Encounters
Encounters
T
|
he ringed
world of Icarus and it’s greater and lesser moons, the Eyes of Icarus. It is a
world enjoying the cusp of a steam revolution fueled by magic. Born of a
substance called Nectar from a realm simply dubbed Ambrosia, those who can open
the gates possessed by all mankind become as wizards next to the engineering
craftsmen who make everyday life possible. But the world is not so peaceful and
is plagued by an ancient evil. In the skies above, five hundred twenty six
silver ovoid shaped structures that stand taller than any mountain, overgrown
by nature, drift without direction. They are known as the cities of the
Foreigners, an ancient race long gone and eternal enemy of mankind, their
wishes carried out by the beings sealed within known as the Poltergeists. Five
centuries past the Poltergeists used the cities of their creators and razed the
Face of Icarus forcing mankind to start again. Though mankind has recovered, it
has not been without challenge from the Poltergeists. Occasionally falling from
their heavenly homes, the Poltergeists have rained down monsters capable of
turning all they interact with into monsters. Of the races of mankind, those
infected yet saved by the Light of Cardinal are known as Sa·B·ers and are
tasked with protecting the world from the Foreigner threat. But since the
appearance of the sky covering tree of light, the Lucifalz, that disrupted the
perception of time, mankind has grown distrustful of the Light and the fall of
the Cardinal Church has given rise to an age of adventure born from chaos.
Deep Root
Colony
Early Autumn ~ Night
Clear and breezy
Early Autumn ~ Night
Clear and breezy
A once
flourishing abyss
Walls lined with the remnants of a city lost
A factory from an ancient time long forgotten
Anachronistic technology well beyond the current age
A civilization returned to nature, visited by Darkness
Walls lined with the remnants of a city lost
A factory from an ancient time long forgotten
Anachronistic technology well beyond the current age
A civilization returned to nature, visited by Darkness
Of the races of mankind, three primary divisions exist. There
are the second, the icarans, so named for the belief that they were born of
Icarus after the first great war with the Poltergeists. They are perceived as
the generic and weakest of humans for all that they lack. Compared to the most
plentiful third, the chimeric, they lack any animal features or are best
described as naked primates of frail build. The chimeric races, however, are
most frequently races that mix the traits of icarans with animals with only
rare races being little more than humanoid animals. The first race of mankind,
the nāti, however is the most unique. Compared to them, icarans lack the wiry
fur that protects their bodies from all weather and environments. They lack the
long, pointed, heaven seeking ears and the shielded eyes that serve them in all
conditions. They lack the lip and mouth shielding beak and the split prehensile
feet. Icarans are naked and physically inferior to the first race of mankind,
even as their traits are shared with the chimeric races. But for all the
inferiority of the icarans to the nāti, it was a suit of autonomous mechanized
armor in the shape of an icaran that brought terror to a group of nāti pilgrims
in service to the nature goddess Atheaeldre.
Fleeing down an old mechanized hallway long since overgrown
to the point of not being recognizable as manmade at a glance, one particular
nāti man garbed in green robes and icaran boots scrambled for his life. Behind
him stood a shadow of a man, his body a suit of mechanized icaran armor. From
behind the darkness of his helmet the shadow watched the icaran run. Stepping
deliberately in pursuit the shadow revealed a sword that had been hidden behind
the tattered high collar cape and poncho draped about its form. Glistening in
the moonlight that filtered in the bright red blood that coated the blade spoke
silently of the terror brought by the shadow.
“Run little one. Run. Slaughtering the defenseless is little
sport.”
Mockingly, the shadow commanded his prey to flee from him
with the voice of a young, smmoth, icaran man. Stepping before a destroyed
segment of wall that joined the hall with the abyss beyond, the shadow was given
reason to stop as a screeching voice echoed powerfully off of the walls and all
throughout the city forgotten to time.
“STOP RIGHT THERE YOU IDIOTIC TERROR‼ I’VE NO IDEA WHAT
IDIOCY GAVE BIRTH TO AN AMBROSIAL HORROR SUCH AS YOU, BUT KNOW YOU ONLY FRIGHTEN
ME ENOUGH TO VANQUISH YOU‼”
The claim should have been hollow and amusing at best, but
the volume was impossibly loud. It not only echoed off the walls of the abyss,
but shook loose ages of dust and dirt, and reverberated to very crippling
degrees. The shadow fell to his knees and clutched at his head, bewildered by
the powerful acoustic attack.
“What manner of sorcery or technology is this?”
The shadow could barely hear his own voice over the still
environment damaging echoes of the voice. Determining that it must have called
out from somewhere beyond the corridor he occupied, he looked out through the
opening in search of the source of his suffering. There was nothing his eyes
could find, but his senses told him something that left him snickering.
“I see. You wear the traces of one possessed of the old
Light. You must be quite special to someone I seek to kill.”
Returning to his feet as the echo at last began to fade, the
shadow cut away the plants that were beginning to coil around his feet.
“That being so, I must aim to frighten you more and more.
Enough so that you call out in search of help to the one possessed of Her
Light. It will be a pleasure to again hunt a true Child of Her Light and not
just the Light Touched. Hehehehehe…”
Continuing to snicker sinisterly to himself, the Shadow cared
little for the bolt of lightning that arced out of the starry night sky and
struck him blind. He had little reason to care, for even as the bolt of
lightning left the ground glowing from the impact, he remained unharmed,
beginning the deepening of the fear he aimed to instill in his prey.
Athera
Mountains
Early Autumn ~ Late Morning
Scattered thunderstorms and cool
Early Autumn ~ Late Morning
Scattered thunderstorms and cool
Magestic and
towering
Tree lined roadways following spring rivers
Ruins long ago picked clean, monsters dwelling within
Home to shadow and light both
A fledgling adventurer’s first steps
Tree lined roadways following spring rivers
Ruins long ago picked clean, monsters dwelling within
Home to shadow and light both
A fledgling adventurer’s first steps
For as hostile as the Athera Mountain range was, the mountain
range was also a dividing line of the continent of Athecia. From the highest
towers of the abandoned castles from ages unknown one could see down to the sea
to the south and well beyond the eastern and northern valleys. Having managed
to reach the top of one such tower, a maid named for the suit of chainmail that
might have well been her skin from her jawline down and all she wore looked
out. Standing atop the tower, the Chainmaid’s long brown hair, along with a sheer
black cape that grew from her shoulder blades, was blown about obscuring its
typically wild state as she stared out with wonder at the world that awaited
her with massive sea gem green eyes. The sword she carried by a strap in her
right hand over the accompanying shoulder marked her as a warrior despite her
light and fair skin and childish face that was nigh too young even for her
fifteen springs of age.
“The view is amazing and fills us with such desire to see all
below it, that it leaves us unsure of where to go.”
Swimming in the air next to the Chainmaid’s, Chain’s, head,
was a sea gem green tailed mermaid double of herself only about twice the
length of a human finger. The mermaid, Drop, who was at once both an elemental
water spirit born from the realm of Ambrosia and also Chain was overwhelmed by
the emotions she shared with her larger counterpart and wore an expression
caught between wonder and frustration.
“Heh, heh. It is kind of overwhelming isn’t it?”
Chain smiled as she couldn’t make up her mind either. There
was one truth about her eventual descent, however.
“Well, wherever we go we should choose a town that looks like
it sees a lot of travelers. We should be able to find an adventurer’s guild
outpost there and finally become official adventurers. Wandering this mountain
range and all of the old ruins is fun, but they’re all picked clean so it’s
only new to me.”
“Well, there did used to be bandits in these mountains so it
shouldn’t come as a surprise.”
“No, but I’d rather have surprises I like.”
“Is something wrong? Oh!”
Curious as to the souring of Chain’s mood, Drop followed her
gaze to a sight that was at once both unusual yet also frustrating. Further up
the mountain roads to the west was a tower that seemed to mix an orphanage, a
tiered public garden, and a cathedral. Despite being one building it was
effectively a tiny village and large enough to easily house a hundred people
and a plethora of jobs for them. What made the building particularly unusual
however was that it sat on a great metal bowl that was supported by a series of
continuous track treads. It was obviously an amazing piece of engineering, but
also demanding high maintenance as the pipes that both feed the machinery
within and allowed its exhaust to escape were intricately intertwined with the
ivy covered building it supported.
“It would seem that they are still following us.”
“I wish they’d give up already.”
Pouting angrily, Chain dislodged herself from the top of the
tower and swung herself back inside. Drop swam after her and kept pace easily
enough that she did not have to strain to keep up with what Chain was saying.
“We better get out of here in a hurry if we don’t want to
have to deal with them. I saw a dried-up stream bed earlier as well so if we follow
that out the trees should provide us cover from above and the cliffs will keep
that thing from being able to do anything either.”
There were no reason that Drop could think of to argue
against Chain’s plan and the two of them set about retracing their steps. It
was not an easy task to accomplish as monsters that had taken up residence in
the ancient castle pestered them and harassed their every step. Chain did not
mind too much as it provided her ample sword practice even as it increased the
chances of allowing her pursuers to catch up with her. As she and Drop reached
a massive courtyard or land bridge that connected the different main buildings
of the castle, it seemed she had underestimated how much time she had. There
were no signs of life out in the courtyard and even the monsters that had been
harassing her did not follow her out into the open air. Just to be sure she was
not mistaking something else for her pursuers, she carefully scanned the sky
before extracting her scabbard from her cape that had earlier consumed it.
Sheathing her sword and slinging it over her shoulder she dismissed her cape
with a thought, and it disappeared like a blown-out flame. As relaxed as she
could be now, Chain rested the back of her left hand on her hip and called out
across the courtyard.
“Alright, you can come out now so I can tell you to leave me
alone and stop following me.”
At first there was no response, but then two icaran men
stepped out of the ruins across the courtyard. They were ornately dressed under
great coats that matched the color of the other’s hair and their own eyes, and
were armed with a flintlock rifle butt saber for the silver haired man with the
long twisting lock beside his left eye and a giant boomerang like blade for the
curly tipped red head. Chain was not sure who they were but stepped back
defensively as the red head, and seemingly younger of the two light skinned men
spoke.
“I do believe that you have mistaken us for someone else. Wouldn’t
you agree brother.”
“I would Lute. It seems she has mistaken us for a tiresome
pest.”
“Heh, heh. Sorry about that. It’s just I spotted their mobile
fortress some ways back up the road and thought maybe you were my persistent
pursuers.”
Chain smiled brightly and sheepishly at her apparent mistake.
She lost her own smile though as the two men donned amused smiles.
“Oh dear brother, it seems she is prone to making numerous
mistakes.”
“Come Lute, we already knew that.”
“What exactly are you two talking about?”
The two men were giving Chain a really bad feeling, but she
almost couldn’t help herself as she questioned the meaning of their
conversation. Her curiosity was getting the better of her even as her instincts
told her she should run. Unfortunately for her, the yet named silver haired man
was glad to answer her question.
“What my dear younger brother was referring to if you must
know, is that while you mistook us for a group of pursuers that you are
seemingly quite familiar with, you were not wrong about us. You see, we may not
be the pursuers that you were expecting, but we are pursuing you, Chainmaid.”
“I just love the way that name sounds when you say it
Brother. It sounds so majestic as though it was conceived by a most noble of
souls.”
“You flatter me Lute, but let us not forget why we are here.”
“I’d kind of like to know why myself. I know I’m not quite
together in my head, but I haven’t done anything that should be getting
anyone’s attention. Killing off the local bandits shouldn’t have been that big
of a deal, unless you two somehow were making a profit off of them.”
Chain despite her best attempts couldn’t get a read on the
two men and continued to back away. The two men seemed oddly sympathetic and
that only made Chain’s skin crawl as they began crossing the suspended
courtyard.
“It is little surprise that you fail to know who we are, or
why we have an interest in you. Let us begin with introductions then. We
already know that the locals know you as the Chainmaid, an unusual maid who
singlehandedly rid the Athera Mountains of the Skull Leather Bandits and has
since been spotted wandering the ruins that line the mountain roads. We, on the
other hand, are the Mouser Brothers. We are known far and wide as a pair of
Sa·B·ers who always accomplish the jobs we undertake outside of the traditional
responsibilities of Sa·B·ers. I am the older brother Pan, and this is my
younger brother Lute.”
The now introduced older man and brother, Pan Mouser,
motioned towards his red-haired brother as they continued to cross the
courtyard. Chain wanted to keep backing away, but she could sense the eyes of
the monsters waiting for her back inside the castle watching her. Forcing a
smile to offset her unease, Chain attempted to keep them talking while her or
Drop came up with a plan of escape.
“So now I know who you are, but maybe it’s because thinking
is kind of hard for me because my thoughts aren’t all in my head, but I still
don’t see how that tells me what you want with me.”
Chain was failing to come up with any ideas but at least her
attempts to keep the Mouser Brothers talking seemed to be working as Lute
provided her an explanation.
“That is because we would first need to introduce our client,
Chainmaid. He is a troublesome client to. It seemed like our reputation would
be horribly marred should we never find you, so imagine our surprise when we
heard of a maid in these mountains wearing naught but a suit of chainmail so
immodestly distinct. We just had to investigate, and sure enough here you are,
looking no different than when last we saw you, before the Lucifalz
inconveniently appeared and disappeared.”
“Where exactly did you see me?”
Though she already was starting to picture in her head what
the Mouser Brothers were talking about, Chain still asked as she broke into a
cold sweat and tightened her grip on her sword strap. Lute was all too happy to
answer as he and his brother smiled amicably.
“Why where, Chainmaid, but back on the continent of Mergaol?
It was such a surprise after being engulfed in that light to wake here on the
continent of Athecia, but I can assure you that it hasn’t slowed us down. You
on the other hand seem not to be accompanied by the harpy that afforded you
your escape from our client–”
“I’m not going back!”
As Chain suddenly shouted the next few events seemed to
almost happen in an instant. Her cape grew out of her shoulder blades like a
raging black flame that consumed her scabbard and left her sword exposed and
dangling in the air behind her. She did not simply reach for it but jumped
straight up twisting her body so that her feet pointed straight up towards the
sky as Lute’s massive bent blade spun through the air where she had been
standing. Lute’s blade struck Chain’s, but she had been prepared for that and
positioned her hand so that the blow would let the two-handed grip of her
simple cruciform sword fall right into her hand. She was now prepared to engage
her opponents but discovered she was a step behind already.
On the pommel of Lute’s unusual boomerang sword that was
nearly as tall as he was there was a strange gem that matched one on a ring he
wore on his right hand. As he closed his hand into a fist a surge of energy
traveled from the Nectar he summoned into his body through his Ambrosial Gate
down an Ambrosial wire connecting his ring to his sword. Chain saw the spark of
energy following its path for just an instant before it reached its destination
and released a massive explosion. The blast threw her into a flip that was
nothing like the controlled turnover she had planned and she almost missed Pan
pull his rifle butt saber from his shoulder and cock the matchlock mechanism.
Gritting her teeth as she prepared herself to be struck even as she aimed to
avoid the attack, Chain got lucky with her guess of Pan’s attack.
As he pulled the trigger of his weapon, Pan swung gracefully
in Chain’s direction and an arc of energy like a sword blade shot through the
air in Chain’s direction. Having accurately guessed the nature of Pan’s attack
Chain just barely managed to spin her body out of the way to her attacker’s
surprise.
“You’re better than I expected, Chainmaid.”
“I haven’t even gotten started yet!”
Landing under her own control, Chain charged Pan and the two
exchanged a number of sword strikes testing and studying the strength of their
opponent. Chain didn’t like what she learned as much as Pan did and the worried
expression she donned was in stark contrast to the smile he wore. It was not
Pan that Chain needed to be aware of though as Lute could control his blade
even so far detached from it due to the non-corporal wire that connected his
ring to it. Giving a yank on that wire with the monstrous strength he had from
being a Sa·B·er, Lute sent his blade right for Chain, it again spinning like a
saw blade. Leaping up and spinning to her side like a log on the water, Chain avoided
the attack while not relenting in her attacks against Pan. It was an impressive
display to watch, but ultimately ineffective as Pan casually deflected all of
her attacks with his weapon in one hand and promptly kicked her in the face as
she neared the end of her jump. The blow was backed by the monstrous strength
of a Sa·B·er, and with nothing to brace herself against to take the blow Chain
was sent flying through the air in a high arch.
The kick that launched Chain was spectacular in its
impossibility as Pan managed to strike her twice in the same motion. The first
blow was with the top of his foot directly into the lower half of her face
causing her head to roll back as his foot lifted. This exposed the underside of
her chin for the second blow which came from the heel of Pan’s boot as he
rolled his foot back and unleashed the full force of his kick to her chin. Not
only was Chain launched but she blacked out for a moment, only being called
back by her voice calling out to her from Drop.
[We need to get a hold of ourselves. These two are Sa·B·ers
of some experience and neither simple bandits nor monsters. We are not
experienced enough to face them two on one.]
“But we’re not two against one… I’m so broken there are two
of me here right now.”
Gritting her teeth and forcing an eye open, Chain forced her
body to respond and righted herself to land safely. It was not a particularly
safe landing though as the Mouser Brothers were prepared for her to have stayed
in the fight and Chain had to kiss the ground to avoid being split in half from
Lute’s spinning blade coming at her back. She couldn’t stay down for long
though and popped herself up in a T-stance on her left arm to avoid the next
energy blade launched by Pan. Even that pose she wasn’t able to hold for long
as Pan appeared on top of her with his blade running a horizontal slash through
the space she occupied. Falling onto her back, Chain kicked away from him
towards his back and rolled over backward onto her feet. In her new position
she found herself between Lute’s returning blade and Pan. While Lute could
easily surprise her with his flying, spinning blade, Chain made Pan the
priority as at the least his presence controlled the direction of Lute’s
attack.
Springing to her feet, Chain brought her sword around in a
downward slash to meet the downward slash of her opponent. Chain and Pan’s
steel rang out as it clashed again and Chain surprised her pursuer as she
conjured up as much strength as she could from the Foreigner infection that
marked her as a Sa·B·er.
“Oh–⁈”
“Hya~~‼”
Rotating downward with as much strength as she could muster
and divide throughout her body, Chain attempted to distract Pan with her raw
strength as she applied a very subtle sword technique. Slightly shifting the
angle of her blade as she brought it down, she turned Pan’s own strength and
direction of attack against him, leading his sword to the ground. She wanted to
reverse the direction of her own sword at the moment to run it back up Pan’s
blade and arms to decapitate him, but Lute’s blade was already on its way.
Having accounted for it, Chain applied her divided strength to launch herself
into a flip over Pan. She could not attack him as she passed over though as he
ducked into a spin using his redirected momentum under Lute’s blade, using his
brother’s attack as a shield. Needing to counter the attack that Pan’s spin was
building momentum for Chain tightened her flip and forced herself into a second
rotation.
For a moment Chain and Pan locked eyes and the moment seemed
to last for an eternity as they waited to complete their rotations and for
Lute’s blade to allow them to resume their clash. Then the moment was over and
steel met steel in a flash. The ringing of the clashing blades rang out over
the whole of the Athera Mountains. As Chain had hoped she had been able to meet
the attack of Pan and hold her ground, but as her ground was the air with no
footing and Pan was smiling, she knew she made a mistake. Fortunately for her
it was not fatal though it was far from comfortable either as Pan’s spin
allowed him to catch Chain in a spinning hook kick that caught her in the back
and flung her to the side of the courtyard that the Mouser Brothers had entered
from.
Sliding to a stop in a fetal heap, Chain held her ground and
did not immediately return to her feet. She knew she was exposed where she lay
but she did not notice the Mouser Brothers moving and waited to see their next
action. As she lay there, a passing storm cloud began to let fall its contents
onto the nameless mountain castle. As the raindrops hit her she smiled in
relief and finally struggled to her feet using her sword for support.
“Ou~ch, that really hurt. I don’t know why you two decided
not to pursue me while you had the advantage, but I’m grateful.”
Chain failed to notice that the Mouser Brothers had divided
their attention, or she might have discovered the reason for their sudden
caution. Snapping her chainmail skinned fingers and causing a distinctive
ringing sound to fill the air, Chain assured that she returned the Mouser
Brothers full attention to her and the small sphere of light that floated above
her upturned left palm.
“A spell⁈”
Both Mouser Brothers prepared to interrupt an incantation,
with Pan slashing out another energy blade and Lute throwing his unique blade.
But Chain had no incantation in mind and simply called out a command.
“Drop! Now!”
Nothing impressive happened when Chain called out to Drop,
but it was not as though nothing happened either. The Mouser Brothers noticed
immediately as the rain picked up and Lute’s spinning blade hit the ground well
in advance of reaching Chain. This gave Chain the ability to dodge Pan’s attack
at her leisure. Chain would have smiled but the Mouser Brothers beat her to it
as Lute commented on Drop.
“So, the spirit isn’t just for show. You can open a gate and provide
her Nectar to take action on your behalf. Though I’ve never heard of anyone
opening an Ambrosial Gate outside of their own bodies. That’s a curious trick
you have there, Chainmaid. But I have a few tricks of my own as well.”
The pout Chain put on as Lute did not consider Drop her
disappeared in an instant at the mention of tricks. Grabbing her cape to shield
herself, Chain barely caught sight of the spark of energy that ran down the
Ambrosial wire that had been pinned by the rain once it was linked by Drop to
Ambrosia. Like the last time the spark traveled down the Ambrosial wire from
Lute’s ring to the pommel of his sword, a massive explosion rocked the
courtyard. It was not the only explosion, though it was the only fiery one in
the immediate vicinity, as the half of the land bridge that Chain huddled down
on and held the courtyard that joined the two main parts of the nameless castle
exploded into clouds of dust.
“That was a timely distraction.”
Lute clicked his tongue as he turned his gaze back out into
the distance to what had split his and Pan’s attention before. He was not able
to focus on it though as gunfire erupted from within the dust cloud that had
been the other side of the Courtyard. Yanking his blade back to defend himself
proved more difficult than it should have as the Ambrosial wire was still being
weighed down by the rain. It told him and his brother both however that Chain
was still alive.
Chain was surprised herself to discover that she was still alive
but was even more so surprised when she discovered that what she thought was a
chunk of rubble that had slammed into her gut and lifted her up was a centaur
maid. She had long blonde hair tied into a high ponytail and ruddy skin that
matched smoothly with her strawberry roan coat. She wore a white button up
shirt under a red denim jacket and wielded a revolver action rifle that she
emptied out as she galloped through the dust cloud. Chain wanted to shift into
a more stable location but was promptly halted by the centaur maid whose back
she was draped over.
“Stay exactly as you are heretic. I’m not large enough for an
adult to ride me like a horse and carrying you like this is difficult enough.”
“It’s not like I asked you to rescue me.”
