Book 5, chapter 5

Lord Mellic held out a hand, one that had the rough calluses of an experienced close-combat fighter. "Just call me Mellic, the whole lord thing gets so tedious," He said with a warm smile. 

The tall thin man gave off no aura at all, but his presence was so solid. He gave off a similar feeling of strength to her grandpa, his mere presence seeming to grab her attention.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mellic, I'm Zee, and this is my boyfriend Bastion," Zee said.

Mellic smiled, an expression that made her relax on instinct.

"I hear you have been through a lot over the last few years. I would like to talk with you, and if you are willing, use my expertise to help you," Mellic replied, in a calm voice.

"Help me? What do you mean by that," Zee asked warily.

"That is fairly straightforward. I would simply like to talk with you for now. And later, If you are willing, I would like to have several discussions with you in private," Mellic replied smoothly. 

Zee hesitated, glancing from the man's kindly smile to her mother who was giving her a look of encouragement. 

"I suppose talking couldn't hurt. Would you join us for tea," Zee asked, gesturing to several empty lawn chairs.

They made idle chatter for a few hours before Mellic met Cylia and Alister alone in the kitchen. 

"What do you think," Cylia asked. 

"Her mind is so strange, it's like there are multiple consciousnesses in there. I couldn't get in at all without being detected," Mellic said.

"She has two spirit companions, could that be the cause," Cylia asked.

Mellic ran a hand through his long brown hair. "Maybe.. I have worked with others who have more than one companion, and the resistance has never been even close to this. There is something in there that gives me the creeps. It disturbs me on a level I can't explain," Mellic replied. 

"Perhaps you should tell her about your gift. If she removed the mental defences that could help," Cylia offered. 

Mellic sighed. "We might not have a choice. I get the feeling that if I try to break in, it will not end well for me," Mellic replied. 

Later, Zee and Mellic met alone in one of the sitting rooms.

Mellic sat across from her in a plush armchair, his hands clasped in front of him. 

"Zee, how much do you know about psionics, or mentalists," Mellic asked.

"Enough to know how to protect myself from unwanted snooping," Zee said, sitting back in her chair. 

Mellic winced. "I didn't mean to invade your privacy. I merely wish to understand what I am working with," Mellic replied apologetically. 

Zee let out a tired exhale. "I know, that's why I am not mad. Plus, Mom and Dad trust you, so, I will at least hear you out," Zee replied. 

He sat back in his chair and smiled. "And that's all I ask. Part of what I do is sift through your surface thoughts while I ask you questions. It helps me get a sense of where the trauma lies, and how I can best help," Mellic explained. 

"You could invade my mind if you wanted," Zee said, more of a statement than a question.

Mellic sighed," Yes, I could, but I won't. That kind of brute force would damage your mind, and might even kill you," Mellic replied. 

"That is terrifying," Zee said, more than a little disturbed.

He only smiled. "That begs the question, how is your mental defense so strong," Mellic asked, in a deft change of subject. 

"That's hard to explain. It's a combination of a lot of things, but mostly it's because I need to protect myself from the two beings in my mind," Zee said.

"You're spirit companions," He asked. 

"Ya, Dern, and Kur Zul," Zee said.

"Tell me about them, the relationship sounds antagonistic," He said.

"You are not wrong. We have come to an agreement, but that was not always the case," Zee said.

"Which one did you meet first," Mellic asked.

"That would be Dern. He has been with me for almost five years now," Zee replied.

"And how did you meet," He asked.

"When I was in the Null, he latched himself onto me. In the next few minutes, we were falling from the sky, and he helped me survive," Zee replied. She could feel him probing her mind, but she didn't block him out this time.

Mellic looked a bit confused. "I feel as though I am missing some context. How about we go back to the start? Tell me what happened, how did you go missing," Mellic asked. 

Zee took a deep breath and started talking.

"During the eclipse, it was my sixteenth birthday. I was hoping I could get a rare class if I went out and touched the world fragment, so I snuck out of the house. 

Turns out, I was right, but I was also an idiot. When I touched the world fragment, something bad happened though I still don't know what that is. My medallion tried to pull me to safety but failed due to the energy around me." 

From there, she explained it as best she could remember, from fearing she was about to die to the chilling screams in the Null. For hours she talked, with Mellic interrupting to ask questions. It was invasive, but she had to admit, he knew just the right questions to ask.

"You say that you feel guilty for betraying Stella, why? She betrayed you first, leaving you to die at the bridge," Mellic said reasonably.. 

She exhaled, looking down at her feet.

"I don't know. I can rationalize it all I want, but in the end, I betrayed and killed her. She trusted me, and I broke that trust by stabbing her in the neck," Zee said.

