《Of Astral and Umbral》 Book One: Beneath the Mists Of Astral and Umbral #1, Beneath the Mists, is finally available for pre-order! You can purchase it in e-book form from Amazon or check it out via Kindle Unlimited. Contractual obligations dictate I have to remove 90% of the book from RR, my website, and elsewhere. Foreword These images will be your guide to who the Point of View character is per chapter. White is for Nalithor, the male MC. Black is for Arianna, the female MC. BlurbThis tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. In a dying kingdom chained by superstitions, Arianna lives a life isolated from her people. Her power as an Umbral Mage has seen her vilified, while her twin brother, Darius, is seen as the kingdom¡¯s greatest hope. With few allies and fewer friends, Arianna has resigned herself to a short life of protecting the airborne island nation against threats from both within and without. When the stranded nation suddenly regains contact with the outside world, Arianna is forced to reevaluate the nightmarish memories she¡¯s experienced since childhood. However, a familiar face threatens to shatter her attempts at self-delusion. Nalithor, a former prince, now serves as the God of Balance and ventures to X¡¯shmir to determine how an entire nation was hidden from the deities. Catching a glimpse of Arianna, he gives chase, haunted by her power¡¯s similarity to that of a long lost friend. Determined to know more, Nalithor arranges for the prince and princess to attend the Dauthrmiran Academy of Martial Science¡ªbut Arianna won¡¯t be easy prey. Cover Illustration by Thander Lin https://las-t.deviantart.com/ [B1] Prologue: Birth of a Deity Prologue Birth of a Deity ¡°We are taking you with us.¡± The gold-robed Elder reached for Arianna. I gripped Arianna by her wrist and took off at a run for the door. Darkness whipped around us as we both channeled power into our legs so we could run faster. This entire situation felt wrong. Whether it was the Elders¡¯ suffocating power or something else I wasn¡¯t sure. All I knew was that my instincts were screaming for me to get Arianna away from these people. I wouldn¡¯t let them take Arianna away. They frightened me more than any of the scum we had come across in our missions, and more than any of the monsters wandering the wilds between our respective kingdoms. Men with feathered wings of varying colors appeared from golden portals and surrounded us. One of them shoved me out of the way and another hit me upside the head with the flat of a gaudy silver sword, dazing me. I stumbled and turned to snap at the intruders but my pulse leapt into my throat as the pressure of the men¡¯s¡¯ combined auras silenced me. ¡®I-It¡¯s like the last time people tried to take her away.¡¯ I swallowed hard, a tremble entering my hands, ¡®Except instead of Human slavers, these people¡­ The Elders and their servants are supposed to be on our side! Why is this happening?!¡¯ A female shriek snapped me to my senses. I looked to my right, where Arianna had been standing, and my heart sank. ¡®Where did she¡­?¡¯ ¡°Let me go!¡± Arianna clawed at the hand gripping her curls and dug her heels into the floor, ¡°N-Nali!¡± ¡°Children who encroach upon the duties of gods will be punished.¡± The winged man sneered, jerked Arianna off her feet by her hair, and then dragged her across the floor. ¡°Unhand her!¡± Lucifer roared, moving to storm past the Elder Gods. One of the Elder Gods blocked Lucifer¡¯s path, placing a hand on the king¡¯s shoulder. At first, the man spoke calmly. However, Lucifer refused to comply. For all his strength, the Devillian king couldn¡¯t dislodge the man¡¯s grip from his shoulder. The distraught expression on his face made reality crash around me. These people, the Elder Gods and their servants, were intent on taking Arianna from us. ¡®What are you waiting for, Nalithor?!¡¯ a male voice growled, accompanied by a puff of violet smoke as Djialkan, Arianna¡¯s fae-dragon, appeared beside me, ¡®I cannot interfere with the Elder Gods, but you can. Will you just let them take Arianna?¡¯ When I didn¡¯t respond, the fae-dragon lashed his tail across my face and snarled. Snippets of memories flooded through my mind all at once. Humans in the Vorpmasian wilds had knocked Arianna unconscious and dragged her from our camp in the base of a tree while I was tending our horses. When I¡¯d found her, they¡¯d been arguing about who would get to ¡°break her in¡± during the return trip. Others knew who she was and wanted to slay her. My Arianna, they had wanted to kill her. ¡®Just like these bastards do.¡¯ The thought turned my blood to ice. More Angels filed out of golden portals as I turned to chase after Arianna and her captor. I sped past several while shoving others out of my way with darkness. They couldn¡¯t take her away. I wouldn¡¯t let them. I didn¡¯t give a damn if they were Elder Gods or not; they didn¡¯t have the right to punish her. ¡°Don¡¯t take her away from me!¡± I screamed with enough force that my voice cracked and my lungs burned. The Angel ignored me and continued yanking Arianna across the throne room towards the exit. Arianna clawed at the bastard¡¯s hand and wrist, unable to reach his wings¡ªbut he didn¡¯t seem to care. I called out to Arianna, extending a hand towards her. ¡®Not close enough yet. I have to be faster!¡¯ ¡°Nali, my sword! Where is¡ª?¡± Arianna yelped in pain as the Angel yanked her long hair again. I managed to close the distance and grasp Arianna¡¯s hand. She gripped back tight enough to make my joints creak, and I felt a sense of relief. The moment was short-lived. The Angel ripped Arianna upwards and out of my grasp, making me lose my balance and fall to my knees. I glared up at the Angel as he dangled Arianna above my head like bait. A sneer stretched across the Angel¡¯s face, taunting me as I growled. Before I could spout off at the winged bastard, a silver blade blossomed out the front of Arianna¡¯s chest. Black blood dripped from the point of the blade and down to the floor between us. Her eyes went wide as she began coughing up blood. Something reflected the light as it fell from her chest, and seconds later I felt it land in my lap. Shaking, I pocketed it as I tried to process what to do. How could I help her? How could I get the Angel away from her? My world ground to a halt when I shifted a glare towards the Angel and then looked back at Arianna. She¡­wasn¡¯t breathing. A sound between a scream and a roar left me. Hatred, loss, and terror ripped through every fiber of my being. She couldn¡¯t be dead, it wasn¡¯t possible! These bastards would pay for harming her. I would make them pay with their lives, and then Arianna and I could continue on as normal¡­right? ¡®Right, Ari?¡¯ I reached out tentatively, but was met with no response. The Angel laughed as he slung Arianna¡¯s limp body over his shoulder, leaving the ornate sword lodged in place. Silver filigree, two sapphires set in the crossguard and pommel. The sword looked familiar but I was too disturbed to place it. Instead, I committed the sword to memory. I would remember that sword, I would remember it and I would use it to slay every last one of the Angels and the Elder Gods if the opportunity arose. ¡®But, if I can take it from him now¡­¡¯ I snarled, my gaze honing in on the Angel and his cocky walk. Opaque darkness, black lightning, pale blue flames, and chunks of torn earth formed a deadly maelstrom around me as I charged after the laughing Angel. My power shredded everything in my path, leaving gouges inches deep into the granite and cleaving the Elders¡¯ auras from the air. A small tremble of something that felt like Arianna passed through me, but no words accompanied it. My imagination? Most likely. She wasn¡¯t breathing, so it couldn¡¯t possibly have been her. ¡®Not¡­breathing¡­¡¯ My vision blurred with tears. I couldn¡¯t shelve my despair but I still tried to reach her. A dark rip appeared in front of the Angel. He turned to sneer at me again before stepping through it, disappearing with Arianna still slung over his shoulder. Djialkan barreled through the portal after them both, but it closed before I could leap in after them. I slowed to a stop, at a loss for what to do. Nor did I know how to even begin processing what just happened. My tears blinded me as my power pulsed and warped around me, threatening to break from my control. I felt my knees hit the floor again as I collapsed in place. My entire body felt numb, but it was like a storm raged inside of me. Something pulsed with warm power from within my pocket, releasing what should have been a comforting aura and scent. Her scent, her power. ¡°S-she¡¯s gone.¡± I gasped, pulling the warm item from my pocket. The clear crystal was shaped like a lotus and danced with the colors of darkness, cobalt flames, pale wind, and ice. My eyes widened and horror lanced through me in recognition as the heartbeat-like pulse of the crystal continued. ¡°T-this is¡­?¡± Vaguely, I was aware of panicked shouting somewhere behind me and a massive surge of power from the gods. I didn¡¯t care. The crystalline object I was holding¡ªI knew what it was. The heart of a god. Arianna¡¯s heart. That meant the sword that pierced her had be a Godslayer, and that¡¯s why it seemed familiar. Her heart should have shattered upon coming into contact with it, she should have died instantly. But it didn¡¯t, and she hadn¡¯t. ¡®Why, why is it still beating?¡¯ Power pulsed through me as I lost control over my power and emotions both. A primal wail ripped from me as my power split the palace apart like an egg around me. Arianna, my Arianna, my partner of the last ten years. It had been so difficult to get her to open up, to stop being shy or scared of me. And now I would never see her again. The Elders, and the Angels, had taken her from me. ¡®I will kill them all!¡¯ my blinding fury and grief fought for dominance as I slammed my free hand into the floor, ¡®I¡­failed to save her. But I can still destroy them for what they¡¯ve done!¡¯ ¡°Rely¡¯ric?¡± a vaguely familiar voice called, ¡°Hey, wake up!¡± I opened my eyes uneasily, adopting a passive expression as my gaze fell on a nude woman with jet black hair. Arcane sigils twinkled along her ashen gray skin, identifying her as a Jrachra¡ªa Devillian race with close ties to the arcane arts. Her pupil-less silver eyes were open wide with both concern and an all-too-familiar reverence. ¡°Why are you still here?¡± I asked with a sigh, raising a hand to my head and pushing my hair back between my horns, ¡®Honestly. Why must food always invite itself to stay?¡¯ ¡°Night terrors?¡± The Jrachra ignored my question and leaned forward, ¡°I thought your powers were going to tear the room apart, Rely¡¯ric! If you wish, I can try some of my peoples¡¯ spells for night terrors.¡± ¡°Unnecessary.¡± I sat up in bed, the satin sheets drifting down my own nude body, ¡°I have a meeting with the emperor to prepare for. You should leave.¡± The woman didn¡¯t budge. Instead, she stared up at me with a mindless reverence that I couldn¡¯t stand. The once-proud Jrachra woman was now spellbound by my power as an Adinvyr. My rank within Lucifer¡¯s court had only made situations like this more frequent. Adinvyr like myself had to feed periodically on sexual energy. We could draw it from active brothels, through blood or other bodily fluids, or through participating in sex itself. Nature made sure that it wasn¡¯t hard for us to find ¡°food.¡± Our individual powers attracted willing sources to us constantly. The more hungry we were, the stronger our pull. Prey like this woman were especially common in the streets of Dauthrmir. I couldn¡¯t go anywhere without men and women offering themselves to me. Even the rare individual who wasn¡¯t drawn by my power as an Adinvyr still sought me for my rank in Lucifer¡¯s empire. ¡°Humph, so it¡¯s true then.¡± The woman snorted as I strode past her, ¡°You¡¯re still caught up on that princess after 180 years? Something must be wrong with you. But I¡¯m sure I can fix it. She was just a child, but I¡¯m a woman. I can make sure your needs are¡ª¡± ¡°Enough.¡± I kept my voice calm and pivoted to look at the woman. The Magelights in the room flickered and then flared bright in response to my free-flowing power. The Jrachra woman froze like a deer, her eyes wide. ¡°B-but¡­¡± she flinched and shrank back, ¡°Her Highness is just a ghost of the past! Why do you let her haunt you? Why do you let her keep you from finding¡ª?¡± ¡°Her Highness is the only reason we aren¡¯t all slaves to the Desert Elves by now.¡± I directed tendrils of darkness towards the woman and lifted her off the floor by her throat, ¡°You are food. A means to an end. That¡¯s it. You knew this when you offered yourself to me. And you should know that it is terribly rude of you to invite yourself to stay in an Adinvyr¡¯s bed. ¡°Leave. If you are not gone by the time I return from my bath I will have the guards remove you by force.¡± I dropped the woman to the floor by her discarded clothing and then turned to leave. She directed a bolt of lightning towards me from her hands but I squashed it beneath my power. I shot her a glare over my shoulder when I sensed her building power around herself again. I strode across the room, shrugging a robe on as I walked, and stifled her power beneath mine. ¡°You were both mere children, yet you act like you loved her!¡± the woman snapped, ¡°All the girls in town talk about it, you know. How ¡®The Black Dragon has been driven mad by a shadow from the past.¡¯ Lucifer must be mad too if he lets you serve him!¡± ¡°Mad?¡± I asked, turning to arch an eyebrow at the angry woman, ¡°Tell me, how would you feel if the person you cared most for was murdered right before your eyes? If you were so close to rescuing them, only to be bathed in their blood as a blade plunged through their heart? ¡°What I may have felt for Her Highness is a very small part of the matter, girl.¡± The woman spouted off something unintelligible and I sighed. It seemed like my allure as an Adinvyr grew stronger by the day. She was beyond reasoning with and her eyes still held unyielding reverence. Yet she acted like a scorned lover, not like proper food. The growing pool of urine beneath her suggested that, somewhere under that reverent facade, she understood that I could end her life with a mere thought if she pushed me further. ¡®Tch. Perhaps I will return to drawing energy from the brothels.¡¯ I grimaced as the Jrachra¡¯s screeching followed me down the hallway, ¡®Removing food is so much more hassle than it¡¯s worth¡­¡¯ One of the palace servants shot me a knowing yet sympathetic look before bowing to me and scurrying by¡ªlikely to fetch the guards and towels. The palace staff was well-accustomed to situations such as this by now. Adinvyr, myself included, expected our food to leave after being fed upon. It was the socially acceptable thing to do back in Draemir.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Unfortunately, the commonfolk of Dauthrmir seemed slow on the uptake. ¡®Still, using Her Highness as a way to jab at me?¡¯ I sighed as I slipped into the large bathroom at the end of the hall, passing by granite pillars and silver sconces as I went, ¡®They¡¯re growing more problematic than normal. I haven¡¯t done anything different or changed my routine¡­ Is my power growing?¡¯ I raised a hand and summoned darkness above my palm, attempting to gauge if anything about my power had changed. The darkness drifted over my palm like smoke, spilling over the sides of my hands and dripping down towards the floor like water. There didn¡¯t seem to be anything different about it. Sighing, I dismissed the darkness and shed my robe before walking towards the bath. The steaming water was a welcome sensation against my skin. I waded into the room-sized bath and past several more pillars. Once I managed to free my waist-length white hair from its braid, I waded into deeper waters and then sat with my back against the tiled edge. ¡®Arianna¡­¡¯ I pursed my lips and then raised a hand to my chest. When I withdrew it, a crystalline lotus hovered above my palm. Whenever I looked at it, I never knew what to think. Everything I¡¯d ever been taught stated that the Godslayer should have shattered her heart. It should have stopped pulsing with power and grown dim, yet the powers of darkness, wind, fire, and ice still swirled within the crystal petals in their endless, lazy dance. ¡®It has grown.¡¯ A small frown tugged at my lips. I reached out with a small drop of my own power and hesitated before prodding at the crystal. The lotus grew warmer in my hand and pulsed faster for a moment before returning to its usual rhythm. The elements themselves seemed unfazed and continued in their arcing paths. The heart of a goddess, separated from its owner, and yet it still beat on as if she was still alive. I didn¡¯t know what to believe anymore; the Elder Gods, or the heart I¡¯d kept with me for the past 180 years. Shaking my head, I let the crystal lotus sink back into my chest before I slumped back against the bath¡¯s edge and stared blankly at the water. That heart, Arianna¡¯s heart, was the only reason I was still alive. There had been many times, especially during a Devillian¡¯s equivalent to teenage years, where I had considered ending everything. Sometimes it was because I wanted the chance to see Arianna again; sometimes it was for foolish or selfish reasons. Regardless of my reasoning, soothing warmth would radiate from Arianna¡¯s heart and calm me down. Even in some of my darkest or most distraught moments, it had made me stop and reconsider what I was doing. ¡°Jich!¡± I cursed, batting at the water, ¡°It has been a long time. Maybe I really have gone mad.¡± I glanced to the side at a clock and then grimaced. The Court was expecting me to show up today, and having Lucifer being angry with me was one of the last things I needed. That Lucifer hadn¡¯t slain me as punishment for being unable to protect his daughter was already a minor miracle as far as I was concerned. Soon enough I found myself sweeping through the hallways of the Dauthrmiran palace. Something about the air gave me the feeling that the Jrachra strumpet¡¯s rudeness was going to be the least of my headaches for today. Everything crackled with a vaguely familiar energy that made my skin crawl. I paid little mind to the decorations of the palace as I honed my senses, attempting to identify the source of my displeasure. If the servants milling through the hallways called greetings to me, I didn¡¯t hear them. The power I sensed felt similar to that of the Elders responsible for taking Arianna away from us. Nowhere near as suffocating, but still too similar for me to ignore. ¡°General Vraelimir, they¡¯re expecting you.¡± A guard bowed deeply to me as I approached a pair of large doors. I glanced up at the intricately carved ebony doors before turning to acknowledge the guard, taking note of his uneasy shifting. The Imperial Guard weren¡¯t known for being easy to rattle. Something within the throne room had managed to perturb them. ¡®So, I wasn¡¯t imagining that presence.¡¯ I pushed my way into the palace¡¯s secondary throne room and glanced around quickly, taking stock of everyone¡¯s locations. The original throne room, which I had destroyed in my grief, had been left in ruins. Lucifer kept it sealed off completely in remembrance of that day and wouldn¡¯t let anyone inside¡ªnot even me. The new throne room looked drastically different compared to the old. Although both were made of granite and obsidian¡ªlike everything else in the palace¡ªthis room was decorated with dark and grim paintings and artifacts. The original throne room had been a colorful, cheerful place. This room, however, housed the spoils of war; bloodstained banners, confiscated weaponry and armor from defeated foes, and even the skeletal heads of some of Lucifer¡¯s enemies. After the deaths of his heirs, the enraged then-king had gone on a bloody rampage. He had conquered the last of the surrounding Devillian tribes, the wilds between them, and the border with the Suthsul Desert. The death of his children was essentially the birth of the Vorpmasian Empire. Although he claimed it was for both the children he lost that day, we knew it was more for Arianna than it was for her twin brother. Darius had been raised by his mother, an Angel, far away from Dauthrmir and its Devillian influence. The guards insisted that both of Lucifer¡¯s children had been in the throne room on that day¡­but I couldn¡¯t remember seeing the boy. How I had wished I was old enough to participate in the wars alongside Lucifer and my father, Lysander. But no, I had to stay behind with my mother and younger siblings. Even if I had been old enough at the time, I doubted they would have let me go. In hindsight, I wasn¡¯t in the right frame of mind for battle. ¡°You all look absolutely livid.¡± I commented once I was closer to the dais at the back of the room, examining the gathered Royal Families and several dignitaries I didn¡¯t recognize, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°You tell us, Nalithor.¡± Lucifer¡¯s tone was firm as he crossed his arms over his chest, his mismatched emerald green and electric blue eyes settling on me with an intense glare, ¡°The Elder Gods have formally requested your presence.¡± ¡°The Elder¡­?¡± I trailed off into a scowl, turning my attention to the trio in plain white cloaks, ¡°Unless you¡¯re here to tell me that I can execute the bastard that took Her Highness and her brother away from us, I have no interest in speaking with you.¡± The smallest of the three Elders approached me as my blood lust rose to near intolerable levels. I wanted to shred the gods before me apart with claw and blade alike. I wanted nothing more than to drench the throne room in their blood. Even if it didn¡¯t kill them, it would certainly make me feel better. ¡°Then you have sensed it, have you not?¡± the female of the trio inquired with a smile as she lowered her hook, revealing delicate features, blonde hair, and solid golden eyes that were void of sclera or pupils, ¡°She was not meant to die, therefore she did not. ¡°You have kept her heart, yes? It still beats within you. I can hear it.¡± My scowl deepened as the female Elder circled me in silence. Her warm expression only made me want to shred her even more. However, she seemed more interested in examining the dark Brands of Divinity that covered the right side of my body from my throat and down. She looked intrigued, and I could feel her poking and prodding at my magic with her own. That this woman would taunt us in such a way infuriated me. ¡®Claiming that Her Highness isn¡¯t dead? I should rip these bastards apart for expecting me to believe such a farce.¡¯ I saw Arianna stop breathing with my own eyes, seen the amount of blood that spilled from her wound and mouth alike. There was no way she could have lived through that. ¡°You already know that only deities have crystalline hearts, yes?¡± one of the male Elders inquired. I nodded my reply in silence. ¡°We would speak with you, and you alone, about the events that transpired that day.¡± The other male Elder continued, ¡°What we have to say is of no concern to the Lesser, Middle, or Upper Gods, but it will be of great concern to you.¡± I frowned deeply at the Elders. What could they possibly have to say to me that they didn¡¯t want the other gods to know of? Before I could question them aloud, blinding light engulfed us. When we reappeared, I found myself under a brilliant blue sky with plush green grass below my feet. Wherever this was, it certainly wasn¡¯t within the Vorpmasian Empire. It seemed as if this small strip of land was levitating in the sky, but I couldn¡¯t be certain¡ªand I wasn¡¯t prepared to show the Elders my back so I could check for supports beneath. ¡°The twins were meant to compete over the role of Balance,¡± the female began as I prodded at the ground beneath us with my power, ¡°You worked closely with the girl, so I am sure you noticed the way she seemed to ¡®sense¡¯ things that were wrong in the world. Things that should have been beyond a child¡¯s knowledge.¡± ¡®The Elder isn¡¯t wrong. Arianna truly did sense strange things, and she was never mistaken.¡¯ I thought begrudgingly. Arianna had been my partner in play, training, and in work. She had always been unusually aware of the events of the world despite her lack of interest in political lessons. ¡®But¡­it is supposedly for that very reason that the Elders deigned it necessary to execute her.¡¯ My frown deepened. That wasn¡¯t quite right. It was an Angel that had run Arianna through, not the Elders. The Elder Gods had simply said they were taking Arianna with them¡ªthey never said what their intentions were. ¡®Even so, their intentions couldn¡¯t have been good. Not when they were exerting their combined auras in such a way.¡¯ I glanced to the side at the Elders and took in what I could of their individual forms. Their robes did not glow, none of them wore a gold robe, and one was a woman. The Elders that had appeared on that day in Dauthrmir were all male. Their attire had been fancier, and their power stronger. I scented the air discreetly and bit back a grimace. They still smelled unpleasant. ¡°The Middle and Upper Gods have become too unruly. They spend their time bickering amongst themselves and looking for mortal toys.¡± The Elder continued as if she hadn¡¯t heard my thoughts, ¡°Balance¡¯s role is to manage the Upper Gods, particularly Good and Evil, so that they can all function properly in their roles.¡± I furrowed my brow and crossed my arms over my chest, waiting for the Elder to continue. My scaled tail twitched in agitation as I tried to rein in my thoughts and focus on the problem at hand. This woman hadn¡¯t even bothered to mention the Lesser Gods, such as Lucifer or my parents. Arianna had been concerned with the dealings between Lesser Gods¡ªalso known as Racial Gods¡ªwhen we were young. The Middle Gods ruled over, and represented, lesser archetypes. These deities were the ones that the commonfolk worshiped on a day-to-day basis. Deities of fishing, hunting, forging¡ªif you desired a boon for your work, it was likely a Middle God you would ask for help. Upper Gods, however, represented major concepts. Good, evil, chaos, tranquility, time, war, emotions, and many more. These deities tended to be more removed from society, influencing the world through their followers or their Chosen who tended temples and shrines throughout Avrirsa. ¡®Why would they be speaking to me about these matters instead of someone more qualified?¡¯ I tapped my claws against my forearm as I thought, ¡®I am a demigod, but my parents are only Lesser Gods¡ªthe God and Goddess of the Adinvyr. If the Elders want a demigod for something, there are many more to choose from. ¡®Although¡­we are not supposed to be privy to the workings of deities.¡¯ ¡°Our intention was for one of our candidates to become the God or Goddess of Balance, while the others would be free from the responsibility.¡± The shortest male Elder continued, making subtle motions as he spoke, ¡°I won¡¯t go into the details of our selection process¡ªwe have not the time for such a lengthy discussion.¡± ¡°In short, a divide has formed amongst the Elder Gods. Several of them rebelled against the plan to find a deity of Balance.¡± The female stated. A sad expression formed on her face as the others fell silent, ¡°Our former allies chose to eliminate the dozens of candidates that we and our allies had selected.¡± ¡®Dozens of candidates?¡¯ I stared at the Elders in disbelief. What they had said to me thus far made sense¡ªthat the Middle and Upper Gods had been neglecting their duties was something that neither mortals nor Lesser Gods had missed. It seemed logical that there would be someone to keep those deities in line. However, I had always thought that job fell to the Elder Gods. ¡®A rift between the Elders. That is disconcerting.¡¯ I glanced between the Elders and then down at the grass as I thought. It never even occurred to me that what happened to Arianna may have happened to other people¡ªlikely to other children. Why would the other Elders take such a drastic measure? Furthermore, which Elders are the rebellious ones; the ones before me, or the ones that had Arianna taken away? ¡°You mean to tell me the other Elders went as far as to kill dozens of children who could have become The Balance? Not just Arianna and Darius?¡± I shot the female a pointed look, watching as she gave me a sad smile and nodded in reply. ¡°We thought that all was lost¡­but it would seem that Arianna¡¯s heart has changed you, has it not?¡± the taller of the two male Elders motioned at my chest, ¡°You have begun to sense things the way she did. Perhaps not as strongly, but you sense them all the same.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like where this is going.¡± I muttered, settling a glare on the Elders, ¡°You couldn¡¯t possibly expect me to take on the role of a god in her place.¡± ¡®What are they thinking?!¡¯ I grit my teeth, attempting to keep my outward appearance calm, ¡®A role as they have described would lie between an Upper and Elder God in the hierarchy! How could they even insinuate that I should take on such a role?¡¯ I dug my claws into my forearms and attempted to calm my racing thoughts. Even if Arianna¡¯s heart had changed me in some way, that hardly made me qualified to bear such a heavy burden. I couldn¡¯t deny that, over the past few decades, I had begun to see the world in a different way. It wasn¡¯t a conscious thing and it was separate from just growing older. At times I just knew where there was a problem¡ªand how to fix it. ¡°We desperately need your help with the things that are about to happen to this world.¡± The female Elder sighed heavily, ¡°We will need your help to fix Avrirsa and its deities.¡± ¡°Even if I did agree to help you, I do not see any upsides to this.¡± I stated in a flat tone and maintained my glare. My tail thrashed with irritation as I continued, ¡°How could you expect me to¡ª?¡± ¡°We are not giving you a choice in this matter, Adinvyr.¡± One of the males interjected plainly as he lifted a hand and summoned a prison of golden light around me, ¡°As mortals say, desperate times call for desperate measures. You are the only one left who shares the instincts she possessed. ¡°You are the only one that can truly save her and we need your help fixing what is to come.¡± ¡°Save¡­¡± I trailed off and attempted to process the notion before gripping the bars of my cage, snarling, ¡°You¡¯re telling me she¡¯s alive?!¡± ¡®They¡­they weren¡¯t simply taunting me?¡¯ I attempted to swallow my panic. How could she be alive after sustaining such an injury? Did they simply mean that they had reincarnated her soul? Or, had the other Elders lied when they claimed Arianna and Darius had both perished? It always struck me as strange that they refused to give us anything to bury. Was she a prisoner somewhere? Did she remember what happened? Did she¡­remember me? I staggered back against the bars and lifted a hand over my face, struggling to process the information. Somehow the notion that Arianna had been alive all this time was more painful than believing she was dead. She had been everything to me. I would never have left her somewhere willingly. ¡®But¡­does she know that?¡¯ ¡°Sit down and listen, boy.¡± The female ordered, ignoring the threatening look I shot her in reply, ¡°We have much to disclose to you and precious little time to do it. You need to know the rules of being a God without a Goddess, the rules of Balance, and the risks we are all taking. ¡°After that, then we will tell you of your precious princess and what has become of her.¡± I shot them another begrudging glare before nodded my head sharply to indicate my compliance. I wanted nothing more than to rip all of the Elders and the Angels apart for what had happened so many years ago. But, if she was still alive, then perhaps there was a faint sliver of hope left. For now I would shelve my whirlwind of questions and emotions so that I could listen to what the Elders had to say to me. Only by listening would I determine who needed to pay for the harm that had come to Arianna. After 180 years, all I could do was hope that no one had made her suffer. [ Discord | Book One on Amazon | Books2Read | Facebook | Author''s Site | Top Web Fiction ] [B6] Chapter One: Collecting Thoughts Chapter One Collecting Thoughts It felt good to be out of the filthy Human city. Several weeks had passed since the execution of the X¡¯shmiran King, Queen, and their minions. Despite our obvious distaste for the creatures, a proper cemetery had been built outside Eormir¡¯s walls and the criminals were afforded a proper burial. With a little nudging, the remaining Humans told us where the rest of the country¡¯s dead had been dumped. The work had been difficult, but eventually we managed to unearth centuries of corpses and moved them all to the new cemetery. With them gone, our focus had turned to a variety of pursuits. Eormir needed to be rebuilt, we had two centuries of archival records to sort through, and the beasts were an ever-present threat. Furthermore, there was the matter of the Mists and the Sihix Forest. It was good to finally have time to be alone with my thoughts. I felt as if I hadn¡¯t had the time to mull over our actions against the X¡¯shmirans at all. However, I found myself troubled. After executing so many people in such a brutal manner, I was quite certain that I should have felt some level of disgust or regret. Instead, I felt relieved. As if a burden had been lifted from my shoulders. Was it because, finally, I had been afforded the opportunity to act out a portion of revenge? Or was it because my role and instincts as Balance told me that those Humans needed to die? Either way, I found it troubling that their deaths had no adverse effects on me. All that remained to trouble me were Arianna¡¯s memories I had experienced, and her absence from my side whilst I remained in Eormir. ¡®And¡­that, I suppose.¡¯ I glanced up at the churning violet skies. According to our men and women who were already stationed in Eormir, the locals, and my own experience¡ªthe region had never seen clouds before. Even when raining or snowing, the sky remained a solid, featureless violet. Yet, for the past few days, storm-like clouds had dominated the airspace around the floating island. To be safe, we had landed all our airships and turned off all their systems aside from barrier generation. My destination for the day was the Sihix Forest, but I had chosen to travel above ground so that I might observe the Mists and any beasts that might appear. Thus far, I had taken the pace of a leisurely walk and only reached the edge of the forest surrounding Eormir itself. Before me sprawled the plateau Arianna had once crossed to flee from me. An amused smile touched my lips as I looked out over the snow-free plateau. How much things had changed since then. Back then I never would have imagined, or dared to hope, that things would turn out as they had. The subtle swaying of the zrintaas hanging from my spear was a constant reminder of my ayraziis¡ªnow my fianc¨¦e. Both words I never thought I would utter to anyone. ¡°Where stinky-smellies?¡± Alala trotted toward me from the south in her larger form. Djialkan was perched on her back but appeared to be lost in thought. ¡°At such a slow pace I thought I would have come across at least four by now, given our people¡¯s reports,¡± I murmured, crossing my arms. ¡°The two of you found nothing as well?¡± ¡°Dead stinky-smellies.¡± Alala wrinkled her snout. ¡°We need a better way to dispose of the corpses.¡± Djialkan shook his head. ¡°We cannot continue dumping them and the place your soldiers chose is poor. If rain comes, the slant of the earth will flood the city with run-off from the corpses.¡± ¡°Then we will have our mages incinerate the corpses.¡± I sighed in displeasure. ¡°We should search the western half of the island before making our way to Sihix¡¯s Forest,¡± Djialkan craned his neck to look toward the plateau¡¯s distant drop-off. ¡°It was once the X¡¯shmiran¡¯s main region for both farming and fishing. Since their ascent into the skies, the wilds beyond the city were abandoned. Arianna and I have rarely made excursions there due to the distance.¡± ¡°I assume such trips were made only when Arianna was staying within Sihix¡¯s domain?¡± I frowned, following Alala and Djialkan across the plateau. ¡°Aye, but it is arguably the largest region of the island. Our excursions were always hurried.¡± Djialkan nodded as I caught up and fell into step with them. ¡°We found more beasts in the western reaches of X¡¯shmir than anywhere else. When the Rilzaan Alliance¡¯s expedition found the island, it was in the western forests they were attacked.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°She may not have shown it then, but she expended a great deal of power to get to them as quickly as she did. Had she been slower, the expedition would have been slaughtered and dozens of beasts would have been attracted to the corpses.¡± ¡°Dozens¡­¡± I grimaced at the thought. Regardless of my fondness for hunting, the concept of so many Dux beasts was not a pleasant thought. ¡°And this is why hiding our auras in X¡¯shmir is so important?¡± ¡°There are, of course, beasts in the eastern half,¡± Djialkan began thoughtfully, ¡°but if they sense magic, ones from the west will come to hunt.¡± ¡°Then they should have come to hunt me by now,¡± I pointed out. ¡°I believe I may know why they have not.¡± Djialkan shifted toward me and then pointed at my spear with one of his forelegs. ¡°The beasts of this land are terrified of Sihix¡¯s power, and Sihix himself augmented your weapon. I believe they are avoiding us due to his crystals.¡± ¡°That certainly defeats the purpose of coming to hunt.¡± I sighed and shook my head. ¡°I will keep it out for now. If the western reaches are so heavily populated with beasts, it would be best to discourage them from coming to greet us.¡± As we continued across the plateau, I contacted Maric and instructed him to have the beast corpses incinerated immediately. With the sky appearing constantly stormy, there was no telling when it would begin to rain. We couldn¡¯t allow run-off from the corpses to reach the people within the city¡¯s walls, or the livestock. There were too few reliable sources of food in Eormir to let such a thing happen. By the time we reached the edge of the plateau it was afternoon. I looked out over the landscape below with a muted sense of appreciation. The wilderness was beautiful, as was the lake that took up most of the island. However, even from the plateau, I spotted beasts moving through the forests and along the shoreline of the lake. Shadows beneath the water¡¯s surface indicated even more of the damned creatures. ¡°There are not usually so many.¡± Djialkan leapt off Alala¡¯s back and hovered over the precipice, his eyes narrowed. ¡°I do not believe we should venture there with simply the three of us. The Mists still interfere with your senses, do they not?¡± ¡°They do.¡± I pursed my lips and tracked one of the closer beasts as it lumbered through the forest. ¡°Can we afford to wait? There¡¯s no telling when we will be able to bring Arianna here, or if she will even want to. The people of Auvry¡¯e will be of no use either.¡± ¡°Are you so eager to hunt that you would charge into their den?¡± Djialkan snorted at me, his eyes still on the scenery below us. ¡°Deity or not, it could take days for you to slay so many beasts under normal circumstances. Given the Mist¡¯s interference, it is a risk you should not take.¡± I released a heavy sigh and followed the fae-dragon¡¯s gaze. Alala whined and sidestepped over to me until she was leaning against my side. Djialkan was right. Dealing with so many beasts in a timely fashion would require extreme measures, such as when Arianna had wiped out large swaths of beasts in Falrrsald. With the Mists dampening my senses, I wasn¡¯t confident that my aim would be accurate. Furthermore, I had to consider the strain such action would put me under. I had no options for feeding in Eormir. The few brothels had all been disbanded due to forced labor. Without Arianna nearby to help me replenish my power, I had to take care and pace myself. Needs aside¡­ I missed her desperately. With all I¡¯d discovered, I wasn¡¯t certain how I would react to seeing her again. Her memories weighed heavily on my mind, refusing to let me be even when I attempted to sleep. Taking a deep breath, I turned away from the precipice and followed it in the direction of the Sihix Forest. There was much I needed to discuss with the inhabitants there before moving forward with Eormir¡¯s reconstruction plans. We wanted to make certain we were on good terms with Sihix¡¯s people, and that meant I needed to coordinate with Corentine in some manner. ¡°Well then, Djialkan, where do you think the source of the Mists is?¡± I asked, watching as the fae-dragon perched on Alala¡¯s back once more. ¡°And do you still believe it is linked to the Sihix Forest¡¯s disappearing aether?¡± ¡°Corentine¡¯s visions, and her discussions with Sihix, have given us many reasons to believe most of Avrirsa¡¯s current problems are interconnected,¡± Djialkan answered after a few seconds of contemplative silence. ¡°I do not know how much she can tell us, but I think you will agree once you have heard what she is permitted to say. ¡°As ever, our primary issue is how to tackle the problems. Until we discover the source, or their ¡®boss,¡¯ we cannot be proactive. We can only continue to fix matters as they appear and wait for new problems to take their place.¡± I glanced up at the sky, taking in the violent clouds. Djialkan was right. Thus far, and for some time yet, all we could do was react. Until we had more answers, we could do nothing to stop our enemies for good. The thought put a bitter taste in my mouth. I wondered if there was a way to lure their leader out of hiding. Perhaps by slaying every Jivyador we came across¡ªit would certainly be a start. ¡®No¡­ That won¡¯t work.