessing how I’d handled the altercation with the dragon. “I’m going to make sure that Torviir and Bolgar are sufficiently insulated from this situation, then I have my own duties to attend to. Will you be in the city long?”

I glanced at Caera. “Probably not.”

“Be careful, Arthur,” she said, a small frown creasing her brow. “Despite winning back our continent, I can’t help but feel as if Dicathen has never been in more danger than it is right now.”

I let out a humorless laugh. “What’s that saying about frying pans and fires?”

“Except in this case, it is dragon’s fire,” Varay said darkly. She held out her hand to Caera. When Caera took it, Varay pressed something into her palm. “I grabbed this when I heard Arthur was approaching the city. I know I’m only returning what is yours, but I want you to know that, if Arthur trusts you, I do too.” Then her feet lifted off the ground and she flew out into the open cavern.

Caera slid an ornate ring onto her finger, her gaze shifting to me as she fidgeted anxiously. “I am…grateful that you came. And I apologize for striking you, I—”

I waved a hand dismissively. “I deserved worse. You never should have had to endure that, any of it.”

Silence fell between us, and I awkwardly started walking, trying to think of what else to say. I’d been forced to leave Alacrya without explanations or goodbyes; the last time I saw her, she still thought I was Ascender Grey. I wouldn’t blame her if she hated me for my lies, but I comforted myself with the fact that Seris had known the truth and still sent Caera to find me.

“My mother is an emitter—a healer,” I said after a couple minutes just to break the awkward silence. “She can mend your wounds.”

“My wounds aren’t important,” Caera said forcefully, then her mouth clamped shut and she looked away.

“I’m sorry,” I said, watching her from the corner of my eye. “For this, and for lying to you about my identity.”

“I suppose it makes us even,” she said humorlessly, still not looking at me.

A patrol of dwarven guards stopped to watch us, nervously fingering their weapons. I kept an eye on them until we had moved past and they resumed their march.

“Where were you?”

“The Relictombs are built in a dimension all made of aether. The zones just sort of…float, disconnected from everything in this vast aetheric ocean. I used that aether to bring back my old bond, Sylvie, the one who…”

“Who sacrificed herself for you? And you succeeded? In bringing her back, I mean.”

“I did.” I hesitated to continue, turning my senses inward to my aether core.

The broken shards of my original mana core were still fused together within a solid barrier of aether, an almost crystalline structure. The core had taken on a deep magenta color when I originally forged it, but had darkened with each subsequent layer. Now, the three-layered core was a vivid purple sphere resting dark and heavy in my sternum. Each layer provided greater refinement of the stored aether and allowed more aether to be drawn in and stored inside the core.

When I had first forged the aether core, I could hardly condense enough for a single aetheric blast. It had taken significant training and refinement of the core to allow for even two or three blasts, but adding a second layer had increased my capacity exponentially in an instant.

There hadn’t been time to test what my core—and by extension, what I—was capable of doing now, but it felt different, more potent, like a miniature sun trapped in my chest.

Speaking falteringly, I continued, explaining what I had done and why. “Unfortunately, disconnected from the world, none of us were capable of sensing the passage of time.”

“So you spent two months meditating and gathering aether?” Caera asked, sounding dumbstruck. “Grey, that’s…insane.”

I rubbed the back of my neck, embarrassed. “Honestly, it was probably longer since time seems to move faster in the Relictombs.”

Caera shook her head. “That’s true. It could have been six months for all you know…” She let out a long, weary sigh. “You could have ended up not coming back at all.”

We were interrupted by someone shouting my name, and I realized we were passing through one of the small markets that dotted the highway. A young elven girl ran up to me, pressed a dried flower into my hand, then sprinted away giggling. Most of those we had passed by simply stared at us, but the focus was always on Caera.

I had grown used to the horns wrapping around her head like a crown, but to the people of this continent, those horns made her look like an enemy.

“Why did Seris send you to Dicathen?” I asked, turning off the winding highway toward the gates of the Earthborn Institute. “And without your pendant to hide your horns?”

“She said she needs—needed you in Alacrya soon. But that was…”

“Two months ago,” I finished for her.

“I was attacked on my way to the tempus warp. An ally of Seris’s, another pupil, betrayed her,” she continued, her words dripping icy venom. “I was nearly captured, only just escaped Scythe Dragoth Vritra. I must have lost the pendant during the battle.”

“So,” I said slowly, letting the word linger in the air. “My friend Haedrig is dead then?”

Caera gave a startled laugh. “Oh my. I hadn’t even considered that.” Her momentary smile faded. She had dark circles under her eyes, and I could practically see her straining to keep them open. “Perhaps you were right. Seris shouldn’t have sent me here. You aren’t even Alacryan. What’s happened to your people, to your…family—you don’t owe us anything. If I’d known…”

I had still been supporting Caera’s weight while we walked, but now she pulled away from me. When she spoke again, it was with an air of resignation. “You have your own battles to fight, I understand that now. If you can just help me get back to Alacryan, I will—”

Gently taking hold of her forearm, I stopped. She did the same, her scarlet eyes full of questions.

