[Tian] 1:33 (Patreon)

“NEVER AGAIN.”

“Did you say something, Tian?” Nindran looks up at me from her bowl of soup.

I shake my head— my habit of speaking to myself draws too much attention when others are around. I glance over to my left, my gaze boring through the walls of the building, straight at the metallic figures I sense marching their way to Thornthistle.

“It is time, Nindran. They are here.”

“Wait, what do you mean they’re here—” She is interrupted by a loud gong in the distance. A bell is tolled. The eleventh bell since our meeting not too long ago.

Nindran quickly scarfs down her food, devouring it in mere moments as I stand up, leaving her behind.

“Wait, wait, wait!” she calls out, clanging the plate back on the orange table as she rushes my way. “I was eating— you can’t expect me to get ready that quick, right?”

I ignore her as shouts finally erupt from outside. There is a clamoring— a rush to prepare for battle. The En have arrived. And now, it is our time to strike.

The azure-haired woman pauses right as we pass through a doorway. She looks over at a window, seeing the stream of Elementalists leaving to face the attacking machines. “How’d ya even know they were here?”

“I have been using Indigo Essence ever since the tenth bell rang— the School of Divination— to set up a barrier around Thornthistle. They simply tripped it, informing me of their arrival. Now come, Kalmat is waiting for us.”

Sure enough, we cross through a corridor, finding the man standing at the center of a large hall. People are rushing to their stations all around. He peers at us through the crowd, giving us a small nod. Nelrel and Beihal wait behind him, prepared for our departure.

“Tian,” he says my name as Nindran and I approach him, “are we ready?”

“I believe so.” I feel for my novacloth pouch. Only two ginsoul pills remain. “It is time for us to act.”

Just as the words leave my mouth, an explosion resounds in the distance. I narrow my eyes as I spot streaks of light falling through the sky. I frown.

“The Esh are here.”

“That’s—” Beihal blinks. “Those damn machines don’t usually show up in the attacks!”

“Then it must mean that Galgom is hoping to finish the job soon,” Nelrel says, stepping forward. “We must act with haste.”

“What about the Esh? We can’t just leave ‘em to wreak havoc while we’re gone!” Nindran scowls.

Kalmat nods. “That’s why we won’t. Tian, is it fine if we deal with those machines before we leave the city?”

“It is problematic.” I cross my arms as I feel my Aspect gathering around me. “It wastes precious time, and possibly resources too. As I have said, I only have two ginsoul pills left.”

“But we can’t just let them be.”

“I agree.” I draw my lips into a thin line. “Unfortunately, our hands are tied.”

“Ugh this sucks,” Nindran groans as we exit the shelter. “Why’d they haveta come now of all times?”

“We have no other choice,” I remind her.

“I know, I know. It’s just it’ll take a while to deal with ‘em. And we’ll tire ourselves out and…” she trails off.

An Esh crashes right in front of us. It raises an arm, aiming it at us as we brace ourselves. But before we can act, an Aura of blue energy blasts out. It crushes the metallic being against a wall— a hand that squeezes the Esh until its head pops off.

Nindran blinks. “What?”

I turn to the source of the Aspect, narrowing my eyes. “You are…?”

A man slowly walks out the shadows. He is dressed in robes, almost similar to mine, but different in material, cut, and design. It is Bluerage. The survivor from the Frosty Mountains. The one who saw the Icecaller’s demise.

“Woah, you’re a Bladewielder?” Nindran stares at him with wide-eyes.

“These machines have brought misery and death to the people of Utana. They have killed my family and friends, razed my city to the ground.” Bluerage looks over at us, his eyes sorrowful, his Aspect gathering behind him like clawing arms. “Icecaller’s breath… I have been pitiful for far too long. Go.”

I raise a brow. “Are you sure? You will be able to handle the Esh?”

“Perhaps not on my own. But there are others in this city, all willing to fight just as I do. Please,” he pleads, “save us from Galgom’s tyranny.”

“We will,” Kalmat says, stepping past me. He bows his head slightly. “Thank you, Bluerage. You are truly a brave warrior from the Frosty Mountains.”

Bluerage does not meet Kalmat’s gaze. Instead, he leaps up into the roof of a nearby building. “I don’t need your praise. I just need you to end this once and for all.”

With that, our group leaves from Thornthistle. My wings wrap around Kalmat, Nelrel, Nindran, and Beihal as I take off into the air, soaring past the fighting, past the falling Esh, straight towards Galgom’s Hive.

I look back once, seeing Bluerage, Keshiy, and a few other Elementalists engaging with the Esh. Their magic blasts up into the air, visible even from a great distance. These people are fighting for their lives. To no longer live under the oppression of a man not from this world.

It is time to see their wishes come true.

***

“Just as the many nights with Rubrum are not true nights, the Galgoms we have seen so far are not the true Galgom,” I explain as we fly over a forest of dark kwyer trees. My eyes dart over the landscape as I take note of all the creatures crawling beneath the canopy.

Monsters of all shapes and sizes roam the wild. They feed on each other, striking any living creature that moves. They are vastly different from any Sacred Beast I have ever seen. More akin to Spirits. Even then, they are still distinct. Much more ferocious. Unthinking and savage.

