As one, three sets of giant, faceted Cryst eyes turned toward Kar. The Scorpios froze, then shuddered and released a chorus of grating screams that shook the foundations of the chamber itself.

  Kar took a half-step then staggered. The Energia he’d absorbed felt heavy, more-so with every moment he continued to hold onto it. What was this? He tried to disperse it somehow but he couldn’t concentrate enough to Focus. He felt on the verge of bursting and realized that the light around him was radiating from his own skin.

  The Scorpios drew nearer, enraged. Time seemed to slow and Kar’s very hearing grew muffled. He felt a coldness begin to seep in at the tips of his fingers and toes. He strained against his own body, to will himself to move but simply couldn’t.

  The first of the Scorpios reached him.

  With a shout Kar wrenched his arm up and spread his fingers wide, palm facing the monster. The ring on his finger glinted brightly as he tried to Focus once more through it.

  No blast of power or torrent of flame materialized. The Scorpios claw closed around, then snapped Kar’s arm off at the elbow. He fell back, eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. Kar stared—stupefied—at his stump of an arm, not comprehending where the rest of it was. Then his back struck crystal scales and he was sliding sideways off the belly of the beast he’d slain. He hit the stone of the chamber floor below and bounced hard.

  Where was the pain? All he could feel was that cold creeping sensation crawling across his hands and feet. Wait, that wasn’t right. Across his remaining hand and feet.

  Kar still struggled to hear. It was like cotton had been stuffed in his ears. Hands grabbed and hauled him across the floor, then he was lurching through the air. He twisted his head and saw that Derek had him, horror painted on his friend’s face. Why was Derek covered in blood? Kar glanced down. Why was there so much blood on him? Then he saw the bloody stump where his arm used to be. Oh.

  Derek brought him within the circle of columns. Figures huddled around them. Erio one of them, Tharn peeking over his shoulder. The Cryst crouched next to Kar, his face an expressionless mask. Then Morrow crowded in wearing a very panicked expression on his face.

  Kar gasped, his chest tight now. That incomprehensible power still suffused him and felt fit to burst from his skin. He looked at where his arm should be, and wished more than anything he hadn’t lost it.

  The power suddenly poured out of him and down to the end of his stump. Ink-black crystal, like obsidian began to coalesce there. Kar blinked in confusion as that dark matter formed in the shape of an arm—his arm—down to every last detail he remembered. Crystal bone, then muscle and skin. A perfect replica of what he’d just lost. Only… not of flesh.

  His hand took shape next. Kar turned it as the extremity came into being. He marveled as first his palm, then fingers formed. Tendons of crystal materialized then were covered by cryst skin darker than the deepest shadow. It wasn’t like other crystal, no; this seemed to absorb light rather than refract it.

  When the process was complete, all the energy Kar had held was gone.

  Sensation rushed back to him. Sound, smell, and a phantom hurt that tore at his mind, screaming that his arm had been wrenched from him, that it was gone. Only it wasn’t. Not anymore. It had been replaced; replicated. Kar twisted and effortlessly flexed his new appendage. He didn’t know whether to be disturbed or amazed.

  Erio staggered away. Kar turned in confusion toward the cryst-knight.

  “Void and Shadow.“ the Cryst hissed, “Why do you take the form of our enemy?”

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  “What has he done?” Tharn asked, his voice deep and troubled.

  “I-I don’t understand.” Kar stuttered. Morrow sat back, mouth agape in wonder.

  There was no time for further questions. The Scorpios stampeded toward the circle, still incensed. Kar staggered to his feet—disoriented—and flexed his new hand. It moved and clenched differently than he was used to, like a vice. He used it to take hold of someone’s sledgehammer that had been left lying on the ground and hoisted it to his shoulder, then strode toward the oncoming cryst-beasts. He wasn’t sure what he was doing or why he was being so reckless. But he wasn’t going to let them just take a part of him away without paying a price.

  The closest Scorpio slid to a halt as it approached. Kar brandished his dark arm, sledge held aloft and yelled at it, “You want more of this!”

