Five Hundred And Thirty-One

Five Hundred And Thirty-One

“It’s too late to grow a conscience now, Khumo. You know the way the world works. You’re strong, but despite that, you can’t protect you and your wife alone! Strength in numbers is needed! Besides...” Dino’s grin was fierce, as he glanced at the giant lizard creature that was powering down the slope, claws sinking into the ground like scythes. “...if you had any confidence, you’d have handled this alone. You needed our help!”

My Split Thoughts were accelerating, allowing me to assess the situation calmly. It seemed bad at first glance, but honestly, while I hadn’t expected there to be trouble, I had planned for it, so little went without problems nowadays that preparing for unanticipated disasters was second nature. Plus of course there’s the Foresight constantly eating away at me. It hasn’t picked up in intensity or dropped, so I’m assuming it’s not about this mess...

Having Hinata, Kazumi-san and Christina here wasn’t ideal, but also it wasn’t a problem. With my Chirurgery, Aether Manipulation and them not resisting me, I could easily draw them dry in a moment, sending them back to the Material, where my other half was waiting, and it would be far easier to defend them there. As for being outnumbered...

My Eye shone, and the giant lizard was identified as Agadzagadza’s Spawn [Wyrm] and it seemed to be some sort of Dragon-like creature, despite being a lizard. It seemed more powerful than the two Wyrms I had defeated before, though not overwhelmingly so, yet it would likely give a purely Statistic focused Chosen like Titan a hard time.

I exchanged a meaningful glance with Adelheid, and she spat a curse word in German, a satisfyingly guttural invective.

“Nobody has a right to say what we do is wrong!” Dino laughed as his forces moved into position, including a number of spiritual beings still hidden within the cracked walls of the canyon that he perhaps thought had gone unnoticed. “Our powers were given for battle, to take and take until only the strongest remain! I know you agree!”

As Titan skidded to a halt beside us, he breathed out a hasty apology, but I waved it aside. The dispute between Midas, Hermodike and Dino would decide the course of this battle, and in mere moments it would likely be another life-or-death struggle. While I was confident, I wasn’t arrogant, and was prepared for a hard fight.

“Yes, but...” Midas glanced at Hermodike, who was very clearly torn. “...in the end, we get to decide on our own conscience.” His face was hard. “I... loathe the Americans and others like them...”

Christina flinched at that, looking downcast, but also somehow thoughtful. She didn’t speak though, and Midas continued. “...I’ve fought for my beliefs, but... it seems we diverge here, Dino.” At his words, Hermodike finally breathed out a sigh of relief, looking at Midas with deep affection. “Our prior agreements are still in force, and we can certainly collaborate in the future, but...”

“Oh. In that case, we’ll be going then.” Dino turned away, before turning back, sneering. “Is that what you thought I would say? Do you have a hollow void between your ears like Nkosi does?” The lizard-like Wyrm had pulled to a halt now behind Dino’s forces, and I could see faint wisps of toxic smoke rising from its mouth as it fixed us with beady, yellow eyes. “Yes, we’ve worked well together. I thought you were a pragmatist. Ruthless. You’ve killed more men than me, Khumo!”

“I am so.” Midas agreed, and I could feel aether rising, as well as adherence. Faint traces of energy were leaking from him as metal surged within his being. “Yes, it’s true. Ajé-Shaluga has spoken, and to gather the Seeds would strengthen us immeasurably. But... only a child would stoop to stealing from a good man. A child or a villain. I see... it does not sit right with my wife.”

“You’re no true man at all.” Dino spat, laughing. “There’s no good and evil, only who’s right in the end! Power! I thought you understood that. Do those starving while the rich feast care about right and wrong? No, only that they can steal foods to eat! You let your wife’s tender heart dismay you...”

“Without us, you have no way of using the Seeds. They are treasures, which need to be handled with care!” Midas countered, and Dino shrugged, addressing his men.

