(1)
Nul spun a shroud around themself as they walked. What had once been an impossible task was now a minor effort, one performed almost as an afterthought. With just a few twitches of their fingers, extra-fine threads of gossamer slipped around their body and they melted from sight, vanishing into thin air.
From Nul's perspective, little changed. The biggest difference was that they now had to be careful not to bump into people as they walked. Most people wouldn't be able to see, hear, or smell Nul, requiring them to dodge and weave between the clueless occupants of the ballroom.
Sarah didn't have the same difficulties. Despite being invisible to everyone but Nul, people seemed to avoid walking into Sarah. They moved slightly away as she passed, some part of their subconscious mind telling them to get out of the way, to avoid her. Despite her only manifesting a simple image, one only Nul could see, her presence left an impact in the world. Death walked among the people and they could feel it, whether they knew it or not.
Sarah led Nul out of the ballroom, across the arena, and back into the maze of hallways that spanned the circuitous structure of the colosseum. Sarah took a sharp turn into a dark hallway, away from the hustle and bustle of the well marked paths the guests were supposed to stay on, and began weaving in and out of the corridors.
Nul had researched the King's Arena earlier, going with both Roran and Sarah to find the entrances that would lead them down into the audience chamber and the archives below. Nul had probed and prodded the barriers in place, slowly picking them apart and reverse engineering them. They had scribbled together two whole notebooks worth of comments, diagrams, and theories on the barrier, and decided that it was simultaneously one of the best barriers Nul had ever encountered, and utterly underwhelming.
After the eighteenth turn, because Nul always counted such things, they asked, "Are you sure we're going the right direction?"
"Not so loudly," said Sarah. "I can hear you no matter how softly you speak."
Then, speaking under their breath, Nul said, "We went a different way last time, did they already rearrange the hallways?"
"Yes, everything is completely different. They didn't just rearrange the place, they reworked it entirely, all of the hallways lead back towards the main thoroughfare. They really don't want guests wandering through the arena unescorted."
"Is there any security?"
"Little, and I'm navigating us around them. Your biggest concern will be the barrier. Any idea on how to break it?"
"Several," said Nul.
Sarah took a sharp turn and led them down a hallway that seemed to curve in on itself. After a short distance, the hallway ended in a brick wall. Sarah pointed at it.
"Through here, it's not very thick, only a few inches. You'll need to close it up behind you."
Nul adjusted their etchings, the spiderwebs along their forearms expanding and growing as symbols realigned themselves and runes came crawling out of the webwork. With a swipe of their hand, the wall split and shifted, folding in on itself until it made a neat little hole for Nul to step through. Nul repeated the motion and the wall folded itself shut behind them.
The trip after that was short and easy. Whoever designed the layout of the arena clearly hadn't planned on stopping people capable of walking through walls. Sarah stopped in front of a plain looking door recessed into a dark hallway. They were standing in total darkness, though that wasn't a problem for Sarah, whose existence filled the space around them, or for Nul, who had etchings to see perfectly in the dark.
"This is it," said Sarah. "Are you ready?"
Nul nodded.
"Once we start, the clock will be ticking."
"There isn't a time element to the barrier," said Nul.
"No, I meant that we'll need to be quick to avoid detection, there are patrols up here and I'm almost certain there will be people standing guard somewhere down there."
"You can't see?"
Sarah shook her head. "Not until we're past the barrier."
"Then, while we're inside..."
"I'll be blind to everything happening outside the barrier. If things go wrong, or if something happens to you, I'll be trapped inside."
Nul nodded. "Good to know the stakes. Does Roran know?"
Sarah raised an eyebrow at them, the gesture almost a perfect imitation of Kell.
Nul smiled. Watching Sarah's evolution from a shy lyhlim to a snarky person had tickled the scholarly parts of their mind. She'd changed drastically over the time they'd all been together.
"I'll take that as a no," Nul said. "Shall we then?"
"After you."
