-54-
image [https://i.imgur.com/LoYByv0.png]
The void magick barrier protecting Renault’s palace had been shattered by my divine GLORIA magick. In its destruction, a significant amount of damage had been inflicted on the district surrounding it.
Where fortified walls once would have held our forces back, now there was nothing but white dust.
In the aftermath of GLORIA, our scouting divisions revealed that the Renaultians were disoriented from the loss of many senior officers—knowledge gained from some expertly applied persuasion techniques.
Only a few disarrayed gendarmes and whatever nasty tricks Renault had employed within his home were all that stood in our way from achieving victory in Axio.
My war council had come up with three major directions for their plans.
I was considering two of them.
The one with the most promise, given by Hanna and Aisling, was to mobilize en masse into the Renaultian district and push all the way north through their outer gate to secure the coast and northern pass.
We had no way of know if some sort of escape tunnels had been built into Renault’s palace—I vaguely knew of some that were built into the Vanixian High Command and our family home. This would give us the best coverage in case Renault turned tail, but it also applied the most risk to our troops.
Dogs bite when cornered, after all.
Option two, suggested by Luke, was more covert. While using a few divisions as diversions, making it seem as if we were trying to push north, we’d sneak a vanguard into the palace and attempt to take Renault by surprise before he has a chance to flee.
This plan reduced risk overall for the many, but could very well be a death sentence for the people entering the palace before we have a chance to carefully scout and investigate.
Both plans were operating on the assumption Renault hadn’t already managed to hide himself away.
The third plan was vetoed as it was presented to me. Julius suggested we use the newly tower-mounted ballistae and runestones to bombard the Renaultian district and palace to smithereens.
Considering we hadn’t accounted for all of the city’s citizens, including my mother and those employed in my family home, there was a high chance the Renaultians were keeping hostages.
We couldn’t save everyone. I knew that. But not even trying was too far removed from our goals.
In addition, a cursory report from one of the more specialized Specter teams, one with SI-Minervia agents from Hanna’s Crimson Seekers, alerted us to the recent installation of a strange purple crystal cluster in the center of the Renaultian district.
It was outputting some kind of magickal interference and almost certainly void-related.
After reading the reports, Lady Sara was inclined to believe it was defensive in nature and could possibly intercept a runestrike.
If it had the power of the previous barriers and could deflect an attack back at us, it was too dangerous to strike recklessly.
After considering our options and the recommendations of the people I trusted the most, I decided to opt in for an amended version of the full on assault plan with an emphasis on taking control over, and destroying, the void crystal.
The way I saw it was if Renault had one strange crystal in plain sight, he likely had a handful more hidden out of view.
Any attempt to enter his home turf without knowing if another barrier could be conjured was a losing plan.
I didn’t have total understanding on my new divine power, but I did have an instinctual feeling I wasn’t going to be able to call on GLORIA anytime soon.
When I tried accessing the magick, it felt distant.
So, with our plan of action decided, my forces began to enact my will.
----------------------------------------
“Hey, Airis,” Julius turned toward me, “I really don’t like the feel of that thing. Are you sure we can’t just blast it apart with a few volleys from the ballistae?”
“Yes. I’m sure. What’re you gonna do if we launch an attack and it redirects the bolts straight at us?”
“Me? I’ll do what I’ve done from the start of this whole shitty mess. Use the ardent powers my Goddess gives me and block it with SILVER BULWARK.”
“Haah,” I sighed, “I still can’t believe that ability is from me. I thought you got that shield from Dori.”
“I did get it from Dori,” he replied, “but the spell was something that just popped into my status that night or the next day, I can’t remember. Either way, I just figured it had to do with the shield but when you told me I’d been registered as your paladin, it clicked.”
“How does that even make sense? It’s not like you pray to me, right?”
He went silent and turned away.
“Julius? You don’t pray to me, right?”
“…”
“Julius!”
“I don’t know! It’s not like I kneel down and chant about your greatness, but I also can’t say there isn’t some sort of reverence going on…”
Julius pulled at the faded strands of red-dyed hair that covered his face.
“Oh no…” I groaned.
“I imagine the other officers from First Division may qualify as paladins too. Ikuye and Tomin will be liberating the last of the internment camps today while we deal with this thing.” he pointed at the eerie cluster of dark purple crystals.
“There’s a good chance,” he continued, “that your count of ‘devout followers’ increases when they’re told the news their old commander is actually a demigoddess.”
“That depends on who all survived,” I said grimly, “Vice-Commander Taylor’s reports didn’t leave us with much hope.”
“Eh,” Julius shrugged, “It was mostly the lowercore guys that fawned over you anyway. The old fogies in First Division that never left Command all the ones who got axed by Renault. Honestly, in that specific case, he did us a favor.”
