Chapter LXIII: Kkel's Story

"Six years now," Pixel mused when Jinxie told her the current date. "six years since it happened."

The structure they had been led to was modest, to say the least. It was nothing more than a single room with a makeshift set of chairs constructed from the rubble strewn about the Emptiness. Enclosed on all sides, it kept the prying eyes of the monsters roaming around from attacking. However, it was clearly constructed with only Pixel and Kkel in mind. The six of them strained to make room for everybody. Jinxie stood pressed against a wall, feeling quite claustrophobic. Speed was asleep on the ground, with Isset sitting beside him, legs crossed. Xaerus stood near Pixel, who smiled at them as she polished the incredible Gjallrhorn. Directly across from Jinxie, Kkel stood motionless. The Red Mage found she could not meet his gaze. The Soulflayer's blue eyes burned just to look at.

"General Solaar," Isset's voice strained. She looked at Kkel, but turned away. To her, this man had been a near mythic figure. Now, the Puppetmaster could not even bear to see him.

Pixel's expression was understanding. "That's what we were afraid of, dear." She told Isset. "It's why we remain here."

"Six years," Jinxie could barely wrap her head around the number. A few hours in this place had been tumultuous for her. "How did you do it?"

"Time does not move in this place, Jinxie," Pixel responded. "Until you told me what date it was, we had no concept of how much had passed."

"I mean the sensation," she shuddered inwardly at the thought of the endless nothing around them. "How do you deal with it, day after day?"

Pixel tilted her head towards Kkel, eyes filled with admiration. "Kkel has never had any problems. Not since the start. As for myself, I have my music. It keeps the Emptiness away."

"Yes, Gjallarhorn," Xaerus chimed in, keeping her head lowered. "A magnificent instrument. As I recall, it was last in the belonging of a rather remarkable bard."

"It still is," the entire room shuddered at the sound of Kkel Solaar's voice. Isset gasped audibly. The Soulflayer folded his arms, holding the gnarled staff he wielded in one hand. No one met his gaze, save Pixel.

"Thank you," she replied, smiling at the monstrous figure. "Kkel is quite a fan of my music."

"Yes," Xaerus murmured, "yes, I believe he would be." The Mithra sniffed at the air, tapping her fingers against the shaft of the white-jeweled stave she carried with her. "I think it would be beneficial if you explained exactly how and why you came to be here, Pixel."
The Tarutaru shared a long look with Kkel. What the two of them had been through together, spending six years isolated in this void, Jinxie could not even imagine. To have monsters such as the terrible beast they had fought plauging them constantly would be hard. To live every day with the incomprehensible nothingness as their only surroundings would drive anyone else insane. Yet here they were, alive and well. Or, as Jinxie thought, her eyes sliding off of Kkel quickly, at least alive.

Kkel gave Pixel a slow nod. The Bard lowered her head, bringing Gjallarhorn up towards her lips. The others leaned in to hear as she began to speak.

"It would take up much of the time you don't have to spend if I just told you the story." She lifted her head, a sad smile on her face. "Gjallarhorn can show you instead."

With that, Pixel brought the reed to her mouth and began to play.

It started out low, a soft and somber tone that resonated quietly within each of them. Then it started to rise, swelling in sound and sensation. Jinxie opened her mouth, but could only give a startled gasp as the music of Gjallarhorn enveloped her.



Kkel Solaar, the Sunserpent General, sixth of the top commanders of the Empire of Aht Urghan, stepped out into the blazing sunlight of Tahrongi Canyon. Raising a gloved hand to shield his eyes, he surveyed his wind-swept surroundings. Under normal circumstances, an Imperial General abroad in Western lands would be a notable occasion. As ties between the Far East and the Tengu, whom Westerners called Yagudo, grew closer, so to did the Empire begin contemplating increasing diplomatic relations across the Gugru Blue. The Grand Vizier Razfahd, however, opposed many notions of alliance, insisting the Empire needed no such foreign ties. Visits of state were not unheard of though, and certainly there would be welcome and comfort in any of the Windurstian villages nearby. Kkel's orders contradicted such thoughts. He was to maintain a low profile, with no exceptions.

The sun cast a harsh glare across the unforgiving landscape. While the mountains were no match for the volcanic peaks of Halvung, the Meriphataud mountain range jutting up across the land were nevertheless impressive. Since landing inconspicuously at Mhaura a week earlier, he had taken some time to appreciate the foreign countryside. The marvels of Aht Urghan were many, but years of military service had accustomed Kkel to the sights of the Arajidah. From the dense thickets of Bhaflau to the swampy marshes of Caedarva, the icy caverns of Leujaoam and the scorching wastes of Lebros, Kkel Solaar had ventured far and wide in defense of the Empire. He loved Aht Urghan, but the sight of something new was always welcome. It was just a shame it had to be seen under such circumstances as these.

Jinxie felt the music shift to a darker tone. Her head swam as the spellsong ran through her.