“You’re right at last, Khumo. True. We do need... your wife! It doesn’t have to be this way.” His expression was sad but somehow mocking. “You’ve not lied. We’ve benefitted from each other’s help a number of times. It’s why we all have such a firm grip on the Ancestral Lands, and many of our enemies are dead or capitulated.” Again some of the followers of Dino looked angry at his words. “If you could use all the Seeds yourselves, likely you’d have done so, but you can’t. Think this over carefully...”

At his cold words Hermodike shrank back, not being much of a fighter, while Midas’ stone face grew ever flintier. “I simply think you have gone too far. Despite everything, he did restore my wife to good health. They broke fast with us, having kola nuts and honey and wine. They know about the Seeds, as much as we do, maybe more. We should all come together and rethink this... peacefully. There is room for a consensus.”

“Consensus? Janco is dead. Now, it’s his own fault for losing, but... that’s one Seed wasted.” Dino scoffed. “And though I wasn’t fond of him, he was my man. I don’t let people take what’s mine, I take from others. As for them breaking fast... yes, I know where your home is, Khumo. You can run back and try and stop those I’ve sent there, but... if you won’t aid me, your wife will. Rest assured, I’ll not mistreat her, so long as she transfers us all the Seeds. After all her face has only just been fixed, and I’m not a man to poach other’s wives. Though I do believe a man should chastise his wife so she learns to do as she’s bidden without backchat!”

Dino then turned to us. “One thing I agree on is we don’t have to kill you. I should, because of Janco, but so long as I get what I want, I’m an easy man to like.” He swaggered annoyingly. “Maybe you’ll change your mind soon anyway. We’re not all here. This is the time to act. I’ll capture those rich folks you travelled with, and also wipe out Nkosi and his idiot followers. With money, the Seeds, no rivals and you doing my bidding, Khumo, Lola, South Africa is mine in its entirety, the whole Ancestral Land my playground. And that’s just the start...”

Damn, he talks too much. Though... I could see the flows of aether and elemental energies with my Eye, it seemed that he was stalling, as several powerful attacks were being prepared. If only Hermodike withdrew her permission for them to be here, it wouldn’t boot them out, but it would seriously hamper them... Of course, we weren’t idle as well. Adelheid was sweating, but she was drawing on her abilities, ready to unleash them at my signal.

“Hey, you know, you bark awfully loud for such a little poodle.” Christina tilted her head, breaking the mood. “I mean, here you are threatening two Double Vermillion, two of the top, at that, when we in the US classify you as what, a mere Violet at best? You should at least have an appropriate sense of scale.”

The sudden tense mood, which was mere seconds from outright battle, froze over. Until Dino laughed, a bitter, yet amused sound, his fists clenching. “Very funny, bitch. You’ll not be laughing in a few minutes. Nobody kill her, when we seize her I’m going to take my time with her. American women seem to have no respect for men.”

“I’m so terrified, Mr Violet.” Christina smirked, but she did step closer to me, her face rather pale.

“Last chance, Khumo, Lola. It didn’t have to be this way. We’ve worked well together for now...”

There was something off about the whole situation. Something was niggling at me. Now, how we got here made enough sense. Just as I was using information cheats to look for treasure, in this case, the Seeds, Hermodike and Midas had chanced upon the Seeds early and had put them to use, and now wanted to increase their stock, using Hermodike’s own specialised treasure seeking Favour. This, coupled with their dealing with the more powerful Chosen warlords of South Africa and Botswana, had led to this situation, where they planned to extort my seeds from me. Yeah, I’m not prepared to take Seeds from my other Norse Chosen, but it’s a logical plan...

It was there things started breaking down. Hermodike seemed rather soft-hearted, and clearly didn’t want to go through with things, and Midas was hardly an evil man, from what I’d observed, though there was a chance I was wrong, certainly. Dino... now he seemed fairly trashy, but there was no need for a fight here. In fact, there was little need for Janco to act at all to start our rivalry... huh. Could it be?

