After we recognized the source of the sound, and subsequently shook Tamrie free of her stupor, we set off for the promontory where the leviathans dwelled beneath the waves.

Without the airship Bevel had to carry Tamrie the entire way but that was made easier by the gliders.

Even after all this time Tamrie still hadn't adjusted to glider travel but with her usual grit and determination she'd climbed in just as fast as the rest of us.

The leviathans must've known somehow that Tamrie had heard their call because after we'd made it to the top of Mount Aeternia they'd stopped.

At least, I was hoping that's why they'd stopped.

When we set down on the little spit of rock over the ocean, the pod still there, still dancing on the waves and flashing light across their bellies, the tension eased.

"I'll… I'll be needin' to go talk with 'em, see what's got their flippers in a twist," Tamrie said as she climbed out of the spare glider.

"I'll come with you," I said, having already escaped my own, stepping up next to her. "If it's important enough to call you, I might need to know."

"I… right," Tamrie said, nodding once before holding her hand out to me.

I accepted it, and despite the fact I could fly, the pure wonder I felt as I walked down from the cliff, the water rising to meet my feet… it was one of those moments that stirred that old familiar spark.

That pure joy that magic was meant to bring to life.

As I looked over at Tamrie then, she was…

Eyes clear and steady, ever messy hair tossed back by the wind off the water, hands at her side, not curled in fists but open. Strong, ready to accept life as it came.

Magnificent.

I'd never get over her. Not really. A part of my heart would always belong to her. But I knew then, how lucky I'd been to share her story, if only for those few months.

It didn't erase the pain that had been bubbling beneath the surface, but experiencing even a fraction of what she must feel every time she was personally greeted by the ocean… yeah, it soothed a lot of the sharp edges.

I couldn't be upset that she was moving on. That would be like being upset about the tide rising and falling.

You didn't get upset at the tide.

Before I knew it, we'd descended to the ocean's surface and there was a whole new reason to be lost to awe.

The leviathans were… I hadn't ever been so close to one. I'd felt a similar sensation twice before. Standing beneath Mount Aeternia and the pure presence of the oath when it settled upon my shoulders more than half a year earlier.

Tamrie raised her hand, light glowing across the surface. At the same time, a nearly inaudible echo rose from her throat. It didn't pass through the air, instead traveling down to her feet and spreading through the water.

There was a tiny part of me that wanted to examine what had just happened, to take it and break it down into a spell I could slot.

For the moment, it was suppressed by the part of me that just stared at her, stupid grin slapped over my face. Tamrie, the same Tamrie who was too frazzled to supervise a gaggle of children without being at her wit's end, was communing with some of the most powerful creatures on Ro'an like it was the most natural thing in the world.

After a minute, her eyes shifted, turning to focus on me, a giant grin stretching across her face when she saw mine. Then she shook her head, a frown taking its place as she glanced back towards the leviathans, "Sorry 'bout that. Rainbow Under the Moon was worried. Bad news, I fear."

"Worse than… nevermind, what did he have to say?"

"The Sahevin are no longer respecting his might. He can hold them off for three nights but after that, we'll need to leave. Otherwise the podlings will be in danger," Tamrie said, her gaze shifting to take in the many smaller leviathans swimming around us. "More'n like, we'll want to leave sooner, if possible."

I nodded, grabbing her hand and giving it a squeeze. "You'll want to say goodbye."

Tamrie nodded, giving me a crooked grin. "If'n you're up for one last tumble, wouldn't do me no wrong."

"I… I don't think that'd help," I said, clearing my throat, thoughts and gaze both flicking towards Ari.

"Knew it, I did," Tamrie said, smiling as she squeezed my hand. "Just cause you two are matching up, don't mean we can't all... three's not a crowd, it's a party, as it goes. Not the first time I've taken such a tumble, if'n you get my meaning. Just the first time it'd mean anything."

"No matter where you go, you'll be in my heart," I said, bringing her hand to my mouth, not at all prepared for the mental images she was trying to plant. "You're an amazing woman, Tamrie. Never forget it."

"Might be, I won't. Not if'n I keep being reminded," Tamrie said, squeezing my hand once more. "Which I expect you to do, whenever you call me on that fancy mirror of yours."

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"On my… you got a caster?"

"Course I did. Didn't think I was gonna go into the depths without one, did ya?" Tamrie said even as she waved to the leviathan.

"I probably should've thought of it," I admitted, chuckling as I walked beside her up the rising ocean steps towards the promontory.

"You were busy running your home and trying not to let your heart shatter into a thousand pieces," Tamrie said, chin up. "'Twas on the rest of us to pull you through."

"Only a thousand? Try a million," I said, smiling as I patted her arm.

"Careful now, might make a girl think she's special," Tamrie teased, smile wavering.

"Never doubt that," I said, taking her by the chin and holding her gaze. We stared at each other for several long seconds until finally, Tamrie darted forward to give me another kiss. The wind blew her hair about, tickling my face for those last few seconds. Finally, she pulled back and I cleared my throat, glancing over her shoulder towards the leviathans and Everstorm beyond. "Nice as it is that your friend will hold them off, Aeternia need a more permanent solution," I said, changing the subject.

Something that didn't go unnoticed, judging by her grin. "Reckon it's a shame you can't use whatever it was you did to clear the seas afore. Rainbow Under the Moon said there was something pleasant about it," Tamrie said, patting my arm as we took the last few steps to the stone where Bevel and Ari were waiting.