"We're certain," Razfahd's eyes were hooded as he surveyed the map laid out before him. The Grand Vizier leveled his gaze on Kkel, sitting across the table. The air in the audience chamber was stale and hot. Beads of persipration were evident on Razfahd's face as he bore a whole through his general with his eyes. Despite the oppressive atmosphere, he still wore a full suit of black and gold armor, with a regal cloak and sword as well. The Sunserpent wore considerably more reasonable attire, though he had considered showing up to meet the Grand Vizier in battle attire. Kkel returned the Imperial's gaze. The two did not like one another, and made no pretense towards concealing it.
Kkel lowered his eyes to the map Razfahd had presented. A series of black pins had been stuck through the parchment. They were scattered at their source near the border, but grew closer and closer together as they moved towards Whitegate itself.

"This is a heavy accusation, Grand Vizier," Kkel grimaced, letting his eyes follow the path the pins made. "There is no other option save execution."

"You do not need to recite Imperial policy to me, Solaar," Razfahd hissed. "I am not asking you to judge their punishment. I am ordering you to administer it."

"Why me?" Kkel shot back, hearing leather creak as he clenched his gloved fists.

"You know very well why you," Razfahd retaliated, almost standing out of his seat. "I would not trust this a mission this delicate to any but our highest levels, and of those at our highest level - " the Grand Vizier's icy blue eyes deliberately pierced into the Serpent General - "you have the greatest understanding of the forces at work."

That was true enough, Kkel admitted. The map he was looking at detailed the sightings of two Immortals, Blue Mages in service of the Empire, since they had abandoned their posts during battle against the Far East. Each sighting was accompanied by a report from an eyewitness describing what exactly they had seen. There was little doubt left that the two had deserted the army, but what was far more troubling were the details being given regarding their appearance.

It was becoming quickly evident that the two were undergoing the transformation from Blue Mage to Soulflayer.

One of the most closely guarded Imperial secrets, barely a handful outside of the Immortals knew of the dread fate which awaited them. To master Blue Magic meant to take in the energy of souls, to make a part of someone else a part of you. This allowed the Immortals to channel incredible power, and utilize the abilities of their attackers as weapons of their own. Should one ever drink too deeply from that well, however, they would be consumed by the power lurking inside of them. Harnessing the souls of others would change from a gift to a consuming thirst. As the magic devoured their body, they would be transformed to a beast as horrible as the Vampyrs lurking in the dark. The Soulflayer, most dreaded monster of all the Empire's many plagues. A Blue Mage once dedicated to the defense of Aht Urghan became a creature of nightmare and terror, stealing the souls of innocent people to sate their dreadful hunger. The Imperial Army had a strict policy of executing any Blue Mage thought to be in the midst of the transformation.

Kkel Solaar himself was a Blue Mage, and had more than once grappled with the yearnings which came with his great power. He had long ago come to grips with the constant struggle of bearing blue magic. Others were not so fortunate. Regardless of what brought about the transformation in these two men, they would soon have no control over their actions. They would be no more than rabid dogs that needed to be put down.

"We have every reason to believe they have already eluded capture and snuck aboard the ship running across the Gugru Blue. Follow them into Mindartia, locate them, and deal with the problem. Discretely." The Grand Vizier's implications were clear. "Bring no one with you. Finish the job as quickly as possible. Soulflayers are still barely even a rumor across the sea, I intend to keep it that way."

"No one?" Kkel said, open challenge already in his voice. "I'll be taking Pixel."

The Grand Vizier's eyelid twitched, and for a moment it seemed he would object. Then, with an irritable wave of his hand, he dismissed the Sunserpent. "If you truly wish to endanger her, feel free. Now begone. Time is already working against us. I have arranged a ship to depart within the hour."

Kkel gave a barely passable salute, turning from the Grand Vizier and exiting the room. It was a job that had to be done, and Razfahd was right. No one else in the upper echelon knew better the stakes involved.


The music rose to a staggering crescendo, and Jinxie found herself breathless as Pixel's spellsong enraptured everyone in the room.

Pixel skipped to the side as a bolt of lightning split the ground at her feet. The song of Gjallarhorn filled the air, and musical weaves of blue and red spun themselves around Kkel. His magnificent armor was afire in the Tahrongi sun. The intricate craftsmanship of his red corazza was accented with every deft movement of the Imperial General as he swept through his attackers. A pair of shotels, curved swords in the style of the Empire, spun in his hands as he pressed his attack. Blond hair, cropped close and raked upwards, was hidden beneath a snug helmet surmounted by a single golden spike. Pixel always enjoyed watching Kkel at work. His bearing even in the midst of the greatest violence was that of the Sunserpent.

The Soulflayer whom had once been Ghaumeen of the Immortals threw out his staff. A ball of incandescent flame shot from its tip, surging towards Kkel. The Blue Mage spun around, waiting until the heat was close enough to nearly blister his skin, and then retaliated. From his own mouth, a stopped the firebolt cold. The Soulflayer cursed and shrieked as tendrils of frost snaked up his own arm. Kkel was already moving past him, blades spinning as he charged on the second monster. The other Soulflayer sensed its danger, throwing up its arms to expel a forceful blast of lightning towards the General.

