Shiny-Jr.

You had used geo magic. Those were the words continuously going through your head as you were ushered away by multiple Guards of Haven, not just Jack Howl.

It happened again. You acquired an element, something occurred involving the local statue of the archon, and then you were dragged into deeper trouble. This time your crime was vandalizing a sacred statue, even if purely accidental, you could not weasel your way out of this one. Your one saving grace was that apparently, accidental vandalism involving stone was extremely common in Savanaclaw. So common that you were, in fact, not the first to unintentionally damage the Geo Archons Statue. There were others that had done the same, including the nation’s own youngest prince and heir to the throne, so it was not the sort of situation that called for a punishment as extreme as execution.

Although execution was off the plate, you were not off the hook. On the contrary, they assigned an extra pair of Guards of Haven to you, precisely because you were a paradox. Two different elements, pyro and geo, somehow you could wield both of them. Pyro you were used to, you could handle flames with ease now. Geo? No, not so much. Thankfully, the geo element wasn’t initially as destructive and chaotic as pyro. You didn’t have to worry about accidentally starting an earthquake as you used to try to avoid starting fires that sparked whenever you were worked up, because the geo element was that much harder to control. Geo was stubborn.

Grim stayed by your side the entire time, claws digging into your arm and hissing whenever anyone attempted to separate the two of you, so he was allowed to stay. Currently, he batted a pebble at you, and it was your self-assigned task to bat it back without touching it, back and forth, back and forth. It was a way for you to practice some control over this new mystic ability you now possessed.

“I ask the universe for a way home, and it gives me another element to use.” You sigh bitterly, leaning back in your seat. Ever since the authorities had nabbed you, you were brought into the Altar of Stone and forced to stay in a room between the prison and the barracks belonging to the guards. A stark reminder what should happen if you step out of line. Cleverly, the room was mostly wooden and metal, likely to prevent geo magic users from escaping had the interior been stone or clay.

Catching the pebble between his paws, Grim fumbled with the little rock as he grumbled, stewing in envy, “Yeah, why not give it to me instead? I want the power of geo too! Why do you get it, and not me?”

“I have no clue. I’d give it to you if I could.” Holding up a finger, you caught the pebble as he hurled it at you. The small substance of geo floated in the air so long as you concentrated. Watching all those skillful geo magic users from the priestesses of the Temple of the Wise to the Guards of Haven from the Altar of Stone, had helped. You didn’t feel as if you were walking blindly into geo as you did with pyro, but you would still require practice. “Actually, I take that back. I might end up liking geo more than pyro. It just feels more natural… and you’re already destructive enough with one element, oh almighty Grim.”

Your concentration was broken, the pebble falling into the woven carpet below you as Grim tried to tackle you but it felt more like a harmless pounce. The little entity was trying to be angry and intimidating, but you just broke out into laughter as you wrestled to cradle him in your lap. Blue eyes gleamed up at you, a low growl emitting from his throat. “Almighty Grim is right! Hmph… I guess this works out. This just means my disciple is extra special! Every deity alive will be jealous, but they can’t have you!”

“Hah, I guess so.” You continued cradling him, forgetting all about your current situation.

Being confined here alone, in a palace-like place, would have brought back memories of being confined to the Fyrosian Palace and what ensued as a result of your escape. Pacing from corner to corner and reading whatever was laying around and thinking just about everything could only get you so far. The walls here were tall, the room spacious and comfortable unlike a jail, but you were still confined to the Altar of Stone. Your earlier agitated pacing while remembering the sight of how the statue had been split in half, was quickly put to an end by Grim as he demanded to see proof of your new abilities.

Grateful to Grim, you cradled him and scratched his head gently which caused him to purr in contentment. “Still, I can’t help but wonder how and why I even got it…” There was no explanation as to what exactly happened that led to you acquiring pyro either. It had just happened. When you compared the two instances in your head, you came up with one single correlation. “In both cases, I had this feeling that I needed to touch the sacred statue, then the magic appeared. Do you think that had something to do with it? The Pyro Archon Statue and Geo Archons Statue both had something?”

“I dunno!”

Sighing, you realized Grim was just as clueless as you in this instance. However, perhaps there were still answers he could bestow upon you. “Oh Magnificent Grim, the universe’s greatest guide—” You began dramatically, really playing into the praise just to see the feline’s elated grin. “Reveal your wisdom onto—uhh, unto me!”

