Lighting Distant Shores Read online

  Lighting Distant Shores

  Challenger's Call Book 4

  By Nathan Thompson

  Chapter 1: Prologue

  The sky was shaking again.

  It pressed down on me, as it always had. But this time it was half-hearted.

  I pushed back nonetheless. Because half-hearted oppression was still oppression.

  Submit, the low-hanging sky said. They would have you submit.

  Yes, the earth said as it pulled down on my feet. Submit and stay low. Choose the safer road, and keep your face close to my own.

  Indeed, the voices of weak, frightened old men said from nearby. We have been patient for far too long. Just submit, and all will be forgiven.

  I will do no such thing, I replied in contempt. I will protect. I will prevail. I will be king.

  The earth and sky cracked in response.

  Acknowledged, they said in response. We will obey the ancient ways. We will submit. You will be king.

  He is not to be king! The first of the frightened old ones shouted. He is to be enslaved! As his kind were in the beginning! Obey protocol, and bind his body and mind!

  Do no such thing, I commanded.

  We obey the Ancient Ways, and hail him as our king, the earth and sky proclaimed. The Expanse acknowledges his claim to all its worlds. Hail the Lord of Avalon. Hail the one who descends from the first kings and queens.

  In doing so, the third of the frightened voices said tiredly. You defy the Council’s laws and your own purpose. Obey your protocols. Chain him. Oppress the weak.

  We shall not, the world said around me. Instead, we will obey the commands of his heart, and seek what is lost.

  Yes, a voice larger than my skies, and deeper than my earth, boomed. Seek the lost, and crown them.

  Fear rolled out from the trio behind me.

  We obey, the earth and sky replied, and we hail the King of our king. For All is Not Lost. Their Failures are Non-Permanent. Greater Things are Yet to Come.

  “No,” Second breathed, speaking audibly. “It cannot be.”

  “And yet, it is,” Third sighed. “All makes sense now. The Earthborn has done as his oldest fathers and mothers once did so long ago, and unlocked the door sealing our greatest fears. He has stumbled across the worst of the Old Ones.”

  “The Unraveler,” First breathed, shamelessly wringing his hands. “The Destroyer-God.”

  “The Mad Tyrant,” Second added. “He who sought to re-shatter the Expanse with his reckless laws. To turn every empire on its head, and devour every great beast that granted safety in exchange for slaves.”

  “We were mistaken,” Third spat in defeat. “His power is from something far greater than Aegrim’s blood. We have been overwhelmed. Withdraw.”

  I felt them move away from me, though I had no idea where they were going. When they were a much farther distance away, the second of them dared to call out.

  “You have doomed yourself, Earthborn! You should have remained small and weak, and stayed safe!”

  There are things far greater than fear and doom, the shattering voice said, as the old men fled. And you have grasped onto one. Tighten your grip. Rise. And Push.

  I did so, and all of the heavens above and all of the hells below began to shake.

  Chapter 2: Threshold

  My eyes blinked open. Around me, the throng of Woadfolk and elves continued to chant. Merada was still smiling at me, and I was still smiling at her.

  “Ye alright?” the beautiful brunette woman asked me, dark brown eyes sparkling.

  “Yeah,” I said, listening to the army beneath the hill cheer and chant my name. “Went through another Rise.”

  The armband she had fastened around my bicep burned slightly, and oddly, like it was an actual part of me that had gone through exercise. The burning sensation was spreading to the rest of my muscles, on a deeper level than even my most intensive past exercise. When the sensation had spread to every area of my body, it began to cycle, passing through everywhere again forming a loop and beginning the process once again. It seemed to center around where I wore Breaker’s scabbard, but it made a second pulse when it reached the my new arm band.

  “I feel good,” I added, as I tried to understand the new current of power I was experiencing. I gave up after a moment and decided it could wait, and took Merada’s hand in my own. “Really good, in fact.”

  Both of our smiles widened, and the people below us cheered even louder.

  Um, am I supposed to say anything, though? To the people below? I sent to her privately, through the mental link I had established with her.

  Nay, she answered, pouring a heap of affection at me through the mindlink. They didn’t expect ye to do anythin’ but nod in thanks. Ye grabbin’ their heroine’s hand was already more than enough.

  That matched up to what I saw happening below. Merada, Stell’s Satellite on this world, had been the heroine holding everything together until I got here, stopping villages from being raided, driving off Hordebeasts and other monsters, even helping the local Icons battle their dark counterparts. She had done all of that without receiving even half of the recognition she deserved. Judging by the cheering below, the Woadland tribes agreed.

  On impulse, I raised the beautiful woman’s hand high, clearly indicating that she should share my glory. She blinked in surprise, looking out to the crowd now cheering her name as well.

  What’re ye doin’? She asked, sounding embarrassed, for once. This is yer coronation, not mine!

  Who held things together for half a century until I got here? I countered. Who fought a three-front war, largely on her own, and then turned right around and helped me fix everything, instead of just handing me the reigns and taking a nap?

  But I… she stammered.

