Silver sprang backward as Elara's second blade carved through the space where his throat had been. The retreat bought him a second at most. Elara pressed in immediately, Slash after slash drove Silver across the crystal floor. With only a single dagger to defend himself, Silver barely kept pace, wrists jolting with every impact. Elara's eyes flicked to his footing. She shifted her grip, and a thrust slipped past his guard.

  Silver avoided it at the last second, the dagger grazing his chest instead of sinking in. Before she could strike again, a blast of condensed fire roared toward her from the side. Elara clicked her tongue and skipped back, the spell detonating in a spray of sparks and smoke where she had stood.

  Elara's head snapped toward the spellcaster who had fired at her. She threw one of her daggers. It spun past the caster's cheek, missing by inches. Then she vanished. One instant she stood across the chamber. The next, she was beside the airborne dagger, fingers already closing around its hilt as it hovered near the spellcaster's face.

  "Borin!" Silver shouted.

  Before Elara could attack the spellcaster, Sir Borin's greatsword crashed down toward her shoulder. She caught the blow between both of her blades, steel shrieking as it locked. Borin leaned into her, forcing her backward step by step. Seizing the opening, he drove a boot into her midsection and kicked her clear of the formation.

  "Quickly," Borin barked. "Weaken her!"

  The three spellcasters raised their wands-

  -and cried out.

  Icicles shot across the chamber and punched through their hands. Their wands clattered against crystal as blood splashed against the floor.

  Elara pouted. "Rumus! I had everything under control!"

  "That may be true," came the calm reply, "but I want this over with as soon as possible."

  Rumus had stepped away from the crystal floating in the center of the room. His wand, unlike the guild's simple designs, bore white and gold plating spiraled around polished wood. As he advanced, he traced sigils through the air with deliberate precision. Each symbol flared, then launched forward as spears of ice and slicing crescents of force.

  Borin and the remaining knights closed ranks around the wounded spellcasters, shields locking together. Ice shattered against their shields. Focused on Rumus, they did not see Elara slide her dagger underneath their formation. She disappears and then reappears beneath the shield line. In a blink she was on her back under the clustered spellcasters. Both of her daggers shot upward. Both blades stuck into two of the spellcaster's throats. The spellcasters stiffened, then collapsed without a sound.

  Still on her back, she lashed out with her heel, striking the back of a knight's knee. His joint buckled, and his shield lowered.. Unfortunately, this knight's helmet had been chewed off earlier. Rumus did not hesitate to use the opening his sister gave him.

  A single icicle formed, sharp and narrow as a needle, and streaked through the gap. It punctured the knight's forehead. He dropped where he stood. Sir Borin went to stomp on Elara's head as she lay on the ground, but she had already retrieved her dagger from a spellcaster's corpse and threw it straight upwards. She vanished just before Sir Borin's boot made contact with her face. While airborne, she threw her dagger beside Rumus and appeared next to him. A sadistic smile was on the woman's face. Rumus stood there with his wand held up.

  "This is so much fun. Why, if we didn't have a job to do, I think I'd play with you all day!" Elara squirmed where she stood, shoulders writhing with glee.

  Silver didn't move. He gripped his dagger in both hands so tightly his knuckles blanched. Disgust twisted with fear in his expression. He had faced monsters. He had cut down bandits. He had never faced anyone who enjoyed it like this. He couldn't even force himself to move.

  Sir Borin stepped back, shield raised high. "You slaughter people without a second thought and revel in it. Where is your honor? What kind of pit did you monsters crawl out of?"

  Rumus exhaled slowly. Frost curled from underneath the shadow his hood was casting over his face, the lingering chill of his earlier spells frosting the air. "You don't get to judge us." His wand traced intricate patterns, sigils layering over one another in widening arcs. This was no quick cast. A large circular spell took shape before him, humming with restrained force. Beside him, Elara lifted the dagger etched with glowing symbols and began carving her own pattern into the air, mirroring his scale.

