Chapter 1008: Altering Trajectory

Chapter 1008: Altering Trajectory

The team didnt wind up doing as Mari had suggestedthat being walk and talk. Instead, they ran for miles in relative silence, the pervasive darkness around them only growing more stifling with every step. Leon could feel it pressing against his mind, now more obvious and more powerful than it had just outside the Black Veil separating them from the Mandian Lands.

So, he called the group to a halt. Staying on the move was smart, but they all needed to regroup, mentally and physically. They stopped on a hill, upon which Leon began carving the runes that would keep the darkness at bay. He moved quick as lightning, setting up the enchantment in mere moments.

Our enchantments arent as effective as they were further from the Mandian Lands, Leon said to Tiraeses. We might need something a little stronger. He glanced up at Mari. How are you doing in there?

Fine, Mari replied, her voice sounding a little strained. It aint the darkness thatll get me in here. Just the stress and the caring for potential traitors. Leon blinked in surprise while Mari turned to Tiraeses. What the fuck was all that, old man? Ya know that culty fucker?

Tiraeses was quiet for a long moment, his eyes narrowed in thought. No, he eventually said and gave no further comment.Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

Thats it? Mari said in disbelief. Ya got nothing more than that?

I have lived in a cave on the edge of the plane for centuries! Tiraeses growled back. Before that, I knew many people, and was known by many more. Mulitan, Lord of Memory, may not have been courteous enough to erase me from history.

Ya should think it over, then, old man, Mari snarled.

Enough, Leon interjected, a small part of his mind wondering if this was going to become his catchphrase when dealing with these two. To Mari, he said, Lets keep a cool head and not tear ourselves to pieces. Keep in mind the possibility that that cultist was lying to try and sow division amongst us. Keep in mind that were not going to get far if were constantly at each others throats.

Mari turned away and didnt respond, but Leon took her silence as agreement.

To Tiraeses, he said, Think harder on this. If this cultist did know you, then you mightve known him, too. Wrack your brain until you find the answer.

Tiraeses scowled and said, I was already praying to Mulitan, Lord of Memory, for that very information.

Maybe you could do something else than pray? Mari asked, still turned away from both Leon and Tiraeses.

The gods are our salvation, Tiraeses softly insisted.

The gods, if they were ever real, abandoned us a long time ago, Mari said, directly stating the idea shed been toying with the whole time shed been with them. To rely on them is to accept death. There aint no point in praying to them anymore.

There is no better time for prayer than when the world is darkest, Tiraeses countered. But I shouldnt expect much else from a girl of your age.

Fuck you, old man, Mari retorted.

Tiraeses didnt answer, instead choosing to close his eyes, fall to his knees, and quietly meditate. Leon hoped he was contemplating what had just happened, but after taking a moment to make sure Mari and Tiraeses werent going to come to blows, he turned his attention to what he felt had to be done before anything else.

He filled the enchantment to banish the darkness with power. It had worked splendidly in Yu Nok Tor, but this time, while the runes glowed with his power, the relief they provided was significantly less than before, reinforcing Leons belief that the protective enchantments hed inscribed for himself and Tiraeses werent sufficient.

And that meant the enchantments had to be revised. He considered asking the Thunderbird or Xaphan for help, but while they were fairly knowledgeable about most things, neither were trained enchanters.

The enchantments hed made had worked far better than hed expected them so far, standing up better than hed expected when in combat. Now that that unexpectedly good performance seemed to be over, he thought he might implement some of the improvements that had occurred to him in the idle hours spent running through the blasted hellscape of Arkhnavi.

So, once the darkness was pushed back about as much as it was going to be from the enchantment hed carved upon the hill, he brought out his enchanting tools and began the first draft of the new enchantment. It largely kept the structure of the first enchantment, but whereas that one had the ancient rune doing most of the heavy lifting, augmented by amplification and power-regulation runes and glyphs, the new one was more complex, incorporating some of the antimagic Leon had learned from the Ravens, as well as what hed used in creating his armor. His antimagic was much less effective than hed hoped for, but that didnt mean the underlying concepts hed used werent effective if used more efficientlyand besides, hed created his antimagic weapons before he was even acquainted with the Ravens, and his skills and knowledge had improved quite a bit since then.