¡¯ I shoved my hands into the pockets of my robes, frowning. ¡®The mortals and most of deities still believe the Jivyador to be the true Elder Gods. If we began killing them off, we would be ¡°Exiled¡± and our job would become more difficult. Arianna would be thrown from her home after only just returning to it¡­¡¯ My heart ached at the thought. Arianna finally had a place that she could call home, a place that accepted and adored her. Yet, a simple decree from the Jivyador could change all of that. Although I still yearned for revenge, I didn¡¯t want to see Arianna ostracized by her people. ¡°Let your desire become determination,¡± Djialkan commented, earning him a faint glare. ¡°If you carry out your role as Balance such matters will no longer be an issue. Look for the causes, not just the solutions.¡± ¡®Refocus my efforts¡­¡¯ I considered it before nodding. ¡°When and where I can, I will. For now, let¡¯s see if we can secure Corentine¡¯s cooperation. Preferably without her forcing me to experience more of Arianna¡¯s past.¡± [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Top Web Fiction ] [B6] Chapter Two: Temples & Trouble Chapter Two Temples & Trouble ¡°Arianna, we should have stayed in the city.¡± Eyrian gave me an agitated look as we made our way deeper into a subterranean tunnel. ¡°I want to see this ¡®temple¡¯ the X¡¯shmirans used for Blood Magic myself.¡± I made a dismissive motion. The Draekin sighed and fidgeted with his gauntlets as if he expected for us to find a fight. ¡°The Humans must have been desperate if they were willing to slaughter their entire population of mages. That goes doubly so now that we¡¯ve confirmed some of them were Astral Mages. ¡°Besides, since there¡¯s been a lull in our work within Dauthrmir, I was growing bored. We should see what we can do to help our people here since Father still doesn¡¯t want to let me go to Eormir.¡± ¡°I am curious to see this temple for myself,¡± Reulidru spoke up, his ears perking forward. ¡°I have been studying Human history and architecture. If the temple is dedicated to any known deities, I should be able to determine which.¡± ¡°The amount of aether in the region truly has risen,¡± Kabos remarked, not lifting his eyes from a crystal-studded apparatus in his hands. ¡°The scholars claimed it had tripled or quadrupled. According to their reports, the amount of aether I¡¯m detecting would be tripled again on top of that.¡± ¡°So, the levels are still rising?¡± I asked, a small frown tugging at my lips. ¡°Are we getting close to dangerous amounts of aether, or is it still safe for the mortals here?¡± ¡°Still safe,¡± Kabos offered after re-checking his instrument. ¡°It could triple again before reaching similar amounts of aether to what surrounds Dauthrmir. We will all be safe for a while yet. Beasts and irt¡¯chkali are still staying far away from the region as well¡ªfor now.¡± ¡°Good. Let¡¯s hope it stays that way.¡± I made a motion with one hand, summoning more orbs of fire to light our way. The Magelights our scholars had set up simply weren¡¯t enough so deep underground. ¡°Given what we¡¯ve seen so far, I think it¡¯s safe to say that the X¡¯shmirans I¡¯m familiar with regressed compared to what they used to be capable of.¡± ¡°Aye agreed.¡± Eyrian nodded, motioning toward the carving-covered walls around us. ¡°Gruesome as the imagery may be, it¡¯s skilled work. Same for what remains of the buildings above ground. I¡¯m thinking having their country blasted into the sky isn¡¯t the only price they paid for whatever spell they cast.¡± ¡°I¡¯m inclined to agree.¡± Reulidru frowned, pausing by one of the carvings. ¡°The reliefs quite clearly show their burning hatred for the non-Human races¡ªnot just our kind. Never have I seen such outright cruel or vicious imagery.¡± ¡°Can you tell what they¡¯re worshiping?¡± I motioned toward a gilded figure and the light crystals surrounding it. ¡°Definitely doesn¡¯t seem like Yiltanys to me. Too small.¡± ¡°Perhaps a boy king or a prince?¡± Reulidru¡¯s frown deepened and he shook his head. ¡°I will revisit what we know of X¡¯shmiran history and request further information for our counterparts in Eormir. As far as I am aware, the X¡¯shmirans never had a child ruler or likewise important person.¡± ¡°Could¡¯ve been a prodigy,¡± Eyrian suggested, his arms crossed. ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s not someone who lived in X¡¯shmir at all¡ªcould be just a story.¡± ¡°Or a prophecy from the X¡¯shmiran Oracles,¡± Azhar stated. I glanced over my shoulder at the usually silent Akor and he shrugged. ¡°Resembles Darius a bit, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡¯ I looked at the carving again and pursed my lips. Azhar was right, there was some resemblance beyond the figure being a Lyur¡¯zi. The colors they had painted his robes and hair were accurate. Peridot had been used for his eyes, which was close enough. ¡°If you¡¯re right, I like this place even less.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Let¡¯s pick up the pace.¡± Eyrian placed a hand on my shoulder and gave the others a warning look. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t stay long. Let¡¯s get the information we came for and then head back to Dauthrmir.¡± ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ I probed, shooting the Draekin a questioning frown. ¡®Longer we stay here, more likely nasty things are to come looking.¡¯ Eyrian grimaced, his body tensing. ¡®Beasts and monsters aside, Lucifer said to make the visit quick. He meant it, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have loaned us an airship. If we take too long, it¡¯ll be my hide on the line.¡¯ ¡®Point taken.¡¯ I nodded slightly. ¡®He seems like he¡¯s even more on-edge than when he came back from visiting X¡¯shmir. Any idea what¡¯s going on?¡¯ ¡®Beshulthiens.¡¯ Eyrian snorted. ¡®They¡¯re still attempting to make him an ¡°acceptable¡± deal for your hand in marriage. To top it all off, he¡¯s struggling to deal with Gabriel¡¯s naivety¡ªshe doesn¡¯t know what to do or how to handle the situation forming in her kingdom.¡¯ ¡®Well, at least we know who Darius takes after.¡¯ I sighed and ran a hand through my hair before looking over at Reulidru. ¡°Get what you need quickly. Kabos, help him. The rest of us will carefully poke around while we wait. I want to take a look at the architecture and the like¡ªcompare it to what I¡¯ve seen beneath that damned flying rock.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Reulidru and Kabos both bowed slightly to me before taking off ahead of us. Once they were gone, I looked between Eyrian and Azhar for a moment, thinking. ¡°Something bothering you?¡± Eyrian arched an eyebrow at me. ¡°Why¡¯d no one mention the temple that appeared between Sihix and Yiltanys¡¯ domains?¡± I crossed my arms and looked between the two men. ¡°It looks far more interesting¡ªand out of place¡ªthan this subterranean network does, yet not a peep about it from our scholars. The Lari¡¯xan haven¡¯t mentioned it either.¡± When we¡¯d arrived via airship, the first thing I¡¯d noticed was the castle-like temple sitting between the two Aledacian Forests. It was nestled on the edge of the crater and looked practically new. Half the building was light stone, perhaps marble or some sort of pale granite, while the other half¡ªthe half closest to Sihix¡¯s domain¡ªwas dark, almost pitch-black, stone. The architecture was foreign, the building seemed to be incorporated into the two forests, and it was lit with dozens, if not hundreds, of light and dark crystals. It was a piece of art. One that hadn¡¯t existed in my last visit, and one that no one seemed to think was worth reporting the appearance of. ¡°You didn¡¯t know about it?¡± Eyrian frowned before glancing over to Azhar, who shrugged. ¡°I was told it¡¯s meant to serve as Balance¡¯s temple in this region. Something about the Lari¡¯xan and their people wanting to provide you with a safe haven in case anything goes¡­bad.¡± ¡°First I¡¯m hearing about it,¡± I scoffed, shaking my head. ¡°If things go ¡®bad¡¯ huh? I was fairly certain that¡¯s what the deity¡¯s domains are for¡­ Who told you all that, Eyrian?¡± ¡°One of Sihix¡¯s servants,¡± Eyrian replied, shooting me a baffled look. ¡°You¡¯re certain no one told you? If it¡¯s for Balance, then you and Nalithor should¡¯ve been told. Want me to hunt down the Elf when we get back to Dauthrmir and make him talk?¡± ¡°Well, I suppose that would be more reasonable than asking you to hunt down Sihix or Yiltanys,¡± I replied with an amused smile. Next, I turned to look at Azhar. ¡°You seem more tense than usual. I can feel your aether checking¡­everything. What¡¯s bothering you?¡± ¡°The crystals.¡± Azhar tilted his head as if listening to something. ¡°I can hear a large deposit of fire crystals below us. I thought X¡¯shmir was known for only earth and wind crystals.¡± ¡°How far down?¡± Eyrian asked, turning to look at the troubled Akor. ¡°The temple where Blood Magic was used sits on top of it.¡± Azhar¡¯s mouth tugged into a deep frown. ¡°We should check the crystals around the temple again. The magics could have fouled the deposits. If the fire deposit was damaged¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s pick up the pace.¡± Eyrian nodded to me. ¡°We can worry about the ¡®Balance¡¯ temple later. Let¡¯s sort out the possibility of corrupted crystals first, shall we?¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± I nodded. ¡°If there aren¡¯t enough relevant scholars already at the temple, we¡¯ll call more down from the surface. We should make sure they¡¯ll be safe before we conclude our business here.¡± As we strode deeper into the earth and grew closer to the temple, I felt the brief tingle of something unpleasant in my mind. It was faint, faded, but there was no doubt in my mind that it was some form of lingering corruption. Whether it was connected to the Blood Magic ritual the X¡¯shmirans had once performed, or something else, I wasn¡¯t certain. All I knew was something nearby still needed to be mended. [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Top Web Fiction ] [B6] Chapter Three: Larixans Interference Chapter Three Lari''xan''s Interference I looked around the subterranean temple and sighed, keeping my arms crossed under my chest. Even after centuries of dust, the bloodstains throughout the massive structure and plaza were obvious. Dozens of stone homes were built in a semi-circle around the main plaza, with the temple towering over everything at the far end. According to our findings so far, the complex had once served as housing for X¡¯shmir¡¯s mages. The temple and its grounds were used for training as well as worship. ¡°So much blood¡­¡± Eyrian murmured, frowning. I glanced up at him and then followed his gaze toward the plaza. ¡°I can¡¯t fathom what they were attempting to achieve. You got any ideas?¡± ¡°Well, the stories say that the king and queen of the time foresaw humanity losing their access to magic,¡± I offered. ¡°It¡¯s not clear why they lost their abilities, but we do know that the X¡¯shmiran Royal Family is said to have taken drastic measures to prevent it¡ªor to strike back at their rivals. There¡¯s so many versions of the story, I don¡¯t know which is accurate.¡± ¡°Rivals?¡± Eyrian frowned deeper. ¡°Devillians,¡± I stated. ¡°Tch.¡± Eyrian scowled, his thick tail twitching. ¡°So, you think whatever they did was with the intention of saving their magic¡ªor lashing out at our species. Can¡¯t say I¡¯m fond of either option.¡± ¡®Fraelfnir?¡¯ I probed, watching as the fae-dragon soon appeared by my side. ¡®You sense it too, right? I¡¯m not imagining things?¡¯ ¡®There is something off here, yes¡ªand you cannot get involved.¡¯ Fraelfnir glanced at me briefly before turning his gaze toward the temple complex. ¡®Until Nalithor returns, you must leave such matters to me or the Lari¡¯xan. I will contact Sihix and Yiltanys while you collect information from the Dauthrmiran scholars.¡¯ With that, Fraelfnir flitted off and perched on a nearby boulder before closing his eyes. I released a heavy sigh, earning a questioning look from both Eyrian and Azhar. ¡°I¡¯m not supposed to get involved,¡± I stated dryly. ¡°Not until Nalithor is back¡­which means¡­¡± ¡°Balance issues.¡± Eyrian¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Are our people in danger? Should we have the scholars withdraw?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. Whatever it is feels faint¡ªwhether it¡¯s due to distance, age, or something else, I can¡¯t tell. Fraelfnir is contacting the Lari¡¯xan.¡± I shook my head at the Draekin and then looked over at Azhar. ¡°Do you sense anything wrong with the fire crystal deposit or the soil nearby?¡± ¡°The crystals don¡¯t seem damaged.¡± Azhar shook his head, but his expression was still tense. ¡°Even after purification¡­the soil here still remembers the tragedy. Thousands of lives snuffed out. It will take much more work to purify the aether here.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll start by getting the remains buried.¡± Eyrian grimaced. ¡°X¡¯shmiran or not, the poor bastards deserve a proper burial. Cleaning up the complex should help with purification too. We can get some of the Oracles in here afterward to perform rites for the dead. Few centuries late, sure, but better than nothing.¡± I closed my eyes and let out a heavy sigh. The corruption wasn¡¯t strong enough to make me want to tear into the temple in search of it, but it was definitely there. When I sensed the shadows shifting to my left, I opened my eyes again and watched as Sihix stepped out of them. His usually playful expression was gone, replaced by a lethal one. ¡°You are almost done with your visit?¡± Sihix asked, shifting his dangerous gaze to me. ¡°Your scholars may remain at the temple by our domains until we have finished our work here. Once you guards have finished, return to Dauthrmir. ¡°Lucifer needs to have a word with you.¡± Sihix gave me a pointed look before striding away and down the nearest pathway. Yiltanys materialized out of the air alongside him, joining him on the way to the plaza. I watched as Fraelfnir flitted over to perch on Yiltanys¡¯ shoulder. Pursing my lips, I glanced between Eyrian and Azhar, but they seemed just as puzzled by Sihix¡¯s behavior as I was. ¡°Think that¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen him wholly serious.¡± Eyrian half-shrugged. ¡°I won¡¯t complain about returning to the empire quicker. Have to wonder why Sihix took that tone about Lucifer needing to talk to you, though¡­¡± ¡°No use debating it.¡± I shook my head and scowled. ¡°If Sihix is being serious, it¡¯s probably for the best that we make this quick. I¡¯d rather not see what he¡¯s like when he¡¯s pissed off¡ªand Fraelfnir has a point about the extent of my ability to help right now. I shouldn¡¯t push it.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡®We will keep you informed.¡¯ Yiltanys glanced over his shoulder at me, giving me a brief nod. ¡®For now, there are other matters for you to worry about. Allow us to deal with this place and its lingering corruption.¡¯ ¡®Hadn¡¯t you two cleansed the region?¡¯ I pointed out. ¡®We believe we have missed something¡ªeither a prison, or some manner of artifact,¡¯ Yiltanys replied, turning his gaze forward once more. ¡®If it is another prison, we will destroy it and your scholars can help take care of the prisoners. If an artifact, we will make certain it won¡¯t harm your people before handing it over to them for study. ¡®We need you and Nalithor to return to each other¡¯s side quickly. Doing your work for you is troublesome.¡¯ ¡®Well, I¡¯ll try to convince Father to let me go to Nalithor, now that the X¡¯shmirans are dead,¡¯ I remarked dryly. ¡®No guarantees.¡¯ ¡®Of course.¡¯ Yiltanys nodded subtly before his presence withdrew. ¡°Anything useful?¡± Azhar crossed his arms. ¡°Not quite.¡± I pivoted to search for our other companions. ¡°We should collect Reu and Kabos, then return to our airship. Let¡¯s not overstay our welcome.¡± ¡°You¡¯re learning caution¡ªgood.¡± Azhar nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not. It¡¯s just that my options for feeding are¡­unsavory, at best.¡± I grimaced and began walking along the rim of the cavern. ¡°Azhar, go get the others and help them gather whatever else they need¡ªpick up whatever information you want as well. Eyrian and I are going to return to the surface.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Azhar nodded to me before sinking into the stone. ¡°Something wrong?¡± Eyrian frowned. ¡°The corrupted aura is¡­annoying.¡± I shook my head in reply. ¡°In the same way that an insect buzzing near your ear is agitating. Unlike an insect, it won¡¯t follow. As such, putting some distance between us and it seems like a good idea.¡± ¡°Want to take a look at your temple?¡± Eyrian suggested, earning a brief glance from me. He grinned. ¡°Well, we¡¯re going to be here a little longer. May as well take a peek, right?¡± ¡°We will be leaving immediately,¡± Azhar stated, stepping out of the cave wall in front of us. He dragged Reulidru and Kabos out of it by their robes, dumping them unceremoniously on the floor. ¡°The Lari¡¯xan are cranky. Had Fraelfnir teleport the rest of our people to the temple¡ªlooks like he¡¯ll be staying here.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to take extra precautions to protect Arianna.¡± Eyrian¡¯s demeanor immediately shifted. ¡°On the way back, we¡¯ll take turns guarding her quarters on the airship. When we arrive, we¡¯ll set up a rotating shift of guards to keep anyone from intruding in her wing of the palace. I want guards set up outside too.¡± ¡°I suppose I should be thankful you¡¯re so thorough.¡± I shot Eyrian a mildly irritated look. ¡°It¡¯s my job to make sure you can sleep without being woken up by a knife in your back or a slit in your throat,¡± Eyrian pointed out, narrowing his eyes at me. ¡°I take my job very seriously, Arianna. Just as you do with yours.¡± ¡°Well, when you put it that way, I suppose I can¡¯t complain.¡± I laughed. ¡°It still seems so surreal, you know. Having my own guards. Perhaps if we give it another few months I will eventually grow used to it.¡± ¡°With you? It will take decades.¡± Eyrian snorted. ¡®The temple is pretty¡­¡¯ I kept the thought to myself when we exited the tunnels. The gargantuan building rose up half the height of the forests flanking it. Its black and white exterior sparkled in the morning sunlight, as did the platinum and crystal ornaments covering its surface. I wanted to explore it, but clearly it would have to wait. ¡®Nalithor and I will have to come back here another time.¡¯ ¡°Leaving already, Your Highness?¡± The guards we¡¯d left at the ship frowned when they spotted us approaching. ¡°Lari¡¯xan¡¯s orders.¡± I shook my head and let out a sigh. ¡°We¡¯re to return to Dauthrmir at once. Yiltanys said that they will keep me informed regarding the situation here. Until then, all we can do is wait and tend to our business in the capital.¡± ¡°Lucifer wants a word with his daughter¡ªso let¡¯s not keep him waiting,¡± Eyrian added, causing the soldiers to swallow hard. They quickly fled to make their preparations, leaving the rest of us to make our way to one of the many lounges within the ship. ¡°Well, did you get what you came here for?¡± I looked between Reulidru and Kabos as I sat down. ¡°We may as well start going through what information we have. It¡¯s a long flight back to Dauthrmir.¡± ¡°The scholars haven¡¯t yet discovered the name of the being the X¡¯shmirans were worshiping,¡± Reulidru began, summoning a stack of parchment from his shrizar. ¡°However, the temple library is well-stocked with literature and diagrams. It is all written in an old form of the common tongue, so it will take some effort to translate, but we believe much of the information we seek is included in these documents. ¡°It appears that there may be detailed instructions regarding Blood Magic.¡± ¡°Which we will have to make a point of guarding closely,¡± I stated, giving the Rylthra man a pointed look. He nodded his agreement. ¡°Eyrian, Azhar, I want the two of you to help make certain no one can get their hands on any of this information.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± They both nodded. ¡°Now then, regarding the crystals in the cavern,¡± Kabos spoke up, a frown on his lips. ¡°While I didn¡¯t sense any strong degree of corruption, there appears to be a lingering maliciousness within them. I believe the ritual the Humans performed must have left an impression in the area¡¯s aether. ¡°I will have more for you once we¡¯ve returned to Dauthrmir and I have the appropriate equipment, but for now we should advise our scholars to be more cautious.¡± ¡°An impression, huh?¡± I made a sour face. ¡°Alright then. Until we¡¯ve returned, and you have better equipment to work with, we¡¯ll all help Reulidru¡ª¡± ¡°I would rather translate the documents myself, Your Highness,¡± Reulidru interrupted, his expression apologetic. ¡°After I have translated them, I will edit them for clarity. It will hasten our work in the long-run.¡± ¡°Then what do you suggest I do for the remainder of our flight?¡± I sighed irritably. ¡°Rest?¡± Azhar shot me a sideways look. ¡°You are still recovering, are you not?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t bring anything to read.¡± I pursed my lips. ¡°Write another letter to Nalithor?¡± Eyrian suggested. ¡°I¡¯m not going to convince any of you to spar with me, am I?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Top Web Fiction ] [B6] Chapter Four: Reassigned Chapter Four Reassigned When I strode into my father¡¯s study I was greeted with a dangerous, piercing look. His guards closed the doors behind me. The moment they shut, he strode across the room and swept me into a tight embrace. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Lucifer asked quietly. ¡°I should be asking you that!¡± I winced when his hug caused my spine to pop. He lessened the pressure but didn¡¯t let go. ¡°I¡¯m fine. What¡¯s this about?¡± ¡°One moment.¡± Lucifer wrapped one arm around my shoulders and raised his other hand, summoning a barrier around the room, before escorting me toward his study¡¯s sitting area. Once I was seated, he sat heavily in another chair and pulled out a Draemiran pipe. While preparing it, he began to speak, ¡°While you were gone, one of my informants brought me troubling news. You¡¯re to pack your belongings, and Nalithor¡¯s, and board an airship to Eormir tonight.¡± ¡°What? Sure, I miss Nalithor, but there¡¯s so much¡ª¡± I started to protest, but my father¡¯s sharp gaze made me stop. ¡°Rabere is planning to kidnap you, take you to Beshulthien, and forcibly make you his empress. The safest place for you to be right now is at Nalithor¡¯s side.¡± Father¡¯s tone kept me silent, even as he paused to light his pipe. ¡°They¡¯re planning to act tomorrow, so we will get you out of the city tonight. I have someone briefing the Claws and Fangs already. Eyrian, Fyris, and some of your female guards will be accompanying you to Eormir. ¡°While I wanted to give you and Nalithor some time apart, to make certain you both truly knew what you wanted, I didn¡¯t expect the two of you to propose to each other on his departure. It¡¯s pushed Rabere¡ªor the entity controlling him¡ªover the edge. The Elders have started to make moves favoring your brother, as well.¡± ¡°You think moving me out of Rabere¡¯s reach is enough to salvage Alliance relations?¡± I arched an eyebrow at my father. ¡°I think you and I both know it isn¡¯t that simple, yet you don¡¯t seem like you¡¯re preparing to go to war against him, either.¡± ¡°I would rather it didn¡¯t come to that.¡± Father sighed, exhaling a cloud of smoke. ¡°Once his men fail to capture you, we will see how he behaves. For now, we will continue to act as Beshulthien¡¯s ally. In the long-term, the Alliance needs to remain strong. My intent is to apprehend your would-be kidnappers and confront Rabere. It will allow me to leverage him into a more favorable position, or otherwise determine his intent.¡± ¡°And if he¡¯s truly been taken over?¡± I suggested, earning a nod in response. ¡°I can¡¯t really explain why¡­but I have this feeling we need to consider that Darius may be involved somehow. Of all the regions for the ¡®other one¡¯ to be, it¡¯s in Beshulthien territory? And the Beshulthiens are the ones who ¡®saved¡¯ my brother from Draemiran justice? It seems too convenient to me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let your mother hear you say that.¡± He grimaced and shook his head. ¡°I agree with you, Arianna, I do. However, as well-intentioned as she may be, Gabriel hasn¡¯t the damnedest clue of how to run her own kingdom, let alone raise a child. ¡°Besides, if it truly isn¡¯t him ¡®at home¡¯ there¡¯s no need to coddle.¡± ¡°Well, if I¡¯m going to Eormir¡­ Orders?¡± I asked, but he just shook his head in response. ¡°None? Really?¡± ¡°Just to stay by Nalithor¡¯s side at all times. Seek him out the moment you are there.¡± Father narrowed his eyes at me. ¡°You¡¯re close to becoming the Goddess of Balance officially, now that you and he are engaged. The Beshulthiens won¡¯t be the only ones after you. ¡°If you want to help him as he rebuilds Eormir, then do so. Whatever keeps you by his side and under his care. The two of you are stronger, fiercer, when together. Furthermore, Djialkan and Alala will be able to perform better if not forced to separate.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°So, you want me to collect all of our things?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes. There is every possibility that Nalithor will want the two of you to operate out of his domain, now that the Lari¡¯xan have strengthened it.¡± Father nodded and then released a heavy sigh. ¡°While he could, in theory, use his domain to return here and gather his things¡ªit makes more sense to have you do it now. ¡°I would rather avoid exposing either of you to unnecessary danger.¡± I sighed and leaned forward in my chair, giving my father a firm look, ¡°In that case, when do you want me to get started?¡± ¡°Immediately.¡± He rose to his feet, his expression torn. ¡°I want you out of harm¡¯s way as quickly as possible. While my informant stated that the Beshulthiens will wait until tomorrow to act, there¡¯s nothing to say they won¡¯t try sooner. The airship that will take you to Eormir is ready and waiting to go.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll respect your wishes.¡± I nodded, rising to my feet as well. ¡°But I need you to be careful, even if Gabriel won¡¯t be. My instincts tell me there¡¯s more going on with Darius than we know. He needs to be treated as a possible enemy, not as your long-lost son. You¡¯ll have to endure for as long as the Lari¡¯xan intend to use him for information.¡± ¡°I will be cautious.¡± He nodded to me before taking my face in both of his hands and kissing me on the forehead. ¡°Be safe, Arianna, and relay my regards to Nalithor. Tell him that if things must move forward, you have my blessing.¡± After a few more exchanged pleasantries, Lucifer released me, and I headed for the door. When my father released the barrier surrounding the room, the guards opened the doors for me and bowed. Someone I didn¡¯t expect to see was standing on the other side and shot me an uncomfortable look the moment he saw me. Xander. ¡°If Your Excellency has a moment¡­¡± Xander glanced past me and then turned to give me a very deep bow. When he spoke, his voice was so low I almost didn¡¯t hear his Draemiran murmurings. ¡°Please¡­let Nalithor know of the situation, Your Highness.¡± I shot him a sideways glance as I moved past him but chose not to acknowledge him further. By the sigh he released, it seemed the small notice was enough to satisfy him. My father adopted a cheerful demeanor as he called the Vampire in to meet with him. ¡®So, the ¡°informant¡± is Xander?¡¯ I considered it for a moment. He had always struck me as being more loyal to Vorpmasia¡ªor more specifically, Dauthrmir¡ªthan he was to the Beshulthiens. After all, he hadn¡¯t truly chosen to become a Vampire. He¡¯d had it forced upon him by a starved Rabere. ¡®Well, he¡¯s certainly in a good position to act as an informant¡ªto both sides. I can only hope the misinformation he¡¯s feeding is to the Beshulthiens and not us.¡¯ ¡°You look troubled.¡± Eyrian pushed away from the wall he¡¯d been leaning against, keeping his arms crossed. His expression told me everything I needed to know. ¡°We have our orders¡ªlet¡¯s get to it.¡± I nodded to him as he fell into step with me. ¡°Aside from you and Fyris, who else is coming?¡± ¡°Ijelle and Satrr, that I know of. A few of the Claws and Fangs are already in Eormir working on other matters, Your Highness,¡± Eyrian answered in a formal tone as we passed a group of palace servants. ¡°They may have been reassigned.¡± ¡°Very well, let¡¯s get this over with,¡± I muttered, displeased. ¡®I¡¯m glad that I get to see Nalithor again ahead of schedule, but the reason doesn¡¯t sit well with me. Kidnapping me? Forcing me to become the Beshulthien Empress? To what end?¡¯ ¡®It keeps you from becoming the Goddess of Balance, strikes a fatal blow against Nalithor, and allows the Jivyador to run free,¡¯ Eyrian offered, his voice shaking with rage. I glanced over at him, impressed that rage wasn¡¯t spilling over into his outward appearance. ¡®We don¡¯t know how connected you and Nalithor are, but if you were forced to marry someone else, it¡¯s possible that both of you would die. Erist and Arom¡¯s ¡°laws¡± shouldn¡¯t kick in if you aren¡¯t already married, but¡­¡¯ ¡®But we don¡¯t know that the Lari¡¯xan haven¡¯t already made us an official pair?¡¯ I suggested, grimacing. ¡®That wasn¡¯t why you think it would be a lethal blow to Nalithor.¡¯ ¡®¡­if he lost you, I¡¯m not convinced he wouldn¡¯t turn the Godslayer against himself¡ªor at least try to,¡¯ Eyrian replied uncomfortably. ¡®He¡¯s a strong man, a good man, that¡¯s undeniable. But for something like that to happen so soon after finding you again, let alone your engagement¡­I think it would break him. ¡®I¡¯ve known Nalithor a long time. Your ¡°death¡± almost did him in on its own.¡¯ ¡®Then let¡¯s make this fast so that nothing does happen, shall we?¡¯ I shot the anxious Draekin a stony look. ¡®I agree with my father¡ªwe should err on the side of caution. Stay with me as I move everything to my shrizars. Let¡¯s leave nothing to chance. Have Satrr and Ijelle join as well, if they¡¯re done with their own preparations.¡¯ [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Top Web Fiction ] [B6] Chapter Five: Lurking in the Mists Chapter Five Lurking in the Mists A prickle traveled down my spine when I sensed something malicious. I cracked an eye open and glanced around before cautiously rising out of bed. By the sound of things, our airship was still gliding smoothly on its way to Eormir. We¡¯d already been in the air for well over a day and were meant to arrive toward the end of our second day of flight. Something told me the nagging presence at the back of my mind was the Mists. After hastily dressing in imperial attire, I left my quarters and wandered through the ship. When I reached a window, a frown crossed my face and I picked up my speed. ¡®Clouds? In the Mists? Since when?¡¯ ¡°Good morning, Your Highness,¡± one of the guards spoke as I approached the bridge. He bent into a deep bow. ¡°We have just entered the Mists. If naught else has changed, we have a few hours yet before we reach Eormir. Perhaps you would like to have your breakfast in the lounge?¡± ¡°No, I need to see the Mists.¡± I gave him a pointed look. After a moment, he sighed, straightening, and placed his hand against the door. Draemiran writing glowed on the metal surface briefly, followed by an audible click. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I will have breakfast sent to the bridge for you, Your Highness.¡± The guard bowed again as I passed him. I murmured more thanks before fully entering the bridge. The crew briefly saluted me before returning to their duties. Their captain shot me a questioning look, but I simply shook my head and moved toward the windows. The solid sheet of transparent crystal formed a semi-circle and gave me an unobstructed view of everything in front of our airship, and a little of our flanks. As the guard had stated, we had most certainly entered the Mists. The violet sky churned around our airship, lightning arced between the various clouds, occasionally striking rods on our ship. ¡°Are your instruments picking up any oddities compared to the empire¡¯s original readings of the Mists?¡± I asked, glancing over at the captain. He promptly looked toward several members of his crew and demanded reports from them. ¡°We¡¯ve detected beast-like aetheric signatures within the clouds, but haven¡¯t seen anything yet, Your Highness,¡± a woman spoke, saluting me. ¡°The storm should pass¡ª¡± ¡°The Mists have never had clouds before,¡± I cut her off, causing her to falter. ¡°Flying beasts have always been a problem, but only closer to the island as far as we¡¯re aware.¡± ¡°Run your scans again and compare them to the readings documented by the first scout team to come across X¡¯sh¡­Eormir,¡± the captain ordered his crew. They all scrambled to work, while he rose to his feet and joined me by the windows. ¡°No clouds, you said, Arianna-jiss?¡± ¡°None. Even when it rained or stormed, the sky was always a solid violet,¡± I answered, before motioning toward the rip-like feature in the sky. ¡°That is how we tracked the time of day. When it sets, it¡¯s night. When it¡¯s visible, it¡¯s day.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made a few dozen trips between Eormir and Dauthrmir since we discovered the island,¡± he frowned, stroking his beard. ¡°The clouds are a relatively recent development. I would have thought they¡¯d obscure that thing.¡± ¡°¡­is it closer than it appears, then?¡± I pursed my lips, returning my gaze to the tear. He was right¡ªwe shouldn¡¯t have been able to see it through the clouds. ¡°We get no readings from it, Your Highness,¡± one of the crew called. ¡°Your food is here¡ªperhaps you should sit?¡± ¡°Hmmm?¡± I glanced over my shoulder to find Ijelle, Satrr, and Lalira striding onto the bridge with a food cart. The captain gave me an encouraging nod before returning to his seat. ¡°Where¡¯s Eyrian?¡± ¡°Cleaning his armor¡ªthe Mists have him on-edge,¡± Ijelle replied, grimacing as she looked past me and out the window. ¡°Can¡¯t say I blame him. I feel the same way. I¡¯ve never felt so¡­hated by something I can¡¯t see.¡± ¡®If the Mists are tied to the Blood Magic that was casted while the country was still on the ground¡­¡¯ I considered as I took a seat. ¡®Well, that could explain the hatred toward Devillians. Though, it would also mean it somehow knew that Darius and I weren¡¯t Human all along. I¡¯m not sure I like that notion.¡¯ ¡°Tea,¡± Lalira spoke simply, coming to stand in front of me. The young girl had finally begun to pick up words here and there, but we still couldn¡¯t hold anything resembling a conversation. When I smiled and thanked her, she just giggled and left to hide behind the food cart. ¡°Where¡¯s Fyris?¡± I questioned next. ¡°Helping the cooks¡ªanything to get her mind off the presence, she said.¡± Satrr shrugged, a crooked smile on her lips. ¡°We were thinking about finding a way to occupy ourselves too, but we¡¯ve already cleaned our armor, our weapons, practiced what we can while on an airship¡­¡± ¡°¡­so, we figured we¡¯d come keep you company,¡± Ijelle finished, grinning. ¡®The little one there seemed like she wanted to come see you, too.¡± ¡°Lalira,¡± I called, watching her perk up and peer at me around the edge of the cart. With her attention on me, I pointed at the platters on top of it then at her. ¡°Hungry? Eat.¡± ¡°Eat?¡± Lalira tilted her head for a moment before her eyes lit up. She promptly shoveled as much as she could onto her plate, then shot me a questioning look. ¡°Sit?¡± ¡°Sit.¡± I nodded, pointing at one of the chairs next to me. ¡°Yay!¡± Lalira cheered, running over to hop into the chair closest to me. She nearly dropped her food in the process but managed to save it just in time. ¡°You two as well,¡± I stated when I caught Ijelle and Satrr both hesitating. ¡°Still want us to keep an eye on Fyris and Lalira while we¡¯re in Eormir?¡± Ijelle asked, shooting me a small frown. After a moment, she handed me a plate of food. ¡°Here, doubt you¡¯d be able to grab food while holding that tea.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Thanks.¡± I accepted the plate and balanced it on my lap. ¡°You and Satrr need to keep watch over these two for me, yes. Eormir isn¡¯t a safe place, and who knows what nasty things could still be lurking in the castle. I doubt Nalithor and his men have managed to clean out everything already. ¡°Can¡¯t have them wandering in the city unattended, let alone go outside of the city. I want them protected at all times.¡± ¡°Yet Lucifer thinks it¡¯s safer to bring the youngling along?¡± Satrr frowned. ¡°Well, he had a point.¡± I shrugged, twirling my fork in my free hand. ¡°If our enemies wanted to lash out or try to leverage us, kidnapping the faithful, promising student would certainly be one way to do so. I¡¯ll probably ask Nalithor about keeping her in his domain for a while. The Vulin would be delighted to have a guest, I think.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to do it yourself?¡± Ijelle arched an eyebrow. ¡°I thought you were growing attached.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not, and if I did, nothing would get done.¡± I shot her an irritated look. ¡°I don¡¯t plan to be idle while in Eormir. If I¡¯m supposed to stay by Nalithor¡¯s side ¡®at all times¡¯ then I¡¯m going to make damned sure we are working on the multiple problems in the region. Perhaps even tackle the beasts first. I¡¯m overdue for a good hunt. ¡°Until then¡­ Captain, if at all possible I would like for your crew to run their instruments the entire remainder of our trip. Once we arrive, I would like copies for our scholars in Eormir, as well as some taken back to the Claws in Dauthrmir.¡± ¡°Worried about the change in the Mists? Me as well.¡± He nodded from his seat. ¡°You and yours will have all the information we can get you. We¡¯ll be staying in Eormir for a few days before making our return trip¡ªI¡¯ll make sure each shift continues collecting data.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I nodded to him before turning my attention to my food. Despite the maliciousness of the Mists, nothing of note happened the rest of our flight to Eormir. I spent most of my time on idle chatter with Ijelle and Satrr, then Eyrian and Fyris as well once they joined us. They were all on-edge because of the Mists, and for a much different reason than me. I had grown used to the odd presence of the Mists, and the way it attempted to dampen the powers of those within it. It was this new development of clouds that made me so uneasy. That, and the knowledge that the beasts had spread further throughout the mists. ¡®Are the Mists weakening¡­or strengthening?¡¯ I pursed my lips and nudged at the Mists with my darkness. The feel of its aether made my skin crawl. ¡®No, definitely weakening. But why? Did whoever created it decide X¡¯shmir is a lost cause? Or¡­did they find what they were looking for?¡¯ ¡°Arianna?¡± Eyrian nudged me, startling me from my thoughts. ¡°Sorry, what?¡± I shook my head slightly. ¡°We should be coming up on the island soon,¡± Eyrian offered, motioning out the window. ¡°You leave anything in your quarters?¡± ¡°No, I decided not to unpack anything from my shrizars,¡± I answered with a small shrug. ¡°I¡¯m ready to disembark as soon as¡ªhmmm¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Eyrian frowned. ¡°Captain, which side of the island are we approaching from?¡± I shifted in my chair to look at him. ¡°From the southern edge of the plateau, Your Highness.¡± ¡®That¡¯s odd¡­¡¯ I tilted my head, letting my eyes unfocus. My power spread throughout the Mists, probing at the obscured island. Once I confirmed my initial suspicion, I spoke again, ¡°Nalithor isn¡¯t in the city right now. It seems that he¡¯s likely in the Sihix Forest. I suppose we will have to wait within Eormir proper for him. Was he not told we were coming?¡± ¡°There was no warning¡ªLucifer thought it best to surprise him,¡± Eyrian replied dryly, causing me to roll my eyes. ¡°I second the notion of waiting in Eormir. Some of the castle staff should already be aware of our pending arrival. We can take a look around the city on our way, if you like¡ªand if the locals don¡¯t cause trouble.¡± ¡°And if they do cause trouble?¡± I shot him a pointed look. ¡°Then I¡¯ll execute some of the bastards myself.¡± Eyrian shot me a fang-filled grin. ¡°They may not even recognize her,¡± Ijelle pointed out, putting an arm around my shoulder. With her free hand, she nudged one of my cheeks. ¡°I mean, the whole mask and hood thing¡ªand now she has horns and a tail too. Those super cute fluffy ears, too, if you go with that form¡­ Please go with that form? Please?¡± ¡°Which form?¡± I attempted to free myself from her grip. ¡°The fluffy one!¡± Ijelle grinned. ¡°She means your true form,¡± Eyrian stated dryly. ¡°I concur¡ªyour people who have been stationed in Eormir haven¡¯t yet had the chance to see their princess. You should take this opportunity to appear in formal capacity. I¡¯m assuming you already planned to, given your choice of robes.¡± ¡°Yes, that was the plan.¡± I escaped Ijelle and rose to my feet, shaking out my robes in the process. Whatever I¡¯d planned to say next fell away from my thoughts as Eormir came into view through the Mists. We were far closer than I expected, and by the shouted commands at the helm, followed by an upward lurch, our crew agreed. ¡°Our apologies, Your Highness,¡± the captain offered as Eyrian and Ijelle caught me. ¡°We¡¯re getting incorrect readings from almost all of our instruments. We shouldn¡¯t have been this close to the island for another hour. ¡°I¡¯d advise you all sit down. We¡¯re going to begin landing preparations.