I pursed my lips and kept quiet, not wanting any of the people nearby to judge me for agreeing with Julius.
After a considerable pause, I changed the topic.
“Let’s keep our attention on the important stuff. We’re not shooting whatever that crystal construct is. Have all our divisions reported in yet?”
“The Specter teams are all set,” he replied, “We’ve got spotters on the inner walls and towers to watch for anything weird. Assault teams are good to go. I think we’re just waiting for Light-One and Seeker-Two.”
Hailey and Luke’s call-signs.
“Did they run into problems?” I asked.
He shook his head, “Nothing significant. Something to do with the Maarin representatives. They requested to be included in our operations against Renault. I don’t trust any of them. Neither does Luke. But your girlfriend wanted to hear them out.”
“Ah.”
Julius gave me one of his trademark looks—one with a heavily raised brow.
“She’s still your boss, you know.” I mentioned offhandedly.
“I am aware. If she wasn’t, we would’ve never entertained the Maarins today.”
I smirked.
“As long as you’re aware.”
Julius abruptly placed his hand over his ear and held a finger out to me.
“Go for Assault-One.” he said, walking a few paces away from me.
His conversation carried on for a few minutes. When he returned, he told me that everyone was ready and in position.
On my command, we pressed forward into the Renaultian district.
We encountered minimal resistance from any military force, but ran across quite a large number of civilians—and a few altercations got close to escalating to the use of force.
The purple crystals loomed over us by the time we reached the center of the district.
My attention was captivated by the massive size of them, “How in the Aether did they move these things? They’re almost as tall as one of the inner towers.”
“They weren’t here yesterday.” A small voice responded to my musings from right next to me.
I flinched, moving backward in a jerky motion, on instinct. Tatsuko had sneaked up on me at some point and was looking at the crystal cluster, same as me.
“That sounds right,” I replied, “Otherwise they should’ve been affected by the spell that wiped the gatehouse and the palace barrier away. So the Renaultians moved these here overnight?”
“From what we’ve seen with the Void, I think it’s more likely these were just conjured here, rather than moved from elsewhere.”
“Hmm,” I mulled her logic over, “Makes sense to me. Well, not that I understand void magick or anything, but the conclusion seems plausible.”
A flicker of motion caught my eye, and I turned towards it.
Black armor atop a flowing blue battle-dress materialized before me, as Hikita stepped out of a tear in space the led to the Void. Threads of empurpled magick spilled out of the space towards the crystal cluster nearby.
A loud crack thundered overhead as the cluster began to glow. The world seemed to shift—the sky darkened and everything was dyed a purple hue.
“In shadows deep, where darkness breeds, I herald whispers of fiendish deeds. The crystal hums, its power seethes, a storm to choke all who breathe.”
Her melodic voice spoke in eerie rhyme as thick Aethermist settled in all around us, empowered by whatever this crystal construct was.
I quickly willed an inspection of her status up in the corner of my vision and confirmed that the corrupted looking interface readout was gone—Hikita was back to having just a single curse afflicting her.
TARGET
STATISTICS
VALUES
HIKITA
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
The Azure Rose
HEALTH
STAMINA
MAGICKA
122 / 165
220 / 220
800 / 800
» TARGET SUFFERS FROM NEGATIVE EFFECTS:
» CURSE OF THE FALLEN
Weird. She’s already injured?
“When we met in Tolin,” I called out to her, “You were fighting against this curse. You helped us find Renault’s spies in the city. I know that you’re being controlled somehow. If you can fight against this curse and help us, we can take down Renault for good.”
Hikita’s glowing eyes pierced through the mist, her expression obscured by the dense fog. The steady tap of her steel greaves never faltered.
Her response came in the same creepy sing-song, “You seek the crown, a throne so high. Yet whispers linger, in this dark sky."
“I don’t care about Renault’s throne. You probably know that. This is the curse talking. Fight it, Hikita! You sought me out before. I know you’re desperate for freedom.”
She drew both of her blades and brought them to bear down at me.
“Your light shall wane in the void's embrace where all is lain.”
As if beckoned by her words, the void energy in the crystals erupted. A massive vortex raged above us. Thunder rumbled in harmony with a pulsing hum from within the cluster.
Flik and Julius both flanked me, and my remaining guard knights fell in with Tatsuko and Julius’ squad.
“I don’t think she’s interested in talking this one out, Airis.” Julius warned.
“Maybe not. But she’s a victim in all this as much as we are.” I responded.
Aeko and Flik exchanged a look, then Aeko spoke up, “But she killed Murph…”
I grimaced, “Yes, she did. While under the effects of two curses inflicted by the man who ordered my father’s death—there is reason to believe she’s the one responsible for killing him.”
Aeko’s expression hardened.