Mellic hummed thoughtfully. "Tell me more about Allison. Why did you side with her a complete stranger over someone you already knew," He asked.

Zee inhaled sharply, as waves of repressed guilt washed through her. "Even if she was an enemy, she spared my life. Instead of threats, Allison offered a way off the world and way home,"

"I see. Did you ever find out what happened to Tammy and Nara," Mellic asked. 

"They were released back to ducal in the prisoner exchange," Zee said.

"And the other members of your squad like Henry, and Dale. Do you hold yourself responsible for their deaths," Mellic asked. 

Zee took a deep shuddering breath.

"I might not have dealt the killing blow, but I am the reason they died. I still think about that sometimes. If I hadn't warned Allison about the assault on the supply depot, Clarance wouldn't have been there," Zee said.

Mellic scribbled on his notepad, before standing.

"Let's take a break, we can continue after dinner if you are up for it," Mellic said with a warm smile. 

Zee stood, feeling lighter somehow. He hadn't offered any advice just questions and yet the weight on her shoulders had lessened, if only a little. 

"I would love something to eat, I'm famished," Zee said.

As it turned out, Bastion and her mother had a cooking competition while they were talking. The table was piled high with roasted bird, grilled fish, and delicious-looking pastries. 

As they walked into the kitchen, Zee caught a glimpse of her dad snatching a freshly decorated cupcake from the counter when her mom wasn't looking. 

She met his eyes, and mouthed, "Get me one too," 

Her dad grinned mischievously. He leaned forward and kissed Cylia on the left cheek.

Her mother turned to the left, just as her dad snatched a second cupcake on her right side.

As smooth as can be, he slipped away, with her mom not noticing just yet. Taking a seat at the table, she took her prize as he passed. 

She took a bite of the cupcake, just and her mom realized something was amiss.

"Hey, who stole a cupcake!" Cylia said, whirling.

Zee quickly put the rest of the cupcake in her mouth hiding the evidence.

Her dad adopted a look of pure innocence, which was ruined by the icing on his lips.

"I have no idea," Alister said. "Zee, did you see who took them," 

Still chewing on a mouthful of cake, Zee shook her head.

"Nope," Zee said. 

Mellic, who was sitting next to her did his best not to laugh. 

Mellic stayed at the family estate for most of the week. Considering his busy schedule, and how valuable his time was, that was already much longer than she expected.

They had talked about a lot. It was strange. All they had done was talk, and yet, that had helped her come to terms with some of the things she had done. 

He hadn't said it was good or bad, he had just helped her accept some of the decisions she made. 

She had still done all those horrible things, but now, she felt a lot lighter. 

She still had a lot of things she needed to work through, but this was a step in the right direction.

It was mid-morning, and they were enjoying a cup of night-bloom tea in the shade of the backyard.

"You are leaving today," Zee asked. 

Mellic nodded. "I must return home to get some family affairs in order," Mellic replied. 

"Thank you for all your help," Zee said, genuinely thankful.

He smiled. "It has been my pleasure. Your situation has been a learning experience for me," Mellic replied.

"I can only imagine. Meeting Dern, and Kur Zul can be a bit much," Zee said.

He laughed. "No kidding. It's no wonder your mental defenses are so strong," Mellic replied.

"Will I see you again," Zee asked

"Of course. We can do a follow-up meeting next month. I recognize that you will be in the academy during that time, so it might be a bit inconvenient," Mellic said.

"I will make some time. Even if I have classes, they can wait," Zee said.

Mellic smiled. "There is only a week until the next semester in the academy. I would suggest you use that to relax and stabilize your mind. Think about everything we have discussed. Hang out with your friends, and family. You have been pushing yourself too hard over the last five years. If you don't want to push until you break, then you need rest," Mellic advised. 

Zee set down her steaming cup of tea," Thank you, I will do that," Zee said. 

He stood and offered a hand. Zee took him into a hug instead.

"Until next time, take care of yourself," Mellic said, patting her gently on the back.

"You as well," Zee said.

Over the next week, she did exactly what he suggested. She hung out with Bastion and her parents, all the while, showing Bastion around the farm.

Never once did she pick up her sword. It stayed on the peg at the front door, waiting patiently for her to pick it up again.

And that day came faster than expected. 

She only had one thing left to do before she left for the academy. Submerged up to her neck in a medicinal bath, in her dad's cultivation chamber, Zee put a small thumb-sized cherry in her mouth.

The magna cherry was sweet and savory at first, but the moment it hit her stomach, there was a flash of warmth.

The energy-packed herbal liquid in the tub was sucked dry in a few seconds, and a vortex filled the air above her head.

The dense energy in the cultivation chamber was dragged inside. Her body was like a black hole, dragging in enough energy to kill most E-grade cultivators ten times over.

