by Sarah Lin
But if he had to fight anything worse... the thought trailed away as Nanjuma suddenly stepped over to the edge of the acorn's top, beaming down at them. Now that they were moving, his tension seemed to have gone.
"Hello, students! This is not the sort of lesson you should be learning, but there is no choice. Consider this a special lecture in advanced battle tactics. We're already moving to the battle as quickly as we can, so take this as an opportunity to prepare yourselves. Tell me: why are we bringing you along?"
At first everyone was taken aback by the ambush of good cheer, then one of the Fithan students ventured a guess. "The demons are so overwhelming you need every soulcrafter you can find?"
"Heavens forbid! No, barring a terrible surprise, I should be able to defeat all the demons that stand before me. But you are not being brought along simply to watch. Why?"
Though Theo knew the likely answer, he decided to stay quiet and avoid drawing more attention, just in case. The fact that the attack occurred so far away suggested it couldn't have anything to do with him, but it was always possible. That thought made him search for Magnafor, but the other human was nowhere to be found.
Meanwhile, several other obviously wrong answers were given. Finally Nauda ventured a better guess: "Has the battle spread out so far that you can't be everywhere at once?"
"Exactly!" Nanjuma leapt over the side, hanging the air alarmingly for a moment, before catching his feet in unused handholds and keeping himself horizontal. "When locked in battle with an opponent of a higher tier, the only logical strategy is to spread out and target weaknesses. I cannot duplicate myself or raise barriers over entire towns, so I can only do so much. Demons are generally unintelligent, but they will instinctively scatter. I cannot afford to waste time protecting the outskirts and chasing after every errant demon."
"Then what is our strategy?" Nauda asked.
"The local Farmguards said they evacuated the townspeople into a fortified region on a hill. I can see it from here... hmm. I will handle the western approach, while Farmguards will divide into groups to guard the north and eliminate flying demons. We'll first drop you students near the southern approach. There are not so many demons there, but repelling them is essential."
Though Theo couldn't see the town, judging from Nanjuma's fading cheer, the situation was serious. A weak area lacking soulcrafters combined with demons in higher concentrations than normal made for a deadly combination, though hopefully not for him.
As they drew closer, fires visible in the distance, everyone riding the acorn grew nervous. Eventually Theo decided to cut the tension by resolving an idle curiosity. He waved to catch Nanjuma's attention and then spoke up loudly enough for the others to hear. "How did you grow an acorn this big?"
"What makes you think I grew it?" Nanjuma spun to face him with a bit of his usual smile again. "No, I plucked it off the ground in my travels. If you have never visited the Heartgrowth, you will find it... grandiose."
Some laughed as if it was a joke, but Theo thought that the claim was probably serious. He'd never seen a tree large enough to have an acorn this big, not even in the forests of Aathal. The size likely defied physical laws of biology, so the enormous tree must either naturally use cantae or fundamentally break Earth physics. Each possibility was a bit troubling; neither was impossible in the Nine.
All chuckling died as they floated nearer and realized the extent of the demon attacks. Theo saw several second stage demons striding over the others, head and shoulders taller than most men. That was bad enough, but if all the demons sacrificed themselves... it took a great many to summon a third stage demon, but a titan would be the death of them all.
"The acorn will take the students to their destination, and I trust the rest of you to find your way. I must go." With that, Nanjuma leapt off the side of the floating vessel and plummeted toward the heart of the demon horde.
He struck as a meteor, a shell of neon green cantae erupting in the center of the demonic mass. All of the demons at the point of impact were instantly vaporized and fragments of the shell tore through the other forces. Nanjuma began striding toward the demons attacking the nearest Farmguards, limiting his power to avoid collateral damage, but that simply meant that he snuffed out lesser demons with his aura while he tracked down the second stage demons and killed them with overwhelming bursts of flame.
