Aethernea

by Cloe D Frost

  “I can’t use augmentation magic.” Scotty retorted. He then turned to Grass as if to say, “He is an argel, he can use Temperature.”

  Grass put his hands up and refuted. “You can’t sense someone by using Temperature. You wouldn’t be able to weave spell roots close enough to them to be able to feel their temperature.”

  Lorafiel took off his monocle to wipe it clean even though it was already spotless, a clear sign that he was getting frustrated. “That was an example. And if you can’t cast the spell in an area, then obviously that area is where she is. Who cares about her temperature?”

  “Ooooh” Grass and Scotty let out a sigh of understanding.

  Lorafiel put his monocle back on and looked at Grass expectedly.

  The bulky man seemed to shrink as he mumbled: “I’m not good at wide area-of-effect spells… and if my spell is too slow and small scale, by the time I am done scanning the entire area she could have just reallocated to an area I’ve already scanned previously…”

  He had a point. Lorafiel let out a long sigh and turned to Scotty.

  “Can you hear any movement from below?” He stared at Scotty’s long elibu ears as if waiting for them to start rotating like windmill blades.

  “No, not with all this chatter.” Noticing that the two stopped talking and were watching him expectedly, Scotty hastily added: “…nor from this distance.”

  Lorafiel let out a frustrated exhale. “Then go closer.”

  Heavens, he never realized how hard it was to effectively control a team. Nelaira made it look easy. Only now did he realize just how much thought had to be put into every single command.

  It really made him appreciate her all the more. There was a good reason why she managed to become a lieutenant even though she wasn’t a loyalist. Truly, it was such a pity that she had to die.

  Scotty didn’t move.

  “What are you waiting for? An invitation?” Lorafiel was starting to lose patience.

  “The whole ground is under her control,” Scotty complained.

  “Yes, we’ve been over this,” Lorafiel sighed again.

  “If I put my ear to the ground she can kill me in an instant…”

  “Then don’t put it near the ground!” Lorafiel’s voice turned a pitch higher as he pointed his index finger towards Scotty. “Just do something! Anything! Don’t you know any transmutation spells other than Morph? Transmute ice into water, conjure flames, just do something for heaven’s sake!”

  * * *

  Although the trio couldn’t spread their minds to locate her in fear of getting tainted, that didn’t apply to Nelaira. Since she had already been tainted, she need not fear her mind touching Ink.

  They were blind, but she could see both them and their spells clearly.

  Being able to use her mana sense again was liberating. Like a short-sighted person that had put on glasses. No, it was more exaggerated, like finally opening one’s eyes after a long sleep.

  With her mind locked on them, they had no chance at finding her position. Especially because she wasn’t laying in wait, no, she was quickly making her way towards the exit of the valley.

  Clouded by rage, she had indeed lost her reason for a moment there, but it was only for a moment. Soon after she remembered her plan. Only by careful preparation would she be able to achieve her aims.

  She wasn’t a fool, fighting bravely was exactly what they wanted her to do. To fight and die in vain.

  And while she really, really wanted to beat them up, she had to force herself to do the exact opposite. She had to run. She had to hide.

  All in order to live and make them regret everything.

  While she wanted nothing more than to tear Lorafiel apart, she was in no condition to fight. Her body was on the verge of collapse, and her mind was getting more sluggish by the second.

  She would probably lose her consciousness before long.

  With her mind getting hazier by the minute, her spell casting speed and weaving ability were rapidly degrading.

  Luckily she was a Helyot, raised in a family of architects in order to become an architect. Doing large scale construction and destruction through Morph was what she was raised to do.

  She might not be able to fight effectively, but at least she could shift the ground aside slowly to make an underground path.

  Run, hide, rest and recuperate. That was the plan.

  Hopefully her mind would clear back up soon enough, otherwise, the trio might decide to stop chasing after her and teleport back.

  It was ok if she wasn’t in a battling condition; as long as she managed to set up an ambush and steal their Beacon, she would have a few more days to recover and deal with them one by one.

  She would then return for Luki, Aurel, and the bodies of her other fallen comrades.

  Hopefully, Luki and Aurel will manage to survive until then.

  If they were still alive in the first place.

  The pit was too deep so when she tried to stretch her mind inside she was unable to reach the bottom.

  * * *

  Nelaira’s vision had already turned completely black, but she still continued to stumble in the dark tunnel created by her own Morph.

  She tried to feel the surroundings with her mana sense, but everything was one big blur. Her mind was too hazy to concentrate, too painful to think. She could no longer sense Lorafiel and the others, or anything at all.

  Her mind was quickly turning just as dark as her vision.

  Her legs have long given out, forcing her to use her flying boots in order to escape. But now she couldn’t even control her boots properly.

  Her flying form wavered and then she slumped onto the ground.

  Her lungs felt like they were on fire, her breathing short and labored.

  Somewhere along the way, she had lost the ability to conjure oxygen, but she must have conjured enough of it previously for the air in the tunnel wasn’t stuffy.

