-- Aster --

"Hey, we're getting close." Mullein jostled me to get my attention.

I was brought out of my energy sculpting, which was becoming more important now that we were getting close. The power had gone from a thin mist to like a thick cloud, an odd side effect was the mist became more like clear water that I could see through, but was still fully aware of it. The power was almost overwhelming me. Even as I twisted myself around to get a better look, I was bleeding out as much energy as possible, creating a trail anyone could follow. When I looked forward, the distortion in the power made it hard to make out, so I dialed back the power flowing through my eyes so, I could see what we were getting into.

The first thing I saw was the titans, well more like I saw their silhouettes in the distance. I almost mistook them for towers, until one of them moved, and there were at least a hundred tall towers of Titans, and when they moved, they moved fast, it was like they were just normal people moving around in the distance. If I didn't know how far they were I might have even mistaken them for a person. That shouldn't be possible, Creatures of that size should be slow and lumber, careful of their steps. I could only be happy just a few of them were moving and none were moving toward us. All the others were sitting or finding places to sit.

Seeing all this, struck me as strange, if they were so large and could move at a normal human pace they could cause an untold amount of damage to any of the cities, but they were just sitting down. We were still miles away, yet seeing the size of these things, I was going to have to rethink my plans. I had thought they would be a lot smaller, it didn't feel right involving the tricksters like this. That was until I took a look at them and they all had excited smiles. I don't know if they're mad or not, but at the very least they looked excited.

"You all are seeing this right?" I yelled making sure that they knew what they were getting into.

"Oh yeah." Mullein almost sounded giddy.

"Not worried?"

"About the giant people-shaped monsters?"

"Yeah." So they definitely see the titans.

I felt his head shake, "Nah. Look below them."

I did, and all I saw was a strange multi-colored ground. The plants must get weird when they get close to the barrier. That's when I noticed it was moving, writhing, and running all over itself.

"Fuck!" I shouted in surprise.

Mullein let out what I could only describe as a cackle, "Yeah. This is going to be fun."

I don't think I agreed with them, on the fun aspect but chaotic yes, and I was slowly learning that the Tricksters thrive in chaos.

I wish I could see the beautiful scenery we were flying over, but being slung over someone's shoulder does not make it easy. So instead I focused on the ground, which looked like some horror of a moving carpet, as we got closer to the ground I could start to make out individual types of monsters, wolves, felines, lizards, and tentacles monstrosities. It made me extremely happy that there weren't any flying creatures impeding our path. I took a look back at the city that was just barely visible as it was slowly consumed by the mist, it was kind of neat.

All too soon the only thing I could see was just a see of monsters and I swear we were getting closer to them, every-time Mullein waited just a little longer before teleporting back to the top. It was a little much on my stomach but I was starting to get used to it.

"So how far out are we?" By now we had been flying for a good hour, we had to be reaching the barrier soon, or we just weren't moving as fast as I thought we were.

"At the speeds, we're going well hit the limit in another hour or so."

"Limit?" this was the first time hearing anything about a limit.

"It's how close are can get before the power gets too thick and literally repels us." Mullein explained

"Oh...it can do that?" That wasn't something I was expecting. For my plan to work I would need to make it all the way to the barrier. I would have to figure a way myself.

"Yeah, it's a very odd feeling." Mullein answered cryptically.

"Ok then."

An hour is a long time to be slung over Mullein's back. And I was getting hotter the closer we got, forced to burn off my power by creating more and more solid constructs It was actually kind of fun. I felt like a sculptor, as anything I could imagine I could make. Though I was quickly learning I don't think of an entire object when I create them. As the front would look amazing but then the back would lack any detail. I felt like I was leaving a trail of random objects behind me, imagining them hitting the ground and slowly dissipating into nothing. I bet it looks like they're turning to smoke. I was in a constant loopy state at this point, no matter how much power I burned it was getting harder to keep up. So I started to make bigger things, even a small building, visualizing a store I made the crazy hat store from An La Notre. It was surprisingly solid thanks to the days I spent scoping it out, so I was very familiar.

The constructs themselves used an intense amount of power but it still wasn't enough, as the power only grew as we flew.

I was so consumed with constructs that the one I was working on exploded when Mullein shouted pointing down, "What's going on down there?"

Thankfully, we were moving so I barely felt anything from the blast, and I turned to look at one of the Titans jumping around. Then it let out a scream, the voice was so low that I could see the air ripple, as a shock-wave hit us vibrating all my insides and churning them all around.

I could see all the Tricksters fighting to keep balance, Mullein was no different as he fought through the wave, distorting the air. I was thrown around as he held onto me, I would have thrown up from the combination of the two if I had anything left. Surprisingly, none of the tricksters were thrown from their boards, showing their skills eventually stabilizing on their boards.

"Keepers, What was that?" I shouted, trying to keep whatever was left in my stomach inside.

"I think someone is taking down one of the Titans. Look."

I looked to where Mullein pointed as one of the giants was stumbling back and falling over, as the red liquid flowed out of its ear.

"Must have gone through to the brain," I commented, remembering from my anatomy training that there were a bunch of things in the way through the ear, but if it works. Then I realized another thing as I asked, "Do you think they can survive the fall?"

Mullein, looked down thinking, "Maybe depends on if they stay inside, the head?" He guessed.

The creature was so large it took a full minute for it to collapse to the ground, by then the titan had moved more than a mile closer to the barrier. When it did hit the ground all across the thing's scalp giant white insects scattered exploding out running in every direction. In fact, all the monsters within a couple miles dispersed running in all directions leaving a near-empty battlefield.

"I guess they're controlling them?" I commented realizing that was why the monster was just kind of running in circles.

"Looks like it." Mullein agreed before his voice rose excitedly, "Hey I think I see the killers."

Looking down I saw four viscera-covered adventurers and I immediately recognized them. Did they really send them to kill a Titan?

"Hey, that's my team!" I said excited wanting to brag about my teammates.

"Really? Nice."

I couldn't agree more feeling proud of their accomplishment. I could only wish I was there to have helped them. They were walking off the giant and falling to the ground looking worse for wear. Resting on the giant's hand that was next to its head.

"Do you want to say hi?" Mullein asked, and I found myself staring down wondering if I did.

Eventually, I found myself shaking my head, "No it won't help. But seeing that has given me a better idea." It would still require me to reach the barrier, but now I could see a way to do this.

That's when I saw a vehicle drive up to my team. They must still be keeping track of them. Now I really didn't want to say high. I was certain Edelweiss wouldn't let me go again, and I couldn't let him do that. So we continued onward.

Strangely the closer we got the thinner the power in the air seemed to become. That or it was thinning. I wasn't sure which, but the tricksters didn't appear to be struggling though we are were moving faster.

Odd.