Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
Chapter Fifty-Four
Chapter Fifty-Five
Chapter Fifty-Six
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Chapter Sixty
Chapter Sixty-One
Chapter Sixty-Two
Chapter Sixty-Three
Chapter Sixty-Four
Chapter Sixty-Five
Chapter Sixty-Six
Chapter Sixty-Seven
Chapter Sixty-Eight
Chapter Sixty-Nine
Chapter Seventy
Chapter Seventy-One
Chapter Seventy-Two
Chapter Seventy-Three
Chapter Seventy-Four
Chapter Seventy-Five
Chapter Seventy-Six
Chapter Seventy-Seven
Chapter Seventy-Eight
Chapter Seventy-Nine
Chapter Eighty
Chapter Eighty-One
Chapter Eighty-Two
Chapter Eighty-Three
Chapter Eighty-Four
Chapter Eighty-Five
Chapter Eighty-Six
Chapter Eighty-Seven
Chapter Eighty-Eight
Chapter Eighty-Nine
Chapter Ninety
Chapter Ninety-One
Chapter Ninety-Two
Chapter Ninety-Three
Chapter Ninety-Four
Chapter Ninety-Five
Chapter Ninety-Six
Chapter Ninety-Seven
Chapter Ninety-Eight
Chapter Ninety-Nine
Chapter One Hundred
Chapter One Hundred One
Chapter One Hundred Two
Chapter One Hundred Three
Chapter One Hundred Four
Chapter One Hundred Five
Chapter One Hundred Six
Chapter One Hundred Seven
Chapter One Hundred Eight
Chapter One Hundred Nine
Chapter One Hundred Ten
Chapter One Hundred Eleven
Chapter One Hundred Twelve
Chapter One Hundred Thirteen
Chapter One Hundred Fourteen
Chapter One Hundred Fifteen
Chapter One Hundred Sixteen
Chapter One Hundred Seventeen
Chapter One Hundred Eighteen
Chapter One Hundred Nineteen
Chapter One Hundred Twenty
Chapter One Hundred Twenty-One
Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Two
Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Three
Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Four
Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Five
Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Six
Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Seven
Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Eight
Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Nine
Chapter One Hundred Thirty
Chapter One Hundred Thirty-One
Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Two
Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Three
Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Four
Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Five
Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Six
Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Seven
Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Eight
Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Nine
Chapter One Hundred Forty
Chapter One Hundred Forty-One
Chapter One Hundred Forty-Two
Chapter One Hundred Forty-Three
Chapter One Hundred Forty-Four
Chapter One Hundred Forty-Five
Chapter One Hundred Forty-Six
Chapter One Hundred Forty-Seven
Chapter One Hundred Forty-Eight
Chapter One Hundred Forty-Nine
Chapter One Hundred Fifty
Chapter One Hundred Fifty-One
Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Two
Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Three
Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Four
Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Five
Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Six
Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Seven
Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Eight
Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Nine
Chapter One Hundred Sixty
Chapter One Hundred Sixty-One
Chapter One Hundred Sixty-Two
Epilogue
Afterword
Prologue
Officer Emmerson strode up the large stairs of the Heroes Guild Hall. The stairs themselves a blue stone marbled with white. The entire front of the building closer resembled an ancient temple, with tall pillars and huge gateways. There were no doors on the guild hall, just a large gap in the stonework, it was meant to signify that anyone could enter and get help.
Though since it lay in the one of the Inner Towers, it was hardly easily accessible. Still, during rare occasions, such as this even a measly police officer from one of the Outer Towers could come this far towards the center.
He adjusted his white button up shirt, it felt stiff and odd, since he’d saved it for rare occasions. He didn’t think he could’ve worn it for more than a couple times in the last few years. Mags said he should just be happy it still fit him, most men went wide in the middle when they reached his age.
And he could feel it. Once he finally reached the top of the stairs, he knee had started clicking from that old injury, and he was slightly out of breath, despite the stairs not being that long.
If I was 20 years younger… He thought to himself, striding into the the hall.
“Officer Emmerson!” A familiar voice called out. Emmerson turned to see Fimbul approaching.
Fimbul was in full hero get up, steel mesh suit that seemed to have frozen over at his chest and as it approached his feet and hands, it slowly thawed to reveal the fabric. The hero himself still looked slightly youthful, though he couldn’t have had less than 10 years on Emmerson himself.