Pouting, Chain talked back and earned a dirty look from her
rescuer as they reloaded their rifle while in a full gallop down the cliff side
below where the courtyard half remained.
“I could leave you to them then if that is your desire.”
“No! That would be worse!”
“If you’ll listen, what my larger counterpart means to get
across is that our pride is wounded for needing rescued and that you are
putting yourself in great danger by interfering with those two Sa·B·ers.”
Swimming alongside the dashing centaur as best as she could
manage, Drop tried to translate Chain’s backtalk into something more palatable.
She did not expect a response but was surprised when the centaur expressed her
own surprise.
“Sa·B·ers⁈ I had thought perhaps that they were Ambrosial Arm
wielders.”
“You seem to make that mistake a lot.”
Blushing in response to Chain’s observation, the centaur took
a moment before backtracking and finding advantage in their current situation.
“Well, regardless, if they are Sa·B·ers then we have nothing
to fear. We need simply make it down this cliff ahead of them.”
“And how are we going to do that? You may be a centaur but
don’t think your four-legged advantage means anything against a Sa·B·er.”
“It doesn’t need to, heretic.”
“It’s Chain. I can remember your name Maye, and that’s
considering how disconnected the inside of my head is so why can’t you–”
Whether the centaur, Maye, had heard Chain or not a distant
explosion followed by the cliffside above them exploding in a cloud of dust and
debris drowned her out. Unable to be heard as the cliff face further exploded
another five times, Chain trailing off in astonishment also went unnoticed.
Where the explosions simply drowned out Chain’s voice and threatened to bury her
and Maye in an avalanche, the Mouser Brothers were further inconvenienced as
they could not pursue Chain through the collapsing terrain. Despite this, the
two of them smiled and Lute mused alloud of Chain’s good fortune.
“She is a unique one brother. First a harpy and a water
spirit, now a centaur. It’s like she is protected by the elements of the Sister
Goddesses. And of course, she is an icaran, so she is of the element of Father
Icarus. Then the rumors that she is a Child of Her Light and the corruption of
the Foreigner infection filling her with darkness makes it seem like she is
affiliated with every element that comprises our world.”
“You’ve only touched on half of it Lute.”
“Oh?”
Intrigued by his brother’s implications, Lute turned to Pan.
Pan smiled as he too took his eyes off the dust cloud and explained.
“She could open an ambrosial Gate as you noted outside of her
self, and then there is her sword technique. It appears brutish and childish
from afar, but that is a charade. It seems she was trained to obscure her
actual style under that terrible sight of flips, twirls, and raw force. But as
we exchanged blows, I could sense her true style. She did not let much show,
but what she did was unquestionably an offshoot of the styles used by Athecian
nobility.”
“Intriguing. And here she first was brought to our attention
as a dirty peasant. As always brother, your sense for the refined has led us to
a job most fitting of our rightful place in life. But now…”
Trailing off as he watched the unusual village sized building
emerge from the dust cloud traveling east, Lute frowned softly. Pan was less
bothered as he watched the tread propelled fortress put distance between them
fairly quickly even as its size made it appear far slower.
“Now we just wait for our next opportunity. She will not stay
within that mobile fortress forever. She would have to join the monastic order
regardless to stay for so long, and we both know she values her freedom too
much for that.”
The Chapel ~
Interior ~ Dolmen Bay
Early Autumn ~ Midday
Scattered thunderstorms and cool outside
Early Autumn ~ Midday
Scattered thunderstorms and cool outside
The village in
a travelling tower
As alive inside as out
Maids and girls garbed in habits working diligently
From religious and studious training to vehicle maintenance and daily upkeep
Everywhere a part of a sacred building, dressed in stain glass and steam works
As alive inside as out
Maids and girls garbed in habits working diligently
From religious and studious training to vehicle maintenance and daily upkeep
Everywhere a part of a sacred building, dressed in stain glass and steam works
Of the ages past on the Face of Icarus, the most well known
and least known simultaneously was the Age of the Ancients. It was an age when
the races of mankind could match the Foreigners in their aerial cities in
technology and exceed them in magical prowess and understanding of Ambrosia and
the Nectar called forth to create magic. That age ended however, and every
attempt mankind has made to reach it again has been met with the Poltergeists
razing the Face of Icarus and reducing mankind to the beginnings of
civilization. Despite this, numerous elements of that ancient technology
persisted and the most visually recognizable was called the Dolmen. Pilotable
mechanized giants in the shape of icarans that stood a full twenty five meters
tall on average and were powered and allowed to exist by Artificial Gate
Generators made by the Ancients that tapped into Ambrosia and drew in Nectar.
Despite their wonder however, their name was a warning that those who used them
frequently found them to be their graves. The one that Chain found herself
standing before within the mobile fortress called the Chapel, was a custom
model built upon the salvaged frame of a likely production model of a time long
past. It was unrecognizable today covered in a suit of armor that resembled a
collection of pots and kettles painted in browns and creams.
“Fi~nch! You’re up, there aren’t you? Come down here so I can
drag you and Maye both to the Mother of this rolling nunnery and complain about
you following me.”
“I believe we also mean to thank them.”
“I can’t believe I’m agreeing with a heretical being.”
“Existing doesn’t make Drop heretical. And since she’s just a
part of me like a limb that thinks for itself with my thoughts then that would
mean I’m a heretical being.”
“I thought I already made that clear, heretic. It pains me
that you’ve been invited into the Chapel.”
“Well I’m only here because you dragged me here from my
fight.”
“The one we were losing.”
“Dr~op! You’re not helping!”
- Maybe everyone can cool their heads while Maye and I
change? We shouldn’t really be moving about the Chapel out of our habits. That
and you seem kind of divided right now Miss Chain. -
A boyish voice interrupted Chain, Drop, and Maye from the
external speakers of the Dolmen that the three of them knew belonged to the
girl of some ten springs named Finch. Chain was not glad for her interruption
and pouted up at the cockpit situated above the potbelly of the Dolmen in its
chest.
“Is that why you’re hiding in there, Finch? And here I
thought you were still angry at me for wrecking your Dolmen.”
- I am angry at you. But I also can’t be because you got it
working in the first place too. …That and you look like you’re hurt. Your face
is all red and– -
“Don’t worry about that. I’m tougher than I look so no
permanent damage here. But you didn’t answer my question.”
Smiling proudly and then falling into a pout, Chain brought
her question back up again despite Finch’s attempted deflection. Nervous
laughter came across the Dolmen’s external speakers and Maye sighed before
trotting off while Chain was distracted.
- A girl of only ten springs shouldn’t be seen wearing
anything so immodest! Especially a daughter of the Cardinal Church! -
As the external speakers cutout, Chain looked at Drop and
tilted her head.
“Does modesty even really matter to us. I mean you’re naked–”
“– and as that chainmail is effectively that part of us’s
skin worn with nothing else…”
Both Chain and Drop looked down at their respective bodies
and could not deny their near or actual nakedness or lack of response to it.
Looking back up at the Dolmen and then each other again they shared a shrug before
wandering off.
Perhaps Finch and Maye had expected Chain and Drop to wander
into one of the numerous tiered parks on the exterior of the Chapel, or even
one of the numerous shops that filled the belly of the mobile fortress. They
were prime locations for visitors to interact with the nuns and allowed the
nuns to trade for goods to keep their roaming convent operational. Not everyone
who visited stuck to the shops and parks though and would occasionally find
their way to the classrooms and library within. Had Chain found the library she
might have lost herself in it as she perused all the knowledge it held. But
Chain ended up nowhere near the library or the parks, or the shops or
classrooms.
Wandering the pipe lined bowels of the impressive vehicle,
Chain was surrounded by nuns as young as children and old as great grandparents,
comprised of members of all the races of mankind. They were all dressed in
habits, but those varied by the wearer’s age. The youngest of children wore a
habit that was little more than a white blouse that transitioned to a navy
A-line dress that left most of their legs exposed. Older girls who were not
quite maids yet had white collared dress of navy hue that varied in length
seemingly to the whims of the individual while adults all wore full length
dresses with white, cape-like collars and white cuffs. No matter the age,
nearly everyone wore a veil of varying lengths, though the presence of a coif
seemed optional with the venerable preferring a loose fit to the form fitting
fit the younger preferred. It was all fascinating to Chain who studied the nuns
as they went about their affairs with wide eyed wonderment.
The nuns themselves were not all that caught Chain’s
enthusiastic curiosity as the bowels of the Chapel elicited the echoes of
detached memories within her head. Every machine seemed to be connected to a
pipe or conduit that went somewhere else and as she traced them with her eyes,
images of a far more technologically advanced facility that seemed to serve a
similar purpose, save for locomotion, danced just out of reach of her
consciousness. The elusive memories soured Chain’s good mood and her beaming
face grew somber the longer she wandered the bowels.
“Snatching these distant memories of ours seems nearly
impossible.”
“Yeah, it’s pretty frustrating…”
Swinging her feet as she watched the nuns below the pipe she
seated herself on, Chain wondered what she was doing.
“I was supposed to be finding the Head Mother and complaining
to her, so how did I end up wandering around down here?”
“Because the machinery called out to our memories and the
attachments within. We do seem more fractured than we seemed to believe though
as they are very difficult to grasp.”
“Yeah…”
With a heavy sigh, Chain jumped down and her and Drop drifted
along aimlessly. No matter the group of nuns she followed about the Chapel,
none seemed to pay her or Drop much heed, regardless of her sword slung over
her shoulder or Drop being a spirit. The indifference left Chain pouting, and
nothing seemed to distract her from her souring mood until a door opened and
she heard someone talking about picking up a long distance distress call.
Poking her head into what appeared to be a massive radio communication room,
Chain’s eyes lit up at the sight of the busy, multitiered, room. Her enthusiasm
was tempered by a feeling of dread and the fragments of a memory of a radio
cutting out. Shaking that memory away Chain slipped into the room to let the
radio chatter distract her.
The Chapel seemed to be in constant contact with outposts and
travelers all over the Athera Mountains and the chatter was incessant. It was a
nice distraction from her own thoughts and Chain leaned against a wall and
soaked in the blissful chaos. Then a voice overrode ever other in the radio
communication room and called up memories of a stocky nāti male who
impressively did not stand as tall as Chain. Though the slender maid was not
short, she was definitely not tall either, but her height comparison to the
owner of the voice that filled the room did not cross her mind.
- What do you mean don’t come⁈ Have you lost your mind⁈ If you can’t kill that thing then
someone has to‼ You aren’t the only ones trapped and dying in this foul hole
you idiots‼ -
“Squawk!”
The name burst out of Chain as fragmented memories linked
like lit up synapses and she sprang to her feet. Surprising everyone in the
comm room, most notably the nun in charge with long brown hair in a tight
ponytail and round glasses, Chain charged the radio console that the voice came
across and snatched up the microphone in both hands. Depressing the call switch,
she desperately called into it.
“Squawk! Squawk! Can you hear me⁈ It’s me! It’s me! You know… You
know… I’m sorry but I’m so excited to hear your voice that I can’t put the
broken parts inside my head back together again to remember my own name. But we
grew up together and… Never mind me, what’s wrong Squawk? You sound terrified.
Tell me what’s wrong and where you are, and I’ll come save you. It’ll be just
like old times, Squawk. Just tell me where you are…”
Releasing the call button Chain stared down the radio console
impatiently, but there was no response. Depressing the call switch, she called
out again.
“Squawk…?”
Again, no response came as she released the call switch and a
severe dread descended on her. Before she could depress the switch again a
sympathetic hand massaged her shoulder. Looking back at who had placed their
hand on her, Chain locked eyes with the glasses wearing nun who ran the comm
room. Sadly, the nun shook her head.
“I’m sorry dear, but that was a recording that’s been set to
loop. It’s a warning to keep away.”
“Eh–⁈”
Confronted with Chain’s confusion, the nun nodded to her
junior who had been working the console. Returning the nod, the nun in charge
of the console flipped a few switches and was rewarded with the sound of
static. After a moment, a beep followed by the words of a man none of them
knew.
- To anyone who picks up this message, do not come to Deep
Root Colony. I repeat do not come to Deep Root Colony. Do not answer any
distress signals, just stay away. If you do, whatever horror it is that roams
the shadows here will kill you all. It’s only a mater of time before myself and
the surviving Pilgrims of Atheaeldre are all slaughtered. For your own good, do
not come. -
- What do you mean don’t come⁈ Have you lost your mind⁈ If you can’t kill that thing then
someone has to‼ You aren’t the only ones trapped and dying in this foul hole
you idiots‼ -
The light faded from Chain’s eyes as she heard Sqauwk’s voice
repeat the exact same line that had brought her to the console. Another beep
played as Chain sat in silence and the message repeated again and again. The
junior nuns grew uncomfortable in air that surrounded Chain, but the nun in
charge of comm room remained resolute for Chain’s sake. Eventually, Chain
returned the microphone to its stand and looked at the nun.
“Where’s Deep Root Colony?”
“Dear, I’m sorry–”
“I don’t want your apologies or warnings!”
Chain’s sudden outburst startled everyone in the comm room.
Though obviously rattled, Chain tried to calm herself down, but her emotions
made her unstable.
“That was my friend there. I haven’t seen him since before I
was infected by the Foreigners. I didn’t know what happened to him and to hear
that he’s in trouble… I can’t just ignore that no matter how dangerous. So
please, tell me where Deep Root Colony is.”
“I don’t know dear.”
“Eh–”
The lack of knowledge stunned Chain and she stared in shock
at the nun. As the nun provided no further words with which Chain could argue,
she slowly scanned the comm room, ignoring the worried stares of the other
nuns.
“No…”
Not seeing what she wanted, the word fell out of Chain almost
against her will. Then she seemed to remember something and bolted from the
room.
The Chapel ~
Interior ~ Crow’s nest office
Early Autumn ~ Late afternoon
Scattered thunderstorms and cool outside
Early Autumn ~ Late afternoon
Scattered thunderstorms and cool outside
The sun hid
behind the clouds in respect
A gentle rain fell joined by distant thunder
The spectacular view of the panoramic window dulled by somber air
A spry and venerable nun in white watching the scene with hands held behind
A lifetime of caution and sympathy embroiled within
A gentle rain fell joined by distant thunder
The spectacular view of the panoramic window dulled by somber air
A spry and venerable nun in white watching the scene with hands held behind
A lifetime of caution and sympathy embroiled within
“That’s terrible, I can’t help but feel sorry for her.”
The girl with the short red hair and blue eyes who spoke had
only seen some ten springs and thus was dressed within the typical habit of
girls her age on the Chapel. She did not where the veil or coif however and her
legs were mostly covered by white stocking, and though they reached up to the
middle of her thigh, they did not quite reach the white trimmed hem of her
dress. Her boyish voice gave her away as the girl Finch, and Maye beside her,
dressed in coif and veil with a white cuffed and cape collared garment that
blended a habit with a horse blanket completed the pair. It was the voice of
the comm room nun that spoke next through a radio console in the circular
office that also served as the Chapel’s crow’s nest.
- Sympathetic as her plight is, I fear that she is not
entirely mentally stable. Her words and way that she describes her thoughts and
memories. I fear Mother Osprey that it would be a mistake to leave her to her
own devices. -
“But first we must know what her course of action is.”
The venerable nun in white, Mother Osprey, spoke in a calm
and dignified manner. There was sympathy in her voice, but also control and
wisdom. Her calm possessed the power to keep others calm and no one in the
Crow’s Nest Office said a thing, allowing her time to gather her thoughts.
Turning around from the window, Mother Osprey took a seat at her desk and
looked up at Finch and Maye as she spoke.
“We know that she desires to seek her friend, but we also
know that she is unfamiliar with the land and the world at large since the
appearance of the Lucifalz. She cannot act without knowledge and we must ask
what knowledge she needs first.”
- The source of the radio message. -
“The location of Deep Root Colony.”
“So a map and a way to track the signal. We should have maps
in the library and at the helm, but the only sensor equipment we have is to
respond to the Light of the Lucifalz and…”
Finch’s eyes widened and she trailed off as she contemplated
what Chain would need for the comm room and Maye’s suggestions. With the
realization that came to her she stated the last knowledge Chain would need.
“How to get there.”
“That is correct everyone.”
Smiling, Mother Osprey congratulated her nuns on their
success on deducing the first actions Chain would likely take. However, despite
the urgency possessed by Finch, she remained calm and at ease.
“Sister Pij, please feel free to relax. We know what she will
be doing now and have no reason to be alarmed by her actions.”
“But Mother Osprey! If Deep Root Colony can be reached by
land, Chain might be desperate enough to try and steal my Dolmen.”
“I sincerely doubt that Daughter Finch. From what I have been
told she is a very troubled and tortured girl whose good cheer is born of not
being able to either express or experience her full range of emotions. That she
describes it as being fractured and separated is why we need not worry.”
“I’m afraid I do not understand Mother Osprey. She is also a
heretic and there is little reason to believe she can be trusted. She may be a
Child of Her Light, but still.”
“You have so little faith Sister Maye. If she an individual
can experience being so fractured, then it affords her an insight into how a
group is not as singular as it appears. She is hurting and has already accepted
and asked us for help. We need only wait for her to explain how she wants us to
help. So, let us enjoy some tea and the weather while we wait for her to join
us.”
Maye trusted Mother Osprey with all of her being, but she was
always amazed by the calm and control the venerable nun exuded. Even when faced
with a situation as unusual as the one presented by Chain she remained calm and
sure of how things should be. She could not predict the future however and the
sun had dipped a great deal in the sky, affording Finch and Maye the time to
dine with her before Chain finally came sprinting up the spiral staircase that
led into the Crow’s Nest Office. Her explosion of energy drew the attention of
the nuns on lookout duty, but they didn’t matter to Chain who skidded to a halt
as she spotted Mother Osprey. She was about to dash towards her, but the sight
of Finch and Maye seemed to change her energy and she balled her hands into
fists and stormed up to the desk. Slamming her hands down on it she leaned
forward while rolling her shoulders forward and pouted at Mother Osprey.
“I told you to leave me alone and stop following me. But…
but… but”
Chain seemed to struggle with what she wanted to say and
before she could succeed, she seemed to blow steam from her ears and fell over
backwards sprawling out on the floor with her eyes spinning from the effort. Again,
she drew everyone’s attention, though this time they expressed concern along
with their surprise. The only one who showed no concern was Drop, who swam up
above the desk and attempted to speak on Chain’s behalf.
“Forgive us for being so unruly, but our desires are
conflicting and we are very stressed. Our friend needs our help, but we lack
the means to do it on our own without making things worse between us. If it’s
too much trouble what we are attempting to say, can we instead take the
Dolmen?”
“If you take my Dolmen I just know that you’ll wreck it
again!”
“If you expect an answer from Mother Osprey heretical
creature–”
“Sister Maye, Daughter Finch. Please calm yourselves. This
age we find ourselves in after the appearance of the Lucifalz is one of trials
for all of us. It is our duty to reclaim the Light for Her Eminence and the
good of all mankind. Though this child has become one with a spirit who our
forebearers instructed us to turn from, she is still a child of mankind,
touched by the evil of the Foreigners, possessed of Her Light, and a Sa·B·er
whose duty it is to protect us all. We must not withdraw the good will of Her
Eminence who unified the Sister Goddesses and Father Icarus against the evils
that inflict the races of mankind.”
Mother Osprey’s calm typically maintained an air of peacefulness
in her presence, but her words had a different effect on Drop. Exhaling in
excitement, Chain’s tiny mermaid double clasped her hands together as her eyes
shimmered with joy and hope.
Despite Drop’s good cheer and the good will of Mother Osprey in
taking them to attempt rescuing Squawk, in Chain’s experience, the Cardinal
Church could not be trusted. Everywhere she saw the Y shaped trio of crosses
that served as the church’s holy symbol, memories of live dissections being
performed on her flooded her mind. Isolation, darkness, fear and hatred all
stirred within her and the Foreigner infection that made her a Sa·B·er felt
like it would consume her to exact her vengeance. It made staying in the Chapel
a difficult affair, but the nuns could hardly tell as her good cheer seemed to
override any brewing negative feelings she possessed. There was also the
possibility that Chain simply kept her mind occupied enough studying the
literature of the library during the tenday it would take for the Chapel to
travel from the Athera Mountains to Deep Root Colony. Whatever the reason, the
only members of the nunnery that Chain interacted with were the teachers when
they visited the library as she harassed them with questions. This lack of
interaction was fine by most of the nuns, but there was one in particular who
was not pleased by the whole ordeal that followed the meeting in the Crow’s
Nest Office.
The Chapel ~
Interior ~ Bowels
Early Autumn ~ Morning
Clear and warm outside
Early Autumn ~ Morning
Clear and warm outside
An unused
corridor born from necessity
Repurposed for a use opposite the expectations of nuns
The whirring of machinery accompanied by the retort of gunfire
A gathering of little more than one
A frustrated air filled with the acrid smell of gunfire
Repurposed for a use opposite the expectations of nuns
The whirring of machinery accompanied by the retort of gunfire
A gathering of little more than one
A frustrated air filled with the acrid smell of gunfire
Dressed in her white shirt and red denim jacket, Maye
reloaded her revolver action rifle as she waited for the targeting sheet to
return to where she waited. When it returned, she did not even bother checking
her accuracy before replacing the shredded paper and throwing the switch that
would take it back out into the distance. Lifting her rifle and looking down
the barrel, Maye proceeded to fire all six rounds the cylinder could hold.
Discarding the expended shells, she reloaded the cylinder in an instant with a
speedloader waiting for her on a cart beside her.
“Someone’s shooting off steam today. I just hope you’re using
practice rounds Maye. We don’t make that much money here.”
“You don’t need to remind me Finch.”
Maye’s tone was dismissive as she again emptied her rifle’s
cylinder before discarding the shells. She did not waste anytime reloading but
did not immediately fire as Finch snuck up in front of her to check the stack
of discarded target sheets in front of her. Seeing Finch in her habit with her
shoulder holster on immediately put an irritated expression on the centaur’s
face.
“Finch… What have I told you about wearing your gun with your
habit? It is disrespectful to the Sister Goddesses, Father Icarus, and Her
Eminence.”
“So is a nun walking around the convent out of her habit.”
Finch did not seem to pay Maye’s warning much mind as she
shuffled the sheaf of discarded target papers. Dismissive as she was, she was
not without a counter for Maye and applied it offhandedly.
“At least I can just take my holster off, but you can’t
really say the same.”
“Geh–!”
Blushing with aggravated defeat, Maye kicked the ground and
turned her rifle downrange. The already shredded target paper was torn through
six more times, and six more bullets embedded themselves in the brick wall that
had been set up at the end of the otherwise unused corridor. Finch grew
concerned as she looked at the results of Maye’s most recent shots compared to
the results she held in hand.
“Maye, you’re really being overly emotional. Your shots are
all over the place.”