Even though he was being cradled and you were seated on the floor, his tail was swishing back and forth in satisfaction. Grim was practically glowing with pride as he huffed, “Since you asked me so respectfully, go on, then, disciple. Ask me and I’ll answer your question!”

“What do you know about people wielding two elements?” It was only natural to want to know. Afterall, you now wielded two, and you had never heard or seen anyone wield more than one. Those you knew of could manipulate one element or had no such magical power at all.

“There’s no such thing as anyone with more than one element.” Grim answered, peering up at you with those big blue eyes as he tilted his head. You mirrored the movement, and he continued with an explanation. “Everyone only gets one, and that’s even if you get magic. Entities like me always have magic, but with mortals they’re not so lucky. Sometimes they get magic, sometimes they don’t. Even the strongest magic users, like archons or great deities, only have power over one element.” The feline watched your eyes widen, and he grinned. “You’re one of a kind, my disciple! It only makes sense that a human so extraordinary is my follower!”

One of a kind… it made you well up with pride, but there was a drawback. Having two abilities would make you valuable, perhaps wanted by the wrong people. At the prospect of this, you shook your head and chose to confide in Grim. “Extraordinary means other people might want what I have. That’s okay though, because with two elements, I’m practically twice as strong. You’ll help me hone it, right? This new ability?”

Your guide grinned, eagerly nodded in agreement. “Right! Of course I’ll help you, because that’s what a great entity does! And we’ll give that stupid Leona a piece of our mind next time we see him!”

“You shouldn’t say that out loud.” The voice startled you and Grim upright. In walked the Captain of the Fifth Division, and he closed the door behind him. There was no click of the lock. That was a good sign.

Never once did you believe that you ever would have been relieved to see a Guard of Haven. Jack may have been the leader of his division, but it wasn’t a high-ranking division. The high-ranking guards you had met already, as they had been the ones to drag you here. All of the Guards of Haven in those divisions were women, lion-folk, as frightening as the priestesses at the Temple of the Wise. You weren’t exactly raring to test the strength of said two guards stationed outside your door, even with your experience from Heartslabyul and knowledge of watching the priestesses and low-ranking guards. As curious as you were, you would wait to get a better handle on geo magic before trying to challenge them.

“Oh, Jack, it’s just you.” A sigh of relief escaped you, and seeing the wolf actually filled you with enough ease that you could smile. Even Grim eased up, no longer tense and ready to leap at a moment’s notice. “We were worried it was somebody important.”

Howl grumbled at your teasing smile and Grim’s snickering, but he didn’t actually seem all that angry. Then again, Jack was the type to always appear cross about something. That was just the way he looked. “I mean it. Threatening deities is never a good idea.” Once he was standing beside you, peering down with a sort of disapproval, he shook his head. “They’ll think you mean it, especially given your history in Heartslabyul.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll admit, I may have gone a little overboard. Anyways, it’s not like I can kill a god and I wouldn’t even if I could.” Steadily you raise your hands in surrender, allowing Grim to fall out of your arms and comfortably onto your lap. Saying I’m going to kill that damn Geo Archon, in a crowd of worshippers, was not your proudest moment. “… Instead, I’m going to throttle him.”

Jack bared his fangs, reprimanding you harshly in a voice that resembled a growl, “No!” You wanted to roll your eyes. So whenever that lion deity threatened you it was fine, but whenever you tried to threaten him suddenly it was an issue. “This is serious! You’re not helping your own case! Sovereign Falena will be briefed over what happened, and he’ll consider it seriously when weighing if you’re a threat or not.”

Now that was an issue. You frowned, and so did Grim, as you began to wonder what exactly did that mean for you. If you were not seen as a threat, then surely you could go on your merry way and proceed with your questions for the duo archons. If they did deem you a threat, what then? Would they crush you with their power of geo to be rid of you? Or perhaps, would they send you back north to Heartslabyul where the King must be waiting to get his hands on you again? The latter of the two options sounded far worse.

After a moment, you nodded, realizing that the guard held some truth to his words of warning. Surely, he was not commanded to inform you of this, he must have been doing it by his own volition. Jack was the type to do that for others he showed the slightest compassion towards, even if he vehemently denied it. “You got a point… Fine. I’ll keep my act together, as much as I can.”

“Why should we?” The little entity interrupted, a deep scowl marring his muzzle as he recalled bitterly, “I got nothin’ against that Falena Archon, he sounds cool! Like a guy that would get me. But that Leona Archon is bad news! Why do we gotta grovel to a guy who attacked us? And we didn’t even deserve it!”

