Justin headed out into the main temple square, keeping Atlas in his ring for now. The construct would make him stick out like a sore thumb.

  But first, he had a disguise to craft.

  He ducked into a shadowed alcove between two pillars and activated his Ring of Hygiene, focusing on a radically different appearance. The ring’s description had always been intriguing: “Become groomed to your exact specifications.”

  And he’d never truly tested its limits...

  He concentrated on long, flowing hair that would cascade past his shoulders, completely unlike his usual neat, professional style. As the ring’s magic took effect, he felt his hair growing and reshaping itself, becoming lustrous and full. He also adjusted his facial hair, growing a well-groomed beard that changed the shape of his face significantly.

  When the transformation was complete, he retrieved a small pocket mirror, smiling in satisfaction. He was like a different person entirely. Where before he’d appeared as a dapper gentleman with precise grooming, now he looked like some sort of mystic with flowing locks and a distinguished beard.

  “Not bad,” he murmured, running his fingers through the unfamiliar length of amber hair. “If anyone asks, I’m most definitely not that clean-shaven fellow who disappeared two months ago.”

  He pulled his hat back on, though now it sat differently on his head with all the hair. The disguise wouldn’t fool anyone taking a very close look; after all, humans were practically unknown here, but with the hair hiding his ears, he might pass for an elf, especially given the late hour. It might be enough to buy him precious seconds if someone only caught a glimpse of him.

  Night had fallen, and the lights of the fiery city illuminated the distance, painting the darkness in shades of amber and crimson. Lava flows carved brilliant paths through the volcanic terrain like molten rivers.

  He was grateful for his heat resistance ring. Despite the late hour, the molten rock flowing around the square radiated an almost unreal level of heat, making the air shimmer and dance.

  Now came the tricky part: getting out of here without tipping off Ashralok that he was coming. She probably had people watching for him.

  For now, things were quiet. There was no real alternative route back to the main city, so he walked across the main bridge, making it across without difficulty. For good measure, he stowed his cane inside his pack, knowing it might be something the Fyrspawn were looking for. He also pulled his hat lower to obscure his features, knowing it wouldn’t do much good against careful scrutiny.

  He found a nearby statue depicting an ancient fire warrior, hiding in its carved shadow until the cooldown for Elemental Affinity refreshed. Once available, he activated it.

  More than anything, he wanted people to leave him alone. And he had just the Affinity to try for that.

  [You have adopted Morvath’s Aspect. You exude a cold, unnerving aura that taps into the fear of mortality. The living are more susceptible to your Intimidation attempts and Fear-based skills and spells.]

  Justin didn’t feel much different, just a sort of cold calculation. If anyone tried to talk to him, his Affinity, combined with his Charisma, should be enough to get most people to back down. He wasn’t above using any tool, especially if it meant getting back to Eyrth and the others.

  He began his trek between the high, pointed obsidian towers that dominated the city’s skyline.

  He walked quickly, with purpose but not panic. Every step was measured, confident. Passing Fyrspawn glanced at him a few times, but he never slowed down, keeping his pace just short of jogging. If anything, people seemed to get out of his way, some even slinking back into buildings. His Morvath’s Aspect was working, creating an aura of unease that the Fyrspawn instinctively avoided. He worried that he was causing something of a scene, but as long as he made his way without impediment, he wasn’t complaining.

  Within half an hour, he had reached the gate through which he had first entered the city. It had been surprisingly easy. So far.

  As he passed through the gate, a guard stopped him. “Halt!”

  Justin closed his eyes. So close.

  He turned around deliberately, letting the full weight of Morvath’s Aspect settle around him like a shroud. His smile was cold and predatory. “Is there a problem here, gate guardian?”

  The guard, a male with deep red flames flickering around his form, took a step back. His flames dimmed as he met Justin’s gaze. “You’re... you’re the one, aren’t you?”

  “Which one?” Justin asked, his voice carrying an edge. He tilted his head, letting his long hair shift with the movement. “I’m many things to many people. Most find it… unsettling.”

  The guard’s flames lowered, confusion and fear warring in his expression. “Wait... no. You’re not him. The missing stranger had short hair. Clean-shaven. A cane.” He scrutinized Justin more carefully, though he seemed reluctant to look at him. “But there’s something about you... something wrong.”

