NOVPUBRylan's boots crunched through dead leaves as he stepped deeper into the woods. He was happy for the chill in the air and the long walk to get out some of his frustration and the weight of failure from the day before. His jaw clenched tight enough to ache, and he had to force himself to relax. The forest around him pulsed with life and he could hear birds calling and the branches clattering together overhead. But, just like everything that morning, the sounds only served to grate on his raw nerves, and each trip or rustle of leaves just pushed him further.
"Fuck this." His fist shot out and connected with a solid oak trunk. Bark exploded outward, and wood splintered as his fist passed straight through the outer third of the tree's trunk. The tree groaned as a spiderweb of cracks spread out from where the splinters were on its surface, and he continued walking. He shook out his hand and could feel blood trickle down a split in his knuckles, but the pain felt right. Deserved.
I should have been stronger. Should've been faster.
The image of his friend's broken body flashed through his mind. Heavy teeth punctures in the shoulder where the enormous winter bear had latched on and thrashed about like a dog with a chew toy. Rylan's stomach turned. He felt like he should've been able to do something, like the group should have been able to stop him. Or protect him.
But no. The real problem was Alex. Alex fucking Moore. The idiot mage who somehow stumbled into more power than he had any right to. It should have been impossible. He wasn't even D Rank. The image of the valley and of several hundred monsters reduced to ash and twitching corpses in an instant was burned into Rylan's eyes.
The power should be mine. I've worked harder. Sacrificed more. I've played the political game and been patient. I’ve made deals with the devil to get us all more information so that we can stay ahead of the Hunters Association. Yet somehow, even with his hesitation and weakness, he had found some new kind of magic?
The very thought made his blood boil. Hearing everyone cheer for him and try to pat his back as they returned to the camp made him want to slap him across the back of the head.
Then the self-righteous prick had the nerve to make some brief speech about the threat still being serious and make it sound like Pete’s death was a waste.
Rylan knew that Pete's death wasn't Alex's fault, but something about the shorter man grated on every nerve. It made his blood boil to think that he picked the weaker and safer route of the mage and was somehow still able to be stronger. He just needed to learn his place.
Ahead, golden light pierced through the canopy and cast long shadows that stretched toward him like grasping fingers. The sun felt wrong to him, too gentle and out of place in the early March air. This deep in the woods, no one else knew what waited beyond the tree line. And in Rylan's mind, no one else had earned the right to know. The Guild's intelligence network, as extensive as it was becoming, remained blind to this place.
Only Rylan held the secret.
His fingers brushed the single ring on his right hand. He had others there, but the one on his ring finger was special and marked with the sun insignia. It still caused him to fume to think he had lost his favorite one to Alex in their wager, but he had needed to divert his attention from the more important ring. The best way he could think how to guarantee his decision was to mention the spatial item.
The main ring, though, was such a small thing to mark such a massive discovery. He had been cautious. He'd gone about things the right way and done it smart. He didn't sell the information to his sister like a dumbass for pennies and some additional social recognition.
No. From the start, he'd done things right and had used his superior intellect and experience in high-power social situations to manipulate them how he wanted. It had been obvious from early on what they wanted, and Rylan knew how to manipulate that to his advantage.
Their experience crystals had helped him keep pace with Alex's inexplicable growth. But lately, they had been asking him for more. They wanted more information. They wanted more patience.
"Not anymore," he muttered as he quickened his pace. The shadows shrunk as he grew closer to the source of the golden light. The air grew thick with power, and his skin began to prickle.
It's time to remind them who really holds the power here. Time to demand what I deserve.
They'd done this dance before. Two times now, he'd arrived at their camp seething and with demands. They always attempted to soothe his ego as if he wanted their pampering and then caved to his demands. Both times he'd left with experience crystals that had pushed his power to the next step. The elves were scholars and mages. They were all brain and had no real spine behind them. Their kind moved with grace and spoke constantly of patience and wisdom, but when they were pressed, they always yielded.
The first time he'd threatened to reveal their location to the Guild, they'd practically tripped over themselves offering him "gifts" to ensure his silence while they thought how to negotiate peace with the 'world's leaders'. The second time he'd come in the same mood, by the time he'd made it to the elders' central tent, they were already preparing what he wanted.