Kkel ran straight through it, his own magic coating his body in a manuever he had borrowed from the Trolls. As he ran he gained momentum, channeling his power into his right hand and focusing it to the blade of his sword. The Soulflayer threw up his staff in defense as Kkel cleaved upwards, and it gave a gurgling shriek as the Blue Mage split its weapon in two.

"Behind you!" Pixel called in warning, and Kkel spun around just as another blast from the second Soulflayer tore his magical defenses apart. His eyes narrowed as the monster prepared another charge, swirling his staff in the air, creating an intense shield of purple light around itself. Before it could complete anything, Kkel shot out a stream of dazzling light from his fingertips. Strands of chi hardened into web-like filaments as they bombarded the infuriated monster. It struggled to break free from Kkel's hold, stretching and rending the magical bonds confining it.

It caught a glimpse of movement from the corner of its eye. A moment later, Kkel's twin shotels sliced it from groin to gullet.

The General turned even as the Soulflayer's green-and-blue blood sprayed across the ground behind him. With the light of the Crag of Mea at his back, Kkel weaved a circle with his arms. There was a rush of air towards him, and the stones littering the ground at his feet surged up, caught in his aura. The second Soulflayer threw out its hands in defense. His stony Elvaan features drawn into a hard, yet pitying gaze, Kkel unleashed the fury of his magic. A cannonball of spiritual force ripped through the air, crashing into the second Soulflayer. The monster was blown apart by the impact, turning into a haze of gore and blood which misted to the scorched ground. A shredded robe and monster detritus were all that marked its passing.

The Sunserpent, bathed in the light of the Mea Crystal and the sun above, slowly exhaled. Grisly work it had been, but accomplished now to the specifications laid out by Razfahd. Pixel shuffled over to where Kkel stood, smiling up at the Elvaan.

Kkel returned her smile. The Bard had once again proven invaluable to him. Though it had been only a few short years since the storms of war threw them together, it seemed now like he had never been without her by his side. Whatever he had been prior to becoming the Sunserpent, he was ten times that with Pixel and her music.

He was just about to open his mouth and speak when a hole was punched through his chest.

As he fell, he saw Pixel's smile fading, her eyes going wide. He searched for words, but found only blood in his throat. The ground rushed up at him, quickly turning red. Spinning as he fell, he caught a glimpse of pure darkness hovering in the twin lights of sun and crystal. His eyes focused in on it, like a hole where the rest of the world just stopped. Kkel's head hit the ground. Pixel's music was surrounding him. The world was turning a shade of blue as the darkness took shape.

It was a man, surrounded by a cloak of shadow so dark as to be deeper than night itself. An Elvaan with a sneer of cruelty, a malicious grin creasing his Far Eastern features.

"My game cannot begin with you on the board, Sunserpent," he said with a thick Eastern accent. His words were distant in Kkel's ears, like coming from the end of a tunnel. There was a roaring, a furious pumping of blood as it oozed from his body, and the staggering pain shooting through his chest. The man in black drew a weapon from his cloak, a gun of gleaming silver that looked completely out of place with the wielder. As the barrel leveled at him, Kkel realized no matter how unlikely it looked, it was true. The man hovering above him in the air was about to fire that brilliantly gleaming weapon and end him once and for all.

He thought of Dhalmels, the ponderous beasts which roamed across the Mindartian sands. He could feel their souls resonating with his, so clear and present that it was palpable. Kkel reached out and grabbed on to it, harnessing his power with the last ergs of consciousness.

A white light raced through him, and with a burst of motion he rolled to the side. The ground he had been on blew apart where his head had been, a smoking crater nearly a span deep blackening the ground. Kkel clutched at his chest. The healing powers of Pixel's spellsong and the Dhalmel's magic had repaired his wound, leaving only a jagged hole through his armor. Pain still shot through him, and his breath came in gasps as he looked up at the man in black.

There was no time for questions. Already the gun was firing off again. He let himself drop to the side, ground exploding at his feet. Summoning his magic, he gave a shout, shooting a wave of darkness from his eyes. The man in black laughed, throwing out his hand. A shimmer of darkness rippled around him, and Kkel's attack vanished into nothing. He glimpsed a circle of darkness wrapping around the man in black's hand. Then his gun was firing again.

Kkel darted through a barrage of gunfire, trying to keep his bearings straight. He drew his blades again, dodging a spray of rock shooting up at his side. He thought of spiders, and felt his blade pulsing in his hand. The energy of the beasts surged through his arm. Another shot tore into the ground at his side, and he leaped through the haze, gliding into the air. The man in black grimaced as Kkel flew towards him, swords glowing as he slashed like a giant tarantula. His target floated backwards, dodging the strike, but Kkel did not miss an opportunity. He shifted his thoughts to the shadows lurking in Caedarva Mire. With his second shotel, he slashed at his foe, and a wave of energy focused into a razor-thin edge severed the air. It struck the man in black with enough force to cleave a mountain in two.

The Easterner's face turned into an angry scowl, a single trace of blood trailing down his cheek.

Kkel's crimson boots touched down on the ground again, and instantly the sound of the silver gun firing was ringing through the air.

