Chapter 14

The Settlement

“It’s all gone…” Max’s whisper confirmed what they all saw with their eyes. Stopped outside the alchemic settlement, their group of five saw nothing but ashes and destruction. Like the city before it, the Beastmaster had razed every part of it that he could. The only question was whether he was there still or had moved on to wreak havoc and devastation at his next site of attack.

None of it mattered with the marching Renegades behind them, the torches they were holding serving as a beacon to their far-off location.

“Were we too late to stop the Beastmaster?” Eddie asked. He joined Max in overlooking the area, for what could actually be seen within that darkness.

“This is why we shouldn’t have come! There’s nothing we could do.”

“Emil, you’re such a wuss.”

“Shut up,” Meredith said. Her steps took her forward, listening to the crunch underfoot that had to have been from the layers of ash on the grass. She squinted into the darkness, locating little pinpricks that had to be survivors or perhaps the skyships that had passed over those hours before. “There’s nothing we could have done to stop this. But that’s not why we’re here.”

“Of course. I’m here for the Trial of Enlightenment. So long as it’s still standing, this won’t have been a wasted race. I just hope I can complete it before those stupid Renegades get in the way,” Vivian said. She looked fed up with the state of the settlement.

“Perhaps we should all get a closer look, then. We won’t be able to spot anything in this night from this distance,” Max said. His suggestion was heeded. The teens crossed the ashen plain.

Each step was filled with more soot, and the night never lifted, but as they closed the distance, Meredith received a fuller picture of what was awaiting them.

The most identifiable thing was the large building that dwarfed them. With windows of stained-glass and turrets that vanished amidst the inky blackness, it was the most engaging sight of the entire settlement. That was helped by the fact it was also the most undamaged thing by a long shot. Not a single window was cracked or shattered, and no stone had broken off its surface. The night may have been hiding it, but Meredith felt there was a greater magic stitching together such an old location.

“That must be the trial site. Max, shall we?”

“W-wait, Lady Vivian! Perhaps some rest would-” Meredith held no surprise in seeing them go, the pair splitting away soon as they could. She paid them no further mind.

Meredith’s observations turned to other things: the settlement, itself.

Unlike the trial site, the rest of the town fared far worse. Black mist hung around in its ever-oppressive haze, choking out the stars above. Ash covered the otherwise burned grass, though the gathering of torches and firelight ahead said that not every flame had been used as a mode of destruction. Few houses survived, however, and they already appeared few to begin with. People, it seemed, had been driven away from the outskirts of town, towards the center, where the firelight and other assorted light sources were gathered. Difficult to tell who was there, but Meredith hazarded a guess and she went right for it.

“There’s hardly anything left here…How come the Corps couldn’t stop this beforehand?” Emil asked. His teeth were gritted, Meredith could tell that much, but he kept the rhythm of his movement in time with hers. “No people. No houses. Heck, I don’t even see any of the forge equipment you’d expect from the rumors of this place. Certainly nothing rivaling Lacardia.”

“It looks like they’re all gathered over there. Maybe a main street of sorts,” Eddie pointed out. “Hope Vivian will be okay; I don’t think it was wise of us to split up right now…”

“Vivian likes getting herself in trouble; she’ll be fine.” Her dismissal of her rival delivered, Meredith ran towards the light, finally giving her room to see by. She’d barely made it a few steps when her foot sunk lower than expected. In the light, she could see a depression in the ground, though shadow concealed parts of it. Meredith pulled back, and the second she did, a rush of steam poured out. “Yeowch! That’s hot!”

She clutched to her arm, part of it blistering with the heat that had expelled from the ground. The steam covered the area like a mist, exuding from multiple directions around the entire settlement, even covering the trial site from view. Meredith wondered what it was, but when she saw the parked skyships in two very familiar models, she abandoned her curiosity. Steam wasn’t going to stop her, and she ran full bore into the mist for where the light parted the night. Soon as she stepped into its radius, the vents of steam shut off, returning everything to normal.

Emil’s coughs indicated that he and Eddie had followed close behind, the sound attracting the attention of those in the area. Meredith stared at them all in turn. Some citizens were there, but from the bodies just outside the light, there weren’t all that many left. Houses were crushed, blown away, and some tools were scattered on the gravel roadways that wound themselves through the settlement. Once beautiful flowers had lost their nightly glow, and the black mist drowned all color around them. Each was too afraid to speak, unless one counted the guests at the table set up near one of the skyships.