“Fimbul!” He greeted cheerily. They eagerly shook hands, grasping each others forearms. Usually it was a greeting between two heroes, but Emmerson had long established a re
pertoire with Fimbul.
He appreciate Fimbul’s nearness, back when he had first started out as a hero apprentice, he had a tendency to lower the nearby area to below zero and would accidentally cause water to freeze around him. Now though, he simply took a too warm day and gave it a pleasant chill.
“It's good to see you again!” Fimbul smiled, “It’s been too long”. Though he wore no physical mask, the Memory Mask, worn as a collar around his throat, did the job just as well. No matter how many times Emmerson met Fimbul, he wouldn’t be able to recognize him without it, and vice versa.
“You say that, but only one of knows if it’s true,” Emmerson replied, smiling and back and giving the sturdily built man a shove with his shoulder.
“Aargh!” Fimbul mimed someone shooting him in the heart. “I am hurt that you would think I, out of all people, would deceive you!” He closed his eyes and leaned back whilst continuing to walk with Emmerson, despite not being able to see where he’s going.
“He’s here?” Emmerson asked, deciding to change the subject.
Fimbul let out a sigh, and muttered “Buzzkill,” to himself. “Yes, he’s here, we wouldn’t want you traveling all this way for you to meet someone who isn’t here.” He pointed towards a door, placed in the back of the hall’s greeting room. Multiple small console had been set up with their own little AI by the Cavalry to ensure that the ‘public’ could reach the Heroes Guild for help.
Emmerson scowled at the splendor and waste of the over sized room. With its high arched ceilings with artistically placed statues and other small decorations related to various heroes where placed around the room, to remind everyone that walked in, just where they where.
If this was Ëndib Tower, then we could’ve managed with two consoles and a room big enough to house them in, Emmerson thought as Fimbul led him through the door.
Behind the splendor of the greeting room, the guild hall was much less grand, the ceiling about halved in height, allowing for more than a single floor. The flooring changed into a glossy, well polished, white marble, with the occasional thick carpet covering the floor.
While it wasn’t as expansive as the greeting room, there was still the chance that someone would be brought back here, so they had still had to hold themselves to a certain standard.
The room was more a hallway with a bunch of stairs leading up, none led down as the Heroes Guild was located on the fourth Level. Fimbul led him towards the third stair on the left.
“Need some help getting up the stairs?” He asked, turning back with a smile.
“I’m not that old yet,” Emmerson grumbled, for effect he took the stairs in a light run, though his knee did pain him as he did. He heard Fimbul chuckle as he followed behind, letting the older man set the pace.
Emmerson did his best to not sound of breath as they reached the top of the stairs, though he suspected it to be a futile ruse. Fimbul just winked at him, before passing him and continuing through more hallways.
Emmerson tried to keep his wheezing to a minimum as he followed behind the hero. He had once tried to ask about the hallways, mostly why and how there could be so many, he had gotten some useless line about spell-shifts, leylines and casting script. Only for Extus to boil it down really simple. More space.
Fimbul frowned down at his wrist before knocking on the door to his left.
“Come in,” Called a deep voice, through the door. Fimbul opened and Emmerson followed in behind him.
Emmerson was immediately embraced by a soothing, pleasant feeling that made some of the tension leave his shoulders. Unconsciously, he let out a slight sigh of relief.
“Arthur Emmerson my boy!” The deep voice called, followed by the sound of metal rattling against the floor. Emmerson barely saw the man before he swept him up in a huge hug. “How are ya, it’s been too long.”
“I’m not a kid anymore Ex,” He wheezed out, this time not because of his flight up the stairs. Extus looked almost exactly like the day Emmerson had first seen him. He was many a scar richer, but not a day older. When the man finally let him down so he could breathe proper again, he managed to mutter, “It’s been 50 years Ex, I have grand kids now, I’m not some kid anymore.”
“Alright, I get it, I’ll try to stop,” But he wouldn't stop, he’d never stop. Mostly because it annoyed Emmerson, but also because he enjoyed acting like the proud uncle to someone who clearly looked older than him.
“Ch- Fimbul!” Extus went right on, turning his back to Emmerson and scooping the hero up in a hug too. “Good to see you young apprentice!” He was significantly rougher with Fimbul than he was with Emmerson, to which Emmerson was thankful.
“Okay, okay,” Fimbul mumbled trying to dislodge himself from Extus grip, though he wouldn’t be free until the old ex-hero decided it so.