Nul pressed a hand to the door, letting energy flow outwards from their body and into the door and the stone beyond. The stone reflected their energy back at them, creating an image in their mind, a diagram of the symbols and patterns etched into the walls.
Nul pushed harder, feeling out the designs and patterns. They had changed since Nul's last visit. That had been expected. Whoever maintained the barriers changed them daily. Not a lot, just enough to keep the barrier fresh and prevent the average etcher from being able to work out the algorithms and patterns.
Thankfully, Nul wasn't the average etcher. Not only were they the best etcher within the city, they had the backing and knowledge of an ancient scholar from the Lost Kingdom. They were also, effectively, a demi-god with near limitless flexibility and range in their abilities.
A simple puzzle, said Akanos, his voice echoing within Nul's mind. I was hoping for more of a challenge.
Do you want to break it, or should I? Asked Nul.
Sarah stood to the side, completely oblivious to Nul's internal conversation.
I've already solved it, said Akanos, and an algorithm flashed in Nul's mind. Really, we could have taught this to the young lad, or even the dung beetle herself.
She's a friend, Nul chided. Be nice.
Nul used a finger and began drawing on the door, leaving behind a gossamer thread that quickly began to form a sigil. Once the sigil was complete, Nul stepped back. There was a loud click and the door swung open.
"Shall we then?"
(2)
Nul descended the staircase for almost five minutes before growing bored, altering their buoyancy, and casting themself down the stairs like a leaf on the wind. They were forced to push off against the wall as the stairs circled around but that was a small price compared to trudging down the stairs the old fashioned way.
Sarah abandoned her visual image and clung to Nul like an invisible cloud.
"How far can you see down here?" Nul asked.
"Not very, the barriers are still pressing in on me. My movements and abilities will be limited down here. I'm afraid I'll need to cling to you unless I want to manifest my own body."
"Just tell me where to go and keep an eye out for me."
They reached the bottom of the stairs and Nul brushed through the doorway into the audience chamber. Their eyes immediately landed on the little pit sunk into the dais and the glass mechanism within. Nul vaulted over the side of the balcony and landed feathlight on the ground. They headed to the pit and hopped in.
"This is interesting," they said.
"The Oracle used to take notes."
"The Oracle huh?"
Nul had heard rumors about the Oracle but had never seen any concrete evidence that they existed or that they were anything more than a scribe. Nul ran their hands along the glass, probing it with little bursts of energy. The glass flared wherever Nul sent in energy and sigils were revealed in the glass, all of them tied together with various patterns and conduits.
"This is used to update records in realtime, just like the clerk's tomes," Nul said. "Though it's directly connected instead of using remote transference."
"There is a room below us," said Sarah. "That's where the archives are."
Nul climbed out of the pit. "Lead the way."
"Short route or long route?"
"You have to ask?"
Sarah shrugged. "Thought you would like the option."
Her body appeared a little ways away from Nul, standing off to the side of the chamber and pointing directly down.
"Two floors," she said. "Well, two floors down to the archives, the archives themselves are three stories tall."
Nul joined Sarah and knelt down to begin drawing more patterns on the ground.
"Is there anybody below us?"
"I don't think so..."
"Can you double check?" Nul asked. "I don't want to fall on top of a squadron of Champions."
"I'm afraid this is the best I can do, aside from manifesting a body and checking the old fashioned way."
"Don't worry about it," Nul said and completed the design. The floor underneath them rippled and twisted, forming a hole that Nul promptly fell down. Sarah stood there, floating in midair, and watching as gravity had its way with Nul.
Nul fell through the first floor and a second hole opened beneath them, allowing them to keep falling. There was another floor, and another hole, and then the ground opened up into a yawning cavern filled to the brim with bookcases.
Focus markings glowed on every bookcase, shimmering in great waves like an underground ocean. Each of the bookcases was connected by patterns of gold embedded directly into the wood and flowing through the ground, creating massive circuits that joined every square inch of the archives into a single living thing.
