“I’ll kill you!”
The speed at which the Pet-Keeper tossed himself towards the group was unbelievable. For one, soul-crushing moment, Remus was certain they were all dead. Once Elmore, his cousins, and that terrifying man with the floating knives were turned into tombstones, Remus and Violet were next.
But that didn’t happen. The Pet-Keeper didn’t enact unearthly sufferings on Remus and the rest of the group. Instead, her nose bleeding and hands shaking, Violet transported them all in a gush of mauve light.
Even before Remus blinked to an underground grotto, he was already scrutinising the safety of their escape. The Pet-Keeper didn’t have a Chaos Mark, as far as Remus was aware, so couldn’t follow them directly. Neither could any other Mark-wielding Unbounded in the nearby vicinity track them down in his stead. Seeing as, quite simply, they were busy soaking in their own blood, and doing their best to dissolve as silently as possible.
So, Remus grudgingly put that worry to rest for the time being. But that still left new issues to sour his already terrible mood.
The expanse, whilst gloomy, was lit somewhat through a few luminous spots of crystal. He suspected they were of the same family as Infirnite. Though largely devoid of anything really, the space was expansive and airy. A few bats squeaked metres above, but the dimness of the cavern made seeing them a challenge — even for the enhancement of Engorged eyes. Presently, Remus sat gathering his breath in a winding tunnel that clearly opened up to a bigger cavity further in.
If he was in a bad condition, gasping for air and clutching onto the dissolving dust that coated the cave floor, Remus could think of no ample description for Violet. She laid bundled up against a network of boulders. Breathing in so deeply, it was like she was trying to make up for the oxygen needs of six missing men.
Remus suddenly stumbled back, fatigue temporarily forgotten at the sight of Elmore. The man was in much better condition than the two of them, barely a trickle of sweat on his brow. In fact, Remus' reaction took him by surprise.
“I’m sorry?” He said, like it was a guessed answer to something.
Pain, plucked out of nothing from his own mind, seemed to gather where his missing ring finger ended abruptly. The memory caused him to wince, but most of all, images of that horrible cell back in Leisure District flooded his mind. “Are you after us?” He asked defensively, moving backwards. “Please, I don’t plan on returning to First Rite any time soon, just hear me-”
Elmore put up a hand. The small action somehow inclined Remus to go mute. “Relax. It’s true that I have a warrant for your arrest, but after the things I’ve seen today, I really couldn’t care less at the moment. Besides, I’m here on a different mission.”
There was an awkward pause for all the time it took for Remus to go red at his own overreaction.
Ash yelped out from the back, with all the rage and grace of a baby hippo. “Why the hell, why in the name of every god and goddess, on Infinity itself, is there a travelling circus of Unbounded going rampant in this random manor? I didn’t sign up for this!”
The rest of their party retorted immediately. “You did.”
The man in all black stood up. His features, raw in a way that Remus couldn’t pinpoint, like a freshly opened wound, looked down at him in a fashion that was very nearly a glare. “These two have history with you, do they?”
“Yes.” Koa answered from the back. He appeared to be dealing with everything much more easily than his brother. On the surface level, at least. Who knew how much he might be panicking?
“But history is history. I can’t make any promises for the future, but for the time being, how about a truce?” Elmore extended a hand. He looked so sure of himself, Remus was mightily inclined to simply let bygones be bygones, and grab onto it.
There was some level of safety that would be acquired from joining up with the quartet. Elmore alone had proved himself to be a respectable force on the battlefield, both minutes ago, and in times past. And his cousins weren’t too shabby either.
But teaming up with the man that had maimed him had all the appeal of offering Elmore another finger. Was this some scheme? If they all did successfully escape together, wouldn’t Elmore, perhaps under some sort of Oath, or simply a sense of morality, be compelled to arrest Remus and Violet immediately? And why, after so long, was the girl still yet to stir? He had to check up on her. He didn’t have the time to dawdle over petty matters.
He came to a quick decision. “Swear on it. All four of you, make an Oath not to harm either of us, or to pull any sort of tricks for that matter. Not until we’re out of here, and not until one day has passed. And we’ll do the same in return.”
