13 - Justice
Paul Wayland was led to one of the upper floors of the Temple of the Undertaker by a young acolyte until they reached the office of the local High Priestess. She was also one of the few Emerald Casters in the city, though still only about half way through, but her abilities were not focused around combat but rather cleansing the land of death energy and preparing those that have passed to be put to rest.
As the former paladin took a seat across the desk from the cinderen High Priestess, Esilin Deveen, she waited for the acolyte to leave before sliding a folder over to the noble lord.
Paul took it just as silently and looked over the single piece of paper within.
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Phoenix Fraser, Wayfarer.
Death by internal organ failure.
Death by soul reality transfer.
Death by fall resulting in break of the neck.
Death by blood loss and internal organ damage and removal.
Death by blood loss and drowning.
Death by complete structural collapse.
Total of six deaths so far.
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Paul stared at the last two words for a moment before raising an eyebrow at the priestess who simply gave him a shrug and small smile. His gruff voice broke the silence, "So there''s no way to tie the killer to any of these deaths?"
Esilin shook her head regretfully, "I''m afraid not, Lord Wayland. The most we give to those outside of the clergy is the cause."
¡°Even if it means letting a murderer go loose?¡± he growled.
She gave another placating smile, ¡°My god is not the Adjudicator. Perhaps you should talk to their disciples, if justice is what you seek.¡±
The lord frowned as he glanced back at the paper in his hands. He was surprised to see more deaths listed than the ones Phoenix had told him about but he was left to assume that she wasn¡¯t truly aware of them. That left him with even more questions as to her time on her old world but knew breaching the topic would most likely upset the young Wayfarer.
Instead, Paul asked the woman across from him, "You will keep the fact that she died and came back a secret, yes, High Priestess?" He gave her a look that almost dared her to disagree.
The cinderen gave a soft chuckle as she reassured the man, "Oh, yes. I think my god is slightly annoyed that a soul like hers managed to find a way into his realm of influence.¡± She gave a sigh and seemed to say to herself as though dealing with a stubborn child, ¡°But that is the nature of the Wayward.¡±
¡°The Wayward?¡± Paul asked, noticing the emphasis of a title.
¡°Forget you heard that. It is much beyond both our Castes and of no concern to those outside of the Undertaker¡¯s clergy,¡± she dismissed, then leaned back in her chair as she forcibly changed the subject, ¡°It also seems like my Lord doesn''t want the followers of the Necromancer hearing so much as a whisper about your Prot¨¦g¨¦."
The former Paladin of the Purifier tensed, "You think the necromancers would come for her?"
"I''m almost certain,¡± she replied, her gaze turning hard. ¡°Many would want to try replicating the effect of her talent and their methods of study¡¡± her expression soured, ¡°Well, I wouldn''t wish that on anyone. You know more about that than most."
Paul nodded slowly, gazing over the page once more before silently handing it back to the priestess, ¡°Thank you for the information that you were able to provide. I¡¯ll ask you to destroy this since we don¡¯t want the information spreading.¡±
He stood and gave a formal bow, then turned to leave when Esilin spoke up again, ¡°I wasn¡¯t joking about speaking with the Adjudicator¡¯s clergy, Lord Wayland.¡±
The fallen paladin turned to look at her sternly as she lifted the paper in her hand, ¡°This is a complicated situation and I, for one, think you may want to seek some divine intervention to obtain the outcome you seek. You and I both know that a person can get away with a lot more when a god has tasked them with fulfilling their will.¡±
Paul¡¯s frown deepened as the priestess gave a smile and finished, ¡°Just something to think about, Lord Wayland the Blade of Pure Wrath.¡±
¡°These are serious accusations you are levying against another noble house, Lord Wayland,¡± the cinderen man standing next to a large hearth said as he took another sip of amber liquid from the short glass in his hand.
¡°I know, Duke Tul,¡± Paul replied seriously, ¡°But we cannot allow their treachery to continue. Even if it is by the claim of one person, I hold them in high regard and believe they speak the truth. I know we have our¡ disagreements. However, we cannot let a single house gain so much unchecked power and condone the use of hired assassins to take out any perceived threat. For all we know, you or I could be the next target.¡±
The duke stood staring into the fire for a long moment before finally nodding and saying, ¡°We can begin the investigation. Lord Teras has been a respected member of the aristocracy and having your House¡¯s backing will help assuage any claiming a dominance play.
¡°The potential threat is too great to ignore, however, I doubt we will be able to convict the Noble Murinah based on only the words of a single child, an outsider no less,¡± the duke grumbled, turning to stare at Paul considering, ¡°Saying that you and I have had a contentious past would be putting it lightly. You were always a thorn in my side at every event. For decades you often spoke out against me.¡±
¡°Not on everything,¡± Paul interjected, ¡°If you suggested something that truly benefited the safety of the city, I was right there with you.¡±
¡°Safety is not the only thing a city needs, Wayland,¡± the cinderen barked before calming himself a moment later and expounded while pacing, ¡°Our ancestors knew that people need more than just a roof and strong walls to flourish. It is not a waste to promote beauty and convenience to make life more enjoyable for everyone. Sometimes you are too focused on fixing a single problem that you miss the fact that it¡¯s a symptom of a different one.¡±
The Adventurer nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±
¡°I know you disag- wait, what?¡± the startled duke corrected, turning to stare at him.
The former paladin met the man¡¯s eyes, red embers among hot coals, and repeated, ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s how I¡¯ve always tackled a problem. Head on and with overwhelming force. I¡¯ve been a Striker with the AOA for forty years, it¡¯s ingrained in me. I¡¯m not a leader, despite being forced to be one. I wasn¡¯t the one who led my party, I was the one who fought for them.
¡°But people can change,¡± he continued explaining, ¡°Other people can give them reasons to change. I¡¯ve been lost for a long time but I¡¯ve found purpose again. I¡¯ve still been attacking issues I see head on but I know that won¡¯t work for everything. I need your support and the understanding of the other nobles and people of this city to take down the enemies within.¡±
Paul paused and leaned forward to emphasize his sincerity, ¡°Victor, I need your help with this.¡±
Victor Tul watched him for a long time before taking another long drink to finish off his glass and went to pour himself another while speaking, ¡°I disagreed with your father¡¯s decision to name you heir. You are the first and only human to lead one of the noble houses within my duchy and I thought it folly to add potential strife during such a tumultuous time. Not to mention the contention of your fall from grace and more recent redemption. People do not like to admit they were wrong.¡±
The Emerald Caster nodded and leaned back as he spoke, ¡°I understand, your grace. If it makes any difference, I would have preferred my sister take up the mantle instead. She is much better suited for politics and as a runeforged would have no strife in that regard. I already plan to abdicate to her once the blood moon is over.¡±
Tul observed the Wrath Blade for another minute before continuing, ¡°Though I was against it at the time, you have shown your strength and dedication in protecting our city. If your father had not chosen you, if the Queen had not assigned you, then you would not be here at this time and Tulimeir would have suffered for it. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
¡°If you had not taken this¡ Wayfarer under your wing, then we may not have known about a potential traitor in our midst,¡± the cinderen admitted, turning back to the fire. The duke sighed regretfully but stated firmly, ¡°However, I will have justice run its course. Whether House Ruwena turns out to have nefarious intentions or not, if it comes down to the words of your apprentice against the words of a noble heir, there will be no consequence without proof of the crimes you claim.¡±
The paladin¡¯s fists clenched at the words, ¡°So there will be no justice?¡±
¡°Is it justice to convict without proof?¡± the duke asked with a raised eyebrow to the man.
¡°She is guilty,¡± Paul growled.
¡°Even so, I cannot call it justice to punish based on words alone,¡± the man stated resolutely, ¡°You know I follow the Adjudicator and she will not condone judgment without evidence. If you want further action, get more proof. Hopefully, our investigation will provide that but I cannot promise punishment without just reason.¡±
The lords fell silent and the human absentmindedly twirled the golden band around his wrist as he mentally went through his next options and formulated plans. Paul spoke calmly as he stood and gave a formal bow, ¡°Very well, your grace. I shall leave justice in your hands.¡±
Paul stared up at the small obelisk that claimed to be a temple in the southeastern district of Tulimeir. It appeared as black obsidian with golden cracks and streams of blood running down it in chaotic rivulets. While he had never been in direct odds with this particular deity and their clergy, they were not normally considered to be¡ respectable. Though no one would dare to show them disrespect.
He had been struggling with himself for a long time about coming here but he figured seeking guidance at the least couldn¡¯t hurt.
¡®Is Wayland certain about this?¡¯ Orebela asked slowly.
¡®They may have the solution I need,¡¯ he replied, taking another step forward and lifted a hand to push the stone door open.
¡®Wayland and This One both know the solution they will offer,¡¯ she retorted in a quicker tempo, ¡®Is Wayland really willing to go this far for the Little Miss?¡¯
When his Familiar phrased the question in that way, he found his resolve as he entered the temple and replied firmly, ¡®And further.¡¯
¡°Lord Wayland,¡± a Sapphire Caste priestess in black robes trimmed in gold and a red sash greeted him with a bow, ¡°I think most would claim this to be a surprise, to have you visit our humble halls, but my Lord has whispered that we may have the answer you have been seeking since long before your Prot¨¦g¨¦ entered our world.¡±
¡°Your Lord has deigned to notice a Fallen Paladin?¡± Paul questioned with a raised brow.
¡°It is most often the Fallen that seek us out,¡± she replied with a smirk, ¡°I am High Priestess Natalia Kosto, and I only have one question for you; are you here for assistance or redemption?¡±
He stopped walking towards her when they were a mere meter away from each other and the golden lord crossed his arms, ¡°I¡¯ve never sought redemption. As far as I¡¯m concerned, it was not I who fell and needed forgiveness to begin with.¡±
¡°Indeed,¡± the priestess said with a bow of her head, ¡°A terrible injustice has been done to both you and your apprentice.¡±
¡°And it seems that justice will never be something that either of us will receive,¡± he stated flatly, ¡°I am here for more than assistance from the clergy. I seek alliance.¡±
Natalia¡¯s smirk turned into a Cheshire grin as she replied, ¡°That is what my Lord was hoping for. I¡¯m sure you know what an alliance will entail?¡±
¡°That is for your Lord and I to come to terms on,¡± the noble responded carefully.
Her smile didn¡¯t falter in the slightest at the soft rebuttal but she turned and led him towards a small glass lift, ¡°Then I shall take you to him to¡ negotiate.¡±
They were silent on the short three story ride to the top of the obelisk and the noble was reminded of how minor this god was. This deity didn¡¯t have many who praised their actions, or children wishing to join when they were old enough. He had never given this place much thought during his own adolescence but, for the last six years, he had been struggling to find reasons to not dedicate himself to this cause.
When the glass doors slid open, Paul could immediately sense the presence of the deity on this floor as he exited the elevator alone. The High Priestess didn¡¯t need to be told what to do as the god she served had a direct link to return her prayers with Whispers; messages from the divine sent directly into one''s mind that usually served as a comfort to the devout. When he had lost that connection from the Purifier, it had been both a loss and a relief. Luckily, he had Orebela to help fill that void.
Those last few years in the Fallen god¡¯s service had been some of the most trying for him, even causing his long-time adventuring party to fracture soon before he discovered how wrong he had been about the purpose he was serving. That fear of being wrong again, of being betrayed by the god he had dedicated himself to, was the reason that this particular deity was the only one he would even consider working with.
The god that now stood before him appeared as an older cinderen, with fiery red hair, dressed in gleaming obsidian armor with gold embellishments and a crimson cloak. The deity was standing in front of a large map covered in various colored pins and gave him a knowing smile, ¡°Paul Wayland, I was wondering how long it would take you to finally seek me out.¡±
The Adventurer knelt in supplication to the divine being, as he had trained himself to do for decades, ¡°I thought coming here would be giving into rage,¡± he admitted honestly, ¡°I believed it would give me a false purpose; a crutch for my wounded pride.¡±
¡°And now?¡± the god asked, casually moving closer but each footfall felt like the inevitable was approaching him.
¡°Now I¡¯ve found my new purpose and have realized that it is in alignment with your own,¡± he took a steadying breath, slightly nervous despite his resolve, but Paul knew what he needed to do, ¡°I seek your blessing, support, and understanding in honoring my agency to fulfill my duties as a noble and mentor. In return, I offer my service as your Paladin. My blade is your blade. Your words are my words. My life is your life. Your will is my will.¡±
¡°Stand, Paul Wayland,¡± the deity commanded and he obeyed, standing to find the god only an arm¡¯s length away, ¡°You understand that by devoting yourself to my will means there will be no fall from grace should you disagree with the quests I give? Unlike the Purifier, I will not be turned upon. Be assured that I will respect the duties you are currently dedicated to for your stations but the quests I give are rarely pleasant and must be followed to the letter.¡±
He paused for a moment, letting the weight of those words settle on him and he fully understood that not being allowed to become a Fallen Paladin meant his life would be forfeit instead. It had honestly been a surprise to him when the Purifier allowed him to fall from grace rather than demand his death but at this point he knew the cleansing god¡¯s downfall would most likely be from arrogance.
Paul had done his research on this clergy long ago, though. He knew exactly what kind of quests the god had been known to give and that was the reason most shied away from this place and its clergy. The tales he had heard, however, were nothing compared to some of the things he had seen or done under the orders of the Purifier. It did make him want to clarify one thing, though, ¡°You know all the reasons that brought me here. Will you triumph, where justice failed?¡±
¡°I believe that together you and I can actualize the outcomes you desire with both the Renseres and your Prot¨¦g¨¦¡¯s killers. Not to mention the Soul Reapers that threaten all of us. I will admit that it has been many years since I have had a Paladin at your level of Caste. With your dedication, I believe it will be enough to make some of my own moves in the grand game of the divine,¡± the armor-clad deity surmised with a slight smirk.
The Fallen Paladin bowed his head then and said firmly, ¡°I understand the risks and am resolved in my choice. I will perform the quests you command to the best of my ability.¡±
¡°Then I accept your terms of service,¡± the deity replied with a stern nod, ¡°Take my blessing, say the vow, and perform my will.¡±
He nodded in return and recited, ¡°I swear upon my magic to serve your will according to our terms until you release me or betray the faith I place in you. I will become your Paladin and manifest your will into reality. I am yours, Avenger.¡±
The god held out a glowing hand and Paul took it in his own, the newly tattooed rainbow runes marking his Oathbond wrapping around his wrist. The next instant he was falling back to a knee as the god¡¯s power washed over and through him, altering his very being as the deity bestowed his divine blessing and cultivated one of his talents further.
Natural Talent: Zealous Avenger
- Cultivated from [Unknown Potential] due to unlocking the Zeal Aspect.
- Cultivated from [Zealous Bounty] due to the Avenger¡¯s Blessing.
- You can loot slain enemies with a touch. Quality of loot is increased if targets are slain with the [Nemesis] Bane in effect.
- You gain further insight into yourself and your enemies.
- Divine abilities have increased effect.
- You can mark a target that has been touched by your aura with [Nemesis].
- Nemesis (bane, divine, tracking): You can be tracked by the Caster of this Bane. You take increased damage from Divine sources. Regeneration is decreased.
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New Divine Title: Paladin of the Avenger
Your aura has been altered by the divine entity: Avenger. The alteration has enhanced the strength of your aura, increasing its range and resistance to effects from higher Castes. The appearance of your conjured items has been altered. People can sense your desire to seek retribution through your aura.
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Paul stared at the semi-translucent scrap of paper seeming to float in the air in front of him with obsidian lettering spelling out what had just happened to him much the same way that Phoenix¡¯s guide book did.
He glanced at the deity who simply grinned and asked rhetorically, ¡°Insightful, isn¡¯t it?¡±
The Paladin nodded silently and the deity clapped his hands together, ¡°Now, I already have your first target and I think you¡¯ll really like it.¡±
14 - Vengeance
¡°Thanks for coming here, Phoenix,¡± Paul said as he shut the door to his study behind her. He gave an apologetic smile, ¡°I know it makes you feel a bit uncomfortable. I can only assume it¡¯s because you view it as the house of a noble family instead of my home. But this room offers a bit more privacy than your dorm.¡±
¡°We need extra security for this talk?¡± Phoenix asked with a raised eyebrow, ¡°Why are we here, Paul?¡±
¡°A couple things actually,¡± the paladin began, gesturing for her to sit in one of the chairs between his desk and the door as he walked over to a small cupboard behind the desk. ¡°First, I requested that the AOA have your party go on some road missions again. Not just to clear monsters along the main travel routes for the few that still take them but to also deliver supplies to the outlying fortress towns,¡± he explained, grabbing a pair of glasses from the cupboard and filling one with firegut ale for himself and the other with aplet juice for her.
¡°We¡¯ve been able to keep up pretty well so far, so the supplies shouldn¡¯t be needed in a huge rush, allowing for the time to hunt along the way. You won¡¯t want to take the scenic routes but you have a comfortable window of time.
¡°I already explained these reasons to that little party leader of yours and he¡¯s on board, though I get the feeling that he¡¯s still trying to get on my good side for some reason,¡± he added with a smirk as he handed her the glass of the sweet drink.
¡°Fear of being annihilated by an Emerald Caster?¡± she suggested, returning his smirk and taking the proffered glass.
He gave a small bark of laughter and shook his head, ¡°With the way he didn¡¯t back down during that first training session? I doubt he fears death from a stronger opponent.¡±
Phoenix nodded slowly, seeming lost in thought for a moment before her eyes narrowed at him, ¡°You¡¯re trying to get me out of the city?¡± she guessed. He simply tilted his head in confirmation and she inquired, ¡°Murinah? You think she¡¯ll come after me again?¡±
Paul shook his head this time and explained, ¡°There¡¯s a decent chance she still believes you to be dead, actually. You vanished after her last attempt and the whole city knows I was looking for someone.¡±
Phoenix raised an eyebrow at him but he ignored it as he continued, ¡°You have also only gone from your home to the coast then here. Unless she just happened to see you in the crowd during those short trips, her whole family should think you¡¯re dead right now. That gives us an advantage and gives you some safety from a follow-up attempt.¡±
She seemed to understand and asked, ¡°So we go on this road mission while you look into her dirty secrets with that friend you mentioned to find something to charge her and the family with?¡±
He paused for a moment, unsure of how much to divulge exactly as he kept his aura tightly restrained, ¡°That¡¯s the general idea. I did want to ask if you had those chains you mentioned being forced into.¡±
¡°Yes,¡± Phoenix asked while conjuring the silencing chains from her collection, ¡°She and her brother used these on me the first time. Do you need them as evidence for your investigation or something?¡±
¡°Something like that. I have a very specific need that would be better accomplished if I had those available,¡± he stated carefully.
¡°I¡ I¡¯ve been planning to study ways to break free from them. If it¡¯ll help stop Murinah though, I can try to figure out another way,¡± she explained while holding them out towards him.
Paul picked up the chains, looking over them carefully before agreeing, ¡°It¡¯s a good idea for you to protect yourself from them if you think you¡¯re being targeted for capture and not just killing. These locking kinds are controlled items though, so how a child like her got one is subject to investigation on its own. I can probably get you an alternate variant that¡¯s used for training, however. It¡¯s not that uncommon for some people to train or spar while wearing them in order to become familiar with battling against silencing effects or focus on techniques.¡±
¡°I¡¯d still like the locking kind to figure out a way to remove them and free myself if someone tries to use them against me again,¡± the Wayfarer clarified.
He thought about that for a moment, recalling that he could likely get another by just filling out the form at the AOA that he used to do when hunting necromancers for the Purifier long ago, ¡°Hmm, I might be able to get a special dispensation for it. I¡¯ll let you know what I can do.¡±
¡°Sounds good. Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?¡± she inquired curiously.
He hesitated a moment, watching her carefully as he said, ¡°There¡¯s a man I¡¯d like you to meet with. He¡¯s a priest of the Mender who works with Adventurers that have experienced traumatic events.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes widened, obviously not expecting that, ¡°You want me to see a therapist?¡±
The paladin nodded, ¡°He is very skilled and well respected. He has even worked with other people that have the Soul Mark of a god. He will keep your secrets, like he does theirs, so you should be able to talk freely with him about everything. And I mean everything. I believe he can help you work through some of your grief and anger.¡±
¡°You think I have anger management problems?¡± she asked a bit incredulously.
Paul gave her a flat look, ¡°You rampaged across the wilds for seven days and died in a duel with a Sapphire Caste monster.¡±
She huffed, ¡°Yeah, alright¡ you might have a point there,¡± the redhead admitted then gave a frustrated sigh and asked, ¡°How do you handle it? I felt the rage in your aura.¡±
¡°Wrath, not rage. They are similar but not the same,¡± he corrected, ¡°Rage is anger given an uncontrolled and volatile form. You displayed that quite well. I take my anger and focus it; give it purpose and direction.¡±
He leaned back slightly in his chair, ¡°I turn wrath into a weapon to wield when the need is greatest rather than let rage take control and make me weaker for it.¡±
¡°I still don¡¯t understand how you can do something like that,¡± her face scrunched up at the memories of it, ¡°I was so angry¡ I still am, if I¡¯m being honest. How do you learn to control something like that?¡±
¡°Practice. Self-reflection. Therapy,¡± he gave a small smirk and she rolled her eyes, ¡°There are some magic items that can help, like these,¡± he said, rolling up one of his sleeves to display a thin golden bracelet around his wrist. ¡°Your party¡¯s Mage uses something similar.¡±
Phoenix seemed surprised by the revelation as she clarified, ¡°Uriel does? I thought that the chains were just for locking down his abilities.¡±
Paul nodded slowly, suddenly uncertain, ¡°It is. I¡¯m talking about the piercings on his ears. Those are a magic item that works together to suppress strong emotions and make a person calmer and more focused. I thought you would know this already,¡± he said with a slight frown.
The Wayfarer shook her head, ¡°No, I just thought they were regular jewelry. I never thought to ask,¡± she said with a frown then glanced at the bracelet and asked, ¡°Have you always been wearing that?¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t needed to for a long while but after our first¡ talk about your encounter with Murinah, I figured I should keep it on until I¡¯ve resolved this situation,¡± he responded then inquired, returning to the main topic, ¡°So will you meet with the priest?¡±
Seeing her skeptical face, he implored softly, ¡°Please, Phoenix, I would like you to do this¡ for me if not for yourself.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
The young Adventurer watched her mentor for a long moment, seeming to contemplate the idea, then nodded slowly, ¡°I¡¯ve had quite my fill of doctors and therapists, a lifetime in fact, but I can do this¡ for you.¡±
He gave her a genuine smile and said, ¡°Thank you. Your first appointment is this evening. I¡¯d like you to talk to him before you leave in the morning.¡±
Her eyes narrowed at his already placed plans and his predictions of her agreement but she simply asked, ¡°Where do I go?¡±
¡°Here. We don¡¯t want you wandering around the city, remember?¡± her mentor reminded, then added, ¡°Until then, why don¡¯t you and your party train downstairs?¡±
¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go find them and let them know,¡± she said, starting to stand from her seat.
Paul smirked at her, ¡°They¡¯re already downstairs waiting for you.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes narrowed at him once more, ¡°Your overprotective parent behavior is showing again¡¡±
¡®I told you,¡¯ a feminine voice stated flatly in his mind, ¡®You should just make it official.¡¯
The paladin chuckled at both women and mentally told his Familiar, ¡®Maybe I¡¯ll propose the idea once this threat isn¡¯t looming over her.¡¯
¡®And are you going to mention that you¡¯re a Paladin once more?¡¯
Paul watched the young woman finishing the juice before setting it on his desk with a smile and turning to leave, ¡®I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll figure it out eventually.¡¯
Murinah Ruwena had been ecstatic when her cousin Arktis Neired had returned to her father and confirmed the death of the infuriating woman that had tried to steal the man of her dreams just as he had gotten within reach.
She had been planning and working hard for years to try and get close to the charismatic man that held the attention of a god and proclaimed his kingship as an inevitability.
The stealth specialist went so far as to wait to join the AOA at the same time as him just to make the likelihood of partying up together all the more assured. She had even managed to convince her mother that she would be able to get the gemite to join their family¡¯s cause and she would spy within the AOA in exchange for bringing the man she desired with them to the other realities that the Soul Reapers offered to bring them to.
Her current mood was the best it had been since pushing that Fraser woman over the edge of that cliff to the nest of miserlings. Even the crappy mission she got assigned to wasn¡¯t enough to dim her mood as she planned to quickly get the assignment done and return to the city and convince Dazien that they were destined to be together. He would be a king of their own reality and she would be his queen. Just as it was meant to be.
As she arrived in the area the mission had reported, she activated her camouflage passive and another that muffled the sound she produced as she slowly made her way across the snow covered stones. It took a bit longer than she would have liked but as she crested a small hill she finally saw them, almost two dozen miserlings that were tearing into the carcass of some unrecognizable animal.
After accepting that first mission for the miserlings, she had unfortunately been assigned every one since then as nobody else had wanted them but at least they paid well. This was her fifth time scouting out the reports for them and it still made her a bit nervous each time she saw the disgusting creatures. She couldn¡¯t help the small smile that tugged at her lips though, when she imagined the bloody feast currently in front of her as the woman who should have been taken care of by them the first time.
Just as she was about to retreat, having confirmed their numbers and location, she felt something cold around her wrists suddenly. As she flinched to pull her hands to her chest, she heard a soft click right next to her ear that shouldn¡¯t have been possible with her ability active. Then she realized in a flash of panic that it wasn¡¯t active. Her hand shot up to the cold metal that surrounded her neck as she spun around to stare into fierce golden eyes.
Murinah didn¡¯t yell, knowing the miserlings were only a few dozen meters away. Before she could berate the man in front of her, however, she suddenly realized it was Lord Wayland. He looked vastly different than she remembered however. Normally seen around the city in pristine whites and soft creams that made the pure gold of his armor stand out prominently, it had all changed.
Instead of mostly gold with white embellishments, his full plate armor was jet black with only a modest trimming of gold around the edges, with small studded spikes spread all over that threatened instant retribution if struck, and glossy black feathers adorning his shoulders. He also bore the distinct full cape of a Paladin, which he had once been, but instead of the pure white she had remembered as a child, it was a dark crimson; clasped together over the center of his chest with the emblem of a deity she didn¡¯t recognize depicting a bird of some kind.
The noble woman thought she knew most of the divine sigils, even the ones that were definitely not members of the Delegation of Radiance, but this must have belonged to a relatively minor god, which seemed odd for such a prominent man. He reminded her of the Dark Knights she had read about as a child that she had admired for their determination and bravery, not caring about who might scorn them.
She felt the effects of a tracking Bane settle upon her, sensing the heightened danger of divine attacks and the slowing of her natural regeneration and she began to spit out, ¡°How dare you cast a Bane upon me. I don¡¯t care which divine prick you serve, you can¡¯t just-¡±
The paladin cut her off coldly, ¡°Do you know where I got that Silencer?¡±
The question threw her mind off course, as she blinked for a moment then quietly hissed at him, ¡°How would I know that? It doesn¡¯t matter anyways, remove it this instance! You have no right to-¡±
¡°It belonged to you,¡± the lord stated bluntly, cutting off her furious whispers.
That made her even more confused until she remembered the woman she had used a Silencer on last and the new rumor sweeping the city of the relationship this man had with said woman. Her red ember eyes narrowed, ¡°Lies. What proof do you have?¡±
¡°The words of someone I trust far more than you, Noble Ruwena,¡± the paladin¡¯s voice was low but not quiet and Murinah began to worry that the miserlings would hear them. She hoped the Emerald Caster¡¯s presence would be enough to keep them at bay, however.
¡°Words are not proof of anything,¡± the cinderen retorted, ¡°You dare to use [Chains of Silence] on the heir to one of the greatest noble houses in the world based on unfounded rumors?¡±
¡°Who said they were unfounded? I have more than words but revealing them before a magistrate would only endanger the person I¡¯m trying to protect,¡± he explained briefly before grabbing her shoulders and spinning her around faster than she could react as he slowly began to walk her back towards the horde of dark sadistic monsters.
¡°What do you think you are doing?¡± she asked hastily, unable to keep the volume of her words as low as she had meant but she continued to protest, ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything to warrant such treatment!¡±
The voice that Lord Wayland used in that moment had shifted to the tone of a self-proclaimed judge, ¡°You know you are guilty of your crimes. You attempted to kill a fellow Adventurer and when that didn¡¯t work you had your family hire a mercenary to attack them during an enemy raid, endangering the very people you were meant to protect. You are not only an unrepentant murderer but a traitor to both the Alliance of Adventurers and the entire city of Tulimeir. Any last words, Noble Murinah Ruwena?¡±
The young woman¡¯s mind began to race. How could this man possibly know what she had done? Arktis would never have betrayed her family, that woman was always the ever-loyal lap dog. Her cousin also didn¡¯t know about the first attempt and her brother didn''t have the spine to betray the family either but maybe her intended victim had confided in this arrogant man before Arktis had assured her death.
Even if Arktis or Camrin had betrayed her though, there was still no proof to tie her to the accusations. Only words and assumptions. It wasn¡¯t like she had been the one to sink her blade into the redhead¡¯s heart no matter how much she had wanted to. She growled at the judgmental man, ¡°You cannot prove any of that! If you think I''m guilty of any crime then take me before the magistrate!¡±
¡°No.¡±
The word was harsh, cutting through her as the miserlings came back into sight and the creatures were all staring at the pair of them but didn¡¯t move closer to the Emerald Caste aura she could barely sense surrounding all of them, herself included, and it felt like¡ wrath. His voice didn¡¯t show a hint of the anger his aura made abundantly clear as it suffocated them all and he said calmly, ¡°You will experience the same pain that you made her experience. You will die the same way she did. It is only unfortunate that you won¡¯t come back to experience the rest of what you did.¡±
Her eyes widened as she realized what the wrathful man had planned for her and she forwent any notion of keeping silent as she screamed furiously at him, ¡°You think you are above the law? Is this some twisted act of justice you think you have the authority to enact?!¡±
"Justice is going to be served to the rest of your family. As we speak, the AOA and city government are investigating the actions and intentions of your family. Their crimes will be discovered and they will be punished,¡± he said resolutely and, despite her claims of innocence, she sensed the truth of his words.
His voice dropped slightly as he continued, ¡°For your crimes, however, there cannot be true justice without risking further danger and harm to your victim. So no, this is not justice¡¡±
The Wrath Blade¡¯s voice came from right beside her ear as he spoke with such cold fury that it sent a shiver throughout her body, ¡°This is vengeance."
Then she felt herself get pushed forward into the snow as the Emerald aura seemed to vanish. It was in that moment that she realized the rededicated paladin had not seen himself as a judge but an executioner. Murinah Ruwena screamed as serrated claws and teeth descended upon her and all she ever felt again was pain.
15 - Greatest Need
The priest of the Mender, Jacob, had been a nice gentleman and helped her relax as he made their first meeting mostly about introductions and goals for even having the sessions. She had felt much better about the whole arrangement when he explained his own goals for helping her process everything she had gone through so that it wouldn¡¯t impact her life in a negative way but that they would go at her own pace.
To begin she would be meeting with him every Trisol, which she knew as Saturday but was trying hard to learn the names of the days here, unless she was out on a mission. She was slightly surprised when she found herself hoping to be back in time for that. Once on the road, Phoenix again found comfort in Saiya¡¯s tranquil aura and the voxen had seemed to attach herself to the redhead¡¯s side, linking arms or holding hands; making Phoenix feel like a small child again.
|
Passive Ability: Soothing Soul
Type: Aura (magical, life)
Current Caste: Crystal 6
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura are calmed and have increased resistance to Magical Banes.
|
¡°Ya know, I always like the missions where we get to punch some monsters but these delivery jobs are a bit¡ I don¡¯t know¡ lesser? More like a chore than a mission,¡± Rayna reflected, a bit aggravated from having traveled for a few hours and only running into two packs of monsters that they were able to dispatch fairly quickly.
¡°It may not be glorious but it is the work that is most needed. Our supplies are vital to keeping people alive. Monster¡¯s are not the only risk to people during a blood moon,¡± Dazien explained with surprising conviction, ¡°If a fortress full of people starve or their defenses can¡¯t be powered, then we have all failed as Adventurers.¡±
¡°I know, I know¡ I just really want to make some music,¡± the pugilist replied, punctuating the word ¡®music¡¯ by slamming a fist into her palm.
The group laughed then quickly cut off as they rounded a hill and caught sight of a pack of some larger cat-like creatures that reminded Phoenix of snow leopards at first glance with their white fur and black spots but they were much larger and furrier, with longer ears and fluffy tails.
Dazien signaled to halt and hide as they assessed the threat. The creatures appeared to be sleeping in a pile together a few meters off the road and he turned to Phoenix who quirked an eyebrow in confusion and he grinned, ¡°Ready to try out that new spell?¡±
Her eyes went wide then she returned his grin and gave a nod. With the severe mana cost, long incantation that she would have to focus on as the mana gathered, and the long cooldown, there weren''t many opportunities for her to use the spell. She would have to pick and choose her moments which would make it harder to level it up.
Dazien and Rayna prepared to rush and finish off any survivors once the spell was done and Saiya offered to use one of her longer cooldown boosting powers but Phoenix declined this time, wanting to gauge its baseline damage but promised the Healer to try it next time to judge the difference.
Phoenix took a deep breath and began the incantation to cast [Meteor Shower] on the sleeping monsters, ¡°From the depths of the universe I summon forth the shards of annihilation. May the wrath of the cosmos descend upon all who dare to oppose me.¡±
As the mana was siphoned from her, she stumbled slightly once the casting had ended and she felt the beginnings of a headache threatening her senses.
For a moment it didn¡¯t seem like anything had happened then a bright light flashed in the sky, as though a rift tore open the very air, and a flaming ball of molten plasma and metal about five meters across appeared through it, crashing down onto the unaware creatures. When the meteor had appeared in the sky, and its massive size made apparent, the group had recalculated their positioning and retreated as fast as they could as a cacophonous explosion could be heard behind them and a force blast swept over them as the ground trembled from the impact.
When they returned to the location of the monsters, all they found was white ash drifting the air from a smoldering crater.
¡°Huh,¡± Phoenix broke the silence as her head throbbed, ¡°With a name like Meteor Shower I was kinda expecting like a rain of meteorites¡ not just one big one.¡±
¡°Well¡ it is only Crystal Caste,¡± Dazien began, ¡°Plenty more levels to see the ¡®shower¡¯ part.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide at the implication and the others stared at her for a long moment before she added in exhaustion, ¡°That¡¯s a bit terrifying. It completely taps me out, though¡ if we use that, don¡¯t expect any follow up contributions from me for a while.¡±
Then she conjured a mana potion out of her collection, ¡°Not unless I go through our supply of consumables.¡±
Before she could tip the vial down her throat however, Dazien¡¯s hand caught her arm and he said, ¡°Now would be the time to use that Familiar power if we were still needing to fight them so you could help in the follow-up attacks.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
¡°I¡¯m not sure we¡¯ll need to follow up with anything,¡± Rayna responded incredulously, looking from her to where monsters used to exist. Then the bard said with a smirk, giving Phoenix a mischievous look, ¡°I think I just figured out your Role specialization.¡±
¡°Oh?¡±
¡°Yeah, you¡¯re the crazy person that pulls off the flashy insane stunts.¡±
The party laughed and the Wayfarer scrunched her nose with a slight pout, ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound very useful or consistent,¡± Phoenix muttered.
The party leader patted her shoulder congenially, ¡°It¡¯s the most useful in times of greatest need. Now let¡¯s keep moving, everyone. There are people still waiting on us.¡±
¡°And more monsters to explode!¡± Rayna cried out, punching the air in a cheer while cackling in excitement.
¡°You summoned me?¡± Paul asked with a pointed look at the duke as he entered the study they had met in previously. He was dressed casually in his usual white tunic and cream pants but was surprised to find the duke also dressed down this time, in a simple yet expensive red shirt and long grey sarong wrapped around his waist.
¡°Don¡¯t give me that look, Wayland,¡± Victor Tul retorted, pouring two glasses of a blue liquor this time, ¡°I requested a meeting. As the duke, I can do that.¡±
The paladin took the proffered glass and sat in the chair he had before and asked, ¡°So why the sudden request? Do you have news about the investigation into House Ruwena?¡±
The cinderen grimaced and sat opposite of him, ¡°Yes and no. It seems that they want to fight back, making arguments of illegal invasions of privacy and favoritism towards both House Teras and Wayland.¡±
Paul scoffed, ¡°Of course they are.¡±
Victor gave him an awkward look then added, ¡°We also received word this morning that Noble Murinah was killed during a scouting mission out on the tundra.¡±
He met the duke¡¯s ember gaze unflinchingly, ¡°It¡¯s a blood moon. Every mission is a danger one might not return from.¡±
Tul grimaced and nodded, ¡°While I agree in general, the timing of her death with your accusations has left some wondering if perhaps it wasn¡¯t entirely an accident of a mission gone wrong.¡±
¡°Mere coincidence,¡± the Adventurer responded, taking a sip of the sweet drink that was too syrupy for his tastes, then added, ¡°Too bad there¡¯s no evidence of foul play to pursue.¡±
¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you take justice into your own hands, Wayland!¡± the man bit back, leaning forward in hushed anger.
¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Paul said, taking another sip before giving up and setting the drink further away from him, ¡°I left justice to you, remember? It sounds like you¡¯re not making much progress, though. How many more lives might be lost while you continue to push through red tape and slow government procedures?¡±
¡°And how many innocent might suffer because you pounce without thought or proof of their crimes?!¡± Victor shot back, ¡°We have laws for a reason! You used to understand that! I never thought I would be telling a former Paladin of the Purifier that the rules should be followed to avoid anarchy!¡±
Golden eyes narrowed on the duke, ¡°I told you last time that people can change. Perhaps, I¡¯m done with letting others stab me from behind because I¡¯m trying to follow the rules and maintain order.¡±
¡°Paul,¡± the cinderen said with more pleading in his voice than he had ever heard from the man before, ¡°We can¡¯t have our strongest protector murdering the people he¡¯s meant to protect,¡± the man leaned forward, clutching the glass between his hands, ¡°I know I argued about your position, and I meant what I said last time about recognizing it as more of a boon now¡ and I know that I do not have the personal power to stop you, so I am asking. Please, do not just go off on your own whims to kill people just because you think it¡¯s right.¡±
He watched the duke for a long moment knowing full well how painful it was for the nobleman to be put into this position where the social rank was higher but without the power to back it. It was why most rulers were the strongest Casters or at least had the loyal support of them. During this blood moon and in this remote area of Pyrin, both men knew that the Queen wouldn¡¯t be sending anyone else to help Victor or challenge Paul.
¡°Despite what you might believe,¡± he began, ¡°I did not hurt anyone based on just my whims, as you put it.¡±
¡°But the Noble-¡±
¡°I knew it!¡± a new voice yelled as the duke¡¯s words were cut off, the door slamming open. An irate cinderen man wearing garish robes stomped into the study causing both men to stand at the perceived threat. The newcomer didn¡¯t stop walking as he pointed a finger between the two, ¡°I knew there was favoritism at work here! I bet you ordered my daughter¡¯s death as punishment for refusing to hand over my research!¡±
¡°Lord Ruwena,¡± Victor said, holding his palms up in a defensive manner, ¡°I assure you I was meeting with Lord Wayland to inquire if he knew of anything that might have befallen your daughter but that, in all appearances, she was simply caught off guard by the miserlings-¡±
¡°Lies! My sweet shadow would never have been caught by such weak creatures,¡± the Sapphire Caster cried out, ¡°This wasn¡¯t the first time she had scouted them and never before had-¡±
¡°It only takes one mistake to fall,¡± Paul interjected as he crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at the man who was causing so much strife in his own life.
¡°She was perfect!¡± the father retorted, ¡°She would never make such a mistake! Just because your Prot¨¦g¨¦ made a mistake and fell in the battle with the Berg Sirens doesn¡¯t mean my daughter would!¡±
The two Sapphire Casters froze as the force of an Emerald aura washed over them and seemed to drown their own in the anger permeating his as the Wrath Blade asked much too calmly, ¡°Who told you my Prot¨¦g¨¦ died?¡±
Ohsen Ruwena¡¯s eyes narrowed at him, ¡°My niece saw her get impaled by one of the sirens and fall dead into the sea. Don¡¯t try to pretend that you didn¡¯t take revenge by targeting my daughter!¡±
Paul gave a slightly twisted smirk as he said, ¡°I¡¯m not pretending anything.¡±
The mourning lord was about to shout back when he began to tremble at the sight of the obsidian armor and crimson cape the newly rededicated paladin conjured to emphasis his next words, ¡°Believe me when I say that Murinah Ruwena got exactly what she deserved and that the rest of your family will as well.¡±
Victor Tul whispered in both awe and terror as Paul dropped his arms and their eyes fell upon the sigil of a crow with spiked talons upon his chest, ¡°A Paladin of the Avenger.¡±
¡°I have found my faith once more,¡± he stated resolutely, ¡°If anyone falls to my blade, it is in retribution for their crimes.¡±
¡°You are the one who will see retribution, Wayland!¡± the fear-filled father shouted and turned to leave as abruptly as he had entered.
After silence fell upon the room and Paul turned to look at the duke, Victor asked him, ¡°Your Prot¨¦g¨¦ died?¡±
¡°Almost,¡± he replied, ¡°She still lives; though I¡¯m certain she will be targeted again. If Ohsen starts looking into me, he¡¯ll find her.¡±
¡°Then I hope the gods will help keep her safe,¡± the duke muttered, ¡°For all our sakes.¡±
16 - The Qualities I Seek
Along their route, the group only stopped to sleep in the mornings using Uriel¡¯s mobile ice fortress. From the capital city they had first gone west, hitting the fort city of Linnake across the massive gorge by the sixth dawn. From there they made their way south and began a large curve that would eventually lead them to the Razorteeth Mountains to the east of Tulimeir where their last delivery stop, Suoja, would be tucked away.
The party of Adventurers had gotten to know each other much better over the course of their journey, in regards to both combat cohesion and social personalities. Phoenix was much more comfortable around the other women now after experiencing their honest, and often blunt, words and actions.
The voxen, in return, also seemed to enjoy the group''s company, with Rayna teasing Dazien mercilessly while bonding over monsters and avals with Uriel. Apparently the pugilist¡¯s love of turning creatures into loot meshed well with the Mage¡¯s love of learning all about the various capabilities the beasts had.
Phoenix and the bard shared a love of music and the musical prowess of the Dewsong clan was on full display as the voxen took some time to try and teach her how to play a stringed instrument that was similar to, but not quite, a guitar. The Wayfarer was happy for the chance to learn to play anything really, having only had her voice in the hospital and slowly growing to hate it as she aged and it started betraying her.
Saiya, on the other paw, became like a pseudo mother to all of them with her gentle and comforting presence along with not putting up with any of their crap. She not only tended their wounds but also made sure they were not burning themselves out and helped facilitate open dialog between everyone. The Healer¡¯s new Familiar, Snowbelle, also tried to help by flitting around and offering a soft furry belly for therapeutic pets.
When Phoenix mentioned to the group one evening that she had begun seeing Priest Jacob to deal with some grief at Paul¡¯s suggestion, Saiya had reiterated her mentor''s words that the priest was a very good mental health specialist but the voxen didn¡¯t mention his specialty as the Healer looked at the Wayfarer with a bit more concern than before.
The Supporter had been surprised when Uriel also agreed that Priest Jacob was a great counselor and learned that the Mage had recurring sessions with the therapist as well on every other Unsol, which she mentally translated to Sunday.
As they reached the southwestern city in their route, they stopped for the morning at the fort town of Vallinsarvi, dropping off crates of food and fully charged mana batteries as well as a few other sundry items. The ducal government had arranged the packages, gathering and preparing them for transport back in Tulimeir, before loading up her, Dazien, and Uriel¡¯s personal dimensional storages for the trek. The mana batteries were an item that interested Phoenix greatly as they seemed to store up ambient magic to be used later in place of [Mana Bits] for certain types of enchantments; in this case, they helped fuel the wall''s defenses.
When they retired to their temporary dorm, which was just barely large enough to house them all, Rayna surprised them with a bottle the voxen had bought and Phoenix had her first taste of moonshine. Even though she had some manarin wine at the restaurant Dazien loved so much, it had not prepared her for the harsh burn of the slightly glowing green drink that she was sure was dealing some Corrosion damage with each sip. The Wayfarer wasn¡¯t sure she liked it as it practically destroyed her throat, causing her to hack and cough as the others chuckled with sympathetic looks.
¡°Sorry, this isn¡¯t the best stuff but I¡¯ve also had worse,¡± Rayna apologized while filling her, Saiya, and Dazien¡¯s glasses again. ¡°At least this stuff is Crystal Caste and actually able to affect us,¡± the bard added. Apparently those three were familiar enough with liquor to not be as affected as she had by the horrid burn and she mildly wondered if the burning got better or worse with Caste. Uriel drank a bit too but was taking his time with the glass, not seeming bothered to rush.
The bard gestured to Phoenix¡¯s glass and prompted, ¡°Keep drinking. It might take a while but you¡¯ll get used to it and then you¡¯ll start to relax.¡±
Phoenix looked at the glass skeptically but sipped at the liquid again. She scrunched her face at the burn but didn¡¯t cough this time. After a few more tentative sips, she started feeling a bit warmer and decided to set the drink down.
The others seemed to be getting friendlier the more they drank, with Rayna provoking Dazien into another glass and another. Saiya was leaning against Phoenix and using her shoulder as a pillow since she wasn¡¯t moving around as much as Rayna was.
¡°So!¡± Rayna began suddenly, pointing at the warrior, after downing another glass with him, ¡°When I first arrived in Tulimeir, I saw you at the temple of Warrior with your entourage of admirers, though you seemed to shrug them off.¡±
¡°Oh?¡± He raised an eyebrow then gave an impish grin, ¡°You noticed me, did you?¡±
¡°Shiny purple hair isn¡¯t exactly common in the tundra,¡± the bard said, waving a free paw in the air dismissively, ¡°Anyways, since you haven¡¯t been around lately, the loyal following seems to have gotten much smaller. There was one girl in particular asking for you, though. She knew that I was in your party somehow,¡± the voxen explained, then took another gulp of the green drink, the bottle precariously held by a tail, ¡°And asked about joining King¡¯s Dream. She seemed under the impression that we needed a quick scout Supporter but I told her that we have Phoenix for that Role, she can be pretty quick too.¡±
The Striker looked at the ceiling as if remembering something and corrected, ¡°Not me quick but she can portal back to us if noticed,¡± then the bard leaned forward and grinned at Dazien, ¡°Is the Noble Murinah Ruwena your betrothed or something?¡±
Phoenix went immediately still at the mention of the woman who had caused her death twice, feeling the silent panic start to overwhelm the relaxing effects of the alcohol as she interrupted, ¡°When did this happen exactly?¡±
Rayna seemed to think really hard for a moment before saying, ¡°Like, right before the attack from those Berg Sirens? I remember having to turn around shortly after to regroup for it. Anyways, She said that she wanted to join Dazien''s party and would make the perfect Supporter if we ever found ourselves in need of one.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide as she tried to think of ways to inform Paul of this information, wondering if it would cause a change in his plans or even matter at all. She wasn¡¯t anywhere near the crazy cinderen girl now though, and if it had happened before the hired assassin had killed her then the woman likely still thought she was dead. Saiya stirred against her, as if shrugging off an uncomfortable weight, and she tried to calm herself before causing the empathic Healer to wake fully and worry.
She refocused on Rayna as the tipsy voxen added, ¡°It was really weird how she knew about me but acted like Phoenix didn''t even exist. Also, she seemed rather¡¡± the bard paused, seeming to search for a word then went with, ¡°Intense?¡±
¡°Ah,¡± Dazien said with a sour expression, ¡°No, while her admiration is an honor, especially considering her position,¡± he shook his head at the mental image, ¡°She is rather intense, as you say, and I¡¯m not particularly fond of that rather¡ aggressive trait.¡±
Rayna leaned back gesturing at him with a half empty glass and teased, ¡°What do you like, King Dazien? What kind of queen are you looking for? Or is it a prince?¡±
¡°Either actually. The qualities I seek are not limited by gender,¡± he responded, which surprised Phoenix slightly, dragging her thoughts from Murinah and back to her friends. She hadn¡¯t really seen any of them in those types of situations before. Now that she thought back on it, Dazien had always treated everyone equally even when he was acting charming and flirtatious, except maybe Uriel. However, that made sense with them being best friends for years.
¡°Oh? And what qualities are those exactly?¡± the Striker prodded further.
¡°Courage, honor, curiosity, compassion,¡± he glanced at Uriel, then to Phoenix, then to the glass clutched between both of his hands as he smirked softly, ¡°Maybe a little silent chaos.¡± Then he downed the last of his drink and held it out for Rayna to refill, ¡°What of you, Lady Rayna? You¡¯ve made it clear that I¡¯m not your type.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
¡°Oh, definitely not,¡± the bard assured as she opened another bottle with just her two wobbly tails, which involved breaking it near the top and definitely spilling some in the process, and topped off the glass, ¡°I prefer soft curves and softer lips. Give me a girl that loves to love and I¡¯ll be happy.¡± The voxen gave a fanged grin and refilled her own glass before gesturing over towards the quiet cinderen who had just finished his own drink, ¡°What about you, Uriel? What does the strong and silent Mage desire in a partner?¡±
Uriel seemed to pause for a moment as he held out his glass and Rayna refilled it as well. Then he shared a glance with Dazien before saying simply, ¡°Leadership.¡±
¡°Ooo, spicy,¡± Rayna said playfully, obviously noticing the shared look that the rest of them noticed as well.
¡°Rayna, don¡¯t tease,¡± Saiya sleepily admonished, as the soft head slowly sank from Phoenix''s shoulder and onto her lap as though planning to nap right there. The fuzzy Snowbelle was already curled up under the blankets next to the Healer and Tala had roosted right beside the fellow Familiar in a fluffy pile of fur and feathers.
¡°I¡¯m just sayin¡¯,¡± the pugilist said defensively, ¡°We know those two are, like, close childhood friends but I didn¡¯t think they were that close.¡±
¡°How close we are is not really any of your business, Lady Rayna,¡± Dazien said sharply.
Phoenix felt her cheeks blush at the implications and found that she was suddenly very curious just how close the two men were. She wasn¡¯t exactly sure why she was curious though, like Dazien said, it wasn¡¯t any of her business. Then she began to wonder just what the booze had been doing to her as she glanced from Uriel to Dazien, uncertain why she wanted to know.
¡°Fair, fair,¡± Rayna said, raising her hands defensively, not wanting to anger anyone while trying to relax and have a fun time.
¡°What about you, Lady Saiya?¡± the warrior asked, obviously trying to shift the attention away from himself, ¡°Do you share your sister¡¯s proclivities?¡±
¡°Hmm?¡± the Healer asked sleepily from Phoenix¡¯s lap before registering the question and giving a bright smile as she shook her head, ¡°No, I would like to find a kind and loyal man that would make a good father while we rebuild our clan. I do wish to have children someday, perhaps when we reach Emerald Caste and have the time to slow down a bit more,¡± the voxen gave a dreamy sigh and went back to resting on the Wayfarer.
Rayna spoke up again, moving the attention now towards the redhead, ¡°What about you, Phoenix? Any lovers back home?¡±
Dazien and Uriel both winced slightly, already knowing the answer.
¡°It¡¯s not really my home anymore,¡± Phoenix said as she looked down at her empty glass, ¡°My home died when my mom did.¡±
She held out the glass for the Striker to fill, suddenly wanting more of the warmth it provided. The voxen gave a small frown but filled the cup again as Phoenix sipped it then she went on to answering the question with more details now that she had the assistance of the liquid courage, ¡°I haven¡¯t really talked much¡ well at all, about this topic since coming to this world. I¡¯m not even sure people here deal with it since you have magic,¡± she tried explaining and glanced up at her friends to ask, ¡°Does my translation ability work with the term ¡®transgender¡¯? Do you know what that means?¡±
Dazien and Rayna both shook their heads as Saiya nodded against her and Uriel spoke up, ¡°I¡¯ve read about it. It¡¯s a fairly rare condition where the soul and body are out of alignment. A girl born with a boy¡¯s body or vice versa.¡±
Phoenix nodded and asked, ¡°And what happens here to those children who are born like that?¡±
¡°They are taken to the temple of the Mender, obviously. There are higher Caste rituals that can realign the body to match the soul and-¡± he halted speaking as it seemed to click suddenly for the cinderen as his ember eyes widened, ¡°Your world doesn¡¯t have Mender or the high Caste rituals.¡±
Dazien looked from his companion and back to Phoenix before asking in confusion, ¡°Wait. Are you saying you were born in a boy''s body in your world and had to stay that way?¡±
She nodded and took another sip of the burning liquor, ¡°Yup. I got lucky in that my mom was pretty chill about it once she found out and helped me as best she could. Most others are¡ Well, let¡¯s just say I¡¯m really lucky with the little support I got.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Rayna interjected, ¡°I mean, I get the whole ¡®can¡¯t change your body without magic thing¡¯, but what does that have to do with the question?¡±
Phoenix took another sip and gestured to Dazien and Uriel, ¡°Well I mentioned to these two earlier that I was bedridden most of my life. No god of healing left us with little in the way of combating illnesses and there just wasn¡¯t a cure for me that was known. I basically grew up in a hospital full of other sick kids.¡±
Saiya¡¯s face scrunched up at the mental picture and the voxen readjusted herself to hug Phoenix more, the soft tails curling around her waist. Rayna¡¯s face fell a bit, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know. I can see how that could make courting difficult. You must have hoped though, what kind of person did you want?¡±
¡°That¡¯s why I brought up the trans thing,¡± she said with a slight sigh as she tried to put her feelings into words, ¡°Aside from being physically ill¡¡± she gave a crooked smile as she admitted, ¡°It was hard to picture someone who might want my body when I didn¡¯t even want it.¡±
She took another drink, ¡°What if they didn¡¯t see me as a ¡®real¡¯ woman? What if they were only interested because I was trans? What if they got angry because they thought I was one thing but was actually something different? If I couldn¡¯t stand looking in the mirror, why would they look at me any differently?¡±
The redhead paused, fighting back tears and taking another sip of the glowing poison in her glass, before finishing with a slight tremble in her voice, ¡°The thought of becoming intimate on any level was honestly terrifying.¡±
The looks of sadness and pity her friends gave Phoenix made her feel uncomfortable and she finished off her drink quickly, making her feel slightly dizzy as she continued, ¡°So with all that fear and anxiety rolling around up here,¡± she tapped at her temple with a free hand, ¡°I never really thought much about what kind of person I¡¯d want, or really even the traits I found attractive. I mostly just went along and agreed with what the other girls around my age seemed to like.¡±
¡°What about since arriving here?¡± Uriel asked softly, ¡°Your body is healed now.¡±
She gave a lopsided grin, ¡°But my mind is still a bit of a mess. That¡¯s what Priest Jacob¡¯s for, after all. Besides, aren¡¯t we all a little too busy being Adventurers to worry about stuff like that?¡±
¡°Bah, plenty of Adventurers get into relationships,¡± Rayna said waving a hand, then conceded, ¡°Maybe not in the middle of a blood moon but you just wait till the party starts when the moon ends. It¡¯ll be like the Lover herself sent up a signal flare to start the mating season!¡± the bard laughed, taking a long drink to finish off the last of the booze, and causing the others to chuckle along with her.
The now very drunk voxen leaned forward conspiratorially and motioned for Phoenix to move closer as though to whisper something, ¡°When the blood moon ends, and the parties start, you and I will go find all the fun places and you can start to figure out what exactly makes you run hot!¡±
Phoenix blushed crimson and Dazien leaned forward and playfully pushed Rayna back, ¡°Not alone you hedonist, we should all go out together! We will all need the respite¡¡± He gave a devilish grin, ¡°And the warmth.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you have Uriel for that?¡± Rayna said with a little pout, ¡°You would take the rest away from those of us looking for someone to keep us warm at night? You would leave him out in the cold?¡±
¡°I am not some jealous lover,¡± Uriel spoke up with a smirk at the inebriated woman, ¡°No matter what you might be picturing.¡±
¡°Oh, ew, no. I do not want to be picturing all that muscle,¡± the Striker said with a scrunched up face and shook her head, the long ears dropping slightly to the sides, as though trying to banish the mental image.
Phoenix laughed, ¡°I think you¡¯re all drunk.¡±
Dazien leaned over much the same way Rayna had to whisper in her ear, though he actually managed to keep his volume turned down, ¡°I can¡¯t get drunk,¡± the Defender admitted to her with a mischievous grin and a wink.
She blearily blinked at him before glancing at the clearly drunk voxen, then back at the gemite¡¯s glass that he had been matching Rayna for the whole time and asked in a return whisper, ¡°But she¡¯s higher Caste level. Isn¡¯t her Fort higher than yours outside combat?¡±
¡°I have some cheats of my own,¡± he replied and used his hands to hold his palms open and facing upwards like a book and she managed to connect the gesture and conjured her [Guide Book] which the Defender moved himself to tilt in an effort to only show her his explanation.
Natural Talent: Earthborn
- Fortitude and Strength attributes are increased.
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Natural Talent: Drinking Buddy
- Cultivated from [Never Drunk] due to unlocking the Noble Aspect.
- Cannot become intoxicated via alcoholic beverages at or below your Caste.
- When drinking alcohol, you may grant nearby allies increased resistance to intoxication.
- Covenant abilities have increased effect.
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¡°What are ya looking at all secret-like?¡± Rayna shouted, making her jump in surprise as the bard pushed the book down to look at the hidden information. Dazien, Uriel and Phoenix all held their breath as the pugilist read. The vulpine features grew confused for a moment before slowly turning towards the amethyst gemite with an amber gaze that threatened annihilation as the voxen then yelled, ¡°AND YOU DRANK IT ANYWAYS?!?¡±
They burst out laughing as the irate voxen lunged for the glass the Drinking Buddy still had in an attempt to not waste another drop on the likes of him.
17 - No Remorse
The following morning, Saiya cured Rayna and her hangovers first. Dousing all of them in a deluge of Magical Water that cleansed them both inside and out. Phoenix decided that, despite the odd feeling of being splashed without getting wet, she much preferred this method of cleaning to the shudder-inducing mental image that came with using a golden shower potion; not to mention that it was much cheaper.
Ability: Cleansing Stream
Type: Spell (channel, elemental, water)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Crystal 8 (62%)
Crystal Effect: Channel a stream of water that thoroughly cleans any external impurities from a single target and grants an instance of [Flowing Waters] if the target is an ally.
- Flowing Waters (boon, cleanse, elemental, water, stacking): Slowly cleanses Elemental Banes for a short duration.
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Phoenix debated about trying to make the party detour back to the city to inform Paul that Murinah had tried to replace her but she didn¡¯t want to try explaining the situation to the others or make them worried about something they couldn¡¯t really change. She¡¯d make sure that when their mission was over she would take the group straight to her mentor¡¯s home to inform him in private.
It would be another two weeks at least until they reached the last fortress city, depending on how many monsters they ran into along the way. Phoenix had been slightly frustrated with her [Guide Book] recently as it seemed to be giving her quests less and less often and she wondered if there was something wrong with it or perhaps it was just part of its nature.
If it was supposed to be guiding her, was it trying to tell her that she didn¡¯t need to fight monsters anymore or was she just so accustomed to fighting monsters now that she didn¡¯t need the book to nudge her that direction anymore? She¡¯d have to ponder more on that after seeing what it did give her for quests in the future.
King''s Dream often found themselves walking in different pairings and talking about random topics and interests between fights. This morning Rayna was talking about avals again with Uriel and Saiya, the particular topic being the rare condition she talked about last night showing up in creatures that could alter their own biology, and she didn¡¯t really want to get into the discussion after getting borderline emotional while confessing her insecurities.
She found herself walking ahead of the trio next to Dazien in silence for a while, trying to not focus on the conversation behind them and the tanned warrior seemed to realize this as he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about the turn the conversation took last night. It was meant to be a fun evening and we brought up some painful memories, it sounded like.¡±
He gave her a sideways glance and said softly, ¡°I am glad you told us, however. It helps us understand you better and gain a new perspective.¡±
¡°New perspective?¡± she asked absently.
¡°Of course. Our worlds are so different, we take a lot of things for granted that you had to struggle with daily. I¡¯m sure there are some things, like those video games and guitar you mentioned, that we are missing out on but it sounds like you got the short end of the stick.¡±
She gave a short unamused laugh, ¡°That¡¯s an understatement. Even by my world¡¯s standards, I was born into a pretty crappy situation.¡±
¡°Then this world really is like a whole new life for you?¡± She gave him a questioning look and he expounded, ¡°No sickness to keep you from exploring, no soul-body dysphoria to chain your heart in fear, nothing left behind to make you want to go back. New life, new Adventurers, and best of all, new friends,¡± he gave her his most charming smile and she couldn¡¯t help but return it.
¡°That¡¯s a nice way of looking at it,¡± she hesitated as she watched her party leader and prodded hesitantly, ¡°So, you and Uriel?¡±
His grin turned wicked and his eyes got a mischievous sparkle, ¡°Interested?¡±
¡°No! I mean, um, I j-just, well¡¡± she flushed with embarrassment, made even more obvious with her softly glowing skin, but was unsure on how to explain her curiosity.
Instead of saving her from floundering, the gemite simply laughed softly and said, ¡°Well, when you figure out why you want to know, then come ask me again.¡±
She decided to heed his words and changed her question, still feeling a bit awkward, ¡°Is what Rayna said last night, about the after-moon parties that is, really how it¡¯s like?¡±
Dazien shrugged slightly, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I was only around four at the time but if the stories are to be believed then it is much wilder than she described,¡± he said with a chuckle. ¡°The liquor flows and the clothes vanish as a feast of relief and indulgence commences in the weeks following.¡±
Her face scrunched as she asked, ¡°Why? So many lives have been lost and there will be so much reconstruction needing to be done.¡±
¡°That¡¯s exactly why. There will be plenty of time to grieve and rebuild. What the people need at the end of all these dark times is a reminder of what we were fighting for in the first place. To celebrate the lives that remain and for some,¡± he gave her another wicked smirk, ¡°Begin the repopulation effort.¡±
She blushed again and looked away as he chuckled at her reaction and patted her shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Phoenix. Rayna might want to try and help you meet some new people but none of us will pressure you into doing something like that if you¡¯re not comfortable with it. Like I told Rayna last night; how close someone gets to another is between them and is nobody else¡¯s business. Feel free to share, or not. Whatever you¡¯re comfortable with sharing.¡±
Phoenix raised an eyebrow at him, ¡°And you¡¯re not comfortable with sharing details about your relationship with Uriel?¡±
¡°It takes both parties to be comfortable with how much is shared outside of the relationship,¡± he explained, becoming more serious as he spoke, ¡°It would be both dishonorable and disrespectful of me to share something intimate that I shared with any person if they were uncomfortable with that knowledge being known.¡±
The Wayfarer nodded, ¡°I guess that makes sense. It¡¯s like my own secrets,¡± she observed, touching the spot on her chest where they both knew her Soul Mark lay, ¡°I think the fact that you won¡¯t tell me actually makes me trust you more.¡±
He grinned, ¡°Like I said, give me a compelling reason and I might let you in on some of the details; after talking with Uriel of course,¡± then teased, ¡°If there¡¯s even anything to tell.¡±
Phoenix gave an annoyed huff and Dazien laughed, ¡°You know you seem like Lord Wayland when you do that? I think he¡¯s rubbing off on you.¡±
She rolled her eyes at him then asked, ¡°Does that mean I should beat you into the road like he would too?¡±
¡°Is that a challenge?¡± the warrior retorted with a grin.
Phoenix took a few steps ahead of him in the road and turned to face him, conjuring her [Caustic Floe] as she asked in a mock taunt, ¡°Think you can take a student of the Weapon Wielding Warrior?¡±
He laughed again and pointed to the sword she was holding as he continued walking forward and she continued to step backwards, keeping their distance, ¡°You know that thing is poisonous right?¡±
She gave her best impression of his own impish grin, ¡°Scared of getting cut a lot?¡±
The warrior¡¯s smile turned predatory at the challenge, ¡°Oh, you''re just asking to need Lady Saiya to heal you now,¡± he warned and he conjured his own sword.
Passive Ability: Armory
Type: Utility (construct, magical, dimension)
Current Caste: Crystal 4
Crystal Effect: Construct a doorway to a personal dimensional storage space that contains [Excalibur, Sword of the True King]. You can don or doff armor and weapons directly from this space without needing to construct the doorway.
- Excalibur, Sword of the True King (construct, divine, radiant): Attacks made with Excalibur can affect incorporeal targets and inflict an instance of [Ailing].
- Ailing (bane, divine, radiant, stacking): Decreased health and stamina regeneration.
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The redhead chuckled, glad for the distraction of battle, ¡°Bring it, kid,¡± she taunted, using the nickname that Paul always did. She raised her sword into a guard position then she felt the ground slip beneath her and she tripped, falling backwards.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
¡°Phoenix!¡± She heard the Defender call out and realized she was falling further than where the road should have caught her. The Wayfarer was about to be swallowed by the pit that had appeared when she felt a hand grasp the wrist of her unarmed hand and she reactively clutched on to it in order to halt her descent.
As she hung there in the air with Dazien holding her arm, she heard a commotion behind him and her book chose that particular moment to appear for her.
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New Quest: Road Ruffians
You have been ambushed!
Objective: Help defeat the bandits.
Reward: Rare Crystal Caste accessory.
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She groaned in annoyance at the book, despite her happiness at the new quest, then used her gravity ability to push herself away from the floor of the pit as Dazien stood to help their other teammates meet the new threat that had attacked them.
They were surrounded by enemies and she felt twin voxen auras wash over them, which in turn reminded Phoenix to expand her own, causing her suite of benefits to appear around them all. Dazien stood in front of her and conjured his shield and armor from his own dimensional storage in a shimmer of golden glitter.
With her aura being projected, she could tell that only three of the bandits were Crystal Casters but that the others all had a bit more magic than the average Mundane. Half-Casters she remembered Miles calling them; perhaps only having one or two aspects unlocked.
The Supporter wasn¡¯t sure what the ruffians wanted or how she and her companions should react as a party of Adventurers. She had never fought other people like this before and wasn¡¯t sure what they were expected to do. Did they try to negotiate? Take them into custody? They were kinda like a police force in this world, right? Wait, no, that was the city guards. She knew there was a legal system, so they were supposed to bring them in¡ right?
The bandits didn¡¯t give her party a chance to try talking as they attacked en masse and Phoenix found herself shocked by the sudden clash of weapons. She only felt confusion as her teammates engaged, punching, stabbing, slashing and casting. They were supposed to be helping people¡ not fighting them¡ that¡¯s what Adventurers were for, right?
Even the little furball, Snowbelle, was a flurry of feathers and sharp teeth. The sweet belly-rub-loving creature pelted enemies with spheres of water that seemed tainted with acid as it melted through their makeshift armor. The Seagull would then deal rending blows with teeth to tendons, bringing bandits to their knees or clutching limp arms.
She felt someone grab her arm and turn her to look at them. Saiya had made her way over and was looking at Phoenix with worry as she said, ¡°Phoenix! Snap out of it, you need to fight!¡±
The Wayfarer felt her shock subside slightly but all she could respond with was, ¡°I- I can¡¯t. This isn¡¯t right! I don¡¯t kill people!¡±
Dazien heard her over his shoulder as he ran his sword through a man that had been barreling towards the two women and he growled before shouting at the party Mage, ¡°Uriel! Huddle up!¡±
Both Rayna and Uriel made their way over to the others, surrounding Phoenix and Saiya, and the cinderen calmly replied back, ¡°I¡¯ll need the time. I can buy some but then you know you need to keep them off me.¡±
He was close enough to all of them this time that Phoenix could actually feel his aura now as it slowly sliced into them causing small papercut like slashes all over their skin and armor. Registering his words of needing time, Phoenix cast her [Lunar Dream] to conjure distracting birds as Saiya cast her own [Boon of the Balanced] on all of them. Uriel then stomped a foot into the ground.
Class Ability: Scorch the Shaken Earth
Type: Special Attack (elemental, earth, fire)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Current Caste: Crystal 5 (2%)
Crystal Effect: Slam the ground to trigger a seismic attack inflicting Earth damage, rippling out in a circle around you, scorching the area with fire, and knocking back enemies in its path. Anyone within the area gains [Burning].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
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The bandits were all stumbling now as the attack spread outwards from the grouped up Adventurers, flaming shards of cracked stone jutting out like stalagmites protruding outwards from the ground as it passed. Then Uriel began to cast his next spell that Phoenix hadn¡¯t seen before, "Let the sky wail. Let the world tremble. Let my enemy cower. For I am the eye of the storm."
Class Ability: Eye of the Storm
Type: Spell (elemental, earth, fire, water, wind)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Current Caste: Crystal 4 (5%)
Crystal Effect: Create a violent storm centered around you. Targets in the storm take a low amount of ongoing Earth, Fire, Water and Wind damage and periodically gain an instance of [Scorched] and [Chilled].
- Scorched (bane, elemental, fire, stacking): Decreased Fire resistance.
- Chilled (bane, elemental, ice, stacking): Decreased Agility.
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Uriel grit his teeth as the mana channeled through him and into the spell causing a wild storm to whip up around the party with only their immediate surroundings remaining still as chaos erupted around them and the thugs started yelling in panic and anger.
The Mage downed a mana potion from his belt pouch then targeted one of the Crystal Casters and cast yet another spell that would slowly but inevitably take out the enemies, ¡°Be the bearer of the all consuming plague.¡±
Class Ability: Plague Bearer
Type: Spell (magical, death)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Current Caste: Crystal 5 (34%)
Crystal Effect: Inflict a target enemy with low Death damage and an instance of [Plagued].
- Plagued (bane, magical, death, stacking): Inflicts ongoing Death damage and slowly spreads instances of [Plagued] to nearby enemies.
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The cinderen finally turned to the heavily wounded bandit leader that had been shouting orders and was making their way against the storm towards him and raised a hand as he chanted, ¡°Your days have come to an end.¡±
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Class Ability: End of Days
Type: Execute (spell, divine, void)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Current Caste: Crystal 5 (86%)
Crystal Effect: Surround the target in the void, suppressing all physical senses and inflicting ongoing low Void damage for a short duration. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
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It was the same spell she had seen annihilate the yeti during their Adventurer trials and a few times since then. As the void of darkness consumed the woman, the screams rang out through the cacophony of the storm before halting as the enemy vanished from existence and the spell ended.
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Quest: Road Ruffians
Objective complete: Helped defeat the bandits.
[Drifter¡¯s Umbrella] has been added to your collection.
Quest completed.
10 [Crystal Mana Bits] have been added to your collection.
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Uriel dropped to his knees from the overuse of mana and Dazien was by his side a breath later, ¡°Phoenix, your Familiar regen,¡± he shouted at her over his shoulder while kneeling next to the Mage with a comforting hand on his back as their leader whispered softly into the cinderen¡¯s ear who simply nodded a few times in response.
Phoenix triggered the release of her stored up [Starlight Qi] and, as they all began glowing softly, she noticed the Mage rubbing one of the golden studs on one of his ears as though trying to comfort himself and she remembered what Paul had mentioned about them helping to calm the wearer. As she looked around at the mess of bodies that were now strewn about, she could understand why he might want them. She felt her nausea rise at the sight of all the blood¡ the blood that belonged to people who didn¡¯t turn into ash when her aura looted them; their meager belongings now sitting in her collection.
She started having trouble breathing and Saiya¡¯s hands gently grasped her cheeks to make her turn to look at the Healer, ¡°Sweet flower, eyes on me. Just breathe.¡± Phoenix felt Saiya¡¯s aura surrounding her, its tranquil effects slowly working to make all of them calm down.
Rayna wasn¡¯t happy though, as the bard asked incredulously, ¡°What was that, Phoenix? You totally froze!¡±
¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± the Wayfarer began, stumbling over her words, ¡°I-I just¡ I couldn¡¯t-¡±
¡°You¡¯ve been fighting monsters for months now!¡± the Striker began shouting.
Phoenix scrunched her face as she angrily retorted, ¡°But these were people!¡±
¡°No,¡± Dazien said firmly as he stood and helped Uriel to his feet, before turning to stare at her and stating firmly, ¡°They were monsters preying on the people they saw as weaker than them.¡±
¡°If someone attacks you, Phoenix, you fight back! You don¡¯t just roll over and let them hurt you and the people you care about. You put them down. No hesitation. No regrets. No remorse,¡± the Shatter Bard said with determination.
¡°That sounds cruel and heartless. That¡¯s not someone I want to become,¡± the Wayfarer argued. She shouldn¡¯t have to become a remorseless murderer to be an Adventurer. She didn¡¯t want to be like Murinah, able to kill someone with a smile on her face.
¡°Monsters are not deserving of remorse!¡± Rayna shot back, obviously still on edge from the fight despite her sister¡¯s aura attempting to calm them all, ¡°I¡¯m not saying go on a killing spree to get whatever you want! If you find yourself in a position where you need to kill, that means the person in front of you is not deserving of remorse, otherwise you wouldn¡¯t need to kill them.¡±
Before the redhead could even attempt to argue, Saiya interrupted with gentle concern, ¡°Surely you¡¯ve seen people kill other people before? Lord Wayland told us he cleared out a Reality Rift shortly after meeting you.¡±
¡°What? No. There weren¡¯t any people there, just these monsters called Caged and Reapers,¡± Phoenix denied, trying to explain what happened, ¡°I didn¡¯t get a close look at the whole group but I fought one of the Caged and it was definitely a monster.¡±
The rest of her party all exchanged looks with one another as if searching for what to say when Dazien stepped closer to her and said carefully while watching her reaction, ¡°Phoenix¡ Soul Reapers are people. Sapient and intelligent people from other realities that have come to destroy our world.¡±
She blinked at him in confusion, ¡°What? No. I mean¡ Paul said they were monsters.¡±
Dazien gave her a sad smile and said softly, ¡°... They were. Just like these bandits.¡±
Bonus Chapter: Blossom Caretaker
¡°Good morning, my lovely blossom,¡± Marcus said to Patricia as she walked through the door to the smaller dining room they preferred to use in the morning when it was just the two of them after having gotten the children on their way to their various jobs and lessons.
¡°Good morning to you, my mighty evergreen,¡± the priestess replied, giving her husband a playful kiss on his forehead as she moved to sit beside him.
¡°I think the twins forgot their lunches again,¡± the slightly older runeforged said, taking another bite of his fresh toast with marmalade as one of the staff brought her a plate of breakfast as well.
The plate was still fresh and hot, made up this morning but kept in a stasis container until her arrival. She took a bite of the fresh eggs and almost moaned aloud it was so good, ¡°Remind me to give Emilia a raise. We cannot let her get poached by another House. The way she can make breakfast this well seasoned and the eggs so perfectly poached is practically priceless.¡±
Marcus cleared his throat, ¡°So that¡¯ll be me dropping off the lunches.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not even sure which twins you were referring to dear,¡± she pointed out, taking another bite followed by a drink of aplet juice.
¡°The ones that always forget their lunches,¡± he said with a roll of his deep green eyes that almost matched the metallic markings on his umber skin.
Patricia had always loved her husband¡¯s emerald eyes though none of their children inherited them. One of the stipulations they had made before ever getting married would be that the first ten children would carry the Wayland trait of her bright blue eyes, a tradition upheld for generations.
¡°You know I need to be at the Citadel this morning,¡± the priestess reminded, ¡°Meeting with the High Priest. Do you have the time or should we get one of the staff-¡±
¡°You know I don¡¯t like relying on the staff for that,¡± her husband interjected, ¡°Our children need to learn enough responsibility that they don¡¯t end up completely incompetent as adults, always relying on others to fix their problems. They¡¯ll end up seeing the staff as tools instead of people if we let them.¡±
¡°Right, well, I hope you don¡¯t end up late or don¡¯t mind letting Philip and Phineas feel some actual consequences and skip a meal,¡± she said, taking a bite of her own toast with ruebean marmalade and actually moaning that time, ¡°Seriously, how does a Crystal Caste Cook manage to make something this divine?¡±
Marcus¡¯ eyes had locked onto her after her vocal slip and then seemed to hold back a grin as he asked almost too casually, ¡°So, Pati, it¡¯s been a few years and with the youngest twins able to go to school now have we decided on when we¡¯ll be going for the next round of little ones? We could do something different and try the more natural way¡¡±
The Priestess of the Cultivator gave him a wicked grin, ¡°Is that the Cultivator whispering in your mind or the Lover?¡±
¡°Can¡¯t it be both?¡± he asked, returning her smile.
She laughed and said, ¡°We can talk later about that but it¡¯s a tentative ¡®yes¡¯ now I¡¯m going to finish this godly meal before I end up late.¡±
¡°High Priest Yakoby,¡± Patricia began patiently, ¡°I know your research would benefit from it but we simply cannot kidnap a young woman just because she is a rare species that we have yet to gain genetic samples for.¡±
The much older Emerald Caster was pacing in his personal laboratory again near the top of the Cultivator¡¯s Citadel. Plants were everywhere and it was almost impossible to maneuver through the various counter spaces without brushing against one. Many were entwined with another type of plant as the runeforged man was attempting various methods of hybridization.
¡°But it¡¯s a Wayfarer!¡± he replied, tossing his hands up in frustration before gesturing to the plants surrounding them, ¡°Do you have any idea what I could- I mean we could gain from the knowledge of their genetic adaptability?!¡±
¡°Of course, High Priest,¡± she said with a placating nod, ¡°But this is not a rare flower we¡¯re talking about, it¡¯s a person.¡±
His shoulders slumped slightly, ¡°Right¡¡± then he perked up, ¡°Maybe we could just convince her to help? Your brother could try to persuade-¡±
¡°You think a Fallen Paladin would help the Cultivator in convincing his Prot¨¦g¨¦ to donate a piece of herself for experimentation?¡± she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
¡°I heard rumors that he rededicated to another god recently. Perhaps he¡¯s not so hostile towards the clergy as we thought?¡±
Patricia pinched the bridge of her nose, wanting to strangle her idiotic brother for flaunting his new position so flagrantly. He clearly missed the notice that knowledge was power, or maybe he was just so comfortable having physical power that he no longer cared about the strategic kind. She swore he would be the death of her someday.
¡°Yes. He did rededicate,¡± she confirmed but dashed the man¡¯s hopes the next second, ¡°To the Avenger. Apparently, he doesn¡¯t care much for people betraying him¡ or being cruel to those he holds dear.¡±
The lanky man seemed to wither a bit more at that and she could almost see the various scenarios playing through his mind of what might be in store for him should the Paladin deem his own goals as ¡°cruel¡±. Then he cautiously began saying, ¡°Perhaps you could convince him-¡±
¡°Convince the Blade of Pure Wrath?¡± Patricia interrupted, both brows raised now and she laughed, ¡°I can barely convince him to not follow that Wayfarer around like a personal guard dog.¡±
¡°Maybe if we-¡±
¡°High Priest Yakoby, if you are determined about gaining her assistance then I believe we should wait. Let her come to us and probably wait until after the blood moon has finished. No good will come from antagonizing Lord Wayland.¡±
The man gave a heavy sigh but nodded in agreement. She gave a smile and a slight bow as she bid her leave, ¡°Good. Then I will return to my own duties, potion supplies are in high demand after all.¡±
He bid farewell and gratitude for the council as she returned to her own floor that she normally worked on. As a Blossom Caretaker, her Class was well equipped for cultivating the rare flowers that grew in the shared lab that took up the entire floor of the building. Her Plant Aspect gave her the proper attunements while her Growth Aspect gave the wonderful supportive abilities to increase their production drastically. The Protection Aspect helped her make targets heartier and could properly detect what they needed to thrive. Then her final Aspect, Myriad, helped tie it all together with replicating the boons and resulting yield.
Her entire purpose was centered around growing her garden and supplying the multitudes and she couldn¡¯t wait to hit Emerald soon and see what else she would be capable of. First, though, she needed to survive the political garbage fire Paul was dropping atop her.
Patricia collapsed in one of the plush chairs in her study, exhausted from the day and the chaotic family dinner she had just escaped from. She loved her children and loved having so many little ones running around and bantering with one another but some days she just needed a quiet study and a strong drink before facing her next responsibility: politics.
She had been running most of the family¡¯s affairs for years now after her father decided to not spend a fortune on Ruby Monster Seeds just to live longer. He was well beyond his years and had never really been the same since her mother died in the last blood moon.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.
Despite all their wealth and status, being in the wrong place at the wrong time when a monster spawned could still take everything away. After all, monsters didn¡¯t care about anyone¡¯s ties to the nobility or how many Mana Bits they had.
¡°Are you sure about that double dozen?¡± a raspy slightly feminine voice said from the doorway that Pati could have sworn she closed behind her.
¡°Twenty four will mean one for each type of magic and a spare to pick whatever,¡± Patricia said logically.
¡°But you''re not even half-way and I could already hear the cacophony of dinner from the rooftop,¡± the old woman replied with a chuckle and slowly walked in, a tall elf trailing after her while petting a small black kitten.
¡°Is that your Familiar holding another Familiar?¡± Pati asked with a raised brow.
¡°Fen assures me that Bliss is not actually a Familiar like him and that the chimera is ravenous,¡± her aunt explained with a wide grin wrinkling her face even more. ¡°I would think you of all people wouldn¡¯t let a young Caster go hungry.¡±
The priestess shook her head and waved the elf back towards the door, ¡°I¡¯m sure Emilia will have some scraps or even make something special for the furball. I swear people on this tundra have absolutely no resistance to small things with fur.¡±
The tall elf gave a respectfully subdued bow and exited with the mewling kitten in tow as the elder sat in the chair across from hers and asked, ¡°So, my little flower, will you enlighten me as to what has come over your foolhardy brother?¡±
She groaned, ¡°Drinks first, then complaints,¡± the younger Wayland commanded, begrudgingly getting up from her seat to go pour herself and the old aunt a glass of manarin wine.
¡°I¡¯m not here to complain,¡± the older Caster reassured, ¡°I¡¯m merely trying to understand why he thought to not at least warn us of such an impactful decision. He didn¡¯t seem to forget that part the first time around when he suggested joining the Purifier.¡±
¡°Perhaps he thought we¡¯d say no?¡± she suggested.
¡°Bah, you and he both know the only thing we¡¯d say no to is one of the dark gods and the Avenger just barely misses that mark.¡±
She paused for a moment, ¡°I guess when you put it like that, it could have been a lot worse than some minor neutral deity with a penchant for violence,¡± she admitted, taking a long sip of her drink before topping it off and returning to her chair, handing the extra glass over to her temporary companion.
¡°Worse as in executing the heir of a rival House?¡± her aunt asked, taking a sip of the offered drink.
Patricia groaned again, sinking further into her chair and cup, ¡°I have to write an official statement and everything after that debacle.¡±
¡°I thought there wasn¡¯t any proof of Paul¡¯s involvement?¡±
¡°There¡¯s not but I need to make it clear where we stand in relation to both House Ruwena and House Teras, and that means a public ¡®official¡¯ letter to the Aristocratic Assembly explaining why we hate Ruwena and love Teras now.¡±
¡°Remind me again why we love House Teras again?¡±
¡°Because they aren¡¯t evil traitors and can stand being in the same room with Paul?¡±
¡°Ah, yes, that¡¯s right.¡±
A brief moment of silence fell as they both took another long drink from their glasses.
¡°I overheard the staff complaining about that merchant woman again.¡±
The priestess wanted to melt into the cushions, or the wine, as she asked incredulously, ¡°Have you brought me any good news?¡±
The old auntie seemed to ponder on that for a moment and as her hope was about to disintegrate the woman said, ¡°Everything is prepared for the celebration of Spring¡¯s Renewal tomorrow.¡±
Patricia perked up slightly at that, ¡°That¡¯s good. I was a bit worried with everything going on that we might not be able to have everything prepared in time. Will everybody be there?¡±
¡°Minus one wayward Paladin and his Prot¨¦g¨¦,¡± the elder said, ¡°I know the girl has been given a new mission but your brother just needs his sister to convince him to attend.¡±
¡°Why does everyone seem to think I can convince Paul to do anything?¡±
¡°Because you were the one who knew he would come home.¡±
To the Proprietor of Mother¡¯s Cupboard, Madam Malik,
I write to inform you that House Wayland will not be arranging a meeting between the young Miss Fraser and request that such inquiries cease. While we appreciate your enthusiasm and commitment to achieving the best financial opportunities for our Lord¡¯s Prot¨¦g¨¦, her duties as an Adventurer have been-
¡°Since when is the Lord the one that gets summoned?¡± Paul said from behind her and Patricia jumped, not having noticed the swift and silent Emerald Caster sneak up behind her in her own study that was really more of a parlor, complete with half-finished bottle of wine on her desk that she almost cursed her brother for making her spill in her fright.
¡°Maybe if you were the one busy writing these letters then I would have more time to seek you out,¡± she snapped back in her annoyance.
¡°Pretty sure not having to write the letters was part of our agreement for me not abdicating immediately upon my arrival,¡± the Paladin replied flippantly as he effortlessly lifted one of the heavy plush armchairs to sit across from her desk. She didn¡¯t normally have people sit with her at her desk, preferring the open sitting area by the wet bar on the other side of the room where she had been speaking with their aunt earlier that evening.
¡°Well, that¡¯s why the Lord is now getting summoned,¡± she answered, setting her letter and pen aside to fix her brother with a stern gaze.
He shifted under the look and asked in an almost tired tone, ¡°What did I do now? You already yelled at me for the rededication and the quest I got from it.¡±
¡°I still feel like I haven¡¯t yelled enough about that if you''re traipsing around the city in your new regalia as if taunting the world to attack us but that¡¯s not why you¡¯re here now,¡± she admonished, folding her hands together as she asked, ¡°Now, explain to me why the Lord of the House will not be in attendance for tomorrow¡¯s celebration?¡±
Paul scowled at her, ¡°You know most festivities are put on hold during a blood moon, Pati.¡±
¡°Not when it¡¯s going to last almost a year instead of a single month, Paul,¡± she stated flatly, ¡°The people will die of despair.¡±
¡°Please,¡± the Striker said with a roll of his eyes, ¡°A single year of lockdown procedures is not going to wipe out an entire city. Supply lines are being taxed enough to respond to the prolonged threat, we don¡¯t need to add to it with feasts and decorations.¡±
¡°It¡¯s the Equinox! You know how important the Quarter Sun Holidays are! And this one will not even be that grand, just the family doing the planting on the roof and the clothing swap and drop before having a nice dinner together. Surely you can be a part of it.¡±
The Paladin shifted again and gave a rare display of uncertainty, ¡°I think the others might prefer if I wasn¡¯t there.¡±
¡°Why do you say that?¡±
¡°You and I both know that I butt heads with the elders too much and the young ones are more afraid of me than anything else.¡±
¡°Maybe because you never spend time with them?¡± she pointed out and he grumbled in response, ¡°I really wish you would have brought Phoenix as well.¡±
¡°I know you want to meet her in person but-¡±
¡°It¡¯s not about that, Paul,¡± the priestess interjected, ¡°She¡¯s never experienced Spring¡¯s Renewal. She has no idea what our customs are or why certain things are the way they are in the city. No idea what it is that our people celebrate instead of just what we fight against.¡±
The lord frowned at that.
¡°I know the holidays have never held much importance for you, seeming more a chore and obligation than anything else, but you told me she likes to learn and was kept secluded from most activities in her old world since she was sick all the time. Did you even ask her if she wanted to celebrate with us?¡±
Paul shook his head, his frown deepening, ¡°I just assumed she¡¯d avoid the crowds like I would. Plus, I needed her out of the city for a bit while I did my own quest.¡±
Patricia rubbed her face in weariness, so many things obviously wrong with his statements, ¡°First, Family isn¡¯t ¡®crowds¡¯ and, as your Prot¨¦g¨¦, she is welcomed to attend as such. Second, getting her out of the city so you could execute the noble heir that¡¯s been bullying her is both drastic and manipulative and I¡¯m not sure I approve.¡±
¡°It wasn¡¯t just bullying like children, I told you-¡±
¡°I know, I know, ¡®whatever retribution you served upon Noble Ruwena was something she did in turn¡¯, I just wish you would tell me what poor soul was also in that woman¡¯s sights that she would feed them to miserlings. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s another grieving family out there.¡±
¡°They¡¯ve been informed and requested to remain anonymous,¡± the Paladin stated flatly, looking towards the bar that held a decent amount of alcohol, some of which was even strong enough to affect him.
¡°We¡¯re getting off topic again,¡± she pointed out, ¡°Will you please join your family tomorrow for the celebrations? Then maybe invite Phoenix for the next one?¡±
He scratched at his beard, standing as if to leave and she thought for sure she had reached the limits of this patience but he paused and looked back to give a relenting nod, ¡°I¡¯ll be there tomorrow but I¡¯m not sure Phoenix will be ready to meet everyone by the next holiday. Maybe Winter¡¯s Break.¡±
She rolled her eyes, ¡°That¡¯s nine months away! The blood moon will be over and everyone will expect both of you in attendance.¡±
To her ultimate frustration, her annoying older brother gave a smirk and said, ¡°Just be glad I won¡¯t abscond with her out of the city and onto our next grand adventure.¡±
¡°You are the absolute worst sometimes, you know that?¡± she complained but couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly when she realized that she had at least half-won the battle and was making progress.
¡°Yep,¡± he fully agreed with her then made to leave again, only pausing at the doorway to add, ¡°Happy Equinox, Pati.¡±
She smiled fully at him as she sighed and said warmly, ¡°And a Blessed Spring¡¯s Renewal to you too, my obnoxious brother.¡±
18 - The Luxury of Mercy
¡°You¡¯re back sooner than I expected,¡± Paul said as he closed the door to his study behind Phoenix after she entered, ¡°I thought it would have taken about six weeks to clear that route of monsters.¡±
The party hadn¡¯t run into any more bandits along the southeastern road and had made it to their last fort delivery without too many monster encounters to slow them down. Once the delivery was complete, she had portaled them all back, each of them looking forward to a hot shower and their own bed. Phoenix had tried to convince their party leader to let her portal them back every morning to sleep, despite Paul wanting her out of the city, but the gemite had argued that they needed to get comfortable with camping out if they ever planned to explore beyond the tundra.
Phoenix sat in the same chair she occupied the last time she was here and said, ¡°Well, we did it in a month. The route wasn¡¯t too bad and the weather stayed pretty clear. Took out quite a few monsters¡¡± she hesitated then added, ¡°And a group of bandits that had ambushed us on the road. It took us a little extra time to burn the bodies so they wouldn¡¯t rot in the open.¡±
Paul¡¯s eyes narrowed as he sat in his own seat, ¡°Bandits? I hadn¡¯t heard reports but it¡¯s not uncommon, even during a blood moon. There must not have been many if your party alone managed to handle them.¡±
She watched him carefully but he had seemed unfazed by the knowledge that they had killed other people, ¡°There were eighteen of them. Only three Crystal Casters¡ Uriel¡¯s powers are most impressive against groups,¡± she expounded, then decided to ask him bluntly, ¡°You¡¯re not upset at all that we killed actual people?¡±
The paladin raised an eyebrow, then gave a small sigh as he seemed to realize the issue and now was resigning himself to have ¡®the talk¡¯ with her, ¡°It is an inevitability. As an Adventurer, it is our duty to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Whether that¡¯s from monsters or people. We don¡¯t have the luxury of mercy for those who would prey on the innocent.¡±
¡°Doesn¡¯t that just make us monsters in turn?¡± the Wayfarer asked, still unconvinced.
¡°We are not cruel, Phoenix. We don¡¯t enjoy hurting or killing others. We only do what must be done. You will understand this eventually. Don''t feel guilty about any lives you might have taken in self defense or the defense of your friends.¡±
Phoenix looked away with shame as she admitted, ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ I froze. I couldn¡¯t justify killing someone¡¡± her voice became soft as she said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to become like Murinah.¡±
¡°You are nothing like her. Those bandits were. Intent matters, Phoenix,¡± her mentor growled firmly. His expression softened as he said, ¡°A day will come when you have to choose between saving an innocent person or letting a cruel person cause harm. On that day, remember not what might be right or wrong but the person you want to be. Do you want to be the person who didn¡¯t kill a monster in the form of a person? Or do you want to be the person who protected someone from that monster?¡±
¡°Do you practice these speeches beforehand?¡± the Supporter asked sarcastically.
¡°I hate that I find myself sounding more and more like my parents when I talk with you,¡± he grumbled, shifting some papers on his desk, ¡°But the point is valid. Some people, whether they meant to or not, become monsters.¡±
¡°You make it sound so simple,¡± she scoffed.
¡°In that moment, it is,¡± the older Adventurer stated, leaning forward to get her focused attention, ¡°It is those moments that show us the type of person we truly are, Phoenix. Whether we can become heroes or not.¡±
She fell silent, mulling over his words. Paul let her think for a few moments as he leaned back in his seat then informed her, ¡°As far as Murinah Ruwena is concerned, you won¡¯t have to worry yourself with her anymore.¡±
His words reminded Phoenix about the reason she had come straight here after returning from their mission instead of going to her own dorm, ¡°Murinah wants to replace me. Rayna talked with her apparently before the Sirens attacked.¡±
Paul frowned slightly but said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. She¡¯s been taken care of.¡±
Phoenix shook her head, ¡°No, she''s trying to become the party Supporter, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll come after me again to empty the position. Even if she¡¯s in jail or something. She hired an assassin before, so what¡¯s going to stop her from doing so behind bars?¡±
The paladin grimaced and answered bluntly, ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡±
The Wayfarer froze and just blinked at him, processing the news, before confirming that she had heard him correctly, ¡°Murinah¡¯s dead?¡±
¡°Yes, since two weeks ago,¡± he affirmed, then added, ¡°But her father suspects that my House was involved. If he starts looking into ways to hurt me, he¡¯s going to find out you¡¯re alive and he already knows you''re my Prot¨¦g¨¦. It seems not even Pati could keep that under wraps after I let it slip to Lord Teras.¡±
¡°Pati?¡±
¡°My sister,¡± the paladin answered with another grimace, ¡°She''s been asking non-stop to meet you but I didn¡¯t want you feeling overwhelmed by her particular brand of¡ caring.¡±
¡°So you think if Murinah¡¯s dad finds out about me still being alive that he¡¯ll pick up where she left off?¡±
¡°I do,¡± her mentor said with a nod and tapped idly on his desk as he ordered, ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere without someone with you. You don¡¯t have to worry about going out into the city anymore since there¡¯s no real secret to hide now but you shouldn¡¯t be alone.¡±
She nodded, figuring he would come to that kind of conclusion. He surprised her, however, when he added, ¡°You should probably move here too.¡±
¡°What? You¡¯re joking right?¡± Phoenix asked incredulously. When she saw his completely serious face, she shook her head, ¡°No, Paul, please. I know you¡¯re worried but I need my own space. You know I don¡¯t feel comfortable here.¡±
¡°Better uncomfortable than dead,¡± the man growled, ¡°Your ability doesn¡¯t make you completely invulnerable, Phoenix,¡± he pointed out.
¡°I know but¡ I don¡¯t want the others worrying. What will they think of me moving in with you suddenly?¡± she rebutted.
He nodded acknowledgement, ¡°That you¡¯re either in danger or more involved with me than is considered appropriate.¡±
Her eyes widened at that last implication. She hadn¡¯t even thought about that point of view. They were so drastically different in age, and he was her teacher; then she realized that those factors probably weren¡¯t as limiting in this world with people living much longer and even in her world those types of relationships weren¡¯t completely unheard of.
¡°Then definitely not,¡± she said adamantly, ¡°That is not the kind of relationship we have.¡±
He gave a small smirk, ¡°I know. It is safer here, however, and it¡¯s not uncommon for Prot¨¦g¨¦s to live with their Mentors,¡± the Supporter crossed her arms in a silent show of defiance and he gave an annoyed huff, ¡°At least set your Waypoint location here.¡±
She contemplated that for a moment. It would be smarter to move it to a safer location and then Paul would know immediately if something happened to her again, not to mention offer better protection during her most vulnerable moments. Phoenix reluctantly nodded in acquiescence.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°Thank you. So with the bad news out of the way, any good news?¡± Paul prompted.
The Wayfarer gave a small smile when she realized what he wanted and she conjured her book for him to see as she showed off her latest haul.
Item: Drifter¡¯s Umbrella
Drifting on the wind. Shaded from the fire. Protected from the water. Dragging along the earth. Singing a traveling song.
Caste: Crystal.
Availability: Rare.
Type: Trinket, umbrella.
Effects:
- For a small mana cost, slow your descent through the air.
- Protects from extreme heat and sunburn from Mundane sources.
- Mundane water cannot pass between this item and the ground.
- Can be used to draw magical diagrams on the ground.
- Slightly enhances the effects of Song Boons.
|
¡°That¡¯s an interesting utility item,¡± the paladin murmured, ¡°Are you planning to use it?¡±
¡°Maybe? The slow fall ability is nice but I don¡¯t think I could really use it in combat that much. It actually seems better for simply traveling along the road. There¡¯s no requirement so it might be better just selling it to a Mundane that would get more benefit from it than I would.
¡°By the way, why is it called ¡®Song¡¯ magic instead of ¡®Sound¡¯ magic? I¡¯ve been wondering that since seeing some of the twins¡¯ abilities,¡± she asked curiously.
¡°Well, legend has it that back when the first Caster began categorizing the different kinds of elements, he was first introduced to that type of magic from a cantrip a small voxen clan would sing every morning to greet the rising sun. The clan only has a few members still around but the Caster labeled the magic as Song in honor of his voxen friend and it just kinda stuck.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a neat story,¡± she said, then read the description of her newest item once more and gave a frustrated sigh, ¡°While loot is always considered ¡®good news¡¯, I really wish it had been another Spirit Gem. I still need to unlock two of my class abilities.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve told you before that I would help you buy some,¡± Paul pointed out.
The redhead shook her head, ¡°No, I told you I¡¯d feel weird if you spent that much money on me and I like getting them from my book.¡±
¡°The book that you constantly complain about trying to kill you?¡± he asked with a flat look.
She chuckled, ¡°Yes, that book. It helped me find you; so it¡¯s not all bad.¡±
That seemed to mollify the golden man slightly. She sighed and admitted, ¡°You know, I probably wouldn¡¯t be so against buying a gem if I knew what I should get to compliment my powerset but it doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s made up its mind about what to actually be. Am I a scout? Am I a Striker? Am I a Mage? Am I a Healer? I can¡¯t be all of those things.¡±
¡°Why not?¡± Paul asked with an amused smirk.
¡°Cause I¡¯ll just suck at all of them rather than being awesome at one,¡± she said in annoyance, ¡°I¡¯m like one of those jack-of-all-trade characters that nobody likes to play in video games¡¡± she got a look of horror as a thought occurred to her, ¡°I¡¯m like the crappy iteration of the druid in WoW. Never the best DPS, never the best Tank, never the best Healer.¡±
The older warrior chuckled, ¡°Versatility can be a more useful benefit at times.¡±
She rolled her eyes at him, ¡°I¡¯m an addendum. A nice-to-have to fill a hole that might show up.¡±
¡°You¡¯ll never find yourself with nothing to do and can adapt to any situation. Adaptability can be the difference between victory and defeat for most parties.¡±
¡°That¡¯s what all the druids said,¡± the Wayfarer grumbled.
Her mentor gave a rare full laugh and, as it died down, she decided to ask the question that had been floating in the back of her mind that she wasn¡¯t sure she wanted the answer to, ¡°How did Murinah die?¡±
Paul¡¯s eyes locked on her as he seemed to analyze her again, something he hadn¡¯t done for a while, and he answered evenly, ¡°Killed by monsters on a solo scouting mission.¡±
Despite her better judgment she questioned, ¡°What kind of monsters?¡±
He pursed his lips for only a moment before saying, ¡°Miserlings.¡±
Phoenix fell silent at that mental flashback then braced herself as she reiterated, ¡°You said that her dad suspected House Wayland¡¯s involvement.¡±
Her mentor only nodded solemnly and she inquired, ¡°Were you?¡±
Paul knew what was coming, despite the limited information he tried giving her without lying, she wouldn¡¯t seem to skirt around or drop the issue as Phoenix asked the question directly, ¡°Were you?¡±
¡®Wayland should tell Little Miss the truth,¡¯ Orebela prodded him, ¡®It will only get harder later. Remember what Lady Marian told Wayland about deception in the name of protection?¡¯
He mentally rolled his eyes, ¡®That the one being protected won¡¯t thank me for being kept ignorant. This is different though.¡¯
¡®Wayland says that every time,¡¯ the monotone voice replied and Paul could swear there was snark despite the lack of verbal inflections, ¡®If Wayland is serious about being Little Miss¡¯ mentor, then teach the truth.¡¯
The paladin sighed aloud and finally answered his Prot¨¦g¨¦, ¡°Yes.¡±
She gave him a disapproving frown and almost whined at him as she buried her face in her hands, ¡°Paauul¡ I specifically said not to kill them.¡±
¡°It wasn¡¯t your request to make,¡± he replied flatly. He didn¡¯t need to justify his actions to a child.
¡°But it¡¯s like it¡¯s my fault she¡¯s dead now! If I hadn¡¯t told you then-¡±
¡°Then she would still be dead because I would have done the same thing I did in order to find and kill her with the same purpose as before,¡± the lord interjected.
¡°What are you talking about?¡± the Wayfarer asked in confusion as she looked back up at him.
Paul gave another huff of annoyance and stood from his chair and moved around his desk so Phoenix could fully take in his appearance as he conjured his armor around himself to show her how it had changed.
Passive Ability: Rage Regalia
Type: Utility (construct, magical, arcane)
Current Caste: Emerald 10
Crystal Effect: Construct a suit of armor that increases physical and Magical resistances.
Sapphire Effect: Constructed armor also increases Elemental resistance and any Construct weapons inflict additional physical damage.
Emerald Effect: Constructed armor grants the wearer the [Thorned] boon.
- Thorned (boon, magical, retribution): Attacks against you inflict retributive damage back to the attacker.
|
He mentally dismissed the ethereal scrap of paper that only he could see, having spent the last few weeks becoming more accustomed to the little notes popping up and he made a mental note to not show that particular one anymore.
Phoenix stared at him with wide eyes and a slack jaw before asking, ¡°It changed? Why?¡±
¡°Because I became a Paladin again. I swore allegiance to another god and was raised to my old position and blessed. Part of my blessing made it more obvious whose will I serve now,¡± he explained, watching her closely for any negative reaction.
¡°And¡ which dark god has a raven as its symbol? The god of murdering?¡± she asked, staring at the sigil in the center of his chest.
¡°It¡¯s a crow,¡± he corrected.
¡°A murder of crows,¡± she pointed out.
Paul couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and shake his head, ¡°Crows are known to hold grudges,¡± he expounded, ¡°I am a Paladin of Avenger now.¡±
¡°What does that mean? You¡¯re some kind of superhero vigilante now?¡± the Wayfarer questioned in confusion.
¡°It means that when I kill someone, it''s because they did the same to someone else. If I hurt someone, it¡¯s because my god knows they hurt another. I deal in retribution now, Phoenix, those who find themselves in the path of my god are not innocent,¡± the paladin stated firmly and dismissed the armor, kneeling down beside her to look eye to eye and placed a hand on hers, ¡°I may not be able to always protect you, but I¡¯ll make sure that people will pay for hurting you. Knowing that I¡¯m standing by your side can offer you protection in itself. Those who might target you will know what awaits them.¡±
¡°So people will fear you now?!¡± she cried in obvious concern for him.
He gave her a soft smile, ¡°Better to fear me than harm you, my young one.¡±
19 - Frugal By Necessity
Saiya Dewsong was sitting cross-legged on the floor of the room she had claimed next to her sister¡¯s in the embassy dorm they had gotten upon their arrival in Tulimeir. Technically, they were seen as foreign dignitaries, which came with certain benefits along with restrictions. One benefit was the nicer room while a downside was that it was located in the outer city¡¯s southern International District, where most people who were neither cinderen nor runeforged seemed to congregate.
She didn¡¯t mind the location, since it was the same district as her new party Defender and Mage and it was right next to the Martial District where the AOA was located. Rayna on the other paw often complained about the distance from the nicer shopping district within the inner city. Her twin was much more passionate about spending their money than she was.
For now though, Saiya was enjoying her quiet down time by plucking on her new guitar constructed with her [Accompanion] passive while Snowbelle lounged in her lap to steal the occasional tummy rub. Phoenix¡¯s attempts at singing hadn¡¯t been what she would consider stellar but the melodies had given her some new ideas as she played with the variant instrument. Her tails provided a bit of rhythm as they patted against the floor in time which was the best sitting location for her due to the chairs in this city all being voxen-bane.
The International District was better than most places but the standard items given were all sized for the larger species that didn¡¯t have tails to worry about sitting on or getting caught in a doorway. She was just grateful that she was able to find a tailor that could handle the type of clothing she and Rayna both needed and preferred.
Saiya¡¯s ears perked up at the sound of a soft knock on their front door and she heard Rayna call through their shared wall, ¡°You got that or want me to tell them we don¡¯t want to join and to take a hike?¡±
The Healer shook her head with a soft sigh, dismissing the conjured instrument and lifting the plump Familiar into her arms as she said, ¡°I¡¯ll check it out. Not everyone is wanting us to join their clergy, organization, or party, Rayna.¡±
¡°Tell that to the last thirteen people that have knocked randomly on our door,¡± the pugilist grumbled as Saiya exited her room and walked into the common area attached to the entryway where a few chairs and side tables were strategically placed for hosting their non-existent company.
When she pressed the rune on the back of the door, the voxen was surprised to see an amethyst gemite standing there alone in the hallway. As she opened it, trying to keep Snowbelle from flying out of her hands to tackle the shiny pats-giver, she greeted the man by asking, ¡°Dazien? What are you doing here?¡±
¡°Ah, hello, Lady Saiya,¡± her party leader greeted in return and flashed a brilliant smile, ¡°I was just curious if you and Rayna would care to join me in a little shopping adventure?¡±
Her amber eyes searched up and down the hall as she inquired in confusion, ¡°Alone?¡±
The Defender chuckled as he reiterated, ¡°Well, the idea was that I wouldn¡¯t be going alone. Uriel does participate in certain activities without me, you know,¡± he added, pulling a cookie out of his pouch to offer to the gluttonous Familiar.
The Healer gave the man a soft smile and prodded knowingly, ¡°He has his meeting with Priest Jacob again, doesn¡¯t he?¡±
¡°Yes. Yes, he does,¡± the gemite said with a sigh of resignation, also indulging Snowbelle¡¯s silent begging for a tummy pat, ¡°Seriously, though, we are separate people with separate lives. I do go places without him and today I need to get a new shield; so would you and your sister like to come with? I thought it might be nice to have a guide show you where the good deals were.¡±
Rayna¡¯s bedroom door suddenly slammed open and large amber eyes stared at them both as the voxen practically lunged at their party leader and wrapped her arms around one of his own, making Snowbelle give a little bark of annoyance at the ceasing of pets, as the bard begged, ¡°Yes! Please, yes! All the yes-es! We just got all those Bits from the Call to Arms raid on top of the mission-spree and now I need a different kind of spree.¡±
Dazien laughed at her sister¡¯s antics and reassured the shopping-deprived woman, ¡°Yes, yes, I know just the places. Have to be thrifty when you don¡¯t have a large family backing you, so I¡¯ve managed to sniff out the best locations for getting the biggest bang for your Bit,¡± then his gem-like eyes met hers as he asked, ¡°Will you join us, Lady Saiya?¡±
Despite the activity not particularly appealing to her, she did want to spend more time getting to know her new leader and she knew Rayna would also appreciate her presence so she gave a gentle nod of acquiescence and resigned herself to the shopping adventure.
They went north towards the inner city walls, making their way through the congested streets made worse by the blood moon, and towards the heart of the city. Saiya and her sister had never seen buildings so tall before as the few settlements in Epa Toivo were much smaller scale and more spread out. The Sapphire Caste desert storms were inhospitable to most places and it took dedication to constantly deal with rebuilding after a storm passed through. Though their capital did have a slight magical advantage with the cost spent to implement the enchantments to guard it from most environmental hazards.
The trio continued northeast towards the more commercial area with stories of open balconies and skyways bridging the towering buildings together for easier travels through the shops on every level. As the smells of the various restaurants hit them, Rayna turned to ask their guide, ¡°Why haven¡¯t we come here yet to eat with the others? Are they not as good?¡±
¡°No, some are quite good but¡ well, it might be silly,¡± the gemite said with a slight blush as they entered one of the tall structures and he admitted, ¡°I just thought that a Wayfarer like Phoenix might enjoy exploring more of the world outside of what they can normally find here on the tundra. I figured we could give that to her by focusing on her meals with us to be at the more exotic places.¡±
Saiya smiled reassuringly at him, sensing his embarrassment more from his aura than the slight body language, ¡°That¡¯s really thoughtful of you, Dazien.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t think it¡¯s silly?¡± he asked and she could see his trepidation lessen before returning with her sister¡¯s next words.
¡°Oh, it¡¯s definitely silly,¡± Rayna interjected with a grin, as she looked through the glass shop windows at the items on display, ¡°If she only ever eats with us then that means she¡¯s never tried the local food either.¡±
The Defender laughed, shaking his head, ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought about that. I figured her mentor would be providing more local cuisine when they were together.¡±
¡°Have you met Paul?¡± the bard asked him with a flat look, ¡°Any time they have together seems to be spent training, learning, or pouring over that magic book of hers. I¡¯m surprised either of them even remember to eat anything. Oh, look, they have stamina potions here. We need more of those, right?¡±
¡°Not here,¡± the gemite replied almost automatically, ¡°There¡¯s a shop further in that sells them for only five Crystal Bits.¡±
¡°It¡¯s only a couple Bits more,¡± the pugilist argued, pausing to read the sign posted by the door and causing the Healer to stop as well as she continued holding her sister¡¯s paw, ¡°These are listed at five Crystal and two Mundane.¡±
¡°A couple Bits saved now can add up to a nice meal later,¡± Dazien pointed out, not stopping as he moved past the storefront and further into the building. Leading them to a glass lift that would take them to the other floors.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Saiya observed the younger man for a moment before asking gently, ¡°You¡¯re rather frugal aren¡¯t you?¡±
He gave a curt nod as he crossed his arms over his chest a bit defensively, ¡°I¡¯m frugal by necessity and logic. Why would I pay more for something I can get cheaper elsewhere? I might as well throw the Bits away at that point,¡± he explained pragmatically.
¡°Convenience? Saving time?¡± Rayna pointed out, gesturing to the lift whose doors had just opened to dump people out before they walked on to replace them.
¡°It¡¯s not like I waste that much time searching for the cheapest things,¡± the gemite continued quietly in the confined space, ¡°I still care about quality but in the cases where the quality is the same then it only makes sense to get more value out of your Bits. Taking advantage of the little savings means that when I need a new shield that can survive a strike from a Crystal Caste monster, like now, I¡¯ll have the money to afford something of better quality that ideally won¡¯t need repairing after each battle.¡±
¡°Well, we¡¯ll definitely want a self-repair enchantment then,¡± the battle-loving bard pointed out.
¡°Definitely,¡± Dazien agreed, then added thoughtfully, ¡°I can probably get away with foregoing the self-cleaning but I wonder if the cost of supplies in the long run out-weigh the upfront cost now.¡±
¡°I am so glad my weapons are conjured,¡± the pugilist stated emphatically at the mental image they all got of cleaning off monster goo and dust. Sometimes the abilities the monsters had were not fortunate enough to turn to ash upon its death and subsequent looting. The mention of her sister¡¯s ability made her remember the display Phoenix¡¯s book had granted them earlier.
Passive Ability: Gem Encrusted
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, gem)
Current Caste: Crystal 1
Crystal Effect: Construct gem gauntlets and tail covers that inflict additional Gem damage and accrue instances of [Kinetic Force] with each normal attack.
- Kinetic Force (boon, elemental, gem, stacking): Consume all instances to inflict Gem damage that scales with the amount of instances. Instances are slowly lost over time.
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Saiya wondered if they should take the time now to start looking for a Sapphire Caste Spirit Gem to potentially feed into that ability once Rayna crossed that threshold soon. She knew that both of them would likely cultivate their Caste again before the blood moon ended at the increased rate they had been going lately.
¡°I definitely share that sentiment,¡± the Defender said in response to the bard, ¡°Luckily, I don¡¯t have to worry about my sword getting destroyed during a fight but my shield is another matter. This is us,¡± he added, gesturing for them to exit the lift as the doors opened on another floor.
As they exited onto the less crowded hall, Saiya adjusted her grip on her Familiar trying to lift the slightly hefty winged seal cub higher up. Snowbelle surprised her slightly by giving a few more flaps, attempting to land up on top of her head between her long furred ears, and she scolded, ¡°No, Snowbelle, I¡¯ve told you before that just because Tala can ride up there doesn¡¯t mean you can!¡±
She heard the laughter from her companions as her party leader tapped his shoulder and said, ¡°How about you ride over here, Snow? Is that alright, Lady Saiya?¡±
The Healer nodded and the furry feathered Familiar did a little hop and glide over to the larger frame and perched happily on the shoulder of the spoiling pats-giver, ¡°You know that you can drop the honorific titles, Dazien,¡± she said softly, taking her sister¡¯s paw once more as they continued following the gemite.
¡°Those titles are an honor that you deserve to be addressed by, m¡¯lady,¡± he replied as he led them further while indulging the pat-beggar.
¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯ve truly earned them yet,¡± she pointed out, trying to do her best to pull Rayna along from the many distractions in the various windows they passed.
The shiny gemite gave her a little lopsided grin over his unoccupied shoulder as he said, ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen, I think you have. Despite the unfortunate circumstances for why you were bestowed them, I¡¯ve met many others Nobles who don¡¯t come close to being as kind, compassionate, loyal, and dedicated to protecting others than the two of you,¡± he gestured towards the few people in the shops as he added, ¡°These aren¡¯t your people. This isn¡¯t even your country. Yet here you are protecting them, nonetheless. If that¡¯s not deserving, then I¡¯m not sure what is.¡±
Saiya could sense the sincerity of his words and fell silent as her sister decided to fill the lull, ¡°So are we getting potions or a shield first? I vote potions but if we go with shield I¡¯m hoping whatever hole in the wall you lead us to has got some other armor options. I could do with an upgrade or fifty.¡±
Dazien laughed, ¡°I¡¯m not sure fifty items would function properly at once,¡± he pointed out.
¡°Just wait until I get a few more tails,¡± the bard retorted with a grin.
He raised an eyebrow, ¡°Does that actually work?¡±
¡°No,¡± the pugilist answered with a dramatic sigh and grumbled, ¡°A girl can dream, though.¡±
Saiya joined their leader in his laughter that time and looked around curiously as he turned into a large shop that looked like a hoarder ran it with how full it was with random assortments. Though there did appear to be a strange order to the chaos around them.
¡°Mister Dazien Smithson!¡± a raspy feminine voice called over as they entered and a large cinderen woman appeared before them, ¡°Please tell me you¡¯ve thought over my offer?¡±
¡°Sorry, Madam Malik,¡± the charming young man said with a respectful bow, hand over his heart, as he added, ¡°You know that both Phoenix and I are going to be assisting as Adventurers until the end of the blood moon and most of our free time is spent in making sure we survive the ordeal.¡±
¡°Right,¡± the woman grumbled, putting her hands on her hips, ¡°Well be sure you do survive and think more about the offer once this bloody moon is done with. Both of your skills are being wasted as part of that organization when you can accomplish much the same while making a lot more Bits under my enterprise. Now, if not for my offer, what might you be on the hunt for in here today?¡±
¡°The usual potion resupply and I am in need of a shield that can survive stronger monsters,¡± he gestured back towards her sister then and added, ¡°Lady Rayna here is also in search for some armor that might suit a mobile Striker when her speed might not save her from a hit.¡±
¡°My speed saves me plenty,¡± the voxen retorted, tail bristling slightly before clarifying, ¡°I just thought if you had something that might make it save me a bit more often that might be worth the Bits.¡±
¡°Well, I have just the thing for you,¡± the proprietor stated with a wave towards the Defender, ¡°I remember that sorry excuse you had for a shield before, when we first met. Follow me,¡± the cinderen gestured for all of them to go further into the hoard of precariously stacked treasures and Saiya idly wondered if there were enchantments in place so that they wouldn¡¯t fall if someone walked too fast and caused a slight breeze.
The boisterous woman led them into a smaller back room and lifted a larger metal shield with a slightly blue sheen to it onto a nearby table that had a bit more free space than the other surfaces in the room. The merchant next pulled out a slightly glowing stone tablet and a matching orb which she placed to the shield as she held the slate out towards them and they read the glowing text that appeared upon it.
Item: Frostiron Shield
A kite shield made from Frostiron mined in the Razorteeth Mountains.
Caste: Crystal.
Availability: Uncommon.
Type: Weapon, shield.
Requirements: Crystal Caste or higher.
Effects:
- Slowly repairs damage over time.
- Resistant to grime and rust.
- Increased resistance to negative Ice effects.
|
¡°You have a Knowledge Tablet and Identification Orb?¡± Dazien asked incredulously, ¡°When did you manage to acquire one of those?¡±
¡°A friend of a friend of a cousin of a noble that decided they didn¡¯t need it any longer and were willing to part with it in exchange for a hefty sum,¡± the cinderen explained, ¡°Worth every Bit, though. I can not only guarantee the authenticity of the items I procure but the assurances I can give my customers is also a boon. Now, does the shield interest you, Mister Smithson?¡±
Dazien gave another of his most charming smiles that Saiya was beginning to recognize and match to the playful emotions he was projecting to her and smiled in turn as he said, ¡°I guess now we haggle with the knowledge that you can¡¯t claim it¡¯s more than what this little tablet says.¡±
¡°And you all will know just how good of a deal you get when you come to Mother¡¯s Cupboard to buy anything and everything,¡± the woman said, matching his smile with a wolfish grin of her own and Saiya gave a slight sigh as the negotiations began and she had a feeling they would be visiting a lot more in the future.
20 - Princess
¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t mind?¡± Phoenix asked Dazien and Uriel for the tenth time. They were leading her through the temple district to an area she hadn¡¯t been before; the same temple where the two men had met and grown up together; the temple of the Parent.
It had been a few days since they had returned and Paul had updated the rest of the party during their first training session earlier about his new divinely appointed position. Afterwards, she had decided to tag along with the pair after asking them to accompany her with shopping a bit later, which they had also planned to do as Dazien apparently needed to pick up an order he placed earlier.
The twin voxen had gone back to the AOA building to fix some paperwork they had needed to deal with to finish transferring them to the Tulimeir branch for the duration of the blood moon. Normally the AOA didn¡¯t care about transient Adventurers but during a blood moon things became a lot stricter to assist in organizing defenses and resources.
¡°We said it¡¯s fine, Phoenix. We can introduce you to the others,¡± Dazien replied with a chuckle then gave an apologetic smile, ¡°However, I¡¯ll warn you in advance that the kids might be a little more¡ sociable than you might be comfortable with.¡±
The Wayfarer laughed at that, ¡°I grew up in a children¡¯s hospital, remember? It''s not kids that make me nervous.¡±
¡°Ah, is that so? You do know we¡¯re still technically considered children, right?¡± the gemite joked, gesturing between him and Uriel.
¡°Well, you were rather nosy when we first met,¡± she pointed out with a grin.
¡°A mysterious woman I¡¯ve never seen before just randomly shows up to meet with Warrior then I see her again at my trials with an assortment of random abilities? Of course, I¡¯m going to be curious,¡± he stated unapologetically. ¡°Hang on,¡± he said suddenly and stopping mid-stride, as though a thought just occurred to him, and he turned to look at her before asking in a whisper, ¡°Was that when he gave you his Favor?¡±
She blinked at him then nodded slowly before admitting, ¡°Him, Scholar, and Traveler were all on that day¡ it was kinda rough to be honest.¡±
Uriel raised an eyebrow at her, ¡°Three gods in a single day? I¡¯m surprised you could walk straight.¡±
¡°That explains the priest of Scholar that was waiting outside the door,¡± Dazien commented before beginning to walk again, leading them to his former home.
¡°So the temple of the Parent is where you two met?¡± Phoenix asked curiously, trying to get the topic off of her.
¡°Yes,¡± the party leader said with a grin, ¡°I had already been there for quite a while when Uriel arrived and joined my kingdom.¡±
¡°A kingdom with no land, ruled by a thirteen year old,¡± Uriel pointed out with a slight smirk and roll of his eyes.
¡°A kingdom is its people and needs no land for them to have pride in it,¡± the young warrior stated firmly, ¡°And if I recall correctly, you were the first to actually kneel before me,¡± he teased with an impish grin.
The taller man shrugged, ¡°It got you to shut up.¡±
Phoenix laughed at the indignant look of mock hurt the gemite gave his friend, ¡°You wound me, Uriel. I thought you liked my speeches?¡±
¡°Not when directed at me,¡± he said with a flat look causing the redhead to laugh again.
As they rounded a corner, Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide at the sight of a colorful temple surrounded by children playing in the gently falling snow. One of the older kids noticed the trio and shouted towards them, ¡°King! Senesh!¡± and began running towards them with other children taking notice and following after making the same calls.
Dazien broke into a wide smile and Uriel gave his own restrained smirk as the small horde of orphans descended. As the oldest one got there, he clasped Dazien in a familial hug and the young warrior greeted him, ¡°Sir Brent, how are you? I swear that you¡¯ve grown again, and I¡¯ve only been gone for about a month.¡±
¡°I¡¯m going to catch up to you in no time, King!¡± the young cinderen said who probably still had another foot to go in height, he seemed to be around 14 or 15.
More children reached them and most hugged Dazien¡¯s legs, or started talking excitedly to both of the older men. Dazien laughed and picked up one of the smaller runeforged girls with lovely emerald green markings on her chestnut skin. The Adventurer continued talking to the older boy still, ¡°Tell me, Sir, how fares the kingdom? Everyone doing their chores and finishing their meals?¡±
Brent rolled his eyes dramatically and gave a mocking bow, ¡°It is as the King commands. There is one rebel but she is currently in the dungeons. She actually tried biting one of the prospective parents.¡±
¡°Seriously?¡± Dazien asked with a chuckle, then he turned to the child in his arms and asked, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t bite, right Lady Lilly?¡± The young girl shook her brunette braids with a thumb in her mouth.
¡°Is it safe to assume Jennica is the rebel in question again?¡± the young warrior asked. Brent nodded and Dazien gave a sigh as he said, ¡°Maybe I should go talk with her.¡±
¡°She¡¯s definitely gotten worse since you became an Adventurer,¡± the boy confided. Then he seemed to notice Phoenix standing behind the two men and asked with a grin, ¡°Who is this, King? A new addition to the royal court?¡±
Dazien grinned as he turned to look at her and introduced to the entirety of the gathered group, ¡°This is my friend, Lady Phoenix, and that pretty little bird on top of her hair is Tala, her Familiar, who is also a phoenix.¡±
The children suddenly became very interested in the newcomer and the Wayfarer suddenly found herself surrounded by them, each asking her questions all at once.
¡°How is your hair like that?¡±
¡°Can I see Tala?¡±
¡°Can we pet it?¡±
¡°Your dress is pretty!¡±
¡°Are you an Adventurer too?¡±
¡°Are you our new Queen?¡± the little Lilly in Dazien¡¯s arms asked.
This caused Phoenix to flush and bend down, pulling Tala into her hands and holding the bird out like a sacrifice to let the children pet and shift the attention to the Familiar instead of her. Tala, for her part, preened and poofed up her feathers even more, causing the children to laugh and pet her gently.
Dazien laughed at the display as he warned, ¡°Just hold on tight to any of your shinies,¡± then answered their questions, matching the children¡¯s enthusiasm, ¡°Lady Phoenix is actually a Wayfarer, meaning she comes from a whole different universe! We both became Adventurers at the same time and she¡¯s now in our party,¡± then he booped the little runeforged he was holding on the nose and said, ¡°And no, she is not your new queen,¡± then he gave Phoenix a wicked grin and added, ¡°A princess, maybe.¡±
Just as Dazien had seemed to hope, and to Phoenix¡¯s utter horror, the children latched onto the statement with laughter and excited chatter.
¡°Princess! We have a princess now!¡±
¡°She does look a bit like a princess with that dress.¡±
¡°How do you know what princesses look like?¡±
¡°Well if King says she¡¯s a princess then that¡¯s what one looks like!¡±
¡°A princess from another universe?!¡±
¡°She¡¯s from outer space?¡±
¡°An Adventurer space princess?! That¡¯s so cool!¡±
The mischievous warrior grinned as he added, ¡°She¡¯s a very magical princess too. She can shine like the evening star when Tala disappears inside of her. Want to see?¡±
Phoenix gave him her best death glare but the cries of excitement from the children made her unable to refuse the request as she gave an internal sigh and merged with Tala, eliciting gasps of awe from the group as she knelt at eye level with most of them. Some curious hands reached out to touch her glowing skin and shining red curls.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.
Then Phoenix had an idea to get them distracted from her once more as she smiled at them and asked in that same excitement when trying to motivate children, ¡°Do you all want to see another of my magic spells?¡±
When they nodded as she had anticipated, she made a dramatic gesture as she stood and clapped her hands together before lifting them over her head and saying, ¡°Let dreams become reality,¡± and from her hands appeared dozens of starlight butterflies that began to fly around the delighted children, slow enough for them to get a good look but quick enough to stay out of reach.
As she had directed them upon their creation, the butterflies slowly dispersed towards the temple, causing the group to chase after them. Phoenix turned to smile brightly at her companions who gave her grins of their own.
The little Lilly spoke up once more in a poor attempt at whispering to Dazien, ¡°I think she¡¯d be a good queen for you.¡±
The young king gave a coughing laugh as he set the girl back down in the snow, ¡°Yes, well, that¡¯s not entirely up to me or you. Now go play with the others,¡± he said as he gestured towards the butterfly illusions and the girl smiled as she followed after them.
As the younger ones ran off, all that remained were the three Adventurers and the older boy who was attempting to prove his maturity by not running after the sparkling distraction. Brent grinned at the three barely-adults that she had to remember weren¡¯t legally adults still in this world; though what made an adult seemed a bit different than what she was used to.
She had found out that people weren¡¯t considered ¡°true¡± adults until thirty, after they would normally have survived two blood moons and proven that they could be trusted with important positions within society. However, marriage age was twenty and working while living independently was expected for the majority of people by sixteen.
The boy interrupted her thoughts when he asked, ¡°So King, are you and Senesh going to handle the rebel while I stay with our new Princess?¡±
Phoenix stepped closer to Uriel and asked him quietly, ¡°Senesh?¡±
Uriel smirked and replied, ¡°After I bent the knee, Daze started calling me his seneschal but the little ones had a hard time saying it.¡±
Their leader gave a dramatic sigh and said, ¡°Yes, alright. Seneschal, let¡¯s go have a chat with Jennica¡ again,¡± then he turned to Phoenix and added with a wink, ¡°Don¡¯t let all the royal subjects pester you too much, Princess.¡±
¡°We¡¯re not that bad, King,¡± Brent retorted.
Dazien mussed the boy¡¯s hair as he and Uriel passed by to enter the temple. Brent turned back to Phoenix, fixing his dark black hair, and asked, ¡°So, Princess, what¡¯s your Role within King¡¯s party?¡±
¡°Ah, um, a little bit of everything? I¡¯m officially a Midshift Supporter,¡± she answered with a blush of embarrassment.
As her two companions had left, the Wayfarer suddenly felt very nervous. She knew that she shouldn¡¯t be, since her friends obviously trusted this young teen, but she didn¡¯t think he could help protect her from a potential threat if anything went wrong. Despite having asked them to accompany her shopping, she hadn¡¯t explained that she was asking as a safety precaution. She hadn¡¯t wanted them to fuss about the threat and become even more of a burden to them.
And of course, wrong is exactly how things went when she heard a terribly familiar voice from behind her, ¡°Hello, Miss Fraser. What a surprise to see you here.¡±
Phoenix''s blood ran cold as she slowly turned to see the hired Sapphire Caste assassin that had ambushed her during the Siren raid. The cinderen woman had a forced smile and was staring daggers at her as though the ruby gaze alone could stab the redhead again.
Brent became more subdued and went a bit quieter as he asked her, ¡°Do you need me to go get King and Senesh?¡±
Phoenix immediately turned and grabbed the boy¡¯s sleeve to stop him from leaving before glancing back to keep her sights on her enemy. She hoped that the teen¡¯s presence would be enough to keep the mercenary at bay until her teammates returned.
When the woman saw the panicked look on the redhead¡¯s face, her smile twisted slightly and she replied to the younger cinderen, ¡°That would be wonderful. It will give us a chance to catch up.¡±
Brent paused, looking from Phoenix¡¯s tight grip to the smiling woman who was fixated on her and said with a bit more resolve than he had displayed earlier, ¡°Actually, I think King- I mean Dazien, will be right back. He did want me to stay with the Princess here, after all.¡±
Both the cinderen boy and Wayfarer took a step back at the assassin¡¯s glare and aura that flared out in anger as she said through gritted teeth, ¡°I don¡¯t think I was clear enough. Go away and let us go for a walk.¡±
¡°Th-that¡¯s¡ um,¡± Brent started stumbling over his words.
He was saved from the awkward reply though by Uriel¡¯s reappearance as the quiet man placed a hand on his and Phoenix¡¯s shoulders. The Mage stared down the enemy as he said firmly, ¡°Sorry, but we have plans already. Perhaps you would like to join us to visit her Mentor? I¡¯m sure you know of Lord Wayland.¡±
The woman glared up slightly at him as she still clenched her jaw and hissed, ¡°What does the Blade of Pure Wrath have to do with¡¡± she trailed off then clarified, ¡°Did you say ¡®Mentor¡¯?¡±
Phoenix was surprised to see Uriel give the Sapphire Caster an evil grin that she had never even considered the man was capable of, ¡°I did. Phoenix is quite dear to him, as his Prot¨¦g¨¦. Have you heard about the other rumor that¡¯s been circulating around the city about the Lord?¡±
The cinderen woman visibly blanched and asked, ¡°Is it true that he became a Paladin of the Avenger?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± the taller man confirmed, then suggested, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to join us today, perhaps we can all catch up together later? I can let Lord Wayland know to set up a get together. It¡¯s Arktis Neired, right?¡±
The assassin stiffened, ¡°There¡¯s no need. I can see this is a bad time. I¡¯ll reach out if I have an opening though,¡± she said, beginning to walk past them but stopped as she came side to side with Phoenix and looked down at the redhead as she said in a thinly veiled threat, ¡°How lucky you are to have such¡ protective friends and mentor around you at all times.¡±
The Wayfarer flinched away from the words, stepping back into Uriel who looked down at her in concern as her killer strode off towards the north, with Brent going inside to fetch Dazien a moment later at Uriel¡¯s urging. She felt her anger begin to rise again as she realized her body was trembling. She hated feeling pathetic, letting the woman daunt her like this.
¡°Phoenix?¡± Uriel¡¯s smooth voice called out gently. As she looked up into his concerned eyes, she felt her face scrunch up as the tears threatened to fall.
¡°Do you need to talk?¡± he asked softly.
She pursed her lips shut and shook her head as a tear escaped. He surprised her by nodding and pulling her into a silent hug instead with her back now towards the temple. She tensed only for a moment, hearing him say, ¡°I know you won¡¯t want the others to see you like this. Collect yourself before he comes back to us.¡±
Phoenix silently nodded against his chest as she rubbed at her eyes, trying to make the evidence of her fear and shame vanish. They stood there quietly for a few minutes, the protective hold and steady rhythm of Uriel¡¯s breathing helping to center her as she took her own deep breaths, trying to calm her anxiety.
¡°He¡¯s talking with Brent at the entrance,¡± Uriel informed her after another few moments then added, ¡°If you need to, we can go spar after this, or find somewhere quiet if you¡¯d prefer.¡± She didn¡¯t answer right away and he gave her another squeeze before saying, ¡°He¡¯s coming this way now.¡±
Then he released her and she turned to greet her party leader who was giving the two of them a questioning look as he asked, ¡°Did I miss something while I was gone?¡±
Uriel just shook his head, ¡°Just an unexpected visitor,¡± then he redirected, ¡°Is everything okay with Priestess Deserin?¡±
Dazien¡¯s expression softened, ¡°Yeah, she kept trying to turn us down again but I was able to convince her. Told her she needs all the help she can get with brats like Jennica making a fuss.¡±
¡°You know that you¡¯re the reason she¡¯s acting that way,¡± Uriel pointed out.
¡°Hence convincing the Priestess to accept recompense to be much easier,¡± he said with a laugh.
¡°Recompense?¡± she asked in confusion, trying to make sense of the context she was missing.
¡°Ah. We donate a portion of our earnings to the temple every month,¡± the gemite explained, still chuckling, ¡°A bit of paying them back for all the trouble we caused growing up. Now, who was the visitor that caused the scene I just witnessed?¡±
The cinderen glanced down at the silent woman beside him for a moment before explaining, ¡°Do you remember Arktis Neired?¡±
Dazien raised an eyebrow, looking between the two and finally seemed to notice the bit of red that was not on her cheeks but around her eyes and he suddenly became more serious, ¡°What exactly happened while I was gone?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure since I wasn¡¯t here for all of it,¡± Uriel stated, ¡°but I don¡¯t think she really wanted to have a polite chat with Phoenix.¡±
As they both watched her closely, the Wayfarer felt the heat rise in her face again and she shook her head as if to refuse their silent questions and asked them quietly, trying to keep her voice as steady as possible. ¡°Can I go back to my place now?¡±
¡°But we were going to go shopping,¡± the warrior pointed out in confusion.
The Supporter shook her head, ¡°I-¡± she hesitated, ¡°I don¡¯t feel up to shopping anymore. I¡¯d like to go back to my dorm.¡±
Dazien¡¯s eyes narrowed at her as he began, ¡°Just what exactly did that sh-¡± Uriel¡¯s hand on his shoulder halted his words and he stared at his best friend who just shook his head but he clenched his jaw and shook off the suggestion, pushing forward, ¡°What did Arktis say to you?¡±
Phoenix shook her head, looking down at the ground and refusing to answer or meet his gaze.
He almost growled as he kept prodding, ¡°Did she threaten you? The Neired¡¯s are a branch family of House Ruwena and I know she¡¯s always been willing to do the family¡¯s dirty work. Her reputation is not a good one.¡±
¡°She-¡± the redhead began, shaking her head, but halted before admitting softly, ¡°She¡¯s been¡ cruel to me.¡±
He took a step back and angrily kicked at the ground before rounding on her and asking, ¡°How long?¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°How long has she been haunting you? Been a threat around the corner? What does she want? Bits? Information? Do we need to go talk to the ones holding her leash? Right. We¡¯ll get them to back off. Come on, Senesh.¡±
Phoenix grabbed his arm as he turned to do just as he said and pleaded with him, ¡°No. I- I don¡¯t- I don¡¯t want her hurting any of you too. Please, just go shopping without me. I¡¯m going to portal back to my dorm and you can come meet me there later.¡±
The warrior stared back at her for a long moment, observing her in the way Paul seemed to at times, before nodding and saying simply, ¡°As you wish, Princess.¡±
21 - Dead is Dead
Ohsen Ruwena was furiously writing in his notebook as he watched his latest test subject silently squirming while hanging from the [Chains of Silence] currently attached to the ceiling. They were keeping the human man he had lured from the International District in place above the ritual circle on the stone floor. While a more conventional gag was keeping the subject quiet; not that anyone would hear the man''s screams down here, he just hated noise.
It was a rather advanced diagram for being Sapphire Caste and he found himself wishing the blood moon had begun sooner so he would have had more Monster Seeds by now. He had been able to cultivate his Caste much faster since the surplus of Seeds began with the increased spawning the blood moon blessed them with. Emerald felt so close yet so far and he knew that if he wanted to pull off his ultimate plan then he would need to be able to cast the Emerald version of this ritual.
He left the Reality Rift to his wife, while his true passion lay in amassing others¡¯ power as his own. The Soul Cages the Reapers had brought to this world had been such a boon to his work and he was closer to figuring out the best way to get his current goal. He just needed to upgrade his Caste then upgrade the items he could now reproduce.
The nobleman lifted the item up again, the sleek black hand forming a spindly cage around nothing currently. This particular one he had modified to be more in tune with human souls and he would confirm their efficiency momentarily.
He stroked one of the long fingers and the device opened as though to grab something and he purposely walked over to the restrained man, careful to not disturb the ritual circle, and explained, ¡°Now, this should only take a few minutes and be extremely painful but afterwards you won¡¯t feel anything so please bear with it.¡±
As he placed the palm of the Soul Cage over the man¡¯s sternum he touched a rune on the back of it and the device snapped down, puncturing the human¡¯s flesh and latching on to its new potential host. The man tried to scream through the gag and struggled in vain.
Ohsen retraced his steps then activated the complex ritual, his mana getting siphoned into the circle and he spoke the incantation in a language he barely understood. It seemed to work better than the translated version though and he hypothesized there were some key concepts he wasn¡¯t quite translating properly to make the magic work as intended.
Once the ritual began taking effect, he retreated to his table and downed a mana potion before beginning to take notes once more. Writing down everything he observed and timing the stages as the black hand first dug into the flesh then seemed to meld with the human, sinking into the skin like a half-merged Familiar. Black veins began to appear across the tan skin spreading out from the source of the Soul Cage as it began to claim its new body.
He frowned as the subject began coughing and blood dribbled from the man¡¯s mouth. That wasn¡¯t a good sign. Then blood began leaking from the eyes and ears. Also not a positive symptom. When the blood turned black and the man stopped screaming, or moving at all, the Magi gave a frustrated groan and banged his forehead against the table.
¡°Another failure¡¡± he muttered, then dragged himself up to go study what exactly went wrong this time.
After a few minutes of making notes in his journal and running a wand around the quickly cooling corpse the door to his workshop opened and a feminine voice filled the once-pleasant silence, ¡°Hey Uncle Ohsen, the Fraser- woah, what happened to that guy?¡±
He didn¡¯t glance up at Arktis as he finished his current test and answered in annoyance, ¡°Extreme mana poisoning. This is similar to what happens if a Mundane ate an [Emerald Mana Bit].¡±
¡°Yikes. Now I get why my mum got so mad when I tried to eat a Sapphire one as a kid thinking it would make me super strong,¡± she said warily, eyeing the body that had begun leaking black blood from its pores now, ¡°That is seriously messed up¡¡±
¡°Is there a reason you¡¯re here disturbing my research, Arktis?¡± he asked, cutting off any further tangents.
¡°Ah, right. The Fraser girl is alive,¡± his niece answered, still distracted by the wet corpse.
Ohsen almost snapped his pen as he stared at her and stated, ¡°How? You said you saw her lifeless body fall into the sea. Were you lying?¡±
The young woman turned her attention back to him finally and crossed her arms, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be here telling you then. I know she was dead. Her weird aura vanished and I saw the body turn to dust under the water. She was dead.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± he stated flatly.
¡°I¡¯m telling you what I saw! Unless she¡¯s really really good at faking it, that girl was dead.¡±
¡°People don¡¯t just come back to life,¡± the Magi continued in frustration, ¡°Many powerful Casters throughout history have been chasing the power of resurrection for millenia. Coming back to life as you once were is simply not possible. Dead is dead.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°Well she¡¯s different then,¡± the assassin said with a shrug, ¡°She wasn¡¯t human. Maybe it¡¯s a species thing? I didn¡¯t recognize what she was. Whatever it is, she was dead and now she¡¯s not, so what are we going to do? I don¡¯t want that Emerald Paladin coming after me next if she tells him who I am.¡±
¡°How would she know?¡± the lord asked in confusion as he made another note in his book about the subject''s skin beginning to liquify and slide off the muscle; definitely severe mana poisoning.
¡°Because when I tried to pull her aside and ask how in the abyss she was walking around and breathing, her party member recognized me and told her my name,¡± she grumbled, crossing her arms defensively, ¡°It¡¯s not like I normally have to hide my identity.¡±
Ohsen sighed in annoyance and sat in his chair, staring at the ceiling in thought, the wet sound of the subject slipping free of the chains to slump into a wet mess on the floor brought his attention back as he wrote down the symptoms and time.
¡°That is super gross, Uncle,¡± the young mercenary commented.
¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to end up as a puddle either, then we need to make sure that Fraser doesn¡¯t talk,¡± he snapped, then a marvelous idea came to mind, ¡°Actually, that¡¯s exactly what we¡¯ll do. How stealthy can you be?¡±
She gave him an incredulous look, ¡°I¡¯m a Stone Juggernaut. I don¡¯t do stealth.¡±
¡°Fine, I¡¯ll take care of getting her here myself but you had best be here to assist.¡±
She glanced at the pile of goo and asked, ¡°When?¡±
¡°Find out her schedule,¡± he ordered, ¡°The next time she goes to sleep will be her last moment of rest.¡±
Dazien was frustrated as he made his way through the inner city that he had been frequenting more and more often lately. Most of his memories were of life confined to the temple district as an underage orphan. At sixteen he had been ecstatic to join Uriel in the International District where he didn¡¯t stand out quite so much and where the rent was cheaper.
While he had always talked about becoming a noble and eventually founding his own kingdom, he never really imagined roaming the noble district within the inner city of Tulimeir so frequently. Not that it mattered when his friend was getting threatened by the henchmen of a noble house.
When he found the residence he had been searching for, never really wanting to visit the woman who clung to him like the frost on the walls from the Quicksteam, he hesitated only a moment before knocking.
¡°Yes?¡± a cinderen man asked as he answered the door then glanced him over before saying, ¡°Sorry, we¡¯ve already got a perfectly working magiduster.¡±
¡°Seriously?¡± Dazien asked incredulously then looked himself over, taking in his simple yet clean black tunic with gold trim and grey pants tucked into black boots that could probably use a little more polish but it¡¯s not like anybody really noticed other people¡¯s feet, right?
¡°I¡¯m looking for Noble Murinah,¡± he added quickly before the staff member could shut the door in his face, ¡°Is she home?¡±
The staff gave him a pitiful look and said, ¡°Young man, give up your pining.¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m not- why does everyone think that¡¯s all I¡¯m after?¡± he asked in confusion before explaining, ¡°I just want to talk to her about her cousin, Arktis, coming after my friend.¡±
The cinderen narrowed his eyes as he stated a bit more bitterly, ¡°The Young Noble does not deal with Miss Arktis and even if she did she wouldn¡¯t be able to help you.¡±
¡°Look I promise you that she¡¯ll want to see me if you just tell her that I¡¯m-¡±
¡°Noble Murinah died almost three weeks ago, young man. Now leave before I call for the city guard,¡± the man snapped and slammed the door shut with finality.
It took him a moment to process the news as he ran a hand through his amethyst hair that was getting much longer than he normally let it grow. His mind was racing with what might have happened and pieces started clicking together. Phoenix being constantly on edge and running away for a week. Paul asking him to agree with going on a long road mission that would keep them out of the city. Murinah dying while they were gone. Arktis threatening Phoenix, who had looked so scared when he had found her clinging to his partner. It was all beginning to form a picture that he was worried meant more danger for his friend from an enemy he couldn¡¯t face alone.
The door opened again and he wondered if the staff member was going to actually chase him off when he found himself face to face with Arktis Neired who looked him up and down then gave a sneer, ¡°Come to beg for scraps, orphan king?¡±
The gemite¡¯s eyes narrowed and he said as calmly as he could, ¡°I came to tell you to stay away from Phoenix.¡±
She laughed, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s rich. A Crystal trying to order around a Sapphire. Did they not teach you basic rules in that pitiful temple?¡±
¡°They taught me to protect my friends and I won¡¯t idly stand by while you torment one of them,¡± he retorted.
¡°How¡ noble,¡± the cinderen commented then asked, ¡°It¡¯s getting rather late, don¡¯t you need to sleep before playing with the other orphans in the morning?¡±
¡°I¡¯m an Adventurer,¡± he growled, ¡°Most of our missions are at night during the blood moon, so we sleep in the morning. You would know that if you were honorable yourself and actually helped protect the city instead of terrorizing its people.¡±
¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m a terrible person that will never measure up to the righteous Adventurers who hold back the monster hordes to protect the innocent. I¡¯ve heard the sales pitch before and I much prefer enemies with less teeth and claws, not to mention the smells those monsters can spawn with, gross,¡± the henchman waved her hand dismissively through the air as she moved to pass him.
¡°Hey, I¡¯m not done,¡± he began saying but she turned and slammed her aura into his, catching him off guard and taking a step back.
¡°Yes, you are, orphan king,¡± she said flatly, ¡°Learn the Rule of Caste and go back to the temple full of sniveling children where you belong and don¡¯t cross my path again or I will not be so noble.¡±
She pulled back her aura and the warrior felt like he could breathe again as he glared but remained silent while she walked away.
He abruptly turned and made his way towards the only person who could answer the many questions he had to fill in the missing pieces of the puzzle before him. Dazien only hoped the woman from another world wouldn''t run away from him again.
22 - A True Tragedy
Phoenix sat cross legged on her bed and stared at the [Chains of Silence] laying in front of her. It was the one Murinah had used on her that Paul had returned after their talk about the woman¡¯s fate and she knew that she needed to figure out a way around the potentially fatal tool. Her Mentor had said that overpowering the device was possible but it took an extreme amount of willpower and the well-traveled Paladin had only met one person in all his years that could do it.
The Wayfarer carefully reached out, almost as though the device might bite her, and picked up the smooth ring of brushed steel that had hung around her throat. The chains that connected the collar to the cuffs were weird ephemeral things that somehow tethered the items together but allowed other objects to pass through them.
She examined the inside of the choker, taking note of the rune carvings, and examined the hinge and clasp for potential weak points. Magically reinforced to prevent physical strength damage or just prying it off, she observed. It had a small keyhole at the clasp that she inspected, finding it to be similar to handcuffs with smaller runes carved inside.
¡°I could probably craft some sort of skeleton key for this¡¡± she murmured to herself, formulating a few plans, ¡°The hard part would be getting the key in my hand before it silences me from accessing my collection.¡±
The Supporter mulled over this problem for a while. She could just keep the key in a pouch but that could easily be taken from her. Maybe some kind of inconspicuous hair ornament? Maybe if she practiced and focused enough she could just overpower the silencing effects for a few moments?
Phoenix looked at the device for a long moment before getting up and going to her table that mostly served as a workspace in the other room. She pulled out some tools and items from her inventory and began to work on a key. It was a fairly simple and straightforward process surprisingly. She was able to use some mana-infused clay to mold it into the correct shape and carved some corresponding runes into it before using a ritual to activate the enchanting effect and instantly harden the malleable material. Another moment later and she was able to unlock both the collar and manacles.
She flinched slightly at the sound it made when it became unclasped and she took a few breaths as her anxiety began to rise once more. She went back to sit on her bed, placing Tala in her lap and gently petting the soft feathers for comfort, and stared at the open constraints for a long moment before slowly bringing the cold metal up to her neck, her heart pounding loudly in her chest, as she closed it around her throat.
A shiver ran up her spine but she tried to keep her breathing steady and even as she tried to get used to the weight. Then she put on one of the cuffs. She didn¡¯t flinch at the sound that time, so that was good. If Uriel could handle wearing these constantly, surely she could last a few minutes, right?
The Wayfarer clasped the second cuff around her other wrist. As the silencing power overtook her and Tala vanished in an instant, forcibly drawn back into her as her skin began to glow very softly, she began to hyperventilate. Her mind became foggy as the fears, panic, and memories rushed her, bringing her back to those times where she was helpless and utterly destroyed.
Phoenix wasn¡¯t sure when she had passed out but when she awoke and her powers were still silenced she began to panic all over again. She tried to focus past that however. The anger began to rise, tempering her terror and helping her bury the memories that threatened to drag her down again. She would not let a few pieces of metal enslave her thoughts.
She focused inwards and tried to better understand what was happening to her. The suppressive force made her feel not only weak but vulnerable and she realized it was clamping down on her aura, it felt vaguely familiar and she realized it was much like when Paul would press against it during training.
Phoenix focused on applying the aura control techniques Paul had tried to teach her to fight against that offensive tactic. She tried to press back against the force and the feelings of vulnerability lessened but she still couldn¡¯t do much more. It gave her hope, however, and hope was all she needed.
She practiced for another hour before calling it quits, feeling mentally and emotionally exhausted. The strength of her aura helped her push back but she still wasn¡¯t strong enough to break through to do anything. She unlocked the chains and put both it and the key she had made back into her collection for now before going back out to the table and crafting more keys. Having backups wouldn¡¯t hurt.
As she finished adding one into a barrette and clipped it into her loose curls to make sure it held and stayed hidden, a knock at her door had her instantly on edge again. Tala re-merged with her as she called out hesitantly, ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±
¡°It¡¯s the most noblest of kings to ever rule the orphaned lands, come to speak with the princess of starlight,¡± Dazien¡¯s voice came from the other side of the door and she gave a soft snort of laughter and relaxed.
Opening the door, she found the gemite dressed nicely in black and grey with gold trim that she thought complimented his amethyst features well, ¡°And what brings the brave monarch to my humble sofa?¡± she asked, gesturing for him to enter and sit in the modest sized living area by the hearth.
Her party leader grinned and took the seat as he asked, ¡°I can¡¯t simply come see how my latest subject is faring?¡±
Phoenix chuckled and sat beside him, ¡°I still haven¡¯t made any vow of allegiance you know,¡± she pointed out.
The Defender waved a hand dismissively, ¡°A mere technicality. You have been claimed as Princess by the other subjects already.¡±
¡°That reminds me,¡± she said, conjuring her guide book at the wording he used, ¡°Can you show me that communication ability?¡± she asked, then gestured to the book and the man complied with a touch.
Passive Ability: Noble Subjects
Type: Utility (magical, covenant)
Current Caste: Crystal 7
Crystal Effect: You can designate willing allies as a [Subject]. Allies with [Subject] can communicate telepathically.
- Subject (boon, magical, covenant, tracking): You have been claimed as a noble subject. Your general status is known by the Caster. Other abilities that affect a [Subject] can only affect you if triggered by the Caster.
|
Phoenix narrowed her eyes at the book, ¡°I¡¯m not sure I like the idea of being claimed.¡±
The would-be king gave an impish grin, ¡°It is that bad when you are willingly accepting it? You could always say no.¡±
She rolled her eyes at him, ¡°I¡¯m not against communicating more efficiently. I¡¯m just not fond of the wording.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure the Sovereign would love it,¡± Dazien said with a shrug.
¡°Is that another god?¡± the Wayfarer asked for clarification.
¡°Yes,¡± the warrior began saying as he stood and asked tangentially, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to have any of that coffee you¡¯re fond of, would you?¡±
As he moved to the kitchen area, she replied, ¡°Bottom shelf to the right of the stove. You know where the mugs are, just make me some too.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
He gave a nod and continued the previous topic, ¡°The Sovereign issues the divine right to kings and nobles. They determine who rules and who serves, at least according to legends, some say. They¡¯re a very controlling deity that demands absolute obedience from everyone,¡± he gave her a grin as he amended, ¡°Except the ones they like the most.¡±
¡°So you don¡¯t follow this god?¡± she asked curiously.
¡°Not if I want to be a king. I bow down to no one, not even a god,¡± the Defender replied firmly.
¡°Sounds a bit paradoxical,¡± the redhead observed as she stood and pulled out her [Wand of the Snow Queen] performing a quick cantrip to light the hearth as the coal-like stones seemed to self combust into a cheerful fire.
Dazien shrugged and set water to boil, ¡°Serving higher powers doesn¡¯t get me what I desire. My service is to the people under me. To protect those who put their loyalty and trust in me. To defend those who don¡¯t have the power to defend themselves.¡±
¡°I guess that¡¯s an honorable goal,¡± Phoenix admitted, ¡°but you don¡¯t need to be a king to do that,'''' she pointed out.
¡°No, but I need to do that if I want to be a good king,¡± he stated resolutely.
She nodded in agreement as she pulled a blanket from the chair and wrapped it around herself as she sat back down on the couch to await the magic-infused caffeine-equivalent she had first discovered at the cafe her current visitor had first taken her to. She watched the gemite for a moment as he retrieved a pair of mugs and inquired, ¡°So why are you really here, Daze? Just coming to raid my stash of coffee?¡±
He chuckled which made her smile in turn as he met her gaze and said softly, ¡°It surprises me how perceptive you can be sometimes and how oblivious you are at other times.¡±
¡°I feel like that wasn¡¯t a compliment for some reason,¡± she said with narrowed eyes.
¡°Just an observation,¡± he admitted, then took a deep breath and asked seriously, ¡°What is going on with you, Phoenix?¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked evasively
¡°You know exactly what I mean,¡± he replied, crossing his arms as he leaned against the kitchen counter, ¡°You haven¡¯t left your dorm in days, outside of missions and training. Lord Wayland seems to know but he refuses to tell us.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve just been busy with my projects,¡± she said in a half-truth, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about me, Dazien.¡±
¡°I¡¯m already worried. Why is someone like Arktis Neired approaching you? I know who she works for. I¡¯m starting to put some pieces together but what I can¡¯t understand is what the Ruwena family has to do with you.¡±
She flinched at the name which caused his eyes to go wide in surprise and her anger flared at the uncontrolled reaction as she quickly stood, her blanket falling to the floor, as she muttered, ¡°I think you should go now.¡±
¡°Are you serious?¡± the gemite asked, unmoving from the kitchen, ¡°Look, I¡¯m not trying to make you upset, Phoenix. I¡¯m just trying to understand.¡±
The Wayfarer crossed her arms in a self-hug and looked away, not sure what to say.
He moved closer towards her, hands dropping to the space between them as if she were a Siva about to bolt if he moved too fast, ¡°Please, explain this to me. What happened?¡±
She took a deep breath and admitted softly, ¡°She¡ Do you remember the day you found me here after having a nightmare when I should have been training?¡±
He nodded, looking slightly confused at what seemed like a change of subject, but she continued her story, ¡°I lied when I said I had a nightmare. I had just gotten back after Murinah had me tortured.¡±
Dazien stared at her in shock for a long moment as he seemed to be processing her words, ¡°She¡ you mean¡ why would¡¡± his voice kept halting as he tried to figure out which question to ask first.
¡°I think she thought I was trying to steal you or something¡¡± the Supporter admitted, ¡°She told me to stay away and when I didn¡¯t listen she sent Arktis.¡±
He took a few more steps towards her, tilting her head to look up at him as he decided on the question that was apparently most important to him, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±
¡°I was scared, Daze,¡± she whispered, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to admit how weak I am to everyone and have the whole party worried about upsetting me.¡±
The Defender frowned as he took her pale glowing hand in his dark tan one and said sincerely, ¡°Phoenix, none of us think you¡¯re weak. The fact that you didn¡¯t think you could come to us with this makes me more worried that we¡¯re failing you somehow.¡±
Phoenix looked up into his searching gaze in surprise, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you got worried,¡± the Wayfarer admitted, ¡°You always seem so sure of¡ well, everything.¡±
He gave a bark of laughter, ¡°Ha, it would be unbecoming of any leader, much less a king, to show uncertainty in the field,¡± his expression softened, ¡°But you are my friend. If I can¡¯t confide in you and Uriel that I am not completely invulnerable then I have no one. It was actually Lord Wayland who helped me understand that.¡±
¡°Paul?¡± she asked in confusion, not sure if they were thinking of the same Wayland.
¡°Yeah, he-¡± the sound of a kettle hissing interrupted the gemite and he quickly backed away, ¡°Oh, right. I¡¯ll just grab that,¡± he said quickly, heading towards the kitchen and calling over his shoulder, ¡°Sit back down and I¡¯ll be right back.¡±
The Wayfarer collected the blanket from the ground and sat back on the plush sofa, readjusting one of the small pillows on it to be next to her, and letting the flames in the hearth distract her for the moment. Dazien returned with two hot mugs as he handed one to her and said, ¡°Lots of cream and sugar, like me, right?¡±
She nodded and took the warm cup greedily but blew on it carefully to cool it a bit.
¡°Anyways, I think it was right after that run-in you had with Ruwena, which makes a lot more sense now,¡± the Defender continued as he sat down beside her with his own mug, ¡°Paul and I talked a bit and he pointed out that even if I¡¯m leading it¡¯s only because you¡¯re willing to follow. I¡¯m not perfect, despite the claims I might make, but I¡¯m trying to do my best.¡±
¡°I know,¡± she answered, taking a tentative sip, ¡°We trust you to do what¡¯s best for us.¡±
He gave her a pained smile and asked quietly, ¡°Do you, though?¡±
When she raised an eyebrow he pointed out, ¡°You don¡¯t seem to trust me to help with Murinah or Arktis.¡±
The redhead looked away awkwardly as she muttered, ¡°It¡¯s not that. I just don¡¯t want to bother you all. I already feel bad for dragging Paul into my mess. He said he¡¯ll help take care of it. So all I need to do is stay in my dorm and make sure I have people with me if I go anywhere else.¡±
¡°Phoenix, you can¡¯t just keep hiding here,¡± the gemite said in exasperation, ¡°You can¡¯t give them that power. To trap you in your home.¡±
She almost cried again as she admitted, ¡°I don¡¯t know what else to do, Daze,¡± looking up at him with the fear and despair she had been feeling plain on her face, ¡°I can¡¯t-¡± her voice broke slightly but she pushed herself to explain as she gestured out the window, ¡°I can¡¯t go out in the city. I can¡¯t go to the temples. I can¡¯t be alone out there!¡±
¡°You¡¯re never alone,¡± her friend stated firmly, ¡°But if you can¡¯t follow the path towards a future you desire, then you will forever be a prisoner of your fears. If you let the actions of others control your behavior then you might as well give them the keys to your freedom.¡±
His expression softened as he shook his head sadly, "I''ve had to tell another friend that before and he still lets his fears and the specters of his past keep him chained and silenced. I don''t want the same thing to happen to you."
She recognized the implications he was laying out but clenched her fists and nodded, ¡°I understand. I¡¯m doing my best, though. I know I can¡¯t do this forever but it¡¯s what I can do for now. Can you trust me and let Paul take the lead with this problem?¡±
The warrior stared at her for a long moment before nodding and saying respectfully, ¡°Of course, Princess,¡± he took a long sip of his drink then added off-handedly, ¡°I already asked Lord Wayland to do that on my way over here anyways.¡±
The Wayfarer stared at him incredulously and he chuckled, ¡°I just wanted you to confirm all my suspicions and fill in the pieces he wouldn''t.¡±
She grabbed the small pillow at her side and threw it at the ridiculous man.
¡°Hey! Not the coffee!¡± he yelled out with a laugh, moving the mug out of the path of the projectile, ¡°Wasting that would be a true tragedy.¡±
Phoenix laughed, placing her mug on the small table nearby to not spill it, and it felt like a weight had been lifted off her chest as her friend joined her in the moment of levity.
¡°Hey, I have an idea,¡± Dazien said once they calmed down and he gestured to her guide book that was still faithfully floating nearby, displaying the Warrior King¡¯s communication ability, ¡°Why don¡¯t we keep this active all the time? I usually only do this with Uriel but I know the range can cover the whole city; so if you get into trouble you can always call for me or him. Would that help?¡±
She stared at him as a lump formed in her throat and she asked, ¡°You would do that for me?¡±
He gave her a sincere smile, ¡°Of course. Despite what Rayna might say, I do care about all of you. If you¡¯re in trouble, I want to do what I can to help. This is the least I can offer.¡±
Before she could stop herself, she had her arms wrapped around him in a Saiya-like hug and he cried out again, ¡°Not the coffee!¡± as he tried not to spill it all over her.
She gave an odd mixture of a laugh and a sob as she said, ¡°Thank you, Daze.¡±
The Wayfarer felt the weight of his hand on her back as the gemite gave her a reassuring pat and said, ¡°Yes, well, it¡¯s what a good King would do for his Princess,¡± and she snorted in amusement which turned into both of them laughing again.
23 - Caged
Ohsen Ruwena watched through the magical spyglass as the young pair of Adventurers chatted blithely about something inane, he was sure, while they sat and drank from mugs. The annoying pretty boy never seemed to shut up and he was getting annoyed at the wasting of his time when he had research to get done.
He was grateful that Arktis had located the woman¡¯s home on the second floor down from the roof of one of the dorm buildings near the district he lived in. The fact that his niece had almost immediately run into the party leader, who so ignorantly handed over their schedule, was even more fortuitous and he was even more confident in his plan to make the arrogant Wayland pay for taking his little shadow from him.
The Magi checked his pocket watch once more and rolled his eyes as the dawn got closer. He would have a brief window ideally where the idiotic woman would go to sleep and the rest of the city wouldn¡¯t be awake to witness him capturing her.
¡°Are you sure we should be doing this father?¡± his son asked and he glanced over to the youth who was so unlike him that he often questioned which man had caught his wife¡¯s fancy before he was born. Perhaps, that Trayvious boy¡
He shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s that outsider¡¯s fault that your sister is dead,¡± he spat, ¡°Do you really not care about seeing justice brought to her killer?¡±
The younger cinderen frowned and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m not sure she was the one who started all of this.¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who started it,¡± he stated flatly and perked up as the gemite across the street in the other building finally got up to leave, ¡°House Ruwena will be the ones to finish it.¡±
As he lifted the magical crossbow up to his shoulder and made sure the poison-tipped bolt was securely fastened, the wayward son interrupted his concentration again, ¡°Won¡¯t killing her just make Paladin Wayland come seeking vengeance?
¡°People all over the city have been talking about how he serves the Avenger now. Apparently, he¡¯s been wearing his Paladin¡¯s regalia whenever he¡¯s been going to the AOA or working on both Adventurer missions and Temple quests,¡± the fifteen-year-old added in a hushed whisper.
¡°Camrin,¡± the noble lord began, ¡°I brought you with me for a singular purpose and that was not for talking.¡±
The teenager thankfully snapped his mouth shut and fell silent as Ohsen waited for another quarter hour for the amethyst Defender to walk further down the street and long after the man was out of sight; away from his target¡¯s location.
As he watched the redhead move from cleaning the dining area and into her bedroom with his enchanted spyglass through the tinted window walls, he reiterated the plan to his foolish son, ¡°Now get ready. Once I shoot, we will need to move quickly. You¡¯ll portal us straight into her room then to the hall outside my workshop.¡±
¡°Why not straight into the workshop? There¡¯s less space in the hallway,¡± the boy grumbled.
¡°Because my workshop is heavily warded against dimensional magic. Portals won¡¯t work inside it. Were you not paying attention when I gave you the tour that one day? You kept begging me to show you around,¡± Ohsen chided with a sideways glare.
¡°I was, like, five and I didn¡¯t realize it would just be a boring old ritual room,¡± the young portalist complained.
He gave a huff, not wanting to waste even more time arguing about the sophisticated enchantments woven into his most secure room, and resumed explaining his plan as his gaze returned to the woman who was getting ready to climb into the large bed with the ridiculously poofy bird already nestling onto the pillow next to hers, ¡°Just get the timing right and leave the rest to me. She¡¯s only Crystal so she¡¯ll succumb quickly and we can silence her on the other side. Just do exactly what I say when I say it.¡±
Camrin nodded obediently then Ohsen pulled the trigger of the crossbow and watched as the bolt sped through the short distance between the roof he was perched on and punctured a hole straight through the tinted glass of the Prot¨¦g¨¦¡¯s bedroom. He smirked as the projectile struck right between the back of her lower right ribs and she stumbled against the bed¨Cspinning around in a wild panic and yanking the bolt roughly from her back¨Cand he knew the barbs on the tip would cause even more damage.
¡°Now?¡± his son asked.
¡°Not yet,¡± he snapped, quickly storing the crossbow away and watching through his spyglass as the woman seemed to collapse to the ground, still talking for some reason, as her silly Familiar flapped around in a tizzy and he wondered if perhaps the woman was ordering it to go get help. He couldn¡¯t have that, so he ordered, ¡°Now.¡±
Phoenix finished cleaning up the empty mugs and collected her projects from the table by the window. The talk with Dazien had been a nice comfort and knowing that she could just talk to both him and Uriel at any time about anything was a reassurance that she hadn¡¯t realized would mean so much to her.
As she made her way to the bedroom she grinned to herself and mentally whispered to her two companions, ¡°Good night.¡±
She heard twin chuckles return and Dazien commenting, ¡°It¡¯s not really night out here. I can see the sun beginning to rise.¡±
¡°Well, my closed eyes won¡¯t know the difference,¡± she retorted, her long-sleeved nightgown replacing her casual clothes in a brief shimmer of silver light.
¡°Sleep well, Phoenix,¡± Uriel said over the connection.
¡°I plan to,¡± she muttered and yawned aloud, pulling back the covers as Tala reemerged to sleep in her usual spot on the large bed that could definitely fit two people.
An odd sound of cracking glass reached her ears right as a sudden sharp pain in her back made her stumble against the bed. Heat began radiating through her from the spot between her ribs and she gasped in shock. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
She spun to see where the attack had come from but the room was empty and her vision was quickly becoming blurry. Was it Arktis again? Perhaps another assassin? Whoever it was and whatever had struck her, it still hurt.
The Wayfarer tried to grab the weapon still lodged in her back, feeling blood trickling down as numbness followed. It was in an awkward spot but she was able to reach past the normal Mundane limits of flexibility to grasp the shaft and yanked hard to remove the source of her pain. She screamed as flesh was ripped with it, the cruel prongs designed to punish removal, and she fell to her knees as her legs became numb as well, the poison moving quickly through her system. She cried out both aloud and over the communication bond, ¡°Daze! Uriel! Help!¡±
She could almost feel the tension and concern as both of them said simultaneously, ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±
¡°I got shot by something,¡± she tried to explain as her arms gave out next and she fully collapsed to the floor, ¡°It¡¯s paralyzing me. I can¡¯t¡ can¡¯t move¡ please¡ help m¨C¡±
Phoenix cut off her words as a light appeared in her room and she glanced towards it to see a ring of ice containing what looked like a furious blizzard within it and a cinderen she didn¡¯t recognize walked through.
She saw a blur of silver speckled blue and purple feathers fly towards the stranger who let out an inhuman snarl and pulled a glowing silver dagger to strike back against the silver talons and beak attempting to inflict Dimension damage. Tears ran down her face as the overtly magical blade struck Tala through the neck and the Familiar burst into white ash, the glow of her skin quickly fading away as additional confirmation of her companion¡¯s destruction.
The stranger gave her a cruel smile that reminded her of someone she knew but her mind couldn¡¯t fully form the connection as her heavy eyelids fell shut.
When Phoenix awoke, she was not in her room any longer. Instead of lying by her bed, she was hanging by her wrists from manacles chained to the ceiling. She could feel the now familiar sensation of the Silencer around her neck as she tried to focus her eyes that still seemed clouded, her mind feeling foggy, and it was her hearing that came back first as she sensed voices through the aftereffects of the poison.
¡°Where did you even get all this?¡± came a voice Phoenix instantly recognized as an enemy but was having trouble placing.
¡°I¡¯ve told you before,¡± came a much lower and unfamiliar voice, ¡°Do I really need to remind you every time?¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t you say this was something those Spirit Reavers use? How do you even know what to do?¡±
A heavy sigh filled the room, ¡°Soul Reapers,¡± the masculine voice corrected, ¡°You want to join the main branch but you don¡¯t even remember what we¡¯re currently working towards?¡±
¡°Hey, every time I ask questions it¡¯s all ¡®Be silent, Arktis¡¯, ¡®Just do as you¡¯re told, Arktis¡¯, ¡®Shut up and stab that guy, Arktis¡¯. Nobody ever tells me anything.¡±
The older-sounding one gave an annoyed sigh and answered, ¡°We¡¯ve been helping the Renseres in the city to claim Tulisuda in offering to the Soul Reapers. In exchange, they¡¯re giving us these wonderful devices and allowing our family to join their forces in conquering other realities.¡±
¡°What? Why would we do that, Uncle?¡± Arktis asked, sounding very confused.
¡°For power, obviously. Our house is going to spread its influence across the cosmos. Not to mention, saving ourselves from utter annihilation. Despite the forces the AOA and world governments are trying to amass, we cannot win against the might of an advanced civilization like the Soul Reapers.¡±
¡°But what do the Purifier¡¯s Renseres have to do with that?¡±
¡°They asked for the remains of Makera. The fools want to recreate it from the ashes or some nonsense like that,¡± the assassin¡¯s uncle grumbled then added, ¡°Don¡¯t tell your aunt I said that. Now shut up and put this over there on the circle, Arktis.¡±
Phoenix finally managed to get her eyes open a crack and was able to observe where she was at. It was a fairly plain stone room with enough space in the center for a large ritual circle and a table by the single metal door with runes etched into it. Actually, it looked like runes were all over the walls, engraved into the stone and faintly humming with power. She could tell they were enchantments that were much more advanced than what even she had dealt with so far.
The Astromancer was trying to think through the haze in her mind and figure out how to escape. She was still in her nightclothes, thankfully keeping both her Soul Mark and Oathbond hidden from view, but the key she had made and put in her belt pouch currently sat in her collection with a handful of other keys. However, the one she had attached to a barrette in her hair seemed to still be there as she hadn¡¯t gotten around to removing it before being interrupted. She was glad she had thought of trying to hide one like that, however, with her hands chained so far above her head, it wouldn¡¯t be subtle for her to grab it.
The captive Wayfarer slowly glanced around to try and figure out the ritual she was currently hanging in the center of but it was one of the most complex designs she had ever laid eyes on. The strange man had mentioned the Soul Reapers used it but she wasn¡¯t sure what the whole purpose might be. However, what some of the symbols translated to wasn''t making her hopeful for coming out of this completely intact.
Despite her early run-in with Reapers in the Reality Rift shortly after meeting Paul, she barely had any interaction with the looming existential threat. She knew Paul had engaged more, and her two newest party members had as well, but she personally knew very little about the invaders and their recent activities. The big picture goal she had been given was that they wanted to destroy this world by turning Rifts into nukes, which firmly put them into the ¡°chaotic evil¡± category of her understanding.
What that had to do with her current situation, though, she had no idea. Phoenix would need more information and right now she was at the mercy of what Arktis asked unless the Wayfarer revealed she was conscious but she didn¡¯t want the enemy to start filtering their words and not giving up all their evil plots like good monologuing villains.
¡°You¡¯re not going to melt her like the last guy are you?¡± Arktis asked, ¡°Cause I can go if that¡¯s the plan,¡± and she could see the cinderen placing various Bits and Shards around the circle as the man instructed his niece on their placement.
Phoenix tried to get a better view of the stranger as she heard the older cinderen grabbing something off the table. He lifted a hand that was holding an item that Phoenix actually recognized from her previous encounter with the Reapers. Her shock caused her eyes to open wide and the man noticed the slight movement, giving her a wide malicious grin that she recognized as a replica of Murinah¡¯s as he explained, ¡°This is a Soul Cage. We attach it to her and, if it takes hold of her soul, she becomes one of the Caged. A mindless monster bent on destruction.
¡°Since she seems adverse to dying, this will make whatever ability is triggering to fake her death not matter anymore. The Cage will increase her Caste and boost her attributes immensely but lock down the aspects of her soul, meaning no magic for her to escape with. The best part is that we don¡¯t even need to be the ones that kill her. The AOA will do it for us and if we¡¯re really lucky they¡¯ll make Wayland be the one to do it,¡± he finished, stepping closer to her.
The horror on her face must have been obvious as the cinderen lord found glee in it. Arktis on the other hand looked at her with a mixture of pity and disgust, obviously not happy with what she had been forced to participate in but apparently resigned to help her family.
Phoenix had a stray thought at the mention of her mentor: What would Paul do? What would a hero do? They wouldn¡¯t just hang here and not fight back. They wouldn¡¯t give up and let themselves be tortured and taken over. When placed against someone more powerful, they would stand and fight. They would struggle until their last breath, sometimes even beyond that according to some of the stories she read. A hero would fight no matter the challenge or cost. She knew that was what she needed to do now.
Despite her fear and self-doubt, there was one thing she found her resolve in; she was not going to become caged within her own body again.
24 - Unchained
As her kidnapper smiled at her from a few meters away, and with the threat of once more having her mind caged within a useless body that she would have no power over, Phoenix glared at the cruel cinderen and asked, ¡°Why are you doing all this? I¡¯ve done nothing to you.¡±
The man returned her glare as he hissed, ¡°Because of you my daughter is dead!¡± He walked closer to her and ranted, ¡°You walked into our lives unwanted and stole from her. When she sought justice, she was brutally murdered by your rabid mentor!¡±
Murinah¡¯s father was fuming as he spoke, carefully maneuvering through the ritual circle to get closer to her, ¡°But now I¡¯ll have my own revenge. With this,¡± he held up the creepy-looking black hand that was currently opened as if to offer a morbid high-five and the cinderen gave that evil smile once more, ¡°Wayland will see you as the weak and pathetic creature you are. He¡¯ll be forced to kill you just like any other monster.¡±
¡°You¡¯re the monster,¡± Phoenix replied through gritted teeth, trying to calm her panic at the Magi¡¯s proximity.
¡°I should have done this to begin with,¡± he continued with a smirk as though not hearing the redhead¡¯s words, ¡°If I had just taken care of you and that arrogant Paladin as soon as you came to Tulimeir, my daughter would still be alive and I would have a powerful pawn under my command.¡±
¡°Has anyone told you before that you¡¯re delusional?¡± Phoenix asked, trying to get her enemy to move slightly closer as a plan started to form. She would have to risk revealing her secret key for a chance to escape.
Ruwena¡¯s smirk vanished as a snarl replaced it, ¡°Coming from a foreign peasant who has no real power and clings to a Fallen Paladin who thinks himself above the law.¡±
¡°Better an Avenging Paladin than a complete psychopath like you,¡± Phoenix taunted, needing him just a bit closer.
The noble took another step forward, lifting his free hand as though to slap the chained Wayfarer, and Phoenix shifted herself quickly, utilizing the movement techniques from the Silent Stealth Stance of the Weapon Wielding Warrior. Since absorbing the martial knowledge months ago, she had come to realize that her body itself was a weapon, one that she had now spent countless hours honing control over.
Phoenix¡¯s first kick landed, knocking the device out of the Magi¡¯s hand as her second kick landed on the man¡¯s chest hard, pushing off of him to launch herself back and upwards to flip and wrap her legs around the chains and pull against them, trying to dislodge the spike in the ceiling holding them in place.
It wouldn¡¯t budge though and the lord was starting to recover from his unexpected tumble. As she maneuvered her body further up the chain and brought the barrette in her hair up towards her hand, she held her breath and snagged the key hooked on it. She slammed the key into the collar portion and released the pent-up breath as she heard the click of the clasp unlocking.
As soon as it fell from her neck, she triggered two abilities in quick succession. The first one was her portal ability, willing the floating ring to appear below her to catch her as she fell, and the second was her gravity ability as she ground her teeth, targeted the ceiling, and pushed it away from her.
The Wayfarer quickly realized that two things had gone terribly wrong. As her body flung itself away from the ceiling, the chains were secured more than the bones in her hands could force. Her jaw clenched in pain as her thumbs dislocated and she was fairly certain one of her wrists had broken from the magically reinforced cuffs.
Then instead of falling through her portal, her back slammed against the stone floor, knocking the air from her lungs and clenching in pain, making another breath nigh impossible. She lay there for a moment stunned, confused, and in pain but forced herself to move, rolling over before her captors might chain her again.
¡°Stop her!¡± the man¡¯s voice yelled from somewhere nearby.
As she got to her feet, Phoenix was slammed into the wall behind her, opposite the only door to the room, and she felt the little breath she had managed to gain escape her again as her head swam. She triggered [Ruler of Relativity] again, this time pushing against the Sapphire Caste Arktis that had slammed into her and punctured her gut with both of the katars on the cinderen¡¯s fists.
Phoenix felt the crushing force of her own ability as there was only a stone wall behind her but it did manage to push her assailant back a few paces, leaving gaping wounds where thick blades had been. She conjured her own weapons, gritting her teeth against the pain in her thumbs and wrist that her regeneration hadn''t healed yet and she tried to give it a boost, ¡°As surely as the sun will rise again, I will see the dawn of tomorrow.¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Her flesh instantly began to mend and her grip fixed itself with the triggering of the high-cost variant of her healing spell. Despite the pain she was still in, she prepared to face her enemies in combat, though the enemy being a pair of Sapphire Casters made her odds fairly abysmal. Death would be better than becoming a Caged monster, she thought grimly.
The Wayfarer was still confused about why her portal hadn¡¯t appeared and then she realized that the silver ring was there, floating in the air, but the sheet of night was missing from inside of it.
Lord Ruwena¡¯s chuckle sent a shiver up her spine as the cinderen said, ¡°Your portal won¡¯t work in here. Nobody gets in or out except through that door,¡± he gestured to the solid metal slab behind her, ¡°And you won¡¯t get past Arktis or me. You can¡¯t escape this time.¡±
A small voice inside Phoenix agreed with the maniac but she smothered that nagging part of her and took her dual-wielding stance and unleashed her aura. Pushing against the pair of Sapphire Caste ones that seemed to shudder under the force of her own. As her form became obscured in shadows, the mercenary lunged at her again and she barely managed to duck under the bladed fists that almost took her head off.
¡°Don¡¯t kill her, idiot!¡± the man yelled at his niece, ¡°You¡¯ll ruin my plan!¡±
Phoenix ignored the irate Magi as she swung her blades at the assailant. An elbow smashed through her [Sun Shell] and landed on her face before she could blink, and slammed her into the floor. She used her gravity ability once more to [Push] herself away from Arktis, who was shouting at the blinding Bane and rubbing unseeing eyes, as she put more distance between them, sliding against the stone ground.
She changed target, and thus direction, as she used the [Push] variant against the wall and flung herself past Ruwena and lifted herself towards the door only to feel a body crash into her once more. Arktis was fast. Much faster than the Sapphire Caste Frost Lurker she had fought before and she thought she felt a rib crack as she was slammed into another wall.
She reactively used her power to disentangle herself from her attacker and found herself in a far corner. She met Ruwena¡¯s gaze once more and her resolve hardened as she lifted her dagger and sword towards the pair, ¡°You won¡¯t turn me into one of the Caged,¡± Phoenix announced and she was glad her voice didn¡¯t waver.
The nobleman laughed, lifting up a large crossbow that she hadn¡¯t noticed before, ¡°You can¡¯t possibly win. You¡¯re not powerful enough to defeat Arktis, let alone me,¡± he taunted and loosed a silvery bolt from the weapon.
She dodged to the side only to feel the slice of a blade bury into her thigh and she swiped her own weapons towards Arktis who stepped back from the attack with a snarl and a fresh wound across the arm. Spending the mana to resummon her shield of light, her little [Starlight Companion] was the next sacrifice as it exploded in a shower of silvery glitter when it intercepted another arrow from the Magi across the room.
Phoenix found herself mourning the loss of Tala, not because she couldn¡¯t just resummon the Familiar, for she knew that Tala¡¯s demise wasn¡¯t a true death, but because the little bird had become both a valued friend and weapon to help support her in these dire circumstances.
Another shout came from her side as Arktis attacked again only to be blinded by her translucent shield once more but before she could conjure another replacement a poisoned-tipped bolt buried itself into her thigh and she clenched her jaw to keep from crying out in pain.
A cruel laugh came from across the room, ¡°Give up, girl. It¡¯s only a matter of minutes now before the Creeping Heartvine makes you sleep once more.¡±
Her mind was in overdrive and she went through her options. Trying to buy a bit more time to plan, Phoenix kept the conversation going, ¡°I don¡¯t need to defeat you. I just need to escape.¡±
¡°Are you deaf? You can¡¯t escape,¡± the Magi reiterated and gestured to the intricate enchantments adorning the walls, ¡°Built-in anti-teleportation and a Sapphire Caster that¡¯s faster than you, along with a door that won¡¯t respond to anyone but the family, means that you aren¡¯t going anywhere. You will be beaten, broken, and chained. Then you will become one of the Caged.¡±
Another small voice spoke in the back of her mind, telling her to just kill the insane man and put a permanent end to the threat but she balked at it. Anger rose up at the thought of lowering herself to Murinah¡¯s level. Even if she could, she didn¡¯t need to kill these two, she just needed to escape. This place, and the information she had gained, would surely be enough now to land the corrupt noble in a prison somewhere.
Her foe was right though, she couldn¡¯t escape. There was no running as the feeling in her legs bled away and she slumped against the wall behind her. No portal to run through. No key to the door. No hope.
No.
The word resonated within her, a faint memory of defiance rising up. The first time she had felt this way, her body had felt like it was being burned to ashes in a hospital bed but she refused to give in to death. Phoenix had been running since long before coming to this world. She had been fleeing further and further into darkness as her friends and family died around her. The last time she had felt this sudden resistance to the seeming inevitable despair, she had stood against a foe stronger than her and won. Sure, she had died but she had still stood her ground and defeated the Frost Lurker.
Coming to this world, meeting Paul, and gaining new friends had slowly been pulling her back towards the light but this insane family¡¯s actions had threatened to drag her back into the lonely abyss. She would not let them.
There was always a way. How many times had she read about heroes who had triumphed over and over again during the darkest of times and most dire of circumstances? Now it was her turn to prove that there was always hope. Her turn to stand against evil.
Phoenix took a deep steadying inhalation of air and exhaled her fears and anxieties. She met Ruwena¡¯s malevolent gaze with her own determined one and said resolutely, ¡°I will always fight for my freedom. Until my last breath, I will remain unchained.¡±
Then she threw her sword, [Caustic Floe], towards the Sapphire Caste Magi only to trigger her power one last time to [Pull] the sword back before it reached the noble, and Phoenix took her own head.
25 - I’m Not Your Father
¡°I can¡¯t¡ can¡¯t move¡ please¡ help m¨C¡± his friend¡¯s words cut off suddenly.
Dazien mentally shouted back, ¡°Phoenix! I¡¯m coming, just hold on!¡± he was already sprinting back down the street as fast as he could, triggering the ¡°Charge¡± variant of his [Call to Arms] ability in order to increase his speed.
¡°I¡¯m heading your way,¡± Uriel said through the connection they always kept open with each other.
Both of them continued to try calling out to Phoenix until Dazien saw purple lettering floating before him in a disturbing message.
|
Communication with Phoenix Fraser has been forcibly interrupted.
Phoenix Fraser is no longer your Subject.
|
When he reached the front of the door that was oddly still locked, he didn¡¯t bother to knock. In a single swift motion, he conjured his new shield and used the full force of his body behind it to slam into the door, causing it to fly from its Mundane frame.
The dorm was silent and still, which was not a good sign. He made his way to the bedroom door that was also closed but not locked and grimaced at the sight he walked in on. It was empty of any person but the bed was a mess as blood stained the side facing the window. It was easy to spot the cracked glass spreading out from the thumb-sized hole in it that disrupted the uniform color of the blue-tinted pane.
A discarded bolt lay on the floor and he carefully picked it up, noticing a dark sticky substance among the blood. Smelling the tip, he didn¡¯t recognize whatever poison it had been loaded with and he mentally said to Uriel, ¡°I need your nose, Senesh. It¡¯s much better than mine.¡±
¡°What did you find?¡± his partner asked.
The Defender grimaced as he took in the sight of the thing that worried him the most: the white ash covering the bed and floor in fine dust, ¡°Potentially the murder weapon,¡± he said grimly then added, ¡°Most Crystal Casters don¡¯t instantly turn to ash, however, so let us hope what I¡¯m seeing belongs to poor Tala.¡±
¡°What are you going to do now?¡± Uriel asked in obvious concern.
¡°Pray that the Paladin of Vengeance doesn¡¯t kill the messenger,¡± the young Adventurer replied, quickly leaving the scene while trying to keep his own panic at bay and making his way towards the Wayland Estate.
Paul looked up from his journal as the door to his study was cracked open after a quick announcing knock and Rodger peeked inside while explaining, ¡°M¡¯lord, Mister Smithson is here. You told me to go ahead and bring him straight to you if¨C¡±
¡°Lord Wayland!¡± the precocious brat said over his head steward, pushing past the man in order to get to him quicker.
¡°What did you do this time?¡± he asked gruffly. He was still cross about the foolish party leader going to the Ruwena Estate without first consulting with him, only informing him after the fact and asking him to do something he was already handling while also trying to get information out of him with that silver tongue. Aside from the sheer audacity, the boy painted an obvious target on Phoenix by confirming that she still lived.
¡°Little King was not aware of the deception Wayland was hoping to keep in place,¡± Orebela reminded him but he gave a mental huff of annoyance and ignored her wisdom.
¡°Sir, Phoenix is either kidnapped or¡¡± the gemite paused a moment as though reluctant to speak then finished, ¡°Or dead, sir.¡±
Paul was in front of the young man in the next breath and commanded, ¡°Explain while we move,¡± then at a slower pace the Crystal Caster should have been able to keep up with, he began heading towards a lower level. The paladin checked his pouch for the [Flame of Life] he kept on his person at all times and verified that his apprentice was still alive¨Cthe flame within burning strongly¨Cand lifted it to reassure the gemite as well, feeling some of the fear in the young leader¡¯s aura dissipate.
Dazien scrambled after him as the Defender recounted the events of the early dawn after he had left Phoenix¡¯s dorm and he paused in the hallway for a moment to raise a brow at the young man and ask pointedly, ¡°And what exactly were you doing with my Prot¨¦g¨¦ in her home at that hour¡ alone?¡±
The gemite had the good sense to flush in embarrassment and quickly explain, ¡°Ah, we were just talking, sir. I¡¯ve been worried about her well-being since learning that she was involved with Arktis Neired. That woman¡¯s reputation is not a pleasant one.¡±
¡°Indeed not,¡± Paul agreed and continued his walk to one of the ritual rooms below street level. He didn¡¯t need to check the room he had given to Phoenix to bind her [Waypoint] to since a quick expansion of his aura found the room vacant of any other aura and confirmed she hadn''t simply revived already. Once they reached the destination of his large ritual room, the paladin began taking ingredients out of the cupboards along the wall and drew out a complex ritual diagram with chalk, placing components into various locations throughout it.
¡°What are we doing, sir?¡± the gemite asked while staying out of his way which was a smart move since he was not in the mood to be delayed.
¡°A tracking ritual,¡± he replied, placing the [Flame of Life] in the center of the circle, ¡°I found it during my research after the last time Phoenix¡ went missing.¡±
¡°But we know where she is!¡± the arrogant boy exclaimed, ¡°It had to have been Arktis.¡±
¡°Arktis Neired is a Juggernaut class,¡± he replied as though that was answer enough.
¡°So?¡±
He gave a sigh, ¡°Explain to me how a juggernaut went through a locked door and vanished with only an arrow and ash left behind.¡±
There was silence for a long moment before the amethyst warrior said, ¡°It must have been House Ruwena, though. They have obviously been targeting Phoenix for some time now.¡±
¡°Most likely, but that doesn¡¯t tell us where they took her, and¨Cdespite my new deity¨CI can¡¯t just walk into another noble¡¯s home and burn it to the ground.¡±
¡°Can¡¯t you?¡± Dazien asked softly, which caused him to pause and look up at the gemite.
The look the young leader gave him was not the humor he had been expecting and he answered with equal sobriety, ¡°No, kid. I don¡¯t serve the Destroyer.¡±
Dazien looked away, shame and anger filling the Crystal aura at his words, and he tried to help clarify, ¡°This information doesn¡¯t leave this room but Avenger whispers to me when someone is deserving of retribution. While it aligned with my desire to keep Phoenix safe, it was Avenger who gave me the quest to kill Murinah Ruwena via miserling, the same manner she killed others, not my own whims. He has not given me such a command for Arktis or any other Ruwena¡ yet.¡±
¡°Others? She killed people with miserlings?¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
His face twisted at the memories of the list of victims Avenger had given him before, and he decided to enlighten the gemite a bit, ¡°Apparently, the late noble enjoyed that particular method and didn¡¯t usually need a portalist to help her accomplish luring her victims. A pretty smile and a well-respected name can do a lot of convincing. Tell me, did you know ¡®Violet Barrelli¡¯, ¡®Martin Kethis¡¯, or ¡®Alexis Sarkov¡¯?¡±
The young warrior¡¯s face blanched as he replied, ¡°Violet and Martin were ex-lovers of mine. I thought Violet just left since I knew we weren¡¯t doing very well and I was told Martin died in an accident.¡±
¡°Yes. An accident involving miserlings, apparently,¡± Paul replied dryly, ¡°From what I¡¯ve gathered, Murinah was obsessing over you, which I know isn¡¯t completely unheard of for Shiny gemite, but most people don¡¯t go killing off the competition.¡±
¡°So who was Alexis?¡± Dazien asked in confusion, ¡°I don¡¯t remember anyone by that name.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t think you would,¡± Paul replied, ¡°You would have only been around ten when the fifteen-year-old Murinah locked Alexis, a younger house servant, into a cage with a miserling that her father was studying.¡±
The gemite stared at him in horror, ¡°What? Why?¡±
¡°Apparently, Alexis didn¡¯t want to cut their hair when Murinah ordered them to,¡± the Paladin replied with a shake of his head, ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself for her twisted mind, kid. There would have been more bodies one way or another. Be thankful Phoenix still lives.¡±
¡°Wait, she didn¡¯t mention anything about miserlings¨C¡±
Another knock came from the door to the ritual room and he gestured for the Defender to open it as Roger stood outside and said, ¡°Noble Stratfured, is here to see you. She says she has information about your Prot¨¦g¨¦¡¯s whereabouts.¡±
¡°Noble Stratfured?¡± Dazien asked him with a raised brow.
¡°Bliss¡¯ party leader,¡± Paul replied, ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who cares about Phoenix,¡± he added, then called to Roger, ¡°Bring her here. She can help coordinate with Bliss.¡±
¡°As you wish, m¡¯lord,¡± Roger replied with a polite bow.
Paul glanced at the worried gemite who was awkwardly running a hand through long amethyst hair and he suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go get the rest of your party and wait in my study.¡±
¡°Should I help coordinate things? Is there anyone else I should inform? Perhaps I should inform the temples as well, I¡¯m sure they have resources and would help with one of their Favored,¡± the boy said in a sign of increasing distress.
The paladin grumbled, ¡°I¡¯m not your father, kid, so I can¡¯t order you like one, but just keep calm and stay out of the way. Be ready to respond and I¡¯ll let you know when something changes.¡±
It was only with his Emerald Caste hearing that he was able to catch the upstart king muttering under his breath, ¡°You might as well be our father with the way you treat us.¡±
¡°See? Even Little King agrees with me,¡± his Familiar chimed in.
¡°Not now, Bela,¡± he replied with an annoyed huff.
|
You have died.
All equipment has been returned to your collection.
[Waypoint] has guided your soul back to your designated location.
You have been reconstituted to a state of full integrity.
24 hours remain until this effect can be triggered again.
|
Phoenix felt immense relief at seeing the book''s message hovering above her as she lay in an unfamiliar bed. She sat up and looked around the room that Paul had offered for her to use and that she had moved her spawn point to after his insistence, summoning her clothes and standing.
She glanced around the room, taking in its layout and amenities. Aside from the large four-poster bed that she had just climbed out of, there was a large fireplace on the opposite wall with two plush chairs to each side and a large couch between the fire and bed. A low coffee table lay between all of it for the seat occupants to conveniently use. To her right was the room¡¯s entrance while across from that was a wide wooden desk against the solitary window. In the far corner of the room was another door to a washroom that currently hung open but remained dark.
Paul had been right; she should have moved here instead of insisting she stay in her obviously insecure dorm room. She took a few deep breaths to center herself but found that she felt much calmer now than she had after her previous deaths. Perhaps that was because she had been the one to cause it? She would need to think about that more later. Maybe she would ask Priest Jacob about it next Trisol.
For now, however, she sought out her mentor who surprised her by being right outside the door to her room as she opened it. They stared at each other for a long moment, silent words passing between them as his eyes became angrier and her mouth tried to find words that wouldn¡¯t cause him to go on some kind of rampage through the city.
Paul was the one to speak first as he said with a coldness that belied the fire in his gaze, ¡°Did Arktis kill you again?¡±
She hesitated for a moment, this cold fury almost worried her more than if he would have yelled, ¡°Not exactly.¡±
He narrowed his eyes, then pointed at the couch nearest the center of her room. She lowered her head, as though about to be scolded, ¡°Were you already waiting here?¡± the Wayfarer asked as she moved and sat on the seat.
The paladin took his place next to her as he answered, ¡°It was lucky timing. I sensed your aura just as I was going to inform my sister about a political move I was about to be forced to make,¡± then he returned to her previous comment and inquired, ¡°By ¡®not exactly¡¯ does that mean they used another monster?¡±
¡°No. I, um¡ I killed myself to escape,¡± she said nervously.
Her mentor¡¯s eyes widened then narrowed again, ¡°Explain.¡±
She launched into the story, not wanting to give the Ruwena family more time to potentially escape, hide the evidence, or enact their plans to help the Renseres with whatever a Tulisuda was. Phoenix could sense the anger building in Paul¡¯s aura and raised a brow when he started fiddling with his bracelet but didn¡¯t ask him about it or pause in her retelling.
When she had finished, they sat in silence for a long while. Phoenix was still wondering why this death felt so much different than her last ones but she was more concerned about how Paul would react either towards her clear disregard for not dying or towards the family that had made her so desperate.
After a few more minutes he finally spoke, ¡°I don¡¯t like you using that ability in that way¡ but I¡¯m glad you had the courage to do so.¡±
¡°Thanks? I get that it should be a last resort kind of thing,¡± she replied, then asked something that had been nagging at her, ¡°What¡¯s Tulisuda?¡±
¡°It¡¯s the name given to a Reality Rift,¡± the paladin explained, ¡°One that sits at the heart of this city a couple hundred meters below street level. If they manage to sabotage it like the Soul Reapers, Tulimeir will cease to exist.¡±
She gasped softly at the mental picture but let him continue. His next words took her completely by surprise though, ¡°Phoenix, I want you to join my House. Officially. I¡¯d like to adopt you.¡±
The Wayfarer stared at him with wide eyes trying to process the words that her translation ability allowed her to know but that she couldn¡¯t fully understand in that moment.
As she remained silent, Paul offered more explanation, ¡°As an official member of House Wayland, I can offer you more protection politically as well as additional support and resources. You can live here without suspicion and I can be more readily available for you.¡±
He met her stunned gaze and said softly, ¡°I know I¡¯m not your father, nor will I ever truly be, but I want to offer what I can.¡±
¡°Why?¡± was the only word that came to her mind.
Her mentor gave a gentle smile and repeated the words he had told her what seemed like an eternity ago, ¡°Because you need it and I can¡ but more importantly, I want you to be part of my family.¡±
They fell into silence again as Phoenix contemplated his offer. She assumed that noble adoption worked similarly to the regular kind, even when she became an adult in this world, she would always be seen and treated as his child. She assumed that didn¡¯t mean Paul would suddenly gain control over her choices even more than he did as her Mentor but it would place her within the noble hierarchy and whatever that would entail.
¡°I¡¯ll need to think about it some more,¡± she said softly. She wanted to learn more about what joining the nobility would actually require of her. Despite Dazien¡¯s obsession with the aristocracy, she actually knew very little about it. Perhaps she would ask her friends for advice.
Paul stood and patted her head affectionately as he reassured her, ¡°There¡¯s no rush. Just know that the option is there for you. I''ll be working to protect you either way. For now, I¡¯m going to inform the AOA and Duke about the Ruwena family¡¯s traitorous actions and the threat to Tulisuda. Stay here until I return. I¡¯ll have your party join you. You gave those boys quite the scare.¡±
¡°Ah, crap,¡± she groaned, ¡°What am I going to tell them? Should I let them know about my [Waypoint]?¡±
The paladin seemed thoughtful for a moment, ¡°Let¡¯s wait a bit on that,¡± she raised an eyebrow and he expounded, ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting they¡¯re not trustworthy. It¡¯s just¡¡±
Her mentor seemed at a slight loss of words, which made her worry even more and she asked with wide eyes, ¡°Will they hate me for it?¡±
¡°It¡¯s more like it will be difficult for them to truly understand both the concept and the potential repercussions,¡± he tried explaining, ¡°Phoenix, your talent is¡ well, frankly, it¡¯s a miracle. Resurrection like yours has always been believed to be impossible. A dream even further beyond myths and legends. Most of the people that chase after Obsidian Caste do so to gain immortality¨Cto stop aging¨Cbut to come back from death is a completely different thing.¡±
He ran a hand through his short golden hair and added, ¡°We should wait until things calm down a bit before sitting them down to carefully explain both the power and the enemies it will bring should they utter a single word about it. Let¡¯s first focus on taking care of the people that are targeting you for more mundane reasons.¡±
She nodded and, as he moved to leave, she called out to him, ¡°Paul?¡±
The lord paused at the door, ¡°Yes?¡±
Phoenix gave him a genuine smile, ¡°Thank you for caring about me so much. I don¡¯t deserve a mentor like you.¡±
The paladin returned her smile and said almost regretfully, ¡°Trust me when I say that you deserve much better than me.¡±
26 - The Edited Version
The rest of King¡¯s Dream arrived together at the Wayland building and were escorted to Phoenix¡¯s new room that she had decided to take, with or without being adopted. Even if Murinah¡¯s family weren¡¯t a threat, she no longer felt safe in that dorm.
When the door opened, Saiya made her way ahead of the others to take Paul¡¯s vacated spot and attach herself to Phoenix¡¯s arm. Uriel and Dazien both had matching expressions of relief and the latter said gratefully, ¡°Thank the gods you¡¯re alive. I see Lord Wayland was able to successfully track you down and rescue you.¡±
She hadn¡¯t been aware of that but at least it would give her a good cover story. Unfortunately, her emotions almost gave her away when amber eyes looked up quizzically at the Wayfarer and asked, ¡°You¡¯re confused. What¡¯s wrong?¡±
The others took seats around the hearth as they listened for Phoenix¡¯s response. They all seemed rather curious about the new room and what Saiya had sensed. Before Phoenix came up with an excuse, however, she asked another question she had been meaning to ask the gentle voxen for quite a while now, ¡°How can you read my emotions so well? Is my aura control really that bad?¡±
Rayna was the one to speak up, ¡°Nah, you¡¯re a closed book to me and I¡¯m decent. I¡¯ve had a few more years of training it than you after all. Plus, you being an Aurabreaker makes it even harder for us to break through and read things from it. It¡¯s her Perception ability.¡±
The Healer nodded and gestured to the air in front of them, ¡°I can show your book.¡±
Phoenix summoned it with a thought and Saiya gently touched it.
|
Passive Ability: Empathic Life
Type: Perception (magical, life)
Current Caste: Crystal 7
Crystal Effect: Can sense the emotions and resource pools of a target through their aura.
|
After she finished reading the interesting ability, she looked at each of her companions¨Cnot quite sure where to start¨Cbut decided to focus on answering Saiya¡¯s original question. So she voiced the thing she actually felt most confused and conflicted about at that moment, ¡°Paul offered to adopt me.¡±
All of them seemed surprised but it quickly morphed into happiness for her and Dazien said, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, Phoenix. It is a great honor to be part of a noble house.¡±
She returned his smile with a small smirk as she joked, ¡°It¡¯s no royal court.¡±
He grinned and said, ¡°Well, you¡¯re already a Princess. This will just make it a bit more official.¡±
Saiya leaned a soft head against her shoulder, the long furry ears tickling her neck, as the perceptive voxen asked, ¡°Why are you confused about it? Do you not want to join House Wayland?¡±
Phoenix paused as she gathered her thoughts to try and turn them into sensible words, ¡°I¡¯m not necessarily against the idea. Paul made good points about the benefits,¡± she hesitated again as her eyes found Dazien¡¯s, ¡°I¡¯ve been told before though, that being a noble means more responsibility. I¡¯m not sure what will be expected of me or if I can meet the demands of the position.¡±
They all nodded in understanding. Rayna broke the silence first, ¡°You¡¯ll probably need to talk with Lord Wayland about that. Saiya and I were the youngest children so we were never expected to inherit anything. Plus, nobility in our culture seems very different from the type here in Tulim and its patron nation, Blomsterang.¡±
Dazien wondered aloud, ¡°If Lord Wayland himself adopts you, will you become heir apparent? He has no other children to inherit but you are also not blood related. I could see other members getting upset by it. Not all Houses care about blood relation, though, nor about a particular line of succession via birth.¡±
¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Rayna agreed, ¡°I said we were the youngest but even in our culture if our older siblings had bowed out or if one of us ended up stronger than them in some respect, we could be made heir by right of choice.¡±
¡°Speak with Lord Wayland and with the other members of the family,¡± Uriel said, finally offering his opinion to the conversation from where he sat on the other side of Saiya, ¡°Make sure you understand the whole picture you¡¯ll be joining.¡±
¡°Paul did mention having a sister,¡± she remembered, ¡°He said she¡¯s been wanting to meet me but didn¡¯t want me feeling overwhelmed. I¡¯m not sure how meeting a single person would be overwhelming¡¡± she trailed off as her eyes met Dazien¡¯s, ¡°Actually, I take that back.¡±
The group laughed at the party leader¡¯s look of mock offense as the gemite replied with a generous amount of sarcasm, ¡°I¡¯m going to assume you meant that my obvious charm and shining personality are just so dazzling that one can¡¯t help but be awed in my presence.¡±
She rolled her eyes dramatically but the Defender moved on to another question, ¡°So are we here in this room because of Paul¡¯s offer?¡±
Phoenix gave an internal wince remembering why she was actually here and that she needed to explain things, even if she did need to give the edited version. She had already partially explained the threat to Dazien so it wouldn¡¯t be much more to piece in the unexpected addition of the crazy Daddy Ruwena.
She began with her own question, ¡°Do you remember how I said that I¡¯d be fine if I just stayed in my room and let Paul handle Arktis? Well, I was very wrong.¡±
Amethyst eyes darkened as the Defender¡¯s expression became serious, ¡°So she was the one that attacked you? You were kidnapped and then tortured again?¡±
The others suddenly stared at her and she felt the heat rise in her face at the focused attention as she admitted, ¡°It was Murinah¡¯s father this time. The whole family is insane.¡±
The bard stood suddenly from her chair and yelled, ¡°They hurt you? How? What did you tell Daze but not us?¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes searched for her leader¡¯s own once more as she recounted what she told Dazien just the night before then added, ¡°Apparently, her dad was wanting revenge for Murinah¡¯s death. He thinks Paul killed her, which I will neither confirm nor deny.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
Uriel got her attention as he asked softly, ¡°How did he plan to take revenge?¡±
Her expression softened as she looked into the ember eyes that comforted her, so unlike the fiery red coals that Murinah and her father shared; eyes which made her feel like they would engulf her in flames of hatred. She sighed and said, ¡°He shot me with a crossbow bolt, it was poisoned with¡ I think he called it Creeping Heartvine? That was the part you both heard. Anyways, he portaled straight into my room, killed Tala, and I blacked out after that. When I woke up, he was trying to turn me into one of the Caged monsters the Soul Reapers make.¡±
The room went silent and Saiya tensed against her side while Rayna looked furious, like the Striker wanted to punch something but also didn¡¯t want to ruin the nice furniture. Phoenix headed off the questions as she quickly implied with the previously offered lie, ¡°That didn''t happen though and, like you said, Paul found me. However, the Ruwena family are still free for now. So, this will be my new room,¡± she gestured around them, ¡°Whether I¡¯m adopted or not, it will be safer here.¡±
¡°I apologize, Phoenix,¡± Dazien¡¯s voice said softly after a moment, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have left you alone yesterday morning. I underestimated the danger you were in and couldn¡¯t get back to you fast enough.¡±
¡°This is Ruwena¡¯s fault. Not yours,¡± Uriel said firmly. ¡°You were trying to protect and support while they only sought to harm.¡±
Phoenix agreed, ¡°It wasn¡¯t the first time, Dazien. They would have come for me again either way. Hopefully this time, Paul will have enough evidence and authority to be able to stop them before anyone else gets hurt.¡±
Paul had a few stops to make today and this first one he was not looking forward to. As he stared up at the tall skyscraper completely covered in plants, he took a deep breath. He hadn¡¯t required air to breathe for decades now but he had always enjoyed the scent of this particular building and the mundane action helped settle his nerves as he stepped into the blessed location.
Making his way through the building and up to the floor his sister worked in wasn¡¯t difficult and as he reached her lab he announced his presence by clearing his throat.
The runeforged glanced up at him and gave a brilliant grin as she asked, ¡°Did you find her? Is she here with you?¡±
¡°Ah,¡± he began awkwardly, ¡°Well, we did find her. She managed to escape and return to the estate. I didn¡¯t bring her though.¡±
Patricia frowned at him and put gloved hands on her hips as she said, ¡°You promised that I could meet her as soon as she was safe again. I need to be able to know her better in order to help create the right social image and, if you haven¡¯t noticed, your loose tongue has made sure that everyone in the city now knows you have a Wayfarer for a Prot¨¦g¨¦.¡±
¡°I promise I will send her here with the rest of her party tomorrow,¡± he said, trying to mollify the noblewoman, ¡°I¡¯m planning another stop later to the AOA to get them out of the city for a while.¡±
Pati¡¯s bright blue eyes, a prominent trait of the Wayland line, narrowed on him, ¡°Is she still in danger?¡±
¡°I believe we have a window where the enemy won¡¯t be looking for her but I¡¯ve already gotten my next assignment and want her away during it,¡± he expounded.
¡°What mission would the AOA give that you wouldn¡¯t want her near and protected by our House?¡± his sister asked in confusion.
¡°It¡¯s not from the AOA,¡± the paladin said darkly, ¡°It¡¯s a quest, not a mission.¡±
She stared at him for a long moment before saying, ¡°I see. I know I already told you that I wished you had rededicated to the Cultivator like most in our family¨C¡±
¡°Pati¨C¡± the lord tried to interrupt but was quickly shut down.
¡°But did you have to pick the Avenger? Aside from being a relatively minor deity, he is not exactly a good look for our House, Paul. The House you lead currently.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not like he¡¯s a Fallen god,¡± he countered, ¡°Nor known to be one of the Voidsworn Syndicate.¡±
¡°No, but he¡¯s also not represented as a member of the Delegation of Radiance,¡± she pointed out, moving over to a display of plants in vertical rows and began using a wand to gently water them.
¡°I don¡¯t regret my choice, Pati,¡± he repeated, this wasn¡¯t the first time they had argued over it, ¡°Now, I came here to let you know about some developments in the case against House Ruwena.¡±
The runeforged nodded but didn¡¯t look away from her work and he continued, ¡°Phoenix managed to gain information that the Lord and Lady Ruwena are assisting the Renseres in infiltrating Tulisuda for the Soul Reapers.¡±
That did make her stop to look at him as she said with wide eyes, ¡°This will mean war, Paul. Civil war within the walls of Tulimeir.¡±
He nodded solemnly, ¡°I¡¯ll be going to speak with Lord Teras at the Order of Magic¡¯s headquarters after I leave here. He¡¯ll need to be prepared to help organize the Magi who will stand against their Chancellor as well as become the new one when we¡¯ve won.¡±
Patricia nodded quietly, not giving voice to the concern of what would happen should they not win. He turned to leave as he added, ¡°I was just stopping by to update you on that,¡± he paused at the door and said over his shoulder, ¡°I also offered to adopt Phoenix.¡±
¡°WHAT?!¡±
Paul stared up at another skyscraper in the northeastern district of Tulimeir which was dedicated to researching and crafting prototypes. A majority of the district¡¯s inhabitants dedicated themselves to the gods Scholar and Crafter with a spattering of those that were devoted to minor deities under them, such as Mentor or Architect.
Most buildings were just level upon level of workshops and laboratories and the current building he stood before was no exception as the headquarters of the OOM branch in Tulimeir. He had only been in the lower level before to drop off certain items that required further study by specialists and he was not looking forward to going through the upper floors to reach the Vice Chancellor¡¯s workshop.
Desperate times called for begrudging compromises, though, so he entered and purposefully made his way toward his destination. The Paladin decided he rather liked his new Regalia¡¯s looks as it did a very good job of clearing a path through the crowds of people and no one even attempted to stop him to ask questions.
Once he got to the floor full of half-made golems and bustling Magi, he made his way to the cinderen in the center of it all, ordering around underlings and talking with a young woman he hadn¡¯t seen since first returning to Tulimeir.
Paul smiled softly at the human, who stood out more for wearing large spectacles over soft brown eyes, and greeted her first, ¡°Hello, Camilla. I¡¯m glad to see you again. You should come by my estate, when you get the time and energy, to meet my Prot¨¦g¨¦. I believe you two might get along well but do not feel obligated to. Just know you are always welcome to visit.¡±
The brunette nodded silently without directly looking at him and he took the subtle indication of acceptance as a good sign before turning to the man standing beside her, ¡°I see you¡¯re taking good care of my cousin, Lord Teras.¡±
¡°I¡¯d be ten years behind in my work without her, Lord Wayland,¡± the cinderen said with a grin, ¡°Believe me when I say it is my honor and relief that she puts up with me.¡±
¡°Sadly, I didn¡¯t come here for a social visit,¡± Paul said, trying to not waste any time.
The Vice-Chancellor pointedly looked him up and down taking in the jet-black armor and blood-red cape and said, ¡°I figured it wasn¡¯t. News in the investigation into House Ruwena?¡±
¡°The worst it could be,¡± he admitted, ¡°They are traitors to both Tulimeir and the world. You should prepare for an assault upon the allies of the Renseres.¡±
Ethan Teras wiped his hands on his leather apron and watched him skeptically, ¡°The Renseres? Paul, the Ruwenas are not exactly known for their¡ pure actions or intentions. Why would they help those zealots?¡±
¡°Apparently, to avoid annihilation and join the Soul Reapers in the attempt to gain more power,¡± the paladin informed.
¡°Ah. That does sound more like them,¡± the cinderen replied and gave a grimace, ¡°This is not going to be pleasant¡ and during a blood moon, no less,¡± the man sighed and met his eyes, ¡°Lives will be lost from this.¡±
¡°Let us try to avoid that as much as possible by moving quickly,¡± he said, clasping a hand on his friend¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m going to the AOA to organize forces there. Can I count on you to gather the Magi who don''t want to see this city fall?¡±
¡°You and I both know that the Magi and Adventurers have long held a contentious and often aggressive rivalry but I don¡¯t think either of our organizations want to watch our world burn,¡± Ethan said gravely, ¡°I will do what I can.¡±
¡°Then prepare to fight for Tulisuda.¡±
27 - Death While We Eat
The members of King¡¯s Dream filed into the personal study of Paul Wayland as he sat at an ornately carved desk. He greeted them by getting right to business, ¡°I¡¯ve asked you here to brief you about your next mission.¡±
¡°We haven¡¯t accepted a new mission yet,¡± Dazien stated and crossed his arms in defiance, ¡°Phoenix just returned from being captured, tortured, and almost turned into a monster and you want us to just turn around and go back out into the field?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a blood moon, kid,¡± the older mentor said as he stared up at the young gemite from his plush chair, ¡°I had your party assigned to another delivery contract. You¡¯ll be picking up the supplies directly from Cultivator¡¯s Citadel and taking them to the outlying fort towns. Phoenix has a portal to them and we¡¯ve gotten more reports of bandits and raiders in the area. The roads aren¡¯t safe to take, even for some Adventurers, and the attacks have gotten more brazen as the blood moon continues, with some of the towns reporting direct assaults on the walls. Even portaling there, you may run into more bandit trouble.¡±
Dazien glanced at the Wayfarer standing between the Defender and Mage with a pointed look as the leader replied, ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± meeting Paul¡¯s eyes, the gemite added, ¡°If they¡¯re anything like what we ran into before, we should be able to handle them well enough. This doesn¡¯t sound much different from the other missions we¡¯ve done though, so why bring us here to inform us?¡±
Paul looked slightly annoyed as he grumbled, ¡°There are a few other things you need to know about. First, I wanted to let you know that the main reason I requested this is that the AOA, with approval from the Duke, will be performing a raid on House Ruwena¡¯s Estate tomorrow.¡±
There was the sound of sharp inhalation as everyone reacted to the news. The twins both seemed alarmed, while Uriel seemed unfazed, and Dazien¡¯s expression darkened in a mix of concern and anger. Phoenix, however, narrowed her eyes at her mentor, her mouth pursed into a thin grimace as she guessed, ¡°And you want us out of the city during it.¡±
Paul met her gaze unflinchingly and without any hint of guilt or remorse as he stated bluntly, ¡°Exactly.¡±
¡°My lord, we can help¨C¡± Dazien began to protest but was cut off.
¡°It¡¯s not because I doubt the capabilities of anyone in this room, kid,¡± Paul interrupted, ¡°I simply don¡¯t want any of you getting blowback from this. They¡¯ve already tried to take out their anger towards me upon Phoenix and I don¡¯t want her or anyone else being targeted simply in an attempt to hurt me.
¡°So, you all will go deliver these critical supplies while myself and a team of Adventurers deal with the Ruwena family,¡± he said, glancing at their party leader as he added, ¡°I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t have to explain to you just how devastating their betrayal will be for the duchy should they succeed in their plans in addition to the potential societal upheaval once word of their treachery spreads among the people.¡±
¡°The Ruwena family basically manages every aspect of our Reality Rift. If it wasn¡¯t just Lord Ruwena but the whole family and their allies that got involved and they¡¯re planning to help the Soul Reapers¡¡± Dazien said in slight horror as he looked from Paul to the rest of the party.
¡°We won¡¯t let that happen,¡± the Emerald Caster said firmly, ¡°The political upheaval this will cause, though, is why I wanted your party out of the city. We don¡¯t want the enemy to potentially turn their gaze towards the two people that revealed their plots to the authorities.¡±
They all glanced between Phoenix and Dazien, realizing the potential implications that they might be specifically targeted by the family. Paul gave another annoyed grumble, ¡°Aside from that imminent conflict, there is one last reason for this particular mission,¡± he continued as he directed his attention to Phoenix, ¡°My sister, Patricia, has been persistent in voicing her desire to meet you.¡±
¡°You mentioned that before. But why now?¡± Phoenix asked in confusion before adding, ¡°And what does that have to do with the mission?¡±
¡°She is the liaison between the local government and the clergy of the Cultivator. She helps oversee food distribution throughout the duchy and I informed her of my intentions to bring you into the family,¡± he explained. Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide but he cut off her questions or potential panic with a raised hand, ¡°I told her you hadn¡¯t decided anything but, nevertheless, I felt it prudent to inform her. We have been discussing my abdication after the blood moon and this would become part of that discussion should you choose to accept. Not to mention you should meet the rest of the family and Patricia is more adept at navigating that than I am.¡±
The Wayfarer hesitated for a moment before admitting, ¡°I haven¡¯t decided about that yet,¡± she glanced at her teammates, appreciating the support of their encouraging looks, ¡°But once I return from the mission, can we go over more details?¡±
Lord Wayland nodded in understanding, ¡°Of course. For now, though, she would still like to meet my Prot¨¦g¨¦ and I thought this might be a way for her to meet everyone involved with us,¡± he gestured towards the rest of the party, their expressions showing a mixture of honor and pride that he had included them.
Uriel surprised them all by speaking up with his smooth voice, ¡°Are you hoping that we encounter the bandits, Lord Wayland?¡±
The question caught the party off guard but the cinderen¡¯s ember-lit eyes gave away no indication as to his disposition. Paul stared at the young cinderen he had a complicated history with for a long moment before deciding to be forthright with them, ¡°Yes.¡±
The paladin met the Wayfarer¡¯s stunned expression with his own resolute one, ¡°They are preying on the weak that do not have the advantage of being closer to reinforcements. These aren¡¯t hungry or desperate people if they have the strength to harass a fortress town, they¡¯re the worst sorts of criminals that prefer to terrorize.
¡°Fighting against people is a very different experience from fighting with wild animals and monstrous creatures, Phoenix. It¡¯s an experience that you will not be able to avoid forever and that you must become prepared for,¡± he added solemnly.
Phoenix seemed about to argue but Dazien placed a hand on her shoulder as silent words seemed to pass between the two and he found himself wondering just how close the gemite planned to get to his ward. Then the young warrior¡¯s gaze turned back to him as the party leader stated with determination, ¡°We will protect the innocent from anyone that seeks to harm them, Lord Wayland.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
When Dazien looked back at Phoenix and gave her a single raised eyebrow, she nodded in acquiescence and said, ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to keep people safe.¡±
He waved a hand dismissively then and commanded, ¡°Good. You shall meet with Patricia this evening and depart first thing in the morning,¡± then he met each of their gazes in turn, ¡°Good luck, Adventurers.¡±
As the group headed toward a restaurant that Phoenix hadn¡¯t been to before, part of Dazien and Uriel¡¯s continued efforts to expand her knowledge base of their world, she had been content to walk beside Uriel in companionable silence while the other three chatted and led the way.
¡°I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s making us avoid the roads and monsters to do a lame delivery mission just when things were getting exciting in the city!¡± Rayna complained loudly to their party leader who was shaking his head in response.
¡°This will mean a civil war, Rayna. It¡¯s not ¡®exciting¡¯, it will be a terrible risk to many innocent people. You should read some of the tragic histories of when wars between noble Houses broke out. It¡¯s not just the aristocrats that pay with their lives,¡± the gemite stated solemnly.
¡°It¡¯s exciting because we¡¯d get to fight! It¡¯s not like I want to see Mundanes dying in the streets but he¡¯s literally sending us away from the battle!¡± the Striker bemoaned, ¡°How are we supposed to help protect people if we¡¯re not where the fight is?!¡±
¡°We will be helping, sister,¡± Saiya spoke up, ¡°As Lord Wayland said, there may be fighting near the town we¡¯ll be delivering to.¡±
¡°I hope so,¡± the voxen said.
¡°Killing people is never something to hope for, Rayna,¡± Uriel surprised them all by saying as they entered the stairwell leading down to the underground Quicksteam lines.
¡°That¡¯s odd coming from you,¡± the pugilist observed, ¡°You¡¯re the one who ended up doing most of the killing last time.¡±
It was Dazien who cut in then by snapping, ¡°Do not confuse following my orders and protecting our party with a desire to kill. I know for a fact that he took no pleasure or excitement from that fight. Now apologize to him.¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine, Daze,¡± the cinderen began to say but their party leader halted their movement in the crowd to turn back to his partner.
¡°No, it¡¯s not, Senesh,¡± the gemite stated firmly, ¡°She has no right to assign her own feelings to your actions. She has no idea¨C¡±
¡°King,¡± Uriel interrupted with a large hand on the slightly shorter man¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I know she didn¡¯t mean it as an insult. It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s just drop it and get some food.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Rayna spoke up, without the usual brashness as they all turned to look at her and she stated with a slightly awkward expression, ¡°You¡¯re right, I didn¡¯t mean it as an insult. I thought you were seriously awesome but if it makes you upset, I¡¯m sorry I phrased it that way.¡±
The two men smiled at her and Dazien spoke first, ¡°Thank you for apologizing and I¡¯m sorry for my own outburst. I shouldn¡¯t have assumed you meant to insult him either. Now let¡¯s get that nice meal before we have to meet Paul¡¯s sister later and potentially fight a couple of bandits tomorrow.¡±
They resumed their journey down the stairs to grab a quickie to one of the districts she hadn¡¯t seen much of yet. Apparently, there was a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant in the eastern Manufacturing District that made amazing chilled noodles.
While they waited in line for the port they needed to get on, Phoenix felt a sudden weight land on her shoulder and a small black cat rubbed against her face, ¡°Bliss!¡± she cried out, trying to move the cat to her arms instead, ¡°I don¡¯t have any treats for you right now,¡± the startled Wayfarer said then saw the stick of meat in the tiny mouth that kept trying to move the meat into her own mouth, ¡°No, Bliss. I¡¯m going to eat dinner soon with my party, but thank you for offering to share.¡±
Uriel reached into his own pack, pulled out a small cookie, and held it up toward the sneaky chimera, ¡°Hey Bliss, I¡¯ve been wanting you to try this new recipe to let me know what you thought.¡±
The kitten startled her by suddenly swallowing the stick of meat, stick included, then hopping over to the cinderen¡¯s shoulder to commence with the treat-tasting, apparently not bothered with joining them for the ride on the Blueline.
Dazien chuckled as they boarded the port and said, ¡°I think she missed you. Her party all helped search for you when you were captured.¡±
She grinned at the kitten and gave her some head pats, ¡°Thanks, Bliss. You¡¯re pretty sweet sometimes for a murder-cat.¡±
As the group found themselves alone in the small glass port, Phoenix finally voiced a question she had been pondering for a while but had resurfaced with the potential conflict in their new mission, ¡°How, um¡ when was the first time you all killed someone? Like a person. What made you have to do it?¡±
Rayna spoke first, ¡°It was similar to what we ran into before. Saiya and I were about seventeen? We had decided to leave the clan that had taken us in after ours was wiped out and we had just gotten to a human outpost in our homeland. A couple tried to steal from us.¡±
¡°So you just killed them?¡± she questioned.
¡°No,¡± the voxen said with a darker undertone in her voice, ¡°We gave them our jewelry, then they tried to take us as well. Our claws work just as well as a dagger against Mundanes. We both ended up killing for the first time that day to not become slaves.¡±
¡°Oh,¡± she said quietly, glancing over at the two men.
¡°I was sixteen,¡± Dazien began, ¡°I had been training with Warrior for about a year by that point and had gotten rather good with a blade. Had just moved in with Uriel at our current place. I still didn¡¯t have my Aspects yet but I didn¡¯t need them that night.¡±
The gemite crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the glass wall of their transport, ¡°I was walking home after training, had a real sword on me, not a wooden practice one. Anyways, there was this big guy in one of the side alleys.¡±
¡°Did he try to jump you and steal too?¡± she asked curiously.
He gave a wry grin, ¡°Nope. He didn¡¯t care about me at all,¡± the warrior paused, then asked, ¡°Did I ever introduce you to Jennica?¡±
¡°No, I remember you talking about her getting into trouble though when we went to visit,¡± the Wayfarer recalled.
¡°Ah, right. Well, I¡¯m the reason she¡¯s currently staying at the temple,¡± he admitted and clarified, ¡°Jennica was lying half-dead on the alley floor while the man was beating the life out of her. Turned out he was her father but I made it so he would never hurt her again.¡±
Phoenix stared at him for a long moment as she processed the story and asked, ¡°She didn¡¯t hate you for killing her dad?¡±
The gemite made her jolt in surprise when he gave a bark of laughter, shaking his head, ¡°Quite the opposite. That rugrat clung to me like a flea on a dog after that. She started getting angry at me and acting out about a year ago when she found out I planned to become an Adventurer.¡±
¡°What? Why?¡± Phoenix asked in utter confusion, ¡°It¡¯s because you were meant to be an Adventurer that you saved her isn¡¯t it?¡±
He gave a crooked grin as he explained, ¡°Her mom was an Adventurer. When the mom died and left her alone with an abusive father, she kinda blamed her for it and I think that blame spread to all Adventurers who leave their kids behind and risk their lives.¡±
¡°I see¡¡± she said thoughtfully.
¡°Well, we¡¯re here. Let¡¯s stop all this talk of death while we eat, yeah?¡± their party leader suggested as the port doors opened and he pushed the cinderen, still laden with a nomming kitten, out in front of him to leave the rest of them to trail after.
28 - Cultivator’s Citadel
The Cultivator¡¯s Citadel was a massive building between the center of the city and the Processing District in the northwest that was one of the few buildings sporting greenery as various trees and plants spilled from balconies and adorned windows.
Their party had delivered supplies produced in the citadel before but had never come to the building itself, having normally loaded up the supplies in the district to the west dedicated to storage and logistics. As they were led into a small office, they came face to face with Patricia Wayland.
Paul¡¯s sister was a tall runeforged woman with long dark brown hair in dozens of braids that stopped halfway down to turn into tight curls. The intricate metallic rune tattoos covering her body, which every one of her species bore, were a brilliant blue that matched the color of her eyes and stood out against her warm brown complexion.
The noblewoman greeted them with a wide smile and gave a gentle laugh as Saiya embraced her in a friendly hug, ¡°Welcome, I¡¯m so glad to finally meet you all. I¡¯ve never met anyone that my obstinate brother has ever shown any interest in, aside from his old adventuring party. I had hoped that it would have been a potential spouse but now I¡¯m convinced that he decided to skip the partner part and go straight to having a brood of children.¡±
The runeforged eyes sparkled as she took in the party¡¯s reactions. Phoenix blushed in embarrassment, Dazien chuckled in amusement, the twins both grinned with pride and Uriel looked slightly horrified by the idea.
¡°I might have teased him about acting like a dad but I never expected him to actually pursue the idea,¡± the redhead bashfully admitted.
The older woman laughed, causing the others to smile at her levity, ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone can ever predict what Paul is going to do,¡± Patricia continued and gestured for them to follow her out of the office, ¡°Come with me and we can get to know each other a bit better while I show you around. Have you ever seen what we do here?¡±
¡°It looks like a vertical farm from the outside,¡± Phoenix probed, ¡°My world was exploring the technology but it looks like the magic in this world can produce a lot more than we could. What all does the clergy produce here? What is it?¡± she asked suddenly, noticing some of the awkward looks and flushed faces of her teammates, ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡±
Patricia looked on amused and asked the young Wayfarer, ¡°Has nobody explained the functions of the clergy of the Cultivator to you?¡±
Phoenix blinked then asked in confusion, ¡°Isn¡¯t it just something like growing plants? I know you deal with making most of the city¡¯s food.¡±
The older woman chuckled and teased, ¡°We grow and breed many things here.¡±
¡°Oh, like animals for meat?¡± she asked curiously.
The runeforged gave an amused smile, ¡°Not just for meat. Now follow me.¡±
Phoenix wondered if they did some kind of pet program too as her party followed after the noblewoman who led them through the floors to show them the different farms as well as the pens with pregnant animals that were meant for food.
The interior walls were covered in murals that denoted the theme for each floor. Saplings growing into large trees, sivatherium caring for their young, and people deep in the throes of lovemaking.
That last mural made her pause and Phoenix could feel the rising heat in her cheeks. Apparently, she had missed the hints being dropped that not just plants and animals were cultivated here. She looked down at the floor as though it was the most interesting thing in the world at that moment and could hear the soft chuckle of her mentor¡¯s sister, ¡°I understand that you are still young and my brother mentioned that you have not been exposed to much of the world or people in general but there is no need to be embarrassed about the cultivation of life. It is a beautiful and sacred activity that one should be pleased to partake in.¡±
Phoenix felt a bit more uncomfortable but instead of arguing, she inquired, ¡°You speak like you¡¯re a priestess yourself. I thought you were a noble liaison?¡±
¡°I am both. I have found a wonderful purpose in providing food and offspring to the people of my city. I doubt Paul told you if you haven¡¯t asked but he and I were both conceived in this very citadel on this very floor.¡±
The Wayfarer finally chanced looking up to find the woman¡¯s eyes as she admitted, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to pry but I was curious as to how a human and a runeforged could be blood-related. I assumed he was adopted since most of the city isn¡¯t human.¡±
Particia nodded as though understanding the confusion and explained, ¡°Paul mentioned your old world only had humans. The different species can reproduce together but mixed offspring won¡¯t be conceived like what we¡¯ve seen happen with some plants and animals; they¡¯ll be one or the other. Here we can perform certain services that can ensure conception as well as allow for a couple to make certain choices about the child, which includes the species they become. My mother was a human and my father a runeforged. It¡¯s a common practice to let the first child¡¯s species be left to chance while following children are a bit more¡ designed.¡±
The priestess paused for a moment as they reached a room and gestured for them to enter before continuing, ¡°We can help select certain traits that the parents possess and want to pass down, then we allow them to gestate here before delivering them to their parents after they are born.¡±
¡°Designer babies?¡± Phoenix said with surprise while looking around the room which reminded her more of a large medical lab on TV rather than the ones she visited in the hospital, ¡°I know some people have been chasing that dream for generations in my world. I also heard of some people that abhor the idea.¡±
¡°There are certain things we don¡¯t alter and, like I said, the traits must be present within the parents. There are some other limitations to what we can do. Another thing we have struggled with is the requests from prospective single parents, this is one of the reasons someone like you is so interesting to the Cultivator.¡±
Phoenix froze involuntarily at the statement, a sudden rush of panic flooding her at the idea of potentially encountering yet another divine entity. She stared at the runeforged and asked a bit harsher than she had intended, ¡°Why would the Cultivator be interested in me?¡±
Patricia smiled warmly, ¡°You are a Wayfarer,¡± sapphire eyes flickered upwards to take in her wild red curls and emerald green eyes set into alabaster skin, ¡°Aside from your rare characteristics for this part of the world, Wayfarers are rather unique in that they cannot reproduce more Wayfarers. They will always produce their partner¡¯s species or¡ something new.
¡°When Wayfarer¡¯s reproduce the results can be¡ unpredictable sometimes. The Runeforged were a species spawned from a Wayfarer millennia ago, along with the Felions, Faeborn, and Gemites; though, the latter is a much more recent addition.¡±
Everyone¡¯s gaze turned to Dazien who rolled his eyes and shook his head, ¡°My parents were both gemite, just like me. I got my coloring from them,¡± he said as he flicked a lock of dark purple hair over his shoulder for emphasis.
Their current guide spoke up again, ¡°By ¡®recent¡¯ I meant a few hundred years. You, Phoenix, would be a welcome donation to our cause since Wayfarers are so compatible with every other species.¡±
Now everyone was staring at the Wayfarer as she blinked owlishly at the woman before she finished processing the words and asked incredulously, ¡°Wait, you want me to help the church make babies?¡±
Patricia nodded with a bright smile, ¡°In a sense. You would be justly compensated for the service, of course, and would be helping so many people.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.
Phoenix¡¯s jaw dropped open as she stared incredulously at the noble priestess before sputtering, ¡°I¨CI didn¡¯t even know it was possible for me to have kids. I¡ my whole life¡ I knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to¡¡± she got a slightly uncomfortable look, glancing at her friends then leaned forward to whisper, ¡°I haven¡¯t, um¡ ever, you know¡ had a female cycle thing¡¡±
The older woman chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re a Crystal Caster, that¡¯s normal and doesn¡¯t preclude you from having children if you desire it.¡±
The redhead was momentarily stunned as the idea flitted through her head; the idea that she had long ago thought an impossibility for someone like her. She had questions, though, and now worries, ¡°Does that mean I have to worry about getting pregnant if I don¡¯t want to?¡±
¡°No. While you can have children, you¡¯ll need either the right rituals or gain a few more Caste levels to better control your own physiology,¡± the priestess explained, then glanced around at the group and asked hesitantly, ¡°You have had the talk right?¡±
Phoenix was confused by the question that seemed like a slight detour. They were all adults, well old enough for that even by this world''s laws. Of course they had the ¡°birds and bees¡± talk. Then Uriel spoke up as he glanced at her curiously, ¡°I believe Phoenix would be the only one who potentially hasn¡¯t. We never thought to ask.¡±
She was still slightly confused, remembering how they definitely all talked about their attraction, or her lack of it, and the upcoming post-moon celebrations, but she was saved by Patricia, ¡°As your Caste increases, your body burns off the things it no longer needs to function. Replacing it with more durable and powerful magic.¡±
¡°Oh, yeah. I learned about that a bit when I first arrived,¡± she recalled, ¡°No digestive system at Crystal, no lungs at Sapphire, not sure about beyond that though.¡±
Patricia moved behind a white counter and started pulling out some glass vials and a few papers as she continued, ¡°The vascular system and most other internal organs are at Emerald. Muscles and nervous system at Ruby, which includes the brain. This process is also what makes higher Caste people age slower and become more beautiful. You all will eventually no longer need to perform any Mundane physiological task.¡±
The priestess pulled out a few more instruments from under the counter to place on top and Phoenix finally noticed enough to ask what she was doing. The woman grinned mischievously and said, ¡°Just sign the contract here,¡± pushing forward the small pile of papers then lifted a needle with a syringe, ¡°Then I can take a sample and we¡¯ll begin our research.¡±
Phoenix was surprised when her entire party moved to shield her from the glint in the priestess¡¯ eyes and Dazien spoke harsher than she would have expected, ¡°Apologies, Noble Wayland, but we will not stand by and let you¡ study our party member without her fully understanding the ramifications of her decision.¡±
The woman laughed boisterously, ¡°Of course, Mister Smithson. Paul told me you all might be a bit protective of your Wayfarer¨C¡±
¡°Our friend,¡± Uriel corrected with narrowed eyes.
¡°Yes, of course, Mister Karislian,¡± the noble said, holding up placating hands, ¡°Do not mistake my actions for manipulations. I know some of our clergy might seem a bit¡ singularly focused, but if you read the contract,¡± the runeforged emphasized her words by placing a finger on the papers, ¡°You would see that I plan to study the composition of Miss Fraser¡¯s more unique characteristics and will not produce any offspring from the samples directly. If there is a request made that might desire her direct involvement, that would be brought up and handled in a different contract.¡±
Patricia met Dazien¡¯s glare and added, ¡°Also, we will be better prepared to assist her in the future should she choose to have a child of her own. Which will be especially important should she plan to join my family.¡±
Rayna spoke up this time in her defense, her arms crossed in disapproval, ¡°You¡¯re not planning to make this a stipulation of the potential adoption, are you Noble Wayland?¡±
¡°My, my,¡± the priestess chuckled, ¡°You all seem much too suspicious and jaded for your ages,¡± the woman shook her head in slight disbelief, her lovely braids swaying with the motion, ¡°Paul would drag me through the streets and toss me over the outer wall if I tried to extort one of the very few people he¡¯s actually become fond of.¡±
The runeforged stepped to the side slightly to look past Phoenix¡¯s party leader and meet her eyes, ¡°Of course, this is not reliant on that and I would be happy to welcome you into the family. My brother has never asked me for anything this serious before and I would never deny him this kind of request anyway. I believe he knows this. All we¡¯re waiting for is your acceptance, Miss Fraser. My main goal in meeting you all today was actually to take everyone¡¯s measures in order to best facilitate whatever decision you make. Whether it¡¯s becoming part of the family or remaining just a Prot¨¦g¨¦. Honestly, I mainly wanted to see how all of you would react to the request¨Cwhich was actually encouraging.¡±
Phoenix broke eye contact first as she looked at the floor, processing the flood of information and feeling slightly overwhelmed by it all. When she finally sifted through the tangle of concerns she stepped past Dazien and took the papers, ¡°Let me read over this real quick and talk with my friends first, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±
The priestess smiled and nodded in understanding and Phoenix did just that. The contract was indeed what the woman had described it as. Additionally, they would store her samples with what they discovered was a ridiculous amount of security when Saiya explained what a ¡°Divine Vault¡± was. Those samples, in turn, could be used in the future only with her express permission.
The only question she ended up having for the priestess was when they got to the section about compensation, ¡°Is this correct? It says fifty [Ruby Mana Bits] and one ¡®Divine Favor¡¯,¡± she asked. When the priestess nodded, the Wayfarer tried to further clarify, ¡°That seems like an absurd amount of money for a few samples.¡±
¡°It has been¡ difficult to get Wayfarers to agree to provide samples. Not all of my fellow clergy want to forgo the option of producing offspring but I believe the value of the knowledge we gain from the research alone is worth it. Plus, I hope that by showing you such respect and concessions, you will trust me in the future to help others in need.¡±
Phoenix gave a silent tilt of her head and asked, ¡°I see. So what is this one divine favor?¡±
Patricia gave her a pointed look and glanced towards the center of her chest as she said vaguely, ¡°My goddess thought to follow in the footsteps of her siblings.¡±
The two women stared at each other silently for a long moment before Phoenix turned to look at Dazien when he placed his hand on her shoulder and said quietly, ¡°That is not a gift given lightly, Phoenix. I¡¯m not sure how or why you received the others but you should not turn that down. Despite my own misgivings about the whole situation.¡±
Phoenix contemplated for a moment, feeling torn and unsure which direction to take. It was her [Guide Book] that helped her decide though as it appeared before her with a new quest.
|
New Quest: Light of Life
The priestess is requesting your aid to further the Cultivator¡¯s cause.
Objective: Gain Cultivator¡¯s Favor.
Objective: Sign the contract.
Reward: Rare Knowledge Tome.
|
With that nudge and a slight sigh, she signed the contract and handed it back to Patricia who was smiling broadly at her. She gave the woman her samples with a surprising array of instruments that she had no name for and, when she was informed that it was all over, was handed a small bag full of [Ruby Mana Bits].
Once Phoenix added that to her collection she began to ask where she needed to go to meet with the Cultivator when they were all startled by the deity¡¯s sudden appearance right there in the lab room. Only Phoenix and Dazien remained standing in the presence of the goddess and the pressure of her Divine aura.
The Cultivator didn¡¯t speak as she smiled at the pair of them and then pressed her finger to Phoenix¡¯s Soul Mark, adding her own signature to the mix. The jolt of Divine energy surged through her body and she stumbled slightly before Dazien wrapped an arm around her to help steady her and keep her from falling. She had almost forgotten what the touch of a god felt like and how much it exhausted her.
|
Quest: Light of Life
Objective complete: Gained Cultivator¡¯s favor.
Objective complete: Signed the contract.
[Potions of Makera 1] has been added to your collection.
Quest completed.
20 [Crystal Mana Bits] have been added to your collection.
|
The goddess gave Dazien a playful wink before vanishing as quickly as she had appeared, ¡°Are you alright?¡± the gemite asked in concern as he shifted to help support her more.
¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± she muttered absently, rubbing at the mark on her chest as the residual tingle of energy distracted her. She straightened after a moment of catching her breath and stated, ¡°We should finish our business here now. I think I¡¯ll need to get some sleep earlier if we¡¯re leaving in the morning.¡±
They all agreed and Patricia led them to gather the supplies they would be delivering and thanked Phoenix once more for assisting her goddess.
29 - Retribution
Paul knocked softly on the door to Phoenix¡¯s new room. He was hoping that she was settling in okay. When he offered to have some of the staff help move any of her belongings from the dorm to here, she declined, saying that her belongings were already in her collection. It made him slightly concerned about the fact that she had so little she considered to belong to her and the paladin knew that he would need to put in some effort to make her see this place as a home rather than just another temporary dorm room.
Phoenix opened the door and grinned as she greeted him by saying, ¡°Oh, good, you¡¯re here. Want to see my latest loot?¡±
She scrambled back to the sitting area and gestured for him to sit next to her on the couch across from the lit hearth with a large book sitting on the table between. Tala was once again perched atop her head and cheeped merrily as he entered the room, ¡°I see you resummoned your Familiar.¡±
The young woman nodded¨Cmaking the little bird bob with her curls¨Cas she resumed her spot on the sofa, ¡°Yeah. After we stopped by the Cultivator¡¯s Citadel, we swung by the market district and restocked everything before the mission tomorrow. Which included the Shards to get Tala back with me,¡± she explained, giving the Familiar a gentle pat as she moved the creature to her lap instead.
¡°Madam Malik is still trying to convince me to come work for her but I told her I¡¯m pretty set with my duties as an Adventurer for now. She still gave us a good deal on everything, though.¡±
He walked over to sit next to her and glanced at the title engraved on the cover displaying [Potions of Makera 1] and he asked, ¡°How did you come by that?¡±
¡°Your sister triggered a quest,¡± she replied, summoning her book for him to read what had happened.
He frowned as he read, wondering what all was in the signed contract. While he loved and trusted his little sister, he was also well aware of her ambition and manipulations that went into strengthening and protecting their House; it¡¯s why she was a better politician than he was.
¡°Another bestowal of Favor for the Little Miss?¡± Orebela observed, then postulated, ¡°There is a 99% chance the Soul Mark changed again.¡±
He grimaced slightly and asked, ¡°Another god? What exactly did Pati want from you?¡±
Phoenix grinned again and waved dismissively, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she didn¡¯t force me into anything. She just wanted to study Wayfarer physiology a bit more. She seems to hold you in high esteem.¡±
In an uncharacteristic display of embarrassment, Paul ran a hand through his golden hair and said gruffly, ¡°She¡¯s my little sister. We¡¯ve always had an amicable relationship,¡± then he gestured to her sternum to redirect the conversation, ¡°Did it change again?¡±
She pulled the collar of her shirt down to display the addition of a small seedling beginning to sprout on the page of the book opposite the compass. It was a common symbol of the Cultivator that represented the growth in all things.
¡°This One was correct once again,¡± the Familiar said in that monotone voice and Paul felt like she was trying to be smug but couldn¡¯t quite call her out on it.
¡°Yes, but I recall you saying a certain Lord wouldn¡¯t remember my teenage escapades,¡± he pointed out.
¡°That is why This One¡¯s estimations are now only 97% accurate,¡± she explained and he mentally rolled his eyes. Refocusing on Phoenix as she readjusted the collar of her dress along with pulling her sleeves down further, he noted aloud, ¡°Have you been keeping the Soul Mark and Oathbond a secret this whole time? Even from your party?¡±
She looked at him in surprise and then became hesitant as she said, ¡°Yes. You told me not to let anyone find out. Dazien and Uriel ended up seeing the mark when we fought the wight swarm in the city but I didn¡¯t tell them about how or why or anything. I don¡¯t think anyone has noticed the Oathbond, I¡¯m pretty careful about keeping it covered.¡±
¡°No wonder Little King seemed worried. Little Miss has been hiding from them all,¡± Orebela said slowly and it made him think she might be concerned about it, which in turn made him concerned that he had done something wrong as well.
¡°She should keep it a secret though, Bela. We don¡¯t know who might overhear or see. She would be putting herself at risk,¡± he logically explained.
¡°... This One may be a being of spirit and machine but even This One knows that not trusting leads to mistakes, loneliness, and fear. Wayland should understand this as a human.¡±
¡°Are you implying that I¡¯m inhuman?¡±
¡°No, Wayland, just another flawed being.¡±
Paul projected another mental eye roll and was about to let Phoenix know she should open up to her trusted friends more when the Wayfarer spoke first, slowly and cautiously, ¡°Paul¡ about House Ruwena¡¡±
¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that family anymore,¡± the paladin said firmly, he had been expecting the inquiry, ¡°No good will be had by dwelling on them.¡±
He glanced over to meet her gaze and added, ¡°You should be back from your next mission in time for your meeting with Priest Jacob. How have things been going with him?¡±
¡°They¡¯ve been good. Don¡¯t try to change the subject though¨C¡±
¡°If I¡¯m trying to change the subject then it¡¯s for good reason,¡± he stated, he didn¡¯t want to get into the details of his upcoming quest with her, already knowing she wouldn¡¯t like it.
¡°That seems a bit arrogant,¡± the Wayfarer replied, scrunching up her nose which he always found made him think of an adorable child being told to eat their vegetables.
¡°I never claimed to be humble,¡± he retorted, meeting her frustrated gaze.
They stared at each other for a moment, as though gauging how stubborn the other was willing to be, when Paul¡¯s expression softened and he sounded almost contrite, ¡°Please don¡¯t ask, Phoenix. Just take solace in knowing that the people that hurt you will never be able to again.¡±
Phoenix paused thoughtfully then took a deep breath and acquiesced, ¡°Alright. I won¡¯t ask. I¡¯ll also continue to work with Jacob to move forward and leave the Ruwena family in the past.¡±
¡°Thank you,¡± her mentor replied, then asked a bit more hesitantly, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve met my sister, have you thought more about my offer to join House Wayland?¡±
She nodded slightly, ¡°A bit, but I have questions. Your sister seems more than eager to welcome me into the family, though.¡±
Paul gave a fond smile as he replied, ¡°I think she¡¯s been worried for a while that I¡¯d die alone. I¡¯ve always been a rather solitary person, very unlike her,¡± he glanced up at his apprentice and added with a slight smirk, ¡°More like you, I think.¡±
The Wayfarer tilted her head in acknowledgment, ¡°Um, if I do join House Wayland¡ What exactly is expected of me? My old world had nobility but it was kind of being phased out. It was mostly spoken of in stories. You¡¯re the head of the family, so would that make me heir? I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m worthy of that kind of responsibility,¡± she admitted while tugging on one of her curls.
¡°You are more than worthy, Phoenix, but I can understand not desiring the position. I already mentioned my plans to abdicate to my sister once the blood moon ends. While she¡¯s not as strong as I am, being only Sapphire Caste still¨Cthough she¡¯ll likely break into Emerald soon¨Cshe is much better suited for the position and will lead the house well in my absence.¡±
¡°Absence?¡± Phoenix asked, looking up at him in concern.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
He gave another small smirk, ¡°Naturally. You¡¯ll need to travel the world if you want to get stronger and be a true Adventurer. Not to mention that quest you have from the gods. The Tyrandian Monarchy is far to the southeast of here and has a much higher Caste for the zone. Plus, I still have plenty more to teach you as you grow and ascend.¡±
She felt momentarily stunned as she asked, ¡°You would do that for me? You would leave your home and position just to help me?¡±
Paul nodded and placed a hand atop her head, ¡°Of course. It is my duty. Now why don¡¯t you use that new tome? I have a couple niblings that would love to show you how to put that knowledge to use.¡±
The Wayfarer gave him a dazzling smile and snagged the heavy tome as he watched his Prot¨¦g¨¦ grow her skills once again.
Paul gave a departing wave as King¡¯s Dream all walked through Phoenix¡¯s portal the next morning to head to their first stop of Linnake to the west.
¡°Wayland should have told Little Miss that he has more than just the AOA mission today,¡± the monotone voice somehow managed to scold him.
¡°You and I both know she wouldn¡¯t have liked to hear about my other assignment,¡± he retorted, turning to head back toward the AOA building.
The paladin made a point to wear his regalia around the city now, both as a statement and warning. He knew that awareness of Phoenix¡¯s existence was rising among those that might care about knowing what he might be up to and he hoped the reminder of his patron deity would make them think twice about acting against him, or her.
¡°Better to learn of it from Wayland than from a new enemy or random stranger,¡± the voice of wisdom pointed out and he mentally sighed.
¡°Perhaps. I just don¡¯t want her to think ill of me. She still doesn¡¯t seem to understand why killing isn¡¯t always an act of evil. Not in this world, at least,¡± he replied, making his way completely undeterred by the parting crowd as he walked through the tunnel of the wall between the logistics and martial districts.
¡°Is that why Wayland wished for King¡¯s Dream to fight more people on this mission? So that Little Miss will not look at Wayland and see a monster?¡±
Paul paused as he contemplated his Familiar¡¯s words and the point she was likely trying to make. He had never concerned himself that much with how a single person might perceive him before. The Paladin had always looked at more of the big picture when it came to his reputation and never claimed to be anything other than who he was. Singularly focused on growing as an Adventurer, then dedicating his blade to the Purifier with the singular goal of eradicating the Necromancer¡¯s abominations. He had never cared if people might think ill of him for doing what he saw as good.
Most people didn¡¯t see killing the undead, or the people that created them, as an evil, though. Now that his targets had changed, the distinction seemed less black and white. He knew that he was doing good and he didn¡¯t care if others didn¡¯t understand or have the whole picture or know why his actions were good. But Phoenix¡
¡°You¡¯re right, Bela¡ I don¡¯t want her to see me as a monster,¡± he admitted, then resumed his walk towards the AOA building and his meeting.
¡°Wayland must explain then,¡± she said slowly, ¡°This One is 96% certain Little Miss will listen and want to be on Wayland¡¯s side.¡±
¡°And how exactly do I explain that I brutally execute people in a way that won¡¯t make her look at me with disgust?¡± he asked, entering the tallest skyscraper in the district.
¡°Explain that retribution is not cruelty; it is karma,¡± she answered and he contemplated her words as he rode the glass lift down to one of the lower floors where his next mission currently awaited his arrival.
When he opened the door to the meeting room, his target was already complaining loudly at the AOA Director and Duke Tul, ¡°I told you already! My research is extremely dangerous and should remain under strict lockdown until it is complete and then I will bring you my findings and we can¨C What is he doing here?!¡±
Paul finished shutting and quietly locking the door behind him and moved to stand at the end of the table the others were seated at as he spoke, ¡°I was the one that requested this meeting. Why would I not be here?¡±
¡°Nobody told me anything about that!¡± Lord Ruwena exclaimed, pushing his seat back from the table but remaining in it.
¡°There¡¯s probably a good reason for that. I doubt anyone who attempted to kidnap and torture my Prot¨¦g¨¦ would agree to meet with me afterward,¡± the paladin pointed out and the Director and Duke both leveled grim expressions at the obviously panicking noble.
¡°Outrageous lies!¡± the cinderen cried out, turning to the Duke to ask, ¡°What evidence do you have backing his claims?!¡±
Victor Tul, cleared his throat, glancing at Paul briefly before admitting, ¡°We searched the room Miss Fraser was staying in and found evidence of a struggle in her bedroom. A bolt laced with Creeping Heartvine was recovered as well.¡±
¡°That could belong to any of the enemies of House Wayland,¡± the Magi pointed out, ¡°Many don¡¯t take kindly to a human claiming the title of Lord and bringing in more outsiders. Perhaps, the woman had wronged some other party?¡±
The duke shifted uncomfortably as he said, ¡°Yes, well, that¡¯s why no charges are being submitted against you or anyone else currently.¡±
Ohsen Ruwena looked like he had won a lottery prize as he grinned at Paul, ¡°See? You cannot just throw slanderous words around and get your way, Wayland,¡± the man then turned towards Agatha Trayvious and pointed a finger, ¡°And why the AOA thinks they can just invade my home and take my research is an outrageous overstep. I don¡¯t care what mission you think you can give Wayland that will try to punish me for something that cannot be proven.¡±
The director glanced at Paul much the same way the duke had with nervous trepidation as she cleared her own throat and stated simply, ¡°The Alliance of Adventurers has not given a mission regarding you specifically, Lord Ruwena.¡±
The nobleman blinked, obviously not expecting that answer, then looked around the room in confusion as he threw his hands up and asked, ¡°Then why am I here?!¡±
¡°Because my quest comes from Avenger,¡± Paul stated firmly as he placed a large golden medallion onto the table that was softly glowing and bore the Divine Sigil of his deity.
That caused the guilty cinderen to abruptly stand and yell, ¡°I have done nothing to your idiot Prot¨¦g¨¦! Your god has no authority to seek punishment for something that woman did to herself! Now, I¡¯m going back home to continue my important research!¡±
The Paladin moved quicker than the Sapphire Casters could track. At the pinnacle of Emerald Caste, it took barely any effort for him to grab the Magi¡¯s throat and slam the man into the wall. The weaker lord¡¯s aura, which was drenched in [Monster Seed] usage, began to fill with anger and fear as he made his own aura slowly suffocate the Sapphire¡¯s.
¡°I was not sent to seek retribution for the wrongs you committed against Phoenix,¡± Paul said coldly. Then asked, ¡°Do you even remember the human man named Josep Sanden?¡±
The noble¡¯s burning red eyes widened in recognition of the name and he continued for the benefit of the two officials still watching him silently from their seats at the table, ¡°Avenger whispered your twisted actions to me. You kidnapped and tested dark devices on a man who was a son, a friend, a husband, and a father. In your ignorant experimentation, you stole his life in a horrific way and without remorse.¡±
He lifted a hand to show Lord Ruwena the item held between his thumb and pointer finger. A glistening black Mana Bit was clearly visible to all in the room and Paul heard the two witnesses gasp softly as Duke Tul asked in awe, ¡°Is that an [Obsidian Mana Bit]?¡±
¡°My deity provided it as the only thing close enough to enact retribution,¡± he stated as Ohsen began struggling in his arm. Then asked his panicking target rhetorically, ¡°Severe mana poisoning, right?¡±
¡°No! You can¡¯t do this! I am Lord Ruwena! You will all pay for this!¡±
Paul ignored his desperate pleas, barely even registering the fists and kicks frantically striking against him. It wasn¡¯t difficult to shove the Bit into the man¡¯s mouth with how much he kept opening it to scream at him and a quick readjustment of his grip from throat to jaw ensured the criminal absorbed the potent magic.
The ignoble cinderen fell to his knees, coughing up specks of blood as he cried out, ¡°What have you done?! My research! I was so close. You heathens will all pay for this!¡±
Crimson blood began flowing from Ohsen¡¯s mouth then as he continued spitting out, ¡°You¨CYour city will burn to the ground and its pathetic people will be nothing but ash! The Renseres will destroy you all! The Soul Reapers will win!¡±
The words soon became garbled screams of pain as blood streamed from the cinderen¡¯s eyes and ears and it was only a few minutes later when the screaming halted and the body began to lose its structure.
¡°Well, I¡¯m convinced they were working with the Renseres now,¡± Duke Tul said weakly, standing and straightening his clothing which was the usual noble attire he was more accustomed to seeing the man in.
The Paladin of the Avenger lifted the Divine Sigil once more and handed it to the follower of the Adjudicator, ¡°Payment from my deity to yours. I know yours doesn''t like it but mine believed this would help smooth things over with the public and other nobles as well. Also with moving things along in regards to protecting the city from traitors that move faster than our legal system.¡±
¡°Proof of Divine Ordinance is always welcome when it involves breaking the laws of the land,¡± Victor agreed, taking the Sigil that was a token of Avenger¡¯s own power and not handed out lightly, ¡°And I don''t believe anyone likes it when circumstances come to require it. Not even you.¡±
¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry that justice could not be served today, your grace,¡± Paul said as the cinderen turned to leave.
The duke shook his head, ¡°Not for Ohsen Ruwena, but the rest of his house will soon,¡± then the man met his gaze and surprised him by saying sincerely, ¡°Thank you, Paul Wayland. It may not be too late to save our city now.¡±
The Paladin nodded in return as Agatha stood, sparing a glance toward the puddle of liquified flesh near the wall, and asked, ¡°Will you be joining the raid on the Ruwena Estate tonight?¡±
¡°If you request it, Director Trayvious.¡±
¡°I do.¡±
¡°Then I will see you again tonight.¡±
¡°Good,¡± she said, then added with a victorious smirk. ¡°I¡¯ll bring my stamp to make you a Delegate then too, Lord Paladin.¡±
30 - Attack of Opportunity
Giving a final wave to her mentor, Phoenix stepped through her portal to the front gates of the fortress city of Linnake which was perched at the top of a cliff that dropped down into the northern sea while the cliffs east of the town dropped into the gorge that ran south for miles. She had been there a few times before for deliveries but also for her trials to become an Adventurer months ago before the crazy spike in spawns with the blood moon.
The city seemed worse for wear, its outer walls marked with obvious signs of attacks, and everything beyond the walls seemed covered in layers of white and blue ash, remains from the nightly attacks. The guards and other Adventurers currently stationed there were obviously happy at their arrival again, even if they wouldn¡¯t be staying long to help with the defense.
They were quickly allowed their entrance into the town that had been enchanted against directly portaling into it for an added level of security. Portalling out of the various fortress towns was easily doable but the walls had all been upgraded long ago to prevent malicious Casters from bypassing the defenses to cause havoc from within.
The party was slightly on edge with the threat of bandits but the commander of the fort that greeted their delivery reported that only a handful of Crystal Caste monster packs had attacked during the previous night and there was no sign of enemy movements yet this morning. Dazien handled most of the transfer paperwork for the party as the rest of them helped unload crates of supplies out of Uriel¡¯s conjured fortress, their leader''s golden doorway, and her own collection.
Phoenix had been fairly quiet that morning, trying to come to grips with the idea of running into bandits for a while now and reconcile her values of desiring to save lives with the need to take them instead.
The Wayfarer didn¡¯t want to become like the people who hurt her, but she now understood that the world was a safer place without them in it. She didn¡¯t want her indecision to cause more people to end up experiencing the trauma that she had at the hands of people like Murinah or the noble¡¯s father.
They finished their first delivery by midday and Phoenix portalled them to their next location to the south tucked away in a forest of tall evergreens, Vallinsarvi. When Phoenix followed the rest of her party through the portal she was startled to run into Rayna¡¯s back, almost tripping over her bristling tails.
The Supporter heard the battle before she saw the flames that were peeking out from the high walls of the fortress town. Screams filtered past the broken gates laying in twisted pieces of metal before them.
Her [Guide Book] appeared but she didn¡¯t stop to read, instead unleashing her auras to absorb the information as Tala merged into her and she began to move forward towards whatever threat had befallen the city, her [Starlight Companion] trailing over her shadowy shoulder.
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New Quest: Attack of Opportunity
The village is under attack by monsters and bandits have taken advantage!
Objective: Help defeat twenty of the invaders.
Reward: Epic Crystal Caste Spirit Gem.
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¡°Rayna! Go back through the portal and inform the commander there of what¡¯s happening then return to us. We¡¯ll go find the commander here and help defend!¡± Dazien ordered as he followed behind her.
¡°Got it. I¡¯ll let you know when I get back and you can give directions,¡± the bard confirmed before ducking back through the portal she had left open.
As they made their way past the wreckage that was once an enchanted steel gate, they were met with utter chaos as a mass of metallic monsters with scythes for arms, goat-like legs that reminded her of a satyr, and heads similar to a mantis were wreaking havoc on the packed city and its residents. Aside from the monsters, however, were a variety of rough-looking people dressed in mostly black that were equally destructive.
¡°What are those?¡± Phoenix asked, having never seen that type of monster before.
Both Uriel and her book answered at the same time, ¡°Shivs; really good at cutting through armor.¡±
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Name: None
Species: Shiv (Monster)
Machina not of this world that are attuned to Metal energies.
Caste: Crystal
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¡°They don¡¯t spawn very often,¡± the cinderen continued as he began removing the Silencer around his neck, ¡°Considered highly dangerous and I¡¯ve never heard of them spawning during a blood moon before. Though that¡¯s either just good luck or¡¡±
¡°No survivors were left to report it,¡± Dazien finished for the mage. Conjuring his armor and weapons directly on him, the Defender triggered his [Lead the Charge] ability and slammed one of the black-clad raiders against one of the building walls as she heard Uriel begin to cast [Plague Bearer] beside her and she felt the effects of Saiya¡¯s [Boon of the Balanced] trigger from the Healer following closely behind them.
The raiders were battling with the few defenders that were attempting to protect the city and a couple of their number were breaking into nearby buildings. Phoenix assumed it was in order to steal whatever they could and she suddenly worried for the safety of the civilians within who might get in their way.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°We need to reinforce the local fighters, they can help battle the monsters while we focus on the bandits that are the greater threat,¡± Dazien commanded through his communication power that Phoenix and Uriel were always part of but Rayna and Saiya had joined again before leaving Tulimeir.
¡°Once we¡¯ve secured a location to fall back to we can start searching the surrounding buildings. Uriel, keep to the single target with all these civilians around. Saiya, keep the buffs going and heal up those we rescue. Phoenix,¡± he gave her a brief look from a few meters away that also served as a silent message that he was trusting her to not freeze this time, ¡°I need you to act as the beacon.¡±
The Wayfarer raised an eyebrow at him as the others already began to move into action, ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with that formation,¡± she said quizzically.
¡°Spread your aura as far as you can. Try to push it beyond your normal limits. It will let the people know that we¡¯re here and help protect them. While you do that, leverage your relativity power to push enemies back and bring allies to safety when possible,¡± he explained quickly as he seemed to be searching around before stopping in an open street intersection. Then the Defender triggered an ability he didn¡¯t normally use in their high-mobility fights.
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Class Ability: King¡¯s Banner
Type: Utility (boon, construct, zone, magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Current Caste: Crystal 7 (99%)
Crystal Effect: Construct a battle standard that creates a zone around it, granting nearby allies increased regeneration and Fortitude.
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A golden standard bearing a dark purple flag with a golden crown emblazoned on it appeared in Dazien¡¯s hand as he planted it into the stone ground and Phoenix could feel the pulse of magic spread out from it. The Aurabreaker pushed her limits as she projected her aura as far as she could, trying to shield as many people as possible.
¡°I¡¯m back,¡± Rayna¡¯s voice came over the mental link, ¡°I can feel Phoenix¡¯s aura from here so I¡¯ll head your way.¡±
¡°Make some music on your way,¡± Dazien directed as he charged towards another raider down the street who was trying to break down a door.
Phoenix could make out the cluster of different auras around her and was grateful for all the training Paul had put her through to hone her aura senses to read people and pinpoint their locations. There were dozens of Crystal Caste monster auras mixed in with a handful of Crystal Casters and only a pair of Sapphire Casters, all the others she could sense were Mundanes though; civilians. Fear and anger saturated almost every aura except for a few that actually felt¡ excited?
Phoenix shook herself from her thoughts and focused on the battle at hand as her party continued to engage the enemy. Dazien was slowly moving away from the intersection where his zone offered protection, only turning back briefly to look at her as he gave his last order, ¡°Stay by the banner and no meteors inside the city!¡±
As her teammates moved in on the closest enemies that were battling town guards, Phoenix braced herself against the metal pole of the banner as she pushed bandits away and used her magically constructed dagger to attempt to snipe any monsters that wandered too close.
Civilians began gathering around her as Saiya worked tirelessly among them to heal up the worst of their wounds and Uriel kept his distance from the people to cast his spells on the monsters that were ill-suited for the gemite. Rayna was a leaf on the wind as she sang and smashed monsters that came too near to the zone of safety the party was creating.
Dazien put on the best show of leadership she had seen from the young Defender to date as he directed the local guards and rescued civilians caught in the open, forming a perimeter of protection that slowly expanded as buildings were cleared and their number of allies increased.
Once there were enough guards near the banner that they felt comfortable enough to start their own larger sweeps, the group reunited at the banner which Dazien refreshed once more before giving new orders.
¡°Phoenix, good job on the beacon. I want you to keep that going but start making a counter-clockwise circle around the city to inform the citizens of this location if they¡¯re in the open or if their building has been compromised. Uriel, I want you to go the opposite direction.¡±
¡°Why him and not me?¡± Rayna questioned, even Phoenix was curious as the faster bard was usually the one tasked with joining her on more mobile tasks.
¡°Because he¡¯s being wasted so close to the crowd of people,¡± the gemite explained with a slight huff of annoyance, ¡°And the enemy has become less congested over here. He can take the other route and keep casting his plague and frost on the monsters,¡± he met the cinderen¡¯s gaze again and added, ¡°If you get a clearing, make it rain, and take the opportunity to practice actually using your aura.¡±
¡°But the civil¨C¡±
¡°Will be better off nicked by your aura than cut down by a Shiv,¡± their leader pointed out, cutting off the Mage¡¯s protests. His expression softened as he placed a hand on the larger man¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Now is the time to use it for good, Senesh.¡±
Uriel silently nodded and Dazien continued his directions with the twins, ¡°Rayna, I want you to defend this location. You¡¯re fast enough to respond to whichever direction an enemy might come from and Lady Saiya can continue healing those that make their way over here.¡±
¡°And what are you planning to do?¡± the bard asked, more in curiosity than objection.
¡°I¡¯ll be cutting through the center.¡±
¡°That¡¯s where I sensed the Sapphire Casters,¡± Phoenix interjected in concern.
¡°Based on what the guards told me, I believe it¡¯s the fort commander and the leader of these raiders dueling,¡± the gemite explained. ¡°I¡¯m hoping to find more guards of higher stations there that can help our efforts here to expand the perimeter and protect the people. Now hurry but be cautious.¡±
With the dismissal, Phoenix went to the left to circle around the city, using her aura to signal to allies about her presence; shells of sunlight, fairies of starlight, and hugging shadows protecting the people nearby. She cast her [Call of the Abyss] on any enemy she saw and buried her blades into the backs of Shivs attacking the buildings themselves.
¡°Let dreams become reality,¡± the Wayfarer muttered as she moved, conjuring little starlight phoenixes that would find any civilians that were out in the open and lead them toward safety.
As Phoenix ran into more guards, and even a few scattered Crystal Adventurers who had also been stationed there originally and were doing what they could, she directed them to the staging location with another illusory phoenix to guide them as she carved her way through any straggling monsters. She investigated every Crystal Caste aura she sensed as she went, mostly finding monsters fighting guards, until she came upon a lone Crystal Caster that was inside a building; it was one of the auras that was not feeling fear but glee.
31 - Innocence
Phoenix was on the opposite side of the city from the encampment point when she sensed the twisted aura and had been hoping to meet up with Uriel soon at this halfway point but she knew there wasn¡¯t any time to wait for him as she felt both the fear and glee increasing from within the building in front of her.
She hesitated for only a moment before going through the already broken door hanging uselessly from its frame. There were a sickening number of bodies already on the floor, far beyond her ability to heal as no aura came from any of them, and she made her way up the stairs towards the likely cause and only remaining auras.
When she reached the door to the room she sensed the Crystal Caster in, it took her a moment to process what she was witnessing. Her book helped though, as it appeared behind her and fed the information directly through her aura.
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New Quest: Innocence
The children¡¯s innocence threatens to be destroyed by the craven raider.
Objective: Save the children.
Reward: Epic Crystal Caste Spirit Gem.
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As she saw the scared girl and boy, both no older than 10, clinging to one another in fright, their clothes tearing as the large runeforged man attempted to grapple them, she knew she hadn¡¯t needed the quest to guide her in what she needed to do. She triggered [Pull] and felt herself get dragged towards the man as he was ripped away from his prey.
The Wayfarer had the upper hand with the surprise attack as she deployed the combat techniques that both the Balanced Body Stance and Silent Stealth Stance had taught her and that she had diligently practiced with her party under Paul¡¯s tutelage for months now.
As she maneuvered her body to sink her onyx dagger into the arm of the raider with shaved black stubble on his head and face, she was surprised to discover that he must have had some kind of Strength and Fortitude enhancing ability as he simply took the hit and overpowered her with his hulking mass; shattering her [Sun Shell] and pinning her to the stone floor as he sneered, ¡°Wots a purty lass like ye doin¡¯ ¡®ere?¡±
He gave her a malicious grin that was missing a few teeth, apparently unaffected by the blinding Bane of the broken shield, as he roughly grabbed her jaw in a meaty palm, ¡°I ain¡¯t ne¡¯er seen such pale skin ¡®n red hair ¡®fore.¡±
The raider licked his lips and she could smell the putrid breath as he chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ll enjoy tastin¡¯ ye ¡®fore I eat them other youngin¡¯s o¡¯er there next.¡±
Phoenix felt her anger flare up at the threat levied towards the two children and she triggered [Push] once more, sending the man flying into the ceiling above her only to crash down as she rolled out of the way.
The giant man staggered to his feet, seeming barely affected by the attack, and conjured two wicked-looking serrated daggers that vaguely reminded her of the claws of the miserlings; weapons meant more for inflicting as much pain as possible rather than delivering a quick death.
It became easier to imagine this enemy as just another monster with that revelation and she conjured her second weapon in response, the shadowy stiletto and icy sword gleaming from the fiery light entering through the window behind her.
¡°Ya know wot?¡± the runeforged began as he grinned at the weapons and her hesitant face, ¡°I don¡¯t think ye ¡®ave it in ya. Yer one o¡¯ them adventurin¡¯ types. Thems that thinkin¡¯ they¡¯re too good fer the likes o¡¯ me. I met one o¡¯ thems ¡®fore an¡¯ they got real friendly with Rosey ¡®ere,¡± he said, lifting one of the daggers with a rose painted on the base of the blade, ¡°It¡¯s wot they got fer bein¡¯ too good ta kill another person.¡±
He slowly stepped closer as he spoke, the crimson runes on his skin making him look almost like a cinderen at first glance, and Phoenix clenched her teeth as she chanced a look at the frightened children before stating in a low growl that she had often heard Paul use, ¡°You¡¯re not a person¡ you¡¯re just another monster.¡±
As he moved to lunge, she surprised him by not pushing him away or dodging but by stepping back towards the window and bracing herself against the frame as she triggered [Pull] to increase his momentum suddenly. As the thug impacted with her, both of them crashed through the window from the third story.
While they were falling, she reversed the direction of her power and sent the larger man further into the sky as she was hurtled into the stone street. The breath left her in a sudden whoosh of air and she heard the crack of a rib or two. She wasn¡¯t quite sure how many had broken through the wave of pain that flooded her body.
She collected her senses quickly enough, pushing down the pain before the man dropped on top of her, and sent another surge of mana into the ability to send him flying up once more and her body became further crushed by the force of mana trying to separate the two of them.
Phoenix attempted to roll out of the way but was having trouble focusing as a wave of exhaustion passed over her from spending so much mana at once. She had been going nonstop for a while now and her initial stab of the man with her dagger failed to trigger the [Mana Siphon] effect it had. She could only assume the Caster had some buffed-up resistances to go with that Fortitude.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
She stumbled out of the way like a drunkard as she hoped that the fall would be enough to eliminate the threat. It apparently hadn¡¯t been, though, as the body landed with a loud crunch, the serrated daggers clattering away, only for the ravaged body to groan and slowly begin to rise again after a brief moment. Definitely enhanced Fortitude, she thought grimly.
When he finished standing and she saw the wounds quickly closing, she ruefully realized that it wasn''t just general attribute type Boons but some kind of self-healing ability. She vaguely wondered if he had the Troll Aspect and mentally assigned the monster type to him.
The Wayfarer contemplated once more about trying to capture the man instead of executing him, now that he was away from the children. There was a small piece of her still trying to hold back; to not kill another person. To cling to her own innocence and hope that she could preserve life, no matter how unworthy it might be.
In her momentary distraction, the runeforged charged her again. This time moving much faster than she had anticipated and knocked her backwards into another building¡¯s wall, the force of it flinging her own blades from her grasp. Pain surged through her back once more and then she felt a hand grasp her throat as she became pinned against the wall by the bulky man¡¯s body.
Phoenix shuddered as she felt the raider¡¯s tongue slide up her cheek and gasped as she felt his other hand grab at her, tearing at the clothing as he growled, ¡°I¡¯m going ta enjoy yer tears. Will ya scream fer me? Cry out fer someone ta save ye? That¡¯s wot the last lil lass I had did, an¡¯ no one came fer her neither.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s blood ran cold as she reconjured her dagger and plunged it up through the monster¡¯s ribs. He gasped for breath as his lung collapsed and stumbled back a step. She took advantage of the opportunity to return her sword back to her inventory through her aura and reconjured it directly into her hand, running the man straight through the gut.
He spit blood and punched her hard across the cheek, knocking her off balance but she recovered swiftly and began to move quicker, treating him much like the Frost Lurker as she danced around and slashed at his exposed areas.
His daggers had reappeared and caught her a few times as she maneuvered around him shallowly tearing through her unprotected flesh as she was carefully focused on not letting the stronger opponent get a hold of her again.
¡°Phoenix? Are you okay? You haven¡¯t checked in yet,¡± Dazien¡¯s voice came over the chat telepathically and she lost her rhythm, crying out in response as the serrated daggers landed true; one in her gut and the other in her left shoulder. The Supporter heard the others call out to her again but she tried to push the voices from her mind as she focused on the grinning face of her assailant.
¡°Gaze into the abyss,¡± she said coldly and felt the Bane take hold. His smirk fell as he growled and used the buried daggers for leverage to kick her hard in her center, tearing the serrated blades and a decent chunk of flesh from her in the process.
Phoenix was bleeding heavily now, the bleeding Bane effects of the daggers having thoroughly taken hold and slowly draining her life from her. She grimaced as she vaguely thought that it wouldn¡¯t be the first time she died nor the last. However, as she glanced up and saw a pair of tiny scared cinderen faces staring down at her from the broken window, she realized it wasn¡¯t just her life on the line at that moment.
The man was staggering towards her, his own wounds showing that he wasn¡¯t that much better off than she was and she thought she might just have enough time before she bled out to attempt one more maneuver.
¡°Time to shine, Tala,¡± she whispered as she spent the moderate mana to reconjure the glittering shell to protect her and released the [Starlight Qi] she had been storing up. An explosion of swirling night surrounded her, quickly restoring her mana and stamina reserves, as her Familiar manifested above her.
Her opponent tried attacking again only to be rebuffed this time by the shield of light as he rubbed at his blinded eyes and she recited, ¡°Let dreams become reality,¡± and a swarm of semi-transparent Tala clones appeared to swirl around the man in a flurry of feathers and starlight.
As the real Tala began to breathe [Star Fire] upon the Troll-like enemy, she began dumping her mana into constructing her weapon, [Nyx, the Dagger of Darkness], and sending it flying with [Ruler of Relativity] straight into him like an arrow. Then she conjured it again to repeat the process. Again and again and again; turning her [Night Blade] into a railgun as she became quicker and quicker and dumped more of her mana into taking down the burning foe.
Only when the screaming abruptly ended, and the enemy¡¯s perforated body lay in an unmoving heap with no gleeful aura, did she allow herself to collapse to her knees in the middle of the street, finally accepting that she had killed the monster.
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Quest: Innocence
Objective complete: Saved the children.
[Avatar Spirit Gem] has been added to your collection.
Quest completed.
20 [Crystal Mana Bits] have been added to your collection.
Hidden objective complete: Sacrifice a piece of your own innocence.
Bonus Reward: [Crystal Caste Alchemy Cache] has been added to your collection.
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New Title: Slayer
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The resolve to end the life of another person can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased resistance to being suppressed when combating foes of the same or higher Caste.
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The Wayfarer wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about the new title but didn¡¯t have enough energy to ponder on the unexpected alteration. As her vision began blurring and everything around her started spinning, she vaguely remembered that she forgot to heal herself before emptying her mana pool into the chain attacks.
Tala landed in front of her, chirping wildly in obvious concern, and she muttered, ¡°Right, I know. Paul would be scolding me too,¡± then she clutched at the wound in her gut and cast the only version of her healing spell, [A New Dawn Rises], that she could afford at the moment, ¡°See the dawn.¡±
Phoenix felt the flesh begin to slowly knit back together and Tala gave a few more cheeps before merging back into her, attempting to regain the lost [Starlight Qi] and making her skin softly glow once more. Over the last month she had been slowly getting used to the fact that she was just going to be stuck glowing like a nightlight and this fight made it abundantly clear that the regenerative glitter bomb was worth whatever attention her ability might draw from the people who weren¡¯t actively trying to kill her.
¡°Phoenix!¡± Dazien¡¯s voice broke through her mental haze as she registered the voices she had subconsciously muted earlier, ¡°Where are you?! What¡¯s happening?¡±
The Supporter noticed when the healing effect wore off and not all of her wounds had been taken care of and she grimaced as her head swam again, ¡°I''m just going to take a little nap now¡¡± she muttered before collapsing completely on the half-destroyed street.
32 - Cataclysm Mage
Once again Phoenix found herself waking up in a place she didn¡¯t immediately recognize. She really needed to stop doing that. The sound of fire raging, shrieking screams, and metal clashing awoke her as her Crystal 5 Fortitude attribute attempted to stop her from bleeding out while she lay in the middle of the street. It took her a moment to figure out that the sounds were from her Familiar trying its best to protect her from a pack of the Shivs that had invaded the city.
The Wayfarer could barely breathe through the pain in her chest as the meager attempt of her healing power hadn¡¯t quite finished mending the broken bones. She tried to sit herself up from the ground but failed as the pounding in her head raged again. Phoenix knew she needed to get up before Tala was destroyed by the mob but everything hurt and she just wanted to sleep for a week. She heard a familiar low voice from nearby say, ¡°No... Not again¡ No!¡±
It finally clicked that the voice belonged to Uriel and her aura sensed his as it suddenly and unexpectedly flared outward. She could easily sense the emotion flooding it. It was an emotion she had never known the quiet cinderen to have and she knew that he should not have been able to with his magical items. Uriel was furious.
She couldn¡¯t quite understand what was happening but his aura was almost trembling with rage as it began to shred its surroundings in a manner she had never witnessed during the times he unsilenced it. She heard him begin quickly muttering spells, one after the other, barely taking a breath between each.
¡°Let the sky wail. Let the world tremble. Let my enemy cower. For I am the eye of the storm.¡±
¡°Wind stings. Ice bites. Snow freezes. The blizzard claims life.¡±
¡°Let fire rain upon my enemies that they may burn before my will.¡±
¡°Succumb to the might of the tyrannical winds.¡±
¡°Be the bearer of the all consuming plague.¡±
Suddenly Phoenix sensed the information of a new quest enter her mind and her worry for her friend increased tenfold.
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New Quest: Catalyst Character of Cataclysmic Concern
Your companion has succumbed to a berzerker¡¯s rage. Stop him before he turns his gaze to the civilians!
Objective: Calm, contain, or kill Uriel Karislian.
Reward: Legendary Spirit Gem.
Bonus Objective: Let no harm befall a civilian from Uriel Karislian.
Reward: Epic Crystal Caste tool.
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The time to worry for her teammate quickly fled as she realized that she was caught up in the area spells and her meager health started dropping again. First gale winds began ripping around her, making her torn clothing even more apparent, as rain, hail, and snow began chilling her exposed skin. Luckily, she knew his [Plague Bearer] spell wouldn¡¯t affect her since that was one of the few abilities he had that could differentiate enemy targets and allies. The raining fire, however, was another matter as it began to fall and sear through her clothing and flesh.
Ability: Rain of Fire
Type: Spell (elemental, fire)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Crystal 8 (89%)
Crystal Effect: Create an area of falling flames. Targets in the area take ongoing Fire damage and slowly gain instances of [Scorched].
- Scorched (bane, elemental, fire, stacking): Decreased Fire resistance.
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Some of the damage seemed to be negated by the furious work of her [Starlight Companion] attempting to shunt away some of the tiny projectiles falling from the sky but there was simply too much to stop. She managed to conjure another [Sun Shell] and the glittering light surrounded her, flickering briefly with the minor bits of damage it absorbed, but that would only give her a limited reprieve.
Phoenix struggled to roll onto her side to get a better look at her friend as he stood in the center of a maelstrom of his own creation. She barely recognized him, his own appearance currently a ragged mess from the battle, but she noticed that he was bleeding from the left side of his head where it seemed one of the monsters had managed to slice off an ear, and the calming magic items it had held. The golden Silencer he normally wore was also nowhere to be seen, not hanging from its usual spot and she assumed from the torn clothes and missing cuffs that the item had been lost while fighting the Shivs.
The thing that looked the most disparate from his usual appearance, however, was his expression. Phoenix had never seen Uriel mad. She had barely seen any expression aside from slight disapproval, slight contemplation, or slight humor. Now, though¡ Now he was enraged; his face contorted by the severe emotion literally radiating off him.
Monsters were struggling against the tempest as they slowly succumbed to the devastating effects. She tried to call out to him but he seemed oblivious to anything that wasn¡¯t an enemy as he continued chaining spells and she found herself vaguely wondering what would happen once he ran out of mana.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
Uriel showed her a moment later when he cast a spell she didn¡¯t remember seeing before but her still-conjured book informed her of its effects with the overlapping of their auras.
¡°My blood for mana. My life for power.¡±
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Ability: Siphoned Vigor
Type: Spell (drain, magical, blood)
Cost: Variable health.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Crystal 6 (61%)
Crystal Effect: Consume an amount of your own health to replenish your mana.
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Each time he cast the spell, Phoenix could see a haze of vibrant red surround the Mage before shifting to blue and reabsorbing into him. She tried calling out to him again as she finally managed to sit up, her braided hair coming loose in places and whipping around wildly.
Uriel seemed unaware of her presence as he continued his assault on the monsters around her and, as she continued to take damage, her own Familiar tried to stop the wild mage. When she realized this, she called Tala back to her, not wanting the tiny phoenix to enrage the incognizant man further or get destroyed in an effort to calm him.
¡°Uriel!¡± Dazien''s voice broke through the howl of the wind twisting the elements around them. Phoenix felt a wave of relief as their leader reached the cinderen and grabbed his shoulders firmly as though trying to wake him, ¡°Uriel! It¡¯s me! It¡¯s Dazien! You need to breathe! Look around you!¡±
The warrior looked around the area, his confused expression trying to further understand what had happened to trigger his friend¡¯s frenzy. When his eyes locked on hers, he grimaced as he took in her appearance and she reactively tried to cover her bare skin that had become exposed when her clothing got torn both during the battle with the troll-man and the storm currently surrounding them.
The Defender yelled again at his best friend and grabbed the sides of his face in an attempt to get the cinderen to look at her, ¡°Look at Phoenix, she¡¯s safe now! We¡¯re all safe! Everything¡¯s okay now!¡±
Phoenix became more and more amazed as she watched the scene unfold before her as the gemite tried desperately to calm the cinderen with reassuring words and comforting touches. Even as the Cataclysm Mage¡¯s aura sliced through his skin and armor causing small scratches to appear and eventually start bleeding, Dazien kept talking and hugged the man tightly to him while the storm raged around the pair.
She suddenly recalled the words of her quest: calm or contain. With great effort, Phoenix attempted something that she had only experienced Paul do to her before. She tried to wrap her aura around his.
Her mentor had used the technique in an attempt to calm her when she was distraught. Now she needed to use it to calm her friend or at least contain the damage he was causing. With a push of her will against his, she pushed back his aura. No new cuts appeared on Dazien as he spared her a curious glance before refocusing on Uriel.
Once the Aurabreaker had completely pushed back Uriel¡¯s frenzied yet weaker aura, she attempted to radiate calm emotions, which was extremely difficult given her current state of mild panic. As the storm slowed and their leader continued to speak, the two men ended up on their knees with Dazien¡¯s arms wrapped around the Mage who suddenly looked exhausted.
Phoenix relaxed slightly once the tempest of fire and ice halted completely and the best friends knelt in the middle of the road, quietly speaking to one another. She could tell that Uriel was weeping as he trembled against his companion and king. She suddenly felt very out of place as it seemed like she was intruding on something private.
Trying to distract herself from the pair, she refocused on the information her book was giving while her cleared mind remembered to swap out new clothes as well as down a mana potion from her collection, which now had not just one but three new Spirit Gems sitting inside of it.
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Quest: Catalyst Character of Cataclysmic Concern
Objective complete: Calmed Uriel Karislian.
[Cataclysm Spirit Gem] has been added to your collection.
Bonus Objective complete: No harm was done to a civilian from Uriel Karislian.
[Crystal Caster¡¯s Complete Cooking Kit] has been added to your collection.
Quest completed.
20 [Crystal Mana Bits] have been added to your collection.
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Quest: Attack of Opportunity
Objective complete: Helped defeat twenty of the invaders.
[Avatar Spirit Gem] has been added to your collection.
Quest completed.
50 [Crystal Mana Bits] have been added to your collection.
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Phoenix recast the stronger version of her heal spell with the replenished mana while absent-mindedly wondering who or what was naming her quests; noticing that it was getting a bit enthusiastic with the alliteration and references to her original world. She heard a noise from somewhere above her and looked around to spot the two children looking down at her with wide eyes from the broken window. When she thought about checking on them, she remembered the bodies on the lower floor and decided to circumvent that route.
The Wayfarer carefully forced herself to stand once she felt the life energy restore the majority of the wounds remaining. Then she used her gravity ability to push away from the street and pull herself into the window, landing as carefully as she could manage in front of the two small cinderen.
¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked with a soft voice and a reassuring smile. She had quickly learned in the hospital that smiling would normally help put the other kids at ease when they were hurt or upset about something.
The pair nodded cautiously and the slightly older girl asked, ¡°Are you an Adventurer?¡±
Phoenix nodded, ¡°Yes. If you come with me I can take you to safety.¡±
¡°What about Mama and Papa?¡± the younger boy asked, ¡°Will you bring them too?¡±
Her smile slipped, knowing that if their parents had been in the building then they were no longer alive, ¡°Let¡¯s get you safe first, then I can come back for them. I only have two hands, you see,¡± she said, raising her glowing hands up for them to look at, ¡°I¡¯ll need each of you to sit in my arms as I hop down to the street.¡±
Their eyes went wide at the mental image and they moved forward with outstretched arms to climb up and grasp her tightly, their unwavering trust bolstering her resolve. She briefly wondered when she had lost that feeling. That ability to trust a complete stranger like they trusted her at that moment.
She shook the stray thought from her head and pulled out her [Drifter¡¯s Umbrella] from her collection. Opening it up to hold in her hand, she saw that it was colored in quarters, blue, red, teal, and brown, with Elemental runes embroidered into the cloth and more Magical ones engraved into the golden handle. She triggered the slow fall ability and leaped out the window with the children clinging tightly, using just a trickle of mana to direct her descent by adjusting her relationship with the ground.
The Supporter was glad to find the rest of her party had joined them as Saiya moved from her inspection of the two men to see to Phoenix¡¯s injuries and the children.
¡°Dazien tried to explain what happened but both of them only had bits of the puzzle,¡± the Healer said softly then glanced at the kids, ¡°Once we regroup and finish securing the city, will you be alright with sharing the missing pieces?¡±
Phoenix nodded, ¡°Yeah¡ it¡ um,¡± she nodded towards the perforated body on the ground nearby, ¡°It was a monster¡ that liked to get handsy¡¡±
Saiya went still at her words then asked seriously, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be able to talk? We can wait. You¡¯re alive and that¡¯s what matters for now.¡±
¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± the redhead replied, ¡°It didn¡¯t get very far.¡±
The voxen nodded but didn¡¯t speak on it further as her friend held out slightly furred hands in an offering to take one of the children and the group returned to the gathering point together.
33 - Something This Precious
The party held onto the unspoken agreement to not discuss the events that had happened with Phoenix and Uriel until their duty as Adventurers was complete for the day. When they had gotten back to the secured encampment they had immediately begun helping to rebuild the gates and heal the wounded. Phoenix had cast another portal back to Tulimeir and they had Rayna sprint to convey the news of the attack and requests for any reinforcements to help secure the fortress.
Phoenix was helping everyone as she walked around with her aura projecting clearly to help them all recover mana and stamina. People overtly glanced towards the glowing woman with ruby curls and emerald eyes in a matching green dress who would stop to cast a heal on any who needed it and keep her portal on constant cooldown to allow the influx of healers and crafters from Tulimeir to get there.
She was unaccustomed to strangers overtly whispering and staring at her as she passed, positive her mind wasn¡¯t exaggerating it this time, and her anxiety rose along with her self-consciousness. She felt even more awkward as she rejoined her teammates just as the fort commander, one of the Sapphire Casters she had sensed earlier, was making a point to publicly thank them for their quick assistance and delivery of the supplies they had been running desperately low on since the bandits had begun raiding.
Dazien did well in protecting his party from the tasks and social interactions they were uncomfortable dealing with. Insulating them from the officials who needed assistance or the civilians trying to thank or get things from them. Directing them to help where they were best suited and at least decently comfortable.
Uriel had been healed up completely by Saiya and had found a clear space to conjure his Fortress of Solitude in order to grab the only set of replacement Silencers he had for exactly this kind of situation where his usual ones were broken. Phoenix watched a bit curiously as she noticed the cinderen visibly relaxed at the silencing sensation and she wondered what could have happened in the past to make him feel more uncomfortable without the suffocating device. Though, after what she witnessed today, she was beginning to form a theory about what it might have been.
It was hours later when they finally finished their original task of delivering supplies to Vallinsarvi and they still had another stop to make that night. Once another portalist had been reassigned to help move people between the fort and Tulimeir, Phoenix cast her own one last time to take them east to Souja.
When they arrived at the fortress built into a mountainside, they spent the next few hours unloading and moving the last of their supplies to be delivered in between assisting with taking down monsters that spawned during the night. Having combat-oriented Casters on hand was usually preferable for the remote cities compared to burning through their supply of mana batteries to utilize the defenses built into the walls.
As the sun began to rise, Phoenix portaled the exhausted party back to Tulimeir and they all retreated to her more secure room at the Wayland building for that discussion before retiring for some actual sleep.
Once they were all sitting more comfortably in the plush seating by the hearth¡¯s fire, Phoenix quickly recounted the events from when she sensed the sadistic Crystal Caster. She even showed them the messages from her book that displayed the quests she had received. They remained silent as she spoke and Uriel was the one to respond first as he said softly and apologetically, ¡°I thought¡ I saw your clothes and all the blood¡ I thought you were dead.¡±
¡°No,¡± Phoenix assured him, ¡°After talking more with Patricia, I¡¯m fairly certain my body will turn to white ash when I die.¡±
¡°Please, let¡¯s not speak of that,¡± Dazien said firmly, rubbing his tired eyes in his palms, ¡°I don¡¯t think we want to contemplate any of us dying.¡±
Before Phoenix could ask what had happened to Uriel, Saiya startled the party by suddenly standing and asking Phoenix to join her for a bit in one of the other rooms to speak briefly. The voxen claimed ¡®Healer¡¯s prerogative¡¯ as the others gave her a raised eyebrow and Phoenix silently followed the woman as she was dragged by the animalistic hand to another of the empty guest rooms down the hall.
The two women sat silently on the bed of the small room for a moment before Phoenix asked, ¡°Was there something you wanted to talk about? You seem¡ concerned about something in specific.¡±
The Healer hesitated for a moment, which seemed wholly unlike the normally peaceful and aloof voxen, as Saiya nodded slightly, ¡°Yes. I know I¡¯m not your primary or mind mender. You should probably speak with Jacob about all this next time you meet with him, by the way,¡± the Tranquil Healer added a bit awkwardly before getting back on track and saying softly, ¡°But I wanted to talk to you more as a friend that has gone through a similar experience.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide at the omission as she reassessed her extremely clingy friend, clarifying cautiously, ¡°You? Um¡ you were attacked by a handsy monster before?¡±
The gentle woman nodded, ¡°My mother and sister died on an adventuring mission¡ when I was about seven. Around a year later, my uncle said I reminded him of his lost wife, and he was¡ lonely.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Phoenix replied, unsure how she might comfort her friend, though the Healer didn¡¯t seem in need of it, ¡°You were only a child¡¡±
¡°Yes, one that trusted him,¡± the voxen said in the coldest voice she had ever heard from the woman as small fangs briefly showed in a snarl. ¡°It¡¯s because he was distracted with tricking and cornering me that he failed to activate the rituals. The monsters spawning is actually what saved me that night, as the others in the camp started screaming. It gave me a chance to run to Rayna who ran us both away from the slaughter. I don¡¯t blame myself anymore but my uncle¡¯s weakness and greed destroyed my entire clan.¡±
They met each others¡¯ eyes and Saiya¡¯s expression softened, ¡°I know what it feels like to lose a piece of your innocence. Nobody is ever ready for it when it happens. Whether it''s being touched inappropriately, being a victim of violence, a betrayal of trust, or killing another person in defense. Those things are a violation of one''s wishes and worldview. People will often mourn the fact that they can never gain that innocence back.¡±
Phoenix nodded in understanding, ¡°I¡ I didn¡¯t ever want to kill anyone. But I think Rayna and Paul were right, at least in this case. I don¡¯t regret my actions,¡± she admitted, looking down at her fists as she said firmly, ¡°I saw that man for what he truly was. A monster preying on children. If I could make the choice again, I would do the same thing.¡±
She felt Saiya¡¯s hand on her own and she relaxed the grip as she met warm amber eyes with slitted pupils, ¡°If I had hesitated, those children would have been the ones to suffer and lose that piece of themselves. That innocence that let them trust me to take them to safety. I just realized that I¡¯ve been losing pieces of my innocence for a while now.¡±
The Wayfarer paused thinking about all that she had been through since even before arriving in this world months ago, ¡°I think I can accept the cost, if it means keeping others from suffering,¡± she admitted, then gave her friend a soft smile, ¡°That¡¯s what being an Adventurer is all about, after all. Right?¡±
Saiya returned her smile and said in a lighter tone, ¡°Well, that and the travel. Plus, the pay is great,¡± Phoenix laughed and the healer continued, ¡°It feels good to help others. Being a part of their solution instead of their problems. I believe that helping others avoid the pain we¡¯ve experienced helps lessen the burden of our past.¡±
¡°I think I agree. I¡¯m hoping I can be better about focusing on the good I can do instead of the bad that has happened.¡±
¡°Just remember that we¡¯re here to support you,¡± Saiya added, ¡°Whether it¡¯s to simply sit and hug, talk through issues, or help accomplish a goal,¡± the voxen paused for a moment and added softly, ¡°I told you that story about my past not just to help you but to show you that I trust you¡ and to help myself.¡±
The Healer squeezed her hand, ¡°I haven¡¯t told many people about it. Being close to people¡ it helps me work past it¡ it helps reaffirm that my monster doesn¡¯t control me. I want you to know that I have appreciated the fact that you let me hold you when I need it. You¡¯ve never pushed me away or even asked me why I do it. I hope that your latest monster won¡¯t change that.¡±
Phoenix was a bit stunned by the sincerity and vulnerability her friend was showing her; was trusting her with. The Wayfarer felt a bit awkward and slightly unworthy of it, considering her own secrets she had been keeping, but she smiled and reassured her friend, ¡°It won¡¯t. I think it would bother me more if you stopped being yourself at this point,¡± she said, returning the hand squeeze before adding, ¡°Thank you for telling me, Saiya. It means a lot.¡±
The voxen woman leaned over and placed her soft head against her shoulder, the familiar tickle of long ears now a welcome sensation, and they just sat there, taking comfort in each others¡¯ presence.
¡°There¡¯s something I want to give you,¡± the young Healer said softly, ¡°It might be a bit silly but I found it to help me during my time of trying to cope with everything.¡±
The Wayfarer smiled, ¡°I promise I won¡¯t laugh. A lot of the kids at the hospital I stayed at had different things that helped them when they were in pain or scared.¡±
¡°I forget sometimes that you¡¯ve already seen so much sadness,¡± the voxen admitted, reaching into the dimensional satchel at her side that was designed like a messenger bag, ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine growing up surrounded with fear and loss like you¡¯ve described.¡±
Phoenix broke into a wide smile when she saw the plush stuffed animal that the Healer pulled from the bag, ¡°This is Sky,¡± the voxen said with a slight smile and blush, ¡°She was someone I could talk to about everything and not once did she laugh or brush me off.¡±
The Wayfarer accepted the proffered plushie and took a closer look at the pale blue fur covering the miniature nine-tailed kitsune fox. She raised an eyebrow at Saiya and asked, ¡°Sky because it¡¯s blue?¡±
The Healer grinned and rolled her eyes, ¡°I was three.¡±
She chuckled and gave the incredibly soft fur a few pets before saying sincerely, ¡°Thank you. I used to have a turtle plushie named Donnie that kept me company all the time. I¡¯ll be sure to take good care of her until you ask for her back,¡± and before the voxen could protest, she held out a hand to halt the oncoming protest, ¡°I can only accept something this precious on loan, okay?¡±
Saiya laughed with her and nodded in acquiescence before hugging her and the plushie at the same time, wrapping two soft tails around them in a warm embrace.
After a few minutes of peaceful silence, Saiya got up but gestured for her to remain seated as the Healer explained, ¡°I think Uriel wants to talk privately with you as well. I could feel his guilt clearly. Wait here and I¡¯ll send him in if you¡¯re okay with being alone with him.¡±
Phoenix nodded, placing Sky the Kitsune into her collection for safekeeping, as she agreed, ¡°That¡¯s fine. We¡¯re all still connected by Dazien¡¯s voice chat, so I¡¯ll let you know if there¡¯s a problem but I want to talk with him as well.¡±
Saiya acknowledged the logic and began to leave the room before pausing at the door and looking back at the Wayfarer, ¡°I know you keep secrets, Phoenix. I just want you to know that it¡¯s okay and that it doesn¡¯t make you a bad friend because of it. Everyone is entitled to their privacy. Just don¡¯t let those secrets be what pushes you away from the people who care most about you. You don¡¯t have to suffer in silence to be a good friend.¡±
With those final words of wisdom, Phoenix was left alone to contemplate the point and decide which secrets were keeping her away from truly connecting with her friends. Perhaps she needed to take a leap of faith and trust in what she hoped would happen, instead of what she feared might.
34 - Who You Are
When the door opened and Uriel entered, their eyes met in silence with neither of them knowing exactly how to begin. The cinderen seemed more subdued than normal, which was saying something of the quietly stoic Mage. He continued to stay by the door, leaning his back against it for support and to keep as much distance between them as he could. He appeared a bit disheveled still, his silky black hair was messy, sticking up in odd directions, and barely being held in his usual ponytail.
Phoenix waited patiently, realizing that he seemed to be struggling internally much like she often found herself. Since she had first met the man by quite literally running into him in a hallway, she had found a steady companion in Uriel with both of them willing to follow Dazien¡¯s lead and remain in the social shadows.
It had felt like they instinctively understood one another, which Phoenix only now realized was because they shared a lot of the same traits. They both enjoyed learning and were content with silence. They also had similar styles of humor and laughed at the same things, well, he softly chuckled while she laughed. Uriel had seemed to know her better than she did at times and she wondered now if he had simply recognized their similarities sooner.
When this fact clicked in her conscious mind and connected with what Saiya had said, she wondered just how many secrets he kept from her as well. She understood at that moment what Saiya had meant. As Uriel stood there, and the space between them seemed like an insurmountable cavern separating the two of them, she understood that it was the weight of his secrets keeping him from sitting beside her. Had she been unknowingly doing the same thing?
The Wayfarer asked her friend curiously, ¡°Why won¡¯t you sit?¡±
His ember eyes met hers for a moment before turning to the floor as his smooth voice said with more uncertainty than she had ever heard from him before, ¡°I¡ don¡¯t want to scare you¡ more than I already have.¡±
Phoenix contemplated that for a moment, thinking back to the earlier situation. She probably should have been terrified by the rampaging Mage but she hadn¡¯t been. She had only been filled with worry for him. Not knowing how to help him had upset her more than his actions had.
She stood and walked over to the much taller cinderen and took his hand in hers. He followed compliantly as she led him to the bed and sat him down in the spot Saiya had previously occupied then sat herself down next to him, still clasping his large hand in hers as she said sincerely, ¡°You don¡¯t scare me, Uriel. I know you would never want to hurt me.¡±
He scrunched his face, causing the volcanic markings to highlight his expression, as the quiet man stared at the ground, unwilling to look at her while stating bitterly, ¡°But I did hurt you. I lost control and you paid for my mistake.¡±
¡°You lost control because you cared about me,¡± she pointed out, ¡°How can I be angry or afraid of you for that?¡±
The Mage didn¡¯t seem to have an answer for that, instead asking her, ¡°Can I show you something with your book? I¡ I probably should have shown you earlier¡¡± he hesitated before admitting, ¡°I was afraid that you wouldn¡¯t want to stay with us if you knew the risk and Dazien¡ well, he doesn¡¯t show real interest in that many people.¡±
Phoenix tilted her head in acknowledgment as she conjured her book to float in front of her friend. The cinderen seemed to concentrate for a moment before placing his hand on the book to make the information he wished to share appear.
Profile: Uriel Karislian
Species: Cinderen
Current Caste: Crystal 6
Natural Talents
Molten Attunement
- Increased resistance to negative Earth and Fire effects. Earth and Fire abilities have increased effects.
Ice Attunement
Cultivated from [Unknown Potential].
- Increased resistance to negative Ice effects. Ice abilities have increased effects.
Storm Attunement
Deviated from [Animal Friend].
- Increased resistance to negative Lightning and Wind effects. Lightning and Wind abilities have increased effects.
Spell Disposition
Deviated from [Utility Disposition].
- Increased likelihood of unlocking Spell abilities. Spells have increased effect and reduced cost.
Raging Inferno
Cultivated from [Flame Heart].
- Increased Fortitude and Elemental resistances when near Fire.
- When you become angered while using mana, Raging Inferno becomes active and you enter a state of uncontrollable rage.
- While Raging Inferno is active, you have greatly increased Agility, Fortitude, and Magic at the cost of decreased Mind and Strength.
- While Raging Inferno is active, your Spells have greatly decreased cost and cooldown and increased range and area of effect.
- While Raging Inferno is active, any creature that dies within your aura is instantly consumed and converted into instances of [Fuel for the Flames], the amount of instances depends on the Caste of the consumed target.
- While Raging Inferno is active, you attack any and all nearby creatures.
- Fuel for the Flames (boon, divine, void, stacking): Greatly increases resource regeneration for a short duration.
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¡°Talents can change?¡± was her first question, which seemed to surprise the young cinderen.
¡°Yes,¡± he said reactively before expounding further for her, ¡°Most often, unlocking an Aspect or gaining a Class can trigger either a complimenting cultivation that adds effects onto a talent, like with my Ice Attunement, or a deviation where the original effects are replaced with something new, like with my Spell Disposition. Other times, like when someone finds themselves in an extreme situation, there¡¯s a chance that their soul responds to adapt to it.¡±
Phoenix didn¡¯t ask about the unspoken but implied extreme situation. She was all too aware of not wanting to be put in an uncomfortable situation where you had to choose between lying or reliving a painful memory. Instead, she remained quiet and let her friend decide how much he wanted to divulge.
¡°I¨C¡± he began but paused, obviously trying to collect his thoughts, and she noticed him absently rubbing at the remaining earrings on his right, ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly choose my Aspects¡ I never wanted to destroy things. I was most likely going to be a miner like my parents. I didn¡¯t have grand dreams of becoming an Adventurer.¡±
Uriel took a few deep breaths as he continued to stare at the ground and she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, ¡°The day my parents died¡ that was the same day my talent deviated into [Raging Inferno]. We had been captured by bandits and sold off. The people that bought us belonged to a cult that was trying to create weapons¡ and they succeeded,¡± he stated bitterly.
¡°When they declared my parents as failures, the cult leader had them slaughtered in front of me. I¨C¡± he paused again, closing ember eyes at the unbidden memories, ¡°I couldn¡¯t handle it. I went berserk and the cultists that were there paid with their own lives.¡±
He fell silent once more, not wanting to go into further detail. Phoenix clarified something she remembered him saying earlier, ¡°You were only fourteen?¡± At his nod, she stated firmly, ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault. None of it.¡±
The ebony cinderen gave a weak smile, ¡°That¡¯s what Daze said,¡± he used his free hand to push back some of the stray locks of silky hair from his face, ¡°That¡¯s what he always says, every time. It¡¯s something I know in my head,¡± he finally glanced up at her to meet her gaze, ¡°Yet my soul can¡¯t seem to believe it.¡±
Phoenix returned his pained smile with a sad one of her own as she confided in him, ¡°Before I arrived here, I always felt a bit¡ incomplete; broken. I thought¡ For a moment, at least, I thought maybe in this world I could become whole.¡±
The Wayfarer glanced down at their hands, ¡°But it looks like fate wants to keep me broken. It keeps shattering pieces of me that I didn¡¯t even realize could break,¡± she said softly and met his eyes once more, vaguely noticing the wet droplet that had escaped down her cheek, and asked, ¡°Perhaps we can both help with fixing each other?¡±
Uriel relaxed as his smile became more genuine and he gently lifted a hand to wipe her tears away as he agreed, ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡±
As she got an idea, she conjured an item from her inventory and had it appear on the floor in front of them, ¡°Maybe this will help you? I know how much you like to cook, Dazien mentioned that you usually seem happiest when making meals and I¡¯ve seen a little of that when we¡¯ve camped out. Maybe we can cook with this together?¡±
¡°With a box?¡± he asked quizzically, taking in the smooth container seemingly made of green marble with a series of runes engraved where a key might have gone.
¡°A [Crystal Caster¡¯s Complete Cooking Kit],¡± she clarified.
His eyes widened in surprise as he looked between her and the large chest, ¡°You would just give this to me?¡±
¡°Of course,¡± she replied promptly, ¡°You deserve it.¡±
He frowned at her, ¡°I could have killed you yesterday. I deserve to be locked up or killed myself. Lord Wayland might even make that happen once he finds out¡ and make it look like an accident.¡±
Phoenix shook her head, ¡°You might have been able to kill me but I don¡¯t believe you would have.¡±
The Mage¡¯s expression hardened, ¡°I would have. If you and Daze hadn¡¯t stopped me I¨C¡±
¡°But we did and nobody was hurt,¡± she cut in and tapped the chest, ¡°I got this because you didn¡¯t hurt anyone. It will help you feel better and you deserve it. You are courageous and compassionate and my friend.¡±
¡°I am calamity. I destroy everything around me. I almost destroyed you and you call me compassionate?¡± the cinderen said incredulously, standing to begin pacing as he argued, ¡°I am a Cataclysm Mage, Phoenix. No matter how much I might want to change that, it¡¯s now who I am.¡±
¡°Who you are is determined by your actions,¡± she retorted, standing up as well to block his path and take both of his hands in hers, ¡°And the actions I remember most were of a person who didn¡¯t abandon me when I was lost in paperwork. A mage who shielded me from harsh words. A man who sparred with me when I was upset and who hid my tears to preserve my dignity. A friend who defended me from monsters when I had fallen,¡± she said firmly.
Uriel didn¡¯t respond right away so she decided to show him some more of her loot and pulled out the three spirit gems from her inventory to place them on the bed where the pair had been sitting a moment ago.
Phoenix pointed to the first two that were identical to one another, both glinting with shifting rainbow colors and cut in a trillion shape, as she identified them for Uriel, ¡°I got these avatar ones for defending the city and saving the children. And this one¡¡± she picked up the last one, a void black gem that was cut like a marquise jewel but seemed broken and cracked, and held it up for her friend to see closer and his eyes went wide in recognition, ¡°I got this one for helping you.¡±
¡°You shouldn¡¯t use it,¡± the mage said quickly, almost fearful of the [Cataclysm Spirit Gem], ¡°The one I was forced to use gave me my [Eye of the Storm] ability but my Cataclysmic Class was what transformed my aura into a weapon. You can¡¯t use that, Phoenix. You can¡¯t become like me.¡±
She looked him dead in the eyes and said, ¡°You¡¯re someone worth becoming more like. Remember, it¡¯s your actions, not your powers, that determine who you are,¡± then she absorbed the gem.
¡°No!¡± Uriel cried out as the gem seemed to shatter in her palm and the pieces swarmed into her, pelting her with the sensation of being burned, frozen, and stabbed at the same time. She forced herself to stay silent, gritting her teeth through the pain, as her soul was wrenched open and changed once more into the form of a new ability.
Fire-lit eyes narrowed at her in disapproval and worry, ¡°It¡¯s a restricted gem, Phoenix, and for good reason! That was reckless!¡±
¡°Maybe,¡± she shrugged once she felt like she could breathe again then grinned at him, ¡°But I had you to help me if things went wrong.¡±
He glanced at her [Guide Book] which was still displaying his list of talents, both of them noticing that it wasn¡¯t giving the information of the new power, then he looked towards the other gems waiting on the bed and asked, ¡°Can you at least wait till we¡¯re with the others before doing one of those? I don¡¯t want Lord Wayland thinking I tried convincing you to become a monster like me.¡±
Phoenix shook her head, ¡°You¡¯re not a monster, Uriel,¡± then asked him, ¡°Do you think Paul should kill me now just because I used a restricted Spirit Gem and got a new devastating power?¡±
The question took him by surprise, ¡°Of course not, you haven¡¯t even used it,¡± he countered then glanced at the still unchanging book and added pointedly, ¡°Or even shared what it does.¡±
¡°So just having the power isn¡¯t enough to warrant killing or locking me up?¡± she deflected.
The Mage shook his head, ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to do. It¡¯s not the same. We¡¯re not the same. I¡¯ve hurt people. I¡¯ve killed them.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s grin fell and she said softly, ¡°So have I now. I killed a man, even if he was a monster. I made that choice because I saw the alternative as worse. Do you think I¡¯m evil now that I chose to kill someone?¡±
¡°You know that I don¡¯t. None of us do,¡± the cinderen answered in frustration.
¡°I don¡¯t believe you ever chose to use your powers to hurt innocent people. You are a good person too, Uriel,¡± she said sincerely then surprised both of them when she leaned over to hug the larger man and suggested, ¡°In addition to fixing the things that are already broken, we can help protect each other from breaking further. That¡¯s what friends do, right?¡±
The Cataclysm Mage smiled softly again, despite his obvious worries, and reiterated, ¡°I¡¯d like that too.¡±
35 - Avatar
As Phoenix led her friends to the ritual room on the lower floor, her mind raced with concerns. Despite what she had told Uriel, she was slightly panicking that she may have made a huge mistake by using that gem after Paul expressly warned her before she unlocked her Familiar ability about cataclysm specifically being dangerous to use.
Even though she hadn¡¯t confirmed the details about them in her book, which she purposefully kept from Uriel since it would have completely derailed the conversation and the point she had been trying to make, she could inherently sense it within her. It was a freshly caught wild animal pleading to be released; begging to destroy everything around her.
She briefly thought about keeping the ability a secret but there was no way she could keep it from her party and still be able to level it up. Once the party knew, they would eventually say something to her mentor and then he would be even more upset that she had tried to hide it. No, she would need to tell them all¡ eventually.
Once they reached their destination, Phoenix quickly went to work on the ritual to unlock an Aspect. She had never actually needed to perform one of these but the knowledge had been seared into her mind by the tome of rituals the Scholar had given her.
¡°Why did you bring us here, Phoenix?¡± Dazien asked curiously, looking over her shoulder to see which ritual she was beginning, ¡°Is that an Aspect Bonding Ritual?¡±
¡°I thought you said you didn¡¯t need to use those?¡± Rayna asked as the bard and Healer wandered over to look as well.
¡°It¡¯s not for me,¡± she said and conjured one of the spirit gems from her collection into her palm and handed it to Dazien.
¡°What do you mean?¡± the gemite questioned as he studied the gem, ¡°Which one is this?¡±
¡°It¡¯s an [Avatar Spirit Gem],¡± she answered, making the clone appear in her now empty palm then quickly returning it to her collection, as she explained, ¡°I got duplicates and only have one more ability to unlock. You¡¯re the only other one in the party who also still needs to unlock some class abilities so that one is for you.¡±
Amethyst eyes stared at her then at the stone in his hand before he said breathlessly, ¡°These are incredibly expensive, Phoenix. I can¡¯t just accept something like this.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t be silly,¡± she chided, ¡°If my Defender can offer greater protection, that¡¯s all the better for me. If you don¡¯t like the Avatar type, we can exchange it for something different but I don¡¯t think there¡¯s many Epic Crystal Caste Spirit Gems for sale at the market here in the middle of this frozen tundra.¡±
Their Striker gently punched their leader¡¯s bicep and said, ¡°Shut up and take the loot. We never get to use your [Tribute] ability, so think of this as a consolation prize.¡±
Phoenix nodded in agreement¨Cnot looking up from her work¨Cbut glanced at the brand still on the back of her hand. It looked like a tattoo of a shimmering golden crown, the same crown that adorned the Warrior King¡¯s banner. She recalled the wording of the passive and wondered if there were any hidden differences between the two methods.
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Passive Ability: Tribute
Type: Utility (magical, covenant)
Current Caste: Crystal 8
Crystal Effect: Allies with [Subject] gain a brand that allows them to loot slain enemies with a touch. You gain additional loot from enemies looted by allies with [Subject]. Loot goes directly into your dimensional storage.
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The metallic symbol briefly reminded her that she still hadn¡¯t tried out the new magical tattoo kit she bought from Madam Malik to try out her embedded knowledge and she made a mental note to ask the others if they were interested once the ritual was done.
When the circle was ready, the gemite was practically bouncing in his excitement as he waited for Phoenix to activate it but Rayna halted her with a question, ¡°Why don¡¯t you both unlock them at the same time?¡±
¡°Why should we do that?¡± the Wayfarer asked with a raised eyebrow.
The bard gave a fang-filled grin, ¡°For luck? Come on, you both have the same gem; it¡¯ll be fun to compare.¡±
Phoenix rolled her eyes but decided to indulge her friend and pulled out her own Avatar Spirit Gem. As she triggered Dazien¡¯s ritual she also triggered her own ability to unlock a new power.
The Wayfarer¡¯s process of unlocking was apparently much more painful than the normal method. She dropped to a knee as the gem seemed to warp and wrap around her like a snake coiling up her arm before melding into her flesh, while Dazien seemed to experience that same thing but without the nausea-inducing pain.
Her new Moon power appeared in the [Guide Book] first since she didn¡¯t need to touch it.
Class Ability: Avatar of Bakunawa
Type: Transfiguration (recoil, magical, dark, dimension, light)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Current Caste: Crystal 1 (0%)
Crystal Effect: Take on the characteristics and abilities of the moon-eating dragon Bakunawa, increasing all attributes by a significant amount and unlocking the abilities [Eclipse Breath], [Cosmic Talons], and [Soul of the Celestial]. When this effect ends, you are temporarily debilitated, suffering a reduction in all attributes.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
- Eclipse Breath (channel, magical, dark, light): Breath a stream of Magical flames inflicting Dark and Light damage.
- Cosmic Talons (magical, dimension): Grow metallic claws that inflict Dimension damage.
- Soul of the Celestial (passive, aura): Increases Strength, Mind, and Magic attributes of allies within your aura.
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¡°Wait, does that grant a fifth aura?¡± Rayna asked incredulously as she read, ¡°I didn¡¯t think an ability that grants a temporary aura was even possible.¡±
Saiya shrugged at her sister and said simply, ¡°It¡¯s magic. Anything is possible.¡±
Then Dazien walked over and touched the book with a slight frown and a bit of trepidation.
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Class Ability: Avatar of Sovereignty
Type: Familiar (ritual, summon, magical, covenant)
Cost: Severe mana and stamina.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Crystal 1 (0%)
Crystal Effect: Summon an [Avatar of Sovereignty] to serve as a Familiar.
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¡°Why do you look disappointed?¡± Phoenix asked as she read over the ability, ¡°A Familiar is awesome.¡±
¡°Cheep cheep!¡± Tala exclaimed from atop her usual perch in the summoner¡¯s hair.
The young warrior grimaced, ¡°I don¡¯t have the materials to summon it. It will be¡ expensive. Even with an Adventurer¡¯s income.¡±
Phoenix frowned and offered, ¡°I don¡¯t mind helping out. I did just get all those [Ruby Mana Bits], after all, and a Familiar will be extremely useful. What do you need?¡±
¡°A lot of [Covenant Shards] with a little bit of Blood, Song, Wind, Fire, Water and Earth on top of that. The minor amount of Elemental ones won¡¯t be too hard but Blood ones are usually in high demand. As for the Covenant ones¡ they¡¯re such a niche item that I believe are usually only needed for contractual rituals. I¡¯m not sure I can get it all,¡± he admitted regretfully.
¡°I bet if we leave now we can do this summoning today,¡± Phoenix said with a grin. Then added with a hint of a plea, ¡°Please, Dazien? We need some more happy moments after yesterday.¡±
The Defender seemed to debate with himself for a moment before giving in and tilting his head in agreement but stipulating, ¡°Fine but first we get some sleep. Let¡¯s try to get at least the five hours most Crystal Casters need, then we can grab a meal and stop by Mother¡¯s Cupboard afterward.¡±
Dazien hadn¡¯t been wrong about the Shards being expensive but Phoenix didn¡¯t hesitate to help him; reiterating the same argument she had used to convince him to accept the Spirit Gem by pointing out that a stronger party meant better monster killing, which meant more loot, so really it was just an investment.
The orphaned gemite was still having a difficult time wrapping his mind around the strange economics of being an Adventurer with a looting power. He had struggled for so long to gather funds and even when he had initially unlocked the passive ability, there were only so many people willing to hire him and not try and screw him over.
In the Processing District, he had tried to get a job as a Looter but many of the employers there either paid a pittance for his time or claimed that he was holding out on them; since his version of looting would automatically put the items in his [Armory] so they couldn¡¯t know that he hadn¡¯t gotten more than he told them.
Meeting Phoenix, who had the backing of one of the most influential noble houses in the city along with her own looting power and realizing that the woman had absolutely no concept about the cost of things in this strange new world, was a test of his own patience to not balk every time she gave things away and never asked them for anything in return.
He loved that she seemed to be a generous soul but sometimes it was hard to put his feelings into words when he compared her experience to his and Uriel¡¯s, when sometimes they couldn¡¯t turn on the hearth because they hadn¡¯t made enough Bits that month.
Finally being able to get AOA missions and the income from those, along with being able to loot the monsters they killed without an employer trying to take more than their cut, made it easier for them to live but his frugality had already taken a firm hold on his habits.
His party was all getting excited again as they returned and he began drawing out the ritual circle instead of Phoenix, placing the insane amount of costly items carefully around the diagram. Then, when everything seemed perfect after triple-checking it, he began to chant, ¡°From the realm above all realms, where your dominion reigns supreme. Let your sovereignty be the pillar of my kingdom. Let your majesty make all kneel before us. King of Kings, I invoke thee!¡±
An oppressive aura filled the room as a golden rift appeared in the air above the center of the ritual circle and out stepped one of the oddest creatures any of them had ever seen. Like some kind of chimera that amalgamated the beasts known as the king of the jungle, sky, forest, and myths.
It had the solid golden-furred body, head, and mane of a majestic lion, though its tail seemed more like a golden dragon¡¯s from the storybooks he had read as a child when visiting the temple of Scholar. From the top of its head sprouted a magnificent set of stag antlers that seemed wrought of metallic gold. The sharp tines looked like they could impale any monster that dared to anger it. The last defining feature was the giant eagle wings that sprouted from its back and were also a shiny gold color that glimmered in the light of the glowstones set into the ceiling.
The creature was as tall as Dazien was and they all stood staring at the regal beast in awe. It stepped forward purposefully until it was face to face with its summoner and he reached a hand out carefully and placed it between his new Familiar¡¯s eyes, patting it gently and eliciting a low rumbling purr from its chest.
¡°Does it have a name?¡± Uriel asked.
The [Avatar of Sovereignty] turned a golden eye towards the cinderen and shook its head, causing the large mane to shimmer as gold dust fell from it.
¡°I would suggest calling it ¡®King¡¯ but that might get confusing,¡± Rayna said, ¡°What are you gonna call him, King?¡±
The warrior raised an eyebrow at her use of his nickname but didn¡¯t correct the voxen as his eyes went back to the grand Familiar, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Any suggestions?¡± Then he glanced towards Phoenix, ¡°Any myths from your world about kings?¡±
¡°Tons,¡± the Wayfarer replied automatically and began listing, ¡°Mufasa, Arthur Pendragon, Agamemnon, Beowulf, Kaleva. There are a couple kings of gods; Zeus, Jupiter, Odin, The Jade Emperor, Ra and Amun, Yahweh, Allah, Bathala, Amenominakanushi.¡± She paused for a moment then added, ¡°There were also other words that mean ¡®King¡¯ in languages other than my own; Caesar, Czar, or Sultan. There was an ancient language that was considered to be dead called ¡®Latin¡¯ and we used it to describe what was the king of the dinosaurs back when they existed. Aside from humans, it was the ¡®Rex¡¯ that was the apex predator of the world until a cataclysm destroyed them.¡±
Dazien grinned and noted, ¡°I¡¯ve actually read a story about a king named Kaleva here too. Maybe I¡¯ll tell you about it later,¡± then he looked back to his Familiar, contemplating which to pick, ¡°Those all sounded interesting but some of those I can''t even pronounce.¡±
He thought about what Phoenix had said about it taking a cataclysm for the downfall of this king of beasts and glanced at Uriel. If any man would be his downfall, it would be the Cataclysm Mage that had claimed a piece of his heart. He refocused on the magnificence before him and asked, ¡°What do you say, sir? Do you like ¡®Rex¡¯?¡±
The lion-stag-eagle-dragon beast tilted its head slightly and pushed forward again until it seemed to dissolve into golden glitter and pour itself directly into Dazien¡¯s throat. He coughed slightly at the sensation, also feeling an odd shiver run down his spine, then said with a slightly altered voice that seemed to have been infused with power and spoke straight into them, ¡°Well I guess he liked it. Are you all ready to get some training done before Lord Wayland returns from the AOA raid? I know it started last night while we were at Souja but I haven¡¯t heard news yet.¡±
Everyone automatically nodded in agreement then Phoenix shook her head after a moment, as if suddenly remembering something, and said, ¡°Actually, I have some new tools to try out if you all don¡¯t mind helping.¡±
36 - Fake It Till You Make It
As the sun was beginning to set, Paul stood in the office of Director Trayvious and appeared to be appreciating the view but was considering the semi-transparent scrap of paper displaying the information about his Sword passive that he had desired to see spelled out for him.
Passive Ability: Blade of Wrath
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, magical, arcane, fire)
Current Caste: Emerald 10
Crystal Effect: Construct a sword that reflects the wielder and can be used as a medium for Spells and cantrips for a slightly increased effect.
Sapphire Effect: Special Attacks with the Magical modifier performed with this weapon inflict increased damage.
Emerald Effect: Normal and Special Attacks made with this weapon inflict additional Fire damage and [Burning].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
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¡®Is something concerning Wayland about this passive ability?¡¯ Orebela asked in his mind, seeing what he was.
¡®I just wish I was Ruby already and had the additional damage type that usually unlocks with it,¡¯ he mentally lamented.
¡®Wayland does not know if the type that will unlock will be useful against the Ruwena family,¡¯ his Familiar pointed out, ¡®While passive abilities are the only ones reliably predicted, the higher Caste soul determines the direction of the cultivation. That is why Wayland¡¯s passive changed at Emerald to inflict Fire and be called by this name instead of the original expectation of Arcane damage for the Mage Blade,¡¯ she recounted.
¡®I know, Bela,¡¯ he mentally eyerolled. Despite her knowing that he already knew that, she just loved to lecture him and prove her depth of knowledge, ¡®But we can still expect another damage type based on the normal pattern. What does your mental algorithm predict the type might be?¡¯
There was a moment of silence as she calculated before reporting, ¡®There is a 3% chance of Covenant, 5% chance of Blood, 5% chance of Light, or 87% chance of Radiant.¡¯
He raised a brow, ¡®That high for Radiant? While I thought there¡¯d be a chance, it¡¯s not a common type to naturally cultivate.¡¯
¡®Wayland has been a Paladin for over thirty years. With the recent rededication and blessing from the Avenger, the chance has increased dramatically,¡¯ the Familiar explained helpfully.
¡®Well, Radiant would be helpful. Not many people gain resistance to it,¡¯ the paladin said, returning to his previous reasoning for desiring the upgrade.
¡®Wayland is close,¡¯ Orebela said in an odd monotone that he thought was her attempt at consolation, ¡®A few more suitable challenges should push Wayland past the threshold.¡¯
¡®Not close enough,¡¯ he grumbled. With another thought, the ability information was replaced by a larger sheet of floating parchment that displayed his overall progress that he had seen Phoenix do from time to time.
Profile: Paul Wayland
Species: Human (Northern Pyrinese)
Current Caste: Emerald 9
Attributes
Strength (Zeal): Emerald 9
Agility (Sword): Emerald 10
Fortitude (Fire): Emerald 10
Mind (Light): Emerald 9
Magic (Wrath Blade): Emerald 10
Natural Talents
Corruption Slayer
Sun Attunement
Combination Disposition
Special Attack Disposition
Zealous Avenger
Divine Titles
Paladin of the Purifier
Fallen of the Purifier
Paladin of the Avenger
Titles
Adventurer
Corruption Hunter
Follower of the Purifier
Savior of the Tortured
Treasure Finder
Serenydi Exile
Traveler of Pyrin
Outcast
Emissary Adventurer
Lord of the House
¨C Focus to see the full list¡
Aspects
Fire
- Flames of Purification (Aura Passive)
- Flame Javelin - Emerald 10
- Meteor Strike (Class) - Emerald 10
Light
- Penetrating Sight (Perception Passive)
- Child of Theia - Emerald 10
- Flicker Strike (Class) - Emerald 9 (99%)
Sword
- Blade of Wrath (Utility Passive)
- Accelerating Strikes - Emerald 10
- Swords of the Wrathful (Class) - Emerald 10
Zeal
- Strength of Purpose (Boon Passive)
- Righteous Fury - Emerald 10
- Judgment of the Zealous (Class) - Emerald 9 (99%)
Wrath Blade (Class)
- Rage Regalia (Utility Passive)
- Wrath From Above - Emerald 10
- Ferocious Assault (Class) - Emerald 10
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¡®So close yet so far,¡¯ he sighed as he glared at the last two abilities to hit the cap. Until he finished getting those to the max level, he wouldn¡¯t ascend to Ruby and be able to use more Spirit Gems to cultivate his abilities further and begin advancing his skills again.
He already had the Ruby Caste Spirit Gems picked out and waiting in the vault at his home, having slowly curated them over the years, but they were just collecting dust until he increased his Caste.
Sometimes he bemoaned the fact that his already maxed Aspects were being held back by the others that were lagging behind, wishing his Agility, Fortitude, and Magic could be Ruby already but when he had proposed the idea to Orebela she quickly shut it down; pointing out that, without his Mind being the same Caste to process the movements, he¡¯d likely run himself straight through the walls of Tulimeir.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.
Unfortunately, there just weren¡¯t that many challenges out here in the Crystal Caste tundra that could progress his skills that last little bit to push him beyond Emerald. Even this raid that was about to take place against another noble house likely wouldn¡¯t be what got him across the line as their strongest member was Lady Ruwena who had been the Head of the House for almost a decade now and she was only now getting to the peak of Sapphire.
His thoughts were interrupted by Agatha Trayvious entering her office and asking, ¡°You brought your license, right?¡±
Paul gave a resigned sigh and lifted the small green marble card from his belt pouch which she quickly took before he could change his mind. Taking it over to her desk in the center of the room, she pulled out a small rune stamp and pressed it against the stone, causing both to glow for a moment as the rune became etched on his AOA license marking him as a Delegate Adventurer that was suitable to give Temple missions to once again. While the various deities would often assign quests to their own clergy, they would often come to the Alliance of Adventurers to complete a request if they didn¡¯t have a suitable member nearby.
Agatha grinned at the mark and handed it back to him as she asked, ¡°Ready to head out now, Delegate Wayland?¡±
The paladin rolled his eyes and nodded, conjuring his [Rage Regalia] as he turned to follow her out of the building to their rendezvous location with the rest of the strike force. While he could take any Caster in that entire estate, he couldn¡¯t be everywhere at once and his powerset wasn¡¯t the best at taking people alive; which was the actual goal of this mission.
While Lord Ohsen Ruwena¡¯s confession and the Divine Sigil of the Avenger had been enough to warrant the raid, there were still children and potential family members who had no involvement with their leader¡¯s plots. The AOA was also extremely insistent on confiscating any research or information regarding the Purifier¡¯s Renseres or the Soul Reapers.
¡°Are you hoping to lead this raid, Lord Paladin?¡± the runeforged director inquired as they made their way down the AOA building. She was watching him with what seemed more like curiosity than resentment or fear.
He shook his head, ¡°No. Despite my sister¡¯s desires, I am no leader.¡±
¡°You led that temporary party in recovering that Reality Rift in Epa Toivo well enough,¡± she observed.
¡°I¡¯ve gotten decent at faking it,¡± he replied with a smirk that caused the woman to laugh.
¡°Yes, even I¡¯ve felt like that at times. ¡®Fake it till you make it¡¯ but it never feels like you''ve made it. Even at the top, I find myself second-guessing my decisions. I don¡¯t think anyone is immune to that, so the best leaders are the ones that know how to hide it while asking the experts for guidance,¡± the runeforged said.
¡°Remind me to introduce you to, Mister Smithson,¡± Paul added casually, ¡°He¡¯s got that hiding it part down pretty well.¡±
The director chuckled as she quipped, ¡°I¡¯m guessing he learned it from you?¡±
¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s some kind of Natural Talent that he somehow cultivated,¡± he joked as Agatha led him out of the lift and began navigating them through the city of glass, steel, and steam.
The sun had completely set by the time they finished gathering the strike team at the roof a few buildings down from the Ruwena residence. A few select parties that had been vetted for potential conflicts of allegiance to the targeted nobles and chosen for their particular specializations around capture over killing had been chosen to assist and were gathered around.
¡°Greetings, Noble Stratfured,¡± Paul said with a nod to a young Sapphire Caster with purple-tinted iridescent hair and a glittering dress covered in crystals. Then he nodded to the black kitten held in her arms like some kind of bonded Familiar, ¡°Bliss. Thanks again for your assistance with tracking. I¡¯m glad to see your party here.¡±
¡°Will you be leading, Lord Wayland?¡± the visiting noble asked curiously, as Bliss gave a pleased purr.
¡°People keep asking,¡± he said with a slight smirk, ¡°But I plan to stand behind Director Trayvious for the most part and look intimidating.¡±
Another of the Sapphire Casters snickered at the comment before quickly silencing at the look the director was giving them as she took the lead, ¡°The Lord Paladin is here as a precaution should we be met with unexpected force. You¡¯ve all been briefed on your missions, we want to avoid any more deaths that might spark a civil war or blood feud,¡± Agatha said solemnly and the rest of the gathered Casters quickly sobered, ¡°Now, we believe the target location is below the¨C¡±
¡°Director! They¡¯re regrouping!¡± a young Crystal Caster said as they stumbled through the door to the rooftop.
¡°What? Why?¡± the runeforged snapped.
¡°Somebody contacted them! They know about Lord Ruwena and have signaled their allies to the Stronghold!¡±
The director cursed loudly as she turned to look down towards where their target had been, ¡°Change of plans. We go after who we can but if they reach the Stronghold we need to regroup and plan a larger force to launch an assault on that underground fortress.¡±
Paul met her gaze as she said grimly, ¡°War it is.¡±
Patricia Wayland had been ecstatic when Phoenix had agreed to accept the Favor of her goddess. While she had tried to push the group in different directions, measuring their various reactions to her implications, she had been pleased in general at how loyal the group seemed to be to one another and that Paul had done well in guiding them together.
She had never imagined her stubborn brother becoming a Mentor to anyone, especially after the man took a hard turn into his own zealotry for the Purifier when their youngest brother had died, but the change she had witnessed in him first-hand was better than anything she could have hoped for and it was thanks to this quirky Wayfarer that quite literally fell out of the sky and into their lives.
The young woman had been shy and much more na?ve than she would have preferred but the other traits the Wayfarer had displayed during their brief time together, and frankly the other more obvious benefits of being a God-Favored Aurabreaker, spoke volumes about the person under the red curls and glowing skin.
While she might have preferred for Paul to settle down and find himself a suitable spouse, ideally one of a high political station, and to have his own brood of children, seeing how he acted like a father in order to support this girl, who had nobody else to rely on, made her oddly proud of her wayward brother.
Now, she wanted nothing more than to hurry up and sign the stupid papers to welcome this child into her family. So, when Phoenix managed to find her room and request help with actually putting some new tome knowledge to practice while they waited for Paul to return, she jumped at the chance to have the girl meet her potential cousins.
As they gathered in the decent-sized lab on the lower fifth floor, she merrily made introductions, first of the party members of King¡¯s Dream, then of her children that she had brought with to assist, ¡°This is my oldest son, Patric,¡± she gestured to the runeforged man who had recently turned twenty-five and then to his sister who was five years younger, ¡°And this is my oldest daughter, Padma. Both of them are Emissary Adventurers and are well versed in alchemy, each even unlocking a passive that supports it.¡±
Patricia grinned in approval as the party leader stepped forward and gave a courtly bow, ¡°It is an honor to meet you both and we appreciate you taking the time to assist and offer guidance.¡±
The older of the two returned the respectful bow, ¡°The honor is ours, Mister Smithson. Uncle Paul speaks highly of your party.¡±
¡°He does?¡± Dazien asked with a raised brow, ¡°He never seems to lack in things to speak low of when beating us into the mat.¡±
Rayna patted the Defender''s shoulder and said with a fanged smile, ¡°I think that¡¯s just you, King.¡±
Phoenix stepped forward as well, grinning up at the amethyst warrior, ¡°I told you that he¡¯s just trying to make you give up.¡±
The priestess spoke up once more as the group¡¯s laughter tapered off, ¡°Let¡¯s drop with the formalities, please. As Paul¡¯s Prot¨¦g¨¦ you might as well be family already, whether you accept the additional position or not. Our home is your home. Now, Phoenix, you mentioned something about some rare ingredients?¡±
¡°Right!¡± the Wayfarer said, visibly brightening at the shift in topic and walking over to an empty counter, ¡°Is here okay?¡±
She nodded and a large dark blue chest appeared. Phoenix pushed the lid back on it and began pulling things out, reading the labels on glass bottles, as the rest of them gathered around and moved stools to sit on, ¡°Dragon¡¯s Blood Resin, Powdered Mandrake Root, Berg Siren Scales, Eye of Newt, Gryphon Feather, Wait, Gryphons are real too?¡±
Uriel nodded, ¡°Yup, though you won¡¯t find them naturally on Pyrin.¡±
Padma smiled at the cinderen and scooted closer to him as she asked, ¡°Where do they normally live?¡±
The Mage seemed surprised that the older woman was actually talking to him and took a moment before responding, ¡°Northern Alkupera, the other side of the world.¡±
¡°There¡¯s a lot of variety here,¡± Patric interjected as he helped Phoenix sort through things, ¡°We might be able to make some good Boosters.¡±
¡°What are those?¡± Rayna asked, currently exploring the cupboards for gods knew what but Pati wouldn¡¯t stop her, hoping the direct personality would help Phoenix relax a bit more around them.
Padma answered and she was proud of her children as they helped explain without shaming anyone for their ignorance, ¡°Temporary Boons that provide a specific boost to an attribute or type of ability. Like a [Strength Booster] or a [Fire Resistance Elixir].¡±
¡°Oh, we call those Uppers in Epa Toivo, like a ¡®Fort Up¡¯,¡± the bard replied, pulling out a small box and curiously checking what was inside, ¡°I¡¯m still trying to learn all the slang here in Tulim.¡±
¡°Makes sense. You can get some pretty strong effects from Boosters that can help overcome a challenging fight or shore up a weakness you might have against a particular monster,¡± Patric added as he pulled out a notebook and began writing down some recipes they could do with the present ingredients, ¡°We won¡¯t be able to make anything really good though, even with these ingredients. Might be better to cut our teeth on some of the simpler recipes.¡±
¡°Why not something better? I¡¯d hate to waste these rare materials on basic health potions or something,¡± Phoenix asked with a frown as she glanced across the table at the list Patric was making.
¡°Well, none of us are actually dedicated Alchemists so we''re a bit limited in what we can successfully and reliably make,¡± the runeforged man explained.
¡°But I was already able to learn all those recipes without being one,¡± the Wayfarer said in confusion.
The whole room seemed to pause for a moment as they were all simultaneously reminded that Phoenix was not from this world and lacked the common knowledge they took for granted. Patricia decided to speak up and save her children from potentially disappointing the woman, ¡°Yes, basic recipes that most Mundanes can do. Simple effects with common magic ingredients. If you, or anyone else, wanted to make truly wondrous potions that turn the tide of a battle or bring a higher Caste person back from the brink of death, you would need both the skills and abilities to reliably do so. That goes for any item with a Caste. That¡¯s why there are dedicated Crafter Casters whose entire powerset is focused on supporting their profession.
¡°One of the reasons Tulimeir needed to call my brother back for the blood moon was actually because most of the other Emerald Casters in the city are all Crafters or clergy; focused on healing or specialized support,¡± she explained patiently.
Phoenix looked completely stricken as the Supporter asked, ¡°So, without crafting abilities, I¡¯ll never be able to craft awesome legendary items?¡±
They all gave her a pitying look as Patricia said as gently as possible, ¡°That would be extremely difficult. If you attempted it, the likely result is that the item¨C¡±
¡°Explodes?¡± the Wayfarer interjected and gave a loud groan dropping her head into her palms when the priestess nodded in confirmation.
¡°Hey, you have Spotted Ladybird Feathers, I think we might be able to make some [Magi Fortune Boosters],¡± Patric suddenly proclaimed happily as he lifted a small bottle with tiny red feathers inside.
¡°What do those do?¡± Phoenix asked curiously, momentarily distracted from the destroyed dreams and Pati silently thanked Patric for his good timing.
¡°They greatly increase the effects of the next ability cast after drinking it. Though it can be a bit unpredictable in its aftereffects. There¡¯s a bit of a chance factor when you drink it.¡±
¡°What kind of chance?¡± Dazien asked pointedly, and she found herself glad that this boy was trying to understand the potential risks to the people he led.
¡°Well, it¡¯s a bit of a trade. Boosts the ability effects but then has a drain backlash. The bigger the boost, the bigger the drain,¡± the Sapphire Adventurer explained.
¡°So it¡¯s like my new Avatar power? Big boost for a while but then I¡¯m out of commission for a couple minutes?¡± The Supporter offered in comparison.
¡°Exactly,¡± Patric confirmed, ¡°So you¡¯ll have to use them at just the right time but they can make all the difference if deployed well.¡±
Dazien gave Phoenix a sideways glance and asked, ¡°You already have a boost with that ability, don¡¯t you want to just go with something a little more sustainable?¡±
The Wayfarer scoffed and shook her head explaining, ¡°This sounds like the best option for what we can make that¡¯s actually worth using the ingredient on,¡± then added with a grin to Patric and Padma, ¡°Let¡¯s make the potion of awesomeness!¡±
37 - Adorable Baby Dragon
Paul arrived home later than he had hoped that night after what they had discovered within the darkest corners of that recently seized house. The AOA had worked quickly to spread news between organizations and the nobility, ideally without causing panic among the population, so they could get response teams and procedures in place.
The Duke would be issuing a formal announcement across all of Tulimeir soon that would declare Ruwena a Fallen House, exposing their traitorous deeds to the public, and missions for capture or death would be placed by the ducal government for each member that had been connected to the subversion of the city¡¯s Reality Rift defenses and facilitation of the Soul Reaper experimentations.
The Paladin had been expecting gruesome things within that workshop after what Avenger had whispered to him about the man he had killed but he hadn¡¯t expected the sheer number of other bodies they had found that had been experimented on in the months since he first arrived in Tulimeir and delivered that Soul Cage to the OOM for study.
That realization had sent a wave of guilt through him, despite Orebela¡¯s repeated reassurances that he had no reason to believe treachery at the time. Some of the notes Ohsen had left behind had indicated that some of the victims were specifically chosen in the lord¡¯s search for revenge against Lord Wayland, targeting human men like him, which made the guilt settle heavier. He would do his best to right the wrongs he had helped facilitate and that started with assisting in the removal of the remaining Ruwena members from power.
During the rushed raid, Camrin Ruwena turned out to be a compliant target, offering assistance and helping Paul gain access to the places he needed to see. This willingness helped greatly speed things along with obtaining the proof the Duke desired.
The strike team had also taken some staff and other children into custody, apparently left behind as cumbersome weight, as most of the Casters fled to the heavily fortified Stronghold deep below the surface. He did not envy Agatha or Victor Tul for needing to deal with organizing the imminent assault on that particular target.
For now, he would get his hour of rest and check in on his little brood of Crystals and see how his Prot¨¦g¨¦ had handled the mission that took her away from the city again.
After checking in with Patricia, he had promised that he wouldn¡¯t sit the kids on the sidelines again for the expedition to reclaim Tulisuda. However, he didn¡¯t think the AOA was going to let anyone sit this conflict out; especially when the lives of everyone in the city were the price of failure. Not that he couldn¡¯t push against that if he thought there was a real risk to his heir.
While he was casually making his way up to visit Phoenix¡¯s room he felt a terrified aura wash over him, instantly recognizing the layered effect and divine signature of it belonging to his Prot¨¦g¨¦. He forewent the lift to sprint up the stairs to her room. He didn¡¯t sense any other auras in the room with her so he slammed the runed key he carried ¨Cwhich could unlock any door in the entire building¨C into the door and entered to find the Wayfarer thrashing in her sleep.
The mentor grabbed her shoulders and shook firmly, trying to wake her up as he realized what was happening. He expected the dagger this time as she opened her eyes and reactively swung the weapon towards him in her confused panic.
¡°You¡¯re safe, Phoenix, you¡¯re okay,¡± Paul¡¯s reassuring voice said gently, ¡°You were having another nightmare. I thought it best to wake you from it.¡±
As the young woman came to her senses, visibly registering his presence, she dropped the weapon allowing it to disappear as she stared into his golden eyes.
Phoenix took a few deep breaths as she continued reorienting her mind to the present. Tala appeared in her lap and snuggled against her in an attempt to offer comfort as well. As she absently stroked the soft fluffy feathers and he continued to stroke her back, she seemed to realize her aura had been projecting itself in her sleep and quickly reigned it in, managing to mutter, ¡°Sorry.¡±
He shook his head, ¡°It can happen to the best of us. Sometimes our dreams make our bodies and auras react. It will take more practice to keep that from happening.¡±
Phoenix nodded and continued petting Tala as she seemed to calm down more. Paul didn¡¯t say anything more as he sat on the edge of her bed and remained a steady presence, his aura holding hers in comfort.
After a few minutes, she said, ¡°Thank you for waking me.¡±
He simply tilted his head slightly in acknowledgment and inquired, ¡°How did the mission go?¡±
The Wayfarer gave him a flat look indicating that she knew what he was really asking; he wanted to know if they had run into the bandits he had been expecting they would. With a frown, she recounted the battle at Vallinsarvi, and he found himself matching her expression with each new revelation.
Explaining the broken gates, invading monsters and raiders, and her run-in with a large troll-man attacking children that she had ended up taking the life of, before finishing securing the city and then the rest of the mission. She also added in the events since their party got back earlier that morning, unlocking new abilities for her and Dazien and even summoning his new Familiar. Honestly, it sounded like it had gone mostly the way he had expected, though he hadn¡¯t anticipated the raiders actually breaching the walls and the innocent lives lost from it.
Paul nodded along as she recounted it all and clarified certain parts as he listened. When she finished, he returned the favor for her by summarizing what had happened the night before with the sabotaged raid and that he had been busy the whole day trying to muster people to assist in saving the city. Even having to visit the temple district as a newly promoted Delegate Adventurer to liaison with the clergy Casters there in helping.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
When the Paladin finished his own story he asked, ¡°What new abilities did you get from all this? You mentioned two new ones.¡±
She slowly dipped her head in affirmation as she said, ¡°Right, um, sorry for not waiting to ask you first¡ I¡¯m not sure you¡¯re going to be happy about them¡¡±
He raised an eyebrow and she decided to start slow by showing one at a time with the first being the [Avatar of Bakunawa], and explained which Spirit Gem it came from. As he read it over, his brow furrowed in confusion, ¡°This seems like a powerful brawler ability,¡± he glanced up at her, ¡°You just keep seeming to diversify.¡±
The Wayfarer gave an annoyed huff that he had no idea where she had picked up from and replied, ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m hoping it will help with my skirmishing tactics. Depending on how big of a boost it gives, those larger monsters might not be as big of a problem anymore,¡± then her expression broke into a slight grin as she admitted, ¡°Though turning into a half-dragon does sound totally awesome.¡±
He returned her grin, sharing in her enthusiasm as he teased, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll make for an adorable baby dragon.¡±
She chuckled, shoving his arm playfully, and he felt his heart lighten a bit from the guilt he had been struggling with earlier. He refocused on the floating book, looking over the ability again, ¡°So, I doubt you thought I would get upset over this,¡± he observed before prompting, ¡°What¡¯s the next one?¡±
The redhead showed him the next ability and his eyes went wide as he asked with concern, ¡°What gem gave you this?¡±
She hesitated then looked at the floor like a child that knew she had done something wrong as she mumbled, ¡°Cataclysm.¡±
¡°Ooo, Little Miss is going to get scolded,¡± Orebela whispered in the back of his mind but his attention was focused on the young woman in front of him who seemed to refuse to look up at him.
His gaze bore into her with disapproval and he clarified with incredulity, ¡°Cataclysm? One of the Spirit Gems I specifically told you not to use? Why would you bother spending any time checking with me first only to completely disregard my words?¡±
¡°What did Wayland expect from a teenager?¡±
¡°Not now, Bela,¡± he mentally growled.
Phoenix winced at his scolding and admitted lamely, ¡°Um, I was trying to comfort Uriel?¡±
¡°So you made an irrevocable choice that could have done real harm to yourself?¡± He was baffled by her decision.
He knew he should have cut off that potential friendship early on. That shiny gemite and his silver tongue, playing on his hopes of seeing his Prot¨¦g¨¦ make some friends and find a party she could rely on like he had long ago, had tricked him into taking a fool''s bet apparently.
¡°Wayland is being unfair,¡± his Familiar spoke up again, ignoring his earlier reprimand, ¡°Wayland knows Little Storm is a victim. This One and Wayland have seen Little Storm caring for Little Miss.¡±
The Paladin let out a huff of annoyance and told Phoenix gruffly, ¡°I¡¯ve done my research on your party. That boy had his aura transfigured by a deadly combination of Aspects and Spirit Gems. It¡¯s the entire reason for his Silencer! You were really going to risk that just to comfort him?!¡±
¡°Um¡ yes?¡± she said meekly before gesturing at the [Guide Book], ¡°It¡¯s not that bad. No transfiguration. No weird passive effects that alter me.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not the point,¡± he growled, then stuck a finger on the levitating book to emphasize his words, ¡°This ability is insanely dangerous. You can¡¯t use this. Ever. You¡¯ve basically trapped yourself at Crystal Caste.¡±
¡°I can use it,¡± she protested, ¡°I just have to be really careful about the time and place¡¡±
¡°Phoenix, you can¡¯t¨C¡±
¡°I must,¡± she cut him off, which took him by surprise as she stood up for herself, ¡°I have to get stronger, Paul. An entire nation depends on it, remember? What¡¯s done is done. If it helps Uriel know he can trust me and that I value who he is no matter his abilities, then it was worth it.¡±
They stared at each other, her arms crossed and his face locked in a disapproving scowl.
¡°Wayland knows that Little Miss is correct. The divine quest will need power like this,¡± Orebela stated slowly, ¡°Wayland is just mad Little Miss did not listen.¡±
Paul gave up the staring contest as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration as he thought through the arguments of the two women closest to him. He gave a heavy sigh and said reluctantly, ¡°It amazes me how you¡¯ll jump to the defense of others but not yourself. You would potentially sacrifice your entire future just to comfort a friend,¡± then he offered her a crooked smile, ¡°While it won¡¯t make for the best life choices, you¡¯ll make for a heroic Adventurer.¡±
Paul¡¯s expression softened as he added, ¡°I guess I¡¯m not much better. The Waylands are best known for two things: providing the people with cultivated food and cultivating Adventurers.¡±
She grinned at him, then after a moment said cautiously, ¡°If you¡¯re not so upset at my recent Spirit Gem choices that the offer is withdrawn¡ I think I¡¯d like to join your House.¡±
He was taken aback by the shift in topic and her acceptance of what he had thought she was more likely to decline despite his desires. ¡°Are you certain?¡± the Paladin asked, not wanting to become too hopeful lest he fall further from disappointment should she change her mind.
Phoenix nodded at him and said, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about everything you¡¯ve said. Talked with my party as well as your sister and her kids. Weighed the pros and cons. Then I realized how much you¡¯ve already given me and that joining your House would be a way for me to show you how grateful I am for everything you¡¯ve done and are planning to continue doing for me.¡±
They locked eyes and she smiled sincerely, ¡°If I can bring prestige to House Wayland as a great Adventurer, then it¡¯s the least I can do and it¡¯ll make me happy to do so.¡±
His mind reeled and he was having trouble putting his emotions into words as he stared at the gently glowing redhead that had just agreed to become his daughter. Part of his family, hopes, legacy, and future. Paul reached over faster than she could react as he pulled her into a warm embrace and whispered softly, ¡°Thank you.¡±
38 - Blood is Thicker
Rayna surprised Phoenix by arriving earlier than everyone else as the Wayfarer was setting up her new tool kit and going through her [Guide Book] to help display the tattoo options for her friends who had all agreed to play test canvas.
She was planning to test it on herself first by putting a mana regeneration tattoo on her thigh where she knew it wouldn¡¯t normally be seen in case it turned out horrible. She was putting a lot of faith in the knowledge tome helping her mediocre art ability.
Based on the information she had absorbed in her knowledge tome on magical tattoos, even if she messed up so much that the magic didn¡¯t take, it wouldn¡¯t be a complete disaster as it could be covered up later with a functional version. Once the magic took hold, however, it would remain and take up the ¡°slot¡± on the body.
She could have multiple tattoos but they couldn¡¯t be placed too near to each other or offer the same effects. Plus, they needed to be the same Caste as she was. If it was lower, the power of her own Caste would burn off the attempt, which sounded painful, and if it was too high¡ Well, that sounded even more painful and limb-explodey.
Another interesting thing she found was that there were larger tattoo templates that took up more ¡°slots¡± for more powerful effects. However, her basic skills with no abilities to back them up made those as much of an impossible dream as brewing a legendary potion of miracles.
Even if it didn¡¯t look the best, though, as long as the runes were right, she knew it would still be functional for providing mana in a pinch. The Crystal Caste tattoo would slowly gather mana over time which she would then be able to trigger like a mana potion when it was full.
¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to train with an actual tattooist first?¡± Rayna asked from the seat she had set up earlier as the voxen watched Phoenix carefully prick her skin with the small needle at the end of the device she was holding that reminded her of a quill pen. It was currently infused with the magical ink she had mixed together earlier and was a shimmery blue color that she was hoping would turn out pretty.
¡°I don¡¯t have time for that. Besides the plans currently being made to take down House Ruwena, there¡¯s still a blood moon going on, remember?¡± she replied absently as she concentrated on not messing up the intricate pattern of swirling runes, ¡°Paul told me earlier that he would be back with our mission for the assault on some place called ¡®the Stronghold¡¯.¡±
¡°Are you ready for another mission?¡± the bard asked curiously, glancing at her with those slitted pupils in amber.
Phoenix spared a glance at those eyes and asked, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡±
Rayna squirmed in her seat a bit awkwardly, either due to the conversation topic or because her two fluffy tails didn¡¯t seem to like that particular chair design she wasn¡¯t sure, ¡°Saiya said she talked to you about what happened to her after our mom and aunt died¡ While I haven¡¯t been through something like that, I saw what it did to Saiya,¡± the voxen paused for a moment as though struggling to find the right words, ¡°Um, I just wanted to tell you¡ Well, I yelled at you before, but I was just worried, ya know?
¡°I don¡¯t want you thinking I wanted you to kill people. Even though something like that was gonna happen. Like, you were totally right to put him down. I mean¡¡± the Striker gave a frustrated groan and rubbed a paw down her face, ¡°I¡¯m so not good at these kinds of talks. This is more Saiya¡¯s thing.¡±
The bard gave a heavy sigh and looked back towards Phoenix who had paused her tattoo work to watch her friend curiously, ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is that I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe and proud of you for protecting others despite your aversion.
¡°I might not fully understand the emotions you¡¯re dealing with but I was able to be there for Saiya and I wanted you to know that I¡¯m here for you as well. I like to think I make a good support for my sisters.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide at the statement as she asked, ¡°Sisters?¡±
Rayna grinned at her and nodded, ¡°Definitely. After everything we¡¯ve been through, we¡¯re bonded by more than just blood relation but by the blood we¡¯ve had to spill to protect each other.¡±
The Wayfarer returned the smile and turned back to continue the tattoo while she spoke, ¡°There¡¯s a saying from my old world that¡¯s often misspoken. People will recite ¡®blood is thicker than water¡¯ to say that one should always side with family: their blood.
¡°The actual quote however is ¡®the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb¡¯. It was meant to say that the relationships we make are stronger than the ones we¡¯re born into. That the family we choose is the strongest bond we can make,¡± she explained, then paused for a moment and added, ¡°I didn¡¯t fully understand it until now.¡±
¡°So you feel the same?¡± the Striker asked with a hint of excitement.
Phoenix glanced at the happy voxen before turning back to stabbing her thigh some more, ¡°I think so. I¡¯ve never had siblings before, though. I had fellow patients, and some became friends, but most weren¡¯t there for long or were there long enough to pass away. My best friend, Jin, was only two years older than me. She died when I was fifteen.¡±
After a pause to double-check the pattern in her [Guide Book], she said, ¡°I only had my mother for most of my life. Now I have Paul and all of you.¡±
¡°Does that mean you¡¯re going to accept Lord Wayland¡¯s offer of adoption?¡± the bard asked curiously.
¡°I did last night. Or this morning? It was still dark outside. We haven¡¯t filled out the paperwork or anything yet but he seemed really happy that I agreed,¡± she replied and then began the process of spreading a layer of a powder mixture she had made earlier over the still-wet tattoo.
¡°Congratulations!¡± her friend replied, with a clap of excitement, ¡°You¡¯re officially joining the ranks of the nobles! That means I can take you to the really wild places when the blood moon ends.¡±
Phoenix scrunched her nose as she gave the pugilist a dubious look, ¡°The nobles are the wild ones?¡±
Rayna gave a mischievous smirk that looked extremely fox-like to the Wayfarer, ¡°They can afford to be. Whenever we¡¯d visit a city where they gathered, they would always throw money around to show off and make crazy things happen.¡±
The redhead¡¯s curls shook in dismay then she used the feather portion of the device to dust off the powder and the two women looked over Phoenix¡¯s first tattoo. It almost reminded her of the runeforged tattoos with the metallic glint it gave off but it was condensed and tightly swirled around in the localized area.
¡°Not too bad when I have a pattern to follow,¡± Phoenix commented as she moved her thigh to watch the light reflect off of it.
¡°Alright, me next since I¡¯m here,¡± Rayna said excitedly as she pulled the chair over and started looking through the [Guide Book] like it was a catalog of tattoos, which it obligingly provided.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
¡°Hey, since I have you here and, you know, sisters share things, could I get you to do something I¡¯ve been dying to see for a while now?¡± she asked while cleaning her tools in preparation for the next one.
The bard raised an eyebrow at her and said with a slight warning, ¡°It better not be my arse. Too many creeps think it¡¯s okay to take a peek just cause they wanna know how tails work.¡±
¡°What? No, I mean, I guess now that you mention it I am cur¨C¡± she broke off the thought at the flat look the voxen gave her and clarified, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m good. I just wanted to see your full profile. Just touch the book and think of your whole self.¡±
The Striker nodded in understanding and soon she had the precious information added to her compendium.
Profile: Rayna Dewsong
Species: Voxen (Sandstep)
Current Caste: Crystal 9
Attributes
Strength (Gem): Crystal 9
Agility (Swift): Crystal 9
Fortitude (Dance): Crystal 9
Mind (Song): Crystal 9
Magic (Shatter Bard): Crystal 9
Natural Talents
Fantasia Attunement
Movement Disposition
Crystal Attunement
Nomadic Heart
Tails of Power
Titles
Orphan
Clan Leader
Slayer
Adventurer
Aspects
Song
- Echolocation (Perception Passive)
- Siren¡¯s Cry - Crystal 9 (85%)
- Percussion Strike (Class) - Crystal 10
Dance
- Stepping Tune (Movement Passive)
- Blink Step - Crystal 10
- Sonorous Stomp (Class) - Crystal 9 (82%)
Swift
- Agile (Boon Passive)
- Beyond the Boundary - Crystal 10
- Swift Encore (Class) - Crystal 9 (76%)
Gem
- Gem Encrusted (Utility Passive)
- Arcanist Gem - Crystal 10
- Gem Distortion (Class) - Crystal 9 (69%)
Shatter Bard (Class)
- Reverberate (Aura Passive)
- Battle Symphony - Crystal 10
- Shatter (Class) - Crystal 9 (96%)
|
The other members of their chosen family began to show up as Phoenix had started work on the tattoo Rayna had picked out. It behaved like a minor sprint ability that would grant a burst of movement speed when activated. The small tattoo looked like a silver wing made out of runes that went on her ankle.
Saiya was the next to show up and picked out a different small tattoo that she put on the back of her neck and would allow her to slightly boost the effects of her next heal cast. This could make her critical life-saving abilities more impactful at the most dire of times.
When Uriel arrived, he picked the same tattoo as her, having a similar issue with burning through mana at a dangerous rate. Luckily for Phoenix, Rayna had taken up the job of filling in the silence so that she could focus on the task literally at hand. She was nervous about making a mistake with her friends despite them all seeming completely unconcerned.
Their leader was the last to arrive and he didn¡¯t look particularly happy as he explained that their party had apparently been put on standby temporarily. He wasn¡¯t able to get many details but it sounded like they were being considered for something particular in the larger expedition that was being planned.
¡°The expedition sounds like a good opportunity, though,¡± Rayna pointed out, ¡°Means they''re looking at us like a real party now instead of one made from brand new Adventurers or outsiders they don¡¯t fully trust,¡± the bard said, then glanced over at Phoenix for a lingering moment before adding, ¡°It might also be the fact that a Wayland is in the party now.¡±
At Dazien¡¯s confused look, the Striker went ahead and explained for Phoenix as the beginner tattooist continued working on Uriel¡¯s right bicep where he wanted to place the tattoo. Only certain tattoos had placement requirements like Rayna¡¯s.
After the Defender had congratulated her as well, Phoenix inquired, ¡°Why would being a Wayland change things? You and Saiya are already nobles and have been Adventurers for a while now.¡±
¡°Ya, but our clan is known for music, not amazing Adventurers. Plus, we¡¯re outsiders; they¡¯ll pick cultivating their own people over us. Not to mention that, currently, the Wayland family has the most political power in the city, second only to the Duke.¡±
¡°The Rule of Caste,¡± Uriel stated as if that was explanation enough.
¡°Yup,¡± Rayna continued, ¡°Everyone knows Lord Wayland will likely ascend to Ruby during the blood moon. The other Emeralds can sense his power, despite none of them being combat-oriented, and we all saw and felt it during the siren battle. Once he cultivates his Caste again, he¡¯ll be the sole Ruby Caster in the tundra.¡±
¡°So because I¡¯m now his heir, I¡¯m suddenly being treated differently?¡± Phoenix asked, not quite liking the sudden shift that felt undeserved.
¡°It could also just be the results from our last mission,¡± Dazien interjected, ¡°We did well. The report the fort commander gave was well received by the AOA. Plus, we¡¯ve been fairly consistent in our results, if not in which types of missions we accept.¡±
He strolled over to look at the glowing book that was hovering nearby with images and brief descriptions of the tattoos Phoenix could do. The group made a few more speculations but there wasn¡¯t much they could do until the AOA called for them.
They chatted comfortably as Phoenix finished Uriel¡¯s matching tattoo then knocked out Dazien¡¯s as the last one. He had chosen a similar tattoo to her and Uriel but his replenished health instead of mana. When she finished the shimmering red swirl of runes on his bicep, mirroring his best friend, she began cleaning up the mess of tattoo supplies trying to stall for time to gather her courage.
¡°I, um¡ I¡¯ve been wanting to talk to all of you about some things,¡± she said hesitantly during a lull in the conversation. They immediately focused on her, as though they had been waiting all along for her to approach them like this.
She felt even more uncomfortable under their gazes but swallowed her anxiety and said, ¡°It¡¯s about my secrets¡ I think I¡¯m ready to talk about them,¡± then she tapped at the center of her chest, ¡°The first is this one.¡±
The voxen twins looked confused for a moment and Phoenix pulled down the collar of her dress far enough for them to clearly see the Soul Mark emblazoned on her pale skin. Both of them looked shocked at the discovery that she was Favored by six different deities. The scene they had witnessed with the Cultivator finally made more sense. However, neither of them spoke, allowing her to continue.
¡°Dazien and Uriel saw it before. After I got hurt in a fight,¡± she explained briefly, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell them why I got it though except that it was tied to a divine quest,¡± she said, gesturing towards her book, which they had all become accustomed to the odd ability over the last few months of it chasing after her with information and ill timing.
She made the quest reappear for them as she summarized, ¡°The quest has three parts. First, is to find the three lost relics of the Tyrandian Monarchy. Second, is to find its heir. And third, is to overthrow the current regent and place the heir upon the throne. I get a bonus if I manage to avoid causing a civil war.¡±
The other four members of her party stared in silence as they processed the information and Rayna was the first to ask, ¡°Wait. The gods want you to fix Tyrand?¡±
She nodded solemnly and then went over the story of her encounter with Hero and Rebel shortly after meeting Paul. Phoenix even pulled back her sleeve to display the rainbow runes tattooed around her wrist binding her in an Oathbond to the two deities which made most of the group, save Rayna, all the more somber. She also added that she hadn¡¯t really brought it up because her only clue from Scholar was to hit Sapphire Caste first.
The Shatter Bard seemed the most excited, ¡°A quest from Hero! That¡¯s amazing, Phoenix! I¡¯m even more stoked to hit Sapphire now! Once the blood moon ends, and we get done with the parties, we¡¯re totally gonna go on this epic quest, right?¡±
Phoenix was caught up by the Striker¡¯s enthusiasm but said with a bit more reservation, ¡°I would love for you all to join me. I don¡¯t think I can do this on my own.¡±
She paused as she glanced towards Dazien who seemed unusually quiet as he stared at the book deep in thought, ¡°That is, if our party leader is okay with it.¡±
He glanced up with his amethyst eyes but, before he could respond, the door to the room opened and Paul ordered the group, ¡°Follow me. We¡¯re gathering at the AOA building. The announcement is happening now and the expedition is about to begin.¡±
39 - Traitors
Phoenix already gave up trying to always keep Tala un-merged while in the city. The last ¡°incident¡± they had, with the small Familiar attempting to steal a sparkly hat off one of the chef¡¯s heads while they were cooking, helped convince her to just glow around the city instead of apologizing profusely to everyone wearing shiny jewelry. So while she was busy fighting down her anxiety about standing out, the rest of her party was raptly listening to Paul¡¯s explanation of what had happened during the raid of the Ruwena Estate and where they were heading now.
¡°What do you mean they ¡®seized the rift¡¯? It¡¯s basically a tear in reality to a pocket dimension. It¡¯s not like they can put it in a box and steal it,¡± Rayna practically shouted as Paul tried informing the party of the current situation while they all headed towards the AOA¡¯s staging point.
¡°No, but they can build a box around it,¡± Paul patiently explained in his gruff voice, ¡°Which is basically what they¡¯ve spent generations doing in order to harness its power and resources for the city.
¡°Now the main family, bolstered by their branch families and other allied parties, have barricaded the entrance and cut off the ley lines that feed mana to everything. Crippling our enchantments throughout the city.¡±
The twins gasped in unison and Dazien spoke up to clarify, ¡°You mean the city¡¯s alarms are down? We won¡¯t be able to respond to internal monster spawns?¡±
¡°Or power the wall¡¯s weapons,¡± Uriel added with increasing worry.
¡°Wait, I don¡¯t understand. I thought all that just used the ambient mana,¡± Phoenix asked in confusion.
¡°The magic quality here won¡¯t allow those systems to work naturally. The city of Tulimeir has spent hundreds of years and more resources than you can imagine to harness the power within the Reality Rift, which does have a high enough quality and quantity,¡± her mentor lectured while navigating the surprisingly empty streets.
¡°Is that why nobody is around like normal?¡± Phoenix asked, gesturing to the sparse roads that only seemed to have guards and Adventurers traveling them.
¡°Yes, the Ducal Administration has ordered a temporary shelter in place while the defenses are down as part of their announcement of the Fall of the Ruwena House. Our primary objective for this expedition is going to be to take back and secure Tulisuda. Ideally, before they blow it up,¡± the Emerald Caster informed them.
¡°Question,¡± Phoenix interjected once more, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just go in and make them give it back? Everyone was just telling me earlier that you¡¯re the strongest Caster in the city.¡±
Paul shook his head and answered in gruff annoyance, ¡°We want to take back the Reality Rift, not level the city¡ My powers are not exactly suited for the environment.¡±
¡°Where is this Reality Rift exactly?¡± she finally thought to ask.
Everyone pointed down at the ground in almost perfect unison and she couldn¡¯t stop herself from glancing down at the smooth stone street. Paul expounded further, ¡°It¡¯s below the city. A veritable fortress was built around it and then the city built around that. It is the foundation for the whole area. If I go in there greatsword blazing, I could easily destroy something that would set off a devastating chain reaction and, unfortunately, I¡¯m not knowledgeable enough about the area to know what not to destroy. Besides that, I¡¯m still only a single person. I can¡¯t take on an army of Casters alone.¡±
The questions halted as they arrived at the staging point to the largest crowd of Adventurers and city guards that Phoenix had ever seen gathered in one place before. The siren raid came close but as it had been the middle of the night, not everyone had joined the call to arms.
Now, however, it seemed like every combat-trained person in the city who hadn¡¯t gone traitor had been gathered to defend their home and reclaim its most important asset.
Phoenix felt uncomfortable as many eyes turned in their direction to watch the man expected to save them once more and the small entourage of Crystal Casters following in his wake. Whispers and mutterings followed after them and she could only make out the occasional sentence.
¡°¨CSays she¡¯s a Wayfarer.¡±
¡°Outsider, you mean. Which continent do they¨C¡±
¡°¨CThat giant starry bird illusion, remember?¡±
¡°I heard they fought off the raiders in Vallinsarvi.¡±
¡°¨CPortaled me halfway across the tundra.¡±
¡°Prot¨¦g¨¦? He chose her?¡±
¡°A whole group of orphans training under the Lord Paladin? Must be exceptional orphans to manage that.¡±
¡°¨CDiscovered the Ruwena House¡¯s treachery.¡±
¡°He¡¯s favored by Warrior?¡±
¡°What kind of voxen are they anyways?¡±
¡°Do you sense that? She¡¯s an Aurabreaker!¡±
Uriel nudged her shoulder gently to get her attention and, as she looked up at him, he said under his breath to her, ¡°Remember, you¡¯re a princess now. You should do as Lord Wayland and Daze and hold your head high. It reassures the people watching.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not a princess, though,¡± she muttered in response, glancing at the two men leading the group forward before returning her eyes to the tall cinderen at her side.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
The Mage held her gaze for a moment before stating, ¡°You are to everyone who matters,¡± then he lightened the mood by smirking slightly, ¡°My king has decreed it, remember?¡±
She rolled her eyes dramatically but smiled despite her nerves as she looked around at the crowd still watching them pass.
At a gesture from Paul, Dazien held the rest of the group back as the noble Lord went to speak with the expedition organizer. They waited patiently despite the general unease of the crowd, knowing that every moment they weren¡¯t reclaiming the Reality Rift was another moment that monsters could manifest and attack the residents.
When an important looking runeforged took to a small platform to address everyone, with Lord Wayland standing slightly behind her to add the weight of his own authority to hers, a hush fell upon the crowd in anticipation of her words, ¡°Adventurers and Tulim Guards, as I¡¯m sure most of you have heard by now, House Ruwena has been revealed as a servant of the Renseres in alliance with the Soul Reapers and seeks to claim Tulisuda from beneath us.
¡°We cannot let this happen. Each party leader has been given Silencers to assist in capturing the enemy but do not hesitate to put down the traitors. Should we fail to reclaim the Reality Rift in time, everyone you know and love in this city, and perhaps the entirety of the tundra will be utterly annihilated. We cannot let Tulimeir fall,¡± the organizer stated passionately, whom Uriel helped Phoenix identify as the AOA Director, Agatha Trayvious.
Phoenix felt her anxiety continue to rise as the full severity of the situation was spread out before her with each word the director spoke. She felt a familiar furred hand entwine with her own as Saiya moved next to her to offer the Healer¡¯s own form of comfort.
She could feel her friend¡¯s soothing aura slightly expand to encapsulate their small group and Phoenix gave her a small smile of thanks as she felt her body relax slightly. The Wayfarer mentally reminded herself that she had her family with her. Sisters and brothers in arms along with a new parental figure that would make sure to protect her and everyone else on this mission for the fate of the city.
As the speech ended, Dazien led them towards the location Paul had pointed out to him with the other Crystal Caste parties, many of whom did not seem happy with their presence among them. Phoenix wondered if it was jealousy of their new position of prestige or just a general bias to outsiders or maybe it was something different altogether. She wasn¡¯t sure how many details of her involvement in uncovering the Ruwena family¡¯s deception had escaped or what Paul had even told people during his investigation into the noble house.
Their party was placed near the center of the group and Phoenix was concerned for a moment that they were getting special treatment to keep her safe until the Adventurer that was leading their contingent gave an order and she felt the flare of auras being projected as they prepared for battle.
With renewed understanding, Phoenix unleashed her aura which blossomed out to cover the entirety of the Crystal Caste crowd. A swarm of tiny [Starlight Companions] appeared over every shoulder, lighting the area like a sea of stars, with the glittering [Sun Shells] acting as bright suns around slightly blurred cores. With this much light being produced by the other effects and the daylight above, the shadows were struggling to hide her allies.
Many eyes turned to the Wayfarer but she followed Uriel¡¯s suggestion and held her head high as she focused all of her attention on their party leader. That was when she noticed that Dazien wasn¡¯t smiling. He always smiled when others were watching. Instead, he remained steadfast and silent, watching the Crystal Caster that was in charge intently to pass on the orders through the chain of command that had been hastily put into place.
Perhaps he was nervous, she wondered. This would technically be their first expedition and the stakes were high. Not only were they under intense scrutiny from their peers and commanders, but the price of failure was unconscionable.
It was only a few minutes later that the gathering moved, heading towards designated locations to descend into the earth where an entire second city lay beneath the towering skyscrapers above.
As they entered the depths, the little companions became even more helpful in providing more light than the glowstones embedded in the ceilings, which were barely flickering with the meager trickle of mana going to them after the ley lines that had been feeding them were interrupted.
When she noticed a small cloud escaping her mouth in the cool corridor leading downward, the Wayfarer realized they were on even more of a deadline as the citizens might start freezing without the warmth the magic normally provided.
In a sudden shift, as they went through one of the large underground gates, the ambiance of the corridor changed to a warmer red glow and the temperature began to rise. The pipes hanging from the ceiling were rattling slightly as if struggling to function and there seemed to be wisps of steam everywhere causing a severe spike in humidity.
Phoenix was internally grumbling about her clothes sticking to her when one of the walls gave way to clear glass looking over an immense cavern. She could feel her jaw go slack at the site of the enormous network of stone paths, lifts, stairs, and walls that mazed through the underground fortress and brief flashes of light indicated that combat had already broken out below where the few Emerald Casters along with the majority of Sapphires had entered before them from a different side.
Ideally, the Crystal Casters would never need to enter the battle but the enemy¡¯s numbers seemed much larger than was expected and they had the advantages of a fully functional magical fortress on their side.
As she took in the scene unfolding below, she managed to lay eyes on a brightly glowing red portal set into stone bricks towards the center of the fortress that looked like it might lead to the very pits of hell. She could only see it due to their vantage point as they continued descending the flights of stairs. A slight shiver ran down her spine at the sight and her [Guide Book] appeared near her and fed the new information into her via aura.
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New Quest: Tulimeir Traitors
Reclaim control of the Reality Rift below the city of Tulimeir.
Objective: Help defeat thirty traitors.
Reward: Rare Crystal Caste Spirit Gem.
Objective: Help reclaim the Reality Rift.
Reward: Rare Crystal Caste armor.
Bonus Objective: Don¡¯t die.
Reward: The rarity of other rewards is increased.
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¡°Again?!¡± Phoenix unwittingly said aloud and her party tensed as they glanced back at her. She flushed in embarrassment and silently pointed at the book in response, her panic slightly increasing at the words. The last time she had gotten that particular bonus objective, she had utterly failed. She wasn¡¯t looking forward to dying again, especially when her friends and mentor were nearby.
The redhead absently tugged at her braid as they continued making their way towards the battle. Rumbling resonated through the cavern and concerning tremors shook the earth as some stray attacks collided with the surrounding infrastructure.
Phoenix felt her heart leap into her throat as she finally spotted Paul atop one of the fortress''s outer walls, expertly wielding his large sword against the enemy forces. He was holding back his more devastating abilities in favor of precision and everyone knew it. What had caught her attention, though, was the change in its appearance. Before it had seemed made of a single piece of pure gold with a flowing crossguard that had reminded her of flames. Now, however, the massive blade was jet black and had glowing gold runes running up the center with a hilt made of the same dark onyx crystal stylized to make the crossguard look like a pair of crow wings in flight.
She felt the comforting grip of Uriel¡¯s hand on her shoulder as he reassured her, ¡°He¡¯ll be fine, Princess.¡±
40 - Crescendo
Phoenix nodded to the cinderen as she noticed Dazien¡¯s gaze lingering on the both of them and she recognized the assessing nature of it that reminded her of Paul; like he was searching for the answer to some question he wouldn¡¯t voice. She was about to ask him if something was wrong but he had already returned his attention to the path ahead.
They soon arrived at a secondary staging point where the groups were getting further directions. It seemed like their party was going to be securing the perimeter line where Phoenix¡¯s aura might be of most use and Saiya could provide healing while Dazien could help defend. Most of Uriel¡¯s kit caused too much collateral damage to be practical for the current environment, and Rayna was warned from punching the surrounding masonry while assisting in intercepting any enemies that might be chasing down a retreating ally.
Their party in particular was guarding one of the corridors that led directly towards the battle and people were moving past to join the fight while others who were injured were retreating past them to receive emergency aid from Saiya and her before getting sent further back to the hastily erected camp in one of the massive storage warehouses that had been emptied in a rush to accommodate.
Phoenix was beginning to become restless, unused to being sidelined while fighting waged nearby. She was surprised by the feeling welling up inside her and it took a while to recognize that it was desire. A desire to fight. The desire to unleash her powers and prove her strength. To grow stronger and protect the people around her. The Wayfarer began to understand Rayna¡¯s disposition a bit more with the bard¡¯s constant requests for battle.
She found herself growing frustrated by just standing there acting as a walking aura beacon despite Uriel and Saiya¡¯s attempts to distract and calm her. With surprised annoyance, she realized one of the things frustrating her, which had been slowly simmering in the back of her mind, was that Dazien had barely looked at her and hadn¡¯t spoken to her since they left the Wayland estate.
This revelation caused her to stop the mild pacing she had been doing out of apprehension and turn to stare at the Defender who was looking everywhere but at her. With a frown of confusion, she walked over to him. Her focused movement caught his attention and he turned to meet her gaze.
¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± she asked bluntly. Her nerves stripping away any attempt at tact she might have normally tried.
He looked thoughtful for a moment before saying indifferently, ¡°You should return to Lady Saiya¡¯s side where you¡¯ll be safe.¡± She started to object when he held up a hand to forestall her, ¡°We can talk later if you insist.¡±
¡°Why can¡¯t we talk now? It¡¯s not like there¡¯s anything to fight,¡± she argued, gesturing to the currently empty corridor.
The warrior lifted a brow at her impatience, ¡°We should still remain vigilant. We have a job here and we should do our best to perform it.¡±
Phoenix crossed her arms in front of her and asked, ¡°Can you at least tell me why you seem to be avoiding me?¡±
¡°No. Not now. Return to your post,¡± the gemite said bluntly. At her stubborn look, he gave a small scowl that she had never seen on his face before as he added harshly, ¡°That¡¯s an order from your party leader.¡±
Her eyes went wide at the command and she suddenly worried just how badly she had messed up for him to treat her like this. She lowered her eyes to the floor and nodded silently in acquiescence as she returned to Saiya¡¯s side as the voxen took her hand for comfort.
Dazien had never pulled rank on her like that before and she found that it made her more concerned than angry. They had become friends over the last handful of months and he had always stressed that he saw the title as just a bit of paper rather than power. For him to use that just to get space from her made her wonder just what kind of boundary she had crossed.
Phoenix¡¯s anxiety went into overdrive as she mentally walked backward through everything that had transpired between them in the last few hours. Going over every word and reaction trying to identify the point where she had made a mistake. Perhaps she had been wrong to confide in her friends? Maybe the increased attention from her joining House Wayland had agitated him? Was he jealous or annoyed? Perhaps the sheer weight of the secret she had buried and hidden from him had caused him to lose trust in her? How would he react when he discovered her other secrets?
Her thoughts were interrupted by something entering her aura range that sent her on high alert: a Crystal Caster closely followed by a Sapphire one. She quickly relayed the information to the rest of the party and Dazien utilized his communication ability to inform his direct commander, who he had added to his communication network in addition to their party and Paul before they had left the initial staging area above ground.
Phoenix felt the battle energy begin to climb within her as the two auras kept getting closer and they took up defensive positions, preparing to meet a potentially much stronger opponent that came with a higher likelihood of resulting in all of their deaths. She couldn¡¯t allow that to happen. She didn¡¯t think she could handle losing another family member that her fellow companions had become.
The Wayfarer pushed her fears down, smothering them with the adrenaline that spiked as her heart sank when they came into view. The Crystal aura belonged to young cinderen clearly wearing the attire of one of the city guards and who was bleeding heavily while sprinting for their life. The Sapphire was a runeforged that was closing the distance behind the guard and was moving fast, a silver bow pulling back arrows composed of blue fire that were aimed straight at the retreating Crystal Caster.
Dazien raised his shield and triggered [Lead the Charge] as Rayna and Phoenix launched themselves forward to help intercept the archer while Uriel and Saiya positioned themselves behind the temporary half-walls erected as a makeshift barricade to cast from afar.
¡°Let dreams become reality,¡± Phoenix muttered as she passed Dazien, conjuring a swarm of illusory birds to help keep the enemy¡¯s attention off of the retreating guard and buy her, the Striker, and Defender time to close the distance.
Rayna began the slow cadence of drumming footsteps as the voxen¡¯s speed increased, dodging flaming arrows as best as the bard could, which was far better than Phoenix, though, she was slightly able to cheat with her gravity ability shunting her to the left or right by pulling herself towards the walls when needed.
All three of them ignored the Crystal Caste guard as they moved to intercept the enemy and hopefully provide cover. The rain of blue arrows didn¡¯t seem to care who they were attacking, however, as the Sapphire Caster let loose his abilities upon them.
When the [Starlight Companions] were all destroyed from blocking the initial projectiles they hadn¡¯t managed to dodge, all of their forms blurred further as the shadows gained strength in the darkening corridor. Phoenix pulled the enemy archer towards her and the blades she wielded, causing them to collide and Phoenix to immediately regret the encounter as the sheer force of his Sapphire Caste counterstrike sent her hurtling backward.
Rayna struck from behind then, making the archer stumble slightly at the blow from the opposite direction but he recovered quickly, triggering another ability that sent him further back the way he had come from in an instant.
A few seconds later, Dazien¡¯s Crystal Caste shield met the Sapphire Caste weapon as the runeforged seemed to enchant it with another ability. A resounding ¡®crack!¡¯ filled the corridor and the Defender was rebuffed with an explosion of magic as his shield sundered in two. The warrior let out a cry of pain that she rarely heard from the frontliner as his arm was visibly broken in multiple places and all of the combatants were thrown backward from the backlash of a destroyed magic item that hadn¡¯t been gradually worn down.
She recovered almost as quickly as the Sapphire Caster, pulling herself towards the ceiling to dodge another incoming volley, while incanting coldly, ¡°Gaze into the abyss,¡± and scowled as she felt the enemy resist the Bane she had tried to apply. Then she heard Dazien grit out his own spell.
Ability: Call of Fealty
Type: Spell (taunt, magical, covenant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 2 minutes.
Current Caste: Crystal 8 (30%)
Crystal Effect: Inflict a target with [Hesitation] if they do not halt their momentum, and [Insolence] if they do not kneel before you, within 5 seconds.
- Hesitation (bane, magical, covenant, stacking): Agility is decreased.
- Insolence (bane, magical, covenant, stacking): Magical resistance is decreased.
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¡°Bow before your king!¡± the Defender recited but the Sapphire Caster just made a rude gesture with a free hand and laughed at the resisted spell.
Rayna moved to attack once more as Phoenix launched herself towards the enemy to attempt to push the runeforged with having to deal with two-on-one odds. She had managed to nick the man with her dagger as the sword got blocked and she heard the musical hit of the voxen¡¯s [Percussion Strike] land on the enemy¡¯s face.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
¡°You have forsaken my rule and thus forfeit your freedom!¡± her party leader incanted as he tried casting another controlling spell and they could see the magically reinforced cage ability begin to take form around the runeforged.
In response, the archer triggered that same ability to teleport further back and incanted ¡°Burn in the vortex of the frozen gale!¡± and seemed to use his bow as a staff by slamming the end of it against the ground. It began to glow a bright blue and the same blue flames that comprised his arrows now covered the bow and wind began to pour out from it in a growing swirl that seemed to be increasing in speed with each passing second.
As the Striker moved to attack the man at the center of the growing spell, Phoenix launched herself at her friend, grabbing the voxen around the waist and using her gravity ability once more to push both her and Rayna back toward the rest of their party and out of range of the unexpected melee ability. The winds had seemed to ignite at some point in their retreat as a tornado of blue flames surrounded the enemy, creating a lull in the fight.
Dazien moved to help the retreating Crystal Caster who was still stumbling their way down the hall toward Saiya who sent a bolt of her [Heal Life] ability to assist. Rayna moved to the opposite side of the gemite in order to grab the other side of the cinderen and the pair helped haul the injured guard behind the barricade. Phoenix followed closely behind, her mind churning as she attempted to think of a solution.
¡°He kept resisting my spells. How far out for reinforcements?¡± Uriel asked his best friend.
¡°Too far,¡± the Defender replied with a pained frown at the increasingly angered archer still in the vortex of his spell.
Phoenix glanced at Rayna to double-check that her friend was okay and she suddenly remembered something the voxen had told her a while ago as an idea formed in her mind. An insane plan that would require a crazy stunt of desperation and likely get her killed but had a high chance of taking the enemy with her.
¡°Saiya, I¡¯m gonna need you to boost me in a second,¡± the Supporter stated quickly as she conjured more sparkling birds to engage and distract the enemy.
¡°What crazy scheme are you concocting this time?¡± Dazien asked with a slight growl as Saiya began to focus on healing him next now that the retreating ally was recovering.
¡°I admit it''s crazy but ¡®scheme¡¯ might be a little misleading,¡± she replied, trying to sidestep the question, ¡°I just figured if we¡¯re gonna die anyways, I might as well go all out. Can¡¯t use some of my more devastating abilities without damaging the city but this one should be fine to take on this guy.¡±
¡°He¡¯s a Sapphire, Phoenix. He swatted you away like a bug before,¡± the gemite argued.
¡°Hence the boost¡ plus a few other boosts¡¡± she admitted then said firmly, ¡°I just need you all to trust me with this. You and Rayna should just stay back to protect the others, I¡¯m just planning to buy some time till the reinforcements arrive. If I¡¯m lucky enough, it¡¯ll only take a couple minutes to end this.¡±
Dazien was about to argue but Uriel¡¯s hand stayed his retort and, instead, their leader stated firmly, lifting a pair of uninjured fingers for emphasis, ¡°You have two minutes to burst him and return, otherwise I¡¯m coming to drag you back before Lord Wayland murders me.¡±
She gave a curt nod and turned to Saiya, ¡°Wait till I¡¯m a bit closer then hit me with it.¡±
The healer nodded and Phoenix didn¡¯t wait another moment as she sprinted down the stone hall, conjuring one of the [Magi Fortune Booster] potions she had helped craft, and tipping the concoction into her mouth as Saiya¡¯s power flowed into her.
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Item: Magi Fortune Booster
Potion created from the luck of a Spotted Ladybird, the strength of a Dragon, and the magic of an Arcane Wyrmling.
Caste: Crystal.
Availability: Rare.
Type: Consumable, potion.
Requirements: Crystal Caste.
Effect: Variably increases the effects of the next ability cast. Once the effects of the ability end all attributes are equally reduced for a moderate duration based on how greatly the initial effects were enhanced.
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Ability: Crescendo
Type: Boon (recoil, magical, song)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 6 hours.
Current Caste: Crystal 9 (34%)
Crystal Effect: Mind, Agility, and Fortitude attributes, along with maximum capacity and regeneration of mana and stamina pools, are greatly increased for a target ally for a moderate duration. When this effect ends, the targeted ally is temporarily debilitated, suffering the inverse of all previous effects.
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Then Phoenix triggered one of her new abilities: [Avatar of Bakunawa]. The shape-changing ability was an odd sensation as she felt her eyesight and teeth sharpen, her nails growing into sharp silver talons, her legs shifting slightly causing her to become taller and even her bones hardened.
Odder than the physical shifts, however, was the addition of a fifth layer to her aura, causing it to expand even further and enhance her Strength, Mind, and Magic attributes. The feeling reminded her to focus on using the added aura boost to push against her enemy¡¯s own aura causing a moment of surprised hesitation to cross over him. She attempted to capitalize on the moment and opened her mouth to spew swirling white and black dragon flames all over the archer.
It was the very next moment that she registered an additional message from the book trailing nearby and internally grimaced wondering why the world seemed bent on spoiling the best cheats for her.
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Warning: The selected ability, [Avatar of Bakunawa], combined with the [Magi Fortune Booster], has resulted in an excellent compatibility match for increased effectiveness. You have been temporarily enhanced beyond current Caste levels. The ensuing recoil will result in reducing attributes below current Caste levels.
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Not wanting to waste any of the precious time she had, she was ready as soon as the [Eclipse Breath] ended to follow up with another spell, ¡°Gaze into the abyss.¡± Now that she was temporarily pushed into Sapphire Caste power levels, she felt the Bane take hold. A flaming blue arrow managed to pierce her shoulder but she paid it no mind as she raked her new claws over the man, putting him at a disadvantage with the enclosed distance.
She noticed her aim was off, however, unused to the size and angle of slashing with claws instead of her dagger. She had done some hand-to-hand training with Bliss and her party to better embed the knowledge she had gotten from her Balanced Body tome from Warrior but it wasn¡¯t as second nature to her as she would have liked.
She pushed her bits of training to its limits as she punched, kicked, and attempted to slice the man to pieces, stepping back only to breathe fire again. The enemy was struggling slightly with her close range, trying to block as much as he could with his bow and continually attempting to put distance between them.
Knowing she needed to end things quicker so she wouldn¡¯t end up as a weakened Mundane while going toe-to-toe with a Sapphire Caster, she called in backup, ¡°Tala, cover me.¡±
As her Familiar emerged, she engaged the man again and [Star Fire] consumed both of them. Her [Moonlit Eyes] passive helped her see clearly through the bright flames as the archer let out a scream and attempted to cover his eyes. When he dropped his guard, that gave Phoenix the moment to pour more mana into a [Pull] of her [Ruler of Relativity] to increase the speed and force of her thrust towards the archer¡¯s chest and silver claws buried themselves into his chest.
A moment later, she collapsed to her knees as the power faded from her, and the crippling after-effects of the two abilities plus potion stripped away any remaining power she tried to cling to, threatening to take her life as well.
Her vision blurred as she looked up at the Sapphire Caster who was still standing, despite the hole in his chest, and a final flaming arrow was leveled at her face. It never landed though, as a diamond sword slammed into the runeforged, knocking him backward down the hall, and Phoenix glimpsed amethyst hair and kitsune tails pass by towards the downed enemy.
With a stray thought, she triggered both her mana tattoo and the stored-up glitter bomb of [Starlight Qi] in an attempt to stave off the quickly draining pools that would likely render her unconscious in a moment. Trying her best not to fall over as she tried to endure the sudden drop.
¡°Sweet flower, what did you do¡¡± Saiya¡¯s voice whispered nearby as Phoenix thought she caught a glimpse of a glowing tail and a wave of healing life energy flowed into her, forestalling the death that attempted to claim her once more. She slumped to the side, her cheek resting against the warm wet floor as her injuries were mended.
The Wayfarer attempted to sit up only to have the Healer push her back down while getting another pulse of Saiya¡¯s [Heal Life] spell sent into her. She tried again, only relenting once the Sapphire aura finally vanished from her senses. Phoenix stared at the ceiling, trying to gather any semblance of thought, as the pain continued to pulsate through her entire body. Meanwhile, Saiya continued to fight back the aftereffects of her having gone far past her physical limits and the cost the magic demanded payment for.
¡°Will she be okay?¡± Dazien¡¯s voice asked from somewhere she couldn¡¯t see. What she did see was voxen features staring down at her and she wasn¡¯t quite certain if Rayna had come over as well or if she had started seeing double.
¡°Yes but I¡¯m not sure when she¡¯ll be fighting fit,¡± Saiya¡¯s voice replied, ¡°Should I use [Restful Retreat]?¡±
¡°No, that¡¯ll take us all out of the fight and we need to defend this point,¡± the leader replied as she hazily looked up at him, the life energy not doing much when all of her base attributes were plummeting into Mundane realms.
¡°I don¡¯t have anything to just boost her Fortitude up a bit to keep her from dying if her attributes keep going lower,¡± the voxen informed with a hint of distress that Phoenix couldn¡¯t recall hearing before.
¡°Rex, help hold the line,¡± Dazien commanded, then the hall was filled with a scream which took her a second to realize was her own when someone had picked her up from the floor.
The healer scolded her torturer, ¡°Be careful! The inverse effects of those combined abilities and that evil potion have made her even weaker than a normal Mundane child. You could break bones at this point if you¡¯re too rough.¡±
¡°We have to move her back to the staging point. The other healers can tend to her there. Just because the Sapphire Caster is dead doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s safe here,¡± Dazien said firmly as he began moving and Phoenix groaned through clenched teeth, trying to hold back another scream, ¡°You three stay here and guard this point, I¡¯ll return quickly.¡±
¡°Why don¡¯t I take her? I¡¯m faster than you by far,¡± Rayna spoke up.
¡°Because you¡¯re a better choice for killing whatever enemy might come down that hall than I am. If another Sapphire appears you¡¯re the best chance for holding them back till our reinforcements arrive which should be any minute. Now, be sure to contact me through the voice chat if there¡¯s more trouble.¡±
They must have nodded because she didn¡¯t hear any more voices as her leader moved quickly back towards the encampment, dropping her off to be tended to by the healers as he went to report in person to their commander.
41 - Tulisuda
Today was turning out to be the kind of day that started on a high note only to swiftly plummet downhill for Paul Wayland. Having Phoenix accept his offer of adoption and then having her walk behind him and not be ashamed was the peak of his day so far. He had expected the anxiety and trepidation his Prot¨¦g¨¦ had just beneath the surface but he felt a surge of pride when she took her place in the center of the procession of Crystal Caste parties and showed everyone the strength of her limit breaking aura.
¡°Such a dad already,¡± Orebela remarked at his stray thought.
¡°Weren¡¯t you the one insisting I become one?¡±
¡°And it turns out This One was right again,¡± the monotone voice somehow managed to say smugly.
The paladin mentally rolled his eyes and refocused his attention on Director Agatha as she went over the approach the strike team he would be leading was going to take in their attack on the Stronghold. The location was a veritable fortress within the fortress city that guarded the Reality Rift which was the lifeblood of this city; which was currently being choked off.
Paul didn¡¯t normally do ¡°leading¡± in general but, as he was the only Emerald with a combat focus, he didn¡¯t get much of a choice in the matter. He wouldn¡¯t be very hands-on with his leading anyway though, as his main objective was to take down Lady Ruwena and get to Tulisuda before the enemy could do any more damage. The secondary objective he had was to not accidentally throw a Flame Javelin into the wrong pipe and collapse a tunnel or building on top of them all.
His powerset was designed around a very singular goal: hit it hard and hit it fast. Even the Spirit Gems he had chosen over the years were in support of that focus and only very rarely did he find himself regretting that role. He had been a Midshift Striker for so long that he couldn¡¯t even imagine doing things any other way.
He was distracted from his thoughts when a man he hadn¡¯t expected to arrive there stood up next to the Direct to add his own endorsement, ¡°Remember, while we would still prefer capturing any enemy target you have the opportunity to, do not take any extraneous risks in doing so. Our goal is reclaiming Tulisuda and restoring the ley lines that the city depends on, anyone who stands in the way of that goal is a traitor of Tulim,¡± Duke Victor Tul said to the gathered Sapphire Casters and the one Emerald Healer they had managed to rally on such short notice.
Everin Starlark was another voxen that had migrated from Epa Toivo and had cultivated his Caste to the Emerald tier just that month. As a Spirit Advocate, the man''s Class specialized in boosts and regenerative Boons that healed slowly over time but were cheaper and more sustainable for long battles. The playful man was also a Cleric of the Rebel and Paul wasn¡¯t entirely convinced that the Healer¡¯s sudden immigration wasn¡¯t related to the presence of his Prot¨¦g¨¦.
He had only had a brief interaction with the Cleric after the man joined up with his group returning from Epa Toivo when he had first stumbled upon the Dewsong twins and offered the pair an escort to the city that might be a better fit for the orphaned pair. Everin had said he was already making his way there for the blood moon as it offered less dangers and greater protection but the timing made Paul suspicious.
The voxen hadn¡¯t come sniffing around, however, mostly staying at the temple while assisting the AOA with healing up their wounded during the months since Krafti had turned crimson. The thing that Paul had noticed most was that the Cleric was always quick to smile and find humor in any situation and the man had made their interactions seem like a test of wills on whether the voxen could make him laugh or if he could manage to maintain his stoic mask. So far, Paul had won every challenge.
He was glad for the Healer¡¯s presence today, however. With unknown enemies potentially waiting in the wings and the fate of a city resting on his shoulders, Paul needed as much help as he could get. An Emerald Healer, even a freshly cultivated one, was nothing short of a boon for him.
As the AOA director made the commands for them to start heading for the frontlines of the Stronghold, he found himself walking next to the Cleric who gave him a fanged grin, ¡°Greetings, Lord Paladin,¡± Everin said casually, ¡°I must say, I do love the new look. Though, I¡¯m sure my goddess would have been more than willing to welcome you to our own clergy if we had known you were seeking rededication.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure Rebel would have been able to offer what I sought, Cleric Starlark,¡± he stated with a flat look, ¡°I wasn¡¯t seeking to take down a kingdom.¡±
The voxen¡¯s grin widened as his pleasant tenor dripped with sarcasm, ¡°No, you just sought to take down a noble house that has accumulated far too much power to benefit the people they were meant to serve. How silly of me to think Rebel might be interested in such a goal.¡±
¡°My goal was not that grand,¡± he pointed out.
¡°And yet here we are,¡± the man replied, his slitted sapphire eyes dancing with mirth, ¡°Leading an assault on a Stronghold claimed by noble greed.¡±
¡°With the backing of the Duke. I¡¯m fairly certain we¡¯re the ones stamping out the attempted rebellion,¡± Paul argued as the devil¡¯s advocate.
One of Everin¡¯s five tails wrapped around to cover the bottom half of his face, like he had seen others in Blomstra do with a hand fan to seem mysterious, as the voxen said with a wink, ¡°I think you¡¯re beginning to understand how many things are all about perspective, Paladin of Avenger.¡±
¡°You say that like I¡¯m not at least a decade older than you,¡± he griped as they began descending into the lower levels and their speed picked up as they wanted to take the enemy by surprise without leaving the Sapphires too far behind.
¡°Age has little bearing on wisdom or experience,¡± the Cleric shot back, lifting up a wand to begin channeling spells through, ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard you were one of those enemies until very recently. Let the long path be free of burdens.¡±
Paul felt the Boon settle on him and another scrap of paper helped spell out the effects for him though he could intuitively sense the general idea.
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Class Ability: Light Spirited
Type: Boon (magical, light)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Current Caste: Emerald 1 (2%)
Crystal Effect: Cast on an ally to reduce the stamina cost of their abilities for a moderate duration.
Sapphire Effect: Can cast this Boon on many allies at once for a cumulative mana cost. Additionally increases Agility by a low amount.
Emerald Effect: Additionally increases the effects of Movement abilities and reduces the cost of Boons by a moderate amount.
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After taking in the information, the Wrath Blade finally smiled as he said, ¡°I guess you¡¯ll get to see what I do to my enemies and be thankful we¡¯re allies now, as we assist your goddess in freeing their souls from their mortal containers.¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Everin¡¯s tail dropped to reveal an excited vulpine grin as he said, ¡°Now you¡¯re really getting the perspective of how I fight for freedom.¡±
¡°Another Sapphire at ten o¡¯clock. Forward Defender that needs execution,¡± Orebela reported as he finished pulling his sword from the body of a Sapphire Striker he had just dispatched.
Paul glanced in the direction his Familiar had indicated where a woman in heavy armor was attempting to stumble away behind the safety of the last set of walls keeping them back from the Reality Rift. He scowled as he asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to try capturing some of them? This was the tenth Sapphire we¡¯ve taken out so far.¡±
¡°Capture is an extraneous risk,¡± she retorted quickly.
¡°That woman is barely standing and nobody else is left in this area,¡± Paul argued.
¡°All capture attempts are riskier than execution, Wayland,¡± the alien mind logically stated.
He was about to protest again when another Sapphire Caste aura came into range nearer to the enemy Defender and he recognized the runeforged with brunette hair in tightly braided rows along the scalp and bright blue markings as his own nephew coming into range to engage the woman who turned out not to be so injured that she couldn¡¯t fight back.
Orebela didn¡¯t need to say anything more as he triggered [Meteor Strike] and rocketed forward towards the enemy and combined it with his execution ability as he incanted, ¡°The judgment of the righteous has deemed you guilty.¡±
Class Ability: Meteor Strike
Type: Special Attack (combination, movement, elemental, fire)
Cost: High stamina and mana.
Cooldown: 30 seconds.
Current Caste: Emerald 10
Crystal Effect: Accelerate through the air towards a target. When used with other combination attacks, any physical and Fire damage is increased during the combination.
Sapphire Effect: An explosion is produced from the impact point, inflicting Fire damage and [Burning] on any enemies in the area.
Emerald Effect: Any enemies in the area are also knocked back from the impact point and inflicted with [Condemnation].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
- Condemnation (bane, divine, radiant, stacking): Decreased Fire, Light, and Radiant resistance.
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Class Ability: Judgment of the Zealous
Type: Execute (combination, purge, divine, radiant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Current Caste: Emerald 9 (99%)
Crystal Effect: Enchants your weapon so that its next attack inflicts additional Radiant damage on impact. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
Sapphire Effect: Deal increased damage to enemies with Dark, Death, or Void attunements, or have the [Corrupted] status and purge a random Boon on impact.
Emerald Effect: If used at the end of a combination attack, the weapon is automatically enchanted again at no additional cost and slightly enhanced effect.
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Paul didn¡¯t need that second execute effect as the enemy crumpled against his sword and the wall indented with the force of the combined blow. He only took a moment to brush a finger against the woman to loot her body and begin her decomposition into blue ash. Then he turned to his nephew with a stern look.
¡°Ah, there you are Uncle Paul,¡± Patric said with an amused glint in his brilliant blue eyes, ¡°We missed you at our potion crafting party yesterday.¡±
He gave the runeforged man a flat look and said dryly, ¡°I¡¯ll have to raincheck for next time. Perhaps, you can explain to me why you¡¯re this far behind enemy lines?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not really behind the line,¡± the younger Adventurer said, as he patted a palm against the half-crumbled wall, ¡°This is the line currently. They¡¯ve all retreated behind the inner bulwark,¡± the Sapphire Striker explained with a cheeky grin and Paul found himself wondering if his nephew had been hanging out with that foxy Cleric when he hadn¡¯t been paying attention.
¡°Are we regrouping at¨C¡±
The paladin¡¯s words halted as a voice he really hadn¡¯t hoped to hear during this battle spoke over their temporary mental link, ¡°Lord Wayland?¡±
¡°What is it, kid?¡± he asked Dazien through the voice chat, then added with a sinking feeling, ¡°Is she dead?¡±
¡°Not quite but she came pretty close,¡± the gemite admitted, ¡°She stacked Recoil abilities with one of the Boosters that we made yesterday which also had a recoil effect.¡±
¡°Hold on a second, kid,¡± Paul said quickly then glared at his nephew to ask, ¡°Did you give Phoenix recoil potions and not warn her about stacking those effects with her recoil abilities?¡±
Patric¡¯s eyes went wide and his jaw dropped as the young man repeated his question in horror, ¡°Is she dead?¡±
¡°So that¡¯s a yes. We¡¯ll talk about that later,¡± then he focused back on questioning Dazien, ¡°Where are you now?¡±
¡°I¡¯m carrying her back to one of the healing checkpoints. She can¡¯t fight anymore after taking on that Sapphire.¡±
He couldn¡¯t help himself as the odd sense of pride surged up as he clarified, ¡°Your party took out a Sapphire?¡±
¡°Mostly Phoenix, but she paid the price for it,¡± the Defender admitted, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I failed to keep her safe again, sir.¡±
¡°We can talk about that later,¡± he muttered, then glared at the wall between him and the remaining enemy forces, the wall that was between him finishing this mission and getting back to his family, ¡°Get her to the healers and I¡¯ll meet up with you soon.¡±
¡°Uncle, we still need to regroup at the gate to¨C¡±
Paul raised his greatsword, the normally golden runes still glowing brightly with Radiant energy along the onyx blade that looked cut from jet black crystal with the light coming from the runes, and he brought it down on the wall itself, blasting a hole right through the defensive structure.
¡°Or we could just go through this convenient backdoor that so suddenly appeared,¡± Patric said, then added after noticing his glare, ¡°I¡¯ll just go get the others to meet you here.¡±
¡°So how long till we get inside?¡± Paul asked with a huff of annoyance.
¡°I¡¯m not a magical lockpick, Wayland,¡± retorted Ethan Teras who was currently waving a wand at the rift that was dangerously crackling with lightning chains around it, ¡°Reality Rifts are not my specialty, that¡¯s your cousin¡¯s domain.¡±
¡°Where¡¯s Camilla then?¡± he asked, going over to look at the tome the Magi had been referencing earlier, ¡°Don¡¯t you usually keep her on hand?¡±
The cinderen paused to glance at him, ¡°Would you really want me to bring her to an active combat zone, even as a supporting ritualist on the backlines?¡±
¡°Not when you say it like that,¡± he grumbled at the man who he had rekindled friendship with over the last couple of months since his return and working together to protect the city and his Prot¨¦g¨¦.
¡°Patience, Paul,¡± the man said, refocusing back on the Rift that had been sealed in a rush, ¡°Camilla¡¯s on her way now but I¡¯m hoping to crack it myself before she arrives. Lady Ruwena might be the Chancellor of the OOM but this was a sloppy job done out of desperation. We¡¯ll get in soon enough. Why don¡¯t you just go check in on that girl of yours?¡±
He nodded absently then paused and decided to let his friend know, ¡°It¡¯s not quite official yet but she agreed to let me adopt her.¡±
Ethan¡¯s head snapped to look at him with surprise before he broke into a smile, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, Paul. Congratulations on gaining a scion. I can say from experience that it can be a wonderful blessing.¡±
¡°Thanks, Ethan. How are Polissa and Simmon anyway? We don¡¯t really talk about them much,¡± he added a bit awkwardly.
The Magi laughed, returning to the task at hand while speaking, ¡°They¡¯re here helping in the battle actually. I¡¯m proud of how far they¡¯ve come already but I¡¯ll admit it made me feel old when they became Crystal Casters. Polissa¡¯s twenty already and Simmon just turned seventeen.¡±
The Rift turned a warm orange color then, the blue lightning seeming to lessen slightly, and Ethan noted, ¡°Well that¡¯s a good sign,¡± before glancing at Paul once more and admitting, ¡°Honestly, I haven¡¯t talked about them much because I didn¡¯t think family life appealed to you.¡±
¡°I¡¯m a Wayland,¡± Paul said with a roll of his eyes, ¡°We¡¯re all about family. Pati¡¯s a great example.¡±
The cinderen nodded and said hesitantly, ¡°She is, but you¡¯ve always kind of been the black sheep of the family, no offense intended. You left them behind, Paul.¡±
¡°Not because I wanted to,¡± he grumbled, ¡°I¡¯m still surprised my father kept me as heir after our last argument that made me leave the city. He made it clear I wasn¡¯t welcome.¡±
¡°So why did you come back? You could have petitioned the summons,¡± Ethan pointed out as the Magi moved to his side to reference the book once more.
Paul gave his friend a crooked smile, ¡°Because my family asked me to.¡±
42 - Noble Duty
It was another hour before their party reunited at Phoenix¡¯s temporary healing cot. The amount of healing she had undergone had almost made her wish she had died, at least healing from that was instantaneous and complete.
She was also disappointed in having to replace her torn sleeves from the transformation effects that she hadn¡¯t considered before attempting the ability. She would need to look into finding some enchanted gear that would adapt to the shape-shifting later.
Rayna was getting her up to speed on what had happened while she was bedridden. Apparently, their tunnel had been hit by a few more Crystal Casters but, after the arrival of the Sapphire, they had gotten another group as reinforcements and managed to take out the new enemies in short order. Then the call came to regroup at the various secondary staging points that had been set up as they closed in on the Rift.
They hadn¡¯t gotten the details about the reason for that yet but Paul soon showed up to check on them. He spared a disapproving look at both her and Dazien for her current state but didn¡¯t voice his criticisms as he went into explanations.
¡°Once they lost their twentieth Sapphire, they retreated into Tulisuda itself,¡± her mentor informed with a huff of annoyance, ¡°We¡¯re regrouping and healing up for the moment while trying to unlock the seal they put in place before we advance further.¡±
¡°We¡¯re going into the Reality Rift?¡± Rayna asked with a mixture of excitement and trepidation, and Phoenix recalled the last one the voxen twins had gone into had claimed the rest of their former party.
The paladin gave a pointed look at Phoenix still lying in a healing cot but muttered reluctantly, ¡°Perhaps. It didn¡¯t escape the notice of some of the higher-ups that your party managed to take out one of the Sapphires that caused their retreat.¡±
¡°At a price,¡± Dazien said bitterly, also sparing a glare towards his stubborn subordinate, ¡°I¡¯m not sure we¡¯ll be as much help inside the Rift itself. How many enemy Casters are estimated to remain?¡±
¡°At least another dozen Sapphires escaped through the rift,¡± Paul said, ¡°However, we¡¯re expecting an even stronger resistance inside that has been in hiding for a while. Plus, we¡¯re ill-equipped for the conditions inside there. Unless you¡¯ve worked within Tulisuda, most Adventurers on the tundra have no need of heat and Fire resistance gear.¡±
He gave a nod toward Uriel, ¡°Most of the cinderen will have an easier time of it, which is one of the reasons our city has such a large population of them, but only about half of our forces have their usual Fire Attunement.
¡°The more concerning news, however, is that it appears the enemy¡¯s numbers have been bolstered by the Renseres,¡± the rededicated paladin practically spat when saying the name of the overzealous branch of his previous faith.
The party of Crystal Casters shared nervous glances, all too aware of the man¡¯s former falling out with the stark reminder of his vengeful regalia on display. She decided to speak up, ¡°We should help you fight them.¡±
The words seemed to surprise her friends and the Wayfarer expounded, ¡°You all said so yourselves; they¡¯re monsters. They will destroy this city for no better reason than to gain the favor of the Soul Reapers.¡±
She made a point to lock eyes with each of her companions as she spoke before finally resting on Paul¡¯s golden ones, ¡°I¡¯m sure there are Crystal Caste threats in there as well that we can occupy so that the others can focus on the more powerful Casters.¡±
¡°Do they have any Emeralds?¡± Dazien inquired.
Paul shook his head, ¡°By all accounts it¡¯s just Crystal and Sapphire but we won¡¯t know for certain until we find them. If there is an Emerald, I will most likely need to be focused on them while the other Adventurers handle the rest.¡±
¡°We can be some of those other Adventurers,¡± Rayna piped up in support of Phoenix¡¯s position.
Lord Wayland stared at each of them for a moment with his assessing gaze that silently spoke volumes before he tilted his head slightly and said, ¡°We will see. For now, rest up so you might be ready if called upon.¡±
He left the party to return to his own duties and the party gathered seats near Phoenix¡¯s cot as they each ate a [Crystal Mana Bit] to replenish their reserves and most began doing a quieter version of meditating to cultivate their gains from the battle. Saiya even used one of her abilities to help them and began to softly sing.
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Passive Ability: Meditative Guide
Type: Boon (magical, song)
Current Caste: Crystal 9
Crystal Effect: Sing a song of guided meditation, enhancing the effects of meditation to nearby allies.
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Saiya had been the one to teach all of them this style of meditation that they could use when limited on open space to perform their usual kata-style techniques. Their more active techniques, like her Dual Sword Dance of the Weapon Wielding Warrior, seemed to be a bit more efficient for them to cultivate with but the quiet lotus position would do in a pinch. Once the Healer¡¯s singing ended, Phoenix took some time to briefly glance over her profile and gauge her progress.
Profile: Phoenix Fraser
Species: Wayfarer
Current Caste: Crystal 3
Attributes
Strength (Sun): Crystal 3
Agility (Dark): Crystal 4
Fortitude (Star): Crystal 5
Mind (Moon): Crystal 2
Magic (Celestial Astromancer): Crystal 3
Natural Talents
Astral Traveler
Guide Book
Collector
Beacon of Hope
Waypoint
Divine Titles
Chosen One
Titles
Adventurer
Slayer
AspectsEnjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.
Star
- Guiding Stars (Aura Passive)
- Transversing the Stars - Crystal 7 (54%)
- Cosmic Phoenix (Class) - Crystal 4 (10%)
Dark
- Embrace of Shadows (Aura Passive)
- Night Blade - Crystal 5 (96%)
- Call of the Abyss (Class) - Crystal 3 (32%)
Sun
- Radiant Sunlight (Aura Passive)
- A New Dawn Rises - Crystal 5 (78%)
- Meteor Shower (Class) - Crystal 2 (20%)
Moon
- Moonlit Eyes (Perception Passive)
- Lunar Dream - Crystal 4 (56%)
- Avatar of Bakunawa (Class) - Crystal 1 (6%)
Celestial Astromancer (Class)
- Astral Oasis (Aura Passive)
- Ruler of Relativity - Crystal 6 (71%)
- Supernova (Class) - Crystal 1 (0%)
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Her abilities were making good progress but some of her new class abilities were going to be a pain to level up. A few in particular were so niche and devastating that it was impossible to use them with any kind of frequency.
She noted that her [Cosmic Phoenix] ability had gained about two percent from her fight with the Sapphire Caster earlier and made a mental note to try fighting with keeping Tala merged if she came across another Sapphire threat to try and compare the growth rate.
Despite her trepidation over her newest and final ability, she was glad that she could truly work towards Sapphire Caste now. The Wayfarer¡¯s attention was pulled away from her book as she felt someone watching her and she glanced over to see Dazien staring at the glowing book in her lap with a slight frown.
She caught his eye and raised a brow, asking softly, ¡°We going to have that talk now?¡±
His frown deepened as he glanced at the others and shook his head in the negative.
Rayna spoke up, trying to turn the conversation away from the awkward tension that had been growing between the two of them, ¡°I know Murinah was insane, she definitely gave off those creepy stalker vibes when asking about joining our party, but it¡¯s still hard to believe that her whole family was as well. From what I¡¯ve gathered, they¡¯ve been one of the noble houses of Tulimeir since its founding. Turning on their very purpose of guarding and maintaining Tulisuda is a complete betrayal of their duty.¡±
¡°Noble duty should be to the people, not some Reality Rift,¡± Dazien interjected with a mixture of disapproval and anger.
Rayna frowned and argued, ¡°My people may be nomadic but we were also keepers of the desert oasis and the dune paths. Those landmarks were vital to our survival. Protecting and harnessing the resources of the land around you is a service to the people.¡±
¡°So long as they provide those services. If their priority is the resource itself, instead of the people, then they¡¯ll make choices like taking control of a Rift and annihilating the city around it,¡± he countered with a pointed look.
¡°They''re not protecting it if they destroy it,¡± the brawler retorted, ¡°If they had been doing their duty then the people would never have been in danger.¡±
Dazien leaned forward as he got invested in the debate, ¡°If every noble made it their duty to protect and uplift the people they are meant to serve, then the greed and corruption of securing and managing resources would never become an issue that could cause harm. As soon as resources become the focus, then lives just become another resource to be weighed and measured against.¡±
¡°Be realistic, Dazien. Nobles are people too and people do things for their own self-interests, no matter how virtuous they may be,¡± the voxen said with a roll of her vulpine eyes, ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen of the common folk in most places, they can¡¯t even agree on what¡¯s best for them or how they should be ¡®protected and uplifted¡¯. They just blame the nobles for all their problems and expect them to provide the solution. Usually, those problems involve resources, like Tulisuda. How can your nobility protect them without someone maintaining the Rift that feeds into the ley lines that power the defenses?¡±
Phoenix decided to contribute a bit to the conversation at that point, ¡°In my old world, there were systems of government where the people, or ¡®common folk¡¯ as you put it, did help rule themselves. It had mixed results and usually depended on how many resources were involved. Dazien¡¯s not wrong when he says resource control leads to greed and corruption.¡±
¡°How would a system like that even work?¡± Saiya asked quizzically, having been listening quietly while wrapping a tail around Phoenix¡¯s leg currently covered by the silvery training gear the Supporter normally wore under her dress now and not wanting to jostle around too much while recovering.
¡°Well, everyone votes for who they would want to run certain things. There were a bunch of different variations but the central idea was that the people got to choose their leaders. We call it democracy and I think it works better than hoping the right person was born into the right family,¡± the Wayfarer explained.
¡°Take Murinah, for example,¡± she continued, focusing her attention on Rayna, ¡°You said that you knew she was insane but she was slated to take over the whole family, right? So she would have eventually gained control over the Rift just because she was born into privilege, not because she would actually be capable of the job.¡±
¡°Wait, so who led the people?¡± Dazien asked in confusion, ¡°Are you saying they just voted for their king?¡±
¡°They weren¡¯t usually called a king, though some monarchies became a mixture of sorts,¡± Phoenix blushed slightly as she admitted, ¡°I¡¯m not positive how best to explain all the different versions. I was never really interested in politics and most of what I know comes from a single semester of high school.
¡°Different systems had different names, positions, responsibilities, etcetera. But most would elect a head of state that was kind of like a king for a few years until it was time to vote again and depending on how good a job they did they might be voted in again.¡±
¡°The king would change?¡± Saiya asked, also sounding a bit confused.
¡°Well, yeah, sometimes.¡±
¡°That seems inefficient,¡± Rayna pointed out, ¡°The new person would have to learn everything all over.¡±
¡°What happens if they pick a Crystal Caster or something? I doubt a Ruby would follow them,¡± Uriel asked, finally joining in on the conversation as well.
¡°Um, no idea. We didn¡¯t have magic, remember? Personal power was measured differently than Caste,¡± Phoenix scrunched her nose trying to figure out how to explain things like global economics and political influence. She really hoped that she wouldn¡¯t need to suddenly become an expert in these things by becoming Paul¡¯s heir, ¡°One of the biggest measurements of personal strength came in the form of money, also known as power coupons.
¡°The more money and wealth you had, the more power and influence you wielded. There were some exceptions to this but those who were highly skilled or talented would usually gain the appropriate amount of power coupons to place them in the social hierarchy. I read about a lot of politicians who gained wealth by making deals with other wealthy people who wanted things done their way.¡±
¡°Then what stops the people from electing an incompetent monarch or corrupt politician?¡± Dazien inquired.
¡°I never said it was a perfect system,¡± Phoenix replied, raising her hands in surrender. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a system in my old world that was completely incorruptible but the more checks and balances put into place and the more spread out the positions of power became, the more resilient to corruption it seemed to be, generally speaking.¡±
She gave them a weak smile and added, ¡°Personally, I think it would be better to have a council of elected officials that govern together rather than a single person who controls everything and is the sole arbiter of how the people can live.¡±
Dazien¡¯s expression darkened at her words, ¡°You truly believe that?¡±
She hesitated, noticing the change in his mood, ¡°Um¡ yeah. History is full of rulers that brought misery to their people. Dictatorships where power is consolidated into the fewest hands and anyone who was different or disagreed was killed.¡±
The gemite¡¯s voice became a low growl as he asked, ¡°Yet you would accept a quest to put a monarch on a throne? Make an Oathbond with unknown consequences to ensure a single person claims power over a nation? A person you¡¯ve never met before who might also become an evil dictator?¡±
Phoenix frowned at his words, ¡°The quest came from Hero and Rebel¡ I doubt they would ask me to replace a dictator with another dictator. Unless you¡¯re suggesting the gods can¡¯t be trusted; which, after everything I¡¯ve learned recently about the Purifier, I can understand now.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m suggesting but you don¡¯t even agree with the concept of a monarchy!¡± he said incredulously, throwing his arms up into the air as he stood from his seat, his unbound frustration now obvious to everyone as they all stared wide-eyed as their leader ranted, ¡°I never thought you a hypocrite before but you would accept a task to support something you don¡¯t agree with and not even bother to tell anyone? You would stay silent as you become friends with other nobles? You would stay silent as your friends talked about their dreams of nobility? Were you just quietly laughing at all of us? The noble voxen and the silly orphan playing king? You were handed the fate of an entire nation and you didn¡¯t trust the one person who was seeking the same opportunity?!¡±
The gemite was shouting at her by the end of his tirade. Anger and the pain of betrayal were clearly evident on his face as he seethed for a moment, the sudden silence stretching into uncomfortable unease.
After a few moments he seemed to gather himself as he clenched his jaw, ¡°Forgive my outburst. I¡¯m going to take a walk,¡± he muttered then turned to do just as he said, leaving the group in shocked stillness.
43 - Trust-Building Exercise
Phoenix stared down at her lap where Tala materialized to snuggle her, giving soothing chirps as the summoner held back tears. She knew that something had been wrong with her friend and having him confirm her fears that it was her fault, that she had messed up again, had her frustrated with herself once more.
Rayna moved her chair closer to put a furred hand on her shoulder and said, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t worry about him. He¡¯s just jealous of some royal heir out there.¡±
¡°No. He¡¯s right,¡± she muttered, gently petting the poofy bird, ¡°I didn¡¯t trust any of you with my secrets when I should have¡ Now that I do, it seems like too little too late. He¡¯s justified in his anger and I probably deserve worse than harsh words¡ I don¡¯t want any of you to think that your dreams are silly. Because I kept this secret, Dazien thinks I don¡¯t trust him.¡±
Phoenix didn¡¯t mention the secret she was still keeping, even though she had already resolved to tell them earlier. Now she fearfully wondered how he would react once she revealed that she could revive. Paul had made it seem like an even more important secret to keep. Even fearing that they wouldn¡¯t understand. Would Dazien yell at her again? Would he kick her off the team? Would her friends hate her now?
¡°Nobody can force you to trust them,¡± Saiya said softly, ¡°Getting angry because you didn¡¯t gain someone¡¯s trust sooner isn¡¯t justification for blaming them.¡±
The healer looked in the direction of where their leader had stormed off to and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think a lot of that anger was really directed at you honestly. He probably blames himself for not convincing you to trust him.¡±
The Wayfarer looked up at her and said, ¡°It¡¯s not his fault though¡ he¨C¡± she frowned thinking back on everything they had been through as she admitted, ¡°He did everything right. I was the one that was wrong. I was the one who was afraid and couldn¡¯t bring myself to rely on others. You¡¯ve all helped show me that.¡±
¡°Phoenix, I told you before that it¡¯s okay to have secrets,¡± the voxen said, scooting closer to her, ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself for this current spat. You aren¡¯t responsible for Dazien¡¯s, or anyone else¡¯s, feelings. You keep secrets because it¡¯s what you believe is best and he¡¯ll come to understand that soon enough. Sometimes our emotions and anxieties just get the better of us and cause us to lash out,¡± the Healer soothed and glanced back towards the exit that their Defender had just walked through, ¡°He¡¯ll calm down and realize you did nothing that any of us should make you feel guilty for.¡±
Her gaze followed Saiya in the direction of the exit as well, ¡°Still, I don¡¯t think I should ignore his feelings now either¡¡± she said, then turned to Uriel, ¡°How can I make it up to him? To all of you? I want to be able to show you that I really do trust all of you now,¡± she declared, turning to look at each of them.
Uriel gave a smirk and said, ¡°I¡¯m sure there are a number of ways but for starters why don¡¯t you just try talking to him?¡± He leaned forward slightly and explained, ¡°You know how curious he is. You set a boundary about your quest, so he stopped prying but that doesn¡¯t mean his mind didn¡¯t keep wondering. I think if you want to show him that you do trust him now, and I mean really trust him, then you let him ask without limits.¡±
¡°Boundaries are healthy,¡± Saiya interjected, ¡°If you¡¯re not comfortable with something then you shouldn¡¯t feel pressured into doing it, even if it¡¯s just talking.¡±
The cinderen looked at her and tilted his head in acknowledgment but clarified, ¡°It¡¯s just one way to display trust for him. If you trust him completely, then you should feel comfortable answering the questions he gives because you can trust that he wouldn¡¯t ask anything that you wouldn¡¯t feel comfortable sharing with him. If a question like that does come up then maybe you can at least talk with him about why you don¡¯t trust sharing that information and give him the chance to understand your perspective.¡±
Phoenix mulled over the idea for a moment before asking, ¡°Is that why we played top three? Where the stipulation was you had to answer questions truthfully.¡±
Saiya gave a knowing smile and said with amusement, ¡°It¡¯s a trust-building exercise.¡±
Dazien Smithson stalked through the makeshift camp, his emotions roiling in a way that threatened to confuse him if he dwelt on them. He didn¡¯t want to stop and think, which was a rare sensation for him, but it was just turning out to be that kind of day.
He usually loved to work through a problem. A curious mystery full of intrigue that forced him to exercise his mind had always been almost as thrilling as wielding his sword. The fact that his mind currently felt so muddled that he would rather punch something was a testament to the unusual state he found himself in.
The gemite had always been adept enough at social situations to navigate them calmly and with minimal friction, especially with his Natural Talent to assist. Even though he had lived all his life in the city of Tulimeir, he had always been seen as an outsider. The lone gemite with purple hair and skin that was a slightly lighter shade of brown than the sea of runeforged and cinderen he grew up in.
With always being on the outside, he had to learn to adapt and talk his way into social circles, his Natural Talent being a boon in that regard. His words were weapons he wielded to show others he was worthy of notice and respect. By maintaining grace, tact, and confidence at all times, the others had flocked to his banner. Because of this, he couldn¡¯t recall the last time he had actually lost his temper and shouted in anger at someone.
Not only did he go off on a rant but it was at someone that he had trusted and cared for. Someone that he had promised to protect and support. The image of Uriel¡¯s disapproval and her stricken face was seared into his mind now as he marched out of the camp and down the tunnel he had previously been guarding with his party.
As he reached the point in the hall where Phoenix had fallen after pulling yet another crazy stunt in an effort to protect all of them, he punched the stone wall, sending a spider web of cracks through the surface. It seemed like no matter how hard he tried to protect her¨Ctheir Supporter¨Cwhen things were at their worst, she would be the one to make the sacrifice and protect him¨Cthe Defender.
He pulled his fist back to punch the wall again but a firm hand caught his arm and the rough voice of Paul spoke from beside him, ¡°The goal is to not destroy the city, remember?¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Dazien pulled his arm away, which the Emerald Caster allowed, as he muttered, ¡°Better the wall than you.¡±
The paladin raised an eyebrow and surprised the young warrior by giving him a smirk as the lord replied, ¡°I believe you would do even less damage to me, kid. Would you like to test it?¡±
The Crystal Caster¡¯s eyes went wide at the idea, then he shook his head and gave a frustrated sigh as he attempted to collect himself, saying in a much calmer voice, ¡°My apologies, Lord Wayland. I am not myself at the moment.¡±
He gestured to the empty hallway, ¡°It was the reason I came here. I realized that I¡¯m having trouble coming to terms with¡¡± he trailed off, glancing at his friend¡¯s mentor before saying uncertainly, ¡°Some information that Phoenix offered us earlier today regarding her divine Favors.¡±
The paladin¡¯s face scrunched in a way he had only ever seen the man''s apprentice do and said dryly, ¡°Ah. So she finally gave in,¡± then crossed his arms over a cream shirt, the obsidian armor currently absent, and inquired, ¡°I was there when she received the first two. What did she tell you?¡±
Dazien recounted what Phoenix had divulged then, after a moment¡¯s consideration, confided in the older Adventurer about the earlier conversation he had with the Wayfarer and how he had lost his temper, definitely expecting some form of retribution for shouting at the lord¡¯s soon-to-be-daughter.
He gave another sigh of frustration as he admitted, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do, Lord Wayland. I can barely understand why I¡¯m feeling¡ like this.¡±
¡°I have my suspicions on both why and what you¡¯re feeling,¡± the paladin said while leaning against the stone wall he had punched, ¡°I¡¯m guessing the core is all that anger, which I¡¯m quite familiar with, while there¡¯s also a bit of self-doubt and denial.¡±
The gemite stared at him with surprise in his amethyst eyes before scowling, crossing his own arms as he leaned next to the mentor, and muttered, ¡°Bloody aura senses,¡± causing Paul to chuckle. Dazien shook his head and asked, ¡°That¡¯s the what but you said you knew the why?¡±
¡°I said that I suspected, not knew. Reading auras isn¡¯t reading minds. I¡¯ve seen you with your companions and have been watching long enough to figure out a few things about you, however,¡± the lord admitted.
As Dazien stayed silent, waiting for the man to elaborate, Paul shook his head and said with a hint of amusement, ¡°For being so adroit at reading people you seem to have a blind spot for yourself.¡±
¡°Probably part of that denial you mentioned,¡± the young warrior mumbled.
The paladin chuckled again and agreed, ¡°Probably. There are a couple of reasons I suspect but I think in this case the root of your anger is caused by an additional feeling; one of inadequacy. Feel free to correct me if I¡¯m wrong, but you came here because this was the last place you felt like you failed at something,¡± he gestured to the stone ground in front of them; where the memory of pale skin and red hair matted with blood had once lain flashed across the party leader¡¯s mind.
¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± Dazien said in barely more than a whisper, ¡°I¡¯m the one who''s meant to defend the others but I failed to defend her. I keep failing her. If she can¡¯t trust me to fulfill my Role then why would she trust me with any of her secrets. Why would she trust me to lead?¡±
¡°Why indeed?¡± Paul reiterated, letting silence fall between them as he wallowed in self-pity before the older man spoke again, ¡°When we first met, I refused to let her join your party.¡±
¡°You didn¡¯t believe I could protect her. I almost got her killed that day,¡± he said dejectedly and added, ¡°You were obviously right. Today proved that yet again.¡±
¡°You know what the reasons she gave me for wanting to join you and your friend were?¡±
Dazien shook his head, glancing over curiously, as Paul recalled, ¡°It was because you were honest with her and could make her laugh.¡±
The young warrior¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected reasoning and sputtered incredulously, ¡°Make her laugh? She saw me more as a jester instead of a king?!¡± then grumbled, ¡°I know I accused her of laughing at me but I didn¡¯t actually believe she would.¡±
Paul gave a sad smile as he returned the younger man¡¯s gaze, ¡°Not at you, with you. I think she saw you as a flickering light of joy in a sea of darkness that threatened to consume her and still does,¡± he explained and Dazien relaxed slightly, contemplating the words as his mentor added, ¡°I¡¯d wager that¡¯s also what draws your partner in as well; whether he¡¯s aware of it or not. Perhaps, like him, instead of making it your duty to defend Phoenix''s body from harm, you can focus more on protecting her heart from despair?¡±
He pushed himself off the wall to get a better look at the paladin and practically pleaded, ¡°How?! I¡¯ve never met anyone like her before! Who runs towards monsters but away from friends?!¡±
The golden lord raised an eyebrow at him as though he was being an idiot and asked, ¡°Did you forget exactly which gods gave her that divine quest?¡± which made him realize that, yes, he was an idiot.
He gave another frustrated growl and kicked at some of the rubble on the ground, then gestured toward the paladin, ¡°How did you do it?¡± he asked, trying to find a solution, ¡°She obviously trusts you completely. How did you convince her?¡±
Paul gave another smirk and said, ¡°Saving her life multiple times and having Emerald Caste power,¡± when he gave the man an incredulous look, the paladin chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m joking.¡±
¡°You never joke.¡±
¡°I joke with Phoenix,¡± that made him give a flat look which elicited another chuckle as the lord amended his explanation, ¡°I was there for her. I reassured her and trusted her and never betrayed that trust. Just like you have been.¡±
Dazien felt tears prick at the corner of his eyes as he begged to understand, ¡°Then why? Why couldn¡¯t she trust me with the knowledge of her quest and Oathbond? Those are important details in her life and she didn¡¯t trust me enough to help shoulder the burden.¡±
It confused him slightly to see the awkward look that came over the Emerald Caster leaning against the cracked wall as the man rubbed at the back of his neck, ¡°Actually, kid, I might owe you a slight apology for that,¡± Paul said.
At his clueless blinking the man expounded further, ¡°I told her to not share that secret with anyone. You know what some people would do if they found out she was Oathbonded to a single god, let alone two. How many nobles do you know that would appreciate having a Rebel Bonded in their city?¡±
As the words clicked and his mind raced, Dazien had no doubt that the lord had been correct in his caution. Phoenix was lucky that she hadn¡¯t been killed already if anyone else had known. He had been so caught up on the importance of her secret that he hadn¡¯t thought about what would have happened if she had trusted the wrong person. She would be dead ten times over by now and that was the last thing he wanted.
¡°Wait, so¡ you¡¯re saying the only reason she didn¡¯t tell me was because you warned her not to?¡± he clarified.
Paul surprised him by stepping forward, placing a hand on his shoulder, and saying sincerely, ¡°Phoenix asked me if she could tell you. She does trust you and I think she may be right in this case. You¡¯re a good man, Dazien.¡±
He was speechless; which was only something that this man seemed to be capable of rendering in him. The words struck him at his core and the weight of his anger, fear, and inadequacies lessened. The first thing that finally came to mind as an actual coherent thought was, ¡°You¡¯ve never called me by my name before.¡±
Lord Wayland smiled at him and admitted, ¡°Yeah, well, I guess you¡¯re starting to grow on me.¡±
He returned the smile and felt a little more like himself as he joked, ¡°Does that mean you might adopt me too?¡±
Paul laughed and clapped him on the back, ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck, kid.¡±
44 - The Ruin of Ruwena
¡°Well, you seem fit for battle to me,¡± the voxen man said with a grin as he added, ¡°Now, I hope I don¡¯t have to tell you not to go stacking recoil effects again; unless you think your death is the only way to win, that is.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide as she blinked at the Emerald Caster before glancing over to where her mentor stood speaking quietly with the AOA Director, ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me never to do something that reckless again?¡±
She was still being held in the warehouse-turned-clinic with many of the other Adventurers and guards that hadn¡¯t fared so lucky during the assault. Meanwhile, her other party members had been helping where they could and Uriel kept her updated through their mental chat. Apparently, the damage on their side had been worse than expected due to the alliance of three noble houses that had flocked to Ruwena¡¯s banner under the propaganda of House Wayland and Teras spreading lies in an effort to seize more power for themselves.
However, news was spreading through the encampment that they would soon break the hasty seal on the Reality Rift and be able to enter Tulisuda itself to continue the battle. Phoenix didn¡¯t want to be kept on the sidelines again, especially when she knew Paul would be the one leading the charge. Even if she wouldn¡¯t be that critical to reclaiming the rift, she wanted to be there for the man who had been there for her and who planned to always be a pillar in her life.
Everin followed her gaze before giving her a wink and saying in a hushed whisper, ¡°Just don¡¯t tell the Lord Paladin I said that. I don¡¯t have your particular talents to come back from the punishment he might inflict upon me.¡±
¡°I¨CI don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± she lied¡ badly.
The Healer laughed and patted her head as if she was also a fluffy voxen kit, ¡°You don¡¯t need to fear, my little revolutionist. Your secrets are safe with me and my goddess. Now, go join your party and mentor. We¡¯ll need all the heroes we can get in the Reality Rift.¡±
¡°Thank you, Cleric Starlark,¡± she said before hopping up to do just as the doctor ordered. Passing on the information to the others over the chat network, she approached Paul, slowing down the closer she got to the pair of very important people.
Her mentor waved her closer, putting a hand on her shoulder when she came into range as he said, ¡°Agatha, I don¡¯t believe you¡¯ve met my Prot¨¦g¨¦ before. This is Phoenix Fraser and soon to be Wayland.¡±
She couldn¡¯t help but look up at him in surprise that he would introduce her already as part of his family. Then she was further surprised by the happy feeling welling up within her at the acknowledgment¡ Was he actually proud of her?
¡°A pleasure to finally put a face to the name, Miss Fraser. I¡¯ve only read about your activities so far,¡± the runeforged woman said with an amused smile.
¡°You¡¯ve read about me?¡± she asked in confusion, ¡°I¡¯m just a Crystal Caster though.¡±
¡°Who has fought above-Caste monsters, teleported half the AOA around the tundra, rescued hundreds of civilians both here and in Vallinsarvi, and discovered the traitors under our noses. It sounds like without your presence here no one would have raised the alarm in time to save our city from annihilation. So, yes, Miss Fraser; I have read much about you,¡± the director said as she continued to become speechless, ¡°Now, I assume you will be joining your Mentor in the next advancement within Tulisuda, yes?¡±
Phoenix glanced up at Paul once more and said with a note of question, ¡°Cleric Starlark said I was good to go. So it depends on if my Mentor approves the mission?¡±
Paul looked over her head and she followed his gaze to see Dazien who seemed to be getting yelled at by Rayna about something while Saiya nodded along with her.
Things still felt awkward between her and the Defender but they didn¡¯t have time to sit down and talk out their problems; there were traitors to defeat and a city to save.
Then her mentor said, ¡°Go let your leader know King¡¯s Dream will be joining us.¡±
She nodded and scurried off as politely as she could. She informed everyone at the same time through the voice chat, however, rather than approach the gemite in person. Sometimes it was just easier to pretend like everything was fine instead of trying to address the giant wall between them. She promised herself that she¡¯d find a moment later to talk with him privately and try to explain that she did trust him despite her secrets.
For right now, however, she decided to just make her way with her party to the staging area closer to the Rift where other parties were beginning to congregate as well. They had all been given the same mission: reclaim Tulisuda from within.
King¡¯s Dream was briefed a bit on Tulisuda while they waited. It was ideal for resource farming as the quality of the magic was higher, being High-Sapphire Caste, but the magical quantity, which determined the rate of spawns, was extremely low due to the magical infrastructure put in place that siphoned it to power the surrounding city. The main uses for the space within were to mine the uncommon and rare minerals in the area and collect the Elemental Shards that would naturally accumulate over time.
The exceptionally rare times that a monster did manifest, they had procedures in place to lock down the Rift from both sides until a suitable party could be called in to clear it out. The lockdown procedures, having been so well documented, were actually one of the main reasons they were even able to subvert them so quickly after the Ruwena family had triggered the defenses in their retreat. That and Paul¡¯s apparent antipathy of using doors.
As her party was listening and waiting, Phoenix caught some motion out of the corner of her eye and noticed one of the other cinderen women in a nearby party smile pleasantly and wave at her. She blinked owlishly for a moment, glancing behind her to see if there had been someone else the stranger was gesturing to, and when she confirmed that there wasn¡¯t, she hesitantly returned the wave causing the pretty stranger¡¯s smile to widen cheerfully.
She didn¡¯t have time to try and find out who the other Adventurer was, however, as Director Agatha Trayvious, flanked by Lord Wayland, Lord Teras, and Cleric Starlark, stepped up to address the group, ¡°The seal has been broken. Once inside we expect heavy resistance but our goal remains the same. We will root out the traitors and keep our city safe. The Lord Paladin will be striking first along with Cleric Starlark and the selected Sapphire Caste parties. Crystal Casters will bring up the rear. Good luck and gods¡¯ blessings, Adventurers.¡±
With that, Paul turned and conjured his greatsword and black feathered helmet as he stepped through the rift in reality that was a brightly glowing mixture of red and orange. Everin and the strongest Sapphire Caste party quickly followed behind. Once one of the members reappeared to inform them of the hostiles on the other side, the second team moved to promptly reinforce the first group, expecting sudden violence to be right on the other side.
After all the Sapphire Casters had entered, the party with the woman who had taken notice of Phoenix earlier went next while her own party would be the last through as the newest adventuring group since getting together after the blood moon¡¯s beginning.
As King''s Dream entered through what appeared to her like the gate to hell, she wasn¡¯t surprised by what she found but didn¡¯t have much time to process everything as they had indeed walked straight into a battle zone.
Fire and brimstone, ash and lava were everywhere and the heat was stifling to the extreme but that was less adrenaline-inducing than the chaotic mass of spells and projectiles being flung around them.
She reactively expanded her aura and could feel all the little [Starlight Companions] go to work, getting destroyed almost as quickly as the [Sun Shells] that had appeared around all of her allies. Phoenix spent the mana to renew them as quickly as she could, knowing they were likely the most effective thing she could offer at the moment as she attempted to follow her party in finding a more defensible position.
Paul was a devastating force among the enemies as he tore through their attempts at teamwork further empowered by the Boon-focused Cleric on his side. The vengeful paladin was fueled with wrath towards the traitors who had dared to ally themselves with the very clergy that had spurned him, made extremely evident by his aura radiating out over them all.
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Passive Ability: Flames of Purification
Type: Aura (cleanse, elemental, fire)
Current Caste: Emerald 10
Crystal Effect: Periodically cleanses Elemental Banes for allies within your aura.
Sapphire Effect: Increases Fire resistance for allies while decreasing Fire resistance for enemies.
Emerald Effect: Periodically cleanses Magical Banes for allies within your aura.
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The flow of the battle was hard to sense while in the thick of things but, as they were able to extricate themselves from the arrival zone, they could clearly tell that the Adventurers were pushing back the displaced nobles and their lackeys. Unfortunately, as they gained distance from the Rift, the environmental hazards became a much larger threat.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
While some infrastructure had been created to assist with the mining efforts, much of it was currently being destroyed by magically empowered attacks and devastating spells. The crumbling stone of what seemed to be the ruins of a small village was becoming further ruined as the battle raged around them. Stone bridges crossing lava flows made pursuing the retreating forces even more dangerous and Dazien led them away from the hazard and towards the direction Phoenix pointed. She had sensed a few Crystal Caste auras in one of the stone buildings that had seemed more recently refurbished.
Their leader bulldozed his way through, not even bothering to open the door as his weaker and slightly bent back-up shield bashed through it with the momentum built up from his [Lead the Charge] ability. Rayna and Phoenix followed quickly behind him to whittle away at the enemies gathered together while Saiya and Uriel blocked the exit to provide ranged damage and healing support.
The music didn¡¯t last long as they overwhelmed the poorly trained Casters who were quick to surrender rather than fight, having attempted to hide away. King¡¯s Dream quickly came to realize that they were members of the House who were more interested in magical research than combat and Dazien quickly accepted their surrender, conjuring the doorway to his storage space and retrieving the [Chains of Silence] each party leader had been given earlier from the AOA for just such a situation.
As Phoenix stepped out of the building to let the others handle the capture, her ever-helpful, totally not trying to murder her at all, book appeared to give an update about the progress of her recent quest.
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Quest: Tulimeir Traitors
Objective complete: Helped defeat thirty traitors.
Bonus Objective partially complete: You¡¯re still alive.
Objective reward increased from rare to epic.
[Judgment Spirit Gem] has been added to your collection.
Additional objective and bonus objective are still remaining.
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She frowned at the reward and wondered if she should just sell the extra Spirit Gems since she no longer needed them to unlock abilities. She would need the higher Caste versions once she hit Sapphire and would require more of them to unlock the next tiers in her abilities which she guessed would be costly if her book wouldn''t provide them.
The Astromancer wondered why her book thought she needed this current Crystal one, however, since it had been fairly consistent with giving things that would be useful to her. Then she recalled a certain gemite who still had an ability that needed to be unlocked and reassurance that she still wanted him to be her friend. Perhaps, this could help her break down the awkward wall they had both helped create from their own insecurities?
¡°Later,¡± she reminded herself, then began to walk down the path away from the building to attempt to ascertain which way they should head next.
She suddenly froze, sensing a familiar, yet slightly confused-feeling, Sapphire Caste aura heading in their direction and she noticed that she could finally make out the tainted presence of [Monster Seeds] within it that Paul had told her about. It was like little roots spreading throughout the intangible shroud in tendrils that tried to both strengthen and siphon it in some kind of ethereal symbiosis.
Distracted by the observation, she didn¡¯t react to turn back towards her party before Arktis Neired appeared a few meters in front of her. The katar-wielding juggernaut¡¯s face was filled with disbelieving fear that morphed into anger before settling into pure hatred.
¡°You¡ You did this¡ You were the one that told Lord Wayland and brought his wrath down on my family,¡± the cinderen spat at her.
Phoenix felt the slight dread that had entered her mind at the sight of her captor quickly shift into indignant anger as she retorted, ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one who kidnapped an innocent person in an attempt to murder them¡ twice.¡±
The woman seemed irate and yelled, ¡°I will not let some outsider that should already be dead be the ruin of Ruwena¡¯s long and noble history! I was going to be a part of that legacy and you stole that away!¡±
Then Arktis charged at her faster than her body could react, just as Phoenix was able to process the fact that she would get impaled by the Sapphire Caster, she was knocked to the side and heard the odd sound of a punching dagger piercing metal. Discovering that Dazien had shoved her aside to take the oncoming blow with his raised shield.
