Reza remained by Sabine’s bedside until long into the early hours of the day, refusing to leave her side until he was certain of her recovery. Healer, after the healer arrived and diligently worked on her fractured leg and arm, slowly mending the damage caused by her fight. Although the initial damage appeared serious, both her leg and arm were splintered beyond repair without magical intervention.

  Without the multiple healers, she probably would have lost one or both limbs. He held her hand as she endured the excruciating pain of healing, praying to each echoing sound until she finally succumbed to exhaustion, marking the end of the day’s recovery.

  The last healer had departed over an hour ago. Reza had finally settled back for a time with his eyes closed. He did not know how long he had been asleep, but his eyes opened wide as he sensed someone entering the room. Lord Rewan sat across from Sabine, who slept peacefully after multiple healing sessions.

  “The healer informed me that she will require several more days of healing before her arm and leg fully recover. However, they do not doubt that she will recover and should be mostly recovered when she awakens.” Lord Rewan shared with Reza.

  “That’s fortunate. A leg break like that could have ended her career. I wouldn’t wish that upon her.” Reza placed his chin on his hands. “I swear, I’ll kill that man. I won’t rest until he’s dead.”

  “Please refrain from taking any drastic measures.” Lord Rewan cautioned.

  Reza’s anger surged once more, fueled by the memories of Tannic’s actions and cruelty. Every time he thought of the man, he yearned to end his life at that very moment. However, gazing down at Sabine always prevented him from taking such a foolish and drastic step. She wouldn’t want him to resort to such foolishness. No, Reza would not take such drastic actions outside the arena; he would have the time he needed in a few days when Tannic would be directly in front of him.

  Reza studied Sabine's sleeping form for a time. Her body was finally free of the pain and anguish from the fight; the only remaining evidence that she had fought was her arm bound against her chest as it healed. Reza started, realizing he had been sitting silently for too long, failing to respond to Lord Rewan.

  “I won’t. Defeating Tannic will make the contest even more satisfying.” Reza declared. Speaking it out loud made him feel calmer, knowing how important this was to him. Sabine had become an integral part of his life, and he was determined to rise to become Archon and prove his worthiness to her.

  “Yes, and I will thank you for it. I already had to prevent Lucius from doing something foolish tonight, and I wasn’t looking forward to having to stop you, too.” Rewan settled back in his chair.

  Reza was astounded. Lucius, who had often tried to undermine and replace Sabine, had even a remote interest in defending her? The fact that Lucius had wanted to confront Tannic gave Reza a glimmer of hope in the man. He genuinely had a heart, at least. Reza would have to thank him for that.

  Lord Rewan took on a more serious tone. “That wasn’t my sole reason for coming here. An urgent message from the Church of Sorana arrived just now. You are required to meet with them within the hour.”

  “Why now? Can’t this wait until tomorrow? I don’t want to leave Sabine until she wakes up.” Reza argued.

  “You have little choice, Reza. Sabine’s mother will take care of her for now.” Lord Rewan held up his hand to silence Reza. “You may love or care for my daughter, but right now, focus on your own responsibilities. Sabine would expect you to do your duty, and I hope you would expect her to do the same.” He didn’t raise his voice, but Reza felt each word strike him like a blow from a centurion’s sword.

  “Yes, sir. I will return as soon as possible.” Reza stood and squeezed Sabine’s hand one last time.

  “Of course, after we can discuss your plans, maybe even your future with Sabine. I believe Sabine’s mother has some rather strong words for you.” He chuckled.

  Reza kept his expression neutral, but he knew his eyes betrayed the fear he felt. Rewan smiled, and Reza passed Lady Rewan in the hallway. She patted him on the arm and offered him a small smile.

  “Oh dear, she’ll be fine. Get going quickly, and come back soon. I’m sure she’ll wake up soon and want to see you.” Lady Rewan said as she entered the room.

  Reza summoned Elana and swiftly unleashed his power, escaping into the dimly lit streets of the district as soon as he stepped outside the manor.

