Arc 5: The Stars Against Anarchy
It was mid-day, and for once nobody was screaming. Not too close anyway.
The Town of Shells on the Coast of Walgonia was still facing the wrath of an Upper Pillar, Walgonia was fighting the Sect everywhere the eye could see and what it couldn't. Off the roads, throw the Spirit Biomes, inside the country the Sect didn't truly know where Walgonia's might. Large squads of Leviathan soldiers, camps of Knights, all mixed and separated across each district. Some moved to large squads, others to the North, but everybody was moving toward a future battle. To Greenvale on Godrick Mountain, the North, or somewhere in need. But no matter what, they ran against the falling sky, so they could soar. And the Stars would shine over.
Gray {WHAT IS HAPPENING!???}
The New Hope spread from the Town of Shells. Whether it be the Red Arrows, Knights, Warriors, or Leviathan Soldiers moving in mass to Greenvale. And the many still inside the city watched on as, under the shadows of Severus endless arms, flashed the worlds Strongest man through every single one of them. Inside of that city used to be Gray, Rosemary, Edward, Soku, Julius, Peter, and Dema, until what was thought to just be a Sect Communicator activated under Gray's mana signature. Azalea's same OD.
Gray {IT BURNS IT BURNS! WAIT CAN I NOT SPEAK!? ARE THEY NOT MOVING!?}
A deception concocted in a Dark Magic Spell. And it had expanded around them all in a sphere, a storm of a blinding red. Lightning, flames, pure mana rushed around them all like they stood inside a tornado. But everyone was frozen, darkened like they were protected, while Gray sat and screamed inside it all. They were standing still yet rushed at hundreds in moments. The world didn't see them, the Spirits didn't see them, and it should be almost instant. But inside that bubble, that distortion in the world sat a lone boy screaming in pure fear.
Gray {ARE WE GOING TO THE SECTS BASE!? DID I DO THAT OR DID THE SECT!? WHY CAN'T I MOVE!? WHAT'S HAPPENED I DON'T I DON'T - WHY!? WHY DOES THIS ALL KEEP HAPPENEING!?}
All he had inside of him was fear. Desperately reaching for anything at all. He heard all of their screams frozen in time. His own cries. As it seemed, his soul not being fully connected to his OD made this teleportation struggle against him. Then came the hidden sigils inside many trees across Godrick mountain. They lit as a magical web to prevent the Sect from doing just this, but these people had already been cleared. If they weren't, they'd set off the magical alarms placed by Walgonia's top Blacksmiths, two twin Dwarves. But because it was still unknown, powerful, deeply eroded magic, warning seals glowed on the many walls they were placed. Warning the top commanders in Greenvale, including Gordon and Ryo who instantly went rushing toward the source of the corruption.
Gray: "AHHHH -
The storm's clouds cleared around the group, taking their momentum and dropping them on a familiar wooden floor. Dema instantly went to rest, taking up the center of the living room. The other still gasped for air, in panic, almost jumping out of Dema's saddle out of instinct. Yet Peter was held back from nose diving into the floor from Soku, while the other just started gasping for breath. Filled with pain, confusion, and a harsh relief. With their lives on an end thread for so long, constantly burning toward its end, finally getting to take in the fresh cold air was euphoric. Except for Peter, who had absolutely no idea where he was and tried to scream to the heavens.
Peter: "What is this!? A Sect house!? OH MAN WE'RE DEAD WE'RE SO DEAD DEAD!"
Gray: "...Not really, it just seems like we're finally home."
Peter: "Oh, OH! Wait!? OHHHH!!"
Peter leapt off Dema with his hefty bag in hand onto the broken bits of table Dema crushed and looked around in awe. Gray just looked toward his hand at the smoking communicator with faint circuit lines underneath the crisp gold crest. Tossing it away with fear onto the floor before he could accidentally do something else.
Peter: "So was this built for you!? Who was it! Where's all the super strong Levithans!?"
The others just looked around without any energy at all, but Peter just spun in awe before screeching in fear yet again. This time by the front door behind him in the dining room almost flew across the room.
Gordon: "STO -
Gordon had his grand, wooden, beautiful crafted bow drawn. His arrow engulfed with mana threw the seals along the bow. And a rush of pure spirit mana came flying between them. A sword out, and the communicator in his hand, until he lost all of that mana with a wave and a bright smile.
Ryo: "You've returned! And how is that!?"
Gray slipped Dema onto his face, got laughed at by Soku while he tried to brush it off like nothing happened, and pointed toward the Sects device in Ryo's hand.
Gray: "I took that off the Lower Pillar that destroyed Athens, and when I tried to use it it engulfed us in this storm. And then we just landed here."
Ryo pushed spirit mana tightly through each small circuit, filling and igniting the damaged tool with pure spirit mana to understand the tools intent. And shutter at the essence of such sheer, corrosive, pure corrupted mana seeping around it.