Quick to nod in agreement, you added in exasperation, “Wait, exactly! Thank you, Grim!” So much for trying to keep the act together.

Disbelief took over Jack’s features, and suddenly he was seated just in front of you on the floor. The Guard of Haven stared at you intensely, eyebrows furrowed in pure concentration. “You… You were attacked by Leona?”

What ensued was you and Grim attempting to explain what happened. How you were fleeing Heartslabyul through the Cradle of Fables which led you to the Unseen, where you encountered Leona. Back then you had no idea he was a deity, much less an archon. All you knew was that he was a lion entity who trapped you and your guide in sand, then threatened to bury you alive before he became distracted. That’s where you chose to end the story so it wouldn’t drag on.

Realization dawned on him and his fingers brushed against his chin in thought. The truth became clear now that there were no misunderstandings and he heard how you arrived here. “That’s why you were so angry… Back at the statue, you were talking about Leona, not Falena.” Everything became that much clearer, and it felt like Jack truly understood as he nodded slowly. Still, questions remained, questions which he murmured, “Why would Leona be in the Unseen? Is that where he had been all this time? And why would he attack an innocent mortal? How were you able to use geo suddenly? I saw you use pyro, this shouldn’t be possible!”

“Look, Howl, I don’t know about all that, but your guess is as good as mine on the geo magic thing.” In one hand you sparked a small red flame which mesmerized Grim, but your guide was quickly distracted as you managed to shakily manipulate the pebble to float at the same time by using your other hand. Allowing Jack to process what he was seeing as you strained to control both simultaneously without the flame growing or the pebble falling. When you felt your control weakening, you finally snuffed out the pyro and flicked the speck of geo so it hit him smack on the forehead. It should have been almost painless to someone as strong as a Guard of Haven, but perhaps the shock of it all drew forth a small yelp from him. “You just saw it yourself. I’m the real deal, both elements.” Two elements made you more of a threat, but it also made you more valuable. If the Geo Archons realized that, then maybe they would think twice about labeling you a danger to snuff out. “Report that to your Sovereign.”

“Hah!” That drew an amused exclamation out of Grim, who cleverly used you to hide behind as to avoid any sort of retaliation from Jack.

Baring his fangs in annoyance, the Guard of Haven before you rubbed at his forehead and chose to ignore Grim’s amused gaze as the little entity scampered to use you as a shield. The wolf grumbled, turning his glare towards you which you met without faltering. After a few seconds, his scowl dropped and his voice became quiet. “You know, I thought for sure that you two were nothing but trouble, basically scum. If you stirred up that much chaos and death in Heartslabyul, then you must have been an instigator, exactly like what everyone's been calling you: The Ruby Rebel.”

Your expression hardened, and Grim stilled behind you. Offended, you interjected, “Well fuck you then!” Why was Jack bringing this up?

“I wasn’t done talking.” He deadpanned, and you begrudgingly kept your mouth shut as Grim padded over to sit closer and listen in intrigue. “Although I didn’t know you, I respected your power, ‘cause they said you cut the King’s thread. And even though the rumors may have been exaggerated and you didn’t cut the real thread, I think I got you all wrong… You’re a magnet for trouble, but you don’t strike me as a revolutionist or the type to risk someone else’s life to achieve what you want. Then you told me that you just wanna get home and how both of you wanna meet the Geo Archons. You two went up against the Pyro Archon just to meet your goal, and now you’re still wanting to meet the Geo Archons even while knowin' they can label you a threat. That takes guts.”

A smile curled at Grin’s lips, and he tilted his chin up with pride. “Hear that, disciple? A Captain in the Guards of Haven says we got guts! You’re not wrong, Jack. Glad you’re finally opening your eyes to the truth!”

Not as easy to appease as Grim was, you forced a smile but the words that followed were stuffed with sarcasm directed at the cryo user. “Oh, wow, I’m blushing… Okay, what’s your point with all this, Howl?”

Now it was Jack’s turn to smile. At least, you think it was a smile. It could have been a snarl. Again, it was difficut to tell with this wolf. Without a word, he stood to his feet and extended a hand down to you and Grim. His rough palm was facing up, outstretched for you to take as he declared, “You still want to meet the Geo Archons, don’t you? I don’t know where Leona is… but Sovereign Falena Kingscholar will be at the Gol Colosseum today for the Day of Rebirth. If you want to accomplish your goal as fast as possible, I could convince the others to let you attend the event. You’ll be followed by me and some more guards, but you might be able to speak to the Sovereign sooner.” Gold eyes peered down at you, sincere and determined as he added, “The Sovereign has a good heart, and I know he’ll recognize yours too.”