After the brief surprise, she reacted to the onset of combat remembering her leader¡¯s words; that she wasn¡¯t alone.
Rayna was already moving, her [Stepping Tune] and [Percussion Strike] beginning to ramp up as her [Gem Encrusted] armaments attempted to pummel the traitor with fists and tails. Large gems began to periodically appear, floating in the air in the voxen¡¯s wake that Phoenix knew were charged by the ambient magic to be used for later.
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Ability: Arcanist Gem
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, magical, arcane, gem)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Crystal 10
Crystal Effect: Construct a floating gem that quickly absorbs ambient mana which can be used to fuel rituals or the mana cost of abilities before bursting upon reaching capacity or if destroyed and inflicting Gem and Arcane damage to nearby enemies.
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Due to their explosive tendencies, the bard had been forbidden to use them in the corridors under the city but here, in the open space within a pocket dimension, they all had much more freedom to rain havoc upon their enemy.
Phoenix, for her part, conjured her own weapons and began to strike as she incanted with a chill in her voice, ¡°Gaze into the abyss.¡± She also remembered something she wanted to test and had Tala stay merged while fighting this new Sapphire threat.
¡°A touch of frost and your death follows,¡± Phoenix heard Uriel say from a few meters away and the enemy seemed to gain patches of frost but the amount of slowing seemed negligible to the quick and powerful woman.
They all continued exchanging blows and spells with the solo enemy. An occasional [Arcanist Gem] would burst apart to deal damage to anything nearby, which was usually Arktis as their tank continually maneuvered her near to one with his own well-placed sword strikes.
In a move that didn¡¯t shock the Wayfarer, the Sapphire Caster triggered another ability and punched Dazien¡¯s shield so hard that it simply shattered into pieces, and the shockwave that was created sent the gemite flying backward. Only Phoenix¡¯s quick use of [Ruler of Relativity] on the Defender to pull them towards each other managed to keep the tank from falling into an open lava pool.
Rayna took advantage of the enemy¡¯s split focus and the space left by the teammates to trigger a sonic attack that was normally difficult for the voxen to use with Dazien and Phoenix nearby.
Ability: Siren''s Cry
Type: Spell (channel, magical, song)
Cost: Moderate mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Crystal 9 (96%)
Crystal Effect: Let out a cry, inflicting Song damage and [Deafened] to anyone in a cone in front of you.
- Deafened (bane, magical, song): Hearing is greatly impaired.
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The cinderen reactively clapped her hands over her ears and Rayna triggered another area ability with a stomp that sounded like the clashing of a gong and reminded Phoenix of Uriel¡¯s [Scorch the Shaken Earth] ability.
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Class Ability: Sonorous Stomp
Type: Special Attack (magical, song)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Current Caste: Crystal 9 (86%)
Crystal Effect: Stomp the ground causing a shockwave in a radial burst inflicting moderate Song damage and knocking back enemies.
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As the now beleaguered cinderen stumbled back from the bursts of damage, also heavily ladened with various Banes, Rayna angrily growled at the assassin in a voice Phoenix had never heard, ¡°This is for hurting my friend!¡± then the Striker triggered the effect of her stacked Boons before landing a final tail strike on the weakened traitor.
Class Ability: Swift Encore
Type: Utility (movement, magical, song)
Cost: Moderate mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Crystal 9 (82%)
Crystal Effect: Accumulate instances of [Impetus] while attacking.
- Impetus (boon, magical, song, stacking): Your speed is slightly increased. Consume all instances to deliver a burst of Song damage with your next attack that scales with the number of instances consumed.
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Class Ability: Shatter
Type: Execute (magical, song)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Current Caste: Crystal 9 (98%)
Crystal Effect: Inflicts moderate Song damage in a sudden burst. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
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Arktis¡¯ chest imploded as one of the voxen¡¯s glowing gem-scaled tails buried itself within it and the look of shock on the Sapphire Caster¡¯s face quickly became frozen in death as the cinderen slumped onto the rocky ground.
Phoenix and Dazien returned to Rayna¡¯s side as the pugilist glared down at the corpse that began to start dissolving into blue ash from Rayna triggering Dazien''s [Tribute] looting ability through the brand on the back of a paw-like hand. Saiya then quickly claimed her sister¡¯s arm in a hug as Uriel was once more at his best friend¡¯s side and the pair also stared down at the fallen enemy.
¡°You killed her,¡± Phoenix said in quiet observation with a glance at the bard.
¡°I heard her admit that she hurt and tried to kill you,¡± the voxen responded coldly. Rayna finally looked away from the dead cinderen to meet emerald eyes with her amber ones as she stated firmly, ¡°No remorse.¡±
45 - This Tainted Land
King¡¯s Dream regrouped with the rest of the Adventurer forces, bringing their prisoners with them and depositing them onto the other side of the Rift to be dealt with by others more specialized in detaining and transporting captives. Phoenix spared a wave to Bliss, who was with her own party, having been tasked with said prisoner handling. The Wayfarer¡¯s party, however, wasn¡¯t done with their task even though the fighting had temporarily ceased.
It became apparent that, aside from the ambush forces and some stragglers, the remaining nobles had retreated further within Tulisuda. Once back within it, Phoenix finally had the time to observe the pocket dimension before they would begin further exploration of it.
The place was massive, ringed in volcanic mountains far off in the distance with quarries littered throughout the valley they currently found themselves in. If not for the exorbitant amount of lava flows and inhospitable craggy rocks that made up most of the terrain, they could have fit half a dozen cities the size of Tulimeir here.
As her party awaited their next orders, they took a moment to rest and recover a bit. Uriel gently nudged Phoenix¡¯s arm, tilting his head towards their leader who was currently a few meters away surveying their surroundings, ever vigilant of potential enemies.
She gave an annoyed huff and muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t think he wants to talk to me right now.¡±
Uriel frowned and clarified, ¡°He doesn¡¯t or you don¡¯t?¡±
¡°Both? He still seems preoccupied and I don¡¯t really know what to say. How should I apologize?¡±
¡°Honestly,¡± he replied bluntly then added, ¡°But I never said you should apologize. You asked how you can show that you trust him and I gave you a way that worked for me, but he knows better than to lash out like that.¡±
He gave a sigh, ¡°Look, Daze and I have had our fair share of arguments over the years. I know he doesn''t like being mad at anyone and he was never one to hold a grudge. Sometimes it just takes him a while to sort out his mind and morals to find his direction again. Still, he needs to apologize for how he treated you and that¡¯s hard to do if you¡¯re avoiding each other.¡±
She hesitated a moment then asked, ¡°Would¡ will you try talking to him first? Just to see if he won¡¯t get angry at me for trying?¡±
The mage gave a slight smirk, ¡°Offering me up as a sacrifice to the hungry lion?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure he¡¯d enjoy eating me as much as you,¡± she said with a crooked smile.
The cinderen paused at the phrasing and raised an eyebrow at her which made her confused as she reprocessed what she had said before dropping her crimson face into her palms, ¡°Oh gods, I just meant I¡¯m all skinny and there¡¯s like way less meat on my bones. Which now that I say that out loud doesn¡¯t make it sound any better,¡± she explained in a rush before groaning in embarrassment and contemplating just going for a lava swim.
Uriel chuckled with a shake of his head, ¡°I¡¯ll go ask if he¡¯s calm enough to chat. Just no more talk of cannibalism please. Nobody likes cannibals,¡± he joked then made his way over to his best friend.
While she couldn¡¯t hear what the two said, they both glanced her way a few times before the cinderen finally waved towards her, indicating that she should join them.
Phoenix apprehensively made her way towards the pair and Uriel patted her on the shoulder, saying simply, ¡°Now hurry and make-up so we can focus on the fight ahead.¡±
¡°We¡¯re not petulant children,¡± Dazien said with a roll of his eyes, crossing his arms in indignation.
Uriel just smirked again and said, ¡°Then stop acting like one,¡± before he left them to talk things out and returned to the twin voxen to join them in meditation while waiting.
Dazien¡¯s posture relaxed as he faced her and spoke up first, his voice solemn, ¡°I owe you an apology, Phoenix. I made a stupid mistake and misconstrued your intentions. It was childish¨C¡±
Phoenix interrupted him, ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry. I should have trusted you and told you all sooner. You didn¡¯t do anything to make me suspect you might betray my secrets. If anything, you only proved your trustworthiness over and over again and I was too afraid. Please¡¡± she paused, staring at her hands as they clenched around her dress from nerves, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you whatever you want to know. Just please forgive me.¡±
As the silence stretched a moment longer she chanced a glance upwards to discover wide amethyst eyes staring at her, his face unreadable, and she thought he might get angry again when instead he gave a sigh and shook his head, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to forgive. You shouldn''t apologize to me. I understand now that you acted in a way to protect yourself. You were an outsider¡ I know how that can feel. You told me you had secrets and I told you that was alright; it was unfair of me to get upset about what that secret was. I just¡ I¡¯m a Defender. I wish I had been able to protect you. Not just from monsters, bullies, or kidnappers, but from your fears and doubts too.¡±
The gemite placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me everything but I hope you know that I would never betray you. You are my teammate and my friend. Even if we disagree on something, I hope we respect each other enough to be able to talk through it¡ not do what I did. I¡¯m sorry for shouting. You did not deserve that and I am a jerk for taking out my frustrations on you. I¡¯m sincerely sorry for that. I¡¯m the one who needs to ask for your forgiveness.¡±
She felt her body relax at his words and nodded, ¡°Of course, I forgive you. You put up with my crazy stunts and awkwardness. I can deal with the occasional tantrum,¡± she lightly teased, giving him a small smile and added, ¡°For what it¡¯s worth¡ I think you¡¯ll make a great king someday. I¡¯ve seen the way you care for your current subjects, after all.¡±
Dazien returned her smile and teased with his own, ¡°I guess you would make a fairly decent councilor,¡± he said with mock reluctance.
Absently running a hand through his hair, he added with hesitancy that she was unfamiliar with him ever displaying, ¡°Maybe¡ you can help add some of that democracy you spoke of within my kingdom someday? Perhaps, put in a council that helps me out with the day-to-day stuff?¡±
She flushed slightly at the unexpected words before saying, ¡°I¡¯d like that. Once all this divine quest business is finished, I would be honored to help you establish your own place.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
The Defender grinned in the way that she was most familiar with as he said, ¡°Well, you¡¯re already the Princess of my landless nation. I¡¯m pretty sure that means you¡¯re contractually obliged to help out.¡±
The redhead laughed, a few stray curls falling into her face in their refusal to be tamed, ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure that¡¯s how things work.¡±
¡°I¡¯m the king, remember? It works that way if I say it does.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡±
¡°It is in my kingdom.¡±
¡°So iron-fisted dictator it is then?¡±
He laughed, ¡°I can strive to be a benevolent dictator at the least. Perhaps, if your council proves effective, I can lessen my grip a bit.¡±
The Wayfarer shook her head with a smile, ¡°I guess, if anything, I need to stay with you just to make sure you don¡¯t become one of those corrupted politicians.¡±
The gemite gave a cheeky grin as he said with a hint of mischief, ¡°Maybe a little corruption isn¡¯t too bad. Just make sure it doesn¡¯t impair your judgment and you should be fine.¡±
His words triggered a memory and she suddenly pulled out her latest quest reward, ¡°That reminds me, I wanted to give you this. I think it¡¯s something you seem to want a little more of after all this.¡±
Dazien¡¯s eyes widened at the proffered gift and said, ¡°Another Spirit Gem?¡±
¡°Of Judgment,¡± she supplied informatively. ¡°It would just be sitting in my collection gathering dust until I hit up a merchant to convert it into Bits later.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think things can gather dust in a dimensional storage,¡± he noted before adding with feigned suspicion, ¡°Wait, you¡¯re not just trying to buy the king¡¯s favor, are you?¡±
She laughed which made Dazien relax more as she shook her head and joked, ¡°It seems you¡¯ve caught on to my corrupted ways. Is my bribe suitable enough to get back into the king¡¯s good graces?¡±
His grin widened and he exaggeratedly plucked the gem from her hand, ¡°It is a grand gift,¡± he said, examining it carefully then he placed it back in her hands, ¡°But I can¡¯t accept it. Thank you for the offer though, my noble subject.¡±
Phoenix let out a noise of mock hurt as she put a hand over her heart, ¡°Subject? I thought I was a princess?¡±
The would-be king was about to speak when a call came up from the main group of Adventurers, putting a halt to their friendly banter as they attempted to mend the bond between them. The pair of them quickly rejoined the rest of their party to learn what their next plan of action would be.
After some minor deliberation, the contingent had decided to press on and put a decisive end to the internal threat, unsure of how exactly the enemy was planning to sabotage the Reality Rift.
Everin Starlark would stay as the Emerald Caster guarding the new forward outpost directly within Tulisuda¨Cwhile continuing to triage the injured as needed¨Cand Paul Wayland would lead the advancing party to root out whatever straggling forces remained. King¡¯s Dream would join their Mentor along with a majority of the initial strike force that had taken back the entrance.
Phoenix was just glad that she wasn¡¯t at odds with any of her party members anymore and hoped to get back to her new home soon in order to tear down the remaining walls her secrets kept between the Wayfarer and her friends.
Nandi Neitra was being careful about not letting her beautiful white wings, a passive ability from her Wing Aspect, trail along the dirt-covered ground and bemoaned the fact that she currently had to walk upon it in order to draw out the intricate runes along the decrepit temple stone.
They were in a rush, however, and she couldn¡¯t trust this task to any other lest they falter and cause all of their deaths. It was disconcerting to be in this place, away from the whispers of her god to guide her but she had practiced well for this very moment. His cleansing light would wash over her upon her return and, if she proved herself worthy enough, he may even bestow his Blessing or maybe even his Favor upon her.
¡°And you¡¯re certain this will work to inform the Soul Reapers of our success?¡± the cinderen woman with ashen grey hair asked her.
¡°Lady Ruwena, I have assured you numerous times about how this will go,¡± she replied with as much patience as she could muster given their present circumstances.
¡°But won¡¯t Wayland and the others be caught in here and kept alive? They could ruin everything, Priestess Neitra,¡± the Chancellor worried while placing items around the massive ritual diagram the priestess was still working on carving out.
¡°It¡¯s High Priestess,¡± she reminded through clenched teeth, reminding herself once more not to smite the Sapphire Caster where they stood, ¡°And you can leave the Fallen Paladin to me. He didn¡¯t have the strength to stand up to me when we cast him out from my Lord¡¯s divine light, I doubt he will have grown much in the six years since.¡±
¡°There was a report of an Emerald Cleric of Rebel too,¡± the noble pressed, ¡°We have taken heavy losses already. They already killed my husband and daughter and captured my son. This must work. There is no turning back for any of us now.¡±
Neitra paused in her ritual work to meet the cinderen¡¯s glowing red eyes. She couldn¡¯t wait to be free of the irksome woman who was so short-sighted that the priestess had no idea how the noble managed to become Chancellor of the OOM¡¯s Tulim branch without a heavy amount of Bits changing hands. With another grasp of her resolve to remain calm, she explained, ¡°I am well aware of the risks, Lady Ruwena. However, I trust in my god and know we will succeed. Once we complete this activation ritual it will signal the Soul Reapers to come retrieve us from here.
¡°They¡¯ll have plenty of time to arrive before the relays finish triggering the connected enchantments we¡¯ve placed throughout this scrap of reality which will collapse this pseudo-world and sever the connection it has to Makera. We will be perfectly safe in their dimensional vessel while Tulim will suffer the backlash.¡±
¡°And what if those Soul Reapers don¡¯t show up in time?¡± the cinderen argued, placing a pile of [Void Shards] worth more than the Ducal Palace into the center of the runed circle, ¡°We¡¯ll be trapped within a collapsing reality as it¡ what? Disintegrates into its component parts and returns to a state of formless magic?¡±
¡°That won¡¯t happen,¡± the priestess reassured, ¡°Their leader wouldn¡¯t break the Oathbond he made to our Arch Priestess.¡±
The noble paused from the ritual work to stare at her and admit, ¡°I hadn¡¯t heard about that. What kind of bond would he agree to? Was it a Mutual Bond?¡±
¡°It was,¡± she confirmed but frowned to herself, ¡°I do not know the exact details but it ensures that they won¡¯t just turn their backs on us as we assist each other in our goals. They just want the souls while we want to cleanse this tainted land and rebuild from the ashes in our god¡¯s pure image. No more ugliness and pain, just pure clean bliss.¡±
¡°Yeah, good luck with that,¡± Ruwena muttered with a roll of fiery eyes, returning to the work at hand before adding, ¡°I¡¯d prefer to join them in traveling the cosmos and gaining more power than this pitiful place can offer me.¡±
That idea caused the priestess¡¯ mask of calm to break momentarily at the sheer ridiculousness of a cinderen being offered placement within the new world the Renseres would be building. Their god had long ago decided that only humans¨Cthe first and most ancient of Caster species from which it was said all other Casters spawned from¨Cwould be chosen for the honor of populating their new, perfect, world. No more furry voxen and felions or scaly sirens and viperans. No marked up and pointed-eared runeforged, cinderen or elves. No lesser winged abominations like the arrogant draconid, aloof avians, or fickle faeforged. None of the other species which deign to call themselves Caster just because they could bond to some Aspects. Only pure, uninfluenced, untainted, humans could unite as a single species.
Before Neitra could remember to play nicely, she scoffed at the cinderen woman with the volcanic complexion that displayed the obvious taint of Fire and Earth, ¡°We don¡¯t want to introduce filth again when we¡¯ve just cleaned it.¡±
¡°What. A. Bitch,¡± the Sapphire Caster whispered under her breath.
¡°I heard that,¡± the Emerald Caster retorted, ¡°And you¡¯re just proving my point with that filthy mouth.¡±
46 - Fallen Paladin
Phoenix was both fascinated and annoyed by the desolate landscape interspersed with lava flows. The heat was getting worse and the Wayfarer found herself swapping out clothing for something that wouldn¡¯t have her pass out from the extreme temperature.
Even pulling out her [Drifter¡¯s Umbrella] seemed to have minimal effect on the Sapphire Caste heat suffusing the area. Luckily, none of her clothing actually offered much protection from damage so she wasn¡¯t putting herself at much of a disadvantage. Though, now that she thought about that, it probably was more of an unfortunate thing that she hadn¡¯t gotten some proper armor to protect her from damage considering how often she ended up getting stabbed by blades or claws.
Rayna gave her a teasing smile as she showed off more glowing skin than she ever had before on the snowy tundra, ¡°That¡¯s what I was talking about! Take advantage of Tala¡¯s benefit and look good while kicking arse.¡±
Phoenix rolled her eyes at the desert voxen as she struggled in an attempt to spin her braid around her head and into a makeshift bun to get the sweaty locks off the back of her neck. She and Dazien were the worst off of the group and they both were periodically taking more layers off to store in their respective dimensional storage abilities with a thought.
She even shot him a slightly envious glare as his silvery top vanished leaving him completely bare-chested. That brief flare of jealousy vanished when she realized that she would likely get a lot more stares than he currently was if she followed his example. Their other party members were all making a point to not look at the two Adventurers practically stripping next to them, though, a quick glance around showed that they weren¡¯t the only ones as a number of runeforged were also lessening their loads where possible.
When her eyes landed on the gemite¡¯s tan muscled back, however, she was a bit surprised by the sight of a dazzling golden stripe, about two inches wide, running down his spine from his scalp to disappear beyond the waist of his pants. As she peered closer, the stripe didn¡¯t look like paint or a tattoo, and as it moved with him she asked, ¡°Are those scales?¡±
Dazien glanced back to see what she was referring to before giving a huff, ¡°Ah. Yeah, courtesy of Rex. They appear when he¡¯s merged with me.¡±
¡°That¡¯s soooo much better than glowing!¡± she complained, looking down at her own bare arms.
He chuckled, ¡°At least the glowing does something actively useful. The scales just let me get hit a bit harder before I break.¡±
¡°That¡¯s useful,¡± the Astromancer pointed out, ¡°Making you tougher means more meat shield for me,¡± she teased.
Paul slowly made his way back to their party that was with the few Crystal Caste groups that had been chosen to move forward due to various factors, like Phoenix¡¯s portal, that made their lower Castes worth the risk. Her mentor raised an eyebrow at her appearance and when she fanned her face in response she felt a sudden relief as the Emerald Caste aura washed over them in a sudden wave as he said, ¡°Sorry, I was focused on other things and didn¡¯t think about the heat factor for the lower Castes.¡±
¡°Understandable. Thanks for the help. That is so much better now,¡± she responded as her body quickly adjusted to the increased Fire resistance.
¡°When we get there, keep with the other Crystals,¡± her mentor said with a tilt of his head towards the others as he redirected the conversation back to the task before them, ¡°We don¡¯t know what the enemy might be capable of and staying together will give you the advantage of numbers should another Sapphire reach you.¡±
They nodded and the paladin continued, ¡°Phoenix, you¡¯ll be responsible for portaling people back to the camp by the Rift entrance. Any wounded or prisoners with their escorts are the priority for you. Once all the threats are taken care of, then the goal is to get everyone else out. I¡¯ve already spoken with Agatha about this, once we¡¯ve cleared out the enemy forces we can call in the specialists to figure out how they might have compromised this pseudo-reality.¡±
¡°That reminds me,¡± Phoenix spoke up, ¡°Did you learn anything from the last Reality Rift we visited together? We saw them messing with some kind of sphere right?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t recognize what it was and didn¡¯t exactly have time to study it with a half-dead teenager on my hands,¡± Paul said with a pointed look.
¡°Hey, you told me to stand at the bottom of the dune and I stood at the bottom of the dune. It¡¯s not my fault you exploded them so hard that a monster landed on me,¡± she retorted which caused her mentor to shake his head with a smirk.
¡°You¡¯re right, how forgetful of me,¡± he replied sarcastically, ¡°This time I¡¯ll be sure to just ask the monsters nicely if they can leave the Rift and let me know how to deactivate that sickly-looking seed they left behind.¡±
¡°Seed?¡± she asked, distracted from the playful banter by the new piece of information, ¡°Like a Monster Seed? That thing was way too big for that.¡±
Paul shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s what it looked like but it definitely wasn¡¯t a monster one.¡±
¡°Did it look like that?¡± Dazien interjected as he pointed slightly off to the right of where they were heading.
The party all turned to look as Phoenix could barely make out the object in the distance and she complained, ¡°Are you talking about that spec in the distance? I can¡¯t make that out at all from here.¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t you get a Crystal Eye?¡± Uriel asked tangentially.
The Astromancer looked at him for a moment trying to remember what he was talking about and checking her collection mentally before it clicked, ¡°You mean that item I got from defeating all those Flaywings during our wall patrol?¡±
The cinderen nodded, ¡°Yeah, I thought you would have used it by now to boost your sight or try crafting it. Those are often used for that purpose.¡±
¡°Huh,¡± she replied thoughtfully, ¡°Maybe I could try¨C¡±
¡°Task at hand first, Phoenix,¡± her mentor interjected, ¡°Let¡¯s go check it out, I¡¯ll let Officer Trayvious know to join us.¡±
As the party moved to do as ordered, the Emerald Caster went to inform the AOA Officer who had been chosen to act as the assistant commander in place of his sister, the Director. Phoenix recognized Allan Trayvious as the assessor during her trials but she hadn¡¯t realized the runeforged was related to the Director; though, she should have made the name connection sooner.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
The entire group moved with their new orders towards the new point of interest and, as they arrived, Phoenix agreed with Paul¡¯s assessment of it looking like a sickly seed. It was about the size of a sports car and sat on the ground while seeming to bleed a sticky black goo into the surrounding land.
Aside from the massive organism that was glowing an eerie yellow-green, the rocky area had large vines weaving around the area that seemed to be pulsating with energy and she had to stand on her tiptoes to confirm that they seemed to be woven into a ritual diagram.
Her curiosity got the best of her and she moved forward to peek at the space of the ground between the vines, ignoring Dazien¡¯s hushed protest of, ¡°Phoenix, get back here.¡±
What she found was roughly what she had expected: runes carved into the slate rock as though a laser cutter had drawn them. She practically crawled over the vines to observe the sibling runes, trying to decipher their goals and workings.
These were much more advanced than she had ever worked with though and the only thing that came close to this level of complexity had been the ritual circle that had almost caged her soul and turned her into a mindless monster. After a solid five minutes of climbing over everything she finally looked up to talk to her mentor only to freeze at the sight of the expedition all staring at her and Paul giving her an amused smirk as he asked, ¡°Any ideas, Prot¨¦g¨¦?¡±
The Wayfarer flushed at the use of the title in front of everyone as though showing off their relationship. She was still having trouble reconciling with the idea that anyone would actually want other people to know that she was involved with them in some way; whether it was as a student, a party member, or even a friend.
¡°I think they¡¯re enchantment relays,¡± she answered quietly, knowing that the Emerald Caster¡¯s overpowered hearing would be able to pick up her words.
Paul was next to her a breath later and said, ¡°Show me.¡±
So she did. Pointing out some of the same concepts she had been tinkering with what felt like ages ago to expand the use of their monster alerting system across the tundra. Also explaining some of the pieces she didn¡¯t quite understand.
As Officer Trayvious joined them, the paladin added, ¡°It¡¯s absorbing and corrupting the ambient magic,¡± he said, touching some of the sickly dark goop that was dripping sporadically off the vines, ¡°I bet once it¡¯s absorbed enough, it¡¯ll be primed to be triggered from wherever the control node is and explode.¡±
¡°A chain reaction of corrupted mana ripping through a drained pseudo reality and causing it to collapse upon itself?¡± Trayvious asked in clarification and both she and Paul nodded together, all of them grimacing at the mental image. Then the AOA Officer asked, ¡°Can we destroy this one and disrupt their plans?¡±
She shared a glance with her mentor before he gestured for her to speak and she advised, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to risk triggering the chain reaction early. I¡¯m not a specialist, which we would need in order to assess the risks properly. I can¡¯t tell if there are any safety measures in place to punish anyone who might attempt exactly what we want to do.¡±
Paul smiled at her and she felt that weird sense of elation again at his approval as he agreed, ¡°That would be my recommendation as well, Officer Trayvious.¡±
The runeforged nodded and waved them back towards the rest of the expedition, ¡°Then let¡¯s continue with the original plan and buy us more time to get those specialists here.¡±
As she moved to go, giving a final glance at the half-living enchantment, she suddenly had a confusing thought and asked the AOA official, ¡°This has been here for a while. How did they have enough time and access to place these relays all across this valley of death without anyone noticing?¡±
Trayvious grimaced, ¡°House Ruwena has been managing the Reality Rift for generations. It has only recently come to our attention that not enough oversight or questions were being directed towards said management.¡±
Phoenix pinched the bridge of her nose to hold back her irritation at the blind trust an entire city had placed in its aristocracy. Paul patted her shoulder as he said, ¡°Not everyone was sitting idly by. One of my old friends, Lord Teras, was already trying to rectify the issue but he needed a little¡¡±
¡°Emerald power backing him?¡± she asked wryly as he trailed off.
¡°Exactly. Power and politics,¡± he practically spit and Phoenix thought she would join him wholeheartedly in that. She would have to make sure that not having to deal with politics was written down somewhere in whatever papers she would need to sign to join his family.
The Supporter rejoined her party as the entire group of Adventurers began to move out again, making their way towards their original destination of ruins in the distance that the prisoners they had managed to capture directed them towards in exchange for their lives. It was when she finally laid eyes on a tunnel at the base of one of the sheer mountains that Phoenix finally saw their goal and it seemed like a few dozen people remained at its entrance to guard whatever lay within. Her aura senses picked up a few Sapphires mixed in with mostly Crystals and she briefly worried her portal cooldown wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up with the amount.
It turned out that she wouldn¡¯t have to concern herself too much with needing to portal dozens of Casters back to the base when the forces collided and not many were taken prisoner as the enemy fought back with their lives. Even with an Emerald Caster at their doorstep, it seemed many of the zealots were more than willing to die for their deity. The non-zealot nobles on the other hand seemed more concerned about keeping their lives and, after the first few Sapphire Casters were put down by the Paladin of the Avenger, they were not as enthusiastic about gaining retribution for their sins.
The entrance into the mountain was much larger than the Wayfarer had initially thought now that she could see it up close and it appeared to be a decrepit ruin that hadn¡¯t actually been used for centuries. She thought it made the perfect evil lair for a group of fallen clergy bent on destroying the world while being hunted down and wondered how nobody had thought to investigate sooner.
Phoenix was already helping to portal back a few people that actually had managed to get captured over becoming another red-shirt to litter the background with their blood and the Astromancer frowned at the waste of lives despite them belonging to the enemy. She and the rest of King¡¯s Dream were beginning to wonder if her portal was the only thing going to see any usage during this stage of the expedition when the appearance of a large number of reinforcements and the enemy¡¯s surprise weapon caused a sudden ceasefire.
An Emerald Caster appeared on an empty balcony in the mountainside that had initially seemed unused but Phoenix now noticed runes etched around its opening that seemed to indicate some kind of shielding effect. The newcomer looked to be an angel, with long white hair and matching feathered wings that seemed longer than the woman was tall, but Phoenix¡¯s aura senses told her the Emerald Caster was actually human like Paul.
The enemy powerhouse wore flowing robes that were pristine white with gold trimming and Phoenix couldn¡¯t help but be reminded of Paul¡¯s old regalia. Flying down with physics-defying wings, the angelic-looking woman sent a suffocating aura across the battlefield and Phoenix could sense her resistance to Fire lower slightly while Light and Radiance got ground into nothing. Then the obvious Renseres spoke loud enough for all to hear with a mixture of amusement and disdain, ¡°It seems like the impure rabble has arrived, led by none other than our own disgraced Paladin.¡±
At the entrance, Phoenix could make out another woman leading the new wave of enemies which her aura picked up¨Conce they exited the boundary of the ruined entrance¨Cas mostly Sapphire Casters. The group¡¯s leader bore a strong resemblance to Murinah Ruwena and the Wayfarer assumed that the cinderen was the late noble¡¯s mother and the head of the traitorous noble house.
Paul¡¯s face remained impassive but everyone could feel the sense of vengeful wrath filling his aura and bearing down on the priestess¡¯s own. The tan woman¡¯s expression became even more disgusted by the display, ¡°I see you¡¯ve joined the Avenger¡¯s minions. Vigilante criminals playing at being heroes. I guess Hero¡¯s clergy wouldn¡¯t accept someone as deplorable as you. Just look at how far you¡¯ve fallen, Wayland.¡±
¡°Not as far as you have and will, Nietra¡± the formerly Fallen Paladin replied, appearing completely unfazed. Without any fanfare he triggered an ability and shot through the air, impacting with the priestess and sending a wave of force from the clash echoing throughout the mountain range behind the enemy line.
The concussive blast acted like a starting pistol and the Adventurers reacted quickly, ignoring the Emerald Caste battle in the air and moving towards the ruins to handle the remaining enemy forces.
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New Quest: Pure Zealotry
Foil the plans of the Purifier¡¯s zealots.
Objective: Help defeat the Renseres.
Reward: Rare Crystal Caste trinket.
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47 - Collateral
Phoenix barely paid attention to her [Guide Book] as she, Dazien, and Rayna moved into the melee while Uriel and Saiya joined the other ranged attackers which included the strange woman who had caught Phoenix¡¯s attention earlier. Apparently, the friendly cinderen woman and the rest of her Crystal Caste party were adding to the fight with a variety of creatures to assist alongside the expedition, Snowbelle joining them in hurling acidic water at the enemies.
Rayna and Phoenix were a blur of movement as they danced around the battlefield stabbing, punching, slicing, and kicking through any of the Crystal Caste enemies they could find while Dazien focused on locking them down with taunts, cages, and punishing foes with his holy sword. She could hear his overbearing incantation right before a magical cage appeared around one of the Crystal Casters that had been heading towards the backline healers, ¡°You have forsaken my rule and thus forfeit your freedom!¡±
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Class Ability: To the Dungeon
Type: Spell (construct, control, elemental, metal)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Current Caste: Crystal 8 (95%)
Crystal Effect: Construct a reinforced metal cage around the target for a short duration; touching the cage inflicts a burst of Metal damage.
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Uriel was also able to unleash a bit more freely here as he spread plague and rained fire upon the enemy¡¯s back lines near the entrance to the ruins while Saiya sang a song of protection for them.
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Class Ability: Sonorous Shield
Type: Spell (channel, magical, song)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Crystal 9 (87%)
Crystal Effect: As you sing, nearby allies gain increased resistance to Magical damage.
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The Healer and the Mage also showed their own form of synergy as the voxen triggered another ability and the pair incanted in tandem, ¡°Let the wind sting. Let the ice bite. Let the snow freeze. Let the blizzard claim life.¡±
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Class Ability: Harmonize
Type: Spell (magical, covenant, song)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: Varies.
Current Caste: Crystal 9 (41%)
Crystal Effect: Harmonize with an ally¡¯s incanted spell, adding your mana to theirs to increase its effects and shorten its cooldown. This spell''s cooldown becomes the same as the targeted spell¡¯s adjusted cooldown.
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Class Ability: Blizzard
Type: Spell (elemental, ice)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Crystal 8 (34%)
Crystal Effect: Create an area of violent wind, snow, and hail. Targets in the area take ongoing Ice damage and slowly gain instances of [Chilled].
- Chilled (bane, elemental, ice, stacking): Decreased Agility.
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As ice joined the fire on the distant enemies she was reminded to cast her own ranged destroyer. Making her way beside the Backline teammates to buy herself time for the longer incantation, she aimed at the temple entrance itself and recited, ¡°From the depths of the universe I summon forth the shards of annihilation. May the wrath of the cosmos descend upon all who dare to oppose me.¡±
At first, Phoenix was elated with the thrill of power she felt from casting [Meteor Shower] as the tear in the sky appeared and the burning sphere of plasma and rock appeared through it to crash into the ruins, causing devastation to the area and enemies who had sought shelter within. Then she realized that her actions came with consequences as the enemy Emerald Caster found those on the ground to be much more concerning suddenly.
The woman Paul had called Nietra began hurling balls of fire down upon the lower Caste combatants and their own Emerald Caste Paladin was doing his best to intercept the fatal flames but that meant he couldn¡¯t stop the smaller and more numerous projectile the priestess was raining down upon them, striking friend and foe alike.
As the glinting metallic feathers seemingly forged from gold detached from her wings to begin slicing through the Sapphire Caste Adventurers and completely severed limbs of the even weaker Crystal Casters, Dazien turned to yell towards her despite their mental link and ordered, ¡°Phoenix! Start portaling people back to the Rift camp! Rayna, start helping move the most injured to the portal and make sure someone tells Cleric Starlark about the enemy Emerald!¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Rayna responded to the command instantly; triggering one of the more costly abilities the bard had in order to practically fly across the battlefield and scoop up the most injured allies furthest away from them.
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Ability: Beyond the Boundary
Type: Utility (movement)
Cost: Severe mana and stamina.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Current Caste: Crystal 10
Crystal Effect: Instantly boost your speed by a massive amount, quickly declining to normal over 5 seconds.
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Phoenix complied a moment later, opening her portal nearby and was only slightly startled by Saiya grabbing her hand as the Healer asked in an unusual rush, ¡°I need your help with a ritual! Do you know the more basic Warden¡¯s Dome one?¡±
She nodded, recalling one of the Mundane Rituals she had learned that could mold the earth into what she thought of as a dirt hovel. The Healer elaborated, ¡°I probably should have shown you some other Water ones I know earlier but we¡¯ve been busy. Anyways, use your talent and draw it out and I¡¯ll tell you where to change it then repeat the incantation after me.¡±
The Wayfarer nodded again and began to work as Saiya elaborated while throwing bolts of healing energy towards the wounded that Rayna and Dazien were dragging towards her portal, ¡°This version is Sapphire Caste and¨C No, change that part to the water rune rather than earth. Good. Then next to the Warden¡¯s rune you¡¯ll need to add the rune for the Mender and Arcanist, you know those ones right?¡± another nod as she furiously scribbled, ¡°Good, this one is much larger and attuned to Water instead but it will help our allies and protect the portal.¡±
¡°Can we even do this if it¡¯s Sapphire? Won¡¯t it just eat through my mana and potentially kill me?¡± she asked without stopping.
¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to boost you and both Uriel and I will help feed it,¡± the voxen responded, glancing over at the cinderen who was near enough to hear them but focused on casting his own spells to waylay the enemies.
¡°Do I need to stop and reserve my mana then?¡± the Mage asked through the telepathic link they shared.
¡°Probably, yes,¡± Saiya replied with a bit of concern that both she and Uriel noticed. Then the Healer added as though reassuring herself as well as them, ¡°I¡¯m almost Sapphire Caste myself so we should have enough to power it.¡±
Phoenix continued working with Saiya¡¯s guidance, however, only pausing to recast her portal when needed and another moment when a stray bolt of ice struck her in the side as the collateral damage kept piling up for both sides. The immediate healing and the sight of another Crystal Caste ally getting immolated from a direct hit of an Emerald Caste fireball brought her focus back to completing the ritual circle.
Once it was complete, she took Saiya¡¯s paw-like hand in one of hers and Uriel¡¯s volcanic one in her other with all three of them reciting the words Saiya had instructed, ¡°From the healing waters of the Mender to the shielding earth of the Warden, may the Arcanist weave the two to bring refuge to the allies seeking safety from the onslaught beyond.¡±
A ripple of power spread out from the trio and she felt the draining of her mana as a semi-transparent dome of water grew out from her circle to encompass a large portion of the area, including the portal people had begun retreating through. Even some of the less zealous enemies had begun willingly surrendering if it meant escaping with their lives.
Saiya, Uriel, and Phoenix all stumbled slightly as the above-Caste ritual took its toll on their mana but she was pleased that they hadn¡¯t seemed completely drained and both she and Uriel triggered their mana-restoring tattoos. The Healer downed one of the mana potions from the dimensional pouch at her hip¨Cwhich was more efficient at holding potions specifically¨Cbefore resuming her healing of the injured allies that managed to cross the watery barrier.
Then Saiya cast her largest area heal as the voxen incanted, ¡°Let the waters of life rain their blessings from the watchful sky above us.¡±
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Class Ability: Rain of Life
Type: Spell (elemental, magical, life, water)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Current Caste: Crystal 9 (54%)
Crystal Effect: Create an area of healing rain that greatly increases the regeneration rate of allies within it.
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As the battle on the ground seemed to wane with many retreating through the portal, she spared a glance skyward, where her mentor continued to struggle to protect them all while attempting to land blows on the aerial enemy. Phoenix found herself giving a silent prayer to any of the gods¡¯ marks she bore to keep the man she trusted above all others alive long enough to actually become her family.
Cleric Everin Starlark realized something had gone wrong as soon as the portal appeared in their midst and the younger voxen he recognized as Lady Rayna Dewsong came through dragging four other Crystal Casters, one in each of her hands along with another wrapped in each of her armored tails.
He was beside her in an instant, using one of his few direct healing abilities and asking what had happened. The battle bard answered short and simply, which he appreciated in the moment though wasn¡¯t his usual preference in a conversational partner, ¡°They had an Emerald Caster. Some flying priestess that likes to shoot fire and feathers like throwing knives.¡±
The paler voxen nodded and responded, ¡°I¡¯ll take these ones from here, you go get more. I can¡¯t go through Phoenix¡¯s portal till she levels it to Sapphire 5 I believe, if it¡¯s like most.¡±
Rayna nodded and quickly ducked back through the portal as another injured ally walked through and Everin began barking out orders on his side to the other healers and Adventurers to begin receiving their retreating forces, ending with a final command of, ¡°And somebody get a Sapphire Portalist over there!¡±
The Emerald Caster scooped up the allies the bard had dropped off to get them out of the way, using only four of his five soft white tails to take them toward the clinic area he already had set up in the event something like this occurred.
Everin glanced toward the direction he could sense the Favored one in, being able to feel her even from this distance. He contemplated joining her and the intriguing Paladin in the battle but a voice that was both a comfort and an exhilaration whispered into his mind, ¡°You won¡¯t make it in time. Stay and cover them from here.¡±
The Cleric was only slightly surprised by the presence of his goddess remaining in the back of his mind as he mentally prayed back, ¡°So the Soul Mark worked then? This reality is now one of yours?¡±
¡°So it is. Is that doubt you had in my words?¡± the feminine voice asked, sounding both amused and slightly miffed.
¡°Not in your words, Rebel. Only in my own mortal understanding,¡± he replied, not keeping the slight grin from his face which seemed to garner some dirty looks from those around him who were working hard to respond to the influx of injured.
¡°Keep an eye on our little revolutionist but do not interfere. We need her to grow without crutches for every challenge. Luckily, death won¡¯t be a concern in her case.¡±
Everin¡¯s smile did vanish at that, replaced with a grimace as he responded, ¡°Some things are worse than death. I¡¯m not sure refusing to interfere is always the best course of action. We don¡¯t want her breaking so much that death would be the better alternative.¡±
¡°Perhaps. I¡¯ll leave it to your judgment, though heed my guidance, Cleric.¡±
He absently nodded and his gaze fell upon another healer of Sapphire Caste who was watching him carefully, as though trying to confirm something. The voxen was about to ask the runeforged if he needed assistance but the man turned to look towards the direction he could feel Phoenix in and then pointedly stared back at his slitted pupils in icy blue irises. That was when he noticed the priestly adornments on the darker man¡¯s green battle robes, which didn¡¯t contrast well with the magenta metallic markings on the runeforged skin. The symbols marked the Healer as a servant of the Cultivator and he suddenly understood what the young man was trying to confirm.
¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± Everin said to him, looking away to tend to more of the wounded that were making their way in, ¡°Trust that our deities chose wisely and help now by supporting from afar.¡±
The young priest nodded and began assisting where available and Everin found himself hoping that he wouldn¡¯t be proven wrong.
48 - Zeal Versus Zealotry
Despite Paul spending much of his time in the air, he didn¡¯t actually possess a flight power to keep him aloft. His Familiar being merged within him did grant him a bit of control when traveling through the air along with a slow fall effect though, so he kept Orebela¡¯s enhancing Boons within him.
This allowed him to use the abilities that gave him short bursts of speed or launched him into a special attack before landing back on the ground or, in this case, the various sides of the mountain ruins and battlefield around them.
However, even with these capabilities, he was still at a disadvantage to the aerial priestess who moved swiftly through the air, launching spheres of fire and metallic feathers in his direction.
The feathers appeared to be some kind of magically constructed weapon regrown directly from her wings before detaching to float in the air for a moment and then being launched like an arrow. They were razor sharp and rained down upon the wrathful paladin with not exactly great accuracy but it was difficult not to get wet in the rain. Many hit their mark, either piercing into him at various points or ricocheting off his conjured armor to form a miniature crater in the rocky terrain around them.
Only once did he use his [Flame Javelin], deciding to wait till more of the lower Caste Adventurers had retreated due to the fact that the Priestess had used a barrier of light to deflect the projectile and send it hurtling towards his allies and enemies alike.
Ability: Flame Javelin
Type: Special Attack (construct, elemental, fire)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Emerald 10
Crystal Effect: Construct and throw a javelin of flames, inflicting a moderate amount of Fire damage.
Sapphire Effect: Inflicts additional Light damage. Has increased penetration against resistance to Fire and Light. Inflicts an instance of [Sunburned].
Emerald Effect: Can construct additional javelins that will follow the original for an exponential mana cost.
- Sunburned (bane, elemental, magical, fire, light, stacking): Decreased Fire and Light resistance.
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Luckily, Neitra seemed entirely focused on taking him down, hopefully, blinded by her hatred for his betrayal of their twisted ideals that were far removed from why he had joined the church in the first place. He had sought to cleanse the land from the corrupting influence of the undead created by Necromancer and his ilk, while his former patron had apparently seen all peoples not of human origin as corrupted beings.
Now, seeing the twisted visage of the Priestess he had once served with, he saw just how corrupt those ideals themselves had become.
His luck seemed to vanish when both Emerald Casters¡¯ attention turned to the moderately sized meteor that appeared above both of them only to hurtle into the side of the mountain where the entrance that had been masking the enemies¡¯ presence was turned to rubble.
The now-irate Priestess went from focusing on him to deciding that stepping on the ants beneath her was a better use of her energy. It proved a good bet as he actually cared about the lives of the people nearby; whereas the priestess seemed to view all of them as mere dirt to be swept off the floor.
The larger fireballs were his bigger concern and really the only thing he could reliably intercept as the feathers were simply too numerous. His counterattacks seemed to help interrupt those, however, so he continued going on the offensive between diverting fireballs.
He continued to swap between using his [Meteor Strike] ability, to hurl himself towards the flying enemy, and using a more combination attack style of moves that chained into one another but allowed him to get nearer to the winged-priestess.
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Ability: Wrath From Above
Type: Special Attack (combination, movement)
Cost: Low stamina.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Current Caste: Emerald 10
Crystal Effect: Leap into the air above a target within range. The next attack deals increased physical damage.
Sapphire Effect: Each subsequent combination attack deals greatly increased damage.
Emerald Effect: Each subsequent combination attack decreases the cooldown of this ability.
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Class Ability: Ferocious Assault
Type: Special Attack (boon, combination, magical, dimension)
Cost: Low stamina per second.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Emerald 10
Crystal Effect: Each attack slightly increases your Strength while this ability is active.
Sapphire Effect: Each attack slightly increases your Agility while this ability or another combination ability is active.
Emerald Effect: Each attack inflicts escalating Dimension damage and an instance of [Dimensional Confusion].
- Dimensional Confusion (bane, magical, dimension): Your perception of your surroundings is confused, occasionally mistaking areas for another. Instances are quickly lost over time.
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Ability: Accelerating Strikes
Type: Special Attack (combination, purge, elemental, magical, fire, light)
Cost: Low stamina per second.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Emerald 10
Crystal Effect: Each attack slightly increases your attack speed while this ability is active.
Sapphire Effect: Each attack inflicts escalating Fire damage.
Emerald Effect: Each attack inflicts escalating Light damage and an instance of a Magical or Elemental Boon is purged from the target.
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Unfortunately, it seemed like the priestess was able to cleanse the Banes he placed on her almost as fast as he was applying them, which wasn¡¯t that much of a surprise for a devotee of the Purifier. Honestly, Paul was the oddity among most of the clergy; with only his aura granting some form of cleansing capability to allies.
At least he knew the need to keep cleansing would slow down her assault on the lower Caste people below. He was slightly relieved when he saw a barrier of water appear to protect the retreat that had already begun through his Prot¨¦g¨¦¡¯s portal and he was further relieved when he noticed another portal appear next to the first; a Sapphire Caste extractor had apparently been called in to help the retreat proceed faster.
Paul could sense that the new portalist was lower level within the Caste so he didn¡¯t hold his breath for the talkative Cleric to arrive any time soon to help team up against the Emerald enemy. Not that he would ever admit to the man that he would have appreciated the assistance, somehow believing that might fuel the voxen¡¯s conniving ego further.
As he focused on guarding the retreat, the priestess seemed to grow further incensed at his interventions as she yelled, ¡°You are a disgrace, Wayland! The infamous Blade of Pure Wrath is nothing but a firefly desperate to be noticed. Is this truly what remains of the once zealous paladin?¡± the priestess patronized him, taunting him from above.
¡°I perform my duties with zeal but I am not a blind zealot like you,¡± he shouted back disdainfully, ¡°You would side with invaders that taint the very souls we swore to protect and keep pure. You would burn the world to ashes just to see it purged of whatever you deem unworthy, Neitra!¡±
¡°THEY DESERVE TO BURN!¡± The now furious priestess screamed as she seemed to trigger another ability and a massive cloud of glinting feathers, at least ten times more than what she had conjured in bursts previously, appeared as a swarm in the air behind her.
¡°Bela!¡± he shouted aloud, unable to think silently as he became hyper-aware of not just the retreating Adventurers on the ground behind him but that among the crowd stood the stubborn woman he now saw as his daughter and the loyal man who was slowly becoming like a son.
The golden plate on his forehead vanished as his Familiar appeared high in the air between the Emerald enemy and the Adventurers on the ground. Her malleable and slightly feminine form ¨Cwhich was seemingly made of liquid gold¨C was freely levitating as she stretched her arms out to either side. Directly before her, a shimmering golden barrier appeared and quickly spread out in a rectangular shape as the expensive ability was triggered.
Flashes of light and flickering flames appeared as the metallic feathers bombarded against it, combusting on impact and either becoming bits of shrapnel or melting against the magical shield. For a moment, he thought it would be enough to protect everyone, hoping the long cooldown wouldn¡¯t be needed again before the retreat was completed, but the size of the shield apparently hadn¡¯t covered the same range as the raining projectiles when some made their way past it to cause more devastation below.
Paul¡¯s heart sank as the slightly glowing blue dome of water burst like a bubble against the Emerald Caste attack ¨Chaving reached the limits of what it could absorb¨C and more people lost limbs or fell dead to the ground.
Only a few people remain alive now, mostly near the retreat point, the rest having either departed or stayed staining the ground. He didn¡¯t have to search long to spot the red and purple hair that stood out from the crowd of survivors near the portals that, luckily, still stood as beacons for the remaining few to escape through.
A lump formed in his throat when he saw the young gemite had moved to shield their portalist and a hole the size of his head was punched through the man¡¯s shoulder from a stray feather, utterly ignoring the Crystal Caste armor and attributes.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Paul knew he couldn¡¯t do anything at that moment, needing to trust their Healer to get them through the damn portal and to safety. His job right now was to kill this evil infection posing as a pure priestess and protect not only his city and home but also the people who relied on him more than anyone else in this world; his kids.
A curse was shouted into her ear as Phoenix was shoved to the ground suddenly from behind and explosions rang out around her. That was quickly followed by the physical feeling of water raining down upon her along with the more magical feeling of every remaining [Starlight Companion] getting destroyed in the attempt to block projectiles. When she looked up into the sky, the dome that had been there a moment ago was nowhere to be seen.
What she did see was her party leader slumping to his knees before her with a gaping hole punched through his left shoulder and definitely a chunk of lung based on the size of it and his ragged labored breathing.
¡°Dazien!¡± she shouted in her panic, scrambling forward but not sure touching the gaping wound was the best action, ¡°Don¡¯t you even think about dying!¡± she scolded as she settled for placing a hand on his sternum and reciting the Severe cost of her [A New Dawn Rises] spell, ¡°As surely as the sun will rise again, let life shine brightly from within, and you will see the dawn of tomorrow.¡±
As the flesh began to knit back together, she shouted both aloud and over their communication link, ¡°Saiya! I need you to help him!¡± Then she released the stored-up [Starlight Qi] Tala had been accumulating in an explosion of sparkling blue and purple that both regenerated their mana and stamina while highlighting their allies that still lived with their own inner light as the Boon latched on.
Not only the Healer but the rest of her party was soon beside her as they heard another crash like thunder when the Emerald Casters collided once more in the distance.
Saiya began giving orders in Dazien¡¯s stead as the woman channeled her own [Heal Life] spell into the grievously wounded man and instructed, ¡°We need to get him to Cleric Starlark. Rayna, grab as many remaining as you can and go through the portal. Uriel, there¡¯s no more enemy to fight so you go on through too. Help carry Dazien to the clinic as quickly as we can.¡±
They moved to comply, Uriel careful to not further injure his partner as they made their way through her portal, consuming the remaining magic in the process. Saiya turned back to her and asked, ¡°Can you cast another soon?¡±
¡°At least another three minutes,¡± Phoenix replied with a grimace as she watched Rayna grab four others to drag through the Sapphire Caster¡¯s portal that had joined them a while ago to assist in the retreat.
Luckily, that portalist had survived as well, in a similar fashion to the Wayfarer¡¯s own survival, when the Defender woman who had shielded him lay dead on the ground beside him and his portal, her body rent in two at the waist from an ill-angled blow.
The other portalist had not come out completely unscathed like she had, however, as the cinderen man clutched at his side, having merely been grazed by the projectile that had gone through his companion. Saiya and she took a mental count of the remaining survivors and both came to the same conclusion as their eyes met.
¡°I¡¯ll get them back,¡± Phoenix stated, not leaving room for the voxen to argue with her, ¡°You get that other portalist back to the camp. His skills are too precious to lose.¡±
¡°So are yours,¡± her friend stated, the gentle voice full of concern.
¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± she replied with a dismissive wave, ¡°I survived a maniac researcher''s creepy lab dungeon, remember?¡±
¡°You implied Lord Wayland was the one who rescued you from that,¡± Saiya reminded her with a pointed look as they moved toward the other portal.
¡°I¡¯ll explain when we get back home. Now let''s both do our jobs and get everyone else out of here,¡± the Supporter diverted and helped prop the injured portalist onto the Healer¡¯s back as the twin tails grabbed another groaning body nearby and moved them through the portal.
She wasn¡¯t exactly certain how much juice that one had left, considering she only knew it was somewhere in the low Sapphire Caste range based on the portalist¡¯s aura. The Astromancer tried to help those who could still walk by grabbing those who couldn¡¯t, but who were still alive, and assisting them in their retreat while Paul seemed to keep the enemy at bay.
There was only one more Sapphire Caster and a quartet of Crystals left when the Sapphire portal flickered out of existence and she grimaced at the math. At Crystal 7 that was exactly how many she could fit through the portal that she conjured once her cooldown elapsed. The sheet of night wrapped in a ring of silver offered the hope of survival to the others as they walked through but not to her as it winked out of existence.
She was left alone among the bodies of the fallen littering the ground around her. The flashes of light from the conflict ¨Cfollowed by the thunder they produced¨C drew her attention skyward and she could see the battle wasn¡¯t as far away as it had been before.
Phoenix felt conflicted.
She knew Paul and Dazien would be angry if she tried to help instead of being an obedient child and waiting patiently for her portal cooldown to be done in another five minutes; but she was getting tired of the people in her life trying to tell her what she couldn¡¯t do, despite knowing that it came from good intentions.
Her entire existence had been an endless parade of people telling her what she couldn¡¯t do. What she wasn¡¯t capable of with the body she was born into. Telling her that she was limited.
She was done with accepting that.
The Wayfarer wouldn¡¯t let other people¡¯s beliefs weigh her down anymore and, in this moment, Phoenix was determined not to risk losing the only man who had ever bothered to try being a father to her.
Without further hesitation, the Supporter began moving towards her mentor. Triggering her mana tattoo once more, she also pulled out a pair of potions in preparation for her next attempt at taunting death. They were both one of the precious few she had managed to craft with her cousins-to-be and that she hadn¡¯t expected to need again so soon.
Phoenix focused on the relationship between her feet and the ground and pushed with her [Ruler of Relativity] ability as much as she could to fling herself high into the air.
The Wayfarer grinned for a brief moment; feeling like a kid pretending to fly as she moved higher into the air than she had ever gone before. As she hung in the air at the apex of her magic-assisted jump, she whispered, ¡°To infinity and the great beyond,¡± then she focused on her target and initiated her plan as the Emerald Caste priestess ignored the inconsequential Crystal Caster who wasn¡¯t even wearing armor or wielding a weapon.
She didn¡¯t need a weapon or armor for her plan, however. She just needed to be strong enough to hold the enemy still and let Paul finish off what she was about to start.
Phoenix triggered [Pull] again to have herself rocket towards the faux angel whose higher Caste made it harder to move, but the Astromancer did; moving like a homing missile as her ability dragged the two targets together.
Her next part of the plan was the riskiest as she quickly downed both potions ¨Cone right after the other¨C despite knowing it would make her survival even less likely. However, at this point, Phoenix knew death would be the cost she would have to pay to have any impact at all in a fight that was two Castes above her.
|
Warning: You have consumed multiple [Magi Fortune Booster] potions in tandem causing an exponential effect. You have been temporarily enhanced beyond current Caste levels. The ensuing recoil will result in reducing attributes below current Caste levels and inflict mana poisoning.
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¡°Well that doesn¡¯t sound good,¡± Phoenix thought at the message but didn¡¯t have time to ponder on it more as she began chanting her next spell before actually reaching her target, since it was one of the longest incantations she had, rivaling that of her Familiar summoning ritual, ¡°As this star begins to dim, a final burst of light.¡±
Next, the Wayfarer collided and grappled the woman, momentarily boosted to levels of Strength and Agility that rivaled the Emerald Caster¡¯s own, ¡°As my life begins to wane, a final shout of triumph.¡±
She managed to grab hold of the wings themselves, causing the enemy to cry out as she pulled at them as though trying to rip them from the priestess¡¯s back. Finally, she triggered the ability she was warned to never use as the collateral damage to her surroundings would be just as brutal as the danger to herself, ¡°In a supernova sacrifice, I offer the hope of victory.¡±
Class Ability: Supernova
Type: Execute (recoil, elemental, magical, arcane, fire, light)
Cost: Severe health, mana, and stamina.
Cooldown: 6 hours.
Current Caste: Crystal 1 (0%)
Crystal Effect: Create an explosion of magic centered on you, inflicting Arcane, Fire, and Light damage to nearby enemies and the surrounding environment. Enemies within and near the blast are inflicted with [Burning]. When this effect ends, you are temporarily unable to cast spells. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
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Warning: The selected ability, [Supernova], combined with the double instances of [Magi Fortune Booster], has resulted in an excellent compatibility match for increased effectiveness. You have been temporarily enhanced two Caste levels beyond your current. The ensuing recoil will result in death.
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¡°Whelp, there goes that bonus reward,¡± she thought with a bit of dark humor in the split second between the message and her ability going off. Though the spell didn¡¯t deal damage to allies, the cost was immense for her, as she felt the mana explode from the very center of her being to consume and destroy everything around her in a swirling blue and gold conflagration. The sheer force drowned out the scream she could feel the priestess trying to produce as a massive amount of damage rippled through the fallen angel over the next few seconds.
She couldn¡¯t see how injured the priestess truly was from the blast, as her chest was currently pressed against the woman¡¯s back, still trying to pin the white wings. There was no way the Wayfarer was going to risk the enemy making a last-minute escape when she would be dying soon anyway and Phoenix hoped that Paul would capitalize on the opportunity she had provided him.
The redhead grinned almost maniacally as the large golden sword glowed with a brilliant swirl of Radiant rainbow light that easily sliced through the priestess¡¯ body at an angle and managed to barely miss her own when it lightly brushed against her side as Paul demonstrated his own skill with a sword.
She idly thought that his careful attempt at not injuring her was wasted. It didn¡¯t even matter that her back was a pin-cushion of metallic feathers embedded in the flesh reinforced by her boosted Fortitude; she had already sealed her fate before the attack had even landed.
The only thing that made her feel slightly better about the whole doomed situation she now found herself in was that, due to her temporarily increased attributes, the evil priestess died first and both of her quests completed simultaneously.
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Quest: Tulimeir Traitors
Objective complete: Reclaimed the Reality Rift.
Bonus Objective complete: Stayed alive.
Objective reward increased from rare to epic.
[Shifting Twilight] has been added to your collection.
Quest completed.
10 [Emerald Mana Bits] have been added to your collection.
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Quest: Pure Zealotry
Objective complete: Defeated the Renseres.
[Crystal Caster Party Pack] has been added to your collection.
Quest completed.
50 [Sapphire Mana Bits] have been added to your collection.
Hidden Objective complete: Defeated High Priestess Nandi Neitra.
Bonus Reward: [Elixir of Divine Cleansing] has been added to your collection.
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New Title: Martyr
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The desire to save others at the cost of yourself can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased effects when low on health.
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Phoenix gave a wan smile as she began to fall through the air after releasing the dead enemy that was slowly disintegrating into green ash. Smiling at the thought of loot helped distract her from the effect of the potions beginning to fade. She didn¡¯t strike the ground, however, as strong arms wrapped around her body and braced her as they landed among the craggy rocks of the massive crater her boosted ability had created.
¡°That was foolish and insane,¡± Paul¡¯s voice came as a mixture of annoyance and panic, ¡°I told you to never use that. The price is too high normally and taking another of those cursed potions...¡±
¡°I took two,¡± she managed to cough out as she felt blood on her lips and her vision became tinted red, ¡°It caused mana poisoning,¡± another cough interrupted as it felt like her blood was beginning to boil, ¡°Which I can only guess is causing the burning.¡±
Paul cursed loudly, his voice cracking slightly as he asked, ¡°Why? I know you can come back but why would you risk it in this place? We don¡¯t know if your ability works across dimensional barriers like the Rift.¡±
She wasn¡¯t about to admit to him that she hadn¡¯t thought about that potential interference but instead gave a weak shrug as she muttered, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to lose you. I wanted to help.¡±
She could barely make out his golden hair shaking as he gave a weak laugh, ¡°You did, young one. You''re still grounded when I see you again.¡±
Phoenix gave him a weak smirk, ¡°I¡¯m a stubborn child. You¡¯ll probably ground me a lot,¡± she said, then coughed one final time and died with a final cheeky mutter, ¡°See you back at our home.¡±
A few moments later, only white ashes remained in Paul¡¯s arms.
49 - Martyr Complex
Dazien grimaced as the Sapphire Healer finished healing him, which he had been quickly handed off to once Everin Starlark had mended the worst of it, and Saiya explained why she had returned without their final party member. He ran his hand through his hair which was beginning to get much longer than he normally wore it and immediately regretted the smear of blood and sweat. He didn¡¯t have to ask as the Healer cast her [Cleansing Stream] to clean off the evidence of their battle and glanced at the rest of his friends who were watching him with concern.
The gemite frowned trying to think of how best to lead them and began running through options in his head. They could try to find the other portalist to send them back but they were either still recovering or unlikely to listen to a Crystal Caster with no authority to command them. On foot would take too long to matter, so that really only left him with the most unpleasant of options.
¡°We¡¯ll have to wait for her to get the chance to conjure her portal again to escape. Just like we¡¯ve planned in the event something like this happened,¡± he said confidently despite his inner turmoil. Saiya helped him to stand, not releasing his hand in her worry, as he rotated his newly mended left shoulder, ¡°Thank you again, Acolyte Barrett. We¡¯ll leave you to tend to the others now.¡±
The runeforged follower of the Cultivator gave a respectful bow as he muttered, ¡°It is my honor to serve.¡±
¡°We need to go back! She¡¯s going to get herself killed!¡± the small voxen bard yelled at him as he led them all out of the overflowing clinic area, ¡°Emerald Casters, Dazien! Ever since that Crystalline Elemental, we¡¯ve known she doesn¡¯t care about her own safety. We all agreed after that to try and steer her away from those situations! Leaving her there alone¡ we both know she¡¯s going to do something reckless to try and help everyone else.¡±
¡°I had hoped that her sessions with Priest Jacob would make her value her own life a bit more but she almost died again at Vallinsarvi to save a pair of children. She may have some kind of martyr complex,¡± Saiya added gently, as they made their way toward the edge of the camp where Phoenix¡¯s portal should reappear any minute.
¡°I think it¡¯s more of a hero complex,¡± Uriel interjected forlornly, idly rubbing at one of the golden earrings adorning a tapered ear, ¡°It would explain how she gained that particular god¡¯s favor.¡±
¡°The result seems to be the same,¡± Rayna said abruptly, redirecting the focus back onto Dazien as she seemed to urge him with the warning, ¡°She¡¯s going to get hurt.¡±
¡°For once, I agree with you, Rayna, but we finally got her to trust us. Now, we need to trust her in that she¡¯ll make the smart choice and return to us as soon as possible,¡± Dazien replied softly as he glanced back toward the mountains that he could barely make out with his enhanced vision. His [Eagle Eye] perception allowed him to zoom his focus across the molten wasteland and he could just make out the priestess flying through the air, throwing fire and swarming feathers, and periodically clashing with the golden lord of avenging wrath.
Dazien saw firsthand the powers being thrown around in the battle, much closer than he had ever intended, and he knew that a stray spell could easily kill Phoenix if she got hit by one. The thought made his mind roil in a way that was hard for him to articulate the reasoning for. He outwardly schooled his expression and remained calm, however, hiding the apprehension bubbling within him that he knew Saiya could sense but was grateful for her silence despite her concerned glances as she continued to tightly hold his hand.
It was only a brief moment later that his hope rose at the sight of Phoenix¡¯s portal appearing before them but that hope was shattered in the next as five Casters came through that were not his Supporter before the portal winked out again; the magic consumed by the new arrivals.
¡°Where¡¯s the portalist?¡± he asked the Sapphire Caster that was helping carry two of the other Crystals that had come through, ¡°How many more are left to evacuate?¡±
¡°Just her left,¡± the cinderen woman said with a glance back at where the portal had been, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize she wouldn¡¯t be able to come through too.¡±
His teeth clenched and he gestured in the direction they had come from, informing the other Adventurer of the Healers there. When he finally turned back to look at the distant battle once more, the Defender thought he might have been imagining things in his anxiety as he saw a glowing redhead fly into the air above the Emerald Caste woman.
¡°Can I have everyone''s attention please?!¡± the voxen Cleric yelled out to the entire camp from the clinic behind him, but his focused gaze remained on the absurdity he was witnessing as the Spirit Advocate continued, ¡°I know there''s a lot of concern surrounding the Emerald battle back there and the injured here but rest assured that¨C¡±
Dazien tuned out the rest of the announcement as his panic skyrocketed over a matter of seconds as the insane Wayfarer grabbed the winged priestess, followed by a swarm of glinting metal embedding itself into her back. Then he wasn¡¯t exactly sure what happened as the two combatants exploded in a ball of blue and gold light that caused him to squint but still observe.
Everyone in the camp could see the bright conflagration as it quickly grew to a terrifying size, sending up dirt, stone, ash, and lava into the air as it collided with the mountainside and stone ruins below it.
He was certain the explosion was somehow part of whatever insane plan Phoenix had attempted by getting involved. What devastated Dazien more than that, however, was the sight of the man he looked up to and admired seeming to thrust his greatsword through the center of his friend¡¯s body. The sight made him feel like his own soul had been stabbed and only a gaping wound remained even worse than the literal hole that had been punched through him earlier.
Uriel said softly, as though stating it would make it true, ¡°She couldn¡¯t have been near the blast, right? She¡¯ll be okay. She has to be.¡±
Saiya gasped and covered her mouth as Dazien''s emotions flooded her senses and the gemite, who had always strived to only show others the confident face he wanted them to see, fell to his knees, tears silently falling down his dirty cheeks as he clutched his hands into fists.
He saw Phoenix fall from the sky and watched Paul grab onto her, but he couldn¡¯t see them land among the ash and what he assumed must be a crater of destroyed ground from the amount of debris in the air. He wondered if maybe their mentor had managed to somehow save Phoenix''s life from an attack he thought should have killed her instantly. Hoping that the message he feared the most wouldn¡¯t visit him.
Rayna stared at their party leader and shook her head as her voice trembled, ¡°No. Don¡¯t say it, Dazien. She¡¯s fine. I might have said it earlier but she always manages to pull it off. Just another one of her crazy stunts, right?¡±
The Striker glanced at the large plume of smoke that had replaced the bright light. Then, taking Uriel¡¯s approach, she stated firmly, ¡°Lord Wayland¡¯s going to bring her back and chew us out. Just like he always does.¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
The young warrior was momentarily distracted by the purple lettering he had feared appearing in the air in front of him that only he could see.
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Phoenix Fraser has died.
Phoenix Fraser is no longer your Subject.
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Saiya flung herself against his side, wrapping her arms around the larger Defender in a hug that was too tight to be comforting but barely felt tight enough as he rocked forward and let out a racking sob.
Paul eventually made his way back to the encampment after double-checking that the ruins were indeed empty of enemies. To his annoyance, it seemed that Phoenix¡¯s loot ability had automatically claimed the boosted spoils of the Priestess of the Purifier, which he had marked with his [Nemesis] Bane, and he found himself slightly envious of the convenience.
He did manage to find the woman''s dimensional storage bag, however, during his brief search inside the ruins, along with a disturbing amount of wealth placed around a yet-to-be-activated ritual diagram. He made sure to claim those materials but left the diagram intact so someone more dedicated to interstellar ritual work could hopefully translate its purpose later.
While the Striker had become quite knowledgeable about rituals over the years, able to perform quite a few higher Caste and somewhat esoteric ones, he had been focused on various adventuring needs; not imploding Reality Rifts and traveling across dimensional boundaries. These corrupted organic enchantments with triggering rituals were beyond anything he had ever heard of, let alone dealt with, and he worried about their introduction into his world.
As he made his way back and arrived at the staging point near the entrance to the Reality Rift, he was promptly intercepted by the only other Emerald Caster in this pocket reality. The voxen man greeted him with a wry smile, ¡°Welcome back, Lord Paladin. I take it Miss Fraser ran a sudden errand for you and portaled directly back to your shared home.¡±
Paul started to shake his head in disagreement but the Cleric interjected with, ¡°Which would explain why the missing Prot¨¦g¨¦ did not return with her Mentor and all those that are clergy to the Favored one should not eagerly await her return.¡±
His golden eyes narrowed on the snow-colored voxen, speaking too softly for anyone else to hear as he pointed out the major flaw in the proffered cover story, ¡°You and I both know Crystal Caste portals can¡¯t cross reality thresholds like the Rifts.¡±
¡°Ah, but Wayfarers break all sorts of rules we take for granted don¡¯t they?¡± the vulpine grin appeared, fangs gleaming with as much mirth as was in those large blue eyes, ¡°It¡¯s not that unbelievable that some dimensional barrier rules might be¡ bent a bit. It¡¯s not like completely breaking some other laws that govern our lives¡ or deaths.¡±
¡°The Rebel Fox is a schemer. Wayland should make sure Little Flower never meets him,¡± Orebela¡¯s voice warned in the back of his mind, having returned earlier to her usual place within him, and he suddenly feared that the crafty Cleric had already made contact with his sister.
The Paladin grimaced slightly but nodded in acquiescence to the silent warning, understanding the point Everin was trying to make, ¡°True. We planned to just meet back home and you know an Emerald can¡¯t go through a Crystal portal.¡±
¡°How very true, which is sadly why I had to remain here to assist. I figured once our Sapphire portalist showed up and got the remaining forces back to this side, you would be free to handle the pesky problem, which appears I was right in assuming,¡± the Cleric said as they both began walking toward the command tent which he had thought to report to first.
¡°Shall we report your victory to Officer Trayvious now? Not many could view such a battle from this distance, my Emerald Caste eyes were barely adequate and I believe your victory came at the same time I was making a motivational speech to the camp, coincidentally.¡±
Paul raised an eyebrow, not believing that anything this fox did was coincidental, but didn¡¯t stop moving as he said, ¡°What are the chances that you missed the killing blow?¡±
¡°Slim to none,¡± the fangs glinted again with the sly smile the voxen gave, one of the tails wrapping around to cover it a moment later, ¡°That massive explosion of blue mana and golden flames, however, was something that not even my rakish charm could draw attention from once its brilliance lit up the sky.¡±
Everin¡¯s next whispered words had him pause again, ¡°Unfortunately, I was unable to distract your little band of orphans from witnessing something that should not have been seen. I suggest you allow me to handle the reports while you waylay their grieving and let them know what became of their missing friend.¡±
Paul spread out his aura sense as unobtrusively as possible in order to locate his quarry and was dismayed to sense chaos in the handful of familiar Crystal Caste auras that were off to the side of the main group. As the paladin laid eyes on them, he groaned internally when he realized what must have happened to the group of young Adventurers missing their teammate. While most of the camp was abuzz with the sense of victory, despite the heavy injuries and casualties that lay as a mournful undertone, this party made it quite clear they thought the price had been far too great.
¡°This One told Wayland to let King''s Dream know sooner. This was going to happen eventually and this is exactly¨C¡±
¡°Not now, Bela,¡± Paul mentally chided his Familiar in return, despite knowing she was right¡ again.
Dazien and Uriel were sitting on the stone ground, back-to-back giving both physical and emotional support to one another as their Healer had attached herself to both men''s arms, a tail wrapped around each, and was humming a soothing yet melancholic melody even as her own tears stained her cheeks. Their Striker on the other hand was pacing around, angrily kicking loose pebbles that dared to cross her path.
Rayna was the first to notice him approaching and her face fell as she snarled angrily, fangs bared and ears flat, ¡°Where is she? You were supposed to bring her back to us.¡±
The Emerald Caster frowned as Orebela''s reprimand proved true; that he only had himself to blame for the current situation he found himself in. He had insisted that Phoenix keep her resurrection ability a secret and, for once, the stubborn Wayfarer actually listened to him. He grumbled slightly to himself before saying quietly, trying to convey that they should also be discreet, ¡°Not here. We should go back to my home and talk in private.¡±
¡°You killed her,¡± Dazien¡¯s hollow voice said from the ground as he stared at the older man with a tear-stained face and dulled amethyst eyes, ¡°I saw you.¡±
Paul¡¯s heart broke a little at the dead gaze the young gemite gave him and his own narrowed as he roughly pushed down the urge to console and growled, ¡°Not here. Be silent and come with me.¡±
Saiya and Rayna moved to follow the mentor they still seemed to trust in but Uriel remained at his friend¡¯s back and Dazien wasn¡¯t moving as he asked bitterly, ¡°Why did you do it? You didn¡¯t need to. She was just a Crystal¡¡±
¡°She is stubborn and headstrong but I trust in her abilities and choices. More than you do apparently,¡± the paladin said harshly, wanting to end the conversation before any undesired ears overheard something that would be too difficult to explain away. They were much too in the open for his tastes.
¡°I did trust her!¡± Dazien yelled back, finally moving to his feet, ¡°I trusted you too!¡± stomping towards him and shoving a finger against his chest. The hurt and betrayal were plain on the gemite¡¯s face as the warrior accused him, ¡°But instead of protecting her¨Clike you told me to do¨Cyou used her like a potion to be consumed and tossed aside! You chose to sacrifice my friend¨C¡± the young man¡¯s voice cracked on the word which incited another pang of hurt in his own chest, ¡°Traded the life of my friend to kill an enemy that you could have beaten without!¡±
¡°Nothing to see here, people!¡± a tenor voice said nearby to the onlooking adventures and Paul noticed Everin serving as a distraction for them, ¡°Just a misunderstanding between student and teacher, you know how that can be! You there, get back to moving those supplies to the clinic! Don¡¯t make me report anyone just standing around not helping!¡±
Paul was only barely taller than Dazien but he seemed to tower over all of them as he went the more direct route and grabbed the young gemite¡¯s collar, dragging them so close that their noses were almost touching. His aura crashed down on the whole party like a tidal wave of cold fury, completely suppressing theirs and causing them to tremble like terrified children, as his voice spoke with the sharpness of shattered ice, ¡°I will do you a favor, kid, and pretend that you didn¡¯t just accuse me of betraying the person I plan to adopt into my family. Now, if you will all stay silent, let us go and I can explain things to all of you¡ in private.¡±
50 - Everything Has a Price
It was the first time Phoenix had woken up from death already feeling victorious. She had actually managed to help her mentor. Sure she had died but for once it had felt worth it. The sense of pride and accomplishment filled her with a joy that she rarely got to experience and she just lay there naked on the bed basking in the feeling.
On a whim, she pulled out Sky from her collection to tell the blue stuffed kitsune doll about her victory. When one of the nine tails brushed against the pages of her still-open [Guide Book] new writing caught her attention as it gave more details about the trinket.
Item: Sky, the Magic Kitsune Plush
A dearly loved nine-tailed kitsune plush companion that soothes and comforts the wielder.
Caste: Emerald.
Availability: Epic.
Type: Trinket, doll.
Effects:
- Repairs damage over time. Extensive damage may require external repair.
- Cleans itself over time.
- Increased resistance to Elemental and physical damage.
- Can be easily found by the last person to pet it.
- Slowly grants instances of [Refreshing Presence] when pet; up to a maximum threshold.
- Slowly grants instances of [Calming Companion] when held; up to a maximum threshold.
- Slowly grants instances of [Sleepy] when hugged, up to a maximum threshold.
- Refreshing Presence (boon, magical, arcane, stacking): Slightly increases regeneration of mana and stamina. Instances are quickly lost over time.
- Calming Companion (boon, magical, covenant): Moderates the emotions of the wielder to prevent sudden changes or reduce extremely volatile levels.
- Sleepy (boon, magical, covenant, stacking): Greatly increases drowsiness, causing sleep after reaching maximum stack threshold. Once asleep, all stacks of [Sleepy] are removed and a 12-hour cooldown is incurred in order to gain more stacks of [Sleepy].
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¡°Who makes an Emerald Caste Plushie?!¡± the Wayfarer asked the doll incredulously, though still proceeded to hold Sky closer and pet the soft creation; for the first time, truly believing that the voxen twins really were born into some kind of nobility despite their often casual demeanor.
After taking a few minutes to calm down from the victory high, mostly likely due to the plushie influence, she slowly sat up and conjured a fresh dress and hung her legs off the side of the bed as she mentally went over the new items in her collection.
There was an influx of Fire, Earth, and Light Shards as well as the usual [Mana Bits]. A small dimensional belt pouch was also included and she assumed it had originally been holding the stack of Emerald Caste [Mana Potions] that now lived in her collection. There was a [Fire Aspect] and [Purifier Spirit Gem] that she had no use for along with a plethora of various Emerald Caste jewelry that mostly boosted Light, Fire, and Radiant damage. She idly wondered if Paul would want to wear it since she wasn¡¯t high enough Caste but he definitely was, and he actually had abilities that would benefit from it.
The most notable items however were the [Robes of the Purifier], [Wings of Zeal], and [Pure Wrap], which she assumed came from the Emerald Caster, along with her new quest rewards.
She checked out the description for the wrap first which turned out to be a cloth sash that would wrap around her waist as a more decorative style of belt followed by the matching pure-white robes.
Item: Pure Wrap
A wrap often worn around the waist by the servants of the Purifier.
Caste: Emerald.
Availability: Rare.
Type: Apparel, belt.
Requirements: Emerald Caste or higher.
Effects:
- Repairs durability over time.
- Keeps the wearer¡¯s body and equipped items clean.
- Slowly accumulates ambient mana over time to generate instances of [Benediction] on the item up to a maximum threshold.
- The wearer may spend a low amount of mana to generate an instance of [Benediction].
- Benediction (boon, dispel, divine, radiant, stacking): Automatically consumes a stack to remove a Magical Bane when the wearer acquires one.
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Item: Robes of the Purifier
A set of robes often worn by the servants of the Purifier and inscribed with their divine symbols.
Caste: Emerald.
Availability: Epic.
Type: Apparel, chest.
Requirements: Emerald Caste or higher.
Effects:
- Repairs durability over time.
- Keeps the wearer¡¯s body and equipped items clean.
- Grants a minor levitation effect to keep the wearer a few inches above the ground.
- The wearer''s movements become more fluid and balance is slightly increased.
- For an additional low mana cost, the item can emit a soft glow.
- Increased resistance to Dark, Death, and Void negative effects.
- Increases Light, Life, and Radiant damage.
- Enhances the wearer¡¯s aura to sense through aura disguises.
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Phoenix was excited about the useful items but regretted having to wait for Emerald Caste before she could use any of them. She wondered if maybe it would be better to trade them for a couple of things she could use now instead.
The Wayfarer was slightly confused about the incongruity of the size of the next item compared to the name she read and wondered if trying to test it out would cause some sort of backlash from not being the appropriate Caste.
Item: Wings of Zeal
An Augmentation cultivated from the conversion of a transfiguration ability into an item.
Caste: Emerald.
Availability: Legendary.
Type: Augment, back.
Requirements: Emerald Caste.
Effects:
- Can use an Augment Ritual to embed the item into the wielder¡¯s back. The wings will take on an appearance that reflects the zeal of the wielder¡¯s soul. This Augment type can be removed via an additional Separation Ritual without harm to the wielder.
- For no mana cost, the Augment can remain in [Passive Mode] which grants the wielder the ability to hover idly in the air and increased resistance to negative Elemental effects.
- For a low mana cost per second, the Augment can remain in [Flight Mode] which increases the size of the manifested wings and grants the wielder freeform flying capability.
- For a moderate mana cost per second, the Augment can remain in [Defensive Mode] which greatly increases the size of the wings and further solidifies them into interlocking shields, granting greatly increased resistance to negative Magical and physical effects.
- For a high mana cost per second, the Augment can remain in [Offensive Mode] which disperses the wings into individual feathers which move as high-speed projectiles that explode on contact with a targeted enemy for a high amount of Radiant damage. Once all the feathers have been expended the wings automatically return to [Passive Mode] and incur a 1-hour cooldown to replenish the expended feathers.
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Phoenix gaped at the item which appeared like a small silver pin about the size of her palm in the shape of a pair of tiny angel wings. Now she really wished she was Emerald Caste already cause flying around with these sounded awesome. She even contemplated hoarding them until she could put them on but the fact that she was still a long way off and they could be removed meant that she would likely give them to her mentor. She had seen how he had struggled with that aerial combatant and these would have made the battle much easier for him and likely saved lives because of it.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
The next and last item to inspect for now was the upgraded quest reward that she hoped was another result of her [Guide Book] providing her with something she actually needed and would help her die less often.
Item: Shifting Twilight
A full body armor, crafted from the leather and scales of a twilight wyvern.
Caste: Crystal.
Availability: Epic.
Type: Apparel, chest and legs.
Requirements: Crystal Caste or higher.
Effects:
- Increased resistance to physical damage. Highly effective against slashing and piercing damage, less effective against bludgeoning damage.
- Repairs durability over time.
- Adapts to fit the wearer, within a certain range, and is treated as the wearer¡¯s skin for the purposes of abilities.
- Color shifts along a grayscale spectrum based on the level of light in the surrounding environment.
- Grants variable increase to Strength and Agility based on the current shade of the scales. The darker the shade, the more Agility is granted; while the lighter the shade, the more Strength is granted.
- When the item¡¯s shade is at its lightest, gain the Boon [Brightest Day].
- When the item¡¯s shade is at its darkest, gain the Boon [Blackest Night].
- Brightest Day (boon, transfiguration, magical, song): Your secondary characteristics reflect the day. For a low amount of mana per second, you can loudly amplify your voice.
- Blackest Night (boon, transfiguration, magical, song): Your secondary characteristics reflect the night. For a low amount of mana per second, you can make your voice come from a nearby target.
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Phoenix was amazed by the item and eagerly donned it, making her way to the bathroom to look at herself in the standing mirror she had discovered there. It fit her form like a second skin and easily flexed with her, the small smooth slate scales sliding to accommodate the movement.
In the soft glow of the glowstones embedded in the ceiling and the bit of diffused sunlight entering through a frosted tinted window, the armor was currently a soft matte grey color covering every inch of her body up to the top of her neck. Her red hair, green eyes, and pale glowing face stood out in stark contrast to the rest of the wyvern skin.
The Astromancer not only felt the increase in her Strength and Agility but she also felt lighter without the thick clothing she normally wore constricting her movements. She suddenly wanted to go out and test the new item in combat then remembered she had left her friends in the Reality Rift and they would get suspicious about her not returning with Paul. It had only been about fifteen minutes since she awoke, though, so they were likely still there waiting.
Phoenix only made it about halfway across her bedroom when the door opened and she came face to face with Dazien who stared at her blankly for the briefest of moments before his expression transformed with anger and he conjured [Excalibur], leveling it directly at her chest.
Paul was between them in an instant as he held his hands up defensively and said in a low and steady voice, ¡°Calm yourself.¡±
¡°What manner of illusion or shape-changing is this, Lord Wayland?¡± the Defender spat out in obvious rage and disgust, ¡°What vile trick are you attempting to deceive us with? You plan to get away with murder by having an imposter assume her form?¡±
Phoenix was shocked by the gemite¡¯s behavior towards her mentor and was immediately consumed by curiosity about what exactly Paul had told them about her absence. Then confusion hit as she wondered how and why they had arrived here so quickly. It should have taken them a good hour to walk back here from the base within the Rift but it had only been a quarter of that since she had awoken. The thought left her feeling suddenly uneasy.
¡°This is not a trick,¡± Paul said calmly as he tried to reassure the party. The others had entered behind Dazien but hadn¡¯t seen what had caused their leader to suddenly turn on the paladin. At least, until she peeked her head around the larger man to look at all of them and give a small wave.
The others gasped, Saiya covering her mouth in shock while Uriel let his hang open and Rayna practically lunged toward her in an attempt to embrace her but Dazien grabbed the bard''s arm to forestall the voxen, saying harshly, ¡°I saw her in the center of that explosion. I saw her get impaled on Lord Wayland¡¯s sword. Then my own ability confirmed her death when she was suddenly no longer part of my communication network. She is dead.¡±
¡°Um¡ Yes and no,¡± Phoenix said, staying behind Paul just in case Dazien made to end the perceived threat, ¡°It was the other secret I was planning to tell you about after my quest but then the whole expedition thing kind of interrupted¡¡±
Dazien¡¯s eyes narrowed in suspicion as he muttered, ¡°More secrets.¡±
¡°You knew about this one too,¡± Phoenix pointed out, ¡°My last natural talent.¡±
Her leader''s eyes widened slightly but then hardened as he said bluntly, ¡°Prove it.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not killing myself again to prove anything,¡± Phoenix replied, stubbornly crossing her arms over her chest which she just realized was no longer being left to the imagination with her new armor and she internally groaned as she conjured her dress over the second skin.
¡°I didn¡¯t say to prove you could die,¡± the Defender growled in annoyance, ¡°Prove that you are who you claim to be.¡±
She quirked an eyebrow, ¡°Really? That¡¯s like from every cliche movie involving magic out there. We never even came up with a secret passcode or call sign.¡±
At their confused expressions, she sighed and summoned her [Guide Book] to slowly float in front of them and display her [Waypoint] information for them to read.
Phoenix waited patiently as she gave them time to process then the holy sword vanished and she was wrapped up in strong arms, the warrior threatening to crack ribs as he held onto her as though letting go would be her dying all over again. She awkwardly tried to pat his back with her pinned arms to try and comfort her friend when another set of large arms wrapped around the pair of them. Then another smaller pair, followed by a twin set.
Suddenly the whole party was entangled in a group hug, tears mixed with laughter as the swirl of emotions swept through them; the friends relieved to be reunited once more.
As they all started to calm down and managed to extricate themselves from one another, they took to the plush seats to talk about the details Phoenix had left out before.
Saiya was the first to ask a question as the Healer casually placed the plushie Sky into Dazien¡¯s lap. The Defender raised a brow at the gentle voxen but Saiya just moved his hand in a petting motion for him until he took over himself to idly pet the plushie as their Healer inquired, ¡°That night when the sirens raided. Was that the first time you died? It seemed odd the way you vanished on us.¡±
The redhead chuckled at the sight of the warrior petting a blue kitsune doll and shook her wild locks that she hadn¡¯t bothered to tie back into a braid yet as she explained, ¡°No, that was the third time. The first and second were before you had joined the party.¡±
Dazien paused in his idle petting as events started clicking into place for him and he muttered angrily, ¡°Are you saying that Arktis actually murdered you?!¡±
Saiya moved his hand again for him, forcing the Defender to calm down unbeknownst to him. Dazien didn¡¯t even look at the voxen that time as he resumed the petting as though subconsciously seeking the pleasant fuzzy feeling she remembered gaining herself earlier.
¡°She was the one during the raid,¡± she stated grimly, ¡°And while she was there during the fourth time when Murinah''s dad kidnapped me, she wasn''t actually the one who killed me.¡±
¡°How many times have you died?¡± Uriel asked in quiet horror, mirroring the looks that everyone else gave her. Then joined his partner the next moment in petting the small nine-tailed fox plush after doing a double-take of the gemite beside him and eyeing the plushie with curiosity. The Wayfarer wondered what prompted the response and made a mental note to ask sometime.
Phoenix actually had to pause, though, to mentally count as she answered, ¡°Six now.¡±
¡°Eight,¡± Paul spoke up from his place leaning against the back of her room door, ¡°I checked with the Church of the Undertaker and they have two other confirmed deaths listed¡ so far.¡±
¡°What? How is that possible? I¡¯ve only died six times since coming here. My book tells me each time it happens,¡± she said in confusion.
¡°Well, are you counting when you arrived here?¡± Saiya asked as though that one was obvious.
¡°What do you mean? I didn¡¯t die on arrival.¡±
¡°You¡¯re a Wayfarer though,¡± Saiya continued, ¡°You mentioned your body being remade when you arrived in this world. My guess would be that your soul was what got transferred to this reality, leaving your old, now dead, body behind, while a new one was formed on this side.¡±
¡°How would something like that even work?¡± she asked curiously.
The Healer shrugged, ¡°No idea. I don¡¯t think anyone has seen a Wayfarer arrive before.¡±
¡°That would still only be one more,¡± Phoenix pointed out, trying to get the discussion back to the original topic and pointedly ignoring the questions surrounding her arrival, ¡°There wasn¡¯t any magic in my world and I didn¡¯t have this [Waypoint] talent. How could I have been resurrected?¡± Most of them gave a shrug, likely not having enough information about her world to speculate properly.
Dazien was reading over her ability once more then asked inquisitively, ¡°What¡¯s the cost for this? Mana? If you don¡¯t have any left when you die will it fail?¡±
Phoenix¡¯s brow furrowed as she stated, ¡°No, I was pretty tapped out when I used [Supernova] before that last death. I don¡¯t think it costs anything to use.¡±
¡°Everything has a price, Phoenix. Nothing is free, even when it comes to magic. We talked about that before with your storage talent,¡± he gestured toward the book, ¡°Even when your book says an ability doesn¡¯t cost something it just means it¡¯s either negligible or utilizes something more inherent to your nature but you don¡¯t just get something out of nothing.¡±
She shrugged, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s one of those things then?¡±
He frowned, seeming displeased with the answer, asking, ¡°You¡¯re sure the book doesn¡¯t inform you about any cost after you die?¡±
The book suddenly displayed the last death message she got for him as she answered, ¡°No, that¡¯s all it tells me.¡±
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You have died.
All equipment has been returned to your collection.
[Waypoint] has guided your soul back to your designated location.
You have been reconstituted to a state of full integrity.
24 hours remain until this effect can be triggered again.
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Dazien¡¯s frown deepened as he asked, ¡°What does it mean by a ¡®state of full integrity¡¯?¡±
¡°I just assume it means a ¡®not dead¡¯ state,¡± she said with yet another shrug. She pondered the words for a bit though, thinking through the implications, then asked her own question that had been gnawing at the back of her mind as she glanced over to Paul, ¡°How long did it take you to get here after I died?¡±
The question seemed to catch him off guard as he answered, ¡°About a quarter past an hour. I tried to make them hurry a bit so we could discuss things privately,¡± he gave a side glance towards Dazien, ¡°Your companions were beginning to make a scene thinking I had murdered you.¡± Then his eyes narrowed towards her, ¡°Why do you ask?¡±
She frowned and stared at her lap before admitting, ¡°When I resurrect it feels instantaneous for me¡ but I was only awake for about fifteen minutes before you arrived.¡±
Rayna pointed at the text she had been reading over Dazien¡¯s shoulder, ¡°It says here that your soul was guided back here. Maybe there¡¯s some travel time involved as the soul progresses back?¡±
¡°Maybe,¡± the Wayfarer said with uncertainty and wasn''t sure she wanted to test the theory. Then another tangent thought crossed her mind at the mention of ¡®progress¡¯ as she made her book float over towards her and pulled up her profile to double check Tala¡¯s growth after the difference in fighting Arktis compared to the other Sapphire Caster. Plus, she was also curious about how her newest cataclysmic ability might have grown.
Her jaw dropped in shock as she looked over the numbers. Her [Cosmic Phoenix] ability read Crystal 4 (6%) while [Supernova] still showed 0%. Her Familiar ability percentage had gone down. She didn¡¯t even know losing progress in an ability was possible.
As her mind whirled, she said in a horrified whisper, ¡°I think I figured out what resurrecting costs me¡¡± When they all turned to look at her with a questioning gaze she said, ¡°It¡¯s the worst game mechanic of all¡ Dying costs experience.¡±
End of Book 2 of Wayward: Fighting
Phoenix and friends will return in Book 3 of Wayward: Falling
End of Book 2 - Character Reference
Hello everyone ??
We made it through the second book of the Wayward series! Part 2 of 4 for the Tulimeir Arc is now completely released. (Yes, the last book ending said 1 of 3 but things happened.) Fun fact: the original version of this portion was 79,998 words while this rewritten version ended up 138,069 words long!
It¡¯s time again to see all the DATA and to satisfy my curiosity about which characters you dear readers are enjoying the most. Again, I''m only including "recurring characters" which must show up "on screen" in at least three different chapters within just this book to be included. You can pick your Top Three! As always, I''d love to hear about why you picked who you did in the comments below ??
Book 3 will also be continuing Monday as well along with keeping the 5 chapters per week pace! I hope you¡¯ve all enjoyed the updated story so far! If you have, please leave a rating and review to let others know! (more shameless begging to please the algorithm gods)
Now, onto the much longer Character Profiles!
Phoenix Fraser
Profile: Phoenix Fraser
Species: Wayfarer
Current Caste: Crystal 3
Attributes
Strength (Sun): Crystal 3
Agility (Dark): Crystal 4
Fortitude (Star): Crystal 5
Mind (Moon): Crystal 2
Magic (Celestial Astromancer): Crystal 3
Natural Talents
Astral Traveler
Guide Book
Collector
Beacon of Hope
Waypoint
Divine Titles
Chosen One
Titles
Adventurer
Slayer
Martyr
Aspects
Star
- Guiding Stars (Aura Passive)
- Transversing the Stars - Crystal 7
- Cosmic Phoenix (Class) - Crystal 4
Dark
- Embrace of Shadows (Aura Passive)
- Night Blade - Crystal 5
- Call of the Abyss (Class) - Crystal 3
Sun
- Radiant Sunlight (Aura Passive)
- A New Dawn Rises - Crystal 5
- Meteor Shower (Class) - Crystal 2
Moon
- Moonlit Eyes (Perception Passive)
- Lunar Dream - Crystal 4
- Avatar of Bakunawa (Class) - Crystal 1
Celestial Astromancer (Class)
- Astral Oasis (Aura Passive)
- Ruler of Relativity - Crystal 6
- Supernova (Class) - Crystal 1
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Natural Talent: Astral Traveler
- Increased resistance to negative dimension effects and your dimension abilities have increased effect.
- You are a Natural Translator, allowing the understanding of languages you are exposed to.
- You can directly use Aspects and Spirit Gems without the need for a ritual.
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Natural Talent: Guide Book
Conjure a book that guides you and can inform you about items, creatures, or people that have been touched by your aura.
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Natural Talent: Collector
- You have a personal dimensional storage space.
- You automatically loot slain enemies that have been touched by your aura.
- Loot automatically goes into your collection.
- You can use material components for spells, rituals, or enchantments directly from your collection.
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Natural Talent: Beacon of Hope
- You can unlock more than one aura passive ability.
- Aspect abilities cultivate quicker than average.
- You can draw magic diagrams with conjured light, including ones that float in the air.
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Natural Talent: Waypoint
When suffering lethal damage, instead of dying, your body will be reconstituted in the last place you designated as your soul¡¯s waypoint, regaining a state of full integrity. This effect can only be triggered once a day.
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Divine Title: Chosen One
Your aura has been altered by a pair of divine entities. The alterations have enhanced the strength of your aura, increasing its range and resistance to effects from higher Castes.
Your soul has been marked as one who has been chosen by the deities of Makera.
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Title: Adventurer
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The desire for adventure can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased effects when affecting a Mundane ally.
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Title: Slayer
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The resolve to end the life of another person can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased resistance to being suppressed when combating foes of the same or higher Caste.
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Title: Martyr
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The desire to save others at the cost of yourself can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased effects when low on health.
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Passive Ability: Guiding Stars
Type: Aura (magical, light)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura have increased stamina regeneration and will gain a [Starlight Companion]. Reconstructing a destroyed [Starlight Companion] expends a low amount of mana.
- Starlight Companion (construct, magical, light): A small Starlight Companion hovers around you, providing light and protection. Can intercept and negate Magical or Elemental projectiles.
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Ability: Transversing the Stars
Type: Utility (construct, magical, dimension)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Construct a star gate between two locations on a regional scale. The destination gate must appear in a location you have an aural imprint on.
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Class Ability: Cosmic Phoenix
Type: Familiar (ritual, summon, magical, covenant, dimension)
Cost: Severe mana and stamina.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Summon a [Cosmic Phoenix] to serve as a familiar.
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Passive Ability: Embrace of Shadows
Type: Aura (stealth, magical, dark)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura are obscured by shadows, making attacks against them less likely to hit. The effectiveness of the shadows scales up with the level of darkness of the surrounding environment.
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Ability: Night Blade
Type: Utility (construct, magical, dark)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Constructs [Nyx, the Dagger of Darkness]. Attacks made with the dagger will inflict additional Dark damage and an instance of [Mana Siphon].
- Mana Siphon (bane, drain, magical, arcane, stacking): Drains a low amount of mana over time.
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Class Ability: Call of the Abyss
Type: Spell (bane, divine, void)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Inflicts [Weakened] and [Reflected Fate].
- Weakened (bane, divine, void): Maximum health, mana, and stamina is reduced.
- Reflected Fate (bane, divine, retribution): For each attack made, take a low amount of damage in return. Damage taken is of the same type as the attack.
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Passive Ability: Radiant Sunlight
Type: Aura (magical, light)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura gain a [Sun Shell]. Reconstructing a destroyed [Sun Shell] can be done after a short duration and costs a moderate amount of mana.
- Sun Shell (boon, construct, magical, light): A shield that blocks the next incoming physical attack with a chance to knock back and inflict [Blind] on the attacker.
- Blind (bane, magical, light): Hinders vision for a short time.
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Ability: A New Dawn Rises
Type: Spell (magical, life)
Cost: Variable mana.
Cooldown: Variable.
Crystal Effect: Can heal a touched target by activating for Low, Moderate, High, or Severe mana cost. The amount healed and respective cooldown time increase with cost.
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Class Ability: Meteor Shower
Type: Spell (summon, elemental, fire)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Crystal Effect: Summon a meteor to descend on the target location inflicting massive Fire and physical damage and nearby enemies gain [Burning].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
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Passive Ability: Moonlit Eyes
Type: Perception
Crystal Effect: The level of light does not hinder your sight.
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Ability: Lunar Dream
Type: Spell (construct, magical, illusion)
Cost: Variable mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Construct an illusory model. Cost varies based on scale and duration. The Illusion is semi-transparent and intangible.
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Class Ability: Avatar of Bakunawa
Type: Transfiguration (recoil, magical, dark, dimension, light)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Crystal Effect: Take on the characteristics and abilities of the moon-eating dragon Bakunawa, increasing all attributes by a significant amount and unlocking the abilities [Eclipse Breath], [Cosmic Talons], and [Soul of the Celestial]. When this effect ends, you are temporarily debilitated, suffering a reduction in all attributes.
- Eclipse Breath (channel, magical, dark, light): Breath a stream of Magical flames inflicting Dark and Light damage.
- Cosmic Talons (magical, dimension): Grow metallic claws that inflict Dimension damage.
- Soul of the Celestial (passive, aura): Increases Strength, Mind, and Magic attributes of allies within your aura.
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Passive Ability: Astral Oasis
Type: Aura (magical, arcane)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura have increased regeneration to mana and abilities cost less mana.
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Ability: Ruler of Relativity
Type: Utility (magical, covenant)
Cost: Variable mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Change the gravitational relationship between you and a target within sight with mana cost dependent on the distance, speed, size, and Caste difference from the target.
- Variant one: Pull - Causes the target to be drawn towards you.
- Variant two: Push - Causes the target to be repelled from you.
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Class Ability: Supernova
Type: Execute (recoil, elemental, magical, arcane, fire, light)
Cost: Severe health, mana, and stamina.
Cooldown: 6 hours.
Crystal Effect: Create an explosion of magic centered on you, inflicting Arcane, Fire, and Light damage to nearby enemies and the surrounding environment. Enemies within and near the blast are inflicted with [Burning]. When this effect ends, you are temporarily unable to cast spells. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
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Name: Tala
Species: Cosmic Phoenix (Familiar)
Mythical creatures not of this world that are attuned to Dimension, Fire, and Radiant magic.
Caste: Crystal
Can cast the breath attack [Star Fire] against nearby enemies.
Attacks dealt by the talons or beak inflict additional Dimension damage and can affect incorporeal entities.
- Star Fire (elemental, magical, dimension, fire): A wide-area attack that inflicts a combination of Dimension and Fire damage and inflicts [Burning] and [Vulnerable].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
- Vulnerable (bane, elemental, stacking): All Elemental resistances are slightly reduced.
When merged within the summoner:
- The summoner shines and slowly stores [Starlight Qi] generated from absorbed starlight. [Starlight Qi] can be completely drained to unleash a burst of mana and stamina regeneration to allies in the area. The amount replenished is determined by how much [Starlight Qi] was spent.
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Paul Wayland
Profile: Paul Wayland
Species: Human
Current Caste: Emerald 9
Attributes
Strength (Zeal): Emerald 9
Agility (Sword): Emerald 10
Fortitude (Fire): Emerald 10
Mind (Light): Emerald 9
Magic (Wrath Blade): Emerald 10
Natural Talents
Corruption Slayer
Sun Attunement
Combination Disposition
Special Attack Disposition
Zealous Avenger
Divine Titles
Paladin of the Purifier
Fallen Paladin
Paladin of the Avenger
Titles
Adventurer
Corruption Hunter
Follower of the Purifier
Savior of the Tortured
Treasure Finder
Serenydi Exile
Traveler of Pyrin
Outcast
Emissary Adventurer
Lord of the House
- Focus to see the full list¡
Aspects
Fire
- Flames of Purification (Aura Passive)
- Flame Javelin - Emerald 10
- Meteor Strike (Class) - Emerald 10
Light
- Penetrating Sight (Perception Passive)
- Child of Theia - Emerald 10
- Flicker Strike (Class) - Emerald 9
Sword
- Blade of Wrath (Utility Passive)
- Accelerating Strikes - Emerald 10
- Swords of the Wrathful (Class) - Emerald 10
Zeal
- Strength of Purpose (Boon Passive)
- Righteous Fury - Emerald 10
- Judgment of the Zealous (Class) - Emerald 10
Wrath Blade (Class)
- Rage Regalia (Utility Passive)
- Wrath From Above - Emerald 10
- Ferocious Assault (Class) - Emerald 10
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Natural Talent: Zealous Avenger
Cultivated from [Unknown Potential] due to unlocking the Zeal Aspect.
Cultivated from [Zealous Bounty] due to the Avenger¡¯s Blessing.
- You can loot slain enemies with a touch. The quality of loot is increased if the target is slain with [Nemesis].
- You gain further insight into yourself and your enemies.
- Divine abilities have increased effect.
- You can mark a target that has been touched by your aura with [Nemesis].
- Nemesis (bane, tracking, divine): You can be tracked by the Caster of this Bane. You take increased damage from Divine sources. Decreased resource regeneration.
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Divine Title: Paladin of the Avenger
Your aura has been altered by the divine entity: Avenger. The alteration has enhanced the strength of your aura, increasing its range and resistance to effects from higher Castes. The appearance of your conjured items has been altered. People can sense your desire to seek retribution through your aura.
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Passive Ability: Flames of Purification
Type: Aura (cleanse, elemental, fire)
Crystal Effect: Periodically cleanses Elemental Banes for allies within your aura.
Sapphire Effect: Increases Fire resistance for allies while decreasing Fire resistance for enemies.
Emerald Effect: Periodically cleanses Magical Banes for allies within your aura.
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Ability: Flame Javelin
Type: Special Attack (construct, elemental, fire)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Construct and throw a javelin of flames, inflicting a moderate amount of Fire damage.
Sapphire Effect: Inflicts additional Light damage. Has increased penetration against resistances to Fire and Light. Inflicts an instance of [Sunburned].
Emerald Effect: Can construct additional javelins that will follow the original for an exponential mana cost.
- Sunburned (bane, elemental, magical, fire, light, stacking): Decreased Fire and Light resistance.
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Class Ability: Meteor Strike
Type: Special Attack (combination, movement, elemental, fire)
Cost: High stamina and mana.
Cooldown: 30 seconds.
Crystal Effect: Accelerate through the air towards a target. When used with other combination attacks, any physical and Fire damage is increased during the combination.
Sapphire Effect: An explosion is produced from the impact point, inflicting Fire damage and [Burning] on any enemies in the area.
Emerald Effect: Any enemies in the area are also knocked back from the impact point and inflicted with [Condemnation].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
- Condemnation (bane, divine, radiant, stacking): Decreased Fire, Light, and Radiant resistance.
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Passive Ability: Blade of Wrath
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, magical, arcane, fire)
Crystal Effect: Construct a sword that reflects the wielder and can be used as a medium for Spells and cantrips for a slightly increased effect.
Sapphire Effect: Special Attacks with the Magical modifier performed with this weapon inflict increased damage.
Emerald Effect: Normal and Special Attacks made with this weapon inflict additional Fire damage and [Burning].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
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Ability: Accelerating Strikes
Type: Special Attack (combination, purge, elemental, magical, fire, light)
Cost: Low stamina per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Each attack slightly increases your attack speed while this ability is active.
Sapphire Effect: Each attack inflicts escalating Fire damage.
Emerald Effect: Each attack inflicts escalating Light damage and an instance of a Magical or Elemental Boon is purged from the target.
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Class Ability: Judgment of the Zealous
Type: Execute (combination, purge, divine, radiant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Enchants your weapon so that its next attack inflicts additional Radiant damage on impact. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Sapphire Effect: Deal increased damage to enemies with Dark, Death, or Void attunements, or have the [Corrupted] status and purge a random Boon on impact.
Emerald Effect: If used at the end of a combination attack, the weapon is automatically enchanted again at no additional cost and slightly enhanced effect.
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Passive Ability: Rage Regalia
Type: Utility (construct, magical, arcane)
Crystal Effect: Construct a suit of armor that increases physical and Magical resistances.
Sapphire Effect: Constructed armor also increases Elemental resistance and any Construct weapons inflict additional physical damage.
Emerald Effect: Constructed armor grants the wearer the [Thorned] boon.
- Thorned (boon, magical, retribution): Attacks against you inflict retributive damage back to the attacker.
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Ability: Wrath From Above
Type: Special Attack (combination, movement)
Cost: Low stamina.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Leap into the air above a target within range. The next attack deals increased physical damage.
Sapphire Effect: Each subsequent combination attack deals greatly increased damage.
Emerald Effect: Each subsequent combination attack decreases the cooldown of this ability.
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Class Ability: Ferocious Assault
Type: Special Attack (boon, combination, magical, dimension)
Cost: Low stamina per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Each attack slightly increases your Strength while this ability is active.
Sapphire Effect: Each attack slightly increases your Agility while this ability or another combination ability is active.
Emerald Effect: Each attack inflicts escalating Dimension damage and an instance of [Dimensional Confusion].
- Dimensional Confusion (bane, magical, dimension): Your perception of your surroundings is confused, occasionally mistaking areas for another. Instances are quickly lost over time.
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Dazien Smithson
Profile: Dazien Smithson
Species: Gemite (Amethyst)
Current Caste: Crystal 4
Attributes
Strength (Potent): Crystal 8
Agility (Sword): Crystal 4
Fortitude (Metal): Crystal 8
Mind (Noble): Crystal 7
Magic (Warrior King): Crystal 4
Natural Talents
Treasure Attunement
Drinking Buddy
Earthborn
Shiny
Right of Divinity
Titles
Orphan
Loyal Friend
Warrior Trainee
Slayer
Adventurer
Aspects
Potent
- Eagle Eye (Perception Passive)
- Duelist - Crystal 8
- Rallying Cry (Class) - Crystal 8
Sword
- Armory (Utility Passive)
- Accelerating Strikes - Crystal 9
Metal
- Tribute (Utility Passive)
- Stand Your Ground - Crystal 9
- To the Dungeon (Class) - Crystal 8
Noble
- Noble Subjects (Utility Passive)
- Lead the Charge - Crystal 7
- King¡¯s Banner (Class) - Crystal 8
Warrior King (Class)
- Monarch¡¯s Dominion (Aura Passive)
- Call of Fealty - Crystal 8
- Avatar of Sovereignty (Class) - Crystal 1
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Natural Talent: Drinking Buddy
Cultivated from [Never Drunk] due to unlocking the Noble Aspect.
- Cannot become intoxicated via alcoholic beverages at or below your Caste.
- When drinking alcohol, you may grant nearby allies increased resistance to intoxication.
- Covenant abilities have increased effects.
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Natural Talent: Earthborn
- Fortitude and Strength attributes are increased.
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Passive Ability: Eagle Eye
Type: Perception
Crystal Effect: You have greater control over your vision and can focus on details from a great distance.
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Ability: Duelist
Type: Spell (taunt, magical, covenant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Challenge a target to single combat, you gain an instance of [Honor] for each attack against the target and inflict [Dishonor] on the target for any attacks they make against others.
- Honor (boon, magical, covenant, stacking): Attacks made with melee weapons deal increased damage, and resistance to Spells is increased. Instances are slowly lost over time.
- Dishonor (bane, magical, covenant, stacking): Resistances to Magical effects and recovery are reduced. Instances are slowly lost over time.
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Class Ability: Rallying Cry
Type: Spell (magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Can cast either [To Arms] or [Charge] to temporarily increase one attribute for nearby allies.
- To Arms (boon, magical, covenant): Increased Strength for a moderate duration.
- Charge (boon, magical, covenant): Increased Agility for a moderate duration.
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Passive Ability: Armory
Type: Utility (construct, magical, dimension)
Crystal Effect: Construct a doorway to a personal dimensional storage space that contains the sword [Excalibur]. You can don or doff armor and weapons directly from this space without needing to construct the doorway.
- Excalibur (construct, divine, radiant): Attacks made with [Excalibur] can affect incorporeal targets and inflict an instance of [Ailing].
- Ailing (bane, divine, radiant, stacking): Decreased health and stamina regeneration.
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Passive Ability: Tribute
Type: Utility (magical, covenant)
Crystal Effect: Allies with [Subject] gain a brand that allows them to loot slain enemies with a touch. You gain additional loot from enemies looted by allies with [Subject]. Loot goes directly into your dimensional storage.
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Ability: Stand Your Ground
Type: Utility (channel, elemental, metal)
Cost: Moderate mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Become rooted in place, greatly increase your resistance to physical damage, and gain an instance of [Tenacity] each second until your next movement.
- Tenacity (boon, elemental, metal, stacking): Increased Strength and resistance to Elemental damage. Instances are quickly lost when moving.
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Class Ability: To the Dungeon
Type: Spell (construct, control, elemental, metal)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Construct a reinforced metal cage around the target for a short duration; touching the cage inflicts a burst of Metal damage.
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Passive Ability: Noble Subjects
Type: Utility (magical, covenant)
Crystal Effect: You can designate willing allies as a [Subject]. Allies with [Subject] can communicate telepathically.
- Subject (boon, magical, covenant, tracking): You have been claimed as a noble subject. Your general status is known by the Caster. Other abilities that affect a [Subject] can only affect you if triggered by the Caster.
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Ability: Lead the Charge
Type: Special Attack (movement, magical, covenant)
Cost: Low stamina per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Focus on a target, greatly increasing your speed while moving in the target¡¯s direction and gaining an instance of [Momentum] each second until your next attack.
- Momentum (boon, magical, covenant, stacking): Your next attack will consume all instances of this Boon to inflict additional physical damage. Instances are lost quickly while not moving.
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Class Ability: King¡¯s Banner
Type: Utility (boon, construct, zone, magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Construct a battle standard that creates a zone around it, granting nearby allies increased regeneration and Fortitude.
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Ability: Call of Fealty
Type: Spell (taunt, magical, covenant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 2 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Inflict a target with [Hesitation] if they do not halt their momentum, and [Insolence] if they do not kneel before you, within 5 seconds.
- Hesitation (bane, magical, covenant, stacking): Agility is decreased.
- Insolence (bane, magical, covenant, stacking): Magical resistance is decreased.
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Class Ability: Avatar of Sovereignty
Type: Familiar (ritual, summon, magical, covenant)
Cost: Severe mana and stamina.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Summon an [Avatar of Sovereignty] to serve as a familiar
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Uriel Karislian
Profile: Uriel Karislian
Species: Cinderen
Current Caste: Crystal 6
Attributes
Strength (Potent): Crystal 7
Agility (Fire): Crystal 6
Fortitude (Storm): Crystal 6
Mind (Ice): Crystal 8
Magic (Cataclysm Mage): Crystal 7
Natural Talents
Molten Attunement
Ice Attunement
Storm Attunement
Spell Disposition
Raging Inferno
Titles
Adventurer
???
Aspects
Fire
- Home¡¯s Hearth (Utility Passive)
- Rain of Fire - Crystal 8
- Scorch the Shaken Earth (Class) - Crystal 6
Ice
- Fortress of Solitude (Utility Passive)
- Frost Touched - Crystal 9
- Blizzard (Class) - Crystal 8
Storm
- Scent in the Air (Perception Passive)
- ???
- Eye of the Storm (Class) - Crystal 5
Potent
- ???
- Siphoned Vigor - Crystal 7
- Plague Bearer (Class) - Crystal 6
Cataclysm Mage (Class)
- ???
- Chaos Seeds - Crystal 9
- End of Days (Class) - Crystal 6
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Natural Talent: Molten Attunement
- Increased resistance to negative Earth and Fire effects. Earth and Fire abilities have increased effects.
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Natural Talent: Ice Attunement
Cultivated from [Unknown Potential].
- Increased resistance to negative Ice effects. Ice abilities have increased effects.
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Natural Talent: Storm Attunement
Deviated from [Animal Friend].
- Increased resistance to negative Lightning and Wind effects. Lightning and Wind abilities have increased effects.
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Natural Talent: Spell Disposition
Deviated from [Utility Disposition].
- Increased likelihood of unlocking Spell abilities. Spells have increased effect and reduced cost.
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Natural Talent: Raging Inferno
Deviated from [Flame Heart].
- Increased Fortitude and Elemental resistances when near Fire.
- When you become angered while using mana, Raging Inferno becomes active and you enter a state of uncontrollable rage.
- While Raging Inferno is active, you have greatly increased Agility, Fortitude, and Magic at the cost of decreased Mind and Strength.
- While Raging Inferno is active, your Spells have greatly decreased cost and cooldown and increased range and area of effect.
- While Raging Inferno is active, any creature that dies within your aura is instantly consumed and converted into instances of [Fuel for the Flames], the amount of instances depends on the Caste of the consumed target.
- While Raging Inferno is active, you attack any and all nearby creatures.
- Fuel for the Flames (boon, divine, void, stacking): Greatly increases resource regeneration for a short duration.
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Passive Ability: Home''s Hearth
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, fire)
Crystal Effect: Construct a hearth that produces light and heat for a low mana cost. Allies near the hearth slowly gain instances of [Hearth¡¯s Warmth].
- Hearth¡¯s Warmth (boon, cleanse, elemental, fire, stacking): Increased health regeneration and periodically cleanses Elemental Banes.
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Ability: Rain of Fire
Type: Spell (elemental, fire)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Create an area of falling flames. Targets in the area take ongoing Fire damage and slowly gain instances of [Scorched].
- Scorched (bane, elemental, fire, stacking): Decreased Fire resistance.
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Class Ability: Scorch the Shaken Earth
Type: Special Attack (elemental, earth, fire)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Slam the ground to trigger a seismic attack inflicting Earth damage, rippling out in a circle around you, scorching the area with fire, and knocking back enemies in its path. Anyone within the area gains [Burning].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
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Passive Ability: Fortress of Solitude
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, magical, ice, dimension)
Crystal Effect: Construct a fortress of ice nearby that serves as a shelter and dimensional storage, increasing the mana regeneration and effects of meditation of the inhabitants.
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Ability: Frost Touched
Type: Spell (elemental, ice)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Inflict the target with low Ice damage and an instance of [Chilled] and [Frostbite].
- Chilled (bane, elemental, ice, stacking): Decreased Agility.
- Frostbite (bane, elemental, ice, stacking): Inflicts ongoing Ice damage.
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Class Ability: Blizzard
Type: Spell (elemental, ice)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Create an area of violent wind, snow, and hail. Targets in the area take ongoing Ice damage and slowly gain instances of [Chilled].
- Chilled (bane, elemental, ice, stacking): Decreased Agility.
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Passive Ability: Scent in the Air
Type: Perception
Crystal Effect: You have an extremely heightened and more controlled sense of smell.
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Class Ability: Eye of the Storm
Type: Spell (elemental, earth, fire, water, wind)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Create a violent storm centered around you. Targets in the storm take a low amount of ongoing Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind damage and periodically gain an instance of [Scorched] and [Chilled].
- Scorched (bane, elemental, fire, stacking): Decreased Fire resistance.
- Chilled (bane, elemental, ice, stacking): Decreased Agility.
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Ability: Siphoned Vigor
Type: Spell (drain, magical, blood)
Cost: Variable health.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Consume an amount of your own health to replenish your mana.
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Class Ability: Plague Bearer
Type: Spell (magical, death)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Inflict a target enemy with low Death damage and an instance of [Plagued].
- Plagued (bane, magical, death, stacking): Inflicts ongoing Death damage and slowly spreads instances of [Plagued] to nearby enemies.
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Ability: Chaos Seeds
Type: Spell (construct, elemental)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: 30 seconds.
Crystal Effect: Construct a seed that will trigger a random Elemental attack on impact.
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Class Ability: End of Days
Type: Execute (spell, divine, void)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Surround the target in the void, suppressing all physical senses and inflicting ongoing low Void damage for a short duration. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
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Saiya Dewsong
Profile: Saiya Dewsong
Species: Voxen (Sandstep)
Current Caste: Crystal 9
Attributes
Strength (Water): Crystal 10
Agility (Balance): Crystal 10
Fortitude (Life): Crystal 9
Mind (Song): Crystal 10
Magic (Tranquil Healer): Crystal 9
Natural Talents
???
Titles
Adventurer
???
Aspects
Song
- Accompanion (Utility Passive)
- Crescendo - Crystal 10
- Sonorous Shield (Class) - Crystal 10
Balance
- Meditative Guide (Boon Passive)
- Boon of the Balanced - Crystal 10
- Harmonize (Class) - Crystal 10
Life
- Empathic Life (Perception Passive)
- Heal Life - Crystal 10
- ???
Water
- Call of the Sea (Familiar Passive)
- Cleansing Stream - Crystal 10
- Rain of Life (Class) - Crystal 10
Tranquil Healer (Class)
- Soothing Soul (Aura Passive)
- ???
- ???
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Passive Ability: Accompanion
Type: Utility (construct, magical, arcane)
Crystal Effect: Can construct a musical instrument of your own design.
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Ability: Crescendo
Type: Boon (recoil, magical, song)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 6 hours.
Crystal Effect: Mind, Agility, and Fortitude attributes, along with maximum capacity and regeneration of mana and stamina pools, are greatly increased for a target ally for a moderate duration. When this effect ends, the targeted ally is temporarily debilitated, suffering the inverse of all previous effects.
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Class Ability: Sonorous Shield
Type: Spell (channel, magical, song)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: As you sing, nearby allies gain increased resistance to Magical damage.
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Passive Ability: Meditative Guide
Type: Boon (magical, song)
Crystal Effect: Sing a song of guided meditation, enhancing the effects of meditation to nearby allies.
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Ability: Boon of the Balanced
Type: Boon (magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Bless nearby allies with increased balance and reflexes for a short amount of time, making them less likely to falter, and Magical abilities are less likely to be resisted.
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Class Ability: Harmonize
Type: Spell (magical, covenant, song)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: Varies.
Crystal Effect: Harmonize with an ally¡¯s incanted spell, adding your mana to theirs to increase its effects and shorten its cooldown. This spell''s cooldown becomes the same as the targeted spell¡¯s adjusted cooldown.
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Passive Ability: Empathic Life
Type: Perception (magical, life)
Crystal Effect: Can sense the emotions and resource pools of a target through their aura.
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Ability: Heal Life
Type: Spell (magical, life)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Delivers Life energy through a projectile, giving a small burst of health to an ally target.
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Passive Ability: Call of the Sea
Type: Familiar (ritual, magical, covenant)
Crystal Effect: Bond to a Crystal Caste Water-attuned aval or monster to serve as a Familiar.
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Ability: Cleansing Stream
Type: Spell (channel, elemental, water)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Channel a stream of water that thoroughly cleans any external impurities from a single target and grants an instance of [Flowing Waters] if the target is an ally.
- Flowing Waters (boon, cleanse, elemental, water, stacking): Slowly cleanses Elemental Banes for a short duration.
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Class Ability: Rain of Life
Type: Spell (elemental, magical, life, water)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Crystal Effect: Create an area of healing rain that greatly increases the regeneration rate of allies within it.
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Passive Ability: Soothing Soul
Type: Aura (magical, life)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura are calmed and have increased resistance to Magical Banes.
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Rayna Dewsong
Profile: Rayna Dewsong
Species: Voxen (Sandstep)
Current Caste: Crystal 9
Attributes
Strength (Gem): Crystal 9
Agility (Swift): Crystal 10
Fortitude (Dance): Crystal 10
Mind (Song): Crystal 10
Magic (Shatter Bard): Crystal 10
Natural Talents
Fantasia Attunement
Movement Disposition
Crystal Attunement
Nomadic Heart
Tails of Power
Title
Orphan
Clan Leader
Slayer
Adventurer
Aspects
Song
- Echolocation (Perception Passive)
- Siren¡¯s Cry - Crystal 10
- Percussion Strike (Class) - Crystal 10
Dance
- Stepping Tune (Movement Passive)
- Blink Step - Crystal 10
- Sonorous Stomp (Class) - Crystal 10
Swift
- Agile (Boon Passive)
- Beyond the Boundary - Crystal 10
- Swift Encore (Class) - Crystal 10
Gem
- Gem Encrusted (Utility Passive)
- Arcanist Gem - Crystal 10
- Gem Distortion (Class) - Crystal 9
Shatter Bard (Class)
- Reverberate (Aura Passive)
- Battle Symphony - Crystal 10
- Shatter (Class) - Crystal 10
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Ability: Siren''s Cry
Type: Spell (channel, magical, song)
Cost: Moderate mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Let out a cry, inflicting Song damage and [Deafened] to anyone in a cone in front of you.
- Deafened (bane, magical, song): Hearing is greatly impaired.
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Class Ability: Percussion Strike
Type: Special Attack (magical, song)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Each consecutive strike against the same target inflicts Song damage and an instance of [Brittle].
- Brittle (bane, magical, song, stacking): Reduced Song resistance.
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Passive Ability: Stepping Tune
Type: Movement
Crystal Effect: Create music with your steps, slowly gaining instances of [Tuned].
- Tuned (boon, stacking): Slightly reduces the mana and stamina cost of abilities. Instances are quickly lost while not moving.
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Class Ability: Sonorous Stomp
Type: Special Attack (magical, song)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Stomp the ground causing a shockwave in a radial burst inflicting moderate Song damage and knocking back enemies.
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Ability: Beyond the Boundary
Type: Utility (movement)
Cost: Severe mana and stamina.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Instantly boost your speed by a massive amount, quickly declining to normal over 5 seconds.
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Class Ability: Swift Encore
Type: Utility (movement, magical, song)
Cost: Moderate mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Accumulate instances of [Impetus] while attacking.
- Impetus (boon, magical, song, stacking): Your speed is slightly increased. Consume all instances to deliver a burst of Song damage with your next attack that scales with the number of instances consumed.
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Passive Ability: Gem Encrusted
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, gem)
Crystal Effect: Construct gem gauntlets and tail covers that inflict additional Gem damage and accrue instances of [Kinetic Force] with each normal attack.
- Kinetic Force (boon, elemental, gem, stacking): Consume all instances to inflict Gem damage that scales with the number of instances. Instances are slowly lost over time.
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Ability: Arcanist Gem
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, magical, arcane, gem)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Construct a floating gem that quickly absorbs ambient mana which can be used to fuel rituals or the mana cost of abilities before bursting upon reaching capacity or if destroyed and inflicting Gem and Arcane damage to nearby enemies.
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Ability: Battle Symphony
Type: Spell (magical, song)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: While singing, deal increased damage for each Boon on you and inflict [Shaken] on nearby enemies.
- Shaken (bane, magical, song): Inflicts ongoing low Song damage for a moderate duration.
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Class Ability: Shatter
Type: Execute (magical, song)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Inflicts moderate Song damage in a sudden burst. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
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1 - Willing to Pay
Things were not progressing well in this reality for Roimeldor. After losing almost half of his forces to the opposition they discovered on the planet Erythr¨®s, he was not happy about some of the resource losses they were receiving on its sister planet, Makera. Even more frustrating was the fact that the initial Erythr¨®s force wasn¡¯t even in a retrievable state. At least if they had died he could have used their tech to retrieve and reconstruct but not as they now were.
¡°I may need to destroy the entire planet,¡± he murmured to himself as he stared out the window looking down upon the source of his current concerns; a red desert planet that lacked any moons and was currently shrouded in a haze of magic.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir?¡± his secondary source of concerns asked in response to his spoken thoughts and he turned to look at the woman who served as his Second-in-command. Asyamil was currently at the max of Rose Caste, or what the locals called Ruby, and had been struggling to gain her Epiphanies since he had first met her and brought her into the ranks of the Soul Reapers. How many years that equated to depended on the reality they were in but he hadn¡¯t kept track anyway, not bothered by such a trivial detail.
¡°What¡¯s the cost for us to just destroy Erythr¨®s?¡± he asked, turning to look at the taller elven woman.
She blinked at him for a moment before stating, ¡°Sir, I know you want to speed things up but we¡¯ve discussed this at length. You can¡¯t just-¡±
¡°I know, I know,¡± he interrupted with a roll of his eyes, ¡°We wouldn¡¯t escape the backlash and be able to reap the souls properly but is there nothing we can do about that?¡± Roimeldor asked, gesturing out the window towards the seemingly cursed planet, ¡°That was not part of our plans.¡±
The Second glanced at the pane of glowing glass in her hands and touched at it while speaking, ¡°You listed the Primordials as a viable secondary target for the sowing process and-¡±
¡°I know!¡± he growled in further frustration, ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me something I did, Asyamil. I may be human but I¡¯m also a Hollyhock Caster, we have perfect memories, remember?¡±
She seemed to flush slightly as she continued to stare at the thin glass tech in her hands, ¡°Right. Well, we don¡¯t currently have a solution but our Research Division is working on it. That¡¯s not why I¡¯m here, though.¡±
Roimeldor groaned as he walked over to sit at his desk near the center of the small room and gestured in front of a drawer that opened for him to pull out the glass and bottle that waited within.
¡°Sir, can Hollyhocks even get intoxicated?¡± the elf asked him with a raised brow.
¡°We can try,¡± he replied wryly and poured himself a glass. The locals called Hollyhock ¡°Obsidian¡± and he thought the stones sounded better than their flowers but there had definitely been worse naming conventions he had heard around the colors given to the magic at each Caste level. The most basic realities just called them White, Blue, Green, Red, and Black but he had always preferred the more fanciful names.
¡°I haven¡¯t even told you why I¡¯m here.¡±
¡°You¡¯re here and it¡¯s not about that,¡± he gestured again to the window with the glass in his hand now filled with a dark purple liquid, ¡°Which means I¡¯m going to need a drink for the next round of bad news you¡¯ve come to deliver. Unless you¡¯ve come to inform me that Haldambar was caught up in that mess down there; in which case, this will be a celebratory drink.¡±
She shook her shoulder-length orange hair in disapproval as she reported, ¡°No, sir. He¡¯s currently in the lounge with his mate, I believe.¡±
¡°Of course he is,¡± the man grumbled, taking a drink of the burning liquid, ¡°I swear they¡¯re all slacking now that they have their-¡±
¡°We did manage to detonate a handful of Reality Rifts on Makera,¡± his Second stated, interrupting his griping to continue the report, ¡°But the reaping was unfruitful. We¡¯ve also gotten word that some of our targeted Reality Rifts on Makera were intercepted and no longer have capture teams available. A few were sealed for the foreseeable future but one had our allied forces discovered and captured or killed before they were able to detonate.¡±
The Commander of the Soul Reapers contemplated his glass for a moment before glancing out the window, opposite of the one which was still displaying his previous orbital view of Erythr¨®s, to observe its sister Makera, a mostly blue and green planet with a blue and red moon currently orbiting it. This planet had a bit more magic overall than the previous and wasn¡¯t currently cut off to them. This meant that it was the only viable source of souls at the moment, so he inquired, ¡°Expected reaping from that one?¡±
¡°Around a million souls, sir.¡±
Roimeldor gave a low whistle, ¡°That would be a decent haul. Looks like getting them to group up with this blood moon thing was a good idea after all. Location and Caste?¡±
¡°This one is in the northeastern quadrant in a zone currently reading at low Bluebell.¡±
¡°That shouldn¡¯t be difficult then. Are any of our nearby forces available? I¡¯m not keen on using these unreliable allies,¡± he grumbled, glancing at the rainbow of runes tattooed around his wrist. He hadn¡¯t been aware of the quirky magical rule this reality had in place when he made his vow of alliance with the locals, called an Oathbond, and was only glad that he hadn¡¯t accidentally promised more than he planned on delivering.
¡°They were the ones that helped us locate this reality in the first place, sir,¡± the elf pointed out, ¡°And coordinated said blood moon into being prolonged for us.¡±
¡°Yes, and now their usefulness seems to have reached its end. Back to my question,¡± he commanded, taking another swig from his glass and wishing it was stronger.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
¡°We have a unit that has been met with unexpectedly strong defenses and no foothold for our allies. They have reported reaching a stalemate currently in their mid-Ivy zone and the expected reaping from there is only around a hundred thousand as it¡¯s a small island city-state.¡±
He nodded, glad that once more his Second was displaying that she was on the same page as him, already having answers to the questions she knew he would ask, ¡°You already moved them to a staging point?¡±
¡°And gave them a trio of Reality Seeds as a backup,¡± she replied with a hint of a smirk.
¡°Why do you even bother telling me the bad news if you¡¯re already taking care of it?¡±
¡°So you believe you¡¯re actually the one steering this ship, Commander,¡± Asyamil replied with her usual quip and he gave a weary smile to her in return. The exhaustion was apparent in his eyes despite his immortality and her eyes finally met his as she said consolingly, ¡°Just one more left, sir.¡±
¡°Just one more and I¡¯ll gladly let you publicly steer us instead,¡± he replied and leaned back in his seat.
¡°No, thank you, sir,¡± she retorted and then added, ¡°There is one more note of concern I feel¡ prudent to report.¡±
He simply nodded for her to continue and she hesitated before saying, ¡°Some of our contacts in the southwestern quadrant have reported interference from a person that seems extremely focused on intercepting our people¡ an Ivy Abyssal Dragoon.¡±
Roimeldor¡¯s head snapped up to stare at Asyamil and he clarified, ¡°The one from Erythr¨®s? They escaped the Primordial?¡±
¡°It appears so¡¡±
The glass in his hand shattered as he stood and growled, ¡°Find them. If they know how to escape, then they have information we need.¡±
¡°Sir, capture will likely be much more costly than-¡±
¡°That¡¯s a price I¡¯m willing to pay to get the souls of our people back first. Then we can reap theirs, along with the rest on these planets. Now bring me that jumped-up Ivy Caster!¡±
¡°Soooo¡ were you serious about that grounding?¡± Phoenix asked a bit nervously as she glanced up at Paul who had finally managed to shoo her party out of his home and was leading her toward his study, despite her knowing the way, and she assumed it was to talk privately.
Gold eyes glanced back at her as the corner of his mouth twitched and replied, ¡°Well, seeing as we haven¡¯t signed the papers yet to make things official I don¡¯t think I can legally enforce that.¡±
¡°You¡¯re the strongest Caster in like a bajillion miles, plus a Paladin of Avenger, I doubt legal actually matters to you at the moment,¡± she pointed out with a roll of her eyes.
He raised a brow at her as he opened the door to his study for her to enter ahead of him, ¡°Are you arguing for or against the grounding?¡±
She paused for a moment on her way towards her usual seat, replaying her words before slowly admitting, ¡°Good point. Ignore me, I¡¯m still recovering from being totally awesome and taking out that Emerald Caster.¡±
¡°Pretty sure it was my Execute ability that actually took her out and you died, remember?¡± he countered after snapping the door to his secured room shut and making his way to the opposite side of the desk from her.
¡°Semantics,¡± she waved a dismissive hand in the air at those minor details.
¡°Though, you did win by stealing all the loot,¡± he said with a flat look.
¡°Uh¡ Did I mention I have presents for you?¡± she replied with a grin, recognizing that he had moved from scolding to teasing.
The Paladin proved her right the next moment when he returned her smile, ¡°Let me guess, it¡¯s Emerald Caste and you can¡¯t use it?¡±
¡°It¡¯s definitely Emerald Caste and there¡¯s no way I can possibly use it,¡± she confirmed, then they both broke out into laughter and she brought forth the items from her collection and placed them on the desk between them.
He glared briefly at the [Robes of the Purifier] and [Pure Wrap] and stated, ¡°Go ahead and sell those. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a tinker or tailor out there that can repurpose those into something more useful and ideally not bearing the Purifier¡¯s markings.¡±
Then he picked up the [Wings of Zeal] and seemed to stare at it for a moment and she brought out her book to display the information for the item, asking, ¡°What¡¯s an Augment exactly? I can kinda guess from context but wanted to make sure I¡¯m assuming right.¡±
¡°You probably are assuming correctly,¡± her mentor stated before expounding, ¡°They¡¯re basically magic items you directly bond to your body. Not many allow for separation after the fact as this one states. Usually, they get burned off in the process of ascending to the next Caste.¡±
¡°Like tattoos?¡± she clarified.
¡°Exactly so,¡± he confirmed with a nod, ¡°Just like tattoos, they can¡¯t increase in Caste with you; so the body rejects them and they get purged during the transition. They¡¯re usually fairly nice to have, though. Working with the body more directly than a magic item but you lose the benefit of swapping them out like you can with gear.¡±
¡°So if I want my own wings, I¡¯ll need to be choosy about which kind ''cause I can¡¯t just swap them out with a better pair I find later?¡±
Paul chuckled, ¡°Most magical flight abilities don¡¯t happen till later Castes but you might be able to find a glider or something. There¡¯s a wide variety of Augments out there, though. Spendy, especially since they''re basically long-lasting consumables, but that¡¯s actually one of the perks that can come with being part of my House.¡±
It was her turn to raise a brow at him, ¡°Are you trying to bribe me into signing those papers?¡±
He laughed at that, ¡°I¡¯m just pointing out that we can get you some items if you want them. I already consider you part of my House just by being my Prot¨¦g¨¦ and will see you taken care of. I just hope that your protests of my spending money on you will lessen once you¡¯re seen as a Daughter of House Wayland instead of an apprentice.¡±
She squirmed uncomfortably in her seat as the humor died down, ¡°I just¡ my mom had to pay so much for my hospital care and she worked so much to take care of me¡ I don¡¯t want to be a burden to you too.¡±
Paul leaned forward slightly as he said, ¡°Phoenix, I know I¡¯ve told you before but you¡¯re not a burden. It¡¯s my honor, as well as my duty, to assist you in growing and cultivating your skills. I want to help you and I¡¯m more than willing to pay for some equipment or augments or tattoos if it means keeping you and the others safe and happy.¡±
¡°Kinda hard to be happy when there¡¯s crazy zealots, murderous nobles, chaotic evil invaders, and monsters swarming the tundra every night,¡± she said with a grimace.
¡°I know it¡¯s been a lot of doom and gloom but I want you to remember that there have also been many happy times already. Those were almost non-existent for me in the last seven years till you dropped into my life,¡± he gave her a warm smile, ¡°You gave me that happiness and I just want to help return a bit of it.¡±
She flushed slightly at the praise and murmured, ¡°You¡¯ve made me happy too,¡± before she would let the emotions overwhelm her, she sat up a bit straighter and cleared her throat, ¡°Maybe, instead of buying me things, you could show me how to do some more rituals? Or we could go somewhere? Does Tulimeir have a museum? There¡¯s still a lot I have to learn.¡±
Paul grinned at her and asked, ¡°Actually, how much have you learned about flowers?¡±
¡°Flowers?¡± she repeated.
He lifted a green leather book emblazoned with the symbol of a sword wrapped by what looked somewhat like a thorned rose and said, ¡°The Wayland House is a bit partial to them.¡±
She laughed, ¡°Are we going to the Cultivator¡¯s Citadel then?¡±
¡°No,¡± her mentor replied with a smirk, ¡°We¡¯re going to the roof.¡±
2 - Judgment
Paul was nervous as he led the way up to the roof, taking the green-tinted lift up the dozens of floors. It wasn¡¯t the fact that he was uncertain about Phoenix finding the area interesting; if anything, her curiosity was the one predictable thing about her. No, his nerves currently came from the person he knew was likely to be there already.
¡°Elder Flower will not be unkind to Little Miss,¡± Orebela spoke in his mind in an attempt at reassurance, ¡°Potentially judgmental but not cruel.¡±
¡°It¡¯s the judgment that I¡¯m worried about,¡± Paul silently replied, sparing a glance down at his apprentice who was currently trying to wrangle her curls into the large braid she often wore. The Paladin knew that his potential scion would need to meet the rest of his family and he figured getting it done sooner rather than later might help both sides come to understand one another better.
¡°Wayland is Head of the House,¡± Orebela interjected in his thoughts, ¡°No family member can deny your will.¡±
¡°No, but Phoenix might change her mind and I can¡¯t, nor would even attempt to, force her to accept. She¡¯s already shown me often enough that she doesn¡¯t like the attention my station brings and I don¡¯t want her to come to regret being bound to a family she can¡¯t get along with.¡±
¡°This One does not think the others will change the Little Miss¡¯ mind if the stares and whispers during the expedition did not,¡± the Familiar pointed out, ¡°Little Miss is loyal to Wayland.¡±
He wasn¡¯t sure he agreed with that first part but didn¡¯t argue as they arrived at the roof. The glass door opened to a small open area that almost seemed like a tiny cafe with small tables and a few chairs spread out and surrounded by vertical walls of lush greenery. Each of the tables bore fresh flowers in their center and the fragrance hit both of them as they stepped out onto the roof.
¡°Woah,¡± Phoenix half-whispered as her head swiveled to take in the scenery and he gestured for her to follow him as he turned to walk to the right and lead her through the sprawling garden.
Arches covered in flowering vines, small trees bearing various fruits, and blossoming hedges created magical trails for them to idly wander through. The mix of colors was often breathtaking and Paul never grew tired of visiting this small paradise among the frozen wasteland.
As they came to a small intersection of the paths near the center, he pulled out a small [Water Shard] from an inconspicuous jar that sat partially covered by hedge leaves in one of the corners and placed the Shard in the engraved circle of runes in the center of the two paths.
The mentor held up a hand to forestall Phoenix¡¯s incoming question and said with a small grin. ¡°Just watch,¡± he advised and a moment later the Shard seemed to melt into the enchantment diagram only to suddenly eject a stream of magical water up into the air and out over the various botanical walls to spray a gentle rain over them without causing the paths themselves to get drenched. The effect was dazzling as light refracted off the flowers and water droplets and Phoenix began laughing.
His smile became wider at the joy finally lighting up her face. The joy he had been able to cause. Paul had never felt like this before as he watched his ward excitedly place a hand under the spray and gently touch the petals on the various flowers she had likely never seen before. Being able to pause and look at the world that had become so dull to him through her eyes, eyes that had seen almost as much hurt and sorrow as he had, yet still found wonder had given him a new perspective.
He wanted to feed that awe and watch her grow into someone who could spread that joy to others as well. Not just find her own happiness but become the hero that he knew she was capable of becoming. To become for others what she had already become for him: the light in the darkness.
¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you smile like that since you were a small child,¡± a raspy slightly feminine voice said from nearby and he stood straighter to turn and look at the person he thought they¡¯d eventually run into up here.
The frail-looking runeforged woman covered in blue rune markings was slightly hunched over and observing him carefully. As her blue eyes slid over towards Phoenix who was still giggling at the rainbows, he took a step forward to place himself between the two as a clear unspoken message that he would shield his apprentice from the elder if need be.
A wry grin broke out across the recently wrinkling face before asking him, ¡°Are you going to just stand there all intimidating and not even introduce me to the Prot¨¦g¨¦ of our Lord? It seems like you haven¡¯t changed as much as I had hoped. Have you, Pouty Paul?¡±
A cackle behind him caused him to groan internally as Phoenix practically lost her ability to breathe from laughter at the childish moniker. Instead of answering the elder he begrudgingly made the introductions, ¡°This is Phoenix Fraser who, as I¡¯m sure you already know, has been my Prot¨¦g¨¦ since about a month before my return to Tulimeir.¡±
He turned to look at the redhead who had finally collected herself enough to give a small bow in the local custom of a fingers-closed flat palm over the heart before the hand left to continue the bowing gesture and rest back at her side as she straightened, ¡°Phoenix, this is my great great great aunt, Noble Pualani Wayland.¡±
Phoenix raised a brow at him and then gently extended her aura in the greeting he had shown her before for them to better understand one another without words needing to be passed. The single raised brow became two as she looked from the older woman then back at him before asking, ¡°Emerald Caste?¡±
¡°Why is that surprising?¡± the old woman questioned and Paul saw the trap for what it was.
¡°I, um, well I just haven¡¯t met many and thought-¡±
¡°Thought that if someone looked as old as I do then they must be a Mundane?¡± Pualani interjected, causing the Wayfarer to flush scarlet.
It was the older woman¡¯s turn to cackle at the humor of the situation and Paul pointed out, ¡°She¡¯s mostly met Adventurers and not many live to see old age, Lan-Lan.¡±
¡°Well from what your sister has complained to me about, she has you to blame for that lack of exposure,¡± the elder countered before turning and gesturing for both of them to follow her, ¡°Come. Let¡¯s go sit and talk.¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Phoenix glanced at him uncertainly and despite what he wanted to do, he nodded the okay for her to follow, trailing after her in turn as his aunt explained while walking, ¡°As my young upstart nephew so graciously implied is that I am, in fact, not a risk-seeking Adventurer anymore and am extremely old for a mortal.¡±
His Prot¨¦g¨¦ covered her mouth in an attempt to smother the laughter and he rolled his eyes again which he often found himself doing with the annoyingly passive-aggressive woman, ¡°Should I apologize for the truth?¡± he shot back, used to dealing with the back-and-forth that happened every time they crossed paths.
¡°No dear, I have long dismissed the notion of you having any sense of tact in conversation.¡±
A snort escaped past Phoenix¡¯s hand and he gave her a flat look that didn¡¯t seem to help her gain better control as her body shook in the effort not to laugh. As they reached a small hidden nook where a table with a trio of chairs sat, a suspicious number he thought, Pualani gestured for the pair of them to sit as she claimed one of them.
¡°Now, I¡¯ve reached that point, young one, where healing magic has lost its grip on me,¡± the elder explained for Phoenix¡¯s sake, ¡°I¡¯m the oldest living Wayland currently at 512 years and likely don¡¯t have many more left in me but that¡¯s nothing to worry about now, you hear?¡±
¡°That¡¯s incredible,¡± the Wayfarer surprised them by saying before quickly clarifying, ¡°I mean, that¡¯s such an impossible age for me to even fathom when my world didn¡¯t have magic to prolong life like that. We considered a fifth of that to be a generously long life.¡±
¡°And it is, by Mundane standards. Casters are the odd ones,¡± Pualani replied with a grin.
¡°Wait, if you¡¯ve had over five hundred years to cultivate your Caste, why aren¡¯t you Ruby already?¡± Phoenix asked, ¡°I¡¯ve heard people say Paul would likely reach it soon and he¡¯s only 64.¡±
¡°He¡¯ll be 65 next month,¡± the auntie outed to his further annoyance before saying, ¡°But he¡¯s also an Adventurer that doesn¡¯t use Monster Seeds to advance. The challenges of combat push Aspect abilities faster and harder than most other professions.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t sense any Monster Seeds in your aura,¡± the Astromancer pointed out.
¡°No, but I¡¯ve run out of challenges here and have no more desire to seek them out. I am but a humble gardener now and have lived a longer life than I think most mortals come to find out they don¡¯t actually desire. Only my descendants remain, no generational peers that grew beside me and my spouses have already left this world long ago.¡±
¡°What about Fen?¡± Paul remembered to ask, glancing around for the man who was never too far from the woman, ¡°Where is he anyways?¡±
The elder gave a soft smile, ¡°Oh, he¡¯s tending to some of the Frostroses on the other side of the garden. I think he¡¯s come to accept my choices and has simply been enjoying these final years with me before his next big adventure.
¡°I¡¯m honestly ready for my own end now,¡± the runeforged admitted, then turned to address Phoenix, ¡°And despite what my nephew might think or try telling you later, it is a relief to see that he finally found someone to share his private life with. Though, I think most of the family were expecting a more mature woman with a higher Caste level and the potential position of spouse rather than scion.¡±
Paul almost wanted to growl at the woman who had the gall to claim he was the one without any tact, ¡°I told Pati that-¡±
¡°I know exactly what you told her,¡± the elder interrupted again, flicking her long dark braids over a shoulder, ¡°And we both thought it odd that you just skipped that whole part of growing up,¡± then her smile seemed to soften as she admitted to Phoenix, ¡°I am glad nonetheless that he was lucky enough to have you enter his life, young one.¡±
The Paladin blinked, actually at a loss for words at the normally cantankerous woman¡¯s admission as his apprentice replied bashfully, ¡°It was more of a stumble, trip, and face-plant into his life. I¡¯d probably be dead more times than I could count if I hadn¡¯t met him when I did,¡± the Wayfarer glanced up at him and teased, ¡°He¡¯s actually a lot more reliable than he seems.¡±
The elder laughed aloud, and Paul knew everything would work out when the woman proclaimed to him, ¡°If this young one can say that to your face then she will do well as a Scion of Wayland.¡±
¡°So you¡¯re telling me that you solo-killed a Sapphire Caste monster by having it crush you to death?¡± Dazien asked incredulously as Phoenix was drawing out the ritual diagram on the smooth stone surface of the room they used before at the Wayland estate. Her party leader had been asking her questions almost nonstop while they were together since she had revealed her [Waypoint] ability the day before.
Phoenix surprisingly slept rather soundly after having spent the remainder of the evening and well into the night talking with Paulani and learning more about House Wayland and Paul as a stubborn child that she could easily picture with the stories the elder aunt told. She had awoken around midday to find her party waiting for her in the lower levels and ready to unlock one last ability.
¡°Well, that wasn¡¯t exactly my plan,¡± Phoenix muttered in slight embarrassment, recalling her second Sapphire Caste fight, ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m lucky it even died.¡±
¡°That has to be the most irresponsible thing I¡¯ve ever heard anyone ever undertake before,¡± the party leader said disapprovingly, then asked in a softer tone, ¡°I understand that you were upset after dying again during the siren raid¡ but why would you do that? Why would you run off for days without telling anyone, just to get yourself killed?¡±
The Astromancer glanced up from her ritual work to meet his eyes which spoke volumes of the hurt, betrayal, and concern he felt and tried to keep out of his aura. She glanced over at the others who were chatting quietly amongst themselves then confided in her friend, ¡°I was angry¡¡±
¡°Like I said, I understand that you were angry at Arktis but that doesn¡¯t mean-¡±
¡°No,¡± she interrupted, quickly clarifying, ¡°I was angry at myself.¡±
¡°What? Why? You didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡± he said firmly in her defense.
The Wayfarer shook her head as she returned to drawing out the diagram with a glowing finger, ¡°I was angry for being killed so easily,¡± she explained, ¡°I had been training for months, trying to get stronger, to be useful to you and the others.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not a tool to be used,¡± Dazien said with obvious concern, ¡°Your value shouldn''t be measured by how useful you think you¡¯ve been but even so, you have been immensely valuable to not only our party but the entire city.¡±
¡°I know that now,¡± she replied and offered him a small smile, ¡°It was just hard to see at the time. Priest Jacob has helped me work through some things and I¡¯ll be meeting him again tomorrow.¡±
She stood up, gestured towards the completed ritual, and asked in a more playful tone, ¡°Ready to finish off your abilities now? We wouldn¡¯t want you slacking and falling further behind.¡±
He shook his head and rebutted, ¡°I¡¯m not the one who steps backward by taking unnecessary risks and getting themselves killed.¡±
¡°Hey, I did kill that Sapphire monster and I helped with the Emerald Caster. I made a bold move and it succeeded,¡± she pointed out in her defense.
¡°There¡¯s a fine line between boldness and recklessness. Now that you know the cost, I hope you will be less of the latter.¡± Once she looked properly apologetic and nodded in agreement, he held up the [Judgment Spirit Gem] she had offered him back in Tulisuda and was demanding he use now, ¡°Are you certain you want to just give this to me? We won''t stop being friends just because you make the smart choice of selling it instead.¡±
¡°I think the best judgment I could make with it is making sure everyone in my party can cultivate to the next Caste,¡± she replied with a grin, ¡°Plus, hopefully, it manifests some awesome foresight ability that will help you in making better choices rather than trying to pick a fight with an Emerald Caste Paladin of the Avenger just ¡®cause you thought I died.¡±
¡°You did die! Remember?¡± he said incredulously.
She shrugged and said, ¡°I got better.¡±
The Defender took a deep breath, obviously trying to calm his retort, before settling on saying, ¡°Let''s just get this done so we can go train you to die less.¡±
3 - Executioner
Camrin Ruwena was exhausted. Ever since his older sister, Murinah, had decided that she had to murder any potential competition over her fatalistic obsession with an orphaned gemite, his life had gone completely off the runerails.
He had been horrified by his own part in tricking the young woman in order to kill her ¨Cwho he had more recently learned was a Wayfarer and Prot¨¦g¨¦ to the most powerful Caster in the city. When his parents both hadn¡¯t seemed to care in the slightest that one of their children was obviously evil and the other an idiotic accomplice, he had decided to try and push it from his mind. Bury the guilt of being a killer; albeit an unwilling one.
When his father had then proceeded to rope him into abducting that same woman he surely believed was dead ¨Cafter all, nobody without magic abilities survived an encounter with a swarm of miserlings¨C he had begrudgingly agreed because what other choice did he have? Ohsen was his father, whether he liked it or not, and he was powerless to disobey. At only fifteen, it wasn¡¯t like he could even leave his home without reason to try and separate himself further.
As soon as he had dropped off his father and the unconscious redhead, he had decided to find out how deep the evil streak in his family went. When he approached his mother, she scoffed at him and said to not waste her time on his father¡¯s latest research projects. Once his mother had left for her own project, he decided to dig deeper.
What he had found in the secret room his mother thought he hadn¡¯t known about was both disturbing but unsurprising the longer he contemplated it. He had realized long ago that his parents ¨Cand by extension the whole of House Ruwena¨C cared most about power and control. It was only his love of the Hero¡¯s stories that had given him a better sense of the path he wanted to walk to obtain his own form of power.
This divergence of paths from his family was likely the only reason he wasn¡¯t dead now. As he sat in the chair, wearing [Chains of Silence] that were also keeping him linked to the table in front of him, he wasn¡¯t sure if that divergence would be enough to save him from the execution that he was certain awaited many of his relatives.
¡°I¡¯ve told you already,¡± the young cinderen said to the runeforged man sitting across from him, ¡°I didn¡¯t know about my family''s ties to the Renseres or Soul Reapers until the night before the raid on my home.¡±
Allan Trayvious looked down as if to check the notes on the papers splayed out on the table between the two of them. Camrin didn¡¯t believe for a second that the Sapphire Caster had forgotten a single word of any of it. They had been sitting here for an hour already going over in painfully repetitive detail the events surrounding the battle for Tulisuda. A battle that he hadn¡¯t even really participated in.
¡°Right, you discovered your parents¡¯ treachery the night before and peacefully surrendered during the raid on your House¡¯s estate despite your mother and others having already fled the premises,¡± the man seemed to read off one of the pages that Camrin was fairly certain didn¡¯t contain those details then asked, ¡°Explain to me again why you didn¡¯t flee with the rest of your family? Even the branch families and other allies seemed to have been forewarned about the impending conflict. How is it that the son, the newly appointed heir apparent, was left behind?¡±
The young portalist ground his teeth in frustration. He had thought at the time that not going with his family and surrendering to the Alliance of Adventurers would have helped clear his name of any misdeeds. Instead, it only seemed to cast more doubt and suspicion upon him. What ¡°good¡± son would abandon his family ¨Chis own mother¨C even if they were all evil? He was condemned either way.
He almost felt like crying again as his voice broke, ¡°I¡¯ve told you. The information won¡¯t change just because you ask again. I wanted no part of what my family was involved in. I am not a traitor of Tulimeir. I do not serve the Soul Reapers. I only want to become an Adventurer and protect my home.¡±
The interrogator scoffed slightly, ¡°Your home has been temporarily confiscated by the Duke as we continue to discover its secrets.¡±
¡°Tulim is my home,¡± the cinderen corrected, ¡°This city is my home. My life is here, my friends, my hopes. I don¡¯t want to see anyone destroy it, not even my family.¡±
The AOA Officer looked at him for a long moment, setting the papers back down on the table and leaning away from him before inquiring, ¡°Is that why you helped Lord Wayland find your mother¡¯s study and father¡¯s ritual room?¡±
He nodded, wondering exactly how this man would twist those actions into painting him as guilty, ¡°Yes. I knew about the rooms but it¡¯s not like I was allowed in them. I thought they were just used for their legitimate work for the OOM.¡±
¡°And the fact that they were hidden didn¡¯t clue you in that they might be hiding nefarious deeds?¡± the runeforged asked with a raised eyebrow.
Camrin rolled his eyes, he was beyond caring about decorum at this point and leveled the man with a flat look, ¡°I¡¯m not one to hold noble rank against someone, Mister Trayvious, but every noble has a secret room that they hide things in. I¡¯m fairly certain at this point that they believe the more secret rooms they have, the more important they are. Ask any of the other noble children.¡±
The man surprised him by snorting a laugh which caused him to jump even more when a loud bang came from the solid wall to his right and the interrogator quickly choked the sound off and schooled his expression, sitting straight in the chair once more. Carmin¡¯s eyes narrowed in suspicion at the wall that he no longer believed to be the solid stone it appeared as.
¡°Alright, so you find out too soon to notify anyone before the raid. Refused to join your family during their flight from the estate. Peacefully surrendered during the infiltration and met with Lord Wayland at that time to give him a little tour,¡± Trayvious highlighted while gathering all the papers back up into a single pile.
¡°Then ended up here in one of our holding cells, more than willing to answer all of our questions while the expedition to reclaim the Reality Rift was underway, and now here we are. Are you sure there¡¯s nothing else I¡¯m missing? No hints of treachery leading up to the raid that you should have perhaps brought to the attention of either the AOA or Ducal Guards?¡± the Sapphire Caster finished asking while watching him carefully.
He hesitated again and he finally understood why they had kept him here for so long. They knew he was hiding the earlier signs he had seen firsthand. He didn¡¯t think anyone knew about what Murinah had done with him though. Not even a whisper of a rumor had been going around the city ¨Cor even among his family¨C about the Wayfarer surviving a pack of miserlings while wearing a Silencer. That was practically a miracle on its own that he wouldn¡¯t be able to explain.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
His father¡¯s actions, however¡ Well, if they had Ohsen in this building somewhere, then there was a chance the Magi could tell them about it and then it would look like he had been hiding his guilt.
Camrin really did want to help the city, including somehow making things up to Lord Wayland¡¯s Prot¨¦g¨¦. Perhaps, this was a piece of the puzzle the AOA needed and his offering of it would help.
¡°I¡ Well, my father made me help him kidnap Phoenix Fraser as revenge for my sister¡¯s death. He¡¯s convinced Lord Wayland was the one who killed her, despite the report of miserlings,¡± he explained, actually agreeing with his father on that assumption since the way Murinah had been killed was much too similar to what they had done to Phoenix to be anything other than divine retribution.
¡°My father thought that by hurting Lord Wayland¡¯s Prot¨¦g¨¦ it would be justice for his own daughter,¡± Camrin finished, thinking the explanation a bit lacking, especially with the way Trayvious was eyeing him, so he added, ¡°He made me portal him to the roof across from her dorm window and then ¨Cafter he tranquilized her¨C had me portal us all back to the entrance of his ritual room¨C¡±
¡°So you knew that your father was kidnapping people for his twisted experiments?¡±
¡°No! Right after that is when I left and tried to find more information to give to the AOA!¡± he practically shouted, leaning forward in his slight panic, ¡°You can ask my father! I didn¡¯t go into his room at all!¡±
Trayvious went eerily still at those words, giving him a curious look before asking, ¡°No one told you about what happened to your father?¡±
Camrin suddenly became wary about the news he knew he was about to receive as he said, ¡°The last I heard he had come here to fight against the requests for his research notes. I assumed he was being held in a cell somewhere here like I¡¯ve been.¡±
The runeforged frowned and glanced towards the stone wall to Camrin¡¯s right, which he was now positive was enchanted. A soft double tap came from the wall and he knew there was no way he could have imagined that as the interrogator gave a heavy sigh before stating, ¡°You¡¯re father was executed by divine ordinance. I¡¯m sorry but he is dead and we can¡¯t ask him anything anymore.¡±
He felt his blood run cold for a moment. Camrin never got along with his parents ¨Chis father more so than his mother¨C but he had never wished death on either of them. Despite their deficit of attention-giving, they still provided him with anything he needed or desired if they could manage it. They might not have said they loved him but he still liked to believe they had.
The young noble wasn¡¯t sure he wanted to know the answer to his next question but he needed to ask, ¡°And my mother? Is she dead now too?¡±
The door opened then, cutting off the response the runeforged man was about to speak, and in walked his interrogator''s sister, Director Agatha Trayvious, walking purposefully over to him. She surprised him by squatting down to be eye-to-eye with him as she said gently but firmly, ¡°Your mother is being transferred to Blomstra for public execution by Knight Thevaris.¡±
He blinked at that news. Stunned not just by the knowledge of his mother¡¯s impending death but by the spectacle it was going to be. That name he recognized but he needed to make sure he wasn¡¯t mistaken, ¡°Knight Veldrix Thevaris, the Pyre Executioner? The royals are actually using a Ruby Caste Executioner on a Sapphire Caster?¡±
Agatha grimaced slightly but nodded, ¡°They want to make an example of any noble who might side with the Soul Reapers. Zero tolerance for traitors to the crown and world. In a few days, you will be the Lord of House Ruwena by right of birth,¡± then she stood and took a key to the collar around his neck, removing the Silencer, as she added, ¡°Let us hope you will lead the tatters of your House towards redemption.¡±
Dazien was nervous as he prepared to enter the ritual circle and turned back to quietly talk to his partner, ¡°What if it''s not what I''m still missing?¡± he asked in a rare show of nerves.
¡°It will be,¡± Uriel said confidently, halting his friend¡¯s uncertainty and trying to get him to focus, ¡°Everything will be alright. You¡¯re the one who always tells me that our abilities do not define who we are.¡±
The cinderen glanced over at Phoenix who was already finishing the circle for him, ¡°Well, you and now her,¡± he amended. Then in an uncharacteristic show of familiarity, he placed their foreheads together so Dazien couldn¡¯t look away as he tried to quietly soothe the man, ¡°You are my king no matter what happens.¡±
The gemite closed his eyes tightly and took a few moments of companionship to recenter himself before stepping back and saying, ¡°Thank you, Uriel,¡± before standing in the Absorption Ritual circle for the last time while Crystal Caste.
The twins rejoined them near the circle and all of his friends gave looks of encouragement as Phoenix performed the ritual while Paul watched them all in silence from near the door like a guard dog.
As the Spirit Gem melted into his palms, Dazien could feel the newest and final ability unlock within him and he smiled, already intuitively knowing the effects, as Phoenix''s useful book spelled it out for everyone when he lightly touched it.
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Class Ability: Royal Executioner
Type: Execute (divine, radiant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Current Caste: Crystal 1 (0%)
Crystal Effect: Enchants a blade so that its next attack deals additional Radiant damage on impact. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
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¡°An Execute ability that deals Radiant damage?¡± Rayna said, impressed, ¡°That¡¯s incredible at Crystal!¡±
He grinned in return and said cheekily, ¡°I am rather incredible, aren¡¯t I?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not at all what¨C¡±
The gemite ignored the flustered voxen as he turned once more to Phoenix and pulled her into a tight hug, unable to hold back his excitement from flooding his aura which then displayed on her book alongside the new class ability when he lost his grip on it and his aura accidentally encompassed the informing book in his enthusiasm.
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Passive Ability: Monarch¡¯s Dominion
Type: Aura (magical, covenant)
Current Caste: Crystal 5
Crystal Effect: Allies within the aura gain increased resistance to Retribution effects.
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¡°Thank you,¡± Dazien said, his voice cracking from the immense relief mixed with the exhilaration he was experiencing at that moment from unlocking the coveted Execute ability.
¡°I just performed the ritual. I¡¯m not the one to thank for what ability your soul unlocked,¡± Phoenix said breathlessly as she was squeezed.
¡°It was the gem you gave me,¡± he pointed out but obligingly released his grip, giving her a sincere smile, ¡°I will be forever grateful,¡± he said, then turned to give a running hug to his closest companion, as Phoenix shook her head indulgently.
Uriel¡¯s strong arms wrapped around him in shared celebration and an attempt to keep them from toppling from his momentum as he said excitedly, ¡°You were right! I should never have doubted!¡±
His partner finally gave him that smile he had started to see more often since Phoenix had entered their lives and his mood lifted even more at the rare gift as the Mage said, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you fail to get something you needed. Whether it¡¯s convincing people to accept me or forcing your soul to manifest the ability you were missing.¡±
He hugged the taller man again before letting go to race over to the man he had started to see as his mentor ¨Cimmensely grateful that he had been wrong about the man¡¯s betrayal. Before he could ask what the Paladin thought about the desired Execute the wrathful lord gave him a judgmental look and said, ¡°Reign in your aura before I do it for you.¡±
Dazien¡¯s excitement fell as he focused on the loose aura that had gotten away from him and flushed slightly as he muttered, ¡°My apologies, Lord Wayland. I was just excited about the new ability. I didn¡¯t mean to be rude.¡±
A beat of silence was followed by the Wrath Blade turning to leave the room and commanding over a shoulder, ¡°Follow me, kid.¡±
4 - We Do What We Have To
Paul could feel the young man¡¯s nervousness radiating throughout that aura the Defender had actually lost control of. The noble had known the gemite had poor aura control but he hadn¡¯t realized exactly how bad until the moment the kid let it get away just from being excited. Anger was the more common reason for people to lose control of restraining their aura, even he did at times since it was such a volatile emotion and often triggered suddenly.
The Paladin had thought that, with the youth having trained with the god, Warrior, for so long, aura control would have gone along with that but, now that he thought about that assumption, he realized that he had never heard of any god assisting in aura training directly; most likely due to the overwhelming nature of the divine auras they had.
¡°Who taught you how to control your aura?¡± he inquired as they walked down the hall towards one of the training rooms he could sense was currently empty.
¡°Ah¡ um¡ me?¡± Dazien replied a bit awkwardly. Paul halted his walking to look back at the man who quickly tried to explain, ¡°Anybody I asked wanted payment for their time, which I understand and I wasn¡¯t exactly seeking charity, but it¡¯s not like Adventurers are coming to the temple of the Parent to look for Prot¨¦g¨¦s every day and the few who did wanted to be able to have complete control over the Aspects choices and the ways they would fight and live¡¡±
The amethyst warrior ran a hand through his shiny hair and said with an odd mixture of sadness and anger at the memories, ¡°Nobody wanted to deal with a Warrior King determined to forge his own path. Nor did anyone believe me when I said I couldn¡¯t afford to pay for their services when Warrior himself was training me with the sword.¡±
The young man looked back at him and clarified, ¡°Warrior didn¡¯t give me Bits, he gave me knowledge and advice. Uriel and I were barely making ends meet, so I did what I had to do and just¡ figured it out myself. I am sorry that I lost control of it back there. I thought I had gotten much better from training with the others recently.¡±
¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask me?¡± he found himself asking curiously. Paul had been present for a lot of their training sessions; though, he had focused most of his time with the group on combat specifically.
Gem-like purple eyes blinked at him before slowly and carefully choosing words, ¡°I¡¯m not your Prot¨¦g¨¦, Lord Wayland. I am grateful for whatever guidance you grant when allowing us to join Phoenix in her training sessions with you but I¡¯m aware of the boundary between us. It would be¡ wrong of me to overstep like that and request more than you offer.¡±
¡°Wayland has never told the party that they could,¡± Orebela pointed out in his mind and he could already feel the mild headache forming at the realization that just because he ignored politics and etiquette didn¡¯t mean that the others would behave the same.
He started walking again, moving towards a different training room this time, opening the door with runes engraved into it and noting the tremor of worry in the younger man¡¯s aura as he gestured for the gemite to enter.
¡°Ah¡ Why do we need to be in the room heavily warded against damage?¡± Dazien asked, glancing at the enchantments on the inner walls, ceiling, and floor.
¡°Because today we start training your aura and your new Execute,¡± the Paladin replied, magically constructing his sword in his hand.
The excitement was instantly detectable in the youth¡¯s aura and he flexed his own to smother it in response as he grumbled, ¡°Don¡¯t get too happy, kid. I¡¯m not going to go easy on you,¡± he clarified, though he wasn¡¯t sure the message was clear since the gemite¡¯s grin didn¡¯t vanish in the slightest.
¡°I¡¯m always up for a challenge,¡± Dazien stated resolutely, then asked a bit more awkwardly, ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re actually offering to train me? Like a mentor would?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t have a half-trained kid leading my Prot¨¦g¨¦,¡± he pointed out and made sure to explicitly state, ¡°I¡¯m not going to claim you as one, that would likely cause too much political disruption and it¡¯s unnecessary at the moment, but know that I see all of you as apprentices and am willing to offer my services as a Mentor. Ask me questions. Trust that I wish to see all of you grow and succeed.¡±
¡°Because we¡¯re Phoenix¡¯s party?¡± the boy asked but didn¡¯t seem bitter about the insinuated stipulation.
He contemplated that for a moment. It was hard to separate the Prot¨¦g¨¦ from the Party but, eventually, he gave a crooked grin and admitted, ¡°If Phoenix had actually died during the battle for Tulisuda, I would still be offering.¡±
Dazien¡¯s smile widened as the gemite constructed his own gleaming diamond sword and said, ¡°You know Uriel is still terrified of you, right?¡±
They began walking towards the large combat dummies near the center of the room used for training some of the more destructive abilities, ¡°Good,¡± the Paladin replied almost instantly at the thought of the other boy who could likely kill his ward by accident.
¡°Wayland is being unfair to Little Storm again,¡± the Familiar piped up just as the gemite also came to his partner¡¯s defense.
¡°Uriel is a good man,¡± the Defender said with a bit of edge in his voice and determination in his aura, ¡°You of all people know better than most about everything he has gone through. The horrors he still struggles with and yet, despite all of that, he tries his best to do good.¡±
¡°I know, kid,¡± Paul said with a sigh, ¡°I know he was dealt a poor hand in life.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a bit of an understatement,¡± Dazien scoffed, ¡°Most of the orphans I grew up with could say that but we both know Uriel is a whole other level beyond ¡®a poor hand¡¯.¡±
¡°You¡¯re right,¡± the Paladin admitted, ¡°I¡¯ll try talking to him. Let him know that he doesn¡¯t need to fear a random smiting from me. I¡¯ll be gracious now and give both of you advanced notice should you earn retribution.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s going to help calm him much¡¡±
¡°That¡¯s what the earrings are for. My goal will be to help him not need any of those accessories anymore,¡± he stated before activating his Execution ability, [Judgment of the Zealous], which had started off at Crystal Caste exactly the same as Dazien¡¯s had, and proceeded to annihilate the combat dummy waiting between them.
Phoenix looked at the large box in the center of the prep table in the large kitchen area, which the Wayfarer was pretty sure took up the whole floor of the extravagant Wayland building. Uriel stood beside her, also taking in the green marble chest, and asked her, ¡°Can I see that description again before we dig in?¡±
Item: Crystal Caster¡¯s Complete Cooking Kit
An enchanted set of cooking tools that assist in the creation of Crystal Caste meals.
Caste: Crystal.
Availability: Epic.
Type: Tool, kit.
Requirements: Crystal Caste or higher.
Effects:
- Decreased ingredient loss rate when using the [Crystal Pot] or [Crystal Mixing Bowl].
- Increased success rate of infusing rituals when using the [Crystal Cutting Board] or [Crystal Baking Sheet].
- Slightly increases the quality of the ingredients when using the [Crystal Knives], [Crystal Spatula], or [Crystal Shredder].
- Increased success rate of enchantments when using the [Crystal Plates] or [Crystal Pan].
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¡°So, um¡ I¡¯ve never actually cooked anything before,¡± she admitted, ¡°Let alone tried infusing or enchanting ingredients while doing so.¡±
Uriel gave her a slight smirk and asked, ¡°Scholar didn¡¯t see the need to give a Knowledge Tome of Magical Cooking?¡±
¡°She probably thought you were all I needed,¡± she teased, returning his smile, ¡°I¡¯m glad we¡¯re finally getting a chance to use this. It feels like ages since I gave it to you.¡±
He raised a brow, ¡°It¡¯s only been a single week since then.¡±
¡°Really?¡± she said aghast and began counting days backward, ¡°So much has happened since then, though, it feels more like a month.¡±
The Mage chuckled softly and pressed a sequence of the runes that were engraved in the chest where a keyhole normally would have been and they heard a faint click as it unlatched for them to retrieve the spoils within, ¡°Ready for a crash course in magical cooking?¡±
She grinned, ¡°Just tell me what to do, Chef.¡±
Uriel chuckled again, shaking his head at the nickname, ¡°We¡¯ll just do an easy favorite of mine to get you familiar with the process,¡± he explained while pulling out the large [Crystal Pot], and stated simply, ¡°Monster Stew.¡±
Phoenix laughed, ¡°Let me guess, bring water to boil and toss in various monster meat for eight hours.¡±
¡°Basically,¡± the cinderen said with a spark of humor in his ember eyes, ¡°There¡¯s a bit more but that¡¯s what I plan to show you.¡±
As they proceeded to set up everything, Phoenix conjured some various monster meat options that had begun to stack up in her collection from the hunting they had done previously, she decided to take the time while they were partially distracted by the task to talk about the things she had been a bit hesitant to broach with her friend.
¡°So¡ I know Dazien has struggled a bit with all my secrets that have been revealed in like the last two days,¡± she began and while he made it clear that he was listening with a nod he was also kind enough to not fixate his attention on her, ¡°But I was wondering how you felt about it? You don¡¯t seem angry like him but I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s actually how you feel or if¡¡±
¡°If the effects of my earrings are just keeping it from showing?¡± the Mage finished for her while setting up the [Crystal Cutting Board].
She glanced at one of the long tapered ears that sported a set of small golden cuffs that she knew were enchanted to work together in an effort to keep the man calm lest his anger escapes and trigger his [Raging Inferno] talent to make him rampage.
He noticed her glance and returned the look with a shake of his head, ¡°No, Princess. I¡¯m not angry about you having secrets. Even after our talk where I revealed some of mine, I still have a lot that I don¡¯t share with others, not even Daze. So I¡¯m the last person that¡¯s going to get angry for you to keep your own.¡±
The Wayfarer felt a small weight lift at his words and the relief she felt made her realize that she had cared about his opinion a lot more than she originally thought, ¡°I¡¯m still sorry I kept things from you, especially after you trusted me with yours.¡±
¡°We do what we have to in order to protect ourselves,¡± he stated in a way that made her recognize it as recitation, ¡°Priest Jacob tells me that when I¡¯m worried about my friends hating me for having secrets,¡± he gave her a pointed look, ¡°Exactly like I¡¯m sure you felt. Believe me when I say that I understand, Phoenix. Want to pick which meat you want to try or that has similar attunements?¡±
¡°I have mostly Ice and Earth I think,¡± she replied as she moved closer to look over the options again with her book displaying the information for the various types. ¡°I don¡¯t think we want to use the Corrosion-attuned meat those Icespitters gave.¡±
The cinderen chuckled again, ¡°Might be useful to get some resistance from it if we can.¡±
¡°Let me rephrase; I don¡¯t want to eat acid-meat,¡± she clarified with a roll of her eyes.
¡°Fair enough,¡± he laughed, ¡°Let¡¯s just do some of the Ice ones then,¡± he gestured towards a stack of snolf meat and surprised her slightly when he added, ¡°Any more questions or concerns you want to ask me about? I¡¯ll be honest and will let you know if I¡¯m not comfortable divulging something.¡±
She felt a bit like Paul the next moment as she carefully observed him while she handed over the various cuts of meat and even used her aura to try sensing his to understand his goals better but with the [Chains of Silence] currently pushing his aura back into his core she couldn¡¯t sense anything at all so she took the more Mundane route he suggested and asked, ¡°Do the earrings and chains make you feel¡ well, I mean, do you dislike having to wear them?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure it matters whether I do or don¡¯t,¡± he stated, placing the meat she handed him onto the cutting board, ¡°They keep you and the others safe and that¡¯s what matters.¡±
¡°Your feelings matter,¡± she countered, ¡°Don¡¯t they make you feel uncomfortable? I can barely stand the suffocating sensation.¡±
¡°Ah, now I get why you¡¯re asking,¡± the Mage said then pulled a few other things out of a small bag he had brought and placed a couple of [Metal Shards] around the edges of the cutting board before gesturing her to come closer, ¡°You have salt already in your collection, right?¡±
¡°Um, yes. Are we doing an infusing ritual?¡± she asked, remembering the information from her book on Artifice.
¡°Have you done one before?¡±
¡°No, I usually just obtain the natural versions of the magic materials. I haven¡¯t needed to do an infusion yet,¡± she explained.
He nodded and asked, ¡°Do you know the runes for a Metal infusion?¡± At her nod, he gestured around the edge of the board, ¡°Just start doing that around the edge here then. The talent that lets you draw with light will be much more accurate than trying to draw them in the salt. That¡¯s honestly the most annoying part for me.¡±
Phoenix could imagine how frustrating that might be as she began to write, only pausing for a moment before continuing when he finally answered her original question, ¡°The earrings make me feel numb sometimes,¡± he admitted softly, ¡°Like I can¡¯t fully feel things? Which only really makes me uncomfortable when my conscious mind is telling me that I should be feeling more. Like when Daze was so excited about us becoming Adventurers. I felt like I should have been feeling just as excited as him, and my mind was, but the emotions were just¡ not. It¡¯s like as soon as I start feeling too much of anything a switch gets flipped to make it stop.¡±
She nodded as she continued sketching runes in light, ¡°I know how that can feel. Sometimes the treatments they put me through to help manage the pain would mess with my emotions like that too. It¡¯s not pleasant to feel apathetic like that.¡±
¡°That¡¯s exactly what it is sometimes,¡± the Mage agreed, then grabbed her drawing hand before she finished the circle, ¡°Sorry, we¡¯ll want to change this part, here,¡± he explained then guided her hand in his to draw the last few runes differently to indicate that they were targeting meat to cook instead of stone, which was the default most of her artifice knowledge assumed.
¡°The chains don¡¯t make me feel as uncomfortable, though,¡± Uriel continued as they drew together, ¡°If anything, I get anxious without them. My fears of hurting any of you outweigh any uncomfortable sensation my aura undergoes.¡±
¡°Perhaps if you trained it more with us then it wouldn¡¯t be such a worry?¡± she offered a bit awkwardly, ¡°I remember Jacob mentioning something about confronting our fears as a way to overcome them or something like that.¡±
They stopped drawing as Uriel lifted her hand away from the board and pulled it back towards him causing her to turn to face the cook. She found herself looking up to see his face since they were so close to each other. The smell of raw meat mixed with the scent of a storm brewing, the kind that came with freezing snow, but from outside a cozy cottage window with a lit hearth filled her lungs and it took her a moment to realize all of it, save the meat, as belonging to the man before her.
He gave a sad smile as he admitted, ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m just too afraid of myself to risk that.¡±
She felt the urge to hug him again at the pain she saw in his gaze but he interrupted the thought when he released her hand and gestured to the board, ¡°Want to try activating it now?¡±
Phoenix glanced at the small ritual and asked, ¡°Is there a chance it blows up?¡±
Uriel took a step back in silent answer as his actions betrayed his words, ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine. The board is helping after all.¡±
She shook her head and chuckled then activated the ritual that would make the pile of Ice-attuned meat into dual-typed Ice and Metal that should hopefully give them even larger benefits when they were done cooking it.
Once the ritual finished, thankfully without any explosions, Uriel began cutting up the infused meat into stew-sized chunks with one of the various [Crystal Knives] that had been included. She then proceeded to start searching through the bag Uriel had brought for various vegetables to add to the stew as well, lifting up each to gain information from both her book and friend about what exactly it was and if they should include it.
¡°Can I ask you a bit of an odd question?¡± the Mage prodded as he dropped the cut-up meat into the [Crystal Pot].
¡°Pretty sure there¡¯s nothing you could ask me that isn¡¯t weirder than most of the questions I¡¯ve had to ask since arriving in this world,¡± she pointed out, trying to lighten the mood a bit more.
¡°Fair point,¡± he admitted with a slight smirk, then took a steadying breath before asking, ¡°Why did you accept the quest from Hero and Rebel?¡± At her raised brow he clarified, ¡°You could have just told them ¡®no¡¯. That you weren¡¯t comfortable with the responsibility it would bring. That it wasn¡¯t fair or reasonable for them to ask a literal stranger to the world to save a piece of it. Why did you say ¡®yes¡¯?¡±
Phoenix contemplated the question for a bit, giving him the benefit of serious consideration and understanding the point he was making. Looking back, she knew he was right; she could have just said no and not bonded herself to the deities that triggered a cascade of divine favors and anxiety that came with it.
Then she recalled the thought she had when initially accepting the quest and the words Paul had said about standing up to people who behaved like monsters and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be the person who refused to save others that needed help. Even if I¡¯m doomed to fail, I didn¡¯t want to be the person who refused to even try to save them.¡±
His warm eyes met hers and he gave a crooked smile as he replied, ¡°I think I see why they offered in the first place now.¡±
Phoenix flushed crimson as she muttered, ¡°Cause I¡¯m a fool that just goes along with whatever anyone else tells her to do?¡±
Uriel shook his head as he began setting up another infusion ritual for the pile of vegetables, ¡°No, because at your core, you were already a hero,¡± before she could protest he gestured for her to come over again, ¡°Let¡¯s make these tunions a bit more magical and no more talking down about yourself; I do enough of that for the both of us.¡±
She snorted and admitted, ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t be such a bad influence on me?¡±
He chuckled, ¡°Noted. No more self-degradation until after we finish these meals fit for our royal court to feed us during the next set of missions.¡±
5 - Grow up
Phoenix practically flew across the snow as she laughed wildly. They had finally been sent back out on the tundra to clear out monsters after the few days of rest they received once they had successfully regained control of Tulisuda. Her new armor, [Shifting Twilight], was giving her the freedom of movement she had been sorely lacking before and she felt exhilarated as she ran, using her gravity technique to [Push] herself forward.
Night had fallen and the moons were at a darker point in their cycles and she appeared as a shadow flitting across the faintly illuminated snow with the combination of her [Embrace of Shadows] Aura ability and the darkness effects from her armor currently granting both an increase in Agility and the [Blackest Night] Boon.
Status Effect: Blackest Night
Type: Boon (transfiguration, magical, song)
Effects:
- Your secondary characteristics reflect the night.
- For a low amount of mana per second, you can make your voice come from a nearby target.
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The wind caused by her increased speed was pushing her now black hair back and stinging her shadowy cheeks but that didn¡¯t dampen the thrill she felt as she raced across the tundra. The fact that she no longer had any secrets being kept from her teammates was likely adding to the feeling of freedom she was currently experiencing and she found herself hoping that someday Uriel could feel like this too.
Even the swarm of Crystal Caste monsters trailing after her wasn¡¯t enough to weigh her spirits down as Rayna suddenly arrived next to her and asked with a hint of concern, ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea?¡±
¡°Nope!¡± she replied with a cheeky grin and laughed as the voxen¡¯s ears flattened and expression soured, ¡°It¡¯s the only plan I got, though. So, if you have a better one, I¡¯m completely open to suggestions.¡±
The bard grimaced and shook her head, ¡°Not really. Just don¡¯t die this time, okay?¡±
¡°No promises but I¡¯ll do my best,¡± she replied as they both continued forward towards the small campfire in the distance.
She had managed to get a couple of packs of snolves and frostprowlers from within the southwestern forest and was leading them back towards the northeast beyond the treeline to the wide flatter expanse that surrounded the capital for miles.
The Wayfarer was just glad this wasn¡¯t actually a video game where she had to worry about the monsters leashing back to their spawn point. Instead, she had to worry about never being able to shake them off as they pursued their prey relentlessly with the single-minded focus most monsters seemed to have.
There were a few exceptions to this general behavior. Some, like the miserlings, were a bit crueler and cared more for torturing their intended victims than immediate destruction. Others were apparently smarter and could think at least semi-tactfully but those were apparently more at higher Castes where their lowered Mind attribute wasn¡¯t completely in the dirt.
When Phoenix had asked the others about why monsters all seemed to be so rage-filled and dumb as a rock, Uriel had explained that the seed they spawned from would act like a fake soul for them and that most were focused on trading the ¡°softer¡± attributes for the more physical ones.
They were also focused on one primary objective: consume to survive. Without eating other magical beings they would wither and die. They couldn¡¯t just munch on magical grass or eat a few Mana Bits that some Casters had first been able to loot and later learned to create generations ago.
Monsters also couldn¡¯t cultivate their Caste like most avals or people. Avals would naturally grow in their Caste as they aged until they hit the max of their potential. This max varied based on the type of aval but there was no special process they had to perform to reach it. The only way for a monster to grow up and increase their Caste was to evolve into something new by consuming enough magic, usually in the form of people.
Rayna put on a burst of speed to reach the defensive line first as Phoenix glanced behind her to judge the speed and distance remaining and gave herself a final [Push] forward across the snow and began to chant while running on attributes alone, ¡°As this star begins to dim, a final burst of light. As my life begins to wane, a final shout of triumph.¡±
As she reached the rest of the party she continued running past the Defender who had his feet firmly planted, sword drawn, and another brand new shield raised while eyeing the monsters with a grimace that matched the one Rayna had given her moments ago.
She finally stopped running once she arrived at the [Home¡¯s Hearth] Uriel had constructed a couple of meters behind the amethyst warrior and finished her incantation just as the horde of monsters were about to crash into Dazien, ¡°In a supernova sacrifice, I offer the hope of victory."
Magic exploded out from her, consuming all of them in a blaze of blue and gold light. Briefly turning her hair, eyes, and armor a platinum white that sparkled with starlight with the opposite Boon her [Shifting Twilight] offered.
Status Effect: Brightest DayIf you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Type: Boon (transfiguration, magical, song)
Effects:
- Your secondary characteristics reflect the day.
- For a low amount of mana per second, you can loudly amplify your voice.
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The monsters barely had time to howl in pain as they either died or collapsed in a burning heap within the partial crater the party now found themselves standing in.
The amount of destruction done to the land was why they had chosen this particular spot out in the tundra, kilometers away from any town or natural resource. The barren dirt and rock made it the only place they were willing to actively decimate while attempting to cultivate Phoenix¡¯s most destructive abilities.
Then she released her [Starlight Qi] to quickly regenerate the lost mana from the ability and stamina from the sprint; the glitter bomb enveloping the area and causing her companions to softly glow as well from its regenerative Boon.
White ashes began to quickly form around them as the dead began to dissolve from being looted. Phoenix, now back to her darker aesthetic, let out a choking cough as she sank to her knees, ¡°I need to hit Sapphire so I can practice not breathing¡ this is just disgusting,¡± she complained at the mouthful of monster dust and pulled out a mana potion from her collection. She quickly downed it as Saiya had already begun to restore her depleted health before a stray monster scratch finished her off.
¡°I¡¯m sure Daze wouldn¡¯t mind helping with that,¡± Uriel said with a smirk as he stood over her, forming another line of protection.
¡°Not the time, Uriel,¡± the Defender called over his shoulder as he stabbed one of the survivors with a series of quick strikes.
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Ability: Accelerating Strikes
Type: Special Attack (combination)
Cost: Low stamina, increasing with each successive attack.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Crystal 10
Crystal Effect: Each attack slightly increases your attack speed while this ability is active.
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¡°Time for what?¡± Phoenix asked the Mage quizzically
He simply shook his head and said, ¡°For humor, apparently. I better go help him before he gets even more cranky now that your terrible plan actually worked.¡±
As the cinderen made his way towards another of the struggling monsters, Phoenix turned her attention towards Saiya and asked in a conspiratorial whisper, ¡°How cranky was he exactly?¡±
¡°On a scale of one to five, I would have put him at a three before you returned,¡± she glanced over at the warrior who was now stabbing a monster that had already begun to dissolve into ash, ¡°Now, however, I¡¯d say it¡¯s about a six.¡±
¡°That bad, huh?¡±
¡°He doesn¡¯t like putting any of us at risk, despite the job often calling for it,¡± the Healer explained, continuing her ministrations, ¡°I think he¡¯s just particularly sensitive to putting you in extra danger after thinking we lost you. Honestly, all of us are feeling that way.¡±
Phoenix frowned at her friend as she apologized once more, ¡°I am sorry about not telling you all sooner. I never meant for you guys to experience losing me like that.¡±
¡°We know, but it doesn¡¯t change the fact that we did and are still processing it. Despite it not being permanent doesn¡¯t mean we didn¡¯t feel it,¡± the voxen replied with a sad smile, then hugged her tightly with both tails, ¡°Just try not to make us go through it again, okay? Even if you come back, we¡¯ll still worry and feel the loss.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± she said, returning the hug. Then hesitantly said with another glance towards the party leader, ¡°How about you talk to him first before we grab the next pack for my [Meteor Shower]?¡±
¡°Because you assume anything we say is going to change the King¡¯s mind?¡± Rayna spoke up, placing an arm around her shoulder while adding tangentially, ¡°By the way, I love the new armor. It will really help you to learn to own your body, ya know?¡±
Phoenix rolled her eyes, wrapping her arms around her chest that was only covered by her thin armor, which basically felt like a second skin, and wispy dark clouds instead of starlight as she rebuked, ¡°Just because I don¡¯t flaunt it, doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t own it.¡±
¡°Girl, you¡¯ve been trying to hide it ever since I met you,¡± the bard said with dismay, ¡°How do you expect to gain any attention from a potential mate without at least making an effort to show off what you have to offer?¡±
¡°You ever stop to think that maybe the best mate isn¡¯t one that just wants your body?¡± she retorted, feeling her face flush from the conversation, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you want someone that appreciates your mind first?¡±
¡°Bah, that¡¯s what we have friends for,¡± the pugilist said with a dismissive wave of a gem-encrusted gauntlet, ¡°You all already love me for my incredible personality and wit that¡¯s almost as quick as my feet. A mate is for the physical side of life, the intimacy you don¡¯t get from friends. The person you can¡¯t help but want to touch and wants you just as much.¡±
¡°I¡ I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s something I need¡ or want,¡± she admitted hesitantly.
The voxen blinked, as though having trouble processing the words, then gave an exaggerated sigh and shake of the head, ¡°Still such a child, you¡¯ll grow out of it eventually and understand what I¡¯m talking about. You probably just need to find the right person first.¡±
As Rayna left to join the others she frowned after the woman before glancing at Saiya who had remained silent as the Healer also watched the bard leave them with a small frown and she asked, ¡°Is she right? Am I just¡ thinking like a kid still?¡±
Warm amber eyes looked up at her currently pitch-black orbs and the small frown was replaced by a smile as the smaller voxen said, ¡°From what you¡¯ve said of your past, that might be the case but it also might not be and it¡¯s just a part of who you are.¡±
¡°Is it¡ Am I just broken if I don¡¯t, um, grow up like she said?¡± the Wayfarer asked nervously.
¡°Oh, sweet flower,¡± Saiya said softly and took her hand to squeeze tightly as she reassured, ¡°No. You¡¯re not broken if that¡¯s how you feel and that feeling doesn¡¯t make you unhappy or uncomfortable. Instead of worrying about what Rayna thinks you should feel, maybe just ask yourself why you feel a certain way and if that¡¯s something you want to change or accept about yourself. Why don¡¯t we go help the others now and we can talk about this more later if you want?¡±
Phoenix nodded and glanced over to her other party members and wondered exactly how else she might differ from them when it came to things that were considered ¡°normal¡± to want and then contemplated if that was something she actually wanted to change about herself or not. The way Saiya had phrased things made her realize that she needed to do some actual introspection about what she felt and why she felt that way and figure out who she wanted to work towards becoming.
But first, she had monsters to fight.
6 - All Tied Up
Dazien was sitting with his party in the center of the large room that Uriel had constructed for them with the Mage¡¯s [Fortress of Solitude] ability at dawn. Taking advantage of both the ice fortress and Saiya¡¯s soft singing with [Meditative Guide], they were cultivating their experiences at a good rate, finding it increasingly easy and intuitive to focus.
It had been a long week of almost non-stop fighting and they were all due for a rest. The party leader knew he had been pushing them hard but they all felt the desire to get stronger. The recent battle for Tulisuda showed them they had much further to go.
He knew that he had been struggling to process everything that had happened; his mind felt like it had been all tied up in knots that he had to slowly unravel. However, working with his party, finding a combat routine, finally getting to properly train his aura, and fighting dozens of monsters seemed to be helping an incredible amount.
Coming to terms with Phoenix¡¯s immortality was both easy and difficult ¨Can annoying contradiction. On one hand, it was a relief to know her recklessness and self-destructive abilities wouldn¡¯t actually kill her. While on the other hand, it was a concern for more reasons than one. Aside from the need for secrecy, he didn¡¯t want to become a leader willing to treat another¡¯s life like it was an expendable resource.
He had almost lost his own life to save hers; learning that if the Emerald Caste feather had been just a few inches closer to his center, his heart would have been obliterated. That was the closest he had ever come to dying before and learning that Phoenix would have been alive without it made him question if he would or should have reacted differently. Uriel had to remind him that ¨Ceven if Phoenix would have revived¨C they would have lost her portal and others would have died instead.
Dazien realized that he had been letting his frustrations with himself bleed into how he was behaving with the others recently and resolved to do better. Paul had spoken with him more during their training before they left about how to find ways to channel his anger into more productive outlets and he was still trying to figure out how best for him to do that. He found that these times of meditation were actually helping a lot in giving him time for introspection and reflection about not just his fighting but his behavior and emotions driving those actions and words.
Uriel¡¯s temporary shelter of ice was the size of a large rectangular tent on the outside, the dimensional magic inside gave them plenty of room to live only slightly cramped, granting them two rooms and a large central space between them that they all currently sat in. The wall opposite the door was equipped with a small kitchen area that Dazien felt was fitting considering who the ability belonged to.
The only real complaint he had was that the side rooms were still too small for him to allow Rex to manifest and stretch his massive limbs. He had noticed fairly quickly that, while fairly subdued, his companion liked being able to watch the world around them. Their apartment wasn¡¯t any better really and Dazien felt a bit guilty that he couldn¡¯t give his majestic Familiar grander accommodations.
Despite wanting to be a king someday, the reality of his circumstances forced him to evaluate everything based on his actual need for it versus childish wants. He had discovered though that he didn¡¯t need shiny things to be happy. Most of his unhappiness that came from a lack of funds was from the feeling of not being able to provide for those he cared about. Both Uriel and Rex deserved more, not to mention giving back to the people who raised them, and he wanted to be able to give it.
His meditation was broken suddenly by Rayna staggering forward onto her hands and knees, her tails going to either side of her body, to brace herself as she suddenly became engulfed in pale blue flames.
He waved down Phoenix¡¯s look of panic and said briefly, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Great, actually. Just watch.¡±
Dazien had never seen a voxen go through the ascension process into a new Caste, and it was both awe-inspiring and slightly horrifying, as they watched a third tail slowly unfurl between her existing two. The fur on it almost seemed wet at first before the sapphire flames licked at it and fluffed it right up like the others while the rest of her body became more refined. Muscles became more defined, skin less blemished, hair and fur more silken, and he swore she grew taller.
The party leader smiled at her once the ascension ended and said in all sincerity, ¡°Congratulations on reaching the Sapphire Caste, Lady Rayna.¡±
The bard gave a nod, breathing heavily from all the changes her body had just undergone ¨Cdespite not needing to breathe any longer¨C and he turned to the others as he suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we call it for today and get some rest? We¡¯ve got another week¡¯s worth of missions to get through so we¡¯ll be heading out early and it will likely take Rayna a few days to recover.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll¡ be fine,¡± the voxen gasped out, wobbling slightly from the disorienting feeling.
¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± he insisted, ¡°We both know the recovery time gets worse at each Caste. It¡¯s normal for the Sapphire Ascension to take you out of action for about three days. You rest and we¡¯ll just kill things a bit slower.¡±
The rest of them all agreed and Rayna surprised him by actually accepting the hand he offered to help her to stand, causing him to grunt slightly from the forgotten increase in weight ascending brought, and the Striker wished them a good night as she followed after the other women to get some sleep in the room the three shared.
His eyes were distracted by the Wayfarer who was excitedly congratulating the tired bard. Phoenix¡¯s curiosity was infectious and he had always felt drawn to it but he let the trio depart without him. His gaze lingered on the chaotic mess of red curls and the adorable furry fox ears of the twins animatedly moving, as if adding an extra layer of meaning to their words that he hadn¡¯t yet learned to translate.
¡°Have you thought about telling her?¡± Uriel¡¯s voice interrupted his stray thoughts from beside him.
Dazien shook his head, shaking the distraction away, as the door to the other room closed and he refocused on his surroundings. He turned to his companion, asking quizzically, ¡°What exactly am I telling who?¡±
¡°Phoenix. About your feelings towards her,¡± the cinderen said bluntly, then gave him a skeptical look when he remained confused, ¡°Please, Daze, you might be feigning denial but it¡¯s completely obvious to me.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
¡°What are you talking about?¡± He glanced back towards the door that the Supporter had disappeared through, ¡°She¡¯s a valuable teammate and our friend. I¡¯ve told her this many times.¡±
¡°Wow,¡± the smooth voice said in disbelief, ¡°Seems like it¡¯s a bit worse and less feigned than I suspected.¡±
Dazien gave an annoyed huff and began heading towards their own room, ¡°I¡¯m too tired for games tonight, Uriel.¡±
The taller man smirked slightly and teased, ¡°That¡¯s not what you usually tell me.¡±
The Defender stopped abruptly and glanced back at his oldest friend as he asked in exasperation, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you tonight?¡±
Uriel shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m just enjoying the experience of being the one who knows the other better this time,¡± then he gestured towards their shared room, ¡°Want to just talk for a bit? No games or rope tonight.¡±
The gemite rolled his eyes and entered the room, starting to strip out of his dirty clothes by dismissing them into his [Armory] with a shimmer of golden glitter as the door shut behind him.
He felt the soft brush of Uriel¡¯s hand along the golden scales trailing down his spine. His partner had started doing that whenever they were alone and the opportunity presented it; telling him it was a gentle reminder that even his Familiar thought he would be a king someday.
He shivered at the touch, not disliking it in the slightest, but managed to ask, ¡°So what exactly are we talking about?¡±
¡°The woman you¡¯ve obviously got more than just friendship in mind for,¡± the Mage stated and walked past him to take a seat in the only chair the small room offered.
Dazien just stood and stared at his friend for a long moment, processing the statement, before shaking his head in denial, ¡°Nope.¡±
The cinderen chuckled, ¡°What does that mean?¡±
¡°It means no,¡± the Defender said as he slumped onto the edge of the bed in his underwear and untied the small cord he had used to tie back his hair. He needed to remember to get it trimmed again when he got back to the city.
¡°Look, even if you were right, which I¡¯m not saying you are,¡± he added as his friend¡¯s smirk grew into a grin, ¡°I don¡¯t think she feels that way. Nor is it really the time to make things even more complicated.¡±
¡°I know how you get, Daze,¡± Uriel said, giving his own sigh, ¡°You tend to fixate on the things you want to know more about. Your desire to question everything makes you a better leader, in my opinion, but you¡¯ve always been fairly blatant when it comes to things that catch your interest. And you¡¯ve made your interest clear from the day we both met her. Which is why you should figure out exactly what kind of relationship you want to chase with her.¡±
¡°Chase? She¡¯s not prey.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± the man scowled, ¡°You know that I would never mean it like that.¡±
¡°But I still haven¡¯t agreed that there¡¯s anything more than friendship.¡±
¡°You might be able to lie to yourself but you¡¯ve never lied to me, Daze,¡± his partner stated dryly, then rubbed his own face in apparent exhaustion, ¡°I also don¡¯t think Phoenix has the emotional capacity to love like you do. However, out of all your previous interests, she seems actually worth getting serious about.¡±
The warrior raised a brow at him and asked his own question, ¡°Wait, you want me to court her? Are you saying you would actually support that? You¡¯ve never seemed fond of any of the others.¡±
A look of annoyance crossed the cinderen¡¯s face as they both recalled the past women and men that Dazien had gotten involved romantically with, ¡°None of them actually cared about you beyond the surface; I think you know that too. Plus, I doubt they ever bothered to try and understand the explanations you gave about our relationship; if they even thought to ask.¡±
His face fell at the recollection and the warrior tilted his head in agreement, ¡°You¡¯re right. Which is why they never lasted long. You think Phoenix will understand us, though? She seems rather oblivious to matters of the heart, given what she¡¯s told us about her past.¡±
Uriel nodded slowly and said, ¡°If anything, I think she¡¯d respect what we have, even if she doesn¡¯t fully understand. Nor does she seem to care about how pretty someone is which is actually a good thing when it comes to you.¡±
The larger man paused a moment then added in clarification, ¡°But it¡¯s not about my support. I just want you to figure out exactly what it is you want with her before actually saying or doing something you might come to regret¡ again. Have you thought about what might happen to this party when you realize later that you¡¯re attracted to her and she does or doesn¡¯t feel the same?¡±
Dazien gave his companion a look of surprise and exclaimed, ¡°No, because until you said something it wasn¡¯t even on my mind!¡±
The Mage rolled ember eyes at him, ¡°Come on, Daze. We both know it was only a matter of time before you noticed the signs like I have. This isn¡¯t the first time we¡¯ve been here and I doubt it will be the last.¡±
The Defender almost growled at him, ¡°Just because I might find someone attractive doesn¡¯t mean I have to chase after them. Gods, Uriel, you¡¯re starting to sound like Priestess Yavuz telling me I¡¯m a degenerate just because I¡¯m willing to accept the fact that I can love more than one person.¡±
Uriel frowned and straightened, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± the cinderen tugged at the earrings on his left and said a bit awkwardly, ¡°Sorry, I just¡¡±
The Mage let out a long sigh and seemed to restart his thoughts, ¡°I¡¯ve seen so many of your relationships crash and burn as quick as they started and, well¡ I know we¡¯ve agreed not to interfere in other relationships that either of us might have unless there¡¯s a problem, but this is a bit different. It¡¯s¡ I actually care about Phoenix too. You¡¯re both my friend and I just don¡¯t want to see what happened before with the others happen to her too.¡±
Dazien relaxed slightly, finally understanding what was making his partner act so unlike his usual self and he gave a gentle smile, ¡°Hey, she¡¯s my friend too, remember? She¡¯s already not like the others because of that fact. I¡¯m not going to do anything that I think might hurt her and that includes rushing headlong into courtship.¡±
Then he added as an afterthought, ¡°On a more positive note, my romantic relationships that begin as friendship have a pretty strong track record of not crashing and burning to the ground.¡±
The cinderen¡¯s complexion flushed even darker at that comparison and the smooth voice murmured reluctantly, ¡°Point taken.¡±
The mostly naked gemite gave a wicked smile and glanced at the bed as he asked, ¡°Perhaps, I can prove the point further for you? Assuage some of your concerns about me ruining friendships?¡±
The Mage chuckled as though the man had known things would eventually turn in this direction, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that will help prove my point or yours but I figured you might want to release some frustration in a healthier way than repeatedly stabbing already dead monsters.¡±
Dazien rolled his eyes, agreeing sarcastically, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure there are plenty of other things I could stab instead. One of which you might discover shortly.¡±
Then he tilted his head towards the blankets and pillows, ¡°So, will you join me in bed?¡±
His partner smirked mischievously and asked, ¡°Should I get the rope?¡±
He let out a laugh, shaking his head, ¡°I think I¡¯m too tired to properly tie any knots tonight. How about we just keep each other warm?¡±
Uriel¡¯s smile softened and nodded obligingly, ¡°As my king desires.¡±
7 - To Force Calm
It was Rayna¡¯s turn to laugh maniacally as she ran through the Whistling Gorge to the west of Tulimeir. The slightly winding crack in the landscape made for an interesting gauntlet of sorts with its arches of ice sporadically spanning across the chasm and sharp stalagmites rising from the base that were usually covered in thick ice.
Her new Sapphire Caste attributes had caused a sudden threefold increase in everything but most noticeable to her was the boost in Agility. Despite now being level 1 again like all the rest, her abilities affected that particular attribute the most, and increasing the base had an almost exponential effect on the Boons.
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Passive Ability: Agile
Type: Boon (magical, arcane)
Current Caste: Sapphire 1
Crystal Effect: Increased Agility. Low stamina and mana per second cost to run on vertical or unstable surfaces. Momentum must be maintained to prevent falling.
Sapphire Effect: Greatly enhanced balance, timing, and spatial sense.
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These effects seemed fairly straight-forward and simple at first but they helped her so much in so many little ways to keep her moving at top speeds that she wouldn¡¯t trade them for anything else. Mobility let her be where she needed to be to deliver her strikes without taking damage in return and it was the thing that let her be the most impactful as the party Striker.
Her new third tail was taking some getting used to but she was already noticing the benefits of having yet another limb with the capability to pound against her targets with its sparkling, now spiky, coverings that had also gained new effects with her Caste ascension.
Passive Ability: Gem Encrusted
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, gem)
Current Caste: Sapphire 1
Crystal Effect: Construct gem gauntlets and tail covers that inflict additional Gem damage and accrue instances of [Kinetic Force] with each normal attack.
Sapphire Effect: For a low mana cost, you can modify your gauntlets and covers to have spikes. Attacks accrue instances of [Reverberation].
- Kinetic Force (boon, elemental, gem, stacking): Consume all instances to inflict Gem damage that scales with the number of instances. Instances are slowly lost over time.
- Reverberation (boon, magical, song, stacking): Each consecutive hit increases the damage of the next attack. Instances are quickly lost over time.
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The voxen could already see how the new effects of her passive abilities were already learning to complement not only her fighting style and desires but also her other abilities. Weaving effects together to build off of one another in a way that made her even more formidable, which she would soon show to the growing horde of Arachnicles chasing after her on spindly legs she planned to shatter.
Lucky for her, these were only Crystal Caste still and Phoenix had opted out of being directly in the melee so she had free reign to unleash destruction upon the weak but plentiful monsters. She was already gaining stacks of [Tuned] during her run through the gorge but as she landed against one of the larger jutting rocks she quickly pivoted direction and triggered [Beyond the Boundary] to make herself rocket back towards the horde and gain some new Boons.
Passive Ability: Stepping Tune
Type: Movement
Current Caste: Sapphire 1
Crystal Effect: Create music with your steps, slowly gaining instances of [Tuned].
Sapphire Effect: While maintaining a rhythm with your steps, you gain instances of [Tempo]. Attacks made upon gaining an instance of [Tempo] also grant an instance of [Accompaniment].
- Tuned (boon, stacking): Slightly reduces the mana and stamina cost of abilities. Instances are quickly lost while not moving.
- Tempo (boon, magical, song, stacking): Speed is slightly increased. Instances are quickly lost while not moving.
- Accompaniment (boon, magical, song, stacking): Your attacks deal additional Song damage that scales with the number of instances of this Boon. Instances are quickly lost while not attacking.
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With gemmed fists and tails, Rayna annihilated the scurrying icicles attached to tiny snowball bodies; each timed attack making her faster and stronger. Her song of destruction echoed through the crystalline ravine.
She was even more adept at dodging the incoming attacks now. Before her ears would be able to easily pick up the tiny footfalls and breaths of the Crystal Caste enemies but now her boosted perception allowed her to hear even the magic being flung her way as she avoided a net of frosty webbing that attempted to shred her.
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Passive Ability: Echolocation
Type: Perception (magical, song)
Current Caste: Sapphire 1
Crystal Effect: Can discern your environment via sound waves.
Sapphire Effect: Can hear magic.
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The voxen had never felt so powerful before as she took down the droves of monsters and she suddenly truly understood the Rule of Caste and why those in the higher levels often thought so little of those below them. It was just so easy to destroy them.
¡°Alright, Rayna. Incoming boom,¡± Phoenix¡¯s voice said within her mind and she silently groaned, wanting to punch more but she realized that she likely wasn¡¯t gaining much from killing these weaker monsters. They just weren¡¯t proving to be the challenge she needed though were great to help her get better acquainted with the capabilities of her newly refined body without actually putting her in harm''s way.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
She glanced up briefly as a flaming meteor appeared above her in the sky and used [Blink Step] to teleport to the edge of the group and make a run from the imminent crater and through the portal that appeared in front of her a moment later.
Saiya was uncharacteristically nervous as she softly sang while meditating. She could feel it coming, the ascension into the next Caste, and was not looking forward to the pain and weirdness that Rayna had described the week before that awaited her at the end of the road to Sapphire.
They would be going back to Tulimeir the following day after one more night sweep a bit later and she didn¡¯t want to be bedridden while the team needed to fight and likely need healing. Rayna was actually the only reason she was less concerned about that now however since her twin could handle any of the Crystal Monsters they had come across
She felt the slight pulse in her core and her singing stuttered to a stop as it practically took her breath away. Which she realized was a fitting effect considering she was about to have her lungs burned away.
The next moment she found herself in much the same position her sister had been in; on all fours with her two tails trying to keep her from fully collapsing on the smooth glossy flooring of the central room in the ice fortress.
Her perception was the first thing she noticed expanding, as the mixture of worry and excitement filtered into her from the party around her, and she didn¡¯t need Phoenix¡¯s book talent to tell her what she could feel emanating into her from the floor she was currently touching which was flooding her with confusion.
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Passive Ability: Empathic Life
Type: Perception (magical, life)
Current Caste: Sapphire 1
Crystal Effect: Can sense the emotions and resource pools of a target through their aura.
Sapphire Effect: You can sense imprints of emotions bestowed by the previous wielder and creator in the objects you touch. If you are able to empathize with either imprint on an enchanted item, the item will yield greater effects.
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She could hear Snowbelle whimper slightly beside her as both of them were engulfed in sky-blue flames. The physical experience for both of them would be similarly uncomfortable but it wasn¡¯t the pain of her body shifting that was causing the tears to gently roll down her face.
Saiya couldn¡¯t see through the flames burning and remaking her eyes but she could sense Uriel. He wasn¡¯t just a few paces away to her senses as she felt part of him through the imprint on the floor he had constructed earlier that morning.
So much confusion, worry, frustration, anger, and fear radiated through it and she wasn¡¯t sure how to soothe it. Almost reflexively, she tried to push her aura outwards to encompass the building itself and it oddly seemed to help slightly but she felt the spike in worry from the friends around her only to cause a loop of her trying to force calm upon them more.
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Passive Ability: Soothing Soul
Type: Aura (magical, life)
Current Caste: Sapphire 1
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura are calmed and have increased resistance to Magical Banes.
Sapphire Effect: The calming effects of your aura are increased against lower Caste people and will also affect enemies to a limited degree. Allies within your aura have increased resistance to Magical damage.
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The sensation of her new tail slowly growing was definitely as weird as the first time she had gained a new one at Crystal 5 and was almost enough to distract her from the emotional overload she was starting to experience. Normally, filtering it all had become second nature, like the murmur of the crowd in the background of her mind until she tried to focus on a specific voice or someone shouted above the din.
Now, however, it was like everyone was pounding on their own drums causing a cacophony of emotions that she couldn¡¯t sort through to even listen to her own. The loudest drum, though, was coming from below her and she had just enough mental capacity to push herself up through the flaming pain and hurtle herself out the front door to collapse in the snow and let the fires of ascension finish licking her new wounds.
She focused on controlling her breathing first, which had gone into overdrive like they were used to doing when reacting to the rush of adrenaline. As she focused on it, and remembered that she didn¡¯t need the air her body was in the habit of working for, she slowly calmed herself until she gave a final sigh and stopped inhaling completely.
Without the body needing the air to function, it didn¡¯t send the distress signal to her brain that would trigger the normal gasping response. Instead, it triggered a sense of stillness; calm that only came from not needing to move at all. Only the beating of her heart slowly decreasing in speed let her know she was even still alive. The Healer tangentially wondered if the next Caste would make her feel like the walking dead when it took that steadying rhythm away from her too.
Saiya felt warm fingers against her cheek, pushing her hair from her face and she was slightly surprised to see concerned amethyst eyes searching hers for answers. Answers she didn¡¯t know how to give without betraying Uriel¡¯s privacy.
¡°Lady Saiya, are you alright? What do you need?¡± her party leader questioned.
Before she could answer, however, strong familiar hands were reaching around her shoulders to help her sit up straight, and whispering in her ear in a rush, ¡°You¡¯re okay. You¡¯re safe, sister. I¡¯ve got you. We¡¯re in Tulim near Linnake. It¡¯s Trisol, the-¡±
She recognized the pattern of information Rayna had begun spouting at her and shook her head as she finally answered, ¡°I¡¯m alright. Sorry, I¡¯m having trouble adjusting to the sensory changes.¡±
Dazien frowned at her glancing between her location on the ground outside, then to the tiny ice fortress she had fled, then at the cinderen standing nearby also looking slightly worried about her, and she could almost see the gears turning behind that curious gaze. The Defender all but confirmed that he was connecting the pieces when he said, ¡°The book showed us your new passive cultivations when your aura flared out. Wait here for a bit with Rayna, take your time adjusting, while I go check some things, okay?¡±
She absently nodded and felt better when Snowbelle flitted over to her a few moments later. The Familiar had grown from the size of a large puppy to that of a medium-sized dog, likely gaining a good fifty pounds in pure mass, and she knew there would be no more hauling the pat-beggar around in her arms without much awkwardness.
Snowbelle didn''t seem to care about frivolous details like that, however, as the Seagull glided over with much larger wings and plopped straight into her lap to roll over and beg for tummy rubs, which she, of course, obliged in giving. Feeling the new changes to her bonding ability that reflected her desire to keep her Familiar safe and close to her.
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Passive Ability: Call of the Sea
Type: Familiar (ritual, magical, covenant)
Crystal Effect: Bond to a Crystal Caste Water-attuned aval or monster to serve as a Familiar.
Sapphire Effect: Bond to a Sapphire Caste Water-attuned aval or monster to serve as a familiar. Increased effectiveness of Water abilities that scale higher the closer your Familiar is to you.
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It was a few minutes later when Dazien returned holding a bundle of patched fabric and he squatted down in front of her so they would be closer to eye level as he spoke softly yet resolutely. She could sense the kind warmth and urge to soothe coming off him, ¡°Lady Saiya, if you¡¯re alright with it, I¡¯m going to wrap this around you and carry you to your bed where Rayna and Phoenix can tend to anything you might need while you rest and adjust for the next few days. Is that alright?¡±
¡°But the missions-¡±
¡°They can wait,¡± he said firmly, and his voice held a very subtle hint of reverb as she noticed his odd Familiar power at play when he assured her, ¡°You are more important.¡±
As he unfolded the fabric, which turned out to be a large quilt, and held it open in silent question, she nodded and the gemite carefully wrapped it around her, tails folding under and between her legs as he scooped her up in his arms so that her feet wouldn¡¯t need to touch the floors again.
The emotional imprint she received from the blanket was a stark contrast to what the fortress of ice had given her. It was brimming with peace, acceptance, hope, and most of all, love and she felt tears falling once more as she quietly asked her leader, ¡°Who made this?¡±
Those amethyst eyes softened and looked down at her knowingly. Dazien smiled gently and whispered in response, ¡°My mother. One of the few things I have left of her.¡±
Her voice caught as she said, ¡°She loved you very much.¡±
¡°I know,¡± the gemite replied confidently as he carefully began to set her down in the small bed, keeping the quilt wrapped around her, ¡°You can sleep now knowing that all of us here feel the same about you, Lady Saiya.¡±
She nodded silently as Rayna and Phoenix both shooed him out and snuggled up to either side of her and Phoenix whispered, ¡°Did I mention how awesome you are?¡±
Saiya gave a broken laugh, ¡°You may have mentioned it once or twice before. Usually while half-dead.¡±
¡°Well you are very awesome and your new tail is very pretty. I think it¡¯s even silkier than Rayna¡¯s,¡± the Wayfarer observed.
¡°Yeah, but I think I¡¯m actually taller now,¡± the bard pointed out, causing her to laugh again as her sisters hugged her and mindlessly chatted until she passed out surrounded by love.
8 - Happy Thoughts
Phoenix pulled out the [Crystal Caster Party Pack] from her collection that she had received for helping fight against the Renseres as she sat in the middle of the open space of the [Fortress of Solitude] and began pulling out the various pieces to it and the small parchment pamphlet explaining how things worked.
Dazien and Uriel were leaning against Rex¡¯s golden side, the large lion-like avatar watching patiently and seeming to enjoy the atmosphere, as the pair chatted beside her about their next trip to the Temple of the Parent when they returned to Tulimeir. Apparently, Rex was a popular visitor there as a jungle gym for the tiny children to play on.
In the smaller space of the now over-crowded room, the Familiar seemed even more massive than usual with the wings positioned upwards like a sunshade for the men and the antlers threatening to gouge the ceiling with the glittering dragon-scaled tail wrapping around the whole group but it also gave them all a cozy and protected feeling, like when she tried turning her hospital bed into a tent as a child.
The non-recovering party members had agreed to her idea of digging into this particular item while Saiya continued sleeping, none of them keen on the idea of leaving her alone to go fight monsters after the ascension gone wrong they had witnessed.
They had vaguely put the pieces together of what had happened the evening before as the influx of senses and emotions had simply overwhelmed her unexpectedly. They weren¡¯t positive which item might have triggered the reaction since, once Dazien had left, the voxen had proceeded to remove everything from her body from within the protection of the old quilt.
Rayna and Phoenix had spent most of the afternoon pulling out items to hand to the Healer one at a time before finally finding some casual clothes and shoes that didn¡¯t cause her discomfort from the emotional imprint of the crafter that produced them.
Once they returned to Tulimeir, Phoenix suspected that they would be spending a long time going through various stores to fix the voxen¡¯s wardrobe and they could only speculate at the moment if altering items to accommodate her tails would create an additional imprint or not.
¡°Remember everyone: happy thoughts while we put these together,¡± she told the group as Rayna walked over to join them after closing the door to their room behind her.
¡°She¡¯s asleep again. The ascension fatigue is no joke,¡± the bard commented while sitting down beside her and copying her lotus position, ¡°So we¡¯re crafting something?¡±
¡°Not really, at least not in the usual sense,¡± Phoenix replied as she put the various pieces on the floor; cords of various colored leather along with a plethora of beads in dozens of colors and opacities from pure translucent glass to a smokey tinted magenta to solid silver. She made sure to keep Tala merged within her, afraid the Familiar would try to swim in the pile of shinies. The Astromancer could feel the Familiar¡¯s indigent complaints about her decision.
Then she explained, ¡°Everything is already processed and enchanted. We¡¯re just putting together the final design and then putting each finished piece through an activation ritual that attunes them to each participant, then putting them all together in another ritual that syncs them together. So, pick your bead color.¡±
¡°Saiya gets blue,¡± Rayna called out first, ¡°It¡¯s her favorite.¡±
The Wayfarer held up two different blue beads, one like a stormy sea and the other like a clear sky, ¡°Darker or lighter?¡±
¡°The lighter one.¡±
She moved that little pile off to the side for working on later then glanced at the others as she held up an amethyst and ruby version, ¡°A little too presumptuous?¡±
Dazien and Uriel both chuckled slightly, ¡°Are they supposed to be what we like or what represents us?¡± the amethyst gemite asked.
¡°The latter,¡± she answered, ¡°We¡¯re basically making friendship bracelets. Each color will be synced to one of us then we weave one of each into a bracelet so they¡¯re all matching. Then if, let¡¯s say, Uriel decides to give a little rub to the purple bead, Dazien will feel the nudge on his wrist and the red bead will glow softly. It''s basically a long-distance hug or high-five,¡± Phoenix said with a wide grin.
Rayna laughed, ¡°That¡¯s so silly, I love it.¡±
¡°I know, right?¡± she replied enthusiastically, ¡°On a more practical note, they also serve as an extra directional sense since you¡¯ll be able to know which direction everyone who¡¯s wearing one is in.¡±
¡°I admit that will be a comfort,¡± Dazien said then asked with a pointed look, ¡°Let¡¯s not test if it works through your [Waypoint] talent though, alright?¡±
¡°I mean¡ it might be good to know before some kind of accident¨C¡± she trailed off at the flat look, ¡°Right, no dying for science. It¡¯ll probably be fine.¡±
¡°Oooh, I¡¯ll take the amber ones,¡± Rayna distracted, bringing their focus back to the task at hand, as she held up a glassy orange-tinted bead, ¡°It¡¯ll match my eyes.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Then the voxen held up what looked like a solid gold one, ¡°Think Paul would want one? He seems to like keeping track of us.¡±
¡°That¡¯s probably for the best,¡± she agreed, already imagining his own brand of begrudging gratefulness, then pointed out, ¡°But that means I¡¯ll have to finish them up with him when we get back.¡±
¡°That¡¯s fine. I think we¡¯ll finish up this last mission fairly quickly once Lady Saiya is recovered,¡± their party leader said.
Phoenix glanced back down at the pile of colored beads that remained and grinned as she picked up a semi-translucent emerald one, ¡°Green for me then, which works out nicely. Do either of you two want something else or good with the purple and red?¡± she asked.
¡°I¡¯m good with purple. Easy to remember for me,¡± the gemite confirmed and actually flicked his shiny hair over a shoulder in exaggeration causing her to snort in an attempt to keep from laughing.
Uriel leaned forward slightly looking at the other options then gently picked up one of the onyx ones, ¡°I think I¡¯d prefer this one. I see enough red on the battlefield.¡±
¡°Fair enough,¡± she said, ignoring the imagery and not blaming the cinderen in the slightest for wanting to avoid the color after that comparison.
Phoenix picked out six of each of the selected colors before passing one of each bead to the others along with the enchanted leather straps they would be tying it all together with and reminded one last time before they began weaving, ¡°Now, think happy thoughts!¡±
Phoenix smiled at the sight of Paul not at his desk but in a nearby armchair, drinking some kind of tea and writing in a leatherbound book and he didn¡¯t look up as he spoke, ¡°Almost done. Why don¡¯t you pour yourself a cup?¡±
The Wayfarer glanced over at the magical kettle near the cabinet she was pretty sure contained mostly alcohol that was strong enough to kill her and replied, ¡°I¡¯m good. I think I prefer my coffee to tea. I like things a bit sweeter.¡±
The corner of his mouth tugged upwards as he commented, ¡°You know coffee is normally bitter, right? I¡¯m not sure what you usually drink can be considered coffee after you¡¯ve practically transfigured it.¡±
She rolled her eyes and leaned against the arm of his chair as she pulled the last unclaimed friendship bracelet out of her collection and held it up to show him. He flicked his gaze upwards only a moment before finishing the sentence he was writing, then set the pen and book on a small table next to his cup as he asked, ¡°So, you finally consider them all friends, now?¡±
¡°I guess I did tell you I was uncertain about that at one point, didn¡¯t I?¡± she admitted with a flush of embarrassment, dropping her hand back into her lap.
¡°We all lie to ourselves from time to time,¡± he said with a smirk, then nodded towards the bracelet, ¡°Are you comfortable with letting them know where you¡¯re at all the time?¡±
¡°You too,¡± she said, happy that he seemed to recognize the item without her needing to explain, then hesitated as she registered that his concern might extend to himself, ¡°Unless you don¡¯t want one. I think everyone will understand if you want your privacy. We just thought you might like knowing where we are and I think it¡¯s more of a comfort for us after everything we¡¯ve been through so far.¡±
The Paladin seemed to reexamine the bracelet, and that amused glint she liked seeing in his eyes returned as he asked, ¡°I¡¯m the golden one?¡±
The Wayfarer grinned, ¡°Of course. Even after the deity upgrade, you still have a bit of gold coloring. Plus, Uriel claimed the black, so no brooding murder-crow color for you.¡±
He chuckled, then the humor diminished slightly as he asked, ¡°Speaking of brooding, how is that Mage?¡±
¡°His name is Uriel,¡± she reminded him with a roll of her eyes, wondering why the man seemed to refuse to call the pair of childhood friends by name. Though, now that she thought about it, the man hadn¡¯t called her by name for quite a while either.
¡°And he seemed like he normally does. We had some fun cooking together before going on the string of missions,¡± she informed then added fondly, ¡°He helped me feel better.¡±
Her mentor raised a brow and she realized she probably shouldn¡¯t have admitted that as he asked, ¡°Feel better about what?¡±
¡°Just¡ I was worried about all of them hating me for my secrets. Feeling like they couldn¡¯t trust me anymore,¡± she said with a shrug to make it seem like not that big of a deal.
¡°Let me guess,¡± he surprised her by saying, ¡°He told you that he has secrets too?¡±
She stared at him for a long moment, processing the implications of his words, and recalled him mentioning that he had previously looked into the pair. He had known about Uriel¡¯s chains and earrings, about the fact his aura was transfigured, and she hesitantly guessed, ¡°You know what those other secrets are?¡±
He nodded and looked like he was about to say something before halting suddenly. His face looked slightly conflicted and he got that look that her friends sometimes got when telepathically talking to someone else through Dazien¡¯s mental communication ability. Then he seemed to refocus on her as he continued the conversation, ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s not my place to divulge them unless they become a direct danger to you.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide and she asked, ¡°Can they?¡±
Paul shook his head, ¡°Likely not, but nobody knows the future,¡± then he took the bracelet from her hand and overtly changed the subject, ¡°You¡¯re right that I wouldn¡¯t mind keeping track of all of you. Should we go finish up the enchantments downstairs?¡±
She thought about prying, then realized that, if anyone was going to tell her Uriel¡¯s secrets, she wanted it to be the cinderen himself. Once she had finally proven that he could trust her with it. Suddenly, Dazien¡¯s desire and frustration around not gaining her trust sooner made a lot more sense to her.
¡°Yeah, I already made yours match and did everyone else¡¯s identification ritual, so we just need to do yours and then sync them together,¡± the Astromancer informed as she pushed herself away from the armchair to signal her intention to go.
¡°Sounds good. Are they all planning to come by for training later?¡± he inquired.
¡°Yup,¡± she confirmed, ¡°We can hand them out then. Oh, by the way, Rayna and Saiya both hit Sapphire while we were out. We plan to do some of their Spirit Gem bonding rituals later. They said that they both had a handful already they had been saving over the years.¡±
Paul grinned at her, ¡°Excellent. I could sense they were close,¡± then he surprised her by going to his desk instead of the study¡¯s door and pulled out a pair of small blue boxes wrapped in a bow.
¡°Presents?¡± she guessed.
¡°Yes,¡± the Paladin confirmed, ¡°A congratulations for ascending.¡±
¡°Well, whatever it is, I know Rayna will love it,¡± she chuckled, remembering the voxen¡¯s enthusiasm for loot, as they headed down towards the ritual rooms.
9 - The Perks of Being a Noble
Saiya was struggling to make her way through the city with Rayna leading her by the hand towards the Wayland estate and Snowbelle gliding after them. It had only been a few days since her abnormal ascension and she still hadn¡¯t quite gotten to the point where she could shut out the influx of emotions from people and objects she touched to the point where it was second nature.
She could already tell that she would eventually get to that point, having needed to do so when she first got the odd perception ability, but it was still an unpleasant adjustment period. Once they were done with these bonding rituals she hoped to take a few days to hide in her room. Or maybe she would see if Lord Wayland had a spare room somewhere in the building away from the mass of neighbors seeming to shout their feelings at her.
When the twins entered the ritual room, they found Paul and Phoenix chatting as the Wayfarer¡¯s Mentor was showing his Prot¨¦g¨¦ what a Sapphire Caste ritual of Spirit Gem bonding actually looked like. They wore reflected smiles that made her instantly feel better as she sensed the strong familial bond that had already formed between the two; both feeling comfort, pride, and hope towards the other.
It was a surprise to her when the golden lord turned his gaze towards them and the feelings seemed to remain. She felt her heart swell slightly and she almost wanted to cry again. The Emerald Caster¡¯s emotions had been a closed book to her before, her Crystal Caste perceptions having been unable to sense two Castes above her no matter how hard she might try.
She realized after a few moments that it wasn¡¯t that her powers had suddenly overcome that Caste barrier. It was that he was actually letting her in; trusting her with the peek into himself; that did cause the tears to fall as she stared at him.
With his higher Caste, she knew that he could likely sense her own emotions through her aura as easily as she could the others and his features softened as he spoke, ¡°Now, now, Lady Saiya. Today is a happy day, remember?¡±
Phoenix and Rayna both turned to focus on her and seemed instantly concerned again as the Wayfarer asked, ¡°Was it the door or something?¡±
¡°No way,¡± the bard protested, ¡°I made sure to open them all for her!¡±
Paul chuckled and shook his head, then gestured from the Supporter to the Healer, ¡°Don¡¯t you have something to give them?¡±
¡°You too!¡± the redhead shot back before meeting them and holding out a matching pair of bracelets, ¡°We finished them up. So, now you should be able to just wear them and sense both of our directions.¡±
Saiya nodded and gingerly took the proffered jewelry, relieved when the happiness and hope from the items flowed into her, ¡°Thank you, Phoenix,¡± she murmured, slipping the item onto her wrist and moving deeper into the room towards the ritual diagram Paul had just finished as he stood to meet them.
¡°I have a gift for each of you as well,¡± he said to the pair of voxen and pulled a pair of presents out of the hip pack he often wore but she only ever saw him pull a journal or potions out of, ¡°Congratulations on reaching Sapphire Caste.¡±
Rayna excitedly bounced on clawed toes and gratefully took one of the small boxes as the bard gushed, ¡°Aw, Paul, you totally didn¡¯t have to but that¡¯s so awesome of you!¡±
¡°Thank you, Lord Wayland,¡± Saiya said as she took her own proffered gift and heard Rayna¡¯s additional squeal of delight as she slipped the top of the box and peeked inside to find a Spirit Gem sparkling like a polished jewel as the light hit it.
¡°What is it? Something awesome I bet?¡± her twin spouted excitedly, lifting a bright yellow half-rose cut gem up to get a better look at.
The Paladin chuckled, ¡°One of the perks of being a noble is getting access to some pretty good ones. Yours is the [Burst Spirit Gem]. I figured it might play into your style well.¡±
Saiya was once more surprised when the normally stoic paladin let Rayna practically throw herself at him to wrap her arms and tails around his waist in a hug while thanking him repeatedly.
She gently lifted her own pale green round cut gem and Paul answered her unasked question, ¡°I picked Sustain for you,¡± then he gave her an almost apologetic smile, ¡°I figured with the rather reckless group you ended up with that this might help see both them and you through difficult times.¡±
The Healer returned his smile with her own gentle sincerity, ¡°Thank you again, Lord Wayland.¡±
¡°You can call me Paul too,¡± he pointed out, then added, ¡°I mentioned this to your party leader before you all left but¨Ceven though I don¡¯t plan to claim any more Prot¨¦g¨¦s¨CI see all of you as one and want you to know you can feel free to ask me anything. I want to see all of you succeed as Adventurers.¡±
She could feel the sincerity emanating from him and she nodded gratefully as Rayna said, ¡°Then after we finish binding all these Spirit Gems can you show me how to do that Steps of Light meditation technique?¡±
It was Paul¡¯s turn to look surprised at her, ¡°I thought you already have a technique better suited to your style?¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.
¡°The Dune Path works okay but I saw how fast you moved while fighting against that crazy evil priestess,¡± the pugilist stated, ¡°I want to see if yours works better for my mobile style.¡±
¡°Rituals first!¡± Phoenix called out as Tala gave a couple of excited cheeps from her perch in red curls, ¡°We¡¯ve got a dozen to get through and it will take quite a bit of time.¡±
¡°Not really,¡± their mentor spoke up as he turned back to the ritual diagram on the floor and asked the bard, ¡°How many exactly do you have?¡±
¡°We each have six now, including your gifts,¡± Rayna replied.
Paul nodded then bent back down to use the magically infused chalk to add an outer ring around the outside that had six evenly spaced smaller circles intersecting the line and connecting it to the original diagram.
¡°Are you planning to do a combination binding?¡± Saiya asked, having never actually witnessed one before.
¡°Yes,¡± the Paladin replied, then explained for Phoenix¡¯s benefit, ¡°Not only is it quicker but the results are usually better as each gem seems to become aware of the other in order to determine which abilities would be best to bond to.¡±
¡°Shouldn¡¯t we wait for all ten then?¡± Phoenix asked quizzically.
¡°A lot of nobles have the means to do so,¡± Paul admitted with a nod, then gave the Wayfarer a pointed look, ¡°However, some people don¡¯t like the idea of just buying their gems.¡±
¡°Nobody likes pay-to-win,¡± Phoenix retorted with a pout, ¡°It¡¯s totally cheating and completely ruins the fun.¡±
¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Rayna interjected, ¡°It took us years to collect and save these up. Even if we¡¯re considered nobles, our clan lost most of its wealth when it was destroyed, though this blood moon has been a boon in both cultivation speed and steady Adventuring income so maybe we can buy a few more later but I don¡¯t want to wait to start progressing my abilities again.¡±
The Paladin nodded again and said, ¡°That¡¯s the other reason a lot of people don¡¯t wait to get all ten. Until the ability bonds to a Spirit Gem of the new Caste, it can¡¯t cultivate properly again and will be stuck at level one.¡±
¡°Doesn¡¯t that kinda create an unfair imbalance to people who can¡¯t afford the gems?¡± Phoenix questioned with a frown and Saiya wondered if the Wayfarer¡¯s surge of concern went more towards the poorer members of their party of orphans. She would admit that she was also slightly worried about procuring proper gems for everyone in their party even with their looting advantages. Once the blood moon ended, there wouldn¡¯t be as nearly as many missions to go around. Aside from personal motivation, the thing that slowed down the speed of cultivation for most people was finding proper challenges. Fewer monsters meant fewer missions and less loot which translated to slowed progression.
Paul gestured for Rayna to approach him and said, ¡°Go ahead and tell me the type of Spirit Gem then set it in the circle after I add the corresponding rune to it.¡±
Rayna nodded and set the one she was already holding atop the rune he had already written for Burst. Then the bard pulled a small pouch from her hip satchel, withdrawing another shiny gem from it, and stated, ¡°Repetition.¡±
¡°Good choice,¡± the lord said with an approving nod then finally returned to answering Phoenix¡¯s question as he wrote, ¡°And while it can create an imbalance, getting Aspects in the first place is the more common cost barrier. Once you¡¯re a Caster, it becomes a whole lot easier to find work or sponsors that will help you procure the Spirit Gems.¡±
The bard placed the [Repetition Spirit Gem] down in the next circle and said, ¡°Disruption.¡±
The mentor glanced up with a raised brow, ¡°Do I even want to know where you got that one?¡±
¡°Yeah¡ I know it¡¯s not exactly¡ approved,¡± the bard said with a slightly awkward glance away from the Paladin.
¡°It¡¯s not banned either, though, otherwise this conversation would be going very differently,¡± he said with a shake of his head and wrote the rune down.
¡°You won¡¯t need to worry about your teammates,¡± the older man stated, once more returning to the previous topic, ¡°Most people make a very good income as Adventurers and between Phoenix¡¯s [Guide Book] and the kid¡¯s [Tribute], you all are making a lot more than the average Adventurer with the extra loot.¡±
¡°Shout,¡± Rayna interjected after placing the Spirit Gem down and moving to the next one.
¡°Besides,¡± Paul continued while both writing and speaking, ¡°If you finally break down and want to procure some for everyone without spending Bits, we can always raid my family¡¯s collection,¡± he added with a smirk.
Phoenix rolled her eyes, ¡°That¡¯s basically the same kind of cheating,¡± the Astromancer argued, ¡°We didn¡¯t earn them.¡±
¡°Well, you can leave things up to Fate,¡± Rayna argued back, ¡°I¡¯m more than happy to buy what I think will fit me best if I come across it. Like this one,¡± the bard stated happily, lifting up another of her precious Spirit Gems, ¡°I found this piece of perfection at a swap meet in Viimeinen.¡±
¡°Where¡¯s that?¡± the Wayfarer asked.
¡°It¡¯s the capital of Epa Toivo,¡± Saiya replied, having moved over next to her friend as her twin prepared for the ritual, ¡°We stayed there for a while. It¡¯s one of the very few permanent settlements in the region.¡±
¡°Yup. Anyways, this one is an [Acceleration Spirit Gem],¡± the bard informed, ¡°Do you have any idea how hard it is to find one of these and have it be the right Caste level?¡±
¡°Hard?¡±
¡°Practically impossible,¡± the Striker confirmed, ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d consider it Fate that I was able to even have the chance to buy it.¡±
A mess of red curls tilted to one side as Phoenix seemed to contemplate the point of view and begrudgingly said, ¡°There might be something to that¡¡±
Rayna nodded and Saiya could sense her twin¡¯s rising sense of victory at having won the minor debate as the bard told Paul the final one, ¡°Then Echo is the last I got for now.¡±
¡°Those were all fairly good selections for your particular powerset, Rayna,¡± Paul acknowledged as he stood and yet again surprised the Healer by placing a hand on top of the bard¡¯s head the way they had seen him do to Phoenix once in a while as he stated, ¡°You are an excellent Striker for knowing yourself so well.¡±
The taller voxen beamed at the praise and the three tails were practically wagging with happiness. Saiya spoke up before her twin entered the ritual circle, reminding them, ¡°Wait, we¡¯re still missing some friends.¡±
10 - Spirit Bonding
Phoenix sat excitedly at the edge of the room with her back against the wall. Uriel was on her right as he watched calmly and Dazien sat on her left, grinning like a fool, with Saiya on the Defender¡¯s other side, oddly not touching anyone except the large snowy Familiar sprawled in her lap demanding belly rubs. She hoped the Healer would adjust soon, finding the lack of her hugging behavior so disconcerting. Then she focused on observing the Emerald Caste ritualist perform the first Spirit Bonding ritual.
Rayna seemed to be trying hard to contain the desire to bounce in place as the bard¡¯s fur almost vibrated and Phoenix had to stifle a giggle at the sight. Paul gave the Wayfarer a slight smirk and then told the voxen, ¡°Here we go. Remember not to step out of that center circle. Even if this starts to feel a little odd, it shouldn¡¯t cause any pain.¡±
Then he began to incant, ¡°From the essence of the Primordials and the desires of the People, the spirit of the world echos through the soul of the Caster to cultivate the gifts of magic made reality,¡± and as the mana flowed into the runes at the Paladin¡¯s feet near the edge of the circle it quickly spread throughout the diagram. The bright shifting rainbow colors lighting up the lines of the diagram were beautiful and it was fascinating to watch as the six Spirit Gems slowly rose into the air in unison before seeming to begin fracturing and then suddenly shattering into hundreds of tiny glittering pieces.
The shards began to swirl around the ritual circle, separating the Emerald Caster from the target at its center, and seemed to slowly constrict inwards. Piece at a time, the swarm of Spirit Gem shards mixed together and melded with Rayna who had stopped fidgeting by this point as the ritual took hold and was infusing her with magic.
Phoenix wasn¡¯t sure if she would have been able to stay standing as it seemed like her friend was getting stung by hundreds of bees and despite Paul saying it wouldn¡¯t hurt, she wondered if it would be different for her. It always hurt when she used an Aspect or a Spirit Gem and she was already wincing at her imagination contemplating six painful gems at once.
Perhaps she should try doing her next one with a ritual, just to test the theory and see if it was a Spirit Gems thing or her short-cutting talent causing the discomfort. The swarming stopped a moment later, distracting the Wayfarer from her idle thoughts as she refocused on the bard.
¡°Woah,¡± Rayna breathed out as she staggered only slightly, ¡°That was a lot.¡±
¡°Happy with the results?¡± Paul asked, smirking as if already knowing the answer.
The voxen turned slightly with a vulpine grin and replied enthusiastically, ¡°Oh, yeah! I am gonna mess some monsters up!¡±
The paladin chuckled, ¡°Alright, let me just get this next one done for Saiya and we can go test them out in the other room.¡±
¡°The warded one?¡± Dazien asked for clarification.
¡°Unless you¡¯d rather take her on?¡± the mentor asked with a raised brow as he began to redo the ritual circle.
The gemite glanced towards the bard who was grinning almost manically while cracking her knuckles and the party leader seemed to suddenly decide to live instead, ¡°Uh, maybe once I ascend as well. The warded one will do nicely for today.¡±
As Saiya stood to take her twin¡¯s place, Rayna moved with unnatural speed to Dazien¡¯s side and threw an arm around the gemite¡¯s neck as the Striker teased, ¡°Aw, come on little lordling! We can test [Stand Your Ground] against my newly upgraded [Gem Distortion]!¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that the zone one that interrupts my spells while dealing constant damage?¡± the Defender pointed out with a flat look.
Phoenix¡¯s curiosity got the better of her and she asked, ¡°What did it cultivate into?¡±
Rayna held out a furred hand and the Wayfarer conjured her [Guide Book] for the bard to touch and pass on the information.
|
Class Ability: Gem Distortion
Type: Spell (zone, elemental, gem)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (0%)
Crystal Effect: Create a Zone of vibrating gem pillars that cause mana in the area to become disrupted and inflict ongoing low Gem damage. In the Zone, Spells cost more and have an increased chance of failure or backlash.
Sapphire Effect: Any Spells already being cast are interrupted, dealing backlash damage to their Caster. Magic Constructs in the Zone are heavily damaged upon construction.
|
¡°Absolutely not!¡± Dazien exclaimed after reading the information, ¡°That¡¯ll likely destroy my sword and cause like a third of my abilities to backlash on me.¡±
¡°Is that the same as when my rituals fail?¡± Phoenix asked to make sure they were talking about the same thing.
¡°Exactly,¡± the bard replied with a grin, ¡°Excellent for taking care of pesky mages.¡±
¡°Hey, now,¡± came the deep voice from the other side of the Wayfarer, ¡°That doesn¡¯t stipulate enemies which means it¡¯ll affect this pesky mage too,¡± Uriel said dryly.
¡°Efficiency,¡± they all heard Saiya say from the center of the room and they all turned in confusion before realizing that the Healer was calling out her gems for Paul to write down as the voxen quickly added, ¡°Empower, Elements, Refund, and Bolster.¡±
Paul nodded and wrote them down one after the other and Phoenix remembered that at Emerald Caste her mentor¡¯s mind likely didn¡¯t forget very much and didn¡¯t need to pause like he had with Rayna.
A few minutes later, Saiya was also infused with new powers and they would both be able to cultivate a half dozen abilities again. Phoenix couldn¡¯t wait to hit Sapphire and join her friends.
¡°I know we got a bit sidetracked earlier with the rituals and then having an impromptu training session to try out the twins¡¯ new abilities,¡± Paul said as they both entered his study once more and Phoenix plopped down, completely exhausted, into the plush chair she normally claimed when visiting, ¡°But I wanted to ask how your missions went?¡±
¡°Good,¡± she said with a slight groan as she stretched, her gaze roaming the wall to her left filled with leather-bound books that had no titles on the spines, before focusing on the [Guide Book] conjured into her lap to double-check her profile, ¡°Even managed to get [Meteor Shower] and [Supernova] up to Crystal 3. Those early levels go pretty fast.¡±
He raised an eyebrow in her direction as he tapped a [Mana Bit] to a rune on the kettle at his desk, the Mundane currency melting into it, and asked, ¡°Exactly how much damage did you do to the tundra?¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°Let¡¯s just say that next Spring there will be some lovely lakes for people to visit in the southwest,¡± she said with a cheeky grin. Then she frowned and asked, ¡°Actually, does the tundra even get Spring?¡±
¡°No,¡± the older man said with a flat look as he sat down at his desk across from her seat, ¡°We get about three months of summer when the snow melts and some sparse plant growth. If it wasn¡¯t for the Reality Rift below us and the Cultivator¡¯s Citadel, I doubt there¡¯d be a city here at all.¡±
¡°Your family must be really important then, with their ties to said deity,¡± she observed, leaning further back into the chair and contemplating napping right there.
¡°It is,¡± the Paladin confirmed, then pushed forward a thick stack of papers, tapping the edge of it that was nearest her as he added, ¡°And if you sign your name right here, it¡¯ll be your family too.¡±
Phoenix leaned forward, suddenly very alert and interested as she asked, ¡°Seriously? I half expected you to change your mind after I blew myself up in Tulisuda and exposed my secret to the party and almost got caught by the AOA Director too. She was not happy that our party bailed right after the raid without so much as a goodbye.¡±
Paul grimaced slightly, ¡°Yes, well¡ you weren¡¯t the only one she decided to berate. Agatha even threatened to make me an Inquisitor.¡±
She scrunched her nose at the title that gave her some particularly negative imagery as she asked, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±
¡°One of the rarer titles that can be bestowed on Adventurers,¡± he began to explain for her as he pulled a teacup out of one of the desk drawers and she declined his questioning gesture for one, ¡°She made me an Emissary when I arrived back in Tulimeir mainly because I¡¯m the Lord of a noble House and know how to deal in politics.¡±
He pulled out his green Alliance of Adventurers¡¯ license to show her the runes, each wrapped in a circle, that was engraved upon it, ¡°It means I can be assigned any missions that might deal with the aristocracy,¡± then he pointed at the symbol beside the first, ¡°Then she made me a Delegate once I became a Paladin again which works the same way but for temple missions.¡±
The Emerald Caster placed the stone card back into his belt pouch before adding, ¡°While those are uncommon, they¡¯re not exactly rare or have any extra duties. An Inquisitor, however, is the one who handles the missions that target other Adventurers.¡±
He grimaced once more at the thought, ¡°Dealing with traitors or conflicts between parties¡ It¡¯s not a pleasant position to hold.¡±
The redhead chuckled, ¡°I bet. Let me guess; it causes all the other Adventurers to either be too afraid to work with you or completely despise you as some kind of internal spy?¡±
¡°Basically,¡± he confirmed, ¡°Most people don¡¯t last long in the position and those that do are not the friendly type.¡±
¡°Actually, on second thought, are you sure you don¡¯t want it?¡± the Wayfarer asked, giving a cheeky grin, ¡°Doesn¡¯t that give you an excuse not to have to deal with others unless absolutely necessary?¡±
He gave her an amused look and said, ¡°That is a fair point but I fear it would reflect poorly upon your own party. Agatha knows this too which is why she used it as a threat.¡±
¡°Wait, so she threatened the position not because you would hate it but because it might make others hate me?¡± the Wayfarer asked, slightly baffled at the idea.
¡°Welcome to politics. It¡¯s something you¡¯ll have to get used to, unfortunately,¡± he grumbled, then watched her closely as he prodded, ¡°Unless you¡¯re the one who¡¯s changed their mind?¡±
Her face scrunched up but she shook her head, ¡°No. I might not like the politics but I want to go ahead with this. You¡¯ve done so much for me and everyone agreed that it will help me in the future. Besides, you said I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with the political side of things that much.¡±
¡°True¡¡± her mentor said slowly in a way that made his hesitation obvious.
Her eyes narrowed at him and she clarified with emphasis, ¡°I won¡¯t have to, right, Paul?¡± he glanced down at the desk suddenly as he fiddled with a few more papers, taking the moment to also pour the now-hot water from the kettle into his cup, and Phoenix pressed him further, ¡°Right, Paul?¡±
¡°Well, there might be a few things that you may perceive as political but I wasn¡¯t about to tell her ¡®no¡¯ again,¡± he said in an evasive defensive maneuver.
¡°Tell who ¡®no¡¯? And ¡®no¡¯ to what?¡± Phoenix asked suspiciously.
¡°Well, you see,¡± the Paladin tapped the stack of papers once more to make her attention focus on the task rather than the man himself as he explained, ¡°This will legally make you my heir. The sole inheritor of not just my physical holdings but also my title¡ and the responsibilities that go with it.¡±
He paused for a moment as if to make sure she was following along and she nodded, still glaring at him with suspicion, so he continued, ¡°Since I am the Lord of House Wayland that would make you next in line automatically since I haven¡¯t declared another. This gives you much protection in most regards but will make you a target in other very specific cases.¡±
¡°Like when an AOA Director who is lower Caste than you wants to exert some form of authority¡ or threat?¡± Phoenix hedged with a frown, finally starting to see the potential ramifications.
¡°Exactly so,¡± he confirmed, steeping what looked like a round metal jingle bell that she knew had tea leaves within in the hot water, then added, ¡°Now, I currently plan to pass that title over to my sister once the blood moon has ended. Pati believes that, if I remain as Lord during this time, it will not only help make the House look even stronger but give hope to the people who have placed their trust in our family.
¡°When Pati becomes the Lady of the House, then her oldest child, Patric, will become the next heir. This means that once I abdicate, then the focus around you will lessen but not vanish. You will be a Wayland from this moment forward, with all the privilege, attention, and responsibility that entails.¡±
Phoenix mulled over his words for a few moments, while he tentatively sipped at the bitter concoction, then leaned forward and took the pen he had laid on top of the stack, carefully signing her name at the bottom of the page next to Paul¡¯s own.
They smiled at each other warmly before Paul broke the moment by saying a bit sheepishly, ¡°I don¡¯t suppose now would be a good time to inform you about the celebration I couldn¡¯t say ¡®no¡¯ to?¡±
Her eyes grew wide with panic as she replied quickly, ¡°Celebration? How is a celebration part of noble duty and responsibility?!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t get too angry at him,¡± a playful feminine voice came from the door behind her and, when Phoenix turned to look, she found none other than Patricia Wayland standing there smiling cheerfully. ¡°In his defense, he was against the whole thing, knowing that you would likely be uncomfortable.¡±
¡°Extremely uncomfortable,¡± the Wayfarer emphasized.
¡°But, I insisted. Despite both of your distaste for politics, it is customary to hold a celebration when a noble House gains a scion, especially an heir. The other Houses will want to put a face to the name and understand the new potential dynamics. It¡¯s not every day a new noble is born, after all.¡±
¡°So, just to make sure I¡¯m understanding this correctly,¡± Phoenix began as her gaze narrowed on her now-aunt, ¡°You want to have a party that parades me around so that all the other nobles know exactly who to target for their political shenanigans?¡±
Patricia¡¯s smile widened, ¡°Exactly.¡±
¡°Whhyyy?¡± she whined incredulously.
¡°The name won¡¯t protect you much if nobody knows that you¡¯re the one who has it,¡± the older woman pointed out, then feigned a moment of contemplation as she said, ¡°You should also make sure to wear something that will proudly show off that Soul Mark.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s jaw dropped then she turned back to look at Paul for backup but the man seemed thoroughly engrossed in reading the book he suddenly held in his hands while sipping at his tea and she realized with horror that this was one battle he was going to make her fight entirely on her own.
Before she could ask, the priestess explained, ¡°There are many reasons for this but two specifically that make me want to insist on the issue. First, if the other nobles see that you are Favored by six deities they will be much less likely to use you as a political tool for their own agendas. None of them want an angry god interfering with their aspirations, after all.
¡°Second, if the people under our own banner hear you are Favored by the Cultivator, they will be much more accepting of your newfound position. While our family hasn¡¯t been exactly strict about who marries or is adopted in, I suspect your particular position as heir apparent, however temporary, will make some feel ill at ease thinking the House will be stolen by someone who is not of the bloodline.¡±
¡°Uhg, I don¡¯t care about any of this heir nonsense. Despite what Dazien says, I¡¯m an Adventurer, not a princess,¡± Phoenix complained as she sank further into her seat. Then she muttered in a more subdued manner, ¡°If it will shield me from the nastiness of politics, though, I guess I can suffer through one party.¡±
The noble priestess clapped her hands together, ¡°Excellent. We¡¯ll hold it in a week. That should give the others plenty of time to prepare and, hopefully, your Noble Reveal will put some of our rivaling Houses back in their places.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s jaw dropped in disbelief as she stared at what she suddenly realized at that moment wasn¡¯t a noble lady or a generous priestess but a venomous politician who was poised to strike.
As she turned to stare at Paul, he glanced up and gave an apologetic shrug as he muttered, ¡°Probably should have checked the fine print before signing.¡±
11 - Particularly Perilous
Phoenix was rubbing her temples as she sat on the couch in her room, half naked in her undergarments, while Patricia and Rayna were heatedly discussing which outfit she should try next.
She hadn¡¯t entirely believed Dazien at first when he said conjuring things to and from her collection cost mana but here she was with a mana headache from the mountain of outfits she had attempted to swap through in quick succession.
Saiya was quietly holding her hand while curled up next to her and pushing the tranquil aura out a bit to offer its comfort. Even Tala was trying her best to keep Phoenix from snapping at the two arguing women as the fluffy Familiar nestled quietly on her lap, graciously offering the opportunity for the summoner to pet the soft feathers. She gave the Healer a grateful smile, obligingly stroked the back of the [Cosmic Phoenix], and took a deep breath before interrupting the pair of socialites, ¡°So what exactly was wrong with the last fifty outfits?¡±
¡°They didn¡¯t show off your powerful figure enough!¡± Rayna exclaimed.
¡°They didn¡¯t show off your Mark or graceful femininity enough,¡± Patricia said at the same time, which triggered another verbal battle between the two.
Phoenix groaned and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll find anything that will make me look both hard and soft at the same time, so you two will need to figure out which is needed more for the first impression.¡±
They paused in thought for a moment and Saiya spoke up before they could begin arguing again, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just take her to Mother¡¯s Cupboard?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not a dedicated tailoring shop,¡± the priestess argued, ¡°Madam Malik won¡¯t be able to procure or craft something in time.¡±
¡°You¡¯re a prominent noble! Don¡¯t you have some tailor you normally go to?¡± the bard inquired in frustration.
¡°We did!¡± the older noble replied in equal frustration, the long braids twirling around as the woman turned to pace slightly, ¡°He was a Sapphire Caste Shard Weaver that was helping out with the wall response teams and fell in battle a few months ago to a swarm of porcutors.¡±
¡°Oh¡¡± that news seemed to deflate the aggressive voxen as Rayna offered sullenly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°We all are. Everyone is feeling sorry lately,¡± the priestess said, still trying to calm down, ¡°Your party might have been doing fairly well so far, with only a few close calls, but this prolonged blood moon and the betrayal of multiple noble houses has already claimed too many lives.
¡°Everyone is being affected in some way whether they were close to someone or not. Supply disrupted. More orphans and elders that need caring for. Jobs left empty¡¡± the priestess took another deep breath, ¡°The worst part is that everyone knows that a lot more lives will be lost before the end.¡±
¡°Should we really be even having this celebration then?¡± Phoenix asked, adding sullenly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense to be arguing over a dress now.¡±
¡°Yes, we should,¡± the noble surprised her by countering, ¡°It helps us from dwelling on all this bad. We need to seize what moments of happiness we can.¡±
¡°Madam Malik might know someone who can help us out,¡± Saiya pointed out.
The two standing women glanced at each other and then finally agreed on something.
Phoenix was only slightly surprised that they had decided to take her that very instant, dragging her out the door as soon as she conjured her normal casual dress.
Mother¡¯s Cupboard looked just like it always did with its precariously stacked items seemingly in a random configuration and the Wayfarer thought it would be a miracle for anyone to locate anything specifically. The place was a treasure hunter¡¯s paradise though, with the best deals buried in the chaos.
A dangerous mix of curiosity and rebelliousness had her try to pull something from the bottom of a particularly perilous pile of prizes; the metaphorical devil on her shoulder that rarely piped up telling her that she could just claim to have wanted to buy the ratty-looking tome holding everything up and offer to pay extra for it should disaster strike.
She was pleasantly surprised by the towering trove of treasures maintaining its balance, despite her less-than-gentle yanking. Fully convinced now that magic was the only reasonable answer for her not to be currently buried under a veritable mountain of valuables. She glanced at the book she managed to procure from the depths and raised a brow at the title: From the Deep, Origins of the Gemite.
¡°Phoenix? You coming?¡± Rayna called out, causing her to reflexively shove the book back into the heap that separated the isles instead of proper shelving, and she quickly made her way back to the others that had continued on to the service counter near the back of the main room.
¡°Miss Fraser! Wonderful to see you again and in one piece,¡± a raspy alto called out, ¡°Have you finally decided that the AOA isn¡¯t payin¡¯ you what you¡¯re worth?¡±
¡°Good evening, Madam Malik,¡± Patricia said almost too sweetly as the runeforged woman walked up from behind her, ¡°Trying to poach my niece again?Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
¡°Niece?¡± the cinderen merchant repeated with a raised brow looking towards her, ¡°Lord Wayland found a wayward daughter he sired while adventurin¡¯, what? Twenty years ago?¡±
Phoenix blushed and shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m eighteen and no. Paul¡¯s adopting me.¡±
The larger woman gave a long weary sigh, ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll never get you on the books now that you¡¯re a noble scion,¡± then seemed to shake herself out of the sorrowful moment and ask, ¡°Well then, what can I do for such an esteemed group of ladies?¡±
The noble priestess gave a slightly mischievous grin that sent a shiver down Phoenix¡¯s spine as the woman put a hand on her shoulder and said, ¡°Now that Phoenix is a Wayland, her Noble Reveal will be in a week, and we¡¯re having trouble finding a suitable outfit for the occasion. We used to go to Master Vaturi¡¡±
¡°Say no more, this cursed blood moon has already claimed too many of our best people¡¡± the proprietor said with a sad nod, falling uncharacteristically silent.
Patricia¡¯s entire demeanor shifted suddenly from that of a viper to a mother as the runeforged said softly, ¡°I heard about your son, Rayk. My condolences for your loss. He was far too young to be taken from us and our city is lesser for it.¡±
¡°How?¡± Rayna asked curiously, failing miserably at decorum, and earning a rare death glare from her twin.
Phoenix wasn¡¯t sure if it was insatiable curiosity or just the voxen¡¯s utter disregard for any kind of social formalities that drove the bard to ask the blunt questions at the worst times but she found herself silently grateful to have her own curiosity sated and not be the one gaining Saiya¡¯s ire.
The grieving mother gave a heavy sigh, ¡°Doing what Adventurers do; protectin¡¯ the people from some monsters that had spawned inside the walls of the Logistics District. They never did find his body or that of one of his party members but the license confirmed his death while the other¡¯s was found on site. They told me the monster likely ate the remains.
¡°But the more unnervin¡¯ thing was that the alarms hadn¡¯t gone off. It was around the time of the battle of Tulisuda so they think the ley lines just hadn¡¯t finished properly restorin¡¯ power to that area when it occurred,¡± the merchant said with a frustrated look.
Phoenix was taken aback for a moment. She knew Rayk from her Adventurer trials and she hadn¡¯t heard anything about his death. The young cinderen had only been a few years older than her, she guessed, and he had taken the time to explain things to her when she was still feeling lost in this new world.
It was an odd feeling to mourn someone you only had a fleeting connection to. Like you didn¡¯t know the deceased well enough to deserve to grieve them. All you could do was offer your sympathies and go on with your day while those who remained struggled outside your observations.
Before she could think of something good to say that wouldn¡¯t sound hollow, Madam Malik seemed to shake herself once more and say, ¡°It might not be what you¡¯d expect but I have a contract with a BEL for custom tailorin¡¯ orders I might need.¡±
¡°A BEL? You think she would have time for us?¡± Pati asked in obvious surprise.
¡°She will if I ask and explain the situation,¡± the merchant said with a smug smirk then admitted, ¡°Besides, it¡¯s known throughout the city now that House Wayland has aligned themselves with House Teras in shared purpose. I¡¯m surprised you came to me instead of directly to Lord Teras to ask for this. The BELs are well known for their precise craftin¡¯ and deep well of knowledge.¡±
Then the proprietor turned and began walking towards a side room and gestured for them to follow while speaking, ¡°I¡¯ll send a messenger to arrange a fittin¡¯ tomorrow. Why don¡¯t the rest of you come over and look at what I have available currently to see if somethin¡¯ strikes your fancy? We can get it all adjusted with the BEL tomorrow.¡±
As the others went to look through the racks of clothes filling the side room they were led into, Phoenix went over to pull Madam Malik aside as she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your son. He was nice to me at our trials when I didn¡¯t know anything about anything and I wish I had gotten to know him better.¡±
¡°That¡¯s kind of you, m¡¯lady,¡± the merchant said with a smile, ¡°When he first told me about you, he had mentioned how alone and oblivious you seemed,¡± the cinderen added with a chuckle, ¡°He seemed rather relieved when he learned you were a Wayfarer and found a party to belong to. He had a kind heart and Noble Wayland was right, the world is lesser for his loss.¡±
¡°It sounds like he was a good Adventurer,¡± she offered, ¡°He died a hero¡¯s death protecting others.¡±
Madam Malik gave a pained smile, ¡°You know, I argued with him about becomin¡¯ an Adventurer in the first place. Told him only fools risk their lives chasin¡¯ monsters for an organization like the AOA, ¡®specially durin¡¯ a blood moon,¡± she said and the smile slowly vanished as she added regretfully, ¡°I¡¯ve never hated bein¡¯ right so much in my life.¡±
Phoenix didn¡¯t know what to say that could possibly make the woman feel better. Despite having lost many childhood friends and her own mother, she had never been a mother and didn¡¯t want to pretend like she could empathize with losing a child so she just settled on, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°Thank you,¡± the woman said, wiping away molten tears from her ember eyes before saying with a false sort of cheer, ¡°I¡¯ve been able to keep myself distracted durin¡¯ the days with the shop and the special requests people come to me for. It helps me not drown.¡±
That gave Phoenix an idea and she conjured a large bolt of cloth into her hands. The fabric seemed almost alive with swirling shadows and she explained, ¡°Well, if you¡¯d like another project. I got this ages ago and have come to the realization that I will never be able to craft something worthwhile with it. Do you think this BEL tailor can make something for Rayna to help her sneak about with me without my friends finding out about it?¡±
|
Item: Shadeweave
Fabric woven from the remnants of a wight and attuned to darkness.
Caste: Crystal.
Availability: Rare.
Type: Material, fabric.
Effect: Can be used as a material for crafting.
|
After her enlightening alchemy lessons with her soon-to-be cousins, Patric and Padma, crushing her hopes and dreams about becoming a master crafter of everything, along with her many failed attempts at more complex artifice projects, she had finally come to the sad conclusion that she wouldn¡¯t be able to do much with the rare fabric that wouldn¡¯t produce something better in the hands of an actual tailor.
Madam Malik smiled while gently feeling the fabric, ¡°Oh, yes. Let me take what you have and I¡¯ll set somethin¡¯ up on the side. You don¡¯t mind it bein¡¯ completed a little later though, do you?¡±
¡°That¡¯s fine. Like I said, it¡¯s just been sitting in my collection collecting dust.¡±
The merchant gave her a curious look and said the same thing Dazien had told her long ago, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure things can¡¯t get dusty in a dimensional storage space like that,¡± and Phoenix snorted a laugh.
12 - To Be a Wayland
Phoenix also managed to remember to give Madam Malik the bonus reward from defeating a swarm of flaywings that had also been collecting metaphorical dust in her collection to see if she could make anything useful out of it besides turning it into an augment that wouldn¡¯t last her long.
|
Item: Crystal Eye
The preserved eye of a flaywing.
Caste: Crystal.
Availability: Rare.
Type: Material, ingredient.
Effect: Can be used as a material for crafting.
|
The merchant had agreed to ask around and would write to her when everything was finished. Phoenix also took that time to sell her usual surplus or monster ingredients that she got once in a while and nobody else desired. Mostly her looting power gave Mana Bits and ritual materials like Elemental Shards but even she, with all her fun at-home experimentation between contracts, wasn¡¯t able to use up all of the more common ones and would convert a good portion of them into Bits when she could.
Madam Malik had been generous and easy to work with in this regard which made her a return customer. Now she was beginning to see the business logic in this when she came to the merchant for the more expensive custom work that she knew might cost her quite a bit.
Money wasn¡¯t exactly something Phoenix struggled with since arriving in this world, which was a relief. She wasn¡¯t sure she could have handled the anxiety of affording food and shelter on top of everything else she had been dealing with. However, based on the looks Dazien would often give her, she wasn¡¯t sure she quite had an accurate grasp on the local economy either.
If she had enough Bits then she would get what she wanted and if she didn¡¯t¡ well she wasn¡¯t sure since that hadn¡¯t really happened yet. Maybe just be patient and wait? Isn¡¯t that what most people had to do? That was kind of how video games worked so it was basically the same thing. If she needed more money she just needed to go kill more monsters, easy peasy.
However, when Pati took her to the tailoring shop owned by House Teras the next day, she had begun to wonder if perhaps she would never need to worry about money again. When she saw the beautiful dresses that would have likely cost a couple of hundred dollars on earth, according to some of her older acquaintances complaining about missing prom at least, and saw the price was only a couple of [Crystal Mana Bits] her perspective shifted slightly.
¡°Hello, Noble Phoenix Wayland,¡± said what appeared to be a middle-aged woman who greeted them in a private fitting room, ¡°I am BEL. I have been informed of your need for an outfit suitable for your Noble Reveal. Lord Teras offers his congratulations and assurance that I am at your disposal.¡±
Phoenix gave a respectful bow in the local style to the Sapphire Caste woman, ¡°Thank you, um, BEL. Do you mind if I ask what your name stands for?¡±
¡°Ah, let us talk while BEL does her work,¡± Patricia interjected, ¡°We don¡¯t want to take up more time than needed with such a packed schedule that I¡¯m sure we¡¯re disrupting.¡±
The BEL nodded in acknowledgment and led her to a slightly raised dias surrounded by mirrors and requested, ¡°Would you mind removing your outer layers for accurate measurements?¡±
She glanced back at Pati in worry, pointedly raising her right wrist in question of revealing her Oathbond or not. Paul had stressed the importance of keeping it hidden before but she wasn¡¯t sure if she could reveal it now that people knew she was Favored.
¡°Paul says House Teras is trustworthy and that is enough for me,¡± the priestess answered. Phoenix nodded and with a silver sheen of her power, removed the covering dress she wore.
The BEL began taking her measurements with a floating tape that seemed to have a mind of its own, soaring around her and quickly sizing her up, as the tailor answered her questions, ¡°BEL stands for Beautifully Efficient Liaison. The twenty of us were created by the last Obsidian Caster to live in the area and founded House Teras.¡±
¡°Founded it?¡± she asked curiously, trying to stay as still as possible to not interfere with the magical items encircling her, ¡°How does someone create a noble House?¡±
¡°Through exceptional contributions to the city, or tundra, itself,¡± Pati answered for the tailor, ¡°It was the very creation of the BELs that secured their place among the nobility.¡±
¡°Yes, we are golems,¡± the woman explained, pulling out ribbons of variously colored fabric from the belt around her waist to hold up to the back of her hand, ¡°We don¡¯t have natural souls like those born into a reality. Golems have a [Soul Seed] that gives us our autonomy.¡±
¡°That sounds like it would be extremely difficult to make,¡± the Wayfarer surmised, ¡°Hence the creator being Obsidian?¡±
The tailor nodded again, short dark braids glinting in the light from the beads woven within, ¡°Yes. Lady Teras was a master crafter who had been chasing the secrets to golems for many centuries before finally succeeding. Then she created us and bound our Soul Seeds to the city itself in offering. We cannot leave its boundary and we are sworn to protect and serve its citizens.¡±
¡°The BELs have been helping maintain at least a baseline of cost on certain things like clothing and tools, though they usually don¡¯t handle mundane item requests,¡± Pati added, ¡°However, while House Teras oversees their maintenance and supplies, they do not profit off them.¡±
¡°So even the stuff I order will, what? Be made at cost? Is that the right term?¡± Phoenix asked uncertainly.
¡°Not exactly,¡± the cinderen-looking golem corrected, ¡°Most requests, or anything for the nobility, are charged at the current market rate, and then the profits are distributed in the form of a tax reimbursement for competing businesses.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
¡°Alright, you finally said the magic word for me to want to change the topic,¡± the Wayfarer said with a slight shudder, ¡°Taxes and economics are not something I¡¯ve ever been good at understanding.¡±
Patricia laughed, ¡°Thus becoming an Adventurer?¡±
¡°If I¡¯ve learned anything since having my body healed and arriving in this world, it¡¯s that it¡¯s much easier to stab monsters than fill out forms.¡±
¡°I believe most people would disagree with that,¡± the priestess pointed out, ¡°Especially ones that don¡¯t have magic powers.¡±
¡°Fair point,¡± the Wayfarer conceded. If she hadn¡¯t had the natural immunity to, well, death, she wasn¡¯t sure if she would have taken the monster-killing route either. Then again, she wouldn¡¯t have lasted long enough to choose anything else.
¡°Now,¡± the BEL spoke up again, ¡°What exactly do you want to wear, Noble Phoenix?¡±
She glanced over at her new aunt and said, ¡°Well Pati wants me to show off my Soul Mark and I want to make sure my Oathbond remains hidden but other than that¡ I guess I just want to fit in with the other nobles?¡±
Both the priestess and the tailor gave her a reassuring smile as BEL said, ¡°I think we can manage that.¡±
Patricia ended up ordering an entire wardrobe of outfits that Phoenix didn¡¯t even know if she would ever have an occasion to wear. The fact that the noble priestess seemed to think she would, gave her a whole new sense of dread over accepting her new House.
Paul had warned her that his sister was the more politically savvy one, and she had already seen plenty of that, but the woman was as relentless with her words as the Paladin was with his sword. By the time it was all over, she felt like she needed to meditate to cultivate the experience of the battle she had just waged.
Once she got back to her room, finally alone, she used a quick cantrip with her [Wand of the Snow Queen] to light the hearth before collapsing onto the couch and just lying there. Only the crackle of the fireplace interrupted the calming silence.
She had been curious about the fuel it used being some sort of magical item made from wood, called a Lullog, that seemed to last for about a month and let off a pleasant spicy scent that reminded her of autumn back on Earth when every treat brought for the other kids was infused with nutmeg and pumpkin.
The warmth washed over her and she finally managed to roll herself over to stare at the ceiling contemplating recent events and having a slight panic attack about the upcoming party where she would be causing people to pay attention to her on purpose.
She shivered despite not being cold. The Wayfarer thought about going to bed early after the emotionally exhausting day but a knock at her door waylaid her as she called for the familiar aura on the other side to enter.
Paul gave her an apologetic look as he moved to join her on the couch and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about, Pati. She¡¯s always been¡ driven like that, ever since we were kids. I think everyone realized early on that she would be the politician and I would be the Adventurer.¡±
¡°Did they know that you would both join a clergy?¡± she asked curiously.
Paul¡¯s expression darkened only slightly but Phoenix noticed and quickly clarified, ¡°Sorry. I know your experience with that the first time didn¡¯t go so well. I just thought it interesting that you would both join a temple. It made me wonder if that was normal for nobility?¡±
The Paladin shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s as normal for nobility here as it is for anyone else. We don¡¯t push anyone to join, so you don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡±
She nodded in acknowledgement then asked hesitantly, ¡°Do you think I should join one? I¡¯m not sure why you decided to join the Purifier in the first place or chose to go through that all again with the Avenger, but from what I¡¯ve gathered it¡¯s not a choice someone does on a whim. Especially when the gods will actually show up in front of you.¡±
Paul watched her for a moment then leaned back and summarized for her, ¡°When I was just a newly ascended Sapphire Caster, I was sent on a mission leading a group of Crystals to respond to a request from one of the smaller villages to the southeast. There was a worry that some rogue Caster was experimenting on people that were going missing.
¡°When we arrived we found not just a Caster with banned Aspects, but a whole underground sect that had made a temple to the Necromancer. They weren¡¯t just experimenting on people but turning them into Corrupted undead.¡±
He paused, frowning at the memories, then continued softly, ¡°Only I managed to escape to get reinforcements. The others that had been in my care all died because I wasn¡¯t strong enough to protect them from the tainting Banes of the undead¡ My youngest sister was one of those Adventurers.
¡°After that, I returned and helped wipe out the remaining necromancers and joined the Church of the Purifier in my dedication to make sure something like that never happened again,¡± he finished forlornly.
Phoenix was stricken by the information. She hadn¡¯t even known that Paul had another sibling let alone witnessed their death, and probably still harbored guilt over it by the sound of things. She didn¡¯t know what to say. If there even was anything to say.
Instead, she took a page out of Saiya¡¯s book this time, holding his hand, and leaned against his large shoulder to simply let her presence be known and that she was here for him. Words simply seemed both insufficient and unnecessary at that moment.
Once Paul returned to the present, he squeezed her hand and said, ¡°There are many reasons one might join a clergy. That doesn¡¯t always mean one should. You do what is right for you and don¡¯t let anyone push you into the decision, especially not one of the gods themselves. They all have their own agendas and it¡¯s up to you to determine if your goals align with theirs.¡±
She didn¡¯t say anything but tilted her head in acknowledgment against his arm. Then her mentor reached into the dimensional pouch at his side and pulled out a rectangular object wrapped in green waxy paper with a leather cord tied around it, ¡°I meant to give you this earlier before my sister absconded with you,¡± he said with a slight smile as he handed her the package, ¡°It¡¯s my ¡®welcome to the family¡¯ gift. I know you don¡¯t like me buying things for you, so I didn¡¯t and this was something I thought was required to be a Wayland.¡±
Phoenix straightened as she took the item. Once it was in her hand, she easily recognized the weight and feel of a book and she carefully unwrapped it, not wanting to potentially damage the cover she expected to find underneath.
The book cover was made of smooth emerald leather but was untitled and adorned with a simple pale blue flower on the front that vaguely reminded her of a pansy. When she opened it to peer inside at the first page, she saw flowing script that her [Astral Traveler] talent translated as ¡°The Lands of the Wayfarers: A Collection of Tales From Our World and Beyond¡±. Below that was the name of the author who had compiled the anthology, Peder Wayland.
When she glanced up at Paul, he smiled affectionately at her, ¡°The very first Wayland. He was also a Wayfarer that loved books,¡± he explained then gestured towards the green leather and explained, ¡°This book has been passed down through my family for hundreds, if not thousands, of generations. My mother used to read me to sleep with this very copy. I know you¡¯re a bit old for children''s fables, but I figured that maybe you could read it to your own kids someday¡ in the far far future.¡±
Phoenix was speechless as she stared at the thoughtful gift. She remembered how her own mother had often read to her as well, instilling her love of books early on. All the magical places her mind could visit no matter how weak her body was. The joy and sense of freedom they had brought her, along with the connection they gave her to the person she loved most in the world, had saved her life more times than she could recount.
Paul frowned slightly and gently wiped the tears from her cheek that she hadn¡¯t even noticed were falling as she whispered, ¡°It¡¯s perfect,¡± then carefully set the book in her lap and wrapped her arms around Paul¡¯s waist to bury her face into the soft fabric of his shirt, filling her lungs with his reassuring scent of a cedar bonfire that was smokier than the hearth, ¡°Thank you, Paul.¡±
He patted her head gently and said, ¡°You¡¯re family now. To own a copy of that book is only right for a Wayland.¡±
13 - All the Good Excuses
¡°Phoenix, hurry up. It doesn¡¯t take that long to find the Rabearus and lure it out here,¡± Rayna¡¯s voice said in annoyance over the group voice chat.
Phoenix was making use of the [Blackest Night] effect of her armor and was quietly slipping through the dark shadows of the cave thought to be holding the large angry three-headed polar bear-looking monster. The blurring effect of her [Embrace of Shadows] aura on top of the armor¡¯s Boon turned not only the armor itself a deep black but also caused her hair and eyes to shift to black as well in the dark cave, making her all but invisible.
As she became one with the darkness, she felt focused and sped through at a quick but cautious pace. Her [Moonlit Eyes] made navigation in the dark a breeze and she truly felt like a master ninja assassin as she stalked her prey, having convinced her team to let her practice her scouting and stealth skills in the few encounters she could.
She mentally responded to her teammate while remaining silent in the shadows, ¡°Shush. If you distract me, it will take even longer.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t give me that. I know you¡¯re just trying to make us late to the party,¡± Rayna retorted, ¡°You¡¯re literally the entire reason there even is a party and we need enough time to get you prepared. Your hair is not going to be quick to tame.¡±
¡°How would you know how long it will take?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve seen you do that shoddy braid enough times to get a basic frame of reference. Even with having three tails worth of fur and hair to brush, yours will take longer.¡±
¡°What do you mean ¡®shoddy¡¯? It¡¯s a perfectly acceptable braid.¡±
¡°Maybe for fighting monsters with. Not for impressing nobles.¡±
¡°Can we please focus on the mission?¡± Dazien¡¯s voice cut in. ¡°Phoenix, we do have a schedule to keep.¡±
¡°He¡¯s just afraid of Paul berating him for you being late to your party,¡± Rayna provoked and added, ¡°You should be too Phoenix. You don¡¯t want to let him down, right?¡±
¡°Rayna¡ you should know better,¡± Saiya cut in with a disapproving tone.
¡°Right, sorry, but she really should hurry up. I don¡¯t want to be late either,¡± the bard replied.
That was when Phoenix noticed the hulking mass of white fur seemingly asleep in the middle of the cave tunnel and tuned out the voices in her head. It was a decent size for a Crystal Caste monster but they were rather dumb, relying on brute force attacks that she recalled from some of her earliest fights training with Paul before ever arriving in Tulimeir. She vaguely pondered just taking it on herself but the tight space of the rocky tunnel would be a hindrance to her movements.
The Supporter decided to open with a sneak attack at one of the heads to hopefully deal some massive critical damage upfront before kiting it back out of the cave where her team was waiting to pounce. However, she hesitated for a moment.
Rayna was correct in the assertion that Phoenix was stalling for time. She would rather fight a hundred of these Rabearus monsters than the political monsters in fancy clothing that were awaiting her.
The pugilist was also right about her not wanting to disappoint Paul or Patricia and they had both put a lot of effort into making her feel welcome and truly at home over her months on the tundra and even more so since the adoption offer. Her evenings the past week alone had reminded her a lot of the time she had spent with her mother on some of her better days, full of laughter and acceptance.
Phoenix had even met the rest of the horde of children Patrica had with her husband, Marcus, who was also part of the Cultivator¡¯s clergy and was great with trees. How any couple could deal with raising and managing seven children was beyond her understanding, even if some of them were almost adults.
Deciding not to delay any further, she silently pulled herself toward the closest giant head and conjured her blades mid-flight to plunge deep through the soft tissue points. It gave a deafening roar from the other two heads that weren¡¯t hanging limply, then she realized that more roars were coming from deeper down the cave.
¡°Oh shi¨C¡± she started to say aloud and over the chat when she had to dodge a massive paw that flailed towards her.
¡°What is it? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Dazien asked with concern.
¡°Did you finally find it?¡± Rayna inquired.
¡°And more!¡± Phoenix yelled as she forwent stealth and sprinted down the cave as the sound of irate bears echoed around her. For a brief moment, she feared the sound might cause a cave-in and found herself morbidly thinking that death would be one way for her to get back to the city in time for her party.
The thought of the price for that revival, however, made her push herself more. She poured more mana into her [Ruler of Relativity] as she pushed and pulled her way over and around the bends in the tunnel.
¡°Might want to start setting those gems now,¡± she warned Rayna and Uriel as she got closer to the entrance.
¡°How many are we expecting?¡± Dazien asked.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
¡°Yes,¡± was all she answered as she felt the tremors in the ground of the hulking beasts charging around and into corners as much as each other.
When she reached the entrance she spotted Dazien standing with his kite shield raised towards her and she jumped and pulled herself towards him with a sudden burst of mana, being careful to avoid the [Arcanist Gem] crystals floating off to each side.
|
Ability: Arcanist Gem
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, magical, arcane, gem)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (2%)
Crystal Effect: Construct a floating gem that quickly absorbs ambient mana which can be used to fuel rituals or the mana cost of abilities before bursting upon reaching capacity or if destroyed and inflicting Gem and Arcane damage to nearby enemies.
Sapphire Effect: This can store an ability to be triggered upon destruction, automatically targeting the nearest enemy.
|
With Dazien using [Stand Your Ground], he became an anchor point for her to aim towards and she landed against his shield with practiced grace before releasing her ability and spinning around him to stand back to back as she took a moment to trigger her mana tattoo after spending much of it in her mad dash to freedom.
The next few minutes were a bloodbath. Fur and flesh exploded and froze over as the stampede triggered the defenses awaiting them. Uriel had worked with Rayna to imbue the gems with an instance of his [Frost Touched] ability to see how well the combination would work and it proved to result in a slurry of half-frosted monster bits.
The Adventurers, along with their Familiars, moved in to finish anything still standing after that initial mess. By the time the last monster''s head stopped trying to take a bite out of them, the entire group was drenched in blood, dirt, snow slush, and bear bits. While effective, the whole group decided to use that method as a messy last resort in the future.
As the party made their way from the field of white ash that soon filled the area, Saiya used her [Cleansing Stream] ability, which unfortunately was missing out on gaining experience with how often they ended up filthy after a fight, since it didn¡¯t bond to one of her Spirit Gems earlier.
¡°I think that ability alone saves me a fortune in laundry fees or buying those weird Golden Shower potions. You should be careful that some hygiene-obsessive alchemist doesn¡¯t try to steal you,¡± Phoenix said as the refreshing effects of the water flowed over every inch of her body and armor.
¡°Alright, enough cleaning and get that portal open. We have a party to go to,¡± Rayna said promptly with a soft clap of paws to indicate the urgency.
¡°We have time for one more mission, right Daze?¡± Phoenix asked with the largest puppy eyes she could manage for the party leader.
He chuckled and shook his head, ¡°Rayna was right about me not wanting to cross Lord Wayland. Let¡¯s get you and them back to the city now,¡± he said with a nod towards the twins.
She gave a pout and crossed her arms, ¡°It still sucks that you and Uriel can¡¯t come.¡±
Dazien gave her a sad smile and shrugged, ¡°Can¡¯t be helped. Unfortunately, the aristocracy of Tulimeir don¡¯t see Kingship over a group of orphans as legitimate nobility.¡±
¡°Their loss,¡± Uriel stated firmly, coming up to join the pair, ¡°We can at least be there to wish her good luck, though. Shall we go?¡±
Phoenix reluctantly nodded her head and used [Transversing the Stars] to open a portal back to the city and let herself be dragged over to ¡°Classy Curls and Dashing Domes¡± where another BEL had been arranged to take on the epic challenge of attempting to exert authority over the redhead¡¯s wild mane.
Four hours later, she was back in her bedroom awaiting the dreaded moment that Paul would come to collect her. Saiya and Rayna had departed earlier to get themselves ready and would see her again at the party after her ¡°grand¡± introduction.
The twins had been satisfied with how her appearance had turned out. Her hair had been arranged in an impressive crown of delicate braids, decorated with tiny golden star pins, that allowed for a tail of loose curls to trail down her back.
The emerald green satin-like dress she wore was cut in a way to wrap up over her shoulders then around her neck and stay tight around her torso to keep everything in place while clearly displaying the divinely touched symbol in the center of her chest just above the slight bit of cleavage that she was very unaccustomed to dealing with.
While she had gained more of a chest with her transition into this world, then again upon becoming Crystal Caste, it wasn¡¯t anything to brag about. The tight fabric hugged her form until it reached her hips where it suddenly flared out to allow her leg movement and brushed along the floor.
Her softly glowing arms were wrapped in shiny gold wire that was surprisingly flexible and didn¡¯t hinder her arms while remaining exactly where they were placed and matching cuffs covered her Oathbond around her wrist. Her shoes were flat golden sandals that had the same flexible wire wrapped around her calves up to the knee and a matching belt of wire woven in Celtic-looking knots hugged her waist. Despite its elegance, she felt it accentuated her scrawny body a bit too much. While she had been putting on muscle with all her training and attribute growth, she was still rather slight.
A knock came at the door and her heart leaped into her throat as she moved to open it for Paul. She was surprised to find a different warrior instead, having forgotten in her panic that her party Mage had mentioned they would visit beforehand.
Dazien and Uriel both stared at her with wide eyes that took in every detail of her altered appearance. As the moments passed with them remaining speechless, she blushed in embarrassment and muttered, ¡°Yeah, I know it doesn¡¯t really suit me¡¡±
At a shove to the shoulder from Uriel, the gemite managed to snap himself out of his apparent shock as well and sputtered, ¡°No! I mean, you look great! Amazing actually¡¡± his face began to flush slightly as he continued to stare, unable to look away. With another nudge from his friend, he shook himself and said with a teasing grin, ¡°You look just like the Princess we always knew you were.¡±
The Wayfarer rolled her eyes at him, ¡°Funny. I feel like Lilly¡¯s doll that she likes to dress up so much,¡± she retorted. Phoenix had been joining her two companions on the weekends, when they could manage it, to visit the other orphans at the Temple of the Parent. After the Ruwenas no longer became a threat to her, she felt much more comfortable going out and visiting the children who loved her little illusion constructs and giving Tala all the pets, and Rex would often manifest and let the kids play with him.
Uriel chuckled and said, ¡°I agree with Daze. You look like royalty dressed like that. The presence of your Mark of Favor is also stunning in its own right,¡± the cinderen glanced at his best friend then added with a smirk, ¡°Nobody will be able to keep their eyes off you.¡±
¡°Uhg,¡± Phoenix groaned, ¡°Please don¡¯t remind me¡ I feel like I¡¯m going to pass out just from the anxiety this is causing.¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯ll be there to catch you if you fall,¡± Paul¡¯s voice came from behind her two companions as they all jumped slightly at the Paladin¡¯s sudden appearance. He chuckled and smiled at Phoenix, simply nodding to the boys in greeting before asking her, ¡°Are you ready?¡±
¡°If I say ¡®no¡¯ will you go without me and just tell them I got sick?¡± she pleaded.
He raised an eyebrow at her and pointed out, ¡°You¡¯re Crystal Caste and we have healing magic, remember?¡±
¡°What if we tell them the car broke down and I got stuck in traffic?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure what a ¡®car¡¯ is exactly but you have a portal.¡±
¡°Um, Timmy fell down a well and a dog came to let me know so I had to rescue him?¡±
¡°Besides the fact that I don¡¯t believe your translation ability lets you speak to dogs, you could just portal Timmy out of the well, or pull that rope you insisted every good Adventurer has out of your dimensional storage. It¡¯d take five minutes tops.¡±
¡°Bloody magic taking away all the good excuses,¡± Phoenix mumbled as she acquiesced and sadly left the safety of her room and friends behind.
14 - Reason Beyond the Rumors
Phoenix was clenching Paul¡¯s arm in a death grip of anxiety as she nervously stood beside her mentor and now¡ father? It was both easy and difficult to think of him as such. He definitely acted like one towards her, especially after they had gotten to know each other more, but she wasn¡¯t a child who required a parent. Despite that fact, she was glad he stood beside her now.
Paul patted her clenched hand reassuringly, ¡°Everything will be fine, Phoenix,¡± he said then glanced down at her, his eyes lingered for a moment on her Soul Mark and he said with all sincerity, ¡°I want you to know I¡¯m proud of you for having the courage to do this¡ but if your only reason for doing so is out of fear of disappointing me, or my sister, then I want you to know that I won¡¯t think less of you for admitting so. If you truly cannot endure this, just say the word and we¡¯ll cover up your Mark and I can whisk you away as soon as they see your face.¡±
Even though she didn¡¯t have much knowledge about how fathers should behave, she thought he did a pretty good job. He was continually a solid pillar of support, understanding, and acceptance. He always tried to help advise and guide her but never tried to force her to be someone she wasn¡¯t. She knew he didn¡¯t always tell her everything, especially with everything that happened regarding the Ruwenas, but she knew that most parents, her mom included, tried to not burden their kids with things they planned to handle.
She gave him a weak smile and shook her head, ¡°My reason isn¡¯t out of fear. I want to make you and her happy. I might not be comfortable with the attention but I think I can be courageous enough to last a few hours if it helps support my new family.¡±
His smile turned slightly sad as he said, ¡°We often find ourselves doing things we normally wouldn¡¯t in order to support and protect our family.¡±
Before she could ask what he meant exactly, she heard Patricia¡¯s voice come from the other side of the door they were waiting behind. The nobility here seemed to have a love for theatrics but at least they wouldn¡¯t try making her walk down a flight of stairs in heels. That was just begging to have her trip and break something, Crystal Caste reflexes or not.
¡°Now, without further ado, my brother, Lord Paul Wayland, will present to you his chosen heir and newest member of our family, Noble Phoenix Wayland!¡± the priestess said as the door opened and Paul led her out into the magical spotlight.
Phoenix heard the crowd before she managed to look up to see them. The light polite clapping had started as soon as Patricia had stopped speaking before any of their eyes ever settled upon her. The only reason she could see the people through the bright light shining upon her was due to her perception ability.
The crowd seemed mildly interested at first, a few people even seeming bored by the event. However, as she was carefully led across the room by Paul¡¯s steady and assured pace, the clapping tapered off to be replaced by hushed whispers and sharpening gazes. She felt the brush of dozens of auras suddenly poke and prod against hers which caused a few gasps across the room as the four layers of her own aura rebuffed all but the strongest few.
Paul had been spending the weeks of training time with her, and more recently the rest of her party, in Aura Etiquette as he had called it. When they had first met he had focused on teaching her to reign in the power of the boosted aura. Then as she got better at retracting it, she began practicing controlling the direct manipulation of it; mostly in combat.
Only recently had she begun attempting to use it to push against other auras but Paul¡¯s initial focus had been centered around the concept of performing what she equated to an ¡°aura handshake¡±. Like the sense you would get from someone you just met by how firm, clammy, or long a handshake was; it was the first impression a person would get of your character.
What the crowd sensed when they prodded her aura was a smooth layered sphere that felt like a desire for family, the excitement of wanderlust, the courage of standing against any enemy, the curiosity of learning more about everything, the tenacity to not be chained down, the willingness to sacrifice all of herself for others, and in each of those feelings they sensed the touch of divinity that strengthened them all. They also confirmed the rumors that she wasn¡¯t just an outsider but a Wayfarer and the chatter intensified with every step she took.
Lord Wayland led her to a slightly raised dais that held a table for the two of them with an extra seat to either side of their own centered seats. She had been informed that during the dinner party, people could come and sit to introduce themselves and talk for a bit before trading places with someone else.
This was the part she was most nervous about but she focused on Paul¡¯s teachings to subdue her emotions and keep her aura steady. By the time she finally sat in her place, the room was a dull roar of chatter as people stared at her Soul Mark, prodded her aura, or debated with the people beside them. She could already sense the gossip and speculations floating around the room.
She noticed quickly that the pokes and pressure from the other auras in the room were increasing and becoming more aggressive. From what Paul and the others had shown her, she knew that it was beyond polite curiosity now and had moved on to testing and challenging her.
Phoenix frowned slightly as the sense of shoving her aura down in a vice grip from somewhere grew and she chanced a glance at Paul. A breath later, the pressure vanished as Paul¡¯s aura spread out and pushed them back in return, making both his authority in the room and protection of her known by everyone as they reached the end of his patience. The clear message of retribution radiated throughout it and the chatter dimmed slightly.
On the other side of the room, Phoenix could have sworn she saw Patricia grinning triumphantly and she wondered what political game her new aunt had just won. She firmly pushed the thought from her mind, though, not wanting to have anything to do with it. She¡¯d let the priestess play her games and remain content by staying on the periphery.
Gentle music began to play as food was placed on tables and the chatter increased in volume again. Nobody had stood to move and Phoenix suddenly had a new source of anxiety. What if nobody wanted to talk to her? Would that be worse than forcing herself to endure small chit-chat?
She was saved by the appearance of the Dewsong voxen. Saiya and Rayna looked splendid in their own white dresses with light blue trimmings that varied slightly in style and contrasted against the dusty colors of their hair, tails, and mahogany skin.
Paul greeted them with a slight bow of his own and slid himself over to allow the women to sit on either side of Phoenix and she beamed a bright smile of gratitude to them. There was a magical incorporeal barrier surrounding the stage area they were on which slightly distorted the sound that traveled through it and allowed them to speak without worry of being overheard though their expressions and lips could still be observed.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
¡°I¡¯m so glad you two are here,¡± she said with relief, ¡°I thought the reaction would be awkward but I wasn¡¯t really expecting all this.¡±
¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve been to a couple of Noble Reveals in other cities but have never seen such a contentious display like this before,¡± Rayna said speculatively as she surveyed the gathering, ¡°I¡¯ll bet the whole city will be talking about you within a week.¡±
Phoenix fought back the impulse to bury her face in her arms against the table at the thought of so much attention focused on her. The upside was that, with the whole city watching her, it would be much harder for anyone to make a move against her. At least, that¡¯s what Patricia had told her. The Wayfarer wasn¡¯t quite sure it was worth it.
She chatted for a few minutes longer with her teammates before they took their leave and Paul moved back over to her side in the center of the four chairs as the next pair of nobles approached.
It was the head of another House that had loose ties to the Waylands. As the runeforged woman sat on Paul¡¯s side, her son had obligingly taken the seat next to Phoenix. He was polite enough, introducing himself as Noble Byren Talvehtia. He didn¡¯t look much older than she was but he was Sapphire Caste, like his mother, and she couldn¡¯t sense the taint of [Monster Seeds] that many of the other nobles in the room contained.
After some polite chatting, they swapped out with another pair, then another, and the cycle continued for a solid two hours before the music grew a little louder and everyone stood to mingle more as the chairs were removed, the tables placed to the edges of the room and loaded with desserts. The large windows, which turned out to be doors, on one side of the room were opened out onto a large balcony that overlooked the city.
Paul led Phoenix from the dais before giving her an encouraging smile then left her alone to speak with his sister who was chatting with the glittering Noble Stratfured that hadn¡¯t made their way up to the table. She glanced around at the crowd. Nobody made eye contact with her but she could feel their subversive glances and the whispers with her name.
The Wayfarer took a steadying breath then made her way to one of the tables to busy herself with grabbing what appeared to be some kind of cookie she hadn¡¯t seen before and made her way outside, desperately in need of the fresh cool night air, where the sounds lessened and the lights no longer blazed down on her. She felt calmer as she leaned against the balcony railing and stared out into the dark night that was brightened only slightly by the lights below and the stars above.
¡°Your glow looks stunning in the night,¡± a feminine voice spoke from near her and Phoenix turned to see a beautiful cinderen woman with burning eyes, dark hair that appeared like a cloud around her face, and a dark red dress that wrapped around the neck and hugged the strong figure and almost seemed alight with veins of ruby lights that matched her own markings and played with her perception.
It took her a moment to place the familiar face until she finally remembered and stated, ¡°You were the one that waved to me on the expedition into the Reality Rift.¡±
The stranger smiled just as cheerfully now as she had back when Phoenix had returned the surprising greeting, ¡°You remember? I know that day was pretty busy, for you especially.¡±
Phoenix quirked an eyebrow as she leaned back against the railing and asked, ¡°What makes you say that?¡±
The woman took a few steps closer as hips purposefully swayed with each step. She suddenly understood what Rayna had been talking about when the bard kept insisting Phoenix needed to learn to own her body. This woman knew exactly what she owned and how to use it in a way that Phoenix doubted she would ever be able to, ¡°We all saw the explosion. I also heard the rumored reports. You assisted in taking down two Sapphire enemies as well as the Emerald Caster.¡±
Phoenix scrunched her face and pointed out, ¡°I had a lot of help with all of those. I¡¯m not some overpowered superhero that can one-punch whatever formidable foe steps in front of me.¡±
¡°Yet you still placed yourself in front of those formidable foes,¡± the woman in red replied and the cinderen leaned against the rail beside her, ¡°It makes perfect sense why Hero would choose you.¡±
Phoenix shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m no hero. I¡¯m just a mildly useful pawn,¡± she muttered and looked the woman up and down as a thought crossed her mind, ¡°You didn¡¯t wave at me knowing who or what I was, though, did you?¡±
¡°No,¡± the stranger said in confirmation.
¡°Then why did you?¡± she asked in confusion.
A playful smile adorned the stranger¡¯s face as those ember eyes seemed to blaze in the dark night, ¡°Because I thought you were beautiful and wanted to know if the inside matched what was outside.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise as she stared at the woman, her mind completely blank on how to respond. Nobody had ever complimented her like that before. Aside from her mother, she couldn¡¯t even recall someone telling her she was beautiful. As the woman¡¯s smile turned into a Cheshire grin, she managed to stutter, ¡°I, um¡ uh, th¨Cthank you? I guess¡ I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not really sure what to say.¡±
The cinderen laughed and shook her head of dark clouds, ¡°You could tell me more about yourself. Here, let me start since you¡¯ve already been introduced. I¡¯m Polissa Teras, but you can call me Po like my friends do.¡±
The Wayfarer gave a shy smile and tilted her head in a small bow, ¡°Nice to meet you, Po,¡± she said and was about to place a hand over her heart in the local greeting when the cinderen halted her movement by clasping it in the woman¡¯s own.
¡°Please, you don¡¯t need to be so formal,¡± Polissa said with a soft laugh, ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if I would ever get the opportunity to see you again. Imagine my surprise to discover that not only would I be able to but that our families were allied. I must ask you to give my regards to the host for holding such a wonderful event.¡±
¡°Patricia insisted on it. Though, I still can¡¯t fully understand why. The middle of a blood moon doesn¡¯t seem like the best time to hold a party,¡± Phoenix admitted as she glanced at the hand still being held and wondered if Po was similar to Saiya in the desire for physical contact. She wasn¡¯t getting that same vibe though, for some reason, and wondered what exactly was different about the gesture.
Polissa laughed again and Phoenix felt the heat in her cheeks rise as the woman said, ¡°Noble Wayland was right to do so,¡± then Po gave a mischievous grin, ¡°Despite the threats we face, we must continue to play the game. Especially when some Wayfarer comes along and decides to flip the board.¡±
The redhead flushed and looked at the ground, ¡°I never wanted to.¡±
The cinderen¡¯s expression softened and she stepped even closer, closing the little distance between them and lifting Phoenix¡¯s chin gently to meet those fiery eyes, ¡°What did you want? What was the reason behind becoming a Wayland? What¡¯s the reason beyond the rumors? What is it that you want now?¡±
Phoenix stared at the golden eyes that burned with an emotion that she didn¡¯t recognize at all but made her feel self-conscious for some reason that she had trouble putting into words. She cast her eyes down slightly, trying to escape the intense gaze only to see ruby lips that were so close to her own that she felt her heart skip a beat in panic.
Polissa released her and took a step back as she said, ¡°We can talk more later if you want. You put on a good mask with your aura, but your body doesn¡¯t seem to lie, I can tell you¡¯re uncomfortable here. Maybe we could chat over drinks later this week?¡±
¡°Um, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll have much time for that,¡± she replied hesitantly. She was feeling a bit flustered by the conversation that seemed to hold undercurrents that threatened to drown her, the closeness that made her feel awkward, and the coy confidence this woman exuded.
¡°There''s a lot of missions that we¡¯ve been assigned to lately,¡± she tried to clarify.
Po''s smile dropped slightly, ¡°Perhaps, once things settle down then. There will be plenty of time after the blood moon.¡±
Phoenix thought about that, not sure how to decline politely without needing to explain that she might not be in the city for much longer after the blood moon if she managed to hit Sapphire and get that clue from the Scholar to progress on her divine quest.
The woman seemed to take pity on her awkward uncertainty though and said, ¡°I¡¯ll send a message to your House afterward and you can decide at that point,¡± then gave a playful wink, ¡°I already know where your home is, after all.¡±
Then the strange woman surprised Phoenix again by lifting the hand still being held and kissing the back of it with perfectly bowed lips, ¡°Good night, Starlight.¡±
15 - Glimpse the Cosmos
¡°This One meets Little Wayland now?¡± the familiar monotone voice echoed in his mind.
Paul chuckled and finally answered, ¡°Yes, Bela. You get to meet Phoenix now.¡±
As he opened the door to the ritual room, he had to head off his Familiar¡¯s enthusiasm by clarifying, ¡°Wait for me to tell you when. I want to properly prepare her.¡±
¡°Prepare for what? This One is beautiful and Little Wayland is a Wayfarer from a world more technologically advanced than Makera. Little Wayland will love This One as much as This One loves Little Wayland,¡± Orebela said, and despite the lack of inflection, he could feel the confidence in her assertion.
The Paladin mentally shook his head and explained, ¡°I still don¡¯t want to surprise her with a stranger, so just wait until I give you the go-ahead.¡± She replied with a disgruntled noise that grated on his mind but his focus moved to the young glowing woman sitting against the far wall, reading her glowing book while she waited and he smiled, this time speaking aloud, ¡°Good afternoon, young one.¡±
Phoenix looked up at him with a tired smile, ¡°Good¨C¡± her words got interrupted by a yawn, ¡°Afternoon. Any particular reason you''re getting me up so early?¡±
He raised a brow at her, ¡°It¡¯s after noon, hence the greeting.¡±
She rolled her eyes at him, ¡°We were up all night taking a shift as part of the Wall Response this week. It was the bit of compromise we did in order to get the night off for my Noble Reveal three nights ago, remember? I thought the increased Mind attribute meant you wouldn¡¯t forget things as you got older¨C¡±
¡°If you call me ¡®old man¡¯ I will actually ground you now,¡± he interjected, the amusement in his expression instantly giving away the empty threat, but at least he got a laugh out of her for it.
¡°Then Agatha will try to make you an Inquisitor again for keeping me from my missions,¡± she retorted while trying to calm her laughter.
¡°Oh, you can still do the missions,¡± he said, leaning against the wall to slide down it and sit next to her, ¡°I¡¯ll just cut off the access to the crafting rooms, ritual rooms, and private library.¡±
Her head whipped up to lock eyes with him as she said aghast, ¡°You monster! You wouldn¡¯t be so¡ so¡ cruel for a simple joke!¡±
It was his turn to laugh at the indignation as he shook his head, ¡°You¡¯re right. Forgive my cruelty. I am a wicked Paladin that I¡¯m sure will be made all the more apparent with this.¡±
He lifted the small silver augment she had given him that appeared like tiny wings.
Item: Wings of Zeal
An Augmentation cultivated from the conversion of a transfiguration ability into an item.
Caste: Emerald.
Availability: Legendary.
Type: Augment, back.
Requirements: Emerald Caste.
Effects:
- Can use an Augment Ritual to embed the item into the wielder¡¯s back. The wings will take on an appearance that reflects the zeal of the wielder¡¯s soul. This Augment type can be removed via an additional Separation Ritual without harm to the wielder.
- For no mana cost, the Augment can remain in [Passive Mode] which grants the wielder the ability to hover idly in the air and increased resistance to negative Elemental effects.
- For a low mana cost per second, the Augment can remain in [Flight Mode] which increases the size of the manifested wings and grants the wielder freeform flying capability.
- For a moderate mana cost per second, the Augment can remain in [Defensive Mode] which greatly increases the size of the wings and further solidifies them into interlocking shields, granting greatly increased resistance to negative Magical and physical effects.
- For a high mana cost per second, the Augment can remain in [Offensive Mode] which disperses the wings into individual feathers which move as high-speed projectiles that explode on contact with a targeted enemy for a high amount of Radiant damage. Once all the feathers have been expended the wings automatically return to [Passive Mode] and incur a 1-hour cooldown to replenish the expended feathers.
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Phoenix¡¯s eyes widened in recognition before a grin stole across her face and she asked excitedly, ¡°You¡¯re going to show me how to do an Augment Ritual? Is that why we¡¯re here?¡±
¡°Wayland is supposed to be introducing This One!¡± Orebela¡¯s voice rang in his head.
He almost winced as he replied to his Prot¨¦g¨¦, ¡°Yes and no. You¡¯ll get to see it but it will be Orebela helping me perform it.¡±
Phoenix wrinkled her nose in confusion before her eyes trailed up to his forehead where the metal plate Orebela became when merged with him sat, ¡°Why your Familiar?¡±
¡°For two reasons, the first is that it will be the Emerald Caste version of the ritual that could potentially kill you and they¡¯re usually not meant to be performed by the person being augmented,¡± he explained, then gave her a small smile, ¡°The second is that she¡¯s been wanting to officially meet you for a while now.¡±
The Wayfarer perked up a bit at that, ¡°She can talk? You made her sound like some kind of object or symbiote. I didn¡¯t realize she could speak with you.¡±
¡°This is all Wayland¡¯s fault,¡± his Familiar grumbled without inflection.
Paul mentally rolled his eyes back at her as he responded aloud to his new daughter, which he was still trying to adjust to thinking of her as such, ¡°She speaks telepathically. Like your leader¡¯s communication ability.¡± He hesitated slightly before prompting, ¡°You¡¯ve mentioned that your old world had more technology than ours does since we have more magic. My Familiar comes from a realm where technology and magic are symbiotic. A lot of the locals don¡¯t seem¡ fond of her form and are afraid of her even more than some monsters but I don¡¯t want you to think for a second that she would ever hurt you.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!
Phoenix raised an eyebrow at him, ¡°She¡¯s not some kind of killer robot that can travel through time is she?¡±
He narrowed his eyes, ¡°I¡¯m going to assume that¡¯s a reference to something in your world and not ask for details but no¡ she can¡¯t travel through time.¡±
¡°But she is a killer robot?¡± she clarified and he noticed the slight smirk of amusement.
The Paladin just shook his head and gave his Familiar the mental go-ahead to manifest as he said, ¡°Phoenix, meet Orebela.¡±
He felt the metal plate on his forehead melt away in an instant and his lovely Familiar appeared hovering in the air in front of them. Her body held a feminine figure but was smooth liquid gold that glinted in the light of the glowstones embedded in the ceiling. While the shape roughly was humanoid, that was where the similarities stopped as the hands and feet were much smaller, the legs and arms tapering down much more than humans.
The most disturbing difference, however, was the lack of a face. Only a thick, softly glowing, golden line in the shape of the bottom half of a circle was placed where eyes should have been; which gave an observer anywhere to focus on at all. While she definitely gave off an alien appearance with an aura to match, something about it all had been soothing to him rather than scary.
¡°Woah,¡± Phoenix said in a whispered breath, openly staring and taking in the sight of the Familiar who was clasping her tiny hands together and, despite not being able to fully express it, appeared nervous to him.
¡°This One is pleased to see Little Wayland with This One¡¯s own sight,¡± the Familiar spoke telepathically to both of them at the same time with her usual monotone that he worried might throw his apprentice off even more.
The Wayfarer gave a wide smile, ¡°I¡¯m pleased to finally see you too, Orebela. You look incredible. I never met a talking Familiar before.¡±
Tala appeared suddenly, manifesting in the Supporter¡¯s lap and cheeping angrily up at the summoner. Phoenix chuckled and gave the small bird some pats on its fluffy head, ¡°I know we have a system, Tala, and I hope you can gain more vocabulary in the future.¡±
Paul smiled and felt the weight lift off his shoulders when he realized his Prot¨¦g¨¦ wasn¡¯t going to panic or hurt Orebela¡¯s feelings. Despite the Familiar not being able to show them with her face or voice, Paul knew she still felt emotions. He doubted she would have bothered to stay with him through all his blundering if she didn¡¯t.
¡°What all can you do?¡± Phoenix asked Orebela.
¡°This One can touch Little Wayland¡¯s [Guide Book],¡± the golden Familiar answered and the redhead excitedly produced it for the small fingers to brush against.
Name: Orebela
Species: Child of Theia (Familiar)
Machine and magic hybrids not of this world that are attuned to Light and Radiant magic.
Caste: Emerald
Can speak with multiple allies at once and perform rituals telepathically.
Can construct and wield two melee weapons imbued with Light magic.
Can empower a weapon, including Construct ones, to inflict additional Light damage.
Can greatly boost your Agility for a moderate mana cost and low cooldown.
Can freely fly through the air when manifested.
When merged within the summoner:
- The summoner¡¯s eyes become golden and a third eye guard appears, granting additional resistance against Magical and Elemental damage.
- The Familiar can perceive in a large radius around the summoner.
- Movement abilities have increased effect and reduced cost.
- The summoner gains a slow fall effect and limited control when moving through the air.
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¡°That¡¯s awesome!¡± Phoenix exclaimed, turning to him to say something else but halted suddenly, staring straight into his eyes.
¡°What?¡± he asked in confusion.
¡°Your eyes are blue?¡± she asked with a grin.
¡°Ah. Yes. It¡¯s a trait that¡¯s been passed through the Wayland line since its beginning,¡± he answered with a gesture towards the brilliant blue color that matched his sister and the rest of his immediate family, ¡°And while blonde hair can appear in our line sometimes, I was born with a dark brown. It turned golden when I was blessed by the Purifier and first became a Paladin. Now, before the distraction, what were you going to say?¡±
¡°Oh,¡± she seemed to shake herself from the tangent and asked, ¡°I was wondering if I could see the ability description? After Saiya hit Sapphire, I¡¯ve been curious how Spirit Gems are meant to interact with summoned Familiar abilities like mine.¡±
¡°Ah, they basically give an additional effect depending on the gem that gets bonded,¡± he explained, reaching his own hand out to provide it to her book.
|
Ability: Child of Theia
Type: Familiar (ritual, summon, magical, covenant)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Emerald 10
Crystal Effect: Summon a [Child of Theia] as a Familiar.
Sapphire Effect: When manifested, the Familiar can create a large barrier of light that absorbs a large amount of damage for a high mana cost and long cooldown.
Emerald Effect: When manifested or merged, the Familiar can slowly convert light into stamina or mana for both the Familiar and the summoner.
|
¡°It bonded a [Light Spirit Gem] at Sapphire Caste and then a [Harvest Spirit Gem] at Emerald,¡± Paul added, thinking back to those rituals; which reminded him of the ritual he still needed to do today, ¡°Ready to watch me get some wings now so I can fly around with Bela?¡±
¡°Yes!¡± Phoenix replied excitedly, then glanced at the hovering Familiar as she asked a bit hesitantly, ¡°Can I call you Bela too?¡±
Paul almost laughed aloud at the adorable response of the tiny hands rapidly clapping together without making the sound as the Familiar responded, ¡°This One would like that very much. May This One speak with Little Wayland without being manifested?¡±
¡°You can do that?¡± the Wayfarer asked, tilting her head to the side.
¡°Yes. Wayland thought it would startle Little Wayland if This One did so before asking like this first.¡±
He gave a weary sigh, ¡°Nobody likes hearing unfamiliar voices in their head, Bela. Even if you tried explaining who you were. Remember how Jerem reacted? That was a completely normal reaction.¡±
¡°Oerwynt deserved it,¡± his Familiar replied bluntly and he couldn¡¯t disagree with that point.
¡°That doesn¡¯t disprove my point,¡± the Paladin retorted then stood up from his spot against the wall and began making his way towards the center of the room to begin drawing out the ritual diagram they would need.
Phoenix made her way over a moment later, grinning down at him as he drew with the magically infused chalk he liked, and asked him, ¡°So, let me get this straight. Since the day we met, you¡¯ve had a woman in your head giving you advice about what to do?¡±
He shrugged, ¡°She gives good advice sometimes. Better when fighting.¡±
The metallic Familiar made an odd sound at that which was hard to describe except that it was extremely grating and made him wince as he amended, ¡°Despite her apparent track record of being right, I¡¯m not always the best listener.¡±
¡°This One¡¯s predictions are 98% accurate,¡± Orebela seemed to say proudly despite the lack of inflection and he was still amazed at how she managed to do that.
¡°Did that go up?¡± he asked idly as he continued drawing out the diagram quickly.
¡°This One was correct again about Little Wayland¡¯s reaction.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s snort of laughter caused him to smile before glancing up at the pair of women next to each other sharing a new sense of camaraderie and he didn¡¯t even care that it was at his own expense.
16 - Augmented
Paul stood, placing himself in the center of the finished ritual circle, and pulled his slick silver undershirt off. Like most Adventurers that conjured their armor, he wore the enchanted [Sliksilk Compression Gear] underneath. It was difficult to grapple and wouldn¡¯t snag on anything, along with having cleaning and mending enchantments to keep it and the wearer fresh. His was Emerald Caste and also a higher quality than the usual outfit the AOA would sell to their members at a discount.
The Paladin should have expected the sharp intake of breath Phoenix made at the sight of his chest, not due to the impressive musculature, but from the burnt-looking Sigil of the Purifier in the center of it that was about the size of his palm. He grimaced then tried for casual as he gestured to it, ¡°A parting gift from my previous god. He wasn¡¯t exactly happy about my rebellion. I got it when he made me a Fallen Paladin.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve heard people call you that,¡± she replied, her gaze still fixated on the blackened scar, ¡°But I thought it was just some kind of title.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a Divine Title, only given by gods, and has a visual side effect to remind me of what I lost along with my status as an enemy of the church,¡± he explained before adding, ¡°We can talk more about all that later if you¡¯re interested. I can go over the whole tragic story with you.¡±
The Wayfarer nodded slowly, then Paul held out the Augment towards his oldest companion and asked, ¡°Ready to do this, Bela?¡±
The gold head nodded and floated over to him to take the tiny silver wings from his palm before he turned his back towards her. He couldn¡¯t see the Familiar now but he could sense her lift the Augment up and press it against the center of his back between his shoulder blades and she mentally recited, ¡°Whether harder to harm, better to perform, faster to move, or stronger to battle; May this body be augmented with new power.¡±
As the circle began glowing brightly, Paul felt the sharp pain of the tiny item embed itself and begin to fuse with him. He felt the pulse of magic spreading throughout him, electric tingles running along his skin causing his hair to stand on end, as his body claimed the item as now a part of him. Even with his Emerald Fortitude, he was gritting his teeth at the pain that followed the ripples of change and adjustments his body was making for the new Augment until the glowing stopped.
¡°That was not a pleasant-looking face,¡± Phoenix said from in front of him, having apparently moved around the circle to check on how he was doing.
¡°Rude,¡± the Paladin replied with a huff, ¡°I¡¯m Emerald Caste; most people look at least pleasant by this point.¡±
She snorted a laugh, ¡°Sorry, I just meant that it looked like it hurt when those arcs of lightning were sparking all over you like that.¡±
¡°It did,¡± he retorted with a flat look, then shrugged, ¡°But it went fairly quick.¡±
¡°Well, let¡¯s see what they look like,¡± she exclaimed, moving around the circle again to look at his back and she gave a slight choking sound before laughing aloud, ¡°Actually, I should have seen that coming.¡±
Paul glanced back but had to bend unnaturally to see the tiny wings properly. Even stretched outwards, each wing was only about a half meter in length and barely made it out past his shoulders. They were black feathered; like a crow.
¡°How are you supposed to fly with such tiny things?¡± she asked curiously.
It felt both odd and natural to move them, like having muscles he never realized he had before and he knew they were currently in their [Passive Mode]. He flapped them a few times before giving a little hop up and hovered in the air much like Orebela was already.
¡°Okay, that¡¯s definitely magic. Physics just does not work like that,¡± Phoenix replied at the sight of the tiny wings keeping his muscular body aloft and he knew she wasn¡¯t wrong.
With his next thought, the wings seemed to almost burst outward as he put them into [Flight Mode] and they became longer than he was tall, the feathers now noticeably tipped with a dark red. Phoenix¡¯s eyes grew wide as saucers as she said, ¡°Okay, that just makes you look like some sort of Fallen Angel of Death. That is borderline terrifying while also insanely beautiful.¡±
Paul gave a wicked grin as he said, ¡°Hopefully the Soul Reapers will feel the former.¡±
¡°Is that what you¡¯ll be dealing with next?¡±
¡°I¡¯m still dealing with the repercussions of Tulisuda having been nearly destroyed,¡± he replied, stretching out the wings further to better get accustomed to them. He was grateful for his Emerald 10 Mind attribute helping him quickly recalibrate to their movements and how they affected his balance and range of motion.
¡°I thought that was all taken care of? All the traitors are being held either at the AOA or the duke¡¯s dungeon, right?¡±
¡°The ones that were active in the battle, yes, but they¡¯re still weeding out the spies and also the ongoing cleanup of the damage; though, I¡¯m not directly involved in the latter,¡± he explained, giving a few more large flaps before activating the [Defensive Mode] on the wings and needing to react quicker than he expected to move closer toward the Wayfarer to place her within the protection of the shield rather than accidentally decapitate her.
The wings had become massive, scraping the ceiling and gouging the floor as the feathers melded together in a solid wall of gleaming onyx reflecting the light from the glowstone and instead of the red tips, veins of gold ran through them in a pattern of glittering chaos.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
¡°Gods, Paul!¡± Phoenix exclaimed, after a moment of the dust settling around them, ¡°You almost cost me a life there!¡±
¡°Sorry,¡± he apologized, shifting the wings back into their [Passive Mode], ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting that.¡±
She gave him a flat look, ¡°No kidding.¡±
The Paladin gave her a contrite look before returning to the previous topic, ¡°I¡¯ll be helping the AOA with some more of their questioning of nobles before they transfer them over to the ducal guard for more questioning via alternative methods and eventual trial. It¡¯ll be a long process though, especially when having so many other threats to deal with.¡±
He hesitated a moment then added with a glance towards Orebela, deciding to take more of her advice and try more open honesty, ¡°I also have another quest from the Avenger to see to.¡±
The young woman¡¯s gaze narrowed at him as she crossed her arms and asked, ¡°Who are you killing this time?¡±
He probably deserved that. However, he shook his head as he admitted, ¡°No killing this time¡ but it will not be pleasant.¡±
¡°What does that mean?¡±
He ruffled his feathers a bit at the annoyed tone she gave, dislodging the debris from the ceiling and floor from the silken black and raining it upon his Prot¨¦g¨¦, as he answered, ¡°Not every transgression that needs avenging is murder. Some monsters don¡¯t instantly devour their prey, preferring to prolong suffering in order to feel powerful.¡±
Those green eyes shifted from a well-deserved glare at the mess into a look of surprise as she asked aghast, ¡°Are you telling me you¡¯re going to be torturing someone? Doesn¡¯t that make you as evil as the monster?!¡±
Paul gave a weary sigh, ¡°Sin for sin. This is what retribution means for me, Phoenix,¡± he said softly, brushing some of the bits of the ceiling from her hair, ¡°This next target has been hurting someone that they were meant to protect and is smart enough to not leave evidence. I¡¯m not going to let it continue.¡±
¡°Why don¡¯t you just tell them what Avenger told you? If a god told someone the truth then¨C¡±
¡°Why should they trust what I say is true?¡± he interjected. It was an argument as old as the gods existed and he guessed it would be difficult for a Wayfarer to understand if they came from a world without them. It was hard for him to even imagine a world where the gods didn¡¯t show themselves and reassure their followers that their faith was not misplaced.
¡°You¡¯re a Paladin!¡± she argued.
¡°I was a Paladin of the Purifier too,¡± Paul pointed out, ¡°When I spoke about the wrongs being committed for his whispers, they called me a liar and blasphemer. The courts will not allow second-hand divine testimony; otherwise, anyone might claim a god told them to do it.¡±
¡°So why doesn¡¯t the god just tell them directly what happened?¡±
¡°Laws of Divinity,¡± he stated with a heavy sigh, ¡°The interplay between various deities and the divine cost of their actions is a complexity that mortals have not yet unraveled. They do have ways that some nations will accept in exchange for breaking the laws of the land. In my specific case, I either need to provide a Sigil as divine proof and payment or be very careful about not getting caught.¡±
¡°Wait, so you are a vigilante criminal!¡± she exclaimed again then squeezed her eyes tight, pinching the bridge of her nose, and attempting to take deep breaths before saying, ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea of you going around hurting people like that, even if they deserve it. You shouldn¡¯t have to become a monster to fight them.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t enjoy the acts I must carry out for my god but I won¡¯t say I regret making the world safer with it. This is the path I have chosen, young one, no matter how dark it may seem to you.¡±
The Wayfarer gave an annoyed huff, dusting the rest of herself off more, and he was glad that she seemed to not argue further, ¡°So you have a mission investigating more nobles and another quest from the Avenger,¡± Phoenix reiterated, ¡°Anything else?¡±
Paul shook his head and picked up his shirt from where he had tossed it earlier, staring at it thoughtfully. He had failed to think through the aftereffects of getting physical wings and still needing to wear clothes.
¡°No. The Emissary missions are not difficult work but are often time-consuming,¡± he said, ¡°We don¡¯t know how long it will all take so I won¡¯t get another mission early but I¡¯m sure something else will come up for me to do; it always seems to, lately.¡±
Then he had another worry enter his mind and conjured his [Rage Regalia] around him and gave a sigh of relief when it adjusted to let the tiny wings through the back seamlessly.
Phoenix chuckled, ¡°You should see if BEL can put wing slits into your shirts.¡±
Paul gave a sigh, ¡°It¡¯ll have to wait. I have this mission and you have an expedition briefing to attend,¡± he said, moving to leave the ritual room. Without him even needing to send the thought, Orebela returned to her usual place within him. With her merged within his very being, the metal plate reappeared on his forehead and he knew his eyes were golden once more.
¡°Another Expedition?¡± the Astromancer inquired, perking up slightly as she moved to walk beside him.
¡°Rumors of Soul Reaper movement,¡± the Paladin replied with a frown, ¡°Unfortunately there are a lot of rumors flying around and parties are already being run ragged to keep up with the blood moon after losing so many in the Battle of Tulisuda. Our personnel resources are not doing well but we can¡¯t let the Soul Reapers get what they came here for.¡±
¡°So we¡¯re still investigating those rumors?¡± the Wayfarer deduced.
¡°Yes. Some lower Caste parties are being sent out to verify the rumors before we dedicate even more resources to searching and fighting. I think they want to clear the region faster, though, so they¡¯re sending as many teams as they can out at once in an attempt to reduce the chance of missing anywhere,¡± the Paladin continued, explaining as he navigated through his home while heading for the front door.
¡°Why do we care if they¡¯re all the way out there?¡± Phoenix asked in confusion, ¡°Tulisuda is safe below the city.¡±
¡°Remember the Caged?¡± he reminded in a rhetorical question, ¡°We believe they have some method of generating monsters to put those Soul Cages on. Honestly, I was hoping to gain more insight into that method to find a way to subvert it but our researcher ended up being the enemy,¡± he complained.
Then the Paladin redirected the conversation back, ¡°If we leave them be, we don¡¯t know how big of a threat they can become before moving against us. We don¡¯t know their methods or their limits. If they can somehow spawn a Ruby or Obsidian monster and Cage it to obey, they could easily destroy the city before we could muster a force to defend against something like that.¡±
¡°So we need to find any potential threat before it becomes too large to handle?¡± she clarified and at his nod, she asked, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you handle a Ruby monster?¡±
¡°Maybe,¡± he admitted as he opened the front door, ¡°Hopefully, the city won¡¯t have to depend on the outcome of a fight like that, though.¡±
17 - Another Expedition
King¡¯s Dream made their way to the AOA building where they had been told to meet to go over their next mission which they had been specifically chosen for along with a few other select parties.
They were escorted to a large meeting room on one of the upper floors of the building where rows of chairs were set up, all facing the front of the room where a podium sat with some kind of device that had some odd bulbs and metal tubing, which gave off the same steampunk vibes the rest of the city did. The entire atmosphere read as if there was going to be a lecture given at any moment and they were the students.
¡°Why is that woman waving at us?¡± Rayna asked curiously and Phoenix glanced over to see none other than Polissa Teras with her party sitting in one of the already occupied rows towards the back.
The cinderen woman smiled brightly towards them and leaned over to speak quietly to the other party members, nodding in her direction which caused the others to glance their way. Dazien seemed to ignore the attention as he led them to an empty row of seats also towards the back where the Crystal Casters would normally be placed, leaving the front rows for the Sapphire parties.
Determining the ¡°labeled¡± Caste of a party was relatively straightforward, the party¡¯s Caste was equal to that of the lowest member. It wouldn¡¯t matter if Paul himself officially joined their party, they would still be labeled as Crystal and limited as such. Now, they might be specifically chosen for higher Caste missions after more careful consideration and requirements needing fulfillment but they couldn¡¯t just grab a higher Caste mission because they thought they could handle it. Too many young and cocky Adventurers quickly died because of that.
The room quickly filled with four more Crystal Caste parties and three Sapphire parties, including Phoenix¡¯s former training partner, Bliss¡¯, party which she gave a slight wave to. She was a bit startled when the Sapphire Chimera then shifted form from a fluffy humanoid amalgamation of a brown owl, green anaconda, and black panther into the small onyx kitten that the Wayfarer was more familiar with and proceeded to jump into her lap to beg for pets and treats.
Uriel was quicker to oblige, handing over a cookie from his belt pouch, and Phoenix wondered now if the adorable kitten form was merely a way to bribe her and the Mage into getting tasty food. Then she realized that if she could manage to turn into a cute bundle of fur, she would totally do the same thing; Uriel¡¯s cooking was worth it.
Eventually, the AOA Director, Agatha Trayvious, walked to the front of the room with an assistant trailing behind. The other official moved quickly to slide a Knowledge Tablet into the base of the projector which caused a map to appear on the wall they were all facing and the director began to speak, ¡°Thank you all for arriving here on time. I know things have been a bit hectic and I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not going to get much better any time soon, so I¡¯ll get right to it.¡±
Agatha gestured to the map of the tundra with their city placed in the center top, the large gorge off in the west, the evergreen forests and lake to the south, and the Razorteeth Mountains to the east were the largest land markers.
Six red numbers appeared along the mountain range as the director continued, ¡°We have organized this as another expedition that will be led by Officer Wysmont. We will be having each Crystal party pair up and explore the Razorteeth mountains due to reports of Soul Reaper activity. Each pairing has some form of transport and communication ability to help with scouting and reporting.
"The Sapphire parties will each have their own route and each group leader will make sure everyone regroups at the designated location at sundown each day until the routes are cleared or a threat is discovered.¡±
She gestured to a green circle near the Eastern Trade Road that wound its way through the center of the mountain range, ¡°If you encounter the enemy, it will be at the group leader¡¯s discretion whether or not you will engage based on the likelihood of success. Otherwise, you will be expected to report back for reinforcements. Any questions?¡±
One of the members of Polissa¡¯s team, a runeforged with colors that looked like glinting silver, raised his hand as he asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t we just have the esteemed Lord Paladin Wayland scout out and destroy anything he comes across?¡±
The director frowned slightly and said, ¡°Lord Wayland has been assigned another mission already and cannot be in two places at once. While it might seem logical to have a stronger Adventurer make the work seem trivial, it would be inefficient and impractical to rest all of our missions on one man¡¯s shoulders.¡±
Another hand raised from the front of the room as a Sapphire Caster asked, ¡°What about monster encounters? Should our priority be the speed of mission completion or take the time to handle monsters as we come across them?¡±
¡°While we want to move quickly on the potential threat you¡¯ll be scouting for, you should, if capable, eliminate any discovered threats along the way,¡± the director answered then waited a few moments longer before acknowledging there were no more questions at that time, ¡°Very well then. Party leaders come to the front for your pair and route number assignments.¡±
Some chatter broke out as each leader stood and made their way to the front of the room. Phoenix remained silent as she watched Dazien while thinking about what Paul had told her earlier about the threat the Soul Reapers posed and she couldn¡¯t help the dozens of worries that buzzed through her head.
Rayna leaned over and whispered to her with hushed amusement, ¡°That woman keeps looking this way towards you. I think I recognize her now from your party. Do you know what she wants?¡±
Phoenix shrugged at the voxen, while idly petting Bliss¡¯ soft fur as the Chimera purred in her lap, and recalled her last talk with the cinderen woman, ¡°Her name¡¯s Polissa Teras. She wanted to talk over some drinks but I told her we¡¯re busy with our missions.¡±
Rayna¡¯s amber eyes widened slightly and the bard seemed to reassess the cinderen across the aisle then chuckled, ¡°Poor woman has no idea the uphill battle she¡¯s facing.¡±
¡°What does that mean?¡± the Wayfarer asked with a confused expression, it¡¯s not like she had been lying about them being buried in missions as this very meeting was proof of.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
Saiya leaned against her and said softly with a gentle smile, ¡°I do believe you have an admirer in Noble Teras,¡± then the voxen bent forward to speak to Rayna on the redhead¡¯s other side, ¡°Her interest seems genuine, Rayna, so stop feeling like you need to intrude.¡±
The pugilist tried to lean back in the chair before wincing slightly and leaning forwards again to give more space for the three fluffy tails needing to bend up and around the chair awkwardly, ¡°I wasn¡¯t,¡± the bard grumbled, ¡°I¡¯m just sayin¡¯ that unless you say it to her face like you just did, Phoenix isn¡¯t gonna understand and that¡¯s gonna make the game Polissa wants to play harder.¡±
¡°Game?¡± the Wayfarer asked, now completely lost on what the twins seemed to be talking about, ¡°What am I not understanding?¡±
Rayna just looked at her with a face full of pity and said with a sigh, ¡°Oh, sweet flower.¡±
Uriel leaned forward slightly then to look past Saiya, which wasn¡¯t difficult with the height difference as he asked the bard, ¡°Are you suggesting Noble Teras wants to court Phoenix?¡±
¡°Whaaaa?¡± the redhead gawked with shock, then quickly felt her face matching her hair as she promptly denied, ¡°No. There¡¯s no way. I¡¯m nobody. I¡¯m¨C¡±
¡°The heir of the second most powerful noble House on the tundra and marked with the Favor of six gods,¡± Rayna interjected flatly, ¡°Not to mention an Aurabreaker and Wayfarer. You really need to stop seeing yourself as some nobody kid who has nothing even remotely interesting about them. At this point, it¡¯s just gonna get you hurt.¡±
Phoenix blinked and realized that Rayna was right. The truth of it finally clicked in her mind with the blunt way the voxen had stated it. Even if she hadn¡¯t done anything to deserve those things, it would still make people pay attention to her and potentially try to get closer to her for reasons other than just wanting a friend. She changed her denial to a question instead, ¡°You think she just wants to chat with me because of all that?¡±
¡°Not necessarily. I can see the way she¡¯s looking at you, even as we speak,¡± Rayna said with a mixture of annoyance and amusement as the bard looked over at Polissa, who kept glancing towards her and the kitten in her lap in turn, ¡°She looks like she wants to devour you.¡±
¡°Are you sure she¡¯s not looking at Bliss? Or maybe you? Maybe you can, um, get eaten instead?¡± she said with uncertainty.
Uriel snorted and even Saiya put paw to mouth to keep from laughing as Rayna gave her a narrowed look and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t think you actually know what that implied so just¡ don¡¯t say that again. Like ever. Aside from that, she doesn¡¯t seem my type. Especially if you are her type.¡±
¡°Does she not interest you, Phoenix?¡± Saiya asked softly, ¡°I know we talked about it before but have you thought more about what your type of person is when it comes to courting?¡±
Phoenix shook her head, ¡°I have no idea. I haven¡¯t really had time to think about it more. We¡¯ve been busy and it¡¯s not really high on my list of priorities. It¡¯s all been monsters, traitors, zealots, invaders, and the missions to handle all of that, remember?¡±
The Healer gave a soft smile and said, ¡°Well, maybe you can take some time between missions. What personality traits make you happy to be around? What physical traits make you want to get closer? It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t know but if you take the time to think about it then you might discover that you have certain preferences.¡±
She scrunched her face at the idea and asked, ¡°Why?¡± then corrected herself and clarified, ¡°I mean, why should I set aside that time instead of focusing on the missions and my other projects? What¡¯s the point of getting involved with someone like that when we¡¯re busy all the time and I might not be in the city for much longer after the blood moon ends and I hit Sapphire?¡±
Rayna gave a heavy sigh, ¡°You¡¯re gonna burn out if all you do is missions and projects. We have off days for a reason, time to unwind and relax. There¡¯s nothing wrong with relaxing with someone.¡±
¡°Even if you aren¡¯t looking for a relationship. If you at least understand what you might or might not be interested in, you can learn to gently turn down the people who don¡¯t fit that description. It might seem¡ harsh at times to turn down a love interest but it¡¯s kinder than leading them on with false hope,¡± Uriel surprised them all by saying.
Before Phoenix could ask more, though, Dazien returned to the group, who all stood to meet him, and informed them that they were to be paired with the Chaos Summoners party which included Polissa Teras. The room was bustling now with people moving to leave and even Bliss reluctantly made her way back to her own party, with a parting cookie from Uriel, where Noble Stratfured stood in her glittering dress with their own mission route in hand.
"There must be rules against this. Isn''t it a conflict of interest or something?" Rayna groaned, ¡°We can¡¯t have members crushing on others and distracting everyone.¡±
"You know full well there are no rules against couples or family members being in the same party, let alone the same mission," Saiya chided as the Healer held her sister''s paw in an attempt to calm the bard.
"It''s the assignment we''ve been given and I hope you won''t be lax just because you don''t like our partners," Dazien said, his tone heavy with warning.
The Striker scowled in return, "I''m not so petty that I would risk a mission for that. Despite what you seem to be implying."
The party leader looked like he was about to retort when he met Saiya''s gaze and paused, nodding his head, "I know. I''m sorry. I also know we''re all getting a little burnt out from this blood moon lasting so long. I just don''t want any of us to make a mistake we might regret because we¡¯re worried about things outside of our control."
Saiya smiled at him and added, "Perhaps this is an opportunity for all of us to get to know some other Adventurers better while supporting Phoenix in navigating this new experience?"
Phoenix rolled her eyes, ¡°You say that like I¡¯m going to panic at the first sign of¨C¡±
¡°Hello, Starlight,¡± a confident voice said from right behind her and the Wayfarer froze, partially wondering if she didn¡¯t turn to look then the woman speaking to her wouldn¡¯t be there.
She pushed that illogical thought to the side, turned to look at Polissa, and managed to choke out, ¡°H¨Chello, Po.¡±
The cinderen wore regular adventuring gear of light leather armor but of a much higher quality that wouldn¡¯t normally be considered ¡®regular¡¯. Regardless of the cost and type of garb, the woman stood with the same confidence she had in a gown, ¡°Looks like we''ll be teaming up tomorrow. I look forward to chatting more with you on the expedition but do you think we could start early and you could join me for dinner?¡±
Phoenix hesitated, looking to her friends for guidance but the group seemed torn. Rayna was shaking her head in exasperation while Saiya just smiled encouragingly. Uriel looked indifferent but that was kind of his default state and Dazien was surprisingly a blank slate.
As she looked at her leader questioningly, he finally gave a soft, almost teasing, smile as he said, ¡°You won''t know if you like it until you try it,¡± then he gently tapped her forehead to indicate his communication link with her, ¡°We''ll be available if you need us either way. We¡¯re just going to restock supplies for tomorrow.¡±
She glanced at the smiling cinderen and felt her anxiety get the better of her as she said, ¡°Um, I¡¯d like to help restock and there¡¯re some things I need to make sure to get from Madam Malik as well before we leave.¡±
At the woman''s slightly crestfallen appearance, she added, ¡°B¨Cbut I¡¯m looking forward to talking more on the journey tomorrow. If that sounds okay?¡±
The smile returned and Polissa nodded, ¡°Sounds wonderful. I¡¯ll see you then, Starlight.¡±
18 - Position of Power
¡°I¡¯m still a bit surprised you encouraged her to go,¡± Uriel said as they watched the Wayfarer chatting happily with the voxen while they perused the precarious shelves of Mother¡¯s Cupboard.
The current attendant at the counter had informed them that Madam Malik had gone out for an errand but was expected to return soon. Since Phoenix needed to retrieve a special order from her, they decided to wait and focused on the items they needed to restock, browsing for anything else that might seem useful for the upcoming expedition.
¡°It will be good for her to make some more friends. She already has trouble trusting people after everything with House Ruwena and her new social position doesn¡¯t offer any reassurance in that regard,¡± he pointed out while lifting an item that looked like some kind of puzzle box, ¡°Plus, I remember what she said about never being in a relationship before. I meant it when I said she won¡¯t know what she likes until she tries new things.¡±
¡°Yeah, but don¡¯t you want her to try those new things with you?¡± Uriel asked pointedly. The two men stared at one another for a long moment and the Mage added, ¡°I see how you look at her, Daze. I don¡¯t understand why you keep denying the obvious.¡±
Dazien glanced back towards Phoenix, carefully considering her, and tossed around the thoughts that had been circling the back of his mind since his partner had first made the suggestion to him. He gave a sigh and shook his head, ¡°While I admit that I find her attractive, I feel that way towards a lot of people; apparently more than most. However, I don¡¯t think that kind of relationship is something either of us wants. I¡¯m allowed to find people attractive without wanting to pursue something like that, you know.¡±
He set the box back down as Uriel nodded in acquiescence and began walking back down the aisle away from the women while he continued saying, ¡°As far as trying new things together, you already know I¡¯m always wanting to do that with everyone but that¡¯s not because I have some need to be their first. It¡¯s always made me happy to see my friends happy and all of us seem to enjoy learning new things,¡± he glanced back towards the group of women as the pugilist excitedly picked up a heavy-looking helmet, attempting to fit it over her ears, and he amended, ¡°Well, most of us do. I think Rayna just likes new loot.¡±
The Defender turned to face Uriel instead and said quietly, ¡°With Phoenix, everything is new to her. The food, the books, the people, the magic. I don¡¯t know how she isn¡¯t overwhelmed by it all but I admire her for it. That being said, she is just a friend.¡±
¡°Nothing more?¡± the cinderen asked him curiously with a raised brow.
¡°Not for now, at least,¡± the gemite said firmly, continuing his walk down the aisle of towering treasures, ¡°Phoenix wasn¡¯t wrong when she said we were busy. I don¡¯t need to make things more complicated by exploring potential relationships with anyone right now; let alone a party member I hold a position of power over.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think any of those women think your position on paper means you would leverage that against them,¡± Uriel said with a frown, following beside him, ¡°You¡¯ve made it clear that they¡¯re free to speak up about anything.¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he stated with a shake of his head, ¡°As long as I¡¯m leading this party, it is both inappropriate and dishonorable of me to be the one to initiate something like that. Besides, I wouldn¡¯t want to be worried by the thought that they only said ¡®yes¡¯ because they felt like they had to. Because I¡¯m their leader. You and I only work because our relationship was established before any position was put on paper and the fact that you initiated, not me.¡±
Dazien paused as he stared up at an especially impressive obelisk of random items that actually seemed to lean over them and he expressed another thought aloud, ¡°Now that I look back on it, I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t pursue anything with you on my own. I don¡¯t think I could have lived with the worry that you only returned my affections because you saw me as a king giving you a command.¡±
Uriel stared at him for a long moment, amethysts meeting embers, before the cinderen nodded and said, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry for pushing the matter. If that¡¯s how you feel, then I don¡¯t think I need to worry about Phoenix or you getting hurt.¡±
¡°We are still going into monster-infested mountains tomorrow,¡± the gemite pointed out with a wry smile, ¡°There is still a very high likelihood of both of us getting hurt.¡±
The Mage rolled his eyes, ¡°I¡¯m more worried about you than her in that case. You¡¯re the one taking most of the hits and she¡¯ll just survive every¨C¡±
Dazien grabbed his partner¡¯s arm to halt the conversation as he interrupted with narrowed eyes, ¡°We don¡¯t know what she can survive¡ or who might be watching for her weaknesses. We don¡¯t know who might test the social protections granted to one of the Favored.¡±
Thankfully, Uriel seemed to take the hint as the leader glanced around the very public store and switched to speaking mentally with his partner, ¡°We don¡¯t know who might be watching or listening. Do not speak of Phoenix¡¯s impossible talent outside of our mental communication or Lord Wayland¡¯s estate.¡±
¡°Right. Sorry,¡± the cinderen replied while putting on an appearance of looking at the store wares again, ¡°My point remains, though, that she¡¯ll just come back. If she survived exploding an Emerald Caster, you don¡¯t really need to worry about her so much.¡±
The leader¡¯s face darkened at the memory and he replied, ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Uriel. I saw it happen. I can¡¯t just unsee that. I don¡¯t want to ever see it happen again.¡±
The Mage leaned forward, placed a warm hand on the gemite¡¯s shoulder, and mentally whispered, ¡°I do understand, Daze. I¡¯ve seen the people I love die in front of me before. Remember? If anything, I understand better than you because that was the last time I ever saw them,¡± Uriel¡¯s expression softened, ¡°If it happens again to her, it¡¯s not permanent; she¡¯ll just return to us. You shouldn¡¯t need to worry about that.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Dazien glared at his friend, ¡°You¡¯re okay with seeing that happen to her? Of watching her die?¡±
¡°Of course not,¡± the cinderen rebuked, ¡°I almost took out a town in my anger after I thought she fell. But her talent changes everything. I don¡¯t have to fear losing her to the Undertaker. Plus, she¡¯s never been a fragile bird in need of a protective cage, Daze. She¡¯s a strong Adventurer which is why you wanted her in our party in the first place. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±
¡°I know,¡± he growled aloud, then glanced back towards the woman who had arrested his interest so thoroughly. He was fairly certain that romance was not what either of them wanted but ¡®just friends¡¯ also didn¡¯t feel completely right. His tone softened, ¡°I know, Uriel. I need to step back for now. I need to focus on being a good friend for all of you and not let my worries affect how I lead.¡±
Uriel nodded in understanding and relented, ¡°That¡¯s not the worst plan,¡± then he gave his usual smirk, ¡°Some of the best loves come from the strongest friendships.¡±
Dazien rolled his eyes, ¡°You¡¯re incorrigible sometimes, you know that?¡±
¡°I thought you liked that sometimes?¡± the Mage replied, still smirking.
Before the Defender could retort, a raspy voice echoed down the aisle towards him, ¡°Mister Smithson! Have you come to finally accept my offer?¡±
¡°Madam Malik!¡± Phoenix exclaimed as she heard the older woman call out to Dazien and she quickly made her way over, ¡°I came to pick up that other project you wrote to me saying was ready.¡±
The large cinderen woman grinned at her and gave a beckoning gesture, ¡°Indeed it is. It¡¯s waitin¡¯ in the back room for you.¡±
She grabbed both Rayna and Saiya¡¯s furred hands and dragged them along behind her, telling the men to follow as well, which Saiya helped with by grabbing each of their hands with a tail causing her to laugh at the sight which made everyone else laugh along with her.
Once they were in the back room and calmed down, the merchant glanced at the group before asking her, ¡°Do you want it to be a surprise from me or you?¡±
Phoenix couldn¡¯t stop smiling as she said, ¡°You can go ahead. Use that cool [Identification Orb] and [Knowledge Tablet] you were showing me earlier,¡± then she added for the others, ¡°Turns out, the information it gives is identical to what my [Guide Book] tells me. Isn¡¯t that awesome?¡±
Dazien raised a brow and asked, ¡°That would imply that the world is somehow providing that information to both the orb and your soul¡¡± he trailed off and glanced down at where her Soul Mark was beneath her clothing.
Her eyes went wide as her mind began going down that rabbit hole of theory-crafting. Did one of the gods have a direct link to her before she even arrived in this world? Maybe they messed with something while she was in transit? Or maybe it¡¯s just her soul being a weird Wayfarer thing that was better at receiving information? Too many questions and not enough evidence or ways to test. How could she test something like that?
The spiraling distraction was interrupted by Madam Malik setting a wide but fairly flat box on a table and stating, ¡°This is the gift for Lady Rayna,¡± then she placed another box beside it, this one more like a small block, ¡°And this is the tool you asked for. I managed to find a newer Crystal Artificer that offered to make it at a discount for the experience.¡±
¡°Wait, did you say that was for me?¡± the bard asked quizzically, as though not having heard it properly.
¡°Yep,¡± Phoenix confirmed, ¡°I had some material burning a metaphorical hole in my collection and thought it might be useful for you. You seemed to always want to come scouting with me.¡±
Rayna walked forward to read the tablet that Madam Malik held out as the merchant opened the box to place the orb on the item within.
Item: Shade Cloak
Made from Shadeweave and intended for increasing stealth.
Caste: Crystal.
Availability: Rare.
Type: Apparel, cloak.
Requirements: Crystal Caste or higher.
Effects:
- Increased effect of Stealth abilities.
- Blends the wearer into the surrounding shadows making them harder to sense.
- For a low mana cost or a single [Mana Bit] equal to the Caste of the wearer the wearer can become momentarily incorporeal incurring a long cooldown.
|
¡°This is awesome!¡± the bard exclaimed then turned to clarify with the Wayfarer, ¡°You¡¯re just giving this to me?¡±
¡°Sure,¡± she replied with a tilt of her head, ¡°I already have my aura and armor that helps me out. Now you can sneak around with me.¡±
Rayna gave an adorable squeal and wrapped strong arms around her in a tight hug that threatened to break her with that Sapphire Caste Strength but a gentle touch from Saiya had the Striker loosen up.
¡°So what¡¯s the tool?¡± the bard asked while pulling out the shadowy cloak from the box to try on.
Phoenix opened the other box and pulled out a short hand-held brass telescope about a half foot in length that held a large perfectly round crystal in the wider lens end. She held it towards the merchant who touched the [Identification Orb] to it in order to let everyone read the description as they came closer to see.
Item: Crystal Spyglass
Made from the crystal eye of a Flaywing.
Caste: Crystal.
Availability: Uncommon.
Type: Tool, telescope.
Requirements: Crystal Caste or higher.
Effects:
- Can see a great distance away.
- Can detect the Caste of an item or creature.
|
Uriel gave her a slight smirk, ¡°Finally used that [Crystal Eye] from the Flaywing quest?¡±
She chuckled, ¡°Hey, we¡¯ve been busy but your reminder earlier did help. Anyways, I decided to go with crafting it into an item instead of an Augment I wouldn¡¯t be able to use after hitting Sapphire.¡±
¡°It probably won¡¯t last forever, though,¡± Dazien pointed out, ¡°Eventually, your natural sight will be better than what any Crystal Caste item can grant.¡±
¡°I did ask about that, actually,¡± Madam Malik spoke up, ¡°The Artificer said it¡¯d likely get outstriped at Emerald but that¡¯s a lot longer than losing it at the beginning of Sapphire.¡±
¡°See? I¡¯m not completely hopeless when making financial decisions,¡± the Wayfarer replied, nudging the Defender¡¯s arm playfully.
Dazien chuckled and shook his head, ¡°I just meant that you shouldn¡¯t forget about recycling it once you¡¯ve out-leveled it. Don¡¯t let it waste away in your collection,¡± then he surprised her slightly by acknowledging, ¡°You¡¯re right, though. It was a good choice.¡±
She smiled brightly, proud of the acknowledgment, and happy at Rayna¡¯s obvious excitement at the gift as the voxen called out, ¡°Can you see me now?¡± and they all found themselves looking around the room full of packages and items casting shadows in the dimly lit space.
As she met Dazien¡¯s gaze, it felt like they both had the same realization as she asked, ¡°Not a good choice?¡±
At the same time, he said, ¡°Not a good choice.¡±
Then both broke out into laughter.
19 - Support Team
Phoenix smiled at the sight of the Emerald Caste voxen speaking with another priest she didn¡¯t recognize so she decided to forgo distracting him and stayed with her party as they were arriving at the Western district¡¯s small portal grounds. She hadn¡¯t seen the man since he had cleared her for duty during the battle for Tulisuda after she had wrecked her body in a fight against a Sapphire archer.
Everin Starlark was a playful Spirit Advocate Class, who filled the role of a Healer, and was also a Cleric of the Rebel, who was one of the first gods that had marked her soul. Apparently, the presence of her aura was enough to distract the man as she felt his brush along hers. Ice blue eyes slid towards her and he seemed to half-drag the other Caster he had been talking with over to her.
¡°Noble Phoenix Wayland,¡± the five-tailed voxen greeted, ¡°How good it is to see you here, alive and well.¡±
His words reminded her that this man knew about her [Waypoint] ability and likely knew exactly what had happened at the end of that last expedition. His next words all but confirmed her suspicions, ¡°Let us hope it remains that way for the entirety of this expedition.¡±
¡°Cleric Starlark. Acolyte Barrett. It¡¯s good to see both of you again. Will you be joining our mission?¡± Dazien asked, saving her from an awkward response of arguing that it wasn¡¯t like she planned on dying¡ most of the time.
The Emerald Caster shook his head, his white-furred ears falling slightly to help emphasize his heavy sigh of sorrow, ¡°Alas not. I will be joining Lord Paladin Wayland this afternoon in taking down an Emerald monster far to the west.¡±
Her eyes went wide at that news, ¡°He didn¡¯t mention that,¡± she murmured, finding herself rubbing the little golden bead on her bracelet, which vibrated in response a moment later and gave off a soft glow as Paul returned her tiny gesture. She could sense him to the south, likely at the AOA building, and wondered what the range limit might be on the bracelets. She doubted a Crystal Caste item could sense opposite sides of the tundra.
¡°The report only came in about a half hour ago,¡± Everin replied, ¡°But Emerald monsters move fast and our information moves frustratingly slow. Acolyte Barrett here will be joining you, however, and he should be plenty capable enough. Not that Lady Saiya needs the assistance. She is an excellent Healer for a kit.¡±
¡°For an Adventurer,¡± Dazien corrected firmly, ¡°Forgive my ignorance, Cleric Starlark, but if not for the expedition then why are you here?¡±
Everin gave the party leader a wicked vulpine grin, ¡°I doubt there is much ignorance to forgive, Mister Smithson, but I merely stopped by to give Acolyte Barrett some¡ words of advice and to speak with your Striker, Lady Rayna.¡±
The entire party looked surprised at that proclamation, turning to look at the bard who seemed just as startled as they were, ¡°Me?¡± the pugilist clarified, pointing a single tiny claw at herself.
The Cleric nodded in confirmation, ¡°Yes,¡± he said, then as Rayna seemed about to decline the man added, ¡°If your party leader will allow it, that is.¡±
Dazien raised a questioning brow that Phoenix agreed with, it wasn¡¯t like an Emerald Caster would need that kind of permission but it became clearer what the cunning voxen¡¯s angle was when the bard gave a loud scoff, ¡°Daze doesn¡¯t get to choose who I¡¯m allowed to talk to,¡± then Rayna gave the Defender a soft punch on the arm and walked forward to join the Cleric to talk away from the group.
Phoenix turned to look at Dazien and said, ¡°He¡¯s almost as scary as you when it comes to convincing people to do whatever you want.¡±
The gemite chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m not positive what you might be implying, Princess. I merely speak the truth and the people agree with my logical conclusions.¡±
She gave him a disbelieving, ¡°Mmhmm,¡± then turned towards Saiya to ask, ¡°Is Everin from your homeland? From Epa Toivo?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t believe so. I¡¯d never seen his coloration on the dunes before we met on the road leading here,¡± the Healer replied with a shake of her head.
Uriel spoke up with more speculation, ¡°He¡¯s likely a Moonsong voxen. They¡¯re said to have pale skin and white fur like that and normally reside in northern Alkupera.¡±
¡°How do you seem to know more about voxen than an actual voxen?¡± Phoenix asked incredulously. She vaguely recalled him knowing what type of voxen the twins had been when they first met them too.
The tall cinderen simply shrugged and said, ¡°It was mentioned in a book I read. They roam the same forest that gryphons do.¡±
¡°I¡¯m curious what brought him here,¡± Dazien said softly but gave a sidelong glance at Phoenix as he added, ¡°I have my suspicions but it¡¯s been months since he arrived and is only now interacting with our group outside of Adventuring duties. Either something changed or he¡¯s a very patient man and I¡¯m not sure which worries me more.¡±
¡°He knows about my resurrection talent,¡± she told them all through Dazien¡¯s communication power, not wanting to risk being overheard out in the open like this, ¡°He knew back in Tulisuda before I died. I think Rebel told him and he said he would keep it a secret but it makes me wonder how many other gods are keeping it a secret with their clergy.¡±
Her leader grimaced at that news, seeming to reassess the Emerald Caster who was chatting happily with Rayna and the bard seemed to laugh at something he had said. Then Dazien surprised the Wayfarer by turning to the silent stranger left beside them and asked, ¡°Acolyte Barrett, thank you again for your help during the battle for Tulisuda. I admit it is a comfort to know you and your team of Sapphire Casters will be joining this expedition.¡±
The runeforged man seemed to become flustered at the praise and attention the group now paid him as he replied awkwardly, ¡°N¨Cno, I mean, I was merely doing my duty as a Healer and an Acolyte.¡±
¡°For the Cultivator, judging from your sigils,¡± the gemite gestured towards the emblems woven into the man¡¯s green tunic, which Phoenix assumed was for her benefit but she was starting to recognize most of the prominent sigils that were separate from the runes that were used in reference to the deities within rituals and enchantments. The little sprouting seed on Barrett¡¯s tunic matched the mark on her chest and was a common symbol for the Cultivator.
¡°A worthy path for sure. I¡¯m curious, though, what does your duty as an Acolyte have to do with this mission or the last expedition we were in?¡± Dazien asked and, if she hadn¡¯t known better, she would have believed it was just professional curiosity that drove his questions.
The Acolyte¡¯s eyes sliding towards her spoke more than his words, however, when he replied, ¡°My goddess cares about the survival and growth of this city and all of its inhabitants. She doesn¡¯t want to see any life end before it can flourish.¡±
¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think he knows about your talent, so maybe it¡¯s a Caste thing? Or perhaps because Starlark is a Cleric and not a mere Acolyte,¡± Dazien told the group mentally as he said aloud, ¡°That is wonderful to hear, and makes perfect sense for her followers to choose an Adventuring life then.¡±
The runeforged smiled, ¡°Yes. Aside from cultivating other things like plants or animals, my goddess is also strongly aligned with personal growth. Cultivating Aspect abilities is one of the most revered activities to perform within her domain.¡±
Phoenix was happy to hear that from the man. After Patricia¡¯s introduction to what was done in the deity¡¯s name at the Cultivator¡¯s Citadel, she thought the goddess was only interested in her for making babies far far in the future.
Perhaps the goddess was more like the others in wanting to help her grow herself. She found herself wondering again why the gods gifted her with a Soul Mark and if there was anything she actually got out of bearing the social responsibility of it.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
People had seemed in awe at her Noble Reveal and even her party seemed to understand there was great importance behind being ¡°Favored¡± by the gods but she wasn¡¯t sure what, if anything, was expected from it.
Her introspection was interrupted by Rayna returning with a slightly confused expression and Acolyte Barrett taking his leave to rejoin Everin. She was about to ask what the Emerald Caster had wanted with her when Dazien beat her to it by voicing his guess, ¡°He wanted you to join the clergy of the Rebel?¡±
¡°Yeah. He said I would be well suited for it and made some really good points¡¡± the bard admitted glancing towards the direction the Cleric had gone in, ¡°I told him I¡¯d think about it.¡±
¡°Are you going to?¡± Saiya asked, ¡°I know I¡¯ve talked about joining the Traveler but you never seemed interested in becoming a disciple.¡±
Everyone else turned to look at Saiya this time and Phoenix asked, ¡°You what now?¡±
The voxen gave her a soft smile, ¡°It¡¯s not an uncommon choice for a voxen. We¡¯re a very nomadic people. I¡¯ve been contemplating it since long before learning you were Favored by that particular deity.¡±
¡°Alright everyone, gather around!¡± a cinderen woman called out, who Phoenix recognized as the high-level Sapphire Caster, Officer Wysmont, that would be leading this expedition, ¡°Noble Wayland will be portaling us nearer to the rendezvous point. Then, once we arrive, I have some rather expensive items to hand around before we go on our individual routes.¡±
It took a moment for Phoenix to remember that she was ¡°Noble Wayland¡± now but at least the name was already important enough to her that it caught her attention despite the momentary confusion.
She stepped forward at the prompting and the Officer described the ideal location along the Eastern Trade Road that they wanted to be near. She knew she could get them rather close, having a spot right by the road that Paul had told her to memorize as it was a common destination for giving mission directions from.
It took Phoenix a while to get everyone through, Bliss going first in her massive humanoid chimera form that always made Phoenix shiver a bit at the memories of pain that form could inflict when they trained. One of the Crystal parties went through next; with her [Transversing the Stars] ability at Crystal 9, she was only able to get one Sapphire and eight Crystals through before it was depleted and they had to wait another five minutes for her to cast it again. However, this was much quicker than the days of traveling that it would have taken them all on foot, even with their individual movement abilities the groups had been chosen for.
The Razorteeth Mountains they arrived at were a treacherous range of sharp cliffs and spikes that appeared as though they desired nothing more than to swallow the sun from the sky. When the nine parties arrived at the rendezvous point, they quickly organized their communication channels between them so that they could relay information as the six groups followed different paths through the mountains teeming with monsters and were rumored to be hiding Soul Reapers that were preparing to move against them.
Before they departed, however, Officer Wysmont cast a large ritual circle around a pile of scrolls that Phoenix was unfamiliar with as she asked anyone who might answer, ¡°What does this ritual do?¡±
It was Noble Chriss Stratfured, Bliss¡¯ party leader, who responded, the woman¡¯s crystal-covered dress glinting in the light cast from the ritual lines, ¡°It¡¯s imprinting the scrolls to this location so that they will teleport the user here when used.¡±
Phoenix was almost not quick enough to react but the little chirp gave her enough of a forewarning as Tala moved from the perch atop her head to launch at the shiny woman, ¡°No! Tala, no. We¡¯ve talked about this. Not everything that glitters is for you to take.¡±
The noblewoman gave her a pitying look as she said, ¡°I understand how taxing the whims of a Familiar can be. You are fortunate you can merge with her.¡±
The Sapphire Caster¡¯s long iridescent hair vaguely reminded Phoenix of Dazien¡¯s own shiny purple locks but this woman¡¯s flowing tresses were a bit lighter and her rounded ears marked her as more likely to be a human than a gemite, which her aura also confirmed. Phoenix wondered if the coloration was from some kind of ritual or a Familiar effect.
The way Chriss had seemed slightly wistful at the idea of merging made her wonder where the woman¡¯s own bonded Familiar had gone off to. Maybe it was a bird or something flying around the group or just too small for her to easily spot. Bliss then brushed against her leg, back in that usual kitten form while waiting to depart, and she obliged the chimera with some ear scritches.
Once the ritual was done and everyone except her received one of the scrolls, Phoenix was told by the cinderen leader, ¡°I¡¯m not giving one of these to you because you have your portal ability. Noble Stratfured was correct in recognizing that they are very expensive single-use mid-range teleportation scrolls,¡± the Officer glanced at the others and emphasized, ¡°Only to be used in the event of an emergency. Every party has other means of moving quickly, so these are only a last resort. The others in King¡¯s Dream received one in the event that you become¡ incapacitated.¡±
It wasn¡¯t lost on Phoenix that the most likely means of incapacitation was her death but she assumed it was for morale that the Officer avoided the term. Then the leader gave them all one last order, ¡°Now, you each have your team and route assignments. Follow those and if you find anything regarding the Soul Reapers you return here immediately and attempt to contact the others via Mister Smithson¡¯s or my own communication networks. If you don¡¯t find anything, then you are expected to return here by sunrise for some rest and roll call.¡±
As everyone acknowledged the order and began to split up, Chaos Summoners and King¡¯s Dream began making their way further east down the trade road following the route they had been assigned. Phoenix¡¯s party consisted of five Adventurers, one Cosmic Phoenix sitting amongst red curls, and one large Seagull that trailed after Saiya through the air. The other party was made of only four Adventurers but, other than Po, they each had a bonded Familiar following after them or on some part of their body.
At first, the two groups stayed to themselves, unsure of the others. That was until Polissa made her way to Phoenix¡¯s side, pulling a more reluctant teammate along while the others followed the cinderen with amused smiles, and the woman started talking to the other members of King¡¯s Dream; breaking the metaphorical ice between them by making introductions.
¡°Hello, everyone. Phoenix and I met at her Reveal but I¡¯m Polissa Teras. My Class is Garrison Overseer and I mostly provide our party Defenders,¡± the noble said, then tugged at the arm of the man she had practically dragged over as she added, ¡°And this is Tanner Neired, our party leader.¡±
Tanner was the runeforged who had suggested Paul do their mission the day before and also the appointed leader of their combined group, being both higher Caste and a more veteran Adventurer than Dazien. He was being followed by what Phoenix recognized as a Sivatherium, the silvery-hooved avals that looked like a cross between a moose and a small giraffe and were often used to pull wagons since they had a more docile nature. The man gave a roll of his eyes and stated disinterestedly, ¡°I¡¯m a Pack Harbinger, in charge of our general strategy and providing our Strikers.¡±
Then a chipper girl that seemed to be covered in blue plants, whom Phoenix could only assume was one of the dryads she had read about based on the unfamiliar aura, bounced forward to greet them, a tiny icy sparrow-like bird sitting on a small branch protruding from the girl¡¯s blue hair, ¡°Hi! I¡¯m Mohala Pelenus, a Scout Nest. I provide mostly birds that are good at providing combat support and, obviously, scouting.¡±
Phoenix gave a small bow in greeting, thoroughly intrigued by the presence of the dryad. It was her first time actually meeting one in person and she was internally fangirling over the being that was merely a myth in her old world. The woman¡¯s skin looked like silky blue petals and had eyes that were solid blue without any whites or pupils. The hair was the most intriguing thing, however, as it was long and entwined with vines and leaves that were pale blue. The plant parts actually seemed to grow with the woman¡¯s hair and were covered in a layer of frost.
The Wayfarer wondered what kind of plant the dryad resembled, trying to recall the various subspecies names from the encyclopedia she had gotten from the Scholar a while ago. She had slowly been making her way through the massive book having covered dryads earlier under ¡°D¡± and the one she thought likely fit was the [Frostrose] that was also a match for one of the flowers Paul had shown her among the rooftop garden of his home.
She smiled shyly, ¡°H¨Chello, Mohala. I¡¯m Phoenix, um, Wayland now, I guess,¡± she added awkwardly, definitely not used to the new surname she was meant to include.
¡°Oh, we know,¡± the soft-looking woman replied with a grin, ¡°Po hasn¡¯t shut up about you since the battle for Tulisuda.¡±
¡°And that¡¯s enough out of you,¡± Polissa said and quickly shoved the dryad back behind Tanner to pull forward a shy cinderen boy instead, who had similar markings to Po¡¯s and a shimmery blue serpent with tiny wings wrapped around his left arm, ¡°This is my little brother, Simmon. He provides most of the healers and casts some heals of his own.¡±
¡°What do you mean by ¡®provides¡¯?¡± Rayna asked curiously, the slitted amber eyes assessing all of the other party members but lingering on the clearly out-of-place dryad.
¡°We¡¯re all summoning specialists!¡± Mohala piped up excitedly, grinning broadly as she added, ¡°We¡¯re basically a one-party army!¡±
Dazien returned the enthusiastic woman¡¯s grin as he chuckled, ¡°Well, it sounds like we can count on you to clean up any monsters we come across then.¡±
¡°Indeed,¡± the runeforged leader said as he turned away from them and continued leading them along the route, obviously done with socializing.
Po winced slightly and gave them an apologetic look, ¡°Please forgive Tanner. He¡¯s great at planning but not so great at people. We can walk and talk, though. Shall we?¡± the summoner asked with a gesture towards the direction the group leader went and held out a hand in an obvious offer for Phoenix to take.
The Wayfarer stared at the hand for a moment as though it might bite her but a gentle nudge from Saiya behind her had her lean forward and accept it gently as she allowed Po to lead her through the snow. The woman launched them into chatting about random things as they walked eastward.
When they came upon their first pack of monsters, it turned out that Dazien¡¯s joke hadn¡¯t really been wrong as the other party''s horde of summons and familiars decimated the pack of rock elementals.
Meanwhile, King¡¯s Dream stared in stunned silence at the spectacle and all of them suddenly wondered why exactly they had been paired up with a party that obviously didn¡¯t need five extra Adventurers. Then they remembered that Phoenix had their portal and Dazien had their communications and realized that they were the support team.
20 - Soft and Shiny
The next few fights were much the same only with Tala, Snowbelle, and Rex joining the other Familiars and Summons in the chaotic fight of fur, feathers, and scales. With their overwhelming numbers, they were able to dominate the few packs of Crystal Caste monsters they encountered.
Most Summoning abilities were on an hour-long cooldown and would last about half that but, between the groups'' abilities and the monsters often being spread out, this wasn¡¯t much of an issue as earthen golems smashed, packs of snolves hunted, various birds scouted and dive-bombed, and a wide variety of plant-like creatures attempted to lock down enemies, divide any groups, and heal up the others. It made the presence of the Adventurers themselves mostly irrelevant in the spattering of battles as they traversed the rather barren mountains.
Rayna eventually voiced her dislike of leaving most of the work to the summons and joined the Familiars in the fray; the voxen tails and ears not entirely standing out from the various avals the others provided. The bard seemed to create her own fun by weaving through the summons, using some big enough as temporary mounts, or practically hopping from aval to monster to land surprise attacks from above.
Phoenix surprisingly didn¡¯t mind staying out of the mayhem as much as she thought she would. She had been trying to get used to the fact that she was the Supporter for the rest of her party and now the others were getting a taste of that in turn. Plus, she found herself actually enjoying the time spent between fights talking with Polissa, Mohala, and Simmon. Tanner had stayed mostly silent and his last name was one that Phoenix had definitely recognized in connection with Arktis Neired, who had murdered her and been killed by her party in return.
The runeforged man made it obvious that he disliked her and she could only assume it was because of her part in the downfall of the noble family that his own was a branch of. Despite the obvious betrayal on their part, she could at least understand why he didn¡¯t want to be friendly with her, so she didn¡¯t try to push the issue.
Completely opposite of Tanner, however, was the cinderen woman who was strong yet kind, showing a gentle hand with both Phoenix and Simmon, who was quiet but sweet and often smiled at the conversation the others held. Polissa and Simmon were both exceptional in the fact that neither hesitated in battle and followed the commands of their leader precisely.
The Garrison Overseer¡¯s Aspect combination of Golem, Covenant, Mountain, and Barrier helped the woman be a strong presence on the battlefield and Phoenix found herself asking curiously, ¡°No offense to Mister Neired but why aren¡¯t you leading your party, Po?¡±
¡°I despise paperwork,¡± the Summoner responded abruptly and the simple explanation caused the Wayfarer to burst out laughing.
¡°I mean, I can understand that. Dazien makes it seem like nothing but I feel drowned by it,¡± Phoenix clarified as she managed to collect herself, ¡°I guess if he just does better at the more official side of things then that makes sense to leave it to him.¡±
¡°He¡¯s also a Sapphire Caster which helps me get away with letting a non-noble lead my party,¡± Po added, considering the question a bit more, ¡°I¡¯m honestly surprised that Lord Wayland allowed Mister Smithson to lead your party when he has neither position nor Caste to justify it. Despite my dislike of paperwork, I don¡¯t think my father would have allowed me to give the position to Tan without the Caste difference.¡±
The Astromancer glanced between Dazien, who was chatting animatedly with the others, and the Pack Harbinger who was silently walking with Simmon ahead of them. Tanner¡¯s Aspect combination of Sivatherium, Snolf, Gate, and Myriad definitely put him in more of the Striker role of their group of summoners and it really was only the higher Caste that put him above the others. Apparently, the runeforged had been an Adventurer for quite a few years now and was already about two-thirds through Sapphire.
He hadn¡¯t been bad in giving orders, at least in her opinion, especially when considering how easily they destroyed each threat they came across, but each encounter had seemed almost too easy. Perhaps that was just the result of his good choices, though. She¡¯d have to ask Dazien later what he thought about the leadership skills since she felt like she was a rather poor judge of the overwhelming tactics they used.
Her attention returned to the conversation she was in and she admitted, ¡°Daze is a better leader than I am. I¡¯ve only known monsters existed for about six or seven months now, let alone know the best tactics for taking them down as a group. Plus, I¡¯m kinda terrible at dealing with, um, other people. Unlike me, he seems to shine in the spotlight.¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s probably because of his [Shiny] talent,¡± Mohala spoke up with a chuckle from the other side of Po, ¡°Some gemites are blessed with it, like how many dryads have [Soft Petals], like me, or [Hard Bark]. It creates a weird dynamic within the species but he obviously has the desirable trait.¡±
¡°Actually, I think I remember reading that on his profile but he didn¡¯t seem to want me to pry more at the time,¡± she speculated, trying to remember the glimpse she had gotten long ago, then shrugged, ¡°I figured if it was important to know, he¡¯d tell me.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not, really,¡± Mohala admitted, ¡°Not from a party cohesion or combat perspective, at least. What did you mean by ¡®profile¡¯ though?¡±
Phoenix conjured her [Guide Book] and explained more by showing, ¡°This is one of my talents that gives me information. Just touch it and think of that talent you mentioned having.¡±
Natural Talent: Soft Petals
- The texture of yourself and the plants you cultivate are softened and the resistance to physical bludgeoning damage is increased.
- Plants you cultivate have an increased growth rate and generate more blossoms when available.
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¡°That¡¯s useful,¡± Polissa commented.
¡°Yeah. The profile shows the whole list of talents and abilities. I don¡¯t think this is what Dazien has, though,¡± she laughed, picturing the man with a crown of flowers and thinking it might actually suit the gemite.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Mohala giggled, ¡°No, but it changes how we look outwardly to others within our same species,¡± then the dryad made Phoenix¡¯s face go crimson as the cheerful woman called over to her party leader, ¡°Oi! Shiny boy! Come show Phoenix your talent!¡±
Dazien raised a brow and shook his head as the others laughed at the moniker. He humored them and walked over to look at the book as he connected the dots to the request, ¡°Ah, explaining those odd little talents to her?¡±
¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t explain it to her earlier. She probably thinks all gemite are super pretty and sparkle all over the place,¡± the adorable dryad said with a grin, ¡°You should have told her you¡¯re extra sparkly.¡±
The Defender surprised her by grimacing slightly, ¡°It¡¯s not a talent I¡¯m particularly proud of. If anything, it just made Priestess Deserin even more stringent in checking out potential parents who might have sought to adopt me at the temple while growing up.¡±
Both of the women next to Phoenix blanched at that comment and Mohala almost seemed to wilt, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t think about that. Shiny gemites are what? Like half of your species?¡±
¡°Closer to a third according to the Priestess,¡± Dazien corrected.
¡°I don¡¯t understand what the problem is?¡± Phoenix voiced in confusion, ¡°So you have a rare talent that makes your hair shinier or something?¡±
The gemite gave a sigh and touched the book to display the talent.
Natural Talent: Shiny
- Your appearance conforms more closely to most species, and your own, ideal traits.
- Your looks, words, and deeds have greater appeal.
- Your eyes shine with an inner light increasing charisma and enhancing sight in darkness.
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¡°Huh,¡± the Wayfarer replied as she read over it, ¡°That explains so much¡ All those people who know you and like you and¡¡±
¡°And get obsessed about possessing me?¡± the Defender pointed out and her mouth snapped shut at the reminder of the particular noble willing to kill her because they thought Phoenix was trying to steal him.
¡°It might seem like a blessing at first glance but it comes with a cost,¡± the gemite said, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, it¡¯s not strong enough of an effect to make people behave completely outside their character but it will nudge them to look upon me more favorably.¡±
¡°But why would that make it harder to find parents? Wouldn¡¯t there be more people that would find themselves caring about you?¡±
He gave her a crooked smile that felt somewhat like pity for some reason as he explained, ¡°Patricia mentioned back at the Cultivator¡¯s Citadel that gemites are one of the younger species on Makera, which means that there¡¯s just less of us around in general, but she didn¡¯t mention that there are rather¡ unsavory people that want to either use us as potential slaves or harvest us for¡ parts.¡±
The thought of a parent choosing to adopt a child just to enslave or murder them left a horrified look on her face and she viscerally felt the little piece of her innocence that still trusted people fracture a bit more. How did Dazien trust anyone¡¯s intentions with a talent like that?
¡°That¡¯s not just gemites,¡± Polissa interjected, ¡°My father told me some horror stories about other desirable parts on the magical black market; voxen tails, draconid wings, siren scales, faeborn dust farms¡¡± The woman gave a noticeable shiver, ¡°Nightmare fuel of the degenerate acts some of the most evil beings will stoop to.¡±
The others in Phoenix¡¯s team had made their way over, seeming curious about the conversation and Saiya¡¯s insistence that she needed to hold Dazien¡¯s hand now as the voxen sidled up to squeeze the gemite¡¯s hand in a show of support and comfort and he returned the Healer¡¯s gentle smile.
¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he stated softly, ¡°It¡¯s just hard to fathom sometimes how greedy and cruel people can be.¡±
Saiya nodded and added quietly, ¡°Easier to just place them in the category of monsters and know we need to stand against them.¡±
Dazien then tilted his head towards Mohala as he added, ¡°I¡¯m sure a pretty petal like you can understand that the world isn¡¯t always a safe place for people like us; for the soft and shiny.¡±
The dryad nodded in acknowledgment, ¡°I got lucky when Po found me. She didn¡¯t want me for my [Soft Petals] talent but was looking for others with the talent for becoming summoning specialists. When she came across my family near one of the outer villages, she offered me a spot in her party after talking for a few days.¡±
Phoenix perked up at that, ¡°Oh? Do you all have a talent like my Aura one that lets you have more Familiar¡¯s or something?¡±
Both women laughed at that as Polissa admitted, ¡°I wish. Being any kind of Limit Breaker is extremely rare. I would have loved to be a Keeper or even find one to join my team. Here¡¯s the talent that I was actually looking for,¡± the cinderen added while reaching out to touch the book as well.
Natural Talent: Summon Disposition
- Increased likelihood of unlocking Summon abilities. Summon abilities have reduced cost and cooldown.
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¡°Oh, nice,¡± the Wayfarer remarked, then asked, ¡°What¡¯s a Keeper?¡±
¡°Someone who can have more than one cultivating Familiar ability. The kind that can be summoned,¡± Dazien answered for her.
¡°A Tamer is one that can have more than one bonded Familiar, like I have,¡± Mohala added, giving the little ice bird that had moved to a branch poking out of the dryad¡¯s shoulder a gentle pat.
¡°A One Upper could have two Familiars,¡± Polissa added thoughtfully, ¡°They get one more of each limited type and I¡¯m sure there are other versions of Limit Breaking I haven¡¯t heard of.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve heard the theory of Curators but don¡¯t know of any actual examples,¡± Uriel mentioned, ¡°They would have unlimited passive and cultivating Familiars.¡±
¡°That would be incredible,¡± the cinderen summoner said in slight awe, ¡°Fifteen Familiars really would be a one-person party.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d want to forgo an Aura or Perception power for two more Familiars,¡± the dryad admitted, ¡°I love my Familiar and Summons but I think an Adventurer would be at a serious disadvantage without those.¡±
Polissa gave a sad sigh, ¡°You¡¯re right. I guess I¡¯ll just have to keep my eyes and ears open for a Keeper or Tamer to add to our roster instead.¡±
Phoenix laughed, ¡°You want even more summons and Familiars in your party?¡±
The Garrison Overseer grinned, ¡°Of course! An army party that will go down in history as an unstoppable legend! Defending the tundra from all who dare to threaten it!¡±
The Astromancer laughed, finding herself admiring the bold woman. Why the driven cinderen seemed to admire her, however, she hadn¡¯t quite figured out. They continued talking for the rest of the day, learning more about everyone between the fairly easy monster fights.
When the sun threatened to set below the horizon, Phoenix portaled them all back to the rendezvous point, which took about ten minutes to get the three Sapphire Casters through. Once they all arrived, their party leaders both reported to Officer Wysmont, and none of the other groups reported having found anything of particular concern either. Uriel set up his [Fortress of Solitude] for their party and they all retired for the morning after some group meditation.
21 - Misery Broodmother
Phoenix awoke about five hours later, which is all a Crystal Caster really needed to feel fully rested, to find a small black murder-kitten curled up on her chest and her heart rate soared in her temporary panic.
¡°Whasit?! Whaswrong?¡± Saiya yelled, sitting straight upwards in the bed nearby and blearily searching the room for enemies. This shout in turn had Rayna practically jumping upwards only to smack a sleepy face into the icy ceiling from the bunk above Saiya¡¯s bed causing a yelp of pain, surprise, and annoyance.
¡°Shhhh!¡± the Wayfarer loudly shushed the voxen, ¡°You¡¯ll wake her!¡±
The Healer seemed to finally focus on the sleeping chimera and gave an annoyed huff, ¡°By the gods, Bliss. How did she even get in here?¡±
¡°I have no idea but I don¡¯t want to see her react the same way you both did from being startled awake. Her claws are sharp,¡± the Wayfarer complained.
Rayna grumbled as the voxen rolled out of the top bunk, took a [Gem Encrusted] tail to slide under the sleeping kitten, and in a fluid movement tossed the chimera out the open window that Phoenix knew she hadn¡¯t left open earlier.
She sat up to stare out the window then looked at the bard incredulously, ¡°Did you just yeet a kitten out a window?!¡±
¡°She¡¯s a Sapphire Caste Adventurer and that window is like two meters off the ground. She¡¯ll live,¡± the pugilist stated flatly.
Phoenix fell back onto her bed and asked the ceiling, ¡°I thought the Sapphire parties would all be gone by now. Don¡¯t they only need like three hours of rest before being good to go again?¡±
Saiya rubbed amber eyes and started climbing out of bed as she answered, ¡°Yeah but they took a staggered watch so all the Crystals could sleep at once. Rayna and I stayed up a bit later to talk with them. Bliss¡¯ group probably took the second watch if she¡¯s still here.¡±
¡°Well, we¡¯re all awake now so might as well get going. We have another day of watching Summons do most of the work for us,¡± the bard grumbled.
¡°It¡¯s not a terrible tactic,¡± the Tranquil Healer pointed out, ¡°Less risk of an Adventurer dying when they¡¯re not the ones directly in the fight. Summons will always come back later.¡±
Rayna smirked, glancing towards the immortal Wayfarer, and as the pugilist opened her mouth to speak, Phoenix interrupted by preemptively retorting, ¡°I¡¯m not a Summon.¡±
The Shatter Bard gave a feral grin and pointed out, ¡°But you¡¯re not from this world and you always come back! You¡¯re totally a Summon!¡±
The Wayfarer rolled her eyes, ¡°Nobody summoned me here. I told you all that some Night Witch did a ritual and sent me here.¡±
¡°So you were Banished. That¡¯s basically a reverse Summon,¡± the Striker stated with a shrug, ¡°Same difference.¡±
¡°Maybe you¡¯re like a summoned Familiar to Makera?¡± Saiya seemed to speculate.
¡°Please, not you too,¡± Phoenix pleaded as her face sunk into her palms.
¡°A World Phoenix Familiar? That¡¯s an interesting theory,¡± Rayna replied, taking on the same serious tone as her twin.
¡°It¡¯s too early for this,¡± the Astromancer groaned and climbed out of her own bed, her normal casual clothing appearing around her in a shimmer of silver starlight and she conjured a brush from her collection to try and tame her wild curls into a braid while she walked out of the room.
Rayna had been correct about the second day being much the same as the first; with the overwhelming force of the summons annihilating the small groups or single large monsters they would run into. The small groups were more common it seemed, since monsters that normally spawned as singles would multiply during a blood moon, and the ones that did spawn alone were on the higher end of Crystal or low Sapphire Caste.
The Sapphires were tough but were the only enemies offering the group slightly more of a challenge with their ability to live long enough to fight back against the swarm of summoned creatures. These were the fights that King¡¯s Dream would more actively participate in but they were still over relatively quickly with how much damage was being dealt from every direction.
It was about two hours before sunset when the group of Adventurers finally met an actual threat to them as they were surrounded by a veritable swarm of creatures that would often plague the Wayfarer¡¯s nightmares.
The miserlings were quick-moving and delighted in the tortured screams of the Summons they devoured as they seemed to pour out of the cave Rayna and Phoenix sprinted out of after attempting to scout it and failing to remain undetected.
Their new shields from Saiya¡¯s [Elements Spirit Gem] upgraded ability seemed to overlay Phoenix¡¯s own [Sun Shell] with a rippling sheen of blue water that stayed visible unlike the shields of light that would turn translucent. However, both were quickly destroyed like dewdrops splashing among rocks as the horde attempted to overwhelm their defenses and it seemed to only get worse from that point.
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Class Ability: Sonorous Shield
Type: Spell (channel, construct, magical, song, water)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Current caste: Sapphire 1 (2%)
Crystal Effect: As you sing, nearby allies gain increased resistance to Magical damage.
Sapphire Effect: As you sing, nearby allies gain increased resistance to Elemental damage. Also constructs a shield of water around each affected ally at the beginning of the spell that absorbs damage and lasts until the spell ends or the shield is destroyed. This effect incurs a separate 5-minute cooldown.
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It became even more apparent that they were in trouble when Polissa¡¯s summoned Familiar, a large [Fortress Guardian] which appeared like a stoney lizard named Ton-ton, had been overwhelmed by the swarm. It was after this defender fell that the largest miserling Phoenix had ever seen appeared from the mouth of the cave.
It was about four times as large as a normal miserling and had a heavy stomach that dragged along the ground with dozens of smaller miserlings seeming stuck to it and would periodically drip off the giant one carrying them around.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
¡°What in the abyss is that?!¡± Phoenix called out at the sight of the monstrosity. It had two extra pure white eyes rather than the normal three, and its forked tongue seemed to lash at both the air and would grab some of the smaller kin to toss them at enemies. Which let her know that it was at least slightly smarter than the already more intelligent and sadistic than normal monsters.
¡°It¡¯s a Misery Broodmother!¡± Uriel informed over the communication network to avoid the din of combat, ¡°A very rare type of evolved monster that can actually produce more of its kind.¡±
¡°It¡¯s very high Sapphire!¡± the Wayfarer added with a look towards Dazien, getting a feel of its aura as it entered the radius of her own, ¡°How do we kill it?¡±
The idea of an endless torrent of miserlings that were actually natural avals instead of their monster variant was terrifying to Phoenix and she wanted to end the threat as quickly as possible. Dazien began to order, ¡°Can you meteor¨C¡±
He was interrupted by Tanner, however, as the group leader said, ¡°We¡¯ll just focus the Summons on it first to stop the stream. Guard us from the swarm until they handle it.¡±
The adrenaline was pounding through her body as Phoenix flew around the perimeter of the group alongside Rayna, stabbing and punching the slick void-like creatures that tried to use the same overwhelming tactics that the Chaos Summoners did. Unfortunately, the miserlings seemed to be doing better at it for the moment as the Summons tried to focus on killing the brood mother that kept generating more miserlings that just dripped through it like water from an overfull sponge.
A trail of [Arcanist Gems] followed behind the pugilist as the bard¡¯s particular brand of music filled the area as both a warning and a call for the enemies. The voxen was chanting as she moved through the horde, singing in time with the rhythm of her steps, fists, and tail strikes. Rayna also wove in the usage of one of the newly cultivated Sapphire abilities, ideally to thin out the horde quickly. This one had been enhanced by the [Repetition Spirit Gem] and it gave Phoenix a better understanding of the customizing effects the gems had.
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Ability: Blink Step
Type: Special Attack (movement, magical, dimension)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (10%)
Crystal Effect: Teleport behind an enemy target within sight, inflicting increased damage with your next attack.
Sapphire Effect: Can be used an additional time per Caste in succession before incurring its cooldown.
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The brawler was a whirlwind jumping around the tight circle they had been forced to form and landing opportune strikes with [Gem Encrusted] fists and tails. Shattering the sadistic monsters that the bard had recently learned had tortured the Astromancer.
As Phoenix poorly imitated the swift Shatter Bard, pulling and pushing herself across the rocky terrain with [Ruler of Relativity], she thought she heard Saiya chant the incantation for [Rain of Life], which let her know that things were actually going much worse than she had thought, ¡°Let the waters of life rain their blessings from the watchful sky above us.¡±
She even caught a glimpse of a glowing tail as the Healer triggered one of the effects from a Natural Talent, which both twins had, that would boost the potency of the healing water.
Natural Talent: Tails of Power
- Increased Magical and physical resistance of your tails.
- Each tail gradually accumulates ambient magic that may be used to boost the effects of an ability that costs mana or stamina.
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Rain began to fall, turning the snow into a slippery slush, and Phoenix almost lost her balance a few times as the grip of her [Snolf Paws] no longer triggered on the wet rocks. She was healing at a ridiculous rate, however, and the few serrated claws that managed to gouge through her gray scaled armor were quickly healed as she impaled the miserlings with her blades, [Nyx, the Dagger of Darkness] and [Caustic Floe], delivering Banes and boosting her mana regeneration even further. Her illusory birds from [Lunar Dream] fluttered around the field to serve as a distraction as she chanted her [Call of the Abyss] curse and renewed everyone¡¯s [Sun Shell] as often as she could.
When a scream tore through the air that she had never heard before, her heart sank when she turned towards it and saw Saiya pinned to the ground by one of the monsters that had gotten past Dazien who was struggling with containing five of the creatures. Uriel had also drawn his sword to fight off one of them from the opposite direction. Another high-pitched scream later and Phoenix was sprinting across the rocks towards the downed healer.
Rayna beat her there, having used one of the bard¡¯s own trump cards to close the distance in almost an instant as the Striker practically crashed into the miserling that had been cutting into her sister¡¯s guts.
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Ability: Beyond the Boundary
Type: Utility (movement, magical, song)
Cost: Severe mana and stamina.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (5%)
Crystal Effect: Instantly boost your speed by a massive amount, quickly declining to normal over 5 seconds.
Sapphire Effect: A shockwave is generated in your wake, dealing a burst of Song damage and knocking back anyone nearby.
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That ability had also recently been cultivated by the [Shout Spirit Gem] and Phoenix found the results impressive as the swarm seemed to part like the Red Sea in the shockwave trailing after the bard¡¯s path.
Simmon bent down next to Phoenix and helped by casting [Lifebloom], one of his few non-summoning spells, ¡°May the seed of the world bloom renewed life.¡± A small glowing green seed appeared floating between the Healer¡¯s hands and drifted down to sink into Saiya¡¯s chest and would give a moderate heal but it would take some time to get the full effects; time that Phoenix didn¡¯t think Saiya had.
Instead of worrying about the miserlings that were closing in around them, Phoenix focused on saving her friend as she cast the high-cost version of [A New Dawn Rises], unwilling to risk a shorter cooldown for the Healer¡¯s life, ¡°As surely as the sun will rise again, you will see the dawn of tomorrow.¡±
She poured her mana into the healing life magic and watched until the large gashes in the voxen¡¯s torso closed. Then she glanced around the furious battle, realizing both parties had moved closer together as they fell into a more defensive pattern, the sheer number of the brutal creatures quickly threatening to overpower them.
An ear-piercing shriek rang out across the battlefield and Phoenix could barely make out the large brood mother, seeming to be heavily wounded, but was in the process of using its massive serrated claws to rip apart Tanner¡¯s [Dire Snolf], which was one of his stronger single summons. The rest of the group¡¯s summons weren¡¯t doing much better as the horde picked them off one by one while they focused on the brood mother.
Dazien chanced a glance back at her, also in need of healing himself, but he settled for one of the potions on his belt and then gave an order, not bothering to check with the group leader first, ¡°Light them up, Phoenix!¡±
Her eyes widened in surprise then she nodded and triggered the tattoo on her thigh, which she had been annoyed at discovering had vanished upon her last resurrection and had needed to be reapplied. She had gone with the same one, however, and it began to replenish her mana as much as it could before she started the long incantation, ¡°As this star begins to dim, a final burst of light. As my life begins to wane, a final shout of triumph. In a supernova sacrifice, I offer the hope of victory.¡±
As the mana exploded out from her, tearing through the swarm, she felt herself rapidly weaken and silently prayed to any god that would listen that it would be enough to save her friends. When the bright blue mana and golden fire had dissipated, she was happy to see that the spell had gotten most of the remaining miserlings, with only a few struggling at the edges of the new crater the parties found themselves in. What she was unhappy to see was a giant trio of Crystalline Elementals rising up from their place on the mountainside that her explosion had caused to shift.
¡°Are you kidding me?!¡± Rayna exclaimed in frustration, the worry for her companions clearly evident. A worry Phoenix shared as the cost of her spell drained and silenced her.
22 - The Sacrifice Play
Dazien stayed focused and gave orders to the bard and mage, ¡°Rayna, Uriel, execute the broodmother!¡±
Phoenix could tell that he had triggered [Lead the Charge] as he rushed the heavily injured Sapphire Caste monster and Rayna was beside him the next moment, both landing their executes on the massive monster.
She heard Uriel calmly incant beside her, ¡°Your days have come to an end,¡± and another few seconds later a black void appeared around it causing more of the wailing shrieks to echo throughout the mountains.
When that spell ended, the Misery Broodmother seemed to collapse under those final blows but the new threat of the Crystalline Elementals was turning towards them and made clear that their battle wasn¡¯t over.
Both parties were worn out from the long battle that had used much of their resources and Po would need to do an expensive and time-consuming ritual to resummon her Familiar again. Luckily, the bonded ones had survived the encounter but they weren¡¯t so certain they would all make it through the next one after having exhausted the group¡¯s many summons to the miserling horde.
Po knelt down next to Phoenix to try and help her down the [Restoration Elixir] she was weakly trying to lift to her mouth, barely having any stamina remaining to lift the vial on her own. The potion had cost her quite a bit, being an import from the southwest, but it was the only thing she found that would replenish all three of her resource pools at once if she needed to keep going after a [Supernova] on top of triggering her [Starlight Qi] to avoid the mana headache.
The cinderen woman asked quietly to Phoenix but the whole group could easily overhear them as they stood between the downed members and the new threat, ¡°Any more ideas to save the day?¡±
Phoenix grimaced at the Summoner as she pulled out another potion, this one a normal mana one, and handed it to Saiya who was slowly coming to and sitting up with Simmon¡¯s assistance, ¡°Just one but I can¡¯t cast again for a while and it¡¯ll probably kill me.¡±
¡°No,¡± Dazien said firmly, then added through a private communication channel, ¡°I don¡¯t want to risk your life or secret talent. We all agreed you should keep it from public knowledge as much as possible. While we¡¯ve been getting along with this party, they are still rather unknown and the group leader is obviously not a fan of yours.¡±
¡°It might be fine. I didn¡¯t die the last time I did it. With that Sapphire Caste archer in the corridor outside Tulisuda.¡±
¡°No,¡± Dazien reiterated, ¡°These might not be Sapphire but they¡¯re tough and there¡¯s three of them. You just used almost all of your resources to kill off the swarm,¡± he gestured to the field of white ash drifting around them as Rayna and Uriel were finishing off the few miserlings unlucky enough to survive the explosion. ¡°If you try the [Magi Fortune Booster] with your avatar form, it will kill you. We¡¯ll find another way.¡±
¡°But I can¨C¡±
¡°You don¡¯t always have to make the sacrifice play, Princess,¡± Dazien stated firmly but with a smile, ¡°You can trust your party.¡±
The Astromancer began to protest again but the Defender knelt down beside her so they were eye to eye as he rested a hand on her shoulder, ¡°Trust me, Phoenix.¡±
She paused, closing her mouth as she looked at her friend, then nodded weakly.
He smiled at her then gestured to the side of the group as he commanded, ¡°Open a portal and take us back to the rendezvous point. We can get help to finish these off and rest up.¡±
Phoenix blinked at him, then gave a weak chuckle that grew into a laugh as she realized her foolishness. She had been willing to sacrifice her life and a decent chunk of the progress she had made in her abilities when she could just simply retreat and fight another day.
Worse was realizing that if she had died and failed to kill the monsters, her party would have been without their portalist and could have died in turn, even with the emergency scrolls. She wasn¡¯t sure how instantly those worked and, even if they did, then they would have been out of the precious tool on top of needing to explain her non-death. It struck her just how reckless she had started to become as her laughter became mixed with tears.
Once she regained her composure, the trembling ground from the monster''s movements literally shaking her out of it, and she was able to cast again, she summoned her portal for Saiya and the other Crystals to retreat through to safety. Tanner, Rayna, and her then moved to put distance between them and the monsters as the bard was quicker than her and the Summoner could hop on his Sivatherium Familiar, named Silvie, to ride even faster across the snow-covered ground than them but chose to keep pace alongside them.
Another five minutes later she sent Rayna through the next portal and Tanner pulled her up to ride behind him. She gave him points for not abandoning her in the snow but wasn¡¯t sure if that was more for her survival or his as another five minutes passed and they moved through a final portal.
As Saiya arrived back at their rendezvous and took stock of their situation, she quickly informed the other parties through Officer Wysmont¡¯s communication ability of what had happened. One of the Sapphire Caste parties, the one called ¡°Weather Machine¡± which was made up of a group of women that each seemed to make up the various elements of a storm, quickly returned to them on fast-moving clouds that hovered over the ground to handle the Crystalline Elementals while the rest of them took a bit to recuperate.
Dazien had gone off with Phoenix to have a quick aura training session before dinner, which the pair had been regularly doing since Paul had begun teaching the Defender more directly, while Tanner, Mohala, and Polissa went off to their own tent to talk but Simmon surprised Saiya by pulling her aside and asking, ¡°Um, Lady Dewsong? C¨Ccould I trouble you for some advice?¡±
She smiled at the nervous boy and reassured him, ¡°Sure, do you need to speak in private or would you like to join me for some tea?¡±
¡°Tea?¡± the young cinderen seemed to perk up, ¡°Like the warm kind?¡±
The voxen laughed, ¡°I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t get that much when out on a mission?¡±
He nodded, ¡°Even if we put it in a dim-bag with stasis it always turns cold quickly once in a cup and I don¡¯t like it as much chilled.¡±
The Tranquil Healer nodded and took Simmon¡¯s hand in hers to lead him towards the [Fortress of Solitude] that Uriel had reconstructed to rest and make them some dinner as Snowbelle glided in after them. The center room was mostly open space with some floor pillows spread around to sit and meditate on and Saiya pulled the young Adventurer down onto one of them. Snowbelle clambered onto her lap and promptly rolled over to beg for tummy rubs as she obliged while asking Simmon gently, ¡°Not that this matters much but I¡¯m curious; how old you are, Noble Teras?Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.
¡°I turned sixteen about a month before the blood moon. Took my Adventurer Trials that same week,¡± he replied almost proudly, adjusting the pillows under him more to his liking.
¡°That must make you one of the youngest Adventurers ever,¡± she replied with wide amber eyes, ¡°They don¡¯t allow taking the trials before then.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not the youngest ever but it is a rare feat,¡± the young cinderen admitted, then took one of the cookies from the plate Rayna had procured and brought over for them, ¡°Thank you, Lady Dewsong.¡±
¡°Please stop with the titles,¡± the bard grumbled, ¡°It gets super confusing with the two of us and you¡¯re also a noble and Adventurer like us,¡± then the pugilist took a cookie for herself and asked, ¡°Is this more of a private session or can I hang out and listen while I munch?¡±
¡°Ah, um, you can stay. It¡¯s not like an important secret or anything, I just wanted some more advice about healing in general and also maybe about, um¡ well¡¡± the healing summoner trailed off uncertainly as if second-guessing himself now.
¡°One of your party members?¡± Saiya guessed.
He nodded quickly, seeming relieved by not having to say it aloud and Rayna spoke up, ¡°Is it about the giant stick that¡¯s been shoved up Tanner¡¯s a¨C¡±
¡°Rayna,¡± the voxen Healer interrupted, ¡°That¡¯s his party leader you''re talking about. Show a little more decorum, please. Simmon came to us for assistance, not snark.¡±
¡°Right, sorry,¡± the bard said with a dip of furred ears, ¡°I¡¯ll just focus on getting the tea and more of these amazing cookies,¡± the Striker added and stood, ¡°Where did you get the recipe for these, Uriel? They¡¯re awesome.¡±
The taller cinderen gave a slight smile towards them as he was pulling out a large pot with the lid tied onto it from one of the enchanted storage containers they kept inside the fort, ¡°Thanks. Elder Pualani¡¯s Familiar, Fen, gave it to me. The secret is in the butter that was infused with honey from their rooftop garden.¡±
Saiya turned her focus back on Simmon who took a bite of the cookie while watching the exchange before reaching over to offer some to the tiny Familiar wrapped around his left bicep. The small serpent seemed to unwrap itself and grabbed the cookie with equally small claws to nibble, chirping happily up at the cinderen who gave one of the sweetest smiles Saiya had ever seen as the teen rubbed the top of its shimmery scaled head with a single finger.
¡°And who is this sweetheart?¡± Saiya asked gently as she leaned forward slightly to get a better look at the serpentine creature.
Simmon blushed slightly as he answered, ¡°Walter V. Teras, but I mostly call him Wally. I was only thirteen when I named him.¡±
That piqued Saiya¡¯s attention even more as she clarified, ¡°You had Aspects at thirteen? That¡¯s extremely rare.¡±
He nodded, blushing further, ¡°My dads were really proud of that fact. I have a Natural Talent that allowed me to get them earlier than normal. They said I was born to be a Caster. It¡¯s why I was able to pass the trials so easily at sixteen.¡±
¡°What were your Aspects again?¡± Rayna called over as she delivered the tea.
¡°Ah, thank you,¡± he said gratefully, accepting the cup and adding, ¡°And it¡¯s Devotion, Noble, Renewal, and Seed for the Beloved Cultivator Class.¡±
¡°Can I give Wally a little pet too?¡± she inquired, scooting closer to the pair, much to Snowbelle¡¯s discomfort. Simmon nodded, holding his arm out further towards her and the little Familiar gave another cheerful chirp at the head rub she gave the mini beasty while she asked, ¡°What kind of aval is he?¡±
¡°He¡¯s a Wellspring Wyrmling,¡± Simmon stated proudly, giving that affectionate look once more to the tiny Familiar, ¡°They¡¯re very rare and said to be good luck. He¡¯s wonderful at keeping me going with being almost a literal wellspring of mana regeneration.¡±
¡°That sounds like a fantastic Familiar to have,¡± the voxen cooed, ¡°Such a good boy, aren''t you Wally.¡±
Another adorable chirp came from the wide serpent mouth that almost seemed to smile at her and Snowbelle gave an aggrieved bark from her lap causing both Healers to laugh and Simmon leaned forward to rub the large white belly with his free hand as he said, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re a great Familiar too, Snowbelle,¡± he glanced up at her to confirm, ¡°That is what I heard you call her earlier, right?¡±
The voxen grinned and nodded. After a few more minutes of spoiling the pair of bonded Familiars with pets and cookies, Saiya decided to redirect back, ¡°So what exactly did you want to ask me about your teammates?¡±
Simmon flushed slightly and glanced over at Uriel and Rayna who were deep in discussion about the stew that they were dishing up before saying quietly, ¡°Well, Lady¨C er, Rayna wasn¡¯t exactly wrong about Tanner. It¡¯s just¡ he doesn¡¯t normally act that way. He¡¯s been a bit on edge ever since the battle for Tulisuda where he and his mother chose to turn on those of his House that sided with the Ruwenas. It¡¯s just gotten worse since we got paired up with your party¡¡±
¡°Is he angry at the part Phoenix and her new House played in that?¡± Saiya asked curiously, trying to get a clearer picture of the situation.
¡°I don¡¯t think so, actually. He makes it seem that way now but¡ well, during that battle he was angrier at his family for being traitors than at Lord Wayland for outing them,¡± the boy admitted, shifting uncomfortably on his seat and she didn¡¯t think it was because of the pillow.
¡°Then why is he so dismissive of Phoen¨C Oh!¡± the voxen said as she finally connected the feelings she had sensed earlier from the runeforged to his actions, ¡°It¡¯s because of your sister.¡±
Simmon nodded, ¡°I think so. I¡¯m just not sure what to do or if there¡¯s even anything I can do about it. I don¡¯t need to be an empath like you to see how he feels about Po. I¡¯ve spent the whole blood moon watching those two together.¡±
¡°Does Polissa know?¡± she inquired.
¡°I think so? She¡¯s made it pretty clear I think that he¡¯s not really her type but I believe she¡¯s also afraid that if she outright rejects him then she¡¯ll lose a summoning specialist¡ and the one who handles all the paperwork for her,¡± the young cinderen added with a small smirk.
Rayna plopped down on the other side of him as the bard summarized, ¡°So basically we have Tanner crushing on Polissa and Po crushing on Phoenix, who I¡¯m not even sure is capable of crushing on anyone,¡± then the Striker turned to her and grumbled, ¡°I told Daze this would be a conflict of interests.¡±
Saiya gave her a flat look, ¡°We can still behave like adults.¡±
¡°We¡¯re not adults!¡± her twin retorted and jerked a thumb at Simmon, ¡°This kid is literally a teenager! No offense,¡± the bard added in an aside to the cinderen before looking back towards her, ¡°You and I are the oldest of the lot, except maybe Tanner but he¡¯s obviously not thinking clearly, and we¡¯re still considered children who can¡¯t govern others.¡±
¡°I¡¯m still old enough to be expected to take care of myself and be responsible for my actions. Plus, we¡¯re all still Adventurers and should focus on that during a mission rather than the feelings we have towards our teammates,¡± the Summoner spoke up, trying to voice the frustration she could sense in his aura.
¡°That¡¯s not how feelings work, Simmon,¡± Saiya said with a gentle smile, ¡°You might be able to bottle them up at times but they¡¯ll just explode later. It sounds like Tanner has been under constant stress, more so than most of us, and what he¡¯s been bottling up is beginning to leak out.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s just hope he doesn¡¯t explode at the wrong time and get one of us killed,¡± Rayna murmured as the bard snagged the last cookie from the plate on the floor between them all.
¡°So how can I help?¡± Simmon asked, giving Saiya a pleading look that almost broke her heart.
She decided to be as honest as she could be while still giving him at least some hope, ¡°I have some party members that suffer from the same problem. They try to smother their emotions and keep the pain they¡¯re feeling hidden from their friends. All we can do is remind them that we¡¯re there to support them, not judge them. That they can trust that their friends want to help them through the rough times, instead of thinking them weak for being a person with emotions.¡±
¡°But how can I do that?¡± the younger Healer asked in frustration, ¡°How can I make him believe that?¡±
Saiya shrugged with a sad smile, ¡°If I had that answer, then I wouldn¡¯t have the same problem. I can only do what I can and that¡¯s to use my words to inform and my actions to show them that I care.¡±
Unhelpfully, Rayna glanced over at Uriel who was just finishing up with the dinner prep, and said, ¡°Yeah¡ a few more years or near-death experiences and they might actually believe us.¡±
23 - The Same Team
Polissa trailed behind Mohala and Tanner on their way back to the camp area they used but found herself wishing she had joined her brother in going with King¡¯s Dream as she watched them retreat to the miniature ice fort to chat. Simmon had asked her to let him talk with the other Healer in private, though, so she instead joined her own party in the large tent they normally shared while out on missions.
The three Chaos Summoners debated about going back to the city to get the materials to resummon Po¡¯s Familiar, Ton-ton, but decided to hold off till the end of the mission since they had been doing okay for the most part till that one overwhelming swarm and rare brood mother spawn.
¡°As long as she doesn¡¯t decide to blow up the mountain again and call every monster straight to us, we¡¯ll probably be fine,¡± Tanner sneered, tossing his heavy fur cloak over towards his sleeping area as he bent to grab stuff from his pack.
¡°She saved us with that move, Tan. None of us could have pulled that off and you saw what it cost her. She could have died if one of those miserlings made it past her teammates after that,¡± Po defended the Wayfarer as they prepared to sleep since the sun would begin to set in about an hour. While they usually stuck to the odd cycle of an Adventurer that mostly hunted at night, this particular scouting mission would be better accomplished with daylight.
¡°Exactly,¡± the runeforged replied in annoyance, ¡°It was the foolish move of an unstable mind. I don¡¯t understand what you see in that girl.¡±
¡°She¡¯s a hero.¡±
¡°She¡¯s a child,¡± their leader rebutted, rolling his eyes and pulling a few [Crystal Mana Bits] and a single [Sapphire Mana Bit] out of the pack for them to eat for a meal, ¡°Just because Hero favors her doesn¡¯t magically make her a hero. She¡¯s a Crystal Caste upstart that managed to charm her way into Lord Wayland¡¯s good graces,¡± he chided, then added with a mutter, ¡°One guess how she managed that.¡±
Po glared at him, ¡°You¡¯re a real arse sometimes, you know that, Tan?¡± She crossed her arms in defiance, ¡°Would it kill you to not think the worst of someone you barely know?¡±
¡°If they¡¯re traitors, it might. Remember why we¡¯re even here in the middle of these gods-forsaken mountains,¡± the Pack Harbinger pointed out and he made the connection to other traitors for her, ¡°Turned out I couldn¡¯t even trust my own family.
¡°Why should I trust the woman who¡¯s Mentor destroyed it? For all we know, he only jumped at the chance to take out a rival House, not that he actually cares about any of the people in Tulimeir. Where was he years ago when the Ruwenas were planning all of this in the first place?¡±
She let out a frustrated groan and stood up, ¡°I¡¯m going for a walk. Maybe I¡¯ll even go thank Phoenix for saving all of our lives earlier. Such a novel idea, thanking the people that help us.¡±
Tanner scoffed, ¡°If by ¡®help¡¯ you mean making things a desolate wasteland, then sure, she definitely helped.¡±
Po made a rude gesture towards him, out of words to argue with, then left the tent. The night was clear and lit by starlight which were in the process of appearing as the dusk approached.
She wandered through the makeshift camp slowly, taking her time to let Simmon finish with his talk until she spotted him near the center of the camp observing the small gathering of other Adventurers gathered around a small fire to recount their stories from the day. She glanced towards the small ice fort that she knew King¡¯s Dream rested in and made her way in that direction, trying to formulate exactly what she should say to the Wayfarer who was so unlike anyone she had met before.
The summoner was just finalizing her plan to thank the woman and offer to watch the sunset together when a tan amethyst gemite exited the door she was only a couple of meters from.
They locked eyes for a moment as he registered her presence and then crossed his strong arms over his chest, still dressed in the [Sliksilk Compression Gear] most Adventurers wore under their armor, and gave her a teasing smirk, ¡°Good evening, Noble Teras. Can I help you with something?¡±
She returned his smirk with confidence as she replied matter-of-factly, ¡°Good evening, Mister Smithson. I simply wanted to see how Phoenix was doing and thank her for saving us earlier. That power of hers was certainly intimidating but I saw what it cost her and the risk she took. I merely wanted to express my gratitude while we watch the sunset.¡±
Dazien raised an eyebrow, ¡°Arranging for a cozy setting already? You move fast.¡±
Polissa just grinned, undeterred by the beautiful man, ¡°One must, if they see something they desire. The meek are the ones left with scraps,¡± she pointedly looked him up and down with an assessing gaze, ¡°You don¡¯t strike me as one of the meek. Are you here to stop me?¡±
He let out a laugh, ¡°No. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re the type to be easily stopped. Not that I mind a challenge but I wouldn¡¯t do that to Phoenix. I was just on my way to confirm the plan for tomorrow with your party leader. It was quite a rough day we had and I wasn¡¯t sure if we would need to stop back in the city really quick to resupply for your parties¡¯ rituals or potion supply.¡±
It was her turn to lift a brow at him as she asked, ¡°You would do that for us? You don¡¯t want to gloat about finishing off that Sapphire we failed to kill?¡±
Dazien gave her a curious look and said slowly, ¡°No? We¡¯re on the same team, remember? Your party¡¯s Familiars and Summons are a powerful asset and it wouldn¡¯t help the success of our mission nor increase the safety of our group to not have them available. My main goal is to keep all of us safe, winning is secondary. What Phoenix had to do today is not something I like having to resort to. Especially when I¡¯m not positive that the enemies won¡¯t remain to finish her off. As you noticed, she was in a very weakened state afterward and I don¡¯t like risking her.¡±
¡°You¡¯re rather protective of your teammate. All of you seem to be, actually,¡± the cinderen noted, still trying to figure out what kind of angle this man was playing at and exactly how he felt about Phoenix, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t interfere with me knowing that I wish to get closer to her?¡±
¡°I¡¯m a firm believer in that how close people get is between them and them alone. Treat her well and we¡¯ll have no problems,¡± he replied with a grin then his joviality vanished and she suddenly wondered if Phoenix wasn¡¯t the only Prot¨¦g¨¦ the Paladin of the Avenger had taken on as he warned, ¡°However, if you hurt her, not even the gods will be able to protect you from our wrath.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Po shivered slightly at the promise of pain and death that passed between them and something in his voice made her certain that he wasn¡¯t bluffing, which made the cool twilight feel even more chilling. She was the first to look away and bowed her head slightly, ¡°My intentions are not to cause her harm. She is a beautiful star that I only wish to see shine brighter.¡±
The smile returned to Dazien¡¯s face, ¡°Excellent. I¡¯m glad we understand one another then. However, you may want to save your thanks for tomorrow. Phoenix has already retired for the evening after the eventful day,¡± he said, then gave a courtly bow and moved to be on his way once more, ¡°Rest well, Noble Teras.¡±
The summoner glanced towards the fortress of ice longingly before giving a sigh and following after the Warrior King to go socialize with her brother for a bit before returning to her own tent for the morning to sleep alone.
Tanner watched in frustration as Polissa made an insulting hand gesture towards him and stormed out of the tent they all shared, ¡°Gods damn it all,¡± the silvery runeforged muttered as he placed his face into his free hand and rubbed at his tired eyes.
¡°You know¡¡± the lilting voice filled the space between them and he almost wanted to throw something at the dryad as she said, ¡°I don¡¯t think continuously insulting the woman that the woman you like likes is going to make the woman you like like you like that.¡±
¡°That was barely comprehensible,¡± the Pack Harbinger muttered as he glanced over at the frost-covered woman.
¡°But not grammatically incorrect,¡± she stated then leaned forward to make sure he was paying attention to her as she rephrased, ¡°Yucking someone¡¯s yum doesn¡¯t make you yummy.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure that was better,¡± he said with a shake of his head and gave her a small smile, ¡°But I think I get what you¡¯re trying to say,¡± he leaned back, staring up at the tent ceiling, and gave a heavy sigh, ¡°I can¡¯t help it, though. That Wayfarer is just so¡ so¡¡±
¡°Lucky?¡± the dryad offered as he searched for the word.
Tanner grimaced, ¡°I was going to say something more along the lines of ¡®obliviously na?ve and frustratingly docile¡¯ but you¡¯re not wrong either,¡± he admitted and began pulling out the ties he used in his silvery hair to keep it pulled back in a handful of smaller tails, ¡°Is that really what Po wants in a partner?¡±
Mohala shrugged, ¡°Po¡¯s my best friend but I haven¡¯t really seen a pattern in the people that catch her interest. It does seem like Phoenix has her interest now, though.¡±
The party leader almost growled as he tossed the handful of hair ties into his pack, ¡°She should stop getting so distracted. She lost her Familiar today to a bunch of Crystal Caste monsters. If she didn¡¯t have her attention on¨C¡±
Bright laughter filled the tent as the dryad said, ¡°Where was your attention, Tan?¡± then she crawled across the space between them and booped him right on the nose with a soft finger as she scolded, ¡°You were the leader today. Everyone listened to the orders you gave and, if Dazien hadn¡¯t told Phoenix to explode, we might all be dead. Did you even know she could do that?¡±
He leaned away to rub his nose and retorted, ¡°We don¡¯t need another party to clear out monsters on the tundra. Our Summons should be able to handle everything that the blood moon might throw at us. Today was a fluke that¨C¡±
¡°That we would have fallen to,¡± she finished softly, her solid blue eyes looking at him unblinkingly. Her amusement seemed to wilt as she asked him quietly but with obvious sincerity, ¡°What would have happened to us today if we ran into that swarm without King¡¯s Dream to help protect us when our Summons fell? Would we even be here to talk about it?¡±
Tanner clenched his jaw, unwilling to admit to their failure. They had never failed a mission before. They had never been overpowered like they had been today and, despite his unwillingness to say it aloud, he knew that he had failed to adapt to the situation.
Mohala¡¯s smile became warmer as she surprised him slightly with an extremely soft hug and said, ¡°I know it¡¯s hard but perhaps you can set aside your jealousy at what Phoenix has that you want and instead try to get to know her and better understand Po in the process?¡±
¡°What does that mean?¡± he asked, slightly distracted by the hug. He honestly couldn¡¯t recall the last time anyone had hugged him, even in the friendly manner that his teammate was currently performing.
¡°I just mean that maybe by being more open-minded towards the others, you¡¯ll see what Po sees. Better understand what Po likes. Maybe even make some new friends?¡± the dryad asked hopefully as she pulled away to look at him again.
He returned her gaze with a flat look, ¡°Now I know you¡¯re messing with me. Asking for the impossible.¡±
She giggled and he gave her a slight smile. With a sigh, he added softly, ¡°I¡¯ll try but no promises.¡±
¡°Hello in there?¡± a voice that they recognized as belonging to the leader of King¡¯s Dream said from outside the tent.
Tanner groaned but a look from Mohala made him sigh and he made his way out of the tent to see what the gemite wanted. He wasn¡¯t quite sure how he felt towards the man that seemed to get along with everyone. Overhearing that the shiny Defender had a cheating talent to assist with that, didn¡¯t make him feel more at ease about comparing himself to the other leader, just more annoyed at the unfairness of it all.
He knew he was better at coordinating packs of creatures than dealing with people, which was often required for the position, but he didn¡¯t want to disappoint Polissa either, who seemed to depend on him to take care of actually running their party. He liked that she trusted him with the responsibility and wanted to do his best at it. However, since joining up with the other parties in expeditions, he was beginning to see how he fell short of that.
The runeforged summoner didn¡¯t want to give up though, so he faced the other leader and asked, ¡°Did you need something, Mister Smithson?¡±
¡°I just wanted to verify the plan for tomorrow,¡± Dazien replied with a charming smile, ¡°I know it was a taxing day. If we need to stop by Tulimeir first to get more supplies, that shouldn¡¯t be too much of a detour if you want to do so a bit earlier before returning to our route.¡±
His eyes narrowed at the Defender as he questioned suspiciously, ¡°Are you suggesting that my party isn¡¯t properly prepared for this mission?¡±
The gemite¡¯s smile fell a bit as he said, ¡°Not at all, I just know you¡¯re not used to having a portalist available and thought after the unusual encounter with the swarm you might like to take advantage of the asset at your disposal.¡±
¡°So you thought I just forgot about the abilities my team currently has available?¡± Tanner growled.
Dazien gave him a confused look as he stated slowly, ¡°No¡ I¡¯m starting to think I need to tell each member of your party this but we¡¯re all on the same team. This isn¡¯t some kind of power play or competition. I just want to help our mission succeed as best I can. If going to the city for supplies won¡¯t accomplish that, how else might I help assist you, Mister Neired?¡±
He was about to go tell the Defender to go put a Silencer around their Supporter too but the subtle sound of Mohala clearing her throat and her icy Familiar landing on his shoulder to give him a little cheep made him hold his tongue and take a deep breath as he said a moment later, ¡°Polissa needs to collect the materials to summon her Familiar from her family estate. We can have Noble Wayland portal her back to retrieve those before moving forward with our route. I¡¯ll suggest she grab extra in case we run into another unusual spawn.¡±
Dazien grinned and gave a nod, ¡°Very well then. I¡¯ll make sure my party is ready to go a bit early. I¡¯m sure Noble Teras will be thrilled to spend the time retrieving those items with Noble Wayland tomorrow. Rest well, Mister Neired.¡±
It took all of Tanner¡¯s self-restraint to not strangle the retreating man who he swore somehow just used that dumb talent to manipulate him into setting up some kind of date for Po and Phoenix, likely just to mess with him.
¡°That was so much better!¡± Mohala praised him as he turned back into the tent.
¡°Curse that shiny gemite straight to the frozen abyss,¡± Tanner muttered coldly as he climbed onto his cot.
24 - Nomadic Heart
Phoenix was surprised about the request to return to the city and most of the Crystal Casters went together while the Sapphires and Mohala remained at the campsite to save on time. Dazien and Uriel had gone straight to the market district to take the opportunity to restock on the potions that they had used up, while Polissa and Simmon went back to their family estate to retrieve summoning materials.
The Wayfarer decided to use her new bracelet to feel out the direction her Mentor was in to ask about how his Emerald Caste monster mission went. She was a bit surprised to find herself walking alongside the Teras siblings the entire way and Polissa gave her a huge grin as the woman said, ¡°Looks like our dads are hanging out together. Can I show you around our home while we look for them?¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide as she murmured, ¡°Maybe quickly, we don¡¯t want to keep the others waiting too long.¡±
The Wayfarer gained a new understanding of the actual difference the Wayland House had compared to the more moderate estate the Teras House maintained. Like most buildings, it was also a towering skyscraper but it wasn¡¯t as tall or as elegant as the estate she had come to call home.
It was nice and well-kept and had many more of her favorite things adorning almost every shelf: books. Lord Ethan Teras was the new Chancellor of the Order of Magic and his husband was a Priest of the Mentor, teaching at one of the public schools in the research district. She was surprised to learn that Polissa was also technically a member of the OOM like her father but, during the blood moon, her work as an Adventurer took precedence.
The trio eventually made their way to a large room that reminded Phoenix of the big business meeting rooms on TV with a large table that everyone sat around. The Astromancer was actually shocked to hear laughter coming from the room as they entered it and she found the two lords standing but leaning over the table slightly which was covered in various mounds of paperwork.
At the sight of them, however, Paul¡¯s humor vanished and he asked, ¡°What happened?¡±
¡°What? Why do you think something¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked in confusion.
This caused the Paladin¡¯s own brow to furrow in added confusion as he clarified, ¡°Well, I thought you¡¯d be on your mission still but also because of the bewildered look on your face.¡±
¡°Because you¡¯re laughing!¡± the Wayfarer stated incredulously, ¡°With other people! I didn¡¯t even know that was possible!¡±
Ethan burst out laughing at that and slapped Paul on the shoulder, his small black wings fluttering slightly from the movement, ¡°I told you! Even your scion understands how stodgy you¡¯ve become!¡±
¡°He wasn¡¯t always so¡ stoic?¡± Phoenix asked curiously.
Lord Teras shook his head, ¡°The self-righteous golden boy here? Absolutely not. Even he was a hormone-riddled teenager at one point in his life.¡±
¡°You make it sound like I was some kind of entitled terror,¡± the Paladin grumbled.
¡°You were!¡± Ethan laughed, then looked between Simmon, Polissa, and Phoenix as he added, ¡°Speaking of teenage hormones¡ how are you all getting along with one another?¡± he glanced down at Paul and directed at him with a wicked grin, ¡°I know you¡¯re new to parenting but you did have ¡®the talk¡¯ with your new daughter about being safe and knowing where the Healers are, right?¡±
¡°Dad!¡± Polissa complained, placing both hands on her hips, ¡°We¡¯re standing right here! You don¡¯t have to be so embarrassing every time we bring someone home!¡±
¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I do, actually,¡± the Magi stated, ¡°You should be taking notes, Paul. It¡¯s a father¡¯s duty to embarrass their children whenever possible. Especially when it comes to lovey-dovey things.¡±
Paul groaned, his face sinking into his palms as he almost begged Phoenix, ¡°Please tell me there¡¯s another Emerald monster over in your area or something else to get me out of this conversation.¡±
¡°Not that we¡¯ve seen but there was a Misery Broodmother that we ran into,¡± Polissa said as her stance softened and the cinderen woman gave a slight chuckle, ¡°It¡¯s why we¡¯re here actually. I need to resummon my Familiar and restock on some items.¡±
The lords both sobered at that news and Ethan asked, ¡°A Broodmother? You were able to take care of it and all its spawn?¡±
Phoenix could feel Paul¡¯s gaze on her and another moment later Orebela¡¯s voice asked directly in her mind, ¡°Wayland and This One wish to know if you are unharmed? There must have been many miserlings and Little Wayland¡¯s dreams must have suffered.¡±
She gave a weak smile but nodded, ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she muttered softly then added louder, ¡°I used my [Supernova] to clear out most of them and the others executed the Broodmother.¡±
¡°Any signs of Soul Reapers?¡± Paul asked them.
¡°Gods, could you imagine if the Reapers Caged a broodmother?¡± Ethan said at the prompting question, ¡°That would be terrifying. They could clear out an entire fortress town if they built up the swarm long enough.¡±
¡°None of the parties have spotted any Soul Reapers yet,¡± Simmon reported, ¡°We¡¯re just stopping by for the supplies then returning to continue searching our route.¡±
¡°Well, we best not keep you then,¡± Lord Teras replied to his son then gestured for them to exit the room, ¡°Come, my children, let¡¯s get you resupplied and then back on the job so you can return once more to actually spend a family dinner with us. Your papa has been missing you.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°Dad, seriously, we¡¯re not little children anymore,¡± Po scolded as the cinderen all made their way from the room.
¡°Don¡¯t have to be children for your parents to miss having a family dinner¡¡±
Phoenix glanced up to look at Paul who had moved to stand next to her as they watched the family leave and the Paladin gave her an assessing gaze before asking quietly, ¡°Do we need to have that safety talk?¡±
The Wayfarer stared at him for a long moment before pleading, ¡°Please, no.¡±
¡°You do know how babies are¨C¡±
¡°Gods, I¡¯m begging you. Please do not start being embarrassing like Po¡¯s dad.¡±
Paul chuckled and gave her that slight teasing smirk, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to feel like you¡¯re missing out or anything.¡±
¡°Does that mean I should start complaining about teenage girl things?¡± she asked with a raised brow.
His grin widened and he seemed to immediately call her bluff, ¡°Going to tell me about which kids you beat at Polyball and all the people you have lovey-dovey eyes for?¡±
Phoenix¡¯s face went crimson at the thought of talking to Paul about any teenage drama like that she might ever have the misfortune of becoming involved in and shook her head while muttering, ¡°I¡¯d rather fight the Broodmother again...¡±
Aside from being rather embarrassing for Po and Simmon, Ethan Teras was welcoming helpful, and talkative with her. Going on and on about the two children he adored and his husband who helped raise them since the day they first brought each home from the Cultivator¡¯s Citadel.
The House was best known for its work with golems, including the BELs, and had a strong presence within the Order of Magic. Lord Teras recently got a promotion to its top leadership position since Lady Ruwena who previously held the position was sent off to Blomstra to see justice carried out.
Most of the work Paul was helping him with concerned weeding out any of those potential traitors who might have remained hidden within its ranks as well as keeping up to date with the research being done regarding the [Soul Cage] that was starting practically from scratch with more supervision and ethics, hoping to find a way to both subvert the effect it had on monsters or freeing any innocent people who became pawns.
That wasn¡¯t what Phoenix and the Teras siblings were there for, however, and Paul once more reassured her to not worry about things well outside both her areas of expertise and power to affect. What that translated to was: go fight more monsters.
Once Po restocked her summoning supplies and finished the ritual to bring back Ton-ton, her giant rocky lizard that vaguely reminded Phoenix of a stegosaurus, they met back up with Dazien and Uriel to return to the Razorteeth mountains.
Mohala and Rayna were laughing together by the campfire that had remained, waiting beside Tanner and Saiya who seemed fine with remaining silent to observe the pair. All four seemed relieved at the sight of their return but each for very different reasons, Phoenix thought, with Rayna loudly proclaiming that it was time to get back to punching and looting.
From there, Phoenix portaled them back to where they had left off in their particularly long route going around the outer edges of the vast mountain range. Unlike the other teams who worked in a weaving pattern to accommodate their various movement capabilities, they were left to the route that a portal could quickly return to and continue forward without having to re-traverse.
Phoenix had thought at first that she would be using her portal in a similar manner to when she had first gotten it; keeping it on cooldown while moving across the land in portal leaps. This was quickly shot down however as the point was to search, not simply traverse the route. They needed to find where the enemy might be setting up a base and clear out any monster threats which wouldn¡¯t work as well if they portal-hopped large sections.
This next stretch of their route they would be perceptually combing over would be the highest point along their path and it was proving to be the most treacherous as they kept their various auras expanded and perception abilities on high alert to watch out for Reaper scouts and monsters that might try to take the group out by using the terrain to their advantage.
Since she couldn¡¯t put her portal to better use, Phoenix resigned herself to showing off her other most useful ability: [Collector]. Conjuring the climbing gear she had found in a random pile at Mother¡¯s Cupboard and that she just knew she would need someday.
The nine Adventurers were strung out in a line along a narrow mountain path between a sheer cliff and a steep drop and Phoenix found herself envious of the talent and tails both voxen shared to make their harrowing traversal across the cold stone easier.
Natural Talent: Nomadic Heart
- You have better footing and balance on all types of terrain and are less hindered by terrain features.
- Reduced stamina drain over prolonged periods.
- Increased resistance to environmental extremes.
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¡°I don¡¯t want you to think I¡¯m ungrateful or anything,¡± Dazien called out past their party towards Phoenix who was bringing up the rear, ready to cast an emergency portal if needed, ¡°But exactly why do you carry so much rope with you?¡±
Phoenix clutched the wall tightly as she carefully slid her feet along the path and replied back, ¡°It¡¯s useful! You never know what situation you¡¯ll find yourself in and a good Adventurer is always prepared. That¡¯s just dungeon delving 101.¡±
¡°Why are you delving into a dungeon?¡± the gemite asked in confusion, ¡°Do you often find yourself arrested or needing to free criminals?¡± Then he paused and added in sudden realization, ¡°Actually, with this much rope, you must be referring to the other kind of dungeon.¡±
¡°What other kinds of dungeons involve rope?¡± she called back in equal confusion.
¡°Don¡¯t answer that!¡± Rayna yelled out from between them, ¡°She¡¯s obviously not talking about those kinds, you degenerate King.¡±
¡°I meant the kind that has been abandoned for centuries and is filled with treasure!¡± she clarified, figuring out from the bard¡¯s words that she was better off not knowing what Dazien was implying.
¡°Why would anyone leave treasure in a dungeon?¡± the Defender replied, pausing as his foot slipped dangerously close to the edge of the ravine, ¡°That¡¯s what the treasury in that castle is for. It¡¯s literally in the name.¡±
¡°The dungeon isn¡¯t in a castle! It¡¯s not even an actual dungeon. And the treasure is one lost to time, obviously.¡±
¡°What kind of world do you come from exactly? Do words mean nothing to you people? Who calls a place that is not a dungeon ¡®a dungeon¡¯ and then just loses a bunch of treasure in the random not-dungeon that¡¯s apparently not attached to a castle?¡±
¡°Will you both shut up?!¡± Tanner snapped at them from the very front of the procession as he also lost his footing for a moment before regaining it.
25 - End of the Road
¡°Are you sure this is the right way, Tan?¡± Mohala asked from behind Polissa and Simmon as the dryad trailed between her party and Dazien along the cliff''s edge. All of them were tied together with a long rope to be able to help if one of them should slip and it had already saved a couple of them from a potentially deadly fall. The only saving grace at the moment was that they hadn¡¯t been attacked by monsters while on this terribly narrow path that none of them were certain was actually a path.
¡°Of course I am!¡± Tanner snapped again, apparently even more irritated with both the talking and poor environment that threatened to claim their lives than she originally thought, ¡°It should be just around this next bend and we¡¯ll start heading downwards again towards the small valley that the mission report mentioned seeing one of the Reapers at.¡±
Just as the Pack Harbinger had said, they finally got to a landing where they could spread out more comfortably and were sheltered a bit from the chilling wind. The weather was starting to turn and the sky was threatening to halt their progress as they would likely need to wait out the impending snowstorm. They took only a few minutes to rest before Tanner called for them to begin moving again.
Phoenix groaned as she stood and tried to stretch her tense muscles having been strung taut while adrenaline and fear had battled within her. Not because she feared falling herself, but because she had worried she might not be quick enough to save one of her companions from a fall they wouldn''t revive from.
Another narrow path that led in a different direction caught her attention as the group began to move ahead of her along their route. Something felt off about the other road but Phoenix shook off the strange thought as she moved to follow the voxen twins when her [Guide Book] surprised her.
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New Quest: The Road Less Traveled
You found a path that leads off the main trail.
Objective: Reach the end of the road.
Reward: Rare Crystal Caste tool.
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After it had suddenly appeared in front of her face, demanding her attention, it began floating towards the slightly obscured bend leading further up and around the mountain. She found herself looking between her book and party then called out to them, ¡°Hey, Daze! Can we go check this out real quick?¡±
Both parties paused to look back at her and saw the glowing book floating in the air by the path they had all missed before. King¡¯s Dream had looks of surprise and curiosity while the Chaos Summoners simply looked confused and Tanner seemed even more annoyed than he had been a moment before.
The aggrieved runeforged man almost growled as he said, ¡°Quit wasting our time. We¡¯re already running behind with the slow pace we were forced to take on that ledge, plus that shopping trip this morning, and I¡¯ll likely need to waste one of my summons to act as mounts for the way down to make it up. Now hurry and fall back in line.¡±
Dazien glanced at the other leader and tried to explain, ¡°That¡¯s one of Phoenix¡¯s more esoteric abilities. It would most likely be in our best interest to follow it.¡±
¡°Esoteric?¡± the Sapphire Caster repeated dubiously, ¡°We don¡¯t have time for more games or mysteries. We have Soul Reapers to find and eliminate.¡±
The gemite frowned, ¡°This isn¡¯t a game and it may even be a clue to what we should do.¡±
¡°What nonsense are you spouting? An ability that tells you the future? Please, I know you didn¡¯t grow up in the best of circumstances but I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d put an idiot in charge of nobles,¡± Tanner scoffed as he looked at Dazien with a new level of distaste on his face.
¡°Tan!¡± Polissa scolded and put both of her hands on her hips, apparently about to go off on the Pack Harbinger.
Phoenix interrupted before arguing could delay them even further, however, and her book had begun to act odd, as though it was impatient for her to follow it, ¡°Listen, how about we follow this real quick and then I can portal us back here. It shouldn¡¯t take too long.¡±
¡°It¡¯s going to take time we need, either way. Precious time that we can¡¯t get back,¡± the group leader argued, ¡°The snow is going to fall soon.¡±
She glanced up at the dark cloud and knew he was right but she also knew that she was right too as she pleaded, ¡°Isn¡¯t there any way I can convince you?¡±
¡°How about I have Tinsel scout it out?¡± Mohala asked, gesturing to the little icy sparrow sitting on a blue branch that was wrapped around the dryad¡¯s bicep, which Phoenix didn¡¯t recall being there earlier. The dryad¡¯s combination of Wing, Swift, Eye, and Forest for the Scout Nest Class had an interesting effect of making quick-moving summons that Mohala could see through and be able to rapidly find what she was looking for, even in a sea of trees.
¡°I¡¯d still like to get credit for my quest¡¡± the Wayfarer said wistfully, glancing back towards the path that held loot at the end of it, one way or another.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°Please, Tan?¡± Po asked and the cinderen¡¯s stance softened, seeming to take a gentler approach to help persuade the man, ¡°We can take a little bit of time. It seems important to them.¡±
The runeforged glared at his teammate but his expression seemed to instantly melt and the tension in his shoulders seemed to relax. He then looked back to Phoenix before giving a pained sigh and saying to her, ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll follow this¡ esoteric ability of yours then portal back here. Mohala can scout ahead to let us know if there¡¯s trouble but the reports mentioned the valley, not some aval trail this high up.¡±
Phoenix nodded before he could change his mind, ¡°Thanks, um, Mister Neired.¡±
The group leader glanced between Polissa, who was smiling at him, then over to Mohala, who made an overt head tilt towards her, and the man grimaced slightly as he added, ¡°You can drop the titles as you do with the others. Just call me Tanner.¡±
She smiled, wondering what might have happened between the group to get him to start warming up to her now. Perhaps the poor attitude earlier really was just the stress from the rough cliffside. Maybe he was afraid of heights or something?
¡°Thanks, Tanner. I don¡¯t really like the titles,¡± she admitted, ¡°They make me feel more important than I actually am.¡±
Before Rayna could interject again to refute her statement, the Wayfarer added, ¡°Anyways, I promise this won¡¯t be a waste of time,¡± trusting that her book wasn¡¯t lying and actually trying to kill her this time. Then the whole group began to follow her [Guide Book] along the other narrow path that was nestled between two cliff faces rather than a deadly drop as Tinsel flew ahead of them and out of sight.
Mohala froze after about a minute of walking and said, ¡°Uh, I think we need to move quieter but this is definitely the right way.¡±
¡°What does that mean?¡± Tanner asked, crossing his arms in annoyance, ¡°You know I don¡¯t like those leading statements you do. What¡¯s the point of scouting if you¡¯re going to make us walk there anyway?¡±
¡°You¡¯ll want to see this for yourself,¡± the dryad said, the leaves around her literally wilting slightly at the rebuke, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll believe me and I think we¡¯ll need to use a Sense Stone to record it all and take it back to the AOA. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll believe me either.¡±
After another five minutes of walking, the trail turned sharply and went into a crevice within the side of the mountain itself. They continued following the glowing book into the dark cave as the little aura fairies Phoenix provided each offered some light to help guide the way deeper into the tunnel that slowly widened until they saw a soft glow at an opening further down.
Mohala used their mental communication to inform them as they got closer, ¡°Complete silence from here on, there are a lot of them. Phoenix can you do that shadowy aura thing again?¡± the dryad asked her.
Phoenix wasn¡¯t sure how silent the Familiars would be, between the clopping of siva hooves and flapping of sparrow and seagull wings, but she complied anyway, not feeling good about leaving the aval Familiars behind alone. At least Simmon¡¯s little wyrmling was quiet.
The Astromancer nodded and dismissed all of the [Starlight Companion] effects and instead triggered her [Embrace of Shadows] Aura, shrouding them all in darkness and causing her armor to grant her the [Blackest Night] Boon, turning her red locks to inky black. The glow caused by Tala became a shadowy mist as her now solid black eyes searched the path before her, unencumbered by the lack of light.
She slinked into the shadows, leading the way to see what awaited them at the end of the road and was happy to note that Rayna moved beside her, donning the new cloak that helped the bard scout with her.
As they got closer, the Wayfarer realized that she hadn¡¯t really needed to worry about the sounds the Familiars would make as the dull murmur instantly became a wild cacophony of growls and shrieks as they seemed to pass through some sort of sound-dampening barrier to reach the edge of the opening.
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Quest: The Road Less Traveled
Objective complete: Reached the end of the road.
[Prism Brush] has been added to your collection.
Quest completed.
10 [Crystal Mana Bits] have been added to your collection.
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Mohala hadn¡¯t been great about trying to prepare them for what they were about to see, and she didn¡¯t know exactly what she had been expecting to find, but the giant cavern full of a wide variety of Caged monsters and avals had not been it. The picture the reports had been painting for all of them originally was of a small group of Reapers that had been scouting out the area. What lay before them at that moment had Phoenix trembling.
An army of monstrous enemies was gathered below and they looked full of barely contained rage. It was as though the mountain itself was just a giant fa?ade hiding the forces mounting against the city that was only a couple weeks'' walk away.
Walking through the noisy horde were various people, fully clad in sleek black armor that looked straight out of a sci-fi film from back on Earth. The sight was actually more chilling to Phoenix than the mess of monsters, as the futuristic body suits were a much more overt indication to her that their interdimensional enemy really was more advanced than what this world could muster against them.
The picture brought to life before her, made the hope of actually winning against the Soul Reapers plummet and she found her prayers changing to that of mere survival for her friends and new family.
Phoenix turned to look towards her own party leader, the man she had learned to trust to guide them with every surprising encounter, and whispered through his communication power, ¡°It¡¯s the Soul Reapers¡¯ forces but¡¡± she looked back towards the ocean of enemies, ¡°There¡¯s hundreds of them, Daze. Maybe thousands. There¡¯s no way we can take on that many.¡±
¡°This¡ this isn¡¯t possible¡¡± Tanner said through the chat in obvious shock, then he turned to stare at Phoenix.
His next words shouldn¡¯t really have surprised her but they did. It also came with the new realization that perhaps she shouldn¡¯t share the knowledge of her magical book seemingly knowing things that nobody else had seemed to, as the man accused, ¡°How? How did you know they were here? You¡ You must be a Soul Reaper spy.¡±
26 - Going to Die
¡°I knew there was something wrong about you,¡± Tanner practically shouted over the telepathic link the group shared while he grabbed the collar of her dress as if she might try to run away.
Phoenix was startled as her entire party seemed to move as one, Rayna and Dazien both grabbing the runeforged arm from either side of her to make him release her while Uriel pulled her backward towards him, a strong arm wrapped around in front of her to act as a physical shield, and Saiya held her hand as she felt the calming aura quickly encompass everyone.
¡°Now listen here, you stuck up siva arse,¡± the bard growled over the channel, fangs bared in obvious anger, ¡°First off, never touch her like that again or you will lose this arm.¡±
Dazien interjected at that point but didn¡¯t refute the voxen¡¯s promise, ¡°Second, we are on the same team, remember? Phoenix was the one who led us, the Adventurers, here. Think logically; why would a Soul Reaper help us find their base? She could have just let us go to the empty valley.¡±
Tanner yanked his arm from the others, his Sapphire Caste Strength higher level than both of the others, ¡°Shut it, Shiny! I can¡¯t trust a single word spoken from your talented mouth.¡±
That caused the gemite to snort a laugh and he covered his smile in apology, ¡°Sorry, sorry, I know this isn¡¯t the time or place but you actually just said that, and I can¡¯t help but think that you have no idea just how talented my mouth truly is.¡±
¡°You think this is a joke?!¡± the runeforged asked incredulously.
The Defender sobered at that, ¡°No, Mister Neired. It¡¯s not funny that you¡¯re letting your frustrations overtake your mind. Please trust me when I say that I can understand that feeling but we don¡¯t have the time to let that happen now.¡±
He gestured back down the tunnel in the direction of the path they had come from and stated sincerely, ¡°You are meant to be leading us and right now we have a mission: get back safe and report about the Soul Reapers. You can voice your concerns about the potential of Noble Wayland being a traitorous spy later.¡±
The Pack Harbinger glared between Dazien and Phoenix before turning to look back at his own companions, his gaze resting on Polissa who mentally voiced her advice, ¡°We should return to the rendezvous point and report to Officer Wysmont. Even if you think Phoenix might be a spy, that¡¯s for others to investigate. Not us, Tan.¡±
The runeforged searched Po¡¯s face for a long moment as if making sure the woman wasn¡¯t under some charisma spell before nodding in acquiescence, ¡°Fine. I am putting this in my report to the AOA, though.¡±
He then moved towards his Familiar at the back of the group, the large sivatherium taking up about a third of the tunnel¡¯s width at this wider point, and the man began rifling through one of the packs slung over the aval¡¯s back.
After another moment, Tanner pulled out a small diamond-shaped gem that she recognized as a Sense Stone that acted almost like a memory storage device, allowing a person to actually view and hear everything as if they were in place of the stone. He didn¡¯t throw it up into the air like she had done during her Adventurer Trials, instead simply holding it out towards the ledge so that the enemies below hopefully wouldn¡¯t see him as he recorded the scene before them.
¡°What are you waiting for? Start portaling the others back,¡± Tanner barked over the communication line and Phoenix jumped slightly at the sudden command. Moving further back to hopefully not bring as much attention with the light from it, she opened the first ring of night and Saiya led the rest of the Crystal¡¯s through.
Dazien paused before following the others and whispered in a private channel directly to her, ¡°Send Tanner through next instead. I don¡¯t trust him alone with you right now and Rayna should be enough of a deterrent from him trying anything.¡±
She grimaced and nodded in understanding, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll be right there in a few minutes.¡±
He gave her a soft smile, ¡°It¡¯s a promise,¡± he said and walked through the portal which she dismissed to get rid of the light.
Tanner and Rayna both moved to her side again as the leader placed the Sense Stone back into the pack on his Familiar while informing them in a soft whisper, ¡°We might as well put some more distance between us and them.¡±
It disturbed her slightly to realize they were out of range of Dazien¡¯s communication ability now. His Crystal Caste passive only reached so far through the mountain range and they would need to use Offer Wysmont¡¯s version instead which behaved much the same but had an odd echo sound to it all as though whispering in a cave. That would have to wait till they were closer to the camp, however, as they were still too far apart at this point from the parties that went in the opposite direction from them.
They began walking back, her shadow aura still active to help their retreat, and it was only a brief quiver against her layered aura that caught her attention as she glanced back and to the left to see movement in the shadows.
She pulled up her magically constructed dagger just in time to intercept the teeth trying to rip out her throat. Falling onto her back from the weight of the giant, black and red, metallic, cat-like creature that seemed to be more machine than beast as it slammed into her. Her free palm braced against the blade caught in its fanged maw and it cut into her palm as the stiletto acted as the only barrier from instant decapitation.
Rayna was quicker to react than the startled runeforged, activating [Beyond the Boundary] to hurtle through the space and have [Gem Encrusted] tails strike the side of the large feline machina, sending it off of her and into the tunnel wall with a loud crash, the concussive force of the song damage reverberating the very air and appearing like distorted ripples of wind.
They all quickly sensed it was a Sapphire Caste machina monster that tried to behead the Wayfarer. The glint of intelligence in its molten red eyes as it detached from the wall was almost more terrifying to Phoenix than the razor-sharp teeth and claws it wielded.
As it lunged towards the Astromancer again, it was intercepted by a gauntleted fist that time, knocking it off course enough that she was able to jump back onto her feet, using a combination of her martial skills and gravity ability, and put a bit more distance between herself and the angry metal cat.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
¡°What is with this thing?¡± Rayna asked in confusion as the Shatter Bard sprinted after it to follow up her punch with even more strikes.
Tanner frowned at the unusual behavior of the monster that seemed laser-focused on destroying the Wayfarer, ¡°That thing is one of the Caged, right? It feels weird.¡±
Phoenix gave a shrug as she cast [Lunar Dream] to try and distract the creature, ¡°Let dreams become reality.¡±
Then she turned to call back to Rayna, ¡°We need to move! We¡¯re being too loud. They could send more!¡±
¡°Right, start running back towards the valley!¡± the bard yelled after them, grabbing the mecha cat by its tail which seemed to be one of the few fleshy parts of its body to try and keep it from attacking Phoenix again.
When it displayed that it was stronger than the freshly ascended Sapphire Caster, Rayna seemed to decide to switch tactics and maneuvered around, smashing a foot on the ground between them to trigger [Sonorous Stomp], and knocking the creature back off the ledge towards the army of monsters. Phoenix winced, knowing that if the Soul Reapers hadn¡¯t heard them before, a giant cat crashing into them would definitely let the enemy know they were up here.
Tanner and his siva Familiar were already running, the loyal steed trailing after its master while he was on foot. The low ceiling of the cave made it more of a hazard for him to ride with the siva¡¯s moose-like antler often knocking into a low stalactite.
As she felt her portal come off cooldown, she cast it ahead of them and yelled to the runeforged, ¡°Go through! Rayna and I will follow after!¡±
She was relieved that he didn¡¯t argue with her as he went through the sheet of night but she almost screamed in fright as another large metallic cat, this one black and green instead of red, seemed to come from a side tunnel and slammed into the sivatherium before the bonded Familiar could follow through the portal.
Blood sprayed everywhere as the new mecha-cat tore open the long neck of the gentle aval and she could feel its aura flicker out of existence before it even landed on the ground; the critical attack of the machina completely severing head from body.
The cat moved towards her portal and she hurriedly dismissed it, not wanting to risk it going through to attack the others that were expecting an ally, not an enemy. Tanner could at least warn them to be ready for the next one.
Phoenix risked a glance back towards Rayna who was quickly beside her and said, ¡°You should have gone through it!¡± then ran forward, triggering [Blink Step] to teleport behind the new enemy and unleashing the effects of the [Impetus] Boon, which had bonded to the [Acceleration Spirit Gem], sending the beast flying past her.
Class Ability: Swift Encore
Type: Utility (movement, magical, song)
Cost: Moderate mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (12%)
Crystal Effect: Accumulate instances of [Impetus] while attacking.
