Nightmare Realm Summoner

Absolution’s head tilted to the side as a ripple of magical energy brushed across him. A tiny flash of pale white light emerged from the cave that Alex and Claire had headed into — the same cave he’d examined closely and fruitelessly about a dozen times since then.

Whatever the Empty Court used to cloak their entrance was far, far beyond anything he was capable of sensing as he currently was. It was probably beyond what he could sense even at the peak of his strength. Absolution had absolutely no qualms as to where he stood in the universe.

There was a great deal of power that still remained to be claimed. More than most would ever be able to comprehend. There existed men who made all the strength he had claimed for himself look like nothing more than a summer breeze, mere animals whose mere presence would have been enough to crush him in moments.

That was what drove him forward.

When there was still more to conquer, accepting his own inadequacy was impossible.

“You’ve returned?” Absolution asked, starting into the cave with a frown on his lips. “That quickly?”

He had to admit that Alex and Claire getting invites to the Empty Court while he hadn’t was… slightly peeving. While Absolution had never allowed pride to shackle him, he was no weakling. He had more than proven his skill. The fact that the Empty Court had never once acknowledged that was nothing short of rude.

But his eyes narrowed the instant he stepped foot back into the cave.

NeitherAlex nor Claire were the one standing in the darkness in wait for him. Instead, it was a hulking man, so large that he was forced to hunch over to avoid his head scraping up against the ceiling. The hair on the back of Absolution’s neck raised in warning.

He raised his scythe.

Whoever this was, they were powerful.

“Put the toothpick away. I’m not here to fight you,” the man said, starting toward Absolution. “You’re Absolution, are you not?”

“I am,” Absolution said, making no move to comply with the man’s request.

“Great,” the big man said. He continued straight up to him, not perturbed in the slightest. There wasn’t an ounce of worry in any part of him. It was as if he didn’t even think it were possible for Absolution to hurt him. “I’ve got a delivery for you.”

Absolution lowered his scythe. “A delivery?”

“Right,” the big man said. He pulled a letter free from his pocket. It was slightly crumpled, but the glossy white paper and gold trim caught the light filtering into the cave from behind Absolution’s shoulders almost instantly. His name was clearly embossed upon it. “This is you, is it not? I mean… no need to answer. There aren’t exactly a lot of other people with holes in their chest standing around here. I was really just asking out of courtesy.”

Absolution extended his hand, taking the letter. “Is this…”

“An invitation to the Empty Court,” the man said. He gave Absolution a wide grin. “Welcome in.”

“Just like that?” Absolution asked. He blinked. “That quickly?”

“Yes,” the man said. “Not everything has to be a giant pain in the ass, you know. This is what you were waiting for, was it not?”

“…it was,” Absolution said slowly. He looked past the large man. “So I can enter the Empty Court? It’s done? Nothing else?”

“Nothing else,” the large man confirmed. “You’re in.”

How could Alex possibly have gotten me an invitation so quickly? This is impossible. Even if he himself was invited, I refuse to believe that it’s such a simple matter to be allowed entry to the Empty Court. Did he just… ask someone? No. I can’t believe that. Something else has to be a matter.

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“Who sent this?” Absolution asked. “Who told you to give me this letter? I have been looking to gain entry to the Court for a very long time. I cannot accept the invitation so easily. Not without an explanation.”

“What explanation is there?” the large man let out a dry chuckle. “You got the invitation. You’re in. Sometimes, it’s just knowing the right guy. That’s all.”

“The Empty Court is about power,” Absolution growled. “Are you telling me that Alex has such great potential that his mere suggestion to give me an invite was enough to push it through?”

The big man studied Absolution for a moment. Then he turned and started back toward the entrance back to the Court. “I didn’t say that.”