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Eyrian lowered his voice so that only our immediate party could hear him. ¡°The aether has changed drastically,¡± I replied before glancing off to our left. ¡°Look at the portion of the island beyond the plateau.¡± ¡°Are those¡­¡± Satrr¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I¡¯d say you¡¯ll be getting your wish for a hunt,¡± Eyrian remarked, a lopsided grin spreading across his face. ¡°Looks like our newly acquired territory could do with some cleansing.¡± ¡°Fire?¡± Lalira¡¯s quiet voice drew my attention away from the flock of beasts circling the western half of the island. She pointed toward the plateau, a look of concern on her face. ¡°Beast corpses, by the look of it.¡± Eyrian narrowed his eyes briefly. ¡°You can make it out from that far?¡± I arched an eyebrow at him. ¡°Draekin have better sight than most.¡± Eyrian shrugged. ¡°N¡¯tarsorn are close. Not sure which of our races win out. ¡°I see what looks like paws sticking out of the fire, and I doubt anything other than beasts has anything that huge.¡± ¡°Fire?¡± Lalira asked again, her worry growing. ¡°Good fire,¡± I replied after a moment, hoping she¡¯d get the idea. Lalira frowned for a moment, looking as if she was thinking. ¡°Food?¡± She tilted her head. ¡°No.¡± I shook my head in response. ¡°Beasts.¡± Lalira gave me a funny look that made it clear she had no idea what I was saying, so I sighed. After a moment of thought, I summoned darkness in each palm, forming one to look like a beast and the other to look like a small group of people. When the ¡°beast¡± ate the people, she shrieked. ¡°Beast.¡± I pointed at the dark blob with my now-free right hand. ¡°Beast¡­¡± Lalira repeated, then muttered some word I couldn¡¯t hope to pronounce. She seemed to notice and pouted. ¡°Beasts¡­ Hunt? Fight?¡± ¡°Yes, we hunt them.¡± I nodded to her. She nodded back at me and seemed to relax. ¡°Why would they be burning the corpses?¡± Satrr frowned. ¡°Usually we just sort of¡­leave them where they fall. Especially with such large ones.¡± ¡°The ground slants in the direction of the city. Burning the corpses would reduce the risk of corruption being spread by the rains,¡± I replied after considering it for a moment. ¡°Looks to me like they¡¯re attempting to truly incinerate the corpses.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Eyrian nodded. ¡°The clouds would have given them reason for concern, especially if they¡¯ve been here since Nalithor and his men arrived. There¡¯d be no way for them to predict when the rain will actually begin.¡± ¡°And the island is actually valuable property now.¡± I snorted, crossing one leg over the other. ¡°Let¡¯s get to the city as quick as we can once we¡¯ve landed. I doubt the forest surrounding it is beast free. No matter how long of a killing spree I went on, I was never able to clear it of threats.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t hear me complain.¡± Eyrian nodded. ¡®Now then¡­to reach out to Nalithor or surprise him?¡¯ I wondered, tapping my claws against the armrest. ¡®He should have sensed me by now. In which case¡­he must be too exhausted to tell I¡¯m actually in Eormir. ¡®A surprise it is, then. I¡¯m sure I have something appropriate to wear.¡¯ [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Top Web Fiction ] [B6] Chapter Six: Reunited Chapter Six Reunited After a few hours spent traversing the forest around Eormir, and then the city itself, my small group and I had finally retired to the castle. Ijelle had been right in her assessment that the locals hadn¡¯t recognized me. For that, I was thankful. They thought that I was simply another outsider come to help oversee the city. Of course, they weren¡¯t entirely wrong. Maric had been delighted to see us, and swift to make certain that I was taken to Nalithor¡¯s chambers after dinner. Apparently, my nylziis and our Guardians had left for the Sihix Forest several days prior to speak with Corentine and the people under her care. He was expected to return soon, but until then I had to find a way to deal with my boredom. ¡°Nalithor¡¯s¡± chambers were actually mine. In the short few weeks he¡¯d been in Eormir, the suite had been completely renovated. In place of the old bathroom was a Draemiran-style bath, the closet had been expanded to provide enough room for two royals, and there was now a proper study and sitting area. The decor perfectly suited both of our tastes. Furthermore, layers upon layers of protective seals had been placed on every inch of the suite. Even if he didn¡¯t know how soon I¡¯d be joining him in Eormir, he¡¯d certainly made damn well sure that nothing and no one could get in. Only I had been able to enter. None of my guards or our friends could so much as touch the door without getting a zap. ¡®Well, never let it be said he¡¯s reckless,¡¯ I mused while undressing. Without much else to occupy my attention, I¡¯d decided a bath was in order. Eormir was already in a much better state than I had left it, but the Humans living within it still made me itch. ¡®Now then, what to do while I wait for my fianc¨¦?¡¯ The sound of a door opening nearby caught my attention as I waded into the bath. I grew still for a moment, listening. The sound of his footsteps was soon followed by his scent and a faint ripple of power as he strengthened the seals on the room. Smiling, I stretched my arms over my head and strode into deeper water. ¡®So, the Mists must still be dampening his senses,¡¯ I considered, biting back an amused giggle. It wasn¡¯t long before I the door behind me open and I heard a sharp intake of breath. Before I could turn around, Nalithor appeared behind me from a burst of shadows, clothes and all, and lifted me into his arms. He squeezed me tight and buried his face into the crook of my neck. His embrace and his racing pulse caught me so off-guard that I forgot anything I¡¯d been planning to say to him. ¡°You¡¯re real,¡± Nalithor whispered by my ear. ¡°I guess the Mists are wreaking havoc with your senses more than I thought?¡± I questioned, turning in his arms. His lips parted slightly as he looked down at my nude form, a low rumble echoing in his throat. I smiled and reached up to tug at the front of his drenched kimono. ¡°We should get you out of this if you¡¯re planning to stay in the bath with me.¡± ¡°When did you arrive?¡± Nalithor stayed still as I began undoing the sash holding his clothing in place. ¡°I should have sensed you, or Djialkan and Alala should have. Furthermore, no one sent word¡ª¡± ¡°It was a last-minute decision.¡± I shot him a pointed look before returning my attention to undressing him. A shiver ran through him when I trailed my claws across his skin. ¡°I arrived a few hours ago. Maric is currently making certain that Eyrian, Ijelle, Satrr, Fyris, and Lalira have proper accommodations¡ªand guards.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Then this isn¡¯t a pleasure trip.¡± Nalithor narrowed his eyes. ¡°Indeed, it isn¡¯t.¡± I tossed his kimono onto the edge of the bath with some difficulty, then turned to look up at him. ¡°You and I have orders to remain together at all times, regardless of the circumstances. My father also said to inform you that, if we must, we have his blessing if we decide we need to marry in secret.¡± ¡°While normally I would be ecstatic¡­¡± Nalithor murmured, a small frown coming to his lips. ¡°What happened? For Lucifer to make such a decision, I must assume that there¡¯s been a development that those of us in Eormir weren¡¯t told of.¡± ¡°It¡¯s new,¡± I offered, causing his frown to deepen. ¡°We left Dauthrmir two days ago. Before then, I had been with Eyrian and the others by the X¡¯shmiran crater to investigate a temple our scholars found. When we returned, Father summoned me immediately¡ªand we left that night. ¡°Your brother had been trying to convince my father to have me marry him and become the empress of the Beshulthien Empire. When that didn¡¯t work, he decided that kidnapping me and forcing me to marry him was the next best option. A certain someone couldn¡¯t let that happen, of course, and warned my father.¡± ¡°Xander.¡± Nalithor sighed, but his voice already held poorly-contained rage. His eyes were fiery as he examined me. ¡°Then you were able to escape before they made such an attempt?¡± ¡°Xander provided my father with information regarding when and where the attempts would be made,¡± I replied, nodding. ¡°Father had me return to our suite and collect both of our belongings. We don¡¯t have enough information yet to determine if Rabere was overtaken by ¡®Kalenek¡¯ or if something else is to blame.¡± ¡°I should kill that bastard¡­¡± Nalithor trailed off into a growl and shot me a warning look when I reached for the band of his pants. ¡°Do you intend to stand in the bath, in your clothes, all night?¡± I slid my fingertips down the band of his pants and pressed my claws into the more sensitive skin beneath. A shiver ran through him before he released another sigh and shot me an amused smile. ¡°You are right, of course.¡± Nalithor chuckled, shifting to wade out of the bath. ¡°We have much to discuss. I had intended to sleep upon my return, but I also didn¡¯t think you would be joining me for another few months. Shall we spend the remainder of the evening catching up?¡± ¡°We can sleep, among other things, first.¡± I shot him an alluring smile. ¡°No need for us to get straight to work, is there? It¡¯s too late in the day for that.¡± ¡°The vixen is willing to forgo going straight to work?¡± Nalithor laughed. ¡°In that case, let me guess¡ªyou have been overworking yourself these past weeks, and a two-day ride by airship finally made you feel it.¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± I tilted my head, taking in his body as he strode back to the bath. ¡°The scars still aren¡¯t healing? I was expecting them to have at least faded some by now.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve certainly left your mark.¡± Nalithor pulled me toward him and placed my hands against his abdomen. ¡°I am quite fine, Arianna. You needn¡¯t worry. How about you tell me of your trip to the crater? Unless my sight deceives me, your aether has been depleted by a worrying amount. ¡°The Lari¡¯xan¡¯s doing?¡± ¡°They decided to move all of X¡¯shmir¡¯s fragments back to the crater.¡± I grimaced, allowing Nalithor to tuck me up against his side. I nuzzled him and released a contented sigh before continuing, ¡°They used a lot of my power to achieve the feat and I was bedridden for a few days while I recovered. That¡¯s not what I went to the crater for, though. ¡°One of the pieces I saw had unusual engravings on large stones. Once everything was in its rightful place, I directed the scholars to refocus their search. They discovered a large subterranean temple complex. There¡¯s all sorts of religious carvings. Most of what they¡¯ve found there is related to Blood Magic. It looks like thousands of mages, of all types, were sacrificed for some great working. The scholars are currently documenting everything and making certain what remains of the corpses are given a proper burial. All the books, scrolls, and tablets detailing Blood Magic were taken back to Dauthrmir for safekeeping.¡± ¡°Blood Magic¡­¡± Nalithor tensed, a growl escaping him. He caught the look I shot him and released a heavy sigh. ¡°Corentine has learned much in your absence, aside from forcing me to see your memories. I would rather not spoil our reunion with such tales, but¡­¡± ¡°Is it important?¡± I asked when he faltered. ¡°That it is.¡± Nalithor leaned down and kissed my forehead. ¡°Let¡¯s finish our bath and retire somewhere more comfortable before I fill you in.¡± [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Top Web Fiction ] [B6] Chapter Seven: Dangerous Games Chapter Seven Dangerous Games ¡°Come on, tell me what happened!¡± I protested, wrapping my arms around Nalithor¡¯s neck. His pulsed raced against my chest as I gave him the cutest look I could muster. ¡°You told me yesterday we¡¯d discuss it!¡± ¡°I want to enjoy our reunion in peace for a little longer,¡± Nalithor murmured, holding me tight. He nuzzled the top of my head and released a contented sigh. After taking care of our mutual needs, he seemed unwilling to let go of me for more than a few seconds. Even our meals had been eaten while sitting hip-to-hip. It was almost as if he was afraid I was going to disappear. We had been going back and forth like this all morning. I wanted to know what Corentine had told him, and what had him so distressed. Yet, every time he attempted to explain he grew quiet and soon clutched me with a worried desperation. No longer exhausted and hungry, he seemed determined to make sure he didn¡¯t lose sight of me. While I enjoyed the constant attention, I wanted to know what had him so distressed. ¡°Nalithor,¡± I stated. His chest rumbled beneath my hands with a low purr as he moved away just enough to look down at me. ¡°Whatever is wrong, you don¡¯t need to bear it on your own¡ªand you¡¯re just going to piss me off if you do. Talk to me.¡± ¡°I¡­ You¡¯re right, of course.¡± Nalithor sighed, slowly sliding his arms around me again. He pulled me to his chest and squeezed me again. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to relay this information in¡­a soft way.¡± ¡°Then just say it.¡± I poked him in the ribs. ¡°Corentine discovered that the X¡¯shmirans are responsible for you and Darius being taken from Dauthrmir. Somehow, they convinced the Elders¡ª¡± Nalithor cut himself off and looked down at me when I stiffened. ¡°What is it? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Oh¡­oh that¡¯s not¡­¡± I stuttered, putting the pieces together in my mind, my eyes wide. Stifling a snarl, I looked up at Nalithor with fire burning in my veins. ¡°Where¡¯s Eyrian?¡± ¡°What does Eyrian have to do with this?¡± Nalithor frowned at me, quickly moving to follow me as I stalked toward the door. ¡°Talk to me, Arianna. What are you thinking?¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty fucking sure I know how the X¡¯shmirans convinced the ¡®Elders¡¯ to go with such a stupid plan!¡± I growled, shooting Nalithor an agitated glance. ¡°You made the connection when I mentioned the temple, right? That entire place is bathed in blood. Before it was all absorbed, or evaporated, or whatever happened to it, it would probably have been deep enough to swim in.¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t have you prepared to tear something apart,¡± Nalithor pointed out, capturing me around the waist. He gave me a concerned look, his voice soft. ¡°Arianna, take a deep breath. Good. Now, explain what has you so upset. While I was expecting some manner of reaction, this¡­was not it.¡± ¡°After you departed, Rabere was still normal at first,¡± I began, earning a confused look from him. ¡°One morning when I was training with Lalira¡­ Father, Gabriel, Darius, and Rabere came along. Rabere was unphased when he learned that you and I were engaged. He even defended our relationship and reprimanded Darius for his jealous behavior. ¡°Darius became hysterical. He implied that ¡®after everything he had done,¡¯ you and I shouldn¡¯t have gotten to this point. Whatever he intended to say, he didn¡¯t finish it. However, his mask was totally gone. We had him taken to the gaol to cool off and he¡¯s likely still there¡ªbut a troublesome ¡®clone¡¯ was found in Beshulthien territory. The clone is turning people against you and me, making them believe we shouldn¡¯t be Balance.¡± ¡°Go on,¡± Nalithor urged me, his eyes narrowing. ¡°After that is when Rabere began acting odd, and after failing to convince my father to give me to him, he returned to Beshulthien.¡± I made a sour face. ¡°Rabere¡¯s behavior escalated quickly, and we confirmed that both the Darius in the gaol and the Darius in the Beshulthien territories seem to be part of the same whole.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°That¡¯s not the part that worries me. We have the Lari¡¯xan¡¯s support¡ªeveryone else doesn¡¯t matter. What concerns me is a carving I saw in one of the tunnels leading to the X¡¯shmiran temple. It was a religious carving, clearly depicting a godlike Astral Mage figure. However, the figure was a boy¡­and Rabere told me he¡¯d seen Darius in the throne room that day when I was taken away.¡± ¡°Others didn¡¯t¡ª¡± Nalithor started to protest, but I could already feel the heat of anger coming off him in waves. ¡°Sometimes my recollection of those events shows Darius there, other times they don¡¯t.¡± I looked up at Nalithor, my gaze firm. ¡°We already know from the Lari¡¯xan that Darius was corrupted by that time. We also know that Sihix took Eyrian aside while we were visiting their domain and explained why you and I shouldn¡¯t be left alone with my brother.¡± ¡°So, you want to press Eyrian for information,¡± Nalithor spoke slowly, a dangerous smile coming to his face. ¡°And if we learn that Darius was involved?¡± ¡°It will take all of my willpower not to eviscerate him.¡± I growled, gritting my teeth. ¡°Even if he was being controlled, or manipulated¡­¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know how much of him is complicit. For now.¡± Nalithor¡¯s threatening, hypnotic tone made me look up at him in surprise. ¡°If I find that brat had some genuine involvement¡­ I will not go easy on him just because he is your brother. Such crimes¡ª¡± ¡°If he did something that wretched, it falls to us as Balance to take care of it.¡± I smiled and reached up to cup Nalithor¡¯s face in one hand. A low rumble escaped him, a smirk settling onto his lips as he gazed down at me. ¡°You should know by now that even blood can¡¯t get in my way. Rather, I¡¯ll be more concerned about which one of us gets to punish him. ¡°What do you think would be appropriate?¡± ¡°Nnngh¡­ We can save such discussions for later.¡± Nalithor shook his head, a flicker of desire in his eyes. ¡°For now, we shall go and find Eyrian. Confirming your theory comes first. Once we have handled our more boring duties for the day, you will fill me on regarding all that you saw in the temple.¡± ¡°Whatever you want.¡± I smiled sweetly, earning a low grow in reply. ¡°So, this boring business¡­¡± ¡°Approving plans for rebuilding the city and the surrounding areas,¡± Nalithor offered, pulling me out of the suite with him and down the hallway. ¡°I¡¯ve also ordered our men to submit proposals on how we might handle the western half of the island. We need to eliminate the beasts.¡± ¡°A contest between you and I, perhaps?¡± I coiled my tail around his as we walked, causing a shudder to run through him. ¡°For now, we are playing king and queen¡ªnot hunter and huntress.¡± Nalithor attempted to give me a firm look, but his expression was too filled with mirth and desire for it to have the desired effect. ¡°Is that so? Well then, I¡¯ll endeavor not to disappoint my king,¡± I teased, linking my fingers with his. ¡°Before you succeed in completely distracting me, we should probably also check in on Ijelle, Satrr, and Lalira once we¡¯re done with Eyrian.¡± ¡°Once you¡¯re done with me?¡± Eyrian glanced in our direction when we rounded a corner. The soldiers he¡¯d been conversing with when they spotted our demeanor, but the Draekin remained unfazed. He just sighed and dismissed the others. ¡°Take this somewhere private?¡± ¡°You have the right of it, yes.¡± Nalithor gave Eyrian a smile. ¡°Djialkan and Alala will join us shortly. If my ¡®queen¡¯ here is correct, her Guardians will be most interested in knowing.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like the sound of that at all.¡± Eyrian narrowed his eyes. ¡°Well, nothing unpleasant for you.¡± I laughed. ¡°Unpleasant for someone else? Quite possibly. Let¡¯s go find somewhere away from potentially prying eyes and ears.¡± They followed me through the castle and into the room that Nalithor appeared to have been using as his office. Once we entered, my nylziis barricaded the room with his magic and then crossed his arms. He looked more impatient than I felt. ¡°Well?¡± Eyrian shot me a knowing look. ¡°What did Sihix tell you about my brother?¡± I demanded. ¡°Uh¡­¡± The Draekin¡¯s complexion paled and he gulped. ¡°Are you sure you two really want to¡ª¡± ¡°Answer her.¡± Nalithor¡¯s chilling gaze made Eyrian sigh. ¡°Darius¡­was involved in getting Arianna and himself taken from Dauthrmir,¡± Eyrian replied, his expression strained. I felt my blood run cold and sank into deep thought while I listened. ¡°Sihix didn¡¯t tell me how much agency Darius had at such a young age. At the very least, he was used as a pawn to manipulate the Angels into splitting into separate factions¡ªand the faction that is against Gabriel worked directly with the Elders and the X¡¯shmirans. ¡°Sihix knows you two would likely kill Darius if you learned in the heat of the moment. What made you ask¡ª¡± ¡°Do we have time to fill him in?¡± I shifted to look at my fuming fianc¨¦. ¡°We will have to keep it brief.¡± Nalithor clenched his fists and closed his eyes for a moment, calming the rising elements around him. When he focused his gaze on Eyrian, the Draekin winced. ¡°You will keep this information from Ijelle and Satrr for now. Once we are finished explaining ourselves, you will join us for our tasks throughout the city.¡± [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Top Web Fiction ] [B6] Chapter Eight: Weary Minds Chapter Eight Weary Minds ¡°Where would you like me to put these?¡± I peered at Nalithor over the stack of books I was carrying. He glanced up from whatever document he¡¯d been studying and then motioned toward one of the few clear spaces by his desk. ¡°Here is fine. Watch your step.¡± Nalithor rested an arm against the desk while tracking me. ¡°Our scholars are making quicker progress than I expected. It¡¯s almost as if someone is trying to keep us busy.¡± Nalithor shot a brief glare toward where Eyrian leaned against a wall. ¡°Not my fault.¡± Eyrian raised his hands. ¡°Everyone¡¯s working harder after hearing about Arianna¡¯s arrival. They¡¯re all competing to see who can complete their tasks faster. Looks like bringing her here was a massive morale boost.¡± ¡®Well, at least it gives me something to do¡­¡¯ I placed the books on the floor next to Nalithor¡¯s desk and then stretched, wincing. Learning about my brother¡¯s involvement with my kidnapping was a difficult pill to swallow. While I had my suspicions before, confirmation was another thing entirely. The Lari¡¯xan wanted him alive for some reason, while I wanted him dead. Or something. ¡®I¡¯m not sure if death is even enough of a punishment at this point¡­¡¯ ¡°Arianna,¡± Nalithor spoke up with a warning growl. I glanced at him and huffed in response. ¡°Let¡¯s not play with fire. If we act against the Lari¡¯xan¡¯s wishes we will be separated permanently¡ªbecause we will be dead. Let¡¯s avoid that, shall we?¡± ¡°Can we at least go hunt something?¡± I sighed, crossing my arms. ¡°I¡¯ll feel much better after killing something. There are plenty of beasts to choose from beyond the city walls.¡± ¡°You¡¯re under orders to stay by my side at all times and I won¡¯t be finished with any of this work for days at best,¡± Nalithor pointed out with a heavy sigh. ¡°I believe celebration will be in order when my replacement finally arrives. It would be fantastic if I never had to run a city myself again.¡± ¡°Yet you¡¯re fine with being a deity?¡± Eyrian snorted, shooting Nalithor an amused look. ¡°I don¡¯t envy you or your replacement. Hells, I won¡¯t complain when we get to leave this rock. Mists aside, I can¡¯t decide what I hate more¡ªthe beasts or the X¡¯shmirans.¡± ¡°We may be free of the latter soon,¡± Nalithor stated, waving one of the sheets of paper in the air. ¡°Hadyn and Edan have offered to take in the X¡¯shmirans as soon as a ship is available to ferry them to their new home. Doing so would free up many of our men for other tasks, allow the city to be truly rebuilt, and give us more opportunities to deal with other sections of Eormir.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Right. We still need to learn more about the Mists and see to the state of the Sihix Forest,¡± I remarked, crossing my arms under my bust. ¡°There¡¯s also the beast infestation to the west to deal with if we want to have a chance of utilizing the farmland, forests, or lake.¡± ¡°True enough¡­¡± Nalithor murmured, his mouth curving into an amused smirk. ¡°Well then, I think perhaps it¡¯s time we gave the Human matriarch her poor, wayward children. The sooner they are out of our hair, the better.¡± ¡°Now?¡± I watched my nylziis rise from his seat and stretch. ¡°You aren¡¯t the only one who wishes to hunt.¡± Nalithor put his arm around my shoulders and steered me through the room with him. ¡°Eyrian, I want you to make sure we have men keeping an eye on Satrr, Ijelle, and Lalira when we leave to hunt. I won¡¯t have those three joining us. According to our men, the beasts have become far more agitated than they were when we first arrived on this rock last year.¡± ¡°And only Arianna-jiss has any real experience with the damned things. I know.¡± Eyrian grimaced, shaking his head as he pushed away from the wall. ¡°If it¡¯s all the same to you, I¡¯ll keep an eye on the girls myself while the two of you hunt. You¡¯re bringing the Guardians with you anyway, right?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t wish to join us?¡± Nalithor arched an eyebrow at him. ¡°I¡¯ll be dead weight¡ªI can barely sense my own power, or yours.¡± Eyrian shook his head again. ¡°I¡¯ll go keep an eye on the girls and maybe bring them with me to talk to Maric. He should be able to find a way to keep us occupied in the castle.¡± We parted ways and the moment we could no longer see or hear Eyrian, Nalithor promptly pulled me into a tight embrace and nuzzled into my vulpine ears. I leaned into him and closed my eyes for a moment, letting my thoughts calm down while he got whatever it was he needed from me. ¡®We have so much work to do¡­¡¯ Nalithor sigh tickled my ear, making it flick back. ¡®Yes, we do.¡¯ I sighed and reached up to take his face between my hands, making him look at me. ¡°You¡¯re still completely worn out, Nalithor. Maybe you should take a day or two to recover?¡± ¡°Even you¡¯re telling me to take a break?¡± Nalithor smiled drawing me closer until I had to link my hands behind his neck instead. ¡°Now that is something I never thought I would hear you say. You are far too intent on pushing yourself further than you should.¡± ¡°So are you, apparently. You¡¯re that eager to get off this rock?¡± I gave him a pointed look. ¡°I¡­may have a certain brat I want to punish.¡± Nalithor¡¯s eyes flashed, his claws digging into my hips. ¡°Everything, all the hardships we have both faced¡­can be traced back to him. Even if the Lari¡¯xan keep us from killing him¡ª¡± ¡°We need to keep in mind his actions led to the treatment he received in X¡¯shmir, if we can,¡± I pointed out, shaking my head slightly. ¡°I¡¯m pissed off too, Nalithor. But, after thinking about it, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s all gone according to whatever plan he had. ¡°No one in their right mind would throw themselves into the sort of life he had to live here. Especially not a child. Either his corruption is worse than we thought, or there¡¯s more going on. He has a lot to atone for, but we need to make sure he¡¯s atoning for the right things.¡± ¡°And that we eviscerate the others responsible¡­¡± Nalithor muttered, his grip relaxing slightly. ¡°Perhaps more rest is a good idea after all. I don¡¯t think either of us can focus on work or hunting right now. Regardless of how powerful we are, it wouldn¡¯t do for us to hunt while our minds are elsewhere.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s give it a few days. That should be plenty of time to get rid of the Humans, and perhaps I can help you work on your ability to deal with the Mists while we¡¯re at it,¡± I offered, flashing him an inviting smile. ¡°Of course, I have a few other ideas while we¡¯re at it¡­¡± [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Top Web Fiction ] [B6] Chapter Nine: Tremors Chapter Nine Tremors ¡°Arianna, slow down!¡± Nalithor called after me as we sped through the rain-drenched forest surrounding Eormir. I skidded to a stop and pivoted to look at him. When he caught up, he slowed to a walk and released a heavy sigh, shouldering his spear. Brown blood dripped from the tip of the blade, sizzling when it met the forest floor. ¡°The beasts aren¡¯t going anywhere. We don¡¯t have to rush.¡± ¡°Hmmm? If we walk it¡¯ll take until dusk to get there.¡± I gave him a puzzled look as he smiled and placed a hand on top of my head. ¡°We wanted to be back in Eormir by nightfall, right? In that case¡ª¡± ¡°I am not as familiar with the forest as you are, Arianna,¡± Nalithor pointed out, chuckling as he ruffled my hair. ¡°Once we reach the plateau we can run. For now, I would like to take a slower pace.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have a problem when you chased me before,¡± I commented dryly. ¡°It also was not raining then.¡± Nalithor laughed. ¡°I thought our men would have driven all the beasts from the forest by now. We¡¯ve killed dozens a day since taking the city.¡± ¡°Well, our people aren¡¯t doing much to hide their magic from the beasts. I¡¯m not surprised their presence is attracting more than usual.¡± I grimaced as we began walking through the underbrush. ¡°I¡¯m more worried about the number of beasts on the western half of the island. It¡¯s always been quite bad, but what you showed me seems like a little¡­much.¡± ¡°If we take too long we can stay in Auvry¡¯e overnight,¡± Nalithor suggested, taking my hand in his. ¡°I¡¯m sure Corentine would like to see you now that you¡¯re here, and I would like to see you give her an earful for¡ª¡± Nalithor sighed heavily when the roar of a beast nearby drowned out the rest of his sentence. He released my hand and we both readied our weapons before charging off in the direction of the roar. I summoned a platform of shadow in front of us, allowing us to spring over a felled tree and up toward the beast¡¯s shoulder nearest us. ¡°Don¡¯t let it bleed on you,¡± I called to Nalithor as I summoned flames down the length of Eoraso. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to dissect this one to find its heart or brain. Where shall we start?¡± ¡°I have a better idea.¡± Nalithor raised one hand and closed his eyes, channeling the power of fire within himself. I winced and glanced away when a pillar of blue-white flames engulfed the beast completely. When Nalithor¡¯s magic dissipated, only a pile of ash remained. ¡°That¡¯s no fun.¡± I pouted, looking over at him. ¡°You did say you wanted to reach the other half of the island sooner rather than later,¡± Nalithor pointed on with an amused smirk. He clenched and unclenched his free hand a few times, resting his spear against his shoulder again with the other. ¡°I believe I am growing used to the Mists. Though, I am not convinced that is a good thing.¡± ¡°We¡¯d better find the source before you become too accustomed to it, then,¡± I murmured, frowning at him. ¡°After all, your lack of familiarity with the Mists was supposed to help lead us to it. Since you¡¯ve been in the city for a while now, I have to assume that the source isn¡¯t there.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Nalithor nodded, following me toward the nearby tree line. ¡°Given the number of beasts beyond the plateau, I am inclined to believe it is there somewhere. I¡¯ve never seen beasts congregate in such a manner, and you¡¯ve mentioned numerous times that they¡¯re drawn to magic or aether. ¡°We¡¯ve given them plenty of bait, and I doubt you and Darius were able to maintain such potent shields as children¡ªlet alone whilst sleeping. In which case, something more appetizing has to have kept the beast¡¯s attention.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I have it on good authority that I¡¯m pretty appetizing.¡± I grinned at Nalithor when he swatted at me with his tail. ¡°Behave,¡± Nalithor stated dryly. ¡°You may be a fox, but I don¡¯t intend to take you in a forest, in the middle of a downpour, like some wild animal.¡± ¡°Ah well, I can wait if I have to.¡± I laughed, darting ahead of Nalithor again. ¡°One thing is for certain, and that¡¯s that we need to kill the beasts. Once we do, we won¡¯t have long before they begin to repopulate though.¡± ¡°Djialkan, have you any theories on where the creatures come from?¡± Nalithor asked, glancing up at the fae-dragon gliding above our heads. ¡°None. The manner in which they appear makes little sense,¡± Djialkan answered, swooping down to perch on my shoulder. ¡°Whether they burst out of the ground or ¡®pop¡¯ into existence, there is little warning to make judgments off of.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°But there is some warning?¡± Nalithor probed. ¡°A distinct but subtle tremor in the aether.¡± I slowed my pace as we reach the tree line, a frown forming on my face. ¡°Is that¡­sky?¡± A sliver of blue was clearly visible through a break in the clouds. I stared blankly at it, not sure if I was truly seeing what I thought I was. Nalithor came to a stop beside me, his eyes narrowing as he followed my gaze. ¡°I get the strangest feeling that we should hurry.¡± Nalithor glanced to the side at me, then returned his gaze to the far edge of the plateau. ¡°That tremble of power feels vaguely familiar.¡± ¡°And rather similar to a certain deity that claimed he couldn¡¯t come to this rock with us, right?¡± I heaved a heavy sigh and then looked at Djialkan. ¡°Do you know anything about this, Djialkan?¡± ¡°No, but it is quite possible that you are correct.¡± The fae-dragon squinted in the direction of the Sihix Forest and then to the west. ¡°It struck me as strange that Sihix would not come to Eormir himself and return this piece back to the surface.¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t been looking well as of late, either¡­¡± I murmured, tilting my head. ¡°You think someone has been trying to kill a Lari¡¯xan?¡± Nalithor growled, his grip tightening around his spear. ¡°I think we have plenty evidence that someone has been trying to seal, if not outright destroy, the Lari¡¯xan,¡± I replied pointedly. ¡°It¡¯s not an ¡®if¡¯ at this point. In which case, perhaps slaughtering the beasts shouldn¡¯t be our main priority. That tremor of power isn¡¯t coming from his forest.¡± ¡°Meaning some part of him was separated from his domain and his body alike?¡± Nalithor¡¯s brow furrowed as he sank into thought. ¡°Being away from his domain shouldn¡¯t matter under normal circumstances.¡± ¡°His power is growing weaker and so too are the Mists.¡± Djialkan growled, his claws clenching painfully around my shoulder. ¡°This cannot be a coincidence. Sihix has somehow been used to create the Mists, and the power disappearing from his domain could be tied to his body attempting to keep itself alive.¡± ¡°Then we had best make haste.¡± Nalithor nudged me briefly before beginning to walk across the plateau. ¡°He must have been playing off his condition before when he said that you would ¡®get around to it eventually.¡¯¡± ¡°Their sudden insistence on returning the fragments to the surface, and borrowing my power to do it, makes more sense this way too.¡± I grimaced, falling into step with Nalithor. ¡°Muddy or not, I think we should run. How about I summon us a path so we don¡¯t slip?¡± ¡°That would be best.¡± Nalithor slowed for a moment, summoning full plate armor around himself. He gave me a pointed look before pulling on his full helm. I took the hint and summoned full plate armor as well and shifted away from my Rylthra form. Splashing mud on my furry tails sounded like a terrible idea, and if we were going to deal with multiple beasts at once I couldn¡¯t focus a portion of my power on deflecting the grime. Not if I wanted to fend off multiple beasts and search for whatever fragment of Sihix we needed to find. ¡°Alala will arrive in Auvry¡¯e soon and will await us at its border with her parents,¡± Djialkan informed us. ¡°If it is truly Sihix in some form, he will need to be treated within his own domain at once.¡± I made a motion with one hand, summoning a strip of darkness stretching from us all the way to the plateau¡¯s edge. Nalithor shot me a mildly puzzled look before testing it with one foot. When he pulled his armored boot back, shadows stuck to his foot like honey. ¡°That should do.¡± Nalithor nodded to me. ¡°Then let¡¯s get going.¡± I hopped up onto the strip of darkness and glanced at my fianc¨¦ briefly. ¡°I¡¯ll let you deal with any flying beasts, and I¡¯ll focus on the landbound ones. When we can, Djialkan and I will locate Sihix. If there¡¯s other threats¡­well, we¡¯ll kill those too.¡± ¡®We¡¯re in agreement then.¡± Nalithor nodded, and without another word we both took off at a run across my darkness. ¡®Djialkan, relay our change of plans to Eyrian and make certain he doesn¡¯t bring Satrr, my sister, Lalira, or himself to the forest. I won¡¯t have them corrupted by an unstable Lari¡¯xan.¡¯ ¡°Of course.¡± Djialkan snorted, leaping from my shoulder. ¡®Don¡¯t hold back,¡¯ I warned Nalithor. ¡®If we really are pressed for time, we can¡¯t afford to worry about damaging the area.¡¯ ¡®One of us will need to have enough power to defend whomever transports Sihix,¡¯ Nalithor countered, making me grimace within my helmet. ¡®You have better control of your power while in the presence of the Mists. I will transport Sihix, you can slaughter the beasts.¡¯ ¡®Fine,¡¯ I replied, springing off the side of the cliff without hesitation. A tremor of both rage and delight ran through me when I saw several beasts nearby. ¡®Other side of the lake. Let¡¯s carve a path.¡¯ I landed on the head of one beast and drove Eoraso into one of its eyes, killing it almost instantly. A barrier of ice sprung up between me and one of the other beasts as it swung at me. The spikes on the other side of the barrier pierced the creature¡¯s hand as I leapt away. ¡®Kill only the ones in our way,¡¯ Nalithor spoke with a dangerous growl. ¡®Agreed. We can kill the rest later.¡¯ I summoned a spike of ice and sent it flying through the neck of another beast. Now that we were beyond the plateau, I felt the pull of Sihix¡¯s power more distinctly. It was absolutely his power, and it was fading. ¡®Djialkan, can you contact Yiltanys from here?¡¯ ¡®No.¡¯ ¡®Nalithor, open a portal to your domain so that Djialkan can reach Yiltanys, I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to be able to wait.¡¯ I glanced toward him when he growled again. ¡®I¡¯ll start clearing a path while you two see to that.¡¯ He nodded to me briefly and I set off at a run toward the lake, cutting down every beast that crossed my path. When I cleared the trees, I bared my fangs and hissed with displeasure. On the far side of the lake, resting on a small island, was a glimmer of purple crystal growing at an alarming rate. Strands of sickly golden power beat at the crystal like whips, failing to break or otherwise penetrate it. But the crystal was failing. ¡°Stop them!¡± Yiltanys snapped from behind me. I glanced back at him and grew still when I spotted the unconscious Sihix limp in his counterpart¡¯s arms. ¡°Both of you. I do not care how much power you must use.¡± ¡®¡­Arianna?¡¯ Nalithor murmured. ¡®You heard him.¡¯ I shook my head slightly and breathed out a small sigh, loosening the bonds keeping my form and my power in check. ¡®I¡¯ll freeze the lake and create us a path. ¡®Don¡¯t take any prisoners. We can¡¯t afford to.¡¯ [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Top Web Fiction ] [B6] Chapter Ten: Divine Stirrings Chapter Ten Divine Stirrings I sped across the frozen lake as fast as my wind and darkness could carry me. Nalithor wasn¡¯t far behind, his much longer stride allowing him to keep up with ease. My nine fluffy tails streamed behind me freely as I pulled shadows around me. The whips of light had increased the speed in which they were beating at Sihix¡¯s growing crystal, their desperate attempts cracking its surface. As soon as I was in range, I leapt into the air with Eoraso in one hand and pierced the closest target. The corpse-like Angel screamed in pain when my blade tore upward through his chest cavity, soon silencing him. He dropped to the ground, unmoving, but I was already on to my next target. ¡®Nalithor, can you get to Sihix?¡¯ ¡®No, I don¡¯t have the necessary control over my darkness,¡¯ Nalithor replied, his tone strained. I gritted my teeth and beheaded another Angel before glancing toward Sihix¡¯s crystal. It was already the height of a parapet and didn¡¯t show any sign of ceasing its growth. A glance at my nylziis showed his darkness was being pulled toward the crystal. I cursed internally and cut down another Angel before turning my attention back to Nalithor. ¡®Come here then, I¡¯m going to end this.¡¯ I beckoned to Nalithor briefly. He hesitated but soon obliged, a questioning look on his face. ¡®The Angels are just a distraction. Look at the aether. Those light whips aren¡¯t coming from the Angels at all. I¡¯m not convinced the Angels are even alive.¡¯ Nalithor growled and took a step forward but stopped when I placed a hand on his arm. I gave him a pointed look before closing my eyes and grasping both our magics. Once my grip was firm, I opened my eyes and glared at a spot in the sky above Sihix¡¯s crystal. Our combined darkness lanced the sky, tearing it open to reveal what looked like an opulent room. Within, several dozen Jivyador sat around an orb that glowed with their accused, twisted light. ¡°Arianna¡ª¡± Nalithor began, but I didn¡¯t intend to let him stop me. I plunged our darkness through the rip in the sky and grabbed each of the Jivyador by the throat, ripping them from their hiding place. Delicious screams echoed from their lips as I pulled them from their realm and into ours. Eoraso plunged into the chest of the nearest one, shattering the bastard¡¯s crystalline heart. The light magic and the Mists wavered, weakening in response to the man¡¯s death. A grin spread across my face moments before I leapt into action. This time, my nylziis didn¡¯t hesitate. Together, we fended off their pitiful light magic and struck the false Elders down one by one. However, I could still feel Sihix fading. Several Jivyador leapt at me only to be cut down by a broad swipe from Nalithor¡¯s spear. Pieces of their bodies flew past us, landing harmlessly in the dirt. Corrupted blood oozed from their wounds. I expected them to try and get up again, but their movements ceased. ¡°Do not leave any alive.