My eyes reopen out of nowhere during the hug, as if the lenses have another portion to reveal. And in doing so, light streams into my pupils painfully. Squinting while covering my face with my hand, I sit up from the bed I somehow got myself into.
The midday sun is beaming at me through the window of our room. The sudden intake of light is so distracting I don't even notice that someone is speaking to me.
"Wyatt? That you?"
Confused, I turn to them and grow even more lost as Elizabeth is busy writing something on a page at the table in the room. What happened to Virgil? Abraham? Autumn? How did Elizabeth—?
"Yup. That's you. Eyes are different. Come here. I thought you'd be confused after waking up. I mean, how often does someone sleep for... forty-six days? Perhaps that number hides something... no, I can't be as meticulous as Earl, or I'll lose my mind."
I breathe out a deep breath, one that I didn't even know I had, as I sway my legs over the edge of the bed. The motion feels weird, but I ignore it for the part. Yet, as my feet embrace the wooden floor below, I realize what the weirdness is.
Two deep footprints are inlaid into the dark wood. Splinter dig into my feet but don't gain any purchase, only managing to scrape the skin. What the...
Elizabeth answers my non-verbal question, waving her hand toward the table she is seated at.
"Come here. Lennon told me of the things you might go through. Other Angels have a gradual growth of strength to befit their new forms, but for you, it will have been instant."
I nod slowly, cautiously moving my legs so as to not break anything else with little effect. More splinters fly into the air, but at least I don't force through the whole floor into the one below. Even more carefully, I wrap my lone hand around the chair across from her. Still, the wood cracks with effort and creaks as I rotate it.
Sitting, I ask her the questions that my waking brain has finally gathered.
"What happened to Virgil? And Abraham? What about Autumn?"
Elizabeth, brushing her dark hair out of the way, twists the sheet of paper she was writing on to face me. My friend gives me an easy smile as she places a soft hand on the back of mine.
"Take a few more deep breaths. Relax. Everything is mostly fine. Virgil is... he's out getting his 7th Sigil. He stayed with you until Lennon and I showed up. As for Abraham... we're not sure. Virgil thinks he made a deal with the Devil, but I do not personally believe in that theory. I think he might have just run off. As for Autumn, she is at her twin's grave right now. I think she might be hiding from you."
Virgil's whereabouts make sense. I couldn't track him if I wanted, and I know that he doesn't desire to be left behind in power. This is the first time I've actually surpassed him. I'm confident he'll come back stronger than ever.
Abraham's situation, however, leaves me seething—particularly at Elizabeth's phrasing. I calm myself down, though. I can't get angry right now, not with how little control I have over my limbs.
But still... Abraham wouldn't just leave. He would never.
As for Autumn... I'll see her eventually. I'm not sure what she's hiding for, but she can't do it forever.
Regardless of my internal thoughts, I follow Elizabeth's finger toward the paper below, reading the words on it. She reads the words aloud with a quick introduction before doing so.
"I wrote a bunch of stuff to keep you up to date. Not that much happened. Lennon and I got here two weeks ago. Before we did, Virgil was teaching Blodwyn, who was awake in your stead, how to speak, walk, read, etc. Virgil left the day after we got here for his training, and I took his spot."
Elizabeth takes a deep breath before continuing a little further and going beyond what's written on the short page.
"Meanwhile, Lennon has been practicing his blade non-stop in his preparation for dueling Maddox. I did all I could to convince him not to... but he's Lennon. I also sent letters to Gravecross, and everyone there is doing fine. Johnny decided not to come since I was, trusting me to make the connection. Your mother, however, has disappeared and left a note that no one can read. I don't know exactly why anyone else hasn't come here, though. I think Johnny feels guilty about Bonfire and knows that Gravecross is far safer."
I nod as I read along with her. It all makes sense. The past November has been without much action other than another God falling. The rate at which they are dying isn't stable. Not that it should be. It is Vincent Harvey hunting down and killing literal Gods, after all.
"They should stay there. Gravecross is safe. But I do need to find Aniwye. We had a plan to venture into the Underworld to see my father. If there is anyone who can help Vincent, it's him."
My ideas are laid out to Elizabeth, and she doesn't shoot any of them down. She actually agrees with me.
