Four Hundred And Ninety

Four Hundred And Ninety

As I sprinted through the outer edges of the volcanic cloud, I started feeling the heavy presence of earth and flame elements around me. Mixed in were several other sorts, and I could feel the presence of dust element being carried in the ash, making it far more corrosive than it would have been otherwise. The material of my breathing mask was starting to dissolve, rubber and plastic bubbling, so I took it off, trusting to my enhanced physique, and Ether Healing that had already had exposure to dust element, back when fighting the Widow of Nails and her reanimated husband.

The density of the elements in the atmosphere here is on par with some areas of the Boundary. That seems... too fast. While it was clear from both Ortlinde’s words and Tan’s that eventually the Boundary would fail, meaning that the Material would then directly lie against the lower Astral, and eventually more and more of the Astral would seep into the Material, that was a process that should have taken decades to even hundreds of years, ordinarily. Whereas here it’s been half a year at best...

Taking a breath, my Material body suffered spikes of pain as hot dust was taken in, but the damage was soon healed, and the Bezoar stone was shining faintly, filling me with earth energy in compensation for my injuries. I also drew on the fire and earth energy, the fire especially useful as some was consumed using Foehn earlier. I needed to be in as peak a condition as possible for whatever I was going to face. I doubt that the grave danger Uranai predicted is getting caught in a volcanic eruption. Honestly, I’m confident I could do something about that, even if just to protect myself and the others...

Using a trickle of aether to protect my clothes, I wished I had taken the time to enhance the Brigandine so it had the presence here on the Material as well. Self-repair would be handy now, otherwise I’m going to come out of the other side of this naked...

The ground was starting to be coated by stinging, corrosive ash, falling like snow, reminding me of a scene in an old horror game. Hopefully this won’t end the same way. Though going to rescue an impossibly ancient, wicked fox doesn’t sound like it has a good end... The temperature was starting to become oppressive, now I was getting closer to the Nasu peaks, and lightning was being generated from the terrible cloud of ash and dust above. One bolt struck not too far from me, turning a small grove of trees into burning torches. It was growing hard to see, never mind breathe, and the red glow of lava ahead, coating the sides of the peaks, filled me with worry. I opened my mouth to mutter to myself, only to shut it as the hot air and ash scorched my mouth and tongue. Ruefully, I grimaced. I’ve spent too long in my own company. Now I’m constantly surrounded by people, I have to get out of that habit. But that aside, I hope the Sessho-seki isn’t buried under the lava. I don’t want to go swimming, although...

The ground under me rumbled, and I lost my footing for a second, as large chunks of rock were hurled out of the volcano, followed by an oppressive wave of burning ash. Fuck, pyroclastic flow... My Eye could pierce the shroud of dust, and since I was under ten miles from the mountains, I did the calculations quickly. Around two hundred miles an hour, that can cover ten miles in three minutes. Less, as I’m running towards it... The thrown debris slammed into the surrounding terrain, explosions echoing, shrapnel sent in all directions, and I grimaced, remembering the words of Nebisuki, who in the Boundary was cheerfully urging us on, as we ploughed through groups of beasts that had accosted our progress to the north, massive monkey-like creatures who seemed to have only rudimentary intelligence, yet towered four or five metres high, and wielded trees and boulders as crude clubs and maces.

“Yes, crush them, crush them!” She was laughing, furry ears fluttering with her heightened emotions. “Such mindless brutes deserve no salvation!”

“Just keep up the barrier please.” I told Chen Na, who had projected a bubble of force across the front portion of our accelerating vehicle. One monster ape stepped in front of us, only to be thrown aside by the impact. Our vehicle shuddered for a moment, the sudden loss of forward movement jolting us, and my sis cursed as one of her arrows went wide.

“Drive better, bro!” she pouted, window down, leaning out, adopting an awkward pose that would never have been accepted in Kyūdō. Pulling another arrow from her quiver, watching it blaze into flames, she fitted it to the bow she gained from Shaeraggo, before unleashing the shot. This time, one ape was pierced in the eye, and the flames cooked its brain, causing my sis to exclaim fearlessly in joy. “Nice! I’m definitely improving in speed and penetrating power. Your brother was right, Shaeula, it’s no good being concerned only with style and accuracy in battle, speed matters too.”

