by Philip Read
“phthartic!“ She says with a the chop of her new artifact polearm into the things shoulder nearly severing it’s arm off, it doesn’t regenerate.
“phthartic!” She shouts again curving in aiming for the neck but she doesn’t get there. Da and I are faster than the thing as Awakened that have tempered their bodies with mana. We are superior to the normal human limits and are faster than a creature than has Awakened primarily in sorcery even one of this level of power and age.
Not so Ava, who is very fast and deadly as a mundane enhanced in well developed aura and chakra. But she is still a mundane.
*
As her body is thrown away from the blast. Her mangled body going on one side the remains of her arm still clasping her weapon the other something happens to me/us then.
Something primal and cold and hot and fierce. An implosion of spiritual energy happens somewhere in the universe as an explosion of it happens inside me.
My chakra points are roaring with free flowing chakra but the greatest change isn’t happening there.
The insubstantial incomprehensible thing known as spiritual energy is flooding into me in never before imagined amounts and I know I’m ready to take the next step in my zanjutsu, I know I’m ready to release my zanpakutō‘s true form.
“….Meiyo….”
I say calling my monsters true name for the first time since we’ve been forged together. Her true name being part of my true name and she responds happily and eagerly to my summons of her into being.
All that spiritual energy condenses rapidly then leaves me feeling almost empty of spirit energy and drained. It rushes into my sword, my nodachi, my monster, my honour, my soul and I’m flooded with knowledge as my zanpakutō Awakens for the first time. Released from it’s sword form into my soul’s weapon, the war axe.
I sink her into the thing’s chest with a wet squilsh then I release/banish her into the spirit place. There is resistance, great resistance that leaves me disoriented with blood flowing like water from all my orifices. But the sorcerer has made the mistake of summoning something to encampus his flesh, something of the spirit. And though flesh cannot got into whatever place my Honour goes when its summoned before it appears in my hands, spirits easily can.
And just like I banished that ‘Lilithian Daarksider’ creature in the dungeon by banishing my own weapon as it pierced it’s spirit. So the thing before me disappears with a loud tearing sound like the skies being ripped open.
* * *
I am in mourning and just feel so tired after losing so many people in that stupid fight. Stupid with how wholly unprepared we were to face a sorcerer and the many loses and incurable injuries we took. At least we managed to kill that fat excuse of a person, I guess I should say banish though as I am as yet unsure what happens to things I banish.
The fat pervert could be alive somewhere and come back to claim his revenge against me. I know the dungeon creature I banished at the Alderman dungeon is still alive somewhere somehow in the spiritual realm or whatever.
The other one we took alive but she is kept well and constantly sedated. Da has loudly claimed all the assets and property of the Sorcerers for the Tundra sending the soldiers and spies away to give their reports. I’m not sure how the Sandie’s will react but we have sent messages to Paradisum as well requesting assistance.
None of us attacked by that thing are hale, none. And I am by Mira’s side taking care lf my girl as she shivers with some sort of fever. Our potions don’t work and no one trusts a Sandersonian mage if they have any form of choice. And so we wait for word to reach the Tundra, while other runners go to our other group still going further south. I think we will to wait a bit longer before any more traveling.
Chapter 102
Sachihiro
The Sandies get here first as is to be expected, we have been taking care of the children as best we can and mostly ignoring the slaves found at the manor the two days we’ve spend here trying to recuperate from the experience of fighting something so old. I’m so tired of being beaten in fights, I’m really sick of near death experiences.
The Alvalon woman’s carriage just drives into the property through the mud, her escort of guards has increased and they look vigilante. I watch her jump out of the vehicle even before it’s fully stopped and she practically runs into the manor. Her guard escort and Patra struggling to keep up.
I really don’t like the woman, but I hope her mind magics can do something for those children. I’ve been avoiding their presence since I initially saw then. I don’t think its appropriate to call children this young perverts but I think that’s what the fat fuck was doing, creating perverts of children with his twisted dark deeds.
“We should probably go see what she does.” Da says with a sigh as he lodges his woodsmans axe in the tree stump.
Om grunts but just moves further into the woods to find another appropriate tree to fell. Ava’s injuries are very bad, so bad that she and others with similar injuries have been induced to sleep along with our prisoner and Om has been very grumpy with worry. The pyres were build and burnt yesterday as we sang a dire to our people.
Words were spoken and tears were cried and we were grateful for their lives, grateful for the opportunity to have fought besides such brave men and women. As the one who was the battle chief in that debacle I’ve really been hesitant to show my face very much. It was my decision to keep Mira in reserve until she thought we needed magical assistance and maybe if she had been out sooner not so many would have died.
Of the 73 that were part of the attack only 12 of us remain standing, 12. Standing doesn’t mean uninjured either but it means able to function and chop more wood for another pyre beacause another Tundran died from his wounds an hour ago. 22 are alive but injured, everyone else is dead, some eaten whole by the snake thing.
“Are you okey son?” Da asks placing a hand on my naked shoulder. I realise I was shivering and I stop, whatever it means to be hit by that attack it’s effects are still present on my spirit body.