Nul slipped silently between a pair of bookcases and landed on the ground without a sound, their feet barely registering the impact as their etchings buoyed them against gravity. The ceiling above them twisted and rippled as the holes resealed themselves.
Sarah appeared next to them, her eyes darting between the bookcases.
"Copying all of these would take too long," said Nul. "Any idea where I should start looking?"
"Give me a second." Sarah closed her eyes, then frowned. "This will take a moment."
"Can't you read the contents from here?"
"Yes and no. I can normally read the spines of every book in my sphere of influence, the contents too if I know what to look for, but down here it's harder. There are extra barriers limiting my abilities. This place was designed to keep people from wandering about freely. I'll need to manifest."
Nul nodded and waited.
Sarah's body—or the image she was presenting to Nul—melted away. Her black robes evaporated into a dense mist that began expanding out into the archives, working its way between the bookcases and slowly filling up the space around them. While it appeared as though she were expanding, Nul knew she was actually condensing herself.
Sarah's natural form was large and malleable, like an invisible cloud that hung around them, following them in the streets and constantly cradling them within its embrace. She would create a visual image for them to interact with, but that was only a tiny fraction of her true self. Nul didn't know the exact dimensions of Sarah's true form, much to their chagrin, but they knew it was bigger than most buildings. Now Sarah was condensing that form into a gaseous state that would allow her to work through the archives, skimming the entirety of its contents in mere moments.
Nul wandered between the bookcases, trailing a hand across the shimmering spines of the various tomes stored here. Though the space was smaller, the number of books here was comparable to the number stored in Akanos's library back in Uhalara. That library had contained a small treasure trove of culture, mathematics, philosophy, and a wealth of information on focus markings. This archive was dedicated entirely to King's City and King's City alone.
"But why down here," Nul mused aloud. "Why not one of the sanctuaries?"
Sanctuary Vassilis would have been the obvious place to store anything.
"Because this is the only place in the city that all three Kings can come together," said Sarah, her voice disembodied and decentralized within the swirling mist. "This is the crux of the three mountains, the lowest point of the valley. The soil here has even been mixed together, making it easier for them to come and go without consequence."
"They can't visit the other mountains?"
"No, not without losing parts of themselves. The Kings hold great power, but all power comes with a price."
"But what-"
"I think I found something," said Sarah, cutting them off. "Over here." She led Nul to one of the many uniform bookcases. Her human form reappeared and tapped several books. "Start with these ones," she said. "I'll keep looking."
Nul grabbed one of the tomes at random and started flipping through it. They paused only a few pages in. Looking back at them from the page was a near identical diagram of General Ahnodor's etchings.
"This is it," Nul said, "This is exactly what we need!"
(3)
"There are more," said Sarah. "Over here."
Nul began the task of copying the books into the amulet. They set the books on the ground and dropped the amulet next to them.
Be careful! Akanos yelled, his voice echoing within the confines of Nul's skull.
Don't yell, it hurts! And the amulet is nearly indestructible, you said so yourself.
Still, you should be careful with such treasures. They deserve the utmost respect, this one in particular.
Nul rolled their eyes and tapped the amulet, making it split into dozens of fragments hovering around the books. With another tap, lightning arced from the shards and to the books, memorizing their contents and storing them within the myriad facets of the amulet for later use.
Though the task was relatively quick, it still took time for Nul to work through the slowly growing pile of books that Sarah was pointing out to them. The process was also a bright affair, the sparks and thin tendrils of lightning illuminating the space around them.
"I think this is the last of the important ones," said Sarah. She had manifested into a human form and was carrying a tall stack of books. "After these, we should leave."
Nul nodded. They were still working through the previous books Sarah had given them.
"I'll need a few more minutes to get through all of this."
"I'll keep watch."
Sarah set the books down and vanished, once more evaporating into a dark mist to float between the bookcases. Nul finished one stack of books and started on the second, returning the copied books to their original location. Ideally, no one would know they were ever down here.
As Nul was starting on the final stack of books, Sarah gently tapped on their shoulder.
"Trouble."
