Mercy sat beside Taylor's bed, squeezing her hand tightly with both of her own, still shaking with the occasional sob. Outside, the city was a hive of frenzied activity bordering on outright chaos. She should have been out there, helping Charity keep things ordered. It was her responsibility. But she just… She just couldn't, because admitting that it was her responsibility would mean admitting that… that…
She started sobbing again, more tears trickling down her already stained cheeks. After several seconds, Taylor spoke. "I wish I could tell you it will stop hurting, but it won't. The pain will fade in time, but never completely. Just remember the reason it hurts is because she loved you. That won't go away either."
Mercy cried harder. "I-it's my f-fault," she choked out eventually. "If I'd j-just left when you'd t-told me to-"
"No," interrupted Taylor, pushing herself up to take Mercy's shoulder with her free hand. "Don't ever blame yourself for this, do you understand?"
"B-but-"
"I'm going to be completely honest with you, so listen carefully, okay?" Mercy looked at her for a moment, then nodded. "You should have left earlier, but for your own sake, not your mother's. You are an incredibly rare person, in that you have both the ability and the desire to make the world a better place. You have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of billions. If you sacrifice yourself to save the lives of hundreds, you're throwing that opportunity away. It isn't selfish to value your own life. Focus on the people you can and did save, because you can't ever save everyone. No one can. But if you die, you won't be able to save anyone at all."
Even if she knew Taylor had a point intellectually, it didn't feel right. She'd always hated it when people acted like she was worth more than anyone else. But she couldn't bring herself to argue about it right now, so instead she just nodded jerkily.
"As for Malice…" continued Taylor, "Even if you'd never come to the battle at all, I don't think she would have survived. I think Shen came there specifically to kill her. I think even freeing the Silent King was just a means to that end. I'm sure he had more than one goal, but your mother was by far his greatest enemy and greatest obstacle. Maybe she could have escaped the trap if she'd retreated immediately, only stopped to extract the Heralds and Sages, but she never would have done that. Shen anticipated that Northstrider's betrayal would infuriate her, that she'd focus on revenge over everything else until it was too late."
"C-couldn't she have g-gotten herself out instead of u-us, though?"
"It's not so simple," said Taylor, shaking her head. "The Dreadgods have greater authority than she did, and Shen has greater authority over space in particular. I think the only reason why she managed to get us out was that she used herself as bait. She made the Dreadgods think she was going to flee herself so they focused their will on her, and then sent us instead."
Mercy sniffled a few more times and wiped her eyes. "You're not… You're not just lying to make me feel better, are you?"
"I'm not. I promise," said Taylor. "I might be wrong, but I don't think I am. Shen has to know the Silent King doesn't tend towards gratitude. He had nothing to gain from freeing it except harming his enemies, and he only had one enemy it would make sense to go to such lengths against."
"Okay," said Mercy eventually. "I believe you. But I don't really feel any better."
"I know," said Taylor, lying back. "But guilt is like an infection. It festers. Don't inflict that on yourself on top of everything else."
"Are you… How are you feeling?" asked Mercy, changing the subject.
Taylor allowed it. "Better. But still weak."
For her to admit that meant she had to be feeling really weak. She'd been treated by the clan's best healers the moment they got back, of course, but they reported that her body, spirit, and even mind were all fully healed, that her injuries hadn't been that severe to begin with. And yet, she felt… somehow less substantial to Mercy's senses than she had before, as though she weren't quite fully there.
Mercy still didn't understand what had happened, and for the first time, she was a little afraid to ask. For a handful of seconds after the Silent King struck, it had felt like Taylor had vanished. To Mercy's eyes, she'd still been standing there, although she'd gone absolutely still, not even breathing. But to her senses, Taylor's body hadn't felt like Taylor anymore. She'd felt like an absence, a window in the world.
Something had looked through that window, something vast beyond Mercy's comprehension. It had pinned her with a million million eyes, and for a moment, her body and even her spirit hadn't been her own. It hadn't been like the Silent King's insidious tempting whispers. It had been a force so immense, so overpowering that resistance was simply unthinkable, like trying to stop the sun from rising with her bare hands.
And yet it hadn't been frightening while it was happening, only after she was released. She'd felt like she was where she belonged, a piece fit perfectly into place in a greater whole. She'd understood only the tiniest fragment of that greater whole, but she remembered ordering the Bleeding Phoenix to submit, and the Dreadgod had obeyed.
It frightened Mercy most of all because she'd thought she understood what power was. The Dreadgods were terrifying creatures, but she understood how much more powerful they were than her. She could imagine growing strong enough to match them. Whatever… being Taylor had called on for help was something else entirely. It had felt like the entirety of Cradle might be no more than a grain of sand next to it. She'd never really known what it felt like to be truly insignificant until that moment.
But it had helped. It had saved them from the Silent King, and delayed the Bleeding Phoenix long enough for them to escape. And no matter what, she trusted Taylor. So as much as she both wanted to know and dreaded knowing the truth, she would wait until Taylor was ready to tell her. For now, she hid her thoughts and smiled. "Get some rest. I'm sure you'll be back on your feet in no time."
"I'll do my best," said Taylor, smiling slightly back.
