Chapter 45: The Line

Seassa's voice was as sharp as a blade's edge. “Who instructed you in that guard?” In one fluid motion, she swung her curved sword, cutting through a creature before her. She drove the blade into the ground, then whipped it out as though it were weightless. Her seamless movements with the sword suggested it was an extension of herself.

“You're hardly a master of the thrusting sword,” Vina retorted between ragged breaths, dispatching another creature that had ventured too close. “So, shut up!”

Seassa, her focus unwavering even amidst the chaos, countered, “Hand me Selenia, and I'll gladly showcase my expertise.” She glanced sideways, careful not to disrupt the rhythm of the soldiers flanking her.

Vina, undeterred, criticized further. “Your stance is a mess! You move with the same clumsiness as Adir!”

“I really don’t appreciate…” Seassa began, but a chitin-armored creature forced her into defense. She strained as she blocked its assault with her two-handed sword, her boots scuffing the earth as she was pushed back. With a counterstrike, she incapacitated the beast, its black blood spilling onto the ground. Regaining her stance, she smirked, “What were we discussing?”

You have gained Novice Proficiency with the Curved Greatsword. Damage Increased by 25%.

A humorless chuckle escaped Vina as she continued her onslaught. She harnessed the blood spewing from the severed limbs of her foes, weaving it with the blood she had previously amassed. While Seassa engaged foes in close combat, Vina focused on thinning the advancing horde from a distance. A continuous volley of arrows from behind ensured they weren't overwhelmed by the rushing creatures. Vina seldom relied on her thrusting sword, but this wave was markedly fiercer than prior ones. Despite her tiredness, she had just enough energy to be thankful there weren’t any shadows falling from the sky, signaling to her that Stine was not among the army they faced.

Her fatigue wasn’t purely physical though. The emotional toll of the relentless death surrounding her was overwhelming. Nearly every moment was filled with vibrance abruptly dimmed and then slowly bled out on the battlefield. She collected their spilled blood ritualistically, turning their agonies into weaponry. Intermittent reprieves from the bloodbath occurred only when their side manifested a brief, overpowering dominance.

In the periphery of her vision, she noticed the red flag with the bleeding eye being unfurled from a nearby tower. Drawing back all her amassed blood, Vina bellowed, “Cotorilin!” in a Commanding Voice. A wall of flames consumed the battlefield as every flame-wielder simultaneously ignited their power. Vina had only begun to grasp the word's meaning thanks to Caja, but here its meaning was clear: reduce everything to cinders. Creatures on the perimeter of the inferno hesitated, only to be picked off by arrows, while the rest retreated into the shadows on the far side. However, Vina knew their respite would be fleeting.

In the aftermath, soldiers salvaged their wounded, dragging them to safety. Others scoured the smoldering remains, triumphantly raising a coveted red stone from the freshly dead. Despite the risks, they clung to this beacon of hope while comrades defended them.

“You’ll be reprimanded for invoking Cotorilin prematurely,” Seassa remarked, her voice tinged with concern.

Vina shrugged, nonchalant. “I’m not truly one of Carda’s soldiers, you know.” She sighed, remembering her forced association with Pa’lal, the same woman who had captured and brought her to Carda. She spotted her now, marching her way with a retinue.

At the same time, an even larger crowd of soldiers began to gather around Vina. She reached out a comforting hand to one she recognized. “At least your injury isn’t as severe this time,” she commented, her smile genuine as she healed him.

“This armor is falling apart,” he grumbled, adjusting his gauntlet. “But Trina hurt me more than these creatures. We’re lucky to have you, Asharaina.”

Vina’s eyes flitted to the soldiers around her. Nearly all of them still had sores on their bodies from The Broken Balance, a condition she had quickly rectified in her own people in Valanire. But here on the battlefield, it was clear there were not enough remedies to go around. More than once she heard the grumbles and swearing against Trina’s name. Their disgruntled attitude toward her made Vina feel at home. She freely shared her own feelings about Trina and was immediately accepted within her section. “Unity against the endless,” she recited, echoing the mantra she’d heard since her arrival.

