Path of Stars, Ch 12: Hunting the Near Wild (Patreon)

Several months later, a silver streak appeared in the Void in a remote region of the Near Wild, the area of the Borderlands closest to the Deep Wild. The area was thinly populated, but it was a key region for the transportation of materials from the depths to the border. Even in the busiest of times, however, the dangers of the Wild meant travelers were few and far between.

Sam stepped free of the astral thread as the freedom of the Void sang in his blood. All around him, he could feel the winds rolling off the Great Divide, rushing back toward the Deep Wild. They were strong here, a mix of every element, and he took note of them as he reached behind him and dragged out a silver bubble of astral energy that looked like it was trying to hide there.

He examined it to ensure that it was stable before he waved his hand. The bubble disappeared, leaving only the sound of a silver naga retching behind. Sleset was pale inside where the bubble had been.

“Mercy, my lord,” Sleset complained as he tried to catch his breath. His scales were an unhealthy shade of pale grey. “This mode of spatial transfer is too great for my weak body.”

“You’re a Level 302 naga,” Sam grumbled back at him. “It was one astral walk.”

“The drop of your blood is the only reason I survived, my lord.” Sleset’s voice was shaking as he examined himself to make sure all the parts were still there. “I fear it would destroy most nagas.”

“I’ll think about a better way,” Sam replied as he looked across the region. His cloak fluttered in the elemental winds, billowing out behind him. “Let’s go find some bandits.”

“Yes, my lord,” Sleset said as he pulled out a large bundle and slung it across his shoulders.

It was a stack of beast pelts and bones from the Deep Wild, some of them gleaming with streaks of flame and green wind that twisted along the hide. It looked very valuable.

Sam studied the bundle and then pulled a couple of the richer hides to the surface, especially one with gold-threaded fur that shone in the light of a distant red star, as if lines of burning magma were infused into it.

Since it was difficult to create dimensional items that survived here, many people used packs made from beast fur to transport goods. It was also common to carry bundles if they had too many items to store in their pouches, and even to tow along large loads like a common porter.

Ironically, the Chaos Wild made people rely on natural materials, giving them a somewhat savage look that only added to the area’s reputation.

Either way, a bundle of shining furs made them look like a wealthy target heading back to the more civilized areas to sell or trade it. Sam had put some effort into finding the best-looking furs he could and then into refining them for an appealing look.

“We’ll see if those furs attract some attention,” he said. “If not, we’ll just hunt beasts.”

This area was one of many that Sleset’s bandit gang frequented, and they weren’t the only ones to use it as a hunting ground. He wasn’t going to be the first one to attack, but if bandits wanted to ambush him, he would welcome the experience. If they were somehow too strong for him, which was unlikely, he could always jump onto an astral thread to escape.

With a flicker of runes that shone from his hands, he changed the appearance of his cloak to a golden fur with brindle strips and altered the rest of his clothing to a more rustic look. Soon, he was wearing a long white tunic with an open collar and brown breeches, as well as boots with a fringe of fur at the top.

“My lord looks much like a Wild Giant, according to the rumors,” Sleset said with a bow of his head. “It should attract attention.”

“Let’s hope they think giants are as gullible as your old acquaintances,” Sam said.

He’d learned a bit about the Wild Giants from Sleset and was surprised to find the stories were similar to those about the Toa’an Elemental Giants that had once populated the Moonlight Relic. Supposedly, they were larger and more powerful, but the description was close enough that it suggested there was some distant relation.

Most of the stories about them said they were natives to the Chaos Wild and lived easily here, and that they enjoyed mining ores and hunting the beasts, which they then crafted into rough tools or sold.

They traded their materials for finished products introduced from the Borderlands, namely ale, food, and interesting treasures, especially ones made from shiny things like gold and crystal or that had interesting magical properties.

Over time, they’d created quite a name for themselves, but they were rarely seen, perhaps once a century. It made them a topic of much interest whenever they appeared.