Ryo: "...Dark Magic. The only people rumored to use it are Valor, and Prometheus. But the tool itself seems to connect to others, so the teleportation must have been placed specifically, but it seemed to destroy it. I'll take it somewhere they can't track it, but first -
Gray quickly took Gray's hand to pull into a half hug, patting his shoulder a few times under Gray's awareness before bowing toward the others, and made sure to look back and acknowledge Peter.
Ryo: "And it's nice to meet you all, really. After everything that's happened…-
Gordon: "After everything that's happened we're finally pushing to a victory. We just have to take hold of the South in one hard fight, and let the other shrivel away. Now that you're back, we can get started."
They all instantly sighed at the thought of more body breaking training after so much, so Ryo pushed his hand between himself and Gordon.. Changing Gordon's commands even though Gordon was the commander.
Ryo: "How about, you just relax. I'd like to speak to you all in the morning, but if you want to get started we can. I just think you all deserve a reward, for all Walgonia's put you threw."
Edward couldn't take those words seriously and instantly spoke forward. Firmly, quivering in panic.
Edward: "We were just in the Town of Shells! With Lincoln, Leo, and a bunch of reinforcements! Most of them left but before everyone did the Sect attacked! Multiple Lower Pillars, mind controlled Spirit Beasts, and right before we got transported Severus appeared! Lincoln, Jong, all of them are probably still fighting!"
Ryo froze, instantly turning toward a focused Gordon trying to compose himself. But right after he responded in an instant.
Gordon: "If it's Lincoln, then I have faith."
His words didn't make them feel any better, but it was undeniably the truth. Lincoln was the World's current Strongest without Kioshi. Peter was the only one out of them to genuinely feel better hearing that, not counting the disillusioned Julius. And the sight of Peter was enough to draw Ryo's eye, both because he'd never met him, and because it's quite rare to find Dark Elves in Saga.
Ryo: "And who are you by the way?"
Ryo went back toward Peter with a slow step. Although Peter quickly scrammed backward, unable to breathe in the presence of a God of War. Like Lincoln, Ryo was a God, but this God had just taken in and released a large wave of Spirit mana and suddenly rushed into a place he's never been to without any warning. Peter looked back behind him at Gordon instead. And Gordon's extremely focused hawk-eye'd glare put even more fear through his soul. Hot, screaming, burning, burned down to his core. Until Ryo's hand and calming mana leaked between them, to unite them in the Spirits arms.
Ryo: "Sorry for scaring you, I forget kids can still be kids when they're in places like this, and we were expecting powerful members of the Sect. But I'm glad to meet you."
Peter: "...Uh…nice to meet you, God of War sir."
Ryo: "Ryo. And now, did you make your choices?"
Edward stood firm ready to train with Julius ready to talk. But Gray and Rosemary just laid against the floor with each other, accompanied by Soku on their couch.
Soku: "Man, I missed this so much."
Ryo: "Well have your rest, now I don't want to overstay my scary welcome."
Gordon: "But you two can come with us, I want to see how you've all progressed by tomorrow. But I'm gonna speak to all of you by tonight, I'll just start with you two I guess. Now come on, I had a busy day!"
Edward gave a quick wave to the others before trying to keep up with Gordon, Ryo, and Julius all speed walking across Greenvale. Where Edward gasped in sheer awe, of just how many people there really were.
Edward: "Is the other village like this?"
Gordon: "Godrick Mountain is gonna fill up like this. The Sect are clearing us out, but we're still the largest army in Saga, almost two times so. The harsh world creates people powerful enough to fight it, but those people that fight it create people stronger than them instead."
A few thousand Knights and Soldiers each, and the hundreds of Leviathan Soldiers that already lived here. Everyone stepped through the streets in groups, waves, lived along the roads or were treated in the various medical tents across any grassland. Stretching up through the few streets of Greenvale, out through the surrounding woods, to the sister village atop Godrick Mountains west, near Greenvale. The sight only made Gordon more fierce than his eyes already could, and he walked harder to the crowd. To his home, with the Last Helsing, Prince of Valatroctius, and the Greatest Spirit Knight in the World behind him. He placed his bow around him, his arrows back into his quiver, and walked over the melting snow in his wooden sandals and his arms behind his back, connecting his robes sleeves.
Edward {Maybe we're not the people who grow above them, maybe they're the ones who grew above us.}
Back inside their home Rosemary took Dema outside, a wide backyard now a camp of white tents and healers who all waved to an awkward and frozen Rosemary.
Rosemary: "Uh, hi!"
She waved before a Knight kindly took Dema to rest and heal nearby, allowing her to step back inside and shrug at the weights that only kept growing. The kitchen she stood in never held memories of peace, none that she's experienced. A month here, a month that built to Athens, and now they were back with everything they got from that hell. Scars, anger, despair, power, and far stronger bonds.
