After nearly two more months of battling the beasts of the Nether, the storage bracer had become overly full. Some large mats were removed to make room for smaller mats that seemed valuable, but without the special helmets there was no way to know what was worth more points.
John had ranked up to mid-low Silver a while ago. By his estimate, it had taken about four months for his foundation to settle, far less time than it had taken during Bronze tier. But it hadn’t begun settling so quickly until after he completed his [Synergy] about a month after entering the Nether.
Thankfully, John hadn’t seen Betrayal during rank up, nor did he have a strange dream again. Nothing out of the ordinary happened, and that in itself was unordinary.
The earliest time the portal could open began to draw closer. After finding the remains of an old collapsed bridge, John assumed it had been built to span a relatively slim part of the chasm, and he was able to slip through the shadows all the way across with little issue.
Locating the Oli camp was simple. It hadn’t moved and Transcendents flew to and away from it constantly, making it difficult not to find.
After spending so much time together, John and Talker had developed a close friendship like that of brothers. There was little one couldn’t ask of the other, but it was clear the Oli would never go against his empire in any way.
Once John finally worked up the courage to broach the subject of rescuing the Kahaki girl, he found Talker surprisingly receptive to the idea. His friend wasn’t thrilled about John’s plan and thought it was doomed to failure, but he would help. But not out of any sympathy for the Kahaki girl.
If an Oli killed a Kahako he wasn’t supposed to, the punishment was a gig of just one credit, regardless of reason. If an Oli killed a Kahaka he wasn’t supposed to, the punishment could result in a gig of up to three credits depending on the reason and circumstances.
But killing Kahaki was forbidden. It went against the Aikapu. Kahaki were supposed to be left in peace on Palm.
An Oli purposefully killing another Oli was unheard of. It just never happened.
It was also forbidden for Peerless to pleasure themselves or relieve themselves in any way other than by spending credits on an Alii.
Though Talker didn’t care if the Kahaki girl lived or not, he saw it as his duty to help expose Hyavod as a heretic leading other Peerless astray. He would gladly risk his life in service to the empire he loved, even if he thought the plan was doomed to failure.
John didn’t think his plan was great either – he just couldn’t come up with a better one, and neither could Talker.
John figured the camp would become a lot more active once the portal opened. He watched the camp for days trying to figure out the best time to make the rescue attempt.
Then it was time. It could be put off no longer. Only a handful of Oli were in camp, and of those that remained were two peak rank mid-Transcendents, one of which was Hyavod.
John’s ability to veil his soul had always been excellent. His [Hide] manifestation had improved drastically with his ‘vampiric’ concept, and since he had been using it so much in the Nether, he was much more skilled in its usage now. [Mixed Stealth] was one of his highest [Skills], sitting right at the cusp of Grandmaster Mastery.
Only two Oli on the purge had life essence. John assumed both had a life-sight [Perk]. Both were out hunting. He had the [Hide Essence] [Perk]. No one in the camp would be able to spot him. He had all the tools necessary to complete this mission.
John cast [Hide] and commanded his minions, all four of which were made of low Transcendent corpses, to protect Talker unless called for.
Talker was in a decrepit tower of a ruined point of the old Circle Joyat. The brute had activated the stealth function of his suit and was ready to provide fire support with his rifle if needed.
John carried Talker’s spy-drone with him. If things got hot, John could release the drone and Talker could aim his rifle with it, allowing him to disregard how the Nether limited his senses and vision.
Being as prepared as he could be, John, keeping to the strange shadows of the Nether, crept into camp without being spotted.
No sounds of coitus came from the large tent the girl was kept in. He hoped she was still alive and that he wasn’t too late. He couldn’t sense or hear her, but the tent was on a dampening ritual. He thought of entering her tent and checking, but that seemed like an unnecessary risk. There was no reason for the Peerless to kill the girl before the portal opened.
