Leviathan
”I can’t deny how strong he is at this point.” ~Kristel Irista
Kristel threw a fourth Dai-Kaimera at the Deep Nightmare. It stabbed just above the horrid creature’s left eye, lodging itself deep to open a gaping wound. A fountain of black blood gushed out of the torn skin, evidence of its damage. But the Princess didn’t feel like she had done anything significant, nor could she see any evidence that this whale of an oddity was anywhere close to being hurt.
It was definitely the smile. No matter how many giant greatswords she threw at it, the damn monster just kept on smiling. A full, human smile, stretched too far beyond what a mere facial expression should look like.
“That’s it!” Evanclad encouraged from within Kristel’s Mind Palace. “Don’t let up! Wear it down!”
“Are you sure?” the Princess asked audibly. “Nothing looks effective against it at all.”
“Yes. Don’t get fooled by its smile. It’s aggravated. It won’t have any choice but to use its Negating Roar.”
Urgency filled Kristel. She had experienced that roar once against Those That Fell Off A Cliff. It erased her Siffera completely, leaving her defenseless. The picture of a Negating Roar unleashed in a magnitude worthy of a Deep Nightmare fired all the alarms in her head.
Best case, most of them would survive the oncoming onslaught of Nightmarish meiyal. Worst case, most of them would die right then and there, unable to withstand the pressure. It only took the Princess a heartbeat to realize there could be something far worse; some, or even most of them, turning into a Grinding Teeth On Living Flesh and killing the rest long before help could arrive.
“We have to get out—”
“Defend,” Evanclad said calmly. “You have help incoming.”
Kristel really had no choice. They were in a desperate situation. It was all she could do to dash towards the frontline, hoping that her tiny frame would be enough to endure the colossal wave of meiyal coming their way.
The voice came as sweet as the morning sun, and the blazing flames that followed were just as destructive.
“Militia Style: First Ignition!”
Katherine plummeted like a meteor falling from the sky. Kristel had only ever seen one from the safety of her home in the High Palace during her younger years. The Lady of the Void’s fiery form resurfaced that memory.
She was brilliant, blinding even, dispelling the turmoil, twisters, and tidal waves that erupted from the seas. Her coming reminded everyone that the sun was still high up in the sky, disrupted only by a mere cloudbark and the multicolored lightning that clashed with it.
Katherine was hope.
One Kristel wished to be. She desperately coveted the Lady’s position. How would it be like to hold such power? To appear so confidently, assuring everyone with her mere presence. Integrating with the First Monarch’s Mind Palace seemed so insignificant now. And even as she expressed these insecurities to Evanclad, he could not deny the overwhelming power being displayed in front of him at this moment.
“She’s at the epitome of what a Meiyal Arts practitioner could be,” he said, breathing as if to praise the Lady of the Void was a given and not a choice.
Katherine collided with the Deep Nightmare’s head foot first. The impact caused its entire body to undulate as the massive eruption of meiyal followed.
And then the flames bombarded the entirety of the whale. Explosions of varying degrees erupted around the monster’s face. Its roar was evidently from the pain, despite its permanently fixed smiling face.
Kristel saw the whale’s body bursting forth from underneath the ocean, lifting its entire length while its head was pushed down by the sheer force of Katherine’s kick.
Another wave of meiyal erupted from the Lady. This time it was met by the Nightmare, causing an explosion that sent everyone flying.
Kristel held on, emphasizing her Siffera to its utmost degree. The epicenter of two colliding forces created a singularity of power that brought anyone unworthy to witness out of commission. The light caused colors to disappear and reappear with the wrong hue. Black and white, and then orange, purple, green, and more colors quicker than the Princess could register.
The Princess could barely see anyone enduring the collision, much less anything to know what was going on. She relied on her ability to enhance her awareness with Siffera, no matter how unreliable it was still for her.
Frill was the first one the Princess recognized due to her slightly more significant meiyal output compared to all the other onlookers. She was doing her best to maintain control of her hymn while rescuing anyone she could.
Xiv was nowhere to be found, but Kristel could trace his power somewhere underneath the waves. Based on his movements, the Princess could tell he was moving with urgency and purpose, probably trying to help anyone who had fallen unconscious.
The same could be said to all the abled bodies Kristel could detect. She could only hope they were all helping each other, because she had a job to do right now.
As the singularity dispersed, and the colors returned to normal, Kristel knew she was the only one who could deal with the massive tidal wave that was coming their way. Formed from the impact made by Katherine and the whale, it towered over all of them. She knew, without words, the Lady of the Void had entrusted the safety of the Jumpers to her, the Princess of these people.
Despite this wave reaching the heights of mountains, somehow, compared to that Deep Nightmare, this was easier to solve. She had to solve it. Everyone else had taken their roles.
