[Tian] 1:16 (Patreon)

“THERE IT IS.”

I glance over at where Kalmat is looking at. We are standing atop a hill, far above a deep valley that spreads out extensively with nothing but rocks and bones filling it. The concentration of Lifeblood here is high. Large clusters are clumped together, just like in Thornthistle. And beyond this empty landscape is a massive cave entrance.

Even from this distance, it looks like the opening to an ordinary alcove or a crack on the wall. And we are very far from it still.

Certainly, all that is left is the trek— the tiring walk straight ahead— to the hole on the side of the mountain. We will arrive just before false night begins, and Rubrum sets. Ahead of schedule.

“Is that the Desolate Caverns?” I ask Kalmat.

“In a way, it is,” he says with a nod. “However, we’ve already arrived at the Desolate Caverns long ago.” He taps a foot on the ground. “Everything below us— the tunnels those acid fleshworms came from— it is all the Desolate Caverns. What we’re seeing here is the main entrance to the domain. And our best bet at quickly finding the Websmith.”

“Why is that?”

“Because that is the Spider’s Nest,” a voice speaks up from behind me. I glance over at Beihal, who shudders as he continues. “It’s… like a city. But for monsters. By the Grovetender, Kalmat, can’t I just wait up here while you guys go ahead? I’ll look after Seiled.”

“But I want to see the Websmith…” the boy trails off.

“After all the time I spent teaching you, caring for you… this is how you betray me?” The bulky man gives Seiled a hurt look.

I raise a surprised brow at Beihal. “Are you afraid of spiders?”

“Of course not,” he scoffs, crossing his arms. “I’m scared of monster spiders. And the other creepy crawlies down there. Look— don’t you think it’s unnatural for anything larger than your hand to have more than two eyes?”

Tilting my head up to the sky, I remember the various Sacred Beasts I have encountered with more than a dozen eyes. “No,” I say simply.

“Bah, you’re from another world, so it doesn’t count.”

“We’ll all be going down to meet the Websmith,” Kalmat emphatically chimes in. “I did not ask each and every single one of you here to come along without a reason. If we want to recruit the Websmith’s help, we’ll have to prove ourselves to her first.”

“I’ve already proven myself,” Nindran pipes up, chin raised. She pulls open her Mark and points a thumb back at herself. “See?”

Kalmat shakes his head. “That’s not enough, Nindran. If we want her to acknowledge our strength, we’ll have to show it to her directly.”

I pause, then narrow my eyes. “We’ll have to fight.”

“Yes.”

***

I step over the chunk of metal jutting out of the ground, only for Nindran to kick it as she steps up right behind me. “Stupid machine,” she mutters, eliciting a glare from Seiled.

“Machines are not stupid. They’re only as dumb as the person who made them.”

“Yours must be pretty dumb then, huh?” She grins back his way.

He glowers, crossing his arms. “I haven’t made any proper machine just yet. But I’ve engineered a few weapons…”

“Mindless weapons.” She nods. “Pretty damn dumb.”

It seems that Galgom’s forces have not left the Desolate Cavern alone; the landscape on the way to the large opening ahead is littered with broken En. I even spot some Esh lying, half-buried in the ground. Bones and monster parts jut out of the black dirt, almost like broken teeth.

Countless battles have been fought here. And it becomes even more apparent as we reach the expansive mouth of the cave.

“Kalmat…” Keshiy speaks softly, drawing the black-haired man’s attention. “Do you think…?” She leaves the question unsaid. But we all know what she meant to ask.

“It’s possible,” Kalmat says. “But we can’t give up here before we even check.”

“Right. I wasn’t saying we shouldn’t.” She shies back slightly, almost ashamed of herself.

The leader of the Keepers of the Grove presses on, followed by his companions. I am not entirely skeptical, however if Galgom really is going around killing the guardians of Utana, I do not see why the Websmith would be any exception.

Unless, of course, the Websmith has killed Galgom each time he came. Apparently, he is able to survive supposed death. Something— I am not sure what— lets him come back every time. I just hope it is not some trick, and that it is actually true immortality.

“We’re here,” Kalmat declares as we finally arrive at the cave entrance. I see a slope descending down into darkness. Stalactites and stalagmites fill the ceiling and the floor of the rocky tunnel. Awaiting us is the Desolate Caverns.

Spinning around, Kalmat addresses our group.

“We don’t know what awaits us down there. Whether it would be a potential ally, or… disappointment. However, we cannot let our guard down. Nor can we let our hope die if Galgom has truly slain all four guardians of our world.”

He takes a deep breath and steels himself.

“We’ll just have to take their place.”

With his speech finished, he draws his blade and ventures down into the darkness. We follow after him, Lifeblood gathering around us as the Elementalists ready their magic. A few balls of fire appear overhead, lighting our path down the cavern.

“Pst, Tian.” Nindran sidles up over next to me. She holds up a globule of Lifeblood, as if trying to pass it my way. “Have you tried learning how magic works yet?”

“I have had Kalmat teach me the basics,” I say, before shaking my head. “However, I discovered I was rather inept at it. It was better for me to pursue other avenues of acquiring strength for now.”

“You mean your Aspects?”

“Yes.”

“How’s that going for you?” She grins when I do not respond. “You do have a Feat that supposedly helps you out, so I can see why you’d focus on that.” Snapping a finger, she conjures a small flame. “However, I do think it’d be useful for ya to at least learn a bit more about how magic works.”

For whatever reason, she is eager to teach me. Perhaps my praises from a week ago got into her head, and she now wants to show off more. Nevertheless…

“I am not averse to expanding my skillset.”