  The creature shrieked, then skittered away from him and turned to flee, its fellow Scorpios following closely behind.

  What in the Rift?

  Kar sprinted after them as they fled back into the tunnels along the back wall. The hammering thuds of their footfalls receding then disappearing altogether.

  Kar dropped his hand, the sledge swinging idly in his grip, then turned and walked back towards the rest of the party. He blinked to clear his thoughts and remembered that he’d left Lore with an injured Jon over by the other wall. He spun in place, trying to figure out where that was in relation to him now.

  “Everyone's over here Kar!” Aldwin called out.

  Kar shook his head, then strolled back toward the circle of lights within the columns.

  Everyone looked at him uneasily. Questioningly. Aldwin approached him cautiously, and grabbed hold of Kar by his natural arm, “Are you… ok?”

  Kar nodded, “I-I think so. A little confused.” That was an understatement.

  Lore grabbed hold of his crystal hand, then pulled him after her, “Can you do anything for Jon and Rowan? They’re in rough shape-Morrow says he’s done all he can.”

  Rowan’s body was a mangled mess, as was Jon’s arm. The latter had come to and was moaning softly. Kar nodded, trying to think. He had no shards left, and wasn’t sure if he could even Focus right now. Without the ring his normal healing would be useless anyhow. He wiggled the finger where it had been. He needed to search for it. Later. He would find it later.

  For now he turned to Erio and Tharn, “Have we finished this trial? Where’s the basin?”

  Erio ignored him, “You bear the mark of the enemy as well as that of the Source. How is that possible?” He was trembling, Kar realized. Erio took a step back and lowered his lance.

  “Knock it off!” Kar shouted at the Cryst, growing more than frustrated. “I need that essence so I can heal them. Tell me where the basin is!”

  “The Source would not have marked him in error, brother.” Tharn said softly.

  Erio hesitated, then regripped his lance nervously.

  The Voice interceded then, echoing for all to hear.

  HE WAS THE ONLY CHOICE I HAD, AND THERE CANNOT BE ANOTHER.

  WHEN HE CAME TO MY POOL AS A CHILD, I HAD BUT A MOMENT TO PLACE MY MARK UPON HIM. IT SEEMS THE SHADOW TOOK THE SAME OPPORTUNITY…

  Kar held his hand of flesh to his forehead and rubbed his temple, “I don’t remember any of that, or understand what’s happening to me, and frankly, right now I don’t care. Show me. The Basin. Now.”

  The center of the floor within the circle of columns split open slowly. The members of the party standing and resting there scrambled out of the way as it yawned wider and wider, revealing a winding stairway down. Cool blue cryst-light illuminated the way.

  WHAT YOU SEEK, AS WELL AS THE NEXT TRIAL, AWAITS YOU BELOW.

  Kar wasted no time, grabbing hold of Jon by his underarms while Derek grabbed his feet. Kiya preceded them—flame in hand—while Aldwin and Lore carried Rowan’s limp form behind them.

  The stairs descended further than Kar realized, but he could sense Essence long before he saw it. His black, crystal arm throbbed the closer they drew to the basin. By the time they’d arrived, it pounded with a continuous thrum.

  “Bring him right to the edge.” Kar told Derek, shuffling over to that swirling, bright pool. His shadow arm ached, and he was filled with the desire to plunge it into those depths. But another part of him, the natural, human part of Kar, screamed at him not to. He was filled with a sobering fear then. He didn’t want to find out what would happen if he gave in to that dark urge.

  “Hold him steady.” Kar mumbled, then reached his good hand into the basin, his cryst-arm held away purposefully. He leaned against Jon—trying to ensure some part of his skin was pressed against the man—and drew on the Essence, directing it into the wounded Hunter.

  Jon’s body lit up and he shook as he was healed, his crushed arm reforming bit by bit. Kar looked on uneasily as white crystal filled in and replaced missing flesh. Almost exactly in the same manner that Kar’s black arm had formed.