“I think we should all pause and rethink things, before we regret this.” Hermodike managed to speak. “It seems you are already here so... why not come in, and my husband and I will serve you...”

“Too late.” Dino growled. “You knew this day would come, Khumo.” Dino lowered his raised hand, and all hell broke loose, the imminent attack, which had hung frozen for this brief conversation, springing into life. “That idiot Nkosi is right. There’s no room for two lions in Africa. He’ll be getting his comeuppance about now, don’t worry!”

There. I see it. I thought it was merely a grudge targeting Miss Zozibini, but... My Eye blazed with aether, focussing carefully, and yes, there they were. I’m covered in tiny threads of adherence. As is Dino and Midas. I see...

Anansi’s Threads Of Fate - These manifestations of Fortune, Foresight and Fate connect together shared destinies, in a way that allows the bearer to understand and avoid cunning tricks and traps, and weave their own schemes to fool and outsmart opponents, claiming victory and the greater the unfair scheme overcome, the greater the rewards, and the greater the fall her opponent suffers.

I see. I overlooked that, but it makes sense now, everything that’s happened here. I moved instantly, drawing aether from Hinata and Kazumi-san. They were here to get experience, learn how I conducted myself in the Boundary, but risking their safety wasn’t something I relished. I also reached out for Christina, but she resisted as best she could, shaking her head frantically, so I relinquished my grip on her.

At the same moment, Hermodike declared “None of you are welcome here. Leave the Ancestral Land and come as guests to our home!” I immediately felt the pressure of the hostile Territory oppress me, my efforts suddenly more difficult. Fortunately it seemed that Dino’s group was affected too.

“Fuck you, Lola! You’ll regret this!” Dino roared, as boiling elemental energies, twisting jade and amber, flared around him. “Storms take you, fools!”

“Jealous Judgement!” Adelheid’s own ability was unleashed, rushing over the surrounding Chosen and spiritual beings like a wave. The effort of targeting so many clearly fatigued her, but her angry blue eyes showed little fear, only anger, and hr internal aether was rising.

“This is war, Dino!” Midas yelled, and our strange three-way battle was in full swing. Motes of golden dust filled the air, targeted towards Dino and his cronies, but Midas made little effort to prevent us from being in the line of fire. “I’ll call in my forces!” he shouted to his wife, who was regarding us with worry, gnawing on her lips as she made to retreat.

“Burst!” The rock bullet, which I had created beneath my feet and moved through the ground to strike him as he threatened Hinata, detonated, and Foehn which had been trapped inside gushed out. His screams as his leg was engulfed in the burning yellow napalm was music to my ears.

Christina clapped as if watching an exciting play, and I once more wondered at her sanity. Midas took that moment to create a long sword forged from gold, and he stuck it through the chest of one of Dino’s hapless Chosen, who quickly perished, blood and gold frothing from his mouth. Titan wasn’t idle either, proving why he was a premiere American Chosen despite a plain ability, as he grabbed a fallen boulder, hefting it above him, and with a grunt, hurled it, ploughing through a number of attackers.

“You... fucks. Think... this is... over? I... can’t believe...” I wasn’t going to give him the chance to respond, and a bolt of lightning pierced his head, his brain flaring to ash. Even then, he was smiling, and I had a bad feeling.

“...have to show my... real... ability...” His voice was dancing on the gales he had created, and as his body disintegrated, not into aether but a surging cloud of lightning, his laughter echoed on the winds. “Living Embodiment Of The Storm...”

Back in the Material, I attacked like the storm myself. The ordinary thugs, who were burly men armed with Russian and Chinese-make automatic rifles, were instantly taken down, their wrists and ankles broken, since I was in no mood for mercy. One Chosen was leading them, and he was one I had seen at the gala but who hadn’t spoken, and my Eye detected more of the strange spider-strands of adherence binding him.

“You’re here? Huh?” He seemed confused to see me, especially as I had dispatched the intruders in mere moments.

