The parting did a number on Xyn. One far greater than he’d expected. A breeding ground for negative emotions was created, and lo and behold, they grew and turned rowdy within him. He recognised their festering and bubbling and quickly sought a distraction. Luckily for him, a perfect one was at hand.

  Right, Drazal, the Fiend of Knowledge.

  Before summoning the phantom, Xyn took one precaution. Done, he plopped down on the couch facing the door.

  "Evaronadavaconasevagonarigtamanastelarosemetra."

  The chant's last syllable had yet to echo before the summoning magic took effect. From a grey dot, it expanded rapidly to a humanoid shape.

  Cynthia had described Drazal and his phantoms as beings composed of shifting shadows; said portrayal aligned with what Xyn was seeing. The ever-flowing streams of grey formed the man's indistinct features. He looked like a noir detective: shirt, trousers, and a twin-tailed trench coat that swayed with a life of its own. A stiff top hat allowed him to break into the six-foot range and smothered his scraggly head of hair.

  From what could be gleaned, his face was plain, that of a middle-aged man. Facial hair was short and neat from his moustache to his beard. His lips were curled up as though it couldn't be any other way, and his eyes were spirals of chaos. He cut an eerie sight, menacing even. As alien as a Stranger, his appearance inspired countless nightmares in others.

  Xyn wasn't afraid.

  True to Cynthia's explanation, the phantom was next to harmless. Xyn need not levy a formal attack; even a fluctuation from his Soul Shroud would dissipate the spectre.

  The Void Prince felt no fear. Still, the other stirred a cocktail of unease and revulsion. It wasn't something Xyn could put his finger on, but his feelings were clear on the one in front of him. Something about Drazal was off, or at the very least, displeasing to his instincts. Notions of a lengthy conversation passed out of the psionic's mind. He would treat the interaction as a simple exchange.

  "Oh, look at what we have here, the Void Prince, in Machaeverosa. So, you were the other transmigrator, excellent. I know my next headline," Drazal's Vetren sounded with an eerie electronic-like distortion.

  Xyn's face scrunched up. "I seek information."

  The phantom paused its gestures at the words, at the tone. He lowered his arms and refocused on Xyn. "As do most who summon me, young psionic. I provide, but not freely. I'll trade you. Information for information. First things first, what information do you seek?"

  "Information about the other transmigrator. Their status, whereabouts and how to reach them, should they be alive."

  "I see. That will cost you, but you can pay it." Drazal mimicked walking to arrive at the opposite couch and sat where Cynthia had previously. "I sent a phantom to the dimensional rift east of here to investigate. There were a number of interesting sights. I take it that massive crater should be the result of a Malconi's Egg, yes?"

  "Yeah."

  "Figured. That region has a story. I'm curious to hear what it is, what happened there and what you've done since arriving in Machaeverosa. Enlighten me on the details, and I'll answer your questions about the other recent arrival."

  "On one condition."

  "Hmm...state it, scion of the Void."

  "You must wait a month before publishing it or spreading it to others."

  The shifting shadows frowned. "A month is a long time. Media outlets thrive on speed. I'd be a failure of a journalist to sit on a story that long."

  The proposed delay was overkill. Using Cynthia's maps, he had calculated that he could, even when dallying, reach the Tower of Ascension in a week - at worst. If he dared to offend the God of Seas and the Lords of the Sky, he could make the trip in under a day. Xyn opted for a month because it was better to be safe than sorry. Until he gained a significant power-up, the Void Prince wasn't keen on meeting any more Radiant Knights.

  After thinking it through, Xyn replied, "You can mention that I've arrived, but don't state where or what I've done. That work for you?"

  "That's better. Still..."

  "You published an article without my permission. Don't journalists usually get consent beforehand?" Xyn posed the rhetorical question. He meant to sound neutral, but his voice echoed with a jagged edge.

  "That is true. Perhaps I should have reached out at the time. No, that would have ruined an ongoing bet. I have twenty Rens on you destroying your home universe. It's not much, but twenty Rens is twenty Rens. If you knew about other worlds existing, there'd be no spiral into despair."

  "A...bet," Xyn said, incredulous. "I am your entertainment?"

  "All of reality is my entertainment, boy. I watch and report. All others act out their roles, whatever they be," the phantom voiced, his opinion sounding with the cheer and innocence of a child.

  The Void Prince shut his eyes and took a breath, pushing down the fury that the other invoked in him. He reminded himself of the spectre's usefulness, chanting it repeatedly to suppress his desire to vanquish the distasteful phantom. His mental tricks worked, and he regained a semblance of rationality.

  "I see. Let's start."

