“Today’s meal wasn’t just for two talented students graduating after years of dedicated tutelage,” Watcher announced once everyone was done eating. Nil and Iris had finished clearing the table, and the students were also done laying out desserts and tea. “This last year, we’ve seen incredible growth among the students not only because of their dedication but because of a regular stream of nutritious food that kept them energized, minds sharp, and rearing to go.

  “Our chef for the year, Senior Nil Roy, never failed in his responsibilities. He kept up with them despite regular training sessions that now put him on par with Bronze Realm warriors who’ve trained in Onyx Dragon Academy since Mortal Realm and monthly arena fights. The students and I have arranged a thank you.”

  All the children beamed at him. They stood in unison and bowed. Then, the oldest, after the graduating pair, carried out a tray. Folded clothing and a sealed scroll sat on top.

  “We watched your arena fights,” the male half of the pair said. “It looked like you might appreciate sturdier trousers.”

  “They’re enchanted,” the other said, struggling to maintain eye contact. She blushed as she spoke, glancing back at her stone-faced parents. “If the fabric is damaged around the waist or groin, it will rapidly repair itself once every half an hour.”

  “The pant legs will take longer, but the threads will regrow and weave themselves back together,” a little girl added.

  “It’s made from Ashe’s fibers,” another said.

  “You won’t be able to carry them to your world.” Master Seer spoke softly, but everyone quietened as soon as he opened his mouth. “However, I’ve pulled some strings. They’ll - ”

  “Thank you,” Nil managed to say, struggling to find more words. A lump formed in his throat as his eyes glossed over the children. They always treated him with respect even though he came from a Seed World. It left Nil wondering whether the Control World residents' prejudice against people like him was all in his head. “I don’t know what to say.”

  Master Seer held up his hand when Nil reached for the scroll. “It's the rest of your pay for your work here. The scroll will destroy itself within seconds of you opening it. I’d suggest you leave it for when you’re alone.”

  “Thank you, Master Seer.” Nil bowed. “All of you. My time here has been incredible, and I thank you all for making it all so pleasant.” He took the folded trousers and sealed scroll off the tray. Nil held them to his chest. “I’ll treasure these.”

  Master Seer also gifted a scroll to both graduating teenagers. Their parents appeared pleased but gave Nil a cold reception. It was the children’s duty to clean up, but Nil helped them while giving Iris a wide berth. He was fine with the awkward flirtation, suggestions, and innuendoes but not the previous evening’s conversation. Entertaining any sort of conversation with the woman was a huge mistake. Nil was due to leave the next day and desired minimal conversation.

  Nil left the mansion afterward and went down to the forge. Samara and Andrew were in the middle of a final talk, and he ended up sitting around, listening.

  “Just because you can make a chassis with multiple abilities doesn’t mean you should,” Samara told him. “The more abilities there are, the more the seed’s power is divided and the more components you need for the upgrading. Your options will be severely limited. Materials for upgrading the chassis and abilities won’t be enough. It’s like Ashe’s essence. Unless you find materials that complement each other and are of equal power, only one element will get upgraded. The rest will lag behind.”

  “I get it,” Andrew replied. “That’s why I designed Shawn’s chassis with only one ability. If he’s happy with it, I’ll do the same for his soul weapon. Selia needs a couple of abilities, though.”

  “But you don’t have to make the extension an actual ability. Make it a mechanical component. You’re good with those. Don’t go higher than three settings, though.” Samara shuffled the papers on her desk and picked out only a handful. “Keep it simple. Dagger. Short spear. Long spear. Add an energy charger to add power to the extension. Focus the ability on the penetrative power or something that goes with her phasing. I’ll leave that up to you and whatever materials you can find.”

  “I’ll see what she likes. Multiplying weapons or a ranged option might be great for her.”

  “I think she’ll prefer something simple,” Nil said. His contribution seemed unwelcome. “Like a weapon that she can phase without phasing herself or maybe creates chains so she can lay traps. You’re overthinking things. You’re better off focusing on Zora.”

  “We’ve been communicating with Layla on that,” Samara said. “We’ve sent over armor samples, mobility tools, and standard staves. Once she settles on something, we can figure out what to do with her soul seed. It is a concern for the distant future unless your team miraculously wins the Cleansing. Soul Weapon seeds are incredibly rare and getting rarer by the day.” She paused. “That woman who almost crushed you in the Chase. She has a Soul Armor.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “Anyway. There are only a finite number of soul weapons, and it's rare for a new one to be born. Many believe that new ones don’t come to be until one dies. You’d have to place first to get enough soul weapon seeds for everyone. Even that’s not guaranteed.”

  The pair seemed nowhere near done, so Nil returned to the mountain-top crater. Besides the tavern on the cliff, it was his favorite place on Ashe Falls. He loved the intertwining of the world tree and the volcano’s Qi. Even though the energy in the crater’s center was densest, he sat on its rim. The view was unparalleled. He could see for hundreds of kilometers in every direction, the curving canopy, and also the ocean. Ashe Falls had little blue except the little from certain bioluminescent plants. It was primarily a word of gold, green, brown, and silver.