“I’m trying to work through my emotions Finch. Now, why don’t
you leave and entertain yourself with some crevice of the Chapel’s inner
workings.”
“But I came down to practice as well.”
Setting up in the stall next to Maye, Finch had to climb up
on the stand to affix an unused target to the clip that would take it down the
track it hung from to the end of the range. As she finished, she tossed a
switch in the stall and turned her attention to her revolver as the target
retreated. Maye was in the process of reloading but was feeling antagonized by
Finch’s actions.
“Perhaps I should be the one to leave then?”
“Don’t be like that Maye. You’ve been worrying everyone with
your bad mood since Mother Osprey agreed to take Chain to the Deep Root Colony.”
“No one has anything to worry about from me. It is the
heretic in our midst that should have everyone concerned.”
“Chain just wants to help her friend. That and she is a Child
of Her Light. We can’t just ignore her. Besides, if the legends are true…”
“If a heretic were to partake in that fated battle it would
turn the world on its head. How is the Cardinal Church supposed to reestablish
the trust of the people and prevent future assaults by the Foreigners and the
demon they worship. If the power wielded by that creature and its ilk were to
be present mankind would seek out that power and repeat the cycle of bloodshed
that calls forth the Dark One in the first place. Our efforts would be in vain
should that come to pass.”
Both nuns lowered their firearms and stared each other down
as they found themselves disagreeing again about Chain since they first met
her. Finch was not so easily dissuaded however and had done some research of
her own.
“Well, if Drop is so much trouble by being what she is, why
not aspect her to Lady Cardinal’s Light? Spirits are Ambrosial creatures so we
should be able to change her aspect.”
“Do you hear what you’re saying Finch?”
“Lady Cardinal unified the Sister Goddesses and Father
Icarus, so why can’t Her Light unify mankind and the spirits?”
Maye could not believe what she was hearing and stared
incredulously at her junior. Before she could say anything more however a voice
echoed throughout the Chapel from its internal radio PA system.
- All Seekers, your presence is required. Please gather
in the Hall of Sight as soon as possible. -
The Chapel ~
Interior ~ Hall of Sight
Early Autumn ~ Morning
Clear and warm outside
Early Autumn ~ Morning
Clear and warm outside
A circular room
too small for the numbers that visited
A great lens embedded in the floor
On its southeastern edge an intense light
A disbelieving hush filling the unused space
Even the stained-glass figures on high held in awe
A great lens embedded in the floor
On its southeastern edge an intense light
A disbelieving hush filling the unused space
Even the stained-glass figures on high held in awe
Bowing her head apologetically as she entered, Maye, now dressed
in her habit, slipped into the Hall of Sight as smoothly as a centaur possibly
could. When she finally positioned herself so that she could see the great lens
in the floor she fell into as surprised a silence as the other nuns situated in
the room. Seeing the last nun to arrive having become aware of the situation,
Mother Osprey broke the silence.
“Mother Gosling, if you could please inform us what it is
that we are looking at.”
“Of course, Mother Osprey.”
Stepping forward to the edge of the lens, a small nāti maid
of many years encouraged everyone but Mother Osprey to step back. Walking
around the lens to where the light appeared in the lens, Mother Gosling tapped
it with her cane.
“You are all more than aware by now that this light
represents a Lucifalz.”
Nodding heads and hushed agreements filled the room as Mother
Gosling paused to allow the other nuns to confirm their understanding. One nun
in particular however did not allow her to continue as they pressed her with a
question.
“Does this mean that we will not be completing the journey to
the Deep Root Colony?”
Chuckling softy, the old nāti maid shook her head.
“Your disdain for the Chainmaid is becoming as an eighth
wonder amongst the Daughters of this hallowed hall Sister Maye. Your dedication
to doctrine is wonderful, but perhaps too zealous. If you were not so blinded
by your indignation you might have noted the direction of this light.”
Tapping the lens once more with her cane, Mother Gosling
brought attention to the inlaid compass directions in the frame of the lens.
The direction did not mean much to the gathered nuns on its own but combined
with Maye’s query it was not hard to deduce the location of the Lucifalz which
the lens responded to. There was at least one problem that put the nuns ill at
ease though, and someone at last spoke up.
“Excuse me Venerable Mother, but are we not only a seven-day
into this tenday continuous journey?”
“That is correct.”
“Yet, we have never detected a Lucifalz from so far…”
No further words were required for the gathered nuns in the
Hall of Sight to understand what it was that awaited them and the unease within
deepened. The unease however had to face the presence of Mother Osprey who rose
her own voice to address the nuns gathered with her.
“It is a daunting task to be sure, but it is not beyond our
duty. Those of us gathered on the Chapel are sworn to recover the Light for Her
Eminence, Lady Cardinal and guide mankind back to the path it illuminates. We
must face this Lucifalz as we have every other and free Her Light of the
Darkness of the Dark One. And be warned that so great a Lucifalz could very
well upset the Laws of Atheaeldre and Father Icarus. That which plagues those
who have ventured to the Deep Root Colony is likely an Ambrosial Beast, or
worse yet, a Dragon. But do not let these horrors dissuade you. We are the
faithful bathed in Her Eminence’s true light, and we join a Sa·B·er, a Child of
Her Light in meeting this Darkness. We cannot and will not be pushed back by
the Darkness.”
Even knowing that Mother Osprey’s words meant that she would
likely be fighting alongside Chain in Deep Root Colony, Maye could not hide her
displeasure. She wore it on her face for the next three-day, all the way to
when she found herself flanking Chain with Finch the morning they finally
arrived. The air of anticipation coming from the Chainmaid only deepened her
foul mood as she knew there was no controlling the whimsical maid who only
thought of finding her friend. Maye’s sympathy for the man she believed long
gone did not alleviate her displeasure, but neither emotion changed the mission
that lay before her.
Deep Root
Colony
Early Autumn ~ Morning, Dust storm
Early Autumn ~ Morning, Dust storm
Silence save
the howling wind
Lush vegetation torn about
Hints of light both golden and red
The Chapel standing tall over the abyss
No sign of anyone save the nuns of the mobile fortress
Lush vegetation torn about
Hints of light both golden and red
The Chapel standing tall over the abyss
No sign of anyone save the nuns of the mobile fortress
“I‘m impressed heretic. I was for certain that you would have
charged forth blindly in search of the man who brought you here.”
“I’d have to be a pretty dumb adventurer to just charge out
like that. I may not be all put together in here, but even I know better than
that.”
Pointing at her head as she smiled at Maye, Chain dismissed
her cape to prevent the wind tugging at it from pulling her off balance. On her
other side, Finch, now dressed in a white button up shirt with puffy red shorts
over a pair of black tights, shielded her eyes as the group of nuns joined
Chain in crossing the distance from the Chapel to the great abyss that Deep
Root Colony was built into. She scanned their surroundings for any signs of
life but found none beyond the vegetation.
“This isn’t natural. Nothing seems to be living here.”
“The spirits of earth and fire seem comfortable enough out
here. Though even they are avoiding the hole and the dark song it holds.”
Drop’s words drew the attention of the detachment of
battle-ready nuns to the motes of light drifting about and the soft humanoid
forms the size of a person’s thumb became apparent. Maye did not like the
presence of so many and nearly snorted as she kicked the ground in response.
Irritable as she was at the presence of the spirits, she was not so immature as
to ignore the danger hinted at in Drops words.
“Could it be that an Ambrosial Beast dwells within that pit?”
“Likely. And if there is one it’ll likely be bringing lesser
monsters with it out of Ambrosia.”
“Have you fought them before Miss Chain.”
“At least once. I think it was sometime between when I was
infected and the church tortured me.”
Looking up, Chain tapped the side of her nose thoughtfully as
she tried to recall the events to answer Finch. Her comment on being tortured
by the church earned her a disapproving backwards glance from Maye who had been
signaling to the other nuns. She completely failed to notice the response from
Maye but did not fail to miss that the other nuns were starting to spread out.
“Shouldn’t you two go with them?”
“You have nothing to worry about heretic. As much as Mother
Osprey has given you free reign of the Chapel, she is not unwise and gave ear
to my concerns about letting you run free here.”
“So, since you brought it up, she assigned you to watch me?”
“Pretty much.”
Although Finch was eyeing the spirits as they passed the
distance from which they would draw no closer, she answered Chain’s question
and caused Maye to blush.
“It is only natural. After all, no one else has shown any
concern for the danger presented by you heretic.”
“That’s not true Maye. Sister Pij did as well. Remember?”
Gritting her teeth and trying to contain her blushing as
Finch humiliated her again, Maye harrumphed loudly and dismissively. Finch
tried to contain a giggle with her hand irritating Maye further, but Chain’s
lack of reaction kept the centaur from admonishing her icaran junior.
“I would appreciate it if you did not ignore me heretic.
Especially after you demanded answers from me.”
Chain did not seem to hear Maye at all, and the centaur was
about to lose her temper. Finch noticed the warning signs and jumped out in
front to get Chain’s attention.
“Miss Chain, are you listening?”
“Sorry. It’s just hard to hear cause it’s so loud.”
“Loud?”
Finch and Maye exchanged curious looks before Finch commented
on the wind which she had been subconsciously shouting over.
“It is very windy, but I didn’t think it was that loud.”
“Not the wind, the whispering?”
“Whispering?”
Prompted by Chain’s unexpected response, the two nuns again
exchanged looks. Their confusion confused Chain and she pressed them with a
question.
“You don’t hear it? It’s so loud though.”
“It’s the voices of the Lucifalz.”
It was Drop who brought some clarity to the situation and
surprised everyone with her knowledge. Knowing there were further questions
coming, Drop tried to head them off.
“Spirits can hear the song of all things and the Song of the
Lucifalz is like the rain of a thousand, thousand whispers. We can hear it as
we are one being in our song and the song of the servants of the Children of
Ocia.”
“It bothers me to hear a heretical being speak the name of
one of the Sister Goddesses in any tone but reverent fear.”
“Why should we fear she who mothers those we serve. Your lack
of understanding our place in the world is confusing.”
“Then you claim to serve one of the Sister Goddesses?”
“Is that so hard to believe?”
“Yes.”
“I think it’s time to show off something even more
unbelievable. It should even drown out the whispering.”
Interrupting Drop and Maye, Chain placed her left hand on her
hip as she arrived at the lip of the abyss that held the Deep Root Colony. Maye
was skeptical of Chain’s bold claim and wore her disbelief openly on her face.
Finch was less clear on Chain’s meaning and sought clarification.
“Have you been here before Miss Chain? I though this was your
first time visiting. Or was it something you read in the library?”
“Never. It is. And wrong. What I’m about to demonstrate is
one of the most impressive natural wonders across the whole Face of Icarus.
Though…”
Looking up at Maye, Chain noted that the centaur did not
share her round icaran ears but had longer pointier ears that rested somewhere
between an icaran and a nāti’s in length.
“… you should definitely protect your ears. You have better
hearing than the average icaran, right?”
“You would not be wrong, heretic.”
“Then you should definitely cover them. What I’m about to
summon has made the ears of the unprepared bleed.”
“Summon?”
Finch was confused but received no clarification as Chain leaned
over the abyss and cupped her hands to her mouth. Taking a deep breath, she
then shouted as loud as she could into it.
“SQU~AWK! I KNOW YOU’RE DOWN THERE! I BET YOU THOUGHT I WAS
DEAD THOUGH, DIDN’T YOU⁈ Heh, heh! TOO BAD! I’M HARDER TO KILL THAN THAT AND NOW I’M HERE
TO RESCUE YOU SO TELL ME WHERE YOU ARE!”
Leaning back and relaxing Chain, donned a proud smile as she
listened to her voice echo down through the abyss. As the echoes faded though
there was no response and she began to pout. Maye was not impressed and spoke
as such.
“Was that really all? You thought this pit would make your
voice louder or something? I must say I’m more disappointed than I expected to be.”
“Maye~…”
Chain was too bothered by the lack of any response to care
about Maye’s insults like Finch, to an extent, and leaned back over the edge as
she cupped her hands once more to her mouth.
“SQU~AWK! DDON’T IGNORE ME! I REALLY DID COME TO HELP YOU! I
HEARD THE DISTRESS MESSAGE AND GOT HERE AS SOON AS I COULD! AND I KNOW YOU’RE
NOT DEAD! YOU’RE TOO MUCH OF A COWARD TO HANG AROUND AND LET SOMETHING KILL
YOU! I BET THAT’S WHY YOU’RE STAYING QUIET TOO! YOU DON’T WANT TO GIVE AWAY
YOUR HIDING SPOT! WELL I CAN’T HELP YOU IF YOU DON’T AND I DON’T WANT TO LOOK
OVER THIS WHOLE PIT TO FIND YOU! IT’S WAY TO BIG! HAVE YOU SEEN HOW BIG IT IS⁈ WELL IT DOESN’T MATTER! I KNOW JUST
HOW TO GET YOU TO RESPOND! BELIEVE IT OR NOT BUT I’M NOT HERE ALONE! THE ONLY
THING IS, THE PEOPLE WITH ME DON’T BELIEVE THAT YOU’RE SHOUTING IS ALL THAT
IMPRESSIVE! I TRI–!”
“WHA~~~~~T!!!!!”
The shrill voice of a young nāti man cut Chain off as it exploded
out of the abyss as though it were the abyss itself that yelled. The very air
trembled from the force and Maye reared back in both shock and pain as her
eardrums felt as though would not just rupture but burst from out of her skull.
She was not the only member of a race with better hearing than the average
icaran to recoil from the shout and every nun who joined Chain outside of the
Chapel looked upon the abyss with utmost astonishment. Even being prepared for
it, Chain had not covered her ears and her eyes watered as she smiled proudly.
The voice was not done however as it seemed to be driven on by pride of its own
and continued in a disbelieving tone.
“WHAT IDIOT WOULD FAIL TO REALIZE WHO IT IS THAT YOU
SPEAK OF?‼ HOW IGNORANT AND OBLIVIOUS COULD THEY
BE TO DOUBT THAT WITH MY SKILL I COULD SHAKE THE VERY HEAVENS?‼”
The boasting of the owner of the voice was not without merit
as massive chunks of earth were shaken free from the walls of the abyss and the
ground itself seemed to tremble as though it would give way at any time from
the acoustic assault. Even as the shouting ceased the air and earth both
continued to tremble under the force of the echoes that followed it and more
than one of the nuns present, Maye included, found that their more sensitive
ears were indeed bleeding. Lowering her now bloody hands from her bleeding
ears, Maye looked upon Chain with total bewilderment.
“What on the Face of Icarus was that⁈ It couldn’t have
possibly been human”
“Just a friend.”
“That was amazing!”
Whereas Maye was in shock from both the power of the voice
and her bleeding ears, Drop and Finch shared in an exclamation of amazement.
Drop had more to add though as she did share Chain’s memories and knew she
should have been expecting it as well.
“It is one thing to remember it as memories of ours before we
were as we are now, but to experience it! It truly is a wonder!”
“Heh heh! I told you, though everyone may want to cover their
ears again. He isn’t done.”
Amazement gave way to terror and Drop and Finch wasted no
time in protecting their ears with their hands. Even Chain covered her ears and
braced herself for the second assault that she knew would be directed at her in
particular. The sight of Chain covering her ears made up for Maye not being
able to hear her over the ringing in her ears and she wasted no time protecting
them. As the other nuns had not taken their eyes off the abyss yet, they saw
Chain and the others protecting their ears and followed suit. Then the abyss
shouted in rage.
“YOU COLOSSAL IDIOT‼ DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU’VE
DONE?‼THIS IS WHY I CAN’T STAND YOU‼ YOU’RE ALWAYS ON ABOUT SOME MAD ADVENTURE
OR ANOTHER REGARDLESS of THE DANGER‼ NOW THAT YOU’RE HERE AND HAVE MADE ME GIVE
AWAY MY LOCATION YOU BETTER NOT BE WASTING TIME AND ARE ALREADY ON YOUR WAY‼
AND YOU BETTER BE PREPARED FOR AN EARFUL WHEN YOU GET HERE AND SAVE ME‼ AND I
WILL ACCEPT NO EXCUSES‼ NOT EVEN THE ENTRANCES BEING DESTROYED‼ DON’T MAKE ME
WAIT ANY LONGER THAN I ALREADY HAVE‼”
As the owner of the voice seemed to have finally finished,
Chain lowered her hands from her ears and smiled nervously. Looking around to
check on the nuns she laughed apologetically. The nuns were not the only ones
put off by what Chain had brought about as down deep in the abyss, the shadow
that had slaughtered almost all who had entered Deep Root Colony clutched at
his helmeted head as he leaned against a wall hidden from the light of the day.
Despite the obvious pain and disorientation he suffered from, he still laughed
menacingly.
“Hehehehehe… Worry not little one, you no longer matter. You
have served your purpose and the Light is at last here. And so much greater
than I could have hoped for. A true Child of Her Light at last. It has been
worth it, the torment I have suffered at your hands little one for my reward is
the most worthy of prey. Hehehehehe…”
Though the shadow laughed with anticipation and Squawk
demanded not to be left waiting, they would have to continue waiting. Repelling
into the abyss proved too dangerous as giant bats of ash and embers attacked
all who tried. There numbers were too great to expend ammunition on them and
the nuns refused to use magic to engage the monsters. As they had need to
explore the colony themselves and the nāti who Chain had come to rescue was
still alive, they still needed to make a way in. The solution they eventually
came up with involved a supply entrance large enough for Dolmen to walk through
were it not filled with collapsed earth only a few dozen meters into the ground.
- So how did I end up having to clear a path? -
“Because for all of the Dolmens that the Chapel can hold,
yours is the only one we have Finch.”
Finch’s complaint was instantly countered by Maye. Lacking an
appropriate comeback, all she could do was continue working to remove the
debris with her Dolmen, her pot armored machine easily making short work of the
blocked passage. She did not need to clear much before some of the smaller nuns
who were there to seek out the Lucifalz made their way over the top of the
debris and disappeared within the colony. Chain wanted to join them but was
held back by Maye.
“You may be handy with a sword heretic, but this is what we
do; seek out Lucifalz saplings and reclaim the Light. Your friend will be safe
with the Sisters and Daughters who are here for that very purpose.”
“I don’t understand why I should have to wait. Believe it or
not, but I spent my whole childhood training for delving into ancient ruins
like this.”
Pouting, Chain tried to argue her ability but did not
convince Maye to budge in the least.
“Did you not bequest Mother Osprey for our aid heretic? You
shall wait until Finch and I can accompany you or the Lucifalz is dealt with
before you venture forth.”
“That’s completely unfair. I told Squawk I was going to
rescue him and now I have to wait!”
- Sorry Miss Chain. I’m not nearly as good a pilot as you so
I can’t clear this rubble any faster. -
Offering an apology as she worked, Finch tried to make Chain
feel better. It didn’t particularly work, and Chain pouted even more irritably.
Clutching at her left temple she spied her surroundings and the pile of debris
that stood between her and the ancient halls of Deep Root Colony. It didn’t
particularly stand in her way, as though she was possessed of a fine bosom, she
was little more than a well-shaped stick of feminine form and could have easily
slipped through the passageways made available to the nuns who had already
rushed ahead. It was more that the available openings could fit neither Finch’s
twenty-five-meter tall humanoid machine that she piloted, or more immediately,
a centaur even if they were too small for an adult to ride her like a horse. It
was aggravating and Chain was growing impatient, but even as impatient as she
was, she did not fail to notice that three of them were alone within the
service entrance by the time she finished looking around and that the pile of
debris did not seem to be load bearing. Stepping away from Maye and back
towards the surface Chain called out to Finch.
“Hey! Finch! Does the Dolmen say if that is supporting the
ceiling⁈”
- Hm? Let me see… No Miss Chain. I should actually be able to
move faster if I don’t have to be as careful. -
“Hold on for just a moment.”
“What are you planning now, heretic.”
“Heh heh! You’ll have to wait and see.”
Leaving Maye hanging with just her smile and a knowing finger
shake Chain turned her attention to Drop who was floating beside her head.
“This is like when we met isn’t it? No life at all around,
and spirits fleeing.”
“That is correct.”
“How did it happen again…?”
Taking her right elbow in hand, Chain tilted her head and
tapped the side of her nose as she tried to grasp at her scattered memories.
“It was electricity wasn’t it? That the Ambrosial Beast that
was eating everyone used.”
“Yes. I can still remember the tingly sensation.”
Drop shuddered and hugged herself as she recalled a feeling
she found most unpleasant. Trying her hand at thinking and putting together the
puzzle of her thoughts, Chain considered what it was she wanted to do.
“Those were earth and fire spirits outside, right?”
“They were enveloped in the verses of the song of the
Children of Icarus.”
“There are verses?”
Chain looked bewildered at her tiny mermaid double as she was
faced with knowledge that she never possessed yet the spirit always had. Drop
was all too glad to share that information with Chain though as they were one
and the same.
“Yes. There are many verses, and not just for the servants of
the children, but for the wild ones and the dark ones, and for all living
things. The Dark Song that fills this place along with the voices of the
Lucifalz are also layered with verses.”
“That’s interesting…”
Pinching her chin, Chain pouted and thought even harder about
what she wanted to do. The mental gymnastics and puzzle construction was trying
her patience however, and her pout grew more severe by the moment. Groaning
with irritation she asked Drop another question.
“I can’t seem to put my lessons back together properly right
now. I think I’m too excited and impatient both, so let me ask you; what could
drive out both earth and fire?”
“Water could easily do so.”
“No, it won’t work if its water.”
“Oh, I see. With that desire of ours the nature of the song
of the servants of the Children of Ocia would be a problem. Though, we can
become as one with both.”
“That’s good…”
“If you’re talking about making contracts with other spirits,
it is not good, and I absolutely forbid you from considering such.”
Maye stepped up to Chain and pulled the maid from her thoughts
with her disdain of what she presumed was Chain’s plan. Chain seemed surprised
that she stepped up to her so aggressively and looked up at her curiously.
Though Maye was not dressed in her habit, she was still a nun of the Cardinal
Church and Chain had not already forgotten why the nuns had joined her in such
number. Her realization was naturally shared with Drop and they both provided
another answer to Chain’s initial question.
“Light.”
“What?”
Maye stepped back in confusion as Chain’s voice assaulted her
side by side with the simple word. Maye’s reaction was insignificant to Chain,
and she smiled as she thanked the centaur.
“Thanks Maye. You really helped me out there. Now I know what
incantation to use.”
“Incantation? You don’t mean to tell me that you can cast
magic.”
“Hm? You didn’t realize? I thought you saw me wipe out the
Skull Leather Bandits. Oh well. Just step back and watch, though you might want
to step really far back. I haven’t really had all that much time to practice
and how I cast is kind of dangerous.”
“Why do I have a bad feeling about this.”
“Heh heh! Just watch. Drop be ready.”
