Reaching the docks was no easy feat. Lukas and his companion clone had no pursuers. However, the parties after them knew to have blockades and watches near the port. It was the more probable and safer exit from Iskander, after all. Land transports were fewer, easier to track, and even easier to catch. Meanwhile, there were far more vessels coming into and leaving Iskander every day. One could easily get lost among them. As far as Lukas knew, only the council had the authority to shut down the port, and even that required time and several levels of bureaucracy. It wouldn’t be as much of an issue in a theocracy, monarchy, or military state, but it was a city of trade and corruption.

Giant arcane lamps illuminated giant sections of the city like floodlights. It seemed that information regarding his shadow magic had gotten out. They intended to minimize the hiding places and possible paths. Lukas had no choice but to rush straight through. “Skina!” He exclaimed, entering the light. A blinding flash burst from his right hand, surrounding him in a halo of light. Similar explosions of light sparkled several dozen feet away, all around him, and on the streets below. It was like he had launched a wide-spreading cluster of flashbangs.

El-Four contributed to the chaos. He shaped and launched shadow steel spikes randomly, channeling storm energy into them. They didn’t sparkle with lightning or hit any valuable targets. Instead, they screeched and whistled, sowing chaos all around them.

The clone did his job, but also attracted the attention of the first to recover from the flash. He was still covered by Silencing Shadows, but it stood out under the bright lights. Arrows, crossbow bolts, and ability-born projectiles peppered him. Lukas dispelled the clone as he fled.

That’s two down. I hope El-Two and El-Three are having a better time.

The pair’s memories flooded Lukas. It was good to know that the clones were buying him adequate time. Lukas only hoped it was enough. He focused on himself at the time being, making the most of El-Four’s sacrifice to push through.

Lukas tweaked Blinding Flash, pulling on the threads, twisting, and replacing them. He switched light with sound, investing more resources in the spell, and increased the intensity. He didn’t have enough know-how to tweak things like frequency, but was sure he’d get enough volume from the spell. Lukas channeled it through his new focus, aiming at a cluster of recovering guards behind him.

It worked as he intended. The bang that followed didn’t just leave Lukas’s ears ringing, but he felt the shockwave despite the distance, making him stumble into the nearby wall. He loved the new focus; it increased his range, covering for his poor arcane projection skills. The spell’s radial nature ensured maximum destruction and disruption. It also made detecting the source significantly more challenging.

Satisfied with the seeds of chaos, Lukas rushed onward. Much to his relief, no one followed him. After El-Four fell and the sonic bomb, they were hunting for someone who hadn’t yet crossed their blockade. He once again engulfed himself in Silencing Shadows, invested heavily in the new Haste, and carried onward.

El-Two ended himself. He almost made it to the gates before vengeful Grey Rats and an unknown security force cornered him. The clone surrendered. Instead of claiming to be Elvis Zaun as instructed, he identified as Lukas. A fight broke out between the two opposing parties about who was going to capture him, while a member from both of their ranks tried to chain the clone

It was the city guard that put a stop to it all. They were slower but had superior numbers. Their elite members also appeared to have come out for the capture. They cuffed the clone and led him away, past the still squabbling parties. They interrogated him and slapped him around. It was then that he claimed he was Lukas and manifested Shade’s Mantle as evidence. They believed him. One of them used an unknown suppression ability on the clone, cutting him off from all of his abilities before locking him in a dark metal wagon.

Since El-Two couldn’t dispel himself, he resorted to fighting the suppression spell, forcing magic through his magic channels. It was the incredible mental strain and following destabilization of the magic shell that contained his soul fragment that snuffed out his light. It was a slow and painful process, and the memories of it left Lukas clenching his jaw. It wasn’t the most painful death the clones had suffered since his arrival in Fracture, but it was certainly one of the most torturous ones. However, the memories of the ability were useful.

Esther had warned him about them before. Now, Lukas had a feel for such an ability and hoped to figure out a counter soon.

Meanwhile, El-Three’s demise was far more dramatic. As a stalker clone, he was built for sneaking around, not endless pursuit. He popped in and out of sight, making his pursuers run in circles. He occasionally peppered them with Shadowsteel needles, slowing or disabling anyone who got too close or was too accurate with their long-ranged attacks. He had great success for a while. Unfortunately, he also tired himself out far too quickly.

The clone made a last stand. He flared Shade’s Mantle and hardened sections, using them like scorpion stings at those who started to catch up to him. He electrified the tips and cut loose, stunning or knocking out everyone. He suffered a cut here and there. Then, a bolt through the shoulder made El-Three stumble and slow. Another shot through his right thigh. The third got his left ankle and brought him to his knees. The clone took down several melee fighters who tried to get him. Then something hot struck the back of his head, and everything went black.

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Lukas appreciated the effort and the end. The clones had done their job, and he was now racing through Iskander’s port. Security was far from sparse in the docks. The port authority and city guard were separate organizations, but they seemed aware of the disturbance and prepared to keep it from spreading into their jurisdiction.

Silencing Shadows provided adequate cover as he weaved between patrols or hopped between the many buildings that lined the stone piers. Lukas hadn’t delivered many packages to the area and didn’t know the layout as well as he would’ve liked. It took him an annoyingly long time to figure out how the numbering system worked. Meanwhile, chaos continued to brew around him. The guards seemed willing to respect their jurisdiction, but the other pursuing parties didn’t have any such limitations.