They sat in silence for a while longer. Mercy wished… She wasn't sure what she wished. It still hurt, even with Taylor here, but it was slightly softened. She wished Aunt Charity could be here too, and they could all just sit like this for a while, even if that wouldn't make it stop hurting. But unfortunately, the world didn't stop just because she'd like it to.
The entire city felt the Dragon King's arrival. The city's defenses blocked the spiritual pressure, but a fully unveiled Monarch was simply impossible to miss. The sky outside the window, violet for Mercy's entire life, was stained gold. Part of Mercy had hoped that something might restrain him, some remaining fragment of his oath or even gratitude for sparing his life, but most of her had known better. If their fates had been reversed, her mother wouldn't have let anything hold her back either.
"I… I need to go," said Mercy. "I don't know if can help, but I have to at least try."
"Promise me you'll stay safe," said Taylor. "Promise me you won't try to throw your life away again."
"I promise," said Mercy, nodding. Even if she hated the idea that her life was worth more than anyone else's, she didn't ever want to make Taylor feel the way she did right now. Rising, she leaned down and hugged Taylor tightly. "I love you."
"...I love you too," replied Taylor after a moment. Even though they'd both known it was true, they'd never actually spoken the words, and that wasn't an omission Mercy was willing to accept anymore. She sniffled a few times, then stood and activated the Moonlight Bridge.
She found herself just behind the city's walls, floating next to Charity. The Heart Sage turned and offered her a tiny nod, then focused her attention back on their enemy. The Dragon King floated several miles beyond the walls, his tiny figure at odds with the immense power he radiated. "Uncrowned Queen," he said, aura carrying his voice to them. "Have you also come to ask for terms? As I told the Sage, I have no interest in offering any."
Mercy gathered herself and replied. "Then… what do you want?"
"Do you truly need to ask? I want your clan gone from Ashwind, and I want this city scoured down to the bedrock. Nothing more and nothing less."
"The people here aren't any threat to you!" protested Mercy. "They're just people, trying live their lives! I understand if you won't accept peace, I can order the clan to leave the continent, but you have no reason to kill everyone else!"
"I am not responsible for their weakness," said the Dragon King. "Flee if you wish. I have neither the ability nor the desire to stop you. Or stay and die, if you prefer. But I will scour this continent clean of every trace of your clan."
"Why?" demanded Mercy. "Why do you care what happens to them?"
"Your family has coddled the weak for too long. You have allowed mediocrity to flourish. Let the slate be wiped clean. Let the strong prove their right to exist. You object, but you lack the strength to oppose me, so your objection is meaningless. Nothing more need be said."
With that, he struck. Golden sand in the shape of a miles-long dragon surged forwards, crashing into a purple barrier which flashed into existence to meet it. The barrier held strong, but a sandstorm of titanic proportions was already forming, battering the city's defenses for dozens of miles in either direction.
Enormous launcher constructs on the wall returned fire, spitting bolts of purple force into the storm, techniques as strong as anything a Herald could produce or even stronger. As far as Mercy could tell, they had no effect at all. The power in the storm obscured everything, and the Dragon King was a minuscule target. Charity seemed to have a slightly better idea of where he was, and was no doubt directing the launcher crews through her owls, but landing a hit was still going to be a matter of luck more than anything else. And as powerful as the weapons were, it would take many, many hits to do more than irritate a Monarch.
"...How long will the defenses hold?" asked Mercy quietly after a few seconds.
"Assuming he can keep attacking at this intensity? An hour. Maybe less," said Charity grimly. Mercy nodded. The defenses of Moongrave were incredibly strong, but they had always been meant to protect the city from a nearby clash between Monarchs or Dreadgods, not to endure a direct, prolonged assault from one. Her mother had always intended that she herself would be the main line of defense.
"We need help," said Mercy eventually.
"We do," agreed Charity. She sighed. "The Eight-Man Empire may be willing to fight for us if Shen is done with them. Their prices will be ruinous, but we may not have a choice. I'll contact them myself."
"Then I guess I know what I need to do, too," said Mercy.
For a moment, Charity was silent. "Mercy. If no one will help, then don't come back. I'll get Taylor out, and as many others as I can. But the clan must be preserved, no matter the cost. Do you understand?"
"I… I understand."
"Then good luck."
Mercy took a deep breath. "Don't worry. I'll see you soon," she said. Then she activated the Moonlight Bridge again.
Most of the time, the Moonlight Bridge worked so quickly it seemed instant, but this time her destination was very, very distant. She floated in silver light for several seconds before the world reformed. She found herself in an enormous hall. Rainbow tiles covered the floor, and glittering chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Also, the hall was full of people, and several of them were Archlords.
Before she'd even gotten her bearings, she found herself wrapped in a net of rainbow light, her spirit constricted. An instant later, her limbs were bound by aura, hoisting her into the air. "What is the meaning of this!?" thundered the Archlord who'd restrained her, an old man with a long beard and a very dignified air. "This is a closed session of the Ninecloud Court! How dare you intrude?"
"Enough, Kaidel," said Miara, seated on an ornate throne and once more shrouded in her disguise of rainbow light. "I doubt M- The Uncrowned Queen intended to interrupt us. The Moonlight Bridge she was given does not allow her to always know her destination before she arrives. Release her, and let her speak."