“I shall be sure-sure to tell him.” Shaeula sniffed, her torso sticking out of the window on the other side of the car, waving her hands, fine threads of wind bisecting multiple apes easily, silver blood and then rainbow ether falling to the ground as we zoomed past. We didn’t even have time to collect it all, but despite that the girls seemed to be having a good time, apart from Chen Na, who was trembling from both the effort and fear. A thrown boulder struck near the car, and a second would have hit us, but for Daiyu, who was occupying the rear seat behind my sis. She let out a cry, gathering her Qi, and with one blow batted the boulder away. Her arm bent the wrong way with a sickening crunch, but calmly she pushed it back into place, and her Favour of Chang’e quickly started knitting the broken bone back together. Seeing my concerned gaze, she managed a smile.

“I do not wish to use too much of my precious Water Qi, otherwise I would be unleashing the watery bullets I have learned from you. But we face unknown dangers ahead. After all, a local snake can supress a foreign dragon such as us. We must keep our strength to pull the fangs of the snake.”

“A real shame.” My sis declared, “But you’re right, Daiyu. Hopefully the next feast of free experience points you can join in. Bullseye! Another good hit... oh... too shallow. Well then...” A second arrow left her bow, and this time the giant monkey she had struck fell, slain.

“I’m more concerned about what’s ahead...” We were further out in the Boundary than the Material, due to a combination of the car being slower than a helicopter, and us getting constantly diverted and distracted by incidents such as the Kappa and this tribe of monkey beasts, so even with the faster flow of time here, we were still some forty miles out, by my best calculations. Despite the distance, the peaks of the Nasu volcanoes towered, clearly visible, and great columns of lava were soaring into the skies, something impossible in the Material world, lava falling like rain to bathe the surrounding areas, leading to what worried me, a massive, roaring wildfire that surrounded the destination.

This requires great strength in earth and wind element. I am beginning to see where the need for wind is coming from... As we powered past the surviving monkeys, outstripping their pursuit, leaving them behind, on the Material I braced myself for the impact of the pyroclastic flow. I channelled earth element, and the ground shattered, curved pillars of the underlying igneous rock forming a makeshift barrier. I then called forth wind, forming a glowing green shield of air, not meant to block, but to.... The impact of the wall of scorching ash was incredible. The wind shivered, jade sparks flashing, but I held on, parting the flow like a jutting boulder in a river. Divert the flow. I can’t take this head on, but I don’t have to... The surface of the rock barrier was charring and bubbling, rock melting from the fierce, seven hundred degrees heat the flow brought with it. I held my breath, but despite the insulation of the wall of wind, I still felt my skin sear painfully. If it was me of a few months ago, I would likely have burned to ashes, only charred bones remaining, but now I could hold on, Ether Healing repairing me as fast as I burned.

Moments later the flow was past, and I choked out a relieved sigh. Now the landscape truly was obliterated, fields and forests reduced to barren, ash-strewn lands. There were towns and villages in the vicinity, though fortunately few, and they had been evacuated by the government, but the repair bill would certainly be immense. Though that’s for them to worry about... though if it turns out to be related to the Sessho-seki, it might be the first time the Ministry will have to put its spiritual disaster planning into action. We thought we had a couple of years yet...

Craters were everywhere, shattered boulders lying amidst the destruction, and as the dust and ash cleared, I got a closer look at the nearby volcanos. Yeah, that’s not natural... The peaks were all belching lava, yet it had formed a lake around the foot of the mountains, and the slopes were riven with boiling rivers of molten rock. I could see great clouds of poisonous, sulphurous gases hanging heavy over them, and as I watched another pyroclastic flow was unleashed, heading away from me, mercifully, but the eruptions didn’t look like any I had seen or heard of before. Comparing it to the fountains of flame in the Boundary, I had just one thought. It’s as though they are forming a barrier, or a field...

In the Boundary, Shaeula expressed a similar thought, her amber eyes reflecting the brilliant light of the distant lava plumes. “I do believe this is not-not natural, even for this realm. The Boundary...” She pointed at the dark skies above, dim aurorae overshadowed by the fierce glow of the volcanos. “...it frays alarmingly. Perhaps it will not-not collapse today, or tomorrow, or even-even in the near future, but... such stresses, it will not-not hold long.”

“I’m concerned about taking you all in there now.” I frowned, worried. “I know we brought Chen Na for her shields, but this is going to be dangerous...”

“You knew that before, no?” Nebisuki reassured me. “If you go now, and survive, your garden shall be protected from pillaging winged predators. Besides... I am sure nobody wishes you to face this alone.”