The chorus answered, “Endure together.” Vina proceeded to heal the next in line, her reservoir of blood depleting with each gesture.

“Vina!” Pa’lal's voice pierced the crowd as she pushed through the throng of soldiers surrounding her.

“Yeah I know.” Vina grumbled. “I shouldn’t be calling out Cotorilin. I’m sorry, but we can’t hear you when we are fighting. I have the Commanding Voice skill and it’s easier on all of us if we are synchronized.”

“In Trina’s name, Vina! Shut up!” Pa’lal shouted at her. “Haco has summoned you!”

“Wh…” Vina started to ask, but before Vina could respond, Pa’lal had already stormed off. Taking a moment, Vina addressed the gathered soldiers, “She doesn’t much like me. I should probably go.”

A collective sigh emanated from the crowd, but they allowed her passage. The camaraderie among Carda’s soldiers, even in these dire circumstances, amazed her. An Asharaina on the front lines signified hope, but one being pulled from the lines evoked a different kind of optimism: perhaps a means to end the war was at hand.

Amidst the tension, Seassa approached Vina, her voice gentle yet probing. “Who truly taught you that guard?”

Vina, her patience fraying, shot back. “Why do you think you have the right to question me? Did you forget you poisoned and abducted me?”

Seassa exhaled deeply, a mix of regret and resignation in her tone. “I thought I was helping save our world. The Darkness made clear your travel limitations. The S… Zel'alor and I now understand you cannot aid us in retrieving the axe. I no longer see you as an adversary, Vina.”

Vina’s response was tinged with skepticism, especially upon realizing The Darkness had shared details about her abilities with Seassa. “You still want Selenia back. Zel'alor still wants to kill Trina. I think you’d be a threat to me if I tried to stop Zel'alor.”

Seassa’s reply was a contemplative whisper, “Stopping Zel'alor is beyond anyone’s reach, including Trina’s.”

Vina’s laughter held a hint of irony. “Stine said something similar about its own impending victory. We’re all slowly losing ground to it.”

Seassa’s response was laced with a quiet conviction. “Zel'alor’s triumph is only being delayed.”

Vina’s laughter grew, her disbelief evident. “Stine said those very words!”

Seassa paused, searching Vina's expression. “Vina, please, tell me about the guard. Who taught you?”

The repeated question put a halt to Vina’s amusement immediately. She narrowed her eyes at Seassa as her own emotions slowly merged to mirror what she felt in her fight with Amaya. “I learned it from Swordmaster Amaya.” She turned away and continued walking.

Seassa kept her silence as sorrow filled her vibrance. After a moment that sorrow followed her. Vina continued walking until she couldn’t stand it anymore. She stopped again outside of Haco’s tent, groaned loudly, and whirled on the swordmaster, gesturing with her hands as she spoke. “Everyone here is either scared out of their minds or almost completely emotionally numb! I don’t want to feel your regret and guilt right now! I have my own regrets and guilt to deal with.”

Seassa's expression softened into a pained sadness. “I thought Amaya perished. After her children...” Her voice faltered. “Is she still alive?”

“No! She’s not!” Vina snapped as her own guilt emerged to resonate with Seassa’s. “I killed her children and then The Darkness killed her in front of me! I was tricked, and I hate it! Now go away, your emotions are overwhelming me!” Vina set a glower on her face and stared daggers at Seassa.

“Vina?” Haco asked softly from behind her.

Already aware of her presence, Vina responded without turning, “I sensed you, Haco. You can’t sneak up on me.”

“That’s good to know. Reports suggest you’re excelling on the front,” Haco's voice held a note of appreciation and calm despite Vina’s outburst.

Vina shrugged as she shifted her focus from Seassa. “Is Ann here yet?” She asked sharply.