Finally, after much swinging about and wasted effort in trying to get free, Extus put him down and stepped back.
Somethings had changed with Extus. He was no longer in his hero costume from when Emmerson was a kid, instead he was wearing a simple shirt and pants. His left arm wore heavy burn scars from finger tips to some point past his shoulder, the only break in the lightning strike pattern was a pale crescent of raised flesh encircling his arm. He emitted a pleasing aura of relaxing and positive energy still, despite being stuck in such rooms for the last five odd years.
He had decided to grow his nearly solid black hair out into slightly curling waves that washed down around his shoulder. “What do you guys think?” He asked, turning around and rattling his chains. “Does it work for me or no?”
“It’s not great for hero work,” Fimbul said, politically.
Extus exaggerated looking around the room, “Not much hero work to do in here.”
Emmerson cleared his throat, before speaking up, “You asked for us to come here Ex- Vanys,” He knew the hero didn’t want them to use his hero name, since he wasn’t one anymore, but it was still hard for him to remember, “So are you gonna tell us?”
“Of course I am,” Extus replied, stepping back. He lived in a room with a television, a bed, and a window to look out in the Wild. It was a rare privilege, one that he had earned, long before he turned himself in. He sat back on his bed and looked thoughtfully at the ceiling of his room…
Chapter One
I shook my head, blearily reaching for the alarm clock. Its incessant beeping bringing me out of the sweet embrace of sleep.
A quick stumble, some highly trained and very precise movements later, and I’m showered and dressed. Standard button down shirt and a pair of surprisingly easy to move in pants.
“Ah good.” Emmet said, peeking in through my door. “You’re up.”
I barely stopped myself from wincing. The fact that it’s almost routine for him to check is more than a little embarrassing. “Yeah, I’m up.” I reply.
I maneuvered around all the litter on my floor. It was almost as dangerous as stepping on a kids toy, except mine was halfway cheap electronics. I purposefully didn’t look at my current project. I knew it to be little more than a bunch of barely connected wires and small motors.
The fact that I couldnt get to recognize a house plant was bothering me more than I’d like to admit. It wasnt helped by the fact that there was only one, and I had been working on it for… too long at this point. I hadn’t even come up with a function for it water the plant.
“Did you want anything else?” I asked, knowing that he did. Emmet was a nice guy, always doing things like making sure I got to work on time, but I could always tell when he ulterior motives. You live with a person for 5 years and you start to get to know them. Even more so if you grew up together.
“I just wanted to make sure that you remember, to go to the bank after work, today.” Emmet said. He sounded a little embarrassed to be reminding me. Like a younger brother, who had to remind his older brother to do the thing he had promised to do, over and over and over… Exactly like that, almost.
“I’ll remember.” I replied, throwing togeth
er a quick sandwich and popping it into my mouth. “Are you sure there’ll be enough space?” I asked, mouth still full of food. “Between all her fancy decorations, and all your home- and charity work, don’t you think it might be tad cramped?”
Emmet snorted, pulling on his jacket. “I don’t think you’re going to get me to stay so easily.” His demeanor grew more serious.
Oh no, I thought. I knew, I just knew he was about to go all sentimental on me.
“Look man. Thank you for taking me with you when you left, but it’s time to move on.”
I barely stifled a groan, as he continued talking. “I know I’ve said it before, but please consider getting started on your education. I know it will mean cutting back even further on all your… hobbies, but its a long time investment and its something that is truly worth it.” He looked me dead in the eye. We both knew I what I was going to do before I did it. It wasn’t the first time and it probably woudlt be the alst time.
“Careful, the teacher in you is showing.” I reply, faking a smile.
Emmet lets out a long sigh, “Vanys-,” but he stops himself, before he too fakes a smile. “It’d better or all this education won’t have been worth it.” With an effort of will, he grabbed me in a quick hug. “Take care.” Then he left.
Sometime later today, a moving company would grab all of his stuff—mostly what’s in his room, the kitchen, and the living room—and move it to his soon-to-be fiancee’s apartment.
I sighed as I went into bathroom, popping a cleaning tablet into my mouth. I cracked it as I filled a glass of water. Half the glass into the mouth, swirl, the paste from the tablet foaming and giving off a low popping sound. Spit. Rest of the water, swirl and spit. Voila, Clean teeth.