“Careful!” Eric shouted. “Tiza is human!”
“She’s in Gunrai armor,” Kallen’s green goat head said. “She’ll be fine.”
The armor raised its gauntlets and retaliated with white flame blasts. Kallen screamed and flailed as it burned both her body and her spirit. Eric put it out with his own link to Fiol’s flame and countered with the Right Arm of the Grendel. A barrier emerged and he punched through it. This feminine scream of pain belonged to Tiza.
“It can use your barrier?!”
“APPARENTLY!”
The armor grabbed Eric’s arm and threw him into Kallen, who was trying to sneak attack. The barrier mended and the armor locked it in place. With Tiza’s spirit around it and Tiza’s body inside it, Eric was out of ideas for how to fight it.
“Tiza, make a decision!” Kallen’s silver lion head shouted.
The armor’s hands grew blades at the wrist and it lunged at Eric. He tried blocking them with his grendel arms, but each strike cut a chip out of him.
“What?” Tiza asked.
The blades charged with mana and struck at Eric’s shoulder. If he didn’t dodge that, then he would have turned into the grendel from the Beowulf story. Kallen stepped into his place to grab and joint lock the armor’s arm.
“Your willpower is weakened by your indecision,” Kallen said. The armor conducted more electric shocks into her, but she coated her hands in timber mitts to block them. “It’s a crack in your identity. Without a firm grip on identity or future...” Wind magic galed at the armor’s feet in an effort to take flight, but Kallen held it on the ground. “You’re no different from this thing. You could fight it if you solidified your resolve.”
The armor brought Tiza’s legs up and blasted Kallen in the chest with magical exhaust. The force was too much for her and she let go, allowing the armor to escape. It hovered above the two of them and fired a heavy stream of mana.
“Your mind, your body, and now your spirit; others control them because you lack control of yourself.” Kallen’s lion head continued its lecture despite the barrage. “The only true freedom is self-control.”
There was no end to the mana barrage. Eric doubted Tiza had this much reserve on a good day. The armor was draining her dry.
“Tiza! You have to fight it! It’s killing you!”
“Dimwit...I’m...tired...”
“What would Hailey think if she knew you were controlled by your outfit? What would Sathel think if you died from such deception? Imagine how disappointed the Dragoness would be!”
The mana barrage continued unabated.
“Th...This is...elf...I ca...can’t budge...”
A howl of frustration ripped from Eric’s grendel throat. He dropped all his shields and allowed the mana bolts to pelt him. The sight of her own power hammering her teammate startled Tiza into full consciousness. Then she realized it wasn’t hammering him; he was absorbing it. His eyes were closed and his arms outstretched to receive as many as possible. When he opened his eyes, they glowed with her power.
“Enlightenment skill: Mana Empowerment.”
He jumped off the ground and hammer-fisted the armor’s crown. Even with Tiza’s barrier and wind magic, it couldn’t stay airborne. It crashed to earth and Tiza rattled inside it. Eric landed next to it and placed his foot on its (and her) midsection.
“You know what? I give up. You must have coasted this far on luck because you can’t possibly be a true warrior.” He pressed the armor into the ground. “Dark Staff was right. You’re not a warrior. Mareth Jacquins created a damsel in distress and you’ve been a damsel in denial ever since I met you.”
Any magical attack the armor tried was instantly absorbed. They only made him stronger. He pushed the armor deeper into the ground.
“After this thing kills you, I will toss you in a ditch. You don’t deserve a warrior’s rite and your meat is poisoned by your fear. Your tombstone will read, ‘Here lies a wannabe warrior terrified of dresses and her own feelings’!”
Blue light erupted from within the crevice.
Eric’s grendel foot was pushed back. Little by little and inch by inch, the armor’s fists pushed it up and pushed him off balance. The armor leaned forward and, with just as much effort, raised its gauntlets to its head. There it grabbed the helmet’s sides and punctured them to gain a better grip. Then the gauntlets ripped off the helmet and tossed it aside.