If I can't deal with something like this, then I’m just proving those Nightmares right!
Kristel heard some words of encouragement from Evanclad, but she was already too busy exerting her all in her Kaimera. It was a Meiyal Art anyone could learn, but it was the one she loved the most; the one that spoke to her the most.
When she first unleashed Sandai-Kaimera, it never really occurred to her how she was able to do it. An Art of that level required at least two meiyal-charged materials. She didn’t possess anything like those, at least as far as she was aware.
But they were there, placed in her Exhibit as if they had been dormant all this time. Now that they have stirred from their slumber they eagerly fueled her Kaimera. The questions poured in her mind, tempting to distract her thoughts. Was it the effect of integrating with the Mind Palace? Did it provide her with these materials, or did she possess those materials without her knowing?
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“Concentrate.” Evanclad finally pulled her into focus. “It’s a big one.”
Kristel pushed her materials to the limit, Displaying her Exhibit consciously for the first time. She felt how much meiyal it took to feed the elevated form of Kaimera. It was more than what the normal two-meiyal could provide. And this time, she was sure, there was no extra material that provided her with a third source of meiyal.
It was the Mind Palace itself, nurtured by her ancestors, cultivated to the point that it no longer felt burdened by the constant strain of continuous flow of power. Combined with bonding her Destiny with Brymeia, Kristel was given all the favors of the world in exchange for the role of its protector.
And protect, I shall.
Kristel placed the meiyal blade over her shoulder. In its Dai-Kaimera form, the small weapon erupted with an aura in the shape of a greatsword that was thrice her height. She felt no weight behind it, a concept only known by her enemies whenever they made contact with the sword.
She fueled it to reach its Nidai form. The blade expanded outwards, fanning into a cleaver while extending once more in length. It was massive, and it had no right to be hefted by such a small woman. But Kristel held on and pushed herself to the limit.
Sandai-Kaimera casted its shadow behind the Princess of Irista Nation’s subjects. But while it looked like Kristel carried upon her shoulders a colossal sword the size of a mansion, the looming tidal wave rose like a wall of death, imposing its challenge towards Kristel.
She was not done.
Deep within the still ruined parts of her Mind Palace, underneath a rubble in a nondescript corner, one more meiyal-charged material brimmed to life. It was instantaneous, the way it disappeared and reappeared within her Exhibit, choosing a place on its own volition. Kristel knew not what it was, the same as the other two that had already existed alongside it, but she knew it wanted to help.
Kaimera became a mountain. An aura of meiyal blade concentrated to match the exact size of the tidal wave threatening to drown them all. No longer was the Princess able to ignore its weight. Reality could only be bent so much. And while it would allow an ant to carry a slice of a leaf multiple times its body weight, convincing it that such a creature could lift an entire tree was next to impossible.
And so, Siffera made it possible.
The enhancing Meiyal Art, the one that frustrated Kristel to no end, combined with Kaimera and created an entirely new Art.
No, it wasn’t new. It felt strangely familiar. Once again, Kristel found herself blending with her ancestors. Who was it that created this Art? Was it really her?
Regardless, the now combined form of Kaimera and Siffera allowed Kristel to carry the entirety of its weight on her tiny frame. She met the tidal wave head-on, shifting the sword’s weight over her shoulders and throwing everything she got in this one Meiyal Art. An Art that made its name known.
“Worldcleave: Leviathan!”
The Leviathan fell on the colossal tidal wave, cleaving it two. It followed through with its own weight, crashing on the sea and tearing it apart so that the seabed deep below appeared. Its meiyal force struck straight and true, towards the toppling Deep Nightmare. It sliced the lower tail of the whale and its force hurled the creature towards the opposite direction.
Everything dropped at the same time. The Leviathan vanished as the Da’bloop fell on its back. Then the sea crashed back into place, engulfing the Deep Nightmare.
Kristel felt something break. Something inside her Mind Palace, inside her Exhibit. The feedback surfaced to her physical form, causing dizziness and loss of focus. Her Meiyal Arts almost disappeared, if not for the help of Evanclad.
“You can’t use that again, Kristel. Not in your condition,” he explained. “I’m sorry, I was unaware that my wife left her materials inside the Palace.”
“That was your wife’s Meiyal Art?” she whispered, panting to recover her stamina. While her meiyal system no longer suffered Art fatigue, and she had taken advantage of it wonderfully, she still used everything in her reserves, barely keeping any left for her current Meiyal Arts.
She quickly Gathered and Milled, and was surprised by how easy it was to do now. Forget Perpetual-Layered Milling Form, the meiyal itself was doing it for her. Within just a few seconds, she could breathe normally again.