“Alright, so here’s how it works—”

Nindran begins her explanation, starting from the bare basics. I already know most of it, but I listen again in case I missed anything when Kalmat first explained it to me. I did not.

I understand how an Elementalist draws strength from the Ushitim— the Lifeblood is her power. However, from my own cursory knowledge of the subject, it seems that talent plays very little part in an Elementalist’s strength.

“That’s true!” The azure-haired woman nods, almost proudly. “It’s kinda like… writing, y’know? Or wait— does your world have calligraphy at all?”

“The arts are something most young girls are taught, however I, myself, have not undergone such lessons.”

“Eh. It’s not really that kind of a thing here— I mean, you’ve seen the tapestries Kalmat likes to hang around, right? He’s such a sucker for fancy-looking things.” She looks over at Seiled. “Look at him. He’s a boy, and he likes messin’ with machines. That’s an art, right?”

He scowls. “No, it isn’t.”

She shrugs. “Anyways, some people start off writing better than others, but we’re mostly even. It’s not like your Aspect, which can vary by quite a bit.”

“Interesting.” Is it possible that I do not have the natural talent needed to control my Aspect? But no— I can sense a great well of power within me. I have seen it firsthand, when fighting Galgom. And I have a Feat aiding me. There is just something I am missing here.

Nindran continues, “So, magic. Everyone in Utana is connected to the Pishitim in one way or another. You just haveta channel that connection, draw its power and conjure up what you want. One of the four elements.”

My gaze sharpens. I focus only on the globule of Lifeblood she is holding out in front of me. I reach for its energy, like I am throwing a bucket into a well to draw its water. And it works. The red blobs gather around me, changing shape, shifting in its form.

It is nothing like the School of Transmutation. Although it draws from an outside source— in Jhisie, the Essences come from the Heavens, like Lifeblood from the Pishitim, even if the full situation is rather distinct— the feeling is entirely different. The Lifeblood does not become part of me, staying separate as if it is a tool to use.

I try to change it to the most familiar element I know. Fire. The Lifeblood glows. I can feel a light heat— like steam from a boiling pot— on my fingers closest to the magic. Sparks flicker out… and the fire dies.

I stare, frowning, at the failed attempt at magic.

“Heh. Seems like the amazing Tian isn’t so amazing, after all.”

I look over at Nindran with a glare. She immediately sinks back as if swallowed by the wall, waving her hands.

“I’m kidding! I’m kidding! You know how much of a tease I am, right?” She gulps nervously. I keep my death-stare trailed on her for a moment longer. Then I laugh softly.

“I do, indeed.” I shake my head. “I find you quite amusing, Nindran.”

“Y-you do?” The azure-haired woman blinks.

I wink her way. “Of course,” I say. Before she can react, I try again to create fire, failing once more. “This is rather difficult, no?”

“Oh, uh, for your first time, you’re making decent progress.” She pauses, tilting her head back. “Maaaaybe it’s because of all the ambient Lifeblood around here. We are getting close to the Websmith’s lair, after all. But just keep trying. If you can make a ball of fire this quickly, it’d be pretty impressive.”

I continue listening to her teaching. My repeated attempts at casting magic prove fruitless for a little while. Even after Keshiy and Seiled joins in, trying to show me how it is done, I still struggle with creating more than sparks. Until finally, I manage to hold up a candleflame at the palm of my right hand.

“You did it!” Nindran exclaims, peering over the small source of heat.

I clam a hand over it, keeping the cool, damp air from snuffing it out. Seiled snorts, crossing his arms.

“Of course she did it.”

“Seiled…” Keshiy trails off, giving him a look. “You’re a bit too overeager about her capabilities.” I turn back to face her, and she quickly continues. “I-I’m not trying to say you’re bad or anything— just that his expectations of you are a skewed. It’s like he thinks you’re some kind of… d-deity?”

“He is placing me on a pedestal,” I agree. “I am grateful that you think so highly of me, Seiled.” I face the boy with a smile. Then I shake my head. “But I did not get to where I was in Jhisie out of talent. It was through patience and hard work.”

He deflates. “Right… I wasn’t saying…”

“It is fine.” I place a hand on his shoulder. “I understand what you mean.”

Nindran pockets her hands, whistling. “Sooooo, do you think this helps with your Aura training?”

I pause mid-step. Kalmat and the others continue their descent, with only the three around me stopping. I slow my breathing, placing a hand on my chest. I feel for my Aura. The dormant power, used only once before.

I try to grab it. Use the same method for magic to move it. Nothing happens.

“I do not think it helps, Nindran.”

The azure-haired woman pouts. “Aw. I guess if it did help, Kalmat would’ve asked ya to first learn magic, right?”

“He would have. But I do not believe this was a wasted venture. Any other means of fighting is useful.”

“You’re too serious like that sometimes.” Nindran grins, resting the back of her head on her forearms. “It’s a good thing though, since ya won’t really complain about stuff like Keshiy.”

“Hey!”

I smile slightly as the pair begin to bicker once more. However, that moment is interrupted by a loud crash further down the tunnel. Shouts can be heard echoing up, with Beihal’s loud bellow clear to the ears. We exchange a quick look, before rushing down after the others.

The small corridor expands out into a large cave chamber. It is flat, no longer bringing us deeper downwards. There is some moisture in the air, with drops of water falling from the stalactites hanging on the ceiling. Kalmat stands with his sword drawn, facing down a spider four times larger than him.

It screeches, striking down at him with its mandibles.