Chapter 45: Eye of Yacsuun

Truth of Indion was by far one of the great magical storms the continent of Nia ever witnesses. The humans and the greenskin races weren’t the only ones to fight. No far from it. A war the historians of the Empire don’t much focus on is the Elden War of Succession and one of the reasons the summit is hosted once a new generation of leaders are born and grow into their power before they begin to strengthen. The Elden War of Succession was a fight between the gnomes, dwarfs, and elves over the Elden Ruins. Ruins of a previous civilization that lived on Nia called the Elden by the three. The Elden was what we refer to as a High-Magic race. Like the elves who are natural-born mages should they choose to adopt the profession. The Eldens using their magic created some of the wonders of Nia today. The Crystal Temples were the monk’s train in ways of healing and unarmed combat is just one example yet there are many, many more. Truth of Indion was what put a stop to the three-way war by summoning a devastating magical storm known as Orion. The storm hunted the members of the three races and snatched their souls from their bodies leaving dried husk behind that only served to fuel the storm it also destroyed the ruins in the process. The three races ended up begging a few gods to put an end to the storm. Not before a price was paid and the summit was now created to ensure a price is never paid again.

Excerpt from History of Nia. Written by the Arnuun College host of the summit.

“Mother.”

A voice said coming from the force that stopped by us. My eyes scanned the Unified Forces until they landed on Karla as she stepped around her guards and into the spotlight. The young woman that I had come to know as someone strong and willing to compromise had tears in her eyes as she looked at the woman standing in front of her.

“Moth-,” she began again but the sounds were lost to me as a new vision appeared.

*

A clawed hand grasped at the still-beating heart, and I watched Amaya fall to her knees as her crimson-like blood flowed like hot magma onto the charred ground around us.

The High Queen looked directly at me and smiled slowly and deliberately raising the heart to her mouth as she took a bite.

“I will spare the rest of you for today. Yet the moment the storm disperse is the moment you will begin to die. One…by…one. You’ll have a few weeks to prepare”

With each pause, she took another bite out of the half crystal heart and half flesh.

*

I moved the moment the vision ended. My cousin was still near me, and my heartbeat was in overdrive as I activatively pushed myself towards her. Just as a clawed hand was reaching at the same time.

The High Queen moving while completely ignoring a crying, Karla. Time slowed as we both reached for her. Amaya was completely unaware of what was going on. Princess Moriah removed her blade and acting but she was farther away and if I did not make it. Then I’d watch the events of the vision happen. Yet the queen was faster. The air seemed to move alongside her pushing her forward while the ground seemed to boost her strengthening her alongside her way. What did it mean to be a Land God? I remember asking both my parents that question when I first learned about it and the Empire’s history.

“Unrivaled upon the land,” father said to me.

“Boundless. Not by the base elements nor the restrained by mortal means,” was what my mother told me.

I wouldn’t reach her in time.

The thought came to me as we moved towards Amaya.

The elements seemed to swim past the High Queen not impeding her path in the slightest.

What could I do, what should I do?

My mind screams out. I had my aspects and perks yet those were not enough. My direct or indirect magic, yet even still it would take time for my mana and will to billow out and that was time I didn’t have.

In that brief second, as I raced towards Amaya alongside the High Queen, her eyes met my own.

She smiled.

Not in worry not in despair.

She smiled the familiar Kan grin and a spell construct blinked into life before us. Just as the High Queen reached her with me a moment behind. Princess Moriah was a step away and the nobles of the west were on Path of the Body as well.

“|Protect|”

The tier four spell came to life around her protecting her vitals and body from harm before being broken in but a second. Yet that second was enough to save Amaya’s life.

|Protect| was a spell that I had a history with. The spell that barely saved my life when Ken Shouryu awoke to his bloodline. Leaving me partially destroyed but the vitality of a magi-human was like no other keeping me alive long enough for a tier ten spell to be cast. Regenerating and healing my body. I still had that scar underneath my lip on the left side of my face. Something to always remind me of the incident and to never underestimate a cornered dog.

In that second the High Queen realized her attack fail she pulled back instantly as my shield bashed the spot she was previously and Moriah halting a moment away a furious look on her face but one registered with excitement as well.

A Land God.

To be unrivaled on the land itself.

I would not forget this moment and I watched as the High Queen made her way out of our forces and reappeared at her previous location, not a hair out of place.

“Mother?”

The High Queen questioned as if the incident that just occurred never happened. Thousands of red eyes peered at her the Nox assembled behind her. The Eye of Yacsuun only seemed to grow more infuriated and green lightning flashed across the sky. Then yellow and orange. Whatever storm was developing wouldn’t be pleasant.

“Mother I know you’re still there. You must fight the creature. Never give up, never surrender,” Karla called out trying to advance but being restrained by her guards.