Haco shook her head, “Without Tacey's aspect, I’m in the dark regarding Ann’s progress. I have not heard anything from Valtor’s command through our army channels. But I assume she’s made it to the city.” Pausing, she added, “I’m surprised you’d ask me.”

Vina narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Why?”

“I thought you could track Trina. Surely, you can find your own sister.”

Staring at her in surprise, Vina wasn’t sure why she hadn’t considered using Vibrance Tracking to keep an eye on her sisters in so long. For a long moment she didn’t answer.

“Still thinking like an outworlder, I see. Did Stine talk to you out there, on the battlefield?”

Vina shook her head. “No. We haven’t spoken since The Broken Balance.”

“That’s reassuring.” Haco paused. Then she quickly laid a hand on Vina’s shoulder, making her flinch, “You’ve earned a break. I’d like you to rest before we take the line together in four hours,” Haco said, innocently as she looked up at Seassa. “I think Sylena and all of her copies will be able to handle the next wave.”

She searched Haco’s golden eyes, trying to ascertain where this new and sudden compassion was coming from. She had never seen this in the woman before. But her blood stained eyes captured no deception in Haco’s demeanor. “Okay. I can do that.”

As she walked away, she heard Seassa speaking to Haco. “I did warn you…”

“I’m seeing it now,” Haco interjected quickly. “Let’s get back to the line.”

Curiosity piqued, Vina wished to delve into the undercurrents of their conversation. However, her mounting annoyance with the pair pushed her forward. She navigated the throng of people, some of whom seemed keen on detaining her. "Apologies, I can't chat right now!" she called out, hastening her steps back toward a tent where she knew she could gain some privacy.

Looking around with Vibrance tracking once more, she saw Annalina was indeed just to the north and slightly off to the west, although the distance was difficult for her to judge with the skill. Frowning, she wondered if the skill was improving somewhat with its use. “Can it tell me how far away someone is if I keep using it?” Eager to experiment more with the skill, Vina remembered Nyaire, a soldier who had Dedicated herself to Vina. “Is she still alive?” she wondered as she activated the skill once more after recalling Nyaire’s vibrance. She spotted her light in a tent not far away and headed toward it.

While she walked, she checked the experience she had earned in the hours of fighting she had endured.

You have earned 9460 experience points from killing shadow controlled creatures of various levels.

Vina Blood Infusionist Level Up: You reached level 15 and have 2 more attribute points to allocate. Your strength has increased by 1, your endurance has increased by 2 and your vitality has increased by 2. You have gained 10 health and 5 stamina. You have earned 2 Blood Infusionist ability points.

“Not much experience for all that work,” Vina muttered as she walked. She pulled up her character sheet and quickly skimmed her attributes. She still had the effects of Hemovore, blood stolen from a creature, active on herself from battle and was happy to see them broken down on her character sheet.

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Name

Vina Esca

Title:

Asharaina

Health

750(+120)

Stamina

355(+80)

Experience

47885/60000

4650/39000

Class/Level:

Blood Weaver/23

Blood Infusionist/15

Attributes

Points

Description

Strength

32(+12)

You can lift 155% of your body weight and weapons do 44% more damage

Endurance

51(+8)

Your stamina is increased by 205, and your stamina recovery is increased to 3.05 per minute.

Dexterity

59(+22)

Your body is 49% more likely to do exactly what you intend, you are 196% more likely to hit your target

Agility

53(+10)

Your movement is 129% faster, you are 172% more elusive, you can react 86% sooner.

Vitality

54(+12)

Your health is increased by 440, you clear poisons 220% faster, you are 132% more resistant to disease and infection

Charisma

12(+4)

People like you 10% more and you are 6% more likely to persuade someone

Mastery

34(+8)

You learn skills 96% faster. You are 24% more likely to learn a skill on your first try.