"That is a good idea. I did hear from Aniwye that your father showcased his Sirza to help Desolation ascend. If we could get a guy like that on our side... things would be far smoother. How will you get to the Underworld, though?"
I slide the paper back to her, managing not to tear it into a thousand pieces with a single finger. As I do so, my mind thinks back to Abraham unconsciously.
"Aniwye can make Crossroads, but she noted that all the places deep within the Territories have been removed of them. So, we'd have to go to the stairs within Onyx Gate that lead down to the Gate Of Death itself. Before I go, however... I want to figure out where Abraham is. I can't just leave him."
Elizabeth's face wrinkles with indecision as I lay out my thoughts. I furrow my brows at her in query, and she relents after a moment.
"I thought you'd want that. I did a little investigation for you in advance. Maddox has a man underneath him known for locating things. He goes by Feldman—the Eyeless. You should go and speak to Maddox and see if you can negotiate something. Though... from what I know, Feldman used to be Ryder's right hand. So... I don't know if that's a good train of thought."
I can only shrug. I want to learn where Abraham is. If this is the only way, then so be it. So, I stand and discover that Lily is still attached to my hip. No one removed her. Or if they did, they put her right back.
The chill sensation of her steel, as always, provides comfort and confidence. I step past Elizabeth before stopping just beside her.
"I'd hug you, but I don't want to hurt you. I'm happy you're safe."
Elizabeth peers up at me from her seat. Her eyes stare through the gaps in her hair that cover her face with a smile. The woman stands and wraps her arms around me.
"Then don't move. I'll hug you instead. I'm happy you're safe, too. Now, go speak to Maddox. Try to get him into an alliance or something as well. I'd do it myself, but he doesn't like to talk to people as weak as I. He's as prideful as a demon."
I look her up and down before laughing in disbelief. Sure, she might only be a 3rd Sigil, but she isn't weak between that gun she has from Earl and her own brain.
"You're far from weak. It's just that too few understand that Sigils aren't all that matter. I can't wait until Lennon proves that to Maddox in their duel."
Elizabeth's grin widens even further. Seeing it, I search around for my overcoat before quickly remembering what happened to Adumbral. Shaking my head, I step out of the room, leaving her inside.
It feels weird doing so after I woke up only minutes ago, but I want to speak to Maddox for many reasons beyond merely Abraham. There is so much...
My feet carry me outside the inn. As I walk, I investigate my own body, surprised both by the quietness within my mind and the strength of my flesh. With every step, I gain a little more control, yet the muscles along my body are more defined than ever before. I'm no sculpture like Marshall, but I am by far not that scrawny boy from a year ago.
Half of the change is from my own efforts, but half of it is simply from becoming a new type of being—an Angel. The reinforcement from a soul intertwining with the Sigil is incredible.
I can feel the strength hidden within every aspect of myself. From my fingers to my ears, it's all different. I'm tough, too. I forgot to even put on my boots, yet the rugged rocks that lay along the streets of Kingstown are hardly noticeable.
Peering inwardly, I can sense my heart flowing with a greater force as well. Blodwyn has taken up the organ with some apparent joy.
"How you doing, buddy?"
I leverage my mind toward him, and he replies after only a moment. His grumble still exists, but the words are now more discernable.
"Good. Still tired. Not easy to hold the body for long."
The length of his sentence is a new record, and I realize just how much he's grown while I was asleep. He can nearly speak Chero correctly. That is about as ideal as it gets for a non-human, at least. There is only so much you can expect.
I nod my head to him, but as I do, I walk directly into a panicked figure cloaked in a long robe. I can't see their face presently as they are significantly shorter than me with a hood, but as I peer at the other three behind them, I find their figures familiar.
Raising a hand, I reach out toward them, but a hushed voice pushes me aside from the tallest figure. I freeze, however, as I realize the arm is wholly white, particles of some illusory Ether broken by my mere existence beside them.
"We're in a hurry. Move."
I don't reply as I comprehend that the being that shoved me is a Nahullo. And it is a group of four—hiding themselves with illusions.
It's them.
And yet, I let them walk away. I just woke up, after all.