¡± Yiltanys¡¯ snarl made me tense, my skin prickling into goosebumps. ¡°How about we send these bastards to meet oblivion, Nalithor?¡± I reached out to him with one hand, a playful smile on my lips. ¡°I think we can kill two birds, or forty, with one stone.¡± ¡°I¡­very well.¡± Nalithor skewered one last Jivyador before joining me, placing his hand in mine. ¡®They are not putting up much of a fight¡­something is amiss.¡¯ ¡®Which is why we¡¯re going to kill them all in one fell swoop and give Sihix a little boost at the same time,¡¯ I replied, intertwining my fingers with Nalithor¡¯s. Once more, I wove our power together but this time with a different purpose. In an instant, I plunged the immediate area into pitch black darkness. The false Elders whimpered in fear, unable to use their senses in the inky blackness. Still, there was a tremble in the aether indicating that someone was directing them, giving them orders. I clenched my teeth. Sihix had to come first, and Yiltanys was right that we couldn¡¯t afford to leave any of the Jivyador alive for questioning. Not with Sihix in such a state. A sigh escaped me as I created a small bubble around Nalithor and myself. Within seconds, the darkness I¡¯d summoned imploded around us and everything fell silent aside from the sound of corpses collapsing in place. I grimaced at the corpses of the Jivyador and the corrupted blood pouring from them. With a brief motion of one hand, I summoned a ring of ice around Sihix¡¯s crystal to block the corrupted blood. Our dissipating darkness rushed toward the remnant of Sihix, absorbing into the crystal. As it basked in our shadows, it finally began to shrink. ¡°Let¡¯s make sure they¡¯re all dead.¡± I turned to look up at Nalithor. ¡°We should destroy their hearts to be certain. I¡¯ll bind them in place with my ice, you take your spear and the Godslayer to make sure they¡¯re each dead.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to ¡®let¡¯ me kill them?¡± Nalithor arched an eyebrow at me. ¡°I would have though you would wish to do the honors.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°You¡¯ve wanted to kill them longer than me,¡± I pointed out, a slow grin spreading across my face. ¡°Shall I call it a wedding present?¡± Without any good answer to that, Nalithor cleared his throat and waited for me to trap our prey in my ice. Once done, he began the tedious task of shattering each of the fallen Jivyador¡¯s hearts. ¡°Sihix needs more.¡± Yiltanys came to stand beside me. I glanced at him and then at the unconscious Lari¡¯xan in his arms. Sihix looked deathly pale. His skin was clammy and his breathing ragged. ¡®We are not yet alone.¡¯ ¡®I noticed.¡¯ I shifted my gaze to the rip I had torn in the sky, narrowing my eyes at it. Without moving, I summoned an orb of flames and threw it through the rip. The room on the other side immediately burst into flames, and within seconds it and the rip both disappeared, leaving the sky in its otherwise untouched state. ¡°Better?¡± ¡°Much.¡± Yiltanys nodded to me before striding toward the crystal. ¡°We need to make haste. We will return Sihix¡¯s heart to him and then take him to his domain to rest. I will have you and Nalithor assist me in returning this shard to Avrirsa¡¯s surface.¡± ¡°Wait, we¡¯re going to return it now?¡± I exclaimed, hurrying to follow the Lari¡¯xan. ¡°And Sihix¡¯s heart? You mean to tell me it¡¯s been lying up here in the mud for¡ª¡± ¡°Centuries, yes. It was necessary.¡± Yiltanys shrugged as he stopped at the base of the crystal. ¡°Give his heart more of your power, Arianna. It requires more before it will shrink to a manageable size.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± I sighed heavily before placing my palm against the crystal. Deciding to pace myself for once, I allowed a steady trickle of my power to slide from me and into Sihix¡¯s heart until it shrunk to a size that could fit in my palm. I picked it up and grimaced at the blood-soaked soil beneath us. The smell was definitely that of corrupted blood, and there were plates of metal with foreign engravings strewn around on the surface. Shaking my head, I shifted to look at Yiltanys for further instruction. ¡°Sihix, you fool, wake up,¡± Yiltanys snapped. He sat the Lari¡¯xan on my wall of ice and gave him a sharp slap across the face. I arched an eyebrow but decided questioning the tetchy deity probably wouldn¡¯t get me anywhere. ¡°Hit me again¡­¡± Sihix grumbled groggily. I failed to suppress a snort of laughter, earning a filthy look from Yiltanys. His counterpart, however, snapped his eyes open when he heard me. ¡°Ari-mrii! Ah, you¡¯ve found my heart, excellent! I¡ª¡± Yiltanys clamped a hand on Sihix¡¯s shoulder when the weaker Lari¡¯xan attempted to wobble to his feet. ¡°You both have a lot of explaining to do.¡± I stalked over to Sihix and opened my hand, revealing his heart. He shot me what would have otherwise been a cheerful grin, but he was so ill it only made him look pitiful. ¡°I am in agreement with my ayraziis,¡± Nalithor added, striding over to us with his bloodstained blades. ¡°Killing so many Jivyador is not going to go unnoticed. We are going to have to come up with a plan.¡± ¡°First, we will take Sihix back to his domain. Then, the two of you are going to assist me,¡± Yiltanys stated, shaking his head. He shot Sihix a sideways glance next. ¡°Take back your heart before you lose it again.¡± ¡°Aww, Yilty is worried about me?¡± Sihix cooed teasingly as he plucked the crystal out of my hand. I expected him to bring it up to his chest and absorb it, but instead he popped it in his mouth and swallowed it whole. He licked his lips and grinned at me when he caught my expression. ¡°Want a taste, Ari-mrii?¡± ¡°No, definitely not.¡± I sighed, pressing my fingers to my temples. ¡°We should get going¡­but what are we going to do about this mess? A lot of this blood isn¡¯t from the creatures we just killed.¡± ¡°Back to sleep with you.¡± Yiltanys flicked Sihix¡¯s forehead, and the dark-haired Lari¡¯xan immediately fell unconscious again. Sighing, Yiltanys turned to look at me next. ¡°I will have my servants begin investigating as soon as we have returned Eormir to its rightful place. Once everyone has fully recovered, Sihix and I will explain ourselves¡ªand no sooner.¡± ¡°Important work and all that, I know.¡± I made a sour face before freezing the surface of the lake again. ¡°Well, if you want to hurry then let¡¯s do it.¡± ¡°The Mists are dissipating¡­¡± Nalithor murmured, glancing up at the sky. However, his gaze soon shifted to the object that had replaced the sun for so long. ¡°However, that is not.¡± ¡°A matter for another time. We will be safe in Sihix¡¯s domain.¡± Yiltanys strode briskly toward the dark crystalline forest, forcing Nalithor and I to rush after him. The remainder of the Mist appeared to be pouring into Sihix¡¯s domain, returning the power to the forest¡¯s trees. Lightning arced through the clouds, striking the island we had just left. Yiltanys¡¯ eyes narrowed. ¡°I see. So that¡¯s how it is. Come closer, you two.¡± Without any warning, Yiltanys¡¯ power engulfed us in an orb of light and we rocketed across the surface of the lake. Several more bolts of lightning struck the spot we had been standing in, breaking the thick ice I¡¯d summoned. I withdrew my aether from the lake and clung to Nalithor, shutting my eyes. The speed at which Yiltanys¡¯ power moved us made me far, far too dizzy. When we finally came to a stop, I opened my eyes to see Shir, Gari, Alala, and Corentine waiting for us. Djialkan soon swooped down from the trees and perched on the concerned Rylthra¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I guess the happy reunion¡¯s gotta wait.¡± Corentine frowned deeply, looking past us as another bolt of lightning struck the ground outside the forest. ¡°Gari, take Sihix to his temple,¡± Yiltanys ordered, draping the unconscious Lari¡¯xan across the Guardian¡¯s back. ¡°Shir, Alala, Djialkan, the three of you will assist Arianna and Nalithor in returning to Arianna¡¯s cottage in Auvry¡¯e once I am finished with them.¡± ¡°And what will you do?¡± Corentine narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°I will be remaining here until that foolish bastard wakes up, of course,¡± Yiltanys scoffed. ¡°I will send for the other Lari¡¯xan. We have much more to address in these lands than I first thought.¡± Yiltanys shot Nalithor and I an expectant look. Once we were close enough, he took us each by the hand and closed his eyes. I felt my power slipping away at an alarming rate. Next, I felt my knees strike the ground as my legs lost all strength. Then, nothing as darkness took hold of me. [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Top Web Fiction ] [B6] Chapter Eleven: Agenda Chapter Eleven Agenda I paced the kitchen of Arianna¡¯s cottage while reading reports from the surface of Avrirsa. My fianc¨¦e was still sound asleep a few rooms away, but I couldn¡¯t rest. Djialkan and Fraelfnir insisted I remain within the house for now and had brought me numerous documents to help me get up to speed with everything that had happened during my absence. I didn¡¯t know what to make of the temple found below Eormir, nor the carvings throughout it. ¡®This is but a portion?¡¯ I asked, shifting to look at Djialkan. ¡®Aye,¡¯ the fae-dragon nodded from where he had perched on the kitchen table. ¡®Whilst you slumbered, Fraelfnir took me to the temple and showed me the carvings, the bloodstains, the bones. I am in full agreement that this Blood Magic working must have been related, at least in part, to Arianna¡¯s capture. Furthermore, the illustration of the being they worshiped¡­¡¯ ¡®Yes¡­the resemblance to Darius is disconcerting at best.¡¯ I frowned at the page. A boy with twelve white wings. Antler-like horns of quartz and gold. His robes were white, jade, and gold. Even if the memory of Darius¡¯ childhood form eluded me, his parents had confirmed our suspicions in the stack of reports. ¡®To have such accurate depictions, they must have had some contact with the boy. Who were Darius¡¯ guards in Leryci? Furthermore, shouldn¡¯t Fraelfnir know more of this?¡¯ ¡®My brother is bound by his oath as a Guardian.¡¯ Djialkan shook his head slowly before heaving a sigh. ¡®To break our oath is to ask for death. He cannot tell us more, no matter how badly he wishes it.¡¯ ¡®And Darius¡¯ guards?¡¯ I prompted. ¡®Gabriel would know more.¡¯ Djialkan frowned slightly. ¡®However, I remain unconvinced that she is on our side. At the very least, she is very¡­naive.¡¯ I sighed. That was something the fae-dragon and I could certainly agree on. Initially I had believed Arianna to be too harsh regarding her mother¡¯s ability to rule, but the more I learned of Leryci¡¯s troubles, the more I agreed with Arianna¡¯s assessment. However, I remained uncertain about what our focus should be. With X¡¯shmir conquered, I felt somewhat lacking in direction. I wanted to slay more Jivyador, certainly, but there were many other matters in Avrirsa that required our attention. ¡°I¡¯m starving,¡± the hoarse groan caused me to glance over my shoulder, finding Arianna standing in the doorway. Her hair was disheveled and sticking out all over the place. She¡¯d pulled a robe partway on but appeared to have given up regarding pulling it the rest of the way over one of her shoulders. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at her. ¡°Sit down and I will make us some breakfast.¡± I pulled her over and kissed the top of her head before shooing her in the direction of the kitchen table. ¡°We are under house arrest for the moment while the Lari¡¯xan work.¡± ¡°House arrest?¡± Arianna grumbled as she sat heavily in one of the chairs. ¡°That explains why I can¡¯t sense anything other than you, me, Djialkan, Fraelfnir, and Alala. Did Yiltanys say how Sihix is doing?¡± ¡°Only that he will be fine and requires rest,¡± I answered, setting the stack of reports between her and Djialkan. ¡°I spent the morning catching up on all that you¡¯ve done and explored while I was away. You have certainly been keeping busy.¡± ¡°Of course I have. How else would I keep from getting lonely?¡± Arianna puffed her cheeks out briefly before smiling. ¡°So, you saw what moves I¡¯ve started to make regarding the beast blood issues within Dauthrmir? Oh, the modifications to the residential district are coming along well, too.¡± ¡°I saw. I was surprised to learn that Cyrr is working with such people.¡± I rummaged around the pantry in search of ingredients. ¡°Are you certain they¡¯re trustworthy?¡± ¡°Well, they¡¯re the most trustworthy out of the options we found,¡± Arianna began with a laugh. ¡°If they turn out not to be, we¡¯ll just kill them. Simple enough.¡± ¡°Then I will hope you¡¯re correct and that they are useful,¡± I stated dryly. ¡°We should probably talk about what we just went through in Eormir.¡± ¡°Which part?¡± Arianna snorted. ¡°The beasts, the Jivyador, the corpse-like Angels, that Sihix¡¯s heart of all things was there, or¡ª¡± ¡°Awww, were you two worried about me?¡± Sihix appeared in the chair across from Arianna and shot us each a lazy grin. ¡°Let me make this simple for you, darlings. If I had told the two of you that my heart was in X¡¯shmir, and under attack, the petite morsel here would have been on the first ship to X¡¯shmir so that she could beat those responsible in their rotting faces. ¡°Had that happened, the lingering remnants of the curse would have executed Arianna. Your connection as deities would have then killed you, Nalithor. Even we don¡¯t play with raising the dead, and we certainly didn¡¯t want to turn to the former Balance candidates. Not with Darius¡¯ schemes in play.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t cover why your heart was there in the first place.¡± Arianna bared her fangs briefly, her fluffy tails switching behind her. ¡°Yiltanys said it was necessary, but that¡¯s all he said.¡± ¡°The portion of my domain that was taken into the skies with X¡¯shmir was a very important part,¡± Sihix offered a little more seriously. ¡°I had Shir and Gari put my heart somewhere that it could still feed the forest aether but be away from any unsuspecting fools who could pick it up. Neither my children nor the X¡¯shmirans would be capable of handling the power within, and the Humans would have been likely to throw it off the island entirely.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°Then, that part of your domain is the core?¡± I frowned at Sihix. ¡°Why is it so close to the forest¡¯s edge? Somewhere more defensible would make far more sense.¡± ¡°Auvry¡¯e was in the center, once,¡± Sihix answered, shrugging. ¡°The Split affected more than you can imagine. Yilty, Ceilail, Xiinsha, and I have been rearranging our domains for the past several days, returning them to how they were before the Split. Us, and the village, are now at the center of my domain as we should be. We confirmed that there are no more missing pieces in my domain or in Yilty¡¯s.¡± ¡°So, your heart being in X¡¯shmir is how Djialkan and Corentine were able to communicate with you still?¡± Arianna tilted her head, her expression contemplative. ¡°I guess that would explain why they wouldn¡¯t let me ¡®meet¡¯ you either.¡± ¡°Are you certain it isn¡¯t because if his winning personality?¡± I snorted. ¡°You and I are for more similar than you¡¯re like to admit.¡± Sihix smirked at me. ¡°I should know after having part of you with me for so long, after all. Ah¡­what did Ari-mrii call that part of you? That¡¯s right! Puppy.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you¡¯re like a puppy?¡± Arianna countered flatly. ¡°Maybe an ankle-biting¡ª¡± ¡°Finish that sentence and me biting your ankles will be the least of your worries.¡± Sihix narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°Are you quite done?¡± I sighed at him. ¡°Can you honestly claim you will ever stop teasing her? Then you have the answer to your question.¡± Sihix grinned, shrugging. ¡°Now then, once we¡¯ve had breakfast, we will go fetch Corentine and Alala. They wish to join us when we take you to your new temple.¡± ¡°Temple?¡± I frowned at him. ¡°What do you mean¡ª¡± ¡°Is it really our temple yet?¡± Arianna scoffed. ¡°Sure, it¡¯s gorgeous, but Nalithor and I aren¡¯t officially Balance yet, right? Furthermore, Nalithor already has a temple in Dauthrmir. And¡ª¡± ¡°You are officially unofficially the official Balance pair,¡± Sihix replied simply, causing Arianna to scrunch her face at him for a moment. ¡°You need a temple in neutral territory. Being flanked by Yiltanys¡¯ domain and mine only strengthens your position and dissuades troublemakers.¡± ¡°Then you are not talking about the temple beneath X¡¯shmir¡­¡± I murmured, my frown deepening. ¡°Just what, pray tell, have you done now?¡± ¡°I forgot that part?¡± Arianna blinked at me. ¡°They had a temple erected between their forests, on the edge of the crater. Er, what used to be a crater. It¡¯s supposed to be ours.¡± ¡®Ours¡­¡¯ A small smile came to my lips as my heartbeat quickened. ¡°Speaking of official business, I suppose I will need to speak with Lucifer soon as well now that we are on Avrirsa¡¯s surface once more.¡± ¡°If you can find the time.¡± Sihix shrugged, cutting in before Arianna could speak. ¡°Once you¡¯re helped purify the pieces of Eormir, you will be turning your sights to N¡¯lafmar next. I am hoping you can find the Zehylor younglings within Falrrsald while you¡¯re at it. While the two of you are covering those matters, Yiltanys, Ceilail, Xiinsha, and myself will be seeking out the rest of the Lari¡¯xan¡ªand keeping an eye on Darius¡¯ movements.¡± ¡°We need to address matters in Leryci as well,¡± I pointed out while plating food. ¡°However, I¡¯m more concerned about the Lari¡¯xan. For the Jivyador and their pawns to attack you outright in such a way¡­¡± ¡°They are growing desperate¡ªor rather, their master is. Yes.¡± Sihix paused and shot me a pleading look. ¡°I want pancakes too.¡± ¡°Arianna gets hers first.¡± The corner of my eye twitched as I placed a plate in front of my ayraziis. She stifled a giggle and shot me a subtle smile, her tails briefly tapping my legs as I returned to the stove. ¡°This master of theirs¡­I take it that is part of why Arianna opted to set their strange ¡®room in the sky¡¯ alight?¡± ¡°It was a portal to their domain,¡± Sihix offered, shrugging. ¡°Ari-mrii setting it aflame distracted them, giving us time to make our escape. The lightning bolts would have come far sooner had she not. I am more concerned regarding the number of Jivyador the two of you slew. We had hoped that only a few of the past universes¡¯ deities had become such beings, but¡­¡± ¡°In other words, their master, or masters, have been around for longer than you first believed?¡± Arianna grimaced. ¡°The Jivyador we killed seemed to wear similar robes to each other, yet different from all other we¡¯ve seen. That has been a recurring theme regarding Jivyador we¡¯ve faced. So far we¡¯ve seen what, half a dozen different factionsof them? Maybe more?¡± ¡°More,¡± I confirmed, carrying plates for Sihix and Djialkan to the table. ¡°If we are to believe each group involves deities from previous iterations of the Lari¡¯xan¡¯s universe, then we may be looking at schemes going back throughout near a dozen.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a right mess!¡± Sihix exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. ¡°I am concerned about the other Lari¡¯xan. If our enemies chose to attack someone as powerful as I first, it is only a matter of time before they target a weaker Lari¡¯xan. We need to find them and make certain the two of you can reach them with haste. You will be needing to use your domain as a gateway more frequently. Yiltanys and I have decided we will be lowering the aetheric drain opening such portals requires so that you may do so.¡± ¡°Well, it sounds like you have already decided most of what Arianna and I will be doing for the foreseeable future,¡± I remarked, taking a seat at the table. ¡°Am I to understand we get little say in the matter?¡± ¡°Unless you would like to see this universe destroyed, then yes.¡± Sihix shot me a pointed look. ¡°We have run out of patience for playing around with this foe. It¡¯s high time you and Arianna began focusing on wiping them out instead of wasting your time on conquering Humans. Granted, the manner in which you chose to execute the bastards was incredibly satisfying.¡± ¡°And Darius?¡± Arianna glanced up from her food, narrowing her eyes at the Lari¡¯xan. ¡°We have servants keeping an eye on his movements,¡± Sihix stated, frowning. ¡°Our primary concern is that his lies appear to be working. We¡¯ve confirmed that his power of persuasion is still sealed, yet people in the Beshulthien¡¯s lands are eating up his lies. Strangely, Rabere appears to be one of the few immune to his claims. However, the Vampire bastard remains unstable.¡± ¡°My brother isn¡¯t fully taken over?¡± I questioned with a growl. ¡°In that case¡­¡± ¡°Some part of him is fighting.¡± Sihix shrugged. ¡°He is low on our list of priorities. For now, he can fight on his own.¡± ¡®That¡­may be for the best.¡¯ I gritted my teeth, fighting down any arguments. While I wanted my brother to regain full control of himself, I doubted it would solve the many issues we had faced in our relationship over the centuries. After all, the war against N¡¯lafmar and saving the other Lari¡¯xan came first. I paused, frowning, then looked toward Sihix again. ¡°The Beshulthiens, my brother included, wished to join us in the fight against N¡¯lafmar. Can we truly afford to leave him to his own devices? He may seek to steal Arianna away amidst any confusion that might arise amid battle.¡± ¡°You make a good point,¡± Sihix murmured. ¡°I will speak with Yiltanys. Neither of us would want precious Ari-mrii to face such a terrible situation. Far too many risks arise if the Beshulthiens take her.¡± ¡°Sounds like we have a busy day ahead.¡± Arianna sighed, rising from her seat. She glanced down at my plate and then at me as she passed me. ¡°Want some more?¡± ¡°I am finished.¡± I shook my head slightly. ¡°Once you are satisfied you should get dressed, Arianna,¡± Djialkan spoke up after devouring the last of his pancakes. ¡°From what Sihix has said, it sounds as if we should begin work sooner rather than later.¡± [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Top Web Fiction ] [B6] Chapter Twelve: Pockets of Strife Chapter Twelve Pockets of Strife I followed Nalithor, Sihix, and Yiltanys through Eormir¡¯s subterranean tunnels, watching as my nylziis grew more and more agitated. With Eormir returned to the surface, several of the tunnels beneath Sihix¡¯s domain led to the temple compound I had visited days prior. Nalithor wanted to see himself, and the Lari¡¯xan were more than happy to oblige his request. I had a feeling they found his anger just as amusing as I did. ¡°How vile. They decorated their walls with tributes to that brat?¡± Yiltanys snorted with derision, shooting a foul look at a nearby relief. Even after centuries, glimmers of gilt and emeralds shone brightly within the carving. ¡°It sickens me that the X¡¯shmirans chose to worship the boy as a denizen of light. How far from the truth that concept is. I wonder, do they truly think that receiving my gift of light magic is enough to give the boy such status?¡± ¡°They do.¡± I arched an eyebrow at the grumbling Lari¡¯xan. ¡°To the X¡¯shmirans, light is holy, and darkness is evil. End of story.¡± ¡°Evil? Me?¡± Sihix gasped, clutching his chest with mock hurt. ¡°Why, how could they see me as evil? I am kind to children of darkness.¡± ¡°Kindness has nothing to do with being ¡®good¡¯ to the X¡¯shmirans,¡± Nalithor muttered. ¡°That much became clear as I dealt with the X¡¯shmiran elite, and even some of the commoners. Arianna¡¯s explanation is correct. The Humans truly see it as a simple matter.¡± ¡°How lacking in imagination,¡± Yiltanys scoffed. ¡°Clearly we didn¡¯t bless the Humans with enough intelligence when we made them. Perhaps, instead of restarting this universe, we should annihilate the Humans instead. They seem to serve little purpose.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just the X¡¯shmirans that are so problematic?¡± I asked dryly, shooting the Lari¡¯xan a look. ¡°Hadyn and Edan seem to be on good terms with the rest of the Lesser Gods. I have to assume that means their people are as well.¡± ¡°Indeed, the X¡¯shmirans are an isolated incident.¡± Nalithor nodded to me, before glancing at another nearby carving. ¡°Even so¡­ I do not believe the Humans worked out Blood Magic to this extent on their own. Many of these incantations are ones I¡¯ve never come across before in my studies. Someone must have been feeding the X¡¯shmirans information, and I doubt it was wholly Darius¡¯ doing. A child wouldn¡¯t truly know such magics. I am more inclined to believe he was used as a messenger.¡± ¡°Quite. Even a Devillian child would not have the capacity to learn and remember this much at such a young age.¡± Sihix adopted a serious expression, his tri-colored eyes resting on the carving my nylziis had stopped beside. ¡°Many of these rites are from prior universes. Blood Magic is a powerful art, one that can bring prosperity or destruction. We kept it because past universes have used it mostly for good.¡± ¡°An occurrence that we now believe to have been calculated.¡± Yiltanys scowled. ¡°Our enemy clearly has an in-depth understanding of Blood Magic. Only an archmage from previous universes, or one who has lived across several, would have this much knowledge regarding the art. To have used a ritual to simultaneously kill thousands of mages and convince the Jivyador to do the Humans¡¯ bidding¡­ Well, it is a tangled web he has woven, at any rate.¡± ¡°In other words, a master manipulator. Perhaps that is where my brother gets it from.¡± I snorted, walking ahead of them. ¡°The temple itself is what Nalithor really needs to see. Sure, the tunnels leading to it are covered with history, but I think the complex itself is the most telling. Saying thousands died and seeing the aftermath are two very different things. ¡°Do we have a final body count yet?¡± ¡°The last update I received stated that the count is over two thousand,¡± Yiltanys answered, soon falling into step with me. ¡°Once we have purified the crystals below the cavern, the Alliance may begin researching the complex again. We should have more accurate totals soon after.¡± ¡°You truly believe that the Humans ¡®bought¡¯ the Jivyador¡¯s cooperation with this sacrifice?¡± Nalithor let out a tired sigh. ¡°It could have been an excuse, but the Jivyador do not appear keen on doing the bidding of any of the races,¡± Sihix pointed out with a huff. ¡°While we know the Jivyador had already turned their sights on Arianna and Darius by then, I don¡¯t believe the Jivyador are the ones who influenced the X¡¯shmirans to do so. Someone else coerced them into using the blood of countless mages as a currency.¡± ¡°We know that some of the Jivyador aren¡¯t keen on Balance, yes¡­¡± I tilted my head, thinking for a moment, before glancing toward Sihix. ¡°But what about this enemy of yours? Are they truly against Balance? It¡¯s quite clear they¡¯ve had plenty of opportunities to kill me, if they were capable of opening portals in the sky and raining down lightning bolts. It seems like they¡¯re more concerned with targeting you than they are the other deities.¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Perhaps they think they can eliminate us and win you over to their side.¡± Sihix shrugged before shifting his eyes to shoot me a dangerous glance, ¡°While I am confident in your loyalty, we have already seen that they excel at manipulating others, such as your brother and the Jivyador. We will be watching you and your Guardians closely to make certain nothing is amiss.¡± ¡°Of course, we will save you if anything undesirable happens.¡± Yiltanys smirked. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want to lose our favorites. You would be so very difficult to replace. Enough of such talk for now, however. We have arrived, and I want the two of you to focus on work.¡± ¡®Is it just me, or are they bossier now?¡¯ I glanced up at Nalithor, then pursed my lips. A single look at his face was telling enough. He likely hadn¡¯t heard me at all. His eyes were focused on the temple complex before us, his eyes wide and his lips parted. Nalithor¡¯s tail snapped violently behind him, a low growl rumbling within his chest. I understood, of course. The cavern was disconcerting on its own. Even if it hadn¡¯t been stained with blood and littered with bones, it would have still made my skin crawl. ¡°This is¡­¡± Nalithor shook his head hard and pivoted to look at us. ¡°The amount of blood it would have taken to cause such staining is¡­absurd! Furthermore, I see nothing to indicate their deaths would have been unwilling. Do you mean to suggest that so many mages died of their own free will?¡± ¡°Free will? Unlikely. There are faint scorch marks on the walls.¡± I pointed nearby. ¡°My impression is that many of them died to magic, not from self-inflicted wounds or from being executed. This entire complex seems to have been made with the flow of blood in mind, as well. There are grooves covering its entirety that lead to the main plaza below. I¡¯m more inclined to believe that the mages were under some form of control and forced to come here. If we¡¯re talking at least two thousand people, it¡¯s improbable to think that none of them would have fought back or attempted to run.¡± ¡°Yes. They would have to have been incredibly devout to go along with such a thing, and even then¡­¡± Sihix sighed heavily, crossing his arms. ¡°The corruption in the pocket of fire crystals below the temple suggests that Ari-mrii is correct to think that the sacrifices were unwilling. That manner of corruption can only be caused by intense strife.¡± ¡°I have decided that Sihix and I will cleanse the corruption. The two of you will wait here,¡± Yiltanys declared abruptly, startling me into looking at him. ¡°What? But¡ª¡± I started to protest, but he silenced me with a motion. He shot a meaningful glance toward Nalithor, causing me to turn and look as well. He seemed absorbed in everything but us, and I could tell his jaw was clenched. His tail swayed in agitation behind him, and the scent of blood told me his claws had sliced into his palms. ¡®Your husbands sense of empathy is getting the better of him. Tend to him while we work.¡¯ Yiltanys patted my shoulder as he walked past me, with Sihix following close behind him. ¡®Husband? Soon, but not yet¡­right?¡¯ I stared after the Lari¡¯xan for a moment but neither gratified me with an answer. Sighing, I moved closer to Nalithor and grabbed one of his hands, summoning darkness to heal his wounds. ¡°Should we get some fresh air?¡± ¡°¡­you are right that they did not come here willingly,¡± Nalithor spoke quietly, rage flashing in his eyes. ¡°What lengths are our enemies willing to go to? To eliminate the Lari¡¯xan, to destroy us¡­ And why? To keep the Lari¡¯xan from remaking the universe? I don¡¯t believe that to be their goal for even a moment. Anyone with half a brain would understand that the universe would die, perhaps instantly, should its creators be destroyed.¡± ¡°Well, they could be attempting to end the cycle via destruction,¡± I suggested, leaning up against Nalithor¡¯s side. He released a small sigh and pulled his hand from mine so that he could put an arm around me instead. ¡°Watching several iterations of the universe come and go sounds like an excellent way to drive someone mad. Especially if it cost them people they loved or admired. Furthermore, it sounds as though the Lari¡¯xan must have made a mistake or an incredibly unpleasant loophole. Otherwise we wouldn¡¯t be in this situation to begin with. ¡°Besides, this mess was because the X¡¯shmirans wanted to ¡®get back¡¯ at the Devillians. Jealousy.¡± ¡°No, there must have been more to it. They Jivyador were already against you and Darius, even the sacrifice of a single person would have been enough of an excuse for them.¡± Nalithor shook his head, squeezing me closer to him. ¡°I¡¯m certain there were more motives behind this ritual. Some of these carvings speak of Darius as a false god and reference a ¡®true god¡¯ that came to save them, to make it so that Humans were the only intelligent species on Avrirsa. ¡°In a manner of speaking, you could say that was precisely what they got by having X¡¯shmir blown into the sky as an isolated island. The ¡°Mists¡± created by Sihix¡¯s power seem like a distraction to me now that we¡¯ve ¡®saved¡¯ him. Even with the Mists gone, that strange replacement for a sun was still there. It strikes me as our enemy¡¯s eye.¡± ¡°And our Lari¡¯xan haven¡¯t mentioned if it¡¯s still there,¡± I murmured. ¡°They seemed rather insistent we take the tunnels from their domain as well. I get the feeling they¡¯re attempting to keep us from doing anything rash.¡± ¡°Meaning it is almost certainly still there.¡± Nalithor nodded, finally shifting to look down at me. ¡°I believe they are testing whether or not we are truly ready to return to work.¡± ¡°Are you?¡± I shot him a knowing look. ¡°I¡­no.¡± Nalithor sighed heavily. ¡°I am still attempting to come to terms with all that happened while I was in X¡¯shmir. Your memories especially¡­I struggle to accept what happened to you, and who was responsible. For Darius to be personally involved sickens me. You¡¯ve done so much to protect him. Manipulated or not, his actions have caused you so much pain. I worry that he could be responsible for other things as well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s certainly worrisome,¡± I agreed, nuzzling into his side. ¡°If we find he¡¯s too guilty, we¡¯ll deal with him the same way we would any of our other enemies. Being my brother doesn¡¯t mean he can do as he pleases, and it¡¯s concerning to know he¡¯s turning people in the Beshulthien territories against us. The fact it¡¯s working makes me worry he could start doing the same in Vorpmasia. ¡°As much as I adore your domain, we could find ourselves in a position where it¡¯s the only safe place for us.¡± ¡°I would like to say it won¡¯t come to that¡­but we should be vigilant.¡± Nalithor gave me a brief squeeze. ¡°Join me while I study the carvings. I need to do something while we wait for the Lari¡¯xan to finish their work.¡± [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Top Web Fiction ] [B6] Chapter Thirteen: Rumblings Chapter Thirteen Rumblings I sat with my back against one of the few blood-free stone walls at the center of the temple complex. Nearby, Nalithor, Yiltanys, and Sihix were investigating the main plaza. The Lari¡¯xan had purified the crystals beneath the temple with little trouble, and suggested we conduct some of our own investigations while there. I¡¯d been happy with the idea, but after a few minutes a sudden wave of nausea and dizziness had overtaken me. Concerned, the three of them had insisted I rest nearby. ¡®You are certain you sense nothing amiss?¡¯ Djialkan nudged my cheek. ¡®Corruption from elsewhere, perhaps?¡¯ ¡®Nothing.¡¯ I shook my head. ¡®Though, that itself could be the problem. I can¡¯t sense anything other than those three and you.¡¯ ¡°Perhaps our troublesome Ari-mrii is sensing Ceilail and Xiinsha at work?¡± Sihix suggested, shooting me a smirk. ¡°You needn¡¯t fret. They will be fine.¡± ¡°If that was the problem, it would prove you¡¯re failing to shield her senses,¡± Nalithor pointed out, eliciting disgruntled snorts from both Lari¡¯xan. ¡°It¡¯s still far more likely that she¡¯s sensing something related to Balance within the complex itself. You still refuse to free her?¡± ¡°Neither of you should be permitted to go to the surface or beyond our domains as of yet,¡± Yiltanys answered, shaking his head. ¡°You are not ready. We will deal with the ¡®eye¡¯ while the two of you tend to less tiring matters. It is our desire that you are both in peak condition moving forward.¡± ¡®Which doesn¡¯t sound good, to me.¡¯ I sighed, closing my eyes while I thought. Aside from our little group, there were few sounds within the complex. ¡®An upcoming war in addition to our duties as Balance means we will be quite busy,¡¯ Nalithor murmured. ¡®And there are your efforts as the First Princess as well. We do have much on our plates.¡¯ ¡°How many copies of Darius are there?¡± I asked, opening my eyes and settling my gaze on the Lari¡¯xan. ¡°We are only aware of the one in Dauthrmir¡¯s dungeons and the one wandering Beshulthien.¡± Sihix tilted his head, stroking his chin. ¡°However, we believe there could be more. Mind control and corruption don¡¯t explain his unstable behavior.¡± ¡®Unstable?¡¯ I wondered. ¡°Something Fraelfnir told you?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Yiltanys nodded. ¡°So, you still don¡¯t want us to kill him?¡± I asked pointedly. ¡°We want him alive.¡± Sihix narrowed his eyes at me. ¡°He may yet be saved and serve the purpose we intend. While he has lost the right to the role of Balance, there are other roles we wish for him to play. For that to happen, he must be freed of this corruption and reeducated.¡± ¡°No freeing him via a blade through the neck, then?¡± I sighed in disappointment. ¡°Well, what are we to do, then? If he is truly turning people against Balance, we need to stop him before it gets out of hand. I¡¯m not sure how you expect us to let him live, either.¡± ¡°Would you not prefer your brother be cured of his problems so that he might atone for his sins?¡± Yiltanys shot me a subtle frown. ¡°He is blood. You should feel some attachment to him.¡± ¡°Manipulated or not, he¡¯s the reason Nalithor and I were separated, the reason I was tortured in Limbo, the reason I was tortured in X¡¯shmir, and the reason I could have died if Nalithor and I hadn¡¯t waited so long to be intimate!¡± I huffed in response. ¡°His actions also led to his own torture,¡± Sihix pointed out, making me grimace. ¡°If he can be saved, wouldn¡¯t you want him to be?¡± ¡°Would his mind even survive the knowledge of all the harm he has caused?¡± Nalithor countered, shooting the Lari¡¯xan a stern glare. ¡°Placing aside our desire for revenge, I struggle to believe Darius could handle knowing what he has done. You lot also don¡¯t like to meddle with memories, meaning he¡¯d have little choice beyond facing his sins head-on and likely without support.¡± ¡°Of course. Overcoming his troubles would be meaningless if we interfered.¡± Yiltanys waved dismissively. ¡°If he breaks, he will die. If he survives, he will be more inclined to serve the purpose we have for him. Spending his time in our service will help him begin to atone, and to adapt to the world. Darius will be a powerful ally to you both if he can overcome his troubles.¡± Nalithor and I exchanged a doubting look. We both, undoubtedly, wanted to see my brother dead for all that he had done. The same for the ones responsible for manipulating him, of course. Neither of us considered manipulation enough of an excuse to give Darius a free pass. After all, it appeared that he had been raised to be so twisted. Mortals wouldn¡¯t be let off the hook if they were raised to be corrupted, twisted, or murderers, so why should my brother? His relation to me wasn¡¯t enough. My head spun again, and I let out a small sigh, closing my eyes. The unsteady rhythm of the aether was making me feel sicker by the moment. I couldn¡¯t sense where it was coming from, or what manner of aether it was, but the intermittent shockwaves pulsing through made it terribly disorienting. To my displeasure, closing my eyes only made it worse. ¡°Shall we return to the forest?¡± Nalithor placed a hand on top of my head, prompting me to open my eyes and look up at him. ¡°You clearly feel unwell.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t we need to investigate more?¡± I frowned up at him, but he simply smiled and shifted his hand over to stroke one of my fluffy ears. ¡°After all, we can¡¯t leave all of this work to Dauthrmir¡¯s scholars or to the Claws and Fangs.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°You are worrying too much.¡± Nalithor leaned down and scooped me into his arms with ease before shooting a glance toward the Lari¡¯xan. ¡°We will begin working on our plans back at Arianna¡¯s cottage, where she is less likely to grow ill from¡­whatever your comrades are doing.¡± ¡°I will remain with the Lari¡¯xan in case they learn of anything that should be relayed to you,¡± Djialkan informed us as he glided over to perch on Sihix¡¯s shoulder. Once the temple complex was behind us and we had entered the tunnel systems, I breathed a sigh of relief and nuzzled into Nalithor¡¯s chest. When a purr left me, the tension seemed to leave him, and he let out a low chuckle. ¡°What do you suppose the Lari¡¯xan are doing to cause such a disturbance?¡± Nalithor glanced down at me and gave me a small smile. ¡°Furthermore, do you feel any better away from the temple?¡± ¡°Only a little.¡± I slipped one hand into his robes and rested it against his chest. ¡°As for what they¡¯re doing¡­ If I had to hazard a guess, I¡¯d say they¡¯re already dealing with that thing they¡¯re calling the ¡®eye.¡¯ For one reason or another, they seem like they don¡¯t want us involved with it.¡± ¡°Under other circumstances I might suggest we take a look anyway¡­but you are clearly unwell.¡± Nalithor stroked my leg with his thumb while carrying me further down the tunnel. ¡°When we get back to your cottage I will make us tea and we can proceed with work from bed, where you will be more comfortable. There is so much for us to do, we will have to prioritize.¡± ¡°I think dealing with N¡¯lafmar is going to have to come first,¡± I suggested, dragging my claws across his chest. An amused smile came to my lips when I felt him shiver. ¡°Once we¡¯d dealt with the N¡¯lafmarans, and hopefully established relations with the Zehylor¡­ Ah. Perhaps, before N¡¯lafmar, we should search for the Zehyloran children? Near as I can tell, none of the children we rescued in the Abrantia Valley fit their description, correct?