  Reza swiftly arrived at the Island of Towers, as the streets were deserted at this late hour. The only individuals he encountered were the last few crews finishing the decorations for All Hallows’ Eve. Black banners of wraiths and hundreds of unlit lanterns surrounded the forum and the streets. Tomorrow night, I would witness the entire city illuminated by the glow of elementals and tens of thousands of wraiths within the tower walls.

  “Tomorrow will be a sight, without a doubt,” he remarked, approaching Sorana’s tower. Although it was still dark, he could discern small torches at the entrance, accompanied by a few guards standing vigil beside them.

  As Reza approached the door, one of the black-uniformed guards held his spear in his way before he could come within ten feet of them. “What brings you here? It’s quite late for worship.”

  Reza managed to suppress his anger, stopping just short of the spear. “I was summoned here by Sorana. They are expecting me.” He refrained from disclosing his name, but the guard nodded in recognition and removed the spear from the doorway.

  “You may proceed; they are already waiting for you.” The other guard opened the door and allowed Reza to pass through.

  The main floor of the tower was adorned with the same black stone as the exterior of the building. The ceiling was over thirty feet high, and the walls were intricately carved with an ancient script that Reza could not decipher, nor did he know if anyone else could. It had been over a decade since Reza had last visited this tower, but it had remained essentially unchanged. Row upon row of redwood benches lined the hallway in semi-circles, with approximately a dozen individuals standing and observing Reza’s arrival.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Reza recognized only the Orator and the venerable high priestess who had addressed them during their previous meeting with the other champions. The rest of the group wore identical black robes and were older priests and priestesses. Reza surmised that this was likely the senior clergy he was meeting with. The youngest among them, the Orator, approached him.

  “Marius, thank you for your prompt arrival. We have crucial matters to discuss tonight that cannot be postponed.” The Orator moved alongside Reza and joined the group. They stood upon a raised platform constructed from the same dark stone as the tower’s central core. A large, dark pool reflected the lantern light but offered no glimpse into its depths.

  “So, what’s the problem? I can only assume it’s about this afternoon’s incident.” Reza said, knowing someone would talk to him about interfering in the contest. But he had no qualms about his actions; his best hope was that others shared his opinion.

  “Well, yes, we’ve had complaints and requests for your removal from the contest, along with suggestions to replace you in the final duel.” The Orator replied.

  Reza held his ground and remained silent. His words would likely backfire, and he’d be forced to answer direct questions he couldn’t answer.

  “Impressive. I expected you to lash out in anger. Perhaps leaving this matter so late has tempered your fury?” The High Priestess asked.

  “It has; I’ve calmed down since the contest. Though I eagerly anticipate meeting Tannic.” Reza responded.

  “If you’re allowed to.” She retorted.

  “What are you hinting at? Are you seriously considering removing me from the contest?” Reza asked, his anger rising. He clenched his hands behind his back in frustration at their coolness. The fact that anyone who had a significant issue with his actions needed to self-reflect. Losing such talented individuals from the contest would be detrimental to the city. Losing Sabine was akin to losing a hundred soldiers; it could be replaced, but the invaluable experience lost was even more profound. However, such opinions wouldn’t deter him from inserting one of his daggers into Tannic.

  “You interfered in a fight that wasn’t yours. You prevented Tannic from fulfilling Sorana’s will until Sabine surrendered. You violated the rules.” The High Priestess said, her voice rising. “You may well be stripped of your chance, and it’s by the Echoes’ right to do so.”

  “Tannic prevented her from surrendering. I don’t care about those rules. I stopped a travesty from occurring, and I’d do it again. So, make your decision quickly.” Reza eyed each of them, his anger surging again. None would meet his gaze except the Orator and High Priestess, who had been the only ones to speak thus far.

  The Orator spoke next, maintaining silence while the others listened attentively. “Sorana will determine your fate. The request originated from the church, so she shall make the final decision.”

  “And how will she make her decision?” Reza inquired, his curiosity piqued. Would he meet her, or would she communicate with him through some means? This was an unprecedented experience for him, and he knew no one who had gone through something similar.

  “Place your hand in the pool.” The Orator gestured towards the black pool. “She will decide.”