“…a number too high, Marcus!” The name caused the advancing trio to stop, and they could finally identify one of the men beneath the light. There was no doubt, in his bright armor and his stern expression, that the leader of the Corps had arrived to deal with things. “This is our settlement. They haven’t broken our true spirit, but the Alchemists’ Guild made an agreement with you to prevent things like this.”

“My apologies, guild master. I had tasked Tempest Squad to track down the threat, but I’d no idea they would…” Marcus turned his head and Meredith followed his trajectory. For a brief second, their eyes met, but they ultimately landed on Raymond. Meredith’s brother bowed low.

“I certainly didn’t intend for this result, sir. Every time we tracked to the next town, he’d have already struck and disappeared into the shadows. It’s impugned the honor of Tempest Squad.”

“Which explains his absolutely foul mood these last couple days.” Meredith jumped at the voice, right next to her ear. Then there was the arm around her shoulder, pulling her and the two boys close. “Been a while. Meredith, right? What brings you and your friends here? Last I heard, you were in Lacardia.”

Meredith twisted her neck to see who had caught them. Jay was there, a grin on his face despite the bags under his eyes. “Here to see the settlement.”

“Not much to see. As you can tell, your friendly Beastmaster wreaked havoc. We’ve tracked him, but he disappears like magic.”

“Guess he’s slippery,” Meredith said. She bit her lip a moment. “We have a message to deliver to the Corps, too. Can you take it?”

“Depends on the message.” Jay let go of the three, and when they turned around, he had shoved his hands into his pockets. “Lay it on me.”

“The Renegades are on their way to this settlement right now, and they plan to put an end to the Beastmaster.” Jay blinked. He watched the three, raising an eyebrow, but eventually decided to shrug. Meredith felt her mouth dropping. “They have an army?”

“Do they, Miss Childs?” This time, Meredith really did lose her balance, only to have her arm caught by none other than Marcus. His eyes meeting hers hadn’t been a fluke. “Funny how you always seem to get ahold of this information, though I must say it’s a pleasure to see you again. How have things been since the Metropolis? Reports say you passed the Trial of Self.”

“Yes, sir!” Meredith found herself instinctively throwing up a salute. Neither Eddie nor Emil did the same, but they did bow in respect as Raymond and the guild master of the settlement approached. The latter appeared questioning, but Raymond was exhausted and scrutinizing her with accusation. Beyond, in the light, other Guardians were trying to work, though they were of little note. “It was quite challenging, but that’s not what I-”

“Guardian Jarvis, what news has Miss Childs brought you? I’d take what she says seriously; she did warn us of the Metropolis attack.”

“Yes, my sister seems to have a penchant for finding trouble…though perhaps trouble found all of us first in this case,” Raymond said. His gaze told Meredith of his displeasure, but she wasn’t sure what it was being aimed at.

“Uh, she said something about a Renegade army,” Jay said. “I mean, I can have Kenny and Sal take a skyship up and check on it, sir.”

“No need. Miss Childs has no gain in lying to us. I’d assume you two can corroborate her story, yes?” Eddie and Emil nodded with vigor. “Well, when I decided to intervene in the Beastmaster matter, I certainly didn’t expect this. Renegades have been problematic, but this is something new entirely.”

“I don’t think our settlement can take another battle. It was enough for the few up here to survive…I fear if another battle breaks out with that foul fiend, things will take a turn for the worse. You know the magic core of darkness is nearby, Marcus.” The guild master’s words made the Corps’ leader adopt a grave expression. “This is already a fine situation! Can you imagine? We need more protection. I called you here because only you can do so.”

“Yes, I agree…” Marcus was stroking his chin now. “Come to think of it…Raymond, have the Defender provide a scouting. Let’s see if we can’t smoke out our Beastmaster before this Renegade army arrives. Have Bruce and Trent keep an eye on them. That will make things go smoothly, even in this darkness.”

“And how do we intend to find him, sir?” Raymond asked. Meredith exhaled with relief, but remained rigid while Marcus began to deliberate on a path ahead. “He’s moved slowly, methodically. Maybe it’s because of the wound I’ve dealt him, but he still manages to vanish.”

Marcus had no answers. He was staring at a point beyond all of them, to the large palace that was the trial site. There was no real concern there, all the more proven by his chuckle. “Well, Raymond, you and Tempest Squad are the legs of the Corps; surely you can figure it out. Investigate. We’ve been here less than a day and all we’ve managed to do is heal the wounded and clean the debris.”