"As you wish," said the Archlord after a tiny hesitation, bowing to her.
The physical and spiritual restraints on Mercy vanished, and she dropped lightly to the floor. She took a deep breath to steady herself before she spoke. "I'm sorry for interrupting you, but… On behalf of the Akura clan, I need to ask for the Ninecloud Court's help. With my…" she hesitated, barely managing to keep herself from starting to cry again, then continued. "With my mother's death, the Dragon King has been released from his oath of non-aggression. He's currently attacking Moongrave, and our defenses can't hold for more than an hour. Without help, he'll destroy the entire city and kill hundreds of millions."
The hall immediately filled with murmurs, lasting several seconds before a wave of spiritual pressure from the Herald silenced them. Mercy's eyes were on Miara, but it was the same Archlord from before who answered her. "My condolences for your family's loss, Uncrowned Queen. However, the Ninecloud Court has problems of its own to deal with. Antagonizing the Dragon King is not in our interests. Perhaps we can come to an agreement for aid in evacuating the core of your clan, but no more than that."
"And what about everyone else? Are you really fine with just letting them die?"
"These things are tragic, but they have always and will always happen. We did not interfere when Shen destroyed the Arelius a decade ago, and we have no reason to interfere now. The Ninecloud Court has prospered for thousands of years in large part because we avoid making unnecessary enemies."
"I think you can be better than that," responded Mercy, but she was still looking at Miara.
"Take care, Uncrowed Queen," said Kaidel, narrowing his eyes. "We are willing to grant you a degree of lenience under the circumstances, but discourtesy serves you poorly when you come begging our assistance. Luminous Queen Sha Leiala does not answer to-"
"Enough." It wasn't quite one of those echo-y commands that Sages could make, but it still chopped the Archlord off instantly. "I can speak for myself. All of you, leave us. Relliar, you stay."
Kaidel turned to Miara and bowed again. "Forgive me, my Queen, but surely-"
"I gave you an order. Did you misunderstand it?"
"...No, my Queen. My apologies," said Kaidel after a second of hesitation, bowing once more. Mercy suspected that it was the first time Miara had rebuked her advisor so firmly; she could almost feel the power dynamics in the room shifting, and felt a warm sliver of pride for her friend. Slowly, the crowd shuffled out, a process taking several minutes. Mercy, Miara, and Sha Relliar waited in slightly awkward silence.
The final door closed, and Mercy felt a slight shiver of something, probably some kind of Sage thing to ward the room against eavesdroppers. Miara let the rainbow light around her fade. Then she rushed forwards, nearly knocking Mercy over as she hugged her. "I'm so, so sorry! I didn't realize Malice was in so much trouble or I would have stayed longer, I swear! I tried to come back right away but Shen had already blocked spacial travel again and I couldn't break through and then by the time I found a place I could get to and started flying it was already too late, I messed everything up, I'm sorry-"
Mercy found herself crying again, her face, buried in Miara's shoulder. "I-its not y-your fault, p-please don't blame yourself, Shen p-probably had some plan for if you'd stayed and you would've d-died too."
Both of them let themselves cry for a minute before composing themselves. Mercy certainly needed it, and she thought Miara did too; the other girl had clearly been sitting on a whole bundle of anxiety that Mercy would blame her for letting her mother die. Eventually they stepped away from each other slightly, but only slightly. Mercy noticed Miara's Herald still standing next to her throne, looking more awkward than ever.
"I'm sorry," said Miara again, wiping her eyes. "You shouldn't need to be the one reassuring me right now. But… thank you."
"It's okay. It… feels nice, not being the only one crying. Everyone's been kind, but I can tell they're not as upset. I don't think very many people loved my mother, not like I do. But… We probably shouldn't waste anymore time."
"Right," said Miara, nodding decisively. "I… Kaidel wasn't lying when he said we have our own problems. The Bleeding Phoenix is on its way here."
"Already?" asked Mercy.
"After… After the battle, the Phoenix got into a scuffle with the Weeping Dragon. Apparently Dreadgods don't like sharing territory with each other. The Dragon won and drove the Phoenix out of Everwood. It wasn't headed for us originally, but then it suddenly changed direction. Shen's doing, probably," she said with a snarl. "It's not flying at full speed, so we should still have a day or two before it gets here, but… I can't afford to get into an all-out fight with the Dragon King right now. Don't worry! I'm sure I can at least drive him away from Moongrave. But I can't risk fighting him away from the city's defenses."
"That's all I was hoping for," said Mercy. "It wouldn't be right for you to put your own people in danger just to keep mine safe."
"I wish I could do more, but... Thanks. For understanding," said Miara. She turned, looking behind her. "Relliar, you're in charge while I'm gone. I shouldn't be too long, but try to find out how disgruntled Kaidel and his supporters are, and if they're likely to make trouble later."
"As you command, my Queen," he said, nodding. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then said, "My Queen, this is your decision to make, and I will always support you unless I believe your course of action to be truly ruinous. But… Have you fully considered the possible consequences of your decision? The Dragon King has barely ever shown interest in events beyond Ashwind for centuries, but if anything could change that, it would be a foreign Monarch interfering in his affairs."