  Reza hesitated for a moment before walking up to the pool and sitting next to it. He removed his jacket, rolled up his shirt, and extended his entire hand into the freezing water. It was so cold that it felt as if there should be a layer of ice covering it, but Reza held his ground, refusing to pull his hand out as he waited for her response.

  “So, we finally meet.” A voice resonated within his mind, carrying a heavy weight. He could feel each word as if a soft woman’s voice whispered them to him. The sensation was unpleasant, and Reza tried not to flinch from her presence. He glanced around to see if anyone else had heard the voice, but no one reacted.

  “Lady Sorana?” Reza thought to himself.

  The voice chuckled softly. “Of course, my church seems to be abuzz with excitement about the contest this afternoon. I must admit, I was quite surprised; I did not anticipate you to take such a, let’s say, foolish action.”

  Reza felt a surge of anger. “I do not regret it. Tannic should have allowed a surrender; he should have fought with honor. He failed to do either and resorted to killing. I could not have done anything differently from my actions; I would have done nothing different.”

  Why were the others making the same comments? He refused to change his mind. Had she not heard his remarks before?

  “Fighting is not honorable; you do whatever it takes to win in war,” Sorana whispered. “You know this as well as anyone.”

  “A duel is different from war. Honor should be maintained to determine who truly deserves the victory between the two.” Reza thought.

  “Very well. I was curious to hear you defend yourself, and I grew weary of people complaining about the events. You have shown me enough.” Sorana paused, her presence gradually fading from his mind. “You will not be punished for this transgression.”

  “So may I go? Although I believe this was not your sole reason for inviting me here.” Reza said. This brief conversation did not require him to be in the church or meet with Sorana herself. She didn’t need to speak to him to make such a declaration.

  “Impressive. I wanted to meet each finalist to determine who might become my Archon, the holder of the pact between us.” Her presence returned, feeling heavier on his mind, and the cold began to ascend his arm, numbing the fingers of his hand. He yearned to pull them out, but something held him back.

  “Do I meet your expectations?” He asked, but nothing else came to mind as his mind felt numb.

  “You do, Marius. We could accomplish great things together. If you only prove yourself in the final match.” She sounded excited, her words almost sweet. The cold had spread into his chest and flowed down his body, causing Reza’s head to droop. “One final battle and this power can be yours. Hear this: One to live, One to die; the victor shall reign with me.”

  The heavy and cold presence departed from Reza, leaving him beside the pool with one of the priests assisting him to his feet. What in the Abyss had just transpired? This experience was unlike anything he had ever encountered before. The words he had heard were ominous, and he struggled to fully comprehend them. Would this be the nature of his relationship with her as my wraith? Reza refrained from contemplating that possibility.

  “It’s like that for everyone their first time.” The Orator said, and Reza looked up at him.

  “She assured me that I wouldn’t face any consequences for my actions. I suppose the final contest will proceed with me.” Reza spoke in a low voice.

  The Orator nodded in agreement. “Very well. Two days from now, we shall determine if you shall become our Archon.”

  Reza sat there for a few moments, gathering his composure. The numbness from the pool and her presence lingered, but he managed to regain control and stood up.

  “I aspire to be just that. I hope that doesn’t offend you all.” Reza surveyed the room, and none of the people seemed hostile towards him. The High Priestess gave him a disapproving frown but remained silent. She would undoubtedly be a watchful figure; either she was too open or sought to deceive him into making a wrong assumption about her intentions.

  “I believe I will depart now. Do you require anything else from me?” Reza spoke calmly, beginning to move towards the exit. With each step, he felt a gradual return of sensation in his arm.

  “No, Lord Reza. We shall always be prepared to assist you with whatever you need for the contest.” The High Priestess replied.

  Reza turned back, and each person bowed their heads and began to leave the platform.

  When I become their Archon, I anticipate that there will be much I will have to learn before this church accepts me. May the Echoes be on my side during the contest.

  He would seize every bit of luck to give him the best chance of victory. Reza descended from the tower, the guards nodding in acknowledgment as he passed. Reza unleashed his power and vanished into the darkness.