The elevators where full, the stairs, that ran all the way around the bark of the tree, without any rails just to add extra thrill to the descent where the only option. So down they went, one step at a time, out of the thousand that where there. Myron more so than the other three feared for his life, as he was not entirely certain of his ability to remain standing at the moment.
Dakini would be able to hasten the descent when the reached further down, transforming into a bird and flying down with someone in her talons, but they decided against doing it so early and so high up. Not only was Dakini not an actual bird and flying through whatever gust may come or wind current was not her expertise, but in addition to that, they didn’t want to draw unwanted attention to themselves.
All it would take was an errant soldiers to spot them. If Tomin spotted them, Myron believed that he would try and seize Syl.
Myron understood the politics behind this battle. Taher, as mentioned by Choro, was sent here by the First prince to cause disruption. The Duke knew that and tasked his Heir with solving the Situation, that is exactly what Myron thinks and Syl agreed with him through their bond. His solution was Choro, the filth-bag, and Myron had fucked with that. He didn’t care about the politics, but he had already gotten involved.
“Myron.” Dakini spoke up, her eyes fleeting over to the North. “If it weren’t for me, would Choro have succeeded? Would this battle have been avoided?”
“I don’t regret saving you, Dakini. Choro deserves what he got. We bear no responsibility for this. We where just caught in the midst of something greater than us and we did our best. It’s not our fault they threw a little too much weight around and now things have gotten out of control.” Myron tried to calm her down, but he couldn’t calm the unsettling feeling in his gut.
“Choro said that this was his big break. A lot is at stake here. The Imperial Landfall happening in the Duke’s territory depended on him. I remember him boasting.” Dakini was worried though, her mind rushing forth.
Syl nodded. “That sounds right. If Aimon are aloud to cross the border and destroy settlements, the damage will begin to spread.”
“Doesn’t the Duke know this? Why is he not sending more people to help his Son?” Dakini asked.
“Maybe he trusts the boy, We don’t know him personally.” Myron shrugged. “It doesn’t even matter.”
“A Man from another world, an Aimon whose trainer was killed for the honor of his family, an Aimon abused by her only Trainer, and a Wild Aimon whose very home was just burnt to a crisp and all those she knew fought to the death while she left.”
“No offense to you Mery. I don’t mean any.” He interjected himself.
“We have nothing that ties us into this political battle between the First Prince and the Duke, or maybe the Prince the Duke supports. It doesn’t matter to us what a pair of brothers in another family will do to hurt each other.” He finished.
“But?” Mery asked and Myron turned to her with a chuckle. “Am I such an open book?”
She nodded with a grin.
“You’re right, there is a But. I want to help Jaimon help the People.” Myron said and stilled.
“Myron. It’s too dangerous.” Syl was the first one to argue.
“Maybe it is. But as I said… we have no ties to those people. We owe them nothing. We can live when the going gets tough.”
“Do you think you can do that?” She pressed and Myron shrugged.
“I don’t want to do nothing and run away. We could be the difference between a thousand lives saved and a thousand lost. That is 2 thousand people hanging in the balance.”
“That’s just Hypothetical though, Myron.” Syl responded. “You don’t know the numbers that depend on us. You don’t know the danger that is about to come. How are you so sure we will be able to handle it?”
“I’m certain that we can run away if we aren’t able.”
“Fine, I will be your sword, Myron. Just as I have sworn to be. I just… wish we wouldn’t take such massive risks all the time.” Syl gave up, and Myron took her hand.
“Thank you Syl. I appreciate it.”
“Any other objections?”
“I’ll follow you to the death.” Dakini stared Myron with zeal.
“I want to fight! I want to Help Jaimon. I want to prove to those other Guilders that we don’t stink!” Mery said and Myron cracked up in response.
He ruffled her hair and acquiesced. “That right there is the correct spirit. We need to show them. Show them they’re wrong about you guys. That’s as good a reason for me to fight as any.” He said with a smile.
“If that is the case, then I’ll add that I want to see this as a growing opportunity.” Dakini said and Syl sent her a sidelong glance.
“What? If we can run whenever then we’re not in mortal danger. This isn’t about pride, or about protection, or heroism for me. It’s for Myron, and then… For me as well. I want to help him, and I want to find my path forward. No better place than the battlefield. Survival is all I’ve known anyhow.” She said her piece and crossed her furred arms together.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“What I said won’t change. I will fight to protect you and yours Myron. That is the duty I’ve been raised with. It’s etched in me. So I will fight with all I have. Just give the directions.”
“Thank you, Syl.” Myron nodded.
They descended the last of the steps with Dakini’s feathered help. Then took off westward.
They didn’t bother to join in with the gathered Guilders, nor the marching soldiers.
They marched Parallel to the army, the dust of a thousand feat thumping in the earth, hiding the depth of their ranks, and the Guilders that followed, all separated and disorganized in clumps. Different groups putting distance between one another.
It didn’t take long for them to unleash any and all scout Aimon they had, which sprinted off to the distance alongside the river that begun to cut a bit south, brining the army marching in a straight line very close to its banks.
A hill ended in a soft slope to the banks of the river, half a kilometer ahead, and the gathered army begun to climb to its top. Veering from the edge of the river, standing across the sheer face of a jagged cliff on the other side, pouring water from holes in the rock into the waters. Which rapidly picked up speed.
“About this battle. We won’t get stuck in the mire.” Myron started.