I continued, “I’m just hoping for a peaceful, or as peaceful as we can manage, resolution. If I can talk her down, I’d prefer that over killing her in some twisted sense of justice.”
“I get that, Airis,” Julius interjected, “But this girls got instant death magick, right? We can’t play around here.”
“I’m not playing around.” I lashed out, my voice raised.
“If it comes down to us or her, I’m taking her down. Your knights are thinking the same.”
Almost in unison, everyone around me brandished their weapons at Hikita.
“Julius—”
In a sudden series of movements, Hikita disengaged and retreated within the violent storm surging around the void crystals.
“—claim Judgment upon these souls, Desolation!”
With her swords raised in the air, she called out a haunting incantation.
The void magick within the crystal resonated with her weapons. The air crackled with energy as dark tendrils snaked down the blades, staining them an impossible black that consumed the nearby light.
And then, she darted across the street straight for us.
HEY, SHE’S GONNA USE THAT SOUL-MURDERY MAGICK ON US! DO SOMETHING!
Atë’s panicked voice hammered in my head.
“Dammit!” I shouted. “We couldn’t wait another minute before escalating!? Akari, barrier! Knights, don’t let her weapons touch you—not even a scratch. Focus on defense!”
Akari’s blazing barrier encased us, and my knights tightened their formation.
Hikita closed the distance between us quickly, streaks of shadowy magick trailing behind her wake.
A volley of spells arced above us. The ones that didn’t outright miss due to Hikita’s speed were cleaved in twain by her blades.
She clashed with the barrier, and it shattered on her third strike.
Julius was already finishing his own incantation—a bubble of radiant silver formed around him.
“Lock her down!” he shouted, his shield beginning to glow.
Silvery chains intertwined to form a net that descended upon Hikita as the knights closed in around her. She contorted, arching her back to the side and kicked off Aeko’s chestplate into a somersault. The net of silver chains fell to the ground harmlessly.
Hikita, no longer flanked, and now unchallenged, charged straight for me. Wisps of purple void magick wrapped around her limbs, as if controlling her movement.
I was entirely unprotected at this point.
I couldn’t really fault my knights. When Hikita moved into the crystals proximity, I noticed her status had changed.
She was now as strong as a void-beast—though, seemingly her MAGICKA had been reduced.
TARGET
STATISTICS
VALUES
HIKITA
The Azure Rose
HEALTH
STAMINA
MAGICKA
623 / 666
651 / 666
555 / 666
» TARGET SUFFERS FROM NEGATIVE EFFECTS:
» CURSE OF THE FALLEN
» ACTIVE EFFECT: BLADES OF DESOLATION
Just a single void-beast had wreaked havoc on our vanguard’s front lines. There was no chance only a handful of knights would be able to keep her busy for long.
Hikita was upon me, her void-drenched blades closing in. Dark tendrils lurched out from the swords, snaking towards my body.
I HOPE YOU HAVE A PLAN! OTHERWISE, THIS MAY BE THE END OF THE ROAD.
Sorry, Atë, I’m pretty much winging it. But if you can do anything to support me, I’ll take the help.
As soon as Hikita’s void magick touched my skin, my nerves were lit ablaze with the most tremendous pain I’d ever felt. It was as if the bones in my arm were being crushed an inch at a time, the skin flayed, and my tissues melted with acid.
“Graaah!” I cried.
This spell—SOUL TEAR—was like a shock wave, ripping my arm apart from where it struck me.
Time seemed to slow, and the world distorted so that this moment would be drawn out as long as possible—so that my suffering wasn’t over too soon.
This spell was hell itself.
Pain surged through me, a visceral assault on my very essence—agony inflicted upon my soul.
I grit my teeth and tried to maintain focus.
Chaotic energy flooded every fiber of my being that I could still feel, as I willed open the font of magicka connecting me to Capricorn. I flexed my control over the magick, a modicum of defense against the Void.
My skin was stained with blood-orange stripes as Feyndirian runes clawed their way into view.
Strands of orange intertwined with black and purple.
A battle of magicks raged around my body as the pain in my arm continued to creep upwards.
Hikita’s blue eyes stared back into mine from behind her blade. A mix of emotions raged within them.
I could see the superficial loathing. That seething hate.
But behind it, there was pain and fear.
Her face twitched as our magicks dueled for superiority, and I caught a glimpse of the scared girl who came looking for help months ago in the ruins of Tolin.
“I-m s-o-r-r-y.”
The words were strained, jaw clenched tight as she fought back against the curse controlling her.
“Me too.” I gritted through the pain.
A wave of silvery, orange, and rainbow colored light washed over the both of us as a nervous voice resounded in my head.
WE DECIPHERED THE SPELL. I’M CASTING IT BACK AT HER.
The strands of void magick recoiled back—Dáinsleif fell to the ground as my arm went limp.