  Xyn summoned the Truth Stone and had it glow.

  His story was told as blandly as possible. No dramatics, just a string of facts, an accounting of events in the order they happened, spoken in a monotone voice. The Void Prince's presentation style didn't seem to bother the ancient Mystic - no, he wore a smile throughout. Questions were asked, and Xyn gave the bare minimum as an answer.

  The ogre, monkey, blood mage, the monster horde, the Radiant Knight, and his time spent in the lodge; all of it was conveyed in less than twenty minutes.

  "...and that concludes my tale."

  "A fine tale, it is. A dragon would sport it and not feel embarrassed. Thank you for sharing."

  Xyn was stone-faced at the phantom's "joke".

  Drazal powered through the non-reaction with a laugh. "I suppose it is my turn to spill the beans."

  "It is."

  "For starters, she is alive and well."

  Xyn marked a pause as he digested the tidbit. "For how long?"

  "If you're questioning her capability, you need not worry. Outside of extremely unlikely possibilities, she won't die any time soon. She, like you, is the peak of her realm. In Manx, only Sov and maybe you could beat her."

  Xyn's eye twitched. "Maybe? Do you believe you have a full scope of what I can do?"

  Drazal made an "ok" gesture and placed the youth's disgruntled face in his handmade scope. "Yes, I do. I've observed you extensively. You use many tricks to obscure the nature of your abilities, but I've seen through them all. If I were a betting man, which I am, I'd put my money on her. Out of a hundred matches to the death, you'd win the first time, but she'd win every other battle, easily."

  Objections jumped his throat and were eager to become sounds. Xyn swallowed them down. Arguing was pointless, and he didn't want to extend the interaction with the Fiend of Knowledge a second longer than he needed to.

  "That's strength, what about survivability?"

  "No worries on that front. Just like you, she's quite inhuman. Sleep, oxygen, food and water are not needed."

  "Tell me more. What realm does she come from?"

  "The Realm of Sacred Elements. She's a rather potent fire user - or rather, the best I've witnessed. Quite the hot head, that one."

  "You met with her already?"

  "Yes. Shortly after she arrived." Drazal sighed. "She seemed pleasant at first, but then blew up at me. Word of warning, she is extremely patriotic. Even hint at the fact that her nation is anything less than perfect, and she'll turn you to ash."

  I doubt you were that subtle about your insult, Xyn thought, believing the other got what he deserved. Frankly, his opinion of the transmigrator rose as a result. Even now, the Void Prince was fighting the urge to purge the despicable shadow. Everything about him irritated Xyn.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  "What else can you tell me?"

  "Anything more about her identity will cost you more than you can pay."

  "Fine, her whereabouts and how to track her down, then."

  "That's easy. A map, if you will."

  Xyn retrieved a map of Manx and laid it out on the table. Drazal had a spec of shadow leave his person and settle on a spot west of the lodge. A quick calculation told Xyn that it was more than a thousand kilometres away.

  "That's where the rift was, and that's where she currently is."

  "But it's been four - no, five days."

  Dazal chuckled. "Yes, it has, hasn't it, ahaha..."

  "What's so funny?" The question was laced with rising anger.

  "Our dear transmigrator. Her actions since coming to this realm. She's like a cat that chases its tail. No, she's even more pitiful. She'll remain in that spiral for as long as she can. If you question her about it, she'll be unable to answer honestly. A walking tragedy, that one."

  Xyn, if he weren't certain beforehand, would be pushed to certainty now. The ancient Karma user had gotten what he deserved.

  You know what, fuck this.

  Snapping, Xyn unleashed a Void Cut. The spatial distortion beheaded the phantom, and the shadows making him up began dissipating.

  "Ah, you two are really alike. Let's chat another time. I'm off to Universe 6. Those Grand Elders must be defecating themselves right now. Oh, one last thing. Since you have a little credit, I'll give you this tidbit. The one who leaked your identity was..."

  The phantom timed his sentence perfectly and evaporated before another word could be spoken. The last thing Xyn saw was the beginning of what would be cackling laughter.

  He really is a despicable bastard. I didn't think the Thenian Gods could be topped, but he's managed it. Drazal. You've made my list. Just wait.

  Hot with emotion, Xyn leapt from his seat.

  A quick analysis of his two vessels revealed no difference. The theory that Drazal siphoned something important from those who summoned him was dispelled.

  No, he did take my time, the bastard. Well, it could end up being worth it.

  Nodding to himself, the Void Prince got moving. He had stayed idle long enough. Out the door in a blink, he stored away his lodge and headed west.

  Towards the other transmigrator.