“Of course.”
Extending her left arm straight out in front of her Chain
turned her palm upwards. Not sure what was about to happen Maye slowly backed
away watching as Chain closed her hand in preparation to snap her fingers.
Without further ceremony she did just that and a distinctive sound filled the
air as a tiny mote of light appeared above her palm.
- What just happened? The Dolmen is telling me an Ambrosial
Gate just opened nearby. -
“An Ambrosial Gate…? Impossible!”
- Maye? What’s going on? -
Maye did not respond to Finch as she could not pull her eyes
away from the light above Chain’s upturned palm. It was a known fact that while
all mankind possessed Ambrosial Gates, that their gates, like all living
things, were internal and when opened filled the body with Nectar. With the
Nectar that filled their body mankind and monsters alike could cast magic,
limited only by the amount of Nectar their body could at hold at one time,
death being a likely consequence of trying to exceed that limit. Only the most
skilled of wizards could expel raw Nectar from there bodies and shape spells
beyond there natural limits. Yet Chain with but a snap of her fingers had
opened an Ambrosial Gate directly outside of her body. It was unheard of in all
the study of Ambrosia, Nectar, and magic. That Chain also seemed to be in total
control and that no Nectar was spilling forth with disastrous effects through
the open gate seemed equally preposterous. Yet Chain did not seem bothered at
all, though as her cape flared into being from her shoulder blades and she
closed her eyes she was unquestionably possessed of a greater calm and focus
then normal. Then the words fell from her lips and her incantation began, but
Chain did not recognize her words as an image of a dragon of Darkness filled
her mind and the whispers of the Lucifalz became as one voice.
“~ Oh lord of Darkness, Mother of
Dragons who feasts on the Light.
Take this tiny light and smother it.
Open wide the gates to your power as I pledge myself to honor it. ~”
Take this tiny light and smother it.
Open wide the gates to your power as I pledge myself to honor it. ~”
The light flickered and wavered as Chain spoke and a shadow
swirled to life within it. Writhing violently, it spread out like spilling
blood, consuming the light and overflowing from the gate above Chain’s hand.
Chain’s hand could not contain the flowing darkness either and it spilled onto
the ground, steam rising up from where it touched. Maye and Finch stared on in
horror at the unnatural Darkness, and the strain on Chain’s face as she tried
to break away from the incantation she cast terrified them further. Maye nearly
moved to try and save Chain from herself but Drop acted before she did and swam
about to opposite of Chain from the Darkness consumed Ambrosial Gate. Extending
her hands towards the gate, Drop began an incantation of her own.
“~ Servants of the Children of
Icarus.
Heed the call of your sister, a Servant of the Children of Ocia.
Come hither to the Darkness that only true Light can pierce.
Feast on this Darkness and test the worthiness of the one who calls it. ~"
Heed the call of your sister, a Servant of the Children of Ocia.
Come hither to the Darkness that only true Light can pierce.
Feast on this Darkness and test the worthiness of the one who calls it. ~"
At first nothing noticeable was caused by Drop’s incantation,
but then motes of golden and crimson light began to drift in from the entrance
of the supply corridor. The spirits converged on the Ambrosial gate above
Chain’s hand and soon it buried it. The mass of spirits continued to grow until
it was large enough to physically touch Drop, and then it vanished leaving no
trace of it or the Darkness Chain had summoned. Freed from her incantation
Chain fell to her hands and rump gasping for breath. Turning her massive sea
gem green orbs onto Drop, she desperately sought an answer.
“What was that⁈ That wasn’t the incantation I wanted
to use! Why did I feel like that glowing tree was trying to talk through me but
was consumed by whatever “that” was⁈”
“You’re not telling me you don’t know⁈”
Maye scoffed at Chain’s reaction, even as she trembled seeing
the terror in Chain’s eyes. Drop put herself between the two maids however with
arms spread wide and shook her head fiercely.
“She cannot know. Only the Ambrosial parts of her can understand,
and even then, we are so fragmented it is hard to piece it together. Only
instinct allowed us to act and the voice of ours held captive by the Lucifalz.”
“What are you talking about you devil…⁈”
As terrified of Drop as she was, whatever it was that Chain
had instigated prompted Maye to pull her rifle from her back and aim it at
Drop. Drop held her ground and stared at the centaur with the same face that
was trying to comprehend what had just happened behind her. Gritting her teeth,
the centaur took several uneasy steps back. Shaking her head again, Drop stared
down Maye as she spoke.
“This is hard for you because humankind is ignorant today.
You cannot pull the trigger though as the nun in white has not said you could.
Honor her and also us. Speak of this to no one save the nun in white. This one
of us too shall speak with her, but first we must accomplish what we set out
to. We have the means to enter now, though it is best that we only cast a spell
for this purpose until we have trained more. Our sword and bow will serve us
better until then. Unless the source of this song of Darkness finds us.”
Stumbling to her feet Chain eyed Drop curiously but then the
worry faded from her face and she donned a huge smile.
“Oh well. I enjoy wielding a sword anyway. Bu~t I just have
to try it since I wanted to anyway. I have to see the difference for myself!
Finch! You might want to step back!”
- Wha–⁈ -
Finch wasn’t sure what Chain was talking about, but she
wasted no time piloting her Dolmen out of the way as the smiling maid snapped
her fingers again. Maye was far more hostile in her panic than Finch and
leveled her rifle onto Chain.
“What do you think you’re doing heretic⁈”
“Just making us a way in. Don’t worry, I shouldn’t get the
wrong incantation this time. At least I shouldn’t.”
Beaming at Maye, Chain’s lack of confidence did not put the
centaur at ease. Chain was not concerned though and held the open Ambrosial
Gate in her hand up so that she was looking down it. Her smile somehow widened
more as she began her new incantation and the glowing mote of light in her hand
became as a growing sphere of flame.
“~ Crimson children of Ambrosia.
Gather in my hand and be as thy source of power.
Become the flame that washes away all who stand against me. ~”
Gather in my hand and be as thy source of power.
Become the flame that washes away all who stand against me. ~”
The blazing sphere in Chain’s hand raged with destructive
force but did not lose form. The spell was stable and, with her smile still on
her face, Chain brought the sphere behind her in preparation for the coming
throw. As she released the orb of fire,
hurling it towards the debris that kept her from entering Deep Root Colony, she
completed her incantation with a joyous shout.
“~ Fireball‼ ~”
Flung from her hand, Chain’s spell revealed its true form and
swelled in size several fold. It was still relatively small compared to Finch’s
Dolmen by the time it reached the debris that prevented them from entering Deep
Root Colony, but it swelled to a size that completely consumed the debris as it
collided with it. The energy and heat released by the blast was tremendous and
Maye shielded herself with her arms while Chain simply watched on smiling as
her hair and cape were whipped about.
“Heh heh! Perfect!”
- Amazing! -
Exhaling in amazement, Finch could hardly do more than watch
the embers that were all that remained of the rubble drift away. Maye could
barely contain her horror either at the gaping, now ember ringed maw that
invited them into Deep Root Colony.
“So that is sorcery…”
“More accurately, that is what mankind used to call spirit
magic. The incantations and effects are the same, but by calling upon the power
of spirits, the effects are greatly enhanced beyond the limitations of a vessel
to hold Nectar.”
Swimming through the air in pursuit of Chain, Drop answered
Maye’s question while providing additional insight. Maye did not like what she
just bore witness to however, and refused to let Chain out of her sight, though
she finally lowered her rifle wondering if it would even work against such
power.
“I know there are some amongst us on the Chapel who can cast
magic, but I have never before had the misfortune to see its destructive side.
It is difficult to fathom that such power is more commonplace across the Face
of Icarus than not.”
“And most monsters can cast magic too.”
Chain’s matter of fact statement delivered over her shoulder
as she walked ahead into the ancient colony unsettled Maye more than she
already was. Eying the cleared passage before them and the scope of it compared
to Finch’s already larger than typical Dolmen made her swallow.
“It is little wonder that those who face monsters scoff at
guns. It is difficult to imagine that they would have any effect against
creatures who wield such power.”
Lifting her rifle up to look at it, the doubt about her
ability to battle what awaited them within was writ clearly upon Maye’s face.
Finch seemed to notice as she too had not yet begun to follow Chain and tried
to comfort her senior.
“Don’t worry Maye. We have my Dolmen if we encounter anything
too dangerous.”
It was crushing for Maye and finch both as the latter’s
childlike faith was so easily wiped aside. Though the exterior walkways for
most of the upper third of the visible part of the colony were large enough to
accommodate the Dolmen, any lower the halls and passageways were either too
overgrown with ages of vegetative growth, or were simply designed in a
deceptive way that only made it look like they could allow a Dolmen passage.
The bulk of Finch’s unit made it even more difficult to progress, though they
had made good time in their descent regardless as there was little the nuns
ahead of them had not already explored. Between the Dolmen and Chain’s
swordplay, what Ambrosial monsters that did attack them were never any real
threat and Maye felt increasingly agitated. Her agitation led to regret however
as eventually they caught up to the lead group of nuns and had yet to find who
Chain was looking for and any further progression of Finch’s Dolmen was truly
impossible at that point.
“Sister Maye. Daughter Finch. Chainmaid. We were not
expecting you so soon.”
“Heh heh! That’s part of the fun. The unexpected is what
makes an adventure an adventure.”
“Mind the heretic. I take it that we should expect thicker
resistance from the beasts that plague this place as we advance.?”
Pushing Chain to the side, Maye sought out any info she could
glean about the path ahead. She did not like the answer she received though as
the nun who greeted them of the five who made up the lead group nodded.
“It is as you say Sister Maye. As the Lead group we have
faced the greatest number of monsters. As we are armed with staves imbued with
Nectar however, we will likely have less trouble than you and Daughter Finch
moving forward.”
“But I bet you won’t have less trouble than a Sa·B·er. I
think it’s time I moved on ahead and put an end to Squawk’s waiting. I bet he’s
getting really mad by now.”
Stepping back in front of Maye, Chain boasted about the
strength of a Sa·B·er with a broad smile. Her smile did not last long however
as Drop added in some unwanted details.
“Though we are fairly inexperienced still. But that makes it
particularly exciting.”
“Drop, you’re going to make them not trust us.”
“I already don’t, heretic.”
“And you’re a bigger idiot than she is for that.”
An unexpected voice emerged from the vegetation that would
have forced Finch to proceed on foot had they continued forward. Chain’s
reaction implied that would likely no longer be the case for the maid as her
eyes absolutely shimmered with joy at the voice that was the same, as
impossible as it was to believe at normal human volume, as the one that
responded to her above. Turning to pinpoint the voice, Chain and the others
laid eyes on a young, stock nāti man with dark wiry fur, eyes, and beak, garbed
in a green trimmed white long coat over a black shirt and pants with black
icaran boots. He held an engraved wooden staff that was taller than Chain who
was taller than him. Crossing his arms, he made a mighty harrumph as he took in
Chain with a smug expression on his face.
“So, a Foreigner infection made you younger looking and really
didn’t kill you. It did seem to kill your modesty though as looking younger
really emphasizes how you’ve still only a–⁈”
“Don’t you dare say anything about my figure, Squawk! You
know how much I can’t stand that!”
Chain’s teary-eyed joy became childish indignation as she
charged Squawk and locked the young nāti man in a harmless false headlock.
Harmless as her lock was though, Squawk did not appreciate it and started
shouting much to the chagrin of the nuns.
“What do you think you’re doing, you idiot⁈ I’m not some filthy person like a
you! I’m a Pilgrim of Lady Atheaelde on a pilgrimage to restore her touch of
life to the Face of Icarus.”
“Interacting with him makes our desire to save him and just
see him so confusing. He is both loud and mean at once.”
“What was that, you idi… …ot?”
Squawk began by raising his voice in anger at Chain’s
apparent teasing but as he realized that her voice came from in front of him,
he began to trail off. Looking to see how Chain’s voice could have possibly
done that when she managed to take his back to put him in a false headlock, he
laid eyes on a naked, mermaid double of Chain who was only twice as long as
Chain’s thumb and swimming through thin air. Seeing her he finished his
statement quietly before shocking her and everyone else as he shouted in total
disbelief.
“Why are there two of you now⁈ How is that even possible⁈ What did I possibly do to deserve
having to deal with two of you⁈”
As loud and startled as Squawk was, his antics strangely
managed to relax Chain. Releasing her false headlock, Chain let her arms drape
limply over Squawk as she rested her forehead into the back of his head. It was
an awkward spot Squawk found himself in and he was not for certain how to
react. He was almost grateful he didn’t have to as Chain spoke, but the
softness she talked with unnerved him in ways he couldn’t understand.
“A lot has happened to me Squawk. I can’t even remember all
of it in order right now because I’ve been so broken in the head since the
church tortured me and I woke up under that glowing tree.”
“What⁈ The church tortured you⁈ Why on the Face of Icarus would they
do that⁈ Unless… You didn’t, did you⁈”
“Didn’t what our screeching nāti friend.”
Her curiosity piqued, Maye prodded Squawk to expand on what
he implied. Squawk simply offered her a harrumph and turned his beak up at her.
“I’ve little idea who you are and care not.”
Gnashing her teeth, Maye was about ready to tear into Squawk,
but Chain of all people kept the peace.
“It’s alright Squawk. You don’t have to be harsh to them.
They don’t really know what happened and I’m fine with that. I’m fine with them
just knowing me as the Sa·B·er Chain. The Chainmaid. The Chainmail Maiden.”
“You, a maiden? I always figured you would just turn into an
overgrown girl you idiot. But if you’ve chosen a new name for yourself then it
must be true that you’re a Sa·B·er. It’s hard to think our village’s unwilling
future engineer craftsman is now one of the unfortunate souls tasked with
protecting mankind from the Foreigners. What exactly happened to you, you
idiot? And what happened to the other idiot and your pet? Don’t tell me they
didn’t make it?”
“Heh heh… I wish I could say they’re fine, but I haven’t seen
them since before I woke up under that glowing tree and Finch up in the Dolmen
there found me. But it really was a lot that happened to me. When we get out of
here I’ll have to tell you all about it. It’s a really long story.”
“One that is about to come to an end. Hehehehehe…”
As the smooth young man’s voice threatened Chain’s life,
Squawk’s eyes widened and the five nuns’ asides from Finch and Maye joined them
in looking down the path they had come down. Standing there with a black
longsword that was only slightly more ornate then the cruciform sword Chain
wielded, was a hulking, yet sleek mechanized black suit of icaran armor draped
in a dark cloak under a poncho of similar hue. Whatever face the man within had
was hidden behind his helmet that no light seemed to enter, even through the
chevron shaped eye slot.
Facing the mechanized black knight, Chain pushed Squawk
behind her and reached up and grabbed her sword hilt. As she did, her cape
billowed about her and her scabbard disappeared within exposing the glistening
steel blade of her sword. Bringing it around she leveled it at her challenger
along with a question.
“What makes you so sure of that? Maybe I’m inexperienced like
Drop says, but I’ve fended off any number of monsters, wiped out an army of
bandits, and have held my own well enough against a pair of Sa·B·ers. I don’t
see what type of threat you pose when I’ve got at least seven nuns with me who
are all combat trained and one of them is even piloting a Dolmen.”
“No, you idiot…! That is no man. That is what has slaughtered
everyone who has come here. I’ve little idea of how I’ve lasted this long…”
Chain’s confidence only made Squawk’s fear worse as her
ignorance was on full display. But unlike the others who took heed of Squawk’s
terrified words, Chain only paid her would be killer any heed and furrowed her brow
as she glared him down with her massive eyes. Her questions and boasts though
only served to amuse him and he began snickering sinisterly.
“Hehehehehe… You don’t understand at all. You are a Sa·B·er
you say and will protect mankind from the ‘Foreigners’? But so many have
already died that you have failed to protect. But I suppose that doesn’t matter
to you. As long as you save those you deem in need in the moment it is enough
to satisfy your ego. Though, if your ego needs stroked before you die, then
know that you have already succeeded in saving these pitiful humans from a
‘Foreigner’. But that is only because I have waited here slaughtering dozens
all so I could hunt and kill you, Child of Her Light.”
“You’re really not making any sense. But if you want to try
fighting me I’ll gladly take you on.”
“You idiot! We don’t stand a chance! It would be better just
to run!”
“And leave a ‘Foreigner’ unchallenged little one. I somehow
doubt your precious Sa·B·er could ignore me so casually.”
Gritting his teeth as it was Chain’s would be killer who
responded to his shouts, Squawk backed off and gripped his staff tightly.
Unnerved as Maye was, she still turned her rifle onto the man before them.
“You may possess a fancy suit of armor, but a bullet between
the eyes will still end you.”
“Hehehehehe… So naïve. But perhaps I should introduce myself.
Sending my prey to their graves lacking the knowledge of why they died would be
such a waste. You may call Zhenir.”
Taking a swooping bow, the man introduced himself at last. As
he stood back up, he positioned his arms so that his sword point was against
his left forearm.
“And yes, I am what you foolish humans call a ‘Foreigner’.”
Forcing the sword through his armor, copper blue blood
dribbled down the length of the blade. But he was not satisfied with so little
a demonstration.
“Hehehehehe… I can still see the doubt in your eyes, and I
detest those who doubt my word. But as I have already told the Child of Her
Light that she had saved you, I shall only harm myself to demonstrate.
Hehehehehe…”
Without warning, Zhenir thrust his sword through his arm up
to the hilt and a gout of copper blue blood splashed onto the ground. No one
could take their eyes off of the sword and the blood it spilled, but Chain did
not let that stop her from acting.
“No, you idiot! Run!”
Squawk reached out after her, but a Sa·B·er’s superhuman
ability easily put the icaran maid well above the nāti. In a blink she was atop
Zhenir, her sword prepared to decapitate him. Aggressive as Chain’s lunge was,
she was not attacking without defending herself and bashed the pommel of her
sword against the hilt of Zhenir’s. The strike accelerated Chain’s swing and
forced Zhenir’s sword to only be able to travel along one arc. Her blade missed
its mark however as he bent over backwards in a flash. In the same motion Zhenir
drew his sword and swung through where Chain had been, an arc of blue blood
trailing it. The blood still clinging to the blade did not all fall off so
gracefully as Chain’s sword struck Zhenir’s accelerating the blade and forcing
him into a spin. Having flipped over the Zhenir’s attack to dodge it, Chain
landed and entered a spin of her own bringing her sword around and locking it
against her opponent’s. Her arms trembling against the pressure, Chain still
smiled as she addressed Zhenir.
“For an extinct people you sure seem pretty lively.”
“Oh? You do not deny my claim and claim me simply a man who
was consumed?”
“There are two reasons why. One, no person whose blood turns
blue isn’t a monster. And two, no one trying to take on an opponent they’ve
never faced before would stab themselves like that to prove they’re not lying.”
“Hehehehehe… You honor me…”
“Chainmaid. I’m the Chainmaid.”
“A name I will not forget. It’s almost a shame you must die.”
“Yeah, a real shame.”
“⁈”
Chain’s cape suddenly flared out before reemerging in a geyser
of black flame and Chain threw Zhenir back to his surprise. He was not the only
one surprised as Squawk’s mouth fell open in disbelief.
“Just what exactly happened to that idiot to possess such strength⁈”
“It’s a long story as we’ve said, but right now we need to
concentrate on defeating him.”
Drop answered Squawk’s question and invited the others to
join in on battling the Foreigner. First they would have to catch up though as
Chain and Zhenir were already putting a great deal of distance between them as
their steel flashed in the dance of death they spun too. Maye and Finch would
have less trouble than the others due to one having the lower half of a horse
and the other piloting a Dolmen. Armed with her rifle, Maye opened fire and had
her bullets deflected by both Chain and Zhenir’s swords. Gritting her teeth in
irritation she proceeded to yell at Chain as she reloaded.
“Don’t deflect my bullets, heretic!”
“Then don’t shoot at me!”
“If you weren’t jumping about like a circus acrobat you
wouldn’t get in my line of fire!”
“But that’s how I fight! Uwah⁈”
Just barely dodging Zhenir’s attack, Chain jumped back and
took her sword firmly in both hands to prepare for his next attack.
“You’re growing distracted by your dishonorable companions
Chainmaid.”
“And almost being killed too! With friends like them, why do
I need you trying to kill me⁈”
“Indeed –⁈”
Zhenir’s response fell short as he noticed plant life coiling
around his legs and in the distance heard Squawk chanting. Holding his staff
with both hands as he thrust it into the ground, the young nāti surged with
Nectar.
“~ Lady Atheaeldre, hear my prayer
and call upon your heavenly sister.
Let your blossoms rise up in invitation.
Let your petals guide Celestia’s wrath.
Invite Lightning‼ ~”
Let your blossoms rise up in invitation.
Let your petals guide Celestia’s wrath.
Invite Lightning‼ ~”
Called by Squawk’s incantation and the Nectar he cast forth
from his body, a bolt of lightning struck from the heaven’s above and engulfed
Zhenir in a flash of light. The spell seemed to accomplish nothing but to
scorch the earth around him while freeing him from the plants that held him. It
seemed a completely wasted effort on Squawk’s part, but he did serve as an
ample distraction and the bullet from the revolver priorly hidden within the
right leg of Finch’s Dolmen struck him head on. The explosion of dust and
debris from the impact sent Chain flying backwards with a surprised yelp and
she tumbled away from where she collided with the ground. Within the Dolmen,
Finch, garbed in a full body skinsuit that really was inappropriate for an
icaran girl of ten springs to be seen wearing, watched the dust cloud in the
illusory image that filled the cockpit and showed her full surroundings.
“Did I get him?”
The answer to her question came in a streak of dust erupting
from the cloud and straight for Chain. Having to perform an impressive maneuver
just to get to her feet and receive Zhenir’s attack with her sword, Chain was
not prepared for his statement.
“It seems we will have to leave this battleground,
Chainmaid.”
Unable to do more than keep herself from being slashed, Chain
had to accept suddenly being thrown out over the abyss.
- Miss Chain‼ -
Her voice echoing out from her Dolmen’s external speakers,
Finch did more than cry out. Piloting her Dolmen into a runner’s stance facing
the abyss, she leapt out into it in Chain’s direction. To make life easier on
herself and Finch, Chain dismissed her cape so that the drag would not make her
flight path erratic. Much as Finch wanted to focus on catching Chain, her
attention was divided as Zhenir also leapt out over the abyss. Reaching for
Chain with her Dolmen’s left and firing at Zhenir with the revolver in her
Dolmen’s left, Finch’s piloting skills appeared most impressive for a girl of
only ten springs, especially as the recoil from her revolver propelled her that
little bit more towards Chain. Unfortunately, Zhenir seemed impossibly skilled
and vertically split the bullet in half with a single sword stroke. Even more
impressively, before the bullet finished passing him and colliding with the
walkway from which they leapt, Zhenir used it as a steppingstone to propel
himself onto the Dolmen’s arm.