But not without preparations for later. I will be getting revenge for Bonfire, Clumsy, and Frozen. I coalesce an Insight that falls roughly onto the shortest one, the Pygmy. She stumbles for a moment as if detecting something wrong.
But even as she turns to look at me, I'm already walking away, seeing through her eyes, hearing through them, too.
My feet appoint me on the path toward Maddox's ship while I listen closely.
"We wait for the duel to begin, then we strike. In the chaos, it is the best opportunity to grow. We all still need our Virtues other than Natos, which is our goal."
The stone beneath me falls to the wayside as I pay whole attention to their conversations.
"What about that monster? Surely, it's chasing us. The thing just won't die, even to the sea."
Do they have a monster after them? Did they bring something out of the Waste? I didn't even know the monsters within it could leave those sands.
"No doubt. But even that thing will have to bow to Maddox. We take advantage of the chaos. Kill Maddox and Lennon. Take their Lumens, and hopefully gain our Absolutions. They are easiest upon performing such acts, remember? The Great Mother might not control us anymore with her Majesty's aid, but she will still give the nudge when we do as she wants."
The conversation quickly moves to other things regarding their individual plans, but as I listen to it, I discover that I'm already at the Rising Tide.
The vast ship extends through my vision, and I step toward the plank that leads up it. By the plank is a duo of guards, half paying attention and half playing a card game. They give me a severe look, and I answer them before they even open their mouths.
I do recognize them from being at the duel, after all.
"Here to see Maddox. Can one of you show me where he is?"
The gruff man on the right curses as he stands, tossing his playing cards down with annoyance.
"Sure, kid. Was gonna lose anyway. Follow me. Cap's been wanting to see you. Name's Charles. Friends call me Dick."
I raise an eyebrow at the notion that Maddox has been looking forward to seeing me, but I don't say anything about it. I simply fall behind the man while keeping my hand on Lily's steel.
"They can't hurt us, Wyatt! Be more confident! They're nothing but daises to us!"
Lily almost makes me laugh out loud as it comes to my attention that with her growth, she can now speak more freely. On the one hand, I appreciate it, but on the other...
It might be crowded enough with one artifact in my head.
Nonetheless, I wade through the ship after stepping up the plank onto its deck. From there, this man, who voluntarily gets called Dick, leads me to a pair of double doors made with a deep-seated reddened wood.
Dick knocks thrice on the door before hurriedly walking away with a quick shout inside.
"The Unbound Wendigo is here."
I can't help but cringe at the name he gives me. Unbound Wendigo? I've never liked the latter half of that in the first place. Why Unbound, though? These names people give are always... so odd.
Only a moment passes before the door creaks open and stands before me, Maddox Adkins. He's in his fashioned suit while openly glaring at my bare feet. With a sigh, he turns around, waving for me to follow. I glance down, completely forgetting that I wasn't wearing shoes. I couldn't really tell as walking on rocks didn't hurt in the slightest.
"Come in. Sit. I was playing myself in chess. Would you like to play a game?"
I want to say no, but the fact that the chair he offers doesn't react to my untethered strength alongside his salty blue eyes makes me say yes. I slide the seat back and lay my hand out in front of him.
The Sea's Shadow neatly seats himself across from me, the board already set back into the original place as his watery tendrils fix it.
I open my mouth to ask something, but Maddox leans forward, placing a hand on a piece, moving his knight out from behind his lines.
"The world lies within games such as these. Every move can be the death of you. If we were to do anything except nothing, we cannot be sure of our end. Have you ever been sure of your end, Wyatt Graves?"
The blueness of his eyes dig deep into my pupils, and in them, I see a reflection of mine. They are wholly colorless. Not unlike that of glass without a light. It is odd to see myself, but it provides me another perspective beyond the one I hold and the one I have leveraged against that Pygmy.
Have I ever been sure of my end?
Yes.
"Thought I was to be buried mere feet from my mother, within the grounds of our ranch."
Maddox nods, motioning me to make my move. I do so. Not that I know much about how to play. Earl has gotten me to go against him a few times, but I always lost without learning. The king of these waters nods and makes his.
"What about now?"
I don't really know how to answer this question of his, so I take it literally.
"I sit inside a ship more vast than I thought possible, facing a man who has become a lord of the waters."
