Beginning of Volume 3: Reality
Drae
"Who do you think won?"
The three elders watched the board slowly crack down the middle as its brightness dimmed.
"Unfortunately, the sin." Sala kneaded her brows. "A virtue's power takes too long to build up."
"If that's the case then this has been another failure." Drae looked towards Vale in anger. "I hope you're happy."
"We have no way of knowing how the sin was born."
"I left explicit instructions, Vale."
"As did I." Sala sighed.
"Everyone has darkness inside of them, just because you gave instructions doesn't mean that they followed them."
Drae wanted to strangle the old man, but he was right.
"A new generation commands that world." Vale stood up from his throne. "These people have no idea what their true purpose is."
The cracks suddenly spread out in every direction on the board as it expanded onto the floor. Dozens of people manifested on its surface, laying on the ground.
"Welcome, clansmen and women." Vale slowly walked towards the new arrivals who groggily pulled themselves off of the floor. "This is a new beginning for all of us, and despite what may have occurred in your world, we're all on the same side now."
Drae tightly gripped a knife hidden in his cloak as he scanned the newcomers, looking for the sin. None of them seemed malicious, but people who seemed ordinary at a glance were often the most dangerous.
A warm touch on his cheek interrupted his focus, and he saw Sala lean in towards his ear. "We won."
. . .
Ara
'I hate this place.'
Ara had been knee deep in mud for hours now with no sense of direction. She was beginning to believe that this whole world was one giant swamp.
'At least I have you, Balo.'
Her albino beetle companion was not nearly as encumbered, as his body was more suited to this type of environment. Most of the time Balo flew from branch to branch, but he would occasionally bump into Ara encouragingly.
The two of them trudged through the swamp, every so often splitting the occasional frog or bird. Ara knew that Balo would be able to cover more ground without her, but she didn't want to believe that the entire world was filled with mud.
Watching Balo buzz through the trees, Ara sighed and began to climb a gnarled trunk. It would have to be her home for the foreseeable future. Her companion attempted to push her up the tree, but it hurt more than helped.
Once Ara found a suitable grouping of branches, she tore away anything she could find to make a shelter. Moss, leaves, and split bark of the tree's trunk.
A knotted nest eventually took shape, and Ara took the time to wipe as much mud off of her skin and clothes before laying down for the first time in what felt like days. Balo buzzed at her side happily, and Ara gestured for him to leave the nest.
'Become strong, Balo. Strong enough to make me proud.'
Balo seemed confused at first, but once Ara pointed to a small animal in the distance, he seemed to get the hint.
. . .
Dorin
"Thank you for your sacrifice, Spire Taol. You have done a great service for humanity."
. . .
Dorin felt the pain of a boot in his side as he opened his eyes. There were familiar faces looking down at him, and others that seemed confused.
"What?" Dorin had a splitting headache, and the added abuse of someone's foot wasn't helping his mental state.
"Please stand, virtue." A wrinkled old man gave Dorin a horrible grin.
'Not again . . .' Dorin had bad luck with old people, especially ones that called him strange names.
With everyone staring at him, Dorin pulled himself off the ground with a groan. His body felt strange, and he couldn't find any of his egos.
"Champions." A man with short golden hair was seated on a dark red throne. "Virtues. We three elders have been waiting a long time for your arrival."
'What are they talking about? Virtues?'
"We are the last of our kind." A tall woman appeared beside the seated man. "And you are our hope."
Dorin looked amongst the other people around him and they seemed just as confused as himself. In the front of their group was Taol, who seemed enamored by their words.
"Do you wish to start, Vale?"
"After you, Sala."
"Lets do this the old way. I will take any of the regular sparks for a pawn."
Dorin felt his body clench in anger. "NO!" Everyone in the room looked towards Dorin, creating a circle of space around him. "I will not be a part of your games."
"This is life, boy." The golden haired man stood up, but Sala pushed him back down.
"Let him speak, Drae." Sale gave Dorin a lopsided smile. "What ails you, virtue?"
"I would rather die than go through your forging."
The three elders looked at each other, obviously confused.
Taol glanced towards Dorin and kneeled down. "Excuse him, elders. The city of Tur was corrupt, enslaving and killing whoever they liked for entertainment."
Vale looked down at Dorin's hands with a strange glint in his eye. "We are merely choosing who to mentor. We could not enslave any of you even if we tried."
Dorin didn't believe any of what the elders were saying, but without an ego there was nothing he could do.
After a few minutes, most of the group around Dorin had fallen into line beside one of the elders. Sala had taken up a good portion of the sparks, while Drae and Vale seemed to be waiting for something.
"Now for the real bidding." Drae leaned forward in his seat. "I will give the rest of my pawns and a rook for Murad's Spire."
Dorin caught Taol's dark eyes for a moment, and he saw fear.
"I have no complaints. Vale?" Sara said.
"Nope."
"Then it's done."
Taol joined the group of sparks behind Drae, and began to mingle with them.
"We come as one." Dorin saw a woman in a white gown holding the hand of another woman who had rings looped around her arms.
The elders whispered amongst themselves for a moment.
"I'll take them." Drae seemed like he was about to drool all over the floor.
"What are you willing to bid?" Vale said.
"A- uh- rook and a queen."
"I'll give a king." Sala nodded towards the two women.
"I'll take Liranel's Spire for my pawns and a knight." Vale seemed to not care about what the woman said about them being a two-part deal. "We are all one clan so you will be allowed to see each other again, if not often."
Sala and Drae didn't seem to want the Spire very much, and didn't give a counter-offer.
The two women looked at each other for a moment, and the one with looped rings gently pushed the other away. The Spire's gown trailed along the floor, catching on various small stones.
Dorin and the marked woman were all that remained from their group. She didn't even give him a glance no matter how much he stared. He didn't know if she thought herself to be above him or if she just didn't care.
The elders counted their remaining bids. Vale had all of his key pieces except for a single knight. Drae was in a similar situation but without a rook, and Sala only had her king remaining.
"Virtues." Vale's voice filled the room. "Each of us gave a piece of ourselves to create your world. Our egos, as well as our clansmen who are your ancestors. You have made them, and us, proud. No matter who teaches you, know that we only have humanity's best interest in mind."
Dorin saw Drae mouthing words during the old man's speech, which he found quite funny. Out of the few choices available, he would not mind having him as a mentor, especially if that meant that he was going to leave with Taol.
"Now then, knowing what awaits us, I will bid everything on the boy." Vale gave Dorin another of his horrible smiles.
Dorin felt his stomach drop, the last thing he wanted was to be connected in any way to the wrinkled old man.
"Him?" Drae squinted, gesturing with his hands. "You can't be serious."
"It's my choice, elder."
"And what if we both refuse?" Sala joined in, putting a hand on Drae's shoulder.
Vale turned towards them, and seemed to look at Taol. "I'll let you two split whatever we gain from the ego duel."
"And what if the sin wins?"
"Then I'll put my life on the line to end its life."