Chapter 132: Voidlands

Chapter 132: Voidlands

Zora led Vir through the maze of tunnels, away from the Undercity, descending as they went. Vir rightly grew anxious as they descended deeper into the bowels of the earth. Virs history with deep, dark places hadnt exactly been stellarfirst with the Prana Swarm, then again with the Narapazu.

It was almost as if the realms most horrifying denizens claimed the abyss as their territory.

And yet, the well-lit hallways told a different tale, as did the dozen checkpoints they crossed.

As if this maze isnt enough. Vir thought. Hed given up on memorizing the tunnel networks layout after the twelfth junction. Not only did it stretch far and wide, there were several layers as well.

He pitied any poor souls who gained access to these tunnels; theyd die of dehydration long before they ever found an exit. That was assuming they somehow entered the Undercity in the first place.

They walked for so long that Vir began to suspect Zora had lost her way, but the steadily growing levels of prana told him otherwise. The air remained devoid of it, as usual. But the ground? Vir couldnt recall if hed ever seen such density in his life before.

Zora eventually halted in front of an unassuming door.

Through here, she said in her gravelly voice.

Vir followed, expecting to enter another tunnel, or perhaps a small room.

What he found was an enormous domed cavern, easily stretching six stories in height, and nearly that in girth.

The bare rocks were well-lit, with non-magical light going all the way up, highlighting the enormous contraption that sat in the center of the room.

Having seen Valaka Amara and the Hiranyan Vimana, Vir immediately recognized the cylindrical device as Imperium technology. Its blue-white rings spun faster than the eye could track, but what stunned Vir was not its physical appearance, but rather its pranic signature.

At the very top of the device, Earth affinity prana flowed into it, along with a smattering of other affinities. Life, Water, Wind, even Lightning was present in trace amounts.

How can those affinities be present in the ground? That makes no sense!

Then he spied the dozens of holes in the ceiling. Like a honeycomb, hundreds of tiny holes had been drilled into the earth.

Holes that lead to the surface!

Vir doubted the Order had the means to pull off such a feat. Which meant it was the Imperiums doing.

But while the top of the device was surprising, the bottom was downright shocking. Prana exited out the bottom of the enormous cylinder, but there was only one affinityEarth. All the other affinities had disappeared.

Its converting prana!? Vir thought. Hed never have guessed such a feat was possible. So thats why the ambient Earth prana density is so high. But wait, if it can convert those affinities Does that mean Ash prana can be converted as well?

Behold the Pagan Orders greatest weapon. The Prana Siphon sucks prana from the air and deposits it into the earth. Not on a local scale, but a regional one.

Regional? No. No way

Then, Vir whispered, barely daring to ask. The Voidlands are your doing?

Did you know? The Voidlands were once called the Voided Lands. Voided by this very Artifact. Since the Age of Gods, this device has siphoned prana. Eventually, anyone who knew of its existence died off, and now, people believe the Voidlands to be a natural phenomenon. Helped along by our own misinformation, of course.

Hadn't Riyan theorized something similar? Vir had barely registered it at the time, but now it struck him just how astute the old warrior really was.

Vir could scarcely imagine what it must have taken to accomplish such a feat. Riyan once mentioned that strong mejai acting together could drain the prana from a battlefield. But to do so for an entire country? Once again, the might of the Prime Imperium left him in awe. To have attained such great heights Vir genuinely wondered what they were like.

What calamity could have brought down such a powerful civilization?

Vir wasnt sure if he truly wanted to know.

But why? Youre starving your people of prana. How can that be of use to your people? Vir asked.

Have you ever wondered why the Kingdoms and Empires leave us alone? Zora asked. Why they allow us to raid their countries and steal their demons?

They allow you to? Vir asked. Wait. Does that mean Do they know of the true nature of the Order?

Vir doubted such a big secret could be kept from other nations. No matter how good the Orders security was, leaks were bound to spring.

They know, yes, the gangly Ghael replied. Though it is a tightly kept secret among royalty.

Why would they Oh.

Nobody likes demons, Vir said. By allowing you to steal them, they avoid having to keep them in camps.

Or kill them off, Vir thought, his stomach growing queasy.

Some demons become slaves. Those are the lucky ones. Or the unlucky ones, depending, Badal muttered. Most die, some violently. But genocide isn't a great public image for a country. Even if we are just demons.

Humans are quick to hate, Badal began, but Zora interrupted him.

