Chapter 491 - The Nexus

Sorry for the delay. Someone reversed into my car while it was parked... Dealing with insurance completely killed my creativity.

The world returned in a rush as Loften’s hold over Hump’s soul vanished. His senses snapped back to the Forgeheart—the grand inner sanctum of the temple—and for a moment, he had to steady himself. Something fundamental had changed in the room now. The towering Heralds of Iron still stood like statues, the temple attendants lined up beside them. From their eyes to the way they carried themselves, the difference was clear. No longer did they look on Hump with confidence and command. Instead, they were looking to him.

“Are you alright?” Celaine asked softly at his side, her voice a lifeline amid the pressure. “You seemed gone for a few moments there.”

Only moments? Hump thought. It felt like longer.

“I spoke with Loften,” Hump said, lifting his voice to carry across the chamber, ensuring nobody could miss his words. “We came to an agreement. We will continue our efforts to help break him free, but it will be on our terms. There will be no mark. No commands from his Holy Ones. No pointless rituals or ceremony. Is that understood?”

Hump had stretched his discussion with Loften, but the god had said he was weakening. Considering he was willing to use the lives of these people as bargaining chips, Hump didn’t suppose he cared much about what he told them anyway, so he would ensure things were done his way. He swept his gaze across the room, locking eyes with those who met his. High Priest Jerard’s frown was deep and bitter, his jaw clenched, shoulders sagged. Princess Urella and Prince Marcoff had lost all their confidence, their pointed ears bent slightly. It was a look Hump hadn’t seen from the altari before, but they felt nervous. The other attendants looked to their high priest for a decision, while the Heralds of Iron remained stoic and unreadable.

At last, Jerard bowed his head. “Yes. We heard the Maker’s final words before he departed. I offer my apologies, Wizard Humphrey. The Temple of the Maker is at your disposal.”

“As am I,” Marcoff said, his voice lacking his earlier arrogance. “My hostility was misplaced. It was made clear to me that Urandel must do what we can to aid you. Once I speak with my father, you will have the King’s support as well.”

“Thank you,” Hump said. “We did not begin on the right footing, but I can understand your need for control. Your world is on the line, so I want to make it clear that we will see this through properly.”

“My thanks as well,” High Priest Jerard said. “So tell me, what is it you need from us?”

“Dylan here needs a new arm,” Hump said. “I saw many of your soldiers have prosthetics. Would you be able to work with him to create something that will return him to fighting shape?”

“I will see to it myself,” Jerard said. “Prosthetics are a technology that has come far with runecraft, though there may be limitations for one without a mark.”

“I’d be happy with anything that works,” Dylan said. “Thanks.”

“I’ll leave that to the two of you to arrange,” Hump said. “We will also need a ship, ideally captained by someone we can trust. Right now, that would be Captain Hadbur, along with supplies, equipment, and assistance in maintaining and repairing our own. Lastly, I would like for everything to be arranged through the Legare family. Specifically, an Acalin Legare.”

Marcoff hesitated. “The Legares can be… opinionated. Perhaps I can suggest a more accommodating alternative?”

“No,” Hump said. “We trust Acalin. That’s the only consideration that matters. Is there anything else before we finish for today?”

When no one replied, Hump turned to leave. He wanted to get out of this place. He couldn’t help but feel judged by the stares of the heralds and Holy Ones, and then, there was always Loften listening. Being within someone’s awareness like that made him uncomfortable.

Before he reached the door, a voice cracked the silence.

“Wait,” came the First Herald’s voice. Dull and strained. The essence in its eyes had dimmed, flickering low. “What did you do to me? What… was that place?”

Hump turned slowly. “You must have sensed it. I didn’t do anything. I only looked inside.”

“I…” The herald’s voice faltered. “Yes.”

The silence returned, thicker now. Th e room echoing with the herald’s uncertainty. The other heralds looked to him, their expressions unreadable, but there had to be something to it as they hadn’t looked away from Hump until then.

Princess Urella cleared her throat, voice gently cutting through the quiet. “Marcoff. Why don’t we see our guests to their accommodations?” She offered a tight smile. “This is a good place to end things. Tensions have already risen high enough for the Maker himself to intervene. Let us speak again after time has tempered thought.”

“Would that suit you?” Marcoff asked Hump.