“You people are so… unfortunate. How can you not understand the blessing the Nox provides you. To become one and something more. Your mother is dead. Only High Queen Noxlia remains.”

Yet for a single moment so short that only those in the upper tiers of power would have noticed. The High Queen shuddered.

“Today…,” Noxlia began while looking up at the sky.

“I will spare your lives. Yet know this… you are the last to not have fallen. Lorng, Tattinna, Grav, those continents have fallen and your once pets you call daemons and beast people?”

Several powerful auras radiated from amongst the countless red eyes of the Nox horde behind the High Queen.

“They have joined together with us, all becoming a part of a better whole.”

“The Last Kingdom is truly a fitting name now. You are alone but can be so much more. To live forever through us is a blessing. Know that once the Eye of Yacsuun as let its rage die down. The Last Kingdom will be on its last days.”

A crackle of thunder boomed over the opposing armies and red lightning flashed across the sky. The gathered horde of the Nox that ranged in the tens of thousands while more being underneath the surface began to return to the holes the emerged from and High Queen Noxlia turned her back on her and followed. The cries of the Warrior Princess left ignored. The Crimson Army and the Unified Forces of the Last Kingdom were silent.

“I get to kill a Land God.”

It was Moriah’s excited voice that broke that silence.

“Retreat to the Last Kingdom.”

Amaya was the second to speak up glancing at the sky and the energy culminating in the Eye of Yacsuun.

*

“How do we kill a Land God?”

Outside the wind howled and the pouring rain never ceased. Amaya had pushed the Crimson Army for five hours the Unified Forces straggling behind as the low-tier members slowed the rest. Yet Amaya never halted our push to get out of the range of the major effects. Knowing that the area the three-tier seven spells she cast would be the first to get hit by whatever effects the Eye of Yacsuun dished out. The halt was only to allow the Unified Forces to catch up before we would begin again within two hours.

Right now, the command tent was hastily constructed, and the leading members of the Prima invasion forces were meeting.

The ten great families of the west stood on one side chatting amongst one another and forming plans plus talking about the best ways to kill a land god. My cousin Makanui was silent being attended to by his two lieutenants his thoughts unknown. Princess Moriah and my cousin were all near me the two were discussing when I first voiced the question but they along with most of the room grew quiet after hearing the question.

“How do we kill a land god…”

Moriah repeated a smile on her face.

“Well, there are several ways. The most effective is deploying another land god,” she continued.

“In 763 my great grandfather slew a beast land god by trapping it. He blew it in the crack of Mt. Junit and waited for it to starve. Back before he became a land god himself,” Aisha Loft spoke up her soft green eyes excited as she talked.

“How long did that take? A year? Once you reach that rank you can sustain yourself from essence and mana for a time.”

“My father slew one single-handedly after he reached the rank himself,” Ryon Grand stated proudly his chest puffed up slightly.

“A Land God whether man or beast can die just like any other mortal, and it doesn’t look like she’s taken on any element becoming a part of it. I say we all fight her together.” Koama Lionheart spoke up her red mane shaking fiercely as she stood.

“Koama don’t be an idiot. We’ve barely reached tier six it’s been only a month and some. A land god could slay us with no problem. The only ones to have a chance is Princess Moriah and Aegis. If we count the forces of the Last Kingdom, then they have less than a handful of fighters capable of helping us. Besides, it takes an experienced team to take a land god down. None of our higher tiers have fought long enough together for that and the rest of us are just cannon fodder,” Ittane Corba stood as well pointedly starring at Koama before rolling her eyes.

“How do we kill a Land God?” I asked again the vision of Amaya dying and bleeding out was still bright in my eyes and my body was hot with anger. A hand landed on my shoulder.

“Calm yourself cousin, your scales are showing. I’m perfectly fine.”

All eyes were on me as Amaya spoke to me and I took a long deep breath and let the anger go. High Queen Noxlia would answer for this. I promised deep within my heart.

“How do we kill her?”

“Knight formations could work,” Danica Croft spoke, and I looked surprisingly at her. Several members of the ten great families hadn’t interacted with me too much and she was amongst them. The rest are Frenda Lord, Danif Framra, Judd, Bella, and a few others. Although they made sure their voices were heard when it came to the plan of attack and other such matters.

“It could but the Crimson Army would be crippled after the fact. We need to lead her into a trap and whittle down the number of Nox. Only tens of thousands came up to the surface but ten, perhaps a hundred thousand more all lay underneath the ground. All as strong as my army and leaving the Unified Forces no hope. They are cannon fodder,” Amaya said.

“We need some way to neutralize the field the High Queen is projecting,” Makanui spoke up from his corner.

“You may or may have not noticed but it is clear she is projecting that red haze that covers the sky.”

The storm outside grew in intensity as we received word that Unified Forces just arrived in the camp we set up. The conversation continued but the commanding officers of the force were invited into the tent. Princess Karla included.