“Then tell me who gave me the letter,” Absolution said, starting after the larger man. He didn’t bother with threats. They would have been useless. “I trust you can do that much? Because it could not have been Alex. Someone else—”

“Well, I gave you the letter. Technically spekaing. And my name’s Liam. But I brought that on behalf of Alex. Afraid I’ve got nothing else to tell you there,” the big man said. He paused. Then he let out a grunt, as if he’d suddenly remembered something, and turned his head to look over his shoulder. “Oh. Right. One more thing.”

“What?” Absolution asked.

“There was actually a caveat for that. Nearly forgot. You can’t use it yet.”

“The invitation?”

“Yes,” Liam said with a nod. “Well, you can’t use it on this entrance for a week. Any other one is fine. But not this one.”

Absolution frowned. “Why?”

“Don’t ask me,” Liam replied. “But that’s the rule. Just don’t try to use this door. You can leave, try any other one, it’s up to you. Hell, you can just wait it out. But no using this one yet.”

Absolution’s eyes narrowed. “And you don’t have a reason as to why? What if I were to use it anyway?”

“Then you’d probably regret it.” The tone of the large man’s voice was so matter-of-fact that it didn’t even sound like a threat… even though it definitely was. “Up to you, though.”

“One week?” Absolution asked.

“One week. But the good news is, you don’t need to sit around. In fact, we prefer that you don’t. Don’t want to go broadcasting the locations of our entrances. That’s how we end up having to close them and make new ones elsewhere. Just head off, have a good time, and come back when you’re ready.”

“I cannot,” Absolution said flatly. “I made a deal.”

“Oh, with Alex? Don’t worry about that. He’s got a way back.” Liam grinned. “He won’t need you to take him home. Consider your portion of the bargain fulfilled.”

Then Liam raised his hand to the wall.

There was a flash of light.

When it faded, he was gone.

Absolution stood alone in the dark cave, staring at the spot where the large man had stood a few moments before. He looked down at the letter in his hand. The frown on his lips grew deeper. Something felt… off. It had been too easy. Even with the caveat of not being able to enter this pathway for a week, there was just something that didn’t sit right with him.

And he had not gotten this far by distrusting his instincts.

But it’s quite clear that Alex did somehow fulfill his promise. Our deal is done.

No matter how odd this sat with him, the terms had been completed. Considering he wasn’t allowed to use the entrance here for whatever reason and Liam had made it clear that Alex wouldn’t need a trip back… there was no longer a reason to stick around.

Absolution hesitated for a moment longer.

His mind was screaming that something was amiss. But there was just no logical explanation as to what it could have been. He supposed there was a chance that the whole thing was fake and Alex hadn’t actually gotten him an invite at all. That would explain why the instructions were to avoid using the current entrance for a week.

But Absolution knew something of Alex’s personality. They had fought enough times for him to understand the Nativeworlder. And this wasn’t the kind of strategy that Alex would have employed. It just didn’t fit him. Perhaps it aligned more with Claire… but that still didn’t quite make sense to him.

I get the sense that I am being used as a pawn.

Absolution’s lips thinned. He stared at the entrance for several more seconds. There was always the option of calling Liam’s bluff and trying to use the entrance regardless of the rules he had been given.

Absolution shook his head. Then he turned.

Calling the bluff would get him nothing. It was only a week, and he was a patient man. That was not too long a time to wait. And if it turned out that Alex really was playing with him… well, they would cross paths again eventually. The two of them were far too similar in that regard.

There were a great many paths to the peak of the mountain that was power. An infinite number of ways to grow strong. Perhaps the ways they had each chosen toward the peak would cross. Perhaps they would not. It didn’t matter.

After all, there was only one peak.

In the end, inevitably, they would meet again.

Absolution swept his scythe through the air, carving a rippling purple portal into being before him. He stood there for a moment longer. Then he stepped into it and was gone.

There was nothing left for him here. Not for another week.

Besides, the Third Initialization was coming.

He needed to prepare.

Because, when the smoke cleared, whoever remained standing would be the rulers of the Subsector.