  Justin stroked his new beard thoughtfully, letting silence stretch. When he spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper, yet somehow it carried perfectly. “Wrong? That’s a matter of perspective, isn’t it? Tell me, guardian. Do you enjoy your post? Standing here, night after night, watching for threats that may never come?”

  The Fyrspawn’s flames were hardly more than embers now. “I... yes, it’s my duty...”

  “Duty.” Justin’s smile widened, showing teeth. “How admirable. Tell me, when was the last time you felt truly alive? When death whispered close enough to remind you what you had to lose?”

  The guard’s flames were trembling now, his innate fire magic struggling against Justin’s very presence. “I... I don’t understand...”

  “Of course you don’t.” Justin stepped closer, and the guard flinched. “You will, though. We all do, eventually. The question is whether you’ll remember our conversation when that time comes. You won’t remember it. Will you? And if anyone asks… it was just a strange elf coming to pray to the goddess.”

  “I...” The guard’s voice cracked. “You can go. Just... just go.”

  Justin’s smile softened into something almost gentle. “Thank you for your understanding.” He turned to leave, then paused. “Oh, and guardian? Perhaps take up a hobby. Life is so much shorter than you think. It’s here to be enjoyed… while it lasts.”

  He walked away without looking back. He was not accosted.

  Once he was well out of sight, Justin let out a breath. The encounter had gone better than expected. Fear was often more effective than deception, especially when dealing with those who already lived in a world of supernatural threats.

  His Ring of Hygiene’s disguise had helped, but it was the death-touched aura that had truly sealed the deal. The guard wouldn’t soon forget this encounter, but he’d be too shaken to think clearly about what had happened. Or so Justin hoped.

  Now came the real challenge: getting to Charr without running into any of Ashralok’s people. People who might be more resistant to intimidation than a simple gate guard.

  Justin kept the Affinity up over the next couple of days. He half-ran, half-walked the whole distance, his stamina surprisingly robust given his boosted Endurance attribute. The deathly aura made his journey peaceful—even wild animals and monsters seemed to sense something unnatural about him and gave him a wide berth. Not an effect he had been expecting, but this would definitely be useful for the future.

  By the evening of the second day, he rounded the bend that led down into the canyon, where in the distance he could spy Charr hugging the cliffsides. The familiar sight filled him with both relief and apprehension.

  Rather than directly approaching the settlement and risking the news getting back to Ashralok, he instead found shelter in a shallow cave on the other side of the gatehouse, swapping Affinities for Elea’s Whisper. Better to test the waters first.

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  Emberlyn... it’s Justin. Are you there?

  The response was instant, filled with shock. Justin Talemaker? The entire realm is looking for you! Where have you been? How is it you’re speaking to me like this?

  Justin realized he had never told Emberlyn about Elea’s Whisper. Never mind that for now. I just need to know what happened to Eldrin and Lila. Are they still here?

  No, Emberlyn replied, her mental voice heavy with concern. I took them to the gate. That was almost two months ago, though. Justin, what happened? We thought you were dead!

  I almost was. I... may have been responsible for releasing Ashralok, for better or for worse. I merely wanted to confirm what happened to Eldrin and Lila before heading back to find them.

  Wait! You can’t leave now. It’s storm season. Trying to get to the gate now is suicide.

  Be that as it may, I still have to try. I’m not safe here anymore, Emberlyn. Ashralok knows I’m back by now, and we are not on the best of terms. I may return someday, though. I got my advanced class—the Entrepreneur. I may be starting a business, but to be frank, it may be a while before we see each other again.

  Justin, I can’t let you try to cross the desert alone. Listen to me. You will not find your way, even with that gate key of yours. The storms this season are unlike anything I’ve seen. It seems they’re responding to the goddess’s return.

  I have to try, Emberlyn. I’m serious about this. I can’t stay a day longer than I have to.

  There was a moment’s pause, and finally, a sort of reluctant acceptance came through the connection.

  Very well. It’s late now. My home is near the gate, the one we used to leave for Pyrelith. It’s accessible from the first cave you come to.

  Justin looked around, studying the cave entrance more carefully. I... think I’m already there, actually.

  The connection went silent, and a moment later, a section of the cave wall that he’d taken for natural rock slid open with a soft grinding sound, revealing Emberlyn standing in the opening. Her flames burned brighter than usual, betraying her emotional state.

