Chapter 78 - Nothing Is Ever Easy (Patreon)

Mayalyn Aloyhee

Mayalyn watched Jiran’s chest rise and fall with each peaceful breath. Her mind began to wander back to the Maker’s bunker and all the priceless tools she was forced to leave. Her stomach twisted when the familiar queasiness returned.

This is all my fault. I told him to go. How could I have been so wrong? Would we be happily eating lunch together right now if I had only kept my mouth shut?

A tear tracked down her cheek and she wiped it away quickly, hating the part of her that wanted to wallow in self-pity. She tried to focus on the feeling of Jiran’s aura draping over her protectively even while he slept. The comfort only appeased her mind for a moment before the ruminations began again.

At least I managed to secure all the books. Hopefully, Jiran is willing to bring me back to salvage what I can, and maybe with his empire's smiths we can rebuild the rest. I should be thankful I managed to save that much. If not for Jiran buying us time with that ridiculous amount of mana, would any of us have made it out alive? He has always been so mysterious about his powers and home. I know more about his memories of Earth than I do of his empire. His aura, speaking directly to Madra, what happened at the node, the list goes on and on. How can one boy hold so many secrets when his emotions are so easy to read?

Mayalyn cracked a gentle smile as she remembered the first time she discovered how his emotions shuddered when she simply maintained eye contact. Even more than kissing, there was something about her eyes that he could not get enough of and having that little power over him always made her core thrum in the most delightful of ways.

The momentary bout of happiness was interrupted by a braying voice that instantly had Mayalyn’s claws ready to stretch from her fingers. “Where is he?” The all too familiar hiss prickled the sensitive hairs on Mayalyn’s ears. Small feet stomped closer and the acrid scent of the woman’s perfume filled the tunnel air.

Why does she wear that piss? Maybe her natural musk is even worse, perhaps I should be thanking her.

Her small grin returned for a brief moment as she stood and turned toward her step-aunt. Upon seeing her scowl, Mayalyn let her claws release as she moved herself between Jiran and the approaching woman.

This may all be my fault, but that does not mean I will allow her to wake up the person responsible for saving us all.

“He is resting and you will not disturb him,” Mayalyn’s fingers twitched reflexively before she reigned in on the instincts passed down from Mathra.

“Is that so? Are you going to be the one to stop me, little beast?” Even knowing the old insult might come out, Mayalyn growled in response. Viyolla’s smile was a vicious thing as she saw the hurt her words caused.

The woman preened as if she had won some prize before taking another step forward. Mayalyn was there instantly, pulling on her stored element to enhance her speed. “If you take another step, I will stop you. He is our best chance for everyone to survive and I will not let you disturb his sleep.”

“My dearest Aahmra would have your hide if you touched me,” Viyolla lifted her chin to look down at Mayalyn.

“I do not see him here, do you?” Viyolla’s mouth fell open when Mayalyn refused to use his title. Before the woman could respond, Mayalyn pressed her advantage, “Do I need to remind you that he left us in our hour of greatest need?”

“Get out of my way, rat! Everything that has happened is all that boy’s fault and he will answer our questions before we take another step away from our ancestral home!”

“What nonsense are you spinning now? Jiran is saving us! We all knew the last drives would fail soon and we would have to give up our homes to return to the caves, to this!” Mayalyn threw her hands to the side at the dirt walls. “Jiran is leading us to a better place, a new home without the alphas where we can continue to live under the suns.”

“Oh please, how naive can you be? Is it truly so hard for you to see? Explain to me how everything happened the minute he took the Aahmra from us? Then he returns right as the alphas show up? Preposterous! I demand answers!” Her voice rose several decibels until it echoed down the entire tunnel. Mayalyn was momentarily stunned that the woman would so brazenly try to turn the entire town against him before they were out of danger.

This snake is trying to regain control. Her argument makes no sense and I will make sure they all know it!

“Do you honestly believe that he has control over the alphas and set them upon us? What could one person possibly do to cause the entire flock to come down seeking food? Or are you suggesting one person has the power to cause Adelphoros to erupt? He is not the bringer of this misfortune, he is the deliverer of our salvation, he is the ko—”

“Your opinions do not matter, rat! Everyone can smell your rancid scent on him. We—”

Suddenly, the woman was hovering a foot off the ground. Her mouth worked but no sound came out. Jiran stepped up beside Mayalyn with a yawn as he looked across all the faces present.

“It doesn't matter if you think I caused this or not, I’m helping everyone escape to the Aahmra and after that, you can do or say whatever you want about me. What I do care about is her degrading Mayalyn like a rabid beast… While the rest of you stood by watching!” Jiran’s roaring voice echoed, causing dozens of ears to flatten.

Jiran turned to Viyolla, whose eyes were bulged as her ragged breaths flared her nostrils. “You can speak again when you’re outside the range of my aura. Childish tantrums deserve a child's punishment. Now, does anyone else want to take out their fear and anger on Mayalyn? No? Good. We’re nearly safe, this is not the time to be divided.”

By the time Jiran set her down, Viyolla’s face was indistinguishable from a bonfire. Her eyes narrowed as she shot him a look that promised retribution before she stormed away amidst the lackeys who she had brought for support. The rest of the onlookers returned to their brief time of recovery.

