Spellheart 9: Chapter 59 (Patreon)

With Jade Sava at my side, I returned to the Hearthwood. Mac informed me that Sam and Dean were already there waiting for me, so the time had come to go. My matriarchs had also gotten ready and were lined up by the Teleportation Array.

I thought it would be strange to be on the offensive again after so long playing the diplomat and the defender.

But nothing could be further from the truth. My heart was beating faster. I wasn’t nervous. I was excited.

“Thank you all. I’m glad you’re here.” My gaze roamed over every matriarch of the Hearthwood Clan, as well as the others who would help with this mission. “I hope you made the most of last night’s power gains because you’re going to need them. I’ll be taking you all somewhere very dangerous. The World of Woods and Wilds is no safe and cushy place, especially for elves.”

Tivana raised a hand, and I nodded to her.

“How much fighting will we be doing?” Tivana asked. “And what exactly is the mission we’re going to complete?”

“If all goes well, you ladies should be exclusively dedicated to rescuing as many people and things as you can from the World of Woods and Wilds while Sam, Dean, and I work. You’ll all blend in a lot better than we will. Just make sure you stick together and don’t stray too far from the evacuation point. I’ll leave a Pocket World Passage open for you to bring back anything or anyone worth saving. As for the exact details of the plan...” I glanced at Sam and Dean and shook my head. “Sorry. The details are needed to know only. Just know that Sam and Dean are headed to the Satyr King’s palace to present the peace offering we’re bringing. Along with a very brave friend who’ll be coming along with us.”

I gestured behind me, presenting Jade Sava for the first time. I thought disguising her appearance was going to be hard, but Yavilla and Tavilla had the perfect assortment of makeup and stylish outfits. Between the two of them, Jade Sava looked just like she was made of flesh and blood. Mayatania lent a hand as well and gave her a special high-vitality pill that would make her feel like she was alive to most magical senses. Honestly, I was glad I had so many competent people in the Hearthwood. They’d saved me from so many tiny but potentially deadly pitfalls in this ambitious scheme of mine.

“Hey, that’s me!” Sava pointed at her jade copy.

“In a sense,” I shrugged. “You should thank her. Her part in this is as important as mine.”

“I know what to do. I will distract the Satyr King as long as possible,” Jade Sava replied.

“And for that, you have all of our thanks,” I nodded to her.

“Alright, I think that’s everything,” Sam glanced at the Teleportation Array and waved his hand at the pile of treasure sitting nearby. He’d emptied the Fateweaver Society's coffers as well, adding to what the Hearthwood Clan could produce. Dean’s pockets were already empty, so he had little to contribute himself.

“This’ll be my second meeting with an Immortal Ascendant.” I rolled up my sleeves. “I wonder if this one will still feel overwhelming.”

I remembered Grognak’s power being as incomprehensible as the moon might be to an ant. But now I was just one step beneath Immortal Ascendant myself.

“We’ll standby,” Tivana said. “How long do you think it’ll be before you can bring us over?”

I shrugged. “As soon as I can slip away from Sam and Dean. Stay ready for my signal to come at any time.”

The Matriarchs of the Hearthwood threw me a salute, and I joined Sam, Dean, Jade Sava, and the pile of treasure on the Teleportation Array.

“We’re ready,” Sam said, his voice steady.

“Time to go. Mac, please initiate the teleportation.” I waved away a prompt, and soon, the array hummed with energy.

The transportation was quick and smooth. Far smoother than any elven teleportation array. It seemed faster than before, but I wasn’t sure if it was because of a recent upgrade or integrating the QCA into The Wanderer.

We appeared in one of the satellites the Hearthwood Clan kept in orbit. I didn’t recognize the design, but Argona had been steadily improving them since our first set of satellites.

Getting to the World of Woods and Wilds took several more jumps. When we reached the last one, we all dusted ourselves off and did our best to look like diplomats.

I shot a glance at Jade Sava. “This would be your last chance to back out.”

Jade Sava shook her head. “I’m ready. Whatever the cost.”

I activated the last teleporter and reappeared somewhere strange.

A group of Satyrs stood from where they were seated, hunched over a table as they played a game of dice. All four of them were Demigods, but something was off about them. They moved clumsily and with far too much bravado, like someone unused to their own body. Each was as brawny and tall as the Satyr Demigods I’d slain, and the energies I felt from them were very familiar.

“Well, well, look who we have here. We heard supplicants from the World of Sanctuary, and Serenity might be coming...” One of the Satyrs grinned. “Come to beg for the Satyr King’s mercy?”

“Yes,” Sam replied without missing a beat. “We’re here to grovel before him, as you might expect. We brought the Keystone Elf he wanted, as well as a few gifts. We also have proof that the four Demigods you sent are way are safe, whole, and awaiting safe return.”

I finally placed where I sensed these energies before. They were exactly the same as the Demigods I’d fought back in the Hearthwood. Apparently, the Satyr King had already given away their empty Sacred Groves and raised new Satyrs to Demigod.

My heart hardened. I was making the right choice. If I didn’t do this, then the Satyr King would flood the Hearthwood with Demigods until he finally got what he wanted.

“Let me guess,” another of the Satyr guards chimed in, his eyes gleaming with smug malice. “You’re hoping our gracious king will spare your pathetic lives in exchange for these trinkets?”

Dean stepped forward, arms crossed. “We’re here for peace, not to be mocked.”

Ignoring Dean’s glare, the Satyrs continued their taunting. “Well then, little human elf lovers. Let’s not keep our king waiting,” one of them gestured for us to follow. “He’ll be thrilled to see you all on your knees begging for mercy. If you want my advice, you should have gone lighter on the gold and zeal crystals and heavier on the elven servants. We could always use more of them.”