Rosemary {How are we even gonna relax? Maybe I should have gone with them instead of being lazy. Dang it, why didn't I go with them!?}
Sinking against the screen door she put her quivering, dirty, callaused and bandaged hands over her eyes. Bandages scorched, torn by her own Goldenstages.
Rosemary {Why do I always end up being useless?}
Just around the corner Gray made it down stairs after running up to his room. So he could sit right beside Soku, take off his torn jacket, and begin trying to sow and stitch it back together with a simple needle and thread.
Soku: "Lame. Why do you know how to do that?"
Gray: "I didn't grow up poor but I wasn't doing great all the time either, all I had was my mom and my dad so -
Soku: "Not your life story."
Gray: "Blah bleh whatever cranky, my dad taught me cause his mom taught him before she passed. And this jacket's one of a kind! No one else likes it in the world! I'll keep this thing till it's burnt to a crisp!"
Without moving for the entire conversation, she finally moved her hand. She laid against the couch with her head sunken into the cousin, eyes closed, and now blowing cool slow winds into her face like a fan to ease the burning and glowing spiritual stitches.
Soku: "That's gross dude."
Gray: "Says the lady wearing that decided up coat. You're just mad because you can't do the same."
And this time she didn't respond, just groaned, causing Gray to light up with a smile.
Gray: "I knew it! Ophelia did that then right?"
The moment Gray said her name it felt like a knife stabbed into his side. A permanent wound, and one even worse because he mentioned it in front of Soku. However she still didn't move, she just tried to exist with that truth. Instead of screaming against it.
Soku: "Yeah, but I was always the better cook. I'm just lazy, and Edwards is way better at it than any of us."
Gray: "I could fix it for you, if you'd somehow stoop so low."
Soku: "Maybe, if I feel bored, but I guess that's all the time."
The room feels silent under their breaths. Left to rest in the dim room, and Gray just couldn't handle it. He just stood up and walked toward Rosemary, finding her wiping her eyes with a smile.
Gray: "Are you good? What's wrong?"
Rosemary: "Nothing, uh, it's just nice being back."
Gray didn't believe her, but he didn't want to pry her open. Gray just tried to pull her back into the living room. Where they could turn on the light, look out the windows at the armies of people, and let their wounds finally rest. Where Soku went to fall asleep, then Rosemary on Gray's shoulder. But he couldn't sleep. His eyes were weighed down harder by dark bags than ever, the scar over his lip tingled, his OD felt uncomfortable; he just didn't know how to relax. With a war around them, people that need to be saved screaming their last breaths out, the Sect at every corner because of him. Always because of him. It burned deeper into his eyes with every stitch he made, like bullets flashing into his skull.
Gray {I wonder if somebody can use magic to fix Athens. Maybe it's just a new super Spirit biome now, I think they call those, Ever-Biomes? Mph.}
Blocks of burning, crumbling, melting streets and screams and suffocating ash and so much pain and so much pressure. All of the deaths, the screaming, the crying, the bleeding. The new small scars across his body, or the more visible ones across his right hand, elbow, and lip. All trying so hard to fade, to grow stronger. He was weighed down so heavily, and his injuries meant nothing. Toll, everybody still at the Town of Shells, all of his friends. In the case of both Soku and Gray's injuries, their high spirit affinity worked in the background. Instinctively, the Spirits pushed Spirit mana into and across their body so faint you couldn't see it. Soku regained mana and stamina faster than Gray, but Gray's powerful and corrupted mana left his overall recovery far, far faster and more stable. It would start working an hour or two after his battles had finished like a combat tag in a video game, and goes into overdrive when he's sleeping, to overwrite and rebuild him stronger. Safer. Better to break again.
They stayed silent, they sat, and just rested as instructed. Rosemary shuffled with a deeper pain in her sleep, Soku snored out small bursts of loud wind, Peter was making Poppers on the kitchen table, and Gray sat in his mind. Until he finally poked his finger with the needle, and didn't bleed. As his fingers had grown hard with callases, but also a dense deeper power within his bones; no matter how much he felt weak, it was clear as day he had gotten much, much stronger. And he'd have to grow even more if he wanted to stand a chance in a true battle against Anarchy.
Gordon: "I see you've gotten Dragon Stone gear, pristine too. Did you steal it or somethin?"
Walking through hundreds of people planning, practicing formations and stances, casting spells or swinging blades, healing or being bandaged on the grass. Tents, homes, backyards and courtyards. It was all filled to the brim with everything they had. The Knights looked over the soldiers, the Leviathan soldiers looked over the Knights, the high ranked Levithans looked over their lower ranks, and Gordon watched them all. But Edward was stumbling. Over his words, thoughts, even his feet.
Edward: "I didn't steal it, It was made for me. Lincoln had this ancient Demi-human named Ox make it -
Ryo: "Ox!? I didn't know Athens was using him, makes sense I guess but I assume he's passed with Athens' destruction."
Edward: "...Um, yeah. I guess."