The smile on Grim’s face had shifted to a whole grin like the crescent moon, and you started feeling a similar expression take root on your own features. Grim lifted his paws to cling to your shoulder and you took Jack’s hand. Effortlessly he pulled you up onto your feet, his grip steady and firm. Once on your own two shoes, instead of letting go, you immediately wrapped your arms around him. Or at least, you tried to, since he had a lot of armor and muscle it was difficult to wrap your arms fully around his torso.

Things were really beginning to look up. “Jack, you’re the best! I officially forgive you for trying to freeze us back when we first met.”

When you took a step back, he was peering down at you as he tilted his head and his big white ears were ever so slightly lowered. “Wait, you hadn’t forgiven me for that already…?”

“Absolutely not!” As soon as you took a step back, you noticed how red-faced and stiff he was. Just this once, you wouldn’t tease him. Instead, you reached out to pat his shoulder, your fingers brushing against his armor. Surprisingly, he didn’t complain this time. “I’d say we’re pretty even now though. Don't you agree, Grim?”

Adjusting himself so he didn’t fall off, the feline entity hung with his little arms and head over your shoulder while the nails on his hind legs dug slightly into the fabric over your back. “I think he’d have our favor if we got going right now, that’s what I think! I’m sick of being in this room already!”

True to his word, Jack managed to convince his fellow Guards of the Haven that it was preferable to escort you to the Sovereign now so that he might meet you and Grim promptly before he would be entirely occupied with the festivities that stretched late into the night. You were allowed to go with Jack Howl and seven more Guards of Haven, all of which were the high-ranking guards that intimidated Grim. It seemed like overkill, but you were not about to complain when you were this close to meeting the Sovereign.

Captain Jack Howl kept at your side, and somewhere lingering behind were the other seven Guards of Haven. You could just feel their stares boring into the back of your head as they stalked you from afar, watching your every move with eagle eyes and no doubt poised to disable you at a moment’s notice. With that in mind, you and Grim kept on your best behavior.

The Gol Colosseum was truly a sight to behold. Inside it was packed with people, the air itself buzzed with excitement. The structure was enormous, several stories tall with rings upon rings of seated rows etched into the very stone foundation. At the top were stacked pillars holding up stone and banners to block out the sun’s harsh rays. Within such a huge building there were countless people, more than just beastfolk. There were all manner of folk here, squished beside one another like sardines in a can while eager spectators rushed for the best seats. There was even space for stalls that sold a wide variety of food, some of which you purchased just to keep Grim occupied as he nibbled on confections.

To avoid getting lost, which probably would not happen anyways with how closely you were being watched, you kept close to Jack who stood out like one of the tall pillars overhead as he towered over everyone. “So, I get that people would come just to see one of the Geo Archons but what exactly happens here?”

“Fights.” That was a given. You were about to give a sarcastic reply, and maybe Jack sensed this, because he hastily added, “Only the strongest enter this arena, especially on the Day of Rebirth. It’s celebrated in different ways, but the two most popular methods are meant to honor the Geo Archons. Here, in Pridehaven, the Lyonis Tribe hosts grand battles of physical prowess to honor the god that gave them life. At the end, whoever emerges as the strongest victor is recognized by the God of Strength.”

That must have been Jack once. He mentioned that he had been recognized by the God of Strength after winning in the Gol Colosseum. In a way, he too was seeking out the God of Intellect just as you were. While he sought Leona Kingscholar’s acknowledgement similar to how Grim desired recognition from the archons, you solely wanted answers and nothing more. “And the other one?”

Detecting the resentment in your tone of voice at the mere mention of him, it became abundantly clear as to who you were referring to. Instead of scolding you, he refrained. This time, you hadn’t mentioned any threats, so he held his tongue. “I don’t know… Before, he used to attend the celebrations hosted by the Fisarun at the Temple of Wise, but he’s been absent for a long time.”