- Oh no… -
Exclaiming her horror, Finch watched powerlessly as Zhenir
ran down her Dolmen’s arm at a speed that would allow him to reach its head
before its arm could be lowered. It seemed likely that her Dolmen would soon
lose its head but she had forgotten about Chain in her focus on Zhenir. Having
grabbed the Dolmen’s outstretched fingers, the Chainmaid pulled herself onto
the machine and met Zhenir at the back of the Dolmen’s neck. Their swords
collided with a ring of steel that spared the head of Finch’s Dolmen and the
machine seemed to sigh in relief with her. Chain meanwhile shook a finger
disapprovingly at Zhenir.
“Uh-uh. I’m already in enough trouble for breaking this thing
once. I can’t let it get broken again because of me.”
“Amusing.”
A one word response was the only dialogue Zhenir exchanged
with Chain as he let his sword speak for him atop the Dolmen’s back. Chain was
glad to exchange blows in a conversation of sword strikes, but atop the aerial
Dolmen she was at the disadvantage. Regardless of who had the advantage,
Finch’s voice was carried by the Dolmen’s speakers along with her easily
ignored request.
- Don’t fight back there! -
Naturally Finch was ignored, but that did not particularly
matter as they were fast approaching the opposite wall some distance further
into the Abyss. She wanted to do something for Chain, but a single mistake
would kill the maid fighting atop her Dolmen just as likely as her foe. Still,
it was not going to be a soft landing.
- Miss Chain! Hold on! -
“Eh–⁈ To what⁈”
The twenty-five-meter-tall machine turned in the air and
lifted its left arm to grab onto the outcroppings of the wall. It was unlikely
that the wall as ancient as it was could hold the Dolmen’s weight and Finch
began desperately working the instruments within the cockpit. In the hard to
discern potbelly of the Dolmen, the Artificial Gate Generator hummed loudly as
it was forced into an overclocked state. The Nectar build up was far greater
than the Dolmen could hold, but Finch was well ahead of that problem and the
steam motors that powered the joints jettisoned massive clouds that the Nectar
was fed into. She couldn’t worry about scalding Chain as landing was just as
important if she was to keep Chain alive. Rotating the Dolmen again as much as
she could manage in midair, Finch succeeded in getting the machine to hit the
wall feet first. A cloud of dust bloomed outward from the wall and the shock
ran through the whole Dolmen dislodging Chain. Zhenir was more fortunate as he
stabbed his sword into the armor of the Dolmen. He had no intention of letting
a fall kill his prey however and he caught Chain’s hand as she fell. Chain
could only express surprise as any gratitude she might have had was thrown away
along with her. Turning his body in nearly a full spin, Zhenir hurled Chain
past The Dolmen’s right arm and back inside Deep Root Colony as Finch grabbed
onto the wall with the Dolmen’s left hand, the excess Nectar in the air serving
to reinforce the wall to hold the Dolmen’s weight. With the Dolmen relatively
secured, Zhenir ran out along its right arm. As he ran, he kicked several
points along it forcing the arm to straighten out for him.
- Hey! Don’t break it! …Wait, leave Miss Chain alone too! -
As her Dolmen’s arm was already straightened, it took Finch
little effort to aim at Zhenir as he jumped off in pursuit of Chain. She did
not get the chance to fire though, for as Zhenir leapt, he spun and in a flash
his sword severed the Dolmen’s gun hand midspan. Finch naturally panicked and
started screaming in horror.
- Ah~‼ My hand! My hand! He cut of my hand! …Wait. It’s just
the Dolmen’s hand! Ah~! But that means I’m stuck here until I can replace it.
Ugh. The walls may be metal, but there’s so much vegetation it’ll take forever
to convert the material. *Gulp* Miss Chain, please fend him off until either me
or the others can catch up with… -
Faced with Zhenir, towering ominously before her, Chain
wasn’t so sure if she could fulfil Finch’s request. Risking a quick glance down
at her left hand which she had been rubbing the throbbing back of her head
with, the bright red liquid that stained it reflected what little light made it
that deep down. Smiling tensely as she looked back up at Zhenir, she managed to
complain about her injury.
“That’s unfair. You drew first blood for both sides.”
“Does that bother you Chainmaid.”
“A little, yeah…”
Pouting, Chain again took her sword in both hands.
“But not nearly as much as you holding back. What was the
point anyway? Does giving people false hope make you that happy.”
“Hehehehehe… Are you already admitting defeat Chainmaid?”
“Nah. I was just complaining because my head hurts and that
blow didn’t help put anything in my head back together. Besides, I’ve been
holding back too.”
“That you have Chainmaid. It would be a shame to kill you
before seeing the Light that you possess.”
Forced to give it her all, Chain could have sworn that she
was by herself going forward as she could barely see Finch’s Dolmen clinging
onto the abyss wall from where she fought in the dark. Lit by the sparks of
ringing steel Chain’s determined pout demonstrated her refusal to give in.
Finch was in a similar life or death situation as her, a determined look upon
her face as she thrust the end of her Dolmen’s handless right arm directly into
the wall she clung to. Pulling down and out a plethora of holographic screens
and keypads, she desperately entered commands while looking inside to where
Chain and Zhenir fought. Chain was being thrown about with only her acrobatics
keeping her in the fight.
“I really should have fought harder for those head mounted
guns. Hold on Miss Chain…”
As worried as Finch was about Chain, above her, the five lead
nuns of their expedition for the Lucifalz hidden within Deep Root Colony along
with Squawk and Maye looked over the edge she had leapt from. The sight of
Finch’s Dolmen clinging on so desperately moved Maye to cry out.
“Finch!”
She was about to gallop off but stopped as she watched Squawk
walk up to the edge. Looking at her he smiled behind his beak with pride and
fear both.
“That isn’t how you shout, idiot. I can demonstrate and
perhaps buy that idiot below time to run.”
Watching Squawk take a deep breath, Maye’s eyes widened and
she reached out a hand.
“Don’t! If you unleash that weapon now…”
Maye did not finish her sentence as she looked out at Finch’s
Dolmen below. She did not have to finish as Squawk fully understood her reason
and threw his hands up as he yelled at her.
“I understand you don’t want to lose the Dolmen pilot, but I
don’t want to lose the idiot who didn’t listen to me and have to deal with her
haunting me.”
“I doubt we would have reason to haunt you.”
Squawk nearly jumped as Chain’s voice came up behind him and
he had to turn to realize it was Drop and not Chain. Irritably he yelled at the
smaller version of the same person even if he didn’t quite realize it.
“Don’t sneak up on me you idiot! You frightened me half to
death!”
“Well, that’s the state we we’ll be in if my larger self is
not aided. Fortunately, I believe that the three of us can help each other
out.”
“I am not so faithless that I would turn to you, devil.”
Even with Finch in danger and Chain’s life on the line, Maye
could not put aside her disdain for spirits. Drop did not appreciate the
centaur’s attitude at such a time and pouted as she thrust her fists down at
her sides.
“Your faith is why you are being so blind! I told we are not
wild ones or dark ones! Our song is one with the servants of the Children of
Ocia! If you follow those joined by that human who once walked Ambrosia, then
we are allies even beyond this current mess! So listen to me, please! We can
help them if we stop fighting with each other!”
The target of Drop’s yelling may have been Maye, but she was
right next to Squawk who ended up responding.
“I would appreciate it if you did not yell in my ear, you
idiot.”
“You are going to complain about people yelling!”
“Yes, because unlike you I’m willing to listen.”
Maye’s mocking indignation was washed away in a second as
Squawk shut her down with a stare. She was still highly emotional however and
tried to argue with the young nāti man.
“You are a Pilgrim of Athealdre are you not⁈ Why would you listen to that devil⁈”
“Because the life of Lady Atheaeldre is supported by the
Waters of Ocia, you fool! How many times must this idiot tell you that she is
affiliated with Ocia before you understand⁈ It is obvious that the teachings of
the Cardinal Church are not at all as accurate as we are led to believe,
especially after this idiot’s mention of torture at their hands! Where is that
legendary compassion that unifies all under the Saint’s Light⁈ Hmph‼ I’m done with you!”
Crossing his arms, Squawk turned his back on Maye and turned
his full attention onto Drop who was smiling awkwardly.
“And what exactly is your problem? At least one of us here are
listening to you.”
“Well… It’s just that I said we need all three of us.”
“You better start explaining fast you idiot!”
“Well, we are the same person, even if we are fragmented
enough to be different people entirely it seems, but we are one person. That
means if you cast support magic on me it’ll affect the me that is further
away.”
“That sounds rather brilliant actually. So how does that make
us need the centaur?”
“The effects will be better the closer we are, and we will
likely need her speed to stand any chance of catching up.”
“Absurd! I’m too small to carry a person, even one as short
as this here nāti. And I also lack the strength to do so because of my size.”
“But you carried us when you saved us from those two Sa·B·ers
over a tenday ago.”
“That was–”
“We have heard enough Sister Maye.”
“Wha–?”
Surprising everyone, the five nuns who made up the lead party
venturing into Deep Root Colony cut off Maye. Looking at their stern
expressions with shock, Maye was unprepared for what they had to say.
“We are here to retrieve the Light in Lady Cardinal’s name.
Your actions would deprive us of a Sa·B·er possessed of it–”
“What⁈”
Hearing the nuns say it, Squawk finally realized that Chain
was possessed of Light. It should have set in sooner but not getting killed had
taken over his thoughts. As a result, his shock kept him to one word to express
his realization and he failed to further interrupt the nuns who kept talking as
though he had.
“– As for your strength, we can supplement that with magic,
and you know it.”
“We can also cast a few support spells on the spirit, but the
pilgrim will need to maintain them if we are to save Daughter Finch and the
Chainmaid.”
“Your disdain for spirits is becoming legendary aboard the
Chapel Sister Maye, but to accomplish our mission you will have to swallow your
pride for now.”
“But…”
Wanting to argue, but also save Finch, Maye looked out again
at her helplessly dangling junior. She seemed to be stable enough for now, but
an arrow of light emerging from a nearby opening in the wall caught her eye.
Her heart sank knowing that such a fierce battle raged on and could dislodge
the Dolmen at any time. With tears in her eyes and through gritted teeth she
finally muttered her compliance.
“…fine… FINE‼”
Her muttering gave way to a teary-eyed shout and Maye snapped
her head back onto the nuns, Squawk, and Drop. Yelling, her tone of voice made
it clear that she was not pleased even as she understood that she had no
choice.
“Do what you must! I will not and cannot jeopardize
everyone’s lives for my pride and fear!”
The nuns were quick to get their spells in effect and Maye
was soon off with Squawk upon her back with Drop resting in his hands. The
spells upon her left her glowing brightly as Squawk kept his Ambrosial gate
open, feeding a continuous supply of Nectar through his body into hers to
sustain the spells. As close as they seemed, those spells did not have a strong
effect on Chain, but she noticed them and their effects growing.
“Sorry about this, but looks like I’m cheating.”
Bloodied and battered, Chain’s bright-eyed smile seemed
inappropriate behind the long bow of pure light she carried, an arrow of light
notched to it with her sword held by the pommel in a reverse grip. She let fly
the arrow and Zhenir dodged it easily and closed the distance between him and
Chain in a blink.
“At this point it doesn’t matter Chainmaid. Your death is
assured, though the light you wield seems only a sliver compared to what I
sense from you.”
“Is that so? Sorry I can’t bring out more for you then. -⁈-”
As she apologized, Chain could hear the whispers that came
from the Lucifalz, and for an instant could see the tree of Light fill her
vision. Somewhere in that noise it was as though her voice from somewhere very
far away was telling her how to. Much as she wanted to reach out for that power,
she had more pressing matters at hand and used the top arm of her bow to block
and push aside Zhenir’s sword. The motion allowed her to bring the lower arm around
and swing into the Foreigner’s body. Zhenir easily dodged the attack by bending
over backwards, not letting the surprise of Chain’s suddenly increased strength
distract him. The motion freed his sword from Chain’s bow and he brought it back
across where she had been, but Chain was already twirling in the air as it
passed with several arrows notched at once. The arrows hit the ground as Zhenir
overextended his swing to take him into a step that let him leap away. As he
turned around his sword worked furiously to deflect all of the incoming arrows.
Even before the last one reached him however, he noticed that the light of
Chain’s bow was gone. With so little daylight reaching their current location
from above the abyss his eyes were compromised forcing him to rely on instinct
to dodge the arrow and block Chain’s attack.
“Hehehehehe… Wonderful Chainmaid! Even as weak as you are,
with just a little increase in strength you were able to force me to take an
instinctual movement. This is why I cherish my opportunities to hunt the
Children of Her Light! They are leagues above the simple Light Touched and make
the hunt thrilling!”
“Now you’re just getting creepy.”
Wearing a look of disgust, Chain put her sword to work, each
strike, parry, and deflection possessed of greater speed and agility than the
one before. It was not enough to overwhelm Zhenir at all and Chain felt like
she was running out of options.
[Hrm… He’s so strong, and I’m not managing to push him back
at all. Even these spells buffing me up aren’t helping. Am I going to have to
cast magic to stand a chance? No! Drop said I couldn’t handle it in my current
state and if I’m going to get more support from the spirits I need to find and
defeat the Ambrosial Beast that’s causing them so much trouble. Oh! That’s it.
The Ambrosial Beast.]
“Hey, you don’t think we can postpone this little death match
for a bit, do you?”
“Are you scared to die Chainmaid?”
“Of course I am. If I die, I can’t do all of the wonderful
things I want to, so letting you kill me just isn’t an option. It’s just… Nah,
you’re not going to back off anyway.”
Dismissing her attempts to talk her way into having the
opportunity to hunt down the Ambrosial Beast, Chain let a blocked strike from
Zhenir push her out of range of an immediate follow up. Pulling her left hand
free of her sword, she snapped her fingers and the distinctive ringing sound
the motion made filled the air. The appearance of the small mote of light above
her upturned palm put Zhenir on the defensive as he anticipated the return of
the bow of Light Chain wielded. Chain was not aiming to summon her bow however
and instead cut the light in two. The light coated her sword and in the same
motion, passing it from right had to left and back again, she cut a circle into
the ground around herself. Smiling brightly, she explained herself.
“But since you keep talking about hunting prey, you won’t
mind if I spice things up a little, right?”
Releasing the summoned Nectar from her will, the floor
beneath Chain’s feet gave way and she fell wherever her freshly cut hole took
her. Laughter exploded from Zhenir and it took him a moment to compose himself.
“What manner of foolishness is this Chainmaid? What do you
hope to accomplish by retreating deeper into this grave, this den of beasts?
But what does it matter? As you say, I enjoy the hunt and appreciate your
attempts to entertain me. Hehehehehe…”
Snickering in amusement to himself, Zhenir strode to the hole
Chain left and dropped down. Despite his departure and the distance that Maye
still had to cover if she ever hoped to catch up, the room did not stay empty
for long. Finch noticed the two icaran men entering the room through the abyss
side wall, the first one using a glowing blue blade as a zipline handle and the
other flying through the air after the first entered as though he retracted
himself along an invisible wire. Recognizing the two of them Finch paled within
her Dolmen.
“What are they doing here…?”
The Mouser Brother’s had no answer to give Finch, though the
reason for their arrival was obvious. The lack of Chain and her opponent
annoyed Lute and he rested his giant boomerang of a blade on his shoulder as he
bemoaned the situation.
“It would seem that we are still behind in this race
brother.”
“It is nothing to worry about Lute. Even if we should let the
others catch up, we both saw that it is a Foreigner the Chainmaid faces. As
Sa·B·ers ourselves it is only natural that we slay it as we are sworn to.”
“You are of course right brother. And considering the
distress signal from this place…”
“Exactly Lute, we have every right to be here, so let us
flush out these troublesome mice.”
Smiling with a chilling manner, Pan and Lute jumped down into
the hole Chain left behind.
Chain had no way of knowing that she had three different
groups in pursuit of her. As she did not know or have any way of knowing, she
instead focused on moving ahead as if she only had Zhenir to worry about. As he
appeared to be a fairly straightforward hunter, taking the time to fight the
monsters of ash and cinder that filled the deeper halls of Deep Root Colony was
unnecessary. That they were also quickly becoming the only light source the
deeper Chain progressed also gave precedence to not killing them.
“Heh heh. I feel like I’m not doing my job, but maybe just
maybe they’ll make it harder to track me. But this creep seems to be able to
track the Light inside of me.”
Looking down at her chest as she dodged monstrous dogs, bats,
and even sword wielding humanoids, Chain tried to comprehend the Light. Her
thoughts were blocked to her by a vision of a dragon of Darkness and the
whispering of the Lucifalz became overwhelming.
“Ugh! Get of my head already! I can’t put my thoughts
together with you in the way!”
Unable to think freely, Chain instead pressed on. The path of
choice she settled on was based on the ebb and flow of the monsters, the idea
being born of a memory where she had done the same before. There was a sense of
helplessness at the end of that fragment of memory however and Chain did not
want to linger on it. Fortunately for her, she soon found a distraction.
“Eh–⁈”
Blooming along the side of what was either once a doorframe
or a collapsed wall was a single flower. What made it stand out to Chain though
was that the petals were made entirely of fire. Cupping it in her left hand,
her eyes shimmered as she looked upon the unique blossom.
“W~o~w! Is this because of the Ambrosial Beast or the Lucifalz.
Ow–!”
Though there was no smoke, the petals were still flame and
Chain’s chainmail absorbed the heat uncomfortably fast. Withdrawing her hand
and trying to shake the heat away, Chain pouted as she looked around
thoughtfully.
“The monsters seem to be avoiding it, so if I can find more,
I might find the Ambrosial Beast!”
Excited and renewed, Chain took off again and noticed that
the spells affecting her had grown stronger while she was observing the flower.
“That’s weird. I wonder what’s going o–⁈”
Chain’s failure to complete her sentence was due to the sight
that awaited her as she found herself on yet another walkway along the abyss
side wall of Deep Root Colony. That she could tell at all was because of the
green light that filled the air illuminating the bottomless shaft. Walking as
close to the edge as she dared, Chain looked up and her mouth fell open at the
sight above her.
Exuding an ominous green light, the bottom end of a Foreigner
city filled the abyss above her, red lights decorating the distant mechanized
city. It was an unusual sight and even less believable due to the newness of
the structure. It was known from observation that the cities of the Foreigners
were in a state of disrepair due to the absence of their creators and were long
since overgrown in vegetation. That they still followed the commands of the
Poltergeists seemed a sick miracle, yet this city seemed brand new, red search
lights sweeping the abyss below it. Fearing what might happen if those lights
spotted her, Chain ducked behind a support column and peered out in hopes of
maybe getting an idea of what the Foreigner city was looking for.
“I really hope it’s not me.”
Laughing at the possibility that the Foreigner city was
looking for her, Chain took note of winged versions of the humanoid swordsmen
she had seen wandering the halls of Deep Root Colony. They filled the sky along
side the bats that she had been seeing as high up as the upper floors and she
couldn’t help but wonder how she had missed them. Spinning around to the other
side of the column as she dodged a search light, Chain looked down to see how
far the monsters persisted and her eyes widened in amazement.
“That’s… W~o~w‼”
Down below, a tangle of massive tree branches filled the
center of the abyss, lesser branches sprouting from them creating a canopy of
foliage. The foliage was anything but normal as the trees were covered with
flowers like cherry blossoms in bloom, except instead of the soft pink flowers
it was a variation where the petals were made of fire. Watching the red
searchlights sweep through the foliage Chain noted that there were no monsters
that deep and smiled.
“I was right. In that case–”
Climbing up onto a pile of rubble and vegetation, Chain
prepared to leap out into the abyss but instead jumped backwards. She barely
evaded the giant spinning blade and was subsequently thrown back as a spark of
Nectar reached its pommel and set off an explosion. Landing on her feet, Chain
slid backwards and was afforded a clear view of Pan Mouser bursting out of the
explosion born cloud. A flurry of parried strikes fell between the two before
they locked blades and had a moment to exchange words.
“Not you two again! Can’t you see I’m busy⁈”
“Now, now Chainmaid. You should be grateful that Lute and I
have come for you.”
“Eh.”
Pan could not help but smile at Chain’s disbelieving look,
yet it was Lute who clarified as he stepped into view with his blade resting on
his shoulder.
“Come now Chainmaid, don’t make that face. We’ve seen the
danger your opponent presents to your life. You know full well our client wants
you brought back alive and that we are your betters. It’s only natural that you
should be glad to see us.”
“I’d rather take a chance with the Foreigner.”
“You disappoint me Chainmaid. Had you come with us willingly
we could have promised you your good health. Now…”
As he spoke, Pan’s blade took on a blue glow. An instant
later he thrust it forward, the light being expelled as a spear colliding with
a wall further down the corridor. Chain was well ahead of the attack having
ducked down to avoid it but found herself in a bad spot. There were only so
many options she had available in her current position and she didn’t like any
of them. She was too exposed to Pan’s counterattack options to risk a fatal
blow and was glad she had summoned her cape in a dramatic gout of flames of
darkness as she dropped. Spinning into a leg sweep, she slammed her leg into
Pan’s opposite the edge. As she suspected, he was ridiculously strong and she
had all of no give against him. She knew she could push beyond her normal
limits by exploiting the spell that bolstered her, the effects increasing the
longer she stayed still, but she did not want to play that ace up her sleeve
against them yet. They were both Sa·B·ers and as sworn to protect the races of
mankind from the Foreigners as she was. This made them particularly good
distractions for Zhenir if he caught up before she escaped deeper into the
abyss. Thus, her decision was to apply just enough strength to test Pan’s and
to hook her foot to him as she sprung herself forward off her free hand. The
motion worked exactly as she hoped, but it launched her right at Lute who stood
casually with a smile on his face. Unlike Pan, who still had her cape blocking
his line of sight, Lute could see Chain clearly. Putting on a pout of intense
concentration, Chain pulled herself into a tight spin. Her momentum assured
that she would be attacking from Lute’s left shoulder, opposite the one he
rested his blade on, but as his sword was nearly his own height and the blade
of Chain’s sword was only the same length as her leg, he held the advantage. Chain
knew she only had one option, and it would likely be playing into the Mouser
Brothers hands, but she committed to it just to try and reset her position in
relation with them. Dismissing her cape as she spun, Chain chose to swing
early, and well out of reach of Lute, but he saw through her intentions and
brought his sword around to meet hers and hurled her back away from the edge
and into a wall.
“Gah–⁈”
As ancient as the mechanized wall was, it was astoundingly sturdy
and fully withstood Chain slamming into it back first. The energy of her
collision rebound back through her and Chain cried out, her cry cut off by the
blood she vomited.