Rylan smiled grimly at the thought. For all of their ancient wisdom, the elves were predictable. They needed his protection from the outside world and his insight into human politics to attempt to negotiate a place of peace on Earth… but most of all, they needed his silence. They were reliant on him in more ways than one, and today he would remind them who held the leverage in their arrangement.
The ring grew warm against his skin, and he pushed his fist outward to let it touch against the invisible barrier in front of him. Another step would take him through their precious wards and into the sanctuary. He looked at his hand as it was raised, and the complex wards in the barrier recognized the key to allow him through. Blood ran down his knuckles and dripped to the forest floor from where he’d hit the tree.
Let them play their stupid long game. Let them pretend that their patience and wisdom would do them any good as they picked apart reports on Guild politics and Hunters Association movements.
None of it mattered to Rylan. In just a few short months, he'd already gained more than half of their total power, and he knew that was why they were trying to slow him down. They were uncomfortable with him surpassing them.
They want information? Fine. I've got something that will make them listen, but they’re going to pay for it.
Alex's little display had changed everything, and they needed to understand that. The rules of the game had shifted, and Rylan refused to be left behind again.
As he waited for the ring to unlock the wards, he looked over the encampment in the field beyond. The golden light caught the tops of the yellow and orange fabric of their elaborate and tall tents, making them glow like flames. There were red banners with their posts shaped like feathers that rippled in a breeze that shouldn't exist this deep in the woods. Each of the tents and banners was marked with intricate runes that he knew were powerful magic.
He dismissed the sight, having taken it in multiple times, and glance down at his pocket. He tapped twice on his smartphone’s screen, confirming that the emergency tracking app was active. If he didn’t input the correct disarm code within three hours, the app would send his coordinates and all of the information he had about the sun elves to his sister and other trusted Guild Moderators. He’d learned long ago to never enter negotiations without insurance.
With the app active, he slid the phone back in his pocket and his fingers cautiously drifted to the small detonator concealed in his lower pocket. Early in their relationship, before any of the elves had broken from the Rift, Rylan had planted explosives in an area around the Rift. At the time, it had seemed drastic and one of the most deadly things he’d ever done. But his connections through the Untethered had helped him get his hands on the explosives easily and it was his biggest safety net.
The elves might have centuries of experience, but they didn’t have the cutthroat instincts that drove someone like Rylan. They also had no idea just how ruthless humans could be in their pursuit of power. It was why, despite their level superiority, he always left these meetings with exactly what he came for.
Another moment passed, and he could drop his hand as the barrier shimmered.
The barrier was see-through but was almost physically impossible to pass through without a key enchantment. The barrier part of the wards dissolved before him. He knew he only had a few seconds to step through, and after he did, he was washed in the full light of the miniature sun that hung suspended in the air above the camp. It unsettled Rylan that the entire camp was cast in a perpetual golden daylight, which they never seemed to turn off.
If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
At the heart of the area, surrounded by the organized rows of tents and careful paths, was a blue tear in reality itself. The Epic Rift twisted and turned, and its shades of ethereal blue seemed an odd contrast with the yellows, oranges, and reds of the camp. Despite how uncomfortable he felt the air around the Rift would be to stay in, the sun elves had built their entire camp to protect it. They had several layers of wards to prevent anyone from entering and potentially killing something within, which would reset the Rift Break timer that contained them.
Alien livestock grazed in small sectioned-off areas. With each break, they had brought with them different pastured creatures through the Rift. He did his best to cool his anger as he passed them and moved into the encampment itself.
Among the tents there were other sun elves that went about their daily tasks with a fluid grace that just didn't seem real to Rylan. Some of them tended to small garden patches while others worked at crafting stations and open tents that were adorned with complex runic patterns.
Several elves noticed his passing, and something about their angular features and golden skin made his own skin crawl. The sun elves were, as a race, almost all taller than humans, with arms that hung down just a little too long and faces that were a little too narrow. Those that he passed acknowledged him with slight nods and neutral expressions.