Tiza’s hair was tossed and messy. Her face was pale and sweaty. Her eyes glazed over. She looked ill, but there was no mistaking her warrior spirit. It shined forth like a star.
Next, she tore off the arm plates up to the shoulder and then shredded the cuirass. Then her aura flickered. The helmet, cuirass, and arm plates levitated and tried to return to her. She roared and forced them back with her spirit. Then she ripped off the rest of the armor. In the end, it was in pieces around her.
“No one puts Tiza in a corner,” Eric said with his lips separated into a grin, “because those that do get the shit beaten out of them.”
“Abyss right!” Tiza stomped over to Eric and Kallen. “Speaking of shit, take—” Her aura faded and she fainted. This triggered Nolien’s awakening.
He scurried to her and immediately began treatment. Between his horn staff and his wooden staff, he not only stabilized her condition but restored her vitality. To finish the process, he popped open a bottle of Mana Juice and tipped its contents into her mouth. She woke up sputtering. Seeing Nolien leaning over her and cradling her head, she smiled and said, “It’s about time you woke up, Tenderfoot.”
“You’re clearly feeling better,” Nolien said, also grinning. “However, the smile is an equally clear sign you are delirious.”
Tiza grabbed his head and kissed him. Nolien was too shocked to respond. When Tiza broke the kiss, he saw resolve in her face. “I’m going to try the noble thing, but if you try to Pygmalion me, I’ll kick your ass!”
Nolien smiled. “Why would I do that? I think Galatea is perfect just the way she is.”
“Who’s Galatea?” She scowled. “Is she some tent you haven’t told me about?”
Around them, Eric and Kallen crushed the armor fragments into dust. Then grey mist arose from them. It coalesced into one cloud and radiated malice at the demons. It darted towards Eric. He raised his hand and fired a chaos bolt.
Its spiritual scream reverberated in the bones of all nearby. Kallen grimaced. Tiza clutched Nolien, who shielded her as best he could. Eric silenced it with a swing of his chaos spear. There was not a single trace remaining of it anywhere.
One person clapped and two more quickly joined it. Standing nearby was an elf in a stylish black suit and gaudy bow tie. Behind him were two adult humans, one man and one woman. They were fraternal twins: same tall and gangly body structure, same hair and eye color, and similar facial features. Their uniforms were also similar and shared the elf’s sense of style.
“Congratulations. Kudos. Muy bien. Jo do des,” Gunrai said. “Mortals believe four means death, right?” he asked the humans behind him.
“Yes, sir,” they replied.
“Good! Then it is appropriate. There is no more final death than chaos dissolution.”
“GUNRAI!” Kallen shouted. Though Eric had returned to his human form, she had not. All four of her heads death-glared the elf. “How dare you use our friend to attack us!”
Gunrai tutted. “Kallen, Kallen, this is all a misunderstanding. You see, I was conducting research with spirits and one of them escaped. It found a vessel in the armor I gave to Tiza. A perfect vessel, if I do say so myself; built to house a spirit comfortably and with more capability than a human host. That’s what Tiza needed and so I filled her need. It just so happens that I unwittingly filled someone else’s need as well.”
“Snake!”
“To think Nunny has poisoned her children against me to this degree. Do you not see how many needs I filled just now?”
He pointed at Tiza. “Catalyst for romantic catharsis. She needed
more than combat help and I provided it.”
He pointed at Nolien. “Reassurance of previous identity. He treated her condition, held her, kissed her, and all without sexually assaulting her again, or indeed, realizing that she is currently naked. Truly, a healer’s tunnel vision.”
He pointed at Eric. “Opportunity for experimentation. He wanted to practice chaos combat magic but who to test it on, given its danger? A rogue and threatening spirit, of course!”
Finally, he pointed at Kallen herself. “Excuse for accusation of villainy. You enjoy doing so a great deal and have since Nunnal adopted you. Do you deny any of what I’ve said?”
Reluctantly, Kallen returned to human form. Grudgingly, she said, “No.”