Still, that wasn't enough to drain all of the energy in the chamber, as it was designed to suit someone in the D grade. Zee wasn't to startled. When she evolved the ever-burning flame to the heart of fire, it consumed a scary amount of energy.

And she was assuming that awakening the next piece of her bloodline would be the same. It was a good thing she had trusted her instincts. 

Zee became a vortex, draining her father's cultivation cave until it was nearly empty. Thankfully, it was enough. At the center of the energies, Zee could feel something crack open in the back of her neck.

There was a stab of pain before her mind was dragged away.

A small figure raised their hands, and The Avatar of Dominion cast its arms open wide. Its presence made the cosmos tremble, its power indomitable.

With one swing of its axe, a galaxy was erased from existence, turned to dust and ash. 

It was the Avatar of Dominion, and not even the cosmos could stand before it. 

Zee gasped as she awoke from the brief vision. The bath she was in was cold, and the energy in the cultivation chamber was turbid. 

Still, that wasn't enough to hide her curiosity. 

She called up her status.

(Zee Viotti.

Race, human, uncommon.

Fragment formation stage. Plus seventy percent potency.

Class, Spirit sorceress, Middle E rank, thirty-five percent bonus to your foundation. This class's rarity is dependent on your spirit companion.

Spirit companion, Early E rank, Rarity, Transcendent.

Spark of Compression.

Spark of Ebb and Flow

Spirit, E, plus one hundred and ten percent potency.

Body, E, plus one hundred and ten percent potency.

Mind, E, plus one hundred percent potency.

Soul, E, plus ninety-five percent potency.

Skills, E, plus sixty-five percent potency.

Boons.

The Bloody Hunt. Born on the Zenith of the blood moon eclipse. Your heart burns with a thirst for battle and carnage.

Boon of the Spirit. Form a temporary or permanent contract with a spirit companion.

Boon of the Blood Drunk Gorger. Kill over ten thousand beings in a single attack while in the F ranks. Beings of your rank and lower now have an instinctual distrust of you. You have received plus ten percent increase in energy to your splinter, body, mind, spirit, and soul.

Boon of despair. Reap the lives of over ten thousand sentient beings of the same species. For performing a special act, you receive an increase of ten percent in power to your splinter, body, mind, soul, and skills. The Allevark now has an instinctual distrust of you.]

The heart of flame. A hidden channel has been forced open in your heart. An unquenchable flame burns to the beating rhythm of your heart. 

Gant slayer. Kill an enemy a full rank above yourself. Splinter, Body, mind, spirit, soul, and skills, plus twenty percent potency.

Dimensional thief, Trap a world seed inside your body, creating a pocket of reality inside yourself.

Burning Wrath, overcharge your skills by five hundred percent, and survive. Twenty percent potency, to body, mind, spirit, soul, and fragment.

Crypt mistress, defeat a crypt mistress in her layer and make it out alive all by yourself. Plus five percent potency to your body.

Inner world, fractured.

Skills.

Summoner, juggernaut, Middle E grade, ninety-four percent proficiency towards peak mastery.

Spirit echo, Middle E grade, ninety-eight percent proficiency towards peak mastery. 

Spatial Ripple, Middle E grade, one hundred percent mastery.

Reality slash, Middle E grade, ninety-two percent proficiency towards peak mastery.

Summoner, Spectral, Middle E grade, eighty percent proficiency towards peak mastery.

Bloodline.

Heart of Fire E

Avatar of Dominion E)

Zee slowly opened her eyes, having checked on her status. She was getting close to ranking up to the peak of E grade. In the death chasms, she had gained a lot. She had evolved most of her foundation to E grade and even attained two boons.

Burning wrath was a boon she got after her fight with the bone lord. Turns out, the status saw her surviving that as worthy enough to give her a boon, and a good one too. It kind of made sense given how close she had come to dying when she channeled the power in her inner world.

The other one she got in the death chasms, fighting a monster at the heart of a labyrinth. Zee shuddered in remembrance. She still had nightmares about that disturbing place.

Turning her eyes from her boons, she eyed her most recent addition. Avatar of Dominion, E. She had awakened a new bloodline talent, and it had evolved to E grade as well. The only thing miffing her was the status. Just as always, the status offered almost no information.

She would have to uncover the bloodline's secrets on her own. Using her inner sight she turned her gaze to the place in the back of her neck, where she felt the pain from earlier. 

There was a small vortex along her spinal column, pulling in energy from her body. Wait, no, it wasn't pulling in her normal energy stores. 

The vortex was pulling in the remnant wisps of energy that the Heart of Fire usually pumped through her body. Curious, Zee reached with her mind, attempting to activate Avatar of Dominion. Nothing happened. All she got was a deep sense of hollowness like the talent lacked the energy to activate.

