222 The Lost Lord

Closer and closer they got to that power…

Vigil began to sense more and more. His Psionic abilities were churning, going wild, sensing stuff he'd never thought he could sense. He could sense the walls, and the glow of the amber. He could sense the stone under his feet, and the hardness of the rock. He could sense the mist, and the slithering creatures hiding in them. He could sense the still, thick deadliness rolling off the power they were approaching…

Except that now he could sense that it wasn't a power. It was two powers, and they were locked together somehow. One of them was terrifying, and it made Vigil want to run away with his tail tucked between his legs.

But the other one…

The other one called to him like nothing Vigil had ever known. It was an attraction as great as gravity, a pull stronger than honey-roasted spare ribs, a closeness as familiar to him as his own scent…

[This Psionic emanation… I know it. I KNOW it! Somewhere… but what was it…? Who was it…? Why do I feel… ah!]

They stumbled upon it before Vigil could even clear half his scrambled thoughts. Before he could even think of the question, the answer lay before his eyes.

There in a hidden hollow was the hulking, dark form of an enormous and staggeringly powerful wolfcat.

Vigil gasped.

[PAPA!]

***

Shadowflash, the Lord of the region where Kara-Goth lay, had been lost for years. Nobody knew where he went. Nobody knew when he went. Nobody knew why he went. Nobody knew anything about his disappearance except that by the time everyone noticed, he was gone.

Well, now they knew exactly where he went.

[Papa!!] Vigil pounced on him, tugging at his ear. [Papa…?]

The figure stirred. One eye opened, spotted Vigil, and the big snout twitched. [Hey, little fella. I know you, don't I?]

[Papa! It's me! Vigil!]

The figure shifted. [I smell Carrie on you. I smell Carrie in you. One of hers… and mine, it seems? Yes. I know you. I saw you when you were very little. You were the one with big, wide eyes. Vigil. I remember you.]

[Papa! Where have you been? Why haven't you come home?!] Vigil placed both paws on him.

[Home… no. I can't. Not yet.] Shadowflash shook his head slowly. [I can't let it run free! I must keep it here! I must protect my home!]

[It? What is it? What are you fighting?!] Vigil glanced about, but there was nothing here except shadows and mist and glowy orange light. [Papa…?]

[It is here. It is awakening.] Shadowflash glanced at Vigil grimly. [You should not have come.]

And then the shadows moved. A lurking, hulking form even bigger than Vigil's dad rose to its feet. They couldn't make out a clear form, only that it had four thick, clawed legs, a large head, but no tail. [Sssshaadowflassh…]

Vigil shrank back. This was it. This was the power that scared the wits out of him. This was… this was… [What is it!?]

[This is a creature that should not be in this world. I don't know how it came so far north, but it should not be here. But here it is, and it is my sworn duty to fight it.] Shadowflash let out a deep, low growl. [It is the sworn duty of every Noble, every Lord, every King, and every Emperor of the Wilds! No matter the cost, no matter the years, no matter the blood shed upon the Wildlands! We will stop them all!]

[You… have… no hope…!] the creature laughed, a haunting, echoing laugh without sound. [You cannot killlllll me…!]

[Even so.] Shadowflash said quietly. [I will stop you. Until the winds grow still, until the waves fall silent, until the land no longer bears to bear weight… we will stand against you.]

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Psionic power reared up. Shadow flared against shadow. Power clashed against power. The Spectral Beast surged, but Shadowflash stood his ground, refusing to back away, refusing to let it go.

[It issss already too late! Haven't you felt it… the Rift… is widened. Just a little bit… just a little bit more of a crack… but it is widened!] the Spectre hissed. [You cannot sssstop us all!]

Shadowflash did not reply. He just growled, and his power suddenly towered.

Instead, Vigil barked. [Stop bullying my dad!]

A little bolt of Psionic energy shot out from his forehead, smacking against the Spectral Beast. It didn't seem to do much. It didn't seem to do anything, in fact, but it made the Spectre snarl, and Shadowflash barked a laugh. [See? Even our young know to fight you. You'll never get past the Wilds. Never.]

Vigil thought about the Beast Tide and thousands of Wilds leaving all at once and suddenly had a bad feeling in his tummy.

Because of the mana shortage, there was a world war. Because of the world war, the humans risked settling new colonies in the Wildlands seeking more resources. Because of the new colonies, the death tolls rose faster than ever before, and so the Wilds sought vengeance, also harder and fiercer than ever before. This time, they didn't stop at the edge of the desert. They went all the way across the Midland Sea, three Kings and even one of the Emperors went north…

Also, it kinda felt like… they weren't planning on coming back.

He'd have to tell Papa later. But first… [Cheery! Snaps! Let's help Papa!]

[He's not my Papa. Just yours.] Cheery pointed out.

[Not mine either.] Snaps added.

[Whatever! Just help!!] Vigil shot out another Psionic Bolt at the Spectre. Cheery tried the same, but hers was only half as strong. Snaps could barely form one.

Still. Any help was better than nothing. Vigil threw his full efforts into helping his father against this otherworldly ethereal foe.