Definitely a Ruler, then, and a powerful one. Most of the others stared in awe, so Theo instead focused toward the dimly lit path below. A winding path around the side of the village had served as a road for wagons and now offered the demons another way to the fortified area. There weren't many demons there, but it wouldn't be easy to defend.
"There!" Theo had been focused on the ground, but Nauda was looking up, jabbing a finger out into the night sky. "It sees us, take it down!"
Theo didn't understand until a moment later, when he saw the demon flit across one of the moons, spiraling toward them.
Chapter 12
Though it moved too quickly to observe easily, Theo knew what it was: an over-sized dragonfly with knives for feet. Once he'd considered the insectoid demons nothing but spies or nuisances, but he could remember them threatening first tier soulcrafters. Suddenly the exact details of their strength were incredibly relevant, yet he couldn't be certain.
An arc of bolts lit up the sky as Fiyu struck, but the dragonfly darted away from them, flickering through the air with considerable speed. If it hadn't been targeting them before, it definitely was now, swooping down across the acorn as it descended.
One of the Farmguards hurled a spear, but the demonic dragonfly flitted aside almost contemptuously. All Theo could do was grip his spear and ready himself to attack if it got close enough, though he was likely to be useless until they reached the ground. It looped around them rapidly and he heard a cry of pain from someone on the opposite side, then suddenly it was sweeping at one of the students from behind.
Before Theo could think of acting, Nauda sprinted up the side of the acorn, her staff sweeping forward. The forks at the end caught the demon from the side, doing no apparent damage... yet the monster's flickering wings instantly stilled, as if it had been frozen in place.
"I can hold it." Nauda grimaced and got a better grip on her staff. "I need someone to kill it."
After a pause, one of the Farmguards tried to stab into the demon's side, but the blow glanced off its carapace. The dragonfly briefly began twitching, knives slashing at anyone who drew close, before it again froze in place.
"Hold it out." Fiyu spoke so quietly that Theo could barely make out the words from beside her, but somehow Nauda heard. She stepped nearer to the edge and extended her staff as far as it would go. "Now let go."
Wincing, Nauda jerked her staff away. Immediately the demon buzzed to life, ready to dart away... but it was caught in a flood of bolts so concentrated they were nearly a solid beam. The first few scattered off its carapace, but soon others punched through. When Fiyu lowered her hands, nothing was left but a few scorched fragments that fluttered to the ground.
"Good." Nauda smiled grimly and then turned her attention to the others. "We're almost landing! Everyone staying here, prepare to hold the position!"
The giant acorn scraped against the trail soon after, jolting a few who didn't have a good grip and sending them tumbling off the sides. There weren't many demons nearby, but two scrambled toward the fallen students, hands grasping. Since most of the Farmguards were jumping away to defend the village, Theo saw no choice but to take a hand himself.
He leapt from the side, gathering cantae within himself and then driving it out through his spear. It impaled one of the two monsters and all four of its limbs splayed against the ground, but then they began grasping for him. Not letting himself get distracted, he lashed out with one foot, reinforced with enough cantae to crush one of the grasping claws.
That stunned the demon long enough for him to pull his spear back and stab it again, this time killing it. Once he could have anni
hilated them so easily... but there was no time to reminisce, not with the second demon suddenly deciding that he was the greater threat. Still faster than he was, it leapt over the students' bodies, claws grasping, jaws opening...
The forks of Nauda's weapon caught it in midair and brought it to the ground. Theo got ready to strike it down, but he was too slow: Nauda twisted her weapon sharply and the force it projected snapped the demon into a bloody mess.
It seemed that the others had the situation under control, so Theo could spare a moment to stare at Nauda. He'd known she was a strong soulcrafter, but he'd still underestimated her. A few more demons remained and he joined her to fight them, but her ferocity left him playing support.
Her cantae filled her weapon, binding anything she touched in place. It seemed most powerful between the forks, but she also used it to sweep against the sides of the demons, sending them tumbling long enough for him to stab them. This time he activated the spear's armament inscription, the force tearing through the demon in an instant.
