The March Begins

Akamori awoke before the sun rose the next day. He rose silently and stretched outside the mud hut as field workers shuffled off to work farms and tend animals. He went through his routine, calming his mind and focusing on the task ahead. Around him, morning life began to stir in the rider village. More field hands emerged from their homes to disappear in the wavy fields of golden grain.

Domesticated drakes growled as whips cracked, encouraging the cumbersome beasts to motion. Enchanted wood groaned under weight as carts carried goods across the village. Akamori noted there was just enough magitech to provide them an easy enough life, but enough missing that they still had to work for a living. Everyone in the village wore clothing similar to what his people had worn on Hoshun. Only the coloring differentiated them. He could spot the colors of different dragons marking different families.

Astri appeared next to him silently, only this time he didn’t jump out of his skin. The curiosity was too great a distraction to let her surprise startle him. He nodded towards the growing life in the village.

“On Hoshun, we only wore the colors of the dragon that took us there. But here, there are so many family colors.”

Astri nodded. “There are few. Keimut and Azil are the two largest owners. There are a few with modest holdings, but they gather under the big two’s wings and lurk in their shadows. Riders used to be the weapons of glory for the dragons. Now we’re little more than their new horde. They have fallen, and we have suffered for it.”

He shrugged, uncertain of what Astri expected of him. “That sucks and all, but I’m just a grunt fighting a war. I don’t think we can win. How does any of this affect me?”

“You’re a rider, are you not?”

“I was. Until Ominek and the Sauridius burned my home to ash.”

“You do not simply stop being a Rider because you lack a Dragon to ride to battle with.”

“Yeah. I’m getting that impression. What is it you want from me? First you try to kill me, now you’re helping me. I know it’s complicated, but I need to understand what kind of fight I’m up against if I’m going to win it.”

Astri stared at the ground silently for a moment before meeting his gaze and nodding. “As I said. At first, I thought the rumors were true. That you were just a kinslayer. Law decrees all kinslayers are to be put to death.”

“And you changed your mind when you fought me? Why?”

“Because the Branch family was chosen for being most able to survive on its own with no support. You’ve touched a lot of magic that exists well beyond Hoshun. If you felled another dragon, there had to be a reason.”

“Well yeah. It wanted to eat me and I wasn’t big on being some dragon’s chewtoy.”

“Watch your tongue.” Astri hissed. Her eyes darted around nervously. “The dragons are not popular, but they still have eyes and ears.”

“For what? I’m already being sent out to die effectively. What’s the worst they can do? Send me sooner? Kill me harder?” Akamori sighed, rolling his eyes. He was already feeling done with this world and its politics. He missed Hoshun, his family and his father. Kalenza made this look so easy. How had he gone so wrong?

“I wonder how my father would feel knowing I’m doing this death march. Would he be ashamed of me?”

Astri fell silent, with nothing positive to offer, letting him muse his thoughts through to completion.

“I won’t know the answer because he was speared on the barbed tail of a blood wyvern dread lord. Ominek. A child of the Suaridius. Real manipulative bastard. Likes binding and shackling souls.”

“Have you defeated him yet?” Astri asked.

“No. Not yet. I’m not strong enough. Not yet.”

“You’ve fought an Icon though?”

“Yeah.”

Astri’s brow arched. “Your world is far messier than mine.”

“You don’t know the half of it.”

In the distance, the morning bell chimed. Astri went rigid. They both knew that meant it was time. Sirsir pushed open the door to the hut, the wood creaking gently. He turned back to the burly chocolate skinned sergeant and smiled. “Keep an eye on things here and wait for me to get back.”

“Don’t worry, sir, I got this.”

“Remember. Be wary of all dangers. Not just the organized opposition, but the wildlife as well.”

“I know, assume everything is out to eat me. And if it doesn’t act like it is, then especially assume it will.”

Astri nodded. “Go in strength and may the mother favor you.”

“Here goes nothing.” He grinned.

Akamori set off. Just as Astri had said, an indescribable distance away, he felt a soul beacon light. The temple of Anazi being his destination. He strode out of the village in the long coat he’d bought on Eryn until he was well out of sight of the village. Then his hand slid to the bracelet, activating the deployment mode. Ice cold liquid black metal crawled all over his body like ice water, given consciousness. It surrounded him, then went rigid.

He sighed contentedly as the ui popped up, showing him the things he’d grown to miss since Lucinda destroyed his last armor. His damage paper doll, health and AP gauge. The mini map and task tracker. Even his weapons, Thanaton and the spell rifle.

This trial is a good opportunity to test your skills and sharpen your edge . Than purred into his mind.

Next to him, in his mind’s eye, Frank appeared. “I too am curious about our growth together. You’ve become proficient with channeling my power, but we have far to go.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll find plenty of trouble to get into.” His grin disappeared behind the faceplate of his armor as it slid down into place. He whooped as he jumped off a steep cliff face and savored the sensation of falling before he allowed his magic to kick in and overwrite the laws of physics and gravity. The thrusters on his armor glowed with Void magic.

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Akamori banked and followed a canyon carved out of the rock by a river. He had a trip that would take him several days at least laid out before him. He wasn’t breaking any speed records by any stretch and deeply felt the absence of his previous armor. Losing it had felt like losing a sibling. Pain still lingered in the memory of its final moment. The selflessness of it in its final moments still amazed him.