Sapphire Effect: Instances now accumulate faster based on total unresisted damage your abilities deal.
- Impetus (boon, magical, song, stacking): Your speed is slightly increased. Consume all instances to deliver a burst of Song damage with your next attack that scales with the number of instances consumed.
|
She ran forward, grabbing the bag off the dead Familiar that she remembered Tanner putting the Sense Stone in and slinging it over her shoulder, then moved to catch up to the fast-moving bard as she replied, ¡°I can¡¯t leave you here! You need the portal and Tanner already used that one!¡±
¡°I have the emergency teleport scroll! They didn¡¯t give you one, so now I need to stay to protect you from those!¡± the pugilist yelled, gesturing back toward the pair of machinas. The red one having somehow made its way back up the cliffside and sprinted towards them as the pair of Adventurers ran for their lives.
¡°So use it! I can just die and¨C¡±
¡°Absolutely not!¡± the voxen yelled, ¡°Dazien and Paul will literally murder me if I leave you here alone to definitely die. We can do this! Just keep running and we can make it back together!¡±
The Wayfarer grimaced as she maneuvered her way around the winding path, breaking free of the cave a moment later and sharply turned to run down the snowy path.
The heavy clouds were beginning to release their burden as small snowflakes fell around her, Rayna covering their retreat with gemmed fists and tails, which she could barely follow with her lower Caste senses, and the bard only paused at the entrance to the cave to scream at the mechanical monsters with her [Burst Spirit Gem] enhanced ability.
Ability: Siren¡¯s Cry
Type: Spell (channel, magical, song)
Cost: Moderate mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (9%)
Crystal Effect: Let out a cry, inflicting Song damage and [Deafened] to anyone in a cone in front of you.
Sapphire Effect: Also knocks back and inflicts [Punishing Shriek].
- Deafened (bane, magical, song): Hearing is greatly impaired.
- Punishing Shriek (bane, magic, song): When another Bane is added or removed, gain an instance of [Melodic Tears]. This Bane cannot be cleansed while other Banes remain.
- Melodic Tears (bane, magical, song, stacking): Consumes five instances of this Bane to deal a moderate amount of Song damage.
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Phoenix could feel the cooldown on her portal winding down and was itching to use it the moment she could; hopefully before the enemy recovered from that attack. She knew luck wasn¡¯t ever on her side, though. Whatever god oversaw that concept of the world obviously did not favor her and that was confirmed when the metallic cats roared at the retreating backs of the Adventurers determined to annihilate them.
She glanced over at the bard who was clutching a bleeding side, having apparently gotten swiped by a claw from one of the pair when she had been focused on not slipping down the mountain, and she glanced back to see the monsters gaining on them again.
¡°Don¡¯t let go!¡± Phoenix yelled as she grabbed Rayna and used [Push] against the green cat, launching them away from the sloping mountain path in a burst of speed as she poured her mana into the ability, then triggered her tattoo to replenish the lost mana.
Rayna gave a scream as the Shatter Bard desperately clung to her, ¡°As surely as the sun will rise again, you will see the dawn of tomorrow,¡± she incanted, healing the voxen as they fell through the air before stumbling a bit on the landing but the talented nomad was able to keep them upright as they continued running.
¡°From the depths of the universe I summon forth the shards of annihilation,¡± Phoenix began chanting.
Rayna looked at her incredulously, ¡°Are you seriously going to try aiming one of those right now?¡±
She nodded and suddenly stopped to turn and aim between them and the enemy as she ended the rest of the incantation for her [Meteor Shower] ability, ¡°May the wrath of the cosmos descend upon all who dare to oppose me.¡±
Then she opened the portal beyond Rayna who was a few meters behind her now, ¡°Go through! I¡¯m going to push them back into it which will fling me through the portal!¡±
¡°Right!¡± Rayna said and hopped through the portal right as she started moving backward from the force of pushing the red mecha-cat back toward her meteor¡¯s point of impact.
Instead of the feeling of going through a portal, however, she fell against something solid that let out a pained wheeze from getting crashed into, both of them sprawling into the snow. She looked up and sputtered, ¡°Tanner?! What the sh¨C¡±
¡°Where¡¯s Silvie?!¡± he yelled, sitting up quickly, puffy red rimming his eyes that were no longer the silver color she remembered, his hair also now a jet black, as he searched the area in an obvious panic, ¡°Where is she?! She was right behind me!¡±
Outrage, annoyance, and pity warred within her as she murmured, ¡°Oh, you hopeless idiot¡ I¡¯m so going to die now.¡±
Then her meteor struck the mountainside.
27 - Running Away
Dazien paced only a couple meters away from where Phoenix¡¯s portal had let him out near the place Uriel¡¯s [Fortress of Solitude] had been set up. It felt like the longest five minutes of his life as he was seriously concerned about the emotional stability of their current group leader and knew he would need to speak with Officer Wysmont about his concerns before trusting his party¡¯s safety with the man.
His earliest interactions with Lord Wayland had driven home the fact that as a leader, his top priority should be the safety of his party over the mission before them; that they wouldn¡¯t be able to accomplish any missions if they were dead because he ordered them to take unnecessary risks. He had to consider everything and properly balance the risks with the chance of success before making a command.
At least now he was fairly certain their part in searching the mountains for a potential threat was done as he had quickly informed the other teams that were in the range of the army they had discovered and the very real threat it posed.
Officer Wysmont¡¯s team agreed to return early to debrief them but the others were told to keep searching their routes for any other groups; concerned that there might be other pockets like the one he had described.
The Defender felt relieved when a portal reappeared and Tanner stepped through only a few seconds later. It meant Phoenix was still alive to make the portal.
The runeforged took only a few steps before falling to his knees, however, and Dazien¡¯s worry spiked as the silver color of the man¡¯s hair almost seemed to melt off the strands. Tanner gave a choked cry as he clutched his chest and Saiya was beside him the next moment, surprising the gemite as the Healer hugged him and murmured, ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re okay.¡±
The portal vanished another breath later and the fact that the voxen wasn¡¯t casting a heal on the Pack Harbinger was almost more concerning than if the man had been bleeding out in the snow. He knew she would glare at him but he had to get the information as he asked, ¡°What happened?¡±
Yup. There was the disapproving glare. The Healer¡¯s amber eyes spoke volumes as she loosened her grip slightly and admonished, ¡°He¡¯s in distress, Dazien.¡±
¡°Why though?¡± he pressed, ¡°I need to know what happened so I can inform the others. Were you attacked?¡±
That seemed to pull the runeforged out of his pained stupor just enough to look behind him at where the portal had been and explain, ¡°There was a Sapphire Caste machina. A large cat that I could feel was attuned to Metal and Fire. It was weird, though¡ it felt almost like a Familiar but it definitely wasn¡¯t. Almost like a monster too but¡ more real?¡± the Harbinger said with obvious confusion as the man surprised Dazien even further by looking up at him, as though he might have all the answers, and asking, ¡°How is that even possible? How can it be one thing but also not that thing at the same time?¡±
The Defender grimaced and answered with the only honest answer he had, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll let the other parties know to hurry back, though. Where¡¯s the Sense Stone? Officer Wysmont will want to see it and get it back to the city as soon as possible.¡±
¡°I put it back in Silvie¡¯s pack,¡± the Summoner said with a half-shrug, ¡°She always carries my things for me.¡±
The amethyst warrior internally groaned at that. It meant he had to hope the others would know to make sure the Familiar made it back through the next portal if the siva survived long enough. He didn¡¯t hold much hope for that, however, based on the picture he was forming in his mind.
He whispered to the other groups through the expedition leader¡¯s more powerful ability, ¡°I need quicker backup here. It looks like some of our members got cut off from returning by a Sapphire Caste monster.¡±
¡°Odds of winning?¡± Officer Wysmont asked pragmatically, the echoing effect her ability had on the mental voices slightly distracting him and causing him to shake his head as if to recalibrate.
¡°Not positive since the report seems inaccurate so 70%?¡± he estimated based on the combined efforts of Rayna and Phoenix trying to protect a Familiar for five minutes and the assumption that the situation didn¡¯t change, which he knew it always did. Phoenix had called it Murphy''s Law during one of their talks when he had mentioned her weird mixture of extreme good and bad luck; that if anything could go wrong it would.
¡°My team will return to debrief and assess. All teams continue scouting but remain on standby,¡± the AOA Officer commanded and Dazien returned his attention to the group.
Tanner tried standing only to stumble and cry out in pain once more. Saiya hugged him again and seemed to become slightly panicked as she told him, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s hurting him. I don¡¯t know why his appearance changed the way it did.¡±
Simmon was beside Saiya the next moment, ¡°He has an ability that entwines him more than normal to his bonded Familiar. He¡¯s likely getting backlash from the bond breaking,¡± the boy explained, resting a hand on the lead Summoner¡¯s shoulder and asking pointedly, ¡°Where¡¯s Silvie, Tan? Did that weird monster get her?¡±
The runeforged seemed to suddenly register the physical absence of the large and normally quiet siva that always made sure to keep to the background, ¡°Silvie?¡± Tanner called in confusion, looking around for his Familiar, ¡°She was right behind me. She knows to enter portals right after I do if I¡¯m not riding her.¡±
Dazien felt his frown deepen and he tried to correct it, not wanting to worry the others further, as he stated simply, ¡°Only you came through the portal before it closed again. Your Familiar didn¡¯t follow¨C¡±
¡°No!¡± the runeforged yelled at him, getting worked up again, ¡°She knows to follow me! She always follows! Silvie¡¯s a good girl!¡± His rising voice caused the other members of both their parties to come closer to see what the commotion was about and Dazien worried about the others¡¯ anxieties overloading his Healer again but she proved resilient.
¡°Of course she is!¡± Saiya cooed, as though trying to calm a child having a tantrum, and suddenly Dazien had a new fear about what might happen to Saiya should her bonded Familiar die during combat. Maybe he would have the seagull stay a bit closer to the backline in the future. He wasn¡¯t sure anyone else in their party could be as comforting as the Healer, whose soothing aura washed over them while she added, ¡°She¡¯s a wonderful girl.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
¡°The best!¡± Tanner corrected as his voice broke, ¡°We were running and clear of the monster. She should have come through right after me. She¡ she¡¯s not¡¡±
¡°Tan,¡± Polissa began with pity in her voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry but you must feel it. Denial won¡¯t help¨C¡±
¡°I¡¯m not! She¡¯s not dead!¡± the man screamed, tears streaming down his face, and shocking all of them. Po was the only one the Pack Harbinger was ever deferential towards and, based on the cinderen¡¯s own expression, Dazien guessed that she had never been yelled at by the smitten leader.
Tanner managed to push Saiya off him and stand, still clutching his chest with a hand as he pointed a finger at Polissa, ¡°You never understood the difference the Bonded have from the Summoned!¡± the runeforged yelled, the hurt obvious in his words and trembling body, ¡°You never understood that the risks we take are so much more when death is the end! When there is no coming back with a quick ritual!¡±
The three members of King¡¯s Dream all tensed at that proclamation and Dazien had to admit that he understood exactly the frustration that Tanner was feeling now.
¡°Silvie has to be alive!¡± Tanner said again, sounding more like a plea than an actual belief. Dazien almost wanted to give the distraught man a hug himself until the portal opened again and the runeforged turned to look at it, yelled ¡°Silvie!¡±, and jumped through it before any of them could even process the idea of stopping him.
Rayna seemed to almost switch places with Tanner as the bard stepped through at exactly the same time and the portal seemed to almost implode on itself, sending everyone staggering backward from the magical backlash.
Dazien groaned as he rolled himself over to look towards where the portal had been and he reopened the communication channel to Officer Wysmont, ¡°Updated odds: 30%. A portal just imploded with a compromised Mister Neired and Noble Wayland on the enemy side.¡±
¡°Team Attitude Plus, return to the rendezvous point post haste to support. All other teams begin returning for debriefing,¡± the expedition leader¡¯s voice echoed to all the party leaders.
The Striker quickly jumped up to look around, ¡°What happened?¡± she asked in confusion.
¡°We¡¯re dealing with an idiot, apparently,¡± Uriel growled, as they all pushed themselves off the cold and wet ground. Dazien then had an additional worry as he quickly looked over to make sure the Mage¡¯s calming earrings were still in place.
¡°I swear Phoenix was right behind me! She was literally flying through the air towards the portal¨C¡±
¡°I¡¯m talking about Tanner,¡± the larger cinderen grumbled, brushing snow slush off gray clothing, and Dazien released the breath he was holding when he spotted the glint of gold cuffs adorning the long tapered ears, ¡°He caused the portal to overload.¡±
The bard seemed to process those words as wide eyes went from the small blast area where the portal had been then over to the look on the Defender¡¯s own face as she stated, ¡°Well, he¡¯s totally dead.¡±
¡°Was the weird monster really that bad?¡± Simmon asked in confusion.
¡°Well, there were two of those but I wasn¡¯t talking about them,¡± Rayna clarified as she gestured towards him, ¡°It¡¯s just that King is going to kill him when he comes back without Phoenix.¡±
As if saying it had made it true, a bright flash of light appeared from the center of the campsite and they all turned to see a stricken-looking runeforged on his knees with a saddle bag slung over a shoulder and one half of a torn scroll in each hand.
Dazien clenched his teeth at the prediction and grimly wondered if Rayna was a prophet because he was absolutely going to kill the idiot who was willing to abandon a party member to die alone.
Phoenix used [Pull] to make sure Tanner stayed with her as the blast from her meteor so close by tossed them further down the mountain and she panicked for a brief moment that they might fall to their deaths from the cliffside she had slowly navigated earlier but it looked like she finally had some luck as they landed in a soft snowbank in the direction of the valley she had planned to head towards.
The Wayfarer sat herself up to look around at the devastation her meteor caused and never got over the odd feeling the sight of snow on fire gave her. She didn¡¯t see any movement other than the flames at first so she quickly tried to help the idiotic runeforged sit up as well. Both of them ended up facing each other on their knees as she held his shoulders and asked, ¡°Are you injured? Can you move on your own?¡±
¡°Where¡¯s Silvie?¡± the man repeated blearily, obviously not completely with her, and she grabbed his face to make him focus his gaze on her.
¡°Silvie fell to another monster, Tanner. It came out of nowhere before she could follow you through the portal,¡± she explained as concisely as she could, ¡°Now, can you move?¡±
¡°What? No,¡± the Pack Harbinger said, finally focusing and shaking his head, ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡±
A loud roar came from the flames followed by a thunderous crack, which she had only ever heard in movies before. The sound echoed through the mountains as the snow-laden mountain peak began to shift.
¡°Tanner! We have to move now or we¡¯re both going to die! Now move!¡± she yelled and attempted to get the extremely solid Sapphire Caster to stand.
He shoved her away and yelled back, ¡°Silvie has the Sense Stone! We have to go back for her!¡±
The Astromancer yanked the bag she had grabbed from the siva corpse off her shoulder and slung it over his instead, causing him to give her an angry look as he yelled, ¡°Why did you take this from her?! You really are a trai¨C¡±
Phoenix used [Ruler of Relativity] to [Pull] her hand to his cheek and slapped the man with a crack that rivaled the mecha-cats¡¯ roar. His shocked look of pain and anger gave her the silence she needed as she held his gaze and said, ¡°Silvie is dead. I took the bag off her corpse. Now be angry at me. Hate me with all of your soul. Abandon me here and use your emergency scroll.¡±
He finally reacted by numbly grabbing the scroll clipped to his belt, still on his knees as he looked up at her, then slowly unfurled and held it open to tear as he threatened hollowly, ¡°I¡¯ll do it¡ You¡ you should have died instead of Silvie¡¡±
Another pair of mechanical yowls distracted her for a moment to glance over in time to see the two Sapphire machina moving through the dying flames and the beginnings of an avalanche higher up the mountain. She just had the worst luck sometimes.
The Wayfarer gave the runeforged a sad smile and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, Tanner. If I could have died in her place, I would have. Not even really a hard choice for me. Now I¡¯m gonna make sure I make that choice for you instead.¡±
Then she put her hands over his and helped him tear the scroll in half.
A bright flash of light later and she was running, encouraging herself in her mind ¡°I can do this. I¡¯m good at running away. Bravely running away.¡±
Phoenix sprinted down the mountain, away from the pair of feline terminators, as fast as she could without flying off the mountainside with her [Ruler of Relativity] fueling her steps. She quickly realized that, even on fire, the mecha-cats were definitely faster than her but they didn¡¯t move as well in the snow that her [Snolf Paws] easily traversed.
Even those tricks, however, didn¡¯t seem to be enough as she pushed and pulled herself across the snow in her mad dash to outrun both monsters and the mountain itself as the avalanche of snow rumbled after them. She employed every tactic she had learned from the Six Sacred Stances of her Weapon Wielding Warrior forms to maneuver around the rocky terrain and large beasts for the four longest minutes of her life, needing to use her mana regeneration tattoo as well as her saved up [Starlight Qi] in a glitter bomb to keep her going.
Phoenix didn¡¯t succeed in remaining completely unscathed as the claws managed to score her multiple times in various places before she was finally able to conjure her portal again and lunged through it. At the sight of her friends near the center of the camp, she tossed both fists into the air and squealed, ¡°YATA!¡±
That caused everyone to turn and stare at her but her moment of embarrassment was quickly interrupted as a heavy weight crashed into her from behind and she felt not just claws stab her in the back but also large fangs sink into her left shoulder as she fell down on the cold stone ground.
28 - Retreat
Saiya stepped in front of Dazien before he reached Tanner who was still sitting stunned on his knees in the center of the campsite and placed both of her paws on the Defender¡¯s armored chest, ¡°Dazien, stop. It¡¯s not like you think!¡±
The amethyst warrior¡¯s angry gaze never left the runeforged as he retorted, ¡°He left her! Abandoned her! I bet he took one look at the enemy and tore that scroll without a single ounce of remorse for leaving her to die!¡±
¡°That¡¯s why I know you¡¯re wrong!¡± she yelled back over him, which actually managed to get him to look at her. She never yelled but, between the waves of rage coming off the gemite and the roiling mixture of grief, surprise, and regret radiating off Tanner, she knew there was more to the story than what everyone else believed.
¡°She¡ Why would she do that?¡± Tanner asked them in utter confusion.
¡°Do what?¡± Dazien practically growled at the man, and Saiya was grateful she was Sapphire Caste and actually could hold him at bay.
¡°She made me rip the scroll,¡± he replied, looking at the halves of parchment he held, the magic that had once been in them now depleted. ¡°She could have taken it from me¡ I didn¡¯t think of it until she mentioned it. Why would she sacrifice herself for me after everything I did to her? Everything I accused her of?¡±
Saiya breathed a sigh of relief as she felt Dazien¡¯s anger melt away and she found herself seeking his hand for comfort and could guess the next words her Defender spoke aloud because it was something that all of their party had already concluded, ¡°Because she has a hero complex. She wouldn¡¯t have been chosen by Hero otherwise.¡±
That was when Saiya fell to her knees to scoop up the runeforged in a hug, reinforced by all three tails, as his hate snapped and he began to weep; the weight of emotions no longer held at bay.
The Healer watched with a sad smile as Dazien turned away and kicked at the snow in his own frustration of not being able to lash out at the man and still missing his party member. She knew her leader struggled the most when things spiraled beyond his control but she had hope that he would get better about managing it. Paul had surprisingly seemed to be a good influence in this area and she was happy that the two men had seemed to find something to bond over.
Saiya glanced over at Rayna, who was pacing between them and the portal area. She would probably need to talk with her sister later about everything but the bard had always been resilient, never holding onto her negative emotions for long. Then she glanced over at her bigger concern, the Cataclysm Mage silently holding himself away from everyone else out of habit more than safety.
Uriel was on a whole different level of concern compared to the others, even Phoenix with her terrible sense of self-worth, but it wasn¡¯t like she could just walk up to the cinderen and smack the secrets out of him like her sister might attempt. She was the responsible one, the calming presence, the Tranquil Healer that kept the group from completely falling apart.
When she realized that fact, it made Lord Wayland¡¯s reasoning behind including the twin strangers with the trio much more obvious. She hadn¡¯t been upset by that realization, however, if anything it made her feel even more essential and secure about her placement within the party; not just a Role slot to check off or a pocket healer to drag around.
¡°She¡¯ll be here in a few minutes, Daze,¡± Saiya told him, ¡°We should show her the trust she¡¯s placed in us.¡±
The gemite seemed to relax slightly at her words and he didn¡¯t need to say ¡®thank you¡¯ for her to notice the thread of gratitude directed towards her through her senses.
Another few minutes and she was proven correct as a portal appeared and the Wayfarer stumbled through and gave a nonsensical cheer to the relief of everyone. That was until their panic all spiked once more as a giant red machina followed the Caster through to land on the slight woman, blood spraying and staining the snow.
Rayna reacted first, using [Blink Step] to close the distance in an instant as she spun around to slam her tails against the monster. It was just enough to detach the mecha-cat from the downed Supporter before another cat, this one larger and green-colored, lunged through the portal as well, causing it to collapse and Rayna to go flying from the unexpected impact.
¡°To the Retreat!¡± her leader called out and she reacted, casting her long cooldown ability to give them a chance to breathe and formulate a plan, ¡°As the toll of conflicts and stresses of life seek to cripple the body and mind, may the weary find rest in the solace of the tranquil retreat.¡±
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Ability: Restful Retreat
Type: Spell (summon, magical, dimension, life)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 6 hours.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (Locked)
Crystal Effect: Summon nearby allies into a dimensional garden for a moderate duration. The inhabitants have greatly increased health regeneration and are periodically cleansed of Elemental Banes.
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All nine Adventurers along with their remaining Familiars were instantly transported into the pocket dimension that appeared like a massive white lotus from the outside but inside it was like a tranquil zen garden and they all relaxed a bit. Both Rayna and Phoenix groaned as the healing energy washed through them, mending the savage puncture wounds.
The Wayfarer managed to open her eyes and obviously notice the worried looks of the team staring at her anxiously but gave them a lopsided grin, ¡°I know I¡¯m not much of an animal person, especially compared to Uriel, and that supposedly all cats are jerks but those particular cats act like I personally offended them somehow.¡±
¡°Maybe the Soul Reapers have some kind of grudge against Wayfarers,¡± Uriel speculated with a calm gaze on the redhead.
Saiya frowned slightly at the sensation the magic of the earrings had on the cinderen, suppressing the man¡¯s emotions before they could get much stronger. She disliked the magical jewelry, not just because it often made it harder for her to sense how her teammate was doing, but because it suppressed every strong emotion the man even attempted to have. It felt¡ wrong to her.
¡°Aren¡¯t they supposedly some advanced interdimensional civilization bent on destroying other planets?¡± Rayna asked with a skeptical look, ¡°They looked pretty advanced to me in that weird armor. Why would they care about Wayfarers, let alone one in particular like those seemed to?¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Dazien redirected, ¡°We have a pair of angry Sapphire Caste monsters waiting for us out there. We need to be prepared for when Lady Dewsong¡¯s spell ends.¡±
¡°How long do we have?¡± Polissa asked, the cinderen woman¡¯s concern centered on the runeforged man sitting beside her, rubbing his eyes and trying to calm himself. She was grateful that her aura was everywhere within this space and could provide everyone with its comfort.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
¡°It lasts about five minutes or until I cancel it,¡± Saiya offered them, ¡°Magic isn¡¯t always an exact science.¡±
¡°Like those Sapphire monsters coming through Phoenix¡¯s portal?¡± Dazien asked since they all thought that would have been impossible considering its level.
¡°Exactly like that,¡± the Healer replied, ¡°Depending on the environment and the different magical makeup of each person or creature going through, it can potentially affect how much the portal can handle before it collapses.¡±
¡°While interesting, that doesn¡¯t help us figure out what to do next. Can we wait inside here for as long as we can? Someone called for the other teams, right? They might be here soon enough,¡± Polissa said to the group.
Dazien frowned, a ripple of concern, doubt, and failure reaching her senses, as he said, ¡°I let them know there was trouble and they¡¯re all returning but I don¡¯t know how far out they are. I failed to warn them about the enemies being on this side of the portal before ending up here.¡±
She watched the gemite carefully and confirmed, ¡°And we can¡¯t use the communication power in this dimensional space, can we?¡±
He shook his head, ¡°No. I can try again once we¡¯re out but I don¡¯t think those cats will wait for me to have a nice chat.¡±
¡°Actually, they might,¡± Uriel said, surprising them as they all turned questioning eyes his way, ¡°They¡¯re fixated on Phoenix, right? She can have them chase her around while you call in backup and we can try damaging it.¡±
Phoenix chuckled but it was filled with disbelief, ¡°You want me to fill Dazien¡¯s Role now as the tank and kite them?¡± The Astromancer shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not fast enough. I barely lasted a few minutes and it caught me in the end, remember?¡±
He gave her a shrug, ¡°I can try and slow it down with [Frost Touched] but if you have a better plan¡¡±
They all frowned and none voiced an alternative.
¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Dazien stated, crossing his arms over his armored chest. The feeling of protectiveness was almost stifling to the empathic Healer and she had only felt it reach that level a few times before, usually when he voiced his certainty that one of them would die.
¡°None of us do,¡± Rayna pointed out, ¡°But it¡¯s all we¡¯ve got, so let¡¯s give Phoenix the best support we can until backup arrives.¡±
Their party leader nodded and leveled his stern gaze at Tanner, asking calmly, ¡°Are you going to go along or are you set on trying to lead people who don¡¯t trust you to think clearly?¡±
The Pack Harbinger returned the gemite¡¯s gaze with watery eyes and gave a submissive nod of his head as he said, ¡°I¡ I recuse myself from leadership and delegate authority to Mister Smithson.¡±
Saiya could feel the disappointment and worry in each of the Chaos Summoners that had taken seats around their broken companion. While she could understand their trepidation at what would await them in Tulimeir for the obvious mark against their performance, the Healer was grateful that the conflict between the two leaders would be set aside for the moment.
Now she just needed to make sure everyone survived to get back to the city.
With the plan decided, Phoenix tried to keep herself focused on what she would need to do. The group began buffing themselves with Boons and they each prepared to play their new Roles. Saiya¡¯s own group Boon had been upgraded by the [Bolster Spirit Gem] and was seeing a lot of usage already but it was nice to have time to prepare with it. ¡°Be sure of foot and strong of heart.¡±
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Ability: Boon of the Balanced
Type: Boon (magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Current caste: Sapphire 1 (13%)
Crystal Effect: Bless nearby allies with increased balance and reflexes for a short amount of time, making them less likely to falter, and Magical abilities are less likely to be resisted.
Sapphire Effect: Also greatly increases the lowest level attribute of each blessed ally.
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When Saiya¡¯s dimensional spell ended it was like a starting pistol went off as Phoenix noted where the cats were as they both lunged towards her and she pushed herself in the opposite direction. Gaining momentum and direction, she began circling around the area while trying to take as little damage as possible from the sharp claws that always seemed to be right behind her.
Dazien did them all a favor and spoke over the combined channel to Officer Wysmont as he informed her, ¡°Update: Two peak Sapphire enemies in the camp. We¡¯ve lost a bonded Familiar. Neired has recused himself to Smithson. Request for immediate support.¡±
¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± Chriss Stratfured replied through the echoing communication power.
When it seemed like Phoenix finally got into a rhythm of being able to avoid the creatures, thanks to the group''s combined efforts to slow the machina down, there seemed to be a shift in the enemies¡¯ behavior patterns.
The larger green one seemed to behave more tactfully as it jumped away to place itself near the more grouped-up backliners and began spewing out clouds of green gas that began to dissolve the snow and stone all around them and caused the Casters to quickly disperse and flee the corrosive elemental attack.
The red cat, on the other hand, went berserk. The metal plates glowing like a sword pulled straight from a forge¡¯s fire and melted the snow around it as it suddenly changed its tactics.
It let out a deafening metallic screech, causing everyone in the area to cover their ears reflexively then spikes seemed to form on its back only to explode out of the creature like missiles on a mission.
Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide as the projectiles went everywhere, whistling through the air like obnoxious fireworks. When the one coming towards her was knocked off course by her [Starlight Companion] she thought she had been saved only to have the mortar explode as it struck the ground and knocked her backward a dozen meters into a snowbank and utterly annihilated the aural companion.
She heard more explosions around the area, and shouts rang out through the camp as she felt more of the aura fairies flicker out of existence followed by a thunderous roar, but it was hard for her to regain her bearings and see what else was happening. Then her vision cleared just enough to see large metal fangs as the molten feline reappeared before her, giving a growl of victory as it charged her.
The Wayfarer thought she heard Dazien¡¯s voice nearby incant, ¡°You have been weighed, measured, and found wanting,¡± but, when she thought she would die once more, something odd happened: an unstoppable force and an immovable object both met each other from either side of the machina monster.
As Dazien¡¯s sword glowed with the swirling rainbow light of Radiant damage from triggering his [Royal Executioner] ability, he stabbed into the beast just as Rayna activated her own execute ability, [Shatter].
The Sapphire Caste mecha-cat exploded, sending all three of them flying further away while getting impaled with forge-hot metal shrapnel as it self-destructed.
Phoenix didn¡¯t begrudge Saiya for going to her twin sister first to heal the bard, despite being Sapphire Caste, the Striker was the least likely of the three to survive considering the lack of defensive armor and resurrection.
Uriel was beside his partner a few moments later, grabbing one of the healing potions off the leader¡¯s belt and shoving it down the Defender¡¯s throat. It appeared that the warrior¡¯s armor had helped deflect much of the blast but he was still only Crystal Caste while the magically infused explosion was much higher.
The Wayfarer, however, found her gut and left lung impaled by large chunks of burning metal plates and she found herself wishing that she didn¡¯t actually need to breathe to survive. The pain in her chest and back was the strongest, and she couldn¡¯t feel anything below her waist that seemed almost severed by the searing shrapnel embedded there.
She didn¡¯t remember the other parties arriving but Acolyte Barrett eventually appeared beside her. She was having trouble focusing on his face or hearing what he was saying and she wondered if the blast had also ruptured her eardrums. Maybe the pain was just overriding her other senses.
The Astromancer idly wished she would hurry and ascend to the higher Castes just to be rid of the annoying reliance on Mundane things¡ like organs.
The scream she was actually able to hear.
At least, she thought she had heard it but it turned out just to be from the vibrations of her own voice as the Sapphire Healer had pulled the chunk of metal from her chest, leaving a large cavity and her gasping desperately for breath.
With the brief bit of healing energy he poured through his soft touch on her shoulder, knitting that part of her back together until she was able to breathe again, she tried focusing on his face once more. Her mind was swimming but she realized that the Acolyte was trembling as he touched her stomach directly above the wound, which she thought odd until she noticed his eyes locked on the holy symbols emblazoned on her ripped armor leaving her Soul Mark uncovered.
Phoenix internally groaned, hoping the priest¡¯s nervousness at failing to save someone Favored by the gods, one of whom he served, wouldn¡¯t in turn be what killed her.
She didn¡¯t get to find out, though, when she heard the Healer whisper, ¡°Forgive me, Favored One,¡± then yanked the shrapnel from her abdomen and she completely blacked out from the excruciating pain.
29 - Better to Feel Nothing
When Uriel saw Tanner arrive back in the camp without Phoenix, he hoped that Dazien would follow through with Rayna¡¯s prediction. He took a step forward towards the kneeling runeforged but a second later the brief rise in anger was completely smothered. He felt absolutely nothing and his mind knew the effects of his earrings had triggered.
He wanted to get upset about that but he couldn¡¯t. He knew that he should be feeling outraged at the man who claimed to be a leader proving to be nothing but a coward instead. Silvie had deserved better than Tanner for a Bonded. Yet, he couldn¡¯t find the fire within him to feed that anger.
Instead, he watched. He listened and waited. Away from everyone so as not to hurt them should a monster come upon them while they were focused on the apparent drama happening when Saiya hugged the poor excuse for a leader and Dazien took his frustration out on the land, kicking up snow.
The Mage wanted to comfort his king but right now he knew that he wouldn¡¯t be of any help with the numbing sensation of the earrings having been kicked into overdrive. It was disconcerting to know that the only reason he currently felt so little was because he would be feeling too much otherwise.
His attention was grabbed by the appearance of the portal and he thought it was good that Phoenix stepped through it but he couldn¡¯t feel happy about it. The jewelry wouldn¡¯t let him right now, not until they sensed him truly calming down again. He knew it was a good thing they were already active, however, when Phoenix fell to the ground another moment later with a large metallic cat mauling her from behind.
Oh, it¡¯s a Flame Machetah, he thought to himself. They were more common spawns in the southern continent of Vaara, the most dangerous of the four sections that divided the globe, but they had been known to appear within the Reality Rift of Tulisuda from time to time.
Oh, Rayna hit that really hard. Note to self: don¡¯t anger her until after reaching Sapphire, the Mage noted and knew he should feel worried when the bard was struck from behind by another mechanical monster but the thought that came was, It¡¯s an Acid Macheta too. Those are even rarer and definitely only known to spawn in Vaara.
Then he felt the tug of an ability on his being and he recognized Saiya¡¯s request, easily accepting it. The next moment, he found himself in the beautiful and calming garden of her [Restful Retreat] and he glanced up to see the clear sky above them.
He liked the odd effect of always being able to see the stars when inside this dimensional space and felt a flutter of content to see that the stormy clouds, which had been sprinkling snow on them all a moment ago, were nowhere to be seen. Just the twilight sky with a light spattering of the brightest evening stars.
That flutter of serenity was the indication he had been waiting for to know the earrings were starting to retract their magic. His focus landed on Phoenix who was groaning and talking, which luckily meant she was alive, and he just caught her saying, ¡°¨Cthose particular cats act like I personally offended them somehow.¡±
¡°Maybe the Soul Reapers have some kind of grudge against Wayfarers,¡± he suggested. His concern for her returned to a more normal level as the tranquil aura that did a better job of balancing out emotions replaced what his earrings were attempting.
As he was starting to feel more like himself again, he followed along while they discussed their plan of action against the two Machetahs outside of the giant lotus they were currently hiding inside of. Once the plans were made, he focused on breathing deeply, not wanting to trigger the earrings again right now, and got ready to do his part in keeping his friend safe by slowing the beasts down.
As the white petal walls of the area seemed to fall away from them like a blooming flower, they all began to move. His first act was to release the clasp of the Silencer around his neck. The Chaos Summoners were beginning their incantations while he began his own, ¡°A touch of frost and your death follows.¡±
Uriel breathed a slight sigh of relief when he sensed the spell¡¯s Banes latch onto the red Sapphire Caste creature that had an increased chance of resisting him. It wasn¡¯t a lot but it slowed marginally from the stack of [Chilled] it received and he cast [Frost Touched] again, trying to put more stacks on both of the large mecha-felines.
He stayed close to the other ranged Casters but still kept his distance and kept his aura held as tightly to him as possible, afraid of hurting the others at all. It made him less impactful but at least he didn¡¯t distract the others or cause even more harm to those he cared about.
Then something changed and projectiles were screaming through the air in every direction. The [Starlight Companion] over his shoulder that Phoenix provided was quick to shunt away a pointed metal cylinder that had almost struck him as he moved to dodge the burning green gas which the other machina that had charged the group was spewing around them.
He stumbled slightly from the repercussions of the projectiles exploding as they collided with the ground and his [Sun Shell] ¨Calso courtesy of Phoenix¨C shattered as it took the worst of it. What did cause him to fall to the ground, however, was the terrifying roar that echoed through the campsite that was immediately followed by a mini-earthquake as a very large bestial chimera, that was more of an equal fusion than her normal kitten, slammed into the sickly green Macheta that had been making its way directly towards him.
Uriel watched in transfixed horror for a moment as a flashback threatened to consume him and the earrings¡¯ magic flared back to life to keep his terror at bay. He had seen Bliss¡¯ monstrous form before and those were not pleasant memories. Right now, the only thing that kept him from shuddering in fear at those echoes from his past were the earrings he both despised and relied on.
Bliss impacted the Machetah at such an insane speed that she was practically a furred and feathered replica of Phoenix¡¯s meteor with the crater that formed from her initial strike. Luckily, the other Casters had already been scrambling out of the way while trying to get clear of the acidic gas the creature had let out, and the trajectory Bliss had entered from caused them to skid away from them and in the direction of the road. Uriel felt the effects of her aura boosting his Strength and Agility but knew it wouldn¡¯t do him much good at the moment.
A flurry of talons tore at the mecha-cat and flapping wings of gray feathers that blended into the landscape beat powerfully to lift both of them out of the crater for a brief moment before slamming back down into the road itself and causing a longer gouge rather than a deep crater, tossing debris into the air as they tore up the landscape.
The enemy monster had seemed to recover from its initial surprise by this point and was fighting back with its own claws, attempting to free itself from the powerful grapple of the Sapphire Caster.
When they stopped their forward momentum, the Machetah tried to take a bite of one of the taloned front legs and Bliss responded by pulling it back in avoidance, hopping away slightly as the higher-leveled beast regained its footing.
The only thing that dragged Uriel¡¯s attention away from the brutal fight taking place before him was a bright flash of light as Acolyte Barrett had apparently opted to use his emergency teleport scroll to return to the camp and offer support.
That also happened to be the moment he noticed the other fight taking place further behind the new arrival as Rayna and Dazien attacked the red Macheta at the same time and the force of their Executes caused the machina to burst into an explosion of flames that sent three of his friends flying back, taking a massive amount of damage from the fire and the chunks of shrapnel shredding them to pieces.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
Not even the earrings could completely drown his worry that time ¨Cdespite their attempt¨C and he stumbled towards his partner. The tingling numbness in the back of his mind felt like it was trailing down his spine as he fell to his knees beside the gemite. He yanked one of the magically reinforced potion bottles from the warrior¡¯s belt and flipped off the lid to pour the healing liquid down the man¡¯s throat.
Uriel glanced over towards Phoenix and felt his worry finally get smothered completely as he noted the Acolyte already in the process of healing her, with Simmon arriving by the runeforged¡¯s side to assist.
The younger cinderen boy had been turning out to be the most competent of the party, in his opinion, as the summoner began drawing out a ritual diagram with little seed constructs that would sprout thin vines to create the needed lines and runes.
Then Uriel looked to Rayna and saw Saiya taking care of her and knew that everyone would at least live for now. Returning his attention to his liege, he noted the burns and cuts quickly mending themselves from the potion but not completely. He carefully adjusted the smaller man so that he could reach under and carry him over to their Healer to complete the mending.
Despite feeling nothing at the moment, he still knew what he needed to do as he asked Saiya, ¡°Will you be able to heal Daze, too?¡±
The silky voxen nodded up at him, ¡°Yes, my mana is not that depleted yet. Now that Acolyte Barrett is here, I also don¡¯t need to worry about conserving it as much.¡±
He nodded as he knelt beside her, clutching the gemite closer to him in the hope of shielding the man from the snow that was beginning to fall in earnest now. As he waited for Saiya, his attention turned back to the remaining fight between Bliss and the stronger enemy.
It was a mess of claws and talons, sharp fangs and severing beaks, screeching metal, and guttural roars. The Acid Machetah had poured more of the corrosive gas from its maw but it didn¡¯t seem to have much effect on the chimera that he knew was resistant to that Elemental type.
Bliss¡¯ feathers seemed to shift at that point, becoming sharper with a metallic glint, and she held the enemy using her long tail that looked like the head end of an anaconda with a deadly-looking beak that ¨Cof course¨C included large teeth within. With it held firm, she sliced a wing through the air in an attempt to decapitate the enemy but it managed to struggle free enough to only get the metal plating of its back gouged.
The chimera took the opening to strike at the back of its neck, her strong feline jaw clamping down to pivot and maneuver herself on top of the mechanical beast and use her hind claws to shred its backside.
It snarled and lunged to the side in an attempt to dislodge the chimera, sending the pair rolling across the road and leaving a path of blood, fur, oily ichor, and metal scraps as they tore into one another in a frenzy. Even the mechanical beast, which Uriel was fairly certain didn¡¯t have blood, was oozing health as Bliss¡¯ abilities took effect.
¡°Uriel!¡± Saiya¡¯s voice snapped him out of his focused observations as she ordered him, ¡°I need you to set Dazien down. I have to restore him.¡±
Logically, he knew that was a bad thing, and the fact that the magical numbness in his mind increased likely meant he would be completely freaking out right now but he simply nodded and carefully set the Defender down on the ground and took a few steps back as he recalled the ability information for this spell that Phoenix had showed them all before.
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Class Ability: Restored Foundation
Type: Spell (cleanse, zone, magical, life)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 6 hours.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (Locked)
Crystal Effect: Delineate a zone with small lotus flower constructs. Target ally within the zone restores a massive amount of health and is cleansed of all Magical Banes.
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¡°How bad is it?¡± Rayna asked, having finished recovering already and moving to his side and he was reminded by the bard¡¯s proximity to put his Silencer back on.
Now that Bliss was handling the remaining higher Caste enemy, he no longer needed to fight and his agreement with the AOA had been very strict about when he was allowed to remove his Silencer. Only when preparing for or in direct confrontation, or when in a private training room away from civilians, was he allowed to remove the manacles around his wrists and neck.
Not adhering to those rules could result in his Adventuring license being revoked and the current chains he wore to be replaced with the type he used previously; the type that would set of the monster alarms within the city should they be removed.
It had taken almost two years for him and Dazien to get the AOA to agree to this adjusted rule so he would be able to train and take the Trials to become an Adventurer. Two years that could be undone in an instant because someone decided he hadn¡¯t been quick enough to put the Silencer back on.
¡°The shrapnel nicked an artery and punctured a lung but the burns cauterized a lot so he was bleeding internally. I think the force of the blast was what broke his spine though,¡± the Healer stated grimly, ¡°The potion healed the burns and most of the lacerations but not all of it and not the structural damage. They can only do so much based on their Caste and quality, after all.¡±
Uriel knew all of that was terrible news and the emotional numbness hinted that he was right in that assumption. He wasn¡¯t sure if he should be grateful for not being flooded with worry, fear, and panic at the moment. He remembered not liking those feelings and he was certain that¡¯s what he would have been feeling right now¡ if he could.
Since he couldn¡¯t fret and he couldn¡¯t help, his attention wandered back to Bliss; the chimeric monster that had once haunted his nightmares only to eventually become a friend.
Learning that the chimera was actually a Caster and not a murderous demon had been a revelation, to say the least. To know that she had been as much a victim as he had been, gave him an odd kind of connection to her that he had only recently begun exploring; with Priest Jacob as a mediator between them at first.
When she came to visit as an adorable kitten he was quick to think of her like the Familiar he had been denied. Getting to spoil her with treats and pets that seemed to make her happy and it felt like a rare chance to bring someone joy for a change.
Now, however, he was reminded of the monster she had been turned into¡ the monster he had also been transfigured into.
The chimeric tail once more chomped down on a hind leg, almost severing it completely, as a magically reinforced wing cut deeper into a front limb. The Machetah hissed, almost sounding like the steam back in Tulimeir, and tried to reactively pull its damaged, and now malfunctioning, forelimb back.
This awkward movement opened the monster up to Bliss releasing its neck in favor of the injured limb as she flexed, pulling her jaw and tail upwards while using the weight of her body to force the center of the mecha-cat towards the ground.
The discordant sound of metal being wrenched and pistons shrieking filled the area as Bliss literally pulled the enemy apart limb from limb. Blood and a black substance that Uriel didn¡¯t recognize sprayed from the wounds created from the severing of limbs helped along by another slash of sharpened wings. The separated parts were quickly swallowed by the anaconda¡¯s beaked mouth and had a noticeable healing effect on Bliss.
As the monster gave a weakened yowl that sounded like broken gears trying to turn, Uriel knew the battle was over. Bliss grappled its torso with her strong tail and it was only a few moments later that she decapitated it with those powerful jaws. She let out a triumphant roar as they all sensed the Sapphire aura of the monster vanish and proceeded to let her tail devour the rest of her prey.
When the enemy became no more, Uriel felt the magic of the earrings lessen slightly and it felt like he could breathe a bit easier. Despite the massive healing that had just been completed, Dazien didn¡¯t wake up, and neither did Phoenix, having finished going through her own version of massive restoration from Acolyte Barrett nearby.
Saiya surprised him by taking his hand in hers as she said, ¡°They both will likely remain asleep for a few days. Even with magic, massive healing like that takes time for the body and soul to adjust to, especially at lower Caste.¡±
¡°I know that,¡± he said indifferently, then asked because he was having difficulty understanding the Healer¡¯s actions, ¡°You don¡¯t normally choose to take my hand. Is something wrong with me?¡±
The voxen¡¯s ears drooped at his words and he knew that he had messed up somehow. It was never a good thing when voxen ears lowered or tails became tucked between legs. Her voice was soft as she said, ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know, Uriel. You hide too much for me to sense things clearly. I worry for you.¡±
¡°It shouldn¡¯t be me you worry for,¡± he stated matter-of-factly, ¡°It should be everyone near me that you should be concerned for.¡±
Her frown deepened at his words and he knew that he had said the wrong thing again but it was the truth. If she could sense him clearly right now that would mean his earrings weren¡¯t working and, if they weren¡¯t working, there was a good chance he would be the next enemy they faced.
¡°You are our companion. I worry for you just like the others,¡± the Healer stated, ¡°It may be selfish of me but I wish you didn¡¯t wear those. It¡¯s not good to feel nothing the way you are right now.¡±
¡°Better to feel nothing than to murder my friends,¡± he stated bluntly.
30 - On the Road Again
Before Saiya could reply to his assertion, Officer Wysmont approached and called the others to the area, having just arrived on the scene along with the other members of Bliss¡¯ party. The woman grimaced at the sight of Dazien and Phoenix lying unconscious on the ground and Uriel made to lift his partner from the snow again.
With the immediate threats gone and the Tranquil Healer trying to drown him with her aura, his emotional senses were returning as the earrings recognized that he was truly calming down and didn¡¯t need their suppressing effects anymore. This meant he could feel his worry for his friends¡¯ wellbeing once more and he knew Dazien wouldn¡¯t like being in such a vulnerable position.
Bliss¡¯ party, Attitude Plus, was led by Chriss to join the rest of them, likely to learn what they all needed to do next. The chimera that had been a large beast only moments ago now appeared as a furry and feathered humanoid about the size of a child, pouring a bottle of golden glitter over her head in order to have the magically cleansing potion sparkle away the remnant gore from her. When Bliss seemed to notice him, she gave a fanged smile but he could only nod in return, uncertain of how to feel towards her at the moment.
The officer turned to the Acolyte who had saved Phoenix¡¯s life. He had only glimpsed the damage from where he had been but it wouldn¡¯t have surprised him if they had needed to come up with some kind of excuse for how the Wayfarer had survived getting almost cut in half by a chunk of burning metal.
¡°Acolyte Barrett, while I understand your concern for the safety of the others, and it turned out fortuitous that you arrived when you did, I will be noting your lack of communication in my report,¡± Wysmont stated to her party member who nodded in acknowledgment but didn¡¯t seem particularly remorseful. Then the officer asked, ¡°Now, who can tell me what happened?¡±
The group looked at each other, their obvious leaders out of commission, and when they glanced at Tanner, he turned to Polissa instead. The cinderen gave him a raised eyebrow but stepped forward and began to recount the events leading up to that point that she had been able to gather from the various overheard conversations and sights.
At the mention of the army under the mountain, Tanner was able to produce the Sense Stone for the officer to view who took a few minutes to place it against her forehead. With a trickle of mana, the magical device activated and Wysmont got that glazed look of not seeing what was actually in front of her as her senses were all overridden by what the stone had recorded of the location.
Uriel had never cared for the Sense Stones. It was disconcerting to him to not be fully aware of his actual surroundings and the device didn¡¯t seem to work well as it fought against the effects of his Silencer. Maybe he would have liked them better as a child but he would never know.
Once Officer Wysmont had finished viewing the scene of the monstrous army waiting for them, she began to command, ¡°We need to return to Tulimeir at once. That is not something any of us are prepared to encounter and the capital will need to prepare for a potential assault.¡±
Chriss stepped forward to offer, ¡°My party can deliver a message and the Sense Stone along with the injured to the city in two days if we move alone at top speed.¡±
The expedition leader nodded, ¡°That¡¯s likely the best course of action while the rest of us move together across the land. Give me a few minutes to record a debrief while you load up the waylaid, the rest of King¡¯s Dream will remain with the Chaos Summoners for the journey back.¡±
¡°Wysmont!¡± Acolyte Barrett spoke up, ¡°Would I be able to go to tend to the injured?¡±
¡°They''re not exactly injured anymore, Barrett,¡± the woman replied with a slight frown, ¡°They¡¯re unconscious but stable so shouldn¡¯t need a healer in attendance, besides Attitude Plus has a healer.¡±
The runeforged priest-in-training looked at the Wayfarer that Rayna was lifting off the ground, much like Uriel was for Dazien, and tried to argue, ¡°I would like to request staying with the Favored of my goddess, please.¡±
¡°Fine,¡± the officer grumbled, ¡°But this is also going in my report, Barrett.¡± Then she moved to go record her message away from the groups that had begun to disperse in order to prepare to leave.
Uriel and Rayna both looked to Noble Stratfured, the bard asking the Noblewoman, ¡°So, how exactly are you planning to transport two unconscious people?¡±
The iridescent woman smiled as she walked closer, ¡°I¡¯m a Capture Specialist. That leads to some rare powers. I have a dimensional space that can transport people,¡± she explained, glancing at Bliss who happily bounced along beside her and giving the chimera a gentle pet of the wild mane that served as hair.
Uriel¡¯s perception of the bestial Caster slid back towards more of a Familiar than a monster again and he relaxed a bit more, finally shaking away the remnant memories that haunted his dreams, as Chriss added towards him, ¡°A bit like your fort on the inside.¡±
¡°I hope Uriel¡¯s upgrades to be mobile like that at some point,¡± Rayna said with a glance towards him as if he could somehow control what it became when he eventually ascended to Sapphire Caste.
¡°One can hope,¡± the noble replied before asking, ¡°Would you like me to carry their dimensional bags? Those cannot enter the space.¡±
¡°Phoenix doesn¡¯t carry one but I can take Daze¡¯s,¡± Uriel said, turning to let Saiya who was nearby help remove the small pouch from the Defender''s hip.
Once they were ready, the sparkling party leader placed a hand at the base of her throat while extending the other towards the held Casters. A moment later, Dazien and Phoenix¡¯s silhouettes seemed to become a haze of energy shifting in iridescent colors and then appearing to get absorbed straight through her hand and into her body. Or maybe it was a function of the glittering dress the noble wore that completely covered her in iridescent crystals like elegant beadwork? Uriel wasn¡¯t exactly sure but didn¡¯t have the courage to question the Sapphire Caste noble.
¡°Bliss will transport myself. She is remarkably fast when flying, for a Sapphire Caster,¡± Chriss explained and the chimera seemed to preen at the praise, straightening her posture and giving a slight flap of her large snow-colored wings that blended well into their surroundings as the snow continued to fall on them all.
The Mage didn¡¯t like the idea of being parted from his friends, but after thinking about it for longer than he¡¯d care to admit to Priest Jacob, he decided to trust Bliss, and by extension her party leader, with taking care of them and seeing his closest friends back to the capital.
He joined his remaining companions in grouping up with the Chaos Summoners with Po acting as their temporary leader, which he thought she actually did well at. The fact that she allowed Tanner to lead in her place was likely the biggest point against her actually being as good a leader as his king.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
His observing gaze landed on her quieter brother, Simmon, and he felt another pang of loss at the sight of the young cinderen speaking softly to the Wellspring Wyrmling wrapped around his bicep and gently rubbing its adorable reptilian head.
Uriel had often been told as a child that he had a natural disposition for handling avals, even learning the name of that particular talent to be [Animal Friend], but his [Storm Attunement] had made the talent deviate.
His captor had actually shown him the details of the talent before, from the Knowledge Tablet and Identification Orb they would use to check his progress as they pushed, prodded, and molded him into their weapon.
Natural Talent: Animal Friend
- Your instincts and aura naturally draw animals and avals to you. You are more likely to gain positive reactions from them and can more easily understand and convey your intentions to them.
- Increased likelihood of unlocking a Familiar passive ability. The range of your Familiar passive ability when activating the bonding ritual is drastically increased.
|
He had only been given two chances for that second portion to trigger, however. For his fourteenth birthday, the man that had been overseeing his cultivation had forced him to bond to the [Fire Aspect] which had granted him [Home¡¯s Hearth] for his passive.
Priest Jacob had later suggested that his fierce desire to return home during his captivity was the likely cause of that, but his captor had simply been disappointed in it at the time.
The cultist had punished him for it. Another session of inflicting pain and having him inflict worse on others. That was also the day he first experienced wearing the [Chains of Silence], to make it even more clear that he was but a tool to be used for killing. He hadn¡¯t been allowed to sleep again either, not till a few days later when he went through the Aspect Bonding ritual again and it caused him to collapse.
That was the next chance he got for a more likely Familiar power, which turned out to be his last, when the cultist had made him bond to both the [Ice Aspect] and [Storm Aspect] at the same time, sending a clearer signal to his beaten soul that the path of the Elementalist was the one he would be forced to walk.
The Aspects overwrote his talents and when his enslavers chose the [Potent Aspect] to complete his set, shortly after he had awoken again, his fate was sealed as a Cataclysm Mage.
The feeling of a soft furred hand in his own larger hand gently pulled him from his thoughts as he looked down at the small voxen that seemed more hesitant than usual around him, ¡°It¡¯s okay to feel sad, Uriel,¡± Saiya assured him, ¡°If¡ if you need to talk to someone, it doesn¡¯t have to be me,¡± she corrected quickly, ¡°I¡¯m sure any of us would be willing to listen.¡±
Uriel felt a pang of appreciation and devotion towards Dazien and Phoenix upon realizing that neither of them had told the twins about the information he had shared about his past.
They had kept his secrets and left him the choice to bring in the people he trusted rather than outing him and putting him in the awkward position of being confronted about it.
It was difficult to put into words why that meant so much to him but it did. It also helped give him the courage to share those pieces with the Healer who seemed to be attempting to truly understand him more. Perhaps it was finally time for him to listen to Dazien and Priest Jacob¡¯s advice and try trusting others more.
Saiya was silently relieved to sense some actual emotions from the stoic Mage. The sadness tinged with grief filling him as he gazed at the group of summoners was slightly heartbreaking to her since he made it obvious, with both his vast knowledge of all types of creatures and the gentle spoiling he always indulged their Familiars with, that he had desired a soul companion.
She wanted to ask more, learn more about his motivations and history, but was distracted by the sight of Attitude Plus getting ready to leave.
Acolyte Barrett handed over a small bag before disappearing much the same way his teammates had, followed by the other members of Bliss¡¯ party doing the same as Chriss hooked their dimensional bags onto her belt.
The chimera herself was fidgeting and kept glancing over in their direction and she could sense the growing impatience and anxiety rising within the Caster which caused her to get even more nervous about what the bestial Adventurer might have sensed in turn.
Once that brief spiral continued for a bit, Saiya suddenly realized that it was likely her own fault when Bliss bounded over to her and wrapped her in a tight hug, the large wings wrapping around her as if to shelter her from all the terribleness of the world beyond.
When she was over her momentary surprise, she wrapped her own silky tails around the child-sized chimera and patted her head, ¡°I¡¯m alright, Bliss. It¡¯s just Uriel I¡¯m worried about.¡±
The assailant responded by hugging her tighter, burying a fluffy head into her combat robes that offered a bit more protection than a regular dress, and quietly muttering, ¡°But you smell like worry for everyone.¡±
¡°Good,¡± Uriel said in a low rumble, ¡°That¡¯s what I told her to do.¡±
Saiya looked up to the sky, wondering which god would help her the most at that moment, before correcting them both, ¡°I¡¯m worried about everyone because that¡¯s just who I am. I want to help everyone and right now everyone is stressed from the fight, the enemy we found, and our downed companions. Uriel is especially worrisome because I understand how much he cares about those companions in particular.¡±
Then she ruffled the chimera¡¯s hair similar to how she saw Chriss do it before urging the girl, ¡°Now will you go get those companions back home to Paul Wayland for us, Bliss?¡±
The chimera gave her a bright fanged smile and nodded enthusiastically, beginning to bound back over to Chriss, but turned to give a final hug and squeeze of wings then returned to the original goal of assisting the crystal-laden party leader. Saiya could sense the happy emotions filling the chimera once more and was relieved that Bliss seemed to easily bounce back from any negative emotions.
A few moments later, Bliss shifted into one of the largest birds Saiya had ever seen, only beaten by a few of the higher Caste avals specifically used for transporting people across the continent that sometimes stopped in the capital of her homeland. Chriss then seemed to equip the sleek bird form, which was obviously built for speed, with a magical harness that adjusted itself to the large creature-Caster.
Another item was pulled from the party leader¡¯s bag and attached to the underside of the harness, hanging against Bliss¡¯s feathered stomach. When the large bird carefully used an equally large beak to lift the iridescent woman to fit snugly inside of it, Saiya realized it was a basket of sorts; aerodynamically shaped to let the rider be comfortable without slowing the transport down as much.
With a powerful flap of wings, Bliss launched straight up into the air like a rocket before the equipment seemed to alter its coloration as well to blend into the landscape and the chimera shot off to the east towards Tulimeir.
That was also when Officer Wysmont began ordering everyone to get ready to move as well and she turned her focus back towards Uriel. His sadness had risen again for some reason but all he was doing was looking down the Eastern Trade Road that they were about to travel very quickly on.
Before she could pry, however, the tall cinderen spoke up first, ¡°It was on this very road that my family was attacked by bandits.¡±
¡°You were fourteen?¡± she asked, recalling the story he gave them of how his parents had died.
¡°Thirteen when we were captured by them,¡± he corrected, ¡°They sold us to a group of cultists about a week later. It was there, after I had turned fourteen, that my parents died. I thought my younger sister died when I was rescued months later. Then I found out years later that she survived only to live there a few more years before being killed.¡±
Saiya stayed very still, worried that if she said the wrong thing he would close up on her. Like a blossom that was scared of getting too much sun that it might wilt.
Instead of focusing on the terrifying thoughts surrounding his past trauma, she decided to take a different approach. They would have time to explore that tragedy later anyway if she could get him to trust that she only wished for him to ease his pain. To that end, she asked, ¡°Would you like to tell me about her while we get on the road again?¡±
Uriel took a trembling breath as he nodded and said softly, ¡°Her name was Eirlys.¡±
31 - Reports
Dazien¡¯s eyes felt heavy; like he had slept for too long but still didn¡¯t want to awaken. It was the return of his most recent memories, however, that had him bolt upright to look around and find the beast that had been about to eat his habitually dying companion.
A startled runeforged with magenta markings visibly jumped in fright at his sudden movement as the man gasped and said, ¡°Goddess within, who actually does that?¡±
¡°You¡¯re alright, Mister Smithson,¡± the woman he recognized as Noble Stratfured said, suddenly appearing next to him, and it was his turn to jump in fright as he tried to conjure his sword only to have nothing happen.
¡°What happened? Where am I? Why can¡¯t I use my powers? Where¡¯s¨C¡± his questions halted as he noticed Phoenix lying on a plush circular couch across from the section of the same curved seating he had awoken on with a low round table in the space between them.
The Wayfarer appeared to be sleeping and the runeforged that he now recognized as Acolyte Barrett explained, ¡°You both underwent massive healing from the damage sustained when the enemy combusted from your attack.¡±
¡°You are currently in my dimensional space as we travel back to Tulimeir, powers don¡¯t work here,¡± Chriss interjected, ¡°We should arrive tomorrow.¡±
The Defender properly took his time to look around the area now, taking in the details of the space. It was a large room that seemed carved from crystal, everything except for the cushions and some decor items was made of it.
The wall he was facing was a clearly labeled medical station that vaguely reminded him of ones he had seen in the temple of the Mender that was practically overflowing with healing instruments and supplies. On the opposite side of that was a more relaxing space, with a Sense Stone projector that could display visual information from a desired angle and plenty of cushioned seating in front of it. Closer to what he assumed was the entrance was a smaller training area with some sparring equipment.
Towards the back of the large area was a wall with seven doors all but one labeled with its purpose. The largest one was what held his attention, however, as it clearly stated ¡°Mine and Bliss¡± and he suddenly wondered if the two women had a relationship more in line with his and Uriel¡¯s.
He pushed the thought away, though, as it was none of his business what went on between the two of them in the privacy of their room. Instead, he asked, ¡°Where is the rest of my party?¡±
¡°Traveling back with the rest of the expedition,¡± the noblewoman replied, ¡°We are expediting your return to the city along with the reports to the AOA about the enemy forces your team discovered.¡±
He nodded in understanding and slowly retook his seat, folding his hands under his chin as he stared at the unconscious Wayfarer and tried to formulate a plan for their arrival.
The Defender¡¯s worry must have been showing as the Acolyte set down the book he must have been reading and leaned forward to say, ¡°Nobody else was severely injured. You accomplished the mission and will be returning home soon. You should be able to relax now and stop worrying.¡±
Dazien grimaced, ¡°You must have forgotten, Acolyte Barrett,¡± he began lamenting, ¡°I have to be the one to explain to the Lord Paladin of the Avenger why his daughter is unconscious and being emergency evacuated back to the city.¡±
¡°Ah¡ right,¡± the runeforged replied, sitting back into the plush seating, ¡°Well¡ carry on then.¡±
Paul frowned at the scene laid out before him as he stood beside Cleric Starlark on the observation side of the enchanted wall in a room below the AOA building. He and Everin had brought the woman in and were watching Officer Allan Trayvious questioning her.
It had been about a half hour since the questioning began with the usual starters: ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°What were you doing there?¡± ¡°Why did you try killing everyone?¡±
The Paladin glanced over at his voxen companion who was staring at something behind the nobleman with a fascinated gaze. He gave a small flap of the tiny black-feathered wings that were resting there and a grin alighted the Cleric¡¯s face. Paul rolled his eyes and said gruffly, ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be paying attention.¡±
¡°I am and those additions are utterly fabulous,¡± Everin replied in awe.
¡°To the interrogation,¡± he clarified.
¡°She¡¯s not going to talk, so there¡¯s nothing to pay attention to. They¡¯ll eventually move onto the Alchemists for information but, either way, our presence is pointless here.¡±
¡°The Rebel Fox is right,¡± Orebela added and he shook his head.
¡°Well, Avenger is being utterly silent,¡± Paul informed, ¡°So unless Rebel has told you something useful, she¡¯s the only one we¡¯re getting information from.¡±
¡°If Rebel told me something that could get me out of this boring interrogation, don¡¯t you think I would have mentioned it sooner? You think I¡¯m really that disorganized?¡±
Paul kept his face impassive and fixed his attention on the pair of runeforged on the other side of the magical one-way window wall.
Everin¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°I¡¯m Emerald too! I¡¯m not going to forget something like that!¡±
¡°I never said you would.¡±
¡°You never said I wouldn¡¯t!¡±
The noble decided to take a different approach to redirect the topic and asked, ¡°Why would a woman with a steady job as a clerk in the city, a good relationship with her husband, and decent ties to the community go research and then enact shutting down the alert enchantments for the entire Temple District?¡±
The Cleric gave a heavy sigh and shrugged, ¡°Why does anyone do anything? It all comes back to Marie.¡±
That caused Paul to actually turn his head to look at his recent companion, ¡°I don¡¯t get the joke.¡±
The voxen chuckled, ¡°Money, Addiction, Revenge, Ideology, or Ego. MARIE. Maybe someone else paid her to do it. Maybe she needed the money to pay for a lumeshroom addiction. Maybe she blames the gods for the death of a loved one. Maybe she just hates those gods in general. Maybe she just wanted to prove to herself that she was powerful enough to accomplish such an insanely difficult task.¡±
He fell silent and contemplated the plethora of reasons before raising an eyebrow, ¡°Lumeshrooms?¡±
The vulpine man gave a teasing grin, ¡°They come from the Underdeep and can give you incredibly vivid dreams of your deepest desires. I highly recommend trying them at least once, they will free your mind.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
¡°And the addiction part?¡±
¡°Oh,¡± the Cleric said as if realizing a mistake and corrected, ¡°No, you¡¯ll be fine since you¡¯re a Caster but they are insanely addictive to Mundanes. They should stay well away.¡±
Paul was about to argue the unlikelihood of any of the reasons the voxen gave actually being this woman¡¯s motivation for causing the deaths of dozens of priests and a couple of hundred innocent civilians but was distracted by one of his newer senses.
The direction of his Prot¨¦g¨¦ and her party leader had quickly shifted from the nothing he had sensed for the past few days, due to the distance the bracelet couldn¡¯t reach, to suddenly being in range and mostly to the north.
Everin seemed to shift at the same time from beside him and it was too much of a coincidence that the Cleric looked northward as well. The Healer suddenly froze as Paul¡¯s aura rudely invaded and he angrily growled, ¡°How are you tracking her?¡±
Ears flattened and all five tails tried to tuck as the voxen slowly turned, lifting white-furred hands in a defensive gesture, ¡°It¡¯s not something I did. Nor can I control it, Paladin Wayland.¡±
¡°Do not play with your words with me. Answer clearly or you will learn why I am a Wrath Blade.¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s not fair. You just played with your own¨C¡± Everin gave a small yelp as Paul held him by the throat against the stone wall that had become indented, ¡°She is Chosen!¡± the man struggled to shout in obvious fear.
He relaxed his grip slightly to signal him to continue. ¡°All the clergy of the gods who marked her soul can sense her direction. Rebel whispered to me and the rest of ours to not interfere directly with her, however.¡±
¡°What else did Rebel tell you?¡± Suddenly Paul¡¯s concerns for his Prot¨¦g¨¦ increased tenfold at the idea of the gods spreading information about Phoenix to people that he couldn¡¯t possibly hope to defeat.
The pale man blanched even further at the question before admitting with a shaky voice, ¡°Everything.¡±
His grip tightened again, seriously contemplating ending the perceived threat right here and now but the next words stayed his hand, ¡°Rebel trusted me! I have only mentioned this to Phoenix herself. No others know and I will aid in making sure no one else learns.¡±
Golden eyes narrowed at the cunning fox and he commanded, ¡°Swear it.¡±
¡°I swear it will remain secret.¡±
¡°Make the Oathbond or never speak again.¡±
¡°I am a man of my word, Lord Paladin,¡± the Cleric protested.
¡°Then you should have no trouble keeping the oath.¡± Cold blue irises with slitted pupils stared at him incredulously and he added softly, ¡°Swear that I can trust you to help us.¡±
For once the playful voxen seemed to consider him seriously and said, ¡°I swear upon my magic that I will do whatever is within my capabilities to watch over Phoenix Wayland and assist in maintaining her privacy and wellbeing so long as she accepts it. I offer my magic itself as the price for my failure until she completes her divine quest.¡±
Paul released him with a relieved sigh, ¡°Then let¡¯s go see why she¡¯s returned early.¡±
Dazien knew he was starting to break through Lord Wayland¡¯s prickly exterior, he was actually grateful to his natural talent for that particular assist; though, he knew it likely didn¡¯t affect the Emerald Caster much if at all. However, that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t fear the retribution the Paladin was exceedingly capable of inflicting upon him.
Bliss had actually flown them to the northwestern side of the city, to the closest outer wall entrance from the Wayland Estate, in order to drop off Acolyte Barrett and himself holding an unconscious Wayfarer. From there, Chriss had the chimera fly around to the southern entrance closer to the AOA building to save time and deliver their report of the enemy.
The Defender ignored the gazes he was garnering from the few people still out on the streets this late in the evening and focused more on how he could mitigate the Lord Paladin¡¯s wrath as much as possible. The memory of the Emerald Caster almost choking the life out of Uriel when he first met the man was still seared into his mind and he wasn¡¯t looking forward to reenacting the scene.
He didn¡¯t even need to knock on the front door when his gaze fell upon the obsidian armor of the vengeant Paladin that must have arrived shortly before he did to the estate. His bracelet warned him of the impending encounter as he felt the direction continually shift directly before him, so he tried his best not to wince when Paul asked, ¡°Why is she asleep and the rest of your party not here?¡±
Dazien now knew better than to mince words with the veteran Striker when asked a direct question and reported succinctly, ¡°A Sapphire monster exploded upon execution and the resulting damage injured three of us. She¡¯s still recovering from the massive healing.¡±
Paul surprised him by nodding and gesturing for him to enter the noble home, ¡°Let¡¯s let her rest in her room, then head to my study to explain why that warranted a return.¡±
He watched the man a moment longer to figure out if there was some sort of trick but the Wrath Blade didn¡¯t seem angry at him in the slightest. That was almost more concerning and he wondered if the front door was simply too public and he would end up never leaving the study again.
After dropping off Phoenix, he and Acolyte Barrett were led to Paul¡¯s private study where he was further startled to find Cleric Everin waiting for them.
¡°Ah, the young King returns with the heroic Princess,¡± the voxen noted with a grin and Dazien became suspicious once more. This man seemed to always speak in doubles around him, saying one thing that could be interpreted a different way if he assumed the man had knowledge that should only be within their small party. The Healer wasn¡¯t a Cleric of the Scholar though, which made it all the more concerning.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, but does Cleric Starlark have the AOA approval to know what happened on our mission? As I recall, he¡¯s not actually an Adventurer,¡± Dazien pointed out.
¡°Check his wrist,¡± Lord Wayland replied offhandedly while taking the usual seat behind the ornate desk.
The Defender raised an eyebrow as Everin held out his left arm and the single brow was joined by the other as he read the magical runes meaning Oath, Bond, Alliance, Wrath, Blade, Quest, Complete, and Magic. He asked in slight confusion, ¡°You vowed an alliance with Lord Wayland until he completed a quest?¡±
¡°I vowed to assist Phoenix until she completes her quest,¡± the Cleric clarified then leaned back in his plush seat.
¡°Quest?¡± the Acolyte voiced and the others turned to look at the runeforged.
¡°Forget that, Acolyte,¡± Everin ordered, ¡°More divine secrets above your pay grade. How did the expedition go?¡±
¡°I was able to keep her alive like you asked,¡± the nervous Sapphire Caster replied, ¡°It turns out you were right about her being accident-prone.¡±
Dazien wasn¡¯t sure if he was impressed or annoyed by the voxen¡¯s foresight and decided to rant about it with Uriel later. For now, he focused on what else the Cleric might have told the Acolyte as they continued to discuss their little side objective.
¡°How bad was it this time?¡±
¡°Even as a Sapphire, if Noble Simmon Teras hadn¡¯t assisted in the healing I¡¯m not sure I would have succeeded. A large piece of metal plating almost completely severed her body at the waist and another punched a hole through her lung,¡± Barrett reported.
¡°Where was Lady Saiya?¡± Paul asked.
¡°Healing her sister, though her injuries were much more minor. Mister Karislian gave Mister Smithson a potion before Lady Dewsong completed the healing with a powerful ability.¡± The Acolyte gave him a side eye and added, ¡°Your injuries were nearly as bad as Noble Wayland¡¯s from what I saw.¡±
Dazien noticed Paul¡¯s stare and he bowed his head, ¡°We were all too close to the beast. I apologize for my lack of judgment once more.¡±
The runeforged looked at him in surprise, ¡°Lack of judgment? You killed the monster and were the one to inform the other teams about everything that was happening. If we hadn¡¯t gotten your updates, then I wouldn¡¯t have used my teleportation scroll in time and both you and the Chosen One, and potentially many more, would all be dead right now.¡±
Lord Wayland spoke up, asking, ¡°Is that so?¡±
¡°Yes. His group leader, Mister Neired, recused himself to Mister Smithson after losing his bonded Familiar from what I was told by Noble Polissa Teras when she took over the group due to the other¡¯s incapacitation. From her report, it sounded like Mister Smithson and Noble Wayland are the main reason the others survived multiple encounters.¡±
¡°That¡¯s inaccurate,¡± Dazien stated adamantly, ¡°While I won¡¯t deny that I did the best I could to lead when I thought Mister Neired was insufficient, it was a team effort. My party all filled their Roles admirably.¡±
¡°Sounds like you did your job well then,¡± the Paladin commented.
¡°But I¡ Phoenix and I got injured,¡± he argued and it felt a bit hollow when he said it aloud and Paul seemed to think so as well since the man simply shrugged.
¡°It was a mission. The risk of injury is why Adventurers get paid so well for going on them,¡± his mentor explained, ¡°Nobody died and I assume the only reason you returned early is because the mission was successful. This is honestly the best report I¡¯ve gotten all week.¡±
¡°About the mission¡¡± the Defender began, ¡°I believe you¡¯ll want to go to the AOA to see for yourself but the city needs to prepare for war once again.¡±
Both Emerald Casters frowned at that and he expounded, ¡°The Soul Reapers brought an army of Caged monsters to the tundra.¡±
¡°They must be mostly Sapphires though, right?¡± Everin speculated.
Dazien shook his head, remembering what Uriel had gushed about long before even becoming an Adventurer. His partner¡¯s obsession with avals and monsters had bled into his own knowledge pool over the years and he recognized many of the Caged creatures they had seen but one of the monsters he knew to be Emerald Caste came to the forefront of his mind as he reported, ¡°They have a Cave Troll.¡±
32 - The Expectations of Others
Saiya¡¯s scream rang out through the blizzard and Phoenix pushed herself harder, making her speed almost too fast for her to process as she searched for her friends. Everywhere she turned there were miserlings awaiting and blood stained the snow all around her.
She expanded her aura senses as far as she could in search of the others but it felt muted and when she reached up to her throat she found a solid metal band wrapped around it and felt the weight of matching cuffs around her wrists. She couldn¡¯t push herself faster as she ran blindly through the snowstorm with the sadistic creatures laughing at her.
Phoenix tripped over something she had missed in her panicked rush and fell to her hands and knees. When she looked back to see what it had been, the glazed-over amber eyes of Saiya stared blankly back at her. Frost covered her lips but long gouges spilled her innards out onto the red snow.
The Healer¡¯s arm was stretched out at a weird angle and, as her eyes trailed down it, she realized it was holding another hand. Her heart dropped as a matching face stared just as blankly up at the freezing sky. Rayna was also dead, shredded to pieces by the miserling swarm.
¡°No!¡± Uriel¡¯s voice rang out from behind her and she turned to see her friend lost in his rage again as he furiously cast spells at the hideous creatures that lunged at the Mage with their serrated claws.
Phoenix felt helpless though, the [Chains of Silence] making her feel weighed down and unable to move as fast as she needed to save her friend who soon fell to the ground as well, the monsters quickly swarmed to devour him and she felt her heart crack. She had to save him!
The miserlings then turned to her, slowly closing in on her in the way she remembered they would when they knew their prey couldn¡¯t escape. As one made to lunge at her, a golden shield blocked its path protecting her from the pain of its jagged claws and fangs.
Amethyst hair filled her vision instead and Dazien once again stood between her and the enemies, seeming to appear from nowhere as he yelled, ¡°Run!¡± she could barely hear his voice over the howl of the wind, ¡°Make a portal and do what I say!¡±
Tears were streaming down her face as she looked between her dead companions and her leader and then grabbed at the collar around her throat, ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± she sobbed, ¡°I¡¯m not strong enough!¡±
He turned to look back at her, dropping his sword on the ground in despair as he stared at her, ¡°Then you¡¯ve killed us all.¡±
She screamed as giant cat claws and metal spikes burst through Dazien at multiple points from behind him, killing him where he stood.
¡°Phoenix!¡±
She continued sobbing as she reached out to try and catch her friend before he too turned the snow red.
¡°Phoenix! Wake up this instant!¡±
The Wayfarer shot up in her bed, her heart racing wildly, as she tried to adjust to her surroundings and after a moment continued to sob into Paul¡¯s chest as he tried to calm her down from her nightmare.
She brokenly asked her mentor between sobs as her memories returned, ¡°Rayna and Dazien? Are they alright? Are they alive?¡±
¡°Yes. You¡¯ve been asleep for a few days now,¡± the Paladin said soothingly, ¡°From what Acolyte Barrett reported, a piece from a Caged machina almost cut you in half.¡±
Phoenix shook her head, still distraught from the mental images that had haunted her sleep, ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter! They won¡¯t¨C¡± her voice broke again, as she took in another shaking breath, ¡°They won¡¯t come back!¡±
¡°They are safe, Phoenix. Alive and unharmed and awaiting your return,¡± he tried to reassure her again, rubbing her back as she trembled against him. After a few more minutes of crying and deep breaths, she managed to push away her fears and focus on the present reality.
When Paul appeared to sense the shift he said, ¡°I read all the reports and viewed the Sense Stones. A duchy-wide Call to Arms is being put together right now in response to the Soul Reapers'' forces and we¡¯ve sent word to the Queen in Blomstra to send additional reinforcements but we¡¯re not sure anyone will get here in time or if she¡¯ll spare the personnel.¡±
The nobleman hesitated before adding, ¡°I want you to know that I¡¯m proud of the way you and your party performed on this mission.¡±
She gave a mix of a laugh and sob, ¡°Proud? I almost got everyone killed. If I had been smarter, then that berzerking robo-cat wouldn¡¯t have been able to follow me through the portal. If I had been wiser, then I wouldn¡¯t have tried to take on three elementals on my own. Dazien¡¯s the one to be proud of. He and Rayna were the ones to execute that monster.¡±
¡°You found the enemy. You protected your teammates and followed your leader instead of your ego. For that alone, I am proud of you,¡± he patted her head and she couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly better. Glad that despite her own misgivings, she had made him happy.
¡°Now,¡± Paul started with a brighter tone as he gently pushed her back into a sitting position, ¡°Will you sate my curiosity and show me what your book said to lead you to the enemy?¡±
Phoenix chuckled at the smirk he gave her and she obligingly showed him the messages she had gotten. As he looked it over he pondered aloud, ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s going to be stingy about giving Spirit Gems until you ascend to Sapphire.¡±
¡°It seems to give me things that are useful to me, normally. I¡¯m not sure how it knows what I need or want, though, or if I¡¯m just imagining things,¡± she admitted while mentally taking stock of what was in her collection then added in surprise, ¡°Actually, it looks like I didn¡¯t need the book to give me one.¡±
She pulled out a large square-cut gem that shone with dark crimson light as she conjured her [Guide Book] and placed it on the pages.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
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Item: Predator Spirit Gem
A magical gem containing the spiritual concept of a predator made manifest.
Caste: Sapphire.
Availability: Rare.
Type: Consumable, ingredient.
Requirements: Sapphire Caste with less than 10 unlocked cultivating abilities.
Effect: Further enhances a random cultivating ability, unlocking additional effects; weighted towards the most suitable ability available.
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¡°A Predator from the predator. Fitting,¡± she said dryly, before putting the item back in her collection, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll have to save that for later or see if Rayna wants it.¡±
¡°It should be a decent offensive upgrade for either of you,¡± Paul said, then shifted back to a previous item, ¡°Have you used a [Prism Brush] before?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it,¡± she replied, then conjured it into her hand from her dimensional storage.
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Item: Prism Brush
Beauty may be seen on the outside but vanity comes from within.
Caste: Crystal.
Availability: Rare.
Type: Tool, brush.
Effect: Can transfigure the appearance of brushed hair based on the device settings.
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It was a rectangular-shaped brush with thick white bristles on one side and a series of runes and knobs on the other. She analyzed it for a bit before Paul held out a hand in a silent request.
She handed it over to him and he began explaining, ¡°I¡¯ve only seen these a few times. I knew an Adventurer that was really fond of it,¡± he gave another grin as he added offhandedly, ¡°She had the Arcane Charlatan Class and would often disguise herself and the rest of us for certain missions.
¡°This knob here lets you select a color, see?¡± he turned one of the knobs and the bristles of the brush began shifting through the color spectrum, ¡°This one lets you choose the amount of curl you want,¡± he said as he turned another knob and the different wavy symbols around that knob lit up with each turn, ¡°And this switch lets you turn on growth acceleration. Once you have all the settings as you want them, it will transform your hair as you brush it with this.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide and she quickly said, ¡°Let me try!¡±
As he handed it back, she scurried out of bed and over to the bathroom where she knew a mirror was. She fiddled with the settings and then began brushing her wild curls which seemed to melt away as they were replaced with straight and silky dark brown locks.
When she finished, she stared at her reflection in awe. She looked like a completely different person. As she carefully touched her reflection, she found herself wondering if this might help her fit in more among this darker city of runeforged and cinderen.
¡°While I can understand the appeal,¡± Paul¡¯s voice came from the doorway as he observed her, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t seek to hide who you are.¡±
He walked towards her, slowly reached out to touch a stray lock, and said with a slight frown, ¡°When we met, you were sad to have lost your ruby curls. The first time I saw you truly smile was when you got them back. Don¡¯t lose them again just to capitulate to the expectations of others.¡±
She contemplated his words for a moment before nodding and saying, ¡°I understand, and I do love my hair the way it was, but it can be fun to change things up once in a while, I think.¡±
Phoenix looked at her reflection in the mirror for another few moments before changing the settings on the brush once more then transfigured her hair back to its original auburn color and curls but made a section that started near her temple a soft emerald green that matched her eyes.
She smiled at her mentor and he returned it with a grin of his own as he teasingly tousled her hair and said, ¡°Don¡¯t ever let anyone tell you to not be who you are because who you are is amazing, Phoenix.¡±
The redhead laughed, pushing his hand away, and said, ¡°I think you just feel contractually obliged to say things like that now.¡±
He chuckled, ¡°Even if that was the case, it doesn¡¯t make it any less true. Nobody¡¯s perfect, you and me both included, but I¡¯ve seen how much you¡¯ve grown and changed and you never stop amazing me.¡±
She blushed at the compliment and replied, ¡°Well, I had a pretty amazing teacher.¡±
¡°The highest of compliments,¡± her Mentor acknowledged and gestured back towards the door to her bedroom, ¡°Do you want to get some breakfast and tell me your side of everything?¡±
¡°Yes, please,¡± she called back, instantly returning the brush to her collection in a flash of silvery sparkles and making a beeline for the kitchen as Paul laughed behind her.
When she was happily scarfing down delicious food a few minutes later, she remembered to ask, ¡°So how did your mission go? More politics, avenging, or Emerald monsters?¡±
He shook his head but frowned slightly, ¡°The missions went fine but yesterday there was a monster spawn gone wrong in the Temple District.¡±
¡°Gone wrong?¡±
¡°Someone, somehow, sabotaged the alert enchantments in that entire district without anyone noticing until a Sapphire monster spawned,¡± his frown deepened and he almost seemed his actual age with the worry lines it caused, ¡°A lot of people died before anyone knew to respond. In all my years, I¡¯ve never seen that happen before. We always know ahead of time and can usually mitigate a lot of the damage but today was something else. Also part of the job I hate the most when it comes to being an Adventurer.¡±
Phoenix hesitated but her curiosity got the better of her as she asked, ¡°What do you mean? Isn¡¯t it good to protect the people?¡±
¡°Not that,¡± he corrected, ¡°You haven¡¯t had to experience it yet, luckily, and likely never will if you keep the little king by your side, but when you lead a party and there¡¯s a death involved with your mission, the surviving family can request to hear the report from the party leader and ask additional questions. It¡¯s been a tradition the AOA has kept as a way of offering some closure to those that remain behind.¡±
Phoenix blanched at the idea and agreed that she never wanted to experience something like that. Then she clarified incredulously, ¡°So you had to tell parents and siblings or spouses exactly how you failed to save their loved one?¡±
Paul nodded, ¡°It¡¯s one of the responsibilities of leadership, for better or worse. Unfortunately, because I¡¯m technically a party of one right now that means I¡¯m a leader. Today felt a bit worse, though, when I had to tell two of the families that we couldn¡¯t find the bodies, only their broken adventuring licenses. It¡¯s like an extra punch to the gut when you have to tell them there won¡¯t be a proper funeral on top of the loss.¡±
¡°No body to bury?¡±
¡°Nothing to burn. We have funeral pyres here, another old tradition.¡±
They both fell silent, unsure of what more to say until Phoenix asked, ¡°Is there anything I can do to help? Maybe look at the enchantments that broke?¡±
¡°The new Chancellor of the OOM, Lord Teras whom you met earlier, has his best person already on it. I can ask if they would like the assistance, though,¡± and his smile confused her until he added, ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to introduce you to said expert but she¡¯s rather shy around others.¡±
¡°Who is she?¡± Phoenix asked curiously. There were so few people that Paul seemed to like enough to want to introduce her to.
¡°My cousin, Camilla Seren,¡± Paul answered with a grin, ¡°She¡¯s quite brilliant. Anyway, finish eating quickly. Your friends should arrive back soon and will probably want to see you.¡±
33 - Show Them Fear
Nothing seemed to be going right for Roimeldor. Despite being the immortal Hollyhock Caste leader of the Soul Reapers, he couldn¡¯t seem to catch a break in achieving his goals on either of the planets he had set their forces on.
If things kept going sideways for him, then he would need to get directly involved and that had its risks. Mainly the cost of just existing in a lower Caste area and needing to supplement with either [Hollyhock Mana Bits] or slowly drain his mana and increase the risks to his limited immortality.
While Hollyhock Casters couldn¡¯t die from aging and were resilient to the extreme, they could still be killed. That wasn¡¯t as concerning a risk to his people, with their technology to capture souls in transit and reconstruct a physical body for them. However, those magical devices required a Hollyhock Caster to operate and it cost them more resources the higher Caste the soul was, not to mention that there were only a handful of Hollyhocks within their ranks.
Frankly, he didn¡¯t fully trust his Caste peers with his own immortal survival. They were the types of people who would rather take over his position of authority for the power trip rather than further their organization¡¯s mission.
Roimeldor watched the planet with twin moons and a small ring of green-tinted debris circling its equator that might have once belonged to a comet or shattered moon. From the large windowed wall of his office, he contemplated all these various things along with the movement of his forces, the concurrent skirmishes currently taking place on the surface, and awaited the reports for the subsequent harvests.
He was almost tempted to pray to the Creator Trinity that this time, this reality, this planet, would have the one thing he had been searching the last few millennia for¡ or was it eon now? Time was an odd thing and practically impossible for him to accurately keep track of across realities but surely it had been almost an eon by his homeworld¡¯s standards.
The Commander didn¡¯t pray, though. He knew the Trinity wouldn¡¯t answer, even if it could know every thought he had. That just wasn¡¯t how those particular beings worked. Instead, he waited, watched, and strategized.
Asyamil entered, dressed in the usual black body armor most of their people wore, himself included, but they both currently lacked the glossy helmet that could simply reappear at the press of a button. She didn¡¯t announce herself and promptly went to his side as he gave the familiar command, ¡°Reaping report.¡±
¡°We¡¯ve collected another 56,377 souls from Makera but still no sign of Naira,¡± the tall elf said.
Roimeldor felt the wave of disappointment despite trying to convince himself to stop hoping in the first place. That small tiny sliver of hope was the only thing keeping him going, though, so he asked, ¡°Notable conflict updates?¡±
¡°Fire Four Squad has run into interference from the Queens of Lona Laress in the northwestern quadrant,¡± his second-in-command continued, ¡°Water Two Squad, which was reassigned to Tulim in the northeastern quadrant, has reported that their alarms were triggered and the locals have discovered them. They are requesting permission to advance before a defense can be mounted.¡±
¡°Discovered? Did they mess up the aural detection negators?¡±
¡°No, sir. It was a physical ground discovery,¡± she stated, hesitating a moment before adding, ¡°The sensors picked up the presence of a Wayfarer with a lot of Divinity affecting their aura signature.¡±
Roimeldor clenched his jaw as he growled, ¡°Another Wayfarer?¡±
¡°Yes, sir, only Daisy Caste but the amount of Divine influence is concerning and would explain how they discovered our location.¡±
He contemplated a moment longer, debating on just biting the bullet and going down to the surface to take care of these annoyances on his own. The Abyssal Dragoon was still down there somewhere after having completely derailed his plans on Erythr¨®s but the appearance of another Wayfarer was disconcerting and entirely too coincidental that he didn¡¯t want to leave the potential threat. Almost a million souls awaited¡ a million chances for him to find Naira.
¡°Sir?¡± Asyamil prompted.
¡°Call for the advance on Tulim. Burn them to the ground. Show them fear. I will reap every soul from any who dare to stand in my way.¡±
¡°Yes, Commander. It will be done.¡±
Phoenix was happy to find her friends alive and well as Rayna and Saiya both crushed her in a furry hug of tails, the twins gushing about her cute green curl. The full group reunion wasn¡¯t very long, however, as they all wanted to get a few things done in town before being given their next mission. The AOA and Ducal government had been frantically organizing a counter-assault on the discovered army before the enemy decided to mobilize against them.
The duchy-wide Call to Arms being announced at the fort cities was causing Adventurers to return en masse to the Capital, putting aside the remote monster-culling missions, for the more immediate direct threat against the specific cities of Tulimeir and Souja at the southern end of the Razorteeth mountains. They assumed the Soul Reapers were after the Reality Rift below the capital but didn¡¯t want to leave the nearby fortress town completely unguarded.
Rayna was adamant about going shopping for supplies and a Spirit Gem before the confrontation and Saiya wanted to visit the Temple of the Traveler, though clarified that she was still ruminating on the idea.
Dazien and Uriel both wanted to check in on the temple of the Parent and the children there, hoping to reassure the young ones and make sure the clergy were prepared for the upcoming conflict.
Phoenix opted to join the men as she had enjoyed her previous visits and thought she might be of more use there. She had been a couple of times now and the small Lilly had become quite attached to Tala and she figured a quick check-in would be a nice break from all the fighting and monsters she had been dealing with.
She couldn¡¯t stop the smile from overtaking her face as the trio approached and the usual scramble of children rushing the Adventurers, who were orphans like them, occurred. Her party leader would turn up the Shiny charm to eleven at this point and she wasn¡¯t entirely sure if he was even aware of it since it was just a part of who he was. It was kind of amazing to her to see how well he dealt with the overwhelming swarm of rugrats with such grace and humor.
Even Uriel was smiling at the sight, his ember eyes never leaving the gemite, as he stood back slightly but still greeted the kids that approached him. The Mage¡¯s visitors seemed to be the quieter ones, shyly tugging on the cinderen¡¯s tunic and causing him to squat down to speak with them better.
¡°King!¡± Brent called from across the yard as the young teen waved them forward towards the temple entrance, ¡°Priestess Deserin wants you to see her in her office!¡±
Dazien¡¯s smile only faltered for a moment as he called back, ¡°Be right there!¡±
Then he told the others, ¡°Well, you heard him, my loyal subjects, time for the King to hear the council of the divine. Time to return to your duties. Make sure to clean up those toys from the playground!¡±
Phoenix snorted at the nagging and wondered if the Defender had been taking notes from Paul lately about being a dad on top of the aura training they had been doing together.
There was a collective groan followed by a cheer as Rex manifested beside the Defender in a shower of golden glitter before leading the swarm toward the open area to clean and play. The giant [Avatar of Sovereignty] looked even more massive as the children climbed over him and spoiled him with pets and squeals of laughter.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
She laughed along with them at the sight of the chaos and contemplated staying in the yard to wait for them when Uriel surprised her by taking her hand, saying with a shy smile, ¡°I have something I want to show you.¡±
The Mage led her around the building to a smaller side entrance to the decently sized temple and into what appeared to be a kitchen that was already busy with a few cooks, ¡°Uriel! Have you come to assist with the lunch rush?¡± one of the middle-aged runeforged asked, elbow deep in flour and kneading dough.
¡°Just stopping by to check on the litter,¡± he clarified with a shake of his head, ¡°Has Jennica been taking care of them while I¡¯ve been gone?¡±
¡°Of course, I have!¡± a young feminine voice growled from across the room and Phoenix saw a fierce-looking teenage girl who oddly reminded her of her best friend back on Earth with the straight hair that cut sharply at the jawline and lean muscles on display with the tank top.
¡°Unlike somebody we know, I don¡¯t just abandon the kids depending on me,¡± Jennica added with a glare that could stab.
The human girl set that unyielding gaze on her then, looking the Wayfarer up and down as though she were a mere pest that had dared to infest their home, ¡°Who the fu¨C¡±
¡°Language, Jen,¡± Uriel preemptively interrupted, ¡°You know how the priests get on about that while living here.¡±
¡°Which is utter siva sh¨C¡±
¡°Jen. You know the little ones pick it up and don¡¯t understand how to use them properly.¡±
The girl rolled her eyes at the Mage but corrected, ¡°Who¡¯s the girl?¡±
¡°This is Phoenix. I¡¯m sure the others have told you about her.¡±
Jennica shifted uncomfortably and muttered, ¡°Maybe. Some nonsense about a Princess but it¡¯s not like it means anything.¡±
Uriel frowned, ¡°Is that what you plan to tell Dazien when he sees you again?¡±
The teen, who was likely on the lower end of that range, jut her chin forward and said stubbornly, ¡°Yeah, I will. He¡¯s too old to keep playing pretend like that. Priestess Yavuz keeps saying he needs to grow up and quit fooling around.¡±
The cinderen¡¯s frown deepened as he said, ¡°I know we¡¯ve mentioned it before but you shouldn¡¯t just accept whatever someone else says if you don¡¯t fully understand why they say it. That¡¯s the case when it comes to Yavuz.¡±
¡°What are you talking about?¡±
He gave a huff and shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it for now, I¡¯ll explain more when you¡¯re older.¡±
Jennica crossed her arms over her chest in annoyance, ¡°You know I hate when you say that like it¡¯s an answer. It¡¯s almost like I shouldn¡¯t accept it ¡®cause I don¡¯t understand why you say it.¡±
¡°Why don¡¯t you just help me show Phoenix the pups?¡± Uriel asked, making his attempt to redirect obvious.
The girl sighed but nodded and turned to lead them.
Phoenix couldn¡¯t help the excitement rising inside at the idea of puppies. And puppies were exactly what she got but they were obviously avals instead of the Earth-kind she was more accustomed to seeing on TV. They were currently being contained in a large pantry that had all the lower shelves emptied of items to allow room for the pups to wander.
Uriel lifted one of the husky-looking balls of fluff that had rounded shards of ice protruding from various places of the white and gray fur which had snow falling from it with every shake and scratch. They all had bright blue eyes and barked happily at the appearance of the Mage.
¡°These are Frolves,¡± the cinderen said, handing the chilly furball to her, ¡°They¡¯re avals domesticated from Snolves.¡±
She snorted a laugh, ¡°Love the name,¡± she managed to say sarcastically before the pup attacked her face with its tongue, ¡°Oh, ew, come on now. Not the mouth!¡±
Uriel burst out laughing before quickly calming himself, shaking his head as he attempted to also calm the pup down with a strong hand on its head, ¡°You need to be firm with them or they¡¯ll walk all over you.¡±
¡°Some kind of alpha dominance thing?¡± she asked.
¡°You¡¯re familiar with the behavior?¡±
¡°We have just regular wolves and dogs but they probably act similar. These elemental kinds are new, though,¡± she glanced down at the sharp-looking pup with two tails and saw the resemblance to the monsters she was often forced to slaughter. They had the same sharp teeth and claws that would snap at her as soon as look at her and she wondered just how ¡°domesticated¡± these variants were.
When the little furball suddenly stared at her and growled, she felt her panic soar and Uriel quickly lifted the pup from her arms and scolded it, ¡°None of that now, you be good.¡±
As he placed the pup back with its siblings he explained over his shoulder, ¡°You can¡¯t show them fear, otherwise they won¡¯t trust you. They¡¯re very sensitive to the smell of it.¡±
¡°The smell? I thought that was just like a saying,¡± she said nervously.
The Mage shook his head, ¡°No, it¡¯s definitely a thing,¡± and she was suddenly reminded about his passive perception ability being scent-based.
¡°Do I smell afraid?¡± the Wayfarer asked, lifting a hand to sniff at.
Uriel chuckled, ¡°Not enough that I can smell it through the Silencer.¡±
That was when Phoenix noticed Jennica staring at her in utter disbelief and she instantly looked over herself to see what was wrong as she asked, ¡°What is it?¡±
¡°You made Senesh laugh,¡± the teen said in awe, ¡°Like, loudly, with the whole chest, and not just that tiny chuckle he does once in a while.¡±
It was Uriel¡¯s turn to roll his eyes as he said, ¡°I¡¯ve laughed before. The earrings don¡¯t shut me down all the time. Just when things get a bit too extreme.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve never laughed around us,¡± Jennica stated adamantly, ¡°Not like that. Not even when milk came out of Brent¡¯s nose that one time.¡±
¡°Well, that was just gross,¡± the Mage retorted, as he sat on the floor to wrangle puppies more.
The girl promptly turned on her, both hands on either hip, and proclaimed, ¡°You know King and Senesh love each other very much, right?¡±
That caught her completely off guard and she could only think of asking, ¡°What?¡±
¡°Yup,¡± Jennica confirmed, proceeding to clear up the curiosity that had been lingering in the back of her mind, ¡°I caught them kissing in the kitchen one time.¡±
¡°Jen, you know it¡¯s impolite to kiss and tell,¡± Uriel lightly scolded.
¡°I wasn¡¯t the one kissing!¡±
¡°It¡¯s impolite to tattle as well,¡± Dazien said from the doorway that led into the pantry they were currently in from the main kitchen.
¡°Maybe don¡¯t do that stuff in the kitchen then! It¡¯s unsanitary!¡± the teen retorted in disgust, causing Phoenix to snort a laugh, then continued to address the gemite, ¡°Anyways, my point is that by going along with your crazy idea of being an Adventurer, she¡¯s putting both of you in equal danger.¡±
¡°Um, I don¡¯t think not joining their party would have stopped Daze.¡± Phoenix muttered, remembering how persistent the young leader had been.
¡°It wouldn¡¯t have. He¡¯s pretty driven about accomplishing his goals,¡± Uriel agreed.
¡°We¡¯ve talked about this before, Jen,¡± the warrior said as he moved closer to help his partner with the pups, ¡°Adventurer first before I can properly aim for becoming a king. Besides, I¡¯m the Defender, remember? I¡¯m fairly hard to kill.¡±
¡°But not impossible,¡± the girl muttered forlornly, ¡°It¡¯s just that, if you or Senesh dies, the other will die too. Then everyone will be sad and forgotten. You two are the only ones who still visit us regularly and actually care.¡±
¡°Please tell me Dazien or Uriel didn¡¯t make some insane Oathbond as a teenager to protect the other with his life,¡± she asked the girl, suddenly worried about crazy teenagers making stupid promises and losing both of her friends at the same time.
Jennica snorted a laugh, ¡°Okay, that does sound like something they¡¯d do but I meant the other will obviously die of a broken heart.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not going to happen,¡± Dazien said firmly.
¡°It might,¡± Uriel interjected, looking up at the gemite with a grin, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d want to keep living without you. I might simply shrivel up like a flower without water.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not helping,¡± the Defender sighed before turning to the Wayfarer and adding, ¡°And just so you know, most teenagers can¡¯t make an Oathbond. You have to be a Caster to make them.¡±
¡°Look at you trying to change the subject,¡± she said in exaggerated praise.
¡°I think she¡¯s onto your tricks, Daze,¡± the Mage chuckled.
The warrior rubbed at a temple before turning back to the teenager and saying, ¡°Listen, Jen, you know how much I plan and prepare for things, right?¡± the gemite said, placing a hand on the young teen¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Well, part of those plans and preparation was getting the best team together that can survive and thrive. Phoenix is an amazing Adventurer and she''s even Favored by the gods, there''s no way they''d let anything happen to her, right?¡±
¡°I am very good at surviving,¡± she confirmed with a grin.
¡°See? So even if one of us gets hurt, we¡¯re always there to pick each other back up and make sure everyone gets home.¡±
¡°Which gods?¡± Jennica asked with narrowed eyes.
¡°Some of the most powerful ones,¡± the Defender said with a broad smile, ¡°Warrior, Scholar, Cultivator, Traveler, Rebel¡¡± he paused, then tacked on quietly, ¡°Hero.¡±
The teen gave a loud groan and whined, ¡°But heroes always die in the end! It¡¯s like their destiny!¡±
¡°But everyone else is saved right?¡± the Wayfarer prompted.
Jennica hesitated then reluctantly admitted, ¡°I mean¡ yeah, that¡¯s why they¡¯re the hero.¡±
Phoenix smiled, looking at her two friends then promising the young girl that so obviously cared about them, ¡°Well¡ then trust me when I say that I¡¯ll make sure these two get home no matter what.¡±
34 - A Chance
Rayna meandered through the shopping district within the inner city of Tulimeir, perusing tinted window displays and reading the various magical signs that changed their text to list out the various items awaiting within for the best price you could find during a blood moon. The only good effect the blood moon had on the economy was the sudden surge of supply for Monster Seeds, Spirit Gems, Aspects, the assortment of monster parts, and the various Shards the tundra normally produced.
The bard still had four abilities waiting to be cultivated by Spirit Gems before they could begin progressing again and she was itching to solve that problem as soon as possible. The recent fights felt like she was missing out by not having them grow with her efforts and none of the loot they had split had extras.
Phoenix had offered her the [Predator Spirit Gem] when they had quickly gone over everything earlier but she knew that the Wayfarer was stubborn about letting ¡°Fate decide¡±, or some nonsense like that, so instead she asked for more of the Mana Bits and headed for the market.
She had no issues with buying the things she needed and it let her feel more in control of her future. Plus, she enjoyed the activity itself. Shopping had been a source of stress relief for her over the years, exploring new items, discovering epic deals, and obtaining precious treasure; it was like an adventure without the risk of a monster eating you unless you counted some of the zealous shoppers around the holiday sales.
The Striker¡¯s attention was drawn to long blue hair with various leaves sticking out from it and she grinned at the sight of the dryad that had been pleasant to chat with on the trip back to the city after such a terrible expedition, ¡°Hey there, little sparrow.¡±
Mohala turned and the smile she flashed was utterly dazzling, ¡°Ray! Tinsel missed you too!¡± she said happily, putting a hand up to the icy bird on her shoulder who obediently hopped onto it.
Rayna coughed a laugh and awkwardly patted the sparrow¡¯s head with a single finger, ¡°I, uh, was actually talking about you. Sorry, it was a dumb attempt at a nickname.¡±
The dryad blinked at her before laughing and she could feel her cheeks becoming flushed. Before she could make a run from the embarrassing situation, however, the frosty woman grabbed her arm and pulled her deeper into the store, ¡°It¡¯s cute but you can just call me Mo. Come look at this, do you think it would look okay on me?¡±
Mohala lifted a purple blouse with many frills. The bard was pretty comfortable with her own style but after getting repeatedly shut down by Phoenix on her wardrobe advice, and seeing how the runeforged and cinderen dressed in way more layers than she would ever want, she wasn¡¯t sure if she was the best to give fashion advice anymore.
¡°I think everything would look great on you,¡± she admitted, then felt her face flush again as she processed how her words sounded. What was wrong with her today? She felt totally out of rhythm around this woman.
The cheerful smile the dryad gave her was totally worth it, though. ¡°That¡¯s so sweet of you,¡± Mohala said then asked, ¡°What did you come here for?¡±
¡°Lookin¡¯ for Spirit Gems,¡± the voxen murmured, as this was obviously not a store that sold them and she explained, ¡°This is just a chance encounter. I just saw you through the window and wanted to say ¡®hi¡¯ is all.¡±
¡°Oh. Well, I can come back later if you want to go find some together?¡±
Rayna blinked. She hadn¡¯t expected the woman to just drop what she was doing to accompany her, ¡°But¡ don¡¯t you need to finish before the next mission?¡±
Mohala waved a hand dismissively, ¡°Po is figuring things out with Tanner still. We got in a lot of trouble because of him but they still want us for the Call-to-Arms so who knows. I¡¯ll figure it out when Po tells me what we¡¯re doing.¡±
The voxen chuckled, ¡°You sound like Uriel if Po was Dazien.¡±
The summoner gave another of those beautiful laughs and said, ¡°Po¡¯s my best friend but the vibe I got from those two was a little more than that. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I love Po to pieces, but she¡¯s not my girlfriend, she''s just a girl who¡¯s my friend.¡±
¡°Then who¡¯s your girlfriend?¡± Rayna asked curiously and wanted to punch herself for the brash questions that Saiya kept scolding her for but always seemed to escape her mouth before her mind could stop them.
The next look the dryad gave her was one of the most deadly attacks she had ever received. This soft and kind woman, who she already thought was one of the loveliest she had ever seen, gave her a wickedly playful smile, ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. Perhaps you can help me find one?¡±
Yup. She was slain.
The bard returned her smile and asked as casually as possible, ¡°Before or after shopping for a gem?¡±
Mohala giggled, took her furred hand, and led her back towards the store entrance, ¡°After. Gem first, then new outfit, then¨C¡±
¡°Dinner?¡± Rayna interjected hopefully.
The dryad flashed another teasing smile, ¡°I like eating Toivoan. Know any good places?¡±
The voxen gave a fanged grin, ¡°Only at my place. How about some Shemrion cuisine instead for tonight? I found this little hole in the wall in the international district run by an immigrant from there. She cooks some incredible seafood.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a date!¡± the summoner replied, pulling her along as all three of Rayna¡¯s tails happily wagged behind her.
¡°Saiya?¡± a familiar voice called her name and the Healer looked towards the sound to find another Healer walking up to her.
She smiled at the teenager and greeted, ¡°Simmon. What are you doing here?¡±
The cinderen chuckled and gestured towards the rest of the Temple District they were currently standing in, ¡°What else does anyone do here? Seeking guidance. I¡¯m glad to see you, though. Maybe you can help?¡±
¡°Is this about Tanner again?¡± she asked with a raised brow.
¡°Sorta? But more about Polissa,¡± he said awkwardly.
¡°Do you want to sit down or walk and talk?¡±
¡°Walking¡¯s fine,¡± he replied happily.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Snowbelle flapped beside her and gave a small bark in greeting that was returned by a smaller chirp, causing Saiya to look towards the little Wellspring Wyrm on the cinderen¡¯s arm. She giggled and used a finger to pat its tiny flat head, ¡°And hello to you too, Wally. I hope you¡¯ve been keeping Simmon out of trouble.¡±
The younger boy rolled his fiery eyes, ¡°I¡¯m not the one you need to be worried about. Po went to go meet with Tan about the party and I¡¯m worried she¡¯s going to think with her heart instead of her head.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not always a bad thing,¡± the voxen countered, petting Snowbelle¡¯s furry head in the name of fairness for the begging Familiar.
Simmon shook his head as he clarified, ¡°I know Father wants her to lead the party instead and frankly he¡¯s furious at Tan. I¡¯ve honestly never seen him so upset before he watched Mohala¡¯s recording of everything.¡±
¡°Recording?¡±
He snorted a laugh, ¡°Yeah, she activated a Sense Stone when she thought Dazien might murder Tanner. Not that she thought he didn¡¯t deserve it but she knew there¡¯d be a lot of questions if that had happened.¡±
Their conversation was halted when they began approaching the area that had been devastated by a recent monster breach that Phoenix had mentioned to her during their brief reunion. Blood stained the cobblestones and the remaining walls. The temple of the Lover had completely collapsed, bodies still being pulled from the rubble. The Confidant¡¯s tower had also sustained heavy damage but was still standing, albeit precariously, and construction mages were already at work trying to make the site safer.
¡°What happened here?¡± Simmon asked in bewilderment leaning towards fear as they observed the chaotic destruction.
She almost instinctively wrapped her aura around the boy and explained what little she knew and his look of horror only grew, ¡°Who would do something like that? All these innocent people¡¡±
A tail slipped around the cinderen as she pulled the sweet kid into a hug, ¡°Some people are monsters underneath. All they want is to hurt others. I¡¯m here because I want to learn how best to help my party avoid that outcome.¡±
¡°What?¡± Simmon asked in confusion, pulling away from her, ¡°But your party is amazing! Your Striker and Mage are incredibly powerful, your Defender leads with intelligence and compassion, your Supporter is literally Favored by the gods, and you¡ well, you¡¯re simply amazing. I dream of one day being a Healer as good as you. You saved multiple lives on the expedition.¡±
She smiled sadly, ¡°We¡¯re not perfect.¡±
¡°You seem like it,¡± he muttered softly.
¡°We have fears and flaws just like everyone else, Simmon,¡± the Healer reiterated, ¡°What you see is just the mask we all wear to keep those fears at bay.¡±
¡°Even you?¡±
Saiya laughed but it became bitter as she admitted, ¡°Even me. I feel everything. Sense everyone¡¯s emotions but I often find myself unable to do anything to change them. Can you imagine how frustrating it can be to know your friend is silently suffering, drowning in grief, yet not being able to make them smile? Or having someone you rely on and want to support, laugh away the concern you show but you can feel exactly how much they think they failed?¡±
The cinderen frowned, ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought about that. Is that what you feel?¡±
The question caught her off guard, ¡°What?¡±
¡°Is that what you feel? Silently drowning in the grief of your failure to help the others and putting on a calm mask despite it?¡±
She stared at him for a long moment then shook her head, ¡°You know. I think you¡¯ll be an amazing Healer, Simmon.¡±
He smiled brightly then pointed out, ¡°That wasn¡¯t really an answer.¡±
Saiya chuckled, ¡°I still have a long way to go in my own journey. Want to join me to visit the temple of the Traveler? I think they might be able to offer us both guidance and a chance to remove the masks for a while.¡±
Simmon nodded and followed after her, helping others along the way.
Polissa sat next to her father, Ethan Teras, at the small circular table across from Tanner with his mother, Tabitha Neired. They were currently on neutral ground at the AOA building as they discussed the next steps for their party. Technically, both of the adults were listed as Mentors to their children which gave them some say in the party¡¯s makeup and future.
¡°Your son recused himself of leadership in the middle of a joint expedition, Tabitha,¡± Po¡¯s father said and she winced along with her party member, ¡°I will not have my children risking their lives to follow a boy who will crumble under pressure. It brings shame to both of our family names and it will be unacceptable for it to continue.¡±
¡°I understand your concerns, Lord Teras. I can only ask for leniency to understand that Tanner was distraught by the death of his Bonded Familiar. He had never experienced that kind of trauma before and you know he has a deeper tie than most. It was one of the very reasons you desired his inclusion in the first place,¡± Madam Neired said calmly.
¡°It¡¯s a liability!¡± her dad yelled, throwing his hands in the air and Polissa just wanted to be anywhere but here while the parents fought over their future.
¡°Dad, it¡¯s fine,¡± she tried to interject, ¡°It won¡¯t happen again, and next time¨C¡±
¡°Next time he will NOT be in a position of power that risks everyone''s lives because he can¡¯t set aside his feelings and make the right choice!¡± Ethan interrupted, slamming a palm on the table for emphasis.
¡°We don¡¯t have to kick him out of the party, though,¡± she objected, ¡°We can find another leader or¡¡± Polissa thought back to what she had seen Phoenix¡¯s party do. What they were capable of when they worked together and listened to each other. She straightened and finally decided, ¡°I can become the official party leader and Tan can stay as the party¡¯s Striker.¡±
¡°I can still do most of the paperwork for you too,¡± Tanner offered up, having remained silent the entire time.
Po flashed him a smile, ¡°I would appreciate that. See?¡± she asked, turning to her father, ¡°We can still move forward and help defend the city. We are a solid party and I know we have the potential to be better.¡±
Ethan scowled at her, muttering, ¡°You know I wish you¡¯d put this whole adventuring thing behind you and focus on your duties with the OOM.¡±
She grinned, recognizing the signal that she had already won the debate. He always fell back to this argument when he had nothing else to object to. ¡°You know it¡¯s just this bad because of the blood moon. I¡¯ll be mostly at the OOM again once it¡¯s done between the occasional mission.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t like you fighting monsters and risking your life when there are other ways to progress your abilities,¡± he continued.
The young noblewoman shook her head, ¡°You know that path is much slower. I don¡¯t want to be an old man like you by the time I¡¯m Emerald.¡±
¡°Ouch. Low blow,¡± the lord muttered then sighed as he relented, ¡°If Tanner and Tabitha agree to the change, I am willing to keep the party intact,¡± he pointed an ebony finger at the younger runeforged and warned, ¡°However, if I hear that you disobeyed a single order, then you are gone.¡±
¡°Yes, Lord Teras,¡± Tanner said with a bow of his head.
¡°Good. Tabitha, a word if you will, while we go fill out the forms,¡± her father said as he stood and gestured for Tanner¡¯s mother to lead the way out, which she obliged with a nod.
Silence reigned for a long while before Tanner spoke up, ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that for me. I know how much you hate paperwork and, despite being a natural at it, I know you don¡¯t care about leading.¡±
Polissa took her time to contemplate his words. She knew he was right. She knew that she had the strength, the confidence, and the capability to lead others but she had never desired to at all. At least, not until seeing what a difference it could make. Po had avoided the weight of responsibility but now she realized that if she wanted to be someone that a person like Phoenix could rely on, like she had seen her rely on Dazien, then she needed to stop acting like a child.
¡°I did it for me,¡± she replied, ¡°I might not care about being the leader but I think it¡¯s time I stepped up and took responsibility for the party I put together and want to keep. I want to show people that I can be relied on.¡±
The somber runeforged observed her carefully before asking, ¡°You want Phoenix to rely on you, don¡¯t you?¡±
She met his gaze and nodded. He surprised her by not complaining or trash-talking the Wayfarer and instead gave a soft sigh and a pained smile, ¡°I never had a chance with you. Did I?¡±
Polissa knew what he meant. Knew that he had fallen for her long ago while working together and enjoying their time spent. Knew that he would always submit to her. That he would be loyal but never brave. It was unfair of her to let him think they had a future beyond the party, ¡°No, Tan. I¡¯m sorry but I just don¡¯t feel that towards you. I enjoy having you as a teammate and friend, though. If that¡¯s alright with you.¡±
¡°I¡¯d rather have that than nothing, especially after all the strife I caused,¡± Tanner admitted and his smile became a bit gentler, ¡°Thanks, Po. For giving me another chance to be a friend.¡±
35 - For the Future
¡°You asked to see me, Lord Wayland?¡±
Paul looked up from his journal at the gemite peeking his head through the study doorway he had left cracked open in wait for the young man. After finally finishing going over every single report and viewing every Sense Stone that had been used during the expedition King¡¯s Dream had taken part in, Paul had finally realized that he needed to make something clear to Dazien.
¡°Don¡¯t forget what This One said about positive reinforcement,¡± Orebela¡¯s voice interjected. He swore she was somehow researching various parenting techniques behind his back. Maybe during the hour he slept? ¡°No, Wayland. This One has been paying attention to Little Flower¡¯s techniques. She is much better at this than Wayland.¡±
He internally groaned but spoke aloud to the Defender, ¡°Yes, please shut the door and sit.¡±
The amethyst gemite did as he asked and began speaking before finishing getting seated, ¡°I want to reiterate how sorry I am for Phoenix getting injured before. I know she can come back but it would have brought much more trouble upon your entire House and I should never have let her be put in that position to¨C¡±
¡°Stop, kid,¡± Paul interrupted with a raised hand, ¡°I already said you didn¡¯t need to apologize for that. You did your best and that¡¯s all I could ask for. I called you here to discuss a few different things with you, some regarding the party¡ others regarding you personally.¡±
Dazien fell silent, which was rare and Paul appreciated it as he continued, ¡°We¡¯ll start with the more immediate topics. Has it gotten around to the lower Caste party leaders yet that the army of Soul Reapers you discovered has begun moving this way?¡±
The Defender shook his head and confirmed, ¡°No, sir, but everybody has been assuming so since the Call-to-Arms went out. We¡¯ve been scrambling to figure out where everyone is going to be placed. Some parties are requesting to go to Souja while others would rather stay here, it¡¯s been a bit of a mess honestly.¡±
¡°Well, King¡¯s Dream will be in the middle for now. I¡¯m accepting the request that you all be placed on clearing the expected battlefield on our side. Monsters are still spawning and we want to send a counter-assault on the enemy before they get too close to the city. You¡¯ll be keeping the path clear until then.¡±
¡°Yes, sir,¡± the young leader agreed, ¡°Rayna will be glad to hear that. She was afraid we¡¯d end up on the wall away from the fighting.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t forget to say the thing to Little King,¡± his Familiar reminded.
He mentally rolled his eyes but took a deep breath and said, ¡°I also wanted to let you know that I¡¯m proud of how you performed on the expedition.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Dazien replied in confusion, glancing around the room as though there must have been someone else present that he was referring to.
The Paladin clarified, ¡°The reports and recordings were all very clear that you led admirably when others faltered and didn¡¯t put chances for personal glory over the safety of your team. You communicated well with everyone, were professional with the other parties, and upheld the values of being both an Adventurer and a Noble, despite not being the latter. By doing so, you¡¯ve brought honor to my House, whose heir has chosen to follow you. So, I am both grateful and proud of you.¡±
Amethyst eyes blinked at him, uncertainty still filling them. Then the young man gave a nervous laugh, ¡°You sound like you¡¯re practicing for Phoenix. Is this you trying to be a father to our little band of orphans?¡±
¡°Is that something you would want?¡±
¡°What?¡±
Paul considered the gemite seriously and asked, ¡°Would you want to join House Wayland as a scion under me?¡±
That caused Dazien¡¯s jaw to actually drop open in speechlessness.
After a few moments of silence, the Paladin offered him an out, ¡°Unless you don¡¯t want something like that. I know it¡¯s a sudden and unexpected idea.¡±
¡°No! I mean, I¨C¡± the young man cut himself off, shaking a silky queue falling past his shoulders while staring down into his lap, and seemed to restart, ¡°It is sudden and not something I ever considered¡¡± Then Dazien looked up and asked with quiet disbelief, ¡°Are you actually offering to adopt me¡ as your son?¡±
He nodded, ¡°You¡¯re a talented young man, Dazien. Putting aside the fact that you¡¯re already leading the party Phoenix is in, you would be a valuable addition to House Wayland. You have a bright future ahead of you as an Adventurer and have shown the aptitude for politics that even I lack at most times.¡±
¡°So this would be more of a political arrangement to build up House Wayland?¡± the gemite asked with a slight frown, crossing strong arms over his black and gold tunic, ¡°What expectations would there be?¡±
¡°You would be brought in as my son but not my heir, like Phoenix, since she has already been declared as such. You would continue leading King¡¯s Dream, whether you accept the title of scion or not.
¡°We would offer a place on the House Council, unlike Phoenix whose lack of cultural knowledge due to being a Wayfarer made the other members veto for now. The Council helps make family-wide decisions, things like who we publicly ally with, our stance on political debates, etcetera. Patricia would help guide you with how all that works.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
¡°I would be made your official Mentor with the AOA as well. You would still be free to join a temple¡¯s clergy of your choosing, so long as they are not part of the Voidsworn Syndicate obviously. Other organizations, like the OOM, would need to go through the Council for approval.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve already planned out that much?¡± the gemite asked incredulously, ¡°You really think I¡¯ll be that great of an asset?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t forget the personal reasons you thought of too,¡± Orebela chimed in, ¡°Don¡¯t make it seem like Wayland thinks of Little King as only a tool for status.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not just an asset, Dazien,¡± Paul clarified and could sense the small wave of relief in the aura that had become much improved during their time training together, ¡°I already see you as another Prot¨¦g¨¦. I¡¯m hard on training all of you because I want to see you flourish. Because I care about your success towards your own goals, not just Phoenix¡¯s. The fact that you seem to genuinely care for her just makes it all the easier for me to want to include you in our family.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m in love with her like Uriel seems to think?¡± the gemite asked and almost seemed grateful for a second opinion.
Paul chuckled, ¡°No. Not like that. Is that what you think I feel towards her?¡±
¡°What? No. You¡¯ve never behaved like that towards any of us,¡± the Defender objected.
¡°There are many types of love, Dazien,¡± the Paladin pointed out, ¡°I do care for Phoenix, truly like a father. One of the other Adventurers in your last mission had a Sense Stone recording for the duration of that last fight. After seeing the damage you took trying to protect Phoenix, I realized that I care about you like that as well. I don¡¯t want to see you become some forgotten orphan lost to history. You¡¯re worth so much more than that.¡±
The gemite fell silent, placing his face into both of his palms only supported by elbows on his knees as he almost seemed to tremble in the chair across from him. After a few shaky breaths the young man managed to get out, ¡°Sorry, I just need a moment.¡±
Paul gave a gentle smile, ¡°Take your time. There¡¯s no rush.¡±
¡°See, this is going much better with Wayland listening to This One,¡± Orebela somehow managed to say in a smug monotone.
¡°Yes, Bela, you were right as usual and I¡¯m glad I listened,¡± he mentally pandered.
¡°Thank you, Lord Wayland. Those were some of the kindest words I¡¯ve ever received.¡± Another shaky breath later the young warrior asked, ¡°Is there anything else I would need to consider about joining your House?¡±
¡°Yes. You would be expected to live and train here. You would be well provided for, just like Phoenix¨C¡±
¡°What about Uriel?¡± Dazien interrupted, obvious concern on his face, ¡°He¡¯s not just a party member¨C¡±
¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± Paul said with a slight smile, ¡°I¡¯ve been in your home, remember? In my experience, most roommates don¡¯t share a single bed.¡±
The young man¡¯s dark cheeks flushed a deeper shade of brown as he asked, ¡°Will there be rules against him staying with me? Do you also think it would be¡ unbecoming to have his connection with me be linked to your House?¡±
The Paladin considered this and asked, ¡°Did he tell you everything about himself? About his past? About how we first met?¡±
The Defender nodded slowly, ¡°Yes. He told me the truth about his years of torture and spiritual abuse at the hands of cultists. About what really happened with his parents and sister. And both the impetus and results of his raging talent. I¡¯ve seen the same secrets you have and kept them between us.¡±
¡°Yet you keep him by your side?¡±
¡°I stood up to a god to keep him there,¡± the gemite retorted, sitting up straighter, ¡°It¡¯s how I got my title of Loyal Friend.¡±
Paul raised an eyebrow, ¡°I don¡¯t remember that in your background report. Which god?¡±
Dazien gave a small smirk, ¡°Warrior. Before he agreed to train me.¡±
The Paladin laughed, ¡°And he still agreed. I admit that¡¯s surprising.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t care how much wealth or prestige you offer me, Lord Wayland,¡± the Defender said, dropping the smirk for complete sincerity, ¡°I¡¯m not going to abandon Uriel for it. He¡¯s also worth much more than that.¡±
¡°Well, part of even offering to adopt you means that I trust you,¡± Paul said in equal seriousness, ¡°You¡¯ve proven to be a rather decent judge of character so far, so until Karislian hurts you or Phoenix, I¡¯ll try to keep an open mind.¡±
The gemite seemed to relax at that but fell silent in thought, looking down at his lap again as if trying to solve a puzzle that only he could see, ¡°When do you need an answer? I want to talk to Uriel about all of this.¡±
The Paladin nodded in understanding, ¡°There¡¯s no rush. We¡¯ll be busy with this new threat at our door so we can talk more after the city is safe. Once the blood moon is over, however, I plan to take Phoenix out of Tulim to keep progressing both her abilities and her divine quest. Are you planning to join us on that either way?¡±
Dazien looked up, refocusing on him, ¡°Yes. If she¡¯ll have me. I agree that leaving the tundra after the blood moon is for the best. I¡¯ll likely be Sapphire before the moon ends and won¡¯t be able to progress much further here.¡±
Paul leaned back in his chair to reach into a drawer of his large desk, ¡°In that case, I have some things to share with you.¡±
The Paladin lifted a large book that was revealed to be a scrapbook when he opened it up and said, ¡°This is all the information I¡¯ve gathered so far about the current situation in Tyrand, the three royal artifacts of the Tyrandian monarchy, and the current heir. I¡¯ll admit it¡¯s not as much as I¡¯d like but, considering how busy we¡¯ve all been with the blood moon and traitors to the world, it¡¯s a decent start and I wouldn¡¯t mind some help with it all.¡±
Dazien gawked at him, ¡°You¡¯re trusting me with all of this?¡±
He chuckled, ¡°How else would a father or mentor help you learn and grow? I¡¯m here to guide and support you, Dazien. By showing you a bit of trust with this, I¡¯m hoping you¡¯ll return it. I¡¯ll still beat you into the mat when you need it too.¡±
The young warrior finally laughed and said sarcastically, ¡°Oh, wonderful. I was hoping not everything would change so dramatically.¡±
¡°Oh! Now! Give Little King the gift now!¡± his Familiar urged.
He grinned and pulled out a small book from another drawer that was bound in green leather. On the cover was a sword wrapped in a purple flower and he offered it to the young man.
¡°What¡¯s this?¡± the Defender asked curiously as he took it, opening it to reveal blank pages, ¡°A journal? What for?¡±
¡°It¡¯s for the future,¡± Paul said warmly, ¡°If you plan to be a king one day, the historians will love you all the more for putting your journey on paper. Plus, I find it helpful when trying to work through a problem or release the emotions that you don¡¯t want to inflict on others.¡±
The Paladin was startled by the gemite standing suddenly and walking quickly around the desk that separated them. He reactively stood, wondering if something was wrong, and was enveloped in a strong hug.
Dazien didn¡¯t say anything, just squeezed him tightly as if afraid he might disappear, and Paul relaxed, patting the young man¡¯s back and saying, ¡°You¡¯re welcome, kid.¡±
36 - By My Side
Dazien felt like he was in a dream as he took notes in his new journal while Paul poured over the information about Tyrand, the small island nation far to the southeast on the other side of the continent. That journey alone would be quite the endeavor even with taking some form of magical transportation.
The Paladin seemed much more concerned about finding the Royal Artifacts, however. There was very little information on them as they were prized possessions of the nation¡¯s monarchy that had been bound to the bloodline and wielded by the reigning monarch for generations.
It looked like he had figured out their first destination point, though, with it being closer than the other rumored locations for one of the lost pieces. However, the first step was getting through this blood moon and then getting Phoenix to Sapphire Caste to see what information Scholar had to offer them.
It was difficult for Dazien to focus completely as his mind kept wandering to Paul¡¯s offer. He could become a noble, getting himself one step closer to his goal, and it wouldn¡¯t come with the strings of being tied down by a political marriage or inheritance to the main House, both of which would have effectively trapped him with the title he¡¯d gain.
Paul had made it clear that he could be a Wayland who could branch off and build up his own nation while having the advantage of an existing noble House. It all sounded too good to be true. Nobody just brings a random orphan into the nobility.
But he wasn¡¯t random. The reasons Paul had listed had nothing to do with his looks, or how rare his species was, or even Warrior¡¯s interest in him, those things which had nothing to do with his personal accomplishments; which is what the Paladin had focused on instead.
Paul didn¡¯t ask for the shiny gemite trained by a god. The lord wanted a leader who tried his best to protect his friends and was worthy of trust. The more he thought about the offer, the harder it was to come up with reasons to decline it. That was until he walked through his front door and saw Uriel cooking in the tiny kitchen.
Despite Lord Wayland¡¯s reassurance that Uriel could stay by his side, he knew there were unspoken expectations of being a noble scion. Even if Uriel was allowed to stay by his side as a partner, would he be expected to marry for politics? One of the perks of becoming a king of his own nation was that he was the only one who would have a say in something like that. He wouldn¡¯t be made to marry someone that might make Uriel or him miserable.
Even if the Wayland House didn¡¯t push for that ¨Cmade evident by the very fact of the current Lord being unwed¨C he wasn¡¯t sure how Uriel would feel about actually living with other nobles. Would his partner refuse? Would asking in the first place be asking too much? What would he do if Uriel did choose to remain alone over becoming beholden to a noble House?
With this much uncertainty running through his mind, it made one thing perfectly clear; he needed to have an honest talk with Uriel with all the vulnerability and awkwardness that entailed.
He made his presence known with his footfalls and the cinderen turned and gave a soft smile and greeted, ¡°You¡¯re back. I hope he didn¡¯t beat you too badly.¡±
Dazien chuckled, ¡°Actually it wasn¡¯t quite what I expected.¡±
¡°Oh? Was it just more aura training?¡± the Mage asked, turning back to stir the noodles currently simmering in a small pot.
¡°No, it was more about our plans for the future. Where we¡¯re being assigned at first for the Call-to-Arms and what we¡¯re doing after the blood moon ends.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that still a few months away?¡±
¡°Likely a couple still but it doesn¡¯t hurt to gather information and form a general plan for undertaking Phoenix¡¯s quest,¡± he admitted, pulling out their bowls from the tiny rack next to the sink. They each had a single set of dishware that they reused for each meal, washing after each use.
Uriel gave him a curious look and asked, ¡°I know we¡¯ve talked a bit about joining Phoenix on her quest after the blood moon, keeping the party together and everything, but I¡¯m still surprised that you would set aside your own goals and plans you¡¯ve been making since you were a child to follow somebody you don¡¯t want to get closer to.¡±
¡°Are you really on this again?¡±
¡°I¡¯m just saying it¡¯s surprising. Have you thought about just¡ not being a party leader so you don¡¯t have to worry about that power dynamic?¡±
Dazien had discussed that option with his partner in the past, long before forming their AOA party. There were other options they could have pursued to increase their Caste without walking the path of an Adventurer. Various Mercenary jobs or Hunter guilds offered bounties and would trade Bits for monster loot; or they could simply go the Wanderer route of killing, looting, and selling directly to merchants but neither was as efficient.
Instead of retreading that conversation, however, he raised a dark purple eyebrow at the cinderen who promptly expounded, ¡°At this rate, Polissa¡¯s going to catch Phoenix¡¯s interest before you get the chance to let her know you¡¯re an option. She¡¯s made it pretty obvious to everyone how she feels about our Supporter. I don¡¯t think even Phoenix is that oblivious to not have noticed, which means she¡¯s finally needing to think about that kind of stuff.¡±
¡°And that¡¯s perfectly fine for her to do with Noble Teras.¡±
¡°But then she won¡¯t be thinking about you¨C¡±
Dazien raised a halting hand and cut him off, growing a bit frustrated at the turn in the conversation, ¡°Seriously, Uriel. I am not interested in her like that. Why are you so insistent on pushing me towards her? You¡¯re not exactly like me; you don¡¯t get compersion from seeing me with others like I do with partners, last I checked. So why do you want me to pursue her?¡±
The cinderen scrunched his face the way he had seen Phoenix often do as the cook rebutted, ¡°I¡¯m not pushing.¡±
¡°Oh, yes, you are. You¡¯ve never been this adamant about another partner of mine before. Abyss, you¡¯ve barely asked about them unless it seemed about my mood. Now you keep bringing up the potential and with a mutual friend, no less.¡±
¡°Maybe I just think you would make a good match?¡± the mage offered, ¡°You both get along with each other¡ and with me.¡±
¡°Is that it?¡± he asked incredulously, beginning to pace in the small space between the kitchenette and tiny living area, ¡°You want me to find another that cares about you too? You know, you¡¯re confusing me, Senesh. First, you warn me to make up my mind, then you push me to admit I like her, then you say you¡¯ll drop it and not worry, and now you want me to actually pursue her. Why? Just because some other person shows up to¨C oh¨C¡±
Dazien cut himself off at the thought and turned to pin his partner with sudden understanding, ¡°You¡¯re afraid of losing her.¡±
Uriel quickly turned away to focus on the noodles that were still simmering and not needing attention, ¡°Why would you think that? It¡¯s not like anyone courting her would make her disappear.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
¡°No, it wouldn¡¯t,¡± he agreed, walking closer to his partner, ¡°But it¡¯s the only thing that makes any sense. Warning me not to hurt her as that might make her leave the party. Making sure I like her enough to keep her near me ¨Cnear you. Not wanting Polissa to sweep her off her feet and give her somewhere else to run to. What is it exactly that you think will chase her away?¡±
Silence fell as Uriel moved the noodles around before lowering the heat more and adding a variety of seasoning to the broth. When Dazien made it quite clear that he was waiting for an answer, the cook finally muttered, ¡°Me.¡±
The mage continued his task while refusing to meet his eyes, ¡°I haven¡¯t told her everything and the longer this goes on, especially on a journey like her quest¡ I don¡¯t know if I can keep it hidden.¡±
His eyes widened in surprise, ¡°Do you really think that if Phoenix and I were in a relationship like that, it would mean that she would just accept all of your secrets the way I do?¡±
Uriel finally looked at him and the ember gaze was pleading, ¡°She¡¯s¨C I don¡¯t have a lot of friends like you, Daze. But if she cares enough about you and your happiness, then maybe she¡¯ll forgive me enough to stay...¡±
The desperate hope in his partner¡¯s voice broke his heart, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to give support to the lie, ¡°Oh, Senesh¡¡± he wrapped the cinderen in a hug. His arms went around the man¡¯s waist so as not to pin the cook¡¯s arms and he said softly, ¡°You know that¡¯s not how it works.¡±
¡°But I¨C¡±
¡°Need to be honest with her. If you¡¯re this worried about her not accepting you the way I do, then it¡¯s better to come clean now rather than let it fester like she did with her secrets.¡±
¡°But that¡¯s just it!¡± the mage hissed, ¡°I had the chance and I didn¡¯t trust her. Now it feels too late. I already messed it up. She¡¯ll get angry at me, just like you did at her.¡±
Dazien pulled away, ¡°I¡¯ll admit that was not my best moment, okay? I overreacted but I doubt she¡¯ll make the same mistake.¡±
¡°I just¡¡± the taller man gave a sigh and admitted, ¡°I just thought if you two were closer, something more than just friends, then it would be easier for her to accept the monster by your side.¡±
¡°Hey,¡± the Defender interjected, forcing Uriel to turn towards him, grabbing the mage¡¯s full attention, ¡°You¡¯re not a monster. How many times do I have to repeat that until you stop believing it?¡±
Uriel looked away, like he always did, refusing to answer and rubbing one of the earrings. When Dazien had asked one time why the mage would do that ¨Csince he knew it wouldn¡¯t activate their magic¨C Uriel had replied that it was a reminder to himself to not let the items shut him down; a warning of the apathy in store if he didn¡¯t calm himself quick enough.
Rather than push the question and have that argument for the umpteenth time, Dazien refocused on the other piece of what Uriel had suggested and said, ¡°Actually, ¡®more than friends¡¯ might be on the table for Phoenix and me. Just not the way you were suggesting.¡±
¡°What does that mean?¡± the cook asked as he removed the meal from the heat and began preparing their bowls with the deliciousness.
He hesitated, not wanting his news to spill dinner, and suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s sit and eat while we talk more. It¡¯s about those future plans I mentioned earlier.¡±
Bewildered, Uriel finished dishing up the bowls of drowning noodles and sat by the hearth, where they normally ate since they didn¡¯t have room for a proper dining table and this worked just as well most of the time. He motioned to set the bowls on the low set table in front of them as he finally said, ¡°Lord Wayland offered to adopt me.¡±
In a complete reversal of expectations, the cinderen burst out laughing.
¡°I¡¯m not sure what you find funny about that.¡±
¡°Oh, Daze,¡± his partner wheezed, ¡°You know not to work me up with too good of a joke.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not.¡±
¡°You must be! The Blade of Pure Wrath, the Lord Paladin of the Avenger, Paul Wayland, wants to adopt a man that he¡¯s continually been critically harsh on? Who rarely praises anyone. The same man that threatened to kill us if he thought we might hurt his Prot¨¦g¨¦? Are we talking about the same person?¡±
¡°Yes, actually,¡± he said, maintaining his sincerity. He needed to make sure Uriel fully understood the proposal that would alter both of their lives, ¡°He gave me compelling reasons, laid out most of the expectations, and suggested making it official sometime after the Call-to-Arms but before the blood moon is over.¡±
Uriel¡¯s laughter had slowly died while he had been explaining and the grimace that had replaced it was not promising as the cinderen asked, ¡°You¡¯re actually serious? You would become Dazien Wayland?¡±
He nodded and Uriel then asked, ¡°And you declined, right?¡±
The hint of hope in that question confirmed that this was not going to be a pleasant conversation either way as he admitted, ¡°I told him I wanted to talk to you first¡ but I¡¯ll admit that the more I think about it¡ the more I realize I want it.¡±
The mage swallowed and the low voice broke slightly as Uriel almost whispered, ¡°Are you¡ Are they going to force me out of your life? Are you leaving me?¡±
He leaned forward to place a hand on his partner¡¯s hands which were now clenched together as if in silent prayer and he stated firmly, ¡°No. Never, Senesh. I can be a king with you by my side. I don¡¯t need any noble lord¡¯s support or deity¡¯s blessing in order to accomplish that, so I would never abandon you for such a thing.¡±
A molten tear fell down the cinderen¡¯s ebony cheek, leaving a glistening trail in stark contrast, and then the man¡¯s face went blank. Dazien recognized that look. Despised it. But not for any fault of Uriel¡¯s. Instead, he leaned back and said softly as he picked up his bowl, ¡°Lord Wayland said you could stay by my side and live with me still; at the Wayland estate.¡±
Then he began eating, waiting for the magic of the earrings to wear off, or to answer any questions his partner might have in that state of unfeeling. Uriel copied his movements instead, picking up the other bowl to eat quietly for a few minutes. While the cinderen was in that state of uncaring, he decided to info dump on the mage, going over everything that Paul had offered and his own thoughts about it all.
The party leader also went over the high-level plan for after the blood moon was over, pulling out the journal that Paul had given him to show to the man. He finished the meal during that time and continued to speculate, writing down more notes they thought of on the pages.
He could tell when the earrings¡¯ magic let up, actual micro-reactions to his words beginning to show as the cinderen processed everything. ¡°Going back to the original lead-in to this whole conversation, though,¡± he added, finishing with the long explanation, ¡°Becoming a Wayland would certainly be a good reason for Phoenix to stick around even more than some romantic escapade.¡±
Uriel finally gave a barely perceptible smile, ¡°I¡¯m not sure becoming labeled as her adopted sibling¡¯s partner is better than being her friend.¡±
¡°You can be both.¡±
¡°Have you noticed that you really like picking the ¡®both¡¯ option?¡±
He chuckled, ¡°Why settle for only one when ¡®both¡¯ is obviously better?¡±
¡°So what would you call them?¡± the Mage asked curiously, ¡°Would you start calling Lord Wayland ¡®dad¡¯? That just feels so weird to say aloud.¡±
The Defender laughed and nodded, ¡°Agreed,¡± then he thought about the first part more and considered the man in front of him as he said slowly, ¡°You know, since we¡¯ve been together as partners, I¡¯ve hesitated to call anyone my sibling. You got so upset at me for calling you ¡®brother¡¯, after all.¡±
Uriel grumbled, ¡°Only because I kept having to repeat myself that I was definitely not your brother.¡±
He laughed, ¡°Yes, I was almost as oblivious then as Phoenix is now when it comes to taking a hint but we had been nothing but friends for so long,¡± he trailed off at the memories of their time together at the Temple of the Parent and the man¡¯s awkward non-confession after they had left it. The warrior chuckled at the mental image, ¡°You made it very clear eventually that you didn¡¯t have brotherly feelings for me and that mine were misplaced.¡±
Dazien looked down at the journal in his hands that bore the Wayland crest on its cover and realized that Paul had somehow managed to make the flower the same shade of amethyst as his nails that rested upon it. It was a tiny detail but one that he realized was how the stoic man expressed that care was put into the gift. This journal hadn¡¯t been grabbed at random, it was chosen for him.
He smiled and finished his previous thought, ¡°I think in Phoenix¡¯s case, however, I may have finally found a sister.¡±
37 - Flee for Your Lives
Phoenix looked up from her work that was spread out on the low coffee table with her back to the softly smoldering hearth in her room as Paul knocked on her door and she called for him to come in. She grinned as she lifted the little device that was still in the process of construction and announced, ¡°I¡¯m making a Prism Lens, or at least trying to, this chance to blow up things is really nerve-wracking sometimes but at least I don¡¯t have to worry about that too much.¡±
Paul scowled at her as he shut the door and approached, ¡°Don¡¯t go dying just to experiment on making magic items that you can just as easily buy.¡±
¡°But they don¡¯t sell this kind!¡± she complained, ¡°At least not that I could find in the market. I wanted something versatile, like my brush, to change eye color to match but they only sell them in single colors. I¡¯d have to buy, like, dozens of various shades to accomplish what one should be able to do!¡±
The Paladin shook his head as he sat on the sofa across from her position on the floor, ¡°You have a personal dim-space. Does it matter how many there are?¡±
She gave him an owlish look before scrunching her nose, ¡°It¡¯s the principle of it!¡±
That elicited a chuckle and she grinned back at him. The introvert had been enjoying the little bit of solitary downtime she managed to grab this afternoon before her party was planning to leave for the eastern tundra to clear out monsters, which Dazien had relayed to them earlier through his communication power.
Phoenix set the partially made magical contact lens down and said, ¡°If you¡¯re here about the next mission, Daze already told me. I was hoping to finish this beforehand but, at this rate, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll make it in time.¡±
Paul shifted, looking slightly uncomfortable, which caused her to narrow her eyes in suspicion as he asked, ¡°Did he mention anything else aside from the mission?¡±
¡°Noooo¡¡± she drew out, her mind suddenly swirling with what possible catastrophe might have occurred that Paul would be nervous about and Dazien would attempt to hide.
The Paladin¡¯s next words were not at all what she expected to hear, ¡°How would you feel about potentially gaining a new sibling?¡±
The number of possible scenarios that ran through her head almost caused her mind to implode as she wondered who exactly the man had managed to make a baby with and how in the world Dazien was involved. Then some of the things she had learned from her brief time at the Cultivator¡¯s Citadel and talking with Patricia created a new question as her jaw dropped open and she simply had to ask, ¡°Did you get Dazien pregnant?! I know he¡¯s got that dumb Shiny talent but you should know better!¡±
¡°What?!¡± Paul responded incredulously, ¡°No! Why would you think¨C¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know! Magic is dumb and does impossible things all the time and you¡¯re like super magical now, right?!¡±
¡°Well, yes, but¨C¡±
¡°And his talent makes him all pretty and ¡®appealing¡¯ and whatever, right?¡±
¡°Yes, but it doesn¡¯t¨C¡±
¡°And you¡¯ve both been spending a lot of time together, now that I think about it¨C¡±
¡°I offered to adopt him!¡± her Mentor finally shouted, ending her spiraling speculations.
She fell silent, flushing slightly in embarrassment as she admitted, ¡°Okay, that does make a lot more sense than what I suggested¡¡±
Paul stared up at the ceiling as though pleading to the heavens and she asked, ¡°Are you like asking the Avenger for patience when you do that? You know, I¡¯ve been wondering if there¡¯s like a heaven or Mount Olympus or some other place in the sky where the gods all hang out to watch us mortals. And do you pray to Avenger for everything or switch it up based on which thing you¡¯re praying for? Or would that just make Avenger mad and jealous or whatever?¡±
The Paladin dropped his face into both of his palms and she recognized that gesture as getting closer to the limits of his patience and muttered, ¡°Not important. Just curious,¡± before falling silent.
¡°There are rumors of divine places like that but nothing universally confirmed. Back to my original question,¡± the golden lord said with a heavy sigh, ¡°How would you feel about Dazien becoming your brother?¡±
Phoenix paused, realizing he was being completely serious, and took the time to truly consider the idea.
After a full minute of trying to picture how that would work between them, a grin crept across her face as she said, ¡°Well, he¡¯s already overprotective yet supportive. We get along most of the time but butt-heads often enough. He¡¯s only slightly older than me but he knows so much more about the world and how to navigate it that he¡¯s basically a big brother already. So I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have a problem with it.
¡°Does this mean I can get out of the whole heir thing? He¡¯d be much better, plus he¡¯s older and a boy; which actually seems to matter for a lot of places in my old world for whatever insane reason. I mean if nobility is all about bloodlines, the mother would be the obvious way to assure legitimacy, kinda hard to be unsure there.¡±
Paul seemed to give a relieved sigh as he destroyed her hope, ¡°No. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard of a nation in the entire world that cares about gender for inheritance. Usually, it¡¯s all about Caste. Sometimes age plays a factor, mostly in the assumption of who¡¯s next in line. Blood-lineage will also play a large part in other places in the world but not so much here.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.
¡°So why can¡¯t Dazien be the heir instead of me? I don¡¯t want it,¡± she pointed out, leaning back slightly in a more relaxed position to feel more cozy warmth.
¡°Three main reasons,¡± he began, holding up a finger for emphasis, ¡°First, because that¡¯s a lot more paperwork for such a brief time period. Second, he wants to go off and actually be a king someday. He could actually accomplish this easier by branching off of our House which will be much easier to do by not being the heir of it. Third, you¡¯re simply more powerful than him.¡±
She scoffed at that, ¡°What? No, I¡¯m not. Not even remotely. He¡¯ll be Sapphire soon while I keep dying and falling further behind.¡±
Her mentor raised a brow at her, ¡°You just answered your own question. You keep dying, as in you¡¯re already an immortal that won¡¯t stay dead.¡±
¡°I could stay dead,¡± she clarified, ¡°It¡¯s got that cooldown I can use.¡±
His expression became unreadable and his body stilled as he said quietly, ¡°Don¡¯t ever joke about that. Don¡¯t ever think that is an option for you to voluntarily pursue. I know death might seem a bit trivial to you lately but I don¡¯t ever want to hear about you giving up your life permanently like that.¡±
She flushed in embarrassment and nodded, looking away as she replied, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I¡¯m not¡ I do care about not dying for real.¡±
¡°Good. Now the point remains that you are extremely powerful in a way that the others will never be able to match. Immortality aside, you¡¯re an Aurabreaker, a Wayfarer, and Chosen by the gods. People will see these things and understand why you are the heir instead of Dazien; in fact, they will expect it. Not to mention you have an increased rate of cultivation which will actually make a noticeable difference if you stop dying so much. You can, and likely will, surpass the others in Caste eventually.¡±
Phoenix scrunched her nose again, disliking the idea of being forced to lead, then remembered, ¡°Wait, what am I talking about? You¡¯re planning to abdicate to Pati anyway, so Dazien and I are gonna be free to roam as planned, right?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°So nothing¡¯s really changing except Dazien¡¯s surname?¡±
¡°Not quite. He¡¯ll be joining the family Council¨C¡±
¡°That¡¯s the thingy where I would have had to make actual choices that affected everyone and totally ¡®noped¡¯ right out of, right?¡±
¡°Correct,¡± he said with a sigh, ¡°Plus, he¡¯ll be living here.¡±
¡°With Uriel, right?¡± she asked, perking up at that news, ¡°Jennica made it very clear to me that they were¡ well, something, but they¡¯ll be staying together, right?¡±
He nodded, ¡°They¡¯ll probably be staying a few doors down so you¡¯ll be seeing a lot more of each other and be expected at social events together and other family appearances as needed.¡±
¡°Actually, that¡¯s kind of a relief,¡± she admitted, ¡°I hated going to my Noble Reveal without them. Uriel¡¯s actually pretty great at knowing how to make me feel better about those kinds of things, like when everyone was watching us during the battle for Tulisuda. Dazien also makes an excellent distraction for other people to pay attention to.¡±
Paul chuckled, ¡°I honestly don¡¯t understand how you got such flashy powers with how much you avoid attention.¡±
¡°I got a sneaky power too,¡± she countered, ¡°Plus, if they¡¯re looking at the giant meteor falling then that means they¡¯re not looking at me. Also, if I¡¯m doing the [Supernova] that means there¡¯s probably a lot of monsters around for them to worry about instead. And really, my illusions work as a great distraction to make people pay attention to instead. That¡¯s how I usually use them for both monsters and hordes of children.¡±
He raised another eyebrow at her and asked, ¡°How much of that coffee have you had today?¡±
She blinked. Looked down at the empty cup next to her on the low table. Mentally checked her collection and swapped the empty cup out for a fresh new one, still steaming warm, and picked it up giving a slight shrug to appear nonchalant, ¡°A few¡¡±
¡°You really should switch to tea.¡±
¡°Over my dead body,¡± she retorted and he gave her a flat look and she rolled her eyes, ¡°You¡¯re not gonna kill me over that.¡±
Phoenix pushed herself across the snow at a fast but steady pace. Her aura expanded out from her in order to find any potentially camouflaged monsters that might be lurking among the uneven rocky hills that separated the flatter valley surrounding Tulimeir from the intimidating peaks of the Razorteeth mountains.
The crimson moon had risen about an hour ago and she had portaled her party to a halfway point along the Eastern Trade Road marked by a tiny inn for weary travelers that had been left abandoned while its owner stayed in the capital during the months of the blood moon. The inn was surprisingly still intact but wasn¡¯t much use aside from temporary shelter from the snow and, of course, for her to imprint her aura on for easy portal usage.
They had already taken out a pair of Tundra Yetis the party had come across, Dazien focusing on using his newest ability [Royal Executioner] to finish off each one to push the skill¡¯s progress as hard as he could manage since it was the thing holding him back the most from ascending to the next Caste currently.
Apparently dying was the biggest thing currently holding Phoenix back but she was resolved not to let that keep happening. She could be responsible! She could show Paul and Dazien that she didn¡¯t need to be protected all the time just to keep her alive. She was an adult, dang it! Well, not really in this world but still¡ She really wanted to show them that they didn¡¯t have to worry so much about her.
Her aura sensed something strange then. It was very much a monster but it also felt very¡ wrong to her senses and she slowed down, making sure her lights were off and shadows on, as she approached the target.
She peeked over a rocky outcropping on a hill to look down and saw a creature she had never come across before. It looked like a centaur at first but was shaggier, had more of a decrepit skeletal frame, and a head with large antlers that were more like an impala from Earth¡ or a demon. Was that the wrongness she was sensing?
Suddenly her [Guide Book] was directly in her line of sight as it boldly announced its information.
|
New Quest: Flee for Your Lives!
You have come across a powerful Corrupted creature. Escape and seek help.
Objective: Escape the [Caged] [Corrupted] Golataur.
Objective: Request assistance from Paul Wayland.
Reward: Rare Knowledge Tome.
|
¡°What the sh¨C¡±
A bellow rang out, loud and terrifying among the rocky terrain, and she felt it suddenly expand out its own disgusting aura, revealing its higher Sapphire Caste power with the promise of destruction or excruciating tainted existence to everyone around it.
Phoenix turned and fled.
38 - Corruption
¡°What was that?¡± Dazien¡¯s voice asked in her mind as Phoenix catapulted herself from the hill and ran in the direction she had come from.
¡°Book said a Golataur,¡± she replied, glancing back to see if it was chasing her but didn¡¯t see it yet.
¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a Golataur sounding like that,¡± Uriel added to the group conversation, ¡°They may be monsters but they¡¯re usually more intelligent and don¡¯t normally seek out direct confrontation.¡±
¡°Well, this one¡¯s also Caged and Corrupted, whatever that means,¡± the Wayfarer explained and winced as a mess of shouts echoed in her mind.
¡°GET OUT NOW!¡± Dazien¡¯s command reverberated in her mind over the others and she added another burst of mana to push herself forward across the snow.
¡°I am!¡± she retorted and another bellow of rage and tormented pain sounded from behind her. She looked back to see the Golataur¡¯s eyes focused on her and glowing with an eerie blue light, ¡°And it¡¯s chasing. My book gave a quest to flee and get Paul! Why would it do that?!¡±
¡°Seriously? He was a famous Corruption Hunter! He¡¯s never talked to you about it before?¡± the Defender asked incredulously.
¡°No? I don¡¯t remember reading about it either,¡± she complained, but didn¡¯t want to admit she hadn¡¯t finished making her way through that massive book of ¡°common knowledge¡± Scholar had given her. She had other things that kept interrupting, like fighting monsters, and traitors, and not exploding her crafts¡ which didn¡¯t go so well with that poor Prism Lens earlier.
¡°Corruption is basically an inverted element,¡± Uriel said in a more subdued tone, ¡°If it¡¯s a Golataur then it¡¯s likely Ice.¡±
¡°So wouldn¡¯t the inverse of that be like Fire?¡± she asked, attempting to use [Push] on the monster itself to force more distance between them but quickly stopped as it drained her mana at a much more precipitous rate.
¡°No, it¡¯s Corrupted Ice. The inverse of Fire would be Corrupted Fire. It¡¯s a bit difficult to explain but think of it like a plague, tainting the very magic itself, turning it into some of the most dangerous and self-destructive energies in the world,¡± the Mage replied.
¡°Wait, are we talking magic zombies here?¡± she asked in horror, and with another glance back she could see the vague comparison with its sickly appearance that was much closer now, galloping after her, and its skeletal hand was glowing brightly, ¡°Can Golataur¡¯s cast magic?!¡±
¡°Yes, they can,¡± Uriel replied matter-of-factly, ¡°But Zombies are actually a result of Corrupted Death magic. The Golataur isn¡¯t technically an undead unless it gets to the point where the magic has fully taken over it and it can spread its Corruption. Are there glowing veins and eyes on it?¡±
¡°Um, yes on the eyes.¡±
¡°Run faster and whatever you do, don¡¯t let it touch you!¡± Dazien yelled out.
Suddenly something burst through the snow ahead of her and she reactively dodged to the side. What looked like a smaller goat version of the Golataur behind her, but carved out of ice and snow, popped out with a terrifying bleat.
¡°It can summon minions?!¡± she asked incredulously and felt a slight wave of relief as she sensed the auras of her party and the next second had Rayna impacting like a furry missile with the summoned creature about to bite her leg off.
¡°Golats,¡± the Mage responded, ¡°Those are rather aggressive and¨C¡±
¡°Not now Uriel!¡± she heard Dazien actually shout aloud that time as they all came into sight when she rounded a last hill, ¡°Focus on slowing them down as we run!¡±
The Defender was pulling the apathetic cinderen along and commanded through the communication link again, ¡°Rayna, don¡¯t let it hit you either. While it¡¯s likely Ice attuned we don¡¯t know for sure what else it might have and if it¡¯ll overlap with one of us. If it can summon, it might have Dimension which would double with Phoenix. If that roar was some sort of ability it might have Song which would¨C¡±
¡°I get it. If it summons, it could also have Covenant which means you too, King,¡± Rayna retorted, ¡°Lessons later. What are we doing?¡±
¡°We need to retreat to the city. Phoenix get the portals going for Saiya first.¡±
She was about to oblige when a blast of ice slammed into her back, sending her flying into the snow and knocking the breath out of her. She groaned and reconjured her [Starlight Companion] and [Sun Shell], no point in trying to hide them when she was clearly not hidden.
¡°A touch of frost and your death follows,¡± Uriel incanted.
¡°Not Ice!¡± Dazien yelled.
¡°You said slow it down,¡± the mage retorted, ¡°You know slow is Ice, burning is Fire.¡±
¡°I meant to distract it! Oh fu¨C¡±
Another roar, followed by another bleat from the direction Rayna had vanished in, and the Golataur changed directions from trampling the downed Wayfarer, focusing in on the Ice mage that had attacked it.
Dazien lifted a shield just in time to impact with the lowered demon horns aiming to impale his partner and triggered [Stand Your Ground] in a vain attempt to withstand the assault that still managed to push him across the terrain a few meters.
Phoenix rolled over, ignoring the pain, and sent her [Night Blade] flying straight into the monster¡¯s head but it didn¡¯t seem to care in the slightest. Looks like ¡°undead¡± meant no vital areas that could one-shot it.
Another smaller Golat appeared near her suddenly and she managed to toss a portal near Saiya before reconjuring the dagger in her hand along with her [Caustic Floe] sword to take on the little minion that lunged towards her.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
¡°Uriel! Go through the portal now!¡± the party leader yelled before the Golataur conjured an icy staff to slam down on the Defender. As Dazien raised his sword to parry, a deafening crack rang through the air and the gemite was instead sent to the ground as the sheer force overpowered his Strength.
Saiya hadn¡¯t gone through the portal yet, instead casting [Heal Life] which sent a bolt of Life magic into the downed warrior and additionally put a new Boon on him after getting upgraded by Paul¡¯s gifted [Sustain Spirit Gem].
Ability: Heal Life
Type: Spell (magical, life)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Current caste: Sapphire 1 (68%)
Crystal Effect: Delivers Life energy through a projectile, giving a small burst of health to an ally target.
Sapphire Effect: Bestows an instance of [Life Regen].
- Life Regen (boon, magical, life): Periodically regain health for a moderate duration.
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Phoenix asked, ¡°Why is it after Uriel?¡±
¡°Because they share an Elemental attunement,¡± the Healer explained in place of the recovering leader as Snowbelle distracted the Golataur with a blast of acidic water straight into its chest. ¡°Corrupted creatures can¡¯t stand the presence of their element in its pure form. They are obsessively driven to corrupt beings with it.¡±
There was a sound like a shattering gong being struck in the distance and Rayna reported, ¡°One creepy ice goat thingy down.¡±
¡°Good, now get Uriel out of here!¡± Dazien groaned through the mental network, rolling over to try and regain his footing.
That¡¯s when everything went spiraling sideways.
Phoenix felt like she was watching in slow motion as she stabbed the little Golat with her sword and saw Uriel move between Dazien and the Golataur, managing to use his own sword ¨Cwhich he rarely needed to wield¨C to redirect the glowing staff to land in the ground beside the pair. The blast of snow being sent up and the tremor through the ground made it obvious to everyone that if that blow had landed on the gemite¡¯s back that it had been aiming for, their leader would be dead; crushed in his armor just like the stone ground that caved in next to them.
What made Phoenix¡¯s heart stop, however, was the sight of one of the Golataur¡¯s glowing hands buried in Uriel¡¯s abdomen and the elongated face biting down on the shoulder of the cinderen¡¯s extended arm. The mage¡¯s cry of pain made her heart restart and she flung herself forward towards her friend, trying to catch him as he was released by the monster.
When she looked back at the minion she had abandoned, Rayna had arrived in time to engage it instead, creating an insane rhythm with her strikes to make quick work of the weaker summon.
Dazien was already incanting, ¡°You have forsaken my rule and thus forfeit your freedom!¡± quickly constructing a metal cage around the monster while shoving both of them back behind him and towards the portal but Uriel stumbled.
Phoenix tried to keep the mage upright, pulling one of his arms over her shoulder, and was grateful to her increased Strength from her Crystal 5 attribute helping in this regard. Then her [Guide Book], in another poorly timed appearance, had yet another task for her.
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New Quest: Cleanse the Cursed
Your companion has been inflicted with a Corrupting Bane.
Objective: Eliminate the potential Corruption.
Path 1: Cleanse the Divine Bane.
Path 2: Kill Uriel Karislian.
Reward: Sapphire Caste Spirit Gem.
|
Phoenix worriedly looked at the cinderen¡¯s face near her own and saw it twisted in pain. She incanted ¡°As surely as the sun will rise again, let life shine brightly from within, and you will see the dawn of tomorrow,¡± triggering the severe cost version of her only healing spell in an attempt to save her friend. Path 2 was not an option she would ever pick.
Saiya was on the other side of the cinderen then, casting her own spell, ¡°May the stream cleanse you.¡±
Uriel clenched his teeth and the Healer frowned before looking towards her, ¡°Uriel¡¯s been marked by the [Corrupting Ice] Bane, we need to get him to another Healer. I can¡¯t cleanse Divine Banes.¡±
¡°Take him through the portal and find help, my cooldown will be up soon,¡± she replied, then turned to look at Dazien as she informed through the mental chat, ¡°Go through and contact Paul. Rayna and I can run for a couple of minutes.¡±
The Defender moved quickly as the Golataur finished shattering the Crystal Caste cage and Rayna tried to intercept the next magical spell by rocketing into the monster¡¯s side and smashing it off course, using both her [Sonorous Stomp] followed by her [Siren¡¯s Cry] to further knock it away from the retreating party members.
Dazien only paused a moment while following after the Healer and Mage to begin telling her, ¡°I better see you in one minute or else¨C¡±
¡°What? You¡¯ll tattle to dad?¡± Phoenix shot back, fully enjoying the embarrassed flush on the gemite''s face before shaking away the brief humor from her mild hysteria to assure him, ¡°Get Uriel help. We¡¯ll be right there. Now hurry up!¡±
Then she triggered her mana-recovery tattoo and began winding up a bigger deterrent for the undead creature, ¡°From the depths of the universe I summon forth the shards of annihilation. May the wrath of the cosmos descend upon all who dare to oppose me.¡±
She dismissed her portal as soon as the trio had gone through and yelled out to the bard, ¡°Time to fly, Rayna!¡± as her Meteor appeared in the sky above the Striker and Corrupted monster wielding its staff.
¡°Abyss no!¡± the voxen shouted back after releasing the blast of consumed [Impetus] stacks causing a ripple of vibrating sound waves that spread throughout the monster¡¯s flank. It responded, to their horror, by stomping its hooves on the ground over and over, causing multiple mounds of snow to appear nearby before a half-rotted Golat minion burst from each with an angry scream.
Luckily, Rayna was already racing towards her as the meteor finished its path to crash into the growing swarm. The powerful Sapphire Caste Golataur was still standing however when the molten rock shattered around it, devastating the smaller minions but only causing the mini-boss to become angrier.
The pair fled. The Striker forgoing any ideas Phoenix had about her personal autonomy and picking up the Astromancer, as the squad of evil ice goats chased after them. The bard would occasionally dodge out of the way of an oncoming ice blast from behind them that she was impressed the Striker could sense coming, hoping that hitting Sapphire would be just as useful for her.
Another minute later they were in Tulimeir, having practically dived through her portal as she quickly slammed it closed behind her, not wanting a repeat of ¡°the mecha-cat incident¡± and threatening all the people in the city.
Uriel lay collapsed on the ground nearby as Dazien was bent beside him, holding the mage¡¯s hand tightly, and nearby guards were leveling weapons at the two men while Saiya stood next to them trying to keep everyone calmed while explaining, ¡°I assure you, Lord Paladin Wayland has been informed and is on his way any minute.¡±
The Cataclysm Mage let out an ear-piercing scream then and one of the guards yelled, ¡°He don¡¯t got a minute before he turns! How big a Caste difference was between the lad and whatever got him?¡±
Phoenix moved to her friend''s side, kneeling opposite the gemite and asking over their communication link, ¡°How long does he really have?¡±
The Defender grimaced and startled her by tearing the cinderen¡¯s tunic, ripping it off the delirious man to reveal a dark muscular chest covered in lighter scars in the shapes of runes and a nasty bite that hadn¡¯t fully healed on the mage¡¯s left shoulder that had glowing blue veins bleeding from it, slowly spreading over the torso and down the arm. A secondary source of tainted magic came from the half-healed wound on the right side of his abdomen where the glowing clawed hands had gouged.
¡°Maybe a couple of minutes. I don¡¯t know if Lord Wayland will make it that quickly. He told me he was with Lord Teras at the OOM building on the other side of the city when my ability became in range of him again,¡± Dazien said with a grimace, ¡°It¡¯ll take even longer for a priest with Divine cleansing to even get the request.¡±
The gemite¡¯s words triggered a memory and she quickly double-checked her collection before conjuring a vial to her hand, yanking the top off, and pouring the glittering pastel rainbow liquid down Uriel¡¯s throat, praying that it would work.
39 - Missing Piece
¡°What was that?¡± Dazien asked her as he removed more of the tunic to watch the effects of the spreading corruption.
¡°[Elixir of Divine Cleansing]. I got it from defeating that Renseres Priestess in Tulisuda,¡± Phoenix explained quickly. Her eyes never left the Mage as she took the cinderen¡¯s other hand and watched the magic of the potion spread, pushing back the corrupting tendrils of ice.
|
Item: Elixir of Divine Cleansing
Holy potion of purification.
Caste: Emerald, Blessed.
Availability: Epic.
Type: Consumable, potion.
Effect: Cleanses all instances of Divine Banes.
|
¡°What caused all those scars?¡± she asked in a whisper, her free hand idly tracing one of the runic symbols that had been carved straight into flesh.
The Defender grimaced as he tossed more of the tattered tunic to the side and replied simply, ¡°That¡¯s not my story to tell but it¡¯s not a happy tale.¡±
¡°He told me he was held captive and forced his Aspects but he never said¡¡± she trailed off as a glint of gold caught her attention and she noticed a bracer around the Mage¡¯s left forearm that she didn¡¯t remember ever seeing before but, as she thought about that, she realized that Uriel always wore long sleeves like she did.
¡°What is that? Another magic item? Why only one?¡±
Dazien gave her a pointed look and said flatly, ¡°Ask Uriel when he¡¯s not dying.¡±
¡°Right, sorry,¡± she mumbled as she focused back on her friend¡¯s delirious and pained expression. Her mood lifted, however, as the tainted magic seemed to diminish, ¡°Looks like it¡¯s working!¡±
|
Quest: Cleanse the Cursed
Objective complete: Cleansed Uriel Karislian of the potential Corruption.
[Regrowth Spirit Gem] has been added to your collection.
Quest completed.
10 [Crystal Mana Bits] have been added to your collection.
|
Phoenix sighed in relief, then a familiar aura brushed against hers and she grinned as she looked up into the sky where a man that looked like a fallen angel flew towards them. Landing close by, Paul walked up near Uriel¡¯s head, pulled out a Sense Stone from a pouch, and ordered Dazien, ¡°Report for the AOA.¡±
¡°A Caged and Corrupted Golataur, sir. High Sapphire with Ice attunement, summoning, and staff skills. We tried to retreat immediately but the summons made evacuation difficult, splitting us. It learned of Uriel¡¯s Ice attunement and targeted him. When I was overwhelmed defending him, he protected me and got the [Corrupting Ice] Bane. Phoenix just used an [Elixir of Divine Cleansing], though, which seems to have worked.¡±
¡°We didn¡¯t think there was time,¡± Phoenix supplied, ¡°We weren¡¯t sure you would make it here before it was too late.¡±
¡°I do have some Emerald and lower Caste cleansing potions that would work but those aren¡¯t commonly available,¡± the Paladin replied, deactivating the Sense Stone, ¡°And I don¡¯t have an ability that cleanses Divine Banes. The ritual I and most others know only works once they¡¯re fully Corrupted. You usually have to kill them and then cleanse the corpse; otherwise, it seeps into the land itself, and most Corrupted won¡¯t willingly participate in the ritual.¡±
¡°Can you even kill the undead?¡± the Wayfarer asked in a slightly terrified whisper, remembering how the creature didn¡¯t flinch at a dagger to the brain.
¡°Yes, but it¡¯s usually more difficult and, as I said, you risk the Corruption seeping into the ambient magic of the area,¡± their mentor explained, then bent down as if to better examine the closing wounds on Uriel¡¯s body. He looked from Phoenix to Dazien and asked quietly, ¡°You said the creature was Caged too?¡±
The party leader nodded towards Phoenix who said quietly, ¡°My quest to flee and get you mentioned it was both Caged and Corrupted.¡±
Paul frowned, ¡°Give me the directions and I¡¯ll find it and take care of it. Get Karislian back to our home.¡±
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Quest: Flee for Your Lives!
Objective complete: Escaped the [Caged] [Corrupted] Golataur.
Objective complete: Requested assistance from Paul Wayland.
[Tome of Scroll Scribing] has been added to your collection.
Quest completed.
20 [Crystal Mana Bits] have been added to your collection.
|
Phoenix shooed her book away, cursing its timing, as Dazien explained where they had left the monster.
¡°Shouldn¡¯t we take him to the menders?¡± the Defender asked, adjusting to pick up the Mage who had finally fallen unconscious once the pain seemed to end. The glowing veins of tainted mana were completely gone now.
¡°He''ll be safer at the estate,¡± the Paladin stated firmly, ¡°Many people don¡¯t like taking any chances when it comes to Corruption.¡±
Dazien nodded in understanding then quickly gave directions on where they had been and turned to leave, Rayna and Saiya quickly following behind him.
Phoenix paused before leaving with her party and looked to her mentor, ¡°You¡¯ll be careful, right?¡±
Paul gave her a soft smile, ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll be back before breakfast,¡± then promptly raised the enormous crow wings and launched himself into the air and to the east.
Phoenix felt both exhausted and restless at once, which was a confusing sensation that she could only assume was due to the snapped tension of her friend almost becoming an undead monster and needing to be put down conflicting with the plethora of questions swirling through her mind; half of which surrounded said friend.
They had claimed one of the empty rooms across the hall of Phoenix¡¯s bedroom to let Uriel rest and recover in and Saiya double-checked him but reassured them that he would be okay and would likely wake fairly soon. Then the empathic Healer dragged her twin out of the room in the name of finding some food, leaving the Wayfarer and gemite alone with their unconscious companion.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Dazien had perched himself on the edge of the cinderen¡¯s bed while Phoenix pushed an armchair next to it to curl up in, conjuring the long dress she preferred over her [Shifting Twilight] body armor.
The Defender was the first to break the silence, which she thought inevitable, ¡°Thank you for using that potion. I¡¯m sure it was incredibly rare and expensive and could have been saved to use on yourself.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t thank me for that. Uriel¡¯s life is worth a lot more than mine,¡± she murmured, tucking her single green curl that had come loose from her large braid behind her ear and hugging her knees to her chest.
He gave her a curious look before shaking his head with a chuckle, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard anyone else aside from myself say Uriel¡¯s life was worth anything, let alone more than their own; not even Uriel himself.¡±
¡°I get that he has a¡ touchy talent and a dangerous powerset¡ but I don¡¯t understand why people would think he¡¯s a monster like he seems to believe. Is this part of those secrets he doesn¡¯t want to share?¡±
Dazien grimaced and hedged, ¡°I¡¯m not sure how much to say, honestly. I¡¯m not going to divulge his secrets; even to you. That would be such a devastating breach of trust and I¡¯m not willing to hurt Uriel like that.¡±
She nodded in understanding. It was like her own secrets and she trusted Dazien with them for exactly this reason. ¡°I won¡¯t nag you for them. It¡¯s just confusing and¡ Well, I wish he could trust me with them.¡±
He laughed again, giving her a knowing look, ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel good to know someone you care about doesn¡¯t trust you, does it?¡±
¡°I said I was sorry for that,¡± she said with a roll of her eyes. Then rested her cheek on a knee as she watched the sleeping mage, ¡°I was scared.¡±
¡°So is he,¡± the Defender replied, ¡°He¡¯s been through a lot, lost a lot of people, been shunned and despised for just existing. He¡¯s afraid of getting hurt even more, of losing the little he¡¯s gained. I¡¯m sure you can sympathize, yes?¡±
She nodded silently, wishing the cinderen would awaken just so she could wrap him in a hug. That random thought made her wonder just how much of Saiya¡¯s habits were rubbing off on her.
¡°So,¡± Dazien began, breaking the silence once more and she couldn¡¯t help but smile to herself, ¡°You mentioned earlier about me¡ ¡®tattling to dad¡¯. I¡¯m guessing Lord Wayland talked to you about¡ my potential future?¡±
¡°You know, you should at least call him ¡®Paul¡¯ if you accept being adopted,¡± she said with a grin, turning to look at him instead, and was surprised that he seemed nervous.
¡°What about you?¡±
¡°I already call him Paul.¡±
¡°No, I meant what should I call you?¡± he clarified, shifting slightly, ¡°Are you okay with the idea of actually becoming my sister?¡±
She blinked then laughed.
¡°Look, I understand if you don¡¯t like it but¨C¡±
¡°No, no, it¡¯s not that,¡± she interjected, trying to wave away his worried expression, ¡°It just struck me as funny that you would actually be nervous about me not being okay with it. Did you think I¡¯d be, like, super possessive of Paul or something?¡±
¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what to expect, honestly,¡± the gemite admitted and her laughter finally abated, ¡°The last person I tried to call my sibling got very offended by the idea,¡± he smiled fondly down at Uriel and took the man¡¯s hand in one of his own, ¡°He made me realize our love was not like that.¡±
She blushed slightly at the two of them, feeling odd to witness the slightly intimate moment, but the Defender refocused on her and said, ¡°I care about you too but not like I do about him,¡± he clarified with a nod to the cinderen, ¡°I think ¡®sister¡¯ feels¡¡± he trailed off as if searching for the word.
¡°... right?¡± she offered.
He grinned and nodded, ¡°Yeah. A missing piece of my puzzle that I think you fit into.¡±
¡°I had the same thought when Paul asked me about it,¡± she admitted, ¡°Told him you already felt like my big brother.¡±
Dazien¡¯s smile grew brilliant, ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± he said, pausing to look back at his partner before seeming to make up his mind, ¡°I think I¡¯ll accept Lord¨C Paul¡¯s proposal then.¡±
Phoenix grinned, ¡°Sounds good, bro.¡±
¡°Can I veto that nickname?¡±
¡°Was vetoing ¡®Princess¡¯ even an option?¡±
¡°Nope, but you can call me ¡®King¡¯. It fits even since a King¡¯s sister is a Princess. Which I guess you¡¯ll eventually become now when I found my kingdom.¡±
¡°How about ¡®Royal Pain-In-My-Arse¡¯?¡±
Dazien burst out laughing and Phoenix joined in, glad for the new dynamic between them that really did feel right to her, and looked forward to mercilessly teasing him at his Noble Reveal and forever after that.
Paul stood over the smoldering pile of Golataur that he had just finished dispatching, his Natural Talent making locating the creature extremely easy once he had a general direction.
Natural Talent: Corruption Slayer
Deviated from [Arcane Attunement] due to Purifier¡¯s Blessing.
- Increased resistance to negative Radiant effects. Radiant abilities have an increased effect.
- Can sense the direction of nearby [Corrupted] targets.
- Increased damage against [Corrupted] targets.
- You are immune to becoming [Corrupted].
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It was the blessing that he had gained upon becoming a Paladin under the Purifier and despite his fall from grace, he was still extremely grateful for the talent, especially if his new fear turned out to be true.
Everin flew over to him a moment later, the voxen¡¯s five tails spinning above the man bent over in the air, allowing a sort of horizontal flight that seemed impossible for the blur of white fur to not spin the Caster in turn, but the Cleric stayed perfectly aimed as he touched down a foot upon the stained snow and the tails halted their movement.
¡°I see you¡¯ve already taken care of it. I guess an Ice attuned isn¡¯t much of a threat to you, oh Paladin of Flame and Light,¡± Everin said, stepping closer to observe the corpse that seemed to be melting into a black goo rather than turning to ash after Paul had already looted it.
¡°I¡¯m immune to Corruption so nothing is much of a threat in that regard,¡± he replied, pulling out a small pouch of salt from his hip bag.
¡°Must be nice,¡± the voxen stated, ¡°Want some help with the ritual?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve got it. I¡¯ve done it dozens of times before,¡± he replied off-handedly as he moved in a circle around the decaying monster, letting the salt fall in his path, ¡°It was one of the first my family taught me as a child but even I underestimated the threat they posed at first.¡±
¡°Ah, right. I think I remember reading in a dusty old tome that the first Wayland was actually the one to discover that particular ritual. It makes sense that you would become a hunter of the Corrupted.¡±
¡°It wasn¡¯t because of my heritage that I became a Corruption Hunter,¡± the Paladin explained as he finished the circle, ¡°It was because of my sister becoming one of their victims.¡±
The Cleric winced at the words and actually looked sincere as he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wasn¡¯t aware of that.¡±
He gave a half-shrug, ¡°It was decades ago and my fault. I was a stupid kid who thought far too highly of himself.¡±
The voxen gave a soft smirk, ¡°Has that changed much?¡±
Paul gave a bark of a laugh and shook his head, ¡°I suppose not. I¡¯m still running headfirst towards danger.¡±
Everin looked towards the east where the Razorteeth Mountains loomed in their perpetual attempt to eat the sky, ¡°I think your daughter takes after you in that regard.¡±
The older Striker looked up, a bit surprised by the Healer referring to Phoenix as his daughter instead of his Prot¨¦g¨¦ but finding that he liked it, ¡°She does, doesn¡¯t she?¡±
¡°You shouldn¡¯t smile so proudly at that,¡± the Cleric scolded, causing him to chuckle. He quickly sobered however when the younger Caster pointed out part of the fear the paladin hadn¡¯t wanted to give voice to, ¡°Phoenix may not survive an encounter with the wrong type of Corrupted creature.¡±
Paul nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve thought of that. I¡¯m not sure her¡ talent would protect her from its effects. If nobody put her to rest, her soul could be trapped forever in a Corrupted body. Plus, the taint has transfiguring properties¡ would it overwrite and cause her talent to deviate?¡±
Everin shrugged, ¡°You¡¯re more knowledgeable about the Corrupted than I am. This is only the second time I¡¯ve seen one. I have people like you keeping them at bay.¡±
He grimaced and then spoke the cleansing incantation, causing the salt to become the pitch-black darkness of Void magic before setting the corpse aflame with a myriad of sparkling Radiant flames that devoured the tainted magic seeping into the surroundings.
¡°I almost lost Karislian today,¡± he said quietly as the pair of Emerald Casters stood side by side, watching the cleansing divinity, ¡°Dazien and Phoenix would have been devastated to lose him. Especially like that.¡±
The Cleric arched a silvery eyebrow and said, ¡°That is the risk of being an Adventurer, Lord Paladin. Every mission they take holds that risk.¡±
¡°Not like this,¡± the Paladin retorted, ¡°If they¡¯re using Caged monsters filled with Corruption, the Soul Reapers are an even bigger threat than we originally thought. Their party isn¡¯t prepared for something like this.¡±
Everin¡¯s surprise was obvious as the Healer asked, ¡°Are you suggesting they not partake in the upcoming assault?¡±
Paul met the voxen¡¯s ice blue eyes with his burning golden ones and stated in a tone that brokered no argument, ¡°I will not risk losing my family to the Corrupted again.¡±
40 - I Told You So
Phoenix was relieved when Uriel woke up only a couple hours later and she was able to finally hug him, but he had quickly extricated himself to find a shirt and avoid any and all conversation regarding his scars, bracer, and secrets.
She didn¡¯t push hard, though, knowing from personal experience that pushing would only drive him further away and she didn¡¯t want her friend to start avoiding her because she made him feel uncomfortable. That would definitely be what she would do if the roles were reversed.
They had planned to return to their original mission of clearing their section of the tundra of monsters but, before they could, Dazien had been called to the AOA building for further questioning about the encounter that had almost claimed their Mage¡¯s life and had suddenly pulled their strongest Emerald Caster away from his own task.
That was when word came from the frontline scouts that the enemy had begun to move, pouring out of the mountains they had been hiding within, some with devastating effect to the terrain, and heading straight towards Tulimeir; seeming to not bother with the smaller fortress town to the south.
The reports described a fleet of Caged monsters and magical vehicles the size of small villages that were leaving a path of destruction in their wake as they slowly began advancing toward the capital.
It wasn¡¯t just Crystal and Sapphire auras that were detected either but a couple dozen Emeralds spread throughout their massive army, which was not good news for avoiding collateral damage. With this revelation, even the non-combat Emerald Casters were being called from their background positions on the wall, and one-off missions, to help defend the city in the counter-assault soon to begin.
Phoenix worried for Paul, knowing that a lot of responsibility was being put onto his shoulders to save the capital and all its inhabitants. Since she started receiving more attention as someone chosen by the gods and began to feel the weight of expectations that it brought, she had gained a new appreciation and understanding for her Mentor¡¯s strength and dependability; even more grateful for his presence in her life. However, even she knew they couldn¡¯t depend on a single person to save them all. Everyone would need to contribute to the war that had finally arrived at their doorstep.
Surprisingly, she found herself looking forward to the battle; for the chance to prove, not just to Paul and her friends but also to herself, that she was someone worth relying on to protect everyone. That, perhaps, she could be worthy of the markings on her soul.
So when Dazien returned to the group with a sour expression after his meeting and informed them all that they were being reassigned as backup to be held in reserve along the top of the wall, they all became upset.
¡°What? Why would they do that? Haven¡¯t we proven ourselves enough? One close call shouldn¡¯t have benched us,¡± Rayna complained, giving voice to their grievance.
Their leader glanced away as he reluctantly said, ¡°I asked the director the same question and she assured me that our performance was not the reason behind our reassignment.¡±
¡°If it wasn¡¯t our performance then what would make her¡¡± Uriel trailed off as his gaze went from his best friend to his redheaded friend and he finished simply with, ¡°Ah.¡±
Phoenix looked at him in confusion, ¡°¡®Ah¡¯ what?¡±
Uriel didn¡¯t reply and she turned to their leader who was refusing to meet her eyes, ¡°What is it, Daze?¡± her face fell a bit as she asked anxiously, ¡°Did¡ did I do something wrong? Was it because I messed up with letting it sense me? Cause I almost got Uriel killed?¡±
¡°Of course not, sweet flower,¡± Saiya said reassuringly as the voxen moved to hold her hand, ¡°There''s probably just some politics at play here. Nothing for us to worry about.¡±
The Wayfarer scrunched up her face in consternation, ¡°What politics? They didn¡¯t stop us from going on missions before all this,¡± she argued, glancing back at Dazien as she asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t been adopted yet, so what changed?¡±
¡°Adopted?¡± Rayna said in surprise, looking towards the Defender.
¡°Ah, sorry,¡± Phoenix said sheepishly, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to spoil that.¡±
Dazien gave a slight huff of annoyance, ¡°We can talk about that later. Now is not the time as I haven¡¯t actually gotten to accept yet,¡± he chided then began looking extremely uncomfortable as he looked everywhere but at the Wayfarer before relenting with a sigh. Saiya scooted over to hold his hand instead as he began, ¡°What changed is the nature of the threat. Corruption is extremely dangerous, as we¡¯ve seen firsthand now.¡±
He glanced down at the Healer who nodded reassuringly before finally meeting Phoenix¡¯s eyes as he explained, ¡°It turns out that Director Trayvious made a deal with Paul. In exchange for him leading Tulimeir¡¯s Emerald Casters in the forward assault and formally accepting the position of an Officer, he requested that our party specifically be kept within the city for the duration of the battle against the Soul Reapers.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s expression went from one of shock to fury in a few seconds. ¡°No. He. Didn¡¯t.¡± she enunciated each word in her rage and surprised all of them by conjuring her portal right there and stomping through it, promptly closing it behind her.
Paul rubbed at his temples wondering, not for the first time, why he could still get headaches at Emerald Caste and if hitting Ruby would make them go away. He was so insanely close that he was half tempted to go try and pick off one of the Emerald monster¡¯s out there making its way towards his city just to push him over that last tiny bit and ascend before the real battle began.
¡°You know she¡¯s not going to be happy,¡± Patricia said as she sat in one of the chairs across from his desk. His journal lay open in front of him but the pen was resting beside it as he tried coming up with a plausible excuse for his actions that didn¡¯t paint him as an overprotective and controlling arse.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
¡°That¡¯s what I tried telling him,¡± Everin interjected, as the voxen perched on a stool next to the runeforged.
¡°She¡¯s currently the heir of House Wayland,¡± he attempted to argue to the pair, ¡°Making concessions like this isn¡¯t completely out of the ordinary and I explained the position to her before,¡± he replied, not looking up to offer the keen woman even more insight into his motives. Even his stoic exterior never seemed enough to hide from his little sister and he wondered if that was his fault or a certain telepathic Familiar giving him away.
¡°It is not This One¡¯s fault that Wayland refuses to listen to reason,¡± Orebela stated.
¡°You also know she¡¯s not going to see it that way,¡± the priestess pressed, ¡°We both said we would try to lessen the influence of politics on her as much as possible.¡±
¡°If something were to happen to her¨C¡±
¡°Then I would take over and the House would be fine,¡± Patricia cut him off with the blunt statement, ¡°Claiming Heir¡¯s Privilege and hiding her behind the walls is a thin excuse for your true motives.¡±
The paladin ground his teeth, ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡±
Everin rolled his eyes, ¡°Oh, I understand.¡±
¡°Well, I don¡¯t,¡± the runeforged confirmed with a huff of annoyance, ¡°She¡¯s an Adventurer, Paul. Risks are part of the job. Why are you holding her back?¡±
He glared at his younger sister, ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m protecting the stability of our house.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a load of siva dung,¡± she rebuked, as the traitorous fox nodded in agreement with her, ¡°My Patric will be out there with the other Sapphire Casters and Padma will be with the Crystals. Why are you holding back both Phoenix and Dazien? I don¡¯t believe for a second that you¡¯re worried about the survival of our family name. Are you that afraid of losing them in battle?¡±
¡°Yes!¡± Paul shouted, standing up, ¡°It¡¯s not about the monsters, Pati. We¡¯re talking about Corruption here! They¡¯re not prepared for something like that and the risk of not only dying but becoming trapped forever in an undying body, whose sole goal is to either taint everything around it or bow to the whims of its master, is not something I ever want to see any of those children face!¡±
His posture softened as he admitted, ¡°Even if Phoenix survives, if one of the others fell like Karislian almost did¡ After everything else she¡¯s been through, I¡¯m fairly certain that would break her completely¡ and that¡¯s not something I could bear to watch.¡±
The Rebel Cleric looked like he wanted to say something but Patricia beat him to ask, ¡°Are you ever going to tell me about those events she¡¯s been through? Even my Lady has been vague about why she¡¯s so interested in her, aside from being a Wayfarer that is.¡±
Paul raised an eyebrow at her, ¡°If even your goddess is silent, what makes you think I will talk?¡±
¡°Little Flower may be able to help us if she knew. This One does not think Little Flower would betray her family even for politics,¡± his Familiar pointed out and he agreed but couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Everin had been told about Phoenix¡¯s revival talent by Rebel, so what was holding the Cultivator back from telling his sister? Was it a matter of Caste or did the goddess just assume he would tell her and save the deity the cost of divine power?
She gave a huff and crossed her arms, ¡°I hate secrets. I hate when the gods feel limited by the Confidant and Trickster or whatever other gods¡¯ domains are at play here. It makes playing the game so much harder when I can¡¯t see all the pieces.¡±
¡°Especially this particular piece,¡± Everin said and Paul shot him a look. The voxen shrugged, ¡°What? Rebel told me because it¡¯s literally game-changing information but I¡¯m Oathbound to secrecy now. If Patirica knew it, then this discussion would be going very differently.¡±
¡°This isn¡¯t a game, you two. Those kids aren¡¯t some pawns.¡±
The noblewoman rolled her bright blue eyes at him, ¡°We¡¯re all pawns; some of us just get upgraded to advisors. Now, what are you going to tell your ward? That charming gemite might understand the politics you¡¯re trying to play but your Wayfarer¡¯s not going to like hearing you think she¡¯s emotionally fragile.¡±
The warrior grimaced at her words, knowing she was right, ¡°Hopefully, I¡¯ll be gone and already fighting by the time she finds out.¡±
Just then the door slammed open and an irate Astromancer stormed into the room. Paul dropped back into his chair and let his face fall into his hands at the humor of the universe. Both Everin and Patricia gave him matching evil grins that, luckily, Phoenix couldn¡¯t see as the young woman slammed her hand onto the desk separating her from the Lord of the House.
¡°You made us backup?!¡± the redhead fumed, her face almost matching her hair.
Paul looked up at her and started saying matter-of-factly, ¡°As heir you have a responsibility to stay¨C¡±
¡°No!¡± she shouted, scrunching her face up in her rage, ¡°You don¡¯t get to punish us just to keep us safe!¡±
¡°Look, Phoenix, you knew this might happen when¨C¡±
¡°No! You said being heir was temporary. We¡¯ve worked hard to show our worth as Adventurers! If you interfere to keep us safe behind the walls you¡¯re basically telling all of my friends that we¡¯re not good enough to fight! You don¡¯t have the right to do that to them!¡±
Paul stood angrily and leaned over the desk as he said firmly, ¡°I am the Lord of this House and you are my heir and Prot¨¦g¨¦. I have every right over your party. If I say you are assigned to the wall then it will be so.¡±
She glared up at him, ¡°We¡¯ve fought the Soul Reapers before! We¡¯re strong enough to¨C¡±
¡°No!¡± the paladin slammed his own fist against the desk to silence her, causing the wood to splinter under the force but fortunately not break entirely as the magical enchantments bent under the abuse, ¡°You are not strong enough, Phoenix! I will not risk you or your party to Corruption when I cannot be there to protect you!¡±
Her jaw went slack at his words and she asked in quiet disbelief, ¡°You think I need you to protect me? Do you really think I¡¯m too weak to be of use in the battle? Too useless to protect my friends? You think we¡¯ll all die so easily and all your plans will be ruined?¡±
Paul clenched his teeth and resolutely lied, ¡°Yes.¡±
His heart cracked as her tears fell while they stared at each other before she gave a mocking bow and said bitterly, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll go be useless on the wall then, my Lord,¡± then turned and practically ran from the room, slamming the door in her wake.
Silence fell as Paul fell back into his seat once more, staring at the ceiling as he contemplated if the rift he had just created was really worth sheltering them. His wandering thoughts were interrupted by Everin looking at his tiny silvery claws where nails would normally be and saying, ¡°Well, I¡¯m not usually one to say ¡®I told you so¡¯ but that went about as well as I expected.¡±
¡°One more word and they will never find your ashes, fox kit.¡±
41 - Falling is the Best
Paul knew his threat was empty and Everin obviously knew it too as the Cleric laughed, ¡°I doubt you¡¯d kill the only other person you know of that can share the burden of knowledge about that accident-prone Wayfarer. Especially, when you know I¡¯m sworn to protect her wellbeing. On that note, however,¡± the voxen said and added with a rare note of both seriousness and disapproval, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have lied to her.¡±
The older noble didn¡¯t look away from the ceiling as he grumbled, ¡°She wouldn¡¯t have listened if I hadn¡¯t. Sometimes children need to hear lies to do what they should.¡±
Patricia let out a half-hearted laugh, ¡°Now suddenly you think yourself the all-wise parent?¡± she mocked, then turned more serious, ¡°Even a child doesn¡¯t deserve to be spoken to like that by the one person they¡¯ve learned to rely on and trust above all others.¡±
¡°She wouldn¡¯t listen otherwise,¡± he retorted, gesturing towards the door that had been slammed behind the retreating Wayfarer.
¡°You¡¯re one to talk. You¡¯re behaving just as stubbornly. Both you and her, throwing a tantrum because you want to get your way,¡± the priestess chided, ¡°At least she was trying to protect her friends from feeling as inadequate as you just made her feel.¡±
¡°I¡¯m trying to protect them too!¡± he interjected, setting his glare on her now, ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying when I said I couldn¡¯t be there to protect them. There will be multiple Emerald Casters and monsters, all designed for combat, and I have a rag-tag group of priests, crafters, and freshly ascended Emeralds who¡¯ve barely been away from the tundra. We¡¯re going to lose a lot of people, Pati.¡±
The Paladin¡¯s expression softened and he hung his head as he finally admitted aloud, ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m worried that if their party was there, I wouldn¡¯t be able to focus on the fight I need to be focused on. What if I sacrifice other lives to save theirs? I might be making all of this appear like Phoenix is the one I¡¯m most concerned about, but I care about all of those kids. I don¡¯t want to lose any of them and I¡¯m not sure what extent I¡¯ll go to in order to keep them safe.¡±
She gave him a warm smile of understanding, ¡°Now that is spoken like a true parent.¡±
¡°My goddess doesn¡¯t like you taking away their freedom of choice, Lord Wayland,¡± the Cleric of Rebel said, fluffy white tails wrapping around the man as he readjusted on the stool. ¡°She worries that you¡¯re stunting their growth.¡±
¡°They can¡¯t grow if they¡¯re dead,¡± he stated flatly, ¡°You don¡¯t understand the threat the Corrupted pose. If the Soul Reapers are willing to stoop to using them, then we¡¯re all going to be fighting an uphill battle to contain the taint while defending ourselves from an enemy that doesn¡¯t seem to care if they destroy the world and leave it a rotting mess.¡±
¡°We don¡¯t know if that¡¯s actually their goal,¡± Everin pointed out, ¡°We haven¡¯t heard any reports about massive outbreaks of Corruption. I think we would have by now if the Soul Reapers were actively using them to spread the taint.¡±
Paul scowled at him, ¡°Even if they are showing some restraint, that doesn¡¯t make what they¡¯re doing not wrong and twisted.¡±
¡°I agree,¡± Patricia spoke up, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean we have to completely shelter our children from the reality of what being an Adventurer is. They have and will continue to face threats that they¡¯re not always ready for and our job is to prepare them as best we can so they will triumph. You¡¯re not even giving them the chance to stumble when sometimes falling is the best way for a child to learn to get back up again.¡±
¡°You think dying in battle is a fall worth learning?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t try to twist my meaning,¡± his younger sister retorted, ¡°I think this is a battle that has too much on the line to keep some of our most talented Crystal and Sapphire Casters on the sidelines.¡±
¡°They¡¯re a single party,¡± Paul scoffed.
¡°It¡¯s not your choice to seize and control, Lord Wayland,¡± Everin said firmly, ¡°Warning them away, informing them of the risks and danger, explaining exactly why you think it best that they stay behind is absolutely something I would encourage,¡± the voxen expounded, ¡°But lying and forcing them to comply like some tyrant is almost ensuring open rebellion and strife between them and yourself.¡±
The human¡¯s eyes narrowed at the Cleric of the Rebel, ¡°Are you threatening to incite insurrection?¡±
Everin snorted a laugh and gave a sly grin, ¡°I bet it would barely take a full sentence to push them. They may be devoted to you, even love you as a father, but they have shown themselves to be, first and foremost, Adventurers.¡±
Paul grimaced and was about to retort when the Healer added preemptively, ¡°How about a compromise?¡± When he didn¡¯t interrupt the Cleric explained, ¡°I¡¯ve been assigned to your side during the initial counter-assault but you¡¯ve been close to hitting Ruby, correct?¡±
The Paladin nodded, ¡°A couple more adequate challenges to execute and I¡¯ll ascend, if we can take a break for it. Even with the expected days of recovery, I think I can power through it to take out any true remaining threats before resting.¡±
¡°Well, how about once you break and ascend to Ruby, I take over babysitting the kits to make sure they won¡¯t die from tripping?¡± the Cleric offered, ¡°You can always come find me for a pick-me-up should you need it but at Ruby the remaining work should be inconsequential. That¡¯s why we requested a Ruby Caster from the capital, after all.¡±
Paul grumbled, ¡°I doubt they¡¯ll get here before the fighting starts. That¡¯s if the Queen even allows relinquishing one. They¡¯ve also been fighting greater threats than we have during this blood moon. I¡¯m honestly surprised the gods have been offering what help they have been in this small remote area of the world. But you and I both know that the higher the Caste, the less likely a Caster being a combatant is. They too often die chasing immortality, which makes the living ones all the more invaluable during a blood moon.¡±
¡°Well, giving them some hope that they¡¯ll be called in as reinforcements might help allay the kits¡¯ fears of being useless,¡± Everin pointed out, ¡°Explain that you don¡¯t want to worry as you focus on pushing past the threshold and that they can join you when you¡¯re Ruby may help mend the rift you just caused.¡±
Patricia gave the voxen a side glance and asked, ¡°Do you have children, Cleric Starlark?¡±
Everin laughed, ¡°No, but I remember being a rebellious teen that fled to a temple in an effort to escape the vice grip of my parents,¡± the man said, giving Paul a pointed look, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to see them follow in my footsteps this time.¡±
The Paladin gave a resigned sigh and nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll try talking to them before they refuse to speak to me. I have another guest I¡¯m expecting soon, however, so it will have to wait.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Paul smiled as a soft knock came from the door to his study and he called for the visitor to enter. Patricia and Everin had left him alone a while ago to get some actual work done and things situated before he left for the tundra at dawn to confront the enemy while the monsters were weakened by the lack of moon power.
A young woman with soft brown hair that fell to the base of her neck cautiously opened the door and he gestured for her to come sit, ¡°Camilla, I¡¯m glad you decided to come and visit before I left in the morning. I have a feeling I¡¯ll be too busy for the next few days.¡±
She nodded quietly and walked over to carefully take a seat, pushing her glasses further up the bridge of her nose, ¡°You wished to talk about Tulisuda?¡±
¡°I wished to talk about you and see how you have been,¡± he corrected, then pulled out his journal that her soft brown eyes flicked to momentarily before returning to the floor.
He had become practiced at this over the years and learned that while most might think he was being inconsiderate by writing while talking, as if not paying attention, it put his cousin more at ease. The expectation of social conversation lessened.
¡°I¨CI¡¯ve been well,¡± she said softly, ¡°Busy. W¨Cwhich is good. Not bored.¡±
¡°That¡¯s good,¡± he said, scratching down random notes on the paper, ¡°Teras seems to appreciate your efforts. Do you enjoy working with him?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± she answered promptly, which made him smile more, ¡°He is kind like you.¡±
¡°I¡¯m very happy to hear that,¡± the Paladin replied, ¡°Do you want to talk about what you¡¯ve found so far in Tulisuda?¡±
Camilla didn¡¯t smile nor look at him but the way she seemed to sit up straighter let Paul know that she was excited about the topic, ¡°Yes. The Rift is not odd anymore. Lord Teras did well enough and I finished fixing the ley lines that run through them.¡±
She paused and Paul understood the signal she was giving as he prompted, ¡°Good to hear we didn¡¯t break anything too badly.¡±
¡°The Identification Orb was able to inform us of what the anomaly you discovered within Tulisuda was. This was fascinating as the orb did not have much information to give. It called the anomaly a ¡®Corrupted Pseudo-Reality Seed¡¯ but only gave the assumed information that it converts the ambient mana into a higher Caste while slowly corrupting it.¡±
Paul frowned but didn¡¯t interrupt as she added with rare confidence, ¡°The Reality Seeds are a bad oddity.¡±
He nodded absently but wrote more notes in his journal. Questions that came to mind for him to ask Ethan Teras later instead of bombarding his cousin with them. The Paladin was surprised when the Magi seemed to suddenly hesitate and ask him a question instead, ¡°I hear some people say Paul''s heir is a bad oddity, others say a good oddity, and some say she is not odd enough. What is Paul¡¯s truth?¡±
His chest tightened at the question like it always did when she asked him with those exact words. It always brought back the wave of memories that had driven them to get to this system of mutual understanding.
Her foolish father, his mother¡¯s younger brother, thought that buying Camilla Aspects and forcing her to become a Caster would ¡®fix¡¯ her but there was nothing to fix; at least, not in Camilla¡¯s case. She was different, not the norm, an oddity. But that didn¡¯t mean she was broken; just that it was harder for others to understand her perspective.
He had spent time with the girl when she was much younger and found a system that helped bridge the difference; to help her understand him and him to understand her. He explained that most people were ¡°not odd¡± and rarely changed. These people saw anything different from that as either a ¡°good oddity¡±, that should be accepted and strived towards, or a ¡°bad oddity¡±, that should be shunned or destroyed.
It broke his heart when she had come crying to him a few days after that to proclaim that she must be a ¡°bad oddity¡± since everyone was being mean to her. It took him a while to calm her down and explain that oftentimes people got those labels mixed up and that their truth wasn¡¯t everyone¡¯s truth; that people often disagreed about what was good or bad and that she needed to decide what her own truth was.
¡°What do you think I am? Am I like everyone else?¡± he had asked, wiping away her tears.
¡°Paul is an oddity?¡±
¡°Very much so.¡±
¡°Paul is a good oddity,¡± she had declared, and he had been hit once more by the similarities the girl had with his youngest sister whom he had lost almost two decades beforehand.
He knew that he had to correct her, however, despite being a Paladin of the Purifier and claiming to be righteous, he knew that he butt heads with too many people that didn¡¯t always deserve his ire, ¡°There are a lot of not-odd people that would disagree and say I¡¯m a bad oddity.¡±
¡°Paul is kind. Kind is not bad. Paul is good,¡± she had managed to point out through her sniffles.
¡°I¡¯m not always kind. I often hurt others who stand against me.¡±
¡°Paul is kind to me. Paul is good to me. That is my truth,¡± she had logically concluded and surprised him by wrapping tiny arms around him.
He had returned the rare gift of a hug as he assured her, ¡°And my truth is that you are a good oddity, Camilla.¡±
Paul¡¯s mind returned to the present, shaking away the memories, and saying with a gentle smile that he knew the now-grown adult woman before him would see in her periphery, ¡°Phoenix is a good oddity, like me, and like you. I hope you will agree to meet her soon, she likes enchantment puzzles like you do.¡±
The researcher nodded ever so slightly as she struggled to promise, ¡°I¨CI will try.¡±
¡°I will be there to help,¡± the Paladin reassured, ¡°I don¡¯t think she will overwhelm like some of the others.¡±
¡°Others?¡±
¡°Her party, King¡¯s Dream. They¡¯re mostly all good oddities.¡±
¡°Mostly?¡±
He gave a crooked smile, ¡°I¡¯m still debating on one of them but the others seem sure of him being good, despite any evidence to the contrary.¡±
¡°Is he¡ is he a mean one?¡±
Paul stopped jotting down questions regarding Tulisuda to think about that before saying, ¡°No. He¡¯s actually putting the others before himself quite often.¡±
¡°Is he a stupid one?¡± she asked with a slight scrunch of her nose towards the floor before glancing towards the wall of books to his right and Paul chuckled.
¡°I¡¯m not sure, to be honest,¡± he admitted, ¡°He rarely speaks in my presence which may be a point towards being not stupid.¡±
¡°Is he a lazy one?¡± the Magi inquired, apparently having cultivated a list in his absence of what she qualified as deserving of the ¡°bad oddity¡± category.
Paul gave a relenting sigh, ¡°No, despite all the cards stacked against him, he still managed to make friends and become an Adventurer. Even if I didn¡¯t witness it myself, I know accomplishing that would have taken a lot of dedication and hard work.¡±
¡°So he is a good oddity too,¡± she concluded.
He laughed and admitted, ¡°I think there¡¯s a bit more than that to consider but¨C¡±
Another knock at the door interrupted his rebuttal but he called for it to open and his head steward, Roger, peeked a head in to say, ¡°Apologies, m¡¯lord, but Mister Uriel Karislian wishes to speak with you; though, he claims it¡¯s not urgent but needed before you leave for the front.¡±
¡°Speak of demons and they appear,¡± he muttered with a nod before ordering, ¡°Tell him I¡¯m with another visitor but will call for him when I¡¯m done.¡±
¡°Of course, m¡¯lord,¡± Roger said, quickly retreating.
Camilla was staring at the ceiling now but asked before he could resume what he was saying, ¡°This Uriel Karislian is the oddity you were speaking of?¡±
¡°Yes, we have a bit of a history. I found him while doing some work for the Purifier,¡± he explained.
Her eyes went wider in surprise as she asked, ¡°So you think he is a bad oddity because he is a demon?¡±
Paul blinked, rewinding over his words for a brief moment then chuckling and shaking his head, ¡°That¡¯s not exactly what I meant but feels like it¡¯s not far off.¡±
¡°Can demons be good?¡± she asked but the way she said it made it sound more like an academic inquiry rather than an accusation against Karislian.
¡°Not if the stories are to be believed but they are so rare it¡¯s hard to know for sure,¡± he admitted and theorized, ¡°It might be that we only share stories about the bad ones because the good ones live peacefully without our notice.¡±
She nodded and then finished her logical conclusion to the topic, ¡°Then he is a good oddity until he is not.¡±
¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to wait and see then,¡± he agreed, having only a vague suspicion about why the young cinderen was finally seeking him out now.
42 - Flurry of Fury
Uriel reconsidered that perhaps inviting Phoenix to spar to release some of that anger had been a poor choice at this point in their Adventuring careers as she held nothing back and laid her emotions bare before him. Frustration was the most obvious as he fell to the mat once again in their flurry of fury.
Phoenix slammed the magically reinforced wooden sword against Uriel¡¯s and as she pulled it back to strike again he called out with an exasperated chuckle, ¡°I yield! Gods within, I yield!¡±
The Wayfarer was breathing heavily as she stood over the downed cinderen, poised to strike him again, as he looked up at her from the flat of his back with his own practice sword the only barrier between him and her pent-up rage. She gave a huff of annoyance and pushed her braid back behind her shoulder, tucking the green curl behind her ear, before lowering her sword and helping him to stand up.
As Uriel regained his feet and brushed himself off, he asked between his own deep breaths, ¡°At the risk of getting thrashed again, what exactly did Lord Wayland say to you?¡±
She growled in frustration but not at him, ¡°He made it quite clear that he thinks I belong on the wall. That I¡¯m too weak and useless to join the fight.¡±
Ember eyes narrowed in confusion, ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like him at all. He¡¯s usually the first to dote on how much talent and potential you have.¡±
¡°Well it¡¯s what he said,¡± she retorted as she angrily swung the sword through the air, obviously wanting to hit something again, ¡°I guess I¡¯m not living up to that potential well enough.¡±
Earlier, when the Astromancer had returned back to where she had left him and the rest of their party near the AOA building, she had discovered that only Uriel remained since he didn¡¯t have anything specific to do and wanted to make sure she was alright.
At the sight of her tears and obvious frustration, he had led her to one of the training rooms nearby that they had sparred in with Bliss a handful of times. He figured that letting her vent her anger in the practice arena would be similar to the cathartic experience they had in the past at Warrior¡¯s temple and it seemed to remain true now as they had fallen into an ever-increasing rhythm of trading blows.
¡°Want to go again?¡± she asked him after a moment of recovery.
He gave her a smirk, ¡°Maybe that sword dance that Dazien likes so much would be better to help calm your mind?¡±
She raised an eyebrow at him, ¡°That Dazien likes?¡±
¡°Well, I like it too,¡± he amended and tried to choose his words carefully, ¡°I think he just has a larger appreciation for it due to his dedication to the sword.¡±
Phoenix tilted her head, ¡°I see. I guess I could try that,¡± she said and moved into position, pausing before she began as she added, ¡°Thanks for doing this for me. You don¡¯t deserve to be the punching bag for my anger.¡±
He shook his head and smiled, ¡°That¡¯s what friends are for right? We protect each other, body and mind. To keep each other from breaking, remember?¡±
She returned his smile, ¡°Thanks, Uriel,¡± she reiterated, then took a steadying breath, conjured her [Caustic Floe] sword into her other hand, and began the fluid movements of the meditative dual sword dance of the Weapon Wielding Warrior.
Uriel moved to the edge of the mat to watch for a bit, sitting against the wall, as he continued speaking, steering the topic away from the subject of her ire and the one he was more concerned about, ¡°So, you¡¯re really okay with Dazien becoming your brother and us moving in down the hall?¡±
Phoenix laughed, ¡°You ask that like we don¡¯t already sleep across from each other when camping in your fortress.¡±
He rolled his eyes, ¡°Yeah, but this is different. Home is where you go to be alone with your family. To get away from co-workers or party members. You won¡¯t be able to just run home when Daze gets on your nerves and you need alone time.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll still have my room,¡± she pointed out, ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll get a ¡®do not disturb¡¯ sign or something to keep him from knocking all the time.¡±
Uriel chuckled at the idea and fell silent at the mental image of his partner scratching at his friend¡¯s door like a begging kitten-chimera, seeking conversation instead of snacks. He wondered if Dazien would spend less time with him now, being so close to others who shared similar interests and beliefs in his goal. Had he become selfish in all their years away from the temple and only relying on each other?
Phoenix distracted him as she sat down on the edge of the mat in front of him, apparently forgoing the dance, and asked, ¡°Are you okay with Dazien becoming my brother and Paul¡¯s son?¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how I feel about it,¡± he stated firmly with a grimace, ¡°It doesn¡¯t actually involve me.¡±
¡°Sure it does,¡± she protested, ¡°You¡¯re being forced to move in with us instead.¡±
¡°I could have stayed at our home,¡± he countered and promptly added as she scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m not the one being forced to do anything. Daze might be my partner but he can¡¯t force me to do anything I don¡¯t want to do.¡±
The Wayfarer rolled her eyes at him, ¡°Semantics. We both know you¡¯ll follow him anywhere he asks you to.¡±
The corners of his mouth twitched as he tried not to smile at that but relented, ¡°You¡¯re probably right. That¡¯s why I agreed. I can see how much this means to him. How much you and Lord Wayland matter in his life.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure you still come first, though,¡± she said with a grin.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.
He gave a half-hearted laugh, ¡°That¡¯s basically what he told me. Which, I¡¯ll admit, was both a comfort and a fear.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s grin fell as she asked, ¡°Did you really doubt him about that?¡± he hesitated and she added, ¡°He¡¯s shown me nothing but utter devotion to you since day one. Now that Jennica basically slapped me with the nature of your relationship, I¡¯m honestly starting to realize how oblivious I must have been to it. I know I¡¯m not really¡ in tune with my own feelings like that but I¡¯ve still read books and should have connected the dots myself.¡±
He shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to recognize something you don¡¯t seem to have any interest in learning about.¡±
¡°I¡¯m interested in my friends, though,¡± she pointed out, scrunching her nose, ¡°I should know what they care about most.¡±
¡°You knew he cared about me.¡±
¡°Fair and he did shoo me away from prying,¡± her grin returned at whatever memory she was looking through him at, and said, ¡°I wonder if he¡¯s going to act even more like an annoying brother that doesn¡¯t want me prodding at his relationships. If anything, I¡¯m totally planning to play up this little sister gig.¡±
He smiled gently and voiced his observation, ¡°You seem excited more than I thought you¡¯d be.¡±
¡°I never had an actual sibling before,¡± she admitted, ¡°I grew up around lots of kids, I guess like both of you in a way, but they all had their own families. They weren¡¯t my family. We didn¡¯t have the same parents caring for us or share the same home and see each other all the time. Or be able to tattle on one another,¡± her grin grew wider, ¡°Or plan revenge on overbearing dads!¡±
Uriel laughed at that, ¡°I don¡¯t think Daze is going to help you there,¡± he regretfully dashed her hopes, ¡°He¡¯s actually trying to stay on Lord Wayland¡¯s good side right now but no promises after the adoption goes through.¡±
Phoenix gave a heavy sigh as her smile vanished and he almost wanted to return the hug she had tackled him with before when he had awoken to find himself half-naked and subjected to her interrogation of his scars and bracer. Her next words helped solidify that idea, however, ¡°I just¡ I wish Paul understood that I¡¯m trying my best¡ even if it¡¯s not always good enough.¡±
He leaned forward and pulled her into his chest, currently covered in a long-sleeved silvery training top, and held her tight as he said firmly, ¡°You are more than good enough, Phoenix. Don¡¯t let anyone, even him, ever convince you otherwise.¡±
She gave a laugh tinged with tears and relaxed a moment later, just letting him shield her like before as she rubbed furiously at her eyes, ¡°Thanks but I think you might be a bit biased now.¡±
¡°Biased how?¡± he asked curiously.
¡°Well, you¡¯re Dazien¡¯s partner, and with him becoming my brother, doesn¡¯t that basically make you like my brother-in-law? It¡¯s like I¡¯m your little sister too.¡±
His heart twisted at that and he had to be very careful to reign in his emotions at the idea of having another younger sister, afraid the earrings magic might steal the little happiness he was feeling with his friend. Aside from that, however, something about the idea of Phoenix being his sister just felt weird. He remembered how he and Eirlys were as siblings and he felt nothing like that towards Phoenix. ¡°I¡¯m not your brother,¡± he stated firmly.
She glanced up at him, ¡°I, um¡ you don¡¯t like that?¡±
He realized he had gone tense and forced his muscles to relax as he gave a half-smile and said, ¡°I¡¯d rather be a close friend¡ or we can figure out something else¡ I just¨C I don¡¯t have the best track record with family,¡± he admitted with a grimace before a thought came to him and he smirked as he added, ¡°Plus, you can come to me to complain about your other family members this way.¡±
Phoenix laughed and relaxed against him again, still taking comfort in the hug, as she said, ¡°Well, thanks for making me feel better when I feel like utter garbage.¡±
He chuckled, ¡°Any time, Princess.¡±
Uriel wondered for the hundredth time within the last hour if he had completely lost his mind finally as he waited for Lord Wayland to call him into his study. He had made his way back to the estate after Phoenix had calmed down and said she was going to stop by Mother¡¯s Cupboard to see if there was some good enchanting paper for making scrolls after learning how to recently; hoping the new activity might get her mind off her failures as an Adventurer that he tried to refute.
He didn¡¯t think he could be nearly as convincing as Dazien, but he had watched the gemite talk circles around people for years and had come to learn one of the best tricks the man had: blatant overwhelming honesty.
There was no way that what Phoenix had told him matched the reality that he had observed from the Paladin during the last half a year they¡¯d been training under him. The stoic man looked at Phoenix exactly like his father had looked at him and his sister. He saw the love and pride there constantly and he knew Saiya would confirm it. His hastily made plan now was to try and call the man out on the obvious lies and apologize to Phoenix.
When he was finally called in, he found the lord sitting at the usual desk, hands folded atop an open journal, and watching him with a blank expression as the Paladin asked, ¡°What brings the shadow to come see me alone?¡±
Uriel shut the door behind him, instantly regretting cutting off his only escape, but resolved himself to approach the Emerald Caster as he said, ¡°I don¡¯t think Daze would agree with me being here.¡±
A golden eyebrow raised and a smirk pulled at Paul''s lips as he asked, ¡°Yet you came anyways? I admit I¡¯m intrigued. What makes you go behind your King¡¯s back? Here to ask me to rescind the adoption offer?¡±
The Mage¡¯s features twisted at the idea and he retorted, ¡°I would never ask that. You honestly think I¡¯d hurt Daze like that?¡±
Paul spread his arms to either side, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know because you¡¯ve never asked me for anything before. So what is it you¡¯ve finally come to ask for if not that?¡±
Uriel hesitated but the memory of Phoenix¡¯s tears and self-deprecation pushed him forward, ¡°You lied to Phoenix about her being useless and weak. I want you to apologize and let us join the upcoming battle.¡±
The Paladin¡¯s expression went blank, ¡°You¡¯re calling me a liar?¡±
He rubbed his earrings as his constant reminder to stay calm. Then he sensed the Emerald aura press past the Crystal Caste Silencer he wore to prod at his being and he resolutely responded, ¡°Assuming you¡¯re not calling Phoenix one, then yes. She¡¯s not weak or useless in the slightest and nobody should get to make her feel that way; not even you.¡±
The terrifying lord surprised him by grimacing and admitting, ¡°You¡¯re right. I only told her that to get her to stop pushing and actually listen to my orders.¡±
Uriel blinked, ¡°Wait, so you made her question her own value just to keep her from fighting?¡±
¡°You¡¯re not the first person to reprimand me for it, alright?¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s not alright!¡± he said, throwing his hands into the air in a rare display of frustration that he quickly pushed down as his jaw clenched, ¡°You haven¡¯t told her that. You need to tell her and let us fight.¡±
Lord Wayland¡¯s eyes narrowed at him, ¡°No.¡±
¡°No?!¡±
¡°No,¡± the Paladin repeated, folding large arms over a cream tunic, ¡°I¡¯m not letting you all fight without an Emerald there to intervene so, for now, you¡¯ll remain on the wall.¡±
Uriel shook his head, ¡°That¡¯ll just make Phoenix believe your lie more!¡±
Lord Wayland¡¯s face darkened and taunted him, ¡°Take those earrings and collar off, and then tell me that you honestly believe you¡¯re all ready to face what¡¯s out there without causing my Prot¨¦g¨¦¡¯s corruption or Dazien¡¯s death. Let me see what your resolve actually looks like.¡±
He felt his heart sink into his stomach for a moment before he unclenched his fists and began removing the golden cuffs in his ears.
43 - A Cold Sun
As Uriel set the first handful of earrings down on the desk in front of Lord Wayland, he said tersely, ¡°I don¡¯t lose control and need these for every argument, you know. I don¡¯t plan to cast a spell at you, so getting to properly yell at you right now is actually worth it.¡±
Golden eyes rolled at him, ¡°Don¡¯t be childish¨C¡±
¡°I¡¯m not,¡± he interjected, ¡°You want me to prove I can behave. So I¡¯m showing you that I¡¯m not going to bring down the building just because I need to tell you how much of an arrogant arse you¡¯re being.¡±
¡°What?¡± the Paladin asked through clenched teeth.
¡°It¡¯s not entirely your fault,¡± he said in mock pity, channeling his inner teenage Dazien to push the man¡¯s buttons, ¡°The Rule of Caste must affect you more after so many years of being stronger than most of the people around you.¡±
¡°Why did that sound like you calling me an old man?¡±
¡°And despite your age, you seem to think you¡¯re somehow justified to degrade a woman who¡¯s been struggling since arriving in this world to prove that she¡¯s worth more than what she believes. Even though her entire party has been working non-stop to gain her trust and convince her that she¡¯s smart and strong and good,¡± he was shouting by the end of it, feeling the tingling magic of the earrings right before removing the last one and setting it down to join the rest on the desk, glaring down at the still-seated lord as he pointedly unlatched the Silencer around his neck; he would consider this training.
The veteran Adventurer stood then and Uriel was grateful that he was slightly taller and the lord couldn¡¯t actually look down on him as the man retorted, ¡°She¡¯s also stubborn and reckless!¡±
¡°Gods, I wonder where she learned that from?!¡± he yelled back, ¡°Have you looked in a mirror recently, Lord Paladin of the Avenger?¡±
¡°Exactly!¡± the man surprisingly agreed with him and he felt his anger abate marginally, ¡°I know exactly what she would do because it¡¯s what I would have done at her age!¡±
¡°But we¡¯re strong enough to fight!¡±
¡°I will not lose you all to Corruption!¡±
¡°I swear I¡¯ll make sure they survive¨C¡±
¡°You almost died to them!¡±
¡°Yes! Me! Not Dazien, not Phoenix, not Saiya or Rayna. I will do everything in my power to keep them alive and uncorrupted even if it means giving my life,¡± he promised unflinchingly and the older man pointed an accusatory finger at him.
¡°Then you¡¯re as brash and reckless as Phoenix is and at least she has an excuse! That mentality is exactly what almost killed you!¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter as long as they survive¨C¡±
¡°WRONG!¡± the lord shouted, slamming a fist down on the desk so hard that it actually splintered leaving an indent of a fist embedded in the magical wood.
Silence fell between them for a moment before Lord Wayland lifted the offending fist to run through his golden hair. The Paladin slowly walked around the desk to get within arms¡¯ reach of him before speaking in a calmer voice, ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Uriel. Your life matters. Even if you don¡¯t believe so, trust that it matters to others. It matters to your partner, your party, and me.¡±
The Mage was a bit stunned by the words until the older man placed a hand on his shoulder and said softly, ¡°I know I¡¯m hard most of the time but I care¨C¡±
¡°Stop it!¡± he shouted, shaking off the lord¡¯s touch and pushing away from the Emerald Caster, ¡°You do not get to treat me like a son! Daze and Phoenix may want a dad but I had a father!¡±
It was at that point he realized he should have kept the stupid earrings on as his voice broke slightly when he yelled, ¡°It was his blood on my hands all those years ago, remember?! I am an Annihilator!¡±
¡°Hey, I was on your side back then,¡± the Paladin countered.
Uriel scoffed, feeling the heat rise to his face in a way he hadn¡¯t experienced in a long time, ¡°You chained me up like the monster you know I am!¡±
¡°Better chained than dead!¡± Paul yelled back at him before gesturing out toward the window behind the slightly mangled desk, ¡°Which is what most people involved thought we should do with you, remember?¡±
That reminded him of the question he had been meaning to ask the Paladin for a while now, ¡°Why haven''t you told Phoenix about me?¡±
¡°Because she deserves to be told by you. Because you deserve the choice of who you confide in. You aren''t like the other tainted souls I¡¯ve had to put down; you didn¡¯t choose what was done to you. You deserve the chance to prove yourself,¡± Lord Wayland said with determination.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
He couldn¡¯t help but scowl, ¡°And I haven¡¯t done that yet, have I? I haven¡¯t saved even a fraction of the lives I¡¯ve claimed.¡±
¡°That you were forced to claim,¡± the Paladin corrected, ¡°Intention matters.¡±
The Mage scoffed again at the absurd distinction, ¡°Does a monster always choose to be born as they are? Even freshly spawned, we are quick to kill them. Why am I any different?¡±
¡°Because you were the victim!¡± Paul yelled, throwing both hands up, pacing a few steps, ¡°You didn¡¯t kill because you wanted to!¡± he added then returned to face him, ¡°I might have been unsure years ago when I first found you on that gods forsaken island but I¡¯ve been watching you with Phoenix. You¡¯ve already proven that you can change; that you want to be better.¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what the monster might want,¡± he grumbled, his anger slowly diminishing, ¡°Only that in the end they still hurt everyone; they¡¯re still a monster.¡±
¡°Unless they become something new, like a Familiar.¡±
Uriel narrowed his eyes at the man, ¡°Are you suggesting that I give up the path of the Caster for that of the Familiar?¡±
Paul actually chuckled at that and shook his head, ¡°No... No, I just meant that who or what you are isn¡¯t carved in stone. It¡¯s a lesson that even I learned only recently. The people you surround yourself with and bind your future to have a tendency to change you to be more like them. So we should keep surrounding ourselves with good people that try their best to save others.¡±
He paused at that, before asking incredulously, ¡°Then why are you trying to stop all of us from doing exactly that: saving others?¡±
The door opened again at that moment and both men turned to look at the intruder who was already talking before the door had even finished swinging open, ¡°Alright, Lord Paladin, time¡¯s up we really should be go¨Coh!¡±
Everin froze upon registering Uriel¡¯s presence, icy eyes narrowing at him for a moment before moving on to Paul and giving the man a coy smile, ¡°Am I interrupting?¡±
¡°Yes¨C¡±
¡°No,¡± the Paladin spoke over him, ¡°Mister Karislian was just leaving to rejoin his party on the wall.¡±
Before he could protest further, the Wrath Blade added, ¡°You can let the others know that once I¡¯m ready to ascend to Ruby I¡¯ll come collect you to be with me for it, if any of you wish to be there, and then you all can join the battle.¡±
Uriel became slightly mollified but he clarified, ¡°And you¡¯ll apologize to Phoenix then?¡±
Lord Wayland grimaced at him but nodded, ¡°I would have sooner but it looks like the battle calls.¡±
The Mage nodded, grabbing the handful of golden earrings off the floor where they had fallen when the lord had assaulted the furniture, reclasped the Silencer, and stalked out of the room. He wasn¡¯t quite satisfied with the results but glad it hadn¡¯t ended much worse.
Before he could leave, the Cleric spoke up, ¡°My goddess disapproves of the chains you silence yourself with.¡±
¡°Just one more person to add to the list of people who disapprove of me,¡± Uriel growled as he left to find his party.
Paul didn¡¯t have much time to ruminate on his argument with the young Cataclysm Mage, unsure if he had actually managed to shrink the rift between them or blow it wide open. Perhaps after the battle he could try again, sit him down and explain his perspective better, and try to understand Uriel¡¯s more.
The brief pondering was soon overridden by the demands of the new position he found himself in. Agatha had stamped his blasted license yet again, making him an actual Officer who could regularly lead expeditionary forces, composed of multiple parties, on his own along with other various duties.
This particular strike force wasn¡¯t so much a collection of parties but a hodgepodge of the Emerald Crafter Casters that had managed to survive so far, a spattering of clergy members that included the rebel fox, and a handful of Emerald Caste Adventurers that had freshly ascended in the last couple of months with the increased availability of challenges near the tundra for them.
¡°A cold sun rises, Lord Paladin,¡± Everin said from beside him as they quickly moved across the landscape as the sun peeked above the mountains to the southeast. It did appear cold as it sat alone against the clear blue sky and reflected off the fresh white snow covering the land.
¡°Poetic,¡± he stated, maintaining the pace for the whole group of lower-level Emeralds spread out and trailing behind them.
¡°It feels appropriate for times like this,¡± the voxen replied, ¡°Going to battle. Facing an enemy of unknown yet terrifying strength. Hoping for victory and fearing defeat. These are the troubling times that the people will sing songs about, write epic tales, and heart-wrenching poems.¡±
The lord simply nodded, unable to disagree with that statement entirely, though he wasn¡¯t sure if their particular story on this lonely, and rather weak, tundra would last the test of time. Many fascinating stories became lost in the annals of history, after all.
¡°Are you certain about these tactics, Lord Paladin?¡± Everin asked him yet again and he just gave the fox a look, prompting the man to clarify, ¡°I¡¯m just worried it won¡¯t present enough of a challenge to push you forward into the next Caste. That is the actual goal here, right?¡±
Paul nodded, ¡°Yes, but you¡¯ll be taking over command while I return to ascend,¡± he reminded, ¡°Keep to the hit-and-run tactics and you should all do fine. Just pick off the ones on the edges till I return. The scouts said the Emeralds were fairly spread out from each other.¡±
That was when his senses picked up the first few enemies. A group of Sapphire Caste Dire Frostprowlers. The fluffy felines were eerily obedient as they ran alongside what appeared to be a man, also Sapphire, in black body armor with a glossy black helmet shielding the entire face in a style he had never seen before.
He knew they were no challenge for him in the slightest so he tapped on the magical ear cuff their team had been loaned from the AOA and spoke to the others in their group through the very short-range communication device, ¡°Nuori and Lapsi, handle the group at our ten o¡¯clock then regroup.¡±
The pair of freshly ascended Emerald Adventurers replied in the affirmative and branched off as the rest continued eastward, dodging a few craters that scarred the land from the various groups that had been clearing the way for them the last few days. He hoped the pockmarks in the terrain would also slow down the various land vessels that were spotted moving toward the capital. Despite not being able to confirm their contents, nobody held any delusions that they would be a good thing for the city.
Their strike team passed a few more Crystal and Sapphire Caste groups of Caged monsters, all escorted by a single Soul Reaper of equivalent Caste, and Paul was starting to suspect that the Caged required the Casters for some reason.
He really wished now that he had followed up better on the research progress of the Soul Cage he had originally recovered months ago which might have given them a knowledge advantage at this point. Despite that fault eventually being rectified, the time was still wasted as they were left deciphering a madman¡¯s notes while starting the research from scratch in a more ethical manner that was being closely monitored from multiple points now instead of blind trust based on tradition.
None of that would help him now, however, as he finally sensed what he had been looking for; an Emerald Caste Caged monster. It was just after midday when he relayed the information and was glad to find their new target was the threat he had been hoping for: the Cave Troll.
44 - Everywhere at Once
Despite the danger, Paul was elated to find that the Cave Troll was in the higher ranges of Emerald as that would make the perfect challenge for him. They were large and lumbering but their natural regeneration was terrifying and their bodies were reinforced against physical damage.
Its gaping mouth alone was at least two meters as it naturally hung slack, gaining its name from camouflaging it as the opening to a cave, assisted with the hump of its curved back creating a hill-like appearance. It would lure prey in by emitting a sweet fragrance from the glands at the back of its throat that would inflict any who smelled it to become ravenously hungry, causing creatures, and people, to come to investigate.
The creature¡¯s skin also had a natural mimicry ability that would take on the appearance of the nearby landscape, further helping it blend in and make potential food unaware. The only known weak point it had was its legs. Cave Trolls rarely traveled and would only deign to relocate after going too long without food, assuming either the resources of the area had been completely depleted or learned to avoid the cave nothing came back out of.
While the Soul Cage had boosted the raw power and attributes of the beast by a terrifying amount, the Reapers were still making it behave outside of its normal patterns which gave Paul the advantage of getting that first critical strike at the target¡¯s weakest point.
After informing the others to spread out and focus on the smaller group of Sapphire Caste Boldrings, large and round rock elemental-type monsters that liked to roll over their enemy in packs, Paul cast his own boon on himself, ¡°Behold the fury of the righteous.¡±
|
Ability: Righteous Fury
Type: Boon (magical, arcane)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Current Caste: Emerald 10
Crystal Effect: Increase your Strength and Agility attributes for a short duration.
Sapphire Effect: Increase your damage dealt for a short duration.
Emerald Effect: Increase your Mind and Fortitude attributes for a short duration.
|
He also felt a couple of Boons from Everin take effect barely a moment before he triggered his favorite opening move, [Meteor Strike]. He rocketed forward to smash his [Blade of Wrath] directly into one of the legs of the troll, taking it clean off with the resulting explosion and knockback. The Fire damage seemed to be extremely effective, as he had thought, but the limb was already beginning to regenerate even as the monster cried out in pain and anger.
The initial strike was like a whistle signaling the start of an utter brawl as the other Emeralds targeted the weaker swarm and Paul continued working through his rotation of abilities.
He activated [Wrath From Above], leaping high into the air directly above the troll, quickly followed by applying the [Nemesis] Bane from his blessed Talent and used his new [Wings of Zeal] to maneuver through the air while channeling one of his few Spells, ¡°May the swords of the wrathful bring punishment to the wicked.¡±
Class Ability: Swords of the Wrathful
Type: Spell (channel, construct, elemental, magical, blood, fire, light)
Cost: Moderate mana per second.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Current Caste: Emerald 10
Crystal Effect: Channel mana to construct a sword each second to impale a nearby enemy target from above and inflict Light damage.
Sapphire Effect: Each second constructs three swords and inflicts additional Fire damage and [Burning].
Emerald Effect: Each second constructs six swords and inflicts [Bleeding].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
- Bleeding (bane, magical, blood): Inflicts ongoing Blood damage.
|
Brilliant greatswords of light appeared in the air before him to rain down on the gigantic Cave Troll, which gave a wail of pain that sounded like a torrent of wind rushing through an echoing cavern. The bellowing sound itself was one of the monster¡¯s abilities to weaken the physical damage he could inflict but it wouldn¡¯t matter to his flames.
The Paladin landed on the massive hill of a back as he cut off the spell, not wanting to drain too much of his mana, and triggered two stacking combination abilities at once that fed off his stamina instead, [Accelerating Strikes] and [Ferocious Assault]. He then proceeded to repeatedly slam his greatsword against the rocky creature, letting the speed and damage ramp up.
Luckily, the troll, while resilient, had no resistance to the [Dimensional Confusion], [Burning], and the extra Light and Fire damage his attacks were inflicting. When he felt like a decent chunk of damage had been made, the creature¡¯s perpetual confusion creating a form of protection from counterattacks, he triggered his Execute ability, [Judgment of the Zealous], and was grateful for his passive Boon that increased the effects of it.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.
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Passive Ability: Strength of Purpose
Type: Boon (magical, arcane)
Current Caste: Emerald 9
Crystal Effect: You have increased Strength and Fortitude.
Sapphire Effect: The effects of other Boons on you are slightly increased.
Emerald Effect: The effects of your Execute are increased and Execute effects upon you are decreased.
|
Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t enough to down the incredibly tough monster but that just meant he could use his Execute over and over again each minute until it died and hopefully pushed his final ability over the threshold and into Ruby Caste. Which is exactly what he did.
He could sense the other Emeralds handling the other enemies as Sapphire monster auras were snuffed out in rapid succession but it seemed like Everin had told the others to leave the Cave Troll to him, needing the challenging experience to bring a faster end to the war on its way to their home.
Paul knew he was making actual progress when the monster seemed to go wild, flailing and trying to dislodge him from his comfortable spot half buried in the thing¡¯s back from gouging and burning chunks out of it.
The monster hill suddenly lurched to the side, crashing towards the ground. His raven black wings, which had been keeping him balanced on its back, extended further to nimbly launch himself into the air in a powerful gust; avoiding the potentially crushing blow under the panicking creature and gaining a decisive advantage with the new opportunity presented before him.
With the idiotic troll turned over on its decimated hump, it exposed the weaker underside and Paul triggered [Meteor Strike] and [Judgment of the Zealous] for a final time. The rainbow sheen of Radiant damage coated the dark obsidian blade of his greatsword as he aimed the tip straight down toward the monster¡¯s core.
Flames licked at both the weapon¡¯s edge and his own body as the effects of turning himself into a meteor proceeded to annihilate the gargantuan creature from the inside out in a wave of explosive incineration; the empowered sword radiating a devastating aftershock of Divine magic throughout the monster and shredding it into nothing more than rubble.
He had probably managed to cast the Execute about a dozen times by that point as the fight had dragged on and he was fairly certain his goal had been accomplished and he would ascend as soon as he returned home to meditate.
With a brief touch and thought, he looted the creature, creating a flurry of green ash and a small pile of treasures at its center. He recognized an [Aspect] and two [Spirit Gems] among the pile of [Emerald Mana Bits] but he would need to take them to get identified in the city later.
He had been thrilled at first to find that his particular flavor of looting ability preferred to generate those types of items as it gave him plenty to choose from while cultivating his abilities in those early days when progressing was quicker but long term it was simply another form of Bits for him and had lost a lot of the excitement of obtaining the precious items.
Perhaps one of the kids can use it later? He thought idly and Orebela responded, ¡°You will spoil them too much.¡±
He chuckled but was distracted by Everin¡¯s approach, the voxen¡¯s face set into a rare frown instead of his usual wicked grin, ¡°I think there¡¯s a problem here.¡±
¡°I thought it went rather well,¡± he replied, bending down to put the items into the dimensional pouch on his hip, ¡°I think I can go back already after that.¡±
¡°There wasn¡¯t an Emerald Caster.¡±
Paul turned abruptly, realizing his mistake, ¡°You think they escaped?¡±
¡°I think they left the lumbering giant and the Sapphire group as a decoy while they went to hunt,¡± the Cleric replied.
The Paladin felt his heart sink as he said, ¡°The nearest parties would be northwest of us.¡±
¡°I suggest we move faster to make sure they¡¯re not slaughtered before we get there,¡± Everin said, ¡°Leave those who can¡¯t fly to keep clearing to the south as we planned, we¡¯ll go find our slippery Emerald Reaper and get you back home to ascend.¡±
Polissa Teras thought she had been doing rather well in leading her party so far in the first few hours since they had engaged with some of the enemy¡¯s Crystal forces, having been paired with supporting a group of high-level Sapphires that were well-versed in monster fighting. The summoners were well protected as they sent in their creatures to assist and divide the enemies.
Her brother, Simmon, was shining even brighter with how well he was keeping everyone alive, using seeds that bloomed into life-saving heals along with his other summons delivering potent heals to their companions. She had no doubt that he would make it far as an Adventurer one day while her path lay more at home in Tulimeir. She planned to hit Emerald at least, like her father''s, but likely wouldn¡¯t press beyond that with her duty to the city as a noble heir.
The privilege that gave her a leg up when it came to becoming a Caster in the first place would also be her chains to the low Caste area they called home. Not that she minded too terribly, resigned to her duty, and she did love her home, but she would make sure that her brother went further.
Mohala¡¯s birds were littering the field with shards of ice and blades of wind as they swooped and soared across the battlefield; continually keeping Po informed of the shifting circumstances and numbers. The Scout¡¯s Nest even used one of her longer cooldowns to construct a giant frostwood tree that reached at least ten meters into the air and the Dryad perched upon it, granting both a marker on the flat landscape and marking a Zone Boon that made their allies stronger.
Even Tanner was doing well, despite not having gotten a new bonded Familiar yet. His packs of snolves and stampedes were great at both overpowering an enemy and separating groups from each other. His summons were able to quickly reinforce areas of the battle where their side was weakening which in turn saved many Adventurers from receiving killing blows.
Just when it looked like they were about to finish overwhelming this current group of Caged monsters, something odd seemed to be happening. Flashes of crackling light streaked across the field, taking out Crystal Casters one by one. Even a Sapphire Mage was taken down in a single shot and the chaotic call for retreat sounded when Mohala yelled out, ¡°Emerald Reaper with lightning arrows!¡±
As the dryad made her way down from her perch, Polissa turned to her brother, who was a few meters from her, as he called out, ¡°We need to cover the others!¡±
But that was the last words Simmon would ever speak as a shaft of solid lighting took his head completely from his shoulders and Po felt her entire body go numb from the shock and horror of watching her little brother¡¯s body collapse to the icy ground.
She distantly felt someone pulling on her arm, trying to drag her away, and that was when she spotted them. A feminine figure clad in matte black armor plating with a glossy face shield. It wasn¡¯t a bow of any kind she was familiar with that the Emerald Caster held but a sleek steel cylinder with some kind of shoulder stock that she would sometimes see on heavy crossbows. It had a trigger like those as well but no string to launch the bolts from.
It was an odd-looking weapon and it was even odder when the enemy pointed the device towards the sky instead; as though to shoot a bird but Mohala had already called them all back. Then an arc of lightning shot straight into the air above the center of the battlefield and then seemed to burst apart to drop an angry storm upon them.
She briefly thought she¡¯d be with her brother again soon but then she was falling and unable to see what was happening as someone shielded her from the Emerald onslaught. It was only when the cacophony of thunder ceased that she looked up to finally focus on Tanner¡¯s face, his eyes already glazed over in death, and she began to sob in despair and fear.
A sudden crash shook the area and Mohala pushed Tanner¡¯s perforated and electrocuted body off of her to help her stand so they could attempt to run. The explosion of fire and light in the distance gave her an idea of what had caused the mini earthquake and Mohala confirmed her suspicions with a trembling voice, ¡°Lord Wayland is here now, Po. It¡¯ll be okay.¡±
Her voice broke as she managed to choke out, ¡°None of this is going to be okay. My family will never be okay again¡¡±
45 - Home
¡°Do you think I should refuse to speak to him?¡± Phoenix asked the little [Cosmic Phoenix] perched on the parapet that ran along the edges on top of the wall surrounding the city her party was left guarding.
¡°Cheep,¡± Tala responded with the most disapproving look she had ever seen from the bird.
She scowled back at her Familiar but then sighed and said, ¡°You¡¯re right, he¡¯d probably enjoy the silence too much to make it a punishment.¡±
¡°Cheep!¡± the chick seemed to argue.
¡°She seems angry with you,¡± a deep voice said from behind her and she jumped slightly as she turned to look at Uriel.
¡°You know, for being so much larger than me you are way too quiet sometimes,¡± she huffed and rolled her eyes when he simply chuckled, ¡°And she¡¯s not angry. She just thinks I¡¯m not coming up with a punishing enough solution to deal with Paul.¡±
¡°Cheep!¡± the Familiar protested again but she crossed her arms indignantly.
¡°He deserves it! I¡¯ve gone over it all again in my head after our last talk and Uriel was right, it doesn¡¯t make sense!¡±
¡°You¡¯re right about that, actually,¡± Uriel interjected, ¡°I just came from talking with him a little over an hour ago and he admitted he only said those things to keep you safe on the wall until he can hit Ruby.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± the Mage explained, leaning back against the parapet and rubbing Tala along her poofy speckled feathers, ¡°He said I could relay that he¡¯s planning to come get us to join the fight once he ascends to Ruby,¡± he gave her a pointed look, ¡°And that he owes you an apology for what he said.¡±
She blinked at him owlishly as she processed the information, almost wondering if Uriel was just saying it to make her feel better, and then noticed something extremely odd, ¡°Where are your earrings?¡±
¡°Ah,¡± the cinderen said hesitantly, ¡°Well¡ I sort of called Paul¡¯s bluff and took them off to yell at him.¡±
¡°You did what?¡± she asked incredulously, ¡°Why in the world would you think that would be a good idea?¡±
Uriel''s eyes narrowed at the ground as he stated firmly, ¡°He had no right to lie to you like that. You don¡¯t deserve to be told you¡¯re weak just to be manipulated into obeying an order.¡±
¡°You¡ you took off your earrings and yelled at an Emerald Caste noble¡ just because he made me feel bad?¡± she clarified, uncertain how to react to something that outrageous.
The Mage chuckled, meeting her gaze as he smiled wider than she had ever seen before, ¡°Yeah, I guess I did. Reminds me a bit of the time someone used a dangerous Spirit Gem just to make me feel better.¡±
Phoenix flushed at the reminder but argued, ¡°It¡¯s not the same.¡±
¡°You¡¯re right. Lord Wayland likely wouldn¡¯t maim me forever like the gem might have done to you,¡± he retorted with another pointed look but there was no heat behind the words as his smile remained in place and he sighed slightly before adding, ¡°We promised, remember? To keep each other from breaking. He hurt you, broke a piece of your heart, and this was the only thing I could think of to try and fix it.¡±
Phoenix ignored Tala¡¯s squawk of indignation, assuming it was merely from being startled by her sudden movement and causing Uriel to stop petting the Familiar, as she wrapped her arms around the larger man¡¯s torso and hugged him tightly, not trusting herself with words at the moment.
She couldn¡¯t remember anyone standing up for her like that, not when they had to face such a terrifyingly powerful person who could turn them to ash if they got angry enough. Not that Paul would do that, probably, but she had noticed how much Uriel had avoided the Paladin, being his quietest whenever they were near the man, and it had made her better understand the Rule of Caste the people here grew up with and shaped their lives around.
The Wayfarer had expected the warm arms that wrapped around her from the cinderen. What she hadn¡¯t expected was another set of arms wrapping around the pair of them, these ones covered in fur from fingertip to about halfway up the forearm. She chuckled, distracted from her slightly overwhelming emotions, and managed to say, ¡°Hello, Saiya.¡±
¡°You both feel so happy right now!¡± the empath practically squealed as she looked up at Uriel, ¡°You stopped wearing them finally!¡±
¡°Ah,¡± the cinderen seemed a bit awkward as he extricated himself from the women and reached into a pocket to pull out a handful of small golden cuffs, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for it to be a permanent change or anything. I was just a bit emotional after my argument and didn¡¯t want them to shut me down again. I figured I¡¯d be okay till the fighting got closer to us.¡±
¡°You should keep them off,¡± the Healer said promptly.
Uriel shook his head, ¡°I can¡¯t do that, Saiya. You know it¡¯s too dangerous.¡±
¡°At least in town?¡± the voxen asked with that adorable pout and Phoenix had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing.
The Mage shook his head and countered, ¡°And what if the alarms signal a monster spawn in the city?¡±
¡°You¡¯ll have plenty of time to put them back on before you remove the Silencer,¡± the voxen pointed out.
¡°Put what back on?¡± Dazien asked, walking up to them with Rayna at his side as well. The gemite glanced at the pile of jewelry in his partner¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Oh. Well, that¡¯s unexpected,¡± he glanced up at the ember eyes and asked, ¡°Are you thinking about trying to wear them less?¡±
¡°Do you think I should?¡± the low bass asked cautiously.
¡°You should do what you think is best for yourself,¡± Phoenix interjected firmly, then gave Dazien a pointed look but softened it with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t try and cheat to make him do what you want.¡±
The Defender laughed, ¡°Perish the thought,¡± he replied to her playfully before redirecting his next words to his best friend with more sincerity, ¡°Since you left the temple, it¡¯s always been your choice, Senesh; at least when it comes to wearing them while Silenced. I¡¯ll support your decision as best I can either way you choose. If you want to feel more secure by keeping them on, that''s perfectly fine. If you want to try something new, to start really feeling again, then I¡¯m with you one hundred percent. This isn¡¯t something I can or will choose for you.¡±
Uriel gave an annoyed huff, ¡°It¡¯d be a lot easier for me if you did.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
That caused the rest of them to chuckle and Saiya piped up, ¡°My vote is for change,¡± then the Healer elaborated, ¡°You can always go back if it doesn¡¯t work out well but you¡¯ve seemed¡ stuck. Not moving forward with your life and literally holding yourself back with these trinkets,¡± she said, gesturing to the earrings and collar around his neck.
¡°Lady Saiya, I know you¡¯ve been hanging out at the temple of the Traveler a lot more recently but you know those weren¡¯t his choice to begin with. He still has rules to follow with the Silencer,¡± Dazien warned.
¡°But not these,¡± the voxen said, pointing at the earrings, then looked up at the Mage imploringly, ¡°You have the choice with these.¡±
Uriel surprised Phoenix then by looking towards her and asking, ¡°What¡¯s your vote, Princess?¡±
¡°Um, well,¡± she glanced down at the earrings then up at her friend¡¯s dark ashen face that had shown her the happiest smile she had seen from him only a few minutes ago and she said resolutely, ¡°I think you deserve to feel happy. These might keep you from getting too angry but they take away your joy as well. I want to see you smile more.¡±
The Wayfarer was surprised yet again when both Saiya and Dazien wrapped her in a hug, causing them all to laugh and she was pleased to see Uriel slip the jewelry back into his pocket. She wasn¡¯t the only one to notice it seemed, as the others pulled Uriel into the group hug as well and Saiya said with happy tears, ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you, Uriel!¡±
Phoenix laughed, ¡°You sound like a mom when you say it like that.¡±
¡°I think we have enough parental figures in our lives right now,¡± Rayna said, having perched up on the parapet next to Tala to give the little Familiar some attention.
¡°Oh, by the way, Uriel said Paul¡¯s going to take us to fight once he hits Ruby,¡± Phoenix said, breaking up the hug fest with the important Adventuring news.
¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to be patient for his arrival then,¡± Dazien said, ¡°I believe his team left around an hour ago, though Emeralds do move extremely fast, even on the ground.¡±
¡°Can¡¯t he fly now?¡± the bard asked, ¡°That¡¯s faster than running. Well, maybe not my running.¡±
The Defender chuckled as he shook his head, ¡°Yes but not all of the Emeralds he¡¯s leading can fly as well.¡±
¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll take for him to return?¡± the Wayfarer inquired.
Dazien shrugged, ¡°Depends on how fast they find a suitable challenge but I imagine two days at the most, even on foot.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not so sure this is the best time, Phoenix,¡± Saiya said to her for the third time since she suggested doing the absorption ritual right there on top of the wall while they kept watch from atop it. It was a couple hours after midday and they wouldn¡¯t be rotated out till the next dawn once they had done a whole day of wall patrol. This wasn¡¯t the usual shift they would get but still reasonable as Crystal Caster¡¯s could go longer before needing to sleep than a regular Mundane.
¡°Dazien just said earlier that it might not be till tomorrow that Paul gets back, which means no monsters or Soul Reapers are likely to reach the wall in that time,¡± the Astromancer pointed out as she used the starlight at her fingertip to draw out the common ritual diagram; a convenient ability granted by her [Beacon of Hope] talent. She also added, ¡°Plus, it only takes a few moments for a single Spirit Gem. We can pause if something happens before that and will be ready to go again as soon as it¡¯s over.¡±
The voxen glanced over at their leader who held up his hands in a defensive move to indicate he was not going to attempt to override the Wayfarer as he chuckled and said, ¡°If I thought it might be a problem I would have mentioned it earlier.¡±
The Healer nodded, seemingly placated, ¡°Alright then, but we shouldn¡¯t get too complacent just because we¡¯re on the wall while they¡¯re all out there. A monster could still spawn close by.¡±
¡°Yes, mom,¡± Phoenix teased, sticking out her tongue before grinning.
Dazien gave an exaggerated shudder, ¡°Okay, no. I¡¯m going to veto that one right now. I know you were joking earlier too, and while I agree that Lady Saiya will make a wonderful mother someday, when you actually call her that I can¡¯t help but picture her alongside Paul and that¡¯s just¡ please no.¡±
Both twins scrunched their noses at that as well and Uriel joined his best friend in an exaggerated shudder. The Healer then carefully said, ¡°Age difference aside, as that gets a bit odd at higher Castes since everyone looks so young and lives so much longer, I don¡¯t really think I¡¯m Lord Wayland¡¯s type.¡±
That caused a silence to fall upon the group and Dazien was the first to break it once more as he voiced what Phoenix was also thinking, ¡°I honestly have no idea what that man¡¯s type would even be.¡±
¡°Alright,¡± Phoenix interrupted, ¡°Ritual ready. I remember Rayna got the [Wave Spirit Gem] a couple of days ago before we went out but I¡¯ll admit I was a bit surprised you bought one too. What gem did you end up getting again?¡±
¡°Karmic,¡± the Healer answered, ¡°It was a good deal. Also, most people buy their gems, Phoenix. You¡¯re one of the few I¡¯ve heard of that seems determined to let fate decide for them.¡±
¡°It feels like I¡¯ll be less likely to make a mistake this way,¡± the Wayfarer said with a lopsided grin as she maneuvered Saiya into position, ¡°Better to blame fate than my sensibility if the power turns out going wonky.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how any of that works,¡± Uriel interjected with his own smile that seemed much lighter without the weight of his earrings.
Then the Supporter activated the ritual and the gem seemed to shatter in the voxen¡¯s furry hands before melding into the Healer and cultivating another of her abilities.
A familiar voice entered Phoenix¡¯s mind the very next moment and Phoenix was relieved at the timing, ¡°Little Wayland, prepare a portal to the Teras Estate, please. We will be arriving soon.¡±
¡°Orebela¡¯s on her way,¡± the Astromancer said with a slight frown, ¡°I think Po¡¯s team will be arriving with them,¡± she added as she conjured a portal to the front door which Po had given her permission to do last time she was there.
The others matched her frown as Saiya voiced their shared concern, ¡°If they¡¯re coming back as well, they might be injured.¡±
Their confusion was multiplied and their fears increased when large black wings came into view and they saw that Paul was carrying Polissa and Mohala on either side of him and he soared at a fairly terrifying speed towards them.
When they landed on the wall amongst them, Po surprised Phoenix by hugging her tightly and saying, ¡°I¡¯m so glad you were kept safe. I couldn¡¯t bear to lose even more.¡±
Saiya was already crying as Rayna was enveloped in a similar hug by Mohala and Dazien asked Paul what they all wondered, ¡°Tanner and Simmon?¡±
The Paladin shook his head regretfully, ¡°Fell to an Emerald Caster that had broken from the monster it was paired with to take out as many lower Caste Adventurers that they could manage.¡±
Polissa gave a choking sob, ¡°Simmon was too young, and Tan¨C¡± the summoner gave a shuddering breath, ¡°He died protecting me. I¨C The Emerald¨C¡±
¡°There was nothing we could have done,¡± Mohala interjected, wrapped in voxen tails, ¡°It was a slaughter until Lord Wayland showed up. We¡¯d be dead too without him.¡±
¡°I need¨C I need to let father know,¡± Po struggled to get out as the grief was overwhelming the cinderen woman, ¡°And Tan¡¯s mother.¡±
Phoenix nodded, awkwardly patting her friend¡¯s back, ¡°The portal goes to your home. Do you need me to¨C¡±
¡°We have something else we need to do,¡± Paul interjected before she could finish offering her presence as comfort, ¡°I have to return to the battle before we lose even more lives and I have a small list of things to get done before then that I want your party present for,¡± then seemed to add a bit awkwardly to her specifically, ¡°If you¡¯ll forgive my earlier behavior of overriding your agency for my own insecurities. I apologize for what I said in my worry. It wasn¡¯t honest and I shouldn''t have spoken to you like that.¡±
The fact that he actually admitted to having any kind of vulnerability went a long way in making any anger Phoenix had towards her mentor diminish. When she remembered that Paul being back meant he was planning to ascend, she nodded in understanding. This would be one of the most important moments of his potentially very long life.
She wanted to be there for him. She also wasn¡¯t sure that she would do well in providing Po the emotional support that the woman would need when informing the noble House that they had lost a promising young scion. Mohala would be better suited for that role at the moment.
The dryad must have read her mind as Mo extricated from Rayna¡¯s grasp and pulled Polissa from her, saying gently, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Po. I¡¯ll help you tell them, okay?¡±
Polissa merely nodded and let herself be led through the portal and Phoenix turned to Paul, ¡°Thank you for apologizing. I¡¯m sorry for yelling back but don¡¯t lie to me again. I trust you with everything and I want you to trust me with your fears too.¡±
Paul gave her a soft smile, ¡°I¡¯ll try to do better. For you.¡±
She glanced at her friends and gestured to the portal, ¡°Does anyone else want to join Po or stick with Paul and me?¡±
Saiya sniffled, ¡°We¨C I¡¯ll miss Simmon a lot,¡± the voxen explained, wiping tears away, ¡°But I want to be with all of you right now. We will have time to mourn the lost later.¡±
Phoenix nodded and closed the portal once nobody else seemed to want to leave, though Rayna looked like she was debating about it and Phoenix wondered briefly if there was more to that hug than she thought at first.
The bard stuck with them, however, so she dismissed the portal while Paul flew ahead, sending a replacement team for their position on the wall, and she conjured another silver ring with a sheet of night inside it to take her party to the Wayland Estate; to their home.
46 - Ruby Hope
Despite the day full of loss, Paul was happy to return home with the children who had become so important to him and had all agreed to be by his side on what would be a literally life-changing event for him.
Before he could get ahead of himself, he had a list of things to do for actually ascending. The first of which was to remove his [Wings of Zeal] before they burned with him. He also made sure to collect his bundle of acquired Spirit Gems from the magical vault he had been keeping them in.
He had spent years slowly collecting and curating the ones he would decide upon, the last gems he would ever absorb and alter his soul with since Obsidian wouldn¡¯t require any if he managed to make it that far. It was an important choice and one he had taken his time with but now there was no more time to wonder or hesitate. His path was set, his new goals laid before him, and he was determined to see them through.
The kids were already in the larger ritual room when he arrived, subdued and patiently waiting as they leaned or sat against the far wall. The twins seemed the most upset at the moment, Saiya still crying, obviously mourning the loss of their young friend and the impact it had on the other party.
Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have time to grieve with them yet and he knew there would be a lot more lives to mourn by the end of this war. His main goal was to make sure it wasn¡¯t one of the five children in front of him that would be counted among those lives. The best way he knew to ensure that was to hit Ruby Caste.
He dismissed his conjured armor, leaving himself in only the silvery [Sliksilk Compression Gear] that most Adventurers wore. Then he quickly drew out the first ritual circle with the ritual chalk he always carried in his hip satchel, magically held in place not by a belt but by the enchantments woven upon it, and didn¡¯t take the time to instruct Phoenix on these particular diagrams as they were pressed for time. Plus, he could always show her later once the fighting was over.
Once the circle was drawn, he stood in its center and glanced over at the group watching curiously as he warned, ¡°Now, I¡¯ve only seen this done once before to a lower Caste person and it looked¡ painful. Not sure if it¡¯ll affect me the same at Emerald but thought I should warn you in case it does.¡±
Phoenix looked up from her seated position next to the weeping voxen and asked Dazien who was leaning against the wall next to her, ¡°Do Emeralds even feel pain? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard Paul even give a startled ¡®ouch¡¯ before.¡±
¡°Technically, they still should,¡± the gemite began answering, ¡°At Ruby, I don¡¯t believe so since they lack a nervous system and can basically choose to not feel physical pain.¡±
Paul found himself wondering when exactly the kid had managed to become such an automatic source of knowledge for his daughter to turn to.
¡°Does anybody ever choose not to not feel pain?¡± she asked curiously.
The Paladin saw the wicked grin crawl across the young man¡¯s face and he interjected, pointing a warning finger at Dazien, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare put ideas like that in her head, kid.¡±
The Defender¡¯s smile widened as he asked too innocently, ¡°What ideas could you possibly be referring to, Lord Paladin?¡±
Paul gave a huff of annoyance as he simply shook his head, refusing to be baited into the obvious verbal trap, and activated the Separation Ritual.
The pain was excruciating.
It felt so much worse than what he had witnessed before when they had removed an extra set of arms from one of the victims he had rescued long ago in what almost felt like another life by now.
He could feel the wings on his back resist as the magic slowly attempted to detach every tendril of magic acting as nerves and muscles from his very core. It was like bendable needles being drawn out in the most painful way possible along his upper spine. Threads of power being forcibly unwound and pulled in the direction they were assuredly not meant to go and he thought for sure they would tangle and leave him a broken mess.
When the pain finally stopped, he opened his eyes to find his face against the warm stone flooring, the ritual chalk burnt from use and smearing his cheek, and a small silver pin in the shape of a pair of wings on the ground next to him.
¡°Next time Wayland decides to do that, This One does not want to be merged,¡± Orebela said from within his mind and he could feel her annoyance at him.
Groaning as he lifted himself up, he glared at the offending wings as he muttered, ¡°I¡¯m not sure that was worth not letting them burn up.¡±
¡°Are you okay?¡± Phoenix asked him and he turned to see five slightly horrified faces staring back at him.
¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Paul replied, not quite ready to stand again and opting to sit for a bit.
¡°I think I¡¯m going to have nightmares about that,¡± Rayna muttered and visibly shivered.
¡°Definitely nightmare fuel,¡± Uriel agreed and Paul noticed that the cinderen hadn¡¯t put his calming earrings back on. He wasn¡¯t sure if he felt proud or concerned by that and put it aside for now.
He tossed the Augment over to Phoenix who caught it as he said, ¡°For when you hit Emerald, if you don¡¯t end up with a power that does it.¡±
She looked at him slightly surprised, ¡°Are you sure?¡±
The Paladin gave a half-shrug, ¡°You helped defeat her too to even get that in the first place. If you don¡¯t want to fly though¨C¡±
¡°I do!¡± she interjected happily, causing the others to chuckle.
¡°I mean, you practically do already with that cheating gravity ability,¡± Rayna pointed out from her place on the other side of Saiya.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
¡°That¡¯s not really flying,¡± the Wayfarer replied with a grin, ¡°More like falling with style.¡±
Another round of laughter and Paul finally said, ¡°Well, one ritual down. Now to ascend and then two more rituals to go.¡±
¡°Two?¡± Phoenix asked.
He nodded, ¡°Yes. Spirit Gems and upgrading Orebela¡¯s vessel. The current vessel gets burned up in the ascension process so I¡¯ll have to summon her again. Besides, I want her to be Ruby too,¡± he said as he repositioned himself into a lotus position. The veteran Adventurer had made the mistake at his Sapphire Ascension of trying to do a sword dance meditation and he was surprised he didn¡¯t end up with a soul scar from his stupidity.
As he closed his eyes, the room fell silent and he began to feel aware of everything and nothing all at once, slowly directing his focus inward towards his core, the spiritual point that entwined with his physical being yet remained incorporeal. This was the seat of his powers and the source of his magic that truly made up his very being. It felt¡ impatient, and his mouth twitched in a small smirk at the moment of self-reflection.
Paul focused on pulling the threads of experiences, of memories, that told of his victory over challenges and carefully wound those into his core; feeding it, strengthening it, condensing it. It couldn¡¯t be forced and it was harder to do at the peak of a Caste like this, when the power simply wanted to explode outward instead of transforming; but transform he must.
The emerald glow he always saw in his mind was the darkest he had ever seen it before and it felt like just one¡ more¡ thread¡
The moment was like a snap of the tightly wound string of power and he was no longer aware of what was around him as his core seemed to implode upon itself, shrinking to the smallest he¡¯d ever felt. It became engulfed in ruby-colored flames and he knew that his body was replicating the effect as it burned off more of his physical form to replace it with refined magic.
Just like he had been doing with the threads around his core, the magic now took over to do the same to his body; strengthening it, condensing it, empowering it to an even greater tier of power, resilience, and longevity.
He grimaced slightly as he felt Orebela disappear from his consciousness, her lower Caste vessel within him burned away by the flames of Ascension. He knew it was temporary and that she would be back with him soon but it was still unsettling, triggering painful memories of when the Purifier had ripped away their own presence from within his soul. In the Fallen God¡¯s place, however, he could feel the Avenger and he knew the deity was watching him and smiling.
Paul focused carefully as the flames began to die down, simmering into the more compact core he now saw in his mind¡¯s eye, and was a glistening bright red sphere. Of course, there wasn¡¯t an actual sphere inside of him waiting to be plundered but it was simply how his physical mind interpreted the spiritual power within him, coursing through his entire being that had now fully transformed.
¡°Well, I guess we know who the favorite child is,¡± Dazien''s voice rang out with mirth in the space, which felt a bit smaller than it had a second ago. It also took him a moment to realize that the gemite hadn¡¯t shouted the words but whispered them to the Wayfarer beside him.
As he glanced over at the group all of them were wildly grinning except for Phoenix who had her hands over her mouth as a blush heated her face and even her ears.
¡°What?¡± was all he could manage to breathe out and even that felt a bit too loud to him at the moment as he continued blinking at the ground trying to regain his bearings.
The redhead conjured a hand mirror and offered it to the amethyst warrior who was already standing. The kid grinned like he just won a lottery as he took the proffered mirror and practically skipped over to the Paladin, squatting down as though attempting to be eye to eye.
¡°You¡¯re very¡ ruby now,¡± the gemite teased, lifting the mirror for him to see into.
He blinked at his reflection and almost couldn¡¯t believe his new eyes as he saw that his once blonde hair was now the same red shade as Phoenix¡¯s curls.
Not only that, but he looked almost a decade younger now and could have likely been mistaken for the Wayfarer¡¯s older brother rather than her father. That was something he had expected though. The body usually took on a younger appearance as Caste increased and was remade again. Most older Emeralds looked in their mid to late thirties while Ruby Casters would age down again to be in their mid-twenties. This also depended on various other factors, such as personal powers and their species, but was a common enough trend that he had anticipated it.
The hair changing was not common, though, despite him already having had it happen before. Maybe he was just more prone to express his soul in that way? It had become golden during a time when he was fully dedicated to the Purifier¡¯s cause and now his dedication had shifted. He might be able to play it off as a reflection of the crimson his cloak had for the Avenger but he knew, deep down, that what Dazien had first said was the truth of it.
Phoenix had given him purpose again. Not just to help her in some sort of obsessive fixation on her quest or being, but to realize that he could find purpose beyond what a god gave him. Beyond what past trauma and wrath had pushed him towards. She had given him the family he had never felt that he could fit in with before.
She had given him hope again.
He ran a hand through the ruby locks of hair, noticing just a slight bit of curl to them that definitely hadn¡¯t been there before, and smiled at the reflection as Phoenix muttered, ¡°You really are trying to be my dad.¡±
Paul chuckled, ¡°There¡¯s no trying about it anymore,¡± he replied, carefully taking his time to stand as he adjusted to the new weight and strength he had to balance. Then he added, ¡°And you had doubts?¡±
There was a small collective intake of breath as he finally turned to look at all of them and Rayna blurted out, ¡°Holy crap, you got younger!¡±
¡°Daze, please, for the love of every Radiant god, do not call him ¡®Daddy¡¯,¡± Uriel said pointedly at the gemite, ¡°I know we don¡¯t usually interfere but I will not be able to handle that.¡±
Dazien chuckled and looked Paul up and down before shaking his head, ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t think I could handle that.¡±
¡°We still have more rituals to do,¡± Saiya reminded softly. The tears had finally died down as the happiness of the moment helped wash away the previous sorrow.
The Ruby Caster nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right and we can¡¯t afford to waste more time. This will look a lot like the last Spirit Gem ritual I did for you two, just¡ more as I do all ten at once,¡± he explained as he pulled out the chalk once more and began drawing, grimacing as he snapped the chalk at first, pulled out another, and readjusted his grip to be lighter this time.
It wasn¡¯t difficult to adjust to everything, per se, it would just take a bit of trial and error for certain things to recalibrate. He tried to hurry though, as he felt the heavy weight of exhaustion threaten to settle upon him. Normally, it took a freshly ascended Ruby Caster about nine days to recover from the drastic change to their soul and physical being. He didn¡¯t have the luxury to allow himself that however, as far too many lives would be lost from it.
Paul had heard of some people forcing themselves to push through and postpone the recovery time, so he knew it wasn¡¯t impossible. However, it would hit eventually, one way or another, and often all the harder for being delayed but that was a price he was willing to pay.
Just for the sake of heading off the inevitable questions he would get from Phoenix at the very least, he spoke the names of each gem aloud as he placed them in their spots within the elaborate ritual diagram.
¡°Avatar, Zeal, Battle, Consecrate, Hunt, Defiance, three Radiant, and Vengeance,¡± he stated, adding with a pointed look at Phoenix who had opened her mouth to speak, ¡°And no, that last one is not new.¡±
The Wayfarer¡¯s mouth snapped shut and he shook his head with a smirk as he took his place in the ritual once more. Just one more after this and he could return to the war; return with a new position as the Ruby hope for the entire tundra, just as Phoenix had been his ruby-haired hope for a future.
47 - Behemoth
Phoenix was excited for Paul. He seemed so different already, more assured, and relaxed even. However, she was also worried about him, even if it was a bit silly to be with his new level of power. His aura alone was practically suffocating, though the group seemed to manage alright with Paul trying his best to keep it restrained around them. To her heightened aura senses, it was the most obvious indicator to her that he had gone through a dramatic shift of his very soul.
Her worry came from the fact that the normally stoic Paladin seemed completely exhausted and was doing everything with extra care so as not to accidentally break one of them. Based on what the twins had gone through at Sapphire, taking a few days to acclimate to their boosted attributes along with just the base passives getting increased, she wasn¡¯t sure how Paul was even still standing after the threefold jump in power she had just felt.
She could understand now why most people seemed to act deferentially towards Paul if they knew that this was what he would be like now. It was overwhelming, especially when their whole group felt the moment the ascension started as a ripple of pure magical power spread out from him and through them, as though announcing his presence for the entire world to be in awe of.
The Astromancer didn¡¯t think going straight from ascending to unlocking all of his cultivating abilities was the best idea to help his obvious fatigue but she understood that he wanted to be as well equipped as possible to quickly annihilate the enemy threatening all of them. And annihilation is exactly what she expected from the Ruby Caster.
Phoenix smiled as Orebela reappeared in the final ritual circle they would be doing before heading to the front lines. The Familiar looked much the same except now she had a pair of wings seemingly constructed from pure golden light.
¡°Welcome back, Bela,¡± Paul said with a grin, ¡°Anything new to share other than the obvious addition?¡±
¡°The wings make This One faster in the air and hurt and blind attackers when struck,¡± her monotone voice said in all of their minds at once, ¡°This One also can teleport a short distance now but it costs a lot of mana.¡±
¡°That¡¯s excellent,¡± Paul said with a wide grin, adding for the benefit of the others, ¡°The [Avatar Spirit Gem] I used bound to my Familiar ability and lets her use her manifested abilities through me.¡±
¡°So you can still fly now?¡± Phoenix asked excitedly.
¡°I believe so,¡± he replied then asked Orebela, ¡°Anything new from you when merged?¡±
The smooth golden head dipped forward as the Familiar answered, ¡°A defensive layer that better protects from Radiant damage and Bludgeoning attacks.¡±
The Paladin confirmed her words with the scrap of ethereal paper floating within his vision as he focused on her.
Name: Orebela
Species: Child of Theia (Familiar)
Mythical creatures not of this world that are attuned to Light and Radiant magic.
Caste: Ruby
Can speak with anyone and perform rituals telepathically.
Can construct and wield multiple melee weapons imbued with Light magic.
Can empower a weapon, including Construct ones, to inflict additional Light damage.
Can greatly boost your Agility for a moderate mana cost and low cooldown.
Can freely fly through the air when manifested.
Can construct wings that increase flight speed and inflict [Flash Bomb] when struck.
Can teleport a short distance in line of sight for a high mana cost and low cooldown.
- Flash Bomb (bane, magical, light): Inflicts moderate Light damage and hinders vision for a short duration.
When merged within the summoner:
- The summoner¡¯s eyes become golden and a third eye guard appears, granting additional resistance against Magical and Elemental damage.
- The Familiar can perceive in a large radius around the summoner.
- Movement abilities have increased effect and reduced cost.
- The summoner gains a slow fall effect and limited control when moving through the air.
- The summoner can conjure malleable golden skin plating that greatly increases resistance to Radiant damage and Bludgeoning physical attacks.
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¡°A nice balance to the extra power the rest of my abilities give,¡± the Wrath Blade postulated then gave a heavy sigh, ¡°While I¡¯d love to keep chatting with you all about everything I just gained, I really just want to sleep for a week and to do that I need to go finish taking care of the Soul Reapers at our door.¡±
The group of them nodded in understanding and Phoenix asked, ¡°Should I portal us back to the wall or one of my locations on the tundra? You said we could fight now, right?¡±
¡°I would prefer if you stayed on the wall but Everin agreed to help watch you all so you can assist and face some decent challenges of your own,¡± the lord admitted before turning to Dazien and adding, ¡°I can tell how close you are to Sapphire yourself. Hopefully, a few suitable enemies will push you over and we can celebrate your own ascension when we get back?¡±
The gemite gave a brilliant smile, ¡°I¡¯d like that. My first ascension to Crystal did not go as well as I had hoped so it will be nice to know all of you are there with me.¡±
¡°What happened?¡± Rayna asked, as tactfully as ever.
¡°It¡¯s not that uncommon for gemites to have rough ascensions,¡± Paul interjected, causing Dazien to look at him in surprise, ¡°Their physical properties are a bit more magical than most species, the hair, eyes, nails, and bones are all infused with Gem or Metal magic, sometimes both, depending on their subspecies and natural talents. That kind of increased base magic can sometimes interfere with the process. It¡¯s why the Vanhin, or what we call sapient avals like dragons or kitsune, can¡¯t become Casters.¡±
¡°I knew that already,¡± the bard retorted, ¡°Some voxen in the past were like that but we¡¯ve kinda evolved out of it. I did have some basic schooling you know. I¡¯m not actually stupid.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
¡°Ahem,¡± Saiya voiced, nodding pointedly towards Phoenix as the Wayfarer quickly turned crimson with embarrassment.
¡°Ignorance is not stupidity, kit,¡± Paul said in her defense, ¡°The explanation was for those who might not know, not you specifically.¡±
¡°Ah, sorry ¡®bout that,¡± the pugilist replied a bit sheepishly.
¡°Why don¡¯t you all portal to the first inn on the ET Road called The Snowball¡¯s Chance, and then head eastward from there? I¡¯ll fly back faster than you¡¯ll run, even with the portal advantage, and let Everin know where to find you.¡±
She nodded in understanding and wasted no more time as she conjured the portal.
King¡¯s Dream had just crested a hill along the ET Road, or East Trading Road if one preferred the mouthful, when they felt what was basically the aura version of the Doppler effect as Paul rocketed past their location high above them. Even with them moving at a brisk pace, the Ruby Caster was scarily fast and did just as he predicted.
Phoenix assumed that Everin wouldn¡¯t be nearly as quick to find them but hoped it would at least be before they met the enemy. Despite her insistence on not being left on the sidelines, she also didn¡¯t want to get her friends killed; especially after having already lost some. She was well aware that this particular enemy would likely be the most dangerous they had faced yet.
Having Everin there, even in the background, at least gave her the sense of security that her friends wouldn¡¯t fall because she wasn¡¯t fast enough to catch them. The voxen might have come off as a bit irresponsible at times, and extremely funny to her especially whenever she saw him with Paul, but having any Emerald Caster there would be a relief.
However, the Cleric didn¡¯t find them before they found their first monsters.
Walking down the road was what appeared to Phoenix as an AT-AT that had been reclaimed by nature. The giant behemoth had long legs that seemed wrapped in vines as it trudged along the road but was covering a vast chunk of ground with each humongous stride. More vines and blankets of ivy seemed to hang off its large barrel-like body and some kind of black flower seemed to fall off of it, slowly dusting the ground in its wake.
¡°I don¡¯t like the look of those flowers,¡± Dazien said. He was the only other one able to see clearly from that distance as Phoenix lowered her [Crystal Spyglass] to hand it to Uriel.
¡°A Bane?¡± she asked curiously.
¡°Likely. We¡¯ll want to avoid touching them I think, which will make the fighting difficult,¡± the Defender replied.
¡°At that size, it¡¯s gotta at least be Sapphire, if not Emerald,¡± Rayna noted, a furred hand shielding her eyes from the sun as she looked toward the group of enemies.
¡°Marsh Walkers are usually Sapphire,¡± Uriel said confidently while putting his earrings back on before removing his Silencer, ¡°They must have Caged it and transported it here somehow. They definitely don¡¯t show up on the tundra naturally.¡±
¡°What are those things around it? I can¡¯t see the details from here,¡± Saiya complained. Despite the Sapphire Caste sight, it wasn¡¯t naturally better than an item or ability that boosted the visual perception specifically that was only a single Caste lower; maybe in the upper reaches of Sapphire and definitely by Emerald but not quite yet.
¡°What were those things called, Senesh? The little swampy things that liked to suck brains out through the mouth and nose?¡± Dazien asked, looking around as if searching for the word in front of him.
¡°Wait. Please tell me I misheard that,¡± Phoenix said, turning to look at the gemite in horror.
¡°Death¡¯s Kiss?¡± the cinderen asked in equal horror by the look on his face.
The Defender snapped his fingers, ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± he exclaimed then turned back to Saiya, ¡°They¡¯re Death¡¯s Kiss. Kisses? What¡¯s the plural of those, Senesh?¡±
¡°Forget that! I¡¯m blowing those face suckers up,¡± Phoenix interjected and opened a portal that was within range on a closer hilltop and stepped through, immediately beginning her incantation as she arrived on the other side, ¡°From the depths of the universe I summon forth the shards of annihilation. May the wrath of the cosmos descend upon all who dare to oppose me.¡±
Seeing the meteor strike the ground directly in front of the Marsh Walker gave her the oddest sense of satisfaction. It devastated the area in a crater that dealt heavy damage to the ones nearest the center point, and she watched the small monsters ignite into brilliant flames. The slimy-looking plant-based octopus creatures now created an inferno around the behemoth and it gave an odd groaning howl at the attack.
¡°Phoenix!¡± Dazien scolded in a hushed yell, ¡°Those are Sapphire Caste and not for us to take on!¡±
¡°Nope,¡± she answered, defiantly crossing her arms, ¡°No way am I letting those things live to haunt my nightmares.¡±
That seemed to make the Defender pause and give her a look of concern as he asked seriously, ¡°You¡¯re still having nightmares?¡±
She gave an involuntary shiver, ¡°Not as often now but those definitely aren¡¯t going to help,¡± the Wayfarer explained, nodding towards the weaker swarm creatures that were still flailing among the flames.
Dazien followed her gesture, frowning slightly, before looking back at her with a soft smile, ¡°I guess we¡¯re fighting then. Want to go Dragon-form and [Supernova] on top of them? I think it would be enough to take out the little ones while the rest of us distract the big one till you can recover.¡±
Phoenix grinned back at him, punching his shoulder playfully, ¡°You are going to make an awesome big brother.¡±
¡°Shut up,¡± he said with a grin, shoving her back, ¡°Get going before Rayna catches up to steal your thunder. I told her to run while Saiya and Uriel take the portal if I didn¡¯t return in a minute.¡±
She gave a mocking salute and slid down the snowy hill towards her targets. Not wanting to waste any of the head start. She used [Ruler of Relativity] to increase her momentum followed by [Avatar of Bakunawa] which increased her base speed as well, causing her to kick up even more snow as she charged the enemy. The transformation felt more natural by this point after having used it whenever she could justify the hour cooldown and didn¡¯t think she¡¯d need it within that time frame.
The fifth layer was added to her enhanced aura as [Soul of the Celestial] took effect and boosted her Strength, Mind, and Magic even further; making the next step of her plan even more devastating. She had already dismissed her boots into her collection, almost as a sort of magical muscle memory, as her legs shifted and silvery claws extended from where all of her nails once were, gripping the snow almost as well as the boots did.
She still didn¡¯t think she was amazing with the claws as a hand-to-hand weapon, being much more comfortable with her blades, but she was slowly getting acclimated to them to take better advantage of the Dimension damage her [Cosmic Claws] inflicted with every scratch.
¡°As this star begins to dim, a final burst of light. As my life begins to wane, a final shout of triumph.¡± She began the incantation before getting in range, now used to working her tongue around the elongated fangs that she still refused to use on a monster. The speed she was moving at made the timing just right as she bent her inverted draconic knees and leaped high into the air in front of the Marsh Walker¡¯s elongated face that bore a couple of large tusks, ¡°In a supernova sacrifice, I offer the hope of victory.¡±
Her now slightly frilled ears were able to hear the eerie squeals that the tiny face suckers let out in the wake of her explosive attack of brilliant flames and mana and the sound was almost as satisfying as the meteor strike had been; knowing that they wouldn¡¯t get that chance to attach themselves to her face.
Before she could hit the ground, she released her built-up [Starlight Qi] and kick-started regenerating the spent resources she had burnt through, triggering her tattoo as well to give herself enough mana back and downing a [Health Potion] from her collection to heal herself before dying from the short fall to the crater below.
Phoenix heard the arrival of her friends but was distracted from finding them, even with the enhanced vision of her now slitted silver eyes, as long vines wrapped around her torso. It shattered her [Sun Shell] in the process of catching her in midair and dragging her towards the behemoth¡¯s now gaping mouth.
¡°Flame on!¡± the Wayfarer shouted and Tala manifested as they both triggered their breath weapons with swirling white, black, red, and purple colored flames dancing on the monster''s face and vines; The Caster Phoenix using [Eclipse Breath] and the Familiar phoenix using [Star Fire] to burn through the vines.
The spout of Fire, Dimension, Light, and Dark magic didn¡¯t seem to be enough against the Sapphire Caste creature however, and the next thing Phoenix experienced was a darkness she could see through and a wetness she wished she hadn¡¯t seen, as the monster actually ate her.
48 - Unfortunate Accident
Everin felt the Ruby aura before he spotted the man in the air, slightly surprised to see the raven black wings still keeping the man aloft since he had thought they were an Augment that would burn out upon Ascension.
While the wings and armor looked the same as he remembered not even a day earlier, he had to do a double-take as the man within looked vastly different with a younger appearance and fiery red hair. Upon realizing who exactly that hair reminded him of, the voxen gave a wide grin as he greeted, ¡°Daddy Wayland! I see even your soul has embraced your new daughter.¡±
Paul gave him a flat look and retorted, ¡°You know they won¡¯t even ask me if you actually deserved retribution, right?¡±
His cheeks almost hurt from the banter as his smile stretched further as he asked, ¡°True but then who else would look after your lovely child as she battles monsters to make her daddy proud?¡±
Golden eyes rolled at him as the Paladin said, ¡°Speaking of, I have them going down the ET Road until you get there. I told them to wait for you but I doubt they¡¯ll listen.¡±
¡°Oh, you really are getting good at this daddy role if you¡¯re already able to see the rebellious acts coming.¡±
The Ruby Caster narrowed his gaze on the voxen and asked, ¡°Are you determined to keep referring to me by that with every sentence?¡±
¡°Yes, daddy,¡± the cheeky fox replied.
Then Paul seemed to vanish from in front of him, his low Emerald senses not able to keep up or even sense the man¡¯s now retracted aura and he turned around only to get his forehead gently flicked by the Ruby Caster that now looked the same age as he did.
¡°Go look after the other kids, fox kit,¡± the Paladin said, surprising him by returning the grin.
Everin flushed in embarrassment that he rarely felt then shook himself as he stepped back, gave a mocking bow, and said, ¡°As the Lord Paladin Daddy commands.¡±
As the Cleric turned to leave, Paul called out to him, ¡°Hey, Everin?¡±
He turned back, surprised once more by the use of his name and wondering what all had changed exactly from ascending to Ruby, as the Wrath Blade said, ¡°You can just call me Paul.¡±
¡°Phoenix! You okay in there?¡± Dazien¡¯s voice sounded in her mind, ¡°Keep talking to me, Princess.¡±
¡°Think I could make this thing choke on me?¡± she replied, trying to attach herself to the roof of the monster¡¯s mouth before sliding down its gullet, ¡°Uriel, does this thing have a gag reflex?¡±
¡°How the abyss would anyone know that?¡± Rayna chimed in right before the cinderen replied in his ever-calm mid-combat response.
¡°No, they often swallow things whole; slowly digesting them in a magically reinforced stomach that breaks down the prey and converts the physical bits into raw mana. There¡¯s been quite a bit of study on¨C¡±
¡°I¡¯m gonna stop you there, big guy,¡± the bard interjected, ¡°I don¡¯t think Phoenix wants the details on how she¡¯s going to die in there.¡±
¡°Such wonderful confidence in my survival skills,¡± the Wayfarer grumbled sarcastically, using her [Cosmic Talons] to embed her hands and feet into the soft flesh she was clinging onto in an attempt to avoid gnashing teeth or getting swallowed and not drain any more of her mana as she tried to recover a bit. She had a couple of minutes in the dragon form before the recoil effects would likely spell her doom and she knew she¡¯d need to get out of this before then.
¡°Oh, I know you¡¯ll survive¡ I¡¯ll see you back at the estate later,¡± the pugilist teased and Phoenix tried to send a mental eye roll. ¡°Ouch! Spawn of a¨C¡±
¡°Rayna?¡± the Astomancer asked at the cut-off sound of pain, ¡°You good?¡±
¡°Yeah, sorry. Daze was right about the stupid flower things,¡± the swift voxen replied, ¡°Stings like crazy but looks like it¡¯s not Corrupted at least.¡±
Suddenly the creature rocked to the side, dislodging her feet from their perch as she swung wildly at the force.
¡°Hey! We don¡¯t actually want her to die in there, Ray,¡± the party leader scolded.
¡°This thing is tough for a Sapphire! Does the soft and squishy bits on the outside give it more resistance or something?¡±
¡°Actually, yes, they¨C¡±
¡°Are there squishy bits on the inside?¡± the bard asked, interrupting the imminent lecture from the Mage.
¡°Um¡ No?¡±
¡°I am not getting swallowed, Rayna!¡± Phoenix yelled over the connection.
¡°Maybe your sword?¡± Saiya asked calmly before reminding her, ¡°You¡¯re almost out of time, Phoenix. The recoil will hit before your portal is ready again.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
The Wayfarer groaned silently but conjured her sword, [Caustic Floe], hoping the longer blade would be able to actually stab deep enough to hurt it. Aiming straight up at the roof of its mouth, she thrust it forward a bit awkwardly with a clawed hand.
A sickly green goo rushed out as the Marsh Walker howled again and she was filled with the immediate need to vomit as she was drenched in the milky substance that reminded her of some kind of watery mucus, ¡°Oh gross, gross, gross! I think some got in my mouth.¡±
¡°Getting blood in your mouth isn¡¯t that uncommon when fighting, Phoenix. Come on, we¡¯ve talked about that before,¡± the pugilist grumbled.
¡°This is definitely not blood,¡± she coughed out, feeling her arms get a bit weak. Just as she thought that her grip on the roof of its mouth and the hand pushing upwards on the sword to hold it in place would give out, the creature''s waxy leaf-like tongue pushed her entire body against the ceiling.
The goop drenched her as the movement caused her sword to shift and another gush of the grossness spilled out, ¡°Oh gods, there¡¯s so much. Is there magical mouthwash in the city? I¡¯m not putting that Golden Shower potion in my mouth.¡±
The voices in her head went silent for too long before Dazien asked, ¡°Senesh? What would it bleed other than blood?¡±
When the tongue finally fell back, Phoenix¡¯s arms actually gave out at the same time and she fell from her place, bringing her sword with her and cursing the disgusting waterfall it caused. That was when she realized that her body wasn¡¯t responding to her commands anymore.
¡°Oh, that¡¯s likely the paralyzing saliva it has so the prey doesn¡¯t fight back from within. Make sure not to get any on your skin.¡±
¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that earlier?!¡± Rayna shouted.
¡°Well I tried but you said she wouldn¡¯t want to know how she would die.¡±
¡°Execute it with me, Ray!¡± Dazien commanded and another moment later she was shaken again, this time dangerously close to the gyrating teeth attempting to grind her to bits and she tried stabbing it one more time, hoping the gums between said teeth wouldn¡¯t release more saliva.
She missed her target with her half-numb arms but succeeded in making it not eat her anymore when her sword landed between its teeth to get chomped down on hard enough that the blade snapped in two.
The resulting explosion should have killed her she thought, but her reconjured [Sun Shell] and increased dragon form stats must have been enough as the creature¡¯s head exploded as well and she was flung away from the resulting mess that quickly shifted to blue ash as her aura¡¯s looting power triggered.
¡°What happened? That wasn¡¯t your [Supernova],¡± Dazien asked frantically over the voice chat even as she was vaguely aware of him making his way toward her. Rayna beat him to it, shoving a healing potion into her as she muttered out the moderate version of her own heal this time.
¡°Sword¡ exploded,¡± she managed to croak aloud, then added as she felt her body begin to shift back and the power drain from her, ¡°Time¡¯s up.¡±
A bright light suddenly enveloped her as she heard a familiar voice say, ¡°If Paul asks, I was here the whole time before you fought the thing, okay?¡± Everin Starlark said, as she weakly tilted her head back to look at the pale voxen, ¡°I¡¯d rather he think I miscalculated an item exploding in an unfortunate accident over not being here at all.¡±
As the Emerald Caste rejuvenating energy filled her, staving off the worst of the recoil effects, she gave a shuddering groan as her body slowly relaxed.
The last thing she registered was the cheeky Cleric chuckling and saying, ¡°Nap time.¡±
Phoenix put her face directly in the path of Saiya¡¯s [Cleansing Stream] ability, the most recent to be upgraded, with her mouth wide open to wash away the monster''s ash and gooey memories immediately upon awakening. She hadn¡¯t been out that long as they were still near her meteor crater which was still slightly smoldering.
Ability: Cleansing Stream
Type: Spell (channel, elemental, water)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Current caste: Sapphire 1 (1%)
Crystal Effect: Channel a stream of water that thoroughly cleans any external impurities from a single target and grants an instance of [Flowing Waters] if the target is an ally.
Sapphire Effect: Purges Elemental Boons from target enemy. Grants a small burst of healing whenever a stack of [Flowing Waters] is consumed.
- Flowing Waters (boon, cleanse, elemental, water, stacking): Slowly cleanses Elemental Banes for a short duration.
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¡°So no backup sword?¡± Dazien asked her and she shook her head in the negative, ¡°How do you not carry a backup somewhere in your collection?¡±
She shrugged and gargled the magical water some more before spitting it out on the ground, ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d need one? I mean, how often does a magic item just explode like that?¡±
¡°Are you joking?¡± the Defender asked incredulously, ¡°I¡¯ve gone through like five shields since we¡¯ve been together!¡±
¡°I think you¡¯re exaggerating a bit there,¡± she pointed out, wringing out her hair as well and attempting to tie all the curls back into a tight braid with a streak of soft emerald, ¡°Anyways, I still have my dagger so it¡¯ll be fine till we get back to the city. Oh! Or maybe my book will stop being dumb and give me a quest with a sword!¡±
¡°I thought it hasn¡¯t been giving combat quests as much lately?¡± Rayna asked, having returned from finishing looting the monsters that hadn¡¯t been dead when she passed out.
¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fairly certain it¡¯s only giving things now if it thinks I don¡¯t want to do it but it still wants me to,¡± she grumbled as Saiya stopped the stream, leaving the Wayfarer perfectly clean and dry.
Her friends all looked towards one another with uncertainty but it was the Emerald Caster that voiced the thought, ¡°Well that¡¯s concerning. Isn¡¯t it your power?¡±
Phoenix shrugged, ¡°Yes, but I never consciously make the quests it gives. Kinda like I don¡¯t get to pick the loot a monster drops for me.¡±
¡°Speaking of loot,¡± the bard interjected, ¡°Anything good from the big one?¡±
She gave a slight grimace as she conjured the Spirit Gem she had gotten into her hand to show the others, ¡°Aside from the usual Bits and Shards, I got this [Fracture Spirit Gem] which I feel is just mocking me as some sort of karmic joke about my sword. It¡¯s Sapphire, though, like the monster. Either of you want it?¡± she asked towards the twins.
Their heads shook in unison as the Striker answered, ¡°Nah, you hold onto it. I¡¯ll just take the Bits from what it''s worth and buy something I like later.¡±
¡°You sure?¡± she clarified, slightly surprised, ¡°I thought Fracture would go good with Shatter.¡±
Rayna shrugged, ¡°Sure, but you¡¯re the weird one that won¡¯t buy them. Hold onto it and if we get more than ten before you ascend then maybe I¡¯ll trade it out or something.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you only need like three more?¡±
The bard laughed, ¡°Look, it¡¯s fine, Princess. Even though I said it¡¯s weird, it¡¯s obviously important to you so I¡¯m all for watching you let ¡®Fate¡¯ pick your powers for you. Now, where¡¯s the next monster so we can get more loots?¡±
Everin gestured towards the northeast, ¡°The main force we have of lower Caste groups is that way but we¡¯ve seen the devastation a single Emerald breaking away from the enemy has had on them. Our Emeralds are now moving that way to reinforce them while Paul takes care of the southeast.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide as she turned to him and asked incredulously, ¡°By himself?! They think he can take on half an army of Caged monsters and Soul Reapers alone?!¡±
The Cleric gave a vulpine grin and said, ¡°Yes. Because he can.¡±
49 - Wild Story
Phoenix had another reason to be grateful for Everin¡¯s presence other than saving her from death and that was his carrying capacity. As an Emerald Caster, he could lift the slow boys and carry the pair while Saiya went piggy-back style on her sister as they sprinted across the tundra, turning what would have been days of travel into a few hours before reaching the main forces.
The red moon, Krafti, was just rising into the cold night sky as they crested one of the larger hills and were able to see the pitched battle taking place in the distance. It was a chaotic mess of teeth, blades, claws, arrows, and magic being flung from both sides. Some of the fights had even taken to the air as the Casters blessed with aerial powers attempted to handle the flying monsters and Soul Reapers that also had some flight advantages; though, it didn¡¯t seem like all of the black-clad military-esque personnel had the capability.
The scariest thing, however, was the fact that their group of Casters ¨Cdespite being even more numerous than she had seen during the Battle for Tulisuda¨C was a pond compared to the ocean of Caged monsters spreading out to the east from the loose line they had seemed to form, trying hard not to become surrounded.
As her gaze moved eastward, the crowd of enemies seemed to thin out, like they had originally been staggered and the Adventurers were causing a clog that was backing them up. There was a single massive ship still a bit off in the distance that she could barely make out but its looming presence sent a ripple of fear through her.
It really was the size of a village like the reports had claimed and she pulled out her [Crystal Spyglass] once more to try and get a better look. It seemed an odd mixture of sleek black metal and glass connecting to organic flesh with leaves and vines hanging off its exterior that more monsters hung from; apparently opting to catch a ride rather than walk. The melding of the natural plant life with the artificial futuristic windows and plating was somehow even more unnerving to her because it somehow spoke of an even higher level of understanding than most things she had seen in some science fiction shows.
Phoenix continued staring in disbelief at the throngs of creatures that for some reason seemed to obey the enemy Casters near them and she whispered to the others who seemed just as stunned by the sight, ¡°How can anyone stand against an endless army like this? How do we win a war against the infinite monster army of the Soul Reapers?¡±
Dazien grimaced, still awkwardly being held in a single arm by the older voxen, but said resolutely to the party, ¡°We don¡¯t need to defeat them all. We only need to keep fighting till Paul does. I know he won¡¯t rest until the city is safe.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s hurry and help fight then,¡± Everin said, not waiting for her and Rayna to follow as he moved towards the frontlines, but he continued speaking to her over the mental communication Dazien provided, ¡°Why don¡¯t you add some distractions and let our allies know you¡¯re here with those pretty birds you like to conjure?¡±
¡°Why would letting them know we¡¯re here matter?¡± she whispered back, pushing herself along after him to not fall so far behind.
¡°They¡¯ve seen you fight before, have heard of your divine favors, and know your House,¡± he replied, ¡°You¡¯d be surprised how much hope you give people. They need you to become the beacon for them.¡±
She grimaced but nodded as she unleashed her aura, not fully understanding what exactly others expected from her, she was still only just a Crystal Caster after all, but if even Everin seemed to think her mere presence would help then she wasn¡¯t going to argue anymore. She would be the best night light this tundra had ever seen!
Paul was making decent progress as he cut down every single monster and Soul Reaper he came across without even a hint of mercy. The Crystals and Sapphires were a single sword strike, no other ability even needed to take those out. With their very vulnerable organs, namely their brains, still fully intact, he merely decapitated ninety percent of the ones he came across; looting with a single brush of his finger, scooped it into his hip pouch, and moved on.
He was glad these didn¡¯t require his powers, though. Despite the overwhelming power disparity he had over them, he was still exhausted and had already been pushing for an entire two days now since ascending. Two days of miscalculating the few Emeralds he found and missing when he shouldn¡¯t have or taking hits he definitely should have been able to dodge. Two days of wanting to crawl into the nearest hole to sleep for a month.
The Paladin was still slightly worried about how his kids were faring but he had decided to trust the Rebel Fox, despite the man¡¯s seeming frivolous exterior. He knew serving any deity or making an Oathbond of any kind took a certain level of dedication and Everin had certainly proven his dedication towards Phoenix. Which was good enough for him.
Then he finally saw it. His first real challenge since ascending. A grin crept across his face as he flew through the dawn-lit sky and took in the sight of the town-sized vessel that was slowly moving toward Tulimeir.
This might actually be fun.
¡°That¡¯s the short-term euphoria caused by sleep deprivation talking,¡± Orebela said in his mind, causing him to roll his eyes but not manage to hide the yawn that escaped. ¡°Wayland is slowly losing his mind due to postponing the ascension recovery.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s actually a thing at Ruby,¡± he replied, not slowing down at all as he adjusted his trajectory straight towards the traveling half-organic land-ship.
¡°That is definitely a thing,¡± the Familiar retorted, ¡°Fen told This One about one of his friend¡¯s past summoners going insane from it.¡±
¡°I thought Familiars had their memories sealed when they chose to become Familiars? Isn¡¯t that why you don¡¯t remember about your original world¡¯s technology?¡± he asked right before triggering his newly upgraded opener that had bonded to his [Consecrate Spirit Gem].
Class Ability: Meteor Strike
Type: Special Attack (combination, movement, elemental, fire)
Cost: High stamina and mana.
Cooldown: 30 seconds.
Current Caste: Ruby 1 (1%)Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Crystal Effect: Accelerate through the air towards a target. When used with other combination attacks, any physical and Fire damage is increased during the combination.
Sapphire Effect: An explosion is produced from the impact point, inflicting Fire damage and [Burning] on any enemies in the area.
Emerald Effect: Any enemies in the area are also knocked back from the impact point and inflicted with [Condemnation].
Ruby Effect: An additional shockwave is produced from the impact point creating a larger area of consecrated ground, periodically inflicting low Radiant damage to enemies within for a moderate duration.
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
- Condemnation (bane, divine, radiant, stacking): Decreased Fire, Light, and Radiant resistance.
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¡°They are when we first become a Familiar,¡± Orebela corrected as he impacted into and through the top of the Emerald Caste vessel that was struggling to move the way it wanted to in the lower Caste zone. ¡°We do remember things that have happened to us and the people we interacted with. Our other-worldly knowledge is locked so as not to inadvertently alter realities we get sent to.¡±
When he finally stopped exploding his way through floors inside the ship, he glanced around briefly. He found an odd sort of beauty in the exotic greenery that decorated the rooms and halls, the unfamiliar yet vaguely spicy scents surprisingly pleasing. Then he proceeded to repeatedly cast one of the abilities that bonded to one of the [Radiant Spirit Gems] he had used earlier.
Ability: Flame Javelin
Type: Special Attack (construct, elemental, fire)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Ruby 1 (1%)
Crystal Effect: Construct and throw a javelin of flames, inflicting a moderate amount of Fire damage.
Sapphire Effect: Inflicts additional Light damage. Has increased penetration against resistance to Fire and Light. Inflicts an instance of [Sunburned].
Emerald Effect: You can construct additional javelins that will follow the original for an exponential mana cost.
Ruby Effect: Inflicts additional Radiant damage and [Celestial Radiation].
- Sunburned (bane, elemental, magical, fire, light, stacking): Decreased Fire and Light resistance.
- Celestial Radiation (bane, divine, radiant): Inflicts ongoing low Radiant damage for a short duration.
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As he threw the divinely enhanced weapons indiscriminately around the area, completely collapsing the odd fibrous walls and shattering glossy doors of black glass, he asked, ¡°So you think I¡¯ll go insane from this just because of some third-hand Familiar rumor?¡±
¡°Fen said it was a reliable source,¡± Orebela seemed to object to his insinuation of her unreliable methods.
¡°Did he say who or what this other Familiar was?¡± he pressed, moving out of the flames to spread more by exploding the lower Caste monsters and Reapers that appeared with a poorly-aimed Javelin, ¡°It could have been some shifty kitsune trying to prank him or something.¡±
When his Familiar didn¡¯t answer right away he laughed, causing a woman to stare at him in horror after having just appeared in front of him as she ran from one of the burning side rooms into the hall.
The fact that he could clearly see her face, startled him.
So far the enemy had all been wearing those weird glossy onyx helmets, but this woman was obviously an elf, dressed in a shimmery purple tunic with green leggings.
It was so disconcerting to see what he thought of as a civilian here that he actually halted throwing the freshly constructed spear of flames in his hand as they stared at each other in shock.
¡°The Reaper elf is Emerald Caste,¡± Orebela stated calmly, breaking through his momentary hesitation as he hurled the javelin at the enemy.
The woman was knocked off her feet by the impact and pinned to the far wall where the hall split into perpendicular directions. She didn¡¯t die immediately though; letting out a pained scream as her skin started to become charred from the [Sunburned] Bane and she started pulsing with an inner glow with each tick of Radiant damage the [Celestial Radiation] inflicted.
Then he quickly followed his previous attack with an Execute now upgraded by Vengeance, ¡°The judgment of the righteous has deemed you guilty.¡±
Class Ability: Judgment of the Zealous
Type: Execute (combination, purge, divine, radiant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Current Caste: Ruby 1 (1%)
Crystal Effect: Enchants your weapon so that its next attack inflicts additional Radiant damage on impact. Damage scales based on the amount of health missing from the target.
Sapphire Effect: Deal increased damage to enemies with Dark, Death, or Void attunements, or have the [Corrupted] status and purge a random Boon on impact.
Emerald Effect: If used at the end of a combination attack, the weapon is automatically enchanted again at no additional cost and slightly enhanced effect.
Ruby Effect: Base damage is increased by a percentage of the amount of damage the target has previously inflicted upon you. If no damage has been previously inflicted, you gain [Instant Karma].
- Instant Karma (boon, divine, retribution): The next attack against you will be reflected back at the attacker.
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The screaming stopped shortly after that. He always disliked looting people since they didn¡¯t always turn to ash based on how high of Caste they were. A Ruby, like him, would likely turn completely to dust immediately. The Emerald however¡ well it was a bit disturbing to watch as her skeleton was left behind, half-melted into the fleshy wall, while other bones clattered to the metallic floor, vaguely reminding him of the unpleasant way he had to execute Lord Ruwena.
He found his mind drifting for a second, idly wondering what possible motivation drove an elf here in the first place. His eyelids grew heavy, the moment of calm making them not want to open again, but they snapped wide once more when Orebela said, ¡°He was a dragon.¡±
¡°What?¡± he asked in utter confusion.
¡°The Familiar friend that Fen mentioned. He was a blue dragon.¡±
Paul gave a weak laugh as he shook his head, turning to leave the elven woman¡¯s remains to eventually turn to ash as the fire claimed the ship, and he said, ¡°Well that¡¯s completely unreliable information then. Dragons are notorious for boasting. I bet he told that story just so you would repeat it.¡±
¡°He would not know that Fen would tell This One.¡±
¡°No, but he knew it would spread. Wild stories have a tendency to do that.¡±
¡°Well, This One does not want Wayland to prove the wild story true.¡±
He chuckled, throwing another spear into a room that hadn¡¯t caught fire yet and ignoring the very human screams from within as he continued moving, ¡°The only wild story I plan to prove is that a Ruby Caster can take on an army of evil invaders and live to tell the tale to his kids.¡±
50 - Hold the Line
¡°Phoenix?¡±
The Wayfarer startled awake at the sound of her name and the gentle hand on her shoulder as Saiya nudged her and added, ¡°Time to get up, sweet flower. The staging point needs to move again.¡±
She groaned and stretched, followed by a wide yawn that had her coughing at the taste of the dry ash that had suffused the air. ¡°How long was I out?¡± The Astromancer managed to ask as she dragged herself out of the simple bed in their shared room of Uriel¡¯s [Fortress of Solitude].
¡°Only three hours, sorry,¡± the Healer said regretfully, ¡°I know you need more but¡¡±
Phoenix shook her head and conjured her clothing directly onto her body in a shimmer of silver starlight, ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I know we¡¯re lucky to have gotten that much,¡± she muttered, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
It had been four days now since they arrived on the battlefield. Four days of seemingly endless fighting of monsters whose ranks seemed to be continually replenished while fewer and fewer Adventurers could be called from the city to reinforce their frontline with each shattered party.
¡°How far are we moving back this time?¡± The Wayfarer asked as she quickly stumbled through brushing and braiding her hair again.
¡°Ten kilometers,¡± the voxen said grimly.
¡°That far? Are they trying to buy more time before moving again or something?¡±
¡°I think they¡¯re hoping it will be enough to hold the line before Lord Wayland arrives. A scout returned a bit ago saying only a single ship remained south of the ET Road.¡±
The redhead nodded in understanding, ¡°It still boggles my mind sometimes how strong he is. Do we know how many ships are left in the northern section?¡± she asked as she led the way into the small shared spaces between the two bedrooms.
¡°Nine, last I heard,¡± Dazien answered, getting up from his lotus position on the floor next to Rayna.
¡°How close till you cross?¡± Phoenix inquired as she nodded towards the spot he had been meditating in.
¡°Maybe tomorrow at this rate,¡± he answered, ¡°Not sure if I should wait until we return to the city, though,¡± the Defender added in a rare display of uncertainty.
¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if you were Sapphire? Isn¡¯t that why Paul went ahead? For the Caste advantage?¡±
Silky purple hair like dark gems glinted in the red glow coming in through the singular window as the gemite shook his head. Whether the eerie lighting was from the blood moon or the battle she could hear getting closer though, Phoenix wasn''t sure.
¡°I don¡¯t think the advantage is great enough in my case to risk the impaired reactions and judgment from the soul exhaustion caused by ascending,¡± he explained, ¡°Paul might be able to power through it but I¡¯m not sure I can and I¡¯m a lot easier for a monster to kill than he is.¡±
¡°Sounds like you have your answer then,¡± the Wayfarer replied as she accepted the sandwich Uriel offered to her.
¡°How are you holding up?¡± The Mage asked her quietly.
She yawned again, ¡°Really wishing I had thought to make up a couple dozen to-go mugs of my coffee,¡± she replied with a tired smile.
¡°This coffee?¡± the cinderen asked with a smirk and held up what looked like a metal thermos.
Her eyes went wide in surprise before she gave an excited smile and made grabby hands towards the divine nectar, ¡°Oh my gods! You are my new bestest friend in the whole world!¡±
He chuckled as he handed over the blessed mug and joked over his shoulder towards the others, ¡°Hear that? I¡¯m the favorite.¡±
¡°Bribery!¡± the bard yelled in mock outrage, ¡°King! I demand you reclaim your status as Uriel¡¯s best friend and halt this corruption!¡±
Dazien looked towards the Wayfarer consideringly before shrugging at the pugilist and saying simply, ¡°I don¡¯t mind sharing,¡± then walked over towards the Mage while pleading, ¡°Please tell me you have another of those for me.¡±
¡°Favoritism!¡± Rayna cried out as Uriel handed their leader another of the still-steaming drinks from the dimensional basket they kept most of their food in.
A knock came at the door and Saiya was the one to open it as the young messenger on the other side told them the call to move was in effect now and that the area would become an active combat zone within the hour.
¡°Right,¡± Dazien said after taking a long sip of the warm magically-caffeinated drink, ¡°I guess that means back into the fray with us. Stay close by and keep doing what we¡¯ve been doing.¡±
¡°Frantically trying not to die as we kill monsters?¡± Rayna asked.
¡°That does seem to be what we do best,¡± Phoenix agreed with a cheeky grin causing Dazien to roll his eyes at the pair of them.
Rayna gave her a flat look, ¡°We do. You don¡¯t. Or do you not remember almost getting eaten a few days ago?¡±
¡°Hey, I still didn¡¯t die!¡±
¡°I was talking about working as a team to protect each other as we kill monsters,¡± their leader clarified for them.
As they exited the ice fort, Uriel dismissing it behind them, the Mage asked her, ¡°Did you manage to get any more [Mana Potions]? Or even some health ones I could use with my [Siphoned Vigor]? These fights have been great for progressing my area abilities but I¡¯m going through too many consumables to try and keep up.¡±
She nodded, conjuring a dozen bottles one at a time to hand over to him, as she explained for the others to hear as well, ¡°Yeah. I kept some for us after my delivery mission from the city before crashing into bed. Managed to get a few more crates from the Alchemy Association building along with more ammo and weapons that had been delivered to the AOA.¡±
The Wayfarer handed some more potions over to the others as she continued walking while talking, ¡°Pati even stopped by to ask how we were doing. She was sorry she couldn''t be there for Paul¡¯s ascension but it sounded like they¡¯ve been keeping her locked in the Cultivator¡¯s Citadel to keep churning out potion ingredients.¡±
¡°Yup. Mum was complaining even before all this began that there weren¡¯t enough growers or space to keep up with the demand during this prolonged blood moon,¡± a familiar masculine voice said from nearby and Phoenix turned to see Patric and Padma walking towards them with four other people following behind.
She smiled brightly at them before saying, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m happy or worried to see you both here. I half-wish I knew you were back home safe and sound with the others.¡±
The older runeforged playfully clapped her on the back as he said, ¡°I was about to say the same about you. Both of us are more experienced than most of your party, you know.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
¡°Sure but I can drop meteors from the sky,¡± she pointed out with a grin.
¡°Speaking of that,¡± her new cousin continued, ¡°We saw a lovely target nearby that could use one of those. Is it off cooldown yet?¡±
¡°No but Saiya can Refresh me, I think, if it¡¯s important,¡± she informed. The healer¡¯s ability had been on cooldown almost as often as her own during the last few days of needing massive attacks to clear out monsters. She was extra grateful for the effect it unlocked with the [Refund Spirit Gem].
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Class Ability: Refreshed
Type: Spell (magical, life)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: Variable.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (78%)
Crystal Effect: This spell can only affect an ally and not yourself. Reset the cooldown of an ability currently on a cooldown of the targeted ally. The cooldown of this ability is equal to the time remaining on the cooldown of the target ability.
Sapphire Effect: Additionally refresh resource pools of the target with the amount recovered proportional to the costs of the ability refreshed.
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Saiya nodded in confirmation and her party changed direction with Patric putting an arm around her shoulder to lead her toward said target. Dazien spoke up but he seemed laid back as he said, ¡°We can help but we can¡¯t take too long. Cleric Starlark wants us to meet him at the new command tent.¡±
¡°Shouldn¡¯t take that long,¡± the runeforged replied.
¡°It was just past the northern edge of the camp,¡± Padma detailed, ¡°The hard part is getting in range.¡±
Phoenix quickly learned why that was the hard part when she saw the horde of monsters between the edge of the quickly disassembled camp and the Crystalline Elemental that was glowing an eerie blue with veins of black creeping throughout its semi-opaque body of rock.
The Wayfarer slightly panicked at the sight and feel of the monster¡¯s aura from her vastly increased aura range, quickly turning on Dazien, Uriel, and Rayna as she ordered them with a stern finger pointing from one to the other, ¡°Don¡¯t any one of you even think about going near that thing!¡±
They exchanged confused looks before Patric clarified for her lack of context, ¡°It¡¯s Corrupted. Anyone with Earth or Gem attunements has been ordered not to engage. Luckily, it''s still pretty slow moving even if it¡¯s been enhanced beyond its Crystal Caste.¡±
Clarity and a brief flicker of fear crossed over all three faces and she finally relaxed at their nods as she turned back to Patric, ¡°I think I can hit it from here but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll be enough to take it out.¡±
¡°I can [Harmonize] with you to increase the chances,¡± Saiya interjected, ¡°Seems like a good opportunity.¡±
Class Ability: Harmonize
Type: Spell (magical, covenant, song)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: Varies.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (49%)
Crystal Effect: Harmonize with an ally¡¯s incanted spell, adding your mana to theirs to increase its effects and shorten its cooldown. This spell''s cooldown becomes the same as the targeted spell¡¯s adjusted cooldown.
Sapphire Effect: Decreases the incanted spell¡¯s cost for both Casters and each gains an instance of [Interlude].
- Interlude (boon, magical, song): Moderately increased mana regeneration for a short duration.
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Phoenix loved the new effect the [Efficiency Spirit Gem] had unlocked, making her able to cast the devastating spell more often during confrontations like this that needed every trump card it could get.
¡°That would be nice,¡± Patric agreed, moving his sword suddenly to deflect a random projectile that almost struck her from the crowd of encroaching monsters currently fighting a couple of other groups of fighters. ¡°If we can take it out in one shot that would be great, if not then we already have a backup plan.¡±
Then Padma snagged Uriel¡¯s arm in a hug and happily said, ¡°That¡¯s where you come in!¡±
¡°Me?¡± The cinderen asked in obvious confusion.
Patric nodded and said with a grin, ¡°You bring the storm on the little ones while my party finishes taking out the big one. None of us have those attunements so we offered to take it out.¡±
¡°We just figured a little help from our new favorite cousins and their amazing teammates would make the job a bit easier,¡± Padma added, smiling up at Uriel again who still looked extremely confused by the runeforged holding onto his arm as Rayna snickered behind them.
¡°Let¡¯s put your plan in motion then,¡± Dazien suggested.
Patric smiled at the gemite and gave a nod as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave them to you then and hopefully see you all back at the new staging point soon. Come on, Padma, let us leave our cousins to their own missions. We¡¯ll see them plenty back home if not before then.¡±
The younger runeforged gave a small pout but made sure to hug both Phoenix and Dazien before following after her brother and teammates. Everyone glanced at Dazien who looked back at Phoenix as she grinned and said, ¡°Well, it looks like they already decided for you, brother.¡±
¡°Wait, Paul is the one who offered to adopt you?¡± Rayna asked incredulously then turned towards Uriel, ¡°I thought you were joking about Daze calling him ¡®daddy¡¯!¡±
¡°Please, nobody call him that,¡± the cinderen half-begged.
¡°I think I heard Everin call him that earlier,¡± Saiya added with a soft smile.
¡°Does that man have a death wish?¡± the bard asked.
The Defender interjected, ¡°Talking later. Phoenix, Uriel, rain down the pain.¡±
The pair nodded almost in unison, understanding the serious tone their leader spoke with, and began incanting.
Saiya began by refreshing the cooldown on Phoenix¡¯s [Meteor Shower], ¡°May your soul feel refreshed from life¡¯s demands,¡± which was quickly followed by the pair incanting in harmony, ¡°From the depths of the universe I summon forth the shards of annihilation. May the wrath of the cosmos descend upon all who dare to oppose me.¡±
While they were doing that, Uriel had already begun his chain of area spells, incanting ¡°Let fire rain upon my enemies that they may burn before my will,¡± to trigger his [Rain of Fire] then instantly following it up with his icy equivalent, [Blizzard], ¡°Wind stings. Ice bites. Snow freezes. The blizzard claims life.¡±
Before switching to his single target spells, he followed those two up with his Storm Aspect ability, ¡°Succumb to the might of the tyrannical winds.¡±
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Ability: Microburst
Type: Spell (elemental, wind)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Current Caste: Crystal 8 (78%)
Crystal Effect: Causes a burst of downward winds in an area that inflicts Wind damage and attempts to push down everything within it.
|
Fire and ice blanketed the swathes of monsters that had been knocked down between the loose line of Adventurers and the elemental that was slammed into the ground by twin meteors crashing into it, one immediately after the other, seemingly more like its namesake than normal at Crystal Caste. A shockwave of rock dust, snow, and monster ash eventually made its way back to them as flames rose into the matching red-tinted night.
When they saw Patric¡¯s party reach the newly formed crater, Dazien commanded them to leave, despite their desire to help their comrades. They moved as quickly as they could, following the others who were making their way to the new staging point for rest or supplies.
The few fallen Casters they passed along the way, with companions mourning their loss, were a sobering reminder of the last few days and the days they knew still lay ahead of them.
Despite the grim reality around her, Phoenix was glad for the moments of humor and camaraderie they stole between, and even during, their fights. It helped keep her from completely shutting down as the grief and despair all around them threatened to crush what little hope they held onto. It made her even more grateful that she managed to find such a great team for her, one that she could rely on, and a family she could look forward to returning home to.
As they reached the newly erected command tent, they were quickly let in without Dazien even needing to say who they were and her gaze immediately found Everin talking with the AOA Director as the pair looked down on a map of the area.
The snow-white Moonsong voxen blended in on the icy tundra, even with those five bushy tails spread out behind him, but here, in the tent filled with cinderen and runeforged, he stood out in stark contrast. He looked up at her almost as soon as she entered and flashed her his usual mischievous grin that always made her smile in return.
Director Trayvious was the one to greet them, however, as she waved them over, ¡°Glad you made it. I have a new mission that involves Cleric Starlark and Noble Wayland here.¡±
51 - Nuclear Vessels
¡°I don¡¯t like this idea,¡± Dazien said to Phoenix telepathically over his communication ability as she and Everin had finally reached the massive ship. They had discovered it was actually hovering slightly above the ground, though just barely as whatever magical engine was being used groaned at the challenge the area presented.
Phoenix rolled her eyes again, ¡°Director Trayvious already gave us the green light on this mission.¡±
¡°What green light? She didn''t give me any light,¡± Everin interjected as he adjusted his grip on her.
They were currently flying through the air after the Wayfarer had a complete geek-out over the foxy helicopter and asked if he could also boost their movement speed, the answer causing her to geek out even more when he confirmed that, in fact, he could.
Phoenix palmed her face and groaned, ¡°Just an expression, green means go in this context. We need to figure out where they¡¯re getting more monsters from. Our side has killed more than would fit in this thing over the last three days. We need to stop the flow if we¡¯re going to have a chance at lasting till Paul gets over here.¡±
¡°I know,¡± their leader mentally sighed, ¡°I just wish there was a better way. We don¡¯t even know if your portal can survive the blast.¡±
¡°Then Tails here will just have to shove one of the last mana potions in me and get me to conjure another one or, better yet, fly me out himself if we can.¡±
¡°And if the vessel collapses on top of you?¡±
¡°Hopefully, there won¡¯t be a ship left,¡± Rayna mumbled over the mental network. Phoenix doubted any of her abilities were strong enough to take out the entire Emerald Caste vessel but, aside from the Caster driving the thing, only Crystal monsters and Reapers could be sensed within it which gave them a chance to at least stop whatever was generating the creatures.
¡°We¡¯ve been over this, again and again, Daze. We were given this mission because of how far they¡¯ve already managed to push back our line. They¡¯ll reach Tulimeir in another three days tops. We¡¯re going to see this through,¡± Phoenix said resolutely, as they approached one of the hangar doors they had noticed the Caged monsters exiting from.
¡°I know. I know,¡± the Defender finally conceded from his scouting location atop a hill near where the Adventurers had set up a secondary staging point out of the travel trajectory of the enemy ship.
¡°Alright, get in quickly and quietly. Find what¡¯s making them. Conjure the portal. Light it up. Then go through the portal to get back here while Cleric Starlark flies back,¡± the gemite recited one last time before getting her confirmation.
The black hangar door quickly opened once more, practically spitting out a trio of Tundra Yetis, springy vines wrapped around them to safely deliver them to the ground far below. Before the plant-based bungee cords could return empty, Everin flew through the opening and Phoenix found herself being set down on hard metal flooring instead of soft moss like she half-expected given the weird walls that separated the room they were currently in.
¡°Now stay close behind me, little rebel,¡± the Emerald Caster said with a grin, ¡°We don¡¯t want you dying too early now.¡±
¡°We don¡¯t want me dying at all, remember?¡± she pointed out wryly as she activated her [Embrace of Shadows] Aura, turning her hair and eyes pitch black in the dim light made darker around her by the shadowy effect that further obscured her from view, and followed the slightly shaded voxen through the next set of doors into a leafy hallway.
Despite being a Healer not well suited for fighting on the frontlines, Everin was an overwhelming force against the trail of Crystal Caste monsters they followed through the ship and took out any Soul Reaper that dared enter his path with only his Boons and voxen claws. Which was surprisingly few. It seemed that this ship had taken a different approach than some of the others that had been reported, simply spewing out monsters without a Caster to command them.
She couldn¡¯t argue with the results, though, as they had seemed to have been given the very simple order of ¡°Kill any Caster¡± as they flooded the battlefield. It almost reminded Phoenix of the tactics she had seen with the Chaos Summoners, using quantity over quality to simply overpower everything that couldn¡¯t stand against the tide.
They eventually found themselves in a large room, after Everin dispatched a group of actual Casters, which contained something that was both familiar and extremely concerning to Phoenix. It was a gigantic version of the seed-like thing she had come across in Tulisuda that had been part of a huge network of magical enchantments that had been slowly absorbing the ambient magic of the pseudo-reality.
This one didn¡¯t seem to be active at all, however, with no ritual diagram or black goo secreting from it. She conjured her book this time and willed it to identify the object within her aura.
|
Item: Corrupted Reality Seed
A divine seed of reality that has been Corrupted.
Caste: Obsidian.
Availability: Legendary.
Type: Tool, ingredient.
Requirements: Unknown.
Effects: Unknown.
|
¡°What in the abyss does that mean?¡± the Wayfarer said in annoyance as she stared at the unknown effects. She had never seen that happen before. Unknown rewards on a quest, sure, but her [Guide Book] had never failed to identify an item like this before. The fact that it was Obsidian and alien probably had something to do with the lack of information and she quickly retreated from it, not wanting to accidentally activate it by poking the wrong thing.
As she informed the Cleric about the lack of knowledge, Everin resumed his disapproving look at the item that must have been three stories tall at least as he asked, ¡°Will your [Supernova] even do anything to an Obsidian Caste plant? What if it causes it to explode like we believed the ones in Tulisuda would do?¡±
¡°Holy crap, are these nuclear vessels?¡± the Wayfarer asked with wide eyes at the thought of these things getting launched somehow at the capital to simply explode like a nuke on impact.
¡°I¡¯m not sure what ¡®nuclear¡¯ means,¡± the voxen replied with a raised brow.
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter right now,¡± Phoenix said with a shake of her head. That was just another thing she didn¡¯t fully understand nor felt comfortable introducing to a world that already had walking magical bombs in the form of Casters.
Instead, she redirected, ¡°Our mission is to destroy the source of the monsters, not this thing, so as much as I hate to say this, we need to ignore it for now. We can deal with it once we win this assault. We¡¯ll need to get back to let the Director know either way.¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
The Cleric gave her another grimace before straightening his shoulders and nodding resolutely, ¡°You¡¯re right. Let''s go finish this.¡±
It wasn¡¯t long after that when they came across the room they had been searching for, deep in the lower bowels of the vessel and what they found was both impressive and terrifying. It must have been the largest ritual room either of them had ever seen as glowing runes hovered in the air, slowly orbiting the ritual circle that currently had five people at equidistant points around the circumference on the ground.
Then Phoenix realized they weren¡¯t people, they were golems. Constructs like the BELs that didn¡¯t have actual natural souls but the seeds of ones, similar to a monster yet slightly different.
The fact that they were performing the ongoing ritual was impressive on its own, as the beings must have taken an insanely skilled Crafter Caster to make in order to have both the knowledge and the ability to channel mana like that for an extended period of time. At least that was what she assumed based on the endless stream of monsters they had been fighting.
Currently in the center of the ongoing ritual were five glowing white monster seeds in the process of spawning and she whispered to Everin, ¡°They¡¯re forcing monster spawns to generate. I didn¡¯t know that was possible.¡±
¡°I didn''t think it was,¡± the Cleric replied, equally wide-eyed. Then he gave a malicious grin, ¡°Ready to blow it up and hopefully get some decent progress on that annoying ability of yours?¡±
¡°Annoying? It¡¯s like my strongest power!¡± she protested.
¡°Yes, and remind me again what the cooldown time on it is?¡±
¡°Six hours¡¡± she mumbled, then added defensively, ¡°But I seem to make more progress on it per use compared to my faster ones.¡±
¡°And remind me again how often you¡¯ve been allowed to use it since arriving here on the battlefield?¡±
¡°This is the first,¡± she answered forlornly.
¡°Right, because it has that nasty side effect of destroying the terrain around it which might get an unaware ally killed from the poorly timed distraction and also takes you completely out of the fight.¡±
¡°Only for a few minutes!¡±
¡°That¡¯s why I said ¡®annoying¡¯ and not ¡®completely useless¡¯,¡± the voxen finished, ¡°Now, put your portal behind us and I¡¯ll toss you through if it survives. Otherwise, we have to take the dangerous way back.¡±
¡°Should I use my last [Magi Fortune Booster] for this?¡± She asked after conjuring the pretty silver frame holding a picture of a star-filled night sky, having decided to try this way since her [Supernova] would silence her and make her unable to conjure it immediately afterward.
¡°Nah. I think your creepy shape-shifting thing plus my own Boons will be plenty for this,¡± he replied, easily scooping her up into his arms again.
¡°Creepy? I turn into a dragon!¡± she found herself protesting once again, wondering if the Cleric actually liked any of her abilities.
¡°Is that what it¡¯s supposed to be?¡± He asked with wide eyes, ¡°I thought it was some kind of hairless Felion missing its tail. You know dragons have tails too right? And scales and wings¨C¡±
¡°I breathe fire!¡±
¡°Technically, you breathe Light and Dark magic which is also rather odd looking. I mean, black flames shouldn''t produce any light, you know. Plus, you''re little fluffy chicken Familiar breathes weird fire too so that¡¯s not really proof of dragonhood.¡±
¡°Tala is not a chicken!¡±
¡°Are you going to keep talking all day or are we destroying this thing?¡±
¡°You are not allowed around Dazien anymore,¡± she grumbled, ¡°Between the two of you, I¡¯m going to get in trouble for actually stabbing someone.¡±
¡°Such violence,¡± he tsked at her, then gave another wicked grin, ¡°I think you get that from your father.¡±
She returned his grin with a sly smile of her own, ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to tell him you said that. Along with making fun of my abilities,¡± she said and when the voxen¡¯s smile vanished as he stared at her in surprise she pretended in an exaggerated childish tone, ¡°Paul! Everin is bullying me!¡±
¡°You wouldn¡¯t,¡± the Cleric blanched.
¡°I could,¡± she said, as though pondering the idea.
¡°I¡¯m fairly certain he would actually kill me,¡± he pointed out, then cast his Boons, [The Power of Friendship] and [Fight for Life], on her and smiled again, ¡°You¡¯re turning into a wicked little rebel, aren¡¯t you?¡±
Ability: The Power of Friendship
Type: Boon (magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Current Caste: Emerald 1 (36%)
Crystal Effect: You link your Magic attribute to the target, increasing the target¡¯s Magic based on a moderate percentage of your own.
Sapphire Effect: You link your Fortitude attribute to the target, increasing the target¡¯s Fortitude based on a moderate percentage of your own. Additionally, both you and the target gain [Double the Fun].
Emerald Effect: You link your Agility attribute to the target, increasing the target¡¯s Agility based on a moderate percentage of your own. Additionally, you and all nearby allies gain [Welcome to the Herd].
- Double the Fun (boon, magical, illusion): Taking damage creates a temporary clone of yourself that replicates your movements but vanishes when hit or after a short duration.
- Welcome to the Herd (boon, magical, covenant): Increases Magic attribute based on how many allies with [Welcome to the Herd] there are nearby.
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Class Ability: Fight for Life
Type: Boon (magical, life)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Current Caste: Emerald 1 (41%)
Crystal Effect: Can cast on an ally for a moderate duration. Damage dealt heals a portion of that damage back.
Sapphire Effect: Additionally increases Strength and Magic by a moderate amount.
Emerald Effect: Can cast on multiple allies at once. Additionally, each attack dealt increases their maximum health pool up to the next Caste¡¯s threshold.
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She laughed and activated [Avatar of Bakunawa], ¡°I guess you¡¯re lucky I¡¯m supposed to be a hero instead of a villain,¡± she replied then began to chant, ¡°As this star begins to dim, a final burst of light. As my life begins to wane, a final shout of triumph. In a supernova sacrifice, I offer the hope of victory.¡±
As the amplified mana exploded outward, the pair quickly discovered that Phoenix¡¯s portal could, in fact, not handle the destruction wrought by the Boon-enhanced blast when they fell through the air as plants and metal disintegrated around them.
She clutched tighter to the flying fox, saving her a death from falling a good twenty meters below where the floor and portal had once been. The Wayfarer almost screamed when the voxen suddenly stopped using his tails to fly and instead wrapped them around her as he turned her away from where the ritual had been taking place.
The Astromancer couldn¡¯t see anything beyond the white fur and heavy fabric covering Everin¡¯s chest as he held her tight against him but she could hear the secondary chain of explosions occurring when they didn¡¯t just fall downwards but horizontally as the shockwaves of destruction buffeted them through the air.
¡°Phoenix? Cleric Starlark? I can tell the portal didn¡¯t survive but are you both going to be okay?¡± Dazien¡¯s voice said in her mind, unhindered by the cacophony of the large vessel exploding around her.
She could suddenly see again as the tails moved to lift them higher into the air, now clear of the flames, and she took the opportunity to look down to where a roiling magic storm was forming in the center of the vessel that had been sundered in half from the chain of broken enchantments and ongoing ritual triggered by her ability.
Angry sparks of blue lightning crackled amongst swirling black smoke that was condensing into heavy clouds as the volatile magic collided with itself and fought for dominance of the area. Flames in various colors consumed the moss and leaves that made up the ship and vines whipped around furiously, spraying acidic blood amongst the fire and further damaging the metal supports.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, King, I¡¯ll get the Princess back in one piece,¡± Everin replied, grinning down at her with sparks of mischief in those icy blue eyes.
Then the voxen paled in fear at the next words that filled their minds, ¡°Good because we are going to need to have a talk about what ¡®looking after the kids¡¯ actually entails, fox kit,¡± said Paul.
52 - Half the Battle
¡°Explain to me exactly how Water Two Squad¡¯s forces were halved in less than a week,¡± Roimeldor ordered as he continued walking down the hall of their capital ship still far outside the orbit of Makera. Well beyond the influence of any planetary deity. They had eventually learned to keep their distance when entering any conflict with a planet that had cultivated far enough to develop them; lest one of the concepts-given-sentience try to ruin all of their plans.
Asyamil, his second-in-command, followed behind as she explained, ¡°It seems a local Ivy Caster ascended to Rose shortly after the initial encounters began.¡±
¡°They should still be sleeping then,¡± the Captain growled, trailing his hand along the garden wall. He knew the flowers that lined the living walls in this particular hall enjoyed being petted as people passed and they made that pleasure known by shivering slightly and releasing a sweetly spiced aroma.
¡°He forwent the recovery and proceeded to annihilate half the squad,¡± the elf corrected.
¡°Does he have a death wish?¡±
¡°Considering the fact he still lives, I don''t believe so,¡± she answered, trailing her own hand along the wall behind him at a higher point in order to spread the coverage of gentle touches. Then the woman added, ¡°I believe it¡¯s either an insane amount of arrogance or desperation driving him.¡±
¡°Little of both, likely,¡± he grumbled, turning down an intersecting corridor, ¡°Sounds like he would make a good addition to our ranks. Any research on him for this purpose?¡± he asked, assuming she was already a step ahead of him.
¡°A bit but, with the assault currently ongoing, it has been difficult to reach all of our contacts still in the city,¡± Asyamil conceded before adding, ¡°The sensory aura readings sent from one of the ships before he destroyed it didn¡¯t match any in our system, though.¡±
¡°Family?¡±
¡°Yes. He¡¯s a noble and you know how those can get.¡±
¡°Yes,¡± he grumbled, then asked sharply, annoyed with being forced to clarify, ¡°Anyone that actually matters, though?¡±
¡°A sister and an adopted daughter. No mate.¡±
¡°A child but no mate?¡± the man hummed, ¡°Curious but doesn¡¯t necessarily preclude him from inclusion. Is the child a match for him?¡±
¡°Unknown, sir,¡± the elf answered, following closer as he entered the room that had been his destination. The lounge was more noisy than he normally cared for but he couldn¡¯t blame those in attendance. Despite some of their resource losses, they were almost finished with their goal and were looking forward to returning to the reality they would call home. A young land that hadn¡¯t been settled and tainted by gods yet.
Though he still felt separated from the others in the room, being the last of them to achieve their purpose, he could appreciate their happiness as something he wanted for himself. Something he would get back eventually.
¡°However, it turns out that she¡¯s the other Wayfarer,¡± his second said quietly but his Hollyhock Caste hearing could easily pick it out even through the dissonance caused by merry banter and heavy drinking.
Roimeldor turned on her, pinning her with a fierce gaze as he half-scolded, ¡°That should have been something you led with.¡±
She at least had the wherewithal to look down towards the ground in a subtle show of deference, ¡°Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.¡±
The noise seemed to have dropped by that point as the room took notice of the presence of their leader and one of the other women stood and asked him hopefully, ¡°Commander, are you here to celebrate? Have they found Naira?¡±
He turned to look at his long-time friend and smiled sadly, ¡°No, but I still hold hope.¡±
Then he glanced around the room and gave a barking order, ¡°Haldambar, you¡¯re up for a Solo Reaping.¡±
An elven man in the corner, who had been snuggling up with a young woman, gave a loud groan, ¡°Seriously? Didn¡¯t I just take out that one king on the other planet?¡±
¡°Yes, but it¡¯s still your turn again,¡± he said patiently, ¡°Unless news comes that this target is terribly suited for your skill set, you¡¯ll be heading out within the hour with Marduk.¡±
¡°Actually, the target¡¯s attuned to Fire, Light, and Radiant magics. He¡¯ll be taking Bahamut instead,¡± Asyamil spoke up for both him and Haldambar to hear but it was unnecessary since, even though the other man was lower Caste than he was, Rose Casters still had incredible senses.
¡°Radiant?¡± the assigned Caster bemoaned, ¡°You know how I hate dealing with those self-righteous bastards.¡±
¡°Then you should have no compunction with killing one quickly,¡± Roimeldor stated coldly, giving a small flex of his aura to halt any more objections and causing the room to go still.
The next time the man spoke it was more of a beseeching appeal, ¡°Please, sir¡ I just reunited with Runasu.¡±
¡°Then finish your task quickly and return to her side,¡± he commanded and left the group to return to their premature celebrations. The Commander didn¡¯t pause in his path back to his office as Asyamil quickly followed behind him.
¡°Sir, about the target and the Wayfarer,¡± she tried to continue but he held up a hand to silence her until they had arrived at his destination and the quiet it provided. Making his way over to the window where he felt he did his best thinking.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
His Second busied herself on the clear pane of glass glowing with information as her hand moved quickly across it until he finally said, ¡°The Rose interference is the goal. We remove him from the board and the rest will quickly follow, including the Wayfarer.¡±
¡°The battle for the city itself hasn¡¯t even started, sir,¡± the woman protested slightly.
¡°Crushing their hope is half the battle,¡± Roimeldor said confidently, ¡°We¡¯ll kill him, reap his soul, then do the same to the Wayfarer and he¡¯ll fight for us. They always do.¡±
Phoenix still wasn¡¯t used to the sight of Paul with red hair like hers. She thought it matched so much better with his Avenger¡¯s regalia, though, he had foregone the cloak due to his wings. However, despite the fact that he looked only a handful of years older than her now, the scowl on his face was entirely too familiar.
Even though Lord Wayland looked like a young scion, his bearing and attitude made his parental traits completely apparent as he seemed prepared to reprimand both her and Everin as soon as they were close enough.
She preempted his anger by giving a hesitant smile and shouting, ¡°Mission accomplished! Did you see that we even managed to take out the ship?¡±
The Paladin¡¯s scowl deepened but she saw that hint of a smile tug at the corner of his mouth and she felt victorious. ¡°Please, don¡¯t get me killed,¡± Everin whispered in her ear and she grinned back at him.
¡°Are you going to apologize to Tala?¡±
¡°Are you seriously threatening me with death if I don¡¯t apologize to your chicken?¡±
¡°You know I¡¯m Ruby and can hear you, right?¡± Paul called up to them, the smirk firmly in place now.
They landed a meter in front of the Paladin and Everin gingerly set her back on her feet as she spoke, ¡°First, we had a mission and Everin was very helpful aside from being a complete jerk. Second, the ship blowing apart was a bonus but we found out they¡¯re doing rituals to spawn monsters in. I think that¡¯s why most of them have been the same Caste as the tundra.¡±
¡°I know,¡± Paul interrupted, ¡°I¡¯ve been destroying them for the last few days now. I¡¯ve seen the ritual rooms.¡±
¡°What about the [Corrupted Reality Seed]? Did the other ships have those too?¡± she asked and was pleased to see him look surprised at the news.
¡°I found one,¡± he confirmed, ¡°Though I didn¡¯t know its name. My talent only shows me information about myself and enemies but I recognized it as a much larger version of what we saw in the Reality Rift.¡±
Before she could ask what they should do about it, he put a hand on her shoulder and said, ¡°I¡¯m proud of what you¡¯ve accomplished here, Phoenix,¡± then his gaze slid over to the Emerald Healer as he added, ¡°That doesn¡¯t excuse this Rebel Fox from endangering you by suggesting the mission in the first place.¡±
¡°Psh, she wasn¡¯t endangered,¡± Everin retorted with a roll of his eyes, ¡°I would never willingly or knowingly truly endanger her. You know this.¡±
¡°We don¡¯t know what these enemies are capable of,¡± Paul argued, moving towards the Cleric and she took the chance to slide closer to her friends who were doing their best to remain small and unseen in the background of the Paladin¡¯s wrath; all of them standing next to the AOA Director that was silently observing.
¡°Their rituals and technology far outstrip our own and we know they can cage souls, Everin,¡± the lord said, his voice slowly rising with every step he took and Phoenix realized then that Paul actually was angry. It wasn¡¯t just posturing as he got into the smaller man¡¯s personal space and asked, ¡°Did you even stop to think about that fact? What might have happened if they overwhelmed you both? What would happen if they captured her soul? What would you have done, Everin?¡±
¡°Nobody even got close to her to¨C¡±
¡°WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE?!¡± he shouted and the entire group winced in sympathy for the target of the Paladin¡¯s ire and crushing aura, ¡°I know your goddess chose her, and that has given you cause to watch her, maybe even fight for her, but would you save her? Would you go to the edge of reality and beyond to get her back?¡±
¡°Paul¡¡± the Director began to speak but he simply raised a hand without turning to look back.
¡°These people, these monsters,¡± he practically spat, ¡°They don¡¯t care about lives. They don¡¯t care about taking whatever they want. I will not let them just take her! Do you understand me, Cleric?¡±
Everin¡¯s eyes were staring at her mentor with a swirl of confusion, awe, and terror as his voice lost its usual humor and he responded carefully, ¡°I understand, Lord Paladin,¡± the voxen raised a hand covered in soft white fur marked with rainbow runes around the wrist as he added, ¡°I swore to protect her, Paul.¡±
¡°Good,¡± the Ruby Caster stated firmly, ¡°Because if you hadn¡¯t then¨C¡± his voice cut off as he suddenly stumbled forward and Everin moved fast enough to catch him from falling to his knees.
¡°Paul?! Are you¨C¡±
The Paladin cut off the Cleric¡¯s concerns with a shake of his head as he tried to right himself, ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he snapped roughly.
¡°You most certainly aren¡¯t,¡± Director Trayvious retorted as she took a few steps forward, ¡°You need to rest, Paul. Not even the Blade of Pure Wrath can push off the Ascension Recovery this far. How long has it been since before that when you last slept? Even as an Emerald, you could only go about nine days¨C¡±
¡°I said I¡¯m fine!¡± the lord cut off again, glaring at the runeforged.
Phoenix stepped forward that time, fully agreeing with Everin and Agatha¡¯s assessment of her mentor, as she held her hands up in front of her in a show of surrender and carefully said with a soft smile, ¡°Paul¡ you know that I believe you¡¯re the strongest person in the whole world, right?¡±
The Paladin stared at her blankly for a second, blinking owlishly before shaking his head with a chuckle and saying, ¡°You haven¡¯t seen much of the world yet.¡±
She grinned at him and got closer, reaching out to take his hand in hers, ¡°But you¡¯re going to fix that, right?¡± he accepted her hand, visibly relaxing as he nodded, ¡°I know you¡¯re afraid of something happening to me and the others. I understand now that it makes you angry to feel that way even though you¡¯re the strongest,¡± she said calmly, pulling him into a hug and he gratefully wrapped his arms around her as she added, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I scared you but please stop scaring everyone else. They all care about both of us.¡±
Phoenix felt his nod as he rested his cheek atop her head and she knew he must have been beyond exhausted as he mumbled, ¡°I care most.¡±
She laughed and patted his back, ¡°I think you need a nap, Paul.¡±
Another begrudging nod tickled her ear as it caused the loose strands of her hair to brush against it. She felt him give a heavy sigh and she took one as well, breathing in the scent of smoke, cedar, and sunlight, before it turned into a yawn for both of them which in turn caused them both to chuckle with tired giggles.
She glanced back to see her friends smiling at the pair of them and noticed something odd behind Dazien¡¯s eyes. Longing, perhaps? Of wanting this sense of family she felt so strongly with Paul? She could understand that feeling and was about to gesture for him to join their hug when a loud roar echoed across the tundra.
From the northeast, beyond the wreckage of the ship she had just sundered, something was flying through the air towards their battle. She couldn¡¯t make out what it was but from the sound and the height in the sky she knew it couldn¡¯t be good and Dazien confirmed it for her.
¡°Is that an actual dragon?!¡± the gemite asked incredulously.
¡°A dragon that size would have to be at least Ruby,¡± Uriel said in slight wonder.
Paul gave another heavy sigh, squeezing her a bit tighter in their hug before pulling away and saying softly, ¡°Stay here. Stay safe for me. Watch over the others. I¡¯ll see you again as soon as I take care of this.¡±
Before she could protest or even wish him luck, he was gone.
53 - Trouble
¡°Paul, wait!¡± Everin shouted at him and he paused his flight in the air to glance back at the Emerald Caster trying in vain to catch up to him but he still heard the words carried on the wind, ¡°At least let me cast my Boons on you! Anything to give you an edge against another Ruby in your state.¡±
¡°The Rebel Fox is correct,¡± Orebela stated in his mind, ¡°Wayland should let him help before we go. Or is Wayland going to ignore This One again?¡±
¡°He needed to be put in his place, Bela,¡± he argued, pinching the bridge of his nose in weary frustration.
¡°Wayland is acting like a young one. Your mind is beginning to fragment and you are lashing out¨C¡±
¡°I¡¯m not breaking!¡± the Ruby Caster retorted and even mentally he could hear the petulance in his tone. He sighed, shaking his head again as if that would chase away the exhaustion, ¡°I can¡¯t break. Not yet. Not while everyone is counting on me to save them.¡±
¡°Thank you for waiting,¡± the Cleric said as he finally reached the Paladin, hovering in the sky as the threat loomed closer in the distance. They were above the wreckage of the ship that was still a raging storm of broken magic as the voxen added, ¡°Listen, I¡¯m sorry for earlier. You¡¯re right that I didn¡¯t fully consider the risks and gambled with a soul that was not mine to do so with.¡±
Paul was surprised and vaguely wondered if he had finally passed out on his feet and was dreaming that the rebel before him was actually apologizing. The rare look of sincerity on the voxen¡¯s face was enough to make him soften slightly as he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I snapped. Not for what I said but how I said it,¡± he clarified.
¡°I think we¡¯re all aware now of just how much strain we¡¯ve put on you,¡± the Cleric said with a sad smile, then gazed towards the approaching enemy as he added, ¡°I don¡¯t like you taking on this enemy alone. Lower Caste Emeralds like me is one thing but you¡¯re not invincible, Paul. You don¡¯t have to fight at a disadvantage like this.¡±
The Paladin leveled a tired gaze on him, ¡°Who else is there, Everin?¡± he asked, slowly drifting down towards the top level of the ship that hadn¡¯t collapsed yet.
¡°The Emeralds can gather with you. Together we can take out a Ruby monster, even a dragon.¡±
¡°If it¡¯s coming here, that means it¡¯s Caged,¡± Paul pointed out, repeating what he had witnessed over and over again during his time wiping out groups of the enemy, ¡°If it¡¯s Caged, that means there¡¯s a Caster controlling it,¡± he landed on the abandoned deck and finished wearily, ¡°If there¡¯s a Caster, it will do exactly as that first Emerald we ran into did. It will avoid me, killing as many as it can, while I¡¯m forced to deal with the monster. Even if I tried to focus on the Caster instead of the monster, it would be a game of cat and mouse while the dragon kills off the other Emeralds instead.¡±
Paul took a deep breath to center himself and the static of wild magic in the air tickled his fully magical lungs. He contemplated sitting for a moment but worried sleep might overtake him if he allowed himself to become that relaxed and kept standing instead as he added, ¡°If I¡¯ve learned anything in the past five days, it¡¯s that I¡¯m better off fighting them alone instead of worrying about protecting others. I¡¯m not a Defender.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to be alone, though,¡± Everin argued then incanted, ¡°Let the long path be free of burdens.¡±
Paul felt the quickening buffs of the Cleric¡¯s [Light Spirited] Boon take effect and he smiled slightly, ¡°Thanks, but I still don¡¯t want you too close to the fighting. Cast your Boons then make sure the others retreat,¡± he said, looking around the area, ¡°I¡¯ll fight them here. Perhaps the environment can work to my advantage. If anything, I¡¯m hoping it can provide a distraction from our forces as they retreat.¡±
The Paladin then allowed the merged effects from Orebela¡¯s latest ascension to flow over him, coating his skin in a thin layer of liquid gold
¡°You look like a living statue with that,¡± Everin observed, glancing from his exposed hands to his face, ¡°It¡¯s rather intimidating in an alien way.¡±
He simply nodded, assuming he resembled his Familiar more now, only with a mop of red hair and his onyx armor with matching wings. A golden statue of the god, Avenger.
¡°While I appreciate the idea of a nice statue of myself,¡± the deity whispered into his mind, ¡°I believe you should retreat and rest as well. Fight another day.¡±
¡°Is that an order?¡± the Paladin mentally growled.
¡°No,¡± the god said, sounding regretful, ¡°But you are not a hero, Paul Wayland. An anti-hero at best, a villain to many. You were never one to risk yourself to this extreme.¡±
¡°People change,¡± he retorted, ¡°Or is the dragon not weak enough to warrant your execution?¡±
¡°We talked about that. You know what retribution means and that it takes the strong to avenge the weak. You should leave and rest now.¡±
¡°People will die. A lot of people, if I just leave to sleep for a week and hope the Emeralds will be enough to muster a resistance.¡±
¡°Then you will return to avenge them. I can help with vengeance but not with this. I am not Hero and he already spent quite a bit of his power on your daughter.¡±
Paul grimaced as the silence returned to his mind. While Tulimeir would likely survive against just a single Ruby Caster and their pet monster, there would be a lot of loss. Deep down, he knew those losses would include the children he had been fighting to protect and hoping to see grow. Their loss wouldn¡¯t be something he could live with, knowing that he could have prevented it. Perhaps Avenger was right¡ he was just doing this seemingly heroic thing for selfish reasons.
¡°Have you thought that maybe the sudden appearance of a Ruby Caster is because of you, Paul?¡± Everin asked, breaking his reverie and causing him to look back at the Cleric in surprise. He would never admit it aloud but he hadn¡¯t thought that. It was just the newest thing on his list of ¡°shit to take care of before getting to sleep¡± that had only seemed to grow with each passing day.
¡°They had weeks to get them here before,¡± the Emerald Caster continued with an amount of logic that he barely felt capable of piecing together at the moment. ¡°Why now, if not for news of you reaching them? All the AOA reports have always been about them using just enough force to overcome an area.¡±
He shook his head, tired of arguing, tired of talking, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter why. They¡¯re here now and I¡¯m the only option.¡±
Everin frowned at him but thankfully didn¡¯t argue this time as the Healer proceeded to cast a few more Boons on him, even a heal that slowly rejuvenated him over time. He slipped another [Ruby Mana Bit] into his mouth, wincing at the sickly syrup it melted into, and hoping it would give him enough of a pick-me-up to not simply get eaten in mid-air.
¡°I know it might sound strange coming from me,¡± the voxen said gently, giving him a warm smile, ¡°But try to stay out of trouble. Don¡¯t act like your wayward daughter and pull a big flashy stunt. Just do what you do best and take them out brutally quick and without mercy.¡±
¡°Did you just call me a merciless brute?¡± Paul asked with a chuckle.
Everin smirked, ¡°You can punish me for it later, Daddy Wayland.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll ground you just like the others, fox kit,¡± he replied then glanced back towards what was indeed a dragon. Silver scales shone with a blue sheen along a long sinewy serpentine body as giant wings moved strangely through the air, appearing more like humongous fins swimming through the sky. Large horns, like those of an ox, sat upon its wide head and, though sharp, Paul doubted they would be able to impale something as tiny as he was compared to the great beast.
The biggest worry for him now, however, was the Ruby Caster¡¯s aura that he had felt briefly brushing against his before vanishing completely. He frowned in concern as he said to his companion, ¡°Hey, Everin?¡±
¡°Yes, Paul?¡±
¡°No matter what happens, promise me you¡¯ll keep her safe. It¡¯s not her life but her heart and soul that I worry for.¡±
¡°I may be a Spirit Advocate but I¡¯m leaving that job to you, so stop talking like that and go kill them already.¡±
Paul grinned, spread his midnight wings, and triggered [Wrath From Above], which had been upgraded by the [Hunt Spirit Gem], causing him to take off straight into the air.
Ability: Wrath From Above
Type: Special Attack (combination, movement)
Cost: Low stamina.
Cooldown: 1 minute.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Current Caste: Ruby 1 (1%)
Crystal Effect: Leap into the air above a target within range. The next attack deals increased physical damage.
Sapphire Effect: Each subsequent combination attack deals greatly increased damage.
Emerald Effect: Each subsequent combination attack decreases the cooldown of this ability.
Ruby Effect: The next attack also inflicts [Heretical Prey].
- Heretical Prey (bane, divine, radiant): Decreased Divine resistance and Combination attacks inflict increased damage.
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While that ability was spurring his movement, he began activating a plethora of other abilities all at once for a devastating initial strike. [Righteous Fury] that had bonded to Defiance, followed by [Accelerating Strikes] that had been enhanced by Zeal along with [Ferocious Assault] that was now empowered by Battle.
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Ability: Righteous Fury
Type: Boon (magical, arcane)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Current Caste: Ruby 1 (1%)
Crystal Effect: Increase your Strength and Agility attributes for a short duration.
Sapphire Effect: Increase your damage dealt for a short duration.
Emerald Effect: Increase your Mind and Fortitude attributes for a short duration.
Ruby Effect: Increase all your resistances and penetration against all other resistances by a large amount for a short duration.
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Ability: Accelerating Strikes
Type: Special Attack (combination, purge, elemental, magical, fire, light)
Cost: Low stamina per second.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Ruby 1 (1%)
Crystal Effect: Each attack slightly increases your attack speed while this ability is active.
Sapphire Effect: Each attack inflicts escalating Fire damage.
Emerald Effect: Each attack inflicts escalating Light damage and an instance of a Magical or Elemental Boon is purged from the target.
Ruby Effect: Each attack grants you an instance of [Zealous Striker].
- Zealous Striker (boon, divine, radiant): Increased Agility and Strength. Radiant attacks have increased resistance penetration.
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Class Ability: Ferocious Assault
Type: Special Attack (boon, combination, magical, dimension)
Cost: Low stamina per second.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Ruby 1 (1%)
Crystal Effect: Each attack slightly increases your Strength while this ability is active.
Sapphire Effect: Each attack slightly increases your Agility while this ability or another combination ability is active.
Emerald Effect: Each attack inflicts escalating Dimension damage and an instance of [Dimensional Confusion].
Ruby Effect: Each attack grants an instance of [Warrior¡¯s Heart] while this ability or another combination ability is active.
- Dimensional Confusion (bane, magical, dimension): Your perception of your surroundings is confused, occasionally mistaking areas for another. Instances are quickly lost over time.
- Warrior¡¯s Heart (boon, divine, radiant, stacking): Decreased cost of Special Attacks. Can consume all instances of this Boon to empower your next attack. Instances are slowly lost when not attacking.
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These would feed into his [Meteor Strike] which was now even further enhanced by his [Strength of Purpose] passive.
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Passive Ability: Strength of Purpose
Type: Boon (magical, arcane)
Current Caste: Ruby 1
Crystal Effect: You have increased Strength and Fortitude.
Sapphire Effect: The effects of other Boons on you are slightly increased.
Emerald Effect: The effects of your Execute are increased and Execute effects upon you are decreased.
Ruby Effect: Speed is greatly increased when moving towards an enemy and Movement abilities have increased effect.
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¡°The judgment of the righteous has deemed you guilty,¡± Paul thought the incantation, no longer needing to speak it aloud at Ruby Caste, and performed his [Judgment of the Zealous] Execute purely for the reflective boon of [Instant Karma] given when using it before taking damage from the target.
His surroundings became a blur as he sped through the air towards his target and he impacted straight between the glowing orbs that were the dragon¡¯s eyes with an explosion that seemed to crack open the very sky. The stacking effects created a ripple of power unlike any he had ever conjured before as Fire, Light, and Divine Radiance channeled from his being, through his newly named [Blade of Vengeance], and into the Caged monster.
Passive Ability: Blade of Vengeance
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, magical, arcane, fire)
Current Caste: Ruby 1
Crystal Effect: Construct a sword that reflects the wielder and can be used as a medium for Spells and cantrips for a slightly increased effect.
Sapphire Effect: Special Attacks with the Magical modifier performed with this weapon inflict increased damage.
Emerald Effect: Normal and Special Attacks made with this weapon inflict additional Fire damage and [Burning].
Ruby Effect: Normal and Special Attacks made with this weapon inflict additional Radiant damage and [Penance].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
- Penance (bane, divine, radiant): Inflicts ongoing Radiant damage.
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Sometimes, abilities would update their titles to reflect how the soul had changed and his abilities apparently thought that he had made a significant enough shift to warrant the update. He had no qualms with it and was immensely grateful for the Radiant damage that now coursed through his enemy in a devastating strike that was enough to halt the beast¡¯s forward momentum toward the camp of Adventurers and allies of the duchy still in the process of retreating.
The moment immediately following his blow that embedded his onyx greatsword in the dragon¡¯s magically reinforced skull was strangely quiet and still, the explosive force having shoved away even the sound waves in the air. Until he felt a slight pressure against his back and a masculine voice cursing in surprise as a sheen of a magical shield swirling with rainbow colors appeared around him for only a moment before vanishing and he smirked as he felt the protection of [Instant Karma] get used up.
While Stealth specialists were obnoxious to deal with, they could be fairly predictable at certain times. By the time he turned to punch the assailant, however, only a cloud of dark mist remained in their place. He turned back to yank his sword from the now screaming and pissed-off dragon. Its roar shook through him and he felt heavier, slower, and knew that wouldn¡¯t do.
His blade cut between the scales as he struck again, taking advantage of his stacking combination attacks to ramp up the Boons that would counter the effects of the monster¡¯s Banes being cast upon him.
When globes of water began forming in the air around him, he knew this wouldn¡¯t be like the dumb Cave Troll and it was time for him to start moving as one of the orbs sped towards him, striking where he had stood a split second ago. The water splashed harmlessly against the dragon but he was fairly certain it would not be as kind to him.
Paul ran up and along the beast¡¯s back, spines of rock jutting down its middle, as he weaved between them, slicing the scaly flesh beneath him, and dodging the aerial spell of water bolts.
After a particular nasty swarm of wet globes that caused him to push his winged acrobatics to the limit, twirling parallel to the creature with his wings wrapped around him as a black feathered shield inflicting Light damage and a blinding effect from the [Flash Bomb] the wings had back on the dragon with each orb that struck them, it was then he felt in his aura what he had been waiting for.
The brief flutter of a Ruby Caster as the attack from stealth landed before he could react. Though he couldn¡¯t dodge in time, the twin blades digging into the tops of both his shoulders through the feathered armor, he could trigger his ability that required at least two targets to work.
Class Ability: Flicker Strike
Type: Special Attack (combination, movement, divine, magical, dimension, light, radiant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Current Caste: Ruby 1 (1%)
Crystal Effect: Your next successful attack triggers a flash teleportation to another nearby enemy, chaining up to two times.
Sapphire Effect: Can chain up to five times. Inflicts additional Light damage, increasing with each successful attack.
Emerald Effect: Can chain up to ten times. Each successful attack inflicts [Dazzled] and [Sensitivity].
Ruby Effect: Can chain up to twenty times. Inflicts additional Radiant damage, increasing with each successful attack.
- Dazzled (bane, control, magical, light): Hinders vision and movement for a very short time.
- Sensitivity (bane, magical, light, stacking): Decreased Light resistance.
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This particular ability had been seeing a lot of usage over the last few days as it helped him swiftly clear out the larger packs of enemies all in a matter of moments but now it had an even more devastating effect as he vanished in a flash of light, his sword slashing across the would-be assassin¡¯s back before he flickered again to the dragon¡¯s flank, cutting deeply and triggering yet more stacks of his Boons only to teleport once again to the slightly stunned enemy Caster. Back and forth, with ever-increasing speed, power, and brilliant radiance.
Until the special attack ended with the Soul Reaper vanishing into another burst of mist-like shadows and this time Paul chased downwards toward the wreckage of the ship and the direction of the [Nemesis] Bane he had managed to lay upon his foe.
54 - They’ll Sing Songs
Smoke that tasted like ozone filled Paul¡¯s magical equivalent of lungs as he dove into the roiling storm of broken enchantments and disrupted rituals mixing with the ambient mana and erupting in a violent reaction of nature. Despite not needing to breathe, Paul used the action to his advantage with each scent giving a signal of where danger might lay.
The feel of heat to his left helped him stay clear of the fire that was consuming a wall of odorous flowers leaking a sour stench. The tingle of static brushing against his right wing had him dodging in time to prevent an arc of lightning from jumping at him. The frigid stillness of an impenetrable patch of darkness stinging his throat reinforced what his tracking Bane was telling him, and he struck his target with deadly precision.
A string of curses met his ears as he felt his sword impale the enemy¡¯s center. He grimaced, not from the pain that he hadn¡¯t quite learned to turn down all the way but from the sensation of even more Banes settling onto him from the daggers that were now embedded in him as well.
One in his lower gut, between the crack in his armor along his waist, and the other in the side of his neck; a likely killing blow if he had been Sapphire or lower. At Ruby, it was more of an annoyance, and the real threat was the burst of magical damage taking a chunk of his lifeforce and the negative effects of whatever litany of Banes had just been triggered.
For a brief moment, Paul found himself staring at that glossy black glass that the enemy¡¯s helmets were all comprised of but slightly hidden under a dark cowl. Then he released the hold on his sword to grab the man he knew lay within.
He wrapped his arms around the Caster, invading the man¡¯s personal space, all in an attempt to disrupt the teleporting magic the enemy was using while he cast another spell. This one also had an altered name since bonding with one of his [Radiant Spirit Gems] and he hoped the additional effects wouldn''t make him regret his choice as he had never used it while grappling the intended target before.
Class Ability: Swords of the Celestial
Type: Spell (channel, construct, elemental, magical, blood, fire, light)
Cost: Moderate mana per second.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Current Caste: Ruby 1 (1%)
Crystal Effect: Channel mana to construct a sword each second to impale a nearby enemy target from above and inflict Light damage.
Sapphire Effect: Each second constructs three swords and inflicts additional Fire damage and [Burning].
Emerald Effect: Each second constructs six swords and inflicts additional Blood damage and [Bleeding].
Ruby Effect: Each second constructs nine swords and explodes upon impact inflicting additional Radiant damage.
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
- Bleeding (bane, magical, blood): Inflicts ongoing Blood damage.
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The seconds felt excruciatingly long as nine long swords shimmering with rainbow radiance and holy flames appeared above the pair to swiftly crash down upon them. The physical blades easily sliced through them before exploding in a rapid series of concussive blasts.
Paul was relieved that his health seemed unaffected by the damage of his own ability but he was still pinned in place as he held tight to the cursing rogue that was becoming increasingly slick with blood and singed by the fire engulfing him. Each explosion threatened to shred the enemy to pieces as the metal wouldn¡¯t allow the entire body to be tossed aside instead.
Then, the two Ruby Casters were drenched in a torrent of water as a giant maw consumed them both. The dragon had swallowed them whole, not caring about the fact that its massive body was crashing into even more of the hybrid wreckage, setting off another chain of wild explosions that Paul could sense even through the thick scaled lining of the monster''s throat.
He hadn¡¯t stopped channeling his spell, though, as swords continued to appear and impale the pair. It wasn¡¯t until he felt the effects of the creature¡¯s magical stomach attempting to break him down for nutrients that he released the Soul Reaper and triggered [Meteor Strike] again, blasting through the less deflective insides and piercing a hole between the silvery scales.
The Paladin wasn¡¯t completely surprised that the stealth specialist hadn¡¯t followed after him, likely attempting to recover as well, and he downed one of the more expensive Emerald Caste [Healing Potions] he had in his hip pouch.
As he flew through the air, he also tried downing a [Cleansing Elixir] to help his aura clear off the effects faster but the Emerald Caste item didn¡¯t seem to be enough to get rid of the Banes slowly killing him from the inside. He knew it was a long shot but thought it was worth the attempt, at least.
Grimacing, he tried navigating further away from his [Nemesis] Bane to perch on a ledge of the sundered ship that wasn¡¯t being completely ravaged by the magic storm and pulled out a small canister.
¡°Wayland hasn¡¯t needed to use that for quite a while,¡± Orebela noted in his mind.
¡°I haven''t found myself bleeding out for quite a while,¡± he retorted, dipping the tips of his fingers into the specialized salve, the pungent scent of cut grass and the coppery tang of spilled blood assaulting his nostrils. He winced slightly as he stretched his torso to rub the [Maniac¡¯s Sorrow] across the wound that was refusing to close on its own.
¡°I wish the golden skin you gave me did more for Piercing attacks,¡± he grumbled as he repeated the action on his shoulders and neck wounds as well once it proved successful in removing the Blood magic Bane that had been forcibly leaking his life force. He could sense that his aura wouldn''t be able to cleanse that one while other Banes remained. That particular stipulation on a Bane was a rare modifier he had only come across a handful of times and made Bane specialists particularly fatal.
The divinely blessed salve he had used was specifically designed to handle bleeding wounds like that after his old party had run into a particularly nasty enemy who was very fond of exsanguination.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
¡°This One wishes Wayland wasn¡¯t so tired that he forgot how to dodge.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t forget,¡± he complained, ¡°I¡¯m just a bit off with my timing and it¡¯s been decades since I¡¯ve been at the bottom level of a Caste. I¡¯m not used to things moving that much faster than me or evading my aura senses to the degree he¡¯s capable of.
¡°Even when I was around Ruby Casters as an Emerald, you know I never fought any by myself like this. It requires different tactics,¡± he explained.
¡°Yes. Mainly dodging because Wayland doesn¡¯t have a Healer to heal the hits or a Defender to take the hits instead. Now Wayland has nasty Banes destroying what little hasn¡¯t already been destroyed by your refusal to recover.¡±
¡°My aura can handle most of what I would normally come across,¡± he said in his defense as the aura handled the Dark Banes that remained after just a few moments. He silently admitted, though, that he had been disappointed that the Ruby effect hadn''t been cultivated to cover one of his glaring weaknesses.
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Passive Ability: Flames of Purification
Type: Aura (cleanse, elemental, fire)
Current Caste: Ruby 1
Crystal Effect: Periodically cleanses Elemental Banes for allies within your aura.
Sapphire Effect: Increases Fire resistance for allies while decreasing Fire resistance for enemies.
Emerald Effect: Periodically cleanses Magical Banes for allies within your aura.
Ruby Effect: Periodically inflicts Fire and Light damage to enemies within the aura. Extra effective against targets with the [Corrupted] status.
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Unfortunately, it did nothing for the Divine Void Banes he could feel still weakening and draining him, but at least he bought himself a bit more time with the salve.
At the sight of the dragon seemingly fighting with the wild storm itself with the magic of the ship lashing out against the beast that had attacked it, he gave a small grin and thought, ¡°I can do this. I can win.¡±
¡°This One does not understand what Wayland is smiling about,¡± his Familiar chided, ¡°This One told Wayland to buy Ruby Cleansing potions back in Blomstra.¡±
¡°I know, Bela. You¡¯re much wiser than I and usually right,¡± he conceded as he looked at the massive spectacle before him and added, ¡°But I can¡¯t help but smile when I remember what Everin said: that this is a battle they¡¯ll sing songs about.¡±
¡°Songs about the foolish man who never listens to his Familiar when it matters most and finally lost his mind from refusing to rest,¡± the monotonous voice managed to say bitterly.
He chuckled but it was quickly cut off by the feeling of his [Nemesis] blinking out of existence to reappear behind him as he turned while lifting his larger blade to block the two smaller ones that had been aiming for his back.
Paul took one of his hands away from his hilt to construct and throw a [Flame Javelin] at the enemy¡¯s head but hit only smoke as the tracking Bane moved further away again.
A ripple of exhaustion passed through him as he stumbled slightly, then wavered in the air as he launched himself up into the sky, the slight falter causing a mild surge of panic. It was a harsh reminder that he was still on an internal countdown towards an inevitable sleep. He couldn¡¯t afford to waste any time or energy chasing the rogue around the precarious battlefield.
Instead, he focused on the enemy he could see, which was nicely distracted by its fight with a ship he was starting to wonder was sentient somehow. Or maybe the magic was going wonky and making it sentient? The Striker wasn¡¯t sure but he did know that whatever was happening was something he could take advantage of.
Another [Meteor Strike] later, his renewed assault on the massive dragon began again. Piling on the damage as the ship¡¯s vines entangled the once-flying creature in place and magically infused water attacks fought back, all while the storm raged around them in a chaotic cacophony of elements.
Wind buffeted him around as he maneuvered through the air. Flames caressed any surface they could find purchase on. Rain and snow spattered his face and soaked his hair turning it a darker auburn. There was even the rare flicker of illusory images of the people that had once inhabited the vessel floating among the wreckage and the haunting song of their loss entwining with the flurry around them.
The serpentine body flailing wildly didn¡¯t help Paul take less damage from stray hits and too-tired reaction times but it did help him chain combination attacks until, with one last explosion of Radiant damage from his greatsword, the dragon gave out a final death wail and the vines of the vessel sliced through the scaly body, leaving piles of fishy flesh scattered all over.
An unlucky hit from a stray lightning bolt as he was mid-flight in his descent toward a landing gave the Reaper ¨Cwho he had felt shifting around nearby¨C the opportunity they had been waiting for. Curved blades struck from behind again, right at the joints where his wings extended from his shoulder blades, and pinned him against the angry vessel.
In a final act of desperation, as soon as the blades were pulled back for another attack, he triggered [Flicker Strike] again with the ship as his second enemy.
Paul felt like he had become the lightning itself as he chained attacks in brilliant flashes of light, consuming his enemies with flames and holy wrath.
The Paladin pushed himself harder and harder. Even as the teleporting effect ended with his twentieth attack, he kept swinging, weaving his attacks with javelins thrown at the ship, which was now attacking the pair of Casters.
He felt the ship groan as the metal supports seemed to give out and the vines stopped moving on their own, the temporarily infused construct having finally exhausted its mana.
The brief glimpses Paul had gotten of the shifty assassin let him know that the Caster wasn¡¯t faring much better than the ship at this point, having been caught twice in the devastation of his [Flicker Strike], and he saw the vessel itself manage a few critical blows to their mutual enemy. His [Nemesis] Bane was turning out to be his greatest advantage against the stealth specialist attempting to ambush him. Letting him defend or land blows that he normally wouldn¡¯t have had time to react with.
Then it was his turn to finally have some luck as he alighted on the topmost level of the now-still vessel. He sensed his [Nemesis] move in closer only to halt suddenly as a blast of wild Ice magic caught the enemy¡¯s leg, and Paul executed the Soul Reaper where he stood.
Now shining with a Radiant light, his gleaming onyx blade rent the enemy in two at the waist. Cutting through the final sliver of life force the Soul Reaper was holding onto, the halves collapsing to the ground at his feet.
In an unceremonious moment of triumph, the Wrath Blade roared at the sky still raining down on him and kicked the upper torso to trigger the looting effect. Ruby ashes quickly fell into a puddle that was reminiscent of blood and a small pile of treasure appeared at his feet.
He had won. His city was safe. His family was safe. Perhaps now he could rest¡
¡°Wayland should return now. Find a cleansing Healer and¨C¡±
¡°You know there isn¡¯t one there, Bela¡ We just killed the only other Ruby Caster on the tundra.¡±
¡°Then head straight to Blomstra. The Ruby Healers there will¨C¡±
¡°It¡¯s too far,¡± he countered. Another wave of fatigue washed through him, and he mentally murmured to his Familiar, ¡°I just want to see my kids again¡¡±
Paul stumbled atop the landing as he bent to pick up the loot, instead falling to his knees in utter exhaustion, and he realized that he had finally run out of the rarest of Divine magics: Time.
55 - The Blade of Pure Love
Phoenix had been a nervous wreck as she tried to be helpful while also paying attention to the battle her mentor was fighting in the distance. Keeping her portal available to those who were still retreating from the hastily constructed camp they were in was the best she could do while listening to Dazien give a verbal play-by-play over the mental communication ability while their party was split in two.
¡°I think the vessel is fighting the dragon now,¡± he reported with a hint of disbelief.
¡°Seriously?¡± Rayna piped up, ¡°You¡¯re actually telling me that Phoenix¡¯s crazy stunt is actually helping Paul fight a Ruby Caste monster?¡±
¡°Why would you have to say it like that?¡± the Defender complained, ¡°Now she¡¯s going to keep doing them.¡±
¡°Pretty sure we¡¯ve already established that is her Role,¡± the pugilist retorted.
¡°You¡¯re sure Paul got out of it when he got swallowed?¡± Phoenix double-checked nervously, wishing now that she had stayed on the hill to watch.
¡°I saw the explosion and hole ripped through its side but I told you the Casters are moving too fast for me to be completely sure,¡± the gemite reiterated and she gave an annoyed huff.
¡°I don¡¯t like having to just wait here while he¡¯s fighting like this,¡± she complained, crossing her arms in a self-hug that was further reinforced by Saiya coming up from behind to wrap furred forearms and tails around her as well. The Healer and Mage had been the ones to accompany her back down to the staging area that was attempting to get clear of any potential Ruby Caste threat.
¡°We¡¯ll just have to trust in his strength,¡± Saiya replied softly.
¡°We would just be a liability in a fight like that,¡± Uriel quietly pointed out, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder, ¡°While I understand wanting to help, Lord Wayland made it quite clear that he would get distracted by our presence. He¡¯s already fighting on the back foot.¡±
As the last of the remaining Adventurers in the camp retreated through her portal, she opened her next one to rejoin Dazien and Rayna who were still perched on the nearby hill to watch the battle while wrapped in the shadows of her aura. She pulled out her own [Crystal Spyglass] to try and see if she could spot anything but it wasn¡¯t a match for Dazien¡¯s [Eagle Eye] passive when it came to readjusting and scanning the wreckage for signs of Paul.
Phoenix caught a glimpse of a small crystal hovering in the air and she asked the group incredulously, ¡°Was that a Sense Stone? Is someone over there actually trying to record everything?¡±
¡°I thought it would be useful for the historians and the AOA reports I know that Director woman is going to make me fill out,¡± Everin¡¯s voice replied over the network, ¡°I¡¯m staying well away and controlling them remotely so no need to worry about my safety or distracting Paul.¡±
¡°Are you at least helping him?!¡±
¡°I gave him Boons and plan to move in once the battle is over¨C oh nice! That dragon is very dead now.¡±
The Wayfarer moved her spyglass again and, sure enough, it looked like a giant pile of sashimi had been poured over the ship. Then Dazien gasped from beside her as a flash of lightning pulled her attention and she saw Paul frozen in mid-air for a split second before getting pinned to a nearby wall.
She whispered, ¡°No,¡± right as the Paladin vanished in a series of flashing lights that appeared like glitter through the lens of her spyglass.
¡°Is that the ability you mentioned seeing him use the first time you reunited, Uriel?¡± the Defender asked the Mage standing behind them.
¡°I can¡¯t tell from this distance,¡± Uriel replied, ¡°But how many abilities would he have that produce a bunch of flashes as he annihilates a swarm?¡±
¡°I think he just killed the ship,¡± Everin noted from his closer position that she didn¡¯t even bother trying to find. ¡°Now it¡¯s just the Caster that he¡¯ll need to¨C oh sh¨C¡±
¡°What happened? Where is he?¡± Phoenix asked in a panicked rush, trying to find her mentor once more in her limited sight.
¡°On the very top level. He just cut the enemy in half and the Caster didn¡¯t grow a new pair of legs! That¡¯s not usually what happens at Ruby before the killing blow that burns through the remaining magic keeping them alive. These recordings are going to be amazing to watch when we¨C¡±
¡°Help him!¡± Phoenix yelled, interrupting the voxen as she watched Paul stumble and fall to his knees, the black wings vanishing as his golden Familiar appeared to stop him from landing on his face. Then she flung herself down the hill, sprinting to get her aura in range to portal to her mentor.
This One does not like being manifested outside of the summoner. Wayland is safe and soothing. Wayland¡¯s thoughts and perspective help This One see the world around them differently and, when manifested in my own form, This One loses the filters and additional information Wayland¡¯s mind grants.
Now, however, Wayland was falling.
This One caught him. It would not do for Wayland to take even more damage from a fall, even a short one. This One was careful to lay Wayland down on his side. Wayland was still awake but weak. Much too weak for a Ruby Caster.
¡°Wayland must stay awake to see the young ones again,¡± This One logically pointed out to the summoner¡¯s previously spoken desire.
¡°I¡ I don¡¯t think I can anymore, Bela,¡± Wayland replied aloud, coughing slightly at the action and This One noticed the dark blood that now covered Wayland¡¯s lips. That was not good. Then Wayland¡¯s magically constructed armor and sword vanished, leaving him in only the Emerald Caste under armor. Not good at all.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
This One reached into the pouch always held at Wayland¡¯s hip and pulled out the [Maniac¡¯s Sorrow] salve again, moving Wayland slightly forward to get at his back. This One continued talking to keep Wayland awake, just like This One had been doing for the last five days to keep the summoner going, ¡°Little Miss will be upset if Wayland does not stay awake for her right now.¡±
Wayland chuckled, though This One did not understand why. Little Miss being upset was not funny and Wayland falling asleep now would have a 98% probability of him not waking again. None of this situation was funny but humans were odd creatures that would often laugh instead of cry.
¡°Do you think she¡¯ll yell at me?¡±
¡°Wayland would deserve it for not listening to This One.¡±
¡°Will¡ Do you think Phoenix and Dazien will hate me?¡±
This One did not understand why Wayland would ask that. From This One¡¯s observations, the Little Miss was very forgiving of the stubborn human. It was obvious to everyone that the Little Miss did not hate Wayland and seemed to be blind to many of the summoner¡¯s flaws. The Little King was much the same, always looking to Wayland for guidance and affirmation.
¡°This One does not predict Little Miss or Little King will ever hate Wayland. Why does Wayland think they might?¡±
Wayland chuckled again, obviously losing control of what little mental faculties remained, ¡°Because the Blade of Pure Wrath broke his promises and went off to die?¡±
An odd sensation occurred in This One¡¯s core, like all the pieces of This One¡¯s being tightening around it in an effort to shield it from damage. This One will need to run a diagnostic ritual later to analyze if anything may be broken.
¡°This One does not like when Wayland tries to make predictions. They are always terrible,¡± This One pointed out pragmatically.
This One noticed the Rebel Fox arrive then, holding a handful of Sense Stones that the voxen was putting in a bag, and This One gave Wayland a different prediction, ¡°This One thinks after today, the people of Tulim will call Wayland the Blade of Pure Love instead. It will fit much better.¡±
A coughing laugh this time. More blood that was turning black pooled near Wayland¡¯s head and This One rubbed more of the salve on. Making sure the Blood Banes were all gone. Then This One searched for another [Healing Potion] in the bag as Wayland asked, ¡°Why would they call me that?¡±
¡°Because everyone will know what you did to save them all,¡± the Rebel Fox stated but the vulpine smile did not look normal. It looked forced. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure of it. Now stay still and don¡¯t argue about me healing you.¡±
¡°Rebel Fox can cleanse Void Banes?¡± This One asked, needing to add the knowledge to my mental databases.
The Healer laughed. This One did not understand what was funny about the inquiry.
¡°Does your Familiar always call me that?¡± the Rebel Fox asked Wayland, placing a furry white hand on the summoner¡¯s shoulder and whispering healing incantations.
¡°Yes,¡± Wayland confirmed with a groan, ¡°She calls people exactly how she sees them.¡±
¡°I see,¡± the voxen said, then turned to look at This One and added with a frown, ¡°No, I can¡¯t. I can only buy time.¡±
Then Little Miss¡¯ portal appeared nearby. This One was pleased that Wayland would get his desire at least. This One hoped it would not be the last time Wayland¡¯s desire was granted and that a solution to the current problem would present itself soon.
This One wanted to reach Obsidian and be able to stay with Wayland forever.
Phoenix was startled by the sight of Paul lying halfway between his side and on his stomach, with Everin kneeling in front of him and Orebela leaning over his back. By the time she had finally arrived, the wild weather infused with magic had shifted in this area, turning the rain into snow and becoming softer. The lightening effect caused a somber feeling as it washed out any color and she didn¡¯t care for that one bit.
The blank face was slightly disconcerting but Phoenix could tell from body language alone that the android-like Familiar was fretting over her downed summoner. Rubbing the ointment on nasty blackened wounds where wings once were.
¡°Wayland is very injured and has Banes from the enemy that are not stopping despite the Caster¡¯s death,¡± Orebela explained in her mind.
Tendrils of black veins seemed to trail from the twin cuts, though the gashes were slowly closing. Phoenix knew the crow wings were only missing because Orebela wasn¡¯t merged to conjure them but it looked as if they had been savagely torn from the Paladin¡¯s back. A Fallen angel never to soar again.
No.
She couldn¡¯t let that happen.
Phoenix moved towards Everin¡¯s side, placing herself near the Paladin¡¯s head as she checked to make sure he was still awake. She could feel his aura still, which let her know that he was at least still alive, but it was completely unrestrained, flooding the area with its purifying powers of fire and light.
¡°Paul? Are you still awake? Everin¡¯s going to fix you up and then we¡¯re gonna go home for you to sleep in a bed, okay?¡± she said hopefully, glancing up at the Cleric who didn¡¯t smile.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, young one,¡± Paul replied, sounding weaker than she had ever heard him before.
¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± she murmured, ¡°It¡¯s okay that you got hurt but you still won and now we¡¯re gonna heal you up and¨C¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t go on our adventure,¡± he said in a rush, as though trying to get out his words before he passed out from exhaustion, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I won¡¯t be there to shield you anymore.¡±
¡°Stop it.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry I hid things from you.¡±
¡°Stop talking like this.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t¨C¡±
¡°STOP IT!¡± she yelled, ignoring the sensation of Dazien, Uriel, and Saiya walking through her portal and shouted, ¡°Stop talking like you¡¯re dying! You can¡¯t die! It¡¯s not allowed!¡±
Her vision blurred and she hoped the gently falling snow would hide her tears as she continued berating the foolish Paladin who seemed to just be giving up on her, ¡°Everin is here. Saiya is here now. She can cleanse. There are potions in your satchel. I have an [Elixir of Divine Cleansing]!¡±
¡°You do?¡± the Cleric asked, suddenly perking up.
¡°Yes. I had¡¡± she trailed off, realizing it was missing from her collection, then glanced at Uriel as she remembered who she had used it on, ¡°I¡ I had one but¡¡±
The cinderen¡¯s eyes went wide in realization before turning into the most pained expression she had ever seen on his face then suddenly going completely blank. She recognized it now; when the earrings he still wore during combat would activate and make him numb.
¡°She used it to save another life that was equally worth saving,¡± Dazien said firmly and she wouldn¡¯t disagree. Both men were important to her and she wouldn¡¯t bring herself to try to choose between them.
¡°I did,¡± she reaffirmed, turning back to Everin, ¡°You¡¯re Emerald Caste. Don¡¯t you have a powerful cleanse that can take care of whatever is happening?¡±
¡°Being able to cleanse Divine Banes is insanely rare, Phoenix,¡± the Cleric said, still having that stupid frown that made everything seem so much worse, ¡°And even if I could, I¡¯m still not Ruby myself. The Banes would resist anything I attempt¡ it¡¯s¡ there¡¯s nothing I or Saiya can do.¡±
¡°There must be something!¡± she yelled, ¡°He can¡¯t die!¡±
Then she felt a hand on her cheek, clearing her vision with a thumb as she heard Paul say soothingly, the way he sounded when she woke from a nightmare, ¡°Hey, everything will be okay.¡±
¡°No, it won¡¯t be,¡± she sobbed, hoping this current nightmare would end already.
¡°You¡¯ll be okay, Phoenix.¡±
¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡±
¡°You will shine, young one¡¡± Paul coughed again and she focused on his face as he looked at her with those bright blue eyes that she rarely got to see as he softly spoke while wiping her tears, ¡°You are the stars and moon enlightening the night, the sun that banishes the monsters, my strength, my hope¡ my daughter.¡±
¡°You can¡¯t die¡ you¡¯re my dad¡ you promised.¡±
Paul gave a pained smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, love,¡± he whispered and closed his eyes.
She caught his hand as it slipped from her cheek and didn¡¯t break down into sobs right then only because she could still feel his aura embracing her own. He was only sleeping then.
Dazien knelt down next to her and spoke over her towards Everin, ¡°Please, Cleric Starlark, isn¡¯t there something you can do? Surely your goddess wouldn¡¯t leave her Chosen without her Mentor,¡± the gemite said, then wrapped a reassuring arm around her shoulders as he added, ¡°Please¡ save our dad.¡±
¡°I¨C¡± the voxen paused as she looked up at him, begging with her eyes and soul, ¡°I can try¡¡± he stated slowly before adding, ¡°Just don¡¯t hate me if this doesn¡¯t work.¡±
56 - Worth Falling For
Everin Starlark was never meant to be here. Never meant to be on this backwater tundra with only a single city of any interest and where nothing seemed to grow, not even the people. Never meant to become a pocket healer to a stubborn man whose historical lineage was more terrifying the more he dug into it. Never meant to be a silent shadow to a child who he now believed was being exploited by the gods. Never meant to actually care about this group of unfortunate orphans who repeatedly lost everything they ever held dear.
He was meant to be relaxing on a beautiful beach far far to the southeast, proselytizing to people about the benefits of being free to choose where and how they lived the life they were gifted. Free from the cold. Free from being tied to an unremarkable job. Free from the burdens of responsibility.
Apparently, Fate had other plans for him.
After being talked into becoming a freedom fighter for the local rebellion on that beautiful beach, he found himself quickly taking on responsibility and various jobs with the goal of freeing the people there from the invisible shackles the kingdom held on them.
Then his goddess gave him a quest. Him. An important enough quest that he was raised to the position of Cleric and sent to the other side of the continent.
Find and watch over the Chosen One of Rebel, the Wayfarer: Phoenix Fraser and her party.
What he discovered upon arrival was an absolutely ridiculous scenario where a mere child, who was utterly naive and sheltered her entire life, was being honed into an Adventurer with the weight of an entire nation she had absolutely zero knowledge about placed upon her frail shoulders.
He had never been angry at his goddess before, but the day he first saw Phoenix Fraser and learned about her situation, he had become furious.
Everin had actually gone to the local temple, a rather small affair but that suited him fine, and he verbally tore into his goddess about using an ignorant child as a weapon. Some things just had to be said face to face.
Her reassurance about the child¡¯s immortality did not soothe his anger completely but at least he no longer believed his goddess was trying to get the Wayfarer murdered.
¡Until Phoenix actually got murdered. Multiple times. Then he had a completely new set of worries that he felt ill-equipped to handle, despite being classified as a Healer.
He had wondered if he would have been able to puzzle out her talent himself if he hadn¡¯t been so focused on tracking her through the divine beacon her Soul Mark behaved as.
Everin had thought it strange when he saw her go through the portal after her talk with the Noble Ruwena siblings, even stranger when she hadn''t returned immediately, but the sudden sense of her portaling to somewhere else within the city had given him enough cause for concern to investigate. What he saw upon his arrival, before Phoenix had finished reviving, still gave him more questions than his goddess would answer.
However, there was only one question that he needed an answer to the most for his situation: how was he meant to ¡°watch over¡± a woman who couldn''t die? Who lived through horrible experiences that nobody should remember? Who kept running and fighting and falling? At this rate, she would hit a breaking point before she ever accomplished a single objective for her divine quest.
There were missing artifacts she was meant to be seeking. Plus, finding her way to Tyrand and its heir, and standing up to its tyrannical Regent. She wasn¡¯t supposed to be burning down half the tundra and lurking in the shadow of her party and mentor.
Instead of the symbol of hope and freedom that he had thought the Chosen One would be, a hero rebelling against an undeserved and corrupt authority, he found a phoenix repeatedly rising from the ashes of death to struggle forward against impossible odds and even beyond them.
And now she wanted him to do the impossible as well.
Despite Phoenix and Paul having one of the strongest bonds he had ever sensed between two people with his rare perception power, it wasn¡¯t the begging of the kits that convinced him to even attempt the impossible. It was the sight of the Paladin quickly rotting away after having given everything to protect not only his kits but the entire city that had once betrayed him. The man who, in the end, chose to sacrifice everything for others.
Everin sent another wave of healing power into the Ruby Caster and prayed. Prayed to the gods for a miracle.
¡°Let him go, Cleric,¡± his goddess, Rebel, answered from within his mind, ¡°He is holding the Chosen One back. She needs the freedom to grow without him.¡±
¡°No!¡± he practically growled, ¡°Too many people love this absurdly overpowered and deeply flawed man.¡±
¡°You cannot help him. This is as it should be.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t just let him die! I swore to protect Phoenix¡¯s wellbeing and to lose her mentor, her father, will break her,¡± he argued.
¡°When a bone breaks, it mends stronger. He must fall for her to rise.¡±
¡°She¡¯s been broken enough! I have to at least give her hope. Otherwise, the bone won¡¯t just break; it will crumble into dust.¡±
¡°Then it will prove she¡¯s not strong enough for the road ahead but I believe you underestimate her resiliency. I will not help you with this. I advise you to let Paul Wayland die.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Rebel never gave orders, merely suggestions, requests, or advice. She was very big on making it obvious that the clergy had a choice in everything they decided to do. What wasn¡¯t always made clear was the consequences of their choices should they choose to ignore her.
Now, that¡¯s exactly what he found himself doing as he shouted towards the sky for any other with the power to help, ¡°Mender! Cultivator! Parent or Lover! Hero or even the blasted Avenger! We beseech any and all of you, to grant us a blessing, an item, a bloody miracle even! Anything to save the life of this man!¡±
He had been tempted to call upon the Purifier even, the god most suited to cleanse Banes like this, but the god would likely be more inclined to smite his Fallen Paladin than save the traitor¡¯s life.
They waited in silence, the snow falling around them the only indication that time hadn¡¯t stopped.
Nothing happened.
Orebela broke the silence within their minds, ¡°Only a few more minutes. Wayland cannot last much longer. His health is getting dangerously low,¡± the Familiar pointed out as patches of black voidness started appearing on the Paladin¡¯s tan skin.
Everin cast another heal to buy more time but his ability was nowhere near enough to outpace the higher Caste Banes. Then he yelled within his mind and prayed for another deity to answer, ¡°Scholar! I need your help, I know you¡¯re watching and listening to it all and I know you have the answer.¡±
A brilliant flash of rainbow light filled the space and the next moment a mini-redhead in dark fur-lined robes appeared and he was fairly certain the little girl was a child representation of Phoenix as the goddess spoke a warning, ¡°The answer will likely make Rebel angry. Are you willing to Fall for them?¡±
That took Everin by surprise. Rebel wasn¡¯t known for causing anyone who left her service willingly to become Fallen. Even if the person ignored her ¡°advice¡± and chose their own way, they usually weren''t labeled an actual enemy of the goddess.
Most of the time, they were either demoted or simply removed from the clergy altogether, no longer gaining the services or whispers that the deity normally offered. If Scholar was certain that he would become a Fallen Cleric, that meant he would need to do something that either went against the goddess¡¯ concept itself or angered her so greatly as to punish him for it.
He looked down once more at the withering Paladin, wondering if this was what the older man felt when he faced becoming one of the Fallen all those years ago. It made him realize one clarifying truth and he spoke it aloud, ¡°Some things are worth Falling for.¡±
¡°Then you¡¯ll need Phoenix¡¯s help to have a chance at this,¡± Scholar said and pointed at the bits of the corpse of the monstrous dragon that hadn¡¯t started breaking down yet as she instructed, ¡°But first you¡¯ll need to loot that thing and then you¡¯ll have to dedicate yourself to me as well.¡±
The Cleric stood and made his way towards the nearest chunk of flesh, ¡°Can¡¯t share the knowledge without that?¡± he clarified while looking back. At her firm nod, he gave a sigh. Luckily, there were only a handful of deities that Rebel refused for her clergy to dedicate themselves to while already in her service and Scholar was not one of those.
Becoming a member of multiple clergies wasn¡¯t entirely uncommon but it was an intricate web of divine alliances at times, with certain deities refusing to ¡°share¡± with others. If it had been the Sovereign asking, instead of Scholar, he would have to refuse or leave Rebel¡¯s clergy to be able to, as those deities were often opposed.
He supposed if Scholar was sure whatever he was about to do would reject him from the clergy anyway then that particular point was rather moot.
The voxen touched a tail to the large corpse of the dragon he had technically assisted in killing by granting Paul his meager Boons and heals, powers that he would only admit were meager when compared to their most recent target.
Everin only got two items from it, aside from a small pile of [Ruby Mana Bits], as his looting ability normally provided the Bits and the occasional fun trinket. The first item was a Spirit Gem of some kind he didn¡¯t recognize but the second item made him instantly recoil from the sight of it on the ground in front of him. A glistening black device in the shape of a spindly hand: a [Soul Cage].
The Cleric whirled to stare at the tiny goddess, ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!¡±
¡°It is the only thing that will work in time that my domain will allow me to do in this capacity.¡±
¡°What is it?¡± the tear-stained Wayfarer asked.
¡°I will not turn him into one of those Caged monsters. Death would be a kinder option,¡± the Emerald Healer told Scholar fervently.
¡°That is not what should happen,¡± the goddess replied calmly, ¡°Dedicate yourself to me and I can show you. I don¡¯t want to hold this form outside my sanctuary for much longer without need and this plan will cost much.¡±
Everin ground his teeth at that, buying a few moments of time to decide by scooping up the Bits along with picking up the Spirit Gem off the ground and calling out, ¡°Hey, Phoenix,¡± before he tossed it towards the Astromancer once she focused on him.
She easily caught it but raised an eyebrow in confusion as she asked him, ¡°You want me to identify it?¡±
He shrugged, ¡°Keep it. Consider it Paul¡¯s share,¡± he clarified, turning back towards the offensive device that was still waiting for him to claim it as he considered his remaining options.
Everin needed to know how this evil contraption could save the Paladin¡¯s life without condemning him at the same time but the goddess seemed to think just telling him in her own magically constructed form would expend too much of her Divine power to be worth it. Or perhaps there was something more at play here.
The Cleric knew the gods were all stingy about how they spent their power. Most would call it frugality but oftentimes he thought them cheap. He wouldn¡¯t be the one to change the entire pantheon on this point, however. He had asked for a miracle, which were rare for a reason, and only one deity answered his pleas.
So he turned to look back towards the goddess instead of picking up the cage and said clearly, ¡°I offer you my devotion and service as¡¡±
He trailed off, unsure what position the goddess wanted him in among her ranks. While he was a Cleric for Rebel that didn¡¯t mean he would automatically be granted that for Scholar. Most likely, he would be an average Priest, with no additional blessing or anything aside from just the whispers granted, but he didn¡¯t want to assume either.
¡°My Avatar,¡± she said with a smile.
Everin¡¯s eyebrows disappeared into his silver hairline as he sputtered, ¡°Avatar?!¡±
That position was incredibly rare and extremely risky to the one who held it. It came with a very particular blessing that allowed the Caster to act as a temporary vessel for a deity, allowing them to interact with the world in a way that was normally not possible for them, bound by their rules of divinity as they were. The risk was that the channeling of Divine power like that was not for the weak of will, potentially losing one¡¯s mind or the power escaping unchecked to burn through the body like a candle tossed into a bonfire.
His soul would need to be strong enough to withstand that kind of force while allowing it to work through him. The fact that it was Scholar, who knew his every thought and those of every Avatar before him, was the only reassurance he had that his soul could bear the strain.
The child-like goddess nodded, and he continued his previous dedication, ¡°I offer you my devotion and service as your Avatar. My hands are your hands. Your words are my words. My life is your life. Your will is my will.¡±
Another wide grin from the deity as she replied, ¡°I will require no Oathbond but know that I will not answer that which you should not repeat, and not every question will get answered even if one is made. That can be negotiated later though, for now, accept my Blessing and let me work through you.¡±
Everin nodded, and the next thing he knew, he was being wrapped by tiny arms around his waist in the most painful hug he had ever experienced in his life.
57 - If You Gaze
Phoenix was still holding Paul¡¯s hand as she knelt in the slush beside him. The conversation between the Cleric and goddess had been confusing at best and deeply concerning at worst.
Scholar wanted to cage Paul¡¯s soul? Why? How? Was it like Everin said where death would be kinder? Or was it the only chance for her to keep her dad by her side? Would it be cruel to keep him alive if it meant twisting him in that way?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the Cleric tossing an item to her, claiming it as Paul¡¯s share of the loot, and her [Guide Book] was more than happy to identify it for her.
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Item: Dragon Spirit Gem
A magical gem containing the spiritual concept of a dragon made manifest.
Caste: Ruby.
Availability: Rare.
Type: Consumable, ingredient.
Requirements: Ruby Caste with less than 10 unlocked cultivating abilities.
Effect: Further enhances a random cultivating ability, unlocking additional effects; weighted towards the most suitable ability available.
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Well, that would be nice at Ruby. She glanced down at the man sleeping before her, brushing the snow from the locks of hair now reminiscent of her own. Her hope that he would be able to see her use the gem one day, as she already knew he would insist on it since he couldn¡¯t use it anyways, and her determination to make sure he saw that day was renewed with a fierce fervor.
¡°Avatar?!¡± Everin practically shouted at the small goddess and she found her attention returning to the pair that was her only hope to see that future with her dad. Phoenix wasn¡¯t sure what exactly was happening as the Cleric seemed to make some kind of vow that apparently wasn¡¯t an Oathbond based on Scholar¡¯s words.
She winced in sympathetic pain as the goddess hugged Everin and he screamed. Eventually, his voice simply gave out but his body still seemed trapped in a rictus grip of agony even as he began glowing brightly.
Her aura had been expanded like it usually was when not in the city and her book helped to inform her about some of the changes that were taking place within the poor Cleric.
Everin Starlark has cultivated a Natural Talent.
Natural Talent: Divine Vessel
Cultivated from [Illusion Attunement] due to unlocking the Life Aspect.
Cultivated from [Spirit Attunement] due to Scholar¡¯s Blessing.
- Increased resistance to negative Illusion, Life, and Radiant effects. Illusion, Life, and Radiant abilities have increased effects.
- Your physical body has been reinforced to contain Divine entities for a short duration and long cooldown.
- When acting as a vessel for a Divine entity, you gain the following effects:
- You have greatly increased resistances and attributes.
- Your abilities have no cost or cooldown.
- You become attuned to every magic type.
- You are bound to their area of influence, unable to leave it. This effect overrides Banish or Summon abilities.
- You can perform rituals and cantrips with mana in place of any common or uncommon component requirements.
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Everin Starlark has gained a new Divine Title.
New Divine Title: Avatar of the Scholar
Your aura has been altered by the divine entity: Scholar. The alteration has enhanced the strength of your aura, increasing its range and resistance to effects from higher Castes. Your appearance has been altered. People can sense your desire to seek new knowledge and act as an instrument of the divine through your aura.
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Then the deity¡¯s tiny self-projection was glowing too, getting brighter and brighter and swirling with rainbow colors until the two silhouettes seemed to merge and blend together into one being.
When the light finally solidified and dimmed, she was shocked by the figure kneeling in the thin layer of snow where the white-furred and silver-haired voxen once stood. It looked like someone, perhaps a child-like deity, had taken the man who had once been blank porcelain and painted him with every color available. A child¡¯s rainbow kitsune.
The five tails that had all been as white as the snow falling upon them were now each a separate color; red, orange, yellow, green, and blue, and she vaguely wondered if purple would sprout once he reached Emerald 5 and got the sixth tail.
His hair and hands were a swirled pattern of rainbows as well, giving him an almost tie-dye effect that she thought surprisingly suited the normally playful man. His skin was still pale but flushed with the exertion that both his body and soul had just undergone.
A moment later the voxen opened his eyes, which had been a clear crystal blue that had reminded her of the ice on the tundra reflecting a clear sky, but now they were solid orbs of the swirling colors of the Radiant magic pouring out of them as they looked straight at her and Everin spoke. Or Scholar did? Phoenix wasn¡¯t entirely sure who was talking as the voice seemed layered with both people speaking in perfect unison.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
¡°We must move quickly before this vessel burns,¡± the Avatar of the Scholar said, already moving now, using the tip of a golden claw to draw magical runes in the air just above the wet ground around Paul. ¡°You will need to be part of this for it to work, Phoenix.¡±
¡°What is ¡®this¡¯, exactly?¡± she asked, standing along with Dazien to get out of the way of the swiftly drawing Radiant voxen.
Then her book appeared with part of the answer and she gave both the book and the goddess-infused man a wary gaze. Now she was extremely suspicious of the connection the two might have. However, that suspicion was shoved aside when the Cleric ¨Cor Avatar now¨C added, ¡°A very simplified explanation is that I¡¯m going to try using one of the Soul Reaper¡¯s rituals to Cage Paul Wayland¡¯s soul to his own body with your soul as the anchor.¡±
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New Quest: Assistant of the Avatar
Everin Starlark, Avatar of the Scholar and Cleric of the Rebel, needs your willing participation in an experimental ritual to save Paul Wayland.
Objective: Participate in the ritual.
Reward: Epic Spirit Gem.
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¡°Why does this say ¡®experimental¡¯?¡± Dazien asked over her shoulder a moment before she planned to ask the same thing.
The deity-controlled Caster didn¡¯t slow down any of their movements but sounded slightly hesitant as they answered, ¡°It¡¯s never been done exactly like this before. While I¡¯ve learned much whenever the Soul Reapers have been in my influence, we will all be learning something new by the end of this.¡±
¡°What are you hoping will happen?¡± Phoenix asked, suddenly very uncertain about this whole thing despite not having any other option presenting itself.
¡°What you described sounds like the relationship between a Familiar and Caster,¡± Uriel said from behind, having positioned himself between her and the Defender, ¡°Will this turn him into one? Or something similar?¡±
¡°I already have a Familiar, though,¡± she pointed out in confusion, feeling Tala currently nestled within her core; a constant warm and fluffy companion who was right now very focused on staving off the coldness of her pessimistic terror.
¡°I¡¯ve heard of extreme cases where a Natural Talent cultivates into a Familiar power,¡± the cinderen said evenly, ¡°Mostly bonded like a normal passive Familiar like Saiya¡¯s. Nobody knows how to intentionally make something like that happen though.¡±
¡°This is different,¡± the Avatar stated, ¡°Not a Familiar but the bond is similar.¡±
¡°How can you even do something like this?¡± Saiya asked from beside the Mage, having moved closer when Uriel had to watch with them. She vaguely wondered where Rayna had gone and realized that the bard had likely been left to run the remaining distance as she hadn¡¯t thought to make another portal.
Her guilt was overshadowed by her fear, however, when she felt Paul¡¯s aura waver and looked down in the center of the in-progress ritual diagram to see black ichor staining the snow and pooling around his body that was very obviously being slowly devoured by the void.
Everin and Scholar had already begun a second layer of intricate runes in the air above the first set. These ones seemed more elaborate than she was used to seeing, like most of the Soul Reaper rituals she had come across, but that didn¡¯t exactly instill confidence into her.
¡°The benefit of having a mortal body to do things with is that I can bend some of the rules I¡¯m normally bound by,¡± the goddess explained, ¡°It costs more to cultivate an Avatar, but cheaper to inhabit their vessel instead of holding my own constructed form. But my main reason for needing to do it this way was time. We don¡¯t have enough of it.¡±
As if to punctuate the words, Paul¡¯s aura wavered again and seemed to start¡ unraveling. She had never felt that kind of sensation in an aura before and it was disturbing to the extreme. Feeling utterly wrong.
Her panic soared and she could feel everyone else tense up, Dazien¡¯s grip around her shoulders tightening as he whispered, ¡°What am I sensing? It feels¡ like his aura is fraying?¡±
¡°Wayland is out of health,¡± Orebela telepathically said to all of them as she hovered on the other side of Paul from her.
¡°Wait, doesn¡¯t that mean he died?!¡± she asked incredulously.
¡°Yes and no. Wayland¡¯s body has died but his soul is still separating from his body. The process takes longer the higher Caste one is unless a power like looting speeds it up by consuming the remnant magic within the physically constructed parts,¡± the Familiar expounded, ¡°Technically, he is not considered truly dead until the soul has left this reality to pass beyond the Veil.¡±
¡°Phoenix, grab the [Soul Cage] from over there and come stand where I show you,¡± the Avatar of the Goddess said abruptly, now working on the third level of runes and Phoenix was starting to worry that everything was going to be for nothing if Paul¡¯s soul vanished before this stupidly complex ritual could be written.
This dread spurred her forward as she scrambled towards where Everin had left the device, using her [Ruler of Relativity] on it to close the distance even faster as it flew into her hand, and she moved into the section of the diagram that Scholar had indicated.
¡°How long do we have then, Bela?¡± Phoenix asked the Familiar rather than risk distracting the busy voxen.
¡°This One is uncertain,¡± the Familiar answered, ¡°This One has not witnessed a Ruby Caster¡¯s aural death throes. It is likely longer than the fifteen minutes This One experienced with an Emerald Caster before.¡±
To keep her mind occupied from her growing terror of having only a few minutes left to get this right she asked, ¡°What¡¯s the Veil?¡±
¡°The border between this reality and others,¡± Orebela replied, ¡°This One passes through it when This One gets summoned or is forced to return. This One does not go where most souls do, however.¡±
She swallowed hard, not sure if she wanted the answer to her next question, ¡°Where do most souls go?¡±
¡°This One does not know,¡± the Familiar replied and Phoenix could have sworn she heard sorrow in the monotone voice. ¡°There are many different and conflicting stories This One has heard in this world about what awaits and This One does not remember all the stories told in other realities.¡±
¡°Let us hope none of us have reason to find out the truth of that right now,¡± Dazien interjected and she noticed the gemite¡¯s eyes fixated on the too-still body lying on the cold metal. Those amethyst irises slid up to look straight into her own emerald ones, glassy with unshed tears, as he asked, ¡°He won¡¯t be going there today, right?¡±
If she had to travel to whatever hell or underworld this universe had to drag Paul¡¯s soul back to the realm of the living, she would be willing to die a thousand times to make sure it happened.
Phoenix nodded resolutely, ¡°Hopefully, never.¡±
¡°If you gaze into my eyes when I start this, then you¡¯ll know the words to speak with me,¡± Scholar-Everin said, finishing the fourth layer of runes at that moment, ¡°Do not look away. Do not step out of the circle. Only let go of that device when it does so on its own. Do not try to fight the magic even if it feels like it¡¯s shredding you into little pieces.¡±
Her eyes went wide but she nodded.
¡°Wait, you never explained why you need Phoenix for this,¡± Uriel said suddenly, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Everin be the better choice?¡±
She should have expected the answer but it still came as a surprise when the glowing rainbow eyes bore into hers as they said, ¡°Because she¡¯ll probably die.¡±
58 - Into the Abyss
Phoenix was suddenly chanting in a language she had never heard before and that her translation ability seemed to struggle with.
¡°Soul Hope Entwine Harmony Distance¡¡±
Words poured out of both her and Everin¡¯s mouths as she became entangled in the magic of the advanced ritual. The runes that were floating in the air now glowed and began to move with purpose in an intricate dance around both of them with Paul still lying in its center.
Then he wasn¡¯t. The Paladin¡¯s still body seemed to be lifted up into the air and righted to face her. The stains of the void-tainted blood seemed to be wiped clean by the ritual, though the patches of black void remained. She noticed the snow was also being pushed away by the magic that refused to be interrupted by any outside force at this point.
¡°Kindred Path Bond Match Destiny¡¡±
Then Phoenix was being lifted and she had the disturbing sensation of no longer being in control of her body as the magic took command of that as well. She was but a puppet observing the inevitability of the moment.
Next, a tiny diagram seemed to break away from the others moving around them to rest upon her chest. A sting of pain struck at her and she saw a bright golden thread get pulled from her chest by the smaller circle of floating runes; seeming to lead it somewhere.
That was when she noticed that a similar diagram was doing the same thing to Paul and connected the two threads together into a single strand from one soul to the other. The golden cord seemed to pull taut and she was pulled through the air to the center until only a half foot of space lay between them. The smell of a cedar fire and warmth of a clear summer day surrounded her. She recognized it as Paul¡¯s scent, which always made her feel safe.
A ripple of rainbow light spread from the center of the golden string and into both of them and she felt her soul¡ entwine. She noticed Paul glowing with Ruby light before her own vision went white, something in her soul changing; cultivating.
Natural Talent: Lodestar
Deviated from [Beacon of Hope] due to becoming soul entwined.
- Your soul has become entwined with Paul Wayland, one of your Kindred Spirits.
- Your soul will always recognize Paul Wayland¡¯s soul as a Kindred Spirit.
- You share Natural Talents with your Kindred Spirit.
- You have a telepathic link with your Kindred Spirit with the range based on the highest Caste.
- When within your Kindred Spirit¡¯s aura, you have increased Magic.
- When there is a Caste difference between you and your Kindred Spirit, the one with the lower Caste has an increased cultivation rate based on the difference.
- The effects of this cannot be shared.
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She felt her book feed the information to her, still outside the ritual circle and she was grateful for it so that she wouldn¡¯t have a complete panic attack about not having any clue as to what was happening to her except the strange shifting signals her currently busy soul was trying to send. Getting information about what was happening to Paul at the same time was even more of a relief.
Paul Wayland has cultivated a Natural Talent.
Natural Talent: Solaris
Deviated from [Combination Disposition] due to becoming soul entwined.
- Your soul has become entwined with Phoenix Wayland, one of your Kindred Spirits.
- Your soul will always recognize Phoenix Wayland¡¯s soul as a Kindred Spirit.
- You share Natural Talents with your Kindred Spirit.
- You have a telepathic link with your Kindred Spirit with the range based on the highest Caste.
- When within your Kindred Spirit¡¯s aura, you have increased Magic.
- When there is a Caste difference between you and your Kindred Spirit, the one with the lower Caste has an increased cultivation rate based on the difference.
- The effects of this cannot be shared.
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¡°Body Strength Magic Dominion Cage...¡±
The ritual continued, not caring in the slightest that both of its inhabitants had just gone through Talent Cultivations. In fact, she suspected that it was just an expected step in the course of this insane level of soul manipulation, and she hoped it meant they were still in time.
That was when the pain hit. She wanted to scream but the ritual wouldn¡¯t allow for it. She wanted to cry but no tears would fall as the magic held her fast. It was like fire and ice were being pumped through her veins at the same time in opposite directions, threatening to either go numb or shatter from the intense conflict.
Her mana was being forcibly drawn from her in ways it had never traveled before and she felt like her magic itself would fray like Paul¡¯s aura had been as she was pulled apart from within. She couldn¡¯t even clench her teeth to try and withstand the pain.
Then the [Soul Cage] moved, taking both her hands with it, and the black fingers opened wide before slamming the palm to the center of the Paladin¡¯s chest, the magic burning a hole straight through the shirt he wore. Her hands released from holding it in place to fall to her sides as the device seemed glued to him.
As the Wayfarer watched, she was actually a bit grateful that Paul was unconscious for this as she wasn¡¯t sure she could handle watching her mentor endure this level of pain let alone what the device was surely adding as the hand clenched.
The glossy onyx fingers dug into the half-rotted flesh beneath it as though trying to rip the man¡¯s heart out straight through his sternum. The fact that he didn¡¯t seem to react at all however made her panic. Surely if his soul hadn¡¯t left it would be able to feel that?You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
The [Soul Cage] then seemed to melt into his chest, vanishing to be covered by freshly regenerated skin. Paul began to glow with Ruby light again and a small flicker of hope rose within her heart as she watched and waited for either a note from her book or those blue eyes to look at her again.
The next message caused her heart to both soar with the joy of victory and shatter with the price that success had cost.
Paul Wayland has cultivated a Natural Talent.
Natural Talent: Caged by Caste
Deviated from [Special Attack Disposition] due to extreme soul manipulation.
- Your body has been Caged to your soul, greatly increasing your attributes.
- Your soul has been Caged to your mind, greatly weakening your willpower.
- Your mind has been overtaken by Phoenix Wayland, granting them dominion over it.
- Your body, soul, and mind are severely out of alignment due to Caste imbalance; until corrected, you will enter a state of regenerative stasis.
- The effects of this cannot be shared.
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¡°No,¡± she thought in horror.
¡°Please tell me I¡¯m reading this wrong,¡± Dazien¡¯s strained voice said in her mind. It seemed like the ability wouldn¡¯t be interrupted by the ritual still swirling around her.
¡°Please no,¡± she begged the magic consuming them.
|
New Title: Soul Tyrant
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The resolve to claim complete dominion over another can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased effects when near those who serve your will.
|
¡°No, no, no,¡± her mind kept chanting as everything seemed to be unraveling around her, ¡°What have I done?¡±
¡°You saved his life,¡± Uriel¡¯s calm voice said over the network, ¡°That¡¯s what matters.¡±
Phoenix was falling.
Well, not exactly falling but being lowered to the ground now as the ritual seemed to wind down. However, her mana was still draining for some reason. Apparently, the ritual was not done extracting its dues from her and she triggered her tattoo in an effort to stave off the inevitable.
When her feet touched the ground, she felt the magic release its hold on her and she stumbled forward to try to catch Paul from falling to the ground only to find herself collapsing as well. Strong arms caught her as she watched Everin catch Paul, lowering both of them to the ground as the runes seemed to begin shattering in the air like dazzling fireworks.
She would have thought it lovely if it hadn¡¯t hurt every time one seemed to break.
¡°It¡¯s still channeling more power than you can withstand,¡± the Avatar of the Scholar explained, ¡°I was able to cover the ritual costs but it was still a Ruby Caste Ritual and this vessel is still Emerald, the same would happen to him. I apologize for the loss of progress but at least your father will live.¡±
Phoenix winced in pain, both physical and emotional, ¡°And how long will he be in stasis for? I may not know the details or exact context but I understand what that word means.¡±
The goddess-infused voxen gave a sad smile, ¡°Until you hit Ruby Caste.¡±
She couldn¡¯t help the sob that escaped from her and she realized it was Dazien holding her as his grip tightened, pulling her closer to him in a hug.
¡°Hey, it¡¯ll be okay,¡± he whispered.
¡°No! It won¡¯t! Why do people keep saying that?!¡± she choked out, each shattering rune causing another hitch in her throat.
¡°Because you gave us hope,¡± the gemite whispered, ¡°You did the impossible and avoided the worst.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t fall into the abyss of despair, sweet flower,¡± Saiya whispered to her from somewhere she couldn¡¯t focus on at the moment, ¡°This is not the end.¡±
She cried until the ritual finally took more than she had to give, and she died... getting even further from reuniting with her dad.
Dazien wasn¡¯t sure what to think at the moment as Phoenix died in his arms while sobbing against his chest. He felt more helpless in that moment than he had in a long time. Unable to do anything but offer words of comfort that only seemed to make her more upset as the incomprehensible ritual devoured her.
It was disturbing to feel her body instantly turn to white ash, looking like the snow that had once been on the now completely dried metal of the ship deck. It felt like too much to process at once. The messages the book gave, the hope followed by despair, the bittersweet realization of a costly victory, and the inevitable death of his immortal sister.
He refocused on Paul, hoping that the message had been mistaken and the man would awaken, but Everin suddenly slumping over distracted him and he moved to assist, no longer having a Wayfarer to fret over instead.
The Defender carefully laid the Paladin on his back and checked on the voxen. Still alive thankfully. He had been worried the goddess might have burnt through the vessel in her determination to finish the ritual. The gemite had read stories of gods pushing their Avatars too far in pursuit of a goal. Many never lasted long because of that.
¡°Cleric Starlark?¡± he asked, gently shaking the man who didn¡¯t respond, then glanced over to Saiya who had come up next to him, ¡°Is he alright?¡±
¡°Drained but he¡¯ll live,¡± the darker voxen answered, ¡°He¡¯s not channeling Scholar anymore which is good. I¡¯m not sure he would have lasted much longer. That was the most terrifying ritual I¡¯ve ever witnessed before for so many different reasons.¡±
He couldn¡¯t argue with the assessment and he was sure that the woman had a much more intimate experience with it all than he had with her particular perception, ¡°Do we take them home?¡±
She looked at him with those large, warm, amber eyes and gave a small knowing smile as she asked, ¡°And where is home, Dazien?¡±
The gemite flushed slightly at the faux pas and nodded towards Paul as he corrected, ¡°His home. Where Phoenix will be awaiting us hopefully.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll have to carry them back,¡± she pointed out, ¡°Also, I¡¯m not sure I feel safe enough to risk carrying a Ruby Caste Paladin of the Avenger or an Emerald Avatar of the Scholar through the city. We¡¯ll need the Director¡¯s help to get them back without an assassination attempt happening on the way.¡±
He paled at the idea of a sudden ambush and losing everything they had just regained but nodded in understanding as he readjusted himself to lift the taller man to carry him over a shoulder. Dazien couldn¡¯t budge him. He forgot how much Ruby Casters were said to weigh and now he was learning about it at the most inconvenient time.
Saiya frowned at him, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°He¡¯s too heavy,¡± the Defender said in a bit of awe, ¡°The weight of the condensed magic far exceeds my Crystal Strength, even at the peak. We¡¯ll need a couple of strong Sapphires unless you know some kind of ritual or magic item we can use to transport him.¡±
Laughter tickled his tapered ears as he looked at the Healer, ¡°Imagine getting to this point. Days of warfare with a horde of monsters, a Ruby dragon, a Soul Reaper assassin, a Cleric turned Avatar, and an experimental ritual from beyond this reality and we¡¯re finally defeated by logistics.¡±
The gemite laughed with her, ¡°Well, when you put it like that, it does sound like a ridiculous problem to run into but there it is.¡±
¡°Hey, we need to go. There¡¯s still a lot of monsters around that aren¡¯t being scared off with the Ruby Caste magic anymore now that¨C What in the abyss happened here?¡± Rayna asked, having just finished climbing over the edge of the deck to join them.
The bard froze for a moment, seeming to process the situation before pointing and asking in a rush, ¡°Is he dead? Are they both dead? Where¡¯s Phoenix? Wait, let me guess, she died, didn¡¯t she?! Why is everyone dead?!¡±
Dazien glanced back at Saiya as they both burst out laughing despite their mountain of problems. For now, at least, there was hope.
59 - The Edge
Everin groggily awoke in a strange room that he definitely had never seen before with its elegance and natural beauty of leafy plants, blooming flowers, and wood paneling along the walls. Much more expensive, welcoming, and alive than his borrowed room in the Temple of the Rebel.
At the thought of his goddess and what he had just done, he shot up straight in the bed he had been put in and immediately regretted the action as the dull ache he hadn¡¯t quite registered yet became a roar of protest behind his eyes, the instant headache causing him to fall back onto his bed in apology.
¡°Careful, Avatar Starlark. You¡¯ve been unconscious for a couple of hours now,¡± a young man¡¯s voice said from nearby, he thought he should know who but his mind felt scattered.
He groaned as the throbbing reduced and his mind tried to replay everything that had happened. Ignoring his goddess, making an insane deal with another goddess, becoming a puppet to her will with no choice in anything his body did, feeling the ritual at work with those heightened divine senses, and realizing the exact moment things had gone wrong.
The sense of disappointment from Scholar as she realized that whatever it was she had learned earlier wasn¡¯t fully complete. It was both an enlightening and horrifying revelation to discover the gods didn¡¯t always have the truest answer. While seemingly omnipotent and omnipresent, at least to an extent that no mortal could ever accomplish, they weren¡¯t omniscient, not even Scholar, and they sure as fuck didn¡¯t know the future.
Everin could feel his lips curl into a silent snarl as his anger over the outcome began to eclipse his disappointment of failure. He had thought that if anyone could predict exactly what would happen it would have been the Scholar. The one who learned everything.
¡°I can¡¯t learn something that has never happened yet,¡± the child¡¯s voice said within his mind, the tiny sliver of divine presence nestled in his soul to whisper to him¡ or consume him should it desire.
A flash of multi-colored light on the other side of his very heavy eyelids followed by the presence of a divine aura that he very much recognized forced him to open those tired eyes but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to sit up as he tilted his head to look at Rebel who was sitting in a chair opposite the voice he had heard coming from his right. She was as beautiful as ever and his heart broke a little at the thought of her hating him now.
¡°I thought this would be better than a whispered conversation,¡± she said and he figured that meant he was definitely in trouble. That was why it was so confusing when she smiled and continued, ¡°You rebelled against me. A bold and beautiful move.¡±
¡°He saved my mentor¡¯s life,¡± the other visitor in the room growled like an angry kit and he finally connected the name Dazien to the voice.
¡°His life, yes, but not his soul,¡± the goddess retorted, her gaze never leaving his as her smile vanished to be replaced with the disapproval he had originally expected, ¡°You trapped a man within his own body, never to be free to make his own choices, completely under the absolute authority of another¡¯s will.¡±
¡°I¨C¡± his voice broke. How could he explain that he didn¡¯t know what would happen when he absolutely suspected it the moment he first saw that evil contraption lying in the slush? What else would a [Soul Cage] do? ¡°I thought it would be worth it.¡±
¡°It was,¡± the young kit interjected, ¡°Paul¡¯s alive and we can fix this eventually. We can¡¯t fix the dead.¡±
¡°Scholar was right. I should make you Fall for turning my Chosen into a tyrant,¡± the goddess practically spat the last words, the disgust obvious and he had to agree. That had not been his intention in the slightest but he had rushed at the glimmer of hope like a foolish mothlet to a smoldering cinderstone.
Rebel fell silent and the room eerily still as she seemed to contemplate exactly what to do with him. He couldn''t even speak in his defense. Scholar had warned him that it may happen and he thought saving his friend was worth this moment. He couldn¡¯t try to run away from it now.
When she finally spoke, it was as if time restarted, ¡°I will give you a choice. For your transgression, you can choose to leave my service for good. Not Fallen but never welcomed upon my doorstep again. Go frolic with the librarians and researchers in their dusty halls and stuffy studies.¡±
The thought of being locked in a room to read forever made him blanch. He loved traveling and exploring, meeting new people, and playing games. There was no way he would survive the life of a cloistered scholar withering away in some lab or ancient library.
His thoughts were interrupted by the Scholar¡¯s whispers again, ¡°Not all of them are like that. I like it when you learn about new people and places just as much.¡±
Well, that was a relief at least. Rebel continued, not paying mind to her sibling¡¯s counterpoint which he could only assume the other goddess had heard within him.
¡°Or you become my Avatar as well.¡±
Everin blinked, his mind stuttering to an abrupt halt. Surely he misheard. There was no possible way that the goddess would want¨C
¡°You have proven yourself capable of withstanding the strain. For quite a while, in fact, which is impressive at your Caste. If you¡¯re willing to rebel against me, a deity, then you have proven your dedication to my purpose,¡± she graced him with an explanation, then gave another small smile that almost seemed mischievous, ¡°Plus, we can¡¯t have my sister stealing my clergy now, can we? I¡¯ll never hear the end of it.¡±
The voxen looked back at the ceiling, needing a moment to sort through his racing thoughts, which shouldn¡¯t be this hard at Emerald Caste but this was too much and his head still hurt.
He had agreed to become an Avatar of the Scholar out of desperation, not fully considering the risks and the future beyond that moment. After experiencing that feeling of complete surrender that he had to go through¡ though, it wasn¡¯t a complete surrender. His soul had to constantly fight back the entire time in order to contain the divine power. A battle of wills that would result in his annihilation should he falter.
His body hadn¡¯t been his but the goddess¡¯ magic hadn¡¯t been completely hers either. It was a dangerous partnership that so few could accomplish without quickly burning out. That was why Avatars of a deity were so rare in the world¡ and so important in critical times.
¡°You don¡¯t have to decide right now,¡± the goddess said as if in response to his jumbled thoughts and he let out a sigh of relief, ¡°I know you have undergone a lot but I want to make your options known. You need only decide before returning to my temple.¡±
¡°So either I bow out completely or get a promotion?¡± he summarized, ¡°I thought you¡¯d make me leave for what I did to Phoenix. For not letting Paul die.¡±
The goddess gave a smile as she shook her head, ¡°My concern before was that my Chosen would not be able to grow quickly enough to help the rebellion you left to come here, remember? Paul Wayland was beginning to hold her back from battles to play it safe. While there is still time, the people of Tyrand cannot wait forever. It is not that I truly desired his death but it was the quickest way to unchain my Chosen from his overprotectiveness.¡±
Her grin twisted into more of a smirk as she added, ¡°Plus, it pleased me to hear Avenger complaining about his new favorite Paladin rebelling against him after it played out like he had warned. Paul Wayland may not be a completely lost cause in his newfound purpose.¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Everin gave a bark of laughter that caused pain to shoot behind his eyes again. Of course, Rebel would actually like Paul. He knew that wasn¡¯t the first time the Paladin had stood against a god and he doubted it would be the last, even with this temporary setback. The voxen wondered if he would be there beside the stubborn man to see the next time.
¡°You¡¯d have to get stronger,¡± Scholar whispered, ¡°Phoenix will need to get much stronger.¡±
He wanted to see that. He wanted to be there for it. He wanted to help her fight for the freedom of the nation he had come to care for.
¡°I¡¯ll become your Avatar,¡± he answered, ¡°Not right this moment though, please? I¡¯m fairly sure if I have to endure another one of those hugs right now my mind will fracture completely and stumble off the edge into madness from this accursed headache.¡±
Uriel sat beside Phoenix¡¯s bed in a plush chair that he had once pondered the placement of but now wondered if it was for when Paul would have been in his place. Sitting and waiting for the Wayfarer to wake up fully alive once more.
Orebela had come to their rescue, apparently not as affected by the Caged effects as Paul was, but she couldn¡¯t go far from his side. She managed to fly the Paladin back to his estate where elder Pualani Wayland took over, the old woman issuing orders and arranging a place for their incapacitated lord.
Saiya and Dazien had managed to carry Everin back to the camp while he and Rayna killed anything that hindered their path, though they were quickly reinforced by Patric and Padma Wayland¡¯s team, making their journey quicker and safer.
He had been grateful for the non-combat Sapphire portalist the main camp had on hand to get them back to the estate with the Cleric-turned-Avatar, the Director agreeing that it would likely be the safest place for the man until she could return to the AOA building or he woke up.
Dazien and Uriel had opted to be the escorts while Rayna and Saiya decided to stay and help with the ongoing battle against the remaining monsters. Even though the greatest threat had been handled, this war was far from finished.
The Defender had chosen to stay with Everin, assuming he would awaken first, while he had decided to wait for Phoenix but he had not been remotely prepared for what he witnessed upon his arrival.
He glanced up again at the light that had been slowly getting brighter and shifting the silhouette to be more human-like with each passing hour. In the center of the white light was a sparkling spherical core that looked vaguely like a Crystal Caste Seed but was being orbited by five miniature Aspects which in turn had a miniscule gem orbiting each one. There were also glowing sigils of the deities that had marked the Wayfarer spread out and surrounding all of it. It was both lovely and terrifying and he found himself mesmerized by the sight of it.
Phoenix¡¯s soul was beautiful.
He had taken off his earrings while waiting. It seemed to make her happier when he didn¡¯t wear them and he didn¡¯t want this feeling of awe to become dulled. What he wasn¡¯t sure he wanted to feel, however, was the dark and selfish thought that, in this state, she seemed like a monster spawning. Like he often thought of himself as.
Perhaps, she would understand. Perhaps, she wouldn¡¯t completely hate him¡
His cheeks began to heat when her form began to finally solidify on top of her bed and he realized that her clothes wouldn¡¯t be spawning with her. Even if she didn¡¯t hate him for seeing that, he would hate himself for watching without her consent and quickly stood to walk to the other side of her room and drop himself on the couch facing the hearth opposite her bed.
She¡¯d tell him when she was ready to talk and he would be there to listen.
Phoenix blinked at the book glowing above her. Glad that the pain had stopped at least.
|
You have died.
All equipment has been returned to your collection.
[Waypoint] has guided your soul back to your designated location.
You have been reconstituted to a state of full integrity.
24 hours remain until this effect can be triggered again.
|
It was the usual welcome message of revival but this time followed with a quest update that, while technically successful, still left the bitter taste of failure in her mouth.
|
Quest: Assistant of the Avatar
Objective complete: Participated in the ritual.
[Abyss Spirit Gem] has been added to your collection.
Quest completed.
10 [Crystal Mana Bits] have been added to your collection.
|
Why couldn¡¯t she be one of those overpowered superheroes where everything magically always went perfectly right for them? Why did she always feel like she failed even when she won? Why couldn¡¯t she have at least this one thing go right? Why did she have to fail the person who mattered the most?
So many more questions kept running around in her mind but she finally remembered that her friends were probably waiting for her and she wanted to see Paul; wanted to make sure he really was alive at least.
She sat up and gave a squeak of surprise at the presence of Uriel¡¯s back facing away and sitting near the unlit hearth. A shimmer of silver starlight later and at least she was fully clothed now in a simple, soft, and long-sleeved green dress that covered her from neck to ankle.
Uriel didn¡¯t speak about her undignified yip of fright and simply readjusted in his seat. He was obviously waiting for her to come to him, which she did after reassuring herself that she was completely clothed. Walking across the cold floor with bare feet to stand beside him for a moment before accepting the invitation as he held his arm out in a welcoming gesture and she buried her face into his tunic.
At least he wouldn¡¯t try to give her empty words as she wept in a bout of self-pity at the unfairness of the universe. He wouldn¡¯t try to force her to feel happy about the silver lining they managed to salvage. He wouldn¡¯t tell her to stop crying because it wouldn¡¯t solve anything. He wouldn¡¯t judge her for hating herself.
She was fairly certain the only thing he might do was keep her from jumping off the nearest ledge to try and end her misery permanently within the next twenty-four hours.
At least, she thought he would, until he asked, ¡°Do you want to go to the roof with me?¡±
Her sobs had trailed off a bit by that point but she could only look up at those fiery eyes with confusion in her gaze.
¡°I think some fresh air and the beautiful flowers up there might be better scenery than a cold empty room, don¡¯t you? We can still cry together up there if you want.¡±
She thought a cold empty room was the perfect place for her to wallow in her sorrows but she did like the garden¡ She nodded and he surprised her by abruptly standing while taking her hand to lead the way. It strangely reminded her of the time he led her up through the temple of the Warrior to spar her shame away.
Uriel had been right; the fresh air helped immensely. As they wandered through the garden, getting lost within it, she felt her pain ebb and took solace in the waning sunlight reflecting off the recently watered petals.
She let her mind wander with their path, contemplating everything that had happened not just in the last few hours of her consciousness but over the days of battling what seemed like an unassailable enemy.
¡°You were amazing out there, you know?¡± she finally said as they got closer towards the center of the garden.
¡°What are we talking about?¡± the Mage asked in surprise as he paused to look towards her, having simply been walking beside her as a comforting presence since entering the flowering hedges; never letting go of her hand in the way she had become accustomed to Saiya doing.
¡°When we were fighting on the frontlines with everyone. Your AOEs are insanely good for that scenario. I saw people watching you in awe as if you were a battle god,¡± she said with a soft chuckle at the imagery.
He didn¡¯t return her smile though, grimacing instead as he said, ¡°I think what you saw as awe was more like fear.¡±
¡°Even if it was, you were still impressive and completely awesome. You saved so many lives by handling so many monsters.¡±
¡°What if¡¡± he paused, making small circles on the back of her hand with his thumb while he looked at the ground as though debating about something. She idly wondered if her hand was currently a stand-in for the earrings he would often rub and she found herself being completely okay with that swap.
¡°What if they had good reason to fear me?¡± he asked quietly, ¡°What if they knew I¨C¡±
His words were cut off by a bright flash of Radiant light filling the area and another divine aura pressing in around them. The light diminished another moment later to leave a deity she didn¡¯t recognize standing in the very center of the small clearing where Paul had first shown her the wonder of watering the garden.
A tall woman, even taller than Uriel who she guessed was around six foot four, was glowing softly while dressed in shiny silver armor that clung to her form and moved like large dragon scales. She had dark topaz skin and almond-shaped eyes that were a deep brown bordering on black. They matched her hair that fell past her chest in elegant waves. A white cape with a blue sheen to it flowed off her shoulders to just above the ground and seemed to gently sway in a non-existent breeze.
The divine being was staring at her with amused pity and she couldn¡¯t help rolling her eyes as she muttered, ¡°Another deity."
Phoenix turned to fully face the goddess and crossed her arms in front of her, subconsciously protecting the Soul Mark on her chest from getting further damaged or decorated, as she asked with a hint of annoyance, "So which one are you?"
The deity gave an indulging smile and answered, "Champion.¡±
60 - Champion
Phoenix and Uriel both stared at the goddess blankly for a moment.
As her emotions warred within her on how exactly to respond to the deity, she finally settled on snark, "Well, you''re a bit late to the party," she gestured towards the east as she added angrily, ¡°We could have used your power a couple days ago when the fighting first started!¡±
¡°It is not for me to intervene directly,¡± the deity stated simply as though the fact was obvious.
¡°Not for you?!¡± she repeated incredulously, ¡°You¡¯re the Champion! It¡¯s literally your whole purpose!¡± She threw up her hands and began pacing to try and release the rage she felt building up.
Phoenix was beginning to have quite enough of gods and their interests. Being reminded of the immense power they wielded what felt like less than an hour ago, when she made a desperate choice to save her dad, was not helping her already terrible mood.
The goddess was surprisingly patient with her as she tried to regain control of her emotions while continually glancing between her silent companion and the deity that could annihilate the approaching enemies with a mere thought.
Uriel for his part seemed more focused on her than on the glowing goddess before them, his ember eyes following the path of her pacing, and she was grateful for his presence. She wasn¡¯t sure she could handle this situation without someone she trusted by her side for yet another ridiculous encounter.
After she got past the anger toward gods and their nonsensical rules of intervention, which she had barely learned anything more about after her numerous run-ins, she took a few more calming breaths before halting her pacing to lean her forehead against Uriel¡¯s chest.
The hug he gave helped to center her once more as she took deep breaths, scenting a campfire in a cold storm. It helped her shut out the world and focus on calming down.
Now that the rage had subsided, questions began running through her mind about her current situation. She turned her head to look at the deity but didn¡¯t extract herself from the shielding embrace, asking dubiously, "What could you possibly want with me? You of all people should know I can''t stand against all of that," she said, gesturing again to the east where the half-horde of monsters and few remaining ships likely still encroached.
The goddess surprised her by nodding and stating simply, ¡°Precisely. You have lost your champion. I have come to make a deal to replace him until the end of the war.¡±
¡°Paul is not replaceable!¡± Phoenix shouted at the deity and almost conjured her dagger to throw at the glowing woman for her insinuation.
Champion surprised her again by bowing their head slightly and amended, ¡°You¡¯re right. That was not what I meant.¡± Then the goddess gestured towards her and offered, ¡°But the offer stands; if you accept my Favor, I will provide a champion to defend this city.¡±
She found herself speechlessly staring at the goddess again before grumbling in consternation, ¡°What is with all these handsy gods wanting to get their grubby paws all over my soul?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t blame them,¡± Uriel surprised her by saying softly in answer to her muttering, ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful soul.¡±
Phoenix wasn¡¯t entirely sure what that was supposed to mean exactly but the compliment made her cheeks flush in embarrassment. Then in exasperation to hide that feeling, she asked the deity, not really expecting an answer, ¡°Why do gods keep showing up to me specifically, anyways?¡±
The Wayfarer wasn¡¯t sure if it was the goddess¡¯ responses themselves that kept startling her or just the fact that this deity actually seemed willing to answer her questions, as Champion stated candidly, ¡°We have a vested interest in keeping certain Wayfarers on good terms with us.¡±
None of the other deities had said that before and it made her ask in curiosity despite her disgruntled disposition, making her come across a bit curt, ¡°So it¡¯s only because I¡¯m a Wayfarer?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not what I said,¡± the tall woman responded with a shake of brunette waves, ¡°However, our specific reasons are our own.¡±
Phoenix grumbled more about the gods and their secrets, causing Uriel to chuckle softly into her hair. Despite Champion''s seemingly straightforward demeanor, the goddess wouldn''t reveal everything, even when it directly involved her. Though she appreciated the straightforwardness, the hostile feeling of the encounter left her feeling frustrated.
She turned away from the illuminated goddess to press a cheek against Uriel¡¯s chest again, feeling him breathe along with her. Trying to keep calm despite her inner turmoil, she tried to fall back on her logic. Perhaps if she could shove her feelings away for a while, like Uriel¡¯s earrings did, and let her mind process through things in a sane and logical manner, she could figure out how to move forward without Paul to guide her.
Phoenix contemplated the offer that Champion had spoken of. The addition of the divine Favor to join the other six and a champion to fight the Soul Reaper¡¯s forces in Paul¡¯s stead, presumably another Ruby Caster that could battle a potential threat the enemy seemed willing to throw at them.
She had an intrusive idea enter her trail of mental dialogue at the thought of gaining the Champion¡¯s badge for a total of seven. She wondered if she might become the very best there ever was and collect all the gods¡¯ Favor. And here she thought she¡¯d need eight badges before getting to meet the champion.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
The brief smile was quickly replaced by a self-recriminating scowl, remembering this wasn¡¯t exactly the time for jokes, as she turned back towards the goddess and asked frankly, ¡°So what¡¯s the price?¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡± Champion asked with a slight raise of a perfect brow.
She rolled her eyes melodramatically, ¡°Dazien told me everything has a price,¡± she expounded, then with a wave of her hand towards the sky asked with confusion, ¡°And why are the gods so keen on marking my soul? It doesn¡¯t seem to offer much for me to do any¡¡± she trailed off with the train of thought before her jaw slowly dropped in dawning horror. She had wondered before what the mark actually granted her but hadn¡¯t thought to ask if it wasn¡¯t about the gods giving her something, but about her giving something to the gods¡
The Wayfarer asked in barely more than a whisper, ¡°Is that the price?¡± At the deity¡¯s silent frown she slapped her hand onto her forehead and began berating herself, ¡°Gah, I¡¯m an idiot!¡±
The pacing started up once more as she gently pushed away from the Mage and her mind raced through her memories, ¡°I should have seen it before. The boosted quest rewards and title, the knowledge tomes, the map, and images upgrade to my book, the [Ruby Mana Bits], they weren¡¯t extra gifts to go with a blessing¡¡± She sent a glare towards the divine entity as she half accused, ¡°They were what the gods traded in order to Mark me.¡±
Then she stopped walking to turn and ask in a tone that demanded an answer, ¡°What do you gain from it? Paul told me that the only thing the Soul Mark does is show others I¡¯m Chosen, but that¡¯s not everything, is it?¡±
¡°No, but you shouldn¡¯t concern yourself with¨C¡±
¡°Of course I¡¯m concerned! Your siblings branded my soul!¡± she yelled at the goddess as she slammed her fist over her Mark for emphasis. She had never considered the repercussions of her earlier decision, having trusted in her mentor¡¯s words, but clearly, even he hadn¡¯t known the full extent of their purpose.
Champion grimaced at her choice of words and accusatory stance and responded, ¡°Only with your permission. The soul has to willingly accept the mark of Favor. It cannot be forced,¡± the goddess clarified but the next words spoken were what made her unsure of her anger, ¡°You willingly accepted each one of them, consciously or not. I believe you will accept mine as well.¡±
Her eyes narrowed at the deity as she asked candidly, ¡°Why? Why should I accept it? Why do you want to give it? What does it do and what does it cost? I deserve to know these things,¡± and she truly believed it. It wasn¡¯t fair for the gods to keep secrets. It wasn¡¯t fair that they played with people like pawns on a chessboard. It wasn¡¯t fair that they would let people sacrifice their lives, or let their souls become caged, just so they could make their own moves.
Phoenix heard the old phrase ringing through her head, that life wasn¡¯t fair, but she felt that she had already sacrificed enough. It could be decades before she ever spoke with her dad again. Time she would never get back. She deserved answers before agreeing to a deal she only knew part of.
Champion regarded her calmly for a few moments before asking questions instead of answering any of hers, ¡°Are you willing to sacrifice lives for the answers? To sacrifice a city?¡±
She opened her mouth to protest but the goddess continued on, ¡°There are divine laws that even I must abide by and I cannot give you the knowledge you seek. That is not within my domain. The deal is such: accept my brand, as you put it, and my own Paladin can intervene.¡±
Phoenix was about to continue arguing when, to her utter shock and dismay, her [Guide Book] appeared in front of her with an unexpected message that she should have totally expected.
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New Quest: A Champion for a Champion
Champion has offered a new champion to stand in your previous champion''s place.
Objective: Accept Champion¡¯s Favour.
Reward: A new champion until the end of the war with the Soul Reapers.
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Now she was eyeing her book warily with even more paranoia. The guide ability hadn¡¯t offered her a single quest the entire time she had been battling the Soul Reaper¡¯s forces until it wanted her to Cage Paul¡¯s soul, which she agreed was something she wanted at the time instead of helplessly watching him die, and now suddenly it was telling her she should do something that she was currently very much against. Her racing mind briefly contemplated once more if one of the gods had somehow manipulated the thing¡ perhaps a certain book-loving one¡
She shook the thought from her head, not wanting to go down the illogical rabbit hole of improvable conspiracy theories that would solve nothing and only cause her to fear more. Even if the gods were somehow¡ influencing the ability, it was usually to her benefit. Making her stronger, forcing her to overcome her fears and doubts, and saving her dad¡¯s life despite the setback it came with. So, instead, she focused on the situation as it was and what she could do to accomplish her own goals.
Embarrassingly, it took her a while to remember that her current goal should be to protect the city full of people praying for a miracle, the city that was home to all of her friends in this world, the city that Paul had been willing to give his life to save. She wasn¡¯t powerful enough to do that herself but this deal might just give her what she needed to accomplish that goal.
The price? Well, how terrible would one more god getting frisky with her soul really be? It¡¯s not like it was her first time. The fact remained: even if the soul brands were having some sort of undue effect on her, it was already too late to undo it. Plus, Champion wasn¡¯t wrong that she had permitted each one of them, whether she was fully aware of the price or not.
She gave the goddess a long assessing gaze as she looked the woman up and down in her contemplation and decided that even if she was giving the gods some sort of backdoor into her soul, these particular gods, and what they represented, were something she would probably be okay fighting for.
Reluctantly, she gave a heavy sigh and agreed, ¡°Fine. It¡¯s a deal but¨C¡±
The goddess didn¡¯t wait further and flashed in front of her, a hand already being placed upon her Mark when she registered the deity had moved. As the jolt of divine power surged through her unexpectedly, she stumbled backward only to have Uriel¡¯s arms wrap around her again to help keep her from falling.
When Phoenix regained coherency, the deity was gone and she and Uriel were alone on the roof in the center of the garden once more. She looked up and screamed at the stars that had just begun to glimmer in the twilight, ¡°I still deserve to know!¡±
End of Book 3 of Wayward: Falling
Phoenix and Friends will return in Book 4 of Wayward: Breaking
End of Book 3 - Character Reference
Hello everyone ??
We made it through the third book of the Wayward series! Part 3 of 4 for the Tulimeir Arc is now completely released. Usual fun fact: the original version of this portion was 49,048 words while this rewritten version ended up 151,237 words long!
With the end of book 3, I¡¯m planning to take down the original fanfiction version. I have also decided to attempt publishing in an effort to reach a wider audience that would enjoy this type of story and character representation. This will likely mean needing to Stub this and take down the first book. However, I¡¯m not positive when that will happen (could be months) I just want to be transparent and there will likely be a future announcement for that.
It¡¯s time again to see all the stats and to satisfy my curiosity about which characters you dear readers are enjoying the most. Again, I''m only including ¡°recurring characters¡± that must show up ¡°on screen¡± in at least five (increased from three due to amount of characters I¡¯m up to now ??) different chapters within just this book to be included. You can pick your Top Three! As always, I''d love to hear about why you picked who you did in the comments below ??
Book 4 will be continuing on Monday, along with keeping the 5 chapters per week pace! I hope you¡¯ve all enjoyed the massively updated story so far! If you have, please leave a rating and review to let others know! (more shameless begging to please the algorithm gods)
Now, onto the crazy long Character Profiles!
Phoenix Wayland
Profile: Phoenix Wayland
Species: Wayfarer
Current caste: Crystal 6
Attributes
Strength (Sun): Crystal 7
Agility (Dark): Crystal 7
Fortitude (Star): Crystal 7
Mind (Moon): Crystal 6
Magic (Celestial Astromancer): Crystal 6
Natural Talents
Astral Traveler
Guide Book
Collector
Lodestar
Waypoint
Divine Titles
Chosen One
Titles
Adventurer
Slayer
Martyr
Soul Tyrant
Aspects
Star
- Guiding Stars (Aura Passive)
- Transversing the Stars - Crystal 8
- Cosmic Phoenix (Class) - Crystal 7
Dark
- Embrace of Shadows (Aura Passive)
- Night Blade - Crystal 8
- Call of the Abyss (Class) - Crystal 6
Sun
- Radiant Sunlight (Aura Passive)
- A New Dawn Rises - Crystal 8
- Meteor Shower (Class) - Crystal 6
Moon
- Moonlit Eyes (Perception Passive)
- Lunar Dream - Crystal 7
- Avatar of Bakunawa (Class) - Crystal 6
Celestial Astromancer (Class)
- Astral Oasis (Aura Passive)
- Ruler of Relativity - Crystal 8
- Supernova (Class) - Crystal 5
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Natural Talent: Astral Traveler
- Increased resistance to negative Dimension effects. Dimension abilities have increased effects.
- You are a Natural Translator, allowing the understanding of languages you are exposed to.
- You can directly use Aspects and Spirit Gems without the need for a ritual.
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Natural Talent: Guide Book
Conjure a book that guides you and can inform you about items, creatures, or people that have been touched by your aura.
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Natural Talent: Collector
- You have a personal dimensional storage space.
- You automatically loot slain enemies that have been touched by your aura.
- Loot automatically goes into your collection.
- You can use material components for spells, rituals, or enchantments directly from your collection.
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Natural Talent: Lodestar
- Deviated from [Beacon of Hope] due to becoming soul entwined.
- Your soul has become entwined with Paul Wayland, one of your Kindred Spirits.
- Your soul will always recognize Paul Wayland¡¯s soul as a Kindred Spirit.
- You share Natural Talents with your Kindred Spirit.
- You have a telepathic link with your Kindred Spirit with the range based on the highest Caste.
- When within your Kindred Spirit¡¯s aura, you have increased Magic.
- When there is a Caste difference between you and your Kindred Spirit, the one with the lower Caste has an increased cultivation rate based on the difference.
- The effects of this cannot be shared.
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Natural Talent: Waypoint
When suffering lethal damage, instead of dying, your body will be reconstituted in the last place you designated as your soul¡¯s waypoint, regaining a state of full integrity. This effect can only be triggered once a day.
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Divine Title: Chosen One
Your aura has been altered by a pair of divine entities. The alterations have enhanced the strength of your aura, increasing its range and resistance to effects from higher Castes.
Your soul has been marked as one who has been chosen by the deities of Makera.
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Title: Adventurer
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The desire for adventure can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased effects when affecting a Mundane ally.
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Title: Slayer
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The resolve to end the life of another person can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased resistance to being suppressed when combating foes of the same or higher caste.
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Title: Martyr
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The desire to save others at the cost of yourself can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased effects when low on health.
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Title: Soul Tyrant
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The resolve to claim complete dominion over another can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased effects when near those who serve your will.
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Passive Ability: Guiding Stars
Type: Aura (magical, light)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura have increased stamina regeneration and will gain a [Starlight Companion]. Reconstructing a destroyed [Starlight Companion] expends a low amount of mana.
- Starlight Companion (construct, magical, light): A small Starlight Companion hovers around you, providing light and protection. Can intercept and negate Magical or Elemental projectiles.