¡± ¡°Agreed, an excursion into Falrrsald is in order.¡± Nalithor nodded, his expression contemplative. ¡°This temple that is supposedly ¡®ours¡¯ sounds as if it could provide us with a good launching point. Have you had the chance to explore it yet?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve only see it from outside and at a distance.¡± I gave him a crooked smile and wrapped some of his loose hair around my fingers. ¡°My guards whisked me away back to the capital when we learned my father wanted to see me urgently. Though, I was also thinking it¡¯d be a little odd to look at it without my other half there.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± A bright smile spread across his face before he leaned down to kiss my forehead. ¡°Here I was hoping to make you feel better, yet instead you cheered me up. How will I ever keep up with you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing a fine job so far!¡± I laughed, tugging gently at his hair. ¡°Once we¡¯ve finished putting together what we know about the Zehylor, their children, and their disappearance, we¡¯re going to have to figure out what it will take to convince the Lari¡¯xan to let us get back to work. It seems to me like they¡¯re being over-protective of us, but maybe they have a reason. Whichever it is, we¡¯re going to have to do something if we want them to let us get back to work.¡± ¡°Yes¡­they are being quite difficult.¡± Nalithor grimaced as we entered Sihix¡¯s domain once more. ¡°I was hoping the aether here would feel better than that of the temple, but it would appear not. Should the Lari¡¯xan be struggling so greatly with their foe?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re struggling.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ve got the impression they¡¯re just being thorough. Maybe they¡¯re dealing with other corruption within Eormir¡¯s borders too. Though, now that I think about it, I wonder how the Humans and our allies are taking this sudden change of location?¡± ¡°Our friends are likely fine. The Humans¡­I imagine they believe the world is ending.¡± Nalithor shrugged, then glanced down at me. ¡°Can you walk, or shall I carry you the rest of the way?¡± ¡°Do you want to put me down?¡± I gave him a knowing smile. ¡°Certainly not.¡± Nalithor happily carried me the rest of the way to Auvry¡¯e and to my cottage. Once there he set me down and I busied myself with changing into something more comfortable. While Nalithor prepared tea for us, I scrounged up paper, pen, and some reports for us to use as reference material while working. While I still felt tremors in the aether, we were far enough from them now that they didn¡¯t make me feel ill. I hopped into bed and slid under the covers, sitting turned on my hip so that I didn¡¯t crush my clustered tails. Stretching, I let out a contended purr and then made myself busy while waiting for my nylziis to join me. ¡°This is all of the information we have regarding the Zehylor children?¡± Nalithor asked as he pulled a sliding, bed-wide tray into place. After placing our tea and a plate of snacks on it, he undressed and changed into a pair of loose pants before joining me. I promptly snuggled up to his side, hooking one leg over his. ¡°Well, aside from your conversation with the Zehylor themselves, we haven¡¯t learned much,¡± I replied, offering him the thin stack of documents. ¡°We know more about where the soldiers went than we do about the children they¡¯re looking for. The soldiers went and appealed to the dragons, but the dragons claimed that they haven¡¯t seen any ¡®feather-haired younglings¡¯ in the northern reaches of Falrrsald.¡± ¡°In which case, we need to refocus our efforts to the south, east¡­or west, beyond the N¡¯lafmaran and Zehyloran kingdoms.¡± Nalithor frowned as he skimmed the reports. ¡°I would like to say that ruling out the northern mountains helps narrow our search, but Falrrsald is large. Furthermore, if they have been imprisoned in some way¡­¡± ¡°Well, if it¡¯s prisons, it¡¯s unlikely the elemental ones unless the children were split up,¡± I pointed out, tilting my head in thought. ¡°That said, if we¡¯re going on a manhunt, we should include searching for more of those elemental traps. Given the untamed nature of this region, I¡¯m inclined to think that, if there¡¯s more, they will be here.¡± ¡°I am inclined to agree with you,¡± Nalithor murmured, sliding his free arm around me. ¡°Given that we were not looking particularly hard during our first excursion, I believe we should reexamine the portions of Falrrsald we already visited. We will not be able to go too far west without encroaching on N¡¯lafmaran territory, but perhaps we can make our way to the Zehyloran kingdom itself. It would be prudent to make certain they understand our war is with their neighbors¡­and we might convince them to join the Rilzaan Alliance whilst there.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not against it.¡± I took a sip of my tea before continuing, ¡°You¡¯re still the acting King of Eormir. We¡¯re going to have to contact my father first and make certain a new governor is properly introduced to the region before we leave. With any luck, Hadyn and Edan will have collected the Humans by then.¡± ¡°Once we¡¯re permitted to leave the Lari¡¯xan¡¯s domains, we¡¯ll go to our temple and make certain it¡¯s to our liking,¡± Nalithor suggest, a pleased smile spreading across his face at the thought. ¡°With that as our personal foothold, we can have the Vulin procure anything else we might need and tend to it in our absence. We can make many of our preparations there while we wait for word from your father, and for Eormir to be assigned a new ruler. I would rather not remain in the castle.¡± ¡°I second that notion.¡± I nodded. ¡°As nice as the redesign to my old suite is, I don¡¯t think either of us would be comfortable there. Not when we both know all that happened to me, to Darius, and countless others within the castle walls. I¡¯m a little surprised you didn¡¯t demolish it.¡± ¡°It was tempting.¡± Nalithor snorted. ¡°Lari¡¯xan permitting, we will begin our work tomorrow. For now, let us attempt to list and prioritize all that we need to do. Working by region may be best.¡± [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Top Web Fiction ] [B6] Chapter Fourteen: Temple of Balance Chapter Fourteen Temple of Balance I stared up at the white and black temple, impressed by the sheer scale. Trees from Yiltanys and Sihix¡¯s domains framed either side of the structure, appearing to fuse with it in places. Veins of power spread through the surface of the smooth stone. Crystals glowing with the power of both forests pulsed from their various placements, further illuminating the structure. ¡°Temple? This is far more akin to a palace,¡± Nalithor remarked, tilting his head to the side as he studied it. ¡°The Lari¡¯xan truly intend for this to be ours?¡± ¡°My guess is as good as yours.¡± I placed a hand on my hip, studying the structure as well. ¡°There¡¯s no denying it¡¯s a good location for us to have a temple. Plus, if we employ your Vulin or ever find chosen, we¡¯ll need a lot of space. I¡¯m skeptical about this much space too, but¡­¡± ¡°Shall we take a look inside?¡± Nalithor offered, smiling. I nodded and accepted his arm once he offered it. Together, we strode up to the temple and pushed open the doors. Inside, we discovered an extravagant entry hall suited to my tastes and Nalithor¡¯s. The interior was black, white, and silver with accents in various shades of blue everywhere. Both Dauthrmiran and Draemiran styles were prevalent in the artwork and other designs within. They¡¯d essentially built a palace perfect for the both of us. It was an incredibly beautiful place filled with vibrant and blooming plants. There were channels filled with flowing water along the interior walls, feeding to much of the flora planted inside. The entry hall was so large that it had several mrifon and rozntaar trees planted inside it. ¡°They¡¯ve outdone themselves¡­¡± Nalithor murmured before shifting to look down at me. ¡°They truly intend for us to be Balance, don¡¯t they? Such a place is clearly made with us in mind.¡± ¡°Does that come as a surprise?¡± I arched an eyebrow at him before letting out a laugh. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s explore. Or did you want to call in the Vulin first?¡± ¡°We can call for them once we¡¯re finished.¡± Nalithor shook his head. ¡°Eyrian and the others should be on their way as well now that the Lari¡¯xan have stabilized the ¡®eye¡¯ and their domains alike.¡± ¡°I still wish we¡¯d gotten a good look at the eye before they destroyed it.¡± I sighed, glancing over my shoulder and out the window at the normal sky beyond them. ¡°Oh well, what should we even be looking for in our new ¡®temple?¡¯ You¡¯re right that it¡¯s more like a palace. If we were exploring by those criteria I¡¯d have a better idea of what to look for.¡± ¡°There should be an audience chamber akin to a palace,¡± Nalithor suggested, turning his gaze toward a pair of ornate doors that sat opposite of the entry way. ¡°And my guess is we will find it through there. Aside from that, the rest of the rooms on the main floor should be dedicated to public affairs. Places for people to come seek help or leave offerings, to meet with Chosen, or to seek medical aid. ¡°The other floors will likely be private, holding a mixture of rooms for us all, kitchens, storage, libraries, laboratories, and any other manner of thing we might need. We should assume that, if it is something you wanted for the Claws and Fangs, you will find similar here. The way you have been running the Claws and Fangs is akin to what deities are meant to do with Chosen.¡± ¡°Well, that makes sense.¡± I fell silent, considering it for a moment as I followed Nalithor toward the ornate doors. ¡°So, the main floor should be dedicated to helping and meeting with the public. The audience chamber for more formal affairs, and the rest of the building for handling our role in the greater scheme of things?¡± Nalithor pushed open the doors of the audience chamber and we both exchanged a brief look of surprise. Inside, it was more like a garden than a throne room. There was greenery everywhere, interspersed with empty display cases. At the far back of the room was a raised platform with two platinum thrones set close to each other. The lower portion of the elaborate furniture had openings, likely for our tails. Above the dais was a massive pair of entwined dark and light crystals carved into a dragon and fox respectively. They chased each other¡¯s tails and hung from a platinum lotus. That made it clear, more than anything else did, that the temple was truly meant for us. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken the eye of your dragon is a crystal from Ceilail¡¯s forest, and the one in my fox is from Xiinsha,¡± I observed, tilting my head in thought. Nalithor¡¯s mouth curved into an amused smile, his gaze flicking briefly to my ears. ¡°Shall we?¡± Nalithor took my hand in his, linking his fingers with mine. ¡°Sure, we have a lot of temple to explore.¡± I nodded and shot him a brilliant smile. My heart raced with excitement as we made our way from room to room. Our temple, built specifically for us by the Lari¡¯xan. The theme of dragons and foxes carried everywhere throughout, occasionally joined by lotuses, mrifon, rozntaar, and moon themes. In a few rooms, we even found illustrations or carvings of a nine-tailed fox with feathered wings. Truly, our ¡°bosses¡± had outdone themselves. By the time we¡¯d finished touring the temple and figuring out where our shared chambers were, the sun was high in the sky. We made our way down to the main floor and found Eyrian, Satrr, and Ijelle sitting together. Nearby, Corentine was busy playing with Shir, Gari, Alala, and both fae-dragons.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°Are the Humans gone from Eormir?¡± Nalithor spoke up, causing our companions to shift their attention to us. ¡°Aye, every single one. Not that there were many.¡± Eyrian nodded and rose to his feet, glancing around briefly. ¡°The Lari¡¯xan really do favor you two.¡± ¡°This place is awesome!¡± Ijelle voiced her approval as she bounded over to us. ¡°It puts your temple in Dauthrmir to shame, Nali! Though, it is pretty far from home. Are you two going to be stuck here a lot?¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be able to travel between their temples on a whim,¡± Corentine offered, striding over to join us. She gave me a fang-filled grin when she caught me hanging onto Nalithor¡¯s arm. ¡°While the two of you are gone, the Guardians of both forests will be keeping an eye on the temple for you. It¡¯s technically within the forests, so uninvited visitors won¡¯t have a good time.¡± ¡°Gone?¡± Eyrian narrowed his eyes at us. ¡°Indeed, gone.¡± Sihix stepped out of a nearby shadow and yawned. ¡°Our favorite pets have much work to do before¡ª¡± The Lari¡¯xan paused, catching my punch in one hand, a broad grin spreading across his face as he looked down at me. ¡°Ari-mrii, I¡¯m still injured, and you would dare strike me? I¡¯m heartbroken.¡± ¡°We are not your pets!¡± I huffed as the Lari¡¯xan released my hand. Nalithor chuckled and lured me back over to him. ¡°Ari-mrii and Nalithor will be leaving to pursue matters regarding Balance, for a time, while the rest of Vorpmasia continues their preparations for war.¡± Sihix made a vague motion with one hand as he turned to face Eyrian. ¡°As it is their duty as deities, you may not join them. They will be going alone. Until their return, you can convene with the Vulin and Balance¡¯s Guardians instead.¡± ¡°At least some manner of protection¡ª¡± Eyrian began to protest. ¡°They are deities, boy.¡± Sihix laughed, slinging an arm around the Draekin¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Unless you want to become one of their Chosen, stay out of it. After all, someone will need to lead the Claws and Fangs while Ari-mrii is away. Who better than her second-in-command?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help too!¡± Satrr quickly volunteered, her eyes lighting up. Corentine cocked her head, then shot me a questioning look. ¡®Scaly¡¯s oblivious?¡¯ Corentine prompted when I suppressed a snort of laughter. ¡®Utterly,¡¯ I replied, watching as the High Priestess broke into a broad grin. ¡®He¡¯s been so fixated on Nalithor¡¯s popularity that he doesn¡¯t seem to notice he¡¯s sought-after himself! It¡¯s kind of cute.¡¯ ¡°When are you leaving?¡± Ijelle looked between Nalithor and me with a worried expression on her face. ¡°There¡¯s still so much to do in Eormir, and I¡¯m sure here in your temple too!¡± ¡°We¡¯re leaving once I¡¯ve called the Vulin here,¡± Nalithor stated, earning a distressed noise from his sister. ¡°Djialkan already contacted Lucifer and informed him of the situation. He expects Eyrian to run Eormir for the next several days, perhaps a week, until my replacement arrives. Several ships of supplies and workers should be arriving later today, and then they will return to the border to fetch more.¡± ¡°Nalithor and I will be setting out on foot,¡± I added pointedly, earning a heavy sigh from our Draekin friend. ¡°Such a shame too!¡± Corentine exclaimed, putting her arms around my shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s been months since I¡¯ve seen you, now you¡¯re off again! I wanted to spend more time with you, but even I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d find so many Balance-y things needing fixing. You¡¯ve always had a nose for trouble, haven¡¯t you, Ari?¡± ¡°She has,¡± Nalithor stated dryly, shooting me a fond look as he squeezed me. ¡°Now then, as for you.¡± Corentine rounded on Sihix, ¡°You¡¯re meant to be resting and regaining your strength! It¡¯s no wonder Ari¡¯s your favorite. Neither of you know when to stop. I bet you didn¡¯t even say anything to Yiltanys before sneaking off, did you? I can¡¯t be babysitting you all the time, you know!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine,¡± Sihix waved a dismissive hand. ¡°Someone has to show the Vulin around Nali and Ari-mrii¡¯s new home. I will not be joining them in their hunt, for now.¡± ¡°¡­for now.¡± Corentine narrowed her eyes at him. ¡®I am beginning to see how you became so fearless.¡¯ Nalithor shot me an amused look. ¡®Shall I summon the Vulin so that we might quit this place?¡¯ ¡®I suppose we can try out our new bed some other time.¡¯ I sighed in reluctance. Within moments, a small portal of darkness opened in front of us and two familiar Vulin stepped out. ¡°Ah, Rely¡¯ric, Reiz¡¯tar!¡± Yumeko greeted us cheerfully before pivoting to look at our surroundings. ¡°My, is this what I think it is?¡± ¡°Sihix, off.¡± I narrowed my eyes at him when his focus shifted to the Vulin. He looked ready to scoop them both up and squeeze them like pets. ¡°Ahhh but, Ari-mrii!¡± Sihix exclaimed. ¡°Their fur looks so¡­ Oh, perhaps you would rather I hug you instead? You needn¡¯t be jealous. I have plenty¡ª¡± ¡°Enough out of you.¡± Corentine thwacked the much taller Lari¡¯xan on the head with a pipe before proceeding to fill and light it. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on this lot for you, Ari. The two of you should get going while you¡¯ve still got daylight.¡± Corentine shot me a familiar, piercing look. She meant what she said, for some reason or another. I tilted my head and stared back at her. After a moment, she gave me a subtle nod and then turned to distract our companions. Nalithor frowned at me when I took him by the hand soon after and led him toward the nearest door. ¡®What is it?¡¯ Nalithor gave me a concerned frown. ¡®I know that look on her face. She Saw something and doesn¡¯t want us to miss our chance to deal with it.¡¯ I glanced at him briefly before summoning traveling clothes from my shrizar. ¡®We should pace ourselves and travel as far from here as we can with the remaining daylight.¡¯ Nalithor and I both stopped when Lalira walked into our path with her arms crossed and a pout set on her face. We exchanged a look and, after a moment, Nalithor knelt so that he was on her level and quickly conversed with her. She did *not* look happy about us going elsewhere. Nearby, Maric shot me a tired smile and shrugged, shaking his head. I could imagine that the girl had managed to be insistent despite the language barrier. She certainly managed it when she wanted to train. After a moment, Lalira gave Nalithor a brief hug and then bounded over to me, squeezing me around the waist. I froze for a moment and just blinked down at her, not sure what to do about the sudden display of affection from the girl. A low chuckle escaped Nalithor as he rose to his feet. No other ideas came to me, so I gave the girl a brief hug. That seemed to satisfy her, and she released me. Lalira shot me a beaming smile before darting back over to Maric. ¡®¡­what was that about?¡¯ I shot Nalithor a thoroughly baffled look as we walked away from the temple. ¡®She said she would miss you, and your lessons, while gone,¡¯ Nalithor answered, reaching up to ruffle my curls. ¡®It seems that she has grown quite fond of you.¡¯ ¡®Right¡­I have no idea why.¡¯ I chewed on the inside of my cheek. This time, Nalithor laughed outright and I pouted at him. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡®She¡¯s grown on you.¡¯ Nalithor smirked. ¡®Oh hush.¡¯ I snorted, swatting at him with my tails. [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Top Web Fiction ] [B6] Chapter Fifteen: On the Road Again Chapter Fifteen On the Road Again I rested on top of a boulder, a large cup of tea in one hand, while I watched Nalithor gut a beast. The creature was long since dead. Our interest was in the elemental power radiating from it. Once Nalithor cut open its stomach, a torrent of crystals of almost every alignment spilled onto the ground. I grimaced and crossed one leg over the other, willing the wind to carry the stench away from us. ¡°Where in the hells did it find all of these?¡± Nalithor muttered, nudging one of the crystals with his booted foot. Most of them were close to the size of his torso. Some were smaller, likely pieces that had broken off their neighbors while being bashed around inside the creature¡¯s stomach. ¡°I¡¯m rather certain these came from the forests.¡± ¡°Someone must be teleporting the beasts to various places, but why?¡± I tapped my foot against the air. ¡°Well, it confirms our suspicions at any rate. No wonder it¡¯s dead with all that in its stomach.¡± Nalithor rejoined me and lifted his cup of tea off the boulder, taking a deep swig before shifting to look at me. ¡°I¡¯m not keen on leaving these crystals here, nor do I think we should bring them with us.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t leave us with many options.¡± I tilted my head, letting my gaze drift away from my nylziis and over to the crystals. ¡°Well, we can¡¯t have them laying around after being covered in beast blood like that, either. Destroying crystals from the Aledacian Forests won¡¯t be easy.¡± ¡°Destroying them would be a waste.¡± Nalithor followed my gaze and leaned back against the boulder beside me. ¡°I suppose we will have to purify them and have the Vulin transport them for us. Pick them up with your darkness. We¡¯ll transport them far from the beast before working to purify them. The less we have to be exposed to that smell, the better.¡± I nodded to him and enveloped the crystals in darkness before sliding off my perch. We had been following the Vulei River for the past several days, so it wasn¡¯t terribly far from where we had found the dead beast. Once close to the water, Nalithor conjured several seats of stone for us and sat down with a heavy sigh. I settled onto mine, dumped the pile of crystals on the ground, and then glanced up at the sky. The myriad of colors reflected in the clouds made it quite clear that it would be night soon, and we still hadn¡¯t found a place to make camp for the evening. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this batch,¡± Nalithor offered. ¡°You did plenty of work this morning.¡± ¡®Well, we are meant to share the responsibility of Balance¡­¡¯ I considered it for a moment longer before nodding to him. ¡°Alright. What do you want to do about making camp for the night?¡± ¡°We may need to travel the night.¡± Nalithor coated his arms from his fingertips to his shoulders in darkness before picking up one of the smaller, broken crystals. ¡°I sense no caverns or tunnels beneath us and creating one safe enough for us to take shelter in is beyond my ability for now.¡± ¡°What about your domain?¡± I suggested, earning a brief frown. ¡°Or even our temple?¡± ¡°You¡¯re suggesting I open a portal to one or the other for us?¡± Nalithor raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is there some rule against that?¡± I smiled sweetly, knowing full-well the Jivyador weren¡¯t keen on the idea. Their rules didn¡¯t matter to me, nor should they have mattered to Nalithor. ¡°I don¡¯t recall our bosses banning us from either.¡± ¡°My domain it is then, once we find a proper place for me to bind the portal to.¡± Nalithor nodded to me before focusing his attention on the crystal in his hands and shutting his eyes. ¡°Proper place?¡± I prompted, this time receiving a mildly frustrated look in response. ¡°I know, I know. You need to concentrate. Maybe I can find an ¡®appropriate¡¯ place while you work?¡± ¡°It will need to be a secluded place that the tribes are unlikely to stumble across.¡± Nalithor shook his head. ¡°I will search for or make one once we are done here. You should keep lookout for beasts and irt¡¯chkali while I work.¡± ¡°Yes, Master.¡± I swatted at him with my tails as I stood up. With Nalithor absorbed in his work, I summoned a series of shadowy platforms and leapt up them. At the apex, I took a seat and looked out over Falrrsald¡¯s plains. Even in this part of the region, it was nothing but endless grass, interrupted on rare occasion by a solitary boulder or by tribal stones. I¡¯d hoped that I might spot something to hunt, but I had no such luck. ¡®No animals still.¡¯ I pursed my lips, sending tendrils of darkness to probe my surroundings. ¡®Most traces of the rot-rain are gone¡­but where have the fauna gone?¡¯ My attention snapped back to Nalithor when I heard something crack. He had his hand flat against one of the largest crystals. It fell away from his hand in two halves, split cleanly down the middle. Going by the look on his face, it hadn¡¯t been intentional. ¡°Having trouble?¡± I slipped off my platform and landed beside him.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°A preexisting fracture, it would appear.¡± Nalithor grabbed one of the split halves and tapped lightly on another section, pulling my attention to a subtle line. ¡°I¡¯d say these crystals were in the stomach of that beast for a long time.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± I ran my fingers down the fissure, frowning. ¡°Maybe we should grind them all into a powder and wash them after? I¡¯m not confident that beast blood or other corruption wouldn¡¯t have seeped into the cracks.¡± ¡°Returning to our domain would be prudent, then.¡± Nalithor nodded, sighing. ¡°I should have the necessary tools to pulverize the crystals, and the Vulin have many cleansing reagents we can utilize.¡± ¡°Our¡­ It is, isn¡¯t it?¡± I blinked up at him for a moment, watching a smile spread across his face. ¡°We are going to need to grow used to that fact¡ªand soon.¡± Nalithor reached up and tugged one of my ears, chuckling. ¡°Here, carry the crystals again while I search for a suitable place to bind our portal.¡± ¡°We¡¯re in open plains,¡± I pointed out, engulfing the crystals in shadow again. ¡°Granted, I didn¡¯t see any traces of life from up there.¡± I paused to point up toward where my perch had been. ¡°How about we move closer to the Vulei River? You could make a hidden cave on the bank somewhere, right?¡± ¡°That will be our best option, I suppose.¡± Nalithor nodded and slid an arm behind my back. He fell silent for a few minutes, then glanced down at me. ¡°Yumeko and Daijiro will meet us at the riverbank. They are bringing further enchantments that will hide the entrance.¡± Before long, we reached the Vulei River and began our search for a suitable place for Nalithor to create a cave. Yumeko and Daijiro helped us locate a bank tall enough to create an entrance. I stood back with the Vulin pair while Nalithor worked, watching his aether arc through the air. ¡°That should be good enough.¡± Nalithor walked out of the cave mouth a while later and pushed his hair back. ¡°Yumeko, Daijiro?¡± ¡°I believe it will be sturdy enough, Rely¡¯ric.¡± Yumeko nodded, patting the opening with one paw. ¡°What if floods?¡± Daijiro poked the wall and then looked back at the Vulei River. ¡°Rain, rain, and more rain. Rainy season, yes?¡± ¡°Then I will adjust the entrance.¡± Nalithor made a sharp upward motion, causing the stone and dirt to thrust into the air, completely changing the angle at which we would need to climb into the cave. ¡°Now I¡¯m going to get my fur all muddy!¡± I grimaced. ¡°We need a bath anyway.¡± Nalithor shot me a suggestive smile. ¡°I¡¯m still flying!¡± I huffed, summoning a cloud of darkness to lift myself over the earthen wall. Nalithor chuckled behind me, vaulting over the wall to join me once I was clear. ¡°Once we¡¯ve finished hiding the entrance, I will have dinner brought to your rooms,¡± Yumeko called to us, smiling brightly. ¡°Reiz¡¯tar, you may leave the crystals at the entrance when you arrive. Our alchemists will handle them after.¡± Nalithor placed his hand against the back wall of the cave and closed his eyes briefly, summoning darkness. I watched his magic spread like liquid across the surface. First, it formed a sigil thrice the size of his hand. Next, his power spread around it to create a ¡°door¡± in the wall itself. ¡°That¡¯s different from the last time you took me to your domain,¡± I remarked, tilting my head. ¡°Those were more rushed creations.¡± Nalithor grimaced, pulling his hand away from the shimmering darkness. ¡°A proper portal such as this is far less draining and is the way we are ¡®meant¡¯ to use our domains.¡± ¡°Mmhmm. ¡®Meant¡¯ to.¡± I snorted as Nalithor put an arm around my shoulders. I let him lead me through the liquid-like darkness and into his¡ªour¡ªdomain, using my power to pull the crystals through behind us. When we arrived seconds later, we were greeted by a dozen Vulin. They bid me to set the crystals down on the stone path beneath us. ¡°There are more,¡± Nalithor informed them, opening his shrizar to dump more crystals on the ground. Spoils from our morning kills. He nudged me, indicating that I should do the same. ¡°And more.¡± I sighed, adding to the mountain of crystals. ¡°It seems like a pity to grind them all to powder.¡± ¡°It is the best way to ensure they are purified.¡± Nalithor shrugged before looking to the Vulin. ¡°Make certain the elements are kept separate. I want the reagents usable once they have been cleansed.¡± ¡°The requests, reports, and other documents sent to your temples have been copied and brought to your rooms, Rely¡¯ric, Reiz¡¯tar.¡± A gray Vulin bowed to us. ¡°There is much work for you. How long will you be staying?¡± ¡°Nightly visits in lieu of places to make camp.¡± Nalithor crossed his arms and sunk into thought for a moment. ¡°Our business in Falrrsald takes priority over all else, for now. We will review what we can after we have bathed and had dinner.¡± Nalithor gave the Vulin a few more orders before leading me into his palace by the hand. Smoke coiled through the air from ornate incense burners, creating a blueish haze in the wide hallways. ¡°That¡­is far more reports than I expected.¡± Nalithor frowned when we entered his suite. I peered around him at the stacks of parchment. ¡°Perhaps it would be prudent for us to make certain there is nothing dire we must tend to?¡± ¡°No relaxing night in, hmmm?¡± I sighed and began peeling off my traveling clothes. ¡°Well, I say we bathe first. These look like neatly-penned reports, so I doubt there¡¯s any real rush.¡± ¡°They appear to be from different units within the Claws and Fangs,¡± Nalithor remarked, flipping through some of the pages. ¡°Ah, and our fathers sent along details of how they wish to proceed in the upcoming war. The rest appear to be more mundane matters. Requests for additions to Dauthrmir, adjustments to the refuge¡¯s ¡®town¡¯ within the crater¡­¡± ¡°Well, if we¡¯re going to make visits to your domain ¡®nightly¡¯ we can work through the reports over the next few nights when we¡¯re finished with traveling for the day.¡± I strode over to him and took the papers, setting them on the stack again, before tugging at the front of his clothes. ¡°Assuming we don¡¯t find more draining tasks to deal with, anyway. What do you think of the beasts we came across today?¡± ¡°I find myself wondering if they are our enemy¡¯s next phase,¡± Nalithor answered almost immediately. ¡°They were similar to X¡¯shmiran beasts, yet the region has been oddly beast-free since its return to the surface.¡± ¡°That could¡¯ve been because we were there,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Or because of the display the Lari¡¯xan made in destroying the ¡®eye.¡¯¡± ¡°For now, I would prefer we stuck to what we know for certain.¡± Nalithor shook his head. ¡°We can speculate all night, but it will not get us any closer to answers.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± I pulled at his clothes again and gave him a pointed look. ¡°Through that door¡ªI will join you soon.¡± Nalithor gave me a brief kiss, strode past me, and gave me a sharp spank when I didn¡¯t move. I swatted at his hand with my tails and shot him a sultry smile before making my way to the bath ahead of him. A nice long soak sounded wonderful after a day of travel. A smidgen of relaxation before delving into work, and later returning to Falrrsald, sounded even better. [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Top Web Fiction ] [B6] Chapter Sixteen: Fragments Chapter Sixteen Fragments ¡°Something is wrong.¡± I crossed my arms, looking over at Nalithor. ¡°We¡¯ve been traveling for how many days now, and still haven¡¯t seen any wildlife or people? I struggle to believe the rot-rain would have killed everything off that fast. Even if it had, there would be corpses.¡± ¡°Which begs the question of where everything has gone.¡± Nalithor scowled, stroking the shaft of his spear with a thumb as if to comfort himself. ¡°I believe I sense a ¡®hole¡¯ in the earth aether somewhere nearby.¡± ¡®Earth aether¡­so somewhere I can¡¯t follow?¡¯ I tilted my head and brought a knuckle to my lips while I thought. ¡®An absence of aether may indicate another elemental prison. Light and dark were near each other, so perhaps wind will be nearby as well? But, what if we come across the water prison? Neither of us has an affinity for that magic.¡¯ ¡°As Balance, our affinity shouldn¡¯t matter,¡± Nalithor stated with a small smile and a sideways glance. ¡°We are essentially impervious to the Lari¡¯xan¡¯s influence since they¡¯re our bosses. While aether sickness remains a possibility¡­¡± ¡°Well, we don¡¯t have much choice either way.¡± I shook my head. ¡°If we¡¯re going to do our job, that is. Which we are. Considering part of our job is to make sure other deities aren¡¯t slacking off, we don¡¯t have much room to neglect our other duties.¡± ¡°Yet you are tempted,¡± Nalithor stated dryly. ¡°Only because I¡¯m not sure what we¡¯re supposed to do with the prisoners from the elemental prisons,¡± I pointed out. ¡°We don¡¯t have Vorpmasian airships here to see to the captives this time. As I recall, it¡¯s ¡®against the rules¡¯ to teleport from one place to another as well.¡± ¡°They will have to go to our domain and be cared for by the Vulin.¡± Nalithor shook his head. ¡°We can¡¯t bring them through Falrrsald with us during our search for the other prisons.¡± ¡°Could we have the Vulin transport them to our temple or Eormir?¡± I suggested. ¡°Moving refugees from our domain to our temple doesn¡¯t seem like something that would¡ªor should¡ªbreak any rules, even with them.¡± ¡°Either way, it will have to suffice. I am not keen on allowing guests of any manner to remain in our domain.¡± Nalithor made a dismissive gesture. ¡°If you are not capable of entering the earthen prison with me for some reason, you will have to stand guard.¡± ¡°We should have the Vulin join us now, then. The flow of time in the prison I visited was different, was it not?¡± I watched him scowl again. ¡°So, we may need to make camp in the chamber, or at least nearby.¡± ¡°Sometimes I wonder if we will ever have an opportunity for true rest and relaxation.¡± Nalithor sighed, his shoulders slumping. ¡°Not every little issue has to be addressed immediately,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Some things can be allowed to develop. Aetheric prisons? Missing wildlife? Rot-rain? Missing demigods? Those are things that can¡¯t wait, sadly. ¡°Maybe we can make time after we¡¯ve dealt with those.¡± ¡°And the war,¡± Nalithor added, causing me to grimace. It wasn¡¯t long before Nalithor discovered an entrance to the subterranean tunnels. We both summoned small wisps of cobalt and blue-white fire to light our way before making our way into the network of tunnels. Occasional remnants of fires, scraps of fur, and other such items indicated that several tribes likely used the system as a hiding place in the past. All the traces of activity appeared months, if not years, old. We walked for perhaps an hour before we began to come across remnants of ancient buildings sunken into the earth, much like I had found by the darkness chamber. Like then, the fragments appeared to out-date our civilization. ¡°I was under the impression that the Lari¡¯xan destroyed everything,¡± I remarked, watching my nylziis as he ran his fingers over a nearby wall. ¡°From what I understand, they did,¡± Nalithor murmured. ¡°I believe this is a victim of the Split. These markings are similar to Draemiran script, but I am unfamiliar with the dialect. If I had to guess, I would think that this civilization was stuck in a dimension with accelerated time. They could have risen and fallen in thousands of years prior to my fixing what had happened.¡± ¡°Yet we don¡¯t have Devillians wandering around speaking an unknown dialect of Draemiran,¡± I pointed out, frowning.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Mayhaps Draemiran is a recycled construction?¡± Yumeko poked her head out from behind a fallen pillar. ¡°The Lari¡¯xan are powerful, but they could have reused elements repeatedly when recreating the universe. A language alone is unlikely to ¡®break¡¯ the balance, yes?¡± ¡°In which case, pieces of past universes could have been displaced and buried on Avrirsa?¡± Nalithor tilted his head, considering it. ¡°If former gods could escape destruction, then it wouldn¡¯t be far of a leap to think other things may have as well.¡± ¡°The ruins don¡¯t feel like they belong here, but they¡¯re not ¡®offensive.¡¯¡± I shrugged, my tails flicking behind me. ¡°Whatever they are, and wherever they¡¯re from, they¡¯re ¡®inert¡¯ as far as my instincts are concerned. They don¡¯t make me want to smash them, so I suppose they aren¡¯t linked to any of this world¡¯s imbalances.¡± ¡°My concern is if artifacts from other universes still hold power.¡± Nalithor narrowed his eyes, bristling. ¡°The ¡®blank¡¯ crystals we¡¯ve found, perhaps that strange temple-city that appeared¡­¡± ¡°I see your point.¡± I nodded. ¡°First things first though¡ªthat aetheric prison should be around here somewhere.¡± ¡°Shall I make camp here, Reiz¡¯tar?¡± Yumeko motioned to a space clear of debris. It was tucked behind a multitude of broken buildings that would hide its presence from any angle. ¡°Yes, that will work.¡± I nodded again. ¡°I will begin work at once.¡± Yumeko bowed to me before pulling a small device from inside her kimono and hurrying off in the direction she¡¯d indicated. ¡°I thought those little house-things were ¡®emergency only?¡¯¡± I looked to Nalithor, earning a chuckle. ¡°For our initial trip, yes. I had the Vulin fetch more from Draemir for us and make their own adjustments,¡± Nalithor answered with a satisfied smile. ¡°They are looking into ways to make the Magitech reusable. For now, we are essentially creating hiding places dotted around Falrrsald should we find need of them.¡± ¡®I have this sneaking suspicious we will¡­¡¯ I kept the thought to myself and followed Nalithor through the ruined city. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sensing any Lari¡¯xan energy, are you?¡± ¡°No, nothing of the sort.¡± Nalithor shook his head. ¡°However, the chamber could be sealed.¡± ¡°I think we can crack it open if so.¡± I summoned Eoraso and flourished it. ¡°Hmmm, I am inclined to have you remain here even if you are able to enter the prison with me,¡± Nalithor remarked, rubbing his chin. ¡°Should we both go, Avrirsa will be without Balance for a time. I feel it is important that one of us remains should we be needed.¡± ¡°And I also have the Claws and Fangs to contend with?¡± I sighed. He was right, of course, but I didn¡¯t like the idea of him going alone. ¡°You¡¯ve seen my memories from the dark prison, and part of yourself was trapped there, but there¡¯s no guarantee it will be the same. You may need to untether yourself.¡± I shot him a sideways glance when I saw him hesitate. With matters of Balance, there was no room for him to hesitate or be cautious. Though our approaches were different, he needed to be flexible. ¡°I am not fond of the idea¡­¡± Nalithor murmured. ¡°You¡¯ll have to learn to control your own chaos at some point.¡± I gave him a look. ¡°Sometimes our more bestial, primal approach is what¡¯s needed for a situation. Hesitating won¡¯t do you or anyone else any favors.¡± ¡°Says the one with no control over her freed self.¡± Nalithor snorted. ¡°I¡¯m more controlled in that state than you might think. I¡¯ve got practice and you don¡¯t,¡± I shot back, shifting to prod him in the ribs. ¡°If either of us can be fully controlled while in that state, it¡¯d be you. That isn¡¯t going to happen if you keep resisting your divine instincts.¡± ¡°I am aware.¡± Nalithor sighed. ¡°I would rather not submit to that trance-like state when¡ª¡± ¡°See, you¡¯re looking at it wrong!¡± I huffed. ¡°You¡¯re not ¡®submitting¡¯ to it. That ¡®trance¡¯ is a tool for us to use like any other. It hones our senses for Balance and lets us use our power better. By refusing to use all the tools available to you, you¡¯re potentially giving our enemies an advantage.¡± ¡°A tool¡­¡± Nalithor tilted his head and fell silent for a moment, but his gaze soon shifted to a nearby wall. ¡°Through there. You believe you can cut through the vralsium¡ª¡± Before Nalithor could finish his sentence, I coated the sword in darkness and slashed through the wall several times like a hot knife through butter. The pieces of stone fell aside, the green metal falling with them. ¡°That settles that. No Lari¡¯xan presence,¡± I remarked, striding toward the chamber. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s coated in writing too.¡± When Nalithor said nothing, I glanced over my shoulder at him. An amused smile soon came to my lips. My nylziis looked furious. Perhaps, since he had an affinity for earth, the chamber and the prison likely linked to it affected him more than it did me. I wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d intentionally brought forth his trance, but I stepped out of his way all the same. ¡°Stay outside.¡± Nalithor shot me a sideways look as he strode past me and into the chamber. It wasn¡¯t long before he opened a tear above the central point and disappeared through it. Sighing, I dismissed Eoraso and crossed my arms. That was that. I turned on my heel and traced our path, soon finding Yumeko and a small group of Vulin. They milled about the ruins, carefully shifting pieces to further hide the Magitech cottage. ¡°Rely¡¯ric has begun his work?