Nul tensed, their eyes darting around the archives. "What?" they said, their voice little more than a whisper.
"Someone is coming."
"A Champion?"
"I don't know...I can't see them clearly yet, they're still coming down the staircase. They'll be here in a moment. You should be able to hide between the bookcases, but you need to hurry and get out of here."
Nul nodded and glanced back at the amulet, still sparking and flickering with life as it consumed the knowledge laid down before it, willing it to go faster.
It's going as fast as it can, said Akanos.
I didn't say anything.
You were thinking it and that's the same thing where I'm concerned.
Nul grumbled but turned their attention back to the archives. Sarah's dark mist had either disappeared or become transparent. Either way, Nul could no longer see any trace of her.
"They're here," came Sarah's disembodied voice. "It's...oh no."
"What?" Nul hissed, their heart rate spiking.
"It's the Oracle."
"Is she dangerous? I didn't think she would be combat oriented."
"She has a crown," Sarah said softly.
Nul swore under their breath. Beside them, the amulet was still sparking away.
There was a sharp inhalation of breath and Sarah said, "I think she's spotted us. She's coming this way."
Gossamer glittered as Nul spun a quick shroud around themself, erasing their presence from sight and sound and smell. There was little Nul could do about the amulet, they hadn't configured a shroud for sparks or lightning.
"Nul..." Sarah said, her voice tight with anxiety.
Nul began shifting their focus markings, swapping out their designs for soft combat.
"It will be fine," Nul said softly. "This will be fine."
"You can't lie to me," Sarah replied, and the Oracle turned the corner.
The Oracle was very plain to look at. She was average height, average build, with mousy brown hair that fell to her shoulders in waves. She wore a plain smock and sandals without any sort of decoration or embellishment. The one remarkable thing about her was the shimmering waves of etchings that covered her entire body, making her glow like the setting sun as it slipped into the ocean.
She stared at the pile of books and the small explosion of gems around them, the lightning still arcing between the books and the floating gemstones.
The Oracle tsked. "Not again. I hate it when they sneak in here."
She held out a hand, making a loose fist. There was a loud snap and a frightened yell filled the archives. Sarah appeared, her body fully manifested before the Oracle, the Oracle's clenched tight in Sarah's hair.
"You certainly look funny for your kind," said the Oracle. She gave Sarah a shake, eliciting a cry of pain. "How did you get in here?"
Despite their utter shock, Nul snapped into action. They lunged across the aisle, slamming their palm into the Oracle's stomach. The Oracle flew back, landing with a thump two aisles away. The moment the Oracle let go of her, Sarah vanished.
"Are you okay?" Nul asked.
"No!" Sarah manifested behind Nul, hugging herself. "I didn't know people could do that!"
"Stay behind me," said Nul.
The Oracle climbed to her feet, looking mildly peeved.
"Lyhlim aren't allowed in here," she said. "And neither are their friends. Where are you?"
The Oracle glared across the aisles, straight through Nul, and directly at Sarah. She made a fist and squeezed but nothing happened this time. With a sigh, the Oracle dropped the hand and began crossing the distance on foot.
"Sarah, run," said Nul.
Sarah bolted, running away the Oracle. The Oracle started after her at a light jog. Nul stepped aside, letting her pass. The moment she slipped in front of Nul, they slammed their palm into her back, sending her flying forward.
The Oracle snarled this time, slapping her hand on the ground before climbing to her feet.
"Fine," said the Oracle, "I was hoping I wouldn't have to make a mess, but if you want to play games, then let's play games."
She clapped her hands together and a shockwave exploded out from them. Books flew off shelves and the bookcases closest to her swayed, nearly toppling over. Nul shielded their face with their arms. When they could see again, they realized the Oracle was staring directly at them. The blast had blown away their shroud.
"The Worldbreaker," the Oracle said softly. "Of all the people..." She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. The punishment for trespassing in these hallowed halls is death. You may be a Champion, but I am the King's chosen, slated to guard this place and maintain their history."