  “By Ashralok’s fire,” she breathed. “I hardly recognized you with that hair!”

  “A necessary disguise,” Justin said.

  She nodded toward the door. “Get inside, then. And you owe me an explanation if you want my help.”

  Looking around the darkening canyon, Justin saw he had little choice, at least for now. He needed to understand the nature of these storms, even if he wasn’t entirely sure he could trust Emberlyn’s loyalties, knowing her deep devotion to Ashralok. But for now, he believed it was safe enough. He followed her inside her home.

  Emberlyn’s home carved itself into the rock of the canyon wall. The main room was larger than Justin had expected from the modest entrance, with smooth walls that curved organically, as if shaped by fire rather than tools. Glowing crystals embedded in the ceiling provided soft, warm light, while carved channels in the walls featured low-burning flames.

  The space was sparse but functional. A low table made of polished obsidian dominated the center, surrounded by thick cushions. They looked like they should catch fire, but Justin had learned that the Fyrspawns’ flames were never deadly unless they intended them to be.

  Along one wall, shelves held an impressive collection of staves. A small alcove contained some clay tablets, which the Fyrspawn used in place of books.

  “Thankfully, you don’t have to worry about conversation with anyone else,” Emberlyn said, noting his curious gaze. “I prefer my solitude.”

  Justin nodded in relief.

  She gestured for him to sit as she moved to a recessed cooking area, where a pot of something rich and aromatic bubbled over a controlled flame. The scent hit him—spicy, complex, with notes of peppers that made his eyes water slightly, even from a distance.

  “I’m glad you can handle spice,” she said, ladling a generous portion into a bowl. “It’s all I know how to make.”

  Justin accepted the bowl gratefully, the heat from the ceramic warming his hands. As he took his first tentative spoonful, Emberlyn settled across from him, her own bowl steaming in her hands.

  “Now,” she said, fixing him with an expectant look. “I’ve fed you, given you shelter. It’s time for your explanation.”

  Justin paused, considering. “Before I tell you anything, I need you to agree to something. A Gentleman’s Agreement that you won’t betray a word of my presence or what I tell you to anyone.”

  Emberlyn’s flames flickered with surprise. “You don’t trust me?”

  “I’m sorry,” Justin said. “It’s not personal. But I need to be safe, and this is too important.”

  She studied him for a long moment, then nodded slowly. “Very well. But if I’m agreeing to such secrecy, you leave nothing out. I want to know everything that happened. And I want the agreement to end as soon as you’re through the gate. I don’t want to end up with a situation where I’m being tortured or something and I’m still not allowed to say anything, even if you’ve gotten away safely.”

  “That’s fair,” Justin said. “Let me set it up...”

  [A Gentleman’s Agreement has been proposed! Nature of the agreement: Contract.]

  [Emberlyn agrees to maintain complete secrecy about Justin’s presence and all information shared during this evening. No details may be revealed to any party, through any means—magical, physical, or otherwise—until Justin passes through the gate connecting Solanis to Eyrth. Upon his passage, this agreement dissolves automatically. In exchange, Justin agrees to share a complete and truthful account of his recent experiences, withholding no significant details. This agreement has been vouchsafed by the Creator Himself.]

  “Agreed,” Justin said.

  “Same,” Emberlyn said.

  [This Gentleman’s Agreement is now active!]

  “All right,” Emberlyn said. “Tell me everything.”

  Justin took a breath and began. He told her how the path of amber flames led him into the volcano cone, how he couldn’t get back, and how he passed through the Nether Gate. Then he detailed his discovery of Ashralok’s imprisonment and their bargain, where Justin had outsmarted her. Unfortunately, there was no way to keep the Prismatic Core or the Sapphire Star out of the explanation, since they were significant details, but it was hard to see how Justin could have worked that into the contract. It probably wouldn’t matter anyway. The only person Emberlyn might betray him to was Ashralok herself, and Ashralok already knew about the core and the Star.

  He then went on to explain the escape from the Nether Realm with Ashralok, along with the goddess’s strange, fickle behavior. He then explained her gift of the class cores and how he had selected Merchant to create the Entrepreneur class, made possible only because of his Prismatic Core. He explained the time dilation—how his two days in the Nether Realm had somehow stretched to two months outside of it.

  Through it all, Emberlyn listened without interruption. Her flames shifted in color and intensity to match her emotions.