Gordon: "Whatever, all it means is that you've grown. I would have liked to see how all of you have faster but you still need healing. Just keep following us closely, and then you can rest for tomorrow. I don't care if you don't want to relax either so just keep moving. The days are as busy as they are."
Edward felt so much smaller than them all, ironic due to the height difference that left him towering over them, but his soul was sinking. Julius walked proudly like he wasn't even wounded. Even with a healing broken hand, he smiled ahead through the crowd. Flowing through Demi-humans and humans in small variations of Walgonian gear from each rank and unit of soldier. Mixes of weapons, wands, staffs, shields, helmets, shades of light or dark blues with mixes of black, white, and gold. Smiling through various scars and stitches, with bright and dark hair colors, darker, lighter brown to lighter and tan skin colors and endless hair types. The biggest difference in Walgonia compared to Athens, Ravoria, Valatroctius weren't their numbers. Strength. Demi-humans or other races in the army. It was the fact they all walked together, all different, and all fighting toward the same goal with hope, care, and pride. There were many who hated their fellow Demi-humans, but they'd still fight with them for their country. It didn't make anything better, but it made Walgonia a wall impossible to break down.
And under all of that, Edward sulked. Trying not to look at anyone so they wouldn't look at him. Because of his general fear, his wounds, and so they wouldn't figure out he was the Last Helsing. And crushed even more hopes when they figured out that Helsing wasn't anything close to what they thought of. What he swears should be the truth, what should be the reality that somehow still isn't. As if fate had banned him from becoming himself.
Ryo: "So how have you grown? Lincoln sent us a long letter -
Gordon: "Don't be nice we both know he just got somebody else to write that."
Ryo: "Yes, but still inside the letter he told us how he had trained you. How you stopped the Gravestone Pirates in the end. How you trained, and how you awakened the Dragons fist. You're incredible, a true Helsing."
Those last three words felt like pure insults. A spit in the eye. His mother is forever blinded, branded closed by the Gravestones flag. Nobody wanted to mention it, his loss in weight, or the dead look in his eye. Like he was an empty suit of armor.
Edward: "Thank you, but I'm no true Helsing. I got lucky. In the Town of Shells I couldn't use the Dragons fist, and I can't now either. It's probably a fluke like everything else. And Soku, so many Red Arrows, and I guess the Spartans too. They're who did most of the work, I just fought some before I went after Moro. Peter set off the explosive in the camp, and I took that to blow up Moro's ship. That did more damage than I did, I just finished it."
Gordon: "So you won? That's all I'm hearing. If you only win with pure strength like Lincoln or something, when you lose that you're nothing. You're just some idiot brute that destroys everything. Musashi, Kioshi died because they had control. They didn't want to destroy the Castle, spread the battle into Walgonia and kill who knows how many just to survive. They chose to save at least one person instead of themselves. Maybe they didn't win the battle, but they accomplished their goal, and set us up to win the war. You all are becoming the people who choose the future, who think. That's who'll survive the Sect."
Edward: "But we, I'm nothing like them. I'm not strong enough to choose, I just have to get fighting."
Ryo: "That's the difference between chaos and control. You're controlling what you have in a world you can't. People who can shape the world without struggle, people like the Kami of Oni-mas or the Voria's, even a handful of Helsing. They grow away from the world. It's why people like the Upper Pillars think they can destroy, rewrite the world and the future. Your empathy, your humbleness, and the strength you can't see is why our Hope exists. It's the same for everybody here, and why Walgonia has never fallen."
As they reached the end of the long street, they twisted to the left. Further up the hill toward Gordon's residence, overlooked by the even higher mountains climbing far into the skies. To the Red Wood Palace resembling one of Oni-mas's own buildings. Where a lot of the active Levithans trained, spoke, looked over maps and letters while sending out others by Spirit Eagle Messengers. Still they cleared a path for the four of them to walk inside, past even more Leviathan soldiers, and toward a screen room filled with healers.
"Say your spells more gently! And ease your mana flow, too little is fine but too much could be deadly! Too much! You! You're okay I guess. AND YOU! Stop mumbling the words, the spirits can't understand gibberish! And drink more water!"
Edward was stunned by the harsh words flowing out of the room like a force of their own. From a heavier older woman in white and black medical robes, screaming over a mix of young and old soldiers of all ranks practicing healing magic over spiritual herbs. Some burst, some died, some just began to glow with mana, others combust into flames, but most of them were growing larger under the healing effects. Risen by the mix of light blue and green auras, the chants to the spirits, or the chants to raise the power. The woman twisted around, pushed her short grey hair out of her wrinkled and annoyed face, and got right into Gordons. But instead of being angry, focused, or even scary, Gordon pulled back with hints of blushing.
Gordon: " –Hi Erline, I wanted to see if you could look at Musashi's kids I was telling you about. I need them healed up before they can start training again."