She began stalking towards Nul.
Tell her not to fight, Akanos said, That it will destroy the books.
I don't think she's worried about that, these books were made to be tough, just look at the etchings.
Well, think of something! I don't want to die down here with you and the dung beetle!
Nul twisted their neck from side to side, releasing a series of pops. The etchings on their body began shifting and twisting, dozens of sigils and patterns coming out of the webwork and weaving together a complex design along their entire body.
Seeing this, the Oracle paused. "How..."
"You're not the only one with a crown," said Nul.
They flexed their hand, thin threads of gossamer trailed from their fingertips to the Oracle, attached the two times Nul had made contact. Nul clenched their fist, drawing the gossamer tight and nearly pulling the Oracle off balance.
"I'm sorry," Nul said, "But I may have to kill you now."
(4)
Nul wrenched on the gossamer, pulling the Oracle off her feet and flying towards them. She fought against the threads wrapped around her but it was a futile gesture. As the Oracle reached them, Nul slammed their hand into the Oracle's chest. There was a crack like thunder and the Oracle was sent flying backwards. She hit the ground and bounced, rolling to a stop.
Nul kept the gossamer held tight in one hand, waiting and watching. They had no idea what sort of etchings the Oracle used and didn't want to be caught off guard.
The Oracle let out a groan and rolled over, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
"Talent like yours shouldn't be wasted," she said. "You should be in service to the Kings."
"I have no interest in being their puppet," Nul said.
"We're all puppets. The only difference is who holds the strings."
The Oracle jerked and the gossamer threads fell limp in Nul's hand. The Oracle shook herself free of the bindings and rose to her feet, brushing the dust off her smock.
Her etchings aren't combat oriented, said Akanos. You have the advantage here.
I know, but killing the Oracle will only create new problems. We need a solution.
What did you have in mind?
You think of something, said Nul, I'm busy keeping us alive!
The Oracle lunged at them. Nul stamped a foot on the ground and a wall of stone rose up between them. The Oracle smashed through it as though it were made of paper. She lunged again, her arms outstretched.
Nul threw themself upwards, their buoyancy shifting and their body sailing easily into the air. The Oracle passed harmlessly underneath them. She spun around, growling in frustration.
Nul held out a hand and snapped. Lightning arced from their fingertip, striking the Oracle in the chest. Nul had to be careful, adjusting the power on the fly to avoid striking any of the bookcases by accident, but the single bolt was enough to stagger the Oracle.
The acoustic trigger is entirely unnecessary, said Aaknos, sounding distracted.
It helps me control the attenuation and intensity. Any progress?
Still working on it.
Her clothes charred and her body smoking, the Oracle once more forced herself upright. Her hair was frazzled and her gentle demeanor had completely vanished. Though her body appeared unharmed, the fight seemed to be wearing on her.
As bits of her clothes burned away, Nul studied the etchings shimmering on her body, tracking the changing patterns. They began building a quick schematic in their mind, slowly puzzling out what the etchings were meant to do and where they drew their strength.
"You're full of tricks," said the Oracle. "I look forward to writing them down after I kill you."
Nul said nothing. The patterns on their back and legs began shifting, providing them with new abilities and reinforcements.
The Oracle came at them again. This time, Nul met her head on. They grabbed the Oracle's hands and settled into a grappling position as the two began comparing raw strength. The Oracle's sheer power surprised Nul, nearly toppling them over. Nul dug deeper, pulling on Akanos to help them match the Oracle's strength.
Careful, I'm trying to focus here!
We'll die if you don't help! Nul snapped.
We'll die if I can't finish my work. Deal with this lunatic so we can get back to the important stuff.
Nul grit their teeth and growled, more in frustration at Akanos than anything else. They had shared a brain for over a year now and he still managed to get on Nul's nerves.
Adjusting the patterns slightly, Nul managed to improve the efficiency of their improvised design and gained an edge against the Oracle, managing to push her back inch by inch. She ground her teeth and glared at them, seething with rage.