Shaeula took a deep breath, before calming herself and conceding the point. “You are correct, fox. I do not-not wish Akio to face danger without me by his side. Besides, if death should claim him, Hyacinth and I shall follow after. It is decided.” Shaeula obliquely mentioned the Pledged One Class and its effects, careful not to give Nebisuki any ideas, though with my grip on her invisible tail through her true name, it was unlikely she could cause trouble.

“As for me, I’m not a martyr. But...” My sis narrowed her eyes, equal parts frightened and awed by the spectacle ahead. “...just like in Korea, I can be useful in the proper place. I’m no badass like you or Shaeula, bro, but I do have the Golden Sister Army. Better they suffer the danger than you do.”

“As for my feelings...” Daiyu smiled. “I will not claim to die of grief should you pass, following you into death like Shaeula here. I will not let the Incorruptible Jade end with me. But I shall take no Dao Companion but you, and I shall do all I can to protect your legacy. But... as your Companion, I wish to share your hardships. And I am most confident in my durability. After all, I drifted, lost and alone and defeated, for many days in that cold sea, and I lived. Now I am far stronger than then. A little fire does not dismay me!”

“As for I...” Nebisuki wagged her tails. “...there is no turning back. When one has lost hope, to see the possibility of it... it must be snatched, no matter the risk.”

“All right then.” Chen Na was silent, and I did feel bad, but atonement was seldom pleasant. “But follow my instructions. I don’t want anyone dying here.” The car slowed, as I had to navigate around massive boulders of obsidian that were dotting the landscape, and soon we reached the outer edge of the falling lava rain. Chen Na’s barrier shuddered, but the lava simply ran off it like water on glass, and while the interior began to heat up, Shaeula unleashed a little water element to cool us. As my sis praised her, in the Material I had just breached another Pyroclastic flow, protecting myself the same way as before, and reached the edge of the lava lake. Strangely enough, I could now also feel the presence of a significant amount of spatial element, so I began to draw than in too. That’s one way to deal with problems...

“What the hell is bro doing?” my sis complained bitterly, eyes wide in annoyance. Shaeula merely shook her head, understanding.

“It is no-no different to Ether Healing training. In fact, it is quite-quite efficient, so long as one can survive the torture.” She grinned then, while she was troubled at my suffering, she was also proud, knowing I was doing it not only to grow but to work out how to tame the great rock. Around us, more lava was spewing from cracks in the mountains, and on the Material, another volcano roared, discharging a pyroclastic flow, fortunately once more away from me, as the ground trembled.

For several hours I suffered, constantly pouring out earth element into the two boulders, while my wind kept the poison at bay, allowing ever-increasing amounts of it to flood into me. The drain on my earth element could never have been sustained without the Bezoar, and as the vivid blue of the rock started to bleach, I could feel darkness element within the terrible poison, and I drew that in. As I did so, I felt a number of overwhelming emotions, sadness, anger, hatred, despair, solitude, and more. For a moment I felt I would go mad with all the thoughts and feelings that were not my own, but then a voice broke through the pain.

Akio. I’m here. Don’t be sad. I’m always by your side. Not just me, Shaeula and Daiyu are with you, aren’t they? Aiko too. Don’t be angry. I know you feel sorry for Tamamo-no-Mae, even if she’s done wicked things. Just... keep calm and judge fairly in the end. I... we... believe in your decisions. No need to despair, if you’ve made the wrong choice, and freeing her brings disaster, we’ll face it together. Never in solitude. Eri’s thoughts came to me, and I realised it was true. Now I was never alone. Not just her, while her bond to me was the clearest, I could also feel the tugging of strings that were Kin Bonding, Pledged One, and all those who shared Lovers’ Link. Even Nebisuki...

Thanks. I’m all right now. It was just... overwhelming. This poison is of the spirit, it’s... concentrated negative emotions, darkness of a purest sort. But...

You need darkness for the night sky to be beautiful. Because only in that darkness can the stars shine their brightest. When... when this is all done and we get some free time, lets go to the mountains, all of us together, and play and watch the stars. And it will be over soon. Because I believe you can handle everything. And what you can’t... we’ll take care of for you. That’s what being a family, being lovers, is all about.

That sounds wonderful. We can’t now, but next year, when the Territory is safely upgraded, the Quest in the Fae lands done... we’ll do that. I released a little light element from within me, pushing aside the last fragments of dark poison, and smiled as my Eye positively blazed with light, numerous messages scrolling across my vision.