I nod my appreciation, “I’ll manage da thank you. Let’s go see what that sly fox can do for the children and maybe the most injured of our people.”
I grab my tunic and pull it over my head but da just walks up to the manor half naked. Esuas the dwarf joining us in the approach, I like the man, he has a good head on his shoulders and is clearly a good fighter to be amongst those still standing. Or he was just lucky which is almost equally as important when fighting for your life.
The guards block our passage as we approach and my mood darkens, my heart rate increases, my stride becoming longer-
Then I feel da’s grip on my shoulder again. “Its okey, just drop the axe and they’ll let us through.” He says with patience and I realise how I must look to those guards blocking my path.
There is still some blood on my tunic, I’m tired from the fight and not sleeping for two days. My hair is a mess and probably greasy on my head, I’m carrying Kata in my hand because I’ve been using her to chop wood. I’m walking bare footed on the muddy ground, I must look crazed to these ‘civilized’ people.
A second carriage comes shooting up the property line led by an escort of several guards on white horses in their mage guard colours. I’m angry, I’m not sure why yet exactly but I want to kill these people, I want to kill them badly.
*
I’m standing in a room with several mages of varying power and a few of the Sandie aristocracy. I only recognize one of the mages, the rest are all new to me in pretentious robes like the one Zhen still occasionally wears. There are three Master Magicians and a Grandmaster present that wanted to inspect the property for whatever reason, probably to loot the unclean implements that the sorcerer kept.
They are unhappy to have found nothing novel to their advantage, I’m unhappy I don’t know what to do to stop them searching this place in the first place. Cynthia Alvalon walks into the room from the other door and bows her head slightly to da.
“I thank yo
u for recovering the children alive, I have done what I can for them now but they will need much more extensive help. All but two who were yet to be touched-”
“Yes thank you, we will take care of your injured and you can leave, we will reimburse you for your dead of course an-”
I throw my Kata in a single fluid motion of precision and mastery. There is a dull ‘thump’ that silences the room as my single handed throwing axe honed in spirit aura, wet with water mana, it’s passage through the air barely perceptible thrown with my full strength and every advantage I could call upon in a split second. The is a moment of shocked silence even as I feel my afterimage attach itself back into me after that throw.
Then the mage that was speaking tumbles on the ground like a puppet with it’s strings cut. That was one of the magisters that run the administration of this kingdom so she could have been either speaking on behalf of the mages or the Houses but either way she was offensive to listen to.
The vibrational frequencies of everyone in the room change as their auras change, as their heart rates change, as their states of mind change. My own heart rate is increasing, blood being pumped to my muscles, mana circulating within my body on it’s own initiative.
There are a few things that happened during the fight that I am yet to fully consolidate and add to my arsenal of combat moves. Let’s see who attacks first so I can test myself as an Awakened who now has a better understanding of what he’s capable off. I’ve even shocked the grandmaster judging by his own frequencies but I have absolutely no respect for these Sandies.
I know I am no match for a tier 3 Awakened Mage, I know that intellectually. But that fat bag of scum was a tier 3 sorcerer and he no longer resides in this world and everyone here who received a report from their spies knows that. Grandmaster Magecian vir kak!
Grandmaster in power but not in skill is what I’m realising from the mages in this land. They accumulate power more than they hone their expert use of said power. These fuckers are probably all barely past justus or master levels of skill in their respective fields of magic.
Every single warrior in the big open and aired room has a hand on their weapon except da, Esuas and I. One actually starts drawing a sword and da turns to look at him with a skill I didn’t realise he had, a death stare that stops the blade halfway out of it’s sheath.
“You do realise that the are only 12 of you to the three of us don’t you?” Esuas asks casually looking around the room.
I like this dwarf, why we aren’t better acquainted I don’t know but I should fix that. But his breaking of the silence seems to break the spell of surprise that has befallen the room and one of the master magicians stands from his position indicating for the guards to lower their weapons with his hands. I haven’t seen this one before nor heard him speak but seeing him somehow calms me down and I find myself sighing as the guards release their weapons.
“What is your name warrior?” He asks looking at me.
“Sachihiro.” I say automatically.
“You are distressed Sachihiro, you have been through much the past few days and lost many friends. It is remiss of us to not be sensitive to that and come here making demands.” He says looking at all three of us then out at the door where I know Om to be with his stone hammer in hand vibrating like the ground during an avalanche, but contained.
“Let us serve you and your injured and the children until the people you have sent ahead to Paradisum return with your elders and leaders. You can rest now with the surety that you are not being manipulated or being used.”
I don’t know what to say but I feel myself calming and am thinking more clearly and I’m suspect of the fact that I’m calmer. What kind of magic is this that influences me without me feeling a thing, and I actually believe the man. I really do believe him and so does da who puts a hand on my shoulder and sends that I should go be with Mira.
I nod and leave the room, I have no worries that I will lose my Kata but I don’t want to deal with another dead body or blood right now.