Nauda's weapon... it appeared to be a gentle binding tool, and he had no doubt it was used by some Tatians to nonviolently subdue disorderly revelers, but he'd also seen the lethal potential. He mentally revised his evaluation of her: Nauda might not be as flexible as Fiyu, but her soulhome was still well-polished.
At last it seemed they had control of the road upward. Theo kept his eyes peeled and scouted the edges, while some of the other students struck at the demon corpses to be sure they were dead. Several of their group had frozen, not striking a single blow, and some hadn't even made their cantae flow within them. Freezing in a first battle was common, so that was also useful experience.
Occasionally a demon approached from the main battle, but Fiyu generally annihilated them from her position atop the giant acorn. That gave him enough time to examine the battle, or at least what he could see of it. Nanjuma still swept around the battlefield in an overwhelming blur, now focusing more on rescuing specific people. The Farmguards seemed to be in control as well, or at least not falling back from their position.
Just when it seemed the battle was won, another flicker in the moonlight swept toward Fiyu.
"Above!" Theo yelled the warning even as he hurled his spear with everything he had. Fiyu flinched down instinctively as the demonic dragonfly descended on her and his spear struck one of the wings.
It wasn't enough. One of the blurring wings shattered, but after wobbling, the demon continued to sweep closer. Fiyu raised her hands to retaliate, but she wasn't going to be fast enough...
Then it froze in place. Despite still standing on the ground, Nauda had aimed her staff at the demon and frozen it from a distance. Though it was in perfect position for Fiyu to blow it apart, Nauda instead pulled backward, a reeling motion that drew the demon down to the ground. Once it was there, she pinned it to the ground with the forks of her staff around its thorax.
"This is the second of the three major breeds of demons." She was a little breathless, but gestured to the others to come closer. "It's essential not to mistake them for any of the other types, because they're faster and smarter. Usually they're less aggressive, but..."
The others pushed closer to get a good look, though they kept a healthy distance from the bladed legs. Having seen plenty of them, Theo stayed away and just looked around for any other attacks. It did seem to be close to over, but one lingering demon could cause a tragedy in a group like this.
Just when he started to look for his spear, one of the local Tatians came trotting up with it. The man handed it back and then embraced him warmly, which Theo suffered through. He did feel better being armed, but held back and let the others slowly kill the demonic dragonfly. His vestibule was nearly empty of cantae, even after so short a fight, serving as a grim reminder how much he needed to finish his primary chambers.
"You said there were three types of demons?" Kuber asked. Nauda shook her head slowly, leaning on her staff.
"They're slightly different in every world, so many more than three types. But across all worlds, they fall into three major categories. The weakest are the normal demons you know, the insects are the most intelligent, and the beasts... well, I hope that we don't see any of those."
"Nonsense!" The booming voice came from atop the acorn, where Nanjuma stood, good humor apparently restored. He held a demon at arm's length, a creature that looked somewhat like a wolf until its jaws opened. Half the creature's body was one enormous mouth filled with teeth, a maw on legs. "This is an excellent chance to finish your lesson!"
Nanjuma hopped down to stand among them and tossed the demon down carelessly. It instantly flipped to its feet, snarling, and Nauda tried to bind it with her staff. But even with it pinned between the prongs, the beast continued to twist and growl. Sweat began to trickle down the side of Nauda's face as she struggled to keep it bound in place.
"You were doing so well," Nanjuma said, cheerfully rubbing her back, "do you want to finish the lesson?"
"The third type..." Nauda had to pause to gulp in air, but after gritting her teeth and pushing the demon down, she managed to continue. "Beastly demons may look similar to the basic type, but they're stronger and tougher. Learn... not to confuse them."
"So they're the same, just a little tougher." It was Trathis, folding his arms as if he'd done anything much to contribute to the battle. Nauda continued to struggle, now unable to answer as the demon began to get its claws underneath it. There was no danger with Nanjuma standing nearby, but Theo still edged back in case it got free.