“I’m wherever I need to be.” My fist slammed into him, and even with his enhanced stats he was helpless to resist. “That’s mine...” I didn’t have time to mess around making him safe, so I quickly wrenched out his Favour, repairing just enough damage to prevent his life being endangered, but without more Healing or urgent medical attention, he would be left with lasting injuries. As I dealt with him, I suddenly panicked, as I heard a shout.

“Akio-san, it’s...” Kazumi-san’s cry bellowed, and I moved only to see another Chosen had appeared, a small, non-descript dark-skinned man with shaven head and intricate black tattoos covering most of his exposed skin, even his face. Kazumi-san had attacked him with her batons, but now blood was gouting from her shattered arms, but despite that, she had wrapped her legs around him and was trying to bite out his throat, after crying out so I could hear.

My Eye didn’t spot him. Damn, I should remember my Eye is awesome but not infallible. It couldn’t tell the difference between Ginneka, Kinneka and the weaselkin maids originally, either. If this is a stealth-orientated Favour...

Hinata was staring at Kazumi-san in horror, but worse, the phone in her hand was squawking out noises of battle, and I could hear loud cursing in English over it. Fortunately even with my focus split between here and the Boundary I could think and act without a pause, so I vanished in a shower of indigo light and then Kazumi-san was in my arms. Behind her the man was blinking in surprise, as if wondering how I covered the intervening distance in an instant, as if teleporting. Then he was wondering just where his arms had gone, as he collapsed to the ground, the walls painted red.

“It’s fine. You did good.” I assured Kazumi-san as I began to repair her arms, but she stopped me.

“I tried, but against him I was just too slow. I’m... resolved.” She glanced at Hinata, who was shaking, unused to such violence, but trying to hold herself together, as she knew she’d need to be prepared for it to happen again in the future. “Hinata, Akio.” I noticed she dropped my honorific, perhaps due to the stress. “I don’t care about the means. I need power! I’ll give up anything for it. I never want to be so helpless again.”

Setting down Kazumi-san, I shook my head. “Later. For now...” I snatched the phone. “What’s the situation...?”

“Bad, fucking bad...” Aliyah groaned as though she was coughing up blood herself. Fortunately her phone was linked to wireless mic and earbuds so she could talk and fight. “Like we thought, those paper tigers were dogshit. We’re fucking lucky... that... they underestimated Trey and me. But... it’s still not looking good... I...” With that the phone cut off, following a loud crunching noise.

Listening to the sudden dead tone, Hinata looked at me, brown eyes wide with worry. “Akio... Mayumi... Kira-sama... will they... what if...”

“It should be fine.” I reassured her, taking a moment to give her a soothing hug, before I apologised out loud to Midas and Hermodike. “Sorry, I’ll pay for the damn repairs.” I punched a fist through the wall and tore out a ton of internal wiring, plaster and wood scattering everywhere, before releasing a surge of dark element into the mind of the armless Chosen, knocking him out, before binding his legs behind his back and tying them to his neck, so if he struggled he’d strangle himself.

“Anyway... Dino was talking about ransom. Worst case I’ll pay for their return. Hostages have to be treated well to have value. But...” I grimaced. “We need to get back there soon... shit, a worldwide Ring Gate network would be so handy... when I’m Astral Emperor, that’s the first law I’ll impose...”

Hinata forced a smile, pretending she was cheered by that, while back in the Boundary the situation was simultaneously calming and becoming more tense. Without Dino, and with Adelheid’s Jealous Judgement weighing them down, the Chosen and their forces were crumbling. Midas was infuriated, and spikes of golden metal had torn from the ground, piercing another Chosen, transmuting them to a gleaming, screaming statue.

Adelheid had just finished beating down a number of snake-like spiritual beings, trampling them underfoot, and with a barrage of rock bullets I had filled with Foehn, the final Spawn had collapsed and was dying too. The battle on top of the canyon had ended as well, though Midas’ forces had been greatly diminished.