  Silver clicked his teeth. "Don't let them finish that!"

  Sir Borin and his two remaining knights charged. They made it three steps before Ice erupted from beneath them. Jagged frost swallowed their legs to the thigh, locking them in place. The men roared and strained, muscles bulging as they tried to wrench free, but the ice only thickened.

  At the tip of Elara's blade, a sphere of fire bloomed into existence. It roared to life in an instant, swirling gold and white. Laughing, she skipped forward along the frozen path her brother had created, boots tapping lightly over the ice. The blazing orb clung to her dagger as if tethered. She drifted past the trapped knights, arm extended casually at her side.

  Flame swallowed their heads. For a moment, their screams were muffled inside the inferno. Then there was nothing but the hiss of melting metal and the sickening scent of charred flesh. When she passed, what remained was a ruin of warped helmets fused to blackened bone.

  Sir Borin stared, mouth hanging open, as she skipped closer.

  "Wait. No. S-stop. I'm begging you."

  "Begging?" She tilted her head, stepping within inches of him. The fireball hovered before his face, heat searing his skin. He squeezed his eyes shut as tears forced their way out. "You've never had to beg for anything before, have you? If you had, you'd know it never works."

  She began to push the blazing sphere forward. Then the spell ruptured. The fireball detonated in a violent burst of light and concussive force. The explosion hurled Elara backward into Rumus's arms and blasted Sir Borin free from the ice, throwing him hard onto his back. Shards of frost and embers rained across the chamber. A blackened stick clattered on the ground. Every head snapped upward.

  High in one of the open gaps along the crystal wall, crouched against the edge, was a young boy. Air. Garret clung desperately to his back, face pale with horror. Air's expression, however, was no longer bright or playful. With Garret in toe, he hopped onto the crystal floor, fists clenched. His eyes wandered to the lifeless bodies littering the chamber.

  "This...doesn't look fun at all."

  -

  Air tugged his new shirt into place as he stepped out of his room. After his shower, Garret had given him a simple blue T-shirt and beige pants. They fit perfectly. Air hurried downstairs and slipped out of the Holloway, spotting Garret on the patio with his legs swinging idly over the edge. He was unwrapping a small piece of candy.

  "Thanks for the clothes," Air said.

  "Oh, it's no big deal," Garret replied, popping his candy into his mouth. "They were getting too small for me anyway. And I don't even like blue that much, so you can keep them. I'll ask my dad to get you a few more sets."

  Air leaned closer, eyeing Garret's hand. "What's that you're eating?"

  Garret held up another wrapped piece and wiggled it between his fingers. "Candy. Mom bought a bunch. You can have this one if you want. There's plenty more inside."

  "Alright, you're the best!" Air reached for it, then an explosion thundered in the distance. The ground trembled faintly beneath their feet. Garret jolted and dropped the candy. Air turned sharply. A plume of smoke curled upward from the top of the massive crystal structure looming beyond the town. Garret's easy smile vanished.

  "Ah...I hope they're alright in there."

  Air rose slowly, eyes fixed on the smoke as it thickened against the sky. "That's not fair. If they're doing something fun, I want to join in." He started toward the structure, already forgetting about the candy he'd been offered.

  "Hold on!" Garret scrambled after him. "You can't be serious. That was an explosion! Something dangerous is happening. You can't just walk in there. My parents are going to freak out if they find out."

  Air didn't slow. "They're your parents, not mine. You can stay here if you want. But if Silver's in danger, that's even more reason to go." His voice sharpened slightly. "I only realized it after figuring out what exactly a dungeon was, but when I first woke up, he was trying to make sure I was safe. He also got me some really good juice."

  "That's great and all, but what are you going to do if there's some terrifying monster in there? Are you really going to risk your life just because he got you some juice?" Garret demanded. "You'll get hurt. Or worse."

  "Yeah, I am. And I told you already. I'm not scared of monsters." Air lifted his face slightly as the breeze rolled past. "You don't experience the wind the same way I do, do you? I can feel it moving through me, it's like it's a part of me."

