Chapter 262: Building Some Good Will

Chapter 262: Building Some Good Will

Tala was rather irritated. The blast that had disrupted her connection to her budding Archon star hadnt really been anti-magical.

In fact, if she had to say it mimicked anything, it reminded her of Master Jevin in Makinaven, where he could grab anyones power and move it around with his aura control and the odd strength he had within his city.

Tala found herself glaring at the guards before her.

Shed been merciful, and these men had nearly killed her.

You. She locked eyes with the leader, even as he paled.

He could obviously see that she had not been undone by his last-ditch tactic.

-He also likely saw the edges of the void before the through-spike fully reactivated.-

She tried not to growl as she asked, Who made that item?

The leader didnt answer right away as he looked around, taking in the state of his men.

The two who had tried to sneak up on and catch her between their lightning weapons were the only men who werent injured.

Specifically, the dozen others each had a broken left ankle. I should have just caved in their skulls.

-No, dont let your frustration, fear, and relief combine to make you regret your mercy. You had no need to kill them, so you didnt.-

That was true enough.

If she had killed them, then shed still think she was on a time limit for the dasgannach. She also knew that she had a much greater penchant for violence after her time in the arcane lands. Rust, Brand had tried to put a knife in her heart, and theyd become good friends. These people just inconvenienced her a bit, and she wished shed killed them all?

I need to push back on those instincts more

-Hey! At least the dasgannach is in a more stable sort of equilibrium.-

Sure, but now, I have a different problem, and Ill still be dead if my left hand is severed She frowned at that. Or will the dasgannach just draw everything back into the rest of me?

-It might take the opportunity to leave, taking the star with it, since it would already be outside of you.-

That does seem likely

She wasnt keen to test the theory either way.

Finally, the leader gathered himself sufficiently to respond. We are not here to answer your questions. We are to bring you back to our leader.

That was your purpose?

Yes, the Head asked to speak with you, to ensure you were not a threat.

She frowned. Did he create that item?

The man hesitated, then seemed to decide that there was no harm in elevating his leader in her eyes. Yes.

Are you thinking what Im thinking?

-Definitionally, yes.-

Thats not what I mean. We have this thing still inside us, and we have no idea what its going to do. We could really use an analysis, and someone capable of creating some of these items

-Theyd have the tools to provide that, yeah.-

Good, then he likely has some good diagnostic equipment. Take me to him.

What?

-Oh, Tala-

What? Its a good plan. I need more information, and the magic technology they have seems incredibly advanced.

-Assuming they didnt just steal all these weapons and devices.-

From who?

-Ruins?-

That thats actually a good point, but if they have access to that many ruins, and this much weaponry? Itd be worth getting to know them in either case.

She desperately wanted to get home, but she couldnt let this chance go to waste, and she really didnt want to just hope that the dasgannach would remain stable until she got back home. Who knows? Maybe they have a teleporter. I could teach them how to build one, actually.

Now that was an idea.

Could we just build one?

-You dont actually have a complete knowledge of the spell-forms. You have knowledge of the functions, but not exacting details on the construction.-

Rust. Fine.

The leader was standing, stabilized by one of the two uninjured men. You will need to surrender your weapons.

Tala cocked an eyebrow. Did I need weapons to overcome all of you?

He twitched, seeming to fight an urge to flinch back, and after a moments hesitation, the man sighed, shaking his head. No, but

She overrode him. I could take all your weapons. Should I do that?

What? No!

Well, then. How about we all keep our own gear, and remember that youve already tried most of yours, and I havent used any of mine on you.

The leader grimaced, but before he could respond, the other uninjured man came up to whisper in his ear.

Tala broke her standard respect for privacy, given their earlier hostilities, and listened in.

Each one of the men has a broken ankle, sir. Were not getting them back without aid.

The leader seemed startled. What? All the same injury?

Yes, sir. All the left ankle, too.

Tala barely contained her smirk.

The leader frowned but nodded. Alright. Well just have to send some people back for them.

Tala cleared her throat. If youd like to begin building some good will, regardless of your ambush of me, I can carry your wounded in my dimensional storage, provided they dont move around too much. Some were gated, and she wasnt keen to have Kits foundations undermined.

He narrowed his eyes at her. Why should I trust you?

She shrugged. Because if I wanted you dead, you would be. Im Tala, by the way.

-Your real name? Really?-

Im tired, Alat. I just want to be me. Id like to be home, too, but thats not possible at the moment.

-Thats thats fair.-

He cleared his throat. Greater Tala, I am Markl, sergeant of the guard.

Tala frowned. Greater? Whats that mean?

Markl looked a bit uncomfortable. It is our term of respect for one who uses magics without requiring artifacts.

So a Mage?

It was his turn to frown. Like from the folk tales? Mages, wizards, liches, and the horrors below?

Some sort of obfuscation?

The steady, infrequent trembling of the ground had continued and seemed to be all around them now.

