Queen Bethel sips from a teacup while sitting down in her beautiful bedroom and gazing out the window. Eithan is present and bows to her.

Eithan: Our forces are prepared to counter their siege, Your Majesty.

Bethel smiles.

Queen Bethel: That foolish nephew of mine. He discovers one long lost family relic and now he believes he can take back the world.

Eithan: With all due respect Your Majesty, Master Loc's ambitions are fueled by pain.

Queen Bethel: That boy doesn’t know the meaning of pain. If it were not for me and the grace of The Will our entire race would have been eradicated. Stirring the Queen of Queens' wrath would only lead to true pain.

Eithan: He is his father's son after all.

Queen Bethel: Which is precisely why it is up to me to quell his antics before he tears down everything I’ve worked so hard to rebuild.

Inside the ancient Arcane bunker is large combat training facility. Its ceiling is high and the walls are covered in vines and unique indents that look like computer circuits. Present is Loc, Rivna, Gideon, Aldrog, Gidget, and Kenjiro. Loc and Kenjiro are sparing. Aldrog and Rivna watch intently while Gidget takes notes of the battle on a clipboard.

Kenjiro dashes to Loc with his Torqued Katana. Loc struggles to block the attack with a steampunk mage staff. He leaps back and fires with a materialized revolver. Kenjiro deflects the shot with ease. (A Torqued Katana is a steampunk katana that vibrates as it cuts.)

Kenjiro: You’re too predictable, pal.

Steam spews from Loc’s staff. His eyes glow as he aims his staff and shouts.

Loc: Avalo!

A giant fireball forms from the steam and pursues Kenjiro. Kenjiro dodges by sidestepping a few yards. He smirks.

Kenjiro: And you’re too slow!

Kenjiro swings out a wave of purple mist produced from the steam of his sword. Loc dodges it but Kenjiro quickly leaps to him and swings, running his blade through Loc’s body; however the part of his body that is cut forms into black mist, giving the appearance that Kenjiro just slashed through a ghost. Loc steps away grunting in pain. Aldrog, Rivna, and Gidget wince from the site.

Gideon: Stay focused kid. Make him move at your pace, not the other way around. And watch your shadow.

Gidget adjusts his goggles.

Gidget: Loc just lost a tremendous amount of vyrkra from just that one slash. Another one will certainly make him bleed.

Rivna looks concerned.

Loc: (That wouldn’t have hurt so bad if I was still a Vuardra.)

Kenjiro smirks.

Kenjiro: If you want I could slow it down for you.

Rivna: (Loc, he’s over reliant on his sword technique. It would be best to--)

Loc: (I don’t need your help, Rivna. Let me handle this alone.)

Rivna looks a bit flustered. Loc aims his staff at Kenjiro.

Loc: This isn’t over yet. Give it your all, Demon Eye.

Kenjiro looks slightly perturbed. He clenches his sword with both hands and gets into a wide stance.

Kenjiro: Well, if you insist.

Dark rainbow colored mist swells from underneath Kenjiro’s eyepatch. He dashes towards Loc again. To Kenjiro’s astonishment Loc throws his staff at him while it spews steam.

Kenjiro: Getting desperate are we?

Kenjiro dodges and nears Loc. Steam spews from his katana as he swings, Loc smirks as his eyes flash black. A huge fiery explosion occurs on their position, blasting Kenjiro back and leaving Loc hidden within the smoke.

Kenjiro lands on his feet coughing.

Kenjiro: (Did he just use my own steam against me?!)

Alerted, Kenjiro raises his sword to deflect three gunshots with ease.

Kenjiro: Real cute Loc.

Kenjiro swings, blowing away the smoke surrounding Loc. Loc grunts as he barely maintains his posture.

Kenjiro: Your little tricks are starting to bore me--

Kenjiro freezes in great concern upon noticing a giant fireball floating behind him.

Kenjiro: (How the hell did that get there? Wait, the staff he threw…did he plan all this?)

Loc chucks an electrified Steam Spear with a loud shout while the floating fireball dives at his opponent.

Kenjiro: (Shit!)

Kenjiro dashes at Loc while running from the fireball. The Steam Spear grazes Kenjiro’s shoulder and the electricity from it surges around him.

Kenjiro: (I’m not gonna make it in time…)

To Kenjiro’s surprise the giant fireball flies right past him and hits Loc, hiding him in smoke. Kenjiro swings with a loud grunt, clearing the smoke. He looks surprised to find Loc aiming the revolver at his face, point blank. Everyone but Gideon looks impressed.

Loc: Check.

A blade is nudged to Loc’s neck from behind.

Kenjiro: And mate.

Kenjiro’s body poofs away in purple mist. Loc looks flabbergasted.

Loc: What? But how?

He looks down and sees Kenjiro standing on his shadow behind him. Kenjiro sheaths his katana and the dark mist ceases to emit from his eye.