"I might have to talk to Conflict about that. If they're gonna keep coming up over near the Golden Halls…"

"More Sahevin?" Ari asked when we stepped off the supporting ocean. "A rather loud call for something that have proven little more dangerous than a weed clogging the drain."

Felt a bit strange to have solid stone beneath my feet again. Similar to stepping off grass. The random thought wasn't enough to keep me from responding, "Enough that Rainbow wants to get going soon. Three nights at most."

Ari's gaze rose, looking at the night sky above us. "And I suppose, tonight is the first of those?"

"Aye, it is," Tamrie confirmed.

"Are they afraid?" Bevel asked, kneeling down to look over the edge at the leviathans, oddly choosing not to fly closer.

"Not yet. But if'n they stay long, they could be hurt, sure enough," Tamrie said, resting a hand on Bevel's shoulder.

Bevel nodded, looking over at me. She tilted her head slightly towards the whales.

While I didn't know exactly what she was asking, I nodded.

Smile springing into place, Bevel threw herself over the edge. Seconds later, she was flitting up in front of one of the playing leviathans.

It turned one of its eyes on her as she waved at it eagerly.

Then she followed it through its patterns, even diving under the waves with her special spinning dive move.

Soon, several of the podlings were swimming with her, taking turns partnering with the little leaf within the waves. While she did that, the three of us discussed our options. I'd need to talk to Inertia, but I felt that what I really needed was something I'd been slowly working towards.

Still, I'd talk to Conflict first. Keeper and Tender too.

After all, they were apparently the old guardians of Aeternia.

Kinda made them kindred spirits.

With the others each going off to their own tasks, I descended into the Infinite Furnace. A conversation with Conflict confirmed what I needed to do to have access to the mana-reactor.

Utility Access.

Such strange words to hang the defense of a nation on. They also felt oddly appropriate. Maintenance was the often invisible duct tape that held a nation together. Something most only noticed when it failed.

No one complained about the road without potholes.

While Conflict had confirmed my path, it didn't offer a way to get there faster.

Keeper, of course, had a choice.

And just as obviously, Keeper's choice had a cost. If it had been one I could pay personally, I would've accepted in a second.

"To complete the requirements, you must feast, not on knowledge but the very essence of life. If you truly wish to advance faster, you must merely bring me four who have awoken their souls," Keeper said. "If they take the required oath, I can feed them to you, young omnivore. Much like the young man whose soul nourished your own, they will nourish your body."

"That's a hard no," I said, crossing my arms. "Already bad enough I had to take Perth."

"Such is your choice, young omnivore, however that is the only course I see before you," Keeper said, bowing its head, black tongue hovering just behind its front teeth.

"Glad I didn't bring anyone else with me. Word of this spreading would be…" I grumbled. "Thanks for your time, Keeper."

"You are welcome, young omnivore. May your hunt bring what you seek to your table," Keeper replied as it stepped back, settling into the wall, not a snap to be heard.

Ever since it'd consumed Tillan, it had seemed a lot more alive and a lot less constrained. And it wasn't because it had gotten better at fighting its prison. The enchantments almost seemed to have stopped fighting it.

Wasn't sure how to feel about that.

Either way, it was a problem for later.

After Keeper's proposed solution, I decided to visit Tender on my own. It was the one whose trials I needed to pass and who was also always warning me against the cost of rushing forward.

Didn't have much hope, but was running out of options.

"So, yeah, that's pretty much the situation. I need to complete the trials to get Utility Access, but there's no way I'll be able to push myself to the next level doing your trials in time. The baths won't work, and there's no way I'm going through with Keeper's suggestion. What's the point of sacrificing people just to save them? That's not how any of this is supposed to work. We're supposed to be better than that. The worst part? I know they'd do it, if I asked. I see how they look at me these days. It's like… like how they might look at a god," I said, only realizing near the end that I'd started venting as much as explaining. "I'm not a god. I'm barely even a good man most days."

Tender kneeled down, bringing its head down to meet my gaze. Green vines and ivory bone filled my vision, those eyes of green fire narrowed as they observed me closely.

I looked up, meeting its gaze for a long time, wondering what was going through its foreign mind.

Eventually, it nodded.

"It is time. Come," Tender said, pushing to its full height, a thing it rarely did unlike Conflict.

"Time for what?" I asked, even as I fell in step beside it.

"Time for you to make peace with that which has plagued you since your first breath on Ro'an," Tender replied, its pace not slowing as we moved deeper into the hall.

Moved deeper, towards the void-black door that stood at the back.

It had faded from my mind, that there was more to Tender's halls than its trials. Strange that, with my enhanced memory.

"You wish to save your people? You wish to gain the strength to protect them from the horrors of the wide universe? This is the next step you must take," Tender said, stopping and turning, those green flames that passed for eyes flickering. "This is no kindness, I offer, Percival of Aeternia."

"Fair enough," I said, squaring my shoulders.

"Fairer than most," Tender said, stepping back and bowing, a single hand gesturing me forward.

I did as the being suggested, bracing myself as I stepped into the door.

Darkness overtook me, only to drip away, leaving me standing on a rippling ocean of darkness, silvery light shining down from above.

In front of me was the face of the man I'd been when I arrived on Ro'an so many months ago. Except that wasn't quite right.

It wasn't just the face.

The cocky grin, lazy stance and impeccably styled hair…

It was the boy himself.

It was Perth.

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