“Remus, all I’m asking for is a little support against Eliane. I know you’re on friendly terms with her, but oh well. One simple request, and in exchange, your rebellion could become unstoppable.”
Remus took a step back. The more and more this conversation dragged on, the more acutely aware he became of the Oath binding his soul. He felt the twin stars of his two Oaths residing there. Koa’s housed a warmth that felt right to Remus in a way words failed to grasp, but Maris’ . . .
It was more than a thorn in his side. Gods above, this might be the one obstacle in his path he couldn’t avoid. The price he had to pay for so many close encounters, too many dealings with the strongest of this world.
Despite himself, Remus had to try and find a way out of this mess. “Look Maris, I do not want to be on bad terms with you. If you simply allowed us to leave without trouble, I could repay the favour soon enough — if we succeed in what we set out to do, the Talents of the Future will hold an astronomical amount of political influence. Influence that might help you more long-term than whatever this mess of a situation is.”
“It’s too late for that, Remus, I’m in a corner.” Veida and Violet looked up to Maris, expressions aghast. Had they not known? Remus found it hard to believe that they hadn’t ever spotted the army knocking at their doors, but their bewildered expressions said otherwise. “My forces are being overwhelmed, and I need your support. If I can’t get it consensually, then so be it.”
Remus quickened his breath. Without him even noticing, his body had taken a battle stance. He turned his face to address the hundred or so members of his rebellion. “This is a democracy. I do not think fighting against Eliane is a good idea, but by the sounds of it, the alternative won’t be pretty. Raise your hand if you wish to support Maris in her wishes.”
Some murmuring. After about thirty seconds of disgruntled discussion, only a handful lifted their hands up.
“Maris, this is not right.” Remus could not wrap his head around how Veida was only just finding out about this. “You told me you made an agreement with the Reptilian Sect to keep the throne in their stead. You told us that they were too busy dealing with damages from the Right-bearers that they couldn’t possibly rule.”
Maris looked over to Veida. Her watery face held no features but two blank circles for eyes, even her shark teeth nowhere to be seen.
“We won’t support this.” Violet’s leer was hideous. “I stayed here to research, not to support your power-hungry schemes! Gods, why are the God-Graced just as bad as the Unbounded?”
Violet teleported to Remus' side. “You’ve received your verdict. None of us are going to help your mad ploy for the throne.”
Maris said nought, her aquatic form turning slowly to take in the entire room. With no exceptions, she had the undivided attention of everyone present. Maris’ jubilant exterior was a fraudulent thing of the past.
You could describe water as many things. Placid lakes were the idyllic symbol for peace and prosperity, the natural embodiment of calm. Remus had always thought of Maris as having the unpredictability of a coursing river. You could never quite tell how deep, or how cold those icy depths were — a fitting metaphor for Maris’ fluctuating temperament. But now? Maris reminded Remus of a sea at storm, crashing waves threatening to strip the lives of any sailors who dared stray too close.
Then, finally, as Maris lifted a finger, Remus finally understood what that expression on her face was.
Boredom.
Remus’ body lifted up into the air of its own accord, following the path of Maris' raised finger. He tried to twist, bend, or otherwise fight against the invincible shackles. But it was as if he himself was subconsciously cooperating with Maris.
“Now, kneel.”
Remus’ body slammed into the ground in a crouch, and, try as he might to disobey Maris’ orders, his Oath was writhing in pain.
He had never quite understood how Oaths worked. He knew they could be broken, but doing so usually involved destroying your soul in the process, rupturing your very foundation as a person, until you were left a walking shadow.
Nevertheless, Remus fought. The will of a God-Graced crashed down upon Remus, and, as he flared his Mark into a fiery frenzy, he gathered enough control to screech: “everyone, get away!”
Violet and Koa leapt before Remus’ body.
“I told you- gah!” Maris compelled Remus into prostrating where he sat, slamming his forehead against the marble flooring. “To get out of here!”
Maris could control him, but she couldn’t control the others. If they were to make a speedy getaway, Maris’ entire plan would be undermined. Even Maris might not be able to stop them, if Violet was quick-witted, sensible, and complying enough to do as he wished.