According to the records of the Path, there actually was a Wild Giant race that inhabited the Chaos Wild, and Sam had done his best to mimic some of their clothing habits, but he couldn’t help but wonder if some of the stories about them were actually about Astral Titans.

Perhaps about other Titans who had been on the Path long ago.

With the changes to his appearance done, he turned to the distant edge of the region and began to walk, his feet finding easy traction on the substance of the Void itself. It was like walking on a slightly springy turf, except a trace of elemental energy sprang up with each step.

Sleset followed behind him as he carried the bundle, but he was actually being towed along by an invisible current of Wind, since otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to keep up. Between Sam’s clothing and Sleset’s fierce appearance as a Silver Naga, they looked very much like a Wild Giant and his equally wild assistant heading to the border to trade.

At this speed, it would take them a month or two to reach the far side, which gave potential bandits plenty of time to set something up. Sam chuckled as he looked into the distance.

The region was sparsely populated because of its location and also because the chaos winds were intense here. To him, that made it much more enjoyable. As he walked along, he studied the slow movement of the stars and the rushing winds. Here and there, swirls of elemental energy and gasses left swathes of color in the sky.

From the Deep Wild, he could hear the same song of the Titans that was present at his forge. It had started to become more vibrant in his mind, carrying with it memories and impressions of the early galaxy.

Each moment that he spent here, a bit more of the Titans’ way of life was obvious to him, their hopes and dreams, the struggles of their early history, and their arts. It was like growing up as he listened to stories at his grandparents’ knees. He was forging his own way, but he wasn’t doing it alone.

That was the Path.

Over the last few months, the Path had become clearer to him, including what he needed to do. The awareness had first come while he was forging in his hall, like a memory returning with each flicker of the flames. It was just there, waiting for him to find it, a natural force of the Void itself. Each time he made an item, it spoke to him.

The Path of Stars had three parts: Attunement, Essence Cycling, and Astral Genesis. Another way to think of it was Crafting, Battle, and the Dream of the Void. He’d started on Attunement by crafting at his forge, and that had unlocked the rest.

Crafting helped to put him in touch with the laws that governed the Void and made up the most ancient connections between the Titans. It was the guide of the three parts and the foundation on which the Path that infused the stable galaxy had been set. He just needed to keep accessing it and his knowledge of the Void would deepen.

Over time, it would take care of itself. His concept of space, dimensions, time, the stars, elements, and more would improve.

Essence Cycling was battle with other things that had essence. The more he fought and the more essence he absorbed from the Chaos Wild, the better his control over it would become. He’d just started on that path with the beasts he’d slain and there was a long way to go. He’d have to reach the Second Star before it was even a minor success.

The Third Star would be better, but if he got that strong, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to go back to Aster Fall. Even at the Second, he would be pushing the World Limit. It wasn’t just about that rule, either. That ancient Vos’Rekan that had destroyed the relic was still out there somewhere.

He didn’t want to call it back.

As for Astral Genesis, that was the part that worried him the most, since he wasn’t sure how long it would take. It was already happening in a small way every time his mind wandered, but at some point he would need to fully commit to it. He needed to dream in the Void, to let his mind and spirit merge with the stars and to hear the voices of the past like a Titan should while growing.

It was a return to his roots. Or at least to his race’s roots.

For him, that might take longer than usual, since he needed to come to terms with the Titans’ complete heritage, including everything that he had missed out on due to his race change. He’d seen parts of it during his evolutions where he’d been a star in the Void, and that would help, but the Dream of the Void was the full thing, where he would experience millions of years passing as uncounted eons from beginning to end

He needed to sleep like a star being born.

That would let him absorb the meaning of who the Astral Titans really were. As the children of Chaos, the Void itself spoke to them. It was also the last requirement for Attunement. He had to understand the Void.

Fortunately, the Dream of the Void was a subjective experience rather than a temporal one. It would last for as long as it took him to understand. He frowned as he considered the problem. All he knew right now was that he wasn’t going to let it take a thousand years, much less more.