Elmore didn’t hesitate. “Agreed.”
They quickly sped over the Oath-making process, with Elmore instructing his brothers to join in. The other man, however, froze.
“In my clan, we’re not allowed to make Oaths. Save for the one that restricts us from agreeing to them. The Old One thinks they’re easy to abuse.”
That sounded awfully like an excuse, before Remus saw the certainty in the man’s eyes. They weren’t lying. Besides, whoever this guy was, he obviously wasn’t from The Wild Sect. At best, an employed missionary. What reason would he have to take them into custody? Remus wasn’t exactly worth a lot of Inklings or Tyrants. Well, relatively.
“That’s fine. But can I have your word, then?”
They frowned, as if not understanding the point of the exchange. Nevertheless he obliged him “Sure. I promise.”
That was all Remus needed. When Violet’s name was prompted for the Oath, the need to rouse her died. An agreement was made without any of their intervention.
She got up a moment or two later. “How long was I out for?” She asked blearily.
“About a minute.” Remus replied. “But head back to sleep if you need to — you more than anyone need rest. Especially after expending your Mark so much.”
“I can’t.” She refuted instantly. “I should recover if I just walk. But this is the deepest section of the manor. If we’re to find Akuji anywhere, it's here.”
Ignoring the remarks of surprise from behind him, the lines of Remus’ frown only deepened. “Then we move now. We gained some distance over the Pet-Keeper, but he’s sure to follow.”
He started to walk when a voice interrupted him.
“Hang on.” Elmore interjected, tone finally varying from the placid agreeableness from earlier. “I know you have no reason to tell us, but what exactly is going on here? Juniper hired us to investigate the Chaos Sect, but I never expected to uncover all this. I would like answers, if you’re willing to give them. It would build trust, no?”
Remus and Violet shared a glance. This contained an entire discussion in itself. “Violet can tell you in detail as we walk. There’s no time to waste.”
They made haste, their only haven against the damp coolness all around the heat of movement, and the cloth on their backs. Slowly, with many inhibitions lingering, the two groups’ aloofness diminished. There was no need to keep secrets from each other. Juniper already knew from eavesdropping on Violet’s rendezvous with Veida about the true nature of the Chaos Clan. She would be perfectly capable of revealing the information herself if she was so compelled.
“When were you sent on this mission?” Violet asked smartly, to which Elmore answered Passings ago.
So before their sect leader knew, Remus realised. Juniper must have had suspicions beforehand, using these clansmen to confirm them. It would explain why she hadn’t informed the four of the Unbounded swarming the place. It wouldn’t look very queenly to suddenly spew baseless conspiracy theories, with all the evidence of one frenzied conversation.
All at once, Elmore and his cousins took a step back. Remus had expected this, but couldn’t help but grimace at their unsure expressions. His heart went out to Violet; he couldn’t imagine everyone having the same reaction upon meeting you. Or, as a matter of fact, he could. But he had freed himself of that curse.
Violet, on the other hand, never would be able to. In the same way Remus would always be human.
Unless he ascended that was, but such a reality was separated by both the barriers of time and his own undying dubiety. The point was, not everything could be moulded, or changed, through sheer force of will.
But Violet, mysteriously, didn’t take any offence to this. Was she used to this type of behaviour, after being exposed to it? Possibly, but it wasn't resigned indifference he spotted in her confident eyes. Then, acceptance? A faith in the steadfast truth the gang were bound by Oath not to harm her?
“The true reality of what I am,” she finally spoke, though her voice was strained, like she had been shouting all day, “will be revealed when we get to the end of this cave. Whatever that is, I’ll accept it. I don’t care what sort of weapon fate hands me. Somehow, I’ll use it to slaughter Nova and all of his false guardians. Then the rest of their sorry lot. That, I am now certain, is why I am the way I am. Unbounded are Infinity’s mistake, not humanity. And I’ll serve as the antibody to that virus. Be sure of it.”
Remus couldn’t be sure if this made the newcomers more, or less inclined to stand near her. A sort of mental middle ground must have been reached, where they all quietly returned to their usual demeanours.