"Sarah," Nul ground out, "front pocket, smallest orb."
Sarah appeared next to Nul, her hand slipping into their pocket and reaching for the small ball of gossamer that contained a miniature spell, ready for release.
The Oracle's eyes went wide when she saw the object.
"Activate it and throw it at her."
"I don't know how to activate it!"
Nul huffed, wishing they'd spent more time with Sarah.
"It's like an etching, just pour a little power into it."
"I don't know how! I've never used an etching before!"
"Just do it!" Nul snarled.
Sarah closed her eyes and hurled the orb at the Oracle. The Oracle flinched as the orb hit her in the chest, and bounced off, landing on the ground completely inert and inactive.
"Dammit Sarah!"
"I'm sorry! I don't know how to use them. I'm Death, not a Champion!"
"Then do Death stuff," Nul snarled. "Do something!"
"I can't, her etchings protect her."
The Oracle pivoted, trying to pull away. Now Nul was holding onto her, preventing her from escaping.
"Oh, for the love of—Akanos!"
Try this!
A design flashed in Nul's mind. They released the Oracle only to punch her in the stomach as hard as they could. Though the blow didn't break through the Oracle's defenses, it still sent her tumbling to the ground. Before she could recover, Nul quickly drew a pattern in the air, their gossamer forming the sigils and runes that would give it power. They grabbed the floating pattern and lunged at the Oracle, slapping it onto the nearest part of her before she could recover.
A glowing brand flashed on her shoulder, then went dark.
Both the Oracle and Nul watched. Nothing happened.
The Oracle licked her lips. "Well, that was scary."
"Akanos..." Nul muttered.
It's out of our hands now.
Nul felt a cold rush of wind and heard the pitiful chime of a broken bell. Beside them, Sarah had expanded and grown taller. Her black robes shrouded her entire body and four arms sprouted from her torso. Chilly mist drifted out from her hood and her hands had been reduced to skeletal claws. One set of hands held a tome and a bag bulging with coins. The held a sword and a broken bell. Sarah chimed the bell, filling the archives with a discordant note, sad and offkey.
The Oracle glared up at her, her eyes wide and sweat dripping down her temples.
"I'm not afraid of you," she said. "You can't hurt me. The Kings made sure of it."
Sarah raised her sword.
The Oracle flinched away, raising her hands to protect herself.
Sarah brought the sword down, slicing clean through the Oracle, the blade passing through her without leaving so much as a scratch. The Oracle shuddered and collapsed.
Nul watched, waiting for the Oracle to get up. She didn't budge. The only movements she made were the rise and fall of her chest as she took small breaths.
The specter of death disappeared and Sarah was once more by Nul's side.
"What did you do?" Nul asked.
"I temporarily killed a few cells in her heart. Her blood pressure plummeted and she fell unconscious. She'll wake up in a few hours when the cells recover. There shouldn't be any lasting damage." She turned to stare at Nul. "Now what?"
I've done it!
Nul jumped. "Done what?"
Sarah gave them an odd look and they realized they'd spoken aloud.
"Sorry, talking with Akanos."
Sarah gave Nul the same worried look everyone gave them when they confessed to conversing with their blade. Ignoring her for the moment, Nul turned inwards.
What have you done?
I recreated part of the godspell that wiped my Kingdom from the history books. We should be able to remove you from her memory.
Nul let out a sigh of relief. That's convenient.
Not entirely. This spell will be exhausting, even for us.
What do you mean?
Akanos let out a small laugh. Don't plan on walking out of here. The spell is likely going to knock us unconscious for a couple of days...
Nul let out a groan.
"What's going on?" asked Sarah. "Is everything okay?"
"Not really," said Nul. "We're going to need help." They pressed a couple of fingers to their neck and reached out to forcibly activate Roran's communication etching. There was a surprised mumble as Roran was caught off guard, then Nul said, "Hey, Roran."
After a brief pause, Roran returned a muffled, "How's it going down there?"
"Not well. We're going to need some help."