Since the tent was meant to protect the girl from the Nether, Talker believed any tear or cut into it would set off an alarm warning of the breach. The entrance had a loud air-blowing machine that decontaminated anyone entering.
It would be safest to steal the special spatial-storage device from Hyavod first. John assumed the decontamination machine kicked on often. If he entered the tent once, it shouldn’t arouse undue suspicion.
Pickpocketing the device would be the most difficult and dangerous part of the mission. Once John had the device and entered the tent, he’d quickly remove the blood from the girl’s brain and place her in the device while she was unconscious.
Keeping to the deep shadows, John crept around the camp. The first Transcendent he checked turned around and looked at him, and John did his best to prevent his heart from pounding and control his nervousness and adrenaline.
It was an Akeoli Two-three-five, but not Hyavod. The Oli looked away after a split second without saying anything, so a very relieved John hoped the Akeoli felt something but detected nothing. He continued on to the tent he now knew Hyavod was in.
After slowly, carefully, and silently passing through the flap of the tent, John spotted Hyavod meditating with a crystal in each hand. He studied the Akeoli, trying to determine if the large bracers on his wrists were the spatial storage device that allowed living beings to be stored within. Those bracers looked nothing like the storage bracer on his own arm.
“How in the name of the venerable Akua are you still alive,” asked Hyavod without opening his eyes or moving at all.
John’s heart nearly burst out of his chest. The backup plan wasn’t much of one. All-out attack. He attempted to [Slip] and cast [Glyph of Plasma Barrage] but no matter how brutally he tried to reject Hyavod’s attempts, the manifestations were unbound. The bolter he had sent streaking toward his enemy was plucked out of the air by Hyavod’s fingers and control of the peripheral was wrangled away from John.
A great pressure brought John to his knees as he attempted to draw Gird and fling blade energy. As he struggled to regain his feet and gather energy, Hyavod said, “That’s a weird way to try preventing unbinds. You’re a weird guy. Let me guess – being just a four-one was the only thing stopping you going toe-to-toe with a two-three-five before? That big jump in power going up to a four-two finally tip the scale in your favor? You’re not very bright, you know that?”
Just as John was finally able to struggle back to his feet, a beam about a hand width wide hit the bottom of his sternum, knocking him off his feet as it pierced his body and severed his spine.
At the same time the beam knocked him backwards, Hyavod sent John’s own bolter to rip a second hole through his neck.
As he landed on the ground, John’s now useless fingers released Talker’s drone. He gurgled on the blood filling his throat as he watched the drone fly up. The drone didn’t attack. Its purpose was to lase targets, and its target was Hyavod’s head.
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Four streaks of essence from Talker’s rifle flew through the side of the tent in rapid succession. All four hit the Akeoli’s head but caused no damage at all. Hyavod flew away in a blur before more rifle fire landed.
John felt his connection to his minions sever. A few moments later, Hyavod was back. Two of his fingers were in Talker’s eyes, his thumb was in Talker’s mouth, and Talker’s head was without a body.
Rage filled John. He couldn’t move at all, but Hyavod was near him. He began to cast his [Ultimate] as best he could in his current state.
“Great Akua, you’re still alive,” stated Hyavod. “Your spine is severed. I sent your own bolter right through your neck. How are…what are you manifesting? You don’t give up easily, do you? Okay. Let’s see what you got here.”
A second later, the [Ultimate] finished casting. Hyavod looked confused for a second before he broke the cage and unbound the manifestation. “What in the…what kind of manifestation was that? You’re so weird.”
John had one last thing to try if Hyavod was letting him cast manifestations. If he could slip close enough to touch his enemy, he could attempt to take Hyavod’s soul.
John had yet to use his soul stealing ability on a sapient person. He would still bet on his willpower overcoming their own. He mentally prepared for the contest of wills and the terrible pain taking the soul would cause him. As he tried casting [Slip], it was unbound.