“Which does remind me, Jay, mind helping out with the cleanup? Em’s busy on the healing spree.”

“Why am I always stuck with the manual labor, captain?” Jay complained. Raymond laughed, thumping his subordinate on the back.

“Because much as I trust you, Bruce and Trent are more valuable for battle. They haven’t lost once. And besides, this eternal night is low on the others’ morale. You can help keep it up,” Raymond ordered. Jay sighed, far louder than he needed to, but offered a salute to indicate acceptance. Marcus watched on with amusement until his captain faced him in a likewise manner. “Worry not, commander! Tempest Squad will investigate the town and find the Beastmaster. Mera, do you have an ETA on when these Renegades will arrive, or how large their numbers are?”

“All we know is that they were behind us, and they brought together their factions,” Eddie answered. “We hurried here as fast as we could.”

“Perhaps we should make you part of a rapid-response squad!” Marcus said. His laugh that followed was barking, causing Emil to roll his eyes. “Between your information gathering skills, how you get here ahead of disasters and even Mr. Baroné’s ability to float, you’d be a real asset to the Corps.”

“Not this again, sir. Don’t you have more important things to do?”

“Yes, Marcus, don’t you?” the guild master spoke. The leader of the Corps nodded, almost flummoxed at being called out on his behavior. “This attack changes things, and I want it made right.”

“Of course. Though perhaps you should tell me where the rest of your survivors and equipment are gathered. This seems little for an operation of your size, and I haven’t even seen your best craftsmen. I certainly hope they didn’t all perish. That would be upsetting, to say the least,” Marcus said. The guild master nodded, his own face bereaved as he soaked in the commander’s words. He was also walking away, prompting Marcus to follow after him. Said leader paused once. “Raymond, contact me if something happens or you find anything.”

“Will do, sir.” Another salute and the Chief Commander had departed, leaving Meredith, Eddie and Emil alone with her brother. The switch didn’t take long to flip. “Out with it Mera! How did you learn about this catastrophe and why are you here?”

“You’re acting like I actively sought out trouble.”

“Well, it is you.” Raymond wasn’t the only one to say that, Eddie’s voice joining in on the chorus.

“I do know magic now, you know…” Neither took the threat seriously. “But…trouble found us. We found this…gash…We passed out and were rescued by the Renegades. They’re worked up, Ray.”

“Well, then I guess I should be grateful you had the sense to deliver the information to the Corps instead of trying to stop them yourselves. Goodness knows you’d try…” Meredith kicked at her brother, but he took a step back. She nearly fell off balance, but found her body floating before it could fall. Emil released his gravity and stepped in the conversation.

“Speaking of stopping the Renegades, if you need to know how far and how many, I can help. I already have a general idea of where and what to look for,” the dirty-blond suggested.

Raymond adjusted his glasses while he soaked in Emil’s words. “You’re not a Guardian.”

“Didn’t stop me from fighting in the Metropolis, did it?” Emil’s words rang true, and gave Raymond little need for argument. He jerked his head in answer. “Great. Mera, Eddie, be back in a flash. Hope you get whatever you need done quickly. This won’t take long. We’ll meet by the trial, yeah? Best to have all four of us in one place in case the Beastmaster shows up.”

“Just go,” Meredith said, her exhaustion evident. Emil smiled, offered a lazy salute, and then shot into the air. She sighed once more.

“Four of you? And what is this you need to get done?” Raymond wasted no time in grabbing hold of his sister, dragging her further into the light. The more that was shed, the greater an idea of the situation Meredith received. In full view, the settlement now revealed itself to her and she stopped.

“We have another companion, Vivian, with us. She went to the trial,” Eddie answered in Meredith’s stead. She was too busy soaking in the area around her. Prior to Raymond’s next response, she located the form of Emily and various other Corps healers helping the settlers. The young woman caught her gaze, tucking a loose strand of hair back and smiling. All of Tempest Squad was on deck, fraught with the reminder of what had occurred and just how difficult her brother’s job was.

“Ah, the other girl from the Metropolis. She does know the trial is closed, right? I mean, you can enter the Abyssal Palace, but there’s no one to man the trial. We pulled everyone out here.”

“Were any of the Guardians there injured?”