Erline: "Ugh we can't all just drop what we're doing! I have a class and I'm not leaving."
They stood for a few seconds in surprise, confusion, and silence, before then the group of healers rushed out the moment the class ended. Making Erline smile and start rushing out of the house.
Edward: "What was that?"
Edward looked at Ryo with a bit of an awkward and hesitant face, mixed with a bit of surprise and a smile from Gordon's embarrassment. Yet the hawk-eye'd man rushed past them all to follow Erline back toward their home, trying his best to brush past it, but they rushed to stand at his side anyway.
Julius: "I agree, I did not expect that from you Commander Hill."
Gordon: "Call me Gordon, and don't talk to me about that! Now come on, she's got an hour before her next session and she has more later today she needs mana for."
Julius: "And why Erline?"
Gordon: "Because she's Walgonia's best healer! She has been since Musashi was your age! If you wanna be healed and train here then stay, but if you'd like to go back to your friends then come with us."
Edward's heart was mixed with feelings. He knew it was right to see them, that they'd like it, that everybody he's lost would tell him to do it. But at Walgonia's new heart, surrounded by so many who could be with their families training instead, he couldn't help but stop. And stare out, before stepping forward into the field. Before a hand froze him in place.
Ryo: "I know you're conflicted. But if you want advice, then go back to the house. I know you came to train but…I think the thing your body needs is rest. What's the point in training if you're gonna be broken before you can do something."
Edward: "I just want to do something more than sit. And we walked all the way up here, it feels like this is what I'm supposed to do."
Ryo: "But is it what you should do?"
Edward took a long breath, and looked back at the smiling Ryo. To go to his friends. To rest. And be ready for the sunrise tomorrow, so he can keep working toward fixing all of his mistakes. And walked to where his mother would have wanted. They moved back, a little brighter than before. But at most, he felt ready to face the upcoming challenges. He had to be. And back at their home their friends sat focused.
Gray {Maybe, no that's a bad idea. Is it though? I know she'd never, hell she knows what I'm thinkin! How would I even do it? No way! Last time I spoke to her I screamed like a wild dog! But she's done the same to me, maybe she sees it as growth? Ugh!}
Rosemary was putting her things away, Soku started drawing at the kitchen table while Peter looked at his many tools, but Gray sat alone on the couch. Focused, his eyes closed, and his mind toward his OD. Toward Azalea.
Gray {She's the Witch of Darkness, corrupted by the Cloak, the Sect, herself man I don't know anything! Nobody does! She's just some myth right, a monster that comes out of the shadows to destroy. Azalea seems more destructive than any of those Pillars. And I don't think the power of friendship is gonna fix any of that. But maybe she'll say something she doesn't mean to! Or starts to hate me a little less, that could become something! I guess I don't hate her outright, I guess I should though but she's only ever been mean to me. But she's not super crazy, mmmh.}
He didn't know if it was a good idea, he didn't even know how bad of an idea it might be. He just hoped he could do anything more than steal something from a man he killed. He also had no way to contact her he knew of. Maybe if he took a nap, meditated, thought and tried really hard. Even beg? He just put his fists together, crossed his legs on the wooden floor, and leaned his head out. Not to the Spirits, but to his OD. Using Ryo's teachings to try and find his astral body. His inner self, where she rested inside.
Gray: "Nothin."
Soku: "What are you doing in there? Go to the bathroom, not the floor!"
Gray: "Don't be gross! I'm just trying something!"
He went back into the darkness of his thoughts, his OD. It felt rough, scary. Pushed so much in so little time, broken and cracked, pushed to the brink or brought back from collapse.
Gray {Hello?}
Nothing. So he waited, he breathed, he tried to focus on her voice. The fear she causes him. The scent of the dense corruption, the coldness of the Cloak.
Gray: "Hey there we! - wait, nevermind."
He had just leaned his head forward out of his body, stretching halfway out in his astral body with a face of annoyance before he pulled back into his body.
Gray {How does this work!? How come you can talk to me whenever you wanna make fun of me but when I need your help I get nothing!? Maybe you could use it to try and take my body or something and I could fight back! Anything is better than being ghosted by the lady that brought me to this world!}
This time he held the Cloaks charm dangling around his neck and grasped it tightly. Then he gave it a little of his own corrupted mana, some Spirit mana, and all it did was charge ready to unleash. Nothing to do with any connection to Azalea. Peter watched over with hands covered in soot, carefully stitching Poppers closed, and crushing flame crystals. With Soku right there he felt awkward, especially because his creations weren't impressive. At the beginning of a new glider for Soku, the remnants of the Wrist Talons Gray wore against Caesar, his slingshot, even the faulty rifle Gray had given him. Peter used his old, broken, rusty tools or poorly drawn schematics. Was messy with his mix of Poppers and gadgets. And couldn't get his mind together on what to do, what to make, who to ask.