Thankfully, there was one thing that he was betting on to speed it up, the same thing he’d been relying on up to now. The Dream of the Void was about self-awareness, and that was what Charisma was about. It was why it worked to forcefully balance his essence.

The higher his Charisma, the easier time he would have with the Dream of the Void and the more quickly he’d be able to complete it.

Sometimes, self-awareness meant accepting something even if you didn’t like it. You had to be able to live with it and still keep your sense of self.

At the very least, accepting the Titans’ perspective on time was something he would struggle with. He was worried about days and years and his sister’s next birthday. The Titans were worried about when stars would die.

He shook his head as he looked into the distance and continued to walk.

There was no required order to the Path and really no separation between the three parts, but it was easier to think of it that way. Most of the time, the parts interwove at the same time, especially for young Titans who had just awoken. It was entirely possible to dream while crafting and fighting, in a sort of long fugue state, until one day you woke up and were finished, holding in your mind a full knowledge of your people’s history and abilities. That was the default method if you lacked the Charisma to keep your mind about you.

If he wanted to do it as fast as possible, it meant dedicated crafting and fighting at his limits until he reached the Second Star. Once that was dealt with, he might allow himself to drift away on the astral threads and dream. But first, he planned to get his Charisma as high as possible.

That was why they were here.

“Sleset, pull that pack up a bit higher so it shines in the starlight,” he said as he glanced back at the naga. “We want attention.”

Nonetheless, as he walked his mind wandered away on the essence winds, imagining the galaxy as it had been in the early days of astral chaos. The song of the Void was becoming stronger.

*****

Galsen, an Umbral Ghast and head of the Grey Hand Mercenaries, felt a burst of excitement as he listened to the scout give a report. Then he slammed his scarred grey hands together with a crack of dark thunder. The sound echoed out sharply through the ruined hall they claimed as their headquarters.

Their band had been waiting for months for the right target. Now, one had finally appeared.

“You’re sure it’s a Wild Giant?” he asked with a flare of caution. “Just him and a naga, and there’s no protection marker on them? Last time, you got us in trouble with the Ivory Sail merchant guild. We haven’t been able to resupply from their stores ever since and we can’t even set foot on their world now.”

“That was a mistake, boss!” Neio protested as he spread his hands and tried to look innocent. Like the rest of their group, he was also an Umbral Ghast. The dark grey energy that was unique to their race clung to his skin like swirling shadows, making him nearly invisible in the Void.

“They weren’t displaying it on their gear like they were supposed to!” the scout continued. “If I’d known that shipment belonged to the Ivory Sail, I’d never have brought it up. It was good though, right? A whole shipment of rare ores and essence stones. But this one’s different. It’s just a giant and a weird-looking naga following him around. It’ll be easy.”

“Weird looking?” Galsen frowned, baring the triangular, pointed teeth that filled his mouth. He didn’t want to hear about anything weird. Weird was dangerous.

There was enough trouble in the Chaos Wild without bringing more, especially when nine out of ten things here could kill you with one swipe. Umbral Ghasts were durable and good at hiding, but that wasn’t enough all the time. That was why none of them went anywhere alone except for the scouts, who were particularly specialized in stealth.

As for that shipment of ores the idiot scout was so proud of finding, he still hadn’t been able to move it. It was much too heavy and obvious. At least the essence stones had been enough for his band to resupply, although they’d had to pay three times as much as normal with the Ivory Sail after them.

“This one’ll turn things around, boss!” Neio insisted. “I’ve never seen a giant like this before, but he fits the stories. And that naga has a huge pack of pelts and materials. It has to be worth a bunch.”

“Well, maybe fortune is smiling on us for once,” Galsen grinned, showing off a broken tooth as he let his excitement show. “Shades know it’s been a while since we’ve had any luck. Go round up the men and the second team. I’m not leaving this one to chance! If it goes well, there’ll be raw meat and drinks for everyone!”