Instead, in stupid levels of defiance — though Remus could hardly talk — Koa and Violet alike flared their Marks in unison.
Simultaneously, Maris’ own power erupted out of her. At the edges of the room, seawater swirled around, up above and to the sides. The liquid foamed into visages of fury, and with how perilously that water was sliding, bubbling and crashing against itself in self–contained waves, Remus was certain Maris hadn’t held back when forming the technique. It contained the absolute power of a God-Graced, and served as a simple message to everyone in the room: they were in Maris’ hands, and they would play by her rules.
Any coming second, and Maris could choose to kill nearly everyone present in one fell swoop. And by the looks of it, there wasn’t much Remus could do to stop her. Even if he did have control over his body.
Which Remus certainly did not.
He could fight against Maris’ authority, but being able to fight and winning were two completely different things. Even if he were to exhaust himself with his most powerful technique, Flaming Gold, it would likely do little more than distract Maris for a few seconds at best.
“So that’s your plan, huh?” Remus could just about hear Koa over the ringing in his ears. “To kill everyone here? Then you’ll have no one to protect yourself. And just because you can control Remus, doesn’t mean that we’ll oblige either.”
Remus looked on to his two friends with pride. Everything hurt as he tried to defy the whims of a God-Graced, a tugging sensation behind his naval feeling as if his intestines were on the verge of spilling out. There surely must have been a safe way to break an Oath, perhaps if he had the assistance of another God-Graced-
An idea flourished in Remus’ mind, the grey matter of his brain suddenly the most fertile soil for bright ideas there was. But there was the immediate threat of Maris to deal with first, and something told him she wouldn't let him go so easily.
“So we’re at a stalemate.” Violet crossed her arms definitely. “You can’t kill us, and we won’t work with you. So what is it Maris? I know there’s some good in you beneath that desperation — I’ve worked with you long enough to know that better than anyone.”
Veida nodded. “Think Maris. I don’t mean to be patronising, but what is another decade’s wait when you're an immortal God-Graced? As long as you don’t get yourself killed, the Silver Throne is yours again soon enough. Use that time to build back up your forces, and put a stop to Enos’ schemes!”
“The world might not even be around in a decade! I’m sorry Veida, but I do not trust any other Territories to lead Hybrid in these uncertain times. We need stability in one figurehead, not this nonsense in switching from incompetent leader to incompetent leader.”
“Those are flimsy justifications and you know it!” Veida gritted her teeth. “How about we all deactivate our powers and have a civil discussion?”
Again, Maris ceased to speak. For a second, perspiration leaking down Remus, he almost believed that the Water Sect leader was finally coming to her senses.
Then her gaze lowered down upon him once more.
“Kill any resistors. You’re going to force your rebellion into taking action. If you have to cause a bloodbath before they finally get the message then so be it.”
Without any intention, Remus’ body set alight. His feet dragged him towards the many occupants of his rebellion: Koa, Beckett’s army, and the Feast Clansmen. Every impulse in Remus pleaded against Maris’ entrancement, but his Oath was simply too binding.
Hands that didn’t seem to belong to Remus any longer drew forth his great chain, and it was all Remus could do to grit his teeth in protest.
“I’m sorry guys. This is all my fault. Get away while you still can.”
As he fought a spiritual war against his soul’s binding, a very real one was about to commence.
----------------------------------------
Violet was not going to let Maris do this to Remus. After one entire Rebirth working under the God-Graced, diligently serving her every beck and call, to think that only now, Violet was seeing her true colours. She had forgotten that Unbounded weren’t the only beings that could mask their true intent.
With a flex of her will, and a little Infinity Manipulation, Supreme Steel armour mounted on Violet’s body. For the space it took to blink, for that was all the time she could afford to spare, she noted how easy that had felt. A simple flex of Violet’s will, and she was fully kitted out. Just how strong was she after intaking all of that Infinity from Nova? Could she call herself a Warlord equivalent at this point?
It was time to find out.