I make another move as he makes his, and the man takes my first piece, noting his position.
"A lord, a king, a master, may move a man or a great many. A father may choose a son, and that man can also move himself. Only then does that man truly begin his own game. Remember, young Graves, your soul is yours to bear alone, regardless of how you are played. Those that play you may be Lords, Demigods, or Gods themselves, but when you meet the Paleness beyond the veil, you cannot say that you only did as others command, that to go even further was not possible."
Maddox speaks with the surety a scholar would have upon their math. He speaks as if what he says is only an inevitability.
I take a moment for my next move, both to ponder his words and to strategize. I don't want to lose so quickly, but the man is right.
I am no longer weak. To all the beings in the vastness, I hold a power that is no longer meager, and Maddox recognizes it. But...
"Why are you telling me this?"
Maddox places another piece after I do with little to no resistance or thought. And yet, it seems to be the one that is cruel.
"Check. You are a talent rarely seen, yet unlike all the others, you have only ever been a follower. You have trampled the same steps all others have lain bare. It is beyond impressive that you have come this far in such a way. Yet, if you continue to do this... you will fall prey to their same failings. The truly powerful must pave their own bloody road."
I stare at him closely, searching for any hint of deceit, only to find none. He is wholly focused on the game and on speaking to me. There doesn't seem to be anything hidden.
"Are you saying I should go out on my own?"
Maddox shakes his head slowly, as if disappointed I fell to that conclusion.
"Of course not. There is strength in numbers to a point. I am saying that a man cannot expect to become anything more than that which they already are if he doesn't act as if he is more. Pick up your pieces, Wyatt. Tell me what you came here for."
The game stops abruptly, and I already know I lost. In the short game, at most ten moves in total, he only got a single check on me, but looking down at the board, I can see his next move is a checkmate.
As I slide the pieces to the side, I open up to the man whose son I killed.
"I am in need of an Augur. I've heard you have one on your crew. One of my friends has gone missing."
Maddox stands and places his hands behind his back before walking across his captain's quarters. It's an extensive room that I've ignored up until now. Weapons litter every wall just as relics, lost pieces of history, and prizes do as well.
The man stares out the glass into the world beyond before answering me.
"You are welcome to ask Feldman yourself. I will not stop you. However, the duel is about to begin. I must ask that you do not intervene. I have a challenger that I've been waiting a long, long time to see."
What?
I stumble back as I ask for confirmation of who he's fighting, and Maddox simply nods, pointing out the glass. I stride beside him to find a tall man with a blade on his hip walking toward the ship. There are no crowds to watch his passage, no people to cheer him on. There is simply silence and solitude as Lennon Hull approaches the Rising Tide.
"There are threats upon my island, but I cannot bring myself to care. This man here... I cannot disrespect him with anything other than my utmost attention. Perhaps... I will gain my Dominion today. Perhaps not. Perhaps... I will simply slay another man, touted to be too strong to die. Perhaps... I will be the one to fall. Nevertheless, if I am to die, I was simply not enough. I believe I have borne enough pain for a lifetime."
Maddox then turns to me, the oceans in his eyes swirling with power. I can feel the torrential Ether within him with just my eyes. Those violet chains of his are not merely decorations.
"Which do you think it shall be, young Graves? Growth? Stagnation? Or Death? Or something other?"
I glance between Maddox and Lennon, unsure of the answer. I hesitate before speaking, and in the end, the Sea's Shadow retrieves his Claymore from his desk and walks toward the deck, sheathing the blade upon his hip.
Even as he opens the door, stepping face to face with Lennon, I have no answer.
Neither of these people can be called good. Neither of these people would I wish to control the lives of many.
They both ignore the safety of thousands, perhaps more, for their bout. Demons, Nahullo, and Pygmies are already on this island. Maddox knows. He does not care.
I can only assume they are not the end of the threats.
And yet, as they both draw their Claymores, one announcing itself with the crackling of thunder above and the trembles of waves below and the other with nothing but the superficial sheen of steel, I can only smile.
I might not respect the two men for who they are, but I can admire them for what they are. Powerhouses.
The first clash of their blades cracks the newly repaired deck of the ship and sends everyone nearby overboard except for me as the very ship buckles and sinks deeper in the sea.