EPISODE 106: SIX — 7
— Edryan Queendom, Year: 7291. Season: Color Fading.
Power.
It was the representation of my might in both physical and metaphysical aspects.— understood. I understood how to open and close the faucet.
My eyes opened to the not day as the smell of cooked food awoke me. A cloth covered my body and a bowl of stew sat a few feet away. My body felt wonderful as a warm sensation flowed through me. I sat up and turned to my right where Madria sat patiently. Her hand rested on my thigh, continuously pumping healing magic into me.
“Thank you.”
“Did you accomplish what you sought?”
I hesitated, quickly looking through my notifications to see that I’d passed the trial.
“Yes.”
“Good,” she responded before looking at the bowl of food. “You need to eat and recover your strength. My mana will only repress the de-buffs for a while, but they will return without you regaining your strength.”
I nodded and she slowly removed her hand. I grabbed the bowl and quickly took a sip of the warm liquid.
“Thank you,” I began—turning to face Madria once again. She was tired—weathered, but she was here with me and that provided a strength I didn’t realize I needed.
“Thank you for supporting me.”
She only smiled in response before looking away. I returned to my food and felt my Power returning. Internally, I could feel an entirely new level of control. I felt like I unlocked a new part of my body I didn’t realize wasn’t available in the first place.
“I think it’s time to head for the pillar.”
The food bowl emptied, I stood up and looked toward the large object. It was at a comfortable distance and appeared like it was only a few miles away.
“How do we get there,” Madria questioned. She looked down at the marking on her hand that signified the death of an [Echo].
“It’s simp-,” I began, pausing as my eyes caught sight of something in the distance.
Madria’s eyes widened next to me as she caught sight of the same object. I swallowed, weapon appearing in my hand. We stayed quiet, and I pulled Madria to my side, activating (Imperius Synchronization). She stumbled from the strong pull and called out as I caught her, pulling her close. The moment she made a sound, everything around us seemed to slow.
Four pairs of red-black irises turned and stared at us—its gaze locked onto us as [Raid Boss: Olvido] cocked its head to the side. The creature was a distance away, traveling toward the second pillar, when it paused and turned to face us. We watched it take a single step, then another, and another in our direction. With each step, no sound emerged as it seemed to silently glide across the savannah. As it passed, the grass underneath it wilted, and the golden-yellow stalks died as a black corruption spread from the beast.
“Run,” I said—storing my weapon as I grabbed Madria’s hand.
“RUN!”
We turned—both of us pushed off the ground. My Intent spread around us as I tried to feel for any sign of Olvido’s approach.
“I THOUGHT IT WAS EVOLVING,” Madria yelled.
“ME TOO,” I yelled back.
We dashed forward, and Madria gazed back as I half dragged, half pulled her. My attributes were denser than hers, and I was far stronger, which caused me to drag her forward.
“IT’S GAINING ON US!”
“THE PILLAR, RUN TOWARD THE PILLAR WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAVE. USE ALL YOUR STAMINA. NO MATTER WHAT, USE EVERYTHING ,” I yelled out.
I didn’t have an opportunity to explain, and I began to pick up speed as I activated (Imperius Combat Arts: Flash Step). This time, Madria could barely keep up with me. I turned my head and saw Olvido was gaining with each step. It was only around a mile back, but when we first saw it, there was a distance of three miles between us. We’d only just taken off but in a matter of moments, it caught up to us.
Without hesitating, I grabbed Madria and pulled her into a princess carry. “WATCH OUT BACKS, LET ME KNOW HOW CLOSE IT IS!”
She nodded, not bothering to respond as my steps began to flash. Burst of yellow light emerged from my feet as I dashed forward, (Imperius Combat Arts: Flash Step) active. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise. A cold sensation seemed to quietly drift toward me.
Death.
Death was here and there was nothing I could do about it! I faltered, almost tripping and dropping Madria in the process. I’d killed a three-star beast before, but that was knowing there was adequate help waiting for me a distance away. This time, the creature was almost two entire stars ahead. A rising calamity…
My throat tightened and it felt hard to breathe.
“I-,”
My words didn’t finish as a hand slapped down on my back. It jolted me forward, but more than that… it stabilized my heart.
“(Imperius Purifying Hand),” a voice gently whispered, and the cool sensation of divine mana entered my body.
{Terror} has been dispelled by (Imperius Purifying Hand).
“(Imperius Stim Boost),” Madria cast.
This time I felt my stats Life Points increase and a quick glance at my HUD showed they rose by 25%. Shit—if what I theorized was the Trial of Endurance, then that would only make it harder.
The skill immediately boosted my body, and each flash of a step grew longer as I traveled farther. It was a slight hindrance, but it might also save our lives.
“Thank you.”