She hesitated for a moment, then nodded firmly. "I know this isn't the safest thing to do, but it is the right thing to do."
"So it is," agreed Relliar with a small smile. "Few paths are more difficult to walk than doing the right thing. By your leave." He nodded again, then vanished in a gust of wind.
Mercy jumped forwards and hugged Miara as tightly as she could. "Thank you," she whispered.
Miara hugged her back. "I just-" She cut off, seemingly rethinking whatever she'd been about to say. "I just want to feel like I actually deserve my power. I know I didn't really earn it, not like you, but I can still try and use it the right way."
"You shouldn't put yourself down like that," said Mercy. "How you use power is much more important than how you got it. I mean, assuming you didn't do anything awful to get it, but you know what I mean."
"Thanks," said Miara. "Are you ready to go?"
"Uh huh."
"Alright. Hold on tight." Then she leaned down, stuck one arm behind Mercy's knees, and picked her up.
Mercy squeaked and turned red, although she did keep holding on. Miara blushed slightly as well. Mercy was pretty sure this wasn't actually necessary for Miara to take her along, but, well… She didn't really mind it. Hugs were always nice, but hugging Miara felt nice in a kind of different way than hugging Taylor, for example. She wasn't quite sure what the difference was, so she'd just have to keep doing it until she figured it out.
For several seconds, the world was nothing but rainbow light. When it cleared, she found herself floating over Moongrave. She was relieved to see the barrier was still holding strong against the sandstorm battering it, although she'd only been gone for a few minutes. Mercy floated herself out of Miara's arms with only a tiny bit of reluctance, and they both turned to face the storm.
"It's funny," said Miara. "I fought a Dreadgod just a few hours ago. You'd think a Monarch wouldn't scare me after that, but he does."
It made Mercy feel warm, that Miara would admit being scared to her. Even a month ago, she wouldn't have done that. "It's okay. He is scary. Everyone gets scared sometimes. The important thing is to keep going anyway. I believe in you."
Miara stood straighter, smiling. "Well, if you believe in me, then there's no way I can lose." Then she shot forwards, her disguise once again around her. Over Moongrave, the golden sky gave way to glittering rainbows. She wasted no time, a wave of rainbow light miles wide exploding outwards, passing through the city's barrier without difficulty. Where it washed through the storm, the sand took on the same hue, and it reversed direction, billowing back towards its creator. It met the rest of the storm with a titanic explosion of force.
The air cleared after several seconds, the sandstorm fading away entirely. The launcher constructs on the wall ceased fire as well, no doubt on Charity's order. Mercy was still catching up, but she just managed to pick out the Dragon King's tiny form. "You are far from home, child," he said.
"So are you," retorted Miara. "These aren't your lands."
"They are mine if no one has the strength to contest my claim. Do you seek to claim them for yourself?"
"The Akura clan is a valued ally of the Ninecloud Court. I am here to honor that alliance."
"Disappointing," said the Dragon King. "I suppose I should expect no better. Even Malice did not coddle her subjects to the degree of your family. But I ask again: Do you believe you have the strength to contest my claim?"
"Try me, and I'll show you."
"Brave words, and yet you speak them hiding behind walls. If you were truly confident in your strength, you would come and face me in the field."
"You're wrong. I am stronger then you, because I have allies and friends to support me. You came here alone, because you have no one. I don't care how powerful you are, you can't take this city as long as I defend it!"
"Are you certain?" asked the Dragon King. He flared his spirit even further, the pressure warping the world around him, and the image of a vast golden serpent flickered into existence in the sky above him. Miara flared her own spirit, and although Mercy had caught up to her, the pressure wasn't painful or even uncomfortable; it felt more like a heavy, warm blanket laid over her. The image of a crown set with brightly glittering jewels formed above them, pushing back against the dragon.
The tension held for several seconds, and Mercy wondered if he really would attack again. But then he withdrew his spirit, and the Dragon Icon vanished. Miara veiled herself as well a moment later, seeming surprised.
"Very well," said the Dragon King. "Borrowed strength is no strength at all, and I am patient. We will see how long you can keep watch for. Unless you wish to abandon your own lands, you will need to avert your gaze eventually, and the moment you do, this city will be dust. Besides, Akura lands are large. I am content to cleanse this city last rather than first."
His gaze shifted, to where Charity was floating several hundred feet away. "Heart Sage. I will see your clan scoured from this continent, but I will give your vassals the opportunity to prove their right to exist. If you or yours interfere, then so shall I. Enjoy this brief reprieve."
With that, he vanished. Several hundred miles away, another titanic sandstorm burst into existence, slowly moving off towards the horizon, leaving devastation in its wake. There were cities out there, although none nearly as large as Moongrave. Mercy desperately wished there was something she could do to save them, but she said nothing. It wouldn't be fair to put that on Miara, not when there wasn't realistically anything more she could do anyway.
Charity floated over and bowed low. "On behalf of the clan, I offer my deepest gratitude for your intervention, Luminous Queen."
Miara hesitated, then nodded back. "Your thanks are appreciated, but I won't be able to stay for long. He'll be back as soon as I leave."