Violet hated to do this to Remus after all he had been through, but if she would have to knock him out to dispel the boy from Maris’s grasp, then so be it.
A wall of turquoise flame enveloped half of the room. Violet watched as the heat reached a peak, turning a lethal white that resplused her every survival instinct.
She swallowed down that dose of fear, and pressed forward.
Licks of flame swept across her armour as she closed in on the boy, and Violet found that it held well against the impossible heat. Despite all of Remus' wild stories, he was still only a peak Foot-Soldier after all. If the litany of tests Veida had conducted on Violet to gauge her power were all correct, then every variable indicated that this would be a walk in the park.
Remus didn’t stick around. Out of nowhere, he reappeared at Violet’s side through a barrier of smoke, fist at the ready and imbued with an impressive amount of Ambition — the divine energy of his god’s domain of power.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Violet knew all of Remus’ techniques well after their endless time spent together, and while this wasn’t how she had imagined their reunion, she would use that against him. To gain the upper hand, Violet would have to apply everything at her disposal. Remus knew pretty much every attack Violet could throw out there. Possessed by the will of a God-Graced to maximise his fighting potential, this bout wouldn’t be pretty.
In a familiar flash of purple, as comforting to Violet as a rising sunshine, she avoided the blow with ease. The two locked eyes for a split second, Remus’ lip quivering in pain as he fought desperately for control over his own body. But Maris’ hold was unavoidable.
One breath, and the flurry of blows began.
Dozens of punches, kicks, and other sporadic movements imbued with Eruptive Will all headed Remus’ way. She flickered in space, constantly teleporting only one or two inches away to avoid the onslaught. At the same time, her own blows exploded forth, and she didn’t hold back.
Remus could take a beating.
Wind billowed off from where their fists occasionally met, fire and purple chaotic energy bleeding over the scene.
Spikes of wood and rock erupted out of the earth, their ends sharp enough to rival any sword you might spot in an armoury. Speaking of amour, a suit appeared all over Koa’s body, but the equipment the man adorned now was a far cry from his past wooden plating. Now? It was as if everything that came to mind when you thought of the word ‘nature’ had been integrated into its design. Mossy rock sharpened to perfection served as the base, strips of wood at various locales acting as ample reinforcement. A great fur cape fell down his back for excess decoration, and the bony skull of some kind of predator, likely a bear, acted as Koa’s crown.
And of course, his floating eyeballs paced warily around the room, making for an eerie, but magnificent last touch.
Koa had been busy with dealing with business at Territory Two over the last Rebirth, but Violet didn’t let his defeat at the hands of Ash fool her: the man had not neglected his training for a second.
She wondered, would he alone be able to go toe-to-toe with Remus? Violet was sure Koa had a few more tricks up his sleeve, ready to deploy at any moment. But so many of Remus’ attacks were fire-based. Not exactly an ideal opponent, when Koa was so entrenched in the Wilderness domain of power.
Nevertheless, if the man was yet to be a peak Foot-Soldier, he wasn’t far off it.
Together, Remus’ defeat was as good as certain. Violet’s plan was to knock the boy unconscious, drag him as far away as possible, and hope that Eliane would be able to do something about his damn Oath.
Remus was a force that couldn’t be contained, a trailblazer in the art of destruction you would be mad to try and chain down. There was no way in hell that Remus would ever willingly bow down to anyone again. Maris was attempting the impossible, and Violet and Koa would be the ones to show her.
But only perhaps half a minute of action had transpired, and already, Violet was concerned for the wellbeing of the soldiers. They were Foot-Soldiers, and could look after themselves, but it was infinitely harder to wage combat when you had to take into account dozens of other people.
Flame blasted out in a beacon as Veida activated her Mark in full force. Suddenly, approximately half of the vast chamber, including Remus, Violet, and Koa, were all encased in a swirling wall of red hot fire. It was as if Veida could read her mind — she had effectively removed anyone else from the equation.
Maris shrieked in rage, already dousing out the fires in a sudden blast of waterfalls. But whether it be Veida’s incessant fire, or that wall of gushing liquid, or even the resulting smog when the two combined, the trio’s makeshift battlefield was kept in place.