“How do you plan on finding this true body?” Kalmat asks as we rapidly approach the undulating mountains in the distance. “His Hive is the size of a hill. Must we scour every crack and hole to find where he has hidden it?”

“There is no need for that.” There is a flash of purple light as I show him my Indigo Essence. “I will do whatever it takes to track his body down.”

He stares at me for a moment. Then he nods. “I trust you, Tian.”

“The most important thing right now is that we find a way to sneak into his Hive without being seen.”

“What about your illusions?”

“It can only carry us so far. I only have two ginsoul pills, Kalmat. It will not last. Not if we hope to beat Galgom.”

I slowly descend as I spot the speck on the side of the towering mountain. The tallest in all of Utana. A city lies at its base. A dead city. Crimsonhome.

I lower my companions to the ground as my Aspect vanishes, the wings disappearing to not draw any attention to ourselves.

“This sounds like such a pain,” Nindran sighs. “What are we gonna have to do?”

“Perhaps a distraction,” Beihal suggests. “Something that would mask our entry into Galgom’s Hive.”

I tilt my head back as they begin discussing options. I remember the monsters. I remember what the Websmith did. I cannot replicate her command over monsters, but perhaps I can emulate it.

I smile as I turn to the four Keepers with me.

Kalmat eyes me with a look. “Do you have a plan?”

“Yes.”

***

“It’s completely empty,” Nindran whistles as we enter the city of Crimsonhome. “Lotsa blood and bodies.”

“Shut up,” Beihal snaps at her, glancing around nervously. “We don’t know whether any of Galgom’s machines are in here.”

“If they are, I’ll mess ‘em up!” She flexes an arm, and I roll my eyes.

“That is quite enough, Nindran. And it is fine, Beihal. I do not sense anything within Crimsonhome.”

“So, we just wait here then?” Kalmat spins to face me.

I give him a reassuring look. “Yes. I will draw monsters to Galgom’s Hive to distract his machines. Then I will return, and we shall enter it during the chaos.”

“Alright, just be safe.”

“I will.”

I take off as my wings form behind me. I fly straight for the kwyer forests, brimming with hordes of monsters. With a single flare sent up into the air, I draw their attention. They come after me, a large swarm of monsters. Flying monsters, monsters on the ground, all kinds of them.

I grin as I lead this herd back towards Galgom’s Hive. I spot his machines already streaming out of the hexagonal exits in the distance. I draw closer and closer, chased by an angry mob of monsters. They leave a trail of dust behind them, one that billows up into the air, clearly visible because of the light from my wings.

I spot Galgoms leaving the Hive too. They prepare for the attack— not just one, but half a dozen as well.

At this point, I still do not leave. I have to make a convincing case that I have been driven away. So, I engage in combat. I avoid using any Qi, using only my Aspect to battle with the Galgoms. I knock them back, fighting with them mid-air, away from the monsters charging the En down below.

Then the Esh join the Galgoms. And more Galgoms appear. They overwhelm me. They surround me from all sides. A Void Walk brings me out of this encirclement. They try to give chase, but my illusion fools them into attacking it.

And I slip away, back to Crimsonhome, undetected.

“Good job Tian,” Kalmat says as I discreetly enter the fallen city. “This distraction should last long enough for us to enter the Hive.”

I look over at the battle back where I came from. The Galgoms, the Esh, and the En are annihilating the monsters. It is a one-sided, crushing battle. “Not for long,” I say, gesturing for the four Keepers to follow after me. “Come on, while we still can.”

We stalk through the darkness of true night, climbing our way up the side of the mountain to the Hive. From afar, it does look like a kind of hive. One full of bees, perhaps with a queen somewhere within. But up close, it is different. It looks like a comet has struck the earth. Except, instead of rock and debris being left behind at the crater, it is a large metal tin thing.

“What even is it?” I murmur to myself.

“Dunno,” Nindran replies as she climbs beside me. The battle in the distance is growing softer and softer. “But this is where all the Esh and the En keep comin’ from. We gotta be really careful inside.” Just as she says that, her grip slips on one of the rocks, and she nearly tumbles down.

I extend a hand and catch her before she does. I smirk. “Perhaps you should be careful while out here as well.”

“Oh, shut up.” She rolls her eyes as we crest the rest of the way up.

Finally, we reach the side of the massive Hive. There are entrances at the bottom, but the En are still leaving from these large doorways to fend off the attacking monsters. There is only one other way in, and it is through the hexagonal hangars up above.

My wings spread wide as the curtains of my illusion spread over me and the Keepers. I carry them up into the air, heading for one of the open doorways, letting light out.

I quietly flutter in, unseen by the Esh, unseen by the En, and unseen by Galgom.

“We are in,” I whisper, as I gently land to the side of the room. It is a white room, with bright lights shining above, and boxes and crates kept gathered around in sets. “Now all that is left is to find Galgom’s true body.” Snapping my eyes shut, I exude Indigo Essence and do just that.

Author's Note:

You guys get 3 chapters today because you're 10 chapters ahead of public now. I have written nothing today, currently out looking at apartments and got some time to post these chaps which I stockpiled a while back. Only reason why I hadn't posted 'em yet was because I was working with my editor to make it all as good as possible xD 

Submitted the book to Aethon for final edits. Really excited. Likely will be published towards the end of the year. Will post cover art soon! Beautiful Tsu work!