“In that convergence zone, the first time we really met, I was just figuring out what was going on. I was ready to leave everyone there to die once I realized you were all Alacryan. You were enemies, and I thought you all had to be twisted, evil monsters. It was simpler for me to think that.” I took a deep breath. “Caera, you showed me the truth about this war. You and Alaric, Seth and Mayla, everyone I met who was just trying to get by on a continent darkened by Agrona’s shadow. You aren’t my enemy. The asuran tyrants who seek to mold this world into their own cruel little playgrounds—or worse, burn our world to the ground. They are our enemies.”

She gazed up at me for a moment, then gave a small shake of her head. “Does anything frighten you?”

I hung my head, suddenly ashamed. “I’m terrified, Caera. Of not being powerful enough, smart enough, clear-headed enough. But most of all I’m scared of losing. Too many people already look up to me like I’m some kind of deity. I just need you to be…my friend.”

Her eyes searched mine for a long moment, her lips slightly pursed, and then she heaved a long, melodramatic sigh. “Fine, fine. And here I was, all ready to start the first Temple of Grey, He Who Walks Among Us.”

I snorted but couldn’t hide my smile as we started walking away. “I’m glad you’ve managed to retain your sense of humor through everything.”

Caera’s laughter died on her lips, her face darkening. “The dragon’s idea of torture was little worse than what any Alacryan child faces when they begin training for their trials.” But each step she took was heavy, and I knew she was hurting more than she let on.

My amusement shriveled within me.

We didn’t speak anymore until we reached the unassuming door that led into my mother and sister’s home in Vildorial, a small suite of rooms within the Earthborn Institute itself. The door opened before I could knock. Sylvie smiled and stood aside, waving us in.

“Your sister had me paranoid you were going to vanish,” she said lightly. “I think she’s planning to shackle herself to you so you can’t leave her behind again.”

“Sylvie!” Ellie yelled from across the room, indignant. “That was supposed to be a secret.”

I led the way in and scooped Ellie into a bearhug. “Does that mean you’re not mad at me anymore?” I asked, crushing her to me.

“Irate,” she gasped, squirming to get free. “Oh, hi Lady Caera, glad my goon of a brother was able to get you out of there.”

I started to release her, frowning. “Did I miss something? How do you—”

Suddenly, Ellie stiffly pulled loose of my grip. She straightened her clothes and looked past me. I followed her gaze to Chul, who had appeared in the doorway behind Caera and me. My brows rose.

“Um, hi,” Ellie said, brushing past me and holding out her hand to the half-asura. His hand engulfed hers. “We didn’t get introduced earlier. I’m Eleanor Leywin.”

“Chul,” he said politely as he scanned the small living room.

“You have really pretty eyes,” she added, staring up into the orange and blue orbs.

He looked away and released her hand. “They are like battle flags, proudly displaying to the world that I am descended from the phoenix and djinn races. Our enemies should tremble at the sight of them.”

“Um, of course,” she said, taking a step back and smiling awkwardly. She walked backwards for a few more steps, then turned and marched into the kitchen. “Mom, Arthur is here with more company!”

Regis, who was lying on his side on the floor, his stomach distended, rolled onto his feet to give Caera a small bow. “M’lady. Glad to see you embracing your horns. The trio, back together again at last.”

Sylvie appeared from the kitchen arch wearing an uncertain smile, caught halfway between amused and uncomfortable. “What’s he—oh, really now! Regis! Don’t be crass.”

Just as I was beginning to regret all my life decisions, my mother appeared. She gave me a peck on the cheek as if to assure me that everything would, in fact, be all right, then stiffened at the sight of Caera. “Oh, dear, look at you!” She whisked across the room to Caera’s side, slipped her arm around the startled Alacryan, and then glared at me. “Arthur Leywin! How dare you drag this young woman around the city in this state.”

I opened my mouth to defend myself against this unfair accusation, second-guessed the impulse, and let my mouth slowly close.

“Come on, let’s get you cleaned and patched up,” Mom said, leading Caera toward the hallway that connected to the bedrooms and bath.

“Oh, I’m fine, Mrs. Leywin, seriously, there’s no need to—”

“Call me Alice, dear, remember?”

Caera threw an uncertain look back at me, but I could only mirror her look back as Mom led her deeper into the rooms. A litany of concerned muttering trailed behind them.

“How’d you—”

“Oh, Mom was called in to heal Caera’s wounds when she first arrived,” Ellie said conversationally. “When I heard she supposedly knew you, I went to see if it was true. She’s, ah, pretty cool.” Something about the way Ellie looked at me as she drew out the word “cool” made me squirm uncomfortably.

“If you really wanted to help, you would join us in crushing the Vritra,” Chul went on. “Aldir said you can control an entire army of golems at once. That would be a useful ability when we face Agrona’s forces.” _{freewebnøvel.com}