  When he finished, she sat back, trying to process everything. He felt surprisingly exposed, but the Agreement would at least keep him safe from her saying anything until he left Solanis.

  “Ashralok was bound by these Seven Founders and Vorthak himself,” she mused. “And you just... negotiated with her?”

  “I had something she wanted,” Justin said.

  Emberlyn’s flames danced with amusement. “Indeed you did. The detail that she’s Level 70 is an interesting one. Of course, our legends say she started like one of us. All that about gods and Prismatic Cores is interesting, too. That’s not common knowledge, and it was a rare privilege for you to interact with her.”

  Justin wasn’t so sure about that, but he couldn’t deny Ashralok had been a good source of information. However, he wanted to avoid her if at all possible.

  “And the Nether Gate was a surprise, too,” Emberlyn added. “I would have never guessed it was there. And that gate key of yours, being an Ascendant Artifact… it explains why you could detect it where no one else could.”

  “Seems like it. How are things here? What’s changed?”

  Emberlyn stared into her bowl for a moment. “Having Ashralok back is... a mixed blessing, Justin. The realm celebrates her return, yes, but there’s chaos too. She’s already consolidating power, making moves to expand the realm’s territory. We are among the weakest of the Fire Realms, but with the goddess leading us? Times are changing now.”

  Justin felt a chill that had nothing to do with the cave’s cool air. “You think it’s serious?”

  “War is on the horizon, most likely. Or at least a significant power grab. I doubt she’s the type to keep the status quo. Not after being imprisoned for millennia by her own husband.”

  “So, is he walking around Solanis, too? I had the impression he was in the Ether Realm.”

  “That’s what they say. But if Ashralok starts causing too much of a stir, we might see two gods duking it out.” She watched him closely. “As I said, we must rejoice at her return, but it’s hard to do so knowing what’s coming.”

  They ate in contemplative silence for a while. Finally, as the evening grew late, Emberlyn spoke again.

  “So, you mentioned getting off Solanis, which is a wise plan. The way we came in, through the desert, is no longer tenable. But there’s a side canyon, the same one I found you in.”

  “Karash Canyon,” Justin said, remembering.

  Emberlyn nodded. “It branches off from here and can get you most of the way to the gate without crossing the open desert.”

  “Why do I sense there’s a catch?”

  “Because there is. It’s dangerous—filled with monsters and unstable terrain. Though Fyrspawn adventurers sometimes go there to seek out Vaults.”

  “I encountered a Vault Mimic down there. Tough little bugger.”

  “Exactly. Karash Canyon is where that came from. It’s a place to survive, not to live.” She met his eyes. “I can lead you partway, but there comes a point where I’ll have to turn back. The deeper parts...” She shook her head. “You’ll be on your own. Eventually, as long as you stay in the main part and don’t lose your way, you should come to that spot where I found you. From there, you can wait for a lull in the storm and navigate using the Sapphire Star.”

  Justin nodded. “It’s better than sitting here waiting for Ashralok’s people to find me.”

  “Then we leave at dawn,” Emberlyn said.

  They spent the remaining evening in quiet preparation. Emberlyn checked her gear while Justin reviewed his supplies and mental preparations. There was still a fair amount of Eldrin’s potions, which was nice for a bit of healing, but there was only one ether crystal left for Atlas. Justin was glad he had kept him in the ring, only retrieving him at night to sleep. Assuming they got back to Zanthera, it shouldn’t be difficult to get more.

  At least now he had a path forward. There was a sense of excitement at getting off Solanis. He’d never intended to stay here so long, but it was good to be going back.

  And, hopefully, he could link up with Eldrin and Lila. There was the Nexus, of course, though unfortunately, Eldrin had access to the clay tablets given by Pyra. It wasn’t a huge loss since he figured catching up wouldn’t be too difficult.

  He wasn’t sure if he should risk the Mont Elea Gate, after what Pyra had said about the enchanted door, but it was the only way he knew to catch up without it taking a couple of months. It was either that or truly going it alone.

  As he settled onto the cushions Emberlyn provided, Justin stared at the flame channels in the walls, their hypnotic dance almost meditative. Tomorrow, he would begin the journey back to his companions. Tonight, for the first time in what felt like forever, he would sleep safely.

  Even if that safety was temporary.