Chapter Thirty-One

"The pursuit of power leaves a trail of blood in its wake." – Titan, Former Champion.

Unknown

Emy

“My little wanderer, you were right. A perfect match to your destination, and in only two days...” The eyes within the void spoke a rough outline of darkness, now showing as an ever-moving entity.

“That means it’s time,” Emy said with a mix of nervousness and worry.

“It’s too late for cold feet. You stand before me, caught in the void, an entity of immeasurable power, and yet you worry about contact with this perceived enemy?”

Emy processed that information. This creature could read her feelings but not her mind. This was clear, though she didn’t understand why it existed or connected with her. “I worry about my friends and the risks they will take to get to me.”

“Give them a challenge,” the entity spoke with amusement.

“How?”

“Oh, child, you have much to learn. Yes, this System is vast and controls your path to greatness, but it is not ever-present. Do you think the System is the only source capable of pushing you?”

“No?” Emy spoke softly, unsure of her answer.

“The greatest developments come from exposure. Push them to grow, to seize opportunities. Do not let them think the moment is right for ambition.”

“But how?”

“Ha!” The entity laughed forcefully. “Here I am, telling you how to motivate your companions to grow, and you expect to be spoon-fed?”

“Fine,” Emy responded flatly, taking a moment to redirect. “At least tell me who you are, then?”

“Now that is a question of value,” the ominous voice answered, then paused. “You can think of me as the void. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“But—" Emy began.

“But nothing. Your mind is not ready to comprehend what is and isn’t. What I state is merely fact,” the voice spoke again, then dismissed Emy with a wave of energy. “I’ll grant you moments before re-entry. Prepare yourself and think about what needs to happen with your friends.”

***

Level Five

Zar’Keth Village

Full Team

Emy listened to her team before tearing open the void and testing her latest connection. She launched her plan once she heard Sansa's name and knew her team was away. She was fortunate that the party was passing through her predetermined location, or at least the charred remains of it. She kept this fact to herself. Emy also knew Tuck and Nadia were the closest to intercept; having seen them numerous times, she had a good idea of where they would be. James was the wild card. He was the first to identify the incoming northerners, so he had to be nearby, or at least Rose would be. She still had to take the risk.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Emy took one last breath and steadied herself as the pull of light grabbed her. She stepped forward, calmed her eyes, and approached the leader. As she neared Sansa, Emy held out her hand, letting fire rise from her palm. After observing a slight reaction, she closed her fist and moved closer. Sansa extended her hand as the rest of the party began to converge on Emy, triggering a motion to stop and allowing Emy to stand directly in front of her.

In a soft yet powerful whisper, Emy spoke, "Support my exit, and the power of the void is in your hands."

Sansa remained calm, glancing down at her palm once covered in fire.

Emy confirmed Sansa’s unspoken question, "Yes, we face the same… challenges."

Then, Emy heard Nadia's voice, followed by a mighty roar from Tuck. Keeping her voice low and eyes on Sansa, Emy spoke again, "I have friends coming. Do them no harm and allow me to prove myself worthy." Emy saw Sansa give a slight nod of understanding as she turned and triggered her Targeted Fusion skill, sending a fireball soaring toward the yell.

Emy was grateful the blast served its purpose, separating Nadia and Tuck without causing substantial damage—just as she had expected.

As Tuck charged down the hill, the air began to hum with electricity. Now fifty meters from the group, equipped with his Warhammer, Tuck saw Emy separate herself from the group and face him head-on. Staring directly at Tuck, she forced herself to mask the raw emotions threatening to explode from her body. She stood still, transfixed, as she watched Tuck’s eyes shift from anger to confusion.

Now, seeing Emy leading the group, Tuck slowed his pace. Unsure of her intentions, he halted and saw Emy raise her hands toward him. Once humming with electricity, the area around him now felt empty of sound, as if all noise was being distorted and dispersed. Soon, light followed as holes of darkness were spread by fire. Betrayal, anger, and confusion filled Tuck's mind as Emy targeted him with her Umbral Void Blaze, something he had only seen from standing next to her but was now moments away from consuming him.

Tuck heard Nadia's disconnected voice behind him as the void's holes spread. Staring at his Warhammer in shock, his eyes filled with dread as the void consumed his weapon. Tuck retracted the remains of the Warhammer as Nadia grabbed his hand.

"We need to go!" Nadia urged. "There's nothing we can do now." Nadia triggered her Vitalize skill, creating an energy dome around herself and Tuck. The void pockets were not dispersed but combated as vitalization energy clashed with nothingness. Nadia's urgency worked, but Tuck was still shell-shocked as they attempted to leave the scene. The ever-expanding void caught Tuck's bicep, causing extreme pain to distort his mind. Nadia's vitalization combated the pain as they moved out of the attack zone and back towards the hillside. Hearing no movement behind her except the loud cawing of an eagle, Nadia's hand fixated on Tuck's bicep. Blood began to erupt from his pale arm, the void seemingly having severed the connection to his body as if his life force had been evicted from the wound.

Using her Body Manipulation in conjunction with her Vitalize skill, Nadia employed the same strategy she had used on Will's once-severed arm. However, this time was different. Tuck's arm wasn’t responding as expected. Instead of following a predetermined path, she had to attempt to recreate what once was by mimicking his other arm. Only time would tell if this would be enough.

Tuck sat up as James and the rest of the team urged Nadia and him to explain what had happened. Tuck flexed his arm, feeling almost disconnected from himself. Glancing to his side, he saw his Warhammer, and his stomach sank further. The large weapon still had its shaft, but the hammer had been disintegrated, leaving only a tiny amount of metal and an intact spike on the opposite side.

Seeing Tuck stare at his broken weapon, Nadia responded to the team, "Emy was taken. But not by force; she joined the northerners and struck at Tuck with her void blaze. Tuck's weapon is damaged and took some impact from the void, but we are now safe."

"Emy?" Trish gasped as the group absorbed the information. "What do we do? We have to go after her!"

"And face her directly?" Will questioned, his mind filled with mixed emotions. "We can't do anything if she doesn’t want to be helped; that’s a losing battle."

"That's not Emy," James defended, searching for answers.

"James..." Nadia responded in a softer voice.

"No—It was Emy, but she is not herself. She wouldn’t do that. It has to be the will of the mountain. It has to be related to the Taint. I need to talk with the Chief. I need to understand everything he knows."

The group remained silent, reeling from the turn of events as a text crossed their interface.

< Alliance Severed – Emy – Limited communications are no longer available >