“Was this worth it?” I narrowed my eyes. “Worst case, you could have laid claim to the Seeds that you earned yourselves. I’d probably have walked away.” It would have pained me, but as long as I get the ones from America, those should be enough.

“Worth it?” One of the last standing Chosen under Dino scoffed. He was trying to appear calm, but I could see by the expression on his face he hadn’t expected things to go so disastrously. “You think we’ve lost?”

“Looks like losing to me.” Adelheid spat. “But what can beaten dogs do but yap?”

Christina giggled at that, though then she winced. Veins of gold were slowly creeping through her skin, despite my efforts, the chaotic melee had obviously spread Midas’ poisonous gold element past my defences. With a sigh, I cut into her flesh, using my Eye to guide me, and as blood tainted with gold and aether sprayed from her wounds, flesh mending, she nearly passed out from the pain.

“No kidding.” Titan agreed, taking a moment to catch his breath. “But this ain’t done, ya know.”

“It is. If you’re relying on the forces attacking the house, I’ve dealt with them. The stealthy, tattooed bastard really pissed me off. He’s very fortunate he isn’t dead. Now call Dino back here and get him to call off the kidnapping back in Cape Town. Otherwise I am going to annihilate you all, root and branch, international diplomacy be damned. I need to set an example that nobody profits from messing with those under my protection.”

“You think Dino cares what we think?” One of the bone-armoured Chosen muttered, from where he was lying broken and bloody against a pile of rocks. “We only joined him because it was that or death. Sure, his favoured bastards got these Seeds... but he’s always in it for himself. Just as now...” He nodded knowingly. “We’re all... warriors here. The rewards... for defeating an enemy here...”

A sudden look of horror passed over Hermodike’s features. A flash of distant lightning pierced the sky, and a pillar of storms connected the skies and the earth. Moments later the oppression of the Territory that I had been suppressing vanished, and Hermodike coughed blood, going limp and collapsing, As she did so Midas roared out in rage, howling the name “Dino!” to the sky in elongated fury.

Everyone seemed to be stunned, frozen, and then I vanished, sprays of vivid violet motes of light scattering, and I was atop the platform where the remains of the Norse Chosen were, and I caught the falling woman, Eye blazing. Blood then bloomed as a dozen golden spikes hammered into my body, and I could feel the contagious gold even eating away at the aether my body was using for Ether Healing. With a grimace I unleashed Foehn within me, searing away at that and my own flesh and blood. Amber letters blinked across my vision, but now wasn’t the time.

“Back the fuck off. I’m trying to help...” Her Divine Favour was being ripped from her, and I repaired the damage as best I could. But that wasn’t my entire aim. Aether flooded from me like a storm, adherence as well. With a curse, I drew out everything I had, and grasped the connecting threads that were tearing the Favour from her. The Favour started to deform, but I halted the transmission. The moment I did so, I could sense the one on the other end, Dino.

I see. It’s like that, is it? You’re one cold bastard, but... The spider-like threads of Adherence around me were vibrating, and even as my flesh burned, I grinned balefully. “...for now she’s stable, but Dino’s Conquering her. What about your Territory?”

Midas, who was about to charge me, ground to a halt. “It’s true, I’m under attack, but...”

“In that case, we have to wrap things up quickly.” I advised, my gaze turning back to Dino’s remaining forces. “Every second counts...”

Seeing the cold, glaring eyes of me, Midas, Adelheid and Titan, lacking their numbers and powerful Spawn, the remaining Chosen faltered... Yeah, dealing with the minions isn’t too hard, but... Dino’s far more powerful than we anticipated, so... With a grimace, feeling a little guilty, but taking it for my payment, I expanded the web of adherence and aether I was weaving, and plunged it down into the remains of the Norse Chosen. Immediately a huge rush of energy filled me, and as more letters scrolled across my vision, time froze once more...

You have gained in strength. Your Level has increased from One Hundred And Forty-Nine...