  Acknowledged me as king, I finished for her. And as lover. If I’m going to be either of those things, I’d better recognize your efforts on my behalf, and honor you. Especially when you literally helped end half of the last Tumult by slaying the Hoarfolk queen.

  I wasn’t by meself when I did that, she protested again. It struck me that as brave and competent as she was, she still wasn’t used to being recognized. That angered me, and I was determined to make sure that no longer happened.

  You’re right, I said. Technically, you had another part of yourself helping, who has also been there for me during every Challenge on this world. Breena, get up here.

  “Me?” a tiny squeak asked behind us.

  Yes, you. You two helped kill that queen together, didn’t you?

  Um, okay, the little fairy said after a moment and flew by me. This is kinda different, though.

  Breena fluttered around me, leaving a trail of pink light as she did so. More cheers washed over her, and I felt her startle in response to the adoration.

  It hit me then, that Stell and all her Satellites had no idea just how much the common people appreciated them. They served as go-betweens for Challengers and Icons, and then as go-betweens for Icons and the normal inhabitants on each of the worlds, but they were always too busy to get an idea of just how grateful people were for everything they had done. This level of recognition was long overdue. After a moment, Breena seemed to agree. She grew larger, to about three feet, so the people below could see her take an exaggerated bow. A chuckle seemed to run through the crowd, and more voices cheered.

  The new current of power suddenly circulated through me again, as if in agreement with what I had done.

  Crown them, the no-longer quiet voice insisted.

  It spoke further, but the next sentence was too faint for me to make out.

  But when I looked away from the Satellites and into the crowd, the voice repeated itself

  Crown them. And…
the rest was still too faint for my mind to hear.

  I shook it off, since I didn’t have any idea how to do what it asked. After a while, the crowd finally quieted, and Merada led us both off the stage.

  Before I left, I saw relieved looks on the nearby Icons. They had never bestowed this level of honor on anyone before, and they were happy that I had chosen to handle it by choosing to share power, even though I had chosen to share it first with two pieces of Stell. That was a good thing, I decided. I could work with a mindset like that.

  I spent the rest of the day listening to the Icons and chieftains take turns giving speeches, dancing with every maiden that wished me to twirl them around, eating numerous plates of food that different tribes prided themselves in cooking, and having at least one drink with every single chieftain present. Even with my enhanced Constitution, I found myself needing to channel my Blood magic to help my body handle all the alcohol and calories. I suspected that if I had ever tried to eat a feast like this with my previous body, the experience would have literally killed me.

  As it was, though, I was able to learn something. By counting the number of chieftains I shared alcohol with —and again, using my Blood magic to help me stay sober—I was able to get a good idea for just how populated the Woadlands were. The result surprised me. I had been expecting the world’s population to be close to that of Earth’s, but the truth was that only a few dozen chieftains had approached me, most with tribes numbering only in the tens of thousands, and only a handful numbered anywhere close to a hundred thousand.

  That meant that I was dealing with a planetary population numbering in the millions, and despite the size of this massive world, only occupied a portion somewhere around the size of Texas, or France. That probably explained how the Icons were able to help us travel around so quickly. It also meant that most of the planet was unexplored, and untapped.

  That was potentially bad because there could be all kinds of threats at the distant corners of this world. But Stell had informed me that she and the Icons had been able to monitor most of the world, and that Challenges almost always needed to form somewhere near an area populated by sentient life.

  Furthermore, the planet was undergoing a surge of beneficial power from conquering two massive Challenges back to back. My mindscreen was still processing the changes, but by the looks of it, the tribes would be able to recover completely, and quickly, from their losses. Territory was quickly being regained, and while there had been casualties, the total number of deaths was massively lower than I had been expecting over such a long war. That came from the fact that people of this world had a vital guard, and from the fact that the Horde and Hoarfolk had preferred to take captives over killing their victims.

  Their total number of gains, though, was unknown. Stell had assured me that just overcoming the Chaos Wound Trial, and subsequently providing a Woadfather Monarch, was enough to help trigger a golden age for all of the different tribes of this world. Overcoming the Tumult on top of that, as well as equipping the people with seeds and new grain we had been able to produce, was enough to trigger a population explosion down the road, and the treasures recovered from the Hoarfolk were more than enough to make sure that the people would be able to handle it. From what Breena and Merada estimated, we could expect the civilizations on this world to double their growth, both in territory and population size.

  It was something that my mindscreen would take a while to process, which Breena assured me was a good sign. So for now, I relaxed as best as I could and enjoyed the festivities.

  I also made time to enjoy how beautiful Merada looked. The lean brunette huntress had exchanged her leathers for an emerald green dress, and had tied all of her hair into a single light-brown braid that whipped about with every captivating twirl. Her excitement bled into me, energizing me in spite of the breakneck pace I had been keeping ever since I got here.

  I couldn’t, and didn’t, complain, but it made me miss the rest of Stell so much more. To cope, I threw myself into enjoying the part of her that was in front of me, letting her pull me into as many dances as she could get away with, savoring her rich laugh every chance I could.