The hollow ahead was in complete darkness. Without a thought, Remus set a finger alight. Despite how little time they’d had to recover, Remus felt no strain at all.
Elmore gave a slow whistle. “Someone’s been busy.”
His messy curtains of hair swinging, Ash turned to inspect Remus, mouth agape. “Wait, wait, wait. You’re the guy who incinerated the manor? You? I thought you were Engorged.” He shot a vexed look at his cousin, scandalised. “Were you lying to me?”
The taller man laughed, but the noise sounded more like a mockery of humour, as it echoed distantly overhead. Even if they didn’t show it overtly, no one present looked the slightest bit comfortable. This place, more than anything else, was the antithesis of light. With the greatest aid in the toolbox gone — bog-standard vision — Remus somehow felt naked. They would be susceptible to any sudden attacks down here, if Violet wasn’t in good enough shape to sense the oncoming Unbounded. Remus found himself fidgeting; glancing over his shoulder to nothing but an encompassing void.
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He gave the faces of the entourage a once-over. It was then that he discovered himself mistaken. Donovan, as he’d overhead him to be called, looked perfectly at home. Insofar as the fact he smiled, like recalling a nostalgic memory. He noticed Remus’ gaze instantly. “You were behind that assault? Impressive that you look relatively unharmed. What Rank are you?”
“Reached Emblazed not long ago.” For some reason, this comment made both Elmore and Koa act a little oddly. Elmore, however, quickly fixed an approving smile, as if catching himself falling back on bad habits. His cousin wasn’t as self-aware, grimacing, like he had swallowed something particularly sour.
Oh right. Memories surfaced. He’s an Enkindled. Remus scrutinised the visible parts of their Mark as secretively as he could. Though not too far from Emblazed, by the looks of it.
Thinking of himself as on even playing field with Elmore was disconcerting. They were both Emblazed, regardless of how far along that leg of advancement either of them may be. Donovan was hard to judge. Emblazed at the very least, but based on the show he had put on when silencing Daisy, Foot-Soldier was well within the realms of possibility. Hell, likely.
And if he was, who would come out on top in a conflict against Violet? She too was a Foot-Soldier equivalent. Both were extraordinarily skilled. He didn’t want to imagine what destruction such a brawl would cause. Yet, doing much to soothe Remus’ nerves about his lack of an Oath, Donovan didn’t strike him as the kind of man to go against his word.
For people like him, honour flowed thicker than blood.
“How did you all get in so far, unscathed?” Violet asked, walking now with a vigorous stride. “I had to forge an elaborate plan for Durations, and it still failed.”
“I can turn people invisible, save for their shadow.” Donovan explained succinctly. “Speaking of which, it would be wise to do so now. We only dropped the ability because Elmore thought we could rendezvous.”
Violet and Remus, putting aside their scepticism, allowed the man to tap both of their foreheads. The sensation was a peculiar one, but did exactly as Donovan described. “I can minimise the size of your shadow, but I’ll leave it for now. The darkness veils us thus.
“If we’re invisible,” Ash asked, “how come we can all still see each other?”
“Another weakness of the ability, I forgot to mention. Others utilising the same effect are perfectly able to spot your monochrome form.”
After going-over the ethos of the Shadow Clan, which Violet had informed him to be Donovan’s sect through discreet whispers, Remus nodded. Abilities seemed to be moulded by your expectations and attitudes. Take, for instance, as to why Remus’ flames had always stayed true to the effect of the real thing. Like Enrique had explained, he’d expected it to. In precisely the same way, a clan so renowned for its code of honour wouldn’t dare think their own kind to betray them. So there was no need for defences against this — like veiling oneself amongst peers.
Likely, if you concentrated on what you truly wanted, the consequence could be mitigated. He found the entire subject fascinating. If he ever had the spare time required for a spot of light reading, perhaps it was something to look into.
Violet came to an abrupt stop up head. A shiver went down Remus' spine, as he widened the area of his flame. It lit the place dimly. Just enough to eye the gigantic rod of wood intersetted deep into the ground.