  "What? That doesn't even make sense. I-"

  Garret lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Air's chest from behind. "I'm not letting you go! You're the only person besides my parents who hasn't gotten sick of me. If you're going, then you'll have to take me with you. Try getting there with my weight dragging you down." A nervous smile twitched across his face.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  "Okay."

  Air bent his knees. In the next instant, the ground vanished beneath them. They rocketed upward, bursting above the treetops. Wind roared in Garret's ears as the crystalline tower came fully into view. Garret let out a high pitched scream as gravity reclaimed them.

  Air angled his body and dropped onto a thick branch with perfect balance. The wood shuddered under the impact. Without hesitation, he kicked off again. They shot forward through open air, Garret clinging desperately to him as the town blurred below.

  Rumus hauled his sister back to her feet. The tips of her hair were singed from the blast, smoke still curling faintly from the strands. "How dare you—" She stopped short, eyes narrowing as she took in the small figure standing near the wall. "Children? How did you even get in here? And how did you disrupt my spell with a—" Her gaze dropped to the charred stick lying on the crystal floor before she looked back at Air. "A stick?"

  Garret finally peeled himself off Air and slumped to the ground. His eyes drifted across the chamber, over the scorched armor and crumpled bodies. He clamped a hand over his mouth and turned away. "Those people... they're..."

  Silver's stare snapped into focus. "What the hell are you two doing?" he barked. "You need to get out of here!"

  Air raised his fist. "And leave you here with these people?"

  Kelar, who was straining to maintain the spell encircling the floating crystal, shouted without looking back. "Stop wasting time! Kill them already so Rumus can help me finish the ritual!"

  Elara rolled her eyes and flipped her dagger into the air. As it fell, she caught it smoothly and hurled it at Air. Steel met steel. Silver's dagger knocked it aside in a spray of sparks. Elara's expression twisted, and she blinked to the spot where her blade had been deflected. Silver was already moving. He drove his elbow hard into her ribs. The impact forced a sharp breath from her lips, and one dagger clattered free.

  Silver stomped on the second before she could recover and kicked it skidding across the chamber. Elara staggered back, trying to regain her balance. A whip snapped through the air. It coiled around Elara's wrist, the one still clutching her primary blade. Air's arrival was worrisome, but it had shattered the fear gripping Silver's mind. He had seen her movement enough times now. He had a good understanding of how her abilities worked now.

  He yanked her forward and spun past her, the whip wrapping around her torso in tight spirals. With a sharp pull, he dragged her off balance, drove his knee into her back, and forced her face-first onto the crystal floor. His knee pinned her spine as the whip cinched tighter.

  Across the chamber, Rumus began tracing another icicle spell toward Silver. Sir Borin's sword came down. Rumus twisted aside at the last instant, the blade biting into crystal instead. The forming spell dissolved. Borin pressed forward with wild, relentless swings. Each one missed, but each forced Rumus back step by step. Rumus found an opening and drove his boot into Borin's chest, knocking the armored man backward. For the first time, he saw the damage clearly. The right side of Borin's face was blackened and blistered, one eye clouded and burned. Borin's sword slipped from his grasp as he drew heavy, ragged breaths. "You... killed my men. Whatever your goal is, I won't let you see it through." His words slurred, but his resolve did not.

  Rumus shifted tactics. Instead of aiming forward, he angled his wand downward and traced a spell at his feet. Ice erupted beneath him, forming a pillar that launched him skyward. From above, he fired a volley of icicles. Without his shield, Borin raised his arm to block. Ice punched through armor and flesh. He grunted, staggered, but refused to fall. With one hand, he reclaimed his sword and stepped around the ice block obstructing him. No matter the cost, he would strike Rumus down.

  Silver pressed his knee harder into Elara's back. "Answer me. What are you doing here?"