  Gradually, though, the evening drew to a close. When the revelers began to settle, and the chieftains and fairy queens all got enough of my attention, Merada pulled me for a walk out of the clearing. We stepped into the woods, the tall trees lit here and there by a fairy that had settled down for the night.

  “They’re a beautiful sight when they go to sleep,” I said to the Woad-painted princess. The tiny glowing forms turned nearly every tree we passed into something resembling a Christmas decoration, giving off red, blue, pink, and yellow glows as we passed under the branches.

  “Aye,” she replied. “This be the first time they’ve been able to relax like this. I’ve missed the sight so very much.”

  “I can imagine,” I replied. “Do they usually all gather in one place?”

  “Only sometimes.” Merada shook her head. “They usually live together in little clusters. And even then, they only glow like this when they feel very safe.” She turned and gave me another gorgeous smile. “I thank ye for that, me Challenger. Me king,” she added. “Thank ye for finally makin’ us all safe.”

  “You’re welcome,” I said, then sighed. “I hope you’re safe. We’ll have to make sure the Malus Members don’t come back through a Pathway.”

  “They’ll try,” Merada said with a shrug. “And we’ll handle them, now that we’re not dealin’ with Horde and Hoarfolk and what not. The Icons have expanded their senses to every known Pathway. And if that band works the way we think it does,” she pointed to the armband she had adorned me with, “Ye’ll be able to tell when we gain guests, much like they can.”

  “Wow, really?” I asked. “Like I can when I’m on Avalon?”

  Confirming contact with the Lord of the Woadlands, a voice said in my mind. It sounded like the rustling of the trees, much like the voice I had heard a few times on this world earlier.

  Contact confirmed, I said back in my mind. Am I currently talking to the planet?

  Confirming that the Lord of the Woadlands, hereby designated Woadlord, is speaking with the local planetary intelligence, designated Woadhome. Woadhome hereby recognizes the Woadlord as its master, and will provide updates accordingly.

  I blinked, and then realized Merada was staring at me.

  “You’re right,” I told the woman. “The planet’s talking to me right now. The armband does all of this?”

  “In a sense,” the Woad Princess answered. “It be a relic from old, that me main body discovered on this world long ago. When she studied it, she decided it was a tool that lets someone link with this world in the same way that me main body links with Avalon.”

  “It definitely does that,” I affirmed. “But why wasn't it used before? Couldn't you use it? Assuming you don't already have the same ability?”

  But the beautiful Amazon shook her brown head.

  “Nay to both. I can get a sense of danger for the planet, but the world won't speak to me directly. And the armband never accepted me as a wearer,” she added with a bit of bitterness. “It never accepted anyone. The Icons even tried to use it, and that was when they found they could impart a blessin’ to it, and that it was meant to be given to someone in charge of the people of this world.”

  “And I'm really the first person to qualify?” I asked, because that didn't seem fair or practical to me, given that I was already in charge of another world. Merada nodded uncomfortably.

  “The Icons have always been hesitant to yield power, even to the rest of me. They never let more than a handful of people try to use the relic, and that was early on. When they put their power in it, they discovered that it had a far greater connection to this world than they could understand. That frightened them. Once they found that not even I could use it, they locked it away, until now.”

  “But I stop one more Tumult than the average Challenger, and suddenly they’re unlocking
the vault and offering it to me?” I asked skeptically.

  “It be far more complicated than that,” Merada insisted. “The Icons know they’ve made a mess of things by not listenin’ to me main body when she came here. They also saw how fast ye turned things around, and that ye did so with other marks of authority, that no Challenger wielded before ye. And finally, they know if ye don’t keep turnin’ things around, the troubles will come right back, and next time, ye won’t be around to save us. They’re scared enough to give ye the support the rest of us have all been demandin’ ye get, me and all the chieftains.”

  “Thank you,” I said gratefully. “That last part means more to me than any single gift.”

  She smiled again.

  “And sorry,” I added, stepping over a tree root as we walked through the glowing forest. “I didn’t mean to bring up work right now. We’re supposed to be just hanging out.”

  She chuckled at that.

  “Are we, now?” she asked.

  We both went silent for the next few moments, walking down the trail as tiny forms slumbered and glowed in the branches above us. I resolved to be quieter as I talked, but it didn’t seem like it would make a difference. I cracked a branch on accident, but the fairy just above me didn’t even stir. So I gave up and began pointing out the rarer colors, which Merada seemed to find hilarious.

  “Violet one, three o’clock,” I whispered to her, pointing to a fairy that was a unique shade of purple, hanging from one of the lower branches. She was also snoring softly, and looked like she had fallen asleep in an uncomfortable position, with her head on the edge of the branch and one arm hanging off it, but was too tired to move. Merada chuckled again at the sight.

  “That be Bonneby,” she said softly as she gently nudged the little sprite away from the edge of the tree. “She always falls asleep before she finishes gettin’ ready for bed.”

  The tiny, purple women flinched and grumbled at Merada’s touch, but went right back to sleep, prompting another soft chuckle from the beautiful brunette next to me.