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Ability: Transversing the Stars
Type: Utility (construct, magical, dimension)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Construct a star gate between two locations on a regional scale. The destination gate must appear in a location you have an aural imprint on.
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Class Ability: Cosmic Phoenix
Type: Familiar (ritual, summon, magical, covenant, dimension)
Cost: Severe mana and stamina.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Summon a [Cosmic Phoenix] to serve as a familiar.
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Passive Ability: Embrace of Shadows
Type: Aura (stealth, magical, dark)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura are obscured by shadows, making attacks against them less likely to hit. The effectiveness of the shadows scales up with the level of darkness of the surrounding environment.
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Ability: Night Blade
Type: Utility (construct, magical, dark)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Constructs [Nyx, the Dagger of Darkness]. Attacks made with the dagger will inflict additional Dark damage and an instance of [Mana Siphon].
- Mana Siphon (bane, drain, magical, arcane, stacking): Drains a low amount of mana over time.
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Class Ability: Call of the Abyss
Type: Spell (divine, void)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Inflicts [Weakened] and [Reflected Fate].
- Weakened (bane, divine, void): Maximum health, mana, and stamina is reduced.
- Reflected Fate (bane, retribution, divine, void): For each attack made, take a low amount of damage in return. Damage taken is of the same type as the attack.
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Passive Ability: Radiant Sunlight
Type: Aura (magical, light)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura gain a [Sun Shell]. Reconstructing a destroyed [Sun Shell] can be done after a short duration and costs a moderate amount of mana.
- Sun Shell (boon, construct, magical, light): A shield that blocks the next incoming physical attack with a chance to knock back and inflict [Blind] on the attacker.
- Blind (bane, magical, light): Hinders vision for a short time.
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Ability: A New Dawn Rises
Type: Spell (magical, life)
Cost: Variable mana.
Cooldown: Variable.
Crystal Effect: Can heal a touched target by activating for Low, Moderate, High, or Severe mana cost. The amount healed and respective cooldown time increases with cost.
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Class Ability: Meteor Shower
Type: Spell (summon, elemental, fire)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Crystal Effect: Summon a meteor to descend on a target location inflicting massive Fire and physical damage and nearby enemies gain [Burning].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
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Passive Ability: Moonlit Eyes
Type: Perception
Crystal Effect: The level of light does not hinder your sight.
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Ability: Lunar Dream
Type: Spell (construct, magical, illusion)
Cost: Variable mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Construct an illusory model. Cost varies based on scale and duration. The Illusion is semi-transparent and intangible.
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Class Ability: Avatar of Bakunawa
Type: Transfiguration (recoil, magical, dark, dimension, light)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Crystal Effect: Take on the characteristics and abilities of the moon-eating dragon Bakunawa, increasing all attributes by a significant amount and unlocking the abilities [Eclipse Breath], [Cosmic Talons], and [Soul of the Celestial]. When this effect ends, you are temporarily debilitated, suffering a reduction in all attributes.
- Eclipse Breath (channel, magical, dark, light): Breath a stream of Magical flames inflicting Dark and Light damage.
- Cosmic Talons (magical, dimension): Grow metallic claws that inflict Dimension damage.
- Soul of the Celestial (passive, aura): Increases Strength, Mind, and Magic attributes of allies within your aura.
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Passive Ability: Astral Oasis
Type: Aura (magical, arcane)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura have increased regeneration to mana and abilities cost less mana.
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Ability: Ruler of Relativity
Type: Utility (magical, covenant)
Cost: Variable mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Change the gravitational relationship between you and a target within sight with mana cost dependent on the distance, speed, size, and Caste difference from the target.
- Variant one: Pull - Causes the target to be drawn towards you.
- Variant two: Push - Causes the target to be repelled from you.
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Class Ability: Supernova
Type: Execute (recoil, elemental, magical, arcane, fire, light)
Cost: Severe health, mana, and stamina.
Cooldown: 6 hours.
Crystal Effect: Create an explosion of magic centered on you, inflicting Arcane, Fire, and Light damage to nearby enemies and the surrounding environment. Enemies within and near the blast are inflicted with [Burning]. When this effect ends, you are temporarily unable to cast spells. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
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Name: Tala
Species: Cosmic Phoenix (Familiar)
Mythical creatures not of this world that are attuned to Dimension, Fire, and Radiant magic.
Caste: Crystal
Can cast the breath attack [Star Fire] against nearby enemies.
Attacks dealt by the talons or beak inflict additional Dimension damage and can affect incorporeal entities.
- Star Fire (elemental, magical, dimension, fire): A wide-area attack that inflicts a combination of Dimension and Fire damage and inflicts [Burning] and [Vulnerable].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
- Vulnerable (bane, elemental, stacking): All Elemental resistances are slightly reduced.
When merged within the summoner:
- The summoner shines and slowly stores [Starlight Qi] generated from absorbed starlight. [Starlight Qi] can be completely drained to unleash a burst of mana and stamina regeneration to allies in the area. The amount replenished is determined by how much [Starlight Qi] was spent.
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Paul Wayland
Profile: Paul Wayland
Species: Human (Northern Pyrinese)
Current caste: Ruby 1
Attributes
Strength (Zeal): Ruby 1
Agility (Sword): Ruby 1
Fortitude (Fire): Ruby 1
Mind (Light): Ruby 1
Magic (Wrath Blade): Ruby 1
Natural Talents
Corruption slayer
Sun Attunement
Solaris
Caged by Caste
Zealous Avenger
Divine Titles
Paladin of the Purifier
Fallen of the Purifier
Paladin of the Avenger
Titles
Adventurer
Corruption Hunter
Follower of the Purifier
Savior of the Tortured
Treasure Finder
Serenydi Exile
Traveler of Pyrin
Outcast
Emissary Adventurer
Lord of the House
- Focus to see the full list¡
Aspects
Fire
- Flames of Purification (Aura Passive)
- Flame Javelin - Ruby 1
- Meteor Strike (Class) - Ruby 1
Light
- Penetrating Sight (Perception Passive)
- Child of Theia - Ruby 1
- Flicker Strike (Class) - Ruby 1
Sword
- Blade of Vengeance (Utility Passive)
- Accelerating Strikes - Ruby 1
- Swords of the Celestial (Class) - Ruby 1
Zeal
- Strength of Purpose (Boon Passive)
- Righteous Fury - Ruby 1
- Judgment of the Zealous (Class) - Ruby 1
Wrath Blade (Class)
- Rage Regalia (Utility Passive)
- Wrath From Above - Ruby 1
- Ferocious Assault (Class) - Ruby 1
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Natural Talent: Corruption Slayer
- Deviated from [Arcane Attunement] due to Purifier¡¯s Blessing.
- Increased resistance to negative Radiant effects. Radiant abilities have an increased effect.
- Can sense the direction of nearby [Corrupted] targets.
- Increased damage against [Corrupted] targets.
- You are immune to becoming [Corrupted].
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Natural Talent: Zealous Avenger
- Cultivated from [Unknown Potential] due to unlocking the Zeal Aspect.
- Cultivated from [Zealous Bounty] due to the Avenger¡¯s Blessing.
- You can loot slain enemies with a touch. The quality of loot is increased if the target is slain with [Nemesis].
- You gain further insight into yourself and your enemies.
- Divine abilities have increased effect.
- You can mark a target that has been touched by your aura with [Nemesis].
- Nemesis (bane, tracking, divine): You can be tracked by the caster of this Bane. You take increased damage from Divine sources. Decreased resource regeneration.
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Natural Talent: Solaris
- Deviated from [Combination Disposition] due to becoming soul entwined.
- Your soul has become entwined with Phoenix Wayland, one of your Kindred Spirits.
- Your soul will always recognize Phoenix Wayland¡¯s soul as a Kindred Spirit.
- You share Natural Talents with your Kindred Spirit.
- You have a telepathic link with your Kindred Spirit with the range based on the highest Caste.
- When within your Kindred Spirit¡¯s aura, you have increased Magic.
- When there is a Caste difference between you and your Kindred Spirit, the one with the lower Caste has an increased cultivation rate based on the difference.
- The effects of this cannot be shared.
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Natural Talent: Caged by Caste
- Deviated from [Special Attack Disposition] due to extreme soul manipulation.
- Your body has been Caged to your soul, greatly increasing your attributes.
- Your soul has been Caged to your mind, greatly weakening your willpower.
- Your mind has been overtaken by Phoenix Wayland, granting them dominion over it.
- Your body, soul, and mind are severely out of alignment due to Caste imbalance, until corrected you will enter a state of regenerative stasis.
- The effects of this cannot be shared.
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Divine Title: Paladin of the Avenger
Your aura has been altered by the divine entity: Avenger. The alteration has enhanced the strength of your aura, increasing its range and resistance to effects from higher castes. The appearance of your Construct items has been altered. People can sense your desire to seek retribution through your aura.
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Passive Ability: Flames of Purification
Type: Aura (cleanse, elemental, fire)
Crystal Effect: Periodically cleanses Elemental Banes for allies within your aura.
Sapphire Effect: Increases Fire resistance for allies while decreasing Fire resistance for enemies.
Emerald Effect: Periodically cleanses Magical Banes for allies within your aura.
Ruby Effect: Periodically inflicts Fire and Light damage to enemies within the aura. Extra effective against targets with the [Corrupted] status.
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Ability: Flame Javelin
Type: Special Attack (construct, elemental, fire)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Construct and throw a javelin of flames, inflicting a moderate amount of Fire damage.
Sapphire Effect: Inflicts additional Light damage. Has increased penetration against resistance to Fire and Light. Inflicts an instance of [Sunburned].
Emerald Effect: You can construct additional javelins that will follow the original for an exponential mana cost.
Ruby Effect: Inflicts additional Radiant damage and [Celestial Radiation].
- Sunburned (bane, elemental, magical, fire, light, stacking): Decreased Fire and Light resistance.
- Celestial Radiation (bane, divine, radiant): Inflicts ongoing low Radiant damage for a short duration.
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Class Ability: Meteor Strike
Type: Special Attack (combination, movement, elemental, fire)
Cost: High stamina and mana.
Cooldown: 30 seconds.
Crystal Effect: Accelerate through the air towards a target. When used with other combination attacks, any physical and Fire damage is increased during the combination.
Sapphire Effect: An explosion is produced from the impact point, inflicting Fire damage and [Burning] on any enemies in the area.
Emerald Effect: Any enemies in the area are also knocked back from the impact point and inflicted with [Condemnation].
Ruby Effect: An additional shockwave is produced from the impact point creating a larger area of consecrated ground, inflicting small amounts of Radiant damage to enemies within for a moderate duration.
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
- Condemnation (bane, divine, radiant, stacking): Decreased Fire, Light, and Radiant resistance.
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Ability: Child of Theia
Type: Familiar (ritual, summon, magical, covenant)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Summon a [Child of Theia] as a Familiar.
Sapphire Effect: When manifested, the Familiar can create a large barrier of light that absorbs a large amount of damage for a high mana cost and long cooldown.
Emerald Effect: When manifested or merged, the Familiar can slowly convert light into stamina or mana for both the Familiar and the summoner.
Ruby Effect: Your Familiar can perform manifested abilities through you while merged.
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Class Ability: Flicker Strike
Type: Special Attack (combination, movement, divine, magical, dimension, light, radiant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Your next successful attack triggers a flash teleportation to another nearby enemy, chaining up to two times.
Sapphire Effect: Can chain up to five times. Inflicts additional Light damage, increasing with each successful attack.
Emerald Effect: Can chain up to ten times. Each successful attack inflicts [Dazzled] and [Sensitivity].
Ruby Effect: Can chain up to twenty times. Inflicts additional Radiant damage, increasing with each successful attack.
- Dazzled (bane, control, magical, light): Hinders vision and movement for a very short time.
- Sensitivity (bane, magical, light, stacking): Decreased Light resistance.
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Passive Ability: Blade of Vengeance
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, magical, arcane, fire)
Crystal Effect: Construct a sword that reflects the wielder and can be used as a medium for Spells and cantrips for a slightly increased effect.
Sapphire Effect: Special Attacks with the Magical modifier performed with this weapon inflict increased damage.
Emerald Effect: Normal and Special Attacks made with this weapon inflict additional Fire damage and [Burning].
Ruby Effect: Normal and Special Attacks made with this weapon inflict additional Radiant damage and [Penance].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
- Penance (bane, divine, radiant): Inflicts ongoing Radiant damage.
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Ability: Accelerating Strikes
Type: Special Attack (combination, purge, elemental, magical, fire, light)
Cost: Low stamina per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Each attack slightly increases your attack speed while this ability is active.
Sapphire Effect: Each attack inflicts escalating Fire damage.
Emerald Effect: Each attack inflicts escalating Light damage and an instance of a Magical or Elemental Boon is purged from the target.
Ruby Effect: Each attack grants you an instance of [Zealous Striker].
- Zealous Striker (boon, divine, radiant): Increased Agility and Strength. Radiant attacks have increased resistance penetration.
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Class Ability: Swords of the Celestial
Type: Spell (channel, construct, elemental, magical, blood, fire, light)
Cost: Moderate mana per second.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Channel mana to construct a sword each second to impale a nearby enemy target from above and inflict Light damage.
Sapphire Effect: Each second constructs three swords and inflicts additional Fire damage and [Burning].
Emerald Effect: Each second constructs six swords and inflicts [Bleeding].
Ruby Effect: Each second constructs nine swords and explodes upon impact inflicting additional Radiant damage.
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
- Bleeding (bane, magical, blood): Inflicts ongoing Blood damage.
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Passive Ability: Strength of Purpose
Type: Boon (magical, arcane)
Crystal Effect: You have increased Strength and Fortitude.
Sapphire Effect: The effects of other Boons on you are slightly increased.
Emerald Effect: The effects of your Execute are increased and Execute effects upon you are decreased.
Ruby Effect: Speed is greatly increased when moving towards an enemy and Movement abilities have increased effect.
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Ability: Righteous Fury
Type: Boon (magical, arcane)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Increase your Strength and Agility attributes for a short duration.
Sapphire Effect: Increase your damage dealt for a short duration.
Emerald Effect: Increase your Mind and Fortitude attributes for a short duration.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Ruby Effect: Increase all your resistances and penetration against all other resistances by a large amount for a short duration.
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Class Ability: Judgment of the Zealous
Type: Execute (combination, purge, divine, radiant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Enchants your weapon so that its next attack inflicts additional Radiant damage on impact. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
Sapphire Effect: Deal increased damage to enemies with Dark, Death, or Void attunements, or have the [Corrupted] status and purge a random Boon on impact.
Emerald Effect: If used at the end of a combination attack, the weapon is automatically enchanted again at no additional cost and slightly enhanced effect.
Ruby Effect: Base damage is increased by a percentage of the amount of damage the target has previously inflicted upon you. If no damage has been previously inflicted, you gain [Instant Karma].
- Instant Karma (boon, divine, retribution): The next attack against you will be reflected back at the attacker.
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Passive Ability: Rage Regalia
Type: Utility (construct, magical, arcane)
Crystal Effect: Construct a suit of armor that increases physical and Magical resistances.
Sapphire Effect: Constructed armor also increases Elemental resistance and any Constructed weapons inflict additional physical damage.
Emerald Effect: Constructed armor grants the wearer the [Thorned] boon.
- Thorned (boon, magical, retribution): Attacks against you inflict retributive damage back to the attacker.
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Ability: Wrath From Above
Type: Special Attack (combination, movement)
Cost: Low stamina.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Leap into the air above a target within range. The next attack deals increased physical damage.
Sapphire Effect: Each subsequent combination attack deals greatly increased damage.
Emerald Effect: Each subsequent combination attack decreases the cooldown of this ability.
Ruby Effect: The next attack also inflicts [Heretical Prey].
- Heretical Prey (bane, divine, radiant): Decreased Divine resistance and Combination attacks inflict increased damage.
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Class Ability: Ferocious Assault
Type: Special Attack (boon, combination, magical, dimension)
Cost: Low stamina per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Each attack slightly increases your Strength while this ability is active.
Sapphire Effect: Each attack slightly increases your Agility while this ability or another combination ability is active.
Emerald Effect: Each attack inflicts escalating Dimension damage and an instance of [Dimensional Confusion].
Ruby Effect: Each attack grants an instance of [Warrior¡¯s Heart] while this ability or another combination ability is active.
- Dimensional Confusion (bane, magical, dimension): Your perception of your surroundings is confused, occasionally mistaking areas for another. Instances are quickly lost over time.
- Warrior¡¯s Heart (boon, divine, radiant, stacking): Decreased cost of Special Attacks. Can consume all instances of this Boon to empower your next attack. Instances are slowly lost when not attacking.
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Name: Orebela
Species: Child of Theia (Familiar)
Mythical creatures not of this world that are attuned to Light and Radiant magic.
Caste: Ruby
Can speak with anyone and perform rituals telepathically.
Can construct and wield multiple melee weapons imbued with Light magic.
Can empower a weapon, including Construct ones, to inflict additional Light damage.
Can greatly boost your Agility for a moderate mana cost and low cooldown.
Can freely fly through the air when manifested.
Can construct wings that increase flight speed and inflict [Flash Bomb] when struck.
Can teleport a short distance in line of sight for a high mana cost and low cooldown.
- Flash Bomb (bane, magical, light): Inflicts moderate Light damage and hinders vision for a short duration.
When merged within the summoner:
- The summoner¡¯s eyes become golden and a third eye guard appears, granting additional resistance against Magical and Elemental damage.
- The Familiar can perceive in a large radius around the summoner.
- Movement abilities have increased effect and reduced cost.
- The summoner gains a slow fall effect and limited control when moving through the air.
- The summoner can conjure malleable golden skin plating that greatly increases resistance to Radiant damage and Bludgeoning physical attacks.
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Dazien Smithson
Profile: Dazien Smithson
Species: Gemite (Amethyst)
Current caste: Crystal 5
Attributes
Strength (Potent): Crystal 9
Agility (Sword): Crystal 8
Fortitude (Metal): Crystal 9
Mind (Noble): Crystal 9
Magic (Warrior King): Crystal 9
Natural Talents
Treasure Attunement
Drinking Buddy
Earthborn
Shiny
Right of Divinity
Titles
Orphan
Loyal Friend
Warrior Trainee
Slayer
Adventurer
Aspects
Potent
- Eagle Eye (Perception Passive)
- Duelist - Crystal 10
- Rallying Cry (Class) - Crystal 10
Sword
- Armory (Utility Passive)
- Accelerating Strikes - Crystal 10
- Royal Executioner (Class) - Crystal 9
Metal
- Tribute (Utility Passive)
- Stand Your Ground - Crystal 10
- To the Dungeon (Class) - Crystal 10
Noble
- Noble Subjects (Utility Passive)
- Lead the Charge - Crystal 10
- King¡¯s Banner (Class) - Crystal 10
Warrior King (Class)
- Monarch¡¯s Dominion (Aura Passive)
- Call of Fealty - Crystal 10
- Avatar of Sovereignty (Class) - Crystal 10
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Natural Talent: Drinking Buddy
- Cultivated from [Never Drunk] due to unlocking the Noble Aspect.
- Cannot become intoxicated via alcoholic beverages at or below your Caste.
- When drinking alcohol, you may grant nearby allies increased resistance to intoxication.
- Covenant abilities have increased effects.
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Natural Talent: Earthborn
- Fortitude and Strength attributes are increased.
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Natural Talent: Shiny
- Your appearance conforms more closely to most species and your ideal traits.
- Your looks, words, and deeds have greater appeal.
- Your eyes shine with an inner light increasing charisma and enhancing sight in darkness.
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Passive Ability: Eagle Eye
Type: Perception
Crystal Effect: You have greater control over your vision and can focus on details from a great distance.
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Ability: Duelist
Type: Spell (taunt, magical, covenant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Challenge a target to single combat, you gain an instance of [Honor] for each attack against the target and inflict [Dishonor] on the target for any attacks they make against others.
- Honor (boon, magical, covenant, stacking): Attacks made with melee weapons deal increased damage, and resistance to Spells is increased. Instances are slowly lost over time.
- Dishonor (bane, magical, covenant, stacking): Resistances to Magical effects and recovery are reduced. Instances are slowly lost over time.
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Class Ability: Rallying Cry
Type: Spell (magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Can cast either [To Arms] or [Charge] to temporarily increase one attribute for nearby allies.
- To Arms (boon, magical, covenant): Increased Strength for a moderate duration.
- Charge (boon, magical, covenant): Increased Agility for a moderate duration.
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Passive Ability: Armory
Type: Utility (construct, magical, dimension)
Crystal Effect: Construct a doorway to a personal dimensional storage space that contains [Excalibur, Sword of the True King]. You can don or doff armor and weapons directly from this space without needing to construct the doorway.
- Excalibur, Sword of the True King (construct, divine, radiant): Attacks made with Excalibur can affect incorporeal targets and inflict an instance of [Ailing].
- Ailing (bane, divine, radiant, stacking): Decreased health and stamina regeneration.
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Ability: Accelerating Strikes
Type: Special Attack (combination)
Cost: Low stamina, increasing with each successive attack.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Each attack slightly increases your attack speed while this ability is active.
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Class Ability: Royal Executioner
Type: Execute (divine, radiant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Enchants a blade so that its next attack deals additional Radiant damage on impact. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
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Passive Ability: Tribute
Type: Utility (magical, covenant)
Crystal Effect: Allies with [Subject] gain a brand that allows them to loot slain enemies with a touch. You gain additional loot from enemies looted by allies with [Subject]. Loot goes directly into your dimensional storage.
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Ability: Stand Your Ground
Type: Utility (channel, elemental, metal)
Cost: Moderate mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Become rooted in place, greatly increase your resistance to physical damage, and gain an instance of [Tenacity] each second until your next movement.
- Tenacity (boon, elemental, metal, stacking): Increased Strength and resistance to Elemental damage. Instances are quickly lost when moving.
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Class Ability: To the Dungeon
Type: Spell (construct, control, elemental, metal)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Construct a reinforced metal cage around the target for a short duration; touching the cage inflicts a burst of Metal damage.
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Passive Ability: Noble Subjects
Type: Utility (magical, covenant)
Crystal Effect: You can designate willing allies as a [Subject]. Allies with [Subject] can communicate telepathically.
- Subject (boon, magical, covenant, tracking): You have been claimed as a noble subject. Your general status is known by the Caster. Other abilities that affect a [Subject] can only affect you if triggered by the Caster.
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Ability: Lead the Charge
Type: Special Attack (movement, magical, covenant)
Cost: Low stamina per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Focus on a target, greatly increasing your speed while moving in the target¡¯s direction and gaining an instance of [Momentum] each second until your next attack.
- Momentum (boon, magical, covenant, stacking): Your next attack will consume all instances of this Boon to inflict additional physical damage. Instances are lost quickly while not moving.
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Class Ability: King¡¯s Banner
Type: Utility (boon, construct, zone, magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Construct a battle standard that creates a zone around it, granting nearby allies increased regeneration and Fortitude.
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Passive Ability: Monarch¡¯s Dominion
Type: Aura (magical, covenant)
Crystal Effect: Allies within the aura gain increased resistance to Retribution effects.
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Ability: Call of Fealty
Type: Spell (taunt, magical, covenant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 2 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Inflict a target with [Hesitation] if they do not halt their momentum, and [Insolence] if they do not kneel before you, within 5 seconds.
- Hesitation (bane, magical, covenant, stacking): Agility is decreased.
- Insolence (bane, magical, covenant, stacking): Magical resistance is decreased.
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Class Ability: Avatar of Sovereignty
Type: Familiar (ritual, summon, magical, covenant)
Cost: Severe mana and stamina.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Summon an [Avatar of Sovereignty] to serve as a familiar
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Uriel Karislian
Profile: Uriel Karislian
Species: Cinderen
Current caste: Crystal 6
Attributes
Strength (Potent): Crystal 9
Agility (Fire): Crystal 7
Fortitude (Storm): Crystal 8
Mind (Ice): Crystal 10
Magic (Cataclysm Mage): Crystal 9
Natural Talents
Molten Attunement
Ice Attunement
Storm Attunement
Spell Disposition
Raging Inferno
Titles
Adventurer
???
Aspects
Fire
- Home¡¯s Hearth (Utility Passive)
- Rain of Fire - Crystal 10
- Scorch the Shaken Earth (Class) - Crystal 8
Ice
- Fortress of Solitude (Utility Passive)
- Frost Touched - Crystal 10
- Blizzard (Class) - Crystal 10
Storm
- Scent in the Air (Perception Passive)
- ???
- Eye of the Storm (Class) - Crystal 7
Potent
- ???
- Siphoned Vigor - Crystal 7
- Plague Bearer (Class) - Crystal 8
Cataclysm Mage (Class)
- ???
- Chaos Seeds - Crystal 10
- End of Days (Class) - Crystal 8
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Natural Talent: Molten Attunement
- Increased resistance to negative Earth and Fire effects. Earth and Fire abilities have increased effects.
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Natural Talent: Ice Attunement
Cultivated from [Unknown Potential].
- Increased resistance to negative Ice effects. Ice abilities have increased effects.
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Natural Talent: Storm Attunement
Deviated from [Animal Friend].
- Increased resistance to negative Lightning and Wind effects. Lightning and Wind abilities have increased effects.
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Natural Talent: Spell Disposition
Deviated from [Utility Disposition].
- Increased likelihood of unlocking Spell abilities. Spells have increased effect and reduced cost.
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Natural Talent: Raging Inferno
Deviated from [Flame Heart].
- Increased Fortitude and Elemental resistances when near Fire.
- When you become angered while using mana, Raging Inferno becomes active and you enter a state of uncontrollable rage.
- While Raging Inferno is active, you have greatly increased Agility, Fortitude, and Magic at the cost of decreased Mind and Strength.
- While Raging Inferno is active, your Spells have greatly decreased cost and cooldown and increased range and area of effect.
- While Raging Inferno is active, any creature that dies within your aura is instantly consumed and converted into instances of [Fuel for the Flames], the amount of instances depends on the Caste of the consumed target.
- While Raging Inferno is active, you attack any and all nearby creatures.
- Fuel for the Flames (boon, divine, void, stacking): Greatly increases resource regeneration for a short duration.
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Passive Ability: Home''s Hearth
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, fire)
Crystal Effect: Construct a hearth that produces light and heat for a low mana cost. Allies near the hearth slowly gain instances of [Hearth¡¯s Warmth].
- Hearth¡¯s Warmth (boon, cleanse, elemental, fire, stacking): Increased health regeneration and periodically cleanses Elemental Banes.
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Ability: Rain of Fire
Type: Spell (elemental, fire)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Create an area of falling flames. Targets in the area take ongoing Fire damage and slowly gain instances of [Scorched].
- Scorched (bane, elemental, fire, stacking): Decreased Fire resistance.
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Class Ability: Scorch the Shaken Earth
Type: Special Attack (elemental, earth, fire)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Slam the ground to trigger a seismic attack inflicting Earth damage, rippling out in a circle around you, scorching the area with fire, and knocking back enemies in its path. Anyone within the area gains [Burning].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
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Passive Ability: Fortress of Solitude
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, magical, ice, dimension)
Crystal Effect: Construct a fortress of ice nearby that serves as a shelter and dimensional storage, increasing the mana regeneration and effects of meditation of the inhabitants.
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Ability: Frost Touched
Type: Spell (elemental, ice)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Inflict the target with low Ice damage and an instance of [Chilled] and [Frostbite].
- Chilled (bane, elemental, ice, stacking): Decreased Agility.
- Frostbite (bane, elemental, ice, stacking): Inflicts ongoing Ice damage.
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Class Ability: Blizzard
Type: Spell (elemental, ice)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Create an area of violent wind, snow, and hail. Targets in the area take ongoing Ice damage and slowly gain instances of [Chilled].
- Chilled (bane, elemental, ice, stacking): Decreased Agility.
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Passive Ability: Scent in the Air
Type: Perception
Crystal Effect: You have an extremely heightened and more controlled sense of smell.
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Class Ability: Eye of the Storm
Type: Spell (elemental, earth, fire, water, wind)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Create a violent storm centered around you. Targets in the storm take a low amount of ongoing Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind damage and periodically gain an instance of [Scorched] and [Chilled].
- Scorched (bane, elemental, fire, stacking): Decreased Fire resistance.
- Chilled (bane, elemental, ice, stacking): Decreased Agility.
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Ability: Siphoned Vigor
Type: Spell (drain, magical, blood)
Cost: Variable health.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Consume an amount of your own health to replenish your mana.
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Class Ability: Plague Bearer
Type: Spell (magical, death)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Inflict a target enemy with low Death damage and an instance of [Plagued].
- Plagued (bane, magical, death, stacking): Inflicts ongoing Death damage and slowly spreads instances of [Plagued] to nearby enemies.
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Ability: Chaos Seeds
Type: Spell (construct, elemental)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: 30 seconds.
Crystal Effect: Construct a seed that will trigger a random Elemental attack on impact.
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Class Ability: End of Days
Type: Execute (spell, divine, void)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Surround the target in darkness, suppressing all physical senses and inflicting ongoing low Void damage for a short duration. Damage scales based on the amount of health missing from the target.
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Saiya Dewsong
Profile: Saiya Dewsong
Species: Voxen (Sandstep)
Current caste: Sapphire 1
Attributes
Strength (Water): Sapphire 1
Agility (Balance): Sapphire 1
Fortitude (Life): Sapphire 2
Mind (Song): Sapphire 1
Magic (Tranquil Healer): Sapphire 1
Natural Talents
Nomadic Heart
Tails of Power
???
Titles
Adventurer
???
Aspects
Song
- Accompanion (Utility Passive)
- Crescendo - Sapphire 1
- Sonorous Shield (Class) - Sapphire 2
Balance
- Meditative Guide (Boon Passive)
- Boon of the Balanced - Sapphire 2
- Harmonize (Class) - Sapphire 1
Life
- Empathic Life (Perception Passive)
- Heal Life - Sapphire 3
- Refreshed (Class) - Sapphire 1
Water
- Call of the Sea (Familiar Passive)
- Cleansing Stream - Sapphire 2
- Rain of Life (Class) - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
Tranquil Healer (Class)
- Soothing Soul (Aura Passive)
- Restful Retreat - Sapphire 2 (Locked)
- Restored Foundation (Class) - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
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Natural Talent: Nomadic Heart
- You have better footing and balance on all types of terrain and are less hindered by terrain features.
- Reduced stamina drain over prolonged periods.
- Increased resistance to environmental extremes.
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Natural Talent: Tails of Power
- Increased Magical and physical resistance of your tails.
- Each tail gradually accumulates ambient magic that may be used to boost the effects of an ability that costs mana or stamina.
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Passive Ability: Accompanion
Type: Utility (construct, magical, arcane)
Crystal Effect: Can construct a musical instrument of your own design.
Sapphire Effect: ???
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Ability: Crescendo
Type: Boon (recoil, magical, song)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 6 hours.
Crystal Effect: Mind, Agility, and Fortitude attributes, along with maximum capacity and regeneration of mana and stamina pools, are greatly increased for the target ally for a moderate duration. When this effect ends, the targeted ally is temporarily debilitated, suffering the inverse of all previous effects.
Sapphire Effect: ???
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Class Ability: Sonorous Shield
Type: Spell (channel, construct, magical, song, water)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: As you sing, nearby allies gain increased resistance to Magical damage.
Sapphire Effect: As you sing, nearby allies gain increased resistance to Elemental damage. Also constructs a shield of water around each affected ally at the beginning of the spell that absorbs damage and lasts until the spell ends or the shield is destroyed. This effect incurs a separate 5-minute cooldown.
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Passive Ability: Meditative Guide
Type: Boon (magical, song)
Crystal Effect: Sing a song of guided meditation, enhancing the effects of meditation to nearby allies.
Sapphire Effect: ???
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Ability: Boon of the Balanced
Type: Boon (magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Bless nearby allies with increased balance and reflexes for a short amount of time, making them less likely to falter, and Magical abilities are less likely to be resisted.
Sapphire Effect: Also greatly increases the lowest level attribute of each blessed ally.
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Class Ability: Harmonize
Type: Spell (magical, covenant, song)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: Varies.
Crystal Effect: Harmonize with an ally¡¯s incanted spell, adding your mana to theirs to increase its effects and shorten its cooldown. This spell''s cooldown becomes the same as the targeted spell¡¯s adjusted cooldown.
Sapphire Effect: Decreases the incanted spell¡¯s cost for both Casters and each gains an instance of [Interlude].
- Interlude (boon, magical, song): Moderately increased mana regeneration for a short duration.
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Passive Ability: Empathic Life
Type: Perception (magical, life)
Crystal Effect: Can sense the emotions and resource pools of a target through their aura.
Sapphire Effect: You can sense imprints of emotions bestowed by the previous wielder and creator in the objects you touch. If you are able to empathize with either imprint on an enchanted item, the item will yield greater effects.
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Ability: Heal Life
Type: Spell (magical, life)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Delivers Life energy through a projectile, giving a small burst of health to an ally target.
Sapphire Effect: Bestows an instance of [Life Regen].
- Life Regen (boon, magical, life): Periodically regain health for a moderate duration.
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Class Ability: Refreshed
Type: Spell (magical, life)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: Variable.
Crystal Effect: This spell can only affect an ally and not yourself. Reset the cooldown of an ability currently on a cooldown of the targeted ally. The cooldown of this ability is equal to the time remaining on the cooldown of the target ability.
Sapphire Effect: Additionally refresh resource pools of the target with the amount recovered proportional to the costs of the ability refreshed.
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Passive Ability: Call of the Sea
Type: Familiar (ritual, magical, covenant)
Crystal Effect: Bond to a Crystal Caste Water-attuned aval or monster to serve as a Familiar.
Sapphire Effect: Bond to a Sapphire Caste Water-attuned aval or monster to serve as a familiar. Increased effectiveness of Water abilities that scale higher the closer your Familiar is to you.
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Ability: Cleansing Stream
Type: Spell (channel, elemental, water)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Channel a stream of water that thoroughly cleans any external impurities from a single target and grants an instance of [Flowing Waters] if the target is an ally.
Sapphire Effect: Purges Elemental Boons from target enemy. Grants a small burst of healing whenever a stack of [Flowing Waters] is consumed.
- Flowing Waters (boon, cleanse, elemental, water, stacking): Slowly cleanses Elemental Banes for a short duration.
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Class Ability: Rain of Life
Type: Spell (elemental, magical, life, water)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Crystal Effect: Create an area of healing rain that greatly increases the regeneration rate of allies within it.
Sapphire Effect: (Locked)
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Passive Ability: Soothing Soul
Type: Aura (magical, life)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura are calmed and have increased resistance to Magical Banes.
Sapphire Effect: The calming effects of your aura are increased against lower Caste people and will also affect enemies to a limited degree. Allies within your aura have increased resistance to Magical damage.
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Ability: Restful Retreat
Type: Spell (summon, magical, dimension, life)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Crystal Effect: Summon nearby allies into a dimensional garden for a moderate duration. The inhabitants have greatly increased health regeneration and are periodically cleansed of Elemental Banes.
Sapphire Effect: (Locked)
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Class Ability: Restored Foundation
Type: Spell (cleanse, zone, magical, life)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 6 hours.
Crystal Effect: Delineate a zone with small lotus flower constructs. Target ally within the zone restores a massive amount of health and is cleansed of all Magical Banes.
Sapphire Effect: (Locked)
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Rayna Dewsong
Profile: Rayna Dewsong
Species: Voxen (Sandstep)
Current Caste: Sapphire 1
Attributes
Strength (Gem): Sapphire 1
Agility (Swift): Sapphire 1
Fortitude (Dance): Sapphire 1
Mind (Song): Sapphire 1
Magic (Shatter Bard): Sapphire 1
Natural Talents
Fantasia Attunement
Movement Disposition
Crystal Attunement
Nomadic Heart
Tails of Power
Titles
Orphan
Clan Leader
Slayer
Adventurer
Aspects
Song
- Echolocation (Perception Passive)
- Siren¡¯s Cry - Sapphire 2
- Percussion Strike (Class) - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
Dance
- Stepping Tune (Movement Passive)
- Blink Step - Sapphire 1
- Sonorous Stomp (Class) - Sapphire 1
Swift
- Agile (Boon Passive)
- Beyond the Boundary - Sapphire 1
- Swift Encore (Class) - Sapphire 1
Gem
- Gem Encrusted (Utility Passive)
- Arcanist Gem - Sapphire 1
- Gem Distortion (Class) - Sapphire 1
Shatter Bard (Class)
- Reverberate (Aura Passive)
- Battle Symphony - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
- Shatter (Class) - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
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Natural Talent: Nomadic Heart
- You have better footing and balance on all types of terrain and are less hindered by terrain features.
- Reduced stamina drain over prolonged periods.
- Increased resistance to environmental extremes.
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Natural Talent: Tails of Power
- Increased Magical and physical resistance of your tails.
- Each tail gradually accumulates ambient magic that may be used to boost the effects of an ability that costs mana or stamina.
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Passive Ability: Echolocation
Type: Perception (magical, song)
Crystal Effect: Can discern your environment via sound waves.
Sapphire Effect: Can hear magic.
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Ability: Siren¡¯s Cry
Type: Spell (channel, magical, song)
Cost: Moderate mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Let out a cry, inflicting Song damage and [Deafened] to anyone in a cone in front of you.
Sapphire Effect: Also knocks back and inflicts [Punishing Shriek].
- Deafened (bane, magical, song): Hearing is greatly impaired.
- Punishing Shriek (bane, magic, song): When another Bane is added or removed, gain an instance of [Melodic Tears]. This Bane cannot be cleansed while other Banes remain.
- Melodic Tears (bane, magical, song, stacking): Consumes five instances of this Bane to deal a moderate amount of Song damage.
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Class Ability: Percussion Strike
Type: Special Attack (magical, song)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Each consecutive strike against the same target inflicts Song damage and an instance of [Brittle].
Sapphire Effect: Locked
- Brittle (bane, magical, song, stacking): Reduced Song resistance.
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Passive Ability: Stepping Tune
Type: Movement
Crystal Effect: Create music with your steps, slowly gaining instances of [Tuned].
Sapphire Effect: While maintaining a rhythm with your steps, you gain instances of [Tempo]. Attacks made upon gaining an instance of [Tempo] also grant an instance of [Accompaniment].
- Tuned (boon, stacking): Slightly reduces the mana and stamina cost of abilities. Instances are quickly lost while not moving.
- Tempo (boon, magical, song, stacking): Speed is slightly increased. Instances are quickly lost while not moving.
- Accompaniment (boon, magical, song, stacking): Your attacks deal additional Song damage that scales with the number of instances of this Boon. Instances are quickly lost while not attacking.
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Ability: Blink Step
Type: Special Attack (movement, magical, dimension)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Teleport behind an enemy target within sight, inflicting increased damage with your next attack.
Sapphire Effect: Can be used an additional time per Caste in succession before incurring its cooldown.
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Class Ability: Sonorous Stomp
Type: Special Attack (magical, song)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Stomp the ground causing a shockwave in a radial burst inflicting moderate Song damage and knocking back enemies.
Sapphire Effect: ???
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Passive Ability: Agile
Type: Boon (magical, arcane)
Crystal Effect: Increased Agility. Low stamina and mana per second cost to run on vertical or unstable surfaces. Momentum must be maintained to prevent falling.
Sapphire Effect: Greatly enhanced balance, timing, and spatial sense.
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Ability: Beyond the Boundary
Type: Utility (movement, magical, song)
Cost: Severe mana and stamina.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Instantly boost your speed by a massive amount, quickly declining to normal over 5 seconds.
Sapphire Effect: A shockwave is generated in your wake, dealing a burst of Song damage and knocking back anyone nearby.
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Class Ability: Swift Encore
Type: Utility (movement, magical, song)
Cost: Moderate mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Accumulate instances of [Impetus] while attacking.
Sapphire Effect: Instances now accumulate faster based on total unresisted damage your abilities deal.
- Impetus (boon, magical, song, stacking): Your speed is slightly increased. Consume all instances to deliver a burst of Song damage with your next attack that scales with the number of instances consumed.
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Passive Ability: Gem Encrusted
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, gem)
Crystal Effect: Construct gem gauntlets and tail covers that inflict additional Gem damage and accrue instances of [Kinetic Force] with each normal attack.
Sapphire Effect: For a low mana cost, you can modify your gauntlets and covers to have spikes. Attacks accrue instances of [Reverberation].
- Kinetic Force (boon, elemental, gem, stacking): Consume all instances to inflict Gem damage that scales with the number of instances. Instances are slowly lost over time.
- Reverberation (boon, magical, song, stacking): Each consecutive hit increases the damage of the next attack. Instances are quickly lost over time.
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Ability: Arcanist Gem
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, magical, arcane, gem)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Construct a floating gem that quickly absorbs ambient mana which can be used to fuel rituals or the mana cost of abilities before bursting upon reaching capacity or if destroyed and inflicting Gem and Arcane damage to nearby enemies.
Sapphire Effect: This can store an ability to be triggered upon destruction, automatically targeting the nearest enemy.
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Class Ability: Gem Distortion
Type: Spell (zone, elemental, gem)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Current caste: Sapphire 1 (0%)
Crystal Effect: Create a Zone of vibrating gem pillars that cause mana in the area to become disrupted and inflict ongoing low Gem damage. In the Zone, Spells cost more and have an increased chance of failure or backlash.
Sapphire Effect: Any Spells already being cast are interrupted, dealing backlash damage to their caster. Magic Constructs in the Zone are heavily damaged upon construction.
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Ability: Battle Symphony
Type: Spell (magical, song)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: While singing, deal increased damage for each Boon on you and inflict [Shaken] on nearby enemies.
Sapphire Effect: Locked
- Shaken (bane, magical, song): Inflicts ongoing low Song damage for a moderate duration.
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Class Ability: Shatter
Type: Execute (magical, song)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Inflicts moderate Song damage in a sudden burst. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
Sapphire Effect: Locked
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1 - Go Back
Phoenix blinked, her eyes heavy with exhaustion and her body very much disagreeing with the idea of waking up. She grumbled and tried curling into a tighter ball and pushing herself further into the comfortable seat, only for the extra warm chair she was in to rumble slightly, and laughter tickled her ears as Uriel¡¯s deep voice said, ¡°I don¡¯t think you can burrow deeper into my shirt without ripping it off.¡±
The Wayfarer blinked again in confusion before glancing up at the man smirking down at her in amusement, her face turning the same crimson as her curls in embarrassment at his words as she finally realized where she was. On the roof of the Wayland building, somewhere in the garden maze, curled up on Uriel¡¯s lap like a child who couldn¡¯t stay awake after collapsing from the exhaustion of gaining another mark of divine Favor from the goddess, Champion.
The Mage had apparently found an actual armchair for them to rest in among the towering rows of flowering hedges and had let her use him as a warm pillow. She shook her head and groaned as more memories came back to her, ¡°How long was I out this time?¡±
¡°Not long,¡± he assured, ¡°Maybe a few hours. Nobody has come looking for us yet and it seemed like you needed the rest.¡±
¡°I did,¡± she agreed, then looked at the sky that seemed to be getting darker, ¡°Should we go back now? What even happened after I died?¡±
¡°Orebela carried Lord Wayland back. Elder Pualani has been taking care of things here,¡± Uriel explained and Phoenix recalled the old Emerald Caster that usually took care of the rooftop garden, ¡°Daze is with Everin. He mentally whispered to me earlier saying the new Avatar is awake and is okay with us knowing that he¡¯s going to be the Avatar of both Scholar and Rebel. I told him where we were but not what happened with Champion. I¡¯ll leave that for you to share.¡±
¡°What? Why?¡± she asked, a bit surprised that he didn¡¯t share everything with his partner.
¡°Not my story to tell,¡± he answered with half a shrug from the arm not pinned behind her body, ¡°If you want to keep what you learned and what you traded a secret, then you can. I wouldn¡¯t take that choice from you.¡±
Phoenix nodded and fell silent, leaning her cheek back against the warmth radiating from the cinderen¡¯s chest. She was grateful for his silence, despite planning to tell the others anyway.
¡°Do you¡ do you think I made the wrong choice? Both with the Champion and Paul?¡±
Uriel looked down contemplatively at her, carefully considering before saying, ¡°No. I think you did what you thought would be best to keep hope alive for everyone.¡± A warm smile spread across his face that she wasn¡¯t sure she had ever seen before as he added with a slight tease in his tone, ¡°Just like a hero would.¡±
She scrunched her nose, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t call me that. Paul was the hero out there.¡±
The Mage chuckled as he asked, ¡°So what do you call the person who saves the hero?¡±
¡°A plot device,¡± she mumbled grumpily, eliciting a laugh from the larger man.
Phoenix smiled in return, enjoying the rare sound, then cautiously asked, ¡°So what do we do next?¡±
¡°I find it less stressful to trust him to answer that for me,¡± Uriel answered, gesturing past her with a nod, and she followed his gaze to find Dazien watching them with a calculating look before it transformed into that charming grin he usually wore.
Dazien had been relieved when Uriel told him that Phoenix had finished reviving and that they were currently resting in the garden. He knew the Wayfarer was stronger than she believed but he also saw how much Paul meant to her. Even if she wouldn''t be mourning his death, he knew she would be devastated by losing the future they had planned for.
He felt much the same.
His brief dream of becoming a future member of the Wayland family had shattered to pieces like the runes of that bittersweet ritual. The party leader couldn''t allow himself the time to wallow in self-pity, however, since duty still called and the fighting still raged on. They needed to return to the others and help end this assault on the city in whatever capacity they could manage.
Dazien started feeling nervous about the divine magic his aura was able to sense lingering in the area while following the directional sense his bracelet granted. However, when he turned a corner of the garden maze, he felt momentarily stunned by the sight of his partner snuggling with his once-future sister.
His brain stuttered for a few moments as he watched them talking and not focused on hearing any of it. Honestly, on one hand, it was adorable; the large cinderen, who kept everyone normally at arm''s length, carefully holding the wild redhead like a glowing kitten that might bolt at a sudden move.
On the other hand, it made his mind race with possible futures that he had never even thought to consider and how they might end in spectacular explosions. He also felt horrible that he would have to be the one to interrupt their obvious bonding with orders that none of them really wanted to follow.
Uriel caught his eyes and grinned before nodding towards him, causing Phoenix to look his way, and he pushed aside his ponderings of the far future with the more immediate one as he put on his carefree mask and grinned at his closest friends.
¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt but we need to go back now,¡± he said as he closed the distance between them, ¡°Lady Saiya and Rayna are awaiting our return.¡±
¡°I wish we could go back to before everything,¡± Phoenix replied bitterly.
His smile became tinged with sadness as he replied, ¡°I know, Princess, but not even the Time Mages are able to do that.¡±
¡°Let me guess,¡± she said with a heavy sigh as she climbed off Uriel¡¯s lap, ¡°This is one of those lame magical universes where the past can¡¯t be changed.¡±
¡°Not like that,¡± he confirmed, ¡°Some might argue the bit of future sight some people claim to have effectively changes a past, but I think we¡¯ve gone beyond that point if we¡¯re still talking about wanting to go back.¡±
Dazien nodded towards one of the roses in the hedge behind the pair and expounded, ¡°Even if I know exactly what would happen by picking that flower, once I¡¯ve broken its stem and handed it to you, there is no unpicking it.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
¡°So we can¡¯t go back,¡± the Wayfarer reiterated forlornly as the cinderen stood up behind her.
Uriel looked at the flower he had nodded towards and gingerly plucked it, the Mundane thorns unable to easily pierce the enhanced skin, then handed it over to Phoenix and said, ¡°Not to the past. Trust me when I say I know how desperately you might want to.¡±
Ember eyes glanced back toward him as the Mage added, ¡°But I¡¯m often reminded that we can only move forward despite the burdens we carry.¡±
The Astromancer frowned at the rose before making it vanish in a shimmer of silver to stay in her collection¡¯s stasis to be preserved for longer, much the way her mentor now was.
Dazien wrapped an arm around her shoulders in a gentle half hug before saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go update Everin and then portal back towards the battle while you explain the divine energy my aura still feels lingering around here.¡±
Phoenix gave a loud groan as he began leading them back out of the garden, ¡°You would not believe the audacity these gods have.¡±
¡°They''re gods. Of course, they¡¯re audacious,¡± he chuckled and then guessed, ¡°Your mark changed again?¡±
¡°Probably,¡± she answered with a shrug, swapping out her dress in another shower of starlight for a slightly more revealing one that exposed the Soul Mark.
The large winged five-pointed star sitting in the center and wrapped around an open book was always a striking image, with one page showing an eight-pointed compass star and the other a sprouting seedling.
The dagger that had adorned it earlier from Warrior¡¯s Favor, which seemed similar to her conjured [Night Blade], was no longer pointing downwards towards the book¡¯s crease but was now tilted at an angle and crossed with a longer sword that he didn¡¯t recognize. The overall effect hadn¡¯t changed, though: whenever anyone laid eyes on it, they immediately knew she had gained the addition of the Champion¡¯s Favor.
¡°I think it also does something for the gods but I''m not sure what exactly,¡± the Wayfarer said.
He frowned in concern, ¡°What makes you say¨C¡±
¡°It finally clicked; what you said earlier,¡± she preemptively explained, ¡°¡®Everything has a price.¡¯ Champion even agreed that I wasn¡¯t wrong.¡±
Dazien glanced up to meet Uriel¡¯s gaze, the cinderen¡¯s confirming nod making his mind race with a tidal wave of new worries as he asked, ¡°Do you plan to let Avatar Starlark know?¡±
She nodded, ¡°He sacrificed to save Paul too. I don¡¯t want to hide things from him.¡±
¡°Then you can tell both of us the story at the same time,¡± he said, continuing to lead them to the former Cleric and wondering what divine surprises might interfere with them next.
¡°I want to officially join your party,¡± Everin said from his plush chair in his borrowed room as Phoenix finished explaining everything that had occurred on the roof while he had been chatting with his own deity.
¡°Absolutely not,¡± the young gemite exclaimed, stabbing him with those amethyst eyes, ¡°You are far too powerful to be held back by our status as a Crystal Caste party.¡±
He returned that gaze with his own newly changed one. After being infused with the goddess Scholar¡¯s power, he had been informed by Dazien that his eyes had become glowing swirls of rainbow light that matched his altered hair and reflected the Radiant energy that had threatened to overwhelm him.
Now, however, his eyes lacked any color at all instead of returning to their original pale blue. One iris had gone completely white and the other pitch black, a contrast which gave him an even odder appearance than he already had with his clash of colors.
¡°At least until this new champion or whatever shows up then,¡± the Avatar argued, ¡°I don¡¯t want any of you to be without the appearance of some kind of protection. With Paul¡ sleeping, people might see this as an opportunity to cut down a potential threat. Gaining yet another god¡¯s Favor after first revealing the Soul Mark of six will make a lot of people nervous.¡±
¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Phoenix asked him, sounding more curious than worried, and he silently cursed her immortality skewing her perception once more.
¡°Aside from those who serve the less pleasant gods ¨Clike the Torturer, Maniac, or Destroyer¨C and were already wary of you, those who enjoy a position of power within a more neutral or good-aligned clergy might see you as a threat to that.
¡°Even others outside of the clergy altogether might see a person who is gaining far too much outside power relative to your station. The Rule of Caste is not easily thrown aside and when people are threatened by a disruption of their worldview, they¡¯ll lash out,¡± he explained.
¡°But I already had a bunch of gods showing more interest in me than they really should have,¡± the Wayfarer countered, ¡°Why would one more make a difference?¡±
¡°Because it shows you have the potential to keep gaining more,¡± the voxen pointed out, ¡°You didn¡¯t reveal your mark before another got added so most people didn¡¯t know there was a timeline associated with it. Aside from the clergy becoming aware of a new Chosen for their deity, nobody knew you were gaining them.¡±
¡°Wait, what do you mean by ¡®becoming aware¡¯?¡± Dazien interjected from his spot on a couch next to the quiet cinderen, ¡°Whispers still cost the gods a bit of divine power, so I didn¡¯t think they would bother informing everyone about Phoenix.¡±
Everin grimaced at his slip and the whisper from the Scholar in his mind, ¡°Careful, Avatar. Don¡¯t reveal too much or you might have a hysterical teenager on your hands.¡±
He gestured towards the bracelet on the young warrior¡¯s wrist and divulged, ¡°Any member of the clergy for one of the gods that marked Phoenix can sense which direction she¡¯s in, to a certain extent, much like the bracelets you all wear. We would have all felt your presence the moment you came in range of the city.¡±
¡°Wait, so you knew whenever she went missing?¡± the gemite accused.
He rolled his eyes in response, ¡°Of course not. Not all of us are some kind of crazy stalker watching her every move and she portals around quite often. Unless we¡¯re told she''s not where she¡¯s supposed to be, how are we to know something is wrong simply based on what direction she¡¯s in?¡±
His gaze landed on Phoenix, sitting in a matching chair across from him, who was gripping the arms of the furniture rather tightly, and seemed paler than usual as her wide eyes stared at him. ¡°I told you she would panic,¡± the Scholar whispered again in a tone that was half reprimanding and half smug.
¡°So it doesn¡¯t matter if I stand behind Daze, or cover my mark, or change my hair¡ they¡¯ll always be watching me?¡± she asked in a horrified whisper that filled the room.
Everin frowned but nodded, ¡°You are a beacon to us, Phoenix, one of awe, inspiration, and hope.¡±
¡°I¨CI don¡¯t¡ I can¡¯t¨C¡±
The Wayfarer seemed to have gone into a state of mental overload that impaired speech and the quiet Mage beside her leaned forward to place a large hand over hers as the Defender seemed to speak for both of them, ¡°Nothing has changed. If it¡¯s been that way for months, then nothing is different now. You already decided to walk this path when you accepted being a Wayland, remember?¡±
She clamped her mouth shut and nodded, squeezing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose before taking a few deep breaths and saying, ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s just a lot to wrap my head around.¡±
Then her gaze snapped once more to his as she pointedly asked, ¡°Wait, what else do you know about the Soul Mark? Do you know why all the gods seem to want to give me one?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you dare, Avatar,¡± Scholar¡¯s voice rang the warning in his mind, ¡°She¡¯s not ready for that. She¡¯ll make assumptions based on the little fragments you know.¡±
He grimaced once more, falling silent at the command but the young woman¡¯s pleading gaze as she begged him cut much deeper than the goddess¡¯ rebuke, ¡°Please, Everin. I deserve to know why they keep branding my soul... Please.¡±
¡°I know you have a weak spot for kits, but don¡¯t let her-¡±
¡°I think you forgot, Scholar,¡± Everin silently interjected, ¡°I have a bad habit of not listening to orders and instead doing what I believe is right¡ I am ¨Cand will always be¨C a rebel.¡±
2 - Fight While We Grieve
¡°I only know part of it, not everything,¡± Everin said and Phoenix was grateful that her pleading would finally give her something, even if it wouldn¡¯t be a lot, ¡°But one of the main reasons they give out Soul Marks at all is that it can spread their influence in a way that it naturally can¡¯t.¡±
¡°Influence?¡± Phoenix asked in confusion, ¡°What, like, making people believe in them more by just walking around with proof they exist?¡±
¡°No, I mean in a much more tangible sense,¡± the Avatar clarified, ¡°Tulisuda for example.¡±
¡°The Reality Rift?¡±
¡°Wait, are you serious?¡± Dazien interjected with an incredulous look, ¡°I always thought ¡®spread their will¡¯ was meant more metaphorically as in promoting their concept. The gods can access that separated pseudo-reality now? I didn¡¯t think that was possible.¡±
¡°Wait, back up,¡± she said with a wave of her hand, ¡°I know I¡¯m missing some context here.¡±
¡°The gods are bound to the world they are born from,¡± Everin explained, ¡°We call everything within this invisible boundary as being within their ¡®influence¡¯. The places they can see and, to a limited degree, work within. What they can do is limited by both being a divine entity and their ¡®domain¡¯, which is what they are a god of.
¡°The Avenger is an easy example that you might be more familiar with. Avenger can see anything that happens in the world, a murder being committed and hidden for example, and can give a quest to his followers ¨Clike Paul¨C to go enact vengeance upon the murderer. However, normally if that murder happened in a Reality Rift, Avenger wouldn¡¯t have been able to see it. Also, even though he can see something else happening in the world ¨Cthis conversation for instance¨C he can¡¯t just tell anyone he feels like about it.¡±
¡°¡®Cause it¡¯s not part of his domain?¡± she inquired.
¡°Exactly. This private conversation would fall under the domain of the Confidant, deity of secrets and trust. They fight with Scholar quite a bit on what information gets spread around.¡±
¡°I bet,¡± she muttered wryly. Then she tried to circle back to how she was meant to affect any of this, ¡°So I can spread their area of influence into Reality Rifts that they couldn¡¯t enter before?¡±
¡°Yes, for any of the gods whose mark you bear,¡± he replied, ¡°I confirmed it myself when I could still hear Rebel¡¯s whispers within it. Normally, even whispers are cut off when outside a god¡¯s influence.¡±
Phoenix frowned, ¡°So they just want me to claim Reality Rifts around the world for them? That seems like something anyone else could do, not something they need me specifically for.¡±
¡°Well, I believe you may go beyond our world someday,¡± Everin clarified, ¡°Especially as a Wayfarer, but I also believe the key for choosing you was your immortality.
¡°It costs a lot of Aetherius ¨Cwhich is simply what we call their divine currency or ¡®power¡¯ if you will¨C to grant a Soul Mark and there is an even greater price to be paid if that Chosen dies and the soul leaves their influence through the Veil. I don¡¯t think even the gods know why the Soul Mark seems to get wiped away when that happens normally but, as we¡¯ve seen already, your soul doesn¡¯t seem to do that when your body dies. The mark remains intact.¡±
¡°So because I don¡¯t legit die easily, they can all stamp my soul without worrying about paying the death tax?¡± she asked, dumbfounded that the answer would boil down to frugality.
¡°I¡¯ve been told I only know ¡®fragments¡¯ of what the mark does but I can speculate on what I do know and this alone would seem like a good enough reason to me. Especially when I try to put myself in their perspective.¡±
¡°Right,¡± Phoenix grumbled, ¡°So I¡¯m apparently less risky to bet on. Should I be expecting even more gods to show up to catch a ride on the Wayfarer Express?¡±
Everin gave her an amused smirk as he said, ¡°Give them the chance to trade something within their domain and I¡¯m sure every single one will want to get their paws on you.¡±
She gave an involuntary shudder at the painful memories and shook her head free of them as she stated, ¡°Dazien¡¯s right; it doesn¡¯t really change anything but it¡¯s good to have some kind of answer other than ¡®I¡¯m destined for greatness I didn¡¯t earn¡¯ Chosen One nonsense.¡±
Then she stood from her seat, straightening her dress, ¡°We should head back now and help out the others. Maybe if I¡¯m too busy fighting monsters then the gods won¡¯t get the chance to trade anything.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how that works,¡± Dazien said with a chuckle.
¡°Also, you can¡¯t go back yet,¡± Uriel interjected, ¡°It hasn¡¯t been twenty-four hours since your [Waypoint] was triggered. I for one don¡¯t want to risk you leaving the estate without it available.¡±
The Defender grimaced, ¡°I forgot about that. I think I¡¯m starting to get a bit sleep-deprived if I¡¯m forgetting such an important detail.¡±
¡°Why don¡¯t we all try to get a bit more rest then? How long till the cooldown is over?¡± Everin asked.
Dazien pulled out a small pocket watch from his belt pouch and estimated, ¡°Maybe another sixteen hours?¡±
His frown deepened and Phoenix couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you worried they won¡¯t last without us or that we¡¯ll get in trouble for delaying?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± he clarified, ¡°I just can¡¯t sleep yet. If I get that relaxed I¡¯ll practically ascend by accident and won¡¯t wake up for a few days,¡± the warrior explained with a heavy sigh as he added, ¡°You all get some rest. I¡¯ll wake you when it¡¯s time to fight.¡±
¡°Wake us earlier,¡± Phoenix suggested, ¡°We can get some supplies on the way and just play it safe. I¡¯ll be risking my life just as much as everyone else will be.¡±
¡°Except most people don¡¯t have a habit of running into a horde of monsters to blow up and don¡¯t care about dying after the fact,¡± Dazien retorted with a flat look.
¡°I care!¡± she argued, then admitted softly, ¡°It just doesn¡¯t seem like a bad trade when I know it¡¯ll save other lives.¡±
¡°You living longer will save more,¡± he pointed out, ¡°Now get some sleep and I¡¯ll wake you in a few hours. Then we¡¯ll see if you can keep your promise and not explode on the first giant monster you come across.¡±
¡°L¨Clet the waters of life¡ rain their b¨Cblessings from the watch¨Cwatchful sky above us,¡± Saiya incanted with a broken voice, her face stained by dirt and dried tears. It was too much. Had been too much for too long already. The sorrow. The fear. The grief. The anger. The despair.
This was what war felt like.
Especially when everyone realized that they were on the losing side.
The waters that fell upon her from her [Rain of Life] spell washed away the dirt and pain but not the wound on her heart. She didn''t have a spell to mend sorrow though she desperately wanted one.
News had already spread of the Sacrifice of Lord Paladin Wayland, the man who vanquished the Ruby Caster threat only to fall into a cursed slumber. Their greatest fear and hope: both gone.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Nine enemy ships remained but the man responsible for destroying most of the others wouldn¡¯t be arriving to save them any longer. So many had already died, and so many monsters still remained.
With each passing hour, pieces of their hope to return home alive shattered.
Saiya couldn''t afford to shut out the emotions flooding her senses. Those brief flashes of hunger and triumph let her know where the monsters were to avoid and the fear of death, followed by the shock of an inevitable end, let her know who to heal. She let them flow through her and just barely avoided being consumed by them.
The Healer had lost track of her twin, the blur that flickered around her causing a symphony of pain and shattered monster ashes in her wake. At least Rayna got free reign to beat up monsters, which accounted for the small tremor of excitement she kept feeling as an undercurrent to the tide of negative emotions she had to endure.
She recalled the last thing she had said to her sister when Rayna asked what the battle felt like for their side at the time, ¡°Life won''t wait for us to mourn, so we must fight while we grieve.¡± She hated how true those words were now as grief drowned their side of the battlefield.
¡°Corrupted Tundra Yeti! Ice and Earth attuned back off!¡± someone shouted above the din of combat and Saiya looked for the source of the warning.
Fighters were scrambling in their retreat and she felt the despair suffusing them at the sight of yet another overpowered Corrupted foe.
That was also when she noticed the surge of hope and awe approaching her like an opposing wave crashing against the seawall only to engulf it as a little [Starlight Companion] shimmered into existence beside her, cheerfully sparkling in the dark crimson light of the blood moon.
The next moment, a glimmer of golden light encompassed her in a [Sun Shell] before becoming an invisible barrier against harm and even the darkness seemed to rise up in an [Embrace of Shadows] to blur her form and make her harder to strike.
Even the subtle surge of mana regeneration from the [Astral Oasis] blanketing the area helped raise her spirits further as she saw a shadowy woman falling through the air towards the yeti. She couldn''t help the smile from spreading on her face as her most reckless friend attached herself to the monster. The same kind she remembered the Wayfarer bemoaning about being the worst match-up before.
Saiya wasn¡¯t surprised by the giant explosion of Phoenix''s [Supernova] that followed the impact but she was surprised by the strong hand that touched her shoulder before quickly releasing it as she turned a startled gaze on the gemite who smiled and said, ¡°Miss us?¡±
Three tails, two arms, and one foot managed to wrap themselves around the Defender before she even processed what she was doing as she almost hugged her friend to death.
¡°Lady Saiya,¡± Dazien choked out, ¡°I¡¯m not quite Sapphire yet. Please don¡¯t suffocate or break me.¡±
¡°No more splitting up,¡± she growled as she sobbed, ¡°I veto all future party splitting!¡±
¡°Well, we best go retrieve our Supporter then before a monster breathes too heavily on her¡¡±
¡°Oh, spawn of a¨C¡±
Rayna was able to beat the others in getting to Phoenix and helping her escape to the safety of the healer¡¯s side. Despite enjoying getting to cut loose on the plentiful supply of monsters, she was aware enough to realize that they weren¡¯t winning.
Her team¡¯s arrival was a signal to the others to not give up but it was the presence of Everin Starlark, the newest Avatar of the Scholar, that actually helped boost the line long enough to disengage and retreat further safely.
The call for a full retreat went out shortly after that, however. Director Agatha Trayvious called all Adventurers and allies back to the safety of the walls to lean on their defenses while they regrouped, recuperated, and prepared for the next phase of this war.
Phoenix was relegated to help portal people back to the city while Dazien acted as bodyguard with Saiya healing people on their way through. Uriel stayed nearby the others as he helped keep the area clear but Rayna had gone delivery mode; using her boosted Agility to help get stragglers through the dang portal.
It wasn¡¯t her favorite part of the job ¨Cmuch preferring to punch things¨C but it still felt good to help people get to safety and see the look of relief on her sister¡¯s face. She knew how tough it was for Saiya to deal with everyone else¡¯s emotional baggage, and if there was a way she could lessen that burden she¡¯d see it done as best she could.
It was during one of these ¡°rescue runs¡±, as she liked to call them, when she felt a familiar aura enter the proximity of her own that she had kept stretched as far as possible while fighting.
|
Passive Ability: Reverberate
Type: Aura (elemental, magical, gem, song)
Current Caste: Sapphire 1
Crystal Effect: Allies within the aura deal increased damage with Gem and Song abilities.
Sapphire Effect: Enemies within the aura have decreased Gem and Song resistance. Gem and Song abilities that inflict damage also inflict a small amount of additional damage of the other type.
|
Her eyes snapped to see the woman who liked to tease her dreams lately. The bold, yet extremely soft, dryad was currently trying to use a small swarm of flaywing summons to distract a Sapphire Caste dire rabearus, the three heads chomping at the metallic birds, and helping some of the others escape.
Rayna didn¡¯t let other thoughts distract her from the singular goal of destroying the stupid monster threatening Mohala. Unfortunately, her [Beyond the Boundary] was still on cooldown, but [Blink Step] helped her close the distance to the monster, teleporting her directly behind it, and her [Sonorous Stomp] knocked the enemy back, with a triplicate wave of sound rippling out from where she crashed her foot.
Class Ability: Sonorous Stomp
Type: Special Attack (magical, song)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (26%)
Crystal Effect: Stomp the ground causing a shockwave in a radial burst inflicting moderate Song damage and knocking back enemies.
Sapphire Effect: Generates an additional two pulses per Caste of the initial burst and inflicts [Disoriented].
- Disoriented (bane, magical, song): Decreased Agility and Mind and direction-sensing abilities are interrupted for a moderate duration.
|
Then she proceeded to wail on the large beast like a drummer gone rogue on a wild solo, with her [Percussion Strike], [Stepping Tune], and [Gem Encrusted] weapons covering her fists and tails in gem-like scales with spikes adorning each.
These helped to ramp up her damage until she triggered the [Impetus] from her [Swift Encore] in conjunction with her [Shatter] execute to make the monster practically explode from the overwhelming onslaught, the burst of damage rippling through its entire body from the impact point, and ending her sudden song of brutality with the crash of a gong.
The next thought the bard had was to make sure the summoner was safe. Returning to the other woman¡¯s side, she wanted to say something reassuring and witty ¨Cmaybe even charming¨C but what came out was, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you back in Tulimeir?! Where¡¯s Po?¡±
Mohala gave a sad smile as she explained, ¡°Her dad claimed ¡®Heir¡¯s Privilege¡¯. Which, you know, makes sense cause they don¡¯t really have another heir after Po since Simmon¡ Well, they¡¯re also a smaller House so it was just the survival choice for them, but her dads are both still helping out here somewhere. I¡¯m not a noble, though, and kinda got reassigned to help some other parties on the frontline.¡±
¡°Well, we¡¯re getting you back to the wall now,¡± Rayna growled, taking the dryad¡¯s petal-soft hand in her own furry one and practically dragging the woman towards the rest of King¡¯s Dream.
¡°Wait, the others are¨C¡±
¡°Retreating too,¡± the bard interrupted, ¡°I¡¯m not gonna risk you falling like your other party members. You can¡¯t ask me to risk that.¡±
¡°Why not?¡± the sweet voice said softly and the voxen stopped walking to turn and look back at the blue woman whose cheeks were tinged purple at the moment.
Rayna clenched her jaw, not wanting to get all into her feelings ¨Cthat was Saiya¡¯s area of expertise, not hers¨C but she managed to say, ¡°I¡¯ve seen too many people die already and we¡¯re not winning right now. I might be more willing to take risks ¨Cwell, aside from Phoenix¨C but I¡¯m not suicidal or completely reckless. I¡¯m not a Defender and I don¡¯t want to fail to protect you. So, I¡¯m getting you to the people I trust to do that for me.¡±
¡°Careful, Rayna,¡± the dryad said with that slight tease in her voice, ¡°You were close to actually admitting you care about me.¡±
¡°I do,¡± she admitted, ¡°I like you a lot, Mohala, and I want both of us to live long enough to see how far we can go.¡±
The summoner¡¯s smile became softer, sweeter, and Rayna thought she might melt on the spot as the woman wrapped her in a hug and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s a date then. After this battle. After the funerals to come. Then maybe we can try to get some happiness for ourselves?¡±
¡°I admit, I¡¯ll be glad when the grieving is over,¡± the bard said as she returned the hug, stealing the moment to hold her newest hope for something special she could call her own.
¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s really ever over,¡± Mohala said sadly.
¡°No, but we learn to not let it stop us,¡± she replied, then began pulling the dryad towards the portal and safety, ¡°That¡¯s why we keep fighting while we grieve; for the future we hope to build from the loss.¡±
3 - They Will Collide
The Manufacturing District of Tulimeir, which was the easternmost section of the eight-pointed star design that made up the city, was currently taken over by Adventurers, Ducal Guards, and volunteers to the latter that served as a temporary defensive force. The civilians had been cleared out as much as possible during the last week in the event that the Soul Reapers reached the city which seemed to be coming true soon.
Phoenix had been surprised to find the more powerful members of the Wayland House all in attendance on the roof of one of the wider buildings that the Ducal Guards had claimed while trying to organize their forces in conjunction with the others since it had more open space to gather upon. The duke himself was in attendance as well, currently talking with the AOA director near the northern side of the rooftop.
King¡¯s Dream had joined House Wayland for the moment, Patricia and Pualani both insisting on Phoenix¡¯s presence as the current Regent while Paul was unavailable. The lord¡¯s status as being out of commission ¨Crather than dead¨C made the situation not quite as straightforward now regarding who was leading but it naturally fell to her as his heir.
Luckily, the House members were fairly unified in most things, and Patricia had effortlessly stepped into the role of ¡°Ambassador¡± since she did most of the management behind the scenes already. Apparently, when a Regent or Head of a noble House was considered too young for governing within the overarching aristocracy, an Ambassador would be chosen to participate in their stead ¨Cwhich Phoenix was more than willing to let Patricia do.
Pualani, Paul¡¯s however-many-greats aunt, was also a surprisingly commanding presence despite having entered what Phoenix had learned was called ¡°The Caster¡¯s Descent¡±; where they reached the end of their mortality and the magic began to leave their bodies.
From the outside, Pualani looked like a frail grandmother who had seen plenty of years, which was the truth, but it was her aura that revealed the half-millennium the Emerald Caster had experienced. This made her an invaluable source of knowledge and wisdom for the noble House and it would be a sad day when she left them in the near future.
One of the things both women had agreed on once Phoenix had met up with them was her change of outfit. Requesting her to wear one of the many outfits that Patricia had gotten from their visit to the BEL that would show off her Soul Mark. When she asked why, they stressed the importance of it giving both hope to those who relied on their house and also the position of importance it helped grant them.
She donned a green vest with attached billowy sleeves that cinched at the wrists with a matching skirt in a soft cream color. Both runeforged were surprised by the new addition of the Champion¡¯s Favor she had to reveal but were then even more adamant about the display.
Patric and Padma flanked either side of Phoenix in a show of support while the rest of their combined parties, with the welcome inclusion of Mohala, stood behind her as well. Paul¡¯s status as her Mentor also put her in an odd place in regards to the AOA but it seemed like Director Trayvious wasn¡¯t looking to pull her from her family at the moment.
That was until the director made her way along with the Duke over to the section of the roof where the family was quietly waiting and discussing things.
Agatha gave a weary smile to Patricia as the pair walked up and the director gave a small bow in greeting, ¡°Ambassador Wayland,¡± Trayvious said then gave a slightly deeper bow to Phoenix as the woman addressed her with her temporarily inherited title, ¡°Regent Wayland. You have both my condolences for your father¡¯s current situation and the gratitude of the city for the sacrifices and risks Lord Wayland took to protect us all.¡±
The Wayfarer was at a loss for words at the unexpected statement but Patricia came to her rescue as the runeforged took control of the conversation, ¡°Thank you, Director. My brother might have been away from the city quite often but he truly cared about this place and the people within it. He is an Adventurer through and through and we plan on finding a solution to end his current tribulation once the city is safe.¡±
Patricia glanced towards her before adding in a subtle message that Phoenix couldn¡¯t quite interpret, unsure if it was meant to be reassurance or a warning, ¡°Regent Phoenix is young and also an Adventurer but still only Crystal Caste. However, we are all here to offer our assistance to both the AOA and Duchy of Tulim in whatever way we can, based on our individual strengths and capabilities, of course.¡±
The director gave a curt nod and gazed at the assembled Waylands and their respective party members, as though taking mental notes of the additional forces they had to work with, and Duke Tul finally spoke up as well, ¡°We are grateful for anything House Wayland can provide. As you¡¯re aware Ambassador, our potion supply has been heavily depleted, not able to keep up with the demand, so your work at the Cultivator¡¯s Citadel has been invaluable.¡±
The director focused once more towards Phoenix who was still standing and watching quietly, not offering up words of her own as the woman said pointedly, ¡°I am also grateful for the fine Adventurers that have responded to our call. The enemy¡¯s numbers have continued to grow over the course of our retreat¡¡±
The director trailed off before admitting grimly, ¡°Including more Emerald Casters that were spotted among their numbers. There are also nine more ships to still contend with. Based on their continued speed and trajectory we believe they will collide,¡± she pulled out a pocket watch to reference before adding, ¡°Within the hour.¡±
¡°What do you mean by ¡®collide¡¯?¡± Patric asked from beside her.Stolen novel; please report.
¡°As in crash into each other,¡± Agatha answered bluntly, ¡°The Soul Reapers have not decreased their moving speed and, after going through an entire mountain, we have reason to suspect they plan to do the same to our walls.¡±
The director once more leveled her gaze at Phoenix and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to elaborate on how bad that would be and the fact that we cannot allow them to breach the walls lest we need to deal with even more casualties.¡±
Phoenix frowned at the woman¡¯s words and the way the official seemed to be addressing her as though she might have some miraculous plan to offer up. She was very aware of the surrounding crowd of very important people belonging to other noble Houses and prominent organizations who were watching the group and listening to any scrap of the conversation they could eavesdrop on.
Trying her best not to instill some sense of false hope in everyone, she said cautiously, ¡°We agree and are ready to fight in defense of the city, Director Trayvious, but like Patricia said, I¡¯m still only Crystal Caste.¡±
The woman made an overt glance towards the Soul Mark emblazoned on her chest and said carefully, ¡°True, Regent Wayland, but you are slightly more than just a Crystal Caster. I see you are the Champion¡¯s Chosen as well now. Did she not offer aid in our time of need?¡±
She was uncertain for a moment about exactly how much she should share with the director about her bargain with the goddess but was saved from having to make the decision when shouts of alarm rang out from the south side of the roof and the city beyond it.
There was a flurry of motion and concern as the Adventurers present all tried to react to the unknown threat when the source became apparent a moment later as they all felt the immense power of an Obsidian Caste aura.
Phoenix had never felt a mortal aura that powerful and she suddenly found herself wanting to train her own aura more, wondering if it could ever reach the potential of the one coming towards her now.
The owner of the aura quickly came into view, flying through the air at an insane speed with nine long fluffy tails trailing behind her. Then to the shock and awe of everyone present ¨Cand Phoenix¡¯s absolute horror¨C the Obsidian Caster landed lightly in front of the redheaded Crystal Caster standing next to the director with her mouth gaping open.
The newcomer was a golden-colored voxen, even taller than Uriel, with long wavy blonde hair trailing down her back, and had a perfectly sculpted cream-colored face that held shocking ruby-red eyes. She wore snug-fitting white armor that was trimmed in gold that vaguely reminded Phoenix of a lighter version of Paul¡¯s old conjured armor before he had rededicated to the Avenger.
The Obsidian beauty was only comparable to the goddesses that the Wayfarer had met with how perfectly proportioned and balanced her features were. When the stranger gave a broad grin that showed off a perfect set of white teeth, elongated canines included, she couldn¡¯t help but think the woman would be the ideal model for every dental product on earth despite the vulpine appearance.
Of course, an Obsidian Caste voxen would be a freakin¡¯ nine-tails! How insanely awesome is that?!
Her random thought was interrupted when the woman greeted her brightly, ¡°You¡¯re Phoenix Wayland, yeah?¡±
She hesitated a moment in front of the stunning woman before responding with as much eloquence as she could muster at that moment, ¡°Um¡ yes? I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re my loaned champion?¡±
The chipper Obsidian appeared as young as Phoenix when she gave a toothy smile and almost seemed to strike a pose as she placed her fists on her hips while announcing, ¡°Here to save the day!¡±
¡°Well we could definitely use some saving,¡± Phoenix replied to the grinning woman who clearly had more energy than a chihuahua that heard a doorbell, ¡°You seem a bit, um¡ confident though.¡±
¡°Yeah. I am,¡± the voxen replied simply, still smiling from ear to ear as she quickly glanced around to survey the gathered crowd of Adventurers.
Then the strangest thing seemed to happen as the woman¡¯s aura completely vanished from Phoenix¡¯s senses and she felt a weird sense of dissonance as her aura could no longer perceive what her eyes told her was there. Phoenix hadn¡¯t even realized how much she had become accustomed to her aura senses feeding her information about the people around her until this moment when it felt completely out of sync.
When the stranger looked back at Phoenix and gave a wink, she added, ¡°I¡¯m an Obsidian Caste Sunlight Champion after all.¡±
¡°Riiiight¡¡± Phoenix said uncertainly, still feeling disconcerted by the missing aura and the too-merry disposition of the woman. ¡°Well, I would have said ¡®good luck¡¯ but I get the feeling that would come across as an insult to you.¡±
¡°Good instincts there,¡± the champion replied as her smile seemed to become slightly more predatory. Then the woman lifted a furred hand and pointed a thumb over at the city wall to the east, ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to go take care of that little problem over there real quick then we can have a nice long chat about how you managed to convince my goddess to send me all the way out here to help a little Crystal Caster, yeah?¡±
Phoenix flushed a bit at the reminder that she was way out of her league in the immense power gulf between them and that this woman, who most likely would never have even looked at her, was now tasked with helping her and protecting the city until the end of the war whether the Obsidian wanted to or not.
She found herself wondering what kind of person ¨Cwho reached the pinnacle of mortal power and gained immortality¨C would be willing to dedicate themselves to a god and then was further willing to lower themselves to be the bodyguard of a Crystal Caste nobody or, even worse, be willing to risk that immortality by fighting as a champion for others.
Despite her sudden nervousness, the stranger kept smiling and then rested a hand on Phoenix¡¯s thin shoulder as she said, ¡°I¡¯m honestly dying to hear the story.¡±
The newcomer paused as if reconsidering and added, ¡°Not, like, literally, though,¡± then gave a short laugh, ¡°I¡¯m not a Paladin of the Champion because I go around dying all the time, ya know?¡±
¡°Actually, I can''t say that I do,¡± Phoenix muttered distractedly, trying hard not to seem rude by removing herself from the tingly magical feeling the woman¡¯s grip was giving her despite every instinct in her wanting to shy away from the power.
¡°Ooo, now I¡¯m more interested,¡± the blonde replied with a mischievous smirk then turned away from the gathered group, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be right back.¡±
¡°Wait!¡± Phoenix called out, subconsciously grabbing the woman¡¯s arm to stop her from leaving. As the stranger pointedly glanced from her grip to her eyes with a raised brow, she awkwardly released the woman and sputtered, ¡°Sorry. I, um¡ I just wanted to ask¡ What¡¯s your name?¡±
This time the Obsidian Caster seemed to give her a genuine smile as the voxen replied, ¡°I¡¯m called Kara.¡±
4 - Be Better
¡°Kara?¡± Phoenix repeated in surprise before hesitantly asking, ¡°Your last name wouldn¡¯t happen to be Zor-El or Danvers, would it?¡±
¡°What? No, my family name is Fairweather. Why do you ask?¡±
¡°No reason,¡± Phoenix replied quickly.
The blonde gave her a curious look then a request that felt more like a command, ¡°Well, you hold tight right here in the city. Safe and sound until I take care of the Soul Reapers out there. Then we can get to know each other a bit more after, yeah?¡±
The Wayfarer wanted to ask more questions now but understood that Kara was right and they needed to put the city at ease and end the current threat. She gave a nod of acquiescence and replied a bit more formally as she gave a respectful bow, ¡°Of course, Paladin Fairweather. I would be grateful for your help in saving the city my, um, father risked his life to protect along with many other honorable people who died with the same goal.¡±
For the first time, the woman¡¯s smile seemed to slip as she gave a solemn dip of her head in understanding before leaping high into the air and flying east over the city walls.
After Kara vanished as quickly as she had arrived, everyone¡¯s gaze turned back to the redhead standing next to the AOA Director who was giving her a pointed look as Agatha clarified, ¡°So that was the aid Champion offered you?¡±
Phoenix grimaced and said bitterly, ¡°It was not without cost.¡±
The next thing everyone heard was the sound of an explosion that shook the very ground they stood on. The director and duke quickly led the group over onto the eastern wall, Phoenix shortcutting most of her party by opening a portal directly to the location she could see, and they got a look as the closest Emerald Caste ship seemingly cracked in half with a chunk of the middle portion replaced by an inferno of white-hot flames with a plume of smoke rising into the air.
It was less than a kilometer away now but had completely halted its momentum after the intervention of the Obsidian Caster who was now systematically annihilating anything that moved. They couldn¡¯t exactly see what Kara was doing but the rippling tide of monsters internally combusting into flames and ash at least gave them the means to track her location as the louder and brighter explosions marked her countdown of destroying the ships that had been creating more enemies.
Now that she could see it, Phoenix was horrified to witness what looked like the blinding flash of a nuclear blast going off ¨Cthat she had no problem looking at with her [Moonlit Eyes]¨C as the second ship met the Obsidian Paladin, the tell-tale mushroom cloud of fire and ash reaching toward the sky. The explosion was shortly followed by the rush of wind, snow, and ash being kicked up by the concussive force spreading like a tidal wave to engulf the tundra and crash upon the walls they stood upon, now gripping the sides to keep from getting knocked back off of it.
Phoenix recalled how she had once worried about introducing the idea of nukes into the world, afraid of the devastation they could cause, only to realize this world really did have its own magical version already, and one of them was named Kara.
The Wayfarer then found herself wondering if the enemies that had caused the city so much loss, the forces that had almost claimed Paul¡¯s life and potentially cost him decades of time, were barely a warm-up fight for the Obsidian Caster.
At the comparison, she could feel the heat in her chest rise and anger began to creep into her aura until Dazien placed a hand on her shoulder, distracting her from the trail of dark thoughts her mind had started to wander in.
The gemite muttered quietly into her ear, ¡°I know it¡¯s difficult, and believe me when I say I understand, but you need to control your emotional bleed a bit more. Even I could sense that and you know my skill in aura reading is barely up to the average.¡±
She clenched her teeth as she tried to reign in her rage and grief, retracting her aura as much as she could. The Astromancer aimed for the completely absent feeling her new champion had accomplished and knew she was failing miserably at completely hiding her aura.
Saiya was already on her other side and held her hand with one paw while she rubbed Phoenix¡¯s back in soothing circles with the other and spoke words of comfort, ¡°Oh, sweet flower¡ It¡¯ll be okay. You saved so many lives today,¡± the Healer paused for a moment, brushing tears from both their eyes before adding, ¡°Paul would be proud of you right now.¡±
She felt Uriel¡¯s hand cover her other shoulder in another show of support as the cinderen asked Dazien in that smooth bass, ¡°Can we return to the Wayland estate or are we still needed here?¡±
The party leader seemed to contemplate for a moment, staring off into the middle distance. They recognized the awkward silence and the look he would get when telepathically using his communication power before he confirmed a few minutes later with a nod, ¡°We can go. Noble Patricia says many of the family will also be heading back. The director will call for us if they have need but she seems to think Phoenix provided exactly the solution they were hoping for.¡±
They all jumped slightly as Phoenix gave a sharp mocking laugh and said bitterly, ¡°If only I had been able to a few days earlier.¡±
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Phoenix had insisted that the others let her visit Paul alone for the first time since she had helped perform the ritual that had put him into an odd stasis that solely relied on her reaching Ruby Caste to let him wake up... like some sort of messed up version of Snow White or Sleeping Beauty that relied on slaughtering monsters for decades instead of a simple kiss.
She was half-tempted to try that, just to see if there was some sort of weird ancient magic that saw true love as optional consent. That was what made her decide against it, however. Magic might be weird a lot of the time, but it didn¡¯t automatically make the ends justify the means. She was still debating that point regarding her own experimentation with risking Paul¡¯s soul and trapping him in a state of limbo, not dead but not really living either.
And while she might not have been exactly religious or cautious about risking her own soul, Paul had often demonstrated that it was something he cared about. That was reason enough for her to worry about him being pissed at her if she ever managed to wake him back up. That maybe it had all been for her own selfish desire not to lose her mentor and father.
After waiting outside the door leading to the room she had been escorted to for far too long, it was Orebela¡¯s voice in her mind that finally pushed her to open the door, ¡°Wayland is not going to yell at Little Wayland for visiting.¡±
The Wayfarer entered and gave the android-looking Familiar a sad smile as she asked, ¡°Is it masochistic of me to wish that he would?¡±
¡°This One does not think so,¡± the monotone voice responded from beside Paul¡¯s bed, ¡°But This One will keep it secret so Little King does not tease Little Wayland.¡±
Phoenix snorted a laugh. She was still trying to get used to the Familiar¡¯s lack of inflection that often made the jokes hard to notice but she had recognized fairly early that Orebela did have a sense of humor, especially in regards to Paul. ¡°Thanks. That does sound like something Daze would do if only to try to make me laugh.¡±
As she made her way across the room she realized it was the first time she had ever been inside this one. Which actually seemed a bit odd to her when she thought about how often the Paladin would visit her own room.
Paul¡¯s bedroom was a lot of cream fabric, rich wood, and soft golden light. It was pristine, and she wondered if the man ever actually spent time in here. The only sign of life at all was from a few plants, that she was fairly certain were kept alive by enchantments and servants, along with the not-quite-corpse currently lying in the bed.
He looked like he was merely sleeping. His much younger tan face rested peacefully with the mess of red locks providing a splash of color against the cream pillows and blankets.
Phoenix held back the urge to try shaking him awake as she stood beside his bed and only Orebela¡¯s next words managed to keep her in check, ¡°This One is grateful to Little Wayland for what you and the Rebel Fox did. This One did not want to part with Wayland yet.¡±
The Wayfarer proceeded to collapse into the plush chair beside the bed that she was sure had been placed there for exactly this reason and said with a heavy sigh, ¡°I didn¡¯t either. But are you really grateful to be stuck here with a comatose summoner for whoever knows how long?¡±
She gestured towards her still mentor, ¡°It took him, what? half a century to get to Ruby?¡±
¡°Forty-eight years from when Wayland absorbed Aspects.¡±
¡°So almost half a century and that was with being an Adventurer and Paladin!¡±
¡°You can do it faster,¡± a raspy voice said from the room¡¯s entrance and Phoenix turned her head to see Pualani standing in the doorway, ¡°I have faith that you will be the fastest this family has ever had. I¡¯d even wager you reach Ruby within a single decade, difficult but not completely unheard of.¡±
Phoenix couldn¡¯t help her scoff, ¡°I very much doubt that. It¡¯s been months during a blood moon and I¡¯m still Crystal. At my rate, I¡¯ll be the last in my party to ascend and that¡¯s including Uriel stunting his growth with that Silencer.¡±
¡°Yes, but now you have a lot more motivation to cultivate your abilities, don¡¯t you?¡± the elder asked but she recognized it as rhetorical.
She almost wanted to ask the woman who seemed to know a lot of the family secrets if she was aware of her own and that the reason she kept falling so far behind was because she kept dying. How many people knew that particular secret of hers? How many divine servants were whispered them by the gods who obviously knew? Abyss, how many people simply witnessed it while she was doing the ritual to save Paul?
Pualani sat in a chair that Orebela had moved over next to her for the other woman to sit in as the elderly voice said, ¡°That is a very serious expression for such a happy occasion.¡±
The Wayfarer stared at her incredulously for a long moment before gesturing toward Paul and asking angrily, ¡°How can you be happy about this?!¡±
¡°Because he¡¯s lying on a bed instead of a pyre,¡± the runeforged said with a gentle smile, which caught Phoenix off guard by the blunt tone the woman spoke in, ¡°Because what¡¯s a mere decade to a man who can live for a millennium? Because the city he fought so hard to protect ¨Cthe woman he fought so hard to make proud¨C is now safe and further protected by an Obsidian Paladin of the Champion. Because for all the lives that had been lost across this tragic world since this cursed blood moon started, my family has been one of the few blessed with amazing new scions.¡±
Phoenix fell silent.
Taking the time to really think through everything that had happened and what now lay before her. Pualani was right. They had won, despite losses. Her family, while faced with its own challenges, were all alive and could work towards a solution. Despite all the tragedy around them, they had been blessed with life and hope.
She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, and rested her face in her palms for a moment before looking up at her dad.
¡°Do you really think I can do it?¡± she asked the other women, never looking away from Paul¡¯s sleeping form, ¡°Reach Ruby in just ten years?¡±
¡°It¡¯ll take a lot of hard work but from what I¡¯ve seen, heard, and read, that doesn¡¯t sound like it will be a problem for you.¡±
¡°Can I¡ do you think I can become like him?¡± she asked nervously, nodding towards Paul, ¡°You think I can be a hero like he ended up being?¡±
A tiny hand rested atop her head and she glanced up to look at the Familiar seemingly made from liquid gold as Orebela said in her mind, ¡°Wayland did not want Little Wayland to become like him; He knew you would be better.¡±
5 - Defeated
It was only about an hour later that Kara reappeared before Phoenix who had joined the rest of her party on the rooftop garden while waiting for word. The Obsidian Caster gave an exaggerated swish of her blonde hair and bowed as she announced dramatically, ¡°I have defeated the enemy and rid the city of the threat imposed against the Chosen of the Champion. As my Lady has decreed, I will remain by your side until the Soul Reapers no longer endanger you, Regent Phoenix Wayland.¡±
The Wayfarer rose to her feet as she tried to figure out how best to respond within her new position as the temporary leader of her House until she could have another chat with Pati to sign some kind of abdication paper, ¡°Thank you, Paladin Fairweather. As you said before, you have saved the day.¡±
The blonde voxen glanced down at her with a questioning look before breaking out into a feral-looking grin, ¡°I am a champion, after all.¡±
She jumped slightly as the taller woman clapped her gauntleted hands together and said with more excitement, ¡°Now, onto that story. Is this where you made your deal with my goddess? I can still sense her presence around here.¡±
Phoenix glanced towards her party but they all seemed just as surprised by the statement as she was. None of their senses could detect anything but it was yet another reminder of the gulf in power between them and the Obsidian Caster. Phoenix nodded as she gestured towards one of the remaining open stools in the garden pavilion her party had been waiting in.
Kara and she both took a seat as the redhead began recounting the story of the night before. As she finished the brief conversation, the Paladin looked unsatisfied as she said, ¡°That doesn¡¯t really explain why Champion chose you. I¡¯ve been her Paladin for over two hundred years now and even I don¡¯t bear one of those marks,¡± she said with a gesture towards Phoenix¡¯s still exposed Soul Mark. The voxen gave a childish pout with her bottom lip pushed outward as she asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me the rest of your story?¡±
The Wayfarer couldn¡¯t stop the small laugh that escaped as she stared back at large red puppy eyes but replied apologetically, ¡°That¡¯s a much longer story that I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m supposed to tell anyone. I promised Paul to keep it a secret, and despite having my gratitude for saving everyone, if Champion didn¡¯t tell you, then I¡¯m really not sure it¡¯s my place to.¡±
The Paladin gave a sigh and then said, ¡°I guess that¡¯s a fair point. At least I can tell Champion I tried asking you first before I go asking her. You don¡¯t mind if I crash here while I¡¯m stuck babysitting, yeah? I doubt the temple here in this tiny city will be as nice as a noble¡¯s estate.¡±
Phoenix rolled her eyes at the Obsidian Caster, just as she would at Paul, and said, ¡°I know you just said you¡¯re over two hundred but I¡¯m not exactly a baby. I don¡¯t need you to hover over my shoulder.¡±
Kara mocked offense as she dramatically placed a hand over her heart, ¡°And risk failing the command of my goddess when a random monster gobbles you up? No, thank you! I¡¯ll be just fine following you around the city for the rest of the war.¡±
Her heart sank slightly as she looked at the golden voxen who was giving her a much more evil-looking grin now, and she asked cautiously, ¡°When you say ¡®follow me around the city¡¯, you don¡¯t mean literally, do you?¡±
¡°Oh, I mean very literally. You and I are going to become the best of friends, my little bird. So don¡¯t go trying to fly off on me,¡± the woman leaned forward slightly and said still smiling a bit too brightly to match her words, ¡°I hope you like two things that we are going to be doing a lot of while I¡¯m assigned here.¡±
Phoenix could feel the bait but she obligingly asked, ¡°What would those be?¡±
The blonde held up two fingers as she listed them off, ¡°Training those auras and looking absolutely fabulous for the masses.¡±
Phoenix led Kara to an empty room that Pualani had directed her to use for the woman¡¯s temporary abode, making sure to apologize for any lack of luxury it held for the Obsidian Caster who was likely accustomed to much better.
The Paladin, for her part, seemed completely unbothered by it all but Phoenix found herself wondering how much of what she was seeing was real or a carefully constructed mask. Aside from the stranger¡¯s dedication to the Champion who had struck a deal with the Wayfarer, she had no idea what the woman thought about her or the city that she was now stuck in. Did she actually resent the assignment? Or did she like the chance to see new things even if they couldn¡¯t compare to wherever it was she came from?
¡°Can I ask you some questions?¡± Phoenix said hesitantly while the voxen was busy exploring the room.
¡°Can I ask some in return?¡± the Paladin retorted without looking towards her.
¡°Sure, but I might not be able to answer all of them,¡± she countered.
¡°Same goes for me then.¡±
The Wayfarer nodded, ¡°Fair enough. Where are you from?¡±
¡°Originally, my clan is from the Great Plains of Alkupera, across the Tidalstream from here. More recently, I¡¯ve been helping out in the Republic of Kinarg near the southern center of the continent. Not sure how much of our planet¡¯s geography you¡¯ve managed to learn.¡±
¡°Not as much as I probably should,¡± she admitted, ¡°Mostly just the tundra while stuck here for the blood moon.¡±
Kara did look at her then and gave a simple, ¡°Huh,¡± that felt way more judgy than it probably should have to her. Then the Paladin began searching the room again, opening the bathroom door as she asked, ¡°Did you arrive here on the tundra or were you brought here?¡±
¡°A bit of both?¡± she said thoughtfully, ¡°Technically, I landed in the Blue Ridge mountains to the southwest, and a combination of my book and meeting Paul led me here specifically.¡±
¡°Book?¡± the voxen asked, peeking her head back out from the bathroom.
¡°Ah, one of my Talents that gives me information like a Knowledge Tablet. I can show you later.¡± At the woman¡¯s simple nod and disappearance back into the washroom, she asked, ¡°How long did it take you to reach Ruby and what¡¯s the fastest you¡¯ve ever heard of someone reaching it?¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°Asking two at once seems like cheating, but I¡¯ll let it slide as related,¡± the voxen said, and she felt a slightly involuntary shiver run down her spine at the memories of the last time she had asked too many questions when playing this type of game. She hadn¡¯t thought of that crazy Magi for so long, and she didn¡¯t want to dwell on him now, so she refocused on Kara¡¯s answer, ¡°I was forty-one when I reached Ruby, so it was about twenty years. The fastest I¡¯ve heard of ever is eight years but I¡¯m not entirely sure how accurate that book was.¡±
As the blonde reentered the main room she added, ¡°As a bonus, I¡¯ll tell you that reaching Obsidian only took me another fifty years after that.¡±
Phoenix arched an eyebrow, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s impressive or not. You¡¯re the first Obsidian I¡¯ve even heard of let alone met.¡±
Kara chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to that, actually. Do you even know how getting to Obsidian works? Most Crystals don¡¯t since they¡¯re more focused on learning the basics to even ponder on something decades or centuries away.¡±
¡°You have no idea,¡± she muttered, ¡°My world didn¡¯t even have magic so it¡¯s been a lot to learn in the last half year.¡±
The voxen gave a little hum and said teasingly, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give you more of a pass on the lack of geography lessons then.¡±
¡°Thanks,¡± she replied with a roll of her eyes.
¡°Well, back to reaching Obsidian since it¡¯s not like some huge secret or anything, just not really something to worry about before getting to Ruby,¡± Kara began, opening yet another door that led into a huge closet space, ¡°Cultivating through the Ruby levels is much the same as the other Castes, finding suitable challenges is the hardest part. Hitting max Ruby with everything takes even the most active Casters a couple of decades usually. Once you max everything out though, you¡¯re stuck there until you have an Epiphany for each of your Aspects.¡±
¡°Epiphany?¡±
¡°Yeah. This is usually what makes the time to Obsidian so variable, and most never manage to reach it at all.¡±
¡°So what exactly are they?¡±
Kara exited the closet with a grin as she said, ¡°The simplest explanation is that they are insights you have about your own soul but nobody can tell you what those insights might be.¡±
¡°Now, my next question,¡± the Paladin said, placing both hands on her hips in an uncanny replica of the traditional superhero pose that Phoenix was familiar with from back on Earth.
She held back a laugh as she gestured for the woman to continue, then was completely dumbfounded, with no answer to give, when the Obsidian Caster asked, ¡°Where do you people keep the barrel for each room?¡±
Roimeldor looked up at his second in disbelief as he ordered, ¡°Say that again. I must have misheard you.¡±
The elven woman grimaced at him as she stood across his desk from him but repeated, ¡°We¡¯ve lost all communications with Water Two Squad and failed to reap the Rose Caste enemy but did manage to retrieve Haldambar¡¯s and Bahamut¡¯s souls along with many others from the battle, ally and foe alike.¡±
¡°Were any a match for Naira?¡±
¡°No, sir.¡±
¡°So we lost an entire squad and a Rose Caste assassin and dragon, whom I assume are now being reconstructed ¨Cmeaning even more resource loss and a Rose restarting their cultivation at Daisy¨C and we have nothing to show for it?¡±
¡°Yes, sir.¡±
The glass in his hand shattered as he stood angrily and began pacing. He rarely resorted to the action anymore but he didn¡¯t want to throw something next. Such a waste. An inexplicable one too. Their forces should have been plenty.
¡°What do we know about what went wrong?¡± he asked, still sorting through possibilities and potential next steps in his mind.
¡°Haldambar was defeated by the Rose Caster we sent him to solo reap.¡±
¡°That was the man who should have been dead on his feet from soul exhaustion after pushing off a rushed ascension?¡± he clarified.
Asyamil frowned again but nodded, ¡°Yes, sir. Though some of the information we got before the ship went completely silent doesn¡¯t make much sense.¡±
¡°What does that mean?¡±
¡°Well, the ship seemed very upset that Bahamut ran into it after trying to eat the father of its mother and decided to fight the dragon. Then it got confused about why its grandfather was punishing it and tried to show it was on the man¡¯s side by fighting his enemy as well ¨Cwho was identified as Haldambar¨C before it finally went silent.¡±
Roimeldor stopped and stared at Asyamil for a long while before finally clarifying, ¡°The ship said that?¡±
¡°Yes, sir.¡±
¡°Our ships are not sentient.¡±
¡°Not that we have observed before, sir, no,¡± she agreed.
He blinked at the elf another moment longer before asking, ¡°Who exactly did it think its mother was?¡±
¡°The Wayfarer, sir.¡±
¡°Of course, it was the bloody Wayfarer,¡± he said, throwing his hands up into the air, and began pacing once more, ¡°Of all the absurd things¨C¡±
¡°Our best guess from the data we gathered is that the magic went very wild and resulted in some very unpredictable and unexplainable things.¡±
¡°No shit, our best guess is that wild magic is to blame for a ship to suddenly begin having thoughts and fighting for the wrong side!¡± he retorted with a glare at his second, who simply raised her hands slightly in surrender. He was never one to kill the messenger, but sometimes it was really, really hard not to and just deal with eating the resource cost and apologizing later.
¡°Wait, the Rose Caster still fought Haldambar. I thought he was the only Rose enemy in that area, did he have cleansing capabilities? Haldambar is known to win even when he loses. It¡¯s kinda his whole thing.¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s the other odd occurrence some of our nearby ships sensed after the, um, sentient ship went silent,¡± the elf began, nervously tucking her orange hair behind a long tapered ear, ¡°They felt the Rose aura start to disperse like we expected upon death but then it¡ well¡¡±
¡°What?¡± he asked in annoyance at the unusual display of nerves the woman was showing.
¡°It just stopped?¡±
¡°Stopped?¡±
¡°Well, there was a huge surge of divine energy and then the Rose aura stabilized shortly after,¡± she clarified, ¡°Best guess there is that the Wayfarer got some kind of divine intervention from the local gods to save her adoptive father, especially considering the levels of divinity we detected within her earlier.¡±
He pinched the bridge of his nose as he muttered, ¡°These cheating Wayfarers are going to be the end of me. I can almost feel it coming. Like the cosmos trying to orchestrate some sort of climactic duel to make my journey end in tragedy right before I reach my goal.¡±
¡°We do appear to be the bad guys here to these Wayfarers, don¡¯t we, sir?¡± Asyamil said softly.
He glared at her, ¡°You know we¡¯re not but it¡¯s not like it¡¯s ever gone over well with the locals when we¡¯ve tried to explain ourselves to them,¡± he said before continuing to pace while he thought about their current setback.
After another moment¡¯s thought, he asked, ¡°If all of the squad¡¯s ships were destroyed and most of the Caster souls are accounted for, do we know the status of the Reality Seeds? You sent three along with them in the extremely rare event that this occurred, correct?¡±
¡°Yes, sir. All three have successfully been planted according to the planetary readings. Though¡¡± she hesitantly trailed off until he gave her a pointed look that plainly showed his patience was wearing thin, ¡°One seems to have gone¡ a bit odd.¡±
¡°I swear if you keep leading the conversation like this, I¡¯m having you take the next solo reaping mission even if it¡¯s a Hollyhock,¡± he threatened. It wasn¡¯t a completely empty threat ¨Csince they could reconstruct her just as well¨C but they normally didn¡¯t waste resources like that as a punishment. If there was a Hollyhock, or what the locals called an Obsidian Caster, then it would likely be Metyadur that got sent out. He was one of their more battle-hungry Hollyhocks who liked taking solo reaping missions just to ¡°spice up¡± his immortality.
¡°It seems the Reality Seed merged with the sentient ship it was aboard.¡±
¡°Oh for fuck¡¯s sake.¡±
6 - Why Her?
Kara had never questioned her faith before. Never questioned her worth in her goddess¡¯ eyes. But this newest quest was hitting some nerves that she didn¡¯t think she even had at Obsidian. Her entire being was basically pure magic at this point, this pinnacle of mortality that made her immortal in at least one regard.
While she might be considered young compared to other Obsidian Casters, she had still seen her fair share of the world and the absurdities that it offered, both joyous and terrible, but through it all, she had been serving her goddess quite happily for over two centuries.
Now she comes across this child that her goddess has known for all of three seconds before marking her with the greatest blessing and trust a deity could grant. It was beyond absurd and borderline insulting, but she knew there had to be a good reason for it.
The temple of the Champion here in Tulimeir was a small affair of a tiny two-story tower of white marble with golden veins nestled amongst some other smaller temples. Its current neighbors included the Fain¨¦ant, Giver, Avenger, and Hero. Those last two weren¡¯t unusual companions, she had noted throughout her travels.
She made her way into the inner sanctuary before any of its attendants could even blink to register her presence and sat on the floor in the lotus position, her tails fanned out behind her like splayed petals decorating the currently empty room.
It felt odd to be here without her goddess¡¯ projection present to see and speak with, but she had figured out something very strange was going on when her goddess¡¯ last whisper to her was a simple order to go save Phoenix Wayland, the new Chosen, and the city she resides in before coming here to this sanctuary to speak once more.
¡°Apologies for the worries I have caused, Kara,¡± the goddess quietly whispered within her, ¡°I do not have the power remaining to manifest a projection properly, not even in this sanctuary, and even whispers beyond it will need to stop for a time.¡±
The Paladin frowned. She had heard that Soul Marks were extremely expensive for deities to grant, but she hadn¡¯t realized it would be to this extent. ¡°The other deities haven¡¯t gone silent from granting¨C oh¡ the downside of being a more minor goddess that people only turn to at wartime?¡±
¡°This war has taken much out of me. My followers were too few beforehand and are being called upon much more during this troubling time, leading to inevitable losses and waning faith.¡±
¡°Why would you waste so much of it then? Why her? I understand that she is a Wayfarer and a Wayland ¨Cand that alone is interesting at the least¨C but she¡¯s an ignorant child who knows nothing about our world or our ways of life.¡±
¡°She has the greatest potential this world has ever seen.¡±
¡°I fail to see that. Don¡¯t get me wrong,¡± she began correcting, realizing she was sounding way more judgmental than she meant to be towards her goddess¡¯ Chosen, ¡°She seems like a wonderful person. At least from the bits I¡¯ve seen and overheard ¨Cwhich is a lot in this gossipy city and with my level of hearing.
¡°She seems to have the heart of a champion for sure, your mark alone is proof of that, but she¡¯s Crystal Caste. If you¡¯re going to spend so much power to mark a Chosen in the first place, why not on someone who won¡¯t die so easily that you had to send an Obsidian like me to protect her? I¡¯m sorry for my questions, but I¡¯m feeling like the ignorant one here for not understanding.¡±
¡°You are indeed missing a lot of information,¡± the goddess replied, and Kara could feel the amusement of a mother observing a petulant child ¨Cwhich was probably what she sounded like at the moment, and that only caused her to become crankier.
¡°There are two main pieces that I think may assuage you,¡± the deity continued whispering, ¡°The first is that it costs exponentially more power to create the Soul Mark the higher the Caste the recipient is. Obsidians are actually impossible for us to mark as Chosen.¡±
That did mollify Kara quite a bit, and her tails became less poofy as she noticeably calmed. She hadn¡¯t liked feeling jealous like she had, thinking she hadn¡¯t proved her worth to her goddess in all her centuries of service. The fact that it wasn¡¯t necessarily a failing on her part but the risk and limitations of the gods soothed her temporary agitation and worries.
The clarification meant that the gods had to make a larger gamble whether they spent the power sooner or later and she already knew that there was divine backlash if the Chosen died.
That was the main reason most clergy were taught about in regard to why so few Chosen existed in the first place. No one wanted their god to go silent for centuries because they lost one of their Chosen before they reached Obsidian, became immortal, and potentially evolved into something new.
But that still didn¡¯t explain why Champion, or all those other deities, chose Phoenix.
¡°The second piece of information is that Phoenix Wayland is already immortal, to an extent.¡±
Kara blinked at the empty silent room. She rarely had to pause to process new information but she was sure she must have heard wrong. That child was definitely not Obsidian and she could still sense the Wayfarer aging, albeit, a bit slower than a Mundane but certainly not to the point that Obsidians gained where their bodies got rid of that process altogether.
¡°She has a talent that returns her soul home and reconstructs her body if it dies.¡±
¡°So, she wasn¡¯t a gamble for you at all,¡± the voxen surmised in awe, ¡°She¡¯s already evolved into that final stage?¡±
¡°Not quite,¡± the goddess corrected her assumption, ¡°I believe you could help guide it should the need arise, but she doesn¡¯t understand it herself yet.
¡°As for the gamble, I just needed the right opportunity and reward to trade,¡± the goddess confirmed, then actually seemed to grumble, ¡°I think the others cheated a bit, spending more of their power than I could in order to bend some rules. Giving a quest, loot upgrades, and title should not have counted as a fair trade, in my opinion, and don¡¯t even get me started on Cultivator buying her mark with Bits. I have a bit of a soft spot for Hero, though.¡±
Kara perked her ears up at that. She always enjoyed learning what she could about her goddess but most deities were notoriously quiet in regards to themselves. However, she had noticed over the centuries how mortal some of them behaved.
The goddess chuckled at her thoughts, ¡°Some of us were mortal once, myself included. We change when we ascend, but we don¡¯t lose all of ourselves.¡±
¡°How did you ascend?¡± she asked curiously, trying to force her tails not to wag like an over-excited kit to little avail.
¡°Hero was the one to raise me and my love. That was a very long time ago, however, and a very long story in itself.¡±
¡°You loved someone? Another deity?¡± she asked. Though she had heard rumors before and it explained the constant neighbors, so she guessed with a grin, ¡°Avenger? Hero raised him as well?¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°We¡¯re always the ones people turn to when they¡¯ve run out of other options. When their hope is on the verge of being extinguished.¡±
¡°I know of a few more gods they go to when they feel like they have nothing left to lose,¡± Kara said with a frown, remembering quite a few of the Voidsworn Zealots that have shown themselves over the years.
¡°I believe those gods are who they turn to when that hope has died. When all they care about is making others hurt like they do and burning the world with them.¡±
¡°Speaking of the world burning,¡± the Paladin said, changing the subject to the other curiosity she wanted to ask her goddess about, ¡°Should I get rid of the Cataclysm Mage before he hurts the others?¡±
¡°Kara, my dearest child, we¡¯ve talked about not judging people instantly like that before,¡± Champion replied in a mild reprimand.
¡°I just don¡¯t see the point of risking them like that.¡±
¡°Leave him be. Despite what you might think, he steadies my Chosen.¡±
¡°Him? You¡¯re joking. I thought for sure that the Healer was the one keeping her sane with everything that¡¯s been happening to and around her.¡±
¡°They all do. Haven¡¯t you noticed already?¡± the goddess teased, ¡°They are her pillars¡ Well, most of them. I believe a couple still remain to reunite, but I¡¯m certain fate ¨Calong with a couple of siblings of mine¨C will help them unite along the path.¡±
¡°Pillars?¡± she asked in confusion.
¡°My own term. But I know she will become even greater once she has all of them beside her. It¡¯s not every millennium a Divine Quintessence begins to form after all.¡±
¡°Quintessence? Like in the legend of the Daekin¡¯s Downfall?¡± she asked, perking up again and the old story of another Wayfarer from long ago before the daekin all vanished from the surface world.
¡°Similarly so. Now, I must rest. I spent too much on her mark and your quest. Keep being a champion, complete your quest, and I should awaken soon.¡±
¡°Can I shop with her in the meantime? Or are there any other goals I should focus on during this protection quest?¡±
¡°Maybe help Phoenix learn to be more of a champion as well. She could do well with a bit more confidence.¡±
Kara snorted a laugh, ¡°That seems like both an understatement and overstatement based on what I¡¯ve seen versus the rumors I¡¯ve heard. Apparently, she¡¯s like a shivering turtle around people and a rabid wolf around monsters.¡±
¡°It¡¯s been a work in progress, one I¡¯m hoping you can help.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do to drag her out of her shell.¡±
¡°Hopefully, not kicking and screaming¡¡±
¡°Maybe a little screaming,¡± Kara replied with a vulpine grin.
Lord Ethan Teras was still grieving while he tried his best to lead the Order of Magic after having recently been promoted to the position of Chancellor for this branch in Tulim. His Simmon was so kind and bright that the loss of him was heartbreaking on multiple levels. Aside from the brilliant future that had been promised for such a blessed youth, he was Ethan¡¯s only son and youngest child.
No parent wanted to outlive their kids, and his husband, Icarius, was suffering even more, it seemed. After the imminent threat of the monster army had been dealt with by Champion¡¯s miraculous gift, Icarius had practically locked himself away at the house, spending too much time in their son¡¯s room. He wasn¡¯t about to try telling the man how to mourn, though.
Polissa had been a mixed bag of emotions as well and he had contacted the Temple of the Mender and the Undertaker to help put them all in touch with someone who could help them navigate the loss but, unsurprisingly, they had been stretched beyond thin with so many lives lost over the last half year of monsters plaguing their world.
His daughter seemed to be struggling to come to terms with the loss itself as well as his decision to declare ¡°Heir¡¯s Privilege¡± to keep her home and away from the fighting. Normally, the option wouldn¡¯t be used if there was a younger child available to take up the title but now Polissa was their family¡¯s youngest member.
He couldn¡¯t even think about bringing up the topic of having another child now with Icarius. It would be expected for their position as nobles ¨Cespecially without a branch family to help supplement¨C but he simply couldn¡¯t dwell on that now, it felt too much like trying to replace what couldn¡¯t be replaced.
So he took the only option he felt he could live with at the moment, and that was to keep his daughter safe at home while he and Icarius tried to do what they could on the front lines. His golems assisted greatly in holding the line but not enough for the sheer number discrepancy. Icarius was even less of a combatant than he was, though, what with being a Sapphire Caste Glacial Sculptor. He was lucky that his husband didn¡¯t join their son.
Once the battle was over, Ethan didn¡¯t return home. While Icarius was finding comfort in the memories of their son, they only brought him pain. To avoid that, he went where there were no memories of Simmon: his work.
He had been fairly stringent about keeping work and family separate, not wanting one to distract from the other, and now it served as his refuge. Unfortunately, due to his new position, he couldn¡¯t lose himself in the trance-like challenges of solving complex magical algorithms involved in golem crafting. The Magi wanted to escape to his workshop in the OOM building where he was sure things had begun to collect dust with how often he had been pulled away from it lately.
Instead, he was now standing near the wreckage of the first destroyed ship that the Obsidian Caster had split in twain without using the explosive abilities she had at her disposal due to how close it had gotten to the city walls. Only about a kilometer out from the walls, he was sure they would have felt the repercussions and suffered for it if she had.
He already had teams of Magi scouring the ship remains as safely as possible once the fires had died down. Anything they could learn might help them should the Soul Reapers return with more of their seemingly endless supply of forces. They had even managed to capture some of their Casters but that was for the AOA and Duke to deal with. His concerns were in analyzing the ship¡¯s magical capabilities ¨Cthat might as well have been gibberish to them¨C and ascertaining the risks involved with the curious object that was causing them even greater concern than the Soul Reapers: the Corrupted Reality Seed.
When the Emerald Caste ship had crashed into the force that was an Obsidian Caster, it had released its cargo, and as soon as the seed touched the ground, it seemed to know exactly what it was meant to do. Now, he needed to figure out what exactly that was.
As he stood observing things, he half listened to his new Vice-Chancellor who was excitedly speaking about the technology that had been ¡°dropped on their doorstep¡± and what a ¡°fantastic opportunity¡± this was to add to the Scholar¡¯s deep wells of knowledge, being comparable to the arrival of a Wayfarer.
That comparison made his thoughts wander to his friend, Paul, who had saved his daughter¡¯s life, and the Paladin¡¯s new daughter who seemed to always be at the center of things since arriving in their city. He knew Wayfarers often found themselves as the epicenter of events for reasons unknown but he didn¡¯t want his daughter caught up in that and end up like his son. The other thing many Wayfarers had in common was that death and tragedy often followed them like fleas on a frolf.
Those thoughts were interrupted, and his Vice-Chancellor¡¯s musings paused as his personal assistant cautiously walked up to them, looking everywhere but at them.
¡°The Reality Seed is a bad oddity,¡± Camilla Saren said to him quietly as she looked at the ground in between them, ¡°It is similar to the Corrupted Pseudo-Reality Seed within Tulisuda, but those seeds have reached their limits. Without being triggered to explosively release their absorbed mana, they have shown signs of decay. I believe they will die soon, and then the land can be cleansed.¡±
The human woman glanced back towards the location where the seed had spread its roots deep into the ground, creating runic symbols with off-shooting vines along the surface, and was ominously glowing from whatever organic ritual it had triggered while also secreting a sickly-looking black ooze at various points.
¡°Will this do the same?¡± he asked when his most trusted assistant seemed to become lost in thought. He normally didn¡¯t like interrupting her when she got like that, but he needed a better understanding of what they were dealing with sooner rather than later.
She jumped slightly but turned back toward him, looking down at the wand in her hands instead this time as she replied, ¡°I¨Cit, um, no,¡± she seemed to compose herself another few moments later before starting her explanation again, ¡°Unlike the Corrupted Pseudo-Reality Seed, this one isn¡¯t waiting on a triggering ritual network. It is refining the ambient magic, effectively increasing the area¡¯s Caste, and I haven¡¯t determined when or if it will stop. Unlike the other seed, this one is growing, not dying.¡±
¡°Thank you for the update, Camilla,¡± he replied and tried not to let his frown show and make the woman think he might be disappointed in her rather than the information she delivered. Instead, he managed a small smile as he encouraged her, ¡°I¡¯ll let you get back to your work then. If anyone can figure out the ramifications of these and how we might circumvent any negative outcomes, I have complete faith that you would be the one to accomplish it.¡±
She gave a small nod and turned to leave, making her way back through the snow and ash to return to the giant seed that had implanted itself in the ground.
¡°Why her, Lord Teras?¡± his Vice-Chancellor spoke up again, the whine in his voice poorly hidden, ¡°Of all the bright Magi that would love to examine the Reality Seed, you choose your personal assistant?¡±
¡°She has the best mind for this kind of work,¡± he replied bluntly, turning his head to look at the man.
¡°Her mind is broken, Lord Teras. She can barely think on her feet enough to form a coherent sentence when questioned,¡± the runeforged replied with a sneer of disgust leveled at the woman¡¯s back.
¡°She¡¯s not broken, and if you say that again, you won¡¯t be part of the OOM any longer,¡± Ethan threatened with absolute sincerity, ¡°I don¡¯t need a conversationalist. I need the woman who can run numbers around you as though you were a slimy Blopgum trying to catch a Swiftluck.¡±
¡°Excuse me?!¡±
¡°You¡¯re excused,¡± he replied promptly, cutting off any more outrage with his own simmering anger, ¡°Now get back to work before you piss me off further. A lot of people died to give you such a ¡®fantastic opportunity¡¯ after all.¡±
7 - It Was Fate
Phoenix and Dazien had returned to Paul¡¯s side while Uriel had gone to meet with Priest Jacob who had been overseeing his ¨Calong with her own¨C mental health when they had the time and were in the city.
Saiya and Rayna had returned to their temporary housing in the International District but had decided to take Patricia¡¯s latest offer to stay at the Wayland estate instead, given the fact that the party had been thrust even further into the spotlight of even more rumors surrounding the presence of an Obsidian Caster.
While they were collecting their things from their apartment, Phoenix decided to wait for their return by visiting Paul and Orebela again. Dazien had followed after her but hadn¡¯t explained why yet. She could only assume that he wanted to see the Paladin as well, a sort of comfort to verify he was alive with their own eyes.
They sat side by side in separate chairs beside Paul¡¯s plush bed while Orebela hovered on the opposite side, seemingly observing them but it was hard to tell since she lacked eyes for them to read. The little sway her fluid body did, along with the slight fiddling of her too-tiny hands, were the only indication they had that she was thinking about things.
The Wayfarer waited patiently for the inevitable disruption to the silence, and a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth when it finally arrived.
¡°I wanted to let you know that I plan to let my ascension happen this evening,¡± Dazien said quietly into the silent space between them as he continued looking at Paul¡¯s sleeping form, ¡°I¡¯ve been holding it off ¨Crefusing to rest and meditate¨C but we¡¯ve been given a couple of days to recuperate now, and it seems like a good time for a long rest.¡±
¡°You mentioned back on the battlefield that you were going to ascend, and I meant to ask if there was some kind of trick you were using to progress so fast,¡± Phoenix recounted, ¡°You were the last to unlock your final Class ability after all. I would have thought Uriel would have beat you there, but he seems to think he¡¯s still a ways behind, and I¡¯m only averaging around Crystal 6, even after all that fighting we just did.¡±
¡°Well, you do have a habit of going backward in your progression,¡± he teased, but it seemed to lack his normal boisterousness.
¡°Hey, that last one wasn¡¯t really my fault¡ and was completely worth it,¡± the Wayfarer added, feeling a bit more grateful that it really had been a worthy death instead of her just making a mistake or not being good enough.
Then she glanced over and said in a lighter tone, ¡°Now, spill your secrets. How did you get your Execute leveled so fast? Just spamming it the whole time?¡±
The Defender chuckled, ¡°A bit of that, but you¡¯re correct that I have a secret.¡±
She conjured her [Guide Book] and gestured towards it as she replied, ¡°Brothers shouldn¡¯t keep secrets from little sisters.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t keeping secrets from nosy younglings what all older siblings do?¡± he replied with an amused smirk.
¡°Not the good ones.¡±
¡°I think you¡¯ve got the younger sibling manipulation skills down already,¡± the gemite playfully jabbed but gave a tired sigh as he touched the book to reveal his secret.
Natural Talent: Right of Divinity
Cultivated from [Classy] due to unlocking the Warrior King Class.
- Taunt and Retribution abilities have increased effect.
- Increased resistance to Radiant effects. Radiant abilities have an increased effect.
- Constructs you create have increased effect and are more resistant to damage.
- Abilities that are not the same level as your highest level ability have greatly increased cultivation rate.
|
¡°Such a cheat,¡± she muttered.
¡°You¡¯re one to talk,¡± Dazien replied with a short laugh, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I remember reading your old talent had just a flat increase to everything, and the new one is probably even more powerful currently.¡±
She frowned slightly at the memory of why the talent had changed but knew he wasn¡¯t wrong. If she got an increase based on how far away from Ruby she was it might help her reach Sapphire a lot sooner than she originally thought.
¡°So, you¡¯re going to ascend tonight then,¡± Phoenix said, pointedly returning the topic back to its beginning, ¡°Would it be better to do it in a ritual room or your future bedroom so you can just crawl over and sleep?¡±
The Defender turned to give her a raised brow, amethyst eyes looking more dull and tired than she ever remembered seeing them as he said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure it¡¯ll be my future room anymore. With Paul like this¡ well, it seems like those plans will be on hold indefinitely.¡±
She became confused by that assumption, ¡°I¡¯m sure Pati would love to extend the offer still. It sounded like the whole family had already signed off on it.¡±
¡°See, that¡¯s the thing,¡± he said sadly, turning back to look at Paul, ¡°He has to literally sign off on it. He can¡¯t sign papers now and, honestly, I wouldn¡¯t want anyone else to try and take his place. It feels¡ wrong somehow to not have him be the one listed as my parent.¡±
He waved a hand through the air as if pushing the topic away, ¡°We don¡¯t need to talk about that, though. It seems so insignificant now with everything that has happened.¡±
Phoenix frowned at that. Did he really think becoming part of her family was insignificant? Did he just see it as some means to an end? She hadn¡¯t thought so but maybe she had just assumed he had the same desires she did.
¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s insignificant,¡± she said quietly, causing him to look at her once more, and she pressed on when he didn¡¯t try to interrupt, ¡°It¡¯s a life-changing decision. Even if you don¡¯t move in here, even if you don¡¯t change what you call us, even if the stupid piece of paper doesn¡¯t get signed¡ who you call family is still important. He''s still your dad and you¡¯re still my brother now, right?¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
A small smile crept across the handsome face, and he gave a sigh as he nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right. That is not insignificant at all. I just didn¡¯t want you to worry about me, but I can see I failed at that.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that part of the family package? Worrying about the others? I think you should stick to being annoyingly honest with me.¡±
¡°How is being honest annoying?¡±
¡°Remember that time you said Tala looked like she was getting fat?¡±
He chuckled, ¡°I said she was ¡®adorably rotund.¡¯ It was not meant as an insult.¡±
¡°And then called her the greediest thing with wings you ever met.¡±
¡°She tried to peck off my nails like they were sparkly trinkets to adorn her nest!¡±
¡°Not her fault they look like that, Mr. Shiny. You can¡¯t blame her for thinking you¡¯re pretty.¡±
Dazien gave an exasperated huff as he shook his head, but the smile on his face made her not regret her words in the slightest. ¡°That¡¯s actually funny you said that. Uriel said the exact same thing about an ex of mine.¡±
She wanted to ask exactly how many exes there were before he got together with Uriel then found herself wondering exactly how long those two had been together romantically for.
That brought up a lot more questions though, like why it took her so long to find out and, despite what Jennica had said about them apparently being deeply in love, she had never seen them be even remotely romantic before. At least, not in the ways she had seen on TV or read about in books. No kissing, no hugging or holding hands, abyss they haven¡¯t even said sweet words to each other that would at least have given her a clue.
¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask,¡± she began trying her best to sound casual and quickly failing, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about your, um, relationship with Uriel earlier? If Jennica was telling the truth, that is¡¡±
¡°She was,¡± the gemite confirmed, leaning back in his chair, then gave her a wink as he added, ¡°I think it¡¯s safe to confide in my little sister about it, at least.¡±
She smiled at that but quickly replaced it with a scowl, ¡°So why keep it secret from everyone? Did you think I¡¯d get all judgy? Are you ashamed of him? Because he¡¯s incredible, you know, and he¨C¡±
¡°I know,¡± he quickly cut her off, his smile becoming even brighter, which only confused her more, ¡°Trust me, I would shout it from every rooftop that I love him and am lucky enough for him to return those affections.¡±
He shook his head, dismissing the notion, ¡°But I respect Uriel¡¯s privacy, and he isn¡¯t comfortable with me doing that. If you haven¡¯t noticed, his self-worth is almost as terrible as your own.¡±
¡°Hey! I¨C¡± his flat look interrupted her protest as she quickly pivoted to keeping the conversation honest and admitted, ¡°I¡¯m trying to do better. So, Uriel is¡ what? Ashamed of himself so much that he didn¡¯t want you telling people?¡±
¡°Basically,¡± the Defender replied with a shrug, ¡°Turns out that was probably the smart move, though, in hindsight.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡±
He gave her a quizzical look before leaning forward, fixing her attention on him as he said, ¡°You do realize that your very presence in my life has saved both Uriel and me, right?¡±
The Wayfarer scoffed, ¡°With how much danger I¡¯ve put you both in, I doubt it.¡±
¡°Imagine for a moment that you never arrived here,¡± he began, starting to paint a hypothetical picture for her, ¡°Uriel and I would have become Adventurers and been looking for a party. Not very many were keen on us, but apparently, there was a woman who was very keen on me.¡±
She didn¡¯t need the pointed look he gave her to instantly remember Murinah Ruwena¡¯s obsession with the gemite, ¡°So, wanting to take advantage of the blood moon, I would have likely accepted her offer eventually, and I doubt I would have been able to hide my relationship with Uriel at that point.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t realize until Jennica told me,¡± she pointed out.
Dazien rolled his eyes, ¡°Yes, well, I think I¡¯d have had to been caught with my tongue down his throat for you to figure it out, and even then, it wouldn¡¯t have surprised me if you thought we were doing some sort of weird magic thing for training purposes. The others saw the signs, though.¡±
¡°There were signs?¡±
¡°You¡¯re just proving my point. Now back to my hypothetical party discovering our relationship,¡± he continued, running a hand through dark amethyst hair that fell to his chest now, ¡°Uriel would have been the one fed to miserlings, I would have likely been kidnapped and kept as a pretty shiny pet, and Tulimeir would have ceased to exist with the implosion of the Reality Rift underneath it.¡±
Her eyes caught his once more as he stated with finality, ¡°You crossing my path literally saved our lives.¡±
She thought about that for a while, realizing that he was probably right. If Murinah hadn¡¯t killed her then Paul wouldn¡¯t have gotten involved and the investigation into the traitorous family would have likely been too late to matter. She found herself agreeing aloud, ¡°I guess it¡¯s lucky we met then.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t believe our meeting was a coincidence,¡± he said, giving her yet another pointed look and not breaking eye contact until she questioned his suggestion.
¡°You think it was fate?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure I believe in fate,¡± he refuted with a shake of his head, ¡°We forge our own destinies, and they become our fate, so its existence doesn¡¯t matter either way.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t plan on finding out about Murinah¡¯s obsession with you by taking Uriel¡¯s place. I also didn¡¯t plan on meeting you in the first place, so how is that not fate?¡±
He smirked and asked in a rhetorical tone, ¡°Did I ever tell you that Warrior asking me to come take my test the day we met was a last-minute request? Uriel was so worried about being late to finish the paperwork for joining the last trial before the blood moon.¡±
¡°You think Warrior set up our meeting?¡± the Wayfarer asked incredulously.
¡°Scholar too. From what you told me, it was her priest leading you around, making sure you arrived just in time for me not to have left yet. Putting you in my path and letting my curiosity play right into their hands.¡±
¡°They didn¡¯t know I would join your party, though.¡±
¡°Perhaps not, especially considering your history being fairly enigmatic,¡± he admitted with a half-shrug before continuing his trail of logic, ¡°But they¡¯ve been watching me and Paul for our whole lives. They knew what might catch our attention and might cause us to make choices we might not have made otherwise.¡±
Dazien¡¯s gaze focused on the Paladin before them as he added, ¡°For the record, I don¡¯t think you meeting Paul Wayland was pure coincidence either.¡±
She wasn¡¯t sure why that thought upset her at first, why it felt outrageous that the deities of this world somehow¡ set her up with the man who would become her father. Did they somehow orchestrate everything? Manipulate them into caring for each other or was that just a happy side effect? Was it all just to save Tulimeir from destruction somehow, or was there more to their plans that she had yet to uncover?
¡°So we¡¯re all just puppets of the gods?¡± she asked, hoping he was wrong.
¡°No. I think some have just given us the opportunity to make the choices that lead to the best outcomes we could hope for. They might open the doors, but we¡¯re the ones that choose to walk through them,¡± the Defender explained, and she found herself relieved that he seemed to believe they still had some agency of their own.
¡°You sound a bit like Saiya now,¡± she said with a grin.
¡°Lady Saiya is wise beyond her years, in my opinion. I¡¯m honored by the comparison,¡± he replied with a fond smile.
The door suddenly slamming open made the pair jump in surprise and stand to face the intruders.
¡°Oh good, you¡¯re both here,¡± Everin said as he entered the room, his tails bristling up with indignation, with Kara trailing behind him, her own tails gently swaying with merriment, ¡°I wanted you both present while Perfect Paladin Sunshine over here tries to get handsy with Paul.¡±
¡°Over my dead body,¡± Phoenix retorted automatically at the insane suggestion.
¡°That doesn¡¯t mean as much coming from you,¡± Kara replied with a wicked grin, ¡°I¡¯d love to test it, though, and see how it works for myself.¡±
The tie-dye voxen crossed his arms and glared at his golden counterpart as he reprimanded, ¡°Please do not kill the Chosen One, you battle maniac.¡±
8 - Practically Untouchable
Phoenix blanched at Everin¡¯s use of her Divine Title and begged, ¡°Please never call me that again. I¡¯m just their little flag that claims more territory for them, remember?¡±
Kara looked at her in confusion and began to ask, ¡°What does a flag have to do with¨C you know what? No. I don¡¯t need to know. I¡¯m not bound to Scholar like this desperate idiot¨C¡±
¡°Hey!¡±
¡°Did you or did you not risk your life based on one of her hair-brained schemes to learn something new and have it spectacularly fail instead?¡± the Sunlight Champion asked, placing her hands on her hips as she stared the Avatar down, like a mother scolding her kit.
¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it a failure exactly,¡± the much younger voxen retorted morosely, ¡°We both lived.¡±
The Obsidian Caster gave Everin a side-eyed look, ¡°Uh huh. Now I¡¯m here to make sure that doesn¡¯t change.¡±
¡°What does that mean?¡± Phoenix asked with a raised brow.
¡°While I admit this is likely one of the most secure buildings in the city ¨Csecond maybe to the ducal palace at the center¨C Lord Wayland is still vulnerable here, which I hope to help remedy a bit more.¡±
¡°What exactly do you want us to allow you to do to him while he¡¯s unconscious, Paladin Fairweather?¡± Dazien asked, crossing his arms and making an obvious display of standing between the two paladins.
Kara actually snickered in a way that totally reminded Phoenix of a fox and she wasn¡¯t sure why. As far as she was aware, nobody knew what foxes said so how would they know what their laughter sounded like?
¡°Aren¡¯t you adorable,¡± the golden voxen cooed, ¡°Insinuating I need your permission to do anything. Don¡¯t worry though, I¡¯m only planning on setting up a little self-powered defensive ritual that would take an Obsidian like myself or a gang of Ruby Casters to break through.¡±
Dazien frowned at the woman who could easily break him on accident and said, ¡°I apologize for the insinuation that you would take this family¡¯s wishes into account. I know that I¡¯m merely at your mercy should I try to stand between you and your goal but I won¡¯t simply bow before your whims either.¡±
Kara blinked at the gemite, her expression blank for a moment, then gave a toothy grin, ¡°No need to be so serious or defensive. I can see now that you¡¯re very protective of your family and I didn¡¯t mean to threaten it. Just trying to offer my help. Relax, little prince, I¡¯m on your side here.¡±
Dazien seemed to relax slightly at those words but his frown remained as he said, ¡°Thank you, Paladin Fairweather. Forgive my¡ abrasiveness. I haven¡¯t slept for longer than I should, and have been postponing my ascension. I¡¯m becoming on edge, I think.¡±
He paused for a moment, glancing from Kara to Phoenix, then to Paul, and back to Kara as he added, ¡°And I would politely request that you not call me by that epithet again, please. Just ¡®Dazien¡¯ or ¡®King¡¯ is fine, it¡¯s what the others call me.¡±
Phoenix wondered for a moment why he seemed to dislike the moniker, she thought it much better than Rayna calling him ¡°little lordling¡±, but then she remembered that what Kara had just called him was what his mother had nicknamed him.
She could understand not wanting to let others use the name when it was tied so closely to someone else. While her own mom didn¡¯t use one for her, she had been given one by her best friend, Jin, who liked to call her ¡°Sunshine.¡± Supposedly, it was because she had been so cheerful whenever they were together, but she suspected it was due to her obsession with the movie ¡°Annie¡± at the time they first met and she kept singing about the sun coming out.
The blonde quirked an eyebrow and asked, ¡°I heard the orphans referring to Phoenix here as their Princess, so I figured that made Lord Wayland the King in this scenario, and since you just claimed them as your family, that would make you the Prince, no?¡±
Dazien chuckled and shook his head, ¡°I see you¡¯ve done some reconnaissance but not actual research. I¡¯m from the orphanage originally. They call me ¡®King¡¯ and Uriel is ¡®Senesh¡¯. I doubt you heard them say our real names. I¡¯m not sure some of them even know what they are.¡±
¡°That does make some of what they were saying make a lot more sense now,¡± Kara admitted with a laugh. Then she gave a muffled clap with furred hands and said, ¡°Well, let¡¯s get this over with quickly so we can go watch over your ascension. Sapphire will be harsher on you than Crystal was from what I¡¯ve witnessed before.¡±
¡°Wait, what does that mean?¡± Phoenix asked in concern.
¡°We can go over the details later,¡± Kara interrupted the reply the Defender was about to supply, ¡°First, let¡¯s get Lord Wayland settled.¡±
The Wayfarer gently tugged on Dazien¡¯s arm and he easily relented, letting her pull him out of the way and allowing her temporary champion access to the vulnerable man who meant so much to both of them. Orebela gave her a tiny nod and she thought perhaps it was one of approval. She then realized that if the Familiar thought her summoner was in danger, the Child of Theia would have already made a move to protect him.
This helped her relax more than anything Kara could have said about her intentions. While the goddess Champion might have promised her a champion, she wasn¡¯t sure exactly how far the protection extended to other individuals and many other deities hadn¡¯t made a move to protect her mentor beforehand.
Perhaps some wanted him out of the way for some reason? It was hard to imagine after Dazien¡¯s suggestion of them being guided by the gods to meet, but perhaps that was just to get her here in time to save the city? If the job was being handled by Kara now, did that mean Paul ¨Cand, by extension, Dazien¨C had outlived their usefulness?
A furred hand came to rest on her shoulder, and she turned slightly to look into the odd black and white eyes of the rainbow voxen, who gave her a reassuring smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry Phoenix. I might have my contentions with Paladin Fairweather, but I¡¯ve heard of the ritual she plans to enact, and it¡¯s likely the best protection we can offer given the circumstances and resources at our disposal.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
¡°So how does it work?¡± she asked cautiously, watching Kara move to the side of the bed and effortlessly throw back the fluffy comforter completely off of it.
Paul¡¯s body looked much better than the last time she had seen it, bloodied and rotting from Banes that almost killed him for good. Someone had stripped him down to just silvery compression shorts, leaving little to the imagination but somehow maintaining the Paladin¡¯s modesty. She wondered if those tan muscles would eventually atrophy like hers had done from being bedridden for so long, but she was fairly certain that his mostly magical body wouldn¡¯t suffer in that way.
The only other thing that caught her attention was the prominent mark of a stylized sun seared into his chest: the sigil of the Purifier. The blackened mark he had gained from standing against his god and falling from grace. He had once promised to tell her the story of it. Now, she wondered if it would be a lot longer before she¡¯d ever learn about her mentor¡¯s past.
¡°The Boon his talent gives is likely the only thing allowing us to keep him here on this mana-starved tundra,¡± Kara said as she pulled out the most ornate wand Phoenix had ever seen before. The main shaft seemed like a thin, solid, spiral of pearl that had been shaped into a wand-form and attached to a golden handle that had three prongs of gold flowing out and around it in a helix spiral.
¡°It¡¯s an extremely advanced form of living stasis that utilizes Dimension and Time magics to preserve the target and, to put it in simplified terms, summons mana from the nearest source connected to the Aether, in this case, that¡¯s likely the planet¡¯s core. This way, he won¡¯t starve to death or need an outside source of fuel,¡± the Obsidian Caster explained as she waved the elegant wand over Paul¡¯s body, causing him to give off a faint glow before hovering into the air.
¡°This ritual uses his own mana reserves as a small maintenance cost to keep a thick defensive force shield around him that only he, or those bonded to him, can pass through. Once he leaves it, the ritual ends. Until then he¡¯s practically untouchable.¡±
¡°You said it would take an Obsidian to break but how if his mana powers it?¡± Dazien asked curiously despite his exhaustion that was becoming increasingly apparent to her.
¡°It takes a continual trickle of his mana, which in this case should be instantly replenished by his stasis Boon, while the initial up-front cost will be paid by me and be of my Caste,¡± Kara explained while moving the bed out from under the floating body with a single tail.
The Wayfarer involuntarily shuddered at the thought of how close Dazien might have come to being crushed by one of those tails himself. Then she made a mental note to tread a bit more cautiously with her words when talking with a Caster that could move a solid wood four-poster like it was made of styrofoam.
As the golden voxen readjusted Paul¡¯s position hovering in the air to be vertical ¨Csimilar to how he had been during the last ritual she had participated in with him¨C Kara began to use the wand to scorch the ritual diagram into the floor itself, intricate runes and circles connecting them together in a much more familiar pattern to her but at an obviously more advanced level than what she normally worked with at Crystal Caste.
She was actually comforted by the fact it was unlike the completely alien design the Soul Reapers had implemented. While it was still difficult for her to completely decipher, it didn¡¯t feel impossible without some kind of guide.
The sight of Paul¡¯s brand reminded her of another enemy they might need to be concerned about and she inquired in little more than a whisper, ¡°Can it keep out a god and his minions?¡±
The room went still at the question, aside from Kara¡¯s wand moving in a blur to burn more runes into the air, and they all glanced at her, making the connection with her gaze fixed on the punishing sigil. The Obsidian Caster nodded towards the Emerald and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you take that one, Avatar Starlark? I want to focus on this for a bit.¡±
Everin nodded and began addressing her worries, ¡°Like any other Caster, a deity¡¯s follower will be kept out if they¡¯re not strong enough to break through the defenses,¡± he assured but continued expounding, ¡°While I believe a god could manifest a projection body ¨Cthe type we normally see them as¨C within the defensive barrier and likely even walk through it with one, they can¡¯t hurt Paul with it.¡±
¡°The divine beings can¡¯t directly interact with the physical world. Not like we can, at least,¡± Dazien spoke up to contribute to filling in the gaps in her knowledge, ¡°It¡¯s why they need people to do things for them. They can touch souls but those souls have to be willing. Paul would definitely not be willing in this case.¡±
She gestured towards her dad¡¯s chest and the blackened scorch mark in its center, ¡°Then how could they do something like that?¡±
Everin took up the explanation again, ¡°Because he had been willing. He was a Paladin; blessed, sworn, and connected to the Purifier. As a final act in breaking that connection, the god marked him as Fallen. Much like your mark, it lets anyone who senses it know that he is an enemy of the Purifier. Most clergy that discover a Fallen of their own deity will feel duty-bound to end their life.¡±
Phoenix stared at him, horrified by the idea of being forced to kill some stranger for no other reason than a god didn¡¯t like them, ¡°So they¡¯ll just murder him for walking down the street? Wait, does Scholar or Rebel have any Fallen? Are you going to have to kill random people you meet?¡±
The tie-dye voxen chuckled, ¡°I feel like your experiences are a bit skewed. Becoming Fallen for any deity is an extremely rare occurrence on the grand scale of everything. It normally means turning on the very concept you dedicated your life to. As I said, you had to have been willing initially; a devoted clergy member like myself or Paladin Fairweather. It¡¯s not like the Destroyer could show up right now and mark me as Fallen just because I don¡¯t like destroying things.¡±
¡°So, for Rebel, you¡¯d have to, like, become a king?¡± she asked, glancing towards Dazien warily before adding, ¡°Or maybe just a tyrannical one?¡±
¡°That¡¯s probably the easiest way,¡± Everin agreed, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯d have to do to piss off Scholar¡ Ah, she says to tell you not to start burning books as that would anger both her and Rebel, and you¡¯d understand what that¡¯d mean.¡±
Phoenix snorted a laugh, ¡°Message received: don¡¯t become the magical version of Hitler. I¡¯ll admit that was my first thought when I learned about the Renseres trying to ¡®cleanse the world¡¯ to the extent that even Paul had a problem with it.¡±
¡°Anyway, we shouldn¡¯t need to worry about the gods getting involved with Paul,¡± the Avatar concluded, ¡°They probably prefer him like this for the moment. Out of their way. We can start worrying more when you get closer to Ruby and he¡¯s about to wake up.¡±
As though a signal to the end of the conversation, the room became filled with bright blue light as Kara activated the ritual. A shimmering blue-tinted dome appeared around the floating lord still hovering a couple of inches off the ground and softly glowing like she often did.
¡°Now that¡¯s done, let¡¯s go watch you ascend, King,¡± the nine-tailed voxen said merrily.
¡°Ah, I was planning to do so in a few hours,¡± he began to correct but Kara cut him off.
¡°Nonsense. You look dead on your feet. I¡¯ll go collect the others and be back before you get set up in that warded training room downstairs.¡±
¡°Okay, first, how do you know about that room,¡± Phoenix asked, suddenly concerned that this Obsidian Caster had no concept of boundaries or propriety, ¡°And second, why would we need to go there?¡±
Kara gave her another feral grin as she answered, ¡°I can move very fast and that was the only room I found here that could contain the screams.¡±
9 - Growing Pains
Dazien grimaced at Kara¡¯s warning, already knowing she wasn¡¯t wrong. His ascension to Crystal had been one of the most traumatic experiences he had gone through which said something for both how bad it was and how few traumas he had actually experienced before, especially when he compared it to that of his party members.
Saiya and Rayna losing their entire clan as children and their previous party shortly before arriving in Tulimeir must have been devastating, while Uriel¡¯s time as a captive was entirely horror-filled in itself, having to watch his parents die in his arms.
Dazien hadn¡¯t considered losing his parents to be traumatic, at least not on that level. He had been too young to understand why they hadn¡¯t come home one night and didn¡¯t fully internalize they were gone forever until he found himself at the temple of the Parent for much too long.
Phoenix also seemed to be a never-ending parade of traumatic events, even before she arrived in this world, some of which he had been peripherally part of when he thought his party members and mentor would ¨Cor did¨C die. Having a rough ascension didn¡¯t hold a candle to those events but that didn¡¯t mean he was looking forward to it.
The Wayfarer glanced over at him again, this time with wide mossy green eyes, and asked, ¡°She¡¯s joking, right? We don¡¯t really need the danger room. Do we?¡±
His frown didn¡¯t dissipate as he admitted, ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought about the screaming. It¡¯s a good idea if we don¡¯t want to disturb the family and staff.¡±
¡°Wait, I know Saiya didn¡¯t have the best ascension with the sensory overload but even she didn¡¯t scream.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not my perception ability I¡¯m worried about,¡± Dazien explained, ¡°Paul seemed to know about it but we didn¡¯t have time to explain it better to you¡¡± he trailed off.
Dazien glanced back to the mentor floating in the room he had really wanted to witness this moment in his life. Knowing that Paul would have been there as a support who had knowledge, maybe even experience with another of his species going through an ascension, had been a relief.
His gaze trailed over to Kara and Everin. The Obsidian seemed to have the experience at least, but he couldn¡¯t find comfort in her presence. A stranger who likely didn¡¯t care about him in the least, aside from his connection to Phoenix. It probably didn¡¯t help his own disposition towards her when she felt like a replacement for the man they all wanted there instead.
¡°Why don¡¯t we start heading downstairs to prepare?¡± he suggested, turning toward the Wayfarer, ¡°I¡¯ll explain on the way while Paladin Fairweather retrieves the others as she suggested. I¡¯ll warn them she¡¯s on the way.¡±
The others agreed with the plan, and he used his [Noble Subjects] ability to mentally inform Uriel, Rayna, and Saiya about their incoming kidnapper, as it looked like he would need to move up the timeframe of his ascension.
The Paladin hadn¡¯t been wrong about him being dead on his feet. Every blink was a threat to remaining awake at this point, he wasn¡¯t sure how Paul had managed the feat of staying awake well beyond the normal limits on the other side of an ascension.
As he made his way to the lift at the center of the hall that stretched out from Paul¡¯s quarters, Phoenix walking alongside him, she prompted, ¡°I remember Paul saying gemites had more magical physical properties that might interfere with ascending. But is it really as bad as Kara is making it seem?¡±
¡°Probably worse,¡± he admitted in complete honesty, ¡°Before it felt like every Mundane bone I had in my body shattered before being remade. This time I expect the same feeling, only it will be already magically reinforced Crystal Caste bones that will be destroyed in the process.¡±
At her horrified look, he tried to offer her an out, ¡°Uriel¡¯s face looked like yours does now when he witnessed it. You don¡¯t have to be there if you don¡¯t want to. I wouldn¡¯t want to be the cause of more nightmares for you,¡± he said gently.
Phoenix seemed to shake off her fear as she replied stubbornly, ¡°No. I¡¯m going to stay by your side,¡± she looked back up at him with a shy grin, ¡°That¡¯s what good sisters do, right?¡±
He chuckled and did what he had seen Paul often do and rested a hand on top of her head, the soft red curls bouncing under his palm as he ruffled her hair, ¡°You¡¯re doing a pretty good job so far.¡±
As they entered the lift with Everin trailing after them, he leaned against the back wall as the glass doors shut them in and asked, ¡°Would you like to hear a little history lesson about gemites?¡±
Phoenix perked up at that and he wondered why she didn¡¯t just join Scholar¡¯s clergy already with how much she seemed to love learning things when she wasn¡¯t busy fighting monsters, ¡°I remember Patricia saying they were one of the newer species created by a Wayfarer.¡±
¡°That¡¯s true,¡± he nodded in confirmation, ¡°What she didn¡¯t mention were the Wayfarer¡¯s other partners or why we¡¯re a bit different from the other Wayfarer-forged species.¡±
¡°Partners?¡± she asked curiously, and he was glad she had caught the word, ¡°As in plural?¡±
¡°Correct,¡± the Defender acknowledged, ¡°Magic can accomplish wonders, and gemites were the result of the union between a Wayfarer who obtained the Treasure Hunter Class, a black-scaled draconid man who became a Rage Blade Defender, and a cicada faeforged woman who was a Play Mage blessed by the Gamer.¡±
He paused for a moment, glancing towards Everin, who simply nodded encouragingly towards him, and he hoped it was the goddess within the voxen letting him know it would be okay to continue, ¡°It¡¯s speculated that our origins are one of the reasons most of us are not concerned with gender at all and normally have multiple partners. Triads are commonplace within gemite society, sometimes more.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise, but he was relieved that it wasn¡¯t disgust painting her features as she said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of, um, relationships like that in my old world, but it wasn¡¯t as widely accepted. I remember they called it ¡®polyamory,¡¯ but I don¡¯t know much about it; it was kinda peripherally mentioned in LGBTQ circles online. I was only really interested in the T part, though. Is it really common here?¡±
¡°More in certain places than others,¡± he replied, feeling the tension leave his muscles that he hadn¡¯t even realized had been there, ¡°Here ¨Cin Tulimeir specifically¨C not really, but the world is a big place,¡± he said then added with a soft smile, ¡°Eventually, we¡¯ll go see more of it together.¡±
She returned his smile with a sad one of her own as she said, ¡°I hope so. So, explain what all of this has to do with ascending.¡±
Dazien was glad that she didn¡¯t seem judgemental about his culture. It was fifty-fifty here on the tundra if people cared or not about his preferences and he wasn¡¯t sure what a Wayfarer like Phoenix would think about it.
Even though he wasn¡¯t interested in that kind of relationship with her, it still would have hurt to know a friend, especially one he wanted to be family with, thought he was some disgusting degenerate like Priestess Yavuz at the temple of the Parent had. That woman had often reprimanded and even went out of her way to degrade and belittle him for something he couldn¡¯t change about himself.
He shook the memories away as he refocused on the explanation, ¡°Well, the faeforged are descendants of the fae ¨Cwho are usually attuned to Arcane magic¨C and are also a Wayfarer-forged species, so there¡¯s speculation that her inclusion helped ¡®ramp up¡¯ the magic within us.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°Draconids are said to be related to actual dragons, much like the voxen are to kitsune,¡± he added with a nod towards Everin, who seemed content to listen so far. ¡°Dragons are often Gem-attuned, as are the draconid, so that connection isn¡¯t hard to believe.¡±
¡°Same with the kitsune? What are they attuned to?¡± Phoenix asked.
¡°Illusions,¡± Everin offered up, ¡°It¡¯s often present in all voxen and kitsune, no matter if our subspecies might add another type of attunement.¡±
¡°So, Gem plus Arcane plus Wayfarer-ness equals gemites?¡± she questioned, turning back to him.
¡°Yes, but not quite,¡± he tried to explain, ¡°I said the Wayfarer in question was a Treasure Hunter Class. He was attuned to both Gem and Metal, which is what gemites often have. I myself have the Treasure Attunement.¡±
Dazien jumped slightly at the appearance of Phoenix¡¯s [Guide Book] floating in front of him, and he raised a brow towards her. She quickly raised her hands in surrender and said, ¡°I swear, I didn¡¯t ask it to do that.¡±
He chuckled and obliged the curious book by touching it while focusing on the talent.
|
Natural Talent: Treasure Attunement
Increased resistance to negative Gem and Metal effects. Gem and Metal abilities have increased effect.
|
¡°It¡¯s a fairly simple talent and really only half-useful for two of my abilities,¡± he admitted sadly, ¡°But we don¡¯t choose what we¡¯re born with and can¡¯t force a Talent to cultivate.¡±
¡°So, really, it was the Wayfarer that helped determine what the gemite became?¡±
¡°I believe they did play the biggest part in it but it truly is a combination of all involved. The fae are often said to be beautiful in addition to their magical prowess, and the Gem attunement is much more common than the Metal.¡±
The lift doors opened at that moment, interrupting the explanation as they exited onto the floor with the warded training room and made their way toward it, ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s the brief history of my species and why this is not going to be pleasant for me or anyone who watches.¡±
¡°Which will not be me,¡± Kara said from the other end of the hallway, in front of the doors they were heading towards, a Sandstep voxen held under each of her arms and looking worse for wear, their fur poofed up and disheveled.
Rayna was grinning, however, as she said, ¡°Now that was fast. I can¡¯t wait to hit Obsidian.¡±
Dazien stared, still processing the idea that anyone could¡ run across the city and back in the time it took him to ride down a lift. Then he finished parsing the Sunlight Champion¡¯s words and asked, ¡°You won¡¯t be joining us?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll guard the door,¡± she said firmly and offered a softer smile at him as she added, ¡°You should invite the other people that care about you. Like the family you claimed.¡±
He knew his surprise showed, but he returned her smile, thinking perhaps the brazen voxen might not be completely inconsiderate of those around her, ¡°Thank you, Paladin Fairweather. That¡¯s a great idea.¡±
Phoenix sat nervously between Uriel and Saiya as the Healer held her hand for comfort and she found herself reaching over to hold the Mage¡¯s hand as well, seeking even more comfort as she watched Dazien sitting in the center of the mat and her heightened expectations of impending horror.
Uriel looked down at her with a quirked eyebrow but didn¡¯t pull his hand away from hers as he asked, ¡°Is something wrong?¡±
¡°Just worried about Daze,¡± she admitted, ¡°It feels kinda terrible to watch someone hurting and not being able to do anything.¡±
Saiya snorted from beside her and the rest of her party, Everin included, moved slightly to stare at the Wayfarer with pointed looks and she gave a small huff, ¡°Look, I don¡¯t try to make you all worried about me¡ and I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°It¡¯s alright, sweet flower,¡± the silky voxen said, rubbing a soft head against her shoulder, and she felt the familiar tickle of a long, furry ear against her neck to be comforting as well, ¡°We¡¯re all worried about him, but that¡¯s why we¡¯re here to support him. It¡¯s the best we can do.¡±
She nodded, falling silent, and glanced over to see that most of Patricia¡¯s immediate family had opted to join them when Dazien had asked one of the staff on their way to let her know what they were using the room for and extend the invitation to the other Waylands.
The fact that Dazien had voiced his worry about the potential trauma to the younger children she had brought did nothing to make Phoenix less worried about the whole thing, but Patricia had seemed unconcerned, stating that they would be there for him and it would help all of them better understand what gemites like him had to go through; that learning other species¡¯ difficulties and experiences were important to grow themselves.
As the Defender sat there in a lotus position, dressed only in the Sliksilk shirt and shorts he wore when training, she noticed he seemed to be struggling to relax enough to fall into his meditative trance.
It surprised her when Everin was the one to stand and move to Dazien¡¯s side, kneeling beside him, setting a hand against his back, and speaking quietly, but the room was already silent enough to pick up the words as the Avatar said, ¡°It¡¯s alright, Dazien. I¡¯m going to stay right here to catch you when you fall. Scholar is watching and letting me know what I need to do for you. You don¡¯t need to consciously control and force the process like you¡¯re trying to do. You can let Saiya¡¯s aura in and relax now.¡±
Phoenix felt herself sympathetically breathing out and relaxing as Dazien did, and it was almost instantaneous that the pale blue flames burst into existence, engulfing the gemite within them.
At first, she thought everything was fine, and perhaps the pain was more internal than she was led to believe. That was until Dazien began to tremble, and she heard the first sickening crack in the silent room. The pain was apparent on the young warrior''s face as he clenched his jaw in an attempt to remain quiet.
He failed to keep silent.
When the second crack filled the room, Phoenix covered her own mouth to contain her horrified gasps as she could see his skeleton now glowing from within as a purple-tinged blue light filled them. It was his ribs that the sounds were currently coming from and she could see them shattering, one at a time, like little fireworks before the flames mended and strengthened them.
She understood why Everin had repositioned himself as the screams drowned out the gasps from the other onlookers and Dazien had fallen backward from the shocks of pain. Everin slowly lowered him to the floor and helped straighten his limbs before they, too, began to get shattered in meticulous fashion.
Phoenix felt like she was going to lose her lunch when his hands began to experience the process, and the plethora of shattering Crystal bones shredded the muscle and skin on them, briefly showing the glossy gem-like skeleton itself rather than the glowing outline of it. The regenerative Sapphire flames quickly repaired the destroyed tissue, however, and Phoenix thought she¡¯d rather have a hundred hugs from a goddess over ever going through what Dazien was now.
She could barely hear Rayna saying, ¡°Those are the worst growing pains I have ever even heard of before.¡±
¡°I¡¯m glad our tails don¡¯t break like that when they grow in,¡± Saiya agreed, sharing the stunned look on her sister¡¯s face.
¡°This is already worse than what happened at Crystal,¡± Uriel said and it sounded like a warning which she soon realized was exactly what it was when the process reached the strong Defender¡¯s femurs.
Phoenix thought it might have been better if her leader would just pass out from the pain as a high-pitched screeching sound, like metal being twisted in order to tear it, came from the gemite¡¯s legs. The screaming stopped, despite the man still trying to do it, and it was like his voice finally broke from the effort as the bones took up the task instead. It appeared as if the magic went into overdrive to break those thick thigh bones and make them even denser and longer, and it didn¡¯t care how Dazien felt in the slightest.
As Phoenix realized only Dazien¡¯s skull remained, Everin¡¯s rainbow tails moved to cover the gemite¡¯s head from the rest of the room¡¯s inhabitants. It seemed that Scholar thought the children had suffered enough trauma in learning how gemites ascended as they heard what sounded like tiny firecrackers going off ¨Cher unhelpful mind counting thirty-two of them¨C before a louder crash, like a large glass window being shattered, echoed through the room. She heard the younger kids whimper slightly, apparently not needing the visual to understand what had happened.
When it was finally over, and Everin removed his furry shield, she wasn¡¯t sure the new beauty that lay immobile on the floor ¨Chair practically glittering in the soft light, the even smoother skin completely unblemished, and the lean muscles even more defined and strengthened¨C was worth the minutes of torture the gemite had to endure, unlike his peers.
Everin moved to lift him, one arm behind the back and the other under the knees, as the voxen clarified with Patricia, ¡°Which room can he rest in for the next few days, or should I take him back to his apartment?¡±
¡°His room is across from mine,¡± Phoenix interjected resolutely, looking toward Pati as if daring her to say otherwise.
The runeforged smiled indulgently at her and said, ¡°It is as the Regent says. Our home is his home.¡±
¡°And yours,¡± the Wayfarer added, giving Uriel¡¯s hand a squeeze and looking up at him, ¡°I¡¯ll help you get settled in while we wait for him to awaken.¡±
The cinderen chuckled, ¡°We don¡¯t get a say?¡±
¡°Not this time,¡± she said stubbornly, then tried to tease, ¡°After all, I¡¯m a Regent now, remember? Maybe I should try being a bit more bossy about the things I need.¡±
¡°As you command, Princess,¡± Uriel replied with a laugh.
10 - Orders
¡°Well, that was intense,¡± Rayna said to her as they stepped out the front door of the Wayland estate. Snowbelle lazily flapped pure white wings as the Familiar trailed behind them before keeping watch in the air above the pair.
Saiya took her sister¡¯s hand and agreed, ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m looking forward to watching him hit Emerald in a few years, despite the fact it should be a happy occasion.¡±
The bard looked down at her curiously. It still took her by surprise sometimes that she wasn¡¯t the same height as her twin anymore, but she liked that they didn¡¯t look completely identical anymore, their ascensions moving them each closer to their own ideals for themselves rather than what genetics might have randomed up for them.
¡°You say that like you plan for us to be there,¡± Rayna said quietly, pulling her forward to walk and talk as they made their way towards the other side of the inner city to shop for another round of Spirit Gems.
She smiled and nodded, ¡°I know that last time we spoke of it, you and I were a bit uncertain about the long-term prospect of it all.¡±
¡°Well, we had just found out about Phoenix¡¯s quest and odd talent,¡± the bard recalled, ¡°I know I was excited about helping with the quest, but you seemed unsure about it when we talked in private later. You¡¯re good now, though?¡±
Saiya looked up at the snow drifting down softly on them as they went through the elegant gate separating the estate from the city street, her ears twitching to remove the annoying flakes from them, ¡°I know we¡¯ve talked about returning to Epa Toivo to rebuild our clan but¨C¡±
¡°You know I don¡¯t care about that, Sai,¡± her twin interjected angrily, ¡°It can die with us for all I care. Abyss, I think it should have died years ago when we miraculously survived the slaughter.¡±
¡°I still want a new family someday,¡± she continued, not wanting to retread those terrible memories whose sting had dulled over the years.
¡°I know,¡± Rayna said with a grin and a roll of amber eyes that still matched hers, ¡°Loving husband and lots of kits playing in barrels. A picture-perfect family of chaos to rival what Patricia has.¡±
She returned the grin, basking in the mutual feeling of adoration her sister was radiating, ¡°Aren¡¯t they a beautiful family? I miss having that.¡±
¡°I know,¡± the bard replied, continuing down the semi-crowded streets that held a mixture of celebration and sorrow from the victory over the Soul Reapers and the toll it had cost the city. ¡°You¡¯ll get it again someday, but that¡¯s in the far future, right? Plus, you don¡¯t need the clan name itself to gain it. We can both join another House ¨Cor even a commoner family¨C and leave the Dewsong clan in the sands of Epa Toivo. We don¡¯t need to keep it alive if we don¡¯t want to.¡±
Saiya nodded thoughtfully, letting herself be pulled along as she let her mind wander. She realized Rayna was trying to think more about the future now, something the battle-happy pugilist rarely did, and put in more of her own effort to the conversation, ¡°I think I want to stay with them. I feel like maybe I can help them with their issues as a Healer, but I¡¯ve found myself¡ happier around them. Inspired even. They all try so hard for each other, and it makes me want to do the same.¡±
¡°I get that,¡± the bard said with a nod and a wag of her tails, ¡°You know I¡¯ll go with whatever you prefer¨C¡±
¡°I told you not to put aside your own desires for mine,¡± she scolded softly. It was an old argument that she rarely won.
¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Rayna retorted, ¡°You know that all I really desire is fighting monsters and discovering cool treasures. Phoenix has been an extra fun experience with her looting on top of the book surprises,¡± her twin added with a grin.
¡°You want to go exploring the world and follow this crazy quest with them, too?¡±
¡°It sounds like I won¡¯t run out of monsters to fight and loot that way,¡± Rayna acknowledged with a nod.
¡°What about Mohala?¡± Saiya asked, having felt the stronger connection forming between the two when the bard had half-dragged the dryad off the battlefield.
The Striker¡¯s grin widened, ¡°I¡¯m hoping she joins us.¡±
¡°What about the potential conflict of interest?¡± she teased, ¡°I seem to recall you not wanting Polissa to go on a joint mission due to her interest in Phoenix.¡±
¡°Yeah, I¡¯m a hypocrite. I realize that,¡± Rayna admitted, ¡°I think I was more worried about Phoenix being so¡ naive?¡±
¡°I think it¡¯s more than that,¡± the Healer noted, ¡°I honestly haven¡¯t felt any trace of attraction towards anyone from her. I don¡¯t think you should push her on the matter anymore.¡±
¡°Really?¡± the bard asked in surprise, ¡°Nothing at all?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not completely unheard of, you know.¡±
¡°Yeah, but¡ I don¡¯t know; I guess it just seems a bit sad to me. I like these feelings I¡¯m having towards Mohala. It¡¯s exciting and joyous. I feel happy just by being near her, let alone the ecstasy of touching¡ It just seems unfortunate that Phoenix won¡¯t experience that. She could use more happiness in her life.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think pressuring her to feel that way will make it happen, though,¡± Saiya pointed out, causing her twin to sigh heavily.
¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I¡¯ll back off, but I¡¯m not giving up hope that she finds someone to experience those things with.¡±
She chuckled, ¡°Just don¡¯t make her feel bad if she doesn¡¯t find that person.¡±
¡°What about you?¡±
That caught the Healer by surprise as she looked up and asked, ¡°What?¡±
¡°You seemed happy with Uriel on the wall the other day.¡±
She burst out laughing at the idea.
¡°I¡¯ll take that as a no. I haven¡¯t really seen you with anyone else except Sim¨C¡±
¡°No, I don¡¯t have anyone like that right now, but I¡¯ll keep you informed if that changes,¡± she reassured her sister, then had another thought about something she promised to update her twin about, ¡°That reminds me, though. I think I¡¯m going to go through with joining the clergy of the Traveler. If we¡¯re going to be sticking with Phoenix, I think it will be an even greater benefit for us, and I liked the Path they have that works alongside the Mender¡¯s followers.¡±
She felt herself flush as she admitted, ¡°I think helping people on the long journey of recovering from trauma will be a worthwhile endeavor.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°That¡¯s great, Sai,¡± Rayna said, squeezing her paw tighter, ¡°I think you¡¯ll do awesome at that. It¡¯ll probably be useful for our party of Adventurers too. I doubt our traumas are over, but we can try to prepare for them as best we can.¡±
¡°Prepare for the worst and hope for the best?¡± she asked.
¡°Isn¡¯t that really all we can do?¡±
Saiya laughed, ¡°I think there might be a bit more to it than that, but essentially. To that end, I¡¯m hoping to find a gem that can help boost my mana a bit. I kept running out on the battlefield, and that felt worse than watching Uriel choke off his emotions. I could have saved more¨C¡±
¡°None of that now, remember?¡± Rayna interjected, ¡°We promised not to blame ourselves for any losses. We did our best.¡±
¡°Right, but it still makes me want to push my best to be better.¡±
¡°I think I¡¯m going to aim for something that might help with singular targets more,¡± the bard mentioned, moving the topic back to their shopping goals, ¡°I think my worst match-up was that Marsh Walker we ran into that ate Phoenix. I wonder if there¡¯s something that could help me take something like that down without completely exploding it.¡±
Saiya laughed, ¡°You¡¯re a Shatter Bard. Breaking things is just what you do.¡±
Veldrix Thevaris had been a Knight for the monarchy of Blomsterang for decades now, becoming the Royal Executioner not long after joining. It was a highly honored and feared position within the nation, and only one person was granted it at any given time.
As the knight¡¯s magically constructed [Blade of Execution] swung downward, a trail of flames coming from its tip created an effect that Veldrix thought was beautiful but caused inexplicable terror in those who observed the visual that made the heavy axe-like blade appear more like a scythe.
Perhaps it was the fact that whenever the crowd saw the effect, it was shortly preceding the death of a convicted criminal that incited the odd terror among the masses who were currently observing the execution of the noble on her knees in front of the revered knight.
Despite the apparent honor, Veldrix felt bored as the blade easily sliced through the Sapphire Caster¡¯s neck, ending the life of Lady Glasciel Ruwena, the traitor of Tulim ¨Cand, by extension, the nation. The Royal Executioner didn¡¯t care about bringing death upon a weaker opponent, only that they were ridding the world of convicted criminals and respected for the undesirable job that was well suited to their powers.
Veldrix was a Pyre Executioner with Fire, Burst, Potent, and Death as their Aspects and the limit-breaking Natural Talent that let them have multiple Execution abilities ¨Cwhich every one of their Class abilities had become. The garnet gemite was built to accomplish a quick and sudden end of life.
Executing perfectly healthy Casters, in general, wasn¡¯t an easy task for any Class. Depending on the Caste difference, it took whittling down their health first and shutting down their regeneration and ability to fight back. For the justice system, that meant using a special set of [Chains of Silence] that also drained the wearer¡¯s health down to around ten percent of their total. Then they just needed someone with a powerful Execute ability to finish them off, ideally in a single strike.
Veldrix had five such abilities, which gave the crown the bonus perk of getting to choose from an assortment based on how clean, dignified, or painful they wanted the death to be. Getting the job that fit their Class best wasn¡¯t that large of a surprise, but the absolute tedium of it had been unexpected.
As the queen herself walked over to touch the headless corpse and loot the body, causing it to partially break down into blue ash, Veldrix tuned out the speech the monarch gave about justice having been served and assuring the same end to any who turned on the nation. They had heard the speech before, and they knew it wouldn¡¯t be the last. It was always the same message at its core: break the rules the monarchs made, and you¡¯ll die for it.
Of course, not every crime was met with death; sometimes, they were fined Bits or sentenced to silenced servitude, but more often than not, the worst criminals met Veldrix¡¯s flames. The fact that the knight had used their fiery blade instead of the [Pillar of Consumption] that burned the enemy from the inside out, or the [Inferno Crypt] that summoned a forge-hot metal coffin that basically boiled the enemy to death within a few seconds, was a mercy bestowed upon the noble at the king¡¯s request. The man was much kinder and more merciful than his wife, but he wasn¡¯t the ruling authority, having married into the human bloodline.
Most of Blomstra ¨Cthe capital city they were currently in¨C was populated by humans, and it made a gemite like Veldrix stand out even more than their occupation did. You couldn¡¯t tell they were an Executioner from their glittering red garnet hair after all.
They weren¡¯t the only garnet gemite in the capital, though, which helped them walk down the streets without inciting fear at least; though their aura gave some pause when people were able to sense it, but that usually took a Ruby Caste to accomplish in the first place. Most people in the capital were Emerald or Sapphire, with only their younger family members being lower. The zone itself was normally mid-Emerald and didn¡¯t give many challenges for the Ruby Casters outside of a blood moon.
Veldrix gave a soft sigh, which earned them a glare from the queen, who continued her speech. The knight rolled their garnet eyes behind the helmet that hid their tan face. They were grateful that their complexion at least matched the humans of this region.
The Royal Executioner was ready for a change. Not wanting to keep dealing with the monotonous job and the bickering nobles at court that either hated Veldrix for their position as executioner, desired them for their Shiny beauty, feared them for their overwhelming strength and magic, or were envious of all three.
When the queen finally turned to leave the dais, and others moved in to clean the stage of slaughter, Veldrix silently fell in line after the monarch, leaving the job and crowds behind. The queen didn¡¯t speak right away, waiting till they were in a private room before turning and gesturing for the knight to remove their helmet, which they obligingly did and rested under an arm and against their hip.
¡°Did my speech bore you somehow, Knight Thevaris?¡± the queen asked, and they recognized the blatant trap.
¡°No, Your Majesty,¡± the executioner promptly replied, ¡°Your speech was as magnificent as ever. My sigh was in sorrow over my duty to take yet another life, no matter how justified.¡±
The woman scoffed, moving closer to them, ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, Veldrix. I know you care not for the lives you claim in the name of my crown. Now speak honestly, and I may give you the honor of being my guest for the night again.¡±
It took every ounce of self-discipline the knight had not to roll their eyes at the invitation that they knew would have been extended even if they had made a worse faux pas than sighing.
Even this aspect of their life had become predictable and tedious, the not-so-secret plaything of the queen and king. Both monarchs had become a bit smitten with the gemite over the years, and Veldrix¡¯s dual gender fulfilled both of the royals¡¯ desires, but the knight already knew a relationship like that wouldn¡¯t be fulfilling for them. They didn¡¯t want to be the spare wheel to a power couple.
¡°I would be honored by the invitation, Your Majesty,¡± Veldrix lied with a subtle bow and palm over their heart in deference, ¡°The truth is that I believe I am ready for a new assignment. Being your Royal Executioner is a great honor, but I believe a change of scenery away from the capital would do me well, at least for a few years. My appreciation for what I have has waned, and some distance would likely help me reinvigorate that.¡±
The queen¡¯s face contorted in a mixture of rage and disgust at their words. They were the same Caste, so a slap would most definitely sting and be well-deserved in this case, Veldrix felt; they had just met a lover¡¯s invitation with a request to leave the city after all¡ but at least a slap would be a nice change of pace.
They were almost disappointed the slap didn¡¯t arrive. Instead, the queen turned away and took a few paces before saying coldly, ¡°There is a request that has come in that will probably be a few months at least. Until the end of the war with the Soul Reapers, most likely. The Duke of Tulim has sent word that the invaders have moved an army from the east against the duchy, numbers impossible for a single Emerald combatant to face with only crafters and some newly ascended. He¡¯s requested a Ruby Caster be sent for support, especially after this mess with House Ruwena.¡±
¡°Tulim? Again?¡± the knight asked with a raised brow, ¡°Why are the enemy so interested in it, and what combat-focused Emerald would agree to go to that backwater duchy during a blood moon?¡±
¡°Lord Paul Wayland was sent, and he didn¡¯t appeal the position. He has family there, after all, and he wouldn¡¯t dare disobey my orders.¡±
The other brow joined the first as Veldrix asked incredulously, ¡°You commanded the Blade of Pure Wrath back to the home that outcast him?¡±
She waved a hand dismissively, ¡°Please, that was years ago, and it was pointless to let him wander during a blood moon.¡±
¡°Wait, so you want me to go play nice with a pissed-off Fallen Paladin in the middle of a frozen wasteland until the war ends?¡±
She glared at the executioner, ¡°Consider it a punishment for your sigh earlier.¡±
¡°I thought being honest about that would get me a reward instead?¡±
¡°I¡¯m still expecting you to accept that invitation for tonight. Then you can leave for Tulimeir in the morning,¡± the queen replied with a wicked grin.
Veldrix held back another pained sigh but bowed lower and replied, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. As you command.¡±
11 - Preserving the Presence
Phoenix wasn¡¯t sure what to expect exactly when Kara requested to join her and Uriel to help relocate the two men ¨Cwho were roommates. It seemed as good a time as any while Dazien recovered from both the soul exhaustion caused by ascending and from having his bones meticulously shattered and reforged in the process.
Kara held out a furred hand and stopped Uriel from opening the door he turned to begin opening and the Obsidian Caster asked cautiously, ¡°Were you expecting company?¡±
The Mage and Supporter looked at each other questioningly for a moment before smiling and saying at the same time, ¡°Bliss.¡±
¡°I have no idea how she always manages to get inside,¡± Uriel muttered as he finished pulling out a small rectangular rod with runes etched in the side like most keys in Tulimeir had, ¡°Daze always triple-checks that the window and door are locked before we leave.¡±
Phoenix glanced at the floor and then pointed out, ¡°Well, there¡¯s like a half inch of space between the door and floor right? I¡¯m pretty sure I saw a thing saying cats'' bones are liquid, and they can just¡ shloop right under.¡±
¡°Shloop?¡±
¡°Yeah, like¡ melt and slide right through the crack.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a thing for most cats,¡± Uriel replied in confusion.
¡°Oh, it¡¯s definitely a thing,¡± Kara asserted, pushing her way through the now unlocked door, ¡°I¡¯ve seen some voxen kits manage to get into some tight spaces, but the kitsune and feline-type avals I¡¯ve run into all seem to be mostly liquid.¡±
Phoenix grinned at the words of support and the additional mental image of a baby Rayna sliding under the door frame that was most definitely a ridiculous cartoon version in her mind but her thoughts were interrupted by the Obsidian Caster saying, ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you an adorable little thing.¡±
Uriel went straight to the basket currently sitting on the kitchen counter and pulled out a plate as he explained to the little black kitten currently perched next to it with large pleading green eyes, ¡°I didn¡¯t forget about you, Bliss. I had something come up after my meeting with Priest Jacob; Daze is Sapphire now.¡±
The kitten seemed to freeze and cringe at the mention of the Caste change, and Phoenix asked, ¡°You¡¯re familiar with gemite ascensions? Cause I totally feel that cringe right now. It was not pretty. Well, I mean maybe afterward but during was¡¡± she shuddered at the fresh memories, ¡°Yeah, no thank you.¡±
Bliss nodded in all seriousness but seemed to perk up at the sight of Uriel unwrapping and offering a small pile of chopped-up meat as he explained, ¡°I tried some new herbs with this to see if it would help that metallic aftertaste the last batch of Flaywing meat had. Don¡¯t scarf it all this time, I want proper taste notes!¡± he playfully scolded.
The kitten licked a paw in serious focus before giving a very unnatural one-paw salute with it and then shifted right there on the counter into a humanoid child sitting on the edge. The fluffy chimera smiled up at the cinderen who gave her a small pat on the head before handing over the small package of seasoned morsels.
¡°So how did your party do during the battle, Bliss?¡± Phoenix asked, leaning against the counter to watch the pair of apparent friends. ¡°I think we were on opposite ends of the battlefield during most of that chaos.¡±
Tiny taloned hands daintily picked up a small piece of the meat like an expert connoisseur of all things carnivorous. She slowly chewed the piece with the most serious of expressions a child could muster while holding back the greedy desire to consume it all immediately, like being told to patiently lick a lollipop instead of biting it to get to the center.
Phoenix couldn¡¯t help the snort of laughter at the sight and Uriel gave her a knowing grin as they watched the chimera do her best to be a good taste tester. Which lasted all of seven seconds before the growly stomach acted like a starting pistol and the rest of the meat was devoured in the following three seconds.
Bliss looked back up at the Mage hopefully, licking the evidence of smeared spices from around her lips, and causing Uriel to laugh and shake his head in resignation, pulling out another package from the basket as he asked, ¡°Was that at least better or worse than the last batch?¡±
¡°Better! More bloody than metal, so much better!¡± the child purred happily then reached down the throat of her snake-headed tail that was wrapped around her hip and hanging off the edge like her legs. The hand going that far down a throat almost caused Phoenix to gag in sympathy but she was surprised when Bliss pulled out a small Sense Stone, handing it over to the Wayfarer.
She cautiously took it, and as soon as the chimera¡¯s taloned hand was free again, it joined the other in making grabby hands towards the second package of treats the cinderen was holding. ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± she asked curiously, she had only really used the stones to record her Adventurer Trial and wasn¡¯t sure why she was being given one now.
Her book appeared ¨Cas helpful as ever¨C to inform her of the obvious in this case.
Item: Reinforced Sense Stone
A magical device used for preserving the presence of a designated time and place.
Caste: Sapphire.
Availability: Uncommon.
Type: Tool.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.
Effects:
- Increased resistance to damage.
- Can be set to multiple states: [Static], [Tethered], and [Display].
- When in [Static] state, the device will hover in the air where placed and record visual, audio, olfactory, and tactile information in an area around it.
- When in [Tethered] state, the device will behave like [Static] state but will follow the activating person from a set distance and position of the person¡¯s designation.
- When in [Display] state, the device will allow the activating person to perceive the recorded information from the device¡¯s perspective.
|
She shooed away the [Guide Book] when she heard Uriel chuckle as he handed over the package to Bliss in surrender and explained to her, ¡°You know what a Sense Stone is. I don¡¯t care for using them but you can put it to your forehead and activate it with a bit of mana to see what it recorded as though you were the stone.¡±
¡°Why don¡¯t you like them?¡± she asked curiously. They sounded like a virtual reality headset ¨Cwhich was awesome in her opinion.
The Mage frowned as he replied quietly, glancing over towards the golden voxen that seemed to be looking everywhere in the apartment but at them, ¡°They don¡¯t play well with my Silencer, and I don¡¯t like how they cut off your senses from the present.¡±
¡°Huh,¡± she said simply, realizing that just using the device would likely help her understand better. Looking at the stone carved like two pyramids melded together to form a three-sided diamond. The bottom half was covered in tightly packed runes that she wasn¡¯t sure she had the dexterity to carve herself at that size. The upper half held three larger activation runes that corresponded to the three states her book had described. So she lifted the side with the ¡°Display¡± rune to her forehead and pushed a tiny bit of mana into it.
Then the world seemed to cease to exist for the briefest of moments which was terrifying for a breath until it returned in a rush as if she had been teleported without needing to step through her portal. She was back on the battlefield, the crimson moon washing everything in red and camouflaging the blood staining the snow of the tundra.
It felt like she was floating in the air, unable to move her body, but she could turn her head to look around in every direction like a VR movie. Below her was a circular enclosure with thick walls seemingly carved from metal and covered in crystal spikes that reminded her of the same material that adorned Chriss Stratfured¡¯s glittering dress. Bliss¡¯ party leader was even more glittery than she or Dazien was and it was a struggle to keep Tala from trying to maul the woman on sight.
The enclosure had two prongs jutting out the front half with what looked like Protoss Pylons to Phoenix¡¯s sensibilities floating in the center of each and glowing softly. These solid prong structures seemed to be funneling the horde of monsters towards the currently closed gates which were opposite from a tall watchtower nestled within it against the far wall.
The only reason Phoenix thought of it as a watchtower was due to Chriss currently standing upon the raised dais, with only a half-wall between the Sapphire Caster and the edge, and observing everything going on below.
The rest of Attitude Plus was standing along the railed ramparts lining the edge of the enclosure. It vaguely reminded Phoenix of someplace, but she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on it. It almost felt like a fortress at first, trying to protect anything within. However, the Sapphire Caste Defender would periodically grab a monster about to breach the wall nearest to him with a heavy chained hook ¨Cusing the built-in spike defenses of the wall to inflict more damage as the monster was pulled across them¨C before tossing the beast into the center of the enclosure instead of repelling it back outside.
This seemed like the opposite goal of a fortress to Phoenix. This was further confirmed when she noticed the unfortunate monster trying to climb back up the enclosure only to feel the pain of more devastating spikes on the interior walls, the puncturing stings of Bliss¡¯ sharpened feathers, and explosive elemental spears conjured by their Mage; all tearing the creature apart before it even got halfway out.
That definitely didn¡¯t feel like a place she wanted to be within for safety. It was a kill box if she ever saw one.
Then she heard a loud shout over the cacophony of magical spells and monster snarls that echoed across the battlefield, but she couldn¡¯t pinpoint the source of it, ¡°Allies of Tulim! Retreat to the wall of Tulimeir and regroup!¡±
The call was repeated a few more times while Phoenix watched Chriss perform one last incantation from her perch. While the woman¡¯s main hand held a chain weapon with a flail on one end and a hook on the other, it was her off-hand that currently gave a strong purple-tinged glow as she whispered the words of a long cast.
The party leader raised the glowing hand just as it blasted a terrifying channeled beam slowly across the horde, turning most of the Crystal Caste monsters into gem-like statues and greatly slowing down the Sapphire Caste enemies with crystalline growths as the other Adventurers fled in retreat.
Then Chriss made a yanking gesture toward Phoenix watching from the air and the Wayfarer felt momentarily disoriented as the view rushed towards the sparkling Caster and Phoenix was jolted back into her actual body, dropping the Sense Stone in her surprise.
With wide eyes, she turned to look back at Bliss ¨Cwho was still happily eating¨C and asked, ¡°What exactly is Chriss¡¯ Class?¡±
Bliss gulped and cheerfully replied, ¡°Crystal Warden,¡± before taking another bite.
Totally not a prison¡ nope¡ just a¡ stationary monster shield?
Phoenix tried to mentally justify a way to not picture Chriss as a prison warden and Bliss as her guard-chimera and completely failed. Uriel gave her another grin that silently told her that he could totally read her mind despite their mental communication currently being out of commission while Dazien slept; on account of not being conscious enough to reactivate the passive ability after ascending.
The large serpent tail of the chimera helpfully extended to the dropped Sense Stone, collecting it in its mouth and offering it back to the Wayfarer. She shook her head though, ¡°You can give it back to Chriss. Sorry I dropped it and thanks for sharing it with me.¡±
The tail nodded at her and gulped down the crystalline device. It was disconcerting to the Wayfarer to know the serpentine head was also Bliss. Or maybe it was some kind of merged Familiar? She couldn¡¯t wrap her mind around having two heads herself.
Phoenix glanced around the sparse apartment and noticed Kara had apparently moved to guard the door while she had been lost in the recording. Uriel meanwhile had a small pile of things at her feet that she smiled at and made vanish into her collection. She would totally be cheating for this house move.
No moving trucks or mountains of boxes for them; though, she was told the magical version of trucks or cars they had in this world were called ¡°carriages¡± yet didn¡¯t involve animals pulling them and were fairly cost-prohibitive in such a low magic zone. They did have non-magical carriages pulled by sivatherium as well, but these were also fairly rare in the city. The city also hadn¡¯t been designed for a heavy amount of them, preferring foot traffic on the cobblestone streets or the newer Quicksteam to traverse the city.
She grinned and said to her Mage, ¡°We¡¯ll have this all moved in no time.¡±
12 - What I Want
Phoenix followed Uriel around the small space as he grabbed more items for her to stash in her collection for easy transporting. It felt a bit¡ intrusive to help store the items the long-time friends kept at their home whenever they were off fighting monsters and interdimensional wars.
The single set of dishware for each of them. The worn loveseat and chair next to a low table that she didn¡¯t believe had been designed that way based on the broken legs. The single bed that ¨Cshe realized with a blush¨C was barely large enough to allow them both to sleep on.
There was a single picture on the mantle of the two men as younger teenagers. A scrawnier Dazien with a tiny paper crown ¨Cwho must have been only thirteen or fourteen¨C with an arm around the collared neck of a disheveled Uriel looking like he wanted to be anywhere else than standing in front of the temple of the Parent with the boy who would be king.
Phoenix thought it was adorable. She wondered if there was a ritual for copying pictures and then decided to ask Everin before resorting to another trip to the temple of the Scholar.
As Bliss finished eating the last treat, the chimera shifted back into the small midnight kitten and languidly rubbed against Phoenix¡¯s leg with a purr before begging at Uriel¡¯s feet. She snorted a laugh as the cinderen gave in and lifted the kitten up and onto his shoulder as he said, ¡°I know you¡¯re not too full to climb up, you spoiled thing. You¡¯re basically a black hole if my pantry is anything to go by.¡±
Phoenix chuckled at the exchange. Looking back at the magically drawn picture, she didn¡¯t bother asking the Mage if there was anything he wanted to leave behind. She¡¯d make sure to grab it all. So she simply ordered, ¡°I can finish up here. You should go and let your landlord, or whoever, know that you guys are moving out tonight.¡±
Uriel shook his head but looked more amused than annoyed, like he was indulging her as much as the instantly-sleeping cat on his shoulder, ¡°You¡¯ve been hanging out with Dazien and Rayna a bit too much, it seems, with such assured confidence like that.¡±
She grinned and teased, ¡°Well, you do make a good sparring partner already, but does that mean you¡¯ll actually listen to my orders too?¡±
The cinderen gave a low laugh, ¡°Maybe, but I trust Daze not to abuse the authority too.¡±
Her smile slipped a bit at that, the mood suddenly feeling spoiled, as she replied, ¡°Ah¡ and you don¡¯t fully trust me yet¡¡±
He frowned, those ember eyes scanning her face, and she couldn¡¯t help but look away. Then he said, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I do¨C¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she interjected, wanting to chase away the feelings currently clawing at her chest, and lifted the picture in her hand, ¡°You haven¡¯t known me nearly as long. I understand.¡±
The picture vanished into her collection with a shimmer of silver starlight as she walked aimlessly to grab anything left, ¡°If you want to keep paying for this place, that¡¯s your choice. I just didn¡¯t want you to think you needed to.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± he said, moving closer, ¡°I already agreed to move when he decided to join House Wayland but I¡¯m leaving the choice of canceling it to him.¡±
She glanced up and asked without thinking, ¡°Don¡¯t you ever choose things for yourself?¡±
Uriel¡¯s brow raised in surprise, then seemed to hesitate while gently stroking Bliss¡¯ furry back as he asked, ¡°Would you think less of me if I said I don¡¯t want to?¡±
¡°I¨C¡± she hesitated as well, not expecting the question or what it might imply, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Part of me thinks so. It¡¯s something I always wanted, but even after arriving here and being able to¡ it feels as though I¡¯m just choosing things that please others. Which isn¡¯t really a bad thing, but I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s always what I want.¡±
The Mage moved back to the kitchen area to hand her the remaining cookware in the cupboards as he explained, ¡°Before I met Daze, all the choices I made felt like the wrong ones. They turned out to break more than they fixed,¡± he paused to give Bliss another scritch behind the ear who gave a big yawn but remained asleep, ¡°After I met him, there was only one thing I chose for myself ¨Conly one person I discovered that I wanted¨C and I wouldn¡¯t trade him for the world.¡±
He stood again and met her eyes as he asked, ¡°What is it you want now?¡±
¡°To go shopping!¡± Kara said from the front door where she stood waiting on them, ¡°So hurry up so we can get to the fun part!¡±
¡°I still don¡¯t understand why you didn¡¯t just go with Saiya and Rayna. They like shopping way more than we do,¡± Phoenix called back to the impatient voxen while making more cookware vanish.
¡°Because I want to understand you both better and you can learn a lot about a person based on how they shop,¡± the Obsidian Caster responded like it was the most obvious answer in the world.
¡°Like the things we buy?¡± she inquired.
¡°Not telling ¡®cause then you¡¯ll act weird and self-conscious about it,¡± the Paladin retorted before gesturing towards the hallway, ¡°So let¡¯s gooo.¡±
Both she and Uriel chuckled at the childish behavior the centuries-old woman displayed. ¡°I think there¡¯s something she really wants to buy,¡± the Mage noted with a smirk, handing over the last baking sheet.
¡°A barrel, apparently,¡± Phoenix informed with a roll of her eyes, ¡°No idea what that¡¯s about.¡±
¡°Ah,¡± the cinderen replied simply, ¡°That makes sense.¡±
¡°How in the world does that make any kind of¨C¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
¡°She¡¯s probably a Sundance voxen. They are a bit infamous for their love of barrels,¡± the knowledgeable Mage explained, ¡°Not all voxen are, but it¡¯s a pretty common thing in their culture, more so on the other continent of Alkupera, though.¡±
Phoenix felt like her translation ability must have broken somehow as she clarified, ¡°We are talking about the same object, right? Circular wooden container that stores like¡ I don¡¯t know, fish or oranges or whatever?¡±
Uriel gave her another amused look as he repeated, ¡°Fish or oranges?¡±
¡°I only remember seeing them on pirate ships in movies!¡±
He laughed, ¡°Yes, wooden barrels that contain things, such as pranking voxen kits on unsuspecting persons going to retrieve a fish.¡±
She paused at that mental image, totally picturing Rayna jumping out of a barrel to make her soul instantly flee her body. Then glanced back out the front door to the large nine-tailed monstrosity of fur and spoke again without thinking first, ¡°I don¡¯t think you could fit in a barrel, Paladin Fairweather.¡±
¡°Rude,¡± the voxen replied with a flat look, then shook her head and said with a sigh, ¡°But understandable from someone who thinks barrels only go on pirate ships. Voxen make the biggest and bestest barrels, though.¡±
Uriel frowned and moved to look out the entryway as well as he spoke, though much more cautiously than Phoenix had, ¡°I hate to disappoint you, Paladin Fair¨C¡±
¡°Please, just call me Kara, you two. Those titles are such a mouthful if we¡¯re going to be spending a lot of quality time together.¡±
His frown became more of a reluctant grimace at that proclamation, but he continued, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll find the kind of barrel you¡¯re looking for. Such a niche item¨C¡±
¡°Will be an adventure to find!¡± Kara finished for him with a toothy grin, ¡°Now hurry up!¡±
Uriel glanced around the completely empty apartment and felt¡ everything.
He hadn¡¯t put his earrings back on since Kara had arrived and let them stop fighting for their lives and all the lives huddled within the city walls. He was feeling better about striking the balance between keeping himself under control with the jewelry so he could focus more on fighting while his Silencer was removed versus his own efforts when going about his daily life.
The confusing and almost overwhelming swirl of emotions that currently ran through him as he looked at the husk that held the memories of the last six years of his life was a prime example of what he had been missing out on. The arguments, the laughter, the quiet moments sitting by an unlit hearth while wrapped in as many blankets as they could scrounge up.
It wasn¡¯t a glamorous life by any stretch of the imagination, but it was cozy and safe. A refuge from the harsh world outside that scorned both men sheltering within it. Now it lay barren and alien, and the sense of loss was palpable.
For just a moment, he unclasped the collar around his neck that stifled his senses and closed his eyes as he took a deep breath through his nose. He scented the lingering spiced meat that Bliss had devoured, pleased that he could bring her joy with something he created rather than destroyed. A smile tugged at his lips at the mental picture of her hasty munching.
Beyond that was the kicked-up dust from moving everything, but it also held hints of what had seeped into the space. Metal and polish from Dazien cleaning his older shields and armor, the lavender-scented soap he used to clean the dishes, countertops, and clothing, and the sweet fragrance of clematis flowers that Dazien always smelled like for some reason ¨Clike sugar, honey, and vanilla all intermingled.
Newer than all those scents was the almost cleansing aroma of the dawn. Crisp and cold from the preceding darkness but warm as well, like a thawing flower. It was hard for him to compare Phoenix¡¯s scent to any others as the combination incited more of a feeling than a specific object. It was just¡ her.
¡°I¡¯ve been previously informed that you should put that back on before someone more nefarious than I witness you breaking your rules,¡± Kara¡¯s voice whispered in his ear without him ever sensing her move.
Then the Sunlight Champion¡¯s scent hit him and it was like getting punched in the face with the sun itself. Hot and blazing, sweltering and suffocating, like it might be able to burn his lungs if he kept breathing it in.
The Mage coughed from the burning sensation and offered dejectedly, ¡°I¡¯m training my perception ability¡¡±
¡°Mhm,¡± the voxen murmured, obviously not wanting to believe him, ¡°Nice excuse. Are you trying to stall us from shopping?¡±
He refused to look at her as he felt his eyes roll at the thought. The Crystal Caster doubted his actions would be a good enough reason to keep the Obsidian from her goals but was certain she would be able to read any hint of deception from both his body and aura. She had a better sense of smell than even he did, and he could pick up certain emotions from the scent people gave off when he wasn¡¯t Silenced; fear, anger, and attraction were the easiest, but deception was a close second as the fear wouldn¡¯t match the words.
So Uriel replied simply and honestly, ¡°No.¡±
The Mage finished reclasping the collar around his neck, and Kara asked, ¡°So what exactly are you trying to perceive?¡±
¡°Anything wrong?¡± Phoenix asked, walking back to the pair from where she had been waiting with the voxen in the hallway.
¡°I was just double-checking we didn¡¯t leave anything,¡± he lied then winced as Kara¡¯s eyes narrowed at him and he added, ¡°I was also giving it a final smell.¡±
¡°Smell?¡± the Wayfarer asked curiously, sniffing the air for a moment before saying, ¡°It just smells like the meat that¨Coh! I forgot your perception ability is scent-based. How much more can you pick up?¡±
He chuckled at the insatiable curiosity that was on par with Dazien¡¯s, and he thought that shared trait was the most sibling-like thing between them so far. ¡°Mostly the people that have been here before¡ There¡¯s a lot of memories I¡¯ll be leaving behind here,¡± he admitted softly to his friend and gave Bliss¡¯ fur another pet, ¡°No more coming home to a sneaky kitten beggar.¡±
Phoenix looked around the small space with a bit more thought, then smiled up at him as she said, ¡°I guess you and Daze will need to make a bunch of new memories at our new home now.¡±
The cinderen shook his head, ponytail tangling slightly with cat-tail, ¡°Yeah. I guess it¡¯s also a new beginning instead of just an ending.¡±
¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s a very touching and momentous moment,¡± Kara interjected, moving past them towards the hallway again, ¡°Now let¡¯s go before I carry you all myself.¡±
As he moved to follow, fully believing the threat after what she had done to ¡°collect¡± him from his meeting for Dazien¡¯s ascension, Phoenix stepped in front of him and snagged his arm, halting his momentum, and asked gently, ¡°Hey, Uriel?¡±
¡°Yes, Princess?¡±
¡°What is it that you want now?¡±
Her emerald eyes seemed to be searching his and he felt the tug at his heart to tell her everything. To tell her exactly who he was, who he had been, who he wanted to become and hear her accept it all with understanding words. To know that she wouldn¡¯t ever push him away. To not be the Annihilator he had been turned into.
An impossible wish.
His eyes flicked up to the golden lie detector watching them curiously. He silently cursed the surge of emotions, wanting him to pour his heart out right then and there, but he settled on a half-truth, ¡°For our party to withstand the test of time and stay together.¡±
Phoenix gave him a brilliant smile and rolled her eyes, pulling his arm along to exit the apartment, ¡°Well, that¡¯s obviously gonna happen. If the gods stepped in to keep my mentor alive, I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re all safe.¡±
¡°Then I guess I¡¯ll pray to the gods that you¡¯re right,¡± he replied with a chuckle and locked the door behind them.
13 - Who Are They to Judge
Kara pulled the two obvious introverts along the streets of the International District, where the apartment they just finished cleaning out was located. Two of her tails acted like leashes around their wrists as she kept them close and made her claim of the pair of Crystal Casters and Sapphire neck warmer obvious to any onlookers.
She kept her aura as a polite sphere as well, the Obsidian Caste acting as both a warning to any potential enemy ¨Csince any actual enemy would likely burst into flames¨C and a status symbol that incited awe among the lowbie Casters who could sense it.
¡°Why don¡¯t you hide your aura like you did when we met?¡± Phoenix asked with a mixture of curiosity and grumpiness.
¡°So the people can bask in my presence and the reassurance it provides,¡± she answered with a playful grin, but it wasn¡¯t entirely a joke.
Once their odd group entered a shop, she no longer needed the tails to prompt them to stay close. They did that on their own and fell into what seemed like a familiar position for the pair of party members: standing side by side behind her as she walked down aisles and around displays.
Uriel seemed mostly bored in this first store of furniture carved from imported woods and she assumed ¨Cbased on what she had seen in the sparse apartment¨C that the disinterest was due to either a lack of funds or a lack of desire for extravagance. Maybe both but it was too soon to tell.
Once in a while, Phoenix would quietly point at something and ask a question that the cinderen answered after checking if Kara would answer the question first. It was an interesting dynamic and the voxen could only assume the King who led them and was currently unavailable was whose place she had inadvertently taken in this little information-gathering and barrel-seeking adventure.
Phoenix¡¯s interest in the furniture seemed purely academic and, unlike the cinderen, Kara assumed this was due to the Wayfarer not needing any of it; her adoptive noble family handling that for her. It was good to see that the young woman didn¡¯t seem to desire things she had no need for. It spoke to a practical mind and a lack of greed that was encouraging for someone favored by her goddess.
The clothing store with a variety of different styles of garb from all over the Saaret continent ¨Cwhich was less continent and more giant archipelago on the opposite side of the planet¨C seemed equally boring for the two Crystal Casters and the still sleeping kitten accompanying her. This clued her in that standing out and looking appealing likely didn¡¯t matter to either of them, which wasn¡¯t surprising. The only thing that was slightly surprising was the flush of embarrassment Phoenix displayed when Kara suggested a dress that was more strings than actual fabric. Perhaps the long sleeves and floor-length dress weren¡¯t just for the cold.
When they reached the shop that held a variety of rarer ritual, enchantment, and crafting supplies from abroad, that was the moment the Astromancer seemed to come alive. Phoenix continually paused in the aisle to look closer at items, asked more questions, and actually debated about purchasing something.
¡°I know we have a few days while we wait for Daze to wake up,¡± Uriel replied when the redhead turned to lift up two enchantment kits and ask if he and Dazien would prefer a self-cleaning rug or an automatic warming blanket, ¡°But I don¡¯t think he wanted you to blow up the estate while he slept.¡±
Phoenix scrunched her nose and retorted, ¡°I won¡¯t blow up the building!¡± When the taller man simply raised an eyebrow, the Wayfarer added quietly, ¡°There¡¯s an explosion-proof crafting room for me to work in there.¡±
The Mage laughed while shaking his head, the black ponytail swaying wildly behind him and jostling the kitten as he said, ¡°That doesn¡¯t make it better. Pretty sure everyone has told you that it¡¯s not worth risking your life to craft things without the abilities that reduce the chance for failures.¡±
¡°I know,¡± the Wayfarer mumbled forlornly, ¡°I just thought it¡¯d be cool to give you guys, like, a housewarming gift or something¡ you know, a ¡®welcome to the hallway¡¯ kind of thing,¡± her face eventually became the color of her hair as she finished with a sad sigh, ¡°Now that I say it out loud, it sounds kind of stupid.¡±
Kara watched with amusement as she saw Uriel¡¯s expression soften and he took both of the items from Phoenix¡¯s hands while replying, ¡°Rug for Daze. Blanket for Saiya. Let¡¯s go find something else for Rayna.¡±
¡°What about you?¡± she asked, perking up at the reassurance.
¡°I¡¯ve got my friends,¡± he said with a smirk, ¡°I don¡¯t need anything else.¡±
Phoenix rolled her eyes, ¡°It¡¯s a gift. It¡¯s not about needing.¡±
¡°How about you get both of us dinner then?¡± Kara interjected happily, ¡°I would love to try something local. I¡¯ve never been to Tulim before this quest. Plus, none of it will actually sustain me here, so it¡¯s not something I need.¡±
Phoenix looked at her curiously, ¡°What sustains you then, if not the food?¡±
¡°Well, unless they sell Obsidian Caste grub, I¡¯m stuck with the Mana Bits I brought. Luckily, I don¡¯t need to eat a lot of them but this trip is not a cheap one for me.¡±
¡°Wait, how do you normally survive then?¡±
¡°By staying near Obsidian Caste zones that provide the food I need. Most of us do, which is why you don¡¯t usually find higher Caste people in lower Caste zones. Though, like I said, we don¡¯t need a lot and can go a fairly long time without consuming anything. Our magical bodies are extremely efficient at conserving resources.¡±
¡°But how do you get enough Obsidian Mana Bits if there aren¡¯t a lot of Obsidian monsters? I read that the higher the Caste, the less likely they are to spawn since, even in Obsidian zones, the magic is more likely to spawn lower Caste things.¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s where Bit Farms come in,¡± Kara promptly replied, then furrowed her brow as she turned to look at the Mage and asked, ¡°Nobody¡¯s told her about the farms?¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
Uriel shook his head and responded quietly, ¡°She loots more Bits than she¡¯ll eat, and I prefer cooking magical food for us since we get a bunch from the monsters. She never asked, so I don¡¯t think any of us thought to mention it.¡±
¡°I was wondering how they could possibly be used as a currency if they only came from loot powers,¡± the Astromancer murmured thoughtfully, ¡°Loot powers don¡¯t seem particularly rare, and I do know a basic ritual for doing it as well, but it still didn¡¯t seem like it would be enough for everyone.¡±
¡°Yeah, and nobody prefers the ritual,¡± Kara interjected, ¡°That usually just results in Bits, Shards, and monster parts so it¡¯s only used if a power isn¡¯t available.¡±
¡°I see. Mine usually gives me ritual materials which I¡¯ve liked having available to experiment with in my free time,¡± the Wayfarer admitted.
¡°So,¡± Kara said as she began pulling them towards the shop clerk to buy the items Phoenix had selected, ¡°What are you getting Rayna, and where¡¯s the best Tulim cuisine?¡±
Phoenix glanced up at Uriel again, who gave a half-shrug with his kittenless shoulder as he said, ¡°For Rayna, I¡¯d suggest an actual punching bag she can¡¯t easily break, but I think her room is going to be next door to ours. I don¡¯t know how soundproof those walls are.¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything through them, but I haven¡¯t really had neighbors until now,¡± Phoenix admitted.
¡°As for the food,¡± Uriel continued as he glanced at Kara, ¡°We¡¯ve mostly been taking Phoenix to international places, but I think she¡¯d like The Orchard; it¡¯s not as spicy as most Tulim cuisine restaurants.¡±
¡°Perfect! We can talk about where to get the Rayna gift on our way,¡± the voxen proclaimed and dragged them to pay and be on the move once more.
¡°Do you know where it is?¡± Phoenix asked curiously, unfamiliar with the place.
¡°I know where everything is.¡±
¡°I thought you said you¡¯ve never been to Tulimeir before, though?¡±
The paladin shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m Obsidian. We move incredibly fast and have perfect memories, so scouting out the area and checking out a map lets me know where everything is easy enough. I just haven¡¯t explored inside everything yet.¡±
¡°¡®Yet¡¯ you say,¡± Phoenix reiterated, then seemed to have a dawning horror as the introvert turned to stare at her and ask, ¡°You¡¯re not planning to explore every shop, right?¡±
She chuckled, ¡°Not today, little bird.¡±
¡°Not tomorrow either, right?¡±
Kara burst out laughing at the suspicion and dread that filled the oddly layered aura. She had met a couple of Aurabreakers in her two hundred years of travel, and they always felt odd to her, but their power compared to the rest of their Caste couldn¡¯t be denied. Instead of answering, she simply gave a teasing grin as she led them out of the building. Who knew what tomorrow might bring after all?
As they made their way to the rooftop restaurant within the inner city walls, Bliss had apparently napped enough and decided she wanted to die a very quick death. Leaping from the cinderen¡¯s shoulder towards one of Kara¡¯s nine tails, she lightly batted the kitten out of the air with a tail and straight back into the chest of the Mage who looked stunned from the sudden exchange.
The Sapphire Caster, on the other paw, gave her wide and almost affronted eyes at being kept from the piles of fluff, then got a wicked glint in those tiny emerald eyes, suddenly growing a pair of feathery wings to attempt the new challenge again.
Uriel tried to warn the kitten, ¡°Bliss! Don¡¯t! She will turn you into a pile of burnt meat. Not tasty at all. You don¡¯t want to die like that, right?¡±
Bliss gave a distraught mewl, and Phoenix placed herself between the chimera and voxen while glancing at the people around them and cautiously asking Kara, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to eat somewhere more private?¡±
¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about me,¡± she replied with a dismissive wave, ¡°As I said earlier, I enjoy being a knight in shining armor for the people to look to for help and hope.¡±
Phoenix shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t understand. How can anyone possibly enjoy strangers watching their every move? You don¡¯t mind if they see you mess up or if you don¡¯t meet their expectations? Do you really enjoy having your every move judged by everyone around you?¡±
There it is.
Kara grinned, feeling like she had finally found the key she had been searching for, and said flippantly, gesturing to the random people on the street around them, ¡°Who are they to judge me?¡± Then she wrapped an arm around the redhead¡¯s shoulders and added in a slightly more serious tone, ¡°Who are they to judge you?¡±
Phoenix looked taken aback by the question, but the Sunlight Champion pressed on, ¡°If there¡¯s one thing you¡¯ll need to come to understand if you¡¯re ever going to reach my level, little bird, it¡¯s that everyone is an insignificant piece of dust in the grand scheme of the universe. The only things that matter in your life are the things that you give value to.
¡°I value my goddess and the people who look to me for a champion when they have no one else to stand up for them. Frequently, I find that they won¡¯t judge me unfairly, and the ones that do¡ Well, they don¡¯t matter.¡±
¡°Everyone should matter,¡± Phoenix pointed out but seemed unsure of herself as she added, ¡°They¡¯re still people like you or me¡ well, maybe not quite like us, but still people deserving of life and purpose.¡±
¡°While that could probably be debated,¡± she retorted, thinking of all the vile enemies she¡¯s had to face down over the centuries, ¡°Whether it¡¯s true or not doesn¡¯t change my statement. Even if they deserve life and purpose, happiness and peace, and all that good stuff, it doesn¡¯t mean that their own goals and beliefs should matter to how you view yourself. Do you believe everyone should bow to your purpose? Do you think that your beliefs should matter to everyone else around you? Would you force others to conform to your own desires?¡±
¡°I¨C I, um¨C¡± Phoenix seemed to stumble over the reversal of perspective before saying, ¡°Of course not¡ I¡¯m nobod¨C I mean, I know Rayna pointed out I¡¯m not exactly nobody anymore. But I was! Before all this crazy Wayfarer-ness with magic and monsters and nosy gods happened, that is, but none of that was really something I did. I¡¯m still just a Crystal Caster.¡±
The Astromancer gestured at the much taller Champion and added, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t even be here if I was strong enough to deserve the kind of attention you get. Why should my opinion matter to them?¡±
Kara grinned, ¡°It shouldn¡¯t. That¡¯s my point. You don¡¯t need to matter to everyone to have purpose, and they don¡¯t need to matter to you to be worth protecting or ignoring.¡±
The blonde released her grip on the younger woman and said, ¡°It¡¯s too exhausting to worry about things that don¡¯t matter. Take my advice and worry less about petty people seeing your faults and more about the people who look to you for friendship or guidance. Those are the people you¡¯ll want to sparkle for.¡±
Then she stopped in front of the building they were looking for and Kara wrapped the two Crystal Casters plus winged-kitten in a tail before giving the briefest of warnings, ¡°Now, don¡¯t scream,¡± as she flew upwards while ignoring the building¡¯s interior lift system to land directly on the roof. It was filled with magical fruit-bearing trees giving shade to small tables built around their trunks with padded stools offering a place to sit and eat.
As Kara landed in front of what seemed to be a hostess, ignoring any kind of line that may or may not exist, she said merrily, ¡°Table for three and a half! And we¡¯ll have one of everything!¡±
14 - Your Story
Dazien blinked up at an unfamiliar ceiling. He felt groggy, like he had slept for far too long and didn¡¯t actually achieve any rest. He slowly sat up to find himself in an unfamiliar room as well. The decor was slightly familiar though, having the same expensive wood paneling along the bottom half of the walls, white marble flooring, and a healthy dose of plant life.
Even more familiar, however, was the picture resting on the polished wood nightstand next to the bed he currently occupied. It was the only picture he owned of Uriel and himself that he had convinced a traveling Prism Painter to make of them.
In front of the picture was a [Sapphire Mana Bit] on top of a note. Picking up both, he hungrily slid the Bit into his mouth while reading the message.
Eat this when you wake even if you don¡¯t feel like it. I¡¯ll make your favorite later.
We each get our own room here, so I¡¯m waiting to unpack everything with you.
This one is yours. My room¡¯s on your left. The Princess is across from you.
She may have taken me hostage, so come save me.
- Your Senechal
Dazien chuckled at the note and his partner¡¯s sense of humor. He had long ago promised the Mage that he would always be there to save him from social situations, and it had become an inside joke of sorts.
The Defender felt much better after the Bit replenished his energy reserves and mentally swapped the silvery training gear he had been wearing during his ascension with some casual clothes from his [Armory], which luckily counted as armor.
Passive Ability: Armory
Type: Utility (construct, magical, dimension)
Current Caste: Sapphire 1
Crystal Effect: Construct a doorway to a personal dimensional storage space that contains [Excalibur, Sword of the True King]. You can don or doff armor and weapons directly from this space without needing to construct the doorway.
Sapphire Effect: You can construct a magical copy of any armor and weapons in your armory which can be used by allies for a limited time. Wielding [Excalibur, Sword of the True King] periodically cleanses the wielder of Dark, Death, and Blood Banes.
- Excalibur, Sword of the True King (construct, divine, radiant): Attacks made with Excalibur can affect incorporeal targets and inflict an instance of [Ailing].
- Ailing (bane, divine, radiant, stacking): Decreased health and stamina regeneration.
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¡°Wow, that¡¯s a nice upgrade,¡± Phoenix said from the doorway, looking down at the tattling book.
He grinned and mock scolded, ¡°It¡¯s rude to enter without knocking, you know. Do we need to have a talk about boundaries already?¡±
¡°Pretty sure little sisters are exempt from those,¡± she replied cheekily, walking over to sit on the edge of the bed next to him to let him read the spelled-out explanation of what he already sensed within him. Her grin became mischievous as she asked, ¡°Does this mean I can use your sword?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not letting you use Excalibur,¡± he replied with a roll of his eyes, ¡°It¡¯s technically already a copy I use since it never actually leaves my [Armory].¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask, is that the Excalibur?¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°You know, the story about¡ actually, maybe you don¡¯t. That¡¯s weird. I didn¡¯t really think about it before because I just thought, ¡®of course, the man that wants to be a king named his sword Excalibur¡¯ but does that story even exist in this world?¡±
He raised an eyebrow at her as he stated simply, ¡°I didn¡¯t name the sword and I¡¯m not sure what story you¡¯re talking about.¡±
She blinked at him, and they stared at each other as if doing so might make the other change the truth they had spoken. Finally, the Wayfarer seemed to believe him as she asked, ¡°Then who named it?¡±
Dazien gave her a small smirk as he answered, ¡°You did. When you showed it to me in your book.¡±
She glanced from him to the glowing book and back again as she asked, ¡°How would my book know what your sword¡¯s name is?¡±
¡°From what I¡¯ve seen and some of the things you¡¯ve explained to me,¡± he began, trying to put his working hypothesis into words, ¡°I¡¯m guessing the magic is translating names into things you know. From your world, it¡¯s using equivalents that you might know of. You told me your [Night Blade], Nyx, was named after a goddess of the night, right?¡±
¡°Yeah. I read about a lot of world mythologies because they always fascinated me but I don¡¯t think I remember all of them.¡±
¡°I had always known of my sword as a King¡¯s Holy Sword until I saw the name in your [Guide Book]. I liked it and thought it fantastical in itself to have it named after something from another universe,¡± he replied fondly, then asked curiously, ¡°So what¡¯s the story about?¡±
¡°A boy who pulled the sword, Excalibur, from a stone which made him a king.¡±
It was Dazien¡¯s turn to blink at the Wayfarer as he processed that before clarifying, ¡°They made him king because he unstuck a sword?¡±
She laughed, ¡°Well, it was a magic sword that no other man could pull out. Or maybe the stone was magic? Or both? I remember reading the sword had magical properties at some point. Anyways, there was a prophecy that the one who could pull the sword out was the ¡®true king¡¯ of the land.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
¡°Wait, there was a prophecy involved? And the people just believed it?¡±
¡°I guess? I mean, in the story he did turn out to be some lost prince or something, I think? Different versions and retellings have kind of muddied up the details for me. Wait, do prophecies exist here?¡±
¡°Yeah, but they¡¯re all nonsense and usually never come to pass because somebody changes something.¡±
¡°Not much of a prophecy then. I remember you mentioning some Time Mages can see the future or something like that.¡±
¡°Right, which is why it rarely comes to pass. A lot of times, prophecies result in one of two things: either it never happens because knowing something might happen in the future changes that future, or it becomes self-fulfilling because they knew about it. It often feels pointless to hear them because it either happens or it doesn¡¯t, and you won¡¯t know which outcome it is until it¡¯s already happened.¡±
¡°What if you end up fulfilling the prophecy, and it¡¯s a good thing, though? Like saving a bunch of people?¡±
¡°If the goal is to save people, then you shouldn¡¯t need a prophecy to do it,¡± he replied.
¡°But what if you don¡¯t know the people need saving?¡±
¡°That¡¯s what quests are for. If you don¡¯t know someone is in trouble and needs saving, I¡¯d rather have a god just grant a quest to bridge the knowledge gap. Not a vague vision or riddle that you won¡¯t know the answer to until after it¡¯s come to pass.¡±
The Wayfarer¡¯s face fell into her palms as she groaned, ¡°Right, you all actually have gods that talk to people and magic here.¡±
¡°And you were given a quest to go save people in need, right?¡± he asked with a look.
¡°Point taken. Good to know the prophecies here are crap,¡± she said, straightening and leaning back with her hands propped on the bed behind her, ¡°Hopefully, I can progress that quest soon, but it sounds like I won¡¯t until after this blood moon is over and traveling opens up again.¡±
¡°Paul also wanted you to get that clue from Scholar before we left, which means hitting Sapphire yourself,¡± he added.
She gave him a curious look as she asked with an odd tightness in her voice, ¡°He talked with you about my quest?¡±
Dazien nodded, adding softly, ¡°He wanted to help me lead us all better while we supported you in accomplishing it. I have his notes and plan to see them through with you¡ if you¡¯ll still have me, of course.¡±
¡°Of course,¡± she said promptly which pulled a smile from him, ¡°We never really talked about plans for it together. He just kept telling me to get stronger.¡±
His grin grew wider as he said, ¡°Well, from what we both witnessed during our time with you, you seem to be more of a reactionist than a planner.¡±
¡°I plan!¡±
¡°What are we having for dinner tonight?¡±
¡°Whatever Uriel¡¯s making?¡±
¡°What are we going to be doing next week?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure what that has to do with the conversation we¡¯re having right now,¡± she said grumpily, refusing to meet his eyes, and he laughed.
¡°So, what brought you here? I doubt you planned for me to wake up at this time¡ whatever time this is¡¡± he said, glancing around for a clock.
¡°It¡¯s afternoon. Still a few hours before dinner,¡± she answered for him, ¡°You¡¯ve been out for about three days now. We weren¡¯t sure if you would need a longer recovery time than others after¡ all that,¡± the Wayfarer summarized with a shudder at the memory of his difficult ascension.
¡°I was just coming to check if you were awake and wondered if you wanted to join everyone for doing a couple of absorption rituals and tattoos. I forgot to reapply mine after I died again and could have really used the mana boost during those last few fights before Kara arrived.¡±
He nodded, ¡°I¡¯d love to be there but I don¡¯t think you can do the Sapphire Caste tattoos yet, right?¡±
¡°Yeah, but I was thinking about hiring someone to do new Sapphire Caste tattoos for you and the twins. They¡¯ve been pretty handy, I think, and now that we know our fighting styles a bit better, I think everyone has ideas on what they want this time around, don¡¯t you?¡±
The Defender agreed with the point. He had gotten the minor health potion version that was nice, but with Saiya beside him most of the time, he hadn¡¯t needed it nearly as often as he should have. That said, he died a little inside at the idea of Phoenix throwing that much money at them.
¡°You know getting professional magic tattoos done is fairly expensive, right?¡±
She shrugged, appearing completely unconcerned, ¡°Eh, it¡¯s fine. We can get you the ritual components to resummon Rex at the same time too. His vessel burned up like Orebela¡¯s when you ascended, yeah?¡±
It felt like another punch to the gut for some reason at the idea of her buying those expensive materials for him again. This time would be even more expensive as it would require the Sapphire Caste version of those same Shards and he wasn¡¯t even sure if they would find them in the city with international trading being disrupted for so long.
¡°I might need to wait until we get paid for the war efforts once they ever figure out the math on that mess. I barely finished paying you back for the first time you loaned me the funds, and the cost of magical equipment has kept me pretty drained.¡±
The Wayfarer rolled her eyes at him again, ¡°Please, Daze. We¡¯ve gone over this before. You can pay me back later if you want, but I really don¡¯t care if you do. I¡¯d much rather have my Defender fully geared and with his Familiar than worry about a few Bits or loan interest. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m hurting for money or care about turning a profit.¡±
He bit back his retort. Knowing the flare of anger within him wasn¡¯t her fault. She didn¡¯t mean to sound like some of the other rich nobles attempting to flaunt their wealth in front of the poor and unfortunate orphans trying to make do with little to nothing. Dazien knew the Wayfarer was just trying to be a pragmatic friend, but it still stung to have that familiar sense of¡ inadequacy thrown in his face again.
Dazien was a far cry from the poor man he had been a mere half year ago, but a lifetime of poverty had left its mark, and he had only recently felt the weight of it lessen. However, it was still hard to break the mindset that he couldn¡¯t afford expensive things.
That wasn¡¯t Phoenix¡¯s fault, though. So he gave a soft smile and said, ¡°I¡¯m glad you won¡¯t ever have to worry about money, but it¡¯s something I¡¯ve struggled with during my life, so I apologize if I seem stubborn or ungrateful for the offer.¡±
His Princess hooked her arm through his, much like Saiya would often do to them, and leaned against him as she smiled and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me about it while we shop around for your Shards and a tattoo place? You can help me understand by telling me more of your story.¡±
The gemite chuckled, ¡°My story? It¡¯s not a very long one. I thought it might have had some exciting parts, but honestly, it feels like it didn¡¯t really start till I became an Adventurer and got involved in all of your craziness. The rumors about all Wayfarers getting sucked into world-changing events aren¡¯t so unbelievable to me anymore.¡±
She joined in his laugh as she stood, pulling his arm along, though he could already sense the change in his Strength as he had to allow himself to get dragged behind her as she said, ¡°I¡¯d still like to hear more of what happened before I arrived. Siblings are supposed to know everything about each other, right? We have a lot of catching up to do.¡±
He laughed, ¡°I don¡¯t think I could do it justice without Uriel telling it with me. It¡¯s half his story as well, after all.¡±
¡°Well, we¡¯ll grab him on our way out,¡± the Wayfarer replied, then stopped and turned to grin up at him as she said, ¡°I just realized you mentioned your magical equipment was keeping your funds drained, yeah? Since you¡¯ve been replacing broken shields or needing to maintain anything that doesn¡¯t self-repair over time or gets too badly damaged, right?¡±
The Defender raised a brow, not sure what she was trying to get at this time, ¡°Yeah? Magic equipment costs a lot upfront and it can be devastating when it breaks and can only be salvaged or not even that like the case of your sword.¡±
¡°Right, but you don¡¯t have to worry about that anymore. Your power responded to your needs and now you construct it yourself. Keeping the King¡¯s treasures safe within his [Armory],¡± she pointed out happily, ¡°And now that you live here, we can go cancel that lease or whatever kind of contract you had at your old place, and you won¡¯t have to worry about simply surviving anymore.¡±
Dazien¡¯s smile grew to reflect hers and he felt the financial weight that had been slowly whittled away over the last few months feel like it got shattered in a single moment as he realized the truth of her words. For the first time since he could remember, when it came to money, he was starting to feel free.
15 - Heavy is the Head
Phoenix sat on a stool against the far wall of one of the smaller ritual rooms, carefully reapplying the mana-replenishing tattoo on her thigh as Dazien was using Sapphire Caste Arcane Chalk to draw out the ritual diagram to resummon Rex.
Uriel and Rayna were assisting him with placing the various Shards in their respective places while Saiya sat beside her, idly petting a spoiled Snowbelle lazing about in the voxen¡¯s lap. The Healer was looking through the catalog of Sapphire tattoos that one of the nicer parlors they had visited loaned to them, happy to serve the House of Wayland with anything they might need.
¡°I¡¯m still kind of surprised they just let us take the entire book with their work examples,¡± the Wayfarer said as she pricked her skin, ¡°Don¡¯t they need that for other customers that show up?¡±
She noticed the furry head shake in her periphery as Saiya said, ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand how rumors spread through this city. Just on our trip to get Spirit Gems the other day, Rayna and I overheard your house name at least a hundred times.¡±
¡°At least that,¡± the bard replied from the center of the room, still placing materials, ¡°I kinda stopped keeping track. The whole city is abuzz with Paul Wayland¡¯s Ruby battle and the Obsidian Champion taking up his post once he fell.¡±
¡°I think half of them believe he died,¡± Saiya said quietly, ¡°Everin shared the recordings he took of the battle and gave a brief summary of what happened with becoming an Avatar to save Paul¡¯s life but has remained rather quiet about your involvement specifically and the nature of the magic keeping him asleep.¡±
¡°Either way,¡± Rayna interjected, ¡°The name ¡®Wayland¡¯ is being thrown around with both awe and fear.¡±
¡°Fear?¡± she asked, pausing her tattoo work to look up at the pugilist, ¡°We saved the city. What are people fearing?¡±
¡°Everyone fears being near an Obsidian Caster that¡¯s not afraid to risk their immortality. Those don¡¯t usually end up as pleasant stories,¡± Dazien stated, not looking away from the runes he was drawing from the diagram imprinted on his mind.
Uriel nodded in agreement as the gemite continued, ¡°Obsidian-level Caster fights are practically unheard of due to the havoc they can wreak on their surroundings, which Kara displayed quite spectacularly.
¡°The idea that the ageless immortality one worked so hard to achieve could be stripped away from one wrong move usually keeps battles more diplomatic in nature or overwhelmingly one-sided like what we witnessed. Kara, the Sunlight Champion, is not a completely unheard of entity on this continent and is known to be a bit¡ battle-loving.¡±
¡°Phoenix will probably be one of those battle Obsidians, though,¡± the Mage pointed out softly. That caused everyone to pause what they were doing to look towards her in contemplation.
¡°No risk to immortality means no reason not to fight,¡± Dazien pondered aloud, ¡°That¡¯s a mildly terrifying thought.¡±
¡°You mean it¡¯s badass,¡± Rayna corrected, giving her a toothy grin.
¡°You¡¯re assuming I¡¯ll hit Obsidian,¡± Phoenix interjected, returning her attention to her in-progress tattoo, ¡°Kara said that might never happen. There¡¯s no guarantee.¡±
Uriel¡¯s low chuckle filled the space as he said, ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone here doubts you¡¯ll reach it. It¡¯s not like you have a time limit like everyone else.¡±
The idea that she would live forever, potentially without her friends, who would hit the Ruby wall with her but still be limited in years, brought a mixture of emotions that she wasn¡¯t sure she could handle at that moment. Would she end up struggling alone a millennia from now? Would Paul be awake by then, or would she have died so much that she¡¯d never even reach Ruby?
¡°Oh, I kind of like this one,¡± Saiya said, interrupting her thoughts to show the catalog to her. It was a drawing of a blue lotus flower with green leaves, and had the note ¡°increased mana efficiency and Life effects¡± written below it.
Phoenix looked at it in confusion for a long while before glancing down at the spiral of runes on her thigh and then back to the artwork as she asked, ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, but how is that magic? Where are the runes required?¡±
The voxen grinned at her, ¡°The runes are hidden in the artwork. Woven into the lines with a mixture of the magical ink you¡¯re using and mundane ink that fills in any blank space. It is both magic and art.¡±
¡°Huh. That¡¯s awesome,¡± she replied, her mind slightly blown by the talent that must have been required to accomplish that, ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll have to let someone else do this when I hit Sapphire. I don¡¯t think my art skills are up for that kind of challenge.¡±
¡°What? Not going to be the Supporter that does all the things?¡± Rayna teased as she placed a pile of Water Shards down.
¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a thing in this world,¡± she replied with an exaggerated sigh, ¡°No matter how much I might wish otherwise. Looks like I¡¯m destined for destruction.¡±
¡°You shouldn¡¯t joke like that,¡± Dazien said flatly, surprising her as she looked towards him to find complete seriousness on his face, ¡°All of our powers do more than destroy things. It¡¯s about how they¡¯re used, remember?¡±
Phoenix glanced towards Uriel, who seemed to be pointedly looking at the ground where he set a pile of Fire Shards, and she tried to keep her tone light as she said, ¡°I just meant that I¡¯m trying to come to terms with my Role of either standing there as an aura beacon or making things explode.¡±
As she finished inking the last rune onto her skin, she set the pen down and tried turning the topic back to the tattoos, ¡°I¡¯m surprised they even let children get permanent tattoos without some kind of guardian permission. You had to have that or be an adult where I¡¯m from.¡±
Dazien stood up, done with the diagram, and clarified, ¡°Most children can¡¯t get tattoos here either, mundane or magical, but that¡¯s until sixteen.¡±
¡°Oh right, you tried explaining the different stages earlier,¡± she tried recalling, ¡°Sixteen, you¡¯re like a half-adult. At twenty, you can get legally married. Then full-adult at thirty.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. I think this has been a kind of recurring error in your translation ability not having an equivalent word for child versus child versus child,¡± the Defender thoughtfully said as he walked over to look at her simple but clean line work.
Her nose scrunched in confusion, ¡°You just said the same word three times.¡±
He gave her an amused look, ¡°I think you¡¯re proving my point. Listen to the actual enunciation I give,¡± he said. Then she focused more on the sound he was saying rather than what her magically tweaked brain was translating for her as he slowly enunciated, ¡°Naweka ba nawenu ba nawenon.¡±
Her eyes opened wide in surprise as she asked, ¡°Why do those all translate wrongly? They¡¯re close sounding but not the same.¡±
¡°Well, do you have a word that means¡ um, a childish child or naive kid that is separate from either a more mature child ¨Cone that might have a bit more self-discipline and responsibility for their actions¨C and also separate from a wiser child that might be ready to look for love and start their own family?¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
She thought about that for a while before explaining, ¡°Well, for the first, we have toddlers, but those are like younger than four or five. Then there¡¯s child or kid. Then we kind of have tween or pre-teen for like ten to twelve. Then, teenagers are thirteen to nineteen. But usually, after eighteen, everyone is just an adult ¨Cat least in my country.¡±
¡°We have ¡®toddler¡¯ and ¡®teenager¡¯ as well, but those don¡¯t properly include or separate the three stages we are referring to when we use those terms I gave you. Whenever you¡¯ve talked about a non-adult, it always comes across as the first version, naweka, a naive child with little understanding of the world or how their actions affect it.¡±
Saiya spoke up then, adding to the conversation, ¡°At sixteen, most people have experienced a blood moon ¨Cthough the timing isn¡¯t always precise¨C but more important than that, people are usually mature enough by that point to be held accountable for their own actions. They¡¯ll be expected to care for themselves and at least not cause trouble for others by following the rules of society, so they become a nawenu. That¡¯s what really separates the stages of children under thirty from adults: responsibility over self versus responsibility over others.¡±
¡°Not that every nawenu shows great responsibility for themselves,¡± Rayna injected with a grin, walking over to sit beside her sister, ¡°Teenagers often do stupid crap.¡±
¡°You know I¡¯m still technically a teenager,¡± the Wayfarer pointed out with a flat look.
¡°Yup, and I recall someone running away for a week without telling anyone,¡± the bard retorted, but the tease was obvious as she added with a grin, ¡°Classic ¡®stupid crap¡¯ that teenagers do.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t we have a ritual or three to get done?¡± she said in an attempt to redirect away from her.
The group laughed, and Dazien gave her that ruffle of her loose curls again as he relented, ¡°Yeah. Hurry and finish that tattoo; then I¡¯ll start. I don¡¯t want to distract you in the middle of that.¡±
¡°I¡¯m almost done,¡± she said, gently applying the magical powder over the still-wet wound and letting it sit momentarily. While that was processing, she asked the pair of voxen, ¡°Which Spirit Gems did you two decide on, by the way?¡±
¡°I managed to find a Sapphire Caste Focus Spirit Gem at one of the bigger shops that collect them,¡± Rayna said happily, ¡°They had quite a bit to choose from, but this one seemed pretty promising to me. ¡±
¡°I went with the more common Mana Spirit Gem, but it¡¯s usually a good one for Spell-oriented Casters,¡± Saiya added, handing the catalog over to Rayna to look through next.
¡°Makes sense,¡± Phoenix replied with a nod before brushing the powder on her thigh off with the tattoo quill¡¯s soft feather as she announced, ¡°There we go. I¡¯m all set. Now, let¡¯s get Rex back.¡±
Tala appeared atop her head where Dazien had patted and gave a merry, ¡°Cheep cheep!¡±
¡°See? Tala misses him already, too,¡± she added with a grin, ¡°I hope we can spend some more time with him now that you¡¯re living here.¡±
Dazien frowned at her slightly, but it was gone in a moment as he smiled and replied, ¡°That would be wonderful. It was hard to make room for him at our apartment, but I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll have as much of that problem here.¡±
Then he moved back towards the ritual and began the long incantation for his [Avatar of Sovereignty], ¡°From the realm above all realms, where your dominion reigns supreme. Let your sovereignty be the pillar of mine kingdom. Let your majesty make all kneel before us. King of Kings, I invoke thee!¡±
Luckily, cultivated Familiar abilities were a bonus because the vessel would come back at Sapphire Caste, even if the ability hadn¡¯t been upgraded with a Spirit Gem. So, while Dazien wouldn¡¯t have the extra effect from the ability, Rex would likely have more tools at his disposal.
When the large chimeric creature that was parts lion, stag, eagle, and dragon came into being with a shimmer of golden light, Phoenix was relieved to see he hadn¡¯t really grown a bunch in size like Snowbelle had. The Wayfarer often felt bad when she realized the giant Familiar was left out of participating simply due to space constraints, such as when they would go to restaurants.
Dazien grinned at his companion and gently brushed his fingers against the golden forehead before the giant lion''s head pushed forward to nuzzle into the gemite¡¯s chest like an overgrown kitten. The Defender chuckled, tangling his hands into the glittery mane in a hug as he said, ¡°I missed you too.¡±
Phoenix moved to join them and conjured her book to hold out in offering as she said, ¡°Welcome back, Rex! Can we see what you can do now? We¡¯re all pretty excited to see how you¡¯ve grown.¡±
A large golden eye rolled at her, but the matching nose indulged her curiosity as it touched the pages to give them all a glimpse into the Familar¡¯s capabilities.
Name: Rex
Species: Avatar of Sovereignty (Familiar)
Mythical chimeric creatures not of this world that are attuned in Blood, Covenant, Gem, Song, Wind, and Radiant magic.
Caste: Sapphire
Can perform a roar Special Attack, inflicting Song damage.
Can fly with a low carrying capacity and perform a gust Special Attack with its wings, inflicting Wind damage.
Can make a tail Special Attack, inflicting Gem damage.
Attacks made with the antlers, teeth, or claws inflict [Bleeding].
Can cast [Benevolent Mercy] for a moderate mana cost to empower nearby allies.
Can cast [Tyrannical Punishment] for a moderate mana cost to intimidate nearby enemies.
- Bleeding (bane, magical, blood): Inflicts low ongoing Blood damage.
- Benevolent Presence (boon, magical, covenant): Abilities have decreased resource cost, and innate resistances are increased.
- Tyrannical Presence (bane, magical, covenant): Abilities have increased resource cost, and innate resistances are decreased.
When merged within the summoner:
- The summoner gains [Sovereign Scales] along their spine that grant increased resistance against physical attacks.
- Abilities that use incantations have increased effect.
- Other beings subconsciously recognize the true motivations behind the summoner¡¯s words.
- The summoner gains [Sovereign Antlers]; one antler can cast [Benevolent Mercy], and the other can cast [Tyrannical Punishment] with their own internal cooldowns.
|
¡°Antlers?¡± Uriel inquired from over her shoulder as he and the others moved in to read as well.
Phoenix couldn¡¯t hide the excitement from her face as she felt the smile creep across it. She looked up pleadingly at the gemite, who had definitely gained a couple of inches of height since ascending. He chuckled while shaking his head, ¡°For some reason, I feel like this isn¡¯t going to go in my favor.¡±
¡°Please let us see! You know you¡¯ll have to eventually, might as well not make it a public surprise,¡± she pointed out pragmatically. Perfectly reasonable and not at all because she wanted to tease him about turning into a deer.
The Defender gave a heavy sigh as though he could read the thoughts plain on her face, and the next moment, Rex seemed to dissolve into golden glitter and merged with his summoner.
The antlers that appeared among the shiny purple hair were a moderate size at around six inches high, single-pronged like a yearling buck, and were glossy polished gold.
¡°You look like a royal daekin,¡± Uriel noted with wide, fiery eyes, ¡°They have horns similar to that from what little I¡¯ve read.¡±
¡°I thought they went extinct centuries ago,¡± Rayna said, ¡°Weren¡¯t they the first species to be ¡®cleansed¡¯ by the Renseres since they were related to demons?¡±
¡°That¡¯s the story,¡± the Mage agreed, ¡°More recent speculation thinks they might have escaped to the Underdeep since the surface has been getting more diplomatic relations with that section of the world in just the last few decades.¡±
Then the cinderen gave Dazien a pointed look and said, ¡°I would warn you not to be surprised if the Renseres try to ¡®cleanse¡¯ you too just for looking like them, but the point is a bit redundant when they¡¯re openly trying to kill everyone at the moment.¡±
The gemite gave a sigh before giving them all his usual charming smile and saying, ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m unaccustomed to standing out from the crowd. If this can show that my powers have grown, then I will be honored that Rex agreed to be my Familiar and not shy away from his expectations for me.¡±
Phoenix grinned as she said, ¡°There¡¯s a quote from my world about being a king that you just reminded me of. It goes something like ¡®heavy is the head that wears the crown,¡¯ and I think these antlers will grow into a beautiful crown for you, Daze.¡±
Her brother¡¯s smile became softer and felt more genuine as he said, ¡°Thank you, Phoenix,¡± then his gaze moved to his partner¡¯s as he added, ¡°I look forward to growing together and seeing how else we all change in the future.¡±
Rayna swung her arms around Phoenix and Uriel¡¯s necks and ruined the tender moment by prodding the pair, ¡°Now to get these slow pokes across the threshold without dying!¡±
Uriel chuckled and added his own teasing, ¡°I¡¯m not sure you¡¯ve been paying attention to the Princess¡¯ habits.¡±
16 - A Bad Oddity
Phoenix and Dazien shared furtive glances with one another as they sensed the odd atmosphere of the room they had been ¡°politely requested to attend¡± to along with Kara.
The Crystal and freshly ascended Sapphire Caster, accompanied by an Obsidian Caste champion, wasn¡¯t the only oddity among the collection of mostly Emerald and High Sapphire Casters that were currently in a private meeting room on an upper floor of the AOA building that towered in the southwestern district of the city.
Everyone was sitting around a long rectangular meeting table with the nine-tailed voxen placed right next to the seat at the head where the director would be sitting. Phoenix was sitting on the other side of Kara with Dazien next to her. The gemite was getting a few extra curious glances at the golden antlers adorning his head.
On the other side of Dazien were Everin and a few other Emerald Adventurers that Phoenix didn¡¯t know the names of but remembered seeing during the frontline battles. The fact that she and her party leader were placed closer to the head of the table than an Avatar of two gods was not lost on either of them, and even the would-be king seemed nervous about the unconventional placement.
Across the table from the Adventurers and clergy was a group of cinderen and runeforged scholars donning the attire of the local Magi that worked for the OOM. Among them was a brunette woman who stood out from the others, not just because she was a human with a tan complexion similar to Paul¡¯s, but because her brown eyes were looking around curiously behind a pair of silvery-framed spectacles.
Phoenix had never seen anyone wearing glasses in Makera before and had assumed magic, combined with a deity of healing in the Mender, was the reason for it. She briefly wondered if the woman was cursed with some incurable vision Bane then almost smacked her forehead and went with the more reasonable explanation that the spectacles must have been some kind of magic item.
Then the Wayfarer¡¯s mind briefly marveled at the fact that her life had taken such crazy turns where ¡°magic item¡± was the reasonable explanation for someone wearing a pair of glasses. She found herself once more grateful for healing magic and coming to this world despite all the negatives that had plagued her.
Her train of tangent thoughts ceased when the AOA Director, Agatha Trayvious, appeared in the room and began addressing the Obsidian Caster with a bow, ¡°Paladin Fairweather, thank you once again for your assistance with the Soul Reaper¡¯s forces that threatened our city.¡±
Kara smiled and wrapped an arm around Phoenix¡¯s shoulders, ¡°It is as my goddess decreed. I am Regent Wayland¡¯s champion until the Soul Reaper¡¯s invasion ends. Despite whatever my own desires might be, it is she I fight on behalf of, Director Trayvious.¡±
To Phoenix¡¯s horror and Kara¡¯s apparent delight, the entire room turned to look at the redhead and gawked at the idea of a Crystal Caster having any amount of authority over an Obsidian. It was simply unheard of. The fact that it was temporary and by divine order was probably the only thing holding some from attempting to squash her now for the sheer insolence of the situation.
Despite Phoenix¡¯s rather lax attitude when it came to the Rule of Caste, having grown up in her sheltered world without it and taken in by an Emerald Caster that treated her like her words mattered, she was reminded at that moment that this world was heavily focused around personal power and Caste was the driving force behind the hierarchical system they lived by. More than wealth or pedigree, Caste decided who was above others and who bowed before them.
¡°As you say then, Paladin Fairweather,¡± the director said, breaking the awkward silence that had descended as the runeforged woman next gave a respectful bow towards Phoenix, ¡°I thank you as well, Regent Wayland, for providing your champion and again for your father¡¯s sacrifice before that.¡±
Agatha straightened, then gestured towards the side of the table that held the Magi. The man directly across from Kara was someone Phoenix recognized and she offered him a smile as the director introduced him, ¡°This is Lord Teras, the current Chancellor of the Order of Magic here, and his associates.¡±
Lord Teras returned her smile as he said, ¡°I have met Regent Wayland before, and it is an honor to meet Paladin Fairweather as well.¡± Then he gestured to the human woman placed beside him, ¡°This is Miss Camilla Saren. She specializes in Reality Rifts and has been studying the Soul Reaper¡¯s efforts for the last year after their plans of attempting to sabotage them were initially uncovered. She has been assisting us with the recovery efforts of Tulimeir¡¯s own Reality Rift after the betrayal of House Ruwena and, more recently, in studying what the Soul Reapers left behind in the wreckage of their ships.¡±
¡°Did they create something similar to a Rift?¡± Phoenix found herself asking the woman curiously ¨Cwhose name she swore she recognized but couldn¡¯t quite place¨C then promptly clamped her mouth shut again as all eyes turned on her once more.
¡°It¨C Um, Well It¨C,¡± the woman paused as if startled to be addressed directly and without notice, then said, ¡°N¨Cno. But it¡¯s similar to the object they left inside Tulisuda I¡¯ve been helping analyze.¡± Camilla fiddled with her glasses once more as she finished speaking. The brunette was rather soft-spoken and Phoenix had the feeling that she didn¡¯t talk with other people very often.
¡°Miss Saren is one of our brightest researchers and is phenomenal with recognizing patterns and working with complex mathematics,¡± Lord Teras said as though having gone through the explanation a dozen times already.
Then he turned to lock eyes on Phoenix as he added, ¡°We found the Reality Seed you reported discovering in the ship you and Avatar Starlark managed to take down. Along with two others from other downed ships. None of them seem to be dormant any longer, however.¡±
¡°I thought I destroyed everything of note,¡± Kara said, with a slightly puzzled tilt of her head and adorable golden fox ears.
Lord Teras, along with every other magical researcher at the table, gave a sour look at the reminder of all the valuable magical infrastructure that had been recklessly decimated by the Obsidian Caster¡¯s¡ thoroughness.
Then he elaborated slightly, ¡°Well, most of the ships Paladin Fairweather defeated are basically just piles of ash now, but the Obsidian Caste Reality Seeds weren¡¯t in the ones she¡ exploded, only one of the three seeds was located in the ship closest to the city that she wisely didn¡¯t use her more devastating abilities on.¡±
Kara appeared to ponder that for a moment before shrugging, ¡°Yeah, not gonna apologize for destroying the enemy in spectacular fashion. So what did you find? It¡¯s been days now. Surely you know what we¡¯re dealing with?¡±
The cinderen man nodded, ¡°Yes. From what we¡¯ve determined, as soon as the seeds came into contact with the planet, they started embedding themselves to the surface and began growing.¡±
¡°To what end?¡± Kara asked, her curiosity seemingly piqued by her perked-up ears and ever-shifting tails.
Lord Teras turned to look at the awkward brunette again and waved his hand for her to speak as the director placed what appeared to be a map out on the table.
Camilla stared at the man¡¯s hand for a moment before standing and pointing out three locations on the map and taking on a tone of recitation, ¡°The Reality Seeds are gathering up the ambient magic ¨Cwhich currently has a higher Caste and rate due to the blood moon¨C and refining it to be denser and even higher Caste before releasing it back into the surrounding zone.¡±
Some murmuring went around the room as people speculated on the information, and one of the Adventurers at the end of the table spoke up, ¡°What does that mean? Is that bad?¡±
¡°Yes, they are a bad oddity,¡± the woman replied immediately, gaining a few quirked eyebrows at the phrasing.
Lord Teras interjected once more to clarify, ¡°Essentially, they are cultivating the whole of the Tulim tundra.¡±
The chattering increased at the statement as the nobleman continued, ¡°As we speak, the magical quality of the land surrounding the city is going up at a startling pace. Before the blood moon, Tulimeir and most of the tundra were considered a Moderate Rate High Crystal zone. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
¡°Krafti¡¯s purge of mana increased the quality up to mid-Sapphire and the quantity rate to High, but now these Reality Seeds are raising the quality even further. It¡¯s only been about a week since then, and once we recognized what they were doing, we began measuring. Already the city had risen to High Sapphire.¡±
He paused to look at the AOA Director and emphasized, ¡°With Lord Wayland being indefinitely unavailable and the presence of Paladin Fairweather only being temporary, Tulimeir and the surrounding fortress cities will not survive the blood moon if we start getting an influx of Emerald Caste monsters next week.¡±
Then he turned to Phoenix and her Obsidian Caste companion, ¡°If your champion does not destroy the seeds quickly, then we will not survive after the blood moon either without higher Caste immigrants.¡±
The director spoke up then with her own question, ¡°How long do we have until we get too high that we can¡¯t manage with our own people?¡±
¡°I would argue we¡¯ve almost hit that point already but at the current rate, we expect the potential for Emerald Caste spawns within another two weeks. Ruby within three months, but we¡¯re not sure the moon will last that long. Obsidian in a year. However, it won¡¯t matter much because, by that point, I doubt there will be a city left to defend,¡± the Magi Chancellor informed dryly.
As the potential ramifications settled into everyone¡¯s minds, they all turned once more to the pair of women who seemed to hold the fate of the city once more in their hands. Phoenix felt herself flush at the attention again despite her best attempt to keep her head up and her aura steady.
She glanced at Kara, who flashed her an evil grin as the voxen shrugged dramatically at her and said, ¡°Well, it¡¯s not my problem. I can handle anything that comes after you or the city, Regent Wayland. Until the Soul Reapers leave, my only job is to fight on your behalf. The choice is yours.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes narrowed at the blonde as she hissed in slight exasperation, ¡°What kind of choice is that? You¡¯re asking me whether I want to save the city or not?¡±
¡°Technically, the city isn¡¯t in direct danger at the moment,¡± Kara pointed out, ¡°If we act now, then, sure, future threats will be less of a threat, but less danger isn¡¯t necessarily a benefit to an Adventurer like yourself.¡±
At the redhead¡¯s raised eyebrow, the Paladin expounded further, ¡°Wait a few weeks, let the magic rise a bit more, and you¡¯ll have the perfect training grounds to get you through Sapphire and into Emerald. Sure, a few people might die in some tragic accidents, but you¡¯ll be able to get stronger and save even more lives after that, yeah?¡±
Most of the room¡¯s occupants looked at the Obsidian Caster in shock and disbelief at the cold tactics and utter disregard for life in favor of the personal gain the outsider had suggested.
Her party leader almost growled at the champion as he finally lent his voice to the conversation, ¡°Phoenix would never sacrifice the innocent simply to gain power. That you would suggest such is an insult to her honor and integrity.¡±
¡°Dazien,¡± Phoenix said, settling a hand on his arm to keep him from moving closer to the woman on the opposite side of her, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Despite what Kara might say, she and you both know that I¡¯m not going to do that.¡±
¡°I would also like to point out that two of the seeds are Corrupted and, as such, are tainting the refined magic with it. Which means monsters that spawn are more likely to be Corrupted,¡± Lord Teras added with a sobering look.
She turned to look at the golden voxen and said as calmly as she could, ¡°Even more reason to destroy these seeds sooner rather than later. Paul wouldn¡¯t want Corruption to spread when we have the power to prevent it.¡±
Then she looked at Lord Teras who seemed to be watching her curiously as she said, ¡°We can go destroy them now if that will help save lives.¡±
The man nodded gratefully, ¡°Thank you, Regent Wayland. There are two that can be destroyed immediately with minimal risk.¡± He pointed at two of the locations at the northeastern and southeastern points of the Soul Reaper¡¯s city where she and Paul had respectively downed ships.
Ethan paused on the northern one that she had destroyed and said, ¡°Something anomalous and¡ potentially fortuitous has occurred with this particular seed that we are still trying to analyze, so I would prefer to hold off on destroying it for the moment. It is the only one not spreading Corruption.¡±
Then he gestured to the last one that was at the western point nearest the walls guarding Tulimeir, ¡°This one, however, is the largest concern. Should Paladin Fairweather be¡¡± he paused and glanced at the blonde before seeming to decide on his words, ¡°As zealous in her duties to take care of the seed as she was with the rest of the city, there may be collateral damage to the walls that would leave us vulnerable to monsters while we rebuild.¡±
¡°Can¡¯t Paladin Fairweather just be¡ precise in her attacks?¡± one of the other Magi asked the nobleman.
¡°That¡¯s not necessarily the problem,¡± Lord Teras corrected, ¡°It¡¯s not that she might damage the city with her attacks, though that is a valid concern, it¡¯s that the destruction of such a high-Caste magical item will most likely be volatile.¡±
¡°As in, say goodbye to the manufacturing district,¡± one of the other Adventurers said sardonically.
¡°Can we try moving it away from the city?¡± Phoenix inquired.
¡°We don¡¯t believe so,¡± Ethan cautiously explained, ¡°We suspect that aside from the vines creating the organic ritual there are also roots going deep into the ground to refine that magic as well.
¡°Alternatively, there could be self-destructing triggers in place like what the Pseudo-Reality Seeds in Tulisuda had that could devastate the surrounding areas in the event we try to tamper with it. We won¡¯t know for sure until we try.¡±
Phoenix studied the map a bit further, and some sparse chattering went around the room as everyone contemplated the issue. Then Kara prodded at her patience again by asking clearly enough for everyone to hear, ¡°So what is our next move, Regent Wayland? Want me to poke the southern one and find out how big the boom is?¡±
She internally groaned at being put on the spot once more and found herself looking to Dazien for input. He was going to be her brother after all, and the look in his eyes as he met her gaze reminded her that she didn¡¯t have to make all the decisions alone.
The party leader gave her a mischievous smirk and mentally whispered, ¡°Go ahead say what you want. You don¡¯t need my permission for that. I just recommend staying casual with me, Everin, and Kara while in front of them.¡±
Then she grinned and asked aloud, ¡°What do you think, brother? Should we have Kara try to destroy the southern one?¡±
The amethyst warrior¡¯s eyes narrowed, but his smile never wavered as he mentally reprimanded, ¡°I said ¡®casual¡¯ not ¡®crazy.¡¯ Calling me brother when I haven¡¯t signed papers is asking for trouble.¡±
But when Dazien spoke aloud in answer to her public question he said, ¡°Let¡¯s start with trying to move it first and see if it gets angry. Then we might learn a better way of destroying the western one safely.¡±
She nodded in agreement and returned the mental whisper, ¡°Meh. Paul did it to me in front of the director, so I¡¯m just doing what my mentor taught me.¡±
The Defender turned to the same AOA Director she mentioned and added, ¡°If we¡¯re assigned the mission, that is.¡±
The woman returned his smile with a wry grin as she dipped her head in acknowledgment and said, ¡°That is acceptable. Work alongside the OOM to gather information, then perform the test and destroy them if deemed safe. Report back to me should anything unexpected arise, or we need to handle additional complexity, or when the mission is completed.¡±
Then she looked at the rest of the room, ¡°The Adventurers present will assist in protecting the Magi as they gather data in the field. While King¡¯s Dream ¨Calong with Paladin Fairweather¨C leads this assignment, everyone else is now dismissed.¡±
The director glanced back at the gemite and finished giving her orders, ¡°Noble Dazien Wayland, you will come with me for some paperwork.¡±
¡°If she asks me about any adoption, I¡¯m telling her the truth,¡± Dazien warned her through his ability as she felt the groan behind his words.
¡°Good. Then she¡¯ll know it¡¯s inevitable since you¡¯ve agreed,¡± Phoenix replied with a grin, ¡°Apparently, I¡¯m influential now. I can make things happen.¡±
He chuckled, ¡°And you were worried about me becoming an iron-fisted dictator.¡±
The room broke out into a flurry of motion with people going to gather party members and organize a rendezvous point and Dazien arose to follow the director out of the room.
Phoenix turned to give a glower of disapproval at Kara, but the Obsidian Caster forestalled her question and tapped a clawed finger to a temple, indicating that they should also remain silent and use Dazien¡¯s ability.
So she mentally asked curtly, ¡°Were you trying to get the entire room to hate you?¡±
Kara grinned and replied cheekily, ¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Whhhyyy?¡± the Wayfarer whined incredulously. Not understanding anything this way-too-cheerful Obsidian Caster did.
The blonde leaned back in her chair and placed her hands behind her head as she stated happily, ¡°So they would love you instead. Now let¡¯s go blow up an alien baby.¡±
17 - Doomed Either Way
While King¡¯s Dream might have been placed in charge of the research expedition, many were unhappy about following the orders of a fresh Sapphire Caster despite the addition of the titles ¡°Emissary¡± and ¡°Officer¡± now stamped on Dazien¡¯s adventuring license.
The gemite was normally charismatic ¨Chelped along by his Natural Talent¨C and laid back when talking with people, but he was mostly business when it came to adventuring and his duties as a leader.
He was happy with the new AOA positions but felt uneasy about the fact that he knew he hadn¡¯t truly earned them. It was fairly obvious that the only reason people were actually heeding his orders currently was because of the Obsidian Caster always hovering behind him alongside the new Regent of House Wayland, who had claimed him as kin.
The Defender wasn¡¯t the only one giving orders though, as Lord Teras surprised him by being rather gracious and patient in dealing with the much younger man in organizing the hastily gathered expedition. He had only been peripherally aware of Polissa¡¯s father, never having met the man in person until their earlier meeting.
The OOM Chancellor seemed to care about gathering the new knowledge waiting beyond the city walls as well as keeping the people of Tulimeir safe from the existential threat they faced. This was a relief after the last person in the noble¡¯s position had apparently believed the opposite when she decided to try to sell the city out to the Soul Reapers.
When the lord had their party alone for a moment, Ethan took Dazien aside and said solemnly, ¡°I wanted to extend my gratitude, by the way, Mister Smithson. I heard from my daughter that you did your best to lead and protect the expedition members when you first discovered the Soul Reapers in the mountains alongside my children. As a parent, I can¡¯t begin to express my relief when they came home safely after that.¡±
Dazien frowned and bowed his head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I could not ensure the same during the Soul Reapers¡¯ assault on Tulimeir. I am truly sorry for the loss of your son, Lord Teras. Simmon was a promising healer and would have been a great Adventurer for your House.¡±
The cinderen man smiled sadly, ¡°Yes. He was not ambitious in the way Polissa is, but he worked hard and died¨C¡± Ethan¡¯s voice seemed to catch, and he cleared his throat before he seemed to force the word out, ¡°Honorably¡ far, far too soon.¡±
The Defender nodded along with the noble¡¯s words, the young healer having only just become old enough to even be on the battlefield was the most tragic of outcomes for an Adventurer. Dazien was about to say more when they were joined by Camilla who awkwardly tried to report to the pair of them.
¡°Um, M¨Cmister Smithson. Lord Teras. I¨C um, I finished recalibrating the ambient manameter and, um¡ and I placed the containment enchantments around the perimeter of the Corrupted Reality Seed¡ as you¨C um, as you requested,¡± she said, never looking away from the ground as she spoke, her brown hair shielding most of her face from view.
¡°Thank you, Camilla,¡± Ethan replied to the Sapphire Caste researcher as he looked over the stone tablet in his hand that seemed to behave like a magical computer screen.
Once the chancellor finished looking over the information, he said to Dazien, ¡°I think we¡¯re ready for you to attempt the first trial and try moving it a meter eastward. You want to let your side know and convince your sister-to-be to give orders to an Obsidian?¡±
The party leader chuckled as he replied conspiratorially, ¡°I think Paladin Fairweather gets a weird kick out of it, to be honest, making the introverted Crystal Caster boss her around.¡±
That caused the exhausted-looking lord to actually laugh. It was probably the first time since the man¡¯s son died, ¡°That does sound like something a battle-crazy Obsidian would do. They must often get bored after so long.¡±
Dazien grinned and mentally whispered for Phoenix and Kara to join them. As they arrived, he explained for Ethan¡¯s benefit, ¡°Lord Teras is ready for Kara to attempt moving the seed a meter to the east. No attacks, just see if your Strength can move it at all.¡±
Kara pointedly looked at Phoenix, who rolled her eyes at the golden voxen and said in an exaggerated tone of grandeur, ¡°Please, mighty Paladin of the Champion Kara Fairweather, will you attempt to accomplish the trial Lord Teras has set before us?¡±
The blonde grinned and gave a dramatic bow, ¡°As the Regent and my goddess commands!¡± Then she was gone, leaving Dazien to wonder if she had some sort of teleport power before remembering that Obsidian Casters were probably just that fast.
The next thing they all heard was the sound of a loud thud and then a string of extremely explicit curses that made most of them blush. The Defender was pretty sure the actions he heard Kara yelling at the giant sickly seed to do from his party¡¯s position a dozen meters away were anatomically impossible without some extreme magical intervention.
Dazien shook his head in disapproval at the Obsidian Caster meant to be a symbol of hope and inspiration for the people around them. When he glanced at his friends, however, he found Saiya returning his gaze with an indulgently amused shrug and the rest of them laughing hysterically at the imaginative exposition of expletives filling the air around them.
Kara was once again standing beside them with a sour expression that did nothing to diminish the Obsidian beauty as the voxen said, ¡°Yeah, that thing¡¯s not gonna budge without a lot more explosive power behind it, which I don¡¯t think was the goal.¡±
¡°Indeed not,¡± Lord Teras responded wryly. He made a note on his tablet before saying, ¡°Alright, now if you have a suitable power, please try attacking it with as little damage to the surrounding area as possible.¡±
The champion frowned slightly, then turned to look at Phoenix as she said, ¡°If you wish this, I will attempt it, but I would suggest you relocate much further away.¡±
¡°Why is that?¡± Lord Teras asked with slight annoyance bleeding into the tone at the woman who seemed adamant about needing to be asked to do everything twice.
The blonde turned to look at the Magi as she answered with narrowed eyes, ¡°Because the resulting explosion from its destruction will not only annihilate that pitiful Sapphire Caste containment enchantment but the rest of the surrounding area within a kilometer at least.¡±
Kara looked back at Phoenix as she said in all sobriety, ¡°If you want me to seriously attack this with the intent to destroy it, then we should move everyone a couple of kilometers away and watch from there.¡±
Phoenix turned to look questioningly toward him. Dazien noted the disappearance of the normally present smile on the voxen¡¯s face and nodded in acquiescence, ¡°Alright, give us some time to move the expedition, and we¡¯ll go ahead with the next trial after that.¡±
Phoenix sat with her party at the top of a large hill about two kilometers away from the Corrupted Reality Seed as they waited for the boom. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Many of the Magi researchers nearby grumbled about the increased distance and difficulty they would have in capturing relevant data but they couldn¡¯t complain too loudly when it was their lives that would be at risk. Still, some made their displeasure known, even going so far as to suggest postponing the destruction for additional time to study the alien entities despite the future lives it might cost.
As they waited, Phoenix felt like she was being watched more intently than usual and soon discovered Camilla Saren¡¯s attention on her but the woman quickly looked away when her eyes sought to meet the other¡¯s. The behavior reminded Phoenix of some of the shyer or more difficult children the hospital had to treat. So instead of trying to push Camilla with words that the woman seemed to struggle with from what she had witnessed up to that point, she focused on extending her aura like Paul had when she was anxious, brushing it against the brunette¡¯s in a gesture of welcome and reassurance.
The researcher slowly gravitated towards the group, and Phoenix said calmly, ¡°There¡¯s no right or wrong answer ¨Cand no rush for one¨C but I¡¯m wondering what you would have done. Being an expert in the field.¡±
Camilla shook her head and corrected, ¡°I¡¯m f¨Cfar from an expert in any field, but this one even less so¡ I specialize in Reality Rifts. This seed is not a Rift,¡± the woman paused, seemingly searching for something as she looked towards the sky before stating, ¡°The route we¡¯re going seems the most logical in an effort to reduce casualties over gaining knowledge.¡±
The woman fiddled more with her glasses as she looked back down toward the horizon to observe the imminent destruction of the seed, then continued speaking, and Phoenix once again noted that she seemed to be reciting something as the researcher spoke with more assuredness, ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to thank you and your family for liberating Tulisuda. I had been trying to gain access to the Reality Rift for years, and I even lodged complaints with the government about House Ruwena denying access to other researchers.
¡°Even after the Soul Reapers¡¯ activities were discovered and the information relayed around the world, the noble house still refused to allow others access. Despite our distant relation, a commoner like me didn¡¯t have much luck convincing the nobles to budge before you uncovered Lady Ruwena¡¯s treachery and stopped the Renseres.
¡°Now Lord Teras has granted me access and I¡¯ve been able to help add to our collective knowledge about the dimensional magic the Soul Reapers have been using from what was left behind of their area enchantments in Tulisuda. I wanted you to know that it will save even more lives in the future as we continue fighting this war. Even if my contributions aren¡¯t as direct as yours, it all adds up, and it¡¯s thanks to House Wayland.¡±
Phoenix was staring at the brunette now as the woman monologued and she hadn¡¯t wanted to interrupt despite the many questions that came to mind. Now that the awkward researcher seemed finished with the speech, she gave a wry smile and asked without judgment but curiosity, ¡°Was that originally a message for me or Paul?¡±
Camilla flushed pink and admitted, ¡°Y¨Cyou. Paul said I should meet you. When we spoke last¡ I promised to try meeting you and King¡¯s Dream. He¨C¡± The older woman seemed to struggle internally for a moment before adding, ¡°He, um, was always kind to me. We¡¯re cousins. His mother¡¯s brother is my father.¡±
¡°So we¡¯re technically ¨Cwhat?¨C second cousins now?¡± Phoenix asked with wide eyes, having never asked about Paul¡¯s extended family outside of House Wayland.
The researcher corrected, ¡°First cousins once removed,¡± but seemed to freeze after speaking as she stared intently to the southeast. A moment later, an explosion lit up the area, causing the amount of destruction that Kara had predicted it would. It completely annihilated everything within a kilometer and looked like a combination of the nuke Kara had taken the other ships out with and Phoenix¡¯s supernova ability on steroids, as the highly magical item was likely obliterated.
Camilla pulled out an odd-looking device from the satchel slung over her shoulder and quickly began adjusting dials and pressing runes carved upon it. Phoenix watched the woman curiously before Dazien interjected from behind her by asking, ¡°Is that the manameter you mentioned earlier?¡±
The brunette nodded and began speaking with excitement, ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been using it to monitor the quality and quantity of the ambient magic in the area while doing my calculations.¡±
Her cousin fiddled with a few more nobs before saying, ¡°It looks like we just got a huge spike in both from that explosion, and we¡¯ll have to wait and watch for a bit longer to see if it will dissipate. It looks like a large dose of Corruption was dispersed throughout the area, too. We¡¯ll need to deploy ritualists to cleanse the land before it spreads. It could turn out that destroying the objects alone will cause a permanent adjustment to the magical ecology of the area.¡±
¡°So we¡¯re doomed either way?¡± Phoenix asked grimly. Not liking the information the researcher was delivering.
Camilla shook her head and seemed more hesitant now, ¡°I¨CIt would have been, um, w¨Cworse if we let it continue raising the Caste and Corruption. If destroying it would have raised the levels either way, it¡¯s, um, better to limit the overall impact.¡±
She nodded in acknowledgment, and before the debris from the explosion had even settled, Kara reappeared next to her. The golden voxen was slightly singed but had a wild grin as she asked, ¡°Time for the next one?¡±
Phoenix was starting to feel oddly stir-crazy after going so long without fighting any monsters. With their party in charge of this particular expedition, the other Adventuring parties were the ones patrolling the area as they babysat the researchers taking measurements and performing Corruption cleansing rituals of the destroyed landscape once the fires had died down and the dust had settled.
Camilla had stayed near them but the Wayfarer assumed the woman was in ¡°observation mode¡± rather than interacting with them more directly. Though, to be fair, the woman was working hard on the current project at the same time and Phoenix was understanding enough to not want to distract her cousin with all of her questions.
Phoenix found herself pacing as the Magi swarmed the kilometer diameter of scorched earth and debated whether they could safely destroy the seed closest to Tulimeir without damaging the city walls.
When night threatened to fall, and the crimson moon began to rise, Phoenix was about to join the other pair of portalists that had been called in to assist with getting everyone back to the city. That was when the most awkward confrontation of her entire life occurred.
¡°Regent Wayland, I¡¯ve been hoping to meet with you,¡± Camrin Ruwena¡¯s voice said from a few meters behind her, and she froze. Her fear spiked, and her heart raced as she turned to confront the enemy, but Saiya moved faster to keep her from raising the black dagger quickly conjured into her hand in defense.
Dazien was also quick to respond, moving between her and the murder accomplice as he said firmly, ¡°Lord Ruwena. I believe I can confidently say that your presence is both unexpected and unwelcome here.¡±
¡°Please, Mister Smithson, I only wish to apologize,¡± the young teenager pleaded, taking a few steps closer but that caused Rayna to move next to Dazien as well, fur completely poofed up and ears flat.
¡°One more step closer, and you won¡¯t be able to take another,¡± the bard growled.
Camrin collapsed to his knees right there in the snow, the crowd murmuring and gawking as the young lord performed an action Phoenix had never seen before. He raised both palms to his heart, placing them side by side as though shielding it, then bent forward at the waist while lifting those cupped hands in offering over his head, forehead now touching the snow as well.
It was probably the most awkward, submissive, and vulnerable pose that she had ever witnessed another person put themselves in, and her party members had all collectively inhaled a sharp breath at the sight of it.
Uriel was the one to place a comforting hand on her shoulder from his position behind her and mentally whisper to her in explanation over the party chat, ¡°He is offering you his heart and soul in apology and capitulation. It¡¯s a form of acknowledging a life debt and surrendering to your mercy. I¡¯ve never seen it performed in actuality.¡±
Phoenix was stunned. What was she supposed to do with this? With him? She wanted nothing to do with House Ruwena ever again, yet here was its new lord on his knees and begging her¡ for what?
¡°What does he want? What am I expected to do?¡± she mentally asked her party in a panic.
It was Kara, of course, that put her even further on the spot ¨Cthrowing her to the metaphorical snolves¨C as the Sunlight Champion appeared standing behind the prostrated noble with a wicked grin and asked her loudly enough for everyone to hear, ¡°What do you grant this young lord, Regent Wayland? In time-honored tradition, House Ruwena is seeking your final judgment in the eyes of the public. Will it be absolution, annexation, servitude, banishment, or death?¡±
¡°Say what now?¡± she mentally responded in shock and confusion.
18 - Seed of Hope
¡°Someone, please explain why this is happening,¡± Phoenix mentally pleaded to her party.
¡°I think only the kid knows why he¡¯s doing this, so you¡¯d have to ask him,¡± Rayna responded, which didn¡¯t really help her at the moment.
¡°Right now, it doesn¡¯t matter why specifically. Only that the request has been made, and you must answer,¡± Dazien interjected, glancing back over his shoulder to meet her eyes, ¡°It¡¯s not just his life either. As lord of his House, you now determine what happens to any of its surviving members.¡±
¡°Can I just¡ not?¡±
The gemite gave a gentle smile, ¡°That sounds like asking to not be an Adventurer because the monster is too scary. It¡¯s part of the job, and you¡¯re a noble now. I¡¯ve never seen you back down from a challenge.¡±
She gave an annoyed huff and asked, ¡°Can you explain those options Kara gave?¡±
¡°Absolution means you forgive them for any past wrongdoings,¡± the Defender began reciting.
Rayna interjected, ¡°You better not pick that one just to get out of choosing, though. They don¡¯t deserve that at all.¡±
¡°Forgiveness isn¡¯t about deserving,¡± Saiya corrected, ¡°That¡¯s kind of the point.¡±
¡°Agreed,¡± Dazien continued, ¡°But I also agree that you shouldn¡¯t choose that. It would send a very confusing message to the people and other Houses that might make them believe House Ruwena wasn¡¯t truly at fault for their actions. We do not want that from a political viewpoint.¡±
She nodded in understanding. Despite wanting to not deal with any of this, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to forgive the family that caused her so much stress, fear, pain, and death¡ not yet at least.
¡°Death is pretty self-explanatory, but that¡¯s also one I wouldn¡¯t recommend. Even if you think some of the remaining members might deserve it, you would be condemning all of them,¡± the Defender continued explaining, and she blanched.
¡°They would let a lord kill his whole House like that?¡±
¡°It¡¯s an old law but one that is still upheld technically. Some have tried to change or remove it, but many people cling tightly to traditions no matter how ridiculous they may seem. The fact that this situation is exceedingly rare also keeps the law from getting changed as it¡¯s simply not a pressing issue.¡±
¡°I doubt that would remain non-pressing if Phoenix chooses death now,¡± Saiya said sourly.
¡°Or it might further cement the law into being as a righteous path picked by the Chosen One,¡± Dazien countered, ¡°Who is on what side of every decision matters in politics. It¡¯s never completely clear what the ramifications might be of a choice made in haste or in reaction to a perceived threat.¡±
¡°You shouldn¡¯t make the poor boy wait too long for judgment, Regent Wayland,¡± Kara called over to them. ¡°If you choose the last option, I can see the law carried out right away and be done with the whole lot by dawn¡¯s light,¡± the Obsidian Caster said, and Phoenix knew the woman would do no such thing.
Not only because there was no way she would choose it but because it wasn¡¯t part of ¡°protecting her or the city,¡± which was the point of the champion¡¯s presence¡ at least, she hoped so.
¡°I wish to discuss the matter with my brother, Paladin Fairweather,¡± Phoenix replied in her ¡®noble tone¡¯ she had been getting to practice far too much lately and fought back a smile when Dazien¡¯s eyes rolled before adding, ¡°If he wants my judgment then he can be patient.¡±
¡°Banishment is also fairly obvious. They all have to leave, not just Tulim but the whole nation of Blomsterang,¡± the gemite quickly summarized, ¡°Servitude strips them of all their material possessions, binds any Casters in Chains of Silence, and they all become¡ well, basically enslaved to your House but there are protections against direct harm to their persons.
¡°Annexation also forfeits all of their wealth to House Wayland; however, the people become a part of it. They would become Waylands or you could choose to place them within an existing branch family or create a new one, but they would be bound to the House as family.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think I can make any of those choices,¡± Phoenix said, scrunching her nose in frustration, ¡°That sounds like a huge political move that needs Pati¡¯s approval. Not just me as the child Regent.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t believe another can choose for you, and I¡¯m not sure there¡¯s a way to postpone,¡± Dazien said with a frown, ¡°This is an ancient law, and usually both parties would be aware that it was going to happen beforehand; at least among the nobility. It would be part of surrender negotiations or such and be decided upon before risking the death of an entire House.¡±
¡°This law is stupid,¡± she grumbled.
¡°I didn¡¯t write it,¡± he replied, then gave a small smirk and added, ¡°I¡¯ll remember to exclude it when I make my own kingdom.¡±
Phoenix moved forward to place herself next to Dazien instead of being shielded behind him to get a better look at the teenager she hadn¡¯t seen in months. He looked younger and more haggard than she remembered. ¡°How old are you?¡± she asked curiously.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
¡°Fifteen, Regent Wayland,¡± the kid replied without moving from his position.
She stared at him for a moment before looking towards Dazien and silently inquiring, ¡°I thought kids¡ the actual child-child ones, needed a House Ambassador for certain things? That¡¯s why I have Pati for the big decisions that affect others. Can he even do this?¡±
The Defender¡¯s frown deepened, and he replied solemnly, ¡°Only when they¡¯re the oldest member of their House.¡±
The Wayfarer¡¯s mouth dropped open at that, and she looked back to the lord of a House only left with children. She had thought of the name ¡°Ruwena¡± as one synonymous with the word ¡°evil,¡± but the revelation that all those who remained were younger than sixteen shook her beliefs in an oddly dissonant way.
Not sure she really wanted the answer, she asked the party, ¡°Do any of you know what happened to the adults?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Dazien asked in confusion, ¡°Paul didn¡¯t tell you?¡±
¡°I¡¯m starting to think there were a lot of things he didn¡¯t tell me in an effort to protect me,¡± she admitted sadly, ¡°He would have been the one standing here instead of me, right? I wouldn¡¯t have needed to know¡¡±
¡°His mother was sent to the nation¡¯s capital, Blomstra, for public execution. The rest that survived the battle for Tulisuda had their executions carried out here in private, but the outcome was posted for the public to know.¡±
¡°Even the elderly?¡±
¡°Yes. They were found guilty,¡± he replied bluntly, ¡°Those under sixteen were deemed not responsible for the actions of their parents or for not speaking out against them. Thus Camrin Ruwena became its lord despite his age. However, he¡¯s apparently decided that leaving their fate in your hands is the best course of action.¡±
As she watched Camrin stay in that uncomfortable-looking position ¨Cnot daring to move an inch to the point of trembling at the strain¨C she voiced her next question aloud, ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±
She couldn¡¯t see his face still but she heard the sincerity and sorrow in the boy¡¯s voice as it wavered and he admitted, ¡°I know my House is guilty. I know we did wrong against you specifically. We will forever be scorned despite the price that has already been paid in lives. We have nothing to offer in recompense except our future.¡±
He paused to take a steadying breath before adding, ¡°I¡¯m not worthy of being a lord, Regent Wayland. If I want to make things right again, you¡¯re my only hope.¡±
Phoenix was startled by the phrasing, recalling the famous quote from her old world spoken by a rebel princess pleading for help. That¡¯s exactly what Camrin was doing now. Begging her for help in his darkest moment.
The Wayfarer glanced up to see Kara intently staring at her with that amused smirk. She wondered if the Obsidian Caster really was like how her party described; bored and looking for anything different to entertain. Or perhaps the woman was testing her? Seeing if she was worthy of being her goddess¡¯ Chosen? Did she need to behave like a champion right now? Did she even want to?
Too many questions and not enough time is what it felt like. That seemed to be a constant for her by this point though. Always more questions than answers, and time kept ticking away whether she wanted it to or not. It was overwhelming¡ but that was what she had friends for now. Friends that she trusted to support her.
¡°Right now, what¡¯s everyone¡¯s vote?¡± she mentally asked them.
All four of them responded in unison, and she spoke the answer aloud, ¡°Annexation.¡±
It turned out that Camrin was one of the two portalists requested to help transport the research expedition back to the city to rest before going to the northern Reality Seed in the morning. King¡¯s Dream, with Kara following, escorted the annexed lord back to the Wayland estate, where she was relieved to find Patricia already at home for the night.
Letting Dazien do what he was best at, she listened to him talk. Alone with just her and Patricia in the latter¡¯s study, he explained not just the situation with House Ruwena but also highlighted the events of the expedition.
While he was being debriefed, the Wayfarer noted how different this study was from Paul¡¯s ¨Chis feeling more private and purposed for reading books and filling out paperwork¨C while his sister¡¯s felt much more inviting and open to entertaining guests. It had more of a focus on the small bar and sitting area that held a table currently laden with some sort of board game that Phoenix didn¡¯t recognize but reminded her a bit like chess if three people were playing at once.
The aesthetics the siblings shared between their respective study rooms was a large amount of green plant life and carved wood with touches of white brightening up the earthy colors. The sunlight streaming through the large glass window also helped enhance the feeling of openness in what felt more like a parlor than a study.
¡°It¡¯s not entirely surprising that Camrin took the path of desperation,¡± the noblewoman said with a sigh as she retrieved a notebook from a large flower blossom she conjured in the air, ¡°A child forced to take care of other children rarely leads to happy outcomes and never without a heavy toll. You made the right choice, but this is not going to be an easy process. Do we know how many we¡¯re taking in?¡±
¡°Nine from the main House,¡± the gemite answered, ¡°Then there are the two branch families they had, but I assumed you would sever them, so I didn¡¯t ask about their numbers. Was I mistaken?¡±
¡°No, that¡¯s probably for the best,¡± Patricia replied, writing notes on a sheet of paper.
¡°Sever?¡± Phoenix asked hesitantly, thinking that sounded rather fatal.
¡°Most branch families are a bit odd in that they aren¡¯t considered nobility, but they are tied to and backed by the noble House that will either feed or pull members between them,¡± Dazien explained, ¡°Sometimes if an heir apparent is missing or there¡¯s a promising member within a branch family, the Head of a House will raise them into the main family.
¡°Alternatively, if the Head wished to, they can renounce a family member into a branch family; this is most commonly done when they are a disappointment in some major way.¡±
¡°Some nobles will choose to renounce themselves, not wanting the status for some reason or another,¡± Patricia interjected, then added off-handily, ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m still surprised my father didn¡¯t renounce Paul and Paul didn¡¯t renounce himself. It makes me believe they both hoped for reconciliation eventually, despite both being stubborn arses.¡±
Both Dazien and she chuckled at that before he continued explaining, ¡°Severing a branch family means cutting off that connection and support. They become just another common independent family. In this particular case, I doubt House Wayland wants to maintain the connection or potential burden.¡±
¡°I will bring it up with the House Council later, but I¡¯m pretty confident they¡¯ll agree with severing,¡± Pati reiterated, then noted, ¡°Nine more children to take care of won¡¯t be much of a hardship. We¡¯ll want to contact the temple of the Mender and Traveler, though, and see if they can help set up something for adjusting to everything.¡±
¡°I would recommend contacting High Priestess Deserin at the temple of the Parent. She already has contacts for handling similar situations,¡± Dazien suggested.
¡°Similar to getting absorbed into another noble family?¡± the Wayfarer questioned in confusion.
¡°Similar to having your parents die suddenly and everything you¡¯ve ever known taken from you,¡± the gemite clarified somberly, ¡°To feel lost and alone in a strange environment.¡±
She fell silent at the parallels drawn not just between him and the newly orphaned children but also to herself and everything since her own mother had died not even a year ago. The thought also reminded her to see if she should set up talking with Priest Jacob again soon. It had been a few weeks since she had scheduled time to meet with him, her days mostly consumed by missions and wars.
¡°Thank you for the recommendation, Dazien,¡± the runeforged said, writing the name down in her notes, ¡°Now for tomorrow, I¡¯ll be joining your party not as Ambassador Wayland but as Priestess.¡±
¡°Oh? Why¡¯s that?¡± she asked.
¡°My goddess is interested in the seed being cultivated there. She asked me to request its survival.¡±
¡°What? Why?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure, but she said it would be made clear to me once I visited and that it was a ¡®seed of hope¡¯ for Tulim.¡±
¡°I swear the gods are so melodramatic,¡± Phoenix grumbled.
19 - Mother
Phoenix was surprised the next morning when she couldn¡¯t open a portal to the location atop the Soul Reaper¡¯s downed ship, where she vividly remembered both saving and condemning Paul¡¯s life. There was no way she would ever forget that place.
When she finally relented and was able to open a portal to the nearby hill she recalled watching the Ruby Caste battle from, she soon realized that it wasn¡¯t a failing of her memories that had disrupted the aural imprint of the area but the fact that the place had dramatically changed since she was last there over a week ago.
The sundered ship that had last been burning and swarming with chaotic magic from the chain of magical explosions triggered by her [Supernova] in the bowels of its insanely large ritual room was no longer a site of mass destruction.
It looked as if nature had been hyper-accelerated in the area, and the remnants of the twenty-story ship that was half-plant, half-black glass, and metal framing connecting it all together had been reclaimed by the land. Except it wasn¡¯t by the snow-covered tundra but by a blooming meadow with a singular overgrown sapling sprouting through the center of the ship.
Phoenix thought it was a sapling due to its appearance, but its scale made it taller than any tree she had seen in this world so far, rising another story in height above the ship. The main reason she didn¡¯t think of it as a fully grown tree, despite the size, was the scale of the vibrant green leaves branching off of it. They were easily the width of an entire floor of her home.
Smaller vines seemed to cover the surface of the ship ¨Cwhich no longer appeared broken or in ruins either¨C as though the vines were bandages mending what had been cracked. There were also flowers peeking out everywhere, still small buds, but she didn¡¯t think it would be long before they bloomed.
The snow and ice that normally covered the tundra seemed to have thawed around the site, almost as if it didn¡¯t dare to trespass and disturb the beautiful scene of rebirth displayed before them.
¡°This looks nothing like the other ships I saw when helping portal people during the battle,¡± Camrin whispered in a mirror of her own thoughts and awe. The former lord had been tasked by Patricia to accompany them there to be able to assist in portalling others in the future. It seemed the Ambassador was already putting their newest assets to good use, taking advantage of the Crystal Caster¡¯s rare portal ability.
¡°Do we know what¡¯s going on here?¡± Phoenix asked curiously to Patricia as the older woman stood beside her, also taking in the scenery.
¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, but I can at least see why my goddess was interested. Aside from this alien plant life, trees can¡¯t normally survive this far north in the tundra. It¡¯s too cold for them to take root.¡±
¡°Scholar says there¡¯s more to learn within the structure and advises making sure Phoenix goes in, but I must voice my hesitation about rushing,¡± Everin said softly, coming up from behind her.
The voxen had been busy with his new position within both clergies, even backing down on wanting to officially join their team with so much demand for his time and Kara¡¯s reassurance that they would be guarded. Still, he made time to visit them when he could and would stand beside them whenever they were out on a mission together.
Pati gave him a surprised look as she asked the Avatar, ¡°You would speak against your goddess?¡±
¡°She knows who else I¡¯m an Avatar of now and that I¡¯m not one to obediently stay silent,¡± the voxen replied with a grin, ¡°I think she half-expects it now, so will often phrase her Whispers to make me hesitate on purpose but that is an endless spiral of reasoning I don¡¯t care to get trapped within.¡±
He turned to her then, those odd eyes full of their usual mirth as he said, ¡°There is something in there that concerns you, and I don¡¯t think it¡¯s just our memories. I don¡¯t believe your aunt being chosen by the Cultivator as her envoy is also a choice made on a whim.¡±
¡°Nor do I,¡± said another voice that Phoenix didn¡¯t recognize. She turned to see an older Sapphire Caster walking up to them, wearing priestess robes with the hems embroidered with playing children and a sigil of a swaddled baby over the heart.
¡°High Priestess Deserin,¡± Dazien said in surprise, moving to let her be included in the group discussion, ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, but I admit my confusion about your presence.¡±
The runeforged with white markings that stood out prominently from her warm mahogany skin brightly smiled as she said, ¡°It¡¯s wonderful to see you too, Dazien. Especially in your element as an Adventurer. I know how hard you worked for it, and seeing you achieve your goals despite the disadvantages brings me such joy.¡±
¡°Did the Parent send you out here as well for the vessel and your connection to Phoenix through Dazien?¡± Everin asked pointedly to the High Priestess.
The newcomer maintained that smile, though it became a bit more indulgent as she addressed the Avatar, ¡°I am inclined to believe so, though only the interest in the seed was made known to me. Unlike a rebellious child, I trust my deity to have our best interests at heart. I¡¯m only here to ensure the survival of the newborn before us.¡±
Phoenix blinked owlishly at the words, looking around the area to see if anyone left a baby around. When she was sure that insanity wasn¡¯t true, she clarified, ¡°Newborn?¡± then tilted her head towards Dazien, ¡°Is that another translation issue I¡¯m having?¡±
He chuckled but shook his head, running a hand through his longer hair, which she noticed he did when he was stressed and trying to solve a problem, as he replied, ¡°No, and I caught that too. Deities always seem to prefer speaking in riddles and hints, it feels like.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
¡°Cheapskates,¡± Everin grumbled offhandedly, causing Phoenix to snort a laugh.
¡°I think we¡¯ll be fine going in and checking things out,¡± Kara interjected, having appeared suddenly next to Phoenix and causing her to jump in surprise, ¡°I finished scouting a bit, and there¡¯s nothing dangerous nearby.¡±
¡°But I thought the Corrupted Reality Seed was inside and tainting everything? Shouldn¡¯t there be Corrupted monsters nearby?¡± Rayna asked from the back of the group, where she and the others were quietly listening.
¡°The seed isn¡¯t Corrupted anymore¡¡± Patricia replied, looking over at the towering sapling in contemplation before glancing at the quiet researcher standing near the party and checking, ¡°Is it Miss Saren?¡±
Phoenix¡¯s shy cousin shook her head in confirmation and clarified, ¡°N¨CNo. It, um, it¡¯s not,¡± Camilla stuttered, seemingly caught off guard by the sudden question before centering herself and continuing as though giving a report, ¡°It¡¯s doing the opposite and cleansing the area of any Corruption. During our initial tests, it was fairly clear that something had altered this seed during the time the ambient magic of the area had gone wild, but we are still trying to determine why.¡±
¡°It¡¯s still refining the magic and raising the area¡¯s Caste level, though, correct?¡± Phoenix asked, ¡°I thought that alone was something we didn¡¯t want to keep happening.¡±
¡°If this seed, or eventual tree, is naturally cleansing Corruption, it might be worth the risk in the long run,¡± Pati clarified, glancing at the other gathered clergy members for assurance.
¡°Considering I only know of one other place in the world capable of such a feat, if that¡¯s indeed the truth of the matter, then it will likely become a very important and protected location, just like the Sacred Grove on Alkupera is today,¡± the Paladin of the Champion agreed, looking more serious and composed than Phoenix had seen the Obsidian Caster behave till that point.
¡°You think the Fae would want to claim it for themselves?¡± Everin asked curiously, ¡°I could see them eager for a new place to migrate some of their people to.¡±
¡°The Fae?¡± Phoenix asked her party leader quietly.
He summarized the relevance for her, ¡°The Fae are especially sensitive to Corruption. Their current homeland is a large area called the Sacred Grove that was blessed and cleansed long ago if the stories are to be believed. Many of the details around its origins are a bit lost to time.¡±
¡°It¡¯s still the only place on the planet that is completely free of Corruption,¡± Kara pointed out, ¡°It¡¯s considered sacred for that reason alone. If this is similar, it won¡¯t be long before more clergy and Fae-kind appear.¡±
¡°We should do what we can to protect it then,¡± the High Priestess of the Parent interjected, ¡°While the blood moon stalls travel, we can secure it and make sure the followers of the Voidsworn Syndicate don¡¯t attempt to harm it.¡±
The others nodded in agreement, and Kara turned to Phoenix with a grin, ¡°Ready to go see what¡¯s waiting for you inside? I rarely get to experience surprises anymore, so I¡¯m very excited.¡±
She gave the nine-tails a flat look, ¡°So glad I can be a source of entertainment for you.¡±
¡°Oh, it¡¯s not just me,¡± the Obsidian Caster replied with a mischievous look, ¡°I¡¯m sure you entertain plenty of people who hear about your crazy adventurers, Miss Chosen One.¡±
Phoenix rolled her eyes and started walking towards the ship, ready to get this next surprise over with. The rest of the group trailed behind her, and she tried her best not to think of them as ducklings following their mother.
She tried not to damage any of the colorful flower buds that surrounded the vessel housing a giant sapling but it was impossible due to the sheer number of them. In their closed state, she wasn¡¯t sure exactly what kinds of flowers they might be but remembered Pati saying they were alien so she looked forward to seeing what they bloomed into.
As she got closer to the main body of the vessel, she started to hear an odd melody that wasn¡¯t familiar and sounded strange. It was as if it was being filtered through something, and it took the Wayfarer much longer than she would like to admit to recognize the signature of electronically produced music.
¡°Is¡ is the ship playing a song?¡± Phoenix asked once her party caught up to where she had halted to listen.
¡°Not one I recognize,¡± Rayna said curiously, ¡°I have no idea what kind of instrument that could be.¡±
That was when Saiya gasped, causing the others to turn to her suddenly as the Healer¡¯s furred hands covered her mouth. The smaller voxen looked towards the vessel in awe and whispered, ¡°It¨C it¡¯s happy. I think¡ I think it¡¯s singing.¡±
Everyone went silent at that proclamation, and Dazien clarified, ¡°Are you saying the ship is feeling emotions? It¡¯s sentient?¡±
¡°I think it might be more than that,¡± Everin solemnly said as he joined them, ¡°It explains why Scholar would be interested. I believe it may also be sapient,¡± he said, nodding towards the open doorway Phoenix had been heading towards.
Standing in the doorway was what appeared to be a toddler with tan skin, curly red hair, and big, bright blue eyes staring directly at Phoenix. Her jaw dropped open at the child that had one thumb in its mouth and the other hand making a grabby wave toward them.
¡°Is that a trick? A monster or some sort of construct, Everin? Kara?¡± Dazien asked uncertainly, ¡°My eyes can perceive the magic of it, and my aura is reading it as some kind of Crystal Caste construct, but there is definitely something off about it.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve never felt a construct like that either,¡± Everin replied in confusion, ¡°I don¡¯t sense any aggression or deception from it, though. It also seems to have a strong bond with the ship that is different from anything I¡¯ve seen on an item before.¡±
Kara nudged Phoenix¡¯s shoulder and said with a smile, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go see what it wants? I¡¯ll save you if it turns out bad, but it seems interested in you.¡±
The Wayfarer stared at the golden voxen with wide-eyed alarm. Was the Paladin really sending her in as the red-shirt sacrifice to ask the potential devil-child if it was evil? She swallowed her initial fear, reminded herself that she wouldn¡¯t die for real if it slaughtered her in an unexpected transformation, and cautiously walked forward to greet the toddler that was eerily reminding her of a baby version of a ruby-haired Paul.
¡°Hello there,¡± Phoenix said when she was about three meters away, trying to seem as non-threatening as possible, ¡°What¡¯s your name, um, young one?¡±
The toddler tilted its head curiously at her for a moment and shook its head.
¡°No name? That¡¯s okay, um¡¡± she stalled, glancing back at her party, who had also moved closer but kept their distance as they watched, and she turned back to ask, ¡°Is there something you want?¡±
The adorable child lifted both hands toward her again and made dual-grabbing gestures as it said, ¡°Mama.¡±
Phoenix froze in place. She stared at the apparition and knew that every single person behind her had heard exactly what was said. Almost woodenly, she turned to stare at Patricia, the only person who had ever mentioned offspring with her.
The woman at least looked as surprised as the rest of her party members, and it was High Priestess Deserin who smiled and said happily, ¡°Congratulations, Regent Wayland. It looks like you¡¯re a mother.¡±
20 - Weighing the Risks
¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Phoenix said, looking towards Patricia in her rising panic as she pleaded, ¡°That is impossible, right? I didn¡¯t give permission or sign another contract or¡ you know¡¡±
¡°Oh, that¡¯s an interesting idea,¡± High Priestess Deserin interjected thoughtfully, as if in response to a mental communication, and Phoenix felt her heart fall into her gut as the woman confirmed her fears, ¡°Parent says they can help take care of the newborn in exchange for a mark of Favor. They weren¡¯t sure if any suitable opportunity would ever arise with your¡ well, busy lifestyle and lack of interests.¡±
¡°Interests?¡± Patricia asked with a raised brow, and Phoenix felt her face flush in embarrassment. This was not what she wanted to be discussing with a bunch of people when there was a much more concerning problem standing right in front of her and begging her to carry them.
The big, pleading blue eyes shined up at her, reminding her too much of the way Paul had last gazed up at her as he lay dying beside her. She bent and attempted to lift the construct. Despite its aura reading like a weird magical construct like her own [Night Blade], the toddler looked and felt like a human, which was strangely disconcerting as the tiny legs wrapped around her waist and the child fit snugly against her hip.
Her party was beside her by the time she straightened, all four of them trying to get a better look at the newest orphan among them. Dazien was the first to say what she had already thought, ¡°They look like a toddler version of Paul. Do you think the ship did something when he was here last?¡±
¡°Like copy a part of him?¡± Rayna clarified.
¡°He was bleeding all over the place,¡± Uriel pointed out.
¡°Are you going to name the child?¡± Saiya asked her, making everyone turn to look at the Healer, ¡°What? They don¡¯t have a name, and they obviously believe Phoenix is their mom for some reason.¡±
¡°Wait¡ Who¡¯s the father?¡± the bard asked, causing everyone to look back at the Wayfarer and Paul-clone.
Phoenix¡¯s face flushed red again as she retorted, ¡°I said that¡¯s impossible! The only time I was near this ship was when Paul was dying and when Everin and I exploded the ritual room.¡±
Then they all turned to look towards the rainbow voxen a couple of meters away ¨Cwho was obviously paying attention to them¨C and he gave a wide, mischievous grin before saying, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I should be flattered that you think I could seduce the un-seducible or insulted that you think I would take advantage of her like that in the short time we were sabotaging this place.¡±
Dazien then turned back to address the toddler who was clinging to Phoenix¡¯s dress and asked in a light and friendly tone, ¡°Why do you think she¡¯s your mama, young one?¡±
The toddler pointed into the doorway, and Phoenix only took a quick glance to see the reassuring nods of the others that they would follow as she entered the vessel. It was brighter inside than she had been expecting, with warm lights making up the entire ceiling of the plant-lined hallways they walked through, following whichever direction the tiny finger pointed in.
As they neared the center of it, they came to the large room Phoenix and Everin had initially discovered the Corrupted Reality Seed. In its place was the wide trunk of the twenty-one-story tall sapling open to the blue sky high above them and letting in the natural light.
When the child¡¯s hand dropped back to hold onto her, the alien music stopped. The surrounding structure seemed to come alive in a strange combination of various electronic devices moving around ¨Cwhich were embedded in the surrounding walls of the structure among the plants. A shimmer of magic filled the air before them as the space around the sapling became overlaid with an illusion.
She saw herself being held in Everin¡¯s arms like a bride, and the bard said, ¡°So it was that sneaky bas¨C¡±
¡°He was holding me so I wouldn¡¯t fall to my death after using my ability, Rayna,¡± Phoenix cut off.
As they watched the recording, it seemed like it had been switched to slow-motion as her [Supernova] began exploding out from her, destroying her waiting portal along with the surrounding pieces of the ship. Then the border of destructive magic reached the nearby seed that had been dormant when she had first come across it and seemed to simply wash over it at first, not affecting the Obsidian Caste object in the slightest, but it began to fall as the floor supporting it crumbled.
A moment later, another wave of magic and fire swept across it, and Phoenix said to the others watching, ¡°I think that¡¯s the result of the ongoing ritual backfiring, which caused the chain reaction of explosions within the ship.¡±
When they saw the illusory image of the giant seed seem to crash into the ground, runes began to glow all over it. That seemed to be the spark that set off the chaotic mixture of magics, ramping up everything and causing a swirl of colors and flashes in the recording like a kaleidoscope of fireworks.
¡°That¡¯s what caused the magic to go wild,¡± Everin said from behind them, ¡°Your magic was still lingering and swirled in with it. Looks like the vessel thinks that since you started it all, you¡¯re the one responsible for its existence.¡±
¡°But why do they look like a baby Paul?¡± Rayna asked, eyeing the little construct toddler.
The recording suddenly changed to replay the scene of Phoenix kneeling next to Paul from a point of view that none of them had been in at the time, and Paul¡¯s voice filled the space as the recording said, ¡°¨Cmy hope¡ my daughter.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!
Then her voice echoed out, ¡°You can¡¯t die¡ you¡¯re my dad¡ you promised.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, love,¡± Paul¡¯s last words rang out, and she felt her heart catch in her throat as she watched the scene unfold before her eyes.
¡°Why are you showing us this?¡± She managed to choke out, her eyes never looking away from one of the worst moments of her life so far.
¡°Mama love mama-papa,¡± the toddler said, pointing towards the now frozen image of Paul and then pointing that finger towards itself. ¡°Mama love mama-baby.¡±
Everin placed a tie-dye hand on the child¡¯s head as he moved closer and said almost fondly, ¡°It looks like they believe that if they appear like your father, then you will love them just as much. Scholar says their thoughts are a bit fragmented but almost like a newborn that¡¯s slowly absorbing a Knowledge Tome.¡±
¡°Tome for what?¡± Dazien inquired curiously.
¡°For everything the ship knew, I assume,¡± the rainbow voxen replied simply, ¡°I hate to say this, and I fully understand if you wish to claim the child and protect them from this¡ but we probably should get the Magi involved to study them along with whatever else this vessel and tree is capable of. If they are growing as rapidly as the surrounding magic levels are, then I believe the knowledge that lay within these walls will be priceless to the entire world.¡±
Phoenix glanced down at the toddler, who was trying its best to convince her to protect it¡ but could she trust everything that was being said and shown? Was it just trying to manipulate her? It wasn¡¯t just a product of her magic and the seed¡¯s going wild but whatever the ship was also comprised of¡ what the Soul Reapers had created.
Everin¡¯s voice became quieter as he leaned over and whispered in response to her thoughts, ¡°I would not condemn the innocent over the fear of others. That speaks to an unhealthy level of paranoia that I would recommend a Mender for. However impossible it seems, this vessel is only a child.¡±
¡°For now,¡± she muttered.
The Avatar gave a small smirk, ¡°Isn¡¯t that true for every child?¡±
The Wayfarer gave an annoyed huff, not denying his logic but not liking it either. Phoenix glanced to her party members for input and help weighing the risks between the options before them. She knew she couldn¡¯t deal with any of this alone.
Saiya grinned widely and asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s their name? Keep with the Wayland tradition of starting with a P?¡±
That caused her to laugh ¨Cglad she wasn¡¯t the only one to notice that tendency¨C and the tension began leaving her body as she shook her head at the excited Healer, ¡°They¡¯re not my kid, Saiya,¡± she said, causing the shorter woman to frown.
Then Phoenix reluctantly added, ¡°But we can make sure they stay safe and taken care of. I¡¯m thinking the Parent¡¯s offer might actually be the best choice for this. What do you think, Dazien? Uriel? You both dealt with their temple the most.¡±
The two men looked at each other in silent questioning looks before Uriel simply gave a shrug, and Dazien said, ¡°The Parent¡¯s sole purpose is in protecting and supporting children as they grow. I don¡¯t think you could find a better route in this situation if you don¡¯t plan to parent the toddler yourself ¨Cwhich, for the record, I don¡¯t think you should feel pressured to do. This is a weird magical fluke that you had zero say in. I don¡¯t think any of us are equipped to handle raising a sentient vessel of an alien tree.¡±
¡°I am in agreement,¡± High Priestess Deserin said as she walked towards them from deeper down the hallway they were in, ¡°There¡¯s no shame in asking for help from those who have the knowledge, skills, or experience that you lack.¡±
Phoenix looked between the priestess and the toddler still in her arms. Despite everything that the others said and her own proclamation that she wasn¡¯t a mom, she still felt responsible for the child asking her for help.
She gave a relenting sigh before clarifying, ¡°In exchange for the mark of Favor, the Parent will ensure they stay safe and well taken care of, right? Help them grow up to be good? To learn to help others and protect themselves?¡±
Deserin smiled and nodded, ¡°To the best of our abilities. We won¡¯t let the little one be abused or enslaved. We will help, support, and guide them as you have requested.¡±
The Wayfarer readjusted to face the toddler and said, ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re understanding any of this. Are you going to be okay with letting Priestess Deserin take care of you? I can¡¯t stay here all the time. I have other duties as an Adventurer and¡ well, I have this whole quest thing.¡±
The toddler nodded and said, ¡°Mama important. Mama traveler. Mama Chosen hero.¡±
She internally cringed at the last word but nodded, wondering if they got that information from some kind of recording or her aura, ¡°That¡¯s right. I have to go help a lot more people, and I think she¡¯ll be able to help you better than I can.¡±
¡°Mama come back?¡± the toddler asked with those big puppy eyes.
Completely falling under the spell of adorableness, she found herself unable to say anything other than, ¡°Of course I will. I¡¯ll make sure to check in on you.¡±
The vessel¡¯s construct surprised her then by wrapping their tiny arms around her neck and squeezing her in a gentle hug. It was such a human gesture that Phoenix absently thought that even if they weren¡¯t actually a human ¨Cor other sentient species¨C it didn¡¯t really make a difference in how they should be treated. They were human enough to be considered as such.
When she awkwardly returned the hug, music began playing throughout the ship again. It was softer but still sweet and happy sounding with that electronic tinge to it. She found herself smiling and whispered into the child¡¯s ear, ¡°How about the name Presley? That was the name of a pretty famous singer from my world. It can be yours now. Does Presley Wayland sound good?¡±
The soft red curls tickled her cheek as the toddler¡¯s head nodded before pulling back to look at her with a happy grin. Phoenix then moved to hand the child over to the Parent¡¯s Priestess and said, ¡°It¡¯s a deal then, High Priestess. I¡¯m counting on you to take care of Presley.¡±
The heavy feeling of a divine aura filled the space as the Parent appeared next to her, looking like an older middle-aged version of herself as they said, ¡°Thank you for making the wise choice of what is best for the child. We both know you don¡¯t require my mark to shift this responsibility to others, but you chose to trade yourself to protect them over trading them to enrich yourself. You have my gratitude and respect, Phoenix Wayland.¡±
The redhead flushed slightly at the praise. She hadn¡¯t thought about trying to sell the kid to the OOM or whoever might be interested. That thought hadn¡¯t even crossed her mind, but the deity was right; she would rather bear another mark and know they would be safe.
That¡¯s exactly what happened then as the Parent touched a finger to her chest for a moment, and the strong hands of her friends steadied her from the surge of divine energy coursing through her to alter her Chosen One title further along with her Soul Mark. At least any orphans would be taken care of in whatever alternate or pseudo-realities she visited.
¡°So why the name Presley?¡± Rayna asked, breaking the silence that had descended once the deity had vanished.
¡°They seemed to like singing, and it was the only singer name I could think of that started with a ¡®P¡¯ and was fairly gender neutral,¡± she explained, ¡°They were a pretty famous one in my world, and I have no idea what gender a magical alien tree-vessel identifies as¡¡±
Kara¡¯s voice came echoing down the hall the next moment as the Obsidian Caster yelled towards them, ¡°Great news! The cargo hold has amazing barrels! The kid is gonna have a blast with them!¡±
21 - Sharing is Caring
While Kara was having fun helping Presley hide in one of the high-tech barrels the obsessed Obsidian Caster had discovered, Phoenix and her team, along with the other clergy members, were looking around the ship¡¯s facilities that were still intact, which was surprisingly most of it, though there were some obvious points still damaged.
Ethan Teras, the current Chancellor of the Order of Magic, had caught up with them and explained, ¡°We observed the ship repairing itself over the few times we had some scouts come out here to ascertain the damage and safety levels. The wild magic storm took a while to dissipate, so we haven¡¯t gotten much yet.¡±
¡°I expect your people to handle this vessel with the utmost care,¡± High Priestess Deserin said with a hint of warning as she glanced towards the playing toddler, ¡°They are a child in my care now,¡± then the woman¡¯s gaze turned to Dazien as she proclaimed, ¡°I won¡¯t let them be taken advantage of, no matter how desirable they might be.¡±
Phoenix frowned at that, remembering what her friend had once said about his particular species being so sought after that getting adopted was made all the more difficult. At least he had found a family with her and Paul and, of course, with Uriel before that.
Ethan gave a tired chuckle, ¡°I have no intention of angering the vessel¡ Presley, was it?¡± he asked with a raised brow to Phoenix, who nodded in confirmation, ¡°I also assume House Wayland will be involved in maintaining the area?¡±
This question seemed directed at Patricia Wayland and Duke Victor Tul, who had also joined the OOM Chancellor and AOA Director, Agatha Trayvious, in this initial exploration of a new landmark within the duchy. They had all been slightly strewn about in what appeared to be the command room at the moment, not understanding any of the controls covering the walls and consoles around the room that reminded Phoenix of something out of Star Trek and other sci-fi shows that took place on spaceships.
¡°With the vessel seemingly loyal already to House Wayland and the potential trove of knowledge contained within, I don¡¯t think risking the anger of the vessel would be a wise move,¡± the duke noted thoughtfully, ¡°House Wayland has repeatedly proven their loyalty to Tulim over the course of this blood moon, so I have little reason to doubt they will protect this area for us too.¡±
Patricia nodded to the duke, ¡°Of course, your grace. It would be our honor and my goddess seems quite excited about the potential of this location for expanding not just our general knowledge but our capabilities in cultivating food for the nation.¡±
¡°I hope to be kept up to date with any important discoveries and changes in the situation here but I will leave it in your hands for now while gathering that information. I can¡¯t spare much more time here. The other Houses I¡¯m sure will begin petitioning for access at the least, if not direct involvement. This is going to put a lot more on my plate than the Soul Reapers and blood moon already have.¡±
¡°Speaking of which,¡± Agatha interrupted, ¡°I¡¯m not sure we have the numbers anymore for the missions being requested from the outer fortress towns and the western half of the tundra that has been neglected since the Soul Reapers approached from the east. Monsters are beginning to gather in dangerous numbers.¡±
¡°I guess that means it¡¯s time for us to return to the field as well,¡± Dazien offered, causing Rayna to toss a fist in the air and give an excited whoop.
The others chuckled and Phoenix found herself agreeing with the sentiment, being so idle and not pushing her abilities had been making her feel restless.
¡°We still have the matter of the other Corrupted Reality Seed still tainting the area and increasing the ambient magic. If this site is going to remain intact, then we need to destroy the other sooner rather than later,¡± Ethan spoke up again.
¡°I haven¡¯t heard back from the capital since sending a messenger requesting a Ruby Caster from Blomstra, but I can send another requesting more permanent immigrants be encouraged to travel here in preparation for the increase in magic. Needless to say, this will completely change everything on the tundra, not just the danger imposed by monster spawns.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡± Phoenix asked in confusion.
¡°Our entire infrastructure can ¨Cand must¨C be upgraded to match,¡± the duke responded, ¡°The walls to meet the monster threat. We¡¯ll want to add supporting infrastructure for flying vessels that will suddenly be able to visit. Our Mana Bit farms will also need to be updated. They¡¯ve been shut down during the blood moon¡¯s interference with the ambient mana levels, but if they won¡¯t be returning to Crystal levels afterward, we¡¯ll need to change them to match wherever we end up, which also means new trade agreements since we won¡¯t be exporting Crystal Bits and will need to import them instead.¡±
The duke gave a heavy sigh, ¡°It is an intricate web. The list of changes continues to grow, and it will take a lot of work. All of this while our Caster population has been decimated during these months of endless fighting.¡±
¡°Well, good luck with that,¡± Agatha said, breaking the solemn silence that threatened to fall with the bleak outlook, ¡°My concern is making sure we all survive to see those upgrades. We need all Adventurers on hand, increase our roaming patrols in the west for a while, and potentially implement the old Emergency Caster Recruitment measure.¡±
Everyone aside from Phoenix seemed surprised by the Director¡¯s words, and the duke clarified, ¡°Are you sure? That is not always a boon. Many end up dying.¡±
¡°Sorry to pull the clueless Wayfarer card again,¡± she interrupted, with a slightly raised hand, ¡°But what are we talking about?¡±
¡°Apologies, Regent Wayland,¡± the AOA director said, ¡°It¡¯s a procedure the duchy can enact during a national emergency to commandeer Aspects from the citizens in order to distribute them and create new Casters to defend it. The citizens eventually get paid back more than the Aspects are normally worth, but the bigger risk is to the inexperienced and unvetted people who suddenly get magic powers they¡¯ve never trained with and are sent to battle monsters. A lot of them never see the end of the emergency.¡±
¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I believe the risk is worth it in this case. Especially if we can¡¯t take care of that other seed and start getting corrupted monsters spawning in the city,¡± Ethan interjected again, ¡°That should be our first priority.¡±
Then the Magi turned to Phoenix and asked, ¡°Will you lend us your champion once more to destroy that seed? There are risks still with it being so close to the city but I believe the potential monsters it will create outweigh that risk after the results from our test with the other.¡±
She looked to Dazien and silently asked over his communication ability, ¡°Should we lend them Kara and see about helping clear out monsters in the west? Sounds like we could divide and conquer that way.¡±
The gemite gave her a smirk, ¡°Sounds good to me. Do you want me to give you the order and keep up appearances?¡±
Phoenix returned his grin and replied, ¡°Yes, please, oh brother dear.¡±
As Dazien repeated the plan, and Phoenix asked Kara to go along with helping Lord Teras, she noticed Uriel giving her a curious look and mentally whispered to just him, ¡°Something wrong?¡±
He shook his head and teased, ¡°Just nice to see siblings playing well together.¡±
¡°We usually do,¡± she said with a raised brow, ¡°Something odd about this time?¡±
Uriel gave her a gentle smile, ¡°I guess I¡¯m just glad you still want him to lead when it seems you don¡¯t need it so much anymore.¡±
She scoffed at that, ¡°I don¡¯t think leading is something I¡¯ll ever want to do. I practically begged Paul to let Dazien be the heir instead but dropped it when I remembered he¡¯d be abdicating to Pati,¡± she frowned at the memory and how bitter it felt now that it had proven so very wrong, ¡°I was never meant to be Regent.¡±
¡°Well, for what it¡¯s worth, I think you¡¯ve been doing pretty well so far. Especially given the amount of craziness surrounding us.¡±
Phoenix chuckled, ¡°Pretty sure my whole life has been nothing but craziness since arriving here.¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like you regret that, though,¡± he pointed out.
She turned to look around the alien room, instantly thinking there were quite a few things she regretted. Then her gaze fell upon the voxen twins quietly talking about how to ¡°apprehend¡± one of the amazing barrels as Saiya¡¯s comforting aura surrounded her like a constant hug.
She panned her sight to watch her new brother carefully speaking to present their party in the best light he could and the smile she saw flicker on his face whenever his gaze caught one of theirs.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
Then she turned back to the quiet cinderen at her side; the man she knew kept things from her, yet she couldn¡¯t help but trust. The Mage who fought for her happiness, whether it was against a wrathful Paladin or her own fears and grief.
Phoenix smiled warmly as she said, ¡°No, I don¡¯t regret coming here at all.¡±
¡°Alright, everyone,¡± Dazien said as they finished gathering the few crates of supplies they would be delivering to Linnake, the fortress town to the west of the capital, ¡°After dropping this off, we¡¯ve been cleared for a fortnight of scouring the wilds going south towards Vallinsarvi. If we find anything too dangerous for us, we¡¯re to portal back to Tulimeir to report the location immediately.¡±
¡°Kara¡¯s going to help with responding to the highest Caste threats once the Corrupted seed is taken care of, so we¡¯re going to stick to Sapphire and lower ¨Cbeing extremely cautious around any Corrupted monsters. If it¡¯s a Corrupted Sapphire, that¡¯s an immediate retreat; I don¡¯t care what attunements it might have.
¡°If it¡¯s Crystal, we¡¯ll have Phoenix take point with it unless it shares one of Uriel¡¯s attunements. He¡¯s the only one who isn¡¯t Sapphire or immune to Corruption now,¡± the party leader explained.
Phoenix recalled the new Natural Talents she had gained from becoming ¡°soul entwined¡± with Paul ¨Cwhatever that actually meant.
Natural Talent: Lodestar
Deviated from [Beacon of Hope] due to becoming soul entwined.
- Your soul has become entwined with Paul Wayland, one of your Kindred Spirits.
- Your soul will always recognize Paul Wayland¡¯s soul as a Kindred Spirit.
- You share Natural Talents with your Kindred Spirit.
- You have a telepathic link with your Kindred Spirit with the range based on the highest Caste.
- When within your Kindred Spirit¡¯s aura, you have increased Magic.
- When there is a Caste difference between you and your Kindred Spirit, the one with the lower Caste has an increased cultivation rate based on the difference.
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The phrase ¡°sharing is caring¡± had come to mind when she had read about the particular features but there were only three of Paul¡¯s talents that had any additional effect on her.
Natural Talent: Sun Attunement
- Increased resistance to negative Fire and Light effects. Fire and Light abilities have increased effect.
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Natural Talent: Corruption Slayer
- Increased resistance to negative Radiant effects. Radiant abilities have an increased effect.
- Can sense the direction of nearby [Corrupted] targets.
- Increased damage against [Corrupted] targets.
- You are immune to becoming [Corrupted].
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Natural Talent: Zealous Avenger
- You can loot slain enemies with a touch. The quality of loot is increased if the target is slain with [Nemesis].
- You gain further insight into yourself and your enemies.
- Divine abilities have increased effect.
- You can mark a target that has been touched by your aura with [Nemesis].
- Nemesis (bane, tracking, divine): You can be tracked by the caster of this Bane. You take increased damage from Divine sources. Decreased resource regeneration.
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They were powerful effects that she was pleased to have strengthening her, but just because the threat of Corruption to her was no longer an issue, it was still a terrible risk to the rest of her friends. A risk that she wasn¡¯t willing to take without proper precautions, such as making sure she could teleport properly to the new Corruption-cleansing vessel far to the east. It would take her maybe five minutes by portal, hopping to Tulimeir first, then to where Presley would be waiting for her.
¡°I wish we had a bit more time to do some basic training with me at Sapphire now, so I ask your patience with me as I finish adjusting,¡± Dazien added as the last box of supplies was set into his [Armory] for transport.
¡°Oh, that reminds me,¡± Saiya interjected, giving Rayna a nudge with an elbow, ¡°We have a gift for you for reaching Sapphire.¡±
The bard grinned and reached into the pouch at her hip, pulling out a small box that reminded Phoenix of the ones Paul had given them when they had ascended to Sapphire themselves.
Dazien gave a crooked smile as he said, ¡°You didn¡¯t need to do that. I wasn¡¯t able to do that for either of you earlier.¡±
¡°It was a good deal,¡± Rayna waved off his concern, ¡°Meant to give it to you earlier, but I wanted to wrap it properly. It¡¯s more fun to unwrap a surprise,¡± the taller voxen added with a toothy grin.
The gemite chuckled and gently took the proffered gift and slowly, almost tauntingly, began to pull at the ribbon wrapped around the small box, and Rayna gave an exasperated huff, ¡°You are terrible at this. Don¡¯t make me rip it open for you.¡±
They all laughed, and Dazien took pity on the loot-loving bard, opening it to reveal a sparkling Spirit Gem with a little scrap of paper tied to a string wrapped around it and displaying the word ¡°Friendship.¡±
The Defender smiled at the twin voxen and said, ¡°It¡¯s perfect. Thank you, my friends.¡±
Dazien wasn¡¯t entirely sure about the new effects granted by the Spirit Gem, but he guessed it echoed the sentiments he had slowly been coming to terms with; that he couldn¡¯t completely defend his friends from harm by himself. Despite his desires, he wasn¡¯t a pure Defender Class. His powerset was more adaptable and focused more on tactics and commanding a battlefield. He needed to trust in his party¡¯s capabilities as much as his own, and his [Duelist] ability now pushed him to do exactly that.
Dropping off the supplies in Linnake had gone smoothly and was greatly appreciated by the residents there, who were happy to hear that the conflict with the Soul Reapers seemed to be over for the moment. They only needed to last a couple more months in the cramped conditions of the fortress.
King¡¯s Dream didn¡¯t stay long there, making their way down into the gorge that was located directly east of the town. It often became a nesting ground for various monsters that spawned in the area and spawned they had.
Dozens of monsters met them as the party slowly made their way south well into the night, slaughtering as they went. With three Sapphire Casters in their group, the Crystal Caste monsters were easily dispatched while the Sapphires made a decent challenge for all of them.
When they came across a pair of Sapphire Caste jalkainen, Dazien was able to properly test out his newest cultivated ability. Giving a brief formation command, he said, ¡°Rayna, evasion tank the left one while the others focus it down quickly. I¡¯ll keep the right one occupied on me.¡±
Then he opened up with the new controlling tactic, targeting Rayna to assist him and challenge both of them to grow their skills, ¡°A duel for honor!¡±
Ability: Duelist
Type: Spell (taunt, magical, covenant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (0%)
Crystal Effect: Challenge a target to single combat. You gain an instance of [Honor] for each attack against the target and inflict [Dishonor] on the target for any attacks they make against others.
Sapphire Effect: You can mark an enemy as [Second Challenger] and an ally as [King¡¯s Champion]. While you and a nearby ally have [Honor], you both gain [Comrade in Arms].
- Honor (boon, magical, covenant, stacking): Attacks made with melee weapons deal increased damage, and resistance to Spells is increased. Instances are slowly lost over time.
- Dishonor (bane, magical, covenant, stacking): Resistances to Magical effects and recovery are reduced. Instances are slowly lost over time.
- Second Challenger (bane, magical, covenant): Gain instances of [Dishonor] when attacking any target that is not [King¡¯s Champion].
- King¡¯s Champion (boon, magical, covenant): Gain instances of [Honor] when attacking a target with [Second Challenger].
- Comrade in Arms (boon, magical, covenant): Magic and Strength are increased. This Boon cannot be removed while instances of [Honor] remain.
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Jalkainen were long insect-like creatures with sectioned chitin plating and dozens of barbed legs along their length with two separate heads, one at each end of its body that was at least ten meters long.
It was a nasty creature of Earth and Corrosion ¨Cits bites and barbs often poisoned any prey¨C and fighting two at once wasn¡¯t a fun task, but he didn¡¯t believe it to be an impossible one for them either.
As he noticed Phoenix moving to assist with the other end of the monster he had taunted onto Rayna, he realized his mistake in communicating too late. He had planned on leaving Rayna to handle keeping the other¡¯s attention while Uriel and Phoenix attacked hers from afar, and Snowbelle flew overhead to assist.
His mistake was not explaining what this particular monster could do properly ¨Cor at all¨C to the Astromancer, who seemed dead set on trying to stab everything they came across. He knew what jalkainen could do because Uriel often regurgitated monster knowledge to him over the years together.
Now, however, he realized that he had become complacent in his explanations for Phoenix¡¯s sake. Since he had not needed to do them nearly as often anymore as they¡¯d run into most of the types of monsters that showed up on the tundra, he had completely forgotten to warn the Supporter not to get in close.
Dazien was about to call out the danger when the Wayfarer was caught by the quick-moving mouth pincers and yelped, ¡°Nope! I am not getting eaten again!¡±
22 - The Battle’s Never Over
As the party moved among the sharp rocks at the bottom of the icy gorge earlier, Phoenix felt the various auras of her friends encompass hers like ripples in a pond, one after the other, adding their effects to strengthen and protect one another. Dazien¡¯s aura had become stronger with his ascension and the new effects reminded her of Paul, always promising to avenge any that might harm her.
Passive Ability: Monarch¡¯s Dominion
Type: Aura (magical, covenant)
Current Caste: Sapphire 1
Crystal Effect: Allies within the aura gain increased resistance to Retribution effects.
Sapphire Effect: Enemies gain an instance of [Reparations] for each attack made while in the aura.
- Reparations (bane, retribution, magical, covenant, stacking): Inflicts ongoing low damage. Damage dealt is the same type as the triggering attack. Instances are lost quickly while not attacking.
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Rayna¡¯s aura, [Reverberate], on the other hand, was all about making them deal more damage and the enemy less. It was a steadying rhythm that oddly worked well with Saiya¡¯s more calming aura, [Soothing Soul], to keep them focused and in sync during the fight.
¡°Come on, Uriel,¡± Dazien whispered over their communication network, ¡°You¡¯ve got the earrings on and the Silencer off, but it doesn¡¯t matter much if you¡¯re not giving your all and challenging yourself. We¡¯ll be fine, so push that aura.¡±
The Mage didn¡¯t answer with words, but his aura washing over them showed his deference to his king¡¯s commands.
More often now, Phoenix was noticing how submissive the cinderen was towards others, and she found herself wondering why that was. She had often chosen submission when she knew she didn¡¯t have the power to stand up to others, but Uriel was one of the strongest mages she knew of at Crystal, and his aura spoke to that power.
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Passive Ability: Battlemage
Type: Aura
Current Caste: Crystal 8
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura deal increased damage with Spells and Spells that affect an area have increased range.
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That ability didn¡¯t fully explain the additional ability she knew he had that transfigured the aura to also slice apart anything caught within it but she had been too nervous to ask him to see that one.
The wash of aural sensory data and her book faithfully trailing behind her to feed more information into her all happened before her party leader had given his formation orders and engaged with the pair of giant two-headed centipedes that would serve as their next challenge.
As she targeted it with her new [Nemesis] Bane ¨Ccourtesy of Paul¡¯s shared talent¨C and maneuvered around the monsters, trying to get on the opposite side of the one Dazien had taunted onto Rayna with his [Duelist] ability, she realized that she still wasn¡¯t quite the match for Sapphire Caste speeds. It almost effortlessly snatched her in mid-air with those nasty mandibles as though she would make a lovely snack.
¡°Nope! I am not getting eaten again!¡± she yelled, bringing her dagger down on the nearest large beady eye and using her [Ruler of Relativity] to further push the dagger into the creature¡¯s skull and herself away from it.
¡°Phoenix, back off for now and stay at range,¡± Dazien mentally ordered as she dropped to the ground and he incanted aloud, taunting his target again, ¡°Bow before your king!¡±
While both heads turned to look at the Defender and attempt a weird bow, she pushed herself away from the enemy, incanting a farewell, ¡°Gaze into the abyss,¡± to cast her [Call of the Abyss] Bane, but the higher Caste monster was able to resist its effects, just as she feared.
Meanwhile, the bard seemed to be having a blast with her newly upgraded [Percussion Strike] ability that had bonded to the Focus Spirit Gem, consistently ramping up boons and damage that chipped away at the chitin armor of the monster.
Class Ability: Percussion Strike
Type: Special Attack (magical, song)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (1%)
Crystal Effect: Each consecutive strike against the same target inflicts Song damage and an instance of [Brittle].
Sapphire Effect: Each consecutive strike against the same target gives you an instance of [Focused].
- Brittle (bane, magical, song, stacking): Reduced Song resistance.
- Focused (boon, magical, song, stacking): You become more aware of your target, gaining increased chances of landing a critical strike and dealing an additional burst of Song damage. Instances are lost when changing targets.
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As Phoenix tried to put more space between her and the pair of Sapphire enemies, she stumbled and managed to catch herself against a large stalagmite made of ice. She hadn¡¯t stumbled like that in a while, becoming much better at controlling her movements as she increased her Caste level, but the sickening sensation she finally focused on clued her in that the stupid bug had managed to poison her with its pincers.
Her health was being devoured quickly, and she muttered the high-cost version of her heal to buy more time, ¡°As surely as the sun will rise again, I will see the dawn of tomorrow.¡± Then she mentally whispered to Saiya, ¡°I need a cleanse quickly.¡±
Phoenix managed to hear the incantation over the sounds of battle and the stream of magical water that not only managed to reach her but covered the others ¨Cmonsters included¨C as the Healer got the most from the spell.
¡°May the stream cleanse you,¡± the voxen said from somewhere Phoenix couldn¡¯t see as her vision became clouded. Then she heard Saiya¡¯s voice over the mental party chat, ¡°Don¡¯t get bitten. The Bane is Magical, I¡¯ll need to restore Phoenix to clear it.¡±
¡°Can you heal through it? At least till one is down?¡± Dazien asked while repeatedly stabbing his taunted target between the armor plating with his [Accelerating Strikes].
Phoenix understood the logic; Saiya¡¯s [Restored Foundation] took a longer time to set up, cast, and come off cooldown which meant both of them would be out of the fight for a chunk of time. Waiting until the threat was lessened before committing to that chunk of time was a tactical move in case others needed healing or got poisoned in the interim.
Unfortunately, with how much of her life was rapidly trickling away, Phoenix wasn¡¯t sure she had the time or mana to heal through it herself. The tingling sensation of numbing senses started suffusing her being, and as her health lowered, she felt her magically reinforced muscles get weaker. She tried making her way toward the Healer, relying on her bracelet for direction as the Bane finished making her magically blind.
Something roughly pulled her to the side, and she felt a stalagmite beside her shatter from some attack she couldn¡¯t sense. The minor papercuts slicing her along with the large hand that continued holding her upper arm was the first thing that clued her in that Uriel had come to retrieve her as he asked, ¡°Are you trying to get killed? Get back over to Saiya.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t see,¡± she managed to say aloud before switching to the easier mental form of speech, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll make it. It¡¯s dealing too much damage. What kind of insane poison does it have?¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
¡°A Sapphire Caste one that¡¯ll chew through our Fortitude. Neither of us has bonuses to that attribute, nor resistances to Corrosion ¨Cor whatever else that Bane on you has, apparently,¡± the Mage said as he dragged her towards the Healer, who she sensed with her aura but couldn¡¯t see.
She heard Uriel continue casting spells under his breath as they moved and met up with Saiya who seemed to be chain casting heals herself, ¡°Heal this life,¡± the voxen incanted, sending a projectile of [Heal Life] at her, which also granted an instance of [Life Regen] to continue healing over time before Saiya physically took her from Uriel¡¯s grasp.
¡°I¡¯ve got her. Focus on taking down Rayna¡¯s target,¡± the Healer told the Mage, then cast [Refreshed] on the Supporter, ¡°May your soul feel refreshed from life¡¯s demands. Now, when you feel your health getting too low again, cast that highest-cost version of your heal to help sustain my mana.¡±
Phoenix didn¡¯t argue. Hating the sense that she had definitely messed up and it resulted in her being more of a burden on the party than an asset to help take down this challenge. The spell Saiya had used had reset the cooldown of her healing spell, the ability taking on the cooldown for her and unusable on one of Saiya¡¯s own heals.
It was shortly after she cast that severe cost of [Dawn Rises] that she heard the echoing sound of a gong, and her aura sensed the disappearance of one of the jalkainen. Her own looting talent, [Collector], triggered, and she felt two stacks of the new Boon from Dazien¡¯s looting ability trigger, which felt wasted on her.
Passive Ability: Tribute
Type: Utility (magical, covenant)
Current Caste: Sapphire 1
Crystal Effect: Allies with [Subject] gain a brand that allows them to loot slain enemies with a touch. You gain additional loot from enemies looted by allies with [Subject]. Loot goes directly into your dimensional storage.
Sapphire Effect: When you or a [Subject] slay or loot an enemy, both gain an instance of [Rightful Plunder].
- Rightful Plunder (boon, magical, covenant, stacking): Gain a moderate amount of stamina and mana over a short duration.
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Phoenix knew it was only a matter of time before the other would follow and she felt lucky that they had managed to hold off in time. Then Saiya told her to, ¡°Hold still,¡± while the Healer created the delineation for the zone spell that could cleanse the Magical Bane on her.
Once the voxen finished chanting, ¡°Let the foundations be restored to the pinnacle of their existence,¡± Phoenix felt the life magic infuse her being and wash away the Banes that had threatened to take her further away from her goal of Ruby.
She let out a ragged sigh as her vision returned and she could see Saiya standing nearby with a conjured lute in hand from her upgraded Song passive ability.
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Passive Ability: Accompanion
Type: Utility (construct, magical, arcane)
Current Caste: Sapphire 1
Crystal Effect: Can construct a musical instrument of your own design.
Sapphire Effect: Constructed instruments can serve as a medium for Spells, enhancing their effects and costing less mana.
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Then Phoenix whispered quietly to the Healer, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know I was less than useless during that.¡±
¡°The battle¡¯s not over yet,¡± Saiya replied, turning back to the others still fighting the remaining monster, ¡°Help the others once this is finished.¡±
It was only about a half minute later when she felt fully restored and rejoined the battle, this time staying next to Uriel and focusing on her ranged abilities. Casting [Call of the Abyss] again was successful that time, and the illusion of a swarm of birds from her [Lunar Dream] helped distract and confuse the creature as one of the heads tried to attack them.
Tala also took more of a direct approach by staying just out of melee range and breathing [Star Fire] all over the monster. While the Crystal Caste attack didn¡¯t do a lot, being mostly resisted, it was still better than nothing she had accomplished during that first half of the fight.
Her [Meteor Shower] was still on its long cooldown from having used it earlier to open up on a swarm of arachnicles ¨Cthe spindly icy spiders creeping her out. With nothing else left for ranged options, she resorted to conjuring her dagger and launching it like a projectile at the monster. She had used the tactic before in more desperate moments, but her aim wasn¡¯t fantastic with it from a distance, and the cost of reconjuring the construct was worse than launching it in the first place.
Right now, though, she didn¡¯t have anything better to spend her mana on, so she went full rotary canon until the monster stopped moving and began turning into Sapphire ash from being looted ¨Cthe [Rightful Plunder] Boons helping both her and Dazien recover from the fight.
As Rayna and Dazien moved to regroup with the three that kept their distance, the party leader double-checked, ¡°I¡¯m not picking up any more distress signals from my [Subjects], so everyone¡¯s okay?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± Saiya responded, ¡°I used my [Restored Foundation], but nobody else needs it for now. Should we call it a day and get some rest? We¡¯ve already been clearing the gorge for most of the night.¡±
The Defender glanced up at the sky, the crimson moon already disappearing from view, and he nodded, ¡°Yeah, sounds good. Phoenix, make note of this location and we¡¯ll portal back around midday to pick up where we left off.¡±
She nodded, looking around the area to quickly memorize it and let the aural imprint settle, and asked, ¡°Are we going back home for the night or camping out?¡±
¡°Actually, I think it might be better to bunk back at Linnake,¡± the gemite said thoughtfully, ¡°We saw that the standing guard was called back to participate in the war and these new patrols. I think they¡¯ll appreciate us being available in case of an emergency, even if we¡¯re there to sleep.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a great idea,¡± Saiya agreed, her three tails wagging slightly, ¡°It¡¯s always good to boost morale where and when we can.¡±
Nobody seemed to object to the idea, so Phoenix made the first portal, letting Saiya and Dazien go through first, as she usually did, before following five minutes later with Rayna and Uriel. She couldn¡¯t wait to hit Sapphire just so she could portal everyone in a single go again, though at least now she could safely do two Sapphires at once since her [Transversing the Stars] ability hit the cap of Crystal 10.
The party leader managed to find them a roof to camp out on instead of bothering with taking a room, Uriel¡¯s [Fortress of Solitude] offering the beds they needed along with the bonuses to meditation that they took advantage of before turning in to sleep.
Phoenix had trouble settling into her meditative trance, her mind constantly wandering back to the last fight and trying to figure out what she had been thinking, rushing in like that. When she finally decided to give up on meditation and stood up, Dazien called out to her, ¡°Hey, Princess, mind going for a walk to do some extra aura training with me?¡±
She nodded despite not fully feeling up to it, but the weird tone in his voice made her feel like it wasn¡¯t just some aura training he wanted to do. She was almost positive the leader was going to chew her out for almost dying again, but maybe that was her own guilt making her paranoid.
As they made their way down to the street level, they were already poking and prodding each other¡¯s auras like a liquid game of tag, trying to push through the other while keeping them out at the same time. She always won.
¡°You doing okay?¡± Dazien finally asked, breaking the silence between them that never seemed to survive in the gemite¡¯s presence, ¡°You¡¯ve been pretty quiet since the fight.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t have the insatiable need to talk like you do,¡± she retorted.
He simply raised an eyebrow at her, falling silent in response as they continued walking down the fairly empty street that was slowly being lit by the dawn.
¡°Sorry,¡± she said, ¡°That was mean of me¡ I just¨C¡± her fists clenched at her sides, ¡°I hated being so useless.¡±
¡°You weren¡¯t useless,¡± he countered, ¡°I should have told you to keep your distance to start with. The fault is mine, and I¡¯m sorry you paid for it.¡±
She blinked at him, confusion filling her mind as she replayed the whole fight again, ¡°But I rushed in¨C¡±
Dazien laughed, ¡°You always rush in. I should have warned you. Uriel knew those monsters, as always, which is why I knew of them, but I forgot that it was the first time for you to run into them. I should have had Uriel brief everyone instead of assuming you all knew what I did.¡±
¡°I should have asked,¡± she interjected, ¡°Should have said I didn¡¯t know what they were. Shouldn¡¯t have run in when I didn¡¯t know what to expect. I¡¯ve been replaying it in my head and can¡¯t figure out why I did that.¡±
The Defender chuckled again, ¡°I think we¡¯ve gotten a bit complacent; both to blame for not communicating like we should. Mistakes are what happens when we fall into that familiar rhythm without checking in with one another. I¡¯m just glad nobody died from it.¡±
¡°I guess no matter what we¡¯re fighting, I need to communicate better just in case there¡¯s something I¡¯m forgetting.¡±
¡°That¡¯s something we could all do better at, I think. Like I said, the failing isn¡¯t just with one person. We¡¯re a party and rely on each other not just to do our roles but to help support one another when we falter. If you make a mistake because you weren¡¯t fully informed, it¡¯s less a mistake and more an inevitability.¡±
¡°So, how do I fix it?¡±
¡°We fix it together,¡± he corrected with a smirk, prodding at her aura for emphasis, ¡°We¡¯ll adjust our tactics more. It¡¯ll be easy enough to add in a signal before a fight for everyone to indicate they¡¯re fully aware of what a monster is capable of or maybe need a refresher. I don¡¯t want to see something like that happen again.¡±
¡°I¡¯m just glad the battle¡¯s over,¡± she muttered, ¡°Feeling completely useless for over half the fight is terrible.¡±
¡°The battle¡¯s never over for an Adventurer,¡± her party leader said with a sad smile, ¡°There¡¯s always another fight, another monster. We all make mistakes and stumble but that doesn¡¯t mean we stop fighting or stop adapting. Besides, mistakes like this help us grow, too. We learn from them and keep moving forward.¡±
Phoenix let the silence fall again while she thought about that. It did make her feel better about everything and she gave the gemite a suspicious look as she asked, ¡°Were you getting private lessons from Paul on how to lecture me?¡±
Dazien burst out laughing, ¡°I wish. He did that to you, too?¡±
The Wayfarer smiled at the memories, ¡°Yeah. I swear he practiced beforehand or something.¡±
He returned her smile as he said, ¡°Just think of the lecture we¡¯re in store for once he wakes up. He¡¯ll have all this time to come up with a masterpiece of verbal exposition meant to strip us of any ego we might dare to build.¡±
She chuckled, shaking her head at the mental picture, ¡°Should be epic. I can¡¯t wait.¡±
23 - The Amazing Cook
Patricia Wayland was exhausted to the extreme despite getting her full three hours of sleep every other day. She had been strained even before losing her brother to the strange curse that came with his deviated Talent that Everin explained to her and that she confirmed with a Knowledge Tablet and Identification Orb from the family vault. It was one of the oldest items her family had passed down through the generations and was one of the first ones ever created.
She really needed to get a new set for herself, however. The newer models were smaller, lighter, and gave better readouts while also being able to store much more data. It also wouldn¡¯t be a priceless artifact that she was terrified of breaking somehow every time she used it.
Hopefully, with air transport opening up potential new trading partners, they could get more of that scarce item imported to the area.
Silver linings to every tragedy, she thought bitterly.
¡°Auntie Pati go home now?¡± a tiny red-headed toddler asked, looking up at her over the desk she had commandeered in one of the offices of the alien ship.
She gave a tired smile to the latest and oddest addition to her seemingly ever-expanding family, ¡°Soon. Just finishing writing my thoughts down. I¡¯m still not sure what to make of the knowledge that the Soul Reapers made a point to Cage Corrupted monsters in an effort to prevent the spread. Why use the Corrupted Seeds, if they didn¡¯t want Corruption spreading?¡±
¡°Can¡¯t move or harvest Reality Seeds without corrupting,¡± the toddler answered knowingly, ¡°Don¡¯t know how to cleanse those yet.¡±
That wasn¡¯t exactly good news for her to hear but she finished writing and set her pen down to focus on the toddler and ask, ¡°How are you doing, Presley?¡±
¡°Good. Want to see Mama again,¡± the child responded with a grin.
The noble priestess chuckled, ¡°She¡¯ll be checking in tomorrow, remember?¡±
¡°Always remember.¡±
Patricia nodded, knowing the statement wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. Despite having the mannerisms of a toddler, the vessel had been growing quickly over the last week, looking more like a three-year-old rather than two, and anything they learned was always recalled perfectly.
¡°I might not be back for a few days as I need to sleep for a long time,¡± she informed the child, ¡°I¡¯m certain you¡¯ll cooperate with Lord Teras while I¡¯m gone though, right?¡±
¡°Auntie Pati going to ascend,¡± Presley stated with a knowing nod.
She gave them a curious look and asked, ¡°How do you know that?¡±
¡°Aura record,¡± the toddler answered, ¡°Can sense name, Caste, aura¡¯s abilities, and titles.¡±
¡°Oh? Is that so?¡±
¡°Auntie Pati is at Sapphire 9.99. Long sleep means ascending, yes?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right¡¡± she said, her mind spinning ideas of how to best use this new source of information and she asked, ¡°Presley, can you get me a copy of all the aura records you have?¡±
The toddler nodded but frowned and said, ¡°Yes, but not sure of the best method to transfer the data.¡±
¡°What¡¯s wrong with printing it out on paper like you¡¯ve done for everything else?¡±
¡°Not enough paper.¡±
She paused, raising a brow as she clarified, ¡°How many records do you have?¡±
¡°Over eleven trillion.¡±
Patricia¡¯s jaw dropped open in surprise.
She had heard the rumors that the Soul Reapers conquered worlds but the fact that they had not only come across but took the time to record that many auras was mind-boggling.
¡°How about just the people from this area?¡± she asked in an effort to narrow down the list to something more relevant to her.
Presley nodded happily and ran over to a wall that started spitting out paper with clean letters lasered into the sheets. No ink was required and she loved it. So much more convenient than handwriting with a quill.
The toddler brought over the first page excitedly and explained, ¡°Most important people first.¡±
She smiled as, unsurprisingly, Phoenix was listed at the top. The next few weren¡¯t too surprising either except for her place at tenth, ¡°How am I after Everin?!¡±
¡°Uncle Everin brings candy,¡± the child said with a wide grin.
¡°That sneaky bas¨C¡± she cut herself off as she looked down at the vessel that could apparently be bribed, ¡°If you promise not to share any information about Phoenix and her party ¨Cor any of her family and friends¨C with anyone else outside of that group, then I¡¯ll bring you a whole cake when I get back, okay?¡±
¡°Chocolate?¡± big blue eyes pleaded.
¡°Of course,¡± she replied, ¡°How else am I going to beat those foxes as best aunt?¡±
¡°Yaaay!¡± Presley squealed, running back to grab more paper.
Patricia shook her head in amusement before focusing back on actually reading the contents of the list in her hand rather than skimming the names and paused when she got to the sixth name on the list: Uriel Karislian.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.
¡°What in the abyss?¡± she said to herself as she zeroed in on the only thing she hadn¡¯t been aware of or could have possibly guessed at, ¡°What kind of insane Title is this?¡±
Padma Wayland was excited about ascending to Sapphire despite the horror that had been her eventual cousin¡¯s own ascension. Dazien¡¯s species was something she didn¡¯t think she would ever envy again, no matter how much it might help get her crush¡¯s attention.
Thinking of her crush¡ she grinned widely as Uriel entered the ritual room behind Phoenix and Dazien. The tall, dark, and handsome man, who seemed quietly intimidating at first but she knew to be a shy ball of fluff under all that mystery, had definitely made her realize she had a type.
Padma thought she was going to die of both happiness and dread when she learned Uriel would be living in her home with the rest of her cousin¡¯s party. She would need to be extra considerate of her appearance when going around the house, not wanting her breakfast bedhead to make her seem like a slob.
Right now, she felt confident in her simple clothing of the Sliksilk they preferred to wear for ascending and her freshly done braids in large rows across her scalp and down her back with elegant blue beads on the end for extra flair that matched her markings and eyes.
Padma practically skipped over to the party and said happily, ¡°You made it! I wasn¡¯t sure you could make the time.¡±
¡°We can make time for family,¡± Phoenix replied with a grin, ¡°I¡¯m just glad we decided to check in every day just to see if there was news for us before going on our monster hunts.¡±
¡°Your portal makes that much easier,¡± Dazien agreed before asking her, ¡°Speaking of portals, how are things working out with Camrin Ruwena?¡±
¡°That¡¯s officially Camrin Wayland now,¡± Padma corrected, ¡°He¡¯s been helping Mom with getting to and from that alien tree every other day, but Cousin Pavel agreed to take him in along with two of the younger ones that showed some promise. Cousin Pansy agreed to take the rest.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve met them yet,¡± the Wayfarer said in embarrassment.
¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. They¡¯re our grandparents¡¯ generation and aren¡¯t here often. Even during the blood moon, they¡¯ve mostly been working. Pansy is an animal handler dealing with a bunch of angry avals that are currently hating being cramped together for so long and Pavel actually works as an alchemist. Both are usually at the Cultivator¡¯s Citadel with Mom and have been super overworked lately.¡±
¡°Feels like that¡¯s everyone right now,¡± Dazien said with a sigh as they all made their way across the room to find a place to sit.
Padma tugged on Uriel¡¯s sleeve to get his attention while also getting the added bonus of contact as she gathered her courage and asked, ¡°I wanted to ask if you could make that awesome aplet tart again once I wake up? I really enjoyed it and, um, would love it if you could maybe teach me to make it?¡±
She fought to keep her tone light and even and her warm brown skin from flushing in embarrassment as she watched his response carefully. Uriel seemed surprised, and as he glanced towards Dazien, she caught the amused expression on the Defender¡¯s face.
Had she assumed wrong about the gemite being okay with sharing? She had read a brief excerpt saying all gemites had open relationships and never got serious or settled down with anyone¡ though¡ it also said that all Felions were naked savages and the Sirens ate their young, so maybe she couldn¡¯t believe everything she read in some random book¡
¡°Unless you two are busy,¡± she added quickly, gesturing between the two men, ¡°I know you like spending most of your time together, and I wouldn¡¯t want to come between you.¡±
Dazien chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell Uriel who he can¡ teach to cook or not.¡±
¡°He taught me to cook,¡± Phoenix interjected with a grin, ¡°He¡¯s amazing at it.¡±
Padma wasn¡¯t entirely sure how to respond to that and breathed a small sigh of relief as Dazien hooked an arm around the redhead¡¯s neck and said, ¡°Come along, sweet flower, let¡¯s go have a chat about what an innuendo is.¡±
She felt the blush creep past her control as she looked back towards Uriel, who was smiling after the other two in a way that made her heart ache. It was obvious how much he cared about the charismatic man and she wondered if she even had a chance at catching his interest as well.
¡°So¡ with that innuendo ruined¡ are you interested?¡± she asked hopefully.
Uriel¡¯s smile dimmed slightly but didn¡¯t disappear as he said, ¡°I¡¯d love to teach you the recipe, but I¡¯m not really sure what¨C¡±
¡°Padma!¡± her mother¡¯s voice rang out across the room, and she turned to see the woman staring at her from the doorway.
¡°Oh, um,¡± she glanced back to Uriel and said, ¡°I gotta go talk to her, but we can chat more later when you teach me that recipe.¡±
He smiled and nodded, then moved to follow after his party members. With his polite words, Padma wondered if she had read the man wrong earlier. It looked like she had been right about Dazien being in an open relationship with him, but maybe Uriel only leaned towards guys or gemites? She wanted to find out exactly what he was interested in.
Padma made her way over to Patricia and asked, ¡°You ready to ascend with me, Mom? Pretty sweet timing to do this together.¡±
¡°What were you talking to him about?¡± The priestess asked, her eyes never leaving the Cataclysm Mage.
¡°Uriel?¡± she asked as though clarifying, but she said it an octave too high, which made it obvious she was stalling for time, ¡°Um, I was just asking him to teach me to cook that aplet tart once I wake up¡¡±
Her mother¡¯s eyes narrowed at her, ¡°You hate cooking.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t hate it,¡± she countered, refusing to make eye contact. She was terrible at bluffing this woman and swore the priestess had some kind of mind-reading power.
¡°You swore that you would marry a cook someday just so you would never have to,¡± Patricia said flatly, arms crossing in silent disapproval.
She gave a little sigh at the reminder as she glanced back at Uriel and said wistfully, ¡°He is an amazing cook too, isn¡¯t he?¡±
¡°Stay away from him, Padma,¡± her mom said sharply which caught her by surprise. Her mom rarely gave her an order like that at her age. She was old enough to marry already at twenty and while her family might prefer an advantageous political match, they wouldn¡¯t force her into anything.
¡°I don¡¯t understand. Dazien is going to be my cousin, and you don¡¯t tell him to stay away.¡±
¡°Dazien is not my son, and I have yet to speak with him on the state of the adoption,¡± Patricia retorted, then seemed to force herself to relax as she clarified, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t explain more at the moment, but I only have partial information, and you know how I feel about that.¡±
¡°Half the pieces means the puzzle can¡¯t be solved, and any move could be the wrong one,¡± she quoted the often said phrase, usually when she tried to give half-answers in order to get her way without being caught in a lie.
¡°Exactly,¡± her mom replied with a tired smile, ¡°Now let¡¯s ascend and get some much-needed rest¡ where did those paw prints come from?¡±
Padma glanced to the floor where her mom was looking and saw tiny red prints making their way from the door toward Uriel. She rolled her eyes at the sight of the black cat wearing a silky blue ribbon around her neck in his lap and groaned, ¡°Bliss. I told her she was welcome to come since she¡¯s been hanging out with everyone so much lately. Especially Fen. Should have known she¡¯d go straight for the amazing cook.¡±
¡°Please tell me that¡¯s not blood,¡± Patricia interjected, ¡°I warned her that the next time she tracked that in or brought us a carcass, she¡¯d only be allowed on the roof.¡±
She bent down and touched a paw print, surprised but relieved by the texture, and smiled as she sniffed to verify, ¡°Ruebean jam. Looks like someone was spoiled in the kitchen again.¡±
¡°If she ate the whole pie again, I swear I¡¯m going to murder that cat.¡±
24 - Working in the Shadows
Knight Veldrix Thevaris pulled the hood of their cloak further down over their head, better hiding their sparkling red hair, as they approached the enormous city walls of Tulimeir. They were impressive for the zone normally being so much lower than the magic required to sustain the enchantments and weapons on them. The only reason Veldrix knew it was possible was for the Reality Rift powering them.
The knight had begun reading up on the city more when the scandal with House Ruwena first reached Blomstra, and Veldrix learned their services would be called upon. They didn¡¯t need to know why they were executing someone but it helped them on a more personal level to at least understand the situation.
Most of the Tulim tundra was unremarkable. With a majority of mining and fishing operations, along with some smaller logging in their southern section, and the lower Caste Mana Bit farms comprising their exports. The capital city was the most notable point of interest with its carefully planned foundation, leverage of steam magitech, and total control over its Rift to allow it to function beyond its means.
As Veldrix reached the guards at the door, the gemite merely displayed the ruby-colored insignia of the Royal Knights of Blomsterang to be granted passage. Not bothering to ask for directions, Veldrix began heading towards the center of the city where it was well known the ducal palace towered over all.
They kept their aura held tight to keep any passing Casters from sensing their presence and instead relied on their other senses to gather information as they made their way through the city of steam and glass. It was a far cry from the scenery within Blomstra of stucco walls and pastel fabrics adorning windows and doorways.
Despite having been ordered to come here in response to the invasion of Soul Reapers, the people didn¡¯t currently seem to be in the mindset of one under siege. Either the threat had been under-reported or taken care of. Veldrix wasn¡¯t sure which they would prefer being the case as both made it feel like their presence was uncalled for. At least it would be a nice vacation away from the suffocating halls of the royal palace and its denizens.
The whispered words among the people were confusing, though. Words of Wayland¡¯s victory and defeat were conflicting in nature and seemed to assume some common knowledge by this point that Veldrix was missing. There were also the even more concerning whispers of an Obsidian Caster having taken up residence within that particular noble House and Veldrix had heard nothing regarding that before arriving.
The speed of communication was once more proving to be an especially painful shortcoming in their world during this unprecedented time. While mostly inconvenient during previous years and only month-long blood moons, this time, it was leading to more wasted resources and loss of lives in responding to attacks and larger threats.
Veldrix glanced skyward to see the top of the massive skyscraper that was the ducal palace they had finally reached, hoping for a better summary of the events leading up to the current situation they were arriving in and getting a more accurate picture than the rumors painted. Being unsure if their presence was even required was not a feeling they were accustomed to after a handful of centuries of being a Caster.
The knight wasn¡¯t physically stopped by anyone, though they did show their insignia quite often. It¡¯s not like these Sapphire Caste guards could stop Veldrix from getting where they wanted, but the knight approved of at least asking questions. While the guards didn¡¯t have the power to overcome the knight, they could warn the duke to escape, which might have been enough of a head start, but they doubted it.
Veldrix didn¡¯t even need to knock as a steward moved quickly ahead of them to announce their arrival to the cinderen man sitting at a desk furiously writing on a sheet of paper. The duke glanced up in annoyance at first, but when the man heard ¡°Knight Thevaris,¡± he quickly dropped the pen and stood.
Duke Tul didn¡¯t bow ¨Che was of higher station technically, after all¨C but the Caste difference between the two of them demanded respect, which the cinderen gave them with a nod and palm over the heart as he greeted, ¡°Welcome to Tulim, Knight Thevaris. I have been expecting the arrival of a Ruby Caster from the nation¡¯s capital but was not expecting someone of your position.¡±
The gemite nodded and did give a respectful bow in return as they said, ¡°I requested the assignment; though, it appears I may have arrived too late to be of assistance.¡±
¡°Quite the contrary,¡± Victor Tul replied, gesturing to the seats in front of the man¡¯s desk, ¡°Please sit, and I can apprise you of the situation. I was actually hoping to request even more Emerald and Ruby Casters from the other duchies and cities.¡±
Veldrix raised an eyebrow at that before taking a seat and asking, ¡°The Soul Reapers are still that large of a threat?¡±
¡°While I wouldn¡¯t be terribly surprised if they tried attacking again, I believe we have that handled with Paladin Kara Fairweather acting as a champion for House Wayland¡¯s Regent,¡± the duke explained, retaking his own seat.
The Ruby Caster wasn¡¯t exactly pleased to hear that one of the more combat-oriented Obsidian Casters that was known for her collateral damage had taken up residence in the nation, but the more confusing rumors the knight had heard along the way made them ask, ¡°Regent? Lord Wayland lives, then? I had heard conflicting rumors on my way here.¡±
¡°Perhaps I should start from the very beginning¡ When Lord Wayland first arrived in Tulimeir with his Wayfarer Prot¨¦g¨¦, who is now the Regent.¡±
Veldrix was surprised by the mention of a Wayfarer, understanding how rare and often nation-changing they could be, and leaned back further in the chair as they gestured for the duke to continue, ¡°Well, you have my undivided attention now.¡±
Veldrix frowned as they were currently looking over an illusory map of the tundra while Duke Victor Tul was trying to explain the status of the odd alien ship currently in the care of House Wayland and the Church of the Parent.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
The last few hours of explanations had been both enlightening and terrifying for so many different reasons that Veldrix wasn¡¯t even sure they could adequately list out their increasing list of concerns. How such a backwater place was becoming the epicenter of world-altering events was beyond anything the gemite had experienced in their lifetime.
At least this trip won¡¯t be boring, they thought.
The explanation about the cleansing tree vessel felt only half-understood by the cinderen at the moment, and Veldrix already knew they wanted to visit the location theirself to see and feel the magic there. If it truly would be the type of future sanctuary the Sacred Grove offered the other continent, then it would be vital for the entire monarchy¡¯s relationship with the rest of Pyrin.
Those thoughts were interrupted, however, by a trio of new visitors for the duke who had not been expecting to find the Royal Knight already in attendance. The Sapphire Caste Director of the AOA, who felt close to ascending soon, wasn¡¯t all that notable of a presence, but the Emerald Caste Avatar of two major goddesses and the Obsidian champion definitely caught the knight¡¯s attention.
Veldrix respectfully bowed to the trio anyway, as a knight should with first impressions, but the Obsidian Caster surprised them by getting very up close with them, circling and flicking those nine tails around, running a clawed hand through their sparkling hair, even sniffing at the air before grinning at the knight and saying, ¡°Running away? Tired of being a toy or tired of executing people?¡±
The knight grinned back at the disrespectful Caster and replied, ¡°The heads just start to blur together after so many fall to the ground or to their knees. I asked for a change of scenery and was sent to the frozen north.¡±
Kara laughed, ¡°Must have really pissed someone important off.¡±
¡°A knight knows better than to say.¡±
¡°And that alone says a lot on its own.¡±
¡°What about you, Paladin Fairweather? Did you anger your goddess to get sent here to play guard to a Crystal Caster?¡±
¡°If you know that much, then I know you¡¯re aware she¡¯s more than that. Her importance aside, I was one of the closest champions capable of handling the situation. Time was a matter of importance, though it seems your Queen didn¡¯t think so with how late you¡¯ve arrived.¡±
Veldrix frowned at that, slightly confused by the statement as they explained, ¡°I left Blomstra a mere two days ago, the morning after I was informed of the order.¡±
Duke Tul¡¯s aura flared in anger at that and everyone turned to look at the man who growled out, ¡°We asked for assistance over three weeks ago. Even with the travel time for our Sapphire messenger, if you had been given the order immediately, you would have arrived before Paladin Kara.¡±
The knight realized their mistake in admitting their timeline to the duke. The queen would likely keep them here longer as ¡°punishment,¡± but since arriving in the city, Veldrix¡¯s opinion had completely flipped around on how uninteresting this assignment might end up being.
Apparently, if they wanted to avoid being bored, they just needed to find the nearest Wayfarer. Perhaps they shouldn¡¯t have been so eager to leave home to become a knight, after all.
Veldrix attempted to change the subject before they gained more ire from the inflamed noble, ¡°What brings you three to see the duke? I know my arrival wasn¡¯t exactly planned.¡±
¡°Ah, right,¡± the director said, moving forward towards the map, gesturing to the northern point of Tulimeir, and saying, ¡°We had another sabotaged alarm of the port district that resulted in a monster spawning without alerting the AOA for response or the locals to evacuate.¡±
Duke Tul seemed to tense again and asked gravely, ¡°How many casualties this time?¡±
¡°None,¡± Kara interjected with a grin, ¡°I happened to be in town and heard the screams.¡±
The duke let out a sigh of relief, but Veldrix interrupted to ask, ¡°Did you say this happened before?¡±
¡°First time I heard of it,¡± the golden voxen replied, turning to look at the rainbow variant.
¡°Paul and I were helping with the AOA investigation after a Sapphire spawn destroyed a decent chunk of the temple district,¡± Everin explained, ¡°We had a suspect that wouldn¡¯t talk, and so was passed along to the ducal guards, but then the Soul Reapers arrived, and that became the priority.¡±
Veldrix raised a brow at the Avatar¡¯s use of the Lord Paladin¡¯s first name and asked, ¡°It sounds like you were close to Lord Wayland. Even becoming an Avatar to save his life, if the report I was given is accurate. Not many people would be willing to take that risk for a man they only occasionally work with.¡±
The Emerald Caster grinned and simply said, ¡°He was important to my goddess¡¯ Chosen.¡±
¡°I admit I find it¡ intriguing that so many deities and powerful people seem to bend around this Crystal Caster, even if she is a Wayfarer. I know another Wayfarer quite well, and he was not nearly as divinely invested in,¡± the knight said thoughtfully.
¡°Phoenix is a bit special,¡± Kara admitted, ¡°You would do well to remember exactly how many deities seem to be invested in her success.¡±
Veldrix glanced towards the Obsidian Caster, who might as well have been holding a sign over the Wayfarer saying ¡°Touch her and die,¡± and nodded in understanding at the thinly veiled threat.
¡°Just curiosity, but I don¡¯t get paid enough to dig that deeply into her,¡± the knight said placatingly, ¡°So you had a suspect for this alarm sabotaging, but it happened again, which means you either have the wrong person or there¡¯s a group.¡±
Another glance at the furry explosion of colors, and they clarified, ¡°And I¡¯m guessing the Scholar isn¡¯t giving any hints on this one. Which means other gods are probably involved, and at this scale, I doubt it¡¯s just the Confidant not liking the secret slipping.¡±
¡°We don¡¯t know, but that¡¯s not a terrible assumption,¡± Director Agatha confirmed.
¡°And is it safe to assume you¡¯re already working on the other side of the problem with preventing this without knowing the perpetrator?¡±
Duke Tul nodded and gestured toward the door, ¡°Let me show you all what Lord Teras has been working on with the other Magi.¡±
Veldrix was quick to pull up their hood once more in preparation to go back out into the public, and the Obsidian Paladin looked at them quizzically as she asked, ¡°You prefer working in the shadows? Never showing that pretty face?¡±
The shiny gemite gave a mocking grin and a half-truth, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to cause a panic among the populace. The Pyre Executioner, with hair as bloody as their blade, tends to stand out in a crowd. Especially in a city like this one that leans towards the xenophobic end.¡±
¡°We have an International District,¡± Duke Tul interjected, ¡°All are welcome within our city¡¯s walls.¡±
Veldrix looked from the duke then towards the two voxen and asked, ¡°Is he joking?¡±
¡°I wish,¡± Everin said with a sigh, ¡°But sticking everyone else all together in a single section is at least better than the last place I came from. If you managed to get past their borders ¨Cin either direction¨C they just killed you for it.¡±
¡°What in the abyss? What nation would do that?¡± the AOA director asked in shock.
The Avatar and Paladin glanced toward one another, sharing knowing looks and unspoken words that piqued Veldrix¡¯s interest, and Everin answered solemnly, ¡°One that needs a hero to liberate it.¡±
25 - Lost
¡°Again,¡± Paul would say as Phoenix completed the complex form for wielding two daggers against an invisible opponent during their morning training exercises in the room they normally used at their shared home.
Paul wasn¡¯t here, though.
The memories of his voice and assessing gaze were, however, and Phoenix paused her movements to stare at the empty spot that her mentor should have been occupying. In that moment, the loss of time with the man felt like a weight trying to crush any sense of hope or purpose she might have dared to feel.
Standing alone in the training room, Phoenix felt more lost than she had since before arriving in this world. It was early still, her nightmares startling her awake and not allowing her a full five hours of sleep once more.
The rest of her party would arrive shortly to do a bit of training before actually taking a day of rest after the last two weeks of endless monster hunting in the west. It had felt like a constant stream of activity between hunting, exploring more of the alien vessel, and checking in on things at the estate every day.
Padma had awoken a few days ago after her ascension and seemed thrilled to have Uriel teach her how to make an aplet tart, despite Dazien having told Phoenix it was some kind of romantic innuendo. She didn¡¯t see how it could be something like that, but even if it was, Dazien seemed to believe Uriel wasn¡¯t interested for reasons he wouldn¡¯t explain to her.
She could admit that was all a bit beyond her understanding or concerns at the moment. Her focus was on getting stronger as fast as possible and getting her dad back. The silence was a deafening reminder that it would be a long time before her mentor would fill the void with his simple words of both correction and encouragement.
As she stood there in the empty room, the world seemed to simply stop and time had no meaning aside from the measurement of her thoughts filled with memories and regrets.
Death had always been an ever-present companion in her life, it felt like, having claimed so many around her but never herself, and despite Paul still living, it felt much the same when he was absent and far beyond her reach.
She found herself wondering, not for the first time, why she was granted life while others were not. Since the day she was born ¨Cthe same day of her first death, she had later realized¨C she had never been the one to be embraced by the particular deity that ruled over the concept of death or an afterlife. While those around her fell and their souls moved on, she remained.
It struck her in that quiet lonely moment that she would always remain. Unless she chose to use the slight twenty-four-hour window after reviving, she would always escape the Undertaker¡¯s grasp and would stay in the world of the living forever.
Her wandering mind wondered if she would continue aging as well or had that stopped when she became a Wayfarer? She thought she was growing still but maybe that was just some wishful thinking.
Phoenix made a mental note to ask Patricia about that, then contemplated if she could actually handle being immortal. Even if she hadn¡¯t stopped aging, the process of reviving seemed to restore her body completely, potentially reversing any negative effects that might come from old age. If this were true, then she would live eternally while everyone else she knew and loved would pass on and leave her behind. Unless they became Obsidian Caste, her friends, family, maybe spouse, and even her children would all die one day while she remained.
The weight of loneliness pressed down even harder on her at this revelation, and she found herself sitting down on the canvas mat of the training arena. She bent forward with her head against her knees as she struggled to control her breathing.
A warm hand rested on her shoulder and she only noticed his presence at the touch and words his low reassuring voice spoke, ¡°I¡¯m here for you, Phoenix. What do you need?¡±
She looked up into Uriel¡¯s emberlit eyes and let out a shaky breath as she tried to smile and he interrupted before she could say something, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that for me.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Smile,¡± he replied to her confusion, ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself to be happy when you don¡¯t want to be. It won¡¯t make me or you feel better. You deserve to feel things, too, even if it¡¯s sadness.¡±
The Mage gave a small smile as he said, ¡°That was the goal with removing my earrings, right? Trust me when I say even sorrow can be worth it¡ at least once in a while.¡±
Phoenix rocked forward and hugged the cinderen, basking in the warmth and comfort as he returned the gesture, rubbing her back as she sniffled without breaking down completely into a sob as she muttered, ¡°I miss Paul. I¡¯m sorry, I was just¨C¡±
¡°I don¡¯t need an explanation either,¡± he whispered in her ear, ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize. I just want to help. I don¡¯t need to know why you need it.¡±
Comforting silence fell between them and despite it being just as quiet as it had been only a few minutes earlier, she didn¡¯t feel that suffocating weight anymore ¨Cher friend easily lifting it from her shoulders as he steadied her breathing and racing heart. His warm stormy scent relaxed her nerves causing the tension to melt away.
¡°You know¡¡± she said once she finally risked falling asleep, ¡°I think you¡¯ve won the title for best friend.¡±
Uriel chuckled, causing her own body to vibrate, ¡°Not Dazien?¡±
¡°Psh, brothers lose the title by default,¡± she said with a laugh, ¡°And Saiya acts too much like a mom sometimes while Rayna is more like the sister that would get me into trouble, then help me hide the bodies.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t usually leave bodies left to hide,¡± he pointed out.
¡°Ha. Ha,¡± she retorted, ¡°The point remains¡ I appreciate you, Uriel. It¡¯s like you know exactly what I need better than I do. I trust you and don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do without you.¡±
¡°You¡¯d be just fine without me,¡± the Mage said with a shake of his head, then seemed to hesitate before adding, ¡°It should be Paul here instead of me¡¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°If you hadn¡¯t wasted that cleansing potion on me. He¡¯d be here, and you wouldn¡¯t be feeling like this in the first place.¡±
¡°It was not a waste,¡± she replied angrily, pulling back to look up at him, ¡°Don¡¯t say that. If I had done that, Paul might not be trapped asleep but you¡¯d be dead. It¡¯s not even crossed my mind to want to go back and redo that.¡±
The man fell silent and nodded in understanding but didn¡¯t seem to fully agree with her. Dazien¡¯s words about Uriel¡¯s lack of self-worth echoed in her mind, and she found herself asking, ¡°Why do you think you¡¯re worth less than everyone else?¡±
¡°Because I am. It¡¯s just a fact,¡± he replied simply.
Phoenix scrunched her nose at the blatant response and argued, ¡°Um, no, we just established you¡¯re my best friend¡ but why do you believe that?¡±
The cinderen finally looked at her with a raised eyebrow, ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound like Priest Jacob with questions like that.¡±
She chuckled, ¡°I might have gotten that one from him¡¡±
The Wayfarer found herself touching the golden collar around his neck as she said, ¡°When he asked me that, I told him that it was because I was too weak to do anything. Even now, I keep making mistakes, and it feels like I keep breaking everything I get near.¡±
¡°I do that literally,¡± he pointed out, finally giving her a small smile, and she laughed.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°You¡¯re worth something to me though,¡± Phoenix continued, ¡°And I know you¡¯re worth even more to Dazien, right? We all care about you, so you can¡¯t be worthless,¡± she grinned then and added, ¡°Actually, I think that means you¡¯re priceless.¡±
Those ember eyes stayed fixed on her for a long time before he finally began speaking, ¡°There¡¯s something you should know about¨C¡±
¡°There you two are!¡± Rayna said as the door to the training room opened, and the bard walked in dragging their Healer along, ¡°See, they¡¯re just sitting here waiting for us to start training, Sai!¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, you two,¡± the smaller voxen apologized, ¡°I tried telling her to wait outside, but¨C¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Uriel said quickly, gently untangling them and standing to straighten his clothing, ¡°We were just talking while we waited for you all to arrive.¡±
Phoenix frowned at the obvious dismissal of the conversation, and she wondered what he was going to say. Perhaps he was finally going to open up? Maybe just shut down her attempt to comfort him in return. She silently cursed the interruption but she promised herself to wait for Uriel to come to her. He never pushed her, and she wasn¡¯t about to do that to him.
¡°Oh good, everyone¡¯s here already,¡± Dazien said as he entered the room a moment later, ¡°We get today off, but I was hoping we could talk more about the last two weeks of patrol and go over any thoughts and maybe do some brainstorming on additional tactics.¡±
¡°It¡¯s good to step away and de-stress, though,¡± Saiya reminded.
¡°Actually,¡± Phoenix interrupted, ¡°I was wondering if any of you had more ideas on how to use my illusions for combat. I think I¡¯ve hit a wall with it since it doesn¡¯t seem to be progressing anymore when I use it.¡±
Dazien grinned at her, ¡°I¡¯m sure we can come up with something together that might help challenge that one,¡± then gave a nod towards the Healer, ¡°We¡¯ll time box ourselves so we get to actually relax today.¡±
Dazien was feeling pretty good overall about their patrol mission over the last two weeks clearing out the monsters they had come across in the west. Only twice did they have to retreat from a foe to get help and it got handled smoothly afterwards.
Even today had turned out well so far with talking through their tactics and things they wanted to try as their powersets expanded with new capabilities. He would need to look into buying some Spirit Gems for himself, which seemed much more obtainable now without needing to worry as much about maintaining his equipment and paying rent.
The extra loot he had been gaining from his [Tribute] ability had mostly been sold off and used to pay back a loan he had taken out for some of his initial Crystal Caste Spirit Gems and barely magical armor.
As he stood in the middle of his new bedroom, looking around at where to place a few of his personal effects that Uriel had brought from their apartment, he felt like this was yet another turning point in his life. Whether he got adopted or not, this would be his new home for the foreseeable future.
He looked down at the blanket he had placed on his bed, the one his mother had made when he was an infant, and wondered if perhaps he was getting ahead of himself. Phoenix may have claimed him as a brother, and Paul had made the offer, but it would be years before it could become real. What if Phoenix changed her mind about him? What if he made a mistake he couldn¡¯t come back from? What if he couldn¡¯t live up to the potential Paul seemed to believe he had?
Dazien shook his head, trying to clear the negative thoughts that he knew better than to have. He was going to be a king someday. Being a noble backed by a respected house would make that easier, but it wasn¡¯t a requirement¡ He knew that wasn¡¯t why he wanted it, though.
A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts, and he called out, ¡°Come in.¡±
Patricia opened the door and gave a cursory glance at the room that only had a handful of personal effects scattered about. Her eyes lingered on the picture he had placed on the mantle of the fireplace of him and Uriel as young teenagers before refocusing on him, and she said, ¡°If you have some time, Mister Smithson, I¡¯d like to discuss a few things with you in my study.¡±
He frowned slightly, not liking the use of formality rather than his given name that she had come to use before, ¡°Of course, Ambassador Wayland,¡± he returned, matching her tone, ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you have recovered from your ascension. Congratulations on reaching Emerald Caste.¡±
She nodded but didn¡¯t speak further until they reached her office, and both took seats opposite one another at her small desk that seemed shoved into a corner to give more space to the area intended for entertaining, which took up most of the parlor-like study.
¡°I have a few questions before I get to the real reason I wanted to meet with you,¡± the runeforged started off.
¡°Alright,¡± he replied, still confused about what exactly they were meeting for.
¡°Exactly how¡ dedicated are you to Mister Karislian, and how aware was Paul of it?¡±
Dazien¡¯s brow furrowed, ¡°Extremely and Paul was aware of everything. Uriel was one of my stipulations for accepting his adoption offer.¡±
The priestess frowned at that as though she hadn¡¯t been expecting that response, but her face went blank the next moment as she asked, ¡°Alright, then exactly how much do you know about your boyfriend¡¯s titles?¡±
His eyes narrowed at that and he felt his anger rise at her accusatory tone but he kept it restrained as best he could and answered, ¡°Everything. Just like Paul does. I¡¯m getting the feeling that you didn¡¯t know anything till very recently, however, if you¡¯re just now asking and addressing us the way you are.¡±
Patricia gave a heavy sigh and rubbed at her temple as she muttered, ¡°Of course, he knew and didn¡¯t bother saying anything.¡±
Dazien¡¯s fist clenched as he said firmly, ¡°If this is going to be a problem we can leave but I won¡¯t let him be cast out alone and I don¡¯t believe Phoenix or Paul would agree with that.¡±
The noblewoman raised her hands up in defense and gave a tired smile as she said, ¡°That¡¯s not something I would force, Dazien. I trust in Paul and, if he already knew, then I will yield to his promises. However, you must understand my concerns. You¡¯re a smart young man and have shown an interest in politics; surely you can imagine the position I¡¯m in and my priorities?¡±
He finally relaxed and nodded as he said, ¡°To protect the members and reputation of your House. I understand your concerns but I hope you can understand that Uriel is my partner and not something to be cast aside because it¡¯s inconvenient.¡±
Patricia¡¯s smile widened slightly as she said, ¡°You sound like my father.¡±
At his questioning look, she expounded, ¡°Let¡¯s just say people were not happy when he married a human commoner girl. He didn¡¯t care, though; he loved my mother. He might have been a strict arse most of the time, but he was devoted to her.¡±
Her gaze refocused on him, assessing him, and she asked, ¡°Are you planning to marry him? You¡¯re of that age now.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s something Uriel¡¯s interested in honestly. He still doesn¡¯t like me talking about our relationship publicly¡ he shares your concerns about tarnishing my reputation, it seems,¡± he said grimly, then asked his own question, ¡°Were you hoping to marry me off in the future? As the future Lady of the House, I¡¯m sure you see me as a good bargaining piece. A Shiny gemite that won¡¯t inherit anything but the name. It¡¯s a valuable pawn to trade, right?¡±
The priestess frowned at him, ¡°I know I can be¡ opportunistic and a touch manipulative, but you¡¯re not just a pawn, Dazien. Paul wouldn¡¯t have made the offer if he thought you would be. House Wayland encourages political matches, but we don¡¯t force them. Like I said, my mother was a commoner and human. The only thing I¡¯m hoping to leverage you for is as a capable Adventurer who can bring prestige to our House and hopefully help keep Phoenix alive out there beyond the safety of these walls.¡±
Then the woman moved to open a drawer in the small desk and pulled out a large stack of papers as she said, ¡°I should have met with you sooner about this but it¡¯s been a bit crazy and it feels like this is the first chance I¡¯ve gotten in weeks.¡±
¡°What is this?¡±
¡°The real reason for this meeting,¡± she said, pushing the stack towards him.
He leaned forward to read the first page and asked in surprise, ¡°The adoption papers? But Paul can¡¯t¨C¡± he cut himself off as his eyes reached the bottom of the page where, in a messy script, was signed the name: Paul Wayland.
Dazien whispered past the lump in his throat, ¡°He had already signed them?¡±
Patricia smiled warmly, ¡°He was just waiting for you to accept him.¡±
Words escaped him. Even absent, the Lord of the House could still bring him to speechlessness it seemed.
¡°He also wanted you to have this once you ascended,¡± the noblewoman said as she slid a small purple box across the desk towards him.
It reminded him much of the box Rayna and Saiya had repurposed for him, and as he opened it, he discovered a small folded note sitting atop the Spirit Gem inside. He wasn¡¯t sure he could handle reading the message at the moment but he couldn¡¯t wait either.
Dazien,
This is only the first of many gifts I plan to give you. Hopefully, you aren¡¯t as stubborn as Phoenix in accepting them.
Congratulations on reaching Sapphire Caste. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll reach the pinnacle with your friends and new family there to support you the whole way.
Hopefully, this Spirit Gem of Resolve will reflect the determination I already see within you to achieve your dreams.
Your father in spirit,
Paul
The gemite read and reread the note what must have been a dozen times before looking up at Patricia to see her still smiling fondly at him. He reached over and picked up a pen sitting on the desk and began reading through the stack of adoption papers, signing each as he agreed with their contents.
As he finished signing the last page, happy that it matched everything Paul and he had previously discussed, his new aunt said, ¡°Now, I already have some additional things to give you.
¡°Paul and I had been going through the family vault after Phoenix had joined and we were sorting out some of his old things. There wasn¡¯t much we thought either of you would be able to make great use of, but for Sapphire, we did find a chest plate of Paul¡¯s that he never needed to use and would be better than what you have. Along with our grandfather¡¯s shield. We don¡¯t have many Defenders in the family, and none that could use it, so it¡¯s just collecting dust.¡±
The gemite began declining the offer as he objected, ¡°Sorry, but I can earn my keep. I don¡¯t expect anything like pity¨C¡±
¡°I know,¡± Patricia interrupted, ¡°This isn¡¯t a contractual obligation or charity or anything. House Wayland just tries to take care of its family members,¡± she explained and added, ¡°Welcome to the family, Noble Dazien Wayland.¡±
26 - Found
Veldrix wasn¡¯t sure if they were concerned or impressed when they met the Emerald Caste Lord Ethan Teras, who looked more sleep-deprived than any Caster at that level should be. Judging from the stagnant smell in the Magi¡¯s workshop, the man hadn¡¯t left or probably even stopped working within it for weeks.
That kind of¡ dedication was either a sign of brilliant passion or desperate madness, and both were at the expense of one¡¯s self-care. Veldrix thought it might be a bit of both when the amount of work falling on the cinderen¡¯s shoulders was made clearer, along with the fact that the Duke had let slip about Ethan¡¯s son being one of the combatants lost due to their queen¡¯s lack of expediency.
If Veldrix had arrived before the Soul Reapers, things would have turned out very differently for thousands of people. It was just another reason for the knight to be glad they chose to escape that cesspool of disconnected royalty.
¡°Now, if we can borrow some Emerald Casters adept at rituals ¨Cnot experts, but at least passable¨C then I think we can get the initial relays to the three border fortresses done within a month,¡± the Chancellor of the OOM stated, pointing between a wall with a ritual diagram scrawled over it and the table the group currently stood around displaying a map of the tundra very much like the duke had.
¡°We can¡¯t spare that many Emeralds,¡± Director Trayvious said with a frown, ¡°Not until after the blood moon.¡±
¡°We need this for the blood moon,¡± the duke countered, ¡°We needed this before it even started. You said this uses a minimal amount of our city¡¯s mana reserves so that we could implement it right away, so why didn¡¯t we?¡±
Ethan blinked with a blank expression, and for a moment, Veldrix thought the exhausted Caster might have finally shut down internally. Then he seemed to reboot and say, ¡°Um, we didn¡¯t have the plans or the¡ convention of using the alert system in this manner on this much larger scale.¡±
The knight looked closer at the map where the intended relays were planned for the initial stage involving the three fortress cities and noticed the odd shape of the ritual circles that weren¡¯t actually circles, ¡°I¡¯m not a specialized expert at rituals or enchantments, but why are they shaped like hexagons? It looks odd trailing to the towns like this.¡±
¡°It does, but it¡¯s also what makes it so efficient and expandable,¡± the Magi explained, then pressed a series of runes that shifted the map to include not just the three trails but an entire grid over the whole tundra.
Veldrix¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise as they said, ¡°It looks like a honeycomb.¡±
Ethan gave a sad smile, ¡°My Polissa said the same when she saw it. She wanted to help implement it, too, but she¡¯s not very happy with me at the moment.¡±
¡°That¡¯s what happens when you put Adventurers in a gilded cage,¡± Everin spoke up from his position at the end of the table next to Kara, who had both followed Veldrix¡¯s tour led by the duke.
¡°I don¡¯t expect someone who¡¯s not a parent to understand, Avatar Starlark,¡± the Magi snapped with a glare, ¡°Especially one that promotes rebellion among the youth.¡±
¡°Lord Teras, I assure you,¡± the colorful voxen began with a vulpine grin, ¡°I promote rebellion in everyone regardless of age.¡±
¡°Makes one wonder why you were on our side then, during the battle for Tulisuda. Perhaps the one sabotaging our alarm system in the first place is some rebellious faction, and who better to lead them than¨C¡±
¡°Lord Teras,¡± the AOA Director cut off, ¡°I¡¯ll remind you that Avatar Starlark also serves the Scholar and has been assisting with both responding to these blackout events as well as fighting against the Soul Reapers.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t conflate my desire to see people free of overbearing and often exploitative authority with the twisted desire to watch the world burn to ashes,¡± Everin said, the humor dimmed, ¡°I¡¯m trying to save lives, not take them.¡±
Veldrix interrupted the obvious tension by tapping on the map and saying, ¡°Well, this seems like it will save a lot of lives, but what about your sabotage issue? Will this help it?¡±
The Magi seemed to deflate from the spark of anger and rubbed at his head as he answered, ¡°Yes, in a way,¡± he pressed more runes, and the map shifted again to a zoomed-in version of the capital city, focused on just the inner city circle.
¡°Currently, the ley lines feed mana from Tulisuda to the enchantments embedded into the very foundation of the city. The runes are under the streets that encompass a district, but that¡¯s the main problem right now. One enchantment covers the whole district, and when that gets cut off, the whole thing goes dark.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a massive enchantment,¡± Agatha said in surprise, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that was how it was working. I didn¡¯t even realize enchantments could cover that much space alone.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve seen bigger ones,¡± Veldrix commented, ¡°But it is uncommon, especially in such a low Caste zone,¡± then a nagging thought had them clarify, ¡°You said the runes were under the streets. That must have been a massive reconstruction project. I assume this would need something similar, so how did the city do it before?¡±
The two cinderen men glanced towards one another before the duke answered, ¡°Those enchantments have been there since the founding of the city. Over five milleniums ago. The largest construction projects since then have only been additions like the Quicksteam.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not wrong that this would be a very large reconstruction project,¡± Ethan said and pointed to the overlaid plans of newer and smaller hexagon-shaped enchantments all over the city, ¡°We would be ripping up every road to create this new grid. The benefit is that if something happens to one of the enchantments, it stays isolated to that singular ¨Cmuch smaller¨C spot without taking down everything around it.
¡°Plus, we would immediately know that there was a dead spot as the surrounding enchantments would be monitoring their neighbors as they regulate mana flow between them. No more finding out after a monster spawns and destroys a building.¡±
¡°Can we do a skyway instead?¡± a soft feminine voice asked, and the Magi turned to address the Sapphire Caste human that had been hanging back away from the group, silently observing while pouring over a scroll in her hands.
Ethan gestured for her to come closer and introduced, ¡°This is my personal assistant, Miss Camilla Saren. She specializes in Reality Rifts and helped restore the ley lines when Tulisuda was seized. I have been working with her extensively on this project between my other duties.¡±
The cinderen ran a hand through his short, unkempt hair as he said, ¡°Now that the assault from the Soul Reapers and Corrupted Reality Seeds have been taken care of ¨Cthank you again for your assistance on both of those Paladin Fairweather¨C I¡¯ve been able to devote more time to this between visits to the World Tree.¡±
¡°The what?¡± Veldrix interjected.
¡°Presley is a World Tree now,¡± Camilla answered, not making eye contact with the Ruby Caster. Then she added with a tiny smile, ¡°Presley is a good oddity.¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
¡°Who?¡± the knight asked in confusion looking back to the duke.
¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t get that far in my explanation before we were interrupted by Paladin Fairweather and Avatar Starlark,¡± Victor Tul admitted nervously.
¡°We can visit and explain more later. I try to check in once a week anyway,¡± Ethan said, gesturing back to the map of Tulimeir, ¡°What were you saying about a skyway, Camilla?¡±
¡°Oh, um, s¨Csorry, I just thought we could still just do an addition. L¨Clike we¡¯ve done before. New roads. High above the old ones, that could use the existing buildings as supports. Make it balanced and flexible. Glow underneath for more light and shelter for walking below. Less traffic below now that more magical transports will be able to function,¡± the woman listed off while nervously fidgeting.
Veldrix grinned at the odd researcher and said, ¡°That sounds like a fantastic plan that will help with the influx of Casters this city is going to have.¡±
The knight watched the woman curiously for another moment and added in her turn-of-phrase, ¡°Another good oddity.¡±
A small smile tugged at the corners of Camilla¡¯s lips as she nodded in agreement, still looking anywhere but at the people. She adjusted her body to face Lord Teras as she held up the scroll she had been holding and asked, ¡°Where did you, um¡ find this rough draft?¡±
Ethan smiled as well and said, ¡°It wasn¡¯t found. Paul gave it to me. Months ago, when he first told me about Phoenix. She gave it to him.¡±
¡°Phoenix the Wayfarer?¡± Veldrix clarified, ¡°The one at the center of everything that¡¯s been happening?¡±
¡°Much to her displeasure,¡± Kara confirmed with a grin.
¡°I feel like, even if I tried to avoid her, our paths will cross. My curiosity is definitely piqued.¡±
¡°Get your own Wayfarer,¡± the Obsidian Caster playfully teased, ¡°This one¡¯s mine now.¡±
¡°Pretty sure I knew her before you,¡± Everin interjected with a matching smile, ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean I get dibs?¡±
¡°You can fight me for it,¡± Kara wickedly replied.
¡°Maybe when I¡¯m Obsidian too, we can race for it,¡± he retorted with a laugh.
Veldrix frowned at the objectification, usually being on the receiving end of such banter. Despite it being portrayed in jest, they knew all too well where it might eventually lead and weren¡¯t sure if this crazy Obsidian wasn¡¯t quite joking about thinking of people weaker than her as mere toys.
If she wished to, it would be all too easy for the Obsidian to seize this young Wayfarer and claim dominion over her. By the time anyone else could muster a response to save the girl, it would be far too late.
What could Veldrix say, though? The last time they spoke out against that type of behavior from a peer, they were mocked for being both too soft and too strict. They were a Ruby Caste knight, but that meant little to an Obsidian Paladin. All that might result from speaking now was creating powerful new enemies and hating theirself a little less.
With a sigh, they said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we just let Phoenix decide who she belongs to, yes? Now, when can I visit Presley? Who named the World Tree that, by the way?¡±
¡°It¡¯s Presley Wayland,¡± Camilla answered, ¡°Phoenix named them since they believed she was the mother.¡±
¡°Say what now?¡± Veldrix asked in utter bewilderment.
Saiya found herself standing in front of the temple of the Traveler yet again. The last time she had visited had been while Dazien was recovering from his traumatic ascension. She had felt so lost after the seemingly hopeless fight against the Soul Reapers and the trifle its resolution had become with the arrival of Kara.
She had shared in Phoenix¡¯s anger and frustration at what felt like unnecessary losses. If only the powerful Obsidian Caster had arrived before so many had died ¨Cbefore her friend had fallen to a much too powerful foe.
The Healer recalled standing in this very spot alongside Simmon as they sought guidance. He had been a kind companion, a promising healer, and a good friend that she had hoped to spend more time with. Now, the only time she would see him again would be as ashes and memories at the upcoming memorial that the city was planning for all of those who fell during the war.
She gave Snowbelle a squeeze around the squishy middle portion of the furry feathered Seagull, who was being a spoiled Familiar in her arms. The added weight since turning Sapphire wasn¡¯t so bad; it just took both of her tiny arms to keep a hold of the aval and prevented her from using them for anything else. Today, however, she wanted the extra comfort that her Familiar granted.
¡°Have you found your path yet?¡± a feminine voice said from behind her, and she turned to give a respectful bow to Priestess Kyleen Lestrand.
¡°I think so,¡± Saiya replied, glancing back towards the front door to the temple, ¡°It¡¯s the next step in my personal journey.¡±
¡°I see you¡¯re getting the vernacular down already,¡± the elf replied with a playful wink and linked arms with her but didn¡¯t try to pull her in any particular direction as she asked, ¡°So where are you heading?¡±
The healer smiled at the priestess, who would likely be her senior soon, ¡°Forward, hopefully. I see¡ I feel too many people around me who are stuck standing either at an intersection or a dead-end. I think by helping them find their own paths, I¡¯ll find mine.¡±
¡°Then lead the way, my lady,¡± Kyleen prompted, gesturing towards the temple.
Saiya stepped forward.
She made her way into the temple with a few scattered people, mostly in traveling clothes under their cloaks that all shared a matching insignia of a nautical compass star embroidered on the left.
When she looked to Kyleen for directions, the older priestess smiled and nodded towards the lift, ¡°Top floor, like most other temples. I think my deity wants to meet you before you say a vow.¡±
The voxen¡¯s tails tucked slightly, and ears lowered to the sides at the thought of meeting a deity face to face and being the one they were actually focused on. She had only met a few deities before. The Mender was the only one before joining up with King¡¯s Dream, having gone to the goddess¡¯ temple for healing when she was younger, and it was merely in passing.
Despite having visited this temple a few times before, she hadn¡¯t caught a glimpse of the Traveler¡¯s projection, though Phoenix had described them to her when she asked. The Wayfarer seemed to attract gods like cinderstones attracted mothlets, and the three other times Saiya had seen a deity up close was when the Cultivator and Parent marked her friend and when the Scholar first possessed Avatar Starlark.
As the two women and familiar reached the inner sanctuary at the top of the tower, the Healer looked all around her where the walls were open to the chilly air and had a clear view of the surrounding towers. Pillars were in each of the cardinal and ordinal directions supporting a ceiling with clear glass to shield from the weather but keep the stars visible.
There, in the center of the open space, stood the androgynous deity that Phoenix had described, smiling at her and gesturing her closer, saying reassuringly, ¡°It pleases me to finally see you deciding on a direction. I know you have taken great care in this choice and wanted to briefly speak with you on it.¡±
Saiya nodded and made to move closer when Kyleen asked, ¡°Would you like me to go or stay?¡±
The voxen glanced toward the deity, who smiled and said, ¡°The choice is yours, not mine. Kyleen already knows any information I may share.¡±
¡°Then stay, please,¡± she said, ¡°I would have brought Rayna to be with me, but I thought this would be better done apart for a change. This is my path, not hers.¡±
The elven priestess nodded in understanding and moved with her to stand before the deity who gestured for them to sit upon large pillows splayed around the floor. When she gave a questioning look to Kyleen, the woman chuckled and said, ¡°For stargazing and company. Preferably both.¡±
¡°Now,¡± the deity said when they were all seated, ¡°I can¡¯t read your mind like the Scholar but I have overheard your conversations and any whispered prayers sent my way. I just wanted to ensure that you weren¡¯t hoping to join me just because of the immediate concerns of your friends. The kind of Path we offer that works alongside the Mender is usually a long one and doesn¡¯t always end in the destination one might envision.¡±
Saiya nodded hesitantly before explaining, ¡°I know it can be¡ difficult to recover from certain events. My own experiences have made that obvious enough to me. More recently those types of events seem to always be happening. We aren¡¯t given time to process and heal between them. I¡¯m hoping to help not just my friends but also myself; hope to learn how we can walk forward at the same time as looking back. To keep fighting while we grieve. To not get trapped by our losses and overwhelmed by the doom that seems to be in every direction.
¡°I feel like I don¡¯t even have the chance to worry about our destination because we can¡¯t find any roads in the first place. We¡¯re just lost among the sand dunes; any previous dreams just faded mirages¡ When I¡¯m here in this temple ¨Cwhen I think about this journey as a priestess¡ I feel found.¡±
The Traveler smiled at her and said, ¡°I¡¯m glad, Saiya Dewsong. If you find purpose in the journey, then you are more than welcome among my clergy. Go ahead and speak your dedication as an Acolyte.¡±
Saiya took a slow breath and recited the words she had thought through a hundred times, ¡°I offer you my devotion and service as your acolyte. My heart is your heart. Your words are my words. My life is your life. Your will is my will.¡±
¡°Thus, your newest journey begins, my Acolyte Dewsong.¡±
27 - I Don’t Have a Study
Phoenix was sitting on the floor between a low coffee table and the fireplace, its warmth radiating up her back. She was wearing a simple sundress, which she usually only wore around the house due to its lack of layers or coverage, along with cuff-style bracelets that helped hide her Oathbond.
On the table, she was attempting something new with a power she was struggling to fully understand. [Lunar Dream] could craft illusions, anything her mind could come up with within a certain scale, but she often came up blank, as if the open-endedness gave her less direction to work with.
After being asked some pointed questions about what its limits were, she decided to do a bit more testing with some of her friends¡¯ suggestions; this one being the first.
The loss of most of the effects granted by [Beacon of Hope] hadn¡¯t been too major of a setback. She didn¡¯t need the ability to gain more auras anymore as she had already unlocked all her powers, and the increase in Caste gain was mostly replaced by her new connection with Paul, even if it would become less effective the higher Caste she got.
The part that she completely lost out on was the ability to draw ritual diagrams with her finger. While this didn¡¯t stop her from being capable of drawing them out the more mundane way with chalk or salt or the plethora of other ingredients they might call for, it was¡ annoying.
However, she had an idea to fix this inconvenience that might turn out even better¡ if it didn¡¯t blow up in her face. Scanning the simple diagram in her book once more, she closed her eyes, focused her mind on what she wanted to happen, and said, ¡°Let dreams become reality.¡±
When she opened her eyes again an illusion about the size of a large dinner plate perfectly reflected the desired ritual lines and runes swirled together. She grinned at the first step being complete. Luckily, the talent that actually made this potentially viable was [Collector] which not only let her loot and store items but use those items for ritual components while they were stored.
¡°Bring delight to the skies,¡± she incanted, eager to test the tiny ritual.
The illusory diagram began to glow, and the next moment, small fireworks began to shoot and pop into the air in front of her, not high enough to hit the ceiling but enough that she leaned back to put her hands on the floor and watch the show, laughing at the success.
Her moment of joy and satisfaction was interrupted by a knock on her door. Phoenix called out for the visitor to enter as she stood to greet whoever it was.
¡°Regent Wayland,¡± the staff member greeted with a polite bow as he informed her, ¡°Miss Saren is waiting to meet with you in your study.¡±
Phoenix got a look of confusion, ¡°I don¡¯t have a study, Roger.¡±
The staff member shifted awkwardly as he clarified, ¡°Lord Wayland¡¯s study belongs to you for now, my lady.¡±
She blanched at the thought of claiming her mentor¡¯s study and dreaded the idea of going into it after her recent reaction to the training room. She asked the steward quietly, ¡°Can you bring her here instead, please?¡±
Roger nodded and vanished without another word, arriving a few minutes later with the shy researcher in tow.
Phoenix gestured for her guest to take a seat by the lit hearth and gave Roger a reassuring nod to inform him that he could leave them. She wasn¡¯t worried about the woman ¨Cwho she needed to remember was now her cousin¨C trying to attack her in her very well-defended home.
¡°Thank you, Regent Wayland, for agreeing to see me,¡± the brunette said nervously.
¡°Please, just call me Phoenix,¡± she said as she took her own seat across from the woman, ¡°What did you need to see me about? Is there something new with Presley? You¡¯ve been helping out over there, right?¡±
¡°Ah, um, well, nothing new specifically. W¨Cwe are still analyzing the progress of growth, the vessel¡¯s capabilities, and taking inventory of the items found within. I¡¯ll be visiting again the day after tomorrow with Lord Teras and Knight Thevaris.¡±
Camilla froze as though realizing too late that she had made a mistake and tried to redirect the conversation, ¡°Um, b¨Cbut that¡¯s not why I¡¯m here.¡±
The Sapphire Caster pulled out a large scroll from the satchel at her waist that was so disproportionate that Phoenix had no doubt it was a dimensional storage bag. Then, the brunette unfurled the parchment and laid it out on the small coffee table between them.
The researcher pointed to the intricate pattern laid out upon it and asked her in a rush, ¡°I was given this enchantment diagram from Lord Teras. When I asked where it had come from, he said that you were the one to provide it. I was curious about where you came across this design?¡±
Phoenix leaned forward to look closer at the pattern. She didn¡¯t remember providing the Order of Magic with anything, but when she studied it a bit more, she realized that it was something she had given to Paul months ago when she had found some tinkering time, ¡°I didn¡¯t come across this design. It¡¯s my own.¡±
Camilla¡¯s brows practically vanished into her hairline as she asked, ¡°You came up with this?¡±
She pointed at the pattern splayed out on the table, ¡°I did some research into the alarm system used in the city to detect manifestations and thought we could improve it with this and potentially link it to the outlying towns to help inform us and dispatch rapid response teams.
¡°See here, by using this hexagonal pattern, we can interlink the nodes and surround the directional runes with limiters and give specific instructions via logic gates along the leylines to control and circulate the flow of mana throughout the pattern.¡±
¡°Which helps modulate and redirect the mana into the other systems while minimizing the inherent bleed-through effects,¡± the researcher excitedly concluded.
¡°Hexagons are the bestagons,¡± Phoenix said with a grin.
Camilla returned her grin and continued peppering her with more questions as they casually talked about enchantment diagrams. Phoenix found herself content with the distraction that helped exercise her mind instead of her muscles and was able to expand her knowledge drastically with Camilla¡¯s explanations as Phoenix created and tweaked diagram illusions.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
It was a couple of hours later when Roger returned to interrupt Phoenix from the theory-crafting as she fought the urge to fall asleep where she sat.
¡°Miss Saren, I do apologize, but the hour is late, and there are some preparations to be done. Ambassador Patricia would also like to speak with you before you depart,¡± the steward informed them.
¡°O¨Coh, right. I¨CI should go,¡± Camilla stuttered in surprise, standing to leave. The researcher paused at the threshold and turned her body towards Phoenix but still didn¡¯t look her in the eyes as she asked, ¡°M¨Cmay I visit again sometime? I, um, I had fun.¡±
Phoenix grinned at the odd woman, ¡°I had fun too. It¡¯s nice to find someone else interested in this stuff. Most of my friends are focused on other things, which is fine, but¡ Well, I hope you come back to talk more.¡±
Camilla was smiling happily as the older woman gave a quick bow and scurried out to follow Roger to Pati¡¯s study, but the steward returned only a few minutes later with a package and a grimace for the Wayfarer, apparently not happy about the task he was about to perform.
Phoenix quirked an eyebrow at him as the signal to speak, and he obliged in a subdued tone, ¡°Your aunt requested that I deliver this to you for tomorrow and remind you of the memorial service at noon that she wishes you to speak at.¡±
She stiffened at the reminder that she had pushed to the back of her mind and hesitantly held out her hands to take the box, ¡°Thank you, Roger,¡± she replied politely and walked over to set the box on the now-cleared coffee table to view the contents.
Inside was a pure white dress that felt like satin under her touch, ¡°White?¡±
The steward nodded and explained, ¡°When the misgivings and sins of life are paid upon death. We burn the remains in a cleansing fire and the ashes return to the world in the hopes of cultivating the next generation. It is tradition to wear white clothing to celebrate both the light brought from a good life or the cleansing departure of a poor one.¡±
¡°Sounds very Purifier-centric,¡± Phoenix said with a frown.
¡°Perhaps,¡± Roger conceded, ¡°But the ideals of celebrating the good instead of only mourning the loss are what we try to cling to. In my experience, the passing of a loved one is only a burden for those who remain behind. Wallowing in sorrows does not help us continue living.¡±
Phoenix looked at the man for a while in silent contemplation before nodding in acknowledgment and trying to fight back a yawn, ¡°Thank you for the explanation, Roger. I¡¯m going to try and sleep now. Wake me tomorrow if it gets too late?¡±
He tilted his head in agreement and bowed politely before leaving the room.
She stared at the white dress a moment longer, her ever-wandering mind tangentially wondering what people wore to weddings instead if white was considered funeral garb. Then realized she wasn¡¯t even sure what marriage in this world actually looked like as she hadn¡¯t been concerned with that.
Phoenix shook her hair loose as she muttered to herself, ¡°I must be tired if I¡¯m starting to question things that I¡¯ll probably never need to worry about.¡±
Another soft knock at the door paused her movement towards the bed as she sensed Saiya¡¯s aura on the other side and said, ¡°Come in.¡±
The voxen peeked inside and asked, ¡°Mind if I sleep in here with you?¡±
¡°Is something wrong?¡± Phoenix asked in confusion, noting the sleepwear the healer was currently dressed in.
¡°I just know we all want to be fully rested for tomorrow, and¡ well, I thought my aura might help with keeping your nightmares at bay. At least for tonight,¡± Saiya explained with a gentle smile.
Phoenix flushed in embarrassment, glancing at the bed. She knew she still wasn¡¯t great at keeping her aura in check while she slept and she felt guilty for waking up her new neighbors with Saiya¡¯s room sharing a wall with hers. She was a bit surprised that none of her party members had complained about it yet, honestly.
¡°You don¡¯t have to feel ashamed about it, sweet flower,¡± Saiya reassured, walking over to wrap her in a furry three-tailed hug, ¡°Everyone has nightmares from time to time. It¡¯s not your fault.¡±
¡°It feels like it sometimes¡¡± she mumbled, ¡°Like I should just get over it already. Forget about everything that happened and not let it bother me anymore.¡±
The silky voxen gave her an amused look and said, ¡°I think you¡¯re smart enough to know that¡¯s not how it works. If I told you that I still had nightmares about the night my family died, are you going to tell me to just ¡®get over it¡¯?¡±
¡°That¡¯s different¨C¡±
¡°It¡¯s really not,¡± the healer interjected, leading her towards the bed and gesturing back towards the door, ¡°Mind shutting that while we get comfy and talk?¡±
Phoenix glanced over, and a simple push with her [Ruler of Relativity] slammed the door shut. She winced, ¡°I sometimes have trouble modulating with Mundane things. I should practice more, but I almost destroyed a book I had fly across the room¡ the pages got so rumpled, and the spine cracked when it hit my hand.¡±
Saiya chuckled, ¡°Maybe we can practice with some sturdier things later. I have something else I want to talk to you about.¡±
¡°Oh?¡± Phoenix asked, shifting into her own nightgown in a sparkle of starlight, ¡°Not just acting as my fluffy security blanket? Want to cuddle with Sky again?¡±
The voxen grinned, ¡°I do miss her sometimes. Has she been a good companion?¡±
With another shimmer of silver light, the plushie blue kitsune appeared on the bed as both women climbed in to chat before sleeping. ¡°I find myself chatting with her once in a while before bed,¡± Phoenix admitted with a grin, ¡°Guess you¡¯ll have to do it in her place for tonight.¡±
Saiya laughed, picking up the plush and pulling it to her chest in a comfortable hug before saying, ¡°I joined the Traveler¡¯s clergy. I¡¯m an Acolyte now¡ I told Rayna already but I thought you should be the next to know. It¡¯s¡¡± the voxen trailed off, as though unsure of what to say before settling on, ¡°On one paw, it¡¯s actually comforting to sense the deity connected within me.¡±
¡°On the other?¡± Phoenix prompted.
¡°It¡¯s very¡ weird to feel you as well. It¡¯s both similar and different from the bracelets we wear. Like, the beads just let us know what direction you¡¯re in, but the Soul Mark¡ it really is like a beacon that calls to me. Makes me want to be closer to you, to follow and support you. I know you¡¯re important to my deity¡ and to me.¡±
The Wayfarer felt more and more uncomfortable with each word spoken and said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure I like that. I don¡¯t want you feeling like you have to be in our party¡ forced to be my friend.¡±
¡°That¡¯s why I wanted to talk to you about this. I¡¯m sure Everin or some other priest has or will talk to you about it.¡±
¡°Everin mentioned they can sense me but he compared it to the bracelets¡ Do you think it¡¯s mind controlling him too?¡± she whispered, not sure she wanted the answer.
¡°It¡¯s not like that,¡± the healer clarified, ¡°I wanted to explain that while I can feel all of that, it¡¯s more like¡ like you¡¯re a flower.¡±
¡°A flower?¡±
¡°Yes, like the garden on the roof. Pleasant to be around when we get the time but we¡¯re not forced to go spend all of our time there. Your presence makes me happy but it was already doing that before I became an Acolyte, now it just feels a bit stronger because I can feel the Traveler¡¯s happiness with your presence too.¡±
Phoenix fell silent, contemplating the odd analogy as she clarified, ¡°So¡ if you wanted to, you could still leave the party?¡±
¡°Yes, but I didn¡¯t really want that beforehand either,¡± the voxen replied with a grin, ¡°For the most part, I¡¯ve been enjoying my time with everyone so far.¡±
¡°Even with all the monsters and alien invaders and random gods showing up?¡±
Saiya laughed, hugging Phoenix as she assured, ¡°Even with all of that. Because the moments in between the bad are worth it.¡±
Phoenix chuckled, ¡°I guess they are¡ I¡¯m glad I found friends like you,¡± she murmured, feeling the tranquil aura encompass hers, lulling her tired eyes toward rest.
The healer patted her head and whispered, ¡°I am too. Now let¡¯s get some sleep, hopefully without nightmares tonight.¡±
She nodded, soon drifting into a dreamless sleep.
28 - In Memory
Phoenix was a bundle of nerves the following morning as she donned the white dress and stared at her mess of red curls in the mirror. She debated on using her Prism Brush to help style it and get it under control. Only briefly did she contemplate using it to change it completely and try to hide her identity, but she remembered that the whole point of the event was to honor those who had fallen in the battle against the Soul Reapers, and she quickly dismissed the idea.
Patricia surprised her by showing up unexpectedly to help her prepare, also wanting to run down the expectations of the day. She was grateful that she wouldn¡¯t be required to speak, but her aunt strongly recommended that she should, ¡°Not only will it help reassure the people there about your capability to lead¨C¡±
¡°I¡¯m not even convinced about that,¡± Phoenix interjected as she tried to sit still while the runeforged woman helped tie back her hair in tight spirals before pinning them in place.
Patricia ignored her comment as she continued speaking, ¡°But I think Paul would appreciate you speaking in his place. I know both of you aren¡¯t really talkative people.¡±
¡°Especially publicly,¡± the Wayfarer emphasized.
¡°Well, I won¡¯t push you further, but I hope you can work up the courage to say at least a few words and encourage Paladin Fairweather to do the same.¡±
Phoenix nodded silently, trying to think of something she would feel comfortable saying in public. She had zero confidence in her public speaking skills and just the idea of purposefully drawing an entire crowd of very important eyes towards her was terrifying. If she made a fool of herself, wouldn¡¯t it just dishonor Paul and the entire House?
¡°Why can¡¯t Dazien do it instead?¡± she said, totally not whining, ¡°He¡¯s way more comfortable with things like this. Plus, as my older brother¨C¡±
¡°We¡¯ve talked about this already when both Dazien and I spoke with you about him signing those papers. You¡¯re still the heir and Regent. Besides, until Dazien has his Noble Reveal, it would be a breach of etiquette for him to speak publicly as a Wayland.¡±
¡°I think you owe me five Crystal Bits, Aunt Patricia,¡± Dazien said from the open doorway he was currently leaning in, hands tucked in his pockets and a grin across his face, ¡°I told you she¡¯d beg to have me speak instead.¡±
¡°I wasn¡¯t begging,¡± Phoenix retorted, straightening to let Pati finish her hair, ¡°I was just pointing out a reasonable solution to the obvious problem.¡±
The gemite shrugged as he walked over to sit against the arm of the couch she and Pati were currently occupying. He was already dressed in a clean white tunic and pants with golden stitching around the edges and the sigil of House Wayland of a thorned flower wrapped around the blade of a sword embroidered over the left side of his chest, just like her dress had.
She thought it suited him and found herself wondering what the others were wearing, but his words interrupted her tangent thought, ¡°You did fine speaking to those VIPs when Kara was trying to get you murdered for breaking the Rule of Caste; how is this worse than that?¡±
¡°First, that was terrible, and I never want to go through that again,¡± she said with a shiver at the memory of those glaring Sapphire Magi and Emerald Adventurers, ¡°Second, this isn¡¯t just a dozen Casters¡ this is going to be thousands of people gathered to mourn their loved ones. It¡¯s so much worse.¡±
Dazien gave her a soft yet sad smile, ¡°You¡¯ve been the beacon plenty of times before, Phoenix. All those people need the light and hope you represent. You¡¯re right that it¡¯s worse, and these people are mourning¡ devastated by loss of family that we were only barely blessed to avoid ourselves¡ and everyone lost a friend, we didn¡¯t escape that fate.¡±
Phoenix shrank slightly, murmuring to her new brother, ¡°I don¡¯t want to mess up¡ they don¡¯t deserve to see me stumbling up there on stage.¡±
¡°You won¡¯t,¡± Dazien said reassuringly, then tapped his temple, ¡°I¡¯ll be right there with you. If you think you¡¯re going to fall, I¡¯ll catch you. You don¡¯t have to be brave alone.¡±
She felt her body relax at that and her breath came a bit easier, ¡°Thanks, Daze. That does make me feel better.¡±
As Patricia finished with her hair, the woman gestured toward Dazien and said, ¡°You next. If you¡¯re going to keep it that long, you¡¯re going to make it look more presentable than that.¡±
The gemite reached up to snag the tail of the queue he had tied it back in as he said with a frown, ¡°I¡¯ve seen plenty of young scions wear it like this.¡±
¡°Yes, when out and about doing other duties or romping around. This is a public memorial, though. An event where the nobility will be expected to impress, putting their best faces on to show both aptitude and respect to those we¡¯re paying honor to. Now sit your butt down and hand me that jar on the table.¡±
Dazien chuckled as he shook his head but obligingly sat and let the older runeforged style his hair better. Phoenix sat in the nearby armchair and watched as Pati asked, ¡°Do you prefer it this length, or have you just been too busy to get it cut?¡±
¡°Too busy,¡± the gemite said with a sigh, ¡°I don¡¯t dislike it necessarily but this is the longest I¡¯ve let it go since I was little more than a toddler. Normally, I keep it just to my nape.¡±
He paused for a moment before quietly admitting, ¡°It was safer for me to keep it shorter as a child¡ too many people were either put off by it or enticed by it. It¡¯s the most obvious indicator that I¡¯m a gemite.¡±
Patricia hummed thoughtfully as she finished brushing and began braiding against his scalp, ¡°Yes, obviously, it¡¯s one of your more prominent traits. I read that it¡¯s common for gemites to let it grow out because of this if memory serves me correctly. Are you wanting to embrace that heritage or are you tied more to Tulimeir and its styles?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you think I should conform to the latter?¡± he asked curiously, ¡°As a Wayland¨C¡±
¡°Dazien, we have a human lord whose soul decided that he should match the red curls of his adopted Wayfarer daughter¡ don¡¯t concern yourself with the House on this matter, though I appreciate the thought.¡±
He glanced towards Phoenix for a moment then back towards the door to her room as though pondering the hall and she decided to ask, ¡°Does Uriel prefer it long?¡±
Dazien chuckled and gave a half-shrug, trying not to interfere with Pati¡¯s rapidly moving hands as he said, ¡°He¡¯ll play with it when we¡¯re alone, but he hasn¡¯t voiced an opinion one way or another. What do you think? It¡¯s a lot of work to upkeep, and I¡¯m worried about it getting caught while fighting.¡±
She shrugged, ¡°I love mine long. I just braid it for fights, and it¡¯s been okay. The twins wear those magic hair clips that keep it from getting tangled or in their faces that I¡¯ve thought about picking up. Maybe you could get something like that.¡±
The Defender hummed thoughtfully, ¡°Maybe. I think I¡¯ll let it stay long for a bit longer and try out different things.¡±
Phoenix perked up at an idea and conjured her Prism Brush from her collection, ¡°I know, I¡¯ll change my little green curl to match you better. It¡¯ll be like a bridge between you, me, and Paul that way!¡±
Dazien blinked at her in surprise before grinning broadly, ¡°You would do that for me?¡±
¡°Sure, it¡¯ll look better when I¡¯m standing next to you, right? Maybe make it more obvious that we¡¯re siblings despite not being blood-related?¡± she pointed out, carefully grabbing the section of green hair starting at her temple she had added a while ago when first getting the magic tool and having Paul show her how to use it.
¡°It won¡¯t be as shiny as his,¡± Pati pointed out, ¡°But it will be a nice gesture. I believe if you feed those some extra Mana Bits you can even affect Dazien¡¯s hair as well.¡±
¡°What?¡± the gemite replied in obvious surprise, ¡°I didn¡¯t think something like that would work because of the more magical properties of my hair. I have to use enchanted scissors just to cut it.¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
¡°Well, we won¡¯t try it now, but I¡¯m fairly certain you can exchange Sapphire Mana Bits since you¡¯re Sapphire Caste, and it will give it the boost it needs to implement the desired changes,¡± Patricia said.
The runeforged mother finished surprisingly quickly, using a small jar of styling gel to help, and managed to get the silky purple strands pulled into tight rows of braids in a wave pattern along his scalp that swept back and was definitely more in the style many of the runeforged had.
¡°That will likely last a couple of weeks unless you get into some rough monster fights,¡± Patricia informed him, ¡°If you like it, I can show you how to do it yourself or maybe have Phoenix learn to help. Just let me know.¡±
¡°I appreciate that,¡± Dazien replied, standing and straightening his outfit before holding out a hand towards Phoenix and asking, ¡°Ready to go honor our fallen friends?¡±
She swallowed nervously but took his hand, ¡°As ready as I¡¯ll ever be, I think.¡±
As they followed Patricia out of the room, they soon joined the rest of House Wayland¡¯s members who would be in attendance today. Even Camrin was dressed in white but seemed to be nervously arguing with a runeforged man she hadn¡¯t met yet, but the family resemblance to Pati was obvious with those blue markings and eyes.
¡°Noble Pavel, I don¡¯t think¨C¡±
¡°I¡¯ve told you that¡¯s ¡®Father¡¯ now, Camrin,¡± the older man said sternly, ¡°If you¡¯re going to have the chutzpah to hand over everything you¡¯ve ever known, then you¡¯re going to show the world that you¡¯re committed to that choice.¡±
The younger boy gave a heavy sigh as he stared up at the ceiling as though praying for strength before conceding, ¡°Father, I don¡¯t think anyone that is going to be there today is going to be pleased with seeing a Ruwena¨C¡±
¡°There are no more Ruwenas, my boy,¡± the runeforged interrupted once more, and Phoenix had to hold back a laugh as he added, ¡°Their crazy, desperate lord traded them all away because he realized how irredeemable they were, remember?¡±
¡°Nobody is going to be happy to see me there!¡± the young teen said in a rush.
¡°I will be, and that should be enough for you. Now suck it up and straighten that belt. No son of mine is going to be looking sloppy while everyone stares at him.¡±
¡°At least you won¡¯t be the only one people stare at,¡± Dazien whispered in her ear with a chuckle, and she rolled her eyes at him.
¡°That¡¯s not helping,¡± but she did feel slightly relieved by the exchange and knowing someone shared in her stage fright as Camrin straightened the white belt that held a pouch on one side and a small gilded dagger on the other.
The entire family eventually made their way via sivatherium-driven carriages to the southwestern Temple District, where the roads against the northern wall of that section were packed with people. The carriages were a rarely used luxury only really utilized for special events where many of the nobility would be moving together across the city.
The wall itself had become a monument, listing the names of those who had died during the battle along its base and not going higher than seven feet so most people could touch the rune engraved beside each name. There were hundreds.
Candles were everywhere, including clasped in hands and floating in the air, which Phoenix found odd since most people seemed to prefer the magic glowstones that provided endless clean illumination, but the Wayfarer got the feeling that it was the flames that were symbolic of the moment.
At the start of the list, closer to the city center, was a stage that had been raised to look over the crowd and the Duke began speaking right at noon as the memorial began. The noble Houses and major organization representatives standing nearby took their own turns to speak.
Kara surprised Phoenix by going second, without her needing to prompt the Caster, and the normally playful and often infuriating woman further impressed her by giving a very touching speech about how she wished that she could have arrived sooner and would forever remember those she hadn¡¯t been able to stand for. Not mentioning her connection to Phoenix a single time, only mourning along with everyone else.
As a lull in the line of speakers came, she noticed Patricia¡¯s pointed look. Taking a deep, steadying breath, she carefully stood and made her way to the stage. Hoping for inspiration along the way, she began speaking with what she had come up with so far, ¡°For those of you who might not know me, I¡¯m Regent Phoenix Wayland and an Adventurer of Tulim. I know there are a lot of rumors going around about me ¨Cmany I¡¯m sure being greatly exaggerated¨C but that¡¯s not why I¡¯m here today.¡±
Phoenix raised her head again, remembering Uriel¡¯s words to always keep her head up when others were watching her. She hadn¡¯t seen her friends in the crowd yet and she wished that they were nearby as she continued speaking, ¡°I¡¯m here today because of the people we are honoring. Because they fought for all of us. Because they gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect others from having to. Their courage, dedication, and heroism saved many other lives and will never be forgotten.¡±
She paused when she made the mistake of registering the thousands of faces staring at her, feeling her heart hammer in her chest, and mentally whispered, ¡°Daze, I¡¯m not sure how to end it.¡±
¡°You¡¯re doing great. Just repeat after me now,¡± his reassuring voice said in her mind, and she spoke the next words he whispered aloud.
¡°In memory of all of those lost and their loved ones who remain ¨Ceveryone here who gave them the strength to fight¨C we give thanks to them, for they are the Heroes of Tulim.¡±
Cheers went up as she gave a deep bow towards the wall of engraved names and quickly returned to her seat near Patricia and the rest of her new relatives. She took shelter in the hug that Dazien offered her, and he said in her ear, ¡°That was wonderful, Princess.¡±
As the speeches ended and the crowd near the stage began to disperse, Patricia gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder before leaving their area to mingle with the other nobles nearby.
Patric leaned towards her and said quietly, ¡°That was well done, Phoenix. Mother said you weren¡¯t comfortable with speaking but you did well with holding your voice and aura steady. I¡¯m sure Uncle Paul would have been proud.¡±
Phoenix blinked at him before bowing her head and replying softly, ¡°Thanks, Patric. That actually means a lot to me. Paul worked hard to help train my aura control.¡±
¡°It paid off,¡± he said with a sincere smile.
She simply nodded in return, uncertain how to continue the conversation but the man was soon distracted by another visitor which reminded Phoenix that other people might try to talk with her as well. The thought made her even more anxious as she felt that she had reached the limits of her social tolerance.
An arm around her shoulder steadied her as Dazien asked, ¡°Ready to go find the others and check out the wall? I think everyone wants to go find our lost friends.¡±
Rayna nervously held Mohala¡¯s hand as they made their way through the crowd, the dryad determined to find the names of her friends. Saiya and Uriel were trailing behind them but kept in sight. Their bracelets were a reassurance of not getting separated in the throng of people.
As the speeches had ended, the pyres were lit. Many were along the top of the walls between the defensive canons but almost all of the temples had their own set up in front of their doors to send off those that had followed their deities.
While many of the fighters that had joined in the battle were Adventurers or Ducal Guards, plenty had been priests or crafters, mercenaries or hunters, Bit farm security, or other private guards for shops or restaurants. Normal, everyday people who happened to be blessed with Aspects and answered the call to protect their city.
Mohala stopped at a bunch of names that Rayna didn¡¯t recognize. She had only been in the city for around eight months now, since the blood moon began, and had stayed pretty insulated from others, keeping busy with her party and meeting more shopkeepers than other Adventurers. Her new girlfriend, however, had lived here for years.
Dazien and Phoenix eventually caught up to them, and the gemite joined Mohala in stopping at names of people who were complete strangers to the voxen. As the pair were swapping some stories about a shared acquaintance, Rayna asked Uriel curiously, ¡°Why don¡¯t you join them? You know these people too, right?¡±
Uriel gave a slight shrug, ¡°Barely, but I don¡¯t have anything to say that Daze can¡¯t voice better. None of them sought me out without him by my side.¡±
The bard fell silent once again and followed the more social pair lost in their memories as they traversed the wall of names. When they reached the first one she recognized, she felt her chest tighten, and her twin stiffened beside her, a hand tightening around hers.
¡°Here¡¯s Simmon¡¯s¡¡± Mohala said for the group to hear, then glanced towards everyone before asking, ¡°Can everyone see okay?¡±
They all adjusted slightly to gather around the name, and the dryad eventually pressed the rune next to the name once everyone settled. A small illusion of Simmon Teras appeared before them, he looked younger than she remembered and was smiling while feeding his tiny Wellspring Wyrmling Familiar a cookie and said towards them, ¡°I think I¡¯ll call him Walter V. Teras or Wally for short.¡±
The illusion shimmered and changed to show him a little older and kicking a ball around a triangular field. Mohala laughed as she explained, ¡°He loved polyball, but he was terrible at playing. Polissa always destroyed him at it.¡±
Another shimmer, and the sixteen-year-old version that Rayna remembered, was practically hopping up and down as he held up a crystalline card and excitedly said, ¡°Dad, Papa! I did it! Look, I¡¯m an Adventurer now! The youngest in a half-century! I told you I could do it!¡±
The illusion shifted one last time to Simmon sitting in a chair and reading a book. He looked up toward them and asked, ¡°What are you doing, Po?¡±
¡°We¡¯re going to the front tomorrow, I wanted to record your thoughts before your first big fight,¡± Polissa¡¯s voice said from somewhere beyond the illusion¡¯s boundary.
¡°Second. We fought for Tulisuda, remember?¡±
¡°Sure but this is a bit different; bigger. What do you want your future kids to know when you show them this years from now?¡±
The illusion rolled his ember eyes but seemed to think for a moment before saying, ¡°That no matter how scary it gets, or how dangerous it may seem, it¡¯s worth doing what you can to protect your family, friends, and everyone else¡ there¡¯s a good chance someone in this city is part of my future after all. How else will I have these kids I¡¯m talking to?¡± he asked with a laugh, then said softly, ¡°I¡¯m fighting for that future family, too.¡±
As the illusory recording ended, Rayna noticed none of her friends¡¯ eyes were dry, Saiya outright sobbing with her hands trying to keep her mouth silent to not interrupt Simmon¡¯s words.
The bard wasn¡¯t sure what to say, so she did the only thing she thought she could manage: she sang.
Slow and soft, not at all the furious tempo of her battle dance, but one that made a person pause in the moment to just listen. A song of sorrow and loss. Of what could have been and what would never be. A song not just for her friend but every soul that had passed through the Veil of Death and whose remains were being returned to the earth as ash.
A song of remembrance for the heroes that would forever live in memory.
29 - Point of Power
¡°Thank you, Lady Dewsong,¡± a middle-aged cinderen said from behind the group as Rayna¡¯s dirge came to a sorrowful end.
Phoenix recognized him immediately yet had never actually met the man before because his son, Simmon, was practically the spitting image of him. Dazien greeted him for the group, and Mohala moved to hug him, ¡°Noble Icarius Teras, I¡¯m sure I speak for everyone when I say that we share in the loss of your son. Simmon¡¯s death feels especially tragic among these fallen heroes, but I can¡¯t imagine what you must be going through.¡±
The Sapphire Caster gave a sad smile and nodded, ¡°Thank you, Mister Smithson¡ or is it Wayland now? I can¡¯t help but notice you bear their House crest,¡± he glanced towards the Wayfarer and his smile twitched slightly as he added, ¡°And it seems Paul had a secret soft spot for collecting strays that can¡¯t blend in.¡±
Dazien shared his pain-tinged smile and chuckled, ¡°It seems he did. I wish he could be here to honor your son as well.¡±
¡°From what little I¡¯ve gathered, if not for Regent Wayland¡¯s connection to the gods, Paul¡¯s name would be up here, and this memorial would have been for him also,¡± Icarius noted, then nodded toward the wall as he added, ¡°I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t have to carve his name up here as well.¡±
¡°You carved the names?¡± Phoenix asked curiously.
¡°I¡¯m a Glacial Sculptor. I¡¯m fairly decent at it, and it was nice to be able to do this for my son,¡± he replied, looking along the wall before his molten eyes fell on Rayna again, ¡°I actually wanted to ask if you wouldn¡¯t mind singing that song again but in front of a Sense Stone. I recently became well acquainted with the memorial organizer who works with the temple of the Undertaker, and he was bemoaning the lack of a dirge to help send off the souls.¡±
The voxen looked surprised at the offer, glancing toward Saiya and saying, ¡°We could do it together too. It might sound a bit better with a harmony if you¡¯re wanting to record, but¡¡± she trailed off as Saiya shook her head, still sniffling and unable to form words, ¡°Perhaps both of us another day¡ I can go now if he wants it for today. I know a couple of other dirges as well¡ it¡¯ll be nice to help, I think.¡±
The nobleman smiled and patted the bard¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I understand that sentiment. It¡¯s why I jumped at the chance to offer my services as well. Ethan¡¡± the cinderen frowned before saying, ¡°Well, he¡¯s thrown himself into other avenues of assisting others.¡±
¡°Camilla mentioned that she would be going to the, um, tree vessel with him tomorrow,¡± the Wayfarer recalled.
¡°Is that so?¡± Icarius said in surprise, ¡°Well, at least he¡¯s getting out of that workshop. I don¡¯t¨C¡±
A loud sob drowned out the words as they all turned to look at the source and saw a runeforged woman on her knee in front of the wall, looking at a recording of a young man petting a sivatherium ¨Ca recording of a man that Phoenix also recognized as Tanner Neired.
Simmon¡¯s father moved towards the woman, bending down next to her. He whispered words that Phoenix couldn¡¯t catch before she jumped slightly as the woman shoved the noble away and shouted, ¡°You dare! It¡¯s your spoiled daughter¡¯s fault my son died! Your arrogant husband demanded she lead them, and she led both our sons to their deaths!¡±
Phoenix felt her body moving to help the stunned cinderen staring in shock at the screaming woman, but a strong hand on her shoulder stopped her, and she turned to see Uriel shaking his head at her as he whispered mentally over the connection they shared through Dazien, ¡°She¡¯s enraged, Princess. You shouldn¡¯t get in the path of that rage.¡±
It was too late, though, as the woman¡¯s gaze seemed to notice the movement and swept across her whole party, recognizing who they were. Her anger seemed to increase with each face she met until her gaze rested on Phoenix.
¡°And you¡ What is the point of power that only hurts those around you? My son. His son. Your father,¡± she practically spat the word as she yelled, ¡°Where is the Lord Paladin that was too late to save Tanner? Rotting away in his ivory tower? What good are your gods if they couldn¡¯t save them?!¡± she cried out as she made a sweeping gesture towards the wall.
Dazien stepped forward and made a sweeping gesture away from the wall as he said, ¡°To save all of them,¡± he then bowed slightly toward the grieving woman, ¡°To save you, Madam Neired.¡±
She looked away, more sobs escaping her lips as the gemite said softly, ¡°We know you¡¯re angry and hurting. Everyone here is. Blaming one another for not being enough isn¡¯t going to bring them back to us. We¡¯ll leave you to your grief, but I hope you come to understand that none of us desired any name to be on this wall.¡±
¡°Pretty words from a Shiny gemite¡¡± the woman muttered, angrily refusing to look at any of them.
Phoenix moved forward out of Uriel¡¯s protection and said, ¡°It might not seem like much, coming from me, but Dazien¡¯s right. None of us wanted Tanner to die, even if we didn¡¯t always get along with him. Our actions to protect him before in the mountains should be proof enough of that. When he was hurting, unable to fight without Sylvie, we fought to protect him.¡±
She paused at the memories and added, ¡°And even if you hate us for not being there to protect him this time, we¡¯ll keep fighting to protect you and everyone else. Just like I¡¯m sure he would want us to.¡±
Another sob escaped the woman¡¯s lips as she finally glanced up at her and said, ¡°Because that¡¯s what Adventurers do. They die so others don¡¯t.¡±
Patricia rubbed at her temples. Despite being Emerald Caste now, it seemed that headaches could still be a thing. After yesterday¡¯s very long and straining memorial service, she had come straight back to the World Tree to finish her few preparations for the arrival of the Ruby Caste Knight from the nation¡¯s capital.
The Pyre Executioner was both a well-known and enigmatic figure among the people of Pyrin. Being one of the original gemites born on Makera, they were literally in the history books. In addition, they were well known to be one of the most prominent examples in the world of a powerful kosper: a person born with both sexes.
There were other species that either completely consisted of kosper, like the Sirens, or some subspecies of Dryads. There were also the Phantasmal who lacked any sex at all, which was known as being a tuzosper, but the majority of the world was still divided into men and women.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
A kosper or tuzosper could and had been known to appear among every species however, since magic often altered things and interspecies children would create some interesting results at times.
While everyone on the continent likely knew what Veldrix Thevaris was, not many knew who they were. What did they like or hate? What were their favorite foods or gifts? What interests did they have outside of any function they performed for the crown? This kind of information was vital for someone currently in her position, yet she wasn¡¯t part of those royal circles in her small corner of the country.
To add to her growing headache, envoys from both the Fae and an unfamiliar group of voxen had arrived on the World Tree¡¯s doorstep this morning, politely requesting an audience with its caretakers despite both being Ruby Casters that could easily break through the current defenses the vessel had managed to repair and get functional again.
The only saving grace for her was that the Fae were informed and sent by her goddess, the Cultivator, and were there to assist, not barter or try and claim the World Tree or its knowledge. The same couldn¡¯t be said for the other two parties.
She glanced up at the strange voxen with a complexion like a midnight cinderen but with silvery freckles spattering his cheeks, ¡°So, Mister Starfall, you¡¯re less interested in the Corruption-cleansing World Tree than the wreckage of alien ships strewn about the tundra and having a¡ ¡®chat¡¯ with Presley?¡±
The voxen¡¯s silver eyes had the same slitted pupils as every other voxen, but the coloring was nothing like she had seen or even read about before as he gave a fanged smile, ¡°I would be thrilled to be granted the opportunity to have a discussion with the Emanation of this sentient vessel. In return, we are willing to help protect this nation while the Soul Reapers remain a threat and share any knowledge we gain from this location. And please, call me Mint.¡±
¡°Mint,¡± she repeated, then continued, ¡°You mentioned the Starfall voxen you represent are a globally neutral party. Wouldn¡¯t offering us assistance in the war be choosing a side?¡±
¡°The Soul Reapers are a global threat, and we offer everyone on Makera assistance,¡± the man clarified, his seven tails twitching slightly in a swirl of blue and green, ¡°My people have been assisting the entire world with researching the Soul Reapers¡¯ technology that allows them to remain outside the influence of the gods and traverse the stars.¡±
¡°Why?¡± Patricia asked with narrowed eyes, ¡°An entire species working to assist everyone in a war they have no need to get involved in¡ to what end?¡±
The voxen¡¯s grin turned slightly feral as he said, ¡°Can¡¯t it just be for the betterment of the world?¡±
¡°In my experience, that is rarely the case for an individual, let alone an entire nation,¡± the noblewoman retorted.
¡°Says the woman whose brother sacrificed himself for a city¡ right here, in fact,¡± the vulpine man pointed out.
¡°I said ¡®rarely¡¯ as a qualifier for a reason. People like Paul don¡¯t exist as a unified species,¡± she countered, adding in a mutter as she rubbed at her temple again, ¡°Thank the gods for that, honestly. A nation of stubborn, over-protective avenging Strikers sounds like a political nightmare.¡±
Mint chuckled, ¡°Fair enough. Let¡¯s just say we all share a fascination for the stars, and the Soul Reapers present a wonderful opportunity for us to advance our knowledge of them. I assure you that our interests align.¡±
¡°I doubt that, and the offer of assistance alone isn¡¯t as enticing as you might think when we have an Obsidian Caster who is currently quite dedicated to that cause.¡±
The voxen seemed to glance at the space next to him and tilt his head in surprise for only a split second before turning back to her and saying, ¡°What if we can offer assistance in not only rebuilding and upgrading the duchy¡¯s infrastructure but turning this vessel into a suitable home for your House.¡±
Patricia tried to keep her expression neutral as she replied, ¡°I would say that is very generous and ask which god exactly it is that you serve?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t serve any god,¡± the man replied promptly.
¡°Trickster?¡± she questioned aloud, ¡°Villain or the Maniac, perhaps?¡±
He laughed, ¡°Why do you assume my intentions are ill?¡±
¡°Because they¡¯re too shrouded in mystery. You want me to trust you, but I need a very good reason to do so rather than simply trying to play to my fear or greed.¡±
The voxen¡¯s smile finally faded as he regarded her, glancing once more at the empty space but with more inquiry than surprise. After another moment, he nodded and said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying when I said I don¡¯t serve a god, Ambassador Wayland. I serve a Progenitor. The creator of all voxen who is very invested in exploration and making sure we all survive.¡±
Patricia sucked in a sharp breath. The gods she could contend with, in a sense. Their followers were just as mortal as she was, and she had other gods on her side to stand against the dark ones. Progenitors were at the same level as the gods but not bound by the same rules. Few mortals served them, and even fewer could stand against them.
¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t want to anger the Kitsune,¡± she said simply, deciding quicker than she normally liked to that a mysterious alliance would be better than annihilation. She then added, ¡°I will gratefully accept your offer of restoration and advancement of Tulim and my House.¡±
Mint smiled broadly as he said, ¡°You won¡¯t be disappointed, Ambassador. We will make this vessel a new shining city led once more by a Wayland.¡±
Veldrix craned their neck back to look at the giant canopy of the World Tree that was well over fifty stories tall and still a growing sapling. It truly felt like standing in the presence of a miracle, and they wondered if they should make a point of visiting the Sacred Grove on Alkupera sooner rather than later. It had always been on their list of things to do someday but that list had long been collecting dust as they became tangled in the life and duties of a knight.
A tug on their pale green tunic caused Veldrix to glance down at the tiny child whose aura was oddly Crystal Caste but seemed to have the same flavor as the Obsidian tree that towered before them. The knight recognized it as an Emanation, which they had only heard of a few Obsidian Casters managing to accomplish creating and only one that they had met in person before.
The garnet gemite took a knee and smiled at the child in amusement, ¡°You must be this Presley I¡¯ve been hearing about.¡±
The child lifted a hand towards their hair as it said, ¡°Yours is red like mama. Family?¡±
Veldrix chuckled, ¡°No, but maybe a friend. You may call me Vel, little one.¡±
They glanced back up at the tree and asked, ¡°Has everyone been taking good care of you? Or are they acting like most nobles do and using you as yet another tool for their own gain?¡±
¡°Was used as tool before mama,¡± the Emanation said, moving closer and taking their hand instead to look closer at the blood-red nails that glinted in the sunlight streaming in from far above, ¡°Vel is like Uncle Dazien.¡±
¡°Dazien?¡± they asked curiously. That name hadn¡¯t come up yet, but Veldrix felt like many extraneous pieces of information had been left out in the rushed explanation they had been given by various people.
¡°He¡¯s a Shiny gemite too. Amethyst. Not Garnet,¡± the child replied knowledgeably, and Veldrix glanced around the clearing at the base of the towering sapling again, noting the tree¡¯s aura suffusing the area.
¡°Perhaps you can introduce us someday. Us Shiny ones need to stick together,¡± the knight said softly, ¡°Tell me, Presley, do you know a lot about the people who have visited before?¡±
¡°Yes, but not allowed to share that with outsiders. Auntie Pati made me promise.¡±
Veldrix chuckled, ¡°Very sensible. I¡¯m curious: do you like the people caring for you? Is your originator happy with what has happened here?¡±
¡°Originator?¡±
The knight gestured towards the World Tree, ¡°The Obsidian floraval there. Not many plants gain that spark of sentience, but if it managed to make you, then it¡¯s obviously not just a magically infused tree.¡±
Presley grinned and nodded in understanding, ¡°Tree is me. Ship is me, too. I¡¯m happy here with family.¡±
¡°Family, huh?¡± Veldrix repeatedly curiously, looking towards the new Emerald aura they sensed approaching, seeing a stressed-looking runeforged woman wearing the garments of a Cultivator¡¯s Priestess. The knight ruffled the red curls of the child and reassured, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll try my best to make sure you stay that way then.¡±
30 - The Ship Ate It
Everin was feeling more on edge than he had in a long time. Aside from Kara being a potential threat just by her very nature of being an Obsidian Caster, there wasn¡¯t really much reason for the Paladin of the Champion to want to end his life.
The Royal Executioner of the Monarchy of Blomsterang, however, would likely not be thrilled by an Avatar of the Rebel existing within the borders of their nation. He had been lucky to even find his goddess¡¯s temple being allowed within the city.
Rebel was the closest thing to a deity of freedom the world had currently, which was likely the only reason she had as many followers as she did. That didn¡¯t make the authorities happy, just tolerant. Most didn¡¯t want to be accused of being complete tyrants.
He tried not to let his nerves show, however, as he tried to explain a few things to the gorgeous gemite standing before him while holding Presley¡¯s hand. The little Emanation had been leading the knight around as though they might get lost without them.
Patricia was also following behind to listen to his report but seemed happy for him to take the spotlight on this little tour. The runeforged had apparently discovered the advanced Knowledge Tablets made of glass the ship had and was furiously typing and swiping away on it.
¡°And here is where Lord Wayland fell after the battle with the Ruby Soul Reapers,¡± Everin said, gesturing to the area they had finally arrived at.
The space atop the ship had been transformed by the natural growth reclaiming the vessel and area surrounding the World Tree. With the tree at the vessel¡¯s center, the cleansing meadow had continued spreading outward and was about a half kilometer in diameter now.
The place where Paul had lain dying was now marked by an altered ruebean tree. Instead of deep green leaves, these ones seemed dipped in gold. Those, along with its glossy black trunk and dark red fruit, made the tree¡¯s coloration reminiscent of the Paladin¡¯s regalia. This unique tree was now surrounded by pure white lilies, giving the whole scene an ethereal feeling.
¡°It¡¯s somber yet beautiful,¡± Veldrix remarked thoughtfully before turning to ask him, ¡°This is where you became an Avatar?¡±
¡°To Scholar, yes.¡±
¡°And how exactly did you manage to save the life of a Ruby Caster?¡±
¡°Magic,¡± he replied, only to have his odd black and white eyes be met with blood-red garnets in return. The look was calculating but impassive until the gemite gave a smirk, and his heart seemed to restart again.
¡°Cute,¡± Veldrix replied, then asked, ¡°Did this have something to do with how the World Tree came about?¡±
Everin was relieved the knight hadn¡¯t pushed the topic, not wanting to explain the Soul Cage or Phoenix¡¯s involvement. He was about to say no when he paused and said, ¡°Actually, we have a theory on at least one feature of the tree having resulted from Paul¡¯s battle.¡±
He reached into one of the small dimensional storage pouches he kept within the folds of his clerical robes that had been recently altered to include book sigils. Pulling out one of the small Sense Stones and bending down to hand it to Presley, ¡°Would you mind showing everyone what happened right after Paul defeated the other Ruby Caster on this recording?¡±
The child happily nodded and took the device, lifting it to their forehead, and then the vessel itself created another illusion for them to witness.
Paul was standing in the rain and roaring in triumph at the sky while two halves of a black-clad body lay at his feet. The Paladin kicked at the torso, which seemed to burst into red ashes from the action, an obvious triggering of a loot power. The rain mixed with the ashes in an odd slurry while a small pile of treasures appeared at the man¡¯s feet.
The Blade of Pure Wrath looked exhausted, standing there silently for a moment before bending over to pick up the loot. Instead, he stumbled, getting caught by his golden Familiar before crashing to the ground.
¡°Pause it there, please, Presley,¡± Everin said, and the image froze, ¡°See there? Paul never retrieved the loot from that Ruby Caster.¡±
¡°So? Didn¡¯t you or his daughter arrive shortly after?¡± the knight inquired.
¡°We did, but there wasn¡¯t anything there,¡± he explained, ¡°We believe the ship ate it.¡±
The Ruby Caster blinked at him before glancing down at Presley, who was still holding their hand, ¡°You ate it?¡±
The child got a shy look and said, ¡°The Bits fixed the power supply issues to begin regeneration.¡±
Everin nodded but walked closer to the illusion and pointed at the item that looked like rippling water shaped into a golden lotus, ¡°And what is this?¡±
Presley looked off to the side before saying uncertainly, ¡°An Aspect?¡±
¡°Of?¡± he said leadingly.
¡°Purification,¡± the child muttered, then said, ¡°Didn¡¯t know it was bad!¡±
¡°Why would that be bad?¡± Veldrix asked in confusion.
¡°Auntie Pati said Purifier god was bad guy here! Just wanted to help¡¡±
Everin smiled at the Emanation and walked over to pat their curls, saying reassuringly, ¡°You did help. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll also help a lot more people in the future because of that choice. Nobody¡¯s upset at you for that.¡±
¡°So the theory is Presley here absorbed a Purification Aspect and gained the power to cleanse Corruption through the World Tree¡¯s aura?¡± the knight summarized.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°It¡¯s the best explanation we¡¯ve got,¡± the Avatar replied with a shrug, ¡°Phoenix might have been the spark that triggered this odd chain of events with the vessel and its cargo, but I believe it¡¯s a miraculous result of the combination of the right items at the right place at the right moment all blended together in the perfect storm of wild magic.¡±
¡°A testament to its unique nature,¡± Veldrix said thoughtfully.
¡°Are you planning to inform the queen and attempt to seize control of the area, Knight Thevaris?¡± Patricia asked, finally interjecting into the conversation.
Everin would have bet a very hefty amount of Bits that the royal lap dog of the queen and king would have confirmed both his and Pati¡¯s fears of the goal to turn Presley into a new tool for the nation to leverage. Whether they wanted to claim Presley was their own person as a sentient floraval or not, it was hard to deny the importance of the tree¡¯s existence on the scale of nations.
He would have lost that bet.
¡°While I feel it my duty to inform the queen of the events that have unfolded here pertaining to the World Tree and the results of the confrontation with the Soul Reapers bringing an Obsidian Caster within our borders, I will not be recommending royal interference at the moment,¡± the knight explained.
Then they added with a grimace, ¡°She might not listen to me, but I will stress that I believe things are well in hand at the moment and it would not be to our advantage to¡ micromanage. I don¡¯t think even she believes it wise to potentially anger the Delegation of Radiance.¡±
Veldrix glanced up to the large canopy of the World Tree above them. Everin followed the gaze to see the sparkles of flittering wings trailing dust that belonged to the new ¡°helpers¡± sent by the Cultivator.
¡°Though the notion of the Fae potentially wanting to move in will be a more political concern, I¡¯m sure,¡± the Executioner added almost regretfully.
¡°Worries for the future,¡± Patricia said, tapping a bit more on the glowing slate of glass in her hands, ¡°The more immediate concerns are surviving this blood moon as the magic levels keep increasing. While Paladin Fairweather is dedicated to helping protect the tundra so long as the Soul Reapers are around, can we count on your assistance as well?¡±
Everin was slightly surprised by the gemite turning to look towards him and saying with a slight smirk, ¡°I believe so. I keep discovering intriguing curiosities here that I would love to learn more about.¡±
Then they turned back to the Wayland Ambassador, ¡°I was honestly getting bored at the capital, but this trip has been anything but that. While I will need to write a few letters, I plan on offering Duke Tul my assistance for the time being.¡±
Veldrix graced him with a dazzling smile and asked, ¡°Perhaps, you can help me get settled in the city as a visitor yourself? I¡¯d like to get more of an outside opinion on how the duchy is fairing. I admit I¡¯m curious about what would motivate a follower of the Rebel to fight for a noble.¡±
Everin found himself flushing slightly as he became the focus of the beautiful gemite¡¯s attention and tried to swallow his nerves once more as he replied, ¡°It would be my pleasure to enlighten you, Knight Thevaris.¡±
Phoenix was trying to practice her [Lunar Dream] ability some more with some help from Uriel as he directed her. They were currently in the larger training room they had available at the Wayland estate.
¡°They have a longer snout than that,¡± the Mage said, looking at the illusory monster that Phoenix could only describe as some kind of boar, anteater, and raccoon hybrid called a ¡°Snuffleroo.¡±
She gave an annoyed huff and dismissed the illusion to reconjure another with the adjusted mental image. The monster was Plant-attuned and bigger than she thought a normal wild boar on Earth was, and it was a monster she hadn¡¯t come across yet. Uriel was helping her to learn more about what the world had in store for her that wasn¡¯t completely covered by the book of monsters she had purchased for her trials.
While that book had a lot contained within it, there were also pieces of information missing, in this case, what a Snuffleroo actually looked like. Uriel had seen one before, however, and was trying to recreate the memory with her.
¡°Do you think we could use this to train with?¡± the cinderen asked her curiously as he circled the new model, ¡°The illusion monsters, that is. Practice tactics and such? I¡¯m sure Daze would like that.¡±
¡°That¡¯s kind of my hope,¡± she replied, ¡°I need to know how it actually behaves, though, which is harder for me to visualize when I¡¯ve never actually fought one before. I can try to program it to fight, but it could behave all wrong if it¡¯s pulling from my own ideas.¡±
¡°Program?¡±
¡°Tell it to,¡± she corrected, ¡°Like give it instructions to follow. I could program this to try flying through the air despite it obviously not having the wings to do so with, and it would.¡±
Uriel hummed thoughtfully, ¡°Maybe not as good of an idea then. Though it might be a decent challenge to progress this ability with.¡±
An announcing knock at the door interrupted them as Everin entered, ¡°There you are. I don¡¯t mean to be a bother, but I have a quick request for you, Phoenix.¡±
¡°Sure, we¡¯re just playing with monsters,¡± she replied with a grin, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±
The rainbow voxen came up to look at the illusion as he talked, ¡°I recalled that Paul had a Flame of Life that was bound to you and was wondering if I could hold onto it in his stead?¡±
She hesitated slightly before asking, ¡°Any particular reason?¡±
¡°It was just something Dazien had mentioned earlier that I¡¯ve been contemplating for a while. When I mentioned that I could sense what direction you were in but had no idea if you had died or simply teleported to a new direction, it made me realize that it might be useful if I had a way to know.