¡± Yumeko asked, looking up at me. ¡°That he has.¡± I nodded to her. ¡°It may be a few days before he returns here, so I will work on going through and replying to the reports my men have sent.¡± ¡°Very well. I have already moved the documents here for you.¡± Yumeko motioned at the cottage. ¡°Would you like tea and lunch? Or perhaps I should draw a bath for you first?¡± ¡°I can handle the bath myself. Some tea and food ready when I¡¯m done would be wonderful.¡± I smiled at her. ¡°Of course,¡± Yumeko spoke cheerfully. ¡°I will see to that once I am finished with this lot.¡± ¡°What are you having them do, anyway?¡± I arched an eyebrow. ¡°Search for artifacts and crystals,¡± Yumeko answered. ¡°With ruins such as this, there should be more than remnants of buildings here. We should find the remains of people, or at least traces of civilization. Rely¡¯ric wishes for us to learn all we can about this place.¡± ¡°Good¡ªkeep me informed.¡± I waved to her and headed toward the cottage. ¡®Now to wait. I hate paperwork¡­¡¯ [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Vote! ] [B6] Chapter Seventeen: Lurking Threats Chapter Seventeen Lurking Threats ¡®Maybe I should go looking for him?¡¯ I wondered, tapping a pen against my desk. Two days had passed already, and I didn¡¯t feel any closer to making progress. The Vulin didn¡¯t have any updates for me, and their work would be slower now that rescues from the prison had begun to appear the previous night. I sighed and sat back in my chair. Wandering into the prison was a stupid idea. Given the differing flow of time, I couldn¡¯t be certain that Nalithor would still be there when I entered¡ªand he might have to wait days for me to come out. That didn¡¯t stop the idea from being tempting. I had finished reviewing and responding to all the reports waiting for me. With that done, I wasn¡¯t sure what to do with my time. The Vulin didn¡¯t want me to wander too far away, for fear of me coming across any ¡°work¡± that would be better approached with Nalithor¡¯s help. I also wasn¡¯t interested in helping with the rescues much. Many of the rescues required healing and aether infusions, and none of them shared an elemental affinity with me. I would do more harm than good if I attempted to help heal anyone. ¡®Sitting here isn¡¯t useful either.¡¯ The corner of my eye twitched. ¡°Reiz¡¯tar, I brought you some tea,¡± Yumeko called before striding into the study. I glanced over at her, noticing almost immediately that the Vulin looked exhausted. ¡°I¡¯m done with my work. Anything I can help with?¡± I offered, lifting the tea off the tray she offered me. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, Reiz¡¯tar.¡± Yumeko shook her head. ¡°Everyone to flee the prison has an affinity for earth and earth alone. Ah¡­unless¡­¡± ¡°Unless?¡± I probed. ¡°They are all malnourished,¡± Yumeko began slowly, ¡°if it wouldn¡¯t trouble you, we could use more hands preparing food.¡± ¡°Some hearty meals to restore their strength?¡± I murmured, earning a nod from the Vulin. ¡°Very well. Once I¡¯ve finished my tea and put everything here away, I¡¯ll see about making something for our rescues to eat. How goes your healing endeavors?¡± ¡°They are very damaged, Reiz¡¯tar, physically and mentally.¡± Yumeko frowned, folding her paws in front of her. ¡°Through magic and medicine, we can easily heal their wounds. Some take longer than others. However, they will need a great deal of mental care before they can reintegrate with society.¡± ¡°Worse than the other prisons?¡± I asked, earning a hesitant nod in reply. ¡°Then this prison has likely been around longer¡­¡± ¡°I agree, Reiz¡¯tar.¡± Yumeko nodded again. ¡°We believe the wind chamber may be nearby as well.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± I tilted my head, falling silent for a few moments. ¡°Yumeko, were any of the prisoners Zehylor?¡± ¡°Two thus far, Reiz¡¯tar.¡± Yumeko gave me a quizzical look. ¡°Any children?¡± I prompted, but she shook her head. ¡°I think we might find the Zehylor children in one of the prisons, but we don¡¯t have any information regarding their abilities. Some of you share Nalithor¡¯s ability to speak any language, do you not? I want you to see if the Zehylor from the earth prison have any knowledge regarding our missing demigods.¡± ¡°I will do what I can, once they wake up.¡± Yumeko faltered, her gaze falling to the floor. I frowned at her. ¡°They¡¯re in that poor of condition?¡± I probed. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Yumeko released a heavy sigh. ¡°Their condition has stabilized but they have yet to wake. Given their wounds, we believe they were tortured.¡± ¡°So, their slumber may have been induced by trauma.¡± I sighed, sitting back in my seat. ¡°Is their condition stable enough for them to be transported to Dauthrmir?¡± ¡°No, Reiz¡¯tar.¡± Yumeko shook her head. ¡°The most recent group of rescues were in such poor condition we had to re-prioritize our resources to heal them. Without immediate attention, they would have died¡ªand several remain in critical condition.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± I murmured, considering it. ¡°Then you should return to your work. I wouldn¡¯t want anything to happen because I was taking up your time. I¡¯ll finish up here soon and then get to work on making more food for everyone.¡± ¡°Thank you very much, Reiz¡¯tar.¡± Yumeko curtsied to me before taking her leave. I tapped my fingers on the arm of my chair, sinking into thought. It struck me as strange that the Zehylor had been the focus of torture. We had come across numerous Zehylor in the other two prisons, and in the Abrantia Valley, as well. The more I thought about it, the more I was inclined to believe our enemies wanted something with them. What, I couldn¡¯t guess at. I knew too little about their race. I pulled a sheet of blank sheet of paper over to me and lifted my pen again, swiftly writing a letter to my father. We needed to know more about the Zehylor, and we still had the rescues from the light and dark prisons in our care. With them now in better condition, I hoped that we could gain some insight. A short while later, I found myself standing in the kitchen and staring blankly at the variety of ingredients in the pantry. I wasn¡¯t entirely sure what sort of food would give the prisoners back their strength and eventually decided on a hearty stew with a mix of meat, vegetables, and potatoes. It seemed like a quick way to create a balanced meal, at any rate. By the time I¡¯d finished making several pots of stew, I¡¯d also baked bread and other treats. It proved to be an excellent way to keep my mind off how long Nalithor was taking to deal with the prison, but once I was done my thoughts immediately circled back to him. I was starting to understand how he must have felt while I was inside the dark prison. I shook the thoughts from my mind and lifted all the food with my darkness, carrying it out of my cottage. Nearby, the Vulin had opened a second cottage for the prisoners with the worst wounds. Outside, there were dozens of tents for the rest of them. Instead of starting fires for warmth, the Vulin had placed metal contraptions filled with fire crystals throughout the camp. ¡°Ah, Reiz¡¯tar!¡± Yumeko exclaimed when I approached her. She motioned toward a long table. ¡°I did not think you would make so much! Please, set them here.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. I did as I was told and set the pots of soup on top of the grates that covered yet more fire crystals. The items I made that didn¡¯t require heat filled nearby baskets. Once done, I stretched my arms above my head briefly and then turned to watch Yumeko as she poked through the selection of food. A steady train of other Vulin brought more and more food, soon requiring two more tables. ¡°This much?¡± I asked. ¡°Indeed, there are so many of them.¡± Yumeko nodded, glancing past me. ¡°More than the other two prisons combined. Given that, among non-Devillians, earth is a more common elemental affinity¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re right, the other prisons will be swarming with prisons as well.¡± I sighed, before turning my attention to the sound of light footsteps. Several children stopped, squeaked, and ducked behind the edge of a tent when they spotted me. ¡°There, there,¡± Yumeko beckoned them. ¡°Arianna-z¡¯tar is the partner to the god who freed you. You needn¡¯t be frightened.¡± ¡°Not¡­not a scary god?¡± one of the boys asked, eliciting a whimper from his companions. ¡®Well, not yet.¡¯ I decided to keep that thought to myself and smiled at them instead. ¡°Well, I certainly hope I¡¯m not ¡®scary.¡¯ If anyone will find me scary¡­¡± ¡°¡­it would be the deities who scared you,¡± Nalithor finished, striding toward us. I looked at him in surprise. His presence was entirely shielded, even from me. ¡°Ah, you have returned, Rely¡¯ric!¡± Yumeko smiled brightly. ¡°You have finished, then? Have we more wards to care for?¡± ¡°¡­no.¡± Nalithor shook his head subtly before turning to look at the group of children. ¡°You¡¯re hungry, are you not? Don¡¯t let us stop you.¡± The kids nodded to themselves before darting past us to clamor for Yumeko¡¯s help in searching for food. ¡®Care to explain what that was about? And why you¡¯re shielding your power?¡¯ I returned my attention to Nalithor as he stopped beside me. ¡®After I¡¯ve got some of your cooking for myself, certainly.¡¯ Nalithor tugged one of my ears briefly before reaching past me to fetch a bowl. I crossed my arms and tapped one foot while waiting. Once he had his choice of food, we returned to our cottage and Nalithor plopped down on the nearest sofa with his food. ¡°The people outside are merely half of what I found in the prison,¡± Nalithor stated as he tore his bread into chunks, dropping each piece into his soup. ¡°The rest¡­ Suffice to say that they succumbed to corruption or to aetheric poisoning. They have been taken care of.¡± ¡°Half?¡± I stared at him. ¡°Corruption or aetheric poisoning as in you don¡¯t know which, or¡ª¡± ¡°Some from one, some from the other,¡± Nalithor offered, shaking his head. ¡°I also found four beast hearts being created, unlike the one you destroyed in the dark prison. There were many more guards as well, and a connecting ¡®bridge¡¯ to the wind chamber.¡± ¡°And you didn¡¯t go there?¡± I raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°Tempting as it was¡­no. I¡¯m aware we don¡¯t have the space for more rescues, yet.¡± Nalithor grimaced. ¡°We will have to focus on healing and relocating the earthen chamber¡¯s prisoners first. Once finished, you and I will go to the wind prison together. Given the additional time they will have to prepare, I believe our combined presence will be necessary to deal with the guards and any traps they might lay.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± I settled in a chair across from Nalithor and leaned on the armrest. ¡°Are you sure the guards will get several days of preparation time? Only a few hours passed for you within the prison, right?¡± ¡°There are no barracks within the prisons,¡± Nalithor stated, shaking his head. ¡°However, there was a room of portals. I believe they have a rotating guard, with their men coming in from an external source.¡± ¡°So, the longer we spend here, the more time they have to prepare.¡± I pursed my lips. ¡°And the reason you¡¯re hiding your presence?¡± ¡°Because I slew two Jivyador within the prison,¡± Nalithor offered, making a vague motion with one hand. ¡°However, they were prisoners as well and were mad from exposure to beast blood. It appeared that they had been forced to drink nothing else. ¡°I¡¯m not convinced their allies won¡¯t come running to see what happened to them and would prefer not to make myself a target yet.¡± ¡®What in the hells is going on?¡¯ I nibbled on the back of my index finger, falling silent while Nalithor devoured his meal. ¡®We know the various factions of Jivyador seem to despise each other, but that¡¯s a bit¡­much. I doubt it was merely a method of torture. Some manner of experiment, perhaps?¡¯ ¡°How much time has passed?¡± Nalithor inquired. ¡°Hmmm? A few days. Enough for me to have finished reviewing and responding to all the reports I received,¡± I answered. ¡°The Vulin are reluctant to let me assist them with the people you rescued, and since I have no affinity for earth I can¡¯t help with the healing.¡± ¡°I will see what I can do to expedite the process.¡± Nalithor set his bowl on the coffee table and then shifted his fiery gaze to me. ¡°The moment we have room to rescue more people, we will leave to conquer the wind prison. Until then, we will rest and determine how best to attack.¡± ¡°Hmmm, if you say so¡­¡± I murmured, frowning. ¡°What is it?¡± Nalithor¡¯s expression softened as he examined me. ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡± ¡°Nothing of the sort.¡± I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­I have this feeling that we aren¡¯t going to find anyone to rescue this time. Maybe the wind chamber simply hasn¡¯t been breached yet, but¡­¡± ¡°It is oddly silent.¡± Nalithor rested back against the sofa briefly but was soon on his feet again. ¡°I am going to bathe, and then see about healing the freed prisoners. Once I¡¯ve finished, we will rest for the night and begin anew tomorrow. I want you to wait here, or in bed, for my return.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want me to help you work?¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°The presence of one deity is enough to frighten them. Two¡­¡± Nalithor smiled when I pouted and nodded my understanding. ¡°I will return soon.¡± Once he was gone, I let out a frustrated sigh and stalked through the cottage with the intent to get ready for bed. I couldn¡¯t explain why I felt like we wouldn¡¯t find any living prisoners in the wind prison, but I knew better than to question my intuition. It was right more often than not¡ªa fact that, in this instance, put me further on edge. I shut my eyes and sent tendrils of power through the system of tunnels and caverns, searching for any trace I could find of the wind chamber. To my dismay, I found it within minutes. It wasn¡¯t far from our camp at all, or from the earth chamber. ¡°Oh, a new little playmate. Won¡¯t you join me?¡± The singsong voice sent a chill down my spine. My eyes snapped open and I hissed. That was a Lari¡¯xan, and it did not feel right. I turned away from the bathroom and stalked through the cottage, out the door, and followed Nalithor¡¯s scent. When I found him, he was sat beside an unconscious Zehylor¡¯s bedside. ¡®We are not waiting,¡¯ I stated, crossing my arms. ¡®Arianna¡­¡¯ Nalithor began to protest, ¡®I require rest. It¡¯s been a mere few hours since leaving, for me.¡¯ ¡®We can feed and then leave.¡¯ I narrowed my eyes at him. ¡®I sent my magic out to look for the wind chamber. Something is terribly, terribly wrong with the Lari¡¯xan in it.¡¯ Nalithor¡¯s expression darkened. A moment later, he turned to look at Yumeko, eliciting a yelp from her. ¡°Send word to our allied Lari¡¯xan and inform them that something is wrong with their comrade who rules wind. Now. I will watch over your charges until you return.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to wait?¡± I sighed at Nalithor. ¡°Yes. If the Lari¡¯xan of wind has been compromised, there are two possible outcomes with you.¡± Nalithor gave me a sharp look before returning to his healing work. ¡°First, the corruption could take hold of your wind affinity if you go where the Lari¡¯xan, or some aspect of it, is behind held. Second¡­ One or both of us attempts to slay the corrupt being.¡± ¡°The latter of which would likely still lead to the first, since neither of us is capable of killing one of them.¡± I grimaced, shaking my head. ¡°Fine. We will wait. We¡¯re going to have to bring the other Lari¡¯xan with us to the prison. I agree with your assessment.¡± ¡°Good. Now, be a dear and hand me those bandages, won¡¯t you?¡± Nalithor pointed at the low table behind me. ¡°Here.¡± I handed them to him. ¡°We should probably have all these people moved to your domain, at the very least.¡± ¡°Our domain.¡± Nalithor paused long enough to shoot me a pointed look, then resumed bandaging the Zehylor¡¯s wounds. ¡°If we are to relocate everyone, I will have to expend a great deal of my power to further heal them all. While I am sure you wouldn¡¯t mind assisting me in regaining my strength, I am not convinced we have the time to spare.¡± ¡°True enough, though if the other Lari¡¯xan assist us, we shouldn¡¯t need to use as much power,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Given this is a¡­¡®family matter¡¯ for them, they should be more inclined to act.¡± ¡°We can hope.¡± Nalithor shook his head. ¡°For now, lend me your power so that I don¡¯t deplete myself while working.¡± [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Vote! ] [B6] Chapter Eighteen: Overruled Chapter Eighteen Overruled ¡®Come on, sweetheart, don¡¯t you want to play?¡¯ The disembodied voice made me bristle. ¡°This is worse than I expected,¡± Sihix remarked, rubbing his chin while he studied the interior of the wind chamber. ¡°Well. In we go!¡± ¡°Wait,¡± I started to protest, but it was too late. Sihix tore open a portal with little effort and threw us in ahead of him. On the other side, Nalithor and I fell to the floor in a tangle of limbs. I winced and pulled myself off my nylziis. Once we were both standing, a small frown came to my face. It was too quiet. ¡°Now then,¡± Sihix murmured, making a brief motion at me. Darkness spread from his fingertips and shot through the center of my forehead. ¡°That should take care of a few things while we¡¯re here. Can¡¯t have Oraetha making my precious Ari-mrii unstable. ¡°Well, more unstable.¡± ¡°Must you incessantly tease her?¡± Nalithor sighed. ¡°This is not the time.¡± ¡°Enough playing around.¡± I raised a hand and concentrated briefly, condensing darkness in my palm. Shortly after, my magic tore the doors to the room off their hinges. ¡°We should go find¡ª¡± I cut myself off, my stomach twisting in disgust. It took most of my willpower to keep myself from vomiting on the spot. Decaying corpses littered the hallway of the prison beyond, covering the floor in congealed goo. The stench was enough to nearly knock me off my feet. I hurriedly summoned something to wrap around the lower half of my face, but it didn¡¯t help much. It was no wonder the prison was so quiet. ¡°This is¡­¡± Nalithor grimaced and procured several balls of qustrr from his shrizar, handing half of them to me. When he placed his within his face wrap, I did the same. It didn¡¯t completely overpower the smell, but at least it helped. ¡°Did Oraetha do this?¡± ¡°Doubtful. It looks to me as if the prisoners attempted to eat each other.¡± Sihix tilted his head, examining the corpses with fleeting glances as he strode down the prison hallway. ¡°Come along. The less time we must stay here, the better.¡± ¡®I am not walking on that¡­¡¯ My stomach turned at the thought. I promptly used darkness to float myself and followed after Sihix. Nalithor followed suit.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°It looks like they¡¯ve been dead for weeks,¡± Nalithor muttered, drifting closer to me. ¡°Considering they¡¯re so rotted I can¡¯t even tell what species most of them are, I¡¯d say ¡®weeks¡¯ may be a generous guess.¡± I shook my head. ¡°My question is where the guards are. I don¡¯t sense any living people.¡± ¡°Nor do I.¡± Sihix glanced back at us. ¡°Perhaps I didn¡¯t need to bring my favorite pets along anyway!¡± Sihix paused, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Now, now, Oraetha¡­ I am not letting you ¡®borrow¡¯ Ari-mrii.¡± ¡°Borrow?¡± Nalithor asked as I bristled. ¡°The piece of Oraetha that¡¯s trapped here wants to wrest Arianna from my protection,¡± Sihix stated, his mouth twisting into a snarl. ¡°Come. We are dealing with this place now. We have fooled around for long enough.¡± Nalithor and I exchanged an uneasy glance and followed the fuming Lari¡¯xan. The only sound in the prison of wind was Sihix¡¯s footsteps and the rustling of our clothes. I sensed Oraetha slinking around my barriers and whatever Sihix had done, but she wasn¡¯t capable of getting past his work. Sihix was able to block out most of my senses, but I could still feel how wrong Oraetha¡¯s presence felt. I glanced toward Nalithor, examining his expression. Our Lari¡¯xan companion hadn¡¯t done anything to suppress my nylziis¡¯ senses. He looked prepared to tear into anything that moved. I chewed on my lower lip and glided faster down the hallway, stopping before the next bulkhead. This one wasn¡¯t locked, allowing us to open it with ease. ¡°Let¡¯s torch the place,¡± Nalithor stated, gliding past me and into the gore-free hallway beyond. His armored boots clicked against the worn stone floor as he ceased gliding and began to walk. ¡°Arianna, start with the portal room and that section of the prison. I¡¯ll deal with the torture chambers, laboratories, and anything else I find in this direction.¡± ¡°No, you won¡¯t,¡± Sihix stated, blocking Nalithor¡¯s path. He closed his eyes briefly, sending his power rushing through me and my nylziis alike. Moments later, our power and his exploded through the prison, shattering everything in sight like glass. Sihix caught Nalithor and I each over one forearm, sighing. ¡°Now then, with that done, I am going to get to work. The two of you are to remain here.¡± Sihix dropped us unceremoniously on our bed and then strode out of the room, humming an oddly malicious-sounding tune to himself. I groaned, pulling myself into a sitting position. Whatever the Lari¡¯xan bastard had done, it gave me a splitting headache. The clinking of metal caught my attention, making me shift my attention to Nalithor as he yanked off pieces of armor and threw them to the floor. ¡°You have your shrizar for that,¡± I pointed out. ¡°I can¡¯t access it¡ªor sense anything beyond this room,¡± Nalithor huffed in response. ¡°I get the feeling Sihix made it so that we cannot leave the cottage.¡± ¡°So, he destroyed the prison but maybe left something alive?¡± I frowned, wobbling to my feet to undress. When I attempted to access my shrizar, the pain in my head worsened. ¡°Ugh. The bastard. Just what is he up to that doesn¡¯t require Balance¡¯s help?¡± ¡°Maybe we aren¡¯t ¡®official¡¯ enough to assist further.¡± Nalithor sounded just as bitter as I felt. He released a heavy sigh and turned to look at me. ¡°Let¡¯s take a bath. That stench is still clinging to both of us.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t hear any complaints from me.¡± I nodded, then winced. ¡°Well, not about the idea of a bath, anyway¡­¡± [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Vote! ] [B6] Chapter Nineteen: Babysitting Chapter Nineteen Babysitting I paced around our cottage, my tails snapping behind me. Nalithor was still asleep but I had been up for an hour or two already. The more I thought about the way Sihix had taken over the situation and dealt with it himself rubbed me the wrong way. Nalithor and I were meant to work together as Balance. That much I knew. How we were meant to do that when the Lari¡¯xan kept doing our job for us was another matter entirely. ¡°Ari-mrii,¡± Sihix whined, appearing in front of me and blocking my path. He leaned against the wall and looked down at me, pouting. ¡°You¡¯re distracting me with all those hot-headed thoughts of yours! Killing Lari¡¯xan isn¡¯t easy, you know. Of course, I will enjoy it if you decide to try.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to try to kill you.¡± I snorted, crossing my arms at the smirking deity. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­why are you doing our job?¡± ¡°Well, dealing with a Lari¡¯xan is a little beyond your realm of expertise,¡± Sihix answered, shifting slightly so I could move past him. He followed me toward the kitchen, continuing, ¡°Oraetha is unstable and you have an affinity for wind. It was best for me to take care of the matter quickly. We can¡¯t have Balance become unstable as well. ¡°The beast hearts were destroyed, as were the guards and their facilities.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m sure you were thorough¡ªbut what about next time?¡± I stalked over to the pantry. ¡°Isn¡¯t Balance supposed to make it so the Lari¡¯xan don¡¯t have to interfere themselves?¡± ¡°Oh, Ari-mrii, we¡¯re here to support you, not foist all our work onto you!¡± Sihix laughed, squeezing me around the shoulders. ¡°Besides, taking on a Lari¡¯xan is not something we expect you to do. Nor are you capable of it. Our intention is for you to help us find the prisons¡ªlet us deal with what is inside of them.¡± ¡°You think there may be more with ¡®too much¡¯ of a Lari¡¯xan trapped inside?¡± I frowned, watching Sihix stroll over to the kitchen table. ¡°Indeed. I am considering assigning someone else to the task of finding them all,¡± Sihix replied, stretching out in a chair. He crossed one leg over the other and shot me a dangerous smile. ¡°While I would enjoy watching you and Nalithor lose yourselves to your instincts within more of those contraptions, there is plenty of other work we need you to do.¡± I sighed in agitation and began making breakfast. Sihix was making plenty of sense, so I found it difficult to argue with him. ¡°Make enough for me too, Ari-mrii?¡± Sihix drawled. ¡°Maybe if you tell me what other work you have in mind.¡± I glared at him over my shoulder. ¡°We want you to find the missing Zehylor children and the Exiles that are supposedly hiding in Falrrsald.¡± Sihix motioned with one hand. ¡°If you deal with the prisons as well, you won¡¯t be returning to Dauthrmir anytime soon¡ªand we need you to return there in a timely fashion.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Zehylor kids and ¡®Exiles.¡¯ Right.¡± I grimaced. ¡°You don¡¯t want us to get involved with the prisons at all?¡± ¡°If you happen across them, contact me of course.¡± Sihix laughed. ¡°That is where your involvement should end. I won¡¯t have my favorites risking themselves by getting in over their heads.¡± ¡°You really believe that dealing with the prisons is too dangerous for us?¡± Nalithor¡¯s groggy rumble made me glance over my shoulder again. He sat heavily across from Sihix before shooting me a subtle smile when he caught me staring. ¡°If pieces of Lari¡¯xan weren¡¯t involved, it would be fine,¡± Sihix answered, adopting a more serious tone. ¡°My impression is that the bastards running the prisons will pull more and more of our power into them now that we¡¯ve made such overt moves against them. If I hadn¡¯t joined you, Ari-mrii would have lost herself to Oraetha¡¯s power. We have to assume the other prisons may be worse.¡± ¡°Then, it is more efficient for the Lari¡¯xan to deal with Lari¡¯xan problems,¡± Nalithor murmured as I walked over to set tea between them. ¡°Regarding the missing Zehylor children, we have no leads to work with. The same can be said for the pocket of Exiles that supposedly resides here.¡± ¡°Well, that isn¡¯t entirely true. We know that they were skirting the border with Vorpmasia,¡± I pointed out, returning to cooking breakfast. ¡°Do we want to retrace their steps from the Suthsul Desert and follow the border north?¡± ¡°Ari-mrii, pancakes!¡± Sihix whined, crossing his arms on top of the table and plopping his head down on top of them. ¡°I¡¯ve done so much work! I want a reward.¡± ¡®When did my role as a deity turn into babysitting?¡¯ I sighed and finished cooking breakfast while Nalithor and Sihix conversed. They discussed possible places the Exiles could be hiding, whether the Exiles were even Exiles, and why the Zehyloran demigods had been kidnapped in the first place. ¡°So, we need to loop around to the south some more before heading east and then north?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re still quite far from the border with the Suthsul Desert,¡± Nalithor replied, sliding an arm around my waist once I drew close enough. He pulled me over to him and maintained his grip on me while I placed platters of food on the table. When it became clear he wasn¡¯t going to let go, I levitated the remaining ones over from the counter. ¡°Even so, are you certain you no longer need our presence here, Sihix?¡± ¡°Hmmm?¡± Sihix paused with a pancake hanging out of his mouth. ¡°Your fwuffies can ¡®elp me jus¡¯ fine.¡± ¡°Honestly. Eat before talking.¡± I huffed, crossing my arms. Nalithor guided me into the seat beside him, pulling me closer to his hip with his tail. I pouted and piled food onto my plate. ¡°Should we destroy the chambers first?¡± Nalithor narrowed his eyes at Sihix. ¡°No, I want the Vorpmasians to study the contraptions.¡± Sihix shook his head. ¡°Troublesome as they are, they will be useful.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like the sound of that.¡± I gave Sihix a look, earning a mischievous smirk in reply. ¡°Try not to cause more chaos for us before we¡¯ve fixed your mess, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°But you thrive in chaos, Ari-mrii!¡± Sihix cooed, motioning at me with his fork. ¡°The more trouble I stir up for you, the better.¡± ¡°If you never want her to finish doing her job, certainly,¡± Yiltanys stated, appearing beside Sihix and grabbing the Lari¡¯xan of darkness by the ear. ¡°Do not create more work for them. At least, not until they¡¯ve righted most of the current situations they must deal with for us.¡± I eyed the two Lari¡¯xan warily, watching as they walked out of the kitchen. Soon after, I heard the front door of the cottage close. Nalithor released an irritated sigh and leaned against me. ¡°I believe that was Yiltanys¡¯ attempt at telling us to get moving,¡± Nalithor commented. ¡°I think so too,¡± I grumbled before wolfing down my food. ¡°I¡¯ll go get our things ready, if you want to go give the Vulin new orders.¡± ¡°Very well. Meet me outside when you¡¯re ready.¡± [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Vote! ] [B6] Chapter Twenty: Chase Chapter Twenty Chase ¡°There are too many tunnels,¡± Nalithor murmured while I stood nearby, fanning myself. ¡°I¡¯m uncertain how we¡¯re meant to find the Exiles or the Zehyloran children. There are far too many places they could be hiding.¡± ¡°I still think south is the wrong direction.¡± I tapped my foot. ¡°Irt¡¯chkali wouldn¡¯t be responsible for the bite out of the aether we saw when we first arrived. My guess is that was the closest we¡¯ve been to our quarry since arriving in Falrrsald.¡± ¡°Now that I can see it for myself, I truly understand why this crimson and silver aether put you on edge.¡± Nalithor frowned as he walked toward me, but his gaze was on our surroundings. ¡°Not quite as unnerving as this seeming disappearance of life.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help but think we stumbled into something by coming to Falrrsald.¡± I nodded, following his gaze. ¡°We¡¯ll head north as planned.¡± Nalithor motioned for me to follow him. ¡°I will use my power over earth to search for our quarry beneath the surface.¡± ¡°Oh? So, I get to play guardian?¡± I grinned at him. ¡°Well, I won¡¯t complain. We should do what we can to find them, and searching underground is your forte, not mine.¡± We spent the next several days traveling north along the border between Falrrsald and the Vorpmasian Empire. Gradually, we began to see signs of life returning to the plains. There were still more beasts present than we would have liked, but we dispatched them all with ease. Few were Duxes¡ªthe ones that were attempted to flee from us. What we hadn¡¯t expected was to see no sign of the tribes at all. As far as we knew, the Human and Elven deities hadn¡¯t interfered with the tribes beyond approaching the foul bastards residing in Dragon¡¯s Watch. Yet we hadn¡¯t found traces of travel, camps, anything. If they had fled into Vorpmasian territory, we should have at least found tracks from the tribes or their animals. I kept an eye on our surroundings while Nalithor paced around the area we had first landed. The ¡°bite¡± that had been taken out of the aether was still there, though faded. My nylziis had been in deep thought for what fell like an hour but was probably only a few minutes. I was bored playing lookout. In the distance, thunder rumbled. There was nothing but grass and occasional monoliths for as far as I could see. While the aether felt more normal in the area, it didn¡¯t look it. ¡°Not here,¡± Nalithor stated when he finally turned to rejoin me. ¡°Regarding what bit the aether, I don¡¯t think we need to worry about it. There¡¯s tinges of magic similar to that of a Guardian.¡± ¡°You think someone¡¯s Guardian tried to eat the aether?¡± I glanced around him. ¡°It could be a rogue or a wardless one,¡± Nalithor replied. ¡°Guardians with no ward will often hoard or eat aetherically-charged items to maintain their abilities until they¡¯re assigned one.¡± ¡°But it shouldn¡¯t be something for us to be concerned about?¡± I frowned. ¡°Hardly. If we stumble across and it is in trouble, that¡¯s another matter.¡± Nalithor crossed his arms, glancing off into the distance. ¡°This behavior isn¡¯t unusual for their kind.¡± I wasn¡¯t convinced but I decided to drop the subject for the time being.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. We adopted a leisurely pace and headed north yet again. Nalithor¡¯s power permeated our surroundings while I kept an eye out for threats. The number of tunnels and caves seemed to be reduced in the area we were traveling, leaving me to wonder where our quarry might have disappeared to. There didn¡¯t seem to be any indications of demigods or deities anywhere near us, and I doubted they were powerful enough to hide their presence from us. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Nalithor murmured a while later, drawing my attention to him. He had a subtle frown on his face and his tail had begun to twitch. ¡°Smells like food,¡± I remarked, watching as my nylziis summoned his spear. The scent of roasting meat wasn¡¯t all. The aether in the area seemed to have constant ripples running through it, as if someone was using the same spell at set intervals¡ªor perhaps channeling one. ¡°We will proceed with caution.¡± Nalithor gave me a pointed look and waited until I had summoned Eoraso before continuing, ¡°I don¡¯t sense any mages, but something must be causing the ripples.¡± We made our way onward, eventually finding a small, above-ground camp of Devillians. ¡°Rely¡¯ric, Reiz¡¯tar!¡± one exclaimed, spotting us before the others. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see Vorpmasians during out hunt,¡± Nalithor remarked as the rest of the men and a few women bowed to us. ¡°We¡¯re mapping the border, Rely¡¯ric,¡± an Imviir woman stated. ¡°His Excellency sent several dozen groups such as ours out with the intent to fill out our maps of the region.¡± ¡°I guess that would be the source of the ripples?¡± I murmured, glancing toward the Magitech device at the center of their camp. It radiated consistent heat, and it appeared that they were using it to cook their dinner. ¡°It would seem so.¡± Nalithor sighed, though he didn¡¯t stash his weapon. ¡°Have you lot seen any unusual activity since arriving?¡± ¡°Still investigating, are you?¡± A man shook his head. ¡°Only been here a few hours, I¡¯m afraid. You two are the first people we¡¯ve come across.¡± ¡°Then we shall continue our search.¡± Nalithor nodded to the group before taking me by the hand and leading me away. ¡®We are close to the last place our prey was spotted. Once we have searched the area, and if find nothing, we will return to our domain for the night.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m starting to wonder if the rumors that brought us out here were false.¡¯ I frowned. ¡®I thought we would¡¯ve found something by now.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s troubling, that much is certain.¡¯ Nalithor sighed and balanced the shaft of his spear against one shoulder. ¡®There is every possibility that our prey is no longer in Falrrsald. It has been quite some time.¡¯ ¡®Should we ask the Lari¡¯xan for ¡°guidance?¡±¡¯ I laughed when my nylziis grimaced. ¡®I doubt they¡¯ll help us much either¡­but it is in their best interests that we don¡¯t wander around aimlessly for too long, right? If the Zehyloran children are elsewhere, or on the opposite side of Falrrsald, we will have to wait to rescue them anyway.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re right.¡¯ Nalithor nodded in reluctance. ¡®I would rather not return to the Lari¡¯xan empty-handed, but we can¡¯t spend months combing the area either. We¡¯ve already been here too long.¡¯ Several hours passed before we gave in and contacted Sihix. When the Lari¡¯xan of Darkness appeared near us, it was with a frown on his face. He examined our surroundings in silence for several long moments before finally turning his attention to us. ¡°You¡¯re right. There aren¡¯t any traces of deities or demigods here aside from yourselves.¡± Sihix crossed his arms, tilting his head as if he were listening for something. ¡°The aether hasn¡¯t seen anyone or anything matching the description of your target, either¡­interesting.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be able to tell where they are?¡± I huffed at him. ¡°I should be able to, yes.¡± Sihix¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Since I can¡¯t, well, there¡¯s only so many places they could be. ¡°For now, I want the both of you to return to your temple and stay there until an airship can fly you back to Vorpmasia. We will finish with the elemental prisons soon. If there is still no sign of the Zehyloran children in them, that will narrow our options significantly.¡± Without another word, the Lari¡¯xan disappeared again, leaving Nalithor and I to sigh our irritation. ¡°He expects us to walk all the way back?¡± I pouted. ¡°We might get away with using our domain to return to the temple¡­¡± Nalithor murmured, before grimacing and shaking his head. ¡®Though, I¡¯m not convinced that inviting the Jivyador¡¯s irritation is a wise move.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m starting to think sending us on a wild goose chase was the Lari¡¯xan¡¯s intent all along!¡¯ I huffed, kicking the dirt. ¡®Perhaps.¡¯ Nalithor put an arm around my shoulders, sighing. ¡®We¡¯ll make our way back to the temple in the morning.¡¯ [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Vote! ] [B6] Chapter Twenty-One: Union Chapter Twenty-One Union ¡°If we don¡¯t have to travel through Falrrsald again for a few years, that would be wonderful,¡± I stated, leaning back on a sofa within our temple. Nalithor sat down beside me, sighing, and pulled me to his side. ¡°Were you able to contact anyone?¡± ¡°It will be a while before they can send an airship to take us back to Dauthrmir,¡± Nalithor replied, grimacing. ¡°Yiltanys mentioned something in regards to a portal connected to our temple in Dauthrmir, but¡­¡± ¡°Really?¡± I murmured, resting my head against Nalithor¡¯s upper arm. ¡°Having our temples connected would make sense. We can¡¯t always rely on Vorpmasia¡¯s airships and we don¡¯t have our own fleet. Walking everywhere wouldn¡¯t help us be efficient as deities.¡± ¡°If we use the portal to return it will surely make the Jivyador more suspicious of us.¡± Nalithor sighed heavily, stroking one of my tails while we thought. ¡°I doubt we can push them much further before something breaks. With how many people still believe they¡¯re the true Elders, I can¡¯t help but worry we could end up with most of Avrirsa turned against us.¡± ¡°That would make our work¡­interesting, at least.¡± I grimaced. ¡°I¡¯d rather avoid that happening, but I can¡¯t help but think the possibility is one of the reasons we have this temple here. Whether it¡¯s three days now or three millennia, we can¡¯t be everyone¡¯s ally forever if we¡¯re to act as Balance.¡± ¡°You want to wait for an airship, then?¡± Nalithor glanced down at me with a questioning frown. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look through the most recent reports first and see if there¡¯s anything to warrant a hasty return,¡± I replied. ¡°If we don¡¯t find anything pressing, then I don¡¯t see a reason for us to use the portal to get back. We could use the time waiting to prioritize and finalize our plans moving forward.¡± ¡°Which would be prudent, given how impossibly much is on our plate.¡± Nalithor nodded, still frowning. ¡°We should rest for another day, then dive into reviewing the reports. There is much for us to investigate around Eormir and in the Lari¡¯xan¡¯s domains, if you grow bored¡­or if they decide to put us to work rather than permitting us to rest.¡± ¡°Dinner?¡± I suggested. ¡°Perhaps later.¡± Nalithor pulled me fully into his lap and nuzzled my ears. ¡°I want to savor the view with you for a little while longer.¡± I looked out the wall of windows nearby, a contented smile coming to my face. It was a beautiful view¡­though it could have been improved with the destruction of X¡¯shmiran buildings. The sun was setting, bathing the decrepit city and its surroundings in vibrant colors. A sigh escaped me as I relaxed into Nalithor¡¯s lap and rubbed my cheek into the crook of his neck. The Lari¡¯xan had given us an incredible place to call ¡°home.¡± That was something I couldn¡¯t deny, even if Sihix¡¯s personality made me call their motives into question constantly. I figured, with some luck, we might be able to manipulate the Jivyador into ¡°allowing¡± us to use the temple as our permanent residence. As much as I¡¯d come to adore the Dauthrmiran palace, there was something to be said about having somewhere to truly call our own. A place where we determined who was allowed in, to be guests, or to be our servants. ¡°It is lacking dedicated guards or an army though.¡± Nalithor chuckled, squeezing me. ¡°I wonder what the Jivyador would do if we began searching for or assigning Chosen¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s keep it truly to ourselves for a little while longer,¡± I murmured, shifting to kiss the side of his neck. ¡°I think we can wait until we¡¯ve indulged in each other in every room.