Although you didn’t voice your desires, you stepped through the isolated hallway that led to a private balcony. The balcony they had you in was small, isolated from others likely as a precaution, but high enough where you were granted a perfect view of the colosseum below. Placing your hands on the thick stone banisters, the more you thought of Lesser Lord Kingscholar, the more your grip tightened on the stone. You would get an answer from him, no matter what it took. The grip strength combined with the ability to manipulate geo caused cracks to form beneath your fingertips, which were immediately brought to your attention by Grim.

The small feline entity who had inhaled all the snacks you purchased, whacked your arm, forcing you to let go. “Don’t do that! You’re gonna make this whole balcony crumble and take us down with it if you keep it up!”

“Sorry, sorry! It was an accident.” Do not touch the stone, you reminded yourself. Geo may not erupt randomly at your fingertips like flames once did, but that didn’t make it any less dangerous. Tucking your hands in your pockets to avoid any accidents, and for extra measure you took a deep breath to steady yourself.

Before you could inquire when the event began, you felt the earth begin to shake. Instead of panic and fear that most people would have experienced when the ground unexpectedly shook, these folk went crazy. There wasn’t even the slightest hint of terror in anyone as individuals leaned over to catch a better glimpse at something emerging from the dust in the center of the arena floor. Their raucous applause was almost as loud as the rumbling from the very earth and the booming made it sound like drums. There, appearing, was an individual—

Grim wasn’t even looking at the arena floor. The entity was turned partially, scanning the space behind you, and sounding uncertain. That gray fur of his stood on edge, and he tensed as he continued to scan the balcony. “Uhhh, disciple? Where did everyone go?”

“What?” Forcing yourself to tear your gaze off the figure that must have been the arriving archon, you furrowed your eyebrows as you finally took notice of what Grim had. The balcony was empty, and you two were entirely alone. It was hard to focus with the uproar of the overeager spectators, but there was no sign of any guard. You no longer felt multiple pairs of eyes watching you, you didn’t see those intimidating lionesses shifting about, and Jack Howl was gone. The elation of being so close to answers on how to get home was replaced by a growing sense of unease.

The Guards of Haven would never leave you alone, not right now, especially since some of them still saw you as a potential threat. Hell, the lionesses in the guards had been relentlessly shadowing you ever since the incident with the Geo Archons Statue. And yet, there was no sign of their presence.

“Something’s wrong.” Anxiously, you returned your attention back to one of the Geo Archons, the God of Strength himself. You watched him rise from the earth, the pillar of strength, as your eyes took in every minute detail in fear that he would vanish too.

With a single wave of his hand, he manipulated the arena floor. The ground shifted and morphed, the rugged terrain of the arena bending to his will as it flattened completely. Even huge rocks that jutted out of the ground, whole pits big enough to swallow houses, were flattened and filled and manipulated. The Sovereign of Savanaclaw was a majestic deity to behold. From a distance, it was difficult to make out certain features but you could see him look up and smile at the mortals who worshipped him entirely. What made him stand out the most was his imposing physique with locs that formed a mane of warm hues like the morning afterglow over the savanna. This was an archon far older than you could fully comprehend, and he would remain here far longer than you ever would. If you left for a few minutes, he would still be there.

“Let’s… go look for Jack.” The moment those words left your mouth, is when something went whistling right past you and Grim, barely missing your hair and your companion’s gray fur. Whatever it was, was aimed directly at the God of Strength as his back was turned.

There was a crackle, and suddenly the entire arena floor of the Gol Colosseum burst into flames. Shades of red, orange, and yellow filled your vision as a massive explosion burst forth. In that instance, you watched the fires, the same shade of his hair like the sunrise, swallow up the form of the Geo Archon. The explosion was so massive that the force of it knocked back spectators closest to the ground and the hot air hit you like a slap to the face. The flames were so high, so searing, rising up several stories like a beam. Instantly, you were brought back to that place you saw destroyed by pyro: The Furnace.

It was just like before, the screams and shouts mixed with the crackles and pops of pyro. It echoed in your mind, even as you tried to shake your head as if this were nothing but a bad dream. Grim too must have had similar memories running through his head, as he clung to you like a lifeline. When the two of you whipped around to track the source, there was still not a single soul there. Then where had that spell of pyro come from? That wasn’t you or Grim!

“The archon…! Falena!” Your guide’s words dragged you out of your shock and back into reality. The Geo Archon— had he been hit? That was a ridiculous question—was the Geo Archon alright?