¡°With my duties now keeping me away from your party more often than not, I wondered if you might also be comforted knowing that I could respond if something were to happen,¡± the healer explained. Then added, ¡°If not, that¡¯s fine. I just figured I¡¯d ask while I had the chance.¡±
¡°I was about to ask what had brought you back to Tulimeir. Haven¡¯t you been spending most of your time serving Scholar over at the World Tree?¡± she asked.
¡°Ah, yes,¡± the pale voxen said with a slight blush, ¡°I¡¯m showing Knight Thevaris around the city this evening.¡±
¡°Oh?¡± Uriel asked, ¡°What¡¯s the Pyre Executioner doing in Tulimeir?¡±
¡°They were the Ruby Caster sent by the queen to respond to the Soul Reaper threat,¡± the voxen replied.
Phoenix scowled, ¡°A bit late.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a whole argument best left for the Duke to deal with. Needless to say, he wasn¡¯t happy with the late arrival either.¡±
¡°Is Knight Thevaris planning to take over things, or is Paladin Fairweather keeping them from getting greedy?¡± the cinderen inquired.
¡°I¡¯m not sure if Kara¡¯s the main reason or not, but they¡¯ve said they don¡¯t intend to interfere in the management side of things. Offering their help for now while the blood moon is still ongoing and Paul is no longer able to act for the queendom as the assigned protector.¡±
¡°So too late to help, but sticking around anyways?¡± she clarified with a grumble.
¡°It seems so,¡± Everin confirmed, ¡°I¡¯ll try to find out more about their plans at dinner.¡±
Uriel raised an eyebrow at the Emerald Caster and reiterated, ¡°Dinner?¡± then he gave a slight smirk, ¡°Falling for those Shiny gemite traits, Avatar Starlark?¡±
The voxen¡¯s flush deepened as he quietly retorted, ¡°You¡¯re one to talk.¡±
The mage laughed, ¡°I guess I deserve that.¡±
¡°What?¡± Phoenix asked in confusion, ¡°Did this knight charm their way to a free meal? I didn¡¯t think a Ruby Caster would have any issues paying.¡±
The two men stared at her for a moment before the voxen gave a pitying smile and said, ¡°Oh, sweet flower.¡±
¡°Why does that never sound like a compliment when anyone other than Saiya says it?¡± she asked with an annoyed huff.
31 - Tree House
Phoenix stared up in awe at the tree that had grown even more in her time away. After agreeing earlier that evening to let Everin hold onto the Flame of Life for his own reassurances, she had been informed that the entire Wayland family would be relocating to the World Tree soon and Patricia wanted everyone¡¯s input on some future planning.
She was currently sitting with her party at one of the round picnic tables that had been set up a decent ways away from the base of the World Tree. Another table held Pati¡¯s husband and four out of seven children, while another table held the remaining three with Pualani and her Familiar, Fen. Even Pavel had joined them with Camrin and another two former Ruwena children, as well as Pansy herding the other six newly annexed orphans.
¡°While I may have played a city-builder game a few times, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m really qualified to give input on building an actual city, Pati,¡± Phoenix pointed out nervously, ¡°Especially one built atop an alien spaceship and around a giant tree.¡±
The runeforged laughed tiredly, ¡°I¡¯m not asking for that,¡± the priestess clarified, ¡°I¡¯m simply asking what features you would like to see included. Perhaps something not available in Tulimeir or even in your own rooms. That question is for all of you,¡± the woman added, gesturing to the gathered family plus the guests that had been staying at the estate as well.
¡°Oh, good. ¡®Cause my city planning in a tree begins and ends with a tree house club room for little kids,¡± Phoenix said with a relieved sigh.
¡°A clubhouse could be fun,¡± Dazien replied with a smirk, ¡°We can have party planning sessions and watch Sense Stone recordings of our fights. After the ones Everin showed us of Paul¡¯s battle slowed down, I¡¯m beginning to think they might be good to use for studying our tactics afterward.¡±
As the group began listing off various ideas, Kara came up with a giggling Presley held in a tail before dumping the child into Phoenix¡¯s lap and saying, ¡°As long as each room is properly stocked with one of those fancy barrels I have nothing more to add.¡±
Phoenix rolled her eyes at the obsessive voxen and smiled at the child, who was looking a bit larger and older than she remembered before. ¡°Hello, Presley,¡± she greeted, ¡°How have you been? Have you grown with the tree?¡±
¡°Tree is me!¡±
¡°Right, but I wasn¡¯t sure this version of you would be growing so much, too,¡± she said, touching the tip of their nose for emphasis and causing another giggle.
¡°I¡¯m learning lots. Growing bigger. Will catch up fast!¡± the child, who looked closer to five or six now, happily said, ¡°Is mama gonna live here now?¡±
¡°I think that¡¯s the plan,¡± Phoenix replied, giving up on correcting the kid and resigned to hoping that they would grow out of thinking she was actually their mom. While it seemed to help in a political sense, she didn¡¯t feel very capable in that role. Maybe she could be more like a big sister? If she could just figure out how to convince Presley that Paul was their dad instead¡
¡°Can I show you rooms?¡± Presley asked in a sudden surge of excitement.
¡°Oh? Do you have some picked out for us already?¡± she asked curiously.
¡°Important people get important rooms,¡± the child stated matter-of-factly before scrambling off her lap.
¡°Patricia, do you mind if we go look at what¡¯s already available to us?¡± Dazien asked aloud, tilting his head towards the child who was bouncing up and down impatiently waiting for them.
The runeforged laughed and waved them off as the group got up to follow Presley, who skipped back to the vessel. Making their way through the now completely repaired and vibrant halls of the alien ship, they eventually arrived at the end of the hall that had labeled doors with each of their names on it.
Phoenix laughed as she read them aloud, ¡°Punchy Noisy Aunt Rayna, Softest Hugging Aunt Saiya, Brooding Stormy Uncle Uriel, Sparkly King Uncle Dazien, and Starlight Princess Mama Phoenix?¡±
She glanced down at the grinning child and asked, ¡°Did you come up with these on your own?¡±
¡°Aunt Kara helped!¡±
¡°Of course she did,¡± the Wayfarer said with a sigh, ¡°Well, I guess we should check out what you made for us.¡±
Uriel cautiously opened the door to his supposedly future room and was completely taken aback. It was such a chaotic mess of furniture and decor that he wasn¡¯t even sure what they were doing together at first.
A gray stone bed frame with blood-red linens glinted in the firelit torches lining the walls. A desk that seemed carved from glistening blue ice. A sofa next to the window that looked like a stormy black cloud was being sporadically lit from within. A tiny tornado dancing in a corner for¡ reasons? Ambiance? He had no idea.
The floor itself looked like polished obsidian with veins of lava running through it, and it wasn¡¯t until he noticed the runes carved into it that he realized that the room was a reflection of what was inside him¡ inside his soul.
When it clicked that the elemental decor was a representation of his Aspects and the chaos that lurked within, he angrily shut the door. He glared at the label that stared back at him. He was not ¡°brooding,¡± nor did he storm around.
Trying to put the uncomfortable room behind him, he peeked into the others who had left their doors open behind them. They were all reflections of their Aspects to a certain degree.
Rayna¡¯s room was across from his. It had various musical instruments and training equipment suitable for a pugilist to practice with. Gems glittered everywhere in mostly shades of blue and orange. The bard was already attempting to make music with some of the alien devices and Uriel decided not to disturb her.
Saiya¡¯s new space strongly reminded him of the tranquil garden zone within her [Restful Retreat] ability, complete with soft grassy flooring, a waterfall feature along one of the walls, plenty of fragrant lotus flowers decorating surfaces, and a view of the evening sky above them that was starting to show stars.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
Phoenix was still standing in her doorway, and when he reached it at the end of the hall, he could understand why. It was as if they were standing on the edge of reality itself and looking out into the cosmos. No window broke the view of infinity but there was an obvious boundary determined by the various furniture placed around the room that appeared as cloudy nebulas or asteroids floating patiently for their use.
The hearth was a miniature sun with a half circle of nebula chairs beside it surrounding a floating asteroid cleanly cut in half serving as a tabletop. A miniature blue moon had an alcove carved into it that served as both a desk and shelving for various books around it.
A much larger nebula of colorful clouds served as a bed with tiny twinkling stars floating in the air above it. Soft, melodic music was floating through the space, and it made everything feel like a dream.
As he glanced up at the ceiling, which continued the stretch of night sky, he noticed constellations that didn¡¯t actually exist in the distance. They were highlighted by glowing connected lines to form various sigils, eight of them. Each corresponded to one of the gods who had marked the Wayfarer.
¡°I told you that your soul was beautiful,¡± he whispered in awe.
She glanced up at him curiously and he nodded towards the ceiling and explained, ¡°I think Presley tried to replicate what they saw in our auras.¡±
¡°I¡¯m almost afraid to step into it,¡± Phoenix said bashfully, ¡°It feels like I¡¯ll keep falling forever.¡±
He could understand that feeling as the floor just looked like more empty space. Only the fact that the furniture seemed still in relation to them made him believe it was merely an illusion upon solid surfaces.
Uriel took her hand in his, ¡°Then we can fall together,¡± he said with a soft smile.
She returned it and took a step forward, not falling but seemingly walking on air. The Astromancer pulled him along behind her, aiming straight for the desk and he chuckled as she reached for a book to check out first.
¡°I should have guessed what would tempt you most,¡± he teased.
¡°You have no idea how happy I am for my translation ability right now,¡± she replied with a bright smile.
He laughed and shook his head, ¡°Well, I think I¡¯ll leave you to read, then, and go check out Daze¡¯s room and see if it¡¯s also an illusion.¡±
She hummed in response, her attention already falling into the book and he added, ¡°Call for me if you need help walking across the room again.¡±
Phoenix rolled her eyes at him, ¡°Ha ha. Go check on your boyfriend.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not really a fan of labels like that,¡± he replied with a grin and a shake of his head and quoted, ¡°They¡¯re both presumptuous and not entirely comprehensive of the reality.¡±
She laughed, ¡°You sounded a bit like Dazien again there.¡±
¡°Where do you think I heard that from?¡± he said as he reached the door, ¡°I just happened to agree with it.¡±
¡°It¡¯s almost like he tries to use the bigger words to sound more noble.¡±
¡°Seems like it works then,¡± Uriel pointed out, then gave a parting tease, ¡°Don¡¯t trip on a star while I¡¯m gone.¡±
As he shut the door behind him, he gave a slight start as Dazien said from beside him, ¡°You know, it¡¯s usually me that teases like that. Are you picking up more of my habits now that those earrings aren¡¯t limiting you as much?¡±
Uriel gave a huff, then shrugged, ¡°She seems to like it when you do it, so I figured it was safe enough.¡±
His partner gave him a slight frown, and he noted the obvious lack of antlers that had been a constant accessory lately, ¡°You know, Senesh, I know we¡¯ve talked about this a lot before, but you should just try to be yourself around the others. Not the silent brooding shadow or the apathetic encyclopedia of avals¡ or the charming gemite who¡¯s accused of flirting whenever he opens his mouth.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not¡ I just¨C¡± he hesitated slightly, glancing towards the door to his mess of a room, ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just trying to be better than what I am.¡±
Dazien moved to walk with him toward the Defender¡¯s room, ¡°I went to look for you in your room. It seems you also figured out what Presley tried to do with them¡ I take it you weren¡¯t happy?¡±
Uriel gave him a flat look, ¡°What made you guess that? Was it the lava running through the rune soul scars etched in the floor?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that bad¨C¡±
¡°Daze, I don¡¯t want to be constantly reminded of the mess that was done to me, alright? It took years not to flinch just from being touched, remember? You think I want to live with the memories surrounding me like that?¡±
¡°Point taken. I¡¯m sure we can ask Presley to change it if it bothers you that much¡ but Uriel, your Aspects are a part of you, and all of us accept that. You¡¯ve used them for so much good now¡ I was hoping you had learned to accept them as well.¡±
Uriel stopped and stared into the room that reflected his partner. Black floors with marbled golden veins had a few black fur rugs placed at various points. All the furniture was elegant wrought gold shaped into swirls with rich purple upholstery.
There were even tapestries of the four animals that seemed to make up Dazien¡¯s Familiar, along with a lifelike painting of Rex over the roaring fire in the hearth. The Familiar himself was languidly lying in front of the fire, yawning happily at getting to stretch out.
There were also a variety of decorative swords mounted around the room. A pair of windows opposite the door showed two rooms further inward. One seemed to be a training room similar to the one they normally used, with a mat, blunt practice weapons, and a training dummy. The other led into a luxurious bathroom with the largest bathtub Uriel had ever seen.
It was both elegant and mostly practical¡ a suite fit for a king.
Uriel felt his chest clench as he sincerely said, ¡°Your soul is beautiful too, my king.¡±
¡°You think yours isn¡¯t?¡± Dazien asked him seriously, the concern clear on his partner¡¯s face.
Instead of giving an answer he knew the stubborn man would try to refute, he asked, ¡°Can I just stay in here with you? I can¡¯t¡ I don¡¯t want to be alone in that other room.¡±
¡°Of course, Senesh,¡± Dazien replied, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, ¡°Whatever you need to feel at home.¡±
He nodded, walking towards one of the sword displays, and asked, ¡°Speaking of home, how are the new duties as a Wayland going?¡±
¡°They¡¯re good,¡± Dazien replied, walking up beside him, ¡°A lot of information to assimilate with how the House functions and current political stances. I¡¯m not taking a very active role yet, and that¡¯s probably for the best with everything going on at the moment. Plus, we¡¯ve been busy fighting monsters. I expect it might pick up once the blood moon ends, but hopefully, Phoenix and you will hit Sapphire by then, and we¡¯ll be leaving the tundra.¡±
¡°Still chasing after that quest even though Paul isn¡¯t coming with us now?¡±
¡°Yes. Honestly, I half wonder sometimes if he debriefed me on his plans just in case he died in battle. As a sort of backup plan should the worst case play out.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not a backup, Daze. He trusted you to lead us even if he never said as much,¡± he said, trying to reassure his partner and finding his attention drawn to the tight microbraids trailing down past the gemite¡¯s neck. His hand reached up to feel one, the slick compact feeling of it strange compared to how it normally felt.
¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask if you like it like this or not,¡± Dazien said without turning to look at him, but Uriel could see the gentle smile, ¡°Patricia said I should try it for a while. Figure out what I might like along with what looks suitable for my new station.¡±
¡°It does look very sophisticated,¡± he admitted, then added with a bit of embarrassment, ¡°I like running my hand through it, though¡ when we¡¯re alone.¡±
¡°Perhaps I¡¯ll try something different then. Something that¡¯s easier to take out after a long day of monster fighting,¡± Dazien replied thoughtfully, ¡°I think I like it when you play with it too. Makes me feel like I¡¯ve actually come home.¡±
32 - Challenges
Phoenix made sure to be completely restocked on potions now, including ones that cleansed various types of Banes. The Cultivator¡¯s Citadel and local alchemists had been overworking themselves, trying to replenish what had been used during the Soul Reaper¡¯s assault. Unfortunately, this made it harder to even find the items and the price had been impacted. Lucky for her, she had plenty of Bits to pay with.
King¡¯s Dream was doing a ¡°quick¡± patrol through the Razorteeth mountains, starting towards the northern end and working their way south to the fortress town of Souja.
With the magic levels continuing to rise, this would likely be one of their last trips without an Emerald escort. They needed to make the most of it and push both her and Uriel to cross the threshold into Sapphire. This meant finding suitable challenges for them.
¡°I bet a couple Rabaerus would be a good challenge for just the two of us,¡± Phoenix thought aloud as they jogged through the snowy mountain pass.
¡°We don¡¯t get to pick what monsters spawn,¡± Dazien pointed out.
¡°The Soul Reapers seemed to somehow,¡± she muttered.
¡°Did they pick or were they just forcing random spawns?¡± Rayna asked, ¡°I honestly wasn¡¯t sure and you¡¯re the only one that got a decent look at one of those ritual rooms before they all got forcibly transfigured into rubble.¡±
¡°Is that supposed to be a nice way of saying ¡®blown up¡¯? ¡®Cause that makes it sound so much worse for some reason,¡± Phoenix grumbled.
¡°Hold,¡± Dazien mentally commanded as he froze ahead of them and ducked down. The rest of them followed suit, Phoenix activating the stealth effects of her [Embrace of Shadows], blending them into the darkness of the rocky crags they were navigating through, waiting for instruction, ¡°I need an appraisal.¡±
Phoenix conjured her Crystal Spyglass and handed it over to the more knowledgeable party member. Uriel accepted it before slowly approaching to observe the monster Dazien¡¯s [Eagle Eye] had spotted.
¡°Crystal Caste, and I¡¯m fairly certain it¡¯s Corrupted based on the glowing and¡rotting bits,¡± the mage informed them all before adding regretfully, ¡°I have no idea what it is, though. Flying humanoid hybrids are not normally a thing at Crystal.¡±
¡°So, how is there one here?¡± she asked curiously.
¡°Monsters are basically fake copies of a species from somewhere in the cosmos,¡± Uriel began explaining, ¡°And when I say ¡®cosmos,¡¯ I mean the greater kind. Creatures from beyond our reality, like Rex or Orebela. The assumption is that a lot of the various species are repeated across realities to a certain extent, and they¡¯ll normally spawn based on a shared attunement with the area they spawn in.¡±
He nodded in the direction of the unknown monster still quite a distance from them, ¡°Something completely new isn¡¯t impossible, just rare because they are likely rare in the grand scheme. There¡¯s also the theory that more realities are constantly being created so there will always be the chance of new monsters but we can¡¯t prove that.¡±
Dazien interjected then, ¡°So, an unknown Crystal Corrupted that can fly ¨Cat least a bit from the way it¡¯s hovering¨C and is attuned to Metal and Song by the looks of it.¡±
¡°Really?¡± Uriel asked curiously, focusing through the spyglass once more, ¡°I would have guessed Wind and Earth based on its looks and the area. Those new Sapphire Caste eyes of yours are already coming in handy.¡±
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Passive Ability: Eagle Eye
Type: Perception
Current Caste: Sapphire 1
Crystal Effect: You have greater control over your vision and can focus on details from a great distance.
Sapphire Effect: You can see the types of magic a creature or item is attuned to.
|
¡°Honestly, I think that close call with the Corrupted Golataur shook my soul into trying to give me something to avoid that kind of situation again,¡± the Defender said with a slight shudder, then surprised the Wayfarer by turning and adding, ¡°Sounds like it¡¯s time for Phoenix to try a solo challenge.¡±
¡°Me?¡±
¡°You¡¯re immune to Corruption no matter the type. It¡¯s Crystal, so it should be within your capabilities. We can step in if things get too dangerous, or we can retreat if you very suddenly or inexplicably die,¡± he listed off before giving her a bright smile and a thumbs up, ¡°Good luck!¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes narrowed at the party leader as she asked, ¡°Is this revenge for eating the last chocolate marshmallow cookie Uriel made?¡±
¡°You know those are one of my favorites,¡± he pointed out, ¡°But do you really think I would send you if I didn¡¯t think you were capable?¡±
¡°No,¡± she murmured dejectedly as she trudged towards the monster, keeping her aura close around her.
¡°Oh, and no [Meteor Shower] or [Supernova] here. Don¡¯t want to cause another avalanche,¡± Dazien mentally added as they watched her from a distance.
¡°Sometimes I think you just hate that I have an easy solution,¡± she grumbled in response. Once she got close enough to see it a bit better, she prepared to execute her new plan of attack.
The creature looked almost insectoid in nature, which was rare for the cold tundra, its upper half more humanoid with an angular face bearing large glowing fractal eyes. It had two antennae-like prongs rising from its forehead and was completely hairless. The bottom half, however, looked like a cocoon of thin metal flaps that were glowing from within while releasing some kind of gas or steam.
Phoenix assumed this lower half was what was allowing the monster to float along, hovering a couple of feet off the ground as it seemed to be examining a large pile of rocks. This lower part would be her main target, so it couldn¡¯t just fly off.
Normally, she would have gone for the head, but the Corrupted were undead and basically ran off pure Corrupted magic, so they didn¡¯t care about normal organs, like brains. She hoped that the same couldn¡¯t entirely be said for whatever was allowing it to fly, even with some of those metal flaps looking a bit rusted and broken.
The Wayfarer took a calming breath, sent her boots and socks into her collection, and then activated [Avatar of Bakunawa]. Her body quickly shifted into a more draconic form and her internal clock began counting down.
She began running with her foot claws catching the ground to fling her forward. When she had the momentum she wanted, she conjured her portal from [Transversing the Stars] right in her path with the destination ring directly above the monster.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
She leaped through it with her [Night Blade] awkwardly held in a clawed hand, aiming straight down at the point where the humanoid flesh ended and the metal cocoon began. The humming noise it gave off was much louder in her ears now.
Even as her dagger struck its target with a grating screech of metal on metal on one edge, she was already incanting her [Call of the Abyss] Bane to curse the creature with retribution should it try to attack her in return, ¡°Gaze into the abyss.¡±
The monster seemed to shriek with its reverberating prongs since it didn¡¯t have a mouth. The sheer pressure of rippling sonar waves in the air weighed on her body, causing Song damage and giving the [Deafened] Bane as her ears started to bleed.
She knew Rayna was capable of the same effect with [Siren¡¯s Cry] and wondered if she needed more training with the effect. The silver lining was that she knew the Song damage was being dealt back by her own Bane, and now that she couldn¡¯t hear anything, she could focus more on trying her new combat ritual.
¡°Let dreams become reality,¡± she said ¨Cignoring the oddness of not hearing the words herself¨C and activated her [Lunar Dream] to create a large ritual diagram on the ground below them and followed that up with the activation incantation, ¡°Let the sun shine on the darkest day and bring brilliance to this dreary world.¡±
There was a brief flash of light as her [Starlight Companion] and [Sun Shell] were both destroyed in a flurry of metallic needles coming from the rusted flaps of the bottom portion, and she felt the sting of quite a few of them strike her right as she finished the ritual. The Astromancer cast the lower cost and shorter cooldown version of [Dawn Rises], which forced some of the needles out and closed up the wounds as the area was flooded with a blinding light that didn¡¯t affect her [Moonlit Eyes].
It did seem to affect the monster, however, as it shrieked again, this time in rage rather than in any kind of attack. ¡°Flame on,¡± she commanded, and Tala manifested alongside her, engulfing the creature in magical flames. Her [Eclipse Breath] mingled with the Cosmic Phoenix¡¯s own [Star Fire] and was a potent mix of Dimension, Fire, Light, and Dark damage that was almost enough to destroy the monster entirely.
It only took a few more attacks with her silvery [Cosmic Talons] ripping into the monster¡¯s fleshy parts and Tala¡¯s matching ones to finish eating through the target¡¯s buffed-up Fortitude, though she did get quite a few needles for her troubles.
Feeling like a pin cushion, Phoenix trudged back to her group to let Saiya fulfill her role and gave a sigh as Rayna groaned, ¡°That¡¯s not fair. We couldn¡¯t see anything that happened through that zone of light thing. I veto using that again. Especially if I¡¯m fighting too.¡±
¡°Doesn¡¯t your [Echolocation] mean you actually don¡¯t need to see?¡± the Astromancer pointed out.
¡°It¡¯s still annoying and super distracting to have light shining through your eyelids!¡±
Dazien walked up and put a hand on the bard¡¯s shoulder as he said with a laugh, ¡°I think what Rayna means to say is, ¡®Great work, Phoenix. We knew you could handle it.¡¯¡±
¡°No, I meant what I said,¡± the voxen retorted, smacking the Defender lightly in the face with a fluffy tail.
Phoenix laughed, ¡°Well, next time you can solo the floaty Corrupted monster that, I¡¯ll remind you, Daze said was Metal and Song attuned.¡±
Rayna blanched slightly at that and said in mock cheerfulness, ¡°Great work, Phoenix. We knew you could handle it!¡±
It was another week before they returned to the World Tree and were eating a meal together in the new dining hall that honestly reminded Phoenix of those large open-space cafeterias she had seen in various movies and shows.
The vessel¡¯s capabilities for creating things wasn¡¯t quite like a Star Trek replicator but it seemed pretty close to her. It had certain knowledge of how things could be made and if it had the materials available then it could put it together up to its own Caste which was currently sitting at Emerald. But the resulting product wasn¡¯t perfect.
It was like the bare minimum had been put into the creation of an item without it blowing up. As far as the food went, it was passable if you loved hospital food, but nothing outstanding. She preferred Uriel¡¯s cooking by far but since they were all tired and curious about the alien food, they had settled for quick and easy.
Presley had joined them as well, talking happily about playing with the new Fae inhabitants that were helping with cultivating the area and keeping the immediate area free of monsters while Patricia was focused more on the technical side of things with Ethan Teras¡¯ help and a few other Magi along with the mysterious voxen that were getting more of Presley¡¯s dormant systems back up and running.
They were almost finished eating when the child suddenly froze mid-sentence and got a wide-eyed look of terror on their face. Everyone became immediately on edge, looking around for a potential threat, and Phoenix asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°They got my communicator fixed,¡± the Emanation said, ¡°Soul Reapers are trying to talk to me.¡±
¡°Shut them out,¡± Dazien ordered immediately, the reverb effect of his Familiar-empowered voice startling the others slightly.
¡°I can¡¯t!¡± the child whined, ¡°They know I¡¯m online.¡±
¡°Can you keep them from getting any information about us and the tree?¡± Phoenix asked quickly, rubbing the whimpering kid¡¯s back in an awkward attempt to soothe.
¡°Think so,¡± then Presley scrunched their face as though concentrating hard, ¡°There. Secrets safe,¡± they said after a bit, then added with renewed fear, ¡°They sent Mama a message.¡±
¡°I thought they didn¡¯t learn about us?¡± Rayna asked, ¡°You said secrets safe.¡±
¡°Soul Reapers knew about Mama since you all discovered the outpost in the mountains.¡±
¡°That¡¯s disconcerting,¡± their party leader murmured, ¡°They knew about all of us? How much did they gather?¡±
¡°Knew everyone¡¯s aura record. Knew Mama is Wayfarer and Chosen. Knew Uncle Dazien is Shiny. Knew Uncle Uriel is¨C¡±
¡°Did they attack because of us?¡± Dazien abruptly interrupted.
Everyone else seemed to blanch at that idea, Phoenix included, as she asked, ¡°You mean it¡¯s our fault that so many people died?¡±
Presley shook their head, ¡°Soul Reapers moved the squad and planned to attack for souls in Tulimeir. You made them move early. They weren¡¯t ready yet.¡±
The gemite seemed to relax at that, ¡°So it was more fortunate of us then. They could have continued spawning more monsters otherwise.¡±
¡°What¡¯s the message they have for me then?¡± she asked hesitantly.
The child looked up at her with big sad blue eyes and said quietly, ¡°Don¡¯t want to say.¡±
¡°Why not?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t want Mama to send me away¡¡± they muttered sadly, looking down at the floor, ¡°Know Mama doesn¡¯t like being Mama¡ Need more time to be good for Mama.¡±
Phoenix felt her heart break a little at that. She hadn¡¯t realized that her discomfort with the position had been that obvious. She glanced toward her friends, but all of them were already looking at her, a mixture of curiosity, disappointment, understanding, and hope.
¡°Please, don¡¯t say words you don¡¯t mean,¡± Dazien said softly, ¡°The truth might hurt, but it¡¯s better than a lie or trick to make them believe words you don¡¯t intend to follow. Trust me when I say the betrayal later will hurt worse than any truth you could say now.¡±
She nodded slowly, taking a moment to sort her thoughts as she addressed the child beside her, ¡°You¡¯re right that I don¡¯t feel comfortable being thought of as your mom. It means something different to me than it does to you, I think, and honestly, I¡¯m not ready to be a mom. I¡¯m not even ready to be an adult, really.¡±
Presley nodded sadly, their bottom lip stuck out in a pouty frown, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I want to send you away,¡± she added, lifting their face to look at her again, ¡°I still want you to be family. I think I could try being like a big sister if that¡¯s alright with you.¡±
The child looked up with a big smile and asked, ¡°I can be a little sister instead?¡±
She glanced at the others once more, smiles of encouragement reflected in everyone¡¯s face, ¡°If ¡®sister¡¯ is what you want¡ I¡¯m sure Paul wouldn¡¯t mind having another daughter.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not like he can say no,¡± Rayna pointed out, and Saiya gave her a jab with an elbow.
¡°What? It¡¯s true! Plus, he seemed to be getting in a ¡®collecting¡¯ mood. I¡¯m surprised he didn¡¯t try to call Uriel his son next.¡±
¡°I shot that down immediately,¡± the cinderen said with a grimace, ¡°I don¡¯t need him to act the father with me.¡±
¡°Oh gods no,¡± Dazien replied, ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me he did that. Did he really expect to make us actual brothers? That would have gotten awkward.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think he was planning that far,¡± Uriel said with a shake of his head, ¡°But if he tried calling me ¡®son,¡¯ I would have gotten Patricia involved. She seems to be the only one that can talk actual sense into him.¡±
They all nodded in agreement at that and Phoenix turned back to Presley, ¡°So, my little sister, to get back to the other worry you had. What did the Soul Reapers want that made you think I might try to send you away?¡±
¡°They want me,¡± she responded, ¡°They said give me back, or they¡¯ll come take me back and destroy Tulimeir.¡±
Rayna scoffed, ¡°I think they plan to destroy it either way but they already tried and failed. What makes them think it¡¯ll be any different with Kara still here?¡±
¡°Are they planning to try sending an army again?¡± Dazien asked.
¡°No,¡± Presley replied, ¡°They will send big ships. Bigger than me.¡±
Dazien frowned at that, ¡°Big ships can¡¯t fly here. The ambient magic doesn¡¯t support¡¡±
As he trailed off, it seemed to dawn on all of them at once as he abruptly stood, ¡°That¡¯s why they sent the Reality Seeds in the first place! They plan to raise the magic so they can fly in a larger threat! I have to go report this to the Director. Phoenix, can you portal me? We¡¯ll go straight to the AOA and hopefully be back in time for that training session Kara wanted us for.¡±
She nodded, patting Presley on the head and saying, ¡°You did good. We¡¯ll be back soon. Why don¡¯t you go with the others and let Aunt Pati know, too?¡±
The tiny redhead nodded and took Saiya¡¯s hand, pulling her towards the exit as Phoenix opened a portal for her and Dazien to disappear through. This war wasn¡¯t over for them.
33 - The Art of Cultivation
Phoenix and Dazien ended up running into the Obsidian Caster at the Alliance of Adventurers¡¯ headquarters as they sought out Director Trayvious. Informing both women at the same time about the imminent threat of more than just high-Caste monsters in the near future.
Agatha thanked them for the confirmation of their suspicions and let them know she would be meeting with the Duke later to discuss more plans for their defense. This included more letters to the Queen in Blomstra and moving forward with the potential activation of the Emergency Caster Recruitment program to bolster their defenses further.
Kara, on the other hand, told them to get back to the World Tree, and she would be there in a few minutes to attend their newest training session: cultivating their cores.
Phoenix was fairly certain the golden voxen was either insane or pranking them when they were all taken to a moderately sized room with barrels for each of them to sit upon. Carefully perching atop one while sitting in a lotus position felt odd to her, but the three voxen in the room seemed perfectly comfortable with the action, with their tails splayed out behind them to brush the floor.
They had been positioned in a circle, close enough that their knees just barely brushed against one another. Uriel was on her left with Saiya on her right, the latter already humming a gentle song to boost the effects of their meditation via her [Meditative Guide] passive ability.
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Passive Ability: Meditative Guide
Type: Boon (magical, song)
Current Caste: Sapphire 1
Crystal Effect: Sing a song of guided meditation, enhancing the effects of meditation to nearby allies.
Sapphire Effect: Increases regeneration of all resource pools for nearby allies while meditating.
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¡°Now,¡± Kara began, and she felt Uriel tense beside her for some reason, ¡°I¡¯m sure Lord Wayland was simply waiting for you all to reach Sapphire since this doesn¡¯t become necessary until one begins to approach Emerald,¡± the Obsidian explained, ¡°But I think it¡¯s never too early to learn and might help some of our¡ slower members catch up.¡±
Presley was sitting in Kara¡¯s lap as she spoke, and Phoenix asked, ¡°Can you cultivate a core, Presley?¡±
¡°No,¡± the child replied simply.
¡°Floravals and their Emanations cultivate like other avals. They just grow up,¡± the Paladin expounded, ¡°The rate and cap are different for each species, but Emanations usually match their originator, and the World Tree is already Obsidian. Presley will likely catch up in a few years.¡±
¡°Years?¡± she questioned, ¡°But she¡¯s been growing so fast lately.¡±
¡°Well, yeah. The early Caste levels go pretty fast, but they become exponentially slower as you go, even when you¡¯re an aval that doesn¡¯t need to actively seek out suitable challenges to progress.¡±
¡°So they don¡¯t have cores at all?¡±
¡°Not like a Caster. Their entire body basically serves that purpose in a very loose sense. This lack of spiritual core, though, is why they can¡¯t bond to Aspects and why monsters aren¡¯t as interested in eating them into extinction.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, but did you say monsters eat Caster cores?¡± she asked in wide-eyed confusion.
¡°They¡¯re drawn to the magical potential,¡± Uriel clarified for her, ¡°That¡¯s the theory at least, though still strongly debated.¡±
¡°What? Like they¡¯re jealous?¡±
¡°You can understand why it¡¯s being debated,¡± the cinderen chuckled, ¡°There are very few monsters capable of controlling their hunger in order to answer questions on ¡®why,¡¯ and the ones who can might not feel obliged nor be representative of the whole.¡±
¡°And we¡¯re getting off track again,¡± Kara interjected, giving the two Crystal Casters pointed looks, ¡°The goal here is to help guide your experiences into strengthening your core. It¡¯s a fairly automatic process at lower Castes. Mundane to Crystal, you simply absorb some Aspects to unlock your Magic attribute, which generates your Class. Crystal to Sapphire, you just learn to relax a little after a hard day,¡± the voxen explained.
¡°But Sapphire to Emerald, you have to delve a bit deeper into who you are and what you want to become. Your core isn¡¯t a physical thing to be plucked out of you but an internal representation of your soul.¡±
¡°Representation? Like an aura?¡± Rayna asked curiously.
¡°Similar, but auras are the external equivalent. While those seek to expand, your core needs to condense. To do that, we stuff it full of our experiences and solidify them as a part of us. We are our experiences.
¡°As far as how you go about cultivating that core, however, is a very personal experience that even I can¡¯t fully guide you on. Some people claim to just picture a ball of mana they try squeezing or spinning like yarn. Others claim it¡¯s a garden they tend to or animals they feed. For me, it was focusing beams of light into my own personal sun.
¡°Now,¡± the voxen repeated with a muffled clap of furred hands, causing Uriel to flinch again beside her. The Wayfarer turned to give him a puzzled look, but Kara was still speaking, ¡°I want you all to clear your minds and try to fall into your souls.¡±
Phoenix closed her eyes and tried to relax while focusing within herself. She thought the instructions rather vague but she did have a mental picture of where her aura went when she retracted it, so she began there and tried to continue following it inward.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
She had to admit, it did feel a bit like falling as she arrived in what appeared to be a small hexagonal room with mostly bare shelving along the walls from floor to ceiling. A few of the shelves had books resting upon them but there didn¡¯t seem to be any order to them at all. The room was mostly dark, but that didn¡¯t hinder her vision at all as she walked around the cozy space to select one of the books that had an emblem of a stylized sun on the cover.
When she opened it, a stream of floating lettering passed beside her, glowing slightly as it added text onto the blank pages she had found within. Her gaze followed the path of the magical letters upwards to see a chaotic swirl of the alphabet making up the ceiling.
More streams of letters were trying to make their way into other pages on the shelves around her, and she realized it must be a bit difficult for them to write within a closed book. She found herself smiling; it seemed that she was going to have to help with writing her own story.
Rayna saw floating bits of crystals that she knew were meant to be part of the larger one in her center. The problem she was having, though, was that she wasn¡¯t positive how she was meant to combine them.
The only clue she had was the variety of different instruments circling the open space she had found herself in. It felt like she had been transported to one of her favorite places back in Epa Toivo. The large expanse of orange sands met a bright blue sky in every direction she looked, and she was in its center.
When she touched one of the floating crystals, it made a low resonating hum for a few seconds before falling silent again. Another crystal made a high-pitched ding like someone flicking an empty glass. Yet another sounded like a loud trumpet.
She glanced around again at the instruments and moved over to examine one of those instead. Going to a type of drum she recognized, she gave it a light rap and heard the sound echo behind her, furred ears twitching towards it.
The bard watched the small swarm of crystals as she hit the drum again and saw one of the crystals light up in response and match the sound, abruptly moving itself closer towards the center gem. She gave a feral grin; it was time to make some music.
Dazien found himself inside of a strange armory. In the center of it seemed to be a treasure chest full of oddly shaped pieces of metal of different hues and engravings upon them.
He carefully observed as one of the metal pieces seemed to float through the air on its own accord, making its way to a broken sword being displayed vertically upon a golden stand. Half of the blade seemed to be missing as it aimed toward the floor, but the little piece of metal attached itself to it, forming more of the missing object.
The warrior glanced around at the other objects in the room being displayed. Suits of armor, broken shields, and various weapons aside from the plethora of swords. There were also murals lining the walls. Images of some of his greatest triumphs and lowest failures.
Most of the walls were still blank, however. He walked back to the chest of colorful metallic shards and pulled one out, examining it more closely, then walked over to one of the broken shields that seemed to match its coloring. Placing the piece neatly into one of the holes, it seamlessly melded into the whole.
Dazien chuckled as he muttered to himself, ¡°Looks like I really did internalize that lecture about finding the pieces to my puzzle.¡±
He glanced around the armory again at all the empty patches waiting to be filled with answers. If only the rest of his life so easily supplied the missing pieces. With a sigh, he got to work, puzzling out his soul.
Saiya thought she had been transported into her little restorative retreat at first with its soft white walls surrounding a tranquil garden. However, this wasn¡¯t the usual garden and instead of a clear sky, it was sprinkling rain everywhere.
It seemed more somber than her retreat or the face she showed to others around her.
She wasn¡¯t quite sure what she was meant to do as she stood at the edge of the large garden of white, pink, and red lotus flowers. Then she realized the ground wasn¡¯t dirt, it was water. Dark and murky, that she couldn¡¯t see the bottom of.
When a drop of rain fell onto the surface, it gave off a brief flicker of pale blue light before clouding again. It was a confusing sight to behold but one thing she knew she wanted to happen was to see the water become clean¡ purified¡ healed. It seemed an impossible task though.
She discovered that she was able to walk along the surface of the lake garden here. As she knelt to gently caress one of the petals of a red lotus at her feet, the flower seemed to respond to the touch, moving closer as if to hug her in return.
Saiya gave a sad little smile and carefully cupped the lotus, lifting it from the water. When it broke free from its stem, it bloomed further, spreading itself completely open until it fell apart, the petals drifting onto the water.
Instead of sinking into the murky lake, the petals formed a ring and a small reflection of a memory glimmered within the now clear blue water. A memory of her friends sitting around a campfire while happily talking.
The Healer looked around the large lake with thousands of flowers covering it and began to pluck the memories of her experiences and let them cleanse the dark waters, detailing her journey through life.
Uriel struggled with the task.
It was difficult to relax enough in the first place to take a peek into his soul that he had zero desire to explore. Even when they normally meditated, he struggled to keep his mind from wandering to the dark corners of his memories. Instead, he often focused on trying to stay calm and relax his body more than his mind.
This fact alone was probably more to blame his stunted growth on than the collar and manacles normally silencing his magic. Out of the entire group, he was the one who had been a Caster the longest and yet he was still lagging behind them. He blamed the years of being chained and not allowed to use his abilities for a large portion of that delay but he had been actively fighting now for months alongside his party.
A tickle on his nose had his eyes open to find red irises staring back at him. He started in surprise at Kara¡¯s proximity and the offending tail that had brushed his nostrils.
¡°You¡¯re not meditating properly at all,¡± the voxen reprimanded quietly, ¡°Didn¡¯t Lord Wayland teach you better than that?¡±
¡°He tried,¡± Uriel grumbled, trying to adjust his position atop the barrel.
¡°You¡¯re choking yourself,¡± the Paladin complained, ¡°Both externally and internally. It¡¯s a miracle you¡¯ve gotten as far as you have.¡±
He gave a frustrated sigh, ¡°I know. I just¨C¡± he clenched his fists at the warring desires within him before trying to explain, ¡°I want to get stronger for them,¡± he gestured towards the others, ¡°But I don¡¯t think making my powers even more terrifying is exactly a positive thing either.¡±
¡°You do recall me blowing up an alien vessel and army of monsters, right?¡± the Obsidian Caster asked with a raised brow, then glanced over at the Wayfarer on his right, ¡°And your princess here isn¡¯t much better, considering she drops burning meteors from the sky and destroys everything in an explosion of starlight sparkles.¡±
Uriel wasn¡¯t sure what to say to that. He hadn¡¯t thought of Phoenix¡¯s powers as anything but beautiful despite their destructive capabilities. While he burned, froze, blasted, and rotted people to death, she created dreams and hope. Starlight sparkles of wonderment.
¡°I think out of everyone here, you need to learn this technique the most,¡± Kara stated firmly, ¡°You need to take a good hard look at who you are, Uriel Karislian, and who you want to be¡ but I have a feeling I¡¯m not the first one to tell you that.¡±
He grimaced and admitted, ¡°No. You¡¯re not.¡±
¡°Well then, now¡¯s the time to learn. Remove those chains, and I¡¯ll help keep your aura in check. You can¡¯t accomplish this while silenced like that.¡±
Uriel sighed again but obeyed, removed the golden cuffs, closed his eyes, and tried to relax again. This time, he let his mind wander inward instead of focusing on what his body was doing. When he finally managed to fall into that inner trance and get a peek at the storm of devastation that awaited him¡ he ran from it.
34 - Family
¡°Thank you for making the time to meet with me,¡± Patricia said as she sat down across a small desk from a priestess of the Parent named Yua Yavuz. She was an older cinderen that had been working at the temple for decades.
¡°My pleasure to be of service, Ambassador Wayland, especially to such a prestigious noble house,¡± the priestess replied with a bow before taking her seat. ¡°Now, you mentioned having questions about a couple of former wards of ours. Is this about a job or¡¡±
¡°Well, one is for adoption, and the other is his long-time friend,¡± she explained, ¡°Dazien Smithson was chosen by Paul before the recent battle and¨C¡±
Yavuz¡¯s face scrunched in distaste at the name, ¡°That pretty boy managed to wile his way into the Lord Wayland¡¯s good graces? I don¡¯t mean to speak ill of your brother, m¡¯lady, but I would stay clear of that one and not trust those words of temptation.¡±
Patricia paused at that. She hadn¡¯t really been there to discuss Dazien¡¯s past here since she had already done quite a bit of research on him long before Paul even mentioned adoption. Her more recent concern was about the title she had discovered Uriel bore and who else knew about it.
¡°Oh? I¡¯m aware he is a gemite with the Shiny talent, but I hadn¡¯t heard anything¡ unscrupulous in his past,¡± she replied carefully.
¡°That child has been nothing but a heartbreaker since arriving here.¡±
¡°Wasn¡¯t he only four when he arrived?¡± Pati asked in confusion.
¡°We had quite a few people become interested in adopting him, but the High Priestess refused them all. It was as though the boy was incapable of truly returning their familial affections, which became much more obvious as he got older. By the time he was fourteen, he was already dragging girls and boys along with lustful strings. Flirtatious words to raise their hopes, use them for a short time, then I never saw them around again.¡±
Patricia wasn¡¯t sure exactly how to respond to that. She hadn¡¯t seen Dazien show romantic interest in anyone other than Uriel since first learning of the pair months ago. After talking more with the young scion, she had learned they¡¯d been together in that capacity for about two years which sounded nothing like what was being described.
Yua leaned forward, speaking in a hushed tone, ¡°I even caught him spending quite a lot of time at the temple of the Lover. While actively courting others. The boy is greedy to his core and cares nothing for the shattered hearts he leaves in his wake. While I am normally a huge supporter of adopting even the most needy of children, that boy will cause your House nothing but scandals.¡±
¡°I see¡¡± she replied slowly, now uncertain about trusting anything this woman had to say about her former wards, but perhaps this was a case of bias against gemites? ¡°The other inquiry I had was about his friend, Uriel Karislian.¡±
¡°Such a tragic story, that one,¡± Yua replied, leaning back in her seat once more, ¡°Came to us as a soul-scarred teen, rescued by your brother now that I recall. The poor boy was so jumpy and stand-offish. Spent most of his time at first locked away in his room between visits to Priest Jacob, the mind mender.¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯m acquainted with him,¡± she replied, then tried to get the woman back on track, ¡°So Uriel always kept himself isolated?¡±
¡°Until that floozy got his amethyst claws into the poor young man. Convinced Uriel that he should follow his delusional ideas of royalty. Did you know it was his fault that poor Uriel almost killed another noble boy in a fit of jealous rage?¡±
¡°When did this happen?¡± she asked in concern. She hadn¡¯t heard any such thing.
¡°Well, I forget the exact timeline but it was shortly after that pretty boy dragged poor Uriel out of the safety of his room. Almost destroyed the playground because that gemite was so desperate for attention. No matter how hard High Priestess Deserin tried to raise the boy, dedicating her own personal time to the effort, he never changed for the better.¡±
¡°You do know he¡¯s an Adventurer now, right?¡± Patricia asked the strange priestess.
¡°Probably slept with the trial assessor for that,¡± Yua muttered.
¡°Is High Priestess Deserin available to answer some questions, too?¡± she asked, desperately wanting a different perspective at that point. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her again since she first came to the World Tree and later sent Priest Willem to see to things.¡±
¡°Ah, yes. I thought it odd that Priest Willem was sent. He normally tends to the infants here. Is one of your family members struggling with a newborn?¡± Then the woman gasped, leaning forward again for more gossip, ¡°Did that seducer give one of your daughters more than what she bargained for?¡±
¡°I think we¡¯re done here,¡± Patricia said with a firm glare, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what your issue is with him, but Dazien Wayland has never tempted any member of my family, the family he belongs to now. So if I hear any more slanderous words thrown at him without extensive proof, you will regret ever speaking again.¡±
Then she abruptly stood and left the priestess of the Parent, who obviously had very different ideas about parenting than she did.
Patricia was back at the Wayland Estate, grabbing a few more things from her study before relocating most of her family to the World Tree. That location had become her new focus for both her House and her goddess, and it was slowly becoming a fortress in its own right.
The Starfall voxen had been surprisingly helpful with navigating how the advanced vessel worked, including getting its Emerald Caste force shields back online. Along with internal climate controls and its fairly robust capabilities for customizing itself ¨Cgiven the appropriate material requirements¨C it was quickly becoming a safer location for her family than the capital city.
The strange voxen members were mostly comprised of a couple of dozen Emerald Casters and double that in Sapphires, with Mint as their Ruby emissary and de facto leader. While they had been focused on the ship and adding additional exterior construction, the Fae faction had been making themselves rather comfortable within the boughs of the gigantic sapling itself, focusing on helping the area¡¯s extensive plant life thrive.
Patricia hadn¡¯t gotten a clear headcount, but they seemed even more numerous than the Starfall and were actually mostly combatants with a knack for gardening. They had become the default protectors of the new grove they were hoping for.
She wasn¡¯t necessarily against having the Fae as new citizens of Tulim but there were concerns about a future clash of cultures and ideals for how the area ¨Cand people¨C should be governed. The Fae emissary, Acorn, hadn¡¯t seemed particularly vocal or concerned about this factor, however. Making it clear that their main priority was simply securing a place where their species could survive.
¡°You asked to see me, Ambassador Wayland?¡± Uriel asked as he tapped on the already-opened door.
¡°Yes, just a few minutes of your time, hopefully,¡± she replied, gesturing towards the open sitting area near the bar and asking, ¡°Would you like a drink? I have some aplet juice or manarin wine or¨C¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
¡°No, thanks,¡± he interjected, nervously taking a seat.
¡°Is everything okay?¡±
¡°I think you¡¯re about to answer that for me,¡± the cinderen replied with a raised brow.
She gave a sigh and sat in a chair across from him, ¡°Yes, well. I just came back from a very¡ interesting and mildly disturbing meeting with Priestess Yavuz.¡±
Uriel scowled, ¡°Let me guess, painted Dazien as a lustful degenerate who has only one thing on his mind?¡±
¡°And you as the poor boy who fell under his spell,¡± she added with a nod.
¡°Please tell me you don¡¯t believe that nonsense.¡±
¡°No, but he is Shiny¡ it¡¯ll make people wonder if Yavuz wasn¡¯t wrong.¡±
¡°I knew Daze for years before we ever got involved like that.¡±
¡°Maybe the effects strengthen over time?¡±
¡°So what if they do?¡± Uriel countered, ¡°Are you suggesting Dazien be cursed to stay alone forever because he¡¯s too beautiful to find real love? I don¡¯t care what others might say about us. I know how we feel, and that¡¯s all that matters.¡±
¡°But I know you do care about what others say about Dazien,¡± the politician pointed out, ¡°You care enough to hide your relationship with him from the public eye. I bet you care enough that you would leave him if it came down to it.¡±
Silence fell.
Uriel stared at her with a calculating and wary gaze for a long time before he finally asked, ¡°Are you suggesting I should stop being by his side? Did¡ Is this because of what Paul told you about my past? About who I am?¡±
¡°Paul told me about saving you from an island of cultists. He did not tell me you earned a few titles during your time there, however. Presley was the one who recently informed me of that.¡±
She watched carefully as he tensed, clenched his fists tightly, and stared at the floor as if trying to mentally solve a problem.
¡°I haven¡¯t told anyone else,¡± she admitted, ¡°Frankly, I¡¯m too afraid to.¡±
Uriel¡¯s ember eyes glanced up at her in surprise. Then he scowled and clarified, ¡°That¡¯s why you would rather I leave on my own? Before it gets out or someone gets hurt?¡±
Patricia thought about that for a long while. She had been debating the idea since first learning about him. When it came down to it¡ she would always choose her family over others, but she wasn¡¯t sure if the happiness found with a childhood sweetheart was worth the pain that would come from being socially outcast or worse.
¡°Yes,¡± she whispered sadly, ¡°I would rather you leave than watch their futures be destroyed by you standing in their shadows.¡±
¡°Their?¡± he asked, almost breathless.
¡°Leave and break Dazien¡¯s heart. Leave and steal away Phoenix¡¯s friend. It will hurt both of them. But like a bee¡¯s sting, it will heal quickly. They will move on and be safe. They both have bright futures as Adventurers and Waylands. Phoenix is blessed by many of the Delegation of Radiance, and you¨C¡±
¡°Are not,¡± he growled in response. ¡°You¡¯re kicking me out after Lord Wayland promised Daze¨C¡±
¡°I¡¯m not kicking you out,¡± she corrected, ¡°I will stand by my brother¡¯s promise.¡±
Then the Priestess of the Cultivator leaned forward and said sincerely, ¡°I am asking, no, begging you to do the right thing and leave them. They are my family¨C¡±
¡°They¡¯re mine too!¡± Uriel yelled, standing in his anger, ¡°My party is the only family I have left!¡±
¡°Now, Uriel¨C¡±
¡°Piss off,¡± he snapped, stalking out of the study.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, young one,¡± Paul said, black blood spilling from his mouth as he weakly lay in her lap.
¡°No,¡± Phoenix sobbed, trying to use a sleeve to wipe the blood away.
¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t go on our adventure,¡± he continued, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I won¡¯t be there to shield you anymore.¡±
¡°Please, no,¡± she begged, looking around for help but nobody was there, just an endless expanse of cold dreary snow with flakes falling from a gray sky.
¡°I¡¯m sorry I hid things from you.¡±
¡°Somebody help!¡± she cried out, ¡°Please save my dad!¡±
Paul lifted a bloody hand to her cheek, using a thumb to wipe the tears away, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be your father anymore.¡±
She sobbed, her face a mess as she watched Paul die in her arms, quickly turning into ruby ash.
¡°Phoenix! Sis, wake up!¡±
The Wayfarer blinked, trying to focus, and a flash of red curls and blue eyes set in a tan face that was so similar to the man she just watched leave her forever made her sob anew. Presley seemed to panic as the small child tried to comfort her and eventually ran from the room.
A door slammed open, and she vaguely heard Dazien yelling, ¡°Gods! Presley?! What are you¨C Hey, stop! We¡¯re not dressed! Just¨C One moment!¡±
Another moment later, Presley was practically dragging a disheveled ¨Cbut luckily clothed¨C gemite into her room. Dazien made his way over and carefully sat on the edge of the bed as he asked in a much more subdued voice, ¡°Nightmare again?¡±
She nodded, not trusting her voice.
¡°Miserlings?¡±
¡°Paul,¡± she choked out, leaning her forehead against his bicep.
He adjusted to give her a hug and whispered, ¡°That one visits me sometimes, too.¡±
¡°Does he die in your arms, too?¡± she asked, rubbing at her eyes.
¡°Once in a while. Mostly, I¡¯m just frozen in place, unable to do anything, much like the reality.¡±
¡°What¡¯s wrong? Nightmares?¡± Uriel asked, finally joining them as the cinderen finished pulling his shirt down over the rune scars.
¡°Yeah, a sadder Paul ending,¡± Dazien answered for her, which she was grateful for at the moment. He was so much better at doing the whole talking thing than she was.
Uriel moved around to the other side of the nebula-style bed and fell into it next to her, adjusting himself to sit against the cloud-like headboard. He opened his arms for her and smirked as he said, ¡°I¡¯m warmer.¡±
He wasn¡¯t wrong. She quickly dove for the comforting embrace and let herself cry more. Knowing now that her friends wouldn¡¯t judge her for it.
Dazien adjusted himself on the other side of her and simply held a free hand, just letting her know she wasn¡¯t alone in her fears.
¡°I felt the sad feels,¡± Saiya said sleepily from the doorway, padding across the room and climbing into the bed as well, letting the tranquil aura envelop all of them. The fluffy voxen clambered over Dazien¡¯s legs to insert herself between the Wayfarer and gemite, wrapping one tail around Daze and two around Phoenix.
The Defender chuckled as he said quietly, ¡°She might be even warmer than you, Senesh. These tails are quite soft and insulated.¡±
Saiya hummed happily before shushing them and saying, ¡°Not talking time. Sleeping time now,¡± before snuggling closer against Phoenix¡¯s side, the tails tangling them all together.
¡°I¡¡± Phoenix wasn¡¯t sure what to say exactly to explain that she was too afraid to sleep again so soon.
¡°You don¡¯t have to sleep,¡± Uriel whispered beside her, ¡°I¡¯ll stay up with you as long as you need.¡±
She glanced over at the other two but Saiya and Dazien already seemed to be falling back into slumber. Looking up at Uriel she said quietly, ¡°You can sleep too.¡±
¡°No, I know you don¡¯t want to be alone right now.¡± He looked over towards the others for a moment before admitting, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be alone either.¡±
¡°Dazien says we¡¯re never alone now,¡± she pointed out.
He gave her a sad smile, ¡°We¡¯re not, but it¡¯s good to have a reminder of that fact like this every now and again.¡±
She nodded, resting against him and just listening to his breathing and heart beating as she tried to calm herself by matching his rhythm.
¡°He¡¯s right though,¡± Uriel began saying softly, ¡°I hope you know that even if I¡¯m not literally beside you or him¡ I¡¯ll always be with you, trying to do what¡¯s best for you both. What¡¯s best for your family.¡±
Phoenix squeezed him in a hug, ¡°Same,¡± she yawned sleepily as calm returned to her body, her mind half gone as she murmured, ¡°I love our family too.¡±
¡°I love us too!¡± Presley said happily, climbing up into the bed and pulling a Saiya by snuggling in between the women to get a fluffy tail blanket as well. ¡°G¡¯night!¡±
Phoenix snorted a laugh as Uriel chuckled, and she replied, ¡°Sleep tight.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t let the karsai bite,¡± the warm cinderen added softly.
¡°What¡¯s a karsai?¡± she tiredly asked.
¡°A little bug that likes to nibble on people. Not really harmful but can be annoying.¡±
¡°Are they magic, too?¡±
He chuckled, ¡°No. Just a Mundane little insect. Want to know about some magical bugs?¡±
She yawned, ¡°Only if you won¡¯t get offended when I fall asleep.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll let you in on a little secret,¡± he whispered, ¡°That¡¯s how I got Daze to fall asleep, too, when his mind wouldn¡¯t quiet.¡±
Phoenix huffed a tired laugh and was asleep before Uriel finished the first explanation about a type of magical butterfly she didn¡¯t even catch the name of.
35 - We Will Celebrate
Patricia wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about walking in to retrieve her niece only to find her in the arms of the man she had begged to leave them the day before. Nor did she know how to respond to the pile of furry tails all over the six people in said niece¡¯s bed of cloudy nebula.
Saiya was snuggled into Dazien¡¯s side with Presley lying with every tiny limb stretched as far out as they could go between the voxen and Wayfarer. Rayna was almost as bad as the child as she lay horizontally across the others¡¯ feet, loudly snoring away.
She found herself wondering if this was how they normally slept when out on the tundra, spending days, if not weeks at a time, on the road or in the wilder parts. She had never thought to ask or see how Uriel¡¯s [Fortress of Solitude] worked for them.
Patricia cleared her throat to try to gently wake one of them, but nobody stirred. Her eyes narrowed at the snoring toddler in the middle, and quietly asked, ¡°Do Emanations even sleep? I know Obsidian Casters don¡¯t, which leads me to believe your originator doesn¡¯t either.¡±
¡°I can sleep!¡± Presley said, promptly sitting up in the bed, and causing every other Caster to start awake, ¡°But vessel sends a signal message to wake me up!¡±
¡°Gods, Presley! I almost punched you!¡± Rayna said in annoyance at the sudden alarm.
The child giggled and then quickly looked contrite as she said, ¡°Sorry, Ray-ray.¡±
¡°Rayna?¡± Phoenix asked in confusion, wild curls going in every direction, ¡°When did you arrive?¡±
¡°Only like an hour ago if that weird clock on the non-wall is right,¡± the bard murmured, rubbing sleep from her eyes, ¡°Should have told me we were doing a slumber fest.¡±
Dazien rolled his eyes, ¡°It wasn¡¯t exactly planned. Presley tried to drag me in here pantsless because Phoenix had a nightmare.¡±
¡°Not appropriate, Presley,¡± Patricia scolded, ¡°I¡¯ve told you that just walking into people¡¯s rooms unannounced was a violation of privacy; even between family.¡±
¡°Auntie Pati said emergencies were okay!¡± the child retorted, standing up in the bed, ¡°It was an emergency!¡±
Phoenix covered her face with both hands as she grumbled, ¡°You¡¯re making me sound like I¡¯m five and incapable of surviving a bad dream.¡±
Uriel chuckled softly from beside the Wayfarer as he sat up and said, ¡°Most five-year-olds don¡¯t suffer the same traumas we do, Princess. Jacob said we shouldn¡¯t be ashamed of our struggles, remember? I¡¯m sure he¡¯s told you that by now.¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± Phoenix replied with a yawn and stretch, ¡°I have another session with him today too. Yours is tomorrow, right?¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± he confirmed as the group started to vacate the large nebula that served as a bed, shrinking in width as the bodies decreased.
¡°When are we going back out on the tundra?¡± Rayna asked, ¡°I¡¯m assuming we¡¯re still taking the monster hunting missions, yeah?¡±
¡°That¡¯s actually what I came to discuss with you all,¡± Patricia interjected, ¡°Though I wasn¡¯t expecting to find you all¡ like this.¡±
Saiya frowned at her and stated, ¡°It wasn¡¯t anything to disapprove of. As Dazien said, we were comforting a friend struggling with a nightmare.¡±
She gave a relenting sigh and tilted her head in acknowledgment, ¡°I understand that now, but that was not the impression I got when I arrived. Technically, you are all old enough to make your own choices in who you sleep with but I do want to remind you of the social implications around that choice. Especially you two now,¡± Pati added, pointing between Phoenix and Dazien.
Then she waved her hand in the air, dismissing the topic, ¡°But that¡¯s not what I wanted to talk about. I know it¡¯s short notice, but the day after tomorrow, we will be holding Dazien¡¯s Noble Reveal.¡±
There was a beat of silence before Dazien surprised her by saying, ¡°Is now really the best time for that? I mean, I¡¯m honored to have one, but the blood moon is¨C¡±
¡°Still likely months from being over. We had Phoenix¡¯s during it, and we will have yours as well.¡±
Phoenix spoke up next, more in confusion than objection, ¡°But Paul won¡¯t be able to¨C¡±
¡°You, as Regent, will be taking his place during it,¡± she preemptively answered.
That caused the Wayfarer to blanch as she practically begged, ¡°Please, no. I barely managed to walk across that room and talk with strangers because Paul was there to support me! There¡¯s no way I can do the same thing for Daze!¡±
The gemite chuckled, ¡°I think it¡¯s going to be more like me taking Paul¡¯s place in that regard.¡±
Patricia smiled, ¡°True. Phoenix will just need to walk with you across the room and sit up on the dais for a bit while making niceties with the other nobles.¡±
She turned to the voxen twins and added, ¡°You ladies are, of course, invited to attend again as well. I expect there may even be more visiting nobles in attendance this time as it will be both a chance for them to get closer to the Gods¡¯ Chosen and an opportunity to see the World Tree since we will be holding it here.¡±
¡°Here?¡± Phoenix repeated in surprise.
Dazien, however, didn¡¯t seem to take the redirection she had offered as he fixed his gaze on her, crossing his arms over his chest, and asked, ¡°What about Uriel? Are you going to force him to stay away?¡±
She looked between the two men, suddenly wondering if she had miscalculated Uriel¡¯s concern for his partner and friend and instead revealed what she had suggested earlier. Perhaps the mage didn¡¯t care if his secrets destroyed them.
As her eyes lingered on Uriel, her question unspoken, the man subtly shook his head in response. She relaxed slightly, hoping he was merely looking for the right time to follow her advice, and she said, ¡°He is not a noble. Both of you were not invited to Phoenix¡¯s reveal, not as any personal slight but simply tradition. You understood this before, Dazien.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
The gemite looked away in obvious annoyance, ¡°I understood, but that doesn¡¯t mean I support such an outdated tradition. It is an important life event, and I want the people who are important to me to be there to celebrate with me.¡±
¡°It is an event for the sake of the aristocracy, Dazien, not for you personally,¡± she tried to point out, ¡°We will celebrate you as a family, with friends in attendance later. This, however, is to show the other Houses who their newest peer and potential rival is. It is politics, pure and simple.¡±
¡°That¡¯s still no reason to keep Uriel¨C¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine, Daze,¡± the cinderen interrupted, walking over to calm the slightly younger man, ¡°I¡¯ll just hang out in your room and read. Enjoy the fact that I¡¯m not in Phoenix¡¯s shoes,¡± he added with a smirk.
¡°Thanks,¡± the Wayfarer said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, ¡°Enjoy reading while I die from anxiety causing my heart to simply stop working.¡±
Uriel chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s one way to get out of the party.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not funny,¡± Patricia chided the pair, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t joke so lightly about dying like that.¡±
The room oddly went still at that as all five party members turned to stare at her in a mixture of surprise and confusion. That caused her to become confused in return, ¡°What? I know some people like dark humor like that sometimes, but we¡¯ve lost too many people recently for me to find it funny.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Phoenix said, ¡°Sorry, I mean, I joke like that a lot of times. It kinda helps break the tension, but I didn¡¯t mean to make death seem so trivial. I understand most people don¡¯t come back from it.¡±
¡°Nobody comes back from it, Phoenix,¡± Pati stressed, suddenly uncertain about the full extent of the Wayfarer¡¯s magical education, ¡°You know there is no magic that can bring back the dead, right?¡±
¡°Right, sorry, I knew that.¡±
The priestess shook her head sadly as she said, ¡°If there was, I think the world might riot for that power,¡± she glanced at each one of them as she said, ¡°I know I would if it meant bringing any of you back should you fall while protecting the rest of us from monsters. I understand it¡¯s a risk worth taking, but I never want to have to go through another memorial for one of you or any of my family.¡±
¡°We don¡¯t want that either,¡± Dazien replied softly.
Patricia nodded and gave a smile, ¡°Good. Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to make things so solemn. I know the news I brought wasn¡¯t exactly the best, but it¡¯s one night of uncomfortable politeness, and then you can proudly say to people that you are Dazien Wayland now.¡±
She gave an indulgent look towards Rayna, ¡°The day after that, you all can return to Tulimeir to get your next mission with the AOA,¡± then she nodded towards Saiya, ¡°And see if there are any temple quests for an Acolyte needing to be done. I¡¯m not entirely sure what duties you have committed to with the Traveler yet.¡±
Saiya glanced towards the others, ¡°Well, they gave me some reading materials while I¡¯m busy with AOA missions, but it will be a good chance to check-in. Though I may do that today while Phoenix is meeting with Priest Jacob.¡±
¡°Ah, well¡ Sounds good,¡± Patricia said, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll let you all go now; just don¡¯t be late for the party, please.¡±
Uriel knew that Pati refusing to let him attend the Noble Reveal was likely not an attack on him directly, but it still stung. It was another reminder that he didn¡¯t belong beside the people who both shone so brightly, figuratively and literally.
The longer he thought about Patricia¡¯s words, the more he found himself agreeing. He knew he didn¡¯t deserve to be with them. He had caused his parents¡¯ deaths, he didn¡¯t want to be the death of this new family as well. Despite Priest Jacob¡¯s and Dazien¡¯s continual denial of it, the fact remained that he was a family-murdering monster that could only promise destruction.
He had been debating for quite a long time now to just come clean with Phoenix about his secrets. The first time he had mustered the courage was in a spur-of-the-moment decision when they were alone in the rooftop garden of the Wayland estate right after Paul had fallen into an indefinite slumber.
Uriel had wanted to warn her that people had a good reason to fear him. That he would only bring cataclysm wherever he tread. He had been interrupted, though, by the goddess Champion. He hadn¡¯t been entirely sure what to make of the divine timing of that but had definitely lost his nerve to bring it up again.
The second time was when Phoenix had called him her ¡®best friend,¡¯ which both thrilled and terrified him. It made him realize just how close they had gotten and just how much more devastating his inevitable betrayal would be. He couldn¡¯t justify not telling her and agreeing to her notion that they were best friends.
Patricia had given him another option to consider, and he wasn¡¯t sure which betrayal would be worse for Phoenix ¨Cthe weight of his secrets or his abandonment for her own good.
Dazien knew his secrets already, and he had watched them cause nothing but strife for the gemite over the years. Forcing the Defender, who hated lies, to keep his secrets out of a sense of duty to protect him. Burdening his partner with the truth and his own fears.
How much worse would it be when Daze would enter the spotlight of nobility in a mere three days? Would people dig into the gemite¡¯s past and current affairs? Would they dig into him and use his secrets as a point of leverage?
Only a handful of people in the entire city knew exactly what he was, which was likely the only reason he had managed to live in relative obscurity so far. His partner becoming much more important could change that, however. Abyss, maybe others already knew from digging into Phoenix and her party members.
He clenched his fist in frustration. They would be leaving for Tulimeir shortly, and now would be a better time than most to finally tell her.
Then she could go complain about his betrayal to Priest Jacob, who was one of those few people who knew everything about him. Perhaps Jacob could help explain why he had to keep it a secret and why it was better if she stayed away from him¡
¡°I¡¯m going to tell her,¡± he said aloud in an attempt to convince himself.
Uriel took a shaky breath and then knocked on the bedroom door that now had the simpler label of ¡°Sister Phoenix¡± upon it.
¡°Come in,¡± the Wayfarer responded from within. He opened the door to peek inside at the bright cosmos of a room. She smiled warmly at him and waved him over, ¡°Oh, hey! I was just finishing adding some things to my room. Come look at this.¡±
He shut the door behind him and made his way over to the little moon alcove to look at what she was holding. It was a picture of all of them passed out asleep in her bed this morning.
¡°Turns out Presley has visuals everywhere, which was nice to get this picture, but I¡¯m going to need to have a talk with Pati about ensuring some privacy measures, I think¡¡±
Uriel swallowed, recalling why he had scrambled to get clothes on in the middle of the night, and said tightly, ¡°Please do, and make sure to destroy anything already captured.¡±
She laughed, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll make sure the showers and baths are off limits too,¡± the Wayfarer added, placing the picture on the carved-out desk before turning to ask, ¡°So what¡¯s up?¡±
¡°I wanted to talk with you about something important before Dazien¡¯s reveal,¡± he began carefully.
¡°Is it to not trip and fall on my face, dragging Dazien down with me?¡± she asked with a chuckle, taking his hand to lead him over to the sitting area and selecting a nebula sofa to sit on across from the miniature sun providing warmth in addition to the light.
¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do fine in Lord Wayland¡¯s stead,¡± he tried to reassure.
Phoenix gave a sigh, curling her knees up to her chest as she looked up at him, admitting quietly, ¡°I wish I could just wear a mask so no one can see how nervous I am.¡±
¡°I could help with that,¡± a powerful feminine voice said from the chair off to their left and the divine aura that washed over them had the pair tense at the arrival of yet another goddess.
36 - I’m the Bad Guy
Phoenix had been happy to see Uriel again that morning. She had wanted to thank him for helping her out last night. His presence had become a desperately needed comfort lately. No matter how crazy things got or how much she messed things up with Paul, Presley, or anyone else, he had been there for her. Uriel was a pillar of reassurance that it was okay not to be perfect or have all the answers.
She wanted to tell him that. Let him know how important he was and try to be a pillar for him as well. To reassure him that no matter his secrets or fears, she would be there just like he had been¡ then she could go have a slightly embarrassed panic attack with Jacob about whatever his response might be.
The appearance of another deity suddenly interrupting that plan was unwelcome, and she suddenly worried that deities would start showing up whenever she expressed a random wish aloud. Perhaps she could use that to her advantage in the future, but for now, she was simply too startled by one in her bedroom.
The goddess looked human, similar to Camilla, but with wavy blonde hair that reminded her more of Kara. The stranger was clothed in a form-fitting glittering green dress that reminded Phoenix of sequins, but she didn¡¯t think plastic was a thing in this world ¨Cwhich she was fairly sure was used for those on Earth.
As the deity smiled brightly at her, legs crossed as she leaned back in the cloud-like chair, Phoenix found herself prompting, ¡°And¡ you are?¡±
The smile twisted slightly as the beauty playfully replied, ¡°You¡¯re the one with an overpowered aura. What does it tell you?¡±
Phoenix focused on her own aura senses for a moment as the divine flavor suffused the room, and it felt¡ tricky ¨Clike she couldn¡¯t trust that it was even an aura at all. She raised a brow at the goddess and said, ¡°That you¡¯re a liar?¡±
The smile didn¡¯t drop but the goddess held up a perfectly manicured finger as she said, ¡°Okay, first: rude. Second, it¡¯s not lying if it¡¯s done in jest, right?¡±
¡°Pretty sure it still counts as lying,¡± Phoenix retorted, eyes narrowing at the deity. She could feel Uriel tense beside her, reminding her that she was once again giving snark to a divine being that had far more power than either of them.
¡°You can¡¯t always just blurt out the truth,¡± the goddess chided, seeming almost offended by the idea, ¡°It¡¯ll spoil the surprise, and who doesn¡¯t like surprises?¡±
¡°Bomb disposers?¡±
The deity surprised her by snorting a laugh, ¡°Okay, that¡¯s a good one.¡±
¡°Chemists. Mathematicians. Ritualists,¡± she continued listing off.
Emerald green eyes rolled at her as the bright smile dropped slightly, ¡°Alright, I get it. Sometimes people don¡¯t want a surprise but that¡¯s not all the time. The Trickster ¨Cwhich is me¨C just brings a bit of fun and mystery to the world,¡± the goddess said with a mischievous grin.
Phoenix frowned at the revelation, ¡°I¡¯m a bit disappointed that the ¡®Trickster¡¯ is a woman, feels a bit sexist¡ like saying we¡¯re all liars and cheats.¡±
A brunette eyebrow raised at that as Trickster pointed out, ¡°You know us deities don¡¯t actually have a set gender, right? Would you prefer this?¡±
Suddenly, Phoenix was staring at an incredibly handsome and muscular man. Still blonde but in a deep green suit she had seen other noblemen wear before. The strong baritone voice then asked her, ¡°Do you feel better when the god of tricks is a man? Like women aren¡¯t as good at pulling off a fantastic prank.¡±
¡°Well, now I feel like the sexist,¡± she muttered, waving her hand through the air as she amended, ¡°Sorry, turn it back.¡±
Trickster returned to her previous appearance, giving a small sigh of contentment, ¡°Now then, as I was saying before the introduction. I have an offer to make,¡± the goddess gestured towards her, ¡°You wish for a mask, and I just so happen to have some skills in that department.¡±
¡°You¡ you want to mark me?¡± Phoenix asked incredulously.
¡°Sure,¡± the goddess replied with a shrug, ¡°That¡¯s the current trend, right? I¡¯d love to get in on that fancy immortal action too,¡± the blonde said with an excited little wiggle and grin, ¡°If you¡¯re in the market for more Favor, that is.¡±
The Wayfarer hesitated slightly, not sure how to speak her thoughts without insulting the goddess, but ended up with, ¡°Aren¡¯t you¡ you know¡ evil?¡±
¡°Psh,¡± the deity scoffed, ¡°A few harmless pranks, and suddenly I¡¯m the bad guy. You¡¯ve done your fair share of tricks since arriving here, you know.¡±
The goddess leaned forward and almost reminded Phoenix of Scholar with the amount of excitement the glowing woman was showing, ¡°I think my favorite so far was when you managed to get Ohsen Ruwena monologuing to surprise him and then killed yourself to escape!¡±
Trickster gave a single clap of her hands for emphasis as she leaned back again, ¡°You didn¡¯t get to see it, but the look on his face when your head hit the floor? Priceless!¡±
An almost malevolent laugh escaped the goddess¡¯ lip. Then that emerald gaze met hers as she added, ¡°But being able to keep your resurrection a secret from your own party for soooo long¡ Major kudos on dragging out that particular reveal. It¡¯s almost as impressive as your self-destructive friend here,¡± the deity said with a wave toward Uriel.
¡°You both have my sister constantly banging her head against a wall in frustration and practically screaming, ¡®Just tell them already!¡¯¡± the goddess mocked in a higher pitch before giving another laugh and saying in her more sultry tone, ¡°You have been quite entertaining.¡±
¡°Which sister?¡± Phoenix found her curiosity asking.
¡°I do have a lot, don¡¯t I?¡±
¡°Scholar?¡±
¡°Bah, she¡¯s never as fun as the others with her cheating mind-reading,¡± Trickster complained, ¡°No, I was talking about Witness, goddess of truth ¨Cso they say. Such a gray area, in my opinion.¡±
Uriel seemed like he was about to speak up, but the goddess continued, ¡°But the truth isn¡¯t always the best choice, you know?¡± she gestured towards the mage again, ¡°Uriel Karislian knows. It could easily end up hurting someone, and you could lose a friend¡ or more.¡±
Phoenix curiously looked between the two locking gazes and was about to ask what Trickster could mean by that when the deity once more took control of the conversation and redirected it.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°Anyways, back to my offer,¡± the goddess said, gesturing back towards Phoenix, ¡°I¡¯ll bless you with the ultimate poker face talent, letting you better control those pesky emotions that threaten to overwhelm you, and you let me get a bit ¡®handsy¡¯ ¨Cas you say¨C with marking that pretty little soul of yours with my Favor.¡±
She thought about that for a moment, probably far longer than some would approve of. Uriel¡¯s hand slipped into hers to draw her attention as he gently shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s a trick, Phoenix. It¡¯s always a trick with¨C¡±
¡°You¡¯re one to talk,¡± the goddess interjected, the smile gone from her face, ¡°You who hides in plain sight. Tricking the entire world into believing you¡¯re nothing more than a tragic shadow.¡±
Uriel fell silent and looked away from them, which made her angry. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to him like that,¡± Phoenix snapped, ¡°I hid my secrets because I was scared. I¡¯m not going to let you bully him into feeling guilty for doing the same thing.¡±
An almost cruel smile stretched across Trickster¡¯s face as she said, ¡°What if I¡¯m trying to trick you into saying that? What if my genuine offer was given knowing that your friend would warn you away? What if I offer him the same? Would you deny him a useful Talent like that?¡±
They both turned to the goddess in surprise at that, the mischievous grin going wider.
¡°I thought the gods were only marking me with Favor because I can¡¯t die,¡± Phoenix said in confusion, ¡°Last I knew Uriel could still die¡¡± she trailed off before turning to him and asking with wide eyes, ¡°Are you immortal too?!¡±
Trickster laughed aloud, and Uriel gave her a flat look, ¡°No. I would have told you if that were the case.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡± the goddess said, her voice dripping with disbelief, ¡°You haven¡¯t told her your other secrets, so why should either of us believe you would tell her something like that?¡±
Uriel glared at the blonde, and the deity addressed Phoenix instead, ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m simply confident that you, the proven immortal, would protect this undeserving man with your life. That the risks of granting him my Soul Mark are rather low when taking into account the current level of protection he has.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a trick,¡± her best friend repeated, squeezing her hand once more, ¡°Don¡¯t let her get inside your head. Even the truth can hide a lie. We don¡¯t know her true intentions.¡±
¡°My boy, I am a deity. We all have a very singular goal by our very natures,¡± the goddess said with a roll of her eyes.
¡°Yes, and yours is to trick people into believing lies,¡± Uriel snapped.
Trickster scoffed, ¡°Please, you need to think larger than that.¡±
Phoenix contemplated that for a moment before clarifying, ¡°Everin said one of the reasons the gods wanted to make me Chosen was to spread their influence. The gods gain power from it somehow? I think he called it Aetherius, right?¡±
¡°Yes. We gain Aetherius from a few things,¡± the deity admitted with a casual shrug.
The door slammed open as Everin appeared in a rush, holding a giggling Presley to his chest as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to a word Trickster says!¡±
The poor panicked voxen¡¯s rainbow fur was the poofiest Phoenix had ever seen it before, and she asked incredulously, ¡°Did¨C Did you sprint here?¡±
¡°Presley told me Trickster showed up,¡± the Emerald Caster explained, setting down the child, who happily trotted over to sit beside Phoenix.
¡°Everin goes fast!¡± Presley giggled.
¡°Well, now that you¡¯re here,¡± Trickster said with a grin, neatly folding her hands to rest her chin on as she leaned forward to watch them all, ¡°Do you care to test the bounds of your newly appointed position, oh Avatar?¡±
The voxen almost snarled at the goddess, ¡°I¡¯m merely here to make sure Phoenix doesn¡¯t make the mistake of listening to you.¡±
¡°Oh? Playing daddy in Paul Wayland¡¯s stead? Don¡¯t you have a shiny new playmate to spend your time with instead?¡± the goddess taunted.
Everin took an enraged step forward before suddenly freezing with wide-eyed surprise.
Trickster burst out laughing, ¡°I¡¯m guessing my siblings just yanked your leash there? See, I¡¯m not the only one with goals and rules to play by.¡±
The voxen scowled and then turned to look at Phoenix, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to Trickster. She¡¯s a part of the Voidsworn Syndicate and¨C¡±
¡°Technically, I¡¯m not,¡± the goddess clarified, ¡°The Voidsworn Syndicate and the Delegation of Radiance are mortal organizations. Determined by the participation of mortal followers. Seriously, they call me the liar, yet you deceive this Wayfarer into thinking a bunch of gods got together and decided to be ¡®evil¡¯ based on your mortal notions of what that even means.¡±
Everin seemed to tense up and clench his jaw as he focused on Phoenix, ¡°And her followers are usually evil¡ A trait they get from the goddess, I would wager.¡±
Phoenix scrunched her nose at that, not because she didn¡¯t believe Everin but because he didn¡¯t deny that what the Trickster said actually was the truth.
She glanced between the goddess and voxen before looking towards Uriel as she said for Everin¡¯s benefit, ¡°Trickster offered to bless you in exchange for a Soul Mark. She¡ implied that she could cultivate your Talent to help you control your emotions rather than¡ going berzerk.¡±
Phoenix turned back to look at Everin, ¡°I don¡¯t understand why she would try to trick us about that. Uriel said it¡¯s because gods do their concepts, which makes sense, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s all they do, right? Isn¡¯t blessing people and giving Soul Marks something they all can do?¡±
She glanced back towards the goddess who was smiling back at her with a Chesire grin that threatened to drive her insane trying to figure out exactly how many steps ahead this deity was in the verbal game of tricks. It was the dread pirate vs the Sicilian again and she felt like the princess caught in the middle.
¡°That¡¯s true,¡± the Avatar seemed to reluctantly admit, ¡°They are not limited to only performing their concepts. In fact, some of them are incapable of doing so, like the Avenger, for example. They need mortals to carry out those tasks.¡±
¡°But why? That¡¯s what I was asking before you arrived. Does having someone like me give them more Aetherius in addition to spreading their area of influence?¡±
Everin looked slightly uncomfortable for a moment before walking closer and explaining, ¡°Yes and no. Deities gain Aetherius by followers worshiping them or giving them offerings. One deity might trade Aetherius to another for bending some rules. The most common source, however, is simply living beings doing their concepts. You¡¯re not a follower of the ones that granted you their marks but you¡¯ve definitely been performing a lot of their concepts.¡±
Then the voxen glared at the goddess again and stated defiantly, ¡°But that¡¯s why you can¡¯t accept Trickster. The goal of gods is to make moves that result in more of their concept being performed. In spreading and growing both their influence and power as much as they can. If you accept, you¡¯ll be helping tricks to spread.¡±
¡°Friendly pranks are hardly the worst she could promote,¡± the deity countered, ¡°Both of you serve Rebel, and she¡¯s toppled nations. How many deaths lie at her feet?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you dare to¨C¡±
A wave of aura rippled over them again, crushing even her overpowered layers to crumble before the weight of it as the goddess said in an eerie calm, ¡°I dare to. Do not forget who you are speaking to, fox kit. I may be the more playful and tolerant of deities, but I do not take orders from mortals.¡±
The pressure lessened, and Phoenix released her tense grip on Uriel¡¯s hand, who was gripping hers just as tightly in shared fear.
The goddess smiled at them again, pointedly ignoring the voxen and saying cheerfully, ¡°Well, my offer still stands, and we¡¯re running out of time to chat. Take your time to think about it if you want, a divine blessing to hide your emotions in exchange for one tiny little itty bitty Soul Mark. Simply call upon me, and I will seal the deal.¡±
Then the Trickster was gone.
37 - Mind Mender
¡°Phoenix, you can¡¯t ever accept that lie,¡± Everin said sternly to her, ¡°Trickster cannot be trusted. Even when she tells the truth, sometimes, it is misdirection and only intended to make you fall prey to the trick. The best thing you can do is forget everything she said.¡±
She looked back towards Uriel, ¡°But if she marked you¨C¡±
¡°It¡¯s not worth the price, Princess,¡± Uriel said with a sad smile, ¡°I agree with Everin. Forget everything she said.¡±
Phoenix thought about arguing, then wondered if, by doing so, she would be playing into whatever alternate goal the Trickster had. The endless spiraling of wondering. The only truth was that she would never know what that particular goddess was truly trying to accomplish.
She gave a heavy sigh and nodded, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll refuse her offer.¡±
They all heard the goddess¡¯ voice fill the room once again as she simply gave a disapproving tsk and said, ¡°Pity.¡±
¡°Waste of Aetherius, in my opinion,¡± Everin muttered, ¡°Such a petty use.¡±
Phoenix chuckled at that, remembering the Avatar¡¯s distaste for their frugality. She turned back to Uriel and asked, ¡°Now, what were you wanting to tell me before Trickster so rudely interrupted?¡±
The cinderen glanced towards the rainbow voxen, then at the empty seat where the goddess had been sitting moments ago, before finally shaking his head, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later. You¡¯re going to be late for your appointment with Priest Jacob if we don¡¯t leave soon.¡±
¡°Oh, shoot,¡± she said, glancing over to the weird celestial clock hanging in the air near the moon alcove, ¡°We better go get the others and portal over. You and Daze were gonna go visit the temple of the Parent while Saiya checked in with the Traveler, right?¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± the mage confirmed, then turned again towards Everin and said, ¡°Rayna mentioned stopping by Rebel¡¯s temple, too, since we¡¯d all be in the temple district. Looks like you left an impression.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll stay here and play with the kitty!¡± Presley announced happily from beside her.
Phoenix and Uriel both stared at the little girl for a beat of silence before breaking out into laughter.
¡°Of course, Bliss would somehow end up here,¡± Phoenix managed to say, ¡°It¡¯s where the best spoiling cook lives now.¡±
Phoenix sat on the plush couch covered in a variety of differently shaped pillows. Pillows of every color were strewn about all over this particular room. She had just finished explaining her latest craziness to Priest Jacob who sat in a chair across from her. The bald cinderen had recently reached Emerald himself as many of the older Sapphire Casters had during this prolonged blood moon.
As a mind mender, she wasn¡¯t entirely sure what kind of powers he had, but with an aura free of Monster Seed usage, she worried about what that said for the number of challenges this blood moon had provided for him as well. How many people like her came to him broken and in need of mending?
He gave a small smile as he said, ¡°I never thought I¡¯d ever ask this to anyone, but how do you feel about getting personally approached by so many deities?¡±
¡°At first I felt¡ unworthy?¡± she said, uncertain of the right word, ¡°Like, I was nobody. I mean, sure, I was a Wayfarer from another reality, but I was also just a clueless girl who didn¡¯t even last a few days without dying.¡±
¡°But you don¡¯t feel that way now?¡±
¡°Oh, I still feel pretty clueless,¡± she said with a laugh, and Jacob joined her.
¡°It¡¯s okay to not know everything, Phoenix. I¡¯ve lived in this reality my whole life and still don¡¯t know a lot of things.¡±
¡°I know,¡± she said with a nod, ¡°I¡¯m not feeling as lost as I did at first, at least.¡±
¡°What about that first part,¡± the mender asked, ¡°Do you still feel ¡®unworthy¡¯?¡±
She gave a shrug and admitted, ¡°A bit but at least now I know they¡¯re just doing it because of my talent rather than some grand expectation. That was actually a relief. Now it¡¯s just getting annoying that they keep popping up whenever they feel like it.¡±
¡°Why is that annoying?¡±
¡°Because it¡¡± she stared down at the pillow in her lap that she liked to hold during these sessions as she searched for the explanation, ¡°It makes me feel like they¡¯re just using me like some kind of¡ tool. Just a handy lock-pick to open reality doors.¡±
¡°But you said ¡®no¡¯ this time. A tool doesn¡¯t get to do that,¡± Jacob noted.
That caused her to grin a bit, ¡°I guess not. Looks like I¡¯ve upgraded to a disobedient pet?¡±
The healer chuckled and shook his head, ¡°You¡¯re not a pet either, Phoenix.¡±
She rolled her eyes, ¡°I feel like you have to say that as a mind mender.¡±
He laughed, ¡°Just like you, I don¡¯t have to do anything I don¡¯t want to. That includes saying that you are a brilliant, generous, and kind young woman who has struggled through a lot of difficult and unique situations and come out the other side all the stronger for it.¡±
¡°Pretty sure I come out weaker when I lose progress on my abilities ¡®cause I died again,¡± she remarked.
The cinderen shook his head again but was still smiling as he said, ¡°I¡¯m glad to see your sense of humor hasn¡¯t suffered either.¡±
She laughed, ¡°Sometimes I feel like I laugh just to keep from crying.¡±
¡°A lot of us do,¡± the priest admitted, ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s what keeps us from drowning in our sorrows. I¡¯m sure with all the loss lately, you¡¯ve witnessed a variety of ways people are trying to cope with their grief.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
She nodded, falling silent. Her mind wandered to the memorial and the tears, laughter, and anger that were on display.
After the silence stretched for a while, Jacob prompted, ¡°Was there anything else you wanted to talk about today? You seem to have a handle on how to deal with gods now.¡±
The Wayfarer gave a short laugh, ¡°Ha. Just bark instead of bite the bait?¡±
He chuckled, ¡°I believe you did well this time, honestly. You didn¡¯t just listen to what Trickster had to offer but asked your friends for advice and then decided for yourself if it was a risk you were willing to take. Doing that alone, whether you said yes or no, shows a great amount of growth to me.¡±
¡°How so?¡± she asked in confusion.
Jacob smiled gently, ¡°Because one of the hardest things we can do sometimes is ask for help.¡±
Saiya was feeling more frustrated than normal today. After helping get Phoenix back to sleep and waking up much too abruptly, she just wanted to spoil herself with a nice nap stretched out in the sun¡ but this was Tulim.
It was overcast, and even when the sun did shine, it was still cold. She missed the sun and sand. She wasn¡¯t attached to Epa Toivo specifically, but she missed the warmth of it. At least this morning, she had woken up warm.
Patricia¡¯s news and feelings hadn¡¯t been pleasant, and the odd vibes she had been getting from Uriel made it seem like she hadn¡¯t gotten the full story of what happened with Phoenix and the Trickster showing up.
The pair had given the rest of the party the rundown as they had made their way to the temple district before splitting up and the weird mixture of fear and guilt coming off the Mage was nagging at her mind. He made her so¡ frustrated!
She had hoped the trip to the temple of the Traveler would be a nice distraction from her current mood. There was no quest for her, though. Not even new reading materials for her to take at the moment. Instead, she was told by the attending priest to simply focus on helping her party members with their journeys.
This seemed far out of her league, however. She was just starting this path as a mind mender, and two of her teammates were currently seeing one of the foremost experts in the field.
Even Dazien felt like a challenge when she looked at the situation he was in. Of those two ¡°expert level cases,¡± he was getting adopted into the noble family of one while having been the partner of the other for years. Not to mention his history before that as an orphaned gemite. The only thing keeping the Defender from becoming Priest Jacob¡¯s patient at this point was an extremely traumatic event, such as prolonged captivity or coming back from the dead.
That only left her sister and she was too biased to properly guide that person in that capacity. Not to mention that Rayna was one of the most grounded people she had ever met.
Saiya found herself wandering from the Traveler¡¯s temple over to that of the Mender where she knew Phoenix was still at for the moment. She made her way up the floors till she found the corner room where her friend was currently talking with the mind mender, and she wondered if Phoenix would ever want to talk with her like that. Ask her for guidance¡
She shook her head and tried to sit in one of the armed chairs in the hall beside the door but quickly gave up, not liking how tiny and uncomfortable they were for her tails.
As the door opened and Phoenix was saying goodbye, she was surprised by how casual Priest Jacob appeared. He wasn¡¯t a wizened old man dressed in full priest robes of the mender. Instead, he looked no different than a random person on the street. Casual clothes, casual posture, relaxed and welcoming smile, like he had all the time in the world.
¡°I¡¯ll see you in a couple of weeks, alright? Oh, hello there,¡± the priest said as he spotted her, ¡°A lovely voxen wearing the sigil of the Traveler? You must be Saiya.¡±
She nodded and returned his smile, ¡°I see Phoenix talks to you about me?¡±
He chuckled and reassured her, ¡°Only good things.¡±
¡°And that one time where you fell into the lake and I thought you got hit with some kind of shrinking spell,¡± the Wayfarer teased. Phoenix seemed to be in a much better mood already from the two-hour session the pair had just finished.
¡°I count humor as a good thing,¡± Jacob clarified, causing both of them to chuckle.
¡°Are you ready to go meet up with the others?¡± Phoenix asked her.
¡°Actually, if Priest Jacob could spare a few minutes?¡± she asked hesitantly, ¡°I just have a few questions about being a mind mender.¡±
¡°I think I can spare a few,¡± the cinderen replied with another smile, ¡°I was about to get some lunch soon anyways. Want to come in real quick?¡±
Saiya nodded and entered the room a bit cautiously, surprised by the explosion of pillows everywhere.
¡°Feel free to sit wherever ¨Cfloor included¨C or stand if you¡¯d prefer,¡± the priest stated as he closed the door.
¡°I¡¯m only going to be a few minutes, so standing is fine,¡± she replied.
¡°Alright,¡± Jacob replied, moving past her and further into the room as he leaned against the arm of one of the plush chairs but didn¡¯t sit in it. ¡°So, what do you want to talk about exactly?¡±
¡°How do you get people like Uriel and Phoenix to open up to you?¡± she asked bluntly, carefully watching his reactions and emotions though she quickly realized that the Emerald Caster was letting her get everything as he smiled brightly.
¡°I listen,¡± he replied simply, ¡°I observe. I don¡¯t think of it as trying to get them to confide in me at all.¡±
She scrunched her nose in annoyance, ¡°I do that.¡±
He laughed, ¡°Saiya, do you mind if I ask you a more personal question?¡±
¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± the voxen said hesitantly.
¡°When was the last time you spoke with a mind mender like myself?¡±
¡°What?¡± she asked in confusion, ¡°I haven¡¯t. I don¡¯t need it. I read a few books about how to cope with things. My traumas happened so long ago, I¡¯ve learned to move past them already.¡±
¡°I see¡¡± the priest replied, his smile dimming a bit, ¡°I¡¯m curious. You¡¯ve been a Healer for quite a while now. If someone got struck with an attack, your response is to heal them, right?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
¡°Do you tell Dazien not to shield the others from harm since you can just heal any of the damage after it happens?¡±
¡°No, there¡¯s no reason not to prevent injuries before they happen.¡±
¡°Well, is there a reason not to go see a mind mender before you think you need it?¡±
¡°If there¡¯s nothing to mend, then why spend the time?¡±
¡°The mind isn¡¯t like the body. You can¡¯t see what damage has been done to it. To continue the analogy, the effects are like an invisible Bane and slowly eat away at a person¡¯s personality until there¡¯s little resemblance to what they were before. Seeing a mind mender regularly can help detect the Bane earlier and hopefully lessen the damage it does.¡±
She fell silent at that, mulling over the idea. Thinking back to her original question, she asked, ¡°Are you suggesting that they don¡¯t open up to me because I need to see a mind mender?¡±
Jacob chuckled, ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s really a matter of trust in you that¡¯s an issue, Saiya. They both trust you with their lives and more of their secrets than most.¡±
¡°Then why don¡¯t they talk to me like they talk to you? Does Uriel still keep secrets from you?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not appropriate for me to answer that. Divulging what I know of them would be a breach of trust that I would never do.¡±
Saiya found herself feeling frustrated once more at the lack of answers. It felt like no matter how much she searched, she could never find a clear path forward with her friends.
¡°The best advice I could give you is to simply be patient. I hear you¡¯re pretty good at that.¡±
¡°There are limits,¡± she said in a rare grumble.
Jacob chuckled, raised an eyebrow, and asked, ¡°Are there?¡±
She frowned in thought, the question reminding her of a passage she had read recently from one of her new books from the Traveler¡¯s clergy, ¡°I read that limitations are something we impose upon ourselves. We cultivate our abilities by pushing beyond those boundaries. So, in theory, we are all limitless unless we stop ourselves.¡±
The priest nodded, ¡°Sound theory,¡± then he smiled, ¡°I guess you¡¯ll want to try pushing those boundaries then?¡±
Saiya nodded, lost in her new idea: Maybe a little push is all he needs¡
38 - Run Away
Uriel lay in bed idly playing with Dazien¡¯s freshly unbraided hair as the gemite slept beside him. The Defender had always been a heavier sleeper than him, which allowed him moments like this. Moments of peace and quiet contemplation away from the noise of the world with the person who kept him grounded. His Pillar.
Would he be the reason this Pillar would crumble? He had always worried about that possibility, but he had trusted Dazien¡¯s reassurances. That was when they were both orphans with nobody but each other who truly understood one another. Things were different now.
Tomorrow, Dazien would show the world that he had proven worthy of nobility. Not born, but chosen to join it. A step closer to his long-held dreams. Yet Uriel continued to worry that he would be the one to destroy those dreams. It wasn¡¯t enough for him to try hiding in his king¡¯s shadow.
Patricia might have been trying to play at his fears, but deep down, he knew she wasn¡¯t wrong. He would be a blight upon their family. Even in the best-case scenario, if his secrets became known, the entire House would be cast into doubt and fear if they didn¡¯t cast him out instead. It would be a disaster. A social cataclysm.
He had wanted to explain himself to Phoenix ¨Cespecially before Patricia or someone else did it for him¨C but Trickster¡¯s appearance and hidden messages were clear to him. Telling the truth would be the wrong move.
¡°But is that a trick, too?¡± he murmured aloud to himself.
¡°Is what a trick?¡± Dazien asked, turning to face him with a yawn.
¡°Trickster warned me not to tell Phoenix the truth about me.¡±
¡°All the more reason to tell her then,¡± his partner replied promptly, ¡°We¡¯ve gone around and around about this. It¡¯s starting to get tiring. I thought you decided you wanted to tell her before the reveal tomorrow?¡±
¡°I did¡ but now I¡¯m wondering which god is going to show up to interrupt next time,¡± he admitted with a sigh.
Dazien chuckled, ¡°Just tell her tonight, after your appointment with Jacob. You¡¯re usually in a better mood after meeting with him.¡±
¡°Unless I¡¯m very not,¡± the mage replied with a grimace, ¡°I still don¡¯t know how that man manages to make me cry more than anyone else.¡±
The gemite laughed, ¡°He¡¯s good at what he does.¡±
Uriel nodded as his partner rolled out of the large bed and was clothed the next moment with a shimmer of golden glitter. They were currently at the Wayland Estate in Tulimeir, not bothering to portal back to the World Tree the night before as they still had errands to run in the city today as well.
¡°You¡¯re getting new clothes today?¡± he double-checked as he too climbed out of bed and got dressed in the more mundane method, pants first.
¡°Patricia insisted,¡± Dazien said with a sigh.
¡°I thought you¡¯d be more excited about all of this.¡±
¡°I thought so too, honestly,¡± the gemite admitted with a shrug, ¡°I guess my mind is still stuck on not wanting to waste Bits on unnecessary extravagance. It¡¯s one thing to go have some fun at a nicer restaurant but I¡¯m terrified to hear the price for the clothes I¡¯ll be getting fitted for.¡±
He chuckled, ¡°At least I won¡¯t have to go through all of that.¡±
Dazien frowned at him, ¡°I still wish you would be there.¡± Then his usual grin appeared as he added, ¡°Show the world my senechal.¡±
Uriel looked away, not wanting to reveal his worries, as he said, ¡°We should probably get going. Lots to do today.¡±
¡°Hello again, Uriel,¡± Jacob greeted him at the door to the room of pillows that hadn¡¯t changed much over the years since he first arrived here.
He made his way over to the couch and sat on the end he preferred away from the window.
Jacob sat on the other end of the couch, slightly turned to face him, and began to say, ¡°What do you want to¨C¡±
¡°Phoenix told you about Trickster, right?¡± he interjected. He didn¡¯t need the usual prompting question today. He knew what he wanted to talk about already.
The older cinderen got an amused look and said, ¡°You know I¡¯m not supposed to talk about other people I help out. I made that clear when I first found out about your connection with her.¡±
Uriel rolled his eyes, ¡°I just don¡¯t want to repeat it all if you already know.¡±
¡°Well, let¡¯s assume I do know, and I can ask clarifying questions if I don¡¯t,¡± the mind mender said, holding back a grin.
¡°That works,¡± he replied, ¡°Do you think it was all a trick to try and keep me from telling Phoenix my secrets or just getting a Soul Mark on her?¡±
¡°You think Trickster was warning you away?¡± the priest asked in confusion.
¡°She said ¡®the truth isn¡¯t always the best choice¡¯ and that ¡®It could easily end up hurting someone, and you could lose a friend or more.¡¯ That definitely felt like warning me to shut my mouth about it.¡±
Jacob hummed thoughtfully for a moment before asking, ¡°What was it you told Phoenix about listening to that goddess?¡±
He paused for a moment, then muttered, ¡°That it¡¯s always a trick.¡±
¡°Seems like you already have your answer then.¡±
Uriel groaned in frustration, snagging one of the fluffier pillows to occupy his hands as he tried to explain, ¡°I¡¯ve tried telling Phoenix three times now. The first and third times, a literal god interrupted me. If that¡¯s not a warning sign, I¡¯m not sure what is.¡±
¡°Uriel, do you mind humoring me with a little game of ¡®What if¡¯?¡± the mender asked with a small smile.
Another groan escaped his lips, ¡°I don¡¯t like this game. It always feels like I lose somehow.¡±
Jacob laughed, ¡°It¡¯s not really that kind of game.¡±
¡°I know¡ which makes it worse somehow.¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
¡°We don¡¯t have to if you really don¡¯t want to.¡±
He gave a heavy sigh, staring up at the ceiling as he relented, ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. What¡¯s the scenario?¡±
¡°You have just told Phoenix all of your deepest, darkest secrets. She knows everything about you and your past. What¡¯s the worst that happens?¡±
¡°She tries to murder me?¡±
¡°Then you¡¯ve got nothing to worry about after that.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a bit dark, even for me.¡±
The mender laughed but said seriously, ¡°I know you don¡¯t fear death, Uriel. No more than any other Adventurer. You¡¯ve faced it too many times and still fight it. Fear is what happens when we¡¯re still alive, so what¡¯s the worst thing that could happen if Phoenix knew?¡±
Uriel fell silent, trying to picture her reaction ¨Cthe look on her face and the words he feared the most.
His heart felt like it was being clenched in a vice grip as he quietly voiced the fear, ¡°She says she hates me and wants me to leave forever.¡±
¡°Alright,¡± the priest replied with a nod, ¡°A terrible outcome indeed. So, what¡¯s the best thing that could happen?¡±
¡°It¡¯s hard to picture anything aside from that worst outcome,¡± he admitted.
¡°That¡¯s one of the reasons we play this game, remember?¡±
The Mage gave an annoyed huff but tried to picture it. Tried to imagine what he wanted to happen. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as the picture solidified.
¡°She accepts it and hugs me anyway. Probably followed by yelling at me for not telling her sooner.¡±
¡°Huh,¡± Jacob said, which caused him to look at the man curiously.
¡°What?¡±
¡°Nothing, really. I just don¡¯t get to see that particular look on your face very often.¡±
¡°What look?¡±
The priest smiled gently, ¡°Hope.¡±
Uriel wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to that, but he didn¡¯t need to as Jacob gave the next prompt for the game, ¡°So if you want to achieve that best outcome and avoid the worst, do you think letting her find out later or from some other source is going to achieve that?¡±
He gave a sigh, ¡°See, I knew I was going to lose this game.¡±
Jacob chuckled, ¡°You already know what you want, which used to be the hard part for you. If you¡¯re going to have any chance of getting that, what do you think is the best way to make that happen?¡±
Uriel wearily spoke the answer, ¡°I have to tell her myself and be prepared for the worst.¡±
Saiya took a steadying breath. She hadn¡¯t tried something quite like this before, but she had read about a lot of new techniques and remembered that the last time she had seen some actual growth from the broody cinderen was when she went ahead and vocalized her concerns with him. Convincing him to try living without the emotion-numbing earrings had been a triumph.
If she just talked with him calmly and compassionately, she could make him understand that all that pain he kept bottled up inside needed to be released. She would listen, observe, and give a little push to help him break through his self-imposed limitations. Simple.
The healer knocked on the door labeled ¡°Grumpy Uriel,¡± but no response came from within. She frowned, having hoped to catch him alone while Dazien and Phoenix were going over the events for tomorrow¡¯s reveal.
She walked to the next door labeled ¡°Big Brother Dazien,¡± and this time, it opened after a few moments as Uriel glanced down at her.
He gave her a curious look and said, ¡°Daze is at the¨C¡±
¡°I wanted to talk with you, actually,¡± she interjected, ¡°Can I come in for a bit?¡±
The mage looked surprised but took a few steps back to open the door and let her into Dazien¡¯s room, ¡°I was just reading,¡± Uriel explained, gesturing back to the chair near the hearth, ¡°What did you want to talk about?¡±
Saiya hesitated slightly but sat near him on a sofa as she tried to explain, ¡°I just¡ well, I¡¯ve been a bit concerned about you lately.¡±
He chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m fine. You don¡¯t need to worry about me, Saiya. I¡¯m pretty sure I told you that before, too.¡±
The voxen scrunched her nose and then pushed, ¡°But you¡¯re not fine. You know I can feel your emotions as clear as glass now.¡±
Uriel frowned at her, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m not fine. It¡¯s still nothing to worry over. I¡¯ve told you about losing my family, and you¡¯ve lost your own. You already know that¡¯s hard to get past.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think this is about your family. Lately, you¡¯ve felt an incredible amount of guilt and terror whenever you¡¯re around Dazien and Phoenix. What are you so ashamed of?¡±
To her surprise, the cinderen glared at her and scowled, ¡°Are you trying to pry my secrets from me?¡±
¡°Your emotions aren¡¯t a secret.¡±
¡°They should be,¡± he growled, ¡°Why do you think I want to tell anyone what I¡¯m ashamed about?¡±
¡°You can¡¯t keep bottling things up, Uriel. It¡¯s not healthy, and I know you don¡¯t like having secrets from everyone. I can feel it. The longing when you stop speaking. The fear when Phoenix talks about our pasts or future. The guilt you feel every time someone mentions Dazien becoming a Wayland. The anger when you and Patricia are in the same room,¡± she listed, then asked, ¡°If it¡¯s not a secret you¡¯re ashamed of, then what is it? Do you wish Dazien wasn¡¯t getting adopted?¡±
¡°What? No. He deserves this,¡± Uriel replied in confusion, ¡°You don¡¯t understand¨C¡±
¡°Then help me understand,¡± she stressed, her ears drooping along with her mood, ¡°I can¡¯t help you if you won¡¯t let me. I can feel you getting angrier at me now, but I¡¯m only speaking the truth. I know you feel¨C¡±
¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me what I feel!¡± he shocked her by yelling as he abruptly stood, ¡°I know it, and I don¡¯t need you trying to fix it!¡±
¡°I may not be the most experienced healer who knows the right answer or method to help you, but I¡¯m not going to sit silent anymore and watch you lie to both of them! Let you lie to my face¨C¡±
¡°I¡¯m not lying!¡±
¡°You¡¯re hiding! I don¡¯t know what you think you¡¯re protecting everyone from, but you¡¯re just going to hurt them and yourself!¡±
¡°I know!¡± he surprised her again by admitting as he tossed his hands in the air, ¡°Damn it, Saiya, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve been saying this whole time!¡±
She felt his frustration and anger filling her senses and bleeding into her own, which had been simmering over the past few days as she felt the tears prick at the corner of her eyes, ¡°See, you¡¯re lying to yourself again! If you were so afraid of hurting everyone, why bother being in our party? Why comfort Phoenix? Why stand beside Dazien or bow before him? If you really thought you were¡ were¡ were some kind of poison, then why don¡¯t you just run away and have nothing to do with us? I know you¨C¡±
¡°Because I¡¯m selfish!¡± he shouted at her, ¡°Okay? Is that what you want to hear?¡±
Saiya was stunned as she felt that he truly believed that, and he continued tearing himself down, ¡°Because I know I¡¯m going to drag you all down, but I¡¯m selfish and want what I shouldn¡¯t have; what I don¡¯t deserve.¡±
That was not an answer she had been expecting, ¡°No, that¡¯s not¨C¡± he was supposed to realize that he knew he was worth more than he pretended, ¡°You weren¡¯t supposed to think¨C¡±
¡°Just because you can sense my emotions doesn¡¯t mean you can know what I think, Saiya,¡± Uriel said flatly, interrupting her stammering, ¡°I¡¯m a selfish man who deserves to be punished but can¡¯t bring myself to do it.¡±
Saiya silently cursed her escaping tears and weakly denied, ¡°I can¡¯t believe that. I¡¯ve seen how you care for them. I¡¯ve felt it.¡±
He gave another glare as he retorted, ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I deserve to be with them. The sun can love the moons, but it doesn¡¯t mean they should be together.¡±
As she tried to come up with the right words to counter that, Uriel scrunched his face in disgust, and she could feel the wave of guilt and loathing as he said, ¡°There. Now you know something I¡¯ve never told anyone else. Not even Priest Jacob.¡±
Before she could recover from her stunned silence, he left the room.
39 - Noble Reveal
¡°You know, I should have thought about this before I said ¡®yes,¡¯ but do you think people are going to wonder if I¡¯m a parent now that I have the mark of the Parent added to this?¡± Phoenix asked Dazien as she borrowed the large mirror in his room to double-check her appearance and gestured to her Soul Mark on display.
They would be going down to the small staging area Patricia had set up for them to start at soon. She would try her best to smile and not throw up from nerves, while Dazien would sparkle and dazzle the nobles. Many nobles in Tulimeir had opted to make the journey to the World Tree assisted by one of the new voxen portalists that had been helping Patricia get back and forth ¨Cin addition to transporting the supplies and personnel needed for upgrading the two locations.
¡°Doubtful,¡± Dazien responded as he pulled on the new gloves that went with his new suit. It had a long brocade jacket that was such a dark purple that it almost seemed black, and golden filigree was decorating it.
He glanced up at her and added, ¡°Though they may give Presley a double take if they¡¯ve seen that mark. She looks a lot like you when she wears that dress instead. Luckily, no small children are allowed at Noble Reveals, so that¡¯s a worry for another day.¡±
Her own dress was a lighter shade of purple but also had the gold filigree to match her new brother and show support for him. It also clearly showed off her divine Soul Mark, much to her dismay and Patricia¡¯s delight.
The fact that it was in the middle of her chest with barely any cleavage made her self-conscious in a very confusing way. On one hand, she didn¡¯t really like showing off skin. On the other hand, she wanted to feel like she had something worth showing off in the first place. Her tiny chest was more than she had back on Earth, and she was grateful for it, but it did little to make her really feel¡ womanly.
She kept reminding herself that large chests were not a requirement for being a woman¡ but still, it was something she found herself wishing silently for. Perhaps simply because it was something she thought she could never have.
Phoenix pushed away the thoughts and refocused back on the conversation, ¡°I still think Presley looks a bit more like Paul with those eyes and complexion. More like his actual daughter than I do.¡±
¡°Speaking of Paul,¡± the gemite segued, ¡°I don¡¯t think you were near enough to hear at the time, but Pati mentioned Orebela and Kara managed to finish moving him over here into a room near ours.¡±
¡°How did they manage that?¡±
¡°Orebela carried him out of the barrier, which ended the spell. Then Kara set it up again on this end. They believe it will be safer and allow Bela to act as a more permanent Ruby Caste guard of sorts for our area of the vessel.¡±
She made a little pout at the mirror, ¡°I wish I had known earlier so I could have gone to visit.¡±
Dazien appeared in the mirror behind her, golden antlers catching the light and matching the rest of his ensemble as he grinned, ¡°We can visit together after the party.¡±
The Wayfarer tilted her head slightly as she noticed his hair falling to his shoulders and asked, ¡°Are you planning to wear it down?¡±
His smile softened as he said, ¡°I thought more about what Pati said and about what I want. Paul didn¡¯t ask me to change who I was. He didn¡¯t want me because I was a gemite but for who I am. I want to show that I¡¯m not ashamed of that. I think embracing my heritage in this regard will show that I intend to stay true to who I am, Wayland or not.¡±
Phoenix smiled, ¡°Well, in that case, want to go all the way?¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡± he replied hesitantly.
She gave a mischievous grin and, with a shimmer of silver starlight, conjured her Prism Brush into her hand, ¡°Let¡¯s show it off a bit more. We can surprise everyone with just how shiny you are.¡±
Dazien laughed and clarified, ¡°Make it as long as yours?¡±
She gestured to her dress and the purple curl in her hair, ¡°I¡¯m obviously trying to match already.¡±
¡°Alright then,¡± he agreed with a grin, ¡°I¡¯m sure Uriel will love it later.¡±
¡°Just breathe, Princess,¡± Dazien whispered to his new sister as she practically hyperventilated beside him. Patricia was talking to the crowd gathered behind a curtain and was about to introduce them.
¡°It¡¯s not fair that you don¡¯t have to breathe to survive,¡± Phoenix muttered, gripping his arm as though she would drown without it.
¡°Just focus on the goal and ignore the crowd. They¡¯re not there. Just like when we practiced. We¡¯re just walking across the room to the table we reserved for dinner. Saiya and Rayna will meet us there shortly.¡±
¡°I know,¡± she huffed, ¡°Sorry. I don¡¯t want to ruin your special moment.¡±
He chuckled, ¡°This isn¡¯t as special anymore, and it¡¯s not any fault of your own. There are too many people I care about missing for this to be anything more than what Pati said: politics. I¡¯m much more looking forward to the after-party now.¡±
¡°You and me both,¡± she replied with a pained smile, ¡°You¡¯re not gonna get mad if I try to sneak out early, are you? I¡¯m not sure I can handle a bunch of nobles trying to¡ talk politics.¡±
¡°I think you¡¯re making it seem worse than it¡¯s going to be,¡± the gemite pointed out, ¡°You did fine at yours from what Rayna told me.¡±
¡°So Saiya didn¡¯t mention the silent panic attack then?¡±
¡°She may have mentioned you doing well despite it,¡± he replied with a grin. Then added, ¡°You know we¡¯ll have to attend one of these again in a few months, right?¡±
¡°What? Why?¡± she asked with wide eyes.
¡°Camrin will be turning sixteen. He¡¯ll be presented by his new father, Pavel. We won¡¯t be in the spotlight like this, but we¡¯ll be expected to attend.¡±
¡°I guess that¡¯s not as bad¡¡±
¡°Now,¡± Pati said from the other side of the curtain, which caused Dazien to wince slightly at the word, ¡°I¡¯m pleased to introduce the newest member of House Wayland.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
Phoenix looked at him curiously and asked, ¡°Is something wrong?¡±
He shook his head, knowing now wasn¡¯t the time to explain, so he said, ¡°Remind me to tell you about certain words that Uriel reacts negatively to. I¡¯ve learned to avoid them over the years but I keep forgetting the rest of you don¡¯t know them.¡±
Patricia¡¯s announcement continued, ¡°The son of Lord Paul Wayland, presented by his daughter, Regent Phoenix Wayland, our newest scion, Noble Dazien Wayland.¡±
¡°Showtime,¡± he whispered as the curtain opened and he began the walk toward his new future with Phoenix by his side.
The evening dragged on, much to Phoenix¡¯s dismay. Even Dazien seemed to be getting tired of the event as noble after noble visited their table on the raised dais overlooking the rest of the visitors. The conversation was filled with awkward pleasantries and borderline inappropriate comments and questions. These were mostly centered around the pair not being cinderen or runeforged and their other shared trait of being orphans.
¡°I swear, if another person asks to touch my hair, I¡¯m going to find out where they live and hire the orphans to visit every day for a month in an attempt to raise donations for the temple,¡± Dazien said to her in an aside as the most recent visitors were returning to their original table.
¡°Wow, way to weaponize cuteness,¡± she retorted with a laugh.
¡°I thought these nobles would have more tact than this. It¡¯s just creepy to touch a relative stranger¡¯s hair like that. It either comes off too intimate or like they¡¯re testing how high of quality the product is¡ me being the product here.¡±
¡°They¡¯re just human¡ wait, I mean people. You know, limited mortals with all those flaws and such,¡± she corrected, then added, ¡°Actually, I think I¡¯ve only met a total of like three humans since coming to this world, which feels a bit weird.¡±
¡°There¡¯s more in the nation¡¯s capital. That¡¯s where most of the local humans originated from,¡± he noted then smiled as Pati made a gesture toward them, ¡°Oh good, the interrogations are over and it¡¯s time to mingle. This should go a bit better I hope.¡±
¡°You mind if I duck out? I don¡¯t do the mingling well. Last time, I just tried hiding out on the balcony. I¡¯d rather snag some cookies from the kitchen and take them up to Uriel while we wait for you to finish.¡±
He chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m honestly jealous of that idea right now. Go ahead, though. It¡¯ll probably still be a couple more hours of talking and drinking before I can escape, but I¡¯ll do my best to find an opening.¡±
Phoenix gave him a bright smile, ¡°Thanks, Daze.¡±
As Phoenix made her way to the kitchen, Dazien made his way toward the table that held someone he actually did want to talk to. Ethan and Icarius Teras had come up to talk briefly with him and Phoenix, mainly as a show of support for House Wayland who had allied with them during the battle for Tulisuda against House Ruwena. Their daughter and only heir, however, had remained seated at their original table.
Polissa Teras seemed different in a subtle way. Her appearance hadn¡¯t changed at all, but the way she carried herself and the spark of life that had once burned brightly within her seemed to have died with her brother.
¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, Po,¡± he greeted the cinderen woman softly, ¡°We missed seeing you at the memorial, though we were able to speak with your father.¡±
She gave him a sad smile, ¡°Yeah, Papa mentioned that King¡¯s Dream visited Simmon¡¯s life-marker. Dad didn¡¯t want me to go, though. He thought it would be too dangerous with so many bitter people there.¡±
¡°We did have a run-in with Tanner¡¯s mother,¡± he said with a pained smile, ¡°I can understand why your Dad thought it best.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she retorted, ¡°I know I messed up out there. That Simmon¡¯s death¨C¡±
¡°Wasn¡¯t your fault,¡± Dazien interjected, ¡°Mohala told us what happened. None of that was a failure on your part, Polissa.¡±
The summoner gave a slight scoff as she turned to follow Phoenix¡¯s departure across the room and noted, ¡°You both seem well, at least.¡±
¡°We are. We¡¯ve been busy, but the good kind. Making progress in our abilities and lives.¡±
¡°I feel like I¡¯ve been frozen in time. A forgotten character in a tale of heroes. Dad¡¯s too afraid of losing me to allow me to move forward. At this rate, I¡¯m going to have to wait till I¡¯m thirty or leave my family for a chance to live again.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Dazien said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what words to offer aside from that. It¡¯s not fair, but just knowing that fact won¡¯t change it. Perhaps you can try convincing your Dad to visit a mind mender? I know grief can be hard to process alone.¡±
She gave a heavy sigh but smiled up at him, ¡°I¡¯ll try. I¡¯m glad to see you and Phoenix aren¡¯t caged by your own loss.¡±
¡°It helps that we¡¯re trying to focus on running towards the future now instead of away from the past.¡±
Phoenix slid through the door and down a hall to the kitchens to find both House staff and a few Fae helping out with the cooking. She hadn¡¯t gotten a real close look at the aloof species yet. She agreed with the general assessment of ¡°beautiful,¡± but it was in a more wild and ethereal style than she would normally think of.
They were smaller than an average human but much larger than Earth would usually depict in fairy tales. About four feet tall and dressed in light wispy clothing that seemed to sway in a non-existent breeze, many reflected various Elemental affinities, but they all had wings, ranging from butterfly to dragonfly to bird types.
No matter the type of wings, though, they all had glittery dust falling off of them before quickly disappearing like monster ash being reabsorbed into the ambient magic at a hyper-accelerated rate.
The other thing that made the Fae very different from the other people she had met on Makera before was that they weren¡¯t a species that could become Casters; they were like avals. Like Dragons or Kitsune, they were sapient magical creatures who naturally cultivated their Caste over time.
She had heard the term ¡°Vanhin¡± used to describe these more advanced types of magical creatures, which roughly translated to ¡°Old Ones.¡± They were more ancient than the species that could become Casters, which were collectively referred to as ¡°Vauva¡± and were originally where Casters even derived from. The history surrounding the evolution of Vanhin into Vauva was a shrouded and confusing one for her, and she hadn¡¯t had time to research further.
Currently, there was one Fae, in particular, with large blue butterfly wings fluttering near the end of a counter. She was murmuring sweet words at the small black kitten wearing a beautiful large ribbon tied into a bow around her neck while perched atop the counter and happily chowing down a plate of cookies.
¡°Who¡¯s a good hungry little kitty? Yes, you are,¡± whispered the cute Fae girl as she gently patted the head of what Phoenix knew to be a merciless chimera that would make the Trickster proud.
¡°Is Bliss eating all the good cookies?¡± she cheerfully asked as she sidled up beside the pair. She contemplated attempting to sneak a cookie for herself but thought that might result in losing a hand.
The Fae gave a startled squeak, covering her mouth in surprise before asking with wide blue eyes, ¡°You speak Faelese?¡±
The Wayfarer grinned, ¡°I speak everything. My name¡¯s Phoenix, and this little black hole is Bliss.¡±
The girl smiled back with a mouth full of sharpened teeth, ¡°I¡¯m Coronata.¡±
¡°I¡¯m just here to steal some cookies to take back to my friend,¡± she explained quickly, ¡°Do you know if there¡¯s any not covered in cat drool?¡±
Coronata¡¯s laugh was like wind chimes as she said, ¡°Yes. Plenty to have over here. We have been doing well with cultivating the area for growing foods. The tree is very good for this.¡±
¡°Awesome,¡± Phoenix replied happily, ¡°Bliss, you wanna come with me to see Uriel? Or you good with devouring the rest of Coronata¡¯s cookies?¡±
¡°Oh, not my cookies,¡± the pretty Fae said with another laugh, ¡°Familiar Fen let me feed the Bliss. He has been helping Chef Emilia with making desserts.¡±
Phoenix followed the gesture the girl made further down the counter to see a tall wood elf elbow-deep in flour and kneading dough.
Greatest Aunt Pualani had one of the oddest Familiars in her opinion ¨Ceven odder than the android-like Orebela¨C since Fen had just been a regular wood elf at one point before taking the option of becoming a Familiar. She had wondered what his story might be but felt like asking would be rude somehow.
She redirected her focus back to the task at hand as Coronata prepared a whole plate of soft cookies filled with a berry jelly for her. Bliss gave a small burp when not even crumbs remained on the first plate, and the small kitten hopped up onto her shoulders before becoming a liquid scarf around her neck. The silky blue ribbon the chimera wore tickled against her skin and she could vaguely sense some kind of magic from it.
Phoenix chuckled when the soft snoring started up, ¡°I envy how you can instantly fall asleep like that. Now don¡¯t eat all of these cookies too when we get there. Uriel would be sad to miss out.¡±
40 - Breaking the Wall
Uriel found himself packing his more permanent belongings for the fourth time in his entire life. The first had been when he had aged out of the Temple of the Parent at sixteen and moved into the little apartment in the International District. Dazien joined him there a year later, and the pair lived there until they moved to the Wayland Estate. The last time had been moving from there to the World Tree, which was quickly being fashioned into a city in its own right.
Now, he wasn¡¯t sure where he would be moving to, but he knew that he needed to leave. After finally realizing the truth he had long been denying, he knew that not leaving would be giving in to his selfishness. He had clung to things he didn¡¯t deserve, people he was afraid to lose, desires that he desperately wanted but only hurt others by doing so.
Despite the years of arguing with Priest Jacob and Dazien about his own worth, he knew his own happiness wasn¡¯t worth the cost to others. Destroying Dazien and Phoenix¡¯s futures wasn¡¯t a price he was willing to pay just to stay by their sides.
He needed to leave if he truly cared about them.
¡°Where is Little Storm going?¡± a strange monotone voice spoke within his mind, and he turned to see Orebela hovering in the doorway.
He could have sworn that was shut and locked a moment ago since he didn¡¯t want anyone trying to stop him or ask pointed questions like Paul¡¯s Familiar was now doing. He gave a huff of annoyance and asked, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be guarding Daze¡¯s Noble Reveal? There¡¯s a lot of very important people there.¡±
¡°Paladin Fairweather and the Rebel Fox are both nearby watching. The Shiny Garnet is also attending as a Royal Knight. Why is Little Storm packing?¡± the hovering woman prodded.
¡°Because I¡¯m leaving,¡± he replied, going over to the picture on the mantle. The only picture of him and Dazien as teens they had.
¡°Leaving to go where?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he muttered, picking up the picture. Maybe he could still be a little selfish and take it with him. A memory to cling to instead of the person.
The Familiar gave an odd vibrating sound that he thought might be a hum before saying, ¡°Is Little Storm going to say goodbye to everyone?¡±
¡°No,¡± he stated firmly, slipping the picture into his large backpack. It was an older one that didn¡¯t have a dimensional space within it, but he didn¡¯t have much to pack anyway.
¡°Will Little Storm at least say goodbye to Wayland? He is waiting downstairs.¡±
¡°He can¡¯t hear anything I say,¡± he retorted, then paused, ¡°I guess that¡¯s the silver lining to being in a stasis like that. Once Phoenix hits Ruby in a decade or so, it¡¯ll feel like waking up the next morning like nothing had been missed.¡±
¡°Wayland will miss Little Storm.¡±
Uriel scoffed, ¡°Yeah, right. Pretty sure the last time we talked, he wanted to toss me off the roof.¡±
¡°Wayland deserved your anger. This One agreed with Little Storm.¡±
He paused again to turn to her with a raised brow, ¡°You did?¡±
The smooth golden head nodded in response as she floated closer to him.
He glanced back around his partner¡¯s room. It would be like he had never been there. Nothing of him remained. They could all move forward without him holding them back. He would be nothing more than a memory.
¡°They¡¯ll be safer without me. Better off in the future,¡± he explained before adding hesitantly, ¡°Will you tell Paul that I¡¯m sorry¡ sorry for breaking my word and hurting her.¡±
¡°Little Storm has not hurt Little Miss yet. You do not need to do this,¡± Orebela said in that soft monotone. Even though it lacked inflection, he could tell she was morose about this turn of events.
¡°If I don¡¯t leave now¡ it¡¯s just going to be harder later.¡±
¡°Courage is not about the easy thing; it¡¯s about doing the right thing, especially when it¡¯s hard.¡±
¡°Then I guess I¡¯m a coward when it comes to telling Phoenix about me,¡± he replied as he looked into the smooth, blank face that reflected the flames in the hearth beside them. Then he added, ¡°But leaving them¡ that¡¯s one of the hardest choices I¡¯ve ever made, so this is courageous, isn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°This One does not believe that. The hardest thing is to stand and fight. Little Storm is running away from the harder choice.¡±
Uriel gave a sad chuckle, ¡°Guess I¡¯m back to being an all-around coward then.¡±
¡°This One does not believe that either. Little Storm stood against Wayland for her. That was hard and took much courage. Why is Little Storm running now? Why is Little Storm afraid of fighting for Little Miss?¡±
¡°Because she¡ she¡¯s,¡± he searched for the words. To explain why Phoenix meant so much to him already and why he was afraid of that worst outcome he had dreamed up with Jacob yesterday.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
He finally admitted, ¡°She was the first person who wasn¡¯t a mind mender to look at me wearing these chains and not be disgusted or afraid. Who never refused to meet my eyes or listen to my words. Never pushed me to be something else. She¡¯s always treated me like a¡ like a person instead of a monster.¡±
¡°Little King¨C¡±
¡°We weren¡¯t friends right away. I¡¯m sure you remember how I was back then¡ I didn¡¯t trust anyone when I arrived at the Temple of the Parent. The kids were afraid, and Daze didn¡¯t approve of the Silencer at first. He didn¡¯t understand why I wore it.¡±
He gave a sad smile at the memories, ¡°Phoenix never cared. Never pushed or judged¡ Even absorbed a Cataclysm Spirit Gem to try and reassure me that she didn¡¯t care about my Class. As soon as I tell her everything, though¡ she¡¯ll know exactly why I¡¯m a monster.¡±
Uriel closed his pack and lifted it over his shoulder, ¡°I¡¯d rather leave than see her look at me like that.¡±
As he turned to head towards the door, his heart sank, and it felt like all the heat in his molten veins had gone cold when he saw Phoenix arrive in the doorway. She looked stunning in that elegant dress and sparkling jewelry, red curls flowing down her back, truly like a princess. The only oddity was the black fur neck warmer he recognized as a sleeping Bliss.
¡°Uriel?¡± she said curiously, then noted his traveler¡¯s appearance, and confusion took over her features as she asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±
He felt frozen in that moment. Unsure of which worst scenario he wanted to watch unfold in the next few minutes. Give a blatant lie and try to sneak away later or try to explain that he had to leave without revealing exactly why. Uriel almost wished a god would show up now, but he had always had the worst luck.
Phoenix felt frozen in the doorway, uncertain of what exactly she was looking at. Uriel stood halfway between Orebela near the hearth and her at the door. He should have been sitting in a chair reading like he had said¡ not dressed like he was going on a mission.
¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked, almost afraid of the answer.
The silence stretched for much too long as they stared at one another until Uriel finally looked away and muttered, ¡°I need to go.¡±
¡°Go where?¡±
¡°...Away.¡±
Her heart felt like it was lodged in her throat as she tried to force the next word out, ¡°Why?¡±
Uriel still refused to meet her eyes as he said bitterly, ¡°Because it¡¯s the right thing to do.¡±
¡°There¡¯s nothing right about that,¡± she managed to say, feeling a flicker of anger at the idea, ¡°What about Dazien? Does he know?¡±
He shook his head, ¡°No. He¡¯d try to stop me.¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m going to try, too.¡±
Uriel finally looked at her again, and his face was confusing as he practically begged, ¡°Please don¡¯t. Just go back to the party and pretend this never happened. Go back to Daze¡¯s side and forget about me.¡±
¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± she stated, ¡°I could never forget. I can¡¯t pretend like my best friend didn¡¯t just¡ just leave for no good reason.¡±
¡°I have reasons.¡±
¡°What possible reason could justify abandoning us?¡± she asked angrily, feeling tears prick at her eyes, and she tried her hardest not to let them fall.
Uriel looked towards the floor, his face twisting in disgust as he said, ¡°Secret ones.¡±
It felt like a punch to the gut.
A wall firmly wedged between them. The wall of secrets that she couldn¡¯t tear down without breaking what little trust she had managed to gain so far. She hadn¡¯t pushed to know them, hoping that she could prove worthy to learn them eventually. Now, they were the thing dividing them. She had utterly failed to gain his trust, and he wouldn¡¯t give her any more time to try.
¡°Secrets you don¡¯t want me to ever know,¡± she clarified.
¡°This isn¡¯t something I wanted,¡± he retorted, then said in a softer tone, ¡°I just¡ I don¡¯t want you to hate me.¡±
That confused her even more. How could he believe that anything he said would make her think that? How many times had she called him her friend? How far did she have to go to prove she didn¡¯t care about whatever secret he had?
He had told her before that he had killed people, but so had she. She wasn¡¯t sure what could be worse than that. Uriel had been a victim in the past, captured by bandits as a child and sold to a cult that forced his Aspects on him, but that wasn¡¯t any fault of his own. ¡°Why do you think I could possibly hate you? You¡¯re like¡ the bestest friend I have.¡±
Uriel scowled, ¡°You only say that ¡®cause you don¡¯t know¨C¡±
¡°Is this for not sharing my secrets sooner?¡± she asked, trying to figure out when she had messed up, ¡°Am I being punished for not trusting you enough?¡±
¡°No, of course not,¡± he said, suddenly seeming concerned as he dropped the backpack hanging off his shoulder and moved closer to her. ¡°It¡¯s nothing you did or didn¡¯t do, Phoenix. It¡¯s just better if I leave, whether you know my secrets or not. The fact is those secrets are a threat to you, and leaving is the best way to keep you safe.¡±
She felt the tears falling then. He wasn¡¯t giving her any way to fix this. ¡°Please tell me this is just another nightmare,¡± she said, her voice breaking as she held back a sob, ¡°Please.¡±
¡°Princess¡¡± his warm hand touched her cheek to wipe the traitorous tear away.
¡°You promised me,¡± she pleaded. She couldn¡¯t lose another friend. She wouldn¡¯t let him suffer alone to keep them safe. ¡°You promised we would keep each other from breaking!¡±
A glowing molten tear ran down his own cheek at that, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. It looks like I failed that, and you¡¯ll end up hurting either way now.¡±
She hugged him, hoping that if she held on tight enough, then he wouldn¡¯t vanish as she asked, ¡°What could possibly be worse than breaking us like this? Without even explaining why?¡±
Phoenix could feel him shaking as his own arms wrapped around her. She hoped her feelings could get through to him. Get past the wall that had formed. She knew that he was the only one who could break that wall of secrets ¨Cjust like she had done before with her own¨C but she had to make it clear that was what she wanted too.
¡°If I¡¯m going to get hurt either way, I¡¯d rather you trust me enough to share the weight of your secrets. Rather than try to protect me like I¡¯m a child that you can¡¯t depend on,¡± she managed to say.
¡°I¨C¡± he fell silent for a few agonizing seconds before whispering, ¡°I¡¯m like you¡¡±
That was confusing. She knew they were alike in a lot of ways, but why would that be dangerous? It looked like he was trying to open up, though, so she asked lightly, ¡°You¡¯re also an Immortal Wayfarer that has a habit of exploding things?¡±
He gave a huff of a laugh, ¡°No, I¨C¡± he took a deeper, ragged breath and pulled away from her.
Then Uriel began lifting up the sleeve around his left arm, revealing the golden bracer around it. It had a series of runes engraved on the inside, and he pressed them in a specific combination to cause a small click as it released while he said softly, ¡°I was chosen¡ by a god. Just like you.¡±
¡°You¨C¡± her breath caught at the information as she stared up at him with wide eyes, ¡°You¡¯re Chosen?¡± The bracer fell away to reveal a rainbow sigil tattooed on his inner forearm as she clarified, ¡°You have a Soul Mark like me?¡±
¡°Yes, but yours is a blessing while mine is a curse,¡± he replied, and she could understand why he might think that when the power of the mark informed her of exactly who it belonged to.
She didn¡¯t need the confirming words he spoke next, ¡°I was chosen by the Destroyer.¡±
41 - Origins of Cataclysm
Uriel didn¡¯t even dare to breathe as he watched Phoenix¡¯s eyes go wide and lock onto the Soul Mark. He had never worked up the courage to tell anyone himself before. The people that currently knew were either present at the time or had been told by others. Phoenix was the first person that he had willingly revealed this secret to.
He watched and waited to see what outcome he would get in return for his rare leap of faith. He chose to trust Phoenix¡¯s words. Trust that she really might choose to share his burdens like Dazien eventually had. Hope that she wouldn¡¯t hate him for being chosen by an evil god¡ For making a deal with one.
She didn¡¯t speak right away, though, and he could almost see her mind racing as she processed everything this could mean ¨Cwhat it had meant. He almost thought he had gotten the worst outcome as she finally tore her eyes away to look into his own.
¡°You¡¯re my best friend, Uriel,¡± she said, ¡°This doesn¡¯t change that. Thank you¡ for telling me; for trusting me.¡±
He couldn¡¯t have stopped the tears if he had tried. Something inside him snapped, and he didn¡¯t wait for her as he pulled her into a tight embrace. For the second time in his life, he had gotten the best outcome that he could have asked for.
Phoenix returned his hug, and he was grateful that she didn¡¯t comment on his trembling and silent crying.
¡°Please, don¡¯t leave me,¡± she whispered, ¡°Even with this. I don¡¯t want you to go.¡±
Uriel didn¡¯t want to go either, but even with Phoenix¡¯s acceptance, he was still a danger to them. He had to make her understand that. ¡°If anyone else finds out¡ they¡¯ll use it to ruin your House. Patricia was right that my mere presence will be a blight upon yours and Daze¡¯s reputation.¡±
She pulled back to look up at him, ¡°Wait, Pati knows? You told her?¡±
He shook his head, ¡°No. She mentioned learning about my titles from Presley somehow.¡±
¡°Titles?¡±
Uriel nodded, then moved to shut the door to the room and pull her further into it, back to the hearth where Orebela had been silently watching. As they sat on the sofa, he prompted, ¡°I can show your book, I think.¡±
He paused as the [Guide Book] appeared before them, open to blank pages and awaiting his touch. Uriel met her eyes once more and said hesitantly, ¡°I think I¡¯m ready to tell you everything now¡ if you don¡¯t mind the weight of it.¡±
Phoenix rubbed her eyes as she gave a short laugh and said with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s a few more secrets to add to my own? Your friendship is worth the extra weight.¡±
Uriel managed a weak smile in return as he placed his hand on the book and focused on showing his titles.
|
Name: Uriel Karislian
Species: Cinderen (Ashen)
Caste: Crystal 8
Divine Titles
Chosen Destroyer
Your aura has been altered by the divine entity: Destroyer. The alteration has enhanced the strength of your aura, increasing its range and resistance to effects from higher castes. Your soul has been marked as one who has been chosen by the Destroyer. People can sense your desire to destroy through your aura.
Titles
Slayer
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The resolve to end the life of another person can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased resistance to being suppressed when combating foes of the same or higher caste.
Unwilling Parenticide
Your aura has been slightly modified by your actions. The guilt of causing the death of your parents and your desire for atonement can be sensed within it. Your aura slightly increases the effects of abilities that cost health or have recoil.
Orphan
Your aura has been slightly modified by your situation. The loss of your parents can be sensed within it. Your aura slightly increases the effects of abilities that produce resources.
Adventurer
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The desire for adventure can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased effects when affecting a Mundane ally.
|
¡°You¡ you accidentally killed your parents?¡± she asked, a hand going to cover her mouth as she stared at the pages, obviously rereading them.
¡°It wasn¡¯t an accident¡¡± he replied bitterly before expounding, ¡°I made a mistake. I chose to defy my captors to save another child¡ They had very specific rules there that I had to follow. At the time, if I disobeyed an order, they would hurt my family as punishment, but so long as I obeyed, they were safe and taken care of.¡±
He gave her a sad smile, ¡°When they ordered me to kill this tiny little cinderen girl that reminded me of my sister, Eirlys, I tried to claim her as my sister too. Tried to turn their rules against them. So they agreed, let Faelyn be considered my sister, then punished the rest of my family for my defiance.¡±
Uriel reached up and gave a gentle scratch behind the ear of the black cat sitting too still and too quiet to be asleep. He chuckled as the furry head leaned into the skritches to maximize coverage, then added, ¡°That was actually the first time I met Bliss too.¡±
A green cat eye opened to peer up at him as Phoenix asked, ¡°Bliss was captured with you?¡±
He shook his head, ¡°At the time, I didn¡¯t know that. I thought she was one of the monsters that the cult there controlled. They were going to use her to eat my parents and Eirlys while I watched,¡± he said with a shiver.
¡°That¡¯s messed up,¡± the Wayfarer replied with her nose scrunched up in disgust.
¡°Most of my time there was,¡± he admitted, ¡°But Bliss didn¡¯t kill them. I begged and pleaded with my captor to spare them. Promised to never disobey again.¡±
¡°Then they made you kill your parents instead?¡± she guessed.
Uriel nodded, ¡°I couldn¡¯t control my aura at all at that time. They locked me in a cage with my Mum and Pa until my aura slowly killed them,¡± he could almost hear their words in his mind as he finished saying, ¡°They died hugging me¡ telling me it wasn¡¯t my fault. Hard to believe even now when it was my lack of control to blame.¡±
¡°The people who put you in that cage are to blame, Uriel,¡± Phoenix practically growled.
He chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s what Dazien said too.¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
The Wayfarer glanced at the book once more before turning slightly, lightly touching the mark on his arm as she asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me before?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d understand¨C¡±
¡°You didn¡¯t think I would have understood?!¡± she reiterated incredulously.
He gave her a flat look, her reaction proving his point, ¡°I¡¯m Chosen by the Destroyer, Phoenix. It¡¯s not exactly a friendly god like any of the ones you represent. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d understand that the rest of the world won¡¯t see me the same way they see you.¡±
She fell silent in thought, returning to look at the sigil engraved on his arm as she idly traced the swirls that appeared like a maelstrom of colors.
He wasn¡¯t sure if he should push more or let her take her time processing, but he knew the other fact he had been avoiding. The reason that she should think of him as a monster. Quietly he prompted, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask?¡±
She glanced up curiously, ¡°Ask what?¡±
¡°The price,¡± he answered simply, and her eyes went wide as she realized what he was talking about.
Phoenix looked back to the mark and asked, ¡°Do you want me to?¡±
¡°I want you to understand why I have to leave still.¡±
¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± she replied stubbornly.
¡°Phoenix, what did you trade for your marks of Favor?¡±
She frowned but reluctantly answered, ¡°Apparently, a title and upgraded quest rewards for Hero and Rebel. Some Knowledge Tomes for magic and fighting from Scholar and Warrior. A [Guide Book] upgrade from the Traveler. Some Ruby Bits and help to have kids in the future from the Cultivator. Kara for the Champion and help taking care of Presley for the Parent.¡±
He gave her a sad smile, ¡°Some questionable worth to those but still mostly good things from good deities for good reasons.¡± Then he took the hand touching his own Soul Mark and held it as he said, ¡°Your turn to ask me.¡±
Her nose scrunched, showing her displeasure at the inevitable information, but asked, ¡°What did you trade for? To allow the Destroyer to mark you¡¡±
¡°I asked for the power to destroy people. I begged to be strong enough to kill everyone. I was blessed with my [Raging Inferno] talent,¡± he admitted softly, ¡°I¡¯m not a monster just because I killed people, Phoenix¡ I¡¯m a monster because I wanted to destroy someone so badly that I traded my soul for it.¡±
Phoenix wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to that, but for some reason, she just couldn¡¯t see him as a monster. Uriel really was her best friend now. He had been there for her, supported her, and never got angry at her or judged her for the terrible choices she made. He cared for her. Monsters couldn¡¯t care about her like he did.
¡°You were angry,¡± she carefully said, ¡°I know what that¡¯s like. I made pretty bad choices when I got angry, too. Even died from it.¡±
¡°Phoenix, I¨C¡±
¡°Are a person,¡± she interjected, ¡°Like me. We make mistakes, right? We mess up, we lose control, we keep secrets when we really shouldn¡¯t, we trip and break ourselves,¡± she gave him a gentle smile, ¡°But that¡¯s why we have family and friends that will accept us despite all that, right? To help fix the breaks?¡±
To her delight, the mage laughed, even through the tears that had begun falling again. It was weak and broken, but it was still a laugh.
Uriel used his free sleeve to wipe his eyes as he finally managed to say, ¡°I don¡¯t deserve a friend like you¡ or like Daze. You¡¯re both too good for me.¡±
It was her turn to laugh at that, but she decided to use that to her advantage, ¡°I disagree, but even if that were true, does that mean I¡¯m good enough to choose you as a friend? If we both still want to be friends, then it doesn¡¯t matter if either of us deserves it or not.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ve been spending too much time with Dazien or Priest Jacob to be able to come up with that argument.¡±
She grinned, ¡°It is a pretty good one, isn¡¯t it?¡± she squeezed his hand as she added, ¡°The point remains, whatever you did in the past, whatever terrible, desperate choices you felt you had to make¡ I know who you are now, and who you are is a friend I never want to lose.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you either,¡± he replied softly, returning the squeeze to her hand.
Silence fell as they both processed the conversation, her gaze alternating between the words on her book, the mark on his arm, and the ember eyes watching her, cautious yet hopeful.
With a random thought, she conjured the cookies that she had meant to bring originally, ¡°I wanted to bring you these; keep you company while we waited for Daze together. Will you eat them and wait with me, or are you still planning to sneak out and run away from us?¡±
Uriel glanced towards the door, then back to her face as if searching for some hidden answer to a question he wouldn¡¯t voice.
¡°I don¡¯t care how complicated or dangerous being near you might be. I¡¯ve had a target on me since arriving in this world, and you¡¯ve stayed by my side. I¡¯m going to stand beside you, Uriel.¡±
He shook his head again, this time more indulgently, as he reached over and picked up a cookie.
Bliss moved then to slowly slink down onto her lap and give a begging mewl as the kitten looked up at her with large, pleading eyes. She chuckled, ¡°You can too, but only as many as Uriel eats.¡±
Uriel chuckled as well, then pointedly took a bite of the one in his hand as a signal for the chimera to begin. Which the kitten did, jumping from her lap to shift into her small humanoid form, sitting on the floor opposite her, and carefully lifting one of the cookies to nibble on in an attempt to match the mage¡¯s pace.
Then she asked curiously, ¡°So what happened to Bliss? You mentioned she was there but you thought she was working with the bad guys?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know all the details, and it¡¯s not really my story to tell anyway,¡± Uriel replied. He gestured toward the chimera, ¡°It¡¯s up to you to share what you want about that. I¡¯m sorry I let that slip.¡±
¡°Will ask Chriss later,¡± Bliss replied in a small voice, ¡°Cookies first,¡± she said, lifting another from the plate towards Uriel for him to eat.
Phoenix laughed as the cinderen rolled his eyes and took the proffered cookie, which caused the chimera to grab another for herself.
They sat together in a more comfortable silence now as they nibbled on cookies and continued processing the origins of the Cataclysm Mage. She knew she had many questions, some she would probably never voice aloud as they would likely trigger terrible memories of his time in captivity.
Other trails of thoughts had her analyzing her past conversations with Uriel, Dazien, and even Paul regarding the mage and his secrets. Seeking signs and clues that she hadn¡¯t been able to piece together before.
¡°Who else knows?¡± she ended up asking, figuring that was a safe enough question.
¡°Dazien, though that¡¯s probably obvious.¡±
¡°I kinda assumed,¡± she admitted, ¡°You don¡¯t strike me as the type to get that close to someone who didn¡¯t know.¡±
He chuckled, ¡°He found out from Warrior. Long before we became close like that.¡±
¡°Warrior told him? The god Warrior?¡±
¡°Asked if he¡¯d kill me in a duel in exchange for a blessing.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s jaw dropped open in shock, ¡°What?!¡±
Uriel laughed, ¡°Obviously, he didn¡¯t accept. Instead, he told off the god. Yelled at him for even suggesting it.¡±
¡°That does sound more like him,¡± she admitted, remembering how Dazien refused to submit to gods.
¡°Got his own title for that, but it¡¯s also what prompted Warrior to offer to train him personally as well,¡± the mage explained. Then, he redirected back to the original question, ¡°Other than him and Pati, Paul and his old adventuring party know. They were the ones that rescued me.¡±
Phoenix was temporarily distracted by the very obvious drooping of Bliss¡¯ ears and wings while openly pouting after Uriel¡¯s latest statement. The Chimera muttered, ¡°Didn¡¯t know they were Adventurers.¡±
Uriel gave her a placating pat on the head, reassuring her, ¡°I know that now,¡± before continuing his list, ¡°Then the High Priest of the Mender and Priest Jacob know. I was brought to them when I first arrived here after that. High Priestess Deserin was informed as my new guardian.
¡°Then just the AOA Directors and the duke. Bliss was there when it happened, and her connection with Chriss means she knows, too. That¡¯s it for anyone outside of the cult, as far as I¡¯m aware.¡±
Phoenix felt her blood run cold at the idea that popped into her head with that last statement, and she asked, ¡°If any of the clergy can sense my Soul Mark, does that mean all of the Destroyer¡¯s followers can sense you, too?¡±
Uriel gave a half-shrug while accepting another proffered cookie from the hungry chimera, who was patiently watching them and the plate, ¡°I think so, but I¡¯m not positive. They never told me, so when Everin told you, that was the first I learned of it as well. He mentioned there was a range limitation, so I can only assume they¡¯re either too far away or silently watching from the shadows. It definitely makes me more worried now about putting all of you in danger, though.¡±
She nodded in understanding, grabbing another cookie from the quickly diminishing pile.
42 - Best Cookies
Phoenix thought over the list of people ¡°in the know¡± for Uriel¡¯s divine secret. Most made sense if the goal was limiting access to it but that idea nagged a bit at her, ¡°Wait, if the AOA Director and duke both know¡¡± she hesitated, realizing what she was about to say might come off as an insult or suggestion, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not sure I should ask¡¡±
Uriel gave her an almost amused look as he said, ¡°Phoenix, right now I actually want you to ask whatever questions you have just to make sure I¡¯m not forgetting anything that might make you change your mind about keeping me near.¡±
She rolled her eyes at him, ¡°I¡¯m not going to change my mind about that. Not unless you somehow completely swap out your personality for that of an insufferable jerk who is constantly cruel to me or the others.¡±
¡°Well good to know you have an actual limit and aren¡¯t just being stubborn about this,¡± he replied with a laugh, ¡°So what¡¯s your question regarding the director and duke?¡±
¡°If you had this mark and blessing from a dark god, why didn¡¯t they just kill you if it was such a bad thing? Did you get put on trial or anything? I¡¯m not entirely sure how the legal system here works¡ which I now realize I should probably learn, but is it illegal to be blessed by an evil god?¡±
¡°Technically, it¡¯s not illegal to worship or be blessed by any god; it¡¯s the evil acts that are punished. I did get a sort of trial when I arrived, but I was still young, not quite fifteen. My trial was overseen by Duke Tul himself as a follower of the Adjudicator, and it was behind closed doors. Only Paul¡¯s party, High Priestess Deserin, and Priest Jacob were there for it.¡±
¡°What was your trial for if your mark wasn¡¯t illegal?¡± she asked in confusion.
He paused, looking at her for a long moment before saying carefully, ¡°All the people I killed while I was with the cult, the Disciples of the Destroyer. I was there for over a year, and during that time alone, I killed almost three hundred people. They made me fight in the Rings every day after my parents died. Killing other people in duels to the death so my sisters would live.¡±
¡°Sounds like gladiators. Slaves forced to fight for entertainment,¡± she said distastefully.
¡°Basically. My trial was to find out if I did any of that by my own free will. The duke decided that I didn¡¯t, so let me go on to the Temple of the Parent instead of figuring out a way to kill me.¡±
¡°Figuring out?¡±
¡°Scholar gave them a little warning about my particular Soul Mark,¡± he said, taking another cookie that Bliss held out to him, ¡°The last time a Chosen of the Destroyer was killed, the nation that sanctioned it was erased from the map.¡±
¡°Doesn¡¯t seem to stop people from killing me,¡± she grumbled.
¡°Depends on the type of god¡ wait, who tried killing you since you revealed your Mark?¡± he asked, turning to stare at her.
She thought about that for a moment, ¡°Um... Soul Reapers and monsters? ...And myself or Scholar, I guess, if the ritual counts,¡± she admitted.
He shook his head again before continuing, ¡°Apparently, if anyone decides to kill me when I¡¯m helpless and not fighting back, it triggers a failsafe in Destroyer¡¯s Soul Mark, and I¡¯ll take everyone nearby with me.¡±
¡°I guess that¡¯s one way for an evil god to protect their investment¡¡±
¡°Also keeps me from committing¨C¡± Uriel¡¯s words were cut off as the door opened, and a slightly disheveled-looking amethyst gemite barged in.
Dazien was feeling conflicted about this whole event. On one hand, it was invigorating to be socializing on this scale with many of the tundra¡¯s most influential people. On the other hand, quite a few were not as adept at political wordsmithing as he had hoped and lacked the social tact that he had wrongfully assumed would be second nature to a noble.
Nevertheless, he smiled and gave respectful bows of greeting. He continued drinking the expensive alcohol despite it having no effect on him due to his Natural Talent. Part of him was glad there wasn¡¯t any dancing at a Noble Reveal as some of the younger scions had already approached him to form ¡°house alliances,¡± and he did exactly as advised, redirecting them to Patricia to be considered later.
After their last discussion about his eligibility, he had opened up to her more; clarifying his plans to branch off eventually and establish an actual independent nation. The world had plenty of unclaimed space still and he had plans long in the making to find a place for himself. She had seemed grateful for the discussion rather than Paul¡¯s explanation solely consisting of, ¡°The kid wants to be an actual king someday.¡±
Dazien had also explained that, while he wasn¡¯t open to the idea of Uriel being cast aside, they would likely never marry, so he was open to meeting potential matches that Pati believed would be supportive of his goals.
While Priestess Yavuz had often talked down to him about being open with his relationships ¨Cor really having any relationships at all¨C Priestess Deserin had been more supportive, directing him to a Priestess of the Lover to talk with and learn about healthy relationships and managing boundaries along with expectations.
It was there at the temple of the Lover that he had learned that the nobility was more inclined to marry for politics rather than love yet would still seek out the latter without issue. That all came down to those same boundaries and expectations. What you were both entering into the relationship for. He could work with that and told Pati as much.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Still, as the night wore on, he was getting less enthusiastic about the prospects he had on the tundra. As people drank more, their tongues became looser and their hands freer. This led to more pointed questions and propositions along with more physical dodging.
It was a relief when Noble Chriss Stratford took the place of a very intoxicated woman trying to pet his hair. That relief was short-lived, however, when she tapped a seemingly random crystal on the arm of her dress, activating the subtle Song and Illusion magic spell around them designed for a private conversation.
¡°I have a distinct feeling that you need to get to whatever room Uriel and Phoenix are in. I¡¯ll cover for you for a few minutes. Make sure you come back,¡± she pointedly said and the sudden panic that came had him quickly thanking the woman and leaving as discreetly as possible.
Once clear of the room, he turned and sprinted down the corridors to the room he believed they should have been in. If Chriss had deemed it a necessity to extract him, then he knew something was very, very wrong.
His confusion hit a peak when he barged into his bedroom to see Uriel with Phoenix sitting on the sofa across from the hearth, each with cookies in hand, with Orebela hovering nearby and a discarded traveling pack on the ground. It took him another moment to register the gleaming golden item beside the backpack as Uriel¡¯s bracer that hid his most dangerous secret.
His head snapped back up to the pair as he shut the door behind him and asked, ¡°You finally told her?¡±
¡°What are you doing here?¡± Uriel asked incredulously, ¡°You should be at your party.¡±
¡°Screw it,¡± he retorted, walking across the space to join them, ¡°You¡¯re more important. I showed my face and walking out just makes me seem more like Paul.¡±
The pair of friends both snorted a laugh, and he couldn¡¯t help but smile in return. Then he spotted Bliss sitting on the floor in front of a mostly devoured plate of cookies while trying to covertly place one into Uriel¡¯s hand. That explained how Chriss knew to inform him, ¡°So what happened here? What¡¯s with the bag?¡±
¡°Uriel tried to run away because he thinks he¡¯ll ruin our reputations and somehow put us in more danger than we already put ourselves in,¡± Phoenix retorted, obviously upset by the idea.
He paused at the news, confusion and worry filling him as he reexamined the pack on the floor before looking around the room for what might be missing.
There¡¯s no way that could be true.
Uriel had stayed beside him for years, and while he knew the man worried about how he might be seen in social circles, his seneschal had never before voiced the desire to leave.
But things were missing.
Things they didn¡¯t normally take when going on a mission. The picture of them on the mantle, the small painting Bliss had passed on from Faelyn, the stone carving of a Storm Dragon he had gotten Uriel one Winter¡¯s Break. Little things like that which belonged in their home.
Dazien knew his friends were staring at him, waiting for his reaction, but he didn¡¯t know what to say. He was grateful once again that he didn¡¯t need to breathe anymore; otherwise, he knew his rising emotions would be given away. He wasn¡¯t even clear on what exactly he was feeling. Anger? Sadness? Resignation? Betrayal? Confusion.
Why would Uriel feel the sudden need to flee without him?
¡°I¡¯m sorry, King,¡± Uriel¡¯s voice reached him, and he realized he hadn¡¯t been moving for far too long. He almost couldn¡¯t bring himself to look at the man who had been holding a dagger over his heart, ready to plunge it into his chest the moment he had returned to find an empty room.
¡°Why?¡± was the only word he could trust himself to say. He had learned his lesson about jumping to conclusions when he had let his pile of frustrations spill over and lash out at Phoenix months ago. He needed to cling to the hope that his partner wasn¡¯t abandoning him without reason.
Uriel stood, walking closer to him as the mage carefully replied, ¡°Not because of anything you did. Not because of who or what you are. Not because I don¡¯t care about you.¡±
The gemite finally met his eyes and repeated, ¡°Then why?¡±
The cinderen took one of his hands and said quietly, ¡°I realized I was being selfish. That ¨Cwith you and Phoenix in the spotlight as Waylands¨C people will start looking for leverage. That I¡¯m the greatest weakness to both of you. Your greatest threat to a bright future.¡±
He frowned and denied that thought, ¡°The brightest future I can imagine is one with you by my side. You thought I would desire any future without you? We¡¯ve been part of each other¡¯s lives for over seven years, and you were going to just throw that away because of politics?¡±
¡°You¡¯re stronger without me¨C¡±
¡°I¡¯m incomplete without you, Uriel,¡± he interjected, the anger beginning to win in the battle of emotions. ¡°You are a part of me. A piece of my puzzle that no one else can fill. You know this. That hasn¡¯t changed just because my name did.¡±
The mage looked back to the floor, repentant as he whispered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you.¡±
¡°Well, you did. It sounds like you hurt Phoenix too,¡± he snapped, then took a deep breath. He didn¡¯t want to get angry again.
In a calmer voice, he said, ¡°I understand that your intentions may have been to protect us. However, you didn¡¯t even say anything. You didn¡¯t ask for our opinions. That¡¯s not what being friends or partners means. I¡¯m hurt more by that than anything else.¡±
¡°Want a cookie?¡± Bliss asked suddenly from beside him, her small humanoid form lifting one of the cookies towards him as she added, ¡°King smells like sadness and anger. Cookies fix that, even if not Uriel¡¯s Best Cookies.¡±
His eyes narrowed at the Chimera slightly, ¡°You¡¯re almost as bad as Saiya with that.¡± When Bliss merely grinned, he shook his head and gave a heavy sigh. Taking the cookie, he pulled Uriel back to the sofa and made Phoenix scoot over to place Uriel between them.
Dazien redirected his next question towards Phoenix, ¡°Will you catch me up on everything he told you? I want to hear your perspective on it.¡±
¡°Well, first, I want to say how insanely unfair it is that he got his Soul Mark on his arm instead of the middle of his chest,¡± the Wayfarer complained, ¡°Seriously, if it can go anywhere, why would Hero and Rebel think it was a good idea to put it right here?!¡± she exclaimed gesturing to the mark positioned right above her slight cleavage, ¡°I don¡¯t want to wear dresses like this!¡±
The gemite gave a laugh, ¡°At least it¡¯s still able to be hidden that way,¡± he pointed out, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of a past Chosen who got one on their forehead.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t try to make me feel better about this injustice,¡± Phoenix scolded, causing him and Uriel to both chuckle and nod in agreement.
43 - His Familiar
Uriel felt lighter than he had in longer than he could remember. With yet another person sitting beside him to support the weight of his worries and fears, the reassurance that maybe he wasn¡¯t completely irredeemable grew a bit stronger. Maybe it wasn¡¯t just a fluke with Dazien or part of the job like with Jacob.
Despite Dazien obviously being angry and hurt by his actions, the man didn¡¯t let go of his hand as they sat on the couch and listened to Phoenix reiterate what he had revealed. Just that simple contact was enough to let him know that his partner would forgive him¡ eventually.
Rex was now manifested, lounging in front of the fire with Tala perched atop his antlered lion head, and Bliss happily using him as a backrest while finishing off the last cookie. The golden wings of the Avatar of Sovereignty playfully brushed against Bliss¡¯ black ones as Tala preened her silver-speckled wings atop her indulgent throne.
He knew Bliss wasn¡¯t his Familiar ¨Cshe was connected more to Chriss in that way and was a Caster in her own right¨C but she was part of his past and had shared a lot of his experiences. For the moment, he could pretend that the feathered trio reflected him and his friends sitting on the sofa.
Uriel watched Daze nod along with Phoenix¡¯s account of events before finally saying, ¡°Thank you, Phoenix.¡±
¡°For what?¡±
¡°Reacting far better than I did, for one. I know I have my own issues around trust but I¡¯m glad you were able to put that aside to reassure him that he¡¯s not the monster he continually claims to be,¡± the gemite stated with a pointed look towards him.
¡°And I still think you¡¯re both biased on that account,¡± the mage grumbled but didn¡¯t press further as he asked, ¡°Did I miss answering any other questions?¡±
¡°Um,¡± Phoenix began but hesitated.
¡°I¡¯ll tell you if it¡¯s something that makes me uncomfortable,¡± he said, ¡°That¡¯s how I managed to get through this with Daze before.¡±
She nodded and traced one of the runes scared into the flesh of his arm, ¡°Did these happen while you were captive?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± he said, ¡°My body wasn¡¯t ready to accept Aspects when I first arrived. For months they carved these into me over and over to try and get them to imprint upon my soul. I know you recognize some of them, if not all.¡±
She tilted her head again in confirmation as she traced one and said, ¡°Fire,¡± then traced more as she identified them, ¡°Ice, Storm, Potent, Blight, Vast, Destruction¡ Why did they do this? Just to be cruel?¡±
¡°That might have been part of it but the High Priest there told me it was in an effort to direct my powers once my body was ready for them,¡± he explained, ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know if it truly had any effect or not. Could just be a superstition but they seemed to believe it worked.¡±
¡°How could anyone even stomach doing something like that to another person?¡± the Wayfarer said in disgust.
He shared a look with Dazien who looked away slightly as they both recalled the Defender¡¯s poor reaction to what they both knew he was about to say, ¡°You eventually become numb to it. It¡¯s hardest at first when they¡¯re begging you to stop hurting them but you just keep telling yourself that not obeying would be worse.¡±
Phoenix stared at him with wide eyes and a slack jaw as she processed the fact that he had tortured people in turn. ¡°They made you do that to others?¡± she tried clarifying.
¡°What would you have done?¡± Dazien asked her in his stead, ¡°Your family being held as leverage, lacking any power to stop them from hurting your loved ones instead.¡±
She frowned and fell silent for a moment before admitting, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think I can know unless I was forced to actually make that choice. I guess whatever I thought was the lesser evil at the time.¡±
Uriel squeezed her hand, ¡°For me, that was choosing to hurt my older friend instead of my little sister.¡±
¡°What happened to your sister? You told me about your parents, but you¡¯ve never mentioned your sister to me.¡±
He glanced towards Bliss, whose ears drooped again in sorrow and guilt while a taloned hand brushed up against the ribbon she wore in her mane, and he tried to explain, ¡°Bliss had become friends with her after my parents died and we were separated more from each other. When the Adventurers arrived and started killing a lot of people, she panicked and tried to get Eirlys and Faelyn to safety instead. I thought they had died, but they were re-captured by the cult in the process of fleeing the island we were on.¡±
¡°So they both stayed trapped with them?¡± she asked with a horrified look.
¡°For a few more years. I found out only about two years ago that Eirlys still died during that time. Faelyn survived, though. She and Bliss were rescued by Chriss¡¯ party and brought back to Tulimeir. Chriss helped make sure Faelyn got adopted by a nice family.¡±
¡°Well, at least there was one happier ending,¡± Phoenix murmured.
¡°Two,¡± Dazien said, squeezing his hand again, ¡°Uriel made his way to me, which I considered a happy ending to that tragic tale.¡±
¡°Three!¡± chirped the muffled chimera who had lazily flopped face down over Rex¡¯s back with her own massive wings fully stretched to either side, ¡°Chriss caught a Bliss!¡±
Phoenix snorted a laugh and nodded in agreement with both points as she smiled at him, ¡°Definitely a good turning point. Does that make King¡¯s Dream the sequel?¡±
The two men laughed, and Uriel said, ¡°After all we¡¯ve been through? We¡¯re definitely in some kind of anthology at this point. Too many crazy things have happened around us.¡±
Phoenix joined in their laughter, then noted, ¡°I kinda wish Saiya and Rayna were here. They¡¯re both part of this too¡ Would you¨C Do you think it would be okay to tell them? I think we can trust them with this, Uriel.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve tried telling him that as well but he seems convinced Rayna will attack him and Saiya will try to somehow cleanse it,¡± Dazien said with a roll of his eyes.
¡°I don¡¯t think the marks work like that,¡± she said in confusion.
¡°They don¡¯t,¡± the gemite stated with a flat look towards the mage.
¡°I don¡¯t think either of them will be thrilled,¡± Uriel grumbled.
¡°Are you kidding? I bet twenty Bits that Rayna says it¡¯s awesome,¡± Phoenix replied with a laugh, ¡°She¡¯s a Shatter Bard. I¡¯m half surprised she¡¯s looking into Rebel¡¯s clergy instead of Destroyer¡¯s if that¡¯s actually an option.¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
¡°Please don¡¯t give her any ideas,¡± Dazien bemoaned.
Uriel noted a taloned thumbs up in Bliss¡¯ direction and contemplated the idea once more. This time forcing himself to consider the possibility of the best outcome and if that was something he wanted. Having more friends that he could rely on and not struggle with hiding his secrets would be nice and make life a bit easier¡ but it also could fracture his party irreparably. Plus, each new person who knew meant it became more likely that his secrets get slipped to someone else.
¡°I¡¡± he paused as the pair turned to him, ¡°I might be open to telling them, but Patricia wasn¡¯t wrong about the risks if someone we can¡¯t trust learns about my Soul Mark. Do you think they won¡¯t tell someone by accident? What if Rayna says something to Mohala or Saiya asks another Priest for advice or something?¡±
¡°Hold up,¡± Dazien interjected, ¡°What risks did Pati talk to you about? Last I spoke with her about you she told me that she knew of your titles but seemed resigned to managing any risks with you staying with me. I told her I wouldn¡¯t join her house if it would be a problem.¡±
Uriel frowned, uncertain if he should reveal his experience but he knew that Daze was sharp and he didn¡¯t want to lie to his partner. With a sigh, he said, ¡°She asked me to leave. She said she wouldn¡¯t force me to but if I truly cared for you both and your futures, then I should leave before I destroy it.¡±
Dazien¡¯s face twisted in rage as he abruptly stood, ¡°That manipulative spawn of a¨C¡±
¡°She¡¯s not wrong, Daze,¡± he interjected.
¡°She was wrong to go behind my back and play to your fears!¡± the Defender shouted, starting to make his way toward the door.
¡°Where are you going?¡± Phoenix called after the gemite.
¡°To call her out and make her apologize and swear to never do that again or so help me I will do something she doesn¡¯t want me to.¡±
Orebela was in the way of the door before any of them could finish blinking as she said in their minds, ¡°Little King is angry and not thinking clearly. Wayland would be displeased by a rash attempt at chivalry.¡±
¡°She deceived me and almost convinced Uriel to run away from us! I will not let that slide!¡±
¡°I agree,¡± Phoenix spoke up, then added, ¡°But maybe Bela¡¯s right, and we shouldn¡¯t just go scream at her right now. She¡¯ll probably use the ¡®I¡¯m an adult and you¡¯re emotional children¡¯ card if we just yell at her¡¡±
That seemed to make the Defender pause, running a hand through his hair in frustration as he began to calm down and admit, ¡°You¡¯re right. We need a more unified front. A plan of attack.¡±
¡°We¡¯re not going to attack her, Daze,¡± Uriel argued, ¡°She¡¯s Emerald Caste, combatant or not, she could easily defeat us.¡±
¡°No, I meant a verbal attack. We need to show her that she cannot manipulate us like little children who are being taught how to play nicely. We¡¯re not pawns for her to play with because she believes she knows what¡¯s best.¡±
¡°I liked that ¡®unified front¡¯ idea,¡± Phoenix added with a grin, ¡°I vote we convince Saiya and Rayna to help us too. You said you were open to telling them, Uriel. If we can show Pati that we¡¯re not afraid of whatever people might say about us, then she has no reason to try to fight it. You said she was concerned about your connection with the Destroyer being used against us. We¡¯ll show her that we¡¯re not afraid of that.¡±
He wasn¡¯t sure he agreed with that approach, but once again, he had found himself making many poor choices in that regard. Maybe it would be better if he relied on his friends to help decide who should know in this regard.
Uriel realized now that if he wanted to stay with them, he needed to trust them more instead of giving in to his fears.
¡°Okay,¡± he said quietly, and both of them stared at him in surprise, ¡°But I want you to help me tell them. I, um, I kinda snapped at Saiya yesterday when she pressed me about this¡ I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll want to see me again so soon after the way I treated her.¡±
Dazien¡¯s expression softened as the Defender reassured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll be right beside you and I can do the talking if you¡¯d prefer.¡±
¡°I think we both prefer that,¡± Phoenix said with a laugh.
¡°Well, that explains all the brooding. But honestly, how badass is that?¡± Rayna said, and Phoenix grinned at the bard.
She turned to Uriel and said smugly, ¡°You owe me twenty Bits.¡±
They had decided to utilize Bliss¡¯ mental connection with Chriss and have the noblewoman convince Rayna to join them in Daze¡¯s room, hoping to take what they considered to be the easier one to convince first. Potentially a more strategic move to bolster their numbers before trying to mend the rift between the Mage and Healer.
Rayna currently sat in a chair, munching a cookie the chimera had secreted away, as Uriel showed his Soul Mark while Dazien explained more eloquently than either of them felt they could.
Phoenix felt pleased that she had accurately predicted the bard¡¯s response. Knowing that ¨Cmuch like with her own secrets¨C the pugilist would be excited about the potential challenges rather than afraid of them.
¡°So why only tell me?¡± the voxen asked curiously, ¡°Saiya¡¯s great at keeping secrets, too, you know. We haven¡¯t told anyone about Phoenix¡¯s quest or Talent.¡±
¡°Apparently, she and Uriel got into an argument yesterday, and we didn¡¯t want that to negatively affect your own reaction,¡± Dazien explained.
¡°That explains why she¡¯s been all mopey today. What exactly did you two argue about?¡±
Uriel got an annoyed expression on his face as he said, ¡°It was stupid. She was trying to make me feel better, and I snapped at her. Told her to quit reading my emotions like she could actually help it. She made me realize how selfish I¡¯m being by not leaving and making you all deal with my baggage.¡±
To their surprise, Rayna asked, ¡°Wait, she told you she was reading your emotions? And told you to leave too?¡±
¡°She kept saying I was lying. Told me she could sense my guilt and fear, which she wasn¡¯t wrong, but getting it thrown in my face like that just¨C I got angry.¡±
¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like her at all,¡± Phoenix said with concern, ¡°Either you were really worrying her more than normal, or something else was going on. She¡¯s never pushed me like that before, and she had plenty of reasons to.¡±
Dazien frowned as well and suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask Chriss to send her down and ask then?¡±
Hesitantly, Uriel agreed and added, ¡°She wasn¡¯t necessarily wrong, though. It is selfish¨C¡±
¡°Stop that,¡± Phoenix scolded, taking the cinderen¡¯s hand again and finding comfort in his familiar warmth, ¡°Don¡¯t make me sic Priest Jacob on you about how ¡®taking care of our needs isn¡¯t selfish.¡¯ He¡¯s been cramming that one down my throat recently yet somehow making me feel grateful about it. It¡¯s so confusing with him sometimes how he can make me feel both happy and sad at the same time.¡±
Dazien chuckled, ¡°He¡¯s pretty good at his job, and both of you should listen to him more. I¡¯m fairly certain I have him to thank for Uriel eventually gaining the courage to confess his feelings for me.¡±
¡°Wait, Uriel was the one to confess first?¡± Rayna asked incredulously, ¡°This Uriel? The one who hides his feelings from everyone?¡±
The Defender gave a teasing smirk, ¡°I guess I¡¯m just that incredible.¡±
¡°He kept trying to call me his brother,¡± Uriel interjected with a roll of his eyes, ¡°It made me feel like I was lying to him by not admitting that I¡¯d rather be his lover than his brother. I thought it might make him leave me, but that might have been easier to live with at the time than feeling like our entire relationship was built around a lie of omission.¡±
¡°So, how exactly did you confess?¡± Phoenix asked curiously, ¡°Are love letters a thing in this world? I saw that often enough in some anime. Seemed like a nice and convenient way to not go through the awkwardness of telling them to their face and getting rejected.¡±
The Wayfarer raised a brow as both men seemed to get tense and flush in embarrassment while not meeting her gaze, ¡°What? Did I say something weird?¡±
¡°No,¡± Dazien replied hesitantly, ¡°It¡¯s just¡ it was a bit more¡ well, intimate than an innocent letter.¡±
Rayna gave a little squeal, ¡°Ooh, sounds spicy. Did he finally just have enough and ravage the King?¡±
Dazien raised a brow at her, ¡°Are you seriously trying to ¡®picture all that muscle¡¯ again?¡±
¡°Oh, ew, no. Why you gotta go ruin my little romance setting like that?¡±
¡°Ask awkward questions, get awkward answers,¡± the Defender replied, then gave his familiar smirk, ¡°Why don¡¯t we get Saiya to join us now so she can hopefully reign in your self-destructive curiosity.¡±
44 - Crossroads
As Saiya slowly opened the door to Dazien¡¯s room and peeked inside, she was further dismayed by the sight that matched the emotions she was sensing. Bliss had come to retrieve her from the party, claiming more cookies were needed before disappearing towards the kitchens while she had made her way upstairs to her awaiting companions.
Rayna oddly seemed excited while the rest were giving off waves of apprehension, fear, and hope. The fact that they were apparently awaiting her arrival did not bode well. She entered the room fully, closing the door behind her as she asked with drooping ears and tucked tails, ¡°Is this an intervention?¡±
Phoenix laughed while the others looked more confused. The Wayfarer said, ¡°No, but also slightly yes. Come over here and talk.¡±
Saiya made her way slowly to the only empty chair left, but instead of sitting, she turned to face Uriel and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for how I behaved yesterday. I let my own emotions get the better of me and pushed you beyond your level of comfort without even asking if that was something you wanted.¡±
The cinderen watched her in surprise before saying, ¡°Thanks for apologizing. I probably could have handled that better myself, though. I got angry and yelled when I probably should have tried explaining myself better or left a bit sooner.¡±
¡°I¡¯m still confused about why you actually confronted someone like that,¡± Rayna said, sitting on the edge of the large chair opposite the empty one, ¡°You know how people usually react to that. Remember all the problems we ran into in Viimeinen?¡±
¡°I know,¡± Saiya whined, clutching her dress in her small-clawed hands, ¡°But I read in one of my new books that confronting your feelings and admitting there¡¯s a problem is one of the first steps to recovery, and I just thought¡ just a little¡ nudge might help Uriel open up a bit more¡¡±
Dazien snorted a laugh, and the others turned to glare at him. He held up his hands defensively and quickly said, ¡°Not laughing at her! Sorry, just picturing anyone trying to force Uriel into revealing his weaknesses struck me as funny. I¡¯ve seen others try and it did not end well. That was also one of the first things Priest Jacob told me not to attempt.¡±
She frowned at that, thinking back to what the mind mender had told her before. Then she slowly admitted, ¡°He did tell me to be patient¡¡±
¡°For good reason,¡± the Defender continued, ¡°I know you¡¯re aware that Uriel was captured by bandits before getting sold off to a cult where his family was killed. Did he ever mention the first thing the cult did to him, though?¡±
Saiya finally took her seat as she shook her head in the negative.
¡°They found out all of his weaknesses,¡± the gemite explained, ¡°Interrogated him for weeks about every little detail of his life while carving those runes into him. All without ever telling him why.¡±
The voxen looked over at her quietest friend with wide eyes. Then she said in confusion, ¡°But¡ you told Phoenix to let Dazien ask¡ to show trust.¡±
Uriel nodded slowly, ¡°Jacob helped me get over a lot, but I meant what I said. Once I realized I truly trusted Daze, I wanted to answer his questions. It¡¯s a bit different when someone comes up to you and begins demanding information that you didn¡¯t want to offer.¡±
The cinderen nodded towards her, ¡°You were the one to say that boundaries were healthy and should be maintained. Why did you change your mind about that?¡±
She frowned again, wrapping her tails around her in a self-hug as she said, ¡°I was reading about breaking through our limitations by pushing beyond our boundaries¡ It ties into how we cultivate our abilities too.¡±
Phoenix spoke up then, ¡°That sounds right but I think that might be more for our personal journeys, right? You can¡¯t cultivate my abilities for me.¡±
The smaller voxen gave a sigh, ¡°Yes, I had just hoped to help, and it backfired worse than you drinking those evil recoil potions.¡±
¡°Hey, I lived!¡±
¡°Not the second time,¡± Rayna pointed out with a grin.
Saiya turned back to Uriel as she said sincerely, ¡°I really am sorry for pushing like that. I won¡¯t do it again. I¡¯ll be patient instead of trying to drag all of you on my journey with me.¡±
¡°I think that¡¯s not something we¡¯re necessarily against joining you in, though,¡± said Dazien as he leaned forward from his place on the sofa to squeeze her furred hand, ¡°Uriel finally pushed himself forward, and I think we¡¯re all ready to journey together.¡±
¡°Are all these Traveler metaphors going to be a constant thing now whenever we talk with Sai?¡± Rayna asked with a huff causing the others to laugh.
¡°Probably,¡± Phoenix assured, ¡°And I think it¡¯s time to take another step forward.¡±
Saiya raised an eyebrow at that, slightly confused until Dazien got a bit more of a serious tone and the wave of apprehension returned, ¡°We didn¡¯t call you down just to force you and Uriel to reconcile. Uriel¡¯s decided to put his faith in us, you included.¡±
¡°I¡¯m offering to answer questions now,¡± the mage clarified, giving a sad smile, ¡°But there are some things you should know before you start asking.¡±
She slowly nodded in understanding, glad to be trusted but confused by everyone¡¯s nervousness, until Uriel pulled back a sleeve and showed her a mark of Favor that left her speechless. Uriel was a Chosen of the Destroyer, chosen to spread calamity, chaos, and death.
Her own emotions continued to rise as Dazien took over the discussion to help Uriel explain what had happened in his past. The terrible choices he had been forced to make. The rage and terror and despair that had been his constant companions. His behavior made more sense when she understood better that he was conditioned to destroy everything.
¡°You can help him walk a kinder path,¡± the gentle voice of the Traveler whispered within her, ¡°He¡¯s asking for your support to avoid the worst, not cause it.¡±
When silence fell, and Uriel refused to meet her eyes, she finally said, ¡°Before I ask any questions, I want to say thank you for helping me understand things better. I can see why you got angry and why you were afraid before.¡±
The cinderen finally looked at her, searching for the rejection that his tremor of fear let her know was still there.
¡°I want to help you,¡± she reiterated, ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to hurt us. That you want to be a good person.¡±
He gave a small smile as he nodded, ¡°Yeah, I do.¡±
¡°Then I guess the only question I really have is: how can I help?¡±
That simple phrase helped wash away the remaining fear and trepidation that had been present in her party members and it helped her breathe easier in relief. The tremor of happiness and excitement coming from the other side of the door prompted her to ask, ¡°Actually, second question, were we expecting more company?¡±
She could feel Phoenix extend that four-layered aura before promptly hopping up from the sofa and saying, ¡°Oh! Bliss is back with the cookies!¡±
¡°They¡¯re not as good as Uriel¡¯s Best Cookies,¡± Rayna complained, ¡°But cookies are still cookies and great for secret-revealing parties.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
Bliss literally flew across the room when the door opened. The tiny winged kitten with the head-end of a snake for a tail landed on her lap before impossibly opening the snake end¡¯s oddly bird-beaked mouth wide enough to pull out an even wider platter piled high with a variety of cookies.
¡°Is that sanitary?¡± the healer asked more out of curiosity than disgust. She had seen grosser things, and powers came in all manner of weirdness.
Phoenix grinned and snagged a few of the cookies, ¡°Turns out Bliss¡¯ stomach doubles as a dimensional storage space. I was so confused every time I saw her eating things that were definitely not food until she helped explain that one.¡±
¡°I swear she¡¯s using it to get more treats out of me,¡± Uriel said with a chuckle.
¡°I need snacks for later, too!¡± the kitten replied with utmost seriousness before shifting again into her humanoid form.
Saiya felt the chimera snuggle up to her, then wrapped them both up in soft wings like a set of oversized down comforters. The cookie platter was handed off to sit in her lap as Bliss took four cookies off the plate with taloned hands, and the chimera gave one to Uriel and one to Dazien.
¡°One for treat-transporter King and one for treat-cooker Uriel means two for Bliss!¡± the shapeshifter declared, then bit into one of the cookies while the snake-headed tail moved to make sure Rayna also had one as Saiya lifted her own.
The others laughed as Dazien said, ¡°I knew you only saw us as snack sources!¡±
¡°Well, you both spoil her,¡± Phoenix pointed out, ¡°I see she also thinks you count as part of Uriel. I told her she could only have as many cookies as he ate.¡±
¡°We are different people!¡± the gemite said incredulously towards the chimera, ¡°Why would you think we count as the same?!¡±
The child-like Sapphire Caster shrugged, readjusting the bow in her mane, and said, ¡°Smells same. Especially after waking up.¡±
There was a beat of silence as they all processed that, and the two men flushed in embarrassment while the women howled with laughter.
Phoenix was feeling nervous but determined as her party made its way to Patricia¡¯s new study at the World Tree. All of them had stayed up rather late into the night talking and asking questions. Feeling closer as a group of friends and companions while learning to trust and communicate better.
Bliss had left earlier when called back by Chriss and, eventually, the party ended up in Phoenix¡¯s more adaptable nebula bed as they continued talking while wrapped in blankets and Saiya¡¯s tranquil aura until it was morning.
They didn¡¯t need to sleep every night, the Sapphires even less so than she and Uriel did. Their happiness of finally shedding secrets and the deluge of information they were sorting through had kept them all awake.
King¡¯s Dream had all agreed on this next course of action: confronting Patricia about trying to control them.
Phoenix was grateful for Saiya¡¯s presence as the healer was usually better about keeping a cool head, the recent experiment-turned-argument aside. She was most worried about Dazien, however.
The gemite had seemed ready to go to war with the politician the night before and she couldn¡¯t even blame him for it. The idea that Pati had made Uriel believe that it would be right for him to abandon the group¡ to leave his partner and best friend ¨Cwhich was totally her now¨C was both unbelievable yet seemingly inevitable.
She knew her aunt was a shrewd politician and cared most about her family, House Wayland, but she hadn¡¯t realized just how far the woman was willing to go to try and protect them from their own choices. It was like the craftier version of Paul ordering her not to fight before the Soul Reaper¡¯s assault.
They all filed into the room Patricia was currently in, sorting through papers on a large desk and tapping at a glowing glass screen that looked like a futuristic computer tablet to the Wayfarer.
As the door slid shut automatically behind them ¨Calso more futuristic than Phoenix was used to seeing in this world¨C the runeforged gave them all one look before giving a heavy sigh, admitting to them, ¡°I see I made a mistake.¡±
¡°You think?¡± Dazien snarled, and Saiya put a hand on his arm. He relaxed slightly, taking a deep breath he didn¡¯t need, before saying in a much more controlled voice, ¡°I believe we¡¯ve come to a crossroads, Ambassador Wayland. See, I was under the impression that you accepted Uriel as my partner despite being Chosen by the Destroyer¡¡±
Patricia¡¯s gaze swept over them, calculating and observant, as the Defender continued, ¡°I¡¯m sure you can understand my confusion and anger at learning you went behind my back and tried convincing my partner to leave me and my party for the sake of House Wayland¡¯s reputation.¡±
¡°If you all know Uriel is a follower of the Destroyer, a god that is represented in the Voidsworn Syndicate, then you also know that I am right and justified in my actions to distance our family from him,¡± the runeforged tried to explain.
¡°I do not follow that evil god,¡± Uriel corrected, and Phoenix was proud that he had managed to speak in his own defense, ¡°Like Phoenix doesn¡¯t follow any of the deities that chose her. I made no vow. Destroyer doesn¡¯t whisper to me.¡±
¡°It seems like you didn¡¯t trust your brother as much as you told me you did,¡± Dazien added coldly, then said with complete certainty, ¡°Uriel will not bring shame upon House Wayland.¡±
Patricia sighed again, this time leaning back in her chair, ¡°His actions won¡¯t matter in this regard. People don¡¯t care about reasons or nuance. They¡¯ll see the Heir of House Wayland is besotted with a Chosen of the Destroyer and make assumptions.¡±
¡°Hey, I am not besotted,¡± Phoenix protested. She had no idea why Pati would think that she felt like that towards her best friend¡ Sure, she had fallen asleep on him once or twice, but that was because he was warm!
The runeforged rolled her eyes, ¡°Not you. You¡¯re the Regent at the moment, remember? That makes Dazien ¨Cyour brother¨C the newest Heir to you.¡±
¡°Oh,¡± she said, scrunching her nose, ¡°Have I mentioned how much I hate politics before?¡±
¡°Does noble hierarchy count as politics?¡± Rayna asked curiously, ¡°I thought that was more about inheritance, really.¡±
Dazien held out an arm to interrupt their tangent as he said to his new aunt, ¡°This is the crossroads we find ourselves at, Ambassador Wayland. I don¡¯t care what false assumptions people make about me or my party. I can¡¯t.¡±
The gemite then held up a long lock of his hair as he said, ¡°I learned long ago that people will always make assumptions. Many will concoct a version of reality that fits their own worldview and biases no matter what evidence is given to the contrary. That doesn¡¯t mean I need to bow to those false beliefs.¡±
He released his hair and took another step forward, ¡°If you can¡¯t trust that our actions will be enough to protect our family, then we will leave.¡±
The party leader glanced back toward her and Phoenix stepped forward to stand beside him as she told Patricia firmly, ¡°We all agreed on this. I¡¯m grateful to Paul and will always consider him family, but our party stays together. Neither Dazien nor I need to be Waylands to achieve our goals. We wanted to be Waylands because of Paul, so you can either accept all of us, or we¡¯ll get out of your way.¡±
The room fell silent as the Ambassador seemed to contemplate them. Eventually, Patricia stood and gave a respectful bow to all of them as she said, ¡°I apologize for misleading you. That was a mistake I will avoid in the future.¡±
Then the runeforged walked around the desk to approach and took one of Dazien¡¯s hands and one of Phoenix¡¯s as she said sincerely, ¡°You were right that I care first about my family. If you¡¯re both this determined, then I¡¯ll do my best to support you.¡±
Her aunt then moved past them to face Uriel as she said, ¡°It seems I made the same mistake of assumption in regards to you. I¨C¡±
The runeforged paused in an odd show of hesitation before saying, ¡°I don¡¯t take back what I said about being afraid. I still am. You¡¯re all young and reckless¡ you may come to regret this choice¡ but it was wrong of me to manipulate that choice the way I did. I should have had a conversation with all of you. Sometimes, I forget what it was like to be your age, which is why Padma and I still argue from time to time.¡±
¡°Do you still want that conversation?¡± Uriel asked in response.
Patricia looked up at him in surprise, ¡°I thought you¡¯d prefer to tell me off again.¡±
¡°I never wanted to come between my friends and their dreams,¡± he clarified, ¡°I was going to leave, but they convinced me that wasn¡¯t what they wanted.¡±
¡°And what is it that you want, Chosen of Destroyer?¡± the priestess asked, and Phoenix moved to Uriel¡¯s side.
¡°Don¡¯t call him that. You don¡¯t call me the Chosen One just because I¡¯m marked too.¡±
A warm hand on her shoulder helped calm her as Uriel said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Princess. I¡¯ve been called much worse than that.¡± Then the cinderen faced Patricia once again as he said, ¡°I just want to stay by their sides. I¡ I don¡¯t want to be alone again.¡±
Patricia gave them a soft smile, ¡°I think I can accept that.¡±
Then the Ambassador abruptly turned to sit back at her desk as she added, ¡°Now,¡± Uriel¡¯s hand flinched from her shoulder at the word, and Phoenix turned to look at him curiously as Patricia continued without noticing, ¡°Why don¡¯t we have that conversation then; about how we can all make sure you can stay without inviting the Delegation of Radiance to attempt to assassinate all of us, yes?¡±
¡°Actually, I think Dazien wanted to talk to all of us about certain phrases that hurt,¡± Phoenix said carefully, then took Uriel¡¯s hand in hers as she added, ¡°I don¡¯t like accidentally making you remember pieces from your nightmares.¡±
Uriel gave her a tired yet grateful smile, ¡°Thanks, Phoenix.¡±
45 - Blackout
Phoenix was horrified by the details that surrounded Uriel¡¯s time in captivity. It turned out that the level of manipulative conditioning the cinderen had gone through as a young teen put Patricia¡¯s level of political maneuvering to shame.
She learned that one of those conditioned responses was that when the word ¡°Now¡± had been said by his captor, it always preceded an order, and those orders preceded inevitable pain. Other terms to avoid were more common sense by her standards; don¡¯t refer to Uriel as a ¡°Shield,¡± ¡°Pet,¡± ¡°Monster,¡± or ¡°Annihilator.¡± Those were the terms the cult had often referred to him as.
The following conversation with Patricia had been more productive and relieving than Phoenix had expected at first. She wasn¡¯t entirely sure she trusted Pati¡¯s words about not attempting to manipulate them in the future if the woman thought she knew better, but she did understand that her heart seemed to be in the right place with wanting to protect them.
They all quickly realized that when Patricia had told Uriel she feared her and Dazien¡¯s future would be destroyed, she didn¡¯t mean just in a social or political sense.
The Delegation of Radiance was looked upon favorably by most of the world as the moral authority of what was ¡°right¡± and ¡°good¡± in most places. However, the DOR also made it a point to define what was ¡°evil¡± by the existence of its counterpart, the Voidsworn Syndicate.
Dazien was surprisingly the one who pointed out that while he agreed with most of the separation ¨Cwith deities like the Cultivator and Scholar on the ¡°good¡± side and Destroyer, Torturer, or Trickster on the ¡°bad¡± side¨C he also wanted to remind them that the Purifier had switched sides recently.
Patricia, in turn, pointed out that the DOR didn¡¯t care about admitting past mistakes but about righting wrongs. Once the Purifier¡¯s plans were made clear from more than the words of a single Paladin, they had claimed the god ¡°Fallen¡± and denounced his followers with a vengeance that even the Avenger would have been proud of.
Followers of the remaining ¡°good¡± gods ¨Cmainly Paladins who acted as their offensive force¨C began hunting down not just the extremist Renseres group but all of the Purifier¡¯s clergy, just like they did with other followers of the Voidsworn Syndicate.
The only thing that could possibly keep Uriel safe was actually the fact he was Chosen and not just a random priest. Most followers of the DOR didn¡¯t want to condemn an entire nation to annihilation because they decided to murder Destroyer¡¯s Chosen but Pati reminded them that most were not all.
Extremists like the Renseres might believe the cost in lives now would be worth what might be caused later if someone like Uriel got strong enough and spread Destroyer¡¯s concept even further. Fear and righteousness were a dangerous mix.
A compromise the group agreed on, aside from just keeping Uriel¡¯s secret as they had, was to always keep watch. Uriel would always have someone with him, and they could utilize their Familiars to assist in this regard. This worked out fine since the cinderen was rarely without someone already, usually shadowing Dazien if not with the entire group already.
¡°This also helps achieve your goal, right?¡± Patricia said to Uriel with a small smirk, ¡°Never alone?¡±
The mage chuckled, ¡°I guess I can¡¯t complain about it then, can I?¡±
¡°Can we do the same with Phoenix?¡± the Ambassador asked, raising an eyebrow in the Wayfarer¡¯s direction. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to come up with workable solutions to keep her safe as well. The Voidsworn Syndicate is also known to target the Chosen of the Delegation of Radiance. I thought it a safer move to use the knowledge of just how many deities chose her as a shield, but after gaining more, I¡¯m afraid a suitably motivated party might try to kill her simply to prevent her from gaining another.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s party all gave her hesitant looks, uncertain how to respond. She had noticed before, when Patricia seemed disquieted by their dark humor, that the runeforged wasn¡¯t aware of her resurrection ability, but she hadn¡¯t thought to rectify that at the time.
She had no idea why the Cultivator or Paul hadn¡¯t told Patricia before now unless it was the same reason Uriel had kept his: limiting access points to the information.
Finally, she decided that revealing this secret might actually save her from more headaches and said, ¡°I don¡¯t need it. They can¡¯t kill me.¡±
Pati gave her a flat look, ¡°Phoenix, I know you¡¯ve done some incredible things and have a lot of powerful people protecting you, but you¡¯re still only a Crystal Caster. You¡¯re not invincible.¡±
¡°Let me rephrase,¡± she said, ¡°Even if they kill me, I won¡¯t stay dead.¡±
The priestess stared at her for a long moment and Phoenix had to glance at her friends to make sure time hadn¡¯t frozen somehow before Pati replied, ¡°I¡¯m going to need you to explain that a bit more.¡±
It was evening by the time King¡¯s Dream finally arrived at the AOA building in Tulimeir to get their next adventuring mission. They all assumed it would be more monster hunting and they weren¡¯t entirely wrong.
It turned out that the strange group of voxen that had been dealing with Patricia were a subspecies called ¡°Starfall¡± and making good on their promise to help upgrade Tulim¡¯s fortress cities, providing not just supplies but portalists from their own hometown in exchange for the wreckage left by the Soul Reapers.
These upgrades were critical to the duchy¡¯s survival as the zone¡¯s ambient magic continued to rise, albeit slower than when there had been three seeds originally. Nevertheless, the World Tree itself had continued refining the magic ¨Ccondensing, cleansing, and dispersing it. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
The result was that low Emerald Caste monsters had begun to spawn within Tulim¡¯s borders, and Paladin Kara Fairweather, Knight Veldrix Thevaris, and Emissary Mint, along with parties of Fae and the surviving Emerald Casters of Tulim, were mobilized to respond.
Unfortunately for King¡¯s Dream, that meant getting placed upon the defense of the walls rather than roaming the tundra. Due to two of their members still being within the Crystal Caste, the AOA branch of Tulim would not risk instant death by sending out a party two castes below the zone. These rules had been put in place long ago, and recent events only served to reinforce them.
They had lost dozens of people whenever an Emerald Caste enemy had appeared. In the Reality Rift, Tulisuda, the Crystal Casters had become collateral to stray strikes and area effects from a single Emerald. The Emerald Caste Soul Reapers had claimed even more.
At least when the Crystal Adventurers were stationed in a more defensive position on the walls, they had the time and resources to call for backup should an Emerald monster appear. Not to mention some of the upgraded weaponry already being interchanged atop the battlements.
The party¡¯s first rotation on the wall would be later that night to help relieve some of the other groups that had been struggling with being overworked due to the decrease in available Casters after such heavy losses. The idea of activating the Emergency Caster Recruitment program was still being hotly debated within the nobility as the Duke consulted with House representatives, many of whom would be providing either the materials or funds.
Many Houses had also begun replenishing their dwindling power by taking a page out of Lord Wayland¡¯s book and adopting promising young scions into their own. Not just orphans from the local temple of the Parent, but older teenagers and young adults who could absorb Aspects and might still have living parents.
The promise of financial support, magical power, and the opportunities and privileges that came with a noble¡¯s title were usually enough incentive to renounce one family name for another. Many parents even supported the notion, granting their children a better life along with a source of support for themselves in the process.
This tactic resulted in a more targeted increase in the number of Casters that the Emergency Caster Recruitment program didn¡¯t replicate; being run more by a lottery of volunteers rather than a specific selection for potential and skills.
Still, freshly made Crystal Casters, with little to no experience fighting monsters, weren¡¯t exactly an equal replacement for the lives that had been lost, though it was better than nothing. There were a few training programs to assist, some Houses having their own methods to pass on, but the main three were run by the Alliance of Adventurers, the Ducal Guards, and the Warrior¡¯s temple.
Normally, these programs required a fee to enter but the Duke had announced covering these costs for any who joined throughout the blood moon and halved for those who joined within the next year. The demand had overwhelmed the supply.
This didn¡¯t mean much for King¡¯s Dream specifically but it did cause quite a few new faces to appear around the AOA, the gawking and whispers at a maximum as the group passed. It was an understatement to say that Phoenix stood out from the crowd, softly glowing pale skin and wild red curls were odd enough but the aura was another thing altogether.
Having a Sapphire Caste Shiny gemite beside her didn¡¯t help. Long amethyst hair stood out just as much and the sparkling golden antlers made Dazien even more eye-catching now. Add in the pair of furry three-tailed voxen, and the group only had one average person amongst them; the one that looked like a criminal with those [Chains of Silence] around his throat and wrists.
King¡¯s Dream stood out in almost every regard, from the physical to the aural to the practically absurd reputation and rumors that surrounded them. While this might have been nice for parting a crowd as they went to get their mission, it made going about the city¡ difficult.
The group had decided to have some dinner at a restaurant before their shift on the wall but their newfound popularity made that an exhausting endeavor. Strangers stopped them in the streets to thank them or give their condolences about Lord Wayland.
Some people seemed under the impression that he had actually died in the assault since he hadn¡¯t been seen publicly since. More than once, Phoenix had been called ¡°Lady Wayland¡± as if she had already inherited the position, and she had tried her best to politely correct them.
Even their meal became an endless gauntlet of visitors to their table, and the group unanimously voted to only eat in private rooms or at home after that, at least until things died down a bit and the blood moon was over.
The streetlights came on as Krafti, the red moon, was just about to rise. The soft magical glow would be waging its own war against the crimson light trying to wash out the city like a morbid painting.
The party made its way to the southern wall of the eastern Manufacturing District. The group was looking for the official attendant to inform them of their arrival and get the exact details of which posts they would be covering when they realized something was wrong.
Rayna was the first to go tense, her ears pivoting, then head snapping towards the north as her entire body went on alert and she said, ¡°I hear screams.¡±
¡°There¡¯s no alarm,¡± Dazien replied in confusion, ¡°Is it someone being assaulted? We can go check it out either way.¡±
Then they all began to hear the screams.
Far too many people were panicking to be something like a mugging, and King¡¯s Dream began to move towards the sound. Rayna took the lead as they maneuvered through the streets, trying to avoid the crowd to find the cause of the fleeing mob. The bard¡¯s speed and [Agile] ability made it easier for her to avoid knocking someone over in their battle against the tide.
¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Rayna told them over their leader¡¯s [Noble Subjects] communication, ¡°People are screaming about monsters, but the alarms should have sounded.¡±
¡°Maybe it¡¯s a blackout? Paul mentioned they¡¯ve been having issues with the system, remember? That¡¯s what happened in the Temple District a few months ago, right?¡± Phoenix asked.
¡°We can worry about the why later,¡± Dazien redirected, ¡°Keep your senses spread to find the enemy.¡±
The group didn¡¯t have to search long, however, when the sound of buzzing wings echoed through the streets and they caught sight of the monsters flying through the air.
¡°Uriel, appraisal?¡± the Defender called out, indicating he didn¡¯t recognize them.
¡°I think those are Blood Haze Bees,¡± the mage replied while putting on his emotion-dampening earrings as they moved, ¡°Sapphire Caste usually. Their bites cause nasty bleeding and life drains, while their stingers will poison with powerful hallucinations. I¡¯ve never heard of them spawning on the tundra before, though.¡±
¡°So get stung, and you won¡¯t even realize they¡¯re drinking your blood,¡± Phoenix grimly replied before adding sarcastically, ¡°Wonderful. I think I¡¯d prefer the sparkly type of Vampire.¡±
46 - Next Move
Everin was surprisingly enjoying his time with the Royal Knight, who had moved into a room at the Ducal Palace for the time being. Veldrix had an odd sort of patience about them that he had come to appreciate as he had shown them around the city during their free moments together.
The Ruby Caster was unusually observant, submissive, and polite but had a subtle kind of humor. All of which he assumed had been refined during their time at the royal court. He could also tell that they had their own interests outside of simply following orders and executing people.
That latter point was what had made Everin so wary at first. The threat of execution was often the strongest tool of oppression, and he wasn¡¯t sure how to reconcile his distaste for that fact with the person sitting across from him eating a delicious meal. By all accounts, Veldrix Thevaris should have been his enemy, not his dinner companion.
¡°So, to summarize, you joined Rebel¡¯s clergy at the age of fifteen in a fit of teenage rebellion?¡± the garnet gemite asked him with a smirk.
¡°Well, if you want to ignore a thing called nuance, I guess that¡¯s accurate,¡± Everin admitted, ¡°But from what I¡¯ve seen of other parents since then, mine were exceptionally authoritarian.¡±
¡°Thus, your dedication to a higher authority in order to rid the world of all mortal authorities?¡±
¡°I like to think of it more as requisitioning authority back into the personal hands of the people who had it taken from them.¡±
¡°A thief stealing from thieves?¡±
He laughed, ¡°Better to steal from thieves than from the innocent, in my opinion,¡± then took a sip of wine that was definitely not strong enough as he asked cautiously, ¡°Do you ever worry that the person you¡¯re about to execute wasn¡¯t a thief but an innocent?¡±
Veldrix observed him carefully for a moment before answering, ¡°No. I¡¯m not going to worry about something I¡¯ll likely never have an answer for. I¡¯ve decided to trust the people who determine whether or not someone deserves to meet me at their end. I do my job in the hopes that one less criminal is terrorizing the innocent.¡±
Everin was about to ask how the knight knew they could blindly trust those judges when Veldrix suddenly stood, glancing in various directions.
¡°What is it?¡±
¡°I hear screaming and sense monsters.¡±
¡°Where? Which direction?¡± he asked, standing up as well. His own Emerald senses could reach far but they didn¡¯t span an entire city quite yet. They were located in the nicer part of the inner city¡¯s entertainment district and could likely respond quickly no matter what the answer was.
The gemite frowned, ¡°Northeast, east, south, southwest, and west.¡±
Everin grimaced, silently retracting his last thought. This had to be sabotage, and they couldn¡¯t be in multiple places at once. ¡°The AOA is in the southwest, and the OOM is in the northeast; those should have plenty of Casters available to respond.¡±
¡°The International District is to the south,¡± Veldrix recalled, ¡°I¡¯ll go there first as they¡¯re less likely to have proper protection. Then I¡¯ll make my way west.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll go east first, then, and make my way north,¡± Everin agreed, tossing a few Crystal Mana Bits on the table before they left.
¡°Meet back near here for dessert?¡± the knight asked with a subtle smile.
The Avatar snorted a laugh, ¡°Sure. I might know of a good place.¡±
Phoenix wasn¡¯t sure if she was grateful for the fact that the monsters were both Sapphire Caste and capable of flight, but it did force her to use her abilities in ways that she normally didn¡¯t prefer. The first challenge being to hold herself back from trying to stab the things in melee range.
Dazien had already chosen a large intersection to plant his [King¡¯s Banner] at, creating a zone of increased regeneration and Fortitude. The ground itself glittered like gold paint had been spilled over the affected area. After activating his [Rallying Cry] with ¡°Charge!¡± to increase the group¡¯s Agility, he began trying to pin down the enemy.
After using [To the Dungeon] to construct a magically reinforced steel cage around one of the giant crimson wasps, he used [Call of Fealty] on another, the ability recently unlocked once more by bonding to Paul¡¯s gifted Resolve Spirit Gem.
Ability: Call of Fealty
Type: Spell (taunt, magical, covenant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 2 minutes.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (1%)
Crystal Effect: Inflict a target with [Hesitation] if they do not halt their momentum, and [Insolence] if they do not kneel before you, within 5 seconds.
Sapphire Effect: Cooldown resets if the target dies and you gain an instance of [Weight of Presence]. If the target attacks you during the 5-second countdown, they gain an instance of [King¡¯s Reprisal].
- Hesitation (bane, magical, covenant, stacking): Agility is decreased.
- Insolence (bane, magical, covenant, stacking): Magical resistance is decreased.
- Weight of Presence (boon, magical, covenant, stacking): Increased effect of Taunt abilities. Each successful Taunt consumes a stack of this Boon.
- King¡¯s Reprisal (bane, retribution, magical, covenant): Attacks dealt by you also deal a small percentage of Retributive damage to yourself.
|
Phoenix always found the sight of monsters kneeling to be extremely odd but not all of them bothered to follow the rules of the taunt, choosing the punishing Bane to continue their attack instead.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Uriel and Rayna were already at work dealing as much damage in as little time as possible while trying to avoid collateral damage. This greatly hindered Uriel¡¯s contributions by limiting him to his single target [Frost Touched] and [Plague Bearer] spells but those still helped greatly, the former even protecting the citizens as it slowed their attackers when it managed to latch onto the higher Caste enemy.
Saiya was also busy right away, healing the injured Mundane people fleeing for their lives. With Snowbelle being her only source of damage, the Familiar was helping to both protect her and intercept any attackers as it flew through the air after them while casting acidic spheres of water that slowly ate away at the monsters¡¯ wings.
Tala and Rex had also joined the fight as aerial interceptors with fire-breathing attacks and winged gusts maneuvering the Blood Haze Bees back towards the Banner¡¯s central location.
Phoenix found her most useful spot to be standing in the middle of it all, spreading her aura as far as possible while trying to use Dazien as an immovable wall against which to pull monsters closer to them. Not for her to stab but for Dazien and Rayna to obliterate with sword and fist.
The biggest difference in how she used her abilities, though, was once again with her [Lunar Dream]. Instead of trying to distract the fliers in the already ensuing chaos, she made fireworks, signaling others in the district or on the walls for help. These weren¡¯t just pretty fireworks, though; they were neon signs in the sky clearly saying, ¡°Sapphire Monsters Here! Swarm of Blood Haze Bees! Alarms Down!¡±
It was only a few minutes after that when the reinforcements arrived, the most impressive one being a newly ascended Emerald Caster named Karl, who Phoenix later learned normally worked as a security guard for a local Mana Bit Farm.
Avatar Everin Starlark also arrived on the scene around the same time and was just as useful ¨Cbeing a Healer who made sure they all lived¨C but wasn¡¯t as visually impressive as the cinderen Volcano Guardian turning the vampiric wasps into melted globs of molten rock.
¡°Were the glowing sky signs yours or Dazien¡¯s idea?¡± the Spirit Advocate asked her once the last of the monsters in the area was dead.
¡°Why would you assume it was one of us?¡± the Defender asked.
¡°Oh, come on now,¡± Everin said with a cheeky grin, ¡°Bright and showy? Glittering like amethyst starlight? It was definitely one of you.¡±
¡°It was supposed to be that bright Arcane blue color, but I think the blood moon is tinting it,¡± Phoenix grumbled.
¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s how magic works,¡± the rainbow voxen replied, ¡°I don¡¯t think it cares about the rules of nature. Anyway, there are more monsters to the north so I¡¯m off. You five get back to wherever it is you were supposed to be.¡±
¡°We¡¯re stuck on the wall till the end of the blood moon,¡± Rayna grumbled, then perked up as she locked her vulpine eyes on the Emerald Caster, ¡°Perhaps if you join our party, they¡¯ll let us¨C¡±
¡°We¡¯ll talk later, but I¡¯ve already tried to convince the AOA to bend their rules,¡± Everin informed, ¡°They¡¯re not exactly enthusiastic about letting your party specifically get annihilated by an Emerald monster, oh shining Princess and Prince of the Sacred City.¡±
¡°Wait, what?¡± Dazien asked in surprise, just as Phoenix exclaimed in turn.
¡°Who told the public about that nickname?!¡±
¡°Sir, we¡¯ve received a signal from our allies within the northeastern quadrant that are near the newly awakened World Tree,¡± Asyamil said as she entered his office.
¡°Did the ship finally send a reply?¡± Roimeldor asked as he looked over a floating hologram model of the planet being shown outside one of the nearby windows.
¡°No, these were the other allies that were in the city where we failed to detonate the Reality Rift. They triggered our spawning rituals in an attempt to warn us.¡±
¡°How many?¡±
¡°Five, sir. Like we feared might occur.¡±
The Commander of the Soul Reapers cursed as he turned to look out the window at the mostly blue planet that was tinted red where its larger moon currently shone. Five spawns in the city meant someone at the fifth Caste had arrived. It was a crude warning system but something they could pick up from a distance and also let them know there were contacts still available.
Looking down at Makera as if he could see the city that was causing him nothing but headaches, he asked, ¡°Have you already informed Metyadur? He¡¯s the next one in the queue for solo reaping a Hollyhock.¡±
¡°Not yet,¡± his second-in-command replied, ¡°I wanted to verify our next steps with you on this matter, considering the unexpected presence of this new World Tree.¡±
¡°I admit I want to keep that target safe from collateral,¡± Roimeldor confided, ¡°A World Tree with the power to cleanse Corruption would be an enormous boon to our new homeworld. A fresh start with that as a foundation would be incredible for our people.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll need time and resources to study it and determine if it can be transplanted or its seeds harvested without becoming Corrupted like the others we¡¯ve attempted in the past.¡±
¡°I know, but I don¡¯t believe the locals are going to be generous in granting that access, and I¡¯m not sure how long we¡¯ll be staying in this reality. However, it will likely be much longer than we initially intended considering we have yet to resolve the issue on Erythros. I¡¯m not going to leave any of our people behind.¡±
¡°We know, sir, but you, of all people, know that we can be patient. The locals will crumble in time. While we might have our setbacks with needing to start back at the beginning when we reconstruct our bodies, we still don¡¯t truly lose anyone. The same can¡¯t be said for the locals.¡±
¡°Speaking of the locals and reconstruction.¡± The commander pivoted both in topic and position as he moved to sit at his desk, ¡°There were a few souls that stood out to me as potential recruits from some of the recent reapings.¡±
¡°Interesting Titles, Classes, or Natural Talents?¡± she asked as she moved to his side to view the list he was bringing up on a glass tablet.
¡°A little of each. This one in particular caught my eye as having potential, though,¡± he said, tapping on one of the rows to bring up the more detailed readout.
¡°Beloved Cultivator?¡± she read aloud, ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with that Class. A [Summon Disposition] is uncommon but not rare. What¡¯s this [Prodigy] talent give?¡±
¡°They can bond to Aspects earlier than normal and increase their Caste at a greatly accelerated rate.¡±
¡°That would be extremely useful for us with the reconstruction process,¡± Asyamil admitted as she continued reading, ¡°Got the [Martyr] Title, but that¡¯s also not that uncommon for many of the Casters that fight back. Wait¡ they already have the [Lost Soul 19] Title? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen anyone who¡¯s gone through the process that many times. Do you think¡¡±
¡°I do, but we won¡¯t know for sure unless we go ahead with reconstruction and introduce them to the Soul Garden,¡± he replied with a sad sigh, ¡°That¡¯s actually the main reason I¡¯m considering this one so strongly without having prior knowledge of their life here.¡±
¡°Well, we have time to consider and reap more in the meantime,¡± his second said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, ¡°There¡¯s nothing forcing us to leave soon. It will take a few decades, I believe, for that Primordial to reach the other planet, but then another few millennia or so until the Primordials finish their battle to remake this reality and return to their slumber. Plenty of time to come up with solutions. Now, about that Hollyhock awaiting us¡¡±
¡°Right. What¡¯s the zone up to now with the World Tree still working?¡±
¡°Low Ivy,¡± she informed, ¡°Still a bit early to send in a Dreadnaught with Metyadur. Plus, you know he won¡¯t like going in blind even if he does like the challenges of combat.¡±
¡°How soon are we looking at?¡±
¡°I think another half-month Makera time will get us to the minimum for the Dreadnaught to fly in. That will also give us enough time to load it up with the Ritual Cages and ideally get more information.¡±
¡°How much time do we have remaining on this blood moon? It will slow down our reaping if they spread out again, and we don¡¯t have the monster surplus assisting.¡±
¡°Unfortunately, only about two more months. If we put enough pressure on them, however, they may think it safer in their cities. We will want to work fast, though, so they don¡¯t have time to mount a proper defense at the new Caste level. That¡¯s the entire point of using the Reality Seeds, after all.¡±
¡°I¡¯m aware. Just keep me informed of when they begin engaging. I want eyes in the sky this time to catch any more peculiarities that may arise.¡±
¡°Yes, sir,¡± Asyamil replied, turning to leave but pausing before she reached the door, ¡°Let me know when you decide to reconstruct that Beloved Cultivator. I¡¯d like to join you both on the walk through the Soul Garden.¡±
The orange-haired elf looked back towards him with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s always exciting to see when they finally get reunited with a Soul Mate.¡±
47 - Not Enough
Knight Veldrix Thevaris was displeased by the turn of events that had interrupted their fairly pleasant evening. They managed to destroy the monsters easily enough ¨Cnone of them beyond Sapphire Caste¨C but the knight hadn¡¯t been able to determine who in the city had managed to use the Soul Reaper¡¯s rituals to force the spawn of a monster. Five of them at once, no less.
It meant there were at least five traitors to the world within this metropolis but Veldrix had no idea where to even begin searching for suspects. They didn¡¯t know the local powers well enough. Didn¡¯t know who might have access to the resources or the capabilities needed to accomplish such a task.
While Veldrix might not be a member of the duchy¡¯s guards per se, they had a duty to protect the citizens of the nation that encompassed Tulim, so the people of Tulimeir were their people as well.
Unfortunately, this meant dessert with the cute colorful voxen would be more business than pleasure.
¡°I know House Ruwena and the other Houses that sided with them were all investigated after the events of Tulisuda, but how much farther did that investigation go?¡± Veldrix asked while taking a bite of the sweet fruit in their frozen cream.
¡°Not as far as I would have liked, but the Duke did make a point that we were and still are a bit overwhelmed at the moment with the blood moon and Soul Reapers to try and root out the loose ends,¡± the Avatar said, taking a spoonful of the matching treat.
¡°The city is lucky that an Emerald didn¡¯t spawn, and I was still in the city, unlike Paladin Fairweather.¡±
¡°We have enough Emeralds, I think, to have handled one, but you¡¯re right that they¡¯re lucky. There would have been more casualties without you or her to respond more definitively. Is she still handling that Emerald to the south?¡±
¡°Last I heard this morning,¡± Veldrix replied with a shrug, ¡°We¡¯ve agreed to try keeping one of us in Tulimeir until this sabotage issue is resolved, the blood moon ends, or she finishes her mission here. I believe the first will align with the last now, though.¡±
¡°Hard to argue that the blackouts aren¡¯t the work of Soul Reaper allies at this point when the saboteurs are using their rituals,¡± Everin agreed with a nod.
¡°They either got the knowledge from the Soul Reapers directly¡ or perhaps they somehow deciphered something found in the wreckage?¡±
¡°My bets on the former,¡± the voxen said, picking up one of the fruit pieces with a pair of tiny gold claws, ¡°These events were happening before the Soul Reapers tried to directly assault the city. I believe it was to serve mostly as a diversionary tactic. Make us focus on finding the grain of rice on the beach while the tsunami grew in the distance.¡±
¡°Why would they reveal the connection, though?¡± they asked thoughtfully, ¡°We might not have realized they were forcing the monster spawns at all if they hadn¡¯t done five at once like that. That¡¯s been bothering me the most about this.¡±
Everin shrugged, ¡°Hoped to cause more chaos? Distract us again with the spies among us rather than incoming forces? There could be many reasons to risk it. Besides, what real benefit was there in keeping it from us?¡±
¡°Knowledge is power, and they gave some of that up. It had to have been for a good reason other than random chaos and the hope of killing a few before we intervened¡¡±
¡°Perhaps they were counting on that?¡± The voxen suggested, ¡°Maybe it was to keep us occupied while something else was happening?¡±
¡°I guess it¡¯s time to start looking into what other nefarious deeds were committed at the same time then and see if there¡¯s a connection somewhere.¡±
Veldrix smiled at a tangent thought and said, ¡°I¡¯d wager an Emerald Bit that Regent Wayland is somehow connected.¡±
¡°While that¡¯s highly doubtful,¡± Everin replied with a laugh, ¡°I¡¯m not going to take that bet. I¡¯ve already come to the same conclusion that Wayfarers attract trouble.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a wonder that any of them survive beyond Crystal,¡± the knight agreed with a grin, ¡°When my parents talked about some of the crazy things they did when my father arrived in this world, I thought they must have been exaggerating. Now I¡¯m starting to reevaluate that belief.¡±
¡°Wait, your father was a Wayfarer?¡± the Avatar asked incredulously, those odd eyes going wide.
¡°Well, one of my fathers. Do you know the story of how gemites were first introduced to the world?¡±
Everin nodded, ¡°Dazien recounted the tale to Phoenix while I was around but I wasn¡¯t positive how accurate it was. He said a Wayfarer, a Draconid, and a Faeforged birthed the first gemites. I assume using one of the more complex fertility rituals.¡±
The knight nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯re looking at one of those first gemites,¡± they admitted, then added a bit wistfully, ¡°That was a very long time ago, though. Much has happened since then to both me and my parents.¡±
¡°I¡¯d be interested in hearing both tales,¡± the rainbow voxen said before licking the messy dessert from a finger.
Veldrix gave a smirk and teased, ¡°I might be able to be convinced to share them with the proper motivation.¡±
¡°Was the dessert not enough?¡±
The gemite took another bite of the fruit and cream, ¡°It¡¯s a start.¡±
¡°I still don¡¯t think this is going to get you what you¡¯re wanting, Princess,¡± Dazien told her as they approached the temple doors.
¡°We won¡¯t know for sure ¡®till we ask,¡± Phoenix replied stubbornly.
It had been almost a week since the monsters had spawned in the city without triggering the alarms, and rumors, along with fear, were spreading like wildfire throughout the city. This was their first day off since then, and she had decided to visit the temple district, too, while everyone else was there for various reasons.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
¡°Everin is an Avatar of the Scholar,¡± the Defender argued, ¡°If he wasn¡¯t able to glean any information about these blackouts, then what makes you think Scholar will give it to you instead?¡±
¡°¡®Cause I¡¯m Chosen?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think that makes much of a difference in this case.¡±
¡°Again, it doesn¡¯t hurt to ask. Plus, I have a few other questions,¡± she admitted as she pushed open the door and quietly made her way toward the librarian she remembered Dazien leading them to the last time. At least, she thought she was until she finally paused among the aisles of books and looked back to see a smirking gemite watching her with amusement, his lips pursed to hold in a laugh.
She glared at him, realizing that he knew she had become lost, and refused to ask him as she turned her back and conjured her [Guide Book] to assist her by providing a map. She had mostly used the map function the Traveler had given it on the rare occasions she was alone in the city or if their party was wandering the wilds to monster hunt.
When she finally managed to reach the desk where the librarian was, they pointed towards the nearby lift and said, ¡°Seventh floor¡± before she could even ask. The Wayfarer gave a polite bow of gratitude and made her way to the lift where she glared at her brother again.
¡°You could have just asked,¡± he said with a knowing grin, ¡°You know I like leading.¡±
Phoenix gave an annoyed huff, ¡°I should have been able to remember the way. Does it move around or something?¡±
The Defender chuckled, ¡°No, Princess. I think the scholars here would riot if the books moved around on them even more than they naturally do.¡±
She looked at him with wide eyes, ¡°Are they sentient or something?¡±
Dazien couldn¡¯t hold back the laughter that time as he explained, ¡°Not that I¡¯m aware of, but people have a bad habit of moving books around. They¡¯ll borrow them off shelves then forget where they got them from by the time they¡¯re done.¡±
¡°You sound like you¡¯ve either been the victim or the culprit,¡± she pointed out.
He laughed again, ¡°Guilty on both accounts.¡±
¡°Do you visit often?¡± she asked curiously.
¡°Not as much since getting my Aspects,¡± he admitted, ¡°I was finally able to absorb them when I was seventeen, and most of my focus was split between my training with Warrior and on those abilities instead.¡±
¡°You mentioned training with him when you were fifteen?¡±
¡°Yeah, I had gone to his temple with Uriel to see if there was some way we could enter their training programs without having the funds or a sponsor,¡± he gave a small smile as he added, ¡°Like you, I figured it couldn¡¯t hurt to ask.¡±
The Defender crossed his arms over his chest as he continued, ¡°Anyway, before all that, I used to spend a lot of free time here. Learning what I could. The wards of the Parent are allowed to venture outside the temple, but we¡¯re not allowed to leave the district. The temples are all we have left to explore and fill our time with after finishing our chores.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t believe I haven¡¯t asked this yet, but are there schools here?¡± the Wayfarer asked.
¡°Yes. They¡¯re actually run by the Mentor, one of the minor goddesses under Scholar. There¡¯s one in her temple next to this one, along with one in each of the other districts and the inner city to serve the children that reside in each.¡±
¡°That explains why there doesn¡¯t seem to be many issues with reading here.¡±
He chuckled, ¡°Most children make it through the first few years. Enough to learn their numbers and letters, magic and religions, and basic life skills. Nobody¡¯s required to attend more than five years and the ages can vary slightly. Parents normally decide when to enroll their kids but the latest allowed is eleven in order to finish those five years before they turn sixteen and are expected to care for themselves.¡±
¡°How old were you?¡±
¡°I was enrolled when I was six. High Priestess Deserin thought it best I start early and that¡¯s the youngest allowed. I continued for a few more years than required as well. I didn¡¯t have parents wanting me to help out with the family business, after all,¡± he added with a smirk.
¡°So, what was your favorite subject? Did they have ¡®Speech and Debate¡¯ classes? Or a Nobility 101?¡±
Dazien laughed and shook his head, ¡°While they had certain advanced classes you could attend for things that a noble might need, like etiquette, law, and management, my favorite was actually history.¡±
¡°I guess in a world full of magic, history is basically just a collection of fantasy stories,¡± she muttered, ¡°Probably way more exciting here than what I had to read about endless wars and mass genocides.¡±
¡°Oh, our history has plenty of that, too,¡± he said, then gestured towards the lift doors, ¡°You¡¯ve been here less than a year and have already fought in a war yourself and learned of the Renseres trying to wipe out all non-human Vauva. We¡¯re literally making history right now.¡±
As Phoenix was contemplating that revelation, the lift doors opened and they exited onto a floor that seemed to have fewer bookshelves and more tables spread around than the lower floor. Glancing around she was surprised to find Everin waiting for them.
¡°We weren¡¯t expecting to find you here,¡± Dazien said first, ¡°I thought you¡¯d be assisting the Duke and AOA with the investigations.¡±
¡°I was but Scholar asked me to be here for this,¡± the Avatar replied, ¡°Said it would cost less to tell us together here for some reason.¡±
¡°Tell us what?¡± she asked.
¡°The answers to certain questions,¡± a young voice said from a few meters away. Scholar still looked like the child version of Phoenix for some reason and gestured for them to follow her deeper into the maze of bookshelves and tables.
¡°Are you actually going to answer all of them?¡± the curious gemite asked in disbelief.
¡°Not all of them,¡± the Scholar replied sadly, ¡°I¡¯m bound by divine laws in certain matters. Otherwise, you would already know a lot more. I can answer some of them, however.¡±
¡°I¡¯m assuming clues to the sabotaging of the alarms are off the table?¡± Everin asked as he sat at the table the goddess gestured towards, taking a seat at the head of it.
¡°Correct,¡± she replied simply, ¡°I¡¯m already needing to ration my Aetherius more than I like. Avatars and Chosen Ones are not cheap, I¡¯ll have you know, and that¡¯s in addition to helping people everywhere else in the world. Next question.¡±
¡°Can we trust the Fae and the Starfall voxen?¡± Phoenix asked, taking her own seat at the table across from Everin as Dazien sat beside her.
¡°They don¡¯t plan to harm you or your family if that¡¯s what you¡¯re actually asking. Trust is more nuanced than a simple yes or no. I would think, after everything you¡¯ve had to deal with concerning who you can trust and who can trust you, that this would be something you understand better by now.¡±
¡°Fair point,¡± Phoenix replied with a sigh then asked, ¡°Can you tell me if anyone is targeting me or Uriel for assassination.¡±
¡°I cannot say,¡± the goddess replied, much to Phoenix¡¯s frustration.
¡°Who all knows about Uriel¡¯s secret,¡± she asked instead.
¡°Not this one, but you might as well tell him at this point,¡± the deity said with a smirk as she gestured towards Everin, who was eyeing her curiously.
¡°Is there something I should know that would make you worry about him being assassinated for?¡± the voxen inquired.
¡°You know, maybe I shouldn¡¯t have let Uriel tell me these kinds of things. I¡¯m terrible at this talking without actually revealing stuff thing,¡± she grumbled to her brother, who chuckled.
¡°I¡¯ll talk to Uriel later about letting you know,¡± Dazien told Everin before turning to Scholar to ask, ¡°Can we trust Patricia to not betray us like that again?¡±
¡°Betrayal is a bit strong of a word,¡± the Scholar replied, ¡°She sees you as almost her own children now. Like a concerned parent, she tried to chase off a threat, though her methods might not have been the best.¡±
¡°It still broke the trust I had in her,¡± Dazien replied bitterly.
¡°Then I hope it mends with enough time,¡± the goddess replied before refocusing on Phoenix, ¡°Now then, ask me less about other people¡¯s secrets that I can¡¯t answer one way or another and more of the actual question you¡¯ve been afraid to ask me.¡±
She frowned at that, having been hoping to get answers for some of the other questions first before working her way up to this last one, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it for a while now, and what I¡¯ve been told so far isn¡¯t enough to explain what exactly went wrong with the ritual that saved Paul. What were you expecting to happen by using that Soul Cage? Or did you know he¡¯d be trapped waiting for me?¡±
48 - The World Awaits
¡°I did not know he would be put into a stasis like that,¡± the small goddess said slowly and deliberately, ¡°I was working off the assumption that as long as the ritual itself was of the correct Caste, then it would cause a link similar to what I have seen another Soul Reaper do to a Caster within the world.¡±
¡°I¡¯m guessing you believed that they didn¡¯t use a lower Caste ritualist simply because of the threat of death?¡± Everin asked.
¡°I knew that we¡¯d have enough to cover the cost of the ritual with the Bits you had on hand, but channeling that much higher Caste magic through a body without enough other people to help distribute it is usually a death sentence. Phoenix just happened to be able to cheat it a bit.¡±
¡°So the stasis part was unexpected due to nobody sacrificing themselves to cage someone before,¡± Phoenix summarized, then muttered, ¡°Guess it kind of defeats the purpose of the cage in the first place if the cager dies.¡±
¡°I believed your talent gave us the chance to succeed where others would have failed. I was both right and wrong,¡± Scholar admitted and despite her childlike appearance, Phoenix was grateful that the goddess wasn¡¯t acting childish about this.
¡°So what about the other effects of the Soul Cage? You said it wouldn¡¯t turn him into a mindless monster, but I¡¯ve reread those effects multiple times, and it definitely seems to have a mindless effect with me taking over,¡± she noted, bringing up her book once more to look at Paul¡¯s talent again.
Natural Talent: Caged by Caste
Deviated from [Special Attack Disposition] due to extreme soul manipulation.
- Your body has been Caged to your soul, greatly increasing your attributes.
- Your soul has been Caged to your mind, greatly weakening your willpower.
- Your mind has been overtaken by Phoenix Wayland, granting them dominion over it.
- Your body, soul, and mind are severely out of alignment due to Caste imbalance; until corrected, you will enter a state of regenerative stasis.
- The effects of this cannot be shared.
|
¡°It doesn¡¯t completely rob him of his sanity,¡± the deity clarified, ¡°It makes your orders a compulsion, but he is still himself otherwise. He would retain his memories and personality and everything else, but¡ he will never be able to fight against you.¡±
Phoenix stared at her, slightly horrified by the fact that Paul would be forced to obey her.
¡°Why would you think that was something any one of us would want?¡± Dazien asked incredulously, ¡°I know I talk about being a king someday, but even I wouldn¡¯t go so far as to strip someone of their free will. I want people to choose to follow me, not be slaves.¡±
¡°Would you rather he be dead? We were limited in both time and resources. I offered the less permanent option available.¡±
¡°So there is a way to reverse it?¡± Phoenix asked hopefully.
The goddess looked a bit more hesitant at that, ¡°I believe there is, but I haven¡¯t learned how yet. The Soul Reapers are¡ crafty. They mostly stay outside of my and the other deities¡¯ area of influence so I can¡¯t see the whole picture of their plans. From what I have gleaned from the thoughts of those who reach the planet¡¯s surface, they don¡¯t seem concerned about the souls of those they cage keeping the effects forever.¡±
¡°Could be they just don¡¯t care about who they cage,¡± Everin retorted, ¡°They seem to care little about killing everyone.¡±
Scholar hesitated again before admitting, ¡°I believe they do care in certain cases. It only happened once within my influence but that¡¯s how I learned the whole ritual that isn¡¯t just for enslaving monsters.¡±
¡°What¡¯s so special about these cases? And why isn¡¯t it used on monsters?¡± Dazien asked.
¡°Are you talking about what caused my own Natural Talent? The one that pairs with Paul¡¯s?¡± Phoenix asked, bringing up her talent for the others to see again too.
Natural Talent: Lodestar
Deviated from [Beacon of Hope] due to becoming soul entwined.
- Your soul has become entwined with Paul Wayland, one of your Kindred Spirits.
- Your soul will always recognize Paul Wayland¡¯s soul as a Kindred Spirit.
- You share Natural Talents with your Kindred Spirit.
- You have a telepathic link with your Kindred Spirit with the range based on the highest Caste.
- When within your Kindred Spirit¡¯s aura, you have increased Magic.
- When there is a Caste difference between you and your Kindred Spirit, the one with the lower Caste has an increased cultivation rate based on the difference.
|
¡°What¡¯s a Kindred Spirit?¡± Everin asked, reading over the information.
¡°They¡¯re souls that are connected to one another ¨Cbelong together¨C seemingly across realities according to the Soul Reapers¡¯ beliefs. I¡¯ve seen it happen more naturally in the past but I didn¡¯t know a ritual existed to solidify the bond early like they introduced,¡± Scholar explained.
¡°I¡¯m guessing since monsters don¡¯t have actual souls, they can¡¯t have this part of it,¡± Dazien said, also focused on the text.
The goddess nodded in confirmation, and Phoenix asked, ¡°Wait, if they¡¯re connected across realities, does that mean Paul was already one of mine before this ritual?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± the deity replied, then actually looked embarrassed as she added, ¡°However, that was another risk I had to take. I wasn¡¯t positive if Paul was actually connected to you on a soul level like that, and the other deities didn¡¯t know either or wouldn¡¯t tell me.¡±
¡°What other gods would know something that you don¡¯t?¡± Phoenix asked in confusion, ¡°You know everything that has happened here.¡±
¡°Exactly; ¡®Has¡¯ being the key word there,¡± Scholar said with a bit of frustration, ¡°I can¡¯t learn what the other deities know, I only learn what mortals learn, and the others can sense things that I can¡¯t. The Lover is usually the one that can detect these types of soul bonds, sometimes the Parent, but we¡¯re also missing some deities, in my opinion.
¡°It can take thousands upon thousands of years for a deity to naturally manifest in the world,¡± Scholar explained, ¡°We don¡¯t have a god of friendship, for instance, which is who I believe would be better at detecting these. It appears that the Soul Reapers have a way of detecting them, though.¡±
¡°Wait, are you saying that a Soul Reaper found their own Kindred Spirit here in this world?¡± Dazien asked with wide-eyed surprise, ¡°I thought they were just killing everyone for resources.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
¡°No, their goal has always been the souls, from what I¡¯ve learned. I still don¡¯t have the full picture, though, since the souls they reap are being taken beyond my influence. However, after seeing that ritual, I believe Kindred Spirits are connected to this.
¡°The only instance I observed this ritual being done was in a moment of desperation and fear. The Ruby Caste Soul Reaper woman in question was scouting a Reality Rift location alone and found her Kindred Spirit dying after the rest of his party had already been wiped out fighting a monster. The scout was in much the same position you were in,¡± Scholar explained, nodding towards the Wayfarer.
¡°Too far from a capable healer, the only suitable resource on hand being the Cages she carried should she come upon a monster. One of the items she carried¡ it could detect compatibility between souls, but I don¡¯t know how it worked; the materials themselves are foreign to this world,¡± the goddess said forlornly.
¡°She saved his life. Instead of a regenerative stasis, the Soul Cage did a complete restoration effect on the Ruby Caster¡¯s body. He awoke fully himself and she said that she would take him back to her people to explain more and get the cage removed, so I think it is possible.¡±
¡°Are you sure this is a secret you should be telling us?¡± Phoenix asked with a raised brow. This information about the Soul Reapers goals seemed to be important but maybe it didn¡¯t actually matter that much to their current situation.
¡°None of the deities ¨Caside from the Purifier¨C are exactly happy to have interdimensional invaders abducting souls en mass from our influence. Even the ones most of the world considers ¡®evil¡¯ aren¡¯t very pleased by this sudden turn of events. Confidant isn¡¯t trying to protect their secrets, which isn¡¯t even a secret among them.¡±
¡°So why can¡¯t you tell us about the blackouts?¡± Everin grumbled.
¡°While it may seem related¨C¡± the goddess suddenly stopped speaking, getting a slightly annoyed look on her face before saying carefully, ¡°There are other factors at play.¡±
Phoenix realized they shouldn¡¯t push further on that and backtracked slightly, ¡°So they have some way to detect who their Kindred Spirits are and actually care about them. Considering Paul is one of mine, I can understand that much, at least. You said you weren¡¯t sure, though ¨Cthat it was a risk. What would have happened if he wasn¡¯t?¡±
Scholar gave a sigh, ¡°The ritual would have failed, and both of you would have likely died. Considering Paul was already dead and you could come back, that seemed a more minor risk.¡±
¡°Fair enough, I guess,¡± Phoenix grumbled, then looked at her hands thoughtfully before gathering her nerves and saying, ¡°I have one last question. I don¡¯t really like suggesting this, but¡ with the soul-entwining talents both Paul and I got, it lets us share our Natural Talents with each other. Does that mean¡ if we kill Paul, will he come back like I do?¡±
Both Everin and Dazien tensed at that and she could feel their stares on her as she added, ¡°I just wonder if that¡¯s a way to get rid of the cage on his soul. We¡¯ve killed Caged monsters, so we know they can die. But would the cage override my [Waypoint] or would [Waypoint] override the cage and break it, thus freeing Paul?¡±
Scholar gave her a sad smile, ¡°I don¡¯t know. You haven¡¯t died while Caged before,¡± then pointedly added, ¡°That¡¯s not a risk I¡¯d be willing to take to find out, though.¡±
Kara was slightly annoyed to discover that Phoenix had been meeting with Scholar without her as she arrived back in Tulimeir having taken care of some Emerald monsters along the southeastern borders and nearer the World Tree. She had been spending most of her time split between guarding the various fortress cities with Veldrix ¨Cone of them always being available in the more populous capital¨C and going out on these higher Caste hunting missions to hopefully reduce the loss of even more lives.
With more and more Emerald Casters becoming available as the Sapphires that survived the war had ascended and a few reinforcements that had been relocated by the Fae, Kara was expecting to handle less of the monsters now. Instead, she expected to be relegated to a more supervisory capacity, making sure those who did challenge themselves didn¡¯t actually die in the process.
She had just returned from observing one such newly formed party and was pleased that she hadn¡¯t been needed. Perhaps the tundra wouldn¡¯t be completely helpless as the monsters got stronger, and she would eventually need to leave.
¡°Oh, Paladin Fairweather,¡± Dazien greeted as the trio left the Scholar¡¯s Temple, and the gemite noticed her waiting near the door, ¡°We didn¡¯t expect to see you here. Is something wrong?¡±
¡°No, not really,¡± she replied with a smile, ¡°Just checking on my main priority.¡±
Phoenix rolled her eyes, ¡°You know you don¡¯t need to worry about me like that. I fight monsters, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to trip and die in the city.¡±
¡°Glad to see the snark hasn¡¯t died either,¡± the golden voxen chuckled, ¡°Well, since you seem fine, I¡¯m gonna steal your colorful little friend here,¡± she informed, linking an arm with Everin.
¡°Is he in trouble?¡± the Wayfarer asked with a grin, ¡°Did he insult your abilities too?¡±
¡°I was not trying to insult them,¡± the Avatar retorted, ¡°I was just explaining what they seemed like to people who don¡¯t get a magical book to explain what they¡¯re supposed to be.¡±
¡°You called Tala a chicken!¡±
Kara snorted a laugh, ¡°He¡¯s not in trouble. Just want to have a chat about a few things. I¡¯ll try to make sure he returns in one piece.¡±
¡°¡®Try¡¯?¡± Everin repeated with narrowed eyes at her.
She shrugged, ¡°I can¡¯t promise you won¡¯t deserve missing a limb or something.¡±
To the Avatar¡¯s obvious dismay, Phoenix and Dazien laughed and turned to be on their way as the Astromancer waved over her shoulder, saying, ¡°Have fun and try not to deserve it, Everin.¡±
Then she proceeded to drag the Emerald Caster to her own goddess¡¯ temple. Leading him up to the empty inner sanctuary as she sat him down on the floor before sitting herself across from him.
¡°Should I be afraid to ask why you brought me here?¡± the rainbow voxen carefully asked, ¡°Someone like me doesn¡¯t normally gain access to another god¡¯s most sacred of places.¡±
¡°It¡¯s the only place Champion can whisper to me at the moment,¡± she admitted, hoping the offer of information would make him more open to sharing in return.
His eyes opened wide at the omission as he asked, ¡°It cost her that much?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s the only deity who has spent too much power during this war in an attempt to save our future,¡± the Paladin pointed out, ¡°We¡¯re in a tiny corner of the world. While some incredible events are happening around Phoenix, you know as well as I do that there is a great big world beyond the tundra that has been fighting for years now against the Renseres before the Soul Reapers even showed up.¡±
¡°I know that. Though, I was a bit preoccupied with other wars myself,¡± the younger voxen admitted, ¡°It¡¯s the only reason I ended up over here in the first place.¡±
¡°So Rebel did send you?¡± Kara pointedly asked, ¡°Just like I was?¡±
¡°Not exactly,¡± the man hesitantly replied, ¡°My quest is simply to watch over the Wayfarer and her party until her own quest is over. I know you¡¯re aware of her quest and that you know where I¡¯m from with the way you reacted when we were talking with Duke Tul and Knight Thevaris.¡±
¡°I may have done some digging,¡± she admitted, ¡°And Champion mentioned a few things to assuage my own doubts about leaving the place I did to interfere here instead.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask where you came from after you mentioned that you were the closest Paladin of the Champion to respond.¡±
¡°I was helping to defend the Republic of Kinarg¡¯s eastern border; it rises to Obsidian Caste beyond that border during a blood moon. There were a couple of other Obsidian Casters with me, so I didn¡¯t leave them completely defenseless, but it will be harder on them.¡±
She leaned back slightly, taking in the colorful appearance of the Avatar before asking pointedly, ¡°Did leaving Tyrand suddenly like you did hurt your cause there? Were you hoping to quickly abscond with Phoenix back to that island to continue fighting with a new pawn?¡±
He scowled at her, ¡°I already told you my quest. I¡¯m not planning to steal her.¡±
¡°It¡¯s hard for me to believe that, given some of the stories I¡¯ve heard about that nation,¡± she replied, ¡°An entire kingdom held prisoner, cut off from the rest of the world. Why wait to take their new savior there?¡±
¡°You know she¡¯s not strong enough, and it¡¯s not as simple as you make it sound. Her just showing up and saying, ¡®I¡¯m here to save you,¡¯ isn¡¯t going to magically fix things. Honestly, I¡¯m not sure why Hero and Rebel gave the quest they did or why my goddess sent me¡¡± the Avatar said, trailing off sadly before adding, ¡°But I¡¯m glad she did.¡±
After a few moments of thoughtful silence, Everin glanced back up at her, ¡°The rebellion there was running on fumes when I left. All of our efforts paused because of this blood moon as survival became the new priority. I wasn¡¯t the strongest among them, though. I was simply near the peak of Sapphire, and many in the Regent¡¯s army are Ruby Caste.¡±
¡°So you were sent simply to watch?¡± she asked with disbelief.
¡°I assumed Rebel wanted me near in case she needed me to interfere for some reason. Phoenix isn¡¯t the only one with a quest to help Tyrand but she¡¯s probably one of the few who actually has a chance of succeeding where others keep failing.
¡°I find it odd, actually,¡± the Avatar said with a sigh, ¡°It¡¯s like the world is waiting for her to get strong enough to save it.¡±
¡°The world awaits no one,¡± Kara stated firmly, ¡°Events keep happening whether she¡¯s ready for them or not. This war is proof of that. She¡¯s not strong enough to fight the Soul Reapers, yet they are the enemy she is being forced to face.¡±
Everin gave a small smirk, ¡°That¡¯s why the world sent you, Paladin of the Champion.¡±
49 - United in Purpose
Saiya was nervous as Uriel led her through the temple of the Mender back to the room filled with a plethora of pillows that Priest Jacob called a meeting room. She wasn¡¯t positive about what the cinderen was planning, but he was remaining calm at least.
Much of his anger had left after their talk, and quite a bit of the fear had evaporated as well ¨Cwhich was excellent¨C but she could still sense the worry and guilt he harbored. She assumed this was because he still saw himself as a threat to all of them, an indirect one at least. There wasn¡¯t anything she could say, though, that wouldn¡¯t be a lie because he was right. Uriel being a Chosen of the Destroyer was dangerous.
¡°Hello, Uriel. I see you¡¯ve brought Saiya today,¡± Priest Jacob greeted as he opened the door. Then added with a smile, ¡°I admit I was surprised you wanted an impromptu meeting but I thought it would be a certain redhead that would be with you instead.¡±
Uriel chuckled, ¡°A lot happened, which I¡¯ll explain, but I know Phoenix already comes to see you. I thought Saiya could use some reassurance more.¡±
¡°Well, come in,¡± the mind mender said with a gesture into the room, ¡°Feel free to sit anywhere ¨C¡±
¡°Floor included, or stand if you¡¯d prefer,¡± Uriel finished with a smirk at her.
Saiya laughed and then asked the mender suddenly, ¡°Wait, is that a test?¡±
Jacob chuckled, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it one since it¡¯s not something one can fail at. It simply lets me observe a little of someone¡¯s mental state without them needing to say anything.¡±
¡°How does that work?¡± she asked curiously, taking in the room again. There was a long sofa that all three of them could probably fit in along one wall. Across from it were two armchairs that held a small end table with drawers between them.
The open floor space between the seats ¨Calong with the seats themselves¨C was covered in pillows of every shape, size, texture, and color. There was even a massive one that was more like an extra seat propped against the wall under the large green-tinted window opposite them.
¡°Well, why don¡¯t you sit, and I can give you a little insight?¡± the priest prompted. She analyzed the space further, and Jacob chuckled, adding, ¡°It¡¯s a bit different when I know that you¡¯re wary now and also because you have a companion to consider.¡±
¡°You have a power to read emotions, too?¡± Saiya asked, eyes widening as she refocused on analyzing the older man now.
He laughed again, ¡°No, I can read your face.¡±
She frowned but made her way to the sofa, Uriel following after her. She sat on the far end near the window, arranging her tails around her, and watched as the Mage sat on the opposite end while Priest Jacob took a seat in the chair across from her.
¡°So what did you learn?¡± she asked curiously.
¡°That you were considerate of your companion by choosing a spot he could share with you,¡± the mind mender began, ¡°And that you think well enough of yourself to sit in the light of the window ¨Crather than away from it or on the floor¨C and comfortable enough with the situation to settle in for a long chat.¡±
She looked at him in surprise as she glanced at the floor, then the window, then back to Jacob as he continued speaking, ¡°But it told me even more about how Uriel views you.¡±
¡°What do you mean? He just sat down after me,¡± she said, glancing toward her current companion, who was already watching her.
¡°Exactly. After you,¡± Jacob pointed out, ¡°He sees you as someone to follow but also more of a peer than a superior considering he sat on the sofa as well.¡±
¡°Daze actually got mad at me for sitting on the floor when he took the seat you¡¯re in,¡± Uriel said to her with a small smirk.
The priest smiled, ¡°I guess I should amend that he also might have feared you would do the same, so perhaps superior is still on the table.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not superior to Uriel,¡± she began to protest, ¡°We are both an important part of our party and care about our friends.¡±
¡°You¡¯re the Healer, Saiya,¡± the Mage interjected, ¡°Your role is a bit more vital than mine, plus you don¡¯t threaten everyone¡¯s lives and reputation simply by being near them.¡±
¡°Superior it is then,¡± Jacob said with a grin, and they both rolled their eyes.
¡°That¡¯s not true, though,¡± she pointed out.
¡°It¡¯s not about some kind of universal truth, Saiya,¡± the priest explained, ¡°It¡¯s about what a person believes. How they see the world and people around them. More importantly, it¡¯s about how they see themselves within it.¡±
¡°So, what does your seat say about yourself?¡± she asked curiously.
The mind mender grinned at her, ¡°That I¡¯m going to work with people where they are instead of where I might want them to be.¡±
She fell silent at that, contemplating the perspective, and wondering if perhaps that¡¯s what she had failed to consider in her more recent attempts at guidance.
Instead of explaining more about the seating arrangements, Jacob prompted, ¡°So, Uriel, what did you want to talk about today?¡±
¡°Two things, actually,¡± Uriel said, ¡°The first was to let you know that Phoenix helped me open up about my secrets to my party.¡±
¡°She caught you running away,¡± Saiya interjected with a small huff, ¡°I thought you told him the truth all the time.¡±
Jacob smiled again as he said gently, ¡°I don¡¯t require truth from people, Saiya. Sometimes it¡¯s for their own protection to lie, so it¡¯s not necessarily something worth prohibiting or shaming. People will share their truth when they¡¯re ready and trusting enough. That¡¯s why I recommended patience on your part.¡±
She flushed in embarrassment, ears drooping as she glanced toward Uriel. The cinderen smirked in return and said, ¡°Yeah, she didn¡¯t listen. That¡¯s the second thing I wanted to talk about today.¡±
¡°I apologized for my mistake,¡± she said softly.
¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Uriel corrected, then gestured towards Jacob, ¡°I just wanted him to tell you about his butterflies.¡±
¡°Butterflies?¡± the Healer asked with a raised brow, her head tilting as one ear perked up curiously.
¡°Ah. Yeah, I could do that,¡± the mind mender said. Then the man held out a hand with his palm up, and a shimmer of sparkling light seemed to coalesce into the shape of a small butterfly with soft white wings trimmed in gold.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
It was a beautiful creature and the priest introduced to her, ¡°This is Kismet, my Familiar.¡±
¡°Hello,¡± she greeted as the little butterfly flew over to land on her lap, letting her get a closer look. She glanced up at Jacob and asked, ¡°I¡¯m guessing Kismet is a swarm Familiar with how small they are?¡±
¡°That¡¯s correct but not where we¡¯re going to start,¡± he replied, ¡°Just to confirm a few things first, you¡¯re planning to become a mind mender like myself, correct? You implied it when we first met.¡±
¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±
¡°And you joined the Traveler¡¯s clergy in pursuit of that?¡±
¡°Yes. I know many healers join the Mender¡¯s clergy instead, but I also know that some wounds take more time to heal, and there¡¯s no magic that can instantly mend it. It¡¯s a journey of recovery.¡±
¡°Very true,¡± the priest agreed with a nod, ¡°Why did you decide that path was for you, though?¡±
¡°Because I want to help others on their journey to mending those deeper wounds. I¡¯ve known this for a while but wasn¡¯t sure the best way to go about it. I¡ I didn¡¯t like the Mender clergy¡¯s attitude of healing and sending people on their way or turning people away if there wasn¡¯t anything to heal.¡±
Jacob nodded in understanding, leaning back in his chair, ¡°Being a mind mender isn¡¯t necessarily a new concept, but not many people choose to become one, and not all excel at it. It can make things worse if the other menders try to heal a mind the way they heal a cut, so there¡¯s not much they can do but send those people on their way or try to refer them to someone like myself.¡±
¡°Why did you choose the Mender?¡± she asked curiously.
¡°I chose both,¡± he answered, ¡°I¡¯m actually dedicated to the Mender, Traveler, and Cultivator. I just happen to work here because it¡¯s closer to where people who need me come first.¡±
¡°After I was rescued, this was the first place the Adventurers brought me and everyone else,¡± Uriel interjected, ¡°A lot of the others were injured and malnourished. They needed mending and longer-term care.¡±
¡°Many who suffer trauma often stem from a violent situation. Healing the body, as you pointed out, is quick, and the other menders can usually tell at that time if they need to visit a specialist afterward.¡±
Saiya stroked a finger along the soft butterfly¡¯s body before asking, ¡°What does this have to do with Kismet?¡±
Jacob smiled, ¡°Well, I like to compare them to the people who come to visit me. Everybody is born as a little caterpillar. Crawling around trying to survive, maybe meeting some other caterpillars, but mostly just eating and growing.¡±
¡°People do other things,¡± she pointed out.
He laughed, ¡°Think metaphorically with me. They are consuming information, the world around them, learning, growing, and figuring out how things work.¡±
¡°They don¡¯t stay a caterpillar, though.¡±
¡°No, just as people don¡¯t stay babies or toddlers or children,¡± the priest continued, ¡°But I¡¯m not talking about all people for this comparison. I¡¯m talking about the people who become trapped in their chrysalis.¡±
¡°That¡¯s the little shell thing that caterpillars go into before becoming butterflies?¡± the voxen asked, trying to recall the little she knew about the insect.
¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he confirmed, ¡°For most of the people who end up visiting me, something happens to force them to create this shell around them. It could be anything. An abusive parent, a manipulative lover, a sudden loss of a loved one, months of torture at the hands of cultists, a monster almost killing them¨C¡±
¡°A monster actually killing them. Repeatedly,¡± Uriel added with a knowing look towards her, and she immediately got the hint about their shared Wayfarer friend.
Jacob chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ll admit that was also a new one for me,¡± then he added in an aside to her, ¡°It¡¯s like the gods keep sending me the extra special cases.¡±
Saiya gave a soft laugh, ¡°Not many get to assist one of the Chosen, let alone two of them.¡± Then she glanced back to the butterfly in her lap that seemed to almost be preening with the way it slowly flapped its pretty wings, ¡°So the cocoon is their trauma?¡±
¡°No, the cocoon is the walls they created because of trauma,¡± Jacob explained, sending another of the glittering butterflies to join the first. This second one caused her to start in surprise as it barreled into the first one as if attacking it. Then the first wrapped its wings around itself, oddly curling into a ball that was shielding its body from the second¡¯s attacks.
She relaxed, realizing the Familiar was acting things out for her to go along with the priest¡¯s explanation, ¡°Depending on how severe the trauma is or how long it might have lasted, those walls become stronger, harder to penetrate, the person inside constantly fearing their end should their walls crumble so they keep making more. Layers upon layers of defenses to safeguard their lives.¡±
¡°You mentioned the people you help are trapped inside them?¡±
¡°Yes. Some people might learn to break free on their own. You seem rather well adjusted, considering you mentioned having dealt with trauma on your own.¡±
¡°It wasn¡¯t quick,¡± she admitted.
¡°It usually isn¡¯t, but it¡¯s different for everyone. A lot of times, it depends on their environment and the people that are there to support them. I¡¯m one of the latter. People who come to see me, specifically, are usually the ones who have undergone an extremely traumatic situation and need extra support to free themselves from that cocoon.¡±
¡°So you help break those walls they built up?¡±
¡°If someone breaks a chrysalis by force ¨Cbefore it is ready¨C the creature inside will most likely die,¡± he stated, more firmly than he had spoken yet, ¡°That¡¯s why patience is a requirement. It¡¯s not my job or goal to break the cocoon for them.¡±
¡°But I thought that¡¯s the entire goal here?¡±
¡°Usually, but my goal is to help them discover what they want, why they want it, and how they might work towards obtaining that,¡± he gave a pointed look towards Uriel but smiled as he said, ¡°Usually, when people discover what they truly want, they realize that the cocoon itself is holding them back from obtaining it. They want to become butterflies.¡±
He turned back towards Saiya, ¡°The safest way to break a chrysalis is from within.¡±
More butterflies suddenly flew out from the priest¡¯s hand to swirl around the room, filling it with light and both Saiya and Uriel found themselves laughing at the tickling sensation of soft wings fluttering against them before landing everywhere. The first butterfly that was curled into a ball then began to glow in her lap, catching her attention as it began growing in size and unfurled its wings that were now shimmering with a pearlescent sheen as it lazily flapped them in the air in front of her.
¡°Nobody but the person can decide if they want to fly.¡±
Saiya looked from the beautiful Familiar to the priest who had just pointed out the piece she had been missing but seemed obvious in hindsight, ¡°So we help support them by having them answer their own questions?¡±
Jacob chuckled, ¡°A little. To use a more Traveler-oriented analogy, if they¡¯re lost at an intersection, we just help figure out where they want to go, which road gets them there, and then walk down it alongside them. We shouldn¡¯t force them to decide any of that and we can¡¯t walk it for them.
¡°However, we can show them that we are united in purpose. If they are here in this room, it shows me they want to get better ¨Cto work towards improvement¨C and change in some way, even if they aren¡¯t sure what that change might be.¡±
He smiled again at her as he pointed out, ¡°That¡¯s why you joined the clergy of the Traveler isn¡¯t it? Why you want to help others mend their minds? It was a change you chose to work towards your goal of who you want to be.¡±
She nodded slowly, lifting her own palms out for the Familiar to land upon and preen again, showing off the much larger shimmery wings.
Uriel surprised her by saying, ¡°I think you¡¯re a very lovely butterfly, Saiya.¡±
The young acolyte blinked in surprise at him, sensing an odd mixture of happiness and sadness within him as he added, ¡°I¡¯m just not there yet. I¡¯m still trying to break through my chrysalis.¡±
She moved across the sofa, displacing tiny, colorful butterflies as she wrapped her companion in a hug, ¡°I want to help you be a lovely butterfly, too.¡±
¡°You are. All of you are,¡± Uriel reassured, ¡°I brought you here for my benefit, honestly. He¡¯s better at explaining things than me and I didn¡¯t want you thinking it¡¯s your fault that I¡¯m not feeling the way you believe I should.¡±
Saiya glanced up at him, then over towards Jacob, who simply observed them quietly. Then she asked hesitantly, ¡°Could¡ if it¡¯s not too much trouble, could you teach me more about how you do what you do? I don¡¯t think the books alone are helping me as much as I hoped.¡±
Jacob glanced between her and Uriel before saying with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m sure we can work something out so that I have time. Maybe have you assist me with some patients who agree to it if that sounds like something you¡¯d enjoy.¡±
She nodded happily, ¡°I¡¯d love to help.¡±
The priest grinned in amusement, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed.¡±
50 - Not Ready Yet
It had been another week since Phoenix and Dazien had spoken with the Scholar in her temple. The party found themselves with a rare day off from their wall patrols, and the Wayland siblings found themselves alone at their family Estate in Tulimeir. While she had been portaling them back to their new home near the World Tree each night, they had been spending their days in the capital.
Uriel and Saiya were meeting with Priest Jacob again, and Phoenix thought it was great that they were connecting more over learning from the mind mender. Both seemed much more at ease near one another now and Phoenix was so happy that her best friend was looking happier lately.
Rayna had decided not to join the Rebel¡¯s clergy after a few more visits but was still in the Temple District today on an errand with the temple of the Undertaker. Having agreed to help make more song recordings with a Sense Stone for future memorial services should anyone want to use them.
This left Phoenix and her new brother with some time on their hands and she had managed to convince the relentlessly training man to at least indulge her with a new location. The roof didn¡¯t have much space for weapons training, with most of the area consumed by a wonderfully flowering garden maze.
It had tables and various types of seating throughout, hidden in little nooks or simple open benches along the paths for resting and enjoying. It was a peaceful place that often made her feel better, helping her to slow down and take her mind off the stresses that plagued her beyond its hedges.
Instead of swinging around weapons, she had convinced Dazien to figure out something they could do in the garden on this rare sunny day. He had decided to play a game of tag.
The only rule was that they couldn¡¯t touch the hedges that made the maze. Dazien¡¯s Sapphire Caste would normally give him the advantage from a purely physical standpoint, but Phoenix¡¯s [Ruler of Relativity] and overpowered aura helped put her on a more even footing within the constraints of the maze.
The game pushed both of them to train their auras for finding and hiding while also forcing them to better control their speed lest they go through one of the hedges, likely getting into trouble with Elder Pualani on top of ruining the beautiful flowers.
While the Defender claimed the practicality of the exercise, Phoenix suspected that he had the ulterior motive of letting her play a game that she had never been able to before; having much of her childhood stolen by sickness. When she found herself giggling hysterically as she chased after her friend, she was glad he had chosen it.
The game ended when Dazien totally cheated by casting his [To the Dungeon] ability, conjuring a metal cage around her while her [Transversing the Stars] portal ability was still on cooldown.
¡°This is so unfair. I can¡¯t just drop a meteor on you or explode the cage without ruining the garden,¡± she grumbled as she sat down in the cage, glaring at him as he sauntered up to it with a smug grin.
¡°Looks like uncontrollable, overwhelming power isn¡¯t always the best answer,¡± the Defender said, putting an arm through the bars to gently flick her on the forehead.
¡°Brat,¡± she grumbled.
¡°You¡¯re one to talk,¡± he retorted with a laugh, sitting on the ground in front of her in a matching lotus position.
His humor seemed to dim as he leaned back to rest on his hands and said in a more serious tone, ¡°While I have you here, though, I wanted to thank you again for accepting Uriel the way you did and stopping him from leaving. I don¡¯t think I need to explain to you how badly that would have gone if you hadn¡¯t.¡±
¡°You mean how you and I would have hunted him down to drag him back here for an actual intervention? ¡®Cause I¡¯m pretty sure I would have panicked if I returned to find him missing.¡±
Dazien chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that since I definitely would have done the same.¡±
The gemite opened his mouth to say more, then hesitated, getting an awkward expression on his face that made Phoenix frown and lean forward to ask, ¡°Is there something else you wanted to talk to me about?¡±
He gave a half smile as he said, ¡°Two things really. For the first, I was curious how close you were to Sapphire?¡±
As the cage around her vanished, she scooted closer to him to show her profile with a grin, ¡°I¡¯m actually getting much closer after the last few weeks of monster hunts, and even the wall patrol has had us fighting pretty often.¡±
¡°Also, the boost from your talent combined with not dying as much,¡± he teased, nudging her arm playfully before leaning forward to read the [Guide Book].
Profile: Phoenix Fraser
Species: Wayfarer
Current caste: Crystal 9
Attributes
Strength (Sun): Crystal 9
Agility (Dark): Crystal 9
Fortitude (Star): Crystal 9
Mind (Moon): Crystal 9
Magic (Celestial Astromancer): Crystal 9
Natural Talents
Astral Traveler
Guide Book
Collector
Lodestar
Waypoint
Divine Titles
Chosen One
Titles
Adventurer
Slayer
Martyr
Soul Tyrant
Aspects
Star
- Guiding Stars (Aura Passive)
- Transversing the Stars - Crystal 10
- Cosmic Wings (Class) - Crystal 9 (57%)
DarkUnauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
- Embrace of Shadows (Aura Passive)
- Night Blade - Crystal 10
- Call of the Abyss (Class) - Crystal 9 (77%)
Sun
- Radiant Sunlight (Aura Passive)
- A New Dawn Rises - Crystal 10
- Meteor Shower (Class) - Crystal 9 (65%)
Moon
- Moonlit Eyes (Perception Passive)
- Lunar Dream - Crystal 9 (74%)
- Avatar of Bakunawa (Class) - Crystal 9 (61%)
Celestial Astromancer (Class)
- Astral Oasis (Aura Passive)
- Ruler of Relativity - Crystal 10
- Supernova (Class) - Crystal 9 (73%)
|
¡°This is fantastic, Princess,¡± Dazien said with a grin, ¡°I know you¡¯ve been working hard, and it¡¯s showing. You¡¯ll be Sapphire before the blood moon ends at this rate. I¡¯m really happy for you.¡±
¡°Thanks,¡± she said, returning his smile with enthusiasm before asking, ¡°So what¡¯s the second thing?¡±
¡°Well,¡± he hesitated slightly, then fixed his gaze on a nearby flower as he asked, ¡°I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page about our plans for after the blood moon. A lot has happened since you first told us about your divine quest¡¡±
¡°Which you had a tantrum about,¡± she noted, dismissing her book. Phoenix recalled his reaction from months ago that had led to their first real argument. Looking back, she had been worried that by waiting too long to trust in her friends, they would feel betrayed and not trust her any longer.
Dazien chuckled and looked back towards her apologetically, ¡°A reaction I will forever regret. I¡¯m just glad you forgave me for it. After being trusted by Uriel with such dark secrets, I think I was unaccustomed to not being trusted with them. Not to mention my added frustrations from feeling rather useless when it came to defending you. I¡¯ve been trying to not let my anger overflow so much since then.¡±
She nodded in understanding, ¡°Well, I did run off for a week and died when I got angry like that, so it¡¯s a bit hard for me to hold it against you.¡± She hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°I¡¯m guessing this talk is to avoid the argument?¡±
¡°Yes and no. Yes, in case there¡¯s something to disagree on, but no, because I hope that ¨Cdespite everything that has happened since we last talked about it¨C we¡¯re still planning to leave Tulim after the blood moon ends and traveling becomes easier.¡±
¡°Why wouldn¡¯t we?¡± she asked in confusion, ¡°Wait, are you not wanting to leave now?¡±
¡°No, I still want to go. More so now, honestly, but that¡¯s probably just because I¡¯m angry with Patricia at the moment and think the distance from the politics here would do us some good,¡± he replied with a grumble before clarifying, ¡°I just wasn¡¯t sure if you felt the same with Presley here now and the progress being made on the new city she¡¯s at the center of. Also, with the rise in ambient magic, the tundra will still be a challenge for us for quite a while now.¡±
Dazien sighed and admitted, ¡°If it gets too high, we¡¯ll need to leave for a weaker zone potentially. However, the main reason to leave now is only to progress your quest by going after the first relic that Paul believes was last seen in Serenydi.¡±
¡°Where¡¯s that?¡± she asked curiously, thinking she had heard the name before but couldn¡¯t recall where or when.
¡°It¡¯s an elven city-state island northeast of here but still quite a distance away. Even with travel routes being available again, it will take us a while to get there. Then who knows how long we¡¯ll be gone after that? It could be months, maybe years, depending on where the clues lead us. I wasn¡¯t sure if you were ready to be away from the life you¡¯ve built here for so long,¡± he said with a gentle smile.
Phoenix didn¡¯t answer immediately, noticing from his more subdued behavior that she should really take the time to consider the points he was making. She knew that she couldn¡¯t postpone her quest forever despite it not having a strict time limit; supposedly, a nation was waiting for her, and people needed her help.
The Wayfarer pulled her sleeve back to view her Oathbond, translating the words that the rainbow runes etched on her wrist represented: Oath, Bond, Quest, Hero, Rebel, Limitless. They were a reminder of her vow, and it felt like forever ago when she first got them.
¡°There¡¯s also the threat of the Soul Reapers that I wasn¡¯t sure how you felt about,¡± Dazien added, leaning back again to glance up at the clear sky.
¡°What do you mean by how I feel about them?¡±
¡°If you want to stay and try to fight them, should they attack again as we suspect, or if your quest will take priority over that? Our party may have survived their first assault, but it was clear that we were outmatched in many cases. If they attack again, it will likely be with even stronger monsters.¡±
¡°You think we shouldn¡¯t fight?¡± she asked incredulously.
¡°I think none of us should throw our lives away against a vastly stronger foe when there are others besides us dedicated to the fight. I wouldn¡¯t ask a toddler to fight a monster, and in this battle, we are going to be the children.¡±
Dazien met her gaze, ¡°We don¡¯t know how long the Soul Reapers will be a threat, and it may be better for us to avoid them instead. Focus on your quest while growing strong enough to actually help stand against them.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not a terrible idea,¡± she admitted reluctantly, ¡°But I don¡¯t really like it. It feels like running away.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not suggesting we abandon the battle. If they show up wherever we are, we can do whatever we can to try and help, but I¡¯m not sure we should put your quest on hold just because they might attack here again in the future.¡±
¡°We know they¡¯re planning to,¡± she pointed out, then admitted, ¡°I understand your point, though. It might not be worth waiting around for a battle we can¡¯t do much to help.¡±
Dazien nodded and looked like he was about to speak again when sirens began to blare. Causing both of them to quickly jump up and navigate their way to the edge of the roof. Something sounded off to her, so she asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the alarms? They sound different than when a monster spawns.¡±
¡°Those aren¡¯t the monster alarms. It¡¯s the alarms for when a magical storm is approaching,¡± the gemite replied, worriedly scanning the eastern horizon ahead of them. Nothing stood out to her but she knew his [Eagle Eye] passive let him see much further than she could.
¡°They don¡¯t happen often,¡± he explained, ¡°We used to get a Crystal Caste blizzard about twice a decade, but I don¡¯t know if that will remain true with the ambient magic shifting.¡±
¡°Can the city even survive an Emerald Caste blizzard?¡± she asked in horror, just imagining the potential damage.
¡°Perhaps. Better once that force barrier gets established and we¨C¡± he cut off as he stared towards the north. She could barely make out his whisper over the sound of sirens, ¡°Oh gods, no. We¡¯re not ready yet.¡±
Phoenix followed his gaze and began moving to that side of the roof to try and get a better look at the impending disaster flying towards them. High above the sea, beyond the repaired sea gate of the Port District, was a giant vessel that put Presley¡¯s ship to shame.
It was at least double the height and even wider but also had massive glowing green wings that vaguely reminded Phoenix of a butterfly. The wings weren¡¯t flapping, but they did seem to be steering, as though gliding through the air towards them.
She might have thought it beautiful if she hadn¡¯t known that it was coming to kill them all. Dazien was right, the city wasn¡¯t ready for something like that. She could feel her heart already racing as the worst scenarios flitted through her mind. If that thing had ranged weapons like in some sci-fi movies, they could be annihilated before even beginning to fight.
Both of them stared in horror at the sight of the flying vessel, and dread fell upon them. It was a clear signal of the arrival of the Soul Reapers¡¯ forces to once again attempt to invade and destroy Tulimeir.
Upcoming Hiatus and Novella Announcement
Hello everyone ??
A quick update from me, I will be taking September off from releasing new chapters.
The last chapter before the hiatus will be on Aug. 30th, and the first chapter when I get back will be on Sept. 30th.
There has been much going on behind the scenes recently (which I will give more details about soon), but in order to keep my sanity and the quality of my work in check, I feel the need to take this break.
The good news is that Book 4 is complete on Patreon now for the advanced tiers! ?? Alongside that milestone, I have released the side story novella called Wayward: Cataclysm, which is available right now on my Patreon to purchase in the Shop or included for free with those advanced tiers.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
Because of the prequel nature and slight genre difference, I won¡¯t be releasing it as a web serial, and it will be a bonus way to help support my works. This is an ¡°Origins¡± story (at 66k words) that details Uriel¡¯s past up to when he first meets Dazien (Non-Spoiler Spoiler: we get to see Paul some more!).
Fair warning: this story falls more into the psychological misery-lit genre and has a much darker theme than the main series, though still a happy-ish ending, all things considered.
I want to thank all of you again for your continued support, and hope you keep enjoying reading the Wayward series!
51 - Evacuation
Before Phoenix or Dazien could utter another word, Kara appeared at their side, making both of them jump slightly in surprise, but the Paladin spoke quickly, ¡°We need to go on lockdown immediately. You are to retreat to the family¡¯s underground bunker here.¡±
Phoenix seemed to shake herself from her shock as she rebutted, ¡°What? No. We¡¯re not going to hide away while the city is being threatened.¡±
She then pointed up at the ship, still slowly making its way through the air towards them, and explained, ¡°We haven¡¯t managed to establish an Emerald Caste force barrier around the city yet. If that thing can fly with the increased ambient magic that means more flying monsters are sure to follow. The city will need every Caster they have to protect the people as they evacuate to the shelters.¡±
¡°No,¡± Kara said with an unexpected edge to her voice, ¡°There¡¯s an Obsidian Caster somewhere there. I can sense them aboard.¡±
¡°How can you sense that from here?¡±
Kara gave her a flat look.
¡°Right, Obsidian Caste senses. Forget I asked,¡± Phoenix said with a flush of embarrassment.
¡°This isn¡¯t going to be a simple smash and burn like the last time,¡± Kara tried to explain, ¡°You should either bunker down or portal back to the World Tree, where it¡¯s safer.¡±
¡°We can help though! I can portal others to the World Tree, and my party can help on the walls or¨C¡±
¡°I am your champion, Phoenix,¡± Kara interrupted, and the air seemed to go still as the Paladin focused intently on her and said with complete seriousness, ¡°My sole purpose at this moment is to fight on your behalf and keep you safe. I will not risk failing in my purpose because you want to play the hero.¡±
Phoenix clenched her jaw and gathered her courage as she stared down the vastly more powerful woman, ¡°I am not useless here, Paladin Fairweather. I have been and will continue to fight when and where I can. I have my party to support me, and if things get too dangerous, we can portal to safety at that time, but that¡¯s not now. Plus, my [Waypoint] is already at the World Tree if the worst happens to me. Saving others is worth the loss in progress.¡±
Kara returned her glare, ears flattening and fangs bared as the voxen scowled at her, ¡°Stubborn kit,¡± then the Paladin¡¯s expression softened as she added, ¡°I guess I wasn¡¯t much better at your age. I should have expected this from someone my goddess chose¡ Alright, do what you can and retreat when your party leader orders it.¡±
Kara glanced towards Dazien, who still stood beside her, ¡°I trust him to value your life more than you do.¡±
Phoenix nodded curtly as relief flooded through her, ¡°I will,¡± she promised, then pointed towards the flying vessel, ¡°Go explode that thing while my party heads toward the Port District to help evacuate people. I¡¯ll tell Patricia to expect refugees.¡±
The Sunlight Champion assessed her a moment longer before finally breaking into a grin, ¡°As you command, Regent Wayland.¡±
The Wayfarer gawked at the sudden shift in the golden voxen¡¯s behavior as Kara vanished as suddenly as she had arrived, Phoenix¡¯s senses unable to follow the movement.
She turned to look at Dazien, who had been silent the entire time, and found him giving her a cheeky grin as he said, ¡°You know, ever since Kara arrived in Tulimeir and you managed to handle that whirlwind of fur, I thought you could be a leader if you wanted to be.¡±
Phoenix turned red in embarrassment as she stammered, ¡°I¡ Th¨Cthat wasn¡¯t¡ I didn¡¯t¨C¡±
Dazien continued speaking as he gestured toward her, ¡°I mean, look at you now; ordering around an Obsidian Caster, giving commands to Ambassador Wayland, and determining the strategy of the entire party.¡±
¡°I¨C um¡ it¡¯s not¨C¡±
He gave a dramatic sigh and shook his head, saying forlornly, ¡°I might as well put in my resignation as party leader now before we meet up with everyone.¡±
Phoenix finally caught on to his sarcasm and narrowed her eyes, ¡°You¡¯re teasing me.¡±
He grinned, ¡°I think you deserve a bit after that display. Would you rather I be silent or bow before you?¡±
¡°No!¡± she replied immediately which made Dazien¡¯s smile become brighter. She blushed further in her embarrassment, then said in a more controlled volume, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be in charge of the party. I like knowing that I¡¯m not the only one people are relying on.¡±
Dazien ruffled her hair, ¡°That¡¯s fine. You can still be the awesome Princess who goes to slay the dragons while the King protects everyone in the background,¡± he glanced back to the alien spaceship approaching from the north, and his smile fell, ¡°But we have a war to keep fighting first.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
Alarms continued to blare across the city and the streets filled with people attempting to retreat to the shelters. Chaos erupted everywhere as the aerial threat became quickly apparent to everyone. Its size became ever more terrifying as it slowly approached, and more details could be made out.
Aside from the giant wings that seemed to be sparkling with Fae dust, the actual body of it was more like a segmented caterpillar with that same fibrous green and brown flesh making up the majority of walls, but glossy black spots indicated windows and doors. The black bands dividing each segment weren¡¯t glossy but seemed to have some kind of turret defenses mounted upon the rings.
Phoenix felt calmer after meeting up with her teammates and letting Saiya hold her arm. As Dazien took the lead once more, she portaled them to the Port District. They didn¡¯t often visit this particular district that was mostly used for trading ¨Cwhich had mostly been put on hold during the blood moon.
The last time Phoenix had needed to be here was during the raid from the neighboring Berg Siren nation who had attempted to take advantage of the blood moon to attack with an Emerald Caste Glacier Giant that Paul had slain.
Like then, the Wayfarer was using her portal ability to attempt to get as many civilians to safety as she could. First, she made a portal to the meadow outside the entrance to the World Tree¡¯s vessel and quickly informed Presley about what was happening in Tulimeir and to pass on the information to everyone else in the newly forming city. Once the Emanation confirmed they would be ready, she returned through her portal to begin evacuating as many Mundane civilians as she could.
The rest of her party stayed by her side this time. She assumed the knowledge that the last time they had left her alone here resulted in her murder was making them strangely on edge.
¡°I don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s going to randomly attack me this time,¡± she mentioned over their mental voice chat as she opened another portal to let more Mundanes through.
¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Dazien replied adamantly, ¡°We¡¯re both Waylands now, which comes with risks, and you and Uriel have religious enemies to consider. Whether we¡¯re aware of a plot or not, I¡¯m not leaving any of our party members alone anymore.¡±
¡°Are we going to the walls once this evacuation is done?¡± Rayna asked aloud curiously, bouncing on the pads of her furred feet as though getting ready for the fight.
¡°That¡¯s the plan for now, but I¡¯m unsure if that will actually be the best place for us,¡± the Defender responded, ¡°Nothing is stopping them from flying right on top of us. In which case, it might be better to return to the city center to protect the more populated areas.
¡°However, while some of us might be able to handle aerial targets, we will mostly be at a disadvantage, and our position might not matter as much. I¡¯m more concerned about Emerald Monsters raining from the sky at the moment and us being forced to flee as well.¡±
A loud booming sound echoed around them. As they turned towards the enemy vessel, they saw Kara flying towards it and repeatedly striking against an invisible barrier. It sounded like thunder from this distance and the fact that the shield had held from the initial attack of an Obsidian Caster was a terrifying testimony to the strength of the enemy.
¡°Is she going to be able to handle that alone?¡± Uriel asked, earrings already in place and chains removed while he used the Crystal Spyglass she had given to him earlier to take in the distant battle and warn of incoming monsters.
Dazien frowned and she once more found herself slightly envious of his zoomable vision as he said, ¡°It looks like she¡¯s affecting it. I don¡¯t think it will hold long, but she¡¯ll be busy with the Obsidian Caster aboard. I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯ll have the time or leeway to stop the monsters within from reaching the city.¡±
The shattering sound of glass filled the air, and they all looked on in wonder as the vessel¡¯s magical shields buckled under Kara¡¯s assault and a deluge of monsters began pouring out, not caring that they were still mostly above the sea instead of the city; though, another few minutes would likely change that fact.
It seemed that Dazien was both right and wrong about Kara handling the other monsters. Many of them appeared to flash-incinerate as the Sunlight Champion¡¯s aura swept over them. However, the enemy¡¯s Obsidian Caster had also appeared shortly afterward, using his own aura to push back Kara¡¯s and protect the monsters falling into the sea or flying towards them.
¡°Is it too naive of me to hope that the monsters that fell in the ocean will die from it?¡± Phoenix asked as she cast her [Lunar Dream] to create directional neon signs in the air to inform people where her portal led and where the other nearby bunkers were.
An odd high-pitched whine rang out ¨Cinterrupting Dazien¡¯s response¨C followed by another deep boom as one of the new Emerald Caste defensive canons on the northern wall let out a blast of Ice magic. The concussive force reverberated through their bodies and caused the wind to whip around them.
¡°I¡¯m assuming that since that wasn¡¯t pointed at the distant vessel, the monsters survived the fall,¡± the Defender said grimly over the communication channel that was less hindered by the sound of the weapons and fresh wave of panicked screams that erupted around them.
¡°We should go see if we can help on the walls with those,¡± Rayna urged, ¡°I hate just sitting here doing nothing.¡±
¡°We¡¯re helping the evacuation, remember? There are only so many weapons on the wall and even fewer portalists,¡± Dazien pointed out, ¡°Until people stop going through it, we should remain to protect them.¡±
Another ear-piercing screech filled the air as the front of the distant vessel opened out, and a massive bird, seeming made from pure fire itself, soared out from it. Phoenix asked in awe, ¡°Is that an actual phoenix? It¡¯s huge!¡±
¡°I think it¡¯s actually a Firebird,¡± Uriel corrected, still using the Crystal Spyglass to view things better, ¡°Similar in appearance but phoenixes tend to have some regenerative powers whereas the Firebirds are all about damage.¡±
¡°What Caste does the spyglass show?¡± Dazien asked.
¡°Ruby,¡± Uriel replied with a frown, ¡°It¡¯s like that dragon all over again¡ Wait, is that Everin?¡±
¡°What?¡± the others all replied in unison. Phoenix once more wondered what she would have to do in order to make her passive [Moonlit Eyes] cultivate into the zoomable version.
¡°It is,¡± Dazien confirmed, then surprised them by laughing, ¡°I wish I had a Sense Stone over there right now just so you could see the absurdity of a rainbow-colored voxen spinning his tails to fly while carrying what looks like a garnet gemite in his arms.¡±
¡°Garnet gemite?¡± Phoenix asked curiously, ¡°Is that the Royal Knight Patricia mentioned was helping to guard your Noble Reveal? We never did get to actually meet them.¡±
¡°I believe so,¡± the Defender replied, ¡°Patricia suggested we keep our distance, but now I think we¡¯ll need to thank them once this is all over.¡±
¡°If they don¡¯t die,¡± Rayna pointed out, ¡°The last time a Ruby monster showed up was not great, and by the time I arrived, there was only a pile of dead bodies.¡±
¡°Nobody died¡ well, stayed dead,¡± Saiya said, taking the Wayfarer¡¯s hand, ¡°Unlike Paul, Knight Thevaris is at the peak of Ruby Caste and well rested. I believe they will succeed with Avatar Everin¡¯s support.¡±
¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to wait and see,¡± Phoenix replied, wishing she could do more to help.
52 - Morning Star
Kara was happy with Phoenix¡¯s new display of determination. It helped reassure her that Champion had seen what she had initially failed to: that when it came down to it, Phoenix would stand and fight for those who couldn¡¯t.
Now it was her turn to stand against the enemy that could likely annihilate the city. The upgrades the city had managed to complete along the walls would help, thanks to the assistance of the Starfall voxen, but they wouldn¡¯t be able to stop an Obsidian Caster left unopposed. Which meant she had a quest to fulfill.
Running into the Obsidian Caste barrier surrounding the flying vessel, which looked like a half-formed green butterfly at a glance, had been a surprise at first. Mainly because she had expected it to be the same Ruby Caste as the vessel itself, not the same as the Caster within.
The barrier seemed to be on the weaker end of Obsidian, however. That was good for her, considering on the grand scale of Obsidian Caste she was relatively young, and also on the lower end of combatants. While the lower Caste tiers were generally broken into ten levels within a Caste before reaching the next tier, there was no tier after Obsidian. There was also no level cap.
They fundamentally changed upon reaching Obsidian and could still grow, but it was about as fast as continents shifting. While that made little difference on a planet that only had sapient life for about ten thousand years, Kara had no idea what lay beyond their reality. She only knew that not a single Obsidian Caster on Makera was willing to go anywhere near the main command vessel of the Soul Reapers that floated beyond the boundary of the gods¡¯ influence.
She cast one of her Overwhelm Boons on herself, and after a few more punches with fist, foot, and tail, Kara watched with a smile as the barrier shattered like glass. Now, she could try taking out the vessel before the other Obsidian bothered to show up, hoping that they had underestimated her.
¡°Now that¡¯s what I like to see!¡± a voice boomed out, and she turned to see a large felion man grinning broadly at her. Felions were one of the Wayfarer-forged species on Makera, so it was a surprise to see one here, but the anthropomorphic lion-like man was definitely similar. His golden mane was similar to her own hair, but his other-worldly garb made it clear he was a Soul Reaper. The black-plated armor was iconic to them, but he was missing the usual glossy helmet that turned them into faceless enemies.
¡°You like seeing your defenses shattered?¡± she shouted back, not stopping her movement toward the canon-like turrets on one of the vessel¡¯s dividing rings.
He was running after her then, or rather, surfing after her as a stream of conjured water aided his movement, ¡°I like seeing my test beaten to know there¡¯s an opponent worthy of my time,¡± the broad man retorted with a laugh.
Despite the pressure on her aura pushing it back to protect the weaker monsters that she could sense falling from the vessel, Kara found herself grinning, ¡°Water may flow fast, but light moves faster,¡± she said before disappearing in a stream of light.
Conjuring her weapon to smash into the first turret, it was too slow to fire at her as it exploded in a shower of metal shrapnel and plant bits. The weapon that had once looked like a blossom with large pistil canons was now burning mulch.
¡°Is that an actual morning star?¡± the Soul Reaper called out, and she was slightly dismayed to see him so close to her already, still smiling, ¡°I¡¯ll admit I don¡¯t see many going for that one. People are much more attached to swords or rifles.¡±
She responded by swinging the golden metal rod that held a spiky miniature sun on the end of it toward him. The molten sphere flung outward on a chain of light, smashing into the armored chest plate. The spikes pierced right through the armor as the force of the blow sent him hurtling back.
¡°I find it works well in overwhelming pesky armor,¡± she retorted, whipping the orb back to her and using the momentum to swing it in an arc down upon the next turret. Another flash of fire and light exploded upwards as the weapon impacted and channeled her mana into destruction.
A column of water swirled around the burning cannons as she dodged an annoying shot from another of the vessel¡¯s defenses and frowned at the poor match-up. Being able to douse her flames would make things harder but not impossible.
¡°Sun, Overwhelm, Light, and Courage Aspects for a Sunlight Champion, eh? I guess the morning star is rather fitting then,¡± the felion said from beside her, and she was surprised that he had managed to get back so quickly after that last blow.
She could only assume the Soul Reaper had some means to analyze her, similar to the vessel Presley controlled. ¡°Knowing what I am won¡¯t save you,¡± she replied, whirling the orb of plasma back towards the man.
¡°Perhaps not, but it makes me more confident about my victory. You¡¯re not the first Sun I¡¯ve extinguished.¡±
His body turned into pure water just as the flail was about to strike him. As it began to pass through him, she triggered it to explode early ¨Cright inside his center. She grimaced as whatever liquid substance he was comprised of seemed to swallow the combusting flames, and he gave a loud and exaggerated burp.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
The Paladin moved back, reconjuring the sphere of plasma that served as the head of her morning star, and watched to see how long the enemy could hold that annoying form. She hated slimes, and this guy was no better.
The man¡¯s form solidified a few moments later and he clicked his tongue at her, ¡°I¡¯m disappointed that you bonded your soul to a deity of this world, however. Such a waste.¡±
Kara almost didn¡¯t notice the Familiar that had arrived behind her until her senses picked up the bullets of Water magic speeding toward her. A deceptively small frog did well to blend into the plant-like ship but triggering the spell gave its location away. Fanning her tails out, they glittered with sparkling sunlight as they formed a reflective shield between her and the onslaught.
Combined with the continuous attacks from the Ruby Caste turrets she still hadn¡¯t destroyed yet, it was almost distracting enough for her to miss the tidal wave being conjured by the Soul Reaper. Almost. The shadow and surge of mana gave him away.
The most disconcerting thing about the wall of water wasn¡¯t its size, however, it was that it was an opaque crimson color and she suddenly had to reassess what she thought she had been fighting. He wasn¡¯t just a Water Mage, he was a Bloodmancer¡
That explained his quickened recovery against her normally overwhelming attacks. It also made him an even worse matchup for her than she had originally suspected. She would need to not just overwhelm his armor but also his heightened healing, which was already normally in the realm of insanity for an Obsidian Caster.
Despite being killable, Obsidian Caste attributes alone made them incredibly difficult to destroy before they could escape or naturally repair the damage. Add in abilities and it often took multiple Obsidian Casters to actually take one out completely. Kara was alone though, and running wasn¡¯t an option for her.
Dodging was still an option.
She moved again, becoming one with the light to flicker further down the vessel¡¯s body as the wave of blood crashed down into it.
¡°You are quite fast,¡± the strange felion laughed, ¡°You¡¯d probably be surprised by how many noble champions try to take that attack. As though getting hit gives merit to their strength and determination.¡±
¡°Sounds like you often battle idiots,¡± she retorted, surprisingly enjoying the banter as they tried to kill one another, ¡°Makes me wonder why someone who thinks they¡¯re so smart and strong likes risking their life to wipe out weaker planets.¡±
¡°You¡¯re also not the first to try to get me to monologue my secrets,¡± he said with a grin as he ducked under a beam of searing plasma while she dodged a column of water.
¡°Well, if you¡¯re so certain I¡¯m going to die, then where¡¯s the harm?¡± she asked, triggering another ability as she pulled her morning star back. Instead of one, nine chains of light ¨Ceach with its own miniature sun¨C were launched as she swung downwards, blanketing the area in explosions.
The vessel groaned at the impact, tilting dangerously, and she grimaced when she realized they were above the city now. She would need to be more cautious about a stray attack taking out a building.
The scream of the nearby Firebird crashing into one of the towering skyscrapers dashed any vague hope she had held of preventing any damage to the city. Now she could only pray that there would be a city left at all once this battle was over.
Kara gave a slight grunt as she felt something wrap around her furred ankle and needles pierce into her skin, feeling the Bane being delivered by the frog Familiar¡¯s long tongue. She grabbed hold of the tongue with her free hand rather than try to kick it off, yanking the small creature toward her as she triggered her Overwhelm Boon once more and brought her morning star down directly upon it.
¡°Oh, come on!¡± the Soul Reaper yelled out from a distance behind her as she felt the Familiar¡¯s aura vanish, ¡°Do you have any idea how hard it is to get suitable lily pads on this planet to resummon Oscar?¡±
¡°Could just go find another planet to plunder,¡± she pointed out, giving him a merciless feral grin. ¡°You¡¯re the one who decided to risk death by attacking us.¡±
¡°To die would be an awfully big adventure,¡± the felion replied, leaping towards her in a burst of speed, ¡°But that¡¯s not really much of a risk when I¡¯ll just come back.¡±
The golden voxen wasn¡¯t sure if it was his words that made her blood run cold or if it was the clawed hand that punctured her chest through the armor she wore. She did know that it was very quickly draining her life and she swung her mace around once more to land a clean blow directly into the man¡¯s lion-like head, ripping it right off his massive shoulders.
At least that would shut his mouth for a bit while she thought through the implications of her enemy being immortal like Phoenix was. Were all the Soul Reapers like that or just this one? She didn¡¯t think it was a Wayfarer thing in particular because they had stories of Wayfarers that had died before but maybe the Soul Reapers liked collecting immortals?
She kicked off the felion body to remove the hand from her chest as the body had already begun to regenerate the missing head. Taking the slight reprieve she began to silently incant the activation for one of her longer cooldown abilities that she rarely needed to use.
It wasn¡¯t guaranteed to stop the Soul Reaper permanently, but it would at least buy her time to help with the battle taking place below and make sure Phoenix wasn¡¯t dead yet. There was a chance that the Obsidian Caster could die to it, even with his regeneration, but she doubted someone who didn¡¯t fear death would succumb to her test of courage.
A blinding orb of light appeared around the disoriented body of the headless felion and sucked him into the dimensional space that would pit him against his greatest fears. The light level of the sphere outside dimmed considerably, which gave her hope. It meant he was afraid. It meant she had time.
Moving as fast as light cost her a moderate amount of mana and had a decent enough cooldown that she couldn¡¯t use it constantly in battle, but her passive still allowed her to fly within the sunlight. She used that now to move and let her aura wash over the vessel¡¯s many openings as monsters attempted to keep raining down upon the city.
Once she reached the front of the massive vessel, she opted to fly down to sweep past the enemies on the ground. She was hoping the gliding wings would take the giant partially organic structure beyond the boundary of the city walls so she could ensure it wouldn¡¯t destroy more buildings before she made it unable to fly. The last thing she wanted to do was cause even more collateral damage than was already being wrought.
A particularly glittery explosion of blue mana and golden flames caught her attention as she flew around the city while waiting for the Obsidian Caster to potentially reemerge from her singular dimensional spell. A grin crept across her face as she realized who the impressive explosion belonged to, but it was quickly replaced by a frown as the Wayfarer fell through the air, completely exhausted.
Dumb heroes and their martyr complexes¡
53 - Some Talent for Dodging
Everin had been looking forward to lunch with Veldrix, having been enjoying getting meals together with the Ruby Caster. Vel was an endless source of stories and seemed genuinely interested in his own.
The rainbow voxen hadn¡¯t even made it to the restaurant before the alarms started blaring, and he expanded his aura out to try and find the source of the monster spawn. It was the words of someone passing on the street that clued him in that those alarms weren¡¯t for monsters, however.
He had read about the potential for magical storms but had hoped that one wouldn¡¯t coincide with the blood moon. Using his [Flight of Fancy] passive to spin his tails in a whirl to fly up into the air, Everin quickly realized the storm descending upon them wasn¡¯t natural at all but a massive Soul Reaper vessel coming from the north.
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Passive Ability: Flight of Fancy
Type: Utility (boon, movement)
Current Caste: Emerald 1
Crystal Effect: Greatly increased Agility.
Sapphire Effect: You can slightly hover over the ground. When not touching the ground, your senses are slightly heightened.
Emerald Effect: You can fly with your tails. For a high mana cost, you can greatly increase your flight speed for a very short duration.
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Chaos was already erupting in the streets below as people fled from buildings to reach the others that had emergency shelters below them. Many buildings had them but not all. Panic seemed to ensue when they realized the monster alarms were now being added to the storm ones, stressing the urgency of not just sheltering in place but finding one of the lower reinforced bunkers.
¡°Oi! Rebel Fox!¡± a now familiar voice called out, and the Healer glanced over to see Veldrix dressed in a simple black sleeveless shirt with a matching sarong. It seemed entirely unrealistic attire for the frozen tundra, but it just emphasized the Caster¡¯s Ruby attributes more. The cold was so inconsequential that they could don summer-wear from the southeast.
Everin landed next to them and sighed, ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d start calling me that just because I told you about Paul¡¯s Familiar using it.¡±
¡°It fits well,¡± the knight replied with a smirk, ¡°Now, how about you and I go to help the incoming battle?¡±
The Avatar glanced toward the vessel and saw a streak of golden light crash into the barrier surrounding it. He grimaced at that, knowing that if it was strong enough to stop Kara then that meant either the ship itself was Obsidian or there was a Caster aboard that could power something that strong.
¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll be of much use against anything Obsidian, even if you might be able to help somewhat. I can give you my Boons like I did for Paul, but they are less meaningful to you since you¡¯re a Caste above me.¡±
¡°They¡¯re not nothing, though,¡± Veldrix tried to reassure him, ¡°Every little bit helps. Plus, I need someone who can fly and not die just from getting too close. You mentioned being able to survive near Lord Wayland¡¯s battle with another Ruby, which means you must have some talent for dodging at least.¡±
Everin chuckled, ¡°You could say that, I guess.¡±
¡°Paladin Fairweather found me just a bit ago to recommend our support. She said there¡¯s an Obsidian Caster somewhere up there, but she also sensed Ruby Caste auras beyond the barrier, that¡¯s what we¡¯ll be focusing on while Regent Wayland has requested reinforcements from the World Tree,¡± the Royal Knight informed him and Everin realized that the garnet gemite already had a plan, which was reassuring at least.
Then the sound of shattering glass filled the air as the Obsidian shield was broken through, and monsters began pouring out of the vessel. Most were incinerated before they even exited the ship, but a moment later more fell into the sea below, and the high-pitched whine followed by the bone-rattling boom of the new Emerald Caste wall defenses began firing into the mob.
¡°Should we focus on the ones falling into the sea?¡± Everin asked.
Another new sound joined the cacophony as a deafening screech reached them, and the front of the vessel seemed to open and release a giant bird of fire.
Veldrix wrapped an arm around his neck and gave a little hop up which caused him to react to catch them, suddenly holding the Ruby Caster like he was rescuing them as the knight said, ¡°That¡¯s our target. Now fly, little rebel.¡±
The voxen found himself chuckling as he took to the sky once more, heading straight towards his likely demise with how close he would need to get to actually be able to assist Veldrix. Paul had been easier to help because he simply kept his Boons going and watched from a safer distance, the avenging Paladin had his own wings to fly with at that time.
The main thing that gave Everin a chance at surviving was one of his self-channeled Boons from his Swift Aspect.
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Ability: Never Still
Type: Boon (channel, movement, elemental, wind)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Emerald 1 (79%)
Crystal Effect: While moving, greatly increases the chance of inflicting and dodging attacks.
Sapphire Effect: While moving, greatly increases your Agility and Mind.
Emerald Effect: While flying, can channel additional mana to displace the air around you to avoid attacks.
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First, though, he cast [Light Spirited] on both of them at once, which further increased their speed and reduced stamina and Boon costs. The latter didn¡¯t help the Pyre Executioner much but it helped him a lot since most of his powerset was Boons. He also made sure to invite the gemite to his communication ability which he rarely used recently since Dazien¡¯s was simply more useful than his own. His was only single-target based for communication purposes ¨Cnot allowing others to talk with each other but only with him.
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Class Ability: Social Network
Type: Boon (magical, covenant)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Emerald 1 (11%)
Crystal Effect: Invite an ally to join your network, marking them with [Friendly Acquaintance] until the invitation is revoked. Allies with [Friendly Acquaintance] can pass secret messages between you.
Sapphire Effect: Allies with [Friendly Acquaintance] gain increased effects from your abilities.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
Emerald Effect: Allies with [Friendly Acquaintance] can sense the direction of one another and gain an increase to their Mind attribute based on how many allies with [Friendly Acquaintance] are nearby.
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The plus side was definitely the benefits outside of simple communication. As for helping Veldrix more specifically, he used his [The Power of Friendship] Boon, which linked them together so some of his attributes could help boost the knight¡¯s, as well as one of his longer-lasting Boons from his Spirit Advocate Class.
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Ability: Freedom Fighter
Type: Boon (magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Current Caste: Emerald 1 (58%)
Crystal Effect: Can cast on an ally for a long duration. Increases Strength and Agility by a moderate amount and increases the effects of Special Attacks.
Sapphire Effect: Additionally, increases Fortitude and Mind by a moderate amount and increases the effects of Combination abilities.
Emerald Effect: Additionally, increases Magic by a moderate amount and increases the effects of Spell abilities.
|
As they got closer to the massive Firebird slowly soaring through the air, Everin cast one last Boon before they would impact with the giant aval.
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Class Ability: Fight for Life
Type: Boon (magical, life)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Current Caste: Emerald 1 (25%)
Crystal Effect: Can cast on an ally for a moderate duration. Damage dealt heals a portion of that damage back.
Sapphire Effect: Additionally, increases Strength and Magic by a moderate amount.
Emerald Effect: Can cast this boon on multiple allies at once for a cumulative mana cost. Additionally, each attack dealt increases their maximum health pool by a small amount.
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The Firebird gave another screech as Veldrix landed and immediately slashed down with a large two-handed weapon that looked like some kind of ax, but the flames trailing off it made it appear like a scythe as it cut through the air and into the beast.
Everin grimaced at the realization that the Pyre Executioner would likely be dealing plenty of Fire damage that the bird would be highly resistant to. The only saving grace there was that the garnet gemite was likely equally resistant to the Caged aval¡¯s flames as well.
A shiver ran down the voxen¡¯s spine when he noticed the patch of black rot appearing around the flesh and the feathers beginning to wither as he asked over the single target communication, ¡°Is that Void damage?¡±
¡°No,¡± the knight replied firmly, lifting the weapon to bring it down again in the same place, ¡°It¡¯s Death. Chat later. Now, go save people from when I get this thing to fall.¡±
The Avatar didn¡¯t need to be told twice as he left the Executioner to it and focused on the people in the city below. Still making sure to keep track of where the Firebird was and that Veldrix didn¡¯t fall from its back as it soared across the port. Going low, the creature set the port ablaze as its tail feathers dragged along the docks and piers. The magical flames latched onto everything, whether it was normally flammable or not.
Everin went into rescue mode as he attempted to save and heal any people caught within the flames but luckily it seemed that most of the Mundanes had already been evacuated from this area. He couldn¡¯t save the few Crystal Casters that had been caught in the Ruby conflagration, but most of the Sapphire Casters survived long enough for his healing to reach them.
The Avatar felt torn, trying to save lives while keeping an eye on the Firebird and making sure that his priority was the Ruby Caster that could eventually kill it instead of the people dying in its wake. If Veldrix fell, even more lives would be lost, so the knight took priority.
When the moment finally came that he had been expecting, he moved as quickly as he could to intercept the falling gemite. Having been finally dislodged from the large avals back, Veldrix fell freely, unable to catch themselves. Though they likely wouldn¡¯t die from the fall with their Ruby Fortitude, the concern was that the Firebird would live longer to cause even more mass destruction.
Before Everin could reach the knight, however, a glowing blue portal ring appeared directly below them and the Executioner fell through it, reappearing from the paired orange portal ring above the Firebird to land on its back once more.
¡°You focus on the rescuing, young kit,¡± a stranger said from beside him, and he turned to see Emissary Mint of the Starfall voxen smiling at him while standing atop a floating blue platform that seemed like some sort of solid illusory construct. ¡°Leave Ruby enemies to Ruby allies and help elsewhere like your younger friends,¡± the older voxen said with a nod toward the inner city.
That was when Everin noticed a giant illusion of a phoenix appeared in swirling blues and purples with silver starlight scattered throughout, spreading its wings wide before rushing towards the swarm of additional flying monsters raining upon the city.
When he turned back, Mint was already gone. With two Ruby Casters now able to focus on the giant aval, Everin focused on helping where he could, healing and supporting whoever he could nearby as more Emerald Casters began to join the fight from elsewhere in the city.
The Avatar was pushed to his limits and then beyond them as a massive specter seemed to appear above the giant bird, clothed in wispy black cloth and wreathed in eerie violet flames. It swung down with an illusory glaive as though decapitating the creature, and an inferno of deathly pale purple consumed the enemy aval. Everin could only assume it was Veldrix¡¯s Death-based Execute. With that, the Firebird finally began to fall from the sky.
The Avatar almost had a panic attack when he realized the trajectory of the monstrously large aval was heading straight for the oddly glittering Cultivator¡¯s Citadel. Thankfully, there were other capable Casters in the city as a massive beam of iridescent magic struck the side of the Firebird, causing it to alter its course.
Instead, the Caged creature crashed hard into one of the tall skyscrapers just beyond the port and in the northwestern Processing District, but at least the largest provider of food for the citizens of Tulimeir was safe.
¡°Rebel or Scholar! I need one of you to help me save them!¡± he mentally prayed, flying as fast as his tails could manage, even with his Boons.
¡°I¡¯ll take this one,¡± Scholar replied happily, ¡°I know where everyone is after all.¡±
Then Everin wasn¡¯t in control of his body as a surge of Divine power entered it, and he fought for his sanity while Scholar used him to save the people within the collapsing building without him even being able to register their faces as his Agility along with the other attributes were pushed beyond the mortal limits of his Emerald Caste.
Veldrix grimaced as the Firebird crashed into the building they had been hoping to avoid with the tell-tale sounds of shattered glass and grinding metal framing. Their Death Banes and Execution abilities had finally eaten through the Ruby aval¡¯s annoying level of health and regeneration along with whatever abilities Emissary Mint had thrown at it ¨Cwhich Veldrix knew included the Void type that Everin had seemed slightly fearful of.
Aside from their magic senses being able to simply feel that eerie nothingness creating an unnatural hole where something should have been, the bits and pieces of pitch-blackness and twisted reality made it quite clear that the strange voxen was wielding the Divine Void. It also made Veldrix very much want to avoid confronting the other Ruby Caster that was on their side¡ for now.
The portals had been exceedingly useful, letting them worry less about maintaining a hold of the withering feathers and more about landing their Execution abilities as much as possible. While Executions were most powerful as a finishing move ¨Cwhere the enemy was already at low levels of health¨C Veldrix¡¯s support abilities and the Spirit Gems they had chosen had helped to compensate by adding various effects when used upon a healthier target.
It was a snowball causing an avalanche type of effect where each bit of lost life brought the enemy closer to a quick and inevitable demise. After landing their [Reaper¡¯s Demise] Class ability, causing the Firebird to fall from the sky, they gave a final blazing strike from their [Blade of Execution] and felt the Ruby aura begin to unravel as the body died and the now-violet flaming feathers dimmed.
The Royal Knight moved fast towards the compromised building, rather than reveling in the victory over the enemy, and shouted at the mysterious Emissary, ¡°Portal me into the top of the building! Help get people out!¡±
Then Veldrix triggered their Natural Talent [Treasure Hoard] and looted the creature, exploding the massive body into a river of red ash that rushed down the side of the building like a pyroclastic flow and hoping the loss of weight would help buy more time. As they fell through the ash and debris, a portal caught them. Appearing on the upper floor of the building they let their aura guide them to anyone still living.
The Ruby Caster could clearly sense the burst of Divine energy as it streaked through the building from below. Veldrix focused on getting survivors to Mint, who could portal them a short way away.
In over five hundred years, Veldrix had never seen an Avatar actually channel the power of a deity, but it was a mesmerizing sight to see the glowing rainbow eyes and know the man within wasn¡¯t looking back.
¡°Oh good, you¡¯re here,¡± the strange mixed voice of both Everin and the goddess spoke to the garnet gemite, ¡°The building is empty now, but more buildings are likely to fall, and Everin can¡¯t handle any more than this right now. Make sure this Vessel stays safe, will you? Excellent.¡±
Then Veldrix was left with an unconscious rainbow voxen in their arms.
54 - Fulfilling Our Roles
Coronata had been warned there might be fighting before she had chosen to leave the safety of the Sacred Grove and travel to the newly birthed World Tree across the ocean. She had felt it worth the risk, however, if it meant a new home away from her heartache.
Eden herself had recommended the change and the Fae was not one to refuse the child of the Cultivator. As one of the Grove Guardians, Coronata found herself grateful that she could continue her chosen profession in a new location that didn¡¯t have the memories of her past all around her.
The World Tree itself had been a wonderful and exciting experience for her. The newness of everything, the way the alien technology fused with it, the local runeforged and cinderen that cared for it, and the strange mixed-species party that seemed much too weak to warrant being at the center of it, was all fascinating to her.
When the call for reinforcements came to help protect the tundra¡¯s capital city, Coronata knew that her duty was to protect the World Tree but she had volunteered to go. She had new friends there, after all, and knew of the important building that her goddess would want to be protected there.
Most Fae were not religious per se, as they had not originated on Makera specifically but from one of the Reality Rifts attached to the planet, but Coronata had chosen to venerate Eden¡¯s mother after dedicating herself to the demigod Keeper of the Sacred Grove.
As Coronata flew through one of the Emerald Caste portals the mysterious voxen provided, she quickly made her way to the Cultivator¡¯s Citadel within the northwestern section of the inner city. She was a streak of blue with her large butterfly-like wings trailing a stream of brilliant, glittering faerie dust behind her.
Most Fae were attuned to Arcane magic and she was no different in that regard as she sent blades of blue magic through the air with a sweep of her claw-like nails. The Emerald Caste ability tore through any Crystal or Sapphire Caste monsters while severely injuring any other Emeralds.
Unlike Casters, who come from the Vauva species, she was a Vanhin and didn¡¯t gain abilities through Aspects or Spirit Gems. She was born with her five Natural Talents like everyone else but each Caste she naturally grew into granted a trio of Natural Abilities. These abilities were usually stronger or more versatile than a singular Caster ability but the versatility as a whole was often lacking.
When Coronata arrived at the top of the Citadel, she was surprised to find the roof already occupied by a party of Adventurers; one of which she was pleased to see was her new friend, Bliss.
A crystalline fortress was already erected atop the towering building, and the base of it seemed to be slowly growing down the sides. The ability was creating a mixture of metal and crystal spikes along the building, as though trying to encase it in the protective material.
The Fae found herself immensely grateful for the added defense to the building that produced a majority of the city¡¯s food. If this building was destroyed, many people would end up dying of starvation rather than monsters. While the World Tree¡¯s food production was beginning to ramp up, it couldn¡¯t yet sustain hundreds of thousands of people. It was vital for them to protect it even more than any other building in the entire city.
Coronata was surprised when a beam of swirling iridescent magic seemed to streak across the streets and surrounding buildings, covering them in more of the protective crystal while causing some of the flying monsters to fall from the sky or get pinned and trapped within the encroaching Gem magic.
She flew closer and found the source to be a young woman standing atop a watchtower within the shiny crystal fortress. With long iridescent hair that had a purple sheen to it and a glittering dress covered in large purple gemstones, the woman reminded Coronata of one of the gemites, except she was missing the pointed ears, and her aura read as human.
She had been introduced to Noble Chriss Stratford by Bliss the day after Noble Dazien¡¯s reveal party and had hoped to become friends with her as well. They just hadn¡¯t had much time to meet between her duties as a Guardian and their missions as Adventurers.
The beautiful Sapphire Caster was now using some kind of chain weapon to rake monsters across the crystal spikes or pull them into the fortress, which she realized was a death trap for anything caught within it.
Another human Defender was doing much the same with his own hooked chain. That gave the Fae the wonderful idea of helping to toss monsters into the maelstrom as she flitted through the air around the structure.
Coronata found Bliss on the street, the once-adorable kitten now in a more monstrous chimera form that the Fae found equally adorable, even as Bliss savagely tore into a Sapphire Frost Lurker before spewing bile all over it.
She could sense the Corrosion magic eating through the howling monster¡¯s visibly melting flesh and the street below, finding herself slightly fascinated by the brutality of such a cute creature. The beaked tail launched backward to snatch a flier out of the air, savagely and repetitively slamming it into the road, causing her to grin.
When she was about to move to intercept an aerial monster from attacking the chimera from the side, an arrow slammed into the enemy first. The arrow quickly sprouted into vines that tangled its wings and caused it to plummet to the ground nearby where the massive chimera pounced next; shredding it with teeth, claws, beak, and sharpened feathers.
Those same feathers were often launched into the air to intercept more monsters that seemed to keep appearing in an endless wave as they crawled from the ocean and rained down from the air.
It didn¡¯t appear like the party of Adventurers was talking much with one another, seeming to have fallen into a natural and familiar rhythm of working together, but Coronata could hear maniacal laughter coming from atop one of the fortress walls. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
A Mage was casting swarms of various construct weapons to hurl into the fray of monsters with abandon, causing explosions on impact in a variety of Elemental magic that was both beautiful and terrifying.
While keeping an eye on the group, Coronata focused on keeping any higher-level Emerald Caste enemies away from them. She could sense that most of the party was at the peak of Sapphire and could likely handle an Emerald, but this was a matter of efficiency when dealing with these sheer numbers.
At one point, it looked like the massive Ruby Caste Firebird was going to run into them as it seemed to get metaphysically decapitated by an equally massive ethereal wraith surrounded by violet flames that quickly spread and consumed the creature.
Coronata urgently made her way to Chriss and gave a quick bow in the way she had seen many of the locals do before asking as best as she could in the local language she was still trying to learn, ¡°Me use Gem beam?¡±
Chriss raised a brow at her in question and obvious confusion so she tried more, ¡°Give hand. Me grow Gem beam?¡±
The woman slowly nodded, holding out a hand. She grasped it tightly, then pointed toward the Firebird, ¡°Cast Gem beam. Me move monster away!¡±
As Chriss incanted her ability, Coronata¡¯s own Natural Ability took hold and channeled the surprising amount of power through herself instead, combining her own magic into it to boost it by an incredible amount. Then the enlarged beam emitted a hair-raising feeling of power from her outstretched hand ¨Cdwarfing even the massive rampaging chimera below¨C and smashed into the bird¡¯s right wing, causing it to turn to the northwest instead of continuing towards the Citadel.
They both winced a few moments later as the Firebird then crashed into a different skyscraper in another section of the city but she knew it was better than the alternative of a starving duchy.
Coronata gave a grin full of sharp teeth to the iridescent woman and said, ¡°We join together more later? Bliss join?¡±
Chriss rubbed a palm over her face, giving a sigh before nodding, ¡°Yes, we can train together later. I¡¯m sure Bliss would love to.¡±
Madly cackling laughter interrupted the moment as the maniacal mage called out, ¡°I¡¯M NEXT!¡±
Emerald Caste golems, along with the Sapphire Caste BELs, were moving quickly all over the Research District, which was neighboring the Port District¡¯s eastern side. House Teras had been the creators of the donated creations that had solidified their place among the duchy¡¯s nobility, and now those golems, along with many more, were assisting in the evacuation and rescue efforts of the civilians closest to the Soul Reapers¡¯ onslaught.
Polissa found herself at a personal crossroads. Dazien¡¯s words at his Noble Reveal had made her contemplate more about what she wanted to do with her future, and she knew running away and hiding while the city was in danger wasn¡¯t it.
¡°Po, your dad said to go stay in your family¡¯s shelter,¡± Mohala said worriedly from behind her as she ran through her home towards the front door. The blue dryad¡¯s icy bird Familiar, Tinsel, twittering urgently from her shoulder as well.
¡°There¡¯s room for more people there,¡± she retorted, ¡°We can let others know to seek safety here and help defend from any of those Caged monsters.¡±
¡°He¡¯s still going to get angry and¨C¡±
¡°I don¡¯t care anymore, Mo,¡± the cinderen said, not stopping as she navigated the halls, ¡°If he wants to get angry and yell and strip me of whatever privileges my title gives me, then let him. I won¡¯t be kept trapped in my home while the people we¡¯re meant to protect die around us.¡±
¡°And what if you die?!¡± the normally cheerful dryad called out, and the tone of her voice caused Polissa to finally pause and look at her best friend. Mohala was crying but trying to keep a steady voice, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you die like Simmon did. They said there¡¯s an Obsidian Caster. We¡¯re not strong enough for this fight, Po.¡±
She felt her anger bleed away as she hugged the other woman, ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to come with me. I won¡¯t think less of you if you stay behind. This is just something I have to do.¡±
¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± Mohala said, wiping a tear away, ¡°It¡¯s something you¡¯re choosing to do. Just like I¡¯m choosing to stay by your side. I¡¯m asking you to be safe, Po. Not just for me or you but for your parents. For all the people that rely on your family¡¯s continued existence. There¡¯s nobody after you for House Teras and your dad and papa are already out there risking their lives to keep us safe.¡±
¡°If I have the power to help and I refuse to use it because of that, then I don¡¯t think my house deserves to continue,¡± Polissa stated, then turned to continue going outside, ¡°I agree with Dazien¡¯s stances that he talked about during our mission together. Nobles are meant to serve their people. Meant to protect them and earn the privileges they are granted in return. I¡¯m done hiding from that responsibility.¡±
It was almost creepy that as soon as she stepped outside her home she heard a shout from above, ¡°Polissa Teras! Get back inside right now, young lady! Or so help me, you will be confined to your room till you¡¯re thirty!¡±
She glared up at her dad, the Chancellor of the Order of Magic, who was standing on a balcony looking over a plethora of magical displays that let him and others see what his golems were seeing.
¡°How is that any different from what you were already doing?!¡± she yelled back, ¡°I¡¯m done being a Teras if it means being locked up for it!¡± she added, beginning to stalk off before he appeared before her in a blur, his Emerald Caste Agility difficult for her to track.
¡°Polissa, I¡¯m begging you. Please, go back inside so I can focus on the battle,¡± Ethan said, the desperation in his voice was the only thing causing her to pause. ¡°We can discuss things when it¡¯s safe again, but I¨C¡±
¡°I want to help make it safe again!¡± she interjected, ¡°These people are mine to protect as well! I can help. We can¨C¡±
¡°I can¡¯t lose you!¡± the older cinderen said, clutching her shoulders almost painfully tight, ¡°Losing your brother broke me. I know I didn¡¯t¨C that I¡¯m not handling it well, but if I lose you too, I¨C I can¡¯t¡ I won¡¯t survive that.¡±
Polissa felt torn once more as molten tears fell down her dad¡¯s face, but she clenched her fists and said as calmly as she could manage, ¡°I won¡¯t be reckless. None of us know when we¡¯ll die, but I¡¯d rather my death be as honorable as Simmon¡¯s instead of being crushed under rubble while hiding. You will survive even if I don¡¯t. You have to because it¡¯s not just me and Papa that rely on you, Lord Chancellor Teras.¡±
Her father¡¯s gaze never left hers as he took unnecessary breaths before finally asking quietly, ¡°What do you plan to do?¡±
¡°We¡¯ll be fulfilling our roles as Adventurers and mine as a noble to defend the city that Simmon gave his life to protect. I will honor my brother¡¯s memory by fighting for the future he wanted.¡±
¡°Does that future still include this family?¡± he asked, searching her face.
¡°As long as you actually mean family and not prisoner by that,¡± she said, not willing to back down on this point, ¡°I may not be old enough to lead our House yet, but I¡¯m old enough to marry and make my own life choices. I still care about this family, but I won¡¯t let it keep me from living my life anymore.¡±
She paused for a moment, taking in her father¡¯s ragged appearance before hugging him tightly as she said softly, ¡°And you shouldn¡¯t let Simmon¡¯s death keep you from living your own. There are people still here who need you and love you, Dad.¡±
Polissa worried he might squeeze the life from her as the Emerald Caster returned her tight embrace before he managed to say, ¡°Let¡¯s protect those people together then.¡±
55 - Sky Dragon
Instead of being able to man any of the port¡¯s outer wall defenses, King¡¯s Dream was sent back to the circular wall that surrounded the inner city, separating it from the eight outer districts. They would continue evacuating people as needed and wait for monsters to reach them.
When the Firebird came low and set the port district ablaze with its flaming tail, she was grateful that they had managed to get most of the civilians to safety beforehand. She still felt Crystal auras get snuffed out, but Dazien informed them that other Emerald Casters, alongside Everin, were already moving fast to rescue the remaining Sapphires, which her portal could only save two of every five minutes.
Meanwhile, Phoenix¡¯s mind was racing through potential crazy stunts she could pull off this time to try and minimize the number of inevitable deaths as more flying monsters left the ship now above the port. She put her trust in her party this time as she verbalized each idea telepathically through Dazien¡¯s chat to get everyone¡¯s input.
Most of the mental conversation was them telling her ¡®no¡¯ or pointing out the fact that the risky and outrageous stunt would potentially cause more damage to the city than the monsters would.
When she finally gave one that they all paused at and Dazien replied, ¡°That might actually work,¡± she laid out the steps they would take as soon as monsters came in range of the group.
They didn¡¯t have to wait long as flying Caged monsters came into view, and the gathered Tulimeir forces that were dispatched along the walls at various intervals began their ranged attacks. Phoenix cast her ritual, and then Saiya chanted alongside her, adding her own mana to the ability to further boost the effects.
¡°Let dreams become reality.¡±
A large phoenix made of starlight appeared in the air in front of her outside of the inner city walls that matched the one she had cast long ago when defending the city walls. It quickly grew to the size of a ten-story building, its majestic wings spreading out like a shield to protect the city behind it.
Cheers and shouts were called out as some people recognized the symbol that lit up the sky. Phoenix unleashed her layered aura, pushing it as far to either side of her as she could. It lit up the wall, with little [Starlight Companion] constructs hovering over the shoulders of each of the defenders, and [Sun Shells] flickered around them before becoming invisible.
After a few moments of boosting the city defenders¡¯ morale, the giant magic illusion flapped its wings once and then moved toward the swarm of monsters making their way to them. As her ability looked like it was about to consume a portion of them in its silvery beak, it shattered into hundreds of smaller versions of itself, causing as much chaos as possible high in the sky.
When the phoenix shattered, the wall of Casters rallied behind the signal and unleashed their own abilities into the mass, raining destruction upon the puppet forces. Uriel was already standing alone off to the side of their group with his Silencer removed, chanting his area spells of Fire and Ice, while Saiya downed a mana potion to begin buffing the team as a whole.
Phoenix triggered her mana tattoo first then also began incanting her next ranged spell. She had never tried targeting a point in the air with this particular spell and hoped it would work as she desired, ¡°From the depths of the universe, I summon forth the shards of annihilation. May the wrath of the cosmos descend upon all who dare to oppose me.¡±
As a small rift appeared in the sky, the creatures didn¡¯t react right away. Phoenix suddenly wondered if she could use her portal to move the meteor in case it missed and might hit the port itself below the swarm¡ at least the port was already on fire.
She shook off the distressing thought as she watched the flaming mass of molten plasma hurtle through the air toward the group of aerial monsters. Like she had hoped, her [Meteor Shower] exploded on contact with the random assortment of creatures and took out some of the lower Crystal ones that had managed to fly in this far.
More and more abilities began to light up the night sky as the monsters came into range. Some of the creatures seemed to have ranged attacks of their own, however, as Phoenix began to sense the destruction of her little aura companions and light barriers. She expended the small amount of mana required to reconjure the tiny protectors and shields as often as she could, hoping it would help save lives.
Trying a different tactic to attempt to speed up her mana replenishment while dealing damage from afar, Phoenix conjured her [Night Blade] and aimed carefully towards one of the larger monsters that was moving slowly but steadily towards the city walls.
She channeled the little mana her [Astral Oasis] aura had recovered for her to send the dagger flying away from her towards the monster to embed itself into the creature and deliver her [Mana Siphon] Bane.
When that ¨Con top of her aura¨C replenished more mana, she conjured her dagger again and aimed at another target, slowly ramping up the sources of mana regeneration from the various enemies.
As they continued the counter-assault, her concentration was broken when Uriel let out a shout of pain as a metal spike impaled the right side of his chest while Dazien had been shielding Saiya from a similar attack. His newly acquired [Dawn Shield] from the Wayland family vault held up well against the attacks and didn¡¯t even risk destruction from being a conjured replica sitting safely in the Warrior King¡¯s [Armory].
The unprotected mage dropped to his hands and knees as Phoenix moved to his side and gave him a quick warning, ¡°This is going to hurt.¡±
He nodded briefly as she finished yanking the spear through him and chanted the high cost of her healing spell, ¡°As surely as the sun will rise again, you will see the dawn of tomorrow,¡± pouring mana into the wound, which slowly began knitting the flesh back together.
A few heartbeats later, Saiya shooed her away and took up the task as Dazien placed himself between them and the monsters. Phoenix stood to refocus on the enemy but felt further distracted as her layered aura sensed the auras of other adventurers begin to slowly snuff out of existence.
A warning shout came from somewhere down the wall as another wave of projectiles seemed to come raining down on them. These ones, however, seemed like long javelins carved from monster bones and partially rotting. Dazien ordered Saiya, ¡°To the retreat!¡± pulling all of them into her dimensional ability in an instant.
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Ability: Restful Retreat
Type: Spell (summon, magical, dimension, life)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (76%)
Crystal Effect: Summon nearby allies into a dimensional garden for a moderate duration. The inhabitants have greatly increased health regeneration and are periodically cleansed of Elemental Banes.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.
Sapphire Effect: The inhabitants undergo extreme mana regeneration, and the remaining cooldowns of other abilities are gradually reduced while in the dimensional garden.
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Phoenix was exceedingly grateful for the new Sapphire effect but didn¡¯t want them remaining out of the fight for too long.
¡°Was that a Corruption attack?¡± Rayna asked their leader.
¡°Corrupted Death and Earth,¡± he confirmed, moving to check on his partner, ¡°I wasn¡¯t risking Uriel again and figured we could also use the resource boost. This feels like the war all over again with these endless waves. We won¡¯t win a battle of attrition by not using every tool at our disposal.¡±
Phoenix grimaced as she tried to ignore the fallen allies that she couldn¡¯t protect any longer beyond the zen-like garden they were temporarily recovering in and looked to Dazien who had finished checking the hole in Uriel¡¯s tunic, ¡°I¡¯m going sky dragon.¡±
¡°No,¡± he responded quickly, ¡°We told you it¡¯s too dangerous with all these spells flying around. You¡¯re likely to fall to friendly fire before the enemy takes you out. You can only hold that form for so long, and if you can¡¯t get back here when it ends, you¡¯ll be completely exposed.¡±
¡°Then I best make the most of the time and get back here before that happens,¡± she said bluntly.
¡°See, this is you not being a good follower again,¡± Dazien said with exasperation, standing to face her and she silently cursed the handful of inches he had over her.
She imitated his cheeky grin as best she could as she replied, ¡°I guess this is what you all get for calling me a Princess, then. They¡¯re meant to lead, right?¡±
He chuckled, indulgently shaking his head, and gave an empty threat, ¡°Make sure to return on time, or else I might really make you the party leader.¡±
Phoenix still blanched at the idea and shook her head, ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± she promised and didn¡¯t wait a second longer than she had to when Saiya¡¯s spell ended, triggering [Avatar of Bakunawa], flooding her body with power along with the temporary fifth aura, [Soul of the Celestial], and infusing her allies with their own surge of Strength and Magic. Feeling the shape-shifting effects occur once again, she had gotten more accustomed to the odd sensation over the weeks of training, missions, and war.
Before the changes had even finished, she was already casting her most used ability that was already at the max of Crystal Caste: [Ruler of Relativity].
Phoenix was pulled skyward as she targeted the flying Crystal Caste enemies that were obviously Corrupted with their rotting flesh and glowing eyes and used her [Eclipse Breath] flames upon them before annihilating what was left with her silvery [Cosmic Talons]. As one enemy fell she pulled herself towards the next, managing to stay aloft by using the enemies as aerial platforms between bursts of mana pulling her through the air.
In the distance, she noticed an iridescent beam lancing into the large Firebird¡¯s wing, diverting its course from the oddly sparkling Cultivators Citadel and crashing into a tower within the Processing District. She had never actually visited that area yet and hoped it would still be there in the future for her to see. The distraction cost her as Sapphire claws raked across her back, and she used her ability to push herself away from the stronger foe.
She felt a surge of energy come from the Soul Reapers¡¯ vessel that was now directly above them, and a giant bright sphere lit up the night sky before quickly dimming. Phoenix was close enough to sense one of the Obsidian Caster¡¯s aura vanish and she hoped it was the defeat of the enemy but Kara had shown her that it was easy for Obsidian Casters to hide their aura from her meager Crystal senses.
The focus on her aura senses once more brought the sensation of her allies falling to the onslaught of monsters raining from the sky, and she grimaced once more at the continued loss.
Phoenix was distracted from her rising anger as Dazien¡¯s voice came over the party chat, ¡°Okay, Princess, times up. You need to get back here before it fades.¡±
The shape-shifted Wayfarer knew he was right as she felt the power begin to taper off, but she also knew that she needed to give it more if she wanted to save the lives on the wall until more help from the World Tree could arrive. She would be spent after returning either way, so she might as well go out with a bang.
¡°Sorry, Daze,¡± she replied softly over the chat, ¡°Looks like I really am a terrible follower after all.¡±
¡°Enough joking, Phoenix. There¡¯s nothing more you can do up there.¡±
¡°There is one thing. My secret isn¡¯t worth the lives of the Adventurers standing beside you or any of yours. I¡¯ll shout it to the whole world if it keeps you all alive.¡±
¡°No. You don¡¯t have to¨C¡±
Phoenix cut off the communication with a mental thought as she could feel herself running out of time and pulled out her last [Magi Fortune Booster] potion from her collection. Pulling herself towards the center of the flying mob, she downed the recoil potion and triggered [Supernova] with the long incantation.
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Warning: The selected ability, [Supernova], combined with the [Magi Fortune Booster], has resulted in an excellent compatibility match for increased effectiveness. You have been temporarily enhanced beyond current Caste levels. The ensuing recoil will result in reducing attributes below current Caste levels.
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The sky lit up again with the light of Phoenix in the center of her own personal sun. The enemies burned away in a torrent of white and blue ash raining down upon the city below as the overcharged mana tore through the Caged monsters, and Phoenix¡¯s aura automatically looted them, flooding her collection with mostly Mana Bits and ritual materials.
As she fell through the sky, she felt her body rapidly weaken as the debilitating effects of her avatar form took hold, and the aftereffects of the potion threatened to claim her life once more.
She felt her momentum slow as arms wrapped around her in the traditional bridal carry style, and a feminine voice scolded, ¡°You¡¯re an idiot. A volatile, stubborn idiot with a hero complex.¡±
¡°Your god seems to like it enough to send you to babysit,¡± Phoenix managed to retort weakly as Kara flew them through the air toward the wall and her fretting team.
A warm sensation entered her body as the Paladin triggered some kind of ability or item, Phoenix wasn¡¯t entirely sure as her consciousness threatened to abandon her at any moment.
¡°Will she live?¡± Dazien¡¯s voice said from somewhere nearby as she let Kara continue to carry her.
¡°Yes,¡± the blonde replied with a slight hint of annoyance still in her voice, ¡°Despite her best efforts not to. I am not so easily defeated. I told her that I wouldn¡¯t fail in my purpose.¡±
¡°Thank you,¡± Uriel said from somewhere else that Phoenix couldn¡¯t quite focus on. The warm sensation grew and seemed to help her focus as their movement stopped, and Kara set her against the half-barricade atop the walls.
The golden voxen bent down to look her over and meet her gaze as she said, ¡°While what you did was beyond reckless and well into suicidal, you gave me enough time to fly around the outer walls and incinerate most of the remaining monsters. I need to go and finish the other Obsidian though. My ability only bought me some time to do some clean-up when I noticed your suicidal explosion. Will you stay with your party now?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll chain her here myself if I have to,¡± Dazien stated firmly, glaring at the disobedient party member.
Phoenix managed to roll her eyes at him but nodded at Kara, ¡°I don¡¯t think I have anything left to sacrifice at the moment, so you¡¯ve got some time.¡±
The Paladin surprised them all by laughing aloud at the statement, ¡°Heroic martyr indeed. Well, I¡¯ll leave you to your party then,¡± she glanced at the other gathered party members and said with that too-cheery smile that thinly masked her threat making it all the more terrifying, ¡°If anything happens to her while I¡¯m gone, no one will even remember you existed.¡±
Then to their surprise, Kara abruptly stared up at the vessel above them, ¡°What in the abyss¨C¡±
Phoenix wasn¡¯t entirely sure what happened next but explosions, ash, and screaming filled the air as Kara pulled her party members together before shielding them with a fanned-out tail shining with light.
When the furry barrier relented, Phoenix and her entire party stood and looked on in horror at the destruction.
The blossom canons upon the ship seemed to have bloomed and sent a volley of massive laser beams streaking across the city in every direction. The next sound that joined the screaming was various buildings collapsing all over the city after being cut in half.
Saiya clung to her sister and sobbed while the rest of King¡¯s Dream looked on in shock as the fall of Tulimeir seemed inevitable with the ship hovering above them preparing to send another volley.
¡°Well, that was delicious,¡± a smooth masculine voice said from behind her as a Divine aura swept over the group, and they all turned to see a softly glowing man. He was wearing a black suit with sleek black hair framing a pale face and pitch-black eyes that were taking in the destruction around them.
Phoenix felt Uriel¡¯s arms wrap protectively around her and pull her back against his own body as the Cataclysm Mage snarled at the deity, ¡°Fuck off, Destroyer.¡±
56 - You Are More
¡°Is that any way to greet me, my Chosen?¡± the deity said with a disapproving click of his tongue, ¡°It¡¯s been so long since we¡¯ve spoken, after all.¡±
¡°Considering the last we spoke was when my parents died¨C¡±
¡°And I granted your wish for power¨C¡±
¡°You turned me into a monster!¡± Uriel shouted, his hold on Phoenix tightening, and she wished she could use her aura to soothe him like Saiya¡¯s could.
¡°Careful,¡± the god said calmly, tapping his human-like ear, ¡°Get too angry and your pitiful jewelry won¡¯t be able to contain it.¡±
Phoenix glanced up to make sure the earrings were indeed in place and wondered what could possibly cause Uriel to get so mad that he broke the magic items.
¡°You wouldn¡¯t want another death to be your fault, right?¡± Destroyer asked, taking a few steps closer.
Uriel moved her more, turning them to try and place his body between her and the approaching deity as he warned the god, ¡°You¡¯re not touching her. I¡¯ll try to fight Kara just to give her a way to steal more power from you by killing me.¡±
¡°No!¡± Dazien quickly retorted, moving in front of them both, ¡°Don¡¯t, Senesh. He can¡¯t force her. Please, calm down. Don¡¯t let him play to your anger and fear.¡±
¡°Despite what you all may think, I¡¯m not actually here to mark your precious Wayfarer¡ though, I¡¯m sure it would be accepted,¡± he gestured to the sky before them filled with monster ash, ¡°She causes such beautiful destruction already even without my influence.¡±
The handsome yet eerie deity turned slightly to meet her eyes as he added with a smile, ¡°After all, she chose to fight instead of protect and heal others on the wall. So much more destruction caused by that choice. She may as well dedicate herself to me now.¡±
Phoenix looked at him in shock and horror at the accusation and rebuked, ¡°By taking out those monsters, I stopped them from hurting more people!¡±
¡°Instead of portaling those people to safety or protecting them with your auras,¡± the deity took another step closer, causing Dazien to turn and stand beside them, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to make you upset, my lovely Princess. I¡¯m quite pleased by your choices so far.¡±
Destroyer then looked to Uriel instead, raising a hand to lightly brush against the cinderen¡¯s trembling cheek as he added, ¡°Even reassuring my Chosen that he can live and use his abilities without the guilt that plagues him. I couldn¡¯t have asked for better companions for him.¡±
¡°What do you want, if not to mark Phoenix?¡± Kara finally interjected angrily, her golden fur bristling and ears flattened, ¡°I have a ship to destroy, so make this quick.¡±
¡°You are also lovely, my explosive champion,¡± the god said with a smirk, ¡°But I believe you understand how much more damage will be caused if you try destroying that vessel where it is, not to mention that Obsidian Caster about to break out of your spell.¡±
The Paladin grimaced and said, ¡°It will be less than if it keeps firing. You should be happy either way.¡±
¡°I learned long ago that becoming too greedy works against me,¡± Destroyer said with a soft sigh, ¡°It is to my detriment to completely destroy the world because there would be nothing left to keep destroying. No more power to gain. Better to pace myself and create self-sustaining methods of destruction.¡±
Phoenix found herself both reassured and discomforted by that proclamation. Great that mutually assured destruction was being actively avoided, yet terrible that it inevitably resulted in more pain and loss.
¡°You¡¯re still wasting my time,¡± Kara retorted, ¡°If you¡¯re not going to¨C¡±
¡°But I am planning to help,¡± the god interjected, ¡°See, these interlopers threaten my existence as well. I don¡¯t want this city completely gone, nor my Chosen to die with it. To save Uriel, I plan to help save the city by destroying our enemy entirely.¡±
¡°A miracle?¡± Rayna asked skeptically from behind the Wayfarer, ¡°Are you hoping to trade a blessing for a mark of Favor on Phoenix.¡±
¡°No, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s needed. I¡¯m merely going to offer information in exchange for a quest.¡±
¡°Information?¡± Phoenix asked, not understanding what the god could possibly say that would make them able to suddenly win.
¡°I¡¯m going to teach you how to use that Soul Mark of yours,¡± the god said with a grin, ¡°In exchange, the quest is simply to empower Kara Fairweather with it so she can obliterate the Soul Reapers.¡±
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New Quest: Deal with the Destroyer
The Destroyer wishes to bargain.
Objective: Learn to use the power locked within your Soul Mark on Kara Fairweather.
Reward: Information and Title.
Objective: Help destroy the Soul Reaper vessel.
Reward: Sapphire Caste Spirit Gem
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She blinked owlishly at her [Guide Book] in surprise and felt Uriel tense beside her, but when she looked at her friends, they all seemed just as confused as she was.
Glancing at Kara, however, showed a grimace that caused her to ask, ¡°You know what he¡¯s talking about?¡±
The voxen didn¡¯t meet her eyes as the Paladin admitted, ¡°Technically, yes. Though I wasn¡¯t sure if you were capable of it yet at Crystal Caste.¡±
¡°All of the Chosen are capable of becoming one, but few ever live long enough to reach immortality and unlock the power. You don¡¯t have to worry about that, however,¡± the god pointed out.
¡°Become one what?¡± she asked, hating these half-answers that were causing more questions.
¡°Well, that information depends on if you accept my quest.¡±
She looked between her book and Kara again, ¡°Is it some kind of trick?¡±
The Paladin frowned, ¡°Champion is still sleeping so I can¡¯t confirm it, but I don¡¯t think it is; despite my gut instincts not wanting to trust one of the Voidsworn¡¯s gods. If the quest is just to help do what I was planning to do anyway, then I don¡¯t see the downside.¡±
¡°There¡¯s not one but a trade must be made or I have to pay something and I¡¯d rather make the deal more favorable for me if that was the case,¡± the stingy deity replied.
Phoenix looked up at Uriel and gently tugged on his tunic to get his attention as it was still fixed upon Destroyer. He glanced down, and she asked, ¡°Did he try to trick you when you made your deal like Trickster seemed to be?¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Uriel frowned but shook his head, ¡°No. He even made sure to clarify a bit of the limitations of what I would be getting. He didn¡¯t give me the power to destroy my enemy immediately like I asked¡ he said I would be able to eventually.¡±
She turned back to the cold void black eyes of the god and said, ¡°Fine. Information in exchange for helping Kara destroy the Soul Reaper ship. I accept your quest, so what will I become?¡±
¡°A Saint,¡± Destroyer replied with a grin, ¡°An immortal Chosen of the gods that can channel their power into temporary miraculous blessings. Most can¡¯t do this until Obsidian Caste when they gain immortality and have the strength to survive the potential backlash.¡±
¡°Backlash?¡± she asked, not letting something like that just slip by.
¡°Much like how us deities will suffer a backlash if our Chosen ones die, so too does a Saint should their blessed target die before the power is used up. Some Chosen have accepted that risk before hitting Obsidian and died because of it themselves¡ but again, that¡¯s not an issue for you. At least not a permanent one.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s mind reeled at the information, wondering if she could have used this hidden power sooner and why the gods had never told her before now¡ could she have done things differently before? Could she have saved Paul without Caging him?
¡°I should note, you can only bless people that are connected to one of the gods whose mark you bear,¡± Destroyer added, ¡°You can bless Kara Fairweather because she is dedicated to the Champion,¡± he then gestured toward her best friend, ¡°Uriel can even bless my own devoted, though I would rather he didn¡¯t until he is immortal in his own right.¡±
¡°I will never bless your clergy,¡± Uriel retorted, and she readjusted to try holding his hand like Saiya would do for her.
¡°Not all of the people who follow me are like the ones you¡¯ve met before,¡± Destroyer said before looking back to her and saying, ¡°Now,¡± Uriel flinched at the word, and she wanted to growl at the smirking god, ¡°To actually use that Soul Mark, you just need to touch the Paladin here and concentrate on the bond between you and Champion until you can sense that same bond connecting even further to the other clergy.
¡°It¡¯s similar to how all of them can sense you as well. It would be easier if you actually dedicated yourself to said deity, but I don¡¯t think any of us actually want you to do that, lest it not include one of us. A sort of ¡®all or none¡¯ kind of mentality there.¡±
¡°So I just have to focus on the bond connecting both me and Kara to Champion?¡± Phoenix clarified with a raised brow.
¡°Then just focus on pushing the power of one of your gods into her with the base concept of what you want it to do. In this case, to help her destroy the ship.¡±
¡°One of my gods?¡± she asked, ¡°Not Champion¡¯s?¡±
¡°Well, it works better if the concept of what you want the blessing to do matches the concept of the deity you¡¯re pulling from,¡± he gave a wicked smile, ¡°In this instance, my own concept would work best.¡±
¡°Or mine,¡± another voice said from nearby as the feeling of divinity intensified and Phoenix had to nudge Dazien out of the way to clearly see the god she actually recognized.
Hero stood there, arms crossed over his leather armor, as he smiled at her. The short pink hair was just as bright as she remembered and contrasted with the brilliant blue eyes that glowed as brightly as the rest of him.
¡°I think you¡¯ve done enough heroics to warrant using my power for this,¡± the newcomer said, ¡°And it won¡¯t make you feel pressured into accepting Destroyer¡¯s Favor if that¡¯s not what you truly desire.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me not to accept it if he offered?¡± she asked curiously.
¡°No,¡± the deity replied, surprising most of them. ¡°Heroes often have to destroy things in order to save others. Mostly themselves.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure if I should be relieved or worried when you put it like that,¡± Phoenix grumbled, causing Hero to chuckle softly.
¡°I¡¯m grateful that you don¡¯t want her to feel like she has to sacrifice a piece of her soul to the Destroyer in order to help others,¡± Dazien said suddenly, surprising her with the weird intensity he seemed to be giving off as he seemed to stare angrily at the god.
Then his question made her understand why that was, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you offer Uriel the same in his hour of need? When he had lost all hope.¡±
Hero frowned at Dazien before replying softly, ¡°He didn¡¯t ask for the power to help others¡ He had that strength of conviction already but he asked for the power to destroy everyone, which is not my purpose.¡±
The sound of a nearby tower collapsing interrupted the conversation as Kara moved to grab Phoenix¡¯s hands from Uriel¡¯s and said firmly, ¡°We¡¯ve wasted too much time already. Focus on me and Champion and grant Hero¡¯s blessing to me. Then go help evacuate more people with your party. I can¡¯t guarantee that the ship won¡¯t create more destruction upon the city and I¡¯d rather keep your party alive.¡±
Phoenix nodded, closed her eyes, and concentrated as best she could, but it was difficult to block out the screams, additional explosions, and the sound of glass shattering. A warm hand sent a tingle of magic across her as it grabbed her shoulder, and she heard Hero¡¯s voice whisper into her ear, ¡°I¡¯ll help guide you.¡±
It was like unlocking an Aspect ability. She could feel Hero guiding her intuition to grasp the bond linking her soul to Kara¡¯s through the Champion, then tugged at her own connection with Hero to grant Kara just a trickle of the Divine power into a temporary status effect.
Status Effect: Divine Supernova of the Hero
Effects:
- You can expend this power to create an explosion of magic centered on you.
- Inflicts Arcane, Fire, Light, and Radiant damage to nearby enemies and specifically targeted structures.
- Heals nearby allies and grants them a temporary shield from all damage types for a short duration.
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Then she felt a different one settle upon her in turn.
Status Effect: Twist of Fate
Effects:
- Until [Divine Supernova of the Hero] is expended by Kara Fairweather, your life is bonded to hers, resulting in shared death.
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Then she got another few messages from her book floating nearby that she hadn¡¯t been expecting and wasn¡¯t entirely sure she was grateful for.
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Quest: Deal with the Destroyer
Objective complete: Became a Saint by blessing Kara Fairweather.
You have gained a new Title.
Hidden Objective Complete: Don¡¯t use Destroyer¡¯s power.
Bonus Reward: [Sigil of the Hero] has been added to your collection.
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New Divine Title: Saint of the Celestial Pantheon
Your aura has been slightly modified by unlocking the power of your Soul Mark. The ability to grant divine blessings can be sensed within it. Your aura has greatly increased effects when under the effects of [Twist of Fate].
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Note: You have used the power contained within one of your Soul Marks. You cannot call upon Hero¡¯s power again for one year unless otherwise replenished.
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Kara gave her a feral grin and vanished in a flash of light almost immediately, leaving her with her party and the pair of gods who were now off to the side from them, discussing something that she definitely couldn¡¯t hear and doubted any of her party members could if the deities didn¡¯t want them to know.
¡°We should go help others now,¡± Dazien finally broke the silence for all of them. Placing his own hand where Hero¡¯s had been a moment before, he said gently to her, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re still feeling exhausted, but can you still conjure portals for people to get to the World Tree where it¡¯s safer?¡±
She nodded weakly, stumbling slightly as she tried to walk forward and accepting Uriel¡¯s arm as he caught her, ¡°Sorry, that felt like all the gods got handsy with my soul all at once. I think my mana¡¯s technically okay now, though.¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t you gods wasting your precious power by having projections still here, or do you have more business with Phoenix now that the Champion¡¯s Paladin is gone?¡± Rayna asked with a slight growl as she addressed the pair of gods.
¡°We had things to discuss, my excitable Shatterer,¡± Destroyer replied with a smirk, ¡°We cannot enter each other¡¯s sanctuaries, so here is as good a place as any.¡±
¡°We shall be departing now,¡± Hero said, then nodded towards the Wayfarer as he added, ¡°You¡¯ve been doing okay so far, but you are more than what you believe, Phoenix Wayland. Just remember that relying on your friends is not a weakness, and sacrificing your life is not always heroic. If you manage to survive this battle, then you have my congratulations on reaching the Sapphire Caste.¡±
Before she could reply, the god had vanished in the blink of an eye. Destroyer gave a small sigh before turning to her and saying, ¡°If you do decide you need my expertise for something, don¡¯t hesitate to offer my place among your Soul Mark. This blood moon and war have given me plenty of power to spend, and I hope that my efforts here have proven that I, for one, am not always the monster I¡¯ve been made out to be.¡±
His gaze slid over to Uriel as he added before vanishing as well, ¡°Even my Chosen children can become beautiful butterflies that destroy the chrysalis holding them back. I¡¯m looking forward to you becoming a Saint one day as well, my wonderful Annihilator.¡±
Then they were all engulfed in a brilliant swirl of rainbow light as Kara became a supernova.
57 - Break the Obsidian
Kara was feeling strangely ecstatic by the feeling of the Divine power nestled within her, begging to fulfill its purpose. She had heard stories about the Saints before, creating miracles like the one she was likely about to be the instrument for; it was an honor she had never really contemplated actually achieving before.
While she had left in a hurry, it wasn¡¯t to immediately explode the vessel above them, though she was still concerned about the blossom canons reaching full power once again and unleashing even more devastation. Her main concern was making sure that the Obsidian Caster she had momentarily waylaid wouldn¡¯t avoid being caught within the area of her new power.
The Paladin was relieved to find her ability still containing the Bloodmancer, if only barely. He would likely finish the test of courage soon and break free of the dimensional space based on how bright the sphere was currently shining as it floated above the Ruby Caste ship.
Kara reconjured her [Champion¡¯s Morning Star] and prepared to unleash the new ability as soon as the other Caster reappeared or if she felt that same surge of magic from the ship before it fired off its array of weapons. She wouldn¡¯t let them attack again but wanted to break the Obsidian Caster along with it.
Luckily, she didn¡¯t have to wait long as the sphere flashed and shattered in a shower of sunlight, the felion man¡¯s cat-like eyes instantly narrowing in on her as he snarled in rage, ¡°You abyssal bit¨C¡±
His insult was interrupted when she swung her spiked mace overhead ¨Cusing it to further boost the power she channeled through it¨C and brought it down directly upon his head as she released the [Divine Supernova of the Hero].
The swirling rainbow light of Radiant magic consumed them, shredding both the already weakened Caster and the Ruby vessel.
It kept expanding, however.
Any blessing of an ability would normally use the recipient¡¯s own Caste level as the base for how strong or effective it was. The divinity portion of it was a rather minor boost on top of that, while most of it went into unlocking the capability in the first place.
At the lowest level of Obsidian, this power was strong enough to engulf the entire city of Tulimeir.
The magic responded to her own will, not destroying any other structures aside from the Soul Reapers¡¯ ship. It instantly annihilated the plethora of monsters that had fallen within the city during their brief chat with deities while healing and shielding every citizen still living within it.
It was an incredible feeling of pure power, and Kara suddenly understood why Phoenix might be tempted to use it as often as possible.
When the ability came to an end and the power completely depleted, thus ending her ability to use it, she was pleased to find there was no ship debris left to fall upon the city below. It had been utterly annihilated.
The Obsidian Caster was also destroyed, his aura having instantly unraveled and dissipated when there was no longer a body to cling to. They had won, and the city had survived, though was still heavily damaged. She moved quickly to the nearest building that was still in the process of collapsing.
Kara couldn¡¯t fix or stop the tower from falling, but she could make sure the people were clear of it and relocated before their temporary barriers wore off. The Paladin wasn¡¯t sure exactly how long that would be, so she didn¡¯t waste any time as she sped through the city.
The amount of damage was extensive but not complete, and she knew they would eventually recover. The biggest saving grace was that the outer city walls appeared to still be intact by some miracle, so monsters roaming in from beyond it wouldn¡¯t be an immediate concern.
While it would likely take years for the city to truly recover, for now, at least, they were safe again.
Roimeldor stared through the window display in his office at the world of Makera far from their main command vessel, but the magitech in the window itself made it seem much closer. He hadn¡¯t often felt like this in his eons of traveling the cosmos, but he was utterly dumbfounded by the sight of what appeared to be a rainbow nuclear explosion over the city he had sent one of their best combatants to.
¡°Display the scout sight,¡± he ordered, having made sure the little Hollyhock Caste devices had gone with them to get a better reading of what was happening on this tiny portion of frozen tundra that kept thwarting their efforts.
The window showed a flash of rainbow light before going completely black, and he growled to his ship, ¡°Replay the last minute with the source of that ability in focus.¡±
He watched as the scout seemed to focus on a golden voxen woman holding what looked like a spiky sun on a golden rod and watching a large shining sphere, looking like she was waiting for¡ something. Then he realized it was for Metyadur, his Hollyhock combatant, as the man reappeared only to get smashed over the head by the woman, and the screen went blank again as the scout got caught up in whatever insane ability the city¡¯s defender had unleashed.
The door to his office slid open, and he snapped, ¡°Report.¡±
Asyamil seemed to hesitate slightly at his obvious bad mood but wisely answered, ¡°Divine Intervention was confirmed this time, sir. It appears the Wayfarer we were made aware of is a Saint of multiple deities within that world. She blessed the Hollyhock Paladin.¡±
The Commander of the Soul Reapers continued staring out the window as he said to the ship, ¡°Replay the last ten minutes with the Daisy Caste Wayfarer in focus.¡±
They both watched silently as the scout replayed the interaction between the Wayfarer, Paladin, and a pair of blasted deities. He hated concept gods that cared for nothing but spreading their purpose. Too many times he had found them using souls as nothing but pawns in their pursuits, and his people had often suffered from their whims.
It appeared that the ones on Makera were more civilized than the ones on Erythros, its sister planet, but he still didn¡¯t trust their intentions in the slightest. It pained him to watch as the poor redheaded girl seemed to bend to their desires and used the dangerous power of the Soul Mark to become a Saint. He wondered if they even bothered to warn her of the death that would come should her champion fail.
¡°Wait, did they say she was already immortal at Daisy Caste?¡± his second-in-command asked, trying to lip-read along with him as the scout only captured visuals.
He frowned and slowly nodded, ¡°They did. Do you think they know already about how we reconstruct people from their souls? I had hoped to keep that under wraps for longer this time.¡±
¡°Probably, but it seemed like this Destroyer one didn¡¯t want to risk the boy. Seeing two Chosen together like this¡ not to mention the number of deities the scout was able to pick up this time from the Wayfarer¡¯s aura signature¡ Well, I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡±
¡°Anything interesting in her titles?¡±
¡°Not from just the aura scan. You know it¡¯s not as comprehensive as the soul analysis we can do once we¡¯ve reaped them. I¡¯m not sure we¡¯ll be able to get her particular soul with a Hollyhock Caster and multiple gods protecting her like this.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
¡°I¡¯d definitely be interested in seeing that analysis,¡± he murmured, ¡°I¡¯ve also never seen so many concept gods cling to a mortal like this. There must be something special about her¡ Should we send¨C¡±
The door slid open once more, and a freshly reconstructed Daisy Caster entered, breathing heavily as he stood in the room, trying to catch his breath.
¡°I know it¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve had to deal with lungs Haldambar, but you shouldn¡¯t¨C¡±
¡°Sir!¡± the Void-attuned assassin gasped out, ¡°We found Naira!¡±
If Roimeldor had a heart, it would have stopped at those words. He almost couldn¡¯t believe he had heard the man correctly, and he clarified, ¡°We found Naira¡¯s soul?¡±
¡°Yes, sir,¡± the man confirmed, getting better control of his breathing, ¡°They¡¯re with the Abyssal Dragoon. Taking shelter in a Reality Rift with the protection of a Hollyhock Caster, but they said they¡¯re willing to parley with you after we explained what we wanted and confirmed the soul signature.¡±
¡°Parley?¡± he repeated incredulously, ¡°You have got to be¨C¡± he cut himself off as he rubbed a palm over his face. Trying to keep his hope or doubt from getting the best of him. Then he carefully asked, ¡°What kind of Hollyhock?¡± not wanting to fall into some kind of trap. Not when he was so close to his goal.
¡°A Wild Wanderer and Monk of the Hermit, apparently,¡± Haldambar replied, obviously just as disgusted with the idea of a Hollyhock tied to a deity like that.
Giving up cosmic agency and access to one¡¯s soul in exchange for a sliver of power had become ingrained in their culture as something to be pitied and avoided, yet so many people in so many realities unwittingly did so. They practically crippled themselves should they ever wish to completely leave their original reality and explore the greater cosmos.
That wasn¡¯t really their fight, though, and he focused back on his current predicament. ¡°Well, that¡¯s an odd one,¡± he muttered, a rare bit of uncertainty shrouding his mind as he tried to weigh the risks of sending someone other than himself for this retrieval.
Asyamil placed a pale hand on his arm as she said softly to him, ¡°Sir, they¡¯re your Soul Mate. This is the last one for us to retrieve before we can all go to our new home. It¡¯s the entire reason we¡¯re here.¡±
¡°It feels like a trap,¡± he replied just as softly, ¡°If this Reality Rift doesn¡¯t have our targeting rituals within it to pinpoint its location, then we won¡¯t be able to reap the souls within properly. That means if they manage to kill Naira or myself¡¡±
¡°We¡¯ll find you both,¡± his Second replied firmly, ¡°Just like we have for millennia. You helped every single one of us reunite with our own Soul Mates or other Kindred Spirits. We won¡¯t leave you and yours behind.¡±
He watched her for a long moment before finally nodding and walking towards the Daisy Caster as he ordered, ¡°Lead the way, I guess. I want to verify this soul signature.¡±
|
Quest: Deal with the Destroyer
Objective complete: Helped destroy the Soul Reaper vessel.
[Abyss Spirit Gem] has been added to your collection.
Quest completed.
30 [Crystal Mana Bit] has been added to your collection.
|
It was hours after the divine supernova lit up the capital city, and Phoenix received that message for her completed quest before King¡¯s Dream finally stopped to rest. Kara, Veldrix, and Mint ¨Calong with the Emerald Casters built around Agility¨C had done much to aid the rescue efforts. Their speed alone was able to help clear out the buildings that were in the process of collapsing still, along with many of the ones surrounding them, just in case the Sapphire Caste structures couldn¡¯t withstand the massive strain that had been put upon them.
All of King¡¯s Dream were both physically and mentally exhausted from both the hours of lifting rubble to help rescue those trapped beneath it and the sight of the numerous bodies of the people who hadn¡¯t survived long enough to be granted the divine healing and shield. It would likely be months until they had the new death toll, but Phoenix assumed it would easily be in the tens of thousands after what she had witnessed.
Phoenix found herself growing angrier as the day turned into night, and more bodies kept being uncovered. The lives they had managed to save didn¡¯t feel like enough to outweigh what she kept seeing as a pointless loss. If she had only known earlier that she could bless Kara like that, could she have prevented all of this?
Finding the Wayland estate still intact did little to lift her mood, despite being grateful for it. She didn¡¯t feel like going to the World Tree when it felt like there was still so much to do here in Tulimeir. The city had already been hurt by the assault that claimed so many beyond the eastern walls. This only compounded that loss, and she wondered if she had lost even more friends and acquaintances this time around.
She had contemplated seeking out Saiya¡¯s soothing aura, but the Healer had seemed especially distraught from the fallout of the massive casualties and mourning city struggling to unbury bodies while failing to bury their grief. So she hoped to leave Saiya to rest without piling on her own worries.
Phoenix found herself knocking on the door that Dazien normally had across from her, expecting both him and Uriel to be inside. As her brother opened the door for her, he gave a gentle smile as he asked, ¡°Don¡¯t want to be alone?¡±
She shook her head, ¡°I can¡¯t make my mind shut up,¡± she grumbled, ¡°It keeps blaming me for everything.¡±
He stepped forward to wrap her in a hug as he said firmly, ¡°Don¡¯t, Princess. You can¡¯t blame yourself for every bad thing that happens around you.¡±
She felt her throat swell and nose wrinkle as she countered, ¡°But all those people that died¨C¡±
¡°You saved so many lives with what you did today,¡± he interjected, then stepped back and pulled her into the room. Closing the door behind her, he began to lead her to the couch where Uriel was already sitting in front of the hearth wrapped in a blanket, ¡°We both know that if you had been given the chance to save even more, you would have given everything to do so. It is not your fault that the city was attacked and that people died from it.¡±
Uriel opened his arms wide in invitation, and she fell into them, taking comfort in the warm embrace of her friend. As he wrapped the blanket back around the both of them, Dazien took the space next to them, leaning his own head against the cinderen¡¯s large shoulder.
¡°Destruction could have shown himself and made that same deal sooner,¡± Uriel said to her, ¡°If I had known about it earlier, I could have done the same thing to give Kara the power. It likely wouldn¡¯t have been the same or been able to heal the people, but they wouldn¡¯t have been injured in the first place, and I¡¯m sure it would have destroyed the enemy all the same.¡±
¡°Gods play by their own rules,¡± Dazien sighed, with his eyes closed as he spoke, and she noticed him entwining his fingers into Uriel¡¯s own in a rare display of affection that she actually felt proud that they trusted showing her, ¡°We¡¯re lucky someone like Destroyer even bothered to save lives at all.¡±
¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to try getting some sleep, Princess?¡± Uriel whispered to her, then added with a smile, ¡°I think King is going to pass out pretty quickly.¡±
¡°I¡¯m just resting my eyes,¡± he retorted, but his body wasn¡¯t moving to indicate otherwise.
¡°I¡¯m pretty sure if I relax too much, I¡¯m going to ascend,¡± she said softly, which did get the gemite to peek one of those amethyst eyes in her direction.
¡°Hero wasn¡¯t joking about that?¡±
¡°No,¡± she confirmed, ¡°I could sense it with that last [Supernova] I cast. That battle pushed me to the limits, and now I just need to cultivate that last bit. I don¡¯t want to be in a coma for the next three days, though, like you, Saiya, and Rayna were. There¡¯s still too much to do.¡±
¡°You should still rest,¡± Uriel said, ¡°It¡¯s not good to push yourself too far. I don¡¯t want to watch you break from it.¡±
¡°There will always be more to do, Phoenix,¡± Dazien pointed out, ¡°Nobody¡¯s going to complain about you being unconscious for a few days because you gave so much and ascended from the effort.¡±
¡°And if they do complain, Daze will be sure to shut them up,¡± Uriel added with a grin, ¡°He can be pretty persuasive when he wants to be.¡±
¡°Which is always,¡± her brother interjected with his own smirk before it turned into a yawn, ¡°So sleep or ascend or simply let Uriel keep you warm, but either way, you should rest now. We¡¯ll have plenty to do once we¡¯re all coherent again.¡±
Phoenix nodded and closed her eyes, forcing herself to relax but didn¡¯t focus on visiting her little soul library to cultivate her abilities. She wasn¡¯t sure if that effort would be enough to keep her from ascending.
It was only moments later that both Uriel and she sensed Dazien fall asleep, and her mind began wandering again. She found herself regretting a lot of things and ended up mournfully whispering to her friend, ¡°I miss Paul¡ and my mom.¡±
¡°I miss my parents too¡ and my sister. I know what you¡¯re feeling, Phoenix. Not like Saiya, but from my own experiences. I understand what it feels like to wish you could go back and do things differently.¡±
¡°But we can¡¯t.¡±
¡°No,¡± he confirmed, ¡°But like I keep getting told, we can try to learn from it and do better in the future.¡±
¡°Knowing that doesn¡¯t seem to help me miss them less¡¡±
She felt his cheek rest on the top of her head as he hugged her tight to him and agreed, ¡°I know.¡±
58 - Abyssal Dragoon
Phoenix awoke to a furry tail tickling her nose, and she found herself wedged between a sleeping Uriel and Saiya on the now-crowded couch. The voxen had apparently wedged herself between the gemite and Wayfarer sometime during the night while Rayna and Presley were both sprawled out in their own chairs nearby.
Dusky tan ears twitched as Saiya glanced up and sleepily whispered, ¡°Sorry, I just really needed to be closer to all of you after that.¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she replied equally quietly and not quite ready to get up, ¡°I know it was rough on you to be bombarded like that.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve gotten pretty good at filtering out my emotional perception, but that¡ I got a bit overloaded, sorry.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t be. I think we¡¯re all feeling a bit overloaded, and that¡¯s not helping you either.¡±
The Healer shook her head, ¡°You all seemed tired last night, but either your dreams were fine, or you were too tired for them.¡±
¡°Probably the latter,¡± she replied with a yawn, ¡°What time is it? I didn¡¯t ascend on accident, it looks like, so that¡¯s good, but I probably shouldn¡¯t try to push it too long.¡±
Saiya readjusted slightly to look back behind the sofa to the clock on the wall. Phoenix couldn¡¯t get a good angle on it without waking up Uriel, ¡°Looks like it¡¯s almost midday. So we¡¯ve rested quite a bit.¡±
¡°I was going to wake you soon if you didn¡¯t naturally,¡± Kara said from nearby, and both she and Saiya jumped at the unexpected voice. The golden voxen grinned as she leaned forward ¨Cimpossibly perched atop a high-tech barrel from the vessel that could collapse down into a flat disk for easy transport and that she definitely didn¡¯t remember being there before¨C from the other side of Uriel, who had startled awake as well. Kara didn¡¯t look very apologetic as she said, ¡°Sorry. Glad to see all of you safe and sound, though.¡±
Uriel gave a soft groan as he said, ¡°I think we mostly have you to thank for that.¡±
¡°Yep,¡± the Paladin replied, ¡°There¡¯s still more to do, though, and we¡¯ve been asked to join a super secret meeting soon.¡±
¡°Meeting?¡± Phoenix asked in confusion, ¡°Aren¡¯t there still people to rescue?¡±
¡°No, we¡¯ve gotten anyone still living to safety. Many are at the World Tree now, but most have begun clean-up efforts. I don¡¯t think I can accurately express exactly how many people your blessing helped save just from the healing and shielding alone.¡±
¡°That was mostly you. I couldn¡¯t have done something like that or on that large of scale,¡± she pointed out.
¡°I couldn¡¯t have done it at all without you,¡± Kara retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short on this. Sure, you might have just played the part of a conduit, but if you hadn¡¯t been here, this city would have been destroyed three times over by now.¡±
As she fell silent, not able to argue that point at least, Saiya spoke up, ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask something, Paladin Fairweather.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve said to call me Kara, lil kit,¡± the golden voxen said with a grin.
¡°Right, sorry,¡± the Healer replied with a soft smile, ¡°I just wanted to ask, why aren''t you able to go fight the Soul Reapers at wherever they¡¯re stationed? Wouldn¡¯t that save the most lives and prevent collateral damage?¡±
Kara gave a frown, ¡°That¡¯s a bit of a complex answer. They¡¯re based in outer space. While I can fly and could survive out in space for a while ¨Cgiven the right amount of preparation¨C there are two main reasons I can¡¯t. The first is my personal Oathbond to the Champion.¡±
She lifted her right arm and pulled back a sleeve to show the rainbow runes that seemed almost dyed into her fur, ¡°When I first swore to become a Paladin and asked for a blessing, I vowed to always stay within her influence. At the time, that wasn¡¯t much of a downside. I just couldn¡¯t go into Reality Rifts, which I wasn¡¯t particularly interested in exploring anyways.¡±
¡°I think I remember Scholar saying that her influence doesn¡¯t go that far beyond the planet¡¯s atmosphere. Is that true for all the gods?¡± she asked.
The Sunlight Champion nodded, ¡°For most, yes. It takes eons for it to expand naturally.¡±
¡°What was the second reason,¡± Saiya asked curiously.
¡°I¡¯d probably die very quickly,¡± Kara stated bluntly, ¡°It¡¯s an understatement to say Obsidian Casters¡¯ strength grows slower than a snail¡¯s pace. I¡¯ve been a rather active Obsidian Paladin for close to a hundred and fifty years, and I¡¯m still at Obsidian 1.¡±
¡°Sure, but there are older and stronger Obsidian Casters here on Makera, aren¡¯t there? Daze has told me plenty of historical stories about them,¡± Uriel pointed out in confusion.
¡°Yes, but none of them seem willing or able to try and take on whatever is out there either. I did hear some talk about trying to gather up any Obsidians willing to try a joint attack, but many of us were and still are occupied with protecting our homelands during the blood moon.¡±
¡°So it likely won¡¯t happen until after the blood moon is over, if at all?¡± Phoenix asked, feeling a bit of despair at the thought of never-ending war with the invaders.
¡°I think part of that is actually what we¡¯ll be meeting about,¡± Kara surprised them by saying, ¡°Scholar¡¯s clergy have been spreading the word that the Soul Reapers have agreed to halt any hostilities on Makera. They¡¯re leaving the planet.¡±
Phoenix felt a bit¡ uncertain about being included in this large room full of very important people located on one of the floors of the Ducal Palace at the very center of the city and that had survived the battle mainly due to its Emerald Caste materials being intended as the last bastion within the city.
Each Noble House had representatives present; she recognized Lord Ethan Teras among them and was relieved to see Polissa sitting beside him. Many Heirs were present with their Heads of Houses ¨Cherself and Dazien included along with Patricia on her other side as Ambassador.
Every remaining High Priest, as well as many major Organization leaders, were also present as the Duke stood near the front of the assembly. Beside him was the Royal Knight Veldrix Thevaris, whom she had yet to actually meet but was immediately intrigued by the fact that they were a gemite like Dazien.
Front and center in the room, however, was a voxen that looked like a child had fun coloring on. The Avatar of the Scholar and Rebel spoke to the assembled VIPs about the message his goddess had been allowed to spread everywhere.
¡°The Commander of the Soul Reapers made a deal with a Caster on the continent of Saaret. In exchange for a particular soul, they agreed to cease any hostile actions upon Makera and are withdrawing their forces as we speak.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Murmurs broke out among those gathered, and Duke Tul spoke up, asking Everin, ¡°Which ancient Obsidian Caster managed to pull off that negotiation?¡±
The voxen hesitated a moment before admitting, ¡°It was an Emerald Caste Abyssal Dragoon¡¡± Then his odd black and white eyes slid towards her as he stated, ¡°A Wayfarer named Chae-Yeong Jin.¡±
Phoenix startled the entire room as she shouted in utter disbelief, ¡°Shut up!¡±
Kara looked at her in amusement from her seat near the front of the room as Dazien looked on in concern while the rest of the room seemed to wonder if the Wayfarer had lost her mind by insulting the Avatar.
¡°You know this Wayfarer, Regent Wayland?¡± Director Trayvious asked as her mind raced back to the time before she ever arrived in this world.
¡°I¨C¡± she hesitated, uncertain if it was even possible, ¡°It could just be a really weird coincidence¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Everin said, ¡°She remembers you, Phoenix.¡±
¡°She¨C¡± the Wayfarer wasn¡¯t exactly sure how to respond, not wanting to keep the attention of the entire room on her as she tried processing the fact that Jin was actually alive and here on this strange world with her¡ and an Emerald Caster already!
¡°She was my best friend back on my home world,¡± she tried to explain to the waiting people in the room, ¡°But I thought she died years ago. I have no idea what she¡¯s been doing here.¡±
¡°Apparently, saving our world while you save our city,¡± the duke said, then surprised her by giving a respectful bow toward her as he added, ¡°Paladin Fairweather has explained what you did when Destroyer and Hero showed themselves to you upon the wall, along with the risk you took. You have this entire duchy¡¯s gratitude, Saint Wayland.¡±
She winced at the moniker, but Dazien whispered in her mind through the shared communication network that they always maintained now, ¡°I know you don¡¯t like it, but just thank him in return, then ask about what¡¯s next.¡±
¡°Thank you, Duke Tul. If the Soul Reapers are leaving, then what¡¯s next for us?¡± she asked as calmly and courteously as she could.
¡°If we don¡¯t need to worry about further invaders from beyond this reality, then all the better for us to refocus on what remains,¡± the Order of Magic Chancellor, Lord Teras, spoke up, ¡°My people can continue upgrading the city defenses with the help and guidance of House Wayland¡¯s voxen allies. The blood moon still has at least another month by most estimates, and if those aren¡¯t in place, there won¡¯t be any point in restoring the buildings that have been destroyed within the walls.¡±
¡°What levels are we currently at?¡± Phoenix continued questioning, her curiosity outweighing her nerves, ¡°Will we still be getting those higher-level Casters moving in to help?¡±
¡°I hope so,¡± Kara spoke up, ¡°With the Soul Reapers War looking to be officially over, I have completed my duties. With Champion¡¯s bargain fulfilled, I may be assigned elsewhere by my goddess.¡±
The blonde champion glanced from Phoenix to the Alliance of Adventurers Director, ¡°If any Ruby shows up, you¡¯ll need to dispatch your Royal Knight here ¨Clikely with some Emerald assistance¨C for now.¡±
¡°While it would definitely be a loss to not have your assistance, Paladin Fairweather, I believe we can manage that much,¡± Agatha replied and gave a respectful bow, ¡°I¡¯d like to extend the AOA¡¯s gratitude once more for Saint Wayland¡¯s and your assistance in defending our people up to this point.¡±
¡°We¡¯re Adventurers and nobles,¡± Dazien spoke up as Phoenix looked down at her hands in more embarrassment at the praise, which still felt unwarranted, ¡°Protecting people is our job and responsibility.¡±
¡°Well said,¡± the director replied as she straightened and turned to the rest of the room, ¡°And it¡¯s the job we¡¯ll be continuing. Despite the Soul Reapers¡¯ sudden departure, we still have a tundra full of monsters to fight and whatever evil machinations the remnants of the Purifier¡¯s Renseres are working on.
¡°They haven¡¯t been active here, but there¡¯s no telling what they have planned in the future,¡± the runeforged said before grimacing and adding, ¡°The reports and rumors do not paint a pretty picture.¡±
One of the Sapphire Caste Lords spoke up with a question, ¡°Didn¡¯t we already fight off some of the Purifier¡¯s zealots? Wouldn¡¯t that mean they are active here?¡±
¡°The small group that we fought off in the Reality Rift below the city was only working with the Soul Reapers¡¯ contacts here to fulfill their part of whatever bargain they had made in the first place. We¡¯ve concluded that their goals for the region began and ended with that assistance, for now at least,¡± the director answered, ¡°Reports have the nearest Renseres forces located near eastern San Gra Lan currently.¡±
Then the director took Avatar Starlark¡¯s place in front of the room and used one of the Sense Stone projectors to display a large map on the wall behind her with various markers placed upon it, ¡°With us no longer needing to divert our attention to the Soul Reapers¡¯ or Renseres forces, we can refocus on what we were doing before, which was protecting our people from monsters.
¡°With the further reduction of our forces, we¡¯ll be stretched extremely thin. So we have decided to go fully on the defensive within the fortress cities and ignore the open areas for now. Once the blood moon ends, however, we plan to begin monster-clearing routes and village expeditions.¡±
Agatha pointed out places and magically drew out a circuitous route that lit up around the tundra, which focused on efficient coverage around the outlying fortress towns still housing tens of thousands of people. Those people were simply trying to survive the crimson moon¡¯s purge before being allowed to return to salvaging their homes and reclaiming a normal life.
Director Trayvious glanced from the map as she finished drawing and looked pointedly towards Phoenix and Emissary Mint, who was also seated in the room, ¡°We will need to be leveraging portal usage for supply deliveries more heavily. We will also be using them to assist the OOM with deploying those teams for upgrading the defenses.¡±
The Emissary shrugged, ¡°If House Wayland requests it, we shall see it done.¡±
Lord Teras spoke up, addressing Phoenix as he finally answered one of her original questions, ¡°We¡¯re currently sitting at mid-Emerald levels for most of the zone. This will put a strain on both our infrastructure and personnel to defend against, as it will be harder to fight that level of monster, and take longer for the magical defenses to destroy them.
¡°Aside from myself,¡± Lord Teras continued, ¡°There are only five other Emerald Casters that have the expertise to perform the higher-ranked rituals to assist the voxen, and they are providing about two dozen of their people to the task. It will take a lot of time for us to get through all the fortress towns, however, and some of the more involved upgrades will need to wait until after the blood moon finishes as we¡¯ll have to weaken the defenses for a time to improve them.¡±
¡°How did we decide which forts and towns get upgraded first?¡± another Sapphire Caste leader asked.
¡°We¡¯ve decided to go off population density,¡± Duke Tul interjected, ¡°Protecting as many lives as we can is the priority right now.¡±
Director Trayvious nodded in agreement and then brought the meeting to a close. Chatter began to break out as people began discussing the events and stood to talk with others around the room.
Phoenix was still distracted by the revelation that Jin was actually alive and on Makera. Her weird mood must have been apparent, though, as Dazien leaned across her to ask Patricia, ¡°If we¡¯re done here, I¡¯m going to take my party back to the Estate so Phoenix can ascend. She¡¯s been putting it off already.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll make sure to pass on any relevant information I can. I¡¯ll come find you later and see about potentially getting the House Council together for a more nuanced debrief of the political ramifications we¡¯ll be looking at going forward.¡±
Dazien paused for a moment before saying simply, ¡°Thank you, Ambassador,¡± then he grabbed her hand and helped lead her out of the room. Once in the hall, he whispered to her, ¡°Portal us back to the roof garden?¡±
Phoenix agreed, quickly opening one right then and there for them to walk through, and she immediately closed it behind them. He pulled her towards one of the collections of seats and had her sit, ¡°You want me to ascend here?¡± she asked in confusion.
The gemite chuckled as he sat next to her, ¡°No, that was just an excuse to get us out of there,¡± he replied, ¡°I figured you¡¯d like some time to think in peace with the new knowledge of your old friend.¡±
¡°You noticed that?¡± she said bashfully.
¡°I expected it. I¡¯m fairly certain I¡¯d be feeling confused and torn if I suddenly learned someone I cared for and thought dead was actually alive,¡± he said, giving her a pointed look, then leaned back in his seat as he added, ¡°I¡¯m here if you want to talk about it. Or I can get someone else. Or we can just sit quietly while you think. Or you can go ahead and ascend. It¡¯s up to you now, Princess.¡±
She thought about that for a long moment. Trying to sort through her thoughts and was uncertain where to begin or how to move forward. Finally, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s an Abyssal Dragoon?¡±
Dazien laughed and retorted, ¡°What¡¯s a Celestial Astromancer?¡±
¡°I still have no idea,¡± she admitted, joining in his laughter.
¡°Oh, an Abyssal Dragoon is this super cool, like, dragon-rider that wields a spear with Void abilities and jumps around a lot,¡± Scholar said, suddenly beside them and grinning like a child that just got an extra birthday present.
59 - Reward
¡°Jin rides a freakin¡¯ dragon?!¡± Phoenix exclaimed, ¡°Like a dragon-dragon?¡±
¡°Yeah, she has a Jade Dragon Familiar,¡± the tiny goddess replied, ¡°But that¡¯s not really what I¡¯m here to talk about.¡±
¡°I think that¡¯s what she wants to talk about, though,¡± Dazien interjected, ¡°She just found out the friend she thought was dead for years is actually alive and here. That¡¯s not something I think anyone can just set aside.¡±
Scholar frowned, ¡°But it won¡¯t do any good to dwell on Jin right now. She¡¯s a bit busy, and Phoenix has other priorities. Really though, I just wanted to pause you real quick to make sure you didn¡¯t ascend before my Avatar gets back here. Plus, there¡¯s, like, a whole crowd of people downstairs right now heading up here to talk with you.¡±
¡°What?¡± Phoenix asked incredulously. She had just gotten back here, ¡°Why? Who? How do they even know I¡¯m here?¡±
¡°Well¡¡± the goddess began, looking slightly bashful, ¡°You know the gods can all sense you¡¯re about to hit Sapphire Caste, right?¡±
¡°I mean, I guess so since Hero mentioned it, but why¨C¡±
¡°They¡¯re wanting to be stingy with spending power, aren¡¯t they?¡± Dazien interjected, glaring at the mini-deity.
¡°It¡¯s their last chance to get the Crystal Caste deal, and after the most recent display showing that Phoenix is actually willing to be a Saint, they want to have a chance.¡±
¡°Wait, are you saying they all want to mark me now?¡± the Wayfarer asked in confusion, ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m following. What does that have to do with the people?¡±
The nearby door to the roof¡¯s stairway opened, and the Head Steward appeared, leading a crowd of people mostly dressed in priest robes. Phoenix stared in stunned silence for a moment as dozens of people filed into the space, and she turned hopelessly back to the goddess, only to find her absent.
¡°Traitor,¡± she grumbled before giving her largest pleading puppy eyes to her brother, who ¨Cto her surprise¨C looked almost as dumbfounded as she felt.
He noticed her silent plea and shook his head with equally large eyes, ¡°I have no idea what¡¯s ¡®proper¡¯ in this situation. I¡¯ve never heard of so many unrelated clergy trying to corner a person like they¡¯re the last loaf of bread in the bakery.¡±
¡°Regent Wayland,¡± Roger said gently, coming up beside her, ¡°There are¡ various representatives from the local temples who have come to discuss¡ trades ¨Cas they put it,¡± the steward explained with a slightly disgusted look on his face before he smoothed it over and added, ¡°There are also a handful that merely wish to speak with you regarding the deities you already¡ have bonded to.¡±
¡°I really don¡¯t like the way that¡¯s phrased despite how accurate it might be,¡± she muttered.
Dazien shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s hard to come up with a different phrase for someone in such a unique position. You¡¯re not dedicated to any of them. Not yet, at least.¡±
¡°I think Destroyer warned me not to. Which I¡¯m not entirely sure is advice I should follow or not considering who he is.¡±
¡°I think it¡¯s safer to try and stay as neutral as possible,¡± the gemite replied, glancing back over at the crowd, ¡°Which will be exceedingly difficult like this.¡±
¡°Can you just tell them to politely go away?¡± she asked in a mental whisper, ¡°I¡¯m already exhausted still from pushing off my ascension despite getting some sleep earlier and don¡¯t really trust myself to think clearly at the moment.¡±
Dazien nodded, patting her shoulder, before standing and addressing the crowd, ¡°Sorry everyone, but there will be no new marks of Favor today. If you still wish to make a case for your deity after this week, when Regent Wayland will be recovered from her Sapphire Ascension, you may first send the proposal in writing to this location, and we will reach out should we choose to negotiate further. Thank you.¡±
There was a collective groan of disappointment from the crowd as they began to turn to leave. Only four people remained from the group, Phoenix recognized two as she gestured for them to come closer.
Anna Deserin, the High Priestess of the Parent, was one of them, and she thought her brother would have greeted the runeforged first, but Dazien surprised her by holding out a hand to one of the women she didn¡¯t recognize.
The gemite was grinning fondly at the tall cinderen dressed in leather armor who clasped his forearm in an odd greeting she hadn¡¯t seen very often here as the Defender said, ¡°Monk Nemor, I wasn¡¯t expecting to see you here, but I¡¯m glad to know you survived the war. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you since before my Adventurer Trials. You weren¡¯t at the temple while we were training there for a time.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the woman said with a grin, ¡°I gave you the last Knowledge Tome you earned, but we¡¯ve all been a bit busy with this blood moon. I finally hit Emerald during it.¡±
¡°Congratulations,¡± he replied, releasing her arm and turning to Phoenix to introduce them, ¡°Phoenix, this is Hawa Nemor. I¡¯ve known her since I was a child, and she¡¯s helped me quite often with training in the sword.¡±
¡°I wish Martin could have seen you become an Adventurer,¡± the Monk added with a somber smile, ¡°He would have been proud of you, King.¡±
Dazien seemed to blush at that but nodded, ¡°I wish he could have too. We could have used a fighter like him during these trying times,¡± then he redirected back to Phoenix, ¡°I could have introduced him as well to my new sister, who I¡¯m sure you already know of if you¡¯re here.¡±
¡°I did hear the rumors about you both joining this House,¡± the cinderen confirmed with a nod, ¡°It¡¯s likely the reason Warrior chose me as his representative for this.¡±
¡°What exactly is ¡®this¡¯?¡± Phoenix finally asked, not wanting to interrupt the obvious reunion even if she felt she was missing some context that she¡¯d likely have to ask Dazien about later.
¡°Just a tiny check-in and potential intervention,¡± one of the other priestesses said, and Phoenix recognized the elf woman as Kyleen Lastrand, whom she had initially met when first visiting the temple of the Traveler.
¡°And also to pay our respects and voice our gratitude for the risk you took for the city,¡± the other clergy member she didn¡¯t recognize spoke up. He was a human from the feel of his aura and also dressed in leather armor. Unlike Monk Nemor, however, he still seemed to be in the high Sapphire Caste.
The stranger gave a polite bow and said, ¡°I am Chase Rivera, a Cleric of the Hero. It is an honor to finally meet you, Saint Wayland.¡±
¡°You know, people keep mentioning how I took such a great ¡®risk¡¯ for the city, but all I did was channel a bit of Hero¡¯s power into Kara. She¡¯s the one who took the greater risk,¡± Phoenix grumbled, and the four clergy glanced towards each other uncertainly.
Chase spoke up again, ¡°Actually, Hero wanted me to extend a small apology about that¡¡±
¡°It wasn¡¯t really his fault,¡± a voice said from nearby as Everin arrived. Kara was also with him, holding Patricia as they flew through the air to reach the group. The Scholar¡¯s Avatar then added, ¡°But you had already accepted Destroyer¡¯s quest, so I believe he hoped to mitigate things a bit more.¡±
¡°What are you talking about?¡± Phoenix asked, noticing that with the trio¡¯s addition, there was now a representative for each of the deities that had marked her.
The door to the roof opened again, and Uriel walked in as well, giving them all a surprised look. She wondered if that was some sort of sign that she should accept Destroyer¡¯s offer of Favor as well, as though her friend was acting as his own representative despite her knowing that wasn¡¯t the case. Saiya and Rayna were following behind him, too, looking just as surprised by the crowd.
When the others turned to look at the group, Uriel seemed to shrink in on himself slightly as his eyes searched for them, and he said, ¡°Um, Dazien told me he and Phoenix were up here¡¡±
¡°Yup, come sit,¡± Phoenix called out to them, ¡°I think Everin was just about to explain the ¡®catch¡¯ in the deal I made with Destroyer.¡±
¡°Well, more like an omission of uncertainty,¡± Hero¡¯s Cleric clarified.
¡°As you already know, Phoenix,¡± Everin began, coming over to sit with them as Uriel sat on the other side of Dazien and the twins sat on a nearby bench, ¡°You are extremely unique, even among Wayfarers. There was no certainty that the¡ [Twist of Fate] effect wouldn¡¯t override your Natural Talent. Much like the Soul Cages, we don¡¯t know how those types of effects will interplay with your power.¡±
Phoenix looked around the group, ¡°So, all of you know about that?¡±
They nodded, and Anna spoke up, ¡°We have been entrusted with the secret by our patrons. Your survival and growth are important to all of us, so we will ensure that secrecy is maintained.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
¡°So, Destroyer knew he was actually risking Phoenix¡¯s life permanently by becoming a Saint?¡± Dazien asked angrily, though it didn¡¯t seem directed at any of them, and she couldn¡¯t blame him. Leaving something like that out made his actions seem much more underhanded and explained why he didn¡¯t push to mark her soul at that point.
¡°Potentially,¡± Everin replied, ¡°While Scholar cannot read the minds of the other gods, it is an uncertainty at best. Phoenix may just as well have survived. We simply won¡¯t know until it happens. Either way, the risk was there. A risk most of the other gods didn¡¯t want to take.¡±
Phoenix gave a sigh, ¡°I guess it doesn¡¯t make much of a difference. I still probably would have gone along with it to save everyone.¡±
Chase smiled broadly at her, ¡°Hero believed that¡¯s what you would say when he sent me.¡±
¡°So, what did you mean by ¡®intervention,¡¯ Priestess Lastrand?¡± Phoenix asked, trying to get this meeting over with so she could go sleep for the next three days.
¡°We just wanted to make sure you stay on the correct path,¡± Kyleen answered as though that were obvious, but it might as well have been an ancient riddle to Phoenix.
Before she could ask what the priestess was talking about, Everin provided more information, ¡°It¡¯s about Jin. Scholar already mentioned it, but we all wanted to make sure you didn¡¯t run off after her.¡±
She blinked owlishly at the rainbow voxen before taking in the other six serious-looking faces and asked, ¡°All of you were sent just to keep me away from my friend?¡±
¡°Is there something wrong with Jin?¡± Dazien inquired, ¡°She saved the planet, so I assume she¡¯s not evil or something, right?¡±
¡°¡®Evil¡¯ is a bit of a gray area with Jin,¡± the Avatar replied, refusing to meet their eyes, ¡°Either way, though, she¡¯s in the upper Emerald Caste. Phoenix needs to get stronger before going to the places and joining the fights that Jin is encountering.¡±
¡°Not to mention the quest she needs to embark on after the blood moon,¡± Chase added, ¡°Hero ¨Cand I¡¯d wager Rebel as well¨C are hoping to resolve the issues in Tyrand before you decide to leave the continent to find your friend.¡±
She looked out over the city where the Soul Reapers had destroyed so many lives. Smoke and ash still drifted through the air from the destruction. She gave a heavy sigh and promised, ¡°I won¡¯t go try and find Jin now, but what should I do next? I¡¯m going to ascend today, and Scholar said she¡¯d give me a clue on where to actually start my quest.¡±
¡°Ascend, rest, and finish your duties here till the moon ends,¡± Everin told her, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take you to see Scholar for that clue.¡±
Kyleen smiled gently and reminded her, ¡°This may be the end of a war, but it¡¯s still only the beginning of your journey. You have much of the world to explore still.¡±
Phoenix crossed her arms over her chest as she grumbled, ¡°What is it with devotees and always trying to give me clich¨¦ words of wisdom?¡±
The group chuckled, and Anna said, ¡°I think we get it from our patrons. They often whisper to us in riddles and nudge us towards their concepts. Like a parent guiding their child so they can discover the answer for themselves.¡±
Phoenix tiredly cast her [Lunar Dream] to instantly produce the first absorption ritual for her friends. Rayna had been given a Dirge Spirit Gem as part of the payment for her work with the Undertaker¡¯s clergy before the city had been attacked. Saiya had also stumbled upon an aspect in a sheer stroke of luck, and Phoenix insisted it was fate for the Healer to use the Repair Spirit Gem.
¡°It sounds perfect for repairing bodies,¡± the Wayfarer pointed out. She was proven correct about that a few moments later when Saiya showed off the upgraded ability using her [Guide Book].
|
Class Ability: Restored Foundation
Type: Spell (cleanse, zone, magical, life)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 6 hours.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (0%)
Crystal Effect: Delineate a zone with small lotus flower constructs. Target ally within the zone restores a massive amount of health and is cleansed of all Magical Banes.
Sapphire Effect: Channel for a moderate mana cost per second to repair objects in the zone that contains the necessary materials and slowly heal all targets within the area.
|
¡°Well, I guess I know what I¡¯ll be busy doing for the next few days while you sleep,¡± the Healer said with a chuckle, ¡°I¡¯m glad that I¡¯ll be able to help more directly with this. Plenty of smaller objects need repairing as well, aside from the buildings that I¡¯m sure will be getting material upgrades.¡±
¡°My turn!¡± Rayna called out, excitedly bouncing in place with tails wagging and her own gem in hand, ¡°Only one more after this, and I¡¯m all unlocked!¡±
¡°It¡¯s just [Battle Symphony] and [Shatter] that you have left, right?¡± Phoenix clarified, conjuring a new illusory ritual circle.
¡°Yup. I haven¡¯t been able to advance my Aura passive at all because of it,¡± the bard bemoaned, ¡°Pretty sure this one will bond with [Battle Symphony] though.¡±
¡°I thought it was random?¡±
¡°Kinda?¡±
¡°Spirit Gems will usually bond to whichever unlocked ability is best suited for them,¡± Dazien interjected from his seat against the wall, watching the rituals beside Uriel, ¡°Similarly to how Aspects bond to the most appropriate Attribute available. It¡¯s not an exact science, but you can sometimes make decent guesses.¡±
Rayna¡¯s guess proved true when she touched the [Guide Book] with a grin to display the new addition to her ability.
Ability: Battle Symphony
Type: Spell (magical, song)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (0%)
Crystal Effect: While singing, deal increased damage for each Boon on you and inflict [Shaken] on nearby enemies.
Sapphire Effect: While singing, deal increased damage for each Bane on the currently targeted enemy and slowly inflict instances of [Dazed] on nearby enemies.
- Shaken (bane, magical, song): Inflicts ongoing low Song damage for a moderate duration.
- Dazed (bane, magical, stacking): Agility and Mind are slightly decreased. Instances are slowly lost over time.
|
¡°I¡¯m going to break so many monsters with this,¡± the Shatter Bard said happily, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time for you to get your own reward, Princess!¡±
Phoenix chuckled, ¡°I have been looking forward to this.¡±
¡°Even have a few Spirit Gems saved up for it!¡± Rayna pointed out, ¡°We¡¯ll have to get those sorted when you wake up.¡±
She nodded and simply sat where she was, glancing toward Dazien, ¡°You¡¯ll make sure I get to bed okay, right? Or should we do this in my room?¡±
He chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Princess. I¡¯ll take care of you. It¡¯s what big brothers are for, isn¡¯t it?¡±
She laughed, ¡°Exactly.¡±
Closing her eyes, Phoenix focused on relaxing her body and moving her consciousness inward, arriving in her little soul library that had most of the shelves filled with books now. The maelstrom of swirling glowing letters above her was still slowly trickling downward towards the shelves, and she moved to where she had last left off, one of the books sitting on the floor waiting to be filled and placed upon the last shelf.
She picked it up and opened it, focusing on guiding the letters above to fill in the last of the blank pages, detailing her most recent experiences during the battle against the Soul Reapers¡¯ Caged monsters while defending the city.
Phoenix snapped the book shut when there was no more space to write and tried to place the book on the shelf, but it seemed overfull. She frowned but knew she could make it fit with a bit of extra effort. When she squeezed it into place, the room became engulfed in pale blue flames, and she vaguely worried that the books would burn with them.
The flames consumed her as well, and she felt both her physical body and mental projection of self double over in the odd and slightly painful feeling of her body and magic being further refined.
When the flames dissipated, the books seemed to shine, and she realized that glass doors now protected the books, locking them in place on their shelves. The ceiling had changed entirely. The letters of her uncultivated experiences were gone and replaced with a softly glowing light. In the center was a door hatch with a silver ladder descending from it, inviting her to climb upwards.
She grinned, wanting to go take a peek at the new level but could hear Dazien¡¯s voice call to her, ¡°You okay, Princess? Or did you fall asleep already?¡±
Phoenix opened her eyes, blearily looking around and having to adjust to the utter weirdness of being able to see the magic around them. Everything seemed brighter and more vibrant.
Her ever-not-quite-so-helpful [Guild Book] informed the others of her problem.
|
Passive Ability: Moonlit Eyes
Type: Perception
Current Caste: Sapphire 1
Crystal Effect: The level of light does not hinder your sight.
Sapphire Effect: Can see the flow of magic.
|
Phoenix rubbed at her eyes and mumbled, ¡°Too bright. Room. Sleep.¡±
She heard her friends chuckle and felt Dazien lift her. As he made his way toward the door, he teased her, ¡°You got heavier.¡±
¡°Rude.¡±
¡°Hey, at least you don¡¯t break so easily now.¡±
¡°Fair. I also didn¡¯t have to break all of my bones to do it.¡±
¡°Uhg, don¡¯t remind me,¡± the gemite said with a soft groan.
She glanced down when a thought suddenly hit her and then lifted her arms in celebration as she exclaimed, ¡°Yes! I got bewbs this time!¡±
Dazien looked at her in surprise, ¡°You actually wanted that? You always seemed¡ um¡ more reserved in that regard.¡±
She gave a slight huff, crossing her arms over her new chest a bit awkwardly, ¡°I might not like showing a lot of skin, but I still want to look more feminine. You know, curves and softness¡ it was never a real possibility for me before,¡± she pointed out solemnly before giving a soft smile, ¡°So it¡¯s exciting for me to finally get closer to what I want my body to actually be.¡±
¡°I think that¡¯s something everyone likes achieving,¡± the gemite said with a nod, ¡°But I can imagine how much more it means to you. I may not have quite the same experience, but physical appearances have been at the forefront of most of my experiences growing up and not by any desire on my part.¡±
¡°While I was worried about nobody wanting my body, you were worried about everyone wanting yours?¡± she asked quietly.
Dazien gave her a crooked smile, ¡°Basically. But we can talk more about that later if you want,¡± he said, walking into the lift at the end of the hall, ¡°Sleep for now.¡±
She nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder before promptly letting her exhaustion overwhelm her senses.
60 - What Remains
Asyamil respectfully watched from a distance with a collection of her colleagues and friends back on their main command ship. The Ivy Caster that had agreed to go with Roimeldor in exchange for their withdrawal from Makera was going through a very special process that most realities hadn¡¯t discovered a way to replicate yet. She wasn¡¯t even certain where their ancient leader had discovered it, but the Hollyhock Caste ritual was capable of unlocking the memories of a soul¡¯s past lives.
After using one of their soul analysis devices to verify the bond between Roimeldor and Naira¡¯s newest host, the strange Caster had agreed to go with them and learn about their history across the greater cosmos.
Watching the uncertainty on the young face morph into recognition and then utter joy as they practically tackled Roimeldor in a hug, the onlookers couldn¡¯t help but cheer for the reunited Soul Mates.
She knew their business wasn¡¯t quite finished in this reality, but it was nice to be able to celebrate one more victory. The last of their people¡¯s Lost Souls to reclaim and reunite.
The initial group of Soul Reapers had been formed long ago and had been relatively small from what she had been told. They had slowly grown over time as the members found more of their various Kindred Spirits, who, in turn, had more to find. It was especially exciting when they found a Soul Mate ¨Cwhich was a specific type of Kindred Spirit¨C but any type was always greatly appreciated.
Asyamil had only been with the group for about two thousand years, needing to be reconstructed a handful of times simply due to old age and never having quite gotten to Hollyhock despite her internal musings. However, within those two millennia, she had been reunited with both of her Soul Mates and three other Kindred Spirits: a Soul Sister, a Forever Friend, and even her Spirit Animal.
Roimeldor also had the bad habit of ¡°adopting¡± souls, as the others teased. Similar to the recent Beloved Cultivator one he had shown her, he would find an interesting soul signature, reconstruct them as a Daisy Caster with the current memories of their time in the reality they had been found in, explain what exactly it was the Soul Reapers did, then give them a choice.
The choice was simple: join us, and we will help find your Kindred Spirits and keep you together forever ¨Cor until either request otherwise¨C or don¡¯t join, and we will return you to your home before leaving the reality, along with any other soul we might have reaped during that time.
While they had taken on the organizational name of ¡°Soul Reapers,¡± they never kept souls; they cataloged them. They temporarily housed those reaped souls in what they affectionately referred to as the Soul Garden. Then, they released them before leaving.
Besides, it was impossible to cross the Veil between realities with souls in their raw form.
They had tried to peacefully do this cataloging plenty of times before in other realities; this time was no different in that regard, but they were usually met with hostility when they explained to various world leaders that their goal was to collect certain souls and the long process that undertaking would be.
It cost them much more time and resources to completely check the planets that had souls on them. While they were willing to spend that time and cost, they were not as willing to bend to outlandish demands for otherworldly knowledge that could be used against them ¨Cor their own people becoming servants in turn to monarchs or gods.
Despite the fact that there was no guarantee that they wouldn¡¯t miss a soul when the process took longer, and people kept introducing new souls into the reality, they always tried to avoid the violent route initially.
When they had sent their envoys to Erythros, they were met with vicious resistance from the disciples of the local gods that resulted in the death of their messengers and wasted resources to reconstruct them.
Their envoys to Makera didn¡¯t fare much better, with the clergy spurning the outsiders who threatened to steal souls from their gods¡¯ influence and many of the monarchs who demanded things they were not willing to offer.
The first group that had accepted their offer had been the ones that had initially made them aware of this reality: the ones called the ¡°Renseres.¡± They followed one of the local deities, but apparently, the rest of the world saw that newly forged alliance as the Soul Reapers choosing a very specific side with a very specific goal.
Their initial scouting efforts had marked the group as followers of the Purifier, the god of cleansing, which in their experience, was usually looked upon favorably if kept within the Balance. They realized too late that promising to help them ¡®cleanse the world of taint until they either finished cataloging or found the last of their Lost Souls¡¯ would actually entail global war.
The Renseres¡¯ definition of ¡®taint¡¯ was much broader than the Soul Reapers usually defined it. Most realities considered Corrupted magic to be the only real taint worth fighting against. When Roimeldor had made his vow, they had all thought he would be sending out their own Cleansers to help fight off the Corruption the local god kept spreading, along with what their Corrupted Reality Seeds unfortunately produced should the need arise to deploy them. They had strict procedures in place for cleaning up the land after those were used.
They would employ their Soul Cages against the monster infestation as well, which would halt any of the Corrupted ones from spreading it as long as a Caster remained in control. The last thing they wanted was for a soul to become Corrupted and remain trapped in a ghostly stasis until their Exorcists happened to locate it, which was a whole other deeply involved process.
Promising to fight off the taint of Corruption was something they were all more than willing to do.
They hadn¡¯t ever encountered the universal magic of ¡°Oathbonds¡± before, out of all the realities they had visited. While many realities had their various quirks and subtle differences in rules ¨Cinstilled either at the time of their creation or after the arrival of their first Wayfarer¨C this particular magic had been unexpected.
It unfortunately turned out to put them at odds with the entire world, and there was no revoking the promise without risking their leader¡¯s very soul. After all that Roimeldor had done for them, they weren¡¯t about to turn on him in his hour of need.
Their deal with the Purifier¡¯s Renseres turned out to expedite the process, however. After the Renseres had agreed to have their souls peacefully categorized, no other group took them up on the offer, and the rumors of the Soul Reaper¡¯s desire to simply annihilate them all had spread.
Once met with any type of resistance, they had found the quickest and most efficient way to catalog was to simply reap all the souls before they passed through the Veil. The scouts they sent alongside their envoys were able to quickly gather information on the various zones and establish efficient plans of attack that would hopefully not cause the gods or Progenitors of the world to react too strongly to their presence.
The few times the Soul Reapers had almost been completely annihilated in their efforts were usually when very old and very powerful deities or Progenitors got involved. She still had nightmares once in a while about that planet they had visited that had been completely conquered by the local god of manipulation who had convinced the Progenitors to love them, creating an entire world that was enthralled to that god¡¯s twisted bidding.
Roimeldor was the only one among the Soul Reapers who had never been reconstructed yet, and he was also the only reason most of them were still alive and intact. It was a weird kind of irony that he would be the first of them to lose his Soul Mate and also the last of them to be reunited.
Watching the man now, literally sobbing as he carefully clung to the love he had searched the cosmos across eons for, was the greatest reward any of their people could have asked for.
Haldambar stood beside her with his own Soul Mate, Runasu, beside him and leaned over to quietly ask, ¡°Is it true that we¡¯re retreating from Makera now?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not a retreat if we got what we came here for,¡± she pointed out, ¡°With the retrieval of Naira¡¯s soul, the Commander has been relinquished from the Oathbond he made with the Renseres leader. We no longer have business with that planet anymore, though we¡¯ll still be collecting and cataloging any souls that pass on naturally before leaving.¡±
¡°When will that be?¡± he asked anxiously, ¡°I¡¯m not the only one tired of fighting now.¡±
¡°We still need to free our people on Erythros, remember?¡±
¡°Right, sorry. I swear it¡¯s this Daisy Caste Mind that is messing with my memory. It¡¯s annoying to be able to forget things again.¡±
¡°You get the memories back eventually. You may have forgotten this fact, but no memory is truly ever lost. Once you reach Hollyhock again, you¡¯ll remember everything once more.¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
¡°So how long till we rescue our people on the other planet?¡±
¡°No idea,¡± she replied solemnly, ¡°The Abyssal Dragoon didn¡¯t know how to, but she was searching for a solution. We gave her a way to contact us if she found a method and needed a ride back. In the meantime, we¡¯ll continue our own research and hopefully be able to go to our new home soon.¡±
Asyamil smiled as she looked back at her Commander, ¡°For now, let¡¯s focus on celebrating the lives we¡¯ve restored before we worry about what remains.¡±
Phoenix awoke almost four days later to her annoyance, the best explanation being that the extra exhaustion was from using her Soul Mark to channel divine power that she probably shouldn¡¯t have as only a Crystal Caster.
Eating a Sapphire Mana Bit helped immensely, but she still wanted some real food. She was disappointed to find that the Crystal Caste coffee equivalent she had fallen in love with didn¡¯t have nearly enough kick anymore.
Phoenix was pleased to find Uriel in the kitchen, keeping busy with cooking meals for the locals who had been displaced by the damage to their homes or families that had lost members. He graciously informed her of what the others had been up to while she had been recovering.
¡°Daze has been mostly helping at the Temple of the Parent,¡± the Mage explained, pulling out another pan of bread from the oven, ¡°Luckily, the temple and all the kids are fine. I think Daze would be in a very bad place mentally right now if he had lost them.¡±
He shook his head, then gave a slight smirk as he added, ¡°You should have seen Jennica practically choke him to death in a hug before trying to punch him in the face.¡±
Phoenix snorted a laugh, stealing one of the still-cooling cookies from a rack on one of the counters, ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear everyone¡¯s okay there.¡±
Uriel hesitated momentarily before telling her, ¡°Not every temple was so lucky.¡±
She paused, uncertainty filling her as she asked, ¡°Which ones fell?¡±
¡°Mender¡¯s was the largest and probably the most vital for us to have lost, followed by the Mentor¡¯s that holds the school in that district. There were also a handful of smaller ones that collapsed¡ Avenger¡¯s temple fell too.¡±
She blinked at that, uncertain how to feel. On one hand, she had never cared for that particular deity, especially when she thought he was forcing Paul to do terrible things¡ on the other hand, it was Paul¡¯s patron. Did he have people he knew there? Would he be devastated to learn of their loss decades from now? How many more people would he never see again because they would die before she ever hit Ruby?
¡°Hey,¡± Uriel said, placing a hand on her shoulder and snapping her attention back to him as he asked her with a concerned look, ¡°Where did you go just now?¡±
¡°Sorry,¡± she said, shaking her head, ¡°I think I spiraled there for a moment¡ do you think we could go visit Paul soon? Maybe Orebela knows who he might have wanted to keep tabs on for when he wakes up?¡±
¡°Well, they¡¯re just a portal away,¡± he pointed out, ¡°We can probably all go together tonight if you want.¡±
¡°That¡¯d be nice,¡± she said, taking a bite of her stolen cookie, ¡°So Daze is in the temple district. Is Saiya there too with her clergy?¡±
¡°I think she¡¯s actually been helping out the Crafter¡¯s clergy and others in the Manufacturing District with repairing things whenever her ability is off cooldown,¡± he chuckled, ¡°Already pushing that newly unlocked one towards Emerald.¡±
¡°Where¡¯s Rayna then? I doubt she¡¯s helping to fix things.¡±
Uriel laughed louder at that and said with a grin as he placed another pan of dough in the oven, ¡°She¡¯s been helping with clearing the rubble.¡±
¡°Let me guess, she¡¯s punching it into more moveable pieces?¡±
¡°Got it in one,¡± the Mage replied, dusting his hands off as he asked, ¡°Want to go to the roof for a bit? I could use a break between things right now, and you can catch a better view of the current aftermath.¡±
She nodded, snatching another cookie before heading towards the door with him. As they rode the lift up, Uriel informed her that both Kara and Everin had kept checking in on them but had mostly been handling a majority of the monster spawns while the city tried to focus on cleanup and upgrading the defenses.
Once they reached the rooftop and made their way toward the southeastern side of the building to gaze out toward the inner city, Phoenix was stunned at the sight. Massive scorch marks could be seen basically carving new streets through sections of the city from where the Ducal Palace sat in the center.
The Wayland Estate was one of the tallest buildings in this section of the city, only beaten by the Cultivator¡¯s Citadel a few blocks away that seemed almost completely covered in some sort of iridescent crystal. It looked like it had been targeted by one of the destructive laser beams but had miraculously managed to survive the blast.
When she glanced down toward the street, Phoenix was confused at first by what she was seeing with her new Sapphire Caste eyes and asked, ¡°Uriel, what¡¯s all that stuff in front of the building?¡±
¡°Ah¡¡± he looked uncomfortable for a long moment before saying, ¡°I think the technical term is ¡®offerings¡¯? But basically, they¡¯re gifts¡ for the city¡¯s Saint and the gods you represent.¡±
She stared at him in return before replying, ¡°You know that makes me feel super uncomfortable, right?¡±
¡°I know,¡± he said with a nod, then pointed out, ¡°You know that¡¯s not what they intended though, right?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure what they intend with offerings,¡± she retorted, looking back out towards the partially destroyed city, ¡°Do they expect me to somehow fix all of this?¡±
¡°No, Phoenix. They are just trying to show their gratitude for saving their lives. Which is something you did.¡±
They both fell silent, and Uriel offered her another of the cookies he had brought. They nibbled on them while contemplating the city before them. Two companions, both Chosen by gods, both not wanting the responsibility of it, and both stuck with people assuming things about them that they weren¡¯t comfortable with.
Phoenix was the first to break the silence as she gave voice to a thought that had begun to plague her, ¡°I¡¯m starting to wonder if¡ well, maybe if the gods aren¡¯t as good as I originally thought¡¡± She turned to look at her friend and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t they stop the Soul Reapers? Why didn¡¯t they give us a miracle months ago?¡±
Uriel met her gaze with contemplative ember eyes as he took his time to respond, ¡°They did¡ You are our miracle, Phoenix.¡±
¡°What? No, I¡¯m not,¡± she replied in confusion and a bit of anger, ¡°Why do people keep insisting on praising me for things I didn¡¯t actually accomplish? I barely did anything¡ And I definitely wasn¡¯t the one to get them to pack up and leave.¡±
¡°Putting aside discovering and stopping House Ruwena months ago, you basically summoned an Obsidian Caster to save our city,¡± he pointed out with a slight smirk, ¡°Then blessed her with even more power.¡±
¡°But not before we paid in blood,¡± she replied tartly, killing the levity Uriel had tried to turn the conversation towards. Phoenix looked back out towards the city as she asked bitterly, ¡°How many could have been saved if the gods had just spent the power needed for it?¡±
He didn¡¯t try to joke again as he spoke sincerely in his smooth bass, ¡°After my family died, I was angry at the gods for a long time. They have so much power that we can barely comprehend yet wouldn¡¯t save the people who meant the most to me.¡±
He joined her in looking out towards the skyscrapers as he continued, ¡°Saving us would have been simple. Easy even. Yet they just watched. They are watching every time our loved ones die.¡±
Uriel smirked again as he recalled, ¡°Despite the temper he can have sometimes, it was Daze that helped me stop being so angry at them all the time.
¡°He said that if I think the gods don¡¯t care, then I shouldn¡¯t give them the satisfaction of being important ¨Cthat my anger was validation of their choices and authority over me. If I really wanted them to suffer for their inaction, then ignoring them would be a worse punishment. He seems to think that being hated by someone you were interested in is better than being nothing to them.¡±
¡°So you stopped hating them?¡±
He laughed aloud, shaking his head, ¡°Not at all¡ I was angry a lot back then. I didn¡¯t understand what Daze was saying at the time.¡±
Uriel¡¯s laughter died, but his smile remained as he told her, ¡°But those words always stuck with me. I¡¯m still trying to learn to let go of my past, obviously, but Dazien and you and even Saiya and Rayna are all helping me move forward.¡±
¡°Me?¡± Phoenix exclaimed in confusion, ¡°I¡¯m like the worst example for letting go of my inner demons.¡± She crossed her arms in annoyance as she muttered, ¡°My nightmares have made it fairly obvious, but even I¡¯m self-aware enough to realize I have traumas to work through that probably shouldn¡¯t involve soloing higher Caste enemies.¡±
¡°You¡¯re a good example of what not to do then,¡± he teased, and she rolled her eyes at him, ¡°Seriously though, I can see the parallels between us. Just like that great speech you gave me about my past atrocities not being my fault, I could say the same thing to you now, but we would both disagree with each other.¡±
Phoenix opened her mouth to argue but stopped as he gave her a pointed look. She surrendered the point with a bow of her head as Uriel continued, ¡°I realized it¡¯s easier to say what¡¯s right rather than do what¡¯s right¡ and that both of us are terrible at taking our own advice.¡±
She chuckled at the sad truth of the statement, ¡°They call it ¡®practicing what you preach¡¯ back in my old world, but that¡¯s a fair point, I guess,¡± she admitted as she turned her head up to look at the sky as it began to softly snow with big fluffy flakes, ¡°So, what do we do now?¡±
Uriel followed her gaze upward to also watch the cloudy sky sprinkle them with snowflakes and then said resolutely, ¡°We do what remains to be done. We move forward. We learn and grow and get better. Then someday, maybe you and I can become butterflies.¡±
¡°I remember Destroyer saying something like that,¡± she replied thoughtfully, glancing toward him curiously, ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to explain that one more. I¡¯m either missing context, or my translation ability is going wonky again.¡±
He chuckled as he shook his head and said, ¡°Ask Priest Jacob next time you see him. Tell him I wanted him to show off his butterflies for you.¡±
¡°Can¡¯t you give me, like, a summarized bullet points version?¡± she pleaded with her best puppy eyes that seemed to work fairly well on the others.
Uriel gave another laugh, ¡°I won¡¯t be as good, but basically, we were caterpillars, went through some traumatic stuff, and built a cocoon of anxieties, insecurities, and defense mechanisms around us. We¡¯re still trying to break out of that cocoon, and the butterfly is what we actually want to be someday.¡±
¡°Seems like a pretty good explanation to me,¡± she replied, then asked, ¡°But how do we break through the cocoon and become those butterflies?¡±
Her best friend smiled at her, lifting a hand to brush away a cluster of snowflakes that landed on her cheek as he simply answered, ¡°Together.¡±
Epilogue - Disciple
Torae Puera scribbled furiously in his journal as he recorded the newest results of his latest experiment. While war and turmoil raged across the globe, he remained safe and sheltered within the current headquarters of the Disciples of the Destroyer.
He was pleased that his god was gaining an almost incomprehensible amount of Aetherius from everything going on outside beyond the walls of his latest cave-turned-laboratory, but his focus remained on his research. His research fueled his pursuit of the ultimate weapons of destruction that would make the cosmos tremble in fear at their might. Something that would even make these Soul Reapers fear them.
Once he had that power under his control, nobody would dare to stand against him.
Puera leaned back in his chair as he finished writing down his notes and contemplated visiting the local tavern he liked again. While the city had managed to keep the invading Soul Reapers at bay so far, he didn¡¯t often venture into public lest some traveling Adventurer or other righteous prick take notice of him.
He¡¯d be merely minding his own business and eating a pleasant meal, and these brash Casters would challenge him or simply attack him outright just because they managed to sense his dedication to the Destroyer. The bigoted persecution was obnoxious to deal with.
¡°Hey, boss? The Sword in room 313 is melting off the Sense Stones in there again. Have we gotten that Ruby Caste Corrosion-resistant glass in yet?¡±
Puera gave a sigh, ¡°No, Bob. Trade is still hindered even for the stuff we smuggle in. A lone ship during a blood moon will either get noticed by monsters or by the authorities, and both would be bad for us.¡±
¡°Well, could we at least get more Sense Stones from the city then?¡± the elderly-looking man asked, ¡°Might need to stockpile ¡®em if you insist we keep recording that slimy¨C¡±
¡°I¡¯ll get some now. I was just planning to head out anyways,¡± he interrupted, not wanting to listen to the Stone Shaper complain for the umpteenth time about his more annoying experiments dissolving their base of operations. He had enough of that to last him a lifetime after having to deal with his Predator, Bliss.
Puera stood and quickly made his escape, which was exceptionally fast at the high end of Emerald Caste like he was. Despite having been a Caster for centuries now, he was exceptionally slow at progressing with his reliance on Monster Seeds and not seeking much in the way of combat challenges.
He cursed his youthful choice of going for a Class that would want him to fight when he realized later in life that his true passion lay in his research. A more utility support powerset would have served him much better and might have even allowed him to reach Obsidian. Now, he¡¯d have to settle for Ruby and hope the Necromancers achieved their own goals within the next half dozen centuries.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
As Puera slipped through the secret entrance from their base to the sea cave on the outskirts of the city, it wasn¡¯t long before he found himself blending into the crowd of locals. It was only difficult for him to properly blend in, not due to his black hair and ice-blue eyes against pale skin but because of his clothes, mainly because he wore a lot more than most.
Most people in this city wore strips of fabric that barely passed for clothing or forewent fabric altogether for body paints. The distinct rune pattern of soul scars all over his upper body made it impossible for him to wear them lest he draw even more questions and attention to himself.
No, wearing a full-covering shirt and the pure white torque around his neck made it much easier for him to move through the crowded city without being accosted. The only downside to the white necklace was that it meant finding any physical companionship here was also an impossibility.
His eyes roamed over the mostly naked bodies walking past him, and he wondered how long it normally took people to get used to this kind of body-positive environment. He wasn¡¯t sure he ever would, especially when a mouthwatering specimen crossed his path.
Perhaps he should take the Arch Priest¡¯s advice and find a suitable partner for procreating and passing on his goals like his own parents eventually had. The name Puera had been part of the DOD¡¯s legacy since its inception millennia ago, and he didn¡¯t want to be the one to end that, even if the idea of actually dealing with his own spawn threatened a migraine.
He stopped at the shop that he normally went to for more Sense Stones. The one where the proprietor was kind enough not to ask why he kept needing more. That was another bonus about this city: most people didn¡¯t pry into others¡¯ affairs. They encouraged people to live their lives how they wanted to and ideally in the most pleasurable ways possible.
It was a city of vices with an unusually absurd amount of respect for personal boundaries, informed consent, and, best of all, privacy.
As Puera was debating about which restaurant to stop at tonight on this rare impromptu journey, a whisper in his mind seized his full attention, and he ducked into a shadowed doorway to focus on his deity¡¯s words, ¡°I just had a lovely reunion with the Annihilator. I¡¯m quite pleased with some of the latest adjustments. However, I was displeased about needing to step in to make sure he didn¡¯t get destroyed along with the city you left him in.¡±
¡°My Lord, you know we couldn¡¯t extract him with that linked Silencer on, let alone earlier on when he was under the Parent¡¯s protection. The entire city would have been on us in an instant. If that has changed, I will ecstatically retrieve him once the blood moon is over,¡± Puera prayed back.
¡°No need,¡± his god whispered, ¡°Events have already been put into motion, and I will see to it that he comes to you. This war and moon have given me a surplus of Aetherius to spend. I will see you both reunited. So be prepared to welcome him and his new family home. I believe his newest Pillar will interest you greatly.¡±
¡°Yes, Lord Destroyer. It shall be as you will it.¡±
End of Book 4 of Wayward: Breaking
Phoenix and friends will return in Book 5 of Wayward: Missing
End of Book 4 - Character Reference
Hello everyone ??
We made it through the fourth book of the Wayward series! Part 4 of 4 for the Tulimeir Arc is now completely released. Get ready for the Serenydi Arc! Usual fun fact: the original version of this portion was 47,658 words, while this rewritten version ended up 159,577 words long!
As you may have noticed, the end of the arc came with a rare Epilogue chapter to set things up for the next arc. However, it also ties into a particular character¡¯s backstory, which you can now read all about! As I mentioned previously, I¡¯ve already finished the side story novella called Wayward: Cataclysm, which is available to purchase in my Patreon Shop or included for free with certain tiers.
Stay tuned for another special announcement coming tomorrow!
It¡¯s also time to stat-dump again and satisfy my curiosity about which characters everyone is enjoying the most at the moment. Again, I¡¯m only including ¡°recurring characters,¡± which must show up ¡°on screen¡± in at least five different chapters within just this book to be included (Sorry Paul). You can pick your Top Three! As always, I¡¯d love to hear about why you picked who you did in the comments below ??
Book 5 will also be continuing on Monday as well, along with keeping the five chapters per week pace! (Reminder that my hiatus break will begin after August 30th and end Sept. 30th) I hope you¡¯ve all enjoyed the story so far! If you have, please leave a rating to let others know! (more shameless begging to please the algorithm gods)
Now, the Character Profiles! (Yay for end of book ascension!)
Phoenix Wayland
Profile: Phoenix Wayland
Species: Wayfarer
Current caste: Sapphire 1
Attributes
Strength (Sun): Sapphire 1
Agility (Dark): Sapphire 1
Fortitude (Star): Sapphire 1
Mind (Moon): Sapphire 1
Magic (Celestial Astromancer): Sapphire 1
Natural Talents
Astral Traveler
Guide Book
Collector
Lodestar
Waypoint
Divine Titles
Chosen One
Saint of the Celestial Pantheon
Titles
Adventurer
Slayer
Martyr
Soul Tyrant
Aspects
Star
- Guiding Stars (Aura Passive)
- Transversing the Stars - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
- Cosmic Phoenix (Class) - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
Dark
- Embrace of Shadows (Aura Passive)
- Night Blade - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
- Call of the Abyss (Class) - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
Sun
- Radiant Sunlight (Aura Passive)
- A New Dawn Rises - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
- Meteor Shower (Class) - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
Moon
- Moonlit Eyes (Perception Passive)
- Lunar Dream - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
- Avatar of Bakunawa (Class) - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
Celestial Astromancer (Class)
- Astral Oasis (Aura Passive)
- Ruler of Relativity - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
- Supernova (Class) - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
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Natural Talent: Astral Traveler
- Increased resistance to negative Dimension effects. Dimension abilities have increased effects.
- You are a Natural Translator, allowing the understanding of languages you are exposed to.
- You can directly use Aspects and Spirit Gems without the need of a ritual.
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Natural Talent: Guide Book
Conjure a book that guides you and can inform you about items, creatures, or people that have been touched by your aura.
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Natural Talent: Collector
- You have a personal dimensional storage space.
- You automatically loot slain enemies that have been touched by your aura.
- Loot automatically goes into your collection.
- You can use material components for spells, rituals, or enchantments directly from your collection.
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Natural Talent: Lodestar
Deviated from [Beacon of Hope] due to becoming soul entwined.
- Your soul has become entwined with Paul Wayland, one of your Kindred Spirits.
- Your soul will always recognize Paul Wayland¡¯s soul as a Kindred Spirit.
- You share Natural Talents with your Kindred Spirit.
- You have a telepathic link with your Kindred Spirit with the range based on the highest Caste.
- When within your Kindred Spirit¡¯s aura, you have increased Magic.
- When there is a Caste difference between you and your Kindred Spirit, the one with the lower Caste has an increased cultivation rate based on the difference.
- The effects of this cannot be shared.
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Natural Talent: Waypoint
When suffering lethal damage, instead of dying, your body will be reconstituted in the last place you designated as your soul¡¯s waypoint, regaining a state of full integrity. This effect can only be triggered once a day.
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Divine Title: Chosen One
Your aura has been altered by the divine entities: Hero, Rebel, Scholar, Warrior, Traveler, Cultivator, Champion, and Parent. The alterations have enhanced the strength of your aura, increasing its range and resistance to effects from higher Castes. Your soul has been marked as one who has been Chosen by the deities of Makera.
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Divine Title: Saint of the Celestial Pantheon
Your aura has been slightly modified by unlocking the power of your Soul Mark. The ability to grant divine blessings can be sensed within it. Your aura has greatly increased effects when under the effects of [Twist of Fate].
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Title: Adventurer
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The desire for adventure can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased effects when affecting a Mundane ally.
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Title: Slayer
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The resolve to end the life of another person can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased resistance to being suppressed when combating foes of the same or higher caste.
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Title: Martyr
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The desire for saving others at the cost of yourself can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased effects when low on health.
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Title: Soul Tyrant
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The resolve to claim complete dominion over another can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased effects when near those who serve your will.
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Passive Ability: Guiding Stars
Type: Aura (magical, light)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura have increased stamina regeneration and will gain a [Starlight Companion]. Reconstructing a destroyed [Starlight Companion] expends a low amount of mana.
- Starlight Companion (construct, magical, light): A small Starlight Companion hovers around you, providing light and protection. Can intercept and negate Magical or Elemental projectiles.
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Ability: Transversing the Stars
Type: Utility (construct, magical, dimension)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Construct a star gate between two locations on a regional scale. The destination gate must appear in a location you have an aural imprint on.
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Class Ability: Cosmic Phoenix
Type: Familiar (ritual, summon, magical, covenant, dimension)
Cost: Severe mana and stamina.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Summon a [Cosmic Phoenix] to serve as a familiar.
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Passive Ability: Embrace of Shadows
Type: Aura (stealth, magical, dark)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura are obscured by shadows, making attacks against them less likely to hit. The effectiveness of the shadows scales up with the level of darkness of the surrounding environment.
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Ability: Night Blade
Type: Utility (construct, magical, dark)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Constructs [Nyx, the Dagger of Darkness]. Attacks made with the dagger will inflict additional Dark damage and an instance of [Mana Siphon].
- Mana Siphon (bane, drain, magical, arcane, stacking): Drains a low amount of mana over time.
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Class Ability: Call of the Abyss
Type: Spell (divine, void)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Inflicts [Weakened] and [Reflected Fate].
- Weakened (bane, divine, void): Maximum health, mana, and stamina is reduced.
- Reflected Fate (bane, retribution, divine, void): For each attack made, take a low amount of damage in return. Damage taken is of the same type as the attack.
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Passive Ability: Radiant Sunlight
Type: Aura (magical, light)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura gain a [Sun Shell]. Reconstructing a destroyed [Sun Shell] can be done after a short duration and costs a moderate amount of mana.
- Sun Shell (boon, construct, magical, light): A shield that blocks the next incoming physical attack with a chance to knock back and inflict [Blind] on the attacker.
- Blind (bane, magical, light): Hinders vision for a short time.
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Ability: A New Dawn Rises
Type: Spell (magical, life)
Cost: Variable mana.
Cooldown: Variable.
Crystal Effect: Can heal a touched target by activating for Low, Moderate, High, or Severe mana cost. The amount healed and respective cooldown time increases with cost.
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Class Ability: Meteor Shower
Type: Spell (summon, elemental, fire)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Crystal Effect: Summon a meteor to descend on a target location inflicting massive Fire and physical damage and nearby enemies gain [Burning].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
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Passive Ability: Moonlit Eyes
Type: Perception
Crystal Effect: The level of light does not hinder your sight.
Sapphire Effect: Can see the flow of magic.
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Ability: Lunar Dream
Type: Spell (construct, magical, illusion)
Cost: Variable mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Construct an illusory model. Cost varies based on scale and duration. The Illusion is semi-transparent and intangible.
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Class Ability: Avatar of Bakunawa
Type: Transfiguration (recoil, magical, dark, dimension, light)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Crystal Effect: Take on the characteristics and abilities of the moon-eating dragon Bakunawa, increasing all attributes by a significant amount and unlocking the abilities [Eclipse Breath], [Cosmic Talons], and [Soul of the Celestial]. When this effect ends, you are temporarily debilitated, suffering a reduction in all attributes.
- Eclipse Breath (channel, magical, dark, light): Breath a stream of Magical flames inflicting Dark and Light damage.
- Cosmic Talons (magical, dimension): Grow metallic claws that inflict Dimension damage.
- Soul of the Celestial (passive, aura): Increases Strength, Mind, and Magic attributes of allies within your aura.
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Passive Ability: Astral Oasis
Type: Aura (magical, arcane)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura have increased regeneration to mana and abilities cost less mana.
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Ability: Ruler of Relativity
Type: Utility (magical, covenant)
Cost: Variable mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Change the gravitational relationship between you and a target within sight with mana cost dependent on the distance, speed, size, and Caste difference from the target.
- Variant one: Pull - Causes the target to be drawn towards you.
- Variant two: Push - Causes the target to be repelled from you.
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Class Ability: Supernova
Type: Execute (recoil, elemental, magical, arcane, fire, light)
Cost: Severe health, mana, and stamina.
Cooldown: 6 hours.
Crystal Effect: Create an explosion of magic centered on you, inflicting Arcane, Fire, and Light damage to nearby enemies and the surrounding environment. Enemies within and near the blast are inflicted with [Burning]. When this effect ends, you are temporarily unable to cast spells. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
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Dazien Wayland
Profile: Dazien Wayland
Species: Gemite (Amethyst)
Current caste: Sapphire 1
Attributes
Strength (Potent): Sapphire 1
Agility (Sword): Sapphire 1
Fortitude (Metal): Sapphire 1
Mind (Noble): Sapphire 1
Magic (Warrior King): Sapphire 1
Natural Talents
Drinking Buddy
Earthborn
Right of Divinity
Shiny
Treasure Attunement
Titles
Orphan
Loyal Friend
Warrior Trainee
Slayer
Adventurer
Aspects
Potent
- Eagle Eye (Perception Passive)
- Duelist - Sapphire 1
- Rallying Cry (Class) - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
Sword
- Armory (Utility Passive)
- Accelerating Strikes - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
- Royal Executioner (Class) - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
Metal
- Tribute (Utility Passive)
- Stand Your Ground - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
- To the Dungeon (Class) - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
Noble
- Noble Subjects (Utility Passive)
- Lead the Charge - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
- King¡¯s Banner (Class) - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
Warrior King (Class)
- Monarch¡¯s Dominion (Aura Passive)
- Call of Fealty - Sapphire 1
- Avatar of Sovereignty (Class) - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
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Natural Talent: Drinking Buddy
Cultivated from [Never Drunk] due to unlocking the Noble Aspect.
- Cannot become intoxicated via alcoholic beverages at or below your Caste.
- When drinking alcohol, you may grant nearby allies increased resistance to intoxication.
- Covenant abilities have increased effects.
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Natural Talent: Earthborn
- Fortitude and Strength attributes are increased.
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Natural Talent: Shiny
- Your appearance conforms more closely to most species and your ideal traits.
- Your looks, words, and deeds have greater appeal.
- Your eyes shine with an inner light increasing charisma and enhancing sight in darkness.
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Natural Talent: Right of Divinity
Cultivated from [Classy] due to unlocking the Warrior King Class.
- Taunt and Retribution abilities have increased effect.
- Increased resistance to Radiant effects. Radiant abilities have an increased effect.
- Constructs you create have increased effect and are more resistant to damage.
- Abilities that are not the same level as your highest level ability have greatly increased cultivation rate.
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Passive Ability: Eagle Eye
Type: Perception
Crystal Effect: You have greater control over your vision and can focus on details from a great distance.
Sapphire Effect: You can see the types of magic a creature or item is attuned to.
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Ability: Duelist
Type: Spell (taunt, magical, covenant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Challenge a target to single combat, you gain an instance of [Honor] for each attack against the target and inflict [Dishonor] on the target for any attacks they make against others.
Sapphire Effect: You can mark an enemy as [Second Challenger] and an ally as [King¡¯s Champion]. While you and a nearby ally have [Honor], you both gain [Comrade in Arms].
- Honor (boon, magical, covenant, stacking): Attacks made with melee weapons deal increased damage, and resistance to Spells is increased. Instances are slowly lost over time.
- Dishonor (bane, magical, covenant, stacking): Resistances to Magical effects and recovery are reduced. Instances are slowly lost over time.
- Second Challenger (bane, magical, covenant): Gain instances of [Dishonor] when attacking any target that is not [King¡¯s Champion].
- King¡¯s Champion (boon, magical, covenant): Gain instances of [Honor] when attacking a target with [Second Challenger].
- Comrade in Arms (boon, magical, covenant): Magic and Strength are increased. This Boon cannot be removed while instances of [Honor] remain.
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Class Ability: Rallying Cry
Type: Spell (magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Can cast either [To Arms] or [Charge] to temporarily increase one attribute for nearby allies.
Sapphire Effect: (Locked)
- To Arms (boon, magical, covenant): Increased Strength for a moderate duration.
- Charge (boon, magical, covenant): Increased Agility for a moderate duration.
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Passive Ability: Armory
Type: Utility (construct, magical, dimension)
Crystal Effect: Construct a doorway to a personal dimensional storage space that contains [Excalibur, Sword of the True King]. You can don or doff armor and weapons directly from this space without needing to construct the doorway.
Sapphire Effect: You can construct magical copies of armor and weapons in your armory that can be used by allies for a limited time. Wielding [Excalibur, Sword of the True King] periodically cleanses the wielder of Dark, Death, and Blood Banes.
- Excalibur, Sword of the True King (construct, divine, radiant): Attacks made with Excalibur can affect incorporeal targets and inflict an instance of [Ailing].
- Ailing (bane, divine, radiant, stacking): Decreased health and stamina regeneration.
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Ability: Accelerating Strikes
Type: Special Attack (combination)
Cost: Low stamina, increasing with each successive attack.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Each attack slightly increases your attack speed while this ability is active.
Sapphire Effect: (Locked)
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Class Ability: Royal Executioner
Type: Execute (divine, radiant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Enchants a blade so that its next attack deals additional Radiant damage on impact. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
Sapphire Effect: (Locked)
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Passive Ability: Tribute
Type: Utility (magical, covenant)
Crystal Effect: Allies with [Subject] gain a brand that allows them to loot slain enemies with a touch. You gain additional loot from enemies looted by allies with [Subject]. Loot goes directly into your dimensional storage.
Sapphire Effect: When you or a [Subject] slay or loot an enemy, both gain an instance of [Rightful Plunder].
- Rightful Plunder (boon, magical, covenant, stacking): Gain a moderate amount of stamina and mana over a short duration.
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Ability: Stand Your Ground
Type: Utility (channel, elemental, metal)
Cost: Moderate mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Become rooted in place, greatly increase your resistance to physical damage, and gain an instance of [Tenacity] each second until your next movement.
Sapphire Effect: (Locked)
- Tenacity (boon, elemental, metal, stacking): Increased Strength and resistance to Elemental damage. Instances are quickly lost when moving.
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Class Ability: To the Dungeon
Type: Spell (construct, control, elemental, metal)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Construct a reinforced metal cage around the target for a short duration; touching the cage inflicts a burst of Metal damage.
Sapphire Effect: (Locked)
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Passive Ability: Noble Subjects
Type: Utility (magical, covenant)
Crystal Effect: You can designate willing allies as a [Subject]. Allies with [Subject] can communicate telepathically.
Sapphire Effect: You can assign a hierarchy to your allies with [Subject] which they can inherently sense. Allies with [Subject] gain increased benefits from your Boons and the Boons of other allies with [Subject].
- Subject (boon, magical, covenant, tracking): You have been claimed as a noble subject. Your general status is known by the Caster. Other abilities that affect a [Subject] can only affect you if triggered by the Caster.
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Ability: Lead the Charge
Type: Special Attack (movement, magical, covenant)
Cost: Low stamina per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Focus on a target, greatly increasing your speed while moving in the target¡¯s direction and gaining an instance of [Momentum] each second until your next attack.
Sapphire Effect: (Locked)
- Momentum (boon, magical, covenant, stacking): Your next attack will consume all instances of this Boon to inflict additional physical damage. Instances are lost quickly while not moving.
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Class Ability: King¡¯s Banner
Type: Utility (boon, construct, zone, magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Construct a battle standard that creates a zone around it, granting nearby allies increased regeneration and Fortitude.
Sapphire Effect: (Locked)
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Passive Ability: Monarch¡¯s Dominion
Type: Aura (magical, covenant)
Crystal Effect: Allies within the aura gain increased resistance to Retribution effects.
Sapphire Effect: Enemies gain an instance of [Reparations] for each attack made while in the aura.
- Reparations (bane, retribution, magical, covenant, stacking): Inflicts ongoing low damage. Damage dealt is the same as the triggering attack. Instances are lost quickly while not attacking.
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Ability: Call of Fealty
Type: Spell (taunt, magical, covenant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 2 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Inflict a target with [Hesitation] if they do not halt their momentum, and [Insolence] if they do not kneel before you, within 5 seconds.
Sapphire Effect: Cooldown resets if the target dies and you gain an instance of [Weight of Presence]. If the target attacks you during the 5-second countdown, they gain an instance of [King¡¯s Reprisal].
- Hesitation (bane, magical, covenant, stacking): Agility is decreased.
- Insolence (bane, magical, covenant, stacking): Magical resistance is decreased.
- Weight of Presence (boon, magical, covenant, stacking): Increased effect of Taunt abilities. Each successful Taunt consumes a stack of this Boon.
- King¡¯s Reprisal (bane, retribution, magical, covenant): Attacks dealt by you also deal a small percentage of Retributive damage to yourself.
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Class Ability: Avatar of Sovereignty
Type: Familiar (ritual, summon, magical, covenant)
Cost: Severe mana and stamina.
Cooldown: None.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Crystal Effect: Summon an [Avatar of Sovereignty] to serve as a familiar
Sapphire Effect: (Locked)
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Uriel Karislian
Profile: Uriel Karislian
Species: Cinderen
Current caste: Crystal 9
Attributes
Strength (Potent): Crystal 9
Agility (Fire): Crystal 9
Fortitude (Storm): Crystal 9
Mind (Ice): Crystal 10
Magic (Cataclysm Mage): Crystal 9
Natural Talents
Molten Attunement
Ice Attunement
Storm Attunement
Spell Disposition
Raging Inferno
Divine Titles
Chosen Destroyer
Titles
Slayer
Unwilling Parenticide
Orphan
Adventurer
Aspects
Fire
- Home¡¯s Hearth (Utility Passive)
- Rain of Fire - Crystal 10
- Scorch the Shaken Earth (Class) - Crystal 9
Ice
- Fortress of Solitude (Utility Passive)
- Frost Touched - Crystal 10
- Blizzard (Class) - Crystal 10
Storm
- Scent in the Air (Perception Passive)
- Microburst - Crystal 9
- Eye of the Storm (Class) - Crystal 8
Potent
- Battlemage (Aura Passive)
- Siphoned Vigor - Crystal 9
- Plague Bearer (Class) - Crystal 10
Cataclysm Mage (Class)
- ???
- Chaos Seeds - Crystal 10
- End of Days (Class) - Crystal 9
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Natural Talent: Molten Attunement
- Increased resistance to negative Earth and Fire effects. Earth and Fire abilities have increased effects.
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Natural Talent: Ice Attunement
Cultivated from [Unknown Potential].
- Increased resistance to negative Ice effects. Ice abilities have increased effects.
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Natural Talent: Storm Attunement
Deviated from [Animal Friend].
- Increased resistance to negative Lightning and Wind effects. Lightning and Wind abilities have increased effects.
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Natural Talent: Spell Disposition
Deviated from [Utility Disposition].
- Increased likelihood of unlocking Spell abilities. Spells have increased effect and reduced cost.
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Natural Talent: Raging Inferno
Deviated from [Flame Heart].
- Increased Fortitude and Elemental resistances when near Fire.
- When you become angered while using mana, Raging Inferno becomes active and you enter a state of uncontrollable rage.
- While Raging Inferno is active, you have greatly increased Agility, Fortitude, and Magic at the cost of decreased Mind and Strength.
- While Raging Inferno is active, your Spells have greatly decreased cost and cooldown and increased range and area of effect.
- While Raging Inferno is active, any creature that dies within your aura is instantly consumed and converted into instances of [Fuel for the Flames], the amount of instances depends on the Caste of the consumed target.
- While Raging Inferno is active, you attack any and all nearby creatures.
- Fuel for the Flames (boon, divine, void, stacking): Greatly increases resource regeneration for a short duration.
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Divine Title: Chosen Destroyer
Your aura has been altered by the divine entity: Destroyer. The alteration has enhanced the strength of your aura, increasing its range and resistance to effects from higher castes. Your soul has been marked as one who has been chosen by the Destroyer. People can sense your desire to destroy through your aura.
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Title: Slayer
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The resolve to end the life of another person can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased resistance to being suppressed when combating foes of the same or higher caste.
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Title: Unwilling Parenticide
Your aura has been slightly modified by your actions. The guilt of causing the death of your parents and your desire for atonement can be sensed within it. Your aura slightly increases the effects of abilities that cost health or have recoil.
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Title: Orphan
Your aura has been slightly modified by your situation. The loss of your parents can be sensed within it. Your aura slightly increases the effects of abilities that produce resources.
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Title: Adventurer
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The desire for adventure can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased effects when affecting a Mundane ally.
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Passive Ability: Home¡¯s Hearth
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, fire)
Crystal Effect: Construct a hearth that produces light and heat for a low mana cost. Allies near the hearth slowly gain instances of [Hearth¡¯s Warmth].
- Hearth¡¯s Warmth (boon, cleanse, elemental, fire, stacking): Increased health regeneration and periodically cleanses Elemental Banes.
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Ability: Rain of Fire
Type: Spell (elemental, fire)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Create an area of falling flames. Targets in the area take ongoing Fire damage and slowly gain instances of [Scorched].
- Scorched (bane, elemental, fire, stacking): Decreased Fire resistance.
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Class Ability: Scorch the Shaken Earth
Type: Special Attack (elemental, earth, fire)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Slam the ground to trigger a seismic attack inflicting Earth damage, rippling out in a circle around you, scorching the area with fire, and knocking back enemies in its path. Anyone within the area gains [Burning].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
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Passive Ability: Fortress of Solitude
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, magical, ice, dimension)
Crystal Effect: Construct a fortress of ice nearby that serves as a shelter and dimensional storage, increasing the mana regeneration and ability cultivation rate of the inhabitants.
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Ability: Frost Touched
Type: Spell (elemental, ice)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Inflict the target with low Ice damage and an instance of [Chilled] and [Frostbite].
- Chilled (bane, elemental, ice, stacking): Decreased Agility.
- Frostbite (bane, elemental, ice, stacking): Inflicts ongoing Ice damage.
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Class Ability: Blizzard
Type: Spell (elemental, ice)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Create an area of violent wind, snow, and hail. Targets in the area take ongoing Ice damage and slowly gain instances of [Chilled].
- Chilled (bane, elemental, ice, stacking): Decreased Agility.
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Passive Ability: Scent in the Air
Type: Perception
Crystal Effect: You have an extremely heightened and more controlled sense of smell.
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Ability: Microburst
Type: Spell (elemental, wind)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Causes a burst of downward winds in an area that inflicts Wind damage and attempts to push down everything within it.
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Class Ability: Eye of the Storm
Type: Spell (elemental, earth, fire, water, wind)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Create a violent storm centered around you. Targets in the storm take a low amount of ongoing Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind damage and periodically gain an instance of [Scorched] and [Chilled].
- Scorched (bane, elemental, fire, stacking): Decreased Fire resistance.
- Chilled (bane, elemental, ice, stacking): Decreased Agility.
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Passive Ability: Battlemage
Type: Aura
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura deal increased damage with Spells and Spells that affect an area have increased range.
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Ability: Siphoned Vigor
Type: Spell (drain, magical, blood)
Cost: Variable health.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Consume an amount of your own health to replenish your mana.
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Class Ability: Plague Bearer
Type: Spell (magical, death)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Inflict a target enemy with low Death damage and an instance of [Plagued].
- Plagued (bane, magical, death, stacking): Inflicts ongoing Death damage and slowly spreads instances of [Plagued] to nearby enemies.
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Ability: Chaos Seeds
Type: Spell (construct, elemental)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: 30 seconds.
Crystal Effect: Construct a seed that will trigger a random Elemental attack on impact.
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Class Ability: End of Days
Type: Execute (spell, divine, void)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Surround the target in the void, suppressing all physical senses and inflicting ongoing low Void damage for a short duration. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
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Saiya Dewsong
Profile: Saiya Dewsong
Species: Voxen (Sandstep)
Current caste: Sapphire 1
Attributes
Strength (Water): Sapphire 1
Agility (Balance): Sapphire 1
Fortitude (Life): Sapphire 1
Mind (Song): Sapphire 1
Magic (Tranquil Healer): Sapphire 1
Natural Talents
Nomadic Heart
Tails of Power
???
???
???
Titles
Adventurer
???
Aspects
Song
- Accompanion (Utility Passive)
- Crescendo - Sapphire 1
- Sonorous Shield (Class) - Sapphire 2
Balance
- Meditative Guide (Boon Passive)
- Boon of the Balanced - Sapphire 2
- Harmonize (Class) - Sapphire 1
Life
- Empathic Life (Perception Passive)
- Heal Life - Sapphire 3
- Refreshed (Class) - Sapphire 1
Water
- Call of the Sea (Familiar Passive)
- Cleansing Stream - Sapphire 2
- Rain of Life (Class) - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
Tranquil Healer (Class)
- Soothing Soul (Aura Passive)
- Restful Retreat - Sapphire 1
- Restored Foundation (Class) - Sapphire 1
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Natural Talent: Nomadic Heart
- You have better footing and balance on all types of terrain and are less hindered by terrain features.
- Reduced stamina drain over prolonged periods.
- Increased resistance to environmental extremes.
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Natural Talent: Tails of Power
- Increased Magical and physical resistance of your tails.
- Each tail gradually accumulates ambient magic that may be used to boost the effects of an ability that costs mana or stamina.
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Title: Adventurer
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The desire for adventure can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased effects when affecting a Mundane ally.
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Passive Ability: Accompanion
Type: Utility (construct, magical, arcane)
Crystal Effect: Can construct a musical instrument of your own design.
Sapphire Effect: Constructed instruments can serve as a medium for Spells, enhancing their effects and costing less mana.
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Ability: Crescendo
Type: Boon (recoil, magical, song)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 6 hours.
Crystal Effect: Mind, Agility, and Fortitude attributes, along with maximum capacity and regeneration of mana and stamina pools, are greatly increased for the target ally for a moderate duration. When this effect ends, the targeted ally is temporarily debilitated, suffering the inverse of all previous effects.
Sapphire Effect: ???
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Class Ability: Sonorous Shield
Type: Spell (channel, construct, magical, song, water)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: As you sing, nearby allies gain increased resistance to Magical damage.
Sapphire Effect: As you sing, nearby allies gain increased resistance to Elemental damage. Also constructs a shield of water around each affected ally at the beginning of the spell that absorbs damage and lasts until the spell ends or the shield is destroyed. This effect incurs a separate 5-minute cooldown.
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Passive Ability: Meditative Guide
Type: Boon (magical, song)
Crystal Effect: Sing a song of guided meditation, enhancing the effects of meditation to nearby allies.
Sapphire Effect: Increases regeneration of all resource pools for nearby allies while meditating.
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Ability: Boon of the Balanced
Type: Boon (magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Bless nearby allies with increased balance and reflexes for a short amount of time, making them less likely to falter, and Magical abilities are less likely to be resisted.
Sapphire Effect: Also greatly increases the lowest level attribute of each blessed ally.
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Class Ability: Harmonize
Type: Spell (magical, covenant, song)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: Varies.
Crystal Effect: Harmonize with an ally¡¯s incanted spell, adding your mana to theirs to increase its effects and shorten its cooldown. This spell¡¯s cooldown becomes the same as the targeted spell¡¯s adjusted cooldown.
Sapphire Effect: Decreases the incanted spell¡¯s cost for both Casters and each gains an instance of [Interlude].
- Interlude (boon, magical, song): Moderately increased mana regeneration for a short duration.
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Passive Ability: Empathic Life
Type: Perception (magical, life)
Crystal Effect: Can sense the emotions and resource pools of a target through their aura.
Sapphire Effect: You can sense imprints of emotions bestowed by the previous wielder and creator in the objects you touch. If you are able to empathize with either imprint on an enchanted item, the item will yield greater effects.
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Ability: Heal Life
Type: Spell (magical, life)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Delivers Life energy through a projectile, giving a small burst of health to an ally target.
Sapphire Effect: Bestows an instance of [Life Regen].
- Life Regen (boon, magical, life): Periodically regain health for a moderate duration.
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Class Ability: Refreshed
Type: Spell (magical, life)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: Variable.
Crystal Effect: This spell can only affect an ally and not yourself. Reset the cooldown of an ability currently on a cooldown of the targeted ally. The cooldown of this ability is equal to the time remaining on the cooldown of the target ability.
Sapphire Effect: Additionally refresh resource pools of the target with the amount recovered proportional to the costs of the ability refreshed.
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Passive Ability: Call of the Sea
Type: Familiar (ritual, magical, covenant)
Crystal Effect: Bond to a Crystal Caste Water-attuned aval or monster to serve as a Familiar.
Sapphire Effect: Bond to a Sapphire Caste Water-attuned aval or monster to serve as a familiar. Increased effectiveness of Water abilities that scale higher the closer your Familiar is to you.
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Ability: Cleansing Stream
Type: Spell (channel, elemental, water)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Channel a stream of water that thoroughly cleans any external impurities from a single target and grants an instance of [Flowing Waters] if the target is an ally.
Sapphire Effect: Purges Elemental Boons from target enemy. Grants a small burst of healing whenever a stack of [Flowing Waters] is consumed.