The Grey Rats seemed to already have agents in place. They were lying low, avoiding the patrols, but when their colleagues flooded the piers, everyone jumped into action. They weren’t the same orderly, organized gang that seemed to operate in Iskander. Everything seemed mad. They were following several different near leaders and directives, getting in each other’s way instead of accomplishing much.

Their chaos and conversations helped Lukas in the end. One of them pointed out the right dock to a subordinate. He followed the ratling, and then, among the sea of vessels, he saw the beacon. An azure flame burned in the distance. It was moving.

The note from Kwame came with a departure time. If Lukas hadn’t gotten himself lost in the docks, he wouldn’t have run so late. Now, he was in danger of missing the vessel. He gave up on trying to avoid the light, dropped Silencing Shadows, and rushed through, pouring everything into Silencing Shadows. The vessels blurred, and Lukas’s eyes didn’t leave the beacon.

Lukas’s heart pounded as the ratlings called out behind him. They had seen him. They were after him. He ignored them and kept going. The azure flames were moving, but much slower than he was. However, if the vessel moved too far from the pier, Lukas doubted his ability to cover the distance. His only hope would be of Bass flying out to get him, but if the pursuers caught up, there was a chance he wouldn’t make it in time.

Everyone has seen me already. Might as well throw up a beacon.

“Skina!” Lukas’s hand lit up with bright gold. The light was considerably dimmer and didn’t go out straight away. It was significantly brighter than Penelope’s fire. Much to Lukas’s relief, a giant winged cat took flight from the vessel. It raced toward him, but more people also joined the ratlings. The attacks coming after Lukas multiplied, forcing him to zigzag. The prolonged and intensive magic usage started adding up before long. Resistances gained from Spellweaver did little to help. It was all becoming too much.

Something grazed his right thigh, drawing blood. Next, he felt something on his rib cage. Lukas stumbled and lost his footing before almost going over the side and into the water. He just about caught himself on a heavy chain tying a vessel to the pier. Lukas turned around just to see crates floating off the floor and then shooting at him. He tried to rise and flee, but his right knee refused.

I burned too much magic and stamina.

A giant winged lion landed between Lukas and the incoming projectiles. The wings folded in front of him, and the feathers changed texture, becoming rigid. The crates shattered, leaving no injuries.

“Climb on!” Bass growled.

“My legs aren’t working,” Lukas replied.

“Just hold on then.”

Lukas complied, slipping his arm through the mane, wrapping it around Bass’s neck, and holding on tightly. The feeling of weightlessness followed. Bass took to the air, beating his giant wings. He gained altitude rapidly, flying out of range of all incoming attacks.

“We were starting to worry you weren’t going to make it,” Bass told him, flying in circles as he climbed. He didn’t descend on the departing vessel straight away, letting it sail further from Iskander. “Penelope tried to get the captain to wait, but no amount of threatening seemed to work, especially after all that noise you made.”

“Thanks for coming for me,” Lukas said, still panting. His lungs complained along with the rest of his body. He missed Esther’s belt buckle; it would’ve alleviated most of his discomfort. “Laeknir.” The spell didn’t do much. He had tried it before. Esther claimed he didn’t have much talent for Life-attuned magic or healing. “At least, I’m out. It got hairy back there. They were ready.”

“And angry.” Bass sounded amused. “Penny will be glad to see you. She’s gotten more attached to you than she wants known or understood. Before I take you down, we need to come to an agreement.”

“I imagine you’ll drop me off on the docks if I refuse?”

“No. I’ll just drop you.”

“Carry on then.” Lukas chuckled. He wasn’t amused; it was more a tired laugh.

“Don’t deceive her like you did with Elvis and the investigation ever again,” Bass said. “I know you promised her that you wouldn’t, but I need your word. And if you don’t keep it—”

“You’ll do a lot more than make me leave?”

“You got that right.”

“Fine. I won’t lie and mislead, Penelope, but that doesn’t mean I can tell her everything.”

“I suppose that’s good enough,” Bass said, beginning his descent.

The ship had drifted far from Iskander during the ascent and conversation. It was picking up speed at an unnatural rate. The way the mist cleared in its wake suggested magic was at play. There were many like it. Despite his exhaustion, Lukas cast the largest Silencing Shadows he had ever had, drawing all the energy stored in his new focus. The act almost knocked him out. As a result, when Bass started his descent, there was no way for anyone to keep track—or so Lukas hoped.

The relief that washed over him when they touched down was incomparable. Bass started to shrink just as Lukas released his neck. Penelope rushed to his aid, a healing spell readied.

“You’re okay now,” she said, beaming at him. “We’re out.”

“Where are we going?” Lukas asked as a comforting warmth washed over him. He wanted nothing more than to go to sleep. Everything felt heavy, his limbs, his eyelids, and all else.

“The Gray. Or the closest port towns. I need to get in contact with the conclave and its the best place for it.”

“Great.” Lukas sighed. “Can’t wait.”

I’m going to get sucked into another quest almost straight away, aren’t I?

END OF BOOK 1