Chapter 74: I Will Destroy Ya!

If you can’t talk down the monster, there are two other options.

Running away, which in the situation everyone is in right now isn’t exactly affordable, surviable, comfortable, or even fucking possible.

The other option, which I suspect is far more entertaining and cathartic, is killing whatever is threatening to eradicate you. Afterall, one death is a tragedy. The death of a million is a good start.

But the death of Ani Arma, well, that’s just plain good.

What wasn’t good was that Vega knew that in probably the next couple minutes, the time she had left to search would suddenly come to a close, as a strange occurrence had changed the tower.

No more shaking, no more quakes, not even debris was falling down.

Rather, a mundane change had occurred. The very floor she was standing on was lopsided, angling down to the left.

In fact, as Skaldi was running towards the tower, he noticed that the tower had ceased standing and had now begun to lean. Lean on the Black Wall, like it was in a drunken stupor. Luckily the leaning had prevented the tower from collapsing, however that luck was running out.

Runtaii, after the harsh treatment given by Ani Arma, decided that he wouldn’t listen to his orders any longer. To wait for resupplies, to wait for reinforcements. He had Uvi Jantok cornered through his and his men’s hardwork for months.

Tired from the freezing cold, tired of marching. Here and now was his victory, here and now were the jewels of Iozia. And here and now he was going to rob it.

Atop his horse and surrounded by his angered warriors, he ordered them to deal as much damage to the city as possible. Not simply by burning, but stealing. Using picks and axes, they stole entire statues, cut off fingers to get whatever rings they could, and then burn all the rest.

And Runtaii, he was smiling. For he was on the path towards the Black gate, towards Jantok Sky. Towards the Lai Bank and towards achieving his magics.

His soldiers had not yet recovered after the battle with the Blight Elves, many of them still in bandages and with wounds not yet healed. Even their ships carried scars that had yet to fade.

Fueled on hatred and sorrow, the Tripolians intended to deal an exact amount of their burning pain onto the Iozians. And no, it would not be equal.

Now you might expect Ani Arma to be dicking around, jerking himself off to a nation being pillaged. And this time, you’d be sort of right.

However, Ani Arma wasn’t coming to Uvi Jantok. Pun very much intended. Sorry, I got to relax somehow.

He wasn’t planning on invading with Runtaii, but to simply see how it went with his own eyes. Like smacking two hammers together to see which one breaks first. Less like a child, and more of an vaguely interested scientist.

Drawing a chalk circle into the lake bed, Ani considered who will come out on top as he prepared.

“Ah, will it be the dumb scarecrow, or the brat with too much pride? I can’t wait to see. If it’s the brat that wins, I’ll kill him and finish off the city. If it’s the scarecrow, then nothing is the matter. Either way, I need to collect that box from the Oligarch.”

Having sunk to the bottom, Ani admired the beauty vistas of Uvi Jantok through the water, the way it gleamed in the night. The way the moon shined down on it. On his hip, a Soul Gem of a fisherman’s net glowed. He laid down on his stomach and kicked his feet, like a kid.

“Almost a shame that it would need to be burned. Oh well, it is the emperor’s will.”

Shortly after he finished his circle, he thought of what would happen if Vega were to die in this battle. After all, fire was a weakness of hers. All of his hard work with talking to her, influencing her to join him.

What he could learn about magic from her, all of it would be lost.

“No… he wouldn’t do that.”

Inside the tower, Vega found the change to be remarkably welcome, as the many holes in the floors and ceilings allowed her to simply jump through floors instead of climbing stairs and dodging rubble. Like an acrobat, Vega flipped and soared across the walls, flinging herself through the holes with the aid of her pickaxe.

However, the Soul Gem she had discovered seemed to have ceased working, as the previous unending water produced now only gave out small droplets, weakening evermore.

In one half of her mind, she was screaming out to give it up, that this effort will be fruitless. This promise Soul Gem would fail to show up as Vega had hoped Kaliber would show up, only receiving a loneliness

In the other, there was no other option. She had found a Soul Gem, so there had to be more. Whatever promise Kaliber had made to Vega, she wouldn’t lie. She wouldn’t lie on this tower, she wouldn’t lie on the obstacles, and she wouldn’t lie on Vega’s future.

Kaliber wasn’t lying, and so Vega wasn’t going to give it up.

“I’m not stopping. I won’t give up on ya Kaliber. And I won’t give up on myself.”

Ah, but you should.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

For a moment, Vega’s heart and hopes stopped. Stunned, as if put into a psychic daze, Vega couldn’t believe what had just happened. The Voice, Ani Arma, had returned after so long of being silent.

So much progress, so much learning about herself and her future, Vega had made. And she had made it without that awful voice in her head.

“No… it’s not true!”

What, didn’t you miss me?

“I thought ya were gone! What do ya want now?!” Vega cared not for the floor she was standing on, as small cracks formed. Faintly, the Soul Gem on her hip glowed for a moment, but returned to being powerless.

I just wanted to see how my dear friend and future tool was doing. I see you are in a terrible sort of situation.

“I don’t need your commentary on things. I don’t need ya.” Getting back in the pace of a walk, Vega understood she couldn’t lose focus now. If she did, all of her hard work that she and her friends had put in would be wasted.

Worse, she’d be wasted.

“...god! I fucking hate running… shit…” Having collapsed at the foot of a temple, Skaldi had finally reached where the tower began.

Sprouting out the temple like an invasive plant, the tower was full to bursting. All around him, papers laid and tossed in the wind. She was here, and now he had to go searching for her.