Rylan straightened his posture as he approached the largest tent at the camp's center. The two flaps that served as a front door were embroidered with a bright yellow sun that seemed to glow, backed by a large singular orange feather. He took a steadying breath while wiping the blood from his knuckles onto his pants. These creatures might have the advantage in power, but he had always been able to outmaneuver them in conversation. Today would be no different.
He pushed the tent flaps aside and entered with purpose. "We need to talk."
Three sun elf leaders sat around the table covered in maps and scrolls with their strange writings. Their discussion fell silent at his entrance as they looked at him without comment. When no one answered him immediately, Rylan felt his carefully constructed composure begin to slip.
"I need more crystals." His voice remained controlled, but the edge of impatience was clear. "Not next week. Not after your careful consideration. Now."
The eldest of the three, Solarin, tilted his head. "You seem troubled, master warrior. Perhaps—"
"Don't." Rylan cut them off. "I'm done with your flattery and games. You want to know about Earth's politics? About how much the Safe Zones have developed? Fine. But first, I need power. Real power, not more information on how the system and classes work. I want your experience crystals." He slapped both his hands down on the table. "That bastard isn't even D Rank, and he's out there creating new magic. Literally combining your stupid runes with that circular ritual magic to blast away over a hundred monsters in a single spell. You understand what that means?"
He threw his hands in the air, and his composure slipped further as he recalled Alex's display of power. "Everything I've done, all the training and planning... And he just stumbles into it? Some weakling who can barely take a punch has managed to combine two different kinds of magic? It's just magic." A bitter laugh escaped him.
Unseen to Rylan, the three sun elves exchanged quick glances, and their expressions spoke a subtle language. Rylan knew that they liked to play weaker than they were and act like they needed his protection and guidance to navigate Earth's politics. Right now, he didn't care. He needed their crystals to catch up. To suppress anyone else who could be stronger than him.
"I've been patient and have played along. But I won't be left behind—" he stopped and forced himself to take a deep breath. "Just give me what I need, and I'll tell you whatever you want to know about the new Safe Zone protocols and how things have changed. That's what you've been wanting to know so that you can reach out and negotiate a plan to settle with the government, right?" He teased out the valuable bit of information that he’d been sitting on for quite some time, letting them know that he was aware of their true intentions.
"Surely you're mistaken, master warrior." Solarin's melodic voice held a note of doubt that even he could recognize. And Rylan was surprised when he continued on about something unrelated to the offered information, instead focusing on Alex. "New magic is rare, and two different kinds of magic cannot be combined. The very nature of—"
Rylan snorted and interrupted the pointy-eared male. "I saw it with my own eyes. A ritual circle like I had seen him draw on the ground, but it was floating in the air, and a rune was clearly in a smaller circle at the very bottom. Lightning crackled all around it, and when he activated it…" He shook his head. "The power was unlike anything I've ever seen. It carved a beam of lightning straight through the monsters, and they didn't even stand a chance."
The three others leaned forward, their previous caution forgotten. "These runes within the circle," the youngest one spoke, his fingers already tracing symbols in the air, "did they perhaps look like this?" Three different runes appeared in a pattern in the air, shimmering and gold and intricately connected.
"No, nothing that complex. It was just one rune."
The younger one gave a frown and sat back, clearly disappointed. "That is the enchantment for lightning blasts. And a single rune shouldn't do anything unless he's using it as a charm. How frustrating."
Unnerved, another of the elders' hands moved and sketched a single, simple pattern in the air. The spark rune glowed between them.
"Yes!" Rylan jabbed his finger at the floating symbol with a triumphant smile. "That's exactly what—" He stopped as the elders turned to each other and began speaking rapidly in their musical tones and native language. It frustrated Rylan when they did this. As they had stated early on, he understood that they could intentionally block off the System’s natural translation for sentient races. One of their enchantments or skills allowed them to use it naturally and when they wanted, to turn it off and speak privately.
Their previous demeanor changed completely as they ignored him.
"Hey!" Rylan stepped forward and slapped his hand on the table. "We're talking about my crystals here."