Divinity

0

Locked

"Who invests in charisma in this world?" Vina mused, scanning her attributes one last time, deliberating on where to allocate her two remaining points. Though raising her dexterity for Selenia was vital, Hemovore activation was manageable, and her Blood Weaver class granted her a steady rise in dexterity each level. Endurance, Agility, and Vitality growing quickly. With her enhanced memory, Mastery seemed increasingly redundant. That left Strength. Hesitant, she was almost swayed by the voice in her head, which now sounded eerily like her own. "Alright, fine. Let's do it."

As she approached the tent with Nyaire inside, muffled voices reached her ears. She brushed aside the tent flap and recoiled at the gruesome sight within. Over a dozen men and women were chained to bloody boards in the same manner she had witnessed with Carda. Their wrists were held out to the side as they knelt with ankles chained together. A few guards stood at attention around the expansive covered area while Nyaire spoke with one man who looked up defiantly at her. To the side, Vina saw Zera hesitatingly cutting into the man’s forearm, his black blood dripped onto the ground.

“...a lesson learned too slowly to save,” the man grinned, his six eyes locked onto Nyaire’s.

Nyaire sighed deeply. “What happened then is different than now. I can save this man, if you’ll let me.”

“Trina gave you a gift, but ensured it's one most would refuse. She cursed you to remember that man. I was there when you killed…”

“That’s enough, Stine!” Vina said loudly. She stepped fully into the tent as all eyes moved toward her.

The man however turned back almost immediately toward Nyaire. “...him. He needed your help, didn’t he?”

Nyaire’s eyes stared at Vina for a moment longer before being dragged back to the man before her as if captivated. “Yes.”

“He was the last to genuinely need you.”

Vina groaned at the sight of Stine speaking to one of her dedicated. She ran over and gently pulled Nyaire away from Stine. She gestured at Zera to stop as well before saying. “Hey! I’m back. What’s happening?”

Nyaire took a moment to gather herself as Vina held her hands. Zera seemed to take charge. “We’re trying to help these people in the same manner you helped me.”

Vina looked around the room once more, seeing, smelling, and feeling the remnants of old blood. “Is it working?”

Zera's response was somber, "No successes so far.”

The man, calm and unnerving, interjected, "How many more lives until you are satisfied, Nyaire?"

Vina snapped at Stine, "Quiet! I'll deal with you soon." She then turned to Nyaire, searching her eyes. "Are you alright?"

“Yes… Yes. I’m fine. It’s just been difficult contending with The Darkness. It’s nice to see you again, Asharaina,” Nyaire managed with a weak grin.

Vina gave her a smile back. “It’s good to see you too.” She cocked an eyebrow at the woman in curiosity. “I thought you were going to get some of the other dedicated to help you. What happened?”

Zera spoke up before Nyaire could speak. “There was a change of plans after you left. Your dedicated are needed on the lines just as much as Carda’s are. We can’t spare many people for this effort right now.”

Vina looked at Zera in alarm. “Are they still alive?”

Zera's expression softened, "War is unpredictable."

Vina waited for a moment, expecting a notification window to appear warning her of failing to protect her dedicated, but apparently even Trina understood she couldn’t protect everyone all of the time. Blinking back her emotions and personal disappointment, Vina addressed Nyaire again. “Do you still want to save these people? Cure them with your own blood?”

Determination evident, Nyaire nodded. “I want to help them.”

Title Under Threat: Asharaina

You have become aware that one of your people could benefit from your knowledge. You have an obligation to help them. Failing to try will risk losing your title.

Vina laid a hand on her shoulder, eager for an opportunity to help one of her Dedicated. “I don’t know if your blood will work, but I’m willing to let you try. I’ve learned some things since we last saw each other. Are you ready?”

Nyaire nodded once again, but Vina could feel the nervousness in her vibrance. “I’m ready.”

Vina nodded and flashed her a reassuring smile. “Please, use your class ability to share your blood with me.”

Nyaire looked at her askance. “Okay, but you have to breathe.”