Gray {Look Azalea I don't know if you're listening, but if you are I want you to know I never wanted to trap you! I don't want to give my body up to you and I won't, but I'm sorry! I won't stand for what you've done! I'll never stand with or even close to the Sect! If I could help free you, let you pass on, let you out I would! But only if I knew you could help! Change! You have to see how bad the Sect are! How much they're changing! Even if you love that, see how they betrayed you! If you want to destroy the world, then you have to destroy the Sect! They killed the Great Witch of Darkness and you're gonna take that!? I wouldn't and I'm weaker than you, or am I!?}
Azalea: "SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH RAT!"
The world was pulled out from under him, and in an instant he hit the core. Frozen, thick with corruption, and a world of tendrils rushing to take his limbs like always. Around his throat, waist, wrists and ankles. Before it grew tighter, causing him to roar out in pain before Azalea fully rose from the ocean of the Cloak.
Azalea: "I WON'T HELP YOU I WON'T I CAN'T I'LL NEVER DO IT!"
Gray: "WHY!? WHAT DID I CHOSE TO DO TO YOU!? NOT LET YOU KILL ME!? ARE YOU SERIOUSLY THAT CRAZY!? IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO NOT SEE IT! MAYBE YOU THINK YOU LIVED A PERFECT LIFE BUT RIGHT NOW! AFTER WHAT THEY DID CAN'T YOU JUST GIVE ME ONE THING!? ANYTHING I CAN USE!? PLEASE AZALEA! WHY WERE EVEN WITH THE SECT IF YOU HATED THE WORLD THIS MUCH!?"
Azalea slammed him to sink into the Cloak, where she curved to face him overhead. Filled with a striking, melting rage. Eyes flickering with bloodlust. And skin, ever so faintly changing from a pure white. To show what has long been kept underneath. Like her corruption, her mana that this OD consisted of were being taken. Leaving her, without anything else. The Cloak, or even her vampiric form.
Azalea: "I WAS WITH THEM BECAUSE MY SOUL WAS TIED TO PROMETHEUS! I LOVED, LOVE HIM! I DO! EVERYTHING ELSE SHOULD HAVE BELONG TO THE CLOAK OF DARKNESS, BUT MY SOUL WOULDN'T LET ME GO AGAINST HIM! AND -
Gray: "AND NOW YOU'RE FREE! I DON'T KNOW WHAT HOLD HE HAD OVER YOU BUT IT'S GONE! YOU CAN JUST BE YOURSELF DAMMIT! NO WORLD TO DESTROY, NOBODY TO MAKE YOU DO THINGS! I'M ASKING YOU -
The Cloak grew even tighter to compress his body against each other. So hard he couldn't help but feel like a cracking egg, ready to break open and ooze down.
Gray: " I'M BEGGING! I JUST WANT TO HELP THE WORLD YOU BROUGHT ME INTO! BECAUSE I SWEAR I'M SUFFERING HERE MORE THAN YOU! I'VE FACED MY PUNISHMENT HAVEN'T I!? HAVEN'T WE!?"
Unable to stand his voice, she threw the Cloak down against him. To flatten him down inside of the darkness, into his throat so suffocate him inside. Only able to hear her words under his torture.
Azalea: "The Sect of Anarchy is everlasting, because of his beliefs. But the Upper Pillars are also unwilling to fall. Only I chose to move with my strength, my own body. They appear with different faces, the bodies of those tied to them."
Gray tried to cry but couldn't. He tried to scream but couldn't. He tried to breathe, he tried to remember to see, to twitch to grovel to beg beg beg beg just stop - and it never did.
Azalea: "You saw Serverus, you've seen the Upper Pillars at the castle. They will only show their true face when they have nothing, nobody left. Until you find a way to Eclis, or Hell as you would know it, and face the devils themselves. They will always come back, and start the world's rebirth over and over again. That devotion is what makes them most dangerous, and the most obvious weak point. If the Sect truly is rising, then that weak point will soon vanish. Use their morals against them. Break the faith, break the curse."
Gray: "STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP!"
His voice finally broke out. Not in front of Azalea, but in front of Rosemary.
Rosemary: "What's wrong!?"
She reached out, but he just smacked it back. Crawling toward the couch to cower, to breathe, to try not to puke. Rosemary didn't waste a second before grabbing hold of him, and just hugged him. Letting out her own terrible gasps.
Gray: "...I talked to Azalea, and I guess now I've got stuff to tell Gordon."
Soku: "Well I guess you're in luck."
In the middle of trying not to puke he looked over at the front door, watching Gordon, Ryo, Edward, Julius, and the unknown Erline all move toward them.
Erline: "Alright, let's get to work!"
She immediately grabbed Edward, Soku, Rosemary, then Gray somehow all by the ears to get them outside into the sun. Leaving Julius to slowly follow. Where she could breathe in the blowing wind, close her eyes, put her hands together, and frantically whisper chants to the spirits.