“It would,” Hump said. Too much had been said already. And every word spoken within the temple could still be heard by a god who no longer slept. He wanted to be out of the temple sooner rather than later. Even though he knew Loften was in no fit state, it didn’t help his nerves. The god had already proven that he was listening to everything. He’d rather not give anything more away.

They left without another word. The Heralds stood unmoving as they passed, the priests watching like ghosts.

It wasn’t until they had crossed the great gates and stepped into the open air that Hump spoke again.

“What did Loften say while I was gone?”

“I heard nothing,” Bud replied. He looked to the others, but they all shook their heads.

Only Urella remained behind them. She caught up, her steps quick, her voice quiet but urgent. “He said that if we did not do as you asked, the world would fall. That our fate rests in your hands.”

Only Urella remained behind them. She caught up, her steps quick, her voice quiet but urgent. “He said that if we did not do as you asked, the world would fall. That our fate rests in your hands.”

Hump slowed.

Those words landed heavier than they should have. Because they weren’t the truth.

The truth was worse.

Hump’s mind darkened at those words. She wouldn’t believe him if he told her. That if he didn’t help to free Loften, it was their god himself that would undo them. At least, that was what he threatened. A part of him wondered if Loften would follow through on such a thing. A larger part of himself didn’t want to find out.

Acalin was waiting for them near the temple entrance. At some point while they were inside, Captain Hadbur had arrived and was keeping the young altari company, the two of them sitting on a bench amongst the gardens. They stood as Hump and his party approached, prince and princess alongside them.

They had taken the first step on their purpose in Urandel. For now, Hump couldn’t decide whether it had gone well or poorly. He had some answers, but most were far less pleasant than he had wanted.

***

They were shown to their estate right beside the palace. Marcoff had sent servants to see them settled in and left them alone after that. Hump had expected some lavish royal suite, but space was clearly not so easy to come by in Urandel. The palace itself was a strange structure. It towered into the sky, many stories high. While it wasn’t as large as the palace of Elenvine, it was filled with character. Eleven spires reached for the sky, each with twisting tops, and a tower at the centre with an essence beacon much like the one at the top of the temple.

Their estate was a compact in a way that reminded Hump of Sheercliff’s Upper City—functional, but with modest rooms and only a small outdoor space. The structure of polished stone and bronze-framed windows, built into the side of a cliff with a sweeping terrace that looked out across the floating islands to the north of Urandel. Farmland and livestock dominated the nearest. Others were heavy with industry, black smoke trailing from forges. And in the far distance, half shrouded in mist, an island wreathed in smoke rose from what looked like a volcanos peak. From here, presented with such beauty, the reminder was constant—this world was broken.

They wasted no time. As soon as the servants had left them, Hump gathered his party into the living room to give them the full breakdown of his discussion with Loften. The five of them sat on soft, padded seats that were designed for the altari, so only Bud could really sit without curling up on the top. He told them what happened in the Forgeheart, recounting his conversation with Loften as best as he could. Hump didn’t embellish. He shared Loften’s claims, the truth of his imprisonment, and his threat.

“He really said those things?” Bud asked quietly.

“Yes,” Hump said. Then, after a pause. “He could’ve lied. And he didn’t confirm what I said about blessings, only that I knew too much. There may be more to it.”

“Maybe,” Bud murmured.

But he didn’t look at Hump when he said it.

And Hump didn’t press. Whatever Bud believed—or needed to believe—he’d come to terms with it on his own. Better that way.

***

The next day arrived quickly, and with it, their arranged meeting with Acalin’s group. Karo led the way, navigating the bright stone paths of the city as they passed through the higher tiers of Urandel.

“Here we are,” Karo said finally, gesturing ahead.

The University of Urandel rose high above the surrounding district, its stone towers spiralling into the sky, laced with bands of gold that shimmered in the sunlight. Runes glowed faintly across its outer walls, woven into intricate patterns that danced like constellations, constantly shifting.

The Rune Master has agreed to show it to you personally,” Karo said. “He’s the Holy One responsible for the university and the keeper of the Nexus.”

“The map you mentioned before?” Hump asked.

“Yes. But easier for you to see than for me to explain. Just know—it’s not something many outside our order ever get to witness.” He hesitated, then gave them an apologetic look. “I… wasn’t able to secure the meeting without condition. The Rune Master and his peers are curious about your world. They want to learn from you.”