“Now, now Chainmaid. Did you not hear brother? We want to
take you back alive; we couldn’t possibly let you jump into that abyss.”
“*Ha~* *Ha~* …What part of that attack was taking me alive?
That really hurt…”
“Exactly Chainmaid. Lute did not kill you, but I did say we
could only guarantee your good health if you came willingly.”
Chain wanted to pout defiantly at the brothers who both stood
with their weapons resting again on their shoulders, but another blob of blood
rose out of her throat and she couldn’t stop herself from coughing it up. She
wasn’t quite sure how she was still on her feet after that attack, but still
wiped away the blood from her mouth with the back of her left hand. She was
breathing heavy as she watched them and they both seemed to simply wait for her
to take her next action.
What the Mouser Brothers didn’t realize was that Chain was
growing stronger due to enhancement spells on Drop being channeled into her.
Chain did not know the source of her bolstered strength either, or that the
reason she was growing stronger was simply due to the distance between her and
Drop shrinking. The source of her power buff was inconsequential at the moment,
as it was becoming obvious that she was going to have to use it if she did not
want to be defeated. Taking a deep breath to steady her breathing, Chain
brought her sword towards her left hand. She did not take the weapon in a
two-handed grip, instead raising the blade so that her left hand was in front
of it. The Mouser Brothers both frowned with disappointment, with Pan narrowing
his eyes while Lute sighed heavily.
“I advise you not to continue Chainmaid. Brother is not so
kind as me to try and be merciful. If you don’t give up now, then you should be
prepared to lose a limb or two.”
“That’s taking things a little far isn’t it?”
“We’d rather not waste any strength fighting you when it is
likely we will still need to fight the Foreigner.”
“Can’t you just kill him first. I have something I’m really
trying to do while I’m here and it’s kind of important.”
“The nuns can attend to any business left here Chainmaid. Our
only concern is you and the Foreigner.”
With a chilling tone of voice, Pan interrupted Chain and
Lute’s exchange. The tone of his voice nearly made Chain lower her sword and
she had to force herself to keep a firm grip on it. As she did, she noticed she
was shaking. She still wanted to buy a little more time though in hope that the
magical enhancements she was receiving would grow even stronger and tried to
argue her point with the elder Mouser brother.
“If you’re going to have to fight him, wouldn’t it be better
to do so while you’re at full strength and without dragging me around⁈”
“You really don’t get it Chainmaid. If we have to knock you
out, then you endanger all of us and risk compromising your chance to stay
alive. If you simply follow us willingly though, you can defend yourself with
us as your allies and all of us the better off for–”
“You can stop trying to convince her Lute. She was stalling.”
“What⁈”
Interrupted by Pan, Lute looked away from Chain and up the
walkway they were on. Descending from the shadows was none other than Zhenir,
his slow purposeful stride weighted with disappointment.
“And here I had hoped that you were laying a trap for me
Chainmaid. When I sensed you join up with these two Light Touched… To see them
attempting to waylay you disgusts me. Have you two no honor. To interrupt the
hunt of another is an insult most grievous.”
“You’ll have to forgive brother and mine’s seeming lack of
etiquette Master Foreigner, but you may want to familiarize yourself with the facts.
You barged in on our hunt.”
Though he began with a flippant tone, Lute’s tone turned
fiery as he accused Zhenir with interfering. Zhenir seemed simply amused and
snickered as he seemed wont to.
“Hehehehehe… I see, we are two groups of hunters seeking the
same prey.”
“Not quite Foreigner. We have reason to bring this prey back
alive.”
Pan glared down Zhenir coolly as he lowered his weapon from
his shoulder. Chain was not sure how to feel as she had hoped to use the Mouser
Brothers to distract Zhenir. She did not expect the Foreigner to distract the
Mouser Brothers. Regardless she was out of time and had to act. With a laugh,
she smiled awkwardly at her situation.
“Not what I was buying time for, but I guess it doesn’t
matter now. Here I go!”
With a snap of her fingers, Chain sprang into action. A distinctive
ringing sound rang out and a small mote of light appeared in her left hand. In
response Pan pulled back the hammer of the flintlock mechanism on the rifle
butt of his saber and the blade took on a blue glow. His and Chain’s actions
seemed in sync at first as he brought his sword around, but Chain surprised the
Mouser Brothers as she split the mote of light in half by drawing her sword
through it in an upward motion. The light of the mote disappeared as it coated
the blade of Chain’s sword and she took it in both hands directly above her
head. Smiling brightly, she took a half step forward.
“So, is everyone ready? You can’t all three come after me at
once without getting in each other’s way. So, who is going to try and stop me?”
“Bold Chainmaid, taking advantage of this impasse.”
Giving Chain a sidelong glance, Pan coolly complimented her,
his anger hidden behind his professionalism. Lute was less calm than his
brother and he practically bristled with rage. Zhenir seemed unaffected by the
scene playing out before him and seemed to have infinite patience. It was going
to be on Chain to act and she was more than ready.
“Heh heh! I guess it’s ladies first then.”
“You are most assuredly not a lady!”
Lute’s proclamation ended up an exclamation to Chain finally
taking action. Her sword came down hard and with blinding speed, the gathered
Light being released as a wave of energy. She did not bring her sword straight
down however, instead opting to bring it down in a swooping motion as she
turned to face Zhenir. The wave did not travel fast enough to be a threat to
the Foreigner, though it traveled fast enough to force him to dodge by bending
over backwards. He did not linger in that pose for long, snapping back upwards
with an arcing horizontal swing to his front. Chain was anticipating it as she
charged Zhenir and was already mid twirling flip through the air above him. She
was not the only one who charged the Foreigner, but Lute was less prepared for
the telegraphed counterattack and had to block Zhenir’s sword. Naturally, Pan
supplied the next step of his and Lute’s combination attacks and pulled the
trigger releasing the blue light on his blade towards Zhenir’s unguarded side.
Zhenir’s strength was every bit as superhuman as the Sa·B·ers, if not more so,
and without breaking his lock with Lute, he stepped out of the way with the
slightest of twists. This also put him in position to deal with Chain who was
about to land before she could prepare a full attack. His attack of choice was
a simple back hand to punctuate his dodge. The blow took Chain full in the face
and she was sent flying with a stream of blood tracing her path. Despite the
excruciating pain, she still smiled even with tears in her eyes. It was obvious
why of course to the Mouser Brothers. She was careening right into the abyss
with the Mouser Brothers in no position to stop her. Waving as she went, Chain
made sure to offer a cheerful parting.
“Bye-bye!”
“And now I can deal with those competing with me for my prey.”
“No, I can deal with you. Lute, I leave the Chainmaid to
you.”
“Of course, brother.”
Spurred on by Pan, Lute moved to pursue Chain regardless of
Zhenir’s intentions. As he was directly holding his blade it took no time at
all for the spark that signified the coming explosion to travel from his ring
to the pommel of his sword. The explosion was as impressive an affair as ever
and easily broke the sword lock Lute and Zhenir shared. Before Zhenir could
recover Pan had slid into place between him and Lute, his sword blade glowing
blue.
“Now Foreigner, see what it is to face a professional.”
Leaving Zhenir to Pan, Lute ran up to the edge of the abyss
to see if he couldn’t spot Chain down below. An amused expression crossed his
face as he spotted Chain using the monsters as steppingstones, with many a
raging winged swordsman chasing after her. She made quick work of the monsters that
caught up to her though and continued apace across the abyss and down towards
the canopy of flame petaled flowers below. Shaking his head, Lute couldn’t help
but laugh as he shrugged.
“You truly are amazing Chainmaid. Still, it is nothing I
can’t account for.”
Leaping from the edge and into the abyss himself, Lute hurled
his blade out and impaled a winged swordsman. Needing to lower himself quickly
he did not pull himself to his blade, but instead swung down. A series of deft
kicks kept any monsters that neared him at bay and when it was time for him to
finally release his grip on the monster above him, a spark traveling up the
unseen Ambrosial wire resulted in a spectacular detonation. That particular
explosion however finally alerted Chain to his pursuit and she looked back with
a pout.
“Why won’t they just leave me alone? Hrm~. I could use my
bow, but I better concentrate on getting away. The drop off in the enhancement
spells is really noticeable falling down this abyss.”
With her mind made up, Chain focused on her descent, every
jump, grapple, and flip growing less impressive for a Sa·B·er as she descended.
The difference was not lost on Lute who was catching her at a faster pace than
she would like as his descent required far less effort. It took so little
effort that he could afford to look back up the Abyss as he commented on the
decrease in Chain’s magical enhancements.
“Could it be that someone is aiding her? –⁈ Wha-what⁈”
It was perhaps because he and Pan had been too focused on the
hunt, or even that they attributed the unusual green light to the Foreigner,
but as Lute looked back, he saw the Foreigner city that had seemingly descended
into the abyss. Gritting his teeth, he denied what he was seeing.
“That’s impossible. The Foreigners– No, that knight is
unquestionably a Foreigner. The blue blood dripping from his arm… But if he has
an entire city behind him why fight alone?”
Lute couldn’t come up with any answers that satisfied him. It
seemed all the more likely that the Foreigner city was just an illusion and
Lute treated it as such, turning his attention back onto his pursuit of Chain.
“She doesn’t seem particularly bothered by it, so it must be
just an illusion. A useful one seeing as it distracted me. Now, just how far
ahead of me has she gotten as a result?”
The answer to Lute’s question was quite far. Chain’s feet
touched down on a large branch that was more than large enough to be a walkway,
and it was covered by a sky full of flame petaled flowers below the Foreigner
city. Chain wanted to celebrate her arrival, but her senses were completely
overwhelmed by images of the same dragon that had been haunting her vision and
the whispering of the Lucifalz. Clutching at her head, Chain fell to her knees
unable to push out the images and whispers.
“Stop it… Get out of my head! Get out of my head! You’re too
loud! I can’t think! I can’t think!”
How much time passed as Chain yelled at the intruders of her
senses was irrelevant to her. It was too the point that it was painful, and she
couldn’t think at all. Rising to her feet was entirely due to sheer will power
and instinct driving her towards her goal. There was perhaps anger as well
driving her forward as her grip on her sword tightened. Taking an unsteady step
in the direction the whispers seemed to be coming from, Chain gritted her teeth
and threatened whatever it was that assailed her.
“Shut up… Shut up. Shut up! You’re too loud. Too Loud! Shut
up or I’ll kill you!”
“That’s a different response than I would have expected from
you in our short time together Chainmaid.”
Looking back with widened and stressed out eyes, Chain laid
eyes on Lute who had caught up with her. The silver-eyed redhead smiled as
Chain acknowledged his presence, but the look on her face wiped it away.
“What exactly is wrong with you Chainmaid. That expression is
very unbecoming of a maid who has enthralled brother and I.”
Exhaling slowly, Chain lowered her sword to her side and
clutched angrily at her left temple. Lute expected a nasty retort, but the
strained words out of Chain’s mouth surprised him.
“…thank you…”
“Oh?”
“…it’s too loud… …I can’t hear you… …but, I saved my friend
due to you… …thank you…”
“Well that was unexpected. But I must admit that I fail to
hear what it is that has you so on– Wait.”
Lute failed to finish and demanded Chain to stop as she
turned her back on him and started walking deeper into the tangle of branches
they stood within. His demand for her to stop went as unheard as everything
else he said, and a curious expression crossed his face.
“Could it be that she didn’t hear me when I first addressed,
but rather that she sensed my presence? Curious. What could be distracting her
so? It doesn’t matter, I guess. If it is of any importance it is for the client
to deal with. I need simply retrieve her. –⁈”
As he spoke, Lute lowered his blade from his shoulder and readied
to throw it. Distracted as he was by his own thoughts, he did not notice at
first that the weight of his weapon was different. Looking down as he did
finally notice, the Ambrosial wire between the gem in the ring on his finger
and the pommel of his unique sword was clearly visible. Lifting up his weapon,
Lute studied it with unbelieving eyes.
“What is this?”
Deep Root
Colony ~ Lower Floors
Early Autumn ~ Early afternoon
Early Autumn ~ Early afternoon
Ash and cinder
filled the air
The sinister glow providing a malicious ambience
The tearing of horseshoes upon ancient and overgrown metal floors
Three companions in desperate haste
Monsters all around seeking to end their journey
The sinister glow providing a malicious ambience
The tearing of horseshoes upon ancient and overgrown metal floors
Three companions in desperate haste
Monsters all around seeking to end their journey
“This is most unpleasant. Most unpleasant. I am surrounded by
more monsters than I can reasonably aim at, no less have ammo to fire upon.
I’ve been running at a full gallop nonstop with a nāti man whose shortness
belies his weight. And I am cooperating with a she-devil for reasons I can
barely wrap my head around.”
“Will you cease with the incessant whining! Do you think I
want to be in this situation any more than you do⁈ I’m riding bareback in case you
haven’t noticed while trying to maintain a constant flow of Nectar to a copy of
an idiot I grew up with who I’m holding in my hands.”
“Exactly why I have been unable to do anything but run Master
Pilgrim. I’m not large enough to have adults riding me like some beast of
burden and yet here we are with me giving it all I have. Her Eminence be
praised that the sisters who cast these enhancements on me were so skilled.
Without their spells we would have never made it this far.”
“Instead of praising some fools who are not present, you
should focus on catching us up with the idiot so we can both put this mess
behind us.”
“I find I agree with you Master Pilgrim. Yet my heart demands
that I bemoan my situation. I wonder why.”
“Are you not a nun yourself? What ever happened to the
discipline of the Cardinal Church⁈”
“I take afront to that Master Pilgrim. Though perhaps you are
right. Whatever possessed Mother Osprey to listen to a heretic is beyond me.”
“And now you are on that again! Absolutely unbelievable!”
“Please don’t throw me.”
As Squawk barely contained himself from throwing his arms up
in the air, Drop was provided the opportunity to say something as she feared
being tossed aside. Squawk did not take kindly to the suggestion that he was
anything but careful.
“If you want me to throw you just ask this fool to be more
reckless! She’s impressed me enough already with how every time I didn’t think
she could be more reckless she has found a way to surprise me!”
“Are you implying something Master Pilgrim.”
“I’m not implying anything! I’m simply stating the facts.”
“If you don’t like the situation you could always get off my
back.”
“Are you mad⁈ Do you even realize where we are⁈”
“Then I advise you leave any complaining to me Master
Pilgrim.”
“Actually, it might be better now for you to be a little more
reckless.”
“What⁈”
Asking in unison nearly set Maye and Squawk at each other
again, but the absurdity of Drop’s statement kept them focused on the tiny mermaid
version of Chain. That they were effectively speechless for even a hair of time
though gave Drop the opportunity explain what she meant.
“It will be hard for you two to believe, but my human
counterpart has just entered Ambrosia.”
“WHAT??‼”
For a second time Maye and Squawk spoke simultaneously,
echoing their question, albeit far louder. Squawk was immeasurably louder than
Maye however, and anything the centaur had to say was drowned out by the nāti’s
disbelieving shouts.
“Entered Ambrosia⁈ Absolutely impossible‼ No one has
ever set foot in Ambrosia save for the Sister Goddesses, Father Icarus, and the
Saint, Lady Cardinal Herself‼”
Drop was not sure if she had the chance to, or if she was
being unwise, and lowered her hands from her ears to attempt explaining.
“This part of us agrees with you, yet it is why we were able
to meet ourselves before we became as one in our songs and self.”
“Are you claiming this is not the heretic’s first-time
setting foot into Ambrosia.”
Maye was quicker to speak than Squawk for a change and
slipped in her question. The pout that Drop dawned was not visible to the
centaur, but it told Squawk more than he wanted to believe.
“It’s not a claim. We met ourselves in Ambrosia, and our
human counterpart’s intrusion is what drew us to them in curiosity. It is as
unheard of as you claim, yet we can do it, and if you are willing to be
reckless and trust me, than we can take you two into Ambrosia as well.”
“And what would I have to do?”
“Are you MAD⁈ What do we really know of spirits, no less Ambrosia, to
believe that we can so casually just walk in⁈”
“Are you not the one who told me to stop doubting everything
that the she-devil has said Master Pilgrim?”
“Grk–‼”
The words to counter Maye seemed to have gotten stuck in Squawk’s
throat and Maye allowed herself a satisfied smile. It was unbecoming of a nun,
but she found the entire situation unbecoming as it was and was also in
desperate need of an out. Even with the enhancement spells still surging
through her, she could fell the strain against her muscles for pushing them so
hard through an environment that her lower half was not built to traverse at
such a pace, especially with a person larger than she could normally handle
upon her back. Then there were the growing numbers of monsters and the shrinking
selection of escape routes. Deciding there was no better time to put her faith
in Drop, Maye restated her question while Squawk still choked on his retort.
“So again she-devil, what would I have to do?”
“Well…”
But a few moments after Maye asked for a second time, Squawk’s
voice echoed all throughout Deep Root Colony and out into the dust covered sky
above.
“ARE YOU MA~~~~~~~~~~D!!!!!”
Deep Root
Colony ~ Fire Blossom Forest
Early Autumn ~ Early Afternoon, Clear and temperate
Early Autumn ~ Early Afternoon, Clear and temperate
Above, a flying
city from a time forgotten
The sky framed by flowers of flaming petals
A stifling peace
Along the path, a Darkness waiting
Unheard echoes weighing the air with dread and mystery
The sky framed by flowers of flaming petals
A stifling peace
Along the path, a Darkness waiting
Unheard echoes weighing the air with dread and mystery
“This must be the
influence of too much Nectar in the air. What could possibly be filling the
world with so much Nectar, and in such a seemingly stable state?”
There were no answers to Lute’s questions, and he asked the
wrong ones regardless. He failed to understand that he had entered Ambrosia due
to the effects of the Lucifalz. Unlike the nuns of the Chapel who were prepared
for the Lucifalz to disrupt reality in its presence, the younger Mouser Brother
had no such knowledge or reason to have it. He was if anything though, a
professional like his older brother and chose to focus on the task at hand.
“Whatever is going on, I need simply complete the job and
capture the Chainmaid.”
Once more preparing to throw his blade, Lute set about the
task before him. Then he sensed something coming from above.
“What? What⁈”
Looking up, Lute performed a fine double take as a giant ball
of water was about to slam right into the branch he was following Chain on. He
had no immediate way to dodge it either and was promptly washed right off the
branch as the drop of water landed, all of its kinetic energy being released in
a powerful wave as it allowed the three within to land safely. Swimming up into
the air Drop looked around confused for a moment.
“Hm? Did we just wash something away?”
As there were no signs of anyone in the immediate area where
they landed, Drop shrugged and then struck a victory pose.
“Success! Welcome to Ambrosia you two, though we seem to be
in a pretty barren region… Eh?”
Drop noticed a little late that neither Maye nor Squawk was
paying any attention to her. Squawk had dismounted Maye and was offering thanks
to the goddess Atheaeldre for providing him the safety of her branches while
Maye was staring up at the Foreigner city in the sky, her hearing likely
damaged from Squawk’s screaming. The one person who was listening to her she
did not see as Lute dangled under the branch they were on from the wire of his
blade. He was intrigued by her claim of their location, however.
“Ambrosia? Is that possible?”
Curiosity and a need to confirm his current circumstances
made Lute a very attentive listener to all that Drop had to say. As she first
had to straighten out Maye and Squawk he would have to work harder than he
wanted to glean anything useful out of their conversation.
“Will you two listen to me already!”
Growing visibly agitated, Drop was pouting fiercely as she
held her arms straight at her sides with her hands balled into tight fists.
Still, neither Maye nor Squawk seemed particularly receptive to her attempts to
get their attention. In response Drop started trembling and growling beneath
her breath. Her anger dissipated in an instant however as Maye asked a question
that would need answered.
“Is that what it appears to be?”
“It is, but…”
Swimming up next to Maye’s head, Drop began to explain as she
too set her eyes on the bottom of the Foreigner city in the monster filled
abyss above.
“It is and it isn’t here. It’s like we’re seeing a distortion
in time… maybe.”
“I see. No, it makes sense. We were warned that a Lucifalz as
large as the one dwelling here would likely distort reality as we know it. It
is likely then that this forest we find ourselves in is the same.”
Looking down at her immediate surroundings Maye received a
headshake from Drop in response.
“No. this forest is a distortion of the powers that fill this
place. The master of this domain has given it form by distorting everything that
is within its reach and filled with Nectar.”
“Then this forest…”
Taking in her surroundings mid-sentence, Maye trailed off as
she tried to put together the nature of the environment she found herself in.
As her eyes made their way down, they settled on Squawk who was still bowing
down again and again in praise of Atheaeldre. Seeing him allowed Maye to
complete her thought and thus kept her from commenting on his pitiful display.
“This forest is born from the Ambrosial beast within
corrupting the efforts of the Pilgrims of Ateaeldre to restore her gift to this
land.”
“What⁈”
Snapping up at the mention of something that did not sit
right with him at all, Squawk could barely contain his anger.
“That is correct.”
“I’ll kill it personally! How dare it defile Lady
Atheaeldre’s gift!”
Drop’s confirmation was enough to set Squawk fully off and he
sprang to his feet indignantly. Drop was glad to see him so raring to go and
smiled awkwardly as she attempted to slow him down.
“I’m so glad to see you recovered after you were so
disbelieving about how we jumped into the abyss.”
“Urk–!”
Squawk locked up at the mention of how they arrived at their
current location. Playfully enjoying seeing Squawk do as she wanted, Drop
clasped her hands behind her back and teased him just a little more.
“I didn’t think you would have it in you with the way you
screamed all the way down.”
“Please don’t remind me she-devil. I do believe my ears are
actually bleeding worse than the first time I heard him shout.”
Interrupting Drop, Maye reached up and gingerly touched her
ears. A sticky feeling brought a disappointed look to her face and she pulled
her hands away so she could look at the blood on her fingertips. Sighing heavily,
she conceded to the obvious fact.
“Unquestionably it is worse.”
“Heh heh. Sorry.”
Drop tried to be sincere, but it was a surprisingly difficult
task in light of how she found the damage Squawk’s shouting could cause both
terrifying and absurd to the point of comedy. She was not completely merciless
however and did consider their current situation and the knowledge that Maye
and Squawk likely lacked.
“Anyway, before we go catch up with our human part, whose own
ears are hurting because of the voices of the Lucifalz- Our human parts are not
used to hearing the songs of the world and is in quite a bit of pain to the
point that this part of us feels it -we must be cautious. Ambrosia, while
similar to the human world in pockets like this in the edges, is a world of
Nectar. The very same Nectar you summon when you use certain machines or open
your Ambrosial Gates, which you must not do while we are here. If you open a
gate to take Nectar out of Ambrosia you’ll remove yourself through the same
Gate. Even if your Gate is large enough to fit your whole self through, we are
currently over a really big hole with nothing to support us outside of
Ambrosia.”