  She figured that if she never woke up again, the cause for it certainly won’t be suffocation.

  With the last of her consciousness, she relinquished the control of her Morph spell, turning it into a useless enchantment. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to keep it up after fainting, so it was safer to make it self- sustained.

  Hopefully, the mana powering the spell would allow it to be sustained until she woke up. Otherwise, if it failed, the trio might be able to locate her hiding place.

  No sooner had she relinquished her control than her consciousness fell into a deep slumber.

  * * *

  Nelaira didn’t know how long she had laid there on the hard ground. Her body was chillingly cold. Her limbs had turned stiff and she had trouble moving them.

  Her uniform had rather good heat insulation properties, so she wouldn’t freeze to death in a short amount of time, but the cold was nonetheless, rather uncomfortable.

  Perhaps the source of this chill wasn’t the gentle snow around her, but rather the Ink running through her veins. She felt like her blood was about to freeze. Like the chill was coming from inside out.

  Her body felt a bit better, she could breathe a bit more easily now and she didn’t feel the extreme weakness in her limbs.

  Her mind slowly returned from the darkness, but no matter how she tried, she couldn’t lift the perpetual haze around it.

  Her mind ran all over the place, seemingly without her control. Feverish, stuck in between sleep and wakefulness.

  All kinds of strange thoughts occurred to her, she even chuckled at the irony of it all. The irony of how instead of being tainted by a Tainted, she had been tainted by her comrades. It was them that pushed her into that pool of Ink.

  It’s alright. It’ll be alright. She muttered to herself. I’ll deal with those three and then… and then…

  And then what? Save Aurel and Luki?

  Ah, but they are already dead. A little voice whispered her fears right next to her ear.

  * * *

  Coming up in the next episode:


  It was a flower. A stunningly beautiful flower.

  Everything grew completely silent and still.

  Nelaira felt like she had just taken off tinted glasses. Like she was seeing the world in its full, bright glory for the first time. As if all this time her entire world had been dim and gray, and now, she could finally see color.

  * * *

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  Episode 153 – Divine Flower

  Previously:

  Nelaira decides to descend into the pit where Luki and Aurel had fallen in and gives Lorafiel her luggage and her Beacon. However, she doesn’t give them the diary they found in the village ruins. Lorafiel sends the other two to restrain and search her for the diary. Nelaira realizes that during the battle it was them who hindered her escape which caused Aurel, and subsequently Laica and Luki, to fall prey to the Tainted.

  Her own comrades send her flying into a pool of Ink causing her to take a bath in the creature’s disgusting remains. Lorafiel explains the reason why they had turned against her. It is because she had continued to translate the diary they found, even though she was ordered not to. Lorafiel, as the hidden Overseer of the group, has been given the job of ensuring that “forbidden things forever stay in the forbidden zone”. And Nelaira, due to knowing things she shouldn’t know became one of the things that should forever be buried in the forbidden zone.

  Knowing that soon enough she would faint, Nelaira decides to hide and flee, to return only after she recovers. She creates a large area of effect Morph spell and escapes through an underground tunnel towards the exit of the Valley of Eternal Snow.

  After a long escape, she finally faints. Upon waking up, her mind is hazy and filled with miscellaneous thoughts.

  * * *

  Episode 153 – Divine Flower

  How will you face everyone’s families? How will you be able to look them in the eyes? It was your responsibility to lead them, to protect them, to get them home safely.

  Nelaira’s form shook and wetness slid down her cheek.

  With both Laica and Aurel gone, their son would become an orphan. Laica had forsaken her noble title all in order to marry Aurel. Neither one of them were close to their sides of the family. Their son would be all alone, with almost no support from anyone.

  Even if she returned, locked in quarantine, what could she possibly do?

  But, but! Laica is close to her sister! She will take good care of Evin! Nelaira shook her head violently.

  Will she really? That same voice whispered. She might want to, but Thayns will surely oppose her taking Evin in. After all, his mother had forsaken her noble status to marry out.

  But, even if she can’t directly take him in, she can still support him! Nelaira argued.

  How? Financially? As if he’d need money, Purge compensation for members lost in the line of duty is rather high.

  Nelaira’s stiff fingers clenched into a fist. He is old enough to take care of himself. He is a strong kid with Laica’s explosive temper. Not easy to bully at all. He’ll be alright.

  …maybe. But what about Luki’s kids?

  The status of Luki’s wife wasn’t high in the Eeneva family to begin with, and her status in the Eryey family is not any higher. The only reason why they could live in peace so far was due to Luki’s status as a capable healer and Purger.

  But after he is gone…

  You should know the best how cruel infighting between nobles can be. The voice continued.

  At least they still have their mother! Nelaira sniffled.

  Her? With that gentle and submissive temperament, their children will most likely be protecting her instead of the other way around. And what about others? You weren’t very close to the other three, but they too had families, spouses, children, loved ones. Just like that, in mere seconds, the scourge mowed them down like grass. And you just stood there dumbly, unable to do anything. Were all your years of killing Tainted in vain?

