He was making an exception, but it was a necessary one. He would ensure their cooperation, even if it meant resorting to the Sigil Command later to erase their memories.
The eight Riders stood speechless, the weight of the Sheriff's revelation sinking in. The CallSign he had uttered – Aethel – resonated with each of them. He was one of the legendary LastBorn FirstBlades, a founding warrior who fought alongside the King in the EraSchism, a leader of the rebellion that shaped the new order, and a close confidante of the King himself. His feats were renowned, yet his identity remained shrouded in mystery.
"What did you just say?" Sena gasped, breaking the silence.
"The Aethel? The LastBorn FirstBlade?" CodeForger echoed through Mind-Lace, disbelief coloring his voice.
"I refuse to believe that!" Kyra spat, her face contorted with a mixture of fear and denial.
"Talk through Mind-Lace," the Sheriff, now Aethel, reminded them.
"Aethel died a long time ago. Killed in Action!" Gaia declared. "You cannot be him!"
Aethel sighed. "Whether you believe it or not is irrelevant. It changes nothing. I prefer not to dwell on the past, which is why I was enjoying a peaceful life until you arrived."
"I believe you," Yalis interjected. "Few possess the power to wield a Heretic's Rune of that caliber. One of the first five certainly could."
"Are you suggesting this drunkard, this fool, is one of Exoklein's greatest warriors?" Igniss scoffed, erupting into laughter.
Kyra, her face flushed with anger, muttered a string of curses under her breath. "We'll discuss this later," she growled through Mind-Lace. "Daed, start breaking the Lock!"
"Copy that!" Daed responded, activating his Kin Rune and summoning the Nexus-Key. He directed it towards the intersecting rifts, analyzing the Lock code Iskander had implemented.
"Captain, I believe the black split may be the source of the lock," CodeForger suggested.
"Good thinking. Assist Daed," Kyra instructed.
CodeForger joined Daed and Codex-7, his mind working in tandem with theirs to decipher the lock.
"Aren't we going to address the monster in the room?" Gaia exclaimed, gesturing towards the immobile Iskander. "Can someone explain what just happened?"
"Could he have sealed immortality in a Heretic's Rune?" Selhob wondered.
"Not a Heretic's Rune. He was immortal before absorbing StreamBreath," Yalis countered. "No Sigil, no other Runes used. He doesn't follow our path of power."
"Trigger Mnemonic-Transfer," Aethel commanded.
They complied, and Aethel transmitted his theories, omitting details about his power and the method of confinement. The eight were stunned into silence, even Daed and CodeForger momentarily halting their work.
"I never imagined such a being could exist," Kyra admitted after the Mnemonic-Transfer concluded. "He's beyond our current capabilities. We need to focus on escape."
"Agreed, Captain," Gaia replied. "Perhaps Sena can hijack his mind and extract the Lock code when his head regenerates."
"It won't work," Aethel stated. Within the Heretic Field, he had decelerated Iskander's particles to a standstill, replicating the effect of absolute zero. Time had stopped for the immortal. His head would not regenerate, nor would his mind be accessible, unless Aethel willed it.
"Why not?" Gaia pressed.
Aethel, struggling to breathe, remained silent.
Kyra, observing his growing fatigue, intervened. "It doesn't matter. Sheriff, how long can you maintain the lock?"
"Ten minutes at most," Aethel replied, his voice strained. Maintaining the Heretic Field was pushing him to his limits. Statis Domain was taxing, and his lack of recent practice exacerbated the strain. He could not sustain it much longer without risking the SoulFire. "After that, I'll be incapacitated for at least half an hour. We need a contingency plan."
"What will happen then?" Gaia inquired.
"I've said all I can," Aethel responded briefly.
"Captain, I propose we find a way to kill him," Selhob suggested.
Aethel flinched. "Are you daft, old ShadowWeaver?" he snapped, gesturing towards the motionless Iskander. "If Soul-Severs and Time itself cannot kill him, nothing can. He is truly immortal."
"Truly immortal, eh?" Igniss muttered, his hand resting on his prosthetic arm.
"There must be a way!" Selhob insisted, his voice rising.
"ShadowWeavers, you are... Uh, my head!" CodeForger cut in, and addressed the Sheriff, "What do you propose?"
Aethel did not need to relay the answer. "Containment and isolation from StreamBreath are our only options. A Seal of Binding on a cage should suffice."
"I can handle that," Sena affirmed confidently, turning to Kyra. "Captain?"
I knew you could, Aethel thought, his exhaustion evident. His breath came in ragged gasps, his arms trembled, and his eyelids drooped.
"Brilliant idea!" Kyra exclaimed. "Do it."
Sena approached the Heretic Field and activated Alkahest, transforming the ground into a thick, transparent crystal cube, encasing the sphere within. She meticulously ensured its integrity, leaving no gaps for even the smallest particle to escape.
Once the cage was complete, she deactivated Alkahest and activated her Kin Rune. Placing her hand on the crystal surface, she paused and looked towards Aethel.
He nodded. "Now."
Sena generated the Seal of Binding, which appeared in stark black against the crystal, severing the cage from the flow of StreamBreath. "Done!" she announced.
The Heretic Field dissipated, releasing Iskander from its hold. Aethel, utterly spent, collapsed to one knee, his Heretic's Rune fading along with the others. I need to rest, was his only coherent thought.
The eight Riders breathed a collective sigh of relief. "Well done, both of you," Kyra said, a small smile gracing her lips.
Their relief, however, was short-lived. Seconds later, they watched in horror as Iskander's head regenerated with impossible speed. He stood at the center of the cage, whole and unscathed, as if untouched by the battle. His long silver hair obscured his face as he spoke in the same unknown tongue, his words muffled by the thick crystal walls.
Slowly, he raised his head, his silver eyes glowing with an intensity that sent a shiver down Aethel's spine. Aethel felt a sharp pang in his chest, as if pierced by an invisible blade.