Mayalyn watched Jiran stretch and yawn as he leaned against the dirt wall. He was filthy, exhausted, and likely barely aware of what he had just done. At that moment, he could not have been more handsome.

The next time I get him alone…

Jiran of Feylon

What a pain in the ass. Why would the Aahmra put up with her and why is Mayalyn looking at me like that? Is there something on my face? Anyway, I hope we can get off this island without any more issues.

What's the best way to get everyone up? Going outside is out of the question. Kids wouldn’t be able to scale the cliff safely and I’ll be too busy sending people through one at a time to deal with helping them. Through the rock we go.

It took Jiran two hours to burrow out a back-and-forth staircase just within the cliff face. At the top, he stopped to observe the inactive teleportation platform only a few meters away through open air. Mayalyn and Mathra approached after he called for them.

“The first time I was in the cave on the other side, I was ambushed by a nest of tier two bugs. Whoever we send through first, should be strong enough to defend everyone we send through after them. I’ll let you figure out the order but I have to be the last one through.”

Mathra acknowledged his words with a nod, “I shall head through first with Rakech to secure the cavern. You, Gourga, and the tier four hunters will protect everyone on this side. I have already organized the people into an appropriate order. You need only focus on sending us through one at a time.”

Jiran felt the pressure on his shoulders easing as he realized how prepared they were.

“Oh, and the portal can be a little shocking the first ti—”

Mathra’s hand swiped through the air as she cut him off, “Mayalyn informed everyone what to expect with the portal while you were making the path upward. My biggest concern is the children. They cannot yet obfuscate so they will be the most noticeable and therefore vulnerable. I do not wish to send them through too early either, for if they alert any nearby betas, and the commotion draws an alpha, we may lose everyone who has yet to cross.

“That’s… I’m glad I didn’t have to make that call.” Jiran imagined the weight on the woman’s shoulders must be even heavier than his. With nothing else to plan, Jiran nodded. “Okay, let's do this.”

He broke the last layer of rock separating them from the outside world as quietly as he could. After throwing a layer of Light Manipulation across his body, he crawled out of the narrow passage to what could only be described as the apocalypse.

From the relative shelter of the high cove, he could see the giant waves still crashing against the far cliffs. There was no sign of the pristine beaches that once stretched below them. Kilometers of jungle had been reduced to smoldering ash that choked the air and obscured the once majestic view of the ocean. Adelphoros spewed green and black gasses from the ruptured vents all along its massive surface. A putrid stench clogged the thick air making it difficult to breathe and rivers of lava split the land like snakes fleeing their nest.

Don’t think about it. Stay focused, stay focused.

Jiran added Mathra and Gourga to his party before activating the portal. Their names and little information boxes appeared at the top of his vision but he ignored them. His empowered aura easily saw through their obfuscations. Their jaws fell open and tears immediately tracked through the dirt staining their cheeks as they saw what had become of their home. It wasn’t until he nudged them from behind that they leaped through the portal.

One after another people exited the tunnel on all fours to stand and see their world shattered and destroyed. Every tear, sob, and gasp of horror ate away at Jiran’s composure as he guided them through. Mayalyn came out and her reaction was much the same. She shook herself free of the shock and threw her arms around him.

“I brought you some food. Y-you don’t look so good. Do you need to take a break?”

Jiran shook his head, determined to get everyone out safely before he allowed himself time to process his emotions. Mayalyn stepped to the side and watched him closely as he continued the task that only he could do. Eventually, it was time for the children. At first, Jiran stepped in front of them and used his body to try and block any sharp, predatory eyes. He realized immediately that was not a good solution and asked for them to stop until he came up with a better plan.

Jiran tapped a foot to the rocky ground and a wall of stone rose to block the mouth of the cove.

I can’t believe I didn’t think of that earlier! None of these people had to see their home destroyed. I should have gotten more sleep, I’m not thinking straight at all.

He motioned for them to continue and kids ran out two by two, only faltering as they saw the portal hanging suspended above the platform. At least Mathra had lit some lamps on the far side so it wasn’t a gaping black hole in reality any longer. Mayalyn was there to help, pushing them through as Jiran directed. Inside the tunnel, children watched as their friends crawled ahead into the unknown. As their turns inched closer, the anxiety built up within their tiny bodies, leaving them shaking and crying before they ever step foot into the sheltered cove.

A foxcub with a filthy toy hunter clutched in one arm shook like a leaf in the wind as she stumbled toward Mayalyn’s outstretched arms. Her doll fell from her grasp as she tripped over a rock. Her ankle twisted and a pained mewl escaped her lips.

A bone-chilling, unholy howl tore through the tunnel and into the cove. Screams filled the air as the people still inside tore through the wall in a panic-induced need to escape. Jiran’s eyes flew wide as he recognized the sound from when he was in the tunnel before activating the node. His aura blasted forward, wrapping around and pulling the rest of the people behind him.

Wind thick with foul-smelling density billowed out of the hole as Rakech came out last. The tier five was haggard and limping, his leg bleeding from a nasty wound.

“Wall collapsed, wind, beasts,” He growled at Jiran before turning back the way he came with a spear gripped firmly in his hands.

Hollow impacts shook the rock beneath their feet, loosening stones above their heads which came crashing down around them.

“Can anything ever be easy?” Jiran grumbled through clenched teeth. He had just enough time to make eye contact with mayalyn and motion toward the kids before the entire wall exploded.