"You've done more than you think. I am already in contact with the Eight-Man Empire, and thanks to your assistance, our bargaining position is vastly stronger than it was before. So long as we only ask them to defend the city, we should be able to purchase their services for some months before it becomes untenable."
"I'm glad to hear that," said Miara. "If the worst does happen… Your clan will be welcome in Ninecloud, as long as you're willing to swear oaths."
"I hope it will not come to that, but I appreciate it nonetheless."
"I'll need to return to Ninecloud soon, but I can at least spare the time to help you repair and strengthen your defenses," said Miara.
"Again, I offer my gratitude. Akura Wisdom is the clan's most senior scripter. He will know where your help will do the most good. With your permission, I will share his location with you."
"Go ahead." A small flicker of dream aura passed from Charity to Miara, and she nodded. "I'll begin immediately." Then she turned to Mercy. "Don't worry, I'll be sure to come and say goodbye before I leave."
"Okay," said Mercy, smiling.
Miara vanished in a flash of rainbow light. Once she was gone, Charity floated closer, favoring Mercy with a rare smile. "You did very well," she said. "Even if you aren't quite ready to step into your mother's shoes yet, she was wise to trust the future of the clan to you."
"Thanks," said Mercy, tearing up again as she drifted forwards to hug her.
"I have work to do," said Charity after a moment. "We need to make the most of the Luminous Queen's generosity while she's still here." She paused. "I suspect the two of you will face significant challenges in the future, but I approve nonetheless."
Then she vanished in a flurry of shadows. Mercy blinked a few times in confusion. Approve of what?
Yerin's sword bit deeply into the gold dragon's flank. It shrieked in pain, but still didn't fall. "Why?" She danced around its claws, then narrowly avoided a jet of scorching flame. "Won't?" She struck again, her blade glowing ever brighter with the Flowing Sword technique. "You?" The dragon attempted to retreat, but Yerin had anticipated it, and stayed close. "Die!" Her Rippling Sword struck the dragon in its previously injured wing, finally severing it and sending it tumbling. "ALREADY!" She followed it down, driving her sword deeply into its chest and piercing its heart.
She sprung back from the dragon's corpse, unleashing a full seven more Rippling Swords from her blade and each of her goldsigns which struck just as its remnant began to rise. It strained her spirit, but an Overlord remnant was no small threat, and she wanted this fight finished as soon as possible. Her volley wasn't quite enough to finish it off, forcing her to dodge another blast of flame before she cut the remnant to pieces.
Yerin let herself sink back down to the ground, breathing heavily. Her fight had carried her some distance from the rest of the battle, which was lucky; there were still more enemy Overlords, and she didn't like her chances against two at once. That last fight had already cost her a deep series of gashes along her back and a large, painful burn on one leg. Grimacing, she realized she was out of healing elixirs. Hopefully Lindon had spares, assuming she could track him down.
She took a deep breath, then sprang back into the air, propelling herself upwards with wind aura. She wasn't very fast, slower than a good thousand mile cloud, but hers had been incinerated earlier in the battle. She could steal one of the Skysworn's when she had a chance, but first she needed to get back up there.
The flying city of Stormrock was an impressively large cloud fortress for a nation ruled by a mere Overlord, as big as anything she'd seen in Ninecloud City. Unfortunately, it didn't have the defenses to match its size. Smoke was rising from multiple places, and a portion of the cloud had already disintegrated, sending the buildings it supported plummeting to the ground below. Yerin and Lindon were the strongest fighters on the field by a fair margin, but they couldn't be everywhere at once. Only five Blackflame Underlords were still fighting independently, the rest having been driven back to the dubious safety of the city's defenses, while the dragons still boasted nearly two dozen.
Yerin couldn't do anything about that until the Overlords were dealt with. Extending her senses, she spotted two remaining. One was dueling Lindon several miles away, and she trusted him to have that handled. The other was raking the side of the city with bolts of lightning, blasting chunks out of its walls where the defensive scripts failed. Yerin and Lindon had beaten the dragons here by less than an hour; if they'd been just a little slower, she doubted the city would have survived for them to reach it.
The enemy Overlord was on the far side of the city, so Yerin headed for the nearest group of Skysworn. They were engaged with a pair of enemy Underlords and plenty of Golds, but the dragons scampered when they sensed her coming. She sent a Rippling Sword in their general direction just to make sure they kept going.
An old friend was waiting for her. Naru Gwei's green Skysworn armor was battered and burned, but he still had enough energy to muster up a scowl as she approached. "My thanks for your assistance, Lady," he said, sounding like it took every bit of his will to drag the words out.
"If you're feeling thankful, I could use another cloud. Last one got a bit burned."
His scowl deepened, but he nodded. "Lin He, give the Overlady your thousand mile cloud and report to the healers."
"Yes, sir," said the Skysworn, saluting. He landed on the city's wall, hopping off his cloud and bowing deeply to Yerin. Clearly, he wasn't anyone she'd met during her brief and ill-fated career in the Skysworn.
"What do you intend?" asked Gwei as Yerin floated up on her new thousand mile cloud.
"Got another Overlord to kill, don't I?" she said.