“Great! It warms my heart to see satisfied customers. It’s my Eternal Hobby, you know.” He held out a hand to each of his human assistants and they placed a slip of paper in each one. He handed these to Kallen. “These are coupons for clothes at my general store. Please give them to Tiza. I want to apologize for her experience and thank her for taking care of it for me.”
Kallen’s eyes narrowed. She snatched the coupons away and turned on her heel. Her snake head poked out to watch him. When she was occupied with the new couple, Gunrai left the area with his assistants. The air rippled as they did so.
Earlier, he set up a contained area around the four children and invited the villagers to watch the spectacle. It had always been his opinion that the best kind of reality TV was live and unscripted. The people enjoyed his show and Remho thanked him profusely for it. However, there was one person yet unsatisfied.
“You copied her Third Eye.” Hands on her hips, Nunnal Enaz barred his way forward.
“Why else would I give her such advanced armor for free?” Gunrai replied. “A spiritual technique like hers is a treasure and must be appreciated as such.”
“You just can’t stand anything unique.”
“There’s no business in unique things. Only in mass production is there success.”
Nunnal glared. “Is there success in betraying your people?”
Gunrai seesawed his hands. “It depends. What are you referring to?”
“The stunning failure of the equipment you provided for the raid into Latrot.”
“Ah yes, that. Meza and the Elven Preservation Society needed technology that would help them fight Order. I gave them body suits to protect them from his influence and cloaks to hide them from his eyes. I have already told my R&D that their products are insufficient.”
“Latrot and Order needed technology that would help them fight Meza and the Elven Preservation Society. You gave them body suits that suppressed their chaotic power and cloaks to imprison them. I examined one they brought back; it was deliberately sabotaged.”
“Why, Mrs. Enaz, you make me sound like some backstabbing corporate shankster.”
“You started the Two Fires War! Families broken up and towns burned to the ground, just so you could corner the military logistics market.”
Gunrai sighed and smiled. “Good times. Gunrai Enterprises has been the leading manufacturer and installer of military installations ever since. I stick to the ultra-high end so the temps can make ends meet. That is also meeting a need. It’s much like you are doing now.”
“I do research,” Nunnal said. “I’m not a production company.”
“That new shield you put up; you know, the one that is absolutely impossible for Order to breach and the one that other hidden villages are politely begging to obtain?”
“What about it?” Nunnal asked.
“What did you call it again?” Gunrai asked.
“A ‘Type 40 Spatial Anomalous Chaotically Ambient and Order Impregnable Repulsor Shield,’ sir,” the twins said.
“Yes, that’s it. I believe that translates into layman’s terms as...” He lowered his voice so only Nunnal and his assistants could hear. “...Order’s Vow.”
Nunnal shook her head. “My new shield is based on—”
“Come now, Nunny.” He gestured to his assistants and they cast a double Lupine Baffler. The rest of the conversation would be private.
“I’m the one who taught you how to lie through your teeth.” He clasped his hands behind his back and circled Nunnal. “We both know that the only thing one hundred percent guaranteed to stop Order in his tracks is a promise to abstain from a certain action.” He stopped in front of her. “Tell me I’m wrong.”
She looked the much older elf in the eyes and said, calmly and casually, “You’re wrong.”
He grinned. “Chaos always abides lies.” He resumed circling. “You see, Nunny, the mechanics behind your latest invention is the reason I’m not worried about you encroaching on my market share. The only reason I haven’t crushed you like all the others is because you’re never interested in marketing what you develop.”
“‘If you want Eleven Imports, contact Gunrai Enterprise.’ That sentence is older than most countries,” Nunnal said while staring forward, “and they all think it’s because you have the best deals.”
“I do. I always do. That’s why I always win. It’s my Eternal Hobby.” He stopped and placed his hand upon Nunnal’s shoulder. “Don’t worry your pretty little head about it.” He stared into her eyes and she saw his greed. “Instead of worrying about someone else’s daughter, you should worry about your own.”
The implication was obvious. A chaos priestess, with two Seeds of Chaos, successfully invoking Lady Chaos, and emerging from the experience sane, solid, and tremendously powerful; such a creature was unique in all of Noitearc. Nothing would stop him from replicating it, and to do that, he needed the original for reverse engineering. Gunrai stepped back and the greed was gone.