“It’s gaining, one thousand three hundred meters,” Madria responded—tightly holding on to me as I ran.
The looming pillar began to grow, but I didn’t see any signs of its coming closer. This has to work.
‘Goddess Madris… if you’re listening, help!’
Nothing happened, but I’d always do my best to rely on myself and things I generated. Golden stalks of grass whipped past us, crashing into my legs and leaving stains on my pants.
“A thousand meters,” Madria called.
HP: 361/1,031
SP:335/956
MP: 460/1,313
Push!
I didn’t know if it could be considered good news, but judging the situation, I took it as such. My Life Points were still affected by {Mania} and even with my short nap, I hadn’t managed to recover much.
Madria’s arms tighten around my body, pressed from a combination of our movement and me tightly holding on to her. She was soft and, despite not having the proper facilities, still managed to smell good in my arms. I wanted to protect her…
That was my original intentions when giving her my most valuable possession. Even until today, I’d yet to ask for [A Mother’s Gift] back, and she’d yet to offer it. The owl shaped necklace jangled around her neck, dull and lifeless, but what it represented was what mattered.
I pushed more stamina out, trying my best to overclock the skill. Although skills had set requirements when using them, most of their Life Point requirements were the activation cost. You could always add more mana or stamina to a skill to boost it. The effects would vary depending on your power and the nature of the skill, but its possibility was all that mattered.
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“Eight hundred!”
HP: 361/1,031
SP:295/956
MP: 425/1,313
I felt Madria’s heart thump against my own.
Thump-thump.
Thump-thump.
They beat in rhythm, aligning with one another as I ran.
I have to protect her!
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I have to protect him!
Madria desperately went over her options.
She’d immediately come to regret her decision in hitting Lawruthian with (Imperius Purifying Hand). It was part panic, part desperation as the creature effortlessly glided across the savannah. Death followed in its wake, a trail of black spread in a domain far larger than the creature.
It was a wonder they even noticed it before it was upon them. Four red-black irises locked onto them. Even from this distance, Madria could see a startling intelligence within the eyes of the [Raid Boss].
As Lawruthian carried her, she couldn’t help but study the creature. She’d read the description after Lawruthian shared it with her, but… seeing it in its entirety was an entirely different story.
The [Raid Boss: Olvido] possessed for eyes. Two on its lower sharp V-shaped head and two on the upper. They appeared like ridges, and held a bumpy textured consistency to them. Six legs pushed it off the ground as it squired through the savannah. There wasn’t much else noticeable besides large ridge boney white spines on its back that appeared like a shark’s dorsal fin cutting through the air. In its wake was nothing but a black rotting dead-land as miasma spewed out its mouth, slipping from the gaps in its yellowed teeth.
“SEVEN HUNDRED,” she called.
Madria did her best to not let Lawruthian hear the fear and panic in her voice. She’d already hit herself with (Imperius Purifying Hand) the moment she noticed the {Terror} de-buff taking effect. She’d have used it sooner on Lawruthian, but only managed to do so after freeing herself.
She felt the warmth of Lawruthian’s embrace as he carried her. Their hearts beat in tandem and Madria felt reassured by his presence. Death chased them, and although it was faster, Madria held confidence in their ability to outsmart it. She believed in Law, and he’d shown that her belief was something he cared for and appreciated.
His smell invaded her nostrils as they ran. He was unwashed, but it wasn’t something that put her off. Madria was always a clean and well put together person, yet these last few weeks spent with Lawruthian made her realize the privilege she was able to have. A hot, private bath was something she dearly missed, and now she understood a few of the renovations Law imposed when reconstructing Edrya city districts.
Just as Madria was about to call out, Law’s excited voice spoke. “We’re getting closer!”
For a brief moment, Madria turned her head to verify the validity of Law’s claims. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe him, but they’d spent hours—days, even, brainstorming on how to approach the pillar. Lawruthian said he believed he had an idea on how the Trial of Endurance should be conducted. If what he believed was true, then he believed he had an idea what the rest of the trials would require.
“Six hundred meters,” she called.
That distance was far, but in the face of the rising calamity beast, it was a short hop. Madria watched it, the {Terror} from earlier, threaten to reemerge in force. She knew it was just a product of the beast's might, but she’d rarely stared death in the face the way she did in the past few weeks next to Lawruthian.
‘ When… we make it out of this. I need to train under eldest sister,’ Madria thought to herself. The thought banished the threatening {Terror} and the confidence of their survival increased.
“I’m nearing the limits of my stamina,” Law called.
“Three hundred meters.”
By now, the both of them could feel a startling chilliness. A low growl, one that seemed to almost be outside the range human ears could pick up, emerged from Olvido.
