Dreadgod (Cradle Book 11) (30)

The battle between Monarch and Dreadgod accelerated, and from the attacks that streaked in from outside the vision, there were clearly others participating. The Rune Queen played a defensive role, but the Wandering Titan’s chaotic golden madra continued to focus on her.

Finally, she and her Grand Oath Array were trapped inside a cage of destructive earth madra, time-frozen techniques pushing in against her. She held them off as long as she could, straining visibly with the effort.

When her works finally failed and the Titan’s techniques crushed her, Dross mercifully ended the vision early.

Ziel pointed to the vision. “That gave me no confidence in using this technique against a Dreadgod.”

“If you’d like, we can find something for you other than the ability to control time,” Lindon suggested politely.

“No, I still want it.”

[Goooood,] Dross breathed. [Sprint headlong into your doom. And not just yours alone…]

He trailed off as Lindon turned to Orthos. “Not all the legacy of the black dragons was left behind in Blackflame City. Their relics can be found all over the continent, and they left behind Remnants and willpower trials for their future heirs. Some still remain unclaimed within this castle, also in the Wastelands. Imprisoned in a field of frozen time.”

Orthos looked to Ziel.

“What a coincidence,” Ziel said.

Dross slithered up Ziel’s back. [Coincidence…yes. My effort is nothing. When I crawl through centuries of memories and spend days sorting through them, looking for the best opportunities, I do it so that I may be forgotten and denied.]

“Dross worked very hard on this,” Lindon allowed.

He had gathered a trove of information from the labyrinth, and every second Lindon worked, Dross was swimming through the memories for patterns and connections.

“I didn’t want to leave anyone alone,” Lindon went on. “Which is why I suggest Little Blue should feed on some Blood Shadows. They’re often more advanced than she is, I know a script for purifying them since I’m familiar with their makeup, and she can travel with Yerin.”

A red moon banner unfurled on the ship over Yerin’s head, and she broke out into a smile.

“I’ll hold up my promise with the Sage, Blue can eat some Shadows, and I get to clean out their vaults. Of all your plans, this one’s my favorite.”

Lindon shifted uncomfortably. “Apologies, but that’s not it. It would be better if, instead of robbing Redmoon Hall, you got them to teach you their techniques. If you had a Path that fully embraced the hunger aspects of the Phoenix’s madra, you would be able to gather all the power you need.”

As Northstrider had once put it to Lindon, she would no longer need resources to advance. Only enemies.

Yerin looked like she’d bitten into something sour. “Rather teach Red Faith what steel tastes like than learn anything from him.”

“Forgiveness. Dross and I could help you optimize your Path, with your cooperation, but our understanding is lacking. It might take us months. While if you learned Red Faith’s techniques, we could do it…”

Dross popped up behind Yerin, making a snapping sound despite having no fingers. [Like that. We will turn you into an avatar of bloody death, a spirit of butchery who grows only stronger with the slaughter!]

“That’s a treat for me,” Yerin muttered. She rubbed a spot between her eyes as though soothing pain. “So I’m going to be the new bright-eyed student of Redmoon Hall, am I?”

Lindon wasn’t any happier about it than she was. “We don’t expect them to capture you, given the likely reactions of the Monarchs, but we have no way to know what secrets they have hidden away. We’ve made some simulations, and we can go over them before you leave, but there are backup plans if you’re not comfortable with the risk—”

Little Blue rang out a question and pointed to the ship. She was asking how powerful Lindon thought she and Yerin could become.

Lindon glanced to Yerin and saw she was considering the same thing. “As strong as you want,” he admitted. “If Yerin can learn Phoenix techniques, she’ll be able to absorb advancement like I can. And the more developed you are, Blue, the more of my power you can handle.”

Little Blue took a deep breath and gave another ringing nod of determination.

Yerin’s red eyes shone as she looked down on the spirit. “Guess we’re in. But I’m going to be firm as fresh iron about one thing: once I learn what I can, I’m stripping the Hall down to their bones. I’ll sleep easier if every chipped scale and chair cushion is in my void key.”

“I like that plan better,” Lindon said. “I wish we could try it first.”

Orthos chewed on a remaining piece of apple stem and looked to Lindon. “And what about you?”

Lindon scratched the side of his neck. “Dross still needs work. He’s my biggest advantage. And I can continue to explore the labyrinth, since I’ve barely unraveled a few threads. I’m convinced there’s something buried there.”

Yerin nodded along. “Yeah. So where are you really headed?”

“Moongrave,” Lindon admitted.

Helpfully, Dross projected an image over Lindon’s head. A massive book of shining violet madra, its cover spinning with elaborate scripts.

“Mercy has been forbidden by her mother to come join us. So Dross and I are going to her.”