Hyavod lifted his leg and prepared to stomp John’s head. Before the leg descended, someone called out, “Halt. You said those two were already dead. What’s going on here?”
John, with his orb-eye, watched the two-three-five he had seen earlier enter the tent followed by two other Transcendents.
“I’ll tell you what’s going on, Akeoli Uen’n,” replied Hyavod. “Seven-four and this Kahaka attacked me. The Kahaka survived my counterattack somehow. His spine’s severed.”
Akeoli Uen’n said, “You can’t expect me to…this is too much. First the Kahaki. Then you claimed these two wanted to hunt together away from the rest of us. Then you told us they were dead. And now this? Why would Seven-four and the Kahaka attack you? It’s suicidal, so why? And why’d you say they were dead months ago? What exactly is going on here? The full story. I want answers.”
Hyavod set down his leg and walked closer to the other Akeoli. “I was attacked is what’s going on. I defended myself. I have no idea why. What exactly are you trying to say to me, Akeoli Uen’n?”
“You said they were both dead, Akeoli Hyavod,” replied Uen’n as more Peerless entered the tent. “You said Two-two-one of Kauwa Meki Ka found their tracks heading into the Boneyard. He said he didn’t clear that area. He flew back after being unable to find the two. Then we find the Boneyard purged of everything but a Celestial. Now the two you said were dead attack you. And you’re saying you have no idea why? Something’s up. We need an explanation. Someone get heals on the Kahaka.”
“Disregard that order,” said Hyavod. “The Kahaka attacked me. I have every right to kill him.” Hyavod puffed his chest out and got in Uen’n’s face. “Again, what’re you trying to say to me, Akeoli Retreat?”
Uen’n laughed. “Retreat, huh? You can’t believe I’m the one that doesn’t deserve to be an Akeoli? I stood alone against Yenun’s sect as my brothers retreated to safety. I fought four two-three-fives at the same time for hours. You took a weak world with a handful of low Transcendents defending it while your Meleua handled all the heavy incoming. Everyone knows I earned my status, you defective pussy.”
“From how I heard it, you avoided the real fight,” snapped out Hyavod. “You avoided facing Yenun and left him to better Oli. Better Oli that didn’t retreat. Dead Oli now, because you’re a coward. I took Terror off the board. How long until she heals? I took a whole world by myself. I created the new front we’re fighting on. I created the proxy war that’s draining the Kaw’n Federation of resources. You fought some weak umpanians and ran like a defective pussy. And now you’re complaining about the Kahaki? How many times did you use her, you fucking hypocrite?”
John’s heart was crushed. Talker told him how stupid the plan was. That it was useless to try. John talked him into it.
John should’ve just attempted the rescue himself. He would’ve still failed, but Talker would be alive. No wonder I’m always alone. No wonder all I ever have is vengeance. I had to make the attempt. He didn’t. I killed him just as much as Hyavod did.
A new two-three-five yelled out before flying into the tent. John hoped it came to a fight and Hyavod was killed.
As the yelling increased, John went completely ignored. He sent vital essence to heal and worked on himself with his [Heal] manifestation. When he had done all that he could with [Heal], he entered into a deep meditation. Only time would heal the spinal injury. Historically, a lot of time.
John had no idea how long his spine would take to heal now. Even with meditation and all his regen and natural healing factor, he knew it wouldn’t be fast enough to get him back into this fight. Since he had nothing else productive he could do, and meditation would dull the pain and guilt he felt for failing once again and getting Talker killed, that’s what he did.
John wished he were a better man. Even a good man. He was far, far from being the best of men.
As John felt powerful manifestations being cast and his body being battered around, he stayed deep in meditation. He couldn’t add to or help the fight in any way. He would either live or die. If he lived, it would be as a little man that came up with a stupid plan that got his brother killed. He couldn’t even take comfort in the fact that he had tried, that he made the attempt, because he didn’t need Talker to get involved for his stupid plan to fail so spectacularly.