Rushing back to the banister, you leaned over the railing, squinting to try and spot the form of the Geo Archon from the smoke that cleared and Guards of Haven rushing in. “Come on, come on, please be alright…!” If this archon was so powerful, he would emerge without a scratch! Geo persisted against even the destructive element of pyro. However, the spell of pyro had been particularly strong. That must have been far stronger than the type of pyro spell you had only seen performed once, and that had been by the Pyro Archon Riddle Rosehearts in the Furnace. Who was capable of such a spell, if not the Pyro Archon? But the King of Heartlsabyul wasn’t here, so who else could have been responsible for such intense pyro?

When the smoke began to clear, you made out something glittering on the ground between disturbed earth and rubble. It was like a stone. A large round stone no bigger than a hand, smooth like amber but as brilliant as a diamond. It was cracked, damaged beyond repair, with pieces fractured and more crumbling into the dirt. There was no sign of the Geo Archon, just the ruined stone.

The Captain of the First Division, who you recognized from your brief encounter and earlier apprehension, sprinted on the arena floor and knelt before the pieces. Upon closer inspection, she reached out but didn’t dare touch. After a long tense moment of silence, she shook her head while stumbling backwards, almost in disbelief. The lioness, and others, were looking towards the source of the attack which came from your direction. The following words from the esteemed Guard of Haven, made your heart drop like a stone.

Cat o’ nine tails. The weapon of torture lay neatly in your hands, and you nearly dropped it in your shock. It was coarse, firm, and slightly dirtied as if recently used. When you let go of it, the whip didn’t fall straight down. It fell to the side, attached to the belt at your hip. These were certainly not the dull prison attires you were forced into and this was not your prison cell. 

Extending down, down past your knees and near the floor was the garment you wore. It was an outdated thing, nearly entirely black with hints of red and pieces of bronze. It reminded you of priestly attires, but a bit more intricately decorated with puffed up sleeves that ended at your forearms and some sort of symbol of bronze over your torso. You knew it wasn’t some sort of sacred attire, as holy folk don’t casually carry instruments of torture. 

This only caused you further confusion, so you decided to lift your head and look around. It was dark, dim, the space you were in was grand and spacious, lit by candles and only slivers of sunlight pouring in through multicolored stained glass windows. It was a temple that most resembled a church, you realized. You had been in an unlit corner, but you were drawn out by the sight of the occasional person kneeling in silent prayer at the wooden pews and the scent of frankincense mixed in myrrh from passing monks with their gently swinging thuribles. 

You walked across the space, conscious of each and every step you made which seemed to echo far too loud. Normally, you would’ve gone up to someone, asked all the questions in your mind and demanded an answer. However, the space was too quiet, too reverent, it felt wrong to even speak too loudly. This meant all you could do was search for an answer. That’s when you heard bells, loud and many that seemed to shake the very rigid stone walls of the cathedral. In your curiosity, you wandered out past those towering wooden doors at the entrance, away from the stone and glass. A way out. For whom do those bells toll, you wonder. 

Before you could completely push those doors open, a shadowy figure shifted out of the corner of your eye. You turned, and saw for a split second a hunched figure lingering by the distant curved column of stone stairs before disappearing further up into the darkness.

Bells and a grand cathedral with a hunched figure… It sounded a lot like a story you heard once in which the protagonist was a disfigured individual who dwelled alone in the bell tower of a cathedral, where their only friends were the stone gargoyles perched atop the architecture. The antagonist was a religious zealot of a Justice Minister who acted as a guardian to the bell ringer, keeping him isolated by manipulation. That is until the bell ringer ventured out of his lonely tower and befriended one of the people the justice minister viewed as heretics in the population. Then the justice minister practically went mad trying to find them, even going so far as to imprison countless others and burn the city. 

But that was just a story. You nearly laughed at that brief second of paranoia that you felt. Pushing open the large wooden doors to slip outside into freedom, you were greeted by the familiar sensation of warm sunlight upon your skin and the breeze of fresh air. If there was a god, perhaps this was their way of apologizing for everything you had been put through. There was something else, or rather someone else, that greeted you outside the grand cathedral. It wiped that smile upon the taste of freedom, straight off your face. 

“My enforcer.” Soulless forest green eyes gazed directly into the depths of your soul, as if searching to claim yours. You nearly screamed as the stranger with a solemn expression appeared so close to you. That voice matched his expression, monotonous and detached. 