“I told him to go ahead and accept on your behalf,” Acalin said, walking beside them. “I assumed you’d want to see it sooner rather than later. But if I was wrong, we can still walk away.”

“No need,” Hump said. “We’ll talk. I’d like to see it.”

The interior of the university was made of fine stone, the floors inlaid with silver veined marble. They were led through several wings until they reached a small chamber with a vaulted ceiling. An enormous table at its centre took up most of the room. A large glove of light floated in the air above it, spinning slowly above the white stone. It was similar to the illusion Loften had conjured—an entire world represented in miniature form, modelling thousands of floating islands and a glowing core.

Each island shimmered with magical light, shifting with subtle movement. Veins of essence pulsed visibly through some of them like blood through arteries. Clouds of magical energy drifted lazily across regions of the map, only to blink out of existence or surge unpredictably elsewhere. Essence surges. Hump stared, captivated.

And yet, not all was complete.

Nearly a quarter of the sphere was missing—an empty void like someone had carved a bite from the world.

“That gap,” Dylan said, pointing, “what happened to it?”

“That is where we have no data,” Rune Master Tutzah said. He was an old altari male, his black scales beginning to show signs of losing their sheen, with deep wrinkles on his face. “The Nexus draws its information from a network of arcane nodes installed by Pathfinders across the world. Each one relays essence readings and magical signatures back to this chamber. Where you see absence, it means we’ve yet to reach those areas or the connection has been severed.”

“I presume some of these are other nations,” Emilia said. “I can imagine there are many that do not wish to be on a map like this.”

“There are some, yes,” Tutzah said. “Most wish to take advantage of the Nexus, however. Essence surges are powerful—so powerful, entire cities have been wiped out by them. This system was designed to prevent that. Though it is not perfect. The nodes are often destroyed in the surges, and some places are simply too dangerous to maintain one. Karo has informed me of your request to see the unusual essence surges detected roughly two weeks ago.”

“Yes,” Hump said.

“Wait a moment.” The Rune Master began manipulating the runes on a console nearby, consulting a journal beside him for information. The globe spun more quickly, in reverse this time. Soon, the globe stopped. “This is the day. Though I fear you will not gain much from it.”

Hump could already see why. All across the globe, essence poured in, illuminating the islands in constantly changing patterns.

“Has this ever happened before?” Hump asked.

“Not for as long as I have been keeper,” Tutzah said. “For the nodes all over the world to be affected at once is unheard of. We have yet to figure out why.”

“You wouldn’t,” Hump said. “I suspect it’s related to our world. We were sealed off from the Veil, but those seals were broken on the same day we arrived here. Your nodes are likely picking up on that change.”

“You will need to tell me more of this once we are finished here,” Tutzah said. “I believe there is much we can learn from you, and much you can learn from us.” The globe paused. There was a flash on one of the islands near Urandel, multiple nodes lighting up with essence. “Ah, here is one of the anomalies, and near the location we believe you entered our world from.”

“That looks correct,” Emilia said.

“Did you detect anymore anomalies like this?” Bud asked.

“We did not,” Tutzah said. “As far as we can tell, only your group arrived in our world in this day.”

Hump let out a sigh of relief. “Good. That’s what we wanted to hear.”

“Wait,” Celaine said, pointing toward one of the rigions without date, then circling it with her finger. “What’s going on here?”

“I don’t see anything,” Hump said.

“All of these nodes are detecting something at the same time,” Celaine said. “Around this entire region. But how could that be?”

The altari frowned. “We have no information for that region. I’m not sure what…” He trailed off, seeming to notice what she meant.

Karo leaned in next to Hump. “Rune Master, was that an essence surge.”

Tutzah stood there with a frown, staring at the space. “Yes. And a large one to affect such a large space.”

Hump’s heart sunk.

Karo gripped his shoulder. “Do not worry. This is far too large to have been caused by a person. A disaster for anyone living there, yes, but not for us to worry about.”

“You still don’t understand the level of power we’re dealing with,” Hump said quietly. “Tobias Godfrey is a person, yes, but calling him a disaster is not an overstatement.”

His eyes went to the area that held the dungeon that Loften was sealed in. An empty region far too close to this surge for Hump to feel comfortable. They would need to leave sooner rather than later. If Godfrey had arrived, time would not be on their side.