“Suddenly I’m feeling very glad that I’ve never been trained
or had the talent to open my Gate.”
Looking quite pallid suddenly, Maye had all of no concerns
admitting to her shortcomings in the fields of magic in this instance. Squawk
was less accepting than Maye and looked bewildered at Drop.
“Then what am I supposed to do⁈ I rely on Nectar and my prayers to
cast magic! How do you expect me to cast any spells and not be defenseless if I
can’t risk opening my gate without throwing myself into the depths of this
accursed abyss⁈”
“Hm? What do you mean?”
Tilting her head confused, Drop questioned Squawk’s concerns.
His deadpan glare though told her that he really did not understand and that
she would have to explain. It was befuddling to her and her head tilted even
further to the side.
“We are in Ambrosia. Everything everywhere is Nectar except
for your flesh and that what you brought with you. You need simply reach out
for it with your will and make it do as you normally would. You just do not
need to open your Gate. Even you could do it without training here.”
Turning from Squawk to Maye, Drop pointed out that she could
easily familiarize herself with magic where they currently were. That was not
all she suggested and offered Maye a unique opportunity.
“In fact, if you are really willing to learn, our human self
can open your gate for you so you can become acquainted with the sensation.”
“What⁈ That idiot can do that⁈ Where did she pick up such an
ability⁈”
Squawk cut off any response Maye could have made and drilled
Drop for answers. Drop was confused again as she the memories that answered
that question were distant and difficult to put together and she laughed
nervously as she tried to make sense of them.
“It seems those memories are outside of us at this time, but
I believe it is because of you.”
“What⁈ Me⁈ Preposterous! I lack the knowledge to any such– ⁈ Unless of course…”
At first Squawk vehemently denied any involvement with
Chain’s ability to open the Ambrosial Gates of others, but then he had a moment
of realization. As much as he trailed off though, he did not calm down. An
instant later his arms flew into the air and he was fully tearing into Chain.
“That idiot! She actually misunderstood that much! Only she
could have pulled off so spectacular a feat of idiocy! Why exactly am I worried
about her again⁈ She’s such an idiot she entered Ambrosia before, likely
without even thinking in the least! She’s such an idiot, even if she died I
doubt she would understand how that is supposed to work and just keep living!
That absolute and colossal idiot! Where is she⁈ I need to give her a piece of my
mind and maybe actually crack that thick skull of hers and see if any
intelligence can actually get in there.”
“Well, if you’re ready I can lead you to her.”
“You better believe that I’m ready! Now stop wasting time and
get going. If you don’t, I’ll be giving you a piece of my mind as well!”
“But you already are and are going to.”
“What was that⁈”
“N-n-nothing!”
Terrified of Squawk’s tone of voice, Drop began swimming
through the air ahead to where they would find Chain. Maye simply shook her
head as she sighed and rested her forehead in her hand.
“To think he could terrify even the she-devil so. Then again,
did not the Foreigner also mention being tormented by his voice?”
“And what are you waiting for you fool⁈ There may not be any monsters here
right now, but until we catch up with the idiot, you’re the one I’m relying on
to keep me alive! Now move it!”
“Of course, Master Pilgrim.”
Maye could not help herself but smile and answer with a bit
of sarcasm as she began to follow Squawk and Drop. She also found herself
laughing at the irony of calling out Drop and Zhenir for their fear of Squawk’s
voice when she was just as terrified. Her ears were still ringing from his
screaming as she had leapt down into the abyss and were still trickling blood
as well. She was strangely grateful that she was not dressed in her habit as
her coif would likely be horribly stained with the blood and there would be no
getting the stain out. It would be a horrible mistreatment of a holy garment.
She could not help but ponder how well blood could be washed out of hair
however as Chain would become the next target of Squawk’s terrifyingly
destructive shouting.
“You idiot!”
Stumbling forward deeper into the forest canopy that she had
landed in, Chain dragged her sword along the ground. The whispering of the
Lucifalz and the image of the dragon of Darkness that filled her vision dulled
her senses. She could not think for herself at all, her desire to put an end to
the whispering driving her forward. Unfortunately, this meant that she did not
hear Squawk at first and the nāti raised his voice indignantly.
“ARE YOU ACTUALLY HAVING THE GALL TO IGNORE ME⁈ I DON’T CARE HOW HARD IT IS FOR YOU
TO FUNCTION RIGHT NOW, IF YOU DON’T WANT ME RAISING MY VOICE ANY LOUDER THEN
YOU’D BETTER RESPOND YOU IDIOT‼”
Squawk’s voice was a powerful tool indeed, perhaps too
powerful, as this time Chain heard it. It sounded distant to her through the
whispers, but she could tell that it came from behind her and not from within
the whispers. Turning around unable to believe that Squawk had made it to her
current location, she saw him sure enough strike a gloating pose as Maye seemed
impressed by him. Chain could not hear Maye at all over the whispering, but
even focusing beyond the image of the dragon was a difficult task and Chain
could barely stay standing. Her plight was lost on Maye and Squawk but Drop and
her were one, so for the spirit it was an easy matter to understand. Drop did
not settle for simple understanding however and swam through the air in a hurry
to reach Chain. Chain looked at her confused as her double reached her and was
about to say something but stopped as Drop grabbed her forehead as best as she
could in relation to her size. With Chain’s forehead in her grip, Drop leaned
her head and whole body back as far as she could. Chain recognized the action
and panic set into her eyes. Before she could retreat or reach up to block her
double, Drop lunged forward with all that she was and smashed her forehead into
Chain’s. The cracking sound from the collision could be heard clearly by Maye
and Squawk before they even came close to catching up with Drop and Chain. Maye
winced in response and questioned Squawk about it as he showed no response
while watching Chain fall to her knees clutching at her forehead.
“What exactly was that?”
“Nothing surprising considering this idiot. With a skull as
thick as hers it’s no wonder we heard the collision back here. Though it does
seem that the mini idiot has the advantage, seeing as she is able to apply that
denseness to a more concentrated point. However, I have no intention of being
distracted by this pitiable scene.”
Walking ahead of Maye, Squawk angrily placed his hands on his
hips. As he reached Chain who was still coddling her forehead, He leaned in
over her and raised his voice again.
“I HOPE YOU CAN HEAR ME NOW YOU IDIOT! AND YOU BETTER BE
READY! I’VE AN EARFUL FOR YOU FOR THE SHEER IDIOCY THAT YOU’VE MANAGED SINCE I
TAUGHT YOU ABOUT MAGIC!”
“Awawawawawawa~~~~~! Please don’t yell Squawk. I don’t know
how, but I can hear again just fine.”
“Harrumph! Is that so⁈”
Harrumphing loudly, Squawk doubted Chain’s hearing even as
she reached to protect her ears. Tears in her eyes she nodded in answer. Though
she did not vocalize a response, her voice coming from Drop did continue the
topic of Chain’s hearing.
“There is no need to worry. That part of us is hearing mostly
normally again as this part of us has taken as much of the burden of hearing
the songs of the world onto us as possible. Unlike that part, this part is much
better accustomed to handling the noise of the Lucifalz as a result and can
function just fine.”
“But did you have to headbutt me? My forehead really hurts
now… And how did you get down here in the first place?”
“We jumped, though I have to say that you look the worse for
wear heretic.”
“What do you expect? I’m an adventurer on an adventure so
getting banged up is bound to happen!”
“ARE YOU ALL TRYING TO INTERRUPT ME⁈”
With Maye taking her turn in the conversation and Chain
responding to her, Squawk had become all but forgotten it seemed. Raising his
voice again was more than enough to make sure that did not persist and that
they surely remembered he was there. With everyone’s attention again on him,
Squawk returned to his intention of chewing out Chain.
“Ahem! I doubt an idiot like you has noticed, but we did not
just jump, we used the principle born of your idiocy to enter Ambrosia! How you
managed a feat that has not been achieved since the Saint Herself entered
Ambrosia is beyond me, but it is to my understand that it is likely born of you
completely failing to understand the fundamentals I taught you of magic! And
then I hear that you can also likely open the Gates of others using the same
principle!”
“Eh⁈ Really? I can do that?”
“We should be able to.”
“What do you mean should? Didn’t you not to long ago suggest
having her open my Gate for me?”
Butting in again, Maye wore a frightening look as she
expressed her displeasure. Drop smiled awkwardly and tried to answer both
honestly and in a way that made it sound better than it was.
“Well, it seemed like it would make good practice.”
“Am I supposed to be your lab rat now?
“AHEM!”
Squawk clearing his throat froze everyone and the only
movement they managed was to slowly turn to look at him. Chain managed to find
the courage regardless to speak before he did, scratching her cheek with a
nervous laugh as she did.
“I know you’re mad Squawk, but wouldn’t it be better to
finish up here and leave before you yell at me some more? I mean, between all
of the monsters, the two Sa·B·ers who are after me, and that Foreigner, not to
mention the big monster I’m off to kill right now, this isn’t really the time
or the place.”
The look Squawk gave Chain could have froze water, and at the
very least froze her. Yet Squawk did not say anything, though the longer the
silence persisted the angrier he seemed to get. Watching him was akin to
watching the fuse on a bundle of dynamite and everyone got more and more
nervous until finally Squawk exploded.
“IF IT’S SO IMPORTANT, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR YOU IDIOT??‼”
“Heh heh… Right. Let’s go!”
Springing to her feet, Chain started running ahead fearful of
Squawk going off more. Unfortunately, nothing seemed to help as he just started
shouting some more.
“First you say it’s dangerous and then you run off with out
me! You idiot!”
Looking back to see Squawk, Maye, and Drop hurrying after
her, Chain laughed and scratched at her cheek. Slowing down she allowed them
catch up to her pace and laughed again.
“Sorry, and thanks for coming to get me.”
Looking back ahead of her, Chain furrowed her brow as she
continued in a not so cheerful tone.
“I almost lost myself in those whispers.”
Narrowing his own eyes, Squawk demanded an answer.
“What are these whispers anyway?”
“The voices of the Lucifalz.”
Speaking for Chain, as she had clearer understanding of what
was going on, Drop attempted to explain.
“They ring out like the songs of the world. To those who
can’t observe the songs they make no noise, but to those sensitive to it they
are deafening. To spirits who live within that song they are ignorable in their
annoying discord, but for humans who are not used to it… Even then though they
are weird. The whispers are so many voices, and within them we can hear our
voice as well. So many echoes speaking things we should know like our fractured
memories, but also teaching us things we should not know. The Lucifalz and its
song make little sense to us.”
“Yet for as little sense as it makes, she-devil, I might
understand your confusion. A Lucifalz as it grows begins to distort reality, so
it seems of little surprise that even history is distorted around it. It would
be best if we hurried and reclaimed its Light for the good of all.”
Maye’s words were humbling, yet there seemed little choice
but to press on. Lute found all of the information he could glean from the
group of utmost interest. Most if not all of it served no use in his current
job, but it was unquestionable that the information would be invaluable for
future work in a world twisted by the appearance of the Lucifalz. First though
there was the matter of dealing with the current situation.
The forest canopy they ran through seemed without end at
first, but it was more an illusion caused by the lack of monsters and the dread
of what awaited them ahead. The canopy itself gave way to a cave, a sizeable
tunnel that something extremely large could pass through, before they even
realized it. The tunnel was long, but not so long that the other end and the
light it held could not be seen. As they emerged beyond the tunnel, it was a
scene as unusual as it was unsettling.
Above the sky, the greater and lesser moons, the Eyes of
Icarus, looked down upon the Foreigner city that loomed over where the Forest
canopy became as a giant nest. Save for the distant edges of the circular
platform where their density was greater than even before, the flame petaled
flowers were not present in the tremendous clearing. There were stray flower
petals drifting on the wind that swirled about, but they were scarcely
noticeable before the leafless tree that grew out of the center of the nest.
Comprised entirely of Light, it stretched up and outward several dozen meters,
covering a massive swath of the clearing. Stopping as they stepped under its
branches, Maye breathed out in both amazement and disgust.
“Such a massive Lucifalz. I’ve never seen one so staggering
in size.”
“I have… I think…”
Clutching at her forehead, Chain fell to her knees. The
visions of a tree rising up from the face of Icarus to meet her so high in the
sky. It was unlike anything she could comprehend, but the sight of a crimsoned-hued
giant with wings of Darkness and a sword of Light faced her. There was
something familiar about it, but she could not place it as the thoughts were
pushed aside by the dragon of Darkness that plagued the space between. That
Darkness threatened to swallow her, but her voice from a place both outside of
herself and nearer than the Lucifalz provided her a way back.
“…don’t give in to the Lucifalz. The whispers are loud and
distort everything we are. Please come back.”
Opening her eyes, Chain found herself on her back staring up
at Drop, Maye, and Squawk. Relief washed over the three of them and Chain
blinked confused. Sitting up she grabbed at her throbbing head.
“Thank goodness! We did not lose ourselves! We made it!”
Looking at the teary-eyed Drop, Chain smiled.
“I’m fine now, really.”
“I doubt that you idiot. The blood pouring out of your nose
attests to a different tale.”
“Eh⁈”
Prompted by Squawk’s harsh words, Chain wiped her nose with
the back of her hand. Staring at the back of it, there was no denying the large
quantity of crimson liquid that streaked across her chainmail. With a smile,
Chain rose to her feet and blew it off.
“I probably just reopened the injury I got when the Foreigner
hit me in the face earlier.”
“Regardless heretic, it is probably best you leave the
Lucifalz to me. Though it will be a challenge to reclaim so much Light without
the others, it is unlikely they can even reach it to be of assistance. I am
fully trained in the recovery of Light however and need only the time to
perform the ritual. During that time you should rest and only take action
should something appear which threatens its completion.”
“Like that?”
As Maye had been looking at Chain as she spoke and stepped
forward, she did not see what it was the maid pointed to. It was a matter as
simple as looking however, and she irritably sighed heavily at what she saw.
Pulling her rifle from her back, she checked the cylinder for how much ammo she
currently had loaded and then answered Chain.
“Yes, that would threaten the ritual.”
Lifting its head, the creature that lay beneath the Lucifalz
turned its reptilian gaze onto Chain and the others. Flicking it’s snake like
tongue in and out of its mouth, the creature rose and revealed that there were
more reptilian features to it than just its eyes. The easiest way to describe
the creature would be if an eagle had crossed with a snake and a bat. Though
the bat-winged serpent with eagle like talons had even more defining features
that set it apart. A mouth full of sword like teeth and a barb at the end of
its tail dripping liquid fire. That and as it stood up, it’s body alone matched
Finch’s Dolmen in size. Maye identified it for the others as she looked down
her rifle at the monstrosity.
“Of all the places to encounter a wyvern. Though, it’s scales seem more like bark…”
“Then this is the Ambrosial beast that has defiled Lady
Atheaeldre’s gifts⁈”
“It looks like it.”
Providing a casual answer to Squawk’s question, Drop only
seemed to fuel his anger at the creature’s existence.
“I swear, I really will kill it!”
“Not so fast Squawk.”
Though raring to have at it, Squawk’s readiness was put on
hold as Chain put her hand between him and the wyvern. Looking up to assail her
for daring to stop him, the sparkling eyes and enthusiastic smile on her face
stayed his words. Chain was excited and there was no hiding it.
“Why don’t you leave this to me Squawk? I’m the Sa·B·er after
all, and this seems like the perfect substitute to take out my frustration on
because of the dragon I can’t get out of my head.”
“Can we beat it though?”
“Don’t worry Drop. I’m not half-baked and have a lot of
stress to work through.”
“It doesn’t seem that way to me heretic. The smile on your
face and the sparkle in your eyes looks more like you’re just excited fight
it.”
“Hrm~! Is there anything wrong with that⁈”
Turning a pout onto Maye, Chain challenged her to stand
against her enthusiasm. Much as she challenged her, she did not give her a
chance to answer as her enthusiasm had already drowned out her sense of reason.
“I’m an adventurer, and I’m also a Sa·B·er so I can actually
try and fight a big monster like this without a Dolmen. I want to give it a
shot and see how I do.”
“Does the concept of dying not exist in that thick skull of
yours, you idiot⁈”
“This coming from the young man who had to be stopped by her
before charging it himself.”
Maye’s biting counter earned her a furious look from Squawk,
but as he had no worthwhile argument, no words joined his look. Maye smiled,
taking some small pleasure in her little victory and looked again towards their
foe.
“Though I’ve heard of Sa·B·ers defeating monsters such as
these without the use of Dolmen’s, but those tales reek of the embellishment of
legends.”
“For a sister of the Cardinal Church, you have very little
faith in the powers we possess that require Cardinal’s Light to save us from.”
The voice from behind them caused the whole group to spin
about to see who had joined them and Chain and Drop both slumped their
shoulders and groaned.
“Is that any response to show a fellow Sa·B·er, Chainmaid.”
“And who exactly is this idiot?”
“Exactly that Squawk. Him and his brother won’t leave me
alone and I totally forgot he was here after you three showed up.”
“That’s so heartless of you Chainmaid.”
Lute Mouser’s smiling face did not seem to be the expression
of one hurt by Chain’s words, and he causally approached the group. Maye
leveling her rifle on him brought him to a stop, however.
“How unseemly for a Sister to point a gun at a Sa·B·er.”
“Don’t forget that I have already born witness to you
attacking another Sa·B·er. You are barely more than a Rogue Sa·B·er yourself.”
“Oh, you mean that. It was all a misunderstanding really. You
see, when brother and I were introduced to the Chainmaid, we were told that the
cleansing ceremony had failed. That the Light of Cardinal faded out without
ever touching her. As a result, her escape from the Cardinal Church fell on
brother and I to rectify.”
“I can’t believe that you two would have followed her this
far without once bearing witness to the Light this heretic possesses.”
“Tsk, tsk Sister. There is that lack of faith of yours again.
But this seems the perfect opportunity to show me. After all, we have a wyvern
bearing down on us and need to get out of the way.”
“WHAT⁈”
Risking turning their backs on Lute, Chain and company
discovered he was not lying and barely had time to get out of the way as the
wyvern lunged headfirst. Grabbing Squawk by the collar of his long coat, Chain
took off in the opposite direction of Maye. As the centaur opened fire on the
wood like carapace of the beast, she proved an apt distraction allowing Lute to
engage in conversation as Squawk fought to keep his clothes from choking him.
“So, what do you say Chainmaid? With brother occupied with
that Foreigner and me already here, does it not seem the perfect opportunity to
try working together?”
“Last time you offered to work together I was supposed to
give myself up to you two.”
Chain’s disbelieving pout earned a laugh from Lute and he
waved his hand behind him. Following his gaze to the wyverns back, Chain pouted
harder as he spoke.
“I am a sworn Sa·B·er in service of the Cardinal Church. I
would never willingly harm a member of the church, and you know you stand a
better chance at victory with my skill. Besides, there is something else I want
right now. I can’t complete any of my jobs without it.”
“And what’s that?”
“A safe way out of Ambrosia. From what I understand, you are
the only one here who knows how to leave safely.”
“Is that really all?”
“Don’t be mistaken Chainmaid, there are plenty of ways for my
job involving you to end, but none of that maters if I am trapped here. That is
unless you are so heartless as to abandon a man in Ambrosia.”
Chain slid to a halt and dropped Squawk unceremoniously.
Gasping for breath, the young nāti man was about to start yelling but was cut
off by Chain giving him an order.
“Squawk, Drop, support us.”
“A wise decision Chainmaid.”
Lute smiled pleasantly and Chain pouted furiously. She did
not offer him any further arguments however and snapped the fingers of her left
hand. In response the small sphere of Light that answered that summon appeared
above her palm and she closed her hands around it. Squawk stared in amazement
and disbelief as Chain’s bow of Light took form.
“My word you idiot! Did you just open an Ambrosial Gate in
your hand and then convert it into Light? Your idiocy is beyond even my wildest
imaginings!”
“Shut up Squawk. There may not be enough of this wyvern for
me to take all of my bad mood out on.”
Spinning her sword into a reverse grip with just the pommel
in the palm of her hand, Chain raised her bow and drew back an arrow of light.
As her cape blew into being like a jet of fire like Darkness, Chain yelled at
the wyvern.
“Hey! You big dumb lizard! Leave her alone! I’m the one you
should be paying attention to!”
The first arrow flew, and then the second, third, fourth, and
fifth with a repeated motion that was almost too fast for Squawk to notice
happening. Lute whistled as he studied the Light held in Chain’s hand and
turned his attention to the destination of the arrows to see how potent they
were. The roaring of the wyvern as it reeled back, flames bursting out of its
neck, spoke volumes of the lethality of Chain’s Light. Effective as Chain’s
attack was though, the injury seemed only to injure the beast as it turned its
attention away from the rather relieved Maye, to Chain.
“So even if you harm the exterior, a lethal blow seems
unlikely with an internal body of fire.”
“It’s the nature of this domain’s master while it is here.
Normally it must be removed from Ambrosia to slay it.”
Drop’s comments on the invincibility of their foe in response
to Lute’s observation was not reassuring. Chain did not let it bother her and
watched as the wyvern took to the air as she readied another arrow and asked a
question.
“Hey, Drop, do you think you could dose those flames?”
“We could try, but the exterior is wood and would likely grow
if exposed to Ambrosial water.”
“No wonder the other spirits ran then. Wood to push through
the earth and hard enough to contain a raging inferno within that would consume
any other flame. In that case, do you think you can at least protect us from its
fire?”
“That shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Good, because it’s about to breathe”
“Oh!”
As Chain predicted, the wyvern finished gathering the energy
within itself and belched forth a ball of destructive fire at her, Lute and
Squawk. Squawk’s voice rising up over the raging flames and hissing steam that
swirled around them told Chain that Drop was successful for now at least at
fending off the flames and she listened to what Squawk had to say.
“NEXT TIME YOU IDIOT, LURE IT AWAY FROM ME‼”
“Don’t shout at me Squawk, shout at it. I bet you could
probably knock it out of the air with your voice.”
“And risk it coming after me directly! Are you mad⁈”
“Well, I though it was a good idea.”
With a shrug, Chain disregarded Squawk and let arrow after
arrow of Light loose into the sky as the flames cleared away. Each arrow found
it’s mark in the wyvern’s delicate wing membranes and tore right through. The
size of Chain’s arrows versus the size of her opponent however meant the holes
were inconsequential to the monstrous beast and it did not fall from the sky.