  ***

  The parting did a number on Xyn. One far greater than he’d expected. A breeding ground for negative emotions was created, and lo and behold, they grew and turned rowdy within him. He recognised their festering and bubbling and quickly sought a distraction. Luckily for him, a perfect one was at hand.

  Right, Drazal, the Fiend of Knowledge.

  Before summoning the phantom, Xyn took one precaution. Done, he plopped down on the couch facing the door.

  "Evaronadavaconasevagonarigtamanastelarosemetra."

  The chant's last syllable had yet to echo before the summoning magic took effect. From a grey dot, it expanded rapidly to a humanoid shape.

  Cynthia had described Drazal and his phantoms as beings composed of shifting shadows; said portrayal aligned with what Xyn was seeing. The ever-flowing streams of grey formed the man's indistinct features. He looked like a noir detective: shirt, trousers, and a twin-tailed trench coat that swayed with a life of its own. A stiff top hat allowed him to break into the six-foot range and smothered his scraggly head of hair.

  From what could be gleaned, his face was plain, that of a middle-aged man. Facial hair was short and neat from his moustache to his beard. His lips were curled up as though it couldn't be any other way, and his eyes were spirals of chaos. He cut an eerie sight, menacing even. As alien as a Stranger, his appearance inspired countless nightmares in others.

  Xyn wasn't afraid.

  True to Cynthia's explanation, the phantom was next to harmless. Xyn need not levy a formal attack; even a fluctuation from his Soul Shroud would dissipate the spectre.

  The Void Prince felt no fear. Still, the other stirred a cocktail of unease and revulsion. It wasn't something Xyn could put his finger on, but his feelings were clear on the one in front of him. Something about Drazal was off, or at the very least, displeasing to his instincts. Notions of a lengthy conversation passed out of the psionic's mind. He would treat the interaction as a simple exchange.

  "Oh, look at what we have here, the Void Prince, in Machaeverosa. So, you were the other transmigrator, excellent. I know my next headline," Drazal's Vetren sounded with an eerie electronic-like distortion.

  Xyn's face scrunched up. "I seek information."

  The phantom paused its gestures at the words, at the tone. He lowered his arms and refocused on Xyn. "As do most who summon me, young psionic. I provide, but not freely. I'll trade you. Information for information. First things first, what information do you seek?"

  "Information about the other transmigrator. Their status, whereabouts and how to reach them, should they be alive."

  "I see. That will cost you, but you can pay it." Drazal mimicked walking to arrive at the opposite couch and sat where Cynthia had previously. "I sent a phantom to the dimensional rift east of here to investigate. There were a number of interesting sights. I take it that massive crater should be the result of a Malconi's Egg, yes?"

  "Yeah."

  "Figured. That region has a story. I'm curious to hear what it is, what happened there and what you've done since arriving in Machaeverosa. Enlighten me on the details, and I'll answer your questions about the other recent arrival."

  "On one condition."

  "Hmm...state it, scion of the Void."

  "You must wait a month before publishing it or spreading it to others."

  The shifting shadows frowned. "A month is a long time. Media outlets thrive on speed. I'd be a failure of a journalist to sit on a story that long."

  The proposed delay was overkill. Using Cynthia's maps, he had calculated that he could, even when dallying, reach the Tower of Ascension in a week - at worst. If he dared to offend the God of Seas and the Lords of the Sky, he could make the trip in under a day. Xyn opted for a month because it was better to be safe than sorry. Until he gained a significant power-up, the Void Prince wasn't keen on meeting any more Radiant Knights.

  After thinking it through, Xyn replied, "You can mention that I've arrived, but don't state where or what I've done. That work for you?"

  "That's better. Still..."

  "You published an article without my permission. Don't journalists usually get consent beforehand?" Xyn posed the rhetorical question. He meant to sound neutral, but his voice echoed with a jagged edge.

  "That is true. Perhaps I should have reached out at the time. No, that would have ruined an ongoing bet. I have twenty Rens on you destroying your home universe. It's not much, but twenty Rens is twenty Rens. If you knew about other worlds existing, there'd be no spiral into despair."

  "A...bet," Xyn said, incredulous. "I am your entertainment?"

  "All of reality is my entertainment, boy. I watch and report. All others act out their roles, whatever they be," the phantom voiced, his opinion sounding with the cheer and innocence of a child.

  The Void Prince shut his eyes and took a breath, pushing down the fury that the other invoked in him. He reminded himself of the spectre's usefulness, chanting it repeatedly to suppress his desire to vanquish the distasteful phantom. His mental tricks worked, and he regained a semblance of rationality.

  "I see. Let's start."