Zee was disappointed, but not overly so. Her growth in power over the last three years was shocking. Evolving every aspect of her foundation to E grade, while getting two boons was a qualitative difference in power.

That didn't even factor in her aura and combat training with the bone lord. Honestly, she could probably defeat three of her old selves all at the same time with the power she had now.

The only place lagging behind were her insights. If she wanted to evolve her inner world, she needed to push her insights from sparks, to embers. Evolving her sparks to embers would be a massive leap forward in combat ability.

Zee was hoping to find the right natural treasures in the capitol to push them both forward. Not just any would work. She would need natural treasures that suited her concepts and could help her grasp deeper truths of compression and the ebb and flow of the spiritual river.

Her train of thought was broken as the door to the cultivation chamber opened. Holding some towels, her mother walked in, offering them over. 

"Congratulations," Cylia said.

"Thank you," Zee said, taking a towel, and washing herself off, before getting dressed in her worn combat robes. 

"So, what did you get," Cylia asked, with a carefully schooled expression. 

"It's called Avatar of Dominion. Not sure what it does, but the vision was pretty intense," Zee said.

Her mother's eyes widen, with some horror, and fear.

"What's the matter," Zee asked noting the expression.

"It's nothing dear," Her mom replied quickly.

"That didn't look like nothing," Zee pressed. 

Her mom was trying to hide it, but she looked deeply concerned, an array of emotions crossing her face. 

"Just tell me, I can take it," Zee said.

Her mom let out a deep sigh. "I suppose there is no point in hiding it from you since you have already awakened the first two talents. The Heart of Fire and Avatar of Dominion is your great grandpa Farsaic's bloodline," Her mom said.

"So, he can help me learn to use it," Zee asked, uncertain why her mom was so concerned. 

"I suppose so, but you should be careful. Possessing those two bloodline talents has dangerous political implications," Cylia said seriously.

"Mother, I am not a kid anymore," Zee said, a little more Kurt than she intended.

Her mother winced.

Zee raised her hands, already feeling bad for her tone. "Sorry Mom, I didn't mean to snap at you, I am just tired of people not telling me things. It's so frustrating," Zee said.

Cylia put a hand on her shoulder, "I understand that feeling. And you are right, you are old enough to know the truth. Just keep in mind, that once you learn the truth, there is no going back," Her mother said. 

Zee took a deep breath. She knew she should drop it, but ignorance was not bliss. 

"If it's important, I want to know," Zee said. 

Her mother ran a hand through her silky black hair, looking exhausted. 

"Since you have awakened the second imperial bloodline talent, I would say it is," Cyli replied calmly.

"Imperial," Zee asked.

"Yes, dear. Your dearly departed grandma Verenia was the emperor's daughter," Cylia said.

"Wait... No way! Grandpa Farsaic is the emperor," Zee asked with wide eyes. 

"Yes. To be more precise, his imperial majesty, Jenalovia Ar Farsaic," Cylia said. 

"We are imperials, like actual royalty," Zee asked. 

Her mother shook her head. "No, not really. Your grandma Verenia dropped her title of nobility to protect us from the machinations of imperial politics. We are low-ranking nobility at best. The only way you could be considered an imperial would be if the emperor declares you an heir to the throne," Cylia said. 

"He wouldn't do that would he, that sounds awful. I know two royals, and I have no desire to touch that with a ten-foot stick," Zee said. 

Her mother laughed, clearly relieved. 

"I'm glad to hear that," Cylia said.

"Does Nate know," Zee asked.

"Ya, we told him a long time ago," 

"Of course, you did, that butthead never said a damned thing to me," Zee said with a sigh.

Her mom's worried expression returned. "You will need to be careful at the academy. If people discover you have the imperial bloodline talents, people will try to use you. They will try to humiliate you, extort you, or win your favor," Cylia warned. 

Zee felt a headache coming on. She groaned. 

"I should have listened. Ignorance was bliss," Zee groaned. 

"Don't be like that, just keep your head low and stay out of trouble," Her dad laughed, the sound echoing in through the open door.

Both her father, and Bastion were standing just outside the door, and it appeared they heard everything. 

Bastion chuckled as he walked into the cultivation chamber. 

"What's so funny," Zee asked.

Be bowed theatrically. "Sorry, your majesty. I just thought your dad's words were funny. You, staying out of trouble?"

Zee scowled at the insinuation. "Don't bow, it's embarrassing. And the proper form of address is eminence," Zee said. 

"Of course, of course. Your eminence," Bastion said with a deep, sloppy bow. 

Zee glanced between her traitorous parents who were trying not to laugh and failing. 

Her earlier headache was returning.