  Nelaira hiccupped, chocking on her own suppressed sobs.

  If only she had aborted the mission earlier when they started running out of fasting pills.

  Suddenly her eyes opened wide and she slapped her own face with both hands.

  NO! She mustn’t fall into this train of thought!

  Her decision at the time wasn’t wrong. Going back while they could still go on would have been going back prematurely. She couldn’t have known what would happen if they stayed! If she was faced with the same decision in the future, under same circumstances she would have still made the same choice!

  In this line of work, a Tainted could pop up at any point. This was not something she could control. Besides, it was the sacred duty of the Purge to fight Tainted, not avoid them! Even if that meant they would not be able to return back to their families.

  That’s why everyone respected the Purge. That’s why everyone felt safe being protected by the Purge. That’s why people felt proud to be a part of the Purge!

  Nelaira’s sobs slowly died down as her mind was distracted by a bright patch of red in front of her eyes.

  Where am I? What is that? Her line of thought jumped to another track once more.

  She didn’t open her eyes all this time because she expected to meet darkness of the tunnel. But then, how come her surroundings weren’t dark?

  She tried to concentrate, to process what she was seeing, but her mind buzzed with all kinds of voices, an unsorted mix of memories and sounds.

  Her mind lagged and she couldn’t make sense of what was what, she just knew that the image in front of her was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

  Focus. She repeated to herself. I must come up with a way to deal with those three. I can’t let them return home.

  Yes, that’s right. That was the most pressing matter. Regardless of what happened or what she needed to do, she couldn’t let them return home.

  After returning back, wouldn’t these three become a part of Zel’s squad?

  Would Zel drink and laugh with people who caused the death of his fiancé without knowing the truth?

  All the good times she had with her team flashed through Nelaira’s mind.

  How the joked and laughed.

  How they spared and jovially pushed each other around.

  How they hugged each other’s shoulders spilling their beers as they swayed drunkenly.

  How they sang loudly next to the campfire.

  All of their slurred voices reverberated clearly inside her hazy mind, singing a morbid little song that was strangely popular among Purge:

  10 Purgers on the team, 10 Purgers.

  Tainted took one down and passed him around, 9 Purgers on the team.

  9 Purgers on the team, 9 Purgers.

  Ink made one drown and he spread it around, 8 Purgers on the team.

  Would Zel let them guard his back only to get stabbed just as she did? Would Zel be the next one charged with the crime of knowing too much?

  Veins in Nelaira’s neck bulged out. Never! She will never let them fool Zel!

  8 Purgers on the team, 8 Purgers.

  Oh, oh, what a letdown, the captain got cut down. 7 Purgers on the team.

  7 Purgers on the team, 7 Purgers.

  No way to slow down, no time to come around. 6 Purgers on the team.

  Nelaira didn’t know when or how she got up from the ground.

  Her eyes dull, she stared at the bright color, her feet unconsciously moving forward.

  6 Purgers on the team, 6 Purgers.

  Oh, oh, one clown f*cking flew off the ground. 5 Purgers on the team.

  5 Purgers on the team, 5 Purgers.

  You retard, come back down, stop f*cking around! 4 Purgers on the team.

  The red occupied the entirety of her vision, closer and closer, she could almost touch it.

  4 Purgers on the te
am, 4 Purgers.

  Tainted started to Meltdown, it’s the final countdown, 3 Purgers on the team.

  3 Purgers on the team, 3 Purgers.

  Team wipeout, total breakdown. Everyone got shot down. No more Purgers on the team.

  She was now standing right next to it and could see what it was.

  It was a flower. A stunningly beautiful flower. Her hand involuntarily moved towards it, wishing to caress those soft looking petals.

  No more Purgers on the team, no more Purgers.

  Oh, oh, go back to town, there more can be found, 10 Purgers on the team.

  10 Purgers on the team, 10 Purgers.

  And then…

  Everything grew completely silent and still.

  Nelaira’s outstretched hand froze in midair and her previously dull eyes widened in clarity. As if the curtain of fog covering her mind had been cut open with a sharp knife.

  What was she doing?!

  She quickly pulled back her hand as if it had been seared.

  If she touched the flower, she would taint it! She couldn’t bear to destroy something so beautiful. The flower was so stunning that surely even herbivores couldn’t bear eating it.

  She looked at her hand. The color was off, as if someone smeared some gray paint over it in random patches. Some parts of it were still skin colored, albeit pale, while others had turned grayish white. Some of her veins were still blue, but others had turned frighteningly black.

  Nelaira smiled bitterly. Wouldn’t it be great if people could just chop off the tainted body part?

  She would gladly chop her own limbs off if it could get rid of this unholy thing inside of her.

  Too bad that Ink wasn’t so easy to get rid of.

  If she had chopped off her arm back then, she might have slowed down the progression of the taint, but nothing more. Even if she entirely abandoned her entire body, moving into a Replica, like she often did within the Replica dungeon, it would still be useless.