It didnt take him long to finish his first draft, the creation process drawing a mad grin out of him. However, as soon as the draft was done, he began work on a second draft, as he could much more easily the flaws and mistakes hed made now that the draft was complete. Over the course of several silent hours, he ran through nine drafts, some with more tweaking and some with less, until he landed upon an enchantment that he felt would work.

He quickly inscribed it upon a piece of high-quality spellpaper, pulled the resulting spell into his soul realm, and then conjured it behind his cuirass. It was a simple matter at that point to power it, and as soon as he did, the effect on their environment was dramaticthe omnipresent darkness was driven away, bringing all three some measure of relief from the constant mental pressure placed upon their minds by the Devilish magic, even though Mari at least didnt need it.

Leons response was to grin in triumph, leaving Mari to speak first.

Just my father, Mari replied. No one else. And now that hes gone I have no one

She trailed off, going just as quiet as tiraeses, and Leon understood that their reminiscing was over. Tiraeses waved his hand again and the dome of light dissipated.

Hoping to galvanize them even just a little bit, Leon said, You two can ask me anything you want. In fact, Ill even invite you two to come and live in the Thunder Kingdom when all this is over and done with.

Assuming we dont meet the Red-Eyed Bitch, first.

Leon chuckled and shrugged. Assuming that, yes. Shall we get moving again?

Mari and Tiraeses both agreed, and Leon led them onward. Their route would take them a little further east than it shouldve required, as Tiraeses wanted to personally check in on his homeland, if possible. The Kingdom of the Blue Sky sounded dead to Leon, with its King and Crown Prince having been apparently slain in battle, along with so much of its territory now belonging to the Primal Devil. However, he knew that if Kataigida were to ever fall, he wouldnt give up hope for at least some people surviving until he laid eyes upon the island himself and investigated.

Piquing his curiosity, Tiraeses called the team to a halt not long after they set out once again.

I would like to revise our current trajectory, he said.

How so? Leon asked.

When planning our route, I sought to make Wise Farangeun proud by avoiding the city of Naxor Amis, the city where the first ritual that summoned this darkness reportedly took place. I believeI may cause much grief to Wise Farangeun by simply stating this aloudI believe that we should scout the city and see what has become of it. And I believe that if we want answers about this cultist who apparently knows me, then well find them in Naxor Amis.

Thats super dumb, Mari stated. Were already heading to Tell Kirin, where this devilish shit is probably thickest, and you want us to walk right into ground zero for the destruction of the Mandian Lands?

If the gods will lead us to answers, then the destination will lead through Naxor Amis, Tiraeses said.

That sounds more like you want to meet the Red-Eyed Bitch instead, Fake Name!

All I want is the salvation of Arkhnavi, Tiraeses claimed. To do that, we need information. Naxor Amis, while dangerous beyond compare, will be the best place to try and gather some.

Thats a flimsy reason, Leon said. It would be faster and safer to bypass this cityand all othersand head straight for Tell Kirin.

Not necessarily safer or quicker, Mari responded. Lots of Black Veils got in our way during the Two Skies push.

Thatll be the case whether or not we head for Naxor Amis, though, Leon pointed out, to which Maris Ulta suit shrugged. I can see the merit, I suppose. We can check the city out from afar and make our decision then. If I judge its too dangerous, well swing around and make for Tell Kirin. Understood?

Mari and Tiraeses both acknowledged his decision, and Tiraeses did as hed requested and altered their course to put them on the path that would lead them to the place where Arkhnavis fall began.

Great. Any more questions?

Not a question, Mari said, but Lele, that lightning bird thing ya did with the Black Veil was really cool.

Leon was still wearing his helmet, so he allowed himself a smile. Thank you.

It was suuuper cute, too, especially the way it gouged the darkness right outta those banshees! How didya make it?

Leon chuckled and began explaining what he knew about creating autonomous creatures using his power. He wasnt nearly as good at it as Maia or Xaphan was, but hed been taught enough and was good enough to give her the basics. From the way Mari gushed over it, Leon figured she was going to be making something that might require wisps in the future.

Just another reason for him to do his best to keep herand Tiraesesalive. He feared he might not be able to save the plane in the end, but he felt he at least had the power to save these two.

Assuming they all didnt die when the Grave Wardens made their move, or the Primal Devil got loose. With that thought crossing his mind, Leon forced all other thoughts of the future out of his head so he could concentrate solely on getting out of this mess and back to Aeterna. Everything else could come after that. He just had to get home.