Chapter Thirty-Four

“So, take me to them. You can absolve yourself of any issue now that I’m here, and we can get back to business.” The Baron nodded his head vigorously at Red’s words. “Last I checked, Alania needs to die.”

The Baron let out an uncomfortable cough as Red reverted into sword form. Lo and behold, waiting at the edge of the Baron’s boundary was the trio. They glared at the Baron, but their attention quickly shifted to the sword in his hand.

“Red?” Sabrina asked, stepping forward. Valkyr stepped in front of her, his hand out. He grimaced unhappily, but he couldn’t defy the orders of his Lord.

Koronor and Felicity both tilted their heads slightly, immediately noticing the powerful aura and significantly different design of the blade.

“What did you do to him?” Sabrina asked skeptically.

Baron Barvon stayed quiet, handing Red back to the annoyed noblewoman. “I apologize for the lack of clarity.”

As soon as her grip took his hilt, Red assumed his human form again. His anchor tied itself to her hand. He wondered what would happen if he reappeared in his sword form while she held something.

An experiment for another time.

“Sabrina, Koronor, Felicity,” he started, addressing each of the trio. “The Baron noticed an inconsistency with my soul and a magical reaction between me and that painting, so he took me and returned me there.”

Sabrina glared back at the Baron. “He could’ve just said that’s what he wanted to do instead of drugging me and forcing his way passed the others.”

Red turned back to the Baron. “You forgot to mention that tidbit on the way out here.”

The Baron looked away uncomfortably.

“Anyway, back to my story,” Red started, beaming a brilliant smile. “When he took me to the painting, my soul got sucked inside by some strange old magic. Within, I met another spirit. A spirit that predated The Shattering, and it helped me. If it weren’t an evil asshat, I probably would’ve figured out some way to bring it out here with me.”

Baron Barvon held a hand out to interject, but Sabrina glared back at him. He wilted like a flower in midwinter, taking a step back from the angry noblewoman.

Red gave her a short nod and continued his story. “I was compromised, and I knew it before we invaded the encampment. I think - no, I am the reason Melony was acting so strangely. I’m the reason Melony died. In the moment before her death, as we went to stop the earth mage, my power faltered due to my instability in my inner palace.”

He turned to Koronor. “That instability was caused when I slew the Gold aura lurker. I pushed myself past my limit and hurt myself. It’s a shame that Melony had to pay the price for my failures. So, now I’m fixed and better than ever.”

Baron Barvon nodded along. “Yes, this was my intent all along.”

“That still doesn’t explain why you had to drug me!” Sabrina hissed back at him, turning to face Red. “Thank you for being honest with us. We have quite a few more questions, but you’ve been gone two days. It’s about time to get moving.”

“What’s the destination?” Red knew they’d have more questions. Despite how much he told them, that was only a brief and vague overview. They would want specifics and inquire into the new realm of his capabilities, so for now, he would focus on what came next.

Felicity answered, “We’ve been ordered to go after Alania and drag the traitorous house back, dead or alive.”

“Preferably alive,” Sabrina quickly interjected, giving Felicity a scathing glance. “They’ve got grievances. They were desperate, as are many, and should be treated with some level of humanity.”

“As per custom, traitors will stand before the Emperor and state their case. Anybody found wanting will be kept until Armag’Maw returns.”

“Sounds ominous. What’s an ‘Armag’Maw?’” Red asked.

Everyone gave Red a knowing look. Surprisingly, the answer came from the Baron. “Armag’Maw is the Royal Emperor’s pet leviathan. It travels the oceans, policing the rest of the world of cataclysmic beings.”

“No way,” Red refuted. “By the way, what’s a leviathan?”

Baron Barvon stared blankly at Red, but it only took a moment for him to collect himself. “Right. It’s easy to forget that you’re still a newly formed weapon spirit.”

Koronor interupted, “A leviathan is a massive monster of the sea. As far as I know, it has the capability to swallow this entire planet whole. Emperor Abernathy and other Diamond auras keep it satisfied so it doesn’t do just that.”

Nodding his head, Red pondered that. Something so great existed, a threat to the entire planet itself. If that monster in sheep’s skin had to appease it, then it must be something truly amazing. “I hope to meet it one day.”

“No, you really don’t,” Felicity refuted. “I don’t know what happened to you while you were gone, but the raw Essence you exude would earn you a swift end.”

Red shrugged, “I’ll just have to become stronger than it, obviously.”

An awkward chortle escaped Sabrina, and she looked away as he squinted at her. “I feel like I’m missing something here.”