No. They are right to think as much. Long ago, when the Pagan Order first started raiding other countries to bring slaves home, we had something of a civil war. One faction wished to lay low until we amassed enough power to force the humans to respect our sovereign right as a nation of demons. The other... held more extreme beliefs.

The moderates won. The other side fled, forming a splinter faction in Matali. They prefer shock and fear to cow their opponents. While these tactics have their uses, they must be used carefully, at the right time and place. Our Matali brethren believe otherwise, I'm afraid. They feel they must return the wrongs they've experienced a hundredfold, and that no amount of savagery is enough.

Are they really extreme enough to be labeled as feral?

That was the part that confused Vir the most. Tia seemed to think some demons akin to Ash Beasts.

Badal exchanged a strained look with Zora.

Some of them grew weary of living in human lands. Some sought the Demon Realm.

So they brave the Ash?

Indeed. Most perish. Some might even have made it, though we wouldn't know. The ones who return are... addled. Not quite right in the head. Unfortunately, that only makes them even more aligned with the Matali demons' ethos. They become their champions, more often than not. Suicidal maniacs who behave more like animals than intelligent creatures.

When these demons come into contact with humans, Zora said, the result is often disastrous. We do what we can when we find them, but...

There aren't many of them. But there are enough to be a problem. We think Kin'jal helps them out in secret, to destabilize Matali. Allows them to cow the country into submission and hasten their downfall. Won't be surprised if Matali ends up part of the Kin'jal Empire someday soon.

Vir fell silent. The demon situation was turning out to be far more complex than he'd initially thought.

Demons are stronger than humans, on average, Badal continued, but there are more of them than there are of us. Every brother and sister rescued bolsters our cause. Especially those slated for death row.

They'll be executed? Virs stomach sank, while his resolve hardened. When? Where?

Kinjal, and tomorrow, in the dead of night. Fifty of our captive brothers and sisters will lose their lives. The males and children will be executed. The females will suffer worse than that unless we act. Our raiding party could use an experienced warrior. Especially one so experienced in stealth and subterfuge like yourself.

Vir clenched his fists. The thought of those like himself being subjected to such cruel fates made his blood boil.

I

Theres no obligation, friend, Badal said, squeezing Virs shoulder. Wed love to have you, but youve only just arrived. Even otherwise, wed never demand that anyone join us. Its risky, and theres a good chance some of us wont make it back. Think it over.

Vir nodded. Thanks. Ill do that.

Truthfully, he was about to agree. But mulling it over wasnt a bad idea, either.

As Badal says. We are always short of help, and we would reward you greatly for any aid you could give us. But there is no obligation. We invite you here with open arms. Simply as you are.

T-thanks, Vir said. If he was honest, it felt good. A warm, comfortable feeling ballooned within his chest, and for the first time in his entire life, he felt like he belonged. Like hed finally come home after an arduous journey.

Tears began to stream down his face before he realized it.

Thank you, he whispered. I do you mind if I head to the surface? I have a lot to think about.

Of course, Zora replied. Badal will show you the way.

The Undercity, while a safe havenperhaps the only demon haven in the Known Worldwas still a strange environment. One Vir might grow used to, but for now, he longed for the crashing of the shores and the sight of stars overhead.

The plan is to fly in with a fleet of Acira, Badal said as they ascended back to the surface. There were several exits, and not all led through the Undercity proper. Theyre being held in a fort in the southwestern countryside, just east of the Endless Plains. We sneak in, break them out, and leave. No bloodshed. Hopefully.

How many of us? Vir asked as they ascended a ramp.

With you? Well be fifteen. Need space on the Acira to bring our brothers and sisters home. Having someone with your skillset would be a huge boon, if Im honest.

Vir fell silent. His skills would be valuable here. Dance of the Shadow Demon could get him into places inaccessible to most, and his other abilities ensured he could hold his own if it came to combat.

Well, here we are, Badal said, opening a door that led out to the castle grounds. Sleep on it. And explore the city. Both parts. Im here if you need me.

The demon left Vir at a small room adjoining the grounds, where he took a few minutes to reapply his face paint.

Soon, he found himself on the Promontory west of the castle grounds, at a park that overlooked the Runean ocean. The same park his guide had taken him to just hours earlier.

Here, hed hoped to find solitude but instead found the park filled with people, despite the late hour.

And among them was a group of three. A man and two women. A blonde and a brunette that looked all too familiar.

Vir approached them from behind.

Uh, Tia? In Adinats name, what are you doing here?