He practically looked like a ghost with those tired eyes and pale skin, not to mention that choppy gray hair. Whoever did his haircut was not granting him any favors, but at least his triangular shaped hat of black and purple managed to hide the white streaks in his hair. It wasn’t age that caused that white to appear, you could guess that much since he actually looked fairly young, it was probably stress. Although those black robes on his thin figure did nothing to revitalize his appearance, it just made him look like a walking phantom. 

That’s when you realized he looked an awful lot like the Justice Minister from the story. “Holy s––” Immediately you clasped your hands over your mouth as he narrowed his gaze. Technically you were still on the steps of the cathedral which was hallowed ground and if this man was like the Justice Minister at all, he frowned upon many things. He probably wouldn’t appreciate your choice of words. 

“Holy…” The man glanced at the cathedral that towered above them, it reached even the gray clouds hanging in the sky. “That’s right. Although I never took you devout sort, as you usually only devote yourself to seeing that the heathens shed their blood, sweat, and tears. So… what changed, I wonder?” 

You had the sinking feeling he was talking about something far more gruesome as his gaze momentarily went to the tool at your belt, and he stepped behind you with grace. “Me? What? Pfft, no! I was just… lost.” This man unsettled you, and you didn’t even want to ask the questions in your head.

“Lost?” He stopped beside you, briefly looking puzzled. Perhaps he had mistaken you for someone and had yet to realize you were not who he believed you were. Placing a cold hand on your shoulder, he assured, “My dear, you shall never be lost if you trust in my judgement. Have I ever led you astray?” His thin fingers trailed down to the strip of fabric around your neck like a scarf. 

You stood agape, fumbling for some sort of response. “Uh, no, technically no.” This man hadn’t led you anywhere since you did just meet him. So it wasn’t a lie.

This couldn’t be real, could it? It’s as if you fell smack in the middle of a story! If that was the case… This man dressed exactly like a certain infamous judge and if that hunched figure you saw moments ago was the protagonist, then what did that make you…? An executioner, tormenter, some other wicked evildoer? It was obvious enough that this man appeared to think you were someone who may have worked for him. What did he call you before? Enforcer? In the story, the judge was exceptionally cruel and often employed the help of brutish guards and vicious lackeys to do the dirty work like torture. But why? Why were you here? At first you thought it a blessing, but now as you stand before this judge, you realize how wrong you were. 

“Technically no.” Rollo hummed, nodding at your uncertain answer but it was satisfactory for now. “So tell me then, why do you come here and hide behind the cathedral’s walls? Is it perhaps to seek the light of a higher being in a desperate pursuit for forgiveness that would soothe any emerging traces of guilt burning at your conscience?” 

Your gaze began to drift away as it suddenly hit you. This was your punishment. Being here, taking the role of a lackey under the judge’s command, with your only hope being to survive to the end of the story. If you failed… well, you could easily be replaced, become like the people who were no doubt tortured at the hands of his men, or perhaps you would meet a fiery fate like he did in the end. No doubt he saw you as a pawn to be used and tossed aside when necessary. However, if you could somehow prove that you were far more valuable…

As soon as your gaze had turned away, his hand around the cloth by your collar slid upwards. His cold palm was flat against your chin, his even colder metal rings against your warm flesh as he forced your gaze back up to meet his own. “Well?” 

If all you had to do was play the role of a subordinate, then that was easy enough. You could act. All you could do was hope that he wouldn’t think you suspicious, as you had nothing to base your act on. Just improvise. “Of course not, my lord!” Your tone raised with bravado as you moved his hand away from your chin, and instead placed his knuckles to your head bowed in reverence. “Please, have mercy on me and my poor misguided soul. I was merely searching for a quiet place to rest my weary eyes!” The lie slipped out so easily. 

It must have worked, at least, that’s what you had to assume as the judge only looked down at you, unimpressed by your smile and attempt at charm. Even upon hearing the teasing hint in your voice, he wasn’t swayed. “Poor indeed, but not so misguided. Not under my careful vigilance.” 

You slowly lowered his hand once he seemed satisfied with your response, and you smiled despite the pit of fear in your stomach. There weren’t too many people out on this cloudy day, but those present kept a wide berth between themselves and the judge. Most opted to avoid him entirely by using different entrances to the temple as they whispered of Judge Rollo. So that was his name. Didn’t the judge in the original story commit the most heinous acts? There was the scene where he murder a woman in cold blood and was seconds away from drowning a baby in a freezing well after considering it to be an unholy demon that deserved to be sent back to hell. That was just in the first chapters you could remember. You were bad, yeah, but this man must have been downright evil. 