He grunted and nodded in grudging approval. "Good hunting, then. We'll hold the line. Skysworn, on me!"
The group flew off towards towards a red dragon Underlord and its supporting Golds who were assaulting the city's walls half a mile away. Yerin flew off in the opposite direction. The Overlord was approaching, continuously strafing the city as it circled. This one was blue rather than gold like her previous opponent, and she thought it might be a touch stronger.
It broke off its attack as it sensed her approaching, hovering in the air and waiting for her. To her surprise, it spoke. "Do you truly wish to fight me already injured, human?"
"You got a better idea?"
"I know who you are, Uncrowned. These are not your lands. Why die for them?"
"Who says I'll be the one doing the dying? Might not care that much for the Blackflames, but burn my soul to ash if I'll just stand aside and let you lot eat them for breakfast."
"I admire your bravery," said the dragon. "If you seek an honorable death, I will give it to you."
There was nothing else to say, so they began. The dragon lashed out with a bolt of lightning, and Yerin met it with a Rippling Sword, the two techniques annihilating each other in the air. She rushed forwards on her cloud, but the dragon was faster, and it clearly wanted to keep the range open. It spewed more lightning at her, forcing her on the defensive.
Well, if it wanted to keep its distance, that was fine. Yerin abruptly reversed course as the dragon retreated once again, quickly increasing the space between them. Then she began the Final Sword. Her opponent instantly turned back around, unleashing more lightning. She sensed where the attack was going and darted out of the way, but the bolt forked, a few tendrils reaching out to strike her as it passed. She hissed in pain but held control over her technique. A moment later, she released it.
The dragon met it with more lightning, but this time her technique pierced through. It lost some strength, but still carved a long gash into the dragon's back as it hastily jerked out of the way. It roared in pain, but the wound wasn't yet a crippling one.
Now her opponent came in closer, not wanting to give her space to use her most powerful technique again. They traded a flurry of lightning and silver crescents, and this time Yerin came out the worse, small arcs of lightning slipping past her defenses and leaving scorched trails on her skin. The small injuries would start adding up sooner or later, but they hadn't yet, so she ignored them.
Yerin waited for her moment. The faint song of the Sword Icon whispered in the back of her mind as it had for months now, telling her the perfect time to strike. When her opponent ventured a hair too close, she leapt from her cloud with all her strength, launching herself at the dragon faster than it could dodge. She couldn't avoid its Striker technique, so she Enforced her sword and cut through it. It wasn't perfect, and small arcs of lightning again brushed over her, but she made it through more or less intact.
The dragon attempted to swat her down, but Yerin used the Endless Sword at the perfect moment. Sword aura exploded from its claws, lacerating them and knocking them out of the way. She sailed through the gap in its defenses, slashing another gouge into its torso as she passed. Then she grabbed onto a spike near its tail, using it to redirect her momentum and avoid another blow from its rear claws.
Only at times like this, when she truly pushed herself to her limits, did she feel the Sword Icon drawing closer. She avoided each of her opponent's blows by a hairsbreadth as though it were a dance they'd practiced a thousand times, inflicting a series of increasingly deep gashes in return as her Flowing Sword gained strength. When the dragon twisted sharply to throw her off while simultaneously shoving with force aura, she contested it with her own soulfire, hanging on for just a moment longer than it expected and flying away at an angle that let her catch its wing. She slashed through the membrane, and the dragon went into a brief tumble as its flight was disrupted.
The wounds it had taken were bleeding freely. During the Uncrowned King Tournament, Yerin had created a variation of her Ruler technique which used blood aura instead, naming the technique the Bloody Sword. She could sense exactly how much blood aura needed to gather before she could use it to end the fight, and it was almost there.
The dragon, realizing it couldn't throw her off, began gathering its own Ruler technique. Lightning crackled around its entire body, and the Sword Icon warned her that there would be no way to defend. She whipped a Rippling Sword at its face to break its concentration, then drew madra from the blood shadow curled around her core. It gave it without resistance, having long since accepted its fate. She wove it with her own madra, preparing the Bloody Sword-
The dragon's concentration hadn't been broken. It had warded off her Rippling Sword with a claw as she'd expected, but her technique had been a hair too weak to knock the claw aside and keep going. A dense net of lightning exploded outwards from its entire body, impossible to avoid. Yerin bit back a scream as it surged through her body, making her muscles spasming wildly. Before she could recover control, the dragon's claw slammed into her, sending her rocketing down towards the ground.
She landed hard, hard enough to black out for a moment. When she regained consciousness, everything hurt. As tough as her Overlord body was, her ribcage had been smashed in, and every breath felt like being stabbed with daggers. The dragon landed in front of her. "You fought well," it said. "Now die on your feet, as you should."
Gritting her teeth, Yerin stood. "Told you. Not gonna be the one dying here," she grated out. Although her vision was graying at the edges, the song of the Sword Icon was closer than it had ever been. "Doesn't matter how many times I get cut, as long as the last cut is mine." No one could ever truly master the sword if they weren't willing to get cut. Pain and injury had always been the price she'd paid to advance, and never once had she flinched away from it. That had always been her Path, and she finally acknowledged the name which had been lurking in the back of her mind.