The Sunserpent let his thoughts focus on another noise. Playing for all she was worth, Pixel was bringing Gjallarhorn's magic to bear. Weave after weave of spellsong threaded through Kkel's being, empowering his every move. He turned sharply, his mind focused on the Mamool Ja. The man in black saw his target stop, and instantly fired a shot directly towards Kkel's head. Puffing up his cheeks, Kkel felt his throat burning as he unleashed a molten ball of flame. It collided with the silver gun's bullet in midair, reducing it to aqueous vapor. The man in black narrowed his eyes, unamused.


Chills ran through Jinxie's spine as the music drew to a shattering conclusion.


The man in black was on the ground, clearly infuriated. Kkel stood in front of him, panting, arms limp, but still grasping both his swords. A smile was on his face. He began gathering his magic for another strike. He could still beat this mysterious opponent, whatever his agenda might be.

The man in black raised his silver gun. The air froze, and then rushed in towards the barrel. A radiant glow overtook the man's eyes. He took aim, and pulled back the hammer.

"Coronach," he said.

A beam of light more intense than any other in the canyon threatened to burn out Kkel's eyes as he saw it blossom from the barrel of the Far Easterner's gun. He opened his mouth to scream, but the roar of its power overpowered his voice.

Pixel's eyes widened as it streaked towards her.

Kkel's feet moved of their own accord, hurtling him towards the blast. He summoned his magic, but knew it would not be enough. He called on more, as much as he could, and still was humbled by the force of the silver gun's attack. The Sunserpent dove forward, his body intercepting the beam, and he opened himself to all the power he could find.

Something twisted inside of him, and his entire being burned. It felt like molten rock was being poured down his throat. Like he was being torn inside out. He heard a noise that sounded like a million spiders crawling across his brain. He knew he was screaming, but couldn't hear anything. He saw only the terror on Pixel's face, and the man in black, laughing as he looked down on Kkel. The Sunserpent collapsed to the ground, in the midst of the smoking hole he had created. Pixel was shaking him, shouting something he could not make out. The world was going dark, quickly.

He saw the face of the man in black one more time, and futilely reached out a pale, too-large hand with crinkled and elongated fingers before the world crashed down upon him.


The room went silent. Jinxie almost collapsed, gasping. She realized she was shaking and sweating.

She had seen every second as if she were looking through Kkel's eyes. Every smell, every sound, every taste. Her chest ached where Kkel had been shot. Her body trembled at the feeling of his transformation taking over. She could still feel the rush of blue magic in her body, the taste of coppery blood on her tongue. Razfahd's face by candlelight loomed in her mind as he poured over a map. The darkness surrounding the man in black like a hole in reality was only now fading from her vision.

"Walahra," Isset was murmering, over and over again, "what was that? Walahra, sweet Walahra."

Speed was sitting straight up, mouth agape, staring back and forth from Kkel to Pixel, not knowing what to say. Xaerus was motionless, the look on her face revealing nothing. Her hands, however, were dug in deep along the shaft of her white-jeweled stave.

"And that is how we came to be," Pixel said, her voice sad and sweet. "The stranger disappeared, saying he had done all he needed to. At first, I was terrified, but there was still enough Kkel left in there to figure out what to do."

"You came to this . . . Emptiness." Jinxie said.

Pixel nodded. "I don't know how he found it, but Kkel could sense it somehow. None of those creatures have souls, so he has nothing to tempt him. I think that's how he knew it was here. Like a hole he could feel in the rest of the world. Time does not pass, so his condition never gets worse, and we never need sleep or nourishment in this place. Also," she turned her smile on the Soulflayer, "my music seems to keep his mind in place."

After what they had all just experienced, Jinxie had little doubt Gjallarhorn could indeed do what Pixel claimed.

"Is there . . . " Jinxie struggled to find the right words. "Is there any hope?"

"Once a Soulflayer turns," Kkel's rasping voice spoke, "he is never human again."

The words were more terrifying than the voice in which they were spoke. Jinxie turned to her companions, but they returned no help to her silent plea.

She felt sick to her stomach. She had completed Razfahd's hopeless errand only to find the object of her task unattainable. An impossible labor prevented her from ever receiving the help she requested. Her husband would go unavenged. The thought of Razfahd's condescending gaze, his imperious sneer, his . . .

Jinxie stopped.

Razfahd.

"How did the man in black know where you were?"

"What?" Pixel asked, puzzled by the question.

"Six years ago," Jinxie pressed, "that man in black. You were given a mission of utmost secrecy, yet he knew where to find you. How?"

"I'd always assumed he . . . " Pixel's voice took a dour tone. "I always thought he sensed Gjallarhorn, and followed me to Kkel."

"Or," Jinxie countered, "he was there because he knew where you would be going. Because the only other person who knew about Kkel's mission told him."

"Jinxie!" Isset's voice was scandalized. "I know Razfahd is insufferable, but you're talking about engineering the assassinaton of a Serpent General!"

"Unthinkable," Speed added. "That guy don't have the stones for a job like that."

Xaerus remained silent, but her expression darkened noticably.

"Razfahd," Kkel muttered, his hideous visage undulating as he spoke.

"We don't know that for sure," Pixel said, "we can't be certain at all."

"Unless we confront him," Jinxie said. "He'll be waiting for us back at Al Zahbi."