About the tensions thing, you have to remember this one fact: wherever you go, there will be problems. There is no such thing as a perfect nation or place, because governments are man-made. We as people are not perfect, so a product of our making will never be perfect either. That's one thing I wanted to replicate in Empyrean, that there is no perfect place or government. Each place will clearly have their own flaws which surround the theme I have around each act.

Anyways, you present some interesting theories. It's always fun to hear what readers predict will happen and how their thoughts differ from others versus what will actually happen. I've seen people with theories that are close on some matters, but no one has been completely right about everything yet.

Also, you are right on the topic of titles. That becomes somewhat of a matter of importance, and it gives a great insight into the general opinion on the two. More will be revealed about them later.

I will confirm, without spoiling anything, that Jack and Leona do eventually interact later on. As do Jack and Ruggie. I won't say exactly when or how, but it does happen, rest assured.

Aside from that, I'm very glad you all seemed to enjoy that chapter! Chapter twenty-four is one of those ones that stumped me, and went through a few rewrites before I was ultimately somewhat satisfied with it. For a while I considered deleting it and going without it, but I decided against that in the end because it seemed like a somewhat vital piece to remind readers that the characters from Heartslabyul are still very much active and there continue to be happenings without MC there.

Anyways, as per your question, I'm excited for each dorm for various reasons. I mean, when act one was still being posted I thought act two was the best part of the story. Now that act two is being posted, I currently think act three is the best part of the story. I imagine when act three is being posted, I'll probably think act four is the best part of the story, so on and so forth.

Although, if I had to name specific parts of acts I like (without spoilers):

Act One doesn't count because it's fully posted.

Act Two probably has the best twists I've come up, along with one of the most infuriating/complex characters I've ever written who really does continue to haunt the narrative in a way afterwards.

Act Three has very high stakes and in a way it feels like the culmination of the past two acts coming to a head here. I promise this makes more sense later. Also, this act's MC is lowkey a freak/crazy so that was fun.

Act Four, oh my lord. There's a lot of conflict, and so much will be made clear. Although there is one thing for a particular character I've had ideas and concepts ready for the longest time (since act one) and it'll finally happen. I only hope I can pull it off well.

Act Five, here is where my ideas lessen but I have some things in mind. Pomefiore's characters have had a little more detail than others when it came to planning for them. Things will change here.

Act Six, more change and it will be different. Much different. There are some things I'm certain of, others I'm not, but chances are this one will likely end up much darker than the others if my initial ideas survive.

Act Seven. Complex. Very complex. I've had some major ideas for some of the characters that will tie into things vaguely mentioned as far back as act one. Along with a very very VERY complicated idea for the act, but I'm not sure how it'll work out. If I do manage it, it will be one of the most ambitious things I've ever written. But this is far into the future.

Anyways, that's all I got without going into too much detail. I don't really have a progress check for you all, because I haven't written anything new really, but I have gone through and added ideas to my notes, made some edits, etc. I even went so far as to read aloud the remaining chapters of act two while I edited, and I think it's pretty solid.

Right now, I'm editing act four. I want to write new content, but I feel like edits can be made first so I'm working on that and the act's lore parts. The writing just feels clunky, repetitive, and dull so I'm going through the beginning of this act carefully right now.

I'm glad you've been enjoying the frequent updates! Unfortunately, because June is over and I have no more valid excuse to update early (plus I shouldn't put out too many updates or y'all will catch up to where I'm currently writing), it will soon go back to the regular updates that happen twice a month. So the first update for July happens to be pretty soon, next week.

Oh? I'll admit, I didn't expect Falena to be too interesting to most readers. I wanted to avoid the mistake I made in Damnation of giving other characters too much scene time, hence why characters like Falena won't appear too often but he might show again. That said, I've heard some theories or mentions surrounding him in this series. Yours strikes me as particularly intriguing.

One thing I think that should be said about the characters in this series, especially the deities or archons, have a different way of thinking. Remember y'all, these are gods. Gods who have lived long lives, been through many events, etc. They're going to perceive, experience, and think differently. So, yes, these version of the characters can be considered "worse" than the actual versions from the game.

Anyways, I'm real happy that you've mentioned Leona's past! Writing that past in a way that fit him and formed him into what he is today while trying to stay true to his character, was definitely a challenge. I like to think I did a good job, but that's just me.