The Path of the Hiltless Sword.
The road to victory was as narrow as the edge of her blade, but she stepped onto it without hesitation. The dragon breathed lightning, impossible to avoid, and with the last of her strength, Yerin leapt. The Striker technique struck her legs, no doubt scorching her flesh horribly, but the pain was a distant thing. The technique she'd learned from Northstrider came together more easily than it ever had before, an intricate helix of blood and sword madra wrapping around her blade. Her opponent attempted to swat her away, but it was a touch too slow, her jump taking it by surprise. With her free hand, she pushed off the dragon's own claw, sending herself flying just over its head. She thrust her sword forward, and the speed of her fall drove it deeply into the dragon's back.
The Twin-Edged Sword technique activated. Every one of Yerin's accumulated injuries vanished and reappeared on her enemy. In the sky overhead, the image of a sword flickered into existence. Like Yerin's actual sword, it was straight and sharp on both sides, as it should be.
The dragon collapsed instantly, making a noise that was more of a whimper than a scream. Yerin leapt off its back, landing lightly on her uninjured feet, observing it with a grimace. Its back legs were barely more than charred bones, as Yerin's own legs had no doubt been a moment before. Its remnant began rising after just a few seconds. As though she were training, she raised her sword with perfect form, released a single Rippling Sword, and said "Cut." The remnant was sliced neatly in half, disintegrating into aura.
Yerin let out a deep breath, slowly lowering her sword. Although her spirit was close to empty, she felt energized. It was like she'd opened the windows after living her entire life in a dark room, letting her see the world properly for the first time. She couldn't help but grin. Wherever her master had ended up, she felt sure he was grinning too. Yerin would have to honor his memory later by telling the Heart Sage that she wasn't the only one who could raise a proper disciple.
She looked around, seeing that the remaining dragons were fleeing as fast as their wings could carry them. They knew perfectly well what the Icon meant, and even if it hadn't been for that, they'd just lost their final Overlord. A few seconds later, Lindon skidded to a halt next to her, his Enforcer technique fading. "Apologies. I thought you were hurt. I should've known could take care of yourself."
"Did almost find myself in a spot of trouble," admitted Yerin. "Lucky for me, no one ever taught him to finish his business before he started talking," she said, gesturing with her sword at the dead dragon.
He smiled slightly. "I don't have any right to tell you to be more careful, so I'll just say I'm glad your alright. Congratulations, Sword Sage."
He hid the slight tinge of bitterness in his smile well, but Yerin saw it anyway. She knew there was still a tiny part of him that believed he'd never amount to anything. It reared its head every time she managed to steal a march on him, no matter that he was never more than half a step behind. So she smiled and said, "Day's not over yet. What say we find a few more dragons for you to eat?"
Anyone else would've missed the embarrassment that she'd seen through him, and the gratitude that she understood the only thing which would make him feel better was focusing on advancement. "The Skysworn have received word from Blackflame City. They're under attack by an Archlord. The outer defenses have already been breached."
"That's a bigger meal than I had in mind," said Yerin. "Tell me true, you sure you can handle it?"
Lindon looked down at his white remnant arm and slowly clenched it into a fist. "I'm sure," he said after a moment. Yerin had barely begun exploring her new senses, but if she had to pick one word to describe what she felt from him, she'd say he felt hungry. "This is what I need to do."
It was moments like this, when the well of sheer craziness inside him bubbled to the surface, that Yerin was reminded why she loved him so much. She took three steps forward, grabbed him by his collar, and kissed him extremely thoroughly. "Then how about I take you out to dinner?" she said when they'd gotten their breath back. "My treat."
Lindon smiled broadly and genuinely, a rare sight. "When you ask me like that, how can I resist? Come on. We don't want to miss the main course."
Reigan Shen idly swirled his goblet of wine as he looked down on the valley below. It wasn't much to look at, not even a hundred miles long, and the aura was pathetically weak even outside the suppression field. The only hint of the immense power locked away beneath was the four surrounding peaks, each of them bearing a sign of their connection to their respective Dreadgod.
His forces had landed in a perimeter around the valley, further away than he preferred, but the aura simply wasn't strong enough for cloudships to fly any closer. The wider perimeter stretched his defenses thin, only a problem because of the hideous losses he'd taken in Everwood. The loss of the Pride's Apex was especially painful; his flagship had been the work of a decade, a symbol of his power and wealth. It had been a costly victory, far more costly than he'd hoped for, but he didn't regret paying the price. With Malice dead and the others tied up by Dreadgods, there was finally no one left to stand between him and his ultimate goal.
He sensed Yushi approaching, flying up to hover next to him. Physical, she was pristine as always, but her spirit was still in tatters. She'd likely be months in recovering from her injuries, but Shen was simply grateful she'd survived at all. Yushi had been his right hand for nearly two centuries, and her loss would have been far more painful than even the Pride's Apex.
"All entrances to the Labyrinth have been secured," she reported. "Apparently a few locals stayed behind after the Akura evacuation. Someone calling themselves Heaven's Glory tried to tried to block our access to one of the gate, but they were easily dealt with. No casualties."