John went deeper into meditation than he ever had before. Unreasonably deep where he had no part of himself attuned to monitoring anything happening in the outside world. He tried to go deeper still and lose himself within it, to lose himself as far within the nothing as he could.
And John did lose himself within himself. He had no idea how long he stayed in, but he eventually found a balance of some sort, and reaffirmed his commitment. He would be the instrument of the Peerless Empire’s destruction.
John had to change. He had to plan better, so he had to learn how to think better. He had to see more. He had to start seeing all the angles, all the outcomes, all the possibilities. His ego had grown too large from fighting such high tier foes and winning, but the beasts of this demon-free Netherworld were weak. The Peerless weren’t.
As things stood, John wasn’t capable of toppling anything. He was strong, but he needed to be much stronger. And far more than that, he needed to be much smarter.
The old myth of the mighty warrior-king was just that – a myth. The best fighters had never been the smartest men, and the smartest men had never been the best fighters. There seemed to be a natural balance disallowing a man to be both.
John thought of something a general named Thucydides had said. It went something along the lines of any city that didn’t train their scholars as warriors and their warriors as scholars would have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools.
John agreed with that, but only to a point. Thucydides was a middling warrior, and as a general, never joined in battle himself.
Throughout all of history, there had always been aristocrats that thought themselves great thinkers and warriors, but as warriors, they were the equal of true warriors in combat as much as the best warriors were the equal of the best scholars in academics.
What such men as Thucydides could do well was lead, not participate in combat. They excelled at strategizing, planning, logistics, knowing what needed to be done, and pretending to be true warriors.
The best warrior being a genius at anything other than fighting was just a legend. It took a certain type of mindset to be a great fighter, and that mindset didn’t lend itself to scholarly pursuits.
A true warrior had one impulse stronger than all others – attack. True warriors were hammers, and all problems were nails. The best way to win? Attack. Always. Charge! Strategy was employed once battle was met and went hand in hand with tactics. The goal was always to adapt, overcome, and win.
To the truly intelligent, strategy was winning a battle without it ever coming to blows. Such men won wars that never happened. Their strategies could topple a nation without an arrow being loosed or a sword being swung. To such men, strategy was far removed from tactics. Tactics were merely the orders lowly troops knew to carry out without being directly managed.
That natural balance disallowing a man to be both truly intelligent and a truly doughty warrior was somewhat overcome by the Peerless. Even if they lacked a true warrior’s spirit and mindset, the Mele with their crazy biosuits and all the peripherals they controlled were monsters.
John had to become more like the Mele. He believed he could outfight Oli, even much higher tier Oli, but if he was going to have any success, he needed to be able to out-lie an Alii and outthink a Mele.
The best of men were brave and competent warriors, but they were the best of men because they didn’t fail, and they didn’t fail because they saw all the outcomes and planned well enough to ensure success.
The best of men had a million great qualities, but the truth was they were never the best fighters. They were the best thinkers.
John needed to somehow overcome that natural balance and be both. One part of his mind knew it was an impossible feat, knew that he just wasn’t capable of being a great thinker. Another part of his mind told him he had no choice, that needs must when the devil drives, and he could either quit or do whatever it took to topple an empire.
And John wouldn’t quit.
After noticing he was moving quickly and swinging a little, John started to take notice of the outside world again. He was being flown through the air by a two-two-five. He was strapped down to a long and flat board with his head and neck immobilized.
Looking around with his orb-eye, John saw the ruins of the inner point of Circle Joyat and an activated portal. His spine was close to being fully healed but he still had no control of his limbs. He was missing most of one leg and the lower part of another. A few other Transcendents flew near him. One carried a heavily injured Salt, another an injured Transcendent, and the last carried Talker’s body.
John was injured, but alive. He was going back to Gani. He hoped Hyavod was dead and the Kahaki girl was alive. At least Talker’s death would have meaning if the girl was saved.