A trace of doubt flashed through his eyes, but he shoved it aside. Their band had been exiled for a dozen years now, ever since they’d been part of a raid on a world that had gone wrong. Without a constant supply of targets, there was no way they’d make it another dozen.

He gritted his teeth as he looked down at the two missing fingers on his left hand. They’d been bitten off by some unrecognizable beast two days after they arrived and they’d never regrown. For an Umbral Ghast, that was nearly impossible. With enough fresh blood and prey, he should have healed long ago.

But compared to some of his band, he was lucky. The Chaos Wild had killed half of them within a week, until they’d managed to find shelter at a farm on one of the weaker worlds. He still remembered the farmer’s pleas for mercy as they slaughtered every living thing in the area.

That pleasant memory was barely enough to calm his nerves as he recalled how they’d ended up here. If only the damned High Council member hadn’t been on that world. It was supposed to be an easy raid. If it had gone well, he’d have been set for life, but that Winged Fury had been too much to handle.

Most of his people had died and the rest ended up here, exiled for life because they’d wanted the fast route to wealth and a few slaves. The only reason they hadn’t been killed was that they were at the back of the troops and hadn’t had a chance to do anything yet. They hadn’t even arrived on the planet before the fight was over.

It had been that fast.

He still remembered that arrogant Winged Fury’s judgment when he looked at him: “Your race thrives on blood and pain, and allowances have always been made by the High Council. Many of you serve honorably to protect our systems. You are aware that the civilized races are off limits, but you chose to attack anyway.

“If you wish to kill other sentients for gain, you will find the Chaos Wild more to your liking. If you can survive there for 100 years and demonstrate your understanding of social order, your case will be reviewed and you may be allowed to return.”

The next thing he knew, he’d woken up here, branded as an exile. That prick hadn’t stopped there either. He’d added a visible marking that still gleamed on the back of Galsen’s hands. It was a silver circle broken by a jagged cut through the center, the mark of a traitor. Even if he cut off his hands, it would just move somewhere else.

He’d tried.

Not every exile was marked like that, just the ones who were the most dangerous. It was a warning to those who didn’t have an Analyze ability. The council wanted everyone to be on the lookout around him.

Most exiles went to work in the Borderlands, which was where it got a lot of its labor supply, and some of them served out their time and left, but he hadn’t been willing to do that. A servant’s life was not for him.

When he decided to set out on his own as a bandit, his men had followed him without a second thought. Since then, they’d had some good times and some bad ones, but the real thing that kept him out here was that look in his prey’s eye when they knew they were about to die and they couldn’t stop it. Only he could.

That was true power.

The Umbral Ghast slammed his hands together again as he laughed softly to himself and ran his tongue along his pointed teeth. He was looking forward to how this Wild Giant would scream when captured. He’d heard about their riches, but it was the idea of tormenting something so large and naive that really got his attention. Maybe he’d roast a few bits and see how he tasted.

As for the naga who was with them, he wasn’t concerned about that one. The snake-like race was strong, even more than a ghast, but there was only one of them. It wouldn’t be enough to make a difference.

An hour or so later, the band of eighteen Umbral Ghasts flew out of the half-charred building. Their base was located on a small moon that orbited one of the two empty planets in the system. Once upon a time, the place had belonged to a mining company, but they’d abandoned it long ago.

“Neio, lead the way,” Galsen said with a snarl as he waved the scout to the head of their triangular formation. Once Neio was in place, he turned to his most trusted lieutenant. “Joboa, once we get in sight, use your Spatial Fade abilities and take your team to flank. Don’t let that giant escape.”

He rubbed his hands together as the dark swirls on his skin expanded and his body faded away into a grey shadow. All around him, his men were doing the same. A moment later, they were flying through the Void like ghosts.

According to Neio, the giant wasn’t moving very fast. It wouldn’t take them long to find him.