Kenjiro: You forgot that a darkness user can move swiftly within someone’s shadow without the use of steam.

Loc grimaces as he lowers his gun. Aldrog and the others look disappointed for Loc.

Gideon: Don’t be too hard on yourself kid. You put on one hell of a show.

Aldrog: You’ll get him next time sire!

Kenjiro: Your uncle is right, you almost had me until the end there.

Loc: (Damn it! If only I was better at mastering the element of light. I would have blotted out my shadow more easily.)

Rivna: (That was a splendid performance Loc. You even had me guessing.)

Loc: (Yeah, thanks.)

Loc approaches Gidget and Aldrog while in deep thought. He leans against a wall and exhales.

Gidget: Hey, captain. That was really a good showing. Your Combat Rank peaked at around 45 during that skirmish. You’re getting better at using this new class.

Loc: This new class is the reason why I lost. I’m too slow and I can’t take a hit. And by the time I’m able to perform a Vyrkra Art my opponent is all over me.

Aldrog: Yeah but that fire technique was incredible. It was only a Tier I Vyrkra Art but it had the power of a Tier III attack.

Rivna: And using it defensively to provide yourself cover was most impressive.

Gideon: Using your opponent’s steam against them was honestly your best move kid. Keep working on that.

Kenjiro: To be truthful, without the Ogre Eye I doubt I would have come out on top during that bout. You’re definitely improving.

Loc: Yeah, but neither one of us stands a chance against Queen Bethel alone.

Kenjiro: Well, perhaps you don’t stand a chance but I wasn’t utilizing the full extent of my curse.

Loc looks surprised.

Gideon: You got five minutes of rest kid. And then I want you to perform another fifty Avalo casts.

Loc groans.

Loc: I’m at my limit here Uncle.

Gideon: You need to get used to operating on an empty tank. You never know how long a skirmish can last.

Rivna: (Gideon sure does remind me of Father quite a bit.)

Loc: Your old man was rough on you huh?

Startled, Rivna turns to Loc. She sighs after a pause.

Rivna: There must be a way for us to control what is and isn’t shared between us. I mean this as no slight against you when I say this but I never knew the true meaning of being vulnerable until our minds became fully in tune with one another.

Kenjiro chuckles.

Loc: Yeah? Well it hasn’t exactly been a picnic for me either. Having a woman rummaging around in a man's brain is the last thing he needs.

Gideon laughs. Loc and Rivna give him a sulking look.

Loc: Is it really that funny Uncle?

Gideon: I hope you two get used to it because that bond you two share is permanent.

Loc and Rivna look shocked.

Loc: Permanent?!

Gideon: That’s correct. It’s called the Soul Pact. Long ago when our kind ruled the planet in peace and harmony all of the other nations and species were our servants. Some of these servants made special oaths to us called Soul Pacts. Those under Soul Pacts were our personal life long helpers and could be given direct orders from their master mentally. However these mental links were only one way and the servant could not peer into their master’s mind.

Rivna: So then how come I can hear so many of Loc’s thoughts?

Gideon: Honestly I’m not entirely sure. You see back when Massadah was the government of the world we held tightly to our customs and the Code that was given to us by The Will. Back then Soul Pacts were formed between a man and a woman in marriage and the mental link went both ways. In addition to that the woman would also inherit the strength and unique quirks of her husband.

Rivna: So are you saying that Loc and I are… married?

Gideon: Well I wouldn’t really call it that. Marriage between a man and a Tahlyan is strictly forbidden. But then again only The Will could be responsible for this special bond you two now share.

Loc and Rivna exchange awkward glances.

Loc: Wait so is this why Rivna is so strong? Because of our Soul Pact?

Gideon: You hit the nail right on the head kid. Rivna’s incredible strength was actually inherited from you.

Everyone looks completely floored.

Gideon: You have a lot of power dwelling within you kid. As a Tahlyan Rivna is naturally adept at utilizing the full extent of her vyrkra. On her own she isn’t nearly as strong.

Rivna: But I recall you saying that I am the Witch Tier. Is that no longer the case?

Gideon: The Witch Tier is simply a metric for measuring power. It’s a label. However I do believe your chance encounter with Loc has somehow unveiled his latent power. I truly believe you two were destined to achieve great things together.

Kenjiro: (Huh, so Loc really does possess the same might his father had. And Rivna somehow inherited that same strength. I really did make the right choice in allying with them. In that case--)

Kenjiro draws his katana and points it at Rivna.

Kenjiro: Why don’t we test who is truly the strongest one among us.

Everyone looks alarmed.

Rivna: You wish to duel against me?

Kenjiro: That’s right, sweetheart. The Witch Tier will make for a suitable opponent against the Ogre Eye; the Queen of Queens’ very own power.

Rivna looks at Gideon. Gideon nods in approval. Rivna materializes her Steam Sword as she walks to the center of the room. She holds her blade en garde.

Rivna: Very well.

Chapter End