From below Remus, a fist of stone erupted out of the earth. The marble floor was tarnished, and as Koa controlled his stone limb from afar, his own hand snapped shut.
Stones fingers closed on Remus.
For all of one second.
Rocky shrapnel blasted out, steam rising off of Remus’ fists. Screaming, he whipped his chains around at the speed of light, smashing a hundred thorny leaves out of the air, reinforced by Koa’s Infinity to be as hard as bedrock.
He would have avoided virtually all of them, if not for Violet opening up a few well placed rifts.
Leaves from halfway across the arena flew into inch-sized portals, reappearing a hair’s width away from Remus. Now there was parrying Koa’s swarm.
One leaf stabbed into the side of Remus’ neck, spurting out a stream of golden Ichor. Remus suddenly stood as rigid as concrete. His pose was so statuesque, it was almost comical. But Violet knew Thick Skin was another of the ancient Techniques he’d fetched off West Ember island. When they had been travelling so often together, Remus would tell Violet everything, including very detailed accounts of what he’d learned under Enrique.
She hated to use that trust against Remus, but this was for his own safety.
As the rest of Koa’s surviving leaves reached Remus, they were deflected off his skin. That was why the man was the only one out of the three to not wear armour. Well, if you discounted his layer of flame. His skin could become near damn impenetrable.
But he had to stand perfectly still to maintain that condition. Now that was just asking to be exploited.
Before Remus could tell what was happening, she opened up another rift of purple beneath him. He descended into the magenta light, and for a split second, Violet saw his pained grimace through the cloak of searing white. He must have had a burning headache from fighting off Maris’ authority, but in no world would a Foot-Soldier win that kind of fight.
He fell out of a portal positioned above Violet, perfectly primed to receive the nastiest sucker punch she could hand out. Koa leapt into the fray too, eager to get a piece of the action.
A flurry of fists smashed into Remus at a point-blank range, and this time, there was no way he could stand still enough to withstand the onslaught.
His body was flown across the room, another splurge of Ichor painting the charred floor.
Remus landed on his feet, so used to punch-downs that he didn’t falter for a moment, and lashed out with his chains at Violet. His plan was clearly to take her out first, leaving Koa at a major disadvantage with his weakness to flame. It seemed to be the man’s Achilies’ heel.
Good. Violet wanted to see just how strong Remus had gotten.
Violet refocused on the Infinity pulsing through the air in invisible currents. She took hold of the grains, and without bothering to make a coherent shape, she split the Infinity into two masses.
They slapped into Remus, as if squashing him between two great hands.
She could have sworn she heard bones being crushed.
Remus was a terrible sight. His face was completely drenched in Ichor, part of his upper body appearing to have caved in on itself, and his expression was utter misery.
That’s what happened when you took a direct attack from a Warlord equivalent.
Remus lashed back with a serpent of flame. It was an animated construct, weaving through the air and snapping at Violet.
The flames washed over her armour once more, but as its initial turquoise intensified into a progressively brighter white, Violet felt the plating begin to melt.
Chains flew over her arms, and, pulling her forward, Violet was carried through the air to meet Remus. His feet dug into her chest, sending her body hurtling into the marble flooring.
A wave of pain washed over Violet, carving a body-shaped crater into Maris’ marble floor. She hoped the God-Graced didn’t mind a little redecoration.
Remus wasn’t done. He leapt down upon Violet, Eruptive Will imbued into two fists which he held together, like a caveman bludgeoning another's head in. It was the exact barbaric style of fighting you could only develop after becoming a little too jaded to combat.
Violet teleported out of the way, just in time for Koa to appear behind Remus.
Like a prick of a cactus enlarged until it took on the size of a rapier, Koa didn’t hesitate to impale an unsuspecting Remus.
For the third time, another explosion of Ichor shot out of Remus’ body. He retched out a mix of blood and bile, and his eyes could not have gone any wider.
Anybody else would be too brutalised to fight on, let alone stay conscious. But Remus wasn’t anyone else.