“After all, Kallen punctured our world fruit. Gods don’t like that. If I were you, I’d put my clever mind towards protecting her from the consequences of her own actions.”
He walked past her and his assistants followed. After three steps, he looked over his shoulder. “Since you will be busy doing that, I will take care of the marketing and distribution of medical mana mutation for you. No need to thank me. I’m just filling a need.”
He faced forward and said one more thing.
“Stay in your lab, stay out of my business, and we’ll get along just fine, my former apprentice.”
His assistants dismissed their Lupine Bafflers and walked away with their boss. Nunnal stood still and clenched her fists.
Chapter 10 Orderly Interlude
In the center of Latrot stood the royal palace, home of the king. In the center of the royal palace stood the Sanctuary of Order, the throne room of the true sovereign. In the center of the Sanctuary of Order stood the Grand Obelisk, the means by which the true sovereign made his will known.
Its height forced the clouds to part and its girth was too great for ten orcs linking arms to surround. Not a single dent or chink or rough spot could be found on its surface. It was a visual representation of Order’s ideal: clean and perfect uniformity. Lunas himself was another such symbol.
He wore the uniform of a monk from Order’s Orthodoxy. It was made of clean and pressed grey cloth. Its sleeves fell over his hands, its skirt concealed his feet, and a hood hid his face. It was impossible to distinguish him from any from any other monk venerating Order. This pricked his ego, and all the more so because his father wasn’t similarly garbed.
King Epideus of Latrot was a venerable old man. He had trimmed white/grey hair held in place by a splendid gold crown. Both were set above a deeply wrinkled face and eyes that had seen a lifetime. A purple velvet cloak draped over his shoulders, trimmed in white fur, and beneath were the finest quality tunic and pants in the kingdom. There was only one crack in this dignified and kingly image. On his right hand was a bunny puppet.
Both royals lay prostrate before the Grand Obelisk. They had been in this position for exactly one minute. Then they heard the voice of their lord and god within their minds.
I have summoned you, my principal servants, t
o make my will more clearly known to you, so that you may better understand what it is that I expect from you.
A beam from the peak of the Grand Obelisk shot to the ground. There, it projected a vivid image.
Twin beams of primordial energy fired from two directions. They united upon the living corpse of a human man. An eldritch spirit lashed out in protest, but the beams overcame it and dissolved its vessel. The aftermath created a Class “C” Chaotic Zone. At the top of the screen displaying this information, a header declared, “Location is Forever Classified by Order.”
The image shifted.
An elven priestess glowing with the purest chaos defeated five Nulso Rages. A mad laughter erupted from her mouth and she drew more arrows to her bow than it could logically bear. Then she fired all of them, charged with divine chaos power, into Latrot’s sky, and they tore open local reality. The end result was a Class “A” Chaotic Zone.
The image shifted.
Elven slaves liberated from their cages and led out of Sueno. Some escaped through a standing portal opened by the divinely touched chaos priestess. Others were shepherded across the border.
These outcomes are unacceptable. Explain yourselves.
“We were blindsided, my lord,” Epideus said to the ground. “No one, to our limited mortal knowledge, has performed Chaotic Starlight since Dengel Tymh destroyed himself 1.5 millennia ago. That an apostate could become a vessel for Lady Chaos is not something we, in our finite mortal wisdom and flawed mortal judgment, could anticipate.”
Lunas rolled his eyes. The only time he ever heard his father speak this humbly was during audiences with Order.
As I speak, my progenitor’s latest cleric is bouncing around Noitearc thwarting the plans of my other servants and advancing chaotic interests. How do you plan to redeem yourself for this failure, Prince Lunas of Latrot?
“My failure, Lord Order?” Lunas asked. “Forgive my short mortal memory, my lord, but where have I failed to carry out your will?”
The Grand Obelisk shifted its projected image. It showed Lunas backhanded by a fire demi-goddess then lawfully banished at her command and through an enforcer’s power.
Transcending Limitations Page 28