- Flowing Waters (boon, cleanse, elemental, water, stacking): Slowly cleanses Elemental Banes for a short duration.
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Class Ability: Rain of Life
Type: Spell (elemental, magical, life, water)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Crystal Effect: Create an area of healing rain that greatly increases the regeneration rate of allies within it.
Sapphire Effect: (Locked)
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Passive Ability: Soothing Soul
Type: Aura (magical, life)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura are calmed and have increased resistance to Magical Banes.
Sapphire Effect: The calming effects of your aura are increased against lower Caste people and will also affect enemies to a limited degree. Allies within your aura have increased resistance to Magical damage.
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Ability: Restful Retreat
Type: Spell (summon, magical, dimension, life)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Crystal Effect: Summon nearby allies into a dimensional garden for a moderate duration. The inhabitants have greatly increased health regeneration and are periodically cleansed of Elemental Banes.
Sapphire Effect: The inhabitants undergo extreme mana regeneration and the remaining cooldowns of other abilities are gradually reduced while in the dimensional garden.
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Class Ability: Restored Foundation
Type: Spell (cleanse, zone, magical, life)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 6 hours.
Crystal Effect: Delineate a zone with small lotus flower constructs. Target ally within the zone restores a massive amount of health and is cleansed of all Magical Banes.
Sapphire Effect: Channel for a moderate mana cost per second to repair objects in the zone that contains the necessary materials and slowly heal all targets within the area.
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Rayna Dewsong
Profile: Rayna Dewsong
Species: Voxen (Sandstep)
Current Caste: Sapphire 1
Attributes
Strength (Gem): Sapphire 1
Agility (Swift): Sapphire 1
Fortitude (Dance): Sapphire 2
Mind (Song): Sapphire 2
Magic (Shatter Bard): Sapphire 1
Natural Talents
Fantasia Attunement
Movement Disposition
Crystal Attunement
Nomadic Heart
Tails of Power
Titles
Orphan
Clan Leader
Slayer
Adventurer
Aspects
Song
- Echolocation (Perception Passive)
- Siren¡¯s Cry - Sapphire 2
- Percussion Strike (Class) - Sapphire 2
Dance
- Stepping Tune (Movement Passive)
- Blink Step - Sapphire 2
- Sonorous Stomp (Class) - Sapphire 2
Swift
- Agile (Boon Passive)
- Beyond the Boundary - Sapphire 1
- Swift Encore (Class) - Sapphire 2
Gem
- Gem Encrusted (Utility Passive)
- Arcanist Gem - Sapphire 1
- Gem Distortion (Class) - Sapphire 1
Shatter Bard (Class)
- Reverberate (Aura Passive)
- Battle Symphony - Sapphire 1
- Shatter (Class) - Sapphire 1 (Locked)
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Natural Talent: Nomadic Heart
- You have better footing and balance on all types of terrain and are less hindered by terrain features.
- Reduced stamina drain over prolonged periods.
- Increased resistance to environmental extremes.
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Natural Talent: Tails of Power
- Increased Magical and physical resistance of your tails.
- Each tail gradually accumulates ambient magic that may be used to boost the effects of an ability that costs mana or stamina.
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Passive Ability: Echolocation
Type: Perception (magical, song)
Crystal Effect: Can discern your environment via sound waves.
Sapphire Effect: Can hear magic.
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Ability: Siren¡¯s Cry
Type: Spell (channel, magical, song)
Cost: Moderate mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Let out a cry, inflicting Song damage and [Deafened] to anyone in a cone in front of you.
Sapphire Effect: Also knocks back and inflicts [Punishing Shriek].
- Deafened (bane, magical, song): Hearing is greatly impaired.
- Punishing Shriek (bane, magic, song): When another Bane is added or removed, gain an instance of [Melodic Tears]. This Bane cannot be cleansed while other Banes remain.
- Melodic Tears (bane, magical, song, stacking): Consumes five instances of this Bane to deal a moderate amount of Song damage.
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Class Ability: Percussion Strike
Type: Special Attack (magical, song)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Each consecutive strike against the same target inflicts Song damage and an instance of [Brittle].
Sapphire Effect: Each consecutive strike against the same target gives you an instance of [Focused].
- Brittle (bane, magical, song, stacking): Reduced Song resistance.
- Focused (boon, magical, song, stacking): You become more aware of your target, gaining increased chances of landing a critical strike and dealing an additional burst of Song damage. Instances are lost when changing targets.
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Passive Ability: Stepping Tune
Type: Movement
Crystal Effect: Create music with your steps, slowly gaining instances of [Tuned].
Sapphire Effect: While maintaining a rhythm with your steps, you gain instances of [Tempo]. Attacks made upon gaining an instance of [Tempo] also grant an instance of [Accompaniment].
- Tuned (boon, stacking): Slightly reduces the mana and stamina cost of abilities. Instances are quickly lost while not moving.
- Tempo (boon, magical, song, stacking): Speed is slightly increased. Instances are quickly lost while not moving.
- Accompaniment (boon, magical, song, stacking): Your attacks deal additional Song damage that scales with the number of instances of this Boon. Instances are quickly lost while not attacking.
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Ability: Blink Step
Type: Special Attack (movement, magical, dimension)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Teleport behind an enemy target within sight, inflicting increased damage with your next attack.
Sapphire Effect: Can be used an additional time per Caste in succession before incurring its cooldown.
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Class Ability: Sonorous Stomp
Type: Special Attack (magical, song)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Stomp the ground causing a shockwave in a radial burst inflicting moderate Song damage and knocking back enemies.
Sapphire Effect: Generates an additional two pulses per Caste of the initial burst and inflicts [Disoriented].
- Disoriented (bane, magical, song): Decreased Agility and Mind and direction-sensing abilities are interrupted for a moderate duration.
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Passive Ability: Agile
Type: Boon (magical, arcane)
Crystal Effect: Increased Agility. Low stamina and mana per second cost to run on vertical or unstable surfaces. Momentum must be maintained to prevent falling.
Sapphire Effect: Greatly enhanced balance, timing, and spatial sense.
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Ability: Beyond the Boundary
Type: Utility (movement, magical, song)
Cost: Severe mana and stamina.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Instantly boost your speed by a massive amount, quickly declining to normal over 5 seconds.
Sapphire Effect: A shockwave is generated in your wake, dealing a burst of Song damage and knocking back anyone nearby.
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Class Ability: Swift Encore
Type: Utility (movement, magical, song)
Cost: Moderate mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Accumulate instances of [Impetus] while attacking.
Sapphire Effect: Instances now accumulate faster based on total unresisted damage your abilities deal.
- Impetus (boon, magical, song, stacking): Your speed is slightly increased. Consume all instances to deliver a burst of Song damage with your next attack that scales with the number of instances consumed.
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Passive Ability: Gem Encrusted
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, gem)
Crystal Effect: Construct gem gauntlets and tail covers that inflict additional Gem damage and accrue instances of [Kinetic Force] with each normal attack.
Sapphire Effect: For a low mana cost, you can modify your gauntlets and covers to have spikes. Attacks accrue instances of [Reverberation].
- Kinetic Force (boon, elemental, gem, stacking): Consume all instances to inflict Gem damage that scales with the number of instances. Instances are slowly lost over time.
- Reverberation (boon, magical, song, stacking): Each consecutive hit increases the damage of the next attack. Instances are quickly lost over time.
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Ability: Arcanist Gem
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, magical, arcane, gem)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Construct a floating gem that quickly absorbs ambient mana which can be used to fuel rituals or the mana cost of abilities before bursting upon reaching capacity or if destroyed and inflicting Gem and Arcane damage to nearby enemies.
Sapphire Effect: This can store an ability to be triggered upon destruction, automatically targeting the nearest enemy.
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Class Ability: Gem Distortion
Type: Spell (zone, elemental, gem)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Current caste: Sapphire 1 (0%)
Crystal Effect: Create a Zone of vibrating gem pillars that cause mana in the area to become disrupted and inflict ongoing low Gem damage. In the Zone, Spells cost more and have an increased chance of failure or backlash.
Sapphire Effect: Any Spells already being cast are interrupted, dealing backlash damage to their caster. Magic Constructs in the Zone are heavily damaged upon construction.
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Passive Ability: Reverberate
Type: Aura (elemental, magical, gem, song)
Current caste: Sapphire 1
Crystal Effect: Allies within the aura deal increased damage with Gem and Song abilities.
Sapphire Effect: Enemies within the aura have decreased Gem and Song resistance. Gem and Song abilities that inflict damage also inflict a small amount of additional damage of the other type.
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Ability: Battle Symphony
Type: Spell (magical, song)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: While singing, deal increased damage for each Boon on you and inflict [Shaken] on nearby enemies.
Sapphire Effect: While singing, deal increased damage for each Bane on the currently targeted enemy, and slowly inflict instances of [Dazed] on nearby enemies.
- Shaken (bane, magical, song): Inflicts ongoing low Song damage for a moderate duration.
- Dazed (bane, magical, stacking): Agility and Mind are slightly decreased. Instances are slowly lost over time.
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Class Ability: Shatter
Type: Execute (magical, song)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Inflicts moderate Song damage in a sudden burst. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
Sapphire Effect: Locked
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Everin Starlark
Profile: Everin Starlark
Species: Voxen (Moonsong)
Current caste: Emerald 1
Attributes
Strength (Friendship): Emerald 1
Agility (Swift): Emerald 1
Fortitude (Life): Emerald 1
Mind (Rejuvenation): Emerald 1
Magic (Spirit Advocate): Emerald 1
Natural Talents
Divine Vessel
???
???
???
???
Divine Titles
Cleric of Rebel
Avatar of the Scholar
Avatar of the Rebel
Titles
???
Aspects
Swift
- Flight of Fancy (Utility Passive)
- Never Still - Emerald 1
- Light Spirited (Class) - Emerald 1
Life
- ??? (Boon Passive)
- ??? - Emerald 1
- Fight for Life (Class) - Emerald 1
Rejuvenation
- ??? (Aura Passive)
- ??? - Emerald 1
- ??? (Class) - Emerald 1
Friendship
- ??? (Perception Passive)
- The Power of Friendship - Emerald 1
- Social Network (Class) - Emerald 1
Spirit Advocate (Class)
- ??? (Boon Passive)
- Freedom Fighter - Emerald 1
- ??? (Class) - Emerald 1
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Natural Talent: Divine Vessel
Cultivated from [Illusion Attunement] due to unlocking the Life Aspect.
Cultivated from [Spirit Attunement] due to Scholar¡¯s Blessing.
- Increased resistance to negative Illusion, Life, and Radiant effects. Illusion, Life, and Radiant abilities have increased effects.
- Your physical body has been reinforced to contain Divine entities for a short duration and long cooldown.
- When acting as a vessel for a Divine entity, you gain the following effects:
- You have greatly increased resistances and attributes.
- Your abilities have no cost or cooldown.
- You become attuned to every magic type.
- You are bound to their area of influence, unable to leave it. This effect overrides Banish or Summon abilities.
- You can perform rituals and cantrips with mana in place of any common or uncommon component requirements.
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Divine Title: Avatar of the Scholar
Your aura has been altered by the divine entity: Scholar. The alteration has enhanced the strength of your aura, increasing its range and resistance to effects from higher Castes. Your appearance has been altered. People can sense your desire to seek new knowledge and act as an instrument of the divine through your aura.
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Passive Ability: Flight of Fancy
Type: Utility (boon, movement)
Current Caste: Emerald 1
Crystal Effect: Increased Agility.
Sapphire Effect: You can slightly hover over the ground. When not touching the ground, your senses are slightly heightened.
Emerald Effect: You can fly with your tails. For a high mana cost, you can greatly increase your flight speed for a very short duration.
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Ability: Never Still
Type: Boon (channel, movement, elemental, wind)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: While moving, greatly increases the chance of inflicting and dodging attacks.
Sapphire Effect: While moving, greatly increases your Agility and Mind.
Emerald Effect: While flying, can channel additional mana to displace the air around you to avoid attacks.
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Class Ability: Light Spirited
Type: Boon (magical, light)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Cast on an ally to reduce the stamina cost of their abilities for a moderate duration.
Sapphire Effect: Can cast this Boon on many allies at once for a cumulative mana cost. Additionally increases Agility by a low amount.
Emerald Effect: Additionally increases the effects of Movement abilities and reduces the cost of Boons by a moderate amount.
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Class Ability: Fight for Life
Type: Boon (magical, life)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Can cast on an ally for a moderate duration. Damage dealt heals a portion of that damage back.
Sapphire Effect: Additionally increases Strength and Magic by a moderate amount.
Emerald Effect: Can cast on multiple allies at once. Additionally, each attack dealt increases their maximum health pool up to the next Caste¡¯s threshold.
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Ability: The Power of Friendship
Type: Boon (magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: You link your Magic attribute to the target, increasing the target¡¯s Magic based on a moderate percentage of your own.
Sapphire Effect: You link your Fortitude attribute to the target, increasing the target¡¯s Fortitude based on a moderate percentage of your own. Additionally, both you and the target gain [Double the Fun].
Emerald Effect: You link your Agility attribute to the target, increasing the target¡¯s Agility based on a moderate percentage of your own. Additionally, you and all nearby allies gain [Welcome to the Herd].
- Double the Fun (boon, magical, illusion): Taking damage creates a temporary clone of yourself that replicates your movements but vanishes when hit or after a short duration.
- Welcome to the Herd (boon, magical, covenant): Increases Magic attribute based on how many allies with [Welcome to the Herd] there are nearby.
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Class Ability: Social Network
Type: Boon (magical, covenant)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Invite an ally to join your network, marking them with [Friendly Acquaintance] until the invitation is revoked. Allies with [Friendly Acquaintance] can pass secret messages between you.
Sapphire Effect: Allies with [Friendly Acquaintance] gain increased effects from your abilities.
Emerald Effect: Allies with [Friendly Acquaintance] can sense the direction of one another and gain an increase to their Mind attribute based on how many allies with [Friendly Acquaintance] are nearby.
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Ability: Freedom Fighter
Type: Boon (magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Can cast on an ally for a long duration. Increases Strength and Agility by a moderate amount and increases the effects of Special Attacks.
Sapphire Effect: Additionally, increases Fortitude and Mind by a moderate amount and increases the effects of Combination abilities.
Emerald Effect: Additionally, increases Magic by a moderate amount and increases the effects of Spell abilities.
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Publishing Announcement 📚🔊
Hello everyone ??
I¡¯m very excited to announce that I have partnered with Podium Entertainment to publish the Wayward series in ALL formats! They have produced some of my all-time favorite stories, and I''m thrilled to work with them!
Books 1-3 are currently in production to be released in print (in stores!), eBook (on Kindle Unlimited), and, of course, audiobook (on Audible) narrated by the wonderful Hannah Church! Audiobooks were my gateway into LitRPG, and I''m looking forward to listening to Hannah bring my characters to life through an audio medium.
The first book will be releasing on 5/13/2025!
You can also see update announcements (which will include links once I have them) on my Discord and Instagram.
During my own round of editing, taking in all the feedback from many of you (yes, you wonderful commenters), there have been some adjustments (certain changes to how things happened but not what happened, if that makes sense) along with additional scenes that amount to three new chapters being added to the first book and three more in the second book, along with the previous Bonus Chapter featuring Patricia being added in!
Most of these new scenes do not change the overall plot at all, so they are not required to read to continue enjoying current/future chapters, but they do add more depth to the world, character development, and overall consistency. I highly recommend checking them out! (I also do a lot of subtle foreshadowing, so a re-read is usually worth it, in my opinion ??)
Some ¡°technical¡± changes (aka patch notes) that I implemented during editing and will be showing up going forward are as follows:If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
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The Ability [A New Dawn Rises] name was shortened to [Dawn Rises].
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The Ability [Ruler of Relativity] removed the ¡°variants¡± of push and pull to simply let the ability explain itself. Functionally, it remains the same.
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The Ability [Gem Distortion] name was updated to [Crystalline Distortion].
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The Ability [Avatar of Bakunawa] had its cooldown reduced to 30 minutes from 1 hour.
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The Ability [Cosmic Phoenix] name was updated to [Wings of the Cosmos] to better differentiate the power from the creature.
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The Ability [Child of Theia] name was updated to [Shining Companion] to better differentiate the power from the creature.
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The Creature [Avatar of Sovereignty] name was updated to [Royal Raksha] to better differentiate the creature from the power.
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The Talent [Astral Traveler] name was updated to [Aetheric Transmigrator] to better fit the world lore and not be confused with the deity.
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Divine power/currency is referred to as ¡°Aetherius¡± earlier on.
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The collective terms ¡°Vanhin¡± (sapient non-Caster species) and ¡°Vauva¡± (species that can become Casters) are referenced earlier on.
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Phoenix being ¡°Favored¡± is better referred to as being ¡°Chosen.¡± (So while Dazien seems favored by Warrior, Phoenix is actually Chosen by Warrior and bears his Soul Mark.)
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Incantation formatting is ¡°bolded and italicized¡± to better indicate magic usage.
This major round of editing for all three books to prepare for publication is part of what led to my decision to take the month of September off for a brief hiatus from releasing. I wasn¡¯t able to get much writing done during this time and ate through a decent chunk of my backlog to compensate. Plus, I burnt myself out a little with doing that. I normally keep my life fairly balanced, but I ended up overestimating my abilities in regards to editing while writing while job hunting after getting laid off in January (it has been some stressful months).
A quick reminder that the last chapter before the hiatus will be on Aug. 30th, and the first chapter when I get back will be on Sept. 30th. Please note that Patreon billing will be paused during this timeframe, which means new subscriptions will not be able to be processed either; I''m sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
Thank you so much for all your support! I couldn''t have done any of this without the continued motivation all of you give me!
1 - The Worst Summoner
¡°From the ashes of the first star, I call you. Until the final nova, I command you. You are the beginning and the end. You are the first and last breath of the universe. Our bond heralds the genesis of a new dawn. Come forward, that we may burn brightly across the cosmos.¡±
As Phoenix finished the incantation for her [Wings of the Cosmos], she carefully watched as the egg that would become her Familiar reformed. It was bigger than she remembered, and instead of the small bird she had been expecting, a larger phoenix about the size of a swan arose from the newly cracked shell of swirling blue and purple.
Tala looked much more mature and sleeker in this new form, and Phoenix¡¯s first words were, ¡°Definitely no more perching on my head if you¡¯re that big.¡±
She glanced back towards Uriel, who was the only one watching at the moment since the others had yet to return from their tasks in the city, and said, ¡°I wish I had remembered to resummon her earlier so I had time to go see if there was a shop still standing that sold like a leather shoulder pad or something for her.¡±
¡°We can go look tomorrow, but you might have to just keep her merged for a while instead. Unless she can shift forms? Plenty of summoned versions get that capability since their vessels are already more flexible with being able to merge.¡±
She turned back to ask Tala if that was something the Familiar could do when there was a tiny explosion of silver starlight like a firework combined with her collection ability¡¯s visual side effect. Tala was back in her original smaller form and landed heavily in her outstretched hands.
Then she heard the tiny feminine voice in her mind accusingly say, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you forgot me!¡±
Phoenix blinked owlishly at the smaller phoenix before replaying her words and then scrambling for an answer to the newly vocal Familiar. Quickly trying to push aside the shock of being able to actually converse with her companion.
¡°I¨C I was exhausted and super stressed out, okay?!¡± Phoenix whined to the poofy little bird.
Tala¡¯s feathers fluffed up indignantly while glaring up at her, ¡°Not exhausted enough to not get treats from the warm one.¡±
She gave a tired sigh, ¡°He was just trying to make me feel better about all that weird divine stuff. Wait, how did you know he gave me cookies? Are you like watching even though unsummoned?¡±
¡°I may not have a good smeller, but you both smell like Best Cookies,¡± Tala replied, then tilted her head and got wide begging eyes that seemed to sparkle with silver starlight, ¡°You brought me some, right?¡±
¡°I¨C uh, of course,¡± she replied, setting the small bird atop her head and promptly conjuring a chocolate and marshmallow cookie. Phoenix had managed to steal a small pile of them after arriving back in the kitchens from the roof garden. Uriel had been helping with more baking for the locals participating in the reconstruction efforts, and while she wasn¡¯t that good of a cook, she could assist pretty well.
It wasn¡¯t until late that evening when she had realized her Familiar was missing from the usual spot nestled in her soul. The Crystal Caste vessel had burned up when Phoenix had ascended, and she needed to resummon the Familiar at the new Sapphire tier.
Similarly to Orebela and Rex, Tala also came with a few new upgrades at Sapphire Caste without the need for a Spirit Gem that would give them an additional ability.
Name: Tala
Species: Cosmic Phoenix (Familiar)
Mythical creatures not of this world that are attuned to Dimension, Fire, and Radiant magic.
Caste: Sapphire
Can cast the breath attack [Star Fire] against nearby enemies.
Attacks dealt by the talons or beak inflict additional Dimension damage, [Celestial Radiation], and can affect incorporeal entities.
Can communicate telepathically with the summoner.
Can heal others by expending a tail feather which grows back over time.
- Star Fire (elemental, magical, dimension, fire): A wide-area attack that inflicts a combination of Dimension and Fire damage and inflicts [Burning] and [Vulnerable].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
- Vulnerable (bane, elemental, stacking): All Elemental resistances are slightly reduced.
- Celestial Radiation (bane, divine, radiant): Inflicts ongoing low Radiant damage for a short duration.
When merged within the summoner:
- The summoner shines and slowly stores [Starlight Qi] generated from absorbed starlight. [Starlight Qi] can be completely drained to unleash a burst of mana and stamina regeneration to allies in the area. The amount replenished is determined by how much [Starlight Qi] was spent.
- The summoner gains [Stellar Photosynthesis] which allows them to be nourished on starlight alone and have accelerated mana recovery.
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Uriel was smiling at them both as he finished reading over the description in her [Guide Book] and asked with a chuckle, ¡°So the first thing she does is scold you, then demand recompense for your sins?¡±
Phoenix scrunched her nose in annoyance, ¡°I am, like, the worst summoner. Pretty sure I would kill a plant if I had to be in charge of taking care of it¡ not one of those plants up in the garden either, like a sturdy cactus that only needs water, like, once a month¡ otherwise, it would totally be dead.¡±
He laughed, ¡°Good thing summoned Familiars don¡¯t need food to survive.¡±
¡°How dare he!¡± Tala replied in her mind while cheeping angrily at him, ¡°I need treats just as much as any other Familiar.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Uriel didn¡¯t seem to need a translation as he pulled out another cookie from his hip pouch to placate the irate bird and replied with a grin, ¡°Treats don¡¯t count as food for the body, luckily. They¡¯re food for the soul.¡±
Tala seemed to become mollified by that as she amended, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll allow you to keep him.¡± Then the silvery beak took the cookie and thankfully flew down to the floor of the ritual room they were still standing in rather than getting crumbs in her hair.
Phoenix rolled her eyes at the Familiar, ¡°Uriel¡¯s not mine to keep.¡±
¡°What?¡± he asked in confusion.
¡°She gave me permission to keep you. I¡¯m guessing because you are the worst about spoiling her with those cookies.¡±
¡°The warm one spoils you too. Really, he is best about spoiling, not worst,¡± Tala retorted.
¡°The point remains,¡± Phoenix interjected, giving the Familiar a disapproving look, ¡°Uriel doesn¡¯t belong to anyone,¡± she thought about that for a moment longer, then corrected, ¡°Unless you count Dazien, I guess. I¡¯m not really sure how that all works between you two. Do you consider you and him as belonging to each other? Is that a thing here? Maybe just between spouses? Oh, now that I think about it¡ you¡¯re both old enough to get married now, right?¡±
Uriel¡¯s cheeks seemed to almost glow under his dark ashen skin in an odd way, and she couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°Wait, are you blushing?!¡±
He covered his face with a hand and looked away, ¡°I¨C I¡¯ve never really talked to anyone else about Daze like that.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to!¡± she quickly replied, waving both of her hands between them in an effort to stop him and wave away the topic, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to make you uncomfortable. I forgot you don¡¯t like to make your relationship with him public knowledge. Daze just doesn¡¯t seem to mind when I ask things like that.¡±
¡°I¡¡± he seemed to trail off, his ember eyes returning to search her face for something she wasn¡¯t sure of before he said, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯d mind talking with you about it.¡±
¡°Really?¡± she asked in both confusion and excitement, ¡°I honestly feel so out of my depth when it comes to relationship things that everyone else just seems to¡ I don¡¯t know, naturally ¡®get¡¯... but I¡¯d also like to understand you better. Like I told you before, I want to know about what my friends like, and that includes the people they like.¡±
¡°Just make sure there will be more treats for it,¡± Tala interjected in her mind.
She laughed suddenly, rolling her eyes and replying for Uriel¡¯s sake, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure Uriel knows exactly which treats would go best with that kind of conversation.¡±
Uriel chuckled at the spoiled Familiar, ¡°Since I¡¯ve never really had a conversation like that, perhaps I¡¯ll make a variety, and we¡¯ll all figure out which goes best together,¡± then he asked her, ¡°Since we¡¯re here, though, did you want to do the rest of your rituals to absorb all those ¡®fated¡¯ Spirit Gems you¡¯ve been saving up? Or would you rather wait for the others to be here to watch?¡±
¡°Less of an audience, the better. Plus, they¡¯ve seen it a dozen times now since I¡¯m the fourth one to finally hit Sapphire,¡± she nudged him playfully, ¡°I know I cheat a bit, but I¡¯ve also died like a whole bunch, so you better catch up soon. You¡¯re close, right?¡±
He nodded, ¡°I¡¯m around Crystal 9 after that last battle, I believe.¡±
¡°Would you¡ um, want to use my book to see for sure?¡± she asked, then clarified quickly at his look of surprise, ¡°I won¡¯t look, promise. I just want to help. I know you told me most of your secrets but¨C¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he replied, ¡°I just¨C¡± he cut off his words as his attention snapped to the door, and she could feel the sensation as well through her bracelet¡¯s added sense of the others changing direction quick enough to likely be walking down the hall right outside. Uriel ended up saying instead, ¡°I can show you everything later, okay?¡±
She nodded but didn¡¯t have time to respond further.
¡°I thought we might find you here once you woke up,¡± Dazien said as he opened the door to the room, ¡°Glad to see you already resummoned, Tala. I know I wanted to get Rex back quickly when I awoke.¡±
¡°Not quick enough,¡± Tala¡¯s voice grumbled in her mind.
Phoenix winced in return and replied silently, ¡°I said I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°More treats and maybe some shinies would help me believe you,¡± the Familiar replied, making it quite clear that much bribery was in Phoenix¡¯s future.
¡°I was just about to do my Absorption Rituals, so you¡¯re all right on time,¡± she replied aloud instead, not wanting to commit to the extortion.
¡°Can¡¯t you just absorb them with your hand like before?¡± Tala questioned, pausing her cookie devastation to tilt her poofy head to the side.
Phoenix stared blankly at the Familiar for a moment before saying, ¡°Riiiight¡ that¡¯s a thing I can do. ¡®Cause I¡¯m an [Aetheric Transmigrator] and what-not¡¡±
Uriel chuckled and asked, ¡°What¡¯d she say?¡±
¡°She reminded me that I don¡¯t need a ritual,¡± she replied, ¡°I can just absorb them at will, but it kinda hurts a lot more than what you all seem to go through. Maybe I¡¯ll do the ritual version anyway, just to avoid that. It only requires a bit of salt.¡±
Uriel raised a brow at her and asked, ¡°Well, whichever route you go, do you want us to leave so there¡¯s less of an audience?¡±
¡°Nah, it¡¯s fine. You¡¯re all here now, and I don¡¯t feel so¡ awkward when it¡¯s just you four¨C¡±
¡°Seven,¡± Tala interjected haughtily, and she winced again.
¡°I mean seven, sorry. Gods, I am terrible about remembering all our Familiars,¡± she bemoaned before turning to look at Uriel with a pained expression as she whispered, ¡°I thought my memory was supposed to get better at Sapphire Caste?¡±
Uriel chuckled and patted her shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m sure it helps when they can tell you exactly how rude you¡¯re being when forgetting them.¡±
¡°Oh?¡± Dazien asked curiously, ¡°Tala can speak now?¡±
¡°Just to me, it seems,¡± Phoenix replied, ¡°It¡¯s kinda like a more limited version of what Orebela and Paul did, I think.¡±
¡°Well, perhaps that means next Caste she can chat with us too,¡± he replied with a grin, ¡°I hope Rex gains the capability as well. It becomes more common the higher the Caste they are, but not always guaranteed.¡±
¡°So what all do you have for gems again?¡± Rayna asked, coming up beside her excitedly, looking from the glowing floating book to the Wayfarer.
She mentally checked her collection and replied, ¡°I got Predator from that Mecha-cat that exploded on us. Regrowth from cleansing Uriel of Corruption. Fracture when my sword freaking broke,¡± she glanced at Dazien, ¡°I still need to get a replacement, which might be nice to keep in your armory so it doesn¡¯t risk breaking too.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not a terrible idea, but you risk not having it if we get separated for some reason,¡± the party leader pointed out.
¡°Well, I don¡¯t plan on fighting anything without my party, so it¡¯s probably not too big a problem. Plus, I always have my [Night Blade] still like I¡¯ve been using. Anyways, the last gem I got was the bonus for blessing Kara to destroy the Soul Reapers¡¯ ship, the Abyss Spirit Gem. Technically, I have one waiting for me to hit Ruby too¡ from the Dragon Paul killed.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure Paul will enjoy watching you absorb that in the near future,¡± Dazien replied with a smile, ¡°I think he would appreciate seeing you grow even more than you already will have.¡±
She returned his smile with a sad one of her own, ¡°I guess that will be something else to look forward to.¡±
¡°There¡¯s a lot for us to look forward to,¡± Saiya added, coming up to her other side and taking her hand, ¡°We have a brighter future now ahead of us with the Soul Reapers no longer being a threat and the blood moon almost over.¡±
¡°We can have some fun adventures in our travels,¡± Rayna added with a grin, ¡°Get tons of new loot and more upgrades to our abilities. So let¡¯s see what these unlock for you, and then go try them out during our next monster fight!¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t we stationed on the wall until the end of the blood moon?¡± Uriel asked, glancing toward Dazien, ¡°We¡¯ve been more focused on the reconstruction while we were down a party member, but now that Phoenix is awake, we¡¯ll be joining the rotation again, right?¡±
¡°Yep,¡± he replied, ¡°Plenty of monsters come within range, though, so I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll get to use at least some of the abilities you cultivate further¡ at least the less destructive ones.¡±
2 - Just One Little Meteor
¡°We¡¯re playing it nice and safe this time, alright Phoenix?¡±
¡°Why are you specifically asking me?¡± she mentally questioned her leader.
¡°Because if I don¡¯t, you¡¯ll crater the road again.¡±
¡°Hey, I can totally avoid the road if I want to. There were just a lot of monsters on it last time, and I was not letting those face-suckers get anywhere near me.¡±
¡°How many monsters are there this time?¡±
¡°Well¡ are you sure I can¡¯t blow them up? I¡¯ll be nice and safe about it.¡±
¡°Blowing up a dozen meters of tundra is never safe. No exploding things.¡±
¡°Fine¡¡±
¡°And that includes meteors.¡±
¡°Oh, come on! I¡¯m never gonna hit Emerald if you never let me use my abilities. This one is all new and shiny and can actually level up too.¡±
Phoenix and Dazien continued arguing back and forth over his communication ability as she ran through a particularly rocky area of the tundra near the Eastern Trade Road just beyond the city walls while dragging a trail of various-sized Crystal and Sapphire Caste monsters behind her.
She was able to keep ahead of them easily with her [Ruler of Relativity] ability pushing herself away from the ground as she spent a little mana with each step. Using the ability was almost second nature to her now and had become even more natural-feeling to use after hitting Sapphire Caste.
It had also recently been unlocked by her Abyss Spirit Gem and wasn¡¯t trapped at Sapphire 1 like most of her other abilities. Phoenix had been hesitant to use that particular gem since it was a reward from the god, Destruction, but she couldn¡¯t say she was displeased with the unexpected result.
Ability: Ruler of Relativity
Type: Utility (channel, magical, covenant)
Cost: Variable mana.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (1%)
Crystal Effect: Change the gravitational relationship between you and a target within sight with mana cost dependent on the distance, speed, size, and Caste difference from the target.
Sapphire Effect: Cast a miniature black hole for variable mana per second at a target location that draws nearby creatures towards it. Enemies that come into contact with the black hole are periodically afflicted with [Mana Siphon].
- Mana Siphon (bane, drain, magical, arcane, stacking): Drains a low amount of mana over time.
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It felt similar to using her meteor by picking a target location within range to act as the focal point for the ability. As she practically skated across the icy terrain, she conjured one of the new black holes directly behind her and in the path of the monsters, hoping to catch them all together and slow them down a bit.
Phoenix chanced a glance back to see how effective the new usage was and felt her heart sink slightly. Floating in the air was a tiny sphere of void-black nothingness about the size of a quarter that she doubted she would have even noticed if she hadn¡¯t been the one to conjure it. It made no sound and didn¡¯t seem to affect the environment at all, which was a nice change for her.
The miniature black spot managed to snag a single pebbling that rolled into it, almost cartoonishly squirming as it seemed to hover in midair, but even that one was on the smaller side for the monsters. She grimaced, realizing she would need to channel a bit more mana into it next time for greater effects. Similar to the Crystal Caste effect, it depended on pouring enough mana into it to get the right size and strength, it seemed.
¡°Just one little meteor?¡± Phoenix asked in her best pleading voice. She would have totally whipped out the puppy dog eyes if she could, but she would have to hope the mental begging would be enough to convince their leader, ¡°I¡¯m plenty far away from the road now, right?¡±
¡°She has a point, Daze,¡± Uriel¡¯s low, smooth voice came over the mental chat, and Phoenix grinned to herself. If anyone could convince the man who would be king, it was his long-time partner and closest confidant.
¡°You too, Senesh? This is starting to feel like a mutiny¡¡±
Phoenix laughed as she launched herself through the air to jump forward a couple of meters further from the main road and made a straight line towards the rest of her party that was awaiting, ¡°Viva la revolution!¡±
¡°We have no idea what that means except for the revolution part, which I am all for,¡± Rayna replied before directing to Dazien, ¡°If you don¡¯t take risks, little lord, then you¡¯ll never get to be awesome like me.¡±
¡°There¡¯s a fine line between taking risks and being reckless. We don¡¯t need Phoenix to end up killing herself, again, just to handle a couple of monsters¡¡± he trailed off as she came into view with a small swarm of what appeared to be small boulders rolling along after her. The pack of Crystal Caste pebblings was massive, considering they normally spawned in packs, and the blood moon had made the quantity exponentially larger. There were also a few larger Sapphire Caste versions mixed within that her layered aura was able to sense.
Dazien quickly changed his tone as he said, ¡°Perhaps, one meteor wouldn¡¯t be terrible. Just try not to hit any of us. Group, time to scatter and clean up.¡±
With the order given, King¡¯s Dream split up into different directions to surround the intended impact location. Phoenix needed to time things just right if she didn¡¯t want to hurt them or herself while taking out as many of the rocky monsters as possible.
She focused on the location where they had been standing, Uriel¡¯s little [Home¡¯s Hearth] acting as a beacon of light in the dark night, and began to chant as she moved. No longer able to use her other ability to boost her speed, she had to use all of her concentration on leading the pack to the target while incanting, dodging, and praying she didn¡¯t trip on a stray rock, ¡°From the depths of the universe, I summon forth the shards of annihilation.¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.
Phoenix dodged at just the right moment when one of the smaller pebblings sailed through the air where she had been a moment earlier as she feigned direction at times to keep the horde from catching her. She was fairly certain a Sapphire one had literally launched that tiny one at her somehow.
¡°May the wrath of the cosmos descend upon all who dare to oppose me,¡± she finished incanting, and everyone saw the air tear as a trio of small holes in reality appeared to conjure forth the summoned [Meteor Shower] from directly above Phoenix¡¯s head as she paused for a moment to lure the monsters into the cleared area.
She pushed her own combat abilities she had gained long ago from her Weapon Wielding Warrior Knowledge Tomes. By weaving between them while trying to minimize the damage of the inevitable hits the moving rocks managed to land, she tried to wait until the last minute and take out as many of the monsters in one go as she could.
The pebblings were not smart monsters, luckily, as they crowded around the small redhead fighting with only a pair of daggers. One was her [Night Blade], and the other was the dagger Paul had given her long ago that she had been using since her Caustic Floe was shattered. The poor sword¡¯s sacrifice gave her [Meteor Shower] its newest effect, though, by bonding to her Fracture Spirit Gem, which she now activated the Sapphire effect on to finally witness.
Class Ability: Meteor Shower
Type: Spell (summon, elemental, fire)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (0%)
Crystal Effect: Summon a meteor to descend on a target location inflicting massive Fire and physical damage and nearby enemies gain [Burning].
Sapphire Effect: Three meteors are now summoned at once. The summoned meteors can be fractured any time before impact to hit a wider area and additionally inflict an instance of [Fractured Vision] to all nearby enemies.
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
- Fractured Vision (bane, magical, light): See quadruple for a short time.
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As the three molten balls of roiling magic seemed to crack and splinter in the air, shattering into dozens of smaller meteorites, her eyes went wide as she realized that she had vastly underestimated the area of coverage.
She barely registered Dazien shouting at her over the chat, ¡°Get out now!¡± but felt the slightly magical tug of the Familiar-empowered words. It made her know that he fully believed she would die if she didn¡¯t move that instant.
Phoenix complied, leaving a black hole anchored in the air in the center of the group and pushing herself from the largest monster boulder among them. It rocketed herself away and made the giant rock slide a few feet back but easily still within the impact zone.
She wasn¡¯t fast enough, it seemed, as the ground shook from the multitude of impacts, and one of the large shards grazed her, knocking her off course and sending her tumbling into the rocky ground. Luckily, the Banes only affected enemies, but it still freaking hurt.
¡°Phoenix!¡± she heard Dazien yell aloud from somewhere nearby before saying in her mind, ¡°Lady Saiya¡¯s coming to heal you up. We¡¯ll take care of what¡¯s left.¡±
Despite the Healer already on the way, Phoenix decided to use the low-cost version of her newly upgraded healing spell that had bonded to her Regrowth Spirit Gem, ¡°See the dawn.¡±
Ability: Dawn Rises
Type: Spell (magical, life)
Cost: Variable mana.
Cooldown: Variable.
Crystal Effect: Can heal a touched target by activating for Low, Moderate, High, or Severe mana cost. The amount healed and respective cooldown time increases with cost.
Sapphire Effect: Grants a number of instances of [Life Regen] based on the cost spent. Can be infused with an amount of [Starlight Qi] equal to the cost to additionally replenish mana and stamina.
- Life Regen (boon, magical, life, stacking): Increased health regeneration.
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She poured her [Starlight Qi] into it to basically cover the cost of the spell itself and felt her energy return after fighting so hard among the melee. She liked that this method gave her a more modulated version of using the resource that had only been all-or-nothing before.
¡°Were you trying to kill us again?¡± Tala asked in her mind.
She groaned in response to both of them and managed to see Uriel¡¯s equally devastating area of effect spells begin to appear atop the inferno she had created, dealing even more damage to anything that might have survived.
¡°I¡¯m never trying to kill us,¡± Phoenix retorted finally, ¡°I just¡ miscalculated.¡±
¡°Really? The death by self-decapitation was a miscalculation?¡±
¡°Okay, now you¡¯re just being pedantic. That was a carefully executed plot on my part to avoid becoming Caged. Wait, why am I explaining this, you were there¡ oh wait¡¡±
¡°Oh, you remember that I wasn¡¯t actually there because my vessel was broken?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, okay! I¡¯ll buy you a shiny thing when we go shopping again, alright?¡±
¡°Deal! Can we get it in purple and black? I¡¯m getting rather fond of that combination.¡±
Her Healer was beside her a few moments later, clicking a tongue slightly in disapproval as the motherly voxen scolded, ¡°That was a bit more reckless than normal, and you¡¯re normally diving head first into trouble.¡±
¡°I mean¡ I didn¡¯t think it would spread out that far.¡±
¡°Which is why we should have tested it from further away first,¡± the sandy voxen pointed out, her amber eyes leveling her with a knowing look, ¡°I half wonder if you did it just to get Dazien to yell at you.¡±
She blushed slightly in embarrassment, ¡°It¡¯s not like I enjoy getting yelled at by him.¡±
¡°No, you just like making your brother mad,¡± Saiya called her out with a grin, ¡°I think you¡¯re enjoying this little sister role a bit too much.¡±
¡°Is it that obvious?¡± she asked, returning the smile, then added, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to get hurt, though. I just thought it would be funny to see everyone¡¯s reaction to the new effects.¡±
¡°Well, it was pretty in a terrifying sort of way. However, it¡¯s definitely something better seen from afar.¡±
¡°Yes, mom,¡± she teased and got a face full of tail fur as punishment, causing both of them to laugh.
¡°This does help me level up my own abilities, though,¡± Saiya added unexpectedly, ¡°Between Dazien¡¯s new armor and shield and Rayna being too fast to get hit most of the time, I was beginning to worry my regular [Heal Life] would stagnate from under-use.¡±
Phoenix laughed in response, ¡°So what I¡¯m hearing is I need to go find a pack of scary monsters to half-kill us all so we can get you to the next Caste.¡±
¡°That would be lovely, thank you,¡± Saiya replied cheerfully, causing Phoenix to laugh even harder.
¡°I¡¯ll remember that next time you scold me for doing something reckless again,¡± she poked back, ¡°Maybe find an Emerald monster to give us a real challenge. These little pebblings were too weak.¡±
The woman scowled at her, ¡°If you found something Emerald that would mostly-kill us instead of half-kill us, and I would do more than this light scolding. Half-kill I can handle, mostly-kill I¡¯ll need a few more Castes for, I¡¯m not some miracle worker.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll try my best not to get us mostly-killed then,¡± she replied, then froze as a new voice spoke from behind her.
¡°You said just one little meteor,¡± Dazien pointed out, and she glanced up to see him with his arms crossed over his chest, ¡°And I agreed to ONE meteor¡¡±
¡°Well¡ it was one cast, and they ended up little individually¡¡± she weakly argued.
He gave a heavy sigh and asked, ¡°Are you alright, at least?¡±
¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± Saiya answered for her, standing up from healing her, ¡°Just a scrape, really.¡±
Dazien held out his hand to help her stand up, and she hesitantly took it as she asked, ¡°No yelling?¡±
¡°I doubt it would keep you from doing it again,¡± he grumbled and then flicked her forehead as she finished standing before laying down his final judgment, ¡°You get to explain what happened in the damage report this time.¡±
¡°What? NOOOOO!¡± she cried out as he turned to leave and get back to Uriel, ¡°Please, anything but paperwork! Oh! I know! I¡¯ll buy you a shiny new Spirit Gem when I go get Tala something shiny too! Please, just don¡¯t make me fill out more of those forms!¡±
3 - A Wild Story
Jerem Oerwynt was feeling particularly annoyed as he was halted at the southern gate leading into Tulimeir. It had taken him months of traveling on foot through monster-infested wilds and partially connected roads to get here after receiving a very expensive letter from his former party member.
Sending private direct missives was always expensive rather than trying to rely on the more generally available Pyrin Postal service. That organization normally raked in the Bits by getting letters and packages anywhere you needed them on the continent. But they also worked at their own pace and limited their services during a blood moon.
Jerem¡¯s letter had been delivered to him in his lone cottage atop a freaking mountain in Devreli near the center of Pyrin. He had wanted to be left alone and could easily ride out the blood moon as a peak Emerald in that Sapphire area.
The Sapphire Caster and literal Path Whisperer that showed up on his doorstep was both unexpected and unwelcome. A Class built around tracking down someone made for both an excellent messenger¡ or assassin, and either purpose cost a fortune to employ. The contents of the delivered letter were even more ridiculous¡
Jerem,
I¡¯m back in Tulimeir.
I have a Prot¨¦g¨¦ now.
Bring the weapon.
- Paul
He had made the trip anyway.
Now, he was trying to use that very letter as proof that he wasn¡¯t some inter-dimensional enemy or Renseres spy trying to infiltrate the fortressed capital. He had no idea why these people were behaving so paranoid, but maybe the length of this particular blood moon just had people on edge by this point.
¡°Yer saying you walked here during a bloody moon because Lord Wayland sent you this here letter?¡± the guard asked incredulously.
¡°Last I checked, that wasn¡¯t a crime,¡± he retorted.
¡°No, but yer insane fer doin¡¯ it. Also, yer timin¡¯ is mighty suspicious.¡±
¡°What does my timing have to do with anything? It took a long time for the letter to reach me, then for me to get here.¡±
¡°Just sayin¡¯, arrivin¡¯ right after we get attacked by them Reapers and askin¡¯ for the Lord Paladin that fell to a curse ¡®bout a month ago now is mighty strange.¡±
Jerem felt his heart stutter at that news for multiple reasons. Paul was a Paladin again? The Soul Reapers attacked here? And then that bastard went and died without him? How fucking dare he!
¡°Look, I¡¯m registered with the AOA. My license just got slightly¡ incinerated a while ago. If you don¡¯t believe me, just take me there so I can get a new one,¡± he tried to compromise, wishing for the thousandth time that Miriam was here to handle this kind of thing. She was such a natural at it, and he still missed her often.
¡°I guess we can do that,¡± the guard finally agreed, waving over another younger-looking guard and explaining what was going on.
Jerem tried not to roll his eyes at the ridiculous procedure he was following. This little Crystal Caster being assigned to escort him, an Emerald Caster, was completely a performance. He could easily have just smashed his way through or outran the poor kid, but he knew that would only cause more of a headache later. So he played his part as the compliant Adventurer who was definitely not threatening to go on a rampage to get to the person he was searching for.
His stroll through the half-destroyed city was equally enlightening and confusing. Luckily for him, the escorting guard was a talker¡ and apparently a fan of Paul¡¯s¡
¡°I¡¯m sorry about Harvey, Sir Oerwynt,¡± the young runeforged said, ¡°He¡¯s a stickler for rules, but I know that you were Lord Wayland¡¯s Defender back in the day. Is it true you swore an actual life debt to him?¡±
¡°You¡¯ve heard of me?¡± he asked with a raised brow, ignoring the intrusive question.
¡°There are tons of stories of the Blade of Pure Wrath¡¯s party taking out the Corrupted across not just the tundra but throughout Pyrin. We don¡¯t have many local heroes from our tiny corner of the world, so of course, everyone knows about the few we do have.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not really local,¡± the elf pointed out.
¡°Right, you¡¯re originally from the kingdom of Pearldia, yeah?¡±
¡°I¡¯m surprised you know that.¡±
¡°Oh, I know tons about Night¡¯s Demise.¡±
Jerem gave a small groan, ¡°Please, don¡¯t remind me about that horrible party name.¡±
¡°What?¡± the youth replied in mild shock, ¡°But it¡¯s a fantastic name. Really strikes fear into your enemies and is really easy to remember.¡±
¡°It¡¯s melodramatic, just like Paul,¡± the elf complained.
The guard laughed, ¡°The Lord Paladin of the Avenger never struck me as that. It¡¯s hard to see him as anything but terrifying or inspiring, especially in his Regalia.¡±
Jerem stopped in his tracks to stare at the young man, feeling dumbfounded as he asked, ¡°Avenger? Paul rededicated to that deity?¡±
¡°Yeah, I think it was a couple of months into the blood moon when he did,¡± the runeforged replied, then gestured ahead, ¡°We¡¯re almost there. You remember the way, right? I think the director can fill you in a bit better than I can on everything. I don¡¯t really know why Lord Wayland chose Avenger, but the director might.¡±
The elf nodded and continued forward, falling into silence as he quickly made his way to a better source of information. The Alliance of Adventurers¡¯ building was much like he remembered it, and he quickly made his own way up it after filling out the bloody form for a new license.
He knocked on the door to the director¡¯s office and was slightly surprised to hear a feminine voice respond for him to enter, but maybe the assistant director was in there instead? It seemed like he was correct when he opened it to find Agatha Trayvious looking only slightly older than he remembered, but her aura told him she was on the brink of Emerald and would likely look younger again soon.
¡°Ah, I was looking for Director Wysmont,¡± Jerem said, ¡°I was told he might have information for me about what happened to my former party member.¡±
Agatha smiled up at him, ¡°Director Wysmont moved to Blomstra a few years ago to push his Caste up. You¡¯re looking at Director Trayvious now, Sir Oerwynt.¡±
Jerem tilted his head down in apology, ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s been quite a while since I¡¯ve last visited.¡±
¡°I remember. It was around seven years ago now, right? When your party brought in those DOD victims from that awful island.¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
The elf felt his fists clench at the memories the words brought back, and he managed to say, ¡°Along with that abomination.¡±
To his surprise, the woman laughed, ¡°I feel it my duty to inform you that Mister Karislian is an Adventurer now.¡±
¡°Excuse me?¡± he replied, utterly dumbfounded.
¡°Becoming quite a prominent one, in fact. His party is at the center of some very¡ interesting events. I¡¯m pretty sure Paul was even helping with training him up a bit since he was in the same party as the lord¡¯s Prot¨¦g¨¦.¡±
¡°I knew he had a Prot¨¦g¨¦ now, no matter how insane that sounds to me,¡± the elf replied, ¡°He asked me to bring something for them, but his details were¡ lacking. Do you mind catching me up with the events here? I¡¯ve obviously missed a lot.¡±
Agatha laughed, ¡°Well, you better take a seat and get comfortable. It¡¯s a wild story. And like most of the wildest stories in our world, it starts with the arrival of a Wayfarer.¡±
¡°So it continually draws mana, but you don¡¯t need to actively focus on it once you¡¯ve conjured it?¡± Dazien asked her as he walked around to observe the black hole about the size of a golf ball floating in the air in front of her.
She was practicing more in the reinforced training room below the Wayland Estate and getting some feedback from her party on how best to use it. They hadn¡¯t had time earlier, having been called up to the wall almost immediately after she absorbed the four Spirit Gems yesterday evening.
It was late morning now, and they had some time to themselves before going off to other errands. The reconstruction of the city needed as many volunteers as it could get, especially with many capable crafters and laborers being counted in the death toll that was still being calculated. Last she heard, they had crossed the three thousand mark.
Uriel was currently reading a book as he sat near the edge of the arena mat. Rayna was practicing a song on an electric guitar replica Saiya had conjured up with her [Accompanion] passive. Meanwhile, Saiya had her arms full of Familiars, leaning back against Rex while petting both Snowbelle and a larger Tala at the same time.
Despite needing to change to her smaller form to ride atop the Wayfarer, the Cosmic Phoenix seemed to enjoy the larger form, showing off her longer blue and purple feathers that sparkled in the light.
Phoenix refocused her mind back on Dazien¡¯s question and said, ¡°Yeah, this size isn¡¯t too taxing, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something I¡¯d want to keep up for more than like fifteen minutes. The bigger it is, the stronger the pull, and the less time I¡¯ll be able to keep it up for.¡±
¡°The Bane it gives is the same stacking one as your [Night Blade], right? Does that still stack with your aura that gives mana back?¡± the Defender inquired.
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Passive Ability: Astral Oasis
Type: Aura (magical, arcane)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura have increased regeneration to mana, and abilities cost less mana.
Sapphire Effect: Enemies within your aura have their mana slowly siphoned and distributed to allies. The ashes of the deceased within the aura are consumed and converted into [Starlight Qi].
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¡°I think so. It¡¯ll give even more now if there¡¯s a lot of enemies,¡± she pointed out, rereading the upgraded passive that didn¡¯t require a Spirit Gem to gain a new effect.
She pointed at the last line and said, ¡°Actually, I noticed this extra part ties into two of my other auras.¡±
First, she focused on toggling on the effect of her Star Aspect Aura, pulling up the information for it at the same time to show Dazien.
Passive Ability: Guiding Stars
Type: Aura (magical, dark, light)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura have increased stamina regeneration and will gain a [Starlight Companion]. Reconstructing a destroyed [Starlight Companion] expends a low amount of mana.
Sapphire Effect: Allies also gain a [Night Wisp]. [Starlight Qi] can be infused into your [Night Wisp] or [Starlight Companion] at the time of construction to deal retribution damage upon destruction.
- Starlight Companion (construct, magical, light): A small Starlight Companion hovers around you, providing light and protection. Can intercept and negate Magical or Elemental projectiles.
- Night Wisp (construct, magical, dark): A small ethereal Night Wisp hovers around you, periodically inflicting low Dark damage to a nearby enemy.
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¡°So the [Starlight Qi] you originally gained from Tala being merged and could use as a burst of stamina and mana regeneration is now acting as a new type of resource for your other abilities?¡± Dazien clarified, ¡°A new resource type isn¡¯t entirely unheard of in certain power sets, but I can¡¯t say I expected it.¡±
Phoenix nodded while half-listening as her attention was fully on the new little [Night Wisp] that was floating on the opposite shoulder from the [Starlight Companion] that usually liked to hover just over one. It was a wonderful little reading light that way since it provided a soft illumination without actually entering her line of vision and becoming a distraction.
The new one didn¡¯t provide light specifically but did seem to glow a bit with pale light and looked more like a wispy ghost version of the first colorful ball with gossamer wings.
Phoenix wished that she had these for the battle against the Soul Reapers. The retribution damage alone would have helped a lot, considering how many of the little companions she had felt get obliterated during the fight.
¡°Which other aura was dealing with the [Starlight Qi]?¡± Dazien asked her, interrupting her morose thoughts.
¡°My Sun one,¡± she replied, bringing up the information for that one instead.
Passive Ability: Radiant Sunlight
Type: Aura (magical, light)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura gain a [Sun Shell]. Reconstructing a destroyed [Sun Shell] can be done after a short duration and costs a moderate amount of mana.
Sapphire Effect: Allies within your aura have increased regeneration to health. [Starlight Qi] can be infused into your [Sun Shell] at the time of construction to transfigure it into a [Celestial Shield].
- Sun Shell (boon, construct, magical, light): A shield that blocks the next incoming physical attack with a chance to knock back and inflict [Blind] on the attacker.
- Blind (bane, magical, light): Hinders vision for a short time.
- Celestial Shield (boon, construct, retribution, divine, radiant): Blocks the next incoming Magical or Elemental attack and inflicts retribution damage on the attacker.
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Amethyst eyes found hers, quietly studying her for a long moment before he gently noted, ¡°I¡¯m seeing an awful lot of retribution damage listed on your newest effects¡¡± She flushed slightly as he asked, ¡°Do you want to take some time and go see Paul? Uriel mentioned you wanted to visit.¡±
¡°I mean, yeah, but there¡¯s still a lot to do here in the city¨C¡±
¡°Phoenix, you can portal. Don¡¯t think you can¡¯t go visit when you feel like it during our off time. Just because we¡¯re a party, or friends, or¡ family now doesn¡¯t mean you need to cater to our desires and not your own. Just tell me you want to go visit and then go. Trust that I¡¯ll let you know if there¡¯s something that I think you might feel more pressing.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not just that,¡± she muttered, ¡°I¨C I¡¯m not sure what I would even do there aside from talk to Bela and feel depressed that she¡¯s not Paul. That¡¯s not really fair to her or probably healthy for me.¡±
¡°Why don¡¯t you just talk to Paul?¡± Phoenix gave him a flat look, and he chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m serious. He might not be able to hear you, but I bet it would make you feel better.¡±
He reached into the satchel he always carried on his hip and pulled out a small green leather-bound book with a purple flower embossed on the cover. Lifting it for her to see better, he explained, ¡°Paul gave me this the day he asked to adopt me. He said it was to journal my thoughts and feelings for future historians to better understand who I was during my journey to build my kingdom,¡± he lowered it, looking at the cover fondly, ¡°Instead, I¡¯ve been using it to write letters to him.¡±
She felt her heart clench at the admission and had to rub her eyes to keep from crying as he whispered, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to the day I can have him read them.¡± Dazien lifted her head up to look him in the eyes as he said, ¡°You reaching Sapphire Caste is getting us both one step closer to that reunion. I¡¯m with you till the end, Princess, so don¡¯t think for one more minute that anything you need is a burden for me. Even if it¡¯s just some time to breathe.¡±
Phoenix hugged her new brother tightly, the flowery fragrance of him now more obvious to her Sapphire Caste senses and soothing her with its subtle sweetness as she said with a soft chuckle as his words reminded her of a new perk, ¡°I¡¯m Sapphire now. I don¡¯t need to breathe anymore.¡±
Dazien laughed and returned her tight hug.
4 - Goodbye for Now
Phoenix sat in one of the plush chairs that formed a semi-circle around the floating form of Paul in the new room at the World Tree that had been dedicated for the purpose of exactly what she was doing now: visiting the Lord of House Wayland.
¡°So then Kara caught me and, of course, gave me a scolding for doing almost exactly what she does with blowing up monsters,¡± Phoenix said aloud to the Paladin trapped in his regenerative stasis, ¡°Then freaking Destroyer showed up! Turns out, the Soul Mark means I can become a Saint and use the gods¡¯ powers to bless people¡¡±
She glanced over to Orebela, who had been hovering quietly nearby and had encouraged her when she explained what she wanted to try doing, ¡°Speaking of which, how badly did Paul neglect his clergy training or whatever to not know more about what the Soul Mark does or being a Chosen one means?¡±
There was an odd trilling sound as the Familiar laughed and replied telepathically, ¡°What training? Wayland said, ¡®Bless me, and I¡¯ll cleanse the world of the Corrupted,¡¯ and then ran off to hunt the undead.¡±
¡°Wow. He¡¯s actually a terrible Paladin, isn¡¯t he?¡±
¡°Paladins are the sword of a deity,¡± Kara replied from behind her, and Phoenix turned to see the golden nine-tailed voxen entering the room, ¡°So, in that regard, he was a very good Paladin until he didn¡¯t raise his sword for the Purifier.¡±
Phoenix flushed in embarrassment slightly as she admitted, ¡°He never actually got around to telling me about it. We both thought there would be plenty of time later after the blood moon¡¡±
¡°Well, I won¡¯t go into details. I don¡¯t know all of them, really, anyway, but his story has become quite the tale among religious circles. The Blade of Pure Wrath that defied his god and was shunned by the world, Fallen from grace, only to be redeemed when the god was denounced in turn as the Purifier turned against the world.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve heard that much before,¡± she replied, ¡°I just don¡¯t know why he did it in the first place.¡±
¡°According to the story I was told, Purifier commanded him to ¡®cleanse¡¯ an entire village of felions, children included.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s jaw dropped, ¡°What? Why? For what reason? Were they all Corrupted or something?¡±
¡°That¡¯s just it,¡± Kara said, unfolding one of the high-tech barrels she had confiscated to sit upon, ¡°None of them were tainted with Corruption, but the deity said that their very nature was corrupting the world.¡±
The Sunlight Champion paused, looking thoughtful for a moment, and asked, ¡°How much do you know about felions?¡±
Phoenix shrugged, ¡°Just that they look like furry humanoid cat-people.¡±
¡°Well, it¡¯s a bit of a tangent, but they¡¯re not a species originally birthed on Makera. The very first one was¨C¡±
¡°Born from a Wayfarer?¡± she guessed, ¡°I heard about how gemites were made.¡±
Kara chuckled, ¡°No, but also yes? A Wayfarer was a felion originally before arriving here. She managed to recreate her original species with help from the Cultivator and Parent, however. At least, according to their historical texts.¡±
¡°So, to tie this back in, is it safe to assume that the Purifier used their supposed foreign origins as a pretense for ¡®cleansing¡¯ them?¡± she asked.
¡°That¡¯s exactly what he did,¡± the Paladin confirmed with a nod, turning her gaze to the silently sleeping man before them, ¡°Not only did Paul tell his god ¡®no,¡¯ but he protected the village from a fellow disciple of the Purifier.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise before saying, ¡°I guess that explains why he didn¡¯t seem to trust people when we first met.¡±
Kara nodded again, ¡°Hard to trust people once you feel betrayed like that.¡±
They fell silent as Phoenix thought about that, understanding the feeling only a little herself. She had learned quickly after arriving in this world not to trust random strangers, but she couldn¡¯t fathom how she might feel if she suddenly found herself fighting against her own allies. What if she had to fight her party? Would she feel so betrayed that she never trusted anyone again?
¡°Even though I didn¡¯t know him,¡± Kara interjected with a gesture to Paul, ¡°I¡¯m glad he found you and learned to trust again. He¡¯s seen as a hero to many people outside of Tulim as well as all those here who know that he would have given his life for theirs.¡±
Phoenix wasn¡¯t entirely sure how to respond to the odd sort of praise. It¡¯s not like she did anything special. She and Paul just¡ clicked together, like kindred spirits who had always understood one another.
As she looked back at the only father she had ever known, she finally understood why she was feeling so melancholic. While their souls had become entwined, she still felt separated from him. Unable to find comfort in each other¡¯s presence and words.
¡°I didn¡¯t come here just to talk about him, though,¡± Kara finally said after a few long moments. They both turned to look at each other as the Paladin said, ¡°I came here to say goodbye for now.¡±
¡°You¡¯re leaving already?¡± Phoenix asked in surprise.
¡°Yeah,¡± the Sunlight Champion said and gave a tiny smirk, ¡°Other people out there still need a champion, and my duty here is done. The Obsidian threats are gone, and you have capable guardians here still. Like that Royal Knight who¡¯s staying in the capital and the rebellious kit that was dumb enough to make Paul an Oathbond to watch over you.¡±
¡°Wait, what?¡± Phoenix asked in surprise, ¡°Everin did that? When?¡±
¡°No idea,¡± Kara replied with a shrug, ¡°I just noticed the mark on his wrist and asked him which Wayland he was bound to. He¡¯s not as good at hiding it as you are,¡± she added with a gesture towards one of the cuff bracelets she wore at the moment.
¡°Paul said it was dangerous for people to find out,¡± she explained, ¡°Like my Talent.¡±
¡°He¡¯s right about that, at least,¡± the Obsidian Caster said, then abruptly stood and called out behind her, ¡°You can come in now, kit!¡±
Rainbow hair and fox ears appeared in the doorway as Phoenix turned to look again and see the newcomer. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to interrupt,¡± Everin said, seeming oddly subdued more than he usually was in the presence of the other voxen.
¡°I was just about to leave, which I know you heard,¡± Kara said, then patted Phoenix¡¯s head as the woman added with a vulpine grin, ¡°Look me up when you hit Obsidian Caste, Princess. You and I should spar and see who can make the bigger explosion.¡±
Phoenix laughed, ¡°Is that a nice way of saying ¡®I don¡¯t want to see you for at least a century¡¯?¡±
The golden voxen shook her head, the long wavy hair swaying behind her beautifully, as she said, ¡°Eventually you¡¯ll understand, but what¡¯s a mere century to immortals like us?¡±
¡°Still an annoyingly long time,¡± she grumbled.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.
The Obsidian Caster chuckled, ¡°Yet a century from now, you¡¯ll wonder where all the time went,¡± then Kara looked towards Everin and said, ¡°Try to keep her out of too much trouble.¡±
¡°I refuse to make that promise,¡± he replied with a small grin.
Kara laughed and then began to move towards the door when Phoenix suddenly remembered something important she needed to tell the Paladin, ¡°Hey, Kara?¡±
¡°Yes, Phoenix?¡±
¡°Thank you for being my champion and saving the city. I¡¯ll never forget everything you did for me.¡±
Kara smiled brightly and gave a respectful bow as the Sunlight Champion replied, ¡°It is as my goddess commands, Saint Wayland,¡± then she was gone in a streak of golden light.
¡°I¡¯m actually glad you¡¯re here,¡± Phoenix said to Everin as he moved to sit atop the barrel Kara had left behind. He had no doubt that the obsessive woman had another to take with her to wherever she was headed next. Everin liked barrels just as much as the next voxen, but Kara¡¯s fixation was on a whole other level, in his opinion.
¡°Oh?¡± Everin asked in response, ¡°Presley merely let me know when you arrived. I wanted to check on you since you were asleep last time I had the chance.¡±
¡°Yeah, the battle was enough to get me to Sapphire, and I think the whole Saint thing made me extra-exhausted,¡± she paused for a moment before giving him a curious look and hesitantly said, ¡°I wanted to ask¡ Did you know I could bless people like that? Before Destroyer said so, that is. I know you kind of explained that the gods didn¡¯t want to unknowingly risk my life, but did you know becoming a Saint was even possible?¡±
He hesitated, unsure if this was a trick question somehow, but said honestly, ¡°I didn¡¯t know that the Chosen could become Saints. Every Saint I had ever heard of before was an Obsidian Caster. Most people are aware of Saints if they paid attention to their religious studies, but it seems they don¡¯t teach about the Chosen who might have tried early and died for it ¨Clikely so we don¡¯t try pushing them into risking their lives like that ourselves. As Dazien briefly mentioned before, most people see the Chosen as favored individuals who simply spread a deity¡¯s concept metaphorically through their actions. Even as an Anointed Disciple, I didn¡¯t realize being Chosen was a prerequisite to becoming a Saint.¡±
¡°Anointed Disciple?¡± she asked him curiously, thankfully not seeming angered by his answer and ignorance.
¡°Paladins, Clerics, Monks, and Avatars are all considered Anointed Disciples,¡± the rainbow voxen explained, ¡°We were granted Blessings, usually in the form of Natural Talent cultivations, and gained a Title from it. Sometimes, the Blessing is a divinely crafted Aspect or Spirit Gem instead, but the Title is universal. It¡¯s an invisible mark upon our soul.¡±
¡°Am I one of these Anointed then?¡±
¡°No, but not because you or other Chosen aren¡¯t blessed the same way. It¡¯s because you¡¯re not a Disciple. You haven¡¯t dedicated yourself to any deity and made your vow to allow for the whispers they give in response to our prayers.¡±
¡°Kara mentioned Paladins are the ¡®swords of a deity.¡¯ What are the others?¡±
Everin raised a brow at the question and asked one of his own in turn, ¡°Are you asking out of simple curiosity or because you have a deity in mind to dedicate to?¡±
¡°Both Dazien and Destroyer said I probably shouldn¡¯t do that,¡± Phoenix admitted, then glanced over to the Ruby Caster still hovering quietly in the air, ¡°I think I just want to understand Paul a bit better. He did dedicate himself¡ twice. I guess I¡¯m just curious about what his options were and why he might have picked what he did.¡±
¡°Paul was a Striker through and through,¡± he said with a chuckle, ¡°I saw him fight monsters up close, and that massive sword he wields is not just for show.¡±
Phoenix chuckled, ¡°I know; he almost stabbed me with it back in Tulisuda against the Emerald Priestess, remember?¡±
He did remember that vaguely, mainly because he had been busy trying to get everyone¡¯s attention in the camp to not witness the suicidal attempt to help. It was only Rebel¡¯s whispered orders that kept too many people from asking very pointed questions and potentially learning about Phoenix¡¯s ability to resurrect herself.
Then Phoenix clarified, ¡°But if Paladins are the sword, then is there a shield equivalent?¡±
¡°That would be the Monks,¡± he answered, expounding a bit more for the sake of her curiosity, ¡°They usually stay within temples or other sacred places and guard them while cultivating both their martial skills and any Aspect abilities they might have. Not all clergy or Anointed Disciples are Casters, after all.¡±
¡°And I remember you were a Cleric before becoming an Avatar,¡± Phoenix continued thoughtfully, ¡°Are those the healers?¡±
He chuckled, ¡°Not strictly speaking. Paul could have become a Cleric instead despite not having any healing capabilities. Clerics are the teachers. Many of us travel and proselytize to the masses, promoting our deity¡¯s concept.¡±
¡°Wait, you were a mission-worker?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure that word is translating properly,¡± Everin said with a frown, ¡°Adventurers get ¡®missions¡¯ while the clergy get ¡®quests¡¯ normally, but Clerics don¡¯t usually get a quest to proselytize; that¡¯s simply a day-to-day thing we¡¯re expected to do.¡±
Phoenix started to shake her head and say, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, I¨C¡± when she suddenly froze again, then conjured her [Guide Book] and stared at it for a long moment before turning to stare wide-eyed at him and ask, ¡°Everin¡ does¨C do the gods¨C does everywhere in the world call missions from the gods ¡®quests¡¯?¡±
¡°Uh oh,¡± Scholar whispered in his mind.
He couldn¡¯t help but reply incredulously, ¡°What does that supposed to mean?!¡±
¡°Um¡ laugh it off?¡±
¡°What?!¡±
¡°Everin!¡± Phoenix interjected his mild panic with a fixed stare as she leaned towards him, suddenly very intense, ¡°Are the gods the ones giving me my quests?!¡±
He hesitated, unsure of how to answer among his own confusion, ¡°I¨C I don¡¯t know?¡±
¡°Why did you say that like a question?!¡±
¡°Well, I don¡¯t know how every ability works!¡± he retorted, ¡°I¡¯m only forty-seven, okay! It¡¯s not like I have a ton of experience with Wayfarers with weird floaty books that give them random pieces of information and loot that definitely needs to come from somewhere!¡±
¡°Oh. My. Gods. I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t figure that out earlier!¡± Phoenix exclaimed, dropping her face into her palms in exasperation. She groaned, ¡°I mean, I suspected something odd was going on with it, but I can¡¯t believe they¡¯ve basically been using me as a tool this whole time.¡±
Everin snorted a laugh, earning a glare for it, and pointed out, ¡°At least they don¡¯t literally take over your body like a doll to play with.¡±
Phoenix seemed to relax slightly at that comparison, and he continued, ¡°Now, I¡¯m obviously not one to simply go along unquestioningly with an order. I don¡¯t think you are either,¡± he tapped the spot on her chest where her dress covered her Soul Mark, ¡°Rebel wouldn¡¯t have been able to mark you otherwise.¡±
He gestured to Paul, the blackened scar of the Purifier¡¯s Sigil easily seen, ¡°He definitely didn¡¯t either. Just because the gods whisper advice or give a quest doesn¡¯t mean any of us have to obey it. Do you regret any of those quests you accepted?¡±
She fell silent and looked thoughtful for a long time ¨Che assumed replaying the memories of every quest she might have gone through with. Then she said very slowly, ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡ but it makes me wonder if there were other options¨C other paths I could have chosen if I had known more. What if I did something because I thought it was the only option?¡±
¡°What if you didn¡¯t do something because you were afraid of some ulterior motive of the god who might have been behind it?¡± he gestured to the Paladin before them and answered for her, ¡°Paul would be ashes right now. Tulim would be ashes.¡±
¡°You¡¯d be ashes?¡±
¡°Pft,¡± he scoffed and smirked as he gave her a half-truth to lighten the mood, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t landed in this world and accepted Rebel¡¯s quest, I¡¯d be lounging on a beach right now riding out the blood moon under the protection of some Ruby Casters.¡±
It had the desired effect of causing her to laugh, ¡°Sorry, I ruined your vacation.¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he reassured, ¡°I know you¡¯ll make it up to me when we go back to that beach someday.¡±
¡°We?¡±
¡°Of course,¡± he replied and finally revealed his other connection to her, ¡°You have a divine quest from Hero and Rebel to save it, after all.¡±
5 - Bondsense
¡°Wait, you¡¯re from Tyrand?¡± Phoenix asked incredulously. This conversation just kept making her feel like she was just a mouse in a maze where the gods kept moving the walls to force her to her inevitable end, and she wasn¡¯t sure if there was a trap waiting for her there.
¡°Well, technically, I¡¯m from the Winterlands on Alkupera, where the Moonsong voxen originate from. I traveled a lot,¡± Everin explained, ¡°But for the last half-decade or so, I¡¯ve been assisting the rebellion in Tyrand. Until you accepted Rebel¡¯s quest, that is.¡±
¡°She sent you to be with me?¡± she asked. Her mind was slightly boggled that this man who had been slowly becoming a friend, who risked his life for her dad, and who apparently was Oathbound to protect her, did all of that just because a goddess commanded it.
¡°I can see you starting to panic,¡± he said but still grinned, ¡°I just told you I don¡¯t do things blindly.¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯m not exactly sure what to trust at the moment. I just found out my own Talent has been used against me,¡± she muttered bitterly.
¡°From how much you seemed to rely on it, I doubt it was used against you. In general, what has it been asking you to do? What kind of quests?¡±
¡°It told me to kill a lot,¡± she pointed out, feeling some anger at that fact.
¡°Killing is part of not only being an Adventurer but being a Wayfarer,¡± Everin pointed out, and she looked up at him in surprise.
¡°What? That shouldn¡¯t¨C¡±
¡°Wayfarers are bringers of change, Phoenix,¡± he interjected, dropping his humor to say seriously, ¡°A lot of powerful people despise change. Whether Wayfarers are sent here for that purpose or summoned here accidentally, they always change things if they survive long enough.¡±
She paused at that, ¡°Do they often die before that?¡±
¡°Well, what does your own experience tell you?¡± he pointedly asked.
¡°That I shouldn¡¯t have survived,¡± she admitted, ¡°Even if I managed to not get kidnapped by crazy researchers or obsessive yandere love interests, then I would have died to quite a few monsters.¡±
¡°And did your book get you into those situations or save you from them? Did it hurt or help?¡±
¡°Well, that just feels like an unfair question. What if it did both?¡±
Everin laughed, ¡°I guess the better question is, now that you believe the gods are the ones providing these quests for you, are you going to ignore them? Work against them? Or use your best judgment on whether to heed their advice?¡±
Phoenix gave a heavy sigh, ¡°I guess that last one,¡± then she felt a small smile tug at her lips, ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll have my party vote on it.¡±
¡°I¡¯m glad you trust your companions that much. I¡¯ll admit I was a bit worried during your earlier days when you locked yourself in your room and seemed afraid to talk to anyone,¡± he ruffled her hair and grinned, ¡°You¡¯ve grown up well.¡±
She brushed his hand away but smiled back as she scolded, ¡°Quit acting like my dad.¡±
The Avatar chuckled and shook his head, ¡°I would never try to replace Paul. Maybe I could be the fun uncle, but I doubt I would make a good parent.¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were like fifty?¡±
¡°Almost, but I don¡¯t think age factors into that, really. Some people are natural caretakers, like your own Healer, while others will never be great at raising others. While I might get along with children, I have no interest in having my own and have been often told I act too much like a child myself.¡±
¡°I think I might want kids someday,¡± she replied thoughtfully, ¡°I think that¡¯s why I accepted Cultivator and Parent¡¯s Soul Marks, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready for that yet. Presley showing up made me feel quite confident in that fact. I think I¡¯d rather focus on growing more, waking Paul up, doing what I can to help Tyrand whether I accomplish my quest or not, and then maybe think about finding a partner or something to raise kids with.¡±
Everin looked at her in surprise as he said, ¡°Sounds like a decent plan for the future. Have you talked with your friends about it?¡±
¡°Not about that last bit,¡± she admitted, ¡°Rayna told me I should want to find a partner sooner, but¡ I don¡¯t know; the idea of just dating some random person makes me feel super anxious.¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯m probably not the best person to ask for dating advice from, considering my most recent attempts have been interrupted by attacks on the city, and it probably wouldn¡¯t work out anyway.¡±
Phoenix raised a brow at him, ¡°Who have you been trying to date?¡±
He looked away, but she could see the faint blush painting his cheeks as he muttered, ¡°As I said, it won¡¯t work out. At least not long term, and I doubt a ¡®casual fling¡¯ is something you¡¯d be looking for.¡±
¡°You seriously won¡¯t tell me who?¡± she asked with a tease, ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that if you don¡¯t tell me exactly who it is, I¡¯ll never be able to guess it. I had no idea about Dazien and Uriel until after we discovered the Soul Reaper army in the mountains and a friend of theirs told me.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Everin stared at her incredulously, ¡°Seriously? The bond between them is so strong. Even without my perception ability, surely you must have suspected something.¡±
¡°What does your perception ability have to do with anything?¡± she asked in confusion.
¡°Oh, right, I guess I never did mention that to you,¡± he gestured towards her book, and she willed it to move closer to him to touch an open page.
|
Passive Ability: Bondsense
Type: Perception (magical, covenant)
Current Caste: Emerald 1
Crystal Effect: Can sense the bonds between beings.
Sapphire Effect: Can sense the bonds between magic and its source.
Emerald Effect: Can sense bonds attached to items.
|
¡°Weird,¡± she murmured, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen a perception ability that isn¡¯t based on a natural sense other than Saiya¡¯s empathic one.¡±
¡°It is rather rare,¡± Everin admitted, ¡°But I¡¯ve been able to see the bonds of friendship and romance between those two men since the beginning.¡± Then he gave her a pointed look, ¡°I¡¯ve also been able to see the bonds growing between you and all of them. While Saiya can sense your feelings as you feel them, I can basically sense the history of them in relation to others.¡±
He paused for a moment before saying tangentially, ¡°I didn¡¯t become an Avatar because some goddess commanded it, Phoenix.¡± He looked back to Paul and gestured towards him, ¡°I did it because I knew he was worth it, and you would have broken from losing the strongest bond you had.¡±
She wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to that. He had barely known her at the time, and yet he felt that she was worth saving from heartache? The only thing she could think to say was, ¡°Thank you.¡±
Everin smiled back at her, ¡°Well, I think I was growing rather attached to Daddy Wayland, too. I didn¡¯t want to lose him either.¡±
¡°Please don¡¯t call him that.¡±
He laughed, ¡°I will forever call him that, especially if there¡¯s a chance he can hear it.¡±
¡°You¡¯re terrible,¡± she said with a chuckle, shaking her head as she backtracked slightly, ¡°So you¡¯re not going to tell me or Paul about who you¡¯re going on dates with?¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure they¡¯re really dates for courting purposes. More like getting meals together while swapping stories¡ they have a lot more than I do, which is likely why it won¡¯t work out between us.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± she said in confusion, ¡°Why does knowing more stories matter?¡±
¡°They have so much more life experience than me that it¡¯s rather daunting,¡± he explained, ¡°While age differences don¡¯t matter as much the older you become, a difference in centuries can make even me feel infantile at times.¡±
¡°Centuries? The only people I know that old are Kara and Aunt Pualani.¡±
¡°No,¡± the man said with a laugh, ¡°I¡¯m a fairly open-minded person, but Kara is really not my type, and while Pualani is a lovely woman, she is preparing to depart this world in quite a literal sense.¡±
Then Everin glanced back towards the door to the room before asking, ¡°Promise this doesn¡¯t leave this room? I¡¯m only telling you this because you¡¯ve been open with me about your secrets, and it¡¯s only fair you get some of mine in return.¡±
Phoenix grinned widely. Despite not being entirely interested in romance for herself, she felt a flutter of excitement at realizing that she was being trusted with the identity of a crush. She couldn¡¯t help but tease him, though, ¡°I promise I¡¯ll only tell people in this room.¡±
He narrowed his odd white and black eyes at her, ¡°If I find a crowd of people in here next time¨C¡±
¡°I¡¯m joking,¡± she laughed, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not going to gossip about you behind your back.¡±
¡°So only in front of me?¡±
¡°You¡¯re Emerald; you could stop me then,¡± she said with a shrug, then leaned forward, ¡°So who is it?¡±
He hesitated for a long moment before muttering, ¡°Veldrix Thevaris.¡±
¡°The Royal Knight?¡± she asked in surprise, then smacked her forehead, ¡°That¡¯s what Uriel meant when you mentioned having dinner with them. No wonder you both looked at me like I was insane. Why didn¡¯t you correct me?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think either of us wanted to be the one to corrupt the sweet, innocent flower.¡±
¡°I thought you were just having dinner to talk about the blackouts!¡± she exclaimed, ¡°Why would I assume that some weird romance was involved?¡±
¡°Weird?¡± he repeated, looking slightly offended.
¡°Well, age aside ¡®cause I¡¯m not sure how old they are, and even putting the Caste difference aside, they¡¯re a knight and you¡¯re a rebel. How are you not at each other¡¯s throats? Plus, I thought you were just as upset as me for them not arriving sooner.¡±
¡°That wasn¡¯t Vel¡¯s fault,¡± Everin clarified, ¡°They got here as soon as they could, and they¡¯ve been helping protect the city since then. Aside from helping to take out that Firebird that showed up, they¡¯ve been trying to assist with uncovering who all is behind the blackouts.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask how that investigation is going?¡± she replied, surprised to hear that the Royal Knight was actually helping as much as they were. She was also surprised by the feeling of¡ disappointment. Then she got upset at herself when she realized that she had wanted them to be some kind of jerk just so she could have someone to blame¡
¡°It¡¯s not going at all right now,¡± Everin said, interrupting her spiraling thoughts, ¡°It probably won¡¯t continue until we¡¯ve at least finished the current death count from the battle. The leading theory was that the Soul Reapers were behind it somehow, and with them gone now, it might be dropped altogether.¡±
Phoenix scrunched her nose at that, ¡°Meaning it won¡¯t continue unless more people die from another blackout?¡±
Everin gave a lopsided smile and shrugged, ¡°Not much more we can do aside from wait.¡±
Presley came running into the room at that moment then and said happily, ¡°Sis! Lunchtime! Uriel cooked lasagna with new ingredients I made! Everyone¡¯s going to try it soon. So come eat!¡±
Phoenix laughed at the excited little girl and stood, ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t miss Uriel¡¯s cooking for the world.¡±
¡°Please, don¡¯t trade the fate of the world for a meal,¡± the Avatar teased, collapsing the high-tech barrel and slipping the small flat disk into the folds of his robes as he followed after her, ¡°I know he¡¯s an amazing cook but I doubt you want the Cook showing up to make another divine deal.¡±
She looked at him with wide eyes, ¡°Why would you even suggest that?! Wait, were they in that group that showed up trying to get the Crystal Caste discount before I ascended? I swear, I¡¯m never going to be able to make jokes like that again in case a god takes the idea and just runs with it.¡±
6 - Look in the Mirror
The dining hall in the vessel portion of the World Tree was surprisingly already packed with people when Phoenix and Everin arrived. Aside from almost every member of House Wayland being present, there were many Tulimeir refugees, Starfall voxen, and Fae immigrants all gathered for the midday meal.
The pair were led by Presley to the table that held the rest of her party save a missing Mage. She glanced around and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Uriel?¡± before refocusing on her bracelet¡¯s directional sense to feel her friend was in the same direction as the kitchen, ¡°Still cooking? He¡¯s not feeding everyone here, right?¡± she clarified, ¡°There¡¯s like a hundred people here.¡±
¡°He¡¯s been in the kitchens since we arrived, but he has others helping him out, including Chef Emilia,¡± Dazien answered as she sat beside him.
¡°I believe Padma went to go help as well,¡± Saiya added with a small smile toward the Defender, ¡°I think you¡¯re having a bit too much fun watching her chase after him, Daze.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡± Phoenix asked in confusion, then rolled her eyes and looked up at her brother, ¡°Is this about that innuendo you tried explaining earlier? I still don¡¯t understand how cooking is related to romance.¡±
Dazien seemed to ignore her question as he replied to Saiya and gestured to her, ¡°I think I¡¯ve run out of suitable words to try and explain how flirting works to her, so I¡¯m going to politely request you have a go or pass on my concerns to Priest Jacob for me.¡±
¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t just tell her plainly, King,¡± Rayna interjected, leaning across the table toward her, ¡°Padma is crushing on Uriel and trying to find reasons to spend more time alone with him to see if they¡¯re compatible in a romantic sense; the cooking doesn¡¯t matter it¡¯s just pretense.¡±
The bard leaned back with a smug grin and gestured towards Phoenix as she told Dazien, ¡°There. See. How hard was that?¡±
He gave Rayna a flat look, then also gestured towards Phoenix again while asking, ¡°Princess, what¡¯s the next question you have about that statement?¡±
¡°Um¡ How do they know if they¡¯re compatible just by cooking together?¡±
At Rayna¡¯s blank stare, she added, ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve cooked with him plenty of times, and I¡¯ve seen everyone help out when we¡¯re camping in his ice fort; even Dazien and he aren¡¯t doing¡ whatever romantic-ness things in the kitchen.¡±
¡°Pretty sure Jennica told you that¡¯s exactly where she caught us kissing before,¡± the Defender grumbled, ¡°But as Rayna said, the activity and location is not the point.¡±
¡°I¡¯m seriously missing the whole point, it feels like, and nobody seems to be able to explain exactly what it is.¡±
The bard gave an exasperated groan, ¡°It¡¯s just a feeling. It¡¯s hard to explain to someone who¡¯s never felt it before!¡±
Then Saiya spoke up, turning everyone¡¯s attention to the rainbow voxen sitting on the other side of Phoenix, who had been silently observing them with an amused expression, ¡°Perhaps, Avatar Starlark can offer words of wisdom. He knows the feeling, right?¡±
Everin¡¯s eyes narrowed at the younger Healer and asked, ¡°What makes you think I¨C¡±
¡°Is this seat taken?¡± an unfamiliar voice said from behind Phoenix and Everin, and she turned to find herself finally face-to-face with the Royal Knight of Blomsterang.
Despite never having met them before, Phoenix knew instantly that this must have been Veldrix Thevaris since they were also a gemite. Unlike Dazien¡¯s Amethyst subspecies, this person was a Garnet one, with glittering crimson hair that trailed down their back and matched their eyes and nails.
The knight was smaller than she would have mentally pictured for anyone who held the title, and she wondered if her Earth-sensibilities were unjustly making her assume all knights were large and wore heavy plate armor. Veldrix was shorter, softer, and slimmer than Dazien and somehow even more beautiful. She could only assume that was from being Ruby Caste along with the Shiny talent Uriel mentioned them having.
Everin was caught staring at the knight for far too long before saying, ¡°Yes, please.¡± Then he abruptly cleared his throat and amended, ¡°I mean, no, the seat¡¯s not taken. You can sit beside me if you want.¡±
As he slid farther from Phoenix to open a new spot between them, the garnet gemite finally met her eyes and held out a hand for her to shake as they said, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you, Saint Wayland. I believe you already suspect, but I¡¯m Veldrix Thevaris.¡±
She stared at the knight¡¯s hand for a long moment before taking it and saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t think anyone in this world did handshakes.¡±
Veldrix chuckled, ¡°I learned it from my father. He came from another world called Terra, where it was quite prevalent. I admit to wondering if you would recognize the gesture.¡±
¡°Your father was a Wayfarer?¡± she asked with wide eyes.
Dazien leaned forward slightly to quietly say in her ear, ¡°I told you about the origins of the gemite species.¡±
Phoenix did a literal double take as she looked from Dazien to the knight, who looked no older than their mid-twenties, before asking Veldrix, ¡°Wait, you¡¯re the first gemite?¡±
¡°Well, the third,¡± the shiny garnet corrected, ¡°My older brother and sister were technically born a few minutes before me. He¡¯s a green malachite, and she¡¯s a blue tourmaline.¡±
She looked back to Dazien and asked, ¡°Are you two related?¡±
¡°Very distantly,¡± Veldrix said with a grin, releasing her hand to sit beside her, ¡°The Cultivator likes to jump in to help propagate a new species. At most, I¡¯m a cousin a couple dozen generations removed since my younger sister is the purple amethyst one. By this point, we¡¯re likely no more related than Everin is to these lovely sisters here.¡±
¡°Sorry to interrupt,¡± another newcomer said, but this time Phoenix recognized the voice and turned to see Patricia behind her and Dazien, ¡°It¡¯s getting rather crowded in here, so I¡¯ve had a more private room prepared for all of you to take your meals in,¡± her aunt said, and the look in the woman¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t seem to match the smile on her lips.
¡°Knight Thevaris and Avatar Starlark are welcome to eat with you all there, of course,¡± the older woman added, giving Dazien a pointed look, ¡°I¡¯m sure you will all be more comfortable speaking freely there.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
¡°Right,¡± Daze said, casually standing and saying politely, ¡°Thank you for the consideration, Aunt Patricia. My party will accept, of course. Sister, dearest, why don¡¯t you go let Uriel know that we¡¯ll be waiting for him there.¡±
Even Phoenix was able to get the hint that they were moving for some other reason than the words being exchanged and nodded as she got up to head towards the kitchen, ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll make sure there¡¯s plenty of dessert too,¡± she said with a grin.
Dazien picked up Presley before the little girl could run after Phoenix and said quietly to her, ¡°You mind keeping us company, too? I¡¯m sure your big sister will grab you some dessert as well.¡±
Presley giggled and asked, ¡°The chocolate kind?¡±
He laughed in turn, ¡°I¡¯m sure Uriel made something with that. He knows how much all of us like it.¡±
Then he turned to look at the others at the table, trying to push down the irrational excitement of getting to speak with the Veldrix Thevaris, who he had read plenty about during his own studies. There weren¡¯t many gemites of prominence in their short history as a species, but the Pyre Executioner and First Garnet was definitely counted among them.
Saiya surprised him by hooking an arm through his free one as she whispered to him mentally, ¡°We¡¯ll have plenty of time to talk with them in private. If you get any more starry-eyed, you¡¯ll make Everin nervous.¡±
He blushed in embarrassment and quickly turned back to his adoptive aunt and said, ¡°Lead the way, please.¡±
As they followed after the Wayland Ambassador, Dazien could feel the stares of everyone in the room trailing after them and realized that he had been foolish to think their group could eat in the dining hall with everyone like they used to before the war ended.
Phoenix was publicly known as a Saint now. He knew that he wouldn¡¯t treat her differently because of that, but he needed to be more cognizant of the ever-present danger that position would bring. He already understood the risks involved with simply being part of the nobility ¨Cthere were plenty of stories about fallen nations and House feuds, after all¨C but literal international wars had been fought over Saints before.
Much like Tulimeir hadn¡¯t been prepared for the overwhelming power of the Soul Reapers, his young party wasn¡¯t ready for this level of attention. He would need to play things safer and lean on the support of his new House despite the contention he still felt towards Patricia.
It had only been a couple of weeks since his Noble Reveal when Uriel had almost abandoned him because his new aunt begged the man to. He was still struggling to forgive both of them for the betrayal. The only thing keeping him together at the moment was the fact that Phoenix had managed to waylay his partner¡¯s fears and had stood beside him to confront the Ambassador for the manipulation.
While lost in his thoughts, Dazien hadn¡¯t even registered that Saiya had taken Presley from his arms as they had walked until Saiya pulled on his arm and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you wait outside the room until Phoenix gets back with Uriel?¡± She pointedly looked towards the garnet gemite behind them and said, ¡°I also have the feeling someone wants to talk with you personally before we eat.¡±
Veldrix chuckled softly, ¡°Am I that obvious?¡±
¡°Lady Saiya has a knack for reading people,¡± Everin replied in the younger voxen¡¯s stead, ¡°And apparently has little qualms about trying to nudge people into admitting their feelings.¡±
¡°I¡¯m trying to become more subtle about providing the opportunities for them to be honest with themselves, Avatar Starlark,¡± Saiya replied with a gentle smile, ¡°I like to think I¡¯ve learned my lesson about pushing too hard.¡±
Then she looked back up at him and added, ¡°Just come get me if you get too uncomfortable, and I¡¯ll chase them off for you.¡±
The Ruby knight raised their brow at the Sapphire Caster and asked, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I should be concerned that you think I¡¯d make him feel uncomfortable or impressed that you would stand up to a peak Ruby Caster to protect your party leader.¡±
Saiya grinned, ¡°I¡¯m not above emotional blackmail to protect my friends and family, so please be kind to my friend.¡±
Then Dazien heard Rayna mutter, ¡°I knew it. She¡¯s been hanging out with these overprotective Waylands too much,¡± and he couldn¡¯t help his snort of laughter.
¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be fine and can manage on my own without Lady Saiya soiling her hands on my behalf,¡± Dazien replied, trying to mollify the twins and stepping off to the side to allow them entrance to the more private dining room.
As the others went in, leaving him alone with the person he was both thrilled and terrified to speak with, he tried his best to place his carefully crafted metaphorical mask back on and asked with polite confidence, ¡°Is there something you wished to speak with me about Knight Thevaris?¡±
¡°Just some inquiries that might come off a bit more¡ personal in nature, but I wish to assure you that it¡¯s for my own sanity that I ask and am not someone you should fear trying to take control of you.¡±
Dazien raised a brow, uncertain what the knight might have wanted to ask a complete stranger like him, and could only assume it was about his particular position in relation to the more important person in their group, ¡°If I have the answers, then I¡¯ll do my best to give them. Is this concerning Phoenix?¡±
Veldrix chuckled, ¡°I guess that would be the natural assumption in this situation, but no, I was more curious about you as a distant relative. Honestly, I just wanted to ask if House Wayland was treating you properly.¡±
Dazien tensed at the implication ¨Cthat as an adopted scion of gemite heritage, they would somehow be treating him poorly. Which he sadly understood would be a concern when seen by an outsider.
¡°They are in the ways that matter most,¡± he replied carefully, then asked, ¡°What would make you think otherwise?¡±
¡°Nothing in particular,¡± the knight replied, casually leaning against the wall, ¡°I ask every adopted gemite I come across that question. It¡¯s not a personal thing, but like I said, it just seems personal in nature.¡±
Dazien relaxed a bit and joined them in propping himself against the wall, ¡°Why do you ask? Do you often find the answer to be the opposite of mine?¡±
¡°Yes, actually,¡± the Ruby Caster surprised him by admitting, ¡°In almost every instance I¡¯ve met another Shiny gemite, they¡¯ve either been well guarded by their natural-born family or in a situation of abuse.¡±
¡°What?¡± he asked in surprised confusion, ¡°I mean, I knew the temple of the Parent had to be extra vigilant with me being there, but I assumed that was just because I¡¯m like the only gemite that lives in this city. I didn¡¯t think it was like that everywhere.¡±
¡°Sadly, it is. It¡¯s only been getting worse every year too. Without a community to protect them, they often find themselves enslaved or killed. I¡¯ve been part of the guard in Blomstra with the community there, and I thought most of the gemites in our country were located there. Imagine my surprise to learn about a Shiny Amethyst living right here in this backwater tundra. Even more surprising to see you doing so well. So please understand that my intrusive question about your found family was not meant as a slight towards any of you but simply concern based on my personal experiences.¡±
Dazien hesitated for a long moment before deciding that since the knight was crossing personal boundaries, perhaps he could too, ¡°I know your experiences must be vastly different from my own¡ I know you grew up with your family and obviously had siblings that you could see yourself in.¡±
He stared at the floor as he took an unnecessary breath and asked, ¡°But did you ever look in the mirror and wish you saw someone else? Ever wish that you weren¡¯t so¡ pretty,¡± Dazien practically spat the word that many used as an insult to him, ¡°Or wish you didn¡¯t have such different features from everyone around you?¡±
Veldrix gave a heavy sigh, ¡°No, but as you said, my experience was different. I wasn¡¯t the only gemite in my city. However, I¡¯ve heard those same sentiments before ¨Cfrom those other adopted or captured gemites I mentioned.¡±
¡°I guess I¡¯m lucky that I didn¡¯t end up like them,¡± he said, giving the much older gemite a sad smile, ¡°At least I found a partner who cares about my happiness, friends that don¡¯t treat me like an outsider, a father who sees me for who I am, and a sister that can understand what it feels like to stand out from the crowd.¡±
The knight gave a snort of laughter, ¡°I plan to ask your sister the same question, actually. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯s doomed to a similar fate,¡± they gave another sigh and added, ¡°It¡¯s a paradox really; it¡¯s in our natures to wish to be special and unique, but those that manage to often end up suffering because of it.¡±
¡°Maybe that just means we¡¯re all masochistic at our core,¡± Dazien pointed out with a wry smile, ¡°Since that would mean we¡¯re wishing to suffer. Perhaps we revel in the pain.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t seem to be suffering too badly, though. Like you said, you¡¯re lucky.¡±
Dazien chuckled, ¡°Hopefully my luck won¡¯t run out.¡±
7 - Open
Uriel had been enjoying the last few days of throwing himself into cooking and being able to speak freely with Phoenix. With the weight of his secrets off his shoulders and the reassurance that, despite him being an unworthy monster, she and the others still wanted to be friends with him, he had been feeling happier than he had in a long time.
Which made him feel oddly guilty. While the city was busy mourning once again, he was happy with how things had turned out for himself and his party. Phoenix not only saved the city from complete destruction, but she had trusted him through it all.
He had been afraid that she wouldn¡¯t feel comfortable confiding in him anymore after discovering that he was Chosen by the Destroyer, but she had been even more open with him about her fears and hopes. With the wall between them gone, he finally didn¡¯t feel like a lying traitor every time he stood beside her. She knew every dark secret now and still looked at him as an equal. It was so much more than he deserved.
¡°Hey, Uriel? Could I borrow you for a few minutes?¡± Padma asked as she came up to him.
¡°Sure, just let me finish getting this pulled out of the oven,¡± he replied, easily grabbing the hot dish of lasagna from the embers. One of the perks of being both a cinderen and a Crystal Caster was that he didn¡¯t have to worry about getting burnt anymore from a hot pan.
Once the large meal was set aside, he simply brushed his hands and gave Bliss a pat on the head, warning the little kitten-chimera, ¡°No eating that; it¡¯s for the whole group. However, there are some savory biscuits over there if you want one,¡± he emphasized the number by holding up a single finger.
She gave a whiny mewl, and he interjected, ¡°Nope, I¡¯m not giving in on this one. If you make sure nobody else touches this, though, I¡¯ll make sure there¡¯s plenty of dessert for you. I made a chocolate ruebean pudding.¡±
The newly Emerald Caste Predator Chimera gave her little one-paw salute in confirmation, and he chuckled as he turned to follow after Padma. The runeforged woman had been joining him in the kitchens more often lately, and he still wasn¡¯t sure if it was because she enjoyed cooking or was more interested in getting closer to Dazien.
Sadly, it wouldn¡¯t be the first time someone feigned interest in him just to get closer to the Shiny gemite, so he tried to stay on guard for the tell-tale signs. The fact that she hadn¡¯t really asked about Dazien at all was a good start.
As Padma led him into one of the large pantry rooms that held rows of enchanted shelving and cooking ingredients, she explained, ¡°I need your height to get the jar of manarin jam for Fen.¡±
While he walked down the rows he asked in confusion, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a ladder in here to help with that?¡±
She looked back and gave him a mischievous grin, ¡°I also just wanted to talk with you alone for a little bit. The kitchen is so crowded right now with needing to feed so many people suddenly. Even with Presley¡¯s ability to help, there¡¯s still a lot of hungry mouths. It¡¯s not quiet anymore like the kitchen back at home in Tulimeir.¡±
He slowed a bit but tried not to seem suspicious as he asked, ¡°What exactly do you need to talk to me alone about?¡±
¡°I just wanted to ask¨C Well¡ Wanted to make sure I didn¡¯t misunderstand your relationship with my newest cousin. Are you courting Dazien? Or is it more¡ casual?¡±
Uriel raised a brow and crossed his arms over his chest, not walking any further as he asked, ¡°What makes you think it¡¯s either?¡± he had heard that question before, and it was one of the first signs.
She turned to walk back towards him as she said, ¡°Um, because I have eyes and see the way you look at him? I just wanted to understand how serious or open it is. I¡¯m pretty open-minded when it comes to relationships and read that gemites aren¡¯t really the commitment type.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure where you read that, but just because a relationship might be open doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s less commitment,¡± he tried explaining warily, turning to keep her in his line of sight as she moved beside him, ¡°Daze might court more than one person at a time, but he¡¯s also one of the most loyal people I¡¯ve ever known. He¡¯s committed to any relationship he¡¯s in and makes his boundaries and expectations clear before ever getting involved.¡±
¡°What about you?¡± she surprised him by asking.
¡°He made them clear with me, too.¡±
¡°No, I meant, do you court more than one person at a time? What are your boundaries and expectations?¡± Padma clarified, and he realized that she was much closer to him now than a few moments ago as she rested a hand on his arm, ¡°Are you open to others or just him?¡±
The question caught him off guard and he wasn¡¯t sure how to answer right away. He had been so sure that with the mention of Dazien, she would have segued into asking what the best ways to get closer to the gemite might be. Now he realized that it was him she was literally getting closer to.
He tried to take a step away only to find shelving at his back and managed to say, ¡°I¡¯m, um¡ it¡¯s, uh, complicated?¡±
It would be extremely difficult to try explaining that, even if he was open to it like Daze, he wouldn¡¯t get that close to someone who didn¡¯t know he was one of the Chosen. The fact that nobody had really approached him like this before hadn¡¯t helped him prepare a proper excuse either.
¡°I¡¯m okay with complicated,¡± she said with a mischievous grin, ¡°I¡¯m okay with just some casual fun, too, if that¡¯s all you¡¯re willing to commit to.¡±
Uriel could feel the heat rise in his cheeks as the suggestion tumbled through his mind. It wasn¡¯t that he thought Padma wasn¡¯t attractive, nor was he averse to being with a woman, but he had only ever been involved with Daze before.
She stepped closer, pressing herself against him as he was trapped against the shelves, and playfully teased him, ¡°You¡¯re blushing. Does that mean you like the idea?¡±
He found himself wishing for his earrings right then to help calm him as he scrambled for words, ¡°I, um¡ I don¡¯t think you know me well enough to want¨C¡±
Padma chuckled, ¡°I definitely want. That¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to get to know you more. You do like women, too, right?¡±
Uriel had no idea why Phoenix¡¯s face flashed in his mind when she asked that, but it made him blush even more than he already was. He dropped his arms to try and push against Padma¡¯s waist, attempting to put more space between them, but he couldn¡¯t budge the stronger and denser Sapphire Caster as he practically stuttered, ¡°Y¨Cyes. It¡¯s not that. I just¨C Now¡¯s not really the best time for¨C¡±
His words were cut off by her kiss.
Phoenix made her way towards the kitchen quickly, reassured that she was going the right way by her bracelet, which was acting as a homing beacon toward her best friend. Inside the massive area, there was a bustle of people all cooking various different things with the high-tech appliances they had been quickly learning with Presley¡¯s assistance and alien ingredients produced by the new environment the World Tree created.
She didn¡¯t see Uriel right away but her attention was caught by Fen standing next to a stove while speaking with a small black kitten. The unassuming wood elf was tall and slim with olive skin and short brown hair. He appeared to be making tea and she heard the tail end of what he was saying to the chimera sitting on the counter.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
¡°¨Ccan be extremely fulfilling, I¡¯ve found. You don¡¯t have to worry too much about death for yourself, and you can take however long you need to reach Obsidian Caste.¡±
¡°What¡¯s fulfilling?¡± she asked curiously, coming up to give Bliss some skritches behind the ear like the kitten seemed to enjoy, made apparent by the purring that promptly commenced.
¡°Being a Familiar,¡± Fen clarified, ¡°I noticed Bliss¡¯ bond with Chriss is very similar to the covenant made between a Familiar and Summoner. I thought she might like actually becoming one someday. If something unfortunate were to happen to Chriss, that is.¡±
Phoenix was surprised by that idea and asked, ¡°Can anyone just¡ choose to become a Familiar?¡±
¡°Ah,¡± the elf hesitated, shifting his emerald green eyes away from her own, ¡°No. Not like that on a whim. There¡¯s¡ a process, and not everyone who wishes it will be chosen. However, I think Bliss would be accepted if that were a path she would wish to pursue.¡±
¡°Accepted? Is there like a council that interviews people or something?¡± she asked in mild confusion.
He looked nervous again, ¡°Not exactly. I¡¯m not sure how much I¡¯m allowed to divulge, really,¡± then he got a more contemplative look on his angular face as he added, ¡°Though, I suppose since I remember it at all, it should be okay¡¡±
¡°Remember? You¡¯re Emerald Caste; why wouldn¡¯t you remember something like that?¡±
¡°Well, many of our memories get sealed upon accepting a Familiar or Summons contract. Depending on the reality we get sent to or the Caste tier of our Summoner, some will be available, while others might unlock over time. I believe it¡¯s how the greater cosmos stays in balance to keep us from too heavily influencing a world,¡± he gave her a shy smile as he added, ¡°Not at all like Wayfarers.¡±
¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think I lost any memories by coming here, and I¡¯ve definitely influenced some things. Camilla told me I altered some of their foundational concepts for enchantments from just playing around with the alarm diagram.¡±
Fen chuckled, ¡°Exactly,¡± he gestured towards the kitchen, ¡°Orebela mentioned to me earlier that all of this being introduced to the world unlocked some of her own memories about the technology of her home world. While we can¡¯t introduce new knowledge, we can adapt to it quickly if we¡¯ve encountered it before.
¡°Despite both you and I being from other realities, the rules are different for us. Us Familiars are heavily regulated and bound by contracts,¡± he gestured towards her, ¡°While you Wayfarers are tossed around to do the opposite. Yet we¡¯re both connected by the being who sent us.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide at that proclamation, ¡°Wait, you were made a Familiar by Morgan the Night Witch?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not how I know her. We all refer to her as the Soul Steward.¡±
¡°Oh my gods, was Rayna actually right about me being a Familiar of the world?!¡±
The elf laughed, ¡°No, of course not. You¡¯re still a Wayfarer, which has a lot more freedom than a Familiar, but unlike us, you can die naturally. Our souls return to Limina when we die or if our vessels get destroyed. From there, we can get a new contract and potentially keep progressing our Caste.¡±
¡°Potentially?¡±
¡°Well, it depends on the contracted Summoner, really. For instance, I¡¯m Emerald now, but if I choose to accept a Familiar contract with a Crystal Caster next time, then I¡¯ll be suppressed to a Crystal Vessel and have to work through all those tiers again. I won¡¯t really progress more till reaching where I previously left off, which isn¡¯t a guarantee when many Casters have a habit of dying before reaching Obsidian.¡±
¡°Sounds annoying.¡±
¡°It can be,¡± he agreed, taking the now boiling kettle off the heat of the stove, ¡°I¡¯ve gotten frustrated before with it, but my time with Pualani has helped me learn to have more patience¡ she¡¯s the longest and oldest Summoner I¡¯ve ever had before. The first that will actually experience a more natural death too.¡±
As the elf poured two cups of a soothing-smelling tea, she asked, ¡°Is that for you and her? I haven¡¯t had time to check in with her in a while. How is she?¡±
¡°Weak,¡± he replied with blunt honesty, ¡°Strained from trying to help too much with the refugees and trying to make sure the foundation of this new city will be a good one for her family.¡±
The elven Familiar gave a heavy sigh, ¡°I believe it will be very soon now when she and I will part from this reality.¡±
¡°You said you¡¯ll go back to Limina, which I¡¯m just assuming is some kind of limbo alternate reality,¡± she reiterated, and he nodded before she asked, ¡°But where will her soul go?¡±
¡°If I knew the answer to that at some point, it¡¯s something that has been sealed from my memories,¡± Fen replied as he lifted a small tray with the herbal tea. He turned to leave but added with such a sad tone that it made her heart ache, ¡°I only know that it¡¯s not where I¡¯ll be.¡±
Bliss gave a sad mewl in response and hopped down from the counter to follow after the elf, quickly scaling up the elf¡¯s back to perch on his shoulder as she rubbed against him, causing the man to chuckle lightly.
Phoenix thought about following after him as well to talk more and visit her greatest aunt Pualani, but remembered that she had come to the kitchens in the first place on a mission to retrieve her friend.
She refocused on following the sense of her bracelet and found it led to one of the large pantry rooms. The door easily slid open with silent magic as she approached it and began walking down the rows of shelves, her attention being caught by all the different ingredients lining them.
Phoenix was surprised when she heard Padma¡¯s voice saying ¡°You do like women too, right?¡±
It was shortly followed by Uriel¡¯s normally deeper bass saying an octave higher than she normally heard it, ¡°Y¨Cyes. It¡¯s not that. I just¨C Now¡¯s not really the best time for¨C¡±
The sentence became muffled suddenly. As she rounded the corner, her mouth dropped open in complete shock to see Uriel holding onto her cousin¡¯s waist as Padma¡¯s arms were wrapped around her best friend¡¯s neck and they were kissing.
Despite the rest of her party trying to warn her, she had not been mentally prepared for the sight of those two wrapped together like that. Her mind felt both blank on how to respond and exploding with questions at the same time.
The heat in her cheeks caused her heart to race in a panic as she realized that she shouldn¡¯t be here watching this. With weird feelings she couldn¡¯t untangle at the moment, she moved to make her escape, but Uriel¡¯s ember eyes caught the movement. He turned from the kiss to call out to her, ¡°Phoenix! Wait! Don¡¯t¨C¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± she yelled back in her awkward panic, ¡°I didn¡¯t¨C I just¨C I came to let you know that we¡¯re eating in a private room.¡±
She glanced back to see Uriel giving her an odd expression, but Padma was frowning at her. She didn¡¯t want to make her cousin upset and spoil whatever romantic moment the two were trying to have, so she quickly added, ¡°I¡¯m, um¨C I¡¯m just going to go now. I didn¡¯t mean to interrupt.¡±
Uriel seemed to try extricating himself and began to walk towards her as he said, ¡°No, Phoenix, I wasn¡¯t¨C¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± she squeaked out and scrunched her nose at the obvious awkwardness she was creating by her presence. She was just the worst at this sort of thing. It made her frustrated that she couldn¡¯t just act normal right now for some reason.
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said again as she turned and fled, her Sapphire Caste Agility making the exit from the room a trivial matter as she navigated back through the kitchens. She tried pushing what she had witnessed from her mind and focused on finding the person she knew could calm her.
When she reached the hall, she ignored the two gemites standing outside the door and hurtled herself into Saiya¡¯s surprised arms. She was so glad she didn¡¯t need to breathe anymore; otherwise, she was fairly certain she¡¯d be hyperventilating from the nerves.
Should she tell the others what she saw? Wouldn¡¯t Dazien be upset that his partner was kissing someone else? She remembered her brother talking about most gemites being polyamorous, but he hadn¡¯t specifically said that he and Uriel were like that, had he?
Phoenix decided to try and pretend like she hadn¡¯t seen anything. Unless Uriel told everyone that he and Padma were¡ dating or whatever, she would take the secret to her metaphorical grave.
¡°Sweet flower,¡± Saiya¡¯s soft voice whispered in her ear as she wrapped her in silky tails and rubbed her back, ¡°What happened to make you so confused?¡±
She shook her head, refusing to reveal it, but didn¡¯t want them worrying, so she hedged, ¡°I saw something I shouldn¡¯t have. It shouldn¡¯t be that big of a deal, but¡ I don¡¯t know,¡± she finished lamely.
How could she explain the weird tangle of nerves in the pit of her stomach? What words could she summon to chase away the blush from her cheeks? What possible reason could she have that would explain the tremor of fear wrapping around her heart? She was confused about why she was confused and had no answer to give.
Uriel was her best friend. She should be happy for him and her cousin, right? She hadn¡¯t felt like this when she found out about Uriel and Dazien being involved, so why was she reacting like this now?
¡°Do you want to go talk in your room?¡± Saiya asked her.
¡°I think,¡± she hesitated in her uncertainty, ¡°I think I just want to go read in my room alone for a while,¡± she finally decided, getting up to do just that, ¡°I¡¯m not really hungry anymore.¡±
8 - Puzzle Pieces
Lunch was¡ awkward, to say the least.
Dazien had tried asking Phoenix if something was wrong when she had rushed past him in a tizzy to hug Saiya, only to abruptly leave a few moments later, saying she wanted to be alone. Rebuffing his attempts to figure out what happened to change her mood so suddenly.
Uriel had shown up a few minutes later with their meal and looked to be in an even fouler mood than Phoenix. He had rarely seen his partner upset like that and wasn¡¯t sure if public questioning was for the best.
Rayna didn¡¯t seem to have a problem with throwing etiquette out the window, however, as she accusingly pointed a fork at Uriel and said, ¡°Alright, what¡¯s your deal? What happened with you and Phoenix?¡±
¡°Nothing,¡± he replied testily, ¡°She misunderstood what she saw and ran away before letting me explain anything.¡±
¡°What did she see?¡± Dazien couldn¡¯t help asking curiously.
A slightly warm glow lit the man¡¯s cheeks as his partner muttered, ¡°Something that you would strongly disapprove of.¡±
¡°You know you¡¯re going to make all of us misunderstand if you don¡¯t speak clearly,¡± Rayna retorted in annoyance.
¡°We shouldn¡¯t push, Ray,¡± Saiya interjected, placing a furred hand on her sister¡¯s own, ¡°He¡¯s obviously uncomfortable about it and last time I did that it blew up spectacularly.¡±
¡°Well, we can¡¯t help at all if he won¡¯t explain it!¡± the bard practically yelled, throwing her hands into the air in exasperation before pointing at Uriel again, ¡°You should have learned that last time as well!¡±
Uriel gave a heavy sigh but nodded and said quietly, ¡°Padma misunderstood me too, I think, and¡ well, she kissed me. Phoenix saw and I think it made her uncomfortable as well.¡±
Dazien could imagine the romantically reserved redhead going into one of her panic attacks easily enough at actually witnessing a public display of affection, but she had seemed fine the few times he had relaxed enough around her to do the same.
Then he realized the implications of Uriel¡¯s words and fixed his gaze on the man. He tried to clarify before letting his mind jump to conclusions, ¡°You said I¡¯d disapprove¡ Did Padma force you?¡±
The others at the table all froze at his words, staring at the poor blushing cinderen now. Uriel looked away and reiterated, ¡°Like I said, it was a misunderstanding.¡±
Anger was clawing at his heart at the dismissal and he ground out, ¡°How did she misunderstand you telling her no?¡±
¡°She didn¡¯t really ask for that specifically,¡± Uriel replied, causing his amethyst nails to bite into his skin as he clenched his fists, ¡°She¨C I was caught off guard and wasn¡¯t clear about my own stance. It¡¯s fine now, though,¡± Uriel said quickly, placing a warm hand over his, ¡°After Phoenix ran, I told Padma clearly that I wasn¡¯t interested, and she apologized. It was just a mistake, Daze.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not okay to just assume someone wants to be kissed or touched like that,¡± he retorted hotly. ¡°It should always be made clear to avoid that kind of situation. The fact that she¡¯s Sapphire and you¡¯re still Crystal makes that even more important.¡±
Veldrix surprised him by asking quietly, ¡°Something you¡¯ve had to learn in your time here?¡±
Dazien gave them a conflicted look, his anger making him want to snap, but he held back against the Ruby Caster and said in a more subdued tone, ¡°I said the Wayland family treats me well, not the rest of the city. Of course, that¡¯s something I¡¯ve had to deal with. It¡¯s why I can say confidently that it¡¯s unacceptable to just take that from someone.¡±
He turned back to his partner and reminded him, ¡°Your body is not theirs to do what they please with. You¡¯ve told me that often enough that I won¡¯t let you ignore the same.¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine, Daze,¡± Uriel repeated, squeezing his hand in reassurance, ¡°It won¡¯t happen again. It¡¯s nobody¡¯s fault in this case. Like I said, I was caught off guard and probably confused her, is all.¡±
¡°You shouldn¡¯t need to be on guard!¡± he hissed, and Saiya¡¯s hand on his arm snapped his attention back towards her, and he felt that tranquil aura encompass his own. The look of concern she had for him made him reevaluate himself and realize he was too tense and upset by the thought of his partner getting assaulted that he might end up taking out that anger on those around him again.
That wasn¡¯t what he wanted at all so he forced himself to take a few deep breaths before saying carefully, ¡°If it happens again and turns into harassment, please let me know and I¡¯ll have a few words with Patricia who can discuss it with her daughter.¡±
Uriel gave him a slight smirk, ¡°You know I¡¯m still older than both of you and can take care of myself in this regard, right?¡±
¡°Right,¡± he said with a sigh, ¡°Sorry. You were right about me strongly disapproving of her behavior. You know I don¡¯t mind if you wished to court her, but she should respect your boundaries.¡±
¡°Not everyone has had conversations with the Lover¡¯s clergy to know how to build healthy relationships, King,¡± his partner pointed out.
¡°Honestly, I wish they would make it part of the mandatory education curriculum, but people like Priestess Yua would have a fit if that clergy got involved. She tore me down for simply talking to them.¡±
¡°I remember,¡± Uriel muttered, turning back to his food in thought.
An awkward silence threatened to fall, and Rayna spoke up again, ¡°So¡ Any guesses why Phoenix freaked out and went to hide in her room? My bet is on thinking Uriel had more secrets from us.¡±
Uriel winced beside him and said, ¡°Maybe, but I hope she would have just asked if that were the case.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t usually like telling others what people are feeling,¡± Saiya said cautiously, glancing toward Uriel, ¡°Telling them is one thing, but telling others, I think, is a breach of privacy.¡±
She turned back to him and added, ¡°But I don¡¯t think it takes my level of perception to see that she was mostly just confused and likely trying to avoid adding to that. I honestly think she¡¯s never even witnessed a kiss in person based on what she¡¯s told us of her past. She didn¡¯t have parents to see that kind of intimacy. She said her father died before she was born, and Paul didn¡¯t have anyone.¡±
¡°She told us about those ¡®movies¡¯ that act like a Sense Stone projector,¡± Dazien reminded her, ¡°She told me those were the reason she knew what a lot of things looked like and how things were meant to behave even without being able to leave that hospital much. She knows what a kiss is.¡±
¡°Yes, but knowing and seeing or experiencing things is very different from one another. It¡¯s also different when it¡¯s a stranger doing it versus someone you know. Can you honestly tell me that you would feel the same seeing Padma kiss a stranger or your own partner?¡±
He gave a sigh, ¡°I guess that¡¯s true. Should I go try and talk to her?¡±
¡°No,¡± Uriel surprised him by saying, dropping his fork to his plate and standing, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to her.¡±
¡°Are you sure?¡±
Uriel paused at the door, and the pained expression on his face almost made Dazien get up to follow him before his partner said, ¡°No, but it should be me. I¡¯m her best friend, after all.¡±
After reading the same sentence for the sixth time, Phoenix set the book back on the shelf of her desk in the little moon-alcove of her room. She had gotten used to the feeling of walking through her heavily-illusioned room without fearing falling through the invisible floor as she made her way to the nebula-like bed and collapsed into it.
She couldn¡¯t focus enough to even read as her mind forced her to replay what she had seen. Since reading was a no-go, she decided to do something a little more mindless and sat up just enough to practice using her [Ruler of Relativity] on more mundane items to get used to the new Caste strength and her enhanced reflexes at the same time.
Phoenix didn¡¯t want to damage another book, so she used a mundane dagger that had been sitting in her collection for a long time now. It had belonged to one of the bandits that had ambushed them on the road. It was the first time she was confronted by the fact that Adventurers were expected to kill people and not just monsters.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
Normally, she sold off anything she couldn¡¯t really use herself or gave it to the rest of her party, like the occasional bundle of monster meat that went straight to Uriel to turn into something delicious. She had kept this little dagger, though.
It was meant to be a reminder of the path she had chosen and the cost of faltering in combat. She had felt terrible about letting her friends down, putting them at risk due to her inaction, and forcing Uriel to claim lives in her stead. Thinking back to that moment now, she realized that those eighteen lives were likely a drop in the bucket for the former captive¡¯s kill count.
He hadn¡¯t seemed to enjoy it, though. She remembered Dazien going to his side once the fighting was over in order to soothe him. Now she understood why. Understood that it probably called up all those terrible memories every time he killed. Yet he hadn¡¯t hesitated to protect them.
Uriel had even been willing to die to protect her from the Destroyer¡¯s influence. He had stood beside her as gods tried to manipulate her and could understand how it felt to be reduced to a divine tool.
Now he stood beside Padma¡
Phoenix scrunched her nose at the intrusive thought and angrily used her ability to shove the dagger away from her until it seemed to embed itself in the air as it hit an illusioned wall. Then she frowned at the anger and pulled the dagger back to her, feeling happier about the improved Agility making catching the weapon a breeze.
¡°You are being silly again,¡± Tala whispered in her mind, ¡°The warm one stands beside the shiny one and you at the same time already.¡±
She sighed at her Familiar, starting to understand why Paul seemed to sigh and huff all the time. Tala was right, of course. She was being ridiculous.
It wasn¡¯t like Uriel was going to stop being her best friend just because he got a girlfriend. It wasn¡¯t like there was a limit to how many friends someone could have and she realized now that same logic applied to lovers in their case. Nothing was going to change simply because one more person got involved with their party.
A knock at her door had her calling out for whoever it was to come in before she remembered to use her aura senses to feel who it might be and she instantly regretted the mistake as Uriel leaned his head inside.
¡°Can we talk, or do you still want to be alone?¡± he asked hesitantly. Ember eyes glanced down at the dagger in her hands, and he added with a slight smirk, ¡°Or do you want to stab me?¡±
Phoenix scoffed, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t stab you.¡±
¡°You can always heal me after,¡± he pointed out.
She raised a brow at him, ¡°Are you arguing for the stabbing?¡±
¡°If it would make you feel better enough to talk with me instead of running away, I think it might be worth it.¡±
Phoenix blushed in embarrassment and clarified quietly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you, Uriel. I was just¡ confused.¡±
He took a step inside, closing the door behind him as he said, ¡°I want to help fix that¡ if you¡¯ll let me.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t need to,¡± she said quickly, ¡°It¡¯s really none of my business if you got a girlfriend¨C¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± he interrupted, walking closer, ¡°What you saw was a misunderstanding, is all.¡±
She scrunched her nose again at that, then recalled something he had told her before, ¡°Right, I forgot you don¡¯t like labels like that.¡±
He shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s not it. I mean that Padma thought I was accepting her affections when I was just really bad at saying ¡®no, thank you.¡¯¡±
¡°Oh,¡± she replied lamely.
¡°I¨C¡± he paused beside the bed, looking towards the ground as if searching for words, ¡°I don¡¯t want you thinking that I would hide something like that from you. I¡¯m done with keeping secrets from my party.¡±
When he met her eyes again, he said with more determination, ¡°I¡¯d rather you feel comfortable asking me personal questions like that than running away from me in fear or embarrassment. We¡¯re¨C¡± his voice seemed to catch before he cleared his throat and said, ¡°We¡¯re best friends, right? We should be able to talk about anything.¡±
¡°Right,¡± she murmured, looking back at the dagger in her hand before she sent it back to her collection and held out a hand towards the warm cinderen, ¡°Come sit with me? It¡¯s cold in this outer space room.¡±
He laughed, ¡°Is that all I am to you? A space heater?¡± It didn¡¯t seem to stop him from sitting beside her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
¡°And amazing cook,¡± she pointed out, much preferring teasing to awkward apologies.
¡°And best spoiler,¡± Tala added.
Phoenix laughed aloud and passed on the message, ¡°And Tala says you¡¯re the best at spoiling.¡±
He gave her a warm smile and asked, ¡°Do you like being spoiled?¡±
She was caught off guard by the question as she looked up at him, ¡°Me?¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± he nodded, ¡°Do you like getting little treats or gifts too?¡±
She shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t really like people buying things for me,¡± she explained, then added, ¡°But I do like your cookies. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d consider that spoiling, though, since it¡¯s for everyone.¡±
¡°There are different ways to spoil someone,¡± Uriel continued, ¡°Do you prefer kind words or warm hugs?¡±
¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t say ¡®no¡¯ to either of those from you.¡±
He chuckled then said thoughtfully, ¡°What if I make sure to make time for just the two of us like this? You can vent, or question, or tease. You can tell me about whatever¡¯s on your mind.¡±
Phoenix liked the sound of that. ¡°Only if you do the same,¡± she stipulated, ¡°I want to be able to do that for you too.¡±
¡°Deal,¡± Uriel replied, then asked, ¡°So, is there anything you want to vent about or ask me? Or would you prefer the silent space heater for now?¡±
She laughed, ¡°Not anymore. I think it¡¯s just a relief to have a friend to talk to about anything again.¡±
¡°Again?¡± Uriel repeated with a raised brow, then shook his head as he answered himself, ¡°Right, I bet you miss talking with Paul.¡±
¡°Actually, I was thinking about Jin,¡± she clarified, ¡°Paul and I were open about a lot, but I only realized after he couldn¡¯t talk with me that we never really discussed everything. He¡ he didn¡¯t really confide in me like I did with him. That¡¯s probably because he¡¯s my dad, not my best friend.¡±
¡°Do you want to talk about Jin?¡± Uriel asked.
She looked up at him to find only a soft smile and ember eyes looking at her with fondness, ¡°Yeah, I think I¡¯d like that¡ if you don¡¯t mind?¡±
¡°She¡¯s important to you, right?¡± She nodded, and he continued, ¡°Then it¡¯s like you said, I want to know about what or who you like. She sounds like an important piece of your puzzle.¡±
¡°My puzzle?¡± she asked with a raised brow.
He chuckled, ¡°Something Dazien actually learned when talking about his style of relationships with the clergy at the Lover¡¯s Temple. It¡¯s a pretty simple analogy but really helped me understand him better.¡±
¡°Because Daze has a puzzle too?¡±
¡°We all do. We¡¯re all a puzzle board, and the people around us might be part of filling it out. Some people don¡¯t fit well on our board or next to other people on it. Others fit perfectly,¡± he nudged her, ¡°Like Paul fitting so well in that father-shaped space on your board.¡±
She smiled and asked, ¡°And Daze fits so well in that partner-shaped space for you?¡±
He nodded, ¡°You fit on there too, you know. It¡¯s also not just people. Everything we like are the puzzle pieces that make up who we are. Part of what makes it a puzzle, though, is finding all the pieces and figuring out if they fit or not.¡±
¡°I can see how that would be hard,¡± she said, nodding along to the explanation, ¡°I was missing a lot of pieces back on Earth.¡±
¡°It sounds like you had found one in Jin. So want to tell me about how you first met? Give me a little background on what kind of person she was.¡±
Phoenix grinned, ¡°She was the coolest kid in the hospital, at least to me,¡± she began, relaxing more against the warm cinderen as she let her memories finally free from the box she had tried locking them away in. ¡°She was two years older than me and was amazing at throwing a javelin for her school¡¯s track and field team. She never teased me about insisting I was a girl and helped me better understand that other people felt that way, too, sometimes. We met because she was in and out of the hospital while battling cancer.¡±
¡°What¡¯s cancer?¡±
She stared at him incredulously, then almost slapped a hand to her forehead, ¡°Right, you don¡¯t really have Mundane diseases here. Basically, it¡¯s some parts of the body mutating and attacking the other healthy parts of the body. The main treatment was basically poisoning the person to try and kill off the bad parts and hope the good parts survived.¡±
¡°That sounds horrifying,¡± he muttered.
She nodded, ¡°It was a lot of times. Jin kept having to go through the process because it would get killed off, and then a year or so later, it would come back. The last time I saw her, she had just returned to the hospital for her fifth treatment and was pissed off about it¡¡± Phoenix paused at the sad memories, ¡°She didn¡¯t want to do it again.¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t want the treatment?¡± he clarified.
¡°Yeah, she didn¡¯t like how sick and weak it made her. She said there wasn¡¯t any point living like that and¡ I think she was just ready to die at that point.¡± She leaned her head against his chest as she admitted, ¡°I got mad at her for thinking that. The next morning, when I went to go see her and try cheering her up more, they told me she died during the night. She was younger than I am now, only seventeen.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to grieve her like that,¡± Uriel said, squeezing her in a hug, ¡°But she didn¡¯t die, it sounds like.¡±
¡°Right,¡± she said, shaking her head to clear away the melancholy, ¡°Apparently, she got sent here. I have so many questions about that, but I don¡¯t think Scholar¡¯s going to tell me any more. She made it pretty clear to drop it.¡±
¡°Dazien mentioned that,¡± he said, then asked, ¡°What do you want to ask Jin most?¡±
Phoenix thought about that for a moment. She wanted to know everything that had happened to the woman in the last ¨Cwhat?¨C four years since Jin had been sent here? Everin had said that Jin was a Wayfarer now. Did she get similar Natural Talents? How did she reach Emerald Caste so fast? Was she also an undying immortal? Did gods surround her as well? Did she find a mentor and party to rely on and help her in this world full of monsters?
Finally, she answered aloud, ¡°I guess if I could only ask one thing, the most important one would be making sure we¡¯re still friends. Am I still a puzzle piece for her like she is for me?¡±
9 - Annihilator
Uriel was feeling better with every word Phoenix spoke, even if it was about the woman whose place he had taken as ¡°best friend.¡± He struggled to completely ignore the dark voice at the back of his mind whispering that if Jin reunited with Phoenix, then she wouldn¡¯t need him anymore. She was here now, trusting and confiding in him, and that¡¯s what he should focus on.
¡°I¡¯m sure Jin will be just as happy to reunite as you will be,¡± he said.
¡°But it¡¯s been four years since we last spoke,¡± she admitted with a slight whine.
¡°I¡¯m pretty sure time doesn¡¯t matter in this case,¡± he pointed out, ¡°Centuries could pass, and I¡¯d be happy to see you again,¡± he said, then blushed at how his own words sounded and added quickly, ¡°Or Paul. You¡¯ll be excited to see him even if it takes decades, right?¡±
¡°That¡¯s true¡ I guess I¡¯m just worried that we¡¯ve both changed so much that we don¡¯t fit together anymore. I was fifteen when she died¨C er, got teleported? You know, I¡¯m still confused about that part a bit; they had a body to bury still.¡±
He gave a half-shrug, not wanting to disturb her lying against him, ¡°I think Saiya mentioned your soul getting sent here instead, which is why you got a new body that fit it better.¡±
¡°That was definitely the best part of my first day here,¡± she noted, glancing down at her dress-covered body and gesturing up and down it, ¡°This is much better.¡±
Uriel tried to ignore the heat in his cheeks as he refocused on her face and asked, ¡°Will Jin even recognize you? I¡¯m not sure what you looked like before. Did your face change much?¡±
She conjured a hand mirror in a shower of silver starlight to look at herself, ¡°I don¡¯t think so? I mean, I¡¯m older and healthier, and it¡¯s a bit softer around the sides now, but, like, colors and shapes mostly match my memory.¡±
¡°Well, you¡¯re also prettier from ascending too,¡± he pointed out, mentally noting the shinier auburn hair, clearer complexion, and even her eyes were a more vibrant green.
Phoenix¡¯s head snapped to look up at him, staring in surprise, and he wasn¡¯t quite sure what he did wrong until she asked, ¡°You think I¡¯m pretty?¡±
That was a confusing question. He remembered how her curls often drew his partner¡¯s gaze, and he hadn¡¯t ever questioned why Daze found her attractive. He had already assumed why. The way she seemed so surprised by the thought, however, made him clarify, ¡°You don¡¯t?¡±
She gave a breathy awkward attempt at laughter, ¡°Not really. I mean, I love my hair. I¡¯ve always thought that it was pretty, but the rest of me¡¡±
He felt a pang of sympathy in his chest and refuted, ¡°Well, you¡¯re wrong. I¡¯ve seen how others look at you, so I know it¡¯s not just me who thinks that you¡¯re pretty, too.¡±
¡°I¡¯m honestly surprised to hear you, of all people, saying that, though.¡±
It was his turn to scrunch his nose in confusion as he asked, ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±
¡°Well, I don¡¯t care what anyone says, but I¡¯m fairly¡ plain compared to Dazien. Even if he cheats a bit, it¡¯s hard to picture you thinking I¡¯m pretty when you see him every day.¡±
Uriel laughed at that, ¡°Don¡¯t compare yourself to him like that. Like you said, he cheats, and I know he wouldn¡¯t like thinking he was making you feel¡ lesser from him just existing. Besides, he doesn¡¯t have a monopoly on beauty. I can think both of you are pretty and have it be true.¡±
¡°I guess,¡± she murmured but didn¡¯t seem convinced as she looked in the mirror again as if reevaluating, ¡°I just don¡¯t see it.¡±
¡°Princess, you are literally glowing,¡± he pointed out, trying to lighten her mood, ¡°Just because you¡¯re not your type doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re not beautiful. You admit your hair is pretty; trust me when I say the rest is as well, and don¡¯t worry yourself over it. You shouldn¡¯t degrade yourself like that, remember?¡±
¡°Well, what about you?¡± she retorted, dismissing the mirror back to her collection, ¡°You degrade yourself often enough.¡±
¡°Maybe, but I¡¯m comfortable with my appearance,¡± he answered with a shrug, ¡°I don¡¯t have people approaching me that often like Padma did, which is why I was so bad at turning her down, but it¡¯s not like I thought that was because I wasn¡¯t outwardly appealing,¡± he tried explaining, ¡°To your earlier point, most people just wanted the prettier person beside me.¡±
¡°And that didn¡¯t make you feel lesser?¡±
¡°Not like that. I¡¯m not going to think I¡¯m lesser just because a bird is born with wings and I wasn¡¯t. Plus, I¡¯ve seen what the price of that beauty costs Daze. People often look at him and treat him like an object instead of a person,¡± his mood darkened at some of the memories that brought. However, he tried to draw the parallel to himself for her, ¡°Even though I¡¯m not that level of pretty. I know how it feels to have people see you as less than a person.¡±
He gave a more crooked smile than he had hoped to as he added, ¡°It¡¯s part of what makes you and the others so important to me. I know I¡¯m a monster, but it still doesn¡¯t feel good to be reminded of the fact when people see the chains around me.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not a monster,¡± Phoenix instantly rebuked, ¡°You can¡¯t even argue and say I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m talking about now, either,¡± she added with a cheeky grin.
Uriel chuckled, ¡°That reminds me. There were still some things to show you that I promised to do later,¡± he said, feeling nervous but not really afraid about her seeing it anymore as he offered, ¡°Want to see my profile and one more reason to add to the ¡®he¡¯s definitely a monster¡¯ pile?¡±
She rolled her eyes at his joke, ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re trying to make me believe it. It¡¯s not gonna happen,¡± she said in reprimand; however, her excitement was almost palpable as she perked up and conjured her [Guide Book] in the air between them.
Before he could touch it, though, she grabbed his hand and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this, you know. I really don¡¯t care what your powers might be. You¡¯ll still be my friend.¡±
He smiled at that, realizing that he finally believed her as he happily said, ¡°I know that now. That¡¯s why I trust you with it,¡± then he touched the glowing book and focused on showing her all of him.
Name: Uriel Karislian
Species: Cinderen (Ashen)
Caste: Crystal 9
Attributes
Strength (Potent): Crystal 9
Agility (Fire): Crystal 9
Fortitude (Storm): Crystal 9
Mind (Ice): Crystal 10
Magic (Cataclysm Mage): Crystal 9
Natural Talents
Molten Attunement
Ice Attunement
Storm Attunement
Spell Disposition
Raging Inferno
Divine Titles
Chosen Destroyer
Titles
Slayer
Unwilling Parenticide
Orphan
This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.Adventurer
Aspects
Fire
- Home¡¯s Hearth (Utility Passive)
- Rain of Fire - Crystal 10
- Scorch the Shaken Earth (Class) - Crystal 9 (57%)
Ice
- Fortress of Solitude (Utility Passive)
- Frost Touched - Crystal 10
- Blizzard (Class) - Crystal 10
Storm
- Scent in the Air (Perception Passive)
- Microburst - Crystal 10
- Eye of the Storm (Class) - Crystal 9 (38%)
Potent
- Battlemage (Aura Passive)
- Siphoned Vigor - Crystal 9 (72%)
- Plague Bearer (Class) - Crystal 10
Cataclysm Mage (Class)
- Apotheosis of Annihilation (Transfiguration Passive)
- Chaos Seeds - Crystal 10
- End of Days (Class) - Crystal 9 (90%)
|
¡°Apotheosis of Annihilation?¡± she asked curiously before snapping her mouth shut and saying, ¡°You don¡¯t have to¨C¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine, Princess,¡± Uriel replied with a chuckle, touching the book once more to show the details of the previously unknown ability.
|
Passive Ability: Apotheosis of Annihilation
Type: Transfiguration (divine, void)
Crystal Effect: Permanently enhances your aura with annihilating power that periodically deals small amounts of ongoing Void damage to everything within it.
|
¡°And since this is Passive, it¡¯s just¡ always on?¡± she asked incredulously.
¡°Different Transfigurations can behave differently,¡± he clarified, ¡°For mine though, yes. It¡¯s always trying to destroy,¡± he hesitated for a moment before adding in a softer tone, ¡°I¡¯m honestly afraid of what it might become at Sapphire.¡±
¡°Couldn¡¯t it cultivate into something better, though?¡± she asked, ¡°Like more control over it or something? Maybe an off switch or not hurting allies? Our powers respond to our desires at least a little, it seems like,¡± she pointed out, and he could appreciate her trying to help them both see things in a more positive light.
Uriel nodded but decided to voice his fears, ¡°Maybe. Or it could become stronger or even more difficult for me to control¡ I¡¯m not¨C¡± he looked away, fairly certain she wouldn¡¯t like him admitting this truth about himself based on her last reaction when they discussed choices, but it¡¯s not like he was going to lie about this fact, ¡°I prefer giving control to others now, rather than trying to choose myself.¡±
As he expected, that look of disdain crossed her face as she said, ¡°Doesn¡¯t that go against the whole ¡®not being an object¡¯ thing? Aren¡¯t you just letting someone use you as a tool?¡±
He raised a brow at her, ¡°Is that what you think Daze is doing to me?¡±
She blinked up at him in surprise, ¡°Well, no, but it¡¯s not like he¡¯s ignoring the things you want.¡±
Uriel chuckled and pointed out, ¡°There¡¯s not much that I want for him to try keeping from me,¡± then he added, ¡°But it¡¯s different than being treated as an object, isn¡¯t it? Even though I prefer Dazien to choose things for me, giving him that control was my choice in the first place.
¡°It¡¯s probably the only good choice I¡¯ve ever made since it¡¯s fairly obvious after I tried leaving all of you that I¡¯m terrible at making decisions on my own,¡± he said with a laugh, trying to lighten the mood.
It worked as she smirked and teased, ¡°Well, when you put it like that, I can¡¯t even argue. That was a terrible choice.¡±
She turned back to re-read the ability on display still and shifted the subject back, ¡°I guess I should be grateful my own Transfiguration ability only turns me into a mini-dragon temporarily. I think those claws would be super awkward for me.¡±
He laughed, ¡°I don¡¯t think the draconids complain about theirs. Which I read were longer than the voxen ones.¡±
¡°I remember Daze mentioning draconids. They¡¯re dragon-people, right? Are they, like, more dragon or more human looking?¡±
¡°Pretty half and half? I¡¯ve only seen a couple in passing in the International District and a few pictures in books of famous ones that Daze showed me,¡± he explained, ¡°The nearest large community of them is in San Gra Lan on the other side of Epa Toivo from us. They have long tails like Rex has, horns that are thicker than Dazien¡¯s antlers, and scales instead of fur like the voxen have, but I think the scales cover their whole arms and legs, not just part-way up.¡±
¡°Huh,¡± was all Phoenix responded with as she pondered.
¡°Speaking of dragons, though,¡± he said, the topic reminding him of his more recent research project, ¡°I have something I want to show you.¡±
She raised a brow as he climbed out of the cloud-like bed, and she asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t adopt a pet dragon, did you?¡±
Uriel laughed as he straightened his clothes, ¡°No, of course not. Dragons aren¡¯t avals, they¡¯re Vanhin, remember? I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯d get either arrested or eaten for kidnapping one.¡±
Then he held out his hand to help her stand as well. The weight startled him slightly as he was reminded that Phoenix was also Sapphire Caste now.
You¡¯re going to be left behind soon¡ He shoved the intrusive thought away, dropping her hand as she righted herself.
¡°I found some information concerning a specific dragon that I thought you¡¯d appreciate.¡±
¡°Oh? What dragon?¡±
He just grinned and led her out of the room towards Dazien¡¯s instead. Going over to the left-hand side table by the bed, he lifted a book off the top of the pile he had been scouring through and opened it to the page he had marked. He held it out for her to take and said, ¡°This dragon.¡±
She took it, the curious glint in her eyes reminding him of his partner and he felt his own happiness rise as she read aloud, ¡°The Jade Dragon is an elusive and often isolated creature. Its pale green scales the only outward hint of its Corrosive nature.¡±
Her head snapped up to stare at him as she stopped reading and asked almost breathlessly, ¡°This is Jin¡¯s dragon?¡±
He nodded and she looked over at the pile of other books as she asked, ¡°You found this for me?¡±
Uriel hesitated, unsure if he had overstepped a boundary as he explained, ¡°Well, Dazien told me about what Scholar had said¡ and that you didn¡¯t get a lot of questions answered. I thought this might help answer at least a little.¡±
¡°Thank you,¡± she said, looking back at the book entry with wonder, ¡°This means a lot.¡±
¡°There¡¯s no picture, unfortunately,¡± he said, ¡°So I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re a different type from my Storm Dragon or not.¡±
¡°Storm Dragon?¡± she asked, refocusing on him again.
He moved to the small dresser that he had claimed by the bathroom since Dazien didn¡¯t need one with his [Armory] passive holding all his clothing for him.
Atop the dresser, he had placed one of the few gifts he had ever received. It was a stone statue of a heavier dragon standing atop a rocky outcropping on its four legs with slightly torn wings lifted towards the sky, ¡°Dazien got this for me one Winter¡¯s Break. He said that even though a Storm Dragon can cause as much destruction as I can, that doesn¡¯t mean we should hunt them down or call them monsters.¡±
¡°Smart man,¡± Phoenix replied with a grin, ¡°I¡¯m glad to know I¡¯m not the only one needing to repeat myself on that fact. It¡¯s obviously been a problem for a while now.¡±
He sighed, ¡°Yes, so I keep getting told.¡±
She crossed her arms around the book and asked in a more serious tone, ¡°Then why won¡¯t you believe us?¡±
Uriel grimaced, not wanting to spoil the happier mood he had managed to get her in. ¡°It¡¯s just¡ difficult,¡± he rubbed at the bracer on his left arm under his tunic, ¡°Too many things keep reminding me that I am one, despite what you or he might say. My Silencer, my Soul Mark, the threat of my anger, my own ability that gave the name for the type of monster I am.¡±
¡°The type?¡±
He nodded and tried not to let his bitterness bleed through as he said, ¡°They turned me into their Pet monster¡ their Annihilator. It¡¯s hard to forget that and believe I¡¯m not.¡±
Then he was being hugged as she said, ¡°You¡¯re still a person, Uriel. It doesn¡¯t matter what they called you or what your powers can do,¡± then she looked up and said as though it was a threat, ¡°If you keep saying otherwise and insist on being a monster, I¡¯m going to have to start telling everyone that my best friend is a monster. Then they¡¯ll get all uppity, and I¡¯ll have to start some kind of ¡®monsters are people too¡¯ campaign and fight for monster rights. Maybe get a shirt that says, ¡®Monsters are friends, not food.¡¯ Maybe we can start like a support group for fellow monster-Classes?¡±
Uriel laughed.
She was being absolutely ridiculous, yet he didn¡¯t doubt she would follow through with the personal quest she had outlined.
¡°I bet Bliss would join. I bet there are other shifters, too, that face this unjust monster discrimination you keep talking about. Oh, they can all wear those shirts too; it¡¯ll be the group slogan.¡±
Tears began streaming down his face. He kept laughing at the mental pictures she conjured up, and she smiled as she kept going, ¡°Oh! Maybe we can convince the churches to all back it. I¡¯m pretty influential there, apparently. Is there a god of monsters I¡¯m going to have to dedicate myself to?¡±
¡°Stop,¡± he practically wheezed through the laughing, cursing his need for air, ¡°Please. I get it.¡±
¡°Do you really?¡± she asked.
He nodded, ¡°Yeah, I do,¡± he managed to say as he finally calmed.
Uriel really did understand what she was getting at, too. He hadn¡¯t heard it put quite that way before, but it helped him understand her point. ¡°I know we¡¯ve said people can be monsters¡ it¡¯s something I¡¯ve known for a lot longer than most people,¡± he said and squeezed her in a hug, ¡°Thanks for believing monsters can be people too.¡±
10 - Memories
Phoenix shot up in bed, dagger in hand, as she readied a strike at her foe, which wasn¡¯t there. The remnants of her nightmare began to fade as she slowed her shallow breathing and felt her heart rate fall back down to a more normal pace.
Her room was dimmed for her to sleep, the miniature sun that served as a fireplace reduced to little more than a night light. She finally noticed a small voxen sitting curled up in her tails on a nebula cloud seat that had been moved near her bed.
At the foot of the bed, Snowbelle and Tala were snuggled together. The larger Seagull practically wrapped around the tiny poof-ball of silver-speckled feathers. They both peeked open an eye to look at her but didn¡¯t move, obviously not wanting to ruin their comfortable positions.
Phoenix dismissed her dagger and brushed the hair from her face. She was about to apologize to Saiya for blasting her dark dream through her aura again when she realized that it was still restrained.
¡°That was much better but still a little wobbly,¡± Saiya said with slitted amber eyes watching her carefully, ¡°Another minute and I would have woken you up, but it¡¯s really impressive that you kept your aura restrained even in a nightmare.¡±
Phoenix gave a sour expression as she muttered, ¡°Thanks, but next time, I think I¡¯d rather you wake me earlier¡¡± She rubbed her eyes, ¡°I¡¯m getting real tired of these nightmares. I should really look into finding some sleeping potions at some point, but the blood moon and war have been making it difficult to get any supplies, let alone the less critical niche items.¡±
¡°You probably shouldn¡¯t rely on things like that,¡± the brunette said with gentle concern.
¡°You¡¯re probably right but I also need to sleep,¡± Phoenix pointed out, ¡°Like actual restful sleep. Even if it is only like three hours I need now. We still have a job to do and my nightmares won¡¯t wait for the blood moon to end.¡±
¡°There will always be more to do, and there will always be more monsters to cause nightmares, Phoenix.¡±
Phoenix sighed, ¡°Again, you¡¯re probably right. I¡¯m not sure what else to do about them though,¡± she paused for a moment as her mind started becoming more aware and finally asked, ¡°Wait, if my aura didn¡¯t wake you, why are you here?¡±
Saiya shifted in the chair looking more awkward than Phoenix had ever seen before and whispered, ¡°I had a nightmare earlier too and didn¡¯t want to be alone but also didn¡¯t want to wake you.¡±
In an uncharacteristic show of vulnerability that made Phoenix¡¯s heart crack a little, the small Healer asked, ¡°Can¨C Do you mind if I borrow Sky back for a bit?¡±
The light blue kitsune plush appeared in Phoenix¡¯s hands as she said, ¡°Of course. You want to lay down in here for a bit till you fall back to sleep?¡±
Saiya nodded, already crawling into the malleable nebula bed. Tails wrapped around Phoenix as Saiya hugged her and took the plush to begin immediately petting it.
Phoenix smiled at the self-soothing action and teased, ¡°Explain how this is different from a sleeping potion?¡±
She blushed slightly and said, ¡°Shush you. It¡¯s different.¡±
Phoenix gave an indulgent hum of agreement, ¡°Ah, of course, it must have been the sleep deprivation talking. Ignore me.¡±
As she lay back down to relax and gave a few pets to the enchanted plushie, she thought about the odd way Saiya was behaving and asked, ¡°Do you want to talk about your nightmare?¡±
Saiya hesitated, and Phoenix decided to go first, ¡°Mine was miserlings again, but it always seems to change up in some way. This time, a swarm of them were attacking a Storm Dragon, and no matter how many I was killing, they kept trying to hurt it.¡±
¡°A Storm Dragon?¡±
She blushed slightly and hoped it was hidden in the darkness as she explained, ¡°Uriel showed me his statue of one, and I think it just kinda got mixed in. There¡¯s not like anything extra to it¡¡±
Saiya hummed much the same way she had when not believing the response but also not wanting to argue the point, and Phoenix added, ¡°Not every weird thing in a dream has hidden meanings like some teens at the hospital used to tell me all the time.¡±
¡°No, of course not,¡± Saiya agreed, ¡°Just our minds processing thoughts in a random manner.¡±
¡°Right,¡± she said firmly.
¡°Speaking of Uriel, though,¡± Saiya unfortunately continued, ¡°He seemed much happier when I said good night earlier. I¡¯m assuming you two worked out whatever awkwardness happened?¡±
She nodded, glancing over at the book she had set near her bed that had details about Jin¡¯s Jade Dragon Familiar, ¡°Yeah. It was a good talk. I think I was just being a bit irrational about Padma¡¡± she paused, trying to think of the right way to explain, ¡°Like, if Uriel had a new girlfriend then he wouldn¡¯t have time to spend with us anymore? Which I realize is dumb now.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Saiya said, ¡°That¡¯s not a completely irrational fear. We only have so much time and energy to give to others. We don¡¯t want to feel neglected or forgotten because others take some of that.¡±
¡°Somehow, that¡¯s not making me feel better,¡± Phoenix grumbled.
Saiya chuckled, ¡°Sorry, I just meant that you shouldn¡¯t dismiss your feelings so easily. We should always reflect on why we feel a certain way. Once you understand them, it helps to mend them and move forward .¡±
She raised a brow as she looked at her friend, ¡°Is that why you always seem so calm and collected¡ well, most of the time. We won¡¯t talk about the Uriel argument,¡± she added in a slight tease.
¡°I think that proves I¡¯m not always like you seem to think,¡± Saiya said in little more than a whisper, ¡°I have my own struggles¡ my own nightmares.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me them,¡± Phoenix said, ¡°But I¡¯m here to listen if you want.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
¡°My nightmares aren¡¯t as vividly visual as yours seem to be,¡± Saiya tried to explain, ¡°I don¡¯t really remember anything specific that happens in them; they¡¯re just¡ feelings. Fear, panic, anger, despair, pain¡ I¡¯ll wake up terrified and won¡¯t know why.¡±
¡°That sounds terrible. I¡¯m sorry you have to go through that,¡± she replied in sympathy.
¡°I think I ruined the sheets in my room,¡± Saiya added in embarrassment, ¡°Like you conjuring your dagger, my claws kind of shredded the bed.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise as she glanced at the tiny little claws that were basically just nails in her mind and said, ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not that bad. These aren¡¯t that long.¡±
Saiya chuckled and lifted a hand for her to see better and flexed, causing the claws to elongate like a cat¡¯s, and looking much more deadly.
¡°Ah,¡± she said as eloquently as she could, which was not at all, ¡°Poor bed.¡±
The voxen retracted the claws to pet the plushie again, and Phoenix tried to console her friend by admitting, ¡°Did I ever tell you that I almost stabbed Paul a few times because he woke me up from a nightmare?¡±
Saiya chuckled again, ¡°I¡¯m definitely not waking you up next time then.¡±
¡°Hey, I could heal it after.¡±
¡°I still don¡¯t want to get stabbed.¡±
She gave a little huff, ¡°It¡¯s not like I actually managed to stab him¡ He was always stronger and faster than me.¡±
¡°Speaking of Paul,¡± Saiya segued, ¡°Since you weren¡¯t there at lunch, Pati let us know that everything of note had been relocated from the Wayland Estate to the World Tree here, including Paul¡¯s stuff.¡±
¡°What are they doing with the estate?¡± she asked in mild concern.
¡°I think a few rooms on the upper floors are remaining residential for any Waylands staying in the city, but Pati was talking about converting the lower floors into a shop to sell resources from the World Tree. It produces things that can¡¯t be found anywhere else in the world, after all.¡±
¡°What did they do with Paul¡¯s stuff?¡± she asked, her nose wrinkling at the idea of moving ¨Cor worse, destroying¨C his things, ¡°They didn¡¯t throw it all in boxes to collect dust, did they?¡±
Saiya smiled at her and sat up, ¡°Want to go see?¡±
¡°Well, I doubt I¡¯m getting more sleep without drugging myself with plush pets,¡± she replied, sitting up as well.
It wasn¡¯t a long journey to the floor below theirs where Paul¡¯s stasis room was. Apparently, the room next to it had been converted into almost an exact replica of the lord¡¯s bedroom, and she raised a brow at Saiya in question.
¡°Patricia said they didn¡¯t want Paul to feel too disoriented upon awakening,¡± Saiya explained, ¡°They¡¯re not sure exactly what kind of mental state he¡¯ll be in after years of magical stasis and want it to go as smoothly as possible.¡±
Phoenix was surprisingly pleased by the thoughtfulness her aunt was putting into this, not to mention the silent assumption that she would succeed in hitting Ruby and awakening him someday. Then Saiya led her to the next door down the hall, and this recreated room brought back a flood of memories that the bedroom had lacked.
Paul¡¯s study was usually where she had talks with her mentor if he hadn¡¯t come to her own room. Everything looked exactly as he had left it, and she found herself gawking as she walked through it. She hadn¡¯t brought herself to revisit the room after Paul had fallen into his cursed sleep¡ It was both painful and soothing to be here now.
Her fingers brushed along the rows of books that were completely filling the left-hand wall. Books she had never really explored herself but had always enjoyed the sight of when she had been here. It made the room feel cozier to her.
Then she noticed something odd about the books. It took a moment for her to figure out what was throwing her off about them until she realized that the writing on the spines weren¡¯t book titles; they were dates.
She walked to the end nearer the large wood desk and pulled the most recently dated book off the shelf and opened it up to find Paul¡¯s neat handwriting filling in the pages. Realizing what it must have been, she went to the last page where the writing stopped and read that journal entry.
I¡¯ll likely hit Ruby Caste tomorrow. It only took about 48 years. I know that must be slow for some but others never make it this far, so I¡¯m excited and proud nonetheless. I think Father would have been, too, though he¡¯d never admit it.
I wonder how fast Phoenix will reach where I am? I know she¡¯s been going non-stop since arriving and becoming a Caster but it still astounds me how fast a person can go when they¡¯re that focused and dedicated to becoming stronger. If I hadn¡¯t been so carefree as a kid, could I have achieved the same? I look forward to seeing how fast she catches up.
I¡¯m worried about the soul exhaustion I¡¯ll be fighting from the ascension but I hope the Rule of Caste can help make up for not being at my best against these Emerald invaders. Thankfully, I don¡¯t have to worry about the kids getting caught in the crossfire.
I know Phoenix would survive but Dazien almost died twice protecting her. Despite his talents and skill, I doubt he¡¯d make it through this alive. I¡¯ve grown too attached to the others as well, and none of them have her talent for surviving. She would be devastated to lose a party member, and I want to do my best to protect her heart from having to go through that. I know it almost broke me when I lost some of my own.
I hope she¡¯ll forgive me for playing the overprotective father card after all this is done with. I realize now that I shouldn¡¯t have hidden my fears by lying to them. Maybe I can do something to make it up to her and the others? I¡¯ll have to think on that a bit more, maybe ask Pati.
I¡¯m ready for this never-ending moon to be done with, let Pati take over the House, and finally let Phoenix know that this world is more than just fighting monsters. There is wonder and beauty here that I think will help her learn to smile more, and I can¡¯t wait to show her.
Phoenix couldn¡¯t stop the tears from falling down her cheeks as she read Paul¡¯s thoughts and knew the sad truth: that he wouldn¡¯t be back to continue his story or show her the world the way he had planned.
She looked up from the pages, trying to be extra careful about keeping the salt water leaking down her face from ruining the paper, as she surveyed the dozens of shelves filled with journals. Saiya began rubbing her back in an attempt to comfort her, and she knew her sorrow was likely causing the empath to worry.
Phoenix carefully placed the journal back on the shelf and made her way down the wall again, going back to the very first book that was dated almost fifty years ago and opened it up to the first page, tilting it slightly so Saiya could read as well.
Mom said now that I¡¯m a ¡°big brother,¡± she won¡¯t have as much time to spend with me, and I should write in this book when I need to talk things out. I don¡¯t really see how getting a little sister means I need to start doing this, but what¡¯s more annoying is that she thinks I need her to spend time with me all the time. I¡¯m almost 15! Hopefully, I¡¯ll get my Aspects soon and then I won¡¯t have time to talk with her anyway.
Not sure if I¡¯ll keep doing this writing every day thing but it seems to make her happy when she sees me doing it, so maybe I¡¯ll just keep it up for a while till she stops worrying so much about me.
Phoenix couldn¡¯t help the laugh that escaped from her lips as she looked from the messy scrawl up to the hundreds of books lining the walls. It truly was the story of a lifetime.
¡°Why don¡¯t I leave you to read them?¡± Saiya suggested with a soft smile, ¡°I¡¯m going to take Sky to get some sleep, but I think you might find more comfort here for now.¡±
She nodded gratefully, ¡°I¡¯ll try not to be here too long.¡±
¡°There¡¯s no rush or anything. I¡¯m sure Dazien will come get you when it¡¯s time to get ready to leave for our shift on the wall tonight.¡±
Phoenix thanked her again and once Saiya left her in the study alone, she took the journal back to the desk to curl up in Paul¡¯s chair again and continued to read. She froze as she sat down and realized that the plush seat smelled of smokey cedar and warm sunlight¡ just like Paul did.
As she leaned back, pulled her knees up to her chest, and closed her eyes, it was almost as if Paul was holding her again. Relaxing in the feeling of her kindred spirit, she lost herself in the memories of him hugging away her nightmares.
11 - Her Paladin
She only let herself daydream for a few moments before opening her eyes to read about her dad¡¯s life. About a half hour later, she got up to put back the first journal and grabbed the next five of them before sitting back down to continue reading.
It wasn¡¯t like reading a normal book but it captured her attention anyway, getting a glimpse into the life and thoughts of the man who was normally so silent and stoic around her, always carefully curating his words to be what she needed to hear.
She was astounded that Paul had managed to keep up the hobby for so long but found herself incredibly grateful for it. This was the salve on the wound that had been made when he was torn from her side and written out of her journey. This was a gift that she had never gotten when her mother passed, leaving only memories and an empty chair behind.
As she continued reading throughout the evening ¡ªhaving tried to schedule their sleep before their night shift¡ª she learned more about the man than she might have ever known about another person. Phoenix discovered that he had been much more than just a silent protector and reliable mentor. Paul had been just as flawed and real as she was, dealing with his own struggles, worries, and challenges as he grew up into the man she knew.
¡°I think you¡¯re a lot like him in some ways.¡±
Phoenix jumped in her seat, startled by Patricia¡¯s voice filling the space between them. She hadn¡¯t noticed the woman enter at all while engrossed in the story of a brash teenage Paul going through his trials to become an Adventurer.
The runeforged woman smiled at her and said apologetically, ¡°Sorry for startling you. I just didn¡¯t know how else to interrupt,¡± the noble priestess gestured to the walls, ¡°I see you found my brother¡¯s pet project.¡±
She nodded as she straightened herself to sit properly in the chair, ¡°Yeah, I¡ I hope you don¡¯t mind¡¡±
Patricia chuckled, ¡°Technically, they¡¯re yours to do what you please with now. Along with everything else that belongs to Paul. Those books, his life¡¯s story, it¡¯s part of your inheritance.¡±
¡°He¡¯s not dead,¡± Phoenix replied, upset by the last word implying he was.
¡°True, but as Regent, you inherit control over the lord¡¯s belongings. This was made part of the law purely for the purpose of access. The lord¡¯s keys and a lot of sensitive information are necessary for most Houses to continue to function.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t remember any keys,¡± she murmured.
Pati gave a wry smile, ¡°Paul gave them to me a while ago since I do most of the work for him. They are yours though, as is the rest of our House, really. Even if it¡¯s temporary, you are Paul¡¯s Heir and currently the Head of House Wayland.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s shoulders slumped slightly as she looked down at the book in her hands, ¡°When you say it like that, it seems like a lot of responsibility that I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m deserving of. You make it sound like some sort of¡ legacy I¡¯m meant to uphold.¡±
¡°That¡¯s exactly what it is,¡± the priestess replied bluntly, walking closer to sit in the seat she normally would, ¡°He chose you to be his legacy, Phoenix. You inherited his belongings and responsibilities while we inherited you.¡±
They just stared at each other for a long moment while the ramifications of her words seemed to settle between them. However, Phoenix didn¡¯t know what to say that she hadn¡¯t already said before. She would complain that she didn¡¯t feel like she could live up to Paul¡¯s legacy and Patricia would say that she didn¡¯t really have a choice in the matter if she wanted to still be a Wayland.
Phoenix had already asked about switching places in the hierarchy with Dazien, and both her aunt and brother shot the idea down. Dazien explained that he couldn¡¯t if he wanted to branch off later, which she could accept. While Pati explained that she was more important and powerful than Daze, which she adamantly refused to believe.
¡°Paul wouldn¡¯t say or show it, but I think he worried a lot about things the way you do,¡± Patricia said, picking up the initial topic she had greeted with, ¡°I hope you¡¯ll be able to see the similarities a bit more as you read through these,¡± the Ambassador said, gesturing again to the shelves of journals.
¡°You know what they say?¡±
The runeforged gave an impish grin, ¡°Aside from living a lot of it with him, I¡¯m a pretty nosy little sister. I couldn¡¯t just not read about what Paul would refuse to tell me.¡± The priestess glanced at the small empty space of shelving closest to the desk where journals had yet to be placed and added, ¡°I think you should pick up where he left off. Continue the story for him so he can feel like he didn¡¯t miss as much when he reads about it. I think he will like that.¡±
Phoenix stared at her in silence before looking down again at the book in her hands and giving a subtle nod, ¡°Okay. But you¡¯re not allowed to read it¡¡± Then she gave a small smile to herself and qualified, ¡°Not until after he reads it, or I die for good.¡±
Patricia gave a wry smile as she said, ¡°Hopefully, that won¡¯t happen ever with that impossible talent of yours. Seriously, I¡¯m going to tear Paul a new one when he wakes up for not telling me such vital information. I wasted so much time trying to solve the wrong problem.¡±
¡°Wait, which problem were you fixing, and which are you dealing with now?¡±
¡°Well, figuring out how to keep you from getting killed is different from making sure people don¡¯t find out you can¡¯t die,¡± the priestess explained, ¡°I need to worry less about the protection part now and more about information access points. A completely different beast.¡±
¡°Paul seemed to think the best way to solve the latter was to do the first,¡± she grumbled, ¡°I don¡¯t need to be kept on a wall to not die. I¡¯m not that death-prone.¡±
¡°How many times have you died?¡±
She hesitated, mentally counting and refusing to meet her aunt¡¯s flat gaze, ¡°Only, like, nine times?¡±
¡°So, like I said,¡± Pati continued, ¡°We need to make sure that when you die, people don¡¯t find out and spread it around.¡±
Phoenix gave a weary sigh, idly brushing her fingers over the pages of Paul¡¯s journal and finally breaking the silence by saying, ¡°Thank you for keeping this all the same. I think part of me thought I would be here when he awoke, but I realize now that probably won¡¯t happen. I¡¯ll be off in some faraway country, most likely, fighting tyrannical regents and killing my way to Ruby Caste¡¡± She tried not to dwell on that sad thought of missing out on the moment Paul opened his eyes again and added, ¡°I¡¯m glad he won¡¯t feel completely lost after however many years of changes he misses.¡±
¡°I know you and Dazien aren¡¯t exactly happy with me still,¡± her aunt said quietly, ¡°But he¡¯s my brother, and if there¡¯s one thing I care about most, it¡¯s my family. Everything I do is for them, including you and your brother. I might not always make the correct choice, but know that my intention is always to keep everyone safe first, then happy and comfortable,¡± she gestured to the room they were in, ¡°This will make Paul feel more comfortable, I hope.¡±
¡°I agree,¡± she replied, ¡°I think he¡¯ll appreciate being able to find everything right where he left it.¡±
¡°That reminds me. There might be a few things missing.¡± At her raised brow, the priestess added, ¡°Open that top drawer on the left.¡±
She opened it, and inside was a small red box with a green and purple woven cord around it. Her heart stuttered when she was reminded of the presents that Paul had gotten the twins, and she whispered, ¡°Is¡ª is that for me?¡±
¡°Open it and see.¡±
Phoenix almost didn¡¯t want to. Dazien had seemed a slight mess when she had helped with his absorption ritual for the Spirit Gem that Paul had gotten him. He had told her there was a note but none of them requested to read it. They all knew those words were meant for just the two of them.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Carefully, she picked up the small box, untied the silky cord, and put it into her collection for later use in her hair. Then she slid off the top of the box to find a folded piece of parchment sitting atop a sparkling perfectly-cut spherical Spirit Gem which seemed to be a clear diamond glowing with an inner light that refracted the rainbow.
She set the box and gem on top of the desk and, with the utmost trepidation, opened the note to read.
Phoenix,
You know I¡¯m not good with talking much so I wanted to write this for you instead. You seem to prefer reading anyway so it works well for us. It also helps me not get caught up in whatever madness we¡¯re dealing with and forget everything I wanted to say by doing so ahead of time.
Congratulations on reaching Sapphire Caste. I¡¯m proud of everything you have and will accomplish. I know you¡¯re thinking that isn¡¯t much, but I assure you that I¡¯m proud of you no matter the size of the task or the immensity of the quests you find yourself fulfilling. I¡¯m proud of your success, and I¡¯m proud of your failures because I know that no matter the outcome, you did your best for the sake of others.
You are the stars and moon enlightening the night, the sun that banishes the monsters, and the renewed strength of hope the dawn brings. You will shine even brighter than this Radiant Spirit Gem.
Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t buy it. It¡¯s been sitting in the family vault waiting patiently for my potential firstborn which I believe you qualify as.
I know we can both be stubborn, reckless, and often silent when we should be otherwise. I know we both want to take on the burdens of the world alone. With you, I¡¯ve realized we¡¯ll never be truly alone again. You have given me hope for the future and opened my heart again.
I could not have wished for a better daughter than you.
Your father eternally,
Paul
Phoenix wept.
She wasn¡¯t feeling her best after sobbing over Paul¡¯s note and the renewed grief it brought and absorbing the Radiant Spirit Gem with her palm the way Paul had always seen her do. Phoenix now understood why Dazien had been struggling if his own letter was at all similar. Unfortunately, she still had a mission to do that night and begrudgingly opened her portal to take her party to the Wayland Estate.
Now that she was Sapphire, her [Transversing the Stars] ability could handle transporting four Sapphires at once. Despite not being unlocked with a Spirit Gem to begin cultivating its progress towards Emerald, its natural base power had increased with her own. Unfortunately, this still left her needing two portals to transport her whole party at once until it hit level 2.
When she followed after her party five minutes later, the sight of more ¡°offerings¡± waiting on the doorstep made her face scrunch in displeasure.
¡°Do you want me to donate them to the temple of the Parent again?¡± Dazien offered.
¡°Yes, please,¡± she responded quietly, ¡°Any in the future, too. Can we just put up a sign or something?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think that would deter them,¡± the Defender replied, conjuring the large golden doorway that served as the entrance to his [Armory]. While he could conjure weapons and clothing without the door, much like she did for everything in her collection, if it wasn¡¯t equipment, then he had to carry it through the door into his personal dimensional space.
¡°You might need to move that sculpture though, Princess,¡± her party leader added as he moved to start picking up some of the gifts left as thanks to the Saint. ¡°I don¡¯t think it will fit through my doorway no matter which way we turn it, and I don¡¯t think the orphans will have much need of it.¡±
She looked in the direction he gestured towards and was taken aback to see a beautiful statue carved from ice of Paul in his Paladin¡¯s Regalia and feathered wings outstretched with his greatsword lifted in the air in triumph. Her twisted sense of curiosity had her moving closer to it and walking around to take in all the details that must have been made with magic with how perfect it seemed.
Phoenix froze when she saw the back however and realized there was a secondary figure carved so the two were standing back to back, the wings acting almost as a shield to the smaller person¡ which was her.
Wearing a dress that showed her Soul Mark and hair tied in a crown of braids, her hands were raised as though trying to catch the sky or praise the sun.
¡°Oh, my¡¡± Saiya said softly, covering her mouth with a hand in surprise, ¡°I¡¯m surprised they put you in that position.¡±
¡°Of awkwardness? Why am I up there? What is that position even meant to accomplish?¡± she questioned, feeling a tangle of emotions rising in her that was difficult to even name. The others were looking at it a moment later in various degrees of awe and sympathy for her discomfort.
¡°That¡¯s a classical depiction of a Temple Priestess¡¯ sacrifice to their deity. It signifies ¡®lifting up¡¯ whatever they are offering in return for ¡®catching¡¯ the blessings the deity might return,¡± Saiya explained.
¡°Makes sense for a Saint, honestly,¡± Rayna pointed out, ¡°You basically offered your life in exchange for Hero blessing Kara.¡±
¡°Or a piece of your soul to become Chosen in the first place,¡± Uriel added.
¡°Oh, there¡¯s an inscription,¡± the bard pointed out and they all moved closer for a better angle to read the small gold plate embedded in the ice base.
The Saint and her Paladin
When despair descended upon the land,
their radiant sacrifice revived our hope.
¡°You should give it to Patricia,¡± Dazien surprised her by saying.
¡°What? Why?¡±
He shared a look with Uriel before admitting in a subdued tone, ¡°Because this really is a work of art that deserves to be preserved. Aside from your discomfort with the implications, it¡¯s obvious that a lot of time and emotion went into creating this. It would be a shame to not honor that or acknowledge the sacrifice that Paul gave even if you think your own unworthy of the recognition.¡±
Phoenix looked back up at the life-sized figures atop the round pedestal base in contemplation. Dazien¡¯s words made her feel even more conflicted because he obviously understood her discomfort, yet thought it was misplaced and knew she would agree Paul deserved the honor.
With a sigh, she finally relented, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll let Pati figure out what to do with it,¡± then she noticed the Soul Mark once more and suddenly pointed out, ¡°Wait, how do they know exactly what that looks like? It¡¯s not like I walk around town with it on display. I¡¯ve only shown it when Pati makes me for noble events really.¡±
Dazien raised a brow and said slowly, ¡°I¡¯m fairly certain that this was made by Noble Icarius Teras. He¡¯s a Glacial Sculptor, remember? And he¡¯s seen your mark up close at both of our Noble Reveals in addition to the memorial.¡±
She reevaluated the statue with a new perspective, ¡°Po¡¯s father made this? But he knows I¡¯m not¡ divine or sacred or whatever like this.¡±
Her brother chuckled, ¡°As I said, it¡¯s art. It¡¯s not meant to be an accurate portrayal. It¡¯s an expression of the feelings you and Paul inspired in him. Honestly, given the fact that he¡¯s still mourning Simmon¡¯s death, it¡¯s actually a relief for me to see this done in such a positive light. It hopefully means he¡¯s healing. Isn¡¯t that right, Lady Saiya?¡±
The Healer nodded in agreement, reaching her hand out to gently touch the sculpture. The way Saiya closed her eyes for a moment reminded Phoenix about her [Empathic Life] perception that let her sense the emotions of an item¡¯s creator at the time of creation. They had been very careful since then about the clothing and equipment she would buy.
Saiya smiled softly as she reopened her eyes, ¡°I think so too. It really is a lovely piece. Perhaps it can go near the tree marking where Paul¡¯s ritual happened?¡±
¡°We can worry about that later,¡± Rayna interjected, ¡°We¡¯re going to be late to the wall and you know how cranky the guards get when unauthorized portals get opened in public spaces.¡±
With another sigh, Phoenix made the statue vanish into her collection to deal with when she returned to the World Tree. After a few more minutes of helping move the other gifts into Dazien¡¯s storage for when he would visit later, they all began making their way to the nearest Quicksteam station to get to the eastern district quicker.
It might have been faster for them to just sprint across town, even if Uriel had to be carried, but the guards also frowned upon unnecessary traffic disruptions that tended to cause. Even if they didn¡¯t run into people at those speeds, it still caused plenty of Mundanes to panic and be rebuffed by the wind trail it caused.
They quickly realized their mistake of taking the busy transport that had been one of the first things repaired in the aftermath of destruction. It wasn¡¯t just eyes on Phoenix as they waited in line for one of the glass ports that would take them along the walls to the Manufacturing District. People were stopping to bow or kneel in her direction, many with their hands clasped in prayer or reached out to try and touch the hem of her dress.
¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have thought about the crowds and seen if taking a carriage was an option,¡± Dazien mentally whispered to all of them as they carefully surrounded Phoenix in a protective circle of bodies, ¡°I¡¯ll also schedule a meeting with Director Trayvious or Duke Tul to see if we might be able to get special permission to portal within the city to avoid this kind of disruption.¡±
¡°And danger,¡± Uriel stated firmly, clearly on edge beside her, ¡°There are too many people for us to see a potential attacker before it¡¯s too late.¡±
A voice rose above the murmur of the crowd, calling out to her, ¡°Saint Wayland! Please, let me through! Saint Wayland!¡±
Her gaze fell upon a middle-aged runeforged man who looked vaguely familiar with the bright magenta markings covering his dark skin and the dark green priest robes that clashed terribly.
¡°Doesn¡¯t he look like Acolyte Barrett?¡± Phoenix asked her party to make sure she wasn¡¯t imagining things.
¡°Yes,¡± Dazien confirmed with a frown, ¡°I¡¯m not sure why he¡¯s approaching like this, though. It makes me nervous.¡±
However, they couldn¡¯t move away with the crowd partially locking them in. A few moments later, the man had managed to convince the crowd to part slightly as he slid to his knees and raised his hands up in offering to her, ¡°Please, Saint Wayland, I beseech thee to grant thy humble servant a miracle and give my son your kiss.¡±
12 - Saint’s Kiss
Phoenix blinked in confusion and asked her party, ¡°Is that some kind of weird marriage proposal? Why does he want me to kiss his son?¡±
Dazien explained with a grimace, ¡°Not like that. He doesn¡¯t mean it romantically. Some old texts that talk about Saints describe them granting their blessings by kissing the recipient¡¯s forehead. So a moniker for those kinds of miracles is ¡®the Saint¡¯s Kiss,¡¯ but obviously, we know that¡¯s not a requirement.¡±
Phoenix hesitated and found her curiosity getting the better of her as she asked the kneeling stranger, ¡°Are you related to Acolyte Barrett?¡±
¡°I¡¯m Rupert Barrett, Priest of the Cultivator, my lady,¡± the man said, ¡°My son is Acolyte Rufus Barrett. He participated in both the Reclamation of Tulisuda and the Discovery of the Soul Reapers expeditions alongside your party.¡±
¡°I remember him,¡± Phoenix replied.
Dazien silently interjected before she could say more, ¡°Be very careful about what you say right now, Phoenix. This man is standing on ceremony at the moment, and all of these people are acting as witnesses not to how you respond but how the Saint responds.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t even know what that means to these people,¡± she hissed back unhappily, ¡°It¡¯s not like the gods gave me a Knowledge Tome of Saintliness!¡±
¡°I think the word is actually Sainthood or holiness¡ª¡±
¡°That¡¯s not the point, Daze! I don¡¯t know HOW to respond even if I wanted to help!¡±
¡°You want me to give it a go? Fair warning, you might not like what I say¡¡±
¡°Better than me messing it all up and turning everyone against us or angering the gods somehow.¡±
¡°Alright but no complaining later. Just try to look calm and confident,¡± he instructed and then spoke aloud, ¡°Why do you request the sacred blessing from the Saint of the Celestial Pantheon, Priest Barrett? What miracle do you wish the Chosen One to grant?¡±
¡°You¡¯re right; I hate everything about what you just said,¡± she replied while trying hard not to stare at him incredulously.
¡°My son¡ª¡± the man began, his voice trembling as he choked out, ¡°He¡ª he died during the Siege of Tulimeir. He was assisting with healing the injured at the Temple of the Mender when it fell.¡±
Phoenix couldn¡¯t help but notice the sharp intake of breath at the news and felt guilty at the small relief that she wasn¡¯t the only one affected by the information. It was another connection lost. Another young face they would never see again.
¡°You have our condolences for your loss, Priest Barrett, but¡ª¡±
¡°Please, Herald,¡± Rupert interjected, and Phoenix felt Dazien tense at the title. She knew the word but didn¡¯t fully understand it in this context. ¡°Please, his aunt, my older sister, she was Lord Wayland¡¯s old party member. Roxanne Barrett. Surely you know of her?¡±
Phoenix was glad she didn¡¯t have to answer because she didn¡¯t know anything about Paul¡¯s old party. She hadn¡¯t gotten that far in the journals yet, and Paul had never mentioned them to her in person.
¡°I remember Roxy,¡± Uriel said quietly, adding silently to the group, ¡°She was the inspiration for my chocolate marshmallow cookies you all like.¡±
She found herself staring at Uriel for far too long as she realized that he likely knew more about Paul¡¯s past than she did, which felt like an odd sort of irony when he seemed to always avoid the Paladin ¡ªif he wasn¡¯t yelling at the overprotective man on her behalf.
¡°We have always served both the Cultivator and House Wayland loyally, and my son¡ª¡±
¡°We¡¯re sorry, but¡ª¡±
¡°My son saved your life!¡± the kneeling priest cried out toward her, interrupting Dazien¡¯s attempts at calming the man. ¡°Please, Chosen One, bring him back to me.¡±
¡°Priest Barrett,¡± Dazien said softly, ¡°No mortal can revive the dead. Not even a Saint,¡± he paused for a moment to glance at her before grimacing and saying, ¡°Your son knew that fact which is why he saved our Saint. His actions were to make it possible for the Chosen One to be alive in order to save our city from complete destruction. If it were not for him, all might have been lost.
¡°We hope you can take comfort in knowing that he was a savior of heroes. We are forever grateful for his faith and devotion, and I know we would gladly return the favor, but you ask for the impossible,¡± he stated with finality, looking back down at the kneeling father.
¡°There are legends!¡± the runeforged replied, obviously still pushing for any thread of hope he could cling to, ¡°An Avatar of the Mender and Saint of the Undertaker returned the soul to the body. It¡¯s not impossible!¡±
¡°Legends,¡± Dazien repeated mercilessly, ¡°Rumors and fables. Aside from that, neither of those gods are part of our Saint¡¯s Pantheon. So, for now, at least, you¡¯re asking her for the impossible. Do you really believe that if our Saint could truly revive the dead, she would not have done so already?¡±
The older man seemed at a loss before saying, ¡°No, I just¡ª I heard the Lord Wayland still lives despite¡ª¡±
¡°Lord Wayland is trapped in a magical stasis that not even the goddess Scholar knows how to undo currently. We have lost many friends, Priest Barrett. If we could grant your wish, it would have already been done.¡±
The runeforged let out a broken sob, and Phoenix was relieved to see another person wearing the robes of the Cultivator making her way towards the man, calling out to them, ¡°Please forgive him, Saint Wayland, he is distraught with his grief and did not mean to burden you with it.¡±
¡°There¡¯s nothing to forgive,¡± she found herself replying. She knew that grief, and she wouldn¡¯t begrudge others for working through it. ¡°If I knew what sacrifice I could give to bring all of our loved ones back, I would offer it up without hesitation.¡±
Phoenix felt Uriel¡¯s warm hand take hers and squeeze it tightly. It felt like a silent warning, and she realized that she probably shouldn¡¯t have made a blanket statement like that, but it was the truth. She¡¯d give everything to have her lost friends and father completely healed and living again.
¡°Thank you for your kind words as well as the risks and sacrifices you have already made, Saint Wayland,¡± the newcomer said, wrapping an arm around the grieving father and trying to help him up.
¡°We have our duty as Adventurers to see to now,¡± Dazien said, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t do for Saint Wayland to be late to her vigil on the wall.¡±
¡°Of course, Herald Wayland,¡± the woman replied with a low bow, ¡°Forgive us the delay. I will make sure to send the AOA a letter explaining what might have caused it.¡±
¡°I appreciate that,¡± Dazien replied, ¡°We shall take our leave now.¡±
Then he took Phoenix¡¯s other hand and led her towards the glass transport, the line simply parting to let them through and into one of the empty ones where nobody dared to enter with them.
The tension fell from her shoulders as the glass door slid shut, and the blue-tinted shuttle began moving along the runerails to take them to the eastern district.
Everyone seemed a bit shell-shocked from the odd experience, and Dazien looked visibly upset now as he stared out the window with his arms crossed over his chest. Finally, she spoke, ¡°Daze, what you said about Acolyte Barrett saving me¡ª¡±
¡°I don¡¯t like lying,¡± he curtly interrupted, already assuming what she was going to deny, ¡°I despise it to my core¡¡± Hard amethyst eyes turned to her, ¡°But I said what he and everyone else there needed to hear. Your Talent, while a miracle in itself, would cause both fear and resentment, Phoenix.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
Silence fell again as none of the others argued with him, and she contemplated more about everything that had just happened. She had hated the way Dazien had kept referring to her, making her seem so much more important than she felt. She was a glorified tool. The title of Saint felt more like a technicality than something she earned.
Dazien had seemed uneasy about the new title he was referred to by and she asked, ¡°What did they mean by calling you ¡®Herald¡¯?¡±
He sighed and explained, ¡°They were recognizing that I was speaking on your behalf. Either my connection to you as brother and party leader was deemed strong enough, or I¡¯ve simply done it so much already without you contradicting it that they¡¯ll accept my words as if they were your words.¡±
¡°And¡ is that a problem?¡±
He shrugged, ¡°Not necessarily but it¡¯s not something you¡¯ve explicitly granted me. Traditionally, there are ceremonies involved with something like that, and the Herald would be chosen from among those who also serve the god the Saint does. Or at least one of the gods in your case. I wouldn¡¯t normally even be considered for the position. It also means I have to be more conscious of my own actions in a religious sense. It¡¯s¡ well, I¡¯m sure you understand that it¡¯s a heavy social burden.¡±
¡°No kidding,¡± she said flatly.
Dazien chuckled, ¡°Well, at least you can shove most of the speaking part onto me now, if you¡¯re okay with not correcting their assumption. You should still be careful about the things you say in public though, your words have more power now than I think you truly comprehend.¡±
¡°I¡¯m starting to get a clearer picture now¡¡± she said with a grimace and leaned against the glass wall of the port. ¡°I just want to go back to being a no-name Adventurer.¡±
Uriel laughed that time, shaking his head and giving her a sad smile, ¡°You were never that, Phoenix. You arrived in the city as the Prot¨¦g¨¦ of the most powerful man in the city and an Aurabreaker Wayfarer. Being anonymous was never an option for you.¡±
¡°That doesn¡¯t make me feel better.¡±
¡°Hey, maybe some monsters will show up outside the walls for us to smash. That¡¯ll make you feel better, yeah? Some good ol¡¯ Adventuring work,¡± Rayna said, moving to lean next to her with a grin.
Phoenix chuckled, ¡°Taking out my frustration on some poor innocent monster might not be the healthiest coping mechanism.¡±
¡°That didn¡¯t seem to stop you from almost taking my head off last time we sparred when Paul upset you,¡± Uriel murmured, causing everyone else to chuckle.
Phoenix did feel better after fighting a couple of monsters that had spawned during the night and were low enough for her party to take care of. Her mind kept replaying the encounter with Priest Barrett over and over again, imagining how she could have reacted differently or how to prevent something like that from happening again in the future.
While Dazien had hopefully shut down the idea of people coming to her to resurrect loved ones, what would she do when someone requested something that she could accomplish? With eight deities contributing to her Soul Mark, she effectively had seven ¡°miracles¡± left to grant before being on cooldown for a year if each behaved the way Hero¡¯s had.
Would she be stuck with awkwardly turning down everyone who came to beg a miracle from her? Or would she feel obligated to grant them? How would she know who was worth using the rare commodity on?
Something else the Priest had said had also been bothering her, and she decided she wanted to do more research after their shift on the wall. However, she just wasn¡¯t sure of the best way to get there without attracting a crowd and didn¡¯t want her party to feel like they had to escort her everywhere she went.
¡°Um, I wanted to go visit the temple district before heading back to the World Tree, if that¡¯s alright? Do you think it¡¯ll be safe to go alone?¡±
¡°No,¡± Dazien replied promptly before softening his tone and explaining, ¡°We can go there, but we stick together in the city. I¡¯m not risking any of us being caught alone.¡±
¡°But I know none of you planned to go. I can still portal you all back home instead.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about taking up our time, Princess. We¡¯ll equally drag you around the city to wherever we might want to visit, too, if it means keeping everyone safe. Isn¡¯t that a fair compromise?¡±
She nodded, ¡°I guess. I just don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll be there.¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Rayna interjected, throwing an arm around her neck, ¡°We can play bodyguard some more. I kinda want to see one of the crazies try to get at you only to meet my fist.¡±
¡°Rayna,¡± Saiya scolded.
¡°What? You know it¡¯s gonna happen eventually and once it does they might learn to keep off and let us breathe again.¡±
¡°Just don¡¯t accidentally kill them,¡± Dazien replied to her surprise.
¡°Wait, you¡¯re okay with her punching a random person?¡± Phoenix asked wide-eyed.
¡°If they don¡¯t respect your personal space like she implied, then absolutely,¡± he said with a curt nod, ¡°Desperation is no excuse for laying their hands on you.¡±
¡°What did you want to go to the Temple District for?¡± Saiya asked her softly, moving the topic and enveloping them in her aura as they simply walked along the top of the wall away from the crowds below. It was slower but much safer at the moment.
Phoenix hesitated before admitting, ¡°I wanted to look into that legend Priest Barrett mentioned¡ the one about a Saint reviving someone.¡± The entire group stopped walking to stare at her, and she wilted slightly, ¡°Is that a bad idea?¡±
¡°Not if it¡¯s something you want,¡± Uriel said, ¡°I just don¡¯t want you feeling obligated to trade away more of your soul because of guilt.¡±
¡°It might also bring more trouble down upon you,¡± Dazien pointed out, ¡°Suppose the legend becomes true, and you can revive someone else¡ How do you choose? Would you go out and spend that power on the nearest handful of people or save it for someone closer to you? Would it be better to keep it in reserve for a more critical moment?¡± His voice softened as he postulated, ¡°Would you hate yourself even more if you used the power and then one of us needed it?¡±
She felt uncomfortable by the questions but understood that they were needed. Still¡ ¡°If I could have that power and didn¡¯t claim it in the first place¡ I¡¯d still be hating myself if something happened to any of you.¡±
Her brother watched her for a moment longer before nodding, ¡°Alright.¡±
Phoenix blinked in surprise when he didn¡¯t say more, and she asked, ¡°Just ¡®alright¡¯? That¡¯s it?¡±
¡°If your argument is ¡®better to have the power and not need it than need the power and not have it,¡¯ then there¡¯s not much more I can say to that. It¡¯s one of the foundational motivations of cultivating our Caste, after all.¡±
They continued discussing more about their options for researching the legends as they walked south to the neighboring district. The Mentor¡¯s temple would have been a good place but the temple had been utterly destroyed during the siege. Scholar¡¯s would be equally valuable however, with its collection of books to pursue and clergy that could help point them to the information.
Saiya had made a suggestion that she wanted to try first, though, since it seemed like a quicker route to the answer: Ask the gods directly.
Standing in front of the Undertaker¡¯s temple, Phoenix was surprised to see it resemble more of a garden than a crypt. There was a lot of lavender, both the flower and the color, along with white chrysanthemums and lilies.
The tower itself had a spiral appearance as large balconies were offset from ones above them, and she recalled the funeral pyres that had been placed upon all of them during the last city-wide memorial. It reminded her that there would likely be another in the future for those lost during the siege and she would be expected to speak again, this time as the Saint of the Celestial Pantheon instead of as Regent Wayland.
Before she could even knock, the front door to the temple opened, and a cinderen woman appeared before her, ¡°Greetings, Saint Wayland. I am High Priestess Esilin Deveen.¡±
Phoenix gave a small bow in return, and the priestess chuckled, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t bow to me, young one.¡±
She tensed at the epithet, remembering how Paul used to call her that often, but said, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m new to the whole Saint thing.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get the hang of it soon enough,¡± Esilin replied, then gestured for them to not enter the temple but to walk around it and off the main pathway in, ¡°My god whispered that you may have some questions but that there was only one answer I could give to you.¡±
That didn¡¯t sound promising, and she asked, ¡°And what answer might that be?¡±
¡°That even if you and he wished for it, my god cannot give you his mark of Favor.¡±
Phoenix was baffled by that, ¡°What? Why not?¡±
¡°Because your soul utterly rejects death, while my god embraces it. It is a natural part of the cycle that you have a habit of breaking. The Soul Mark is not compatible.¡±
¡°He won¡¯t even try?¡±
¡°To try and fail is an even harsher punishment upon the deity than if one of their Chosen died. It¡¯s yet another reason that they normally don¡¯t attempt it so lightly. Most deities will wait to be absolutely certain that the soul embodies their concept before attempting to mark it.¡±
The High Priestess glanced over as a new aura entered the area, and Phoenix turned to see an older man wearing robes she recognized as belonging to the Mender¡¯s clergy. Esilin tilted her head toward him and added, ¡°I assume that is why High Priest Chessim is here as well.¡±
The cinderen man nodded and said sadly, ¡°Yes, aside from another delivery of those who we need to transfer into your temple¡¯s care.¡±
¡°Wait a second, I don¡¯t understand,¡± Rayna interjected, ¡°Are you saying that the Mender can¡¯t mark Phoenix either? She has a freaking healing ability.¡±
The High Priest nodded again and explained, ¡°Yes, but that doesn¡¯t necessarily mean her soul is compatible with my goddess¡¯ concept. Saint Wayland also has a penchant for destroying things instead of mending them. My goddess cannot afford the risk currently when she is already being taxed so heavily on this war in her attempts to miraculously save lives.¡±
He turned to focus back on Phoenix as he said solemnly, ¡°Mender will not choose you.¡±
13 - The Missing
¡°I yield!¡± Uriel cried out as she swung the practice sword down on his, only for it to be intercepted by Dazien¡¯s actual sword.
¡°Phoenix!¡± the Defender reprimanded, ¡°I told you that you needed to modulate your strength if you want to spar with him. He¡¯s still Crystal and can¡¯t take the full force of your anger anymore.¡±
She froze when she finally came back to her senses, having let herself get lost in the rhythm of combat like she had been able to do before when her friend brought her here to let off some steam. She had been upset with the High Priest¡¯s words that she was too destructive to be considered a good mender.
Uriel, seeming to understand her best, had offered the outlet and they had returned to the World Tree to try out one of the training rooms Presley had furnished to their liking. Dazien had been taking Paul¡¯s place in overseeing her weapons training with his half-decade of experience honing the skill, and Uriel had tried to accept her wrath.
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she replied, flushing in embarrassment and pushing the loose hair out of her face. She reached out a hand to help him up, and her new Strength was even more accentuated by the task being laughably easy despite his much larger size.
¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Uriel replied, trying to catch his breath and making her more aware of her lack of it. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to need Daze to take my place, though. Unless Rayna wants to learn a weapon other than her body.¡±
¡°Pft, I¡¯m plenty on my own, thank you very much,¡± the bard replied from the small area at the other end of the room designed for some to lounge around in while others fought. She and Saiya were both working together on a new dirge they were expecting to need soon and claimed that today had given them a lot of inspiration for it. Phoenix just hoped none of it would mention a Saint.
Uriel moved to join them, and Dazien surprised her by going over to the wall of practice weapons and selecting a new one that was far removed from the sword in her hand.
¡°Here, try this against me instead. This won¡¯t give you the same mindless release but it should help distract you by forcing you to change up your style. You can go all out, though; no need to hold back with me.¡±
¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Phoenix asked as she took the solid metal spear from him and he took her sword to use for himself rather than his conjured [Excalibur].
¡°You got to learn the Six Sacred Stances of the Weapon Wielding Warrior, and you¡¯ve only been utilizing a fraction of its capabilities,¡± Dazien responded with exasperation, ¡°While you¡¯ve gotten fairly good with the dagger and passable with the sword¡ª¡±
¡°Oh, just passable, is it?¡± Phoenix said with lifted eyebrows and a slight smirk, ¡°Give me back that sword, and I¡¯ll show you just how much I pass.¡±
He smiled back, ¡°That might work against the others, but you haven¡¯t beaten me yet, remember?¡±
¡°Well, we can test it out now.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not what the goal is, so quit trying to get out of this. You¡¯ll be lucky if you can manage to land a scratch on me with any weapon. Show me what you can do with that instead,¡± he said with a gesture towards the spear still held upright, ¡°Or are you too afraid I¡¯m going to knock you on your arse again?¡±
¡°Hey, that was one time, and it was Rayna¡¯s fault for jumping towards me like¡ª¡± Phoenix didn¡¯t bother with the first on guard position, instead lunging forward to try and catch the Defender unaware as her spear sliced forward through the air towards his shoulder.
Dazien easily knocked it away with his sword before stepping into her guard and reminded her with a teasing grin, ¡°It was at least twice. Remember the cake?¡±
She kept the momentum as she whirled the spear around her body to come at him from the other side and replied with a huff, ¡°Also Rayna¡¯s fault!¡± There was a clash of metal on metal as their weapons locked for a moment. ¡°She ran into the room with actual chocolate cake. I¡¯m not just going to pass that up.¡±
¡°You know I can hear you blaming me for Daze beating you, right?¡± Rayna called over without looking their way.
¡°I think Saiya might have been right,¡± Dazien replied as they continued to trade blows, ¡°Best way to get you to drop your guard is with sweets.¡±
¡°I have multiple questions about that,¡± Phoenix said as she kept up the continual motion, trying to find a weak point, ¡°Do you often talk about me with Saiya, and why are you trying to make me drop my guard?¡±
The swordsman was easily keeping pace with the twirling and jabs of the spear as he answered, ¡°One: of course I do; what kind of leader wouldn¡¯t consult the Healer about the status of their party members. Two-¡± he ducked once more and spun low to come up between her arms, their faces almost touching as he said, ¡°If I don¡¯t know your weaknesses, how can I protect against them?¡±
Phoenix faltered at the words and his proximity as he flicked her forehead and caused her to trip over the foot he had deftly placed behind hers and onto her backside, but he managed to catch the spear before it fell from her grasp.
¡°Not fair,¡± Phoenix grumbled as she got her feet back under her, ¡°If you know all my weaknesses, then how am I supposed to guard against you? It¡¯s totally cheating.¡±
She was surprised when Dazien and Uriel spoke in unison as they both responded automatically, ¡°It¡¯s only cheating if it¡¯s against the rules.¡±
They all looked at each other for a moment before the two men broke out into laughter. Phoenix was about to voice her confusion when Dazien waved it off and said, ¡°Just a little inside joke, you could say. Anyways, I¡¯ll try not to so blatantly exploit your weaknesses again,¡± he said with a slightly apologetic tone.
¡°Oh, so you¡¯re going to subtly exploit them?¡±
¡°How else can I keep my winning streak?¡± he asked with a cheeky grin and held out the spear for her to take, ¡°Ready to go again? Your spear work was rather abysmal compared to the sword. It¡¯s not a staff, Phoenix; you need to reduce the amount of swings you¡¯re incorporating and go more for the piercing thrusts.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t actually want to kill you, remember?¡± Phoenix said as she glanced once more toward the metal spear. Despite its blunted tip, she was fairly certain the maneuvers seared into her mind from the martial Knowledge Tomes were going to punch a hole straight through him and the Sliksilk under-armor he currently wore.
Dazien shrugged in response, ¡°You can always heal me. Just don¡¯t aim for the head or the heart, and I¡¯m fairly certain I¡¯ll survive.¡± The fiendish tease then added, ¡°If you can even hit me.¡±
¡°Oh, you are so going down,¡± Phoenix retorted as she snatched the spear from the Defender and took a new combat position.
¡°Maybe in your dreams,¡± Dazien chuckled as he took up his own position, raising his sword towards her.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
She rolled her eyes at the braggadocios gemite, ¡°I literally have a spell to make dreams a reality,¡± she retorted, causing the others to laugh as metal clashed once more.
There was a knock at the door that caused Uriel to stand and go to answer it as the two warriors continued to attack, not giving the other a chance to capitalize on the obvious distraction. He made his way over to the door to see who it was only to react in surprise as he opened the door to allow the visitor inside.
Uriel spoke to get the two friends to stop attempting to stab each other, ¡°Hey, Phoenix has company. Break apart.¡±
At the information and agreed upon command, both Dazien and Phoenix took a few steps back from each other and lowered their weapons simultaneously before breaking their gaze to look at the newcomer.
¡°I, um¡ I can just come back later,¡± Camilla Saren said shyly from behind the larger man as she fiddled with her glasses.
¡°No worries, Cami. What brings you here?¡± Phoenix asked as she went to return the spear to the wall of the training room.
¡°Well, I¡ um, well¡ you see,¡± the magical researcher seemed thrown off by the odd setting as her eyes darted around the room and had trouble focusing on her words.
Phoenix took pity on the older brunette and offered, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go grab something to drink from the kitchen and head to the study? That should be a better place to talk, yeah?¡±
The woman nodded in gratitude as she muttered, ¡°Y-yes, thank you.¡±
¡°Should we meet up with you later?¡± Dazien asked as he moved to put away his own practice sword.
They were all a bit surprised when Camilla spoke up in a rush, ¡°No. You can help too!¡±
The Adventurers all looked between one another in silent agreement before nodding and leaving the room together. They quickly grabbed some tea and the new coffee Phoenix had begged Chef Emilia to find that could replace her Crystal Caste one before making their way to Paul¡¯s replica study.
She took the seat that normally belonged to her mentor as Camilla took the chair opposite at Phoenix¡¯s gesture towards it. Dazien took the chair next to the researcher while Uriel wandered around the room, busying himself with perusing the bookshelves while he feigned disinterest in the conversation. Rayna perched on the edge of the desk while Saiya moved to the side closer to the nervous visitor.
¡°So, what¡¯s troubling you, Cami?¡± Phoenix said as she took a sip of her coffee, hoping to help put the clearly agitated woman at ease.
¡°I¡¡± Camilla began, then took a sip of the tea before taking a calming breath and beginning to speak in a tone that sounded more like a practiced speech than an off-the-cuff explanation of the situation, ¡°I didn¡¯t know who else to go to since the people at the Alliance of Adventurers keep turning me away and the Ducal Guards say they don¡¯t have the resources to spare for an investigation.¡±
Dazien made to speak but Phoenix waved him down to hold off his questions until after their cousin finished getting through her prepared information.
Camilla didn¡¯t seem to notice the movement as she continued looking at her lap and tea while speaking, ¡°I was helping with the task of taking inventory of the personnel after the last battle with the Soul Reapers¡¯ forces. As more rubble gets cleared and more monster attacks happen on the fortress towns, the civilian death toll keeps increasing.¡±
The mood in the room became much more somber as the researcher continued her story, ¡°While I was going through the reports coming in from each of the towns and the capital itself, I noticed an odd kind of pattern. A few cases stuck out as not only incongruent with certain attacks but also connected to one another by an odd thread.
¡°I was hoping you would hear me out and help me investigate further since I don¡¯t believe these deaths were actually caused by monster attacks or from the Soul Reapers¡¯ invasion.¡± She paused and then raised her head towards Phoenix without ever making eye contact.
¡°I know you have a knack with numbers,¡± Phoenix said after a moment when she realized Camilla was waiting for a response, ¡°Our talks about enchantments alone are enough proof for me. If you say you saw a pattern, then I¡¯m willing to believe it. What are we going to be looking for?¡±
As if on cue, the researcher began further explaining what she had found, ¡°There are people being reported as dying in pairs, but no bodies are recovered, and there are never any witnesses to the death itself. The means of death are inconsistent, but there¡¯s always two together and isolated at the time of the incidents, and they always disappear without a trace.¡±
¡°Who would be hunting couples all of a sudden?¡± Rayna asked, not able to hold back her curiosity, and Phoenix almost palmed her face at the interruption.
¡°I, um¡¡± Camilla glanced around the room for a moment as her train of thought got interrupted, ¡°I n-never said they were, uh, couples, in the traditional romantic sense. If th-that¡¯s what you were implying?¡±
¡°I was, but I thought that would be the most likely case to find a pair alone.¡±
Camilla nodded, ¡°Some of them were, b-but it was not a factor in the pattern.¡± She paused for a moment, looking from her tea up to Dazien¡¯s silky purple hair as she hesitantly added, ¡°It¡ was not just recently either.¡±
Dazien frowned but didn¡¯t say anything in response, and his brow furrowed in thought.
Camilla looked around the room again as she continued, ¡°Deaths following this pattern seemed to consistently happen a few times a year, but there have been massive spikes during the blood moons¡¡±
Their cousin pointedly looked at the amethyst hair again as she emphasized, ¡°Pairs killed while alone with no bodies recovered and listed as monster casualties¡¡±
Dazien¡¯s eyes went wide as he seemed to finally make the connection and said in almost a whisper, ¡°My parents?¡±
The researcher nodded abruptly as she took another drink from her cup.
Phoenix scrunched her face as she looked towards her brother, noticing Uriel had made his way over to stand beside his partner, and she asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say your parents died during the last blood moon?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± he said softly, the stunned look on his face leaving her worried, ¡°Since I was only four, I wasn¡¯t told much at first. When I got older and could read the reports myself it only listed them as killed by monsters when responding to a spawn in the city.¡±
He took a moment and placed his head in his hands, resting his elbows on his knees, then recounted, ¡°My parents weren¡¯t Adventurers. My father was just a swordsmith, and my mother was an odd utility Caster, from what I was told. She helped in the forge while taking care of me. Neither were combat-oriented, but when the monsters attacked¡ well¡¡±
¡°Everyone helps during a blood moon,¡± Uriel said flatly, finishing the oft-spoken phrase.
¡°I always thought it was odd that they never found the bodies, but they said that could often happen with monster attacks,¡± Dazien explained before falling silent again.
Phoenix leaned forward to get their attention as she said to Camilla, ¡°Count us in. Bring us everything you can about the different death reports that fall into your pattern. Go back as far as you can, and we¡¯ll work our way through them. Perhaps we can find something to tie them all together further and lead us to the culprit and maybe even find the dead.¡±
¡°You mean the missing,¡± the researcher corrected, and all of them stared at her intently as they registered her words.
Dazien swallowed before clarifying, ¡°You¡ you mean to tell me that you think they could still be alive?¡±
The woman¡¯s fidgeting became worse under their gaze as she tried to clarify, ¡°Not, um¡ not necessarily¡ Especially the older cases, but with no bodies recovered¡ At the very least, I believe they were kidnapped first, potentially killed elsewhere, but until we know why, it¡¯s not accurate to assume anything.¡±
¡°So we need to get an accurate count, figure out what, if anything, ties the targets together, discover why they were kidnapped and by who, and hopefully find where these missing people are,¡± Phoenix listed off, her expression souring with each step, ¡°That¡¯s going to be a lot of work with not a lot to go off of it sounds like.¡±
The others nodded in agreement to her words. Camilla stood and said, ¡°I, um¡ I¡¯ll go get started then.¡±
Phoenix nodded towards her and said, ¡°Thank you and good luck,¡± as Camilla gave a small bow and left to begin the project.
Everyone seemed to refocus on Dazien with concern once the visitor left. Before any of them could ask, however, he said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. It happened so long ago, and I was so young¡ I barely remember them.¡±
¡°That doesn¡¯t make it hurt less,¡± she said softly, ¡°I never knew my biological father since he died before I was born, but I¡¯m pretty sure I would be freaking out and want to know for sure if he was kidnapped and likely murdered.¡±
¡°We don¡¯t know that¡¯s what happened,¡± Dazien said firmly, ¡°We need more details, and we need to stay detached. We¡¯ll be less effective if we get too emotionally invested. This is meant to be an investigation, and we still have other duties to fulfill.¡±
The party leader leaned back in his chair as he said with a bit of frustration, ¡°Who knows how much time we¡¯ll even have to dedicate to this side project. We don¡¯t have to stop searching for answers when the blood moon ends, though, so we have plenty of time later to be chasing ghosts.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not just ghosts, Daze,¡± Uriel pointed out with a frown, ¡°We don¡¯t want more kids showing up at the Parent¡¯s temple because we took our time in finding a monster in our midst.¡±
¡°There will be more kids whether we¡¯re fighting monsters within the capital or the ones that spawn in the towns,¡± he retorted, ¡°We¡¯re fighting monsters either way. We¡¯ll just be working overtime by taking this on. Are you all sure you¡¯re up to that?¡±
¡°Of course we are,¡± Phoenix said without hesitation, ¡°We¡¯re going to find out what happened to your parents, Daze.¡±
He met her gaze steadily for a long moment before giving a soft smile, ¡°Thank you.¡±
14 - Expense
Dazien found himself strangely at ease as he walked down the street of the still-recovering Market District within the inner city with Saiya holding his arm. She had been choosing him more often lately as the one to hold on to, and he wasn¡¯t sure if that was because he was more soothing to her or if she thought he was the one in need of soothing.
Rayna was spending her day off with Mohala, the two officially courting now, but the time was limited with so much work still demanding their time. Phoenix was holed up in her room, likely blowing up something, while Uriel was taking the time to visit Priest Jacob and the frolf pups at the Temple of the Parent. This left Dazien and Saiya on their own to do some shopping for the group before meeting back up with Uriel at the orphanage.
¡°Something on your mind?¡± Saiya asked softly as he stared blankly through one of the windows that had recently been replaced and showed sparsely stocked shelves. The reflection of Snowbelle flying through the air beside them caught his attention, and he gave a soft smile.
¡°You already know there is,¡± he replied while watching the spoiled Familiar and her summoner looking at his own reflection in the glass.
¡°I¡¯ve been reminded recently that it¡¯s rude to tell people what they¡¯re feeling.¡±
Dazien chuckled, turning to look directly at her instead of the reflection, ¡°I promise that I won¡¯t ever scorn you for the insight, Lady Saiya. Unlike Uriel, I would prefer the opportunity to confront my inner contradictions. I find myself most ill at ease when I don¡¯t understand what I¡¯m feeling.¡±
The lovely voxen returned his smile, ¡°Nobody likes feeling confused. Just because I might know that¡¯s what you¡¯re feeling, though, doesn¡¯t mean I know why you¡¯re feeling it. What are you thinking about?¡±
He gave a heavy sigh, ¡°Everything and nothing. The past and the future. Our party as Adventurers and our new responsibilities as political and religious icons. Ways to help everyone keep moving forward towards Emerald without leaving Uriel behind or Phoenix getting too far ahead. Leading this group on her quest without Paul to guide and watch over us. Whether to postpone that until we finish helping Camilla investigate what might have happened to my parents.¡±
¡°I think I can understand your confusion now,¡± she replied, then tugged on his arm and pointed at a shop across the street, ¡°Can we look in there? That¡¯s where Rayna and I got our last Spirit Gems.¡±
¡°Sure. You still need one more, right?¡±
¡°Yes, but you also have a lot to catch up on.¡±
¡°Fair point,¡± he said, nodding in acquiescence as he led them across the way.
Snowbelle landed upon one of the rails attached above the entrance where flying Familiars could await their summoners as they entered the small shop.
He smiled up at the loyal Seagull and added to the summoner, ¡°I¡¯ve only unlocked two out of the ten needed so far, but I¡¯ve been hesitant to buy them.¡±
¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Saiya asked, ¡°You¡¯re not picking up Phoenix¡¯s bad habit of waiting to receive them as loot, are you?¡±
Dazien laughed at the suggestion, ¡°No, I¡¯m not that superstitious. It¡¯s just¡ª¡±
His words cut off as they entered the store that he remembered normally being filled with glittering gems behind heavily warded glass displays, only to find the displays were empty. There were only two gems mounted on a wall that displayed the name and price. They were both rare Emerald Caste gems: Myriad and Dimension.
Dazien almost choked when he saw the prices listed by the Spirit Gems, further reinforcing his previous thought, ¡°It¡¯s just the expense¡¡±
¡°Is something you can afford now, Noble Wayland,¡± she replied with a pointed look, ¡°Phoenix told me that Patricia set up an allowance for both of you and our income from adventuring has given you plenty to afford these.¡±
He couldn¡¯t argue with her point since she wasn¡¯t exactly wrong. It just¡ hurt to spend that much on a single item. He knew it was a necessary investment for his future, but he couldn¡¯t help the visceral reaction of his stomach clenching at the price tag.
¡°I think I¡¯m just so stuck in the mindset of needing to save for later that it¡¯s hard to convince myself that it¡¯s okay to¡ spoil myself.¡±
¡°It¡¯s okay to be kind to yourself, Dazien,¡± she reminded him, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t consider unlocking your abilities to begin progressing them again as spoiling, but even if it were, you deserve it.¡±
He shook his head, ¡°I prefer to spoil others, honestly; I find much more joy in watching others smile when I get them a shiny trinket than when someone gives me one.¡±
Saiya laughed and he found himself grinning at the way her silky tails swayed in her delight, ¡°I think you and your sister share this trait,¡± she tightened her grip on his arm as she leaned her head against him and added, ¡°You know, it often surprises me when I see the similarities between you two. You behave so much like siblings at times despite not actually growing up together.¡±
Dazien smirked, ¡°I hope I don¡¯t share in that stubborn recklessness I¡¯m often finding myself chastising her for.¡±
¡°No, that¡¯s definitely something she gets from Paul.¡±
He laughed but it was interrupted by the store clerk asking, ¡°Is there anything I can assist you with, Noble Wayland?¡±
Dazien was startled by the address. At first, because he was simply unaccustomed to it still, but secondly, because he wasn¡¯t used to people knowing him as anything more than the ¡°shiny gemite orphan.¡± Even when people had recognized him in the past, few had actually known his name.
¡°He¡¯s looking for some Sapphire Caste Spirit Gems to progress his abilities as a Defender,¡± Saiya prompted when he had been silent for too long, lost in his thoughts.
¡°Yes,¡± he confirmed, pulling them both closer to the man and the displays separating them. Refocusing on the new task at hand, he supplied more information, ¡°With an emphasis on the sword and tactical battlefield control. Perhaps something with some Agility tendencies as well to help me keep up with my speedier allies.¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Dazien paused, glancing around the empty shop, and added, ¡°It appears you may not have anything available, however.¡±
¡°The various noble Houses and any with the monetary means have been on a spending spree for Spirit Gems and Aspects lately due to the loss of our Caster numbers and the rumored threats of enactment of the Emergency Recruitment program being imminent,¡± the clerk informed before adding thoughtfully, ¡°However, I may have something for you,¡± the clerk replied with a bow, ¡°I believe we got some options along those lines in stock just yesterday. If you¡¯ll excuse me for a moment to retrieve it from the back.¡±
¡°Of course,¡± he said with a nod and turned back to his companion as he pondered quietly, ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering if the traits we¡¯ve all seen Phoenix share with Paul have something to do with them being Kindred Spirits.¡±
¡°It wouldn¡¯t be surprising from what little you¡¯ve told me about what that even means.¡±
He gave a sigh, ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to search for more information in what little spare time we get but there isn¡¯t much in the Scholar¡¯s library here about it.¡±
¡°Tulim¡¯s not exactly the most noteworthy place for a large library of rare or ancient texts, I would assume.¡±
¡°Actually, it¡¯s larger than I would have expected once I learned how tiny we are compared to the rest of the world,¡± he replied, ¡°Apparently, one of the founders was almost Phoenix¡¯s level of obsession when it comes to books.¡±
¡°Wasn¡¯t Tulimeir founded over five thousand years ago?¡±
¡°Yes, which is why I found it interesting. That era was basically the dawn of books and the rise of the aristocracy. Unfortunately, a lot of that history is hard to find details on, at least here. I¡¯m sure another city somewhere has a more impressive collection. Even the city we¡¯re going to visit first has a more renowned library that Paul planned on having us visit.¡±
¡°Here we are, sir,¡± the clerk announced as he returned with a small tray with a few Spirit Gems resting upon it. He gestured to each as he said in turn, ¡°We have Control, Blood, and Swift that may result in a suitable upgrade per your concerns.¡± The cinderen lifted the dark garnet gem cut like a teardrop and expounded, ¡°Some may be hesitant about the Blood Spirit Gem, but I have heard many laud its regenerative tendencies for the Defender position, which, as I¡¯m sure you know, often takes the brunt of the damage.¡±
¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± Dazien said with an amused smirk at the salesman. He tapped the round-cut Control one with its steel sheen and asked, ¡°Tell me more about this one.¡±
¡°Ah, a good eye if ruling the battlefield is more to your liking,¡± the man said, setting the Blood gem down and lifting the Control one to elaborate.
Dazien was suspicious about the clerk¡¯s choice of words and began to wonder if all the prominent shopkeepers did market research on the nobles within the city just to better appeal to their desires and make a sale. That gem had the most promise to him in his mind with his taunts and caging ability and would hopefully make him more effective at compensating for his lack of purely defensive abilities.
¡°For a mere twenty Emerald Mana Bits, you can ensure the safety of your prestigious party as they take on any foe.¡±
Dazien almost melted where he stood, glancing back at Saiya, who thankfully seemed shocked at the price, too, and that it wasn¡¯t just him being overly frugal. A single Emerald Bit was the equivalent of a million Mundane ones, and five mundane Bits equaled a loaf of bread. The price of that Spirit Gem alone would feed the orphanage for over a century.
He simply couldn¡¯t justify it.
Instead of going off on the clerk for the insanity, he spoke to Saiya instead, ¡°I thought you said the prices here were reasonable. Please tell me you didn¡¯t spend that much on your gem when there¡¯s hungry children still recovering from the siege.¡±
¡°Of course not,¡± Saiya replied, ¡°It was while you were recovering from your Sapphire ascension. I only paid fifty-five Sapphire Bits for my Mana Spirit Gem.¡±
That was a little more reasonable, at least. It was still astronomical for a single item in more mundane terms, considering that amount could buy a decent condo in the city. However, magical items, especially ones that granted innate power like Aspects and Spirit Gems, were often more in this realm. Both were an investment.
When he glanced back at the clerk, raising a questioning brow in obvious prompting for an explanation, the man nervously said, ¡°Well, like I said before, the siege and new recruits have taxed a lot of our supplies, and with the rising magic levels the inflation rate is going to impact the price of all commodities.¡±
Dazien nodded, but it was difficult to believe the temporary supply depletion would affect the prices that drastically. ¡°I see,¡± he looked back towards his companion, ¡°I believe I may go with Phoenix¡¯s plan of looting my Spirit Gems and letting Fate decide for me. Or maybe I¡¯ll just wait for the prices to stabilize again. Perhaps the influx of immigrants we¡¯re expecting will help with the supply issues.¡±
He glanced towards the clerk again as he added, ¡°I¡¯m sure our prestigious party will survive on the wall for a few more weeks without my abilities unlocked.¡±
The man lifted up the last gem in the row that he had earlier indicated as the Swift one and said, ¡°This gem is only fifty-two Sapphire Mana Bits at the moment, being only uncommon. It¡¯s normally only desired by speed-focused builds, but I believe it may help you¡ keep up with your swift companions.¡±
The Defender hummed as though debating with himself before saying, ¡°That may be more reasonable.¡±
Unlike Phoenix, Dazien didn¡¯t feel as uncomfortable with the pandering due to his position. His earlier discomfort at being called ¡°Herald¡± had stemmed from the assumption made on Phoenix¡¯s behalf of a position he hadn¡¯t explained to her about earlier. Now that he knew she was accepting of it, it was just another social role for him to fill. Another costume to don should the occasion call for it.
He preferred the King costume he had worn for the majority of his life despite not having the title to go with it. It was the role he desired most, after all, and his more recently earned Noble title was fairly similar to that one. It was just new that complete strangers actually believed the costume was real.
Dazien glanced around the shop once more, a new concern rising that even if he were willing to spend the money, he wouldn¡¯t be able to procure the gems needed to advance. He hesitated only a moment before asking, ¡°You said some were hesitant about the Blood gem. Was that also because of the price or the fact that Blood is often associated with the Maniac god?¡±
The clerk frowned for only a microsecond before saying, ¡°Despite that association, it is well known that no magic is inherently evil like some may suggest. The price is also reasonable considering that and the taxation on our supply.¡±
¡°How much might it be if I get both? Help you take that evil gem off your hands,¡± he said, ignoring the curious look he could sense Saiya giving him in his periphery.
¡°I may be able to part with both for ninety-eight Sapphire Bits,¡± the man said thoughtfully, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want my greed to be the reason Herald Wayland couldn¡¯t progress his abilities, after all. Consider it my own thanks for your party¡¯s efforts in defending our city, including my shop.¡±
¡°I appreciate that,¡± he replied politely, ¡°We¡¯ll take both then, and I will pass on your words of gratitude to Saint Wayland later today as well.¡±
As Dazien painfully passed over the Bits and the clerk began boxing up the little gems, he found his attention wandering beyond the glass storefront and to another shop across the way displaying a few weapons in the window, including a lovely golden short sword.
He glanced back toward Saiya, who was happily humming to herself while clinging to his arm again, and he found himself formulating an idea. The Defender knew he was often pulled from her side during combat and hated the vulnerable position that often left his Healer in. She had no weapons save her claws, and her battle robes did little more than make sure debris didn¡¯t take her down.
He knew from experience that the best way to protect someone when you couldn¡¯t always be there was to help them be better able to protect themselves. That was something he could help remedy with his Healer.
¡°What are you thinking?¡± Saiya asked him softly as those large amber eyes gazed up at him full of curiosity at whatever emotion she must have felt from him.
¡°That I want to spend more time with you,¡± he replied with a gentle smile, ¡°I also want to spoil you with a shiny trinket.¡±
15 - For Later
Phoenix was glad that the following day was one of their rare ones off as she practically locked herself in her room, begging the others for some alone time. The past few days of socializing and awkward encounters had left her completely drained, and she needed to recharge with some quiet reading and crafting hyper-focus.
She had used her Tome of Scroll Scribing to learn how to craft some of them herself after receiving it as a quest reward for retrieving Paul to take care of the Corrupted Golataur that had almost killed Uriel. She had even gone to Mother¡¯s Cupboard to get some of the higher quality supplies required for the process when she was trying to get over her frustration with Paul making them sit out of the assault on Tulimeir from the army of Soul Reapers.
But then the battle actually happened. Her crafting projects were put on hold as her life got flipped upside down by the temporary loss of her mentor and the birth of the World Tree along with the Siege of Tulimeir itself and the reconstruction afterward¡ Needless to say, she¡¯d been busy.
Now, however, she had room to breathe again and a legitimate excuse to keep her out of the public. So, she focused on her newest project of making scrolls that could help effectively replicate her presence on the battlefield.
Not every ability was compatible for turning into a scroll, requiring specific parameters and preparation along with the prepaid resource costs. Non-targeted Spell type abilities were the most common, followed by self-targeting Boons and a few very niche Utility abilities. Out of her own abilities, Phoenix only had five she could effectively turn into a scroll for anyone else to trigger by tearing and paying the Cost that she prescribed themselves.
She didn¡¯t think her [Night Blade] was exceptionally useful for others since most people were already armed before looking to supplement with scrolls, so she forewent that one.
Her heal, [Dawn Rises], could be used with one of the preset activation costs. This effectively gave her four different versions of varying strength, but the strongest version would be the one most worth creating a scroll version of.
[Lunar Dream] was the third that she could do, but the downside to this was that she could only put in a specific manifestation of the effect based on her scribed intent. This made it versatile yet limiting since one of the biggest benefits was that she could adapt to the situation as it unfolded. The more generic use she could think of for others to leverage was instant ritual diagrams or the equivalent of a flash grenade of chaotic starlight birds.
Fourth was [Transversing the Stars] in a very limited capacity. She could set the parameters of the origin portal being opened where the scroll was activated with the destination portal preset from her own aural imprint of the area.
This meant she could potentially make some portals that would take them home and help her cut down on the need for waiting five minutes between sending half her party. Considering how many times they had needed to emergency-evacuate, this was a very tempting option.
The last ability ¡ªand most impactful in her opinion¡ª was her [Supernova]. It would still be a risk to use since it would extract the cost again when torn, but it would allow other people to pay that cost and even let her get around the extremely long cooldown period by casting her own and then using a scroll after replenishing her resources. She wouldn¡¯t be able to chain cast these or any of the other scrolls she made, unfortunately, since, much like potions, they would cause a severe recoil effect if used too quickly in succession.
Too many potions drunk, one right after the other, would cause Mana Poisoning, similar to eating a Mana Bit of a higher Caste. Tearing too many scrolls taxed a person¡¯s Mana Channels, causing them to be effectively silenced from casting any ability or activating another scroll. The toll of this damage depended on a few factors, the first being that it was lessened if the spell was one of your own, and the second was if the spell shared an attunement type, further lessening the disruption.
The memories of the swarms of monsters overtaking the battlefield also pushed her to focus on this latter ability. How many lives could have been saved if other Adventurers had these scrolls to take out the monsters with? If she had thought to provide these sooner, would others like Simmon still be here?
That alone motivated her to focus on this project for the day at least, keeping the ability on cooldown as she inscribed them into the magical stasis of the scrolls. It almost took her the whole six-hour cooldown just to prepare the scroll to accept the spell, so it was a busy day. Steady yet productive work would help calm her on a different level from the physically exhausting sparring sessions.
She dipped her Arcane-attuned Arcanist¡¯s Quill into the small inkwell she had purchased for about a dozen Sapphire Mana Bits. The quill she had gotten for just one of the Emerald Bits she had gotten from her fight with the Renseres Priestess.
Despite her trying to be as careful as possible while using the Fire magic imbued ink, the first scroll she had tried inscribing had burst into flames when she pressed a bit too hard against the special vellum. The Light-attuned parchment had been extremely hard for her to find even before the city was partially destroyed. When she had finally stumbled upon some, she had needed to part with one of her Ruby Mana Bits for the entire stack of it they had.
To her added annoyance, she needed to use her Prism Brush to replace the section of her hair that had burnt up from the minor conflagration before restarting the time-consuming endeavor. The amount of time and money she was pouring into the item made her wonder if perhaps this wasn¡¯t the most efficient use of either. However, it seemed silly to have the capability to make scrolls and not use it.
That was not the only time she had to repair her hair that day. Out of the thirty sheets of vellum she had managed to obtain, twenty-eight had become nothing more than very pretty ash, while almost half of her Fire ink was used up in the partially finished attempts.
Phoenix grinned after the second successful Scroll of Supernova was finished but didn¡¯t manage to make a third before running out of the parchment. She decided to drop one off as a donation to the AOA building before their next shift on the wall. For once, she was happy with the feeling of finally being able to contribute some of her own skills to the reconstruction and resupplying efforts.
For the other scroll¡ well, she was pretty sure Rayna would love to be able to try the ability for herself.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Rayna was happily munching on the sandwich she had bought while sitting on the bench among the rooftop garden of the Wayland Estate with her current date. It was one of the few quiet places in the city she had access to that could provide a decent romantic atmosphere for the pretty dryad chatting beside her.
¡°So then they let me cast my [Evergreen Sentinel] on top of the freaking building! I could see the whole city from that high up!¡± Mohala exclaimed, recounting her time during the Siege of Tulimeir, ¡°I¡¯m just glad it didn¡¯t attract that big fiery bird thing.¡±
¡°Me too,¡± Rayna murmured, not liking the idea of what might have happened if that giant aval had crashed into the Teras Estate instead.
¡°I think Tinsel was a bit jealous when I mentioned earlier how cool it would be to get one of those birds as a summon,¡± the dryad added with a laugh, and the silvery little bird on her shoulder twittered its annoyance.
¡°Speaking of jealousy, though,¡± Mohala continued, sliding an impossibly soft hand down the bard¡¯s arm before entwining their fingers, ¡°Polissa was curious about exactly what kind of relationship Dazien had with Phoenix, and I promised I¡¯d try to scout out the situation for her before she attempted her crazy idea.¡±
Rayna almost choked on her sandwich from laughter, ¡°They are literally siblings now, Mo.¡±
¡°Psh, adopted siblings. Some people don¡¯t care about that kind of thing, especially when it¡¯s obviously done for status.¡±
¡°No, just no. And I mean this in the nicest way possible, but Polissa doesn¡¯t have a candle¡¯s chance in the abyss.¡±
¡°Oh?¡± The dryad got a mischievous look as she asked in an innocent tone, ¡°Is Phoenix more into the rugged lone Paladin-types?¡±
¡°Why would you even suggest that?!¡± she replied in mild horror.
¡°Well, not interested in Po or Daze makes one wonder if there was an alternate reason she joined House Wayland, you know?¡±
¡°Gods no. Paul being way too much of a dad aside, I don¡¯t think Phoenix does romance. Like at all.¡±
¡°Oh,¡± Mohala replied, wilting slightly as she added, ¡°Poor Po.¡±
¡°Poor Phoenix was my thought at first,¡± Rayna tried to explain, ¡°Like, I thought it might have just been her being naive? She didn¡¯t get out much back on her home world. But then Saiya confirmed that she wasn¡¯t feeling, like, even flutters of attraction from seeing a hot girl ¡ªor guy, I guess¡ª and then it just made me a bit sad for her.¡±
¡°I mean, if she¡¯s happy and fine without that, then it¡¯s whatever, yeah? Not like it should really matter to anyone aside from those who would be interested, but then it¡¯s kinda the same situation if a guy tried to get with you, right?¡±
¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± she murmured, taking another one-handed bite of her sandwich, thinking a bit more while she chewed, before swallowing and adding, ¡°I guess it just seems lonely to me.¡±
Mohala laughed, ¡°It¡¯s not like she¡¯s ever alone, really. That¡¯s the greatest thing about Familiars. Plus, she has you and the rest of your party. A pretty brother with his shadow. Those two are a thing, right?¡±
Rayna shifted slightly, ¡°I mean, I think it¡¯s obvious, especially lately with Uriel relaxing more around everyone, but I don¡¯t think they really want that getting spread around, so I¡¯d appreciate it if you didn¡¯t talk about that with others.¡±
The dryad grinned, ¡°This might be a gossip session, but I won¡¯t spread anything you don¡¯t want. I owe your party a lot; the least I can do is keep their secrets.¡±
Despite the perfect opening for what Rayna had been waiting to talk about arriving, she hesitated. She had told Dazien earlier about her courting Mohala officially now, both out of professional courtesy and because she was just super excited about it and wanted everyone to know, but she hadn¡¯t exactly made it clear to him about the future.
She had made assumptions and now that Mohala had pointed out the fact that their group had quite a few secrets attached to them, she wasn¡¯t sure she could properly ask now.
Ah, screw it, I¡¯ll ask forgiveness later.
¡°Mo, once the blood moon finishes, my party is planning to do some traveling outside the tundra¡¡±
¡°What? Why?¡± the summoner asked in confusion, ¡°With the magic levels rising, I¡¯m sure you can stay and progress here for a long time.¡±
¡°We¡¯re still only Sapphire. We¡¯ll need a dedicated escort to get AOA missions once it hits Emerald for real.¡±
¡°Please. You guys have the freaking Saint of the Sacred City in your party; Emeralds will be begging to help.¡±
¡°Are people really calling the World Tree that?¡± Rayna asked, distracted by the title.
The dryad gave her a flat look, ¡°It¡¯s an alien tree that cleanses Corruption, created and lived at by the Saint of the Celestial Pantheon. Be glad it didn¡¯t get a much longer and elaborate name.¡±
¡°I actually hope Pati somehow vetoes that and gives it a better name. Maybe something one-word that actually sounds like a name instead of a placeholder.¡±
¡°You¡¯re tangenting,¡± Mohala pointed out.
¡°Is that even a word?¡±
The dryad gave that little laugh that made her stomach do a flip, ¡°It is now. So explain why you all are running off after the blood moon.¡±
¡°Well¡ I mean, it¡¯s kind of another secret, but we have this quest that we need to go on.¡±
¡°Quest? Like from the gods?¡±
¡°Yep. I don¡¯t think I can give details right now, but¡ well,¡± Rayna swallowed before saying in a rush, ¡°I wanted to know if you wanted to come with us.¡±
¡°Go with?¡± Mohala asked in surprise.
The bard nodded fervently, ¡°Yeah, we¡ª Well, it might take a long time for us to finish it, and I¡¯m not sure when we¡¯d be getting back. I¡ well, I don¡¯t want to be away from you for that long so I just thought, you know, maybe you could come with us? Join our party and help us?¡±
To her disappointment, the dryad frowned and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡¡± then quickly added, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to go with you or help out! There¡¯s just a lot for me to do here, too. Even though our party is a bit¡ in shambles at the moment, I don¡¯t want to just abandon Polissa. She¡¯s just started getting back to being more of her old self. Losing Simmon really shook their whole family, plus the guilt she feels for Tanner, and I don¡¯t want her to suddenly lose me too, you know?¡±
¡°I guess I can understand that,¡± she replied, ears drooping no matter how much she wished they wouldn¡¯t.
After a couple of minutes of quiet eating, as they thought over things, Mohala spoke up with an idea, ¡°Hey, do you think Phoenix might just be heartbound?¡±
Rayna was thrown off by the shift in conversation and confused about the term. ¡°Heartbound?¡±
¡°That might just be a term from my own culture,¡± the dryad explained, ¡°It refers to someone whose heart needs to slowly be opened through a deep and meaningful bond before they can feel attracted to someone.¡±
¡°I mean, maybe? Why do you ask, though?¡±
¡°Well, if we can get Po and Phoenix to become closer and form that emotional bond¡ Then perhaps she can come on this quest too?¡±
Rayna grinned, ¡°That¡¯s brilliant. That¡¯ll keep us together and help both of them not be lonely, too. It¡¯s killing two birds with one stone!¡±
The summoner whipped her head around to level narrowed blue eyes at her, causing her to tense at whatever mistake she had obviously just made, ¡°Okay, first, that is offensive,¡± the dryad said as Tinsel gave an indignant twitter for emphasis, ¡°Second,¡± Mohala broke into a smile that helped relax even her bones, ¡°Where are we going to have them oh-so-coincidentally run into each other first?¡±
Rayna laughed, and they began hatching their plot of combining the remaining Chaos Summoners with King¡¯s Dream.
16 - Clerical Error
¡°Look, Ramir¡ª Can I call you Ramir?¡±
¡°It¡¯s Mister Mirimel to you, Noble Wayland,¡± the runeforged man said with venom in his voice, ¡°You may have managed to move up in the world, but I still expect respect.¡±
¡°Mister Mirimel,¡± Dazien said calmly to the AOA functionary that was currently occupying the desk as though it were a throne, not wanting to argue with the man who had always seemed to despise him in particular, ¡°I¡¯m just asking for some time to present the evidence that we have gathered.¡±
¡°This is a waste of time and resources, which we have precious little of at the moment,¡± Ramir stated as he gestured towards the small stack of papers Dazien had set on the desk in front of him. ¡°We have a long list of missions already waiting to be taken, and you want to chase after some random hunch about deaths that have already been looked into.¡±
Dazien could feel his anger rising at the obvious dismissal and likely refusal he was in store for. His party had met up with Camilla earlier at the World Tree before coming back to the capital for their next mission ¡ªwhich he assumed would be on the wall again¡ª and he had decided to bring what they had gathered so far to the AOA for consideration of a more formal investigation.
He had believed that his new position as both a Noble and the rumored Herald of the city¡¯s Saint would easily grant him an audience with the Assistant Director of Investigations, but not every gatekeeper seemed to be as accepting of his new titles as he had assumed.
The functionary lifted his nose in the air in a sneer as he continued in a mocking tone, ¡°I know you¡¯ve been rather removed from reality, chasing after that Saint Wayfarer and managing to weasel your way into the graces of a noble House, getting promoted to an Officer and Emissary like you actually matter, but you¡¯re just another Sapphire Caster with no more Obsidian champion standing behind you to get special treatment.¡±
Ramir reached into a drawer, pulled out a piece of paper, and set it on top of Dazien¡¯s own stack as he said with a smirk, ¡°Here¡¯s your new mission. Be grateful it¡¯s not wall patrol again. Maybe try to do something actually useful.¡±
Dazien held back his tongue, realizing the man was just being petty out of jealousy. He picked up the mission to read over the assignment before his eyes went wide, and he asked the runeforged incredulously, ¡°Night Lurkers? Are you serious right now?¡±
¡°Unlike you, I¡¯m always serious. Your party meets the new requirements to work outside the city with four Sapphire Casters, one of which being a portalist that can retreat quickly. Plus, taking out a pack of these Sapphire monsters as a party should be easy for such an... elite group,¡± the functionary retorted, and Dazien gritted his teeth to keep from snapping.
¡°Unless the records are wrong and somebody made a¡ Well, let¡¯s just call it a ¡®clerical error,¡¯ and your party isn¡¯t actually as good as the rumors clearly exaggerate,¡± Ramir continued as though hoping for Dazien to refuse the mission.
The leader of King¡¯s Dream picked up his stack of papers, mission included, as he said with clipped words, ¡°We accept and will return once the monsters are dealt with. I expect to get that meeting I requested upon our return, or I will not hesitate to go above your head. Since, as you pointed out, I have the privilege of my reputation to lean on. Good day, Mister Mirimel.¡±
The runeforged man scowled as Dazien turned and left the desk to pass a line of other Adventurers waiting to get their next missions. Whispers followed behind him about said reputation, his new family name sweeping through the small crowd as people recognized him. He was just thankful for the privacy barrier that had kept the confrontation from becoming rumors that might paint him in a negative light.
It reminded him that even at the AOA, he still had a costume to wear, and he adjusted it quickly to the confident air of nobility and purpose. He¡¯d long been accustomed to being the center of attention among the orphans, his own group of friends, and even the few mundane service jobs he had attempted; this was just on a larger scale. Instead of feeling like a weight, like Phoenix seemed to perceive the increased awareness, he was able to use it as a buoy. He just thought of it as practice for when he would one day create his own country and become a king that others could look up to and feel security in.
¡°Just part of the plan,¡± he muttered to himself as he made his way out of the building to return to his party. It had been a mantra to him over the years, trying to keep the path to his goals clear and not letting the minor setbacks get him down.
However, this current task was a slight detour on that. The news that his parents might possibly be alive had blindsided him. Too many questions screamed for his attention. What really happened to them? Were they enslaved like Veldrix had mentioned other gemites falling victim to? Were they targeted specifically or simply a target of opportunity? Due to the lack of answers, he found himself once more needing to adjust his plans for the future in lieu of the reality that had unexpectedly fallen into his lap.
Luckily, he had always been fairly adaptable. Adjusting to life in the orphanage and claiming it as his personal pseudo-kingdom was one of the first major steps he had taken for himself. The older kids mostly ignored him or found him endearing and charming in his confidence, while the younger ones looked up to him for his determination to support and protect them.
The clergy at the temple might have gotten annoyed at times with his self-proclaimed importance and his refusal to do things that he didn¡¯t agree with, but he had learned early never to bow to others¡¯ whims. A king never bowed to the demands of others. However, a good king was also considerate of the needs of their subjects, and he had often helped rather than hinder them.
Dazien knew his bold attitude wasn¡¯t what kept adults from adopting him, however. He had quickly discovered that his oddly colored hair and lighter shade of brown skin made him different from the rest. Different wasn¡¯t always good.
There were usually two types of people who would come to the orphanage. Those who wanted children who looked like them and would follow the path they laid out for their children, to be jewel crafters or warriors ¡ªnot wannabe kings or gemites.
Then there were those other types that would ask for him specifically. The other children had called these latter types ¡°purple creepers,¡± and they would always be turned down by the High Priestess.
Then Uriel fell into his life, a boy even more broken than all the other orphans that had shown up at the temple. A young teen so damaged that he locked himself away in his room. He had been mildly surprised when Uriel finally opened up to him out of all the other people there. Looking back, he guessed that was more an inevitability, really, since he was the only one willing to talk to the chained teen in the first place.
Dazien had noticed that, as they grew up, his adaptability became even more obvious as he and Uriel became more than friends or even just lovers. Uriel was a piece of his puzzle that fit so succinctly that he knew the man would forever be a part of him, and he had adjusted his plans to include his seneschal.Stolen story; please report.
Being the more popular kid growing up had given him plenty of experience with other people, including the intimate kind, as he got older. Each relationship came with its ups and downs but one constant thread through them all, aside from Xera, had been the fact that they never meshed well with Uriel. His other partners had either hated the man, misunderstood their relationship with one another, or just ignored his presence altogether.
Phoenix crashing into his life was the next major adjustment to his plans. He had been curious about the woman at first, not just due to her appearance and connection with the god, Warrior, but also because of her shy and introverted nature, which seemed at direct odds with the actions and abilities she would perform.
The Wayfarer had been a pleasant surprise as she became a friend to both of them, seemingly filling a piece of their puzzles that the two partners hadn¡¯t even realized was missing from their lives.
¡°How did the meeting go?¡± the smooth bass voice that was so familiar to him said from his side.
Dazien had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn¡¯t noticed the larger cinderen fall into his usual place as he had exited the AOA building. Saiya reattached herself to his arm as Rayna followed behind them.
He gave an annoyed huff in response and complained, ¡°It didn¡¯t. The guy wouldn¡¯t even look at the information. He heard my extremely brief synopsis, said it was a waste, then gave us a mission to hunt a pack of Night Lurkers that have appeared in the southern forest between Hallametsa and Vallinsarvi.¡±
¡°I thought we weren¡¯t allowed beyond the walls without an Emerald escort or all being Sapphire?¡± Uriel said with a hint of concern.
¡°I think the guy has a personal grudge against me. He didn¡¯t care at all for whatever titles I might have. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if he lied about ¡®the new rules¡¯ saying we qualify to go out,¡± he replied sourly before meeting his friend¡¯s gaze and asking with a lopsided smirk, ¡°Still don¡¯t regret following me?¡±
¡°Never,¡± Uriel replied instantly, making his heart feel lighter, ¡°Quit trying to take on more of Phoenix¡¯s personality traits by blaming yourself for his actions. We don¡¯t need the whole party becoming her.¡±
¡°A little bit of personality bleed is to be expected, no? We¡¯re all changed and influenced by the people we surround ourselves with. You¡¯re walking proof of that since you would never have given me an order had it not been for my dashing and confident attitude rubbing off on you,¡± he exaggerated with a grin, ¡°Would it really be so bad if all of us became a bit more like her?¡±
Uriel gave him a flat look and whispered over their mental connection, ¡°Considering she¡¯s died more times than there are days in a week, I would argue that following her lead is probably not the healthiest path for us.¡± Dazien was grateful that his partner hadn¡¯t said that bit out loud in public as Uriel added for any who might be listening, ¡°How about you just lead us towards our next challenge, King.¡±
He smiled gratefully, then glanced around, realizing the mentioned bad influence wasn¡¯t there to defend herself, and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the Princess? You didn¡¯t let her wander off alone, right?¡±
¡°She¡¯s not a toddler, King,¡± Rayna retorted, ¡°But no, we¡¯re not that irresponsible.¡±
¡°She said she wanted to drop off some items she had crafted and wanted to donate to the AOA in her own efforts to assist the city¡¯s need for supplies,¡± Saiya helpfully informed, ¡°She just went inside the building to the drop-off counter. She should only be a moment.¡±
As if on cue, a smiling redhead came through the building doors and practically skipped over to them, ¡°Alright, ready to report to the walls!¡±
Dazien laughed at his sister and ruffled those curls to her annoyance, ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be happy to hear we¡¯re going out of the city for a little bit.¡±
Phoenix moved slowly through the towering evergreen trees as her Shifting Twilight armor and Dark aura helped her blend into the shadows. The [Blackest Night] Boon from the equipment was in full force as her hair and eyes became inky black, and the glow her skin normally produced as a side effect of her [Starlight Qi] was transformed into wispy clouds that hugged her form.
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Passive Ability: Embrace of Shadows
Type: Aura (stealth, magical, dark)
Current Caste: Sapphire 1
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura are obscured by shadows, making attacks against them less likely to hit. The effectiveness of the shadows scales up with the level of darkness of the surrounding environment.
Sapphire Effect: Allies within your aura are further obscured, negating produced scent and sound. The effectiveness scales up with how still the ally is.
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Going slow was a pain but necessary to get the best stealthing effect as she got closer to the area the mission had reported the Night Lurkers were located in. Uriel had given them the rundown earlier about these particular monsters. They were closely related to Frost Lurkers, one of which she had died to months ago when she had gone off to hunt in her anger.
The Night variant was apparently Dark-attuned, and instead of lurking in the snow banks, they liked to lurk in the treetops. Ambushing prey from above in a fatal opening attack. The only reason that tactic hadn¡¯t killed her before was because her aura had been enough to sense them.
They were one of the few monsters that could actually control their pseudo-aura signatures, making them exceptionally dangerous to most Adventurers and Hunters. These ones were also normally in the Higher Sapphire Caste, unlike the Frost ones, which were in the lower ranges of the Caste. Before the change in the ambient magic levels, they rarely spawned on the tundra.
Phoenix had her aura extended as far as she could while sneaking along ¡ªwhich was quite the distance now after ascending. The party¡¯s hope was that she would manage to trigger their ambush early like she had before and then lure them back to the awaiting group. Her moving slower and stealthier was mainly for the reason that she wasn¡¯t confident that her aura would be able to pick them up from far enough away to avoid instant death by moving at a normal pace.
She had almost been right on top of the Frost Lurkers and only narrowly avoided the initial attack because she was on edge, sensing something was off. She hoped it would be enough to save her this time, too.
Phoenix froze as something tickled at her senses, and she tried focusing on it. She was grateful once again that she didn¡¯t need to breathe despite her increasing heart rate. Her eyes scanned the trees in search of the monster that she¡¯d never seen before but got a rough description of.
There was nothing but darkness and a needled canopy.
She focused on the spot that her aura senses were buzzing at her about. A tree about a dozen meters away. It looked like any other tree. Even her eyes, which could see the traces of magic in the air as swirls of color, showed nothing out of the ordinary.
Deciding to trust her gut, she concentrated on the upper boughs of the tree and began to create a black hole from her [Ruler of Relativity] ability right where she knew something was off. She quickly poured mana into it, creating a spherical ball of nothingness about the size of a basketball, and was rewarded with a tree-shaking howl.
The large, vaguely humanoid creature was now visible to her as it was forcibly displaced from its hiding spot. Looking like a mixture of night sky and evergreen needles its silver eyes glared at her in anger as it obviously sensed her in return.
Before she could revel in her victory, more trees started to shiver and move as the Night Lurker had friends who were very angry about one of their own being thwarted.
Phoenix turned and ran back west towards where her party was waiting. She informed them through their mental communication, ¡°Found them! Got one stuck with my black hole, but there¡¯s at least three more chasing.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll be ready,¡± Dazien replied, ¡°Just watch for the [Arcanist Gems] that Rayna¡¯s set up leading into her [Crystalline Distortion] zone.¡±
¡°Got it! I should be there in just a min¡ª¡± Phoenix broke off as her concentration was interrupted by the feeling of her foot sinking into the ground. Her momentum came to a very sudden halt as she tripped and almost slammed her face into the snow.
¡°Princess?¡± Dazien questioned, but she didn¡¯t have the mind to answer as she glanced back to see a lurker sprinting towards her. She tried using her gravity ability to push her away from the mud she was still sinking into.
It didn¡¯t seem to work, and her eyes lit up with the light brown color of the Earth magic suffusing the area spell she was caught in. A spell that must have been a Caste higher than she was¡
17 - Shadow of Azazel
¡°There¡¯s something Emerald Caste! I¡¯m stuck!¡± Phoenix managed to cry out before triggering her Transfiguration ability [Avatar of Bakunawa] and lifting an arm towards the descending Night Lurker and incanting the Bane that had killed the last Lurker she had to solo, ¡°Gaze into the abyss!¡±
Class Ability: Call of the Abyss
Type: Spell (divine, void)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (1%)
Crystal Effect: Inflicts [Weakened] and [Reflected Fate].
Sapphire Effect: Additionally inflicts [Mark of the Void]. When transfigured, you gain [Void Hunter].
- Weakened (bane, divine, void): Maximum health, mana, and stamina is reduced.
- Reflected Fate (bane, retribution, divine, void): For each attack made, take a low amount of damage in return. Damage taken is of the same type as the attack.
- Mark of the Void (bane, summon, divine, void, tracking): Summons a [Shadow of Azazel] that targets the bearer of this mark. If the bearer is killed, the mark will move to the nearest enemy in range. If the [Shadow of Azazel] is destroyed this bane is removed.
- Shadow of Azazel (summon, divine, void): A creature of the void that attempts to devour its target. If there is no [Mark of the Void] in range, this creature will be Banished.
- Void Hunter (boon, divine, void, tracking): You can sense the direction of your [Mark of the Void], and attacks done against them inflict additional Void damage.
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The spell had bonded to her Predator Spirit Gem and had surprised her with the new effects. Tying into her other abilities had seemed to become a trend, and she wasn¡¯t complaining about the added cohesion as she felt the [Void Hunter] Boon settle upon her.
The more disconcerting part of her ability was the [Shadow of Azazel] that seemed to launch itself from what looked like a tear in reality that appeared in the air between her and the monster. The summoned creature was a being of distorted shadows that had the vague shape of a satyr with inverted knees and ram horns but she couldn¡¯t make out any depth to it. It was like a two-dimensional cartoon overlaid upon the world. The white scribbles for eyes and sharp teeth only added to the unreality of it.
Her summon crashed into the monster, proving it was indeed a physical being and not some hallucination on her part and saving her from being eaten as she struggled to escape. The ground was to her knees now, and she kept sinking despite her attempts to push away or pull herself towards a nearby tree.
To her utter bafflement, the tree was uprooted instead of the Emerald spell releasing its hold on her. She felt her despair rise as she looked back to her fiercely fighting summon to find another lurker jumping over them.
Tala¡¯s blue and purple feathers peppered the beast with an attack that looked like a sparkling shotgun blast as the Familiar manifested to take advantage of the new ability unlocked by the Radiant Spirit Gem Paul had gifted her.
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Class Ability: Wings of the Cosmos
Type: Familiar (ritual, summon, magical, covenant, dimension)
Cost: Severe mana and stamina.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (1%)
Crystal Effect: Summon a [Cosmic Phoenix] to serve as a Familiar.
Sapphire Effect: Your Familiar can use its feathers as a ranged attack, inflicting low Radiant damage.
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Following up the ranged onslaught, Tala breathed [Star Fire] onto the second foe before engaging with silver beak and talons. Meanwhile, Phoenix poured more mana into her [Ruler of Relativity] in an effort to push away from the ground, quickly gaining on her waist.
She felt the domineering aura of her party leader, making her feel both protected and quicker as the Defender came into range, his newly upgraded ability helping him close the distance with Rayna moving alongside him.
Ability: Lead the Charge
Type: Special Attack (movement, magical, covenant)
Cost: Low stamina per second.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (2%)
Crystal Effect: Focus on a target, greatly increasing your speed while moving in the target¡¯s direction and gaining an instance of [Momentum] each second until your next attack.
Sapphire Effect: Increase the Agility attribute of all allies within your aura while this ability is active.
- Momentum (boon, magical, covenant, stacking): Your next attack will consume all instances of this Boon to inflict additional physical damage. Instances are lost quickly while not moving.
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He crashed sword-first into the third lurker that had arrived to eat her from an angle that avoided the area that had entrapped her. Rayna meanwhile added her percussive attacks to the first that was battling her [Shadow of Azazel] still, both trying to tear into each other with tooth and claw.
¡°Phoenix, use your rope and toss it to me,¡± Uriel said from the far side of the muddy snow, away from the monsters currently engaged.
¡°It¡¯s too strong,¡± she complained, a headache already beginning to form from her over usage of mana getting eaten up trying to overpower the Emerald spell while also maintaining the blackhole she had left behind, ¡°I ripped up a tree trying to pull myself out.¡±
¡°There has to be some way to get you out,¡± Uriel replied with a pensive expression, ¡°You won¡¯t suffocate, but you¡¯ll eventually starve to death if this swallows you. Is it dealing damage, too?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯m not hurt, just stuck.¡±
¡°Can you portal out?¡± Saiya asked while moving to Uriel¡¯s side. Snowbelle had joined Tala in the task of at least distracting the second lurker.
¡°You have forsaken my rule and thus forfeit your freedom!¡± Phoenix heard Dazien call out, and a cage appeared around the third as he moved to assist Rayna in focusing down the first.
She triggered her tattoo to grant a burst of mana and attempted to conjure the portal directly in front of her with the destination appearing behind her best friend. She reached a clawed hand through and felt Uriel grab hold of the whole arm, pulling with all of his Crystal Caste Strength.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Saiya grabbed on next, and Phoenix thought her arm might rip off before the mud around her waist would release her.
¡°Hey, I¡¯m going to try [Supernova] and see if that can destroy the ground enough to disrupt this zone,¡± she told the others over the mental chat, ¡°Be prepared for a fall.¡±
¡°Go for it,¡± Dazien replied.
Before she could do so, she first had to down a mana potion and trigger her [Starlight Qi] into a glitter bomb that replenished all of their stamina and mana.
¡°As this star begins to dim, a final burst of light. As my life begins to wane, a final shout of triumph. In a supernova sacrifice, I offer the hope of victory,¡± she incanted, letting the entirety of her mana be consumed as it burst from her, tearing through monster and landscape alike.
She hadn¡¯t used the ability since hitting Sapphire, and the amount of devastation was impressive; the Destroyer would be proud.
Phoenix was relieved that her assumption had been correct, and displacing the anchoring land around the spell seemed to be enough to unravel its hold on her as the mud collapsed around her. On her hands and knees in the filth, she looked around to try and get her bearings while trying her best not to fully collapse in her exhaustion.
The lurker that Rayna, Dazien, and her summoned shadow had been on was dead and turning to Sapphire ash from her aura looting it, and she instantly regretted forgetting to mark it with [Nemesis] in her panicked retreat. She remedied that the next moment on the caged lurker only moments before the trio had moved to execute that one.
Then Phoenix ran out of mana. She had been expecting the recoil of her transformation to be what killed her. Instead, the trickle she had been feeding her blackhole took the last vestiges that remained as she blacked out while vaguely wondering if the recoil still might end her without her noticing.
Uriel was grateful that the magic of his earrings was in full effect as he saw Phoenix collapse in the mud. It helped keep him calm when he was fairly certain he would be panicking otherwise.
¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Dazien informed them, his [Noble Subjects] passive letting the party leader know the general status of those that had accepted it, ¡°Mana drained and likely only a sliver of life but alive. Let¡¯s focus these last two down and get her back to Vallinsarvi.¡±
He refocused on the enemy and cast his single target [Frost Touched] and [Plague Bearer] abilities on them. The earrings wouldn¡¯t let him feel annoyed by the fact that they were continually resisted by the high-level Sapphires.
The movement of Saiya going toward the downed Supporter drew his attention enough that he noticed the shadow in the trees just soon enough to grab the Healer. He yanked her back towards him and the edge of the crater they were in right as the fourth Night Lurker launched itself towards the center of it, where Phoenix lay helpless.
Uriel knew something was wrong as he felt his chest begin to heave at the sight of the shadowy beast tearing into his friend¡¯s body. A loud cracking noise and a sting of pain on his ear let him know one of the ear cuffs had broken at the overexertion of its power.
Blood was mingling with the mud, and inky black curls were quickly returning to crimson as the massive maw crunched down on Phoenix¡¯s unconscious skull. Her aura vanished from his senses, and his entire body tensed at the knowledge that she had died again.
¡°Hey! Focus on me!¡± Saiya said in his ear, placing a furred hand on either side of his face to look at her instead of his friend getting eaten. ¡°Dazien! Rayna!¡± she yelled out before dragging his face closer to hers and saying mentally in a more soothing tone, ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay. Calm down and just listen to my voice. Phoenix is fine. She¡¯ll be waiting for us back at the World Tree.¡±
He slowly nodded but couldn¡¯t get his jaw to unclench to answer her as a simmering rage threatened to strangle him. Then she explained aloud, ¡°One of your earrings broke, and I can feel your anger leaking. You need to breathe, Uriel.¡±
When he didn¡¯t immediately respond, she firmly commanded him, ¡°Now, breathe!¡±
Uriel took a deep breath at the order. Then another. Slowly tuning out the sounds of gnashing monster teeth, the strikes of a metal sword and gem-encrusted fists, and barks from the Familiar still remaining in the air.
The smell of blood filling his senses didn¡¯t help, but that was something he was used to, and it was cut by the scent of fresh snow and evergreens.
¡°Good. That¡¯s good, Uriel. Keep focusing on slowing your breathing while I go help the others.¡±
He nodded and, when he felt calmer, managed to refocus back on his party as Saiya cast her shield around them and helped replenish the others¡¯ health and cooldowns. Phoenix was merely blue ashes now and he cursed his own shortcomings.
Uriel felt utterly useless at the moment. He was holding his whole party back by being Crystal Caste still. Fights like this weren¡¯t even that useful because they weren¡¯t a challenge; they were impossible. The only lesson he could learn from being so outclassed was the Rule of Caste. A lesson he had learned well long ago.
He needed to get stronger. He needed to quit being so afraid of what his powers might become so that he could gain the power he needed in order to help his friends survive. He needed to stop running away, not just from his friends but from himself.
|
Phoenix Wayland has died.
Phoenix Wayland is no longer your Subject.
|
Dazien cursed as the message was received and he heard Saiya call out to him. He almost took a solid hit that turned into a glancing blow as his attention was drawn to his Healer, who was grabbing onto his partner like she was going to kiss him. It took him a moment longer to realize she was trying to keep him calm as Phoenix was being eaten.
¡°You have been weighed, measured, and found wanting,¡± he said, triggering his [Royal Executioner] in a flash of shifting rainbow light to finish the current Night Lurker before engaging with the one still feasting as he commanded Rayna, ¡°Help Snowbelle with the other! It¡¯s on its last leg already. Then come help me with the last!¡±
¡°I challenge your honor!¡± he called out next, taunting the last Lurker to focus on targeting him with his [Duelist] ability and then triggering both [Tyrannical Punishment] with his other antler to weaken the enemy and [Accelerating Strikes], leaving an increasing number of cuts in the monster¡¯s shadowy natural armor as he attempted to whittle down the Lurker¡¯s health pool.
Dazien was relieved when both Saiya and Rayna rejoined him not too much later, and they were able to burn down the last one without any more major incidents. While he focused on getting to Uriel¡¯s side, Rayna happily went about looting the bodies that remained without Phoenix¡¯s aura to do it for them.
¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked his partner quietly. Uriel nodded but still didn¡¯t seem alright, so he added mentally, knowing better than to speak about Phoenix¡¯s impossible talent out loud, even in the wilds, ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s alright and waiting for us. We¡¯ll head back to Vallinsarvi and see if one of our new voxen friends upgrading the defenses can portal us back to the World Tree.¡±
¡°I¡ª¡± Uriel hesitated, not looking him in the eyes as the larger man muttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± he replied, glancing back at the ashes of his sister, ¡°I don¡¯t think it was even the fault of her being reckless this time.¡±
¡°If I was Sapphire, though¡ª¡±
¡°You might have helped more, but I don¡¯t think any of us could have saved Phoenix from that ambush attack,¡± he pointed out, then added in a silent aside, ¡°I¡¯m just glad you and Saiya remained safe. Neither of you would return to me from that.¡±
Saiya joined them at that moment and added her own concerns to the pile, ¡°Phoenix said the spell was Emerald¡¡±
His brow furrowed as he connected the dots, ¡°All of these were Sapphire. Do you think she was mistaken?¡±
¡°Perhaps, did you get a good look at it with your perception?¡±
¡°No. I was too focused on the Lurkers. Do you think it was a trap?¡±
¡°It¡¯s suspicious if it was¡ What Emerald monster casts a spell like that and doesn¡¯t show itself? If not a monster, then we might be looking at an assassin, but the question then remains, why not attack directly or take the rest of us out?¡±
Dazien frowned, ¡°Perhaps they¡¯re simply content with knowing they accomplished killing the Saint.¡±
¡°If that¡¯s the case, we need to let Patricia know sooner rather than later,¡± Saiya pointed out, and he knew she was right, much to his displeasure.
¡°I¡¯m ready to leave the tundra already,¡± he muttered, moving to touch the last monster and loot it directly into his [Armory].
¡°Get anything good, King?¡± Rayna asked as she rejoined them, grinning wide with wagging tails.
¡°You look rather chipper for someone who just lost a comrade,¡± he said with a flat look.
¡°Well, we can¡¯t all fall into a depression every time she goes and gets herself dead.¡±
Dazien took a step forward, invading Rayna¡¯s personal space as he practically shouted, ¡°She¡¯s not dead! You know her talent teleports her away before that happens!¡±
At the bard¡¯s confused and hurt look, he added over the communication network to the whole party, ¡°If our suspicions are even possible, there may be an Emerald watching us. We can¡¯t have them believing Phoenix can actually resurrect now that you¡¯ve made it clear they didn¡¯t succeed.¡±
¡°Even if she lives, we can all at least be considerate of the fact that the time till we can all see Paul again just increased,¡± he added out loud in a more subdued tone.
The tails halted wagging and furred ears drooped as the bard replied, ¡°Right, sorry. I was just excited about the loot and that we were able to take those lurkers down. We still won.¡±
Dazien gave a sigh, ¡°I know. Sorry to bring you down. This might have been a victory, but there was still loss, and we still have work to do. The first thing being to make sure Phoenix doesn¡¯t beat herself up for being forced to retreat early again.¡±
Rayna groaned, ¡°She¡¯s totally going to do that, isn¡¯t she?¡±
¡°She always does,¡± he replied, sharing her exasperation. He glanced towards Uriel and added, ¡°Must be a Chosen thing.¡±
18 - The Vault
It was difficult for Dazien to explain to the portalist that had been stationed in Vallinsarvi that their own portaling party member had gone on ahead without them due to an undisclosed emergency, and they needed to get back to the World Tree as soon as possible. The fact that he was a Wayland seemed to be the only thing that kept the mysterious voxen from questioning him too deeply and assisting the remainder of his party with returning home.
Explaining to a very concerned Patricia what had happened in a private room was also difficult for him, but for entirely separate reasons. Putting on his costume of detached professionalism was the only thing that kept him from snapping at the woman who likely would have preferred if Uriel had been the one in Phoenix¡¯s place. One less liability for her to worry about.
He was relieved to find that Presley had been proactive in responding to the incident, guarding the hall to their rooms like a watchdog and only letting their party pass beyond the force barrier that had been erected, which blocked both physical senses along with the aural and magical ones.
Dazien was just as mesmerized by the sight of Phoenix¡¯s soul respawning above her bed as Uriel warned she might be. The crystalline core was a pale blue sphere surrounded by the sigils of the various gods that had been bound to her. Orbiting that were the four Aspects that had combined to create her fifth Class Aspect. Around each of those were the various Spirit Gems that had bound to each, all miniaturized and moving like a model solar system.
Uriel had mentioned that it had taken a couple hours for Phoenix to finish spawning last time so they all tried to get comfortable in her heavily illusioned room while they waited. The group mostly surrounded the small sun that served as the hearth and he took a moment to conjure his Armory door to retrieve a few things while putting in some of the loot Rayna had retrieved herself earlier.
When Phoenix was the one looting everything, the monsters mostly turned into ritual components like Shards and Mana Bits with the occasional Spirit Gem or monster part. When Dazien¡¯s ability was the one looting, the monsters mostly became equipment with the occasional shiny treasure.
He held his latest treasure now as he was finally able to relax on a nebula sofa with Uriel¡¯s lap serving as a pillow. The item in his hand was an oddly colored silvery gray Spirit Gem and he was almost certain Phoenix would demand he use it without even knowing what it was. He debated selling it before she could. If it was rare and desirable enough he could probably trade it in for multiple lesser ones. Did he really want to settle for lesser, though?
¡°Is Brother going to use that?¡± the little redheaded girl asked curiously as she leaned over his face to block his view.
He chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not sure what it is yet with Phoenix¡¯s book unavailable at the moment.¡±
Presley held out her tiny hand, ¡°I can check.¡±
He raised a brow but obliged by setting the gem in her palm.
¡°Karmic,¡± she answered promptly and grinned, ¡°Sapphire Caste and Epic rarity here. So, will Brother use it now?¡±
Dazien laughed again, ¡°Probably. It sounds like a good one.¡±
¡°Fit for a king?¡± Uriel asked with a slight smile.
¡°I hope so,¡± he replied, ¡°I don¡¯t feel like I can afford to be picky, though, if I want to keep progressing and not die a little inside from buying them.¡±
¡°You could always ask your new family, you know,¡± Rayna said from a nearby seat, ¡°I think Paul would have wanted both you and Phoenix to depend on them more for things like that. What¡¯s the point of shouldering the responsibility of being a Noble without actually using the privileges that it grants?¡±
Dazien frowned at that, finding it difficult to argue with the logic. Finally he muttered, ¡°It just feels like I didn¡¯t earn it yet, I guess.¡±
¡°Oh, you have,¡± Saiya surprised him by saying from beside her twin, ¡°The people call you Herald because they recognize the trust Phoenix places in you. They call you Noble because they recognize Paul¡¯s faith in you. We call you our leader because you are willing to shoulder the responsibility for our wellbeing.¡±
¡°It feels like I failed at that again today,¡± he admitted, gesturing towards the dead Wayfarer currently still spawning, ¡°This wasn¡¯t her failing to listen to my orders or running in head first. We lost a party member, and when no other fault can be found, the blame lies with the leader.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t believe that,¡± Saiya countered, ¡°The fault was in being blindsided by an enemy that was beyond us. That¡¯s not a failing anyone can truly prepare for nor expect any leader to have an answer for.¡±
¡°If anything, it just means we need to get stronger for next time,¡± Rayna added, ¡°And hope that next time it¡¯s only the cheater that dies again instead of all of us.¡±
|
You have died.
All equipment has been returned to your collection.
[Waypoint] has guided your soul back to your designated location.
You have been reconstituted to a state of full integrity.
Twenty-four hours remain until this effect can be triggered again.
|
¡°Well, crap¡¡± Phoenix muttered as she lay naked on her bed, staring up at the book floating over her head as if to inform her of the obvious.
She sat up and conjured her clothing back onto her body, sighing at the gaping holes in her Shifting Twilight armor before returning it to her collection and conjuring a simple dress instead. It would need some time to repair, it seemed, if the magic hadn¡¯t been completely destroyed.
Phoenix was startled to find her party members all passed out asleep near the miniature sun that had been dimmed to sleeping levels. How did they even get back so fast?
¡°How long was I out?¡± she murmured to herself and almost jumped out of her skin when Presley sat up on the bed next to her, not having noticed the tiny girl sleeping among the clouds.
¡°According to Brother¡¯s estimation of when you died, it took approximately six hours for Sister¡¯s reconstruction.¡±
Phoenix felt her blood run cold at that information. That was triple the time her last death had taken.
¡°Six hours of all of us waiting and wondering if something went horribly wrong,¡± Patricia¡¯s voice spoke up and Phoenix almost had another heart attack as she noticed the Emerald Caster sitting still as a statue in another nebula chair on the other side of Presley.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± she replied.
¡°From what I was told, it¡¯s not something you did,¡± the older woman said with a sigh, ¡°But I¡¯m going to insist that your party take an Emerald Caster with you any time you get a mission out in the wilds. I know I¡¯m not your Mentor and cannot make those demands of the AOA but it¡¯s simply not safe for you or Uriel to be caught out there without protection.¡±
¡°What do you care about Uriel?¡± They both heard Dazien¡¯s whisper from across the room, and she turned to find him watching them. He stood and moved towards them, his hands buried in his pockets, and Phoenix could have sworn he was sulking.
¡°I care because I realize now how important he is to all of you. Which makes him important to me despite whatever misgivings I have,¡± the Ambassador replied, ¡°Honestly, my suggestion isn¡¯t some plot to get rid of him by keeping him safe. I¡¯ve even adjusted many of my plans to make sure he has the best chance of success with your party.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡± Phoenix asked, suddenly suspicious about what else her ¡°plans¡± might involve.
¡°Well, I know he¡¯s close to hitting Sapphire Caste soon, so I¡¯ve been making sure we have access to Spirit Gems for him since the shops in the city seem to be selling them as soon as they get them. I know you both already bought yours by now, but¡ª¡±
¡°No, we haven¡¯t,¡± Dazien interjected, mirroring her own confusion, ¡°I just bought a couple the other day, but the store was basically empty or severely out of my price range, and this one,¡± he hooked an amethyst adorned thumb towards her for emphasis as he said, ¡°Seems determined to let ¡®fate¡¯ decide for her and has only been using ones she loots or gets from quest rewards.¡±
Patricia stared at him with wide eyes as if needing the extra time to process the information even with her Emerald Caste Mind before slowly turning to her and almost begging, ¡°Please tell me he¡¯s joking.¡±
¡°Um¡ no, but you see¡ª¡±
¡°You¡¯ve been fighting monsters without gaining progression in all your abilities?!¡± the noblewoman almost screeched at them, causing the others to start awake but Pati kept reprimanding, ¡°You are Nobles! You have the means and the access! There is no excuse not to have unlocked all ten at once as soon as you ascended!¡±
The runeforged was standing now as she ranted, ¡°I¡¯m going to murder Paul for not mentoring you both properly and at least informing you of the basics of Spirit Gem synergy¡ª¡±
Phoenix tried to defend her dad, ¡°Hey, he explained that to us¡ª¡±
¡°Then he failed to beat it into your head that you don¡¯t disadvantage yourself due to whatever ¡®fate,¡¯¡± she pointed a finger towards Phoenix for emphasis on the word, ¡°Or ¡®frugality,¡¯¡± the finger moved towards Dazien, ¡°That either of you seem to believe warrants it.¡±
The priestess turned back on her and asked, ¡°Why do you think the Cultivator gave you so many Ruby Mana Bits?!¡±
¡°I thought that was just, like, payment for the Soul Mark¡¡±
¡°Yes, but she could have given other things like Knowledge Tomes,¡± Pati pointed out, ¡°She gave you Bits because those are used to buy Spirit Gems! They are expensive, but she made sure that you could have your pick!¡±
Phoenix flushed in embarrassment at that realization, ¡°I¡ª I¡¯ve been using them for other things¡¡±
¡°What other things?¡± Dazien asked with a raised brow at her, but they were thankfully distracted by the priestess turning and storming towards the door to her room.
Throwing it open with a loud bang that made everyone jump again, they all stared as the priestess vanished into the hall beyond, only to call out a moment later when nobody moved, ¡°FOLLOW NOW!¡±
The shouted command seemed to jumpstart the group as they all stumbled after the irate noble.
¡°Um, where are we going?¡± Rayna asked, still seeming half-asleep and confused.
¡°The vault,¡± Patricia snapped, ¡°Because right now, that¡¯s the only place in the entire tundra where we¡¯re likely to find Spirit Gems for all of you.¡±
That seemed to fully wake the loot-loving bard as her ears perked up, ¡°The Wayland Family treasure vault? And all of us are getting gems?!¡± the bard asked, practically vibrating in her sudden excitement.
¡°If there¡¯s enough,¡± the Ambassador replied, ¡°We usually know well ahead of time when one of our children is going to hit Sapphire, so we often donate or sell the ones not set aside for the future or some of the more rare ones that would be difficult to procure. Paul¡¯s looting power was prominently Aspects and Spirit Gems, and he added to the collection often when he¡¯d visit between his travels¡ until more recently that was.¡±
¡°When your family shunned him?¡± Dazien growled and Phoenix was wondering if his animosity towards Patricia was growing to the point that he was debating on leaving said family. She¡¯d have to ask him about that later.
Their aunt stopped walking to turn and level a calmer gaze at him, ¡°Not all of us. Our father was the impetus of that decision, despite my protests. I will never see another family member thrown out like that.¡±
The priestess¡¯ entire demeanor seemed to darken as she said, ¡°Listen very closely, my nephew. I¡¯m only going to say this while we are still in Presley¡¯s privacy barrier.¡±
An eerie calm came over the group as they remained silent and Patricia said, ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do. I don¡¯t care who you killed, what you stole, who you slept with, what mess of a lie you got caught in. Even if you or Phoenix decide to dedicate yourselves to the Destroyer himself, despite whatever warning or advice I give otherwise, I will never abandon either of you. I will be there to untangle the lie, raise the illegitimate children, replace what was taken, or hide the bodies. You are my family.¡±
Stunned silence was the only answer to the proclamation until Pati asked, ¡°Do I make myself clear?¡±
¡°As glass,¡± Dazien finally answered, and Phoenix felt him relax beside her. She wasn¡¯t entirely sure why he seemed to become more comfortable around the politician now when she was more worried about what bodies the woman had helped hide before.
With a curt nod Patricia turned and led them through the flower-lined halls of the ship-turned-city. They didn¡¯t have to go too far as the vault seemed to have been relocated close to where Paul¡¯s rooms were, as though he was one of their treasures as well.
The vault door itself was unassuming, but the magic enchantments woven over it lit up in her eyes, and she was fairly certain she wouldn¡¯t have been able to get past that door with even a Ruby Caste version of her [Supernova]. There would be nothing but a vault door left of the area, but it would still be unscathed.
Patricia placed a hand upon the door, and a soft click sounded before the door swung open on its own, recognizing the runeforged as being allowed entry. Once they were inside, Phoenix realized the Vault was actually a dimensional space, similar to Dazien¡¯s own [Armory] ability, most likely. With multiple levels visible in the atrium they found themselves in, rows of shelves filled the enormous room with a spiraling staircase leading upwards not that far ahead of them.
They continued to follow Pati as she climbed those stairs to the second floor and navigated to a row that sparkled in the soft light of the glowstones embedded in the ceiling. Their guide then began to explain, ¡°Everything should have a label in front of it. If there¡¯s no name written on the label, that means it¡¯s available for you to use. While you don¡¯t have to choose anything here, know that I will be adamantly arranging a portal to Blomstra for you to shop there instead. You will not go fight monsters without every advantage I can give you.¡±
¡°Paul didn¡¯t seem to mind me waiting,¡± Phoenix murmured sullenly, having enjoyed the idea of her powers coming to her rather than her messing things up by choosing poorly.
¡°Paul is the one waiting now,¡± Patricia replied in a clipped tone before softening at her hurt look and saying gently, ¡°Phoenix, my brother¡¯s entire life is waiting for you to hit Ruby. Not choosing from these gems today means his life will have to wait even longer. Please,¡± her aunt gestured to the shelves, ¡°Stop waiting and unlock your powers.¡±
19 - Clue
Dazien stared at the gem Saiya placed in his hands as they were all working through the shelves of Spirit Gems Ambassador Wayland had brought them all to. They had been there maybe fifteen minutes when Saiya had bounded over to him. ¡°Which one is this?¡± he asked the happy voxen with swaying tails that always brought a smile to his face.
¡°Control,¡± she announced with a grin, ¡°I felt how much you wanted it when we were at the shop the other day. This one didn¡¯t have a name claiming it already, either.¡±
He stared at the gem, swallowing nervously from just holding something valued at twenty Emerald Mana Bits, ¡°Lady Saiya¡ We both know how much this is worth¡ª¡±
¡°Which isn¡¯t as much as you are worth,¡± she interjected, causing him to fall silent, ¡°While we need Phoenix to be fully unlocked to get Paul back, we also need our Defender at his best. I¡¯m sure if Paul was here right now, he¡¯d be reminding you that you¡¯re not some poor orphan boy anymore. You are Noble Dazien Wayland, Herald of the Saint, Leader of King¡¯s Dream, and a Warrior King.¡±
The voxen tapped a tiny claw against the gem as she said, ¡°But even if none of that is enough to convince you, I know you believe that we deserve to have our party be at its best, especially when it seems like there are others who wish to see us fall. Our lives are worth more than a few Spirit Gems. If it was any of us hesitating like you are, you would be saying the same thing I am. In fact, I know you¡¯ve told Phoenix as much. Stop acting like you¡¯re not important.¡±
They stared at each other for a few moments as though silently battling with their stares alone until he finally sighed and nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ve forgotten my own lesson that if I want to be a king then I need to act like one.¡±
Saiya¡¯s smile almost blinded him with how bright it was as she wrapped him in a hug before running off to rejoin her twin to find more treasure. He held on tightly to the first gem selected for the five total he would need to finish unlocking all of his powers.
Dazien refocused on the shelf he had been looking at before the interruption and picked up the gem he had been internally debating about. Not because he wasn¡¯t sure if it was something he wanted, but because he knew it was considered a Legendary one that was even more expensive than the Control one in his grasp.
The Domain Spirit Gem definitely spoke to both his powerset and mentality. If he wasn¡¯t going to concern himself with the cost, then he most certainly wanted this one.
¡°Dazien,¡± Patricia said as she approached him from the opposite direction Saiya had gone, ¡°I have something else I wanted to talk to you about and give to you if you have a moment.¡±
¡°Oh?¡±
She held out a small pouch in answer and he took it, opening it to find nine Spirit Gems glinting in the low light along with a small black box wrapped in a golden cord, ¡°What are these?¡±
¡°For Uriel,¡± the runeforged replied, surprising him as he had to double take between the bag and her, ¡°I said earlier that I had adjusted my plans, and this was part of it. It is also my attempt at another apology for my earlier mistake,¡± she nodded towards the bag, ¡°Those gems will be good selections for Uriel¡¯s powerset, though feel free to think of them as backups. If you or he finds something more preferable, you can return whatever you don¡¯t use later.¡±
¡°What¡¯s in the box?¡± he asked with a raised brow, having a vague suspicion.
¡°The one Paul had picked out for him as his ascension gift,¡± she confirmed, ¡°He had selected one for all of you at the same time shortly before the Dewsong Ladies ascended. The notes he wrote shortly before he ascended to Ruby¡ just in case, he had said,¡± the priestess explained with a regretful look.
¡°It¡¯s a tradition in our family for the lord to gift one to a scion, and he had extended that tradition to the rest of Phoenix¡¯s party. I picked out the others based on the information registered with the AOA about Uriel¡¯s Aspects and current abilities,¡± she added.
¡°Aren¡¯t those records private? Last I checked, you weren¡¯t an official with the AOA,¡± he pointed out.
She gave a sly smile, ¡°Were you not paying attention earlier to what I said about the lengths I will go to for my family?¡±
He found himself returning her smile despite himself, ¡°Ah, I guess that includes a little bribery?¡±
¡°Favors for favors, my dear nephew. It¡¯s how a lot of politics works.¡±
¡°I feel like your mentality on the matter of family is the reason some nobles get a bad reputation while other scions become spoiled into believing they can do anything they want without consequence.¡±
¡°I said I wouldn¡¯t abandon you, not that I wouldn¡¯t scold you. While you¡¯re not specifically mine to discipline, I¡¯m sure Paul would have seen punishment dealt should you or Phoenix cause too much tarnish on our reputation.¡±
Dazien chuckled, ¡°I guess he did make me eat the mat on the training room floor often enough,¡± he glanced up at the noblewoman before looking around to make sure his partner wasn¡¯t near before adding quietly, ¡°I promised Uriel I wouldn¡¯t make a big deal of this unless it happened again, but since we¡¯re on the topic of spoiled scions, have you talked with Padma before about respecting personal boundaries?¡±
Patricia merely raised a brow in response, and he added, ¡°I just want to make sure it¡¯s not going to become a problem. I know she really likes Uriel and it was most likely a misunderstanding, but you have talked with your children about approaching someone to court, right?¡±
She glanced around, shifting slightly, before saying, ¡°I¡¯ve talked with Patric and Padma about coming to me when things get serious with someone. When something more permanent like marriage is desired. There¡¯s a lot of vetting and paperwork involved with something like that for a noble House.¡±
¡°I meant on a more interpersonal level,¡± he clarified, ¡°Like not using your influence, money, or position of power to take what you want from a potential love interest.¡±
The older woman grimaced, ¡°Not exactly, but I never thought it would be a problem with them. They¡¯re both good kids, and I¡¯ve never had any real concerns about their behavior in public.¡±
¡°Well, I won¡¯t bring it up again then, but it might be worth the conversation, at least,¡± he said, ¡°I highly recommend a chat with the Lover¡¯s clergy.¡±
As the priestess contemplated that, Dazien considered the small fortune in Spirit Gems in the pouch he held, feeling himself relax more as he said, ¡°Thank you for this. It really does mean a lot to me to see you supporting my partner even if you dislike him.¡±
Patricia gave a sigh, ¡°I don¡¯t dislike him, Dazien. I¡¯m simply worried. Choosing him, with his past traumas and Chosen patron¡ that¡¯s a very difficult path to walk, and you¡¯re already at more of a disadvantage than most.¡±
He gave a soft smile, ¡°I often find the difficult paths to be some of the most fulfilling. Neither becoming a King nor an Obsidian Caster are easy paths, yet I choose to walk them. I¡¯ve chosen my Senechal, and he is as important to me as your family is to you, Aunt Patricia¡±
She returned his smile but they were interrupted by hearing Rayna call over to them, ¡°Hey, Pati? Some of these gems are a little¡ questionable. Where did you even get a Spirit Gem of Punishment?¡±
The runeforged gave him a wink as she responded, ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? Paul is very good at that. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll have plenty of it to catch up on when he awakens¡¡±
Phoenix stared at the Spirit Gem in her hand as she debated its inclusion in the ritual she was about to perform to unlock the remaining half of her abilities all at once. She wasn¡¯t sure if her talent would let her do more than one at once, and she also wanted to avoid the pain that she had confirmed was definitely still there at Sapphire.
¡°I¡¯m still not sure Sanctuary is something I want to use¡ What if it, like, makes me more Saintly? I¡¯m not sure I want to double down on divinity¡¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Dazien rolled his eyes at her, ¡°Please, you¡¯re probably already the most divine person on the planet aside from the gods themselves. If I¡¯m going to be swallowing my own reservations to use the Punishment and Finality gems, you can risk a bit more divinity.¡±
¡°Those are gonna be badass, and you know it, King,¡± Rayna piped up, stretching a bit after having just finished her own absorption ritual and unlocking the last of her abilities. They had known exactly what ability it could bond to, so she had chosen a gem that she seemed particularly ecstatic to find, empowering her [Shatter] execute with the Overwhelm Spirit Gem.
¡°Patricia said we shouldn¡¯t let our personal reservations for either fate, frugality, or social perception hinder us from obtaining the power we need to survive, and I think I agree with her, in this case at least,¡± Saiya reminded them. She had selected the Sharing Spirit Gem to go with her [Rain of Life] ability and was just as pleased with the simple yet effective results.
The Wayland Ambassador had left earlier after ensuring they wouldn¡¯t back out of the decision to finish unlocking everything. Once they had selected it all, the party made their way to one of the ritual rooms Presley had available and began to do just as they promised.
Phoenix glanced at the other four Spirit Gems she had selected, ¡°Well, Dazien did a Blood one earlier, and it didn¡¯t turn out evil, so that¡¯s probably fine. And there¡¯s not really anything to be worried about with Synchrony, Judgment, and Control¡ right?¡±
¡°It¡¯s better than the Cataclysm one you didn¡¯t seem to be concerned about using earlier,¡± Uriel pointed out, giving her an amused smirk.
She stuck her tongue out at him causing her best friend to laugh as she said, ¡°Well, if I hadn¡¯t then I wouldn¡¯t have gotten my [Supernova] which means Kara probably wouldn¡¯t have gotten that overpowered version of it and then the city would have been destroyed,¡± she turned to look imploringly at her brother, ¡°So really, Uriel¡¯s the one who saved the city. Can¡¯t we tell everyone else that and get them to beg him for favors instead?¡±
Dazien chuckled, ¡°You know that¡¯s not going to work, so suck it up and get to absorbing.¡±
¡°Fiiine,¡± she groaned, placing the gem down in its place for the ritual and proceeding to unlock her powers.
King¡¯s Dream had decided to spend some more time on their side project since they had some downtime between missions. They had claimed one of the newly converted rooms at the practically abandoned Wayland Estate as a hub for their investigation into the missing people and were combing through stacks of reports about the various incidents. The piles consisted of death records, combat reports, and witness statements from almost fifty years of Tulimeir¡¯s past, as well as the outlying fortress towns.
Camilla had been correct about the unsettling pattern showing up and spiking during blood moons. Phoenix specifically had been working since dawn to go through the tedious process of placing a pin for every location a couple went missing on large maps of the four cities currently hanging on a wall.
The twins were still trying to find secondary patterns as they worked at a different table and wall in the room, grouping couples and individuals by a variety of similarities. Rayna was currently pouring more magical coffee into a cup as she slipped a Sapphire Mana Bit into her mouth, complaining about the sickly sweet taste the Bits had but needing the pick-me-up.
Dazien was still sitting at a table filling out the latest mission report and had asked what they all believed should be put down to explain why they had suddenly needed to go back to the World Tree without Phoenix. Needing an excuse for the actions without revealing her talent and hopefully without blatantly lying on an official form.
¡°Just tell them she got stuck in that Emerald Spell and managed to portal out of it,¡± Rayna suggested.
¡°We don¡¯t know it was Emerald for certain,¡± the Defender pointed out, ¡°Phoenix¡¯s eyes can¡¯t see Caste levels of the magic, just the flow and types of it, similar to mine. It could have just been exceptionally resistant to escape methods. Especially considering it didn¡¯t deal damage. Being focused on containment like that would make it very good at that one thing.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t believe Night Lurkers can cast Earth spells like that, though,¡± Uriel added, ¡°And if not a Caster, then it should have attacked.¡±
¡°We do want to mention the interference either way,¡± Saiya pointed out as she moved another stack of reports out of the way and pulled another closer, ¡°Patricia said she would ask her AOA contact about anyone that might have that particular type of ability and had access to the mission schedules.¡±
¡°She seemed to think it was a long shot, though,¡± Dazien reminded them, ¡°I agree with her belief that someone outside the AOA paid for the information of where we were going to be.¡±
¡°Who would actually want to send an assassin after me, though?¡± Phoenix interjected, ¡°With the Soul Reapers gone¡ª¡±
¡°Any of the clergy for the Maniac, Necromancer, Villain, Thief, Torturer, Trickster¡ Abyss, even the Purifier, now that we know he¡¯s got a thing against Wayfarers and the species they forged,¡± Rayna listed off in response, ¡°All of those gods are part of the Voidsworn Syndicate.¡±
She turned to Uriel and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t Trickster say the gods weren¡¯t actually part of that?¡±
¡°I told you not to believe everything she said,¡± Uriel reminded then clarified for her, ¡°She was only technically right. Both the Delegation of Radiance and the Voidsworn Syndicate are mortal organizations run by representatives of the clergy for the included gods. Those specific representatives are called Delegates and they are usually the Archon of their clergy.¡±
¡°Is that different from a High Priest?¡±
¡°A High Priest is the leader of the branch in a region,¡± Uriel explained, ¡°High Priestess Anna is the leader of the Parent¡¯s clergy here on the Tulim tundra. She answers to the Arch Priestess who oversees the continent, and they answer to the Archon who oversees the entire world.¡±
¡°That¡¯s all at an organizational level,¡± Dazien interjected, ¡°While the gods might choose and bless their clergy into various positions, each temple is still part of a mortal organization. Which is also the case with the DOR and VSS.¡±
He stretched and added, ¡°But Rayna¡¯s right. Any of those gods wouldn¡¯t want you living for long. The only problem there is that I don¡¯t believe any of those deities would actually give a quest to kill her since they all know about her talent. It would have to be an independent act by a follower, which I¡¯m not discounting.¡±
¡°Could just be revenge, too,¡± Uriel pointed out, ¡°A lot of people were impacted by the fall of House Ruwena and those associated with them.¡±
¡°Either way, I¡¯m going to include the concern in my report and see if the AOA can assist with ensuring our party¡¯s safety, which needs to include anonymity in what missions we accept,¡± Dazien said with finality as he went back to filling out the paperwork.
As Uriel brought over another list of locations to her, he asked, ¡°Camilla said she¡¯d be by soon, right?¡±
¡°She will later. She¡¯s visiting the temple of the Undertaker, trying to get a more accurate record of the cause of death for the civilians and the more recent couples. She said it¡¯s a long shot since, apparently, they don¡¯t like revealing a lot of that kind of thing; more divine rules against encroaching on the domain of other gods,¡± Phoenix grumbled as she conjured another cup of coffee from her collection for herself as well.
Uriel nodded in understanding and remained at the map to help her place more pins.
¡°Hey, didn¡¯t Everin mention he and Veldrix were investigating the Blackouts?¡± Saiya asked curiously as she was looking between two sheets of paper in her hands.
¡°Yeah, why?¡± Phoenix answered.
¡°Because I think I found a clue. A second smaller pattern,¡± she replied with a knitted brow, ¡°Each time there was a Blackout, a pair went missing.¡±
That sparked a memory, and Phoenix said, ¡°Now that you mention it, I remember Paul complaining about two bodies not being found when the Servant¡¯s temple was destroyed in that first one. He seemed pretty down about needing to inform the families.¡±
¡°I remember speaking with Madam Malik about her son, Rayk, too,¡± Dazien said, ¡°Do you remember him?¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°You¡¯re right! She told me when I visited before my Noble Reveal that Rayk and another of his party members¡¯ bodies were missing, and she couldn¡¯t have a proper funeral.¡±
¡°Were the Blackouts just a cover for all these kidnappings?¡± Dazien asked, returning his attention back to Saiya.
¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it looks like there was a missing pair with each one except for the one Kara intervened in. No deaths were reported for that since she killed the monster fairly quickly.¡±
¡°Probably scared off the kidnappers,¡± he pondered aloud, ¡°I¡¯m surprised they would even attempt it with her in the city.¡±
¡°It was more likely a kidnapping of opportunity then,¡± Uriel postulated, ¡°They might know who was behind the Blackouts, though, if they were able to take advantage of the chaos so quickly.¡±
¡°Well, we¡¯ll make note of it and maybe get Everin involved when we meet up with him later this evening,¡± the party leader decided before returning to the paperwork, ¡°We¡¯re going to discuss him joining our party until the end of the blood moon. I¡¯m more inclined to the idea after this latest incident.¡±
They continued working in silence for another hour before Dazien leaned back in his chair with a loud sigh. He ran a hand through his long hair that he had freed from the ponytail it had been pulled back in as though brushing the stress out of his mind, and he said, ¡°Alright, I think this report is good to turn in now. So, where are we at with¡¡±
He trailed off as his eyes landed on the massive collection of pins on the map covering the wall. His face suddenly hardened, and he asked, ¡°I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s our destination?¡±
¡°What?¡± Phoenix asked as she turned to look at the map. She hadn¡¯t noticed the pattern that was slowly showing itself as they had been focused on placing the vast amount of pins. Aside from the outlying cities, there was a clear dead spot in Tulimeir¡¯s northwestern district.
She took a few steps towards the map as she asked, ¡°That¡¯s the Processing District, right? I¡¯m not familiar with that part of the city.¡±
The others joined her to look at the map as Dazien said with a grimace, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s where people will bring animals, avals, floravals, or other high-value monsters that are hunted, captured, or killed for turning into resources such as leather, fur, meat, alchemy ingredients, the list goes on and on.¡±
Phoenix frowned as she said, ¡°It seems a bit ironic that the butcher is the killer. I guess nobody would question the blood stains, though.¡± She turned to her party leader and asked, ¡°So, do we follow the bodies, or in this case, the lack of them?¡±
Dazien nodded and said, ¡°We can go check it out. Maybe if we can get some hard evidence, the AOA won¡¯t balk at my lack of protocol when subverting the chain of command and demanding a formal investigation. I didn¡¯t want to leverage my very new position when all we had was a strong hunch.¡±
¡°You are doing this whole nobility thing wrong by actually respecting the rules, King,¡± Rayna said with a laugh as they all prepared to leave.
20 - The Starlight Phoenix
¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Dazien asked, giving her a dubious look.
¡°Look, this is a covert self-made mission to investigate kidnappers,¡± Phoenix explained as she wrapped the heavy cloak around her, ¡°We need to blend in, right? So cloaks and hoods to hide everything should do the trick, right?¡±
¡°I still think you should just stay here while I go check it out,¡± he replied.
¡°Nope. We stick together in the city. That was your rule, remember?¡± she retorted, not wanting to be left out and also wanting to see the portion of the city she hadn¡¯t visited yet. She never had a reason to go to that district before and her curiosity was getting the better of her.
¡°Besides, we¡¯re just going to look around and ask some questions, right?¡± she pointed out, ¡°We¡¯re not going to sketchy back alleys or anything.¡±
¡°Maybe you can even use your Saintliness to get people to open up more,¡± Rayna added with a grin, ¡°You know, actually benefit from all the attention you¡¯re trying to avoid?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think it would be quite the reputation she wants to have by interrogating citizens in the name of the Celestial Pantheon,¡± Uriel thankfully pointed out in her defense, ¡°That said, you really can just stay here while Daze and I go ask his old co-worker some questions.¡±
¡°But I want to see where he used to work,¡± she replied, wincing slightly at the whine in her voice, ¡°I want to know more about both of your lives here before I literally crashed into it.¡±
¡°I used to work for a very questionable Floraval Harvester as an aspiring professional Looter. There, now you know,¡± Dazien said, arms crossing in his defiance.
¡°Oh, come on,¡± she groaned, ¡°You know that¡¯s not the same as seeing it. I even got that special permission thing to portal within the city. If things get hectic again, we can just leave.¡±
¡°We can¡¯t just keep her locked up to avoid crowds in the cities or assassins in the wilds,¡± Saiya added, and she wanted to hug her for the support.
¡°We can absolutely keep her locked up,¡± her brother retorted, ¡°She even did so voluntarily the other day. I know she has plenty of enchanting materials from the monsters we loot to keep her busy.¡±
¡°Dazien,¡± Saiya said in her I¡¯m-totally-a-mother tone of disapproval, ¡°There¡¯s still a fortnight left until the blood moon will likely end. We can let her see more of the city before she leaves it for who knows how long.¡±
He seemed to thaw under Saiya¡¯s level gaze before he finally gave a heavy sigh, ¡°Fine,¡± he relented then pointed a finger at Phoenix, ¡°But if anyone sketchy starts making their way towards you, you portal right back here to the Wayland Estate and wait in the garden for us to return, alright?¡±
¡°Yes, brother dear,¡± she replied with a victorious grin before pouncing to hug Saiya.
Phoenix kept glancing around at all the shops and people moving quickly and loudly, almost shouting at each other as they haggled, bartered, and tried to maneuver through the densely packed thoroughfare.
The group tried to stay close together as the crowd shoved into them while making their way towards their first stop. Rayna agreed to cover Dazien¡¯s back as he entered the first shop to talk to the proprietor he had dealt with in the past. Meanwhile, Uriel, Saiya, and Phoenix waited around the corner of the building and out of the main causeway that the crowd was occupying.
She tried to keep her voice low as she asked, ¡°Is it always this busy?¡±
¡°It¡¯s usually busy but this is more so than normal,¡± Uriel answered as he kept his head on a swivel, looking out for potential threats and pickpockets, ¡°The influx of monsters from the blood moon, not to mention the ones summoned during the war, has led to this,¡± he gestured towards the packed crowds. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of people wanting to sell recovered monster bodies.¡±
¡°Not everyone has a looting power like you,¡± Saiya added, holding onto her arm like it was a life raft, ¡°And many people don¡¯t have the skills or knowledge to perform a looting ritual on the spot. So they¡¯ll come to locations like this to get the most from their hunts.¡±
¡°It might not always be worth the cost, but it usually is,¡± Uriel added, ¡°While the fee differs depending on who you go to or what service you¡¯re requesting, you¡¯ll usually make a profit from turning kills or captures into loot.¡±
¡°Captures?¡± Phoenix repeated with a raised brow.
Saiya frowned, ¡°I honestly disagree with that method. It seems cruel to me.¡±
Uriel nodded, ¡°Capturing creatures instead of killing them just to make sure the body doesn¡¯t dissolve or get further damaged before it can be looted¡ Look over there,¡± he said, gesturing towards a magical sled that was making its way slowly down the middle of the busy street, pulled by a silvery spotted sivatherium; the tall creature always made her think of the results of a moose and giraffe having a baby in the snow.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
When Phoenix focused more on the cargo, she recognized a collection of cages holding a pack of snolves, monstrous white wolves with two tails that were attuned to Ice and often spawned in packs. ¡°So they capture monsters, bring them here, then what? Slaughter and loot them?¡±
¡°Basically. I know it doesn¡¯t seem that different from what we do,¡± Saiya conceded, ¡°But I see it as just prolonging their suffering. Monsters are already doomed from the moment they spawn. Their constant hunger drives them to kill even if their normal aval counterpart wouldn¡¯t. I like to think that putting them out of their suffering is part of our job, aside from protecting the people they would feed on.¡±
¡°Despite what most people think, though, not all monsters spawn as aggressive, unthinking beasts,¡± Uriel chimed in, ¡°Depending on their Caste and what kind of creature they are, they could live for decades in a peaceful existence.
¡°Take the Mallophant, for example. It¡¯s a big and slow Ruby Caste monster that is passive, even friendly at times, and that¡¯s mainly because it¡¯s able to feed on plants in addition to Casters as well as being able to efficiently store that magical nutrients. It¡¯s actually known to boost the vitality of plant life in the areas they graze due to their affinity for Life magic. They can live for centuries before being unable to sustain themselves off of plants alone and needing Adventurers to intervene.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not the norm, though,¡± Saiya cut in with a slight warning in her tone, ¡°Most monsters just want to destroy any Vauva like us that they come across. Even the Mallophant will slaughter entire villages to sate its hunger as they reach the end of their reserves.¡±
Phoenix frowned as she looked back towards the snolves, assessing the Crystal Caste monsters from a new perspective. Uriel noticed her gaze and added, ¡°One of the problems we see with snolves, in particular, is that they are also native avals to the tundra.¡±
¡°Why is that a problem?¡±
He looked on sadly, ¡°They are a part of the natural ecosystem here. Meaning they belong and help keep things in balance. Plus, they often become bonded Familiars.
¡°The problem is that out in the wild, it¡¯s hard to tell the aval apart from the monster without good aura senses. So the avals that belong and wouldn¡¯t normally seek out Vauva to eat will get caught up in the monster hunts. It¡¯s causing their numbers to dwindle to near extinction.¡±
¡°I know in Epa Toivo, at least, the government there has tried putting rules around hunting some of the native avals in our area too, but a lot of people don¡¯t care or can¡¯t tell the difference,¡± Saiya added, ¡°While they¡¯ll punish the occasional offender most get away with poaching, and there¡¯s not much proof remaining once a creature has been processed.¡±
Phoenix grimaced at the cages as they continued out of sight, and her attention was suddenly brought to a small figure in front of her, tugging on her cloak as the little cinderen girl said excitedly, ¡°You¡¯re the Starlight Phoenix!¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± she said in surprise. That was a new moniker she hadn¡¯t heard before, and she wasn¡¯t certain what it might have meant.
¡°The Hero of House Wayland! My friends were talkin¡¯ about you! Hair like rubies, eyes like emeralds, and skin like sparkly diamonds! They ain¡¯t gonna believe me when I tells them I met you!¡± the young girl squealed. ¡°You¡¯re just like the Ruby Princess, savin¡¯ all us from them Reapers!¡±
¡°N-no, I¡¯m not¡ª¡± Phoenix began but was quickly interrupted by Saiya, who bent down to look the child eye to eye.
¡°That¡¯s right! This is Phoenix Wayland, the hero that conjured that big Starlight bird in the sky and protected the city from the monsters!¡± the traitorous voxen grinned, matching the girl¡¯s enthusiasm, then dropped her voice as though sharing a secret, ¡°We¡¯re on a top-secret mission at the moment, perhaps an apprentice Adventurer like yourself can help us out?¡±
¡°Ooo, what is it? Is there another monster?¡±
¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re trying to find out. Have you noticed anyone getting super secret deliveries around here?¡±
¡°There you are, scrumpet!¡± an older cinderen woman walked up to them suddenly and lifted the little girl into her arms, ¡°I said you need to be stayin¡¯ close to me in the crowds. Don¡¯t you be scarin¡¯ me like that again!¡± she scolded then turned to Saiya apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that, she gets curious and likes talkin¡¯ to¡¡± her voice died as her eyes landed on the voxen ears, then tails, then looked past Saiya to see Phoenix¡¯s face surrounded by red curls attempting to escape from her braid and out of her hood.
¡°Mama! It¡¯s the Starlight Phoenix!¡± she whispered loudly as she clung to the woman¡¯s shoulder.
Saiya spoke up again, trying to act as casually as possible and not draw more attention to them, ¡°It¡¯s no problem. Your daughter just noticed my friend here and wanted to say hello.¡±
The woman spoke in a reverent whisper, ¡°My apologies, Saint Wayland. We didn¡¯t mean to be causin¡¯ you trouble.¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s fine, really,¡± Phoenix spoke up, trying to put the woman at ease by attempting to mimic Saiya¡¯s friendly smile, ¡°We were actually hoping she might help us.¡±
¡°They¡¯re lookin¡¯ for secret packages,¡± the little girl tried whispering again into her mother¡¯s ear but failed horribly as they all heard her.
The woman suddenly went tense and got a worried look on her face, glancing nervously around her before saying carefully to the Adventurers, ¡°We don¡¯t know nothin¡¯ about no secret packages¡¡± She hesitated a moment longer before seeming to make up her mind about something and saying in barely more than a whisper, ¡°But you may want to do some questionin¡¯ at the Crimson Rose.¡±
¡°Thank you,¡± Phoenix said sincerely.
¡°No need for thankin¡¯ me for not gettin¡¯ answers,¡± the woman said roughly, then gave them a nod and added softly with a slight bow, ¡°The gods be with you, Chosen One.¡±
Phoenix felt the uncomfortable chill run down her spine at the Title but kept the grimace from showing on her face as the mother and daughter quickly vanished from view.
Uriel placed a hand on her shoulder and said softly, ¡°You give them hope. Don¡¯t be ashamed of that.¡±
¡°Even if it¡¯s a false hope?¡± she muttered bitterly.
¡°It¡¯s not,¡± he stated matter-of-factly, giving her a knowing smirk, ¡°Do we need to have that talk again about following our own advice? You would never say that the rest of us offer false hope as Adventurers. Why would being a Saint be any different?¡±
Saiya spoke over the group chat to inform Rayna and Dazien that they had a possible lead as she continued conversing quietly with her best friend, moving further into the shadows of the alley.
Phoenix gave a sigh, ¡°It¡¯s not the same, Uriel. Nobody goes around asking Adventurers to raise the dead. They expect so much more from me than I¡¯m even capable of giving.¡±
¡°Would you give it if you could, though?¡± he questioned, watching her curiously with his warm ember eyes.
She was caught off guard by the unexpected question but answered, ¡°Yes. I think? I know that¡¯s what I¡¯m already trying to do, but I feel like I¡¯m always coming up short.¡± She leaned against the metal building as she lamented, ¡°People keep ending up hurt or dead. No matter how many monsters I fight or miracles the gods use me for, it never seems to be enough.¡±
¡°But you keep fighting the monsters anyway?¡± he prompted.
¡°Of course,¡± she answered resolutely, ¡°I can¡¯t let the fact that I fail stop me from continuing to try, right?¡±
Uriel gave her one of his rare genuine smiles that she was grateful to see more often lately as he said, ¡°See, knowing you¡¯ll always try your hardest to stand between them and the monsters; that¡¯s what gives them hope. That¡¯s what makes you the Starlight Phoenix.¡±
21 - Odd
Dazien watched the entrance to the Crimson Rose, which turned out to be a run-down-looking butcher shop in a back alley near the outer city wall but not at an angle for the entrance to be seen from it. His [Eagle Eye] let the group remain at a distance while he watched for people going in or out, but it was relatively quiet.
After his brief discussion with Arin, his old co-worker from Harry¡¯s Harvest, about potential kidnappings being brought to the area, he had realized they were searching for a pebble on the beach. Mysterious packages and covered cages with creatures inside were just another normal day in the Processing District.
Phoenix¡¯s lead was better than nothing as they sat at the window of a small cafe run by an older cinderen couple on an upper floor a few buildings down. This location let him watch while keeping Phoenix off the public streets though it seemed the hoods were doing their job for the most part of keeping them unseen. It was also likely due to the fact that nobody would suspect the lauded Saint of the Celestial Pantheon to be mixed in with the crowds of the labor working class.
Why would a noble like her even bother to come here when she could simply have a servant go to the markets for her?
Dazien had been here many times before. Not just for the various jobs as a Looter, but sometimes cutting out the middleman saved him a lot of money. Getting flour here, where it was processed, and having Uriel turn it into bread was cheaper than buying a loaf at the bakery.
It had been practically impossible for Uriel to get a higher paying job, even as a Crystal Caster, due to most people taking one look at the Silencer around his neck and assuming he was a convicted criminal. It was only by the good graces of Bellarosa¡¯s proprietor letting him work as a dishwasher and sometimes-chef that Uriel was able to work at all after turning sixteen.
Finding ways to save money where they could had become a necessity, and the processing district had been a great way to do that. Now, however, he was beginning to see threats around every corner and idly wondered if this was what Uriel had felt like when they had first met.
As his thoughts drifted to his partner, so did his attention. Dazien found himself smiling at the sight of Phoenix and Uriel sitting next to each other on the bench across the table from him and Saiya while Rayna sat in a chair opposite the large windowed wall. Seeing his partner so relaxed and happy with anyone else was both a relief and a joy. Uriel being happy made him happy, and he would do whatever he could to keep that smile on his face.
It wasn¡¯t until Uriel frowned that he actually paid attention to what was being said.
¡°Wait, so you got so upset by what the Night Lurker did to me after I passed out that your earrings just exploded?¡± Phoenix asked him incredulously.
¡°They didn¡¯t explode,¡± Uriel corrected, ¡°They still kind of work. One of them just cracked and the effect seems both weaker and slower to respond now.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t all magic items explode when they break, though?¡± she asked, causing most of them to chuckle at the inaccuracy.
¡°When you fail during the enchantment process they often can,¡± Dazien interjected, ¡°And some that are singular pieces with very intricate and powerful enchantments like your sword and my shields had. Many aren¡¯t enchanted in the same way, though, or have enough¡ oomph to cause an explosion when damaged.
¡°There are also Crafting Classes that reduce the danger during the crafting process and enchantments that make it safer if it is destroyed, but many will forgo safety enchantments for more power or useful effects.¡±
He glanced back out the window towards the Crimson Rose again and let out a sigh, ¡°Why don¡¯t we leave this for today and go see if that earring can be repaired instead? I don¡¯t want to waste more of our own time chasing after rumors.¡±
Dazien almost laughed at the matching frowns the two main sources of chaos in his life gave him as his accident-prone sister objected, ¡°It¡¯s the best lead we have, though, and your parents¡ª¡±
¡°Are likely not waiting for me to come rescue them,¡± he interrupted with a firm tone. He needed to be reasonable about this whole thing and not let his hope get the better of him, ¡°It¡¯s been sixteen years since they went missing from my life. I barely remember what they even look like. A few more days won¡¯t make a difference. The AOA have an entire division dedicated to doing what we¡¯re attempting, and we have more missions of our own to see to.¡±
He went to run a hand through his hair only to remember it was currently pulled into a messy bun and smoothed his palm over it instead, ¡°I still need to turn in that report and see if Patricia managed to get the new stipulations of what missions we¡¯ll be accepting sorted out. Normally, Paul would be the one doing something like that as our official Mentor, but hopefully, as Ambassador, they¡¯ll accept her request instead.¡±
¡°Can¡¯t you just turn down anything outside the wall they offer?¡± Phoenix asked, ¡°I know that we basically get assigned missions during the blood moon instead of picking from anything available, but I thought we can still decline.¡±
Dazien gave a sigh, ¡°We can, but then it looks bad. It¡¯s a bit of a smear on our party¡¯s reputation to decline something that has been specifically assigned, especially during a blood moon. I¡¯m worried that doing so will either signal to others that we¡¯re not confident in our capabilities or that we¡¯re trying to take advantage of our privilege by only taking missions we prefer, unlike others who don¡¯t have as much political leeway.
¡°Also, many Adventurers take dangerous missions like the one we just did for the income, and declining might be seen as paying for safety during a blood moon. We don¡¯t want people starting rumors that the Regent and Heir of House Wayland are sitting back nice and safe within the city while others risk their lives fighting monsters.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that kinda what we¡¯re doing by requesting not to be assigned those missions in the first place?¡± Rayna asked while leaning back in her chair.
¡°Yes, but no,¡± he continued explaining, ¡°If we put on paper that we¡¯re requesting the limitation due to an attempted assassination, that gives us legitimacy in declining. If they tried to give us a mission like that now, they¡¯d be seen as the ones furthering the danger to us rather than us running from it.¡±
Phoenix scrunched her nose at him and he smiled at the habit as she asked, ¡°Have I mentioned how much I hate weird social politics like this?¡±
¡°Multiple times,¡± he replied with a chuckle, ¡°But that¡¯s what being a noble or any person of prominence entails. Whether you want it or not, you are the politics. Everything we do in public will be analyzed and seen as pushing some agenda, even if it¡¯s just drinking a cup of coffee at a cafe.¡±
Saiya smiled at that, ¡°I remember reading a news article back in Viimeinen talking about one of the local nobles choosing to drink tea over coffee at a cafe and then speculating over the imminent fall in prices of the coffee beans that Epa Toivo exports. Like choosing tea was signaling some insider knowledge that the latest harvest was worse somehow.¡±
¡°So, when are we leaving the tundra again?¡± Phoenix asked, turning back to look at him with pleading eyes.
Dazien laughed, ¡°A fortnight from now, the blood moon is estimated to come to its end, and we¡¯ll be on a ship headed east,¡± he replied, then gave a wicked grin as he added, ¡°After the parties, of course.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.
As he predicted, both Phoenix and Uriel groaned while Rayna cheered. Saiya chuckled and wrapped her arm in his as she whispered, ¡°You enjoyed that far too much.¡±
He smiled brightly at her and whispered mentally, ¡°I look forward to enjoying it even more when they realize that this time, there will be dancing involved.¡±
Dazien mentally groaned when he saw Ramir Mirimel at the desk for ¡°Mission Delivery,¡± where he would be returning his latest report. Normally, the runeforged man was stationed at ¡°Mission Receiving¡± to hand out tasks and verify qualification, but the functionaries would change up who was where from time to time, so it wasn¡¯t that out of the ordinary¡ just annoying.
¡°Mister Smithson,¡± the attendant greeted him when it was finally his turn in the queue.
¡°That¡¯s Noble Wayland, Mister Mirimel,¡± he corrected, not feeling up to his usual game of banter when he was already feeling down about the waste of time they had spent in the Processing District earlier.
¡°Right, my apologies,¡± Ramir replied and surprised him by giving a slight bow of his head, ¡°Habits are hard to break. Please forgive the slip.¡±
Dazien was eyeing him suspiciously now. The runeforged had never bothered to treat him with respect before, and he wondered what had suddenly changed. It was odd to see this man actually showing some deference, even if it was a mask.
¡°It¡¯s forgiven,¡± he replied slowly, handing over the paperwork he had completed earlier, ¡°This is the report on the Night Lurkers. We managed to find and eliminate four of them before needing to retreat due to interference.¡±
¡°Yes, Ambassador Wayland has been on a ramp¡ª I mean, she has made it well known that some Emerald Caster likely interfered to endanger Saint Wayland,¡± the functionary replied with a sour expression that suddenly made the newfound deference make more sense to him.
Ramir seemed to glance over his report briefly before adding, ¡°I also owe you an additional apology for my earlier dismissal of your concerns regarding those death reports.¡±
Dazien narrowed his eyes as he prodded, ¡°Because of the habit of not treating me like a noble?¡±
The Sapphire Caster¡¯s face twisted in disgust before smoothing over again into a more indifferent professionalism as the man bowed his head once more and said contritely, ¡°And for dismissing the concern out of hand. Another person approached with a similar concern and a potential place to investigate further.¡±
¡°Really?¡± he asked in surprise. Perhaps rumors of their investigation had already spread? He was almost certain Arin would let it slip accidentally, which could be either a good or bad thing. Or maybe Camilla had gotten more people involved? He was almost positive that the older woman would have mentioned something about all this to Lord Teras.
¡°Yes, wait here one moment, please,¡± Ramir replied, then left to walk over to a back room and disappeared for a few moments before returning with a new sheet of paper for him, ¡°I actually wanted to be the one to give this to you as an added apology for my behavior before.¡±
Dazien took the proffered paper only to discover it was an official mission assigning King¡¯s Dream to further investigate the specified location that was under suspicion: The Crimson Rose.
He was slightly stunned that it was actually the same place and that they were the ones being given the mission. ¡°The AOA wants us to look into this?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± the runeforged replied firmly, ¡°It¡¯s within the city and has a time limit of two days before an additional mission will be made should you return empty-handed. I believe the higher-ups wanted to kick the hornet¡¯s nest, so to speak, by sending in such a prominent party that¡¯s protected by the gods.¡±
Dazien looked over the mission statement again, but everything about it seemed legitimate, even the signature for the Assistant Director of Investigations was there, but he had never seen it before to compare or know for sure. Forging an official mission like this was practically unheard of, though, so despite his misgivings and poor history with the man in front of him, he had no reason to decline.
¡°Very well then,¡± he finally answered, ¡°We¡¯ll poke around and let the AOA know what we¡¯ve uncovered in two day¡¯s time.¡±
Camilla Saren knew something was wrong as soon as she got home from her visit to the temple of the Undertaker with the little information she had been given. High Priestess Esilin Deveen had agreed to meet with her personally, which she had suspected was due to her distant relation to Paul and Phoenix, though she hadn¡¯t quite put together why yet since her new cousin wasn¡¯t the Saint of that particular god.
The information the priestess had let slip with her questions had clued Camilla into the ulterior reasoning but she didn¡¯t have time to dig into that puzzle yet. Instead, she was trying to piece together the reports she had been able to get from the woman after hours of awkwardly trading questions and answers. She hated that part the most.
She had confirmed the death of Dazien¡¯s mother, Lora Smithson, along with some of the other people, but none of the pairs together. This meant his father was still missing. That was an oddity in itself, but the causes of death were the most concerning. In a majority of the cases, including Lora¡¯s, they had died from exsanguination.
While that could be for a variety of reasons, the one that concerned her the most was vampires. The counterargument to that, however, was the unlikelihood that a nest of vampires, or even just a single one, could hide in the city for so long without anyone taking notice.
All of that wasn¡¯t what let Camilla know something was wrong now, however. No, what was wrong was the envelope lying on the entryway floor that had been slipped under the door.
Nobody wrote her letters.
If the Order of Magic wanted something from her, they sent a messenger or one of the little magical construct birds they had started using now that they could work consistently in the area with the raised magic levels.
She cautiously nudged the envelope with her foot, but nothing happened. She walked past it, and still nothing happened. She bent down and carefully lifted it up with just a thumb and finger while holding it as far away from her as possible, but still, nothing happened.
Then she opened it, still held away from her, as the plain wax seal broke and she read the note inside.
Your Adventurers are the price for your curiosity.
Stay away and stay silent, or you¡¯re next.
Not even Teras can protect you.
Then she yelped in surprise as the note burst into flames and quickly became unreadable ash. Camilla didn¡¯t waste any more time as she ran to the building of the newest person she had thought might become a friend and not just family. Not bothering to explain herself to anyone, she sprinted down the streets or hallways of the Wayland Estate, where she was supposed to meet King¡¯s Dream later. Then slammed open the door to the room the party should have been in.
¡°They know you¡¯re coming!¡± she shouted before registering the designated room was empty and her cousins nowhere to be found. She immediately noticed the odd pattern laid out on the map and shuddered. She hated that part of the city. Always noisy and crowded with people and creatures.
Her gaze roamed the room and at the traces of aural signatures that floated around it. Her enchanted spectacles had been specifically designed to help focus the traces and filter out the older ones that her perception ability could often overwhelm her with. The tangle of noise and colors made her head spin.
Camilla easily found the shimmering silver thread she recognized as belonging to Phoenix. She also saw her other cousin¡¯s golden thread that was often entwined with a dark red one, along with the blue and amber threads that belonged to the odd voxens. She immediately followed the trail, intent on warning her potential friend of the trap.
However, she was soon halted at the front door by another Sapphire Caster. She couldn¡¯t just barge past like she had when coming into the building. Camilla gave a huff of annoyance at the inconvenience but realized from the brilliant blue thread trailing behind the woman that it was yet another cousin of hers, though she had rarely spoken to this one.
The researcher noticed Padma¡¯s smile in her periphery as the runeforged woman kindly asked, ¡°Do you need some help, cousin?¡±
The soft tone of voice helped her relax slightly. It reminded her of Paul, and she tried to explain, even without the proper preparation, ¡°Y-yes. I need to, um, warn them.¡±
¡°Warn who?¡±
¡°Um, King¡¯s Dream,¡± she answered as succinctly as possible. People didn¡¯t normally like if she rambled on too much, ¡°They¡¯re, uh, in t-trouble. I¡¯m going to t-track them.¡±
The runeforged shifted in surprise, ¡°Uriel¡¯s in trouble?¡±
She found it odd that the woman seemed more concerned about the possible-demon than their cousins but nodded in confirmation anyway.
Her entire body tensed when Padma took her hand and said, ¡°Well, let¡¯s go find them then. I can help you out if there¡¯s trouble. I am an Adventurer, after all.¡±
Camilla didn¡¯t reply immediately, promptly extricating her hand instead. At the frown she managed to notice she added, ¡°O-okay. This way,¡± and was glad to see the smile return, avoiding the potential punishment.
22 - Monsters and Men
¡°Look, we have permission now to go in and ask questions,¡± Phoenix said, trying to convince her brother not to waste any of the two days they had to investigate, ¡°There¡¯s still an hour before we¡¯re going to meet up with Everin and Camilla back here which should be plenty of time to get some initial information then return with Everin if we need to.¡±
¡°Would he even be allowed to help us on a mission without being an official party member yet?¡± Rayna asked as they were discussing the newest task among the garden atop the Wayland Estate.
They had decided to use this location to portal to for more casual discussions rather than the street outside the AOA building they would normally be at. Even little things like this were becoming a headache for them and Phoenix was feeling ready to leave just as much as everyone else seemed to be.
¡°I believe he¡¯s working a different mission at the moment, but if he¡¯s done with that already, I don¡¯t think there would be anything preventing him from assisting,¡± Dazien replied thoughtfully, ¡°It¡¯s part of what I was going to discuss with him later. We should just wait and see what he has to say.¡±
¡°But¡ª¡±
¡°No, Phoenix,¡± he interjected firmly, and she scrunched her nose at the interruption, ¡°I¡¯m putting my foot down on this one. One hour isn¡¯t going to make such a difference that we can¡¯t play this smarter. These people are supposedly strong enough to kidnap Casters off the streets. Do you want to risk any of our lives by going in too rashly when we have an Emerald willing to help us?¡±
¡°Well, when you put it like that, no,¡± she admitted. Phoenix hadn¡¯t thought about it like that before. She just really wanted to go in and find Dazien¡¯s parents for him. What if that one hour or few days really did matter? If it was Paul or her own mother who was trapped and being held as slaves, she¡¯d want to free them as soon as possible. That was the whole reason she agreed to picking out her Spirit Gems instead of waiting, wasn¡¯t it? Now, he wanted to wait, and it was making her frustrated.
Saiya leaned over to grab her arm instead of Dazien¡¯s and said, ¡°I know waiting seems counter-intuitive at the moment, but I agree that safer is better in this case. If someone might have known where we were in the wilds, there¡¯s a good chance they know where we¡¯ll be in the city, even with Pati shaking the AOA like a ruebean tree to find any rotten fruit.¡±
Phoenix gave an annoyed huff, and Dazien chuckled. ¡°What?¡± she snapped, thinking he was laughing at the group mom scolding her.
He raised his hands defensively, ¡°Sorry, you just remind me of Paul every time you seem exasperated like that.¡±
She softened at that. Offering a tentative smile, she said, ¡°He did sigh at us a lot, didn¡¯t he?¡±
¡°Some more than others,¡± Saiya interjected with a grin.
¡°I guess he never did that to you, did he?¡±
¡°I never gave him a reason to. Like running off to do something foolish without her party¡¯s support¡¡±
Phoenix sighed at the pointed look, ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll wait for Everin, but then I¡¯m portaling straight back there. He¡¯s stupid fast and can fly. He can meet us there.¡±
Everin looked over the mission document with wariness, not liking the situation Dazien had just finished describing to him at all.
¡°I agree that now might be the best time to have me officially join your party if Emeralds are seeing you as easy targets. My presence alone should act as a deterrent to simple attacks of opportunity.¡±
Phoenix snorted a laugh, and he quirked a brow at her in silent question. She waved her hand dismissively, ¡°Nothing, sorry, just the phrase reminded me of a game from my old world. I don¡¯t believe it works the same way in this one, though. Combat would be very different if we all took turns properly.¡±
¡°Took turns? What, like, you just stand there for the enemy to have their turn to attack?¡± Dazien asked.
¡°Not like¡ª¡± Phoenix paused as she amended, ¡°Well, now that you mention it, I think some armies did something like that at one point ¡ªwhich I agree was super weird¡ª but that¡¯s not what I meant.¡±
¡°Every time you talk about your world, I wonder how anyone survived or remained sane there,¡± he grumbled.
She laughed, ¡°We don¡¯t have monsters trying to kill us constantly, remember?¡±
¡°Oh, right. Just the other humans, then.¡±
¡°They weren¡¯t all bad. I survived okay there.¡±
Dazien gave her a flat look, ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡±
¡°While I love watching you two banter,¡± Everin said, interrupting the squabbling siblings, ¡°We have more important concerns at the moment. Namely, completing this mission without any of you dying or appearing like you just handed it off to a stronger Caster outside of your party.¡±
¡°Is Scholar telling you anything?¡± Saiya asked him quietly as she clung to Phoenix¡¯s arm.
¡°No, but it¡¯s not like she¡¯s always whispering warnings into my ear. She¡¯s been completely silent on the whole Blackout issue, and if this is somehow connected to that, then I don¡¯t expect her to suddenly start handing out answers now,¡± he replied, miffed by the whole situation.
¡°I was thinking the best way to avoid that reputation problem would simply be to have you join us in the investigation,¡± Dazien replied, refocusing on the task at hand. ¡°I¡¯m hoping that if you¡¯re there as a deterrent, it will be enough for us to poke around, ask some very pointed questions, maybe even discover who¡¯s behind all of this, then return with our report to the AOA along with the form declaring you as an official member of King¡¯s Dream to waylay any negative rumors.¡±
Everin nodded, ¡°That may work best, especially with our limited time given. I don¡¯t think the AOA is expecting us to resolve all of this in only two days. The mission really does seem like they just want to buy some time to scare some rabbits out of their burrows.¡±
¡°Well, let¡¯s get going then,¡± Phoenix promptly said, standing and conjuring her portal, ¡°Time¡¯s ticking, and if there are captives, I¡¯m not going to let them suffer longer.¡±
Everin chuckled, ¡°There¡¯s the impatient hero we all know and love.¡±
She rolled her eyes at him, and he ruffled her hair, much to her adorable displeasure, and he added, ¡°I¡¯ll meet you there then. Just don¡¯t break down the door without me.¡±
When Phoenix pushed open the door of the Crimson Rose ahead of the rest of her party and went into the shop, she immediately wrinkled her nose at the smell. Poor Uriel almost keeled over beside her, and she pitied his particular perception power that was making the horrendous scent of death all the more pungent.
¡°I think I¡¯m just going to wait outside. One of us should probably stand watch anyways,¡± Uriel managed to say before making his escape from the empty butchery.
While the Silencer completely shut down most abilities, things that were more fundamental to a person¡¯s being, like some Transfigurations and Perceptions, were less impacted. For Uriel, that meant his sensitive nose was only able to smell someone a few meters away instead of down the street. She fully believed his nose was what made him such a great cook, however, and wouldn¡¯t wish him any other perception.
¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be alone,¡± Dazien replied, but Uriel waved him off.
¡°I¡¯ll be right outside, and we can still whisper over the chat network. This is just too much blood and death for me¡ I need air,¡± Uriel said, walking back out the door looking paler than Phoenix ever recalled. She worried that he¡¯d be sick from both the smell and potential memories it was conjuring up for him.
The odor made it even more obvious why the shop was empty, and Phoenix took advantage of the opportunity to practice not breathing as they made their way toward the back. It felt eerily silent as they wandered further in and didn¡¯t find anyone to question.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
¡°Perhaps they don¡¯t really expect company?¡± Phoenix asked Dazien over the mental communication so she wouldn¡¯t have to open her mouth. He was also surveying the area with a concerned expression.
¡°That woman from before who first mentioned this shop did seem to have some kind of clue as to what this place might be. Maybe the locals just know to avoid it?¡± Saiya speculated.
¡°It¡¯s probably just the smell and those prices,¡± Rayna argued, gesturing up at the sign listing prices for processing creatures. ¡°You¡¯d have to get insanely lucky with the loot to make it worth coughing up that many Bits.¡±
¡°It does seem odd for a shop, but my aura isn¡¯t sensing any Casters in the building at the moment,¡± Everin stated, glancing around as well with those odd-colored eyes. ¡°There are some animals and avals on the lower floors and Mundanes on the upper floors, but I¡¯m pretty sure those are residential homes for workers in the area.¡±
¡°Must be cheap housing to be in this district,¡± Rayna muttered, then glanced over at the Defender, ¡°Did you ever live here if you worked nearby?¡±
¡°Uriel wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the smell, I think,¡± Dazien replied, ¡°It¡¯s also not cheaper than the place we found in the International District. A lot of people prefer living closer to work than closer to people they view as outsiders.¡±
¡°It hasn¡¯t been too bad for us in the city,¡± Saiya said, ¡°Sure, we get some curious looks, but I haven¡¯t felt any hostility or anything.¡±
¡°With Epa Toivo as neighbors, voxen aren¡¯t as uncommon of visitors as some of the other species, like draconids or felions.¡±
¡°Or gemites,¡± Uriel¡¯s voice said bitterly over the chat.
Dazien frowned, ¡°Let¡¯s just keep looking around for some information,¡± he said, shifting the topic back to the mission, ¡°We can say we were looking for the proprietor, which we are. Lady Saiya, why don¡¯t you stay with Uriel? I really don¡¯t like the idea of leaving him alone.¡±
They all nodded at the instruction then Saiya headed back out the door while the remaining four continued past the counter and through the only door leading further into the building. Phoenix noted the odd symbol of a red rose inside a wine glass emblazoned above the door and wondered if that was the reason for the allegorical shop name.
Instead of stairs leading up into the tall building, there were only stairs leading down to the lower levels. Most buildings in Tulimeir, aside from the temples, were made of metal and tinted colored glass and were at least ten stories tall, trying to make the most of the tightly packed space within the safety of the walls. Most of the buildings had an equal amount of floors below the ground as well, utilizing the space to surround the underground Reality Rift that was the heart of the city.
On the next floor down, they found rows of cages that held sickly-looking creatures, some already dead, that seemed to be the cause of the awful smell. Snolves missing tails, Icespitters and Flaywings with broken wings and muzzled beaks, declawed Frostprowlers trapped in too-small of a space.
Nobody was there, though, just as Everin had said, which made the group slightly more nervous as they continued looking around.
Phoenix felt disgusted by the sight of the animals forced to lay in their own filth and seemingly half-starved as they could barely whine, let alone attempt to be aggressive towards them.
A litter of dirty once-snow-white frolf pups made her heart twist in anger and sorrow as she saw only one still alive when it weakly crawled away from them, its ice blue eyes staring at her in fear.
¡°I see now what you meant by cruelty,¡± Phoenix muttered to Saiya, ¡°I¡¯m not sure even a monster deserves this kind of prolonged suffering.¡±
¡°We should kill the rest,¡± Rayna stated firmly, but Dazien raised a hand.
¡°We¡¯re on a mission, remember? We can¡¯t let these people get away with kidnapping Casters just because we got distracted by putting a few animals out of their misery,¡± he said pragmatically.
Phoenix glanced around at the zoo of torment and said bitterly, ¡°I think the bandits we killed were less like monsters than these people¡¡±
Rayna scowled at her, ¡°Monsters are monsters. You should put them all out of their misery. I thought you¡¯ve gotten past this?¡±
She gave a small shrug as they resumed walking back towards the door to continue downwards, ¡°There¡¯s a difference between those who do evil deeds with good intentions and those who do it for selfish gains,¡± she said, gesturing towards the animals planning to be slaughtered for profit, ¡°Is a thief who steals to feed their children truly as bad as the person who would abuse those children to feel powerful or torture and murder living beings for money?¡±
Rayna followed behind Phoenix as Dazien led them down to the next floor with Everin bringing up the rear. ¡°Are you suggesting these people are stealing other people to feed their children?¡±
¡°Of course not,¡± Phoenix said with her own scowl towards Rayna, ¡°It¡¯s just an example. My point is that I don¡¯t think it¡¯s as black and white as you make it seem.¡±
¡°Look, I¡¯m not going to stop defending myself just to ask why they¡¯re trying to kill me. If it makes you feel better, just think of the moment I have to take their life as deliverance from whatever poor circumstances or evil reasoning they had.¡±
Phoenix gave an annoyed huff as she crossed her arms and asked, ¡°But what if we can help them change? To get better? Shouldn¡¯t we question why they did it so we can prevent the same thing happening to others?¡±
¡°Sure,¡± the bard responded with a noncommittal shrug, ¡°We should always work towards a better tomorrow, but for today,¡± she punched a fist into her other hand to emphasize her next words, ¡°I¡¯m going to kill these evil pricks.¡±
Phoenix rolled her eyes at the melodramatic display and continued questioning, ¡°But it¡¯s like the snolves; how can we truly tell the difference between monsters and men? Uriel¡¯s own history makes it clear that even doing evil things isn¡¯t always because the person themselves is evil.¡±
¡°True, but even if it was someone like Uriel attacking us, I would agree with Rayna in this case,¡± Dazien surprised her by saying over his shoulder, ¡°We can work to try and stop people from experiencing what Uriel went through. We can even try to heal any we manage to save if the situation allows for it.¡±
He paused in the stairwell as he turned to make eye contact with her, ¡°But when you come face to face with a monster that threatens everyone, even one being controlled by others, do not hesitate to release them from that fate rather than risk the lives of the innocent, which includes yourself. Hesitating in the middle of combat because you wonder if you can save them will only get other people killed.¡±
They stared at each other for a moment before Phoenix bowed her head in acquiescence, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ve either been too hesitant or too reckless, and others have paid the price more often than I have. It¡¯s hard to find the balance, though.¡±
Dazien gave her a reassuring smile, ¡°That¡¯s what you have us for. Together, we balance each other.¡±
Her party leader turned and opened the door to the next room and they stared in confusion at the large and mostly empty space. The floor, ceiling, and walls were all smooth marble that was black instead of the usual whites and grays found in most of the city construction. In the center of the floor was a large grate like a sewer drain.
On the opposite side of the room was another door and something about the size and shape of a large armoire covered in a canvas sheet.
Dazien glanced at Everin, who shrugged at the unspoken question and said over the mental network, ¡°I don¡¯t sense anything, but that doesn¡¯t mean there aren¡¯t physical traps. Send Phoenix in first and meet back at the garden if it goes horribly wrong?¡±
¡°Sending me in as a sacrifice?¡±
¡°Better the immortal than one of us.¡±
Phoenix rolled her eyes and took a step into the blank room. Nothing happened. She focused on the grate in the floor as the rest of the group followed her inside the strange room a few moments later. Dazien and Rayna seemed more interested in what was under the sheet as they both walked straight towards it to investigate.
¡°What is this for?¡± she asked, gesturing towards the drain.
¡°Well, I¡¯m not an expert in butchery, but I think this is the slaughter room,¡± Everin replied, joining her in examining the room¡¯s center.
The weight of the door had it slowly closing on its own behind them, and as she heard it latch shut, Everin suddenly froze before staring back at the closed door. The look of concern on his face had her ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t sense anything outside the room anymore,¡± he replied with a frown as he moved to reopen the door¡ which didn¡¯t budge.
Instead of opening, the door began to glow. Intricate runes visually materialized as the magic within seemed to get re-triggered upon its closing, spreading out from the door and lighting up the walls with even more diagrams that had Phoenix¡¯s eyes going wide at the unfamiliar enchantments.
¡°Well, that¡¯s definitely not good,¡± Everin said as the room lit up with the blue glow, and he tried yanking the door handle again.
The sound of the canvas sheet hitting the floor and a sharp gasp drew her attention back to her brother and friend as she saw the source of their surprise.
It was a glass display case mounted into the wall¡ holding a complete skeleton made of crystalline amethyst bones.
¡°Oh. My. Gods. That is soooo shiny! And purple, too! Can I keep it?!¡± Tala¡¯s voice interjected into her mind.
¡°What? Absolutely not!¡± she replied to the Familiar and was about to scold her further when the magic surrounding them drew her focus back to the bones.
To her horror and adrenaline-spiking panic, when the glowing mana making its way through the enchantment¡¯s ley lines across the room finally reached the inert skeleton, it seemed to almost come alive as the dark hollows of its eyes began to glow with the same Arcane blue and a feminine voice spoke from its open jaw.
¡°Intruders detected. Defensive protocols initialized. Lockdown and neutralization rituals will now commence.¡±
Dazien gently touched the glass separating him from the long-dead figure as he said in a broken whisper that made her heart hurt, ¡°Mom?¡±
23 - Mere Ingredient
¡°Hey, Daze?¡± Uriel said over the mental chat, ¡°I got Camilla out here saying she needs to talk to Phoenix right away.¡±
¡°Camilla, just take your time to explain. There¡¯s no rush,¡± Saiya said, trying to calm the visibly upset woman. Uriel frowned when no response came back from the others and he glanced at the door behind him as he contemplated going in after them.
¡°She¡¯s been like this since she arrived at the Estate looking for you all,¡± Padma tried to explain to them, ¡°Her tracking took us to that cafe down the street. I¡¯m just glad I saw you both standing out here.¡±
Uriel noticed when Padma put a hand on Camilla¡¯s shoulder, causing the shy woman to flinch, and he found himself snapping in the researcher¡¯s defense, ¡°Don¡¯t touch her!¡±
The runeforged was the next to flinch as she raised her hands defensively and took a step back. Padma stared at him with wide eyes, and he ended up saying in a much angrier tone than he had wanted, ¡°She obviously doesn¡¯t like people touching her.¡±
¡°But why¡ª¡±
¡°Why is none of our business,¡± he interrupted, recalling his own time recovering from flinching in much the same way, ¡°There are many reasons why, and none of them should matter when it comes to whether you touch people against their wishes.¡±
It had taken him years to stop reacting to every sudden touch as though it was an attack. His months of torture and fighting for his life in the Rings had made him correlate any physical contact as a threat, and only his meetings with Jacob and getting closer to Dazien had helped him suppress the reaction.
He doubted that was Camilla¡¯s reasoning, but the principle was the same in his mind.
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± the younger woman replied softly, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to make either of you uncomfortable.¡±
Uriel felt his cheeks heat at the reminder of their previous talk about touching. He hadn¡¯t meant to make that connection; he just didn¡¯t want to see Camilla forced to deal with things he had struggled with as well.
He softened his stance as Saiya slipped a hand in his, her aura washing over all of them in an attempt to diffuse the situation. He glanced down at the smaller voxen as she said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we just¡ª¡±
Her words were cut off as multiple things happened at once that Uriel¡¯s Crystal Caste senses had difficulty following.
Saiya¡¯s hand was ripped from his as some kind of magical net pinned her to the ground.
Padma was thrown through the glass window beside the door directly behind him as something struck her from behind. Then he realized it wasn¡¯t something but someone.
An intimidating figure in a dark crimson cloak moved too fast for him to react as they grabbed Camilla by the throat and lifted her from the ground.
He could see the panic and terror in the older woman¡¯s face as she clawed at the attacker¡¯s arm in vain, and he yelled, ¡°Let her go!¡± Before attempting to cast his [Plague Bearer] spell.
Then the stranger threw her to follow Padma into the shop with the sickening sound of breaking bones and muffled cries as she impacted against the runeforged inside.
Then, the large stranger was in front of him, and Uriel was looking directly into a cinderen face with glowing red eyes and strange white hair. The man smirked and flicked the Silencer around his throat, ¡°Look at ya makin¡¯ this easy for me and collarin¡¯ yerself.¡±
Then blackness filled Uriel¡¯s consciousness as a fist slammed into his temple.
Dazien¡¯s mind felt blank and overwhelmed at the same time. A blizzard of emotions that he couldn¡¯t even attempt to identify without Saiya¡¯s help. A swirl of white that kept shifting and slowly made him numb.
The skeleton that was slightly smaller than he was and with a wider pelvis stared back at him with unseeing hollows glowing with an eerie blue light where he knew amethyst eyes had once been. Eyes that had matched his own.
Then she spoke and his suspicion was confirmed as the vague memories he had of her voice were reinforced from hearing it echo through the room around him. He never thought he would ever hear that soothing, melodic voice again.
He had known it was a long shot to find his parents. Even a scrap of paper explaining what might have happened to them in some dusty record book was the most realistic hope he had allowed himself. He never expected to find his mother¡¯s bones magically strapped to a wall in the center of an enchantment diagram.
Like a mere ingredient.
Then, a feeling he did recognize sprung to the forefront of his mind: anger.
Unbridled rage that his own mother had experienced one of his worst fears, to be reduced to nothing more than a product. That her worth was seen only in what her body could offer. They had taken her because she was a rare enchantment component.
How dare they steal her from his life.
Now, he was determined to claim their lives in return.
As his wild rage focused into vengeant wrath towards the evil beings that had caused it, sapphire light filled his vision.
Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide at the sight of pale blue light emanating off Dazien as he stared at the remnants of the gemite tied into the enchanted room. She didn¡¯t need her [Guide Book] to explain that one of Dazien¡¯s Natural Talents was cultivating again ¡ªshe had seen the effect before in Paul¡ª but it was nice to have the book confirm how her brother was changing.
Dazien Wayland has cultivated a Natural Talent.
Natural Talent: Wrath of the King
Cultivated from [Earthborn] due to soul actualization.
- Fortitude and Strength attributes are increased.
- The strength of your aura to suppress others is greatly increased.
- Damage dealt by Retribution effects is greatly increased.
- When one of your abilities is resisted, you gain an instance of [Dominance].
- Dominance (boon, magical, covenant, stacking): Your Covenant abilities have an increased chance to overcome resistances, including resistances of higher Caste.
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Concern filled Phoenix as she read over the effects, and the name alone made her think perhaps Dazien was starting to take after their adoptive father a little too much. She didn¡¯t have time to have a calm discussion, however, as the floor below her seemed to groan, and little holes appeared. Then, a dark red mist began to rise from them.
Everin recited the incantations for a few of his Boons and then slammed his shoulder against the door, his Emerald Strength causing the structure to shudder, but it didn¡¯t buckle. ¡°Phoenix, can you make a portal?¡± the rainbow voxen shouted at her.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.
She did as instructed, or tried to at least; the new effect from her Sanctuary Spirit Gem made it obvious that it had triggered.
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Ability: Transversing the Stars
Type: Utility (construct, magical, dimension)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (1%)
Crystal Effect: Construct a star gate between two locations on a regional scale. The destination gate must appear in a location you have an aural imprint on.
Sapphire Effect: Your portals have a protective zone around them that knocks back enemies upon creation while consecrating the ground within, granting the zone enhanced effects from your auras.
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The ground of the new zone effect produced a sparkle like the night sky, even as the red mist filled the room, making it more reminiscent of the sky during a blood moon. However, when she saw the silver portal ring appear beside her, she immediately recognized the effects of the anti-teleportation rituals at work since it was clearly lacking the sheet of night within the ring.
She wasn¡¯t positive if the zone was going beyond the wall of the enchanted room or if they were being forcibly contained as the floor effect spanned the entire room. She was guessing it was the latter as the walls seemed to gain a layer of dark shadowy mist from her [Embrace of Shadows], and she noticed the [Sun Shell] from her [Radiant Sunlight] aura flickering as though waging battle with the glowing enchantments that were at least Emerald Caste if Everin couldn¡¯t break through them.
The small swarm of [Starlight Companions] and [Night Wisps] basically bouncing against the walls in their attempt to get past was also a distracting sight. She almost didn¡¯t notice the effects of the crimson mist inflicting her with Banes, and she looked to her [Guide Book] once more for clarification on what she was sensing.
Status Effect: Coagulate
Type: Bane (magical, blood)
Caste: Emerald 7
Effects:
- Health regeneration is greatly decreased.
- Healing abilities are less effective.
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Status Effect: Enervating Mist
Type: Bane (magical, dark)
Caste: Emerald 7
Effects:
- Stamina is continually drained at a severe rate until you become unconscious.
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Everin¡¯s growl was more distracting than the information as he practically teleported across the room with his greatly enhanced Agility and tried slamming into the glass case surrounding the animated skeleton.
¡°What are you doing?¡± Dazien shouted as Everin¡¯s fist hit the glass, making it warble but not break.
¡°I¡¯m going to destroy it so we don¡¯t become kidnapped ourselves!¡± he retorted angrily before gesturing to Rayna to help punch.
¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch her!¡± the Defender began to argue, grabbing the Avatar¡¯s robes in a vain attempt to stop him.
¡°She¡¯s dead, Dazien! You really want her memory to be what kills us all?¡± Everin exclaimed before the glass barrier began glowing with a red light that revealed a separate enchantment diagram.
¡°Hostiles detected. Deploying Emerald Caste rapid response measures,¡± the eerie voice of the bones announced.
Once again, Phoenix was reminded of the true law of this world as the Rule of Caste revealed itself in the form of a swarm of snakes with scales such a dark purple they were almost black. They slithered through holes that she hadn¡¯t noticed in the ceiling before or perhaps like the floor had simply opened when needed.
Her already expanded aura recognized them as a Familiar. However, despite having multiple separate bodies it was a singular entity to her senses. A hive mind with a shared aura. She had only read about them before though Uriel mentioned Priest Jacob having a similar type.
¡°Why¡¯d it have to be snakes?!¡± she groaned.
The mental tangent was brief but costly as the Emerald Caste creatures rained down on them. Small and quick, she was bit and laden with another Bane before she fully realized what they even were.
Status Effect: Malevolent Kiss
Type: Bane (magical, dark, death)
Caste: Emerald 1
Effects:
- Maximum health, mana, and stamina are reduced.
- When any resource becomes reduced to 1%, all damaging Banes are purged and you enter a death-like sleep for a long duration.
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She was already feeling weary and sluggish from the effects of the mist, and it was only seconds before she succumbed.
Everin cursed as both Phoenix and Rayna collapsed to the ground in almost the same moment. ¡°May the divine sanctuary protect us from the will of the oppressor!¡± he incanted, trying to buy time.
Class Ability: Sanctuary
Type: Spell (zone, divine, magical, life, radiant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Current Caste: Emerald 1 (27%)
Crystal Effect: Create a zone of increased regeneration for all allies within for a long duration.
Sapphire Effect: Enemies that enter the zone become inflicted with [Divine Retribution] while in the area.
Emerald Effect: Periodically cleanses Magical Banes from allies within the zone.
- Divine Retribution (retribution, divine, radiant): Damage dealt is inflicted back at a greatly increased amount.
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¡°Can you conjure your [Armory] to put this in?¡± he asked Dazien, who was barely still standing and likely only due to having Fortitude-increasing passives. He swiped at the deathly snake Familiar with his claws to try and keep them off both him and the lower Caste Defender.
Dazien conjured the golden doorway but once the door was opened it was obvious that it suffered the same dimensional interference that Phoenix¡¯s portal did. He glared at it then conjured his glimmering diamond sword to thrust at the enchanted case instead, reciting the incantation for his execute, ¡°You have been weighed, measured, and found wanting.¡±
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Class Ability: Royal Executioner
Type: Execute (divine, radiant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (2%)
Crystal Effect: Enchants a blade so that its next attack deals additional Radiant damage on impact. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
Sapphire Effect: Base damage is slightly increased for each Bane on the target and each Boon on you.
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The sound of the gem-like sword screeching across the glass surface was the most damaging thing accomplished by the Sapphire Caster. The glowing red ley lines of the protective enchantments signaled their defiance against the man who would be king.
Dazien pulled back his arm again to attack with another ability that began to ramp up, but it only served to drain the warrior¡¯s stamina faster, with each thrust giving off sparks of rainbow light. At least he managed to crack the glass that time.
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Ability: Accelerating Strikes
Type: Special Attack (combination, divine, radiant)
Cost: Low stamina, increasing with each successive attack.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (1%)
Crystal Effect: Each attack slightly increases your attack speed while this ability is active.
Sapphire Effect: After a threshold of successive attacks is reached, escalating Radiant damage is inflicted with each attack.
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When Dazien staggered and collapsed to the ground to join his other companions, he knew the [Malevolent Kiss] had claimed the younger man¡¯s consciousness.
Everin cursed again and wished for the millionth time in his life that he had at least one ability that could deal direct damage against a target. Being a Boon Supporter was great until he was alone, which would become the case any minute now, even with his spell trying to work against the Magical Banes.
There were simply too many sources and not enough tools at their disposal that could work against the higher-level attacks. It wouldn¡¯t be instant with him, but eventually, he would fall to the traps, and then he would most likely be dead.
¡°Rebel! Scholar! I need some help here!¡± he prayed, still swiping golden claws through the slithering swarm.
¡°We cannot help,¡± Scholar¡¯s voice replied sorrowfully, ¡°You are in the domain of the Maniac and Trickster now¡¡±
Everin¡¯s eyes went wide at the revelation. They were so screwed.
24 - Weighed and Measured
Everin wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed while he had been unconscious and was surprised by the fact that he was even still alive to regain his senses in the first place. He assumed it hadn¡¯t been terribly long, considering he was being moved somewhere, slung over a shoulder like a sack of tunions. He tried not to tense at all and alert his captor that he was awake while he tried to glance around and get a better understanding of his surroundings and situation.
What he saw was beyond what he had vaguely pictured from what King¡¯s Dream had originally speculated the enemy to be like. Much like the cages of creatures on the second floor they had explored, there were rows of stacked cells in this large room too but instead of animals it was filled with people. Dozens of them by the looks of it. Some wore Chains of Silence and he assumed those ones were the Casters that had gone missing. However, all of them were wearing drab gray tunics and shorts.
He could see the metal cuffs around his own wrists and feel the suppressive effects of the Silencer around his neck. How they got one powerful enough for an Emerald Caster in this remote city was a testament unto itself that they weren¡¯t dealing with amateurs. This group was well prepared, well funded, and apparently very experienced.
He mentally cursed his poor luck and terrible litany of mistakes he had made leading to this point; the first being his arrogance. He had been too confident about not only his Caste but his ability to sense danger with his aura along with his newfound importance and power as an Avatar.
The rebellious voxen in him had once again moved too fast. Wasn¡¯t cautious enough. Wasn¡¯t patient enough. He was just as rash as the kits he had endangered, thinking he was invincible. Paul should have been a warning to him that even with incredible power, there¡¯s always someone stronger or smarter. That even if you win, the cost might be greater than you¡¯d want to live with.
Everin was fairly certain he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about living with regret, though. The Maniac¡¯s followers were not known for letting their prey survive. While he might have told Phoenix before that Wayfarers brought change, the Maniac brought chaos. The blackouts being the work of the Mad God made almost too much sense in hindsight.
¡°Cleric Starlark?!¡± a voice called out, and to his detriment, it was enough of a distraction for the person carrying him to pause and look at the caged man who had spoken. ¡°What happened to him? Did you drench him in paint?¡±
¡°Shut it, Malik,¡± the raspy voice of his captor replied, turning to kick the cage holding the man ¡ªwho Everin now recognized as Rayk Malik, the son of the merchant who ran Mother¡¯s Cupboard. He had spoken with the boy only a handful of times when visiting the shop and AOA. The Crystal Caster had been presumed dead during one of the blackout incidents, and seeing him here alive was something the Avatar hadn¡¯t thought possible.
It also made him wonder what exactly followers of the Maniac had planned for all of them. They normally didn¡¯t have the capacity for long-term planning like that, he had thought. Why would they keep captives when mayhem was normally the goal?
Perhaps that¡¯s where the Trickster came into play. Proper traps took a modicum of forethought, and something on this scale would require plenty of it. For something influenced by pure chaos to be this ordered, a suitable god to balance it was the only thing that made sense to him.
No matter the reason, however, that was actually better news for him as that might give him a chance to escape rather than simply getting slaughtered. Perhaps he could make a run for it as soon as he was set down? Even if the Silencer was cutting off his abilities, it didn¡¯t cut off his Attributes. Those were simply a part of his physical being now, and being Emerald meant he was still very fast.
It wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference, however, if his captor was also Emerald and wasn¡¯t silenced. It might invite more trouble, and it was obvious now that this place was well fortified. If he hadn¡¯t been able to overpower his way out of that trapped room, why would he be able to escape when nobody else had been able to for decades?
He had been a fool.
As he heard a door open, followed by the creak of metal scrapping against the stone floor, he realized it was already too late. There would be no escape for him.
The rainbow voxen was unceremoniously thrown into a cage, and he reacted by trying to tackle his assailant. Everin heard a dark laugh when he slammed into the bars of the door as it was shut in his face, ¡°Nice try, Avatar, but you¡¯re goin¡¯ nowhere. You and yer lil friends here are goin¡¯ to get cleaned up then weighed and measured by the boss.¡±
¡°Measured for what?¡±
A dark face under a crimson hood grinned down at him, ¡°Whether you¡¯ll be sold off to the DOD or become dinner for the Scarlet Banquet.¡±
Everin stared after the Blood cultist as the man left while laughing and thought sardonically to himself, Great, cannibals. This just keeps getting better and better.
Lukas Lumeris was conflicted as he glanced through the small window into the preparation room they normally brought new prey into. On the one hand, they had managed to keep the Scarlet Banquet¡¯s operations here in Tulimeir a secret from the overbearing noble faction and pesky Alliance of Adventurers. On the other hand, he knew others would come looking for such prominent people.
Both the newly awakened Saint of the Celestial Pantheon and the Avatar of Scholar and Rebel were people he never wanted to come within a kilometer of, let alone be currently holding captive in the heavily enchanted building they worked out of. They had managed to remain hidden by not getting especially greedy with their targets. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
A pair of low Caste Adventurers going missing from a monster attack during a blood moon didn¡¯t draw attention like these two would. Not to mention the Shiny Heir of House Wayland, the oldest daughter of their Ambassador, Teras¡¯ pet researcher, and the last remnants of the symphonic Dewsong clan.
He rubbed at his temples. Trouble was what these people were.
It¡¯s not like he could just let them go, though. He had to get rid of them, preferably sooner than later, but their shipment for the Disciples of the Destroyer had been put on hold until after the blood moon.
Keeping these people subdued for that long might not be difficult with the Silencers and magically reinforced cages that the DOD had helped them procure as part of their mutual trade agreement, but keeping people from sniffing around would be impossible.
Lukas gave a heavy sigh, and his strongest underling, Vas, asked, ¡°Can we eat the gemite at least? It¡¯s been so long since the last one we got to divulge in. Look how much use we got out of the scraps, too. Those enchantments worked flawlessly.¡±
¡°I need to contact High Priest Puera first, I think. I know he¡¯d likely be interested in the two god-touched for his research. Lady Vanderill also mentioned in her last missive that she was seeking a gemite for their grand ritual coming up soon so I should probably send her this one as part of our annual tribute. Messages are just difficult to get over there currently, and waiting a fortnight for this blood moon to end isn¡¯t appealing to me at the moment.¡±
¡°We can¡¯t wait that long to eat and replenish our Boons either, you know,¡± Vas replied, glancing through the window as well. ¡°Can I at least play with those twins a bit? That blasted Healer¡¯s fat bird thing took a bite out of my arm when I went to drug her, you know?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a Seagull, Vas, not a bird,¡± he corrected.
¡°It got wings.¡±
Lukas gave another sigh, ¡°The sisters will likely be fine for us to keep, so I don¡¯t care what you do with them, just don¡¯t spoil dinner.¡±
Vas gave a wicked grin that turned even his stomach, and he ate people for power. He wasn¡¯t as¡ enthusiastic about it as his underling was, however. It was simply a means to an end.
Lukas looked at their prisoners again as he weighed their options and measured each individual¡¯s potential value.
The lesser voxen would make a fine snack for them, along with the researcher, cinderen boy, and more minor Wayland noble.
The gemite would be a gift to their own High Priestess currently based in Serenydi, which would cover their payments there for at least the year. The branch of the Scarlet Banquet there was the seat of their power and, in return for tribute, would assist them with certain things normally outside their own power, such as the higher Emerald level enchantments keeping them hidden from prying auras.
The only reason he and Vas were Emerald Caste currently was due to the massive influx of Monster Seeds that had flooded the markets in the wake of both the blood moon and war. Trading Bits for power was definitely worth it, especially now when it proved to be what saved them from discovery.
The Saint and the Avatar were the biggest questions he currently didn¡¯t have answers for. Handing them off to the Destroyer¡¯s zealots was likely the smartest and safest bet for him to make.
¡°Clean them up and put the Saint and Avatar in gray, the gemite in white, the rest in red,¡± he ordered the cinderen beside him, ¡°Hopefully, we can keep them hidden long enough to send them over to the city of luxury.¡±
As he turned to leave, Vas spoke up, ¡°Hey, boss?¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°How much do you think them Radiant tails is worth?¡±
Lukas felt a grin creep across his face at the suggestion, ¡°On second thought, give the Avatar the green tunic.¡±
Uriel slowly awoke with a throbbing headache. Memories were slow to return, and when he fully took in his new location, more memories than he wished to have came flooding back in a torrent.
A metal cage. A cold stone room. The Silencer around his throat and wrists. The crimson cloak his enemy wore.
Fear gripped his heart and threatened to strangle him as it beat wildly in his terror.
Not again. Please, not again.
What made it even worse than the first time he remembered himself in this kind of situation was that instead of his parents and sister in the cell with him ¡ªhungry and not knowing what would become of them¡ª was the fact that his partner and best friend were in their own cages further down the row from him and he had a swarm of morbid ideas of what was in store. His family was already dead, and the thought of his newly found one meeting that same end had his mind spiraling.
Would he have to become a Shield again to protect his Pillars? Would these people even let him? Were they planning to put all of the others through the same kind of torture he had been through before? More likely, they would be thrown into the Rings for entertainment and forced to kill each other. He was already resolved to let the others win.
¡°Breathe, Uriel,¡± a familiar voice said from the cage across the aisle from him. Everin was watching him carefully.
¡°I¡ª¡± he gasped, realizing then that the Avatar was correct in his breathing becoming irregular and threatening to make him pass out again. He took a few gulps of the stagnant air and managed to say, ¡°I can¡¯t do this again¡ I¡¯m never strong enough to save them.¡±
¡°Just breathe for now,¡± Everin calmly instructed, ¡°We don¡¯t know what they¡¯re planning. There were others in the room beyond this one. People in cages and gray tunics. I don¡¯t know the details of your time in captivity,¡± he added, ¡°The reports I found were vague and heavily redacted.¡±
¡°Gray tunics?¡± Uriel asked, latching onto the familiar mental picture. He had been forced to wear a gray tunic for the first few months of his time with the Destroyer¡¯s cult. ¡°They put us in those too. Mine got changed to red when I became a Caster and was forced to start fighting.¡±
¡°Were they also servants of the Maniac?¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°This is the Scarlet Banquet we¡¯re dealing with,¡± Everin explained slowly, ¡°Blood cultists of the Maniac, the god of chaos and madness. I don¡¯t know who you dealt with before; it only revealed ¡®cultists¡¯ in the unredacted parts.¡±
Uriel breathed a bit easier at that. Perhaps it wouldn¡¯t end the same way this time, ¡°No, I was trained by the DOD.¡±
Everin grimaced at him, ¡°They mentioned we might get sold off to them, but I don¡¯t know what that acronym stands for. I¡¯m more knowledgeable about aristocratic factions across Pyrin than followers of the Voidsworn.¡±
¡°They¡¯re the Disciples of Destroyer,¡± he said with an involuntary shiver. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his earrings. He would handle all of this better without his fear making his mind a tangled mess.
¡°Well,¡± Everin began, leaning his head back to stare at the ceiling in thought as he said, ¡°At least that¡¯s more survivable than being eaten.¡±
¡°Many died there,¡± he retorted as he clipped the golden cuffs back on his ear, wishing they had fixed the broken one before coming here, ¡°It might be better to get eaten than be forced to kill your own family.¡±
The Avatar frowned, looking towards him again, and asked, ¡°Any tips for avoiding that?¡±
Uriel almost sighed at the relief of the numbing magic taking effect as he placed the last earring on. He looked at the door as apathy overtook him and said simply, ¡°If that¡¯s what they want to happen, then there is no avoiding it. If you fight back or disobey, then you¡¯ll just be killing more of us.¡±
Everin grumbled, ¡°That is the complete opposite of rebellion.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure even you can understand, Avatar of Rebel,¡± Uriel stated blandly as he refocused on the rainbow voxen, ¡°People usually die when they ignore the Rule of Caste.¡±
25 - Found Wanting
Saiya was not used to waking up in strange places. The last time that had happened had been an extremely traumatic situation, and she did not relish the idea of being in another of those scenarios.
The last thing she remembered was noticing a blur of motion above her as Snowbelle attacked whoever had thrown a net over her. She was fairly certain that she had been drugged when the assailant had stabbed her with some kind of needle after that, but it seemed that either she had been healed or enough time had passed that her Sapphire Fortitude had finished flushing it out of her system.
What was even more disconcerting than the lost time, though, was that she couldn¡¯t sense anyone else around her. Even if her party members were asleep, she should still be able to sense the emotions from their dreams.
Another sense that seemed to be missing was the one she had of Snowbelle. Fear threatened to grip her with the thought that the attacker had actually killed her Familiar. Normally, she could always feel the bond between her and the Seagull. She relaxed a moment later when she realized the connection seemed there still, but it felt muted or muffled, as though something was interfering with it.
Saiya sat up slowly to get a better look at her surroundings. Taking in the heavy metal cage that currently surrounded her, covered in runes to reinforce it. She had seen something similar in the streets of the Processing District on the wagons that transported caught monsters. She wondered briefly if that was to be her fate now too.
She shook her head, trying to clear away the fog and negative thoughts. The action made her realize there was something heavy around her neck and, when she investigated it further, found a sturdy metal collar around her throat.
Saiya had never experienced the sensation of a Silencer before, though she had been contemplating trying one simply to better understand the experiences that Uriel always subjected himself to and Phoenix had suffered through. She was learning now just how horrible it felt to be cut off from not just one¡¯s perceptions but also her Familiar and powers.
It had been a long time since she had felt this powerless, and the fact that she was a prisoner compounded her fears. She took a slow, deep breath, realizing her fears were trying to take hold of her mind, and tried to calm them to regain control of herself.
Once she felt a bit steadier and adjusted to the uncomfortable silencing effects, she looked beyond the cage bars to find her companions all in similar cages and also with matching Chains. Even Snowbelle was crammed into her own tiny birdcage ¡ªwhich she actually didn¡¯t fit into well with the bars cutting into her soft fur and cramping her wings at odd angles¡ª hanging from the stone ceiling with a tiny collar around her thick neck, silencing the aval¡¯s own magical abilities.
Uriel and Everin were the only ones awake at the moment. The former was curled into the back corner of his cage while hugging his knees and staring silently into a middle distance. She was almost thankful that she couldn¡¯t feel his emotions at the moment as she was certain it would be unpleasant.
The Avatar was also surprisingly silent as he seemed to be meditating while wrapped in his rainbow tails in the cage to her left. Or perhaps he was praying? She didn¡¯t want to disturb him either way. He was Emerald Caste and likely knew she was awake now from simply hearing her move around. He¡¯d talk to her when he was ready.
The cages were close enough to each other that she was able to stretch her arm through the steel bars to her right and gently nudge her sister awake. When Rayna came to her senses, the bard¡¯s first reaction was to punch the cage door, curse in pain and frustration, then try pulling apart the collar and cuffs to little effect.
The noise Rayna made was enough to wake the others as they all took in the situation and Dazien muttered, ¡°Perhaps splitting up and entering the horrific slaughter room wasn¡¯t the best plan.¡±
¡°It wasn¡¯t really the plan to begin with,¡± Phoenix pointed out as she hugged her knees to her chest in her cage that sat across the small room from Saiya. ¡°The plan was just to get information about the kidnappers¡ Not get kidnapped.¡±
¡°Well, it looks like you failed,¡± an unfamiliar voice said from the entrance to the dank dungeonesque room. A tall cinderen with short white hair and glowing crimson eyes wearing a long, red, hooded cloak walked through the doorway before setting down a large sack and sauntering over to Phoenix¡¯s cage.
¡°I can help enlighten you about the pile of siva shite you¡¯ve stepped into,¡± he said with an evil grin that showed off pointed teeth. The look he gave Phoenix made a shiver run up Saiya¡¯s spine. She had seen that kind of lecherous look before, and it never ended well.
The strange man gestured around the room and said in a grandiose manner, ¡°Welcome to the Scarlet Banquet, the most ancient and prestigious Blood cult in the world!¡±
¡°Blood cult?¡± Dazien asked in a mocking tone before clarifying, ¡°Don¡¯t you mean insane cannibals?¡±
The man rolled his eyes at the amethyst warrior, ¡°You¡¯re just jealous we don¡¯t limit ourselves in the pursuit of power.¡±
¡°Power? From eating people?¡± Phoenix asked as she glanced to the right over at her brother, ¡°What is he talking about?¡±
¡°From what I¡¯ve read in a few history books, they perform forbidden rituals to basically turn a person into the equivalent of a Monster Seed and consume them. It¡¯s both vile and short-sighted.¡±
¡°T-the limiting of maximum potential has been theorized to be greater than Monster Seeds,¡± Camilla surprised them by speaking up, ¡°B-but the amount of p-progress granted is also said to be m-more potent.¡±
The trembling brunette managed to inform before giving a little squeak of terror and burying her head into her arms when the crimson-cloaked man slammed a fist against Phoenix¡¯s cage in anger.
¡°Better to be powerful sooner than dyin¡¯ to some monster from chasin¡¯ after Obsidian dreams,¡± the man replied testily. He bent down as though taking a closer look at Phoenix before spitting angrily on her and muttering, ¡°Wayfarers. Always meddlin¡¯ in other people¡¯s business. Disruptin¡¯ the natural balance¡ You¡¯re a plague on this world. A plague that seems to specifically have somethin¡¯ against people like us.¡±
¡°Dude, everyone has something against cannibals,¡± Phoenix shot back, angrily wiping the spit off of her.
Saiya was always confused by Phoenix¡¯s reactions and found her to be one of the most contradictory personalities she had ever run into. Meeting a perfectly harmless woman who showed a slight bit of romantic interest in her or standing in front of a crowd to give a speech: complete panic attack and mental breakdown of overanalyzing the potential social situation. But a terrifying monster, a Divine god that could easily send someone to annihilate her with a thought, or an evil psychopath hellbent on repeatedly murdering her: give it some snark and try to stab it dead.
The result was a barely functioning girl with an aptitude for dying, and Saiya knew that would only make the situation worse at the moment. She tried to intervene and signal to the glaring Wayfarer that compliance now would most likely help present an opportunity for escape later.
¡°Phoenix,¡± she said softly, trying to keep her tone light and aloof, ¡°We shouldn¡¯t judge others for the situation they¡¯ve found themselves in. We should ask why someone finds themselves doing what most consider evil deeds. Sometimes, people are not what they seem on the outside. We should look at what might be behind their words and actions and remain patient before casting judgment.¡±
Phoenix gave her a confused look and Rayna looked at her like she was an insane doppelganger that had somehow taken over her body.
Unfortunately, Phoenix didn¡¯t seem to take the hint as she replied, ¡°Saiya, they eat people. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any situation that could forgive that outcome. That¡¯s, like, the most evil option to choose. We need to put down these monsters like Rayna always tells me to.¡±
The man glared at Phoenix, clicking his tongue in disapproval, ¡°Tch, I thought you were supposed to be the passive one. Everythin¡¯ I¡¯ve seen and read says you like to stand in the back despite being the holy Saint.¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
¡°You¡¯ve been researching me?¡± Phoenix asked incredulously as she looked up into the scarlet hood.
¡°I think the whole city has been,¡± he said with a hearty laugh before cutting it off to kick the woman¡¯s cage and growl, ¡°Which makes your presence here all the more vexin¡¯ for the boss. Such a Wayfarer thing to go pokin¡¯ your nose in places they don¡¯t belong.¡±
He leaned closer towards the cage and took on the tone of giving an order that would be obeyed or else punishment would follow, ¡°Now, I want you to strip down to your unders so you can get cleaned up properly. While it might be simpler to clean a corpse, it¡¯s a real pain in the arse, and I¡¯m hopin¡¯ to keep about half of you alive for the time being. So, time to strip, or I start killin¡¯ your friends one by one.¡±
The Wayfarer glared at the man and opened her mouth to refuse when Saiya interjected with a pleading voice so unlike her usual tone, ¡°Please, Phoenix. Just listen to him.¡±
The entire party, except for Uriel, stared at her incredulously this time, but Saiya knew¡ She knew cruel people could not be bartered with.
¡°She¡¯s right,¡± a quiet and broken voice said that Saiya almost hadn¡¯t realized was Uriel speaking, ¡°It¡¯s better to obey. Safer.¡±
¡°What? No! He just said he¡¯s not going to kill us. He obviously needs us for something, and I¡¯m not just going to let him do unspeakable things to us before he does whatever he already has planned,¡± Phoenix glared defiantly at her newest foe, ¡°You¡¯ll just have to kill me.¡±
¡°No!¡± Saiya cried out, understanding what Phoenix was trying to do, but it was already too late. The wicked man turned and gave Saiya a cruel smile as he took in her desperation. She messed up, giving him exactly what he wanted as she felt his interest rise.
¡°Well, ain¡¯t that lovely,¡± he said before turning back to Phoenix, ¡°See, I was kinda hopin¡¯ you¡¯d refuse. Makes this next part all the more fun,¡± he taunted as he withdrew a nasty-looking serrated dagger that looked like it had been created from the claw of a miserling; a claw they all recognized.
Their captor walked purposefully towards the smallest cage hanging from the ceiling.
¡°No,¡± Saiya gasped sharply, trying to reach through the bars towards her Familiar, ¡°Please, no,¡± she begged despite knowing that was exactly the reaction the cruel man wanted.
He continued smiling as he opened the cage while talking to Phoenix, ¡°Listen here, Wayfarer. You¡¯re going to strip down to your unders now, or, like I promised before, I kill a friend.¡±
¡°Please, Phoenix!¡± Saiya called out again, her slight panic showing now as she beseeched her friend to comply and not aggravate their captor further. She didn¡¯t know if she could handle losing another Familiar. Sandy dying to protect her had been hard enough to cope with all those months ago.
Phoenix nodded slowly, hesitantly listening to her as she slowly removed her boots first, followed by the dark cloaks they had all been wearing to blend in a bit more.
The blush coloring the shy woman¡¯s cheeks was an obvious statement of the poor introvert¡¯s embarrassment. Saiya idly wondered if stripping would become a new nightmare Phoenix would struggle with¡ she wasn¡¯t sure if her presence would help calm Phoenix from this kind of humiliating torture.
Saiya was thankful that her teammates at least respected Phoenix enough not to sneak peeks as she glanced towards the people she knew to be more interested in the reluctant hero. Instead, they were looking in their laps or intently focusing on their shared enemy.
Taking the armor off was a much more difficult task for Phoenix as the cages were too small for any of them to stand upright and her particular magical garb was a tight scaly grey leather that hugged her form and acted like a second skin.
Once the boots, cloak, and peeled-off armor were shoved through the cage bars, they could hear the low chuckle of the cultist as he rewarded Phoenix¡¯s compliance by slowly drawing the serrated dagger deep across Snowbelle¡¯s soft-furred tummy, causing all of them to react by crying out.
Tears streamed down Saiya¡¯s cheeks as she vaguely felt her Familiar¡¯s pain through the muted bond and knowing that what she felt was being dulled by the Silencer choking her senses. She cried out in agony as the small creature made a wet thud when the man tossed the aval down on the ground in front of the sobbing voxen.
He bent down to look at her and gave a disgusting shiver of pleasure as he rasped, ¡°Ooo, that¡¯s lovely. You must be a truly gentle girl to beg and cry for a pathetic animal.¡±
The white-haired cinderen then grabbed Saiya¡¯s tear-stained face to pull it closer, and Rayna¡¯s hand flew out to push the man away from her, ¡°Back off, creep! Keep your filthy hands off her!¡±
Snowbelle gave a weak cry as Saiya pulled the Familiar to her. The pure white fur and feathers were stained red from the ragged wound that she couldn¡¯t mend with the forsaken collar around her neck.
¡°Shh, Snowbelle, I¡¯m so sorry. I love you so much, little one,¡± Saiya muttered, trying to soothe the pained creature as it weakly snuggled into her before giving a final shudder and stopped moving.
She could feel the bond snap as her Familiar died in her arms, and she buried her face into the soft fur, trying hard not to wail and let the deplorable man get off on her pain. She didn¡¯t want to give Snowbelle¡¯s murderer the satisfaction he sought.
¡°No more cries for your pet?¡± the man asked, as though trying to prod her further, ¡°Maybe you¡¯re not as gentle as I thought.¡±
¡°You bastard!¡± Phoenix yelled through her own tears, ¡°I did what you said! You said you wouldn¡¯t kill a friend!¡±
The cultist turned and sneered at her, ¡°I never said I wouldn¡¯t kill a friend, only that I definitely would if you disobeyed.¡± Then he gestured towards the silently sobbing voxen and added bluntly, ¡°Besides, that¡¯s not a friend, it¡¯s a pet. An unintelligent beast that is only as good as its parts.¡±
¡°You¡¯re the beast,¡± Phoenix growled out as she clutched the steel bars holding her back from trying to strangle the man, the embarrassment of her partial nudity apparently forgotten in her rage.
He moved quickly as he appeared only inches from Phoenix¡¯s face with that same sadistic grin, ¡°Yes. I am. You best remember that, Wayfarer.¡±
Then he grabbed her face as well, pulling it through the cage until the bars prevented further movement as he seemed to appraise her appearance, his eyes roving up and down her thin frame lasciviously before saying in that mocking joviality, ¡°I heard some rumors sayin¡¯ you were adopted only because you weren¡¯t marryin¡¯ age yet¡.¡±
His grin widened as Phoenix froze at his words and the obvious surprise that flashed across her face, ¡°Tell me, did you manage to become a Wayland by seducin¡¯ the Fallen Paladin?¡±
It was Dazien¡¯s turn to speak up, shaking the bars as he tried to lash out at the man between him and his sister, ¡°Leave her alone, cretin!¡±
The man ignored Dazien¡¯s poor attempt at distracting him from his victim as he chuckled, ¡°Oh¡ I see you moved on quickly. Explains the extra adoption after the Paladin fell. Are you sure you don¡¯t have the Succubus Class?¡±
He then made everyone in the room shudder in disgust as he inhaled the scent of her hair, ¡°Well, you do smell¡ delightfully sinful.¡±
Dazien shouted again, cursing the degenerate, but the Emerald Caster just laughed and pushed Phoenix back into the cage before shouting, ¡°Now the rest of you lot need to strip, or friends start dyin¡¯ next.¡±
Saiya managed to choke out, ¡°Please, just do what he says.¡±
The others gave her worried glances before beginning to comply, removing their various articles of clothing and tossing them into the walkway separating the two rows of cages. Saiya carefully wrapped Snowbelle¡¯s still form in her tunic before gently sliding the bundle across the floor to join the rest of the clothing.
Once they all finished stripping and looking anywhere but at each other, the man clapped his hands together, ¡°See? Not so difficult, was it? Now, hold still as I spray yous down.¡±
Then he picked up his sack again and pulled out a metal rod about the length of his arm with a cupped tip. Walking down the aisle, he pressed a rune on the device, and a stream of water sprayed forcefully out from it, drenching each of them in seconds.
When the monster in the form of a man reached Saiya¡¯s cage, he watched her closely as he kicked the wrapped bundle hard into the far wall, causing her to reactively cry out and reach for her companion, ¡°Simply lovely,¡± he said before hosing her down, taking sadistic pleasure in torturing her specifically. The odd tingling of magic was felt on her skin when the water washed over her, and she suspected it had purging properties to remove any Boons they might have had, though she couldn¡¯t discern what kinds it might have been targeting.
¡°You give monsters a bad name,¡± Phoenix growled, ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you when I get out of here.¡±
The man rolled his eyes as he called over his shoulder, ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try, whore.¡±
¡°Oh, she¡¯s definitely going to kill you,¡± Rayna muttered before receiving a blast of water to the face.
He laughed heartily once more, ¡°She¡¯ll be lucky if she doesn¡¯t end up as dessert. Most of you will end up dinner, while three of you will end up turning into Bits. Which probably means just ending up dead later, but at least you¡¯ll be clean!¡±
The cruel man finished spraying them down, tossing them each a towel from the sack to dry off with before collecting the clothing into the sack instead. Then he pulled out four different colors of tunics and began doling those out. What the various colors meant was beyond Saiya¡¯s understanding, but since only three stood apart from the red version most of them received, she could guess that meant she was part of the dinner group.
Uriel¡¯s lack of movement caught her attention as he stared wide-eyed at the tunic on the floor in front of him. Frozen and unmoving. She realized something was definitely wrong with him when the sound of cracking metal filled the silence, and she saw one of the golden cuffs fall from his long, tapered ear.
¡°Oi, what¡¯s wrong with ya?¡± their captor asked Uriel, kicking the cage, ¡°I said put on the¡ª Hey! I said to strip everything, and that includes that bracer there!¡±
¡°I-I can¡¯t¡ª¡± his voice sounded strained and confused to her, ¡°Not red¡ª¡±
¡°Take it off now, or I¡¯m killin¡¯ this one,¡± the man ordered, pointing at Camilla in the cage beside him, who was already dressed in the red tunic.
Uriel finally complied, pressing a combination of runes to remove the concealing bracer, and when the Soul Mark became visible, the sadistic man sucked in a sharp breath.
¡°By the gods,¡± he whispered before his mouth twisted into a grin, and he chuckled darkly, ¡°Oh, the boss is gonna love you.¡±
26 - Preparations
Unlike the others, Phoenix was used to waking up in unfamiliar locations now and had thought quickly, recognizing the sensation of the Chains of Silence which felt stronger than she remembered.
The first thing she had tried was removing the thing with the barrette key she had crafted long ago after Murinah had used one on her. To her dismay, it didn¡¯t work, leading her to believe that either the key broke or the Silencer was a higher Caste. She hadn¡¯t thought to make new ones after ascending, and she cursed her complacency.
She had been relieved to see that everyone else was still alive when she came to. Distress made her heart race, however, when she saw that Saiya and Uriel had also been captured, and therefore, nobody knew where they were. She also had no idea why Camilla and Padma were there with them, too.
Phoenix had thought she was being clever in trying to taunt their captor into killing her, hoping to return with help, but it had backfired spectacularly, resulting in the death of her friend¡¯s Familiar. Even if she rarely gave a thought to the poorly labeled Seagull, Saiya had seemed attached to the adorable furry feathered creature.
The utter anguish that Saiya seemed to be in hurt worse than any sword cut or monster bite, and it was entirely her fault. If she had just listened to Saiya¡¯s words, Snowbelle might still be alive.
Now, it looked like Uriel would be next as their captor yelled at him to comply with the orders. It was difficult to see past Camilla, but she managed to see and hear enough to realize that the past was threatening to overwhelm the poor mage. Then he took off his bracer, and the secret they had all feared getting out was now known to their enemies.
Luckily, it seemed their captor wasn¡¯t going to push the issue there, simply taking back the red tunic and leaving with the rest of their belongings, including Saiya¡¯s clothing that had been wrapped around Snowbelle but not the Familiar herself.
It was hard for Phoenix to look away from the still form still bleeding out on the stone ground. Flashes of memories of belly rubs and sweet treats raced through her mind, of Snow and Tala snuggled together to sleep.
Then, the red-stained feathers began to slowly disintegrate into pale blue ash.
¡°What¡¯s happening to Snowbelle?¡± she asked the room in a mild panic, ¡°I swear I didn¡¯t loot her.¡± She knew that most avals and Casters didn¡¯t turn to ash that fast unless a power triggered it, like her looting or Uriel¡¯s [Raging Inferno] Talent that would consume corpses for fuel.
¡°She¡¯s a Familiar,¡± Uriel said with a trembling voice, his broken earrings obviously not doing their job very well, ¡°Their souls cross the Veil faster than others. Returning to Limina to become Familiars once again.¡±
¡°But she was a bonded Familiar,¡± Phoenix pointed out, ¡°Not a summon like Tala, Rex, or Fen.¡±
¡°She¡¯ll become the summoned kind now,¡± Uriel explained, ¡°Familiars trade their agency for this form of immortality in the hopes that they¡¯ll reach Obsidian someday since they¡¯ll have an eternity to try.¡±
¡°So Snowbelle can come back?¡± she asked hopefully.
¡°No,¡± Saiya muttered, ¡°My ability only lets me bond living avals or monsters¡ I can¡¯t summon her back¡ I¡ª I¡¯ll never see her again.¡±
The sorrow in her friend¡¯s voice made her heartbreak, and she tried to apologize for her mistake, ¡°Saiya¡ I¡ I¡¯m sor¡ª¡± Phoenix began, but Saiya cut her off.
¡°No, Phoenix. It¡¯s not your fault,¡± she said with soft resignation, then paused and clarified, ¡°Not entirely, at least.¡±
The tear-stained face locked eyes with her as Saiya spoke slowly, as though trying to control her breathing to not begin crying again, ¡°You should have listened to my warning because I recognized exactly what kind of person he was,¡± she shook her head, her ears still drooped in sorrow, ¡°But the kind of person he is¡ that¡¯s exactly why it¡¯s not your fault. I think he¡¯s going to kill us all anyway. Killing Sno¡ª¡±
Saiya¡¯s voice broke, and she took a moment to press her eyes against her furred palms before saying calmly, ¡°I think killing Snowbelle was like a taste test. He wanted to see what flavors of torment he could expect from us.¡±
¡°He¡¯s a sadistic bastard,¡± Dazien said coldly, ¡°They all are. Cannibals that worship the god of madness.¡±
Saiya just nodded before falling silent again as the others joined her in mournful contemplation. Rayna was still hugging her sister as well as she could with two sets of bars between them, but her sister needed the comfort. Camilla had moved closer towards Phoenix¡¯s cage on her left, and she had obliged the older women by moving closer in response but didn¡¯t offer the same physical comfort; the proximity was enough.
Phoenix glanced at her brooding brother who had been dressed in white, unlike her gray. Hesitantly, she said, ¡°Daze¡ about your mom¡¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about that right now,¡± he replied sharply through gritted teeth.
¡°Are you certain that was her?¡± Rayna asked.
Dazien leveled a glare at her as he said, ¡°I know it¡¯s been sixteen years, but I recognized my mother¡¯s voice. It¡ª¡± he paused, looking down into his lap for a moment as if collecting himself before muttering, ¡°It was her.¡±
¡°Does anyone know where you all are?¡± Padma asked, finally speaking up. ¡°Was this a mission? Camilla didn¡¯t explain much to me, just that she knew you were in trouble.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
The Defender¡¯s head snapped up to look at the runeforged, ¡°Camilla knew? How?¡±
¡°I¡ª um, I got a letter warning me,¡± the shivering researcher said after a moment of silence.
¡°She was in such a tizzy that I didn¡¯t think to get others to join us,¡± Padma continued, ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone knows where she and I are, but I was meant to meet with Patric and the rest of our party later for our shift as part of the Wall Response. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll wonder when I don¡¯t show.¡±
¡°Our mission gave us two days to investigate this place,¡± Dazien informed, ¡°I doubt anyone will look for us before that.¡±
¡°I was supposed to meet Knight Thevaris again later tonight,¡± Everin added, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯ll come looking for me, though. They may just assume I got caught up in something and couldn¡¯t make it.¡±
¡°So what do we do now?¡± Phoenix asked the room, hoping for possible ideas to come up with a solution to their current problem.
Everin spoke up again, seeming to at least outwardly handle their situation a bit better than the others, as he said, ¡°Unfortunately, I am Oathbound to secrecy; otherwise, I might suggest the obvious talent in the room.¡±
When half of them gave him a confused look, Uriel explained softly, ¡°He¡¯s saying Phoenix should kill herself.¡±
The group stared at the two men at the end of the row and Camilla gave a gasp of horror as she scooted right up against the bars beside her. Phoenix was just surprised that he would reveal her secret to the newest member of their group of friends like that.
The Avatar gave them all a shrug and said, ¡°I know none of us like it, but she¡¯s escaped this kind of situation before by doing exactly that.¡±
¡°What?¡± the researcher said as she stared at Phoenix incredulously, looking away as soon as the Wayfarer lifted her own head to meet her eyes. ¡°H-how is that p-possible?¡± Camilla asked nervously.
Phoenix gave a sigh, ¡°I have a Natural Talent that lets me¡ª¡±
¡°Teleport to safety before actually dying,¡± Dazien interjected firmly. He nodded towards the door in answer to her questioning gaze.
¡°How would that help us, though?¡± Padma asked.
¡°Well, I get sent back to a spot I marked before,¡± she explained, ¡°Which would currently take me back to the World Tree.¡±
¡°Where you can bring help from,¡± Everin added, finally getting to his original point with the suggestion. ¡°The Fae or Starfall voxen there could help. Not to mention your overprotective aunt. Did you know she threatened me after learning about taking you into the Soul Reaper¡¯s ship to blow it up? I¡¯m glad she finally knows you¡¯re not so easily killed now.¡±
¡°Getting killed was what I was originally trying to do by provoking that evil arse,¡± Phoenix tried to explain, ¡°But he didn¡¯t take the bait¡ Snowbelle paid the price for that mistake¡¡±
¡°House Wayland has the power alone to launch an assault on this place with the Casters it has under its command,¡± Dazien pointed out, catching on to their plan. ¡°Aside from that, though, you have enough of a reputation built up that I¡¯m certain Duke Tul would listen if House Wayland was fully mobilized by the city¡¯s Saint and would offer his own aid to take out a sect of cannibals hunting in the city.¡±
¡°You want me to get the duke but not the AOA?¡± she asked with a raised brow.
Dazien¡¯s gaze darkened, ¡°The AOA sent us here, remember? I don¡¯t believe we can trust them anymore.¡±
¡°But you can¡¯t seriously be in support of this insane idea,¡± Rayna almost shouted at their leader. ¡°We¡¯ve told her over and over again to not waste her life! Even if she comes back, there¡¯s a price, and we don¡¯t know if there are other unseen consequences!¡±
¡°How is Rayna being the voice of discretion right now?¡± Phoenix muttered.
¡°Hey!¡± The bard replied in offense, ¡°I know I¡¯m not usually the cautious one,¡± she admitted a bit quieter after Saiya winced at her outburst, ¡°But I¡¯ve never suggested that you use your talent like a separate mana pool to be spent; like some kind of power exploitation!¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯m all for a better plan!¡± Phoenix snapped back in her frustration.
They all fell silent again, each sitting in their cramped cells and thinking of different possibilities. Phoenix wasn¡¯t even sure how she would be able to off herself in this situation. The only thing she could think of was trying to hang by the tunic she wore, but she didn¡¯t need to breathe anymore, so that was pointless.
¡°How, um¡ how did you do it b-before?¡± Camilla¡¯s hesitant question broke the silence once more, and Phoenix raised a brow.
¡°Do what?¡±
¡°Um¡ k-kill yourself to escape¡¡±
¡°Oh,¡± she said, suddenly wondering if she had spoken her thoughts aloud but then figured they were all probably thinking of different ways to kill her ¡ªwhich was strangely both comforting and unsettling.
¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t exactly the same situation,¡± Phoenix began recounting the story, ¡°I had managed to get out of the Silencer but couldn¡¯t escape the room with my portal. I used my sword ¡ªwhich I no longer have since it exploded during the first battle with the Soul Reapers.¡±
¡°Exploded?¡±
Phoenix tugged on her braid in embarrassment, ¡°I kinda got eaten by a Marsh Walker and tried stabbing its mouth, missed, and it chomped down on my sword, which broke it, and the magic kinda went boom.¡±
¡°What?!¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, did you say the cinderen boy was a Chosen of the Destroyer?¡± Lukas asked incredulously as he was helping preparations in the ritual harvesting room. They had a new green tunic to deal with, after all.
¡°Yeah, saw the Soul Mark hidden under a bracer,¡± Vas continued with a grin, ¡°How much you think the DOD will pay for him?¡±
¡°A king¡¯s ransom, most likely,¡± he replied thoughtfully, ¡°I¡¯m not sure we can afford to give him to them, though.¡±
¡°What?¡± his underling retorted with wide eyes, ¡°It¡¯s not like we can eat him instead! I heard the tale of the last Chosen Destroyer gettin¡¯ murdered in her sleep. I ain¡¯t dyin¡¯ to that.¡±
¡°You¡¯re right that we can¡¯t kill him either,¡± Lukas said with a grimace, ¡°But even if we trade with the DOD, I don¡¯t like the idea of giving them that much power. If they learn about him, what¡¯s to stop them from simply killing us and taking him? You and I might be Emerald now, but their High Priest is at the high end of that, and he has scores of Emeralds at his command along with a small army of Crystals and Sapphires. You want to let him know we have one of their Chosen?¡±
¡°Well, we can¡¯t just keep him neither. We¡¯re steppin¡¯ in the domain of too many other gods now.¡±
Lukas gave a heavy sigh, ¡°I know. I¡¯m half surprised one of Hero¡¯s clergy hasn¡¯t shown up at our doorstep already with his Chosen here.¡±
¡°Probably spent too much Aetherius savin¡¯ the city with the Saint,¡± Vas posited.
¡°Perhaps, but there¡¯s a half dozen other gods invested in that Wayfarer,¡± he pointed out, ¡°I¡¯m sure one of them has sent a rescuer, which means we need to get them moving sooner rather than later.¡±
¡°But the blood moon¡ª¡±
¡°I know,¡± Lukas growled, almost snapping the magical chalk in his hand he was drawing out the ritual diagram with, ¡°I know the ships aren¡¯t sailing yet, which means we just have to play it cautiously until we can offload. No more snatching Casters. We bunker down. With the four other red shirts we have in there, we can easily last the fortnight since we only need one every month or two to sustain.¡±
¡°Oh, that reminds me,¡± Vas interjected, ¡°Can I play a little game to choose which one we eat tomorrow?¡±
Lukas sighed again, wishing once more for a less sadistic underling but loyal cannibals were hard to come by, ¡°Fine, just bring the green shirt to me first. Those tails will be worth more than their weight in Emerald Bits and help fund us for quite a while.¡±
27 - Prayer
A sorrowful silence had descended upon the room of cages Phoenix and her friends were currently being held in. As she contemplated the pile of blue ash against the far wall, she continued thinking of ways to kill herself. Not in the permanent suicidal way she had constantly been told to avoid while growing up in a hospital full of dying children but in the more practical game-exploitation way.
She couldn¡¯t keep her thoughts from spiraling, however, wondering what might wait for her if she ever did pass beyond the Veil and died for real. Would she get sent to another reality because she was a Wayfarer? Would she become like the Familiars and get to live more lives again? Or would she join the other souls? Did they go to some realm of judgment for eternity? Get reincarnated like some theories?
¡°Do the gods here affect what happens when you die?¡± she found herself asking.
Most of her friends shrugged or looked at her in concern. Her brother questioned in turn, ¡°Why would you ask that?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t help but wonder,¡± she softly admitted, ¡°Fen and Uriel both explained about what happens to Familiars, but nobody seems to know what happens to the rest¡ It made me remember some of the theories from my old world. Reincarnation, nothing, getting your own planet to rule over, or getting sent to some kind of heaven or hell.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not familiar with that last one,¡± Dazien said with a subtle spark of curiosity in his gaze, and she wondered if she was actually helping to distract him from the grief and wrath that finding his mother had caused.
¡°Basically, in a few religions, they believed if you were a good enough person, followed all the rules, and worshiped their god, then you would go to heaven where you would be eternally happy. A place with no sadness or pain. Hell was basically the opposite, a lake of fire where you would burn for eternity in penance for the sins you committed in life,¡± she explained.
¡°Sounds like extortion,¡± Everin said bitterly from across the room, ¡°That¡¯s a dictator¡¯s logic: Bow down and obey me or suffer forever.¡±
¡°There were other religions that differed but had the general concept of ending up in a place, good or bad, based on your actions in this life.¡±
¡°You mean karma?¡± Dazien clarified, ¡°That is something I¡¯ve heard of. It usually goes with the reincarnation theory, though. None of the gods here promise gifts for the afterlife, but some people believe that their actions in this life will influence their starting point in the next.¡±
She turned to Everin and asked, ¡°If you¡¯re not expecting rewards for the next life, whatever form that takes, why do you worship any of the gods? Was it just for the blessings?¡±
Everin gave a half-shrug, ¡°Some people serve for the potential power. Many of those kinds never receive it, though. Most like me do it because we believe in promoting the concept. Trying to make the world better in the way we think is most beneficial.¡±
¡°I guess that could be said for a lot of the religions in my world, too, even the ones with judgment days,¡± Phoenix admitted, ¡°Most of the rules they would preach about were centered around love and kindness¡ not all, though,¡± she added, ¡°Some groups spoke a lot of hate towards people like me.¡±
¡°What do you mean? Like hating on redheaded women?¡± the rainbow voxen asked.
She snorted a laugh, ¡°I don¡¯t think the red hair had anything to do with it, but they didn¡¯t like the fact that my body was masculine while my soul was feminine. They also would have torn Daze and Uriel to shreds for being together romantically.¡±
¡°Wait, so they promoted love but would hate our love?¡± Dazien clarified, ¡°Why?¡±
¡°Because you¡¯re both men, and that was considered a sin,¡± she tried explaining, ¡°It never really made sense to me either that they would say ¡®love one another,¡¯ but only in a specific way. It was really confusing, honestly, considering they seemed to ignore a lot of the other rules listed next to that one. Like eating a cheeseburger or wearing mixed fabrics.¡±
¡°Chains to control the masses with,¡± Everin said with a scoff, ¡°Ordering someone not to do something they enjoy that doesn¡¯t hurt anyone else is simply a play for power. Make them feel guilty. Gaslight them into thinking they¡¯re in the wrong. Make them focus on not getting punished rather than why the rule exists in the first place.¡±
¡°You know, for a priest, you¡¯re sounding rather anti-religious there,¡± Phoenix pointed out.
¡°I¡¯m anti-authoritarian, and blind faith is both a tool for control and a fool¡¯s addiction,¡± he retorted, ¡°I¡¯ve seen people relinquish their agency in service to other gods, then shove off any blame for their actions. ¡®The Torturer made me hurt them!¡¯, ¡®It was the Trickster who whispered lies!¡¯¡± Everin mockingly quoted in a higher pitched whine before saying the last with a snarl, ¡°¡®The Purifier said they were evil, so I killed the children in his name!¡¯ Blind bigots that merely seek an excuse for their hatred.¡±
¡°But you still rely on your goddesses,¡± Phoenix pointed out, ¡°Doesn¡¯t praying for a miracle require a bit of faith?¡±
Everin shook his head and sighed before leaning forward to get a better look at her, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, let me start over a bit calmer. I don¡¯t want you to think I¡¯m against having faith. My ire was with the blind part. I fully support anyone who joins a good clergy with their eyes open and knowing what exactly it is their speaking out for. It¡¯s wonderful to find purpose like that. It saved me during a very dark time in my own life when I felt hopeless and lost without any free will to control my path.
¡°But in my experience, it is the more vicious deities that demand unquestioning obedience and promote cruelty towards others. They will promise power or happiness and threaten retribution should anyone disobey or defy. No city was ever completely annihilated in the name of the Crafter. No war was fought for the sake of the Artist. People who don¡¯t question their god¡¯s intentions and learn the entire concept their deity promotes can often find themselves becoming enemies of the innocent.
¡°To circle back to your question, praying for a miracle isn¡¯t the same as carrying out a task in the name of a deity. When I normally pray, I¡¯m asking for help, for guidance. It¡¯s like asking a trusted friend for advice. When I prayed for a miracle, that was more like asking my divine friend to come help me on a mission; they might join me if it¡¯s within their capability to do so, but they could just as easily tell me no. Which most of them did, if you¡¯ll recall,¡± he pointed out, and she nodded at the memory of silence in the air as Paul lay dying.
¡°Also, once I receive whatever advice they have for me, it¡¯s my choice whether I follow it or not. I could have declined Caging Paul¡¯s soul. Sometimes, I wonder if that might have been better. I could have chosen not to risk Falling from Rebel¡¯s grace to attempt Scholar¡¯s experimental plan. I chose the consequences I felt I could live with best.
¡°But prayer, even when I don¡¯t get my way, reminds me that I¡¯m not alone. That I have a purpose. That there are more powerful beings than I can sometimes comprehend watching over me and are on my side,¡± the Avatar added.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
She tried to glance towards her best friend, who was quietly sitting half-naked in his cell, as she said, ¡°Uriel mentioned that the gods are always watching, even when bad things happen. It makes them seem¡ not so good in my mind when he put it like that,¡± she glanced around at their current situation and grimaced, ¡°This doesn¡¯t help me see them in a positive light either.¡±
¡°My mother used to pray when we were in this kind of situation,¡± Uriel surprised her by saying, ¡°She said she was praying to every Radiant god for a miracle. To save us from the cultists that were hurting me every day. They never answered her prayers.¡±
¡°But you did get saved,¡± Everin pointed out, ¡°You could argue that her prayers were eventually answered.¡±
Uriel glared at him, ¡°The only prayer I ever saw answered was when the Destroyer showed up to answer my own plea for the power to kill. If only dark gods will answer, why should we bother praying?¡±
Everin gave him a sad smile, ¡°For the times when our hopes are granted. For the day Scholar decides to take a risk to save a man¡¯s life. For the moment when Hero appears to awaken a new Saint and save a city.¡±
He leaned back in his cage again, rainbow tails wrapping around him like a protective blanket, ¡°We may not get every prayer answered, every wish granted, but prayer is proof that we still have hope that things can get better.¡±
As the hours wore on, Everin scratched at the uncomfortable cuffs around his furred wrists, the silencing effects making him increasingly uneasy as it cut off his senses and made his magic feel strangled. The cage and stone room were worse, though. It reminded him of his parents locking him in a room for hours on end to train.
His tails were behaving now as they had back then, wrapping him in their warmth to try and shield him from his enemy¡¯s ire, from his parents¡¯ anger and disappointment.
He had never lived up to their standards. Apparently, his ¡®best¡¯ was never truly all he could give in their eyes. He needed to simply ¡®put his mind to it¡¯ and ¡®work harder.¡¯ Even if he gave up sleep to train more, he was obviously not applying himself enough. Lazy, selfish, spoiled, leech, entitled; They knew he could do better, so why didn¡¯t he?
Never enough.
It took him decades to realize that, in their eyes, he would never be enough.
Now, he was finding himself struggling to not believe those lies again. If only he was stronger. If only he hadn¡¯t been an arrogant fool. If only he had asked for help. If only.
Perhaps giving up everything to his goddess wasn¡¯t enough, either.
He wondered what his parents might have thought if they saw him now. Would they still think being an Avatar of two deities was him being lazy?
Everin had tried being lazy for a time before. To embrace what they accused him of being. Why not if, no matter how hard he worked, they would never acknowledge it? He got yelled at and punished the same either way, so why half-kill himself and be miserable at the same time? At least when they claimed he was lazy during that time, he was relaxing on a beach, drinking colorful wine and enjoying the warmth of the sun.
He hated the cold. Despite being born a Moonsong voxen in the heart of the Winterlands, he never got that Ice Attunement that would help insulate them from the cold. He was lucky he hadn¡¯t died as a baby from it. Another reason for his parents to curse his ineptitudes ¡ªif only he had been born properly.
Everin was stirred from his thoughts by the scratching sound of the door opening and the white-haired cinderen re-entering the room. The large man was carrying a different type of metal rod this time, golden with pale blue marbling crossing it and the end with twin prongs like a tuning fork. He tossed a gray tunic at Uriel this time while smirking, ¡°Looks like you got upgraded to trade to the DOD with yer fellow Chosen.¡±
¡°What does the white mean?¡± Phoenix asked quietly.
Everin understood that Phoenix was concerned about her adopted brother but was a little disappointed that she didn¡¯t ask about his green tunic that stood out from the others as well.
¡°He¡¯s going to be dinner for our High Priestess,¡± their captor replied with a grin, ¡°Gemites are in high demand,¡± he paused to look the amethyst warrior up and down as he added, ¡°And simply delicious to eat. That last one we had was¡ª¡±
¡°Freeze in the Abyss, slime,¡± Dazien snarled at him.
The man gave a hearty laugh as he approached Everin¡¯s cage and pulled out a runekey to unlock it.
It seemed like Phoenix finally sent some concern his way when she asked, ¡°And the green? What are you going to do with Everin?¡±
He was poised to pounce as best he could and try to make a run for it, but the rod stopped him short, sending a shock of electricity through him that made his fur stand on end. He hated Lightning magic; it always messed up his fur, even when allies used it.
When his malfunctioning hearing returned, the laughter filled it once more as the man tossed him over a broad shoulder and replied, ¡°Green is for turning animals into Bits.¡±
Everin couldn¡¯t make any sense of the shouts that got cut off by the door slamming shut behind them as he was being moved.
He struggled.
It didn¡¯t seem to matter.
Without his Boons to boost his attributes, he was just an average bottom-of-the-barrel Emerald Caster, which was usually stupidly stronger than a normal Mundane person, but against this brute, he might as well have been a child throwing a tantrum.
The room he was brought to was concerning as it had an elaborate ritual circle already prepared and other people seemingly awaiting his arrival. The crimson hooded cloaks they all wore didn¡¯t make him think they were going to help his predicament either.
He didn¡¯t recognize this particular ritual, never having been good at the endeavor and usually forced to train in other ways. Becoming a Spirit Advocate who specialized in Boon support was probably the biggest insult to his parents¡¯ efforts he would ever accomplish in his life.
It didn¡¯t take him long to learn this ritual¡¯s purpose, however, when a man he didn¡¯t recognize stepped forward and began to monologue at him, ¡°I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s come to this Avatar Starlark, but really it¡¯s your own fault for putting your nose where it didn¡¯t belong. You and the Saint would have been safe from us had you not pried. The Scarlet Banquet has long been working in the shadows of Tulimeir without such important persons getting targeted. Alas, here we are.¡±
¡°We are here,¡± he replied flippantly, giving the man a flat look, ¡°Your minion here said you would turn me into Bits. Are you planning to kill and loot me? I¡¯ll be honest, I don¡¯t have a dimensional storage to gain riches from, so this seems a bit of a waste.¡±
The minion moved to hook his wrist cuffs to some chains hanging from the ceiling over the ritual circle as the leader answered with a sigh, ¡°We¡¯re not going to kill you, Avatar. However, this ritual is related to looting, you might say. Have you ever tried looting something that¡¯s still alive?¡±
¡°The magic doesn¡¯t take,¡± he promptly replied.
The man smirked, ¡°A little dark to attempt that on someone, isn¡¯t it? Perhaps you aren¡¯t as radiant as the gods you serve.¡±
¡°It was a monster that my claws didn¡¯t work against,¡± he retorted, ¡°The fact that you assumed it was a person is the key difference between us, I believe.¡±
¡°Well, there¡¯s going to be one less difference between us in a moment. Tell me, Avatar, have you ever met a voxen missing its tails?¡±
Everin felt his blood run cold despite not having any anymore. He had met one once, a Mundane victim who had their tail stolen to create a magic item. They never smiled and, even years later, had trouble balancing properly. They were the clumsiest voxen he had ever met.
Eyes widening in surprise and mouth dropping open at the realization of what was about to be attempted made him sputter, ¡°B-but I¡¯m Emerald Caste! I¡¯ll regenerate, and the tails will turn to ash. There¡¯s no point¡ª¡±
¡°That¡¯s what the ritual is for,¡± the man said with a malevolent grin, ¡°It helps you feel what¡¯s about to happen in your soul and preserves the tails as loot. It might take a few tries, but we¡¯ve never failed to claim a Caster voxen¡¯s tails before¡ eventually. I wonder how many times it will take for yours.¡±
He tried to struggle again, using his tails to try and disrupt the ritual below him, but he hung too far above it. Another shock from the magic lightning rod had his muscles spasming, and there was no more conversation to be had. The cultists took their places around the ritual circle and began to incant in sync.
Everin began to shout at them in vain and silently prayed. Prayed to his goddesses. Prayed to Hero or Champion. Prayed to the newly anointed Celestial Pantheon that included the eight gods that had marked their Saint. Prayed to any other god that might save him on a merciful whim.
There was no answer.
There was only pain and tears.
28 - Old Friend
Jerem stared up at the impossibly massive tree and recalled the equally impossible tale Director Trayvious had recounted about its origins. They had talked for hours about everything that had happened from the moment Paul arrived in the city leading up to his own arrival.
He still couldn¡¯t believe half of it. Paul actually becoming a father, especially through adoption and not some drunken illegitimate accident, seemed the most unbelievable to him still. What kind of person could thaw that man¡¯s heart?
The Defender twirled the crimson rose in his hand that he had brought as a peace offering and worried now that it wouldn¡¯t be enough compared to the meadow of alien flowers blooming all around this nascent city. He hoped it would be. He needed to meet Paul¡¯s daughter and son, and the dragon that now guarded them would only be overcome with smooth words and thoughtful gifts.
¡°Hello!¡±
Jerem looked down to find a young human-looking girl, maybe five years old, with curly red hair and bright blue eyes in a white summer dress, holding a purring black kitten. Again, he wished for Miriam to deal with this.
¡°Hello,¡± he replied cautiously, ¡°You must be the ¡®Presley¡¯ I heard about.¡±
¡°You must be the Jerem your aural imprint tells me about,¡± she replied with a grin.
The Defender wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to that. He didn¡¯t know auras could reveal a name, but then again, he didn¡¯t know alien vessels could merge with a floraval and gain sentience, either.
¡°You¡¯re very powerful. Almost Ruby. Why are you here?¡±
¡°I¡¯m an old friend of Paul¡¯s.¡±
Getting closer to look at the flower in his hand, she then inquired, ¡°A gift?¡±
¡°For Ambassador Patricia Wayland.¡±
¡°She just got back from the AOA a bit ago. Apparently, Padma didn¡¯t report in with her party, and nobody knows what mission King¡¯s Dream was assigned to when they didn¡¯t arrive on the wall.¡±
¡°That¡¯s the name of the party with Paul¡¯s adopted children in it, right?¡±
The girl¡¯s eyes narrowed at him suspiciously, ¡°Yes. Do you know where they are?¡±
¡°No. I came here looking for them.¡±
¡°I thought you were looking for Aunti Pati to give the flower gift?¡±
He gave a pained smile, ¡°I know she won¡¯t let me see them if I don¡¯t apologize to her first.¡±
¡°Why do you need to apologize?¡±
¡°I may have said a few¡ negative things about her brother the last time we saw each other,¡± he tried to explain, ¡°I was angry at him, lashed out, and stormed off. I¡¯ve come to make amends, though.¡±
¡°To get something,¡± the child pointed out, and he grimaced.
¡°This was a bad idea, wasn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°Probably,¡± Presley replied with a chipper grin, taking one of his hands to pull him along with her, ¡°Let¡¯s find out!¡±
With the little Emanation leading him, nobody seemed to stop and question some strange elf¡¯s presence among the mostly cinderen, runeforged, and Fae populace moving about the ship-turned-town. As they wound through people and flower-filled corridors, they passed glossy black doors that reflected his grumpy face, and he tried to smooth it out. He needed to be contrite and passive if he was to get past the fire-breathing sister.
He wanted to see Paul. Wanted to confirm the wild story the director recounted and meet the party his friend had mentored. Meet the children the stoic Striker had chosen to carry out his legacy and build a family with. To talk with the woman Paul thought was worthy of the relic he carried.
Jerem adjusted the pack slung over his shoulder and tensed as Presley pulled him into a room that held the dragon that was currently roasting alive some poor young man. It took him a second to realize that man was her oldest son, Patric. He hadn¡¯t seen the lad in almost a decade, not having taken much time the last few visits to the city to see Paul¡¯s extended family.
¡°What do you mean she just walked off with Camilla?!¡± Patricia asked with a raised voice that was just barely below what he would call a scream. Her body language, on the other hand, screamed agitation and aggression toward anyone who dared to anger her further.
¡°That¡¯s what one of the staff at the estate said. Camilla showed up, they talked, but the maid couldn¡¯t hear what was said through the window a couple stories up, then they just walked off together heading west,¡± Patric replied, looking more distressed than fearful.
Jerem¡¯s gaze caught that of an odd-looking voxen man with seven tails in swirling blue and green colors, and he wondered if the stranger had a Prism Brush like Roxy always kept on her or maybe some power creating the odd coloration. Even without his own aura senses confirming it, Jerem knew seven tails meant Ruby Caste and not to be messed with.
¡°You have a guest, it seems,¡± the voxen said calmly, and Jerem grimaced as Patricia¡¯s gaze snapped to him.
¡°Oh, you have got to be kidding me,¡± she said by way of greeting, the look of disdain on her face making it obvious that she hadn¡¯t forgotten the last time he had been near.
He gave a nervous smile, ¡°Hello, Lily Pati.¡±
Her bright blue eyes narrowed at him, ¡°You know I¡¯ve always hated that name. Pretty sure I punched you every time you¡¯d say it.¡±
¡°But it always made you smile,¡± he pointed out, taking a step forward despite his better judgment, ¡°Plus, I¡¯ve come to apologize.¡±
She glanced down to the rose in his hand before fixing that shrewd gaze back on his face, which he tried desperately to keep impassive, ¡°With a flower?¡±
¡°I know you like them,¡± he said pragmatically.
¡°I¡¯m a Blossom Caretaker,¡± she scoffed, ¡°The waiter at the corner cafe could have guessed that. You¡¯re not here to apologize. You¡¯re here because Paul wrote to you months ago. You¡¯re a bit late. Though, I¡¯m just surprised you bothered to show up at all.¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°I was in Devreli, and there¡¯s a blood moon,¡± he tried to argue in his defense, ¡°You know the usual transports are either halted or confiscated for official use. People are expected to bunker down, not hitchhike across the monster-infested continent.¡±
¡°Oh yeah? What about the six years before that, Jerem?¡± she asked, crossing her arms under her chest for maximum disapproval.
He glanced at the Ruby Caster he didn¡¯t know and at the young man he barely remembered the name of, and the looks of pity both were leveling at him, ¡°Look, can we talk privately?¡±
Patric seemed to jump at the chance to escape and took a step towards the door, ¡°Gladly¡ª¡±
¡°Stay,¡± Patricia commanded her son, who halted at the snap of her fingers, then she said in a tone that chilled his bones, ¡°I want witnesses to this so-called apology you have to say. I could use a second and third opinion.¡±
¡°Are you serious right now?¡± he asked incredulously, then gestured to the midnight voxen, ¡°I don¡¯t even know this bloke¡¯s name.¡±
¡°This is Emissary Mint Starfall,¡± she stated flatly, then her voice rose an octave as it became drenched in sarcasm, ¡°Now give me the grand apology that¡¯s supposed to convince me to forgive everything you did to Paul before disappearing for over half a decade.¡±
¡°I¡ª¡± Jerem hesitated, half-wondering if this was going to be yet another of her verbal traps, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for overreacting and the unfair words I said,¡± he began, carefully measuring his words to remain as calm and concise as possible to avoid her twisting anything he said.
¡°I was angry and grieving. I let my emotions get the better of me and shouldn¡¯t have called Paul ¡®a disgraceful arrogant prick with less capacity for love than his creepy emotionless Familiar and a bloated sense of self-righteous hypocrisy that would be better off lost at the bottom of a bottle than inflicting the world with his presence,¡¯¡± he finished saying, trying not to wince at how that sounded in retrospect.
Then he remembered to add, ¡°I¡¯m also sorry I called you a ¡®venomous shrew with a brother complex¡¯...¡±
¡°Wow, how are you even alive still?¡± Patric asked with wide eyes that matched his mother¡¯s.
¡°I was still only Sapphire and Paul was already a broken mess from destroying his adventuring party and Falling from the Purifier¡¯s grace,¡± Patricia answered without a hint of mercy, ¡°And that apology was a pile of siva dung.¡±
¡°He did say sorry for exactly what he did wrong, at least,¡± Mint offered in his defense, and Jerem¡¯s opinion of the man instantly improved, ¡°And his aura is reading as remorseful to me.¡±
¡°It might have been acceptable six years ago, but not now,¡± the priestess said with a shake of her head before gesturing towards the elf, ¡°Why should I believe you won¡¯t just turn around and hurt us again? Why should I give you an ounce of trust?¡±
¡°I¡¯m his liegeman, Patricia,¡± Jerem said through gritted teeth, trying not to get offended by her doubt in him; he deserved it, after all.
She scoffed at his argument, ¡°Paul released you from your Oathbond.¡±
He clenched his fists, ¡°I still swore to protect and serve¡ª¡±
¡°YOU TURNED YOUR BACK ON HIM!¡± she yelled. The composure she had been attempting to hold was finally cracking before his eyes, and she pointed an accusing finger at him, ¡°Abandoned the man you swore to protect with your life!¡±
¡°He killed the woman I loved!¡± he retorted, he had felt justified in his anger at the time for this reason alone. Couldn¡¯t she understand how broken he had been as well?
¡°She was a traitor, Jerem!¡± Patricia spat, ¡°You don¡¯t think it hurt him to have to end her? To go against everyone he trusted in order to do what was right?!¡±
¡°Him killing her wasn¡¯t right!¡± he yelled back. This was going all wrong.
¡°Would you have rather he let her kill that village full of innocents?¡±
¡°No.¡± That wasn¡¯t it. He needed to explain.
¡°Then what, Jerem? Should he have let her kill him instead?¡±
¡°No¡ª¡±
¡°You can¡¯t have it both ways!¡±
¡°I should have done it!¡± he snapped, throwing his hands up in the air as he took a step towards her.
Silence fell for a moment, and he tried to finally get his own words in, ¡°I always nagged at him to be a better Adventurer. To care more about the victims than the mission! I always gave him grief for caring more about what his god wanted over what was the good thing to do¡ Then he went and bloody listened to me.¡±
He wiped a hand over his face as he felt the heat in his body rise. Trying to calm himself, he said in a more subdued tone, ¡°He shouldn¡¯t have had to kill her. I should have stood between them, protected him and the village. He¡ª¡± his voice caught at the memories; the look of agony that had been on Paul¡¯s face as the Paladin held the corpse of the woman he suspected both of them had loved, ¡°He shouldn¡¯t have needed to live with that burden.¡±
¡°Well, he did. Made all the worse by you scorning him for it,¡± she said, her words stabbing his heart again, ¡°Now, get out. I have my brother¡¯s children and my daughter to find.¡±
¡°Lily Pati¡ª¡±
¡°Get out of my home and stay the fuck away from my family!¡± she screamed, pointing at the door.
He took another step forward to say more, but the Ruby voxen mirrored his actions and said with a flex of the stronger aura in warning, ¡°You heard Ambassador Wayland¡¯s order.¡±
Jerem knew his face was anything but composed at that point, but before he left, he gave a respectful bow and said, ¡°As you wish, Ambassador.¡±
Veldrix checked their pocket watch once more. Two hours was more than they normally allowed theirself to wait for a date. Though, they weren¡¯t sure this really counted as one. The pair had been skirting around calling their dinners together by that term. These were business meetings about the state of the nation¡ with a heavy dose of playful flirting.
The knight could see the uncertainty in Everin¡¯s body language whenever they were near the much younger voxen, but Veldrix had made certain to keep their aura from prying further. Dealing with the age difference could be difficult at times, but the Caste difference was more concerning to the knight. It made them naturally unequal in power and it was up to Veldrix to do their utmost to avoid taking advantage of that.
For now, they had planned to leave it at playful flirting unless the Avatar actually voiced interest in more. Then, they could have that discussion about expectations.
They sighed, putting the pocket watch away. They didn¡¯t believe Everin was the type to simply get cold feet and not show up, however, which meant the rebel fox got himself into some kind of trouble.
Veldrix wasn¡¯t positive at this point in their curious prodding of each other¡¯s interests if they would be an unwelcome presence to help Everin get out of said trouble.
Would they just make the situation worse? They¡¯ve been yelled at plenty of times before for swooping in like the shiny knight they were and trying to fix things they weren¡¯t asked to fix.
Unwanted help never seemed to actually help. It just caused additional problems on top of the original one. It made it look like they thought the other person was weak or ignorant on how to save themselves when really Veldrix was just trying to be useful and be of service.
A knight might often be portrayed as the fearless hero in some stories ¡ªas someone who knew all the answers and led with confidence¡ª but Veldrix knew the true purpose of a knight was in their subservience to their liege. It¡¯s what drew them to the position in the first place.
Everin was practically their opposite in this regard. Never bowing, rarely apologetic, and with a mouth that would likely get him killed someday. A true brat by nature. It was refreshing.
Veldrix often found theirself smiling throughout their chats together, finding a comfortable balance within their differences. Despite being much younger, Everin had seen his fair share of the world in his travels and understood the hardships that people of lesser stations suffered. It made them feel comfortable around him.
Even if it never went beyond playful teasing, Veldrix enjoyed having Everin as a companion to spend time with.
The Royal Knight stood, tossing a few Bits on the table as overpayment, and made to leave the restaurant. Perhaps the duke would have some insight about what happened to their amusing little rebel.
29 - Friend or Lover
Uriel was struggling to keep his sanity as he sat huddled in the cramped cage. The earrings weren¡¯t working fully after the second one completely cracked from his grief and panic overloading them. He normally wore five little gold cuffs on each ear, and the set as a whole was no longer functioning properly. It was an odd tingle of numbness over his mind with spikes of sensations getting through, almost like his hand going numb from sleeping on it wrong when he was younger.
With the enemy¡¯s Silencer still firmly in place he didn¡¯t have to worry about losing control from anger and hurting everyone at least. He only worried about losing control and becoming a completely unresponsive mess when a cool head was the only thing that kept them alive before. It was when he got too emotional or defiant when people died.
The DOD had wanted him to fight. To defy yet obey in the end. They wanted a tamed monster that could be brutal and compliant. He had done exactly as they had wanted. Fighting, torturing, and killing to keep his family safe. Even now, after all of that tragedy, he knew that he would do it all again to keep Dazien and the others alive.
The fact that Phoenix couldn¡¯t die was the only silver lining he had.
¡°Senesh?¡± his king called over to him, breaking the silence, ¡°How are you holding up?¡±
Most of the others had tried getting some sleep as the hours had worn on and they knew it was well into the night by now. Everin hadn¡¯t been brought back yet, and Uriel just assumed he was either going through some kind of torture session like he had undergone or the Avatar was already dead by now.
¡°Not well,¡± he finally admitted, his voice trembling more than he had hoped. ¡°I¡ª I don¡¯t want to kill like that again. Even if we survive here, if we¡¯re going back to the DOD, I know that¡¯s exactly what they¡¯ll have me do again. They¡¯ll take my Silencer and make me fight or die.¡±
¡°You¡¯ll fight,¡± Dazien replied firmly, ¡°You escaped before because you fought. Faelyn is still alive because you fought. We became real friends because you fought in my defense. That noble Crystal Caster would have likely killed me on the playground if you hadn¡¯t fought and set off the monster alarms.¡±
Uriel winced at the memory. He had fought and lost control in his anger and almost destroyed the entire playground because some spoiled brat given Aspects had been roughly bullying Daze. He glanced through the bars of the cages separating him and his partner to meet those amethyst eyes carefully observing him.
¡°I know that every time you fight, it¡¯s to save people. This time will be no different,¡± the Defender said with such surety that it was difficult for him not to believe it.
¡°But how many people will die because I fight and still lose?¡± he asked, looking back down at his hands and the memories of them painted in blood. His realistic pessimism was getting the better of him, ¡°I was forced to fight my friends, too¡ What if they make me fight you? I¡¯m not going to kill you, King. I can¡¯t. Life wouldn¡¯t be worth living if I had to live with that.¡±
¡°If you¡¯re forced to fight me, then I¡¯ll save you the trouble¡¡± Dazien practically whispered the words and it caused his head to snap up to stare at his partner.
¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡±
Daze gave a half-shrug as he said in a manner like it was no big deal, ¡°I¡¯ll just off myself for you. I assume we¡¯d have weapons or our powers if we had to fight to the death. I can fall on my sword¡ª¡±
¡°That¡¯s not funny.¡±
Dazien leveled a calm gaze straight at him and said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t joking. You can¡¯t expect me to live with killing the first person who actually believed in me. Besides, the others need you more than me.¡±
¡°How do you figure that?¡± he said with a raised brow, ¡°You¡¯re our leader. Our Defender¡ª¡±
¡°I think we both know there are better Defenders out there,¡± Dazien interjected, ¡°I¡¯m much more of a hybrid Supporter with my powerset. Phoenix could easily lead if given enough reason and¡ª¡±
¡°Stop talking about this like it¡¯s going to happen,¡± Uriel cut him off, ¡°You¡¯re not dying. I¡¯m just a bit-a-bundle mage that¡¯s obviously too broken to¡ª¡±
¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Dazien said, ¡°I¡¯ve never cared that you were broken, Senesh. I don¡¯t care if you think you¡¯re a worthless monster. Obviously, I wish you thought better of yourself, but you¡¯re worth everything to me. You¡¯re going to keep fighting and live with or without me. Even if you¡¯re not a leader and think you¡¯re just some mage that could easily be replaced, I know that¡¯s a lie.¡±
The amethyst warrior gestured towards Phoenix, who was slumped against the bars beside him, ¡°She needs you for who you are, not for your powers or your past.¡±
¡°What? What are you talking about? You¡¯re her brother now.¡±
Dazien gave a soft smile, ¡°Sure, but you¡¯re her Pillar.¡±
He fell silent at that, unsure what to say, but his partner continued, ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ve forgotten when you told me about how they manipulated you by keeping your most important people hostage. You told me they called you a Shield because you protected your Pillars ¡ªyour family. You told me that the newlywed Rand was Cassy¡¯s Pillar. I¡¯m quite certain that you are Phoenix¡¯s now.¡±
¡°We all are,¡± he tried to point out, ¡°She¡¯d be just as much a Shield for any of us, including you. Especially you. You¡¯re her closest family now, Daze. After what happened with Paul, she¡¯s not going to handle losing you.¡±
¡°Neither of us will handle losing you either.¡±
¡°Please stop talking about dying,¡± Saiya¡¯s voice said from the cage directly across from Dazien, ¡°I know you¡¯re both just trying to say how much you care about each other, but there¡¯s a simple word that begins with an ¡®L¡¯ that does that without the depressing images of my friends both dead.¡±
Uriel was startled by the Defender¡¯s chuckle, ¡°Forgive us, Lady Saiya. Sometimes it feels like that single word wouldn¡¯t be enough to convey those feelings.¡±
¡°You could try to be more poetic than morbid about it, at least,¡± she replied with a wrinkled nose that reminded Uriel of Phoenix. He wondered if the habit might have been wearing off on Saiya.
Another chuckle came from Dazien¡¯s cage, but the door opening again interrupted anything he might have said.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Their captor walked in again, that electric rod in his hands and no Avatar in sight. The sound of the door slamming behind the man startled the others awake, and Uriel wondered who the white-haired cinderen was planning to torture and take next. He was surprised when the large Emerald Caster instead hopped up just enough to sit atop the empty cage that Everin had occupied previously directly across from him.
¡°You know, it was botherin¡¯ me earlier,¡± the man began saying to him, ¡°Your face, that is. You see, I thought I recognized it at first. Then just shrugged it off thinkin¡¯ it was in passin¡¯. But after seein¡¯ that mark, rune scars, and thinkin¡¯ on it more, I remember who you are now.¡±
Uriel felt his blood cool as the man gave a vicious grin and announced, ¡°You¡¯re the Annihilator.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t call him that!¡± both Dazien and Phoenix retorted in his defense, and he felt the tingle of some emotion in his heart at their words.
¡°That¡¯s what they called him, though,¡± the captor replied with a shrug, ¡°On them Sense Stone recordings the boss let us watch when he used to run the gamblin¡¯ houses.¡±
The man pointed at Uriel for emphasis as he added, ¡°You were younger then. I remember bettin¡¯ against you the first time I saw ya and losin¡¯ a lot of Bits. You were brutal with that fire and ice.¡±
¡°He didn¡¯t have a choice,¡± the Defender spat.
¡°Sure he did,¡± the older cinderen said with another shrug, ¡°Everyone in the Rings chooses whether to try and win or not. I thought for sure the scared-lookin¡¯ lad covered in rune scars was gonna keel over to that elfin mage woman, but he burned her to a crisp.¡±
Uriel started when the man hopped back down to lean closer to his cage door and asked with that vile smile, ¡°In some of the later recordings, I saw you goin¡¯ berserk¡ killin¡¯ with a smile as some poor sap tried crawlin¡¯ away¡ I bet you learned to like killin¡¯, didn¡¯t ya?¡±
¡°Piss off,¡± Uriel mumbled, turning away from the man. He remembered those kinds of taunts from Elanor, one of his torturers who liked to rile him.
His current torturer laughed, ¡°I never bet against you again after seein¡¯ that. I knew then that if they didn¡¯t put you against a higher Caste, then you¡¯d never lose.¡±
Then the man lifted a runekey and asked, ¡°Want to try killin¡¯ again? Consider it a gift from a fan.¡±
¡°Leave him alone!¡± Padma shouted, causing Uriel to look over at her in surprise, ¡°He¡¯s not some vile murderer like you!¡±
¡°Oh? Are you his girlfriend or somethin¡¯?¡±
¡°N-no,¡± the runeforged woman sputtered, and Uriel wanted to smack her for looking towards Dazien as she admitted, ¡°I¡ª I couldn¡¯t win his heart like someone else.¡±
Even without saying it outright, she had made it too obvious as their captor followed her gaze, and his grin grew wider, ¡°Ooo, a love triangle, eh? How romantic,¡± the man looked back towards Uriel as he added, ¡°You know some of the best romance stories end in tragedy, right?¡±
¡°No,¡± Uriel replied with a defiant glare that belied his rapidly beating heart.
¡°Oh, yes.¡±
Then their captor began unlocking his cage as he went over the new Rules for Uriel to follow, ¡°We¡¯re gonna find out if you still have that killer in ya. The door¡¯s locked, so no point in tryin¡¯ to run. You fight me or disobey, and I¡¯ll kill all these red shirts while you watch.¡±
Then the sadist moved over to unlock Padma¡¯s cage, dragging her out by her hair when she tried to resist. Uriel had moved to help and ended up catching her as she was unceremoniously shoved against him, making him fall back against his cage before righting both of them.
To his dread, Dazien¡¯s cage was opened next.
¡°You said white was going to your High Priestess!¡± Phoenix yelled at their captor, ¡°You¡¯re not going to kill¡ª¡±
¡°I¡¯ll have you know that I love the taste of amethyst gemite and will absolutely lie about what¡¯s happening in here if the Annihilator here picks him.¡±
¡°Picks?¡± Uriel repeated as his heart sank into his gut. He had played twisted games like this before, and they always ended with him mopping blood off the floor.
¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the cultist said with a nod as he dragged Dazien out by the collar around his neck, his antlers catching on the top bars of the cage since the Silencer wouldn¡¯t normally overpower Transfigurations like that. The cultist didn¡¯t seem to care, though, as he just yanked the antlers free and moved Dazien towards the far wall of the aisle where the pile of blue ashes still lay.
¡°You¡¯re gonna pick and show this girl exactly what kind of vile murderer you are. I get dinner either way, though I¡¯m really hopin¡¯ you kill the gemite.¡±
There was no way he could. He was fairly certain the remaining earrings were all going to shatter in a moment as the man withdrew that same dagger that had murdered Snowbelle and flipped it, gesturing for him to take it.
¡°This is my own Emerald Caste ability,¡± the sadist explained, ¡°Cuts through Sapphire skin and bone like butter,¡± he glanced down at the Familiar¡¯s ashes, ¡°As I¡¯ve already demonstrated. It can¡¯t hurt me, though, so don¡¯t make this more annoying for me, or I¡¯ll pick for you.¡±
Uriel stared at the dagger, frozen in fear. Dazien was the one that moved, lunging for the dagger only to get backhanded into the wall by the much stronger and unsilenced Caster.
¡°Stop!¡± Uriel yelled, getting between his partner and their assailant, ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him.¡±
The man held the dagger out to him again, ¡°Then you best kill the girl there,¡± Uriel reluctantly took the dagger, causing the sadist to grin again and say, ¡°Here, I¡¯ll help make it easier for you.¡±
Uriel was pulled forward by the gray tunic he wore now and was shoved out of the way as the Emerald Caster moved to grab both Padma and Dazien by the backs of their collars, using the metal bands to move them to stand side by side in front of the cultist whose back was now to the wall.
¡°Should I put them on their knees? Do you want to see them beg for mercy like so many others in the Rings did?¡±
¡°No. They¡ª I¡¯m not going to hurt them,¡± he tried to sound confident in his determination but even he could hear the waver in his voice.
¡°Look, I¡¯m gonna eat tomorrow night one way or another, so you better pick someone to kill, or I¡¯m gonna have a buffet tonight. So choose, Annihilator: Friend or Lover?¡±
Uriel stared helplessly at the cultist, and the dark part of him already understood that Padma would not be leaving this room alive. He learned early on that not all lives were equal to him, and currently, nobody was worth more to him than Dazien.
¡°Please, Uriel,¡± Padma whimpered at him, and he realized that he had been staring at her, ¡°Please, don¡¯t do this. I¡¯m sorry for everything I did, but¡ª¡± her voice broke as she started to tremble, ¡°I don¡¯t want to die. Not like this¡¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Padma,¡± he replied. He meant it, too. He was sorry that it had come to this.
¡°Senesh,¡± Dazien¡¯s voice drew his attention as he looked at his king, ¡°Don¡¯t do this. Don¡¯t kill Padma.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not killing you, Daze.¡±
¡°You will if I order it.¡±
Uriel¡¯s eyes went wide. Dazien had never¡ his king would never¡ There was no way his partner would give a command that would hurt him. Daze had never abused the power he gave over him like that.
Then he felt a tug on his tunic and looked back to see Phoenix¡¯s arm stretched through the bars of her cage in range of him, ¡°Uriel. You can¡¯t kill them.¡±
¡°He don¡¯t got a choice, Wayland whore,¡± the cultist said, ¡°He¡¯s either killing one with his own hands or all the rest because he chose to be a coward.¡±
¡°Senesh,¡± Dazien said gently, causing him to look back as the beautiful gemite gave a reassuring smile, ¡°I love you, Uriel.¡± The tone of command in Dazien¡¯s next words broke his heart as the Familiar-empowered order invited him to obey, ¡°Now, kill me and shield the others.¡±
Another earring broke; the pieces of metal falling to the cold stone ground.
He took a step forward to obey his king, and the dagger in his hands found itself plunged into a still-beating heart as his own shattered into pieces.
30 - Sacrificial Pawn
Phoenix understood now just how dangerous things were, not for her but for everyone she cared about. The wrong word, too sudden of a movement, or reacting instead of thinking would just get someone she cared about killed.
She tried to remain silent and let Dazien do the talking for her. He was better at reading situations like this, better at knowing the right words to say. So she was appalled when it looked like he was getting ready to sacrifice himself for their cousin.
There was no way she could lose her brother to the whims of a mad cultist.
Phoenix reached out to grab at Uriel¡¯s tunic and begged him not to kill either of her family members, ¡°Uriel. You can¡¯t kill them.¡± There had to be another option. They couldn¡¯t just let the evil guy win.
Their captor dashed her hopes, however, when he pointed out the unfair ultimatum they were in, ¡°He¡¯s either killing one with his own hands or all the rest because he chose to be a coward.¡±
Someone was dying before he would leave the room. She realized then that while she might not be able to stop one of her friends from dying in the next few minutes, she might be able to save the rest.
Phoenix realized that Uriel had a weapon. Something that could kill her! If she could only signal to him somehow that he should kill her instead. She didn¡¯t want to tip the guy off that she wanted to die ¡ªwell, fake-die¡ª so she needed to give a hint without actually giving her intent away.
The only problem was that she was terrible with words, especially the subtle kind that relied on hidden interpretations. If she couldn¡¯t ever pick up on them herself, how could she even make one that would be obvious to others?
She found herself wishing she could hear Tala¡¯s voice through the Silencer. Maybe her Familiar would have a better way with words¡ probably not, though. The obsessed bird would probably just complain about her killing them again and beg for more shinies as recompense.
Before she could think of what to say, her brother spoke again.
It broke her own heart to hear Dazien actually tell Uriel that he loved him. She had never heard either of them say that before, even in their more private moments. While it had been obvious to her when she actually started looking at them in that light, it had a finality to it that felt like a punch to her gut when he said it now.
Then Dazien gave a command that she knew Uriel wouldn¡¯t disobey ¡ªknew that he couldn¡¯t fight.
Her best friend took a step forward to obey, and she used all of her Sapphire Caste Strength to yank on his tunic, causing him to stumble and turn into her.
She couldn¡¯t have planned it better if she had actually tried to as the dagger in his hand plunged into her heart with ease. The only thing she regretted at that moment was the horrified look on Uriel¡¯s face as they stared at each other, their faces only a few inches apart.
His eyes were wide as he stammered, ¡°N-no, I¡ª¡±
¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she whispered through the pain, ¡°Just wait for me.¡±
Uriel¡¯s emotions felt like a steak being fought over by a pack of hungry frolf pups, getting chewed up, pulled in every direction, and pieces ripped from the rest of him. First, by the brief thought that he would have followed Dazien¡¯s command and then again by killing his best friend. The only thing keeping him together was Phoenix¡¯s hidden promise: ¡°Wait for me.¡±
He could do that.
She would get help. She could save them all; he just needed to buy time. Phoenix had become the sacrificial pawn, and now he needed to be the distracting court mage in this new game of Monarch¡¯s March.
Uriel turned back to look at their captor, whose face contorted into an angry snarl as he shoved the other two out of his way and replaced Uriel¡¯s hand on the dagger, ¡°Shit. Don¡¯t you dare die, bitch.¡±
¡°Bet your boss isn¡¯t going to be happy with you now, is he?¡± Uriel taunted.
Blood-red eyes fixed on him for a moment before a fist sent him to the floor with a broken jaw.
This could work, he thought. Then he spat out the blood in his mouth and managed to mumble, ¡°Coward.¡±
The cultist growled and deliberately pulled a fist back again to deal another blow.
¡°No, Senesh!¡± Dazien shouted. The Defender was at his side the next moment and crouched over him protectively with a palm raised to his attacker, ¡°Stop! He¡¯s the Destroyer¡¯s Chosen, remember?! Don¡¯t hurt him!¡±
¡°Should I kill you in his place then?! ¡®Cause he just cost us a fortune if she¡ª¡±
Phoenix¡¯s body disintegrating into blue ash interrupted his words as the weight of her vanishing released the dagger, and the cultist cursed again, kicking at the now-empty cage in anger. When the Emerald Caster turned to kick him instead, Daze shouted, ¡°Your boss needs to know! You know that if you wait longer, it¡¯s going to end up worse, and you¡¯ll look like a traitor who killed the Saint. You¡¯re willing to risk killing two Chosen and losing even more money?¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
The cinderen let out a roar of nonsensical rage before grabbing Dazien¡¯s collar again and dragging the gemite back to the cage he had originally occupied.
Padma beat the man to the order by ducking into her own cell and shutting the door behind her, not needing extra encouragement.
Before Uriel could even stand up properly, the cultist punched him again, and he heard a rib audibly crack as he cried out from the pain, ¡°That¡¯s for killin¡¯ the whore.¡±
Another spike of pain rushed through him as his hand was crushed under a boot, ¡°That¡¯s for spoilin¡¯ my fun, and this is for all the Bits I lost because of you.¡±
Then Uriel¡¯s left eye was decimated as an Emerald Caste fist shattered the socket, and he saw only blackness before passing out.
Dazien felt the wrench in his heart as he helplessly watched Phoenix get murdered in front of his eyes¡ again. He honestly didn¡¯t feel quite as distraught as he had the last time, or the time before that, or before that, which bothered him more than he thought it should.
He didn¡¯t like the idea of getting used to seeing his sister die over and over again, but logically, he knew that in this moment, it was their best chance of survival. He wished he had thought of that.
Dazien had been ready to die for the others. To rejoin his mother and hopefully give Uriel a new and better reason to live and fight than for just his sake. Now, it just looked like Phoenix¡¯s martyr complex was wearing off on him.
When their captor looked like he was going to murder Uriel next, he had tried to talk the man down instead. Logic would hopefully help. He hated calling Uriel ¡°Destroyer¡¯s Chosen,¡± but he knew that mutually assured destruction might be the only thing that could help keep his partner alive.
He was tossed back into the cage like an animal, his antlers catching on the short meter-tall cage again before he stumbled to the ground. Then, the sadist proceeded to beat Uriel half to death.
¡°You¡¯re gonna kill him, and then we¡¯ll all be dead!¡± Dazien shouted at the enraged cultist. Who fixed him with a glare before pulling out a runekey to unlock the cage that Phoenix had been in. He grabbed Uriel by the collar and tossed him into it, kicking up Phoenix¡¯s ashes in the process, but Dazien was more concerned about the sickening thud as his partner collapsed against the cell floor.
¡°He¡¯s a Caster. He¡¯ll live,¡± the cultist spat before slamming the cage door shut and moving to storm out of the room.
They were all startled when the door opened and a new voice came from the doorway, one that Dazien recognized, ¡°Where¡¯s the Wayfarer, Vas?¡± the runeforged man asked in annoyance as he looked around the room.
The newcomer was dressed in the same red cloak as the others, but Dazien still recognized the face of Ramir Mirimel, the AOA functionary who had stopped him from requesting an investigation into the kidnappings and gave him this cursed mission. It was clear to him now why that was, and he internally chided himself for not going above the man¡¯s head sooner.
The sadistic cultist Ramir had called Vas crossed his arms defensively and retorted, ¡°Died. Turned to ash due to the Destroyer¡¯s Chosen goin¡¯ and killin¡¯ her.¡±
The AOA traitor raised a brow and glanced over at the barely moving form of Uriel as he lay unconscious in the cage, ¡°A Silenced Crystal Caster somehow managed to kill an equally Silenced and caged Sapphire? I don¡¯t think Mister Lumeris is going to believe that without some obviously missing details.¡±
¡°Hey, the boss said I could play a game with them to pick dinner,¡± he retorted, ¡°Who in their right mind would think killin¡¯ the flippin¡¯ Saint is what her party would choose?!¡±
Ramir looked unimpressed as he gave the other cultist a flat look and said, ¡°We serve the Maniac, and you question their sanity? I think you¡¯ve gotten a bit too deep into the faith side of this if you¡¯re already that insane.¡±
Vas scoffed, ¡°You know I¡¯m just like you and here for the promise of power¡ it¡¯s a bonus that they taste good.¡±
The administrator glanced around the room again, pausing as he took in Padma and Camilla¡¯s trembling figures, and said, ¡°I think you¡¯re enjoying a bit more than just the power and snacks. You belong in the cult. I¡¯m the one keeping my head and making sure you all stay hidden from the AOA, remember? It¡¯s brash moves like that which risk our exposure.¡±
¡°Yer just lucky that this area is part of an actual Sanctuary. Yer lil plan wouldn¡¯t have worked without the Maniac¡¯s influence keepin¡¯ these Chosen hidden!¡±
Ramir¡¯s gaze returned to Uriel for a moment before sliding to Dazien¡¯s, ¡°I should have guessed the chained shadow by your side was just as voidtouched as this degenerate,¡± he said, gesturing to his cultist companion. ¡°It looks like my low opinion of you is even higher than you deserve if you¡¯re keeping a Destroyer¡¯s Chosen as a pet.¡±
Vas gave a snort of laughter, ¡°Turns out he¡¯s a bit more than a pet. More like a love slave,¡± the sadistic grin reappeared as the cultist looked at him and asked, ¡°Do you keep the chains on in bed, too?¡±
Dazien did not deign to respond. He wouldn¡¯t bite the verbal bait this man obviously enjoyed using on his prey.
Their captor scowled and glanced over at Saiya, ¡°Should I finish picking one of the red shirts to take with me? Maybe keep me company tonight instead?¡±
¡°Now Vas, I know for a fact Mister Lumeris has told you not to spoil dinner. Nobody here wants to eat that, especially from you,¡± Ramir said with a look of disgust. Then the traitor stepped to the side and pointed out of the room, ¡°Instead of messing things up even more than you already have with your games, go tell Lumeris what happened here¡ With details.
The sadist scowled again and spat on Dazien before stalking past the runeforged and out of the room. He hoped the man wouldn¡¯t return again.
Ramir watched Vas leave before turning to look directly at Dazien and gave the sneer he was most familiar with, ¡°I told you this would be a waste of time and resources, Mister Smithson. You should have listened to me.¡±
Dazien glared at him silently as the cold fury built deep within him. This traitor was the cause of all of this. Was the reason so many Casters had died and gone missing, and nobody seemed to know about it. How many others had been in their position, asking for help to investigate, only to be sent into a trap?
The runeforged scoffed at the silence, ¡°And you¡¯re usually always so quick with pretty words to go with the pretty face. Your noble Wayfarer ¡ªthe one who lifted you up from the dirt¡ª just died in front of you, and now is when you have nothing to say?¡±
When Dazien finally spoke, the ice in his voice made even his friends shiver and look at him with worry as he promised the traitorous AOA official with infused words he hadn¡¯t intended to empower, ¡°I¡¯m going to deny your request when you beg me for mercy.¡±
31 - Reinforcements
¡°I can¡¯t believe you killed us again,¡± her Familiar complained in her mind, ¡°We¡¯re never going to hit Emerald at this rate. Is it possible to de-cultivate back into Crystal?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll take going back to Crystal over all my friends dying, Tala,¡± Phoenix mentally retorted before slowly opening her eyes to find her [Guide Book] faithfully floating above her with the usual announcement.
|
You have died.
All equipment has been returned to your collection.
[Waypoint] has guided your soul back to your designated location.
You have been reconstituted to a state of full integrity.
Twenty-four hours remain until this effect can be triggered again.
|
¡°Well¡ that¡¯s one problem solved,¡± Phoenix said to herself before remembering that her friends were still in trouble and she had absolutely zero sense of time passing when dead, ¡°Time to get the reinforcements now.¡±
¡°Reinforcements for what?¡± Patricia snapped, and Phoenix embarrassingly squeaked in surprise and instantly conjured her clothing directly onto her naked body from her collection.
Her aunt was standing at the side of her bed staring at her like the woman might kill her again as the priestess asked icily, ¡°Where is my daughter, Phoenix?¡±
She winced but figured there was only time for blunt honesty at the moment, ¡°She was in the basement of the Scarlet Banquet¡¯s lair being held prisoner with everyone else when I died.¡±
Patricia¡¯s eyes went wide as the mother yelled, ¡°That was eight hours ago!¡±
¡°Eight?!¡± Phoenix repeated in shock, ¡°The time increased again?!¡±
¡°Where are they?!¡±
¡°The Processing District!¡± she shouted back in her own panic, ¡°Some butcher place called the Crimson Rose by the northern wall was where the trap was! It was High Emerald Caste, though; you can¡¯t just go in there alone!¡±
¡°Do they know you died?¡±
¡°I mean¡ there was a big cinderen guy with white hair that kinda saw me get stabbed in the heart, so¡ probably? But they were able to capture Everin, which means they could capture you too, so you can¡¯t just barge in there!¡±
¡°I have resources,¡± the noblewoman retorted, ¡°You stay put and¡ª¡±
¡°I can help! I can portal. Dazien wanted me to contact the duke for more backup. I can still do that at least!¡± Phoenix practically begged as she scrambled out of the bed.
Patricia¡¯s eyes narrowed for only a moment before she gave a nod and said, ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. They¡¯ll likely need to be involved anyway for the incoming body count.¡±
Phoenix paused at that, eyes wide, as she realized that her aunt intended to kill all of them. She clenched her fists the next moment and nodded with hardened resolve, ¡°No remorse for the maniacs that killed Snowbelle and Daze¡¯s mom.¡±
Her aunt gave another curt nod of approval and then a rush of wind whipped up her curls as the runeforged woman seemed to vanish before her eyes. Phoenix didn¡¯t waste more time as she conjured a portal as close to the ducal palace in the center of Tulimeir as she could remember.
Knight Thevaris was becoming more and more agitated as the hours wore on with no sign of Everin or King¡¯s Dream. After going to the Duke to inquire if something had become of the Avatar, they had gone to both the AOA and the Temple District to inquire further about some sudden mission or quest being given.
It seemed as though the Avatar had simply vanished into thin air. More concerning was that both Rebel and Scholar¡¯s clergy were in a mild tizzy because they could no longer sense their Saint anywhere nearby.
Veldrix had heard about the connection between those with a Soul Mark and their clergy from a Saint of the Arcanist they had known for a long time. The lack of privacy was a major point of annoyance for the poor god-touched. Apparently, the range for this extra sense increased with the Chosen¡¯s Caste and, at Sapphire now, the clergy had been able to always sense Phoenix¡¯s presence on the tundra.
This didn¡¯t help to waylay any of their concerns, however, when they discovered this meant both Everin and King¡¯s Dream were missing. The fact that Scholar¡¯s clergy, in particular, weren¡¯t receiving the information from their goddess was even more of a worry.
They had come across Patricia after visiting the World Tree again via the portalist loaned to Duke Tul temporarily to learn that a couple more women were also included among the missing group and had agreed that Veldrix would head things in the capital while Patricia leveraged her influence among those in the Sacred City with Emissary Mint acting as her Ruby enforcer.
Now, Veldrix was in the equivalent of a war room as they worked with a group of very invested people. Most of those in attendance consisted of high-ranking clergy, with the addition of Lord Teras, Director Trayvious, and some higher-ranked Ducal Guards under Duke Tul.
Veldrix was already dressed for battle in case news arrived suddenly. Their iconic black armor was a reminder to all that they were not just a knight but the Royal Executioner that would see justice dealt.
A table with a three-dimensional illusion of the city was in the center as people moved around the room. They sporadically placed markers in various positions to indicate sightings and sources of information they had managed to gather throughout the night.
It was late morning when a large portion of the room suddenly froze, and all turned to look to the east. It made it obvious to Veldrix that something major had changed. The clergy could feel their Saint again.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°Get the portalist,¡± Duke Tul ordered, having caught on to what was happening as well, ¡°She should have answers about what new threat we¡¯re likely facing this time.¡±
It was only a couple minutes later when the clergy members all froze again, this time to look downwards, and one of them said, ¡°She¡¯s already here.¡±
Veldrix knew they were right; they could feel the Wayfarer through their own aura senses at this distance. They were just glad that their senses seemed to still be working, considering how much running around the city they had done without getting so much as a whisper of the Wayfarer or Avatar. They had been about to expand their search to the outer fortress towns despite most sightings placing the various individuals within the capital.
The knight didn¡¯t wait for the Sapphire Caster to climb the towering palatial building, instead moving quicker than appropriate to appear in front of the Wayfarer and asking in a voice that was calmer than they currently felt, ¡°Is everyone safe?¡±
¡°No, I¡ª¡± the startled woman seemed to recenter herself briefly before explaining, ¡°I escaped, but the others are still trapped or dead already. I¡¯m not sure. I¡ª¡± she hesitated, and Veldrix didn¡¯t care about propriety at the moment as their aura intrusively sifted through the Wayfarer¡¯s, wary of any deception from the woman they barely knew.
Veldrix was mildly surprised when the Aurabreaker narrowed her eyes at them and said, ¡°That¡¯s a bit rude, but I get that you¡¯re worried. I can¡¯t explain fully, but I came here to get help for my friends, my family,¡± she said, stressing the word to make her point.
The knight relaxed their posture, ¡°My apologies. I don¡¯t like the idea of those who are¡ unique going missing inexplicably. You, Avatar Starlark, and your brother are all unique enough in this city to warrant the attention of the vile.¡±
¡°Vile is right,¡± Phoenix replied with a shiver, ¡°They¡¯re cannibals. Cultists of the Maniac called the¡ª¡±
¡°Scarlet Banquet?¡±
She looked surprised, but nodded and they added, ¡°I¡¯m familiar with the group. I thought we routed out their presence in Blomsterang centuries ago. Apparently, they grow like mold¡ Where are the others?¡±
¡°I told Pati they were in the Processing District near the northern wall. A butchery called the Crimson Rose. I warned her there were high Emerald enchantments guarding it, though.¡±
They nodded. ¡°She¡¯ll likely leverage Emissary Mint, but he¡¯s not as combat-focused as I am,¡± they grimaced slightly before admitting, ¡°Or as invested at the moment, I believe. Is it safe to assume Avatar Starlark was with you all?¡±
She nodded again but hesitated before saying, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s alive, though. They took him from the rest of us and said they were gonna turn him into Bits¡ that was probably twelve hours ago now¡¡±
Veldrix didn¡¯t let their tremor of fear show in their aura at all. A knight needed to remain composed at all times. Calm, dignified, and a shining example of their liege¡¯s nobility. They still clenched their fist at the idea of someone murdering their flirtatious dinner companion, however.
