Arianna's Lotus [http://i.imgur.com/oOhwKDZ.png]

Chapter Twenty-Six

Slow and Steady

“What do you think?” I asked, watching Nalithor pace around the crystal-encased deity.

“He is most certainly a land deity.” Nalithor glanced toward me, then at the smooth crystal I was tossing up and down in one hand. “Do be careful with that, won’t you?”

“A land deity has the power necessary to build a city like this?” I raised an eyebrow at Nalithor and then looked at the trapped deity.

“Not by himself, no. If we were to see the land this place came from, I imagine the nearby crystals would be drained of power and the ground barren.” Nalithor crossed his arms over his chest and sighed. “These people must have been under a serious threat for a land deity to go to such lengths. Not only would he have had to use his power to construct this place, but he would have had to teleport them inside. The countryside around this place must have been drained for miles around.”

“And he’s been Exiled for it?” I muttered, grasping the crystal in my hand firmly and narrowing my eyes at the deity’s aether. Pure as could be, but weak. “If he possibly drained that much aether, how are we going to help him recuperate? Even with the Vulin bringing us crystals, that’s just so much!”

“We will have to be slow and careful.” Nalithor strode over and picked up a palm-sized crystal from the stack beside me. “It shouldn’t be an issue for me to transfer the aether from the crystals to our trapped friend, here. Since you have no affinity for earth magics, I want you to play the role of guard instead. There is every possibility we might have intruders.”

“You don’t mean the people of this city, do you?” I glanced over my shoulder at the barricade we’d built down the road. There was a small crowd of people peering over it, but the city’s guards were having no issues keeping them at bay.

“Indeed. We need to be alert.” Nalithor nodded to me before turning his attention back to the large crystal nearby. “Yumeko, have the others finished their preparations?”

“Yes, Rely’ric. Emptied crystals will be taken away immediately so they can recharge elsewhere.” The strawberry-furred Vulin bowed. “Our men in the quarry are positioned to transport more crystals to your domain, and then here, as we go through supplies.”

“Good. Let’s begin.” Nalithor nodded to Yumeko, who quickly scampered off to play her role as overseer. I watched Nalithor raise a crystal in one hand, his eyes closing. Within seconds, the crystal began to levitate. Aether gently flowed out of the crystal and toward the imprisoned deity nearby.

I placed one hand on Eoraso’s hilt and let my senses take over in search of threats. Even if the city’s defenses were capable of knocking Nalithor clear out of the region, I didn’t trust that the Jivyador couldn’t find a way in. After all, it would only take them introducing themselves in a similar manner to what we had done. These people feared deities, even if they clearly adored the one that rescued them.

‘Just what is going on over in the Nrae’lmar Continent?’ I grimaced to myself and shifted to examine our surroundings. A small sigh left me when I spotted the land deity directing aether to many of the plants, and likely to the farming area below us. “Nalithor, should we keep it from feeding our surroundings while you work?”

“No, let it continue.” Nalithor shook his head. “His power is what’s allowing this place to survive in the desert.”

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We both fell silent, him to continue feeding aether to the weakened land deity, and me to protect our surroundings. Djialkan perched on my shoulder and yawned before curling around my neck, his tail swishing in boredom. I scratched his scales with my free hand.

‘Fraelfnir is attempting to determine how this chunk of land was brought here.’ Djialkan yawned again and stretched his front legs forward. ‘We do not believe this land god is responsible for teleporting its domain elsewhere. It is more likely that it was done with malicious intent.’

I frowned at the idea. ‘Wouldn’t it be simpler to dump the entire place into the ocean, if that were the case?’

‘That could have been the intention. They may have simply missed.’ Djialkan shrugged. ‘We have not caught the scent of Jivyador plots at work. I believe that, in this one instance, they may not be responsible. Instead, I believe it may be time to turn our attention toward the “she-demon” the locals keep speaking of.’

‘My father’s would-be goddess?’ I grimaced at the idea. ‘Can we trade her in for a new one?’

Djialkan smacked me in the face with his tail. ‘Do not go jumping to conclusions just yet! There may yet be a chance to save her from whatever corruption has taken hold.’

‘We also don’t have a reliable way to get to the Nrae’lmar Continent, or any idea where on the continent they’re located,’ I countered with a small huff. ‘We need to travel there anyway to search for more of the Aledacian Forests—and any corrupted Lari’xan within. That said, we’d have to commandeer one of the Vorpmasian airships to go there and, as far as I know, they weren’t planning to send another expedition anytime soon.’

‘And without having gone there himself, Nalithor cannot construct a portal for you to utilize. Indeed.’ Djialkan nodded. ‘It will be fine. The Lari’xan will find a way, if Vorpmasia cannot spare a ship until after their war campaign.’

I glanced down when I felt a tug at my robes. Yumeko smiled and offered me a cup of tea. After I took it, she promptly trotted off to resume her duties. Off to my left, the rest of the Vulin had brought several hundred pounds of earth crystals, and more were arriving all the time. Nearby, a line of Vulin took emptied crystals from Nalithor and ferried them into a small, Vulin-sized portal.

The deity’s crystalline heart shrank in the tiniest of increments with each new crystal Nalithor drained of power. We would be there for a while.

“I believe they are attempting to gain your attention,” Djialkan remarked, glancing behind me somewhere. I made a face before turning around and walking down the road to see what the locals wanted.

“How about convincing them to return to their homes, hmmm?” I gave the fae-dragon a sideways glance. “Especially the children.”

Djialkan quickly conversed with the gathered crowd, his talons tightening on my shoulder as they spoke. Finally, he released a low growl and informed me, “They say that an angry deity appeared outside and was cast off by the city’s wards. Followed by three more of similar garments.”

I thought on it for a moment. Although I enjoyed the idea of wandering outside to hunt the Jivyador down myself, I wasn’t sure if showing the locals that I was capable of killing deities was a good idea. “Instruct them not to let anyone into the city. Explain that the others have mistaken their protector as an Exile, if you must.”

Djialkan nodded to me before returning his attention to the worried citizens.

‘What’s the matter?’ Nalithor called to me.

‘Several Jivyador have been thrown from the gate.’ I stroked Eoraso’s hilt with my thumb, feeling the weapon vibrate under my hand. ‘I’m having Djialkan instruct the locals to keep the gates shut. Can you tell if the city’s defenses are draining the deity’s power?’

‘It would explain a few of the drops I’ve observed,’ Nalithor answered. ‘I can compensate by feeding him aether at an increased rate, but the Vulin may not be able to keep up. Even so, don’t go hunting them just yet. If the city’s defenses fail, I’ll need you here.’

‘I’ll try to restrain myself,’ I replied, an amused smile coming to my face. “Djialkan?”

“They have agreed, and they are calling more guards to escort the civilians home,” Djialkan answered with a brief nod. ‘We will have to deal with the Jivyador, whether it is now or after the land deity has awoken.’

‘I’m aware.’ I turned and strode back to my post. ‘Let’s wait. I don’t want these people causing problems because they think I might turn my blade against their savior next.’

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