¡± ¡°Gladly.¡± Nalithor laughed, giving one of my tails a brief tug before resting his hand on my hip. ? ? ? With no immediate matters for us to investigate, we decided to wait a week for the next airship to come to Eormir and finish its business. We had finally left the region earlier in the morning and, now during the late afternoon, Dauthrmir was coming into view. Alala had stayed at our temple near Eormir so that she could work on her training as a Guardian and to protect the building for us. Djialkan and Fraelfnir were working the Lari¡¯xan and the dragons of Falrrsald, but they were planning to join us as soon as they were done. ¡®Sleep well?¡¯ I asked when I felt Nalithor¡¯s face shift against my shoulder. A low purr left him as he shifted to kiss my throat, his arms wrapping around my waist. ¡®I want to go back to our temple,¡¯ Nalithor stated. ¡®It¡¯s a little late for that.¡¯ I smiled, reaching up to stroke his hair. ¡®Take a look outside. Look at how well the residential district is coming along!¡¯ Nalithor grumbled, shifting until he could look out the window to my left without having to release me. He was silent, his frosty eyes quickly taking in the new additions and the scaffolding in places. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel as if I¡¯ve been away long enough for so many changes to have happened,¡± Nalithor remarked, a sheepish smile on his face. ¡°I wish to check in at the academy, but we should probably speak with your father first.¡± ¡°Indeed, we need to let him know we¡¯re fine, and see how war preparations are going.¡± I nodded, watching as my nylziis finally sat up and stretched his arms over his head. ¡°What do you want to look into at the academy?¡± ¡°I want to know if they have made any progress regarding the crystals I brought back from the structure in the Suthsul Desert.¡± Nalithor grimaced, crossing his legs. ¡°Leaving that place alone doesn¡¯t sit well with me. I would prefer if we looked into it before this war of ours, especially with the temple¡¯s proximity to the Vorpmasian territories.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°We¡¯ll want to make certain both of us are involved if we need to venture to the temple again, too,¡± I remarked, sliding my hand into Nalithor¡¯s. ¡°For practical reasons as well as pleasurable ones.¡± Once the airship was docked, we gathered our things and left our private room. It felt good to be back in Dauthrmir, though I found myself missing the quiet of our temple. Nalithor chuckled, squeezing me, as we made our way through the Sapphire Quarter and toward the palace. ¡®We should still exercise some degree of caution while in the city,¡¯ I remarked, squeezing closer to Nalithor¡¯s side. He shot me a small frown, before a look of recognition crossed his features. ¡®I was reassigned because of the Beshulthien¡¯s schemes, after all. I¡¯m not convinced they¡¯ll have given up by now.¡¯ ¡®Stay with me at all times.¡¯ Nalithor laughed when I promptly put my arms around his torso and squeezed, my ears flicking backward. ¡®I will need to make an official report if I¡¯m to keep up appearances with the Jivyador. With any luck, I can convince them to ¡°allow¡± us to utilize the portal between our temples. It¡¯s for the best we don¡¯t tempt the Vampires, or strain the Imperial Guard.¡¯ ¡°Arianna, Nalithor!¡± Lucifer greeted us at the palace gates and promptly pulled us both into a warm hug. ¡°I¡¯ve had lunch for the three of us brought to my study. I want you to tell me everything!¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I check in with the Claws and Fangs?¡± I asked as Lucifer excitedly ushered us toward the palace. ¡°You can catch up with them later,¡± Lucifer scoffed. ¡°Most of them are busy with work. They¡¯ve been busy, and effective, since beginning work with your new allies. The rest are studying, guarding your wing of the palace, tending to Lalira¡­¡± When we reached my father¡¯s study, he sighed heavily after shutting the door behind us. Nalithor conjured a barrier around the room before pulling me over to the sitting area. Once the three of us were seated, my father took on a far more serious demeanor. ¡°I¡¯m of half a mind to send the two of you back to your temple the moment the airship is finished refueling,¡± Father stated flatly. ¡°Darius¡¯ influence is spreading like wildfire. There¡¯s multiple Beshulthien territories now pushing for us to surrender the two of you into their custody. Darius¡¯ ¡®clone¡¯ has them believing you are false gods. Beshulthien merchants have been spreading much the same within our borders too¡ªand it¡¯s been sticking.¡± ¡°But, what of the war with the N¡¯lafmarans?¡± I protested. ¡°If we¡¯re going to help with that, then you¡¯ll need us here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to be helping.¡± Lucifer shook his head. ¡°The Alliance will handle it. Officially, the two of you are removed from active duty to plan for your wedding.¡± ¡°And unofficially?¡± Nalithor narrowed his eyes. ¡°I need the two of you to do your damned jobs as gods!¡± Lucifer exclaimed, shaking his head hard. ¡°Darius and his lies need to be stopped, beasts need to be dealt with¡­ I¡¯m sure there¡¯s more you need to do that I¡¯m not aware of. ¡°While I would love to enlist you both to help me further in Vorpmasia, I can¡¯t in good conscience do that.¡± ¡°I know how we could eliminate one of those issues immediately,¡± Nalithor murmured, stroking his chin. ¡®How¡­important is a wedding to you?¡¯ ¡®It isn¡¯t. We can have one to appease our families later,¡¯ I answered without hesitation. Nalithor squeezed my hand and I heard his heart beating a little faster. ¡°I will be making a report to the Elders later today,¡± Nalithor began in response to my father¡¯s impatient stare, ¡°If I tell them I¡¯ve chosen Arianna to be my goddess, they will have no choice but to acknowledge us and to put a halt to anyone else attempting to become Balance.¡± ¡°But, a wedding¡ª¡± Father began. ¡°A wedding isn¡¯t more important than our jobs,¡± I pointed out, earning a dejected sigh. ¡°Once the dust has settled, we can see about having a proper wedding.¡± ¡°You¡¯re certain about this? Both of you?¡± Father looked between Nalithor and me a few times. ¡°Absolutely.¡± Nalithor nodded, as did I. ¡°It¡¯s one of the few problems that has a simple and pleasant solution. We would be fools if we didn¡¯t act.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Father relented. ¡°If you both believe this to be the best decision, I will support you in it. Leave Lysander and Ellena to me¡ªI will help them understand.¡± After lunch with my father was over, he returned to his duties and I accompanied Nalithor to our wing of the palace. We declined taking an airship back to our temple since we had other ways to go there and other places to be. I just hoped the Jivyador could be reasoned with. ¡°This place reeks of Vampires,¡± Nalithor muttered, pulling me closer. He fell silent for a moment, then summoned a shadowy door immediately in front of us. Before I could question him, he pulled me through it and we reappeared within his Dauthrmiran temple. However, he didn¡¯t release me. ¡°Teleporting a mortal?!¡± A gravelly voice came from our right. I glanced around Nalithor and raised an eyebrow. Sure enough, a Jivyador stood several feet away from us. The people working in the temple bowed, curtsied, or dropped to their knees to pay their respect to the false Elder. ¡°How dare you abuse your powers in such a way! Should you continue such blatant misuse¡ª¡± ¡°A mortal?¡± Nalithor asked, his voice a rumble that made the Jivyador pause in confusion. ¡°Arianna is the Goddess of Balance. You take no issue with the other deities teleporting to and from temples¡ªbe it their own or someone else¡¯s. Why should we be restricted from doing the same?¡± ¡°G-Goddess¡­¡± Excited whispers rippled through the people present. I glanced at the large room, noting there appeared to be people other than the Claws and Fangs present. Some looked to be commoners or nobles. Nearby were what looked to be offerings of incense, flowers, and trinkets. ¡°You¡­you have chosen a goddess?¡± The Jivyador blinked, glancing between us. Under other circumstances, I would have taken offense to his clear shock. ¡°I thought you had planned to never choose a mate!¡± ¡°She is my wife. My mate. Do you take issue with that?¡± Nalithor pulled me closer to him, and I made a show of nuzzling up against his side. ¡°I¡ª Of course not! There is just so much to do!¡± The Jivyador exclaimed, waving a handful of magic around. ¡°I will make Her Highness a goddess at once. Then, I must go make certain the other candidates cease their activities!¡± The Jivyador¡¯s hands glowed brighter with magic, then the man disappeared. Though his magic was laughable at best, the sensation of someone else¡¯s familiar magic drifted around Nalithor and I briefly. I glanced to the side, catching a shadow slinking out of the room and down the hall. ¡®Well, the Lari¡¯xan are useful when they wish to be,¡¯ Nalithor remarked before turning his attention to the room of elated Vorpmasians. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t stay long, but we thank you for your gifts.¡± ¡°What now?¡± I asked once we¡¯d finally managed to escape to an empty sitting room. ¡°Several of my colleagues from the academy are going to bring us the information they¡¯ve gathered regarding the structure near the Suthsul Desert,¡± Nalithor offered, pulling me into his lap. ¡°Once that¡¯s done¡­ We will use the Lari¡¯xan¡¯s portal to return to our temple by Eormir. I want to wait a few days for your ¡®ascension¡¯ to spread throughout the Alliance before we do anything else. ¡°Once Djialkan and Fraelfnir have finished their work with the Lari¡¯xan, we will make our way to the Suthsul Desert.¡± ¡°You mean take a few days to celebrate our marriage?¡± I teased, pulling myself up a little to give him a quick kiss on the lips. ¡°There will be a plentiful amount of that as well, my dear.¡± [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Vote! ] [B6] Chapter Twenty-Two: Theories Chapter Twenty-Two Theories I strode through our temple in Falrrsald barefoot and flipped through a folder of reports as I went. With the recent developments, I had assigned Eyrian, Reulidru, Azhar, and a few others to run the Claws and Fangs in my absence. I¡¯d made it clear that I expected reports, and the first had come through sometime in the morning. Over the past few days, the Fangs had captured several people who were corrupted beyond saving. When their corpses were examined, our mages found that the beast blood had been mixed in with the perfumes and soaps the people had been using. The oddest part to me was that no one knew where the people came from. Some were Human, others were Elven, yet the remnants of their clothes didn¡¯t match the styles of any known kingdom. ¡°There you are,¡± I called to Nalithor, padding into the library. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re working on something too?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve almost finished reviewing the analysis of the samples I brought back from the anomaly in the Suthsul Desert,¡± Nalithor answered, glancing up from his desk. He set his long pipe aside and settled back in his chair, tracking me as I approached. ¡°You look displeased.¡± ¡°The Fangs captured several corrupted people of unknown origin,¡± I answered, placing a single sheet in front of him. ¡°Weren¡¯t we meant to focus on deity-related matters, for now? Nalithor sighed at me. ¡°Yes, but look at this.¡± I placed an image of one of the people¡¯s clothes and jewelry in front of Nalithor next. ¡°My men said that Lalira and the other children don¡¯t recognize any of these designs either. If Lalira and the others are from somewhere on the Nrae¡¯lmar Continent, then where did these people come from?¡± ¡°Elsewhere on the same continent, somewhere across Falrrsald, another flying island, or perhaps a continent we¡¯ve yet to discover?¡± Nalithor murmured, tapping his fingers against a large pendant in the picture. ¡°Is this metal?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It is similar to some of the metalwork I saw by the structure that appeared in the desert,¡± Nalithor remarked, shifting a stack of papers, then finally handing me one with a piece of broken, white metal. ¡°My colleagues at the academy weren¡¯t able to identify the metals used to create this alloy. We think it may have been used in some manner of Magitech. It conducts aether much better than what we use currently.¡± ¡°Supposedly there was no one living in that structure, I thought?¡± I frowned. ¡°We could have been lied to, or the aether-repelling crystals scattered in the area could be masking their presence,¡± Nalithor stated, pulling me closer until I was leaning up against his chair. ¡°Our current theory is that the structure is a fortress and the land around it was displaced by the Split¡ªor something similar. ¡°The exterior shows massive scarring in the stone, caused by something that¡¯s neither a dragon nor a beast.¡± ¡°Irt¡¯chkali?¡± I suggested. ¡°Doubtful, I believe the marks were made by magic assaulting the structure,¡± Nalithor answered, pulling over another image. ¡°The damage strikes me as the product of a siege.¡± ¡°And this?¡± I pointed at the crumbled stones by a river. ¡°The remnants of a bridge and aqueduct.¡± Nalithor offered me the paper. ¡°Hmmm, but where did it once go?¡± I asked, following the line of fallen stone. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything it would have connected to, and I don¡¯t see remnants of another building. Hell, the ruins seem to come to an abrupt stop.¡± ¡°It could have been built that way,¡± Nalithor pointed out. ¡°Rather than being an aqueduct, the water could have run out of the city and poured into the river below. In which case, perhaps the walkways were the for maintenance. A similar design was suggested once for Dauthrmir, but for expanding our airship docks.¡± ¡°Right. There¡¯s demand for civilian airships to-and-from our allies.¡± I grimaced. ¡°Though, it is possible there are other civilizations on Avrirsa with airship technology. If they¡¯re just as new as we are, or newer, it would explain why they haven¡¯t wandered into our territory yet. Assuming they¡¯re on another continent, anyway. We¡¯ve barely scratched the edge of Nrae¡¯lmar.¡± ¡°If it was affected by the Split, they could have been centuries ahead of us, and their people died out,¡± Nalithor added. ¡°After all, we¡¯ve come across indications that X¡¯shmir and other civilizations experienced time differently whilst displaced.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s leave the complicated theories for after we¡¯ve taken a better look at that structure.¡± I prodded his cheek with one finger. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Nalithor asked, earning a questioning frown from me. ¡°Given you are, officially, my wife and the Goddess of Balance now, do you feel any different?¡± ¡°Hmmm? No, I feel the same as always.¡± I perched on his lap and linked my hands behind his neck. ¡°Why, do you feel something?¡± ¡°More powerful,¡± Nalithor answered, sliding an arm under my knees and shifting me closer. ¡°I¡¯ve felt this way since Sihix did¡­whatever it was, when I declared my intent to the ¡®Elder.¡¯¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. I suppressed a grimace. We had agreed to call the Jivyador ¡°Elders¡± when talking aloud due to their sudden interest in visiting us over the past few days. They had all been Jivyador that Nalithor described as ¡°more favorable,¡± but I still saw them as our enemy. Alas, we had appearances to uphold. ¡°Want some tea? Maybe lunch?¡± I asked. ¡°Certainly. Once you return, we should make plans to venture to that structure.¡± Nalithor loosened his grip, allowing me to pull myself off his lap. He gave my ass a firm smack when I turned to walk away. I¡¯ll call for our Guardians while you see to lunch.¡± ¡°You should summon the Vulin who¡¯ve been keeping watch, too,¡± I whacked him with my tails before striding toward the door. When I returned a while later, carrying tea and lunch for us both, Nalithor appeared to be absorbed in another stack of reports. I strode past him and over to a sitting area, placing our meal on the low coffee table. After setting our plates and pouring our tea, I walked over to him and nudged his shoulder a few times. ¡°For someone who chastises me for working too hard, you¡¯re certainly absorbed,¡± I remarked, grabbing him by one of his horns and tugging. His gaze flicked to me finally, a faintly puzzled expression on his face. ¡°Our food and drink will get cold if you take much longer.¡± ¡°Look at this,¡± Nalithor stated, handing me a sheet of paper as he stood up. I skimmed the report, then looked up at Nalithor, ¡°The debris is getting cleaned up, but the Vulin haven¡¯t seen anyone or anything that could be responsible?¡± ¡°Djialkan and Fraelfnir will meet us where Falrrsald and the Suthsul Desert meet,¡± Nalithor informed me as we sat across from each other. He picked up his tea and took a swig before continuing, ¡°Alala will remain here to guard our temple, and the Vulin will sort any further reports we receive.¡± ¡°And the Lari¡¯xan approve of us heading off to investigate the structure?¡± I prompted. ¡°As I recall, it threw you quite far and sapped your strength in the process.¡± ¡°They approved and stated only for us to exercise caution.¡± Nalithor nodded to me, smiling. ¡°The Vulin and Alala will handle any guests that might wander through the portal from Dauthrmir. Yiltanys suggested that some of our comrades, and Lalira, might be best suited to work from here.¡± ¡°And they¡¯re allowed to use the portal?¡± I gave him a doubting look. ¡°It was constructed by the Lari¡¯xan.¡± Nalithor shrugged. ¡°If the Elders do not like it, they will have to take it up with Sihix and Yiltanys.¡± ¡°¡­I would pay to see that.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ve contacted the Elders already as well¡ªwe will have to walk,¡± Nalithor informed me. I groaned. Another stroll across Falrrsald was not what I wanted. Not for a long, long, long time. ¡°I know, my dear, I know. We must tolerate them and exercise restraint, for now.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I began, sighing heavily, ¡°when do you want to leave? You should probably tell me more about the place, and we should come up with a plan for what we¡¯re going to do once there. I don¡¯t like the idea of camping there or in the desert.¡± ¡°We can continue using our domain as ¡®camp.¡¯¡± Nalithor grinned, sitting back with his plate in one hand. ¡°We will need a plan for how we wish to investigate the structure and its surroundings, however. I¡¯ve never seen such a defense mechanism before, and it would be best if we didn¡¯t activate it again.¡± ¡°And you didn¡¯t see anything odd with the aether?¡± I frowned. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a mystery.¡± Nalithor shot me an amused look. ¡°And now who is far too absorbed?¡± ¡°I know, I know.¡± I pouted at him. ¡°Well, the first step is getting to the border. Once there, I think we should retire to our domain, so we can get Djialkan and Fraelfnir fully caught up. They¡¯ll probably have input regarding whatever plan we come up with between now and then, as well.¡± ¡°The two of you are off again?!¡± A female voice demanded. I glanced toward the door to find Corentine with her arms crossed, tapping her foot. ¡°You should at least make some time to enjoy the married life before you go! Honestly, whether you leave now or six weeks from now won¡¯t make a difference.¡± ¡°Are you saying that as an Oracle, or because you¡¯ve missed Arianna?¡± Nalithor chuckled, shooting the indignant woman an amused smile. ¡°We will remain here for a few more days. I have several more reports I¡¯m waiting to receive and would like to review them before we make our way south.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you two celebrate or something?¡± Corentine sighed at us. ¡°Two centuries apart, several curses, murder attempts, and Lari¡¯xan-know-what-else later, you¡¯re married. The God and Goddess of Balance! I¡¯d say that warrants a celebration, even if you haven¡¯t had an official ceremony.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to deal with plenty of celebration when our parents finally get to arrange a ceremony for us,¡± I pointed out dryly. ¡°We¡¯re content to keep mostly to ourselves, for now. Besides, we have our ways of celebrating.¡± ¡°At least let those of us in Auvry¡¯e throw you a party.¡± Corentine growled at us, her ears flicking back. ¡°You have any idea how excited everyone is that you were reunited with Nalithor? Let alone that you two are a pair now?¡± ¡®Is this what having a mother is like?¡¯ I asked, glancing at Nalithor. ¡®Quite.¡¯ Nalithor took a sip of his tea, his expression passive. ¡®The celebration would be more for them than it is for us, but I see no harm in indulging them. Given how much they adore you, they might take offense if we don¡¯t join them.¡¯ ¡°Fine, fine,¡± I sighed, looking toward Corentine again. ¡°We will agree to one celebration¡ªwhen we come back from the Suthsul Desert.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really set on going so soon?¡± Corentine frowned at us. ¡°We already arranged to meet with Djialkan and Fraelfnir,¡± Nalithor offered, earning a heavy sigh in response. ¡°I¡¯ve also spoken with the Elders and the Lari¡¯xan already. It wouldn¡¯t due for us to change our plans so suddenly. I agree with my wife¡ªcelebrating when we return would be for the best.¡± ¡®Are you going to get used to saying that? Hells, am I going to get used to hearing it?¡¯ I wondered, feeling the heat in my face and excitement in my chest. ¡®I hope not,¡¯ Nalithor mused. ¡°Fine, fine, I¡¯ll compromise. When you get back it is.¡± Corentine huffed. ¡°Shir, Gari, and I will keep training Alala while you¡¯re gone. Try not to be too long, alright?¡± ¡°We will be as quick as thoroughness allows,¡± Nalithor answered pointedly, shooting the Rylthra a matching look. ¡°That place perturbs me, and I intend for us to get to the bottom of the matter. It shouldn¡¯t be a mystery to so many of the gods.¡± ¡°Can I come by for dinner, at least, before you go?¡± Corentine gave us a pleading look. ¡°Of course¡ªtomorrow,¡± Nalithor stated after we¡¯d exchanged glances. ¡°We will be having guests, and you should be one of them. Tonight, Arianna and I will be focused on our duties as Balance. We have many things to prepare for still.¡± ¡°I can live with that.¡± Corentine grinned. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll stop pestering you for now. Left some gifts from Auvry¡¯e by the stairs for you! See you later!¡± I arched an eyebrow, watching the Rylthra prance out of the library, then turned my attention to Nalithor. ¡°Perhaps we should eat while we work,¡± Nalithor remarked dryly. ¡°If her behavior is anything to judge by, our other guests will be troublesome as well.¡± [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Vote! ] [B6] Chapter Twenty-Three: A Larixans Concerns Chapter Twenty-Three A Lari''xan''s Concerns ¡®Maybe we should have said, ¡°no.¡±¡¯ I leaned against Nalithor¡¯s side, a glass of wine in hand. He chuckled, squeezing me with an arm and his tail alike. ¡®Honestly, I can¡¯t decide whose parents are worse.¡¯ ¡®Yours. You have three,¡¯ Nalithor stated. I glanced around the table, maintaining a pleasant expression. He was right. Lucifer, Gabriel, and Corentine were a bit much to deal with on their own, let alone all of them in the same room. Nalithor¡¯s father was the most laid-back person present, while Ellena was¡­ Well, she seemed intent on coercing Gabriel and Corentine to harass me about all sorts of things. ¡°You two will really be leaving so soon?¡± Ellena probed, leaning forward in her seat. ¡°We are. There¡¯s a lot of work for us to do, and it¡¯s best we do it while we¡¯re still ¡®allowed¡¯ to,¡± I answered, giving her a pointed look. ¡°Be thankful we convinced them to remain another night to have dinner with us,¡± Father remarked, causing Ellena to pout. ¡°I understand how you feel, Ellena, but Arianna and Nalithor have lost time to make up for¡ªand not merely with their duties as deities.¡± ¡°Please. You want for an elaborate celebration just as we do.¡± Gabriel rolled her eyes, sitting back with a glass of wine. ¡°Yes, but I understand why they intend to prioritize their duties.¡± Father shot her a foul look, then turned his attention to Nalithor and me. ¡°It may be best for you both to avoid towns and cities for a time, anyway. Those who weren¡¯t swayed by Darius¡¯ lies are ecstatic to hear that you have become, officially, the God and Goddess of Balance.¡± ¡°As they should be,¡± Sihix drawled, appearing on a seat beside me. ¡°Am I going to have to return the lot of you to your rightful kingdoms myself? Arianna and Nalithor have preparations to see to before they retire for the night.¡± ¡°We wish to speak with our son before leaving,¡± Lysander spoke up, setting a cup of tea down before giving the Lari¡¯xan a steady stare. ¡°In that case, Ari-mrii, why don¡¯t you see the other three out?¡± Sihix suggested with an amused smile. I took the hint and rose to my feet along with Lucifer, Gabriel, and Corentine. The Lari¡¯xan followed close behind me, shutting the doors of the sitting room behind him. As we walked away, I briefly caught the sound of Lysander telling Nalithor he was proud of him. I raised an eyebrow, then shook my head and hurried to follow my own family through the temple. ¡°Arianna, goddess or not, I want you to be cautious,¡± Father stated, turning to frown at me. ¡°Darius¡¯ lies continue to spread like wildfire, even with the announcement that you and Nalithor have officially taken the role of Balance.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a troublesome brat,¡± Sihix remarked, crossing his arms. ¡°Yilty and I are going to see what we can do about him, but there are many other matters for us to address that are, frankly, more important.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°More important than mending Balance¡¯s reputation among the people?¡± Gabriel scowled up at the Lari¡¯xan. ¡°Quite.¡± Sihix shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful. We know our targets are dangerous and we can¡¯t simply rush headlong.¡± I looked to my father, nodding to him. ¡°Besides, Nalithor will be there to keep me from going overboard.¡± ¡°That instills me with so much confidence.¡± Father sighed, his shoulders slumping. ¡°They¡¯ll be fine!¡± Corentine laughed, her ears perking forward. ¡°Nalithor balances Arianna out fantastically. Their job is so incredibly important, you know this, Lucifer. I want to see everyone celebrate their marriage, shower them gifts, and so on too¡ªbut if they don¡¯t get to work, we won¡¯t have a suitable world to live on anymore.¡± ¡°And then it will be destroyed and made anew, again,¡± Sihix chimed in with a dangerous smile. He slung an arm around my shoulders. ¡°Ari-mrii and Nalithor are quite capable of righting this mess¡­if given the opportunity and time to work.¡± Father and Gabriel bristled in response to Sihix¡¯s tone, both growing paler. After saying our goodbyes, my father and Gabriel both left through the shimmering portal on the first floor of the Temple of Balance. Corentine gave me a tight hug before sauntering off toward the door so she could walk back to the Sihix Forest. I stretched my arms over my head, yawning, then turned to look up at Sihix. He looked less than pleased. ¡°What?¡± I asked flatly. ¡°To truly fix matters, you and Nalithor will have to slay many of the self-proclaimed Elders,¡± Sihix replied, turning to face me fully. ¡°With how few people, even deities, understand that the Elders are meant to be the Lari¡¯xan¡­ We¡¯re concerned about what that will do to you and Nalithor¡¯s relationship with the Vorpmasian Empire.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have much choice in the matter, do we?¡± I pointed out, sighing. ¡°It isn¡¯t ideal, but neither was me getting stabbed and sealed away on a flying island. We¡¯re just going to have to work with the cards we were dealt. If the empire hates us for a time, then so be it. They¡¯ll get over it, eventually.¡± ¡°And if they do not?¡± Sihix frowned. ¡°Then they¡¯re idiots.¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°We agreed that the Elders, or their boss, must be doing something to fool the other gods so thoroughly, didn¡¯t we? With all the bastards killed, I would think it would break whatever spell they cast. If it¡¯s something magitech-related, then we can disable and destroy it. ¡°With that done, you and the other Lari¡¯xan can exert your power to help right things. Of course, that hinges on finding their other domains and cleansing any corruption that¡¯s crept in.¡± ¡°Sending you through the fairy springs would be foolish,¡± Sihix remarked, rubbing his chin, before glancing toward where we had left Nalithor with his parents. ¡°I will discuss it with Yilty, Ceilail, and Xiinsha. We have time, after all.¡± Sihix vanished into the shadows, then the door he¡¯d been staring at swung open. I glanced over to see Lysander and Ellena striding toward me, with Nalithor slightly behind them. ¡°I expected Gabriel to be here, still fawning over you,¡± Lysander remarked, arching an eyebrow at me. ¡°Am I to assume Sihix managed to scare them off?¡± ¡°Indeed. The Lari¡¯xan are getting impatient.¡± I nodded. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m itching to get to work as well.¡± ¡°As am I.¡± Nalithor nodded, coming to a stop beside me. ¡°We will leave early in the morning and cover as much distance as we can.¡± ¡°You had best keep in touch!¡± Ellena huffed, putting an arm around both of us. ¡°Even if you can only send a Vulin, I want to know that you two are doing well.¡± ¡°Of course, Mother,¡± Nalithor sighed, a small smile on his lips. ¡°You two best be off before Sihix decides to return and take care of matters himself.¡± After a few rushed goodbyes, Lysander and Ellena both left. I leaned up against Nalithor¡¯s side and let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Sihix seemed¡­twitchy,¡± Nalithor remarked, putting an arm around me. ¡°He¡¯s worried about the possible repercussions among mortals and gods when we see to a rather specific part of our duties.¡± I shot Nalithor a sidelong look. ¡°Though, I think it¡¯s a little too late to worry about that.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Nalithor grimaced. ¡°Let¡¯s retire for the evening. I want to make certain we¡¯re both well rested before we leave for the desert.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t say no.¡± I nuzzled up against him. ¡°Our dinner made me sleepy, so did the wine¡­¡± ¡°And the conversation?¡± Nalithor chuckled, leading me toward the stairs. ¡°You said it, not me.¡± I laughed. [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Vote! ] [B6] Chapter Twenty-Four: Lay of the Land Chapter Twenty-Four Lay of the Land ¡°If we never have to go through a desert again, that would be wonderful.¡± I plopped down on the ground just inside our destination and summoned a waterskin. The moment we¡¯d stepped foot into the grasslands, the temperature had shifted from sweltering heat to a coolness reminiscent of early spring. ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down,¡± Nalithor reminded me. I followed his gaze to the distant foreign structure. Our travels had been mostly uneventful aside from meeting up with Fraelfnir and Djialkan, who now circled above our heads. The place we had come to investigate, however, made my stomach twist with unease. We likely had several more hours of waking to do before reaching the structure, yet it loomed high into the sky, managing to look threatening even from such a distance. As Nalithor had reported after his initial investigation, there were no signs of life in the lands surrounding the structure. It looked like it had rained recently, yet the only tracks in the mud were ours. ¡°What do you two think?¡± I looked up at the circling fae-dragons. Djialkan swooped down to perch on my shoulder. ¡°I could do without having to return to this place. The aetheric currents move strangely, and I do not smell a single living thing aside from us.¡± ¡°The crystals near the structure were depleted or repellent to aether,¡± Nalithor added, crouching to nudge through the soil underfoot. ¡°However, I didn¡¯t check by the outskirts.¡± I tilted my head, watching him poke through the ground, then turned my attention to our surroundings. To an extent, I had wondered if perhaps the landmass was meant to belong to X¡¯shmir¡ªor at least somewhere nearby. Now that I could see it for myself, however, I found myself agreeing with Nalithor that it was from elsewhere. The blue-green grass had a waxy coating to it, giving a frosted look when it caught the sunlight. Much of the other flora had a similar color. None of the small flowers blooming amidst the grass were familiar. The temperature was also cooler than near Eormir or our temple. Furthermore, everything smelled different. Even the soil. I returned my attention to Nalithor when I heard stone scraping against stone, then arched an eyebrow when I spotted a pillar of earth rising before him. He must have grown annoyed with digging by hand. ¡°Finally,¡± Nalithor muttered, stopping the pillar. He pulled a long crystal out of the damp stone and soil, pouring water from a waterskin over it. Finally, he perched beside me and leaned closer, showing me the pale beige crystal. ¡°The composition seems different from the crystals around both Vorpmasia and Eormir, but the aether within is stronger.¡± ¡°Stronger?¡± I nudged the crystal with one finger. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s because this land has been ¡®resting¡¯ without anyone to work it, or perhaps the Lari¡¯xan of Earth has domain near¡­wherever this place is meant to be?¡± ¡°I would say the latter,¡± Nalithor answered. ¡°Our research indicates that farming and other such industry don¡¯t drain aether from earth crystals. It¡¯s only the water crystals which weaken over time.¡± ¡°And we don¡¯t have any idea where the Lari¡¯xan of Earth has his domain, right?¡± I sighed, crossing my arms. ¡°You seemed mildly frustrated. Were you expecting more crystals in the soil?¡± ¡°If this region¡¯s natural location has large beasts, there would have been smaller crystal fragments closer to the surface.¡± Nalithor motioned with one hand. ¡°Either because they were¡­deposited, or because the heavier beasts crushed the crystals of this size.¡± ¡°So, whatever fauna are meant to be here must be small?¡± I asked. ¡°Small, perhaps airborne.¡± Nalithor paused to glance up, then sighed. ¡°I would think that, if someone teleported a piece of a country elsewhere, the animals and inhabitants would have come with it.¡± ¡°Do you want to take this slow, and investigate the countryside before we wander closer to the ¡®temple?¡¯¡± I asked, turning my gaze toward the building in question. ¡°Or¡­whatever it is meant to be. You said there seem to be houses or something inside of its exterior?¡± ¡°It could be a temple complex to some unknown deity,¡± Nalithor murmured, following my gaze. ¡°However, I am leaning toward the belief it is a city. When I was last here, I didn¡¯t see anything to indicate a religious purpose. You can¡¯t see from here, but the outer walls are damaged, from beasts or perhaps war. It¡¯s difficult to say which.¡± ¡°Maybe both.¡± I grimaced. ¡°Speaking of¡­ I¡¯m a little concerned we only ran into one beast between here and our temple.¡± ¡°One matter at a time.¡± Nalithor sighed heavily. ¡°I believe I spotted a stream nearby. Shall we investigate that first?¡± ¡°After you.¡± I rose to my feet and followed him, watching the fae-dragons leap into the sky again. Their silence and narrowed eyes made me think they felt just as on-edge as I did. Perhaps more.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. When we reached the stream, I climbed down the bank and stood in the knee-high water, turning over stones here and there. Under normal circumstances, I should have scared insects along the bank, scared fish, crayfish, or minnows from underfoot, but there was nothing. Nalithor whistled to get my attention, then handed me several vials, instructing me to fill them with water. Once I placed a cork in each, Nalithor grasped my wrist and helped haul me out of the stream. ¡°The water is pure, at least,¡± Nalithor remarked, taking one of the vials from me. He tilted it a few times, holding it at different angles in the light. ¡°The flora, at the very least, should be doing poorly without insects and other organisms present. Yet, the land seems to be thriving.¡± ¡°I noticed the desert isn¡¯t spilling over into this region at all.¡± I glanced back the way we¡¯d come, then looked up at Nalithor. ¡°It¡¯s like someone drew a line around this chunk of land and decreed the sand isn¡¯t allowed to filter in. None of the desert life seem to be wandering in, either.¡± ¡°Only birds.¡± Nalithor pointed upward at a flock passing over head. ¡°They seem blind to this place¡¯s existence.¡± ¡°Blind, blind, none of them notice this place!¡± Daijiro popped into existence beside us, wringing his paws together. ¡°Snakes, scorpions, mice¡ªnone of the desert creatures realize this place exists! Strange, because I don¡¯t sense a barrier.¡± ¡°Have there been any developments regarding the structure?¡± Nalithor asked, watching the Vulin fidget. ¡°Lights at night!¡± Daijiro¡¯s ears perked up. ¡°Very pretty, it looks like a punched metal lamp. But big, very big. Turns on at the same time, turns off at the same time.¡± ¡®Automated lights?¡¯ I stuffed my hands in my pants pockets and stared in the direction of the structure. Lights should have meant people, but unless they had incredible food stores, I couldn¡¯t imagine anyone living solely inside the city for long. ¡°It will take several days for us to properly investigate the outskirts,¡± Nalithor remarked, crossing his arms. He shifted to look at me and continued, ¡°We only have a few hours before evening. I¡¯m thinking we should use this stream as our starting point, and work inward toward the structure in a spiral pattern.¡± ¡°And use our domain for ¡®camp¡¯ still?¡± I asked. ¡°Indeed. I don¡¯t think I can sleep with that looming over us.¡± Nalithor glanced over his shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go then. Just tell me what you want me to look for.¡± I smiled at him. ¡°I want you to keep an eye on the aether, while I test the soil composition and search for hints of prior civilization,¡± Nalithor began, leading me away from the stream. As we walked, I switched my vision so I could examine the aether. ¡°They must have had other towns, farmland, and more prior to withdrawing to that city. Remnants of such infrastructure should lurk beneath the surface and would give us clues as to their species and how they developed.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­ But what if a god erected that city for them early on?¡± I suggested while studying the arcs of aether over our head. ¡°You said the walls are damaged. If they¡¯re from a predator or a rival nation, a deity could have theoretically created a city to protect their people, right?¡± ¡°It would have been very dangerous for them, but yes.¡± Nalithor frowned, then glanced down at Daijiro. ¡°You said that lights turn on inside the city at night. Do you believe they are Magitech?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Daijiro nodded vigorously. ¡°Most certainly Magitech, yes, very shiny. Stable. Pretty. Not fire, no, no.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯re dealing with a nation near equal to Vorpmasia in regard to technological advancement.¡± I studied the building, the motioned toward a protrusion out one side. ¡°Is that the ¡®bridge¡¯ you investigated before?¡± I paused, waiting for Nalithor to nod. ¡°I think it¡¯s high enough for them to tether something akin to an airship to. Perhaps an airship couldn¡¯t fit inside, but it seems reasonable that several could have been tethered to the bridge at any given time. Maybe a storm or some other such phenomena resulted in the airships being tugged away while tethered, and that¡¯s why the bridge is now mostly in pieces.¡± ¡°It is a possibility, yes.¡± Fraelfnir drifted down to join us. ¡°I also agree that the structure could have been made by a deity. There are no signs of quarrying or lumbering outside the city walls, which begs the question where the materials came from. Were they transported, we should still see hints of roads carved across the landscape by carts.¡± ¡°The aether looks like it¡¯s probably stronger toward the city too, but I can¡¯t tell very well from here,¡± I added, squinting briefly. ¡°It could just be due to people living inside the city, but I¡¯m inclined to think it¡¯s more than that.¡± ¡°Djialkan and I will keep our eyes on the city so that you two may focus on your other investigations first.¡± Fraelfnir beat his wings a few times, gaining altitude. ¡°We will warn you should the city prepare an assault.¡± Nalithor and I exchanged a look before returning our attentions to our respective duties. No matter how hard I looked, nothing about the aether in the area looked off or otherwise wrong. The longer we wandered, the more I felt that the feeling of wrongness came from the region being displaced from its original country or continent. My companions weren¡¯t having much luck either. Everything Nalithor found appeared normal, to a point he didn¡¯t think the land had been farmed ever. At least, not on the side of the structure we were on. He intended to repeatedly sample the soil as we spiraled closer toward the building at the center. We decided to continue our investigations until the lights within the city turned on because we wanted to see for ourselves if it was Magitech. Several hours without any measurable progress aside from distance traveled was frustrating, at best. When the sun dipped behind Suthsul¡¯s dunes, the lights within the structure flicked on instantly. Nalithor and I stood in silence for a short while, staring at the distant structure. The steady, warm light never dimmed or changed in intensity. The amount of aether surrounding the structure increased the moment the lights turned on, surrounding it in lazy swirls of gold and red. ¡°We are dealing with advanced architects, then.