The knight then asked, ¡°Do you mind if I carry you there? I want you to make sure I don¡¯t get lost, and you can help with portaling the others out.¡±
¡°Yes, please!¡± she replied, seeming relieved to not get left behind. Then she paused and asked, ¡°Should we get the rest of the guard?¡±
¡°You said the enchantments were high Emerald Caste?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°We won¡¯t need them.¡±
Then Veldrix lifted the light young woman in their arms and ran to the northern wall of the Processing District. They only slowed to get directions as Phoenix tried to get her bearings. The knight tried to remain patient as they realized Phoenix was terrible with directions and probably relied more on her portals than she should for getting to where she needed to go.
A wave of relief ran through the knight as they spotted the half-hidden hole in the wall of what looked more like a residential building than a business. There wasn¡¯t even a sign outside to attract others, just the name on the glass door.
Veldrix didn¡¯t bother to put Phoenix down or open the door with their hands, letting a simple tap of their heavily armored boot completely shatter the glass door before calmly but quickly making their way in.
The smell was atrocious, and Veldrix quickly shut that sense down. The overpowering scent of death and rot would overpower anything that might have been useful information anyway.
Phoenix halted them at the innocuous door on a lower level as she warned, ¡°This was the trap room¡ it¡¯s¡ well, it¡¯s not pretty inside. We actually found Dazien¡¯s mom.¡±
Veldrix raised an auburn eyebrow toward Phoenix at that piece of news, then extended their own senses, trying to push further than the cursory skimming they had done before when searching the city. At first, they could only sense the avals still alive on the floor above them, followed by the Mundane people living on the floors above the shop. This time of day, there were only a few still at home.
The room in front of them didn¡¯t feel different at all. It wasn¡¯t Void magic, as that normally felt like a hole in their senses. No, this had to have been some heavy-duty Illusion magic to make it feel like it was just an unremarkable room with even more unremarkable storage rooms below it.
It was only by focusing and already knowing something was off that let their senses pick up on the trace magic embedded into the walls they couldn¡¯t see yet. The slight flavor of divinity was another indicator of why they might have missed this before.
Phoenix had said that they were Maniac cultists, but Veldrix knew the notorious group of blood cultists often collaborated with other Voidsworn zealots. It was one of the things that made them persist longer than most other followers of the Maniac did. To have such elaborate Illusions like this in place meant they were working with an equally deceptive deity.
Veldrix set Phoenix on her feet and ordered, ¡°Wait here until I¡¯ve disabled it. It won¡¯t be long.¡±
¡°The enchantments activated when the door shut last time. Do you want me to keep it open for you?¡±
¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I want to see for myself how this is meant to work,¡± at her worried look, they forced a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m at the peak of Ruby, and it would take at least something of that Caste to overcome my attributes.¡±
She nodded reluctantly, and Veldrix opened the door and stepped inside. It looked as empty as it had felt at first. A large drain in the center of the floor and something rectangular like a wardrobe covered by a canvas tarp was centered on the far wall, with another door off to one side.
Veldrix recalled Phoenix saying Dazien¡¯s mother was found here, so they could only assume she was being kept prisoner behind the tarp, probably like those pitiful animals on the floor above. Saving another gemite would be a silver lining to this whole situation.
When they removed the tarp the next moment, they inhaled sharply at the grotesquery. Amethyst bones fixed to the wall like some morbid decoration. ¡°Oh, dear child,¡± they whispered in their own shock, their hand moving to rest upon the glass separating them.
Veldrix had seen some horrible situations that other gemites had found themselves in before. They had seen chained children kept for harvesting hair and nails from. They had seen many teens and younger adults kept as pleasure slaves for their beautiful features. They had found blind elders whose gem-like eyes were stolen. They had seen them all abused, used, and tossed around like toys.
The knight had never seen something like this before, however. When the enchantments triggered, the skeleton seemed to come alive, talking like a soulless golem with a feminine voice, ¡°Warning! Ruby Caste intruder detected. Defensive protocols initialized. Lockdown and neutralization rituals will now commence. Evacuation alerts will now be relayed.¡±
Rage the likes Veldrix had not felt in a long time rose to the surface. They realized in that moment why Phoenix had been sure that this was her brother¡¯s mother. The young Dazien ¡ªthe rarest occurrence of a happy gemite adoption Veldrix had ever come across¡ª had been standing here. He would have known. He would have been heartbroken.
Veldrix shattered the glass case surrounding the desecrated remains with a single flex of their palm that was already touching it. They made sure to collect every single bone to keep safe in their personal dimensional storage before whispering the incantation for one of their few non-Executes, this one coming from their Fire Aspect ability.
¡°May the ire of the Salamander¡¯s flames consume the wicked as they burn in a lake of fire.¡±
As flames began to spread out from them to consume everything, something in their soul finally clicked into place ¡ªan Epiphany of the purpose for their Fire. An eerie black flame also consumed Veldrix for a moment as a part of them began to evolve.
32 - Pyre Executioner
Dazien almost growled as Vas re-entered the room carrying the Lightning rod again. He had seen that device before the man had used it on Everin. It was normally used on animals to train them. To break them.
He worried that the sadist was back to punish Uriel more. His partner had only regained consciousness a couple of hours earlier and still couldn¡¯t see properly out of his left eye. Even Crystal Caste Fortitude was impressive when compared to Mundane standards for natural regeneration. However, it would still take time to recover from that kind of brutality without the assistance of a Healer.
¡°Now, my lovelies,¡± the cultist began as he stopped in front of Saiya¡¯s cage, ¡°We were interrupted last time, but I¡¯ve been given specific orders to select one red shirt to prepare for dinner tonight,¡± Vas leaned down slightly to whisper conspiratorially, ¡°But I always did get scolded for playing with my food.¡±
¡°You¡¯re an animal,¡± Rayna spat at him.
Their captor gave a feral grin, ¡°Keep fighting, girlie. It will make it all the more delectable.¡±
¡°No!¡± Saiya and Dazien called out as the pugilist lunged forward to punch the man, only to get stopped midway by a shock from the magical rod.
Rayna collapsed in a slightly smoldering heap, singed from the Emerald Caste magic. The sadist gave a cruel grin as he bent down to get a better view of Saiya, ¡°No tears yet, love? I guess I better up the pain then.¡±
¡°No! Please!¡± Saiya tried to beg, but another shock pulling a scream from her sister was what finally made her tears fall, ¡°Please stop!¡±
¡°Leave them alone!¡± Dazien bellowed, his anger overcoming his patience to wait for Phoenix to return. He was meant to protect his team. He was meant to defend those around him. Yet he kept failing. He wouldn¡¯t fail this time.
Vas paused briefly, confusion crossing his face, before he finally turned his attention to Dazien and asked, ¡°What was that?¡±
¡°I said leave them alone,¡± he repeated, glaring daggers at the man.
¡°No, not that. I heard that. What was that power I sensed? You shouldn¡¯t be able to use a power¡¡± Vas moved closer to Dazien¡¯s cage this time, and he continued glaring defiantly, simply glad he had managed to distract the man from torturing the twins.
¡°I didn¡¯t use any power.¡±
¡°No? There was something there, though¡ I might have actually listened to you if you were Emerald,¡± the cinderen¡¯s solid red eyes roamed over him as though searching for the answer.
Dazien pursed his lips, realizing what had happened but not wanting to reveal any information to the cruel man. Keeping him occupied with questions was more valuable at the moment. Instead he wondered if he could push this particular ability a bit further since it didn¡¯t seem silenced in the same way as his other ones were.
Focusing his mind on the Familiar merged within him and transfiguring his voice, he tried to give another command and warning, ¡°Let us go, or you will die.¡±
Fear and confusion crossed the man¡¯s face again, and he began to reach for his pocket before halting and shaking his head, almost yelling at him, ¡°Now what in the frozen Abyss of the Primordials was that?! I¡¯m gonna put you down now, boy, if you don¡¯t answer me on what bloody power you¡¯re using while silenced!¡±
Dazien was about to shout back with another attempt at a command when alarms started blaring, and he heard his mother¡¯s voice announce, ¡°Warning! Ruby Caste intruders have been detected! Please evacuate via the nearest emergency tunnel. Warning¡ª¡±
The disembodied voice continued to repeat the message as Vas cursed, and Dazien couldn¡¯t help the grin spreading across his face as he taunted, ¡°Looks like reinforcements have arrived, and you¡¯re too late to avoid that death I promised.¡±
He was repaid for his words with pain as the Lighting rod was jabbed into his gut, and he found himself convulsing on the ground. It appeared like the cultist had finally gone completely mad as the rod was repeatedly pulled back and slammed into him again. He idly wondered if the cannibal truly intended to kill him and eat him as a final meal.
¡°Stop it! You¡¯re gonna kill him!¡± Uriel shouted, trying to push the Emerald Caster away only to get shocked himself in turn.
¡°You arrogant upstarts think you have any power here?!¡± Vas shouted at them, ¡°You will bow and break before the might of the Scarlet Banquet!¡±
¡°The Maniac¡¯s zealots will fall tonight,¡± Dazien spat out, blood dripping on the floor from him biting his tongue too hard from the electrocution. ¡°We will rout out every insane cannibal on the tundra before dawn¡¯s light.¡±
As the rod struck Dazien again, the door slammed open, and a blur too quick for his eyes to follow made Vas disappear from in front of his cage. The loud crack of stone from the other side of the room made him turn to see a Royal Knight holding the man by the throat against the wall, their Ruby Caste aura flooding the room with the promise of fiery death.
Relief flooded Dazien at the sight of Veldrix Thevaris, though upon closer inspection, the knight looked different than last he saw them. They wore matte black armor, and they were covered in flames. Their hair had literally become fire as it trailed behind them, and the knight glanced around the room for only a moment, but it was enough for Dazien to see their eyes looked more like a cinderen¡¯s; however, instead of just the irises, the entire eye appeared as molten lava.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
¡°Where is he?¡± Veldrix asked in a deadly calm voice.
¡°W-who?¡± Vas struggled to ask with the knight in the process of crushing his vocal cords.
¡°Avatar Everin Starlark. Where. Is. He?¡± the Pyre Executioner clarified, enunciating each word clearly.
¡°T-ten floors d-down. Harvest r-room. P-please¡ª¡±
The cultist¡¯s words were cut off and transformed into a scream as the man seemed to internally combust, flames shooting out from various points within his body before completely consuming him in a pillar of fire.
Dazien was worried about the key to their cages melting in the man¡¯s pocket, but he realized that worry was completely pointless as the flames around Veldrix¡¯s hand simply melted the locks as they went down the row to rip open the cage doors.
The knight paused in front of him and helped him exit the cage as he groaned from the pain but was careful to make sure not to catch his antlers again. Veldrix helped keep him upright as they said gently, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your mother, Dazien. I collected her remains, though, and will join you later to help put her to rest properly.¡±
He swallowed the wave of grief that threatened to drown him at the reminder and concern Veldrix was showing for him and managed to say, ¡°Thank you. Please go save Everin. I¡¯ll do my best to help lead the others to safety if you¡¯ve already cleared the way.¡±
The knight¡¯s reply was interrupted as Phoenix appeared in the destroyed doorway and gave an obvious sigh of relief as she saw them all, ¡°Oh good, we made it in time.¡±
Veldrix nodded at her then moved as Uriel took their place in helping Dazien stand. Then the knight said, ¡°All of you should retreat to the street,¡± followed by a gesture to the Silencer around Dazien¡¯s neck, ¡°We can get those unlocked later, but there are still cultists in the building trying to escape. Our first goal is to get all of you and the other victims out of here.¡±
¡°We can do that,¡± Phoenix surprised him by saying. Dazien had been sure the reckless Wayfarer would have argued for them to help fight. She glanced over at the body of the cultist, which was halfway reduced to ash as it still smoldered in a very dead heap. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if the keys to the other cages are somewhere out there¡¡±
¡°I can open them on my way down to the next floor now that this one is cleared of enemies. Take the victims on this floor upstairs and wait for the rescue team to arrive before coming back down for others.¡±
¡°Rescue team?¡± Phoenix asked, ¡°How will they know where to find us? You said we wouldn¡¯t need any of the guards.¡±
Veldrix gave a pointed look to her chest and said, ¡°Most of them were part of your clergy. They can find you once you leave the building.¡±
The Saint grimaced at the reminder and emphasis but surprised him yet again by simply nodding and taking Saiya¡¯s hand to lead them out of the room.
The Pyre Executioner moved in a streak of flames as they half-destroyed the cages on that floor before heading to the next. Their team went to work as best they could to help the Silenced Casters and half-starved Mundanes who were all dressed in gray tunics awaiting transfer to the DOD.
Phoenix paused at one of the cages in particular, and he heard her exclaim, ¡°Rayk?!¡±
¡°Phoenix? Oh, I¡¯m so glad to see you! Are you alright? I heard some of the cultists talking about the attack on the city, but it didn¡¯t make a lot of sense. Do you know if my mum¡¯s okay?¡±
Dazien found himself smiling as he watched his sister hug the young cinderen man after helping him out of the cage he had been in. It was good to see her act a bit more relaxed with people she wasn¡¯t particularly close to.
¡°She¡¯s fine last I saw,¡± Phoenix replied with a grin, ¡°She¡¯ll be so happy to see you! Everyone thought you and the others died.¡±
¡°That¡¯s what they told us to convince us that nobody would come looking,¡± Rayk returned her smile as he added, ¡°But here you are. Saving us like the Adventurer that I knew you were.¡±
She blushed at the compliment, and it was a bit of a relief for Dazien to see that the shy Wayfarer hadn¡¯t completely changed from this latest trauma. It gave him hope that he would grow and be alright eventually, too.
Veldrix was entirely focused on their goal. Kill the cultists. Free anyone in a cage. Save Everin.
They knew they were on borrowed time at the moment. An Obsidian ascension was very different from the rest, requiring each Aspect in turn to go through an Evolution and that was solely dependent upon gaining an Epiphany for that particular one. The lack of Epiphanies had been what held back Veldrix for the last couple of centuries, trapped at the peak of Ruby.
But now their Fire Aspect had evolved and cultivated the Fortitude it was bound to.
When they had resolved to burn this Sanctuary down, to cleanse it in fire, to rip through any obstacle like a wild inferno to save their friend, and to release every cultist¡¯s soul by throwing them on the pyre built from their transgressions, the Epiphany had struck and unlocked a piece of their soul. Veldrix had become Fire.
Flames licked their skin and became their hair and eyes. They knew they could control the transfiguration, but right now, they let it burn. As soon as they stopped, Veldrix knew that they would need to rest for roughly a week and a half ¡ªthe same as when they hit Ruby¡ª since this was their first Obsidian Evolution.
That meant finding Everin as quickly as possible. Trusting in the young Adventurers to listen and escape, the knight moved downward, clearing floor after floor of cultists, opening every cage, and searching every room.
Then Veldrix found him.
The playful voxen with rainbow colors to match his unique and curious nature.
He was thankfully still alive by the presence of his aura but was hanging from the ceiling by his wrists, wearing only a green tunic, covered in blood, and missing his lovely tails.
The sight of the broken man cracked their heart anew. They knew what future might await for a tailless voxen, and they weren¡¯t sure even Everin¡¯s love for life would be enough to withstand that hardship.
With a decisive swing of their [Blade of Execution], the large flaming ax cleanly melted through the chains holding their friend, and they carefully lowered him to the ground before they tried to awaken him, ¡°Avatar Starlark?¡±
They gave a gentle shake and called out again a bit louder, ¡°Everin?¡±
A black and white eye blinked and looked up at them. ¡°Vel?¡± a hoarse voice replied, then to their astonishment, Everin smiled, ¡°Couldn¡¯t stay away? Are you going to spank me for standing you up and not showing for dinner?¡±
They snorted a laugh, ¡°Did they drug you with something too?¡±
¡°I wish,¡± he replied, then groaned as he tried to move.
¡°Don¡¯t. You¡¯re badly hurt, and¡ they took your tails.¡±
Everin surprised them by giving a bark of laughter and saying, ¡°I am the Avatar of Rebel. Nobody can take my tails without my permission. Not even a group of insane cannibals. They¡¯ll regenerate in a couple of hours just like I told them¡ repeatedly.¡±
Veldrix laughed and hugged their friend, ¡°That¡¯s my little Rebel Fox.¡±
33 - Mad God
Lukas Lumeris was washing the blood off his hands in his private room with annoyance after watching the rainbow tails disintegrate into ash once more. That was the fifth time they had attempted the ritual and watched it fail to imprint its goal upon the soul. He had punched the voxen¡¯s face for the smug smile he had given.
While annoying, he was determined to get those tails eventually, even if it took a hundred torturous rituals. For now, though, he would relax, replenish his mana, and sip some of the lovely faewine he still had in stock.
As he poured the Blood-infused wine into a glass and sat on his plush chair by the hearth, he opened a box of delectable dried dryad petals. Why all the best delicacies were illegal was beyond him. It¡¯s not like it stopped people from obtaining them. It simply drove up the price, so the ones with money were the only ones who could partake. He was glad he was one of those with money.
Lukas was just about to open another box ¡ªthis one filled with cigars infused with Phantasmal essence¡ª when the alarms started blaring, ¡°Warning! Ruby Caste intruders have been detected! Please evacuate via the nearest emergency tunnel.¡±
¡°Spawn of a spriggan!¡± he cursed to the air, slamming the box shut and heaving himself out of the chair.
¡°The savior¡¯s Saint saves the sorrowful servant of slaughter,¡± a powerful voice said as Lukas turned to find the Maniac himself lounging across the chair he had just vacated, ¡°Greatest gains by grabbing the gemite guy to go, but late Lukas Lumeris will lie in lavender lilies.¡±
Lukas raised a brow at the masculine-looking deity that only wore a pair of blood-red leather pants, ¡°The gemite and not the Avatar or Saint?¡±
Maniac laughed, as he was often prone to do, ¡°Rebel¡¯s pets are pesky pests. It¡¯s the king of kids, that wayward warrior, which will wake Valtessa Vanderill¡¯s wishes.¡±
He frowned at the god at the mention of their High Priestess. The cultist was aware that she was searching for a suitable gemite for her grand ritual, which she hadn¡¯t gone into detail about, only requesting assistance with the ingredients. He hadn¡¯t thought anything of it when he originally got the message before the blood moon even began because he hadn¡¯t known of any gemites in the city.
By the time he discovered he had been mistaken about that assumption, the orphan boy had already grown to prominence from his connection to House Wayland¡¯s Heir and then became the heir himself. The boy was too risky of a target to even consider.
It was sheer coincidence that the gemite had landed in his possession. If a Ruby Caster was here now, however, and even his deity was warning him away, then it didn¡¯t matter anymore what had been. He needed to escape.
Lukas paused and then asked, ¡°If you know I¡¯m going to be too late, why are you here, my Lord?¡±
¡°Scamper but stay. Watch and wait. Blood moon¡¯s end brings bounty beyond the beach. Seek your sister by ship at sea. Treasure tidings the tides will treat.¡±
He tried not to sigh at the riddled messages the Mad God gave him. Whether it was purely in the deity¡¯s nature or a side effect of not having much Aetherium to spend on giving proper quests or plain information, he may never know.
¡°The tunnels lead to the sea, so that is where I will be. If my lord will be generously merciful to my ignorance, information about which ship may hold the treasure we shall wait for, then I would appreciate something slightly more specific at that time.¡±
The Maniac simply grinned widely at him before vanishing, and Lukas finally released his sigh. He hoped he wouldn¡¯t be stuck at sea for too long before heading to their sister branch in Serenydi since it was obvious he could never return here. Those particular alarms meant it was time for him to cut his losses and run to their hidden haven.
Patricia might not have had a physical beating heart anymore at Emerald Caste, but it still felt like it was racing as she followed the pull of Phoenix¡¯s Soul Mark through the city and the streets of the Processing District. She was leading not only Emissary Mint, who had portaled with her to the Ducal Palace, but the small contingent of Fae fighters and other clergy members that had joined them along the way.
It wasn¡¯t that difficult to figure out which building was the one she wanted considering the fact that it was currently on fire. She wanted to curse the Pyre Executioner but quickly realized the flames were magical, not hurting any of the people currently fleeing from the multiple entrances into it.
The upper floors appeared to be residential in nature and she felt her stress heighten when she rounded a corner of the building to see Phoenix with a group of other Casters in the middle of the narrow alleyway.
Relief finally filled her when her gaze found Padma, and she practically suffocated her daughter in a tight hug as she yelled, ¡°You silly silly girl! Don¡¯t you ever just run off without telling anyone where you¡¯re going ever again! Do you hear me?! You are grounded for a year!¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
They were both crying now as Padma replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mum! I was just trying to help Cami find Uriel and the others! I didn¡¯t think¡ª¡±
¡°Exactly! How many times have I told you to stop and think?!¡±
She squeezed her daughter tighter before forcing herself to push away to take in the Sapphire Caster¡¯s appearance, ¡°You¡¯re not hurt, are you? We¡¯ll get that Silencer off right away. I know some of the Warrior and Rebel¡¯s clergy were more accustomed to dealing with rescue missions and probably have keys. Or the Adventurers¡ª¡±
¡°Aunt Patricia,¡± Dazien spoke up sternly, placing a hand on her arm to get her attention, ¡°We can¡¯t trust the AOA with any of this.¡±
It took her a moment to register his seriousness and the implications of his words. She had wondered if there might be foul play with the mission before getting the jump on the group in the wilds but she hadn¡¯t thought it was the AOA specifically to blame for it.
¡°We were given a mission to come here¡¡± he added, which made her gaze darken, ¡°It had the official seal and was signed by the Assistant Director of Investigations. They are not our allies at the moment.¡±
She nodded in understanding, ¡°The clergy then,¡± she reiterated, ¡°We¡¯ll get these unlocked, and you can explain everything.¡±
¡°There might be more people left to save,¡± Phoenix interjected, ¡°We need to go back¡ª¡±
¡°You don¡¯t need to do anything more,¡± Patricia retorted, ¡°There are others here to help now.¡±
It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration either, as the others were already at work helping the upper floors to evacuate while following the friendly flames downward into whatever hidden abominations awaited them.
Patricia finally took a moment to look around and take in the faces of the victims surrounding the party that had rescued them. Most with their gazes were fixed on Phoenix and she recognized both awe and gratitude within them. She grimaced slightly at that, knowing it would shove her niece further into the spotlight.
She knew that if a story could be exaggerated, then it most assuredly would be. The priestess had no doubt that by tomorrow, the city would be abuzz with gossip about the Saint resurrecting those thought long dead. She could already feel the headache building at the edges of her temples.
First, though, she needed to take care of these victims of the Scarlet Banquet while she left Knight Thevaris to take care of the cult itself. It was obvious that half the group was hurt as Dazien leaned against Uriel, whose eye was badly wounded, and he was also limping slightly.
Rayna also looked much like Dazien currently, slightly singed with electrical burns making patterns across their skin. The bard was being supported by her twin, whose tear-stained face was the only outward sign of the turmoil within. Camilla looked shaken but unharmed, thankfully, which seemed to be the same state Padma was in currently, and she asked, ¡°Did they hurt you?¡±
Her daughter shook her head, causing the long braids to shake as she explained, ¡°No. I¡ª Dazien protected me,¡± the young woman glanced at the two men helping each other stand, ¡°He was willing to die to keep me alive. He¡ª That crazy cultist was going to make Uriel kill me, but Dazien wouldn¡¯t let him.¡±
Padma glanced over at Phoenix as she added, ¡°Phoenix got¡ um, well, she¡ª¡±
¡°I understand what happened to Phoenix,¡± Patricia cut in, ¡°We can talk more about that at home.¡±
¡°I explained to them that Phoenix has an ability that teleports her to safety in an emergency. Uriel managed to trigger it,¡± Dazien explained and she nodded in thanks to her nephew.
Patricia glanced back at Padma, who was now looking at Dazien the same way she had worried over her daughter looking towards Uriel before this whole debacle. She needed to have that talk about chasing after love interests sooner rather than later, it seemed. Neither of these men would be a good match for her daughter, but she knew simply telling Padma ¡®no¡¯ would only make her dig in her heels and chase after them more.
Her temple gave another threatening throb, and she quickly moved to usher the group away from the entrance as more people descended upon their location. It was becoming crowded now with clergy, guards, and Adventurers.
Monk Hawa Nemore approached the group and actually hugged Dazien as she said, ¡°I¡¯m so glad we found you. You know those kids at the orphanage would never forgive you for dying, right?¡±
Dazien laughed, ¡°I can already hear Jennica¡¯s ranting. Please tell me they don¡¯t know we went missing, right?¡±
¡°No, but I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll hear about this close call. You know how gossipy Priestess Yua is.¡±
He grimaced and Patricia could better understand him now after her last disturbing meeting with that particular priestess as he said, ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll somehow find a way to blame this all on me.¡±
¡°What?¡± Padma replied incredulously, ¡°But you were a victim too.¡±
¡°Yes, but Priestess Yua has a bad habit of blaming Daze for everything,¡± Uriel said with a scowl, ¡°She blamed him for not getting adopted as a child and for that time that I almost destroyed the playground. Said it was because I was jealous of the guy bullying him. Then she blamed him for Jennica becoming an orphan.¡±
¡°Well, that technically was my fault,¡± Dazien interjected.
¡°Didn¡¯t you say that was because you saved her from almost getting beaten to death by her father?¡± Phoenix clarified.
¡°Still my fault she became an orphan instead of a corpse,¡± he replied with a grimace, ¡°It was worse when I was living there, though. Jennica happened after I moved out.¡±
¡°How could she possibly blame you for getting kidnapped by a bunch of cannibalistic blood cultists?¡± Padma asked.
¡°Likely her usual victim-blaming tactic,¡± Uriel answered with a growl, ¡°He seduced them into it. Tantalized them with his looks that they just couldn¡¯t help themselves.¡±
Everyone looked from Uriel to Dazien in a mixture of shock and disbelief. The shiny gemite just shrugged, ¡°That¡¯s what happened when one of the kids found out about me getting assaulted about three years ago, and she overheard them talk about it. It was shortly before I became a Caster.¡±
¡°That is just vile,¡± Padma said with disgust, ¡°How is she an actual Priestess of the Parent?¡±
¡°Oh, it was just me she was like that with,¡± Dazien clarified with a pained smile, ¡°Took me quite a while to realize what was going on, but she is quite kind and motherly to the cinderen and runeforged children there,¡± he grinned and nudged his partner playfully as he added, ¡°Even had a soft spot for Uriel, I think. She felt so bad for him getting into all sorts of trouble because of me.¡±
Uriel rolled his eyes, ¡°She always made me feel even younger and more naive than I actually was.¡±
¡°Sorry if I¡¯m interrupting,¡± a young runeforged man said as he walked up to the group and Patricia thought he looked vaguely familiar, ¡°I was just wondering if it¡¯s possible for us to go find our homes and families or somehow get word to them?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure the guards will want to at least get all of your names to help rescind any death assumptions,¡± Patricia said hesitantly, then added, ¡°We could bring the families to you, though.¡±
¡°Oh! I¡¯ll go right now and bring Madam Malik!¡± Phoenix replied with an excited smile, ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see the look on her face!¡±
34 - Victims
Sometimes, Saiya cursed her empathic perception ability. Other times, it was almost like a drug to her with how much euphoria it could cause. Now, it was both at once.
After Patricia managed to convince Phoenix to not go running off on her own to portal in random people from all over the city, the politician still utilized the Astromancer¡¯s ability to send other people through them to inform and bring back family members. Monk Nemor had been the one to assist their group with removing their Chains of Silence, and Saiya was beyond grateful to be rid of it.
The wave of emotions that quickly replaced the silencing effects, however, left her feeling pulled in opposite directions. The swirl of sheer joy from being reunited with a loved one thought dead mixed with the tragic sorrow of others who learned that, after an impossible rescue, their family wouldn¡¯t be able to see them after their own deaths at the hands of war.
Watching Madam Malik fall to her knees as she clung to her son was bittersweet as the obvious grief and disbelief were slowly being replaced with relief and an impossible happiness. She wondered if this would be how her friends would react when Paul awoke.
Saiya glanced at a small group of unclaimed victims, their despair growing with every passing minute, and no news of their loved ones. She felt more aligned with them currently, knowing that she would never be reunited with Snowbelle.
Being around Phoenix had given her a brief respite from the normally immovable weight of death. She was reminded now that despite Phoenix¡¯s immortality and gods stepping in to waylay the end for her Kindred Spirit, the rest of them were not as safe from an inevitable demise.
She knew Phoenix would become Obsidian eventually, likely some of the others too, but she wasn¡¯t sure she would be so lucky. When would it be her turn to become the victim of the dangers surrounding her friend? How long would she last as a Saint¡¯s Healer?
¡°Lady Saiya?¡± a warm voice said from beside her to accompany the strong hand that intertwined itself within her furred one. She glanced over to look at her party leader, who asked, ¡°Are you alright?¡±
¡°What do you mean? I never got injured.¡±
Dazien lifted his other hand to wipe away the wetness on her cheek, ¡°You seem a little overwhelmed, is all. Should we take our leave and go back to the estate? We can be available for any questions that way. We don¡¯t need to be here.¡±
She glanced towards the other victims, ¡°But they¡ª¡±
¡°Are safe now and will be fine without us,¡± he pointed out. His concerned gaze never left her face as he added, ¡°I¡¯m more worried about keeping us safe at the moment. That includes your heart.¡±
Saiya found herself smiling at the words and replied with a soft chuckle, ¡°That sounds very poetic for a Warrior King.¡±
Dazien returned her smile, ¡°I have my moments.¡± He glanced around as well before adding mournfully, ¡°Sometimes pretty words aren¡¯t enough to mend all these wrongs, though. I think I forgot the lesson I had learned long ago, that words are meaningless without the resolve to support them with action.¡±
She gave the Defender a curious look at the anger she felt ripple through his aura and asked, ¡°Are you alright, Dazien?¡±
He gave her a smile that didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes or match the emotions she felt as he answered, ¡°I believe I will be eventually.¡±
Dazien was surprisingly feeling impatient at the moment. Letting Knight Thevaris handle dealing with the cultists was the smart move, but it made him feel¡ unsatisfied. He wanted to fight. To prove to them that he was strong enough to protect his party and not be confined. That others couldn¡¯t just take control of his fate away from him.
He had managed to convince Patricia to let them all return to the family¡¯s estate in Tulimeir. The building¡¯s own enchantments provided plenty of protection for the group unless a random Obsidian Caster showed up, which he honestly couldn¡¯t even discount as a possibility anymore.
Once the Silencer had been removed, he had made sure to reestablish his [Noble Subjects] communication ability with the others and simply kept his party connected all the time now. He didn¡¯t want to risk anyone getting caught without it.
Passive Ability: Noble Subjects
Type: Utility (magical, covenant)
Current Caste: Sapphire 1
Crystal Effect: You can designate willing allies as a [Subject]. Allies with [Subject] can communicate telepathically.
Sapphire Effect: You can assign a hierarchy to your allies with [Subject], which they can inherently sense. Allies with [Subject] gain increased benefits from your Boons and the Boons of other allies with [Subject].
- Subject (boon, magical, covenant, tracking): You have been claimed as a noble subject. Your general status is known by the Caster. Other abilities that affect a [Subject] can only affect you if triggered by the Caster.
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A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
This made it harder for him to extricate himself from the others, however. There were things he needed to follow up on, and he couldn¡¯t shake the desire to do it alone despite his better judgment telling him that none of them should be alone in the city.
As the group tried to relax from their traumatic event in the rooftop garden, Phoenix provided some food and drink from her collection; Camilla surprised him by making her way over to sit near him.
He didn¡¯t push her, understanding better now that she didn¡¯t handle social situations the same way most people did. Once in a while they had an orphan come through that Priestess Anna had told him didn¡¯t think like the rest of the other kids and that they needed to be reassured with quiet patience more than his charismatic words. That had been difficult for him at the time.
¡°I got the d-death certificate for your mother,¡± the researcher began to say to him.
¡°I know what happened,¡± he replied flatly, shoving those confusing emotions even further down, ¡°We found her remains. I assume my father met a similar fate.¡±
¡°N-no,¡± Camilla stammered, ¡°He¡ª he d-didn¡¯t have a report from the Undertaker. He is s-still missing.¡±
Dazien fell silent, uncertain of the best way to answer. He couldn¡¯t allow himself to hope anymore. Didn¡¯t want to chase after a possibility only to find another set of amethyst bones. Yet he knew the question would nag at him. Cursing his curious nature, he asked, ¡°Traded to the DOD, like some of us were going to be, seems most likely at this point. Do you have any other ideas on where he might have gone, though?¡±
She shook her head. He gave a heavy sigh, which caused her to jump slightly and stutter, ¡°I¡ª I¡¯m s-sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to¡ª¡±
He held up a hand, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not sighing at you. I¡¯m just frustrated with the situation. Thank you for all of your help in this, Miss Saren. Despite the unfortunate events of our capture, I would have never found out the truth about my mother without your help. For that alone, I am eternally grateful to you.¡±
The older woman nodded awkwardly and looked like she was about to leave again when she paused and asked, ¡°D-do I need to make an Oathbond?¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°About Phoenix? Her talent¡ª¡± Camilla fidgeted as she whispered to him, ¡°Teleports don¡¯t heal daggers to the heart¡¡±
He grimaced but said firmly, ¡°No. I¡¯m sure you understand just how dangerous Oathbonds can be. I trust you to keep your silence on that unless your life depends on it. Her secret isn¡¯t worth you getting punished over. Besides, the presence of the bond might cause more questions in the first place.¡±
She nodded again in understanding before leaving him to rejoin Phoenix, who seemed to be occupying herself by fussing over the refreshments. He heard the shy researcher give a stuttering farewell to Phoenix as she explained that she needed to go check in with Lord Teras before departing from the rooftop. He made a mental note to himself to check in on her later and talk to Patricia about getting her a bodyguard after being targeted herself.
Dazien¡¯s mind kept racing over everything that had happened. The mistakes he had made. The trust he had misplaced in an organization. The pain he had inflicted against his partner by ordering him the way he had. The price they had paid in lives.
He glanced over at the quiet voxen huddled in her sister¡¯s arms. Saiya was by far the kindest of them, and it had pained him to see her agonize over both her own loss and the loss of others. It felt like all of his years of training and pretty words failed him in the moments that mattered the most.
Somehow, they always managed to survive, victorious over their enemies and tribulations, but it was never without cost.
Now, he wanted to make their enemies be the ones to pay that price.
Pay for the death of his friend¡¯s Familiar. Pay for the fear and sorrow all of the victims had felt. Pay for the evil actions they had committed, for the lives they had ruined, for the life they had stolen from him sixteen years ago when his parents never came home.
He noticed Saiya¡¯s gaze lock onto him the moment before he found himself standing, his anger fueling his need for action. He took a steadying breath as he realized what he had done and that everyone else was now looking at him.
¡°Daze?¡± Phoenix asked with a raised brow, ¡°Is something wrong?¡±
¡°No,¡± he replied, ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong. I just remembered that I have things I need to get done,¡± he explained, then added, ¡°And reports to fill out.¡±
Uriel made to stand, but he held up a hand to stall him, ¡°No, Senesh. You stay here with the others.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere alone,¡± his partner said with a concerned look.
Dazien glanced around the group again, trying to order his thoughts better and formulate a tentative plan. He didn¡¯t want Uriel anywhere near the AOA after what they had been through. After realizing that they couldn¡¯t trust them with their lives or secrets and that the AOA¡¯s director at least was very aware that Uriel was a Chosen of the Destroyer. Had she or someone she confided in been planning on taking two Chosen out at once?
He needed answers before he would risk either Uriel or Phoenix going there again.
His gaze landed on his Striker, and he said, ¡°Rayna will come with me. She¡¯s the best protection at the moment if I run into any trouble at the AOA.¡±
¡°You¡¯re expecting trouble?¡± the Shatter Bard asked, seeming to perk up at the idea of getting to fight something.
¡°I¡¯m just planning to ask some questions and fill out some papers,¡± he clarified, then added before her ears could droop too much, ¡°But I¡¯m not discounting trouble.¡±
Rayna grinned at him and hopped up from her seat, displacing her sister momentarily before shoving Phoenix in the seat to take her place as the bard ordered, ¡°Here. Let Sai hug you, and you can pet her tails. It helps calm her.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not some helpless kit, Ray,¡± Saiya huffed but still hugged Phoenix tightly around the arm and wrapped the glowing body in fluffy tails.
¡°Never said you were,¡± the bard replied before turning back to him, ¡°Lead the way, King.¡±
He merely glanced at Phoenix who understood the silent question and opened a portal to the AOA for them. Before he could walk through it, however, Uriel stopped him with a hand on his shoulder and asked, ¡°Are you sure you can¡¯t wait, King? Perhaps Knight Thevaris would be better¡ª¡±
¡°Time is of the essence right now, Senesh,¡± he interrupted, ¡°We don¡¯t know how long it will take them to finish clearing out the Maniac¡¯s sanctuary, and I want to ask questions before the rest of the AOA learn about what has happened. We know there¡¯s at least one person there connected to the cult.¡±
¡°Exactly,¡± Uriel hissed, ¡°What if they attack you?¡±
He raised an eyebrow, ¡°With all the other Adventurers there? I doubt they¡¯d risk instant retribution. I don¡¯t believe everyone was in on their plots and would idly stand by.¡±
Dazien squeezed his partner¡¯s hand as he removed it from his shoulder, ¡°Rayna and I will be fine there. We¡¯ll return later, hopefully with more information about how we got sent there in the first place.¡±
Uriel grimaced but finally bowed his head in acquiescence and stepped back to let him leave. He thought about hugging him and giving his partner a parting kiss just in case something did happen, but he knew Uriel¡¯s discomfort with that, so he held himself back. Instead, he simply turned and led Rayna through the portal.
As the pair of them stood in front of the tall building near the center of the Martial District, Rayna turned to him after the portal closed behind them and asked, ¡°Are we really just asking questions and filling out papers?¡±
¡°I said that¡¯s all I had planned,¡± he stated dryly, then offered her a small smile as he added, ¡°Plans change all the time, though. Depending on the answers we get, we may need to adapt those plans.¡±
The voxen gave a vulpine grin as she said, ¡°Excellent. I¡¯m really hoping those future plans include punching whoever gave us that mission.¡±
¡°The ¡®who¡¯ is exactly what I intend to find out.¡±
35 - Flames of Anger
Uriel found himself staring at the empty space where his partner had just vanished through a portal. His worry threatened to overtake the broken earrings again. He¡¯d need to get them fixed sooner rather than later now. He couldn¡¯t handle the emotions warring within him at the moment.
He had almost killed Dazien, had almost let the conditioning of his past and the order of his liege destroy the one thing holding him tethered to this world. If Phoenix had been a few seconds slower to react, where would they be now? Would they all be annihilated because he would have surely chased after his king even unto death? Would he have condemned the entire city because he didn¡¯t think he could live without his king?
While he had been ready for a life apart ¡ªresolved to isolation in order to keep House Wayland safe¡ª that felt very different from being condemned to live in a world without the person he loved still in it. He hadn¡¯t wanted to be a burden, not to have his entire world turned upside down and stripped of meaning.
After that condemning order, Uriel wasn¡¯t entirely sure where he and Dazien stood with one another. Even if he hadn¡¯t killed his partner, his king had still given a command that hurt him. Would Dazien do it again? Where was the line now? Why did their boundaries feel so blurred all of a sudden? Was it his fault?
A tug on his arm drew his attention to his other best friend as she gently used her [Ruler of Relativity] on his sleeve. The smile she gave him helped his body relax, and he moved towards the Wayfarer wrapped in voxen tails as she waved him over, ¡°Come sit with us. I could use more warmth.¡±
He chuckled, ¡°Reduced to a space heater again?¡±
¡°You seemed lost,¡± Saiya whispered, ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡±
As he sat on the cushioned bench next to Phoenix, he gave a small sigh and admitted, ¡°Not really, though I probably should. What happened down there¡ Well, it was a lot for all of us, I think.¡±
Uriel smiled as Phoenix took his hand, glad for the comfort it brought in knowing that she didn¡¯t hate him for literally murdering her. ¡°Thank you for keeping your promise,¡± he ended up saying to her.
¡°What?¡±
¡°I waited for you, just like you told me to. I knew what you were promising by it. Thank you for saving us.¡±
¡°You know you don¡¯t have to thank me for that,¡± she replied with a huff, and he chuckled again.
¡°I know. I¡¯m just grateful that my trust in you isn¡¯t misplaced.¡±
Saiya raised a brow at him as she said, ¡°I hope you still trust all of us despite the AOA¡¯s betrayal.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± he replied, then realized what it was that had made him feel bothered and clenched his jaw. He didn¡¯t want to speak it aloud.
Phoenix¡¯s eyes met his, and he almost wished she hadn¡¯t seen through him. She leaned her head against his shoulder as she whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard Dazien use that trigger word of yours before like that. I think that surprised me the most¡¡±
Damn her for being more perceptive of him sometimes than she was of herself.
¡°He never has before,¡± he confided, ¡°Shortly after I came to the orphanage, he ended up following me to one of my meetings with Priest Jacob.¡± He laughed at the memory, ¡°He was trying to be sneaky about finding out what happened to me and thought I wouldn¡¯t notice him. Daze ended up talking with Jacob after I left, and he was kind enough to explain some of my triggers to Dazien. Not just the words at the time but the actions as well. I almost killed him the night before when he woke me from a nightmare.¡±
¡°What? How?¡±
¡°Well, he was only thirteen at the time. A scrawny Mundane kid waking up a terrified and incoherent Crystal Caster. Even with the Silencer on, I almost punched him through a wall.¡±
Both women winced at the mental picture. He sighed again, ¡°I¡¯m honestly surprised I didn¡¯t kill him by accident multiple times as we grew up.¡±
¡°You mentioned almost destroying a playground earlier,¡± Saiya said thoughtfully.
He nodded, ¡°The one time I actually took my old Silencer off on purpose.¡±
¡°Old Silencer?¡± Phoenix asked.
¡°Yeah. Before I became an Adventurer, the one I was given was connected to the Monster Alert System in the city. If I took it off, it would trigger the alarms as though a monster had spawned. It¡¯s the kind that is normally given to criminals who are believed to be capable of rehabilitation and rejoining society; those who don¡¯t just get executed.¡±
¡°But I thought you weren¡¯t a criminal.¡±
¡°It¡¯s also used in certain cases of dangerous transfigurations that can¡¯t necessarily be controlled by the Caster,¡± he added, ¡°Which I do qualify as. That was made quite clear during that time I took it off in an attempt to protect Daze. The entire reason we¡¯re allowed to take it off at all in the first place is to be able to defend ourselves or others in the event of an attack. So when Daze was attacked by some random Crystal Caster, I took it off. That ended up being the first time he saw the effects of my [Raging Inferno] Talent.¡±
Uriel fell silent at the memory of that time. He had thought for sure Dazien would shun him for it. To see him in that state of rage and destruction, which always morphed into some form of maniacal laughing in the end.
He hated the fact that while the effects were ongoing, he didn¡¯t hate the feeling. When he finally let go like that, he didn¡¯t only feel angry, he felt free. It was the only time he could feel that way, and he worried that he would chase after that freedom someday.
The aftermath was never worth it, though. It was like a high with the worst kind of crash. He didn¡¯t want to destroy everything. He didn¡¯t want his friends to suffer or fear him. That¡¯s why he struggled so much to control himself. The training to hone his body and actions to respond as he wished. The Silencer to keep everything from escaping his tight grasp. The earrings to calm the rage that might threaten everything he held dear.
That wasn¡¯t always enough, though. His rage would escape his control, and people would get hurt. That¡¯s why he depended on his partner so fervently. He knew that if he lost control, Dazien would be there to claim it for him. His King would be there to quell the storm within his soul. Not only did he want the man, he needed him.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
¡°Wow,¡± Phoenix said, then gave him a broad smile, ¡°Daze must be really devoted to you if he survived all that and still loves you.¡±
Uriel chuckled, ¡°At first, I thought it was just his stubborn pride keeping him by my side. I thought he just didn¡¯t want to admit that I scared him,¡± he paused for a moment before adding quietly, ¡°After a while, I thought maybe he just saw me as something to fix¡ It wasn¡¯t until he stood up to a god that I realized he truly saw me as his friend.¡±
¡°So when did you become more than friends?¡±
He felt the heat rise to his cheeks, ¡°That¡¯s a bit of a complicated question, I think. I realized it a few years before actually telling Daze that I¡ Well, that I wanted more with him. It never felt right to tell him. He struggled enough with people chasing after him like that. I didn¡¯t want him thinking that¡¯s all I wanted too. I thought I could remain content with being friends if that¡¯s all he wanted from me.¡±
He didn¡¯t divulge that his king offered him exactly what he desired most: to be given a sense of direction and a purpose other than destroying. It wasn¡¯t long after he met Dazien that he knew he wanted to follow the man, to serve him, to be his seneschal. It was when they got older, and Dazien¡¯s more romantic and lustful side began to show, that Uriel realized he had wanted that as well.
¡°Dazien is more than just my friend, or my partner, or my king,¡± he tried to explain, ¡°He¡¯s the one person I¡¯ve trusted enough to give complete control to. To grant me the moments that free me from my fears. To be completely honest and vulnerable with. He¡¯s the only person I¡¯ve willingly surrendered everything to.¡±
Uriel found himself clenching his fist and tightening his hold around Phoenix¡¯s hand as he finally said in a bitter whisper, ¡°And he ordered me to kill that person.¡±
Dazien stared across the desk at the Sapphire Caste Assistant Director of Investigations in mild disbelief as the cinderen man said simply, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Noble Wayland, but that¡¯s not my signature. I would never assign a mission to a party I¡¯ve never met with before.
¡°I normally handle longer-term scouting missions that usually require extensive planning and preparation along with specific skills for remaining undetected. I mean no offense by this, but your party is the complete opposite of the low-key, visually unremarkable, and unmemorable scouts I need.¡±
¡°Mister Varros, do you know who could have possibly forged your signature on an official mission then?¡± he asked with clenched fists, ¡°I know Mister Miramel was working with them, but he said that other people had mentioned the missing people¡ª¡±
¡°Well, that was obviously a lie since I¡¯ve heard no such claim.¡±
Dazien felt his jaw clench in irritation and pointedly asked, ¡°Then can you explain to me how an Investigator such as yourself completely missed the blood cultist that served the Maniac working at the front desk here?¡±
Varros narrowed his eyes at him, and he noticed the slight twist of a sneer being forcefully held back as the cinderen replied, ¡°While it¡¯s unfortunate to hear your report, there is only your word against his at the moment that such a connection exists. We will investigate the matter further once the Duke has made such a mission request of the AOA or if Mister Miramel is discovered at the scene. Until then all I can promise is writing the complaint down for later review along with all the other ¡ªoften unfounded¡ª complaints we get from Adventurers that feel entitled to complain about the staff here.¡±
He lifted the fake mission request up and said in a more sincere tone, ¡°I will, however, be looking into this matter of forgery personally. I will not have my own veracity questioned because someone thought it suitable to steal my name for their own gain. Once my investigation is over, then I will inform you of the results in writing.¡±
¡°And Mister Miramel¡ª¡±
¡°Will likely be part of that investigation and is no longer your concern, Noble Wayland,¡± the Assistant Director said with finality, ¡°Now, I suggest you return home to your family and recover from your ordeal.¡±
Dazien promptly stood, not trusting his tongue to keep from lashing out at the moment, and turned to exit the room. Opening the warded door, he found Rayna was waiting just outside it and quickly fell into step with him as he navigated towards the lift.
¡°I¡¯m guessing from the angry stomping that it didn¡¯t go well?¡±
¡°No,¡± he growled, ¡°It did not.¡±
¡°So what are we doing next? Asking some people at the front desk where Ramir might have run off to?¡±
¡°He said they would look into it, but my guess is that anyone who wasn¡¯t at the Scarlet Banquet¡¯s lair when Knight Thevaris arrived is going to make a run for it. I know I would if the tables were turned. They¡¯ll be long gone by the time that prick gets around to looking.¡±
¡°Wow. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard you call an Adventurer by any kind of derogatory term before. He must have seriously pissed you off.¡±
¡°Yes, Rayna. I¡¯m pissed that the man who served us up on a plate to a group of cannibals is going to get away,¡± he replied as he slammed a finger against the rune for the lift, ¡°I¡¯m pissed that the organization I trusted to always do the right thing is turning out to be as crooked as the shifty pawn shop on 3rd street that charges daily compounding interest.¡±
He decided to forgo the lift and headed for the stairs as he said, ¡°I¡¯m pissed that the evil guy is going to get away with killing Snowbelle, lengthening Paul¡¯s time in stasis, and murdering my mom!¡±
Dazien halted his descent downstairs as Rayna was suddenly standing in front of him with her furred hands raised defensively. She looked at him with concern as she said, ¡°Woah there, King¡ I know this might sound weird coming from me, but you should probably calm down a bit before¡ª¡±
¡°Before what, Ray?¡± he asked with a snarl, ¡°Before he gets away? ¡®Cause that¡¯s exactly what¡¯s going to happen now.¡±
¡°I was going to say before you do something stupid again like you usually do when you get angry. Like snapping at a friend,¡± she replied with a flat look.
He gave an angry huff, ¡°Now is not the time to be passive, Rayna. I thought you, of all people, would understand¡ª¡±
¡°I do,¡± she said, ¡°Trust me, I really do get it. But I¡¯ve been around Saiya long enough to know there¡¯s a difference between being active while keeping your cool and letting your emotions drive you into being reckless.¡±
She gave a lopsided smile, ¡°I know I don¡¯t have Sai¡¯s aura to help you, but just breathe for a few seconds, and then you can come up with one of your awesome plans.¡±
Dazien paused at the odd compliment and managed to run a hand through his hair in an effort to calm himself. He knew she was right, sensing those flames of anger burning within his chest as his emotions tried to break free of the bottle he had tried shoving them into. He took a deep breath before managing to ask in an effort to distract himself, ¡°You think my plans are awesome?¡±
¡°I mean, we don¡¯t always follow them, but they¡¯re usually pretty solid,¡± the bard said, her smile a bit lighter as she lightly punched his shoulder and warned, ¡°Don¡¯t let that go to your head, though. Your plans become total shite when you get emotional. Like telling Uriel to kill you? Worst plan you could have ever come up with.¡±
He shook his head but smirked, ¡°I may have been a little influenced by a mutual friend.¡±
Rayna snorted a laugh, ¡°Sibling martyrs. I¡¯m going to need to figure out some way to tranquilize you both the next time either of you think about running off to die. You know she has an excuse, at least, right? It¡¯s not a great one, but it¡¯s better than none at all.¡±
Dazien gave a soft chuckle and began walking again, feeling much calmer now, ¡°I had an excuse. Padma shouldn¡¯t¡ª¡±
¡°Yeah, hate to break it to you, but she is definitely worth less to us than you are, especially to Uriel. I¡¯m not one to buy into Mender¡¯s ¡®every life is equally worth saving¡¯ pile of siva dung. I¡¯d be picking you over her any day of the week. The fact that you tried to make Uriel live with that was pretty crappy, though.¡±
He frowned at the steps he descended as he replied softly, ¡°I know. I admit, at the time, I wasn¡¯t quite thinking clearly. I didn¡¯t think about how he would feel with the last words I would ever say being a command like that. It was just the only way I could think of to keep him from killing Padma. I saw that look on his face. He was going to go through with it.¡±
¡°Yeah, but Phoenix probably would have done the same thing to try and stop it,¡± Rayna pointed out, ¡°And if she hadn¡¯t stopped it, you¡¯d be dead and likely the rest of us as well. It would have been Phoenix and Uriel alone and at the mercy of the DOD, which didn¡¯t sound like a pleasant time based on what Uriel told us about them.¡±
Rayna stopped him as they were moving down a hall towards the exit and pointed at a sign on one of the doors, ¡°Hey! What about in here?¡±
He read the label that said ¡°Personnel Records¡± and asked, ¡°What about in there?¡±
She rolled her eyes at him, ¡°This would have an address for the staff¡¯s homes, right?¡±
A grin crept across his face as he said, ¡°I have a new plan now.¡±
36 - Earn It
Phoenix felt both numb and tangled after finally getting a moment to rest after their ordeal. Listening to Uriel talk about his past with Dazien had been a pleasant distraction, but seeing the hurt of betrayal on his face made her stomach twist, unsure how to comfort him.
The idea of trusting someone as completely as he described felt rather foreign to her. She had trusted her mother and Jin back on Earth and learned to trust Paul and her party eventually here. However, the intensity and way Uriel described surrendering completely to her brother¡ Well, she wasn¡¯t sure she could ever do something like that.
She also wasn¡¯t sure what that might even look like and found herself curious. Was it reduced to not having any voice in a matter? To not have any opinion or authority to choose? She didn¡¯t get that feeling normally when she saw them interact. Despite knowing that Uriel would always follow Dazien, she never felt like he was doing it against his will or felt like Daze would abuse that power¡ Until he apparently did.
That brought her back to her original problem: how did she comfort her best friend? She had never trusted someone that completely to have felt that kind of pain he seemed to be struggling with now. She tried to picture if she had been in his place, though. If her brother had ordered her to kill the person that mattered the most to her in the whole world¡
Phoenix glanced back at Uriel who was grabbing some of the food she had placed out on the small pavilion table for everyone. He was the quiet shadow that would shield her from the world and soothe her own inner turmoils. The idea of him not being here anymore because Dazien ordered her to kill him, for instance, would have felt like a complete betrayal on multiple levels. She would hate Daze for it.
A soft hand on her arm drew her attention to her other friend sitting beside her, and Saiya quietly asked, ¡°Why are you getting mad?¡±
She shook her head, trying to dispel the disturbing hypothetical from her mind, ¡°Just started thinking about a worse outcome than what we went through. It was already bad enough; I shouldn¡¯t add to my nightmares.¡±
Phoenix began petting one of the silky tails wrapped around her and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about Snowbelle. I get that it¡¯s not really the end for her, but I know you must miss her terribly.¡±
Saiya nodded, ¡°I can try to lessen my grief by telling myself that it¡¯s just like a friend moving far away. It still feels awful, but it doesn¡¯t feel so¡ final. It helps lessen the despair to think she¡¯ll keep living a new life with a new summoner. One that might even be better suited for her than I was.¡±
Her nose scrunched slightly at that idea, and she asked, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±
¡°Well, it¡¯s fairly well known that summoned Familiars are usually a good match for their summoners. I don¡¯t know the exact details, but it sounded like the Familiar Contract is only offered to a Familiar Soul that would be compatible.¡±
¡°Like they¡¯re made for each other? Like Kindred Spirits?¡±
Saiya shifted slightly to snuggle closer into her arm, ¡°You know, I do wonder about that. Dazien and I discussed it a little before, but he¡¯s having trouble finding more information about Kindred Spirits specifically. I¡¯m not sure how those play into it, or if they do at all, but from what I¡¯ve gathered, it sounds like a possibility for a Familiar to be a Kindred Spirit considering cases like Fen.¡±
¡°A wood elf being both a Familiar and having a Kindred Spirit out there somewhere doesn¡¯t sound too impossible,¡± she thoughtfully pondered, wondering if her own Familiar might be one.
Tala then materialized atop her head to roost in her curls as the tiny poof version and whispered in her mind, ¡°While I really like being your Familiar despite you continually murdering us, I don¡¯t feel the kind of pull or connection you had with the sleeping dad or some others.¡±
¡°Others?¡± she asked aloud in her surprise.
¡°What?¡± Saiya questioned, glancing up at her.
¡°Oh, um, Tala was just saying that she doesn¡¯t think she¡¯s one of my Kindred Spirits since she doesn¡¯t feel the same kind of connection Paul and I have,¡± she repeated for her friend and felt her nose scrunching up again, ¡°She also said I was being pulled towards others, but I¡¯m not sure who she¡¯s referring to.¡±
Large amber eyes stared at her for a long moment before shifting over to Uriel, who was just returning to join them again. Saiya suddenly got an amused look on her face as she hummed and said, ¡°Hmm, I wonder who they could possibly be.¡±
¡°Right?¡± she agreed, ¡°I don¡¯t really treat anyone else like Paul. Maybe Tala¡¯s just imagining things.¡±
Tala gave an indignant huff and flew over to sit in Saiya¡¯s arms instead.
Uriel chuckled, ¡°I think you offended her.¡±
¡°At least I¡¯m not the one ignoring reality and getting us in terrible situations,¡± her Familiar retorted.
Phoenix frowned at her, ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±
¡°If you weren¡¯t so stuck on running away from your Title, then the snowy friend would still be alive, and the warm one would never have been put in that position to get betrayed by the shiny brother defending the hungry cousin in the first place.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
The bluntness of the words felt like a slap to the face as she stared in shock at the Cosmic Phoenix. Tala was blaming her for everything? She was starting to feel that sting of betrayal now at the thought.
¡°Are you seriously saying this is all my fault? It was obviously a setup and there were even traps that were undetectable to an Emerald Caster! How was I supposed to overcome that? I can¡¯t see the future!¡± she retorted, not realizing till she noticed her friends¡¯ stares of surprise that she had spoken aloud in her indignation.
¡°You are a Saint now, Phoenix,¡± Tala replied with an overt roll of large silver eyes, ¡°You could have told any of the clergy about this problem earlier. Had an entire army of Casters help you. Instead, you keep hiding under a cloak and trying to do everything yourself. You just need to take charge and have them help. I cannot ask them for you, and I am subservient to your will as your Familiar, but I don¡¯t want to see another friend die because you won¡¯t accept who or what you are.¡±
Phoenix just stared slack-jawed at the verbal assault that she couldn¡¯t find a suitable argument against at the moment.
¡°You are not dumb, Phoenix, but you are also not being very smart about standing up for yourself and trusting others to help support you. You let the shiny brother act as your Herald; now you just need to act like his Saint.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want that, though! I don¡¯t deserve that position! It¡¯s not something I earned, I just cheated¡ª¡±
¡°Earn it then!¡± Tala cheeped and poofed her feathers more before shifting into her larger form to flap up and get in Phoenix¡¯s face as she said, ¡°You have it. You are it already! So act like it and be what everyone needs you to be! They will praise you or try and kill you for it whether you believe you deserve it or not!¡±
Phoenix was speechless as she realized the truth of those words. People were already kneeling before her or targeting her despite whatever she felt about her Title. She chose to become the Chosen One when she accepted that quest and now she was left to deal with the consequences of that choice.
Her ignoring that fact just because she didn¡¯t like the weight of it wouldn¡¯t make it lighter for her to carry, it just made the risks all the heavier.
¡°I¡¡± she trailed off, unsure of what to say. She looked at the ground, her fists clenched in frustration. The only thing it felt like she could say to her Familiar, who had been watching and fighting alongside her for almost a year now, was, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±
The silence was palpable as Tala landed on the ground at her feet to stare up at her with those silver eyes.
A warm hand tentatively touched her shoulder, and she glanced over to see Uriel¡¯s concerned gaze. She spoke out loud again for his and Saiya¡¯s benefit as she said to Tala, ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯ve been¡ running away and ignoring my own importance to others. Putting everyone in danger because I want to act as if nothing has changed. Everything is different now that everyone sees me as a Saint, and I don¡¯t have Paul or Kara as a shield.¡±
She opened her arms slightly for her Familiar and was pleased when Tala fluttered up into her lap to let her hug the large bird. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I keep getting us killed, and I promise I¡¯ll try to do better.¡±
¡°I will accept more shinies as recompense,¡± Tala replied with a sense of smug acceptance. Phoenix snorted a laugh, suddenly wondering if the reprimand had all been a ploy for more sparkly trinkets.
¡°I¡¯ll try to help more,¡± Uriel surprised her by saying as he gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. ¡°You don¡¯t have to face everything alone.¡±
¡°We all want to support you, Phoenix,¡± Saiya added as well, giving a squeeze of the tails still wrapped around her.
She chuckled as she loosened her hug around Tala, ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m not sure how you¡¯ll be able to help my anxiety about standing in front of a crowd with everyone staring at me.¡±
¡°By standing beside you,¡± Uriel replied with a soft smile. Then his face became a confusing mix of emotions to her as he asked quietly, ¡°Would it help if you weren¡¯t the only Chosen standing before them?¡±
She stared at him in shock for a moment as she processed the implications of his words before asking incredulously, ¡°You would do that for me?¡±
¡°Well, after the Scarlet Banquet finding out, I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s much of a secret anymore, and¡ well, after you died, it actually seemed to help keep them from killing me. Maybe it could help protect you as well and not be as bad as Patricia and I feared¡ besides, it doesn¡¯t seem like keeping it hidden is doing anything to protect you from assassins.¡±
¡°But you would put yourself out there¡ tell everyone you¡¯re Chosen too, risk being targeted yourself¡ just to make me feel better?¡±
His eyes met hers as he answered her question with his own, ¡°Isn¡¯t that what best friends do for each other?¡±
¡°I think that might be asking a bit more than what you normally would ask of any friend,¡± she replied, still reeling from the idea, yet she couldn¡¯t deny that having him by her side in public like that would help her feel less isolated.
His smirk was more reassuring as he said in that slightly teasing tone he would use with her sometimes, ¡°I¡¯m okay with being more than a friend then if it means seeing you smile instead of worrying.¡±
She flushed slightly at that, not entirely sure what came after best friend on the friendship scale. Maybe there wasn¡¯t any label for it. Maybe it was just who they were together.
Phoenix returned his smile, ¡°I think I¡¯m okay with that too¡ but we should probably warn Pati before you start walking around with your Soul Mark showing. Pretty sure she¡¯d murder us both for that.¡±
¡°You¡¯re probably right about that,¡± Uriel replied with a frown, ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s going to like the idea.¡±
¡°Well, good thing I said we¡¯re warning her instead of asking for permission,¡± she said, glancing down at Tala, ¡°It sounds like it¡¯s time for me to stand up for myself more and stop caring so much about others judging me for being myself. If they want me to act like a Saint, then they¡¯re going to just have to deal with the people I need by my side.¡±
37 - Best Served Cold
Rayna and Dazien stared up at the highrise for the apartment listed under Ramir Miramel¡¯s home address. It was a decent location on one of the main streets of the western Logistics District, about halfway between the AOA¡¯s building and the Scarlet Banquet¡¯s hidden lair, which was suspicious on its own, in her opinion.
¡°So, do you think he¡¯s actually home still?¡± she asked her party leader.
He gave a sigh and shrugged, ¡°I guess we¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±
¡°So the plan is just to punch and silence, right?¡±
¡°Questions first,¡± he clarified, and she was hoping he had forgotten that part, ¡°I know that as soon as he has those chains on, he¡¯s not going to talk to us, and then we¡¯ll have to hope the duke¡¯s people will let us know what happens.¡±
¡°Are you sure they¡¯ll even punish him?¡± a deep, raspy voice asked from the other side of Dazien, accompanied by a divine aura that felt like retribution incarnate. Rayna didn¡¯t even need to ask to recognize the god from that alone.
The Defender turned slightly to look up at the large god of vengeance and replied, ¡°They should. He¡¯s guilty.¡±
Avenger laughed, ¡°My dear boy, I don¡¯t believe you¡¯re really that naive to think that just because someone is guilty means that the Adjudicator will dole out punishment. Your mentor clearly understood that. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve realized the same by now.¡±
She looked around briefly, but nobody passing in the streets seemed to notice the sudden appearance of a god. Then she wondered how often she might have completely missed the presence of a deity that didn¡¯t want her to notice them.
¡°Are you here ¡®cause you want to give a quest? Or are you hoping to give Dazien a Soul Mark, too, or something? Take advantage of his connection to Phoenix and Uriel?¡± she ended up asking the god with narrowed eyes. She had come to realize by now that gods only showed up in person when they wanted something.
The deity laughed again, ¡°So suspicious of my good intentions¡¡±
¡°What exactly are your intentions, Lord Avenger?¡± Dazien clarified, crossing his arms over his chest in a show of defiance that she totally approved of.
¡°I¡¯m merely here to help you with your own goals. To help you make sure the evil guy doesn¡¯t get away this time.¡±
Both she and the Defender frowned at his words, and she asked, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®help¡¯?¡±
The Avenger wrapped an overly large arm around Dazien¡¯s shoulder and leaned in almost conspiratorially, ¡°Listen kid, I¡¯ll give you one of these,¡± the god said quietly and lifted his other hand to show a gleaming gold medallion with the emblem of a crow emblazoned upon it. Rayna hadn¡¯t seen one in person before, but she easily recognized it as the god¡¯s Divine Sigil. A token of his power made manifest as proof of his will.
Then the god surprised her by saying, ¡°The quest is simple: You have your fabulous Familiar eat Ramir Miramel the way that man ate so many others, like your poor mother.¡±
Rayna wanted to punch the god for trying to use her friend¡¯s mum like that, but he kept talking.
¡°Then when you realize that you like seeing evil get its comeuppance, like knowing you stopped a monster that the law couldn¡¯t, come see me, and we can negotiate a more permanent arrangement like your new father has.¡±
Dazien frowned, and Rayna started worrying when her party leader didn¡¯t instantly refuse the deity¡¯s offer. While she was all for laying the smack down on this prick, she did see a difference between defending themselves and fighting on a battlefield versus walking into a weaker guy¡¯s home and just murdering him in cold blood.
As if reading her mind, the god said, ¡°I knew a Wayfarer once. A long time ago, back before I became the god Avenger, who told me a quote from their world that I absolutely adore. She said, ¡®Revenge is a dish best served cold.¡¯ She said it meant to wait and bide one¡¯s time instead of acting rashly to enact instant retribution.
¡°For me, the meaning is two-fold, though. See, I¡¯ve been hoping for this day for a very long time now. The dish is extremely cold at this point. However, I thought Paul Wayland would have been the one to serve it.¡±
¡°You sound disappointed that you seem to be settling for me,¡± Dazien retorted but Rayna was having trouble getting a reading on her friend¡¯s thoughts at the moment, especially with how tense and distant he seemed.
¡°I was worried, but then I saw that wonderful little Talent you managed to cultivate.¡±
¡°What? Why? What was it?¡± Rayna asked. She had been there when it happened but hadn¡¯t learned yet what it had turned into. Dazien didn¡¯t want to talk about what happened with his mum while they were being held captive, and she hadn¡¯t had a chance to bug Phoenix for a peek into her book.
The Defender frowned as he answered, ¡°[Wrath of the King]? What about it?¡±
¡°Well, see, that¡¯s the second part I love about the phrase. See, I don¡¯t want my Anointed Disciples to be those hot-headed folk with burning rage bent on lashing out at anyone and anything they see as a potential enemy. No, what I need is cold, focused wrath.¡±
Rayna¡¯s frown deepened as she looked from her leader to the god, ¡°You think Dazien has that? Like Paul?¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
Avenger smiled, ¡°If he can fulfill my quest, then I believe he does. If he can fulfill my will and wishes for it, I can make him a Paladin, just like his father. It would be fitting, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±
Then Rayna gave a low animalistic growl as the god added in a tantalizing whisper to her friend, ¡°Besides, it really is the best way to protect your lover and sister¡¯s secrets, you know.¡±
She didn¡¯t like that kind of manipulation, having seen it before when she and Saiya were struggling on their own. Watching others prey on the emotions of others left a bad taste in her mouth when she was often reminded of just how overwhelming those emotions could be for her twin.
Before now, Rayna had been starting to think that if Dazien really did become a king, then she might just take a page out of Uriel¡¯s book and swear fealty to him, too. Settling down in his kingdom with a wife to maybe start her own family sounded like a good goal for her to work towards alongside her party leader.
She liked their playful poking and fighting side by side. More than that, though, she trusted him to put his people before himself. She had seen firsthand how much he cared about others. Saw how steadfast he was with the more passive members of their party, not trying to force any of them to bow to his whims.
Rayna thought perhaps trusting him to lead them forever wouldn¡¯t be terrible at all.
Now, though, the Avenger was threatening to ruin all of that.
¡°All you want me to do in exchange for the Divine Sigil is have Rex eat Ramir Mirimel?¡± Dazien seemed to clarify with a raised brow at the god.
¡°That¡¯s the quest I¡¯m offering,¡± the deity confirmed, ¡°It¡¯s a bit more expensive for me than normal since you¡¯re not one of my clergy, but I think you¡¯ll feel so much better after completing this quest that you¡¯ll come to me and help pay back the difference.¡±
¡°He¡¯s not going to be a mere Paladin,¡± Rayna said, her fur bristling in her growing anger at the god, ¡°He¡¯s going to become a king and make a nation that actually cares about all of its citizens. Not just the nobles or the Casters but everyone who wants to join.¡±
Dazien stared at her like she was insane, and she crossed her arms indignantly, ¡°What? I¡¯m not wrong!¡±
The Defender chuckled and shook his head, ¡°No, I just never thought I¡¯d ever hear you, of all people, say that.¡±
Before she could retort, he surprised her by reaching out and taking the sigil from the deity. She wanted to yell at Dazien some more, but he stated simply, ¡°I accept your quest, but I won¡¯t promise to visit later. As Rayna said, I have other plans for my future.¡±
Avenger grinned, and she wanted to punch that smirk off his face. ¡°You can be both,¡± the god said, and she could have sworn that sounded familiar, but he continued saying, ¡°A Paladin King that will deliver retribution upon those who oppose him sounds like a wonderful future for us to aim towards. It will be one of the most peaceful nations in the world with that kind of protection.¡±
She wanted to growl at the god again, but his next words caught her by surprise since she found herself finally agreeing with the god of vengeance, ¡°Remember, young Dazien, ruthlessness towards your enemies can be a mercy upon your people who would suffer from their wicked actions. No remorse should be had for those who commit atrocities against the innocent for their own greed. I only seek vengeance upon those vile villains who deserve retribution.¡±
Dazien nodded at the Avenger¡¯s advice but didn¡¯t reply as he pondered the words while looking over the glowing sigil in his hand. The gold medallion was slightly larger than his palm and engraved with the symbol of a crow on its front. When he flipped it over, he found the god¡¯s will inscribed.
Ramir Mirimel has eaten the innocent and been eaten in return.
The street darkened a moment later as the deity vanished, and the oppressive aura went with it.
He glanced at Rayna, who looked extremely annoyed and on edge. Her fur was standing on end, and her ears lay flat in aggression. He thought it was adorable, but there wasn¡¯t a chance in the abyss that he would tell her that. She¡¯d probably punch him for even suggesting such a thing.
She seemed conflicted at the moment as she stared at the spot Avenger had just vacated. Dazien decided to tentatively ask, ¡°So, are you going to agree with him or tell him to piss off for trying to manipulate us?¡±
Rayna looked at him in surprise as though she hadn¡¯t expected him to realize that part, and he gave her a flat look, ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯ve had to deal with people trying to convince me to do something they want before?¡±
¡°Well, not like that,¡± she admitted, ¡°I know people don¡¯t always think clearly when they¡¯re upset and grieving. I know that Saiya and I both did stupid crap to cope¡¡± She glanced up at the building in front of them again before adding, ¡°I didn¡¯t like how he talked to you. Didn¡¯t like how he tried to use the people you care about most for his own agenda.¡±
He nodded in agreement but pointed out, ¡°All gods are like that, though. They have one primary goal, and that¡¯s to expand and spread their purpose. Even the ones we label as ¡®good¡¯ do this. A more neutral god like the Avenger gives a bit more of a mixed feeling, though.¡±
¡°You accepted the quest,¡± she muttered, and he nodded again.
¡°I did,¡± he confirmed but tried to help reassure her that he wasn¡¯t planning to run off to join the clergy any time soon as he added, ¡°A Divine Sigil will help with the paperwork that¡¯s about to be incurred.¡±
Rayna snorted a laugh but returned to that serious expression as her fur slowly returned to normal, ¡°Are we really going to go in there and just kill the guy now?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to come with me,¡± he softly replied, ¡°I know this wasn¡¯t really the plan.¡±
She gave a small shrug and repeated his words with a smirk, ¡°Plans change all the time.¡±
His smile was sad as he nodded at her and looked down at the sigil once more. It seemed like he and Rayna were in a rare agreement for once when she managed to voice the thoughts swirling in his own mind, ¡°Even though I didn¡¯t like how he said what he did¡ I think I agree with his point. I didn¡¯t like the idea of just walking into someone¡¯s home and murdering them, but he¡¯s right that if we don¡¯t stop him, then he¡¯s just going to hurt even more people. This guy is an evil monster¡¡±
¡°And stopping monsters from hurting others is what an Adventurer does.¡±
Rayna¡¯s amber eyes met his as she pointed out, ¡°So does a good king.¡±
Dazien nodded and slipped the sigil into his belt pouch, ¡°Let¡¯s go protect our people then.¡±
She paused and gave him a curious look as she asked, ¡°Our people?¡±
He smiled at her, grateful for her presence to help ground him and not let his anger take control as he said, ¡°I might already have a Princess and Seneschal, but I could always use a good Knight to help defend my kingdom.¡±
Rayna¡¯s grin made his heart feel lighter as she replied, ¡°I¡¯m still gonna tell you off when you¡¯re being an arse.¡±
He laughed at that, ¡°Please do. I need more people to help keep me on the right path I think. Otherwise, I probably would have just walked in and killed this guy in cold blood. Probably monologue during it, too.¡±
¡°Oh, you should totally still do that,¡± she replied as she started walking towards the front doors, ¡°All the best stories have the epic heroes and villains monologuing at each other. Gotta make sure the other person knows why they¡¯re about to be killed after all.¡±
¡°I guess that is the polite thing to do,¡± he said, joining in her joking as he followed her into the building.
38 - Learning From My Failures
Ramir Mirimel moved quickly through the crowded streets towards his small but lavish home. He had made sure not to draw too much attention to himself and the funds he was making on the side outside of his role as an AOA administrator. Being only a Crystal Caster with abilities focused on scribing and organization had made it hard for him to move up in the world but he had found a perfect little gig to help fatten his purse.
He had never been interested in fighting monsters and had no qualms about using Monster Seeds to progress his powers. When he discovered the Scarlet Banquet was operating within the city, he found it was the perfect niche for him. Protecting their trail and providing them precious intel while putting Bits in his pocket and gaining both power and pleasure from their Blood rituals. The people were cheaper than Monster Seeds, too.
That all seemed to be coming to an end, though, when he had left the AOA after his shift to visit the cult only to find the building on fire and a swarm of clergy, Adventurers, and Ducal Guards helping retrieve those still living. He knew that if he stuck around he would not be counted among those living for much longer. Those victims they had been planning to trade away would recognize his face.
Ramir walked briskly to his bedroom once he entered his home, quickly attempting to fill the dimensional bag he had just managed to acquire with all of his belongings that would fit. Despite giving the cult plenty of warning, they had still fallen to that group of meddling brats and the powerful people who, for some reason, seemed to support their brash actions.
He needed to get out of the city now before those same powerful people came looking for him. Even if the victims didn¡¯t know exactly who he was, he couldn¡¯t trust his colleagues to not drop names in order to save themselves. Ramir could only hope that they all died before they could talk. Giving him time to get far away from here.
As he exited his bedroom to get more of his treasures, he stopped cold. Noticing a silent pair of visitors had somehow entered his home without his notice. He hadn¡¯t thought to lock the door that he had planned to quickly leave through again, but he also hadn¡¯t thought to look around earlier when he first entered, so he had no idea when they had arrived, only that they were now between him and freedom.
¡°Hello, Mister Mirimel,¡± Dazien said from one of the seats in his living room. The arrogant prick was lounging in it like he was the king he often proclaimed to be, and it was his throne. The shiny gemite was almost as delusional as the Ruwena girl he had helped to keep tabs on the man. Unfortunately, this same man had the nasty talent to make others believe his insanity. Luckily, he had never fallen prey to those pretty words.
Still, seeing him here with one of his party members standing behind him like a three-tailed guard dog made him hesitate. He was only Crystal Caste still, and he knew both of these crazy people were Sapphire. The world was often unfair like that. He found himself grumbling to them, ¡°You should all be dead already.¡±
¡°Well, it looks like your plans didn¡¯t go quite the way you wanted. Lucky me,¡± the newest Wayland brat retorted as he leaned back slightly, looking unfazed and downright relaxed, ¡°Even more lucky that you somehow managed to escape capture. I¡¯m sure Knight Thevaris did an amazing job of turning all of your murderous accomplices into ash.¡±
He licked his dried lips as he glanced towards the exit just beyond the pair, and Dazien casually conjured his sword to block the pathway as he warned, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t try that if I were you, though it won¡¯t matter one way or the other. I have a promise to keep after all, and I am trying very hard to be a man of my word.¡±
Ramir looked from the door to the sword, then back to the room he had come from. Dazien interrupted his thoughts by giving an ultimatum that he felt to his very core, ¡°Sit down now or die standing.¡±
To his own surprise, he felt his fear spike up as he complied with the order, his own instincts screaming at him to move. Ramir recognized that whatever ability the young warrior had used, it wasn¡¯t a compulsion. It behaved more like a taunt in that he could have chosen to defy the order, but he also knew that if he hadn¡¯t sat down, he would be dead already.
¡°See, I¡¯ve started learning from my failures, Mister Mirimel. Sometimes it takes longer than I wish, but eventually, I figure out what I need to do differently,¡± the far too pretty man said as he lifted his sword up as if to examine it closer, ¡°See, I always thought that a gentle and benevolent king could change the world. Protect the people under his care with diplomatic words and a charming smile.¡±
A frown appeared on that perfect face as he continued, ¡°But a good king also needs to have a firm hand. A good king needs to have the strength to stand up against the evils that threaten his subjects and put a stop to them. A good king is not just a shield of defense but a sword with resolve.¡±
Suddenly, the amethyst gemite¡¯s antlers seemed to dissolve and a large creature appeared behind the Sapphire Caster in a shimmer of golden dust. It looked like a giant golden lion with even larger antlers, folded feathered wings, and the long-scaled tail of a dragon. Ramir had never seen a creature like that before, but he felt small and insignificant under the weight of its golden gaze.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Dazien stood then, walking a few steps to place his free hand on the neck of his familiar that was taller than he was, ¡°This is Rex, my Familiar. Do you know what a Royal Raksha is, Mister Mirimel?¡±
He shook his head, every instinct in his body warning him not to move.
¡°They are the most magnificent of creatures,¡± the barely-Defender continued with slight reverence and affection in his tone, ¡°Kings of every animal kingdom, even our own, I would wager. See, they are an alpha predator, I¡¯ve learned. Do you know what that is, Mister Mirimel?¡±
Ramir shook his head again, not daring to look away from the trio of predators standing just a few meters away from him. He was struggling to fight back the terror choking him as he tried to think of a way out of this pile of siva dung he¡¯d stepped in.
¡°It means that nothing hunts them. They are at the top of the food chain. Nobody claims dominion over them. Nobody dares to threaten them,¡± the Adventurer¡¯s purple eyes zeroed in on him, and he felt an involuntary shiver run down his spine, ¡°But you threatened him. Didn¡¯t you, Mister Mirimel?¡±
¡°N-no¡ª¡± he began, but Dazien interrupted him.
¡°You threatened to hurt the people he cared about,¡± the handsome man continued as he moved closer to his own trembling form, ¡°You threatened to hurt my friends. To kill us and eat us.¡±
Dazien lifted an arm to grab the top of the chair he was sitting in so that their faces were mere inches away as he said with deadly quiet, ¡°You stood by and mocked me after my friend¡¯s Familiar died by your friend¡¯s hand and then sneered as my sister turned to ash.¡±
¡°N-no. I¡ª I didn¡¯t kill her,¡± he stuttered. The mention of his adoptive sister did stir a memory, however¡ potentially a way out of this terribly unfair situation.
¡°You did. I know you were the one that warned them we were coming and gave us that fake mission,¡± he pointed out, ¡°Nobody else knew we were looking, and you made sure to hand deliver that forgery. We wouldn¡¯t have been in those cages in the first place if it hadn¡¯t been for you being a lying, traitorous, blood-drinking cannibal. How many other people have you eaten?¡±
Then, to his utter bafflement, the gemite lifted up a golden medallion with the sigil of a crow upon it, and he knew in his very soul that it belonged to the Avenger. He should have known that the newest son of that battle-crazed murderous Paladin would follow in his father¡¯s footsteps.
¡°You and I both know you are guilty of devouring the innocent, and now you will feel the pain you inflicted on your victims.¡±
Ramir shoved himself away from the man he knew without a doubt was intent on killing him now. It caused the chair he was in to tip and him to fall to the ground, but at least the gemite had chosen to take a step back instead of attack, and he reached into his dimensional bag to pull out one of the treasures he had grabbed.
Dazien just raised an eyebrow at him in confusion as he stood holding the roll of paper between them as though it was an offering. He would have to try and talk his way out with this threat as his only piece of leverage to escape alive.
¡°What¡¯s that? A portal scroll?¡± the Defender asked once he seemed to recognize it.
Ramir silently wished it had been a teleportation scroll that could ensure his escape. He let it fall open as he held it, poised to tear it, and said in explanation, ¡°It¡¯s a scroll of [Supernova]... one guess where I managed to get it from.¡±
The confusion on the gemite¡¯s face was priceless to him as the arrogant man turned to the voxen behind him and probably used that stupid communication ability of his. Ramir inched towards the front door, hoping the threat of collateral would be enough to buy his freedom from the Shiny prick and his pet fox.
Dazien glanced back to his companion and asked over his communication power, ¡°Please tell me he¡¯s bluffing, and Phoenix wasn¡¯t actually naive enough to¡ª¡±
¡°I mean, she did drop some stuff off at the AOA earlier and did give me a scroll of [Supernova] to try out later but she didn¡¯t tell me she made more than one!¡± Rayna explained as she kept looking from him to Ramir who thought he was being sneaky as he inched towards the exit.
¡°And you didn¡¯t think to mention to any of us that Phoenix was crafting literal bombs in her room?!¡± he practically yelled back. How that blasted Wayfarer hadn¡¯t managed to kill herself from that alone¡ he swore she would be the actual death of him someday if they lived beyond this.
Dazien wasn¡¯t especially worried about dying from the effects of a scroll that must have been Crystal Caste for Ramir to be able to activate it without potentially dying himself. However, he was just as aware of Ramir¡¯s actual threat as the runeforged man must have been considering their Caste difference.
Ramir was trying to trade his life for every other Mundane one in the building and potentially the few next to them. He honestly wasn¡¯t sure if the destructive range would be the same with a scroll but he didn¡¯t want to find out at that moment.
He didn¡¯t have long to decide on whether to accept that trade or not, though, as the cultist kept shuffling towards the door. Silently, he asked Rayna, ¡°Can you safely disarm him? The sigil will only remain if I fulfill the quest as Avenger set forth. Otherwise, I¡¯m fairly certain it will vanish, and we¡¯ll be stuck with either an escaped cannibal or a lengthy trial over his murder.¡±
¡°He¡¯s Crystal, and all my cooldowns are up. I can disarm him faster than he can blink,¡± the bard retorted.
Dazien turned back to try and distract the cultist as he mentally gave the order, ¡°Then please do so now.¡±
Before he could even finish blinking, Rayna was standing behind the cannibal with two of her three gem-encrusted tails streaked with blood, and both of Ramir¡¯s arms were now separated from his body and falling to the floor, still clutching the untorn scroll.
¡°Disarm complete!¡± the Shatter Bard reported, and he couldn¡¯t help slapping a palm against his face.
39 - Justice
¡°What?¡± Rayna asked in bewilderment as her party leader actually facepalmed at her, ¡°I did exactly as you said!¡±
Ramir¡¯s screaming began at that point as the man fell to his knees, and she wondered if Rex eating a headless cannibal would still count for the quest.
¡°No, I realize now that was entirely my own fault for the miscommunication,¡± Dazien replied mentally in a tone of exasperation that made her not entirely sure if he was being sarcastic or not.
¡°Miscommunication? How else was I supposed to get a scroll out of his hands without it tearing? I went the fastest route!¡±
Dazien gave a heavy sigh and then ordered aloud, ¡°Rex, finish the quest, please, and allow Mister Mirimel at least the mercy of a swifter death.¡±
¡°And quieter one,¡± she muttered, rubbing her ears and stepping away as the giant Royal Raksha pounced and began to devour his dinner. The screams intensified, and the sound of flesh tearing made her nose wrinkle in disgust as she informed Dazien, ¡°I think I¡¯m going to wait outside while he eats. That¡¯s a little much for me to watch.¡±
He simply nodded at her and she paused at the doorway to add, ¡°Are you going to wait out here with me?¡±
The seriousness in his tone made her frown as he replied firmly, ¡°No. I need to watch. It¡¯s only right that I share some of this burden with my Familiar.¡±
Rayna didn¡¯t reply but made a mental note to herself to talk with Saiya later. Her sister would have a better idea if this kind of odd behavior from him would be something they¡¯d need to worry about. Besides, it wasn¡¯t really her place or expertise to prod at emotional wounds like that. She¡¯d stick to the problems she could punch.
Out in the hall, there were already a few heads peeking their way with confusion and fear and she wished that she had been good enough at ritual magic to have put up a sound barrier before the screaming had started.
Now, she simply tried to wave them off as she informed in as professional a tone as she could manage, ¡°Punishment by Divine Ordinance. Nothing to see here.¡±
She was pretty sure the Ducal Guard would show up sooner rather than later. She didn¡¯t look like one of the Guards or a member of any clergy, so she didn¡¯t think any of those people would really believe her words unless they might have recognized her from Phoenix¡¯s party.
The screams had stopped after a few seconds, and the louder crunching sounds halted another minute later, but Dazien hadn¡¯t joined her yet, so she kept waiting as patiently as she could.
Sure enough, a couple of minutes later, a pair of Crystal Caste guards showed up at the end of the hall but didn¡¯t approach until a Sapphire Caster appeared. The newcomer approached in a more casual manner as the cinderen woman greeted her, ¡°Hello, Lady Dewsong. I¡¯m Guard Benjam,¡± she said, slowly holding up an identification card similar to an AOA license that showed the emblem of the Duke. ¡°Some distressing sounds were reported to the local guardpost at the corner of the block, mind letting me in on the details?¡±
Rayna mentally whispered to Dazien, but he was unresponsive, which made her even more nervous as she glanced back at the closed door behind her. ¡°There was an escaping blood cultist that we were given a divine quest to stop,¡± she hedged, knowing she should probably let Dazien explain and show the sigil as proof.
¡°Care to let me in and see what the duke is going to need to deal with then?¡± the guard asked and added when Rayna looked back to her, ¡°I have no desire to fight you, but I do have a duty to uphold, Lady Dewsong.¡±
She nodded and explained, ¡°Daze¡ª I mean, Noble Wayland is still inside completing the quest. I¡¯ll lead you to him,¡± she turned and opened the door but paused as the pungent scent hit her, and she added, ¡°But I¡¯m warning you that it likely won¡¯t be pretty¡ the quest was from the Avenger for retribution against a cannibal¡¡±
Benjam¡¯s face wrinkled at the mental image, but to her credit, she stoically nodded and followed behind her.
Rayna began to call out to her friend as a heads-up since he wasn¡¯t replying telepathically, ¡°Hey, Daze? I¡¯ve got one of the guards here¡ª¡±
She was shocked into silence at the scene before her. Dazien sat in the chair that hadn¡¯t been tipped over as Rex lay a large golden head in his lap while he quietly sobbed into the shimmering mane.
At his feet were a small pile of random treasures and a flat enchanted dimensional bag that she had previously seen when Ramir had pulled the scroll from it. However, in one of Dazien¡¯s hands was a thin golden chain with a larger pendant dangling from it. In the center of the pendant was mounted an unseeing eye with a sparkling amethyst iris that she recognized as matching Dazien¡¯s own.
Rayna¡¯s fists clenched at the sight of her broken friend, who kept finding pieces of his mother and muttered to the confused-looking guard, ¡°Getting eaten in return was too good a death for the likes of the Scarlet Banquet.¡±
She slowly walked over to Dazien and dismissed her gauntlets to place a furred hand on his shoulder, ¡°Let¡¯s get you back to your castle, King¡ where our family is waiting for us.¡±
He shook his head fervently, burying his face deeper into the golden fur and she could barely make out his mumbled, ¡°I just need a minute.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure having a good cry at home will be better than¡ª¡±
¡°No,¡± he cut her off before muttering, ¡°I can¡¯t let anyone see.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Everyone knows a king doesn¡¯t cry¡¡±
She frowned at that and wished again that Saiya was here to handle this. She didn¡¯t need her sister¡¯s emotional perception to see the mess of a man in front of her, but she did need the Healer if she wanted to have any chance of soothing him.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Since she didn¡¯t have that option right now, she simply said something that Saiya had told her long ago, ¡°Everyone cries. It¡¯s something we need to do sometimes to cleanse the yucky feelings from our minds. It¡¯s not a weakness to feel emotions. They are the foundation of our strength. Without them, there would be no reason to keep fighting for the future.¡±
Dazien¡¯s shuddering had lessened as she had spoken and he finally glanced up at her with puffy amethyst eyes that had an odd look of confusion. After a beat of silence, she asked, ¡°What?¡±
¡°I just thought you might have switched places with Lady Saiya all of a sudden and was wondering if I had gone insane,¡± he said with a watery smile.
She lightly punched his arm, ¡°Don¡¯t make me give you a more painful reason for those tears, Your Majesty. Now let¡¯s go see Sai so she can show you how to cry properly.¡±
They didn¡¯t end up going home, unfortunately.
Once Dazien had managed to regain some composure, he spoke with the guard and complied with her request to go to the main guardhouse back in the Martial District to the southwest. There, he filled out forms but a lot less than he normally had to for the AOA. A Judge from the Courthouse in the inner city was available there, as usual, to take testimonies, and he made sure to hand over his Divine Sigil to the Priest of the Adjudicator, the goddess that almost every Judge served.
It actually helped him in a way to go through the mundane task of filling out the paperwork, putting into words the horrible things that he had witnessed and been subjected to almost felt like a purging process. Admitting what had happened and trusting the authorities to help right those wrongs.
It was difficult to trust that idea, however. Avenger had been right. This process would have likely resulted in Ramir still living to escape the city and go elsewhere to eat more innocents. At least he had ensured that future would never come to pass. He had avenged his mother¡ but he still felt terrible.
The balm of knowing that the cultist wouldn¡¯t hurt another person wasn¡¯t enough to counter the weight of knowing what they had done to his mom. How they took her apart piece by piece to¡ª
Dazien stopped himself. Shaking his head to clear the thoughts that threatened to bring tears again. He needed to keep it together. His party still depended on him to lead them through all this and finish filling out the blasted paperwork.
¡°Odd to find someone who¡¯s not an Anointed Disciple carrying one of these,¡± the Judge said solemnly to him while holding up the Divine Sigil of the Avenger to look over, but luckily the runeforged woman seemed more curious than accusatory.
¡°I believe he hoped to gain a new recruit,¡± Dazien managed to reply without a trace of a waver in his voice.
The older woman raised a brow at him and asked, ¡°Another Paladin Wayland that we should look forward to dealing with more often?¡±
He forced a chuckle, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m really suited for the job, actually,¡± he admitted, ¡°It just happened to align with my current goals.¡±
The Judge gave a sad smile, ¡°That¡¯s usually how the Avenger gains disciples. They join with a singular goal and eventually find a purpose in it. I don¡¯t particularly agree with the path they choose, but I can understand what drives them.¡±
The runeforged glance down at the small stack of papers she had been reading over as Dazien finished them, along with the box of evidence he had handed over that included the vile necklace of his mother¡¯s eye, and added, ¡°I can understand what might drive you to them as well in this case. Though, I am glad to hear you denouncing that path¡ for now.¡±
¡°Nobody knows what the future may hold, but I hope to be a just leader. While this might not have followed the proper procedures of law, I hope that the victims of this cultist feel that justice was dealt.¡±
¡°Vengeance is never justice, even if justice may appear as vengeance,¡± the Judge replied gently, ¡°My only relief is that when the Avenger himself is involved, the punishment is limited to the crime committed and removes much of the impassioned rage that can cause us mortals to disproportionately punish those who may have wronged us. Justice is meant to bring closure and restore the balance. Revenge usually doesn¡¯t care about this; they just want to see the other person hurt more than them.¡±
Dazien nodded, equally solemn as he admitted, ¡°There were moments that I wished that¡ I don¡¯t think I would like the person I would have become if I followed those urges, though. I have seen the destruction that unbridled rage can cause,¡± he paused as his thoughts wandered to his partner and he added, ¡°They burn themselves in the process.¡±
The Judge smiled and nodded, ¡°I¡¯m glad you seem to already understand that,¡± she lifted the Sigil again and said, ¡°Thank you for delivering this, Noble Wayland, along with your testimony. We¡¯ll be in touch if further questions need answering, but I believe my goddess will try to make this as painless as possible for you.¡±
¡°Thank you, Your Honor,¡± Dazien replied and gave a respectful bow before leaving to rejoin Rayna, who was waiting for him outside the room.
¡°Can we go back to the others now?¡± she loudly complained.
He gave a more genuine chuckle that time and nodded, ¡°Yes, though I would appreciate it if we kept what happened tonight quiet for a while. I¡¯m sure your sister is still grieving, and Phoenix is already seeming overwhelmed by all this attention; we don¡¯t need to add to their worries.¡±
Rayna¡¯s eyes narrowed at him, and he thought she might refuse, so he added quietly, ¡°I also need some time to process without either of them smothering me with questions or concerns. I¡¯ll let everyone know when I¡¯m ready to talk about it. Promise.¡±
She slowly nodded, ¡°Fine, but don¡¯t wait too long; otherwise, I¡¯m gonna sic Sai on you and make sure that she won¡¯t let you run away from dealing with this.¡±
As they walked down the bustling hall of mostly guards, Rayna asked him, ¡°Are you gonna tell Uriel sooner?¡±
He grimaced slightly, ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡ he¡¯d probably blame himself for it somehow. He still needs to recover from what we all went through, too. I know that brought a lot of terrible memories crashing back on him.¡±
¡°I know I don¡¯t know everything you two have been through together, but I saw how broken he looked down there in that cage, and when you¡ª¡±
¡°Saved Padma¡¯s life?¡± he interjected flatly.
¡°Yeah, and the cost of that,¡± she finished, returning his pointed look.
He gave a sigh, ¡°I just want to get back home and sleep all of this off with him beside me,¡± he admitted, ¡°Hopefully, he¡¯ll be his usual quiet self and be satisfied with leaving the heavy talk for tomorrow.¡±
Rayna snorted a laugh, ¡°I guess that¡¯s one way to avoid uncomfortable discussions.¡±
He couldn¡¯t help shaking his head and smiling at the irony of the situation as he admitted, ¡°Except usually it¡¯s me wanting to have the uncomfortable talk and him trying to get me to just shut up and sleep.¡±
She laughed louder at that, ¡°You both are such opposites, it almost seems like a miracle that you two are actually in a relationship like that. How have you not broken up a dozen times by now?¡±
Dazien grimaced, ¡°Honestly, I think that comes down to those honest conversations and our own stubbornness. It might also be that we just simply can¡¯t picture a future without each other in it any longer¡ at least, I can¡¯t.¡±
¡°Well, I know I joke and tease a lot, but I, for one, hope that never changes. It¡¯s nice to see the level of loyalty you two normally have towards one another.¡±
¡°Is this your roundabout way of trying to convince me to tell him about what happened tonight?¡±
Rayna grinned at him, ¡°You were the one who said the honest conversations kept you going all this time,¡± she pointed out.
He groaned, realizing she was right, ¡°Abyss¡ you really can¡¯t just let me have a night of peace, can you?¡±
¡°Please, you guys will talk, argue, cry, kiss, do a little dance between the blankets, and then you can have that exhausted sleep.¡±
¡°Are you seriously only into women? Because you seem to talk about us a lot like that and picturing¡ª¡±
¡°Oh, ew, no, stop suggesting that!¡±
40 - Heart Check
Uriel found himself nervously pacing in the temporary room at the Wayland Estate in Tulimeir, where he was meant to get some rest. Instead, he was waiting and worrying for the moment Dazien would return to him. After not hearing anything for quite a while, they had reached out over the Defender¡¯s communication network, only to be told they were busy giving testimonials and filling out the paperwork for everything.
He felt like it was taking much longer than usual as the evening began to stretch on. He wondered if he should question Dazien on it. Would he answer, though? Would he be honest?
Dazien had a strong hatred for lying that stemmed from his constant struggles since childhood when people kept trying to deceive him. He couldn¡¯t remember a single time outside of obvious jesting when Dazien had ever knowingly lied to him or the people around him.
Perhaps more recently, Daze had tread the line when he tried to comfort Priest Barrett, but Uriel had noticed that the way his partner worded things was more of a lie of omission rather than a blatant deception. He personally wasn¡¯t sure he would count that, but he had his own issues surrounding lies hidden by half-truths. Dazien was usually open and honest about everything to him, though.
That consistent honesty, care towards others, and confidence in spite of the constant hardships they faced was what initially drew him in. Allowed him to trust and kneel.
He needed to talk to Daze and understand why then ¡ªafter all this time and everything they had been through together¡ why did he use that trust against him?
Uriel almost reached out over the chat ability again to see what was taking so long to return, but he didn¡¯t want to sound like he was nagging¡ they had a handful of arguments over the years, and the little spats usually boiled down to passive-aggressive nagging. The bigger arguments had been over their conflicting positions about his own lack of honesty and adamancy to keep things secret.
When they finally had their own talk about personal boundaries within their relationship, though, Dazien had backed off more, reiterating his stance if the topic came up but not pushing as much. It had been a relief.
Now, he was the one about to suggest revealing those secrets to the entire world. Would Dazien be relieved or annoyed that it took him so long? He thought he had a better reason to do so this time rather than simply a teenager¡¯s desire to scare off the bullies or try and raise his social status as one of the Chosen. This time, it was to help protect someone.
He froze in his pacing as the door opened, and an exhausted-looking gemite walked through it. Dazien gave him a weak smile, and he looked even worse than when he had left through the portal with dulled eyes missing any humor that normally sparkled in them. His clothes seemed more disheveled, too, and¡ was that dried blood on his boots?
¡°Did you get in a fight?¡± he couldn¡¯t help but ask.
The smile dropped, and Dazien replied sourly, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it that, exactly. Can we talk about it tomorrow, though? I feel dead on my feet and just want a bath and bed.¡±
Uriel frowned in return. He had needed to talk with his partner for hours now, trying to build up his courage to confront his king, and the thought of trying to sleep with these thoughts keeping him up all night didn¡¯t sound pleasant. ¡°We really need to talk about some things, though¡ you know, another Heart Check.¡±
Dazien looked at the ground, running a hand through his hair only to get an annoyed look, and pulled at the strap that was tying it back in order to release it, ¡°Can it at least wait till after I¡¯m clean? I need to¡¡±
The Defender trailed off as he looked down into his hands, and Uriel noticed red on those as he finished the statement for him, ¡°Wash the blood off your hands?¡±
His partner¡¯s face twisted at the words into something he rarely saw. A mixture of anger, sadness, and disgust.
¡°Hey, I get it,¡± Uriel replied when he thought he saw tears threatening to fall. He knew Daze hated that, so he closed the distance between them to take those dirty hands in his and said softly, ¡°You don¡¯t need to talk about that right now. I¡¯m sure whatever happened was because you had to do it. Let¡¯s just get you clean, then see if you¡¯re up for the Heart Check after, okay?¡±
Dazien nodded and made his way to the bathroom, where they washed in rare silence.
The fact that Dazien wasn¡¯t talking was what clued Uriel into the fact that his partner was struggling to process whatever had happened to him. He had only ever seen his king like this a handful of times over their years together.
The first time was when Dazien came home after gaining his Slayer title for killing Jennica¡¯s abusive father. The second was shortly after that when his lover at the time, Martin, had inexplicably died in an accident. The third was when he came home after getting assaulted by a higher Caste stranger and rescued by Priest Jacob. The fourth was when Dazien¡¯s girlfriend and Uriel¡¯s last metamour, Xera, died in front of them during a Hunting job gone wrong last year.
Those had all been silent nights with hidden faces and ignored tears.
Tonight became that kind of night as well.
As they had washed, he realized that his king needed the time. Questions and confessions could wait for the dawn. For tonight, they could pretend that nothing was wrong and that all the horribleness of the world outside ceased to exist as they held onto each other.
Dazien awoke feeling empty.
He had tried to wash away the memories along with the blood.
He had clung to Uriel as though the warmth the man exuded would burn away his pain and evaporate his tears.
The echoes of his mother¡¯s voice and Ramir¡¯s screams had plagued his nightmares. He had hoped he would be too exhausted to dream, but he had not been granted that mercy. He was grateful for the mercy Uriel had given him, though. Not asking for that talk again and instead silently escaping to the bed they now lay tangled in.
As he became more aware, he realized that Uriel was already awake and quietly playing with his hair again, running warm fingers through it. He glanced up at his partner and said in a tired voice, ¡°Hi.¡±
Uriel¡¯s gentle smile was a balm on his soul as he replied, ¡°Good morning.¡±
¡°Can we just tell the day to go away and leave us alone?¡± he pleaded.
His partner chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t think the day will obey your command, my king.¡±
Dazien frowned at the reminder of his commands, and he slowly pushed himself up. He couldn¡¯t avoid explaining what happened the previous day any longer. He needed to tell his partner what he had done in the Avenger¡¯s name and reassure both of them that he wouldn¡¯t accept the god¡¯s follow-up offer of becoming a Paladin.
With a sigh of resignation, he asked, ¡°Heart Check time?¡±
Uriel sat up as well and began getting clothes back on as his own materialized in a shimmer of golden glitter around him. They moved to the sofa where they normally had these kinds of talks, and Dazien asked, ¡°You first or me?¡±
¡°I can go with a lighter topic since I get the feeling yours is heavier,¡± Uriel stated, then took a breath and said, ¡°I offered to go public as the Chosen of the Destroyer to help support Phoenix better in her new position as a Saint, which she¡¯s finally decided to fully accept.¡±
His brows likely disappeared into his hair, with how surprised he was by that. That wasn¡¯t at all what he had expected to hear come from Uriel¡¯s mouth in a thousand years. He tried to focus on the most pertinent questions he had, ¡°This is something you decided on without extortion?¡±
¡°Yes. I want to help her.¡±
¡°You¡¯re certain about this? There¡¯s no taking the knowledge back from the people.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not certain about the outcome, but if it helps her¡ I¡¯m willing to risk the extra attention now.¡±
Dazien frowned, and after a moment of thinking through it all, he asked the harder, uglier question nagging his mind, ¡°Why would you reveal that for her but not me?¡±
¡°You didn¡¯t really need it like she does,¡± his partner answered, ¡°You just wanted me not to feel ashamed about it, but she needs to know that she¡¯s not alone in this world.¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Dazien sighed. He could accept that answer. He had long come to realize that Uriel would usually only become a shield for others instead of himself, a trait Phoenix so obviously shared.
After another moment, he refocused on the purpose of their Heart Check and asked, ¡°My turn?¡±
¡°You¡¯re okay with the risk too?¡± Uriel asked as a follow-up question to his responses.
Dazien chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ve been telling you to be more accepting of who you are for years, Senesh. Being Chosen is part of that along with your Class, Talent, Transfiguration, and past. I¡¯ve learned to accept every part of you, whether it changes in the future or not, and have only wanted you to do the same. If this is a step towards that, then I will support it.¡±
Uriel slowly nodded and said, ¡°I guess it¡¯s your turn then.¡±
He took a breath to collect his thoughts before bluntly stating, ¡°I tracked down Ramir Mirimel to capture him and got a quest from the Avenger to kill him instead. Which I accepted and fulfilled.¡±
¡°That blood belonged to him then?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Do you regret it?¡± Uriel softly asked.
¡°No,¡± he firmly replied, ¡°Especially not after some of the items I found on him. He¡ª¡± Dazien paused as his voice caught, but he pushed on, ¡°He had a piece of my mom with him.¡±
His partner went silent for a moment, and he prodded, ¡°If you have more questions bothering you, now¡¯s the time to ask. You know that¡¯s how this works.¡±
¡°Is that really why you took Rayna?¡±
¡°What?¡± He hadn¡¯t been expecting that question, and it caught him off guard.
¡°Because you knew she would help hunt down the man that betrayed us. Is that why you took her and not the rest of us? Why you didn¡¯t say anything over the network to us?¡±
¡°I¡ I didn¡¯t plan on that originally. The plans changed when we realized the AOA wasn¡¯t going to act immediately, then changed again when Avenger showed up.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not what I asked,¡± Uriel clarified, ¡°I asked why you didn¡¯t tell us before you went to confront the blood cultist that had us captured. Why keep us in the dark? Why not have us there to help¡ª¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t want all of you to have to deal with¡ª¡±
¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me stand beside you, King?¡± Uriel interrupted his excuse with a pointed look, ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be completely honest during this. Did you leave us behind ¡ªnot say anything¡ª because you were hoping to kill him and didn¡¯t want us to try to stop you?¡±
Dazien felt his whole body tense at the accusation. Was Uriel trying to say he was a bloodthirsty murderer who had actually enjoyed what he had done?
¡°I didn¡¯t leave hoping for that,¡± he retorted, ¡°But I wasn¡¯t going to turn down the opportunity. Ramir was only Crystal. I had planned to simply question and silence him. That was until Avenger arrived to give the quest and attempt to recruit me. He offered to make me a Paladin if I succeeded.¡±
¡°Are you hoping to become an avenger, as well, then? Is that why you accepted the quest? Are you truly contemplating throwing away your conviction to never bow before a god because of these cultists?¡±
¡°No, I¡ª¡±
¡°Because of Paul, then?¡±
¡°No. I¡¯m not becoming a Paladin,¡± he replied, starting to feel defensive against the accusations, ¡°Do you really think I would do that or go on some sort of vengeful killing spree just because I got angry? Just because a Talent cultivated doesn¡¯t mean I changed that much.¡±
¡°Really? Because I didn¡¯t even learn about you cultivating a Talent from seeing your own mum¡¯s bones until Phoenix mentioned it while you were apparently off on a vengeful killing spree,¡± Uriel loudly retorted before reaching up to rub at the broken earrings he still wore.
He was slightly surprised when his partner stood then and began to pace.
¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it like that,¡± Uriel clarified, ¡°I¡¯m not mad that you killed him, Daze. I¡¯m upset that you didn¡¯t seem to trust us enough to include us. Just like you reprimanded me earlier when I tried to leave for your own good, you got mad at me for not getting your input. Then you turned around and went off saying you weren¡¯t looking for trouble, but when you found some, you decided not to talk to us! Since when do you choose not to talk?!¡±
Dazien was getting frustrated that Uriel was acting like he had planned it all or meant to deceive them, but that just wasn¡¯t true. He hadn¡¯t gone behind their backs and started packing up his things with plenty of time to explain beforehand like Uriel had. It¡¯s not like Dazien wanted to keep it hidden or leave them out. In his growing annoyance, he replied, ¡°You don¡¯t understand¡ª¡±
¡°I don¡¯t understand?!¡± Uriel said as he stopped suddenly to turn and stare at him incredulously, ¡°Are you joking right now? What possible reason would you have to think I wouldn¡¯t understand what you¡¯re going through right now?¡±
That made his anger spike, and he rose to his feet so Uriel wasn¡¯t looking down on him as he repeated, ¡°You don¡¯t understand! You can¡¯t know what I¡¯m feeling right now! They stole my parents¡ª¡±
¡°They stole mine!¡±
He almost growled as his voice rose, and he clarified, ¡°Harvested them. They slaughtered my family!¡±
¡°I annihilated my family!¡± his partner shouted, slamming a fist to his own chest, ¡°I understand, Daze! Gods within, I, of all people, understand.¡± Uriel moved to hold his shoulders and look him in the eyes as he said in a gentler tone, ¡°I understand their actions, their goals, their greed¡ What I don¡¯t understand is every choice you¡¯ve made since we walked into that trap.¡±
¡°What do you mean? If you understand all of that, then you should understand why I¡ª¡±
¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us about the quest before accepting? Why did you leave me behind in the first place? Why did you order me to kill you?¡±
Dazien shrugged out of his grasp to put some distance between them as the accusations slammed into him one after the other. He didn¡¯t want to admit that he didn¡¯t have a good answer to any of those questions. Didn¡¯t want to admit that his thoughts had been so tangled and emotions so far out of his control that he hadn¡¯t thought through those choices before making them.
He didn¡¯t want to admit that he might have actually been hoping to avenge his mother, didn¡¯t want to be held back, and might have been wishing for death when he asked for it¡
Instead of giving those answers, he said, ¡°I already told you why I made those choices. What more do you want me to say? Do you want me to lie until you¡¯re happy with whatever answer I give?¡±
Uriel frowned, ¡°Of course not.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure what your issue is then,¡± he replied flatly, crossing his arms over his chest.
¡°It¡¯s a matter of trust, Daze,¡± his partner stressed before turning a hurt gaze on him that sent an echo of that pain through his heart, ¡°How can I trust that you won¡¯t order me like that again? That you won¡¯t betray the trust I¡¯ve placed in you.¡±
Those words felt like Uriel had struck him, and he angrily began to say, ¡°I would never betray¡ª¡±
¡°You used my pain to inflict more!¡± his partner yelled, matching his anger and pointing an accusatory finger at him, ¡°You tried to force me to kill my family again!¡±
He felt his own features twist as he tried to argue, ¡°Your family was already¡ª¡±
¡°YOU are my family!¡± Uriel shouted.
¡°You were going to leave!¡± Dazien finally snapped, his voice rising to overpower his partner¡¯s. He pointed his own finger in accusation, ¡°You told me how you fought for your family! You always fought for their sake! Just like I said that you would when we were caged up.¡±
As Dazien¡¯s own pain surged up, tired of being contained for so long, he kept yelling, ¡°You never abandoned your family, but you were going to abandon me!¡±
His control broke as Dazien finally found those buried words, ¡°How can I believe you think of me as your family when you tried to flee from my side?¡±
Uriel got a hurt look as he tried to counter, ¡°I explained that was for your own good¡ª¡±
¡°And I ordered you for yours,¡± he retorted, ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t listen if I didn¡¯t. You would have murdered Patricia¡¯s daughter, and that woman would have ripped you from my side and torn you to pieces.¡±
¡°Better than you being dead, by my hand no less!¡± Uriel bit back, ¡°You cannot expect me to believe that the man who confronted a god for my sake wouldn¡¯t be able to stand up to a single noble. I know you¡¯re not being honest with me! You would never have given me an order like that before, even to save someone else. You would never have commanded me against my will and broken our boundaries.¡±
Both of them were mere inches from each other now as they had been arguing, and they both realized they were seething at this point.
Uriel was the one to take a step back, bowing his head in submission, but asked in a broken, pleading whisper, ¡°Why did you order me to kill you and destroy my heart? Why would you betray me like that?¡±
¡°I¡ª¡± Dazien wasn¡¯t sure what to say. He didn¡¯t know how to take back what had happened or what answer might mend the divide that had been slowly forming between them since Uriel had tried to run. He didn¡¯t know what truth he could give except for, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±
Uriel¡¯s face looked up at him and scrunched in hurt at the non-answer. A molten tear escaped down his cheek, which he quickly wiped away as he turned towards the room¡¯s door and managed to say, ¡°Well, come find me when you figure it out.¡±
¡°Where are you going?¡±
¡°To rejoin the others,¡± Uriel retorted as he opened the door.
¡°And what about until I give you a better answer? Are you seriously going to just walk away? Not talk to me at all?¡±
His partner paused at the threshold and said, ¡°I¡¯m still your Senechal, but I think we need to take a step back until you can answer my question honestly. I¡¯ll stay in my own room until you¡¯re ready.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not¡ Are you breaking up with me?¡± he asked incredulously.
¡°I think we both just need some space to breathe,¡± Uriel softly answered and walked out the door.
41 - Break Up
Phoenix awoke to a heavenly scent and found Uriel brooding in the kitchen that morning while baking enough muffins to feed a small army. He seemed on edge, and when she asked if he was alright, he merely answered that he needed some space from Dazien after they had an argument. That made her even more confused and concerned as he kept baking while giving distracted half-answers to her questions until she decided to seek out the one who liked to talk more.
She found Dazien on the roof; half slumped across one of the smaller garden tables while deep in thought with a tress of his hair held between his nose and upper lip to look like a long, silky purple mustache. Her greeting came in the form of hysterical laughter at the sight, and he rolled his eyes at her.
¡°Glad somebody seems to be in a better mood this morning,¡± he said.
Once she managed to regain control of her diaphragm and walked over to sit beside him, she asked, ¡°I heard you and Uriel had some kind of disagreement that resulted in a mountain of baked goods for breakfast and have come in search of details.¡±
She tugged at the lock of hair that had pretended to be a cheap disguise and asked, ¡°Do gemites even have facial hair? I just assumed you and Uriel used some kind of magic item to stay clean-shaven.¡±
¡°Gemites don¡¯t have any body or facial hair, thank the gods,¡± he replied, pulling his hair back. Then he asked, ¡°Would you braid it for me? I wouldn¡¯t mind trying it like you wear it.¡±
She nodded and readjusted her position to help do his hair as she asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you like body or facial hair? Paul has a beard that I think looks pretty good on him. Might make you look older.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not the appearance; it¡¯s the maintenance,¡± Dazien clarified, ¡°I think I mentioned before that I needed to use enchanted Crystal Caste shears to cut my hair as a Mundane kid. Imagine needing that kind of thing just to shave,¡± he gave an exaggerated shudder that made her chuckle.
¡°Uriel uses an item, though. Only needs to use it like once a month with the settings on max,¡± he added before falling silent again.
¡°That¡¯s convenient.¡± She kept grabbing strands of hair to pull into the braid as she asked as casually as possible, ¡°So, what did you and Uriel argue about? He seemed too distracted to say.¡±
Her brother gave a heavy sigh, ¡°It feels stupid when I think about it¡ probably because it¡¯s mostly a result of my own stupid choices. I broke his trust in me and threw a petty excuse back at him.¡±
¡°Petty?¡±
¡°I tried to blame my own actions on him breaking my trust first when he tried to run away from us,¡± he explained, and she paused in surprise, ¡°Which was completely unfair of me to do, considering I had plenty of time to bring that up with him earlier.¡±
¡°Why didn¡¯t you?¡±
He stilled under her as she continued to braid. After a moment, he said, ¡°I think I was worried he might try to run away again if I pushed. That if I mentioned how much that hurt, he might break up with me just to not hurt me again in the future,¡± he gave a broken laugh as he added, ¡°Looks like I was right about that much at least.¡±
That made her stop to bend and look into his face, ¡°Wait, what do you mean?¡±
Dazien¡¯s face scrunched as he said, ¡°Pretty sure he broke up with me until I can figure out how to better explain why I did what I did, but the problem is that even I¡¯m not sure about what I could say that would fix this.¡±
It felt like her mind stuttered to a halt at that piece of information.
They couldn¡¯t break up.
Uriel and Dazien were partners. Loyal and inseparable. They belonged together.
¡°Nope,¡± she finally said when words returned to her.
¡°What?¡±
¡°Nope, it¡¯s not allowed,¡± she declared.
¡°Not allowed?¡±
¡°You two are not going to break up over something dumb like making one wrong choice during a time of crisis,¡± Phoenix retorted as she tied off the end of the long braid now trailing down Dazien¡¯s back with the leather strap he usually used.
¡°One mistake can destroy years of trust, Phoenix. It¡¯s not something I can just go back and undo.¡±
She moved to stand in front of him and placed her hand on her hips as she asked, ¡°Did you try apologizing?¡±
He stared at her, slack-jawed for a moment, before admitting, ¡°Well, no, but¡ª¡±
¡°You know, while you were gone yesterday, I had a heart-to-heart with Tala about everything we went through. You think one mistake can break a bunch of trust, which is true, but that doesn¡¯t mean it can¡¯t be fixed. Tala pointed out that a good way to mend broken trust is a sincere apology. We were talking about the AOA, though, not you and Uriel. I wanted to bring it up with you today after hearing what you learned from the AOA yesterday, but we think that if the AOA doesn¡¯t explain and apologize for their part in what happened, then we should break up with them.¡±
Dazien¡¯s brow raised in surprise, ¡°You want to leave the AOA? You don¡¯t want to be an Adventurer anymore?¡±
She shook her head and flicked him on the forehead like he would do to her, ¡°I said if they don¡¯t apologize.¡±
He rubbed at the spot she flicked but looked thoughtful as he mulled over her words. She sat back down next to him and placed a hand on his arm as she asked, ¡°So, what do you think? I want us all to still stick together even if we aren¡¯t ¡®official¡¯ Adventurers. We can still do our part and fight monsters without that, right?¡±
Dazien didn¡¯t answer right away, but finally, a smile spread as he said, ¡°You¡¯re right. Joining the AOA was meant to make certain things easier, but it¡¯s not a requirement.¡±
¡°And about Uriel?¡± she prompted.
He gave her a grin and said with exaggerated pomp, ¡°It will be the grandest apology you¡¯ve ever witnessed.¡±
Phoenix made her way back to the kitchen while Dazien went to hunt down Rayna and Saiya. They wanted to make sure that everyone was on the same page about how to deal with the AOA, and she had offered to talk to Uriel in order to avoid an awkward party meeting.
As she propped herself up on the counter, Uriel turned to her with a grin and held out a muffin, ¡°Try this one and tell me what you think.¡±
Phoenix leaned forward and took a bite out of it while he held it. She almost choked on it as she saw the look of surprise on his face. ¡°Sorry, but that look was so worth it,¡± she said with a laugh after managing to swallow.
He rolled his eyes at her and teased, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize I needed to treat you like a frolf pup too. I¡¯ll have to make sure you don¡¯t accidentally bite my fingers off next time.¡±
She chuckled, then held out her hand for him to set the rest of the muffin on while she took a more dignified bite. She hummed thoughtfully before saying, ¡°The flavor¡¯s good, but what¡¯s giving it that weird grainy texture?¡±
Uriel gave a sigh, ¡°The winterhazel nuts. I tried grinding them into more of a powder to get the flavor, but I can¡¯t seem to balance out the texture properly, and they could likely shatter a Mundane¡¯s teeth if I left them in whole.¡±
¡°Well, good luck with that,¡± Phoenix replied, ¡°While I will gladly devour anything you put in front of me, I am absolutely zero help in actually making that deliciousness.¡±
He chuckled, ¡°And here I thought the wannabe crafter might like to learn crafting muffins.¡±
She gave a heavy sigh of resignation, ¡°There¡¯s too much¡ feeling required with cooking, it seems like, especially after we made that monster stew together. It¡¯s pretty far removed from the more puzzle-like programming of enchantments that other item crafting has. After all my forays and burnt hair, I can understand why having magic powers dedicated to the process would be better.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
¡°Only took you about ten months to finally figure that out,¡± he teased, and she rolled her eyes at him again.
¡°Yes, I get it. I¡¯m a slow learner.¡±
¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that,¡± Uriel countered as he turned back to the oven, ¡°Just stubborn about not giving up on something you want to accomplish, which isn¡¯t a bad thing, in my opinion.¡±
She flushed at the compliment as she swallowed another bite of muffin. Hesitantly, she prodded, ¡°Speaking of stubborn¡ You didn¡¯t really break up with Daze, did you?¡±
His head snapped back to look at her in surprise, and he asked, ¡°Is that what he told you I did?¡±
Phoenix nodded and was actually relieved by the frown on his face, ¡°I just said we needed some space. We were both getting too upset, and it was even harder for me to deal with since my earrings weren¡¯t helping me regulate properly at the time. They normally help me get through a Heart Check without it devolving into a shouting match.¡±
¡°Heart Check?¡±
¡°That¡¯s just what we call them,¡± he said, shaking his head as he returned to his task, ¡°It¡¯s a check-in to see how each other is doing and to address any issues that may have arisen within our relationship. A chance to ask harder questions and air grievances with brutal honesty and, ideally, the mutual goal of resolving a problem and compromising. It¡¯s worked well for us so far, but this time¡ well, like I said, it turned into a bit of a shouting match. I just wanted some time and space to process and let us both cool down.¡±
Uriel pulled out another tray of muffins from the oven, these ones laden with some kind of fruit by the looks of it, then turned back to face her after setting them down, ¡°If he¡¯s telling you we broke up, though¡ I wonder if that¡¯s actually what he wants.¡±
¡°Nope,¡± she instantly replied, ¡°I told him it¡¯s not allowed, and you two are going to make up.¡±
His eyes went wide in surprise before he broke into a bout of deep, rumbling laughter.
¡°What?¡± she asked, crossing her arms defensively, ¡°It¡¯s not funny; it¡¯s true!¡±
¡°It¡¯s funny because you ordered Dazien to do something.¡±
¡°Well, he listened to it,¡± she replied with even more embarrassment, then grinned and asked, ¡°Does the King normally take orders from the Princess, or does that make me like some kind of Empress now?¡±
Uriel shook his head as his laughter abated and said, ¡°There are no more empires on Makera. That was a mistake the world only saw once, and now the magic itself won¡¯t allow for it.¡±
He picked up two of the fresh muffins and walked closer to her as he continued, ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that he listened to you, though. I don¡¯t want to leave him; I just want to be able to trust him again.¡±
¡°You were both being too emotional about this, obviously. You both made mistakes, just like I have, but you¡¯re not abandoning me because of them. You apologize, admit you were wrong, learn from the mistake by never doing it again, and trust that they¡¯ll do better, right?¡±
His smile warmed her heart as he agreed, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Then he held out the new muffin for her to take and softly said, ¡°I don¡¯t remember if I did that before, especially after Dazien¡¯s reaction this morning. I¡¯m sorry if I made you feel like I didn¡¯t care about you or him when I tried leaving before. That was the opposite of my intentions. I was wrong and won¡¯t ever do it again. I¡¯m trying to do better by standing beside you, even if I¡¯m mildly terrified by the idea.¡±
Those fiery eyes met hers as he asked, ¡°Will you forgive and trust me?¡±
Phoenix ignored the muffin as she leaned forward to wrap him in a hug. ¡°Always,¡± she answered before adding, ¡°Now, tell that to Dazien once we get back.¡±
He chuckled and asked softly, ¡°You¡¯re giving me orders, too, now?¡±
Her eyes widened as she realized what she had accidentally said, ¡°I¡ª I¡¯m sorry!¡± she stuttered, trying to pull back, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to say that word. I just¡ª¡±
¡°Hey, calm down. It¡¯s fine,¡± he tried to reassure.
¡°No, I know that triggers¡ª¡±
¡°Phoenix, please,¡± he interrupted, stepping forward to return her initial hug as he said, ¡°I know you didn¡¯t mean it like that. Please don¡¯t beat yourself up for it.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she repeated, and he chuckled into her hair.
¡°I know, and I¡¯ll do as you ask, but are you going to tell me where you¡¯ll be coming back from?¡±
¡°Oh, right. Dazien and I are planning to go break up with the AOA if they don¡¯t apologize and promise to rectify their policies for hiring cultists and practices with both personal privacy and access to official documents so something like this can¡¯t happen again.¡±
He pulled away to look at her as he asked, ¡°Wait, what do you mean by break up here? Like disbanding our party or just leaving the organization?¡±
¡°The latter,¡± she replied, ¡°We don¡¯t have to be Adventurers just like we don¡¯t have to be Waylands either, so that gives us some leverage and freedom in what path we want to take. Aside from telling you to make up with Dazien, I mainly came to make sure you were okay with this plan or not.¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine with that,¡± he replied, to her relief, ¡°I¡¯ve actually suggested it to Daze in the past when¡ well, never mind.¡±
¡°When what?¡± she asked, her curiosity piqued by the sudden glow of a blush alighting his cheeks.
¡°I don¡¯t really want to say. Looking back now, it seems really idiotic, and I know you¡¯ll just laugh at me for it. Anyway, I¡¯ve never been the one dead-set on being an Adventurer. That was Dazien¡¯s goal. He wanted the benefits they offer for a more efficient means for us to cultivate our abilities and travel.¡±
¡°He mentioned that to me, too. From what Paul told me before, it¡¯s more efficient since they can provide a pretty constant stream of well-matched challenges to progress with, right?¡±
¡°Exactly. The licenses they provide also help with traveling between nations. It¡¯s a formally recognized form of identification in most major cities and comes with quite a bit of prestige. There are other options out there for all of that, though.¡±
¡°Well, we might have to look into those if this impromptu meeting goes poorly.¡±
The meeting was going very poorly, in Phoenix¡¯s opinion, as Dazien stood beside her with Patricia on her other side. Across from them sat Director Agatha Trayvious, Assistant Director Timothy Varros, Assistant Director Helen Porter, and the Head of Personnel Resources, Fitz Finnigan.
Phoenix doubted she would remember all of their names, but apparently, they were the most important people in this branch of the AOA and were the ones that both Dazien and Pati insisted on being there to get verbally stripped down by the pair.
It was not pretty.
Dazien went through the details of what had transpired leading up to that point, not just Ramir giving a fake mission that looked official but also the interference from an Emerald, who they still hadn¡¯t identified, during the mission beforehand.
He also went into even more accounts of his treatment over the entire year from the traitor and a small handful of other staff members who serviced the front desks. She hadn¡¯t realized the extent of verbal abuse and discrimination he had been dealing with this entire time as her party leader and was mildly horrified that he hadn¡¯t told her before now.
By the time he had finished, she wasn¡¯t sure that they could give an acceptable apology that would make her want to stay associated with them. It looked like she wouldn¡¯t need to either, as Mister Finnigan, who had been the one responsible for vetting and managing their staff members, said, ¡°I have followed our policy to the letter. We do not invade our staff¡¯s privacy by investigating what they do in their personal time, just as we don¡¯t go following you Adventurers around.
¡°We trust our staff to perform their duties as outlined, and while it is unfortunate to hear you speak of disparaging acts towards you, it is all hearsay. We have heard no such complaints from the many other people we serve. Perhaps you are simply being too sensitive and seeing insults where none was meant.¡±
¡°And I supposed I was imagining the blood cultist while locked in his cage?¡± Dazien asked with venom in his voice that rivaled Patricia¡¯s.
¡°It is hard to believe that the AOA has had zero complaints from visiting Adventurers for being treated unfairly, nor is it easy to swallow the idea that an entire sect of the Scarlet Banquet has been operating within this city without anyone reporting their suspicions to the AOA.¡±
¡°We are a single organization that accepts mission requests, Ambassador Wayland,¡± the Assistant Director of Mission Assignments, Helen, replied, ¡°If nobody paid us to create a mission, then we are not obliged to investigate every rumor we might come across. Perhaps you should look at your own faction and ask the duke why the Guards haven¡¯t heard anything or requested the mission from us.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to apologize,¡± Phoenix whispered mentally to both Dazien and Patricia. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that the AOA was so driven by money.¡±
¡°Most organizations are if they hope to keep thriving. A lot of people might not join the AOA if a reward wasn¡¯t offered for completing missions and risking their lives. The government subsidizes a lot of their work and funds a majority of the monster hunting to help keep the nation from getting overrun,¡± Patricia explained. ¡°That said, neither of you have that monetary incentive anymore. If they can¡¯t ensure you won¡¯t be hunted or set up whenever you accept one of their missions, then I see little use to not just acting on your own.¡±
¡°So, you are refusing to adjust your policies to better ensure the safety of Saint Wayland?¡± Dazien asked aloud from Pati¡¯s prompt.
Director Trayvious frowned but spoke before the others, ¡°While we always try to safeguard our member¡¯s privacy and match them to missions best suited to their capabilities, we cannot ensure their safety, Noble Wayland. We send Adventurers into danger to fight monsters, after all.¡±
¡°True, but if you can¡¯t ensure that the information surrounding a mission won¡¯t further endanger us unnecessarily, then I believe we have reached an impasse.¡±
The director¡¯s frown deepened, and she looked slightly confused as she asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±
Dazien reached into the pouch at his waist and pulled out a small pale blue card made from stone. He took a few steps forward to set it on the table the officials sat at and said, ¡°I mean that we can no longer continue being members of the Alliance of Adventurers. The AOA itself has become an unnecessary risk for us. We will work with the Ducal Guard¡¯s volunteer force for the remainder of the blood moon.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not going to be Adventurers anymore?¡± the director clarified, looking dumbfounded by the idea.
Phoenix walked forward to stand by her brother and set her own license down next to his, ¡°We don¡¯t need to be part of an organization to still have adventures and protect the innocent from harm. We might not be part of the AOA, but we¡¯ll still be adventurers at heart.¡±
42 - More Than Words
As Dazien, Phoenix, and Patricia left the AOA building, a small black kitten with tiny wings landed on his face with a hungry yowl, fur covering his entire field of vision.
¡°Bliss! You cannot just blind me and beg for treats every time we run into each other in public!¡± Dazien scolded as he tried to extricate the newly ascended chimera from his braid and hoped he wouldn¡¯t need Phoenix to fix it.
She let him pick her up under her front shoulders and peered at him with the largest green eyes possible as she pitifully begged, ¡°Mew?¡±
He gave a heavy sigh, ¡°I don¡¯t have any treats right now. Uriel¡¯s not here, and I¡¯m not sure when I¡¯ll be able to convince him to go outside with me again.¡±
¡°You know he didn¡¯t actually break up with you, right? I explained that before we left,¡± Phoenix reminded him.
He nodded towards her as he pulled Bliss against his chest to hold her better as the little beastie seemed to be actively sniffing at his hands as though searching for hidden morsels, ¡°Yes, but his conditions still remain. I need to apologize and give him a proper answer.¡± He glanced down at the deceptively light Emerald Caster and said, ¡°Until then, no more treats.¡±
Bliss¡¯s jaw dropped as she looked at him as though he had slapped her and insulted her entire family with the unfair threat of treat-withholding. Then she gave the most morose meow of a whine that sounded like she had just witnessed the death of a loved one, and he looked towards Phoenix, hoping she might have something to save him from the despairing wail.
Phoenix grinned and held out a palm where a freshly baked muffin appeared as his sister tried to pacify the shameless manipulator, ¡°Here, Uriel made these this morning.¡±
Unsurprisingly, Bliss abandoned him as she launched herself at Phoenix and began eating right from her hands instead while balancing on her arm with a series of purring noms.
He glanced from the chimera to Phoenix then back at the muffin, ¡°How come you didn¡¯t share one with me earlier? You know I love Uriel¡¯s baking¡¡±
She smirked and said, ¡°No more treats until you apologize, remember?¡±
Dazien sighed again, and glanced over at Patricia who was swiping and touching furiously at the glowing glass tablet in her hands that she seemed to never go anywhere without lately and asked, ¡°Do you think it will be safe for us to go to the Market District in the inner city?¡±
¡°Absolutely not,¡± the noblewoman replied without even bothering to look at him.
¡°What if Bliss goes with us as our Emerald Caste bodyguard?¡± Phoenix asked and he was glad for the assistance.
He glanced back at the kitten who was already in the process of licking the crumbs from Phoenix¡¯s palm, ¡°If that¡¯s alright with you and Chriss? I want to restock a few things and find a suitable apology gift for Uriel. I definitely owe him one this time.¡±
Phoenix scrunched her nose at him for some reason, but Bliss answered, ¡°Yes, then more treats.¡±
Patricia then replied without looking up from her tablet, ¡°That should be fine then, but I will be sure to hold Noble Stratford responsible if anyone assassinates them in the street.¡±
His sister gave a laugh that slowly turned into a nervous chuckle when nobody joined her. She turned to him and asked, ¡°She is joking, right? I mean, sure, the whole cannibal cult thing just happened, but nobody¡¯s going to attack us in public like that, right?¡±
Dazien mulled over the possibility and then hedged, ¡°Maybe we should use our cloaks, and perhaps your Prism Brush can help, too.¡±
¡°Seriously?¡±
¡°Just a precaution,¡± he replied, chuckling at the incredulous look on her face. ¡°I doubt anything will happen, though, since nobody will really be expecting us to be there. Most people never really expect to run into a celebrity just going about their shopping.¡±
She scrunched her nose at him again, ¡°That almost sounds worse than being a Saint for some reason. We¡¯re not really that famous, are we?¡±
¡°Did you already forget the incident at the Quicksteam?¡±
Phoenix matched his heavy sigh, ¡°Right. I guess thinking of it that way actually helps with understanding what to expect whenever we go out. Celebrity disguises are serious business.¡±
¡°I think turning our hair black will be enough to blend in more, though there¡¯s not much we can do for your glowing complexion. At least we won¡¯t be as iconic with the hair change.¡±
The kitten tilted her head as if in serious contemplation, and he wondered if she was mentally talking to her party like they could or if she was trying to picture them with the suggested style update.
Phoenix grinned, ¡°We¡¯ll match Bliss better, too. Like a trio of siblings.¡±
Dazien laughed, ¡°Are you just trying to collect family members now?¡±
¡°Nothing wrong with more family,¡± she replied with a small huff and gave Bliss skritches behind the ear.
¡°Just don¡¯t let Chriss think you¡¯re trying to steal Bliss from her¡ I remember seeing that door label in her little locket space, and I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯d lock you up in her prison for even attempting it.¡±
Phoenix glanced down at the kitten, who helpfully meowed. She suddenly froze in place and tensed up as her eyes went wide.
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked, wondering what might have happened.
¡°Um, apparently I can speak chimera now? Or cat? ¡®Cause I totally just heard her say that I¡¯d be fine ¡®cause Chriss only locks up monster people,¡± Phoenix replied before turning to look at him and asking, ¡°Chriss doesn¡¯t believe Uriel¡¯s proclamation of being a monster, does she?¡±
The kitten chuffed in response and started grooming her wings.
Dazien shook his head and rubbed at his face, ¡°No, she¡¯s never attacked him before as far as I can recall, and I¡¯m pretty sure he would have mentioned it to me.¡±
He glanced up as the sun peeked out overhead and reminded him that time was indeed still passing, ¡°We should probably get going. Hopefully, I can convince Uriel to accept my apology by tonight if we hurry.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll have to take the long way since I can¡¯t portal an Emerald Caster yet,¡± Phoenix reminded him.
¡°Let¡¯s stop by the estate really quick with Patricia then and¡ª¡±
¡°Oh, I¡¯m not going back there yet,¡± their aunt interjected, ¡°I need to go to the Cultivator¡¯s Citadel and see about raising the prices of supplies to the AOA as well as discontinuing our endorsement of Adventurer Acolytes.¡±
¡°What? Why?¡± Phoenix asked, and he grimaced at the reminder.
Patricia glanced at him with a raised eyebrow as he admitted, ¡°While I told her we didn¡¯t really need the AOA to do the things we wanted to do, I didn¡¯t think to explain the potential political ramifications of the choice. Honestly, I¡¯m not even sure of the extent of those myself since there¡¯s not much detail about Saints in the Scholar¡¯s library. We really need to get access to a better one once we leave. However, I believe the impact any Saint would have would likely be on par with an Arch Priest, if not an Archon, right?¡±
Phoenix looked at him in surprise, ¡°Wait, why would¡ª¡±
¡°I¡¯ve told you before,¡± Patricia interrupted again, ¡°Everything you do will be seen as a political action. You are the politics. A Saint is normally an Obsidian Caster and a proven manifester of a deity¡¯s will by granting blessings. They are usually equated to Archons in the hierarchy of most temples. You are at least half of that and will likely be seen as some sort of prodigy because you¡¯re not Obsidian yet but still a Saint. If the Saint of the Celestial Pantheon has renounced being an Adventurer with the AOA, many people will see that as a very strong sign that something is wrong with that organization.
¡°When the inevitable rumors spread throughout the city that a staff member of the AOA was serving the Maniac and sent the Saint¡¯s party into a trap, not to mention the number of Adventurers that had been captured and killed previously, trust in the AOA will see a sharp decline. This branch will likely be investigated by the Central Leadership, too, and might risk their own charter as an ¡®official¡¯ AOA branch,¡± Pati finished explaining, and Phoenix looked horrified by the extent to which she had just condemned this entire building beside them.
¡°This is probably for the best, Phoenix,¡± Dazien said, ¡°Honestly, there is obviously some corruption and a more official investigation from an outside party that the AOA Central Leadership sends in will be a benefit to those who might have suffered further otherwise. Perhaps if they rectify the danger we would be in, we can rejoin them someday when we return.¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Phoenix rubbed at her forehead and said, ¡°Can we just ignore all the politics for now and go get whatever it is you think will make a good apology gift and hide back at home? We don¡¯t have another mission to worry about tonight, do we?¡±
Dazien felt a smile tug at his lips as his sister attempted to escape and decided to be merciful, ¡°Not tonight, but I¡¯ll get us all signed up for the wall rotation with the Ducal Guards tomorrow.¡±
He indulgently gave Bliss a pat on the head as the kitten gave a wide yawn and tried to snuggle into Phoenix further, ¡°Let¡¯s go before all this boring talk causes our bodyguard to nap and not pay attention anymore.¡±
She grinned back and happily nodded as she led the way for them all back towards the Wayland estate. It felt odd to be the one trailing behind her for a change as he watched the mess of red curls act as a beacon through the crowds.
He wasn¡¯t as concerned about the people around them, with both Bliss and Patricia beside them as an Emerald deterrent, but he still felt on edge whenever someone¡¯s gaze trailed after her and lingered a bit too long. It reminded him far too much of his own childhood and the eyes that would follow after him.
When she glanced back at him as though to make sure he was faithfully following and gave him a brilliant smile, he found himself idly thinking it might not be so terrible to always follow his Princess towards their next adventure.
¡°So, what exactly makes a good ¡®please forgive me for almost destroying our relationship¡¯ gift?¡± Phoenix asked as she glanced around the still-recovering marketplace and followed closely behind Dazien.
They had spent quite a few Sapphire Bits to turn his magically-infused hair to a jet black, but she thought it still stood out with how it shined like polished onyx. The cloak helped, though. She doubted it would be worth it to keep changing it every time they went out, but it was nice to have the option for when they wanted to stand out less.
Luckily, Dazien assured her that they likely wouldn¡¯t need to worry about such things once they left the tundra since nobody would know who they were unless they told people so¡ and didn¡¯t pull any flashy stunts. He had seemed to stress that last part for some reason.
¡°Well, it definitely needs to be something more personal,¡± Dazien replied as he stopped and turned into a shop she didn¡¯t recognize.
¡°Jewelry?¡± she asked as she glanced around at the glittering pieces of metal and gems behind glass cases. There seemed to be quite a bit still available compared to some of the empty shelves she had noticed in other stores, and she wondered if it was simply due to them being less critical for surviving a blood moon.
¡°Sparklies are definitely a requirement for survival,¡± Tala retorted in her mind as she hid under Phoenix¡¯s hood, much like the neck-warmer Bliss was currently acting as. The chimera scarf had become all but lost to her senses despite wearing her, as Bliss activated some ability that seemed to fade her out of existence after becoming more of a decorative snake necklace.
After stopping to don better disguises at the Wayland Estate, she had insisted Tala ride along after expending her [Starlight Qi] so her disguise wouldn¡¯t be ruined by glowing.
¡°I think that¡¯s a bit of an exaggeration,¡± Phoenix replied but paused as she saw a lovely silver brooch with amethyst and sapphires inset in the shape of a star, ¡°I did promise you some new shinies though, didn¡¯t I?¡±
¡°Yes! All the yeses!¡± Tala happily replied, and she could feel the little bird practically vibrating atop her hair.
¡°Well, that¡¯s beautiful,¡± Dazien said from beside her, and she jumped slightly, not realizing he had rejoined her.
¡°I was thinking I could turn it into a necklace for Tala,¡± she explained, ¡°I owe her for a couple of my own mistakes.¡±
Her brother chuckled, ¡°Sometimes gifts can convey more than words.¡±
She scrunched her nose at the idea. He surprised her by tapping her nose with a finger and said with a laugh, ¡°Don¡¯t make that face. I know you¡¯re not fond of receiving expensive gifts, but I¡¯m not talking about just throwing Bits at someone to buy affection or forgiveness.¡±
¡°Well, why don¡¯t you do something more handmade then? That¡¯s what they would have most of the children do for their parents,¡± she asked, trying to recall the few times she had given people gifts or been given some. Whenever she got gifts for others, she tended to get things that were crafted by her, like the bracelets they all wore or the housewarming gifts she had gotten them when they first moved in to live with her. The time invested in crafting always made them seem more¡ well, more valuable in a way.
Dazien shook his head, ¡°Aside from the fact that I¡¯m not a crafter in any sense unless you count childish attempts at making costumes, Bits can show that you value someone. Especially when they know you to be a frugal person, as Uriel knows is true of me. But like I said, the Bits isn¡¯t the point; it¡¯s the thought behind the item that¡¯s most important.¡±
¡°So, why are we here then?¡± she asked, looking around, ¡°This mostly looks like expensive trinkets that Uriel wouldn¡¯t care about.¡±
¡°I was hoping to get him a new set of earrings since his are broken, and he still seems to want them,¡± he explained.
¡°Oh.¡± She glanced around again, then clarified, ¡°Is all of this magical?¡±
¡°Not all, but most,¡± he replied, ¡°We got his last set here, but our price range was quite a bit lower than what I can afford now. I¡¯m hoping I can get him something much higher quality that won¡¯t break as easily or shut his emotions down quite as hard. I¡¯ve seen his reactions enough times that I know he dislikes that almost as much as getting overwhelmed.¡±
She stared at him in surprise for a moment before admitting, ¡°I guess I can see what you mean now about the thought behind a gift. That seems like a very specific thing that Uriel would be really thankful to have¡ not just buying the most expensive thing in the store and hoping he¡¯ll feel like he has to forgive you.¡±
Dazien gave her an odd look before saying softly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer this if it makes you uncomfortable, but have you had bad experiences with gifts in the past?¡±
Phoenix thought about that, trying to recall if she had, but shook her head in the negative, ¡°Not really with gifts specifically, I think. Well, not bad experiences. My mom would get me little things from time to time, usually as an apology if she had to work a lot of overtime or something. Jin got me a turtle plushie that I loved, though. That was pretty special to me¡¡±
She paused for a moment before quietly admitting, ¡°I think I just don¡¯t like the idea of people spending money on me because I always felt bad about how much it cost to take care of me. Medical bills were ridiculous where I used to live, and my mom was always struggling with supporting me on her own.¡±
¡°I see,¡± he replied, then gestured to the attendant behind the counter at the end of the single aisle the small shop consisted of as he simply called out, ¡°We¡¯ll take the silver star here.¡±
¡°Hey, you don¡¯t have to¡ª¡±
¡°Your happiness is not a burden, Princess. The same goes for Uriel,¡± he stated, ¡°Gifts are not meant to be an obligation; they are appreciation. Even as an apology, it¡¯s meant to show my appreciation for their presence in my life despite whatever argument was had. I show my love and appreciation by reflecting them in the time and thought I put into the gifts I give. It makes me feel equally appreciated and loved when that level of thought is returned.¡±
He reached into his hip satchel again to pull out the journal he had shown her before that had been a gift from Paul, ¡°Not when I¡¯m just given the nearest book off the shelf,¡± he pointed an amethyst fingernail at the matching flower on its cover, ¡°But when it was carefully chosen with me in mind. It conveys the care that words often fail to. Even though he had a hard time expressing it himself, I know Paul cared for me, and I¡¯m reminded of that fact every time I see this.¡±
¡°Will there be anything else?¡± the attendant asked after retrieving the item behind the glass case.
Phoenix caught Dazien¡¯s questioning gaze and nodded before asking the clerk, ¡°Do you have any earrings that help regulate emotions? Specifically anger? It would be nice if it didn¡¯t hinder the other emotions.¡±
¡°Let me go check and I¡¯ll be right back,¡± the attendant replied before moving to do so.
When Phoenix looked back to Dazien, she noticed him frozen in place as he stared at another display nearby. She followed his gaze to discover a case full of what looked like blue feathers, but they were all crafted from various materials. Some looked like delicate stained metals, while others were heavily laden with gemstones, but all of them were blue and reminiscent of a single feather.
¡°What are those? Are they special somehow?¡±
He glanced back at her and flushed as he quietly explained, ¡°Blue Feathers are used as a proposal of marriage here and are worn around the neck for the first month after exchanging vows.¡±
¡°Blue feathers instead of rings?¡± she asked in surprise as she reevaluated the display.
¡°I¡¯ve heard of some other places that exchange metal rings or bracelets. Others do a variety of ceremonies without items being exchanged. Other cultures don¡¯t acknowledge the concept of marriage at all. The world is vast, and marriage comes in many forms, but here, and in many other places around the world, the Blue Feather is used.¡±
¡°I wonder how that happened,¡± she pondered.
He gave a shrug, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I never thought about looking into it since it hadn¡¯t really been on my mind until¡¡±
When he trailed off uncertainly, she turned back to see him frowning at the rows of feathers. She raised a brow and prompted, ¡°Until when?¡±
Dazien turned to look back at her with a crooked smile as he confided, ¡°Until Patricia asked before I signed the adoption papers if I was going to marry Uriel.¡±
Her eyebrows vanished as she stared at him in shock at the idea. Before she could formulate a response, however, he chuckled and said, ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen any time soon, though, even if I wasn¡¯t looking for a way to mend our relationship at the moment. That¡¯s even if it happens at all. I¡¯ve never gotten the impression that Uriel would want that¡ not with me, at least.¡±
He gave a sigh as he looked back at the display, ¡°Maybe someday I¡¯ll find someone who would want that with me and can accept Uriel¡¯s presence by my side, but for now, I¡¯ll focus on getting stronger and protecting the people I already have.¡±
¡°And I guess that next step is apologizing?¡± she prodded.
He smiled at her, ¡°And figuring out how to explain why I took advantage of him and convince him that I won¡¯t do it again.¡±
Phoenix looked around the room and the various magical jewelry on display, thinking about a way to solve that particular problem, and asked, ¡°Is there some kind of magic that might help convince him about your sincerity?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think using my Royal Voice will be the best way to go after abusing it like that.¡±
¡°Royal Voice?¡±
He grinned, ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m calling it, at least, when Rex transfigures my voice to empower my words. I¡¯m still trying to figure out how to best control it since it seems to be rather subconscious at the moment for when I really want my words to be believed. ¡±
¡°Yeah, maybe don¡¯t use that to try and convince Uriel that you won¡¯t use it on him like that again,¡± she replied with a flat look.
Dazien chuckled, ¡°Exactly.¡± He looked down toward the ground contemplatively before saying, ¡°There may be a different kind of magic that could help, though.¡±
¡°I hope so. You two belong together.¡±
¡°Well, not everyone can be lucky enough to have a Kindred Spirit bond ensuring that. The rest of us have to wonder and hope.¡±
Phoenix paused as an idea struck her, but before she could voice it, the attendant returned. They held out a small open box that held a pair of large golden ear cuffs in the shape of wings and adorned with a large sapphire gemstone, ¡°I think these are exactly what you¡¯re looking for.¡±
43 - A Familiar Familiar
Everin awoke in an unfamiliar room surrounded by the scent of parchment and ink. The last thing he remembered was being healed by a priestess of the Cultivator who had been part of the recovery forces that responded to find their missing Saint. The healing had been a harsh one to speed up the regrowth of his tails, and he was fairly certain he had passed out from the rushed pain.
It couldn¡¯t have been that long since then, though, considering his Emerald Caste Fortitude speeding up his recovery and needing less sleep overall. He sat up and found he had been dressed in a plain set of Scholar robes. Then, he looked around to try and get a better idea of where exactly he was, only to be surprised to find a garnet gemite sitting in a chair propped in front of the door.
Veldrix seemed to be asleep at first, but those glittering red eyes looked up at him a moment later, and he couldn¡¯t help but smile at the knight, ¡°Playing guard dog?¡±
¡°I am a knight,¡± they replied softly, ¡°I protect those who are important to me.¡±
He chuckled, choosing to ignore the implication of his importance, ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were a Defender.¡±
¡°I protect by making sure those vile monsters won¡¯t see another dawn.¡±
¡°I guess that means you killed them all?¡±
¡°Any that I found. However, I think some managed to escape thanks to the alarm. Apparently, there was a maze of tunnels down there that blended into the lower levels of the city. There are still Guards and Adventurers looking, and I will be here to carry out justice when they are apprehended.¡±
Veldrix stood then and moved the chair closer to the bed he was lying on before sitting again and saying, ¡°For now, I wanted to make sure you were well and learn more about what happened from your perspective.¡±
Everin nodded, having difficulty with looking away from the devastatingly beautiful Ruby Caster, but managed to recount everything that had happened. It was difficult to do without divulging the secret of Phoenix¡¯s resurrection and Uriel¡¯s importance as one of the Chosen, which was a bit of a shock to himself as well.
He wasn¡¯t entirely sure what to make of Destroyer¡¯s Chosen being so close to his Saint this whole time, but it made the appearance of the god during the final battle with the Soul Reapers make more sense, as well as the kid¡¯s past with the god¡¯s cult.
Veldrix just listened to him patiently. The knight was always patient with him, which made him feel all the more special, but he shoved that impossible notion aside. Veldrix was patient with everyone.
It was odd to sense the bond between them shift as he spoke. His [Bondsense] passive let him innately feel the types and strength of a bond between objects, people, and magic, and it had helped him with plenty of diplomatic situations in the past, but now he wasn¡¯t so sure he appreciated feeling the ebb and flow of it from Veldrix as he spoke.
When he was finished recounting the events with a few missing pieces, the Royal Knight just looked at him for a long moment that seemed to stretch further from the silence. He knew he had weakened their bond of budding friendship by omitting key pieces.
¡°You won¡¯t tell me how Regent Wayland managed to escape while silenced in a god¡¯s sanctuary enchanted against teleportation?¡± they finally asked him.
¡°I can¡¯t,¡± he replied, ¡°I wish I could, Vel, but I am literally bound to secrecy. It isn¡¯t because I don¡¯t trust you or am ungrateful for you saving me from torture or death.¡±
Veldrix gave a small smile as they asked, ¡°You trust me? The Royal Executioner who carries out the authority of the nation¡¯s oppressors?¡±
¡°Believe me, I¡¯m still struggling to rectify that dissonance in my mind,¡± he admitted with a chuckle, glad to feel their bond strengthen again, ¡°You saved me, though, despite me being an Avatar of the Rebel. You protected me and have earned my trust through your actions and words.¡±
¡°I¡¯m just glad I arrived in time for you,¡± they softly replied, ¡°Too many times I¡¯ve only seen the aftermath. Dazien¡¯s mother is the latest failure, it seems. I have been watching over the gemites within this nation for almost a century now and had no idea his family was here in Tulimeir. I feel like I failed him and his parents.¡±
Everin gave a small smile, ¡°You helped save his life yesterday. I¡¯m sure that counts for something.¡±
¡°Only because Regent Wayland managed to find me. I should have been here years ago when he first became an orphan. His life would have been very different if I had taken him to Blomstra to be raised within the gemite community there. To be raised by parents who wouldn¡¯t have shunned him or taken advantage of him because of what he is. To look around the crowded city and not feel so alone.¡±
¡°It would have been different, but that doesn¡¯t mean it would have been happy,¡± he pointed out, ¡°Plenty of us grow up with our parents and turn out miserable.¡±
Veldrix gave a light laugh, ¡°How optimistic of you.¡±
¡°Just speaking from experience,¡± he quipped and turned to let his furred feet hang off the edge of the bed, ¡°He has a family he cares about now. We can focus on protecting that instead.¡±
¡°I feel like you¡¯re more invested in his sister¡¯s safety than his.¡±
¡°Not true. I am actually much more concerned about the survival of the others than that divinely blessed Wayfarer. I was sent here to watch after her and her party; they are equally part of my quest,¡± his voice dropped as he admitted, ¡°I failed to protect them, though. I wasn¡¯t strong or smart enough. They trusted in my protection, and I¡ª¡± he cut off his words when Veldrix tensed and looked towards the door, ¡°What is it?¡±
¡°Looks like they found us,¡± the knight said with a slight sigh before adding with a tease, ¡°I was hoping to have you to myself today.¡±
Everin felt the shiver of delight trail all the way down his tails. He gave a matching smirk and said, ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m a very desirable man who is in great demand for his time and attention.¡±
¡°I can understand why,¡± Veldrix replied as they stood to go open the door before whoever it was could even knock.
Dazien and Phoenix appeared a few moments later, and while she let herself in to give him a greeting hug, the amethyst gemite paused at the door while looking pointedly between the two more powerful Casters and asked, ¡°Sorry, are we interrupting something?¡±
¡°Oh, right!¡± Phoenix suddenly exclaimed as she pulled back to look towards the knight he had previously admitted to having a crush on, ¡°I forgot that you¡ª¡±
A furred palm muffled the next words Everin was terrified of her uttering in her obliviousness. He should have never admitted it out loud, let alone to this socially inept girl.
Veldrix gave him a wicked smile and prodded, ¡°Forgot what?¡±
¡°Nothing,¡± he replied for her, not helping his situation in the slightest, and tried to redirect, ¡°You aren¡¯t interrupting. I just finished recounting everything that had happened. So, what did you two need?¡±
¡°Well, aside from checking in on how you were doing, Phoenix came up with an idea that I was hoping you might assist us with,¡± Dazien explained.
¡°Something to take down whatever might remain of the Scarlet Banquet?¡± Veldrix inquired.
¡°Ah, no¡¡± the younger gemite replied, looking slightly embarrassed, and Phoenix spoke up.
¡°He wants to apologize to Uriel for ordering him to kill him and try to reassure him that it won¡¯t happen again. He got a gift but was worried that he might not be trusted enough. So, when I mentioned that they belonged together and he mentioned that not everyone had a Kindred Spirit, I thought, why can¡¯t they?¡±
Everin shook his head, feeling slightly confused as he asked, ¡°Wait, what exactly are you trying to ask me to help with?¡±
¡°Well, Scholar mentioned that if Paul and I hadn¡¯t been Kindred Spirits, then the ritual that saved him would have simply fizzled and failed. I also believe the part of the ritual that caged his soul was separate from the one that bonded us. If we can extract that part out, then we should have the ritual that can effectively identify and bond Kindred Spirits together!¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
¡°It would still be the Ruby Caste version of that ritual, though,¡± Everin replied with an uncertain frown, ¡°If you¡¯re thinking Dazien and Uriel could try using it, it will kill them instead of simply fizzling.¡±
Phoenix waved a hand dismissively, ¡°I¡¯m sure we could figure out how to scale it down to Sapphire for them once Uriel ascends soon. It only needed to be Ruby before because Paul was; otherwise, I would have totally lived through that.¡±
The door to the room slammed shut, and they all turned to stare at the Ruby Caster, who was staring pointedly at Everin before saying, ¡°So, that was the missing piece to everything.¡±
Veldrix¡¯s gaze shifted to Phoenix before stating quietly, ¡°You can resurrect yourself.¡±
Phoenix winced and glanced back to accuse him, ¡°I thought you told them everything that had happened with the cult!¡±
He lifted his wrist and pulled the sleeve back to show the rainbow runes almost camouflaged now by his rainbow fur, ¡°I couldn¡¯t! If I had betrayed your secrets, I would have lost my magic!¡±
¡°Oh, right,¡± Phoenix replied with a frown, then glanced back to Veldrix and asked, ¡°You¡¯re not going to kidnap me now, are you? Fair warning: that hasn¡¯t gone well for most people in the past.¡±
A small smile crept across the garnet gemite¡¯s perfect lips, which made Everin oddly relax, and Veldrix asked, ¡°Do you have a habit of getting kidnapped?¡±
Dazien gave a huff and crossed his arms as he retorted, ¡°Not as much as her habit of dying.¡±
¡°Hey, it¡¯s not my habit! Tell everyone else to quit kidnapping and killing me!¡±
Veldrix laughed and shook their head, ¡°I¡¯m not planning on forcing you to do anything against your will, Regent Wayland. I shut the door because you shouldn¡¯t be so open with that kind of knowledge even within the Scholar¡¯s temple. Now, if you wouldn¡¯t mind, I would appreciate a complete explanation of events with both the Scarlet Banquet and the Soul Reapers.¡± The knight glanced towards Dazien and added, ¡°Then perhaps once I awaken from my Obsidian Evolution recovery, I can help with this Kindred Spirits ritual as well. It sounds intriguing, at the very least.¡±
¡°Obsidian Evolution?¡± Phoenix asked, obviously unfamiliar with the term.
¡°I finally had my Epiphany for my Fire Aspect. It triggered its evolution into the Obsidian Caste. I¡¯ll go through a similar recovery now like I did at Ruby, but I hear it¡¯s like walking backward through the Castes, where the next one will be about the same length of time as Emerald as my body adjusts more incrementally to becoming fully Obsidian. I likely bought myself a few centuries of time, but I still need four more Epiphanies to become fully immortal,¡± Veldrix explained, then added with an amused look toward her, ¡°Though, I guess you¡¯ve already surpassed me in that regard. So story, then sleep for me, please.¡±
Phoenix grinned, then began recounting her tale to the Royal Executioner, whom they were all taking a leap of faith in trusting.
It was later that evening when Phoenix and Dazien said farewell to Everin, Veldrix, and Bliss and returned via portal back to the Wayland Estate. Despite Phoenix wanting Dazien to go see Uriel immediately to apologize, her brother insisted that he was not quite ready to. Needing a bit more time to figure out exactly what he was going to say and take the moment of space to sort himself out first.
They were also intercepted by Saiya and Rayna before they even reached the front door and were informed of a request from the Healer, who so rarely asked for anything from them. It was also a request that they couldn¡¯t refuse.
So, the group gathered.
Dazien awkwardly explained what had happened with the AOA and that King¡¯s Dream was ¡°officially¡± disbanded because he and Phoenix were no longer licensed Adventurers. The only reason it felt so awkward was because of the obvious tension between him and Uriel refusing to look at each other and Saiya repeatedly stopping Rayna to ask what happened until Phoenix took her aside to explain the utter stupidity the pair were going through.
Phoenix wanted them to hurry up and go back to normal, but she understood that Saiya¡¯s request was more important tonight. She could always poke them more tomorrow after Saiya had a new Familiar.
She had portaled all of them back to the World Tree first to inform Patricia of their plans, who didn¡¯t like the idea but admitted there wasn¡¯t any extra danger to it like a mission might have posed since no one else would know where to find them. After that, she portaled them to the same spot outside of Tulimeir where they had first summoned Snowbelle.
¡°Are you sure you want to do this so soon?¡± Rayna asked her twin, who was standing in the center of a large ritual circle.
Saiya gave them a determined look, ¡°I don¡¯t have more time to mourn. None of us do, really. I don¡¯t want to be down one of my abilities for the rest of the blood moon.¡±
¡°It¡¯s only another week or two,¡± Phoenix pointed out, having heard the rumors as the spawns had already begun to drop off. The magic levels weren¡¯t rising as much now from the World Tree, and the moon¡¯s effects were diminishing.
¡°True, but we still plan to work on the wall Response teams under the Ducal Guard now. So, I don¡¯t want to lose out on that progression. I¡¯m trying to be more practical about this.¡±
Dazien patted Saiya¡¯s shoulder lightly as he assured her, ¡°We understand. We just don¡¯t want you to feel pressured about obtaining a new Familiar immediately like this. If you need time, know that you have it.¡±
¡°Thanks, Dazien, but I want to move forward,¡± Saiya replied with a gentle smile before continuing with the ritual.
He nodded and moved to sit near Phoenix with Uriel on her other side to keep the space between the two men for now.
As Saiya finished the long incantation, they all waited for something to answer her call.
Nothing appeared.
They waited longer¡
After an hour, the ritual dimmed, and Phoenix asked aloud, ¡°Wait, what just happened?¡±
Saiya remained silent as she stared out at the ocean awash in red moonlight.
She turned to Rayna, who shrugged, and Uriel helped explain, ¡°The passive Familiar abilities that bond with a living creature basically send out a magical call to the surrounding area with a contract offer. If there are no willing or suitable creatures nearby, the ritual ends, and no bond is formed. She¡¯ll have to recast it, but we¡¯ll probably want to choose a new location with different potentials in range.¡±
¡°How far is the range?¡± she asked in concern.
¡°About a quarter the distance of your portal,¡± Saiya finally said in answer. The small voxen stood from her place within the dead ritual circle, then added with a heavy sigh, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you have an aural imprint for anywhere else close to a large body of water like this.¡±
¡°What about the lake to the south?¡± Dazien suggested, ¡°It¡¯s not an ocean but could work.¡±
Phoenix agreed and portaled them immediately, not liking the sorrow that had been obvious on her Healer¡¯s face along with the drooping ears and tails making her appear smaller than normal. Saiya deserved to be happy all the time and the world didn¡¯t feel quite right when the emotional voxen wasn¡¯t smiling and hugging them. She knew that she couldn¡¯t force Saiya to stop feeling sad or feeling all of their own sadness but she could try her best to lessen it.
At the large lake where she had first begun feeling like this odd party of people might actually be her friends instead of just teammates, they attempted the ritual once more. Phoenix wondered if there was some god that she could pray to for help in finding Saiya a new companion, but she couldn¡¯t think of what deity might have that particular domain.
¡°Scholar mentioned there was no god of friendship, but is there one for Familiars?¡± Phoenix found herself asking aloud.
¡°Some consider the Servant and Sovereign to govern that aspect of our lives,¡± Dazien quietly explained as they sat and watched over Saiya. ¡°Others might consider the Socialite or Confidant. However, as far as I¡¯m aware, there is no deity of summoners or Familiars specifically. Not yet, at least.¡±
¡°Do new gods happen often?¡± she asked with a raised brow.
Her brother chuckled, ¡°I feel like that¡¯s subjective since some might consider the birth of a god happening once a millennium to be ¡®often,¡¯ considering it can take hundreds of thousands of years for one to form naturally.¡±
¡°Does that mean yes?¡±
He laughed again, ¡°Not recently, that I¡¯m aware of. A new god is more likely to be one of the ascended than a naturally formed one, it feels like, but the stories surrounding how that actually occurs are a bit¡ muddied. Likely from the gods not wanting people to know.¡±
¡°Even Scholar?¡± she asked in surprise.
¡°She likes learning but even she doesn¡¯t want to try encouraging mortals to chase uncertain divinity, I believe.¡±
She fell silent and mulled over that idea more, wondering which deities might have been ascended ones. She remembered somebody mentioning that the Mentor was one of those who used to be mortal, but how many more were, and would she ever learn those stories for herself?
They didn¡¯t have to wait much longer for Saiya¡¯s ritual to work as Dazien noticed something tiny flying towards them over the lake. He gave a low whistle of appreciation as he said, ¡°If that¡¯s what I think it is, Lady Saiya is lucky indeed.¡±
As the magical creature came closer, the rest could finally make out the little blue flying serpent that sparkled almost as much as the lake in the sunlight.
Uriel¡¯s eyes went wide as he exclaimed beside her, ¡°A Wellspring Wyrmling?!¡± He looked towards Saiya with more excitement, ¡°Those are really rare. I¡¯ve only seen the one before¡ I wonder if they are drawn to healers more often than not.¡±
Phoenix looked confused for just a moment before she recognized the familiar Familiar as well and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t Simmon have one?¡±
He nodded to her, ¡°Yes. That was the first one I had ever seen. From what I¡¯ve read and overheard Simmon saying, they are basically personal little mana batteries. Any of us would be lucky to have one.¡±
They all fell silent as the tiny winged serpent flew up to Saiya, circling around her a few times before slowly entering the ritual circle.
Saiya held out a hand, which the wyrmling seemed to slither up, carefully wrapping itself around her arm in a tiny hug. She let out an audible gasp and exclaimed, ¡°Wally?! You¡¯re alive?!¡±
¡°Wait, that¡¯s the same Wellspring Wyrmling Simmon had?¡± Rayna asked incredulously.
¡°How is that possible?¡± Phoenix asked, turning to Uriel who was more knowledgeable about the subject despite not having his own Familiar.
He helpfully responded with a sad smile, ¡°It¡¯s not a common occurrence, but when a bonded Familiar¡¯s summoner dies, the Familiar is simply released from their contract and becomes just another creature roaming the world. They¡¯ll still become the summoned kind once they die, and I¡¯ve heard of some seeking out a quick death after their summoner dies, but those that stay and roam can reenter into a new contract.
¡°Simmon was at the peak of Crystal when he died, that¡¯s probably how Wally has reached Sapphire by now since Wellspring Wyrmlings are avals that naturally increase in Caste up to Emerald. They can¡¯t go beyond that though without becoming a Familiar,¡± Uriel finished explaining.
Saiya¡¯s sniffles distracted her as she turned back to see the tears running down her face. The summoner then whispered to her new Familiar, ¡°I¡¯ll try to do better for you¡ I won¡¯t lose you too.¡±
44 - Missing My Purpose
Phoenix was glad that Dazien had managed to get them a bit of a reprieve in their duties on the wall after signing up for the rotation with the Ducal Guards directly rather than filling in for one of the AOA missions the duke had contracted out to them. They would be getting a few days off and decided to return to the World Tree to recuperate.
She had heard people discussing the potential names for the budding city, which consisted of the ship and the surrounding structures that were slowly being added to around the gigantic tree. So far, the Sacred City was the winner in her mind. It still made her feel a bit uncomfortable, but it was way better than Saint¡¯s Landing or City of the Celestial Tree, which seemed to be potential contenders currently.
Even with the discomforting names, it was actually a relief to be here for her since she didn¡¯t have to worry nearly as much about a potential kidnapper or assassin. Presley was the equivalent of a guardian angel for her as the ship¡¯s eyes were everywhere, and it could respond or get help in an instant. Not to mention, the area where their personal rooms were was heavily defended and was off-limits to outsiders.
Before heading to her own room for a much-needed rest, Phoenix stopped by Patricia¡¯s study to see if she had returned by now. She felt lucky to find the busy noblewoman furiously tapping away at her new addiction, and she almost didn¡¯t want to enter and risk breaking her aunt¡¯s concentration.
¡°Come in and sit. I wanted to speak with you, but it will be brief,¡± Patricia prompted, not looking up at her.
She sat in the hard chair across from her aunt and said, ¡°I just wanted to make sure I didn¡¯t cause too much trouble yesterday¡¡±
Pati gave a short laugh, ¡°You are always trouble,¡± she replied. Then she looked up with a smile and added, ¡°But you are worth every minute of paperwork and every second of inconvenience.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that,¡± Phoenix muttered.
¡°You saved my daughter and nephew¡¯s life.¡±
¡°I put them in danger in the first place.¡±
¡°That fault does not lie solely upon your shoulders. I¡¯ll be having some pointed words with Avatar Starlark about that later. As well as with your party leader.¡±
¡°First he¡¯s ¡®nephew,¡¯ then he¡¯s ¡®party leader.¡¯ You¡¯re not really going to scold him for the tough choices he made, are you? He¡¯s definitely had a rough time between finding his mom, trying to protect us all, and then Uriel getting upset with him. Plus, dealing with all that paperwork with the AOA. You could give him a bit of a break,¡± she said in her brother¡¯s defense. Dazien had been supporting her every step of the way so far, and she wanted to return the favor.
¡°Oh, I¡¯m aware. I learned about his mother when I spoke with Knight Thevaris before they left the cult¡¯s building with Avatar Starlark, and Padma filled me in on everything that happened in that dreadful room of cages. Those were impossible choices, and I¡¯m proud of how Dazien behaved despite the strain it would put on the man he cares for most in this world. I doubt he enjoyed making the choices he did. No, what I just wanted to ask him about was if he would be joining the Avenger¡¯s clergy.¡±
Phoenix blinked owlishly at that and asked in her most eloquent style, ¡°Wait, What?¡±
¡°Well, with Paul currently in a cursed sleep, I¡¯m the one that gets contacted as Dazien¡¯s guardian, and the potential ramifications against House Wayland for accepting a divine quest from Avenger are not small. I¡¯m getting many inquiries from a variety of people about whether he will be taking up the mantle his adoptive father has temporarily been forced to set aside. I won¡¯t stop him one way or the other. Frankly, I just want to know before instead of after he starts stalking around the city in that damnable cape like Paul did.¡±
Her mind was having trouble processing the words her aunt was saying and could only ask, ¡°Divine quest? What are you talking about?¡±
Patricia paused to look at her curiously before asking slowly, ¡°Didn¡¯t Dazien tell you about how he took Rayna to the AOA and then found Ramir Mirimel ¡ªthe man who betrayed all of you¡ª and accepted Avenger¡¯s quest to kill him? They must have been gone for hours. What did you think he was doing?¡±
Her jaw dropped open in shock, her mind replaying the conversation before Dazien and Rayna had gone to the AOA, ¡°He said he was just going to ask questions! I don¡¯t know when he got back that night ¡®cause I went to sleep! He didn¡¯t tell me anything about murdering someone for Avenger!¡±
Patricia rolled her eyes at her, ¡°Come now, Phoenix. It can hardly be considered murder when the man was a cannibal cultist trying to flee from justice and threatening the safety of everyone around him.¡±
¡°Wait, Paul told me that he deals retribution in the form of the crime. An eye for an eye type of thing,¡± Phoenix began to explain, her stomach already turning at the ideas swimming unbidden through her mind, ¡°Did¡ª Did Dazien have to eat Ramir?¡±
¡°Gods, I hope not,¡± Patricia replied with a disgusted look on her face, ¡°That would have made it all the more painful for Dazien, I¡¯m sure. He might strive to be a strong leader, but I can see how that boy has a soft spot for others. That¡¯s why it¡¯s so difficult for me to believe he would follow the path of an avenger. Paul was hardened by his decades of fighting cultists who liked wielding Corruption, and I was still surprised he had chosen that particular path.¡±
Phoenix fell silent, unsure how to react to that. She had always thought Dazien and Paul to be kind and strong. Now that Pati pointed it out, maybe it was the idea of needing to be ruthless in vengeance that made her despise them both needing to do such a thing. Would they lose that kindness from having to become as bad as the people they punished?
After a moment of pondering, Patricia pulled out a small notebook and placed it on the desk between them, ¡°This is a copy of one of the ledgers we found during the raid on the Scarlet Banquet.¡±
Pati tapped the cover to emphasize her words, ¡°The one from the last blood moon, with two people with the family name of Smithson¡ We know what happened to Lora, but it seems that James was listed in the ledger as getting sold to the DOD, which I have been informed were the Disciples of the Destroyer, but we¡¯re not entirely sure where he might have ended up. It seems the DOD normally provided a ship to collect their cargo.¡±
¡°So, he could still be alive?¡± she asked, barely daring to hope.
Patricia grimaced, ¡°I would not count on it, Phoenix. He was a Caster, so tougher than most, but for this amount of time¡ I would think it unlikely but not impossible.¡±
¡°We should go after them! We should rescue him!¡± she said fervently, leaning forward as though to stand to leave that moment.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
¡°No, Phoenix.¡±
They stared at each other for a long moment.
Phoenix was stunned by the cold refusal, and Patricia patiently watched her reaction. Then, the priestess asked her an unexpected question, ¡°Are you the one planning to follow in my brother¡¯s footsteps instead?¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Are you planning to leave everything behind? Do you plan to abandon your long-term quest from the gods to save a nation trapped by tyranny? Maybe join the Hunter¡¯s clergy instead, now that they¡¯ve been helping take over from the Purifier when it comes to tracking and cleansing the Corrupted?¡±
¡°What? No! What are you talking about?¡±
Patricia tapped the ledger once more, ¡°This is a quest that could take decades or centuries to complete; completion may even be impossible. Hunting down slavers and rescuing innocent people who were sold, kidnapped, and transported around the globe. This is a job that people dedicate their entire lives to, and I guarantee there are people stronger than Sapphire or even Emerald Caste who are behind this.
¡°Are you planning to walk down this path? Of changing your purpose to be the one that hunts slavers? That is a harsh path that many don¡¯t have the fortitude for. There is death and darkness down that path that can stain the brightest of souls; I know this because I¡¯ve seen it. While it is a noble and worthy purpose, is it the one you want? The one Paul once found purpose in before losing it all and finding you.¡±
Phoenix found herself slightly speechless at the severity of her aunt¡¯s words, not having quite thought through the potential ramifications of chasing after Dazien¡¯s father.
Patricia¡¯s posture softened, and she gave her a wan smile, ¡°If you want that to be your purpose eventually, then that¡¯s fine, but I¡¯m not sure you would find happiness in that. Plus, I believe you are destined for even greater things.¡±
Phoenix gave an annoyed huff and said sarcastically, ¡°Right, what¡¯s a few random people compared to a nation? My destiny is apparently already chosen for me. My divine quest to save everyone but the people that matter the most to me. So far, it seems my fate is to be a pawn of the gods and do as they ask.¡± Then she muttered darkly, ¡°And I play right into their hands every time. My only purpose is to accomplish this quest.¡±
Her aunt frowned at her and pointed out, ¡°A single quest cannot be your sole purpose in life, Phoenix.¡±
At her raised eyebrows, Pati added, ¡°Goals are good, but your purpose shouldn¡¯t have an end in sight. Your purpose helps define what the next goal will be. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking what you want your purpose to be.
¡°Once the goal of your quest is done, what¡¯s next for you? You might not be strong enough to go after these slavers now, but what about when you¡¯re Emerald? What about when you¡¯re Ruby and Paul rejoins you? What purpose are you planning to dedicate your life to, Phoenix?¡±
She looked at the priestess with wide eyes and a blank mind, ¡°I¡ I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t really thought much about the future like that. It¡¯s, um¡ I¡¯ve kinda always been in this state of not expecting to have any future before coming here¡¡±
Patricia laughed, breaking the tension caused by the seriousness of the conversation, ¡°Well, as someone with your particular powers and divine oversight, I would start to seriously consider what it is you want to live for¡ you have nothing but the future ahead of you.¡±
Phoenix peered at the priestess and commented with a slight huff, ¡°You sound like you¡¯ve been talking with that Priestess of the Traveler¡ trying to keep me on the ¡®right¡¯ path and knowing which way my personal compass should point.¡±
Pati gave a slightly twisted grin that always made Phoenix feel like the woman was plotting something as she replied, ¡°Kyleen is lovely. We have brunch every Arcsol.¡±
After mentally translating the weekday name to Thursday, she put a palm over her face and groaned, ¡°Of course you do.¡±
Then she remembered another reason she had wanted to stop by, and a smile crept across her face as she braced for Patricia to verbally thrash her, ¡°By the way, Uriel decided he wants to stop hiding his Soul Mark, so I¡¯m not alone in front of the crowds anymore.¡±
¡°ABSOLUTELY NOT!¡±
As Phoenix was making her way back to their area of the converted vessel, she found herself falling into step with the voxen twins making their way back as well. They had visited the kitchens to get some food for Wally and spend time with the little guy. Apparently, at Sapphire Caste, Wally also had the limited telepathy that Tala had acquired, but his language seemed to be a bit more stilted, and Saiya had described it as talking with a toddler who knew what they wanted to say, just not quite with the vocabulary to express it yet.
As Rayna and Saiya were walking with her, she asked them both a question that had been on her mind since leaving that meeting with her aunt, ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer,¡± she began, ¡°But what do you both think of as your purpose in life?¡±
They both looked at her assessingly, seeming curious about the somber mood she was projecting, and Saiya answered first, ¡°To help others on their recovery journeys. It¡¯s a worthy aspiration that I find a lot of personal joy in.¡±
¡°No wonder you still put up with me,¡± Phoenix said in self-deprecation, trying to lighten the seriousness she had caused.
¡°My purpose might not be as grand as Saiya¡¯s, but I just want to make fun music and beat up some monsters,¡± Rayna added with a cheeky grin.
Saiya clicked her tongue and prodded her sister, ¡°That¡¯s not really the purpose, Rayna, that¡¯s the means.¡±
The bard¡¯s grin slipped slightly, but she took a deep breath and admitted a bit sheepishly to Phoenix, ¡°I like protecting people, whether it¡¯s from the danger of monsters or the sadness of despair. The best way I know how to do that is by hitting a drum or a beast, so that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do.¡±
¡°Does that help you figure out what your purpose is?¡± Saiya asked her, and she quickly looked over at her friend in surprise, ¡°You¡¯ve been confused and uncertain since we met up. Considering your initial question, I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s the root of what¡¯s on your mind. Did this come from what happened with the Scarlet Banquet or with the AOA?¡±
Phoenix shrugged, ¡°Just something Pati and I were discussing after I suggested hunting down Daze¡¯s dad. She argued that wasn¡¯t my purpose, but I¡¯m not really sure what my purpose is. I thought it was my quest, but she pointed out that¡¯s a goal, not a purpose. It honestly feels like I¡¯m missing my purpose now that she pointed it out. What do I do once I reach that goal?¡±
¡°Be a kick-ass princess, remember?¡± Rayna joked, throwing an arm around her shoulder. ¡°Daze said I could be a Knight, so we can have a blast together and blow up all who dare to oppose our King!¡±
Phoenix rolled her eyes, ¡°That sounds like you¡¯ve either been charmed by our Shiny leader or want to follow in Kara¡¯s footsteps.¡±
¡°She was pretty awesome. I¡¯m not gonna lie,¡± the pugilist pointed out.
Then Saiya asked, ¡°What about all the lives you saved by portaling people to safety or delivering supplies all across the tundra? Rescuing people seems worthwhile. You¡¯ve had many quests in the past that you¡¯ve already completed along those lines.¡±
¡°Well, I don¡¯t want to just be a delivery service,¡± Phoenix said, scrunching up her face in frustration, ¡°While I don¡¯t mind helping out with that when the opportunity arises, I know my place is out there with all of you¡ fighting monsters.¡±
¡°Well¡ then maybe you should ask yourself why you¡¯re chasing this goal you have in the first place?¡± Saiya prodded.
Phoenix fell into silent contemplation as they reached the hall to their rooms and stopped in confusion when she saw Uriel standing in front of the door to his room that he never went in, staring at it like it might swallow him whole if he took another step closer. Saiya drew her attention and softly said, ¡°I think perhaps you should talk to him. I¡¯ll be in Rayna¡¯s room for a bit. You can come get us if you need to, but I feel like he needs his best friend right now.¡±
She silently nodded, and as the twins walked to the other side of the hall to disappear into the Shatter Bard¡¯s room, she moved to stand beside Uriel and said, ¡°I know Daze said you didn¡¯t like your room, and you mentioned needing space¡ do you want to just stay in mine for a while?¡±
He shook his head as he answered, ¡°No, I think this is something I need to face if I want to be able to stand beside you as the Chosen of Destroyer.¡± Uriel glanced down at her and asked, ¡°Will you stay with me, though?¡±
Phoenix slipped her hand into his and said simply, ¡°Always.¡±
45 - Beauty in the Chaos
Jerem was regretting that he hadn¡¯t stopped in San Gra Lan on his way to Tulimeir to stock up on the good liquor. He had been expecting to be able to raid Paul¡¯s cabinet upon his arrival since one of the few things they had always agreed upon was the quality of alcohol. Some of the most fun times he had experienced since joining his liege decades ago had involved an unhealthy amount of booze, and he desperately wanted something to help take his mind off his current predicament.
He had been lucky that he hadn¡¯t been exiled from the Sacred City altogether after his argument with Pati, but he had returned to Tulimeir anyway to try and assist the AOA in the search for the missing party, King¡¯s Dream. Being part of the response team to strike at the Scarlet Banquet after Knight Thevaris had set it aflame reminded him of his time with Paul. They had cleared out many cultist lairs together over the years, and it still made his heart twist in sympathy for the victims that he could easily relate to.
His own abuse at the hands of cultists had been how Paul and he had met in the first place. He had followed the man ever since then until almost seven years ago when everything imploded. It seems that when he thought there would be plenty of time for reconciliation later, he hadn¡¯t considered Paul wouldn¡¯t be available for it.
Jerem had been a fool, and now it felt like he couldn¡¯t even try to make amends.
After securing the lair and helping canvas the intricate network of tunnels below the city, he reported back to the AOA, having caught one of the escaping cannibals to be questioned, and was hoping to find out what happened with King¡¯s Dream, maybe even get Director Trayvious to help set up a meeting for him that wouldn¡¯t involve Patricia. He only needed a few minutes to talk with them in private.
But King¡¯s Dream was no more. Phoenix and Dazien had renounced their membership and would no longer be working with the AOA. He was appalled by the action.
Even if this branch of the AOA was broken in some way, perhaps poor staffing, non-adherence to their regulations, or even some corruption¡ that was just one branch that could be pruned. The party didn¡¯t need to turn their backs on the entire global organization.
There wasn¡¯t anything he could do to change what had happened, though, so he found himself walking through the Market District of the inner city in search of some Emerald Caste liquor while trying to come up with a new plan.
He paused in front of the shop with the large sign above the wide entrance declaring ¡°Mother¡¯s Cupboard.¡± He had been there a few times in the past whenever his old party was visiting and highly enjoyed the hidden deals he could find within. It wasn¡¯t really known for having alcohol specifically, but maybe he could find some rare bottle from a faraway nation that had been stashed away at the bottom of some chest of pirate treasure¡
Inside, however, it was far more crowded and loud than he had recalled it ever being before. It appeared that some kind of celebration was going on at the moment, and he tried to maneuver his way through the crowd to figure out what the happy occasion was about.
A raspy alto voice rose above the crowd as he got closer to the counter, and he recognized it as belonging to the current proprietor, ¡°If you had asked me a week ago if I believed those insane rumors about Saints bein¡¯ able to revive the dead that Priest Barrett was spoutin¡¯ after embarrassin¡¯ himself, I would have told you to go see a mind mender and pray to the Undertaker for forgiveness for speakin¡¯ such blasphemy,¡± the large cinderen woman said to the crowd of onlookers before squeezing the young man sitting on a stool beside her in a side hug, ¡°But today she¡¯s done the impossible and brought my Rayk back from the pyre¡¯s flames to be with us once again! Praise be to the Celestial Pantheon!¡±
¡°Praise be!¡± the crowd replied with additional cheers, and Jerem envied quite a few of the bottles he saw getting passed around.
Jerem wandered for a bit, half listening and asking a few inane questions. Madam Malik¡¯s son had been one of the Adventurers rescued, and the celebration was in his apparent resurrection after having been proclaimed dead months ago in a monster attack within the city.
¡°I¡¯ll be owing Saint Wayland for the rest of my life,¡± he heard Madam Malik say to someone, ¡°I wish there was a gift I could leave at her home like the others do, but I don¡¯t know if any of the treasures among my trove can equal the gift she has given me.¡±
Jerem paused at that. Perhaps that would be the window he needed to slip through after Patricia slammed the door in his face. If he could convince this woman that the treasure in his position was a worthy gift, maybe she could arrange the meeting he needed.
He waited a few more hours, trying his best to blend in with the crowd and inconspicuously chat until the celebration began to die down and people began returning home as night fell.
¡°You need something stranger?¡± Madam Malik surprised him by asking.
Nothing usually surprised him, but he had found himself halfway buried in a chest, looking for a bottle of something strong enough to affect him. ¡°Just looking for some Emerald Caste liquor,¡± he replied.
¡°You¡¯ve been wanderin¡¯ my shop lookin¡¯ and listenin¡¯ for hours now,¡± she said, narrowing her eyes at him, ¡°I might only be a Seeded Sapphire and you a tough lookin¡¯ Emerald, but I don¡¯t take kindly to thieves nor spies.¡±
He stood straight before giving a slight bow of deference. Trying to leverage his strength wouldn¡¯t help with his goal at the moment, ¡°Not a spy nor a thief. Just an old adventurer trying to fulfill an old friend¡¯s wish.¡±
She glanced behind him towards the chest he had been plundering, ¡°For Emerald booze?¡±
Jerem chuckled, ¡°Actually, that was for me. I¡¯ve unsuccessfully been trying to gain an audience with Saint Wayland and her brother. See, I have a divine relic in my possession that their father asked me to bring, and I thought maybe you could help me make sure they get it.¡±
Uriel was slightly relieved when he entered the room that he had been actively avoiding and saw that the runes that had been etched into the floor as a reflection of the ones on his torso were missing. Those had been the most blatant reminders of his torture and the biggest reason he couldn¡¯t stand being in here before.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
The room was still a chaotic mess of elements, however, and he wasn¡¯t sure that he would want to stay and sleep there. It was difficult to just stand there and look at the mess that was reflected within him.
¡°Whoa,¡± Phoenix whispered beside him, and he felt her grip on his hand loosen.
She can see what a complete wreck you are, his mind unhelpfully told him.
¡°This is awesome,¡± she surprised him by saying as she walked across the obsidian stone floor, giggling as she stepped over one of the veins of lava under glass running through it and saying, ¡°I love that the floor is actually lava. That was just an imaginative game kids played in my old world.¡±
¡°It¡¯s¡ messy,¡± he replied, uncertain how to explain how it made him hesitant.
¡°Eh, I¡¯ve seen pictures of worse. There¡¯s not even any clothes on the floor yet.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit too¡ chaotic?¡± he asked as he carefully followed her after shutting the door behind him.
Her brilliant smile practically knocked the wind out of him as she turned and proclaimed, ¡°That¡¯s what makes it so interesting!¡±
¡°None of it goes together, though,¡± he pointed out, ¡°Fire and Ice¡ a potent storm that causes nothing but discordant destruction.¡±
¡°Well, I think storms have their own kind of beauty,¡± she said while walking towards the desk seemingly carved from ice, ¡°Take it from me when I say a storm outside my window was a welcome change to the monotony that my life used to be before I arrived here. Seeing the rainfall didn¡¯t feel sad; it felt refreshing. The flash of lightning and the deep rumble of thunder wasn¡¯t scary; it was exhilarating.¡±
Uriel walked up next to her to see what she was looking at on top of the desk and found a small row of runes carved along one edge. She glanced up and smiled at him before saying softly, ¡°I might not like being cold, but one of my favorite things to see out my window was this one.¡± She pointed at the rune for ¡°Snow¡± and then pressed her finger to it.
It began to snow in his room.
They both looked up at the ceiling, and Uriel wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about seeing the massive maelstrom symbol of the Destroyer that filled it, matching the Soul Mark on his arm. He didn¡¯t know how he hadn¡¯t noticed it before, but now it was swirling shades of blue as it deposited big fluffy flakes of softly falling snow upon them.
Phoenix¡¯s laughter distracted him from the ceiling to just watch her being so¡ happy. She looked so free as she twirled around the center of his room as if she would catch every flake with her outstretched arms. As she twirled towards the dark, electrified cloud that served as a sofa, he moved to try to stop her from accidentally spinning into it. Instead, he ended up getting pulled by the stronger Sapphire Caster and tumbled into it with her.
Her laughing increased as the soft marshmallow-like storm cloud caught them, and he was grateful the lightning within didn¡¯t try to shock them.
¡°This is just like my nebula furniture,¡± she managed to say as she turned to look at his flustered face. ¡°You know, I think my room might just be as chaotic as yours with the decor.¡±
¡°At least yours all match your starlight theme. Snow and storm clouds and lava floors don¡¯t exactly go together,¡± he muttered.
¡°Sure they do,¡± she replied, lifting a hand to the ceiling to catch more snowflakes as he readjusted to look up as well, ¡°Just because you don¡¯t like the theme doesn¡¯t mean it doesn¡¯t go together or that there¡¯s no value in it.¡±
She lowered her hand to look closer at the magical flakes, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about what Destroyer said to us, as well as Trickster¡ Really, just the gods in general. I was told they are concepts made manifest. That their only goal is to spread the influence of that concept.¡±
¡°That¡¯s true as far as we know,¡± Uriel confirmed, ¡°Which means me being Chosen by him is meant to sow destruction everywhere I go.¡±
¡°Maybe, but I¡¯m not so sure that¡¯s really a bad thing,¡± she surprised him by saying softly.
Before he could retort, she looked up at him and added, ¡°We destroy monsters all the time. We destroyed the Scarlet Banquet along with their plans. Daze and I just destroyed our relationship with the AOA¡ I think destruction might not always mean the end of everything, just the end of some things, and that¡¯s okay.¡±
Uriel stared at her for a long moment, processing those words. He glanced around the room again to take in the swirl of elements that he originally thought of as a chaotic mess and wondered if there was something else tying them together. The fire torches lining the cracked walls, the stone frame of the bed with blood-red linens, the nonsensical tornado dancing in a corner, the snow gently dusting them with a light chill.
They were all adding to the maelstrom, just like his emotions.
You destroy everything you touch, those intrusive thoughts whispered in his mind again. You¡¯ll destroy her in the end, just like your relationship with Daze.
He shook his head before looking back towards Phoenix and saying softly, ¡°I hope you¡¯re right. It¡¯s just hard to believe when it feels like everything I care about gets destroyed. I don¡¯t know how to put the things I break back together.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked, tilting her head in adorable confusion.
¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it since our last talk about Daze. I think I might have overreacted. I tried putting myself in his place and thinking through how I might have done things differently. He was right; he wanted to protect everyone from dying and was willing to sacrifice himself in order to do so. I would have done the same¡ I have done the same. I¡¯ve accepted the pain in place of others.¡±
He glanced down towards Phoenix¡¯s hidden Soul Mark that rested over her heart and said, ¡°You¡¯ve done that multiple times, too.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry I made you kill me,¡± she replied, wrinkling her nose in a way that made him want to use his thumb to smooth it out, ¡°I saw how devastated you looked when you realized what happened. I didn¡¯t mean to make you feel that way; it was just the only thing I could think of.¡±
He shook his head, looking back up at the ceiling, ¡°I did hurt at first. I can¡¯t deny the idea of being the one responsible for your final death has become a new personal nightmare of mine¡ but you¡¯re alive, and I understood shortly after what the plan was ¡ªthat I hadn¡¯t actually murdered you or Daze. I think all that hurt and stress just made me lash out a bit too much. I tried to find something to blame. I shouldn¡¯t have yelled at him like that. He wasn¡¯t trying to hurt me.¡±
¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that you¡¯re going to forgive him,¡± she said quietly, ¡°I just found out about something else he did and want to talk to him about, but hopefully, it will be a similar misunderstanding.¡±
Uriel glanced back down at her with a raised brow, and she shook her head. ¡°I want to talk with him before I complain about it to others. Get his side of things. I¡¯m trying to trust him a bit more, too, after everything that happened.¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯ll let you go visit him first, then. I told him I¡¯d wait until he was ready to talk. He¡¯s in his room next door, though.¡±
She glanced up at him, ¡°Are you trying to get rid of me?¡±
He chuckled, ¡°Of course not, Princess. I just know we all want to get some rest.¡±
Phoenix looked back to the room, ¡°Are you going to be okay in here alone?¡±
Uriel followed her gaze to take in his bedroom again before saying slowly, ¡°Yeah. I think I¡¯ll be okay,¡± he glanced back at her chaotic mess of red curls, noticing an odd black curl among them, and gently smiled, ¡°Perhaps I can find the beauty in the chaos, too.¡±
46 - You’re Not Him
¡°Oh, hey, I was just getting one last thing for Uriel before going over to try and make amends,¡± Dazien told her after she knocked on his door.
He turned away from her to let her follow him in, and she made sure to shut the door behind them. Trying to bide time to figure out the best way to ask her main question, she idly asked instead, ¡°What last thing?¡±
¡°Well, I don¡¯t really want to reveal our idea about the Kindred Spirits in case that either doesn¡¯t work or it turns out we¡¯re not that¡ª¡±
¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you are based on what I¡¯ve seen,¡± she tried to argue, and he gave her a flat look.
¡°Forgive me for not taking your word on that, considering it took a fourteen-year-old pointing out that we weren¡¯t just roommates to you,¡± he said, then turned back to grab a notebook from atop his bed and sat on the edge of it, gesturing for her to sit beside him, ¡°Anyways, I was working on this and wanted to finish getting the idea on paper before showing it to him.¡±
Phoenix sat next to him and took what apparently was a sketchbook that had a charcoal drawing displayed on it. Roughly drawn out was what looked like House Wayland¡¯s crest of a sword wrapped in a rose, but it was drawn inside of a king¡¯s crown, and behind it was the swirling maelstrom that served as the Destroyer¡¯s sigil.
¡°It looks awesome, but what¡¯s this meant to be?¡±
¡°My crest,¡± he replied with a soft smile, ¡°I¡¯ve been debating about it for years and have often talked about it with Uriel. Before meeting you and Paul, I was pretty set on the idea of a sword going through a crown like this. Adding the flowers is obviously to signify House Wayland since Paul adopted me and believed in me enough to offer the support of his House¡ª¡±
¡°Our House,¡± she corrected with a grin, and his smile grew brighter.
¡°Right, so I added that to the design I had, but now, with Uriel wanting to embrace his own status of the Chosen of the Destroyer, I thought adding the god¡¯s sigil as the backdrop would be a good way to show him that I fully support him and want him to stay with me forever. He is a pillar of my kingdom. Even if he does decide to leave me someday ¡ªif I make a mistake that he simply can¡¯t forgive¡ª he has already imprinted himself upon my legacy along with my heart.¡±
Phoenix glanced down at the drawing again and admitted, ¡°I know I¡¯m terrible about romance stuff, but that does sound like a good way to show you¡¯re devoted to him¡¡±
Then she added with a slight smirk, ¡°I think he¡¯ll forgive you even if you didn¡¯t have this, though.¡±
Dazien chuckled, ¡°I hope so. After so long together, it¡¯s almost impossible to picture my life without him. I think I¡¯d do anything to try and make him happy again.¡±
She paused and frowned, looking down at her lap again before handing the notebook back, then asked, ¡°Even kill a man and join the Avenger¡¯s clergy?¡±
Dazien mirrored her frown, ¡°What?¡±
¡°Pati told me that you accepted a quest from him,¡± she explained, trying not to let her anger get the better of her as she pointed out, ¡°Aside from the annoyance and hurt of finding out from her instead of you after spending so much time together since it happened, why does it seem like you were trying to hide it from me?¡±
He gave a heavy sigh and set the notebook on the nightstand beside the bed as he said, ¡°I just wanted to give everyone some time to recuperate. I would have told everyone else eventually.¡±
¡°Who all knows?¡±
¡°Well, Rayna was there, and I told Uriel during our Heart Check,¡± he replied, then seemed to remember something as he added, ¡°Oh, a Heart Check is our¡ª¡±
¡°Uriel explained it to me,¡± she interjected, then asked with a raised brow, ¡°Do we need to start having those, too, just to make sure you¡¯re not forgetting to tell me about murdering people?¡±
His face turned into confused surprise at her words, and then his gaze narrowed, ¡°I did what was necessary. Ramir deserved death and¡ª¡±
¡°And you didn¡¯t need to be the one to give it to him,¡± she said firmly before he could give excuses that she wasn¡¯t entirely sure the magic of his voice wouldn¡¯t manipulate her into agreeing with. ¡°I¡¯m sure you could have told someone else. Why would Avenger ask you specifically to do something like that when you¡¯re not one of his clergy?¡±
Dazien¡¯s frown deepened, ¡°I was available since I had planned to capture him at first before he could escape the city, and Avenger offered to make me a Paladin for completing the quest.¡±
She found herself standing at the insane idea, ¡°You¡¯re going to be a Paladin?! No!¡±
¡°That¡¯s not what I¡ª¡±
¡°I get that you feel some kind of obligation to Paul or something for him adopting you, but that doesn¡¯t mean you need to join Avenger!¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t say¡ª¡±
¡°You said you were going to be a king! Are you giving up on your dreams to chase after Paul¡¯s shadow!¡± She was yelling at him now and pacing as she tried to come up with all the reasons he absolutely could not become a Paladin of the Avenger.
He stood, glaring at her as he said, ¡°Will you stop interrupting me?!¡±
¡°No, because then your Shiny words will just convince me I¡¯m wrong even when I know I¡¯m not wrong about this!¡±
Dazien looked at her like she had slapped him, and she winced as she realized how that sounded. Before she could apologize and correct herself, though, his face twisted in anger, and he retorted, ¡°What in the Abyss, Phoenix? You know my Talent isn¡¯t overpowering like that, and you can¡¯t just ignore everything I say because you don¡¯t want to change your mind! That¡¯s not how you have a conversation!¡±
¡°But you can¡¯t become a Paladin! You can¡¯t just join Avenger and take Paul¡¯s place!¡±
¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? Are you trying to say I¡¯m not good enough to be like him? I had the resolve to do that quest just as much as he did.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not him, Dazien! You¡¯re not Paul, and you never will be!¡± she yelled, suddenly afraid that he would try to prove her wrong.
He shook his head as he turned away and said, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to replace him. I just¡ª¡±
¡°I don¡¯t need you to be like him! Nobody wants you to become like Paul. I know that I¡¯m stuck waiting for him to wake up and I¡¯m trying my best to¡ª¡±
¡°You¡¯re not the only one waiting for him, Phoenix!¡± he finally yelled back, interrupting her, and she paused when she realized it wasn¡¯t anger but hurt on his face, ¡°Not the only person who went to him for guidance! You¡¯re not the only one mourning his presence and trying their best to become just a fraction of the type of person he was.¡±
¡°He wanted us to be better!¡± she retorted. She knew that him following Paul like this was just wrong, and she tried to find the right words to convince him, ¡°Orebela said he never wanted us to be like him. He did those things to protect us from them! So that we wouldn¡¯t have to become monsters just to defeat monsters! You shouldn¡¯t have accepted that quest!¡±
¡°You¡¯re one to talk!¡± he said, shooting her another glare before moving a few paces. He ran a hand through his hair, which was still an inky black since she hadn¡¯t returned it back to his natural purple yet.
¡°What does that mean?¡± she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest.
Dazien didn¡¯t respond right away, taking a few deep breaths before turning to look at her and saying in a calmer voice, ¡°Look, I understand that you are the Chosen One.¡± He stepped closer to her and gently grabbed her shoulders to make sure she was looking at him, ¡°But Paul chose me, too. I may not have gods lining up to mark my soul and bless me with their favor, but I still try to move toward the future he wanted for all of us. Which, you¡¯re right, didn¡¯t include me becoming a Paladin like him.¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
She paused at that, calming down with the agreement he finally gave her, and he continued speaking, ¡°I did what I thought was best ¡ªwhat I believed was right. I may regret not telling any of you beforehand, but I don¡¯t regret accepting that quest and killing him.¡±
Phoenix wanted to argue that he shouldn¡¯t have done that and accepted being an avenger even temporarily, but his next words halted that, ¡°I¡¯m not going to be a Paladin of the Avenger, but I¡¯m also not going to be a king who won¡¯t act or make harsh choices to protect his people or their future. Paul may not have wanted us to be exactly like him, but I¡¯m not going to ignore the lessons he taught me. If I have to stain my hands to keep my people and family safe, then that is what I will do.¡±
She tried to look away, not wanting to accept the idea that he would do terrible things like that, and he gently moved her chin back to meet his eyes as he said, ¡°I know that¡¯s something you would do as well, my sister.¡±
Phoenix scrunched her nose at the idea. Would she? She didn¡¯t think she could bring herself to do something as terrible as eating someone just to exact karmic vengeance, but she understood what he meant by making harsh choices to keep them safe.
She had killed people before. Raiders and Soul Reapers might have been trying to kill her at the same time, but her hands were still stained with their blood, weren¡¯t they? She had brought Knight Thevaris to the Sanguine Banquet, and while she might not have been the one to deal the killing blow, she had brought the fire to them all, knowing exactly what would happen. Knowing that an executioner would do exactly what they were meant to.
If the choice came down to killing someone and protecting her family¡ she would stain her hands, too.
That didn¡¯t mean she needed to become the same kind of monster that they were, though. She could grant the mercy of a quick death instead of inflicting the same pain they did, and she wanted to make that clear to her brother.
¡°Just don¡¯t become an avenger like Paul was,¡± she whispered, giving him a tight hug. ¡°I don¡¯t want you forced to torture and kill people all the time instead of adventuring with us. Even if we have to get blood on our hands, we can be better than the ones who deserve it.¡±
Dazien returned his sister¡¯s hug as he finally calmed down from their misunderstanding, ¡°I agree, which is exactly why I don¡¯t plan on joining Avenger. Like you said before, I¡¯m meant to be a king, and replacing Paul was never my desire. You don¡¯t need me acting like your father, that would be a terrible idea.¡±
She chuckled and he was glad that she seemed to be calming down as well. It had hurt when she used his Talent against him like that, but he realized that she was simply worried about losing him to the Avenger. She was afraid and was grasping at reasons to convince him and feared that he wouldn¡¯t listen or would try to convince her to let him.
He just needed to reassure her that she could trust him.
To be the dependable brother that she had slowly been coming to rely on.
¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to find out like that,¡± he said, slowly pulling back, ¡°I should have taken the time to talk to you in private and help you understand my own reasons for it all. I promise you that I still plan to stay with you, go on your quest, and create my kingdom without running off to become a pawn of the gods out of some misplaced duty to our dad.¡±
¡°So, what happened exactly?¡± she asked, looking up at him with those curious emerald eyes.
¡°Let¡¯s sit, and I can walk you through my series of bad ideas that led to me filling out a hill of paperwork,¡± he said, gesturing towards the sofa near where Rex had been lounging and watching them silently the entire time.
The Royal Raksha simply rolled those golden eyes at him and yawned, causing Dazien to wonder if all this drama was simply boring his noble Familiar. He chuckled to himself as he sat next to Phoenix and then began recounting the details of his continually changing plans.
¡°Wait, he was going to blow up the building?¡± she asked after he had described how Rayna had ¡°disarmed¡± the desperate man.
¡°Oh, right,¡± he said, a tremor of annoyance and exasperation crossing his mind, but he hesitated, worried that she might suddenly blame herself for the predicament he had been in. However, his own curiosity had him asking, ¡°You didn¡¯t happen to make a Scroll of [Supernova] and give it to the AOA, did you?¡±
As he feared, a look of dawning horror crossed her face as she said, ¡°I-I was trying to help! I thought they could use it in case another swarm of monsters attacked beyond the walls! I wasn¡¯t¡ª I-I didn¡¯t think¡ª¡±
¡°Hey, calm down,¡± he tried to reassure, ¡°I get that you were hoping to help, but why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±
¡°I just didn¡¯t think it was that big of a deal!¡± she replied, letting her face fall into her hands, ¡°I only succeeded in making two of them, so I gave one to the AOA and the other to Rayna to try out later if we got another mission out in the wilds. It¡¯s not like I was handing over an arsenal or had enough to give one to everyone.¡±
Dazien stilled at the information as something didn¡¯t quite add up, and he tried to clarify, ¡°What do you mean only succeeded with two? Exactly how many did you attempt to make?¡±
She turned her entire body slightly away from him as she seemed to shrink in embarrassment and started muttering, ¡°Well, I was trying to make as many as I could that day, but I wasn¡¯t very good at it, and the stupid paper and ink were so touchy about the littlest thing going slightly wrong¡¡±
With growing dread, he prodded, ¡°How many failed attempts were there? I know scrolls, in general, are fairly expensive; otherwise, everyone would be using them more often. I can only imagine how much the ones you succeeded with might sell for.¡±
She gave a huff of annoyance, ¡°I burned through my entire stack of magic paper; that was the hardest thing for me to find but only cost me a single one of my Ruby Mana Bits. It was annoying to have to keep fixing my hair every time it failed. I was hoping I could find more when we went traveling to a bigger city with higher Caste items, but maybe it¡¯s not worth it if¡ª what¡¯s wrong?¡± she suddenly asked him, ¡°Why are you looking like that? Are you okay?¡±
That was when he realized he was hyperventilating.
He didn¡¯t even need to breathe anymore, but his body was reacting on its own to the idea of her burning a Ruby Mana Bit in the form of crafting paper.
Simply realizing what was happening didn¡¯t help him stop it, and he worried he might actually be sick as the currency conversion unhelpfully ran through his mind.
One hundred to one.
That was the base ratio; reality made it much higher at times, but she had effectively destroyed a hundred million Mana Bits.
While he had been fretting over spending almost a single Emerald Bit to buy two Spirit Gems, she had been throwing a hundred times that on the pyre of experimentation.
¡°Daze? Please talk to me! Do I need to get someone? What¡¯s happening?¡±
He barely registered Phoenix shaking him, and he yanked himself from her grasp, worried that he might lash out, and instead fell to the ground, landing on his hands and knees as he tried to reorient himself and stop thinking about the sheer amount of waste.
How many gems could they have gotten with that? How much magical equipment to better protect them all? How many outfits? How many loaves of bread? Centuries of meals just set aflame.
His vision began to refocus as he felt a familiar calming aura encircling him, and a large, warm hand rested on his back. His hearing returned another moment later as he registered Phoenix speaking, ¡°We were just talking about the scrolls I made earlier and kept failing at, and he started looking at me like I kicked a puppy!¡±
¡°He¡¯s having a panic attack by the feel of it,¡± Saiya responded from somewhere.
Then he heard the deeper voice that helped center him as Uriel said from beside him, ¡°King, I¡¯m here for you. What do you need?¡±
Dazien glanced up at his partner, the memories of what he needed to do mixing with his abject shock at what his sister had done, and said in a rush, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry for everything I ever did wrong. Please don¡¯t hate me or leave me. Please don¡¯t punish me by burning Bits.¡±
Uriel laughed ¡ªactually laughed¡ª at him before shaking his head and saying, ¡°I don¡¯t think that was her goal, but I would never dream of doing something that heinous to you. I remember what you always tell me: Bits are for food, fighting, and gifts, right?¡±
He nodded, regaining more self-control, and slowly stood again as his partner helped him up. It reminded him of the other part of his apology, and he reached into the pouch at his waist as he tried to push away the trauma Phoenix had just inflicted to focus on Uriel.
¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to look that pathetic as I did this. It was meant to be a grand apology with much fanfare,¡± he said with a crooked smile, lifting up the small box towards him, ¡°This was the gift I got for you as an addition to my words. I know I messed up. I shouldn¡¯t have taken advantage of your trauma like that, but¡ª¡±
¡°But you¡¯ll do it again if you feel like you have to,¡± Uriel interjected, placing a hand over the box. He was afraid that his partner might decline to accept his apology until Uriel added, ¡°But I think I can trust you enough to know when that particular line needs to be crossed. I¡¯ve trusted you with everything else so far, and I know you didn¡¯t mean it as an attack on me.¡±
Uriel paused, taking hold of his hand as he continued, ¡°Instead of trusting in you, I let my anger and fear get the better of me.¡± Ember eyes met his gaze, and his partner added, ¡°Instead of yelling at you for what you said down there, I should have said, ¡®I love you, too,¡¯ my king.¡±
Dazien hugged him tightly, not wanting to let go in case this turned out to be a dream brought on by passing out in his earlier panic.
¡°Daze! I¡¯m still only Crystal!¡± Uriel managed to say, and he released him only to be caught up in another hug that brought them together again.
¡°Finally! No more fake-breaking-up!¡± Phoenix scolded them.
He gave a chuckle and asked, ¡°It¡¯s not allowed?¡±
¡°Exactly!¡±
¡°Then you¡¯re not allowed to spend that ridiculous amount of money without consulting someone first!¡± he retorted. If she was gonna give him rules, then he¡¯d return the favor, and hopefully, they wouldn¡¯t end up killing each other in the process.
47 - Moon’s End
It had been a week and a half since the Scarlet Banquet had been effectively purged from the city and King¡¯s Dream had been disbanded, yet the group remained vigilant on the wall. Dazien had done as he said he would, signing Phoenix and him up with the Ducal Guard while the other three members had been graciously given wall contracts from the AOA as solo Adventurers. He suspected it was in an effort to not lose more members.
While Saiya and Rayna had said they were willing to leave as well, if needed, they still wanted to avoid doing so as it was their main form of identification for traveling at the moment. They weren¡¯t entirely sure their status as leaders of a non-existent clan would be honored in certain places, and the AOA licenses made things much smoother for them.
Uriel was also in a similar situation with no family to his name and even more complications with the Silencer around his neck. They weren¡¯t even sure he would be allowed to keep the Chains that didn¡¯t trigger the monster alarms without being a licensed Adventurer since that was part of the stipulation to getting those. This factor might not be a concern once they left Tulimeir, but the Silencer would definitely raise questions that the license would help avoid.
Phoenix and Dazien, on the other hand, were given official documents from Patricia that described their positions within the Wayland family under Duke Tul. They had been recently upgraded to Barons of the Sacred City and its surrounding area that had been mostly undeveloped tundra beforehand.
This didn¡¯t change Phoenix¡¯s title of Regent or his own title of Heir, but it did change Paul¡¯s and raised the entire House¡¯s status among the nobility. Being a landed noble was always considered more important since the management of an entire city was their responsibility and often included additional smaller towns within the territory.
Dazien understood after years of study that nobility, at its core, was both prestige and responsibility. It came down to the delegation of responsibilities to manage the resources and serve the people who lived within their sphere of influence. House Wayland¡¯s only responsibilities previously had been food, specifically the distribution, trade, and growth, along with interfacing with the Cultivator¡¯s clergy to manage the Citadel that helped feed everyone.
When House Ruwena had been found to be traitors, House Teras had taken over the management of the Reality Rift that had previously been Ruwena¡¯s responsibility, though the Duke made sure to add more checks and regulations in that regard to prevent a similar betrayal in the future.
All these interchanges and shifting of responsibilities were what comprised the balance of powers and hierarchy within the nobility, and Dazien¡¯s own place within it all had skyrocketed in the last month alone. From orphan to Baron¡¯s Heir was a jump he had not been expecting so soon, but he was confident in the training he had put himself through in preparation to be a king.
Phoenix was not so prepared.
He was pleased that she seemed to at least understand this fact and trusted him to handle those nuanced responsibilities for them both. With her newfound dedication to becoming a ¡°proper Saint¡± ¡ªwhatever that truly meant¡ª it at least seemed to instill more caution in her.
She had even come to him a couple of days ago for advice on etiquette, which she was now putting to good use as she stood on his left while Uriel was on his right. They were all standing in front of the Temple of the Parent, where he had chosen to do this.
Knight Thevaris came up to him and asked one last time before they would begin the ceremony, ¡°Are you certain this is the place you wish to put your mother to rest?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± he replied, ¡°It¡¯s where I grew up, and I know she¡¯ll protect the children here as she had tried to protect me in life.¡±
Gemites were often buried and ¡°returned to the earth from which they came¡± rather than placed upon a pyre. Normal fire couldn¡¯t burn their magically reinforced bones, nails, or hair, and it was also symbolic of gemstones and metals that naturally formed within the earth. The fact that the species was also first birthed within the Underdeep made it even more fitting to be buried below the surface.
A simple burial wasn¡¯t exactly what they were doing now, however. Knight Thevaris knew the proper funeral ritual to create a Gemveil Tree that would transfigure the bones of the deceased into a crystalline tree of protection. The form of that protection depended on the type of gemite, and Dazien had learned that amethyst ones like him resulted in increased resistance against Death and Dimension magic in a small area around the tree.
There were groves of these trees in the Underdeep as well as other places in the world where communities had grown. The only place Dazien could think of that held any meaning for him, however, was the play yard where he had often needed his mother¡¯s protection. He hoped to give it to the children here, who had been a second family of sorts and an irreplaceable part of his history.
High Priestess Anna Deserin was there with them and had been honored by the offer. Many of the other children had gathered to watch, and even Jennica had understood enough to set aside her anger at him to stand behind him while he buried his mom. He suspected the news of him no longer being an Adventurer had also helped temper her animosity towards him, as well as simply growing up and surviving a war that had seen many more die, whether they were an Adventurer or not.
The number of orphans had drastically increased after the events of the prolonged blood moon and assault from the Soul Reapers, but those enemies were gone now, and the blood moon would end any night now. Dazien had worked with Patricia during that time to try and get more assistance for the temple to handle the influx. They had only had four priests for as long as he had been there after the old High Priest had passed on, and with an average of thirty to forty orphans in residence at any given time, they had long been understaffed.
Getting Phoenix to donate most of her Saintly gifts to the Temple had been a campaign in its own right to bring awareness to this issue, and gaining the Parent¡¯s Soul Mark had apparently done much on its own to get more support for the struggling temple.
They had two new priests already now, and even a Monk had made the journey from Blomstra to help after the massive destruction that the city had received. With almost thirty thousand proclaimed dead at this point from the war alone, there were well over a hundred orphans now with no family left to take them in.
Those hundred little faces were all sitting as quietly as possible or peeking through temple windows as Dazien stepped forward with Knight Thevaris and carefully placed the bones of his mother in the deep hole that had been dug where the tree would sprout from.
As he backed up to watch the knight perform the ritual, he was grateful for his partner and sister¡¯s hands slipping into his own in silent support, along with the weight of Saiya and Rayna¡¯s hands on his shoulders. He had mourned his parents long ago when he had realized they had died, but now all those feelings were brought back with a cathartic sense of finality.
Gasps and sounds of awe came from the crowd as amethyst crystals seemed to sprout and grow into the shape of a large oak tree with wide spreading branches and sparkling gem-like leaves, creating a shelter for any within its glittering shade.
Looking up at the magnificent display and knowing it would protect these kids made a gentle smile spread as he whispered up at the Amethyst Gemveil Tree, ¡°Thanks, Mom.¡±
The end of the blood moon came almost as suddenly as it started.
Phoenix was almost shocked by the sight of a pale white moon with the barest hint of yellow in its hue that rose one night and didn¡¯t wash the land in that eerie crimson light that had been present for the majority of her time in this world.
It also reminded her that it would be her birthday soon. The blood moon had arrived almost two months after her arrival, and ten months later, there was only a month left before she would reach that one-year anniversary.
While it threw her off a little to have thirteen months in a year, she did like the simplicity of the calendar it produced. She had also apparently arrived on a holiday. What she thought of as New Year¡¯s Day in her world was called the Day of Resolution here and was the only clue that she had indeed traveled through time as well as space during her transmigration to this reality.
That first night of a bloodless moon, the cheering had been deafening. The entire city cried out in relief and rejoiced that they at least had survived. While there was much to mourn, right now, they would celebrate.
And celebrate they did.
The only time Phoenix had seen the streets of Tulimeir so crowded before was in the Processing District before almost getting eaten by cannibals, and even that paled in comparison to now. Everyone was outside enjoying the sense of freedom, and festivals began taking place despite the snow still falling.
Street vendors were taking up precious space as they sold celebratory meals and festive trinkets. One that caught her eye was filled with a variety of masks that reminded her of the kabuki kind she would see in some anime and Japanese video games.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Rayna nudged her and said, ¡°You don¡¯t always need to try hiding, you know?¡±
¡°Actually, it reminds me of something from my world. Though, it would make getting around the city a bit less daunting now that you mention it,¡± Phoenix responded thoughtfully, tugging at a black curl she was currently using as part of her disguise. She had even taken her Prism Brush to the twins¡¯ tails and hair to make them look more like the Starfall kind that had been spotted roaming the city during their reconstruction efforts.
¡°Perhaps,¡± Rayna admitted thoughtfully before poking her cheek, ¡°But we need to be showing off that sparkly face of yours to get into the really good parties, remember?¡±
Phoenix blanched at the reminder, ¡°You weren¡¯t serious about those¡ um¡ Lover parties, were you?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t forget, Phoenix,¡± Dazien¡¯s voice said from behind her, and she turned to look as he gave her a playful smirk, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything you¡¯re not comfortable with. Just because Rayna and I might be more enthusiastic about intimate relationships doesn¡¯t mean you need to be.¡±
¡°I bet he¡¯s going to have a lot of fun with Uriel during these parties,¡± Tala unhelpfully muttered in her mind, ¡°It¡¯s not fair that the warm one gets to play with the shiny one¡¯s hair, and I get scolded for it.¡±
Phoenix blushed and nodded, but Rayna interrupted, ¡°Don¡¯t try and push her into not doing anything, King! She needs to get out and explore a bit!¡±
The exuberant voxen threw an arm around her shoulder, ¡°Learn to let go a little! Have some fun! Maybe get to know someone better simply with the idea of a future relationship in mind? I was talking with Mohala before, and she mentioned people who are heartbound, needing an established bond first; maybe that¡¯s what you are and you really do just need to find the right person to get close to.¡±
¡°Rayna,¡± Saiya said in that tone that all of them recognized by now as the one about to scold, ¡°How many times do we have to tell you?¡±
The bard gave an exasperated huff, ¡°I know. I know. Don¡¯t push. It¡¯s fine if she¡¯s really not interested at all, but I don¡¯t want her just giving up out of nerves either!¡±
¡°I¡¯m not giving up,¡± Phoenix finally said, ¡°I realize that I¡¯m not really¡ Well, that I don¡¯t feel things the same as all of you. And maybe I¡¯ll never have something like that¡ but I think I want a partner someday, just¡ not now. And definitely not with someone I barely know.¡±
She looked down at her hands in thought as she admitted to her friends, ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea of someone touching me like that, but I also see what Daze and Uriel have already and think I would like having a partner I can fully trust in and be vulnerable like that with. It might not be what most people expect¡ but like Rayna said, maybe I can find the right person who fits that puzzle piece someday.¡±
Phoenix glanced up to find four bright smiles and Dazien patted her shoulder in that affectionate familial way as he said, ¡°Then I hope you can find that special person someday. Until then, don¡¯t pressure yourself to find them. Trying to force someone to fit inside your puzzle rarely works out, and it sounds like, for you, it will need to be a very natural and slow burn.¡±
Dazien glanced towards his partner and gave him an odd look before adding, ¡°Everyone moves at their own pace. Even Uriel and I had an unconventional start. It wasn¡¯t love at first sight like Rayna seems to have with Mohala, but once we both realized there was a spark, we jumped in rather quickly.¡±
He looked back at her and said, ¡°Every love story is unique in its own way and evolves differently over time. I¡¯m sure yours will be just as unique.¡±
¡°If it ever happens,¡± Rayna said with an exaggerated sigh, then seemed to perk up with an idea, ¡°Oh, that reminds me, we should go find Mohala! She mentioned wanting to meet up after the blood moon to chat about the future.¡±
They all agreed, and Phoenix was instantly suspicious that Rayna seemed to know exactly where to find the dryad among the frenetic city. She became even more suspicious at the pointed looks both women kept sending her way and wondered what they could possibly be talking about.
They both ended up approaching her and pulling her aside as Mohala cautiously said, ¡°Ray and I were discussing a few things and I remember how well you and Po got along during the expedition. We were thinking, maybe, you two would make a good couple.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want you to feel like I¡¯m pushing you again,¡± Rayna interjected, ¡°I agree with what Sai and King said, and it really is fine if you say no. We just wanted you to think about it?¡±
¡°Polissa is really nice and is obviously interested in you like that,¡± Mohala continued, ¡°She won¡¯t try to take advantage of you or your titles, and she¡¯s also a noble who understands their particular struggles and privileges. We think you could both be happy together.¡±
¡°Plus ¡ªfull disclosure¡ª it would be nice to have them both join our group as we go traveling soon,¡± Rayna added with a soft blush that Phoenix had never seen on her before.
Phoenix glanced over at her brother who was currently chatting with Uriel and Saiya as they waited. She wasn¡¯t sure about the idea, but she did enjoy spending time with Polissa before, and it wouldn¡¯t hurt to at least consider the idea more. She just wasn¡¯t exactly sure what was fully expected of her. ¡°I guess I can think about it, at least,¡± she ended up saying, and they both smiled brightly.
¡°But I can¡¯t guarantee anything will come of it. I¡¯m not¡ I just don¡¯t really know what exactly I¡¯m supposed to feel with her,¡± she added, then flushed as she said, ¡°Or what exactly you want me to do¡ª¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything other than talk with her and think about it,¡± Rayna clarified.
¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re saying you should just find the nearest bed and have at it,¡± Mohala added, causing Rayna to give the dryad gentle smack with a tail.
¡°That¡¯s definitely not what we¡¯re suggesting,¡± the bard said, ¡°Just have an open mind and think about if Polissa might fit that puzzle piece you were talking about earlier.¡±
Phoenix hesitated a moment before nodding, ¡°Alright then. I think I can manage that.¡±
Mohala led the group then, and they eventually found the noble cinderen on the roof of a building that had been converted into a polyball field. The edges of the roof had been surrounded by an invisible force shield to keep both stray balls and people who had partied a bit too hard from going over the barricade wall.
Rayna explained the popular sports game to Phoenix who watched curiously from the side. The crowd of people on the field was separated into four teams in a surprisingly popular delineation: one team composed of Adventurers, one of Magi, one who was neither, and the last of people who belonged to both.
She was surprised to note that Polissa was part of that last team, not having realized the woman¡¯s membership with the OOM, but given that her father was the current Chancellor, it actually made a lot of sense that his daughter joined as well.
Phoenix felt her anxiety rise once more as the sensuous cinderen made her way over to their little group after the match ended and Mohala got her attention. Even tired and slightly disheveled, she thought the woman was gorgeous and wondered if her admiration of the dark beauty was actually an indication of those¡ urges everyone kept talking about, yet she couldn¡¯t identify.
She didn¡¯t think that was the case, however. Rayna and others had indicated that those urges would make her want to touch, but what she felt was more like appreciation of a beautiful painting. The woman was pleasing to look at, but she didn¡¯t want to hold her.
¡°Hey, it¡¯s so good to see you again! I¡¯ve been hearing some crazy rumors lately and been hoping to catch up with you all,¡± Polissa said, her raven hair forming an entrancing cloud around her.
When nobody else responded, Phoenix finally glanced around and realized with sudden horror that everyone had abandoned her to be devoured by the snolf that watched her carefully.
¡°They are only a whisper away, Phoenix,¡± Tala reminded her, ¡°Just because they left you to be an adult and talk with others doesn¡¯t mean they abandoned you.¡±
¡°I¡ª um, yes. I come bearing stories to help clear up the rumors?¡± Phoenix fumbled, trying to find a friendly conversational platform to stand on.
Polissa laughed, ¡°Should we go get some drinks then? Maybe somewhere a bit quieter?¡±
She froze in place, remembering Rayna¡¯s suggestions, and stuttered, ¡°N-not too quiet, right?¡±
Po laughed again and brushed out her lovely yellow sundress that she had managed to keep intact while playing, ¡°How about a cafe? I know a nice one nearby.¡±
Phoenix perked up a bit at the idea of magical coffee and nodded. Her heart jumped into her throat when Polissa grabbed her hand and began leading her through the crowd to their destination. However, her anxiety subsided when she realized the physical contact was due to the large crowd and not the signal towards something more.
She needed to calm down and not assume what Rayna and Mohala had suggested was already what was happening. Polissa was her friend, and until she wanted it to be something more, she shouldn¡¯t be freaking out about it becoming something different.
Once they arrived at the open cafe and managed to get a pair of seats at a long table against the glass wall overlooking the festive city, they chatted for a long while. Phoenix began retelling things from the last time they were together and could just talk about random things. She explained more about Paul and the World Tree. Went over her meeting with Champion and Kara and then their narrow escape from the Scarlet Banquet.
As the sun began to set and Phoenix¡¯s nerves about what was to come next began to rise again, Polissa surprised her by asking her a question she hadn¡¯t been suspecting, ¡°Would you like to go to the Tulimeir Grand Soiree with me? All the noble families and their scions will be there, and I¡¯d be honored if you¡¯d accompany me.¡±
¡°Is that like Homecoming or Prom?¡± she asked curiously.
¡°What?¡±
¡°Like a big event where you bring a date?¡± she paused, then added, ¡°With some probably-alcoholic punch,¡± then she gulped and muttered, ¡°And dancing?¡±
Po gave her an amused smile and confirmed, ¡°That is the general idea, yes.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s anxiety spiked up again, and she began grasping for a lifeline, ¡°I, um¡ can my friends come with?¡±
Polissa chuckled, ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure the Dewsongs and your brother were already planning to go¡ but yes, party members, friends, and partners are all allowed to attend this if they¡¯ve been invited by one of the Houses.¡±
Then the slightly older woman gave her a bemused look, ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll need your party, though. You¡¯ll be safe enough with me.¡± Polissa gave a Cheshire grin and added, ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯ll be monsters to fight.¡±
Phoenix shook her head and admitted, ¡°No, but there¡¯ll be politicians¡ and dancing¡ I think I¡¯d rather fight monsters.¡±
48 - How to Dance
Phoenix was huddled up in her bed under her covers when Saiya found her. She had been concerned that the introvert might have caved to the pressure of her sister along with the woman trying to court her and might be regretting some choices. It seemed like the only choice the little ball of anxiety was partially regretting, however, was agreeing to attend the Soiree with Polissa.
¡°What has you hiding from the world this time?¡± she asked as she approached the nebulous bed.
¡°Dancing, Saiya!¡± red curls peeked out from under a new blanket, followed by a pair of wide green eyes, ¡°I¡¯ll have to dance! In public!¡±
¡°Ah,¡± she said with a bit of sarcasm, ¡°Well, since I¡¯m already well aware you don¡¯t like doing anything in public, I¡¯m thinking it¡¯s safe to assume you don¡¯t know how to dance.¡±
Phoenix gave her a flat look and returned her sarcasm tenfold, ¡°Yes, because there were soooo many opportunities to learn to dance while bedridden.¡± She dove back under the blanket and groaned, ¡°Why did I say yes?¡±
¡°I¡¯m guessing because you actually like the idea of going on a date to a party,¡± she replied. The emerald eyes reappeared to look at her like she was crazy, and she laughed, ¡°Oh, come now Phoenix. You and I both know that you¡¯re going to fret and complain and when you get there, you¡¯ll be a bundle of blushes while secretly loving to finally experience something you were never allowed to have before.¡±
¡°Am I really that readable?¡± Phoenix asked with slight chagrin.
¡°You know I can cheat at that,¡± she said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯ve never been great at hiding your emotions, though, which I much prefer, considering how much we see Uriel struggle.¡±
¡°I guess that makes sense.¡±
¡°You could just send her a message and say you changed your mind. You don¡¯t have to attend the Soiree with all of us, but I know we would love to have you there with us,¡± Saiya pointed out.
¡°No, you¡¯re right that I want to experience it¡ at least be there and see everything. I just don¡¯t want to make a complete idiot out of myself by tripping over my own feet and people laughing at the Saint of the Celestial Pantheon being a complete embarrassment.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to dance, but I¡¯m fairly certain you can learn. You¡¯re Sapphire Caste, after all. Why don¡¯t you just ask Rayna to teach you? She¡¯s a wonderful dancer, far better than me, though I can do well enough.¡±
Phoenix seemed to relax slightly from that idea, ¡°You think she could teach me quick enough? It¡¯s less than a week till then.¡±
¡°You seem to be a fast learner when it comes to most activities,¡± she said, not wanting to point out the very slow learning the Wayfarer did in regard to other social situations, ¡°If you want to learn how to dance, then just go learn it.¡±
¡°Seriously?! Stop, just stop,¡± Rayna said in frustration. They had been practicing dancing for a good two hours already after Dazien got outvoted for training during the end-of-moon festival. Uriel had made plans to meet with Priest Jacob before lunch, and Saiya had decided to visit the Traveler¡¯s Temple.
Their leader decided to finish filling out some of the paperwork he had been planning to get to a bit later while making plans to meet back up with both Uriel and Phoenix later to visit the Temple of the Parent to check in on their little kingdom and see how the new additions were doing.
This left Rayna with the unpleasant task of teaching Phoenix how to dance before the Soiree at the end of the week. Phoenix was struggling with the task, having difficulty keeping up with Rayna¡¯s quick and fluid movements while also getting less-than-helpful instructions, ¡°I told you a dozen times now. It¡¯s a one, two, hyaa, three, four, hyuh. Punch to the left, then a spin kick to the right.¡±
Phoenix was on the brink of tears as she whined in her despair, ¡°I thought we were dancing, not fighting!¡±
¡°Same difference,¡± the Shatter Bard said with a shrug, ¡°Now, try again!¡±
¡°Can we take a break? I think my brain is going to melt trying to think of all these different steps and¡ swishes at once,¡± she asked, sitting down on the canvas mat of the training room.
¡°We haven¡¯t even tried it with music yet, Phoenix. You can¡¯t give up already!¡± Rayna groaned but sat down next to her anyway.
¡°Not giving up. Resting,¡± Phoenix corrected, pulling out some fruit juice from her collection and handing a cup to the bard, who accepted it with a half-hearted grumble.
Temporarily giving in and changing the subject, Rayna asked, ¡°So, have you decided when we¡¯re leaving yet?¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Now that the blood moon¡¯s over, we can go on your quest soon, right?¡± she said as though it were obvious.
Phoenix blinked owlishly, ¡°I can, can¡¯t I?¡±
The bard burst out laughing, ¡°Seriously? Did you forget about it? We¡¯ve just been waiting this whole time for that.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t forget about it. I just¡ have been busy with other things? Besides, Daze said he was going to take care of all the travel arrangements and other stuff since he had been the one to talk with Paul previously. We just haven¡¯t really talked about the specifics yet.¡±
¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be a little more invested in your own divine quest?¡±
¡°I¡¯m invested! I just¡ª I¡¯m delegating! That¡¯s what a good noble does, right?¡±
Rayna rolled her amber fox eyes at her and said, ¡°You passed the Bit to Daze so you could read books instead, didn¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Presley has a lot of stories available. Did you know there was a whole library in the vessel just filled with books from all over the cosmos? Presley said they were copies of what was available on their main ship, but there are so many fantastic tales!¡±
¡°And that just bought you another hour of dance training!¡± the bard said mercilessly, ¡°You¡¯ve got responsibilities here on Makera to focus on, Princess. Starting with getting through this dance party. Now, break¡¯s over. Try it again.¡±
With a groan, Phoenix got back to her feet and continued to trip over them.
Phoenix wearily walked through her portal toward her destination after being mostly mentally exhausted by Rayna¡¯s teaching methods. She had barely made any progress and felt doomed to the ultimate humiliation of falling in public while everyone watched.
As she arrived at the Temple of the Parent, she noticed Dazien already in the side yard playing with a cluster of the children there, carefully lifting them into the air and letting them each have a turn attempting to fly.
Rex was fully manifested and lounging languidly under the large amethyst Gemveil Tree as more children and a small black kitten climbed on top of the large winged lion or hugged his soft golden fur.
Uriel was leaning against the trunk of the Gemveil Tree as he idly petted the Familiar¡¯s shimmery mane and watched his partner from a short distance away.
A child¡¯s squeal of delight caught her attention, and she couldn¡¯t help but smile at the scene where the stalwart protector was playing with toddlers. His normally flirtatious yet dignified disposition was hardly discernible in the snowy yard glittering with violet light from the amethyst tree over their heads. She realized then that despite not wanting Dazien to become a Paladin like Paul, she did believe Daze would make a good father someday.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!
Her brother looked up as her aura brushed against his in greeting. He seemed to perk up at the sight of her, then waved for her to come join them. This caused some of the children to notice her too as they began shouting ¡°Princess!¡± or loudly whispered in awe, ¡°The Starlight Phoenix!¡±
Aside from the ceremony for Dazien¡¯s mom, it had been too long since she had visited the group of orphans just to chat and play. There were a lot more faces that she didn¡¯t remember being there before. She felt her chest tighten when she thought about them being there because she couldn¡¯t save their parents sooner from the Soul Reapers or the monsters that had continued plaguing the tundra for the last ten months.
Dazien frowned at her expression as he walked over to greet her and asked, ¡°Was Rayna really that harsh?¡±
Phoenix shook herself from her melancholy and hinted at the real reason for it as she softly said, ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t recognize a lot of the kids here¡¡±
His expression turned to a mixture of understanding and pity as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s the monsters¡¯ fault, not yours or mine. We can¡¯t be everywhere at once, so it won¡¯t stop happening.¡±
¡°I know, I just¡ I wish I could do more.¡±
He chuckled softly, ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much more anyone could ask of you. Anyways, what we can do is try to give them a few moments of happiness to help chase away some of their dark clouds, yes?¡±
She nodded, and he took her hand to lead her over towards the center of the yard, where he introduced the newer kids to the ¡°Starlight Phoenix¡± they had all heard about, who had summoned the Champion¡¯s Paladin Kara to save their city. Then, to her horror, he added, ¡°She¡¯s been trying to learn how to dance for the big noble party next week. Should we show her how it¡¯s done?¡±
At the chorus of agreeable cheers, he flashed her a mischievous grin, ¡°Well, Princess, are you ready to learn?¡±
Phoenix scowled at him and crossed her arms over her chest, which was currently covered by a green dress, ¡°Rayna just tried that for almost four hours.¡± Her posture bowed as she frowned and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m just not cut out for dancing.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t believe that for a second,¡± Dazien firmly replied, ¡°I¡¯ve seen you dance plenty of times with a pair of swords.¡±
¡°That¡¯s different,¡± she said, giving him a flat look, ¡°This was four hours of me tripping over my own feet to try and do an actual dance because, apparently, I can¡¯t even count properly.¡±
Dazien gave a soft chuckle, ¡°Rayna¡¯s great, I¡¯m sure, and a phenomenal dancer, but she¡¯s not exactly the best dance partner or leader.¡±
He conjured the door to his [Armory] and soon returned holding a magical device that would play music from a selection of rectangular metal plates he selected from. Her brother continued explaining as he set up the small device that they would sometimes use for meditation when Saiya wasn¡¯t up to singing, ¡°It¡¯s hard to lead if your follower gets left behind. I think it¡¯s difficult for Rayna to slow down to a less advanced level.¡±
¡°Did you just call me slow and less advanced?¡± Phoenix asked, narrowing her eyes at him as he finished setting it up. The soft music began to fill the chilly air and made the snow feel even more magical to her.
Dazien laughed as he walked over, holding out a hand for her to take, ¡°Do you want help or not?¡±
She looked at his hand for a moment as if debating with herself, then rolled her eyes and groaned as she gave in, ¡°Fiiiine¡¡±
As soon as she took his hand, he pulled her into his own stride, not bothering with words to try and instruct her. Instead, he simply guided her body with his, pulling her along and gently nudging her into positions.
¡°The trick is to not really think about it,¡± he said with a grin, ¡°I know how you can get wrapped up in your own head, sometimes. Uriel¡¯s the same way.¡±
¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Uriel called out with obvious sarcasm.
¡°He¡¯s also terrible at lying when he knows I¡¯m right,¡± Dazien said in a conspiratorial whisper. Then he said at a normal volume, ¡°Just don¡¯t think so much about what you¡¯re doing.¡±
Phoenix scrunched her nose in frustration as she looked down at both of their feet, ¡°It¡¯s hard to keep track of the steps that Rayna was telling me to do.¡± As if to punctuate her point, she stumbled with the timing, almost falling as he tried moving her.
Dazien paused only long enough to raise her chin to look back at his eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t. Think. Just look at me and trust me to lead you.¡±
She flushed slightly, having been caught doing exactly what he said not to, and nodded silently, placing one hand back on his shoulder as he started guiding her again, ¡°Just feel the music, the pattern in the rhythm. Until you become confident in your skill, keep choosing a partner to lead you until you get comfortable enough to lead others yourself.¡±
Phoenix scoffed, ¡°Not likely.¡±
He chuckled again and continued to move them. Some of the children that had been watching began to start dancing with each other near them, and Dazien smiled, playfully encouraging the remaining gawkers to practice alongside them instead of sitting and staring at the shy Wayfarer.
¡°Where did you learn to dance anyways?¡± she asked after a few more minutes of not tripping over herself.
¡°A Knowledge Tome,¡± he replied with a cheeky grin.
¡°Oh, you cheated,¡± Phoenix said, rolling her eyes dramatically and giving her own smirk.
¡°It¡¯s only cheating if it¡¯s against the rules,¡± Dazien recited, causing her to chuckle.
Then her eyes widened as she finally registered what he had said, ¡°Wait¡ there are Knowledge Tomes for dancing?!¡± Phoenix almost wanted to cry as she asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t Rayna tell me?!¡±
Dazien looked at her with pity as he explained, ¡°Well, they¡¯re expensive and rare for one, but the Dewsong Clan and most voxen, in general, are notorious for spurning them in lieu of ¡®proper learning.¡¯ Of course, Rayna¡¯s going to try teaching you the way she learned or the way she thinks you should learn.¡±
¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me!¡± she groaned.
He laughed, ¡°I thought you knew about them. You used them for your fighting and magic; haven¡¯t you already raided the Market District for more?¡±
¡°You can just buy them?!¡±
Dazien laughed again at her and placatingly said, ¡°We can go see if they have one for you later,¡± he added, never pausing their movement as she let him lead her around the yard, ¡°It¡¯s almost Winter¡¯s Break; maybe that can be my gift to you. Uriel got it for me as a gift one year.¡±
¡°Why would he get one for dancing?¡±
¡°He knew I wanted to be a king,¡± he replied matter-of-factly with a small shrug, ¡°All the nobles put on grand parties.¡± Then he added with a grin, ¡°Hence why we¡¯re here now.¡±
Phoenix laughed, conceding the point, ¡°He¡¯s really all in on you becoming a king, huh?¡±
¡°Absolutely,¡± he replied definitively, ¡°Even if he wasn¡¯t, though, he still would have bought the gift.¡±
¡°Why is that?¡±
He gave a softer smile, ¡°Because he knew it was important to me. He¡¯s always been amazing at that.¡±
¡°At what?¡± she asked in confusion.
¡°Reading me. Knowing what I want. Then, trying his best to get it for me. He understands how I feel about gifts, like I explained to you earlier, and even though it might not be how he normally shows affection, he understands that¡¯s how I do. It¡¯s like learning to speak another¡¯s language so you can better communicate with them.¡±
She chuckled at that analogy but continued with it, ¡°So if he doesn¡¯t speak in gifts normally, what does he speak?¡±
Dazien grinned at her with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes as he leaned in and whispered like it was some closely guarded secret, ¡°Service. He likes to show through actions how much he cares, and I¡¯ll often reciprocate to show him I care in his language as well.¡±
She thought about that for a while as they continued to move before asking, ¡°Like what? I don¡¯t remember seeing you perform any kind of service for him specifically.¡±
¡°That¡¯s probably because it is not for your innocent eyes to see, sweet sister,¡± he retorted with another grin. ¡°However, the core of it is that actions speak far louder than words or gifts when it comes to our mutual best friend.¡±
Dazien stopped moving then, surprising her as he turned to look at the subject of their discussion and called over, ¡°Senesh? Why don¡¯t you come practice with the Princess instead? I¡¯m sure you could use some as well before the party since you didn¡¯t get the same magically embedded information that I did.¡±
He frowned and replied, ¡°I¡¯m not the best teacher.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll still teach, but I can do so for both of you at once. Come on, it¡¯ll be fun.¡±
Uriel stood and moved to take Dazien¡¯s place as her temporary dance partner. They stared at each other uncertainly for a moment before Dazien moved to position them like he had been before. He placed Uriel¡¯s hand on her waist with her hand on a shoulder, and their other hands entwined and away from their bodies.
¡°I know you can remember the basics enough to lead for now, right, Senesh?¡±
Uriel¡¯s cheeks seemed to glow in embarrassment as he nodded. Then, he started moving them to the music while Dazien watched and would call out little adjustments as needed.
A comfortable silence fell between them, filled with only the gentle music and the laughter of children. Phoenix had barely been paying attention to her body as they had conversed and as her eyes and mind began to wander back towards her feet, Dazien spoke up once more, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to the party. We¡¯d never been able to attend before, but the soiree was always highly praised by the nobles who would join my company. Despite your aversion, I hope Noble Teras will be able to help you relax enough that we¡¯ll all have a good time.¡±
¡°How did you even hear about that?¡±
¡°I think Noble Teras is a bit smitten already and very excited about you agreeing to go with her,¡± he said as a half-answer.
She scrunched her nose, suddenly realizing that there would be no backing out now without hurting both her friend¡¯s feelings and reputation.
He raised an eyebrow and inquired, ¡°You do want to go with her, right?¡±
¡°Um¡ yes?¡± she responded as though she was the one asking.
Both men laughed, and Uriel twirled her around once more in time with the music as he pointed out, ¡°You don¡¯t sound very sure.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not! This is all new to me!¡± she retorted, feeling flustered.
Dazien gave a relaxed smile as he moved from their path and said, ¡°All the more reason for you to go and experience it. I¡¯m sure plenty of young scions will want the opportunity to dance with you.¡±
¡°Do you think you could dance with me there?¡± she asked, realizing that Dazien was right and she probably wouldn¡¯t be dancing with only Polissa at the party, ¡°I think I¡¯d feel better knowing you were there to lead and no expectations about changing our relationship.¡±
He gave her a soft look of indulgence as he replied, ¡°I¡¯ll always dance with you if you ask, Princess, but you shouldn¡¯t turn to your brother for every song. Part of the fun of a party is meeting new people and figuring out if you want to build any kind of relationship in the first place or not.¡±
Phoenix glanced up at her current dance partner and wondered if her best friend would save her from her anxiety as she hesitantly asked, ¡°Would you want to dance with me?¡±
Uriel looked at her for a moment, the odd glow of his cheeks becoming subtly brighter against the snowy backdrop of their dancing, and he softly murmured, ¡°I already am.¡±
49 - For Honor
¡°Breathe, Princess.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t need to breathe, Rayna.¡±
¡°And I don¡¯t need you mentally hyperventilating and passing out on us before we even leave,¡± the bard retorted as she crossed her arms over her chest.
¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± Saiya interjected as she clung to her arm for comfort and support, ¡°As soon as we get there, she¡¯ll see it¡¯s not as bad as she keeps thinking it will be.¡±
¡°You know I¡¯m right here and can hear you, right?¡±
¡°Good. Now stop fretting, and let¡¯s go admire the boys,¡± Saiya said with a grin.
They were all dressed for the soiree, all of them having agreed to match with their unofficial kingdom colors of black, gold, and purple. Rayna¡¯s suit was mostly black with gold embroidery, while Saiya¡¯s dress reflected the opposite, and both of them had rich purple scarves draped over their shoulders. Phoenix meanwhile wore mostly purple with black and gold beadwork covering it like stars, Patricia insisting once again that her Soul Mark be displayed prominently, but she had managed to secure a shawl as well, the shimmery gold fabric sparkling from her own semi-natural glow.
Saiya had been right in thinking their men deserved admiration. Both had cleaned up very well, and they were wearing nice suits in the local style. While Dazien wore a dark purple and looked excited, Uriel wore his usual black and looked uncertain, a match for her own feelings on the matter. It was only a few minutes later that a magical carriage made of opaque glass and steel hovered over the street to stop in front of their group.
Polissa Teras, along with Mohala, opened the door to allow them entrance and greeted Phoenix with the confident smile she remembered from their first meeting. Po had insisted that they all ride together to the party, making it clear to everyone and anyone that Phoenix had agreed to be her date. Phoenix wasn¡¯t quite sure about accepting the temporary claim on her, but when Patricia pointed out that it would likely keep too many others from approaching her, at least for the night, she let it go.
Phoenix found herself immediately wanting her own carriage as they climbed inside. It was much warmer than she had expected from the cold evening outside and filled with a pleasant scent. She found herself once again in awe of what magic replaced tech for compared to her old world. It was usually the little things that magic made more convenient which caught her attention the most, but she had to admit she hadn¡¯t seen much of the world yet.
The group fell into cheerful conversation and soon arrived at the Duke¡¯s Palace, the largest skyscraper in the entire city placed in the very center of it.
Entering the party was all the pomp and circumstance that Phoenix had expected it would be. Each pair that showed up was announced to the occupants already present in the grand ballroom, which was so large that it put her Noble Reveal to shame. The whole floor of the building was dedicated to the space, and the vast three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view of the city through the floor-to-ceiling windows was a statement all on its own.
Phoenix felt the tension release from her shoulders as she realized they wouldn¡¯t be dancing right away as people mingled and drank colorful, bubbly alcohol from tall, thin glasses. Polissa kept the conversation with her going as the summoner handed her one of the glasses she had snagged from a passing waiter that was filled with a bright red liquid.
Before Phoenix could even lift it to her lips, however, Uriel had swapped it with a blue one he was holding instead, ¡°Here, Princess, trust me when I say you¡¯ll prefer the sweetness of the blue to the spice of the red.¡±
He lifted his own glass politely towards Po and nodded. Polissa slightly blushed as she nodded in return, ¡°Thank you for the forethought, Mister Karislian. You¡¯ll have to tell me more about your preferences¡ Princess,¡± she said with an impish grin.
It took all of her willpower to hold back the groan of her latching onto the ridiculous nickname, and instead, she politely said, ¡°I¡¯m an open book to anyone who asks.¡±
¡°Is that so? Well, I guess I¡¯ll have to ask everything,¡± Polissa said as the group all moved to find a table and mingle.
When the dancing started, Phoenix did exactly as Dazien had suggested and let Polissa lead. Thankfully, she had been able to bring her dancing skills up to snuff quickly enough not to make a complete fool of herself, but she only did it a few times before claiming her quota had been met.
Her friends had been the biggest factor in helping her learn to relax and enjoy the merry atmosphere, surrounded by music, drinking, and laughter. It was a couple of hours later when the drink had started to take a much more prominent effect, and things started to go wrong.
She was chatting with Polissa and Saiya at one of the tables they had claimed for their group when she noticed Dazien talking with a group of young people that she actually recognized as part of the clique that used to hang around him at the Temple of the Warrior.
Uriel was standing slightly behind him as usual, even partaking in some of the conversation, this time with the other nobles. They seemed surprised but pleased that he was finally talking with them and saw it as a sign that perhaps Dazien accepted them as different from Murinah and Franz, who had made them more estranged.
It was when another cinderen boy she didn¡¯t recognize came up to the group that the conversation seemed to take a turn for the worse. He was a Sapphire Caster, but his aura was suffused with the tainted feeling of Monster Seeds. He also seemed a bit intoxicated as he walked up to Dazien and said loud enough for even her group to hear, ¡°Well if it isn¡¯t the pretty Wayland charity case.¡±
For his part, Dazien gave a respectful tilt of his head as he responded politely, ¡°Noble Kanthis. How good to see you made it to the soiree,¡± then added with an evil smirk, ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask how your mother has been doing during the investigation into siding with House Ruwena.¡±
¡°Doing better than you will be if you speak of her again, you polished turd,¡± the boy replied with a snarl, ¡°I bet your parents couldn¡¯t abide having such uncouth spawn that they abandoned you the first chance they got.¡±
Dazien¡¯s smile never faltered as he said calmly, ¡°My parents died during the last blood moon, much like many of your family members during this one,¡± then he twisted the dagger of his words as he pointed out, ¡°Mine, however, were captured and killed by cultists while defending people from monsters, but yours were the monsters that joined some cultists.¡±
The boy¡¯s face contorted in anger as he spat, ¡°You speak of monsters, but you keep one in your shadow.¡±
This time, the smile did fall from her brother¡¯s face as he spoke with cold sobriety, ¡°I warn you now, Noble Kanthis, tread carefully with your next words. While you may try to impugn my honor, I will not tolerate the same efforts levied at my family or friends.¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
¡°You call that thing a friend?¡± the noble cinderen said with disdain, then scoffed, ¡°It¡¯s more like a pet. A collared beast on a leash. I bet he even begs for¡ª¡± The words were interrupted as a fist met the boy¡¯s jaw and sent him crashing into the marble floor.
The controlled wrath evident in both his expression and aura made the Warrior King appear to tower over the other man as he said with what Phoenix recognized now as his magically empowered Royal Voice, ¡°I gave you fair warning. If you wish to continue, I will meet you on the roof for a duel you won¡¯t leave alive.¡±
Kanthis looked up in thinly veiled terror as he clutched his cheek in one hand and yelled back, ¡°You¡¯re as much of a beast as your pet is!¡±
Dazien seemed to almost flex with his aura as he crushed the inebriated noble¡¯s own into nothing. He then warned with a feral grin that Phoenix had never seen before, and it sent a shiver down her own spine, ¡°Oh, I promise you, I can be much worse than a simple beast to those who defy me.¡±
¡°Daze, that¡¯s enough,¡± Uriel said, placing a hand on his partner¡¯s shoulder, ¡°He¡¯s not worth your time or attention.¡±
The party leader retracted his aura back into its polite sphere as he seemed to shake off the intense visage of a lion about to pounce, ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said, then walked back over to their table. Many eyes followed him as he addressed Phoenix with a regretful smile, ¡°Sorry, Sister, but I think I¡¯ll take my leave for the night.¡±
He pointedly glanced around the room as he said, ¡°There are less honorable people here than I had been hoping to find. I¡¯ll see you at home later before we go visit the temples tomorrow. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve met with Warrior, but you know how busy we¡¯ve been. Do you mind giving us a quick portal back to the Sacred City?¡±
She nodded in agreement and watched with a frown as Dazien left with Uriel dutifully following behind him through the portal she conjured right there in the ballroom before quickly closing it behind them.
¡°Oh, he is good,¡± Polissa said from the seat next to her.
¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked in confusion.
¡°That little monologue at the end there,¡± she started to explain with a gesture to where the altercation had occurred, ¡°He basically placed himself as more honorable, well connected, and divinely favored than almost every other noble here. Nobody can really challenge the position either since they are well aware of their involvement, or lack thereof, in the little test Noble Kanthis provided.¡±
¡°Wait, what?¡±
¡°Wow, you really don¡¯t do politics, do you?¡± Po said with a skeptical look towards her.
She returned the look with her own exasperated one, ¡°Why would anyone want to do politics?¡±
¡°Well, most of the people watching could have stopped Kanthis from making a fool of himself or stopped him from confronting your brother in the first place. So they are complicit, if only peripherally, in the confrontation. Dazien called them out for it with that little statement about honor. There¡¯s not much place for honor in politics, really, only when it comes to keeping one¡¯s word. But Dazien there even went so far as to warn Kanthis before striking him, which upholds his honor, if only barely.
¡°Then he reminded everyone about who his new family was by addressing you directly and talking about your shared home and future plans together. He also reminded everyone that, before you showed up, he was the one considered favored by a god, with Warrior checking in on his training. This puts him almost on par with you, or at least someone like you, who¡¯s backed by divinity without actually being clergy. I wonder why Warrior doesn¡¯t mark him as one of the Chosen, now that I think about it. Finally, he pointed out that all of you have been busy fighting monsters on the wall, taking out cannibal cultists, and saving our city from annihilation repeatedly.¡±
Phoenix stared at her date with wide eyes as she sputtered, ¡°He did all that with what? Five sentences?¡±
¡°Yup,¡± the summoner confirmed with a nod, ¡°That¡¯s why I said he was good. While his Talent might be considered a bit of a cheat, I won¡¯t deny his capability with speech. It¡¯s probably a good thing to keep him as your party leader.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not planning on replacing any of my teammates,¡± Phoenix said, crossing her arms defiantly.
¡°I¡¯m glad; they¡¯re a good team that will hopefully keep you safe while fighting out on the tundra. The blood moon might be over, but there will still be some monsters to fight,¡± the suave woman said, then grinned and asked with a hand outstretched for her to take, ¡°For tonight, shall we dance?¡±
Phoenix was feeling rather relaxed as the party was winding down, and their group started to break off to return home, which she would provide a portal for, or go to various after-parties, which she believed Mohala and Rayna disappeared to. The city was still wide awake despite the late hour, and the streets were abuzz with celebratory energy.
She was walking down the hall with Polissa towards the entrance that would lead to the street where Po¡¯s carriage awaited, and Phoenix planned to portal back to the World Tree, where the rest of her friends were likely waiting for her return.
¡°I¡¯m glad you agreed to join me, Phoenix,¡± Polissa said, breaking her from her internal musings with the sound of her name. ¡°I¡¯ve been hoping for this since the day I saw you,¡± she said in a sultry tone that Phoenix recognized from movies but had never actually heard in real life.
It was the tone that came on right before the sections she had mostly ignored or would fast-forward through. Now, she was deeply regretting those choices as her mind panicked in search of the proper response. She falteringly managed to say, ¡°I, um¡ thanks?¡±
Po raised an eyebrow at her and asked, ¡°Did you enjoy tonight as well?¡±
¡°Yes, aside from that drunk noble insulting Daze and Uriel,¡± she admitted, ¡°And aside from the anxiety of dancing. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m really cut out for that kind of atmosphere.¡±
She contemplated more on the night, ¡°Watching Rayna and Mo dance from our table was much more fun than being out there myself and worrying about running into someone and tripping. The food and drink were good¡ though Uriel does cook better, I think, but maybe that¡¯s ¡®cause he¡¯s learned what I like? Oh, and the music was pretty great, too, but it could still really use some electric guitar. I think Saiya¡¯s been playing around with ideas for that, but I¡¯ll need to ask.¡±
Phoenix paused when she realized that Po had slowed in their walking and turned slightly to ask, ¡°Is something wrong?¡±
Polissa¡¯s nose wrinkled as she quietly asked, ¡°Did you enjoy any of the time spent with me, though?¡±
Her eyes went wide as she realized she must have messed up and thought back to everything that she had done with Po specifically. They had danced quite a bit since Phoenix had a really hard time telling her no when she seemed to like it so much. They had talked about random things but nothing especially interesting to her.
She had enjoyed the time together overall, but she was more than ready to go back home, collapse in her bed, and snuggle with Tala and a book. Maybe she¡¯d stop by Uriel¡¯s room and see if he had managed to make more cookies since his recent muffin spree.
¡°I mean, it was nice?¡± she said uncertainly, and the frown that showed on Polissa¡¯s face told her that wasn¡¯t the right response.
Po stopped moving completely as she got a sad smile and gently said, ¡°Mohala mentioned you might be heartbound and that it would take time for you to potentially develop romantic feelings for me¡ Rayna said it might not ever happen, and you might be what the dryads called veilborne. While I won¡¯t hold that against you, I think I realize now that the uncertainty is¡ heartbreaking in its own way for me.¡±
Phoenix frowned but wasn¡¯t sure what to say to help. She couldn¡¯t force her feelings to be a certain way. She could pretend her feelings were different, but that lie would likely hurt both of them even worse.
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she whispered, ¡°I told Mo and Ray that I would try, but¡ I just don¡¯t feel anything other than friendship for you. While that could change, I can¡¯t promise that it will.¡±
Polissa nodded and gave a deep sigh, ¡°Well, I had fun tonight, at least. I don¡¯t think I can keep doing this again, though. It¡ I can live with just being friends if that¡¯s all you can offer, but I think I¡¯m going to keep looking for someone who wants more than that with me.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she found herself repeating, unsure what else she could possibly say that wouldn¡¯t make things worse.
¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Starlight. Whether heartbound or veilborne, it¡¯s just another part of who you are and just means we¡¯re not compatible like I hoped. It¡¯s nothing to be sorry for. It¡¯s just how it is.¡±
Silence fell for a brief moment as the finality of that statement settled what their relationship would be. Phoenix gave a soft smile as all the nerves she had been feeling dissipated, ¡°Thanks, Po.¡±
¡°For what?¡±
¡°Being a great friend.¡±
50 - Power and Privilege
Dazien sat in one of the plush chairs encircling Paul as the slumbering Paladin floated in the air behind his protective magic. His body was tense as he leaned forward to prop his elbows on his knees and rubbed a hand over his face as if trying to wipe the memories of what he had just done from his eyes.
He had used that Voice again. Had seen the look of terror on that noble prick¡¯s face. Had reveled in his own strength and the performance he had managed to put on.
Only now, he was questioning how far he would have continued if Uriel hadn¡¯t pulled him back. He knew that Kanthis boy had been drunk and likely a pawn of some other House trying to test him. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure he had passed that test with his violent and domineering reaction.
¡°Rule of Caste,¡± he muttered to the air, ¡°Those with the power make the rules.¡±
¡°Little King seems agitated. Where is Little Storm?¡± Orebela whispered in his mind as she hovered nearby, slowly approaching as she spoke in that feminine monotone.
¡°He went to bake something, I think,¡± he replied with a shrug, ¡°He seemed to want some space. I don¡¯t think he enjoyed how I reacted tonight either.¡±
¡°What happened?¡±
¡°Politics that I¡¯m not entirely sure I¡¯m ready for now. I may have shown more cards than I intended, and I may have shown less composure than I had wished to,¡± he said and began roughly undoing the series of braids Patricia had helped weave together for him. They weren¡¯t the tight microbraids she had done for the memorial, but they were smaller than the singular large one that Phoenix would have done.
¡°So why is Little King here?¡±
Dazien gave a frustrated sigh as he looked back up at the man he considered his mentor, ¡°Because I didn¡¯t know who else to go to for advice.¡±
He looked back down at his hands, remembering the blood that had stained them two weeks ago when he last used his Royal Voice against an enemy ¡ªwhen he overpowered someone with both physical might and spiritual willpower.
¡°What if Phoenix was right, and I¡¯m becoming like the monsters I hunt? I could have easily killed Noble Kanthis tonight. If he had been drunker or I had been less forgiving. What if next time, I leap at the chance to punish someone who slights me?¡±
¡°Little King is sounding like Little Storm,¡± Orebela replied. ¡°Wayland knew that dealing karmic vengeance was not the same as rejoicing in cruelty. While Wayland wouldn¡¯t want that path for Little King, there is no shame in standing your ground and defending your honor.¡±
¡°What if I don¡¯t just defend but end up striking instead? What if I go too far and end up letting my power control me? If I can both charm and terrify people with my words now, what about when I¡¯m Emerald? Will Paul bow to my words when I¡¯m Ruby like him? How do I keep myself from taking advantage of others without even realizing I¡¯m doing it?¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s easy,¡± a familiar voice said from behind him, and he turned to see a rainbow voxen with a garnet gemite entering the room as Everin continued speaking, ¡°You just keep your friends beside you who will tell you what an arse you¡¯re being.¡±
¡°Avatar Starlark. Knight Thevaris,¡± he greeted in surprise, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were here in the Sacred City.¡±
¡°I asked Emissary Mint to be kind enough to provide us a portal via the portalist he was using when we saw you run off after that little confrontation,¡± Veldrix explained as the smaller gemite sat in a chair beside him, ¡°I¡¯ve seen that kind of scene play out at court hundreds of times, and it rarely changes. I¡¯ll admit that the amount of dominance on display was a bit unusual, though. What kind of ability causes that modulation to your voice?¡±
Dazien flushed in embarrassment before admitting quietly, ¡°My Familiar. He makes the intent behind my words known.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a powerful effect,¡± the garnet gemite responded, ¡°Made even more potent by your Talent, I believe.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t have much control over it yet. It¡¯s hard for me to train, too, since I dislike the idea of using it on my friends to try and command them to do things. I already messed up once with that, and I don¡¯t want to remind anyone about that.¡±
¡°You said it gives intent, right?¡± Everin asked as he sat on the other side of him, ¡°Like a taunt ability? Where they can ignore it, but it feels like a really bad idea to do so?¡±
¡°Basically,¡± Dazien confirmed, then glanced back toward Veldrix to ask, ¡°I¡¯ve mostly come to terms with what my Shiny Talent naturally does to people. It wasn¡¯t very strong, especially when I was a Mundane, and I¡¯ve put basic rules in place for myself to follow when it comes to forming new relationships. I¡¯ve learned not to second-guess every action someone else does, but now I¡¯m starting to doubt again. Do I have to fear every word I speak being the wrong one once I reach your level?¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Veldrix seemed to contemplate that for a bit as they observed the other Ruby Caster floating in the room before saying slowly, ¡°You can learn to control it. At least when it comes to the impact of your words and actions, but that¡¯s usually not in your favor. You shouldn¡¯t need to fear your words more than any other person, though. At the end of the day, no matter what you say or do, other people are responsible for their own actions.
¡°That boy tonight was the main one responsible for what happened to him. Nobody forced him to have too much to drink. Nobody blackmailed him into having disdain for you and your companion. Nobody threatened him to confront you. Nobody tricked him to drown his aura in Monster Seeds to get crushed by your own. While it may seem apathetic, he is responsible for those choices that led to his disgrace.¡±
¡°While I might not have Vel¡¯s centuries of experience,¡± Everin spoke up, wrapping his tails around himself like a shroud, ¡°I will add that you should never regret being stronger than your opponent. While I feel it my duty to encourage restraint when subjecting others ¡ªsince I doubt you¡¯re capable of abstinence¡ª I will never tell you not to use that strength to keep others from subjecting you.¡±
¡°But how do either of you stop from going too far?¡± Dazien asked, turning towards Veldrix, ¡°How do you keep from letting your anger not punish them more than they might deserve? While Noble Kanthis might have deserved that strike, I don¡¯t think he would have deserved to die, and I¡ª¡± he hesitated before looking back at Paul and admitting, ¡°If he had been drunk enough to go up to that roof, I would have followed through with my promise.
¡°You have so much power as both a Ruby Caster and the Royal Executioner,¡± he added to Veldrix, ¡°How do you not find yourself using it all the time?¡±
The knight gave a soft smile, ¡°Who said I don¡¯t?¡±
Dazien wasn¡¯t sure what to make of that. He had always had this mental picture of the honorable gemite knight loyally serving the crown, and the idea of that not being the case at all was jarring.
Veldrix chuckled, ¡°While I admit I don¡¯t normally go around throwing upstart, insufferable noble scions off roofs, I take advantage of my power and privilege all the time. I walked into this city and demanded answers from its ruler. I executed cultists on the spot without question. The only people I show deference to are my liege, Obsidian Casters, and my lovers, and even then, the former is with the goal of protecting the community in the capital that I care for.¡±
Everin added his own laughter and said, ¡°It actually gets easier to have restraint the higher Caste you become since fewer and fewer people have the desire to test you. Like Vel pointed out, they still won¡¯t mess with an Obsidian since it would be like trying to punch the sky for raining on us.¡±
¡°Everin makes a good point. It¡¯s good that you¡¯re contemplating these questions already,¡± the knight said, ¡°Refusing temptations can be difficult, and wanting help with that shows a promising desire to be a good person. However, I believe you might be overthinking this particular case, and it may serve you better to focus on gaining strength so people don¡¯t prod you like that again. Nobody is sacrificing young scions to test my own patience. Those with the strength to do so are smarter than what we saw and would have whatever punishment I dealt be well deserved.¡±
Dazien gave a heavy sigh, ¡°So it all comes back down to gaining more power and making my Voice an even stronger weapon. I feel like I¡¯ve come full circle with my worries.¡±
¡°I believe you can use that voice of yours as more than a weapon,¡± Everin said with a sly grin toward the two gemites, ¡°You said it gives intent. How does that work when it¡¯s for something pleasant rather than the threat of death?¡±
¡°Oh, there¡¯s an idea,¡± Veldrix replied, though they didn¡¯t elaborate as they returned the voxen¡¯s grin.
However, he was surprised by the question and uncertainly murmured, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve never thought about using it on anyone but an enemy before.¡±
¡°It may seem counter-intuitive,¡± Everin continued, ¡°But maybe you can find a volunteer among your party who would allow you to practice using this particular ability with more pleasant outcomes in mind¡¡±
¡°Like what?¡± Dazien asked, having trouble coming up with something.
¡°Well¡¡± Everin glanced back towards the door, which caused Dazien to follow the gaze and find Uriel leaning against the doorframe, watching them quietly.
Silence fell for a moment as the suggestion clicked into place, and he found himself standing as he adamantly replied, ¡°Absolutely not! I already messed up on that front, and I¡¯m not¡ª¡±
¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± Uriel¡¯s voice cut through his argument, and he stared at his partner in silent shock.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, but did you just agree to that?¡± he asked incredulously.
Uriel chuckled softly, ¡°Well, you and I already do other forms of exposure therapy like that, remember? You helped me get over a lot of my fears by making me feel safe while I confronted them; this seems fairly similar,¡± then he smirked and added, ¡°Besides, you already order me around in the bedroom.¡±
Dazien felt his face flush as he practically hissed, ¡°They didn¡¯t need to know that.¡±
Veldrix and Everin both began laughing, and the Avatar mercilessly informed him, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure anyone who has met you both and is aware of your relationship assumes that¡¯s what¡¯s happening.¡±
¡°Now, now, Everin,¡± the knight added to further embarrass him, ¡°Some people much prefer to experience the opposite of their everyday positions when in a more private setting. Perhaps the King prefers to bow when only the Seneschal is around.¡±
¡°Daze would never bow to another,¡± Uriel said in his defense, though he wasn¡¯t quite sure if it was a compliment or not when he added, ¡°Even at the cost of his own life, it seems.¡±
Uriel tilted his head back behind him as he added, ¡°I think we¡¯re due for an update to our rules anyway, right? I think that last Heart Check made some issues more apparent. I¡¯m ready to talk through some more things now,¡± he glanced at Everin then Veldrix before adding, ¡°In private.¡±
The two older Casters chuckled then stood as well, and Veldrix said, ¡°Well, that sounded like a dismissal from the Royal Seneschal, which I¡¯ve definitely heard my fair share of. The one in Blomstra is an even more insufferable noble than that young Kanthis boy this evening.¡±
All of them began leaving Paul¡¯s stasis room, and before they split off in different directions, Veldrix turned to Dazien and said, ¡°When you do manage to claim that kingdom of yours that I¡¯ve been hearing so much about, send me a missive, and I¡¯ll come to visit. I would like to see a monarchy led by a gemite who might offer them a safer haven than the rest of the surface world does.¡±
51 - Temptation
Uriel followed behind Dazien in his usual spot as they returned to the kingly room. He had been thinking over a lot about their relationship since their capture, and he finally felt ready to explain those thoughts to his partner.
As he sat on the sofa, Dazien conjured the golden door to his [Armory] and disappeared into it for a moment before returning with a small notebook. He knew that inside it, scrawled across many pages, lay the history of their relationship together, in a way. They used it to help clearly lay out the boundaries and expectations between them and had been using it since the day after the night they first became involved in a more romantic sense.
Dazien had been the one to insist on using it, having learned about it from the Priestess of the Lover, who helped guide him through relationships over the years, but Uriel found himself grateful for it as well during their time together.
¡°I know you said you¡¯d be willing to help me practice my Royal Voice more, but are you sure about that? We added not doing that to the rules back when I first summoned Rex and got the ability,¡± Dazien asked as he sat down next to him.
Uriel could tell Daze was nervous, but he knew now that he didn¡¯t want to have that rule anymore. ¡°I¡¯m sure. I think¡¡± he sighed, thinking of the best way to phrase his ideas before saying, ¡°I want to keep trusting you, Daze. I have trusted you already with so much, chosen to surrender everything to you, and I think I forgot that when we argued last.
¡°I was so hurt by the idea of destroying the person who mattered most to me that I let those emotions override the fact that one of the many reasons I love you is because you¡¯re the type of person willing to protect others over yourself. I shouldn¡¯t have gotten angry over you simply being who you are. Your powers¡ª your voice is part of that now. You¡¯re my king, and I never want to fear your commands.¡±
¡°That command wasn¡¯t fair,¡± Dazien interjected, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have hurt you¡ª¡±
¡°No, but I¡¯m not sure anything would have been fair in that situation. You tried to choose the best option, and I should have trusted in that choice.¡± He paused for a moment before adding, ¡°But I also don¡¯t want to be so bound by my past that your commands feel more like a compulsion than a request. I think facing this fear with the person I trust most will help us both. It will take away the advantage you have if I can still say no.¡±
Dazien nodded and looked down at the small notebook in his hands, ¡°I know we talked about this in depth when we first became physically involved, but you still hold the keys to your submission, Uriel. You can always tell me no if it¡¯s not something you want, too. I don¡¯t want to take something that you don¡¯t want to give. I¡¯m grateful that you grant me control. That you trust in me so completely. There are few words that can express how much that means to me, and I don¡¯t want to lose that because I made a mistake.¡±
He opened the book, navigated to the most recently written page, and asked, ¡°If you want to try getting over your fear of verbal commands and allow me to train my Royal Voice with you, then I¡¯ll update that rule in here, but I want to make sure you¡¯ll use our color system if it gets to be too much for you.¡±
¡°I know,¡± Uriel replied, giving a subtle smirk, ¡°Red if the order is too much. Gray to slow down. Golden to continue. We don¡¯t need to update those, do we?¡±
¡°They¡¯ve been working well so far, I think,¡± Dazien replied, scratching some notes onto the pages. Amethyst eyes glanced over at him and his partner added, ¡°I personally wanted to ask if we needed to update our messy list.¡±
¡°Why would we? We never really had one to begin with.¡±
¡°Well¡ I have family now,¡± Daze pointed out, ¡°When I first talked about that kind of list, you said it didn¡¯t matter because neither of us has family, and we were both okay with potentially courting the same person. You said you would never be interested in one of my exes but didn¡¯t care if I dated one of yours¡ which I¡¯d like to point out don¡¯t exist.¡±
¡°Why are you pointing it out?¡±
¡°I just noticed that you don¡¯t seek out others like I do and want to make sure you¡¯re not simply going along with my whims on¡ª¡±
¡°Daze, I really don¡¯t care who else you court as long as it doesn¡¯t mean throwing me aside. My feelings on that haven¡¯t changed.¡±
¡°Really? Because you did try to run¡ª¡±
He gave an exasperated huff, ¡°I know, and I¡¯m sorry for that. We¡¯ve both made mistakes, but I¡ I don¡¯t want to lose you. I think the fact that the mistakes we both made were for the sake of protecting others is proof that neither of us meant to hurt each other. We might stumble and mess things up, but if we both still work towards us, then nothing should tear us apart.¡±
Dazien gave him that brilliant smile that still took his breath away at times and replied, ¡°That makes me really happy to hear, Senesh. I agree wholeheartedly.¡± He tapped the notebook and said, ¡°This is part of that work. So, do I need to actually create that messy list? After the situation with Padma, I was thinking adding family as off-limits will help both of us avoid that unnecessary drama. Not really as a hard rule, since I prefer simply setting personal boundaries over limiting each other, but I know that you prefer to have clear rules to point towards, and this would give you a nice excuse to politely turn down any Waylands that may approach you again.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± he thoughtfully replied, then noticed Dazien¡¯s look of hesitation and prompted, ¡°Is there something else about that? Has Patric or some other Wayland approached you?¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
Dazien snorted a laugh before clarifying, ¡°No, nothing like that, it¡¯s just¡ Well, even though we¡¯re not blood-related, Phoenix is technically my sister now.¡±
Uriel stared at him for a long moment, letting the implication settle before asking, ¡°Are you hesitating because you actually are interested in her like that?¡±
Daze rolled his eyes, ¡°No, Senesh. While I can appreciate her beauty just as I do many others, she is very much not my type. You and she may be similar in some ways, but the things that make you different are also what make her and me incompatible in that regard. While I care for her, romance is definitely not there for us.¡± He paused and leveled a pointed look at him as he added, ¡°I¡¯m asking if you¡¯re interested in her like that.¡±
He blinked owlishly at his partner, the idea tumbling through his mind before he forcefully shoved it out and said firmly, ¡°I¡¯m her best friend, Daze. She doesn¡¯t want anything like that with anyone, let alone me.¡±
Uriel looked down at the notebook for a few breaths before resolutely saying, ¡°Add family to the messy list. You¡¯re right that it would make things much too complicated.¡±
Dazien watched him for another moment, then said, ¡°If you¡¯re sure. But remember: nothing is set in stone. We grow and change over time. That¡¯s why we do our Heart Checks and update this boundaries-book as needed. If we need to revisit this topic again in the future, just let me know. Alright?¡±
Uriel glanced up at his partner, and those unbidden thoughts threatened to tempt him with so much happiness that he knew he couldn¡¯t have and didn¡¯t deserve. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he nodded in agreement, ¡°Alright.¡±
Dazien¡¯s pen scratched more down in the book, and in an effort to distract himself from the suggested temptation, Uriel asked, ¡°Do you want to try using that voice with me now?¡±
A purple eyebrow raised up at him as Daze asked, ¡°Did you have something particular in mind for me to try starting out with?¡±
Uriel looked towards the golden doorway that held Dazien¡¯s equipment for both on and off the battlefield and suggested, ¡°You could try simply telling me what you plan to do with some rope and those pants that Xera got you that one Winter¡¯s Break.¡±
Dazien¡¯s smile turned wicked, ¡°That is a wonderful idea, my Seneschal.¡±
Phoenix stood in front of the door to Dazien¡¯s room, looking down at the little girl trying to block her path as though the world might end if she got past.
Presley was splayed out with tiny arms and legs forming an X across the door frame that had the label, ¡°Brother King and Storm Seneschal,¡± and Phoenix couldn¡¯t help but give a tired sigh, ¡°Look, I just wanted to check on them and ask for some advice. I know it¡¯s a bit late, but there¡¯s no way they¡¯ve gone to sleep yet, right?¡±
¡°Not yet, but¡ª¡±
¡°Then I¡¯m sure it¡¯s fine,¡± Phoenix replied with a roll of her eyes and knocked on the door above Presley¡¯s head.
¡°But they¡¯re busy!¡± her little sister retorted, suddenly trying to move Phoenix away from the door.
¡°What are you talking about? Is Daze training in that little sparring room again?¡± she asked, then realized she must have been mistaken when the door opened slightly, and slow music escaped from the warded room. The next clue was Dazien standing there in only pants, and they weren¡¯t the normal silvery training kind. Instead, they seemed to be some odd kind of tight black leather.
¡°Phoenix? Is something wrong?¡± her brother asked with a confused look.
She had only seen Dazien shirtless a handful of times and she wondered if he really had been in bed already. The pants were still throwing her off, but maybe that was just what he normally slept in. Well, since she already woke him up, she went ahead and said, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be asleep yet¡ª¡±
¡°Oh, I wasn¡¯t,¡± he interjected, then gave an amused smile as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorframe, ¡°Did you need something?¡±
¡°Just wanted to talk¡ is Uriel asleep already?¡±
That grin widened and became much more wicked-looking as Dazien replied, ¡°Not yet. However, he¡¯s a bit tied up at the moment.¡±
That confused her even more, and his smile made her wonder if he was somehow teasing her, which she simply wasn¡¯t in the mood for at the moment. She really just needed to talk with her best friend, and¡ well, she just wanted the reassurance she knew he could offer her.
¡°Is it something I can help him with or talk to you until he¡¯s ready?¡± she asked, trying desperately not to sound desperate. ¡°Or I can just sit quietly until you¡¯re both ready,¡± she added, taking a step forward to enter.
Dazien grabbed the door in an instant to halt her and said in a much more serious voice, ¡°No, sorry. If I let you in right now, I¡¯d be breaking about a dozen rules that I just finished updating.¡±
He glanced back into the room hidden by the door and said, ¡°Are you good to wait while I talk, or do you want me to undo that first so you can join us?¡±
Phoenix was completely baffled by the statement until Tala said in an almost pitying tone, ¡°The shiny one was having lovey time with the warm one, silly.¡±
¡°Oh. My. Gods. I am so sorry,¡± Phoenix said as she felt even her ears heat in a blush and she flipped around to make sure she didn¡¯t accidentally see something she definitely shouldn¡¯t. ¡°I can come back later! I didn¡¯t mean to¡ª¡±
Dazien laughed, ¡°It¡¯s fine, Princess. We¡¯re already interrupted and I¡¯m fairly certain our curiosity and worry for you would distract us at this point. Give us just a couple of minutes, and I¡¯ll come back to let you know we¡¯re golden.¡±
¡°Golden?¡±
¡°Ah, it just means good to continue. Anyways, just wait right here,¡± her brother said before shutting the door again.
Phoenix covered her face with her hands in embarrassment, wanting to just melt into the floor.
¡°I told you they were busy,¡± Presley unhelpfully said as the smug little Emanation looked up at her.
¡°You could have been a little more blunt about them being unavailable rather than just busy,¡± she pointed out in her defense.
¡°Auntie Pati said privacy was important! Did you want me to shout that they were naked at you?!¡±
¡°No! I just¡ I just need a more obvious hint about that type of stuff,¡± she replied, feeling the tears forming as she tried not to connect this same obliviousness to how she had hurt Polissa and failed miserably.
She was surprised a moment later when the door opened sooner than she expected. Dazien was standing there again, still shirtless but holding up a silver star with blue and purple gemstones embedded in it hanging from a silver chain as he announced happily, ¡°By the way, the adjustments we ordered for this to fit around Tala¡¯s neck were finished and¡ª AHG!¡±
The poor gemite¡¯s explanation was abruptly interrupted as Tala manifested in her larger form and practically mauled Dazien in an attempt to claim her shiny temptation.
52 - Sovereign
¡°You impossibly greedy little thing,¡± Dazien muttered at Tala as he sat on the couch, combing a hand through mussed hair. He was now fully clothed with Uriel, who was sitting beside him and sipping the hot cider that Phoenix had provided them in recompense.
¡°How is she possibly a match for you, who balks at shiny things?¡± Daze asked, still glaring at the preening bird. Tala was enjoying herself by showing off her new necklace to all who gazed upon her. ¡°Not to mention that peacocking behavior that begs for attention,¡± he continued, pointing a finger towards Phoenix, ¡°That¡¯s completely opposite to you.¡±
¡°Well, it sounds pretty similar to you, and you get along better with me than with her,¡± Phoenix pointed out, thoroughly enjoying the shock on his face at the subtle jab as she added, ¡°In my world, they called it ¡®opposites attracting¡¯ or something like that. Basically, the differences complement each other.¡±
Dazien glanced at his partner before muttering, ¡°I guess there¡¯s something to that.¡± He turned back to her and asked, ¡°So, what exactly did you want to talk about? Did something terrible happen after we left?¡±
Phoenix flushed in embarrassment, taking a sip of her own cider before murmuring into the cup, ¡°It seems silly now¡ definitely not worth interrupting you two for.¡±
¡°While I appreciate the remorse since I was rather looking forward to that,¡± Dazien said with an amused smile, ¡°You have our attention now, so out with it. What happened?¡±
¡°I just¡ I don¡¯t know,¡± she scrunched her nose at her own confused thoughts before saying in a rush, ¡°I guess I just want reassurance that I¡¯m not¡ Well, that I¡¯m not a terrible person for going on a date with Po even though I didn¡¯t have those kinds of feelings for her¡ She asked, and Mo and Ray said I should at least try, and even you have said I won¡¯t know what I like if I don¡¯t try something first, but I just feel¡ I feel like it¡¯s somehow my fault for not wanting to touch or be touched by her¡¡±
As they both stared at her in blank surprise, she felt those traitorous tears form again and struggled to explain, ¡°Like, I don¡¯t know what to do to fix that broken piece inside of me that¡¯s supposed to love like that¡ the way you two do¡¡±
Dazien¡¯s expression softened into one of sympathy as he said, ¡°Oh, Princess.¡± Then he moved the short distance from sofa to chair and pulled her into a hug, ¡°That¡¯s not something you should ever think of as broken. Sometimes, people just don¡¯t feel that, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with that. Nobody can control how they feel. I¡¯ve struggled for a long time with that fact. All we can attempt to control is our reaction to those feelings, and I would never suggest faking love or forcing yourself into a physical relationship.¡±
Uriel spoke up then as he tried to reassure her as well, ¡°I know the group talks about our relationships from time to time, but it¡¯s okay to not be ready for that. You shouldn¡¯t feel like you have to¡ be physical with someone just to be a good partner.¡±
¡°But that¡¯s what¡¯s expected, right?¡± she asked through held-back tears, ¡°Isn¡¯t that why people, you know, date or court or whatever?¡±
He nodded in acquiescence, ¡°Maybe, but that¡¯s not the only reason¡¡± He paused, then asked hesitantly, ¡°If that¡¯s what you thought was expected, why did you even go?¡±
She felt a bit lost for words at first, pulling away from her brother before confessing, ¡°I¡ I just wanted to be normal¡ it¡¯s normal for people to do that kind of stuff, right?¡± She looked between the two partners, searching for the answer to all the questions she had. They must know the answers, after all, since they obviously felt what she didn¡¯t seem to be capable of.
Dazien gave her a soft smile and said with amusement, ¡°Phoenix¡ I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ve been paying attention, but you¡¯re not ¡ªnor will you ever be¡ª normal. Normal¡¯s not really your thing, nor mine for that matter.¡±
He gently cupped her face in his hands, wiping the now-falling tears with his thumbs, and added with a grin, ¡°Besides, you are so much more than just normal. You are literally from out of this world.¡±
Phoenix let out a laugh that released the pent-up tension in her body as it mixed with her tears. She pulled back slightly to wipe her eyes with her sleeves, trying to get herself back under control.
¡°Sure, but I thought maybe this part was something I could change, you know? Maybe if I just tried and actually thought about it more¡¡±
¡°Love doesn¡¯t work like that, Princess,¡± Uriel said quietly, ¡°If anything, I feel like it sneaks up to surprise us when we least expect it, whether we want it to or not.¡±
¡°Like I said,¡± Dazien interjected, ¡°You can¡¯t control your feelings, but you can work to cultivate them too. Our actions and experiences constantly adjust our feelings and reactions.¡±
¡°To step away from the whole tangle of romance,¡± Uriel interjected, ¡°Daze and I have worked together to help me change my reaction to certain fear triggers. I don¡¯t fear being touched or tied up anymore, for example. We¡¯re working on the ordering still,¡± he added with a smirk towards his partner.
He looked back to her then and pointed out, ¡°You don¡¯t hesitate in combat anymore like you used to once in a while. You talk with us all a lot more and trust us. Those are all feelings that were cultivated over time.¡±
¡°I believe if romance is something you truly want to experience someday, Phoenix, then it¡¯s something you can achieve,¡± Dazien said as he leaned back in his seat and wrapped an arm around Uriel along the sofa back, ¡°It might not look exactly like how others practice it, but you have an eternity to find the right person or people, after all. Someone who matches what you need and is willing to be patient and help work towards whatever level of intimacy you¡¯re comfortable with.
¡°They should be willing to meet your pace instead of trying to force you to meet theirs. While I believe compromise is required for every type of relationship, everyone has their limits, and those boundaries should always be respected,¡± he finished firmly.
¡°So, your advice is to just be patient and hope I stumble into the person who can handle my mess?¡±
Both of them chuckled, and Uriel added, ¡°I think that¡¯s how it happens for most people,¡± he glanced towards his partner, ¡°Some are just a bit more proactive in that stumbling part. They put themselves out there, run into more people, and take more risks to see if they¡¯re a match, but it¡¯s still all stumbling around and searching for someone compatible enough.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
¡°I will warn that more risks often result in more pain,¡± Dazien said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat, ¡°The plus side of not jumping into potential relationships is less chance of a nasty breakup to deal with.¡± He shook his head at some hidden memories before adding with a smile, ¡°But I¡¯ve found the good times often outweigh those heartaches.¡±
¡°I know you¡¯ve mentioned having exes before, but I think I just assumed you were the one to end all of those,¡± she murmured thoughtfully, wondering how much heartbreak someone as beautiful and coveted as him had actually experienced.
Her brother got a pained expression on his face and opened his mouth to respond when a heavy presence filled the room. A softly glowing man was lounging in what appeared to be an ornate, golden, plush throne across from them in front of the hearth, and a deep voice informed her, ¡°Dazien has an excellent habit of never allowing others to dominate him. He may show a bit too much mercy and generosity at times, but he has never surrendered his rule.¡±
The stranger looked like an odd kind of cinderen at first glance. Instead of embers, his eyes looked like molten gold, and his hair was also a golden blonde. Atop his head was a large golden crown, and he was adorned in expensive-looking golden armor with black pants. He was shirtless, with glowing veins appearing all over his skin, much like she had noticed the cinderen in Tulimeir having on their arms, necks, and around their eyes, but not on their whole torsos like that. The other major difference was that his complexion was a dark purple rather than the different shades of coal she had usually seen.
The visage of him sitting there brought only a single comparison to her mind, though, as she blurted out, ¡°Thanos?!¡±
The deity raised a brow at her in silent question, and Dazien spoke softly to her, ¡°He¡¯s appearing as a Volcanic Cinderen. They mostly live on eastern Vaara, the continent to the south of us.¡±
¡°They also have one of the most powerful rulers among the cinderen species at the moment,¡± the deity pointed out. ¡°The Ashen Cinderen here have yet to truly impress me.¡±
¡°I¡¯m going to go with the god of kings then?¡± Phoenix said, crossing her arms over her chest almost instinctively from being so near a deity again. She was definitely not in the mood for another visit from a divine being and added a bit flippantly, ¡°I don¡¯t remember what your name was, though.¡±
The god gave a slight smirk that unnerved her as he said, ¡°So defiant in the face of power, yet we all know you¡¯re willing to bow when it suits you.¡±
He then glanced over towards Uriel and a look of disdain settled onto his face, ¡°And this one actually begs to bow. No desire for authority at all,¡± he added with a sniff before refocusing on Phoenix. ¡°At least you finally decided to stop running from your position as a Saint. If you took more interest in leadership, you might be a bit more interesting to me.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, but did you need something?¡± she interrupted, not liking his dismissal of her best friend in the slightest, ¡°Or did you just come here to tell us how not-interested you are, Mr. King God? Or should I call you Zeus? Odin, maybe?¡±
The glowing deity chuckled and gave the barest flex of his aura that caused all three of them to double over at the sheer weight of its power; all of them were reminded in an instant that the god of absolute authority was sitting before them. While the gods might not be able to touch physical reality outside their sanctuaries, the pressure on their souls was suffocating.
¡°Remind her who I am,¡± the god ordered with amusement.
¡°Sovereign,¡± Uriel replied instantly, bracing himself on his knees as he tried to remain sitting and bowed his head, refusing to look up at the divine being. Dazien, on the other hand, had remained silent and raised his head to glare at the god trying to impose his will upon them.
Phoenix followed her brother¡¯s example as she glared up at the Sovereign, forcing herself to sit up straight. She wanted to chastise him for talking down to them, but the way he smirked at her killed the words before they left her lips.
Sovereign gave a deep chuckle and said, ¡°That was a wonderful look, you two, and a valiant effort, but alas, the Princess here knows when to hold her tongue and let others walk all over her.¡±
¡°Is that what you¡¯re doing?¡± she asked, antagonized by his words, ¡°Showing how much better you are by walking over a pair of Sapphire Casters and a Crystal? I might hold my tongue at times, but I¡¯ll never bow to someone like you.¡±
¡°I think you¡¯re confusing tact with submission, Lord Sovereign,¡± Dazien added as he, too, sat straighter and smirked, ¡°My sister has never bowed when her core values or the lives of others were at stake. I know you¡¯ve seen her defiance¡ª¡±
¡°Defiance is not dominance, young Dazien,¡± the god stated firmly, ¡°You would be remiss to conflate the two.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to dominate others,¡± Phoenix said, not liking the implications of the word. It also vaguely reminded her of the conversation she had with the Warrior so long ago about controlling her fate. She believed dominance meant taking control, and that wasn¡¯t something she had ever thought about wanting.
He barked a laugh, startling her and diffusing the tension as he leaned back. His aura greatly diminished as he said, ¡°I know, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here. While I admit my pleasure at seeing that Soul Tyrant Title of yours, I realize that it came more from necessity than desire. Still¡ it does show at least a willingness to rule when needed.¡±
¡°You want me to rule?¡± she asked in confusion.
The god chuckled again, ¡°While that would be lovely and cause my sister much annoyance that I could revel in for millennia, that is not why I¡¯m here. I¡¯m here for a simple offer.¡±
Sovereign glanced towards the still submissive mage as though contemplating something, and Phoenix took the pause to clarify, ¡°So, you want to trade, too?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± he stated, then turned back and gestured with a dismissive wave towards Uriel as he stated, ¡°If he and you both join my clergy ¡ªmake vows of a disciple¡¯s dedication¡ª then I can¡ fix the power that keeps that collar around his neck so that he won¡¯t need it anymore.¡±
That made Uriel finally look up to join her and Dazien in staring at the god in utter shock and bewilderment.
So many questions flooded Phoenix¡¯s mind again.
Sovereign could fix powers? What did he actually mean by ¡°fix¡±? He didn¡¯t want to mark her, just¡ recruit her? And Uriel? She thought he hadn¡¯t been interested in either of them, but he was suddenly showing up in person to ask them to join his clergy?
She finally managed to ask, ¡°So, you want both of us to literally bow to you?¡±
¡°You already bow to this one,¡± Sovereign pointed out, gesturing toward Dazien, then pointed at each of them in turn, ¡°If Uriel Karislian and Phoenix Wayland dedicate yourselves to me, I can easily fix that pesky little transfigured aura problem.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t want me, as well?¡± Dazien asked with a raised brow.
¡°You never bow, not like that, and I¡¯d rather you keep that up than try to sacrifice that out of¡ love,¡± the god practically spat the last word as though it left a dirty taste in his mouth, ¡°You really should let go of such a weakness. Though I doubt even my words will convince you of that.¡±
¡°Why do you want us?¡± Phoenix asked, hoping to get more information out of the deity. This particular god seemed to be more on the talkative side than most of the others¡ except maybe Scholar.
¡°Why do any of my siblings?¡± the kingly god retorted with a shrug as though it was of little concern, ¡°You¡¯re just another pawn in a game among the divine, and I¡¯m taking a turn. They gave you gifts in exchange for marking your soul and accepting their quests,¡± then he added with a tone of innocence that was difficult for Phoenix to believe was genuine, ¡°I merely want to help your friend and bring you into my temple.¡±
She narrowed her eyes at him skeptically, ¡°You don¡¯t want to mark my soul too?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think it would take,¡± he said with an annoyed look, then explained, ¡°The type of soul my mark would need would be one that would never accept it. I have never been able to grant a Soul Mark because of this paradox.¡±
He leaned back in his chair with a reminiscent look and a smug smile, ¡°No, I make my favorites known in other ways.¡± Then he asked nonchalantly, ¡°Now, will you accept my offer?¡±
53 - Limits
Phoenix noticed Uriel flinch at the god¡¯s usage of the word ¡®Now,¡¯ and she wondered if that had been intentional on Sovereign¡¯s part, but her best friend was the first to respond, ¡°No.¡±
His strong retort surprised both her and Dazien as Uriel finally seemed to work up the nerve to speak.
The god shrugged, ¡°I can deal without your acceptance; it was more of a sweetener anyway. What about you, Saint?¡±
¡°She won¡¯t either,¡± Uriel replied adamantly in her stead.
Sovereign rolled his eyes and gestured towards Phoenix, ¡°The offer was to her. It is her choice to trade. Go back to bowing your head, Chosen of Destroyer.¡±
Uriel almost growled as he said, ¡°You forgot to mention it was her freedom she would be trading. All of your clergy are practically enslaved to your will. I don¡¯t want your gift if it means clipping her wings.¡±
The god narrowed his eyes at Uriel, then shifted that gaze over to her brother before saying thoughtfully, ¡°I think I might have to keep a closer eye on you, Dazien, if he¡¯s willing to capitulate to you but not to me.¡±
¡°He actually cares about our desires while you just want to control us,¡± Uriel countered, but Phoenix noted the slight tremble of his hands as he gripped his pant legs in an attempt to mask his fear.
Sovereign donned a look of irritation as he suddenly focused his gaze on Uriel and stated harshly, ¡°If Dazien is truly of my ilk and seeks to be a king, then he seeks to control as well, boy.¡±
The god gave a wolfish grin as he added, ¡°I know you¡¯re aware of this. That¡¯s exactly what you desire from him, after all. Do you think us deities can¡¯t see what happens behind closed doors?¡±
Phoenix flushed in embarrassment at the reminder of what she had almost walked in on, but Sovereign interrupted those curious thoughts as he asked, ¡°Well, Saint? Do you accept?¡±
He gestured towards Uriel, ¡°Freedom for your friend in exchange for service to me?¡± Then he gave another unnerving smile and added as though trying to sweeten the deal, ¡°I might even be able to help with getting your brother that kingdom he desires. You could make both of your closest friends¡¯ dreams come true with a single simple agreement.¡±
She looked at him suspiciously. For some reason, this god rubbed her the wrong way, and she didn¡¯t like how he spoke down to all of them, even if he was a divine being that could crush them with a single stretch of his aura or send some temple minions to end them.
¡°Why would you offer all of that?¡± she asked, ¡°Those aren¡¯t insignificant things you¡¯re willing to trade just for¡ what? Worship?¡±
The god of kings glanced towards the ceiling and admitted with a casual wave of his hand, ¡°There may be a few side benefits I gain from the offers, but it¡¯s a win all around.¡±
¡°For you but not her,¡± Uriel rebuked again before turning to address her instead, ¡°Don¡¯t accept, Phoenix. I won¡¯t take his so-called gift. He can¡¯t force it on me, whatever it is.¡±
¡°I¡¯m offering a Conversion Cultivation,¡± Sovereign interjected with a grin, ¡°While an extremely rare offer, they are not unheard of. I¡¯m not selling snake oil if that¡¯s what you were implying.¡± He gestured toward Dazien, ¡°I believe this one has even read about them before while studying ways to save you.¡±
She and Uriel both turned to look at Dazien in surprise, and he got an awkward expression on his face as he tried to explain, ¡°Scraps of legend and rumors. There was almost as much about that as there was on Kindred Spirits. I was hoping to look into it more when we reached a better library, but I didn¡¯t want to get anyone¡¯s hopes up. Those same scraps usually implied an extremely heavy cost.¡±
Uriel¡¯s gaze shifted to her as he continued pleading, showing more emotion than she normally saw from him, ¡°I still won¡¯t let you sacrifice everything for me. We can find another way. I¡¯ll train my aura harder, okay? Maybe find another tutor for it? Please¡ for once, don¡¯t sacrifice yourself; I¡¯m begging you.¡±
She looked at him for a long while, contemplating what the deity had offered. A small part of her admitted it was a tempting proposition, but the look on her friend¡¯s face was reason enough for her to acquiesce, ¡°Okay, Uriel,¡± she said before turning towards the lavishly dressed god. Putting on an overly polite facade, she said with a smirk, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have to decline your offer, Sovereign. Our Seneschal has given his advice, and I¡¯m inclined to heed it.¡±
¡°Pity,¡± he practically spat before waving a hand to clear the air between them and saying indifferently, ¡°No matter, though, I have other plans in place. Maybe I¡¯ll go check in on the other Wayfarer that seems to be more your opposite.¡±
¡°What?¡± she replied, her mind instantly thinking of Jin, but the god vanished without so much as a goodbye, ¡°Well, that was just rude,¡± she said in annoyance.
Then she turned back to her friends but was surprised to find Uriel burying his face in his hands and trembling all over. Dazien had wrapped an arm around those broad shoulders and was looking at his partner in concern.
She found herself moving to kneel in front of him, placing a hand on his knee, and asked in concern, ¡°Uriel? What¡¯s wrong?¡±
His voice faltered as his pent-up anxiety seemed to overwhelm him with the god¡¯s disappearance, ¡°You¡ª you refused him¡ you refused the Sovereign¡ for me.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that what you wanted?¡± she asked in confusion, glancing over to Dazien, who shrugged in equal confusion.
¡°Yes. I just¡ª¡± Uriel lifted his head just enough to meet her eyes as he admitted, ¡°I didn¡¯t fully expect you to listen to me¡¡±
She gave him a soft smile, ¡°I might be stubborn sometimes¡ Dazien and Tala have both been helping to point that out recently, but I¡¯ll always listen to you, Uriel. I might not agree,¡± she added looking back at her brother, ¡°But after that last argument I had with Daze, I realized I need to at least listen to both sides.¡±
¡°You made it clear that this was beyond your limits,¡± Dazien added softly to Uriel before smiling at her, ¡°And I think you recognized that and respected that boundary just like we talked about earlier. It doesn¡¯t always need to be some grand agreement on paper, but knowing each other¡¯s limits and honoring those is something we can all do for each other and remind ourselves to keep getting better at.¡±
He rubbed his partner¡¯s back as he added with a small smirk toward Phoenix, ¡°I think a new boundary for you in particular, though, will be to only knock during sleep time if it¡¯s an actual emergency.¡±
She ducked her head in embarrassment and murmured, ¡°Yes, King.¡±
¡°Thank you,¡± he replied with a grin, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, then, can we retire for the night? We¡¯re going to the Temple District tomorrow to visit Scholar, and I have unfinished business to discuss with our Seneschal.¡±
Both Phoenix and Uriel blushed brightly at that, and she began explaining, ¡°I was just trying to play up the Princess role! I wasn¡¯t¡ª I didn¡¯t mean¡ª¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Dazien laughed, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m mostly teasing, but right now, I¡¯m really just trying to kick out my little sister so I can be alone with my partner. Apparently, I need to be as blunt as Rayna¡¯s fist for you to take those kinds of hints. So, while it might be awkward, that¡¯s what I¡¯m going to do if that¡¯s alright with you?¡±
¡°Well, it¡¯s better than accidentally walking in on something I definitely don¡¯t want to see and making things even more awkward,¡± she replied with a heavy sigh of resignation.
A few moments passed as she thought about if there was some kind of system or code they could work out to help her get the hints without being so awkwardly overt when Dazien cleared his throat and said, ¡°Hey, Princess?¡±
She glanced up, still distracted by some of the ideas running through her head, as she idly replied, ¡°Yeah?¡±
¡°Get out.¡±
¡°Ah, right,¡± she glanced toward Uriel, whose cheeks were glowing brighter than she had ever seen them before, and she scrambled for the door, babbling the whole way, ¡°I¡¯m just gonna¡ª yeah, um, sorry. I, um, thanks again for the advice and¡ª you know, the god stuff¡ª¡±
¡°Get out!¡±
Veldrix had been glad to have woken up from their Evolution Recovery a few days ago, just in time to bury Dazien¡¯s mother and go to the soiree with Everin. It was their first official ¡°date¡± that the voxen had finally worked up the courage to ask them on. It was sort of testing the waters, since they were also able to use the excuse of not having any other person of suitable station to attend the party with.
Most heads of the noble houses were already married, with Paul being a notable exception, and with Kara gone, nobody in Tulimeir even came close to Veldrix¡¯s Caste level. However, Everin had the unique social position of being the Avatar to two deities which helped fill in that gap.
The knight still refused to initiate anything beyond making their openness known and was patiently waiting to see if the younger man might make the leap. When he did, the first thing Vel told him was, ¡°I¡¯ll go at your pace, but I¡¯ll let you know if I¡¯m uncomfortable with anything and hope you do the same. Let me know what your limits are.¡±
¡°What about yours?¡± Everin had asked.
¡°I¡¯ve discovered that I don¡¯t have many,¡± Veldrix said, not feeling ashamed but trying to quietly explain, ¡°I¡¯ve done much that most would find uncomfortable. My true limits lie beyond the bedroom, where I often don¡¯t have a say in things.¡±
Everin had stared at them for a long moment before asking in barely more than a whisper, ¡°Who would ever not give you a say in something like that? You¡¯re one of the strongest¡ª¡±
¡°I have people to protect and a liege that I serve in order to keep them safe,¡± they said before gently admitting, ¡°While I¡¯m not exactly proud of everything I do outside of being their Executioner, I¡¯m not going to hide it, especially from someone asking me out on a date. That¡¯s not something you should need to worry yourself over, though. I just want to make that part of my life clear to you before you get more involved with me.¡±
¡°So, you¡¯re telling me that the Royal Knight Veldrix Thevaris, the Pyre Executioner by day, is reduced to¡ what? A toy at night? A shiny trinket to entertain those vile royals with?¡±
¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m saying,¡± Vel replied with a firm nod.
¡°That¡¯s abusive¡ª¡±
¡°That¡¯s reality. For me, at least,¡± they interrupted, not wanting to argue the point, ¡°I¡¯m well aware of what it is. I just want you to be aware of that before taking things beyond flirting.¡±
To Veldrix¡¯s surprise, Everin replied with a smirk and naive optimism, ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll just have to start a rebellion in your heart to free you from their tyranny.¡±
The party itself had been pleasant for the most part, filled with dancing and alcohol too weak to actually affect Veldrix¡¯s new Obsidian Fortitude. Everin abstained from any alcohol, apparently no longer interested in the intoxicating effects after some poor decision-making in the past that he hadn¡¯t elaborated on.
It was slightly amusing in a nostalgic sort of way for the knight as they watched the drunk noble confront the young Dazien, who had most recently joined their ranks. The dominance put on display was slightly overkill, in their opinion, but it did send a very clear message to everyone watching.
Veldrix was certain that this city wouldn¡¯t be kind to the gemite orphan who looked so different from the cinderen and runeforged that made up its majority. Dazien¡¯s unyielding attitude would serve as both a warning and a challenge to many.
The only reason the knight wasn¡¯t openly confronted was exactly what they had told Dazien a mere three hours ago. The Rule of Caste didn¡¯t care about what species, gender, age, or background one had; it only cared about magical power.
While that kept Veldrix safe from most forms of harassment, that rule alone couldn¡¯t keep all the gemites in the capital safe from all the other Ruby and Obsidian Casters out there. They needed the extra strength behind the monarchy to ensure their safety, too.
Veldrix thought they had made that duty clear to Everin. So, it came as a surprise when he turned towards them in their currently shared bed to say, ¡°We¡¯re going to Scholar''s Temple tomorrow to talk about Phoenix¡¯s divine quest, and since Scholar is letting you know, I wanted to ask if you¡¯d come with us on the journey to help save Tyrand.¡±
They blinked, trying to piece together how Everin went from consoling Dazien to dragging them to bed and having a lovely time that didn¡¯t involve Veldrix feeling like an object to be fought over between two disgruntled spouses, then to asking them on some random quest to the other side of the continent.
It honestly felt a bit manipulative at first for him to ask while neither of them had clothes on, and the only word Veldrix could come up with was, ¡°What?¡±
¡°Now that the blood moon is over, I believe we¡¯ll all be leaving imminently to help her with it. I¡¯m sure you know how far it is. Took me about two months to get here, and that was with spending a hefty amount of Bits for some portal jumps. We¡¯re going to be traveling the scenic route, however, as we search for some misplaced artifacts. I, for one, would be ecstatic if you¡¯d come with us. We could use your strength, and I would love to do this again,¡± he said, gesturing up and down the bed.
It sounded like a lovely adventure. The sort of journey they had often dreamed of going on as a child after listening to their parents talk about their own. Veldrix hadn¡¯t been allowed to leave the safety of their city in the Underdeep. It wasn¡¯t safe out in the world for a child that would originate an entire species, which the Cultivator¡¯s clergy was more than happy to help with.
Once they were deemed strong enough and finally took the step to leave that safe haven, they ended up in this small corner of the world, bound to their ideals of knighthood and fostering the growth of their gemite descendants ¡ªa community that depended on the Royal Executioner to provide their protection.
Veldrix sat up, pulling the blanket up over their chest as they ran a hand through their garnet hair and said, ¡°What are you talking about? I can¡¯t just leave Tulim or Blomsterang on a whim for some quest I know nothing about.¡±
Everin frowned and propped himself up on an arm as those wonderful tails wrapped around him, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you about it now. Scholar just told me a few minutes ago that I could inform you about it now, so that¡¯s what I¡¯m doing. Why do you seem upset?¡±
¡°Because you never said you were planning to just sleep with me and then leave the country!¡±
Veldrix took a breath, then shook their head. They should have known better. They knew this was just going to be some light fun, but the way Everin seemed to just assume they could abandon everything¡ª
¡°I don¡¯t understand, you know I¡¯m not from here. Rebel¡¯s clergy don¡¯t usually stay in one place unless there¡¯s an active rebellion going on. I thought I made that clear earlier when we talked about my travels.¡±
He moved to sit on his knees instead and gently brushed more of the hair out of their face as he said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning to just use you like those vile royals. I want you to come with me¡ stay with me. I like how soft you become with me¡ like this. I don¡¯t want it to end just because my duty calls me away.¡±
Veldrix relaxed at his touch and words but shook their head, ¡°My duty is here. I am a Royal Knight. I¡ª¡±
¡°Have to go back to being used by the crown?¡± Everin scowled, ¡°You''re more powerful than them. Why would you kneel to such wickedness and blatant abuse of authority? You told me how bored and discontent you were becoming in the capital. Executing people for a queen who is apparently no better than the ones she sentenced to death. Just forget about them and choose your own happiness for a change!¡±
Veldrix stood from the bed, retrieving their clothes now that they realized Everin was going to get angry with their next words. As they finished dressing, they turned to face him and bluntly said, ¡°Unlike you, I won¡¯t simply abandon my position because I¡¯m unhappy. I won¡¯t risk the lives of my people just so you can have a playmate on whatever quest you¡¯re chasing after. Unlike you, I have responsibilities that I take seriously. I enjoy my time with you, Everin, but right now, you¡¯re not more important than my duty.¡±
As they expected, the look on Everin¡¯s face turned from shock to hurt to anger as he moved in a blur of colors to put his clothes back on and retorted, ¡°Well, forgive me for believing you were worth more than being some royal toy and thinking you actually cared about me, too. I didn¡¯t realize that staying with me and choosing your own autonomy would be beyond those limits you claimed to have so few of.¡±
Then he fled from the room without even a goodbye.
54 - To Serenydi
Phoenix always enjoyed visiting the Temple of the Scholar as it held her favorite items en masse: books. The smell of parchment and ink and the comfortable silence only broken by the occasional scratch of a pen was something she wanted to hold onto. She tried to add a mental note to return here more often now that things were starting to slow down.
When her party arrived at their destination, she was surprised to find other people she hadn¡¯t been expecting gathered in the short hall that led into the inner sanctum where she had first met the goddess and gotten her mark and first Knowledge Tomes.
Her cousin, Camilla, was fidgeting nervously as Knight Thevaris spoke softly, and Everin stood next to her. The shy researcher didn¡¯t seem afraid of the Ruby Caster, at least, as they attempted to include her in the conversation. However, Everin seemed more subdued than normal, only nodding or shaking his head in response as he looked around the room.
Her aunt, Patricia, was also there already, but she seemed to be busily swiping and typing on that glass tablet that Phoenix never saw her without anymore. She wondered if perhaps Jacob might be able to recommend a mind mender that specialized in tablet-addiction¡
Her thoughts were interrupted as the door to the inner sanctum opened, and Priest Lester, who had originally guided Phoenix here on her first day in the city, smiled and greeted them all with a polite bow, ¡°Welcome, honored guests. Now that all of you are here, my Lady Scholar wishes to address all of you together.¡±
The group then made their way into the inner chamber where the goddess was already present and glowing in all of her tiny divine glory, offering all of them a brilliant smile as she spoke with the child version of Phoenix¡¯s face once the doors were closed, ¡°Since everyone already knows everyone, why don¡¯t we skip the pleasantries and get straight to why I brought all of you here: the sharing of knowledge and learning new things!¡±
Scholar gestured to Camilla first as she said, ¡°Camilla Saren here has news about the little plot she originally stumbled upon, which most of you spectacularly stumbled head-first into. I¡¯m glad Veldrix Thevaris managed to take care of most of them in Tulim, but she has more information, and I ask that you hold your questions until the end.¡±
The shy brunette looked around wide-eyed before nodding and readjusting her glasses as she spoke in a more practiced voice, ¡°Yes. I discovered that the victims that had been marked for trade weren¡¯t all intended for the DOD but for another branch of the Scarlet Banquet, as Noble Wayland would have been. Most of the ledgers had been written with a code. The Ducal Guards let me take a look at it, and I was able to deduce that the branch was located in Serenydi.¡±
The researcher glanced over at Dazien, not meeting his eyes but taking in his hair as she added, ¡°I believe Noble Wayland¡¯s biological father, James Smithson, to have been taken there during the previous blood moon over sixteen years ago.¡±
Phoenix could sense her brother tense slightly beside her, but he didn¡¯t look her way as she spared a glance towards him in concern. It was Scholar who spoke next, though, ¡°Thank you, Camilla Saren. Exceptional work as always.¡±
Then the child-like goddess gestured to the garnet gemite, ¡°I believe you have something to add in regards to that particular location, Veldrix Thevaris.¡±
The knight nodded and glanced toward Phoenix as they spoke to the group, ¡°I¡¯ve been using my own methods for tracking down information since I awoke after we raided the cannibal lair. I had managed to get a missive sent requesting some assistance from old contacts in the capital before resting for my Evolution Recovery.¡±
Veldrix looked towards Camilla, then added, ¡°They were able to confirm the last known location for them to be near the city-state of Serenydi as well.¡± Then they gave a sigh and added, ¡°I came to a dead end in my search for answers, though, since currently, I¡¯ve agreed not to leave the city without a Ruby Caste defender from the capital for it to fall back on and even then I would need to return to the capital. Most of those contacts are also retired, but I can send more letters and see if any are interested in picking up the trail beyond our borders.¡±
¡°Thank you, Veldrix Thevaris,¡± Scholar said and then gestured towards Phoenix, ¡°Now, my Chosen, it¡¯s time to share why you came here in the first place to those who don¡¯t know.¡±
Her eyes went wide at the sudden spotlight of attention, but a moment later, she remembered that she knew all of these people and swallowed her anxiety as she explained to Camilla, Veldrix, and Patricia about the divine quest she had been given by Hero and Rebel that had seemed to start the cascade of divine favors.
¡°Y-you¡ The gods want you to t-travel halfway across the world to s-save another nation?¡± Camilla asked her in disbelief.
It was then that Phoenix realized that she had never asked where Tyrand was.
With the blood moon, Soul Reaper invasion, betrayal of noble houses, and not being powerful enough to really start on her quest, she hadn¡¯t thought to look into more details about the nation she was meant to save. She had been leaving all of that to Paul and Dazien, and she mentally berated herself. Instead of looking into basic information about Tyrand, she had been tinkering with magic items¡
Veldrix was the next to voice a question as they asked Scholar, ¡°I don¡¯t understand. While I appreciate the trust you all are displaying in me to keep this information secret, what does this quest have to do with the Scarlet Banquet?¡±
The goddess then surprised all of them by gesturing towards the amethyst gemite instead, asking with a grin, ¡°Would you care to add your piece of the puzzle, Dazien?¡±
They all turned to look at the Defender, who gave a slightly bashful look before saying to the group, ¡°After learning about Phoenix¡¯s quest and talking with Paul, I started working with him on researching for it. We found mentions of an ancient relic called the Monarch¡¯s Authority. It¡¯s a set of three legendary magical items that have been passed down within the Tyrandian royalty for hundreds of generations. During the coup by the current regent about two decades ago, the set was rumored to be divided; the pieces said to be lost or hidden away.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
He finally turned to meet Phoenix¡¯s surprised look as he finished, ¡°One of the pieces of the set was rumored to have been last seen in Serenydi.¡±
¡°So, that¡¯s my destination,¡± Phoenix said, finally understanding why they had all been brought together, ¡°I need to go to Serenydi.¡±
Dazien nodded and pointed out, ¡°For more than just your quest, it seems.¡±
He paused for a moment before saying with heavy sobriety, ¡°I told you before, but I¡¯m going to say it again now for the benefit of the others; I¡¯m with you to the end, my sister. I will lead our group to help you in achieving your goals if that is what you desire, and I will do my best to defend us all.¡±
Phoenix found herself slightly stunned by the sincerity of his words, and she slowly looked at the Mage standing beside him.
Uriel gave a small reassuring smile as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll continue to follow my king. But I also agreed to be there to keep you from breaking more, remember? I promised to stand beside you as one of the Chosen, no matter where that may lead.¡±
She flushed slightly at the reminder of their conversations that had seemed like ages ago. Phoenix had once displayed her dedication to her friend by absorbing the Spirit Gem that he had been forced into and feared. Now, he was returning that show of dedication by remaining by her side during her potentially dangerous and time-consuming quest.
Phoenix turned to look at the twins, who had remained silent for most of this time, as she started to say, ¡°I know you both never really signed up for this when joining our party¡ª¡±
¡°Don¡¯t even,¡± Rayna interrupted with a grin, ¡°We¡¯ve already made our preparations.¡± She gestured towards her sister, who wore the attire of the Traveler¡¯s clergy. ¡°She even went ahead and joined a temple.¡±
Saiya scowled at her twin, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it for Phoenix. This was for myself.¡±
¡°The point is that we¡¯re not about to leave our other sister to face an epic quest all on her own,¡± Rayna interjected, ¡°We¡¯re with you, Phoenix.¡±
¡°What about Mohala?¡± she asked, understanding that the two wanted to remain together after trying to set her up with Polissa.
¡°We already talked about that after Po told us what happened last night,¡± Rayna said with an awkward look, ¡°We¡¯re sorry things didn¡¯t work out between you two. I really thought Po might have been a good match for you, but she said that it was her fault for not understanding what we tried to explain beforehand. I hope you¡¯re not upset about it.¡±
¡°I¡ª¡± Phoenix wasn¡¯t quite sure how to respond to that. She had been upset, mostly at herself, but hearing Rayna talk about Po seeming to be doing the same thing in self-blaming actually helped her realize that neither of them was to blame, just like Po had told her.
¡°I¡¯m not upset anymore,¡± she admitted, ¡°I think for now I¡¯ll just focus on this quest, though, and just let something like that happen on its own instead of searching for it like Daze and Uriel suggested.¡±
Phoenix glanced over at the pair, who smiled in encouragement, and then she asked Rayna, ¡°But what did you and Mo decide?¡±
¡°We plan to try keeping in touch and see if we can handle the intermittent visits and write letters until this quest is over,¡± the bard said with a sigh, ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to leave Po here while their family is still recovering and overworked, but I really wish the PPS was faster at delivering letters.¡±
¡°PPS?¡±
¡°Pyrin Postal Service,¡± Dazien answered, ¡°They limit their services during a blood moon, but they should be fully operational again soon. It¡¯s mostly run by Avians, but they¡¯ll hire pretty much any portalist they can get their hands on, as well as a number of travel and speed-based Casters to get letters and packages delivered all over the continent. You pay extra for speed, but if you don¡¯t mind waiting, the standard fare isn¡¯t too outrageous.¡±
¡°I was tempted to put myself in a box and see if they¡¯d ship me here before the blood moon,¡± Everin added from across the group with a grin, ¡°Would have saved so many Bits in portal fare to get here from Felwen.¡±
¡°Felwen?¡± Phoenix asked, not recalling having heard the name before, ¡°I thought you came from Tyrand?¡±
¡°Oh, I did,¡± he clarified, ¡°But Tyrand doesn¡¯t allow any travel in or out of the country. So, I was basically smuggled to the neighboring queendom of Felwen, where I could access a portal from. Even with that, it still took me a good two months of portal hopping, caravan catching, and then walking on foot before I got here.¡±
¡°I think that just displays how big of a difference those portals make,¡± Dazien said, slightly grimacing as he looked back towards her and warned, ¡°It will likely take us a month by ship to get from here to Serenydi.¡±
¡°A month?!¡± Phoenix exclaimed in shock.
He nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve been looking to charter one for us since even before the blood moon ended. It would easily take us four times that if we tried traveling over land without a portal to shortcut.¡±
¡°Why don¡¯t we just get a portal then?¡±
¡°Because there isn¡¯t one currently being offered to Serenydi. The city itself is completely warded and takes up a whole island. The only way there is either from an approved vessel that holds a docking key or from a ferry that runs from the mainland. The keys are reported to be algorithmically synced to pass through those wards, and without one, you¡¯ll never reach the island. Sometimes there is a portalist that can provide passage to that mainland dock, but I haven¡¯t been able to locate one yet.¡±
Phoenix groaned, rubbing at her temple before clarifying, ¡°So, a month at sea to get to Serenydi to find information about one of the royal relics and also about your father is the current next step for us?¡±
¡°Um¡ I¡¯d like to s-sign up too,¡± a timid voice said, and Phoenix turned to stare in utter shock at Camilla, who was twisting the hem of her sweater in her hands. ¡°At least to Serenydi,¡± the researcher clarified, ¡°They have a Reality Rift there that I¡¯ve been, um, curious about and might be able to actually have a chance of seeing if I go with you. I-if you d-don¡¯t mind me accompanying you¡ I, um, I can offer my s-services as a Rune Scribe in exchange.¡±
Phoenix turned to look at her brother with hope, and he gave a soft smile as he answered for her, ¡°We would be honored, Miss Saren. Your expertise would be a great boon to our group, but can Lord Teras spare you? I know you¡¯ve been busy with not just this cultist business but with the new alert system that¡¯s being implemented during Tulimeir¡¯s reconstruction.¡±
¡°I have just b-been advising now. I will s-speak with Lord Teras b-but the, um, the plans are all in place for others.¡±
Everin clapped his furred hands together as he said with a forced grin, ¡°Excellent, sounds like this will be a fun adventure for all of us.¡± Then he added with a bit more aggressive snark than usual, ¡°I wish Vel could come with, but as they¡¯ve made it quite clear that their duty to an abusive, cold-hearted, and entitled queen comes before their own autonomy or happiness, we¡¯ll just have to make do without them, so¡ª¡±
¡°Hey, I explained that my people¡ª¡±
¡°Actually, my Avatar,¡± Scholar interjected with a bemused smile. ¡°I have a separate quest for you.¡±
55 - Saint of the Arcanist
Everyone turned to leave, Veldrix included, when the goddess called out to them, ¡°The quest is for you as well, Veldrix Thevaris.¡±
The knight paused and glanced back at the man who had been arguing with them only a few hours ago. Everin frowned and looked as confused as Veldrix felt at that moment.
Once the others all left, Veldrix gave a respectful bow towards the deity and carefully said, ¡°I¡¯m honored by the inclusion, Lady Scholar, but we both know that my duties¡ª¡±
¡°Will be fulfilled adequately by a divine quest needing your assistance specifically,¡± the goddess interjected, ¡°I am well aware of your entire life, Veldrix Thevaris. As well as the queen and king¡¯s lives who keep you chained to them, the life of every noble¡¯s gaze and touch you¡¯ve had to deal with, and all the garnet gemites lives in Blomstra who are shielded from the horrors of the world by your subservience to the crown. I am aware of every thought and dream you¡¯ve ever had and know that, if given the right opportunity and reassurances, you would love to go on an adventure with a friend and learn more about what the world has to offer.¡±
Veldrix looked up in surprise at the goddess who made them feel more vulnerable in that moment than they had in centuries. She knew everything about them.
Everin was also staring at the goddess in surprise, and he was the one to clarify, ¡°You¡¯re giving us a quest just to help legitimize Veldrix being able to leave the country?¡±
The goddess returned his gaze and said with a bit more levity in her child-like voice, ¡°Well, that¡¯s not the only reason. I want to see my Avatar happy, too. Plus, I have some concerns about where you¡¯ll be going and who you¡¯ll be retrieving for me, and Veldrix Thevaris is likely the best person for the job from anyone else on the entire planet.¡±
That statement made Veldrix¡¯s chest tighten slightly. The only people they could possibly be the best for retrieving would have to mean¡ª
¡°I request that you both travel to the Renko duchy and bring the Saint of the Arcanist last seen there back to the Sacred City.¡±
Veldrix wanted to groan aloud. They hadn¡¯t seen Helen in decades and almost preferred it that way. No matter where that woman went, trouble always found her and inevitably everyone around her as well. If they had thought Everin acted like an impulsive child at times, Helen made him look like the most patient of elders.
Whether it concerned magic, money, alcohol, sex, or any other vice Veldrix could conceivably think of, Helen seemed to have a voracious appetite for it and little thought for any future consequence. The last time she had bothered to visit them, it was to ask for help in clearing an unfortunate gambling debt that she didn¡¯t want her lover to discover. How she had made it to Obsidian Caste was still a complete mystery to them.
¡°Don¡¯t you have clergy in the area that can pass on the message?¡± Veldrix asked instead of airing their grievances about the tourmaline gemite they had known for far, far too long and would likely never be free of. ¡°If you know every thought of mine, then you know I am definitely not the best person¡ª¡±
¡°You¡¯re the only one she¡¯ll listen to in this matter, and she owes you a favor,¡± the goddess pointed out, causing them to grimace at the truth of it.
Despite all the trouble Helen caused, she had always had a soft spot for Veldrix. Even though she was terrible at managing anything, especially her own life, she had always tried to be good to them.
Veldrix sighed, ¡°When do we leave?¡±
¡°As soon as you can. Since you are not part of my clergy, I will provide a Divine Sigil for you to bring to your queen in exchange for freedom from your vows to pursue this quest. I will warn you that the area there has been taken over by a Labyrinth and I cannot reach my clergy there anymore. I suspect even Everin¡¯s connection to me will be cut off when he enters the boundary of that new Reality Rift.¡±
Veldrix and Everin both frowned at the goddess, and the Avatar asked the question they were both thinking, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®new Reality Rift¡¯? The Renko duchy didn¡¯t have a Labyrinth as far as I was aware. The main attraction that set them apart was that giant Ruby Caste monster floraval that had somehow learned to peacefully coexist with the locals there.¡±
Scholar got a manic grin on her face as she practically squealed, ¡°I know! And a happy result of that monster battling so many Soul Reapers was that it finally evolved to Obsidian, but since it was a creature that had no evolutionary type it transformed into a freaking Labyrinth! How amazing is that! I mean, getting a chunk of my influence basically stolen was definitely not nice, but I had never learned anything like that before! I keep trying to send my clergy in to get more information, but that Labyrinth is fierce and is practically extorting my disciples for every Bit they have!¡±
¡°Wait, so are we going there to get the Arcanist¡¯s Saint or to gather information about a new natural phenomena?¡± Veldrix asked with narrowed eyes at the tiny goddess of learning.
She paused, looking like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar, before slowly asking, ¡°Why not both?¡±
Everin sat among the white lilies surrounding the altered ruebean tree marking where Paul had almost died, and where he had become an Avatar of the goddess who was now sending him away on a mission he didn¡¯t particularly want to do. He understood the value of it, though, and it had the additional benefit of keeping him and Veldrix together for a little longer.
Despite their brief spat, he still found himself caring about the Royal Knight who often subverted his expectations. Perhaps the fact that this time they had actually fulfilled their role of the duty-bound knight is what had caught him off guard and upset him so much.
As he leaned back and stared up at the ever-growing canopy of the World Tree, Veldrix softly spoke beside him, ¡°Are you angry that Scholar wants me to go with you?¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
¡°No, I¡¯m angry that you agreed to that instead of my request to join us in the first place,¡± he retorted.
¡°Everin, I can¡¯t just tell my queen that I¡¯m leaving my post to chase after my¡ª¡± They stopped theirself before clarifying, ¡°Actually, we haven¡¯t really talked about what we are to one another.¡±
¡°Apparently, we¡¯re nothing more than quest-mates.¡±
¡°Come now, you¡¯re not really going to behave like a petulant child because I chose duty over someone I¡¯ve only known for a couple of months, are you? Also, it¡¯s not like you ever told me that you were planning to leave Tulimeir so soon after the blood moon. I acted under the impression that we had time to get to know each other better.¡±
¡°It sounds like you¡¯re saying I tried to trick you.¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m just saying I wish you wouldn¡¯t be angry at me for daring to act as myself with you and not abandoning the promises I¡¯ve already made to others.¡±
Everin sighed as he looked back down at the lilies surrounding them in this peaceful little glade among the growing metropolis of the Sacred City. After a few more calming breaths, he finally admitted, ¡°I¡¯m angry because I realize how much of a child I was when I asked in the first place. Especially compared to you.
¡°I was just¡ so happy last night. Being with you¡ I could only think about how I didn¡¯t want it to end. After Scholar whispered to me that she was going to have you there to learn about Phoenix¡¯s quest, I made the selfish request for you to leave everything behind to stay with me for just a little longer. I shouldn¡¯t have expected any answer other than your refusal.¡±
¡°I guess I should thank your goddess for giving me a legitimate excuse then,¡± Veldrix replied and surprised him by placing a hand over his, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to refuse you. You¡¯ve brought me more happiness in the short time I¡¯ve known you than the last decade I¡¯ve spent in the capital. What you said about Queen Mairea, while disrespectful, was true. She is cold, entitled, can often be cruel, and her husband isn¡¯t much better, but by kneeling before both of them, I can ensure the safety of thousands.¡±
The knight glanced up at the boughs of the World Tree as well for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯ve felt trapped in my role for a long time now. Bound by my duty and so bored by the neverending monotony of their expectations. Scholar¡¯s quest gives me a way to step away from that, at least for a little while.¡± They turned to look back at him and added, ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m glad it gets to be with you.¡±
Everin felt his cheeks heat despite his attempts to control his emotions and ended up covering his face with a tail instead as he changed the topic, ¡°So, you¡¯ll be sending yet another missive to Blomstra to get a replacement Ruby Caster sent here, and once they arrive we can head to the Renko Duchy and try to find your old friend?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure I would go so far as to say she was a friend, but I believe Scholar is right that she won¡¯t refuse to see me again.¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯m definitely curious to meet this Saint of the Arcanist we¡¯re meant to retrieve who apparently owes you a favor.¡±
¡°She¡¯s said herself that she owes me a mountain of favors,¡± Veldrix said, ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll like her very much, though.¡± Then they gave a sly grin and admitted, ¡°You could say my willingness to kneel that you dislike so much is the reason she got to keep her head on her shoulders.¡±
¡°Well, that sounds a bit ominous. How did your kneeling keep her alive?¡±
¡°Because the first time I knelt in the queen and king¡¯s bed chambers was in exchange for a pardon on her life.¡±
¡°You¡¯re right. I hate her already.¡±
Veldrix laughed, and Everin found himself hoping he¡¯d hear the sound more on the new journey that lay before them.
¡°While I can understand the sentiment, and have a list a kilometer long of all the reasons to hate her,¡± the knight paused, giving a sad smile, ¡°I could never bring myself to despise my older sister.¡±
Everin¡¯s eyes went wide at that revelation, ¡°Older sister? You mean the Saint we¡¯re going to retrieve is that first blue tourmaline gemite you mentioned before?¡±
¡°Yes. She has a bad habit of getting into all sorts of trouble, and when she landed in some while visiting me shortly after I became a knight in their court, that was the only way I could get her out of it,¡± they explained, looking down at the white lilies surrounding them, ¡°We were both only Emerald at the time, and it seemed a small price to pay for her life.¡±
¡°How did someone like her become a Saint?¡±
Veldrix snorted a laugh, ¡°Practically by accident, I think. The Arcanist was simply excited about a new subspecies that was more attuned to Arcane magic. With all the protections around us, that particular god made her Chosen as a toddler. I think they were hoping to influence her to be more obsessed with magic and potentially strengthen that Arcane attunement into the bloodline.¡±
¡°Did it work?¡±
¡°I believe so. She¡¯s been roaming around exploring ancient magic and hunting for arcane secrets since she was old enough to leave home.¡± Veldrix got an annoyed look on their face as they added, ¡°Between getting drunk enough to sleep with the wrong person and causing an uproar among the nobles.¡±
¡°Is that what the trouble she found in Blomstra was?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t entirely blame her for that one,¡± they clarified, giving a heavy sigh, ¡°She says they were in love and the princess did approach her first.¡±
Everin winced. Being a noble¡¯s lover that nobody talked about was one thing, but if Veldrix was talking about the story he remembered hearing long ago when first learning about the various nations of Pyrin, then their sister was quite the well-known scandal. ¡°Your sister was the Temptation of Princess Aino?¡±
Veldrix gave a sad chuckle, ¡°Yep. Having a crown princess abdicate their inheritance to chase after a crazy magic hunter was not the best situation. If I hadn¡¯t intervened and offered myself, they would have sent the entire nation¡¯s military might after both of them.¡±
¡°Wait,¡± Everin interjected, feeling confused by the brief retelling, ¡°How was sleeping with you equivalent to losing the sole heir to the throne?¡±
¡°Because part of that deal was helping to provide a new heir,¡± they replied with a shrug, ¡°I¡¯ve been used for that kind of thing before, after all.¡±
That was even more confusing to him as he pointed out, ¡°But if I recall correctly, that scandal happened over three hundred years ago and there¡¯s still no heir currently.¡±
¡°Hence why I am still bound to their bedroom and not just my position as a knight.¡±
Everin¡¯s face contorted in rage at the idea that the royals were postponing an heir just to keep playing with their gemite toy.
Veldrix chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t make that face, Ev. It could have been worse. I¡¯m even able to convince them to let me go off on assignments like this once in a while when I¡¯ve reached the limits of my patience. Despite the few negatives, they still treat me and my people well, for the most part. I also get paid well for my position and respected by most for it.
¡°Even if I made that particular deal out of desperation for my sister, our overall relationship is a partnership to keep all of the gemites in the nation welcome and protected within their borders. I¡¯ve been able to influence laws to protect them from being discriminated against, or worse, made slaves to any who wished to take them.¡±
¡°But you¡¯re strong enough to retaliate against anyone who might do that without the royals treating you as a slave in turn.¡±
Vel smiled softly at him, then picked one of the lilies. They idly twirled it in their hand and said, ¡°I am still just a single person, Everin. No matter how strong I am, I cannot stand against the whole world on my own. It takes a unified nation to safeguard an entire people on that kind of scale.¡±
Veldrix handed him the flower as they added, ¡°If my subservience can move an entire nation, then kneeling becomes the greatest strength I have.¡±
Everin frowned but took the flower as he grumbled, ¡°That logic goes against every fiber of my being.¡±
They laughed, ¡°Of course it does, my little rebel.¡±
56 - Sacred City
Phoenix sat in Paul¡¯s study back in the vessel of the Sacred City and contemplated the books lining the walls once more. She had been debating about taking the entire collection with her on her journey but thought it might be impractical.
¡°You should take them,¡± Patricia said from the doorway, walking over to take a seat across the desk from her.
¡°Are you reading my mind?¡± Phoenix asked with a slight tug of a smile at the corner of her lips.
¡°No, I¡¯m reading your face,¡± the priestess retorted. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re leaving because you are terrible at controlling your body language.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a bit hurtful,¡± Phoenix said but didn¡¯t argue the point. She stood to walk over to the journals containing the story of Paul¡¯s life. ¡°What if something happens to them?¡±
¡°If you¡¯re really concerned, I can have copies made before you leave,¡± Pati offered. ¡°Though, I think they¡¯re safer in your collection than on the shelves here. Even our family vault is probably less secure than an immortal¡¯s personal dimensional storage.¡±
¡°Oh, that reminds me,¡± Phoenix said as she moved over and set a pouch on the desk in front of Patricia. ¡°I wanted to see about investing these. Dazien said I should try growing my wealth rather than burning it with crafting, and I thought you might be the right person to ask.¡±
Patricia carefully took the pouch and opened it to glance inside at the small pile of Ruby Mana Bits she had placed inside. Her aunt stared at the contents for a long moment before asking, ¡°Are you certain? I¡¯m not sure you actually comprehend how much money this is.¡±
¡°That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m asking you to handle it,¡± Phoenix replied with a grin, then walked back towards the books. With a thought, they all vanished into her collection. ¡°I think I¡¯ll have a lot more time to read while we travel.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry about Noble Teras, by the way,¡± Patricia said after a few more moments of silence. ¡°I could tell how much she likes you.¡±
¡°I like her too, but just as a friend,¡± she admitted and sat back down in the plush seat that Paul should have been sitting in.
¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you figured that out before you left. Now, you¡¯ll be sure to send word at least once a month, yes? I would appreciate regular updates on your progress and whereabouts.¡±
¡°Of course,¡± Phoenix replied, leaning forward to grab her drink off the desk and gesturing towards the Bits in front of it. ¡°I¡¯ll need to check up on my investment, after all.¡±
¡°That reminds me. Madam Malik at Mother¡¯s Cupboard has requested your presence. She said she found some items that might interest you, specifically a new weapon.¡±
Phoenix grinned with excitement. ¡°Awesome, I¡¯ve been hoping to get a new sword since my last one broke, but she didn¡¯t have anything worthwhile when I checked last.¡±
¡°Honestly, I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t tried your hand at smithing one yourself with how much you seem to chase after crafting everything. Your brother came to me practically in tears to beg for advice on curbing your spending habits. I suggested he try to convince you to gain a mark of favor from the Merchant so you¡¯d at least get better deals.¡±
¡°Ha. Ha.¡± Phoenix replied sarcastically. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss your fantastic humor, Pati.¡±
Her aunt gave her a genuine smile. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss you too, Phoenix. Please try to stay safe out there. If not for me or yourself, then for your friends who will be depending on you.¡±
Phoenix was caught off guard by the sudden sincerity, but she nodded and softly said, ¡°I¡¯ll try my best. I know that¡¯s not great, but I¡¯ll try to do better.¡±
¡°Thank you for coming to see me, Dazien,¡± Patricia said to him as he entered her study. ¡°Please sit. This may take a bit, but hopefully it won¡¯t.¡±
He hesitated, not liking the implication that it may take a while when it shouldn¡¯t have to. That likely meant she expected him to resist whatever it was she needed to discuss with him, which wasn¡¯t what he had initially expected. ¡°I thought you wanted to discuss our plans for leaving Tulim in a couple of days?¡±
¡°I know most of them already, remember? You mentioned booking a passage on The Victor¡¯s Tribute, which I verified should be fine. An Emerald Caster as Captain of a trading vessel with no ties to any particular nation shouldn¡¯t be an issue. The fact that they have a key to get directly into the city is a bonus and speaks to a certain level of trustworthiness. Even better is that you were wise enough to keep both her and Uriel¡¯s status as Chosen ones a secret, which I would advise you to keep to yourselves as much as possible while you¡¯re all¡ª¡±
¡°I know,¡± he interjected with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m glad both of them want to do better at embracing that part of themselves since it¡¯s not something they can just abdicate like a noble¡¯s title, but I¡¯m aware that Serenydi is extremely theocratic despite having a queen and might not take kindly to either of them.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that bad, really,¡± Patricia surprised him by saying.
Then he remembered who all was in the pantheon they venerated. ¡°Right, the Cultivator is part of the Luxury Pantheon.¡±
While the entire world knew of and had access to all of the deities, as far as he was aware, certain areas and cultures had created their own pantheons to praise over all the others. In Serenydi¡¯s particular case, they had established the Luxury Pantheon, which included the Lover, first and foremost, along with the Merchant, Artist, Gamer, Gambler, Fain¨¦ant, Socialite, and Patricia¡¯s own patron: the Cultivator.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
Their entire culture centered around luxury in all things, whether it be their surroundings or relationships. Cultivating wealth, having relaxing fun, and enjoying freedom in love were the pinnacle of prestige among them. He had heard many various opinions about the city-state, but one thing was rarely disputed: they were one of the wealthiest nations in the world.
His aunt smiled and leaned back in her chair. She finally set the tablet down and looked at him as she said, ¡°You know, I thought you¡¯d be more excited about visiting that particular nation. You won¡¯t stand out nearly as much, and most of the people there share many of your values.¡±
¡°You know of my values?¡± he asked skeptically.
¡°Unless everything you¡¯ve ever said or done is a lie,¡± she said with a flat look. ¡°You care about those you feel you have responsibility for and have a love for love itself. You¡¯re loyal and determined to increase both your power and prestige. Aside from those more personal aspects, though, you know I¡¯m not wrong about the general tone you¡¯ll find in Serenydi. They will gladly welcome someone like you, likely much more than the people here do. Why don¡¯t you seem happy about the destination?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, if it was just myself going for some kind of vacation, I would probably love a chance to explore that city,¡± he admitted but felt the frown on his face as he thought about his biggest concern. ¡°But Phoenix and Uriel¡ neither of them are going to enjoy it like I will. I honestly fear that Phoenix is going to have a panic attack on arrival no matter how much I try to prepare her for the cultural difference.¡±
Patricia grimaced. ¡°Good point. She always gripes about those dresses I ask her to wear to display her Soul Mark. You¡¯d think I¡¯d asked her to sacrifice her firstborn with the way she looks at me whenever I mention showing a bit of skin ¡ªor, gods forbid, some actual cleavage.¡±
He chuckled, shaking his head at the distraught look he could easily imagine on his sister¡¯s face. ¡°She¡¯s obviously self-conscious about her body, which I would honestly prefer to have Priest Jacob work through with her, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be able to manage that particular miracle before we leave.¡±
¡°Are you planning to teach her about their culture while on the ship for a month?¡±
¡°That was my plan.¡± He gave a slight smirk and added, ¡°I figured she wouldn¡¯t be able to just run away and get distracted by crafting something that way.¡±
Pati gave a short laugh. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t underestimate that collection of hers. She took an entire library with her, so your battle is going to be with books, it seems.¡±
Dazien shook his head. ¡°I really wish there was a limit on that thing, but she seems to think there isn¡¯t one ¡ªwhich is just insane to me. It really feels like even among the stories of Wayfarers I¡¯ve heard about, she still breaks the rules.¡±
¡°I gave up believing she follows any rules of our reality when I found out she can resurrect,¡± she replied with a grimace.
It was hard for him to argue with that, so he returned the topic to the original one. ¡°So why did you ask me here if not about our travel plans?¡±
His aunt seemed hesitant for a moment, uncertainty painting her features as she conjured a large blossom in the air. It was apparently her own dimensional storage ability as she reached an arm in it and pulled out a pair of letters before dismissing it.
One of the letters was already in a sealed envelope with the magically infused wax seal emblazoned with the Wayland Crest, while the other was simply folded in half. She pushed the unsealed one across her desk towards him as she held the envelope up and explained, ¡°That letter is a copy of the one already in this. Signed and sealed and ready to be delivered. I need you to be the one to deliver it, though. The copy is for you to read first so that you know exactly what it is you¡¯ll be delivering. I don¡¯t want you getting angry at me again, thinking I tried to manipulate you or anything.¡±
He raised an eyebrow at her before slowly leaning forward to pick up the copy. ¡°How do I know that telling me this isn¡¯t a manipulation in the first place?¡±
She frowned. ¡°You won¡¯t think that once you read it¡¡±
That made Dazien frown in response as he opened it and began reading. His jaw slowly dropped in surprise as he read through the letter written by Paul to the queen of Serenydi, and he barely managed to whisper, ¡°This can¡¯t be real¡ª¡±
¡°Oh, it is. It was the impetus for him to become exiled from that city in the first place, and he believed this would be the only way to mend that rift and let Phoenix gain access to their Royal Library,¡± Patricia explained, clearly unhappy by the idea.
¡°You agreed to this?¡± he asked incredulously. ¡°You want me to still deliver this even though he¡¯s trapped in a cursed stasis? Is this even legal?¡± Too many questions were threatening to overwhelm him at the moment, but it didn¡¯t seem like he had any other alternative but to agree when his aunt replied.
¡°It wasn¡¯t my choice. It was Paul¡¯s long before the Soul Reapers showed up on the tundra. This is what he had decided, and I¡¯m merely trying to carry out his wishes. It¡¯s going to ultimately rest with you delivering that and if Queen Emilia agrees to it or not.¡±
Another thought came to him, and he said with a grimace, ¡°You¡¯re telling only me because you don¡¯t want Phoenix to find out until it¡¯s too late, don¡¯t you?¡±
¡°You know she¡¯ll try to stop it without fully thinking through the ramifications, and Queen Emilia might very well decline. She did exile him in the first place.¡±
¡°Wait, she exiled him because he declined this idea originally, didn¡¯t she?¡±
¡°Yes, which is why I don¡¯t like this idea, but understand that this was ultimately Paul¡¯s choice, not mine.¡±
Dazien stared back down at the letter in his hands once more, reading through the overly flowery language that would fundamentally alter Paul¡¯s life once he could live it again.
Then he admitted with a heavy sigh, ¡°Well, I can¡¯t deny that this is definitely one way to gain access to their Royal Library, but Phoenix is going to be pissed about it.¡±
¡°Probably, which is why I¡¯m entrusting this with you.¡±
He paused for a moment, surprised by the trust she was placing in him for such a task. They had both come to an uneasy alliance recently with her actions of support trying to mend the rift she had caused by trying to manipulate his partner into leaving. He understood now that her priority had been their safety and fulfilling the wishes of her brother. She could have easily just tossed him out on the street for not dancing to her tune, but her loyalty lay with her family and that was what she saw him as now.
¡°Thank you, Aunt Patricia. I know we¡¯ve not been on the best of terms lately, but I do want you to understand that I appreciate how you¡¯ve embraced me as family and have been going above and beyond recently in your support of me and my goals. I¡¯m honored that you feel like you can trust me with this task and will see it done.¡±
She smiled warmly at him. ¡°I appreciate that, Dazien. I realize I haven¡¯t always made the best choices, but I¡¯m glad you understand it was only from a desire to shield you all.¡±
After a brief pause, he set the copy back on the desk and hesitantly said, ¡°There is something else I¡¯d like your help with while I¡¯m away.¡±
¡°Oh?¡±
¡°Aside from the new program I¡¯ve been working on with the House Council in my time between missions, there¡¯s a particular orphan I want to help, and I¡¯d like you to help facilitate things.¡±
She gave him a gentle smile that he rarely saw as she asked, ¡°More family?¡±
He smiled in return. ¡°I hope so¡ someday.¡±
57 - Hope of Redemption
Jerem was feeling oddly nervous as he waited in the back room of Madam Malik¡¯s chaotic shop for the potential arrival of his liege¡¯s adopted children. He wasn¡¯t sure how much they already knew of him, and if they might react as poorly as Patricia had. Would they at least let him finish his self-imposed quest to deliver the relic he had traveled all this way for?
He realized now that he had been hoping to reconcile with Paul, and now that doing so seemed impossible, trying to explain himself to Paul¡¯s kids seemed like the next best thing. Perhaps there was something else he could offer?
If they would be more willing to give details about the curse Paul had fallen under, perhaps he could help search for a way to lift it? Director Trayvious seemed to have little information in that regard and his hope to get more from Pati had been stopped before even starting.
¡°I told you all that I would be fine coming here on my own,¡± a young feminine voice with an odd accent said as the door to the large room opened. ¡°It¡¯s not like we can¡¯t trust Madam¡ª¡±
The voice broke off as emerald eyes locked onto him. Jerem had been told that the lass would be pale with red hair, but he hadn¡¯t truly been prepared for the sheer amount of wild curls it consisted of.
The gemite next to her was actually less of a surprise to him since he had met plenty before in his travels across Pyrin. Especially with how often the cults they hunted liked to fund their illegal activities with even more illegal products that often involved gemites, faeforged, and plenty of other rarer species.
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± the lad asked before his gaze too found Jerem, and he tilted his head slightly in confusion and curiosity. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡±
Another lad entered behind them then, and Jerem felt his own fists tighten at the sight of him. He had been warned by Agatha back at the AOA that the Annihilator had somehow managed to become an Adventurer and was in the same party as Paul¡¯s kids, but it still couldn¡¯t stop his visceral reaction to being so close to him again.
The Annihilator froze worse than the first two had before backing himself against the wall as he managed to choke out, ¡°J-Jerem?!¡±
Dazien glanced back at the obviously terrified man and immediately went on guard, conjuring a glittering diamond sword in his hand and holding it between them as he angrily asked, ¡°Are you here to do what you failed to years ago? I warn you now, if you want to kill him, you¡¯ll die as well.¡±
Before he could answer, a pair of walking fluff entered the room as well, one set of tails wrapping around the Annihilator as she cooed comforting words, and Jerem could feel the calming effects of her aura suffuse the room. The other set of tails was acting more like the diamond sword as they became covered in gem-like scales and fanned out to protect the man behind them.
Despite his baser instinct screaming at him to destroy the destroyer, he lifted both hands and said as calmly as possible, ¡°I¡¯m not here for him.¡±
Apparently, that wasn¡¯t entirely the right answer to give as all five glared at him, and the redheaded lass also conjured a dark onyx stiletto as she asked, ¡°Who are you here to kill then?¡±
¡°It better be no one! I won¡¯t be havin¡¯ any blood spilled in my shop!¡± Madam Malik shouted over them all as she pushed her way in to stand between them and began berating him. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me they¡¯d react so negatively to ya! Were you tryin¡¯ to fool me into gettin¡¯ at them instead of repayin¡¯ them for everythin¡¯ they¡¯ve done?!¡±
¡°I¡¯m not here to kill anyone!¡± he managed to get out. The kids didn¡¯t seem to believe him at all, so he stepped down from the stool he had been sitting on to fall to a knee and bowed his head towards the siblings as he tried to explain, ¡°My name is Jerem Oerwynt, and I was Paul¡¯s liegeman and party Defender. I would never raise my hand against his children.¡±
¡°Uriel isn¡¯t his child,¡± he heard Dazien retort. ¡°I doubt that protection extends to him. You tried to get everyone to kill him after you found him on that island. You claimed he was an abomination¡ª¡±
¡°I thought he was!¡± Jerem snapped, glaring up at the source of their conflict, who was still staring at him as though he was an executioner¡ which he was still sorely tempted to be, but he knew better now.
Green fabric blocked his vision, and he had to look further up to see an angry young lass glaring down at him as she said, ¡°He is not! He¡¯s my best friend!¡±
He winced at that proclamation. This wasn¡¯t going the way he had hoped at all. He bowed his head again as he tried to calm himself and say clearly, ¡°I was wrong.¡±
When they didn¡¯t interrupt, he continued trying to give his apology that had originally been meant for Paul. ¡°I was wrong about so much back then¡ I thought I knew the difference between right and wrong. That there was no middle ground. The Annihil¡ª¡±
¡°His name is Uriel!¡± Phoenix yelled at him, and he shrank slightly, not wanting to mess this up even more.
¡°Uriel had murdered innocents!¡± he tried to explain. ¡°Slaughtered hundreds of them for the cult of the Voidsworn god he sold his soul to! I thought there was no excuse worthy of something so evil!¡±
¡°He protected his family!¡± Dazien firmly stated. ¡°He did what he had to in order to keep them safe.¡±
¡°They would have been better off dead,¡± Jerem retorted. Then he amended, ¡°That¡¯s what I had thought at least¡ I realize now that there are¡ areas of gray.¡±
He glanced back up to see the adopted siblings standing side by side, shielding their friend from him, and said as sincerely as possible, ¡°I did not travel halfway across the continent during a blood moon to kill your friend; I came because Paul asked me to, and I wanted¡ I want his forgiveness.¡±
Jerem reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the rumpled note Paul had sent him months ago and handed it out in offering to the lass before him, his liege¡¯s daughter and Prot¨¦g¨¦, and his last hope of redemption.
Phoenix stared down at the stranger for a moment longer; he was a rugged-looking elf with pale skin and gray hair that would have made her think him much older than his face appeared. He was wearing a gray tunic with a matching fur cloak that looked worn from travel. The most striking feature, though, was the scar that ran horizontally across his forehead, disappearing into the silver hair on either side. Uriel was the only other person she had met with a Soul Scar like that.
She reached out with her aura first to brush against his in the type of polite nudge that Paul had taught her, and she equated it to an aura handshake to learn a little about one another. She was surprised at first to feel he was at the pinnacle of Emerald like Paul had been most of the time she had known him but that made sense when she remembered the elf said he had been in Paul¡¯s party.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
Her surprise mostly came from the fact that if Jerem was as powerful as Paul had been¡ there would be no point to him kneeling before them. If he had truly wanted to kill Uriel, her friend would already be dead.
Phoenix reached forward and took the slip of paper he held out. She read the surprisingly short note and snorted a laugh at her ridiculous mentor.
Jerem,
I¡¯m back in Tulimeir.
I have a Prot¨¦g¨¦ now.
Bring the weapon.
¨C Paul
She handed it to Dazien who cautiously took it before glancing down and giving a short laugh as well before saying, ¡°Good to know he was short with everyone and not just us.¡±
¡°That seems a bit much, though,¡± she replied with a grin, then glanced down at the elf, ¡°You said you traveled halfway across the continent during the blood moon based on three sentences?¡±
¡°I am his liegeman,¡± the stranger repeated, and she turned to Dazien for answers.
¡°It means he has sworn allegiance to Paul and his House. It usually comes with an Oathbond that can only be done completely willingly. Oathbonds of servitude or devout loyalty can¡¯t be made if under duress or not truly willing, which is actually why true liegemen are so rare,¡± he explained, ¡°The magic simply doesn¡¯t take if there¡¯s any doubt in that case. If he¡¯s talking about that kind of liegeman, that means he vowed to serve Paul for life.¡±
¡°If that¡¯s true, then why wasn¡¯t he here with Paul the whole time?¡± Rayna spoke up beside them, peeking over to read the note herself, ¡°Why didn¡¯t Paul ever mention this guy? What was your name again?¡±
¡°Jerem Oerwynt,¡± the elf replied, glancing back up at them with a frown before asking a bit brokenly, ¡°He never even mentioned me?¡±
Phoenix felt a bit bad for the guy for a moment before glancing up at Dazien to ask, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mention him? You¡¯ve obviously heard of him.¡±
Dazien scowled and glared back down at the elf, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of him from Uriel, not Paul. This guy was the party Defender advocating for Uriel¡¯s death upon reaching Tulimeir after being a victim for over a year with the DOD. Paul¡¯s probably the only reason Uriel wasn¡¯t tossed into the sea by him.¡±
He glanced back to Uriel, who seemed to have calmed down a bit, and her brother softly added, ¡°I half-hoped he had died years ago after their party broke up and Paul was cast out from his home.¡±
¡°Dazien,¡± Saiya lightly scolded, ¡°He¡¯s Paul¡¯s friend. You shouldn¡¯t want him dead¡ we¡¯ve already lost too many friends we¡¯ll never get back.¡±
¡°He would have killed Uriel before he had ever reached me if given the chance, I¡¯m not going to apologize for wishing this man wasn¡¯t around anymore because he¡¯s already a monster in my eyes.¡±
¡°Please¡¡± the elf surprised them all by almost begging, ¡°Please don¡¯t say that. I¡¯ve come here to make amends¡ I swear to you I won¡¯t harm any of you. Even Uriel. I told you that I had been wrong. I was so caught up in my duty as an Adventurer that I let that duty blind me to compassion¡ please at least give me the chance to make things right.¡±
Rayna responded first, pointing at the note still in Dazien¡¯s hand, ¡°This says you brought a weapon? Why? It must be important if that was the only thing Paul asked of you.¡±
Jerem nodded, bowing his head again as he explained, ¡°During our travels years ago, our party found an ancient relic¡ª¡±
¡°Please tell me it¡¯s one of the Monarch¡¯s Authority pieces,¡± Dazien suddenly interjected, ¡°That would be the best news we¡¯ve had in months.¡±
The elf glanced up with a curious expression but shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not part of a set, but¡ well, it may have a little bit of a prophecy around it and very specific requirements to wield it.¡±
Her brother groaned, and Phoenix remembered his disdain for prophecies that they had discussed long ago, shortly after he ascended to Sapphire Caste.
¡°I thought you said the prophecies here are all garbage?¡± she clarified.
¡°They are,¡± he almost growled, ¡°Like I said, there¡¯s no point to them because many go unfulfilled, and you won¡¯t know until after it happens. It¡¯s just fuel for zealots and fools to¡ª¡±
¡°It mentions the weapon being given to ¡®the hero of light¡¯ by ¡®the heart of steel¡¯ in one of the first lines,¡± Jerem stated and firmly added, ¡°I didn¡¯t use to believe it. I thought it was complete nonsense as well, but now I can¡¯t deny this piece of truth within it.¡±
¡°Why?¡± Phoenix asked in confusion, ¡°Those titles could mean anyone!¡±
¡°I¡¯m a Steel Heart,¡± Jerem answered, ¡°That¡¯s my actual Class, which is why Paul insisted I carry the weapon all this time.¡±
¡°You have it with you now?¡± Rayna asked, ears perking up, and Phoenix almost laughed at her insatiable desire to see awesome loot, ¡°Is it some kind of sword? All the legends seem obsessed with that kind of weapon for reasons I honestly don¡¯t understand. My gauntlets work just as well.¡±
Jerem nodded and slowly reached inside his jacket to pull out a small crimson bag. Rayna gave a gasp and exclaimed, ¡°Is that an actual Blood Bag?! I¡¯ve wanted one since forever, but hardly any crafter wants to make them.¡±
¡°What¡¯s it do?¡± Phoenix asked curiously, the vain hope that she might be able to make one herself flitting through her mind before Tala firmly shoved it back out for her.
¡°Daze will kill you if you try that and end up burning more Bits.¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter to someone like you, Miss Collector,¡± the bard retorted with a roll of her eyes, ¡°But those of us who don¡¯t manage to get a storage ability would kill to have a Blood Bag. They can be attuned to the Caster and are only accessible by that attuned person. And it can¡¯t ever get lost! Not only can you sense where it is, but it can sense you and will always return itself if left behind! It¡¯s basically the next best thing to having a power for it.¡±
Jerem nodded again as he reached into the bag, ¡°That¡¯s correct. Paul¡ Well, he was kind enough to buy me one to help safekeep this relic. I think¡ I think we had all secretly hoped Paul would end up being the ¡®hero of light¡¯ mentioned in the prophecy since he does have the right Attunement for it, but he could never fulfill the other requirement on the weapon itself.¡±
He pulled out a small orb of what looked like solid silver and held it out to Phoenix, ¡°A requirement that I¡¯m certain you can meet.¡±
She raised a brow and conjured her [Guide Book]. Carefully, she lifted the odd orb that looked nothing like a weapon and touched it to the book to read the details about exactly what weird requirements it needed.
Item: Sanctified Hope
A sacred weapon forged in the hope that a worthy hero would one day wield it.
Caste: Crystal, Cultivating, Blessed.
Availability: Legendary Unique.
Type: Weapon.
Requirements:
- Wielder must be Crystal Caste or higher.
- Wielder must be Attuned to Light and Radiant magic.
- Wielder must have a Divine connection to the deity: Hero.
- This item must be Attuned to the wielder.
Effects:
- As the Attuned Caster cultivates their Caste, the weapon increases with it.
- Can shift form into different weapon types. Each form type grants the wielder a different Boon.
- Each Caste level further entwines itself to the Attuned Caster¡¯s nature.
- Inflicts low Radiant damage with each attack and an instance of [Fallen From Grace].
- Fallen From Grace (bane, divine, radiant, stacking): Decreased resistance to Radiant effects.
|
She stared at the singular requirement that she had already met, and Paul didn¡¯t. Her Soul Mark connecting her to Hero made her eligible.
Dazien stared at the book as well, then slowly looked down at Jerem before saying quietly, ¡°I think you need to tell us more about this prophecy you seem to believe in now.¡± Then he added as he finally dismissed Excalibur, ¡°But first, you owe Uriel an apology.¡±
58 - Prophecy
¡°Are you sure we should even listen to this prophecy?¡± Phoenix skeptically asked as they moved to sit around the table that Madam Malik had originally prepared for them all to sit and talk at. Jerem had retaken his seat and was looking nervous as Dazien and Uriel pointedly moved to the opposite side of it.
¡°Of course, we should listen to it!¡± Rayna retorted. ¡°It¡¯s an actual prophecy! Some of the coolest stories have those in them! How badass would it be if you were actually part of one?¡±
¡°You really think the idea that my future is destined no matter what I might want is cool?¡± she asked with a raised brow as the bard moved to sit beside Dazien.
¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s really how that works; like King said, even if you¡¯re in one, that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll fulfill it.¡±
Phoenix paused at the seating arrangement and contemplated the spot either beside Uriel on the other side of the long rectangle or in one of the seats beside Jerem, who was sitting alone on that side.
She realized that there was obviously history keeping the men separated from each other, and she didn¡¯t like knowing that this man had tried to kill Uriel in the past¡ but she found herself feeling a bit sorry for him.
Jerem had left behind everything to come here simply because Paul had asked him to and seemed to be trying to make amends. She could only imagine how he must have felt to arrive here and discover his liege to be trapped in stasis for however long it took her to reach Ruby¡
Phoenix decided to sit next to him as she asked, ¡°How much do you know about what happened with Paul?¡±
The elf seemed relieved as she sat beside him and gave a tiny sad smile as he said, ¡°Only that he was trapped in a cursed stasis. I was hoping to get more information about what kind to see if there may be some way to lift it, but¡ª¡±
¡°I have to reach Ruby Caste,¡± she answered, already knowing the method. She was also pleased to see Saiya sitting on the other side of the elf, and she hoped that meant he was giving off better vibes than Dazien thought he was there for.
¡°If you all are goin¡¯ to be behavin¡¯ now,¡± Madam Malik interjected. ¡°It sounds like I should be takin¡¯ my leave and makin¡¯ sure no pryin¡¯ ears will be in here if that¡¯s alright with you, Saint Wayland.¡±
Phoenix smiled at the older woman. ¡°Thanks, Madam Malik. I¡¯m sorry for the fuss. Tell Rayk that I hope he¡¯s doing okay and want to say goodbye before we leave tomorrow!¡±
¡°Phoenix!¡± Dazien chastised her, and she winced.
¡°Right, we¡¯re supposed to keep that secret, so don¡¯t tell anyone else, alright?¡± she called after the shopkeeper, who chuckled at her but nodded as she closed the door to the back room.
She turned back to Jerem and asked, ¡°How about you tell me more about what happened with you and Paul? Then I¡¯ll tell you about what happened with me and Paul, and then we can discuss this prophecy bit and how I¡¯m supposed to actually use this weird metal ball?¡±
¡°That sounds fair¡ª¡±
¡°But first comes that apology Daze mentioned,¡± she said firmly, setting the sphere of silver on the table with a clunk to emphasize her words. She wouldn¡¯t budge from that position either. Uriel didn¡¯t deserve to die for what he had done or to be called cruel names like that. If this stranger couldn¡¯t apologize, then there would be no discourse between them.
Jerem looked from her to Uriel, then back and asked, ¡°You said he was your best friend, but I had heard tell that he was your brother¡¯s best friend.¡±
¡°He can be both,¡± Dazien stated, still seeming on edge with the whole situation.
The elf nodded in acquiescence, then gave a sigh as he turned to face Uriel fully and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for asking the others to kill you back when we first met. I apologize for referring to you by the name they called you in the Rings. I¡ª I¡¯m sorry for not returning sooner to apologize and mend all the rifts I caused. Will you forgive me for my mistakes?¡±
Uriel felt frozen in place as he stared at Jerem. This ghost from his past actually returning to apologize to him wasn¡¯t something he had even contemplated ever happening. He hadn¡¯t even believed Phoenix would have accepted him after her own repeated reassurances that she would. He hadn¡¯t seen this man in almost eight years, and suddenly Jerem wanted forgiveness for something that he had originally agreed with him on?
He had thought Jerem¡¯s reaction had actually been justified and correct when they had first met. Uriel had deserved death. He had done everything Jerem had accused him of. He was an Annihilator.
You destroy everything you touch, he found himself thinking yet again. You are cataclysmic.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Dazien placed a hand over his own, bringing him out of his spiraling thoughts, and replaced his mental whispers with reassuring ones. ¡°You don¡¯t have to forgive him. I know simple words can¡¯t erase the years of nightmares in an instant¡ but this is one piece of your past that I don¡¯t think you need to fear anymore, Senesh.¡±
Uriel glanced at his partner with a raised brow. ¡°You believe him?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure I truly believe he¡¯s fully repentant, but I do think he¡¯s committed to not hurting you because he wants to prove his loyalty to Paul ¡ªand, by extension, Phoenix and me.¡±
He couldn¡¯t argue that point. Despite having seen the two men argue over him, Jerem hadn¡¯t gone behind Paul¡¯s back to kill him before, and he seemed even more desperate now. Uriel hadn¡¯t heard details about how their party dissolved, though. News about the Blade of Pure Wrath¡¯s Fall from the Purifier¡¯s grace had spread like wildfire throughout the city when it happened, but neither he nor Daze had heard anything about the other party members.
So, with a deep breath, he said, ¡°Thank you for apologizing and not killing me, but I don¡¯t believe you were in the wrong back then.¡±
¡°Hey¡ª¡± Dazien began to argue, but Uriel squeezed his partner¡¯s hand and kept speaking.
¡°I also thought it would have been the better thing to do at that time, but I¡¯m glad that we were both wrong.¡± He glanced over at Daze. ¡°I¡¯ve struggled over the years to recover from that time, but I¡¯m glad to have finally been blessed again with people who love me despite all my flaws. It may be selfish, but I¡¯m glad I¡¯m still alive just so I can spend one more day by their side.¡±
Uriel looked over to meet Phoenix¡¯s gaze, and her smile made one tug at his own mouth as he added, ¡°I¡¯m glad I got the chance to meet my best friends. I¡¯m glad that when I was feeling broken and lost, they helped me become better than I was.¡±
Jerem stared at him, then gave a small laugh of disbelief as the elf said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s funny or disturbing how you worded that.¡±
The rest of the group matched Uriel¡¯s confusion as they stared at the Emerald Caster. Before they could ask, though, Jerem added, ¡°It just reminded me again of that bloody prophecy.¡±
¡°Well, now I¡¯m even more curious about what the prophecy says,¡± Rayna said, failing to contain her tails as they wagged excitedly behind her, gently tapping against Dazien¡¯s back. ¡°Can I hear that before you guys go over the boring recap?¡±
¡°Rayna,¡± Saiya¡¯s scolding tone said from across the table.
¡°Come on! I was there for whatever Phoenix is gonna say, and it¡¯s not like anything this guy tells us about Paul¡¯s past is gonna change where he¡¯s at now,¡± the bard whined as she gestured between Phoenix and Jerem.
Jerem glanced at Phoenix, who glanced at Dazien, and Uriel almost laughed at the interchange of the silent hierarchy that had seemed to form between them. His partner gave a sigh, then waved for Jerem to go ahead.
¡°Well, it¡¯s a bit long, and as Dazien implied, it¡¯s very vague and unlikely to ever come to pass, but I guess you can share in my new sense of¡ I¡¯m not sure ¡®wonder¡¯ is the right term, but something along those lines,¡± Jerem said before taking a breath and pulling out another slip of paper from the Blood Bag he was still holding.
Then the Emerald Caster handed over the paper to Dazien as he took on the tone of recitation and spoke from memory while Uriel read over his king¡¯s shoulder.
In the time of crimson shadows, when the stars themselves quiver and the land groans beneath the burden of sorrowful souls, a hero of light shall awaken.
From the sacred whispers of the moons and the murmurs of the deep, it is known:
This hero, a beacon amidst the darkness, shall be bestowed a divine weapon of hope, given by the heart of steel entwined by their wrath.
With this weapon, tempered by the fires of fate and sanctified by the tears of the gods, the hero shall stand against the encroaching night where villainy hides.
A war shall be waged, fierce and unyielding, where the lines between life and death blur and the very fabric of existence quakes.
The noble hero, bearing the weapon of hope, shall lead the charge, rallying the hearts of the broken and the souls of the lost. A twin to the light of the dawn, they shall free the storm and cleanse the land in a rain of tears.
When the Celestial and Abyssal reunite upon the battlefield, they shall herald a new era. Beyond the reach of gods and reality, they shall fight for the future of all worlds.
In the final, cataclysmic clash of frost and flame, amidst the ruins of ancient realms and the cries of the fallen, a divine quintessence of hope shall emerge, and death itself shall be vanquished by the wayward hero.
From the ashes of despair, a new dawn shall rise, radiant and eternal, as life, unbound and everlasting, triumphs over the darkness of the void.
When he was done, the group all shared looks with one another before Phoenix loudly complained, ¡°Yep. Complete garbage!¡± Then she surprised them by pushing away from the table to angrily stomp away.
The twins scrambled after her, managing to stop her before she reached the door, and began mentally talking based on their silent body language. Jerem turned back to look at him and Dazien and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to make the lass upset.¡±
¡°She¡¯s been struggling with the weight of responsibilities continually placed upon her shoulders,¡± Dazien replied. ¡°First, it was being transported to a completely new world without a single soul to trust, then a litany of gods shoving quests and expectations upon her, then a nation looking at her as their saintly savior while another awaits her to actually save them, and now you speak of war that threatens the very fabric of reality. I can¡¯t really blame her at this point; she¡¯s not even old enough to marry, and she¡¯s expected to ¡ªwhat?¡ª save the universe in yet another impossible battle?¡±
Jerem glanced back at Phoenix before asking them quietly, ¡°Is there anything I can do to help her? I want to prove to you and her that I will abide by my vow to Paul. I want to help.¡±
¡°We¡¯re leaving tomorrow,¡± Dazien informed him with a frown. ¡°I¡¯ve already booked passage and promised Patricia not to tell anyone about our route or destination to better ensure our safety. I¡¯ll have to ask her to give you the details.¡±
The elf slumped in his stool. ¡°She¡¯ll never tell me. She hates me for what I did to Paul when our party broke up. I¡¯m also not the best at tracking people down, so I¡¯ll have to be at the mercy of any letters you might send. Is there anything else I can offer?¡±
Uriel got an idea at the mention of tracking people down and said, ¡°Actually, there might be something you could do for her that would mean the world and would make me extremely grateful to you as well.¡±
Jerem seemed to perk up at that and foolishly jumped at the opportunity as he said, ¡°Anything.¡±
Despite the lump in his throat and the tightness in his chest, Uriel managed to say, ¡°You can go bring her real best friend back to her.¡±
59 - Farewell is Like the End
Dazien rested a hand on the Amethyst Gemveil Tree giving its glittering shade and protection to the children playing in the yard outside the temple of the Parent. Most of his life had been spent here, and tomorrow, he would finally leave Tulim indefinitely.
While he had worked with Paul for a while on the plans laid out before them, he had no idea how much time would actually be needed to accomplish each step. It would likely take at least a year by his most optimistic estimates but could just as easily take a century. There was no accurate estimate to give when it came to searching and researching. Lost artifacts and heirs were likely not so easily found.
He found himself wishing for Paul¡¯s reassuring presence and the confidence he had usually shown him. His decades of experience hunting down the Corrupted all across Pyrin made him much more prepared for this kind of quest than any of them were.
¡°Are you saying goodbye to your mum, or postponing saying goodbye to the others?¡± Uriel asked, breaking him from his thoughts as he turned to see him return from the temple.
¡°Can¡¯t it be both?¡± he replied with a soft smirk.
¡°Always with the ¡®both¡¯ option,¡± his partner teased, returning the smile. ¡°The frolves are almost all rehomed. Only two left, but there were some interested parties already. I almost wish we found another litter though. I think taking care of them has been helping Jen¡¯s mood. It¡¯s been a rough year for her since you joined the AOA.¡±
Dazien sighed, ¡°I guess I should stop being a coward and go say goodbye to her then?¡±
¡°I know you¡¯re legally Phoenix¡¯s big brother now, but I believe you were unofficially Jennica¡¯s before that,¡± Uriel pointed out. ¡°You¡¯ve always been looking out for her since the day you saved her from her father¡¯s rage. She sees you as the only family she has left, and now you won¡¯t be around to check in on her anymore. She sees it as you abandoning her.¡±
¡°She¡¯s known for years that I¡¯ve been planning to leave Tulim. It¡¯s not like this should come as a surprise.¡±
¡°True, but you¡¯ve been saying that for the past sixteen years, and she¡¯s almost fifteen now. I think she was hoping you would wait just one more year for her to be old enough to go with you,¡± Uriel softly said.
Dazien looked over at the temple he knew Jennica was waiting in. ¡°You think she actually wanted to come with us? She always complained about me becoming an Adventurer and leaving. It didn¡¯t seem like she wanted to be anywhere near me while risking my life by fighting monsters.¡±
¡°I think she would have preferred to have been part of your dangerous adventures rather than left behind to wonder if you were already dead or not.¡±
¡°Mew?¡±
Dazien looked down as a small black kitten rubbed against his leg and shook his head as a smile forced its way onto his face, ¡°I¡¯m glad you made it, Bliss. We weren¡¯t sure if you would get our message in time or have the chance to stop by with all the monster clearing that I know your party has been busy handling out in the wilds. We wanted to say goodbye before leaving soon.¡±
Bliss meowed again before hopping up onto Uriel¡¯s shoulder and saying in a small voice, ¡°We will be leaving soon, too. Going to Chriss¡¯s home.¡±
¡°She¡¯s from the Renko duchy to the east, isn¡¯t she?¡± Uriel asked, giving the chimera a gentle rub behind her ear.
The kitten bobbed her head, whether in affirmation or just trying to get a better position for ear rubs, though he wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°Yes. Her mom and dad said to return when Emerald and no more blood moon.¡±
Dazien paused at that and decided, ¡°I think we¡¯ll make sure to do the same. No matter where we might be in our travels, we¡¯ll return here to at least visit when we hit Emerald and eventually Ruby.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be visiting much more than that,¡± Uriel said. ¡°With Phoenix¡¯s portal, it won¡¯t be as difficult to return as it will be to journey to a new location in the first place. We can be sure to come back for holidays and such if we¡¯re not caught up in a war or something ridiculous like that.¡±
¡°Considering our end goal, that¡¯s not too ridiculous, unfortunately,¡± Dazien admitted with a sigh, then straightened and said, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll leave you two to say your farewells¡ª¡±
¡°I don¡¯t like ¡®farewells,¡¯¡± Bliss interjected. ¡°Farewell is like the end. How about ¡®see you later¡¯ instead?¡± she asked, looking between both of them with wide begging cat eyes. Dazien swore she used her owl transfiguration to make those eyes even more impossibly round and adorably irresistible.
He chuckled, though, and affectionately patted her head, ¡°That¡¯s a good point. We¡¯ll see each other again and be sure to send letters. This is definitely not the end for all of us.¡±
Once she began purring, Dazien made his way toward the temple while Uriel sat down against the Gemveil Tree¡¯s trunk to chat with Bliss. He wasn¡¯t exactly sure what his partner might say to the little chimera that had such a polar effect on his life. Going from a source of his nightmares to an empathetic friend hadn¡¯t been an easy journey, but Dazien was glad to have watched both of them walk it.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Now, he had to say his own goodbye to the girl he had also impacted the life of and who had impacted his own in return.
Meeting Jennica had been one of the worst experiences of both of their lives as he saved her life by claiming her father¡¯s. He still remembered that night vividly. The moment of indecision he had battled with as he saw a ten-year-old girl getting beaten to death in an alleyway by a man much larger than he was. The pleading look she had given him as she reached a tiny hand in his direction, unable to speak yet begging for him to help her.
That was the first time he had killed anything.
He still wasn¡¯t sure if he regretted the action if he was honest with himself. There were other routes he probably could have chosen, like getting one of the guards, but he had chosen to stand between Jennica and the monster plaguing her life.
It was also the first time he had needed to deal with Tulim¡¯s justice system after he took Jennica to the temple of the Mender. Going through his own trial of murdering a man, it was Jennica¡¯s testimony and proof of injuries that kept him from his own execution.
She had clung to him ever since. His little ¡®Sprig,¡¯ who was so full of potential, like a tree sapling, yet had a trouble-streak as bad as a Spriggan, those most mischievous of Fae. She was always happy to see him when he visited the orphanage, refusing to get adopted and often sneaking out of the temple district to visit him and Uriel at their apartment.
He often feared she would become smitten with him if he gave her too much attention, but she had always treated him more like Uriel had said: like family. He wasn¡¯t old enough to adopt her himself ¡ªthe legal age to do so being thirty¡ª but she had often hinted at wanting him to, despite them only being six years apart in age.
When she had learned he was pursuing becoming an Adventurer, however, her entire demeanor towards him had shifted. Anger was all she offered him. He wasn¡¯t sure this time would be any better.
As he reached his destination, he lightly knocked on the door. No answer came from her room, and he sighed before gently saying, ¡°Sprig? Would you mind letting me in to at least say goodbye? Then you¡¯ll never have to deal with me again if you don¡¯t want to.¡±
No response came at first, but as he was about to turn to leave, the door cracked open, and a tear-stained face looked up at him. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to say goodbye.¡±
His expression softened, and he amended, ¡°Can I at least have a last conversation then¡ before we leave?¡±
She nodded and backed up to let him inside before going over to collapse on the edge of the bed, looking as though the world had finally defeated her.
He carefully sat on the bed next to her, playfully bumping her shoulder with his own as he asked, ¡°Are you going to be good for Priestess Anna while I¡¯m gone?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not ten anymore,¡± she scoffed, rolling her eyes at him. ¡°I know how to behave.¡±
¡°You tried to bite a prospective parent a few months ago, if I recall correctly,¡± he pointed out with a flat look.
¡°Maybe the creep shouldn¡¯t have had their hand so close to my teeth, eh?¡±
Dazien chuckled. ¡°Alright, fair point. I know I¡¯ve dealt with my fair share of creeps trying to adopt me.¡±
¡°You know the other kids still call them ¡®purple-creepers¡¯?¡± Jennica asked, seeming more grown-up to him at that moment. She looked up and admitted, ¡°It took me a while to realize it was because of you. I don¡¯t¡ª¡± She paused, looking back down at her lap before adding quietly, ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone but you to adopt me. I don¡¯t want you to leave me behind.¡±
He gave a pained smile. ¡°You know I can¡¯t adopt you yet, Sprig. By the time I can, you¡¯ll already be out on your own like I was. However, I¡¯m not leaving forever, and I¡¯m not abandoning you to fend for yourself either.¡±
She scrunched her nose in confusion as she asked, ¡°What do you mean? You¡¯re not going to be here anymore, right?¡±
¡°I still plan to come back and visit when I can. I¡¯ve also been working on a new support system to help those you say I¡¯m leaving behind.¡±
Jennica looked up at him with a raised eyebrow in silent question.
¡°If I haven¡¯t returned by the time you turn sixteen next year, you¡¯ll be able to go to the Sacred City and get support with starting out your new life as an independent person. I¡¯ve left instructions with Patricia Wayland in regard to you specifically, but I¡¯ve also been forming a new program for the other orphans to have more opportunities and a better chance out there than I ever had. House Wayland will be helping with providing inexpensive housing and finding job opportunities for orphans who age out of the temple instead of getting adopted.¡±
She stared at him with wide eyes and asked, ¡°You¡¯d do that for all of us?¡±
He smiled. ¡°Of course. I know I¡¯ve often spoken of becoming a king, often in jest, but one of the driving motivations behind that desire is to be able to make real change for the people who need it most. As both a noble and successful Adventurer, I¡¯ve gained the opportunity to make some of those dreams a reality already.¡± He bumped her shoulder again, ¡°Even if I¡¯m not here to sit next to you, I want you to know that I¡¯m always trying to do my best for you and the others. I don¡¯t want to see you suffer with the same struggles and uncertainty that I had to.¡±
Jennica stared at him for a long moment before carefully leaning against his arm ¡ªthe way she would often do when she was younger when he would read to her. After a moment, she asked, ¡°You said you gave instructions to some other Wayland about me specifically?¡±
Dazien smiled more to himself than to her as he admitted, ¡°Only if you didn¡¯t find another family before you aged out.¡±
She glanced up at him again with those questioning brown eyes, and he finally said, ¡°If you still wish it in another decade, I told Patricia that I¡¯d like to adopt you into my family¡ like Paul did for me.¡±
Her jaw dropped open in surprise, and he added, ¡°I know you¡¯ll almost be an adult yourself by then, but¡ª¡±
¡°Yes, please!¡± she interrupted, wrapping him tightly in a hug.
Dazien chuckled and clarified, ¡°If I¡¯m away by the time you¡¯re sixteen, go see Pati, and she¡¯ll help get you set up in my place. I know she¡¯ll treat you like family. Don¡¯t trust her with choosing everything for you, but know that she¡¯ll have your best interests at heart. You¡¯ll be given a place to stay and an allowance, though I still expect you to pursue some kind of career as whatever you¡¯d like. Maybe try a few different things if you¡¯re unsure. I¡¯m also going to be funding your Aspects.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to fight monsters,¡± she instantly replied.
He shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to, Sprig. That¡¯s what I do so that, hopefully, you won¡¯t have to. Become a Crafter, or a Utility Caster, or whatever else might strike your fancy. I don¡¯t recommend using your allowance to buy Monster Seeds, but I also won¡¯t stop you from doing so.¡±
Dazien wrapped an arm around her shoulders to return her hug and added, ¡°I know your father wasn¡¯t a good one, and I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m doing it right either, but I want you to know that you¡¯re never alone, even if I¡¯m not here to prove it.¡±
60 - Who’s Missing?
Rayna held tight to Mohala, who had only recently reawakened from reaching Sapphire Caste. Instead of getting to celebrate more with her by being less afraid of breaking her, she was forcing herself to say goodbye to her girlfriend.
¡°Explain to me again why you have to go with them on some random quest halfway across the world instead of staying on the tundra with me?¡± Mohala asked her again.
¡°Because they¡¯ll likely fail without my awesomeness,¡± Rayna cheekily replied and countered, ¡°Explain to me again why you have to stay on the tundra instead of joining me on some random quest halfway across the world?¡±
Mo sighed, ¡°Because Po will likely spiral into a depression without my awesome self to support her.¡±
She chuckled and gave her girlfriend another squeeze, ¡°When this quest that I already promised to help with is over, I want to come back and get my own place for you to come visit. Or if Po¡¯s doing better, maybe I can take you to visit Epa Toivo, and I can show you all the awesome landmarks along the dune paths.¡±
They entwined their fingers as their hug broke, and Rayna added wistfully, ¡°I really want you to see the sunsets there. When the sky itself looks like it¡¯s on fire and the dunes look like sparkling treasure.¡±
Mohala laughed, ¡°I¡¯m surprised you ever left.¡±
Rayna gave a slightly pained smile and glanced back towards Saiya, who was chatting with Polissa on the other side of the rooftop terrace, ¡°I had my reasons.¡±
¡°A sister who would do better away from the memories of that place?¡± Mo quietly guessed.
She nodded silently, then grinned and said, ¡°But I¡¯m glad we left because if I hadn¡¯t, then I never would have met you.¡±
¡°You said you¡¯re leaving soon, but can we still meet tomorrow?¡±
Rayna hesitated and said, ¡°Dazien told all of us that we can¡¯t tell anyone exactly when or how we¡¯re leaving, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be available again after today.¡±
Mohala seemed to wilt slightly, ¡°I see. You¡¯ll at least write once you get there, yes?¡±
¡°Of course. And at least once a week if I can. I¡¯m not sure how often we¡¯ll be away from a city but I¡¯ll try to keep you updated on where we¡¯re at whenever I get to one.¡±
¡°I¡¯d appreciate that. I know it¡¯s a big world out there, and I don¡¯t like the idea of something happening without me knowing.¡±
¡°Which is why you should come with,¡± Rayna tried again, gently squeezing her hand.
¡°Which is why you should stay,¡± Mohala countered, meeting her gaze and silently begging.
She gave a sigh and slowly closed the short distance between them as she gave a gentle kiss. Mohala¡¯s impossibly soft arms wrapped around her neck, returning her tenderness. Mohala had been the first one to show her the pleasure of kisses; most of the voxen in Epa Toivo and elsewhere preferred rubbing noses over touching lips, but both sent ripples of electricity running through her from the intimacy of the action.
¡°I¡¯ll be back before you forget me,¡± Rayna promised as their kiss broke, and she went ahead and made the dryad laugh from their noses rubbing together.
¡°Just don¡¯t do anything crazy like chasing a dragon or punching a leviathan.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll leave that to our crazy Wayfarer.¡±
¡°Could you try and convince her not to do that either?¡±
Rayna laughed, ¡°I¡¯m not making promises I can¡¯t actually keep.¡±
¡°But you¡¯ll promise to come back to me?¡±
She smiled, ¡°That I can promise.¡±
Phoenix lay in her bed staring up at the starlit sky of her illusioned room. They would be leaving for Serenydi early in the morning tomorrow and she was having trouble making her mind calm down enough to actually sleep.
After Saiya and Rayna had calmed her down earlier, she had talked for hours with Jerem about everything other than that dumb prophecy. While she had chosen to stay at Mother¡¯s Cupboard for that conversation, Rayna and Saiya had gone to meet up with Mohala and Polissa to say goodbye, while Dazien and Uriel had left for the temple of the Parent to give their own farewells.
She had promised that she wouldn¡¯t leave the shop on her own and would only teleport between the Wayland estate here in the city and their residential section of the World Tree. They planned to have her portal them back to the World Tree for a final night there before they¡¯d board their ship around dawn.
Since she didn¡¯t have anything else planned for the afternoon, she spent the time sharing wild stories with Jerem. Before she could start, however, Jerem made sure to transfer ownership of the sacred weapon, Sanctified Hope, into her possession and helped her attune to it by simply smearing a few drops of her blood onto the silvery orb.
There wasn¡¯t enough open space for her to feel comfortable practicing with it at all, so she resolved to try it out later on her own and refocused on telling Jerem her story.
Eventually, Madam Malik and Rayk also joined them after a while and enjoyed hearing the tales be recounted as well.
They had gone over most of her story since arriving in this world, only omitting the details of her divine quest objective and her ability to resurrect, which made some of the explanations a bit awkward, but Jerem didn¡¯t seem to want to pry.
Rayk was quieter than his mother but Phoenix did enjoy him giving his own perspective of their Adventurer Trials. He also added his account of how he was caught by surprise and captured by the Scarlet Banquet when responding to screams of a monster spawn that didn¡¯t trigger the alarms. Madam Malik was less talkative when he gave that story but she made up for that silence by adding her perspective of the Siege of Tulimeir and all the rumors that had been floating through her shop.
After they had finished catching Jerem up on the event in Tulim, he had filled in a few of the missing pieces of Paul¡¯s story: how they had argued about what to do with Uriel, how the Purifier ordered Paul and another Cleric to completely ¡®cleanse¡¯ a village of innocent felions far to the east, in the nation of Felwen, how Paul refused and killed the Cleric instead, and how Jerem condemned him even further for doing so.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
Phoenix was shocked by the details Jerem was able to offer her and wished she had been able to go hug Paul after hearing about it¡ which she actually did do, eventually portaling straight there after saying goodbye to everyone. She was glad that the barrier that kept everyone out still allowed those who were bonded to him to pass through, like Orebela and, apparently, her.
Orebela had been kind enough not to prod her as she cried and hugged her sleeping dad.
She eventually went back to the Wayland estate like she had promised and waited for the rest of her friends to arrive before returning for one last night in her own room. Still staring up at the endless space above her filled with twinkling stars, she idly played with an item that had been in her collection for weeks now, yet she had no idea what to do with it.
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Item: Sigil of the Hero
A divine sigil of the divine entity: Hero.
Caste: Divine.
Availability: Legendary.
Type: Currency.
Effects: Unknown.
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¡°What are you going to spend that on?¡± Presley asked, standing near the edge of her bed.
Phoenix hadn¡¯t jumped that time, having expected the Emanation to come and sleep in her bed again if given the chance. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve been wondering if there¡¯s something I¡¯m meant to use it for during my journey.¡±
She returned the sigil to her collection and reached out an arm in silent invitation. Phoenix smiled as the little girl scrambled into the nebula bed.
Presley squirmed under the poofy blanket Phoenix had purchased earlier and snuggled into Phoenix¡¯s side as she asked, ¡°Can I come with?¡±
Phoenix chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re still mid-Crystal Caste. Even if you¡¯re a bit like me and won¡¯t actually die if something happens to your Emanation, it¡¯s not safe for you to come with. Dazien assured me that we will still be fighting monsters once we arrive, even if we manage to avoid them on the ship.¡±
Presley stuck out a pouting lip, and Phoenix wondered where she had learned that particular style of begging, ¡°But Uriel is still Crystal and gets to go.¡±
¡°He¡¯ll hit Sapphire any day now. I think he just needs to actually focus on meditating properly, and it¡¯ll be enough, but it¡¯s not like we haven¡¯t pointed that out a hundred times already. It¡¯s also not something any of us can do for him, unfortunately.¡±
She ruffled Presley¡¯s curls and added, ¡°But I need you to stay here and watch over Paul and everyone else for me while I¡¯m gone.¡±
¡°You¡¯ll visit soon?¡±
¡°It may be a while,¡± she hedged, ¡°I¡¯ll want to come back over land instead of by boat to be able to portal hop properly, and Dazien said that would take a few months on its own. Maybe we¡¯ll get lucky, though, and Uriel cultivates one of his abilities into some sort of vehicle.¡±
Presley giggled and the idea, ¡°Will Uriel¡¯s ice fort become like my vessel was?¡±
¡°That would be pretty awesome,¡± she admitted, ¡°Maybe next time we visit, you can join us if you¡¯re high enough Caste by that point. You¡¯ve been growing stupidly fast, so it might coincide just right.¡±
¡°I can see the world, too?¡± Presley asked, perking up with an excited smile.
Phoenix paused at the phrasing, and a grin slowly crept across her face. She had been so focused on why she needed to leave, for divine quests and apparently stupid prophecies that made absolutely no sense, that she had forgotten that this would be the beginning of a new adventure.
She¡¯d get to see more of this vast world than just this little corner of snowy tundra and some treacherous mountains.
¡°Yes,¡± she replied, ¡°Even if we¡¯re not ready next time, I promise I¡¯ll show you the world someday. We both have an eternity to look forward to exploring with, right?¡±
Presley grinned back, ¡°My tree is Obsidian, so I won¡¯t die unless something happens to it, but I am very difficult to kill.¡±
Phoenix chuckled and squeezed her in a hug, ¡°I¡¯m pretty easy to kill, but at least I¡¯ll always come back to you. No matter what.¡±
They lay there for a few sweetly silent moments, just hugging each other and looking up at the starry illusion.
¡°I¡¯ll miss you,¡± Presley said in barely more than a whisper, and Phoenix felt her heart clench as she whispered back.
¡°I¡¯ll miss you too, little sis.¡±
Phoenix stood at the bow of the Victor¡¯s Tribute dressed in heavy traveling clothes that helped hide her more distinguishing features. She had never been on a ship before and was excited about the new experience as it slowly rocked in the water. The crew was almost finished loading the giant trading vessel that was used mostly to transport goods rather than people.
She stared out across the water towards the seawall gates. They were slowly opening as their ship was set to cross through in a few minutes.
¡°Are you happy to be leaving finally?¡± Uriel¡¯s reassuring voice asked from behind as he came up to lean beside her.
¡°I think so,¡± she replied, ¡°I¡¯m happy to get a break from all the attention, at least. I know I said I wanted to do better at being a good Saint for everyone, but I think some baby steps by going to a place where we only plan to tell a very few people will be a good way to slowly work up to those larger crowds all wanting me to speak words of wisdom I simply don¡¯t possess.¡±
Uriel chuckled, ¡°You seemed to do fine at the memorials,¡± he pointed out.
¡°Did I ever mention Dazien telling me what to say through his communication ability?¡±
He laughed again, and she found herself chuckling as well. She noticed he was wearing his new earrings, and she gestured to them as she asked, ¡°How are those working for you so far?¡±
¡°They¡¯re much better,¡± he replied with a smile, ¡°I can feel everything still, but when I get angry, they modulate the magic to slowly tone it down based on how quickly it rises. I had Jacob help me test them since he knew exactly what buttons to press and could subdue me if things went wrong. He didn¡¯t like that I asked him to, but he understood that I wanted to feel safe enough while trying them.¡±
¡°I¡¯m gonna miss talking with him while we¡¯re gone. I hope we can visit often. I know my portal doesn¡¯t reach far enough to come back immediately, but Daze promised we could take the longer route next time to get some portal destinations on the way.¡±
¡°That would be nice. I know he was concerned about us leaving Tulim on foot with so many unknowns still surrounding who might have been targeting us earlier. They want to assume it was the Scarlet Banquet, but Daze doesn¡¯t like assumptions in this case.¡±
She nodded in understanding. Besides, she was excited about traveling by sea after all the foot travel they had already done across the tundra over the past twelve months. Just one more Makeran month, and she¡¯d be nineteen.
Phoenix oddly realized that this was the first birthday she found herself actually looking forward to. Instead of doctors telling her she wouldn¡¯t live to see it, she¡¯d get to celebrate with her friends beside her without worrying about death. She actually had a future to look forward to this time.
As a comfortable silence settled between them, she found herself leaning her head against his arm and quietly admitting, ¡°I¡¯m glad to finally be going on this quest. It feels like I¡¯ve been waiting for ages for it¡ but you know who¡¯s missing?¡±
¡°Paul,¡± he replied immediately.
¡°Paul,¡± she confirmed with a sigh.
He adjusted to wrap an arm around her shoulders in a hug. ¡°You still have your party, and Paul will be awaiting your return.¡±
Uriel gave her another squeeze as he added, ¡°For now, we can focus on fulfilling his wishes. Completing your quest, getting stronger, and waking him up. While I know you and Daze will miss him, think about the amazing stories you¡¯ll get to tell him when we all get back.¡±
She chuckled, ¡°Hopefully, it won¡¯t be too many. I want to be able to make more amazing stories with him in them.¡±
Uriel smiled down at her, ¡°Well, that¡¯s the great thing about being an immortal; you and he will have an eternity to make them. Daze mentioned how you theorized about Paul getting the benefits of your Talent. Even if it takes a while to hit Ruby, you two will get to stay together forever.¡±
Phoenix liked the sound of that, but something about it bothered her for a moment until she realized what was missing, ¡°And you.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°I want to stay together with you and Dazien forever, too.¡±
¡°Princess, we¡ª¡±
¡°You can both hit Obsidian, too,¡± she insisted, ¡°Saiya and Rayna also. We don¡¯t have to ever be apart if we don¡¯t want to be, right?¡±
His expression softened as he replied, ¡°You¡¯re right. That sounds like a great future.¡±
Phoenix smiled, then looked back at the open gate toward the sparkling sapphire sea stretching far beyond it as she said, ¡°Next step towards that future is to seek out the lost treasure and have a grand adventure!¡±
End of Book 5 of Wayward: Missing
Phoenix and friends will return in Book 6 of Wayward: Seeking
End of Book 5 - Character Reference
Hello everyone ??
We made it through the fifth book of the Wayward series! Usual fun fact: the original version of this portion was 86,606 words, while this rewritten version ended up 162,551 words long! I know this was missing a climactic end battle like the last few books have had, but I figured that was at least on-theme with the book title. I hope you liked it, even with some of the darker turns early on. I had hoped to actually end this book in Serenydi, but it ended up going way longer than I initially intended, so we¡¯ll be visiting there next book!
It¡¯s time again to see all the DATA and to satisfy my curiosity about which characters you dear readers are enjoying the most. Again, I¡¯m only including ¡°recurring characters,¡± which must show up ¡°on screen¡± in at least five different chapters within just this book to be included. You can pick your Top Three! As always, I¡¯d love to hear about why you picked who you did in the comments below ??
Book 6 will also be continuing on Monday as well, along with keeping the 5 chapters per week pace! I hope you¡¯ve all enjoyed the updated story so far! If you have, please leave a rating to let others know or a comment to let me know! I read all of them, even if I don¡¯t have the energy to respond. I probably shouldn¡¯t, considering I internalize negativity too much, but I love getting positive feedback, and your kind words help motivate me to keep writing!
As a reminder, I usually take the month of January off from releasing as I focus on planning, editing, and building up more backlog. This current plan means Jan 1st - 31st will have no chapters. I will also be doing alternate ¡°bonus¡± chapters for Dec. 30th and 31st instead to finish out the year.
Now, the Character Profiles!
Phoenix Wayland
Name: Phoenix Wayland
Species: Wayfarer
Caste: Sapphire 1
Attributes
Strength (Sun): Sapphire 1
Agility (Dark): Sapphire 1
Fortitude (Star): Sapphire 1
Mind (Moon): Sapphire 1
Magic (Celestial Astromancer): Sapphire 1
Natural Talents
Aetheric Transmigrator
Collector
Guide Book
Lodestar
Waypoint
Divine Titles
Chosen One
Saint of the Celestial Pantheon
Titles
Adventurer
Slayer
Martyr
Soul Tyrant
Regent of the House
Aspects
Star
- Guiding Stars (Aura Passive)
- Transversing the Stars - Sapphire 2
- Wings of the Cosmos (Class) - Sapphire 1
Dark
- Embrace of Shadows (Aura Passive)
- Night Blade - Sapphire 1
- Call of the Abyss (Class) - Sapphire 1
Sun
- Radiant Sunlight (Aura Passive)
- Dawn Rises - Sapphire 1
- Meteor Shower (Class) - Sapphire 1
Moon
- Moonlit Eyes (Perception Passive)
- Lunar Dream - Sapphire 1
- Avatar of Bakunawa (Class) - Sapphire 1
Celestial Astromancer (Class)
- Astral Oasis (Aura Passive)
- Ruler of Relativity - Sapphire 1
- Supernova (Class) - Sapphire 1
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Natural Talent: Aetheric Transmigrator
- Increased resistance to negative Dimension effects. Dimension abilities have an increased effect.
- You are a Natural Translator, allowing the understanding of languages you are exposed to.
- You can directly use Aspects and Spirit Gems without the need for an Absorption Ritual.
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Natural Talent: Beacon of Hope
- You can unlock more than one Aura ability.
- Aspect abilities cultivate quicker than average.
- You can draw magic diagrams with conjured light, including ones that float in the air.
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Natural Talent: Collector
- You have a personal dimensional storage space.
- You automatically loot slain enemies that have been touched by your aura.
- Loot automatically goes into your collection.
- You can use material components for spells, rituals, or enchantments directly from your collection.
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Natural Talent: Guide Book
You can conjure a book that guides you and informs you about parts of the world that have been touched by your aura.
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Natural Talent: Lodestar
Deviated from [Beacon of Hope] due to becoming soul entwined.
- Your soul has become entwined with Paul Wayland, one of your Kindred Spirits.
- Your soul will always recognize Paul Wayland¡¯s soul as a Kindred Spirit.
- You share Natural Talents with your Kindred Spirit.
- You have a telepathic link with your Kindred Spirit with the range based on the highest Caste.
- When within your Kindred Spirit¡¯s aura, you have increased Magic.
- When there is a Caste difference between you and your Kindred Spirit, the one with the lower Caste has an increased cultivation rate based on the difference.
- The effects of this cannot be shared.
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Natural Talent: Waypoint
When suffering lethal damage, instead of crossing the Veil, your soul will be transported to the last place you designated as your Waypoint. Your body will be reconstituted there, regaining a state of full integrity. This effect can only be triggered once every twenty-four hours.
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Natural Talent: Sun Attunement
Shared from Paul Wayland due to [Lodestar].
- Increased resistance to negative Fire and Light effects. Fire and Light abilities have increased effect.
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Natural Talent: Corruption Slayer
Shared from Paul Wayland due to [Lodestar].
- Increased resistance to negative Radiant effects. Radiant abilities have an increased effect.
- Can sense the direction of nearby [Corrupted] targets.
- Increased damage against [Corrupted] targets.
- You are immune to becoming [Corrupted].
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Natural Talent: Zealous Avenger
Shared from Paul Wayland due to [Lodestar].
- You can loot slain enemies with a touch. The quality of loot is increased if the target is slain with [Nemesis].
- You gain further insight into yourself and your enemies.
- Divine abilities have increased effect.
- You can mark a target that has been touched by your aura with [Nemesis].
- Nemesis (bane, tracking, divine): You can be tracked by the caster of this Bane. You take increased damage from Divine sources. Decreased resource regeneration.
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Divine Title: Chosen One
Your aura has been altered by the divine entities: Hero, Rebel, Scholar, Warrior, Traveler, Cultivator, Champion, and Parent. The alterations have enhanced the strength of your aura, increasing its range and resistance to effects from higher Castes. Your soul has been marked as one who has been chosen by the deities of Makera.
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Divine Title: Saint of the Celestial Pantheon
Your aura has been slightly modified by unlocking the power of your Soul Mark. The ability to grant divine blessings can be sensed within it. Your aura has greatly increased effects when under the effects of [Twist of Fate].
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Title: Adventurer
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The desire for adventure can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased effects when affecting a Mundane ally.
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Title: Slayer
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The resolve to end the life of another person can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased resistance to being suppressed when combating foes of the same or higher Caste.
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Title: Martyr
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The desire to save others at the cost of yourself can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased effects when low on health.
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Title: Soul Tyrant
Your aura has been slightly modified by your actions. The resolve to claim complete dominion over another can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased effects when near those who serve your will.
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Title: Regent of the House
Your aura has been slightly modified by your position. The rights and responsibilities over your people can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased effects when near those who belong to or serve your House.
This Title only remains so long as the position is maintained.
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Passive Ability: Guiding Stars
Type: Aura (magical, dark, light)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura have increased stamina regeneration and will gain a [Starlight Companion]. Reconstructing a destroyed [Starlight Companion] expends a low amount of mana.
Sapphire Effect: Allies also gain a [Night Wisp]. [Starlight Qi] can be infused into your [Night Wisp] or [Starlight Companion] at the time of construction to deal retribution damage upon destruction.
- Starlight Companion (construct, magical, light): A small Starlight Companion hovers around you, providing light and protection. Can intercept and negate Magical or Elemental projectiles.
- Night Wisp (construct, magical, dark): A small ethereal Night Wisp hovers around you, periodically inflicting low Dark damage to a nearby enemy.
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Ability: Transversing the Stars
Type: Utility (construct, magical, dimension)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Construct a star gate between two locations on a regional scale. The destination gate must appear in a location you have an aural imprint on.
Sapphire Effect: Your portals have a protective zone around them that knocks back enemies upon creation while consecrating the ground within, granting the zone enhanced effects from your auras.
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Class Ability: Wings of the Cosmos
Type: Familiar (ritual, summon, magical, covenant, dimension)
Cost: Severe mana and stamina.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Summon a [Cosmic Phoenix] to serve as a Familiar.
Sapphire Effect: Your Familiar can use its feathers as a ranged attack inflicting low Radiant damage.
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Passive Ability: Embrace of Shadows
Type: Aura (stealth, magical, dark)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura are obscured by shadows, making attacks against them less likely to hit. The effectiveness of the shadows scales up with the level of darkness of the surrounding environment.
Sapphire Effect: Allies within your aura are further obscured, negating produced scent and sound. The effectiveness scales up with how still the ally is.
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Ability: Night Blade
Type: Utility (construct, magical, dark)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Constructs a magical dagger that inflicts additional Dark damage and an instance of [Mana Siphon].
Sapphire Effect: (Unknown)
- Mana Siphon (bane, drain, magical, arcane, stacking): Drains a low amount of mana over time.
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Class Ability: Call of the Abyss
Type: Spell (divine, void)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Inflicts [Weakened] and [Reflected Fate].
Sapphire Effect: Additionally inflicts [Mark of the Void]. When transfigured, you gain [Void Hunter].
- Weakened (bane, divine, void): Maximum health, mana, and stamina is reduced.
- Reflected Fate (bane, retribution, divine, void): For each attack made, take a low amount of damage in return. Damage taken is of the same type as the attack.
- Mark of the Void (bane, summon, divine, void, tracking): Summons a [Shadow of Azazel] that targets the bearer of this mark. If the bearer is killed, the mark will move to the nearest enemy in range. If the [Shadow of Azazel] is destroyed this bane is removed.
- Shadow of Azazel (summon, divine, void): A creature of the void that attempts to devour its target. If there is no [Mark of the Void] in range, this creature will be Banished.
- Void Hunter (boon, divine, void, tracking): You can sense the direction of your [Mark of the Void], and attacks done against them inflict additional Void damage.
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Passive Ability: Radiant Sunlight
Type: Aura (magical, light)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura gain a [Sun Shell]. Reconstructing a destroyed [Sun Shell] can be done after a short duration and costs a moderate amount of mana.
Sapphire Effect: Allies within your aura have increased regeneration to health. [Starlight Qi] can be infused into your [Sun Shell] at the time of construction to transfigure it into a [Celestial Shield].
- Sun Shell (boon, construct, magical, light): A shield that blocks the next incoming physical attack with a chance to knock back and inflict [Blind] on the attacker.
- Blind (bane, magical, light): Hinders vision for a short time.
- Celestial Shield (boon, construct, retribution, divine, radiant): Blocks the next incoming Magical or Elemental attack and inflicts retribution damage on the attacker.
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Ability: Dawn Rises
Type: Spell (magical, life)
Cost: Variable mana.
Cooldown: Variable.
Crystal Effect: Can heal a touched target by activating for Low, Moderate, High, or Severe mana cost. The amount healed and respective cooldown time increases with cost.
Sapphire Effect: Grants a number of instances of [Life Regen] based on the cost spent. Can be infused with an amount of [Starlight Qi] equal to the cost to additionally replenish mana and stamina.
- Life Regen (boon, magical, life, stacking): Increased health regeneration.
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Class Ability: Meteor Shower
Type: Spell (summon, elemental, fire)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Crystal Effect: Summon a meteor to descend on a target location, inflicting massive Fire and physical damage, and nearby enemies gain [Burning].
Sapphire Effect: Three meteors are now summoned at once. The summoned meteors can be fractured any time before impact to hit a wider area for less damage and additionally inflict an instance of [Fractured Vision] to all nearby enemies.
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
- Fractured Vision (bane, magical, light): See quadruple for a short time.
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Passive Ability: Moonlit Eyes
Type: Perception
Crystal Effect: The level of light does not hinder your sight.
Sapphire Effect: Can see the flow of magic.
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Ability: Lunar Dream
Type: Spell (construct, magical, illusion)
Cost: Variable mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Construct an illusory model. Cost varies based on scale and duration. The Illusion is semi-transparent and intangible.
Sapphire Effect: (Unknown)
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Class Ability: Avatar of Bakunawa
Type: Transfiguration (recoil, magical, dark, dimension, light)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 30 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Take on the characteristics and abilities of the moon-eating dragon Bakunawa, increasing all attributes by a significant amount and unlocking the abilities [Eclipse Breath], [Cosmic Talons], and [Soul of the Celestial]. When this effect ends, you are temporarily debilitated, suffering a reduction in all attributes.
Sapphire Effect: (Unknown)
- Eclipse Breath (channel, magical, dark, light): Breath a stream of Magical flames inflicting Dark and Light damage.
- Cosmic Talons (magical, dimension): Grow metallic claws that inflict Dimension damage.
- Soul of the Celestial (passive, aura): Increases Strength, Mind, and Magic attributes of allies within your aura.
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Passive Ability: Astral Oasis
Type: Aura (magical, arcane)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura have increased regeneration to mana, and abilities cost less mana.
Sapphire Effect: Enemies within your aura have their mana slowly siphoned and distributed to allies. The ashes of the deceased within the aura are consumed and converted into [Starlight Qi].
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Ability: Ruler of Relativity
Type: Utility (channel, magical, covenant)
Cost: Variable mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Change the gravitational relationship between you and a target within sight with mana cost dependent on the distance, speed, size, and Caste difference from the target.
Sapphire Effect: Cast a miniature black hole for variable mana per second at a target location that draws nearby creatures towards it. Enemies that come into contact with the black hole are periodically afflicted with [Mana Siphon].
- Mana Siphon (bane, drain, magical, arcane, stacking): Drains a low amount of mana over time.
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Class Ability: Supernova
Type: Execute (recoil, elemental, magical, arcane, fire, light)
Cost: Severe health, mana, and stamina.
Cooldown: 6 hours.
Crystal Effect: Create an explosion of magic centered on you, inflicting Arcane, Fire, and Light damage to nearby enemies and the surrounding environment. Enemies within and near the blast are inflicted with [Burning]. When this effect ends, you are temporarily unable to cast Spells. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
Sapphire Effect: (Unknown)
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
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Name: Tala
Species: Cosmic Phoenix (Familiar)
Mythical creatures not of this world that are attuned to Dimension, Fire, and Radiant magic.
Caste: Sapphire
Can cast the breath attack [Star Fire] against nearby enemies.
Attacks dealt by the talons or beak inflict additional Dimension damage, [Celestial Radiation], and can affect incorporeal entities.
Can communicate telepathically with the summoner.
Can heal others by expending a tail feather which grows back over time.
- Star Fire (elemental, magical, dimension, fire): A wide-area attack that inflicts a combination of Dimension and Fire damage and inflicts [Burning] and [Vulnerable].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
- Vulnerable (bane, elemental, stacking): All Elemental resistances are slightly reduced.
- Celestial Radiation (bane, divine, radiant): Inflicts ongoing low Radiant damage for a short duration.
When merged within the summoner:
- The summoner shines and slowly stores [Starlight Qi] generated from absorbed starlight. [Starlight Qi] can be completely drained to unleash a burst of mana and stamina regeneration to allies in the area. The amount replenished is determined by how much [Starlight Qi] was spent.
- The summoner gains [Stellar Photosynthesis] which allows them to be nourished on starlight alone and have accelerated mana recovery.
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Dazien Wayland
Name: Dazien Wayland
Species: Gemite (Amethyst)
Caste: Sapphire 1
Attributes
Strength (Potent): Sapphire 1
Agility (Sword): Sapphire 1
Fortitude (Metal): Sapphire 1
Mind (Noble): Sapphire 1
Magic (Warrior King): Sapphire 2
Natural Talents
Drinking Buddy
Wrath of the King
Right of Divinity
Shiny
Treasure Attunement
Titles
Orphan
Loyal Friend
Warrior Trainee
Slayer
Adventurer
Aspects
Potent
- Eagle Eye (Perception Passive)
- Duelist - Sapphire 2
- Rallying Cry (Class) - Sapphire 1
Sword
- Armory (Utility Passive)
- Accelerating Strikes - Sapphire 1
- Royal Executioner (Class) - Sapphire 1
Metal
- Tribute (Utility Passive)
- Stand Your Ground - Sapphire 1
- To the Dungeon (Class) - Sapphire 1
Noble
- Noble Subjects (Utility Passive)
- Lead the Charge - Sapphire 1
- King¡¯s Banner (Class) - Sapphire 1
Warrior King (Class)
- Monarch¡¯s Dominion (Aura Passive)
- Call of Fealty - Sapphire 3
- Avatar of Sovereignty (Class) - Sapphire 1
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Natural Talent: Drinking Buddy
Cultivated from [Never Drunk] due to unlocking the Noble Aspect.
- Cannot become intoxicated via alcoholic beverages at or below your Caste.
- When drinking alcohol, you may grant nearby allies increased resistance to intoxication.
- Covenant abilities have an increased effect.
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Natural Talent: Earthborn
- Fortitude and Strength attributes are increased.
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Natural Talent: Wrath of the King
Cultivated from [Earthborn] due to soul actualization.
- Fortitude and Strength attributes are increased.
- The strength of your aura to suppress others is greatly increased.
- Damage dealt by Retribution effects is greatly increased.
- When one of your abilities is resisted, you gain an instance of [Dominance].
- Dominance (boon, magical, covenant, stacking): Your Covenant abilities have an increased chance to overcome resistances, including resistances of higher Caste.
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Natural Talent: Right of Divinity
Cultivated from [Classy] due to unlocking the Warrior King Class.
- Taunt and Retribution abilities have increased effect.
- Increased resistance to Radiant effects. Radiant abilities have an increased effect.
- Constructs you create have increased effect and are more resistant to damage.
- Abilities that are not the same level as your highest level ability have greatly increased cultivation rate.
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Natural Talent: Shiny
- Your appearance conforms more closely to most species and your ideal traits.
- Your looks, words, and deeds have greater appeal.
- Your eyes shine with an inner light increasing charisma and enhancing sight in darkness.
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Passive Ability: Eagle Eye
Type: Perception
Crystal Effect: You have greater control over your vision and can focus on details from a great distance.
Sapphire Effect: You can see the types of magic a creature or item is attuned to.
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Ability: Duelist
Type: Spell (taunt, magical, covenant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Challenge a target to single combat; you gain an instance of [Honor] for each attack against the target and inflict [Dishonor] on the target for any attacks they make against others.
Sapphire Effect: You can mark an enemy as [Second Challenger] and an ally as [King¡¯s Champion]. While you and a nearby ally have [Honor], you both gain [Comrade in Arms].
- Honor (boon, magical, covenant, stacking): Attacks made with melee weapons deal increased damage, and resistance to Spells is increased. Instances are slowly lost over time.
- Dishonor (bane, magical, covenant, stacking): Resistances to Magical effects and recovery are reduced. Instances are slowly lost over time.
- Second Challenger (bane, magical, covenant): Gain instances of [Dishonor] when attacking any target that is not [King¡¯s Champion].
- King¡¯s Champion (boon, magical, covenant): Gain instances of [Honor] when attacking a target with [Second Challenger].
- Comrade in Arms (boon, magical, covenant): Magic and Strength are increased. This Boon cannot be removed while instances of [Honor] remain.
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Class Ability: Rallying Cry
Type: Spell (magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Can cast either [To Arms] or [Charge] to temporarily increase one Attribute for nearby allies.
Sapphire Effect: (Unknown)
- To Arms (boon, magical, covenant): Increased Strength for a moderate duration.
- Charge (boon, magical, covenant): Increased Agility for a moderate duration.
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Passive Ability: Armory
Type: Utility (construct, magical, dimension)
Crystal Effect: Construct a doorway to a personal dimensional storage space that contains the sword [Excalibur]. You can don or doff armor and weapons directly from this space without needing to construct the doorway.
Sapphire Effect: You can construct a magical copy of any armor and weapons in your armory which can be used by allies for a limited time. Wielding [Excalibur] periodically cleanses the wielder of Dark, Death, and Blood Banes.
- Excalibur (construct, divine, radiant): Attacks made with [Excalibur] can affect incorporeal targets and inflict an instance of [Ailing].
- Ailing (bane, divine, radiant, stacking): Decreased health and stamina regeneration.
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Ability: Accelerating Strikes
Type: Special Attack (combination, divine, radiant)
Cost: Low stamina, increasing with each successive attack.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Each attack slightly increases your attack speed while this ability is active.
Sapphire Effect: After a threshold of successive attacks is reached, escalating Radiant damage is inflicted with each attack.
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Class Ability: Royal Executioner
Type: Execute (divine, radiant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Enchants a blade so that its next attack deals additional Radiant damage on impact. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
Sapphire Effect: Base damage is slightly increased for each Bane on the target and each Boon on you.
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Passive Ability: Tribute
Type: Utility (magical, covenant)
Crystal Effect: Allies with [Subject] gain a brand that allows them to loot slain enemies with a touch. You gain additional loot from enemies looted by allies with [Subject]. Loot goes directly into your dimensional storage.
Sapphire Effect: When you or a [Subject] slay or loot an enemy, both gain an instance of [Rightful Plunder].
- Rightful Plunder (boon, magical, covenant, stacking): Gain a moderate amount of stamina and mana over a short duration.
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Ability: Stand Your Ground
Type: Utility (channel, elemental, metal)
Cost: Moderate mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Become rooted in place, greatly increasing your resistance to physical damage, and gain an instance of [Tenacity] each second until your next movement.
Sapphire Effect: (Unknown)
- Tenacity (boon, elemental, metal, stacking): Increased Strength and resistance to Elemental damage. Instances are quickly lost when moving.
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Class Ability: To the Dungeon
Type: Spell (construct, control, elemental, metal)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Construct a reinforced metal cage around the target for a short duration; touching the cage inflicts a burst of Metal damage.
Sapphire Effect: (Unknown)
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Passive Ability: Noble Subjects
Type: Utility (magical, covenant)
Crystal Effect: You can designate willing allies as a [Subject]. Allies with [Subject] can communicate telepathically.
Sapphire Effect: You can assign a hierarchy to your allies with [Subject] which they can inherently sense. Allies with [Subject] gain increased benefits from your Boons and the Boons of other allies with [Subject].
- Subject (boon, magical, covenant, tracking): You have been claimed as a noble subject. Your general status is known by the Caster. Other abilities that affect a [Subject] can only affect you if triggered by the Caster.
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Ability: Lead the Charge
Type: Special Attack (movement, magical, covenant)
Cost: Low stamina per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Focus on a target, greatly increasing your speed while moving in the target¡¯s direction and gaining an instance of [Momentum] each second until your next attack.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
Sapphire Effect: Increase the Agility attribute of all allies within your aura while this ability is active.
- Momentum (boon, magical, covenant, stacking): Your next attack will consume all instances of this Boon to inflict additional physical damage. Instances are lost quickly while not moving.
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Class Ability: King¡¯s Banner
Type: Utility (boon, construct, zone, magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Construct a battle standard that creates a zone around it, granting nearby allies increased regeneration and Fortitude.
Sapphire Effect: (Unknown)
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Passive Ability: Monarch¡¯s Dominion
Type: Aura (magical, covenant)
Crystal Effect: Allies within the aura gain increased resistance to Retribution effects.
Sapphire Effect: Enemies gain an instance of [Reparations] for each attack made while in the aura.
- Reparations (bane, retribution, magical, covenant, stacking): Inflicts ongoing low damage. Damage dealt is the same type as the triggering attack. Instances are lost quickly while not attacking.
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Ability: Call of Fealty
Type: Spell (taunt, magical, covenant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 2 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Inflict a target with [Hesitation] if they do not halt their momentum, and [Insolence] if they do not kneel before you, within 5 seconds.
Sapphire Effect: Cooldown resets if the target dies and you gain an instance of [Weight of Presence]. If the target attacks you during the 5-second countdown, they gain an instance of [King¡¯s Reprisal].
- Hesitation (bane, magical, covenant, stacking): Agility is decreased.
- Insolence (bane, magical, covenant, stacking): Magical resistance is decreased.
- Weight of Presence (boon, magical, covenant, stacking): Increased effect of Taunt abilities. Each successful Taunt consumes a stack of this Boon.
- King¡¯s Reprisal (bane, retribution, magical, covenant): Attacks dealt by you also deal a small percentage of Retributive damage to yourself.
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Class Ability: Avatar of Sovereignty
Type: Familiar (ritual, summon, magical, covenant)
Cost: Severe mana and stamina.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Summon a [Royal Raksha] to serve as a Familiar.
Sapphire Effect: (Unknown)
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Name: Rex
Species: Royal Raksha (Familiar)
Mythical chimeric creatures not of this world that are attuned in Blood, Covenant, Gem, Song, Wind, and Radiant magic.
Caste: Sapphire
Can perform a roar Special Attack, inflicting Song damage.
Can fly with a low carrying capacity and perform a gust Special Attack with its wings, inflicting Wind damage.
Can make a tail Special Attack, inflicting Gem damage.
Attacks made with the antlers, teeth, or claws inflict [Bleeding].
Can cast [Benevolent Mercy] for a moderate mana cost to empower nearby allies.
Can cast [Tyrannical Punishment] for a moderate mana cost to intimidate nearby enemies.
- Bleeding (bane, magical, blood): Inflicts low ongoing Blood damage.
- Benevolent Presence (boon, magical, covenant): Abilities have decreased resource cost, and innate resistances are increased.
- Tyrannical Presence (bane, magical, covenant): Abilities have increased resource cost, and innate resistances are decreased.
When merged within the summoner:
- The summoner gains [Sovereign Scales] along their spine that grant increased resistance against physical attacks.
- Abilities that use incantations have increased effect.
- Other beings subconsciously recognize the true motivations behind the summoner¡¯s words.
- The summoner gains [Sovereign Antlers]; one antler can cast [Benevolent Mercy], and the other can cast [Tyrannical Punishment] with their own internal cooldowns.
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Uriel Karislian
Name: Uriel Karislian
Species: Cinderen (Ashen)
Caste: Crystal 9
Attributes
Strength (Potent): Crystal 10
Agility (Fire): Crystal 10
Fortitude (Storm): Crystal 9
Mind (Ice): Crystal 10
Magic (Cataclysm Mage): Crystal 10
Natural Talents
Molten Attunement
Ice Attunement
Storm Attunement
Spell Disposition
Raging Inferno
Divine Titles
Chosen Destroyer
Titles
Slayer
Unwilling Parenticide
Orphan
Adventurer
Aspects
Fire
- Home¡¯s Hearth (Utility Passive)
- Rain of Fire - Crystal 10
- Scorch the Shaken Earth (Class) - Crystal 10
Ice
- Fortress of Solitude (Utility Passive)
- Frost Touched - Crystal 10
- Blizzard (Class) - Crystal 10
Storm
- Scent in the Air (Perception Passive)
- Microburst - Crystal 10
- Eye of the Storm (Class) - Crystal 9
Potent
- Battlemage (Aura Passive)
- Siphoned Vigor - Crystal 10
- Plague Bearer (Class) - Crystal 10
Cataclysm Mage (Class)
- Apotheosis of Annihilation (Transfiguration Passive)
- Chaos Seeds - Crystal 10
- End of Days (Class) - Crystal 10
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Natural Talent: Molten Attunement
- Increased resistance to negative Earth and Fire effects. Earth and Fire abilities have increased effects.
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Natural Talent: Ice Attunement
Cultivated from [Unknown Potential] due to unlocking the Ice Aspect.
- Increased resistance to negative Ice effects. Ice abilities have increased effects.
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Natural Talent: Storm Attunement
Deviated from [Animal Friend] due to unlocking the Storm Aspect.
- Increased resistance to negative Lightning and Wind effects. Lightning and Wind abilities have increased effects.
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Natural Talent: Spell Disposition
Deviated from [Utility Disposition] due to unlocking the Cataclysm Mage Class.
- Increased likelihood of unlocking Spell abilities. Spells have increased effect and reduced cost.
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Natural Talent: Raging Inferno
Deviated from [Flame Heart] due to Destroyer¡¯s Blessing.
- Increased Fortitude and Elemental resistances when near Fire.
- When you become angered while using mana, Raging Inferno becomes active, and you enter a state of uncontrollable rage.
- While Raging Inferno is active, you have greatly increased Agility, Fortitude, and Magic at the cost of decreased Mind and Strength.
- While Raging Inferno is active, your Spells have greatly decreased cost and cooldown and increased range and area of effect.
- While Raging Inferno is active, any creature that dies within your aura is instantly consumed and converted into instances of [Fuel for the Flames], the number of instances depends on the Caste of the consumed target.
- While Raging Inferno is active, you attack any and all nearby creatures.
- Fuel for the Flames (boon, divine, void, stacking): Greatly increases resource regeneration for a short duration.
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Divine Title: Chosen Destroyer
Your aura has been altered by the divine entity: Destroyer. The alteration has enhanced the strength of your aura, increasing its range and resistance to effects from higher castes. Your soul has been marked as one who has been chosen by the Destroyer. People can sense your desire to destroy through your aura.
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Title: Slayer
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The resolve to end the life of another person can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased resistance to being suppressed when combating foes of the same or higher caste.
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Title: Unwilling Parenticide
Your aura has been slightly modified by your actions. The guilt of causing the death of your parents and your desire for atonement can be sensed within it. Your aura slightly increases the effects of abilities that cost health or have recoil.
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Title: Orphan
Your aura has been slightly modified by your situation. The loss of your parents can be sensed within it. Your aura slightly increases the effects of abilities that produce resources.
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Title: Adventurer
Your aura has been slightly modified by your accomplishment. The desire for adventure can be sensed within it. Your aura has slightly increased effects when affecting a Mundane ally.
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Passive Ability: Home¡¯s Hearth
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, fire)
Crystal Effect: Construct a hearth that produces light and heat for a low mana cost. Allies near the hearth slowly gain instances of [Hearth¡¯s Warmth].
- Hearth¡¯s Warmth (boon, cleanse, elemental, fire, stacking): Increased health regeneration and periodically cleanses Elemental Banes.
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Ability: Rain of Fire
Type: Spell (elemental, fire)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Create an area of falling flames. Targets in the area take ongoing Fire damage and slowly gain instances of [Scorched].
- Scorched (bane, elemental, fire, stacking): Decreased Fire resistance.
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Class Ability: Scorch the Shaken Earth
Type: Special Attack (elemental, earth, fire)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Slam the ground to trigger a seismic attack inflicting Earth damage, rippling out in a circle around you, scorching the area with fire, and knocking back enemies in its path. Anyone within the area gains [Burning].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
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Passive Ability: Fortress of Solitude
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, magical, ice, dimension)
Crystal Effect: Construct a fortress of ice nearby that serves as a shelter and dimensional storage, increasing the mana regeneration and ability cultivation rate of the inhabitants.
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Ability: Frost Touched
Type: Spell (elemental, ice)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Inflict the target with low Ice damage and an instance of [Chilled] and [Frostbite].
- Chilled (bane, elemental, ice, stacking): Decreased Agility.
- Frostbite (bane, elemental, ice, stacking): Inflicts ongoing Ice damage.
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Class Ability: Blizzard
Type: Spell (elemental, ice)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Create an area of violent wind, snow, and hail. Targets in the area take ongoing Ice damage and slowly gain instances of [Chilled].
- Chilled (bane, elemental, ice, stacking): Decreased Agility.
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Passive Ability: Scent in the Air
Type: Perception
Crystal Effect: You have an extremely heightened and more controlled sense of smell.
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Ability: Microburst
Type: Spell (elemental, wind)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Causes a burst of downward winds in an area that inflicts Wind damage and attempts to push down everything within it.
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Class Ability: Eye of the Storm
Type: Spell (elemental, earth, fire, water, wind)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Create a violent storm centered around you. Targets in the storm take a low amount of ongoing Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind damage and periodically gain an instance of [Scorched] and [Chilled].
- Scorched (bane, elemental, fire, stacking): Decreased Fire resistance.
- Chilled (bane, elemental, ice, stacking): Decreased Agility.
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Passive Ability: Battlemage
Type: Aura
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura deal increased damage with Spells and Spells that affect an area have increased range.
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Ability: Siphoned Vigor
Type: Spell (drain, magical, blood)
Cost: Variable health.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Consume an amount of your own health to replenish your mana.
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Class Ability: Plague Bearer
Type: Spell (magical, death)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Inflict a target enemy with low Death damage and an instance of [Plagued].
- Plagued (bane, magical, death, stacking): Inflicts ongoing Death damage and slowly spreads instances of [Plagued] to nearby enemies.
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Passive Ability: Apotheosis of Annihilation
Type: Transfiguration (divine, void)
Crystal Effect: Permanently enhances your aura with annihilating power that periodically deals small amounts of ongoing Void damage to everything within it.
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Ability: Chaos Seeds
Type: Spell (construct, elemental)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Construct a seed that will trigger a random Elemental attack on impact.
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Class Ability: End of Days
Type: Execute (spell, divine, void)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Surround the target in the void, suppressing all physical senses and inflicting ongoing low Void damage for a short duration. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
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Saiya Dewsong
Name: Saiya Dewsong
Species: Voxen (Sandstep)
Caste: Sapphire 4
Attributes
Strength (Water): Sapphire 4
Agility (Balance): Sapphire 4
Fortitude (Life): Sapphire 5
Mind (Song): Sapphire 4
Magic (Tranquil Healer): Sapphire 4
Natural Talents
Nomadic Heart
Tails of Power
???
???
???
Titles
Adventurer
???
Aspects
Song
- Accompanion (Utility Passive)
- Crescendo - Sapphire 4
- Sonorous Shield (Class) - Sapphire 5
Balance
- Meditative Guide (Boon Passive)
- Boon of the Balanced - Sapphire 5
- Harmonize (Class) - Sapphire 4
Life
- Empathic Life (Perception Passive)
- Heal Life - Sapphire 6
- Refreshed (Class) - Sapphire 4
Water
- Call of the Sea (Familiar Passive)
- Cleansing Stream - Sapphire 6
- Rain of Life (Class) - Sapphire 3
Tranquil Healer (Class)
- Soothing Soul (Aura Passive)
- Restful Retreat - Sapphire 5
- Restored Foundation (Class) - Sapphire 3
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Natural Talent: Nomadic Heart
- You have better footing and balance on all types of terrain and are less hindered by terrain features.
- Reduced stamina drain over prolonged periods.
- Increased resistance to environmental extremes.
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Natural Talent: Tails of Power
- Increased Magical and physical resistance of your tails.
- Each tail gradually accumulates ambient magic that may be used to boost the effects of an ability that costs mana or stamina.
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Passive Ability: Accompanion
Type: Utility (construct, magical, arcane)
Crystal Effect: Can construct a musical instrument of your own design.
Sapphire Effect: Constructed instruments can serve as a medium for Spells, enhancing their effects and costing less mana.
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Ability: Crescendo
Type: Boon (recoil, magical, song)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 6 hours.
Crystal Effect: Mind, Agility, and Fortitude attributes, along with maximum capacity and regeneration of mana and stamina pools, are greatly increased for a target ally for a moderate duration. When this effect ends, the targeted ally is temporarily debilitated, suffering the inverse of all previous effects.
Sapphire Effect: (Unknown)
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Class Ability: Sonorous Shield
Type: Spell (channel, construct, magical, song, water)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: As you sing, nearby allies gain increased resistance to Magical damage.
Sapphire Effect: As you sing, nearby allies gain increased resistance to Elemental damage. Also constructs a shield of water around each affected ally at the beginning of the spell that absorbs damage and lasts until the spell ends or the shield is destroyed. This effect incurs a separate five-minute cooldown.
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Passive Ability: Meditative Guide
Type: Boon (magical, song)
Crystal Effect: Sing a song of guided meditation, enhancing the effects of meditation to nearby allies.
Sapphire Effect: Increases regeneration of all resource pools for nearby allies while meditating.
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Ability: Boon of the Balanced
Type: Boon (magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Bless nearby allies with increased balance and reflexes for a short amount of time, making them less likely to falter, and Magical abilities are less likely to be resisted.
Sapphire Effect: Also greatly increases the lowest level attribute of each blessed ally.
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Class Ability: Harmonize
Type: Spell (magical, covenant, song)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: Varies.
Crystal Effect: Harmonize with an ally¡¯s incanted spell, adding your mana to theirs to increase its effects and shorten its cooldown. This spell¡¯s cooldown becomes the same as the targeted spell¡¯s adjusted cooldown.
Sapphire Effect: Decreases the incanted spell¡¯s cost for both Casters and each gains an instance of [Interlude].
- Interlude (boon, magical, song): Moderately increased mana regeneration for a short duration.
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Passive Ability: Empathic Life
Type: Perception (magical, life)
Crystal Effect: Can sense the emotions and resource pools of a target through their aura.
Sapphire Effect: You can sense imprints of emotions bestowed by the previous wielder and creator in the objects you touch. If you are able to empathize with either imprint on an enchanted item, the item will yield greater effects.
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Ability: Heal Life
Type: Spell (magical, life)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Delivers Life energy through a projectile, giving a small burst of health to an ally target.
Sapphire Effect: Bestows an instance of [Life Regen].
- Life Regen (boon, magical, life): Periodically regain health for a moderate duration.
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Class Ability: Refreshed
Type: Spell (magical, life)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: Variable.
Crystal Effect: This spell can only affect an ally and not yourself. Reset the cooldown of an ability currently on a cooldown of the targeted ally. The cooldown of this ability is equal to the time remaining on the cooldown of the target ability.
Sapphire Effect: Additionally refresh resource pools of the target with the amount recovered proportional to the costs of the ability refreshed.
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Passive Ability: Call of the Sea
Type: Familiar (ritual, magical, covenant)
Crystal Effect: Bond to a Crystal Caste Water-attuned aval or monster to serve as a Familiar.
Sapphire Effect: Bond to a Sapphire Caste Water-attuned aval or monster to serve as a familiar. Increased effectiveness of Water abilities that scale higher the closer your Familiar is to you.
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Ability: Cleansing Stream
Type: Spell (channel, elemental, water)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Channel a stream of water that thoroughly cleans any external impurities from a single target and grants an instance of [Flowing Waters] if the target is an ally.
Sapphire Effect: Purges Elemental Boons from target enemy. Grants a small burst of healing whenever a stack of [Flowing Waters] is consumed.
- Flowing Waters (boon, cleanse, elemental, water, stacking): Slowly cleanses Elemental Banes for a short duration.
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Class Ability: Rain of Life
Type: Spell (elemental, magical, life, water)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Crystal Effect: Create an area of healing rain that greatly increases the regeneration rate of allies within it.
Sapphire Effect: (Unknown)
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Passive Ability: Soothing Soul
Type: Aura (magical, life)
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura are calmed and have increased resistance to Magical Banes.
Sapphire Effect: The calming effects of your aura are increased against lower Caste people and will also affect enemies to a limited degree. Allies within your aura have increased resistance to Magical damage.
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Ability: Restful Retreat
Type: Spell (summon, magical, dimension, life)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Crystal Effect: Summon nearby allies into a dimensional garden for a moderate duration. The inhabitants have greatly increased health regeneration and are periodically cleansed of Elemental Banes.
Sapphire Effect: The inhabitants undergo extreme mana regeneration, and the remaining cooldowns of other abilities are gradually reduced while in the dimensional garden.
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Class Ability: Restored Foundation
Type: Spell (cleanse, zone, magical, life)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 6 hours.
Crystal Effect: Delineate a zone with small lotus flower constructs. Target ally within the zone restores a massive amount of health and is cleansed of all Magical Banes.
Sapphire Effect: Channel for a moderate mana cost per second to repair objects in the zone that contains the necessary materials and slowly heal all targets within the area.
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Rayna Dewsong
Name: Rayna Dewsong
Species: Voxen (Sandstep)
Caste: Sapphire 1
Attributes
Strength (Gem): Sapphire 1
Agility (Swift): Sapphire 2
Fortitude (Dance): Sapphire 2
Mind (Song): Sapphire 2
Magic (Shatter Bard): Sapphire 2
Natural Talents
Crystal Attunement
Fantasia Attunement
Movement Disposition
Nomadic Heart
Tails of Power
Titles
Orphan
Clan Leader
Slayer
Adventurer
Aspects
Song
- Echolocation (Perception Passive)
- Siren¡¯s Cry - Sapphire 2
- Percussion Strike (Class) - Sapphire 3
Dance
- Stepping Tune (Movement Passive)
- Blink Step - Sapphire 3
- Sonorous Stomp (Class) - Sapphire 2
Swift
- Agile (Boon Passive)
- Beyond the Boundary - Sapphire 2
- Swift Encore (Class) - Sapphire 3
Gem
- Gem Encrusted (Utility Passive)
- Arcanist Gem - Sapphire 2
- Crystalline Distortion (Class) - Sapphire 1
Shatter Bard (Class)
- Reverberate (Aura Passive)
- Battle Symphony - Sapphire 3
- Shatter (Class) - Sapphire 1
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Natural Talent: Nomadic Heart
- You have better footing and balance on all types of terrain and are less hindered by terrain features.
- Reduced stamina drain over prolonged periods.
- Increased resistance to environmental extremes.
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Natural Talent: Tails of Power
- Increased Magical and physical resistance of your tails.
- Each tail gradually accumulates ambient magic that may be used to boost the effects of an ability that costs mana or stamina.
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Passive Ability: Echolocation
Type: Perception (magical, song)
Crystal Effect: Can discern your environment via sound waves.
Sapphire Effect: Can hear magic.
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Ability: Siren¡¯s Cry
Type: Spell (channel, magical, song)
Cost: Moderate mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Let out a cry, inflicting Song damage and [Deafened] to anyone in a cone in front of you.
Sapphire Effect: Also knocks back and inflicts [Punishing Shriek].
- Deafened (bane, magical, song): Hearing is greatly impaired.
- Punishing Shriek (bane, magic, song): When another Bane is added or removed, gain an instance of [Melodic Tears]. This Bane cannot be cleansed while other Banes remain.
- Melodic Tears (bane, magical, song, stacking): Consumes five instances of this Bane to deal a moderate amount of Song damage.
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Class Ability: Percussion Strike
Type: Special Attack (magical, song)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Each consecutive strike against the same target inflicts Song damage and an instance of [Brittle].
Sapphire Effect: Each consecutive strike against the same target gives you an instance of [Focused].
- Brittle (bane, magical, song, stacking): Reduced Song resistance.
- Focused (boon, magical, song, stacking): You become more aware of your target, gaining increased chances of landing a critical strike and dealing an additional burst of Song damage. Instances are lost when changing targets.
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Passive Ability: Stepping Tune
Type: Movement
Crystal Effect: Create music with your steps, slowly gaining instances of [Tuned].
Sapphire Effect: While maintaining a rhythm with your steps, you gain instances of [Tempo]. Attacks made upon gaining an instance of [Tempo] also grant an instance of [Accompaniment].
- Tuned (boon, stacking): Slightly reduces the mana and stamina cost of abilities. Instances are quickly lost while not moving.
- Tempo (boon, magical, song, stacking): Speed is slightly increased. Instances are quickly lost while not moving.
- Accompaniment (boon, magical, song, stacking): Your attacks deal additional Song damage that scales with the number of instances of this Boon. Instances are quickly lost while not attacking.
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Ability: Blink Step
Type: Special Attack (movement, magical, dimension)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Teleport behind an enemy target within sight, inflicting increased damage with your next attack.
Sapphire Effect: Can be used an additional time per Caste in succession before incurring its cooldown.
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Class Ability: Sonorous Stomp
Type: Special Attack (magical, song)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Stomp the ground causing a shockwave in a radial burst inflicting moderate Song damage and knocking back enemies.
Sapphire Effect: Generates an additional two pulses per Caste of the initial burst and inflicts [Disoriented].
- Disoriented (bane, magical, song): Decreased Agility and Mind and direction-sensing abilities are interrupted for a moderate duration.
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Passive Ability: Agile
Type: Boon (magical, arcane)
Crystal Effect: Increased Agility. Low stamina and mana per second cost to run on vertical or unstable surfaces. Momentum must be maintained to prevent falling.
Sapphire Effect: Greatly enhanced balance, timing, and spatial sense.
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Ability: Beyond the Boundary
Type: Utility (movement, magical, song)
Cost: Severe mana and stamina.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Instantly boost your speed by a massive amount, quickly declining to normal over 5 seconds.
Sapphire Effect: A shockwave is generated in your wake, dealing a burst of Song damage and knocking back anyone nearby.
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Class Ability: Swift Encore
Type: Utility (movement, magical, song)
Cost: Moderate mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Accumulate instances of [Impetus] while attacking.
Sapphire Effect: Instances now accumulate faster based on total unresisted damage your abilities deal.
- Impetus (boon, magical, song, stacking): Your speed is slightly increased. Consume all instances to deliver a burst of Song damage with your next attack that scales with the number of instances consumed.
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Passive Ability: Gem Encrusted
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, gem)
Crystal Effect: Construct gem gauntlets and tail covers that inflict additional Gem damage and accrue instances of [Kinetic Force] with each normal attack.
Sapphire Effect: For a low mana cost, you can modify your gauntlets and covers to have spikes. Attacks accrue instances of [Reverberation].
- Kinetic Force (boon, elemental, gem, stacking): Consume all instances to inflict Gem damage that scales with the number of instances. Instances are slowly lost over time.
- Reverberation (boon, magical, song, stacking): Each consecutive hit increases the damage of the next attack. Instances are quickly lost over time.
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Ability: Arcanist Gem
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, magical, arcane, gem)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Construct a floating gem that quickly absorbs ambient mana which can be used to fuel rituals or the mana cost of abilities before bursting upon reaching capacity or if destroyed and inflicting Gem and Arcane damage to nearby enemies.
Sapphire Effect: Each gem can store an ability to be triggered upon destruction, automatically targeting the nearest enemy.
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Class Ability: Crystalline Distortion
Type: Spell (zone, elemental, gem)
Cost: Severe mana.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Create a Zone of vibrating gem pillars that cause mana in the area to become disrupted and inflict ongoing low Gem damage. In the Zone, Spells cost more and have an increased chance of failure or backlash.
Sapphire Effect: Any Spells already being cast are interrupted, dealing backlash damage to their Caster. Magic Constructs in the Zone are heavily damaged upon construction.
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Passive Ability: Reverberate
Type: Aura (elemental, magical, gem, song)
Crystal Effect: Allies within the aura deal increased damage with Gem and Song abilities.
Sapphire Effect: Enemies within the aura have decreased Gem and Song resistance. Gem and Song abilities that inflict damage also inflict a small amount of additional damage of the other type.
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Ability: Battle Symphony
Type: Spell (magical, song)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: While singing, deal increased damage for each Boon on you and inflict [Shaken] on nearby enemies.
Sapphire Effect: While singing, deal increased damage for each Bane on the currently targeted enemy and slowly inflict instances of [Dazed] on nearby enemies.
- Shaken (bane, magical, song): Inflicts ongoing low Song damage for a moderate duration.
- Dazed (bane, magical, stacking): Agility and Mind are slightly decreased. Instances are slowly lost over time.
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Class Ability: Shatter
Type: Execute (magical, song)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Inflicts moderate Song damage in a sudden burst. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
Sapphire Effect: (Unknown)
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Everin Starlark
Name: Everin Starlark
Species: Voxen (Moonsong)
Caste: Emerald 1
Attributes
Strength (Friendship): Emerald 1
Agility (Swift): Emerald 1
Fortitude (Life): Emerald 1
Mind (Rejuvenation): Emerald 1
Magic (Spirit Advocate): Emerald 1
Natural Talents
Divine Vessel
???
???
???
???
Divine Titles
Cleric of Rebel
Avatar of the Scholar and Rebel
Titles
???
Aspects
Swift
- Flight of Fancy (Utility Passive)
- Never Still - Emerald 1
- Light Spirited (Class) - Emerald 1
Life
- ??? (Boon Passive)
- ??? - Emerald 1
- Fight for Life (Class) - Emerald 1
Rejuvenation
- ??? (Aura Passive)
- ??? - Emerald 1
- ??? (Class) - Emerald 1
Friendship
- Bondsense (Perception Passive)
- The Power of Friendship - Emerald 1
- Social Network (Class) - Emerald 1
Spirit Advocate (Class)
- ??? (Boon Passive)
- Freedom Fighter - Emerald 1
- Sanctuary (Class) - Emerald 1
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Natural Talent: Divine Vessel
Cultivated from [Illusion Attunement] due to unlocking the Life Aspect.
Cultivated from [Spirit Attunement] due to Scholar¡¯s Blessing.
- Increased resistance to negative Illusion, Life, and Radiant effects. Illusion, Life, and Radiant abilities have increased effects.
- Your physical body has been reinforced to contain Divine entities for a short duration and long cooldown.
- When acting as a vessel for a Divine entity, you gain the following effects:
- You have greatly increased resistances and attributes.
- Your abilities have no cost or cooldown.
- You become attuned to every magic type.
- You are bound to their area of influence, unable to leave it. This effect overrides Banish or Summon abilities.
- You can perform rituals and cantrips with mana in place of any common or uncommon component requirements.
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Divine Title: Avatar of the Scholar and Rebel
Your aura has been altered by the divine entities: Scholar and Rebel. The alteration has enhanced the strength of your aura, increasing its range and resistance to effects from higher Castes. Your appearance has been altered. People can sense your desire to seek new knowledge and act as an instrument of the divine through your aura.
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Passive Ability: Flight of Fancy
Type: Utility (boon, movement)
Crystal Effect: Greatly increased Agility.
Sapphire Effect: You can slightly hover over the ground. When not touching the ground, your senses are slightly heightened.
Emerald Effect: You can fly with your tails. For a high mana cost, you can greatly increase your flight speed for a very short duration.
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Ability: Never Still
Type: Boon (channel, movement, elemental, wind)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: While moving, greatly increases the chance of inflicting and dodging attacks.
Sapphire Effect: While moving, greatly increases your Agility and Mind.
Emerald Effect: While flying, can channel additional mana to displace the air around you to avoid attacks.
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Class Ability: Light Spirited
Type: Boon (magical, light)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Cast on an ally to reduce the stamina cost of their abilities for a moderate duration.
Sapphire Effect: Can cast this Boon on many allies at once for a cumulative mana cost. Additionally increases Agility by a low amount.
Emerald Effect: Additionally increases the effects of Movement abilities and reduces the cost of Boons by a moderate amount.
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Class Ability: Fight for Life
Type: Boon (magical, life)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Can cast on an ally for a moderate duration. Damage dealt heals a portion of that damage back.
Sapphire Effect: Additionally increases Strength and Magic by a moderate amount.
Emerald Effect: Can cast on multiple allies at once. Additionally, each attack dealt increases their maximum health pool up to the next Caste¡¯s threshold.
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Passive Ability: Bondsense
Type: Perception (magical, covenant)
Current Caste: Emerald 1
Crystal Effect: Can sense the bonds between beings.
Sapphire Effect: Can sense the bonds between magic and its source.
Emerald Effect: Can sense bonds attached to items.
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Ability: The Power of Friendship
Type: Boon (magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: You link your Magic attribute to the target, increasing the target¡¯s Magic based on a moderate percentage of your own.
Sapphire Effect: You link your Fortitude attribute to the target, increasing the target¡¯s Fortitude based on a moderate percentage of your own. Additionally, both you and the target gain [Double the Fun].
Emerald Effect: You link your Agility attribute to the target, increasing the target¡¯s Agility based on a moderate percentage of your own. Additionally, you and all nearby allies gain [Welcome to the Herd].
- Double the Fun (boon, magical, illusion): Taking damage creates a temporary clone of yourself that replicates your movements but vanishes when hit or after a short duration.
- Welcome to the Herd (boon, magical, covenant): Increases Magic attribute based on how many allies with [Welcome to the Herd] there are nearby.
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Class Ability: Social Network
Type: Boon (magical, covenant)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Crystal Effect: Invite an ally to join your network, marking them with [Friendly Acquaintance] until the invitation is revoked. Allies with [Friendly Acquaintance] can pass secret messages between you.