Gordon: "I guess we've got to wait now."
Gordon looked to Ryo, but found him with the others instead to help Erline with her healing. But by his other side was Peter, holding a destroyed wrist talon and desperately trying to undo a snapped bolt so it could fall apart. He could have done it at the table with another tool or two, but he felt like he needed to be with them. Especially because they started shouting in pain.
Erline: "El-Vortal!"
A wave of bright green mana erupted around them in a dome. Where the intense rush of dense, burning, minty mana. It quickly sunk into and around them like an aura, connected between them all. It was a spell that spreads healing out around a group of people. It took Erlines mana boosted by the chants, with the mix of mana and stamina between them to eventually recover the group.
Soku: "OW OW MY STICHES DAMMIT!"
Erline: "Those are from a spell anyway they're meant for this!"
Ryo: "And I'm trying my best to ease how strong the effect feels!"
Ryo's spirit mana flowed around them all, focused through the spirits themselves. Easying the pain of the group, how violent the healing was, and let it flow properly into them instead of rushing inside without restraint. Sokus glowing stitches went from a dim blue to the same grassy green healing mana. The inside of Gray's muscles burned, Edwards cracked bones and torn muscles felt like they were filling up, Rosemary's veins rushed with the mana, and Sokus stitches all sunk deeply into her skin. Then the moment the spell started to fade, she had already finished chanting.
Erline: "Vortus!"
As she continued her harsh healing Gordon looked back toward the quivering Peter, shook his head, and decided to speak to the boy.
Gordon: "So you were one of the Red Arrows best men I hear."
Peter: "Really!? I don't live up to that, but that's still pretty cool people think that! I just repaired gear, made some armor and weapons, helped map out some plans and places. I'm more help than I am some top guy. But I don't want to call you wrong Mr Hill Levithan Leader Walgonia sir! Uh, I think?"
Gordon couldn't help but break with a small smile. He finally just sat and watched over the others, the camp of healers and knights behind them across their yard. He even took Peter's crushed wrist talon and took out the bolt with his hands so Peter could get it apart.
Peter: "Thanks!"
Gordon: "No worries. If you want to help I can show you to our blacksmiths, our top man would love a new face. Especially a Dark Elf with experience."
Peter lit up with joy, a bit of panic, but mostly joy and a bright look in his eye. It did make it harder to listen with Gray, Edward, Rosemary, and Soku all groaning in pain behind him, but still he was ready. To act. But now the sudden plan, he couldn't help but sink to the ground in sheer panic.
Gray: "Is this necessary!?"
Erline: "Yes! Now stretch stretch dammit stretch!
After about an hour of healing magic, forcing them to stretch and push through it. Taking off bandages, armor for focused healing. Reading over their OD and blood for any decay, sickness, or inner damage. Leaving them drained with a half-dead look but clean from deeper wounds. Ready for tomorrow, and ready to speak with Gordon at the kitchen table now. Dry eyed, sick, about to fall asleep mid-conversation, but still ready.
Gray: "When you guys walked out I talked with Azalea. And -
Ryo: "Again? If it's a problem maybe we can seal her away somehow -
Gray: "No, this time I chose to talk to her. And blocking her out would be a mistake. She's a person, and somebody important. But I don't want her to feel like a tool either. I just wanted to talk, and she made stuff pretty clear. In Shells I was fighting an anarchist, and he just transformed into that snake Upper Pillar! She said their bodies are in some place called Eclipse, no, it's Eclis! That they take over anarchists like vessels so you all can't kill them."
Gordon: "That actually makes sense. We've gotten reports of Prometheus in bodies of men, women, and Demi-humans. Same with Sererus, but Pandora and Lazarus seem to always look the same. But they could be using vessels too."
Ryo: "But Eclis? I don't know if it's even possible to go there, but I guess if they're there then it's possible. But even if we could, that might be like stepping into oblivion."
Gray looked between the others, with an intense feeling of stupidity. After living here for the past few months, it still felt like he lacked so much basic knowledge it was embarrassing. And prime material for Soku to make fun of all the time.
Gray: "Sorry but what's Eclis?"
Gordon: "The resting place of corrupted Spirits, kinda like the reverse of Alfheilm. People also just call it Hell. But that term came from Godricks time."
Gray {Weird isekai stuff I guess, can't really tell if the random similarities are useful or just confusing.}
The room felt odd, worried. But Gordon couldn't help but smirk, as this is more information than they've ever had before. With the communicator, an Upper Pillar giving out tips, and the recruits from Athens all pouring in. With Lincoln back in the world's spotlight alive and fighting. Walgonia may really rise, they just had to plan against it. To organize the anarchy. And control the Chaos. Not through destroying it all, but holding them back while they crushed their supports. So it can all crumble out from underneath them, and Walgonia can stand over a living breathing country. Not a pit of ash like Athens.