  She hissed, then forced out a breathless laugh. "It doesn't matter. You can't afford to let me go. And your friend over there is going to die. When he does, my brother will finish you. Then the ritual will be complete."

  Silver's grip tightened. "A ritual, huh?" He looked toward Air. "Alright, kid. You wanted to help? If I'm right about you, you're strong enough to break that crystal."

  Panic flashed across Elara's face. "What? Hey. Don't you dare!"

  Air didn't hesitate. He palmed his fist as he leaned forward and broke into a sprint.

  "Stop!" Elara thrashed against the whip. "You'll kill us all!"

  Air's footsteps tapped rapidly against the crystal floor as he closed the distance. Kelar tore his attention from the spell and stepped in front of him. "Can't rely on anyone for anything," he muttered.

  Air jumped and drove his fist into the man's chest. Kelar slid back half a step, his back brushing the floating crystal. He blinked, then chuckled. "Huh. Didn't expect to feel that at all. Nice hit, kid." He drew his fist back. "My turn," His punch slammed into Air's abdomen and sent the boy hurtling upward. Kelar frowned. The impact hadn't felt right. Instead of feeling bones crunch under his fist, there had been a strange give, almost as if there was a cushion between his hand and Air's body. "Hm?"

  Air was already descending. Kelar cocked his arm again. As his fist shot forward, Air's finger tapped against his knuckle and pushed off. A sharp gust seemed to twist around Air, redirecting his momentum. He flipped cleanly over Kelar's shoulder and landed behind him on the far side of the crystal.

  "Is this important?" Air asked. He drove his bare fist into the floating crystal. It's shattered Fragments exploded outward in glittering arcs.

  Kelar snarled. "Fool!"

  A heartbeat later, a wave of violent energy burst from the crystal's remains. The shockwave tore through the chamber, slamming bodies into walls. Silver's head cracked against crystal. Then everything went black.

  Air stared into a deep, lightless tunnel. It was impossibly vast, the ceiling and walls stretching so far that the darkness swallowed their edges. His body felt wrong, heavy. He tried to move and realized he wasn't restrained, only detached. His limbs responded, but not to him. He could feel his body in motion, yet had no control over it.

  Faint crystals jutted from the dirt walls, each casting a dim, ghostly glow that barely pushed back the dark. A face suddenly leaned into view. A girl with red hair.

  The weak crystal light traced the curve of her round, freckled cheeks. Her hair hung downward toward him, swaying slightly, as though she were perched above him. it felt like she was sitting on top of him.

  "How do you like your new home?" she asked softly. "I know it's not as bright, but the old man said you should be fine down here. There's plenty to eat, and plenty of space to grow." Her eyes searched his, warm and certain. "Even if you can't make any new friends, you'll always have me. I'll make sure to visit you every cycle, kay?"

  She closed her eyes and smiled. Then her head drifted out of view. Air was having trouble making any sense of it.

  Silver felt smooth crystal pressed against his back. Something like wind bore down on him, forcing his eyes shut. He turned his head, grit his teeth, and pried them open anyway. He almost wished he had not.

  Above him stretched a bright blue sky scattered with floating crystal pillars and platforms. He rolled onto his hands and knees. When the pressure finally eased, he pushed himself upright and looked down.

  Alderbrook sprawled far below in its entirety. The Quingrove trees blended together into a vast green sea. Off to one side stood the crystalline structure he had just been inside, perched atop an even larger rock formation. Beneath that rock gleamed a glossy surface veined with translucent lines and splashed patterns he knew all too well.

  "No way..."

  He was staring down at a fully grown Shelly. Why here? cycles ago, he and Pyre had guided the creature deep underground into a cavern system vast enough to hold it. Back then, he thought the cave too large for a snail. Now, seeing the creature at this size, he understood. If Shelly had roamed above ground all these cycles, there was no telling how much of Modus would have been crushed beneath its path. The thought snapped him back to the present. Air and Garret had been inside Shelly's shell with him. He scanned the floating platforms until he spotted Garret kneeling on one in the distance. Too far to see his face, but close enough to know he had to be terrified. There was no sign of Air.