  Xyn summoned the Truth Stone and had it glow.

  His story was told as blandly as possible. No dramatics, just a string of facts, an accounting of events in the order they happened, spoken in a monotone voice. The Void Prince's presentation style didn't seem to bother the ancient Mystic - no, he wore a smile throughout. Questions were asked, and Xyn gave the bare minimum as an answer.

  The ogre, monkey, blood mage, the monster horde, the Radiant Knight, and his time spent in the lodge; all of it was conveyed in less than twenty minutes.

  "...and that concludes my tale."

  "A fine tale, it is. A dragon would sport it and not feel embarrassed. Thank you for sharing."

  Xyn was stone-faced at the phantom's "joke".

  Drazal powered through the non-reaction with a laugh. "I suppose it is my turn to spill the beans."

  "It is."

  "For starters, she is alive and well."

  Xyn marked a pause as he digested the tidbit. "For how long?"

  "If you're questioning her capability, you need not worry. Outside of extremely unlikely possibilities, she won't die any time soon. She, like you, is the peak of her realm. In Manx, only Sov and maybe you could beat her."

  Xyn's eye twitched. "Maybe? Do you believe you have a full scope of what I can do?"

  Drazal made an "ok" gesture and placed the youth's disgruntled face in his handmade scope. "Yes, I do. I've observed you extensively. You use many tricks to obscure the nature of your abilities, but I've seen through them all. If I were a betting man, which I am, I'd put my money on her. Out of a hundred matches to the death, you'd win the first time, but she'd win every other battle, easily."

  Objections jumped his throat and were eager to become sounds. Xyn swallowed them down. Arguing was pointless, and he didn't want to extend the interaction with the Fiend of Knowledge a second longer than he needed to.

  "That's strength, what about survivability?"

  "No worries on that front. Just like you, she's quite inhuman. Sleep, oxygen, food and water are not needed."

  "Tell me more. What realm does she come from?"

  "The Realm of Sacred Elements. She's a rather potent fire user - or rather, the best I've witnessed. Quite the hot head, that one."

  "You met with her already?"

  "Yes. Shortly after she arrived." Drazal sighed. "She seemed pleasant at first, but then blew up at me. Word of warning, she is extremely patriotic. Even hint at the fact that her nation is anything less than perfect, and she'll turn you to ash."

  I doubt you were that subtle about your insult, Xyn thought, believing the other got what he deserved. Frankly, his opinion of the transmigrator rose as a result. Even now, the Void Prince was fighting the urge to purge the despicable shadow. Everything about him irritated Xyn.

  "What else can you tell me?"

  "Anything more about her identity will cost you more than you can pay."

  "Fine, her whereabouts and how to track her down, then."

  "That's easy. A map, if you will."

  Xyn retrieved a map of Manx and laid it out on the table. Drazal had a spec of shadow leave his person and settle on a spot west of the lodge. A quick calculation told Xyn that it was more than a thousand kilometres away.

  "That's where the rift was, and that's where she currently is."

  "But it's been four - no, five days."

  Dazal chuckled. "Yes, it has, hasn't it, ahaha..."

  "What's so funny?" The question was laced with rising anger.

  "Our dear transmigrator. Her actions since coming to this realm. She's like a cat that chases its tail. No, she's even more pitiful. She'll remain in that spiral for as long as she can. If you question her about it, she'll be unable to answer honestly. A walking tragedy, that one."

  Xyn, if he weren't certain beforehand, would be pushed to certainty now. The ancient Karma user had gotten what he deserved.

  You know what, fuck this.

  Snapping, Xyn unleashed a Void Cut. The spatial distortion beheaded the phantom, and the shadows making him up began dissipating.

  "Ah, you two are really alike. Let's chat another time. I'm off to Universe 6. Those Grand Elders must be defecating themselves right now. Oh, one last thing. Since you have a little credit, I'll give you this tidbit. The one who leaked your identity was..."

  The phantom timed his sentence perfectly and evaporated before another word could be spoken. The last thing Xyn saw was the beginning of what would be cackling laughter.

  He really is a despicable bastard. I didn't think the Thenian Gods could be topped, but he's managed it. Drazal. You've made my list. Just wait.

  Hot with emotion, Xyn leapt from his seat.

  A quick analysis of his two vessels revealed no difference. The theory that Drazal siphoned something important from those who summoned him was dispelled.

  No, he did take my time, the bastard. Well, it could end up being worth it.

  Nodding to himself, the Void Prince got moving. He had stayed idle long enough. Out the door in a blink, he stored away his lodge and headed west.

  Towards the other transmigrator.

  ***