“Yes. Worldcleave. That’s Mineltha’s forte. It was originally based on Meiyal Weaving, but she adapted it to Meiyal Arts when we invented it. Leviathan is a Deitar’s Art. Destiny may have played a part on helping you manifest it, but without a firm grasp on its mechanics, it will be detrimental for your safety; including the ones around you.”
“But this time, it worked,” Kristel said. She couldn’t help but smile.
“Yes. That’s what matters.”
As if to confirm the First Monarch’s statement, the crowd of Jumpers behind the Princess exclaimed in unison with a triumphant roar. Kristel turned to see their proud faces, celebrating her for their survival.
It didn’t last for long.
One entity matched and overpowered the crowd. The Deep Nightmare. Kristel felt the Negating Roar travel towards her, which was immediately countered by Katherine’s presence.
The Lady of the Void was thrown back, recovering in midair so that she hovered right beside the Princess. She took deep breaths.
“Good job,” she complimented. “Can you do it again?”
“No,” Kristel replied. “Not right now,” she added.
“This Void Lady is indeed the epitome of a Meiyal Arts practitioner,” Evanclad commented, unable to help himself. “But she is no Deitar either. Not even a Worldborn. Such a shame for one so talented. I bet the gods would’ve literally begged for her Destiny.”
“Alright,” Katherine called, unaware of the voice inside the Princess’s head. “That was more than I could have hoped for for my entrance, but we can’t stay here for long. Well…they can’t.” She nodded towards the Jumpers. “I have to play defense until they can all get away. Can you keep attacking?”
“Yes,” Kristel replied eagerly, but she risked a question. “You can’t attack?”
“Not while I’m expanding myself to protect everyone here from turning into a Grinding Teeth. The other Jump leaders can’t deal with a Deep Nightmare. Usually this is a job for a Void Mother, so it’s not exactly my specialty either. I can’t risk even one turning against us. It’d be too much chaos to keep under control, and we don’t need that on our conscience.”
Kristel didn’t need further answers, except for one more. “What’s the name for this Nightmare?”
Katherine paused and scratched her chin.
“Don’t laugh?” she asked while deflecting a barrage of meiyal projectiles. Projectiles was such a simple term for actual rays of concentrated meiyal. It was simply because of how effortlessly the Lady took care of them that the Princess had that impression.
“Seriously?” Kristel asked as she threw another Sandai-Kaimera at the whale. The Deep Nightmare didn’t even budge.
“I wonder what name they gave this one. It never existed during my time,” Evanclad said, enthused.
“And you asked me to fight it?”
“Because I know help will come.”
“It’s called a Da’bloop.”
“A what?” Kristel felt her tension threatening to leave, her adrenaline fading away. But she stopped it from happening through sheer will. “Who would name a Nightmare something like that?”
At the same time, Evanclad asked—exclaimed—the same thing.
“That’s what Frein told me earlier,” Katherine replied. “And I have no idea. That’s all I know.”
Despite their casual conversation, the fight itself was a struggle. Kristel felt like the odds were against them. Their trump cards were gone and yet, the monster lived. No matter how many greatswords she threw at it, it still convinced her that she was doing nothing but chip damage into bloody scale armor.
The Lady of the Void was stuck playing defense. At least in this aspect, they were able to ensure no one else would get hurt.
Frill was doing everything she could to boost everyone’s morale, allowing them to throw Meiyal Arts that ultimately did nothing. Once, she tried throwing her own Diferenfra. It was a destructive Meiyal Art in her hands, eradicating sections of the Vyndival Kingdom’s army during the Battle of the Vanguard. But against a Da’bloop’s Negating Roar and Nightmarish hide, it was utterly powerless.
Kristel could see the frustration in the Aria’s face. More than once, Frill attempted to use her Mercurial Liquid, but she kept hesitating, resorting to supporting everyone else instead. It was a blessing in disguise. For if she didn’t hold back, Xiv would be left alone to rescue everyone.
Speaking of the Vyndivalian, he was completely out of meiyal, forced to take a break on a floating barrier Meiyal Art along with the other incapacitated Jumpers. Kristel couldn’t blame him. He was still adapting to his new meiyal core.
These only solidified the fact that they were desperate…
Kristel could see it. A thin bar of black, red, and white bouncing off the Da’bloop’s head. It didn’t do anything at all, like a stick out of nowhere that did nothing but distract.
A flash of darkness blinded her for a split-second, then the three colors erupted into a massive slash of lightning. It cleaved cleanly through the Deep Nightmare and the ocean beneath it.
The Da’bloop let out a massive roar before it completely faded. Its smile no longer held the bone-chilling creepiness it once possessed, relaxed now that all life had left it. And on top of its head was a man.
Kristel saw Frein Nivan enter the whale’s wound and vanished completely.
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