Youll feel a slight tingle as you pass through the field.

Tala frowned but nodded. Im coated in iron and forewarned. Not alerting me beforehand would have had a much greater chance of succeeding, if it was nefarious.

They crossed another dozen yards, and Tala did, indeed, feel a wave of tingling pass over her before it seemed that a veil had been pulled back from her eyes.

Before her, a structure towered into the sky, easily a few hundred feet from its foundations to the tallest tower.

That structure was ambling across the landscape on six long, almost delicate-seeming legs, which stuck out from the foundations of the compound.

Instantly, Tala assumed that the resonant thumping shed been feeling was from this massive thing walking, but she watched it take a step, and felt nothing.

Then another step.

Then another.

Then, she felt the deep resonant vibration.

Voices called out from the walking structure, and it seemed to turn slightly.

Theyre looking for the origin?

Maybe it was coming from underground.

She shivered at the idea.

The Banlens both had seemed to relax once they entered the field, and all three of them stopped a hundred yards or so inside it. There she is. Home.

There were other groups scattered about, though what they were doing, Tala couldnt quickly determine.

Even so, she found herself nodding. I can admit, I was not expecting a walking city.

City? Lean Banlen laughed. No, no. Were not nearly so big. Were barely a village.

Her head whipped to face him. What did you say?

He took a step back, clearly startled by her sudden movement. Were not big enough to be a city?

After that.

He swallowed. Were barely a village?

That. A village. Thats just a small city, right?

Yes, Greater, more or less.

The other Banlen stepped forward. We need to catch up. You can ask your questions of the Head. Im sure hell be happy to speak with you.

Tala narrowed her eyes, looking at the village.

She remembered a woman who called herself simply Mistress. An insane offer of gold for a soul bond, a healing in the snowy mountains, and then abandonment to find her own way home.

Will I find her here?

-Only one way to find out.-

They took off at a run once again, and she found herself once again impressed at the two mens endurance, given they were running in rather heavy armor. It wasnt anything like full plate, but it was far weightier than a scouts armor tended to be.

She was looking around at the unusual zeme as they ran when the truth of it hit her like a physical blow.

The village has its own aura? It was an insane idea. The sheer volume of power required was staggering. Even the human cities back home didnt have an actual aura, just overlapping defenses and detection grids.

Though, to be fair, a village having an aura would be a lot more feasible than a city, at least in theory.

-More things to ask this head.-

So it seems.

It didnt take long for them to catch up to the backend of the walking village.

There was a spur of rock extending down in back, with a door and a platform hovering just above the ground.

A singular guard stood on the small threshold.

The leaner Banlen ran ahead and hopped up, whispering to the guard.

Tala was amazed at how quiet the villages steps were. Even right beside the thing she couldnt hear them at all.

She realized it was magically enforced silence, of course, but it was impressive nonetheless.

The guard at the door didnt look too pleased, but eventually he nodded and gestured them forward.

Welcome to Howlton, Greater Tala. Banlen here said that youve rendered aid in transporting some of our men, and wish to speak with the Head?

She blinked a few times at that, glancing to Banlen curiously. He was studiously avoiding making eye contact. With a chuckle and a shake of her head, she smiled. That pretty much sums it up, yeah. Ill let the men out of my dimensional storage once were inside.

He gave her a long look, then grunted. Above my paygrade. Welcome to Howlton.

Without anything further, he opened the door away from them, and gestured for them to enter.

They entered, one Banlen in front and one behind, immediately climbing a set of stairs, up through the dark interior of the villages foundation.

The top was awash in light, and as they came out of the dark, sloped passage, Tala was amazed at the life she saw all around them.

It felt like they were exiting an alley into a bustling marketplace.

There were workshops open to the air, though no sound exited the broad spaces.

More noise-canceling?

Food stalls were scattered about, along with sellers of various standard goods: clothing, belts, household tools, and the like.

No one seemed to notice their arrival, as the place was positively filled with people moving about.

True, if everyone had stayed still, they would have barely taken up any of the available space, but since everyone seemed to be off on their own errands, the market atrium felt almost over-full.

To her surprise, almost everyone she saw had a gate. Ill have to ask about that.

The arched ceiling two dozen feet overhead kept it from feeling stifling, but there was a definite feeling of life to the place.

Tala took a deep breath, reveling in the more familiar spices of human cooking.

Arcanes ate mostly the same food, but they always seasoned it just a bit differently.

This?

This smelled like home, and Tala felt a tightening in her chest at the memories that tried to pour through her mind. She kept them at bay, barely.

Right this way, Greater.

The heavier Banlen had leaned closer, so he didnt have to shout.

She nodded, and followed him through the maelstrom of humans and arcanes, interacting with perfect civility.

Well, I never expected to find something like this in the plains.

-Indeed.-The original appearance of this chapter can be found at Ñøv€lß1n.