Laughing nervously, Vina took a deep breath and then settled into a normal rhythm. Nyaire gave her a silly look before exhaling softly. A dense bloody vapor left her mouth. Vina’s blood sense as well as her title ability immediately alerted her to the blood. She waited a single second before breathing it in through her mouth, feeling her hemovore ability activate, replacing her existing affliction with Nyaire’s attributes. Her blood bar ever so slightly increased. Upon Nyaire’s next activation of her ability, however, Vina grabbed the bloody vapor with her title’s ability and forced it into her own nostrils. She sniffed back the blood, but froze when she caught the sudden predatory gaze in Nyaire’s eyes.

Nyaire seemed drawn to Vina. As if some unseen force propelled her, she closed the distance between them in a heartbeat, hands gripping Vina's face. Their mouths met, but this was not a kiss born of affection or passion. It was a primal connection, one of need and urgency.

Vina felt a cold rush of uncertainty mingle with the warmth of the blood. “Is this what I intended?” she thought, caught in the chaotic blend of desperation and need. But she couldn't deny the feeling of connection, of shared fate, that pulsed between them. Vina felt a torrent of liquid forced into her mouth and down her throat, filling her senses with a warm, metallic taste, and an odd sense of euphoria. It was raw, unfiltered, and invasive. For a moment, Vina almost panicked. Her eyes widened in shock, but she fought down the urge to resist.

She knew she had succeeded; she had changed Nyaire’s ability. Knowing the traumas of her other dedicated, a determination filled her to not let Nyaire’s first experience also be traumatic. She surrendered to the blood filling her through some mechanism she did not understand, but when her blood bar filled, she transferred what she could to her pendant and the lake of blood within her.

When Nyaire finally pulled back, they were both breathing hard. The weight of what had just transpired hung between them, a mix of surprise, confusion, and a strange understanding. “I...I’m sorry… I don’t know what just happened,” Nyaire whispered, her voice shaky.

Vina gently wiped the residue of blood from her lips, her gaze intense as she met Nyaire’s. “You’ve done nothing wrong. I meant to adapt your ability.” She looked over at the man, still bound and leering at them. “Stine tells the truths that are most advantageous to it. But there are other truths, right Stine?” When the man didn’t respond, Vina continued. “I don’t care what you did, Nyaire. Trina doesn’t get to punish you your entire life for a single mistake. Now you get a chance to make different decisions.”

Nyaire nodded at her with a thankful smile on her face, but then she wobbled slightly. Vina grabbed her before she fell. “I’m sorry. I’m just a little dizzy. I think I gave you too much blood. I didn’t know how to turn it off.”

“I’ve got you, don’t worry,” Vina gave a light chuckle. “Do you have a blood recovery ability?”

“Yes I do. It’s like six hundred percent right now. I just get really hungry when I use it.” Nyaire said with a smile as Vina gently laid her down in the tent.

Vina gawked at her. “Lucky! That’s more than mine.”

Zera took a cautious step toward her, placing a pillow under Nyaire’s head when she saw Vina wouldn’t stop her. “Adapting class abilities. That’s rare, even among Asharaina. Carda has told me he’s done it, but I’ve never witnessed it until now. Your dedicated are lucky to have you.”

Vina nodded her thanks. “What about you? How are you doing?”

“I’m better now. Thanks to you,” Zera said with a smile.

Stine spoke up immediately after Zera spoke, “Zera, my dear, you intimately understand the truth. How can you still face the light?”

Zera swallowed hard, but didn’t respond.

Vina looked over at Stine and back to Zera again. She realized then that speaking with a survivor of Stine’s system presented a unique opportunity. “Do you know Stine’s truth?”

Zera gave a slight shake of her head. “I’m certain it's different for everyone. That’s why it has to be taught to you. For me…” she hesitated and looked away before starting again. “Palitern is dying, Vina. The Aspect of Nature told me what was happening. Animals, plants, and even things I can’t explain are all slowly going away. Every moment was painful while bonded with that aspect.”