Madria felt a shiver at the sound of the growl. It was haunting—like the anguish cry of a dying creature. It begged for them to stop and help it. To put it out of its misery.
“One hundred meters,” Madria called—doing her best to suppress a scream.
A second burst of speed erupted from Lawruthian as he seemed to put everything he had into running. His body seemed to become lighter, faster, and a joyous laugh erupted from his mouth.
The mouth of Olvido cracked open, revealing a dark abyss within, as black miasma emerged in a blast toward them. Madria’s eyes widened, and she turned to yell at Lawruthian. Her heart jolted in a cacophony of emotions as all she saw in front of them was the large pillar. There was no longer savannah to the left or right side. Only a startling white-grey pillar that extended as far as the eyes could see. The runic characters appeared before them, this time they were over a hole. The not-quite-day sky was all but gone. At the base of the Pillar of Power and Endurance was a small opening that seemed to hold the sweet offering of safety.
It’s too bad they wouldn’t make it into that safety as the black miasma covered them.
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The voice laughed as the pair of magi ran. “Oh, oh, how exciting! Right after he’s figured out Power. What a twist, a turn! Unera would have loved to see such an event play out.”
Her plays were some of the voice's favorite pastimes… back when…
The voice paused in its musings, she was unsure as to what time it was referring too.
Its attention returned to the two magi-humans. She watched and hummed a tune as Lawruthian half dragged, half pulled the girl, Madria, along. “Why don’t you just lift—ahh, there you go.”
If the voice held hands, she would clap as Lawruthian lifted Madria into her arms. The voice gazed back at the… pest that managed to invade here due to the corruption of the last [Chosen]. Since its entering, she’d had to do several drastic things in order to keep it contained. Unfortunately, the aura of another [Chosen] seemed to have awoken in from the midst of its evolution. No matter, if it evolved completely, then it’d be steps away from possessing the Power to escape.
“I’ll have to tally that as a Merit for Lawruthian. Perhaps he truly can get the full inheritance,” the voice said as it watched the pair run.
Olvido was quickly gaining on them. From an initial three miles out, to less than one in a matter of moments. The creature's speed was simply incredible, and it’d yet to complete its transformation.
“At least the steps I took ensure that…? It ensures…? Oh, phooey, I’m sure it’ll come back to me eventually.”
The voice didn’t exactly remember what she had to do in order to contain the dangerous remnant of [Oblivion] from breaking into the outside world. If it did, the damage it could cause would be catastrophic. She’d delayed it from evolving for at least a thousand years, judging by there being a new [Chosen].
“If it was out in the Mortal Realm… it’d be able to go from a one star to a calamity in a matter of a week. Ugh, I hate Remnants… they’re so unfair. ”
“Six hundred meters,” Madria called.
The voice continued to watch the projection of the opposing parties. One ran while the other chased. Both were moments away from the Pillar of Power and Endurance.
“Oh, perhaps I should prepare myself for the guests!”
The voice frowns, at least… mentally, as it… she… did not possess a body to truly do so. That part of her left long ago for war. It knew it was forgetting something, but just couldn’t place a finger on it.
It sat there in the comfort of its silence until joyous laughter emerged from Lawruthian, causing her to regain her clarity and focus.
“He’s laughing…? Ahh, he must have understood Endurance. Good for him!”
“One hundred meters,” Madria called.
The voice could tell they weren’t going to make it. The rising calamity was faster, stronger, and far more powerful than either one of them. The voice watched as the [Raid Boss], of her selection, mouth opened. Out came a midnight black miasma that quickly shot forward.
“Oh, they’re not going to make it. The miasma is far too strong…,” the voice said. She was seemingly indifferent to what was about to occur. Regardless, she kept watching.
It took several minutes for the miasma to clear from the base of the pillar. Yet once it did, the voice was able to see everything. The base of the pillar held blacken scorch like marks on it. The voice knew no damage was done, apart from it needing a new paint job. Had the rising calamity completed its evolution, it may have been a different outcome. Fortunately, it hadn’t. The voice’s perspective was far different from what those outside the pillar saw. Nothing but dead grass, rotten to the point of ash, surrounded the attack point. Olvido paced around the entrance of the pillar for many minutes. Various times it threw its body forward and smashed into the pillar to no avail.
A roar of frustration was released alongside numerous more breath attacks. The voice searched for signs of Madria and Lawruthian, but after a small but extensive search… it found nothing.
The voice, she, sighed. It seems it was not meant to be.
“Unfortunate… such potential wasted. His soul was bright… comparable to the first of the new Gods. How… disappointing,” the voice said. It readied itself to go on another long hibernation. Hopefully, the remnant would do so as well.
“Oh, and why is that,” a voice questioned just as the [Echo] prepared itself for a long slumber.