"Good," said Shen, nodding absently. "How long until Red Faith is prepared to descend?"
"He's already chomping at the bit. I expect he'll be leading the first party down within the hour. Not sure if he even noticed the suppression field, to be honest. Calling Storms wants to go down as well, he's in one of his manic phases."
Shen snorted contemptuously. "I certainly won't stand in his way." He'd made plans to enter the suppression field personally if it had proven necessary, but since it hadn't, he was more than happy to let the insane cultist Sages do the dirty work for him. Inside the field, a Herald was no better than a Gold, but navigating the Labyrinth still required someone capable of wielding authority. Only when the field had been disabled would Shen descend himself.
"We've received reports from Rosegold, as well," continued Yushi. "Our remaining forces have finished withdrawing to the designated hard points. We lost several convoys to Arelius ambushes, but they don't seem eager to try any direct assaults. Our remaining assets should be secure for now. The Arelius have begun operating openly in the parts of the continent we've abandoned."
"Let them. It's a meaningless victory. Once I have my prize, I'll finish purging them myself."
"A day that can't come soon enough," agreed Yushi with a scowl. The Oracle Sage had caused her many, many headaches over the years.
"If there's nothing else, you should rest," said Shen. "I don't expect to be attacked in the near future, but I'd still like to see you back at full strength as soon as possible."
"I'll be ready when you need me," she said. She bowed slightly, then flew away.
Shen watched her go for a moment, then turned and stretched his senses to the south. He was pleased to see that Sesh was still rampaging through Akura territory, but less pleased that Moongrave itself was holding strong. The Ninecloud girl actually coming to their defense was a surprising and unwelcome development. He was almost tempted to interfere personally, but it wasn't worth the risk, not at this critical juncture. She'd be busy with the Phoenix soon enough regardless, and if that still wasn't enough for Sesh to finish the job, he could always give the Weeping Dragon a nudge in the right direction.
He wouldn't have even cared that much if it wasn't for that never to be sufficiently damned Shadow Sage. The girl should have manifested the Cockroach Icon for how infuriatingly difficult she was to kill; it even would have been on theme. Reports from the Pride's Apex had been fragmentary, but he knew the circle maintaining his spacial lock had been sabotaged at a critical moment, and that had her grubby fingerprints all over it.
It wasn't even a matter of revenge, although he'd certainly enjoy it when it came time to take it. He'd spoken to the Silent King only once since the battle, briefly. What it had told him had been… alarming. He was tempted to think that the Dreadgod was simply covering for its own failures, but although he'd been too far to sense exactly what had happened through the Weeping Dragon's storm, he certainly hadn't missed someone manifesting the Crown Icon. The Silent King hadn't quite managed to hide the extent of its injuries, either, and that certainly required an explanation.
For the Shadow Sage to be an agent of some greater power beyond Cradle was… Not entirely without precedent, but close to it. The one thing he knew with certainty about the Abidan (aside from their insufferably patronizing attitude) was that they took an extremely dim view of outside interference. From the records he'd been able to collect, they were very good at preventing it, too. How could something like this have slipped through the cracks? He wasn't yet convinced there wasn't some other, more likely explanation. Regardless, she had to die as soon as possible. Her continued existence represented an unacceptable threat to his plans.
His thoughts were interrupted by the approach of a familiar presence. He carefully concealed his smirk as a portal opened beside him. "Northstrider. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
The other Monarch wore his customary scowl. "What progress have you made?"
"We've only just now finished securing the entrances to the Labyrinth. You knew this would take time. I believe the Blood Sage is preparing for his first descent. You can speak to him, if you don't mind entering the suppression field."
Northstrider's scowl deepened. "I have no interest in your games or your tricks. If you delay the fulfillment of our bargain, I will make you regret it."
At that, Shen couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Do you seriously believe I'd delay my own rise to power just to spite you?"
"I believe you will take as much and give as little as you can, as you always have."
Shen snorted. "As you did, when you did the absolute bare minimum to fulfill your side of the bargain? This would have gone considerably faster if more of my forces had survived the battle in Everwood, you know."
"If you wanted more, you should have bargained for it."
"I'm not the one who sought you out just to lob unfounded accusations," replied Shen. "Your help, meager as it was, was necessary for my success. Our oath holds. I will place a weapon forged from the Phoenix's core binding in your hands, and you will ascend."
Northstrider stared for a moment longer, then nodded sharply. "I expect you to keep me informed of your progress."
"As you wish," said Shen, shrugging.
Northstrider opened a portal and stepped through without another word. Now, Shen allowed himself to smirk. His old rival had always been a hypocrite. Monarchs were allowed their foibles, of course, but it was always best to be honest about them at least with yourself. No matter how much he claimed to disregard the opinions of others, Northstrider was every bit as prideful as the rest of them.
That was what had allowed Shen to drive a wedge between him and Malice, and driven him to accept Shen's offer. Northstrider had always insisted he was only waiting to ascend until he grew as powerful as he could, and nothing on Cradle could be more powerful than a weapon forged from a Dreadgod. To refuse would have been to admit that the heavens frightened him no matter how strong he became, and that was something he would never do.
Who knew? Maybe Shen would even keep his word.
But probably not.