The Soulflayer gave guttural growl, inky black robes shifting with growing anger. "I cannot," he said, "I cannot leave this place. I will not," he spoke haltingly, clenching his fingers over his staff, "I will not endanger anyone by my existance."

"If Razfahd is working with this man in black, he could be endangering the entire Empire and everybody in it."

"That darkness," Xaerus finally spoke, a rage like none Jinxie had ever heard from the Mithra before boiling just below the surface of her voice, "that cloak, his ring, they could only come from one place. Dynamis." The word struck the others like a blow. "He has been there too, for a far different purpose than I."

Jinxie rounded on Kkel and Pixel. The sting of realizing she was being manipulated raised the hackles on her neck. "We've all been played for fools," she clenched her fists at her sides as she spoke. "Whatever game this man in black is playing, Razfahd is in on it. He has used us all."

"I cannot leave!" Kkel shouted, a sound that nearly cowed Jinxie with its power. "Only in here is the rest of Vana'diel safe from me."

"One week," Jinxie replied, forcing herself to remain calm. "It will take us that long to leave this place, return by ship to Al Zahbi, and confront Razfahd. After that, we will find a White Mage and teleport you back here. One week, Kkel Solaar, and we can all get the answers we want."

"But if I - " the Serpent General halted again, struggling with his raging emotions.

"Kkel," Pixel said beside him, smiling still. "One week isn't that long." She gripped his scaly, pale hand, brightly looking up at him. "If Razfahd has done this to you, I want to see him answer for it. We should know for certain, Kkel." She gave him a cheery smile, raising Gjallarhorn. "I'll play for you. It will help."

A low, fearsome growl rose from the bottom of Kkel's throat. He shuddered, wrestling with something inside of himself. As they watched, he stooped over, shaking his head, listening to something the rest of them thankfully could not hear. Suddenly he stood, straight backed, striking his staff against the ground. It made a sound akin to a scream being cut off. Of its own accord, the hood from his robe rose over his head, concealing his visage once more in shadow. The Soulflayer's gaze, even hidden, still burned as he looked upon them.

"One week," he said aloud. "Come. I will show you the way out."

Chapter LXII: Into the Emptiness

Darkness was not the term. It was not dark in the way in which darkness was perceived. There were objects clearly visible all around, but no source of light making their illumination rational. In the entire expanse, reaching on into the infinite in all directions, there were things which were, and everything else simply was not. Using darkness to define the surrounding void would be to assign it a definition which it defied. No word existed to describe the environment. It was and it was not. There was substance, yet nothing. It was barren. Lifeless.

Empty.

It was not the stuff of nightmares, for no mind could conceive the landscape stretching out into nothing. Twisted stalks rose from the ground, dead and gray, a mockery of trees which remained motionless in the unmoving air. Ruined structures had long since stopped decaying, perpetually trapped in a state of collapse. The ground itself was devoid of color, a monotone hue without alteration running the entire expanse of the terrain. When it ended, the edges of it were torn and jagged, as if the island had been ripped from its rightful place in reality and deposited in the abyss by violent and impatient hands. There was nothing to smell, nothing to taste, and over the edge of the island, suspended in the void, nothing to see. Only the Emptiness. Stretching on forever.

Jinxie stared out into the never-ending nothing, her face without expression. Her mouth was slightly agape, her lips parted, caught in the moment just before a word which never had the chance to form. She stood at the precipice of the mass of land and the eternal emptiness surrounding it. On one side of her was a dead and vacant wasteland suspended in a sea of nothing. On the other, a fall into that bottomless chasm beyond comprenesion. Poised on the brink, her gaze slid towards a horizon which did not exist, and a rush of Emptiness flooded her. The Emptiness consumed, it grew, it devoured. Jinxie felt nothing as it crept inside her. There was no feeling to be had. Only nothing. Only Emptiness.

And then there was a note.

It did not echo. It did not reverberate. It was there and then gone. Jinxie had heard it, however. A single note of pure, pristine sound. It was lovely, moving, reaching down into her soul and filling the void. Then it was gone, and the Emptiness sank in again.

Another note pierced the nothing. Then another. A string of music formed a melody, and with a gasp, Jinxie turned from the precipice. The music filled her heart. It was unlike anything she had ever heard before, and certainly did not belong in this place of Emptiness. Yet here it was, the most beautiful song she had ever heard, being performed in a place of nothingness beyond understanding.

Jinxie shook violently as the sensation of nothingness left her. Driven back by the melody, the Emptiness sloughed off like mud. Her eyes came into focus, and for the first time she came to appreciate her surroundings. She stood upon a floating mass suspended in the void. The island was quite large, and a number of dilapidated structures, appearing man-made, dotted the landscape. Rising above all of them, in the distance, was a palace unlike any she had ever seen. It glittered without light, an eerie resonance that Jinxie quickly averted her eyes from. She was not eager to begin contemplating the unexplainable. Instead she focused entirely on what she was hearing.

The startlingly resplendent sound was originating from a place far in the distance, towards the majestic palace. Gathering her strength, she took a resolute step forward.

