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“But you can suspect. Do you? Do you suspect they want more than me being their Champion?”

“It’s possible, yes. You are an outlier. They would consider that a danger. However,myrole was merely to prepare you, to teach you our ways, to convey knowledge unto you that could assist you with taking on a threat in the future.”

“Yet, now it looks like that threat isn’t as far into the future as we thought.”

“It does appear that way, yes.”

“Then they’ve sent somebody down to take me out?”

“If they have, I haven’t been made aware.”

“They must have, yes? Draco’s sword is here.”

He gritted his teeth. “That accursedValkrith.” Off my look, he explained. “That is its true name.From“Val”meaning to fall or death, and “krith” meaning scorch or fracture. It was once a blade forged by the Celestial Plane’s first weapon maker, meant to cauterize breaches in reality itself, between realms—until Draco corrupted it. He named itValkrith, and bound it to Hellfire. It no longer seals wounds, it tears them open.”

“And now somebody else wields it. Do you think they’re following in Draco’s footsteps? That they want to conquer the mortal planeandpunish the Celestial Plane, like he did?”

“There is a way to pull the sword from the Celestial Plane while remaining here. It’s difficult to achieve, but still possible.” He eyed me pointedly. “With enough power.”

“Celestial power?”

“Not necessarily. Therein lies the difficulty in determining the threat.However,the Celestial Plane would have been aware of that happening. ForValkrithto have been experimented with to the point where Hellfire was able to be re-engineered, repurposed, it would have taken months at the very least. As such, they knew that weapon was here all this time, before I was even sent here.”

“Why would they allow that? Why not at least warn you?”

“That is a very pertinent question. Information is compartmentalized intensely, but this knowledge is something that could most definitely have impacted my mission here, so I should have been made aware. It stands to reason that they had a vested interest in me not being aware, in a someone like me with such extreme power not seeking out the person responsible.”

“You said you’re out of favor with them because you don’t view things as they do, that you care about those of us here on the mortal plane.”

“That is not the reason I gave you.”

“Yet, I can infer.”

He blew out a breath. “Fine. Go on.”

“Could it be that they wanted this? The sword on this plane while you and I are? That they did send someone to wield it? Or, at the very least, they allowed somebody to take it?”

“You believe the threat is one they have created? All to the goal of annihilating you?”

“Possibly both of us.”

“To killyou…it is barely feasible. Me, yes. All it would take is for them to cast me out, make me a Fallen, then it will bepossible for me to meetmydemise. But you? Aside from the Wrath of Hades, but that has been lost since before your birth. Rumors are that Cornelius Martel found a way to destroy it, a way he would not allow the Celestial Plane to discover. He didn’t return it there like he didValkrith, because he feared it could be used against him, your parents, and you.”

“Death circles you…”

I shuddered at the words.

No.All this talk was making me paranoid.

I had to channel Kai in this instance and not focus on the fear of a threat, but on what could be done about it.

“Together, we need to seek out answers.”

“You need schooling in the ways of True Celestial power and knowledge that has been closed to you all your life.Thatis the optimal approach to a threat being out there—one, may I remind you, that hasn’t even been confirmed yet. The investigation can be seen to secondary. In the meantime, Cornelius and the Guardian Movement are already looking into it via theValkrithangle. Moreover, it is also a risk for me to do so. If the threat is True Celestial in origin, and at the behest of the Celestial Plane, should I connect with it, they will be made aware.”

“And you’ll be punished.”

“Yes.”