They continued to ignore him completely. Solarin's eyes blazed with an intensity of emotion that Rylan hadn't seen any of the elves display before. "If this is true, then we can adjust the plan altogether. If the humans have discovered a unique way to combine them and allow the ritual to carry more pattern power, then we may be able to set ourselves up for an even brighter future."
"The implications…" The youngest elder's voice trembled. "If ritual magic can be merged with runic arts—"
"Wait just a damn minute!" Rylan's voice rose, and he could tell that something was wrong. The air of the tent felt different, almost as if it were heavier. He only recognized it because of his skill in using [Intimidating Presence] and realized that it was the aura of the three elves leaking out, their normal and impeccable control showing slight cracks. "We had a deal."
Solarin lifted a single finger, and in the next heartbeat, two figures materialized from the tent's edges with a bright flash. Both of them were loosely coated with cloths of orange fabric tied around their eyes. One of them immediately knelt at the elder's chair while the other moved with frightening speed toward Rylan.
Rylan’s combat instincts flared. He recognized the use of a movement skill and reacted. He’d never seen combat-ready elves in the camp before, but there was no doubt as he saw the one before him move.
He was already moving to counter, though, dropping his center of gravity and pivoting toward the nearest exit. His elbow shot out in a strike that caught the approaching elf in the strenum. With his Strength, it was a blow that would have incapacitated or killed most humans. The elf swayed to the side just before impact and only grunted, slowed for a moment, before continuing forward.
Rylan’s hand flashed to the knife concealed at his lower back, but the other elf was too fast. Cold metal clasped around his neck before he could so much as lift his weapon. His strength drained away instantly, and he felt as if all of his stats had been stripped away in a heartbeat. A sharp kick to the back of his leg sent him crashing to the ground.
The hooded figure plucked Rylan’s phone from his pocket with a movement that blurred and was too quick for his eyes to track. Rylan’s eyes widened in panic.
Solarin smiled down his nose at the human. “Your technology was quite clever. If our scouts had not been shadowing you for so long, we would not have figured out what it was.” He looked at the phone as it was handed to him. “These devices are quite interesting. I hope to play with one, one day.” He handed it back to the scout who slipped from the tent with the phone in hand. “Once it passes through the Rift, though, you said that the technology no longer works, correct? It shouldn’t be able to send a signal if it’s not functioning on your plane anymore. As for the explosives you buried within our wards…” The elder clucked his tongue. “They’ve been relocated. That was quite the nasty bit of metal that you had prepared for us.”
"What are you—" Rylan gripped at the collar and pulled desperately while looking around. His mind raced to understand what had happened and how they’d known about each of his contingencies.
"You've served your purpose admirably. Now, be a good boy and quit your yapping." Solarin's voice dripped with condescension. "This is the only information we need, and time has just become our only remaining concern." He gestured to the two other elders. "Though perhaps less time than we originally thought, if this human actually achieved what you suggest."
"You can't do this!" Rylan struggled against the weakness that flooded his limbs. "I'm way too highly placed in the Guild! People will notice—"
"Notice what?" Solarin smiled, and for the first time, Rylan saw a predator behind the mask and felt his blood run cold at the sick smile that covered his angular features. "You spent months helping us understand your planet's people, politics, and defenses. All while telling no one of our existence because, for some reason, you thought you were in control."
Solarin's gaze drifted to a small ornate table in the corner where an elegant chess set rested, pieces frozen mid-game. "You humans and your games of strategy. Did you really think those little victories meant anything? That I couldn't pretend to suffer defeats at your hand ‘master warrior’ while learning of your own strategies?”
The elder's eyes gleamed and flashed bright gold as he looked down his nose at Rylan on his knees. "Your desire for power made you quite the useful tool, but I'm afraid your role in this tale has reached its end." He gave several quick gestures with his hands, clear and discrete instructions for each of the two hooded figures.
The one behind Rylan grabbed his blonde hair and roughly began to drag him out of the tent. The last thing he saw was Solarin turning back to the others and beginning to speak rapidly with the remaining hooded and blindfolded elf, already discussing their plans as if Rylan had never existed at all.