  Shelly was not moving toward Alderbrook, thankfully, but the forest still splintered and buckled beneath its slow advance. Silver's jaw tightened. He needed to reach Garret, but there was nothing connecting these platforms. Then he remembered. He reached into his bag and pulled out the gravity-altering orb that had nearly killed him earlier. He had meant to study it after exploring the crystal structure, but he already understood the basics. Enchanted items were scattered across Modus, usually found in dungeons or places steeped in magic. A clear example was the dagger Elara was using earlier. To activate enchanted objects, you simply fed it your own energy.

  Silver inhaled slowly. "Here goes nothing."

  He poured his magical energy into the orb. Symbols etched along its surface flared to life. He twisted it forward, and his feet lifted off the crystal platform.

  "Alright!"

  He angled himself toward Garret, twisting again and again until he drifted across the open air and lowered onto the boy's platform. "Kid! Are you okay?"

  Garret shook his head violently. "No! I am very much not okay! I wanna go home, back to my mommy!"

  Silver stumbled on landing, nearly dropping the orb. He steadied himself and placed a hand on Garret's shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll get us down."

  "With that orb thing? Are you sure it's safe? And what about Air. We can't leave without him."

  "Right. We grab Air, then we leave. I don't know who's going to deal with the giant snail, but it's not gonna be us. Grab my arm."

  Garret clung to him. Silver activated the orb again and shot upward. The platforms hovered at uneven heights, too many to search one by one. From higher up, he finally spotted Air. To Silver's surprise Elara stood on the same platform. Blood trailed down a wound in her leg. Air lay motionless while Elara limped toward him, her dagger trembling in her grip.

  "You ruined everything... this was supposed to be our chance..."

  Silver twisted the orb sharply and surged forward. He reached the platform in a burst of speed and drove his foot into Elara's side. Her injured leg buckled and she collapsed.

  "Damn you! How could you do this to us?"

  "What do you want? An apology? Remorse? You killed those people in cold blood! You don't deserve anything!"

  Garret rushed to Air's side and shook Air's shoulders. Air's eyes fluttered open.

  "Hm? What is it?" He blinked, then glanced around at the sky and the endless drop. "Woah. Is that big rock moving? Are we moving?"

  Elara staggered upright, dagger raised, but her gaze shifted upward. The sky burned with blazing orange light. Silver saw his shadow stretch in front of him and turned. A glowing mass tore downward through the air and slammed into the far side of Shelly's shell. A thunderous impact rang out. Shelly's movement halted. Every floating platform stopped with it. Then they all began to fall.

  Silver lunged for Garret and Air, wrapping an arm around both as crystal and sky tilted violently. Elara and the platform shrank below them as they plummeted toward the surface. He forced a smirk. "Hold on. I'll get us down. Landing might be rough."

  Air and Garret tightened their grips, each holding onto one of his shoulders. Silver twisted the orb, trying to slow their descent. They barely moved downward. He twisted again. And again. Panic crept in as the symbols along the orb flickered.

  "Oh no."

  A sickly weakness spread through him. The Adrenaline pumping through his body stopped him from noticing the sickly feeling that had spread throughout his body. This was the feeling you get when your body has run out of usable magical energy. Silver never did much training when it came to harnessing the mystical "Threads" of magic, so his output and capacity were always below average. The orb had drained him dry in barely two minutes. The symbols soon dimmed to nothing, and Silver could feel the weight of gravity begin to push down on him again. Air and Garret slipped from his grasp. Silver and Garret screamed. Air did not.

  Air shut his eyes, and reached for the wind in front of him. He tried to seize it, to bend it, but nothing happened. Why wasn't it working? Is it because he was scared? Or maybe trying to control this much at once was too much for him. The ground rushed up to meet them, and for the first time since he'd woken up, Air didn't know what to do.