“I numbed your pain,” Stine said from the side. “I gave you comfort when no one else could.”

“You did.” Zera nodded at the chained man with a soft smile. “For a time.”

“And why would you go to Stine for comfort?” Vina asked in surprise. “Isn’t it responsible for destroying Palitern? Why not just remove The Aspect? I don’t understand.”

With a distant gaze, Zera whispered, “Often, in our deepest pain, we embrace the very things that harm us, just for a fleeting moment of relief.” She sighed. “Besides, removing the aspect wouldn’t remove my knowledge of what was happening to Trina’s world. I learned I couldn’t move forward carrying that burden of knowledge.”

Vina blinked as she looked into Zera’s eyes. Something like deja-vu hit her. She had heard that before. A moment later, her mind figured it out as Amaya’s words hit her like a hammer.

"I learned that I couldn’t move on without my children."

The tent seemed to grow colder, the weight of her guilt pressing in from all sides. Memories flitted through her mind. She could hear the distant scream of the past, reminding her of the cost of her choices. A deeper understanding took hold within Vina. "She joined Stine because it was too painful to be separated from her children," she thought.

“What is it, Vina?” Zera asked, clearly picking up on Vina’s change in demeanor.

"I… I saved another woman from Stine. She rejoined The Darkness though. Why haven’t you gone back?" Vina asked carefully.

A smile slowly spread across Zera's face. "You gave me something to look forward to."

"Me?" Vina asked in surprise.

"Of course. When the barriers appeared on all of the refuges, I realized Trina could use my aspect to save the world better than I could. That's why it's so important for you to return it to her as soon as you can." Zera gave her a serious look, and Vina slightly wilted under her gaze. For a moment Vina worried Zera could see her reluctance to return to Trina, but when she spoke, it was clear she had seen something else. "I am sorry for the other person you tried to save. The only reason I can imagine that she would go back to The Darkness was if she was still in a great deal of pain."

Vina's heart pounded in her chest at Zera's words. Guilt over killing Amaya's children and the unspoken warning of Zera's expectation that she return to Trina hit her hard. An awkward silence filled the room as Vina felt all eyes on her. The weight of their gaze felt unnatural. Her mind raced as she realized she had only managed to cause Amaya horrible pain when she had dragged her away from Stine’s control. “Stine saved her from me,” Vina realized silently.

Stine spoke, its voice breaking the cold silence, "Look at them, Vina. They’re desperate for solace, for an escape. I can see it on your face; You’ve finally learned another truth. I can provide them with a comfort no one else can.”

Vina blinked back the tears that threatened to form as Amaya’s scream of anguish echoed in her mind as if on repeat. “Stine, stop.”

“They need me. You know that my people are not ready. Trina will not save them. Will you drag them back into agony just to satisfy your need to spite me?"

The weight of his words pressed down on Vina, each syllable resonating with a truth she had failed to see. She bowed her head, her shoulders sagging under the burden of her realizations.

“There is no one left to save…” she gently echoed Amaya’s words, her voice cracking under the strain of her emotions. “... because Stine has already saved them.”

The truth of her words settled over her like a cold shroud. Stine's power was not only in its malevolence but in the tempting comfort it offered, a numbing for those ravaged by pain and despair. It was a dark mercy, one that stripped away autonomy but granted relief from unbearable suffering.

She looked around the room, truly seeing the people for the first time. Their faces now eerily serene. The darkness that bound them was a relief despite the chains they were now bound with. They had chosen Stine’s path, willingly or not, to escape a fate they could no longer endure. In a world so consumed by pain, Stine’s offer of numbness was a seductive, almost compassionate, reprieve.

Vina stood frozen, her heart heavy with the weight of this grim revelation. For the first time, she grasped the depth of her misunderstanding and the cruel irony of her fight against Stine. Her choices between helping and hurting those in pain blurred before her eyes, casting her own actions in a disquieting light.