  It wasn’t the Blind Dragon’s manor that had a graduation ceremony. As a result, the crater was empty, and Nil got some valuable alone time. He let Meatball free. She enjoyed speeding around the crater’s curved sides.

  “Have at it,” Nil told her. “There is no one here, so you can go crazy.”

  The whelp chirped merrily before rolling away, picking up speed as she moved along the rim and spiraled her way downward. She accelerated with every passing second. Nil was sure her base speed and maneuverability had increased. He wasn’t sure whether it was a part of her natural growth or the Quicksilver fruit.

  The sun lamps around the mountain were starting to dim. Night was about to fall on Onyx Dragon Academy. Nil believed it was unlikely anyone would join him, so he opened Master Seer’s scroll. Its contents disappeared into Nil’s Schema Interface straight away, surprising him. The green clearing surrounded by trees replacing the world surprised him even more. Nil didn’t expect to get sucked into Watcher’s domain—or whatever he called the strange pocket dimension he used for secret conversations.

  “What are we doing here?” Nil asked. Watcher wore the same face he did when they first started training.

  “There are some things you need to see and know now that we are intertwined,” Watcher answered. “And we can’t do it in a way or place where others might be watching. Especially the other Primordials.”

  “I sensed there was something you weren’t telling me the other evening,” Nil stated. The energy density increased whenever Watcher brought him into his domain. Nil took advantage of the situation and cultivated. “It's about the Void, isn’t it?”

  “Supercharge psychic fortitude.”

  Nil obeyed without question.

  “I’m about to show you a glimpse of my true form. You must mentally and physically prepare yourself. It might be a lot.”

  “I’m ready,” Nil replied.

  “No.” Watcher sighed. He sounded displeased. “But, it’s vital you know, and you know alone. As far as I know, the only individuals privy to this secret are Yggdrasil and Maka Dee. Not their minions or followers. Just them. Keeper of Knowledge has suspected it for quite some time, but he isn’t sure, and I’d prefer it if things stay that way.”

  “The suspense is killing me. Can you just—”

  Everything went black. For a moment, Nil worried that he had gone blind but then realized that he could see his hands and folded legs. The rest of him was still invisible. It took Nil a moment to realize that he wasn’t alone. There was movement in the darkness. It seemed just like twitching at first, then as he looked up and down and side to side, the scale of what lay ahead became apparent.

  It was endless, seemingly going on forever in every direction. Then, it drifted away, and a tiny light appeared. It was a solitary eye with clear sclera and golden pupils. The eye darted around for a moment as if looking for something. Then, as the body slowly drifted away, the eye focused on Nil. As soon as it found him, countless others opened. Almost all of them were identical in size and were arranged in five neat waving lines. At their center was one more. It was the biggest of the lot. Bigger than Oth’s eye that had driven Nil to near madness.

  Its luminosity was enough to illuminate the entire body. Nil tried to move, but he couldn’t, so he had to crane his neck to see the entity in front of him. “You’re a starfish,” he whispered. The entity reminded him of Oth but not in a terrifying, rip-your-own-eyes-out kind of way. “A Void starfish.”

  The grassy clearing returned, and with it came Watcher’s preferred human form. “I suppose that’s one way to put it. Your assumption is almost correct. I was once a Void Lord. Hunger. Destruction. Chaos. None have interested me. I watch. I observe. I advise. There was a time when I was like my kin. But that me is gone. Dead. Now, I am nothing besides the Watcher Beyond The Stars.”

  “Beyond The Stars. The Void.”

  “That’s pretty much it. I’m more entangled with the multiverse and Source than other Void Lords. This lets me peek in on mortals, watch their lives, the Scourge, and the likes of Oth, but it also leaves me vulnerable. It means I step out of line, do something the other primordials like, use my greater powers, get involved in the lives of mortals, or directly influence anything in the multiverse, and they turn on me. They attack me. They rip bits out of me.”

  “So, I have bonded with a former Void Lord―who other Primordials and entities far stronger than ascendants hate,” Nil said. “I get it. I need to keep things secret.”

  “If the knowledge of our bonds, it’s not just me who’ll be in danger,” Watcher said. “Your life could be in peril, too. I did this on a whim because—” He hesitated. “—well, because I’m bored. But the others might think that I’ve picked you as a herald, a champion, or just an agent to do my bidding on the mortal plane.”

  “But if I do good, incredible things, and then they find out about our bond, the other Primordials will think you want to do good, right?”

  “How about we not find out? I need to maintain the status quo.”

  “Why tell me at all?”

  “Because my impulsiveness and your thirst for power have put both of us in peril.” Watcher sounded amused. “Don’t get killed. Stay alive. Grow. You’re bound to find out sooner or later. So, it's better that you hear it from the source or find out while bumbling around and let some talkative fool find out by accident. Understood?”

  “Understood. Assume that I’ve already forgotten everything you told me.”

  “Reinforced psychic fortitude or not, I could do that right now. It would require me to flex my old muscles, but I have no qualms about taking the risk.”

  Love JP and Caitlin

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