She pulled back her foot immediately as something creaked beneath her boot. Looking down, she started at the sight of the puppet Shoki looking back at her. It was motionless on the ground, without a sign of life in it. Jinxie turned her head sharply as the sound of a whimper caught her ears.

Isset, on her knees several feet away, had her hand extended towards her marionette. Her fingers flexed and moved rhythmically, grasping the device which controlled the puppet's movement. Her actions were flowing, practiced, but the look on her face was one of anguish.

"He won't move," she said softly. "Why won't he move?"

"Isset," Jinxie flew to the side of the Puppetmaster, kneeling down beside her and grasping her wrists. "Isset, please, talk to me."

"I can't make him move," Isset said again, looking up at Jinxie with tear-streaked cheeks. "Why won't Shoki move?"

Jinxie gave no voice to respond, but she knew the answer already. She could feel its absence in her own gut, like a part of her body had been torn away. Her magic was gone. And as Isset clicked fruitlessly at Shoki's controls, it was clear whatever force animated the machine had no power here either.

She heard the music playing again, and immediately came to her feet. She had to find that music. It was the only thing keeping her sane.

"Isset, come with me," the Red Mage was insistant. "You can bring Shoki, but we have to find that music . We have to . . . " she trailed off. Her eyes went wide as a feeling of dread swept over her. "Xaerus." She whispered.

Jinxie had long ago discerned how the blind woman moved about with such ease. Without the use of her eyes, the Mithra was using her ability to sense the magic in all living things to guide her. At the Crag of Mea, she had admitted her senses were impaired due to the incredible amount of energy focused in one area. Now there was no magic at all.

"We have to find Xaerus," she exclaimed, eyes darting about futilely. The Mithra was nowhere in sight.

The music swept over her again, and almost involuntarily she took another step towards it. A fearsome indecision gripped her. She could not find Xaerus. She could not abandon Isset. But she could not let that music go. It was warming and peaceful, it gripped the soul and filled the listener with light. Her companions were being consumed by the Emptiness, but if she abandoned her flight towards the music, it might envelop her as well.

She turned back to Isset, resolute. "Stand up, Isset," she demanded. "We're going to find that music."

The Puppetmaster raised her head, brushing a strand of ebony hair from her face. "I hear it," she said, noticing it for the first time. "Oh, Jinxie, it's beautiful."

She nodded. "I'm going to find its source. It might be a way out of here."

Isset turned her chin upwards, steadying herself on the ground with her hands. Slowly, she rose to her feet, casting a despairing look at Shoki, unmoving and lifeless. The Urghanian woman steadied herself, then responded to Jinxie with a firm nod. Jinxie gave a heavy inward sigh of relief. Isset gathered up her useless automaton and slung it over her shoulder. Together, the two women began moving onwards, towards the music in the distance.

There was no concept of time or its passage, so Jinxie had to measure in terms of steps. One foot in front of the other, over and over again, constantly aware of how terribly vulnerable she was. In this strange place of Emptiness, devoid of her magic, separated from her allies, she had no feasible way to defend herself. She knew Isset possessed some skill in hand-to-hand combat, but always performed in conjunction with the manipulation of her now-dead automaton. She was keenly aware of the murky, indistinct shapes shifting in the distance, and the ominous glowing forms too far off to make out. She knew if she could see them, they could see her as well. One foot in front of the other, she told herself. Find the music.

A sound hit her that was definitely not the soothing, inspirational tones they were following. It was a dry, ragged hiss. A scraping of feral claws against stony ground. A clicking of implements vaguely resembling teeth. A wave of malevolence powerful enough to be felt down to the bone. Jinxie and Isset both shuddered as it swept over them, and the Red Mage's hand sought out the hilt of the slim-bladed sword at her side as they turned. Something had come from the nothing. A monster born of void. A seed of the Empty.

The creature walked on four spindly legs, each clutching the ground with powerful, clawed hooks. Its body was comprised entirely of what Jinxie perceived as one enormous head, surmounted by three hideous domes. Two of them near the top contained a burning, ugly purple light that stared down at the two women as a collection of teeth moved furiously behind what served as the monster's mouth. Jinxie could see a rolling, elongated tongue disgustingly lurking behind the gnarled and twisted roots covering its maw. The monster had a form that looked more like a hollow shell containing the terrible light inside than any real body. It made the same hissing sound they had heard moments before, and there was no doubt that the abomination was coming for them.

"Jinxie," Isset said urgently.

"I see it," she muttered, trying not to make any sudden movements. Underneath her gloves, her knuckles were white over the hilt of her sword. The monster raised its forelegs, and gave a foul, terrifying cry.

"Jinxie!" Isset repeated, this time shouting. Jinxie's sword rang in the stillness as she drew it forth, but the monster was already slamming its crushing claws down upon her. She felt a sudden jolt, and the ground rushed up at her. Isset plowed the slim Red Mage out of her way, escaping the lethal attack. The Puppetmaster rolled to her feet, fists raised and a pair of blunt knuckles slid on over them. The creature jabbed at her, and she deftly guarded the strike. As its bladed appendage rushed past her, she spun swiftly, backhanding the monster. She instantly pulled her hand away, wincing and grasping her arm in pain.