Gordon: "Our forces are uniting, the Sect has yet to make winning impossible. If we don't act soon we might not have another chance. We have to survive the vessels, maybe hold them down as we take back the South. And if we have control over that, the Sect will get pushed back and back out of control completely. It's been the plan already, but now we have perimeters that need to be set. Pillars put in the proper spot."
Julius: "Seems the Sect have created a large game of chess."
Gray {They have that too? I wonder if I can be as impactful as these isekai'd people. Maybe I could make a car, or a phone? If I researched how things worked instead of just sitting down all day I might be going after the Sect with magic tanks or something! Maybe Peter could work it out.}
It didn't seem like they needed to talk about much. But the facts still needed to be set. Before Gordon could stand with Ryo, and tell Gray and the others what they'll have to do if they want to survive.
Gordon: "Tomorrow morning we'll get you up for training. Hopefully you'll actually be awake tomorrow. Because I need to see what I'm working with, but after it's Ryo's turn."
Gray: "For what?"
Ryo: "Control over your mana, your body, your movements. It doesn't matter if you can or can't contact the spirits. You all have ODs, emotions, strength that can be controlled the same way. The Dragons fist and the sword, mana and the spirits, absolute affinities or unique mana traits, it doesn't matter. Flow, mastery, it can all be built together. And you need to be built together if you want to be as strong as possible."
Soku: "Ooooh soo fun! Ugh we should have just stayed in that Shell town!"
Edward: "I'm beyond gracious you'd teach us!"
Rosemary: "Thank you for your kindness."
Gray: "Spirit Boot camp here we come!"
Gray gave a loud shout, a wide smile out through the dark and quiet kitchen. With eyes filled with hardship, a brain melting in on his thoughts, he let the others smile. Before Gordon and Ryo could leave, and the others could finally sleep. Edward and Peter in Edward's room, Soku in her room, Julius on two couches pushed together staring with a smile at the ceiling, and Gray with Rosemary in their bed for the first time in months. They laid stern, quiet, nervous to speak. On a bed too soft, with blankets too warm, in a room too clean. It all felt wrong, until Gray finally got the courage to hold Rosemary's hand, and make it all feel right.
Gray: "I really hope things are gonna go right, and I wanna make things safe for you. After Athens, the Castle…it's all starting to seem realer than before. Like we could go at any second."
Gray tried to pull back from his somber words, but Rosemary let out a loud and tired gasp. A tired breath at the world, at her pain. She was just exhausted, upset, unwilling to explode. But instead she just melted down into herself.
Rosemary: "I really miss them. I wish so badly Ophelia was here, I wake up and I forget and then I live it over again. It's so much worse for Soku too. But Al, Musashi, Kioshi. Then even Iris? Garly? Toll!? I don't understand what we're doing wrong!"
Rosemary gripped her entire body tightly with rage, where tears began to bubble.
Rosemary: "I want things to be normal, it's why I left the GoldenKnights, but then the second I got the chance I tried to build back up through the Knight Exam. Be something bigger than myself again. It's like I forgot what it was really like. Or now I have to face what I was always running from far closer than I ever did before. But we keep surviving! Musashi saved us, then Al sacrificed himself, then Kioshi and Musashi, and we survived all of Athens! I killed the last GoldenKnight! It's crazy how it's all real and we just have to go to sleep and wake up tomorrow and I don't know how like how -
Gray didn't know how to react, he never really did. But he thought. Not a hug, he didn't want to silence her or force her emotions away. Kissing her was obviously not the answer, she was already gripping his hand so hard he was on the cusp of tears she holding tighter was off the table. Interrupting, no. Whispering, weird. So he just stroked her arm, rubbing it before stroking her hair. Then to her head, letting her fall towards him in her pain.
Rosemary: "We're alive but we keep failing! I don't know if we've made the right or wrong choices like how is letting people die right!? Athens was wrong that's no question, but they keep acting like Kioshi and Musashi had to die! We could have lived, if Kioshi went all out we would have found a way and this would never have happened! Musashi could have gone with us, held them off instead of just giving up! And why didn't Ryo come with us!? Why do they care about the rules when we're about to die!? When do the rules even matter!? It's like the world is making us do all of this, like we don't have a choice like it's already planned and it's not fair it's not! Why do we have to go through this!? Why can't we just run away from it!? It always just comes back!"
Gray didn't have to think about what he was gonna say next, because he had already heard Rosemary tell it to him over and over. He had been told it by so many, by himself, because the words she was saying felt so familiar.
Gray: "It just seems like…we can't run from ourselves. But we can get stronger while we try, and when we're ready, we can face it. Maybe win, maybe lose, but as long as we just keep going no matter what, we can never lose."
They sat together through the night. The battle in the Town of Shells had come to an end, many more battles had begun, ended, or were still ongoing. But everybody in that house, almost everybody in Greenvale were able to rest. For the harsh preparation for an even harder Siege. Of Walgonia's Capital, and its Heart.