Chapter 168: Sikandar

Chapter 168: Sikandar

Vir felt like he was going to be sick. His body shivered as he stared at the symbol.

These were humans, once. Living, breathing humans who'd ventured into the Ash.

Any injuries? Cirayus asked, gliding down next to Vir. My healing tattoos only function for myself, but your crimson-haired friend gave me a couple of Life orbs after she learned I can use magic. Good catch, that one. Be sure you dont let her slip away. Hard to find people with mettle like her these days.

I... dont intend to, Vir said.

Aye. The demons wont take well to a human Clanlady, but I suppose that just means youll have to cow them into submission with your world-ending strength.

Did he just say Clanlady? Vir thought, suddenly jerking out of his thoughts, his head growing hot.

Very funny, Vir replied tersely. This was neither the time nor the place for such jokes.

Vir gestured to the corpses littering the ash. Cirayus, I think I know what these... creatures are. They arent Ash Beasts. Or at least, they didnt use to be. Theyre from the Human Realm. Cultists who call themselves the Children of Ash.

That right? Never heard of such awell, now, isnt that interesting? Cirayus asked, kneeling to examine the symbol embroidered into their robes. The core of the symbol of the Akh Nara. This is too similar to be a coincidence. Its identical to the one on your chest.

I know. They hate the primordial and they worship a Prana Swarm. Apparently, its deep inside the Ash somewhere.

They sound like lunatics.

They most definitely are, Vir replied, recalling his encounter with the cultist at Brij. Lunatic was, in fact, the perfect word to describe them. But, crazy as they were, did they deserve such a terrible fate?

How curious, though, that they would know of the Akh Nara. According to records, none of your prior incarnations ever ventured into the Human Realm. What could this mean, I wonder?

Really? They went into the Ash, but never to the Human Realm?

Vir had thought that one of his ancestors had entered the Human realm, where hed had an altercation with the Children which spawned their hatred.

It may simply be that those records have been lost, Cirayus said, stroking his long beard. Or

Or something else is going on here, Vir finished.

Aye, though speculating wont get us anywhere for now. Tell me, lad. These Children of Ash venture here, do they?

Think so. They worship the Ash, after all. I wouldnt be surprised if their crazier members tried coming here at some point.

Looking down at a deformed corpse, Vir suppressed a twang of panic. If Maiya had joined me

This may very well have been her fate, doomed to walk the Ash forever. Death mightve been less cruel. Images flickered through his mind. Maiyas body twisted into a hideous form as she screamed in pain, her sanity burned awayFollow current novels at novelhall.com)

Thank the Gods she had the good sense not to follow.

By the time hed recovered, Cirayus had already left, venturing into the maw of the enormous cavern that jutted from the otherwise featureless landscape. The skeletal remains of the great beast that had once called it home peeked out, though most of it had been buried by the ash.

Seems its been a while since this guy died, Cirayus commented, touching a pale rib bone that extended nearly ten paces into the air and formed an arched skeletal shelter.

What was it?

All I can tell you is it was enormous. Many beasts in the Ash have never been documented, nor even witnessed by sentient eyes. It looked like a nasty fellow, though it seemed to sleep most of the time. Your retainers and Iwe snuck in here while it slumbered and got out before we woke the thing.

If you had to fight, whod have won?

Lad, I dont doubt wed all have died gruesome deaths. As you saw with that Wyrm, many creatures in this realm far outstrip my strength. Tis one reason I find the humans power scale so absurd. If they knewif they really knew of the horrors that lurked in this realm, you wouldnt find nearly as many mejai strutting around, boasting about their arbitrary power numbers or titles. True strength is immeasurable. Real power is the ability to make your prey wither and flee by your mere presence alone.

Vir had to admit, Cirayus had a point. Balar 1000, Mejai of Realmseven the Prime Mejai himselfwhat were they against a nightmare that was literally invincible, and could eradicate entire cities in minutes? It was easy to pretend they didnt exist, crafting power scales that made humans look strong.

The giant chuckled. Aye, but if four is better than two, six is always welcomed. Think weve got it.

Vir had been wondering when the giant would ask. He removed his armor and rolled up his sleeves to keep them from getting dirty, then jumped into the pit Cirayus had dug.

Its a sword, right?

Aye, wrapped in cloth, along with a small bag. You dig on that side. Ill work on this end.

Vir wondered why they needed two people to dig out a swordthere was already a good bit of it uncovered. A bit more and Cirayus wouldve been able to pull it out on his ownbut Vir didnt complain.

Methodically, he scooped ash out one handful at a time. Owing to how deep it was buried, Vir ended up moving far more than hed initially expected. When he thought hed reached the end of the cloth-covered blade, it kept going.

Ah, right. Oversized, of course.

Except, the more he dug, the more of the blade he uncovered. Even after Cirayus announced hed retrieved the satchel and had unearthed the hilt, Vir hadnt found the blades edge.

No way. This cant be real, can it?

It was only ten minutes later that he finally found it.

Climbing back to the opening of the ditch theyd dug, he took in the blade in its entirety.

You have got to be kidding me.

Cirayus gripped its hilt and lifted it effortlessly, unraveling the cloth ribbon in one smooth motion.

Brilliant seric glinted as he hefted the blade.

A blade that was half again as long as Cirayus was tall. A four-handed, curved mega-talwar, the likes of which Vir had never even imagined possible.

End to end, it must have spanned twelve paces, nearly three times Virs height. Its weight Vir didnt even want to think about it. Itd take five men to lift the dang thing.

Oh, Sikandar! How I have missed you, my friend! Cirayus shouted, swinging the blade as easily as Vir would a katar.

The sheer force of that casual swing blew away the ash that covered the floor, creating a miniature maelstrom within the cavern that forced Vir to shield his eyes.

I mentioned some call me The Ravager. I earned that title only after I forged Sikandar some centuries ago. This is why. Oh, you may wish to plug your ears, lad. Or you may well go deaf.

Cirayus grabbed the enormous hilt with all four hands, braced himself, and swung.

The gargantuan sword blurred out of sight, smashing into the cavern wall an instant later.

Vir barely plugged his ears in time. Even then, the crash of seric on stone reverberated in his chest, and the ensuing shockwave bowled him over, sending him tumbling end over end.

Coughing and sputtering, Vir righted himself, disoriented at the strange lighting.

Wait light?

There was no sun in the Ashen Realm, and yet the surroundings had become much brighter.

What did you!? Virs words choked in his throat, and it wasnt on account of the ash.

The cavern was gone. Cleaved off by Sikandar.

Vir stumbled back and fell on his butt.

Grakking chal!