¡± Nalithor crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°I struggle to think a deity could create a city so complex, or invent Magitech, without at least having some manner of reference first.¡± ¡°Well, their allies or enemies could have Magitech,¡± I suggested. ¡°If a deity is responsible, they could have emulated what they saw from neighboring lands. Though, most of our reports from the Nrae''lmar Continent suggested tribal lifestyles, didn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°On the coast, yes.¡± Nalithor frowned. ¡°We have yet to wander more than a few miles inland.¡± ¡°If a deity used their power to create such a city, they might have been Exiled for abusing their power,¡± Djialkan stated. ¡°We can speculate over dinner.¡± I sighed, nodding, when my stomach growled. ¡°We will begin anew in the morning.¡± Nalithor made an upward motion, summoning darkness around his hand, before pressing his fingertips to a nearby stone. A sigil sunk into it, before blooming into a shadowy doorway. ¡°We¡¯ll return here once we¡¯ve rested. After you.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t argue with that. We¡¯re in dire need of a bath.¡± I swatted him with my tails as I strode past. [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Vote! ] [B6] Chapter Twenty-Five: An Indication Chapter Twenty-Five An Indication ¡°This place is so strange.¡± I sighed while floating alongside Nalithor. ¡°I¡¯d almost feel better if the wrongness here sent us both into a frenzy.¡± ¡°Only because you would enjoy the aftermath.¡± Nalithor shot me a sideways glance, his mouth curving into an alluring smile. ¡°Boredom makes you even more insatiable, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Boredom¡¯s hardly the only thing that does it.¡± I grinned and reached over to prod his chest. ¡°Really though, can you blame me? There¡¯s nothing out here! If anyone is living in that city-thing, I¡¯d be surprised. I doubt they can grow food well in there.¡± ¡°It is strange.¡± Nalithor nodded, glancing toward the structure. He narrowed his eyes briefly. ¡°I wonder¡­¡± ¡°Mmm?¡± I tilted my head. When he didn¡¯t respond, I tugged on his hair. ¡°If a deity did create that city, I can¡¯t imagine they would have survived¡ªunless their heart placed them in stasis.¡± Nalithor finally shifted to look down at me, his expression serious. ¡°That could account for the aether drained from crystals near the structure itself. I¡¯ve noticed the crystals are growing weaker the closer we venture.¡± ¡°How would we fix something like that?¡± I raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ve broken Lari¡¯xan out of their protection before, but if someone was so drained that their heart erected a barrier¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a theory.¡± Nalithor shook his head. ¡°I think we¡¯ve learned all we can from the ground and the streams. We need to figure out how to get into the city itself without triggering its defense mechanisms.¡± ¡°Did you try asking last time?¡± I questioned. ¡°Ah¡­ No.¡± Nalithor fell silent for a moment. ¡°Do you really think the solution would be so simple?¡± ¡°No, but we won¡¯t know if we don¡¯t try.¡± I shrugged. ¡°There could have been guards or an enchantment at the door you tried to get through. Since our instincts aren¡¯t going crazy, I have to assume that the inhabitants¡ªif there are any¡ªaren¡¯t a problem. It¡¯s the fact their country or city-state was teleported elsewhere that¡¯s the issue¡­and we¡¯re going to have to get inside if we want to figure out where it¡¯s supposed to be.¡± Nalithor sighed heavily before glancing upward at the fae-dragons, ¡°Neither of you have anything to say?¡± ¡°Only that you are taking too much time to make a decision,¡± Djialkan stated. ¡°Well, I suppose that answers that.¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°Shall we, hubby?¡± ¡°Indeed¡­but let¡¯s approach on foot.¡± Nalithor looked to the fae-dragons again and called, ¡°That goes for the both of you as well.¡± With Djialkan on my shoulder and Fraelfnir on Nalithor¡¯s, we turned and walked directly toward the towering city. The nearer we walked, the less aether I saw in the ground and the more I saw swirling around the structure. There was no single elemental aspect. Instead, nearly all the elements had combined in their dance. By the time we reached the structure, I was convinced a deity had to be involved in its construction. A civilization capable of building such a thing should have wandered to the Rilzaan Continent a long time ago, even if we accounted for the Split. If I focused my vision, I could make out pipes containing flowing aether deep within the walls. ¡°Do you think anyone is living within?¡± Nalithor asked as I traced my hand over the stone wall. ¡°Unless their Magitech can maintain itself, yes.¡± I narrowed my eyes, looking upward at the brightest source of aether. It pulled at me in a way that seemed as if it should be familiar. Like I should have known what it was. ¡°You sense it as well?¡± Nalithor asked. I shifted to look at him out of the corner of my eyes. ¡°I am getting mixed impressions. You?¡± ¡°Like there¡¯s an Exile and like there isn¡¯t?¡± I offered, crossing my arms. ¡°Where¡¯s this gate you mentioned? I want to try introducing ourselves. If they attempt to attack, we can move forward with the assumption they¡¯re an enemy.¡± ¡°And if they don¡¯t?¡± Nalithor followed my gaze upward. ¡°Then I think we can safely assume they¡¯re not meant to be Exiled.¡± I pivoted to look up at him. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re right that poses all sorts of problems.¡± Nalithor sighed, running a hand back through his loose hair. ¡®The Jivyador, chiefly. I doubt the Lari¡¯xan would be bothered unless we didn¡¯t assist. Either way, we must do something. Come, this way.¡¯ I followed Nalithor around the base of the tower, occasionally nudging inert crystals out of my way. Now that I could see them up-close, I understood why the gouges on the outer wall perplexed him. It would have taken an extraordinary amount of force to damage the stone in such a way. When we finally came to the broken bridge, I frowned at its scattered remains. The concentration of inert crystals was most certainly stronger there. Many of the crystals looked to have fallen out of inlays on the bridge itself. ¡®We¡¯re being watched,¡¯ I remarked while crouching down to examine a crystal too large to lift. ¡®Is it the Jivyador, or something else?¡¯ ¡®I haven¡¯t sensed those bastards since leaving Falrrsald,¡¯ Nalithor answered, nudging me with his tail briefly as he passed. I glanced toward him, watching as he prodded a crystal with his aether¡ªwhich the crystal promptly repelled. ¡®I had a thought regarding these crystals, however.¡¯This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡®Which is?¡¯ Fraelfnir asked impatiently. ¡®What if it is a protective coating on the crystals themselves that repels aether?¡¯ Nalithor suggested, lifting a smaller crystal in one hand. ¡®In an outright war, mages could, in theory, drain the aether from enemy Magitech by drawing upon their crystals. Vorpmasia protects its airships by coating the ships themselves, because we wish to make certain we can recharge the crystals. However, a similar concoction could be applied directly to them instead. Similar to applying oil to clothing to make it water resistant.¡¯ ¡®That would certainly explain a few things, but possibly remove any connection between this structure and the corrupted creatures we can¡¯t seem to kill.¡¯ I tapped one foot, sinking into thought while Nalithor continued to poke around. ¡®Your colleagues at the academy haven¡¯t made more progress with those damned things, right?¡¯ ¡®Unfortunately.¡¯ Nalithor grimaced, turning to look at me. Next, his gaze flicked up the tower. ¡®Shall we see if anyone is home?¡¯ ¡®We may as well,¡¯ I remarked, stepping closer to him. He promptly scooped me up and sprouted wings, flying us to the outcropping above. ¡®You need to teach me how to fly. As much as you enjoy it, we can¡¯t have you carrying me all the time.¡¯ ¡®Such a pity¡­but you¡¯re right.¡¯ Nalithor chuckled, setting me down. He kept an arm around my waist as he turned his attention to the gate in front of us. ¡®Now then, how shall we introduce ourselves?¡¯ ¡®As husband and wife?¡¯ I teased, swatting at his tail with mine before looking toward the gate as well. When I spoke again, I put strength into my voice to make certain it would carry. ¡°Do you intend to make the God and Goddess of Balance stand out here all day?¡± The aether around the gate flinched and shivered, before swirling and retreating further into the city. Moments later, I heard metal and stone grinding together. Before us, the gate slowly opened, and a pair of guards promptly dropped to their knees in front of us, pressing their foreheads to the stone pathway. Nalithor and I exchanged a look before returning our attention to the shaking guards. ¡®They speak Draemiran?¡¯ I remarked. ¡®Strange would be putting it lightly.¡¯ Nalithor took a step forward. ¡°P-p-please, we are not responsible for your priory injury, my lord!¡± One of the guards skittered backwards from Nalithor on all fours. ¡°Our city¡¯s defenses¡ª¡± ¡°I am aware.¡± Nalithor raised an eyebrow. ¡°We¡¯re here to find out why your city has appeared here, and where from.¡± The guards hesitated before removing their helmets, revealing distinctly Devillian features. On the right, an Adinvyr. On the left, a Sizoul. Both male. Although they spoke Draemiran, their accent was very different from anything I¡¯d heard before. ¡°We¡­ah, what is the word¡­¡± The Sizoul paused, frowning. He muttered something to his comrade in another language, and I tilted my head. It sounded similar to the language Lalira spoke. Nalithor tensed beside me, his eyes narrowing. I examined our surroundings while my nylziis¡­husband¡­spoke to the guards in their native tongue. With the gate open, and us inside, it was obvious that the structure was indeed a city. None of the architecture looked familiar. Nearby, more Devillians of nearly every race poked their heads around corners or out of windows to peer at us. There was something vaguely religious about the decorations on their homes and along the streets. I glanced over the edge of the bridge we stood on. Crisscrossing supports and pillars of stone beneath us held the city up. Crystals shone light on farmland and the river below. There was a scattering of buildings down there as well, but it appeared that the city ¡°began¡± up where we were. ¡®Change into something more befitting a goddess, my dear,¡¯ Nalithor remarked, nudging me to get my attention. I returned my gaze to him, finding he wore extravagant armored robes of Draemiran design. The gaping neckline put the brands around his throat and down his chest on display. ¡®And what did our most gracious hosts have to say?¡¯ I prompted, summoning similar attire around myself. Nalithor placed his arm around me again, sliding his hand down the side of my torso before eventually resting it on my hip. I arched an eyebrow at him. ¡®They are going to take us to the temple at the ¡°crown¡± of the city,¡¯ Nalithor answered while stroking my hip. ¡®It appears that you were right about this place being built by a god. They said that it was created to protect them from a ¡°she-demon¡¯s wrath.¡±¡¯ ¡®She-demon¡­ Do you think they¡¯re talking about my father¡¯s counterpart?¡¯ I let Nalithor pull me along with him, following the nervous guards. Nalithor spoke in their native tongue again, this time in a questioning tone, after their stuttering answer, he frowned. ¡®It sounds as if she¡¯s who they¡¯re talking about, yes. They¡¯re under the impression the gods teleported their city here to save them from her. If they¡¯re correct, she¡¯s become fully unhinged.¡¯ ¡®Do they know why?¡¯ I asked, but he just shook his head. ¡°My lady¡­¡± One of the guards glanced my way. ¡°Your father¡­king of Devillians?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I stated simply. The pair exchanged frowns. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he with¡­her?¡± The other one asked. ¡°That is a very long story.¡± Nalithor shook his head. ¡°Suffice to say they were not created on the same continent.¡± When they gave him a confused look, Nalithor repeated himself in their language. Startled expressions crossed their faces, and they immediately began pelting Nalithor with questions. ¡®They weren¡¯t aware they were no longer on the Nrae¡¯lmar Continent,¡¯ Nalithor remarked. ¡®They are running out of space.¡¯ Fraelfnir craned his head around, pausing now and then to peer at someone or something. ¡®I believe I know who our city-building culprit is.¡¯ ¡®Aye. It seems they are not a Draemiran myth after all.¡¯ Djialkan nodded once. ¡®Care to elaborate?¡¯ Nalithor huffed. ¡®Land deities,¡¯ Fraelfnir stated. Nalithor tensed beside me. ¡®Why would a guardian of the land be Exiled?¡¯ ¡®I wonder.¡¯ The fae-dragons both responded, their tones dripping sarcasm. ¡®Land deity?¡¯ I probed. Nalithor let out a small sigh before explaining, ¡®Draemir, and a handful of other countries, believe there is a tier of deity or godlike being beneath the Lesser Gods. Their role is to protect different regions. I believe they are more like Guardians, but¡­¡¯ I frowned. Guardians with the purpose of protecting the land made sense. After all, Shir and Gari essentially served that exact role in the Sihix Forest. However, there would have to be hundreds or thousands of such beings. When we got to the temple, my frown deepened. The ¡°temple¡± was little more than an arrangement of pillars and a lush garden. At the very center was a large golden crystal in the shape of a teardrop. Inside it hovered a humanoid shadow. The crystal was too thick to make out any other features. It hummed when I prodded it with my aether. ¡®There¡¯s no corruption.¡¯ I looked to Nalithor as he released my waist. ¡°He¡¯s been like this many moons.¡± The Sizoul guard edged back a few feet. ¡°Many, many moons¡­¡± ¡°What manner of elemental energy does he usually consume?¡± Nalithor questioned, tugging at the hems of his gloves. The pair gave him confused looks, resulting in a sigh and a repeated question. He soon gave the guards orders to retreat, which they thankfully obeyed. ¡°Arianna, instruct the Vulin to bring us a copious amount of earth crystals. We¡¯re going to have to be careful with this one. ¡°Djialkan, Fraelfnir, make certain no one interferes.¡± [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Vote! ] [B6] Chapter Twenty-Six: Slow and Steady Chapter Twenty-Six Slow and Steady ¡°What do you think?¡± I asked, watching Nalithor pace around the crystal-encased deity. ¡°He is most certainly a land deity.¡± Nalithor glanced toward me, then at the smooth crystal I was tossing up and down in one hand. ¡°Do be careful with that, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°A land deity has the power necessary to build a city like this?¡± I raised an eyebrow at Nalithor and then looked at the trapped deity. ¡°Not by himself, no. If we were to see the land this place came from, I imagine the nearby crystals would be drained of power and the ground barren.¡± Nalithor crossed his arms over his chest and sighed. ¡°These people must have been under a serious threat for a land deity to go to such lengths. Not only would he have had to use his power to construct this place, but he would have had to teleport them inside. The countryside around this place must have been drained for miles around.¡± ¡°And he¡¯s been Exiled for it?¡± I muttered, grasping the crystal in my hand firmly and narrowing my eyes at the deity¡¯s aether. Pure as could be, but weak. ¡°If he possibly drained that much aether, how are we going to help him recuperate? Even with the Vulin bringing us crystals, that¡¯s just so much!¡± ¡°We will have to be slow and careful.¡± Nalithor strode over and picked up a palm-sized crystal from the stack beside me. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be an issue for me to transfer the aether from the crystals to our trapped friend, here. Since you have no affinity for earth magics, I want you to play the role of guard instead. There is every possibility we might have intruders.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t mean the people of this city, do you?¡± I glanced over my shoulder at the barricade we¡¯d built down the road. There was a small crowd of people peering over it, but the city¡¯s guards were having no issues keeping them at bay. ¡°Indeed. We need to be alert.¡± Nalithor nodded to me before turning his attention back to the large crystal nearby. ¡°Yumeko, have the others finished their preparations?¡± ¡°Yes, Rely¡¯ric. Emptied crystals will be taken away immediately so they can recharge elsewhere.¡± The strawberry-furred Vulin bowed. ¡°Our men in the quarry are positioned to transport more crystals to your domain, and then here, as we go through supplies.¡± ¡°Good. Let¡¯s begin.¡± Nalithor nodded to Yumeko, who quickly scampered off to play her role as overseer. I watched Nalithor raise a crystal in one hand, his eyes closing. Within seconds, the crystal began to levitate. Aether gently flowed out of the crystal and toward the imprisoned deity nearby. I placed one hand on Eoraso¡¯s hilt and let my senses take over in search of threats. Even if the city¡¯s defenses were capable of knocking Nalithor clear out of the region, I didn¡¯t trust that the Jivyador couldn¡¯t find a way in. After all, it would only take them introducing themselves in a similar manner to what we had done. These people feared deities, even if they clearly adored the one that rescued them. ¡®Just what is going on over in the Nrae¡¯lmar Continent?¡¯ I grimaced to myself and shifted to examine our surroundings. A small sigh left me when I spotted the land deity directing aether to many of the plants, and likely to the farming area below us. ¡°Nalithor, should we keep it from feeding our surroundings while you work?¡± ¡°No, let it continue.¡± Nalithor shook his head. ¡°His power is what¡¯s allowing this place to survive in the desert.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. We both fell silent, him to continue feeding aether to the weakened land deity, and me to protect our surroundings. Djialkan perched on my shoulder and yawned before curling around my neck, his tail swishing in boredom. I scratched his scales with my free hand. ¡®Fraelfnir is attempting to determine how this chunk of land was brought here.¡¯ Djialkan yawned again and stretched his front legs forward. ¡®We do not believe this land god is responsible for teleporting its domain elsewhere. It is more likely that it was done with malicious intent.¡¯ I frowned at the idea. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be simpler to dump the entire place into the ocean, if that were the case?¡¯ ¡®That could have been the intention. They may have simply missed.¡¯ Djialkan shrugged. ¡®We have not caught the scent of Jivyador plots at work. I believe that, in this one instance, they may not be responsible. Instead, I believe it may be time to turn our attention toward the ¡°she-demon¡± the locals keep speaking of.¡¯ ¡®My father¡¯s would-be goddess?¡¯ I grimaced at the idea. ¡®Can we trade her in for a new one?¡¯ Djialkan smacked me in the face with his tail. ¡®Do not go jumping to conclusions just yet! There may yet be a chance to save her from whatever corruption has taken hold.¡¯ ¡®We also don¡¯t have a reliable way to get to the Nrae¡¯lmar Continent, or any idea where on the continent they¡¯re located,¡¯ I countered with a small huff. ¡®We need to travel there anyway to search for more of the Aledacian Forests¡ªand any corrupted Lari¡¯xan within. That said, we¡¯d have to commandeer one of the Vorpmasian airships to go there and, as far as I know, they weren¡¯t planning to send another expedition anytime soon.¡¯ ¡®And without having gone there himself, Nalithor cannot construct a portal for you to utilize. Indeed.¡¯ Djialkan nodded. ¡®It will be fine. The Lari¡¯xan will find a way, if Vorpmasia cannot spare a ship until after their war campaign.¡¯ I glanced down when I felt a tug at my robes. Yumeko smiled and offered me a cup of tea. After I took it, she promptly trotted off to resume her duties. Off to my left, the rest of the Vulin had brought several hundred pounds of earth crystals, and more were arriving all the time. Nearby, a line of Vulin took emptied crystals from Nalithor and ferried them into a small, Vulin-sized portal. The deity¡¯s crystalline heart shrank in the tiniest of increments with each new crystal Nalithor drained of power. We would be there for a while. ¡°I believe they are attempting to gain your attention,¡± Djialkan remarked, glancing behind me somewhere. I made a face before turning around and walking down the road to see what the locals wanted. ¡°How about convincing them to return to their homes, hmmm?¡± I gave the fae-dragon a sideways glance. ¡°Especially the children.¡± Djialkan quickly conversed with the gathered crowd, his talons tightening on my shoulder as they spoke. Finally, he released a low growl and informed me, ¡°They say that an angry deity appeared outside and was cast off by the city¡¯s wards. Followed by three more of similar garments.¡± I thought on it for a moment. Although I enjoyed the idea of wandering outside to hunt the Jivyador down myself, I wasn¡¯t sure if showing the locals that I was capable of killing deities was a good idea. ¡°Instruct them not to let anyone into the city. Explain that the others have mistaken their protector as an Exile, if you must.¡± Djialkan nodded to me before returning his attention to the worried citizens. ¡®What¡¯s the matter?¡¯ Nalithor called to me. ¡®Several Jivyador have been thrown from the gate.¡¯ I stroked Eoraso¡¯s hilt with my thumb, feeling the weapon vibrate under my hand. ¡®I¡¯m having Djialkan instruct the locals to keep the gates shut. Can you tell if the city¡¯s defenses are draining the deity¡¯s power?¡¯ ¡®It would explain a few of the drops I¡¯ve observed,¡¯ Nalithor answered. ¡®I can compensate by feeding him aether at an increased rate, but the Vulin may not be able to keep up. Even so, don¡¯t go hunting them just yet. If the city¡¯s defenses fail, I¡¯ll need you here.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ll try to restrain myself,¡¯ I replied, an amused smile coming to my face. ¡°Djialkan?¡± ¡°They have agreed, and they are calling more guards to escort the civilians home,¡± Djialkan answered with a brief nod. ¡®We will have to deal with the Jivyador, whether it is now or after the land deity has awoken.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m aware.¡¯ I turned and strode back to my post. ¡®Let¡¯s wait. I don¡¯t want these people causing problems because they think I might turn my blade against their savior next.¡¯ [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Vote! ] [B6] Chapter Twenty-Seven: Assault Chapter Twenty-Seven Assault I gleefully plunged Eoraso into the chest of a Jivyador, a wicked grin on my lips. In the next motion, I brandished the blade and beheaded another one. They wouldn¡¯t interrupt Nalithor¡¯s work. I wouldn¡¯t allow it. One of the intruders rushed me with an axe, but I was faster. Another sent arrows of light careening toward me. My darkness snuffed them and their magic out. ¡°Do hurry up!¡± Fraelfnir snapped at Nalithor. ¡°I am going as swiftly as I can!¡± He growled back. ¡®Arianna, there are more!¡¯ Djialkan called to me. Cursing, I readied Eoraso and leapt at yet another Jivyador. After hurried deliberation we had decided that using Eoraso instead of the Godslayer was safer. We could play off our attackers as false gods that way, if the locals questioned us. My blade sunk into the Jivyador¡¯s chest. As he fell to the ground, I ripped my sword out of him and moved for the next. The remaining Jivyador yelled at me in a foreign language. If it was important, I knew Nalithor or our Guardians would speak up. Since they didn¡¯t, I kept going. Corruption wafted around the Jivyador, strengthening my rage. I wove shadows around Eoraso¡¯s glimmering blade and decapitated another one of the bastards. Light. The stench reached me first. Darkness exploded around me, creating a shield. The shrill sound of light magic dissipated in my shadowy wall, leaving only the sound of the Jivyador¡¯s footsteps¡­and the beating of wings. When I lowered my shield, I lunged for the nearest target and struck him in the throat. Several feet above us, an Angel hovered, gathering light magic above each hand. I leapt upward and shoved my sword upward through his abdomen. Upon landing, I surveyed the area for more targets. Jivyador shouldn¡¯t have been so weak. I¡¯d slain over a dozen, yet none of them had proved to be a challenge. Their attacks were disjointed and focused solely on me. None of them seemed to even consider the option of working with each other. ¡®Leave them to me.¡¯ An unfamiliar voice whispered in my head. Before I could search for the voice¡¯s owner, stone erupted upward around me and crushed two of the Jivyador between the slaps. When the stone parted, there was nothing left but a smear of blood and ruined clothes.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Our friend here is not at all pleased about his people being threatened.¡± Nalithor strode over to me, spear in hand and a smile on his lips. He examined me briefly, then at the gore around me. ¡°It will take some time to return this place to its pristine state, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± A bulky man with chestnut brown hair darted past us, slamming one fist into the face of a Jivyador. The false god¡¯s head exploded in gore, the rest of its corpse dropping to the ground, limp. I raised an eyebrow and watched the land deity use his fists, feet, and earth magic to wipe out the remaining eight Jivyador. By the end, almost two dozen Jivyador corpses were scattered around the deity¡¯s ¡°temple.¡± ¡°My name is Fihr. For helping me and my people, you are welcome to stay.¡± The land deity turned to look between Nalithor and me. ¡°I overheard your conversations with my people. You are correct to think our enemies sought to sink us in the ocean¡ªand missed. Dimquth is a humble city. One I wouldn¡¯t allow to be razed by that she-demon. ¡°What were our attackers? They claimed to be deities, yet¡­¡± he paused to kick a nearby head, ¡°they died so easily. Your wife cut them down as if they were as trivial as grass.¡± ¡°We should deal with this atrocious mess before discussing this further,¡± Fraelfnir spoke up from Nalithor¡¯s shoulder, a displeased grimace on his snout. ¡°Your worshipers should not be exposed to such corruption.¡± ¡°Corruption?¡± Fihr frowned. ¡°That.¡± I pointed at a corpse near him, and the brown blood oozing from it. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here and help the Vulin clean up the mess I made. We should have someone here to purify the corruption anyway.¡± ¡°You¡¯re certain?¡± Nalithor arched an eyebrow at me. I nodded. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll join you once I¡¯m done here.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Nalithor gave me a brief kiss before taking his leave, pulling the confused Fihr along with him. ¡°Reiz¡¯tar?¡± Yumeko tilted her head at me. ¡°There are some things I want to check while we clean up,¡± I informed her, turning my attention to one of the corpses nearby. ¡°Plus, I¡¯m not convinced more won¡¯t show up. If they do, I¡¯ll be here to protect you and yours while we work.¡± ¡°But to allow Reiz¡¯tar to¡­¡± Yumeko sighed, her shoulders slumping. ¡°I suppose your hands are already dirtied by having to slay the fiends. Is that your mindset?¡± ¡°Well, that and I don¡¯t think you should have to deal with the mess I made!¡± I laughed, shooting her a pleasant smile. ¡°We¡¯ll pile the bodies for disposal here. Before we add them¡ªor their pieces¡ªI want to inspect them with my aether, and purify them after.¡± ¡°That will take a long while.¡± Yumeko frowned at me. I shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s necessary. I want to check their corruption and also their lingering aether. They weren¡¯t speaking a language I¡¯ve heard before. If they¡¯re from another continent, I might find clues while searching them.¡± ¡°As you wish, Reiz¡¯tar.¡± Yumeko sighed again. ¡°I will make sure everyone knows, and that they are careful.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I smiled at her. ¡®Over a dozen dead Jivyador and no others have come to investigate? This is suspicious,¡¯ Djialkan voiced his agreement, gripping my shoulder tightly with his talons. ¡®We will not be free of them long. You should work quickly.¡¯ [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Vote! ] [B6] Chapter Twenty-Eight: Setting up in Dimquth Chapter Twenty-Eight Setting up in Dimquth I nibbled aimlessly on a piece of jerky while skimming the notes I¡¯d written over the past few hours. Nearby, various vials, jars, and bottles were filled with ¡°Jivyador bits.¡± Wisps of shadow clung to my surroundings, proof of the efforts I¡¯d given to purifying the corruption in the area. The only thing I¡¯d left untouched were the samples near me. ¡°You want us to investigate, Reiz¡¯tar?¡± Yumeko questioned. ¡°Nalithor and I need to rely more on our comrades and less on the Vorpmasian Empire,¡± I murmured, continuing to skim my notes. ¡°Besides, they¡¯re not ready to hear what the Jivyador are. We would be creating problems for ourselves if we went to them with the samples.¡± ¡°Very well, Reiz¡¯tar. I will have them brought to your domain so our scholars can begin their studies at once.¡± Yumeko nodded fervently as I glanced over the paper at her. After scribbling a little more, I handed the stack of notes to her as well. We parted ways and I followed the stone path into Dimquth to search for Nalithor and Fihr. Most of the citizens and guards alike had returned to their homes for the evening, allowing me to wander the spiraling streets in peace. Eventually, I found the pair at the very bottom of the city, overlooking the farmland below.Stolen novel; please report. ¡°There you are.¡± Nalithor glanced over his shoulder at me. ¡°What did you find?¡± I came to a stop alongside them. ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. The Vulin are taking samples back to our domain for study.¡± ¡°We think the Jivyador came from the Nrae¡¯lmar Continent, but we¡¯re not sure how they got here.¡± Nalithor crossed his arms over his chest, his expression darkening. ¡°Since they were able to appear inside the city, I don¡¯t think they traveled here from Nrae¡¯lmar using more traditional methods. However, Dimquth has been here for a while. The Jivyador could have attacked sooner.¡± ¡°My question is why they wanted to attack Fihr.¡± I glanced over at the land god, who shrugged. ¡°The Devillian queen was the primary threat to your people, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve never seen individuals like these ¡®Jivyador¡¯ before.¡± Fihr frowned. ¡°I wish to learn more, but I am tired.¡± ¡°As am I. We can continue our discussion tomorrow.¡± Nalithor nodded to Fihr. With that, Fihr led us to a small house that had been prepared for us. Once the land deity was gone and Nalithor had locked the front door, I sighed heavily and placed a hand on one him. ¡°We¡¯re staying here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not convinced more Jivyador won¡¯t appear,¡± Nalithor answered, grimacing. ¡°We will stay here and deal with any threats that arise. The Vulin will bring us dinner soon.¡± ¡°Then I should go take a bath¡­¡± I grimaced down at myself. [ Discord | Amazon | Other Stores | Facebook | Author''s Site | Vote! ] Update: Wrist Health and My Creative Process
Hi there, everyone! I¡¯m still waiting for my wrist to heal at the moment, but I wanted to give everyone an update on that¡ªand on some changes I will be making to how I post chapters for my various series. Re: Wrist An overly generous friend of mine bought me an ergonomic keyboard. Many authors swear by this keyboard because it allows them to write thousands of words a day without hurting themselves. There¡¯ll be a learning curve while I learn to use it, but this this will hopefully assist me in maintaining my wrist health. Since I have a history of RSI (Repetitive Stress Injury) and carpal tunnel, it¡¯s important I do what I can to prevent it¡ªand I hate dictating (speech to text.) Re: My Creative Process For much of last year, I was releasing four chapters a week between two series. While this is great for y¡¯all, it isn¡¯t so great for me. It¡¯s a lot of pressure and very little free time for me. There¡¯s also an issue due to how my creative process works. I¡¯ll be making some changes, and for you to fully understand why¡ªI need to explain how my creative process works.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. A lot of authors can simply dive into whichever project they need to work on in any given day. My brain doesn¡¯t work that way. I wake up in one of the following modes and am stuck with it until it¡¯s reset by sleep: This becomes a problem when I need to write, say, an OAU chapter but I wake up with DoS Brain turned on instead. Using a rigid schedule stifles my process and results in me spending 4x longer or more on a chapter than I would otherwise need to. It¡¯s the chief cause in ¡°late¡± chapters. 2,000-4,000 words should only take me a few hours. However, with a deadline, and if I wake up with the ¡°wrong¡± mindset, it can take me 12+ hours of work to write that single chapter. So, what am I going to do about this? I need to use a process that works for me instead of against me. Instead of forcing myself to focus on a specific story that my brain doesn¡¯t want to focus on, I will be working with my brain¡¯s ¡°mode¡± of the day. If that means writing DoS, I¡¯ll write DoS. If that means editing, I¡¯ll work on editing. If I hate everything? I¡¯ll be taking a break for that specific day. By doing this, I can give each of my series attention every month and do them proper justice. This should actually increase my productivity, it just means that I won¡¯t be putting out 8 chapters per series per month. So, here¡¯s what you can expect. It will likely be more than this, but there are factors like work, illness, and travel that could throw a wrench into things. For example, I will probably be going to Dragon Con with a bunch of GameLit/LitRPG authors later this year and won¡¯t be able to write while at the convention. Patreon will continue to get chapters earlier than Royal Road, Wattpad, and my personal sites. I¡¯m also planning to change up my Patreon tiers to include more rewards y¡¯all might like. [B6] Chapter Twenty-Nine: Delegating Chapter Twenty-Nine Delegating I paced back and forth in the small house Nalithor and I were staying in within Dimquth, a book open in one hand. Since I couldn¡¯t really communicate with the locals well, I had decided to leave that work to Nalithor. While he learned from Fihr and the citizens, I focused on reading the few local books I could translate. Much of their literature appeared to be in that strange language that they and Lalira spoke, but some was written in Draemiran. Unfortunately, not many of the people were bilingual, and they all felt more comfortable speaking in their native tongue. I had hoped to find mentions of more Aledacian Forests in their literature, but most of the books written in Draemiran appeared to be fairy tales. The rest were academical, but not in any of the areas that would help me. It was quickly becoming apparent that we would have to go to the Nrael¡¯mar Continent ourselves if we wanted answers. ¡°Arianna?¡± Nalithor called, causing me to turn and look up from the book. ¡°You didn¡¯t eat breakfast yet?¡± I followed the motion of his hand, glancing toward the covered plate sitting on the kitchen table. ¡°Oh, right. I¡¯m done reading for now, so I¡¯ll eat.¡± Nalithor followed me and took a seat across from me at the table. ¡°Did you find anything?¡± ¡°No. If you can¡¯t get information from them or from their other books, we¡¯re going to have to go to the Nrael¡¯mar Continent ourselves.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Unless there¡¯s some other way for us to gain information without leaning on the Vorpmasian Empire?¡± ¡°I¡¯d prefer we went ourselves.¡± Nalithor settled back in his chair, releasing a contented sigh. ¡°After so much time where I couldn¡¯t perform my duties as Balance, I¡¯m eager to make up for the decades lost.¡± ¡°It would not be wise for you to travel to the Nrael¡¯mar Continent when neither of you have any Chosen.¡± Djialkan appeared from a burst of shadows and sighed heavily at us. ¡°Nor should you separate to investigate matters.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t leaving us with many options,¡± I remarked, shooting Djialkan a displeased look. ¡°Neither of us are keen on ¡®Chosen.¡¯¡± ¡°Only because the both of you are so wary of the misuse the other gods have displayed!¡± Fraelfnir huffed, striding into the room in his boyish form. He shook his bangs out of his eyes before walking over to the table and setting a flat crystal on it. ¡°I believe my brother and I can assist the both of you in seeking out suitable Chosen, and it is something we should do before Darius¡¯ influence grows. The Chosen you do choose will need to evacuate to your temple near Sihix and Yiltanys¡¯ domains immediately.¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Evacuate?¡± Nalithor narrowed his eyes. ¡°The boy¡¯s influence continues to pick up speed.¡± Fraelfnir shook his head. ¡°There is much to do here. Leave the search for Chosen to Djialkan and I. We will seek out suitable individuals and report back to you once your work here is done, or if the situation shifts.¡± ¡°You think that Darius, or whatever is involved with him, may target Balance¡¯s potential Chosen?¡± I slumped back in my seat, sighing, then looked to Nalithor. He didn¡¯t look pleased either. ¡°Then we don¡¯t have much choice, do we?¡± ¡°Keep us informed.¡± Nalithor nodded to the fae-dragons before turning his attention to me. ¡°In the interim, I believe you and I should find a way to shield Dimquth from further attacks. If I¡¯m not mistaken, we¡¯re fairly close to the border with Draemir. We might be able to convince Xiinsha to lend us aid.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t prefer to reach out to the Sizoul?¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°No, if the empire might fall to Darius¡¯ influence, then we should seek out a more neutral party, such as the Lari¡¯xan.¡± Nalithor shook his head. ¡°Xiinsha and Fihr could easily protect this place from the Jivyador while we are gone. Until we find and save more of the Lari¡¯xan, we cannot realistically return Dimquth to where it is meant to be.¡± ¡°Shall we send a Vulin, then?¡± I tilted my head. ¡°It would be best.¡± Nalithor fell silent for a moment, contemplating something. ¡°Given the Lari¡¯xan¡¯s nature, normally I would say one of us should go with the Vulin to voice our request in person.¡± ¡°Except if one of us goes, then so should both?¡± I grinned at him and shrugged. ¡°Well, if I¡¯m staying here¡­¡± ¡°Of course I found something for you to do.¡± Nalithor chuckled and reached across the table to tug at one of my fluffy ears. ¡°We are going to examine the perimeter of Dimquth, from the outside, and determine if repairs can be made to the broken structures. The broken ¡®aqueducts¡¯ we saw were once connected to a portion of the city¡¯s defensive measures.¡± ¡°They had their defenses outside their walls?¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Not quite. Only the inner portion of the city was transported. There are three more rings that weren¡¯t.¡± Nalithor shook his head and rested back in his seat. ¡°I want you to look for threats while I examine the broken magitech. If it¡¯s similar enough to what the Vorpmasian and Beshulthien Empires use, we should be able to fix a portion of it.¡± ¡°See threat, kill threat?¡± I perked up. ¡°That works for me! I¡¯ve been so damn bored just reading all day!¡± ¡°And keep me company, of course.¡± Nalithor shot me an amused grin. ¡°Finish your breakfast first. We should also don armor before we venture out, just to be safe.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­ You really think the Jivyador may do something?¡± I tilted my head. ¡°They should hesitate to act after so many of their kind were slaughtered. Well, unless they want to die just as much.¡± ¡°They do love to investigate, even when they are powerless to contest us,¡± Nalithor replied, shaking his head. ¡°We may be free of them, for a time, if none of their comrades live on our continent¡ªor if their comrades are unaware of what¡¯s happened. Either way, we should err on the side of caution. The fae-dragons and their warnings are making me uneasy.¡± I nodded my agreement. ¡°I get the impression there¡¯s more they aren¡¯t telling us, for some reason or another.¡± ¡°Dimquth must be more important, otherwise Djialkan or Fraelfnir would have spoken up already.¡± Nalithor studied me as I pushed my chair back from the table. ¡°You¡¯re done eating?¡± ¡°Mmhmm, let¡¯s go.¡± I latched onto his arm the moment I could. ¡°I want some fresh air at the very least, even if nothing troublesome shows up!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go causing trouble either.¡± Nalithor smirked, shifting his arm out of my grip and sliding it behind my back instead. ¡°If Jivyador attack either of us, try to keep one alive. We should question them¡ªand if you are good, I will let you help.¡± ¡°Promise?¡± I shot him a playful smile. ¡°Of course.¡± He leaned down to kiss me between the ears. [ Discord | Amazon | Facebook | Author''s Site | Vote! ]