"They might all seem the same now, but not at the second stage." Nanjuma gestured toward the devastated hillside, cheerful as if he hadn't caused half of the destruction himself. "You saw the larger demons, correct? If six of these beasts sacrifice themselves, what they summon remains on all fours, but it's far more durable. And those little insects... can anyone guess what they become?"
"A predator." Fiyu spoke quietly, having joined them silently. She stepped forward and released a flood of bolts into the demon at point blank range, not letting up until it was annihilated. That done, she looked up to meet Nanjuma's gaze. "I hope never to see one again. Demons should not be taken lightly."
Those words seemed to have exhausted her capacity to interact with people, so she immediately retreated to hide behind Theo and Nauda. Nanjuma regarded her, gaze somber, then he nodded slowly. When he spoke to the others, his voice remained subdued.
"We have won a victory today, but many families have lost loved ones. Always remember that this is why we strive: if our souls had been better crafted, we might have been able to prevent every sorrow today. I hope that all of you will take these experiences to heart when we return."
Nanjuma left to speak to the villagers, though with a command to organize and prepare to return. Farmguards began to join them soon, some of them sporting wounds but without any apparent losses. Most seemed content to sit and recover, but Theo made himself move through the woods and search for the remains of demons.
He quickly found what he was looking for: scraps of fur, fragments of carapace, and the ash of the lowest demons. Each time, he quietly absorbed the remnants into his soulhome and hid them inside his improvised room as an additional precaution. Pieces of demons could be used as sublime materials, though they had no place in his blueprint. What mattered was that he could eventually sell them. Demonic materials might not be favored in Tatian, but he would eventually leave and travel to darker places.
Eventually they finished their work, leaving some of the Farmguards to help with the recovery. The rest of them climbed back onto the acorn vehicle and Nanjuma's cantae lifted it into the air. It might have been whimsical to ride back like that after the fierce battle, yet looking out over the damaged village and roads, Theo couldn't find anything lighthearted about it. Though it had gone well, he was exhausted and his mind struggled to engage.
The ride back was quiet and cool. Fiyu curled up in one of the seats and pulled her cloak over herself, more for the
dark than the warmth. Nauda sat silently near the top, examining the metal studs on her staff. A few had been damaged or lost during the battle and she carefully noted each one. If she had been capable of it, she would no doubt be soulcrafting, but they were all too exhausted.
By the time they returned, some had begun to celebrate their victory and a few Tatians were even planning a feast. All Theo wanted was the sleep that had been taken from him, though he had to admit that he was hungry. Yet as they descended to the courtyard, he realized that something was bothering him. The vast tree at the top of the Landguard Village...
As soon as they touched down, he jumped off and went to look. That might have been suspicious under normal circumstances, but everyone was too distracted to care. Theo neared the barrier, which blazed as strongly as ever, and examined an area where the cantae rippled slightly wrongly.
One of the stakes that maintained the barrier had been replaced. It was a nearly perfect copy, but he recognized the silvery sheen: it was a technique from Deuxan that subtly manipulated a barrier. He considered mentioning it for a moment before realizing that would only cast doubt on the few Deuxan students, and he was fairly certain they were innocent.
But he was willing to bet that Magnafor had spent time on Deuxan. He might not have gotten inside the sealed area that night, but he'd gotten a step closer.
Chapter 13
Though only some of the students had been present for the nighttime battle, it caused a shift in the atmosphere of the school. For a while everyone was trading stories of the fighting, more than a few of which Theo suspected were embellished. He and Fiyu stayed in darkened rooms and continued soulcrafting, their plans only slightly changed by the acid testing.
The biggest change for him was the sense that there was another time limit actively working against him. Whatever resources he had, Magnafor couldn't get through the barrier too quickly, but he was obviously trying. Talking to him directly would only antagonize him and reporting it was likely to cause backlash, so Theo merely watched for clues as to what timeline his rival had in mind.