Your Skill, Ether Healing, has increased from Rank 10 to Rank 11, traversing the fourth horizon and reaching the fifth vista that few from such lower realms ever sees. Ether Healing can now repair slight damage to your ????????. Your affinity for Light, Darkness, Yin and Yang Elements increases significantly, and you are able to control rampaging energies of these types within you and calm them in others. Your perception of ???????? has slightly increased, and foreign sources of ???????? are better integrated within you, and are less likely to have an adverse effect on the purity of your ????. Your ???????? will endure the ravages of time so long as your will endures.

Your Skill, Throat Chakra Of New Moon Darkness, Shingetsu, has increased from Rank 3 to Rank 5...

Your Skill, Darkness Manipulation, has become Darkness and Yin Manipulation Rank 4. You now convert a portion of your Darkness element into Yin Qi, a purer, non-tangible Element focussed on negative effects. All your skills involving Qi are slightly improved.

Your Class, Wielder of A Mutated Element, has increased from Level Seven to Level Nine.

Your Class, Prodigy of The Lower Worlds, has increased from Level Two to Level Four.

Your League, Fate, Determination...

Despite that surge of improvements, my only concern was stabilising the Sessho-seki, finding the truth of it. Now that I was largely resistant to the poison, my bodies had recovered, but it was still drinking inexhaustibly of the earth element I was providing. Releasing more and more of the poisonous gas to feed the Bezoar, I was sweating profusely, even if it flared to silver mist in the oppressive heat of the volcanic hell around us. Come on... a bit more, a bit more...

It was just as I felt I might have to retreat when finally the two stones connected fully, Material and Boundary as one. The purple veins in the stone twisted into complex knots, and the space around me formed a sort of well, piercing from the Material, through the Boundary and deeper, a dungeon boring through the Boundary to the lower Astral.

“It’s time!” I cried, ignoring my temptation to leave everyone else outside and handle matters myself. Eri was right, I’m not alone, and I can’t do everything myself. I made the decision to bring everyone, now I have to make sure that I don’t regret that decision.

“Let’s go!” My sis cried, and soon everyone, shielded by Shaeula’s winds and Chen Na’s shimmering bubbles of force, crossed the volcanic rocks and rivers of lava, arriving at my side. I was using the wind to restrain the poison, leaving the entrance clear, though it was taking a toll.

“So this is why.” Nebisuki looked at the swirling clouds of poison that I was holding away from the entrance with wind element. “Yes, even I should not wish to be corroded by such sorrow...” Her keen senses had picked out the nature of the poison. “Grandmother, your lament is heard by me. But perhaps...” Her tails wagged. “It is the final day of your torment.”

“Don’t speak too soon.” I warned. My sis had summoned another Golden Sister, this one resembling Daiyu, and she looked at it with some interest, comparing, before it vanished into the dungeon within the Sessho-seki.

“How is it?” I asked, and my sis frowned, before nodding.

“It should be fine. There’s definitely more of this poison in there, but most of it is sent out here. If we protect ourselves it should be okay, bro. It’s... a bit weird though, I think.” My sis scratched her cheek, not able to see what was within, but as her Golden Sister was unharmed, it must have been safe enough.

“Fine then.” Leaving my Material body ready to intervene, I leapt into the vortex, and soon found myself within a cave lit by endless, glowing flames of foxfire, floating about like deep blue will-o’-the-wisps, the walls leaking faint clouds of the poisonous gas. I conjured wind, pushing the gas away, and then noticed the cold. It was volcanic outside, but within this dungeon the floor and walls were stick with ice, blues, pinks, purples and other shades forming a cold layer over everything. The golden Daiyu stood there unmoving, holding a long spear, and moments later Shaeula was next in, wind blowing around her fiercely like a vortex, still protected by Chen Na’s bubble barrier. She blinked, surprised by the chill, and I reflexively put my arm around her. Moments later, the others followed, and as Shaeula took over the duties of forming a corridor of wind to block the gases from afflicting us, my sis sniffed.

“Come on bro. No time for flirting here. We’ve a job to do... uh, yeah, I did wonder why my Golden Sister felt so... cold. Just where the hell is this bro?”

A good question, sis. A damn good question... As I glanced around, I could see veins running through the icy walls, similar to the surface of the Sessho-seki, but in this case they looked wrong, somehow. Ominous. Almost like... chains. Yeah, I don’t like it here, not at all...