Chain pouted with disappointment without noticing that Squawk was already
making a break for the cave. Squawk was not the only one on the move though as
Lute took advantage of the distraction caused by Chain’s arrows to throw his
own blade skyward, lodging it into the wyvern’s neck. The wyvern jerked in
response and yanked Lute skyward, a motion he anticipated and leapt in time to
the yank so he could rise above the wyvern. The wire between his ring and sword
pommel growing lax as his jump reached its zenith, he prepared for the next part
of his attack. With a smile he yanked on the wire to pull his sword towards him
as several sparks of light raced down the wire. The resulting explosions and
collision of forces somehow worked out with the wyvern’s neck being blown
further skyward, allowing Lute to land on it near his sword. With another yank
on the wire and more explosion inducing sparks, Lute ran opposite his sword
along the wyvern’s neck drawing his weapon through its wooden flesh and leaving
a flaming trail behind it. As he ran out of room to run, he simply jumped off.
Swinging fiercely, he traced a path back around the wyvern and above it again
before launching into the air above it once more. His sword came free as he
rose and the wyvern’s head did the same, the decapitated beast falling out of
the sky. Before it did though, Lute threw his blade one more time into the
wyvern’s body. Then, with a spectacular display of his ability managed to swing
and jump from the falling creature’s body so that he landed safely on the
ground with his sword resting on his shoulder as the wyvern’s body hit the
ground.
“Unbelievable… So that is the power of a Sa·B·er…”
Maye was dumbstruck as she watched the dust cloud that rose
up around the fallen wyvern, and Squawk was no different from where he peaked
out of the cave entrance. Chain was less impressed and pouted defiantly at Lute
beside her.
“I bet I could have done that too.”
“Maybe you could have with the right tools and experience
Chainmaid. Now though, we should finish up here– ⁈”
Lute stopped short as the wyvern’s headless, flame spewing
neck rose up, followed a moment latter by its body standing. Lowering its neck
to where its head lay on the ground, the flames within joined and the creature
was once more whole again. Straightening up and spreading its massive wings,
the wyvern let out mighty roar. The roar summoned a flock of monsters into the
sky that near blocked out the Eyes of Icarus and the Foreigner city above. Then
the wyvern lowered its head and glared at Chain and Lute with flaming eyes.
“Heh heh… Well, this is bad…”
Victory disappeared under a sky of monsters of ash and
cinder, a dark wind stirring flower petals of fire skyward. Below that sky
Chain, Maye, Squawk, and Lute Mouser found themselves in a desperate battle to
stay alive. For the two Sa·B·ers the monsters that would overcome Maye and
Squawk were of little concern compared to the threat of the wyvern. Every
injury they inflicted simply resulted in a gout of flame that fused shut the
wooden carapace of the Ambrosial beast. Drop was hard pressed to swim safely through
the battlefield providing protection from the flames as the five of them were
pressed into trying battle. There was only so much that each of them could
accomplish though, as Squawk only understood spell casting of one fashion and
struggled to cast any spells within Ambrosia. Maye was limited in her ammo
supplies and even less familiar with magic than Squawk to be able to accomplish
much more than kicking the monsters that swarmed her with her hooves while
using her rifle as a club. Even Lute found himself hard pressed as the
Ambrosial wire of his weapon was far less effective within Ambrosia. But not
one of them missed the ease with which Chain moved, or the Ambrosial Gate that
she opened within Ambrosia with each snap of her fingers despite the risk of
opening a gate at all within.
“She really is an idiot. If any of us tried to open a Gate….”
Squawk swallowed fiercely as he weighed the consequences of
opening a Gate within Ambrosia and could only connect Chain’s ability to do so
with her idiocy. Maye fared little better in understanding how Chain pulled it
off, but she could barely focus on the dancing, flipping, acrobatic delivery of
arrows of Light and powerful sword slashes carrying that Light. Lute could
better watch her and knew the power she wielded was genuine. With one swing of
her sword, she turned her bow into a blade of light that rent many a monster
asunder and split the wyvern vainly in two. The beast naturally responded with
a belch of flame that Drop had to save Chain from.
“We have to stop making it angry. Stopping these flames in
this domain… If not for the wood, it would not be possible.”
“Then I just need to figure out how to kill it in one blow!”
Closing her eyes for a moment and moving by instinct, Chain
tried to think but was again assailed by the image of the dragon of Darkness
that filled the space between her thoughts. Opening her eyes, she pouted
angrily and ran to buy herself some more time.
“Hrm~! It’s no good! I can’t think with that thing in my
head.”
Snapping her fingers, Chain summoned her bow and leapt into
the air, spinning and using monsters as steppingstones to climb higher. As she ascended,
she loosed arrow after arrow, but for every monster she killed, two more seemed
to take its place. The battle was not going the way she wanted it to, and she
knew normally she would be getting legitimately angry instead of just
frustrated. But like her thoughts, memories, and knowledge, her emotions were
fragmented and unreliable in their appearances. Only the dragon of Darkness and
the whispering of the Lucifalz were constants.
“That’s right, the tree. It may be loud, but I can hear my
thoughts in it.”
“Wait! Don’t! We may desire knowledge, but we cannot hope to
find what we seek within the Lucifalz.”
“But you can hear my voice in there to, can’t you?”
“We can, but…”
“Then help me find my voice in there. Let’s find my voice
speaking the knowledge I need.”
Drop swam alongside Chain as best she could, looking on
Chain’s massive eyes and pleading expression worriedly. She looked on the
battlefield and the hopelessness of the battle and trembled. If there was a
time to take risks, it was in that moment.
“Fine, but we pull out if we start to get overwhelmed.”
“Don’t worry, we’re just listening for me and any knowledge I
have to win this fight.”
Nodding in confirmation, Drop and Chain turned their thoughts
onto the Lucifalz. The whispering was overwhelming, and Chain fell to a knee,
forcing Lute to have to come to her rescue.
“Chainmaid, are you alright?”
“I just need a moment.”
“I can buy you that much, but the nun and the pilgrim…”
“They’ll be fine…”
Chain could not afford to focus on anything else if she were
to isolate her voice among the whispers of the Lucifalz. It was a difficult
task though as when she did hear her voice it was either too fleeting or too
alien in attitude and thought to grasp. She did not relent though and just
started trying to listen no matter what they were saying in the hopes that she
would hear what she needed to. Trying to prompt her voice amongst the whispers
she spoke aloud what she needed.
“Magical theory, the relationship between wood and fire, and
what can kill them both…”
“What are you saying Chainmaid?”
Overhearing Chain as he fought to keep her protected, Lute
asked her what she meant but she did not hear him. Her voice within the
Lucifalz’s whispers had taken to arguing with itself over what she focused on.
“Fire and wood shouldn’t be able to coexist. Fire burns wood
as fuel.”
“But if the wood is strong enough it can resist the fire.”
“Such a weak fire though should be easily put out with a
simple breeze or a splash of water.”
“Wood strong enough to resist fire will shrug off such a wind
and water only strengthens wood.”
“Earth is no good either. Wood can strengthen itself from
earth as well and can penetrate even the strongest of rocks.”
“Then the wood that is too strong even for fire has to be
killed.”
“But what element is left that could pull that off.”
“Darkness…”
The word came to Chain ominously and seemed to cut her off
from the whispers of the Lucifalz. Standing unsteadily, she took a step back
and looked at the Lucifalz, remembering what she and Drop promised the spirits
above.
“A Darkness to swallow even the greatest Light.”
“That isn’t a good idea.”
Drop could not contain her worry about the idea that Chain
had, but Chain simply smiled.
“But it’s what we promised the spirits here, isn’t it? To
protect them from the Light with a Darkness it can’t pierce.”
“For some reason I don’t like what you’re saying Chainmaid.”
“Heh heh! That’s fine. But–”
“If you call upon Darkness now…”
Interrupting Chain’s dismissal of Lute, Drop again tried to
warn against Chain’s train of thought. Lute found the spirit’s concerns
pressing and queried of the urgency.
“Tell me Chainmaid, what is this Darkness you are referring
to, and where will it come from? Is it perhaps related to that Gate you keep
opening even when it would be unwise for the rest of to open our Gates?”
“It’s something like that. It’s like the power of the
Foreigner that infected me. But all I should need is an incantation that makes
sure I stay in control. That and a spell that is easier to control.”
Lifting up her sword, Chain looked at her reflection in the
blade and smiled. Drop’s reaction was less enthusiastic by several degrees and
she did not hold back her thoughts.
“We should not wake the Beast. The last time the Beast was
awake–”
“It ate everything.”
The enthusiasm that Chain spoke with gave pause to Drop and
Lute, but the Chainmaid smiled brightly with a twinkle in her eyes. Swiping
away monster that got to close her she turned those shimmering eyes on Lute and
Drop.
“It’s time to go, so gather everyone up by the Lucifalz and
get ready to take us out of here Drop. I’ve got the incantation ready.”
“Do you have it ready or did you hear it from the Lucifalz?”
“Maybe a bit of both, but I’ve had enough of that thing
whispering in my head and I’m going to get rid of it. I’m going to get rid of
everything stopping me from piecing my thoughts together. Now go get the
others, it’s time to leave.”
Not staying to continue arguing with herself, Chain bolted
away from Drop and Lute and into the thick of the cloud of monsters as it had
descended upon the nest the Lucifalz stood in. Sprinting at full speed with a
smile on her face, she put her sword to lethal work, monsters of ash and cinder
falling like autumn tree leaves in a gale. One monster in particular would not
fall so easily as it stood like a mountain against the gale, and for it, Chain
snapped her fingers and called up her bow. With the first arrow she earned the
wyvern’s attention by shooting it in the neck. She did not loose her next arrow
until after she leapt above the Ambrosial beast’s lunging bite, the arrow
finding purchase in the back of the wyvern’s head. Rearing back in pain, the
wyvern provided Chain a path back to the ground and dropping her bow she ran
down it and cut through the wyvern’s body along with the bow as she ran down its
back. The light coated sword easily cut through the wyvern’s wooden carapace
and an eruption of fire traced Chain’s path down its back. Chain did not make
her way directly to the ground though but made for the wyvern’s tail. The
wyvern had no intention of letting Chain make for it and stabbed at her with
the barbed tail. Chain simply smiled and leapt just in front of where the tail
struck and stabbed her sword into it just behind the stinger. Twisting her
sword to stop her leap, the wood splintered and cracked. The wyvern roared in
response and whipped its tail back around to dislodge Chain who was glad to go.
But she did not intend to leave without a prize and twisted her sword free with
a powerful slash severing the stinger from the tail. Having chosen her dismount
of the wyvern, Chain exploited her time in the air to summon her bow with
another snap of her fingers and loosed a series of arrows of Light into the
wound she cut down the beast’s back. The wyvern roared with pain and rage and
whipped about to level its fiery glare onto Chain as she landed at the edge of
the nest.
“That’s right, eyes on me.”
Smiling broadly, Chain saw the line of events before her were
exactly what she wanted them to be. Moving into place behind the Lucifalz,
Drop, Maye, Squawk, and Lute all looked in her direction with looks of worry,
concern, incredulousness, and curiosity. With Lute with them though, Chain knew
they would be safe under the branches of the Lucifalz and turned to the task
she set for herself. Grabbing her cape, she pulled it tight against her and let
it disappear, revealing her scabbard hanging from her sword strap that was
wrapped around her hips. Sheathing her sword, she looked up at the wyvern that
had begun wearily approaching her. She couldn’t ask for more perfect a
situation and her eyes sparkled with excitement.
“Here. We. GO‼”
Holding both hands out in front of her with palms turned
towards each other, Chain snapped the fingers of her left hand releasing the
distinctive ringing sound that accompanied the motion. Between her palms the
sphere of light her snap conjured swelled into being and she began her
incantation.
“~ Darkness that falls as night”
With the beginnings of her incantation, the sphere of light
became corrupted with Darkness and was soon transformed by it. As the sphere of
light became a sphere of Darkness, Chain’s cape flared violently back into
being as she continued her incantation.
“Hatred transcending ages
Passed from Foreigner to mankind
I call on your hunger to devour that which dares oppose me
Bind it to my purpose in the form of my greatest strength
Feed you with the flesh of my enemies
Sword of Darkness! ~”
Passed from Foreigner to mankind
I call on your hunger to devour that which dares oppose me
Bind it to my purpose in the form of my greatest strength
Feed you with the flesh of my enemies
Sword of Darkness! ~”
Calling out the name of her incantation, Chain released the
sphere of Darkness. In the same breath she took a step back with her right foot
and drew her sword through the sphere. As her blade met the sphere, the
Darkness became one with it, a snaking trail of Darkness writhing into the air
lengthening the blade well beyond its tip. Taking her sword in both hands,
Chain turned the tip behind her and squared up to face the wyvern, whose
internal flames seemed to defy the color stealing properties of the sword she
wielded. Chain simply smiled wider, and in response her sword of Darkness grew
larger and larger behind her.
“It’s been a while since the Beast fed, so I hope you make a
good meal.”
Deep Root
Colony ~ Lower Levels
Early Autumn ~ Early Afternoon
Early Autumn ~ Early Afternoon
Ancient
mechanized halls bathed in green
Be it light or vegetation
Deep in the earth the abyss was as an overgrown grave
A killer of monsters versus a killer of man
Two reapers on the hunt at odds
Be it light or vegetation
Deep in the earth the abyss was as an overgrown grave
A killer of monsters versus a killer of man
Two reapers on the hunt at odds
“Whatever is the
matter Foreigner? You’ve grown distracted.”
Pan Mouser narrowed his eyes as he cautiously glared at Zhenir.
The Foreigner within the black mechanized armor had leapt back and gazed into
the abyss from the walkway he battled Pan upon. Lit by the glow of the embers
from the corpses of countless monsters that fell during the battle between the
two hunters, he appeared almost lifeless. The laughter that emitted from him
was made that much more unsettling as a result.
“Hehehehehe… You are a most skilled swordsman, human, but as
a hunter you are perhaps lacking. Or it is perhaps me who is lacking,”
“I’m afraid I do not follow. However…”
Pulling the hammer on the matchlock mechanism of his rifle,
Pan allowed the gathering of Nectar that turned his weapon’s blade a
luminescent blue. Changing from one combat stance to another, he carefully
gauged his opponent. They had been battling for minutes and neither of them had
struck a decisive blow. Whatever it was that distracted Zhenir seemed to
provide the opportunity for Pan to deliver one himself, but he was not so
naïve. A single mistake would cost him his life. Zhenir however seemed done
with their battle.
“You do not follow human as you do not sense the Light, and
as of now neither do I sense the Light of my prey. If she has left, then my
time here is over. Killing a fellow hunter and rival, no less a meager Light
Touched after competing for the same Child of Her Light would be shameful
consolation. No human, our battle ends here, and we resume our hunt once more.
I do hope you will entertain me again in the future. Hehehehehe…”
Before Pan could act, Zhenir fell off the walkway and into
the abyss. Sprinting up to the edge, Pan swung his weapon and pulled the
trigger, releasing the blue light as an arc of energy that descended into the
abyss. He did not seem to strike anything and allowed himself to look over the
edge carefully. His eyes narrowed a he saw nothing but the bottomless darkness
of the abyss that Deep Root Colony was built into. There was no sign of the
Foreigner, and even the green light had vanished, the interior of the abyss now
lit by the distant midday sun. Looking up, he saw the Dolmen that Finch piloted
scanning the abyss from where it clung to the abyssal wall. He guessed
correctly that Finch was likely calling out for Chain and Maye, but could not
figure what it was that made them begin to evacuate from the abyss.
“Could it be…? It would seem it is time for me to leave as
well. Let us see what you have accomplished Lute.”
Turning his back on the abyss, Pan began the long walk back
to the surface.
Deep Root
Colony ~ Fire Blossom Forest
Early Autumn ~ Early Afternoon, Clear, temperate
Early Autumn ~ Early Afternoon, Clear, temperate
A great nest illuminated
by the glow of a Lucifalz
A sky under the Eyes of Icarus dominated by a Foreigner City
Clouds of monsters as far as the eye could see
A wyvern of wooden carapace and flaming body within
The sword of Darkness that drained color from the world
A sky under the Eyes of Icarus dominated by a Foreigner City
Clouds of monsters as far as the eye could see
A wyvern of wooden carapace and flaming body within
The sword of Darkness that drained color from the world
“What is that⁈”
The question was on everyone’s minds, but it was Maye who at
last expressed it. Watching the slithering darkness that extended into the sky
ominously behind Chain who held it, it seemed impossible to believe what she
held was a sword. Fortunately for the group however, Drop and Chain were the
same person so she could provide the answer to the question that paralyzed them
as they looked beyond the Lucifalz.
“It is the Beast, or the Foreigner infection that makes us a
Sa·b·er. It is unlike any Foreigner beast we know of though, and the Nectar we
draw from it when we open its Gate is not normal either. It is nothing like the
Nectar found on the surface of Ambrosia that mankind and monsters both normally
call on. It is something dark and filled with a song of such malice…”
“And that idiot has gone and summoned something like that.
Whatever was she thinking?”
“Can she control it however?”
Lute found Squawk’s question unimportant as he watched the
violent writhing of the Darkness that served as the blade of Chain’s sword.
Drop’s answer surprised him though and made his eyes widen.
“We are in complete control. What you are witnessing is
little more than the tip of the Beast’s tongue. To consume everything we intend
to consume though, it is more than enough.”
“Exactly what type of Foreigner parasite infected her?”
Lute did not bother trying to disguise his horror as he
looked upon the sword that Chain held that was growing rapidly as the wind
around her swirled wildly. Watching her so closely, he did not miss the moment
she launched herself forward at the Wyvern to meet its own charge. The monsters
that filled the space around the Lucifalz like a cloud parted before the two
combatants and unwittingly allowed the death of their master. Without having to
worry about the monsters, Chain was able to focus entirely on her strike. Grateful
for the size of the wyvern, Chain swung at an upward angle allowing her to not
endanger the others with the massive blade of Darkness. Seeing the Darkness cut
through the wyvern like air, the other were just as grateful for Chain’s choice
of strike. But where Chain was pleased with the effects of her attack, the
others were horrified. As the Darkness passed through the wyvern, the fire
within simply disappeared, absorbed by the Darkness. The wooden carapace of the
beast followed as it first crumbled into worthless chunks before being sucked
into the Darkness as though it were being pulled into an inescapable void.
There could be little doubt that the wyvern had indeed been consumed. But Chain
had one more target to feed to her sword of Darkness and took flying strides
towards it.
“I hope you liked the appetizer, cause now it’s time for the
main course!”
Feeling enthusiastic, Chain wore a brilliant smile of pure
joy as she wielded the power to silence the whispering of the Lucifalz. Kicking
off of the ground into a twirling flip, Chain soared skyward using the monsters
that filled the sky to push her ascent higher and higher. Her twirling and
flipping ascent served more purpose than just to get above the Lucifalz, as the
ever-growing blade of Darkness affixed to her sword cut massive swaths through
the clouds of monsters, consuming all who drew too close. Chain was not perfect
however, and she cut the branches of the tree many times during her ascent. The
tree did not fall so easily to Chain’s sword though, and Drop, Maye, Squawk,
and Lute remained safe behind its trunk. As Chain finally managed to reach a
height above the Lucifalz to her satisfaction, her intent changed from simply
killing any monster that she happened to as she climbed up into the air. Having
reached the position from which she intended to attack, Chain shouted out as the
Darkness became as a crackling bolt of lightning.
“Drop! NOW‼”
“Everyone might want to hold their breath.”
Between Chain’s shout and Drop’s warning, Maye, Squawk, and Lute
were able to spot Chain above but could not focus on her as a sphere of water
engulfed them. So high above, Chain could not see them through the luminous branches
of the Lucifalz. She did not care to however as she could sense Drop’s
preparations and raised her sword above her head, banishing the Foreigner city
in the sky. Holding her sword so aloft, Chain smiled as she looked down on the
Lucifalz from the peak of her ascent.
“And now it’s time for you to stop whispering, and me to leave.
Hya~~~~~!!!!!”
Marking the beginning of her descent with a shout, Chain
arched her back and built up as much tension in her muscles as she could. Then she
released that tension and pulled her sword down with all of her might, the
crackling bolt of Darkness arcing about to meet the Lucifalz. As it met the tree
of Light, reality itself seemed to bend and the tip of the sword shot into the sky
beyond the point of sight. But neither Chain or the Darkness relented, and as
Chain screamed the bolt of Darkness grew thicker and wilder. All around the
base of the tree, further bolts of Darkness erupted from the ground it was
rooted in and stretched off into the sky in all directions. Speeding past the bolts
of Darkness a large sphere of water raced up through the branches of the Lucifalz
even as the bolts began to converge. The Lucifalz could not resist the Darkness
any further and began to crack and splinter as gouts of flaming Darkness erupted
from it. Those trapped in the sphere of water watched on in breath holding terror
as the Lucifalz was consumed and the Ambrosial world along with it. They too
seemed to be consumed by Darkness but the Darkness vanished in an instant as
Chain was absorbed into the sphere of water and it shot well above the dust
storm that raged outside of Deep Root Colony.
“Hold on… just a… little more…”
Drop strained to keep the sphere of water together as she
lowered it to the ground. For all of her effort though, it was too much and she
passed out, the sphere of water popping like a bubble. The screams released by
Maye and Squawk were cut short as they hit the ground, which was much closer
than they realized resulting in any injuries stemming from overreaction. Lute
was much more reserved however and landed as though there was no difference
regardless the height he fell from. As he did, he caught Chain, who was as
unconscious as Drop who fell onto her bosom, in a princess carry, making sure
to support her so that her head fell forward. Chain’s sword slipping from her
grip and clattering on the ground drew Maye and Squawk’s attention to the fact
that they were alive. After a moment of stunned revelry, they spun about to
demand answers of what had just happened but froze as they were hushed by Lute.
“Shh~. It would seem she spent everything she had to pull
that off. Even her cape has vanished along with the rest of that Darkness.”
- What did you do to Miss Chain⁈ -
Booming across the external speakers of her Dolmen, Finch’s
voice revealed that they were not unnoticed in their return to the surface. As the
motes of gold and red light that marked the location of the spirits that waited
for Chain to defeat the Lucifalz and Ambrosial beast began to swirl around her,
the dust storm vanished revealing the azure sky above. The azure sky was not
all that was revealed as Finch’s Dolmen came into full view towering over the group,
as well as the Chapel and the full contingent of nuns tasked with reclaiming the
Light of the Lucifalz.
“Would you believe me if I say I simply helped make sure she
made it out of there alive?”
It was not a lie, and it was the only question that would be
answered at that time despite how many there were. The whereabouts of the Foreigner
that had assailed those who had ventured into Deep Root Colony up until Chain
arrived. What it was that Chain was possessed by and the nature of the Darkness
that she wielded. And what would come next for the Chainmaid and her desire for
adventure. All that would have to wait, as despite sleeping soundly in the arms
of one of her hunters, Chain was safe surrounded by the nuns of the Chapel. She
would be afforded the rest she had earned after traveling so far to rescue her
childhood friend, Squawk, and could face whatever awaited her after.
Encounters · End
Chain’s
adventures will continue…
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