Thunder cracked as a spear of iridescent light pierced Hikita’s heart and violent purple magick erupted from within her, swallowing us both.
And then, the world went completely dark.
----------------------------------------
Jagged streaks of light within a whirling storm raged overhead. The bright blue sky was gone. Replaced with a total blackness not seen even on the darkest of nights.
I turned over and I clutched my left arm, bracing for pain.
But I felt nothing.
When I finally rolled onto my side and saw the barren sea of endless beige—I swore.
“Awh, fuck, I can’t believe she still got me.”
Hey, Atë, you still with me?
WE’RE ALL WITH YOU. ALGEA IS HAVING A FIT. SHE DIDN’T LIKE THAT EXPERIENCE ONE BIT.
You felt that pain too?
IT WAS FREAKING AWFUL—
“Who is she talking to?”
A voice from behind startled me. I whipped around to find Hikita lying on the ground next to me, looking at me with a weird look.
Oh, man, what the… Hikita got pulled here with us?
Hikita’s eyes went wide, and she looked around in a panic.
Ah, yeah. The whole, ‘nobody gets to have private thoughts.’ dealio. How I didn’t miss this shitty place.
“Well, where do I start,” I sat down next to Hikita, “This place blows. All your thoughts are just heard as if they were said aloud—same for me, obviously. So, no privacy. We’re dead, but like, not fully dead. This is a transient place between other aetherial planes, like a bridge, called the Wanderer’s Plane.”
Hikita’s expression shifted from confusion to disbelief—then surprise. A whirlwind of thoughts churned in her head, and I could hear all of them.
It took a while before her mind cleared up and she was coherent.
“T-The curse,” she started, “it’s… gone? I can think clearly?”
“That’s great!” I said happily, “At least something good came out of this so far. Let’s focus on the good for now. Some of those thoughts of yours are kinda depressing and it won’t be healthy to dwell on ‘em.”
“But I hurt so many people! I caused so much pain… I—You… oh, Celestials…”
I placed an arm around her, “Those are the thoughts I think we should avoid thinking about here. I don’t wanna come off as insensitive, but this really isn’t the time or place to deal with it. I can’t be the one to forgive you for everything, but I don’t hold any grudges. Not against you, I mean. We’re still definitely gonna murder Renault.”
She looked at me, baffled, and I heard her thoughts.
“How will you kill Renault if we’re dead?”
“Because…” I trailed off and ran through a list of thoughts in my head on how to explain how I’m probably still good—being a demigoddess and all—and how if she’s here as a soul, I can just do the sketchy Capricorn endorsed ‘soul borrowing’ technique and bring her back to life.
By the time I cobbled together an appropriate response, Hikita had already pieced everything together from my stray thoughts.
“I will admit, not having to verbalize everything can have some benefits. But I still dislike not being able to have private thoughts.” I told her after she was caught up.
“What do we now, though?” she asked, “Isn’t this the wrong place for us to seek help? You spoke about—thought… about?—the Coil of Ascendance, right?”
I nodded, “Yep. I have good news and bad news regarding that. Which one do you want first?”
“Bad news? I guess.”
I smiled, “Cool. Bad news is, I have no idea how to get us there. Last time we followed a very subtle—slightly less beige than the surroundings—beige pathway through the beige barrens of this beige wasteland.”
“And… the good news?”
“I’m sure someone will come pick us up if we wait long enough.”
And we didn’t have to wait all that long—or maybe we did, time works weird in the aetherial planes.
A pair of black-feathered wings descended from the sky and a figure clad in green robes and skull accessories befitting of their titles, Avatar of Death and Gatekeeper of Aver’teria, appeared before us.
“Long time no see, Mors.”
“It hasn’t been that long.” Mors stated blandly.
Their even toned voice, which showed no hint of emotion, was honestly very refreshing.
“Well, in any case, I’m glad to see you. Are you able to guide us to Virgo’s domain?”
Mors narrowed their eyes at me.
“Yes. The Goddess would like to have a word with you and your… visitor.”
“Is that a boy or a girl?” Hikita whispered beside me.
“Neither?” I guessed.
“Neither.” Mors replied flatly, at the same time.
“Great.” I clapped my hands, “Important questions are all out of the way, we’re in your care, Mors.”
And so, we followed Mors as they led us down the hardly distinct trail that headed out of the Wanderer’s Plane.
After some time, Hikita pointed her finger out at the sea of beige and boring, and asked, “What’s that?”
I glanced up, spotting a massive stone archway that dwarfed the tallest of towers in Axio.
“Arch of the Dead.” I replied.
“What’s it do?” she asked.
I shook my head, disappointed by what I already knew, “Nada. It’s just a stone archway.”
“Oh. Lame.”
“Yeah.”