All three of you need to be quick. Mery you will have the hardest time of this, as you are a melee fighter at heart. In addition to that, [Surge] will be unable to be used in this battle. Unless you find yourself in trouble and with the space to use it, don’t. We want to avoid friendly fire.”
“Your job is to take that feeling of Water building up within you, whether it be between your palms, in your chest, in your mouth, or in your fists. I want you to find that feeling of holding back [Surge], Pressurize it, keep it streamline, make it spin. Whatever feels right. But I want concentrated water pushing out of your attacks for major damage. I know you can do it. Don’t think too much about the body, let that flow and stick your Aether to those motions.”
Myron turned to his Kitsune, who was eying him with a mixture of emotions.
“You Dakini, you’ll be focusing on your Dark Type for today. Seeing as how you play a lot into your [Body Morph] ability, and understanding that you can’t just change the way you’ve learned how to fight on a dime…”
“I want you to [Crunch]. Imbue Dark energy into your Bite, and make that bite horrendous. Make it vicious, don’t look back. Make the most horrific set of teeth, the strongest jaws, whatever it takes to get that Dark Type Aether to seep into the attack.”
“Always remember though, that to do this, no matter how close it feels to completion, always! Remember to use one of your set up moves before hand. [Dream Gaze], [Astonish], [Terrorizing Howl]. Any of those will work. And if you see that the Ability failed to coalesce then use [Energy Drain] to make them flinch. Jump back, and try anew. Get it? I have 24- no 25 Aether right now. I can support both of you in your attempts for a bit.” He accepted their nods and turned to Syl.
He thought for a bit while she stared back, remaining silent and giving him time.
“Syl, you are honestly way too powerful for me right now. You are well trained, experienced, and independent for the most part. I want you doing damage control in as wide an area as you can. Stand at the center of our formation and help those that are in between Dakini and Mery.”
“You three make sure to not overextend. Don’t be greedy.” He warned. Then turned back to Syl, scratching at the stubble growing fast on his chin. “For now, put your mind on blending in [Rend] into your usual combo. Get a feel for the Ability and its Typing, get that Aether to become part of you, get used to it. And If you feel good enough, try and pull back on the expanded range of [Rend], make the blows deeper, faster, sharper, but not wider, not the four cuts that appear now. Try to make it into one cut.”
“Noted.” Syl said as much and retreated into herself. Sensing that Wind Type within her. It probably felt like an itch she couldn’t scratch within her very soul. Myron would never quite now, as small emotions like that didn’t get transmitted through the Bond.
“On another front, I have some news, which will be beneficial in this attempt to not only change the fortune of a Duchy but also train up ourselves. I leveled up.”
“Congratulations!” Mery was the supportive kind. The other two looked at him with questions.
“Does that change things?”
“My Focus reached the Natural Limit as well; I have a new Passive Skill; Mind of Intent.” He blurted out in a breath.
“Oh! Ilana, take me.” Syl hid behind her hands, shaking her head, not daring to look at Myron.
“Well done, Myron! Two attributes at the Natural Limit? Anyone else ready to join the Prodigy fan-club?” Dakini looked to her left, and dismissed Syl as a lost cause, then to her right and gave a mighty strong High-five to the other founding member. “That’s my Girl!”
Myron let the two girls clap all they wanted before continuing. “It synergizes pretty well with Heart of Purpose. I can tell, somehow, System shenanigans; I guess. Right before battle, remind me to imbue this skill into you… If we do, I think it will go well. Other than that. Fight the best you can, be mindful of each other’s positions, stay safe, and keep your ears and our bonds Open. Deal?!” Myron stopped and brought his hand forward.
They hesitated, unsure of what to do. “Come on, place your palms atop mine.” He urged and they did so. Mery rushed and placed it first, then Dakini, and lastly Syl. “I’ll countdown form three to one, then we’ll shout out a slogan to give us courage and to build team Spirit. What do you think would work?”
“Myron and his Aimon!” Mery shouted.
“All Hail Hero Myron?” Dakini cocked her head to the side.
“Kill! Kill! Kill!” Syl shouted and Myron looked at her, then broke out into laughter.
“That’s an amazing suggestion Syl, but no. I’ll shout out a Slogan this time, you three just go ‘Ohhhh!’,” Myron suggested and begun a countdown.
“3…2…1…!”
“Fight Together! Run Forever!” He shouted and enjoyed the expressions his Aimon sported all the while shouting their hearts out. He shrugged their judgment off. Unperturbed. Cringe was enjoyable to some and not to others. Do You agree?
If the march of five hundred men and hundreds of Aimon didn’t make so much noise they would have surely been heard. Instead they were allowed to set up at the top of the hill, standing on a boulder jutting out of the mass of earth.
Soon enough, the army stopped, formed up ranks, 5 men deep, a hundred men wide. They stood on the slope of the hill and faced the rising banks of the river and its tumbling waters. The Wall of rock across from them slowly begun to tremble.
All around the soldiers, the Trainers of the Guild spread out. Really wide as well, spread out loosely.
A bellow echoed through the canyon, deep and angry. Then another, and then some more. Before long, the ground begun to tremble. The scouting Aimon returned and the mood fell sharply. Myron found Jaimon and decided to join him slowly but surely. The battle was approaching.
Slowly but surely the soon to be battle-field was filled to the brim with Aimon.
Myron’s eyes remained on the soldiers. If they truly didn’t have any Aimon, then how where the prepared to fight? Did humanity have some new devastating weapon on hand? One that ignored the brilliant power of Aimon? Something to defend against a slave Aimon uprising? He would find out, and soon.