Koronor waved away the conversation, refocusing the group’s attention. “We’re going after Alania. Artois will meet us halfway with his own personal forces. Emperor Abernathy is pulling Frayers to squash this rebellion and settle the leyline.”

“We’re pushing out?” the Baron asked excitedly.

“Finally,” Sabrina said. “Rathor was a thorn for far too long. Now that he’s gone and Alania is injured, we can push.”

“But, won’t that mean we’ll be vulnerable to the swarms from the city dungeon?” Red asked.

“Emperor Abernathy has considered that. As soon as Alania is dealt with, only a small part of the Frayers will stay behind to secure the leyline while the rest push to eradicate the city dungeon.” Felicity tilted her head after she finished.

Red assumed it had something to do with the way he gaped at her, but he couldn’t be sure. “That’s a big push. What of Devil’s Lair?”

“There’s another mission being coordinated, but the timelines haven’t been cemented yet,” Sabrina responded. “Roland has sent word that he wants you back before then so you might delve within again.”

That was a lot to take in, and Red didn’t know what he was supposed to feel. Reluctance was at the forefront, but he knew no matter what he did, he would have to see the Heir once again.

“What are we doing standing around here, then?” he asked. “Don’t we have some place to be?”

They all stared at him for a brief moment, but he pushed past them toward the personnel carriers that waited and hopped in the back. It was better to stay moving then worry any more.

Inside his inner palace, the violet flame danced wildly in anticipation.

First thing’s first, that mage had to pay for what it did to Melony.

Two hours passed. All the trainees were loaded into the back of the carriers. The Baron sent them off with an awkward smile and half-hearted wave. In only minutes, they left the safety of the line and passed into The Fray.

The wild expanse of territory was prone to monster swarms. Everything north of the nobles’ line was considered The Fray. The area was too large to be policed properly, so anybody that passed Gold set forth into its depths.

Platinum auras. Those are the ones that fought in The Fray. They were the ones that pulled the most weight. They roamed the territories, set up camps around common spawning locations, and managed the hordes that developed of pure Essence.

Red was interested in learning about how these monsters were created of pure Essence, but the trainees he spoke with weren’t entirely sure of it either.

“You’re telling me that a monster can spawn thousands of others? And when they do, these other monsters have enhanced growth rates for how long?” Red questioned Calum.

The mage was still reserved when it came to Red, but only time would heal that gaping wound. Everyone knew Melony and Calum had been fond, frolicking any time there wasn’t something to do.

Mav sat at Calum’s side, having been a source of support for the mage. Their friendship bloomed beyond comradery. They’d formed a brothership. Each had a new Essence-imbued engraving bound by an oath that spanned the length of their arm.

They’d been excited to show it off, recruiting as many members as they could. It really brought them all together. Despite being named a brothership, the female members flaunted their new oath as well.

Red thought it was strange to bind oneself to others, but he could understand it if he considered his relationship to those that wielded him. It was a working relationship built in the interest of keeping everyone alive.

He could respect that. It sure did make the trip far livelier. When they first came out here, it had been doom and gloom, but now, things started to look up from them.

But, Red knew the truth. If everyone on Alania’s side was a Silver aura, then the fight would be harder than they anticipated. Not only that, the earth mage was out there somewhere. He had a feeling that mage wasn’t the strongest amongst Alania’s people, which didn’t bode well for the Silvers around him.

He would have to do better. Be better. Now that he was fixed, he even considered working in conjunction with one of the two remaining warriors, but it didn’t sit right with him.

Roland was one thing. These trainees were another. He’d tried with Melony, and that had only ended in tragedy, so he deigned to wait. He would use Sabrina as the anchor for the tether, then do his best to keep the trainees alive.

Because, for as much as Kuul’Than thought they were similar, Red had to disagree. He didn’t want to be like the other spirit. He didn’t see them as sacks of Essence to be harvested or hijacked. He wouldn’t allow himself to give in to that level of depravity.

No, he would do his best to nurture all of the trainees. He wanted to see them become stronger faster than any group before them, but he didn’t really have the ability to create a comparison.

It’s the thought that counts, then? His intent and aura of Stimulation exuded through the back of the carrier. Every now and then, one of the trainees would flash him a small smile. He’d respond in kind, but a knot of nervous energy gripped his gut. I wonder if this is what human mothers feel like?

Each trainee before him was an individual like him. He was unique, and so were they. Each had their own distinct personality. They were more than what he’d previously thought, and that became far more clear the longer he spent with the humans.

The ride was smooth, but it inevitably came to an end.