I might have been offended at the Satyr’s words, but they slid right off. I didn’t care what he thought about me, my friends, or my lovers. He was just an idiot. And if I had my way, he’d be a dead idiot soon.

Instead, I was focused on finding the opportunity to slip away. Sam, Dean, and Jade Sava didn’t need me for this little diplomatic mission. In fact, it would probably go better if I made my escape long before the Satyr King extended his senses to find me. After all, we hadn’t exactly parted our last set of negotiations as friends.

Dean cast me a few glances, probably when checking to see if I had made a break for it yet.

But I couldn’t leave yet. Getting caught slipping away would raise an alarm immediately. Even if I made it all the way to my target, these Demigods could still cause problems for me.

I’d hoped we’d walk past an Earth ley line, giving me the perfect opportunity to brush against it and disappear unnoticed. Unfortunately, the ley lines running through the area were all well away from me and well looked after. It was a side effect of the presence of so many Sacred Groves in this world. The flow of earth zeal was as tightly controlled as any other type of magic.

Dean tried to trick our escort into looking away. “Hey, what’s that giant dick-looking plant over there?”

None of our guards responded. Dean stayed right where he was and kept pointing, waiting for an answer expectantly. Eventually, one rolled his eyes. “Keep walking, stupid human.”

He didn’t look at the strangely phallic-looking tree or allow himself to be distracted in the least. Dean cast me a sheepish shrug.

Sam tried next. “What an incredible specimen! A plant that emits fate zeal naturally? I must take a sample back with me.” He rushed in the direction of a plant.

Two of the Demigods chased after him, leaving two behind. “Don’t you dare steal from the Satyr King’s garden!” one of them shouted.

Unfortunately, two Demigods remained alongside us. I might be able to use my Pocket World passage to deal with one of them silently, but not two. Would I have to risk it anyway?

Then, help came from where I least expected it. Jade Sava had an idea.

She shot me one mournful glance, then let out a mournful wail. “I will not become a tool for a disgusting man like the Satyr King to grow more powerful!”

Then she started running in the opposite direction Sam had gone.

This was it! My chance!

“Damn it! Stupid elf!” The two remaining Demigods looked at one another, and one of them ran off after Sava.

Dean and I exchanged a look, and I opened my Pocket World Passage. In the same motion, Dean shoved the Demigod through the passage, stripping him of his powers. On the other side of the passage was the entire might of the Hearthwood Clan.

“Don’t kill him! We don’t want to alert the Satyr King. Lock him in the Personal Chambers!” I ordered.

[Consider it done,] Mac replied.

I closed the Pocket World passage and turned to Dean. “Thanks. Cover for me.”

I yelled at the top of my lungs. “I’ll help get that damn keystone elf! I’m with you!”

And then I took off running as fast as I could in the completely wrong direction. With any luck, the Satyrs would guess I rushed off with their missing Demigod and got lost. It wasn’t exactly a rock-solid alibi, but I only needed it to last an hour or two at most. That would be enough time for me to do what I wanted.

Dean threw me a salute and mouthed the words ‘good luck.’

I vanished behind the trees and brush of the Satyr King’s Sacred Grove. It occurred to me that I might be able to do some serious damage now that I was here. The grove seemed nearly endless, and just hacking down trees and plants would do little to weaken the Satyr King.

But likely not enough. I shook my head. I had my eyes on a far greater prize.

I sensed it ahead of me. An Earth ley line. I dove into it, willing it to take me far away.

I stayed within its embrace for several long minutes, traveling an enormous distance in the blink of an eye. The feel of the earth zeal felt different. The World of Struggle and Strife had felt the same way, though the feeling that the world’s earth zeal had been different in another way.

Where the Earth zeal of the World of Sanctuary and Serenity was beautiful, this zeal was rugged. Where the earth zeal on the World of Struggle and Strife was tough, this zeal was stubborn. It was distinctive enough that the pull was different and unexpected but not nearly powerful enough to overcome my will. I wondered what the Satyr King was feeling as I traveled through the ley lines in his Sacred Grove. Maybe it was akin to a clot flowing through his veins.

Perhaps if I was very, very lucky, he’d have the magical equivalent of a stroke long before I finished what I planned to do. Somehow, I doubted I’d be that fortunate.

Far from prying eyes, I emerged from the ley line. I took one glance around and saw the little but manicured forest. I suspected most of the Satyr King’s territory looked like this. It seemed like a crude facsimile of wilderness, like someone was trying to shove as many aspects of a temperate forest together every few square meters.

There were a few elves tending to the forest nearby, but the strongest of them was only a Wizard. Even she wouldn’t be able to detect me from this distance, though, especially when I added a little of my improved Unnoticability spell to the area.

Safe and secure, I summoned my Pocket World Passage once again. My matriarchs were still there, waiting for my orders. This time, I gave them the signal.

“Alright, everyone. Now’s the time. Everybody, go!” I ordered. Grim nods and intense smiles greeted me in reply. “Take anything that isn’t nailed down, including the elves the Satyr King imprisoned here to work on his Sacred Grove. Stick together in teams of two. And remember, the Satyrs can’t fight in pocket spaces, so if you’re being chased, just head straight back to The Wanderer.”

They broke off into small groups as planned, fanning out to scout the area. With so many of them, they’d hopefully be able to scout the area and save who and what they could. It wouldn’t be much, but it was the most I could offer.

With them on their task, I turned my attention to my own mission. This seemed as good a spot to start digging as any. I knelt down, pressing my palms against the ground. A rush of Earth zeal flowed through me as I sliced through the earth, opening a wide hole that led straight down.

I jumped into the hole, widening it more even as I descended. The sounds of the Satyr King’s Sacred Grove above me faded to nothing as I descended straight toward the planet’s molten core.