His fires seared again, a potent blast of fury and pain. Remus’ hands grasped onto the pincer cleaving through his abdomen, buckling at the waist as he pulled the weapon out.
It was awash with blood, and, in the same swift motion, Remus threw the prick back at Koa.
It grazed the boy’s armour, who should have been a contortionist with how well he bent to the side. But Koa was not seriously injured.
Remus, on the other hand, looked like an illustration that a training doctor might be shown: an expansive example of various bodily injuries. He shouldn’t have been able to stand with the pool of Ichor that was accumulating at his shaking feet. But one quirk of the Ambition Clan was an affinity for resisting death, for heroic final stands right on the cusp of defeat.
Remus only grew stronger the more injured he became, but he must have been nearing his breaking point.
Out of the corner of her eye, Violet spotted Koa’s frown. He looked ashamed of himself, unable to reconcile what needed to be done, with the fact this was one of his closest friends. A.sickly twisting feeling upsetted Violet’s stomach as she laid eyes on Remus too, but another chill washed over her.
Remus emanated a certain aura she hadn’t felt from him before. At least not this close up. Perhaps it was because of Maris pulling the strings, or the fact he was being beaten bloody by his own friends, and there was nothing Remus could do about it, or maybe it was an entire array of other agonies plaguing him.
Whatever the case, he meant business.
Around Remus, four great masses of blue flame flared into being. They expanded in size until each was enough to burn down a shed, but despite their size, Remus controlled all four seamlessly. The speed alone was startling.
Twice in quick succession, Violet was forced to teleport out of the way. Koa was nowhere to be seen, possibly hidden behind one of the blazing masses.
Then they began to move even faster. Violet didn’t even have time to react when the first of the quartet slammed in her with an incinerating wrath. An evil, infernal heat washed over her body, and despite how much Infinity she was pouring into her armour, the heat was coming too close for comfort.
One second Violet was about to teleport herself out of the flames, and the next, it felt as if her entire body had been discarded into the heart of a supernova.
Her armour was finally destroyed in several places, tender flesh revealed underneath. Violet fell through a purple rift, reappeared far away from Remus, and only just processed the fact he had made his flames explode, when two more of those orbs bared down upon her. Like horned demons, they would see her flesh carved and diced.
In some kind of poetic unison, the two orbs imploded.
Violet face-slammed into the marble at her feet, a terrible hiss escaping her teeth.
When she came to her senses, the absolute agony taking every ounce of her concentration to ignore, she spotted Koa rushing over as fast as he could. His horrified face . . . how bad was her condition? Good Gods, it was like he was watching a live operation take place right in front of him. Surely-
Her left arm sat a metre away, floating in a pile of her own blood. It was hard to distinguish amongst Remus’ Ichor, but her own lifeforce contained a sort of greyish tint, by virtue of her Unbounded lineage.
The final explosion smashed into Violet with the force of a freight train. Above the ringing in her ears, and her new best friend Pain who wouldn’t stop blabbering on, she heard Koa cry out in dismay.
True, Violet had never expected to be pushed this badly. The days when Remus was a lowly Engorged training with her in the woods outside of First Rite were long gone.
But Remus wasn’t the only one to have grown in power since their first fateful encounter.
With but a flare of her will, Violet wove the remaining Infinity inhabiting the room into one complete limb. She got to her feet, stretched out her newly acquired arm in circular motions, like that of a boxer, before grasping Remus’ fist.
His body was dripping with perspiration, but even that was hard to spot beneath the shower of blood.
The man’s last attack had been so flimsy. Violet held his shaking hand, raising an eyebrow. The sound of Remus desperately attempting to catch his breath resounded around the room, as Koa stood still. It was clear the fight was over.
“Good going Remus, good going.” Violet wanted to say more, but giving Maris any other time to intervene would simply be illogical.
Channelling as much power as she could into her Mark, Violet immersed every inhabitant in that room with her notorious purple light.
Everyone save for Maris, of course. She just hoped the sect leader would have fun cleaning up after them.
Violet closed her eyes, every vein in her body bulging as she transported more people than she ever had at once.