His thoughts shifted to this new armor that Kusinaki had gifted him. Kusinaki had become something of a brother to him, and more so over the past few months after Hoshun. But the armor legitimately made his skin crawl in a way he couldn’t put his finger on. Like standing in the shadow of a hungry dragon that was looming over him. He’d grown so distracted by his thoughts he missed the chirping alert from his armor’s hud that something was bearing down on him from above and behind.

EVADE! Thanaton roared as something heavy fell on him from behind. Massive talons wrapped around his torso. Everything spun wildly as he fell in the grip of a flying drake. It snapped at him several times and he cursed, unable to draw Than with the blade pinned to his back.

“Fine.” He growled, channeling air and void magic at the same time. The magic mixed and puffed out in a cloud of fading aether. The drake snapped again, and he brought up his left arm to block. Its teeth sank into the armor on his forearm. He cursed, trying to focus his mind. He focused on what he wanted. Lightening with void magic mixed in. Then tried again, this time more forcefully.

Air magic wreathed around his right arm, crackling into electricity. Then he slowly fed void magic into the spell until it glowed in shades of lavender. It would have to be good enough.

Spell: Void Lightning

‎ Type: Evocation

‎ Damage: 5 Air, 4 Void

‎ Range: 15 Meters

‎ Defense: Dodge/Resolve

‎ Reduction: Air/Void

‎ Cost: 2*

‎ Description: Lightning infused with the deconstructive properties of Void magic. Being hit with this imparts a minor debuff to all movement based stats. Requirements: Air and Void Magic Infusions.

‎ Enhancements: Attack can be shaped into a ball or cone by spending additional AP. Can also enhance the damage of the spell with additional AP.

The orb of crackling lightening and void magic pulsed in his hand. He had to blink looking at it because he could have sworn he could see a ball of raw aether shaped, and the aspected magic swirling around it like motes of light. Pain shot into his arm as the drakes teeth punched through the armor on his forearm. Jerking his arm towards him, he rammed the charged void lightneing orb into the drakes eye. It howled in pain spitting him out.

Spinning in the air, he drew Than in one fluid motion, and brought the hungry blade up, its edge dripping with void and air magic as it broke down the molecules of the drake’s neck even before the blade made contact. Its limp body tumbled away from him, splashing into the river, followed shortly by its head after a few detours bouncing along some rocks.

He floated there for a moment, panting heavily. Blood trickled down his arm and dripped from his left hand. He blinked as he noted the black metal was slowly knitting itself shut.

“It heals? Huh.”

It was pretty impressive for it to heal so quickly, but somehow he doubted it could do that intensively and for sustained periods. Best to not test the armor’s limits. He scanned the ground for a safe spot to set down and treat his injuries. He didn’t want to waste a healing potion on a surface injury.

Setting down near the river, but far enough back, anything lurking within it would have to make its presence known before trying to make him its lunch. He went to work cleaning and treating the injury. Fishing out a package in vacuum sealed plastic, he tore it open and pulled out a rolled bandage, wrapping it tightly around his forearm.

“But not so tight that it cuts off circulation.” He repeated the phrase the combat medic from the brotherhood had recited when teaching him how to use the field dressing. He flexed his hand a few times, satisfied with his grip strength, and slid the armor back on.

“This world is very dangerous. Greater caution should be exercised.” Frank warned.

“Relax Frank. We’ll be fine. I’ve got this.”

You do not “got” this , Than pulsed in a flat, unimpressed tone.

Frank looked at him deadpan. “Akamori. Your entire existence has been skipping from one lucky break to the next.”

“Hey. I wouldn’t say it’s that bad.”

“Says the man condemned to a death march by dragons.”

“Kill a dragon one time and suddenly you’re a menace to society.”

“To date, you have at least 2 confirmed draconic kills, and one unconfirmed.” Frank said.

Akamori’s brow arched. “How would you know?”

“You come across things when browsing the extra-net.”

“You can browse the extra net? I… how? I have so many questions.” Akamori said.

“You should really keep your voice down. The drakes are drawn to quick movement and noise.” A muffled feminine voice said from all around him. Some kind of projection spell? It was definitely Astri. Somehow?

He glanced around with Frank, his hand on Thanaton’s grip loosely. “I thought you said this march was for me alone?”

“It can’t be said I was there if no one ever sees me or notices me.” Astri said with a satisfied tone.

That was fair enough.

“By the way, did you know you’ve been talking to yourself?” Astri’s voice asked.

“Funny story that.” Akamori started. “My spell blade is sentient, and I have a soul pact with a void sent for power.”

There was a long stretch of silence before Astri replied again. “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you? None of the riders here have seen a sentient and aware spell weapon in eons.”

He was about to reply when the water bubbled. It was tepid at first, but picked up in intensity until it was practically heaving. He drew Thanaton and backed up. Blade tip pointed towards the water. Jaw set.

“Be careful. It could be a greater water drake. Watch for the prehensile tongue if it is.”

His guard relaxed as his confusion set in. He’d never seen a greater water drake before. Was this just something like a regular drake but blue or something?

“How will I know if I find one?”

The water erupted as a pink fleshy line shot out and slapped the torso of his armor, holding firm. His feet slid several inches as the appendage went tight. Gravel crunched underfoot as the prehensile tendril pulled tighter.

“Oh.” He said as Astri’s voice came over the magicom. “Yeah.”

And then the tongue yanked him into the water.

‎