*
Cynthia Alvalon
Spirits beyond! The madman just killed a magister of the mage faction in the presence of a grandmaster and just walks away! I have heard the rumours that these Barbarians are crazy but they have been nothing but cordial and respectful for the most part at the meeting in Fort Peace, if somewhat uncouth.
I can’t believe I sent little Patra out to cozy up to that savage, but he has done something very useful. Something I have been unable to do with my politicking and double dealing, he has silenced the mages, though he has also silenced me I must admit. These savages are very unpredictable and very useful, with Aaliyah dead the family has only two prospects focused on the warrior path and neither as good as she was.
With Adonias as a father it isn’t a surprise she turned out so well but her place needs to be replaced in this age were magic may not be as supreme as we previously thought. Adonias has joined the king’s guard so no more children for him, but maybe this Sachihiro…
I look at Patra and she is still open mouthed looking at the Barbarian’s retreating back. She seems the most surprised in the room by his actions which implies he didn’t portray himself as being capable of killing a woman in a sitting room setting for saying something he didn’t like. And what was that coloured shadow that was behind him a moment?
“Well, please sit and have tea. We will discuss how we can be of greatest assistance while we wait for your representatives before beginning the dreary negotiations.” Arthur says to the remaining barechested physical specimen of virility and the dwarf with the uneerily quiet mind.
They sit but the guards are still very tense, everyone ignores Susannah’s body on the floor and I certainly won’t be the one to bring it up. The servants rush to fulfill their duty, their minds whirling at the edge of my perception, everyone’s mind is whirling even as we all make insignificant small talk. But the dwarf’s mind is as silent as a closed book, as though the creature isn’t thinking at all.
“I want to know all about this Sachihiro.” I send to Patra, but most of my attention is still on keeping little Daisy asleep without any nightmares.
Grandmaster Jurat sits quietly through the first cups of tea, he isn’t a very talkative man but he usually asserts his opinion relatively quickly and clearly. Not one to take things sitting down but he is certainly sitting now and his mind glow is also very active but has been gradually slowing to a plateau for a while now. He has reached a decision about something and he isn’t conflicted about it.
“Excuse me while I see to the children again.” I suddenly say standing.
“I will join you.” Jurat suddenly says, “and I’d appreciate looking through the sorcerer’s library.”
“Of course, make yourselves comfortable here and find appropriate lodging from the slaves. We still ask them where everything is and they seem to be mostly taking care of their chores as though its business as usual.” The one I know to be Divina’s husband says to the room. I wonder how she manages to control him.
*
I check in on the children, there are currently 6 of them here, 4 of whom have very confusing mind glows Diasy’s being the worst. I’ve heard reports of the condition the children previously found being resold on the slave markets or illegally in the possession of pedophiles have been in. But being in their mind glows and seeing what they are conditioned to like is very confusing and disconcerting.
I sit with Daisy as she sleeps delving into her mind glow whilst also exploring the manor with my phantom self ability. The mansion is two stories with at least 30 rooms and has been here for many years judging by the construction and aura it has accumulated. Who it used to belong to is still unknown but the Ministry is sure these sorcerers weren’t active here before the war with the Barbarians.
My self floats from room to room taking in the injured all placed 2 to a room and being seen to by people in oristocratic servant garb. I’m guessing the slaves previously owned by the sorcerers before the tr
ibesman came. I wonder what they will do with them since they aren’t known to like slavery very much.
I flow into a room with the chained and sedated sorcerer, there is an orc sitting in the room watching her with naked steel in hand. She lies on the floor naked with her chains bolted into the walls, enchanted chains. This room was here when the mansion was attacked, I pray Diasy wasn’t placed in that room.
Patra walks into the room I’m sitting in with the children and I make sure we can’t be overheard by eaves dropping at least before speaking. “Tell me.” I prompt.
“He is the son of the woman you were speaking to at the feast, the one named Divina and the big man he was with today, Damage. He is also the husband of the Barathian slave woman Mira and several other women whose names I don’t know.
“He has several young children and he disappeared during the feast to go play with them. He is influential but to what extent I don’t know, he is very clever but dislikes dealing with politics or dishonesty.
“I’ve spoken to the girls that entertained some of the tribesmen and the guards that were drinking with them all night. None said where they were going besides the name ‘Pangaea’ and apparently they are off to train for a coming war.”
“Come again?”
“One of the orcs let that slip but apparently became tight lipped when asked for further detail. Wherever they may be going they aren’t merchant’s though they are quite good at trade because of their dogged negotiation skills. So I think it makes more sense that they go off for years at a time to receive some sort of training.”
I nod readily, I felt the mana on that axe that killed Susannah. Though he may not feel like it that young man is an Awakened of some sort, active mana like that implies magic, but he is clearly a warrior so some sort of combination.
“Did you know he is Awakened?” I ask Patra looking at her. The girl is young and this is great experience in information gathering and managing assets under her but I really didn’t anticipate how convoluted the intrigue would be in dealing with these tribesmen.