There, slumped up, and with manacles forcing his arms up, sat the saddest image of a man Remus had ever seen. What they sported now was practically rags, all the colour weeded out from the gnawing of time and abuse. Their dark features were barely visible in the light of Remus’ wick, that, if the man stirred, would look like a floating apparition. But he was out cold.
They huddled together, whispering like a sports team discussing game plans.
Violet had gone pale. “Does anyone have any water?”
Koa handed over a canteen. He was shaking. Poor boy probably hadn’t seen anything so frightening in his life.
Donovan, meanwhile, gave the man a light tap as he did with them. “He’ll be able to see us now.” That was intelligent thinking from him.
After accepting the can graciously, Violet splattered water over Akuji’s face. The man began to splutter, but ceased to rebel the second he felt the cool touch of water sating the dry walls of his throat. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry . . .” the man half-whispered, the empty canteen moved from his lips. He wouldn’t stop apologising. The words flooded out of his mouth like he had just recalled something abhorrent from his past. Like terrible crimes committed decades ago and since covered up.
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” Violet put a hand on Akuji’s shoulder, summoning a brave face.
The newcomers merely stared blankly at Akuji. Because of the constraints of time, Violet had been forced to gloss over several key parts of the Unbounded ordeal. Remus swiftly brought them up to speed. Even after the havoc the evening had contained, they all seemed to find this a hard pill to digest. Nearly everybody had heard of the Life Sect Warlord that had mysteriously disappeared
“We’re going to get you out of here. Can you walk? Are you wounded?”
Akuji groaned, face scrunching. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
She leaned in closer, words steely. “Can you walk?”
The man blinked. Words came to him with much difficulty. “I . . . maybe. I can’t remember. It’s been too long. Awfully long. Tell me, does the sun exist?”
Remus thought he had misheard. Moving forwards, he asked, “what do you mean?”
“The sun.” The man said after inhaling. His chest kept rising and lowering, like conversing like this was the hardest job in the world. “That white orb in the sky. Hurts to look at. Or was I imagining that too?”
All of them donned fierce scowls. Remus hadn’t been expecting the Warlord to be in swell condition, but this was another matter altogether.
Violet leaned closer to the man. “Yes, we know of the sun.” She swallowed. “Akuji, you might be suffering from hallucinations, but we’ve come to save you. The Chaos Clan have kept you captive down here for,” she did the mental maths, “decades. Do you know why?”
The man’s eyes widened. “No. No, no, no no!”
Elmore winced. “I can’t bear to watch this. Who would do this? How can you break a man down like that? It’s inhumane.
Violet made a shushing sound. “Please Akuji. We can only help you if you help us. What did they make you do?”
There was a silence, for a lengthy time, where only one tremulous sound filled the chamber. It took Remus a rather long time to realise it was the man weeping.
“Copies.” The sobbing man huffed, between sniffles. Remus couldn’t tell where the emaciated body was getting all that moisture from. It was an ugly, unstoppable overflow.
“Copies?” Fear seeped into Violet’s tone, until Remus found himself staring at a pair of equally frightened people.
Akuji nodded furiously. He eyed a wilted weed sticking out of the flagstones beneath them. Plucking it up, the subtle action settled the man’s nerves. Then he activated his Mark. The unparalleled might that swept out of him made Remus’s chest constrict. At larger realms of power, one allegedly got used to minimising the aura of their raw strength. So as not to constantly stun those around you. It was the same reason why being in the presence of a god tended to leave you with a feeling of imminent death; like you were about to spontaneously explode. That habit must have been beaten out of the Life clansman via decades of torture.
But one real concern blazed through Remus’ shock — a deranged man rivalling the power of some sect leaders had tapped into his own reserves. If he attacked them by accident, the damage could be catastrophic.
Instead, Akuji proceeded to do something very unexpected. He replicated the weed completely. It was an exact, one-to-one copy.
Instantly, he and Violet understood.
Violet looked like she was going to vomit. “Oh god. Oh god, a copy.”
The rest were left to merely scratch their heads with concerned expressions. They weren’t knowledgeable enough to understand the horror of this statement.