The beast swept her aside with a powerful blow from its foreleg, and the black-haired woman flew through the air. She crashed down hard, and planted her fists to the ground to try and rise. The monster was already turning towards her, and its tongue shot from the revolting mouth like a sword being waved in the air. It stomped on the ground, hissing repeatedly, and then began stalking the Puppetmaster as she tried to rise.

Jinxie wasted no time. With all the force she could muster, she charged forward and stabbed her sword into the creature. It sank in up to the hilt. With a violent yank, she tore the weapon back out again.

Its surface was as clean and polished as ever. There was no blood or viscera to be seen. Jinxie's green eyes went wide as she stared at the spot she had stabbed. Beyond it she could make out a pale, purple glow lurking beneath the surface. Besides that, there was nothing. The creature was completely hollow. As Empty as the world it lived in. Her blow had been ineffectual in all respects except one.

It was now definitely paying attention to her.

Its tongue slapped her across the side, and it felt like one of her ribs broke. She nearly fell to the ground, but managed to hold herself upright and raise her sword in defense. Instinctively, she tried to cast a spell. The failure to raise so much as a spark of magic took her off balance more than anything else. Lashing out again, another blow from the creature took her in the gut, and she sank to her knees from the force. Flailing its tongue wildly, the monster loomed over her, malevolent glowing eyes seething.

The force with which it was blown aside was so startling Jinxie did not even realize it had happened for a moment. One moment the monster was there, the next it was not. As her senses caught up to her, she turned her head toward the sound of it hissing ferociously. A cleave which had nearly rent its side in two now marred its surface. Light poured out from inside of it. The monster clacked its feet on the ground, whip-like tongue striking blindly. It was attempting to hit something, but what exactly, Jinxie could not see.

Without warning, a tear appeared in the monster's leg, and it struck again towards the damaged limb, but connected with nothing. It lurched forward, spinning around to reveal a fresh tear along its back. The wounds being inflicted on it were almost as disturbing as the apparant lack of a source. The creature did not cry out, it did not bleed, it only reacted. It looked like a grotesque doll being ripped apart. Only this one was not staying ripped. Already, the enormous gash on its side had begun sealing itself over again.

There was a surge of movement at Jinxie's side, and she spun around too late to see its source. Moments later, the monster surged its tongue straight out, and Jinxie heard a grunt as a tear simultaneously split the monster's head open. For the first time, the source of the attack stopped long enough to be seen.

Speed released the handle of his amood, the blade sunk deep in the beast's skull. His eyes met the terrible glow with anger as he slid off of its tongue. The Warrior landed on his feet, almost falling, but catching himself as he clutched his hands to his side. The monster had pierced completely through him, and blood was pouring through the armor he wore. The padded and plated mail, called a Jawshan, was almost completely crimson along the left side as Speed's leg gave out beneath him. He sank to one knee, glaring up at the creature with undisguised malice.

"This is why I hate to feel," Speed said through clenched teeth, blood spilling out from his mouth. He coughed weakly, watching as the creature wrapped its tongue around his massive axe. With a swift jerk, it tore the weapon free and tossed it aside. Raising one of its bladed forelegs, it prepared to crush the Warrior into the dirt.

Jinxie felt the familiar rush, recognized the touch of it. Magic was being used.

Something impossibly fast streaked through the air and collided with the monster. It sprayed apart like it had been popped, pieces of it falling in every direction. A quivering, incandescent ball of purple light hung in the air for a moment, and then dispersed into the nothingness.

A sound unlike any other filled Jinxie's ears, and she realized the music had come to her.

Three figures appeared as the light of the monster's core faded. Blinking through the haze, Jinxie picked out the first one almost immediately.

"Xaerus!" She called out, and the blindfolded woman turned to regard her.

"Jinxie," she replied, "you'll forgive me for being late."

"Where did you go? How did you find us? How did you . . . "

Xaerus cut her off with a wave of her hand. "I understand your concerns, Jinxie," she affirmed, "and why you would worry about me in this place. However," her tone darkened noticably. "The atmosphere in this void is not one-tenth the despair you encounter when stepping into Dynamis."

The Mithra stooped over Speed, examining his wound. Her words left Jinxie in stunned silence. The secrets the woman had were frightening to contemplate.

"As for how I found you," she continued, "I first found them. Then they found you."

Jinxie turned to where Xaerus indicated. Just beyond the place where the monster had been destroyed, two strangers stood in silence. One was tall, standing straight and strong, covered from head to toe in a long and flowing robe which concealed any features. The other, standing to his side was a Tarutaru, her height and demeanor in striking contrast to her companion. She smiled warmly, her eyes welcoming behind a pair of gilt spectacles. A roundlet covering her head did not keep a set of twin silver braids from coming into view. What most caught Jinxie's eye, however, was what she was holding.

It was long-stemmed and crafted of a material resembling bone. It gave a radiant glow even in the midst of the lifeless Empty, one which filled Jinxie with warmth simply by looking upon it. The Tarutaru woman held it closely, fingers closed over the shaft in the precise order of a practiced musician. The instrument was engraved with a set of runic symbols Jinxie recognized as representing melody, harmony, tranquility, and above them, an archaic etching of the universal sign for the spellsong.