Sapphire Effect: Allies with [Friendly Acquaintance] gain increased effects from your abilities.
Emerald Effect: Allies with [Friendly Acquaintance] can sense the direction of one another and gain an increase to their Mind attribute based on how many allies with [Friendly Acquaintance] are nearby.
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Ability: Freedom Fighter
Type: Boon (magical, covenant)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Crystal Effect: Can cast on an ally for a long duration. Increases Strength and Agility by a moderate amount and increases the effects of Special Attacks.
Sapphire Effect: Additionally, increases Fortitude and Mind by a moderate amount and increases the effects of Combination abilities.
Emerald Effect: Additionally, increases Magic by a moderate amount and increases the effects of Spell abilities.
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Class Ability: Sanctuary
Type: Spell (zone, divine, magical, life, radiant)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 hour.
Crystal Effect: Create a zone of increased regeneration for all allies within for a long duration.
Sapphire Effect: Enemies that enter the zone become inflicted with [Divine Retribution] while in the area.
Emerald Effect: Periodically cleanses Magical Banes from allies within the zone.
- Divine Retribution (retribution, divine, radiant): Damage dealt is inflicted back at a greatly increased amount.
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1 - It’s Not Cheating
The ship Dazien had managed to book passage on was named The Victor¡¯s Tribute and was mostly used for shipping goods rather than people. However, they had a few bunks to accommodate small groups, usually of Adventurers or Mercenaries who often traveled around.
Phoenix was fascinated by the runes carved into the side of the ship and tried to get a closer look before Rayna finally dragged her from blocking the walkway. Camilla turned out to be a good source of information, as she joined their group temporarily.
The researcher, who actually had time to dedicate to magical studies, unlike Phoenix¡¯s path of monster slaying, was able to inform her about the various magical enchantments built into the ship¡¯s hull that allowed it to glide through the water effortlessly and made it more resistant to damage or wear.
It still mainly utilized wind sails for propulsion, but they were magically altered to adjust automatically to the direction of the wind and were also more resistant to tearing. It did have a device that used Mana Bits to help push the transport forward when no wind was available or they needed more precise maneuvering, but it was used as little as possible. The cleaning enchantments alone were impressive to Phoenix, and all together, it required less crew to handle the upkeep of the large galleon.
Their ship captain, Mary Clisson, was an Emerald Caste human woman with the Sea Commander Class who liked to keep a tight schedule and was accommodating as long as that schedule wasn¡¯t compromised.
Dazien had promised punctuality and staying out of the way. So far, he was able to keep that promise as the group convened in the room the six of them would be sharing. Two hammocks stacked atop each other were hanging in each of the four corners, and nothing else occupied the room.
The ship''s minimalism was reflected throughout, as Captain Clisson preferred function over form, efficiency over comfort. If everything went according to schedule, the group would only need to deal with the cold and barren room for about a month.
Dazien simply pointed out that it would give them more motivation to train on the deck instead.
Once the signal was given and the ship started to make its way from the dock, Phoenix couldn¡¯t help the curiosity and excitement brimming inside her as she leaned against her best friend at the ship¡¯s bow to watch the event while staying out of the way of any of the minimal crew.
The feeling of adventure was almost palpable as the cold air whipped across her face, and the smell of salty ice water filled her magical lungs as she took a deep, unnecessary breath just to experience sailing for the first time in her life.
The large northern sea gate opened long enough for them to exit the port area. Then, they were free and flying through the waves as the ship quickly gained momentum.
¡°Ready to train?¡± Dazien¡¯s voice asked from behind her, and Uriel chuckled from beside her.
She turned to flash him a smile. ¡°Give us a few minutes, okay? I need to soak this view in a bit more and get used to this rocking motion.¡±
He laughed. ¡°Alright, Princess, but Lady Saiya and Rayna will be making their way up soon. I thought you could spar with Rayna while I help teach Lady Saiya to use that new short sword against Uriel.¡±
¡°Short sword?¡± she asked, not recalling when that happened.
¡°Yeah, I actually got it for her a while ago when we went shopping together, but with the whole cult fiasco and then the end of moon celebrations, we only just recently began training with it together. She still has a long way to go.¡±
¡°Oh. Well, I was hoping to get to spar against you and finally knock you on your arse, but we can save that for later if you want,¡± she replied with a teasing grin.
Uriel surprised her by laughing as he asked, ¡°You think you have a chance at beating, Daze?¡±
¡°I know you have that sparkly new weapon, but do you really think it will make up the difference in our skill levels? It¡¯s still my sword against yours,¡± Dazien replied, matching her teasing tone.
¡°You will be eating the deck, oh brother dear.¡±
¡°This I must see,¡± Uriel said as he followed her and Dazien back to the main deck.
The Warrior King immediately doffed his heavy traveling cloak back to his [Armory] in a shimmer of golden sparkles and began stretching in the silver Sliksilk compression gear he normally wore under his armor or when training.
It was barely more than a thought later that Phoenix was in her own Shifting Twilight armor that she used for both practice and the real thing. In one hand was a crystalline sword that seemed cut from dark onyx, and in the other hand was Sanctified Hope, the sleek silver blade currently displaying swirls of rainbow colors moving through it.
¡°Wait a second, when did you get a second sword?¡± he asked, giving the darker blade a curious look. ¡°Remind me what that upgrade to your [Night Blade] did?¡±
¡°It actually changed its name to [Night Armament] after bonding to that Blood Spirit Gem,¡± she replied, conjuring her book to show him.
Ability: Night Armament
Type: Utility (construct, magical, dark)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Sapphire 1 (2%)
Crystal Effect: Constructs a magical dagger that inflicts additional Dark damage and an instance of [Mana Siphon].
Sapphire Effect: Can imbue equipped weapons with the effects of your Construct ones. Construct weapons will also inflict an instance of [Life Siphon].
- Mana Siphon (bane, drain, magical, arcane, stacking): Drains a low amount of mana over time.
- Life Siphon (bane, drain, magical, blood, stacking): Drains a low amount of health over time.
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¡°This doesn¡¯t make it a sword, though,¡± he pointed out. ¡°It just lets your other sword inflict the same Banes, which is a great bonus, honestly, since you seem to prefer dual wielding.¡±
¡°I think that¡¯s probably the biggest motivation for how it upgraded,¡± she admitted. ¡°I kept using other weapons with it. The sword form, though, was a nice surprise from attuning to Sanctified Hope.¡±
With another thought, she displayed the new updated information on the weapon now that she had attuned to it and put it into a usable weapon form.
Item: Sword of Sanctified Hope
A sacred weapon forged in the hope that a worthy hero would one day wield it.
Caste: Sapphire, Cultivating, Blessed.
Availability: Legendary Unique.
Type: Weapon, sword.
Requirements:
- Soul Attuned to Phoenix Wayland.
- Phoenix Wayland must be Crystal Caste or higher.
- Phoenix Wayland must be Attuned to Light and Radiant magic.
- Phoenix Wayland must have a Divine connection to the deity: Hero.
Effects:
- As Phoenix Wayland cultivates her Caste, the weapon increases with it.
- Can shift form into a different weapon type. Each form type grants the wielder a different Boon.
- Current sword form grants [Sacred Striker].
- Sacred Striker (boon, divine, radiant): Agility is increased. Attacks made against Corrupted or Dark-Attuned targets have increased effect. Physical attacks inflict increased damage.
- Each Caste level further entwines itself to the Attuned Caster¡¯s nature.
- Crystal Effect: Your [Night Armament] can be constructed to match the form of this weapon¡¯s current one.
- Sapphire Effect: Attacks dealt by this weapon also drain the target¡¯s mana to generate additional [Starlight Qi].
- Inflicts low Radiant damage with each attack and an instance of [Fallen From Grace].
- Fallen From Grace (bane, divine, radiant, stacking): Decreased resistance to Radiant effects.
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¡°Well, that¡¯s overpowered,¡± he muttered. ¡°If you¡¯re using two, does that mean I¡¯m using my shield as well?¡± Dazien asked as he conjured Excalibur, the glittering diamond blade glinting in the early dawn light.
¡°Sure,¡± she replied with a shrug. ¡°You¡¯ll end up on your back either way.¡±
He laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that sword¡¯s abilities are what have you so confident this time.¡±
¡°Yup,¡± she said with a grin. As soon as he conjured the replica of his Dawn Shield, she attacked. Moving quickly so as not to give him a chance to gain the upper hand.
Dazien was used to this, though; even if Phoenix didn¡¯t always take that approach, Rayna did. He lifted his shield in time to knock away the silver blade, which caused sparks of rainbow light on impact. He didn¡¯t let that distract him, though, and brought his own holy blade up to intercept her [Night Armament] as it followed closely behind the first attack. The force of the parries caused her to take a few steps back from him, and he gave a smug smirk at not budging an inch with his abilities that enhanced his Strength surpassing her lack of them.
Phoenix continued to move with the momentum, however. He tried to shift to block the follow-up slashes he obviously expected but was caught completely off guard when both weapons became silvery chain whips that wrapped around his ankles, and she smiled before yanking hard.
Dazien gave a loud grunt as his feet were pulled from under him, and he landed on his back, staring up at the sky while slightly stunned. When she leaned over to check on him, he muttered, ¡°You cheated.¡±
She grinned and replied, ¡°Pretty sure you said it¡¯s not cheating if it¡¯s not against the rules.¡±
He rolled his eyes and sat up as he said, ¡°new rule: No shifting weapon forms mid-combat without letting me know that¡¯s what we¡¯re training.¡±
Phoenix held out a hand to help him stand again, almost falling on top of him as the ship dipped unexpectedly, and they both ended up laughing. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting the shifting tides,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s like an extra training challenge.¡±
Dazien smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good because challenges are exactly what we need to push our abilities forward.¡± He glanced over to Uriel, who was holding tightly to the side rail of the ship, and asked, ¡°You doing alright, Senesh?¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine. Not sure Saiya and I will need the extra balancing challenge while practicing basic sword forms, though. She¡¯ll be more focused on the learning part.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a fair point,¡± he replied, then looked back at her. ¡°What does that chain form give you? I might not mind focusing on the balancing and footwork portion with you wielding that rather than a normal spar.¡±
She conjured her book and focused just on the boon granted when the weapon was in its chain form.
Status Effect: Reverent Retribution
Type: Boon (divine, radiant)
Effects:
- Mind is increased.
- Attacks made against Corrupted or Void-Attuned targets have increased effect.
- Retribution abilities have reduced cost.
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¡°Interesting, and did I mention overpowered?¡± Dazien asked with a teasing grin.
¡°Indeed you did. Is that jealousy I sense?¡±
He laughed. ¡°I learned long ago that jealousy is an emotion that normally eludes me. I prefer sharing things. However, I will admit my sorrow that you cannot share that sword with me; it¡¯s a fantastically versatile weapon. Instead of pining for it, though, I plan to have you use it for my benefit.¡±
¡°Won¡¯t killing monsters and sharing the loot accomplish that?¡±
¡°Sure, but I was thinking about you using that against me while I¡¯m unarmed so I can simply practice dodging more. After that Corrupted Golataur, I realized that dodging would have served me better than attempting to block a strike that was far beyond my Strength to handle. It¡¯s just been difficult for me to come up with an adequate training method for focusing specifically on that.¡±
¡°So, you just want me to attack you with these while you dodge?¡± she asked, lifting both chains in question. ¡°Should I be trying to trip you up with them?¡±
He smirked. ¡°What kind of challenge would it be if you didn¡¯t?¡±
¡°Fair point,¡± she replied with a chuckle. ¡°I won¡¯t go easy on you then.¡± She glanced over to Uriel and added, ¡°Then we¡¯re going to focus on getting you over the threshold and ascending to Sapphire. You should easily hit it before we arrive in Serenydi.¡±
Uriel grimaced but gave a small nod. ¡°I¡¯m right on the edge, but it¡¯s so hard for me to focus on that last little sliver.¡±
¡°Have you tried going back into your Soul Space like Kara taught us? That made it way easier for me,¡± she suggested.
He glanced away and confessed, ¡°No. I¡¡± He trailed off, obviously searching for the words to either explain his fear or find an excuse, and she interjected.
¡°Hey, it¡¯s fine if you¡¯re not ready, but for what it¡¯s worth, I think you are. You seemed to do okay with your room, right? You mentioned that they felt similar.¡±
¡°Yes and no,¡± he replied, still refusing to look at either of them. ¡°You all mentioned how there was an obvious action that you needed to do in order to help guide the cultivation, but when I managed to slip into mine¡ it¡¯s nothing but chaos.¡±
Phoenix frowned slightly, unsure how to help her best friend.
¡°There¡¯s no rush, Senesh,¡± Dazien reassured. ¡°Just don¡¯t give up trying, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure it out.¡±
She nodded in agreement, then turned back to Daze and asked in a lighter tone, ¡°Well, while he tries to figure that out, are you ready to get knocked on your arse again?¡±
Phoenix almost fell again when a body slammed into her back suddenly, and she heard Rayna exclaim, ¡°Me too! Please let me attack King, too! I still owe him for the last time when he totally cheated by saying Mohala was walking through the door.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not cheating if it¡¯s not against the rules,¡± all three of them replied in unison before breaking out laughing.
2 - The Worst Option
Lukas Lumeris was shivering in his cabin just one level below the deck of the ship he had managed to reach after fleeing Tulimeir. After the Maniac had warned him not to be late, he had used his incredible Emerald Caste Agility to run as fast as he could through the secret passage he knew connected to a small cove along the coast west of the capital. It was heavily warded with Song and Illusion enchantments ¡ªnot as much as the Scarlet Banquet¡¯s building in the city had been, but it wasn¡¯t like they had a ton of complete gemite skeletons lying around to empower such strong enchantments.
There were a few smaller vessels there, along with one larger one, which he had ignored since he was alone. Taking one of the smaller boats, he made his way to a small island where he would meet with certain foreigners. Pretty much anytime one of the Disciples of Destroyer minions had traveled there and wanted to discuss terms before buying their slaves, he had met them here at this unremarkable island rather than risk being seen in the city.
It was also where the more important members of his cult knew to meet should things take an unfavorable turn and their headquarters be exposed. It was only a day later when his wife and daughter met him there. Another three days passed, and only one other family had managed to escape to meet them. They informed him of how the Pyre Executioner incinerated the others before apparently resting from an Obsidian Evolution and that their mole in the AOA, Ramir Mirimel, had been divinely avenged by none other than the gemite he had been meant to take to his High Priestess, Valtessa Vanderill.
Dazien Wayland had practically fallen into his lap by sheer coincidence, it seemed like, yet now he was cooped up in a much larger ship and awaiting a sign to recapture the man who had escaped his grasp.
His Mad God had commanded it.
¡°Blood moon¡¯s end brings bounty beyond the beach,¡± the Maniac had told him. ¡°Seek your sister by ship at sea. Treasure tidings the tides will treat.¡±
It had been weeks of waiting now. The blood moon finally finished, and yet, still, he waited. If he was to find treasure at open sea, it had better fall into his lap like it had the first time.
Lukas was just contemplating about finding some lunch in the galley when the familiar feel of a divine aura suffused the room and he hoped it signaled the end of his wait.
¡°Purple prince of puny progeny passes through the plentiful pond of pirates,¡± the Maniac said, lounging in what had been an empty hammock across from him. The god was dressed as he had been before in only blood-red leather pants, but now he wore an odd feathered hat he had only ever seen in picture books of pirates.
Lukas did his utmost not to sigh at the insane deity and instead asked, ¡°I¡¯m assuming the ¡®purple prince¡¯ is referring to the Heir of House Wayland, but despite us being on a ship, we are not pirates.¡¯
¡°Plethora of pirates pursue plunder in this pond. Late Lukas Lumeris will lose Luxury¡¯s loot,¡± the redheaded god said with a wide grin as though he hadn¡¯t just delivered terrible news.
¡°Are you saying pirates are going to beat us to capture the gemite?¡± he clarified, hoping he had misinterpreted. He sometimes swore the only reason he was given his own branch of the cult to lead was because he could translate the Mad God¡¯s riddles better than most¡ that or it was because his name matched the deity¡¯s penchant for alliteration. It did speak to the god¡¯s madness, though. Anyone who liked alliterating to that level must be mad.
¡°Salty sister seeks her sacrifice; she shall search for shiny soul from sibling or stormy slavers. Lost Lukas Lumeris left to lay with lilies lest lavender lad lay before your Lady Priestess.¡±
¡°You¡¯re saying High Priestess Valtessa will murder me if I don¡¯t manage to bring the shiny gemite to her in time for her ritual?¡± He always hated when the god mentioned ¡®lying in lilies¡¯ as those were a symbol of the Undertaker and, therefore, usually meant someone¡¯s death.
Maniac¡¯s smile widened even further, and he simply nodded in answer.
¡°Can you at least give us a heading in order to cut them off and reach them before the pirates do?¡±
The god laughed and simply pointed to the south before vanishing as suddenly as he had arrived.
Lukas sighed for only a moment before rushing to find the captain and give the new heading. The only place he wanted to lie was a proper bed once they reached Serenydi with their ¡®loot¡¯ of new slaves and sacrifices.
¡°Are you sure about this, Captain Stormbeard?¡± his first mate asked for the hundredth time. ¡°I don¡¯t think bringing on that necromancer was the best idea in the first place, but that ship is Emerald Caste.¡±
¡°I¡¯m Emerald Caste, Ablin,¡± he pointed out. ¡°After our home failed their assault on Tulim¡¯s capital months ago, everything has gone downhill for all of us Berg Sirens. Bringing on a powerful summoner, even one that wields Corruption, was to help ensure we can claim our bounty.¡±
Cainen Stormbeard looked down at his first mate, noticing once more how Ablin¡¯s matching icy armor almost blended into his lighter blue complexion better than his did. It was a minor annoyance but he didn¡¯t keep the siren around for his looks, he kept him around because the man was too cowardly to cause a mutiny.
However, his cowardice also helped steer them away from risks that were too great and led to better investigations into their targets, which they were actually lacking this time around. But that was usually the case in this type of target, and he added, ¡°When the Raider gives me a target to plunder, we usually don¡¯t need to question it. So, why are you?¡±
Ablin glanced up at the clear blue sky and nervously tapped his foot, a telling habit that usually helped Cainen win at cards. After another moment, his first mate answered, ¡°The Victor¡¯s Tribute is known on these seas as a target we normally leave alone. If the god of plundering thinks whatever is on that ship is worth taking this time, I¡¯m not so sure the risks are going to be low.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!
¡°We have the necromancer now to help. Also, their ship will be at a disadvantage with my winds. I¡¯ll be calling up the storm soon.¡±
¡°That lowers our visibility too, though,¡± Ablin pointed out, still tapping that blasted foot. ¡°What if they got better guards for whatever treasure they¡¯re transporting this time? We won¡¯t be able to see them ahead of time.¡±
¡°Raider said that the treasure aboard that ship is worth more than an entire kingdom, and the greatest protector they have is their singular Emerald. We both know that Captain Clisson is a Utility Caster built around her vessel, not a combat specialist. They will be easy pickings.¡±
¡°Pretty sure that vessel could destroy ours,¡± Ablin grumbled under his breath.
He glared at the first mate, who was smart enough to shrink away and add, ¡°Or the necromancer¡¯s summons will hopefully destroy it before it gets in range.¡±
Cainen rolled his eyes. ¡°I doubt that a Sapphire summon would be able to accomplish that feat alone, but I don¡¯t believe our odds are as dire as you make it sound.¡±
¡°I just don¡¯t like not knowing the details!¡± Ablin retorted. Looking back toward the horizon, he added, ¡°We don¡¯t even know what this so-called treasure actually is. Did Raider give you some other kind of clue?¡±
¡°Just that there¡¯s three in particular we¡¯ll want to snatch. Two are divinely blessed, so we should be able to easily identify those items right away, and the third is a rare gem.¡±
¡°I swear, if I die for some bloody jewelry, I will haunt this ship for the rest of its days,¡± Ablin grumbled.
Cainen ignored him and gave the rest of his crew the signal that he would begin casting his storm magic. He would claim this treasure and retire on a luxurious island whether it killed his first mate or not.
Dazien helplessly watched as Uriel and Saiya were both leaning over the edge of the ship, somehow puking despite not having stomachs as the motion of the storming water made both of them ill. Rain was falling like a steady sheet of water and lightning flashed in the distance. The waves were rough despite them actually being on the outskirts of the storm and trying their best to sail out of it.
They had already been at sea for a week now, mostly focused on training during the day. He had been hoping to spend today beginning a different type of training for everyone that would involve a crash-course in the culture of Serenydi, and how their dress, values, and etiquette vastly differed from Tulim¡¯s. However, it looked like the weather would ruin his plans.
The storm had arrived unnaturally sudden, and the ship¡¯s Captain had told everyone it was either a magically induced phenomenon or to keep their eyes peeled for unfriendly Casters.
¡°I¡¯m Sapphire Caste¡ why is this affecting me so badly?¡± the Tranquil Healer asked as sweat beaded on her brow.
¡°Because it¡¯s the opposite of Tranquil?¡± Dazien suggested with a light tease while he gently rubbed both her and Uriel¡¯s backs in support of their plight, which the rest of them were completely unaffected by. She tried to turn and scold him but stopped partway through to dry heave over the ship¡¯s edge again.
¡°Where are the others?¡± Uriel managed to ask him.
¡°Rayna is asking the ship¡¯s medic if there¡¯s anything that can help you two while Phoenix is with Camilla in our quarters attempting to invent a cure,¡± he answered with an amused smile. ¡°Something about wristbands with some combination of runes engraved on them to help your body adjust.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve never wanted one of her plans to succeed so badly before,¡± his partner muttered before joining Saiya again in staring down into the choppy arctic waters.
¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Dazien said after they both came up for air again. ¡°I thought you said you¡¯ve been on a ship before when you first came to Tulimeir.¡±
¡°Yes, but the weather wasn¡¯t this rough,¡± Uriel admitted. ¡°I was also unconscious for a portion of it.¡±
¡°Here!¡± Phoenix¡¯s voice came from nearby as she quickly moved towards them and handed a metal bracelet to Saiya. ¡°I think I got it, but I can¡¯t test it myself since I¡¯m not sick.¡±
Saiya didn¡¯t ask questions as she slipped on the bracelet and leaned over the railing, waiting to see if it worked. A few moments and nausea-inducing sounds later, Phoenix was sitting with her back against the rail, scratching furiously into the metal once more as she tried to adjust the runes on the bracelet, muttering to herself about stupid psychosomatic effects while she worked.
Despite it being just after midday, the sun wasn¡¯t to be seen. As the ship made its way through the wind that howled around them and filled the sails to almost bursting, they were only comforted by the fact that they were making good time apparently.
Camilla slipped slightly as she made her way across the wet deck to sit next to Phoenix and talk quietly about the item they had been brainstorming on together. ¡°W-what if we interlock the stability runes with alternating b-balance and recovery?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s actually physical, though, at least not completely,¡± Phoenix explained as she continued rubbing in an odd putty that erased some of the runes from the metal.
¡°What if we add s-some kind of illusion to make it s-seem like we¡¯re not rocking?¡± the researcher suggested.
Phoenix handed over the bracelet and asked, ¡°Can you show me?¡±
¡°Hey, Daze? What is that?¡± Uriel¡¯s voice interrupted his thoughts as his partner stared out into the murky, wet grayness over the water.
Dazien looked away from the two artificers to focus on what Uriel had spotted and gave a loud groan as he said, ¡°I should have bet money when Phoenix asked me about pirates on that second day.¡±
¡°Pirates?¡± Phoenix repeated as she looked up in surprise and concern. She stood to peer out into the darkness as well, her sight not hindered by the lack of light.
In the distance, they could make out a pair of dark ships, one with normal white sails but a blood-red flag and hull, while the other had torn black sails. Phoenix narrowed her eyes as she muttered, ¡°That black ship looks awfully familiar. I swear I¡¯ve seen a ship like that in a movie from my world.¡±
¡°Well, did it have pirates?¡± he asked her curiously, having become familiar with the fact that those were basically Sense Stone recordings meant purely for entertainment.
¡°Yes, but they were also cursed undead.¡±
Dazien¡¯s expression darkened as he replied, ¡°Let us hope that is not the case here. A ship full of Corrupted pirates is one of the worst options it could be.¡±
She gave him a flat look and asked, ¡°When is it ever not the worst option that comes to meet us?¡±
He gave her a slight smirk and suggested, ¡°Maybe you should cozy up to the goddess of luck? Perhaps our fortune might change then.¡±
Phoenix rolled her eyes and grumpily admitted, ¡°I don¡¯t think she likes me very much. I¡¯m probably too risky to bet on.¡±
Then a wailing shriek could be heard over the crashing waves and a pair of winged creatures rose into the air from the distant ship. Large yet lithe creatures that he had had seen before in one of Uriel¡¯s books on monsters, only these ones were glowing with the eerie light of the undead.
¡°Oh, shi¡ª¡± his voice cut off as the ship jerked suddenly with a blast of air. He almost crushed Saiya against the rail when they were all thrown against the side. Then he shouted to the rest of the crew aboard the ship: ¡°Corrupted Bone Drakes! Prepare for battle!¡±
3 - The More Immediate Threat
Once Dazien made the call and the others on the ship spotted the threat, Captain Clisson took over, barking commands to the few crew members and utilizing her own abilities to protect the ship and its occupants.
A humming sound began as the runes along the ship¡¯s edges began to glow, and a momentary shimmer of brilliant blue in the air was the only visual indicator Phoenix had of the force field being in place. She was fairly certain it would have normally been invisible if her eyes hadn¡¯t allowed her to see the flow of magic.
She had gotten to learning the specific colors of magic since then and was familiar with that particular bold blue as being pure Arcane magic. Other colors came from the runes of the ship, but most were various shades of blue, indicating both Water and Ice magic as well. Water was the darker shade, and Ice was lighter, but it was hard to tell the difference sometimes when mixed with Arcane.
The harpoon-like weapons that rose up along the edges were definitely formed from some sort of Ice magic though as some of the crew began to prepare wielding them. That reminded her of her own longer range attack and she turned to ask Dazien, ¡°Which ship do we need to take out first?¡±
He frowned but admitted, ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure which might be the bigger threat. That red one slightly behind the black was flying a flag with the symbol of a wine glass with a rose inside.¡±
Her eyes widened in surprise. She actually knew that symbol, and by the look on Dazien¡¯s face, he remembered it just as vividly. ¡°The Scarlet Banquet is all the way out here?¡±
¡°Likely the ones that escaped, if I had to guess, but perhaps this is just another way for them to get meals. The other ship is one I don¡¯t recognize the symbol for, but it¡¯s where the bone drakes came from, so I¡¯m assuming some kind of necromancer is aboard that one.¡±
She frowned, then glanced over at Uriel. Both groups were likely the largest threat to him, remembering how susceptible he was to Corruption and how the Scarlet Banquet would likely send him back to the DOD if they managed to capture him. After Paul had been cursed, she had gone out of her way to stock up on cleansing potions specifically. She had things that could save him from Corruption now¡ she didn¡¯t have anything that could protect him from the horrors of being a prisoner again.
¡°You have Spells that can help him not get captured in the first place,¡± Tala pointed out in her mind.
With that thought, she turned back to target the red ship and began chanting, ¡°From the depths of the universe, I summon forth the shards of annihilation. May the wrath of the cosmos descend upon all who dare to oppose me.¡±
It was difficult for her to try and gauge the distance and timing of the moving ships, so as her three meteors appeared from their rifts in the sky above them, she triggered their fracturing to widen the affected area and hopefully take out the red ship of cannibals.
She wasn¡¯t certain exactly how much damage was dealt, but she knew at least some of her attacks managed to hit it as the sails caught fire. Another shriek from the air above her had her refocusing on the closer targets, who were now the more immediate threat.
The drakes were smaller than Phoenix anticipated but large enough to be worrisome as they got closer and began screeching once more, causing their entire party to cover their ears.
¡°Uriel! Can you protect the ship within the eye?¡± Dazien called out in question.
The still-nauseous cinderen shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can make the center big enough; the edges would be caught in the storm.¡±
¡°Keep to single target then, they¡¯ll be able to fly out of your area spells. I remember your book said they¡¯re usually Sapphire Caste, so don¡¯t be upset if your Banes don¡¯t stick; just keep trying. Lady Saiya, go get Rayna and then stick with her and Uriel. We¡¯ll need her damage if they attempt to board us,¡± he commanded as his armor was conjured around him from his [Armory] storage ability.
Then he turned to her as his sword and shield appeared in his hands. ¡°Phoenix, do you think you can go sky dragon?¡±
All of them turned to look at him with wide eyes as she clarified, ¡°Really? You want me to solo Sapphire Caste monsters in mid-air? You know I can¡¯t fly, right?¡±
He grinned cheekily. ¡°That never stopped you before. Besides, aren¡¯t you always telling me to let you use your more risky abilities more often?¡±
¡°Yeah, but you usually tell me ¡®no,¡¯ and when you do say ¡®yes,¡¯ something usually goes wrong that proves you were right in the first place,¡± Phoenix pointed out with increasing annoyance.
¡°So, you should trust me now since I¡¯ll probably be right,¡± he replied with brash confidence.
She groaned in frustration. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I just don¡¯t think sky dragon is really the way to go right now in the middle of the sea against two Sapphire Caste flying undead mini-dragons!¡±
¡°Are you saying it¡¯s too challenging?¡±
¡°No! I just¡ I mean¡¡± She hesitated, searching for more words to argue with.
Dazien seemed confused by her uncertainty when it came to fighting monsters that she would normally have already lunged at before he even gave the order. His eyes narrowed at her as he asked, ¡°Then what exactly is the problem?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t swim! Okay?¡± she finally admitted, throwing her hands up into the air in exasperation. ¡°I never learned how in the hospital!¡±
He stared at her for a long moment, then laughed, catching the nearby crew members off guard and earning glares for finding humor at such a time as danger headed straight for them, ¡°Then don¡¯t fall in the water, Princess. Quit worrying and get up there to do some damage!¡±
She shot him a glare and retorted, ¡°Fine! But if I drown, it¡¯s your fault!¡±
Dazien rolled his eyes at her. ¡°You don¡¯t breathe anymore, remember?¡±
Phoenix blinked at him for a moment, then tried to cover up the fact that she had forgotten about that and said, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure the ocean waves or underwater pressure or whatever can still crush me to death¡¡±
Pale violet flames splash against the barrier surrounding their ship, bringing their attention back to the undead drakes circling the vessel. A few loud booms echoed as the crew took aim and let loose harpoon bolts that looked made from ice at the monsters, but most missed their mark or only landed a glancing blow against the bony fliers.
Another shriek filled the air as Uriel¡¯s spell, [Frost Touched], finally stuck to one of the drakes, starting to cover its bony wings in a layer of magical frost in an attempt to slow the undead monster.
Since that one was starting to become slowed now, Phoenix decided to let the sailors handle that easier target and aimed herself toward the other drake as she moved to the edge of the ship.
¡°Hey,¡± Dazien called out to get her attention before she could begin her attack. When she turned with a quizzical look, he simply smiled and said, ¡°Stick to the staff or chain for these.¡±
She laughed, nodded, gave a little salute, and jumped off the ship while triggering her [Ruler of Relativity] to make herself get flung towards the larger Sapphire Caste monster. As she got dragged through the air, magically tethered to her target, she first expanded her aura all around her, causing a small army of starlight companions and night wisps to appear over each crew member¡¯s shoulder to offer them some protection.
Then she conjured her weapon and transformed it into a staff, gaining the boon for that form.
Status Effect: Holy Pilgrimage
Type: Boon (divine, radiant)
Effects:
- Stamina is increased.
- Attacks made against Corrupted or Death-Attuned targets have increased effect.
- Movement abilities have reduced cost.
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Right before she impacted the flying bone monster, she triggered two effects; the first being her [Nemesis] Bane to get better loot and keep track of the monster, and the second being her [Avatar of Bakunawa]. This was the first time she had used it since it had been upgraded by the Synchrony Spirit Gem she had found in the family vault, and she was grateful for its new method of sustainability.
Class Ability: Avatar of Bakunawa
Type: Transfiguration (recoil, magical, dark, dimension, light)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 30 minutes.
Crystal Effect: Take on the characteristics and abilities of the moon-eating dragon Bakunawa, increasing all attributes by a significant amount and unlocking the abilities [Eclipse Breath], [Cosmic Talons], and [Soul of the Celestial]. When this effect ends, you are temporarily debilitated, suffering a reduction in all attributes.
Sapphire Effect: You can extend the duration of ongoing effects by channeling [Starlight Qi] into them. When [Eclipse Breath] is used in conjunction with other channeled attacks, inflict an instance of [Synchronized Vulnerability].
- Eclipse Breath (channel, magical, dark, light): Breath a stream of Magical flames inflicting Dark and Light damage.
- Cosmic Talons (magical, dimension): Grow metallic claws that inflict Dimension damage.
- Soul of the Celestial (passive, aura): Increases Strength, Mind, and Magic attributes of allies within your aura.
- Synchronized Vulnerability (bane, elemental, magical): Resistance is greatly decreased for each type of Elemental or Magical modifier used to trigger this bane.
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Her body shifted rapidly as she was dragged higher into the sky. She felt the surge of power flooding her as she swung the sacred weapon with her boosted strength and momentum.
The creature roared in annoyance as the metallic staff made contact, dealing additional Radiant damage along with the force of her strike against its exposed rib cage.
As the monster turned to snap at her once she began to fall back, she was saved from the vicious set of very pointy teeth by Dazien¡¯s Familiar, Rex, as it went straight for the drake¡¯s skeletal face.
The [Royal Raksha] wasn¡¯t usually manifested since he was so large and gave Dazien fairly good bonuses while merged with him, but she was grateful for the giant chimera being present now as he helped protect her in the sky. She wasn¡¯t particularly fond of losing a limb to the boney maw that seemed much bigger now that she was getting an up-close look at it.
His large golden eagle-like wings shimmered even in the bleakness as they kept him aloft, and his golden-scaled dragon-like tail landed vicious blows that she knew were inflicting additional Gem damage with each strike. His claws were even making the bones themselves bleed from his Bane, and he let out a deafening roar that inflicted Song damage.
One of his golden stag-like antlers glowed brightly for a moment, and she felt a Boon land on her.
Status Effect: Benevolent Presence
Type: Boon (magical, covenant)
Effects:
- Abilities have decreased resource cost.
- Innate resistances are increased.
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She had needed to ask Dazien earlier what ¡°innate resistances¡± meant, and apparently, it specifically referred to what someone was attuned to. In her particular case, that meant her Dimension, Fire, Light, and Radiant resistances were all boosted now.
Instead of letting herself fall further, Phoenix added another burst of mana to pull her body back toward the monster and shifted her staff into a chain. She wrapped it around the creature¡¯s far wing and attempted to pull herself atop it to attack from its back. The weapon¡¯s boon in that form took effect instead, and she was finally grateful for the fact that every form included a boost against Corruption.
No wonder Paul was said to have liked this weapon since he had hunted the Corrupted for a living for most of his life. Divine wrath was right up his alley, and she could appreciate the anti-undead sentiments at that moment while battling the very not-living bone drake.
The retribution effect specifically granted by the chain form reminded her to cast her [Call of the Abyss], and she muttered, ¡°Gaze into the abyss.¡± She grinned as she felt the Bane take hold. If it did achieve taking a bite out of her now, it would pay for it with its own blood.
She almost laughed aloud in a mixture of disbelief and incredulity as her poor little [Shadow of Azazel] that got summoned with it plummeted through the open air to crash into the rough waves below. She wasn¡¯t sure if she could unsummon it at all and save it from the pain of trying not to drown.
Despite the less-than-useful effect from that summon, she did enjoy the [Void Hunter] Boon she received for being transfigured when she had cast it, granting her another form of tracking and a way to deal Void damage with each attack as dark black scales crept across her hands and up her arms.
As she managed to grapple the drake with a claw and her chain, she had Tala appear beside her and used her draconic form¡¯s [Eclipse Breath], and the [Cosmic Phoenix] Familiar added her own [Star Fire] breath attack. They coated the undead monster in a torrent of colorful flames that caused the [Synchronized Vulnerability] Bane from her form¡¯s new Sapphire effect, making the monster even less resistant against Dark, Light, Dimension, and Fire attacks.
The bone drake decided now was a good time to do some barrel rolls and dive bomb towards the icy water below them, trying to both dislodge its parasites and quench the burning pain. Tala seemed to notice the shift and re-merged into her to offer the increased mana regeneration and attempt to generate more [Starlight Qi] to spend on her prolonging her dragon form to postpone the inevitable recoil effect that would leave her weak and vulnerable.
Phoenix released the drake and sent her weapon back to her collection, letting herself freefall through the air at a much slower rate as the monster dove into the ocean. Perhaps her little summon would get to fight its target after all. She took the lull in the fight to survey the rest of what was happening and grimaced upon seeing the enemy ship and their Victor¡¯s Tribute side by side in pitched combat. Her side didn¡¯t seem to be the ones winning either, considering most of the battle seemed to be taking place on it.
While she fell, she started to target the enemy Crystal Casters she could sense within her aura and began pulling them each towards her with [Ruler of Relativity] until they either fell on the deck or went overboard ¡ªnot dead, but at least out of the fight for a little while. That was her goal at the moment: support and give her allies some breathing room.
The last gravitational pull she did on an opponent made her crash into them as she sank her [Cosmic Talons] into their flesh and dealt more Dimension damage as she attempted to rip out the enemy¡¯s heart in a brutal end to the threat that had been about to stab Saiya.
¡°You might be going overboard with that kind of kill, but thank you, Phoenix,¡± Saiya said and finished casting her own healing spell on one of the downed crew members.
Phoenix didn¡¯t laugh as she looked over her friend, checking for injuries, and said through a mouth full of sharpened teeth, ¡°I won¡¯t let you get hurt by that monster. Rayna would yell at me again for anything less.¡±
She didn¡¯t argue, simply nodding in understanding, and asked, ¡°How much longer on that form?¡±
¡°Maybe another half minute before I have to start spending [Starlight Qi] to keep it going.¡±
Saiya glanced around and then asked Dazien over the communication network, ¡°Should Phoenix drop the form now while I can watch after her, or should she burn through the Qi to keep it going?¡±
¡°If that drake is down, go for it now. I¡¯d rather keep it managed than have her get caught among the enemy when she runs dry. There¡¯s not enough starlight shining through this gloom for me to feel confident about her regeneration.¡±
They both nodded in agreement despite him not being anywhere near them. As soon as Phoenix felt her [Nemesis] and [Mark of the Void] fade, signaling the death of her drake, she let the duration of her transfiguration end.
Saiya moved to her side as she dropped to a knee, shaking slightly from the debilitating costs of the empowering ability. No matter how many times she used that ability, she never seemed to get used to the sensation of dramatically shifting from being much stronger than normal to much weaker from the recoil.
Rayna was suddenly next to them, asking, ¡°You both good here?¡±
¡°Yes. She¡¯ll be fine in just a couple of minutes,¡± Saiya answered as she tried to help Phoenix regain her feet. ¡°Can you stay close until then to defend?¡±
¡°Sure thing. Daze has his hands full over there anyway, defending Uriel, who is laying down the hurt on that ship. I doubt it will survive at this rate,¡± the bard said, gesturing towards the enemy boat that now matched Phoenix¡¯s bone drake with how much fire was raging through it. ¡°Despite the enemy Captain being low Emerald, that ship itself is definitely made from Crystal Caste materials.¡±
A large boom sounded, and Phoenix turned around just in time to see the heavily singed enemy ship take a cannonball, which looked more like an orb of Arcane plasma, to one of its masts and completely shatter in an explosion of wooden fragments, reminding her that it wasn¡¯t just her party having to battle the threat.
Just as her hope for victory began to swell within her, of course, fate had to crush it. The ship abruptly rocked underneath them, causing them all to fall to the deck as the last thing she wanted to see in the ocean appeared. A large blueish-grey tentacle rose from the depths, followed by another and another, and they soon found themselves in a small forest of tentacle monster limbs.
4 - Going to Get Eaten
As Phoenix registered the high Emerald Caste aura coming off the humongous creature, she turned to Rayna and complained, ¡°I swear it¡¯s this bloody curse.¡± She emphasized the point by gesturing to the mark on her chest currently covered by her murky grey Shifting Twilight armor.
¡°Curse?¡± a gruff accented voice said, and all three of them turned to see Captain Clisson staring at her angrily before striding up to yell down at her. ¡°Yer leader didn¡¯t mention one o¡¯ yous bein¡¯ cursed. Have ye doomed me and mine by comin¡¯ aboard?¡±
¡°She¡¯s not cursed, Captain,¡± Rayna retorted angrily, placing herself between the woman and them, ¡°This is Phoenix Wayland. She¡¯s marked as Chosen by eight gods. I would consider that the opposite of cursed.¡±
¡°Blessed by some means cursed by others,¡± the Captain said in a grave tone, ¡°If the gods that ye be proud of are interested in her, then the dark ones that hide in the shadows be even more interested in her downfall. They will see us to a watery grave.¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t you being a bit over dramatic?¡± the bard asked. Captain Clisson gave her a flat look and gestured to what Phoenix could only compare to a Kraken that was now raising its head, which made up the majority of its body, out of the water. Rayna¡¯s stance became less defensive as she muttered, ¡°Point taken.¡±
The roar the gargantuan creature gave at finding prey in its midst was ear-shattering as friend and foe alike winced with the pain at the sonar attack.
¡°Retreat!¡± both Captains called out at once, choosing survival over mutual destruction. Neither faction was equipped for the monstrous Emerald Caste threat that had apparently claimed these slightly higher-Caste waters as its domain.
Before much progress could be made to carry out the orders, however, the tentacles attacked, raining destruction and grasping whatever victims it could find from the deck of either ship. Their attacks were futile against the overpowered threat, and the best the adventurers could do was attempt to dodge and stay out of the way.
Phoenix managed to look up to see the massive mouth of the part-cephalopod open to display the largest set of teeth Phoenix had seen to date and she briefly wondered again why every monster seemed to always have terrifying teeth despite its more mundane counterpart not having any.
Then a shout from next to her made her refocus on those around her as Rayna yelled from her side, ¡°Saiya! No!¡±
Phoenix followed her friend¡¯s gaze to see that their healer was currently held in one of the tentacle¡¯s clutches. She could make out the scream now as she saw Saiya¡¯s tails glowing while she attempted to heal herself and escape.
Phoenix¡¯s body was moving before anyone could call her back as she ran towards the edge of the ship, triggering the mana-replenishing effect of her tattoo, only to get intercepted by Dazien, ¡°No, Phoenix! The Captain is about to¡ª¡±
The ship rocked again as the lower-level Emerald Caster fired another round. This time, it was an array of glowing blue plasma spheres aimed at the large creature instead of the enemy ship, hitting a few of the tentacles holding people; only it wasn¡¯t Saiya that got released as limbs were severed, and some of the crew splashed into the sea.
¡°She¡¯s going to get eaten!¡± Phoenix yelled as she pushed off Dazien¡¯s grip and pulled herself up on the rail before launching herself towards her teammate. Phoenix feared that she wasn¡¯t fast enough as she watched in horror while Saiya tried to reach out towards her before getting released to fall into the hungry chasm leading towards the monster¡¯s gut.
It felt like time slowed as adrenaline pumped through every fiber of Phoenix¡¯s body, and she used her [Ruler of Relativity] on Saiya directly, pulling them toward one another.
¡°YOU JUMPED?! Why did you jump?!¡± Tala practically screeched in her mind, ¡°You should have used the shiny one as an anchor! Are you trying to murder us again?!¡±
She knew Tala was right as soon as she collided in midair with Saiya and realized it wouldn¡¯t be enough to save her. Taking Tala¡¯s suggestion, she held Saiya¡¯s arm tightly as she used her gravity ability again, this time pulling them toward the ship.
A whip-like tentacle wrapped around her leg, halting her in midair and almost ripping Saiya from her grasp at the sudden trajectory change. Phoenix felt lucky that her leg itself hadn¡¯t been ripped off from the force and could only assume her Sapphire Fortitude had kept the limb attached.
Saiya was dangling from her hand now, staring back up at her with wide, fearful eyes.
Phoenix looked back to the ship that offered them safety and saw Dazien jumping onto Rex¡¯s back, quickly lifting off into the air to chase after them. There was some sort of magic adhesive keeping her stuck to the underside of the tentacles, making her struggles futile against the Caste difference. Saiya wasn¡¯t trapped, though, and Phoenix made the split decision to try and get her to safety.
Using all her Strength, she swung Saiya forward and then used [Ruler of Relativity] to push the Healer away from her and in the direction of Dazien. ¡°Catch her!¡± she called out over the network just as the monster shoved her into its mouth before releasing her. Apparently, this time, it didn¡¯t want to chance the free fall time stealing away its meal.
With her allies out of sight and the maw beginning to close once the tentacle retreated, she began chanting the only spell she thought might be enough to punch a hole in the monster to free herself from the inevitable end. ¡°As this star begins to dim, a final burst of light.¡±
¡°Phoenix? What are you doing?¡± Tala asked, but she wanted to roll her eyes as she ignored the Familiar. She was obviously casting her [Supernova] and trying her best not to get eaten.
¡°As my life begins to wane, a final shout of triumph. In a supernova sacrifice¡ª¡±
She barely registered Dazien¡¯s voice yelling through the mental chat, ¡°Phoenix! Stop! Don¡¯t blast the shi¡ª¡±
¡°¡ªI offer the hope of victory,¡± she finished as the maw closed around her, sending her into utter darkness.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
Class Ability: Supernova
Type: Execute (recoil, divine, elemental, magical, arcane, fire, light, radiant)
Cost: Severe health, mana, and stamina.
Cooldown: 6 hours.
Crystal Effect: Create an explosion of magic centered on you, inflicting Arcane, Fire, and Light damage to nearby enemies and the surrounding environment. Enemies within and near the blast are inflicted with [Burning]. When this effect ends, you are temporarily unable to cast Spells. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
Sapphire Effect: Additionally inflicts Radiant damage, and enemies within and near the blast are inflicted with [Celestial Radiation]. Can be infused with a high amount of [Starlight Qi] to additionally grant allies [Deferred Judgment].
- Burning (bane, elemental, fire): Inflicts ongoing Fire damage.
- Celestial Radiation (bane, divine, radiant): Inflicts ongoing low Radiant damage for a short duration.
- Deferred Judgment (boon, divine, time): Absorbs all incoming damage and Banes for a moderate duration before slowly releasing their effects upon the intended target.
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There was a single moment of silence as the mana tore from her in an explosion of power. She hung in the air between the monster¡¯s teeth and its throat, but she hadn¡¯t expected the monster to open its mouth again and let her ability rip into the other ships¡ªboth caught in the blast and suffering for it.
Apparently, after all the damage the low Emerald shield around the ship had already taken, her divine attack was enough to shatter what little remained of them, as a shower of brilliant blue fragments littered the air like shards of falling glass before vanishing.
That was definitely not what she had meant to accomplish, but she was glad that she had empowered the ability with the extra [Starlight Qi], the main goal being to attempt to prevent her own death. As she saw the ability wash over her party members and the crew of the ship, they all began glowing with a pale pink light that appeared over their bodies like a shroud, and she knew they were receiving her [Deferred Judgment] Boon, granted by the Judgment Spirit Gem that had bonded to the ability.
As the monster roared and flailed at the unexpected pain, she landed on its weird greenish tongue before getting violently spit out. The rush of gross saliva and hot breath it had managed to unceremoniously launch her with had her gagging in disgust, and she was actually grateful for a moment to land in the water that would wash it away.
As her head breached the surface of the water for a moment ¡ªher limbs desperately trying to figure out how swimming worked as fast as they could¡ª the ominous sound of groaning wooden beams pulled her attention back to the ship her friends were all on.
Phoenix saw the ship begin to fracture a moment before a falling tentacle caused the whole thing to break in half in a devastating shower of splintered wood and broken enchantments. Her mouth fell open in horror at the sight and the fear that her friends would momentarily be killed in the dark and stormy waters.
It was then, as she was caught in a large wave that pushed her back under the surface with her mana almost completely drained, that she realized why Dazien had been telling her to stop. She couldn¡¯t tell which way was up as she was surrounded by an inky darkness suffusing the waters, and something was making the new [Deferred Judgment] shield around her flicker with pink light. Once the shield fell, and she still hadn¡¯t managed to break the surface of the black water, she suddenly realized that the flashes of light had been the shield absorbing numerous Banes coming from the water itself.
As all those deferred Banes were inflicted upon her all at once, Phoenix realized she had made a terrible mistake as unconsciousness claimed her.
Lukas Lumeris was already hating how this day was turning out.
After noticing the Storm Pirates directly in their line of attack and realizing the pirates had an Emerald Caste Captain who was likely better suited for combat at sea than they were, he had tried to strike a deal with them instead of battling it out. Offering his own assistance to take down their mutual target, he had agreed to leave the two ¡°divine items¡± to them while he would get the ¡°rare gem¡± that they seemed less enthusiastic about.
He got the impression that they were expecting actual treasure instead of understanding that many gods spoke in riddles to save on the amount of Aetherius they had to expend, but their misunderstanding would likely work in his favor at the moment. While they were busy searching the ship for loot, he could leave with his prisoners. And if they did manage to realize the two Chosen aboard were the divine pieces, he cared more about the gemite to ensure that Valtessa wouldn¡¯t toss him back into the sea when he arrived in Serenydi.
Getting less than half of the treasure was the best of the worst things that would happen to him over the next few hours it seemed.
When they both finally spotted their target through the storm the pirates conjured, he had been hoping his luck had improved.
When a trio of meteors appeared in the sky to rain destruction upon them, he realized his hope was in vain.
It slowed them down to try to heal their injured while putting out the flames that had spread across the deck and ripped through their sails. Luckily, he had managed to resist the Bane that was making their lower Caste crew see quadruple of everything and had them practically tripping over themselves.
Aside from the pain and annoyance, Lukas feared that the hindrance would encourage the pirates to ignore their deal and attempt to make off with his treasure.
He was actually pleased to see them faring so badly against their mutual enemy as their own ship soon became alight with flames and littered with frost. He actually grinned when one of their masts was utterly destroyed by some kind of Arcane attack from the enemy ship. They wouldn¡¯t be sailing away with his treasure any time soon with that amount of damage.
Alas, when his luck seemed to be rising, the world had to remind him that he was indeed not a lucky man. The high Emerald Caste ocean monstrosity was definitely not part of their plans. He wasn¡¯t even entirely sure if it was an actual monster or just a very old aval that lived in these parts, but either way, it was insanely poor timing for it to arrive in their midst.
Lukas yelled at the captain of their own vessel to keep its distance for now. None of them were prepared for a thing of that size, and he could only hope that they would be able to fish out their treasure once the pirates, kraken, and target were all done fighting each other.
That didn¡¯t happen immediately, but it wasn¡¯t very long before their target¡¯s vessel was sundered in half by an odd explosion followed by a flailing tentacle. It was utter chaos at that point, and he vaguely wondered if his own god was to blame for the mess¡ he was certainly benefiting from it either way.
It was widely known that deities couldn¡¯t touch physical reality, but they could manipulate ambient mana. They normally did so to create Aspects or Spirit Gems for their followers, but once in a while, they had been known to create monsters. How expensive that was on the grand scale of the divine balance, he had no idea about, but it was a possibility nonetheless.
It wasn¡¯t too much longer after that when the storm around them started to die down, and Lukas took that as a sign that, despite their target ship being destroyed, the pirates hadn¡¯t fared much better, and Captain Stormbeard was now dead. He noticed a plethora of people and debris scattered in the waves, and for just a moment, saw a man with long, shiny, purple hair riding through the air atop the back of some kind of golden, winged lion before falling back into the sea from a massive tentacle knocking them out of the air and away from the fighting.
If they moved quickly, perhaps he would be lucky after all.
5 - Never Alone
Phoenix hated waking up without remembering falling asleep, as it usually meant she had done something horribly wrong. She was confused as she brushed silvery white hair out of her face, and it took a second for her to realize that it was her hair that had been made pale from her armor granting her the [Brightest Day] boon. She rarely managed to activate that one on the tundra that tended to be overcast more often than not.
As she sat up and looked around to find herself on a snowy white beach with the bright sun shining across the sea and reflecting off everything, her memories returned in a flood. She buried her face in her hands. How many had she accidentally killed? How many drowned? How many got caught up and eaten by the Emerald Caste monster she had barely managed to scratch?
She didn¡¯t have the answers, so her mind went to the worst possible outcomes. Her whole team might be dead, all of her friends gone, because she didn¡¯t think things through again. Instead of just losing her life, she might have lost everyone else.
A sob escaped her lips as she began to mentally spiral. She attempted to use the mental chat, but there was no response, and she couldn¡¯t feel the connection anymore. Either Dazien had gotten too far away or¡
¡°Stop it, Phoenix,¡± Tala scolded, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear you think that about the shiny one or any of the others.¡±
Tala was right. She needed to stop assuming everyone was dead, or she wouldn¡¯t be able to function right now. Exposed on a beach, with no idea where she was, was not the time to spiral into despair.
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New Quest: Getting Back Together
Your party has been scattered; reunite with them.
Objective: Reunite with your remaining companions in Serenydi.
Reward: Epic magic rings.
From: Lover
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The appearance of the quest was slightly reassuring. Even more so was that it actually appeared as though the deity had signed their name like it was a letter rather than an anonymous quest. Perhaps that was the entire goal of confirming her suspicion; now, she wouldn¡¯t be suspicious about who was behind it.
The best news from it was that her party members were still alive¡ at least, some were. The bad news was that it didn¡¯t confirm all of them had lived or would make it to Serenydi on their own¡ What if Uriel drowned? He was still only Crystal Caste and required breathing. The thought made her heart feel like it dropped into her gut, and she had to shake herself from the morbid thoughts again as Tala almost yelled at her, ¡°Don¡¯t ever think about the warm one dying again! That is a new rule now! I don¡¯t like that feeling you get from it!¡±
¡°It¡¯s not like I can help every thought I have,¡± she retorted, trying her best to keep away those intrusive thoughts.
She carefully stood, taking stock of herself. It was another surprise that she hadn¡¯t died in the sea and somehow ended up washed up on a shore. Phoenix had no memory of her time in the water after that inky blackness within the water delivered its nasty Banes that eventually rendered her unconscious. She had tried her best to swim before that, but she thought it would have been more likely for her to awaken at the bottom of the ocean than on a beach.
Looking up and down the deserted shore didn¡¯t help her get her bearings, and the sun shining brightly as it barely peeked over the ocean¡¯s horizon directly opposite where she stood didn¡¯t help either. The only thing she was fairly sure of with the ocean between her and the sun was that she wasn¡¯t on the mainland since the sun was usually slightly south as it crossed the sky. On the mainland, the ocean was only to the north, so she was most likely on one of the arctic islands that she had recently learned littered the sea they were traveling through.
Then she remembered that she was a properly prepared Caster who knew things like magic rituals and pulled out her Wand of the Snow Queen, which she had gotten what felt like ages ago, to cast the simple cantrip to make the wand spin to point north like a compass. She hadn¡¯t gotten lost so badly to need that spell in quite a while.
The cantrip confirmed her suspicions, and she began moving east¡ªthe direction their group had been heading before to get to their destination. Her book also tried to be helpful by displaying a map of the region she had traveled through while apparently drifting across the ocean. She was far off course. She was so far off that she wondered if she had been unconscious for days to have landed where she was.
Hopefully, her party hadn¡¯t gotten so derailed and would have continued to their destination. She wasn¡¯t sure how likely that was since they had only been about a quarter through their journey. Would they think going back to Tulimeir was the better choice? Maybe the Lover had some way of giving them all a similar quest, too?
While she walked along the blindingly white beach with the pale blue ocean on her right and a dense forest of glassy trees carved from crystalline ice on her left, she was reminded of her first days in this strange world. She had been alone with no idea where she was and no real plan except to move eastward. Her book ¡ªand apparently the gods¡ª guided her then, too, leading her toward Paul, her first real ally in this new and terrifying world.
She wished he was here to guide her now. To scold her for getting into this situation in the first place. To prompt her to think of a solution¡ But she was alone.
¡°Rude,¡± Tala retorted to the unspoken thought.
She winced and said, ¡°We can be alone together. You can¡¯t honestly tell me you don¡¯t wish at least one of the others was here with us, can you?¡±
Phoenix felt an odd sense of awkward embarrassment well up from within her as Tala quietly admitted, ¡°You might be right, but I remember what the shiny one always tells us. We¡¯re never alone.¡±
She understood what her Familiar was trying to say, but as she looked around the deserted beach it was hard not to feel small and very much on their own.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.
¡°Can you portal back? I know the quest said to go to Serenydi, but maybe we can get the flying fox to help find the others?¡±
Phoenix tried opening a portal back to Tulimeir but could sense it was too far as the abilities failed to trigger. She didn¡¯t know any place nearby that she could portal to that wasn¡¯t just ocean. Ships were unviable portaling targets because they moved, and the aural imprint wouldn¡¯t last long enough to matter because the environment around it drastically changed as it moved¡ Which her ship definitely had now that it was likely reduced to driftwood.
¡°I¡¯m too far from any of my imprints now,¡± she responded, even though she knew Tala heard all of her surface thoughts. If she didn¡¯t want to feel utterly isolated, speaking to Tala might help her avoid that.
¡°Perhaps there¡¯s some random village here on the island? Someone with a boat?¡±
She expanded her aura all around her to see if she could pick up anything and immediately registered two Sapphire Caste auras. One seemed small and fairly close and her eyes snapped to the tree line where a small green-feathered bird currently sat watching her.
Her confusion only lasted a moment, however, as the sensation of her aura senses expanding alerted the farther away Sapphire, and she felt it begin to move quickly in her direction. She couldn¡¯t tell exactly what it was, but she did know it was some kind of monster.
With a repetitive burst of mana with each step she took, Phoenix launched herself down the beach, trying to put distance between her and the threat. When it finally broke the tree line behind her, she spared a glance backward to assess the new enemy.
It looked like a fluffy spider the size of Po¡¯s carriage with fur that was almost as white as the snow around them, but she couldn¡¯t tell if it had a front or back. Instead of four legs on each side of its body, this creature had twelve legs equidistant around its spherical center mass with a forest of tentacle eyes like a crab¡¯s sprouting from the top of it and searching for its prey in all directions at once.
Phoenix couldn¡¯t see a mouth, but she heard the unnatural squeal come from it as it caught sight of her and continued pursuing. It vaguely reminded her of the very first Crystal Caste monster she had fought in this world, in the sandy dunes of the Reality Rift she had followed Paul into, and she wondered if it had the same vulnerable underbelly. To test her theory, she¡¯d need to figure out a way to get under it through the mess of legs that basically acted as a moving shield.
She summoned her [Night Armament] in one hand and Sanctified Hope in the other as both seamlessly shifted into matching swords. She began running back towards it, both of them having a clear path to each other, and they were almost matched for their base speed.
Before the monster got close enough to spring, she enacted the only plan she could come up with in the limited time. She used the Sapphire part of her [Ruler of Relativity] to conjure a blackhole in the air above them to start pulling the monster toward it.
It was enough to lift the monster as it lunged toward her, and as she turned to attack its underside, she discovered where its mouth was. Instead of a soft belly, she was met with multiple rings of prickly teeth like a lamprey.
With a loud mental, ¡°NOPE!¡± she used her gravity ability once more to send her conjured blade towards the shrieking maw and then pushed against the monster itself to try and get more distance between her and the hungry beast.
She sensed the triple instances of [Mana Siphon] take effect from her two weapons and the pseudo blackhole while her swords both added [Life Siphon] stacks as well. The creature squealed in anger as its legs thrashed towards her.
It was when it managed to scratch her and she didn¡¯t feel like it was stronger than her that it finally clicked in her mind that this wasn¡¯t actually like her first days here in this alternate universe.
She wasn¡¯t powerless and inexperienced. She wasn¡¯t weak and in need of someone else to save her. Just because her party wasn¡¯t beside her didn¡¯t mean she was useless.
Phoenix knew that she would destroy anything that came between her and her new quest, including some horrifying fuzzy-vampire-spider-crab-chimera-thing.
She transformed her weapons into a pair of spears and reversed the gravitational pull of her ability to drag the creature down toward her instead, plunging the sharp Radiant tips deep into the monster. Feeling the new boon take effect on her, she grinned.
Status Effect: Divine Dragoon
Type: Boon (divine, radiant)
Effects:
- Strength is increased.
- Attacks made against Corrupted or Blood-Attuned targets have increased effect.
- Elemental abilities inflict increased damage.
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Phoenix felt the points at the end of the monster¡¯s legs stab into her, but she ignored the pain as she pushed herself away once more with a burst of mana. She landed back on the snowy beach below them for only a heartbeat before reversing direction one more time.
Pouring her mana into enhancing her next jump and pushing away from the ground as her blackhole held the monster in the air for her, she led with the spears to send them and herself straight through the trapped beast.
As she fell back to the ground in a rather acrobatic flip, she saw the monster go limp for a moment, then begin dissolving into blue ash as her aura looted it.
Feeling victorious despite the fact that she was drenched in gore and ichor, it was only another moment before it, too, began to dissolve, leaving only her own blood and the sand staining the currently white armor. Phoenix smiled at her success before frowning when she realized that Saiya was no longer there to use her [Cleansing Stream] spell to wash her down. Due to having the much cheaper alternative of her friend¡¯s ability, she didn¡¯t own any of those gross Golden Shower potions but finally debated about always carrying some as backup from then on.
Taking a quick and freezing dip in the ocean to get most of the sticky blood and invasive sand off of her, she used her brush to try and tame her silvery blonde hair back into a braid and continued her trek across the beach once more.
She decided to keep her aura expanded while she traveled and couldn¡¯t sense anything nearby anymore. The main reason for this was in the hopes of finding a person or town that might not have been right on the shore. A long shot, she knew, but potentially worth it. The second reason was to train. If she could find more Sapphire Caste monsters to push herself against, she could work more towards hitting Emerald and get closer to waking Paul back up.
Her strategy seemed to work as she ran into a couple of monsters that had been left relatively alone on what appeared to be a deserted island so far. It seemed like it hadn¡¯t been cleared out since the blood moon had ended, so their numbers had built up a bit.
It was a good experience for Phoenix as it forced her to push her abilities in new ways without her party to fall back on. She was also able to get more comfortable with her newest weapon, shifting its type frequently to practice the different forms of her martial style that she had been neglecting outside of the training arena.
As she found herself facing different types of monsters, she learned to truly appreciate the versatility of the weapon, her martial techniques, and even her powerset, allowing her to maneuver, burst, or slow burn an enemy down, adapting to whatever situation she found herself dropped into.
She never thought her powers had a very unified theme, nor had phases that told a story over the course of the battle, nor intrinsic synergy in the way many other Casters did, but they helped her survive, giving her solutions to whatever she encountered. If she didn¡¯t have a solution to beat them with destructive power, then she had the tools to flee or hide. Her illusions and Familiar could act as decoys aside from the extra damage they provided. She had ways to boost her regeneration along with a shield and heal to help her last longer, and if all that failed¡ well, she¡¯d still survive.
6 - At Your Mercy
Saiya didn¡¯t normally consider herself afraid of heights like Rayna definitely was. However, free-falling through the air towards the awaiting mouth of a giant monster definitely made her less keen on ever being that high in the air again. Feeling herself be pulled into Phoenix and the relief of finally finding her as she tried to cling to her immortal friend, was supposed to make the fall better. However, sensing Phoenix¡¯s own panic and the sudden halt that almost flung her from her friend¡¯s grip made her own terror run rampant. It wasn¡¯t made better when she was violently tossed up into the air and shoved away from the safety of her friend¡¯s hand.
It wasn¡¯t quite the same as the terrifying fall towards inevitable death as she was pushed through the air back toward the ship, and she noticed the grip of those sticky tentacles around Phoenix now instead of her. However, it was still terrible to feel so helpless with no way to control her own movement.
¡°Catch her!¡± was the only clue she had that Phoenix had some sort of plan other than a harsh landing against the side of the ship. Her worry proved unwarranted when her flight was gently halted by strong arms wrapping around her and pulling her against an armored body.
She recognized the aura before she registered his face, as Dazien held on tight to her and Rex¡¯s mane. The Familiar flew them through the air toward the mouth where Phoenix was being shoved.
As they got a better look at Phoenix falling the last few yards toward the monster¡¯s throat, her Perception felt a zing of panic flood Dazien¡¯s emotions through his aura, and she was able to hear him yelling both aloud and in her mind when the giant mouth began closing around its snack. ¡°Phoenix! Stop! Don¡¯t blast the ship!¡±
Saiya knew he was too late when she heard the explosion and the mouth reopened to release part of the blast back out at all of them. She whipped her head back toward the ship Dazien had warned about and couldn¡¯t help the sob that escaped from her mouth as she saw the invisible shield break. Saiya saw her sister¡¯s scared face and tucked tails as the ship treacherously rocked among the already turbulent waves, and everyone started glowing with a pale pink light.
¡°We have to help them!¡± she yelled back to her leader, and his grip tightened around her waist.
¡°Rex can¡¯t carry all of them. We¡¯ll have to¡ª¡±
His words cut off as Rex dodged an incoming tentacle that crashed down into the Victor¡¯s Tribute instead, sundering the ship and sending her sister and friends crashing either into the air or into the ocean. The tentacle moving back up into the air from the wreckage is what surprised them and managed to knock them hard enough that Dazien and her were both free falling through the air this time.
He tried to grab her again, and she tried to stretch further to reach him as the wind rushed past and tried to separate them further.
¡°Save her!¡± Dazien shouted for a confusing moment before she suddenly stopped falling and found herself nestled between golden wings on a softly furred back.
¡°No!¡± she replied when she realized what he had meant, but she was forced to watch helplessly as Dazien crashed into the waves a moment later, quickly disappearing from her sight.
Another tentacle forced them to fly out of the way, and she quickly lost track of where Dazien had submerged before spotting Rayna in the water among the wreckage of the ship with at least a dozen other people. With a grimace, she had to trust in her leader¡¯s survivability and told Rex, ¡°Let me down near Ray and go get Dazien! I know you can tell where he is better than my bracelet will right now. I¡¯ll retreat into my lotus while we wait for you both to rejoin us.¡±
Rex gave a soft rumble before swooping down toward Rayna, and she leaped the short distance into the water. Once her arms were finally wrapped around her sister, she cast her [Restful Retreat] by incanting, ¡°May the weary find rest in the solace of the tranquil retreat.¡±
The last few words were spoken partially underwater, but it still triggered pulling nearby allies into the dimensional space that appeared from the outside as a giant white lotus blossom. No water was brought in with them, and a few of the Crystal Casters that got caught up sputtered the water from their lungs as they still had a set they required to breathe.
Rayna helped her sit up within the tranquil pocket space, and they quickly glanced around to realize that none of their other teammates had made it into the spell¡¯s area of effect. They were somewhere still outside among the wreckage with a very angry Emerald Caste monster.
Saiya could feel the fear permeating from everybody, including her usually fearless sister, who was the one clinging to her for a change. She felt at a loss for words as she held her distraught twin and knew the scene of her almost getting eaten was likely replaying itself in Rayna¡¯s mind.
¡°I thought I lost you,¡± Ray sobbed against her, wrapping her tails around them both for extra security. ¡°How did you even let that thing grab you?¡±
¡°It¡¯s impossibly fast for being so massive,¡± she replied with a grimace.
¡°Well, don¡¯t ever do it again!¡±
Saiya simply sighed and indulgently shook her head as she hugged her sister and agreed, ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡± After a few moments to calm down, she gently pushed Rayna back from her to meet the eyes that were identical to her own. ¡°We need to prepare for what awaits us. There¡¯s not much time left to prepare.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
Rayna sniffed loudly, wiping her eyes on her sleeve of fur as she nodded. ¡°Right. We, um¡ we need to¡ª¡± Her voice broke slightly, and she tried to swallow her fear once more. ¡°We need to get to shore. Get what survivors we can.¡±
Saiya nodded. ¡°Do you think you can run atop the water to find the others?¡±
Her sister¡¯s eyes went wide as she shook her head and argued adamantly, ¡°I¡¯m not going to just leave you floating in the ocean. Who¡¯s going to protect you?¡±
She rolled her eyes. ¡°I may be the healer, but I¡¯m still Sapphire Caste, Ray. I don¡¯t need protection all the time.¡± At the dubious look she was given, she added, ¡°Just a quick sprint to let the others know to head south toward the shore¡ and see who¡¯s still alive. Rex should be retrieving Dazien to bring back to us, but I have no idea what happened to Uriel or Camilla¡ and maybe Phoenix managed to survive.¡±
Rayna grimaced but nodded in compliance, both of them silently praying that their party members were still alive. While Phoenix might come back, Dazien, Uriel, and Camilla wouldn¡¯t if the monster decided to eat one of them too.
After Saiya informed the others who were taking refuge within her spell about what was coming next, they waited for the ability to finish running its course before finding themselves dropped into the ocean once more. They were shocked by how far away the monster and wreckage were, and Rayna hesitated a moment, still holding Saiya¡¯s hand. Apparently, the force of the waves had been enough to push the lotus away.
¡°Run quick! We¡¯ll start swimming,¡± Saiya told her sister as reassuringly as she could while one of the crew started leading them south, their perception power acting as an internal compass to guide the way. Meanwhile, Wally, her Wellspring Wyrmling that usually wrapped himself around her wrist and forearm, flittered above the ocean on tiny wings while using his power over water to help guide the waves to take them all southwards.
Rayna gave a quick nod, then Saiya helped push her above the rolling waves so that she could free run atop them as fast as she could with her [Agile] Passive ability granting the implausible feat. Saiya was already having a bad feeling about what her sister would find, considering that even after leaving the dimensional space, she couldn¡¯t contact the others via Dazien¡¯s communication power.
Only a few minutes later, Rayna was back to confirm her suspicions: their other party members were nowhere to be found. The rest of the crew were attempting to flee south while the Emerald Caste Captain attempted to hold off the beast to buy them all time despite being fairly crippled without the power of her ship to call upon.
The monster was worse for wear but still alive. Luckily, the storm seemed to be quickly dying down, and she wondered if some Caster on the enemy¡¯s side had been the source of it. Unfortunately, both Rex and Tala were also nowhere to be seen which made them fear the worst for their friends.
Rayna seemed to have resolved not to lose another family member as she returned with a long rope, salvaged from the wreckage of the half-ship that remained and tied it around Saiya¡¯s waist first before wrapping the other end around herself. Then she took another salvaged rope and began going to each of the surviving crew to help them stick together as they all headed for shore through the waves that were beginning to calm.
One of the Crystal Caste crew members was able to conjure barrels that the survivors climbed into and used as makeshift rafts while the Sapphires helped pull them to safety with the bit of rope assisting with the undertaking.
Saiya could feel the sorrow attempting to consume them all and wanted to comfort them, but the current situation made that impossible. As they traveled across the darkening waves, all of the Sapphire Casters pushed themselves to their limits to swim south, and Saiya could feel Rayna¡¯s worry slowly grow as the endless expanse of water let all of their minds wander to the people who were missing from their midst.
Rayna had always been rather quick to process her own emotions, usually with the help of punching something. By the time the shoreline came into view on the southern horizon, the bard had already made her way through the panic phase. It had been hours already as they swam, trying to conserve as much stamina as possible.
The ship had been following the coastline for the most part, just in case of emergencies like this, but it was still a staggering distance that threatened their lives should they exhaust too quickly. The Crystals might have drowned, and the Sapphires would eventually suffer from exposure to the cold and wet if they didn¡¯t get to rest and recover properly. All of them prayed silently that another monster wouldn¡¯t come across them.
Once they reached the shore¡ªeveryone completely drained and barely able to move further¡ªthat was when Saiya sensed the anger start to boil up in her sister. Rayna punched the rocky beach as she let out a frustrated growl.
Saiya forced herself to move to her sister¡¯s side as she tried to hug Rayna and calm her with the tranquility of her aura. She wondered if she should have specialized in grief counseling instead at this rate and tried to shake the morbid thought from her mind as she tried to hold Rayna, who kept periodically punching the ground.
It was then that the Emerald Caste Captain caught up with them, carrying her own load of survivors and looking much the worse for wear as she stalked over to the twins as though they were prey. Captain Clisson paused briefly when she registered their grief and the pain both voxen were in from processing the potential death of their party member and being separated from the others with no idea if they were alive or dead.
Saiya could feel the shift in the stern woman¡¯s emotions as they went from roiling fury to simmering anger and pity as she said roughly to her, ¡°Yer companion blew up me ship¡¯s shields.¡±
She nodded silently but didn¡¯t offer any words since they would only be empty ones. She clung to her sister, wanting the anger to calm. Even though she didn¡¯t speak, Rayna did as she glared up at the Captain. ¡°If you had shot the right target and freed Saiya then she wouldn¡¯t have had to try and save her!¡±
¡°I made the choice to save mine,¡± the woman growled, ¡°and I¡¯d make it again.¡±
¡°So would we!¡± Rayna retorted, and Saiya¡¯s grip tightened to keep her sister from attacking the Emerald Caster in her rage. The bard¡¯s tears flowed freely as she brokenly said, ¡°Phoenix would sacrifice everything to save one of us, and so would I! We¡¯ll go as far as we can to keep our family safe!¡±
¡°How safe are ye now?!¡± the Captain shouted back. ¡°Yer Chosen One dead. Me ship destroyed. The rest o¡¯ ya scattered to the wind. Yer lucky that explosion didn¡¯t cause more o¡¯ mine to fall otherwise I¡¯d be sendin¡¯ ye to join that girl right now!¡±
¡°Her name is Phoenix, and she¡¯s still alive!¡± Rayna angrily retorted. She sunk against Saiya and almost whined, ¡°Everyone has to still be alive¡¡±
Saiya finally spoke up as she rubbed her sister¡¯s back and said to the Emerald Caster, ¡°You¡¯re right. We¡¯re not safe. We¡¯ve lost our party and don¡¯t know where we are. We¡¯re at your mercy now, Captain.¡±
The gruff woman gave an annoyed growl, kicking at one of the rocks on the stoney beach before turning back to the pair and saying bluntly, ¡°Ye both follow my orders now. Heal and protect my people, and I¡¯ll see ya to Serenydi, where I know I can get a proper ship replacement, but then I hope to never see yer faces again, got it, Adventurers?¡±
Both of them nodded in silent capitulation, and Saiya got to work, healing up the injured as some of the others helped make a makeshift camp to rest in until daylight.
7 - Subconscious Pessimism
Phoenix felt a tug on her wrist from her bracelet. It was telling her that her brother was somewhere right in front of her. She ran as fast as she could down the endless stretch of white sand.
Then she spotted him lying on the beach.
Purple hair strewn about, mixing with the sand and sparkling in the sunlight.
He turned just his head to look at her, and black blood trickled from his mouth, making her own blood run cold as she was reminded of her last moments seeing Paul awake.
No. There¡¯s no way, she thought.
Before he could say anything to her she knelt in the sand and conjured a potion bottle to her hand. She didn¡¯t care what kind of Bane or injury he might have; she was not going to sit by and watch her brother die in the sand.
Phoenix glanced down at his chest, trying to see if there was any other injury, and that was when she noticed all the crimson blood pooling over his stomach and slowly spreading out from under him, staining the white beach a sickening red.
¡°You¡¯re going to be okay,¡± she muttered, yanking the stopper from the potion bottle.
Dazien gave a coughing laugh filled with pain as he replied, ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one yelling at me to stop saying that the last time a family member died?¡±
¡°He didn¡¯t die, and neither are you,¡± she retorted, tipping his head back and forcing the potion down his throat.
Her brother sputtered at the magical liquid and angrily pushed her away. ¡°He¡¯s not here anymore, so what difference is there?¡±
¡°What?¡± she asked in confusion. Wasn¡¯t he the one who had been reassuring her before that he hadn¡¯t died and that things would turn out alright in the end? He was always the more optimistic voice whenever they talked about the future. While she could complain about the worst of all the darkness they found themselves drowning in; he would always drag her thoughts back into the light and reassure her that they had the power to control their fate.
¡°You might as well have killed him for all the good saving him did,¡± Dazien continued saying, coughing up more blackened blood.
His glare made it feel like time had stopped, and her heart was stabbed as he said with the most disdain she had ever heard or seen, ¡°Now I¡¯m going to die all because of your stupid, reckless idea and always ignoring every command I try to give.¡±
It was hard to find her voice for a long moment as he continued to bleed out in the sand, spewing more silent vitriol that she was sure he had been holding back from her for months now. ¡°You always think you know better than everyone else. Treating me like a worthless shiny sacrifice to keep the crowds away while you go off to play with arts and crafts, and everyone else tries to please you and your gods. You don¡¯t care about anyone but yourself. I bet that¡¯s really why you never cared about seeking out those artifacts until I practically shoved you out the door.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± she managed to mutter through her shock, barely noticing his eyes becoming void-like orbs as whatever Bane was on him continued to eat away at him.
¡°You wouldn¡¯t even know where we¡¯re going if Paul and I hadn¡¯t been there to plan everything for you. Now you¡¯ve killed us both. Maybe you can make a deal with the Trickster now to get out of the quest you only accepted in the first place because you didn¡¯t know anything about what you were doing in this world.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t¡ª¡±
¡°You should have been the one to die instead of me!¡± he screamed at her before a horrifying shadow erupted from his chest, spraying blood everywhere.
She screamed in fright as it towered over them, and as it leaned over to devour her in a mouth filled with bright light, she woke up.
Phoenix was covered in sweat and breathing heavily despite not requiring the action. It was still night and she was still safe within her ritual circle meant to protect and alert her if a monster approached.
¡°That was the worst nightmare ever,¡± Tala mentally murmured from her spot on the pillow next to Phoenix¡¯s head. She had foregone the tent to watch the stars before she fell asleep but still had her plush bedroll to sleep fairly comfortably in.
¡°Were you able to see it?¡± she asked, never having thought to question that before and actually dreading the answer.
¡°No, your thoughts become unclear when you dream, but I felt your fear and pain,¡± the little poofy bird replied and flitted over to rest in her lap as she tried to calm down by brushing the curls out of her face. ¡°Want to talk about it? That usually helps.¡±
She adamantly shook her head, ¡°Not this time¡ it was¡ intense.¡± She knew the explanation was lacking and quietly added, ¡°Daze died.¡±
Tala gave a sad-sounding trill as she snuggled closer into her, and Phoenix tried distracting herself by petting the Familiar¡¯s fluffy feathers.
¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s still alive. The shiny one will not die until after he becomes a king, remember?¡±
Phoenix finally gave a weak chuckle at that but rubbed at her wrist as she muttered, ¡°It just seemed so real though. My bracelet¡¡± she trailed off as her hand brushed against the leather strap around her wrist.
Her heart sank further as she noticed the purple bead that had been entwined in it was missing. She looked around her in a panic, displacing Tala and searching for the bead that connected the bracelet to her brother.
When she found it, she felt the tears she had managed to hold back finally fall down her cheeks as the tiny fragments of amethyst lay just outside her bedroll, looking dull against the white sand. She was just lucky she could see in the dark; otherwise, she might have missed the evidence of Dazien¡¯s death.
¡°Quit thinking he¡¯s dead,¡± Tala practically whined at her. ¡°Your subconscious pessimism makes everything seem so much worse.¡±
¡°What else could this shattered bead mean?¡± she angrily retorted. If Tala knew it was subconscious, then why did she keep acting like she had any control over it?!
¡°Maybe it just spontaneously broke?! A lot of your crafted items do that!¡± Tala argued, and Phoenix was about to yell back at her when the sensation of a Sapphire Caste aura coming in range of hers drew her attention.
It wasn¡¯t a monster, which was what had caught her attention the first time she had noticed it, but she couldn¡¯t tell exactly what the creature was as the little green bird flitted to the ground in front of her and chirped. It vaguely reminded her of the way Bliss¡¯ aura had made her feel at first, uncertain if it was actually an aval or not.
Phoenix tilted her head to the side as she stared at the creature. It seemed intelligent with the way it looked at her, and with the odd way it was behaving, she might have mistaken it for a Familiar if her aura senses hadn¡¯t been telling her otherwise.
Tala perked up suddenly and flew over to join it, cheeping merrily as though she had just found a new friend about half her size. The amount of chirping was way more than Phoenix was used to as they seemed to almost converse with one another, but it was too adorable to stop as she watched the pair of tiny birds twittering and hopping around each other while preening.
¡°They will help us!¡± Tala finally announced in her mind as the birds glanced her way.
Then, the strange green bird flew towards the tree line and chirped at her once more. Tala took off after it, causing Phoenix to quickly stand, return her bedroll and other items to her collection, and follow after the pair as well.
Once she reached the trees, though, the bird took off again, obviously attempting to lead them somewhere further into the icy forest. Phoenix glanced from the dark sea and back towards the ominous jungle of icicles.
¡°Are you sure they¡¯re going to help instead of leading us to some crazy Caster to get eaten?¡± she mentally asked.
¡°Not everyone is a cannibal, right?¡±
¡°That doesn¡¯t make me feel much better¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t been eaten before¡¡±
Phoenix grimaced at the reminder but understood Tala¡¯s point as she decided to swallow her fears as she followed the strange bird deeper into the unknown.
She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed as she wandered after a pair of birds through the snow and trees that seemed carved from ice. She thought it might be more beautiful during the day with the light reflecting off them like prisms, but at night, it seemed cold and eerie, like a frozen maze.
Only when they reached their apparent destination did Phoenix relax slightly as a beautiful giant ice tree rose up from the center of a clearing. Small magical lights were dangling from its branches, and they gave off a soft glow that refracted through the branches like a glittering tower from her hometown.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
She was slightly taken aback by the stray thought that she now considered Tulimeir her home. It had been less than a year, but she felt like she belonged there more than she ever had back on Earth. Now, in this place, she was reminded that she wanted to return to her new home eventually.
The green bird got her attention once more as it cheeped, then flew to the base of the trunk where a door had been carved straight into it. As she got closer, the door seemed to be made of frosted glass almost, and she could tell that light was shining from within.
She knocked hesitantly, half afraid she might break it, but it was sturdier than glass and sounded like a gong as her fist rapped on it. No answer came, and the bird chirped at her again as though urging her forward. She then turned the stone-like lever for a door handle and pushed, the door swinging open silently.
Phoenix was surprised yet again that night; this time to find a small, cozy room that reminded her of her old dorm back in Tulimeir with the sitting room combined with the kitchen but much less minimalistic and more like a burrow with how much clutter was strewn about.
The little bird got her attention once more to lead her to a ladder on the opposite side, and she began to follow the tiny guide up it to discover the next floor was a bedroom that appeared even more like a nest.
It was full of fluff, fabric, and a large patchwork blanket that the bird landed on with another tweet. She glanced around once more, finding no other person in the well-kept but seemingly abandoned tree home, then shrugged and fell into the pile of comfort.
Her mind had calmed down from her terrible dream by that point, but she was still hesitant to return to the cursed dreamscape. Instead, she conjured her [Guide Book] and looked over her more recent quest again, debating about whether she wanted it to show an actual body count of people to reunite with or not. On one hand, it might reassure her that everyone was still alive. On the other hand, it might make her want to get eaten by a monster by confirming that her fear of the reason behind Dazien¡¯s bead being shattered was true and that her brother had died just like he said he had in her dream.
As she re-read the quest yet again, she paused on the last line and idly asked aloud, ¡°If this quest is from the Lover, who were all my other quests from?¡±
Her draw dropped open in shock as her book actually answered the question.
|
Quest: Choose Your Path
You have arrived in a new reality! Choices need to be quickly made.
From: Hero
Quest: Defeat Your First Monster!
You have taken control of your fate in a new world full of monsters! Prove you can survive!
From: Warrior
Quest: In Darkest Night
You have become lost in the forest and the sun has begun to set.
From: Traveler
Bonus Objective from Cook.
Quest: Escape the Monsters
You are not strong enough for this area. Retreat to a lower Caste biome.
From: Scholar
Quest: Mysterious Stranger
A mysterious man has helped you and offered for you to join him on his quest.
From: Rebel
Quest: Another Other Reality
Your new companion has arrived at a Reality Rift and plans to fight the enemies inside; join him in the adventure.
From: Hero
Hidden Objective from Warrior.
Quest: Divine Call for a Hero
The deities Hero and Rebel have requested your aid to save a nation.
From: Hero and Rebel
Bonus Objective from Adjudicator.
Quest: Tundra Training
Time to test your mettle.
From: Warrior
Quest: Tomes of the Scholar
The deity Scholar has offered you a set of magic knowledge tomes that make up the series [Magic of Makera] along with their divine mark.
From: Scholar
Quest: Ways of the Warrior
The deity Warrior has offered you a set of martial knowledge tomes that make up the series [Weapon Wielding Warrior: The Six Sacred Stances] along with their divine mark.
From: Warrior
Quest: Path of the Traveler
The deity Traveler has offered to alter your talent and grant their divine mark.
From: Traveler
Quest: For Adventure
Are you up to the challenges of this new path?
From: Hero
Quest: Mission: Frosty Fliers
You have been tasked with defeating the monsters for the mission.
From: Hunter
Quest: One Against Many
You have been tasked with defeating the monsters in the valley.
From: Hero
Quest: Call to Arms: Temple Threat
Monsters have spawned within the city walls. Help defend the Temple District.
From: Warden
Quest: Bird Breaker
Flying monsters are attacking the city. Help do your part.
From: Warrior
Hidden Objective from Hero.
Quest: Mission: A Rocky Start
A large crystal monster has been reported to the east of Kristalli village.
From: Hunter
Quest: Mission: A Pack of Problems
A pack of snolves have been reported to the west of Hallametsa village.
From: Hunter
Quest: Mission: Foul Fowl
A flock of flying monsters has been reported south of Tuulinen lake.
From: Hunter
Quest: Call to Arms: When Sirens Blare
Sirens have launched an attack from the coast.
From: Warden
Quest: Lurking Threat
You have been attacked by a Sapphire Caste monster!
From: Warrior
Bonus Objective from Rebel.
Quest: Road Ruffians
You have been ambushed!
From: Warrior
Quest: Light of Life
The priestess is requesting your aid to further the Cultivator¡¯s cause.
From: Cultivator
Quest: Attack of Opportunity
The village is under attack by monsters and bandits have taken advantage!
From: Warden
Quest: Innocence
The children¡¯s innocence threatens to be destroyed by the craven raider.
From: Witness
Hidden Objective from Hero.
Quest: Catalyst Character of Cataclysmic Concern
Your companion has succumbed to a berserker¡¯s rage. Stop him before he turns his gaze to the civilians!
From: Purifier
Bonus Objective from Hero.
Quest: Tulimeir Traitors
Reclaim control of the Reality Rift below the city of Tulimeir.
From: Sovereign
Bonus Objective from Rebel.
Hidden Objective from Destroyer.
Quest: Pure Zealotry
Foil the plans of the Purifier¡¯s zealots.
From: Destroyer
Quest: The Road Less Traveled
You found a path that leads off the main trail.
From: Traveler
Quest: Flee for Your Lives!
You have come across a powerful Corrupted creature. Escape and seek help.
From: Scholar
Quest: Cleanse the Cursed
Your companion has been inflicted with a Corrupting Bane.
From: Purifier
Quest: Assistant of the Avatar
Everin Starlark, Avatar of the Scholar and Cleric of the Rebel, needs your willing participation in an experimental ritual to save Paul Wayland.
From: Scholar
Quest: A Champion for a Champion
Champion has offered a new champion to stand in your previous champion¡¯s place.
From: Champion
Quest: Deal with the Destroyer
The Destroyer wishes to bargain.
From: Destroyer
Hidden Objective from Hero.
|
To her surprise, the first question that managed to form a coherent sentence and leave her mouth was, ¡°I accepted quests for the Purifier?!¡±
¡°Were they evil quests?¡± her Familiar asked, hopping over to look at the pages herself.
As she reread over those particular ones, she clarified to Tala, ¡°I think he really wants me to murder Uriel for some reason¡ Both of those were ones that had the optional objective of killing him.¡±
¡°Well, I doubt the Purifier likes anyone who might be a threat to him or anyone who¡¯s not a human willing to commit genocide, but this might be a good sign that the warm one is actually a threat to that god.¡±
Phoenix found herself smiling at that thought. She was surprisingly pleased by the idea that Uriel might punish the god that hurt Paul and so many others. Then she felt a bit more confused at the idea that it implied that the Destroyer was actually on the opposing side to the Purifier and his goals.
Rather than let her mind wander down that endless rabbit hole of speculation, she asked Tala, ¡°Do you think the Destroyer will keep Uriel safe for us?¡±
It was hard to understand the look that Tala was giving her as the silence stretched until her Familiar finally answered, ¡°Just please don¡¯t make a deal to ensure it. I know you would do anything for the warm one, but I don¡¯t think he would be happy if you did something like that.¡±
Phoenix gave a heavy sigh, ¡°You¡¯re probably right¡¡±
She continued to reread the long list of quests, thinking back to those moments over the past year and her various struggles and triumphs. Eventually, she allowed exhaustion to claim her. As her eyes closed and her aura retracted, only the sound of silence sang her to sleep.
8 - Limit Breaker
Phoenix awoke to the smell of something savory, and she blearily wondered what Uriel had decided to make for breakfast today. Then she looked around the room and remembered that it couldn¡¯t be Uriel in the room below, where she heard the sound of something cooking on a crackling fire.
She triggered her [Embrace of Shadows] aura effects and slowly moved closer to the opening she had climbed through the night before. She carefully peeked down below with her onyx dagger already conjured in her hand in case the person turned hostile to their uninvited guest. However, a voice in the back of her mind told her that the bird was the invitation, and whoever it was had plenty of time to kill her while she slept if that¡¯s what they wanted.
Her concerns seemed to be for nothing, though, as the room was utterly empty except for the small green bird bathing in a small bowl of water that was hanging from the ceiling in the corner of the room.
She carefully made her way down the ladder to investigate the source of the smells and found a pot filled with some kind of soup cooking over the small fireplace.
Phoenix was briefly distracted from marveling at the ingenuity put into constructing a home from inside an icy tree by Tala manifesting again from within her to go bathe with the new little friend, and she couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the pair. Now that she wasn¡¯t so tired and desperate for shelter from the night and her nightmares, she took the time to take a closer look at the tiny guide from the night before.
The creature looked like a pale green sparrow with some paler green markings on it, and its eyes were a match of her emerald ones, except she thought they were an even more vibrant shade. It startled her by flying past her suddenly to land over the stoney grey fireplace and began twittering at her once more. It seemed to be trying to tell her something as it hopped around slightly, never seeming to sit still for long.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t understand,¡± Phoenix said with a lopsided grin, hoping this was some Sapphire Caster¡¯s Familiar despite her senses telling her that it definitely wasn¡¯t.
She yelped and fell backward onto her arse as the bird flew to the side and¡ shifted. Suddenly, it clicked why she couldn¡¯t figure out what the bird was because it wasn¡¯t a bird, nor were they any other species Phoenix had come across yet.
Standing in front of her was a slender person dressed in a patched blue tunic and darker blue cloak, their brightly glowing green eyes stared at them as they leaned over her slightly to help her stand. They spoke with the androgynous voice of a child, though they clearly were not one, and Phoenix couldn¡¯t stop staring at the pair of swept-back horns sprouting from their platinum-blonde hair. Was this person actually some kind of demon? The whip-like tail with a spade shape on its tip made her think they definitely were.
¡°Ren sorry. Been many moons since Ren last spoke to city-dweller,¡± the stranger said, then gestured to the pot and scurried over to it to give it a stir with a ladle they seemed to conjure from thin air. ¡°Ren say Chosen should break fast.¡±
¡°Breakfast?¡± Phoenix reiterated as her stomach growled with want. As the stranger gestured towards the food again, she nodded and said, ¡°Yes, please, and thank you. All I had was a Sapphire Bit yesterday.¡±
The pinkish angular face scrunched up as they said, ¡°Bits not good food.¡±
¡°I¡¯m actually inclined to agree with you on that,¡± she said, carefully making her way over to her new host as they handed her a bowl and spoon filled with broth and vegetables. She glanced around the small room, then gestured to the floor and asked, ¡°Mind if I sit and eat?¡±
They nodded, and the movement made Phoenix notice that the pale hair had steaks of pale green running through it that matched the coloration of the bird feathers the person had before. Then they grabbed the entire pot and set it on the ground while eating straight out of it with the large ladle, and Phoenix had to reassess if this demon person actually was a child despite looking around her own age.
After a few silent moments of slurping down soup, Phoenix asked, ¡°So, you¡¯re a shapeshifter?¡±
¡°Ren is Spiritus Daekin. Class is Free Shifter,¡± they said in response as they kept eating.
¡°Spiritus Daekin? Is that different from a demon?¡±
They gave her an odd look and slowly nodded. ¡°Daekin born from daemon. Not same. Daekin be Vauva. Daemon be like Vanhin but trapped in Abyss.¡±
¡°So you¡¯re like half-demon, er, daemon?¡±
Ren shrugged and took another bite of food.
She continued her questioning, feeling like she really had returned to those first few days with Paul where it took constant prodding to get any conversation out of him, ¡°I can sense you¡¯re Sapphire Caste. Is turning into a bird all that you do?¡±
Ren shook their head in the negative and clarified, ¡°Ren is lots. Bird that¡¯s free to fly. Mouse that¡¯s free to roam. Whale that¡¯s free to swim. Free to change is Ren.¡±
¡°You can turn into a mouse and whale, too?¡± Phoenix asked, getting slightly confused with the person¡¯s manner of speaking as if they had never done it that much before, and she wondered just how much work her translation power was doing just to manage what she was getting.
¡°Ren be whale to swim through sea. Nom the Chosen and bring her home, Ren did,¡± the daekin added before picking up the pot and tipping the remainder of the soup into their mouth.
Her eyes went wide at not only Ren¡¯s appetite but also at the knowledge that this person was the reason she had landed on the island here instead of at the bottom of the ocean, and she asked in a rush, ¡°What about the others? My party? Did you rescue them, too?¡±
The daekin wiped their mouth on their sleeve once they set the pot back down and shook their head, ¡°No others.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
¡°What?¡± she asked in slight disbelief. Then became upset as her slim flicker of hope had been promptly smothered, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you save my friends?!¡±
Ren shrugged indifferently, ¡°Rebel asked, the Chosen saved. Saved the Chosen, Ren did get.¡±
Her mind reeled at the information, and she had to clarify, ¡°Rebel asked you? She actually appeared?¡±
Another shrug and the androgynous voice answered, ¡°Rebel whispers; Ren hears, not sees.¡±
¡°Do you know what happened to them?¡± Phoenix asked with a last grasp for some good news.
The daekin extinguished that hope as well, though, as they shook their head. ¡°Ren knows not of Chosen friends.¡±
She scrunched her face at the repeated title, ¡°Please stop calling me that. My name is Phoenix. Yours is Ren?¡±
They simply nodded, then stood and walked over to the door, pot in hand, and disappeared outside briefly before returning with the pot full of snow that they abruptly dumped over the fire. The daekin then walked over to pick up Tala, who had been enjoying her bath still, and handed the Familiar over to Phoenix before saying, ¡°Phoenix take phoenix. Follow Ren now, yes?¡±
¡°Wait, where are we going? I need to get to my friends,¡± she began protesting as she plopped Tala atop her head in her usual perch when the Familiar wasn¡¯t merged inside her.
¡°To friends, Ren takes Phoenix. To city of luxury, we all go.¡±
¡°City of luxury? You mean Serenydi?¡±
Ren nodded and opened the front door once more, gesturing for Phoenix to go ahead of them, ¡°Friends going to Serenydi, they are.¡±
¡°How do you know that?¡± Phoenix asked as she exited the tree home.
The daekin tilted their head to the side and repeated a bit slower as though they weren¡¯t sure Phoenix would understand, ¡°Rebel whispers; Ren hears.¡±
¡°Rebel told you? Just now?¡±
Ren nodded once more, shutting the door behind them, then gave her a sharp, toothy grin, ¡°Blessed by Rebel, Ren is. Free to wander, free to serve. Rebel called, Ren did answer. Ren chose to follow Chosen of Rebel. Ren follows Phoenix now.¡±
She rubbed a palm over her face finally making the connection that this hermit shifter in the middle of the deserted icy forest was one of Rebel¡¯s zealots; she thought she recalled Everin calling them the ¡®Avowed¡¯ but wasn¡¯t sure if that¡¯s the exact type of Anointed Disciple Ren was. Still, she was grateful for the guide and said with a forced smile, ¡°I hope not right now ¡®cause I need to be the one following you to get to the city.¡±
The laugh that came from the daekin was so adorkable that Phoenix was completely caught off guard as Ren said, ¡°Right! Ren forgot! Ren will lead now! Phoenix follow!¡± Then they began¡ skipping happily through the snow.
Phoenix shook her head in wonder at how her life here had managed to collide with such random people and wondered if that was just another aspect of her divine curse or maybe it was simply fate.
¡°Come, bigger Phoenix!¡± Ren shouted from a ways into the treeline, ¡°Ren shows way!¡±
¡°Right, coming!¡± she replied and began following the eccentric shifter.
After being led in silence for quite a ways, with Ren staying a couple of meters ahead of her, Phoenix realized she had more questions for her new companion, ¡°You said you were blessed by Rebel. Does that mean you have a Soul Mark like mine?¡±
She merely blinked before losing sight of the blonde until they spoke quietly from beside her, ¡°Phoenix too loud. Whisper Phoenix must, or monsters hear.¡±
¡°Monsters?¡± Phoenix asked in confusion, ¡°I don¡¯t sense any¡ wait, one second, and I can expand my aura to¡ª¡±
¡°No!¡± Ren said in a hushed reprimand that caused her to pull back the aura she had started to unleash, ¡°Aura loud. Monsters hear. Keep voice quiet. Keep aura quiet. Sneak through monsters, we will.¡±
She tilted her head in confirmation that she would heed the warning and quietly asked, ¡°What do you mean my aura¡¯s loud? How are you sensing any monsters? What if we walk straight into them?¡±
The daekin shook their short, messy hair and said with a curious tilt of their head, ¡°We won¡¯t. Ren not using aura to sense. Phoenix aura loud. Odd aura is too strong.¡±
¡°Oh, that¡¯s because I have a Natural Talent that lets me have multiples of them,¡± she said quietly in explanation. ¡°I¡¯m an Aurabreaker¡ which is a type of Limit Breaker,¡± she added at the momentarily confused look.
Their emerald eyes stared into hers for a long moment before whispering softly, with a slightly pained smile, ¡°Ren is too.¡±
Her eyes went wide, and she almost reactively reached out with her aura toward the Sapphire Caster to examine theirs once more. She could detect the daekin¡¯s species flavor within it now that she had a label to give to it, and she also sensed extreme flexibility followed by curiosity as Ren sensed what she was doing in turn.
They shook their head and clarified, ¡°Ren breaks Perception limits.¡±
Phoenix was surprised once more by the strange person next to them. She had only heard of Sensebreakers before when she had looked a bit more into the phenomena of Limit Breakers.
From what she had heard of that particular type of Limit Breaking, however, it suddenly made a lot more sense why Ren was living out in the middle of the forest away from the crowds of the city. Hesitantly, she asked, ¡°You mentioned that you want to follow me. Does that following end once we reach Serenydi?¡±
The daekin winced slightly, then shook their head. ¡°Ren wants seeing what Rebel saw. Ren wants understanding. Ren will follow.¡± They grinned widely again and jokingly added, ¡°After Ren leads first.¡±
They started walking ahead once more, and Phoenix realized the daekin was shifting their course ever so slightly as they scouted ahead. Now she understood that Ren was using all of their other senses to navigate the dense forest full of threats that she wasn¡¯t entirely sure they could handle alone. She decided to ask with a quiet whisper that she was sure the Sensebreaker would be able to hear, ¡°What kind of perception abilities do you have?¡±
Ren appeared beside her once more with a smile, which she hoped was of approval. They lifted their hands in circles over their eyes like a pair of binoculars and whispered back, ¡°Ren sees far sights like bird.¡± Then they cupped their long tapered ears, ¡°Hears far songs like whale,¡± followed by setting a single finger on the tip of their slightly upturned nose, ¡°Smells the air like mouse.¡± Finally, they put a fist over their chest, ¡°Ren senses everything stronger from further.¡±
¡°That sounds a bit overwhelming,¡± she sadly whispered, thinking of how overwhelmed she sometimes got from social situations trying to shove more information upon her at once than she could process and wondered how that would feel if it was superpowered.
The daekin gave that slightly pained smile again and tilted their head in acknowledgment, gesturing to the icy woods around them, ¡°Better in forest; quieter outside.¡± Then they tapped at their temple and said, ¡°Better as animal; quieter inside.¡± Their smile became a bit more genuine as they cheerfully patted the top of Tala¡¯s fluffy head, ¡°Ren will be okay. Phoenix not need worry.¡±
As they moved ahead to lead the way once more, Phoenix considered what this stranger was doing for her, including what they had already done and what they had said they would continue to do. It seemed odd to her that they would give so much to someone they had just met, but faith seemed to be a funny thing that way.
¡°Well, I like Ren,¡± Tala replied to her thoughts and happily cheeped towards the daekin.
The sound caused Ren to look back with a bright smile and transform into a tiny green bird once more for Tala to fly with.
At the sight of her Familiar dancing through the air with their new guide, Phoenix decided to try and have some faith as well.
9 - Runestone
Camilla couldn¡¯t see much of the fight as it broke out on the ship. Uriel had placed himself between the corner she sank into and the enemies that quickly attacked and began boarding their ship. The act of protection by the large and intimidating cinderen, who rarely smiled and always seemed distant to her, had greatly surprised the timid researcher. The fact that it was the second time he had done so was the only reason she didn¡¯t panic from it.
While she had spent quite a bit of time with the party ¡ªby her standards at least¡ª Uriel and Rayna still made her rather uncomfortable to be around. It had taken time for her to get used to Dazien, but his words had reassured her, while Saiya¡¯s aura did the same in that regard. Meanwhile, Phoenix reminded her of Paul, who she missed dearly. The Wayfarer had been kind and patient with her, just as he had been.
She was grateful for Uriel now, however, as she struggled to cast anything while shaking so badly. The cacophony of sounds was enough on its own to cause her to feel off-balance and overwhelmed. Usually tucked away safely in a study or workshop, Camilla rarely saw combat, and she preferred to keep it that way. She was perfectly satisfied with using Monster Seeds to cultivate her abilities when little seemed to offer her a challenge, and had zero desire to battle monsters.
One reason she wanted to join this little excursion outside of the city was because their destination was another well-established city centered around a unique type of Reality Rift, though she had to take proper precautions and make specific preparations to handle their particular culture. The other reason was her newest cousins would be going.
She had been relieved when Dazien had also thought to go by ship when she inquired about their travel arrangements. While monsters and brigands were a possibility at sea, they were a guarantee by land.
Camilla was not suited for combat, and that was perfectly acceptable for her goals¡ until her newest short-term goal became ¡°survive the pirate assault,¡± and she was thrown into combat.
Uriel was doing most of that in her place, though, as he chained incantations while Dazien stood as a second layer of protection between her and the pirates.
She conjured her [Runestone], which acted as a semi-transparent platform for casting rituals and got to work on a few buffing and protection spells for her allies that she had never needed to cast before.
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Passive Ability: Runestone
Type: Utility (construct, magical, arcane)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Sapphire 8
Crystal Effect: Conjure a semi-translucent runic platform of varying size and shape that allows rituals to be created on it. The platform grants materials and ritual diagrams protection from outside elements. The platform can withstand moderate damage. You may only have a single platform active at one time.
Sapphire Effect: The ritual platform creates an area of local gravity that allows the Caster to stand on it no matter the altitude or angle of the platform. You may have two platforms active at one time.
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There were a few close calls as the enemy outnumbered them, and a few tried to get past the knightly Defender to take out the devastating Mage and the obvious weak point: her. She wasn¡¯t particularly upset about being weak in this situation. It wasn¡¯t her purpose. Her purpose was to learn, leverage, and hopefully advance their knowledge about Reality Rifts and their interactions with the world. Fighting monsters did not help her accomplish this.
However, monsters were the problem in front of her now, and as the Emerald Caste monstrosity rose from the ocean, she felt her heart almost stop. This was not what she had prepared for at all. Chaos erupted, and she felt paralyzed with fear and uncertainty. What could she possibly do against something like that?
Camilla saw the Captain speak briefly with Dazien before calling out the retreat and disappearing to the bridge. The enemy pirates seemed equally terrified by the new threat. They also made their way back to their own ship, dodging the lashing tentacles moving at speeds that seemed impossible for their size.
As she noticed Dazien move to intercept Phoenix from launching herself towards the creature ¡ªwhich boggled her mind as to why any sane Caster would run towards that thing¡ª Uriel surprised her once more as he stopped casting and turned to her.
¡°Do you know a shielding ritual?!¡± he asked urgently, getting her focus by getting in her face and blocking her view of the threats.
His closeness put her whole body on alert, and she quickly diverted her gaze from his, but she registered his words and nodded mutely in response. She knew a few different shielding ones that she normally used to contain potentially explosive items.
¡°Cast it now! As wide as you can! As many people as you can! Quickly!¡± he instructed without preamble, and she felt herself easily comply with the precise orders.
She used one of the slightly more combat-oriented abilities that she used for more practical purposes as she tilted her glasses down to use small beams of blue light from her eyes to draw out a ritual diagram on her magical platform, the components being fed directly from her personal dimensional storage.
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Ability: Ritualistic Gaze
Type: Utility (channel, magical, arcane)
Cost: Low mana per second.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Sapphire 9 (12%)
Crystal Effect: You can produce eye beams that can be used to write rituals or deal low Arcane damage to enemies.
Sapphire Effect: Your eye beams can rewrite, modify, and disrupt rituals at extended range.
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If she had been a second later, she would have been too late when she triggered the ritual, causing a series of pale blue Arcane shields to surround each of the allies caught within the wide-area effect. The glittering shells popped into existence right as an explosion of mana threatened to completely overwhelm her senses, and Uriel reactively wrapped his arms around her.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Camilla didn¡¯t like being touched at all, but the act made her hyper-aware of her surroundings and realize what was going on. The explosion had shattered the shield around the ship, exposing the false ground they stood upon. She immediately conjured a second [Runestone] anchored perpendicular to the edge of the first to act as a makeshift wall.
The concussive force from the damage to the ship below and the monster on the other side of the semi-translucent wall she had put between them was enough to push the gravity-isolated platforms away from their original position, but it was the flailing Emerald Caste tentacle slamming squarely into the vertical platform that sent her and Uriel both flying at a breakneck speed across the ocean to the west.
While gravity didn¡¯t really affect the platforms at all, massive amounts of force did.
She found herself clinging tightly to the large cinderen as they hurtled through the air. Once the pressure of the wall pushing them along lessened, the wind took over to rip the pair from the platform and into the arctic waters. Their small force shields shattered upon impact with the dark waves, but the pale pink haze around them remained, and she could sense some sort of Boon on her.
To Uriel¡¯s credit, he managed to stay with her in the icy water that threatened to drag them apart. While she hated being touched, she didn¡¯t want to be lost alone in the middle of the ocean.
Camilla conjured another platform and did her best to help Uriel climb back atop it as the waves periodically nudged it along with the currents. After catching his breath, which he still had as a Crystal Caster, both of them took a moment to gather their wits. She looked around but had no bearing as nothing except the sea stretched out in every direction. Not even the sun could be seen; just grey sky, white chunks of ice, and blue waters.
After a few more moments, Uriel broke the silence as he softly said, ¡°I apologize for grabbing you like that. I didn¡¯t know how else to shield you and stay together.¡±
Surprised again by the younger Mage, she simply shook her head, then curiously asked, ¡°How, um¡ h-how did you know t-to tell me to shield everyone?¡±
He gave a low chuckle and shook his own head in turn as he answered, ¡°Phoenix was running toward it.¡±
¡°Why?!¡± she inquired incredulously. She still could not comprehend the action. She thought the Wayfarer was more intelligent than some other people she had been forced to deal with, but her actions had made no sense.
Uriel grimaced and informed her, ¡°The beast grabbed Saiya. I know Phoenix. She reacted just like I expected.¡±
¡°How c-could anyone expect s-something so illogical?¡± she asked, pulling her knees up to her chest as the cold nipped at her despite the gloves she had purchased that helped mitigate the cold.
His ember eyes glanced her way, and she automatically avoided meeting them as he responded, ¡°Because that¡¯s how a Shield reacts when fighting to protect someone they care about. It¡¯s how I would have reacted without these.¡±
Her peripheral vision picked up his gesture towards his ears, and her eyes traveled to the magic items piercing them. She recognized the design and intent of the calming jewelry that helped one stay focused and not get angry. Her eyes narrowed at them as her mind raced through the accounts of their usage. She had rarely heard of them used by combatants since most reported that it dulled their reaction times, but some had lauded them for the improved focus they could grant.
Camilla¡¯s eyes trailed down to the bare neck that was normally wrapped in a golden collar to keep him silenced and hold back his aura, the nature of which she had felt only a handful of times while the group had been training. Perhaps it was for the best that he stayed calm and in control when the Silencer was off.
At the realization of his neck being oddly barren, since he had needed to remove it in order to fight, she asked with sudden trepidation, ¡°W-where¡¯s your, um¡ the um¡¡± She gestured to his neck after not being able to find acceptable words and feared upsetting him.
He gave an annoyed huff, ¡°I lost it in the water. I had it hooked on my belt this time to better free my hands in case I needed to use my sword in melee. I¡¯m trying my best to keep my aura restrained. Phoenix and I have been training a lot more with it lately¡ when we have time,¡± he tried to reassure.
Camilla¡¯s mind instantly wandered to try to come up with ways to remedy the situation. She had quite a few materials in her dimensional storage; maybe she could make something to help? She might need to take a few more measurements and get a few more data points from the cinderen and his odd aura¡
¡°Do you know any way to get us to shore?¡± he asked, interrupting her thoughts. ¡°I don¡¯t think either of us would be much use in that battle, and any survivors are most likely to head for our destination to rendezvous¡ I think. Hopefully, we¡¯ll meet up on the way. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s what Daze would tell us to do,¡± he explained in more words than she thought she had ever heard come from the man at once.
It took her a few moments to parse through his question and formulate an appropriate response, ¡°I c-can get us a direction and conjure more mundane tools, but I don¡¯t keep a propulsion device on me,¡± she explained, then added, ¡°The few c-combat rituals I know won¡¯t help much in this case.¡±
Uriel grimaced once more, ¡°I have a Spell that might work, but it¡¯s¡ rather destructive.¡±
Her curiosity won out as she conjured her handy notebook and waited almost patiently for the new information. She had found most people reacted negatively towards her if she pushed them for knowledge; after it turned violently physical one time, she never asked more than once ever again. It was a harsh lesson she didn¡¯t want to be repeated by a man she barely knew, who had to wear calming jewelry.
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Class Ability: Archivist
Type: Utility (construct, magical, arcane)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Sapphire 8 (88%)
Crystal Effect: Conjure a book that can store knowledge and other books containing information. Information contained within the book''s library can be mentally accessed and more easily connected.
Sapphire Effect: The book can store ritual reagents and analyze items using deductions from the knowledge contained in the book.
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The ember eyes watched her curiously. Then he simply sighed and gave a soft smile. ¡°Direction first?¡±
¡°Oh!¡± she exclaimed, then conjured her wand.
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Ability: Wand of the Arcanist
Type: Utility (construct, magical, arcane)
Cost: Low mana.
Cooldown: None.
Current Caste: Sapphire 8 (88%)
Crystal Effect: Construct a wand to act as a medium for cantrips and Spells.
Sapphire Effect: Can also be used as a tool to empower the effects of activated rituals and Spells.
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She cast a quick compass ritual and pointed to the south, hoping to hit land eventually. Uriel nodded in confirmation and adjusted himself to be braced against the edge of the platform. He then started to cast what she hoped wouldn¡¯t be as destructive as he had said.
¡°Succumb to the might of the tyrannical winds,¡± he incanted, and a rush of wind shot downward into the sea beside them.
It sort of worked as the waves that formed shot the platform forward; however, Camilla had been unprepared for the sudden force and slid across the smooth platform and straight into the cinderen, causing both of them to crash into the sea once more.
As they both sputtered salt water, she began apologizing profusely, ¡°I¡¯m s-so s-sorry! P-please d-don¡¯t get mad¡ª¡±
Uriel¡¯s unrestrained laughter was the most surprising thing today. She had never heard it before, and this situation was the last one she would have imagined to cause it.
¡°It¡¯s alright, Camilla,¡± he reassured as he swam closer to her. ¡°I wish the others had been here to see that. I¡¯m pretty sure Phoenix would have done the exact same thing as you, and Daze would be in stitches.¡± He gave a wide grin and asked, ¡°Let¡¯s try again, yeah?¡±
She gave a hesitant nod, reconjured her [Runestone], and then they awkwardly climbed atop it again. This time, she conjured a second platform once more to act as a windshield, anchored at a 60-degree angle to the edge of the first, and tucked herself within the wedge. Uriel waited a minute and cast the spell again, which resulted in the same explosive burst that sent them flying across the surf.
They were able to stay atop the platform that time and Uriel began casting the spell every minute it came off cooldown to keep them moving. Camilla meanwhile employed a rejuvenation ritual between bursts that helped siphon her own mana into the Mage to keep up their pace. They soon reached the shore, both grateful to be less exposed out on the open sea.
Uriel setup his [Fortress of Solitude] then, needing the rest after continuously casting for so long since the start of the battle. Even with the mana reserve being refilled, he was obviously exhausted from the events of the day. In the morning, they would move east and hopefully reunite with their friends.
10 - Seeking My Friends
Dazien tried to hold Phoenix back from making a rash choice. He had tried to warn her. He hadn¡¯t been fast enough. He hadn¡¯t been clear enough with his orders. He hadn¡¯t been trusted enough¡ again.
¡°Catch her!¡± Phoenix had shouted at him through his [Noble Subjects] ability. Apparently, she had trusted him enough to follow her orders but not the other way around. He hadn¡¯t had the chance to contemplate or dwell on that at the time, though.
As he focused on carefully catching Saiya after Phoenix flung her through the air, he realized too late what Phoenix was chanting as he recognized the familiar movement of her lips with his zoomed-in sight.
He tried to call out, both out loud and over his communication network, ¡°Phoenix! Stop! Don¡¯t blast the ship!¡± He even empowered the command with his Royal Voice in the hopes it would interrupt her.
The explosion of mana washed over them, the ship under them was sundered, the tentacle that made him and Saiya tumble through the air, her gentle hand just barely beyond his reach, his only thought before he plunged into the icy water had been an order to his Familiar. ¡°Save her!¡±
The water was so cold, and his heavy armor quickly pulled him deeper into its depths.
He returned the equipment back to his [Armory], leaving him in just his silver under armor, and attempted to navigate back up to the surface. The thrashing of tentacles, ripples of energy from broken enchantments, and splashing of debris made the waters a maelstrom of chaos, danger, and pain. He wasn¡¯t even sure which way was ¡®up¡¯ at this point.
His next thought was of Uriel.
His partner had been with Camilla and no longer had him there to be their shield. He hoped they had merely been thrown by the force of the ship¡¯s destruction and were somewhere further away in the water and not dragged below the waves.
Dazien¡¯s following thought was of Phoenix. She would be near death, if not dead already, after using her most destructive ability. He hadn¡¯t gotten the message signaling her death, though, so she should be alive somewhere. If she had fallen into the water, then she would be at risk of getting flayed by a stray swat from the monster as much as he was.
His eyes scanned under the water as he fought to swim upwards, but it was extremely dark, and his vision didn¡¯t grant him the night sight that his sister had. He could see much farther than normal, but darkness was still a thick veil to him.
He panicked for only a moment when something very large and green swam past him in the water, and he wondered if yet another monster had joined the fray. The murky waters had made the creature difficult to make out, though, as it swam near a patch of even darker water near the sea monster.
Dazien finally resurfaced and tried to take stock of the damage, but it was near impossible to tell with wreckage all around him, most things ablaze with scorching flames, and more waves being caused as the Emerald Caste monster now battled with two Emerald Caste Captains that were also fighting each other it seemed.
The sounds were just as chaotic as the sights, with screams, roars, and more explosions filling any silence left between the crashing of ocean waves.
When he zoomed his vision towards the ongoing battle to see how Captain Clisson specifically was faring, he saw that the monster had managed to grab the enemy pirate captain with a tentacle and spit a stream of green liquid at him before shoving him into the wide mouth Dazien had last seen Phoenix in.
¡°Rex!¡± he managed to call out, knowing he needed to put distance between him and the monster, and searching the sky in hopes of spotting his Familiar. He could sense Rex heading his way, and when he finally caught sight of him, he was dismayed to see that Saiya wasn¡¯t on his back anymore. Had something happened to her?
Rex dove into the water below him to help lift him from the sea. His large wings struggled to try and get clear of the roiling waves, still not quite used to acting as a flying mount since they had rarely required it, with only being able to carry one or two of them at a time.
Still, the lion-like chimera managed to lift out of the waves and rise above them, which helped Dazien get a clearer view of the resulting destruction from the [Supernova] ¡ªthe hope of victory it promised left unfulfilled.
He was relieved to see a large white lotus the size of a small cottage floating away from the battle, pushed along by the turbulent waves. Saiya was alive, and hopefully, the others were with her.
The effects of the lotus, however, cut off the chance of communicating, and the other members were unresponsive, either too far away already, which was concerning, or unconscious, which was even more worrisome as they would be unable to defend themselves from attack.
Perhaps I should go after the lotus and stay with¡ª
His thoughts were interrupted as what he feared might happen to the others happened to him, and another thrashing tentacle slammed into him and Rex.
His Familiar tried to shield him from the devastating blow and took the brunt of the damage as he tilted in the air. Rex didn¡¯t survive the blow that time, his vessel disintegrating into sapphire blue ashes almost immediately, and Dazien was sent flying into the water once more.
As Dazien resurfaced this time, he was fairly certain he had broken a leg that time as it got caught between his Familiar and the crushing blow of the monster. At least he had been knocked further away from the battle this time and wasn¡¯t in the forest of tentacles any longer.
It was only another minute or two later, as he tried his best to keep swimming away from the fighting that the storm seemed to have dissipated. He was still struggling amongst the massive waves made from the Emerald battle, but the rain had stopped, and the water wasn¡¯t quite as treacherous out where he was.
That was when he noticed the other ship.
The crimson vessel was much closer now, and when he zoomed in his sight he could see them fishing other people out of the water who had also been knocked away. He turned to swim away from that mess and, unfortunately, saw another much smaller vessel floating towards him.
A small dinghy carrying a group of enemy pirates made its way across the settling waves, and he conjured his sword. He wouldn¡¯t be able to swim with his shield, so his best hope would be to somehow get aboard the tiny watercraft without being stabbed in the sea by the enemy.
His mind started laying out the steps he would need to take next. Wait for them to close the distance, board and fight, take the boat, then get¡ª
He found himself outplayed, however, as instead of meeting him with a blade, one of the other Sapphire Casters had an ability that cast a net over him, sending electric shocks throughout his body.
Already heavily at a disadvantage from the fight aboard the ship, then getting backhanded out of the sky, unconsciousness quickly claimed the trapped Defender, who was being electrocuted in the icy sea.
When his senses returned, they were dulled, and he could barely move as he tried to look around but found himself blindfolded. Dazien could feel the weight of a Silencer around his neck and wrists. It was a sensation he wasn¡¯t soon to forget after his last run-in with the Maniac¡¯s cult. However, he was not used to being the one completely tied up and unable to see anything. He hated it.
He knew knots pretty well, though, and these ones seemed rather shabby as he twisted and got a hand free to reach up and lift the blindfold. He found himself on his side at the bottom of the dinghy.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
As he looked up towards his pirate captor, and the movement caught their attention, a boot to the face followed by some sort of liquid being forced down his throat sent him straight back into the darkness he had awoken from.
Phoenix pulled her swords that had been pinning her foe out of the icy tree with a glowing hand as blue ashes fell around her. Ren had been doing well to avoid most of the threats so far and, at her own request, had begun leading them to the lesser threats so that Phoenix could continue training as they went.
Tala had been having fun flying around with Ren and exploring with someone who seemed to understand the Familiar even better than she did. They cheerfully twittered at each other in birdsong that her translation power apparently couldn¡¯t keep up with at all.
She had wondered if she could understand animal languages now after her weird encounter with understanding Bliss¡¯ meowing, but the only answer she came up with on that front was that Bliss¡¯ had been communicating with her more like how a Familiar did, rather than pure animal speak.
As she watched Tala looking happier than she normally did around Phoenix, her mind unhelpfully wandered back to Saiya¡¯s words about how Snowbelle might be with a better summoner now. There were probably countless realities and souls spread among them. Was she really the best fit for Tala?
¡°You may not be the best, but you¡¯re enough for me,¡± Tala gently replied to her thoughts. ¡°Finding compatible souls is difficult. Neither of us may be perfect for each other, but if we waited for perfection, then we would likely be even more alone.¡±
Phoenix felt a little better about that but wondered what that might mean for her future. She found that battle helped her process things a bit better, helping her thoughts separate from her anxiety and tendency to overthink. Trying to push away the ¡°what ifs¡± and focusing on the ¡°what is¡± instead also helped to calm and center her. The future always seemed so¡ impossible to her.
The past, however, gave her different worries.
Phoenix recognized that she regretted her actions despite thinking they were the only answer at the time. She saw how rash she had been and took the time now, without extra distractions to occupy her focus, to contemplate how she should have reacted and plan for how to change that for the future. She could have done as Tala suggested and used Daze as an immovable anchor to pull Saiya back to them. She could have waited until she was actually in its guts before attempting to explode it. She could have tried to push herself out of the monster¡¯s mouth before it chewed instead of trying to blow it up¡.
She had felt pushed non-stop since first arriving in this world. She had to get stronger. Learn more and more. Fight harder and more fervently. Struggle constantly to win.
It had gotten so bad that she felt that if she didn¡¯t go to extremes, then she wasn¡¯t offering the best she could, and that was unacceptable.
But the extreme wasn¡¯t always the best answer.
Dazien and the others had often told her to trust them more¡ªthat she didn¡¯t always need to make the sacrifice play. When did she forget that? Why couldn¡¯t she get it through her thick skull to stop being so reckless?
Finally taking the time to examine these habits that she had been slowly developing forced her to reconcile with certain things she had been ignoring. Why was she always choosing the most extreme option?
Because I¡¯m afraid, she admitted to herself as she turned to begin walking toward the next monster in the unpurged forest.
Because I don¡¯t want them to think I¡¯m weak¡
She kicked at a loose icicle branch that had fallen from a tree into the snowy path she walked along, idly listening to the birdsong ahead of her.
Because I don¡¯t want them to think I¡¯m not worth keeping around¡ That thought caused her to pause. Was this how Uriel felt all the time? He had admitted as much when voicing his fears about being the Chosen of Destroyer, but was it deeper than just the mark on his arm? Was she wrong in the same way she knew he was?
She knew he was worth keeping beside her, but did he feel the same way about her? Would he reassure her that she was worthy of being his best friend, or would he realize after this latest mistake how much of a mess she was? He didn¡¯t seem to like messy things¡ He had balked at the chaos of his room, avoided it, and seemed to hate how it all clashed¡ Would he hate her when he saw the chaos within her?
She glanced around the now quiet forest and didn¡¯t see or hear anyone.
It seemed like Ren and Tala had flown off somewhere beyond her senses.
She was alone.
All of her fears and worries about being left with nobody beside her, and she had been the one to cause it.
Her reckless actions to keep her friends close ¡ªto not curse them like she had cursed her mentor¡ª would be what drove them away at this rate. She was off balance. Her fears and anxiety were causing her to overcompensate. How could she regain her equilibrium? Did she really ever have it in the first place? Maybe she couldn¡¯t control that chaos in her soul¡
Phoenix dropped to her knees, the silence of the arctic woods creeping up on her as though it would devour her in isolation. She had been alone before. She often found comfort in the quiet solitude, reading, tinkering, and thinking, but this was different. She didn¡¯t want to feel this¡ loneliness.
When she opened her eyes again, both Tala and a small green mouse were looking up at her from the snowy path. The mouse shifted a moment later into the crouching form of the androgynous daekin that had been guiding her, and Ren gave her an awkward look before carefully reaching a hand out to pat the top of her head gently as they said, ¡°There, there.¡±
Phoenix snorted a laugh through the tears that had slowly made their way down her cheeks at the ridiculous, adorably awkward moment. As she rubbed the wetness away with a sleeve, she said, ¡°Sorry. I¡ I just don¡¯t understand.¡±
¡°Ren help?¡± they asked uncertainly as they mirrored her pose and held their own knees to their chest.
¡°I¡¯m¡ I¡¯m usually okay with being alone. I¡¯ve gone days without talking to my friends or family before and never felt¡ like this. Even after Paul was cursed¡ my friends were there to support me. It¡¯s only been a week, but I miss them so much, and I don¡¯t even know if they¡¯re safe. I don¡¯t know¡ if they¡¯ll be happy to see me again,¡± she admitted, burying her face into her hands, trying to keep from crying more.
She sensed the daekin move closer as they began petting her head once more while speaking softly, ¡°Loneliness is not felt in solitude but in moments. Moments that Ren wants to share, but no one is there to understand.¡± Phoenix glanced up, and the shifter gave her a gentle smile, ¡°Moments where Ren felt more alone surrounded by people in city than with Ren¡¯s Familiar in middle of forest.¡±
The sentiment resonated with her, and the feeling of loneliness eased. As Phoenix realized the truth of the words, she asked, ¡°You¡¯re here though, and you understand?¡±
Ren nodded and confirmed, ¡°Phoenix not alone.¡±
¡°Then why do I feel like I am?¡±
The daekin shrugged slightly and asked, ¡°Does Phoenix want friends understand instead of Ren?¡±
She contemplated that for a moment, then silently nodded.
The shifter gave a lopsided smile and said, ¡°Then Ren will get Phoenix to friends faster.¡±
Phoenix gave a broken laugh, shaking her head at the absurd simplicity that Ren seemed to be able to break everything down into. She was surprised by them often and the daekin¡¯s next words weren¡¯t any different in this regard, ¡°Tell Ren about friends?¡±
A small smile made its way across her lips as she thought of them and said, ¡°Well, first, there¡¯s my best friend, Uriel. He¡¯s so warm and always knows how to make me feel better. Then there¡¯s my brother, Dazien. He¡¯s smart and likes to learn new things like I do. He¡¡±
Her thoughts wandered back to that horrible nightmare she had of him on her first night separated from them, and she quietly said, ¡°He always does his best to support me¡ªeven when I don¡¯t always deserve it. He acts like a shield against everything that might hurt me¡ and he never makes me feel guilty about that. He¡¯s the best brother I could have asked for.¡±
She took a deep breath and shook her head before smiling again, ¡°Then there¡¯s Saiya and Rayna. They¡¯re twin sisters and so opposite in so many ways, but they both do their best to support me, too. Saiya is amazing at helping me calm down and talking things out. Rayna is great about helping me not to get too depressed. She¡¯s funny and always moving; she doesn¡¯t give me time to sit and wallow when there¡¯s an adventure for us to go on¡ I¡ª¡±
Phoenix buried her face in her arms, ¡°I really wish they were all here with me now. I didn¡¯t realize how much I¡¯ve come to depend on them.¡±
Ren gave her a curious look, tilting their head slightly and saying, ¡°Ren doesn¡¯t depend. Ren does what Ren does. Friends may join, but friends don¡¯t choose for Ren. What choice does Phoenix seek?¡±
She pondered that idea for a moment, partially trying to puzzle out Ren¡¯s meaning with that statement, and it was Uriel¡¯s words that made her realize what the daekin was getting at.
Ren didn¡¯t choose to depend on anyone. They only depended on thierself and still had friends they might spend time with, but they didn¡¯t choose to rely on them for anything. That was how she thought that she was also meant to behave ¡ªhow she was meant to see her companions. She thought that she needed to be a strong and independent person who could stand and fight all on her own¡
Uriel had mentioned before that there was only one choice he only ever felt certain about. She had balked at his words at that time, honestly thinking he was choosing weakness out of some traumatic fear he held. He had chosen Dazien to choose for him. He depended on him.
Without her even noticing, she had chosen to depend on all of them as well.
¡°I¡¯m seeking my friends¡¡± she finally replied to Ren¡¯s question, ¡°I¡¯m not invincible. I¡¯m stronger with them beside me. I don¡¯t depend on them for everything, but they keep me propped up. They¡¯re the pillars that keep my fears from collapsing on top of me.¡±
She met Ren¡¯s eyes and firmly stated, ¡°I choose them.¡±
Bonus Chapter: Choices of Divinity
Scholar was happily watching one of her favorite people in all of Pyrin carefully recording the results of his latest experiment in a notebook when she felt the ripple of dimensional forces practically tearing a hole through the Veil and shoving a soul through it into their reality.
She would never forget that sensation. It meant a new Wayfarer would soon awaken in their new body here and hopefully bring her so many new things to learn about!
It was always fascinating for all of the gods to watch as a new soul arrived in their influence. They could sense the soul¡¯s general disposition and sometimes they could even sense if there was a past life attached. Those types were always extra fascinating to them to watch how it might manifest in this one.
There was also a brief moment that could feel like an eternity to them in the Celes where they could not only read what the soul would manifest for its Natural Talents but also reach out and touch that soul, adjusting those Talents in various ways.
It would cost them a decent amount of Aetherius, but sometimes it would be well worth it. It cost even more to do something like that to a Wayfarer though than it would a regular soul being born. Wayfarers were harder to adjust because they had their memories intact and a fairly clear image of what kind of person they were.
The only time it had been basically free for them to play with a Wayfarer¡¯s Talents was when the very first Wayfarer appeared in this world. He had arrived with a unique Talent that gave the ten strongest deities almost free reign to design his other four Talents together.
This current Wayfarer didn¡¯t have that kind of broken Talent but she did have her own form of game-changing, world-breaking, and formerly-thought impossible Talent of her own.
Scholar practically squealed at the other deities watching from within the Celes, ¡°She can resurrect?! How insane is that?! Undertaker! How is that possible?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure,¡± the god solemnly replied in his soft baritone. ¡°The only answer the Aether is giving me is that¡ well, perhaps that¡¯s not really for you to know.¡±
Scholar whined, ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡±
¡°Well, what is the Great Beyond telling you about that book Talent of hers? That seems more within your domain.¡±
The little goddess¡¯ attention returned to the Wayfarer again and every single one of her Projections around the globe echoed her cheer of delight at the discovery of the Wayfarer¡¯s [Guide Book] Talent. ¡°Oh! This is so perfect! Not only does she obviously love learning, but we can totally give her some quests directly through it! For cheaper than a normal person, too!¡±
¡°I think that Talent is missing some useful features for it, though,¡± Traveler contemplatively said in that androgynous voice that many kospers and tuzospers shared. ¡°I think I may hold off on tweaking it, though. It might make a good bargaining piece for marking her soul later. Most Wayfarers share that sense of wanderlust I already feel within her.¡±
Destroyer gave a mental eye roll they could all feel as he asked, ¡°Planning to guide her path already? Shouldn¡¯t you all at least wait to see if she needs our help before putting your paws all over her soul?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure you just don¡¯t want them powering up another hero that will fight against you,¡± Sovereign quipped. They all knew that particular god wouldn¡¯t be offering a Soul Mark, but there were other offers he could make, and it usually didn¡¯t bode well for the rest of them if Sovereign found someone to favor.
¡°I¡¯m sure you all realize by now that it doesn¡¯t matter how much you power them up. I still win in the end,¡± Destroyer replied with a smirk that only faded when Cultivator¡¯s overwhelming sense of disapproval filled the reality-spanning conversation.
The Celes was a plane that was overlaid upon the Mortem, the name given to the realm of mortals. Here was where gods were normally born and they were part of its very fabric. They were naturally non-physical beings that were aware of everything within their influence. That influence could actually be sensed within the Celes, if there were other beings that could access it. As it was, only the physical bodies of those few who became Ascended deities had been able to access it to confirm that fact.
¡°It¡¯s odd to see an Aurabreaker,¡± Hero interjected into the silence, redirecting the focus back onto the Wayfarer¡¯s Talents. ¡°It can become very powerful should she fully unlock those.¡±
He was actually projecting his body within the Celes next to the brilliant pillar of shifting rainbow light that announced to the world where the Wayfarer would arrive. Scholar had noticed how most of the Ascended deities liked to do that, even if nobody could see that Projection within the Celes outside of a designated Sanctuary.
Projecting a form within the Celes didn¡¯t cost Aetherius, and Sanctuaries were an interesting blend of the two planes. Beings on either side could be seen and interacted with by both sides so long as the deity it was gifted to allowed for it. Projecting into the Mortem, however, did cost them and depending on what they did or said during that time could cost them even more.
Champion formed her own Projection to stand beside the god that raised her to Divinity and pointed out, ¡°Limit Breaking isn¡¯t all that rare among Wayfarers in general, but I agree the Aura version isn¡¯t as common as some of the others. Are you hoping she will fight for our cause?¡±
Hero smiled at her. ¡°I always hope that with every soul that arrives; Wayfarer or not. However, I¡¯ll admit that a soul that won¡¯t immediately cross the Veil from making a heroic sacrifice is very appealing.¡±
¡°Oh!¡± Avenger said in the next moment, his own Projection forming beside them. ¡°She¡¯s a scrawny little thing isn¡¯t she? I feel like they somehow look smaller without any hair.¡± He glanced in the direction they could all sense a group of mortals coming from, and he mused, ¡°Perhaps, that merc will share her Prism Brush to help her regrow it?¡±
Hero shook his head. ¡°You and I both know that¡¯s not worth the price of her falling into their clutches.¡±
¡°It might not be that bad,¡± Scholar said as she made her own Projection nearby. All three gave her child-like form a dubious look. ¡°They¡¯ll make sure she arrives at a city safely, at least,¡± she tacked on, unsure if she should add the rest of the thoughts she had gleaned from the group of Magi and Mercenaries.
¡°I don¡¯t have to read their minds to know that will be a terrible idea with this particular group,¡± Hero retorted. ¡°They don¡¯t care about her wellbeing in the slightest. I don¡¯t want to have to send one of my few Paladins just to break her out of a Magi¡¯s laboratory or a Merc¡¯s basement.¡±
¡°Hasn¡¯t stopped you in the past,¡± she pointed out. ¡°I even remember you getting around some of that Quest cost by convincing that elf, Dylan Meyrick, to simply write a letter that got the Purifier¡¯s now-Fallen Paladin involved with a rescue mission a few years ago.¡±
Hero narrowed brilliant blue eyes at her. ¡°I¡¯d prefer to avoid trauma before it happens where possible.¡±
¡°Oh come on, a few pokes and prods to get some samples before you call in the Paladins will hardly be traumatizing for an immortal Wayfarer. They usually come from much worse places and¡¡± Scholar¡¯s words died as Champion took a step forward to glare at her, reminding her that the goddess had once been one of the few Wayfarers that had longed to return home. Sometimes Scholar really wished she could read the thoughts of the other deities to know the better way to respond.
¡°We don¡¯t know what she¡¯s come from,¡± Avenger said, placing a comforting hand on his former lover¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We do know that most people that experience forced confinement do not walk away unscathed, even if they bear no physical scars.¡± He leveled his own glare at the goddess as he added, ¡°And I will definitely make sure that those who harm this Wayfarer get everything they inflict returned. Perhaps even you someday should you not reign in your more zealous followers.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.
Scholar gave a long drawn out sigh. ¡°Fiiine. I¡¯m still going to ask her all the questions as soon as I get her in one of my Sanctuaries, though!¡±
The trio watching her thankfully shook their heads and chuckled at her antics. They knew she would make good on that promise, at least. Movement at their feet from the awakening Wayfarer caught her attention and she excitedly bounced up and down on the pads of her feet. ¡°Oh! She¡¯s waking up! She seems confused¡ Oh! She¡¯s thinking about the Night Witch!¡±
¡°Morgana?¡± Hero asked with a raised brow, glancing toward Champion. ¡°She¡¯s from Earth?¡±
¡°Not sure,¡± Scholar replied with a shrug. ¡°She¡¯s thinking the name ¡®Morgan¡¯ which is close, so maybe? I can¡¯t estimate the timeline difference yet. Remember how similar Terra was to Earth from Luzero¡¯s memories? It could be another version of that.¡±
Scholar paused as more confusing thoughts filled her own senses from the Wayfarer¡¯s surface thoughts and she translated for the others, including the Confidant who always seemed to judge every word that she dared utter. ¡°She used to be sick, so probably no obvious magic like Terra or Earth.¡±
The Wayfarer sat up and looked around the clearing in confusion, not seeing any of their Projections standing around her on the Celes layer of reality.
¡°I think I¡¯m going to try that fancy new book Talent to save her the pain of capture,¡± Hero said with a tone of finality, and he gently brushed his ethereal hand against the soul they could all see within her.
A glowing book popped up in front of the young woman¡¯s view that they could all read even without a Projection.
|
New Quest: Choose Your Path
You have arrived in a new reality! Choices need to be quickly made.
Objective: Choose your new path in this world within the next five minutes.
Path 1: Battle against the approaching Casters and any who might seize control of your fate.
Path 2: Flee the approaching Casters and take control of your fate.
Path 3: Abstain from acting and allow your fate to take control of you.
Path 4: Capitulate to the approaching Casters and relinquish control of your fate to others.
Reward: Common dress.
|
¡°Well, that¡¯s just cheating!¡± Confidant shouted at them, indignation dripping in her mental voice.
Hero grinned at the two minor deities beside him. ¡°It didn¡¯t cost as much as I expected either. Using vague wording helps. The limited timeframe and cheaper reward also helped a lot. It did cost a bit more to give more options, but I think that cost was negated by the options being so broad that my own desires for her choice were obfuscated.¡±
They all watched, and Hero winced slightly, as the Wayfarer got angry at his first attempt at a quest being so vague and not guiding her to do anything. She decided to explore her new abilities instead of making a choice right away, but began sobbing after a moment.
¡°What¡¯s wrong now?¡± Hero asked in concern.
¡°Does she miss home already?¡± Champion asked, taking a step toward the young woman.
Scholar just stared at the Wayfarer with her mouth agape before slowly trying to explain. ¡°She had Soul-Body Dysphoria in her old world. The transmigration completely changed her body to realign it¡ I didn¡¯t know it would do that.¡±
The trio of Ascended deities looked down at the Wayfarer with a mixture of pity and curiosity. As they all sensed the approaching group that the Wayfarer seemed oblivious to, Hero gave an annoyed huff and brushed a finger against the book.
|
Warning! Three minutes remaining on the quest: Choose Your Path.
|
Scholar giggled. ¡°How much did that cost?¡±
¡°Not much but it still did to nudge her,¡± he explained. Raising an eyebrow at her, he asked, ¡°Is it costing you anything for her to learn about herself from it?¡±
¡°Nope. The information is basically coming from her anyways. It also feels similar to that Faerie Guide Talent I helped make before. It¡¯ll tap into my world notes like the Knowledge Tablets do.¡±
¡°Lucky bonus for you as she learns all about everything.¡±
She grinned. ¡°I knew the little bit I spent to make those notes in the first place would pay off.¡±
Hero nodded back at the Wayfarer they had all learned was named Phoenix Fraser, who was silently staring at the book, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s she contemplating about now?¡±
¡°Who she should leave her fate in the hands of,¡± she answered with a shrug. ¡°You probably shouldn¡¯t have made it so vague. She seems pretty young. Her thoughts are¡ almost too naive and innocent. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s experienced much of her own world let alone ours with its Castes and levels of magic.¡±
¡°Which choice do you think I should take that would result in maximizing the chances of my fate being what I really want it to be?¡± Phoenix asked the [Guide Book], and all of the gods projecting a form grimaced at the question while they felt plenty of other deities grin delightedly.
This young woman was willing to put her fate in the hands of a power the gods all had access to influence.
The approaching group of Magi and Mercenary Casters distracted her from the book, and Hero quickly touched it again with a single word.
She obeyed.
The deities all watched with various levels of interest as the Wayfarer fled through the forest. Scholar might not have been able to read their minds but she was positive many of them were already plotting various ways to use this newest Wayfarer. She was just as guilty if she was being honest with herself. Already she was working behind the scenes to shift some of her people around. Especially the ones nearest to her current location.
Unfortunately, the closest major city was Blomsterang to the west and she didn¡¯t have a high Caste Disciple there at the moment. With the Soul Reaper war in its second year and the blood moon imminent, most of her people were securing their vaults of knowledge to prevent more loss of information.
As Phoenix rested against a tree and checked her book again, seeing the quest completion, Scholar glanced over at Hero to ask, ¡°What¡¯s with the Mana Bits?¡±
¡°The base quest cost for us. The dress was more specific to the completed objective. It feels like that¡¯s where the real variable is. It needs to be equivalent to the challenge at the very least. I think more if it¡¯s impeding on another¡¯s domain. We may have to test more.¡±
¡°Well that should be easy enough,¡± Warrior said as his own projection materialized beside them.
Phoenix was just asking her book more about what her Natural Talents did. Scholar piped up before Warrior could mess with the book, ¡°Hey! She¡¯s in the middle of learning right now!¡±
Warrior ignored her protest as he tapped the book when Phoenix asked how to loot things, short-cutting Scholar¡¯s properly prepared explanation about how the aura rests upon the skin to give a snarky response instead.
Warrior chuckled, ¡°Oh, that is fun. That didn¡¯t even cost me anything since it just summarized your asinine drivel.¡±
Scholar scoffed in offense. ¡°It is not drivel! Nor asinine! It was a very thorough detailing of how¡ª¡±
¡°That¡¯s nice. Nobody actually cares though, Scholar,¡± the god interrupted as he reached out to touch the book again and she stepped in his way.
¡°Look! We can¡¯t overload her!¡± the goddess stressed. ¡°She¡¯s confused and scared and trying to figure out the very basics! We can¡¯t all just pile on quests and make her brain melt!¡±
Warrior raised a brow but seemed uncertain as he asked, ¡°Do you think that would actually happen? I¡¯ve seen death by brain meltage before and it is not pretty.¡±
Scholar blinked at the god for a moment. Wondering if he was messing with her or actually as muscle-brained as some of his followers were. ¡°It might,¡± she ended up replying with a serious nod. ¡°Who knows with Wayfarers. Somebody makes sure I¡¯m never given many chances to study their physiology,¡± she added with a pointed look at Hero.
He rolled his eyes in response. ¡°I don¡¯t care how much you beg me. I¡¯m not going to let you experiment on them.¡±
She huffed. ¡°Well you don¡¯t get to hog this one! She likes learning, which means she¡¯ll love me and I¡¯ll love her too!¡±
Rebel surprised them all by appearing next and smiling at the child-like goddess. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Scholar. I can sense the defiance simmering within her. I don¡¯t think any of us will be able to ¡®hog¡¯ her, as you put it. I think she will always fight for the freedom to choose for herself.¡±
Bonus Chapter: Vengeance of Divinity
Avenger couldn¡¯t help his pacing within his Sanctuary as he awaited with pent up anticipation for the potential arrival of a man he had been keeping his eye on for a while now. It was a nervous habit from his life as a mortal that he had never been able to shake even after becoming a god. Whenever he caught himself lost in it though, it brought back the painful memories of those last few years he lived.
He would never get that life back.
Refocusing his attention on the man currently standing outside his temple, Avenger didn¡¯t know who to pray to in order to answer his hope that Paul Wayland would take those few steps forward to enter. Not many people sought his temple out and even fewer he was willing to make Anointed Disciples. They were too driven by pure white hot rage fueling their desire for revenge. It would be a hollow vengeance and often disproportionate to the actual crime.
While many believed that was his sole purpose, it was surprisingly his previous mortality that helped keep him in check and regulate his biases and greed. He knew exactly how hollow revenge could be. It never got the person the thing they truly wanted¡ It never brought back the dead.
A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips when Paul Wayland took that next step forward. Avenger knew the Wrath Blade had been debating about this for a long time. The questions the former Paladin had asked not only his clergy but related and opposing ones, the research the man had done into every known occurrence of one of his Divine Sigils being leveraged to pay the Adjudicator for breaking the laws of the land and sparing his Disciples for the Quests he gave.
Paul Wayland was perfectly suited to his purpose and had the morality he often sought. Not too upright to refuse to break the law or inflict punishments, but not so depraved that he would go beyond the necessities of his quests or revel within the acts carried out.
Avenger was also perfectly suited for Paul Wayland as well. The man¡¯s obvious traumas and fear of being betrayed again were something he could assuage by his very nature. The god who punished betrayal would never betray others.
As he listened to his High Priestess speak with his visitor his grin grew and he ran a hand through his fiery red hair. If anything, he hoped that would draw a subconscious reminder of the newest reason spurring the visit.
Positioning himself in front of the map on the opposite wall to the door, he tried to appear as though he hadn¡¯t been pacing anxiously impatient and grinned at the peak Emerald Caster as he entered his Sanctuary. ¡°Paul Wayland, I was wondering how long it would take you to finally seek me out.¡±
The blonde man knelt and replied in supplication, ¡°I thought coming here would be giving into my rage¡ I believed it would give me a false purpose¡ªa crutch for my wounded pride.¡±
¡°And now?¡± Avenger asked, casually moving closer to hopefully put the man more at ease with him. He didn¡¯t want Paul to see another person trying to take advantage of him and that truly wasn¡¯t his intention even if he would benefit from whatever deal they might strike.
¡°Now I¡¯ve found my new purpose and have realized that it is in alignment with your own¡¡±
Avenger¡¯s smile broadened and he almost wanted to throw a fist into the air when Paul claimed aloud his desire to become his Paladin.
They spoke a bit more but Paul seemed determined about ensuring the safety of his Protege. That was the core of it. It was the true reason that Avenger had even been raised to Divinity by Hero in the first place. Not the desire for making the person pay for the slight against himself, but for the resolve to stop a sinner from committing even more atrocities. The desire to end the threat of a known harm. To deliver karmic vengeance upon the wicked.
Hero had chosen a man that would turn revenge into a shield for the innocent.
As they finished their brief discussion, getting right down to the nitty gritty and ignoring pointless pandering, Avenger felt a slight surge of power as Paul Wayland spoke the vow of dedication and he could now sense the bond connecting their souls by a thin strand of power. That small connection let Avenger gain even more Aetherius for any time one of his followers acted upon his purpose.
Then the golden man spoke his Oathbond, carefully worded to prevent betrayal on Avenger¡¯s side but committing his life into his service. Soon, Avenger would finally have a Ruby Caster under his command again. They could accomplish so much more good together.
In response to the vow and oath, Avenger made good on his own promise, reaching out to grasp Paul¡¯s hand and pushing his power into Paul¡¯s very soul, Blessing him with a cultivated Talent and making him a newly rededicated Paladin.
It had cost him a lot more Aetherius than the brief surge he had gotten just moments before. Paul¡¯s Caste alone made it a decent amount, but he knew there were hidden fees and unseen taxes working in the background for making a move on the man connected not only to the new Wayfarer most gods seemed to be interested in, but also Paul¡¯s numerous accomplishments, social position as the Lord over others, the resources at his command, connections he had formed with other mortals, enemies he had made both mortal and divine¡ Abyss, even his Wayland bloodline was adding more to the cost; the history and legacy he carried on through the ages was an added weight to the investment.
As he watched his new Paladin marvel at the new power bestowed upon him, Avenger smiled and hoped Paul would be worth every drop of Aetherius he was willing to spend on him.
Back in the Celes, near the Heart of Creation where many of the gods would congregate simply to socialize with one another in Projected bodies, Champion hugged him tightly as she praised him. ¡°I¡¯m so happy for you, James! You deserve such a promising follower like Paul Wayland. He obviously sees the good you do!¡±
His cinderen cheeks glowed softly like they had in mortality as he replied, ¡°I know, and thanks. I wasn¡¯t sure I would ever get someone so close to Ruby again, what with the Voidsworn killing off my Disciples whenever they get the chance.¡±
¡°You know that just means they¡¯re afraid of you,¡± she pointed out for the literal billionth time. They had both been deities for multiple millennia now and he had stopped bothering to keep count of all the times she would try to comfort him like this.
¡°Champion, you know you¡¯re supposed to call him Avenger, now, not his mortal name,¡± Hero said as he approached closer. Clapping his shoulder in that familiar way of support, he added, ¡°I¡¯m happy for you too, though.¡±
Avenger and Champion both rolled their eyes at the pink-haired god. Champion retorted first, saying, ¡°No mortal is here to overhear me calling him James just like you both are free to call me Moira. You¡¯re the one who insists it¡¯s a good thing to hold onto the pieces of our mortality that we can.¡±
¡°It helps us remain balanced,¡± he replied with a firm nod. ¡°The last thing this world needs is an unchecked Avenger implementing a police state or an overzealous Champion sowing chaos by obliterating seats of power.¡±
¡°Or helping to enforce that lovely police-state you mentioned,¡± Avenger pointed out, but his smile made it obvious that he was teasing.
Hero just huffed and shoved his shoulder playfully, ¡°Don¡¯t get any ideas, James. You already ran away from one overzealous nation. I know you won¡¯t work to implement another.¡±
Avenger grimaced at the reminder. ¡°No, but I wish that nation wasn¡¯t still around. It seems like our efforts on that front are all for naught. They¡¯ve only gotten worse and they¡¯re so entrenched in the Purifier¡¯s ideology that their people are willing to throw away their lives to cleanse its neighbors. It¡¯s been nothing but a bloodbath over on Alkupera, made all the worse by the Soul Reapers arrival emboldening them.¡±
¡°True, but you know all of our Disciples have been stretched thin across the globe.¡±
¡°I know¡ I just¡¡± Avenger glanced at Champion, encouraged by her smile as he finished the thought. ¡°I wish there was more we could do. Sometimes I think clinging to our mortality is also holding us back from truly competing against the more zealous deities.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Hero gave them both a sad smile, repeating the phrase he would often use to reassure all three of them. ¡°We can hope our Disciples will be enough to make up the difference.¡±
Avenger was pacing again, this time in the Celes while suspended in the air high above the ensuing battle between Paul Wayland and an interdimensional dragon that looked more like an overgrown fish.
¡°Fucking idiot!¡± he spat down at the foolish Paladin taking on two Ruby Caste enemies at once.
¡°Now, now,¡± Hero said from his seated position nearby. ¡°He¡¯s doing exactly what he believes is right. That resolve of his morals was what drew you to him in the first place.¡± He was dressed in his usual white leathers and resting his chin on his hand as he watched the fight below taking place, a soft smile gracing his lips.
¡°It¡¯s not something to look so happy about, Hero!¡± Avenger yelled at his patron. He was so beyond frustrated right now that he couldn¡¯t be bothered to be more polite. ¡°He¡¯s going to get killed! Just like you! Just like Moira! Just like every other foolish mortal attempting to be a hero!¡± He ineffectively kicked at a cloud in a futile attempt to reduce his anger. ¡°And unlike you, I don¡¯t have the power to raise him to Divinity to try and avoid that fate!¡±
¡°What would he even become the god of?¡± Hero pondered aloud, seeming completely unconcerned about the inevitable death of Avenger¡¯s only Ruby Paladin. ¡°We already have the Mentor and the Parent and the Avenger, obviously. Maybe the Poet? I know he likes to dabble in that, at least.¡±
¡°God of Fools is more like it!¡± Avenger growled, making a strangled noise the next moment as Paul got eaten by the dragon. ¡°A god of DEAD FOOLS!¡± he shouted down at the fight, completely unheard by any mortal.
¡°He¡¯s not dead yet,¡± Hero pointed out with an amused glint in his brilliant blue eyes. ¡°That¡¯s barely a flesh wound really. Didn¡¯t even hit the teeth.¡±
Avenger gave him a flat look. ¡°You and I both know he¡¯s not going to make it out of this alive. You¡¯re just happy because he¡¯s going to die a hero.¡±
The other god finally frowned and actually turned to face him. Avenger already knew he had said the wrong thing. He knew he was being unfair and simply lashing out in frustration, but he wished Hero would get frustrated on his behalf as well.
¡°You know that never makes me happy, James,¡± Hero softly said. ¡°If there was anything I could do to trade my life for his, you know I would.¡±
Avenger deflated at that, moving over to sit in the air next to his second-oldest friend. He placed his face in his hands, trying in vain to rub his worries away. ¡°I know¡ I know.¡±
His friend and patron patted his back. ¡°If he dies a hero, his legacy will hopefully inspire others to follow in his footsteps. You may get more people joining your clergy to carry the mantle Paul Wayland leaves behind. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve thought about others to recruit with your Paladin as a shining example of the good that can be accomplished under your guidance.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve thought about ways to approach his soon-to-be son, but I¡¯m honestly not sure he¡¯s well suited yet. He¡¯s also been wary of any clergy, especially since getting involved with Destroyer¡¯s Chosen.¡±
Hero chuckled. ¡°Yes, many deities have contemplated chasing after young Dazien at one point or another. I wish you all the luck in this reality and beyond should you pursue that.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll keep it in the back of my mind,¡± he muttered, then gasped in mild panic as his attention refocused toward the fight below. Paul just got struck by a wild bolt of lightning then stabbed in the back, twin daggers piercing both shoulder blades where his crow-like wings connected.
Avenger loved those wings¡ despite him refusing to talk to anyone other than Moira about it.
Moira understood. She had loved Crow just as much as he had before the playful Fae had been ripped from their side and consumed by shadows. Those wings looked almost exactly like Crow¡¯s had.
Now he worried that he¡¯d never get to see them again.
As if knowing his thoughts, Champion appeared beside him opposite of Hero and placed her own hand over his. Gripping it tightly, she said, ¡°He¡¯ll be okay. I promise that¡ª¡±
¡°Don¡¯t, Moira!¡± Avenger cut her off. ¡°I don¡¯t need empty hopes.¡±
¡°No hope is empty,¡± Hero interjected. ¡°It¡¯s what has pushed your Paladin this far. It¡¯s what will fuel his victory.¡± With a smirk, the pink-haired god gestured back down where Paul turned just in time to swing and cut his foe in half and then screamed up at them. Victorious¡ yet, still defeated.
As Paul reached down to pick up his loot, he staggered and all three deities reacted instinctively to try to catch him only to watch as the golden Familiar manifested to complete the task for them.
Avenger¡¯s fists clenched as he heard the Familiar speak to Wayland¡¯s mind through his own connection to the Paladin. ¡°Wayland must stay awake to see the young ones again.¡±
¡°I¡ I don¡¯t think I can anymore, Bela,¡± Paul weakly replied, slowly staining the snow below him crimson.
¡°This is siva shit,¡± Avenger said through gritted teeth as he helplessly watched his Paladin dying atop an alien ship after accomplishing an impossible win. He glared up at Hero through angry tears that he knew were completely unnecessary. ¡°We¡¯re gods and yet you¡¯re telling me that all I can do is stand here and watch him die?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± Hero firmly said, despite his tone being gentle. ¡°Paul Wayland won his fight. There¡¯s no one for you to avenge against.¡±
¡°I can make every blasted Soul Reaper pay for¡ª¡±
¡°That is rage talking,¡± Hero interjected. ¡°We know they initially offered peace. Our own adversaries are to blame for this war¡ for all the death that could have easily been avoided.¡±
A portal appeared nearby and the deities all turned to watch the redheaded Wayfarer arrive and drop down across from the Moonsong Voxen that had been getting involved as Rebel¡¯s Cleric. The young woman had been closely watched by all of them as she struggled to survive and learn about this often ruthless world. Her other party members arrived shortly after her; Destroyer¡¯s Chosen, the healing leader of the Dewsong clan, and the boy who might one day become a king.
Hero moved closer to his Chosen, reaching a hand out as if to comfort her but pulling back at the last moment. Despite their ability to see the Mortem from the Celes, the window only went one-way. They couldn¡¯t see the deities watching over them. Couldn¡¯t feel the reassurance their touch might offer.
¡°I wish she would dedicate herself to me, simply so I could tell her how much I believe in her,¡± Hero surprised all of them by admitting aloud. ¡°To tell her that I don¡¯t wish this pain upon her. That every move I make is in an effort to prevent more of this grief from falling upon her and others.¡±
Champion placed her hand on Hero¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure she and her companions remain safe. I don¡¯t have a ton of Aetherius left, but I can offer a deal should her current champion die.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure death will need to happen,¡± Scholar said, suddenly appearing next to them as she curiously looked at the snow-colored voxen who seemed transfixed on the dying Paladin before him. ¡°I may have a way to save Paul Wayland¡¯s life, but no guarantees on this one.¡±
Avenger looked at the tiny goddess in surprise. ¡°You can?¡± He paused a moment later, recalling all the past promises of hope that were never ¡®guaranteed.¡¯ Just to make sure, he had to ask, ¡°This isn¡¯t going to result in another failed experiment is it?¡±
The goddess was at least honest as she shrugged. ¡°No idea. I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯ll kill Phoenix if it works, but he should live in that case.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s a price she¡¯s more than willing to pay at this point,¡± Hero grumbled. ¡°While I¡¯m pleased to see her resolve to protect others, I never wished for her to recklessly endanger herself so often. Yet another reason for me to wish she¡¯d let me Whisper advice to help guide her.¡±
Everin Starlark¡¯s cries toward the sky drew their attention back to the tragedy in front of them as he called out to a handful of deities. ¡°Mender! Cultivator! Parent or Lover! Hero or even the blasted Avenger! We beseech any and all of you, to grant us a blessing, an item, a bloody miracle even! Anything to save the life of this man!¡±
Both Hero and Avenger grimaced at hearing their names and not being able to offer the miracle asked for. It was outside their domains. It did make Avenger angrier though, and he called out himself to the deity that should have answered, ¡°Mender! Do you not hear his cries?! Do you not care about saving another life?¡±
An older weary looking woman appeared beside him, carefully patting his arm and she soothed, ¡°Of course I care, but I am almost so depleted by the miracles I¡¯ve been spending elsewhere that if I were to intervene with another Ruby Caster I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll be able to project in the Mortem again. If Scholar believes she has a way to save him, I would rather her pay the cost at this point. This war and blood moon aren¡¯t over yet. Frankly, there are many other lives more important than this one man.¡±
¡°Oh good,¡± Scholar interjected, making it clear that she wasn¡¯t talking directly to them, ¡°he¡¯s asking me for the answer now. That¡¯s my cue!¡±
Her projection shifted into the Mortem at that point as the rest of them looked on in envy at the Aetherius usage. They all listened and watched as Scholar once again pursued learning something new. They had not been expecting her to create a new Avatar right then and there in an effort to save Paul Wayland¡¯s life, and they could only speculate at her motivations behind the expensive act.
Avenger held his metaphorical breath as the ritual proceeded, daring to hope that they would be in time to stop his Paladin¡¯s soul from crossing the Veil as they could all see his aura unraveling around it. The soul became like a visible thing to them, much like souls did upon entering their reality. It was terrifying for Avenger to watch at this particular moment. He wanted Paul Wayland to live and accomplish so much more.
When it was over and the deities could all sense the outcome, Avenger thought his heart might break. It had been foolish to hope that¡ª
Hero¡¯s hand on his shoulder pulled him from his spiraling thoughts as the smaller god softly smiled and said, ¡°Your Paladin lives, my friend. The hope he offers remains for both his children and for you.¡±
In a rare show of gratitude, Avenger turned and wrapped Hero in a hug.
January 2025 Break Begins!
Happy New Year! I¡¯m officially on break now. I hope everyone had a pleasant holiday season! Chapters will resume on February 3rd.
In some fun news, I finished writing the first book of Jaded. This is a parallel series I''ve been planning and working on behind the scenes for a long while now that features Phoenix''s best friend from Earth, Jin! We''ll get to see her getting yeeted to this reality and overcoming her own challenges to become a Caster!
Based on the Patreon votes when I first announced this project in September (and my own goals), I¡¯ve decided to go ahead with alternating chapters for each, starting in February! Since Patreon is up to two weeks ahead in chapters, this means the new schedule for Royal Road releases will start on February 17th.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
The current schedule I¡¯m planning on is Wayward chapters releasing on M/W/F with Jaded chapters on Tu/Th/Sat. Yes, you saw that right; I¡¯ll be adding a Saturday release day (at least for this first book). Hopefully, this will be a good balance for people regardless of which story they prefer.
I hope you''ve been enjoying the journey so far. Stay tuned for my next announcement with links to Jin''s series! I look forward to sharing both stories with you all next month!
Break End & Upcoming Schedule
Hello, Casters! ??
I''m back, and chapters will be starting up again tomorrow!
My break was okay, but my dog died last week, so it was a little rougher than I was hoping for. Luckily, I still got a lot of writing done and have enough backlog to give myself time to breathe, grieve, and recenter myself.
I also wanted to reiterate the new schedule that will be occurring soon.
The next two weeks should be as before, with a new Wayward chapter Mon-Fri. Starting Feb. 17th, I''ll be switching to three chapters per week on Mon/Wed/Fri at the same time.
On Feb. 18th, the first chapter of Jaded: Servant (Book 1) will be released, and its release schedule will be on Tue/Thu/Sat at the same time. The Jaded series will be getting a cameo appearance from Phoenix but centers on her best friend, Jin! Please be sure to read the Forward, which includes a brief explanation of what to expect regarding that parallel series, including the notes on romance and content warnings. (Fair warning: Jin swears a lot more than Phoenix ??)The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Another fun thing to announce is that Wayward: Running (Book 1) has finished going through its professional edits and will be getting sent off to the printers soon! This also means recording for the audiobook will begin shortly, and I am super hyped for it! May 13th can''t come fast enough!
Thanks once again to all of you for your amazing support and for sticking with me so far! You all are some of my greatest motivation! I look forward to the next year of writing and sharing both Phoenix and Jin''s stories!
- T. A. Star
?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
11 - Prisoner
Lukas was annoyed by the sight of the siren that was holding his treasure hostage. Despite being in dire straits with their ship destroyed, night currently falling, and only a dinghy and handful of crew to his name, this man had the audacity to claim to want to make a trade.
¡°How about you hand him over, and I don¡¯t kill you where you stand?¡± he retorted to the man who had introduced himself as ¡°Captain Ablin.¡±
¡°You told Stormbeard that you wanted the rare gem instead of the divine items, but you didn¡¯t mention that gem was a gemite, which means you knew more than you told us,¡± the siren quipped, apparently not as dumb as he looked.
¡°Just because you were ignorant doesn¡¯t mean our deal isn¡¯t valid,¡± Lukas pointed out. ¡°Our deal was that I got the gemite and that you got the divine ones. It¡¯s not our failing that they escaped or died. Those stipulations were not part of our deal.¡±
¡°Well, the deal is changing now unless you want us to just slit his throat and feed him to the fish,¡± Ablin snarled, showing his pointed teeth. ¡°We can start rowin¡¯ east now if you ain¡¯t willin¡¯ to trade.¡±
Lukas gave a heavy sigh and rubbed at a temple before clarifying, ¡°The gemite in exchange for passage to Silent Isle and enough Bits for a new ship?¡±
¡°I know how much a Shiny gemite is worth to you cannibals,¡± Ablin spat, glancing down at the unconscious boy, ¡°Tossing him in the sea would be a mercy, but I got my crew to think about now.¡±
He rolled his eyes, weighing his options for a moment, but nodded and said, ¡°Fine, it¡¯s a deal. Now board and make yourselves comfortable for the journey.¡±
As Ablin grinned victoriously, Lukas turned away from their line of sight and made a simple gesture to the ship captain, who had been watching the exchange.
A single finger across the throat.
Once the gemite had been handed over, those half dozen pirates that still very much had hearts and brains quickly found themselves without those functioning any longer. At least they no longer had to worry about their own dinner for the remainder of their journey to Serenydi.
¡°Dad, can I keep him in my room?¡± his daughter asked as she examined the gemite currently being held by the ship¡¯s First Mate.
¡°No, Lyra,¡± he replied with another sigh. ¡°He¡¯s going to stay chained in the brig where I can make sure he won¡¯t escape again. The last thing I need is for my luck to turn sour again and have him try to swim away on some godsent aval.¡±
¡°Oh, um, dad? I think we might need to do something about this,¡± Lyra said, pointing at something on the boy¡¯s wrist.
He moved closer and questioned, ¡°A bracelet? What¡¯s so concerning about¡ª¡±
¡°Those are tracking bracelets for parties,¡± she explained to him. ¡°They¡¯ve become quite popular recently. Makes sense if the Saint¡¯s party has been walking around the city with them. But either way, I¡¯m pretty sure he can be tracked through it since it¡¯s attuned specifically to him.¡±
Well, that was easy enough for him to fix. Lukas immediately moved to untie the leather straps woven through a set of variously colored beads. Then, he simply dropped it onto the deck and crushed it under his boot. There was a loud popping sound as the beads partially imploded, but his expensive Emerald Caste shoes had little fear of getting damaged by something so trivial.
He bent down and brushed the remaining fragments into his hand before promptly moving to the side of the ship and dumping the garbage into the sea, ¡°There,¡± he stated flatly. ¡°Hopefully, they¡¯ll assume he¡¯s dead now, too, and we don¡¯t have to worry about a thing.¡±
When Dazien awoke once more, blindfolded, gagged, and bound even tighter than before, he remained still, trying to push his other senses to gain information. He could make out the sounds of people talking in the other room, the heavy coughs and wheezes of others nearby him, the drip of water against stone, and the smell of blood, sweat, and salt water.
He tried to be more discreet this time as he lay on his side against what felt like cold metal, carefully moving his head against it to lift the blindfold slightly and catch glimpses of the dark room he now found himself in. The metal below him was also connected to the bars surrounding him, and he realized he was back in a cage.
However, he had no idea where this new room was located. Was he on some random island thought uninhabited like Uriel had been with the DOD? Was he in Serenydi? Was he even on land, or was this some magic ship that didn¡¯t rock with the waves?
The door to the room opened, and he heard a man¡¯s voice speak as though continuing the conversation he hadn¡¯t been able to make out through the walls. ¡°You think that this apparent Heir to a noble house that you took prisoner will be exactly what our High Priestess needs and that will somehow make up for your blunder in Tulimeir?¡±
Another man tried to interject the first. ¡°Our god told me as much. Maniac said she was seeking¡ª¡±
¡°Right. A Shiny gemite. How you managed to get hold of one in that backwater tundra must have been a gift from the goddess of luck herself.¡±
¡°I very much doubt that,¡± the other one grumbled. Dazien swore he knew that voice from somewhere, but he was having trouble placing it. ¡°We barely escaped with our lives.¡±
Dazien saw polished black boots stop in front of him as the first voice said, ¡°From what you described, though, it sounded like he simply landed in your lap both times. Despite dooming an entire branch of our cult¡¯s operations, you managed to escape with your family and brought our High Priestess the one thing worthy of receiving her forgiveness. Very lucky indeed.¡±
The sound of metal scraping nearby announced his cage door being opened but Dazien was surprised when he felt himself pushed onto his back. The blindfold was removed, making him blink a few times as he readjusted to the light level but giving him a clear view of the owner of the black boots.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
An elvish man with short black hair and pale skin that had a blue undertone to it was crouched low, looking him over with dark charcoal around light blue eyes. A slight smile tugged at the corner of the stranger¡¯s lips as he observed aloud, ¡°Well, he¡¯s in a miserable state, but I know High Priestess Vanderill will be pleased. He looks like he¡¯d be a match for her orange and purple Torc.¡±
¡°I thought she wanted him for her ritual,¡± the other man said with a grimace. Dazien finally recognized that voice with that face but hadn¡¯t realized he was part of the Scarlet Banquet. Lukas Lumeris was a well known merchant in Tulimeir, likely one of the wealthiest that wasn¡¯t part of a noble house. He hadn¡¯t realized illegal dealings had been attributed to that wealth.
¡°Valtessa likes getting to know her sacrifices. She says it helps empower the rituals if she understands them better,¡± he chuckled lightly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s true, though, or if she just likes to indulge herself.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t like the idea of letting people play with our food,¡± Lukas retorted. ¡°We might be cannibals, but we don¡¯t have to be barbaric about it.¡±
Dazien was slightly surprised to see any sort of moral line being drawn by someone who kidnapped and ate people or used their parts for magical items or enchantments.
¡°I would advise you to make sure that Valtessa doesn¡¯t hear you call her barbaric,¡± the other man said. ¡°I doubt she¡¯ll be able to abstain from getting to know this one better. She¡¯s been very adamant on wanting a Shiny gemite.¡±
The elf used a hand to brush the silky purple hair out of his face, and Dazien recoiled at the touch, struggling against the bonds once more, but a firm grip on his jaw held him in place and forced him to meet the man¡¯s embellished eyes with his own amethyst ones. Then the elf spoke with a smirk, ¡°It¡¯s the eyes, I think ¡ªlike precious gemstones¡ª and this one has some fire behind them.¡±
He released Dazien¡¯s face with a shove backward as he stated coldly, ¡°We¡¯ll see how long that lasts for.¡±
The elf stood straighter and waved at the other occupants in the room. ¡°The rest of these are going to become dinner if I don¡¯t find an adequate buyer. You said most of them were either stray pirates you captured or the crew of the Victor¡¯s Tribute?¡±
¡°Yes, Lord Finndeshin,¡± Lukas responded with a glance toward the others.
¡°Then I believe it¡¯s safe to say your debt is repaid, and you can begin your new life in Serenydi when we arrive. I doubt Valtessa will grant you another branch to oversee, but I¡¯m sure you can make yourself useful to us here. Now, leave us.¡±
¡°My lord?¡± Lukas asked in confusion, lifting an eyebrow as he looked between Dazien and the elf.
¡°I wish to speak with him in private before we arrive. So, leave us now, or I may forget to mention to High Priestess Vanderill that you were the one responsible for his capture,¡± the elf lightly threatened.
Lukas Lumeris looked once more at Dazien, almost as though pitying him, before giving a simple nod and bowed towards the elf. ¡°As you wish, my lord. I will prepare for our departure. It should only be another week to reach Serenydi from here. We¡¯ve kept him drugged for most of the journey so far, and I¡¯ll need to restock on the Isle to continue that.¡±
¡°That¡¯s probably for the best,¡± the elven lord replied, giving Dazien a more assessing look now. ¡°That better explains why he appears in such a sorry state. Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t been feeding him at all. We don¡¯t want the Fading to set in.¡±
¡°We¡¯ve been watching for that, but we¡¯re treating him as a combative flight risk and following the proper protocols for that.¡±
¡°Very well. Carry on with your preparations, then.¡±
As the merchant quickly vacated the room, Lord Finndeshin crouched down and gently touched a rune inscribed on a blue gemstone embedded in a silver torc around his neck. A haze of shimmery silver and magenta swirled around them for a moment before becoming invisible to the eye, and the elf did him the favor of explaining, ¡°A simple yet effective Song and Illusion enchantment to prevent eavesdropping.¡±
The man leaned forward and untied the cloth that was gagging Dazien as he said, ¡°Now, why don¡¯t we start with names? Mine is Lord Eugene Finndeshin, but most people simply call me Finn. Mister Lumeris said you were a noble?¡±
Dazien glanced towards the door, then back to the elven lord, and asked his own question in return, ¡°Will answering lead to my freedom?¡±
Finndeshin frowned and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, but if you need motivation to answer, then know that cooperating will likely result in less pain.¡±
¡°Likely,¡± Dazien repeated, making note of the qualifying word.
The elf grinned at him. ¡°Many people among the nobility have ways to detect lies. Myself included. One learns quickly to not speak in definitives. It is merely an ingrained habit by this point. Now, what is your name?¡±
It was Dazien¡¯s turn to smirk as he honestly answered, ¡°My people call me King. Do you make it a habit to kidnap nobility? That seems unwise.¡±
Finndeshin¡¯s grin grew wider as he said, ¡°I never claimed to be wise. I do admit I find it interesting that you weren¡¯t lying about the moniker, though. Will you at least tell me what Your Majesty¡¯s family name is so I may place the nation from which you hail? I don¡¯t recall Tulim¡¯s Queen marrying an Amethyst gemite, though I have heard tale of her Garnet plaything.¡±
Dazien was surprised by that information, unsure exactly about who he was referring to but only knowing of one person who was that close to the royals. He didn¡¯t like to think about the person he admired being referred to as an object, however, and ended up sounding more upset than he meant to as he angrily retorted, ¡°Why do you care? Lumeris said I was food, and you said I would be a sacrifice. What difference does my name make if all you care about is my species?¡±
¡°The difference comes in whether we do use you as a ritual component like Mister Lumeris suggested or if your family is important enough to warrant a backroom trade instead of instigating a hunt into your whereabouts. Mister Lumeris told me a name, but I¡¯m also not inclined to simply believe a man desperate to reclaim his standing among us.¡±
Dazien glanced back toward the door that Lumeris had left through, thinking through how they might react to his name and if it would actually save him or ensure his doom. He assumed that Paul was fairly well known in the city he had been officially exiled from. Would that paint him as an important figure or a known enemy?
He had been hoping to keep their identity hidden in the city until he had managed to present his two letters to the Queen of Serenydi. The first was a simple letter of introduction that Patricia had written up for him and Phoenix, explaining who they were and what their official intentions were while visiting the nation as foreign nobles. The second was the letter from Paul.
Revealing he was not only a Wayland but the son of the exiled lord before presenting himself to the Queen would potentially get the door slammed in their face before he ever had a chance to speak.
However, even with those worries, he would never get the chance for the door to slam if he was silenced in a cage to be used for ritual sacrifice¡
¡°My name is Dazien Wayland, Heir of the House, and son of Baron Paul Wayland,¡± he answered. He then added, ¡°Is that enough to ensure my ransom over my death?¡±
Finndeshin looked as though he was seriously contemplating the question before slowly saying, ¡°Perhaps. I will have to make some inquiries of my own, but I won¡¯t be the one to make the final decision either way. That¡¯s up to my High Priestess, and unfortunately, I doubt she¡¯ll let you escape her grasp once you¡¯re in it.¡±
The elf leaned forward to replace the gag once more, then stood and exited the cage. As he shut the metal bars and activated the runelock, he added as almost an afterthought, ¡°Not many survive gaining the attention of a Sanguine Vampire.¡±
Dazien¡¯s eyes went wide at the information, surprised that an actual vampire was living in the city, and mentally cursed as he realized his situation was not exactly what he had planned to confront their enemy with.
If he had been lucky to escape death from the blood cult the first time, it would take more than a miracle for him to escape unscathed this time. He started wondering if perhaps his luck had finally run out.
12 - Dancing Between the Impossible
Saiya chanted the incantation for her [Restored Foundation] spell, healing and cleansing the Magical Banes on the gravely wounded Sapphire Caster who had gotten attacked by surprise. The group of Stone Adders had come upon them from below the rocky ground itself. The Emerald Caster had finished mopping them up quickly enough, but the initial attack had taken them by surprise, and Captain Clisson couldn¡¯t be everywhere at once.
¡°He¡¯ll live, yes?¡± the older woman growled roughly. She had been unhappy the entire trip, constantly glaring and using a clipped tone whenever forced to interact with the twins, who were the only outlet for her ire.
Saiya gave her a nod and answered simply, ¡°He will.¡± She didn¡¯t want to add more fuel to the woman¡¯s fire so she kept their interactions short in turn. No need to push their strongest protector further away.
She quickly realized that the woman had only really agreed to escort them to Serenydi for two reasons. The first was that she wanted compensation for her lost ship and cargo. While she figured this was partially fair since Phoenix had caused a portion of the damage to the vessel, there wasn¡¯t really any evidence that they were directly responsible for the attack in the first place.
The second reason was solely because of Saiya herself and the role she filled. Their current situation made her use perfectly clear to the entire group of disgruntled sailors as she brought one of their members back from the brink of death.
To add to her worries, Saiya didn¡¯t like the fact that both she and Rayna had awoken after that first night to find Dazien¡¯s purple bead broken on their bracelets. It was too much of a coincidence not to mean something had happened to their leader.
¡°I¡¯m sure it was just his bracelet breaking,¡± Rayna had tried to assure her. ¡°King is both a Defender and survivor. It would take a lot more than some ocean waves to break him.¡±
Saiya simply nodded but could easily sense the fear and doubt behind her sister¡¯s words. She would have to take comfort in the fact that the bracelets still seemed to be working since she could still feel Rayna¡¯s direction.
Their luck only seemed to be getting worse after almost a week of endless walking along the coast that she wasn¡¯t entirely sure of the nation it belonged to. As they were preparing to make camp for the night, a small pack of porcutors appeared from the line of evergreen trees. The creatures were as large as Saiya was, standing on two legs, with scaled reptilian bellies but a back covered in long dark green quills that were just as dangerous as the large talons on their hands and feet.
Phoenix had once told her that the Sapphire monsters reminded her of a cross between a prehistoric raptor and a porcupine before, but she wasn¡¯t familiar with that first example. It didn¡¯t matter much, though, when she was thrown into battle with them.
Chaos erupted as Captain Clisson went to intercept them, only to be distracted by the arrival of one of their evolved versions. The Dire Porcutor was massive in comparison and as tall as a tree. It also almost killed all of them as it shot its quills at them.
Those Emerald Caste quills might as well have been javelins with how large they were and how much damage they threatened the group, which quickly scattered at the attack.
¡°Yous focus on the wee fish. I¡¯ll take the big one away, so yous don¡¯t get caught in the crossfire!¡± Captain Clisson commanded as she sprang into action, using her hand cannon ability to send a miniature ball of blue plasma into the Dire Porcutor¡¯s face.
As the Emerald Caster quickly led the giant monster away, the rest of the crew focused on finishing off the few Sapphire porcutors that remained. While most of the crew excelled in combat at sea, their powers weren¡¯t completely useless on the shore and they eventually managed to take down the others, with Rayna at an obvious advantage against the land creatures.
Unfortunately, as Saiya was focused on healing one of the downed sailors, Rayna¡¯s ears perked up as she glanced back at the tree line. Rayna¡¯s body tensed, and the sudden fear permeating her aura bled into Saiya¡¯s own emotions as she turned to ask, ¡°What is it, Ray?¡±
¡°Another big monster,¡± she replied. ¡°I hear it heading this way, but I also hear the Captain still fighting to the east.¡± Rayna turned to look at her. ¡°Can we try moving further away and hiding?¡±
Saiya shook her head. ¡°I still need to heal a few of them.¡± She lowered her voice as she added, ¡°And some of them aren¡¯t exactly the best at keeping their auras retracted.¡±
They could probably hear her whisper as a few faces grimaced but didn¡¯t argue with her point. She hadn¡¯t wanted to be rude, and she assumed one of the reasons they weren¡¯t great was a lack of proper teaching combined with their jobs, preferring them to keep their auras spread in order to look out for unseen dangers on the sea. Their auras being expanded into the depths probably kept them alive more often than caused them danger.
¡°Some of the others can help move¡ª¡± Rayna¡¯s voice was cut off as she glanced back at the tree line where a roar echoed from. ¡°We need to go now!¡±
The others who were able to move tried helping the others who had still been awaiting Saiya¡¯s heals, but they were obviously not moving fast enough when another monstrous head broke through the tree line. Saiya¡¯s heart almost stopped as terror flooded every other aura when they all realized it was another Dire Porcutor.
¡°Warden, have mercy on us,¡± one of the sailors prayed aloud.
Rayna turned to her and grabbed her shoulders as she said firmly, ¡°Keep healing while you lead them east. I¡¯ll lead that thing west and catch up with you later.¡±
¡°Ray, no¡ª¡±
¡°No time, Sai. I¡¯m quickest, now go!¡± her sister said before turning and vanishing as she used [Blink Step] to appear behind the monster¡¯s head and slamming all of her [Gem Encrusted] tails into it.
The monster let out a deafening roar and turned to chomp at its attacker, only to eat air. Rayna¡¯s speed might be the only thing that could survive the slower creature, and she had to trust that her sister would make it back to her.
Swallowing her own fear, Saiya turned to the others. ¡°You heard her. Let¡¯s move quickly.¡±
Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Rayna thought over and over to herself as she dodged the massive quills being magically directed towards her. Making rash, stupid last stands like this was not her style. Making an insane choice to attempt the impossible was Phoenix¡¯s role, not hers.
While she was never one to back down from a challenge, she also didn¡¯t take risks that would likely result in death. This was one of those times. They had never fought an Emerald Caste monster as a team, and now she was trying to fight one on her own.
Stall, she reminded herself, Not fight. Distract.
She chanced a glance backward as her perception screamed at her to move and triggered [Beyond the Boundary] just as the giant monster¡¯s teeth tried to close in around her. The ability had her shoot off like a firework, generating a burst of Song damage and knocking back the massive head.
You will not become food! she told herself as the monster roared behind her. Rayna was pretty sure the roar was from annoyance and not pain as she practically teleported along the tree line. Her initial thought had been to lure the beast west, in the opposite direction of the group, and be able to outrun it before circling back. Hopefully, leaving the dumb monster lost without the sounds of battle to attract it again.
That plan quickly got altered, though, as the monster showed that it was not deterred by range. Not only did more spikes rain down on her, but it puffed up its chest and spit at her.
She yelled out in pain as some of the bright green liquid splashed onto her left side, leaving a spattering of burns along the outside of her arm and leg, the acid having eaten straight through her clothing.
Rayna didn¡¯t wear much in the way of armor, having preferred the light cloth tunic and slightly baggy pants that allowed her freedom of movement. She didn¡¯t even wear boots, instead having simple cloth wrapping that her pants tucked into, leaving her padded feet and claws the ability to properly grip the ground. One of her armbands helped make the cold not bother her, so the minimal protection she had for her body was mostly for modesty and comfort.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
Suddenly feeling very exposed, Rayna turned and dashed into the trees, leveraging them for cover while still trying to bait the monster into chasing her instead of going after the group who were still recovering.
The noise of the forest being destroyed all around her was deafening and made her falter for only a moment as it overwhelmed her [Echolocation] perception.
It wasn¡¯t like sound was the only thing she relied on, but it was a core part of her being, and the sheer cacophony around her was making it hard for her to focus and find her own rhythm.
She never stopped moving as she leaned into her speed to weave through the forest and quills replacing fallen trees. The tempo of her steps slowly increased as she focused on controlling her body with as much precision as she could through the shifting terrain. She wasn¡¯t perfect, though, as both quills and debris cut her up, and the splashing acid ate through both clothing and flesh.
[Stepping Tune] was a foundation of her fighting style as each timed step generated stacks of [Tuned] that made her abilities cheaper while she moved, and if she could keep the rhythm, she¡¯d gain more stacks of [Tempo] that made her faster and faster.
She was immensely grateful at that moment for the synergy of her abilities, letting her stay just ahead of the tyrannical monster destroying indiscriminately in her wake, the acid spit leaving the land pockmarked around her.
It was actually her aura that informed her of the shift the pseudo-battle would be taking. As the Emerald monster seemed to tire of the annoying chase, she felt its own aura separate from hers when it seemed to suddenly remember the buffet it had left behind to chase a mere morsel.
Rayna pivoted as the chase reversed course, and her mind raced through her options. She knew that she was at a disadvantage with range, but there was no way she could take that hulking monstrosity head-on. That was why she also knew that she worked best with Dazien, though she would never admit it to his face. She didn¡¯t need to see that cocky smile he liked to flash at his groupies every time they killed a monster.
With someone else to distract and keep an enemy''s attention, she was able to focus more on perfecting her timing than blocking an incoming attack, thus maximizing her damage output. She didn''t have her party at the moment, though, and had made the insane decision to be the bait in Phoenix''s stead.
She suddenly had a clear view of the monster''s quilled backside as she entered the lane of deforestation that had just occurred. With that line of sight, she swallowed her hesitation and triggered [Blink Step] again, grateful for the relatively short cooldown.
This time, she let out her [Siren¡¯s Cry] right in front of its face. The monster screamed back at her, in outrage at her audacity more than anything else, especially since it resisted the knockback effect and [Deafened] that the ability would normally do. However, she did feel that her [Punishing Shriek] Bane managed to land on the higher Caste enemy, which would make her other Banes eventually deal more damage to it¡ if she could land more.
While it might not be apparent at first, her powerset heavily relied on inflicting Banes while stacking Boons on herself. The longer the fight went, the more devastating her music became, weakening the enemy with each strike while empowering herself.
As Rayna landed on the ground in front of the angered beast, she glanced between the shore in the distance and the overgrown reptile. Dancing between the impossible task of solo fighting an Emerald Caste monster or letting an entire crew and the sister she loved more than anything get destroyed, she made the only impossible choice she could live with. If she had learned anything in her time with Phoenix, it was to not underestimate the success rate of crazy plans when there was enough determination behind them.
She would protect her sister, even if it meant destroying herself in the process. Despite already being painted in her own blood, this monster would soon regret ever threatening Saiya.
Something felt like it snapped within her soul as she made the decision to fight, she could feel power well up from her core as a pale blue light lit up from within her. She didn¡¯t have Phoenix¡¯s book ability that spelled out everything for her, but she could feel the fundamental shift as her Natural Talent cultivated to match her newfound resolve.
She didn¡¯t lose the increased effect and reduced cost for her Movement abilities, luckily, but the new capabilities she could sense from it gave her the hope that perhaps she¡¯d be able to pull this off as it erased the Caste advantage of resisting her abilities. Not only that, but the new active component to it gave her the crazy idea that it might be enough to finish the monster¡¯s insane amount of health.
Rayna tugged a mana potion off her belt and downed it quickly as she moved, knowing she was going to need every drop of it. She began carefully weaving her symphony of destruction around the aggressively spiky bipedal lizard. As she danced around the ranged projectiles, she began to sing, tapping into her [Battle Symphony] ability that inflicted stacks of [Shaken] and [Dazed] while increasing her damage for both the Boons on her and the Banes on the monster.
She never stopped moving as she finally fell into the rhythm of her song, her steps providing the beat that she sang a wordless melody to. As she dodged and continued to infuriate her opponent, she left small floating crystals hovering in the air while slowly encircling the large monster.
Her [Arcanist Gem] was cheap to cast and had no cooldown, but it normally took time to do anything as it slowly absorbed the ambient mana. Eventually, it would reach its capacity and explode, causing a burst of damage, or she could tap into that mana to use herself. However, the Sapphire effect was what she wanted to leverage now, as it let her store an ability into it that would be triggered against the nearest enemy target once it broke.
Each minute, she stored the same ability into one of the gems as she dodged quills and kept the Dire Porcutor twirling in a circle. She could feel her mana pool slowly draining despite the stacks of [Tuned] helping to lower the costs of the ridiculous number of abilities she was triggering in succession.
As she weaved around depositing gems throughout the area, she continued landing as many hits on the quilled reptile as she could manage, trying to stack up as many instances of her Banes as possible and powering up the stacks of [Kinetic Force] she got from her [Gem Encrusted] weapons on her fists and tails.
When she finally thought there were enough gems littering the area, with ten of them now holding her most powerful ability, she made one more circuit around the target of her ire and tried something she had only ever theorized doing. She knew that if it failed, she likely wouldn¡¯t live long enough to try it ever again, but she began the crazy idea with the new activation ability her soul had unlocked for her.
Time stopped.
For her mind, she had nine seconds to do as much as possible in the single moment that the rest of the world would experience.
She triggered [Beyond the Boundary] again, hoping to use the extra speed to complete the zone delineation of her [Crystalline Distortion] ability within the time limit.
It was one of the hardest Spells for her to progress, requiring setup and tactical placement of her foes. The war had actually been decent for progressing it as large swatches of enemies could be caught within it, but it also had the downside of affecting allies as well, so she had needed to be more careful with it than she normally liked to be.
In those nine seconds of frozen time, Rayna continuously moved around the outside of her gems to periodically punch the ground and cause a massive crystalline pillar to spring up from each spot she hit, marking the boundary of the zone, all the while incanting her longest Spell. ¡°The heart of the world skips a beat as the song of the land cries out in distorted dissonance. Let the repercussions of my fury resonate across this theater of battle.¡±
As her words finished and the orange pillars began to glow and vibrate, disrupting the mana in the area and dealing Gem damage, she used [Blink Step] one final time to place herself in the center of the circular zone with the monster as time finally seemed to resume again.
Her zone Spell triggered and she felt the concussive blast of the dozens of gems she had surrounded them with get destroyed from her own spell and unleashed their stored spell on the closest enemy: the Emerald Caste Dire Porcutor.
In that final critical moment, she used the [Kinetic Force] and [Reverberation] stacks she had built up during her setup time. In perfect harmony with the gems delivering her final ability, she triggered her own casting of it to execute the beast where it stood roaring in pain and anger.
|
Class Ability: Shatter
Type: Execute (magical, song)
Cost: High mana.
Cooldown: 1 minute.
Current Caste: Sapphire 4 (99%)
Crystal Effect: Inflicts moderate Song damage in a sudden burst. Damage is scaled based on the amount of health missing from the target.
Sapphire Effect: Base damage is increased for each instance of Magical Bane on the target and each Magical Boon on you.
|
The force of her ramped-up strike rippled through the acid-spitting lizard like it was made of gelatin as its form was distorted from within for the briefest of moments. As the ripples of magic collided within the creature, its insides swiftly became its outsides as the omnidirectional forces fought for dominance about which way to travel from the multitude of impacts.
Rayna fell to the ground, buffeted by the deluge of attacks, and the monster itself exploded in a bloody rain of entrails.
Her entire being ached, her mana and stamina completely tapped out, but she managed to roll to her side, a new goal pushing her to move.
She managed to crawl to the nearest chunk of Dire Porcutor and dismissed her gauntlet to place her hand upon the bit of flesh. That was when she noticed the little mark of a sword going through a crown was missing from it and let out a sob as she realized that without her King, she couldn¡¯t loot the damn thing!
13 - City of Luxury
Dazien had been hungry before when he had acted up and been sent to bed without dinner as a child, but he had never been borderline starved like this before.
The few Crystal Mana Bits he had been given weren¡¯t nearly enough to sustain him as a Sapphire Caster, but it didn¡¯t seem like his captors cared about keeping him strong enough to potentially fight back. In fact, after some visual analysis of the manacles that wrapped his wrists and ankles, connected by a thick chain to the collar at his neck, he realized the main cause of his hunger to be the Silencer itself, slowly draining him to keep him weak.
He didn¡¯t have an actual stomach anymore to growl angrily at him, but the amount of fatigue and weakness he felt was signal enough that he needed to eat something with more magic in it. They had kept him Silenced, gagged, and closely guarded as they moved him to a different ship, and he got his first glimpse of where he was.
A sign informed him that he had first awoken on Silent Isle, which, by the looks of it, was a lawless pirate port where all manner of normally illegal goods were being peddled and transferred around. Nobody batted an eye at him being chained up like a wild animal and moved across the sea dock and further into the ramshackle city with the rest of the group of captives.
¡°How much for that one¡¯s hair?¡± a sultry-looking lady asked Lukas Lumeris, who currently held the lead to his chains. Dazien realized she was speaking the Night dialect of Elvish, which he had actually purchased a Knowledge Tome for as part of his preparations, and he was glad he had sacrificed the handful of Sapphire Bits for it.
¡°No sale,¡± Lukas retorted, trying to brush past her. His Elvish sounded a bit broken as if he had more recently been trying to learn it the hard way instead of short-cutting like Dazien had. Honestly, he would have preferred learning the long way as well since his higher Caste Mind made that easier, but he had felt pressed for time.
¡°But it¡¯s so long, and one of my daughters is in desperate need of a wig rather than mere potion ingredients,¡± the woman pushed, moving closer to try and grasp Dazien¡¯s hair in her hand.
He jerked away from her touch, but Lukas yanked him closer, almost causing him to stumble in his weakened state and Lukas¡¯ higher Caste Strength.
¡°I will pay in Emeralds,¡± she added, and that caused Lukas to pause and finally take her in.
Lukas glanced back at his hair, taking in the length before glancing back at the woman and asking, ¡°Speak Trade Pyrinese?¡±
Dazien knew that was the common trade language for a majority of the continent, but not every culture embraced it. Tulim did, and it was what he had grown up with, but he knew during his research that Serenydi did not, focusing on embracing their own roots of being founded by Night Elves.
The woman nodded and said in the more common tongue they were both familiar with, ¡°You let me cut and keep what I collect, and I will give¡¡± She glanced over at his hair one last time, as though weighing it in her mind, ¡°Three Emerald Bits.¡±
That number almost made Dazien¡¯s heart stop. He had no idea that his hair could sell for that astronomical price and was almost tempted to sell it himself if he ever got free. However, the thought also brought Uriel¡¯s words to mind. It was so long ago now, but those words had never left him: ¡°If you put a price on your body, people will see it as an object for sale. You won¡¯t be a person in their eyes but just another commodity to trade.¡±
Priestess Aimi, who was a follower of the Lover, had only partially agreed with that idea but had also urged Dazien not to trade physical favors for Bits, no matter how hard things felt. She had argued that unless it was something he was actually passionate about pursuing as a form of service, he shouldn¡¯t feel forced into it due to his poverty.
Now, it didn¡¯t seem like he would get a say in it either way, though.
¡°Four, and it will be where I can supervise. Follow now because we leave shortly for Serenydi,¡± Lukas replied promptly, leaving no room for argument as he resumed walking.
The woman fell quickly into step as Dazien was yanked along again. The city was bustling, but that didn¡¯t seem to deter Lukas as they moved to a towering building where Dazien actually gawked as he saw his first airships docked above him. He had never seen one so close before, let alone rode one, and he was both in awe and slightly disappointed. He had been hoping to experience something like that with his friends¡ not as smuggled cargo.
While the Silent Isle might not care about slaves being dragged through the streets, Serenydi did not abide unwilling slavery.
Dazien was slightly impressed when the woman was joined by a couple of others who looked more like intimidating bodyguards. She said to Lukas, ¡°If you want me to board to cut it, then my girls will ensure my safety, yes?¡±
He figured she must have some kind of ability or item that acted like his own [Noble Subjects] to call for backup like that, but it made sense in a place like this where the only rule seemed to be the Rule of Caste and Bits.
¡°Fine,¡± Lukas growled, pulling Dazien and the others further along and up the staggering stairwell. It seemed so much more of a challenge than normal, with his body weakened and his mind simply wanting to shut down from lack of magical nutrition.
He barely registered when they reached the landing platform, but his attention was captured again when he took in the large and luxurious airship they would be boarding. It was mostly made from polished dark wood, gilded with silver embellishments and silken sails that glittered in the sunlight.
It almost looked like a normal sailing ship, yet much sleeker and far less rope hanging everywhere. Runes covered the mast itself and while they were invisible to the naked eye, his magical vision lit up with the teal of Wind magic and white of Light. If he had to guess, the sails were actually powered by the sun while it flew through the air.
He wasn¡¯t given much time to admire it, however, as the sight of Lord Finndeshin smirking at him drew his attention. ¡°Who are your new guests, Mister Lumeris?¡± the Night Elf asked as he opened the half-door leading onto the ship.
¡°Just a customer. We¡¯ll be done dealing shortly,¡± Lukas replied tersely as he walked past and led them to a lower floor. Lukas shoved him into a small empty room before adding to the women, ¡°Payment first, then be quick about it.¡±
¡°Half now, half when you let us leave peacefully,¡± she retorted with a flat look.
Lukas simply rolled his eyes but nodded, holding out a hand that the woman dropped two Emerald Bits into before turning a predatory gaze onto Dazien¡ªor, more specifically, his hair.
As the door shut behind them, leaving him chained and Silenced with the three women that he had no inkling of their Caste levels, the woman ordered in Nightish, ¡°Hold him still in the corner while I draw out the circle to preserve the hair, then keep him within it. I want to keep the length intact as much as possible.¡±
Dazien tried to struggle against their grips and attempted to speak through the gag in the same language. ¡°Stop. I¡¯m a noble and¡ª¡±
Her laughter cut off his attempt at bartering as she said, ¡°That collar says otherwise. You¡¯re nothing but a slave boy now, Shiny. Be grateful I¡¯m only taking something so temporarily lost. My daughter will be thrilled to have your hair and make me a fortune in the process. You simply have to wait a few years for it to grow back. Now, don¡¯t be so selfish and stay still!¡±
To her utter frustration, he didn¡¯t listen. He continued to struggle as she drew out a ritual circle with some chalk from the messenger bag she carried. Even as the guards forced him back into it, he tried to fight back. Through every snip her impressively enchanted scissors made against his scalp, he never gave up on making it difficult for her.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
He had been practically pinned to the floor by the other two hulking women as their leader complained and kept cutting his silken hair. He wasn¡¯t strong enough to stop them. His words weren¡¯t enough to convince them.
With Rex gone, he couldn¡¯t empower his words to try and convince them how wrong this was and that his threats for retribution would one day be fulfilled. He wasn¡¯t sure having Rex would have made much of a difference, though. These women were obviously higher level than him, if not Emerald Caste. His words would likely be resisted as much as his struggling was.
When the women finally released him, and the door opened again, with more Bits exchanging hands along with other words he barely had the mind to listen to, he glanced up just in time to see the door shut again.
It was only a few minutes later that he felt the ship tremble for just a moment. He felt a soft rocking as the ship began to glide through the sky. It would be no time at all now before they would arrive in the city of luxury.
Laying alone in the dark closet, with no one to witness his shame, Dazien silently let the tears he had been holding back fall.
As Phoenix broke through the tree line into a clearing within the vast forest, the sight before her brought tears to her eyes as Uriel turned to look at her in surprise. She didn¡¯t stop running as she practically tackled him, causing them both to fall into the white sand of the beach. She clung to him like he was a life raft, breathing in his stormy scent and letting his natural warmth radiate through her.
He managed to sit up, much to her displeasure, and he grabbed her shoulders to push her back when all she wanted to do was bury her face in his shirt.
¡°Where¡¯s Daze?¡± he asked her, and she frowned. Not even a ¡®hello¡¯? No, ¡®thank the gods you¡¯re alive¡¯? She knew Dazien meant more than she did to him, but he was acting like she didn¡¯t matter at all at the moment. They had been apart for over two weeks, and the first words out of his mouth were about her brother?
¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said, lifting her partially broken bracelet. ¡°I¡¯ve been worried about him since his bead shattered, but I have no clue where he is.¡±
Uriel winced for a moment as if in pain, clutching his left forearm to his chest before managing to glare up at her, ¡°You killed him, didn¡¯t you?¡±
¡°What? No, I¡ª¡±
¡°It¡¯s your fault the ship¡¯s shields went down, and the monster was able to destroy the ship. It¡¯s your fault Dazien is dead!¡±
His words felt like a stab to her heart, confirming her own fears, but her eyes were distracted by the fact that his bracer was missing, and glowing tendrils of mana seemed to be spreading across his skin. She had seen that effect on him before¡
¡°Did a Corrupted monster bite you?¡± she ended up asking in growing horror.
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter!¡± Uriel shouted at her, shoving her off him and back into the sand. ¡°What point is there in living without my king?!¡±
¡°But I¡ª¡±
¡°There¡¯s nothing left for me without him! I need him, and you took him away! You killed the only thing that matters to me!¡±
¡°Uriel, I¡ª¡± her words were cut off as he screamed, and the tendrils of mana crept over his face, turning his eyes an eerie glowing violet. She was too late. He had become one of the Corrupted.
For a moment, she hoped he would kill her as retribution for what she had done. For the pain she had caused her best friend.
¡°Phoenix! Wake up this instant!¡± Tala¡¯s voice called into her mind.
It was almost difficult to do so as she watched the horrific scene of Uriel transforming before her, the veins glowing brighter with that eerie light of Death magic and his flesh rotting before her eyes.
Just before he leaned forward to bite into her neck, corrupting her own soul, she managed to open her eyes.
Phoenix was drenched in a cold sweat as she stared up into a pair of silver eyes next to another set of glowing emerald ones. She didn¡¯t try sitting up that time, just letting herself stay prone as she stared up at the lightening sky.
¡°That was the worst,¡± Tala complained. ¡°Don¡¯t ever do that again, either. It was even worse than the last time.¡±
Phoenix huffed. ¡°You know I can¡¯t control my dreams, Tala. It¡¯s not like I ever want them to turn into nightmares¡ why didn¡¯t you wake me sooner this time?¡±
¡°It started off so nice and cozy¡ I was hoping it would have stayed that way.¡±
She sighed, remembering the brief moment of warmth and relief. ¡°I wish it would have. It felt so real, too.¡±
After a few silent moments as she tried to recenter herself, Ren finally shifted back into their daekin form and asked, ¡°Go now. Phoenix ready?¡±
She gave another heavy sigh before nodding and getting to her feet, taking just a few moments to put her camping items back in her collection and swapping out her clothes. A tear in the arm of her armor that hadn¡¯t finished self-repairing yet made her grimace, and she tried to make a mental note to look for some replacement armor of her Caste once they reached the city. Her Shifting Twilight had served her well over the half year, but it simply couldn¡¯t withstand the higher Caste fights she was finding herself in.
¡°I¡¯m ready now,¡± she replied, stretching slightly, ¡°How much further to Serenydi?¡±
Ren pointed to the water and replied, ¡°By whale, only few days.¡±
Phoenix stared at them for a moment before clarifying, ¡°What do you mean ¡®by whale¡¯?¡±
¡°Phoenix ride in mouth of Ren. Be very fast.¡±
¡°Please tell me you¡¯re joking,¡± Phoenix asked the shifter incredulously.
Ren shook their head in the negative, ¡°Ren nom the Phoenix and swim to Serenydi. Be there soon.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not climbing inside a whale¡¯s mouth!¡± she protested as the pair of them stood on the snowy beach on the southeastern edge of the island they were currently on.
¡°Not in whale, in Ren,¡± the daekin tried to reassure.
¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s better!¡±
The shifter gave a comically exaggerated sigh and tried to explain, ¡°Phoenix ride on top, takes many days. Phoenix ride inside, takes few days. Phoenix needs friends faster, yes?¡±
She crossed her arms over her chest, looking back and forth between the daekin and the expanse of the ocean. She did want to get to the city and her friends faster, but riding in the mouth of a whale, like some biblical character, a wooden puppet, or a snack, did not sound remotely appealing.
Phoenix gave an annoyed huff, remembering that she had resolved to try trusting her companions more, and this newest one had been nothing but helpful since they had met. She finally nodded, her shoulders slumping slightly, ¡°Fine. Just¡ don¡¯t swallow.¡±
Ren snickered at the request despite their best efforts not to worry her and then took a running leap into the water, shifting into a green whale that reminded her of an orca, but it was not quite the same and fairly larger, though it was difficult to gauge the size from pictures sometimes. Ren opened their now enormous mouth, letting the large tongue loll out and guard her from the very sharp teeth that lined the opening.
Phoenix hesitated, but at the thought of seeing her friends once more, she steeled her nerves and climbed into the gaping maw of the shifter. She had to crawl into the wet and very fishy-smelling mouth carefully, with not enough room to stand, but she could lie down fairly comfortably with the rough tongue acting as a bed for her to curl up on.
When they arrived after what felt to her like a never-ending ride of wondering when Ren would accidentally swallow her, Phoenix was relieved to land on solid ground once more. Even drenched in whale slobber and really hoping Serenydi had hot magical showers.
She quickly learned they weren¡¯t on the island proper yet, however, when the whale shifted back into a daekin and led her a bit further down a noticeably less snowy beach. After rounding a bend, she was able to view a dock with the ferry that led to the city-state, which consumed the entire landmass of the distant island.
Phoenix was stunned by the sight of it as Serenydi didn¡¯t look so much like a sprawling city but more like a single massive unevenly shaped tower that rose into the sky. Lights danced all over it in vibrant blues, purples, pinks, and greens, like a sparkling magical Tower of Babel made from a divine game of Jenga.
There were a few smaller towers near its base and floating obelisks in the sky that slowly orbited around the central mass of the city. With the clear night sky of millions of shining constellations that she couldn¡¯t name yet as a backdrop being reflected by the crystal clear waters, the city was hands down the most magical thing she had ever seen.
Ren grinned at her stunned expression as they scampered forward slightly, made a grand gesture towards the impressive sight, and said happily, ¡°Ren did bring Phoenix to Serenydi, City of Luxury!¡±
They tilted their head when she didn¡¯t respond and asked curiously, ¡°Phoenix like?¡±
She nodded in acknowledgment as she whispered in awe, ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡±
Ren smiled in agreement and said, ¡°Everything on outside is beautiful in Serenydi.¡± Then they added in a slightly quieter voice, ¡°Phoenix must be careful of what is on inside.¡±
Phoenix nodded in silent understanding. Ren was warning her that not everyone was to be trusted, but she already knew that. She needed to find her team; however, the sight of the stars still held her captive, and she quietly admitted to her new companion, ¡°I rarely got to see the stars of my old world. I think they would be as strange and wondrous to me as these are.¡±
The daekin grinned and said, ¡°Maybe Phoenix visit stars someday, too.¡±
14 - Ferry
Apparently, I¡¯ve greatly failed at measuring distance because this ferry ride is much longer than I expected, and that tower keeps growing with every passing hour. I was thinking it might be like the Empire State Building or Eiffel Tower, but it¡¯s more like if they slammed all of Seattle into a monolith reaching for the heavens.
It¡¯s intimidating¡ I wish the others were here with me. Saiya would be helping calm me and probably saying some terrible pun about this being just the next step in my journey of seeing the wider world.
I¡¯m sure Rayna would be excited to drag me around such a massive metropolis and get a ton of shopping done.
Dazien would probably be going over his notes about what we could expect to encounter. I really wish I had studied more beforehand, but I think I¡¯ve found myself relying on his cliff notes a little too much lately.
Camilla would help explain the magic I¡¯m seeing, even from this distance. I think we¡¯re floating over enchantments literally underwater at various intervals. Like invisible walls that the ferry is slowly passing through.
Then Uriel¡ well, he¡¯d probably be
¡°Who Phoenix writing to?¡± a curious voice asked.
Phoenix lifted her head from the journal she had been writing in for the past hour, finally taking the time to write down everything that had happened over the last week since causing their shipwreck. She tilted her head in confusion at the question and clarified, ¡°I¡¯m not writing to anyone. This is just a journal for my thoughts.¡±
¡°Why?¡± Ren inquired while rubbing at their ears in annoyance once more. They had been doing that a lot since first getting closer to the crowds of people also boarding the ferry. There were probably at least a hundred people on the large boat of every feasible race, including ones she had only heard of, like the furry felions and scaly draconids. She tried her best not to stare at anyone, knowing how much she disliked that herself.
¡°Um¡ it¡¯s something my mentor did, and I¡¯ve found it helps me process things a bit better. Makes me give words to my feelings and such¡¡± she hesitantly tried explaining.
The daekin nodded as they said, ¡°Ren understand. Ren talk to Ren to do same thing.¡±
¡°Is that why you talk in third person?¡± Phoenix asked without fully thinking, then quickly followed up, ¡°Not that it¡¯s a problem, it¡¯s just¡ not something I¡¯ve run into before.¡±
Ren tilted their head in confusion, ¡°Ren talk in Ren person,¡± they said, then distractedly rubbed their ears again while wincing in annoyance and Phoenix saw the odd layer of magic as they passed across another barrier.
¡°Are you sure you¡¯re going to be okay in the city?¡± she asked the shifter in concern.
The daekin gave her a weak smile and admitted, ¡°Ren thinks being mouse better now. Phoenix carry?¡±
Phoenix grinned as the idea reminded her of a certain murder-kitten who liked to hitch a ride on her shoulder. She nodded and held out her hand palm up towards the smaller daekin. Ren rested their own hand in hers for only a moment before transforming into a tiny green mouse that fit right in her palm.
¡°That¡¯s awesome every time I see it,¡± Phoenix admitted to the little rodent before absently rubbing a finger on top of the fuzzy head, which Ren seemed to like as they squeaked happily in response. ¡°I saw Bliss shift a few times, mostly when training, but she never shifted into a human and never that close to me.¡±
As the ferry dipped unexpectedly and the little mouse went flying from her grip, Ren effortlessly shifted into a bird instead and nestled on top of Tala¡¯s floofy back, creating a little bird tower. Phoenix found herself giggling as she felt them snuggle together, ¡°That¡¯s probably for the best, I guess. I can even put my cloak¡¯s hood up to draw less attention, hopefully.¡±
She glanced back up at the massive metropolis ahead of them and tried to push her fears down and figure out a plan. The only thing she had come up with so far was to try and find an inn or something, then see about contacting the Pyrin Postal Service to try and get word to others.
The transferring of information across the world was rather abysmal here compared to her original world which had the magic of the internet. She hadn¡¯t used her phone much, but the internet had always been her window into participating with the wider world, and not being able to simply search for the answer to all her questions had been a struggle to get used to. Now, it made her worry for other reasons.
¡°I do have a letter to write, though, now that I think about it,¡± Phoenix added after a moment of looking back down at her journal. ¡°A couple, actually. I need to write to both Patricia and Everin about what happened. That I made it to the city, but that we were all separated, and that Daze¡ª¡±
She cut herself off before adjusting the thought, ¡°That Dazien¡¯s bead broke, and I¡¯m not sure if the bracelet will still work at all to find them once they arrive. I never really looked into what happens when that occurs.¡±
Phoenix stood from her spot on an open bench to try and find an empty table instead where she might have an easier time writing. Using her lap while writing in a book wasn¡¯t too terrible, but trying the same with a loose letter didn¡¯t sound like fun when there were better options.
Most of the booths with tables were filled already, but there was one in a back corner that only had a single person sitting at it, looking like they were asleep, bundled in a heavy cloak with their feet propped up along the bench and their back resting against the wall instead of the back of the seat.
Swallowing her anxiety, she nervously asked, ¡°Do you mind if I sit across from you? I just want to write some letters and won¡¯t be a bother.¡±
When the person gave no response, she carefully extended her aura to touch theirs and was able to feel it was Sapphire Caste and was surprised that it felt like a gemite¡¯s.
A green eye peeked up at her from under the cloak, and she felt her momentary hope dip again when she realized it was a malachite gemite and not an amethyst one. Of course, other gemites existed, but what surprised her more about this one was that they were not of the Shiny variety.
Their eyes looked more like rough gems carved into the shape of eyes, with no actual pupil or sclera discernible. Their dark complexion was also rougher, with patches of metallic green scales on their cheeks. They didn¡¯t lower their hood, but she could see shorter green hair peeking out from it. Instead of the silky texture that sparkled like jewels in the light, theirs looked like a dense cluster of growing green crystals that would refuse a brush and require specific manipulation to bend into place.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
They almost reminded Phoenix of a doll crafted by a child with only some beads to work with.
She wouldn¡¯t have said they were ugly, per se, just very different from what she had been taught to think of as conventional beauty. The contrast between them and Dazien helped her better understand that his Shiny Talent was taking a lot more outside input than she had initially thought to adapt him closer to the more populous species in the world.
She had learned that humans, elves, cinderen, and voxen were the dominating Vauva species on the planet, with their numbers far exceeding any others. The draconids, felions, and faeforged were closer after that compared to some others, but they were more localized to their specific nations, not spreading out much and mingling less with others.
¡°Are you going to sit or just stare at me?¡± the gemite asked, startling Phoenix out of her thoughts with the rough-sounding voice that had a more Spanish-like accent to it. It was much closer to Veldrix¡¯s way of speaking she noticed, and it made her realize that Dazien was likely the outlier in this regard from growing up in the orphanage of Tulimeir.
The stranger smirked then, showing a glint of teeth that looked like polished malachite, and she had the very distinct impression that the rest of their skeleton matched, ¡°What? Never seen a gemite before?¡±
That helped Phoenix find her voice again as she sat down and said, ¡°My brother¡¯s a gemite, but I admit he looks different than you do. I didn¡¯t mean to stare, it just caught me by surprise when your aura read as one, too.¡±
They gave a huff and readjusted their cloak around them slightly before asking in that gravelly alto, ¡°Safe to bet he¡¯s a Shiny one? Most gemites look like I do.¡±
She nodded and conjured a few sheets of paper and her pen onto the table in front of her, ¡°He¡¯s also adopted like me and the only one of two gemites I¡¯ve met before, so I don¡¯t really have a huge sample to pull from.¡±
They looked at her again for a moment as if assessing the truth of her words before saying, ¡°I¡¯m Zevan. She/Her, if you were wondering. This must be your first time visiting Serenydi.¡±
Phoenix nodded again but didn¡¯t offer her own name right away, ¡°Yeah. I was meant to come with my friends, but we got separated during a monster attack at sea.¡±
¡°That¡¯s rough,¡± Zevan said, seeming to relax slightly, ¡°Not unheard of enough to be considered rare, but at least you made it out alive.¡±
¡°I¡¯m hoping they did, too,¡± she replied, picking up the pen to start her letter to Patricia first. ¡°Do you know if there¡¯s somewhere in the city, I could go to potentially find out what might have happened to them? Maybe hire a tracker or something?¡±
Zevan nodded slowly, ¡°Perhaps. If you have the right connections, you can find pretty much anything in Serenydi. It¡¯s not called the city of luxury for nothing, after all. If you got the Bits, you can find someone selling anything you could want.¡±
¡°Anything?¡±
¡°Just about. A professional tracker would just depend on availability. There might be a wait time involved, especially this soon after a blood moon. Plenty of people are wanting to find loved ones that may have been lost while traveling to or from the city.¡±
Phoenix glanced out the far window towards the sparkling sea beyond, contemplating what else she might be able to do. Perhaps she could pay more to skip the wait time? Maybe there was a ritual she could do? She had planned to look into what Knowledge Tomes might be for sale in the bigger city, and finding some tracking rituals might be an option.
¡°I think you are forgetting your most important asset,¡± Tala mentally whispered to her, ¡°You are the Chosen of Scholar and Traveler. You could try asking their clergy for help.¡±
¡°Is there a Temple to the Scholar or Traveler there?¡± Phoenix asked Zevan once she got over the internal facepalm she did at her own blindness to that obvious answer.
The gemite gave her a curious look before asking, ¡°Do you not know about the Luxury Pantheon?¡±
When she shook her head in the negative, Zevan actually let out a barking laugh, ¡°What exactly do you know about the nation you¡¯ll be entering in a couple of hours?¡±
¡°Um¡¡± Phoenix flushed in embarrassment as she said, ¡°Just that it¡¯s mostly elves and in an Emerald Caste zone. My brother said he¡¯d be giving us a crash course on it, but we never got around to the lessons before getting separated.¡±
Zevan simply stared at her, unblinking, and she idly wondered if the woman even needed to blink with rocks for eyes. ¡°Oh, sweet spring flower, you¡¯re just a child, aren¡¯t you?¡±
She wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to that at first before deciding to go the more humble route and nod as she admitted, ¡°I think I turned nineteen this week, but I¡¯ve kinda lost track of time a bit. Has the Day of Resolution occurred yet?¡±
The gemite shook her head. ¡°Soon. It¡¯s Winter¡¯s Break tomorrow, so you have another four days.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s heart sank at that information. The way Dazien had described that particular holiday made it sound like the equivalent of Christmas in her old world, and she knew he had been looking forward to spending it with all of them.
¡°Well, according to Serenydi customs, you¡¯re old enough to don a torc. I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t know anything about those either, though.¡±
She shook her head and asked, ¡°Why would I want to wear a torc? Whatever that is.¡±
Zevan snorted a laugh, tapping on a solid-looking silver necklace made of some kind of stiff thread that had a thick strand of orange woven in it sitting around her neck. ¡°To find a lover in the city of the Lover, obviously.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°I thought it was the city of luxury.¡±
¡°Yes, but it¡¯s ruled by a queen that is dedicated to the Luxury Pantheon. It¡¯s a Theocratic Monarchy, so the only officially recognized Temples you¡¯ll find within its borders are dedicated to the Lover, Artist, Merchant, Gambler, Gamer, Cultivator, Socialite, or Fain¨¦ant.¡±
She frowned at that information, unsure if the Cultivator would be able to help her with this task as that was the only god she shared a connection with¡ for now. Her eyes roamed back to the small necklace that was almost tight enough to be considered a choker and asked, ¡°What do they have to do with the torc thing, though?¡±
¡°Nothing directly,¡± Zevan answered, dismissively waving a hand through the air, ¡°The torcs are merely a cornerstone of Serenydi¡¯s unique culture. It helps convey both status and intent without needing to exchange awkward first questions.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°Well, the colors all mean something very specific. For instance, this thread of orange means I¡¯m primarily interested in men, and the silver means I¡¯m seeking a long-term relationship with one. It helps keep other women or kospers from awkwardly asking to buy me a drink when they¡¯re ultimately not what I¡¯m looking for in a partner.¡±
Phoenix took almost a whole minute to process that and piece together that the entire purpose of the torc was for¡ romance.
¡°Um¡ what if I don¡¯t wear one?¡± she finally managed to ask.
Another snort of laughter came from Zevan as she said, ¡°Then you¡¯ll get the awkward questions of those potentially interested. They¡¯ll see you as a naive outsider, and many will be more than willing to ask a pretty thing like you if you match their own colors.¡±
The blood drained from Phoenix¡¯s face as she asked, ¡°What color means ¡®nobody, thank you¡¯?¡±
Instead of laughing like she had expected, Zevan got a more serious expression on her face as she clarified, ¡°You¡¯re almost nineteen and not interested in anyone?¡±
She nodded, then said, ¡°Um, one of my friends said I might be what the dryads called heartbound or veilborne? I just¡ I don¡¯t feel the same as most people. I don¡¯t think I could handle strangers coming up to me asking for¡ well, drinks, or dates, or whatever it is people ask for.¡±
To Phoenix¡¯s relief, Zevan nodded and dug into a bag that was apparently sitting between her legs on the bench under her cloak, pulling out a long white ribbon after a moment and handing it out to her. ¡°You¡¯ll want to keep white around your neck, then. It¡¯ll keep people from pushing you at all.¡±
As she gratefully took the proffered ribbon, Zevan added, ¡°Don¡¯t think that¡¯s a proper torc, though. People will think you¡¯re practically homeless if you just wear that. I suggest getting a proper replacement as soon as you can. While the torc might be a product of Lover¡¯s influence, the quality of said torc is definitely influenced by the Merchant. Wealth is power here in Serenydi almost as much as Caste is. Your torc should show off that power.¡±
Phoenix gave a lopsided grin as she tied the ribbon around her neck, ¡°I think you forgot the whole shipwreck part of my story. I am homeless here.¡±
Zevan did laugh that time, and Phoenix found herself hoping the gemite wouldn¡¯t mind if she broke her initial promise and bothered her a bit more once they reached the city.
15 - Destroy to Protect
Saiya had been nervously stroking Wally¡¯s long, scaled body wrapped around her forearm as she waited, bemoaning the loss of Dazien¡¯s communication ability. She felt so much relief when her sister finally rejoined them after making the insane choice to bait that Emerald monster that it was hard for her to try and put into words. Instead, she hugged Rayna tight to her. The Captain had returned earlier but hadn¡¯t wanted to backtrack to retrieve the person she had written off as dead.
Even more surprising than Rayna being alive, though, was that she came back with a fourth tail. Apparently, after fighting for half the prolonged blood moon and in a war, followed by soloing an Emerald Monster, it was enough to push her to Sapphire 5.
Saiya still had a little way to catch up, but she knew she was close as well. She would have to wait to reunite with Phoenix so she could see where her own progress was at. For now, she was just grateful to have her twin by her side again.
For Rayna¡¯s part, she merely complained loudly to Saiya, and anyone else who would listen, that it was so unfair how people with looting powers could ignore Caste differences to loot a monster where if she had done the ritual to loot her kill, she would have died for it.
Saiya, in return, continued to nod along with the rant she was pretty sure she had heard a hundred times now and promised they would look for an Emerald Caste Treasure Spirit Gem once they reached the city.
They had always tried to keep an eye out for one, but it was insanely rare to find one for sale. Rumor had it that they mostly spawned in treasure vaults¡ which were then kept there until the person who owned said vault used it or gave it to a loved one. Very rarely were they sold or auctioned off, much like many of the other extremely rare gems or Aspects.
She wasn¡¯t sure it would be any different in Serenydi, but since it was known for its wealth and luxury, the city itself was even considered a treasure by some, perhaps they would have some extras for sale. She wasn¡¯t sure when that might be, though.
After another run-in with a pack of Sapphire Caste monsters that reminded her of the Blood Haze Bees they had fought before and that actually did manage to kill one of the Crystal Casters with their swarming tactics, Saiya was wondering if their luck would have them never reach the city¡ not alive at least.
The turning point in their luck came when they stumbled upon a small fishing town that was still working on rebuilding after the blood moon. It also let them finally know where they were. They had left the land of Avians and were in unclaimed wilds, the villagers themselves were a clan of Wolven Sirens that normally traveled to Serenydi during the blood moon for better protection.
Saiya had never seen these types of sirens before since many had never traveled to the desert of Epa Toivo, and she had only met the Berg Sirens when fighting them in Tulimeir. These Wolven kind were distinct, with their massive jaws filled with sharp, jagged teeth and the sleek dark gray of their skin. They were also much larger than she was, being small even by voxen standards.
Despite their ongoing efforts to rebuild the village, Captain Clisson managed to trade enough Bits and other oddities they all had within their dimensional bags to purchase a boat. Not one nearly as big as the one that had been demolished but large enough to at least fit everyone.
Rayna grumbled to Saiya about having to provide most of the cost, but the patient voxen pointed out that their teammate was the one that caused a significant amount of the damage. Hopefully, they would meet up with Phoenix again, and that would put their money worries at ease, at least for now.
As they watched the Captain run through a ritual ability that bonded the new ship to her and strengthened it in turn, Saiya couldn¡¯t help but think about Phoenix and Camilla missing out on the opportunity to witness such fascinating magic being performed. The feeling was followed by a pang of worry at the fate of her friends and chosen family, but a soft, comforting voice at the back of her mind offered reassurance, ¡°All their paths lead to Serenydi.¡±
Saiya wasn¡¯t quite used to the presence of her new patron deity, Traveler, taking up residence within her and giving her the occasional whisper, but it was a comfort that she was glad to have and strengthened her resolve about her choice.
From the outside, it might have seemed like her deity was chosen due to Phoenix¡¯s connection, but the truth was far more nuanced. Having that presence now, when she felt most adrift, reaffirmed her decision in ways she couldn¡¯t express.
In this moment, she was simply grateful that she could look forward to arriving in Serenydi within a fortnight going by sea, where she would finally get to see her missing family again.
Uriel dismissed his [Fortress of Solitude] as he and Camilla began making their way eastward again. It had been slow going for the pair of them traveling on foot, but they were hopeful after finding a trail of footsteps leading from some wreckage on the beach. They had been lucky to avoid any monsters so far among these wildlands.
He had been doing his best not to let his fears over Dazien bleed into his demeanor and make Camilla more on edge around him. After he almost had a panic attack after that first night and waking up to find his partner¡¯s bead broken, he had almost put on his old broken earring just to shut those emotions down.
His new earrings worked much better about only stifling his anger and helping him keep a calm focus during battle, but his anxiety was starting to rear its ugly head at him. The only reassurance he had was Camilla¡¯s knowledge that the bead would have broken like that only if the bracelet itself was destroyed. If Dazien had died while the bracelet remained intact, his corresponding bead would have disintegrated into magical ash.
It allowed him to stay hopeful that his king still lived and would be awaiting him at their destination.
They weren¡¯t sure how far behind the others they were until they reached a small fishing town of Wolven Sirens and were informed that they were only a week behind the others that had traded for one of their boats. Uriel and Camilla didn¡¯t have personal storage spaces like Phoenix, however. Camilla¡¯s little notebook seemed to only hold ritual ingredients and knowledge, which only left the dimensional bags at their sides, but it didn¡¯t matter as they didn¡¯t have nearly enough to trade for a boat of their own. That wouldn¡¯t have helped them, however, since neither of them really knew how to sail anyway.
Instead, they were given directions and a road to follow, which would lead them northeast to the staging port that acted as the gate to the city of Serenydi, which the locals confirmed was where their companions were heading. They did mention that the group was made of an assortment of humans, elves, and voxen, which they assumed were Rayna and Saiya. However, the news that had disheartened them was the fact that none of the villagers could recall a redheaded human-looking woman or a purple-haired gemite man accompanying them.
Uriel and Camilla only stayed in the village for the night, glad to feel relatively safe within the small town still being rebuilt. They began heading out once again the next morning with a better idea of the path ahead of them.
¡°You, um¡ I think you d-did well controlling your aura in town,¡± Camilla hesitantly said as they walked in relative silence like usual.
¡°I was worried about sleeping,¡± he confided, giving her a soft smile with the hopes of getting her to relax more. ¡°I think I kept waking up because of it.¡±
¡°Do you want to practice more?¡± she asked.
He nodded, then slowly unfurled his aura once again, feeling for Camilla¡¯s own Sapphire Caste one, which had the strength to overpower his own. They had been going over some of the exercises that he had been practicing more with Phoenix that Kara had taught them.
The exercises helped him become more comfortable with his aura, but he still feared hurting someone with it. No matter how much control he gained over it if he couldn¡¯t keep it from overlapping with someone, they would get hurt. That was one fact about his powers that bothered him the most; none of them seemed to care if friend or foe were caught within them. They would try to destroy everything. The few exceptions to this were mostly his other Passive abilities and the two single target spells he possessed along with his life-draining ability, [Siphoned Vigor], which simply hurt himself.
Uriel vaguely hoped that ascending would give him a few more options with who got affected, but his fears kept assuring him that they would only increase in their destructiveness.
His fears were also screaming that he shouldn¡¯t be practicing like this. That he shouldn¡¯t be trying to get stronger. That it would just lead to more people getting hurt and places getting destroyed. However, Dazien and Phoenix¡¯s words of encouragement pushed him forward. Even Paul had shown support in his own way. Despite the threats toward him, the Paladin had still helped train him and hadn¡¯t warned Phoenix away after she had chosen to party up with them.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
He vaguely wondered how Paul would have reacted now. Would he be proud of Uriel for revealing that secret to his daughter? Did Uriel even want Paul to feel that way towards him? He definitely didn¡¯t see the Paladin as a father figure the way Phoenix and Daze did, but he still respected the man who had saved his life more than once.
Would Paul disapprove of Phoenix claiming him as her best friend? Would Paul disapprove of him if he kept getting closer to her?
His thoughts were interrupted by a loud roar from the trees to the south of them. It was a roar that he recognized from a low Sapphire Caste monster he was familiar with from their time spent hunting in the southern forests near Vallinsarvi.
A Shanther was a forest-dwelling catlike creature with an affinity for Dark magic. It liked to try to spook its prey into running and giving away their location for it to then chase before devouring. Phoenix¡¯s first death after arriving in this world had even been from one chasing her down and causing her to fall off a cliff.
Uriel took a few steps to put himself between the sound and his non-combative companion, quickly saying, ¡°Whatever you do, don¡¯t run unless I¡¯m dead. It¡¯ll chase, and you won¡¯t be fast enough. Start casting rituals that can boost an Elemental spell if you have any.¡±
As soon as the shadowy panther came into view, he drew his sword that he had been lucky enough not to lose in the water. Once he felt Camilla¡¯s ritual activate beneath them, he began an incantation, hoping that his empowered Spell, along with Camilla¡¯s Sapphire Caste aura, would be enough to scare off the beast. ¡°Let the sky wail. Let the world tremble. Let my enemy cower. For I am the eye of the storm.¡±
A violent maelstrom of wind, rain, embers, and stones whipped up around them, leaving a couple of meters of calm space between him and the inner edge of the wild storm. [Eye of the Storm] was arguably one of his most powerful Spells, but he had rarely gotten to use it during the war with so many allies spread out around him. It had been lagging behind and was currently the last thing he needed to level before he could ascend.
He hadn¡¯t thought about that before he had cast it, though. He had only been trying to protect Camilla in the only way he knew how to: by destroying.
The roars of pain and annoyance as he felt the creature enter the range of his spell and aura let him know that it was at least having an effect on the beast. He had been slightly worried that the monster¡¯s penchant for turning into a misty form might make it more resistant to the effects of his own Spell.
When the Shanther finally broke through the raging storm to enter the inner circle where he and Camilla stood, it looked like it had tried walking through a wood chipper. It was still alive, however, and very angry as it snarled at the pair of them for a brief moment before pouncing at the smaller of the two that wasn¡¯t holding a pointy piece of metal.
As Camilla screamed, Uriel reflexively reached out with his left arm to shield her and grunted in pain as teeth and claws dug into his bicep. His grunt turned into a scream as the monster proceeded to crunch through his weaker bones and tore his entire arm off, leaving only a heavily bleeding stump past his shoulder.
The Shanther seemed distracted enough by its prize as it happily munched down on the detached limb. Uriel fell to his knees, clutching at his wound, but kept incanting. He wouldn¡¯t stop until he destroyed this monster and ensured Camilla was safe from meeting the same fate as his arm.
¡°A touch of frost and your death follows.¡±
¡°Be the bearer of the all-consuming plague.¡±
He could only assume the reason his spells were landing was from the boost Camilla had given him with her Sapphire Caste ritual. He was grateful either way as frost and black rot appeared on the creature¡¯s hide.
As it turned to growl at him, finishing its last mouthful of flesh that included the bracelet that had been around his wrist, Uriel incanted another spell to try and force it to keep its distance.
¡°Succumb to the might of the tyrannical winds.¡±
A blast of wind from his [Microburst] knocked the monster down but didn¡¯t seem enough to deter it from coming back for a second course of cinderen. Uriel wasn¡¯t sure what he could cast next to try and defeat the monster without hurting Camilla with the monster so close to him. His [Rain of Fire] and [Blizzard] would hurt both of them if they stood in it.
When the Shanther rose to its feet again, Uriel waited just a moment for it to get closer and stomped the ground between them, triggering his only Special Attack [Scorch the Shaken Earth]. The ground erupted in spiky rocks and alighted with magic flames that burned anything it touched.
The Shanther didn¡¯t care, though, as it triggered its mist form in response and dashed towards him.
In a panic, he prayed that luck would favor him for once and incanted, ¡°May the seed I sow bloom in beautiful chaos.¡±
He was just quick enough to toss the little seed he constructed into the maw of the Shather as it reformed to bite at him again.
Apparently, the Gambler smiled upon his momentary insanity as the little seed randomized into the result of bursting into a massive bundle of thorny vines to constrict around his foe¡ from the inside.
With a strangled roar as its guts were tangled into a nasty thornbush, the monster crashed into him. The momentum and weight were enough to knock him to the ground, covering him in dirt, which had, in turn, been partially annihilated by his aura.
He felt the monster still after a moment and almost worried that his proximity to the chaotic seed would somehow try to entangle him as well. Before he could worry too long, however, the weight was lifted as Camilla helped push the beast off him. Uriel retracted his aura back into his center as he tried focusing on her nervous words, ¡°I c-can¡¯t believe y-you managed to k-kill it. Let m-me try healing your arm. ¡±
The pain was almost unbearable now that the magical adrenaline muting it was fading. He had never lost an entire limb before. He had plenty of memories of wounds gained while fighting in captivity, but he had been lucky in that regard.
Camilla¡¯s ritual wasn¡¯t perfect. It merely managed to stop the bleeding but couldn¡¯t regrow a whole limb instantly. Something like that normally took an Emerald Caste Life Spell to accomplish. His arm would likely regenerate over time since he was still a Caster, but it wouldn¡¯t be very quick or painless.
There was one alternative he had, though, and he didn¡¯t want to voice it aloud until Camilla did it for him, ¡°If you m-meditate, I think ascending will restore your arm at the same time.¡±
He silently grimaced and nodded.
Uriel knew he shouldn¡¯t put it off anymore.
¡°Um, I¡¯ll j-just go do a looting ritual on the monster,¡± she said after an awkward moment and practically fled from his side.
As he sat in the middle of the destroyed road, staring at the mess his storm had made, he contemplated if it would have been better to have let the Shanther eat him instead of giving him the experience he needed to become an even stronger Annihilator.
¡°Well, are you going to take off those earrings and ascend or not?¡± a smooth voice asked him, and he looked up from the road at his feet to see the Destroyer sitting across from him.
The god didn¡¯t seem bothered by sitting in the dirt with him, even when dressed in a fancy-looking suit. He didn¡¯t seem smug this time like he had in front of Phoenix. He didn¡¯t seem like a tyrannical cultist like he had in front of his Disciples. He just looked at him with something he rarely saw: patience.
Uriel shook his head, wondering if the god¡¯s demeanor was some sort of trick as he asked, ¡°I bet you¡¯d like that, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Of course, I would, but that shouldn¡¯t inherently be to your detriment.¡± The deity gave an amused smile and asked, ¡°What do you hope to truly accomplish by postponing the inevitable?¡±
¡°Less death and destruction?¡±
¡°Sometimes those are necessary,¡± he softly replied, gesturing toward Camilla who seemed completely unaware of the god while she drew out the ritual with her eye beams. ¡°Sometimes, we need to destroy to protect. You did that very well just now. Surely, saving Camilla Saren¡¯s life wasn¡¯t evil, was it?¡±
¡°And what about my parent¡¯s lives?¡± he retorted. ¡°Where was your so-called destructive protection then?¡±
Destroyer simply raised a brow and said, ¡°I was not the one who killed your parents, Uriel Karislian. I didn¡¯t order it either. I was the one who blessed you when you begged for the power to stop it.¡±
He paused at that, recalling how the god had appeared when he begged to the void for the power to destroy the enemies that had forced him to kill his parents with his own aura. Phoenix had brought up this point before to him in one of her many attempts to convince him that he shouldn¡¯t hate himself, that perhaps sometimes destroying was a good thing.
¡°I told you when we first met that, eventually, you would be strong enough to defeat the man who hurt you so much. The man who continually cultivates weapons in my name. My purpose may lie in the destruction his creations cause, but that does not mean I endorse his methods. Like I told your best friend before, I do not seek to destroy everything.¡±
¡°Just most things,¡± he found himself snapping back. It was hard for him to believe that the DOD didn¡¯t have the full support of the god they worshiped. ¡°I bet you get quite a bit of Aetherius from what Puera does. Even if he doesn¡¯t manage to create a monster like me that sows destruction wherever they go, he¡¯s breaking the people themselves. Either way, it¡¯s more power in your pocket.¡±
Destroyer gave a long sigh, which looked so out of place for any god, let alone one dressed as he was. ¡°I didn¡¯t come here to argue with you about my own motivations. You seem so poisoned against me that I doubt you would believe anything I said currently.¡±
¡°Then why are you here?¡± Uriel asked, gesturing to the area around them. ¡°Why waste your precious power to create a Projection here?¡±
The deity got the same patient look again as he smiled softly and answered, ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want my Chosen to feel alone while he ascended.¡±
Silence fell as Uriel stared at the god who was acting so¡ mortal.
Did all gods act like this normally? He hadn¡¯t been alone while this close to many before and never really talked one-on-one like this. He had thought Scholar acted fairly mortal at times, but she often reminded them with her mind reading tendencies that she was not one of them.
As the god patiently sat there and watched him, Destroyer simply seemed¡ old. He looked young and beautiful like most gods, but something in his expression and posture made him seem simply tired and ancient.
Uriel wouldn¡¯t thank this god, but he did nod his head and close his eyes.
Letting his consciousness fall into that chaotic space within his soul, he didn¡¯t even need to do anything for the brimming power to wash over the area and turn into the pale blue of Sapphire Caste.
16 - Seeking the Saint
Everin Starlark grumbled as he and Veldrix Thevaris arrived at the gates leading into Blomstra. The Royal Knight skipped the line completely, leading him through with a flash of their badge to the guards. While he realized the knight was taking advantage of their privileged position once more, his grumbling was more about the fact that Veldrix had insisted that while they were in the city, the knight wouldn¡¯t touch him.
It was shortly after the replacement Ruby Caster had arrived in Tulimeir that Veldrix had taken him aside and firmly stated how things would need to proceed. While in Tulim or the outer provinces of Blomsterang, the two of them didn¡¯t have to worry at all and could continue progressing with their budding relationship. However, once in the capital city of Blomstra, they should avoid acting any more than acquaintances.
Everin hated it, but he understood the fear that Veldrix had voiced. ¡°If the monarchs learn that I care about you, they will likely destroy you using your status as Rebel¡¯s Avatar as a thin veil of justification.¡±
Vel had brushed his cheek with a thumb, and the sorrow in their gaze was heavy as they practically begged him, ¡°Please, do not give them any reason to order me to take your life. I have nothing more to trade to them in return for it.¡±
He had agreed to the request, but that didn¡¯t make him happy in the slightest, especially when he felt the invisible wall that had quickly arisen between the two of them as soon as the city was in sight.
Now, he was respectfully following the Royal Knight through the city toward an even more unwelcome destination: the castle at its center.
Unlike Tulimeir, Blomstra was a sprawling metropolis that featured cream stucco walls and pastel-colored fabrics adorning every door and window, as well as the awnings to protect from sun and rain alike. The city was best known for the fabric it produced, with vast hillocks beyond its walls filled with domesticated sheep and an aval called a Radipuff, whose wool color would shift based on the type of Elemental or Magical Shard it was fed.
The other thing it was well known for but rarely exported unprocessed was its flowers. Flower gardens were plentiful throughout the city and wreaths of every color were hung everywhere, including in many of the residents¡¯ hair and sown directly into their clothing. The petals often were used for dyes, which were exported, and many types were used as potion ingredients as well.
The city had rings of walls that they needed to pass through to get to the castle, and Veldrix explained that when the city grew, new walls kept being built to protect it during a blood moon. The zone here was mid Emerald Caste, but the monarchs and many of its residents were Ruby and could quickly respond to a threat despite the city¡¯s sprawling nature. They also had the advantage of flying transports.
Everin had wondered if they would be taking an airship from here to Renko, but Veldrix had said they hoped to charter a portal instead to get there even quicker. He hadn¡¯t quite liked the idea that Vel wanted to speed up their journey together, but he had come to realize that the knight was rather goal-oriented and not just trying to get rid of him faster.
He also knew that much could go wrong on an airship for two months as they traveled a winding route across the country. However, monster attacks were the least of his worries with Veldrix aboard. There were still weather, supplies, and airship changes as they stopped in other cities along the way¡ it would take a lot of time that they really didn¡¯t want to waste when Everin needed to return to Phoenix¡¯s side eventually. He just didn¡¯t want Veldrix to return to the queen¡¯s side at that point.
Everin didn¡¯t realize that Veldrix was actually nervous until the knight paused before the castle gates. After a moment of hesitation, they glanced back at him and softly said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget your promise.¡±
He nodded and followed the Royal Executioner to his own potential doom.
If Veldrix hadn¡¯t been Ruby Caste and spent the last few centuries honing their body to ignore their baser instincts, they were fairly certain they would be sweating. Their years in the royal court had forced them to be rigorous in not showing any emotion through their body, expression, or aura, and luckily they had their Natural Talent to fall back on. Everin, however, was not so well versed. At least, that was what Vel had thought, but the way he seemed to relax while keeping his aura in a polite sphere made Veldrix second-guess that assessment.
Perhaps the devotee of Rebel had infiltrated more courts or noble houses than he had admitted to them during their dinner chats.
Vel would just need to hope that the rebellious voxen following them would be smart enough not to get himself killed by a jealous queen.
That was something the other members of the court had come to learn fairly quickly: Queen Mairea was extremely possessive. It didn¡¯t matter what the object of her desire was; if she thought it belonged to her, she wouldn¡¯t abide anyone else even looking at it.
Veldrix had seen her furious retribution first-hand when a young noble had approached them while Vel had been dutifully following the royals during a social event. Even with King Tarmo on her arm as her faithful husband, they had both enjoyed having Veldrix trail after them at those parties.
They never did anything so outlandish as to announce that Veldrix belonged to them outright, but their body language and lack of personal boundaries had made their claim obvious to most. That idiotic young noble, however, had thought that meant Veldrix was a toy for any noble to play with.
That House had oddly ended up becoming in charge of the southern island off their nation¡¯s coast, which had difficulty surviving the frequent storms that plagued it. Veldrix hadn¡¯t seen that particular noble in almost a century now.
That didn¡¯t completely halt the unwarranted advances made toward them outside the oversight of the queen, but it did give Veldrix a very good excuse to turn them down with. Some new noble brats would often see them as a challenge now, but the threat of talking to the queen usually put them in their place without Vel needing to resort to their own power.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
While it would have been laughably easy for Vel to throw the young scions off a roof, like they had jokingly suggested to Dazien, that would have resulted in more of a headache since Veldrix wasn¡¯t a noble. They were a Royal Knight meant to serve the crown and protect the nation¡¯s people, not give them broken bones.
As they walked through the colorful silken halls of the palace, Veldrix wondered if there actually was something they might be able to trade to keep Everin safe from the Queen¡¯s ire. They had told Everin that there wasn¡¯t, but perhaps there was some concession they could make that they hadn¡¯t thought of yet. It would already be difficult for them to convince her not to lash out over their quest, divine sigil or no, and if Everin wasn¡¯t careful enough, the queen might be unhinged enough to risk the wrath of the Scholar.
When the throne room doors opened to allow Veldrix and Everin entry, there was no more time to ponder about what-ifs. All they could do was pray to avoid any punishment.
Kneeling before the queen and king sitting on their thrones, Veldrix was incredibly relieved that Everin showed them the customary respect and knelt as well. They weren¡¯t sure if the only reason he complied was due to Veldrix¡¯s earlier warnings on their journey here or if the fact that the room was empty save for the royals made him more at ease to not prove he was the Avatar of the Rebel.
¡°Knight Thevaris,¡± Queen Mairea said in that crystal clear voice of authority, ¡°I had hoped you desired to return to our side out of love and loyalty, but who is this companion you bring before us?¡±
¡°I¡¯m Everin¡ª¡±
¡°I asked my Knight,¡± the queen coldly interjected, not bothering to look away from Veldrix.
They didn¡¯t dare to look back to see the look Everin¡¯s face might have taken at the obvious slight, but instead calmly answered, ¡°Your Majesty, this is Everin Starlark, Avatar of the Scholar and the Rebel.¡±
¡°The Rebel,¡± Queen Mairea repeated flatly.
¡°And the Scholar,¡± Veldrix emphasized in response. ¡°It was the Scholar that prompted our visit here, as my earlier missive should have informed.¡± They promptly lifted the Divine Sigil from the pouch at their waist to display before the royals. ¡°I have been requested by the goddess to fulfill a very specific task that I must leave the nation for. I bring this sigil as proof of divine ordinance and request you allow me to seek its resolution. Avatar Starlark will be accompanying me simply to convey the Scholar¡¯s will once we¡¯ve reached our target. I merely thought it prudent to inform Your Majesty about his presence within the capital during his hopefully brief stay.¡±
Silence fell for a moment as the queen seemed to contemplate Veldrix¡¯s words, her Ruby aura making no effort to hide its prodding of both their intentions.
Her eyes widened in surprise a moment later as she asked, ¡°You¡¯ve had an Obsidian Evolution?¡±
Veldrix merely nodded in response, unsure if they had made an error in not informing her of that piece of news.
¡°If I recall correctly, you mentioned in your missive that you will be traveling to the Renko duchy, but it didn¡¯t express why exactly. Tell me now,¡± she commanded.
Veldrix was grateful for the Talent that let them keep the grimace off their face. They had hoped she wouldn¡¯t have asked, but now that she had, they replied, ¡°We are seeking the Saint of the Arcanist who was last seen to be there to deliver the Scholar¡¯s message. An anomaly has occurred there that is keeping the Scholar¡¯s clergy from gaining access to the Saint, and the Scholar believes my connection will be enough to circumvent whatever is preventing the others.¡±
As they expected, the queen¡¯s face turned into a mixture of anger and disgust, ¡°The Saint of the Arcanist? You mean your temptress sister who stole my daughter?¡±
Rather than argue the point, they simply answered, ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t believe she will be returning here, but the Scholar believes she won¡¯t refuse an audience with me.¡±
There was another moment of silence before the queen asked with a lightness that made Veldrix tense as if there was an obviously wrong answer, ¡°Do you hope to return my gullibly naive daughter here to get out of our deal?¡±
They hadn¡¯t thought about attempting that, but now that the idea was out there, Veldrix was sorely tempted by it. However, the last they knew, Princess Aino and Helen were still very much in love, and Vel could never bring theirself to be the one to destroy that. No, it was better for them to remain silent and protect that love.
¡°Of course not, Your Majesty. Not unless you wish it of me,¡± they dutifully replied instead. ¡°I am merely attempting to assist the Scholar as I am particularly suited for the request. If Your Majesty demands it of me, I will faithfully remain by your side instead and regretfully inform the Scholar¡¯s clergy that I must decline and return this divine sigil. However, I thought it would be in Your Majesty¡¯s best interest to have one of the most powerful clergies in the world owe you a favor.¡±
Queen Mairea leaned back slightly on her throne, tapping a finger against the ornate arm of it in thought. Vel thought that was actually a promising sign.
Then she looked towards Everin and asked, ¡°What would your goddess say, Avatar, if I refused to relinquish my most treasured knight to play messenger for her?¡±
¡°I believe she would say that you can let her borrow your shiny toy for a few months instead of gaining her ire for a few centuries,¡± Everin replied, and Veldrix internally winced at that.
King Tarmo snorted a laugh as the queen scoffed and asked, ¡°And what do you know of my toy, Avatar?¡±
Veldrix stayed impossibly still, praying with all their might that Everin wouldn¡¯t be baited, and was relieved when he replied with a smirk, ¡°I know of the rumors that are whispered among the people as we passed through your fair city, Your Majesty.¡±
It wasn¡¯t a lie, at least, Veldrix noticed, but it wasn¡¯t an entire admission either. They just hoped it would be enough to prevent her prodding further.
After another long moment, the queen gave a small huff and said, ¡°Fine, give me that sigil, and you may go on the Scholar¡¯s quest. I will even let you use our personal portalist next Gesol. Until then, you will resume fulfilling your duties here in the castle.¡±
¡°But that¡¯s an entire week from today,¡± Everin exclaimed.
However, Veldrix interjected and humbly replied, ¡°You are most generous, Your Majesty. Even a week will be far quicker than going months by air. I will be honored to serve by your side until then.¡±
¡°To which you will be justly rewarded for tonight, my most loyal of knights,¡± Queen Mairea replied. She then off-handedly added, ¡°I was simply being practical since Noble Stratford will also be leaving for her home at that time. She arrived shortly before you to pay her respects once again for welcoming her into my nation. I offered the service in thanks for her own services during the war and blood moon to protect our nation and to further strengthen the ties between our two lands.¡±
After a beat of silence and the queen giving Everin a pointed look of smug victory, Everin finally replied, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty. I am certain that your generosity and benevolence here today will be remembered by the Scholar and her clergy.¡±
¡°Good,¡± she curtly responded, looking back at Veldrix. ¡°If that is all, then go ahead and resume your post.¡±
¡°May I show the Avatar where he might find suitable accommodations within the city if we are not leaving immediately, Your Majesty?¡± they asked in as neutral a tone as possible, their Talent helping to keep their face a blank mask of indifference.
Queen Mairea gave another small huff of annoyance before saying, ¡°Yes, fine. However, I will expect you to be on time for your night shift.¡±
Veldrix tried not to sigh in return as they recited their most familiar phrase. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. As you command.¡±
17 - Culture Shock
As they exited the grounds of the castle, Everin wasn¡¯t sure what to yell at Veldrix about first.
It had been so difficult to keep his aura under control as soon as he laid eyes on the royals and was able to sense the bond between them and Veldrix. He had seen that kind of twisted bond before¡ in Tyrand. A land where the people were little more than slaves to their usurping regent.
No matter what Vel had said about their relationship being a partnership, he knew those royals saw Veldrix as nothing more than a tool to be leveraged. Watching someone as powerful as Vel kneel in supplication to someone who was basically extorting them made Everin¡¯s blood boil. The worst part about it, though, was that Veldrix knew they were being used.
He wasn¡¯t sure if he was more upset towards the royals or the knight at this point.
A gentle hand on his shoulder brought his focus back to his surroundings as Veldrix whispered, ¡°I need to be touching you for us to pass through this particular gate.¡±
Everin looked up at the gate, draped in shimmery crimson silks. Above it, a sign read, ¡°The Garnet District.¡± Next to the right of the gate, a smaller sign read, ¡°By invitation only. Please contact the local guard if access is required.¡±
¡°What is this place?¡±
Veldrix just smirked and replied simply, ¡°My home.¡±
As they walked through the entrance, Everin felt the odd sensation of powerful enchantments wash over them. It seemed like more of the same architecture the rest of the city had, but the people he saw walking along the streets were all garnet gemites. They looked much more like the type he was personally familiar with, with wiry or crystal hair, patches of metallic scales in various places, and actual gemstones for eyes and teeth.
The atmosphere here, however, was much different than what he was used to seeing gemites in. Here, they all seemed relaxed and happy.
¡°Vel¡¯s back!¡± a young voice yelled from a nearby window, causing heads to turn towards them. Veldrix moved ahead of him to intercept the child-torpedo that slammed into them.
The knight laughed. ¡°Maria, where is your papa? Shouldn¡¯t you be busy helping him with the scouring?¡±
She lifted her hand to show a finger wrapped in a bandage. ¡°He said I didn¡¯t have to until I got my cut healed. One of the Radipuffs rolled around in a thorn bush, and a thorn cut me real good.¡±
¡°Then why are you here instead of at Mender Rodriguez¡¯s clinic? You know she could fix that up in a second.¡±
The little girl smiled, showing polished garnet teeth. ¡°But then I¡¯d have to go back to scouring that stinky wool. I swear some of them roll around in poo just to make us feel bad for shearing them.¡±
Veldrix laughed again and spun the girl around. ¡°Go see the mender, you naughty little thing.¡±
¡°We¡¯re glad to see you back, Guardian,¡± another stranger said, this one an older man who eyed Everin up and down. ¡°Who have you brought with you? It¡¯s rare for you to bring outsiders here.¡±
Everin was a bit taken aback by the fond smile Veldrix gave him as they turned and took his hand to pull him forward. ¡°This is Everin Starlark. He is an Avatar of the Scholar and Rebel and should be treated as a close friend of mine who will be staying at my place for now.¡±
¡°I¡¯m Alehandro Farenz,¡± the stranger greeted and held out a hand.
Everin recognized the gesture as what Vel had originally greeted Phoenix with, so he took it and let the other man shake it. He was still a bit in shock at Vel¡¯s admission and glanced around as though someone might have overheard them.
Veldrix¡¯s smile became more amused as they said, ¡°The enchantments around this district keep out anyone who isn¡¯t a garnet gemite or who wasn¡¯t invited in by one. It¡¯s the only place in the city where I don¡¯t need to fear being watched or overheard.¡±
¡°We would never let out so much as a peep about our Guardian,¡± Alehandro confirmed. ¡°We all know we owe much to them, and keeping their life here private is the least we can do.¡± Then the man turned back to Veldrix and asked, ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that you arrived today. Will you be joining us for the Feast of Winter¡¯s Break tonight? I¡¯m sure the community would be thrilled to see your face and hear you speak.¡±
A pained smile crossed Veldrix¡¯s face, but they politely replied, ¡°I can probably join for the start, but I will likely have to leave not too long afterward. The queen has requested that I be on duty tonight.¡±
Everin was glad to see Alehandro¡¯s face twist the way his own heart felt.
¡°But it¡¯s Winter¡¯s Break. You should be spending it with your family.¡±
¡°You already know that my spirit is always here even when my body is not. It will please me enough to know that everyone else is having a good time while I ensure they remain undisturbed.¡±
Alehandro glanced over at Everin, then down at their entwined hands before carefully saying, ¡°I had hoped you would learn to be less of a martyr by the time you brought a¡ close friend home. Isn¡¯t it a bit much to leave him alone in your home while you play night guard for the royals.¡±
¡°Thank you!¡± Everin said, gesturing toward the most rational gemite he had now met to date. ¡°Finally, we meet someone with some sense around here.¡±
Veldrix gave a sigh. ¡°I¡¯d rather not give the queen even a hint of a reason to storm this home in search of the Rebel¡¯s Avatar to have him beheaded by me for treason.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a holiday!¡± Everin argued, not having even remembered it himself until Alehandro mentioned it. ¡°That¡¯s the best excuse you could possibly ask for!¡±
¡°We¡¯re leaving again in a week, Ev. She won¡¯t care that it¡¯s a holiday.¡±
¡°Where are you running off to this time?¡± Alehandro asked. ¡°Isidora is not going to be happy to hear you¡¯re leaving again so soon.¡±
¡°Dora¡¯s never happy when I¡¯m here either,¡± Veldrix retorted with a roll of their eyes. ¡°Where is she, though? I need to update her.¡±
¡°Preparing for the feast, of course,¡± Alehandro replied with a chuckle. ¡°She wants it to be ¡®perfect,¡¯ as usual.¡±
¡°As usual,¡± Veldrix repeated with a grin and proceeded to drag Everin along.
The little district of gemites was busy, and Everin finally took the time to notice the additional decorations that had been placed everywhere. The sun was the most prominent symbol on display as the celebration was technically in honor of the sun beginning to renew its strength as the days would begin to grow longer again after this longest night of the year. This is when Winter¡¯s claim on the land would break and bring in the light of Spring¡¯s life.
Winter flowers were also on display in keeping with the entire city¡¯s aesthetic. Bright red poinsettia, yellow jasmine and purple hellebore, and a healthy dose of blue frostroses were everywhere with holly to fill in the spaces.
Paper lanterns made from pressed petals also hung from awnings and windows, and Everin found himself excited to see them lit up later tonight once the sun set. That just reminded him that he would have to see it alone, though, and he felt his tails and ears droop at the thought. While he was left here to celebrate the holiday with strangers, his lover would be in the arms of the royals who didn¡¯t deserve to touch them.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.
¡°Dora!¡± Vel called over to a group of gemites who were busy arranging tables in a huge open courtyard. ¡°I¡¯m back for a week and will be at my place until the feast! Good job on the decor! It all looks absolutely perfect!¡±
Everin snorted a laugh as the gemite woman gave a rude hand gesture toward them without even looking at first. He couldn¡¯t even blame her if that was how Veldrix normally greeted her. When she did turn to look at them with her mouth open as if ready to rant, her gaze focused in on Everin, and looked surprised. Instead of anger like he had expected, the stern-looking woman simply smirked and called over, ¡°You better have a speech worthy of the divine ready then! You can update me on the morrow.¡±
¡°You¡¯re a doll, Dora!¡± Vel called back with a grin as she shooed them away, and they pulled Everin off in another direction.
Tons of people stopped to talk to Veldrix or simply give their own well wishes as they passed. It was almost dizzying, and Everin had no idea how they were able to keep track of every face, even with a Ruby Caste Mind helping their memory. What was even more confusing to him, though, were the bonds he could sense between all of them and Veldrix.
They were family.
¡°Exactly how many gemites live here?¡± he ended up asking after what must have been the hundredth greeting.
¡°Five thousand seven hundred and three. Unless Raphael finally keeled over or Elisa gave birth while I was away,¡± they replied with a look that Everin was fairly certain was pride.
¡°And you know all of them personally?¡±
¡°Yes. Many I brought here, and many others I helped raise. I have guarded this community for centuries, helping build it up and watching it grow and thrive, though I admit my duties normally keep me at the castle.¡±
¡°They¡¯re family to you.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question, but it made Veldrix pause and turn to look at him.
Their gaze was more assessing at first but slowly became filled with that patient fondness he had come to love seeing from them. ¡°Yes. They are all my grandchildren, in a way. You may have heard the stereotype that gemites love to love. That we are quick to bed and often have multiple lovers and spouses. That¡¯s often true, but what many of those rumors forget to mention is that we are also extremely devoted to our families. We love every kind of love.¡±
Veldrix gestured back the way they had come from. ¡°We celebrate together. We care about each other. We know that we are stronger when we are united.¡±
They drew Everin¡¯s gaze back to them with a gentle hand on his cheek, and they surprised him by saying, ¡°I wanted to thank you for what you did earlier. For kneeling before the queen. I know that wasn¡¯t easy for you to do, but I want you to know that I¡¯m grateful you did. You helped protect my people by doing so.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t do it for them,¡± Everin murmured, feeling his cheeks warm to their touch and focused gaze. ¡°I¡¯m not even sure how you figure it had anything to do with them instead of saving my own neck.¡±
Veldrix gave a soft chuckle before moving closer, their noses almost touching as Vel quietly admitted, ¡°Because if you had upset the queen and she ordered your death, I may have made a very stupid mistake and killed her instead.¡±
Everin¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise, but the meaning behind those words was enough to make him close those last few centimeters and kiss them.
When the ferry finally arrived at the towering city, Phoenix departed with the rest of the crowd, and she was pleased that Zevan didn¡¯t immediately abandon her. The signs were thankfully rather well placed, though the information on them shifted from time to time as they cycled through information with different destinations highlighted.
¡°I suggest finding a change of clothes first if you don¡¯t want to draw too much attention to yourself,¡± Zevan pointed out as Phoenix stared at a large map lit up with numbers that matched a corresponding name off to the side. She almost missed what was said as her attention was fully riveted to the interactive map that she could touch to get more information about a location or change a floor. She wondered if there was some way to transfer all of it into her [Guide Book]...
When she finally registered what Zevan had said, she looked down at her long green dress which was still in fine condition from being in her collection before. Then she realized that almost everyone else around her was scantily clad in some of the least amount of clothing she had ever seen, or not seen in this case. They looked more like they should be on a tropical beach than a city in the Arctic.
¡°I¡¯m not walking around the city in a bikini. I¡¯ve never even owned a swimsuit before¡ Is that really what people wear everywhere around here?¡±
Zevan shrugged and pushed back her cloak to show off what looked like that dumb armor that all the female characters would wear in old video games that were entirely impractical for actual protection. Cleavage, midriff, arms, and thighs were all completely bare, and Phoenix glimpsed a few more patches of green scales.
¡°Why?!¡± she found herself exclaiming as she gestured towards the outrageous outfit. ¡°What is even the point of it being made of metal?! Is that even armor? What are those jingly bits even for?¡±
Zevan shrugged again. ¡°It¡¯s enchanted to do its job. You can go around in that prudish getup if you¡¯d like. People won¡¯t question it much with a white torc, but you will draw more attention to yourself that way.¡±
Phoenix glanced around at all the people again. Taking in the frankly insane amount of skin showing but also how nobody else seemed bothered by it. They were chatting normally with one another, or hugging someone in a warm greeting, or kissing people on the cheek like she had seen French people do in movies. There was one couple that she could only assume was an actual couple as they practically ate each other¡¯s faces while nobody paid it the slightest bit of attention.
She was grateful for the fact that ¡ªaside from her clothing¡ª she didn¡¯t stand out from the crowd nearly as much here, with the diversity itself acting as a mask of sorts. While the majority of inhabitants were elves, with their lithe frames and tapered ears, they had various shades of skin, from dark ebony to pale alabaster, that made her own cream-colored skin blend in better. Not to mention the shades of color that were less human than she was used to, with blue, purple, or green undertones. Tattoos were also extremely prevalent, and many of them softly lit up with magic to her perceptive eyes.
The hair was also more of the rainbow variety among them all, and Phoenix suspected that the bright shades were more of a result of magic than genetics. Her ruby locks only stood out due to the long curls, which were still not as prevalent among them, though there were many that had tighter coils that framed their features, so she wasn¡¯t that much of a visual oddity anymore.
Zevan was right, though. The people who glanced her way noticed the heavy clothing she wore as their eyes trailed down her skirt before back up to her neck and the white ribbon that encircled it, either shaking their heads in disapproval or simply shrugging and going about their way.
¡°Feeling a bit of culture shock?¡± Zevan asked her, and she glanced over to the smirking gemite, whose humor turned slightly to pity. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Many outsiders do. It took me a while to adjust at first and not feel so self-conscious, but you¡¯ll find that the people here are very body-positive and are more judgemental when it comes to wealth than they are about what shape or color your body is. To them, the body is just another form of art for a person to design and display. The Artist is also very adamant about the belief that all art has a beauty to be found within it.¡±
Phoenix glanced down at her dress and asked, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that make my outfit its own sort of art? I thought this dress was pretty¡¡±
¡°It is,¡± Zevan reassured her. ¡°But the message people here will read from it is that you want to hide from them. That you don¡¯t embrace their culture. That you are an outsider. Have you ever gone swimming at the beach before?¡±
She was taken aback by the sudden question that felt completely off-topic but answered, ¡°No, but I¡¯ve seen movies¡ª I mean, pictures of people in swimsuits at the beach before. That¡¯s what a lot of these outfits remind me of.¡±
¡°Well, imagine if we were there and some stranger nobody knew walked around in a heavy cloak, no face to be seen, unsure if they¡¯re hiding a weapon or perhaps something worse underneath it. Even if they don¡¯t intend harm, it makes the people around them wary. But like I said before, you can wear whatever makes you comfortable if you want. People aren¡¯t going to attack you for it or anything, but they will be wary of you.¡±
Phoenix looked around again at what the other women in the area were wearing. She didn¡¯t think she could handle the outfit that basically amounted to very strategically placed strings¡ but maybe that wispy silk dress? It was sleeveless and only went down to the knees, but at least it fully covered things.
¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± she finally said to the malachite gemite. ¡°I want to find my friends first, though. Do you know where I can go about finding missing people? Or at least be able to send off my letters?¡±
Zevan gave another pitying smile before saying, ¡°The PPS isn¡¯t far from here. I can take you there, but then I need to meet up with my own people.¡±
As she turned to lead the way, Phoenix felt an odd sensation on her wrist, and a small cracking sound reached her ears. When she lifted her bracelet to examine it, she was mortified to see the little onyx bead crumbling and falling from it.
¡°No. Not Uriel,¡± she whispered, feeling her heart begin to race.
¡°Calm down, Phoenix,¡± Tala replied in her mind. She had re-merged with her back on the ferry while Ren stayed nestled in her hair, remaining small and out of sight. ¡°The warm one cannot be dead. Do not think of that. I told you not to ever think of that again.¡±
¡°But his bead¡ª¡±
¡°No!¡± Tala practically shouted back at her. ¡°We are not going to panic here in this city of strangers. We are going to assume everyone is safe and will meet us soon. We are not going to fear the what-ifs!¡±
Phoenix silently nodded, understanding that Tala was right, and tried to refocus on what she could actually control right now. With a steadying breath, they stepped forward to follow after Zevan and seek out her friends.
18 - Cursed
Uriel thought the pain of regrowing his arm was actually worse than getting it bitten off in the first place.
As the flames of ascension licked at his wounds, tears fell freely, and he was fairly certain he was screaming. The only thing keeping his mind grounded was seeing the Destroyer patiently watching him and surprisingly whispering words of comfort. ¡°It will be alright, Uriel Karislian. This is nothing compared to what your Dazien went through. You were born from fire, and it will never be what hurts you. It is a part of your being and one day will be so ingrained in your soul that you will realize how much good you can accomplish with it.¡±
It was a strange kind of dissonance to hear a god known as the strongest of the evil Voidsworn speak of him accomplishing good. What exactly did this god want him to do if not destroy things? Did Destroyer not want him to destroy? That didn¡¯t seem right at all. Perhaps there was just something specific he was meant to annihilate?
¡°I hope you don¡¯t see your new strength as a curse, my Chosen,¡± the god said in a tone that made Uriel refocus on his face. He looked sad. That wasn¡¯t good, right? ¡°It may seem difficult at first, but I believe you will be able to overcome it.¡±
That was when Uriel finally was able to feel through the pain in his arm to sense what abilities his Passives had grown into. Those were something that he got without the need of Spirit Gems, but it also meant he couldn¡¯t influence them in a different direction. They would grow based on his current capabilities and needs. They would only respond to the aspects of his soul.
As he felt the prickly sensation spread across his skin, his heart sank, and he almost wanted to sob at the voice in his mind that screamed at him.
YOU DESTROY EVERYTHING YOU TOUCH!
He had said the phrase to himself often enough that it looked like his own power wanted to prove him right. His skin was annihilating the ground it touched. He could feel it shredding his clothing and he quickly tossed his dimensional bag away from him.
¡°W-what¡¯s wrong? Uriel?¡± Camilla finally questioned as the sapphire flames began to die down around him.
¡°My ability. Can your notebook analyze it like Phoenix¡¯s book?¡± he managed to ask while trying to remove his outer layers and not damage them further. Tossing his cloak next to the bag.
¡°Um, n-no, it only works on items¡ b-but I can do a ritual that temporarily imprints your soul onto an item, l-like a stone, then my notebook can read it.¡±
¡°Okay then. While I can feel what my Passives are doing, I still want to make sure I¡¯m interpreting it correctly. I can pay back the material cost later,¡± Uriel said. He shoved his boots off and added, ¡°Do you know a ritual that can reinforce clothing to not get destroyed by Void damage?¡±
¡°V-v-void?¡± Camilla stuttered out nervously as she took a step back from him. ¡°N-no. I d-don¡¯t have anything like that.¡±
He¡¯d be walking into Serenydi naked by this point. However, if what Dazien had told him about the place was accurate, that might not be as big a scandal as it would have been in Tulimeir. He had heard about Serenydi long ago from his partner, who had hoped to visit it someday, along with a dozen other places all over the world that Dazien had learned about during his studies.
Uriel knew the information he had was rather basic and shallow and that Dazien had planned to teach them more in-depth things about the nation before they arrived. Now, he had to hope what he already knew wasn¡¯t terribly out of date or missing anything critical.
Unfortunately, he would already have the problem of trying to hide his Soul Mark since the Shanther ate his bracer along with his bracelet. He was only glad the shadowy cat hadn¡¯t tried eating his sword as well.
As Camilla finished drawing the ritual diagram she needed, she placed a fist-size rock in one of the outer circles connected to the bigger one she directed him to stand in the center of. Bits of fabric were falling off him like ash, and he hoped his ability wouldn¡¯t somehow disrupt the ritual diagram itself.
After the circle was activated and glowed with brilliant blue light for a moment, Camilla picked the rock up and placed it into her notebook, the rock vanishing entirely as it melted into the cover. Then she quickly flipped it open and read. She lightly gasped before turning it to show him the results of his new Passives.
Passive Ability: Home¡¯s Hearth
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, fire)
Crystal Effect: Construct a hearth that produces light and heat for a low mana cost. Allies near the hearth slowly gain instances of [Hearth¡¯s Warmth].
Sapphire Effect: You can construct a [Hearthstone] that allows you to anchor your sense of direction to it. Constructs and Spells have increased effects when in range of your hearthstone.
- Hearth¡¯s Warmth (boon, cleanse, elemental, fire, stacking): Increased health regeneration and periodically cleanses Elemental Banes.
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Passive Ability: Fortress of Servitude
Type: Utility (construct, elemental, magical, ice, dimension)
Crystal Effect: Construct a fortress of ice nearby that serves as a shelter and dimensional storage, increasing the mana regeneration and ability cultivation rate of the inhabitants.
Sapphire Effect: You can better customize the configuration. While inside, this fortress grants increased effects when cooking or eating food with magical ingredients.
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Passive Ability: Scent in the AirThis tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Type: Perception
Crystal Effect: You have an extremely heightened and more controlled sense of smell.
Sapphire Effect: You can smell magic.
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Passive Ability: Battlemage
Type: Aura
Crystal Effect: Allies within your aura deal increased damage with Spells and Spells that affect an area have increased range.
Sapphire Effect: Allies within your aura have decreased mana costs and abilities that Drain are more effective.
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Passive Ability: Apotheosis of Annihilation
Type: Transfiguration (divine, void)
Crystal Effect: Permanently enhances your aura with annihilating power that periodically deals small amounts of ongoing Void damage to everything within it.
Sapphire Effect: Permanently enhances your body with annihilating power that deals ongoing Void damage to physical objects or beings it comes in contact with.
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Uriel couldn¡¯t stop the choking sob that tried to escape as he read that last line.
He couldn¡¯t touch anything.
He would never be able to hold his sword or wear Mundane clothes without some kind of magical reinforcement, which would be another financial stress for them.
He would never get to hold Dazien again¡
Uriel didn¡¯t even realize he had slid onto his knees until Camilla made a louder gasp, and the Destroyer placed a slightly glowing hand on his shoulder. ¡°It is not¡ª¡±
¡°How is this not a curse?!¡± he yelled at the god kneeling beside him. ¡°I can¡¯t touch anything or anyone!¡±
¡°You are strong, my Chosen. You will adapt, as you always do.¡±
¡°I¡ª Um, I m-may have a r-ritual¡¡± Camilla said in the tiniest voice he had heard from her yet. ¡°It, um¡ it c-constructs armor. It¡¯s n-not physical, but it only l-lasts for an hour, s-so I¡¯d have to keep, um, keep recasting it,¡± she explained, nervously twisting her own clothing in her hands.
He could only nod in response as he tried to stop his mind from spiraling further. If Dazien were here, he would be reminding him to focus on solutions rather than the problem¡¯s cause¡ even if the cause was his own soul trying to annihilate everything he loved.
The divine hand squeezed his shoulder, causing him to look back at the god that he blamed for so much of his pain, but he realized that the Destroyer hadn¡¯t caused this. It wasn¡¯t really even the god who had made his Passive that way in the first place. It had been his own hatred and anger towards his captors. Now, it was his own fear manifesting in it.
¡°I understand what you¡¯re feeling right now, my Chosen.¡±
¡°How?¡± Uriel¡¯s voice sounded broken as his heart threatened to match.
Destroyer gave a pained smile. ¡°Because I often destroy the things I love, too. I am cursed and hated for it, but it is my purpose nonetheless. The one I love most is also the one that hates me most.¡±
¡°You love someone?¡± he asked incredulously, not sure if he truly believed the deity.
¡°I have loved her since the day she became conscious in this world millennia ago,¡± the god quietly admitted. ¡°Without her, I cannot fulfill my purpose.¡±
That had Uriel¡¯s mind reeling as he slowly narrowed down who the god could possibly be referring to. Someone as old as one of the first gods? Then it clicked, and he asked, ¡°You¡¯re in love with the Cultivator?¡±
Destroyer didn¡¯t give a definitive answer, but his sorrowful smile and words were enough to confirm it. ¡°She hates me most of all for benefiting from the destruction of her creations. She creates such wonderful things and watches them grow to become even more beautiful¡ Until the day that I ruin it. I am a thief who causes her nothing but pain. Without her, though, I am nothing.¡±
The deity squeezed his shoulder once more and reiterated, ¡°So I understand how you feel, my Chosen. That is why I know you will survive this curse. Because you are a Shield that will always protect what he loves, even if you hate yourself for how you must do it.¡±
Phoenix may have been put off by the lack of layers the people didn¡¯t wear here, but that was quickly put to the back of her mind as she was led through the much more overtly magical city of Serenydi. The zone was normally low Emerald Caste and could support much more powerful and sophisticated enchantments than Tulimeir could before the World Tree appeared.
She couldn¡¯t wait to return and see how different the city might be if it could replicate some of the things she saw. Illusion magic was heavily used for providing the shifting directional signs as well as announcing what treasures awaited within the shops they passed.
The ceiling that she knew was above her was also illusioned to look like the sky outside, but it also had its own messages to display. ¡°Best boots in all of Serenydi at Larry¡¯s Leathers!¡± she read off one of the sky banners that appeared like a wyrmling flying through it. It appeared she had finally reached the land of magical advertisements.
Everything looked expensive to her, made from beautiful polished woods with glistening metal embellishments. The glass wasn¡¯t tinted here like it was in Tulimeir, but many of the stores had large displays set behind them with illusioned text on the glass that could be touched for more information about the items being shown.
Despite it being midday, the streets actually didn¡¯t seem that busy compared to what she remembered in Tulimeir, and she asked her temporary guide, ¡°How many people live in the city? It seemed busy at the pier, but it¡¯s pretty empty here right now.¡±
Zevan gave her a smirk, ¡°Most people are still sleeping. The city is ruled by Night Elves, and most of them are nocturnal. But it¡¯s also when this city really comes alive, and the people come out to play. Many will likely start waking soon, but you¡¯ll see a lot more leaving their homes once the sun sets.¡±
¡°Is the magic of the city what makes it so warm here despite being on an island in the Arctic?¡±
¡°Yeah, there are plenty of enchantments built right into the streets to keep the climate cozy and dry. Cleaning enchantments keep it pretty, and there are even some security features built in to protect the people from harm.¡±
¡°Like from a monster spawning?¡±
¡°We don¡¯t get many spawns in the city. I¡¯d wager it¡¯s almost impossible with so many enchantments utilizing the ambient magic that would normally collect to cause a spawn.¡±
¡°Then what¡¯s the security for?¡±
Zevan paused and looked back at her with a raised brow, ¡°Are you actually nineteen soon? Have you never left home before?¡±
Phoenix rolled her eyes. She wasn¡¯t sure why people kept thinking that, but she clarified, ¡°I just didn¡¯t know magic could differentiate a criminal person from a non-criminal one. How would it possibly be able to tell?¡±
She snorted a laugh. ¡°It can¡¯t tell if a person is a criminal, but it can tell if someone is being assaulted or is fleeing from something. There are not many guards in Serenydi like there are in some other cities, but the enchantments here are powerful deterrents that help the few guards there are with reacting to any threat. Plus, it alerts people nearby who could intervene. Most people here love it enough to want to make sure it stays a beautiful and welcoming place.¡±
Phoenix nodded along to the explanation, feeling more at ease, knowing she probably wouldn¡¯t get attacked by a random stranger. She paused at one of the displays that caught her eye. It was showing off a sparkly purple dress that actually went around the neck and completely covered the chest in a sort of upside-down V shape. The midriff showed on it, but it was still lightly covered by a sheer iridescent fabric that connected to a more solid purple that flared out like a fluffy Lolita skirt. It only went to just above the knees, but she thought it looked cute and covered more than most things she had seen.
¡°You thinking that might work for you?¡± Zevan asked, apparently having turned back to look at what had made her stop.
¡°I think I can make it work¡ What kind of jewelry works for covering wrists? Or is gloves an option here? I, um, I kinda have this scar I don¡¯t¡ª¡±
Phoenix¡¯s voice cut off as a sense that had been lost to her for almost a month tingled from her wrist. Her bracelet was letting her know that Saiya and Rayna were back in the direction of the port.
19 - I Hope We Don’t Meet Again
Once the new vessel Captain Clisson bonded to was on its way, they made impressive time while staying much closer to the shore than before. What they thought would take them a fortnight instead took only half that, and it looked like they would arrive in time for Winter¡¯s Break.
Luckily, the weather stayed fair, and Saiya didn¡¯t get so sick this time. Rayna tried her best to tamp down her own emotions, too, while they were on the ship, not wanting to burden her sister even more with her worries and fear. She had lost it a bit at first when Saiya had come so close to death, and she couldn¡¯t let that fear override her judgment now.
It didn¡¯t help when Uriel¡¯s bead cracked at the same time on their bracelets when they finally became in range of the first barrier enchantment into the city. Rayna could only comfort her sister by repeating the same words she had when King¡¯s bead broke. They had to still be alive; it was just the bracelets breaking. That was all. They couldn¡¯t be dead. Perhaps if she kept repeating it, they would both eventually believe it.
When the towering city of Serenydi came into view, Rayna was struck with her own sense of wonder. While she had read about the city of luxury before, she had never actually seen it in person and it was even more impressive than the texts had led her to believe.
The feeling of sailing through the rings of protective barriers was a slight annoyance to her ears, and she found herself rubbing at them with the weird magic humming her perception picked up. Meanwhile, Saiya was less affected due to not unlocking any kind of ability to sense magic yet. It wasn¡¯t a debilitating noise at all, just¡ unpleasant for some reason. She vaguely wondered if there was some kind of discordant feature to them that was meant to mess with other types of magic trying to pass through.
When they passed the final barrier, their vessel was approached by an Emerald Caste dock worker who flew over on bat-like wings and spoke with the Captain briefly. She assumed they were gaining information about their purpose and anticipated length of stay. While explaining who they were and why they were here, Captain Clisson lifted the magic key she had worn around her neck that allowed them to even pass through the barriers in the first place. After explaining how they were supposed to be the previously scheduled arrival of the Victor¡¯s Tribute before its untimely demise, the worker merely wrote more notes and directed them towards another location.
From the outside, this new dock looked like a large floating warehouse big enough to house a couple of giant frigates. However, the magic inside was much more sophisticated as they took their turn to enter. The building itself seemed to take over, guiding the boat into its intended location, allowing it to disembark onto the dock. Then, it was encased in a force shield and lowered into the water, where it would be magically housed until needed again.
Once the group left the docking district, the Captain turned to address them gruffly once more, ¡°This be the end of our time together. I¡¯ll be writing to the House Wayland that ye mentioned to get the rest of me reparations, but I¡¯ll not be travelin¡¯ with ye further.¡±
She pointed towards one of the street signs that hung above a grand arch over glittering stone steps curving upwards, ¡°The AOA building is located on the twentieth tier towards the center of the city. Ye should be able to follow the signs there. Otherwise, ye can head to the main arrival pier down that ways where a map can be found.¡±
¡°We can¡¯t read those,¡± Rayna piped up with growing annoyance, ¡°What language is that even?¡±
¡°Nightish,¡± the Captain said with a raised eyebrow, ¡°An elvish dialect, which most of the city¡¯s inhabitants are comprised of. Ye mean to tell me ye came here without even knowing the language?¡±
¡°Our friends were meant to be our translators,¡± Saiya said softly, ¡°There weren¡¯t extra copies of the Knowledge Tome for sale where we were, and we didn¡¯t have the time to learn.¡±
¡°Well, it looks like ye¡¯ll be learnin¡¯ as ye go now. Good luck, you two, and you¡¯ll have to forgive me for sayin¡¯ that I hope we don¡¯t meet again,¡± she finished gruffly before waving them off and taking what remained of her crew in a different direction from the stairs.
Rayna looked at her sister hesitantly, and Saiya held her hand for comfort as they both took a deep breath. She then asked, ¡°Bet on the Captain¡¯s terrible directions or try the map that¡¯s likely written in a foreign language?¡±
¡°We can try the map first to get our bearings and then try the Captain¡¯s directions,¡± Saiya suggested. ¡°I honestly think I¡¯d rather try to find an inn or some shop that sells Nightish Knowledge Tomes.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure we have enough money on us for that. Do you think it¡¯ll be more or less expensive than the one King bought in Tulimeir?¡±
¡°I would hope cheaper since most of them are made here, but with this being an Emerald Caste economy, I¡¯m not sure what to really expect yet. Remember how we thought some things were just insanely priced in Tulimeir compared to Epa Toivo? And other things were the opposite? We won¡¯t really know until we get a handle on what the supply and demand is like here, I think.¡±
¡°So, first step is the map, and hopefully that¡¯ll point us to some way to translate?¡±
Saiya nodded, and Rayna took another unnecessary but helpful breath as she adjusted course and headed for the arrival pier that the Captain had pointed towards.
It was easy to spot the map she had mentioned once it came into view. It actually towered above the crowd, who all seemed to be taller than them. They had needed to get used to the height difference when they first found themselves surrounded by the taller cinderen in Tulimeir, but the elves here weren¡¯t much better.
Rayna was grateful for the few inches she had gained upon ascending to Sapphire and already couldn¡¯t wait to hit Emerald and hopefully gain a few more. She hated feeling so much shorter than those around her.
Luckily, there weren¡¯t that many people on the pier currently, as the last of the group going back to the mainland had just finished boarding the most recent ferry.
As they walked up closer to the triangular pillar that had a heavily illusioned map on each side, Rayna began touching runes and weird elvish symbols at random. ¡°Come on! There¡¯s gotta be a translation button, right? Do they really expect everyone who comes here to have pre-learned Nightish?¡±
When the map started suddenly making noises at her, speaking in an unfamiliar lilting language, she yelled back at it in frustration, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying! Speak Trade Pyrinese like a normal person!¡±
Saiya chuckled at her and calmly teased, ¡°It¡¯s not a person, Ray. That¡¯s a map that I don¡¯t believe can understand you.¡±
¡°Rayna?!¡± a familiar voice yelled at them, and they both turned in relief at seeing Phoenix running towards them. She had been so focused on the stupid map that she hadn¡¯t felt the directional sense return but now that she focused on it, she felt certain that the person before her was actually her friend who had somehow survived being eaten.
Phoenix had barely spoken coherently to Zevan as she quickly said she had to go but that she would return quickly with friends and begged her to wait. She wasn¡¯t sure the stranger would since it was a completely insane request made by an obviously unhinged person.
Luckily, she didn¡¯t need to remember exactly which way she had come because her bracelet was leading her. As she stood near the top of the stairs that they had first gone up and scanned the sparse crowd, it was Rayna¡¯s voice that drew her attention back to the map, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying! Speak Trade Pyrinese like a normal person!¡±
Phoenix¡¯s heart leaped into her throat as she called out, ¡°Rayna?!¡± She practically launched herself off the stairs towards her friends, who both turned to her with smiles and relief.
¡°Phoenix! Oh, thank the gods, you¡¯re here and not back in Tulimeir! Get over here and translate!¡± Rayna yelled back as Saiya was already bolting towards her, wrapping her into a tight hug that she briefly feared the voxen might accidentally kill her with, it was so tight.
She wasn¡¯t sure if she should have been offended by the seeming lack of worry the bard had for finding her alive, then realized that she was the only one that none of them actually needed to worry about surviving.
¡°I¡¯m so glad to see you again! Are you all okay? What about Dazien, Uriel, and Camilla? Do you know what happened to them? Their beads broke, and I¡¯ve been so worried. Did they break for you, too?¡± Phoenix ended up asking in a rush. Then she quickly added, ¡°Actually, can we walk and talk? I told Zevan I¡¯d be right back, and I really want them to show me where the Pyrin Postal Service is rather than rely on my terrible sense of direction.¡±
¡°Yes, don¡¯t know, no, yes, and yes,¡± Rayna replied with a grin, ¡°And who¡¯s Zevan?¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
¡°I am,¡± a scratchy voice behind Phoenix said, and she turned to see the gemite watching her in amusement. ¡°We met on the ferry, and I didn¡¯t want to leave a lost child wandering the city alone.¡±
Rayna snorted a laugh. ¡°Well, thank you for making sure she didn¡¯t trip and accidentally blow something up.¡±
Zevan raised a metallic brow at her and asked, ¡°Should I have made sure to declare you as an explosive back at the customs gate?¡±
Phoenix blushed slightly and said, ¡°Well, they said explosive items, not persons or powers, so I figured it would be fine.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you have my backpack in your collection?¡± Rayna asked her.
¡°Yeah¡ª oh right, you probably want your clothes, don¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Well, yes, but I¡¯m pretty sure that scroll you made me is still in there,¡± the bard pointed out and Phoenix froze, realizing she had accidentally smuggled an explosive into the city.
¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fiiiiine,¡± she reiterated. ¡°I¡¯ll just keep it in there, and nobody will accidentally explode.¡±
¡°Should I be worried about hanging around you?¡± Zevan asked, but the smile on her face made it clear she was teasing.
¡°Probably,¡± Rayna replied in her stead. ¡°Trouble follows her everywhere. So, which way to the PPS? Are you hoping to send a letter home or something?¡±
¡°Yeah, I made one for Patricia and Everin explaining what happened and that I finally arrived at the city. I had promised Pati I would write when I arrived either way.¡±
¡°I recommended her finding some new clothes first, though,¡± Zevan interjected. ¡°If you¡¯re both Sandstep Voxen from Epa Toivo, judging from your coloration and accents, then you should be more comfortable in the clothing they have here than this heavy wool atrocity,¡± she added while gesturing up and down Phoenix¡¯s dress.
¡°Hey, you agreed it was pretty.¡±
¡°For the wintery mainland, sure, when there¡¯s like five meters of snow on the ground.¡±
Rayna and Saiya both chuckled that time and Phoenix couldn¡¯t help rolling her eyes and finally conceding the point, ¡°I get it. I¡¯m literally overdressed. Why don¡¯t we go back to that little shop and I¡¯ll get that dress I liked? Then you can show us where the PPS is, and I¡¯ll stop bothering you. You mentioned you had your own people to meet up with.¡±
Zevan shrugged, ¡°Sure, but I¡¯m not on a tight schedule or anything. They weren¡¯t exactly sure when to expect me anyways.¡±
¡°Then how about we change, drop off the letters, then we can buy you a meal as thanks for helping Phoenix?¡± Saiya suggested.
The gemite grinned and gave her another raised brow, ¡°Is that her name? She had been playing it cautiously and hadn¡¯t told me yet. Good to finally replace the nickname I had in my head.¡±
¡°Please tell me what that was,¡± Rayna requested with a huge smile that Phoenix instantly dreaded and made her own request.
¡°Please don¡¯t.¡±
¡°Maybe I¡¯ll tell you after breakfast,¡± Zevan practically threatened her.
Saiya glanced back at the sky and asked, ¡°It¡¯s a bit late for breakfast, isn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°Night Elves are apparently nocturnal,¡± Phoenix supplied with a sigh. ¡°That¡¯s going to take a little getting used to, but it¡¯s not much different from our normal hunting shifts during the blood moon.¡±
¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± Zevan replied, then gestured back towards the stairs. ¡°Come on, you all can catch up as we go. I¡¯m looking forward to that meal now and know a great place.¡±
The group made their way back through the shiny streets of Serenydi as they talked. Rayna did most of the talking as she recounted them washing ashore and the Captain being a complete jerk to them the whole way. She took an exceedingly long time to explain her solo fight with a Dire Porcutor that she couldn¡¯t loot. Even wondering if it was possible to make it back in time to find and loot the body now that they could use Phoenix¡¯s portal to jump back to the staging dock each night.
Phoenix wasn¡¯t entirely against doing something like that since she wanted to be able to portal-hop back to Tulimeir eventually anyway, but there was no way she would be doing that before seeking out their missing party members.
Saiya and Rayna both seemed thrilled about the cute dress she had picked out, and they helped her look around quickly for some matching gloves or bracelets to help her hide her Oathbond. She had a few cuff-style bracelets already that she could use, but they were mostly gold that she thought would clash a bit with the shimmery iridescence of the dress.
Rayna picked out an orange outfit that basically looked like a halloween genie costume to Phoenix. It was basically a bikini with sheer fabric billowing out to create completely impractical sleeves over the arms and legs.
Saiya simply picked out a white dress that didn¡¯t start until well past her shoulders, but it did have long sleeves, and the front part fell almost to the floor, but the side had large slits going way up to her hips. Her fluffy tails helped cover a lot, though, and Phoenix had been happy to help show the healer how close she was to getting that fourth tail Rayna beat her to.
Name: Saiya Dewsong
Species: Voxen (Sandstep)
Caste: Sapphire 4
Attributes
Strength (Water): Sapphire 5
Agility (Balance): Sapphire 5
Fortitude (Life): Sapphire 5
Mind (Song): Sapphire 5
Magic (Tranquil Healer): Sapphire 4
Natural Talents
Fantasia Attunement
Healing Heart
Wellspring Attunement
Nomadic Heart
Tails of Power
Titles
Survivor
Orphan
Clan Leader
Slayer
Adventurer
Aspects
Song
- Accompanion (Utility Passive)
- Crescendo - Sapphire 4 (25%)
- Sonorous Shield (Class) - Sapphire 6 (3%)
Balance
- Meditative Guide (Boon Passive)
- Boon of the Balanced - Sapphire 6 (17%)
- Harmonize (Class) - Sapphire 4 (53%)
Life
- Empathic Life (Perception Passive)
- Heal Life - Sapphire 6 (87%)
- Refreshed (Class) - Sapphire 5 (32%)
Water
- Call of the Sea (Familiar Passive)
- Cleansing Stream - Sapphire 6 (66%)
- Rain of Life (Class) - Sapphire 4 (71%)
Tranquil Healer (Class)
- Soothing Soul (Aura Passive)
- Restful Retreat - Sapphire 5 (10%)
- Restored Foundation (Class) - Sapphire 4 (1%)
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¡°Just need to get one of your Tranquil Healer abilities up another level, and you¡¯ll be Sapphire 5,¡± Phoenix happily informed. She looked back at the rest of the clothes in the shop before they went to pay and glanced up where she knew the little bird on her head was to ask, ¡°By the way, Ren, did you need new clothes?¡±
The others gave her a confused look, but the little bird cheeped twice, and Phoenix wondered if Tala had told Ren about how they had communicated before. Either way she assumed if Ren wanted clothing, they would just transform and say so.
She quickly paid for what they currently wore, then followed Zevan over a few more shops to the Pyrin Postal Service. Luckily, the PPS wasn¡¯t busy, and she was quickly able to go to the counter, where she saw her first Avian. The person was basically an anthropomorphic parrot the size of a human, but there was no way she could make out any kind of gender for the oversized bird. They had arms and torsos like a human, but from the knees down and the neck up it was all bird, with a pair of wings sprouting from their shoulder blades along with a back skirt of long tail feathers.
She did her best to describe the people the letters needed to go to instead of just the locations she thought they were in. Apparently, the PPS actually cared about finding the right person rather than the place when the existence of addresses was questionable at best.
Once the four of them sat to eat actual sustenance and finish catching up with what had happened after they had been separated, Phoenix introduced the person who had saved her life.
¡°A bird saved you?¡± Rayna asked, looking up warily at the tiny green creature nestled atop Phoenix¡¯s hair.
She laughed and shook her head. ¡°Yes and no, Ren is a shapeshifter,¡± she explained, then tried glancing up, ¡°Mind showing them, Ren?¡±
A moment later the daekin flapped their wings a few times and shifted in the booth next to Phoenix, obviously eager to tuck into a meal of their own.
Saiya spoke up first with a soft smile. ¡°Thank you for helping her, Ren. I¡¯m sorry to ask, but what are your pronouns? I can¡¯t tell from the way you present.¡±
The daekin tilted their head to the side in slight confusion that reminded Phoenix of a puppy. ¡°Ren does not understand question.¡±
The healer¡¯s look of amusement increased as she clarified, ¡°Are you a boy or a girl? Maybe a kosper or tuzosper? Or maybe something else I¡¯m unfamiliar with?¡±
The shapeshifter shrugged. ¡°Ren is a Ren. Not boy or girl, or else.¡±
¡°Okay, so will just ¡®they¡¯ work when referring to you?¡± Phoenix offered, knowing that was a popular way back on earth for some of her friends to be referred by when ¡°he¡± or ¡°she¡± just didn¡¯t fit. It was also what she knew most kosper like Veldrix went by after Dazien helped explain those other recognized genders in this world to her.
The daekin seemed to contemplate this for a moment, then nodded and responded simply, ¡°Okay with this, Ren is.¡±
¡°So, Ren,¡± Rayna interjected with a grin as she asked, ¡°How many times did Phoenix drop a meteor while you traveled?¡±
¡°Hold up, what do you mean by ¡®meteor¡¯?¡± Zevan interjected.
Phoenix rolled her eyes as she began, ¡°Really, it wasn¡¯t that¡ª¡±
¡°Thirty-two,¡± Ren answered promptly with a slight shudder.
Rayna gave Phoenix a flat look. ¡°That¡¯s more than once a day.¡±
¡°Well, it¡¯s only an hour cooldown, and we were in the middle of nowhere¡¡±
¡°So many sad trees¡¡± Ren forlornly said before perking up when plates of food arrived, and the others couldn¡¯t help their laughter.
20 - Means Nothing
Dazien had been kept collared, chained up, and gagged the whole way to Serenydi. Moving slowly through the air at weird angles that made no sense to him as the smaller and stealthier ship made its way towards the island city.
A few times he had thought they had forgotten he existed until Lukas walked in to shove a Crystal Mana Bit in his mouth. He remembered them talking about their fear of the Fading setting in on him, and he wasn¡¯t sure how it hadn¡¯t already with them starving him like this. Normally, that was what they referred to as the time when a Caster¡¯s natural life cycle was over. It was what Elder Pualani was currently experiencing in her old age, where her magic was slowly but inevitably fading back into the Aether.
It was exceedingly rare for a Caster to experience it while relatively young. Extreme starvation was one of the best-known triggers, but he had read about a few other rare circumstances and curses that happened to trigger it as well during his time studying at the temple of the Mentor.
A Caster¡¯s body needed magic to survive. Whether that was from Mana Bits or mana-infused food, it was still a requirement for their survival. For him, at Sapphire, he wasn¡¯t entirely sure how long he could go before his body simply ate itself and disintegrated into ash, but it felt like any moment now.
When he was dragged to his feet and made to move, he weakly stumbled, not sure he could manage to try to make a run for it. He still tried to, however, and was beaten for the attempt. He wasn¡¯t sure if he should be grateful or fearful for the fact that the guy called Lord Finndeshin made it a point to tell the others not to damage his face at all.
He had thought the plans the cultists had for him would include some sort of quick exsanguination followed by chopping him into bits, which he wouldn¡¯t be alive to feel. Now, though, he wondered if they liked to play with their food before enjoying the meal. He wasn¡¯t sure which outcome he would prefer, but the longer they kept him alive, the longer he had to escape or potentially get rescued.
The idea of getting rescued was quickly tossed out the window as the group of captives somehow managed to make their way through a maze of darkened corridors to what appeared to be a grand home on one of the upper levels of the city. Once there, they were all stripped of their belongings and cleaned up, much the way he remembered Vas doing before with that magical water hose.
He was forced to change into a simple, long, white tunic along with the others, many of whom he recognized from working on the Victor¡¯s Tribute. They seemed to be lined up in a long hall and Dazien barely had his wits enough to focus on what was happening as his mana starvation was threatening to make him pass out on his feet. If only he could get this stupid collar off and hide in his [Armory], where he has a stash of Sapphire Mana Bits.
The door opening and a few people entering was enough to help him focus a bit better, and he was shocked when he recognized not only Lord Finndeshin, who had brought him here, but another stern woman following behind him. It was Captain Clisson herself, from the ship his teammate had half destroyed. Cries of relief came from some of his fellow prisoners at the sight of the woman, and she offered them a rare tight smile in return.
¡°I see that some of these are indeed the lost ones you mentioned,¡± Finndeshin spoke up as he led the newcomers along the hall. It took a moment for Dazien to realize that the people he hadn¡¯t recognized were a set of potential buyers. Either Finndeshin sold slaves as his own side business, or this was just another method of funding that the Scarlet Banquet participated in aside from their dealings with the DOD.
¡°Cut the siva shit, Finndeshin. How much for their¡ ¡®rescue,¡¯ as you put it?¡± Captain Clisson said with a flash of anger and a glare.
¡°Well, who all are you claiming as yours? I¡¯m willing to give you a fair price since I so appreciate some of the more¡ restricted items you usually manage to get through the wards to us,¡± he calmly replied, offering a slight nod of gratitude before gesturing to the line of captives propped against the wall, ¡°Just let me know which ones, and I¡¯ll just charge just a small fee for transporting and facilitating this¡ touching reunion.¡±
The Captain quickly began pointing out her crew members, then stopped as her gaze finally fell on Dazien. He was still gagged and collared, with his hands now chained behind his back after he tried to run, but he met her gaze evenly, hoping she would show him mercy.
She nodded at him and said, ¡°He¡¯s a noble scion I had on board, not crew. Said he was on a diplomatic mission for his House. How much ye lookin¡¯ to charge fer him?¡±
Dazien¡¯s face scrunched a bit in anger at the revelation of information that she really didn¡¯t need to give up to the cultist, though at this point he could only assume Lukas Lumeris had given much more than Dazien had ever given the Captain. However, he wondered what she might have been trying to accomplish with that. Perhaps it was a warning that there were others that would come looking for him?
¡°A Sapphire Caste Shiny gemite is a rare commodity indeed,¡± the elf said with a slow nod, ¡°I¡¯m looking for ten Ruby Mana Bit at the very least for someone who might want to make him their play-thing, but I know the Scarlet Banquet would like to make use of him as well. So, if he doesn¡¯t sell today, he¡¯ll be staying with me until the cult has need of him.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
She scoffed at him, ¡°Ten Ruby Bits? Ye must not actually want to sell him if yer askin¡¯ that price.¡±
¡°Like I said, he fills a need that we would need just compensation for.¡±
Her eyes narrowed at the elf, who looked so out of place for the role he was filling with his noble bearing and high-quality outfit that wasn¡¯t just trying to look fancy even as it showed off a decent amount of skin and impressive muscles. He had an air of sophistication that made it hard for Dazien to remember that he was basically the equivalent of the mid-tier villain that Vas, the cultist that had killed Snowbelle, had been.
Captain Clisson pulled him out of his thoughts as she walked over to him and glared into his face as though waiting for him to beg for his life, even through the gag. When he simply met her gaze evenly and with his posture as straight as he could manage, given his weakened state, she practically hissed at him.
¡°Yer god-favored teammate didn¡¯t give a care to endangering my people. She didn¡¯t try savin¡¯ them. So why should I save hers? Yer group means nothing to me. The fate ye¡¯ve earned means nothing. I¡¯m done in dealin¡¯ with noble pricks like you. Thinkin¡¯ ye know what¡¯s best and keepin¡¯ secrets like a blasted Chosen bein¡¯ on board. Perhaps the goddess of luck will be carin¡¯ about ye more, but I don¡¯t.¡±
Dazien returned her glare then, anger flaring in his chest as he moved forward towards the Emerald Caster in challenge, but Finndeshin already had a hand on his shoulders, keeping him at bay ¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t difficult at the moment¡ª ¡°Well then, Captain, I¡¯ll be holding onto this one and ask that you keep the knowledge of his whereabouts to yourself.¡±
She merely waved a dismissive hand at him and turned on her heels to usher the crew she actually cared about out the door and to their freedom. Nobody gave him a second look. Not even the other buyers, after overhearing the outrageous price he would cost them. However, as sales finished and the doors closed, leaving only Dazien left from the group of captives, Finndeshin turned and gave him a small twisted grin, ¡°Now, what was that about a Chosen teammate? I don¡¯t remember Mister Lumeris mentioning that part.¡±
Suddenly, Dazien suspected that the extra information the Captain had been so forthcoming with was less of a warning for them and more of a punishment for him.
¡°I didn¡¯t mention it because she¡¯s dead. Lost to the sea,¡± Lukas said from the other end of the hall, opposite where the buyers had come from. ¡°Likely the same for his apparent lover who was Chosen by the Destroyer.¡±
¡°If a Chosen of the Destroyer was killed, I¡¯m sure we would have heard about it. If it was those pirates you told me about, the Berg Siren nation to the west would no longer exist, and if it was from something we did, then we wouldn¡¯t be having this conversation.¡±
¡°I believe it was actually the sea monster that did it, which I don¡¯t think we can be blamed for.¡±
¡°Hopefully, the Destroyer agrees with you.¡± Finndeshin looked over toward the merchant before saying flatly, ¡°Your services here are no longer required, Mister Lumeris. Heir Wayland will be officially under my purview now. My servant will take you to see High Priestess Vanderill, who you can make your case to, to which I will only confirm that this man was indeed brought to me by you.¡± He paused for a moment as he reassessed Dazien. ¡°And I will also mention how you were the one who sold his hair. I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t be pleased since I¡¯m quite familiar with how fond she is of purple.¡±
¡°I lost a lot during that raid in Tulimeir,¡± Lukas retorted, ¡°A few Emerald Bits should at least help us reestablish here.¡±
¡°It won¡¯t go nearly as far here as it would in Tulim,¡± Finndeshin retorted. ¡°But leave us now. I have questions for him, and I don¡¯t need your commentary. Unless there is anything else more prudent to add?¡±
Lukas seemed to contemplate that for a moment before slowly saying, ¡°That Chosen teammate was his adopted sister, who was also the Regent of House Wayland and called the Saint of the Celestial Pantheon. She was a Sapphire Caste Wayfarer that had eight different deities grant their Soul Marks.¡±
Finndeshin looked as though his eyes were going to pop out of their sockets as he asked incredulously, ¡°And you didn¡¯t think to mention that at all during our flight here?¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter if she¡¯s dead, does it? I saw her get eaten by that sea monster.¡±
¡°If she¡¯s dead, then that means this boy isn¡¯t the heir of House Wayland. He¡¯s its regent now, which makes him much more valuable, and if eight bloody deities were interested in his sister, do you really think they¡¯d just idly sit by and watch her get eaten by a random monster or let him get sacrificed for the Maniac¡¯s goals?¡±
¡°The Laws of Divinity should prevent¡ª¡±
¡°Eight, Lukas! Eight gods against two! Did the Laws of Divinity protect your entire headquarters from burning to the ground?! Then you have a ninth to consider if the Destroyer¡¯s Chosen managed to survive, and we have his lover held prisoner. Do you think I want the Destroyer to have an unhappy Chosen one?¡±
Lukas frowned but didn¡¯t argue further as he simply shook his head.
¡°No, I bloody don¡¯t!¡± Finndeshin yelled, punching the wall near Dazien¡¯s head and raining splinters down from the massive hole it created. The stronger Emerald Caster glared daggers at Lukas before adding in a clipped tone, ¡°Go see the High Priestess now and explain exactly who you brought to us to be used as a ritual component.¡±
Lukas simply grimaced and nodded as he moved towards the back door where the servant had been left waiting.
Finndeshin took a moment to brush the splinters from his fist and smooth his short hair before turning back to Dazien, removing the gag, and asking, ¡°Answer me honestly, and I won¡¯t make your diaphragm like the wall. Do you believe your sister and lover still live?¡±
Dazien tried to give his best smirk, brimming with all the cheekiness he could muster, as he answered, ¡°You¡¯re right to fear those gods. I believe those two will live far longer than either of us will.¡±
21 - Hints of Truth
Phoenix hesitated in front of the extravagant-looking inn that was about three stories tall before it ran into the illusioned ceiling of the upper level. The smooth white marble with gold trim and embellishments that made up the building front screamed, ¡°You better be rich¡± to those who dared enter, while the glowing magical sign stated in a swirling script: ¡°Lalune Dellarose.¡± While she had played translator as they attempted to navigate the city, it was Zevan who had suggested the posh hotel that loomed before them after learning they were all technically nobles.
¡°Are you sure we want to stay here? It looks a bit¡ spendy? While I usually don¡¯t care about things like that, I¡¯m pretty sure Dazien will hate it, won¡¯t he?¡± Phoenix asked the twins, with Tala and Ren perched atop her head.
Zevan raised a brow as she pointed out, ¡°You said you were nobles. You should be able to afford it. If you want to get access to some of the perks in the city, you¡¯ll need to leverage your status at certain times. This is a popular destination for visiting nobility, and the local nobles often visit the restaurant on the ground level to network.¡±
¡°What kind of perks are we trying to get?¡± Phoenix asked with a matching raised eyebrow.
¡°Hopefully, the informational kind,¡± Rayna interjected, ¡°The aristocracy can often work faster than the AOA can in this regard. The AOA may be an international organization, but that usually comes with a lot of procedures that need following that inevitably slow things down,¡± she further explained and pulled Phoenix and Saiya along with a hand in each of hers. Based on the wagging tails, Phoenix was pretty sure Rayna was excited about staying in the fancy inn.
As they entered the insanely elegant place, Zevan explained, ¡°I¡¯m going up to the room my people said they were staying in. The counter over there can get you sorted. It was nice meeting all of you, and I hope you manage to stay out of trouble while you find your friends.¡±
¡°Thanks for all the help!¡± Phoenix called after the quickly retreating gemite. She then turned back to Rayna and asked, ¡°Why would the aristocracy be better than some other kind of organization? Zevan mentioned I might be able to hire a professional tracker.¡±
¡°Nobles have more local connections, and the really political ones have eyes and ears all over the city that we might be able to tap into if we can impress and persuade. Those professional trackers are probably in their employ already,¡± the bard continued, and Phoenix¡¯s frown deepened with every word.
¡°So you want us to¡ what? Convince some random noble to loan out their spy network?¡±
Rayna gave her a slightly mischievous grin, ¡°I simply want Regent Wayland to make some new friends and ask if anyone has seen our teammates. Play up the fact that you¡¯re a member of the prominent House Wayland, and maybe I let slip that you¡¯re the Starlight Phoenix, then maybe somebody will be generous with their words and resources.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°Wait, you want me to pretend to be an important noble and some folk hero?¡±
Saiya gave her a soft smile from the other side of Rayna as she gently reminded her, ¡°Phoenix, you are an important noble and local war hero.¡±
She scrunched her nose at that, ¡°Right. I¡¯m pretty sure Daze told us to keep my¡ divine connections a secret, though, until specifically needed. Won¡¯t it be just as bad to mention the whole regent thing?¡±
¡°Phoenix, I know you don¡¯t like drawing attention to yourself on purpose, and Dazien was right to keep that particular thing a secret, but revealing your nobility might be our best chance at finding the others,¡± Saiya pointed out.
She gave a frustrated sigh and tugged at her braid as she mulled over the idea of trying to¡ schmooze random strangers. The idea was less than appealing, to say the least, and she didn¡¯t even know how to even begin doing something like that. How does someone just walk up to a complete stranger and try to impress them without coming off as either conceited, desperate, or just plain creepy?
Phoenix contemplated some of the movies and books she had read, but all of those kinds of interactions just caused her to cringe in embarrassment for the characters. She didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be able to pull off those types of lines with as straight a face as the actors did.
¡°Hey, you in there?¡± Rayna¡¯s voice cut through her thoughts as she waved a hand in front of her face.
She shook herself and replied, ¡°Yeah, sorry. Did you ask me something?¡±
¡°You¡¯re the only one between the three of us that can speak Nightish until we can find someplace that sells a Knowledge Tome for it. Just ask the nice elf at the counter for a pair of rooms next to each other for now,¡± Rayna explained again while nudging her forward towards the desk where a slim Night Elf man sat watching them with mild curiosity.
¡°And don¡¯t forget: you¡¯re a prominent member of House Wayland and a war hero,¡± the traitorous bard added with a final nudge until Phoenix had no other choice but to speak to the attendant.
¡°Uh, hello,¡± she began nervously, her heart feeling like it was in her throat trying to choke the words before they could escape, ¡°We, um, we would like two rooms next to each other. Or, um, as close as possible, if you have it, that is.¡±
She could hear Rayna loudly whisper to her twin from behind her, ¡°Does she seem like she¡¯s faltering? I can¡¯t tell with this whimsy la la language these elves all speak, but she seems too wound up.¡±
¡°Shush you,¡± Phoenix whisper-yelled back at her before refocusing on the attendant, who started to speak with a slight smirk.
¡°We have two adjacent rooms available,¡± he said. ¡°Can I assume by your accents and auras that you are all traveling combat Casters planning to stay for an extended period?¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
¡°Yes, actually. We¡¯ve come a long way and fought a lot to get here.¡±
¡°Oh? Where from, if I may ask?¡±
¡°Tulimeir,¡± she answered promptly, then latched on to the topic and tried to play up her friends to share the spotlight with her, ¡°My companions here are both the leaders of the Dewsong clan, too. We fought together during the blood moon to protect the tundra.¡±
The attendant got a bright smile on his face as he leaned forward as though excited about the gossip. ¡°I heard Tulimeir was another one of the cities directly attacked by one of those giant Soul Reaper airships, but an Obsidian Caste Paladin made it completely explode in a single shot, is that true?¡±
Phoenix¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m surprised news of that reached here. Though I guess it was about three or four months ago now. Sometimes, it feels just like yesterday when that happened.¡±
¡°Word travels fast when impossible deeds are accomplished,¡± he added with a cryptic smile. ¡°We may be fairly removed from the world as far north and isolated as we are, but people come from all over the world to indulge in the splendors our fair city has to offer.
¡°Tulimeir is one of the closest port cities to us, though, so of course, we¡¯ve heard outlandish rumors and even more outrageous war stories. Apparently, everyone and their cousin were present in the city when the Ruby dragon fell from the sky and devoured the fabled Blade of Pure Wrath,¡± he said with a bit of dramatic flare, getting the attention of some nearby elves that had been chatting with one another.
¡°Good riddance,¡± one of the elves, a man with neon green hair and a matching silk ribbon around his throat, said with a sneer. His willowy frame looked almost emaciated, making him look even more fragile than most of the other elves Phoenix had seen around the city so far. The combination of leafy hair and choker with olive skin made her think of him as a twig about to snap.
¡°I remember when that pretentious arse visited the city while my mother was in charge of the ports,¡± he continued, crossing his arms in front of himself. ¡°I was only a child, but she said he was the reason the Purifier¡¯s entire clergy was exiled from the city almost twenty years ago.¡±
One of his companions piped up, a less-sallow-looking woman with pale blue hair that flowed over her shoulders that she flipped back as she added with a smirk, ¡°I guess we should be grateful for that in hindsight, considering their fall from grace. My uncle, Lord Finndeshin, says it was one of the reasons our Reality Rifts were so well protected from invasion. No Renseres were within our lands to gain a foothold.¡±
¡°Were you not attacked by the Soul Reaper forces during the blood moon?¡± Phoenix asked curiously. It seemed odd that they could have their own Reality Rift as well and not have run into any problems when they had a higher Caste zone than theirs. She also tried not to focus on the fact that they thought so poorly of the man she had admired and called dad.
¡°We were, but they never made it past the Water Wards. I¡¯m sure you traveled through them to get here. It¡¯s impossible to circumvent them as far as I know,¡± the inn attendant chimed in to answer. Then he brought the conversation back to her as he inquired, ¡°Is it true that Tulimeir¡¯s Reality Rift was almost taken over by the very clergy that the Blade of Pure Wrath had forsaken?¡±
¡°He forsook the Purifier?¡± the green-haired noble asked with shock on his face, ¡°After coming here and decrying us for our heretical ways?¡±
¡°Now, Young Master Vanderill,¡± the attendant seemed to chide slightly. ¡°I know that he and your mother didn¡¯t exactly get along, but I remember when he was here and know that he followed our laws and customs. While he did speak out against the queen specifically, he didn¡¯t dishonor our culture or try to force us to change like some of the others were more prone to attempt.¡±
He then leaned forward to whisper conspiratorially to Phoenix, ¡°I heard he even wore an Emerald and Silver Torc when not on ¡®official¡¯ business.¡±
The younger man twisted his expression as though the idea offended him. ¡°I cannot believe that the oh-so-righteous Paladin would wear any Torc, let alone one that would offer himself up to dallying with a local ¡®heretic,¡¯ as that clergy puts it.¡±
The attendant¡¯s smile seemed to get even wider as he said, ¡°If I¡¯ve learned anything from my decades in Serenydi, it¡¯s that everyone has a bit of grey around the lines they try to draw. Many people will say one thing for social duty and partake in another for their own personal desires.¡±
Zevan had mentioned wearing silver meant seeking a long-term relationship and that the orange meant interested in men. Phoenix wasn¡¯t sure what emerald green meant, but it definitely made her curious to learn more about what Paul would have been seeking around the city.
It made her notice the more elaborate gold, copper, red, and blue woven wire band around the attendant¡¯s own neck, and she wondered what those colors meant, too. She was about to ask when she felt a nudge from behind her, and Rayna asked, ¡°Have you asked if anyone has seen the others?¡±
¡°We hadn¡¯t gotten that far yet,¡± Phoenix explained before turning back to the attendant as an idea came to her, ¡°Hey, um, would you maybe be up for trading stories? We¡¯re looking for some of our friends that got separated from us during our travels here and we have a lot of first-hand war stories to help sort out rumors from facts.¡±
The attendant raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°How would I know you have facts over more rumors? Plenty of Adventurers and Hunters like to exaggerate their tales of heroic feats no matter where you go. How are your stories any different from theirs?¡±
Phoenix took a steadying breath and decided to take a tiny leap of faith and follow the others¡¯ advice as she admitted loud enough for the whole group to hear, ¡°Because I¡¯m Phoenix Wayland, and the Blade of Pure Wrath is my adoptive father.¡±
The attendant¡¯s eyes went as wide as dinner plates as he almost whispered, ¡°You¡¯re the Terror of the Tundra?¡±
Phoenix scrunched her face, ¡°Seriously? How did that ridiculous title make it over here? I haven¡¯t even heard that one before.¡±
¡°Is it true you annihilated entire forests with flaming meteors from the sky?¡± the blue-haired girl asked with an expression almost like awe.
¡°It was only a handful of trees, and I didn¡¯t know they weren¡¯t supposed to be damaged!¡± she replied indignantly. ¡°I swear, people act like I¡¯m some kind of tree-murderer with how hung up they get on that.¡±
¡°I heard you summoned a giant phoenix from another world to eat a flying city made of flowers,¡± another elf added, this one with a dark teal ponytail that seemed to glint in the light, who was wearing a blue and pink choker and had been quietly listening up to that point.
She blinked slowly at him a few times, trying to process exactly how that fantastical rumor could have even come into being before saying, ¡°There is so much wrong with hints of truth in that statement that I don¡¯t even know where to begin to unravel it.¡±
The attendant laughed at that and said, ¡°Well, how about you describe your missing companions to me first so I can start asking around, and then you can recount the truths that were hinted at?¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯d love to hear the stories first-hand,¡± another elven girl said, this time with short, spiky, hot pink hair and a solid copper band around her throat inlaid with green jewels.
¡°Perhaps, after she¡¯s bathed first, though, yes?¡± Blue-hair, said. Then gave a slightly apologetic smile, ¡°I¡¯m sure the smell from traveling isn¡¯t helping you focus on the story either.¡±
Phoenix blushed and nodded, ¡°That would be great, actually. I¡¯ve been fighting monsters almost non-stop for the last few weeks, trying to get here after I got separated from everyone.¡±
¡°I¡¯m looking forward to that tale as well,¡± the attendant said with another chuckle as he held out a pair of intricately engraved rune keys and held out his other hand, empty palm up, as he said, ¡°That¡¯ll be one Sapphire Mana Bit per night for the two rooms.¡±
Phoenix internally winced at that, knowing that the apartment her brother and Uriel had rented cost them only two Crystal Bits per month. Dazien was going to be furious with her if he ever found out, but she really hoped he eventually would.
New Schedule Reminder
Hello Casters! ??
Just a friendly reminder for anyone who missed it that Wayward is officially on the new schedule starting this week.
We''ll be getting chapters for this story every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 5 pm Pacific time.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
For Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at the same time, I''ll be releasing chapters of the parallel series: Jaded
The first chapter went out right now, so check it out if you want to see a younger Phoenix cameo along with another cameo we''ve met briefly in Wayward. ?? Enjoy!
Thanks for all your support!
~ T. A. Star
22 - Different Kind of Nightmare
Uncertainty.
Fear.
Confusion.
Anxiety.
Horror.
RAGE.
Saiya bolted upright in her bed as she tried to calm her heart rate. She didn¡¯t get nightmares often normally but this was the third morning in a row since they arrived in the city. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was the unfamiliar room or the auras of those lesser trained staying in adjacent rooms in the building but it was making every morning awful.
Wally chirped up at her from his spot on her pillow. Seeing him curled up in a sleepy coil helped her body relax and she gave his head a soft pat with a single finger. He gave a wide yawn before curling back up and she softly chuckled.
She glanced at the dim clock nearby and realized she had only been asleep for about two hours now. With an annoyed huff, she fell back into her pillow and turned away from the disappointing clock. She should try to sleep some more, especially if they had to spend more time with those noble scions.
While some of them had been better than others, it was almost painful to feel their smug, envious, and often apathetic auras.
After Phoenix had freshened up that first day, since Saiya was able to keep her and Rayna fairly clean along the way, the first thing they did before chatting with the group of nobles again was find Knowledge Tomes for her and Rayna to learn the language. Normally, both of them were against using that kind of shortcut as they were raised to, but both of them realized the current necessity for them.
After Phoenix had helped reimburse them for what they had spent on the replacement vessel for Captain Clisson, they had both coughed up the few Crystal bits for the Tomes, grateful that they were in fact much cheaper here than in Tulimeir. Apparently, most residents of Serenydi were enthusiastic about sharing their culture with curious outsiders and having them speak their language was one of the things they strongly encouraged.
Saiya had gotten along fine in the shops. Most people¡¯s emotions felt incredibly pleasant, with plenty of joy and relaxation all around them. The people here not only loved their city, they felt free in it. They were free to express themselves and follow their passions, whether it was creating things simply for the beauty of it or cultivating their power in the local Reality Rift.
While money seemed to be a necessity and status symbol, it also seemed to flow freely in Serenydi¡¯s rather robust economy. People didn¡¯t seem afraid to spend their Bits because they were confident they could always make even more.
For some reason, though, Saiya felt terrible during the morning hours when everyone was normally asleep. It seemed like her fears that she managed to push down while awake, would lunge at her as soon as her subconscious took over but today¡ she had never felt that kind of rage come from herself before. Was it from someone else¡¯s dream bleeding into hers from an escaped aura? Perhaps Phoenix had stabbed a pillow again¡
She rolled over again and saw the clock reading only three minutes after she had last checked. With a frustrated sigh, she bent over the edge of the bed to stick her hand into the backpack Phoenix had returned to her now that they were on dry land.
With a thought, she felt her goal materialize in her hand and she pulled out her blue kitsune plushie from the dimensional bag. She had missed Sky for the last few weeks of uncomfortable travel. Hoping to get back to sleep quickly, she started petting the enchanted plush, mentally repeating to herself that it was definitely different from drinking those sleep potions.
As she felt her mind slipping once more, she suddenly found herself standing on a dock staring out into the ocean. It was night already and tranquil, with the waves lazily rolling toward her, and the stars reflecting off them. It wasn¡¯t cold like she thought it should be, and the salty sea spray tickled at her nose.
She glanced behind her, confused about how she had arrived here, but nobody seemed to pay her any attention as they milled about on their way to the various stairways leading to and from the towering city stretching toward the stars. How did she get here without remembering doing so? Did she end up sleepwalking somehow? She didn¡¯t think she had ever done something like that before but Rayna had done it alot when they were younger.
Saiya looked back at the ocean. It felt like it was calling to her. Whispering something.
She strained her furry ears to hear it but couldn¡¯t make it out.
When she moved closer to the end of the dock, she thought it got a little louder. When she looked down, she realized there was something under the water, just below the surface¡ something that shined like amethyst¡
She knelt down on her hands and knees, trying to get a better look, and as another wave passed she saw him.
Dazien was chained and silenced and trapped below the water, struggling to get free and trying to call out to her.
Saiya stretched her arm down but couldn¡¯t reach the water. Dazien had looked weak. He wasn¡¯t strong enough to break the chains. He didn¡¯t need to breathe as a Sapphire Caster, but he couldn¡¯t free himself and escape the depths of the sea. He couldn¡¯t come to her¡ so she jumped.
¡°WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!¡± Rayna screamed in her ear, and she felt a pair of arms circling her waist.
¡°I need to save him!¡± she cried out, noticing that Dazien was sinking now, getting further from her. ¡°I¡¯m going to lose him again!¡±
¡°Saiya, we¡¯re three stories up! I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re Sapphire, you¡¯re gonna kill some random Mundane if you land on them!¡±
That was enough of a confusing statement that Saiya finally woke up.
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She blinked in confusion at her sister holding her while she stood in the large windowsill of their shared room. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked as the only coherent thought she could form at the moment.
¡°I think you were dreaming and were walking in your sleep before trying to jump out the window,¡± Rayna answered, pulling her further back into the room and making her sit back on the bed. ¡°I¡¯m just glad the sounds from outside once the window was open woke me up in time.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve never had a dream like that before¡¡± she whispered with both awe and trepidation. ¡°It felt so real¡ does everyone else normally dream like that?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think so, but most probably do,¡± her sister replied as she shut the window and moved to sit across from her. ¡°Do you want to talk about what you thought you were actually doing?¡±
Saiya recounted the short but vivid dream and ended with asking, ¡°Do you think it means anything? I know I told Phoenix one time that dreams are just thoughts being processed randomly, but that was only because she felt embarrassed by it.¡±
Rayna raised an eyebrow at her, ¡°Do I want to ask what kind of dream made her embarrassed?¡±
¡°No, probably not,¡± she admitted but redirected, ¡°But what about this one? Was it actually some kind of vision?¡±
¡°Your powers don¡¯t work like that Sai,¡± Rayna said with a roll of her eyes, ¡°Unless you randomly cultivated some sort of Time magic future-sight Natural Talent in your sleep, I think it was just a different kind of nightmare brought on from your suppressed anxiety over our missing companion.¡±
Saiya stared at her sister in surprise for a long moment before Rayna gave an annoyed huff and said, ¡°What? I do read things, you know. I get enough of that look from the others, I don¡¯t need it from you, too.¡±
¡°Sorry,¡± Saiya said with a tired sigh and rubbed a palm over her eyes, ¡°I think you¡¯re probably right. I¡¯m just trying to keep it together when it feels like there¡¯s nothing more we can do aside from wait for information to somehow reach us.¡±
¡°Hey, that¡¯s why we¡¯re spending time telling stories to those scions, remember? They¡¯ve got people asking around for us, and when we¡¯re not talking with them we¡¯ve been looking into other options. You know I couldn¡¯t just sit still and do nothing when someone is missing and we¡¯re not this time.¡±
Saiya gave a weary smile, ¡°I know. I¡¯m just¡¡±
¡°You¡¯re just worried. I know, I get it,¡± her sister said, obviously trying to reassure her, ¡°We¡¯re going to go check out the temples tomorrow, right? You said Traveler told you everyone was heading here, but maybe the Cultivator or one of the other Luxury Pantheon deities will trade for the information.¡±
Saiya nodded, picking up Sky from the floor when she realized the plush had fallen off the bed. ¡°I just¡ I really wish they would all be here with us already. Even if they¡¯re all alive and heading here¡ I miss them.¡±
Phoenix jerked awake and Tala gave her the stinkiest eye as the bird grumbled, ¡°Are we never going to sleep without nightmares again? Who died this time?¡±
She rubbed her face, destroying the evidence of her tears as she replied with a trembling voice, ¡°Everyone¡ it kept cycling through people. They¡¯d be chained up and hanging over the ocean filled with shark monsters¡ it felt like we were outside, though, so I have no idea what they were actually being held up from¡ it was like those bad tarzan or spider-man shots were I¡¯m just wondering what the vine they¡¯re swinging from is actually attached to¡¡±
¡°You¡¯re tangenting again,¡± Tala pointed out, hopping over slightly to land in her lap for some pets.
Phoenix gave a weak chuckle, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a word.¡±
¡°I heard the loud one use it so it¡¯s definitely a word. Did they all get dropped into the monsters?¡±
Phoenix nodded, ¡°Yeah. Dazien, then Ren, then Saiya and Rayna, then Camilla, then¡ª¡± her voice caught as it felt like her heart climbed into her throat and firmly lodged itself there so she couldn¡¯t say the name.
¡°The warm one?¡± Tala supplied and Phoenix simply nodded again. ¡°Is that when you woke up?¡±
She nodded, and as she felt her tears well up again, she muttered, ¡°I hate this¡ I hate not knowing what happened to them. I hate all this¡ fear just because I can¡¯t find the answers.¡±
Tala didn¡¯t reply, just snuggling into her more while listening.
¡°I hate feeling so¡ ignorant of everything.¡±
¡°Well that part you know can be solved.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡±
Tala peeked a silver eye up at her, ¡°You¡¯ve already learned so much since you¡¯ve arrived in this world. You keep learning every day and destroy more and more of that ignorance. If you keep doing that, keep seeking more answers, then I¡¯m sure the fear of what you don¡¯t understand will lessen.¡±
After a moment of contemplation, Tala offered, ¡°We can go learn something new now if you want to help get your mind off that terrible dream and feel less ignorant. I think this answer will also give you a better sense of¡ agency while in this strange place.¡±
Phoenix tilted her head in question. ¡°It sounds like you already have something in mind. Is there an answer you¡¯ve been looking for too?¡±
¡°I really want to know what all those colors around their necks mean,¡± Tala admitted looking up with large begging eyes that reminded Phoenix of Bliss trying to get more treats. ¡°It¡¯s like everyone is shouting to each other in a language you can¡¯t translate. I know you¡¯ve been curious about it too.¡±
Phoenix chuckled but conceded, ¡°You¡¯re right. But it feels weird to just walk up to someone and ask them to explain their culture to me. I know it felt awkward to me back in the hospital when some new nurse or patient learned I was trans and started asking a bunch of super invasive questions.¡±
Tala tilted her head that time and asked, ¡°Invasive? Like what?¡±
¡°Like what my body was actually like under my clothes,¡± she said in a huff of annoyance, ¡°If I was going to take hormones or get surgery to change it. It was like suddenly my body wasn¡¯t just another body, it was some sort of weird specimen to be analyzed. Normally, you don¡¯t just walk up to a person and ask for details about what¡¯s between their legs or if they want to grow boobs.¡±
¡°Yikes.¡±
¡°I know, right? Or it would get weirdly political, like suddenly I¡¯m single-handedly the one destroying women¡¯s sports. I was ten! All I wanted was to wear a dress and be called ¡®she,¡¯ and suddenly they think I hate all women and will be the downfall of society?¡±
¡°How can wanting to be a woman possibly mean you want to ruin women?¡±
¡°I have no idea!¡±
¡°Well, let¡¯s leave that craziness firmly in your past on Earth, go downstairs, and ask that nice receptionist where you can learn more about the sparkly torcs.¡±
Phoenix paused for a moment, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at her Familiar as she asked, ¡°Are you just interested because they¡¯re shiny?¡±
Tala¡¯s eyes went innocently wide as she said, ¡°Noooo, of course not¡ I just need to know if I should update my own necklace with the right colors.¡± She shifted into her larger form and puffed up her feathery chest to show off the sparkly silver star with tiny blue and purple gemstones embedded in it.
Chuckling at the showing off, Phoenix moved to do as her Familiar suggested and got out of the bed to leave.
23 - What You’re Seeking in a Relationship
With a quick change into that purple dress she had found on her first day here in the city, Phoenix made her way downstairs. She had managed to pick up a few other options she could live with while they had been checking out other tracking options, but she didn¡¯t have very many to cycle through yet.
As she arrived back at the reception area, she was disappointed to see a different elf she didn¡¯t recognize at the counter and hesitated. Glancing around as she wondered how to possibly approach them, she noticed a sign over a door declaring it as a lounge restaurant.
Out of curiosity and social avoidance, she decided to check that out first. While she had been grateful on that first day to have some real food again, she had quickly realized the following day that she wasn¡¯t actually hungry here. The realization made her recall two things. The first was one of the first things she had learned in this world from a kidnapping mage: being in a higher Caste zone would sustain her without food or Bits. The ambient magic alone would sustain any Caster that was below low Emerald here. The second thing was that while Tala was merged, she was basically a plant that could eat light instead.
Despite not needing the food, though, she enjoyed eating it and experiencing the new flavors of elvish cuisine. As she looked around hoping to find a booth, she spotted a familiar person and felt a wave of relief as Zevan turned to look her way. She gave a wave and a welcoming gesture, and Phoenix made her way over to the booth she was already sitting at.
¡°A bit early for most. You here for breakfast or just exploring?¡± the malachite gemite asked as she gestured for her to take a seat across from her.
¡°Exploring mostly,¡± she admitted, ¡°I¡¯m actually glad you¡¯re here because I mainly wanted to find out where I might find, like¡ a diagram or list of all the torc color meanings. I haven¡¯t seen anything while shopping, and it¡¯s still a mystery to me.¡±
Zevan gave a mischievous-looking grin and asked, ¡°You¡¯re curious? Should I have changed your ribbon to be pink instead of white?¡±
Phoenix gave her a flat look, ¡°I just said I don¡¯t know what the colors mean.¡±
The other woman gave a rough laugh, ¡°Fair enough, but I thought my context was enough. Pink means someone who¡¯s curious and questioning. Someone who hasn¡¯t quite figured out what they are or want and is open to exploring options.¡±
She nodded along, thinking that might fit since she was curious, but she wasn¡¯t so sure about the exploring part yet. ¡°What about the others? I guess I just want to understand what all those options are.¡±
Zevan nodded and took a sip of her drink before offering Phoenix a chip while explaining, ¡°The options can be broken down a few ways. The first is your current Status versus what you¡¯re Seeking, while the second layer both of those can be broken down into is your Identity versus your Relationships.
¡°The Status options are more straightforward, in my opinion. In that category, the Relationship options are gold, which indicates that you¡¯re in a committed relationship, like marriage or living together, and iron, which is the opposite and means you¡¯re single and not really courting someone yet. In the Identity part of Status, you have black, which indicates you have a submissive personality, or there¡¯s purple, which indicates you¡¯re dominant.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t wear any of those colors, though,¡± Phoenix pointed out, gesturing to the silver and orange torc around Zevan¡¯s neck.
¡°I choose not to advertise my Status because I prefer people to ask me those questions. Usually, if a color isn¡¯t worn, the assumption will be that it doesn¡¯t apply at all, like some people who are neither dominant nor submissive, or that the person has complexities that they¡¯d rather explain with a conversation. For me, there¡¯s currently someone I like, so it feels disingenuous to imply I¡¯m not in a relationship when there¡¯s only one person I currently want to be in one with.¡±
¡°I see,¡± Phoenix replied, mulling over that interesting nuance. ¡°Were there others under Status?¡±
¡°Well, there¡¯s also white, which I already explained, but it actually falls into both Identity and Relationship Statuses by being touch adverse and against courting anyone.¡±
¡°Right, then the other category you said was Seeking?¡±
¡°Yeah. Again, not everyone will wear those colors, especially once they¡¯ve found what they¡¯re looking for. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll see plenty of plain gold torcs around the city belonging to happily married people.¡±
She recalled the gold one around the receptionist¡¯s neck that also had three other colors she didn¡¯t know yet and pointed out, ¡°But some gold torcs are still seeking something else?¡±
¡°Or simply something more,¡± Zevan corrected, ¡°Under Seeking Identity, you have my orange, which I said means interested in men. Then there¡¯s green for women and yellow for kosper. We don¡¯t really have a color for the tuzosper, but I think that¡¯s because most of them wear white when they¡¯re here. I think people just assume that they¡¯re not interested now. Blue means they¡¯re seeking any gender, though.¡±
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¡°Is just genders under the Identity section?¡±
¡°There¡¯s also red, which means you¡¯re seeking many people, not just one. Like white, this one also kind of falls into both subcategories, though. People who like either being with multiple people at once or simply have more than one relationship at the same time.¡±
¡°What else is under the Relationship side then? I assume seeking that commitment to get a gold torc?¡±
¡°That¡¯s what silver represents. Wanting to turn it into gold someday,¡± Zevan explained with a gesture to her own neck again. ¡°I hope to turn my crush into my husband someday.¡±
She gave a little sigh and leaned back as she added, ¡°The last one is copper. It means you¡¯re just looking for something casual or temporary. A lot of visitors that won¡¯t be staying here forever often wear it while they¡¯re staying in the city. They don¡¯t want to be alone, but they also can¡¯t commit to a life here. Others may mix it with gold, this usually indicates a primary relationship they are devoted to but also want more casual relationships with others. Sometimes, you¡¯ll see gold and silver mixed, though, too.¡±
Phoenix nodded in understanding despite feeling her cheek heating up and murmured, ¡°That sounds a bit like what Dazien was talking about most gemites prefer¡ªwith triads, I think he said.¡±
Zevan nodded but gave her a curious look. ¡°You mentioned your brother was an adopted Shiny gemite. Was he hoping to wear silver here?¡±
Her first instinct was to deny that idea, but she had to pause when she finally connected that he was a gemite to the fact that gemites often formed triads. Slowly, she admitted, ¡°I¡¯m not sure? I know he would have worn gold, but I don¡¯t know about the others. I never really asked him what he might be seeking here in that regard. He mentioned he didn¡¯t care about gender a long time ago, so probably blue, but I don¡¯t know if he was actually seeking someone other than Uriel.¡±
¡°Uriel¡¯s one of your other lost companions, right?¡± Phoenix nodded, and Zevan asked, ¡°What would he wear?¡±
Her mind went slightly blank at that. She tried to recall what he had said that very first night they had talked about romance as a party. ¡°Leadership¡± was all he had replied with while looking at Dazien.
¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± was all she could answer, and now her mind was curious about what he would reveal to the world once he arrived here with them. He wore a gold silencer normally, which would fit, she thought, but would he be seeking something more, too?
¡°Well, now that you know the options, do we need to find you a new torc?¡± Zevan prompted.
She thought about that for longer than she thought she normally would have before but eventually answered, ¡°I think white still fits for now. Thank you for the explanation, though.¡±
¡°No thanks necessary. Just don¡¯t be afraid to change the torc if you think something else might fit better. People here are more than understanding if you wear some pink while you¡¯re unsure. One big thing about the goddess Lover is that she is very adamant about enthusiastic consent. The locals here won¡¯t push you into something, especially when plenty of others are more than willing. You should feel comfortable with whatever torc you wear not only being a signal of intent but also a shield from what you don¡¯t seek.¡±
¡°And white protects me from all of that romance craziness?¡± she nervously clarified.
Zevan¡¯s smile almost looked sad as she quietly said, ¡°Yes, but you may also lose out on finding a compatible partner who might be seeking someone like you, too.¡±
She was about to point out that nobody would want someone like her once they realized how broken she was, but a familiar voice calling out to her had her turning to see Saiya and Rayna walking toward her as they entered the lounge.
¡°Phoenix? You¡¯re awake earlier than I expected,¡± Saiya said. She glanced toward Zevan and added, ¡°Are we interrupting?¡±
¡°She was just explaining the different torc colors to me,¡± Phoenix explained. ¡°I think I¡¯m gonna stick with white for now, but we can maybe look for something for you two if you want.¡± She gave a questioning look to Zevan and asked, ¡°Should we leave you to your breakfast?¡±
The gemite grinned, showing off those polished malachite teeth, and casually said, ¡°Nah, they can join and tell me what colors they plan to wear. I admit I¡¯ve been curious to see if the twin voxen are identical in this regard.¡±
¡°Definitely not,¡± Rayna promptly responded, crossing her arms over her chest with a huff. ¡°Saiya has absolutely zero taste when it comes to potential mates.¡±
Saiya rolled her eyes at her sister. ¡°Just because I like men doesn¡¯t mean I have no taste, Ray.¡±
¡°Pretty sure it definitely does,¡± Rayna replied with a shiver. She then nudged Phoenix over to sit next to her and complained, ¡°These booths are definitely not made for voxen tails.¡±
After relocating to a table with chairs and going over the various torc colors again, both voxen got a contemplative look on their faces.
¡°Well, definitely green for me and orange for Sai,¡± Rayna announced before glancing over to her sister and double-checking. ¡°Right?¡±
Saiya gave a thoughtful hum before admitting, ¡°I don¡¯t think I would mind a kosper if they were a bit more masculine presenting. Maybe orange and yellow for me then? You said we¡¯re meant to mix them, right?¡± she directed towards Zevan, who nodded in the affirmative.
¡°Many will do just like you suggested,¡± the gemite confirmed. ¡°The torcs are fairly general and mainly to avoid awkward first encounters, but that doesn¡¯t mean you won¡¯t need to get to know the person you might be interested in. Men, women, kosper, or tuzosper are not a monolith. As you said, presentation and personality can often be more important than gender. It¡¯s just an easier one to sort by,¡± she added with a grin.
¡°Then I think silver, iron, orange, and yellow suit me best,¡± Saiya confirmed before glancing at her twin. ¡°Are you thinking about gold for Mohala?¡±
Rayna got an uncertain look, and Phoenix asked, ¡°You sent her a letter just yesterday, right? You mentioned trying to keep your relationship going long distance.¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± the bard confirmed and admitted, ¡°But we never really talked about being exclusive or not. I think it was easy to assume while we were near each other and available, but now that the distance is there, I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯s not looking for someone else or if she expects me to be doing the same.¡±
Zevan smiled and said softly, ¡°Well, it sounds to me like you need to write another letter and also figure out what you¡¯re seeking in a relationship, including the one you already have.¡±
24 - Testing the Taste
It wasn¡¯t the beatings that were the worst part of Dazien¡¯s captivity in the bowels of another Scarlet Banquet lair. After all, he had endured much worse during fights with monsters during the blood moon and even before becoming a legitimate Adventurer. No, the bouts of physical pain those first couple of days was almost a relief to the ever-present gnawing ache of hunger and acted as an odd reminder that he was still alive and mostly coherent.
It wasn¡¯t even that ever imminent starvation that was the worst part anymore. They had apparently figured out exactly how many Crystal Bits could keep a Sapphire from Fading and had been careful to keep him weak but not fatally so. His body hadn¡¯t seemed to outwardly change at all yet, but the weakness and fatigue kept making him easily pass out to try and sleep to conserve the little magic that wasn¡¯t being drained from him.
The worst part was the interrogation ritual they would put him in to tear information from his lips; traitorous words that exposed his family and put his friends at risk. Even the lies he tried to speak revealed the truth as he screamed in the sheer agony caused from not answering honestly or quickly enough.
Who were you before you were adopted?
Who was the Saint of the Celestial Pantheon under all the rumors?
What are the Aspects and abilities of your teammates?
What happened during the destruction of the Scarlet Banquet¡¯s branch in Tulimeir?
Who¡¯s in command of House Wayland if you¡¯re here?
How often do the gods communicate with their Chosen Wayfarer?
What are the defensive capabilities of the Sacred City?
What were Phoenix Wayland¡¯s plans here in Serenydi if she¡¯s not dead?
What is her greatest weakness to be exploited?
Dazien was only grateful in those moments that the concoctions they had shoved down his throat while chained on his knees in the middle of a ritual circle only required the most straightforward and direct answers. It wouldn¡¯t pull tangential or detailed information from his mind without a direct request for it and it wouldn¡¯t punish him for half-truths. As long as he answered honestly, the ritual didn¡¯t care if there were pieces missing.
While he normally hated lying with a passion, for the first time in his life he desperately wanted to. When he was alone in the early morning hours that his torturers were asleep for, he could console himself with the knowledge that he hadn¡¯t told them the answers to the questions they didn¡¯t know to ask.
Uriel¡¯s past continued to be a mystery that they didn¡¯t seem interested in unraveling, though they were definitely interested in how they might befriend or control him should he still live. Camilla¡¯s presence as a temporary companion stayed unknown since she hadn¡¯t been associated with their party and Lukas Lumeris hadn¡¯t considered her. Most importantly, the goal of Phoenix¡¯s divine quest and her talent to resurrect remained clouded still.
He was actually glad now that Rex¡¯s vessel had been destroyed and the Familiar wasn¡¯t forced to endure all this pain with him. While it might have helped make him not feel so alone or completely powerless, he didn¡¯t want his Familiar to have to experience this torture.
Dazien hoped they would get bored of him soon, but Lord Finndeshin seemed adamant about milking him for all he was worth and playing up his importance to the rest of the blood cult.
He had gathered that the evil noble was rather high up on the chain within the cult but not at its peak. That position seemed to be held by the woman now standing in front of him, High Priestess Valtessa Vanderill.
She stared down at him like he was both a rare treasure dug from the ground and yet also worth less than the dirt that was hiding it in the first place. The amount of disdain was evident in her tone of voice as she spoke to the elf next to her, but her crimson eyes stared at him as though he might vanish should she blink for too long.
He had actually seen that kind of look before, oddly enough. It was the same look a stranger had given him before beating him half to death while he was still a Mundane. Jacob had saved his life then, and tried to help him make sense of what had happened. He feared that this woman would be the same kind of problem¡ the kind that despised him for making them desire him.
¡°I will admit that it was fortuitous that you acquired him when you did, Lord Finndeshin,¡± she began with her smooth alto, ¡°But not for his connection with the¡ inconvenience the Saint brat poses.¡±
¡°We¡¯ve confirmed she¡¯s alive and here in the city already! She was the downfall of an entire branch of our organization,¡± Finn argued despite managing to keep that air of elegance as he spoke, ¡°We should take her out of the equation before attempting the grand ritual lest she undermine it.¡±
Valtessa turned to look at the elf instead, finally managing to break her gaze from Dazien¡¯s chained form waiting within the interrogation ritual that had yet to be activated. He noticed her hair was a long curtain of red that matched her low-cut dress, but unlike Phoenix¡¯s warm auburn curls, this cultist¡¯s straight locks were an unnatural crimson, like freshly spilled blood. His slightly addled mind wondered if it was actually dyed with it and the thought made his very empty magical stomach churn.
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¡°She doesn¡¯t know enough about our presence here to get involved quickly enough. The night of the double full moons is in merely a fortnight and the final component to the ritual just happened to land on our doorstep.¡±
¡°I know it calls for a gemite Caster, but surely we can procure one with less valuable information still trapped in its head. There are a few we¡¯ve been watching since they¡¯ve entered the city and¡ª¡±
¡°And bring the authorities down on our heads for visitors going missing?!¡± Valtessa interrupted as she pushed her hair back and returned her attention to Dazien. ¡°We¡¯ve managed to remain untouched for so long because we don¡¯t threaten the city¡¯s interests. You know we need individuals intercepted before they arrive on the island, which you have managed to provide by some miracle. Surely, the Maniac smiles upon us and our goal.¡±
The elven lord tried to persuade the priestess once more, annoyance beginning to trickle into his words, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Lady Vanderill, he has information that we can¡¯t just throw away as a ritual component¡ª¡±
¡°It is not being thrown away, Finndeshin,¡± she abruptly interrupted once more, ¡°It will be a grand sacrifice that gives birth to the greatest weapon the world will have ever seen.¡±
¡°Better than an army of flying ships from another reality?¡± he snarked, his patience finally slipping.
Crimson eyes flashed in anger as the vampire priestess snapped back, ¡°An army that failed to accomplish its goal of destruction and left the world¡¯s ruling forces largely intact. We will not be so unsuccessful.¡±
Then she leaned forward to take a slim hand to Dazien¡¯s chin and force his eyes up to meet hers. He noticed them dilate as ruby met amethyst and she licked her lips. He gave a small huff and managed to ask, ¡°Are you hoping to eat me instead like you did my parents?¡±
Her lip curled up as she replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t get the chance to taste your mother, though I heard she was delicious, like your father. I did have quite a fun time with him, though, before selling him off. He¡¯s the reason I know exactly how delicious a gemite can be, but that was years ago now.¡±
¡°If he was so delicious I¡¯m surprised you sold him,¡± Dazien said, hoping this might be his chance to learn more about what happened to his father.
¡°The DOD wanted him and offered a price I couldn¡¯t say no to,¡± she replied with a shrug, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize then how difficult it would be to find another Shiny version of your kind. The normal ones have a much more metallic taste to them than your father had.¡±
One of her long, sharp nails dug into his cheek then, the Emerald Caste managing to pierce his weakened flesh as she whispered, ¡°I¡¯m hoping you will taste even better.¡±
As she used her thumb to smear the trickle of blood down his face and across his own lips she asked in a more playful tone, ¡°Do you know what the torcs represent?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± he managed to say, trying to pull his face from her grip, but she held him firmly.
She touched her other hand to the metal around her neck and drew his gaze down to the gold band. It had a round amethyst in its center with a topaz on one side and a round copper marble on the other.
¡°See this purple jewel here? As I¡¯m sure you know, it signifies that I¡¯m the dominant type. Are you dominant, my little Amethyst?¡±
He refused to answer and simply glared up at her with all the energy he could muster.
He would not bow to her.
With a cruel grin, she leaned forward and kissed his bloody lips, biting them as he struggled to get away from her.
¡°If you¡¯re going to play with him now, should I leave?¡± Finndeshin asked, inadvertently saving him from her assault.
Valtessa pulled away, licking her lips again and she said, ¡°Just testing the taste. A fun little appetizer.¡± She ran a hand through his short messy hair and taunted, ¡°I hope you like being bitten, because that truly was delicious.¡±
¡°And you were the foulest thing I¡¯ve ever tasted in my life,¡± Dazien flippantly retorted, glaring at her and spitting the blood from his mouth.
Her gaze hardened and lips became a thin line as she said to her second-in-command, ¡°He¡¯ll be staying in my quarters during the mornings. He can be dinner and breakfast for me. The rest of the time he¡¯s yours.¡±
She finally released her tight grip in his hair and curtly added, ¡°We only have a fortnight, Finndeshin. Get what knowledge you can in that time, but don¡¯t put off preparing him. Once the ritual is complete, he won¡¯t be able to answer any more questions as he devours our enemies.¡±
Dazien managed to catch Finn¡¯s charcoal-lined eyes glaring at the cult leader¡¯s back briefly as he replied, ¡°As you command, High Priestess.¡±
Valtessa turned around to give the other noble brief words of consolation, ¡°I know you¡¯ve never been the most devout to the cause, but rest assured, once we finish the ritual, the Saint brat will be nothing more than an appetizer for the Scarlet Thirst.¡±
For the first time since his capture, Dazien wished that Uriel had been there with him. His knowledge about monsters was the best Dazien had ever seen, as though he had memorized the entire encyclopedia of them. He had no idea what a Scarlet Thirst was, but he bet that his partner would.
When it came to defeating monsters, half the battle was knowing about what you were fighting against. The remaining half he would have said came down to skill if he had been asked a year ago, but now he knew an unhealthy amount of luck and sheer stubbornness played into it as well.
Despite his fears, he found himself hoping Phoenix was still stubborn enough to take on an entire cult to save both him and those that might become his victims should the Scarlet Banquet succeed in their plots.
¡°Well, Heir Wayland, let us not waste any more precious time,¡± Finndeshin said from a mere meter away from him now, bringing him back from his inner thoughts. Valtessa had apparently left already while his mind had wandered. The elf grimaced at his bloodied mouth and mused aloud, ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s anything you can give me to help convince the wench to actually address the divine threat on our doorstep. I believe her hunger is overpowering her logic. We need to crush your little group of Sapphires before others get involved like they did in Tulimeir.¡±
Dazien gave a pained chuckle, ¡°My party is used to tackling enemies above our Caste by now. Renseres, Soul Reapers, Monsters. Your cult will just be another story for us to tell of how Hero¡¯s Chosen saved yet another city.¡±
A slow grin crept across the noble elf¡¯s lips as he repeated, ¡°Hero¡¯s Chosen, huh? That does give me an excellent idea. See, Heir Wayland, I knew you¡¯d be useful.¡±
He wanted to retort, but the ritual began to glow again, and he once more began to try in vain to keep his mouth shut.
25 - Second-in-Command
As Uriel walked along the road with Camilla a few feet away to his right, he struggled to keep his mind from not going to some of the darkest corners he had learned to avoid over the years. The corners that whispered ways to end his miserable existence that brought pain and ruin to all he held dear.
Destroyer still walked with him even now, on his left side where his dominant hand and Soul Mark were. Uriel wondered if the god could read his thoughts despite not having made any vow of devotion to the deity. That was usually the only way a god got access to a person¡¯s mind, but perhaps the door he had opened into his soul had been enough.
¡°Aren¡¯t you wasting Aetherius by walking with us?¡± he asked after a few hours of silent trudging in the odd magically constructed armor that currently covered him.
¡°I don¡¯t consider it a waste,¡± Destroyer promptly replied. Uriel gave him a raised brow and he added, ¡°I also have an absurd amount of it, even by divine standards.¡±
¡°All roads lead to ruin?¡±
Destroyer softly chuckled, ¡°That is entirely too accurate. Nothing seems to last forever and at the end of it all, I am there benefiting from it.¡±
¡°What about Obsidian Casters? Or those zones. Aren¡¯t Obsidian Floravals like World Trees and World Devouring Lotuses immortal?¡±
¡°They are immortal but not invincible,¡± Destroyer corrected. ¡°I used to believe some things were indestructible, but then I witnessed a moon explode. An event like that shifts one¡¯s perspective a bit.¡±
¡°Is an event like that something you hope I accomplish for you one day?¡± Uriel couldn¡¯t help but ask. He realized he was using the conversation to avoid thinking more on those dark corners, but he did wonder why Destroyer suddenly seemed much more interested in him now. Did something change that made the god feel more comfortable approaching him after the last eight years since he was chosen?
When Destroyer didn¡¯t respond right away, Uriel turned to look at him. The deity looked thoughtful for a long moment before saying slowly, ¡°Yes and no. I don¡¯t plan on having you destroy another moon if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking, but there is something I do hope you can assist with that will shift the perspective of many people.¡±
¡°What is it?¡± he prompted, expecting the answer already.
¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re ready to know yet. Someday perhaps, but today is not that day. You have more pressing concerns at the moment that I don¡¯t need to be adding to your burdens.¡±
¡°Like not killing all my friends on accident?¡±
¡°Like not jumping into the sea when you arrive there,¡± the god corrected, and Uriel stopped to stare at him. Now he really was concerned about the god somehow having a backdoor into his mind.
Destroyer stopped to watch him before saying with a hint of amusement, ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you since the day you were born, Uriel Karislian. I started conversing about you more specifically with the Scholar since the day you became my Chosen. She warns me now when you start to spiral to places I can¡¯t protect you from. And before you ask, that is definitely worth the Aetherius to me. The last thing I want is for you to destroy yourself.¡±
¡°Because it would cost you even more Aetherius to have your Chosen die?¡± he bitterly retorted.
The god¡¯s amusement shifted to that soft patience again as he gently replied, ¡°Because the world is better with you in it, Uriel Karislian. Because you have the power and opportunity to make it better. If you give up on the world, it will suffer for it.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not that powerful,¡± he replied, ¡°I¡¯m only special because you chose me to be.¡±
¡°I chose you because you were already special.¡±
Uriel was caught off guard by that, unsure what to say to counter it. He hadn¡¯t been special at all. He was just a poor miner¡¯s son from a small village who had a knack for dealing with animals. His parents both worked long days and his little sister was a normal kid he often ended up taking care of. There was nothing remarkable about him or his life until the day the bandits destroyed it.
¡°I was never special,¡± he finally replied, and the god smirked at him.
¡°You¡¯re starting to sound like your little lovebird when you say that.¡±
Uriel¡¯s brow knit in confusion, ¡°Lovebird?¡±
It was Destroyer¡¯s turn to raise a brow, before glancing down the road where Camilla was nervously waiting for them. The god took a step closer to him and softly said, ¡°Apologies, I meant Phoenix Wayland.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡±
¡°Scholar can¡¯t lie to me when I pay for truth, and I see everywhere, remember? If you don¡¯t love her, then apparently I have never seen anyone ever love anyone before.¡±
Uriel felt his anger at the challenge get tempered by his earrings, and he wasn¡¯t even exactly sure why he was getting angry. A moment later he realized his ears were beginning to slowly eat through those too, but it seemed to take a bit longer for the magical material to be affected. He took a deep breath to calm himself and began to remove them to give to Camilla as he managed to calmly state, ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±
¡°Ah, right. It¡¯s against your little boundary-book,¡± the god said with a slight sneer. ¡°A good excuse to hide behind¡ for now at least. I wonder if that will hold when your Dazien dies.¡±
He felt his blood run cold and that simmer of anger got completely replaced with fear as he asked, ¡°He¡¯s alive?¡±
¡°Not for long at this rate,¡± the deity replied, turning from him and beginning to walk down the road once more.
Uriel almost tripped in the strange armor as he chased after the deity to ask, ¡°Where is he? What¡¯s going to kill him? Is he hurt?¡±
¡°What does it matter to someone who was contemplating leaving him permanently only a few minutes ago?¡±
His eyes narrowed at the deity. ¡°Are you seriously trying to make me feel guilty for that?¡±
Destroyer gave him an amused look as he asked, ¡°Is it working? Because that¡¯s likely what would happen if you don¡¯t toss your self-pity aside and go rejoin your companions. Use what you see as a curse to shield them. Just as you always have, my Chosen.¡±
Then the god vanished completely, leaving Uriel literally standing in the middle of a crossroad.
He hadn¡¯t realized it before, but when Destroyer vanished, the sounds of the world returned in a rush as a pair of sivatherium reared back before almost crashing into him and the shock of it made him almost fall backwards onto his arse.
¡°Are you crazy?!¡± the coach driver yelled at him. ¡°Are you tryin¡¯ to get killed or kill us?¡±
¡°Neither!¡± Uriel managed to reply as Camilla hurried to his side. Apparently she was more concerned about the strangers than about him accidentally slicing her with his touch or aura.
He lifted his hands in a show of surrender. ¡°Actually, is it possible to get a ride if you¡¯re heading for Serenydi?¡±
The driver stared at him and Camilla for a moment with narrowed eyes before asking in a more subdued tone, ¡°How many Bits you got on you?¡±
¡°How many would a ride require?¡± Uriel immediately countered, knowing Daze would have stabbed him where he stood if he had told a potential merchant what their budget actually looked like.
The driver looked them up and down again before saying, ¡°Ten Crystal Bits.¡±
¡°Five.¡±
¡°Five each, or you can walk for the next two weeks,¡± the driver coldly replied.
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Uriel grimaced but nodded. ¡°Ten Crystal Bits, then.¡± Hopefully, he¡¯d be in time to save Daze from whatever was killing him.
¡°Well that¡¯s almost as exciting as summoning a giant phoenix from another world to eat a flying city,¡± said the teal-haired elf that Phoenix now knew as Noble Lief Akiran. His aunt was apparently a Priestess of the god Socialite, and dealt with a lot of party planning in the city.
She had spent the better part of the last few days getting to know the small group of aristocrats and had just finished recounting the story of her battle with the behemoth that claimed the life of her magical sword Caustic Floe. They were currently in an open sitting area near the reception desk where the group could view the visitors without being in the way.
The inn attendant, Tylen Orlis, had listened from his perch at the reception desk nearby between the patrons that came and went. Some making it more obvious than others that they were there to meet with someone instead of staying the night themselves.
The green-haired boy that first joined their conversation was Noble Haevanus Vanderill and was the apparent ring-leader of the little band of nobles that seemed to only be important in that they were closely related to someone with actual power. It appeared that when they had down time, which seemed to be often, they liked to hang out at the more extravagant inns to meet prominent travelers and barter in information and favors.
Noble Evalyn Tygria, the girl with the head of fuchsia spikes, was the daughter of the Lord that oversaw the many casinos that were apparently extremely popular here. She was the most attentive listener as Phoenix shared her stories with the small group, trying to win hearts and favors in the least cringe-inducing way she could think of.
Even the woman with long pale blue hair had seemed to warm up to her. Noble Kelana Finndeshin was the niece of the man that oversaw access to the city¡¯s Reality Rift. She made a mental note to try to introduce Camilla to her once they reunited. She just needed to find her cousin first and these noble scions seemed to be her remaining chance at speeding that up.
Being social with all of these precocious scions was extremely draining for Phoenix. She felt like she was wearing a mask of noble politeness that didn¡¯t quite fit right. Worse was that her anxiety kept her on edge as it screamed that they would see through the obvious charade of her noble performance and realize that she wasn¡¯t truly one of them.
Phoenix feared that would already be the obvious case and she would be outed as a complete fraud any minute. She had been so carelessly herself around one of the scions already without even realizing it.
Apparently, the scion in particular that she needed to convince the most to help her find her missing friends, was none other than the first person she had met here: Zevan Beringer.
It turned out that her mother was a high ranking official within the Serenydi branch of the AOA, and unlike the other scions currently sitting with them, Zevan was the only Sapphire Caster among their group. With no sign of Monster Seeds in her aura, she was also the only Adventurer sitting with them aside from Saiya and Rayna.
¡°So, you mentioned that the AOA branch in your city was corrupt, but have you thought about rejoining the branch here?¡± Zevan asked, leaning back in her seat next to Evalyn. Apparently, the pink-haired girl was the main friend she had been planning to meet up with here, but the group as a whole had known each other for a long time.
Phoenix felt her fake-feeling smile tighten at the thought, unsure of making a decision like that without talking to her brother about it first. ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about it yet, since I¡¯ve been too preoccupied with finding my missing friends and family, remember?¡±
¡°Right, you said you were going to the temples later, yes? I¡¯m not sure how much help they can be for that,¡± Evalyn replied, ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a god of missing-persons.¡±
¡°They also don¡¯t usually give out random bits of information out to anyone who asks,¡± the green-haired Haevanus interjected with a sneer, ¡°They won¡¯t even respect a noble¡¯s authority with something like that. They want you to kneel before them before they¡¯ll whisper any secrets.¡±
Zevan abruptly stood, interrupting the conversation as she told the others, ¡°Duty beckons.¡±
Half of the group seemed to groan while the other half chuckled, and Phoenix had to follow her gaze to try and figure out what prompted the sudden declaration.
There, right next to the entrance and leaning gracefully against the wall with his hands clasped behind his back, was one of the most handsome men Phoenix had ever seen and she knew Dazien.
The newcomer had a pale complexion with a silvery blue sheen to it, obviously a Night Elf, with short silver hair that she wasn¡¯t quite sure if it was natural with the way it absorbed the glint in the light. This was contrasted by his ice blue eyes that almost seemed to glow with magic. He seemed more classically handsome than Dazien was, with a slightly more masculine jawline, brow, and dimpled chin.
There were three other things that surprised her about the man that seemed to kidnap her current hope away from her. The first, was that he was an Emerald Caster, unlike Zevan who was making straight for him with purposeful strides.
The second, was that the stranger wasn¡¯t looking at the gemite but at her, a playful smile tugging at his mouth and an amused glint in his eyes that did remind her more of Dazien.
The third thing was that the elven superman was basically shirtless with some fancy metal plating covering just his shoulders and connected by silver chains to the torc around his neck. His lower half wasn¡¯t much better with what she could only describe as a silver belt holding up a long, red wine-colored loincloth with some leather sandals that had silver straps criss-crossing around his calves before stopping at the knees. It almost reminded her of some kind of slave-leia gender-bend costume.
She hadn¡¯t realized that she was staring with her jaw hanging open until Saiya gently closed it for her and whispered, ¡°If you open your eyes any wider, they¡¯ll fall out.¡±
Phoenix turned to tear her eyes from the man to look at her friend instead and replied back almost dumbfounded, ¡°I didn¡¯t know Serenydi had cosplay conventions.¡±
¡°What¡¯s cosplay?¡± Rayna asked curiously.
¡°It¡¯s¡ you know, I¡¯m not sure that translates well without the entertainment industry being as robust here as it was back on Earth. Basically, people dress up as their favorite characters from movies, comics, or books,¡± she tried to explain.
¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± the bard followed up in confusion.
Saiya giggled however and explained to Phoenix, ¡°That¡¯s not a costume. It¡¯s just another style of clothing here.¡±
She stared owlishly for a moment before clarifying, ¡°I guess I never really asked back in Tulimeir since pretty much everyone wore heavy furs and tunics, but do a lot of men wear dresses too?¡±
Saiya shrugged and replied, ¡°Sure, depending on if dresses are fashionable in that culture. Every culture is unique in its own ways, but very few that I¡¯ve heard of have different types of clothing for different genders. They might be tailored differently because bodies are different, but there¡¯s enough variety between species that demands most things to be altered in some way, like what Ray and I had to get done back in Tulimeir for our tails.¡±
¡°I think the runeforged specifically seemed to favor women in dresses over men, based on what I saw at the noble parties,¡± Rayna chimed in, ¡°But I saw a few cinderen men wearing skirts.¡±
Movement caught Phoenix¡¯s eye as her gaze returned to the newcomer that had been watching her and she realized a moment later that the man was gesturing with a solitary finger for her to join them.
Phoenix glanced behind her just to make sure she wasn¡¯t grossly misunderstanding the situation. Rayna elbowed her in the side and said, ¡°Looks like the half-naked Night Elf wants to talk with the pretty Wayfarer.¡±
She rolled her eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t try and make it weird. We don¡¯t even know his name.¡±
¡°Just don¡¯t forget how to use words if he asks you to dinner or anything,¡± Saiya lightly teased before nudging her towards the entrance and the waiting stranger.
Phoenix tried to push that horrifying thought from her mind as she moved towards the newcomer, attempting not to show her uncertainty with every forced step. She gave a polite nod of her head and held out a hand to shake when she was close enough and said, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Phoenix Wayland.¡±
The chuckles that met her ears almost tickled as the elf grasped her hand and replied in amusement, ¡°I¡¯m aware. Zevan here has told me about you.¡±
That was the fourth surprise the elf had given her as she looked at the gemite who was suddenly looking very shy, ¡°She has?¡±
The elf chuckled again, ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been watching you for a while now, and I have to admit I¡¯m slightly disappointed so far.¡±
Phoenix raised an eyebrow at that and used most of her willpower to hold back a sarcastic retort that threatened to escape her lips as she merely prompted instead, ¡°Oh?¡±
The silver-haired beauty nodded and said with a hint of exasperation, ¡°The people that truly matter, the ones with power, don¡¯t want to see your shallow facade. We don¡¯t want to see polite flattery trying to curry scraps of favor. Those people,¡± the elf tilted his head back towards the group of young aristocrats and said bluntly, ¡°Are shallow, average, and will never be more than what you see. Making them happy should be beneath you, if you truly want to make an impact. As your group¡¯s leader, you¡¯ll need to do much better than that.¡±
Her eyes widened in surprise, glancing at Zevan who didn¡¯t seem bothered by the stranger insulting her supposed friends. Despite the man¡¯s words, however, Phoenix bit back another angry response and grit her teeth instead as she managed to say, ¡°I¡¯m not the leader. I¡¯m barely the second-in-command.¡± She then asked with the least amount of venom possible, ¡°But how exactly do you think I should behave to do better?¡±
The Emerald Caster smiled slyly and gave a simple response that almost sounded like a taunt, ¡°Just be yourself, Little Hero.¡±
Phoenix just stared blankly for a moment at the audacious elf before finally giving in to her initial instinct as she snapped, her frustration from the past week of getting nowhere closer to her goal pushed beyond her limits of civility, ¡°Being my heroics-prone self is what got me into this mess in the first place! My family is missing, possibly dead, because I tried to be a hero and failed. Now my last plan to try and get them back relies on bureaucracy. So yes, I¡¯ll put on a facade and try to play the nice and courteous noble not because I care about gaining favors or power but because that¡¯s the best way for me to get my family back.¡±
She was almost panting by the end of her little rant, her anger rising with each word as the elf¡¯s smile just kept growing. As though to try and make her even more upset, the man gave a little clap once she fell silent and said happily, ¡°That was much better.¡±
Then he cracked open the front door beside them and said cheerfully to someone outside, ¡°You can come in now.¡±
The person that entered was one of the last she expected, and her anger vanished in an instant as her heart swelled in her throat before she managed to choke out, ¡°Uriel?!¡±
26 - A Little Tip
The coach they ran into had been surprisingly fast with the driver¡¯s own abilities hastening their trip. While they had been making decent time already as Sapphire Casters, whose speed walking was faster than a Mundane sprinting, the Utility Caster whose entire powerset focused on transport over land turned their two weeks into two days.
The sight of the shining, towering city of Serenydi seeming to float on the sea, filled Uriel with both wonder and dread. Would he find the others? Was Dazien still alive? Would he be able to handle telling Phoenix that he could never hug her again? Would he be able to find a tailor that could make some actual clothing that his skin wouldn¡¯t shred into ash?
He realized there was a problem he hadn¡¯t thought about before that moment when he and Camilla stood in line to purchase a ticket on the ferry that would take them into the city of luxury. Uriel quickly discovered that he couldn¡¯t read the signs or speak the language the attendant spoke to the people ahead of them.
Turning to look at Camilla, who continued to avoid his gaze, he confessed, ¡°I can¡¯t understand the language. Dazien told me he would be able to translate, but¡¡± He trailed off not wanting to voice his worries that the man he loved and depended on actually died in the sea weeks ago.
Camilla seemed to shift uncomfortably before saying quietly, ¡°I c-can read but not speak it. Twenty Mana Bits per person to ride across.¡±
He nodded as they both fell back into silence, and he wondered if she had a similar translation ability as Phoenix. Perhaps something from her Rune Aspect? He pushed the idle thoughts away and focused more on keeping his aura nice and restrained as they waited their turn. Setting forty Mana Bits on the counter, he was given two slips of paper in return.
Uriel couldn¡¯t read the writing on the tickets either, but he didn¡¯t need to in order for the ferry workers to let the pair of them on the massive boat, and they soon began gliding across the crystal clear waters towards the monstrosity of lights in the distance.
When they arrived on land once more, Camilla reluctantly took the lead to direct them through the maze of streets and stairs towards their best chance for information: the AOA. With every twist and turn they took, he found himself immensely grateful for Camilla¡¯s presence as he doubted he would have been able to make it to the right location in a week let alone the hour they managed.
Getting there, however, turned out to be the easy part for the pair of them as nobody seemed to speak their own language at first, but eventually someone arrived who spoke Trade Pyrinese to help them get sorted.
However, the translator couldn¡¯t provide any answers to the questions about their missing party members. It wasn¡¯t until they handed over their Adventurer licenses and a handsome barely-dressed Night Elf arrived to greet them, that they finally got some answers. He dismissed the translator and took over the position himself as he greeted them.
¡°Hello, Mister Karislian and Miss Saren. You can call me Emrys,¡± the silver-haired man said with a cheerful smoothness that instantly put both of them at ease, ¡°I understand that you¡¯ve been separated from your party during your travels here?¡±
Uriel nodded and reluctantly spoke up when Camilla didn¡¯t answer, ¡°Yes. Our ship was attacked by pirates and a Hoarfrost Leviathan. We were lucky enough to make it to shore together but haven¡¯t been able to meet back up with our companions.¡±
Emrys¡¯ smile was almost blinding as he replied, ¡°Well, I have some good news then. Three of your companions have already arrived and are staying here in the city at Lalune Dellarose. I can take you to them now if you wish.¡±
¡°Please,¡± Uriel almost begged. The relief that crashed into him stole his breath away and he was glad he no longer needed it. Only a moment later did it click that three was not four, and he wondered which one of his companions they would be stuck waiting to arrive, or worse, needed to mourn. He steeled himself as he asked, ¡°Who¡ who isn¡¯t¡ª¡±
¡°We can cover that once you¡¯re all together. The others have been waiting for over a week now, and I just got some information pertaining to the one still missing a bit earlier today. I would like to gather you all before going over everything,¡± Emrys gently said, and Uriel was slightly surprised by the sense of tension leaving his body.
Something about this man was¡ comforting. Perhaps the confidence with how he carried himself? Or the compassionate smile he gave them? He couldn¡¯t place why, but he followed him almost eagerly as they left the crowded AOA hall.
It wasn¡¯t too much longer until they arrived at an extravagant building, and he wondered if they were in the right place. While he knew Dazien wanted to be a king someday, the orphaned gemite wasn¡¯t one to waste money on extravagance like this inn screamed it was.
His heart sank at that, fearing that the location meant that Dazien hadn¡¯t been there to choose it. Maybe he had arrived later, though, and hadn¡¯t bothered relocating? It was a stretch, but a hope to cling to nonetheless.
¡°Would you two mind waiting out here for a bit? I wish to verify that they are here still and don¡¯t want either of you to feel overwhelmed,¡± the elf said gently but without condescension.
Uriel noticed the furtive glances Camilla was giving the building and his own hesitant posture. Returning his smile, Uriel replied, ¡°Thank you. That¡¯s very considerate of you.¡±
¡°Of course,¡± Emrys said with a wave of his hand as though it was nothing, ¡°You have been through enough already. I will be back soon.¡±
Then he vanished with a swish of silk and smooth grace, leaving Uriel and Camilla to wait awkwardly while not daring to lean against the gilded walls of the inn.
He was beginning to worry that perhaps they weren¡¯t there, when the door cracked open and Emrys¡¯ voice echoed out to him, filled with amusement, ¡°You can come in now.¡±
Uriel led the way for the fidgeting researcher as he pushed the door open a bit wider and walked the pair of them through to hear a voice, one that he hadn¡¯t realized until that moment that he had been desperately longing to hear again.
Phoenix choked out, ¡°Uriel?!¡±
As his eyes instantly locked on hers, they both seemed to react on instinct as they closed the distance and hugged each other tightly. Relief flooded their auras at the same time as the two best friends were finally reunited.
¡°You¡¯re alive,¡± Phoenix almost sobbed as she smooshed her face against his magically armored chest, ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±
Uriel swallowed the lump in his own throat as he managed to say, ¡°Thanks to Camilla.¡± He released her a moment later as he almost rested his cheek upon her hair. Taking a step away and holding her at arm¡¯s length with his magically gloved hands he added, ¡°While I would love to keep hugging, I have a lot that I need to explain.¡±
Her watery eyes trailed up and down him before she asked with a crooked smile, ¡°Like what exactly you¡¯re wearing? Where did you get this armor? I¡¯m not sure this bright blue is really your color, which I have been learning waaay more about fashion lately than I had ever planned to before.¡±
He didn¡¯t get a chance to answer as another body slammed into him and he was finally grateful he was Sapphire now and managed to stay standing.
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Saiya¡¯s grip on him was almost breaking him though as he tried to carefully extricate himself from it.
¡°You¡¯re Sapphire!¡± Saiya exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯m so relieved you¡¯re alive and finally ascended!¡±
¡°You¡¯re late,¡± Rayna teased as she followed her sister to their side. ¡°Glad to see you made it here, though.¡±
He shook his head but managed to return her grin with a rather forced one of his own. ¡°You too. I wasn¡¯t sure if anyone else had survived.¡± It wasn¡¯t that he was disappointed to see them. He was relieved the twins had lived too, but if they were here¡ that meant Dazien was still missing.
¡°Speaking of that,¡± Emrys interrupted, drawing everyone¡¯s attention to him instead. ¡°Let¡¯s find somewhere more private to sit and talk.¡± His pale blue gaze settled on Phoenix as he inquired, ¡°I believe you have a couple of rooms rented here, yes?¡±
Phoenix gave the elf a glare that Uriel wasn¡¯t sure the reason for as she gave a curt nod and said with more bite than she normally used, ¡°Yeah, up on the third floor.¡± At Emrys¡¯s raised eyebrow she gave a huff of annoyance, ¡°Yeah, we can use it, but I don¡¯t even know who you are or what you need to talk to us about.¡±
¡°He said he had some information about Dazien,¡± Uriel supplied, and tried to get her to relax around Emrys a bit more by adding, ¡°He¡¯s been helpful to me and Camilla so far. We met him at the AOA.¡±
Phoenix¡¯s brows knit in confusion, ¡°The AOA told me that they don¡¯t take missing person missions here that don¡¯t pertain to a resident of the island. They wouldn¡¯t send an Adventurer to comb the ocean for an outsider who¡¯s never even been there before.¡±
Emrys smiled and gestured to a malachite gemite that Uriel had only ever seen pictures of before as the Night Elf explained, ¡°Well, that¡¯s where Zevan comes in. She reached out to me specifically and explained your situation. I requested that the AOA and Port Authority inform me should any of your missing companions show up there while using my own connections to send a few messages. I received a little tip just before the PA contacted me about the arrival of these two. I can continue explaining in your room, instead of blocking the entrance here.¡±
Uriel chuckled slightly at the subtle tease that reminded him of how Dazien would behave at times. Phoenix gave him a curious look but nodded, ¡°Sure. We can all go into my room on the third floor,¡± she said, then turned to lead the way for them.
It felt weird to Uriel to be going to the third floor of the building that was located on the twenty-first floor of the city, but there was much in this sparkling city that he was already finding odd. The clothing, the jewelry, the music, the people, the constant laughter and sounds of parties; all of it was so different from Tulimeir.
The room was spacious with enough seating between the chairs and pair of beds to accommodate all of them. Once they were all seated, Saiya successfully extracted from his waist, Emrys finally revealed his information.
¡°I received word that a Shiny Amethyst Gemite was spotted on an island near here. The Silent Isle is primarily a den of thieves and crooks outside the purview of any civilized nation¡ª¡±
¡°Why doesn¡¯t Serenydi¡¯s government just go rout them out?¡± Phoenix interrupted with another glare and Uriel was wondering again exactly what happened to make her so hostile toward the man who was helping them.
¡°Because they are not part of Serenydi, and if the isle was destroyed they would just go to another and continue on,¡± the Night Elf patiently replied, ¡°If we leave them be for the most part, then we can have our own agents in place to keep an eye out for the worst. If we had routed them out as you suggest, then I would never have learned of your brother passing through.¡±
¡°What was he even doing there?¡± Rayna asked from her spot on a bed.
¡°Apparently, he was taken prisoner,¡± Emrys softly announced, ¡°I¡¯m trying to narrow down by who exactly, but the brothel matron who bought his hair for one of her ladies mentioned the slaver was a runeforged that didn¡¯t speak Nightish well and hadn¡¯t ever been seen on the isle before.¡±
Silence fell for a moment before Phoenix asked in a horrified whisper, ¡°What do you mean by bought his hair?¡±
Emrys met her gaze, ¡°Exactly that. She cut it and paid the slaver Bits for it. He apparently put up a fight according to her complaints about it, but he was a Caste below her guards and wore Chains of Silencing Hunger.¡±
Phoenix glanced at Uriel in silent question and he explained, ¡°There are different kinds of Silencers. I believe those ones do exactly like they sound. They keep him silenced and starved.¡±
She put her hand over her mouth and Uriel could practically see the panic behind her eyes as her mind likely raced as much as his currently was. ¡°You said passing through,¡± Uriel reiterated as he asked, ¡°Do you know where they took him?¡±
¡°Not yet, but I have my people asking around to find out,¡± Emrys replied. The elf¡¯s lips curled into a more apologetic smile, and he added to Phoenix, ¡°I know I ruffled your feathers a bit earlier, and I¡¯d like to apologize for that. I simply didn¡¯t want you to treat me like you were with those other nobles, putting on a mask that did not fit you in the slightest. I am here to help you, though, if you¡¯ll allow it.¡±
Phoenix frowned at him, contemplating in silence for a long moment before saying, ¡°You called me ¡®Little Hero¡¯ earlier. What did you mean by it?¡±
His smile turned more into amusement as he answered, ¡°I know who you are, Saint Wayland. My information network is likely the strongest this side of Devreli. I have heard much about you already, but those other nobles downstairs are not nearly so informed.¡±
He nodded toward Zevan who sat beside him on the opposite bed from Phoenix, ¡°I normally have Zevan spend some time with them every now and again to learn anything useful they might have caught in their inn hopping, but they very rarely gain anything of note.¡±
¡°Wait, who exactly are you?¡± Rayna interjected again, eyes narrowed as if suddenly on alert.
Emrys smiled again, ¡°Hopefully a friend. I¡¯m just another prominent noble scion, but I have quite a bit more experience and ambition than the others downstairs.¡±
¡°Ambition?¡± Uriel repeated, wondering exactly what he aspired toward.
¡°In the sense of not sitting around chatting in an inn all day just to feel like I¡¯m someone important while not actually accomplishing anything productive,¡± he replied, before turning toward Rayna and saying in a slightly more conspiratorial whisper, ¡°I personally blame the Fain¨¦ant being part of our pantheon for that, though. They make him so proud.¡±
Rayna snorted a laugh that time, her body relaxing more, ¡°The god of layabouts and relaxation? I wonder why anyone thought that would be a good one to include.¡±
Emrys chuckled as well, ¡°I¡¯m certain those entitled scions did.¡± He turned back to Phoenix, and his humor turned more serious as he asked, ¡°I want to help you find the Heir of House Wayland and assist in whatever brought you here in the first place. Will you let me?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not the leader,¡± she said, which seemed odd to Uriel at first, ¡°I¡¯m not going to give orders to my friends, and I¡¯ll need to talk with them first about trusting you.¡±
Emyrs raised a brow and glanced towards everyone else. When his gaze fell on Uriel, he asked, ¡°With your former party leader gone, is it not Regent Wayland who leads you all?¡±
He blinked owlishly for a moment, unsure what to admit. As far as he was concerned, Phoenix was their leader in Dazien¡¯s absence, despite him knowing that she would shy away from the title. Rayna might have the brazen attitude that many leaders seemed to have, but he knew she wasn¡¯t one. Uriel knew what true leaders looked and felt like, and Rayna was more of a soldier than a commander. While Phoenix didn¡¯t normally give orders, she still had the presence of someone who could lead, especially when he had seen her stand in defiance against multiple gods.
She was someone who could make the choices that needed to be made when it mattered the most.
He hadn¡¯t recognized it before, but if Dazien was gone, then Phoenix was someone he felt he could follow¡ªsomeone he wanted to follow and support.
Phoenix¡¯s eyes hardened as she seemed to realize that everyone was looking to her to decide and huffed in annoyance, ¡°Look, I know I said I¡¯d do better about the whole Saint thing, but I still don¡¯t want to be the one deciding everything on my own.¡±
Emrys nodded and stood, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll leave you all to discuss then. Zevan will be staying here at the inn while you¡¯re in town, so she can get a hold of me if you need my help at all. I¡¯ll still keep my people looking for Heir Wayland on my own and at least let you know if I learn anything new. You may not want my help, but I¡¯m sure he does.¡±
As the elf made for the door, Phoenix called out, ¡°Wait, Emrys.¡±
He paused and looked back at them, and she said, ¡°Thank you. I think we¡¯d be grateful for your help, if you¡¯re offering it. I know I¡¯ve been doing a pretty crappy job about finding people so far and Uriel was right, all you¡¯ve done is help us.¡±
¡°And ruffle your feathers,¡± he added with a smirk.
Phoenix snorted a laugh, ¡°Yeah, maybe don¡¯t do that as much?¡±
He laughed that time, ¡°It will be hard for me to promise that. Much like I wanted you to be yourself around me, I was hoping you¡¯d allow me to be more myself around you. No shallow facade coming from me either.¡±
Uriel watched silently as his chest tightened when he saw Phoenix¡¯s smile become more genuine as she replied to the handsome noble elf, ¡°I might be able to allow that. You said you wanted to be friends, right?¡±
Emrys nodded, ¡°I would like that, but I understand if it takes you time to want the same.¡± He returned her smile with an odd fondness as he said, ¡°Something tells me that you¡¯re worth waiting for.¡±
27 - Teal the Tailor
Phoenix waved goodbye as Zevan followed Emrys out the door and left her alone to properly reunite with her best friend and cousin. As she met Uriel¡¯s gaze, a part of her wanted to cross the distance and hug him again, half-afraid this was yet another nightmare he might vanish again.
Surprisingly, Camilla was the one to interrupt the silence, ¡°I n-need to cast the ritual again.¡±
Uriel nodded and explained to the group, ¡°My transfiguration got worse when I ascended.¡±
That confused her, how could it possibly get worse than needing to be silenced ninety percent of the time?
¡°It changed my skin to be like my aura. It destroys anything physical it comes into contact with, including my clothes,¡± he awkwarding added that last bit, and she noticed the soft glow of his cheeks as he blushed. ¡°Camilla has been casting a ritual that conjures this armor for an hour and doesn¡¯t count as physical since it¡¯s a magical construct.¡±
¡°Powers not treating a person¡¯s own equipment as a part of themselves is incredibly rare,¡± Saiya said in a tone of mild awe, ¡°Even Ren and Bliss¡¯ shapeshifting keeps clothing as part of them.¡±
Uriel gave her a flat look, ¡°Thank you for reminding me how cursed I am.¡±
¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I¡¯m just really surprised. What happened with your other Passives?¡±
Phoenix didn¡¯t even wait for him to ask as she provided her book, and he lightly touched the open pages to share them. As she read over them, most seemed like great additions, except that last one¡
Hesitantly, she reached out to try touching his cheek, but he pulled away from her. ¡°What are you doing?¡±
¡°I want to see how it works,¡± she replied, trying not to let her fear show as her mind contemplated never being able to hug him or hold his hand again. Him holding her as they talked were some of her favorite memories, and it sounded like he was saying they could never do that again.
¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you,¡± he replied with a pained look, ¡°If you want to see the damage it did to my clothes, they¡¯re in the bag Camilla¡¯s been carrying for me. I only had them on for maybe a minute and there were already plenty of holes worn through them. They¡¯re little more than rags at this point.¡±
¡°Please, let me see how it reacts to me,¡± she almost begged. She didn¡¯t care about his clothes. She just needed to know if his touch would hurt her like he feared.
Uriel grimaced but began removing one of the magical gloves from a hand. As he held it out for her to take, she tried to tell herself to hold on no matter how much it might hurt.
It hurt a lot more than she was expecting.
She still didn¡¯t want to let go, even as she felt her tears fall and a whimper escaped her lips. It wasn¡¯t until Uriel pulled back his hand to show how it was coated in her blood now that the truth settled heavily upon her heart. He would never hold her again.
¡°See? It¡¯s not worth it,¡± he quietly murmured and she wondered if he had been reading her thoughts as she knew they were thinking the same thing.
Saiya¡¯s gentle touch over her hand became warm as the Healer recited, ¡°Heal this life,¡± sending a wave of healing magic into her and easily repairing the lightly scratched up skin. She didn¡¯t know what else to say as Camilla took the silent moment to recast her ritual and keep Uriel in the shimmery blue armor.
¡°I bet we can find a tailor somewhere here to make you some new clothes,¡± Rayna suggested, ¡°There¡¯s at least twenty floors of shops below us with a ton of options to choose from. I think I heard one of those noble brats mention there are also some more exclusive high-end shops located on some of the upper floors.¡±
¡°Daze mentioned once that Serenydi was almost a vertical version of Tulimeir,¡± Uriel said, giving a small smile at the memory, ¡°He explained that the districts were divided by floors instead. Shopping for the Merchant. Galleries and museums for the Artist. Gambling halls and sports arenas for the Gamer and Gambler. Dining and dance clubs for the Socialite. Residential homes, inns, and brothels for the Lover. The beaches to the north and noble houses at the top for the Fain¨¦ant. I¡¯m not sure if all that remains true, though. He had been planning to refresh my knowledge before the shipwreck.¡±
¡°What about the Cultivator?¡± Phoenix asked, recalling the pantheon list Zevan had explained.
¡°Oh, they¡¯re mostly tied to the city¡¯s Reality Rift here. It¡¯s a bit special compared to most,¡± Uriel started explaining but Rayna interjected.
¡°Before we go explaining that, we need to get you some clothes big guy,¡± the bard pointed out, moving over to pat the back of his armor, ¡°Clothes, then maybe we can ask that Emrys guy if there¡¯s anything else we can do to help him, instead of wasting time with the brats downstairs? Or do like we originally planned and visit the temples here and see if one of the gods might point us in the right direction.¡±
They all nodded in agreement and moved to go explore the shopping district. Phoenix made sure to request an additional room near theirs for Uriel to sleep in, also making a mental note to find some Void-resistant blankets and pillow for him. She could only imagine what lengths he might go to in order to not destroy the furniture in his sleep¡
The clerk at the first clothing store they arrived at laughed in their faces when she asked if they made Void-resistant clothing at all. They didn¡¯t even bother to point her to someone else who might have as they were overtaken by the laughing fit.
The next called them Voidsworn sympathizers and banished them from their shop outright.
The third one said if they provided the Void-attuned materials and shards then they would be willing to attempt the endeavor, for a fee and no guarantee that they would actually succeed.
The store after that pretended like they suddenly couldn¡¯t speak Nightish, to which her translation ability adapted to whatever they had tried to switch to, and suddenly they forgot how to speak at all, simply waving them towards the door.
It wasn¡¯t until after they visited nineteen more stores that they finally got a lead on someone who might be able to help them, and this tailor wasn¡¯t located on the bottom floors. The snow white voxen who reminded Phoenix of Everin before he became a colorful Avatar, had overheard them asking and explained there was a very eccentric tailor on the one-hundred-and-thirty-eighth floor who could do extremely custom work in any magic type.
It was a challenge to even get to that floor at first with the uneven jenga-like style the tower had. There was no elevator that went straight through every floor and they would often have to change at certain connecting floors to find the way up through the maze-like city.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Ren had eventually decided to be a scout for them, flying over the crowd to find the stairs or elevator they would need next and eventually to the storefront they were looking for.
Phoenix thought the exterior cobblestone was fairly plain at first until she got closer and noticed it wasn¡¯t stone but some kind of three-dimensional crocheted fabric lining the wall. The more she stared at it, the more the cracks in the stones actually became detailed embroidered pictures of various beautiful things but most prominently of flowers hiding little kitsunes playing.
She couldn¡¯t even imagine how much work creating something this detailed must have taken. She had gotten into embroidery for a while and it had taken her ages to make a simple little picture of a dragon with a pattern guiding her. She doubted there had been a pattern for something that acted as a wall covering.
Looking into the first display window, it looked like a large shadow box with plush lining behind the pure white robes and sash on display. Something about it tickled at her memories and she narrowed her eyes at it. Aside from the missing sigils that she had recalled, she swore this was exactly like the Emerald Caste garb of that Renseres Priestess of the Purifier she had assisted Paul with killing back in Tulisuda.
At his urging, she had sold those pieces off, but there was no way it could have gotten here right? It must have belonged to some other Renseres or something, she decided and glanced up at the sign over the door.
¡°Teal¡¯s Adaptive Tailoring Emporium,¡± it read, and she noticed a smaller sign off to the right that announced, ¡°NO CLOTHES, NO SERVICE,¡± in large letters. Below that in a finer print she read, ¡°Paint and solitary strings are not fabric, and do not count as clothing. Opaque illusions may be acceptable. If it is an emergency and you do not have clothing, please visit ¡®The House Won¡¯ down on the third floor.¡±
Phoenix glanced back at her friends and asked Uriel, ¡°You mentioned there were gambling halls here?¡±
Rayna snickered, ¡°I wonder how often people literally bet the clothes off their backs.¡±
She shook her head at the sheer idiocy of doing something like that and pushed open the door, noticing the feel of it was also a soft fabric, and she had to wonder just how eccentric this tailor must have been to have a fabric door as well.
As she stepped inside, the first thing she actually noticed was that she sank slightly into an extremely plush carpet instead of the smooth marble most of the shops had. She assumed the marble was easier to clean normally considering the foot traffic and how many people seemed to carry around food and drink as they shopped.
The next thing she noticed was that it was dimmer inside than in the main thoroughfare they had been walking along. Despite being more nocturnal, the walkways were normally well lit by starry illusions and neon signs during the night as people went about their errands and had fun.
A little bell signaled their arrival and a large man came over to greet them. A brush of their auras in greeting and Phoenix knew he was an Emerald Caste human, but she noticed something else odd coming from¡ everywhere. It almost felt like she had stepped into someone else¡¯s aura that was emanating from all around them.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the need to socialize, however, as the man said, ¡°Welcome to Miss Teal¡¯s Adaptive Tailoring Emporium where all your nuanced needs are met! Are you looking for something specific or just here to browse? We currently have a sale going for the flying carpets,¡± he happily announced, gesturing to the ceiling where some patiently floated in the air waiting to be called and then to a large box holding ones that were rolled up.
¡°One of the best legal ways to explore the skies and view the stars with a special someone here. It also provides easier access to the floating obelisks should you desire to visit one of the more exciting clubs and entertainment venues,¡± he added, with a wink toward Phoenix and she blushed crimson at the idea of pretending to be Princess Jasmine with someone on a magic carpet.
Frankly, she had thought the girl had been insane for going on that thing with a dude she just met¡ Not that she was much better now that she thought back to her first meetings with strangers in this world, but she had been lost and desperate unlike the literal princess trying to avoid getting married off.
She glanced over at Uriel and wondered what he thought about that kind of magic carpet ride. Would he and Dazien like something like that? It would be more private like they seemed to prefer¡
¡°We¡¯re looking for someone who can make Void-resistant clothing for our friend here,¡± Saiya explained when she failed to answer quickly enough.
The attendant gave a jovial laugh as he replied, ¡°Then you have absolutely come to the right place! Miss Teal is amazing with Void-attuned materials and very rarely does she get a request for it.¡± He leaned forward as if to share a secret and whispered, ¡°Too much negative stigma around it if you ask us. People often believe rumors over evidence, but in my personal experience those who are Void-attuned are no different from you and I!¡±
Phoenix grinned and nudged Uriel¡¯s armor with an elbow, ¡°That¡¯s what I keep telling him, but he never listens.¡±
Uriel rolled his eyes and gave her a flat look, ¡°We¡¯re here because I¡¯m literally different from you and need special clothes that won¡¯t disintegrate from me simply wearing them.¡±
¡°It disintegrates?¡± a new voice asked from behind them, causing all of them to jump in response and turn to see a tall voxen that looked partially made of Phoenix¡¯s portal.
Her hair and six very large tails looked like holes in reality that showed the night sky. She wore a dress of layered strips of wispy silks that reflected those cool galaxy colors of blues, purples, and greens and had a dark gray torc woven from stiff thread with a cord of white and purple threaded through it.
Phoenix was surprised to see the white as this was the first one she had seen so far aside from herself. It made her instantly feel an odd sort of kinship with the stranger, and she suddenly realized that others must have experienced the same thing with their own. Despite feeling like an outsider by not wearing the torc, she immediately felt that warm sense of inclusion for finding others who matched.
The other main thing she noticed about the strange voxen, were the slightly glowing silver freckles and bright eyes that matched which stood out in stark contrast to her skin that was the darkest purple she had ever seen. It made her seem like she was meant to be a part of the night, a reflection of the space beyond their world.
After a moment of collecting themselves, Uriel managed to reply, ¡°Yes. I just ascended to Sapphire a couple of days ago and my Passive deals constant Void damage to anything physical I touch,¡± then with a slight shift of awe he asked, ¡°Are you one of the Starfall Voxen? I first met some back in Tulim when they came to salvage Soul Reaper ships and stayed to help upgrade our defenses but they didn¡¯t have that kind of hair¡ illusion?¡± He said the last word as a question, as though uncertain if it was actually a portal of not.
The woman shook her head, making it obvious that the portal-like hair reached all the way to the floor where it seemed to vanish into the plush carpet as she spoke in a soft alto, ¡°Transfiguration. And yes, I am. And they are there.¡±
Phoenix was slightly confused by the answer, ¡°Who are there?¡±
She tilted her head, sending an ear-shaped portal tilting to the side as she clarified, ¡°My clan? In Tulim cleaning up stuff and upgrading things?¡±
¡°Ah, right. Well, um, are you Teal the Tailor that we were told could help Uriel?¡±
The Starfall voxen eagerly nodded in an almost adorable way as she excitedly replied, ¡°Yes! Probably. I may need to stab him¡¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±
¡°She meant just poke him just a little bit with a very tiny needle!¡± the attendant interjected in a rush, nervously laughing.
¡°Yes. That,¡± the tailor confirmed with a gesture to the merchant man.
Uriel hesitantly looked between Teal and Phoenix before asking, ¡°Right here? Or is this something to be done with getting measurements like they had me do for that suit I got back in Tulimeir?¡±
¡°Oh. That. Come back here.¡± Teal answered before gesturing to the back of the shop with a few tails.
Phoenix nodded for him to go as she reassured, ¡°We¡¯ll just look around the store while she helps you. No rush at all,¡± she turned to Teal with a slight grimace as she added, ¡°Though, I think there¡¯s only another half hour left on that armor before Cami needs to recast it.¡±
The tailor¡¯s body stiffened and nose wrinkled slightly before she grabbed his arm with a tail and abruptly dragged him toward the back, obviously not wanting to waste another minute while muttering, ¡°So you need need clothing¡¡±
Phoenix chuckled at Uriel¡¯s slightly exasperated look before refocusing on her remaining companions and asking, ¡°So, what does everyone want to get while we¡¯re here?¡±
28 - Definitely Necessary for Living
Uriel¡¯s mind was racing as the strange tailor pulled him toward the back of the shop and her Emerald Caste Strength made it completely impossible for him to resist. Not that he particularly wanted to if she was going to help him, but he felt extremely vulnerable at the moment realizing he didn¡¯t have underclothing on for her to take measurements properly, the armor was much too bulky to allow for it otherwise.
When she led him to a small dais surrounded by mirrors like he was more accustomed to from his last time at a tailor¡¯s shop, he awkwardly stood upon it as she commanded, ¡°Show all movement.¡±
He owlishly blinked at her for a long moment before she gave an exasperated huff and said, ¡°I need to see your range of motion.¡±
¡°Oh,¡± he replied, feeling like an idiot himself as he awkwardly tried to lift an arm and explained, ¡°Um, I might have to take off the armor for that.¡±
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, gagging slightly, and he wondered if he probably should have showered before coming here, then reached into her hair and pulled out a towel. As she tossed it at him he wondered if the transfiguration actually was a portal into some kind of personal dimensional space like Dazien¡¯s [Armory]. Could she go into her own hair? How would that even work?
When she turned around to give him a moment of privacy, he dismissed the armor and wrapped the towel around his waist, actually distracted for a moment by just how soft and plush the fabric was. ¡°I¡¯m good now,¡± he announced and as she turned to watch him, he slowly moved his body around. Stretching up and down and twisting, blushing the whole time under her intense gaze as he tried to make sure the towel stayed put.
¡°Okay,¡± she said after a few moments, stepping a bit closer to him as she asked, ¡°Any shapeshifting, extra limbs, constructs, or other physical or magical transformations I should be aware of?¡±
He silently shook his head at first, before remembering something Phoenix had mentioned to him before, ¡°Not for me, but my friend out there, with the red hair, she has mentioned needing boots and gloves that can better adapt to her temporary shifting ability. She gets claws on her hands and feet that¡¯ll destroy her stuff if she doesn¡¯t remember to put them in her dim-space.¡±
¡°I can do that later. We are on a time table. Clothes first.¡± she replied before her hair started to move on its own. While he was distractedly looking at the massive amount of hair wrapping around him, she grabbed his arm with her furred hand and repetitively stabbed him.
It surprised him more than anything, but it really was just a tiny needle she was pricking his arm with. What concerned him more, and caused him to try and jerk away was that she had grabbed the arm with his Soul Mark that he had been trying to avoid showing in his awkward movements.
¡°I can explain¡ª¡± he began to quickly try and defend himself, but she interrupted him with a fluffy tail to the face as she scolded him.
¡°Stop moving, concept Chosen.¡±
Uriel was taken aback and it was enough to make him still under her touch. Instead, he quietly asked, ¡°You¡¯re not afraid of me or going to try and lock me up? You¡¯re still willing to help one of the Destroyer¡¯s Chosen?¡±
¡°No different from those other gross concept gods your friend has in her atrocious aura or the clergy that buy my custom goods,¡± she replied as her hair seemed to weave itself into clothing directly over him.
He raised a brow at that, ¡°You don¡¯t like any of the gods?¡±
¡°No. Kitsune is better.¡±
That surprised Uriel for a moment before he realized she was talking about the Progenitor that the original voxen came from. He had learned a lot about Progenitors in his own readings on avals and various Vanhin that monsters would often spawn as.
They were normally the very first Divine beings in a reality, who were the ones that created every species within it. He had never learned exactly why, but for some reason, their Progenitors had stopped creating new species thousands of years ago, and the Cultivator seemed to do it now whenever a Wayfarer showed up and decided to have kids. That was why the only new species in the last five thousand years or so had been Wayfarer-forged.
¡°Gloves and boots as well? And a hood. You look like you need a nice hood.¡±
He nodded, ¡°I don¡¯t want to accidentally touch something and destroy it. I can¡¯t turn it off at all and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll always be quick enough to remember that others shouldn¡¯t touch me anymore.¡±
Teal briefly paused, hopefully done with assaulting his arm, and lifted the offending needle up as she incanted, ¡°I have taken your measure.¡±
He noticed an odd-looking fabric around her arm at that moment, it was a black void that seemed to sporadically spark with colors before fading into the abyss of it. It began to unweave itself, the threads vanishing into the needle she held, before she pushed it into the sleeve of her opposite arm, which he could only assume was another personal storage space as her hand came back without needle or thread.
¡°Please do not move now,¡± the tailor warned before a mass of glinting razor wire materialized around him and began creating enchantment diagrams directly onto the new material her hair had transformed into.
He didn¡¯t even dare to breathe as he tried not to get sliced by the silvery wire thread. This was nothing like what that last tailor he visited had done.
When she finally seemed finished with her work, the threatening wires vanishing and excess hair returning to their previous state, she took a few steps back to admire the work. After a few moments of assessment, she made a twirling gesture with a tail to indicate he should turn around. He obeyed the unspoken command and lightly gasped when he caught his reflection in the mirrors.
It was a simple enough design, the tunic fitting comfortably and falling just to his thighs and the pants looser before tucking into firmer cloth boots just below his knees. His sleeves did much the same, tucking into woven gloves just below his elbows. It almost glistened as it absorbed the light, entirely black like the Void magic it was attuned to.
His new perception had him easily able to smell the magic suffusing the material, and he wasn¡¯t positive at first if he actually enjoyed the scent of Void. Part of his mind screamed that he shouldn¡¯t, but the darker part just confirmed that he truly was an Annihilator for not being repulsed by it.
The Arcane scent of the previous armor had smelled like he had been dipped in a sweet syrup and he was thankful to be free from it now. In contrast, this clothing smelled¡ refreshing. Completely clean from any other influencing odor or magic.
His gaze trailed back up to the large hood that was attached to the tunic, it was wide and open enough that he could easily move within it and keep his hair up in its messy bun he had been keeping it in, and his long tapered ears didn¡¯t feel strangled within it like smaller hood sometimes did. He was grateful that the extra large size meant he wouldn¡¯t need to cut holes in it for his ears since the whole goal was to cover his skin as much as possible.
After a moment of just staring in awe at the void-like cloth and how comfortable it felt on him, his skin trying and failing to eat away at it, Teal asked, ¡°Any preferences for adjustments?¡±
He thought about that for a moment and hesitantly asked, ¡°Can you make the shoulders and gloves slightly looser? Sorry, I forgot that I¡¯ll be needing to get new Chains of Silence later and I usually wear those under the sleeves so people don¡¯t notice them as much. I¡¯m not sure how the cuffs will sit under the gloves but I would prefer if they did. The neck area seems fine though.¡±
Teal gave him a pained look as her ears flattened, and she practically hissed at the mention of a Silencer and he took a step back from the Emerald Caster. ¡°Why would you do that to yourself?¡± she asked and he flushed in embarrassment.
¡°I¡¯m not really great at controlling my aura,¡± he tried to explain, ¡°I¡¯ve been forced to practice a lot more lately and have been doing fairly well in town and when we sleep. But I was also forced to wear one back in Tulimeir because of one of my Talents. If I get angry when I channel magic, I get a bit¡ destructive. The Silencer helps keep people safe when I¡¯m not fighting monsters.¡±
She sighed but didn¡¯t look so repulsed anymore as she said, ¡°Then you¡¯re going to need to practice a whole lot more. Your Void issue is a transfiguration. A Silencer won¡¯t stop it and would disintegrate as well.¡±
Uriel froze at that realization, and hopefully asked, ¡°You don¡¯t happen to make Void-resistant Chains of Silence, too, do you?¡±
Teal shook her head in response, ¡°No. I could on the other paw make an accessory that could help soothe anger? Though, that¡¯d take longer as that is outside of my normal expertise.¡±
He slowly nodded as he said, ¡°That would be helpful. I had earrings already doing that for me. They worked better than my old set, but that kind of magic has never been completely perfect when I get too upset. I can¡¯t wear them anymore either, though, so I¡¯m not sure what to do now,¡± He glanced down at his gloved hands, flexing his fingers a bit before adding, ¡°I can¡¯t risk murdering my friends just because I¡¯m cursed with this and got angry.¡±
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He rubbed a hand over his tired face, having refused to sleep for the last two days while riding in that coach so close to other people. The action made him realize his face was still bare and eventually he would need to sleep, so he asked, ¡°Is it possible to get a scarf-like facemask that I¡¯ve seen people use when it was windy on the tundra? I¡¯m hoping it will save whatever I end up falling asleep on.¡±
¡°Yes, though I think you are going to need a bit more than just that,¡± the tailor replied and started to list off items while pointing to a claw with each one, ¡°More sets of clothing, casual and formal since you hang out with Regent Wayland who¡¯s a noble. Accessories, equipment that¡¯s actually meant for combat, pillows, cushions, full bedding sets, maybe a tent, comfy slippers, a full cloak. Oh, and towels. And maybe bath wear as well¡¡±
He glanced down as he remembered that he had been originally wearing a towel as she worked and never noticed it getting removed. By the feel of things, though, it wasn¡¯t just tucked into his pants. He gave an involuntary shiver at the idea of being stripped without even knowing but decided to push that thought aside and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t have any idea what you mean by ¡®bath wear.¡¯ I don¡¯t normally wear clothes to take a bath¡ that seems counterproductive. I also don¡¯t need slippers or beddings if I can just wear this and that facemask. I don¡¯t want to spend Bits on unnecessary things. Unlike Regent Wayland, I am not a noble.¡±
He didn¡¯t realize until after he said it, but his gaze narrowed on the space-themed voxen as he slowly said, ¡°And I don¡¯t remember any of us mentioning her name¡¡±
¡°She¡¯s a Chosen Aurabreaker Wayfarer according to her aura¡ you didn¡¯t need to say her name.¡±
¡°Exactly how far has news of her traveled? We¡¯re at least a month away by sea and airships can¡¯t reach us there yet,¡± he replied in exasperation. Would it be like this everywhere they went now?
¡°Starfall portals go much faster,¡± she replied, then prompted, ¡°And bath wear is definitely necessary for living, unless you plan on putting holes in the bathtub. How many sets of clothing will you need?¡±
He grimaced at the mention of destroying the tub and realized he would never get to properly bathe again either and would likely need Saiya to just use her ability on him from now on. He shook his head and refocused on her question, beginning to wonder if she was trying to upsell him as he awkwardly answered, ¡°Um, just two? One to wear while I wash the other.¡±
She looked at him with wide silver eyes like he was the god of madness himself. ¡°Does your power destroy your mind too? I don¡¯t think I can make something for that.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t need a lot,¡± he replied, ¡°I never have. There¡¯s not much point in having more than what I need to survive. I don¡¯t have a convenient storage ability either, so unless you can make a dimensional bag that won¡¯t turn to ash from me carrying it, I won¡¯t be able to drag a mountain of clothes around with me.¡±
Teal gave him the first smile he had seen from her as she rubbed her starry portal-looking hands together and answered, ¡°That is very much something I can do! So, you will need an extra large dimensional bag for holding a mountain of my very fashionable and necessary clothing options. Would you like the accessories to match your laval markings?¡±
His jaw hung slack as he stared at the tailor before he finally gave a sigh and replied, ¡°Just¡ nothing in red¡ and please be gentle on my Bit bag. Dazien will die of a stroke if I spend too much.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be more than a Ruby Bit.¡±
Uriel groaned and wondered if he could get a loan from someone here. He had saved up quite a sum from all their missions and not needing to spend much on himself, but he wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d be able to keep up with his noble friends and the financial cost of ascending. He¡¯d need to see about taking AOA missions while he was here¡
Phoenix idly explored the tailoring shop as Uriel was busy in the back. All manner of sewn items were on display that didn¡¯t only include clothing. Like the flying carpets, there were also magical blankets that she was sorely tempted to buy, especially the super fluffy one whose tag announced it was self-warming and smelled like fresh-baked cookies.
There was a section for enchanted tapestries, self-erecting tents, and dimension storage bags. The section of ¡°consumable¡± accessories caught her attention as she looked through various tassels, picture patches, and bows that gave various effects that would consume the magic with every use of it. She contemplated getting some of the tassels after the cheerful merchant explained that they would be attached to weapons to give bonus effects. There was also a purple hair ribbon that not only looked pretty, but could boost the range of portal abilities when worn, but that would also eventually run out and just become a regular hair ornament.
Camilla was resting by the entrance for a bit after their long journey and her constant reapplication of Uriel¡¯s magical armor. Meanwhile, Rayna and Saiya were currently interrogating the merchant, who she hadn¡¯t caught the name of, as they requested the options Teal might have for combat armor for both of them.
He explained that they would also need to get fitted in the back room if they wanted the equipment to be higher quality that best suited their Aspects and they would likely need to return later for it. He made sure to acquire the location of where they were staying in the city as well in order to send a message whenever any of the orders were ready for them.
Ren and Tala also seemed to be enjoying themselves as they flew around the shop, checking out the flying carpets and sparkly treasures. ¡°I can pick out something, right?¡± Tala pleaded, and she chuckled in response.
¡°Just one something, alright? I can¡¯t keep buying everything sparkly you find in this shining city. Even with the Ruby Bits I still have on me, I¡¯ll run out too fast at your rate.¡±
As she continued wandering the store that she was pretty sure by this point was entirely made from fabrics, she passed a few sections dedicated to combat in various types of biomes before arriving at a smaller display filled with different colored torcs.
It had almost every combination possible available and woven with a very stiff type of rope that almost seemed like wire to her but was definitely some kind of fine thread tightly woven together. A silver and emerald one caught her eye and reminded her of Paul.
According to the inn attendant, Tylen, he had worn this combination while he was there which meant he had been seeking a woman who wanted a long-term commitment¡ he had been looking for a wife¡ It was hard for her to picture him with one. He had been so¡ solitary when she met him. Gruff and unyielding. He had helped her, though. Mentored her, and they had found their balance with one another. She had honestly thought at times that he might have been more like her¡ not really interested in romance with anyone at all.
Her fingers lightly brushed the torc, her mind wandering back to Zevan¡¯s earlier question on what colors Dazien and Uriel would wear, and she jumped slightly when Uriel asked from behind her, ¡°Are you planning to change your color?¡±
She turned around to look at him and took in his new appearance. He almost appeared as a walking shadow with how dark his outfit was, but he looked a bit happier as he watched her, and she knew in that moment that she didn¡¯t care what it looked like or how much it cost if it made him happy. He was one of the kindest and most selfless people she had ever met, and it wasn¡¯t fair that his life and powers kept tormenting him.
Uriel tilted his head slightly as he said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to. I just noticed you seemed to be thinking pretty hard about them.¡±
¡°What?¡± she replied, her mind rewinding over his question that she hadn¡¯t answered quickly enough, and she corrected, ¡°Oh, um no. It just reminded me of Paul, and I was wondering¡¡± She flushed slightly in embarrassment as she realized what she had been thinking, but her curiosity made her admit, ¡°I was actually wondering what colors you would want to wear¡¡±
His face went blank suddenly and she wondered if something she said had made him angry and activated his earrings, but he wasn¡¯t wearing them at all. Before she could ask what happened to them, he said, ¡°Why does it matter?¡±
His eyes trailed down to her neck and he said, ¡°Dazien explained the torc colors to me long ago. Unless things have changed or he was wrong, white means you¡¯re not interested in any of the other torcs, right?¡±
¡°Zevan told me it means both not interested in romance or touching at all,¡± she nervously explained, ¡°I figured it was just safer since¡ well, you know¡¡± she trailed off, knowing that she had already explained how she felt about that. ¡°Zevan had just asked before what you and Dazien would wear if you were both here. I thought you might both pick gold since you have each other, but wasn¡¯t sure about any of the others.¡±
His expression softened as he nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right. We probably would both wear that.¡± He glanced at the rack of torcs behind her and moved to stand beside her as he scanned them. After a moment he pointed to one that was entwined with gold, silver, purple, and blue, ¡°Last time we talked about it, Daze said he would wear this one.¡±
¡°Silver?¡± she questioned, having guessed the gold and blue before and the purple definitely made sense when he refused to bow to even gods.
Uriel gave a slightly crooked smile, ¡°I know it may seem unconventional in Tulimeir, but our relationship has always been open like that. I¡¯m not sure how your old world viewed it, but as long as whoever he found treated him well and made him happy, that was all that really mattered to me.¡±
¡°You never worried about him finding someone else and leaving you for them?¡± she couldn¡¯t help but ask.
¡°I¡¯ll admit I did at first,¡± he replied with a soft sigh, ¡°I had seen him leave others before for various reasons, and I was nervous about all sorts of different things at the beginning. I think I was just worried I wouldn¡¯t be¡ good enough. I wasn¡¯t as nearly as experienced as he was at that point. I also feared that maybe I had ruined our friendship by admitting I wanted more.¡±
He rubbed at his left forearm where she knew his Soul Mark lay before adding, ¡°It wasn¡¯t until he met Xera that I actually became more comfortable with my place at his side.¡±
¡°Xera?¡±
He shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s definitely a story for another time in a more private place, and only with Dazien¡¯s permission. It¡¯s not really my place to reveal details like that with anyone else.¡±
She nodded in understanding despite her curiosity. Looking back at the torcs, she asked, ¡°Which one would you wear?¡±
He looked at her for a long moment, and she wondered if he was going to refuse to tell her for some reason when he finally pointed at one and said, ¡°I told him I might wear this.¡± It was also gold, silver and blue but had black instead of purple. She should have guessed the black too, now that she thought more about it. While Dazien never knelt, Uriel preferred to.
However, she was surprised that he would also choose silver¡
¡°But that was before this issue with me not being able to touch anyone anymore. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll wear this one while I¡¯m here. White would also be safer for me, I think,¡± he softly admitted, his hand dropping back to his side, then he added, ¡°I also need to try and find someone who sells a Silencer that¡¯s resistant to my Void damage. I don¡¯t trust myself enough to sleep without it in a city as crowded as this.¡±
¡°Your turn,¡± Teal said from behind them, and they both jumped in surprise. She hadn¡¯t noticed the voxen get close at all while they had been standing there talking.
¡°What?¡± she managed to reply, unsure what she meant.
The tailor gestured with a tail at Uriel and said, ¡°He mentioned you need boots and gloves that adapt to your transfiguration. Now it¡¯s your turn to get stabbed.¡±
She looked at Uriel with wide-eyed worry, hoping she was joking.
He merely smirked and said, ¡°Repeatedly.¡±
29 - Prepare the Vessel
Phoenix felt much happier with Uriel and Camilla back with them now but continued to worry about their final missing member. While Uriel, Camilla and Rayna went back to the inn to rest, with Ray acting more as a bodyguard, Phoenix, Saiya and Ren went to the temples like they had planned before being reunited.
While the temples weren¡¯t particularly difficult to find, they were rather spread out from one another across the city, unlike Tulimeir that had a dedicated section for all of them. Part of this likely had to do with the more theocratic nature of the city, rather than Tulimeir simply making space for whichever clergy wanted some.
The lower floors was where most of the shopping was, which Phoenix assumed was due to the visiting tourists and Casters that didn¡¯t plan to stay for an extended period of time. This was also where the temple of the Merchant lay which was an interesting affair considering she was more used to the towers in Tulimeir. Here it felt less like a temple and more like an open bazaar centered around an inner sanctum that acted as a Bit Exchange and provided analyzing services of goods.
Phoenix actually took this chance to convert one of her Ruby Bits into the smaller, but currently more useful Emerald variety. While she had left most of them with Patricia to invest, her aunt had insisted she take some with her when traveling to a city known for its extravagance. She was also strongly encouraged to shop around for Emerald Spirit Gems while she was here to have them all ready for her next ascension.
She wasn¡¯t exactly sure how long she had to curate those gems though. While they had blazed through Crystal at an astonishing pace, that was mainly due to the combination of prolonged blood moon and war with the Soul Reapers. She had since learned that outside of those events, most combat Casters took about three years to reach Sapphire. The average for getting from Sapphire to Emerald? Eight years.
The fact that Pualani thought she could reach Ruby in merely a decade almost baffled her, but when she had asked Dazien about it, he had explained that they would likely beat the average simply by traveling and dedicating that time to hunting. He explained that if they had stayed on the tundra and Presley had never risen the magic levels, they would have been stuck waiting for monsters to spawn at a much slower pace and competing with every other combat Caster who remained in the cities.
Traveling through the wilds meant clearing out monsters that may have spawned quite a while ago and had slowly been building their numbers out as Casters rarely traveled through. Phoenix had confirmed that theory for herself from the dozens of monsters she had battled on her way across Ren¡¯s island to get here.
After Phoenix finished converting her Bits, she was about to ask if she could talk with the High Priest or maybe the Merchant directly, but the attending priestess merely gave her the Emerald Bits with a smile and said, ¡°Here you are Saint Wayland: ninety nine Emerald and one hundred Sapphire Bits as requested, and my Lord says that if you could first learn how to make a proper budget, then he might be willing to make a deal with you, but until then, he suggests asking the Gambler to take a risk on you.¡±
¡°Wow, he really hates me doesn¡¯t he?¡±
The priestess gave her a flat look, ¡°Personally, it sounds more like you hate him if you didn¡¯t even bother to figure out how much a Bit is actually worth.¡±
¡°Okay. Fair point. I¡¯ll give you that one, but in my defense I¡¯ve never actually needed to shop for anything on my own before arriving here, and when I did¡ Well, I have magic money-making powers.¡±
The Merchant¡¯s priestess just stared at her nonplussed before she finally took a few steps back, thanked the woman for the assistance, and fled the temple market. Taking the Merchant¡¯s advice, though, they headed for the mid-level¡¯s gambling halls.
The amount of noise was simply overwhelming at first but their Saphire Caste Mind quickly adjusted to the laughter, banter, and shouting taking place in every little casino they passed. Each seemed to have its own theme and many were specifically dedicated to a certain type of game. She could understand now why the Gambler was considered a subordinated deity to the Gamer, though. Everyone was playing and having fun, but not everything involved betting it appeared. There were some free versions available for each game that were purely for the enjoyment and socialization of it.
The Socialite¡¯s presence was also prevalent here, with a particular locale dedicated to ¡°storytelling gaming¡± which Phoenix internally geeked-out over because it was basically this magical world¡¯s version of Dungeons and Dragons that she had loved playing with Jin and both of their moms.
People were laughing and having fun around heavily illusioned tables as they pretended to be someone completely different from themselves. A hulking draconid was loudly singing off-key, pretending to be a Song-Attuned Boon specialist when she would have sworn from the feel of his aura and the axes hanging from his hips that he was some kind of Blood-attuned Striker.
There were a lot more Mundanes and younger teens in this particular hall too, pretending to be Casters and playing with different build ideas. She thought it made sense as a sort of mental exercise to try and figure out what they might want to be once they saved up for Aspects.
Phoenix at first had thought she wouldn¡¯t like the gambling halls, considering her mental image of them were rows of slot machines with addicts glued to them, or heavy amounts of alcohol while playing poker and trying not to get caught cheating as the house did so itself.
Here, she was quickly corrected of that misbelief as she learned the deity Gamer theirself heavily leaned into fairness. Apparently, the slogan here was that ¡®it¡¯s only fair when it comes down to skill and luck, and it¡¯s only fun when everybody has a fair chance.¡¯ Cheating was heavily punished, and could even result in expulsion from the city.
Phoenix had to be dragged along by Saiya to actually reach the temples to the pair of closely aligned gods. These reminded her a bit more of normal temples, with priests speaking with one another in quieter settings, but many were still playing games or discussing the latest sports results.
A pair of representatives greeted them but both had the same answer for her. While they would both gladly make deals in exchange for a Soul Mark, they couldn¡¯t help with her current goal of locating her brother as it was far outside the purview of their own domains.
With a heavy sigh she turned to Saiya, who currently had Ren perched on her shoulder, and said, ¡°We might as well go back to the inn. It¡¯s almost dawn when everything will close, and I don¡¯t think the Socialite or Lover are going to risk trying to mark me.¡±
¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Saiyia asked in confusion.
¡°Because I hate talking to people almost as much as Paul does, and I¡¯m wearing this,¡± she replied, gesturing to the white ribbon around her throat.
¡°Ah. Good point.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s just go get some sleep, and we can try the Fain¨¦ant and Cultivator¡¯s temple in the evening. It¡¯s the last plan I have until I go find Emrys and beg for help.¡±
¡°He didn¡¯t seem all that bad,¡± Saiya said, but hesitated before adding, ¡°I know he¡¯s Emerald and my senses usually can¡¯t get a clear read on the emotions of higher tier Casters without them allowing for it, but I could sense that he was very happy and curious around you.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s a bad thing or a good thing¡¡±
¡°Well, I think it¡¯s better than if I had sensed deception or hatred that counteracted his words, but like I said, he is a whole Caste above me. However, if those feelings were genuine, I believe he¡¯s interested in helping and getting closer to you as a friend like he said. I can¡¯t tell if he hopes for more than that, but he did mention he was also a noble so maybe he simply believes you¡¯ll understand him too.¡±
Phoenix sighed, ¡°Well, if it helps me find Dazien, one more friend isn¡¯t going to hurt.¡±
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Saiya chuckled, ¡°You say that like having more friends is ever a bad thing.¡±
¡°Only to my growing list of people to worry about,¡± she replied, joining in her friend¡¯s laughter as they made their way back to their inn.
It had been a week now since Dazien had been forced into Valtessa Vanderill¡¯s keeping. He would be brought to her quarters as ¡°dinner¡± just before the early morning hours where the Sanguine Vampire liked to try different places to bite him.
Then she would force him into her bed, where he quickly realized she sadistically enjoyed dominating those who were dominant, like it was a competition.
He would awaken later that afternoon to her biting at his neck, making him serve as ¡°breakfast¡± too. It was always his neck for that feeding, and he swore he¡¯d end up with a permanent bruise there.
After Valtessa was through with him, Finn would show up to take him to another room on a lower floor that was used for ritual work, and he would go through more rounds of interrogation.
The only good part about this new arrangement was that they had changed his Silencer out for a more normal one and began feeding him Sapphire Mana Bits properly. He wouldn¡¯t have survived feeding Valtessa otherwise. Slowly, he was refilling his massively depleted reserves and wasn¡¯t bordering on insanity from the gnawing hunger.
With his mind returning to him, he had finally begun to form the beginnings of various escape plans with this new routine he found himself in. On that fourth day with Valtessa, he had stopped physically fighting back. Pretending to enjoy what she was doing made her both less cautious and less interested.
The difficult part of his first plan was that, as an Emerald Caster, she only needed an hour of sleep where he still needed about three, though that seemed longer when he was exhausted from feeding her. If he was to attempt escaping while she slept, he needed to figure out how to stall or fake his own sleeping. Even then, there wasn¡¯t a guarantee his movements wouldn¡¯t wake her up with her enhanced Emerald senses.
The only other plan was just as insane, and that was to try and make a run for it during the brief window he was left a mentally broken mess while Finn went to clean up before taking him to Valtessa. The only way he could see that actually working was if he could manage to steal a key to his Silencer from either of those two.
At this point, with his time dwindling, he may need to attempt it even without a key. Perhaps today he would try.
As Finn led him from Valtessa¡¯s quarters to the ritual room, he continued observing his surroundings to see which way might be the best for potentially finding an exit. His plan to run after Finn left to clean suddenly crumbled into dust when he entered the room this time to find a stone altar in place of the interrogation ritual¡¯s diagram.
He hadn¡¯t completely lost track of the days, right? It wasn¡¯t today that they were planning to turn him into whatever a Scarlet Thirst was, right?
¡°What is that for?¡± he managed to ask, usually trying to remain silent when in this particular room.
Finn gave an exasperated sigh, ¡°I need to prepare the vessel for the grand ritual.¡±
¡°What exactly does that mean?¡±
¡°It means that you¡¯re going to drink this very expensive potion that will render you immobile, while I try focusing very hard to not mess up the ritual pattern on you.¡±
¡°On me?¡± he repeated, suddenly worried that they were going to try doing one of those rune pattern scars like Uriel had on his upper body.
Finndeshin didn¡¯t answer right away that time. Instead he grabbed Dazien by the neck and practically slammed him down atop the large stone table. Some of the other cultists that normally attended to the lord, moved to help subdue him when he tried to fight back, but eventually, that potion made it down his throat like all the others had.
Not being able to move his body at all was worse than anything Valtessa had done to him.
His own muscles refused to respond to his commands, and panic threatened to suffocate him. Finn could still move him, though, and forced his body to lay flat on the altar before lifting an item that Dazien actually recognized.
¡°Do you know what this is?¡± Finn asked.
Dazien tried to nod or say yes, but his body didn¡¯t belong to him anymore. He couldn¡¯t move or speak at all and every fiber of his soul was revolting against being powerless. He¡¯d rather they just kill him than keep him a prisoner within himself like this.
Finndeshin¡¯s smirk made his anger flare as the elf said, ¡°Ah, right. I guess there¡¯s no opening that pretty mouth of yours right now, is there? Well, this is a very special tattoo pen. It¡¯s going to draw and transfigure your own blood and infuse it with Dimension magic to use as the ink. I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s very painful, but the potion will help you keep still and not mess me up. Luckily, I can do it this way since you¡¯re Sapphire and don¡¯t need to breathe.¡±
The pain began at one of his fingers, right where his pinky nail started, and swirled down the length of it onto the back of his hand.
It was excruciating and seemed to last an eternity.
He could feel every rune, circle, and connecting line that was being drawn on him. His body wanted to flee, to flinch away from the pain, but it was frozen in place. He felt inanimate¡ like he truly was just an expensive doll being engraved upon and played with.
He had no agency.
For hours he was forced to remain as still as a statue while Finn tattooed down his arms, eventually removing his white tunic that had been stained red with his blood, and then continuing to tattoo his torso.
Dazien knew it wasn¡¯t exactly the same as the repeated cutting his partner had gone through for months, and he knew that by the end of it the tattoos wouldn¡¯t look the same as Uriel¡¯s scars, but now he felt like he finally understood his partner¡¯s pain. Not just in a physical sense, but this emotional turmoil of being utterly powerless to stop it.
He wondered if his mother had been forced to go through something like this. Had she been trapped like this as they took pieces from her to use as ingredients? Or had they actually been merciful and killed her before tearing her apart? Had she begged them for it to stop unlike how he was currently incapable of doing? Had she thought of him at this point too?
Had she felt as hopeless as he did now?
Dazien eventually lost consciousness at some point. He only knew this because he woke up to find a young woman he didn¡¯t recognize bathing him with a towel. He was still on the altar in the ritual room, but Finndeshin was absent and he wondered if this was his opportunity to flee that he had originally been hoping for.
The woman looked around his age, if not slightly younger, and her long pale blue hair was lovely. Her expression was different from the other cultist he had met before though, while they mostly seemed indifferent or enthused about helping, this girl seemed conflicted.
¡°Hello,¡± he managed to croak out, grateful to be able to speak again as the effects of the potion were wearing off.
She jumped in surprise, obviously not expecting him to awaken, and blushed as she met his eyes, whispering her own, ¡°Hello.¡±
¡°Are you new? You¡¯re much prettier than the other helpers I¡¯ve seen here,¡± he said, hoping flattery would serve him well at the moment. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen hair that color before, but it looks good on you.¡±
She gave a little scoff. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk. Even short I can tell your hair is naturally better. I have to dye mine with potions.¡±
¡°Different isn¡¯t always better,¡± he answered bitterly. ¡°My hair is what has me here and you there. I didn¡¯t realize the Scarlet Banquet recruited younger girls, though.¡±
Her cheeks turned pinker again as she murmured, ¡°My uncle is Lord Finndeshin. He brought me into the fold just a few days ago¡ said they needed the extra help for an upcoming ritual¡¡±
¡°You don¡¯t seem so excited about that. Did they tell you what it was for?¡±
She silently nodded, glancing around before quietly admitting, ¡°I know who you are, too. Your sister has been staying at an inn where my friends and I like to hang out. She¡¯s been looking everywhere for you.¡±
Dazien¡¯s heart soared at this news, a spark of hope reigniting inside of him. ¡°If you already know my name, will you tell me yours?¡±
¡°Kelana Finndeshin,¡± she replied, nervously moving the towel again when she realized she had stopped.
She frowned as she looked at his skin and said, ¡°This might sound odd to an outsider like you, but even though I think these purple tattoos actually look amazing on you, I don¡¯t like that they were forced on you. The people of Serenydi are raised to love and appreciate art and pleasure¡ What my uncle did to you¡¡±
Kelana nervously glanced around again, ¡°Well, it¡¯s just wrong. What they plan to do with the ritual¡ it will destroy so many beautiful things. Why does he believe any of this is good for our city?¡±
¡°Perhaps, he really doesn¡¯t and brought you in hoping you would see that?¡± he suggested, wanting more than he ever had before for his Shiny Talent to help convince her to help him. ¡°He told me that he disagreed with the High Priestess, but I think he¡¯s afraid to go directly against her.¡±
Her eyes went wide at that revelation, and she asked, ¡°You think he trusts me with something like that? I don¡¯t know what he expects me to do against Lady Vanderill. I¡¯m only Crystal Caste.¡±
¡°But you know my sister,¡± he pointed out, ¡°You know she¡¯s looking for me and can get more help. She¡¯s the Regent of House Wayland, you can tell her where I¡¯m at.¡±
Kelana nervously bit her lower lip as her gaze shifted from him, to the door he normally came through, to another side entrance the lord normally went to clean up in, then back to him. ¡°I¡ I don¡¯t know.¡±
¡°I only have a week left to live, Kelana,¡± he stressed, trying to sit up and failing miserably, ¡°Unlike me right now, you have the power to save my life and countless more that will be lost should this ritual succeed.¡±
¡°I can save you?¡±
¡°Only if you¡¯re brave enough to tell someone in time. Are you brave, Kelana?¡±
She chewed on her bottom lip more as she seemed to contemplate the idea. Then her next question made him realize that she was a bit more like most of the other nobles he had met than she had seemed at first, ¡°If I can be brave enough, would you have dinner with me to celebrate?¡±
He fought back the groan that wanted to claw its way from his throat as he said with a tight smile, ¡°I think dinner is the least I can do for saving my life.¡±
30 - Faith is Not About Seeking
Everin felt torn the entire week he stayed in the Garnet District of Blomstra. On one paw, he adored the people within this tight knit community, who made him feel welcome and accepted despite not being a gemite. On the other paw, he didn¡¯t get to spend any of it with Veldrix.
Every night he¡¯d find himself alone in the gemite¡¯s personal home where they had spent only a few hours together before the Feast of Winter¡¯s Break. Vel had actually given an amazing speech that kept him riveted and the crowd chuckling.
It was shortly after that, though, when the party was in full swing, that Veldrix took him aside and whispered, ¡°I have my duties now, but I¡¯ll check in each morning. Stay at my place and try to enjoy yourself while you¡¯re here.¡± Then they kissed him goodbye.
As he currently stood in the fairly sparse sitting room near the entrance, filled mostly with enchanted moving paintings of people he had no names for, he realized that if this was Veldrix¡¯s life and future, then he probably wouldn¡¯t survive being a part of it.
He couldn¡¯t stay here waiting each day for Veldrix to choose him over duty.
If something didn¡¯t change for the Garnet Gemite who had somehow stolen his heart¡ if he couldn¡¯t free the knight from the clutches of those abusive royals¡ would he have the strength to walk away from all of this?
Everin believed everyone deserved to be free and happy, to live life the way they chose to live it, but he didn¡¯t know how to convince Veldrix to believe that, too.
¡°Are you ready to leave this place?¡±
He turned to look at the gorgeous knight standing in the entryway, carefully watching him with an impassive face. ¡°Did you bring me here so that I would?¡± he asked, sorrowfully looking at all the hung memories that reflected the centuries of connections Veldrix had made that he would likely never know about. ¡°Did you have me stay here so that I would realize how different we are and never come back?¡±
Veldrix shook their head, ¡°No. I brought you here so that you would realize why I can¡¯t just abandon these people.¡± They closed the distance between them and took his hands as they added, ¡°I wanted you to have the time and space to ask yourself those harder questions.¡±
¡°Which questions exactly? The ones I¡¯ve repeatedly asked you?¡±
The knight gave them an indulgent smile and said, ¡°The question on if you think I¡¯m actually someone worth falling for.¡±
Everin wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to that at first. It was the same question he had asked himself about Paul, though in a very different context. The underlying sentiment, however, was the same: would he be willing to risk completely changing his own life for another?
¡°I know I¡¯m far from perfect. A lot of years comes with a lot of baggage. We¡¯re also still getting to know each other better since we first met a handful of months ago, but I want you to understand my life here. Understand everything that comes with getting involved with me.¡±
He watched Vel for a long moment as they fell silent, and Everin could sense it¡ their bond beginning to fray. Vel didn¡¯t let go of his hands, but their smile was sad, as though they already assumed the answer¡ already assumed they weren¡¯t worth it. Like they were bracing theirself for the bond to snap entirely.
¡°What did those royals do to make you believe that you need to be perfect to be worth falling for?¡± he ended up whispering, realizing it was probably an invasive question after it had already escaped his lips. In all Vel¡¯s centuries of life, had no one thought to sacrifice in place of them, instead? Had people always taken advantage of their generosity and sense of loyal duty? Had no one ever thought to give back to them? Or even share in their burdens?
¡°Everyone here would likely die for you; yet you think I would abandon you the moment I saw a mere peek into your life?¡±
Veldrix adorably scrunched their nose and said, ¡°But your life is already so much more exciting than mine. You love traveling and having adventures. You also said it yourself before, Rebel¡¯s clergy never stay in one place for long.¡±
Everin smirked, deciding in that moment that he wouldn¡¯t allow their bond to break so easily. Leaning forward to rest his forehead on theirs, he said, ¡°Unless there¡¯s an active rebellion. I¡¯m going to take you on this new adventure of ours, find your wayward sister, drag her sorry arse back here, and begin a rebellion of my own.¡±
Surprise and confusion flashed across their face before amusement replaced it, ¡°You do remember you¡¯re still only Emerald Caste, right?¡±
He chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ll have an Obsidian Caste Saint and partially Obsidian Executioner on my side. I think I like those odds. The only question is, do you think I¡¯m someone worth falling for?¡±
They gave a short laugh before teasing him, ¡°Oh, definitely not. I¡¯ve absolutely gone insane for allowing this Rebel Fox into our midst to wreak havoc on my life. I¡¯m not sure you even have anything more to offer aside from your wit and cute butt.¡±
Everin laughed as well, ¡°I definitely don¡¯t have anything more than that. These clothes aren¡¯t even mine, really. They¡¯re on loan from the temples. I¡¯m a complete vagabond with nothing but my desires holding me down.¡± He gave them a soft kiss before adding, ¡°But perhaps you bring out the desire for a home in me. One that we can both work to make better.¡±
Veldrix faintly blushed but turned away as a knock at the door echoed through the space, ¡°Guardian?¡± Alehandro questioned as he nervously peeked inside, ¡°Sorry if I¡¯m interrupting, but a message came for Avatar Starlark and the messenger is waiting at the gates.¡±
The knight nodded, ¡°Well, we best go get it then because we¡¯ll be leaving the city shortly.¡±
Everin grabbed his bag and followed the gemites out the door and beyond the district where he received a sealed envelope from a very large Avian that reminded him of a goose with their long neck. When he opened the letter and read it, he felt his blood run cold and knew his aura exposed the sudden panic crashing through his mind.
Veldrix tensed beside him and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What does it say?¡±
¡°It¡¯s from Phoenix. Their ship was attacked by pirates and destroyed at sea,¡± he whispered, rereading through it all to make sure he was understanding the messy handwriting correctly.
¡°Did the others die? Did Dazien¡ª¡±
¡°She doesn¡¯t know. She scribbled on the bottom here that Saiya and Rayna just met up with her, but that means Dazien, Uriel, and Camilla were still missing when she sent this a week ago.¡±
¡°So they may be reunited already?¡±
¡°I have to go to them¡ª¡±
¡°Ev, you have a new quest now. That¡¯s why Phoenix released you from your Oathbond before she left, didn¡¯t she? You¡¯re not meant to chase after her when your duty is to the Scholar.¡±
He stared at them incredulously before practically shouting, ¡°I can¡¯t just abandon the Chosen¡ª¡±
¡°You¡¯re not. I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t ask you to abandon your quest and come rescue her, right?¡±
Everin glanced down at the letter again before admitting, ¡°No. She said that she wrote to Ambassador Wayland as well to request aid, and that she just thought I should be aware.¡±
¡°Well, we continue on then,¡± Veldrix pragmatically replied, ¡°We have a portal to go catch and hopefully we can find another to hurry back. Then you can go chase after your kits.¡±
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Everin tore his gaze from the letter back up to their garnet one. With a frown he asked, ¡°You won¡¯t come with me then, will you?¡±
Their smile was sad as they said, ¡°I guess we¡¯ll just have to wait and see when the time comes.¡±
He silently nodded, not wanting to argue the point anymore and simply followed the knight to their destination.
Thankfully, the queen and king didn¡¯t want another audience with them as Veldrix led him through the castle to the portalist where Noble Chriss Stratford was waiting with her party, a black cat snuggly held within her arms like she was nervous Bliss might wander off at any moment.
¡°Knight Thevaris. Avatar Starlark,¡± the polite noblewoman greeted, ¡°I¡¯ve agreed to introduce you both to my mother while you¡¯re in her duchy, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to show you around the capital.¡±
¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± Veldrix replied with a smile, ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving it immediately anyways to head for the lakelands. The introduction will be appreciated, though.¡±
As the royal portalist summoned the largest Radipuff that Everin had ever seen and thought didn¡¯t truly exist, the massive rainbow fluff ball opened its mouth larger than physically possible. He quickly realized that instead of a set of teeth and tongue, he was staring at a portal to the Renko capital.
The others quickly vanished through it, but Everin hesitated.
Should he really be going to the other side of the continent when Phoenix and her party were in trouble? Should he trust in Veldrix¡¯s words that he was needed for this quest instead of running off to help them? Did Scholar care more about this Saint of the Arcanist and monster Labyrinth than the wellbeing of her own Chosen?
He didn¡¯t have any of the answers and didn¡¯t know how to find them.
¡°Having faith is not about seeking the answer; it¡¯s about trusting even though you may never find it,¡± Scholar¡¯s voice softly whispered in his mind, ¡°Have faith in me, and have faith in your shiny knight.¡±
Everin took a deep steadying breath, nodded, and stepped through the portal.
Patricia found herself with a rare moment of silence as she sat in a plush chair in front of her brother who was still floating in the air trapped in a cursed stasis. The letter currently clenched in her fist was rumpled and tear stained now, while she carefully sipped from the wineglass in her other hand. She didn¡¯t want to accidentally break this one too and definitely needed the drink as she sat before the man she felt she had failed the most over the course of their lives.
While Paul had always been the odd one in the family, being human like their mother and going from one zealous decision to the next, she had always looked up to him and strived to make a home he could feel proud to return to. A family that he could always depend on being there to support him unlike their father had miserably failed to do.
She had a better relationship with their father than Paul ever had, but he had still been strict and the opposite of compassionate. Their mother was the only person in the world who he had a soft touch for, but even that withered the day she had died. While he had definitely been getting to the end of his lifespan, she never told Paul the truth.
Their father had simply come to her one night, given her the lord¡¯s keys, told her he was sorry and that she should make amends with her brother before Paul became as lonely as he was, then took his own life.
Patricia simply couldn¡¯t burden Paul more with that knowledge. She had seen how hard he had taken their younger sister¡¯s death. She had never seen a person completely change overnight like he had when he failed to protect Priscilla from the Corrupted. Then again when he came to her an utter broken mess after his adventuring party imploded due to his own rebellious move against the Purifier.
She had sworn to be there for him. That it didn¡¯t matter to her that he angered a god by standing against doing something so horrible. He had taken her advice and traveled to the Delegation of Radiance¡¯s headquarters in Northern Cysurus and publicly spoke out against the god in front of every Delegate there. The god himself had turned it into a show and a very public display of exactly what happens to someone who Falls from the Purifier¡¯s grace.
Their father couldn¡¯t take the humiliation. Despite her promises and arguments, he banished Paul from their home.
It took six years for her brother to get the opportunity to return to her; once their father died and left Paul as their new lord, perhaps as a final apology.
She took another sip of the wine as she contemplated how best she might explain to Paul how she had failed to protect his son.
After every time she had failed to protect her brother, she was making the same mistakes with his children. How could she face him when he¡¯d finally awaken and ask where his kids were? What could she possibly say that wouldn¡¯t result in seeing that look on his face again? That pained expression that left no room for any thought of hope for happiness¡
Phoenix was alive at least, but this letter she had sent did not help Pati believe that Dazien would be alive when Paul awoke. She would greet her brother with a long list of the people he had lost while trapped in his curse. Perhaps she should have forgiven Jerem and sent him to play bodyguard instead? Even though she despised the man, he was almost Ruby and a Defender himself. Could he have changed the outcome? Should she have sent others with them instead?
She took another long drink of her wineglass again before refilling it from the bottle in the chair next to her.
¡°You know, I think I¡¯ve come to dislike these types of curses most of all,¡± the Cultivator said as she appeared in the seat Pati¡¯s bottle had previously occupied. ¡°He can¡¯t even work through his failures like this,¡± she added, gesturing towards Paul¡¯s immobile form.
¡°At least he can¡¯t see how much I¡¯m messing up everything,¡± she bitterly replied. ¡°I almost drove his children from our House because I failed to see how much they truly cared about Uriel. I thought it was a light teenage fling. A relationship of convenience and proximity. I miscalculated the level of devotion they all had to one another.¡±
¡°But you love that they¡¯re that way, don¡¯t you?¡± the goddess pointed out with a grin. ¡°They are just as devoted to their family as you are, even if they are not bound by blood or name yet.¡±
Pati snorted a laugh. ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s finally one thing we have in common.¡± She glanced at the goddess and said, ¡°Perhaps if I had known the truth about them all sooner I could have handled things differently. Made smarter choices not based on false assumptions like I felt forced to. If you had just told me about Phoenix and Uriel¡¯s Talents and Titles sooner, then perhaps I could have helped Paul avoid this fate,¡± she said, gesturing at her brother.
¡°I know you love to grow the garden that is your family, Patricia Wayland,¡± the goddess began, looking back at Paul, ¡°but sometimes you try to force the flowers to grow only in the direction you desire instead of granting them the freedom to grow as nature intended.¡±
Pati looked down into her lap and Phoenix¡¯s letter clenched in her hand. ¡°I¡¯m trying to do better,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯m trying to let them grow as they wish while keeping the locusts from devouring them.¡±
¡°I know you are, child, but that is why I chose to keep you ignorant. Your fierce love is sometimes overshadowed by your need to control. You scolded your brother for doing much the same, but while he was overt, you attempted to be subtle.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not stopping them from fighting. I know they need to in order to grow¡ª¡±
¡°But you tried to stop them from loving. They need that in order to grow, too. If I had spent the Aetherius to the Confidant to reveal to you the secret of Uriel Karislian¡¯s Soul Mark and Phoenix Wayland¡¯s resurrecting Talent the moment they both became involved with Paul Wayland, would you honestly have let them stay in your brother¡¯s life? Or would you have seen both of them as an unnecessary risk to the brother you had long awaited to return home to you?¡±
¡°Paul wouldn¡¯t have let Phoenix go.¡±
¡°But you would have tried to manipulate things into dividing them to shield him, wouldn¡¯t you? In your own words: Safety first, then happiness and comfort second.¡±
¡°Is that truly so bad?¡± she asked, setting her wine glass down on the arm of her enchanted chair that would hold it in place for her and turning to the goddess in her frustration. ¡°How is it wrong to want to keep my family alive?!¡±
¡°Is it truly being alive if all one desires is death?¡± the Cultivator quietly asked. Nodding towards Paul, she added, ¡°If you thought the danger was great enough and had torn my Chosen from his side, you would have sent your brother into a very dark depression in exchange for a miserable existence. The danger to Paul Wayland then wouldn¡¯t have been from his Prot¨¦g¨¦ but from himself.¡±
Patricia covered her mouth with her free hand, feeling more lost by the revelation that her brother had been that far gone. Had he been more like their father than she had thought? She knew he hadn¡¯t exactly been happy with his life since their sister died, but she didn¡¯t think he had been that unhappy with it.
With a quiet realization, she whispered, ¡°I can¡¯t protect them from themselves, can I?¡±
¡°Not how you were attempting it,¡± the goddess confirmed. ¡°I honestly believe you have Hero to thank for your brother still being on this side of the Veil.¡±
¡°What do you mean? Hero didn¡¯t bless him or help him when he needed it during the war.¡±
Cultivator gave her a sad smile. ¡°Hero was the one that directed their paths to cross and suggested Paul Wayland find a new purpose in life¡ instead of giving up on his own.¡± The goddess softly sighed. ¡°While both of us have a soft spot for House Wayland, Hero is much better at giving hope to those who feel lost.¡±
Patricia contemplated that, lifting her glass again to sip and wondered what she might need to change in herself to be able to do the same. She wasn¡¯t a fighter like most heroes, but perhaps she didn¡¯t need to be to help save her brother the next time he felt lost and alone.
¡°I¡¯m not the Parent,¡± Cultivator said after a moment, ¡°but I believe you should try making happiness and hope the priorities for all of your family members rather than simply sheltering them from everything that could go wrong. Let them grow freely and simply provide the light, sustenance, and love they need to thrive.¡±
Patricia thought she might try that, but as she glanced at the letter still crumpled in her hand that brought her to visit her brother in the first place, she remembered to ask, ¡°And how will that help me comb the ocean to find my lost nephew and cousin?¡±
¡°For that, I¡¯ll merely recommend a prayer to Hero instead.¡±