“Hello? Who’s there?” A voice called out, from the door. Still slumped over and breathing fast and deep, Skaldi pushed himself up to get closer to it. He wasn’t quite sure if it was a hallucination or someone trying to mess with him. Backing away and slowing his breathing, the redhead waited for the voice to approach him.

Hearing the echoing and ever closer steps, Skaldi hid behind a wall near the door, and what he saw made his skin freeze.

The Assassin, he believed, exited out of the temple door. He saw her sawing out to the city, in the midst of its great destruction. Her mouth was agape and her eyes were wide, for some reason she looked like she had some regret, Skaldi thought.

“...did she follow Vega?” Skaldi whispered to himself. He didn’t see any blood on her, but did she have a weary and tired look in her eyes. Like she had gone through a journey of foreign worlds and places.

“...gods… I have a lot to do.” Clenching her fist, Krimm bowed her head and then looked up to the tower, seeing it leaning on the Black Wall. Vega was giving it her all, and so she must give it all she had left.

“What is-”

“You know I can sense you.” Suddenly turning her head like and owl, Krimm looked to where Skaldi was hiding. A gust of wind blew past and a circle of papers flew around her.

He kept quiet, pulling out his daggers in preparation.

“I’m not going to fight you. I… I just want… I’m… sorry.” Walking towards the wall Skaldi was hiding, she held her hands to her chest. Skaldi’s eye rose in shock, hearing her voice genuine, like she really felt regret.

This Assassin didn't seem to be playing a trick. And, if faintly, there was a motivation in her.

“...I’m not a good person. But I want to be a better one. Vega is alive. She’s… just taking care of some things. On her own.”

Skaldi felt a great temptation, one that he felt might risk his life. He wanted to know what Vega was doing, in the tower that was about to crumble. He wanted to know she was safe. He wanted to know that she wasn’t going to be played, or used like some tool.

He gave in.

“...what is she doing?” Skaldi asked, getting out from the wall and confronting Krimm.

The ground beneath them shuffled, and Skaldi looked up towards the tower, seeing evermore debris falling. He could see that the tower was no longer leaning, but slowing letting go of the Black wall.

“What is she doing?” Skaldi grabbed Krimm by the shoulders, shaking her to answer. His heart was full of worry, but what Krimm said made it all evaporate.

The Assassin didn’t raise her head. The Fairy did.

“...she’s fulfilling her purpose. She’s getting ready to destroy.”

“I can feel it! It’s here! It’s right here, I know. I feel-feel it in my wires! In my fibers!” With determined energy, Vega had found the source, the very Soul Gem Kaliber promised, and its rhythm was immense.

Digging with her pickaxe, she hammered into a rock pile, seeing a doorway beneath it. The tower felt like it was slipping, ready to fall down at any moment.

Wait… what are you doing here?

“It’s none of your-your business!”

No… this isn’t… this isn’t what Kaliber worked on. It can’t!

“Come on! Just a little more!” Vega screamed out, now wildly.

Unlike anything she had heard or felt before. Like… a voice.

Not a voice. The voice.

Not the voice that had deceived her, not the one who talked down to or betrayed her. Not the one who had decided she was weak, pathetic, and destined to fail.

Get out of there! You’re going to die!

“Are ya scared now!? Well I’m not! Not anymore. I’m not going to let war, hatred, the world, or you deny myself any longer!” Vega swung her pickaxe one last time, getting the last rock out of the wall of the door. Running into it, she slammed her whole shoulder into the door.

But it did not open.

Vega. Is that your name?

She ignored him, and continued to strike at the door. It was made of ordinary wood, but even her pickaxe didn’t even make a dent into it. Not even a splinter.

Vega! If you don’t get out there, you will die. Your friends will die. Is that what you want? To become another helpless victim!?

“No! I’m not a vic-victim. I am the mightest construct there is! I will not be stopped.” Laying both of her hands on the handle, she tugged with all she had. But all she had wasn’t enough. Two shifts shook the room, and where Vega could see the tower was slipping further and further. If she didn’t come up with anything soon, she and the whole tower would be in free fall.

This is nothing! Nothing worth how much time I have spent on you! Nothing worth the time Kaliber has spent on you. Do you wish to disobey your master?

Your CREATOR?!

“Ya aren’t my friend.” Vega let go of the handles, and rested her hands on her side.

No brute force would open this door, Vega knew. However, a magic force, perhaps could.

Relinquish control! Surrender your body, and maybe I can save you!

Taking out her guitar, she played a simple melody, different compared to the events at hand. Like water dripping in a calm cave, wind blowing through a field, or two sisters having a conversation.

On her hip, the Soul Gem glowed on more. And out from it came a hurricane of water and storm. Swirling around her, it formed triple helices and flew around, outside where the tower was now falling.

Krimm and Skaldi saw from the middle of the tower, where the magic water flowed and began to form supports, frozen hard and solid.

A magic force Vega ignited. She began to sing, sing out to this world that wished to make her a tool.

"Listen when I say!

I swear on here today!

I will not surrender, this life is mine!"

In the now calm tower, Vega found much of the chamber in shambles, whatever art and recordings that were here had either been flung outside, or simply crushed behind tons of garbage. Of the dust, all of it had settled and the room was clear to see. As Vega rose out from a pile of rock and rubble, she discovered no light. Not even the moon.

Just then, like a miracle, a light emerged. Not from the sky, and not from fire burning, or candle wick. From out of the rubble, from out of the debris, a single line of light took shape, shining a lovely purple.

All of their hard work, every one of her friends and herself, had let to this very moment.

The Scarecrow had finally found the Soul Gem, in the form of a guitar string.

“Ani. Ya are right. I am built for destruction. Built to destroy you!”