"Pixel," Xaerus called out, "I require your assistance. Our Warrior is bleeding out."

The kind-faced Tarutaru stepped lightly to Speed’s side. The Urghanian looked through eyes clenched nearly shut in pain as the tiny woman came near. His eyes fell on the horn in her hands as well. He struggled to say something, but only gave a faint cough. The Tarutaru smiled, bringing the instrument to her lips. She took a deep breath, and then began to play.

Jinxie could actually feel each note as they washed over her body. With each chord, her wounds began to heal. The aching in her side dulled. Her head cleared. Tiny aches and pains which had accumulated during the course of travel faded away. As she watched, the bleeding of Speed’s wound staunched itself, and within moments it had sealed over completely. The Warrior’s breathing evened, and he lay in Xaerus’s arms, clinging to consciousness.

“He has lost much blood,” the Tarutaru said, and her speaking voice was as melodic as a song in and of itself. “He’ll need time to rest.”

“Something we have little of,” Xaerus told her.

“Isset!” Jinxie suddenly remembered, but when she turned towards her fallen friend, she had already risen. Cracking her neck and knuckles, the Puppetmaster stretched out her back, looking with wonder at the two newcomers.

“That spellsong was amazing,” Isset marveled, examining her wounded arm. She looked at the Tarutaru with fascination in her dark eyes. “I’ve never heard anything like it from the Bards in the Empire.”

The woman sighed. “I tried to teach them, but . . . well, that’s neither here nor there. I’m happy I could help.” She gave a brief curtsy to the others. “My name is Pixel. We don’t get very many visitors in here.”

“That is the reason I could find my way around here,” Xaerus told Jinxie, pointing towards the horn in Pixel’s hands. “Its magic is overwhelming. It stood out like a beacon. I was led straight to her, and she guided me back to you.”

The Tarutaru smiled. “If only there were more like it,” she mused, “but it is quite one of a kind.”

“Is that was destroyed the monster?” Jinxie asked.


Pixel laughed aloud. “Oh no, dear, no. Gjallrhorn is not used for destruction. Don’t you make that mistake, too.” Jinxie surmised that comment was also the result of something neither here nor there. “That was all his doing, naturally.”

The man in the robe gave no movement or acknowledgment. He only stood, cloaked in shadow, as Pixel smiled.

“What are you two doing in here?” Isset asked, giving voice to the question in Jinxie’s mind. The Puppetmaster stepped forward, scooping Shoki up off the ground where he had fallen.

“Ah,” Pixel began, looking towards her companion. Again, he said nothing, and Pixel gave them an apologetic look.

“Please do not avoid our question,” Xaerus’s voice was unusually forceful, “we cannot leave without answers.”

Again, Pixel only shrugged, her smile barely fading. “The story is not mine to tell, really.”

Xaerus nodded, streams of white hair falling before her blindfolded eyes. “Then, perhaps you will share the tale with us,” she turned towards the robed man, silently watching them all, “General Solaar?”

Jinxie’s breath caught in her throat, and she heard a squeak of shock escape Isset. The man Xaerus identified as none other than Kkel Solaar, the object of their search, remained quiet.

Not waiting for an answer, Jinxie turned towards the robed figure, taking a resolute step towards him. “General Kkel Solaar of the Empire of Aht Urghan,” she said formally, “I have been sent to find you by Prime Minister Razfahd. The continents of Quon and Mindartia have been overrun by demons. The world of Dynamis is bleeding into our own. I sought aid from the Empire to save us, and retrieving you was the price named for that aid.” She dropped her formalities and continued. “Please, General, I don’t know what has happened, but please. Your country needs you, and, and we need your country. Please, Kkel, come back with me.”

Pixel’s smile had faded into one of deepest sympathy. “I don’t think you’ll convince him, dear,” she said softly.

“Why?” Isset shouted out. “Why not?”

The Bard gave a sigh which sounded like birds chirping, and looked hopefully towards Xaerus. “You understand, don’t you?” she asked.

The Mithra nodded, but then added “However, I think it would be best if Kkel explained it himself.”

Pixel turned back to the enigmatic Sunserpant General, a query in her stare. “Would you do that, Kkel? It would make things go faster. I don’t want to hold these nice people up.”

For a long moment, Kkel remained as motionless as ever. Then, from deep underneath his hood, a dry and rasping voice, echoing as if being spoken from within a cave, gave a brief response.

“Very well.”

Something began sliding out from the massive sleeves of Kkel’s robe. As it descended, a pale and gnarled hand with elongated fingers dropped into view, grasping it. When it struck the ground, Jinxie realized it was a staff, twisted and black. Isset shrieked as Kkel took a step forward, rearing to an even greater height. The hood of his robe fell back, and Jinxie’s heart leaped into her throat. Tentacle-like appendages slid down the front of the robe as a pair of slanted eyes of purest blue stared back at the Red Mage. Pixel sighed again, lowering her head as Kkel emerged from the shadows.

She had heard rumors during her time in the Empire, but never seen one up close.

Kkel Solaar was a Soulflayer.