The memory of Milap’s Divine Right suddenly flashed before Remus’ eyes. He squatted down instantaneously, eye-to-eye with the broken man. “Akuji. I know you’re confused; I know you’re scared. But this is very, very important. Did an Unbounded going by the mortal name Milap do anything with the copies of the Chaos Sect you created?”
He had a dazed look in his eyes. “I don’t know their names, don’t know.”
“A knight in amethyst armour. A man with a cross on his forehead the colour of animal blood. Red animal blood.”
“I- oh yes. Yes, yes, yes.”
“What did he do?” Remus didn’t want to frighten the man, but he couldn’t bring himself not to sound desperate. “What did he do?”
“Pale white monsters. He made the Unbounded stand by the copied bodies of the butchered Chaos Clan. Then, a great oval went over each of them, and then, and then-”
He shook his head.
“What?” Violet piped in. “What?”
“I don’t know. I don’t . . .” he trailed off with a helpless cry.
So many connotations. So many answers now within their reach. How was Violet coping with it all? He glanced over to her.
But as he turned his head, something about Akuji’s look stunned him.
Akuji’s eyes diluted until there was virtually no white left. His mouth widened, his freed hands inching towards Violet's face. “You — I remember you! You were one of the clansmen I had to replicate! Yes, you, they made me- they made me copy you, but you were one of the first. Something about memory. They reprimanded me for keeping your memories in tact, in the process, and--”
Their arms shook, fingers looking almost contorted as they stretched wildly. Akuji masked his aged face with the appendages, smacking himself in the process. “I’m sorry!”
For a second, Violet made no move. Then she hunched by the crying man, so many emotions trying to seize her face that an empty stalemate was reached. “That explains a lot. Thank you, Akuji. I-”
She looked down at her Mark. Located on her forearm and blotted out as always. “So this belonged to Violet — the real Violet — before she died. When our memories fused, hers must have come out on top. I’m . . . I’m-”
“A fusion between Unbounded and human.” Donovan answered. “The first humanity has ever seen.”
“But originally, I was Unbounded. I think I always knew, but that confirms it. I don’t why, but a tiny portion of my mind hoped-” she stopped herself. Out of nowhere, her expression became a trillion times more resolute. “It doesn’t matter. In fact, I’m glad I was originally Unbounded. Imagine the entire tyranny of those fiends being toppled by one of their own. It’s-” A sickly expression seemed to oppose these words for a moment. “ . . . the perfect triumph.”
She shot a look over to Donovan. “I saw those weapons you were wielding earlier. Are they sharp enough to cut through his restraints?”
The man nodded, two twilight daggers appearing in his hands as he got to work.
“You’re freeing me?” Akuji asked disbelievingly. “My masters always said they would, but kept delaying my freedom. You’re not lying are you? Please, I don’t know how much longer I can endure here. If you’re lying, just give it to me straight.
Remus suddenly felt the need to pulverise every Unbounded alive in this world. To reduce a great Warlord, one whose name was a token of respect all over Descent, into calling such monstrosities masters . . . it disgusted him.
“We’re freeing you.” Violet promised. “I can swear an Oath upon it. We’re going to take you back to your sect. You’re a legend, y’know that? All across the Mortal Realms. With you as irrevocable proof, the reality of the Chaos Clan will be exposed at last. Thank you Akuji.”
The agonised man smiled. A genuine, full-fledged, curvature of the lips. A brilliance filled his widening eyes that must have been blurry with tears. For the first time in what no doubt had been decades, joy filled the man.
“Thank you.” He spluttered, watching with childish delight as his bounds were undone. “This is the best thing to have ever happened to me. Thank-”
Akuji’s head erupted like a balloon filled with Ichor.
This isn’t real. Was all Remus could think. Even as the shadowy figure of a powerful Unbounded sauntered into his casted light. One moment ago, Akuji was the happiest he’d ever been, on the verge of helping to change the course of history. Now his beheaded body laid limp at Remus' feet. Their apparent invisibility had made no difference.
Donovan, cheeks splattered cold, didn’t do so much as howl. In fact, he dived into the darkness behind, dragging Elmore, Ash, and Koa with him in the arms of his hulking shadow.
A leonine beast, Nova arrived.