“No, we were lucky on that front. The casualties are far less than I expected, despite the extent of the damage. I don’t think the wounded and dead even match half of the guild list.”

Meredith left her brother behind, walking into the gaze of the bright spotlights. Light revealed devastation. The remaining houses had become burned out shacks, and a stall where weapons were once sold was splintered into pieces. The blades that had been forged were scattered about the ground, some broken into metal shards. Other shields were dented, left by the wayside of the road. The heated fires that had made the forge active were out.

It was…sad. Not in the way Meredith expected, either. While she had expected an almost thriving society, one that made sense to hold a guild, she’d instead found a ramshackle and desolate place, not even half the size of Lumarina. The Beastmaster had either done a serious number on the settlement, or something was very amiss. Out of interest to her thoughts, Meredith examined the nearby swords. Steam covered the area again, obscuring her vision, but Meredith could tell everything she needed just by clasping one of the broken blades.

It was simple. Too simple.

“Hey, Ray!” Her brother answered her call, complete with Eddie in tow. “These weapons are kind of crappy.”

“Way to be sensitive, sis.” Still, Raymond took the blade and weighed it in his hand. His frown told the whole story. “Cheap metal.”

“Not really something you’d expect of an alchemic forge, right? I was told they had stuff better than even Lacardia’s, but this seems like something you could buy off a back-alley hawker in Lumarina.” Meredith straightened, smoothing her pants and dusting off the dirt that had been carried with the steam. “How much do you know about this place?”

“As much as any Guardian. Come here for the Trial of Enlightenment, maybe get some weapons, but they keep to themselves,” Raymond said. He tossed the sword up and down, its poor durability reflected in its lightness. “The Alchemists’ Guild is a thing unto themselves. We have a few people stationed here, guarding the trial, but that’s about it. That’s the extent of the agreement. Marcus only started negotiating something else recently, but even he doesn’t know everything. Secrets and all. If they went everywhere, there’d be those Legendary Weapons all over the place.”

“Yeah, but…there’s nothing here,” Meredith said. The more she looked, the more it seemed inconceivable. There was no way a place like this could forge a Legendary Weapon, or even carry something as valuable as the Vincio Metal. “What’s all that steam from?”

“The forges is my best guess. Sorry, I don’t know much.” Raymond finished tossing the sword, allowing Eddie to catch it and feel its weight. Meredith folded her arms, giving a three-sixty to the settlement. This was a mighty forge?

“This weapon doesn’t feel unusual to me,” Eddie said. Brother and sister both shot him a dirty look, prompting Eddie to drop the blade.

“That’s because it isn’t. It’s just your standard sword, got on the cheap. That shield looks a little better, more crafted with magic, but that’s hardly a prize.” Raymond swiped his glasses from his face and cleaned them of the water from the steam. “Guess that’s what happens when you visit a place from fables. It never lives up to the expectation.”

It certainly didn’t, and Meredith’s body sagged in defeat. She gripped the broken sword of her own and held it up. It gave her no answers, and she worried it never would. Not now that this place was so…pathetic. Sorry, Matthew, I don’t know if I’ll manage it. Maybe we were both wrong.

Unthinking, Meredith kicked at the scattered weapons, shields and helms. One went flying, but she didn’t hear a sound that would have indicated a landing. What she heard in its place was an echo. Like it traveled down a long tube, deep underground.

“Wait a sec…” Meredith stared into the darkness, but was unable to discern any details along the ground. Perhaps, she began to figure, that was all part of the design. Steam rose up, but not in every place, as difficult as it was to tell. Every detail was hard to tell, even the number of structures that had once stood before the Beastmaster made his strike. One fact stood out, though: there weren’t many. “Ray, you mentioned a long list of people on the Alchemists’ Guild member list?”

“Sure. Not that I’ve seen it.”

“I’m starting to think, this isn’t the alchemy settlement…”

“Because of the lack of people…?” Raymond was ready to counteract, but soon saw Meredith’s line of thought, putting it together faster than even she could. “Oh, that’s tricky. Down below…but how do they get in?”

“The vents?” Eddie asked. With so much steam, it was nigh impossible to approach the belching vents, and Meredith wasn’t going to try. Raymond dismissed the concept, anyway.

“No. You’d need to widen the tunnels to get through there, assuming the steam doesn’t get you first. Probably the same for any air holes…There has to be a better way to get in…”

“Wouldn’t the guild master know?” Meredith asked. Raymond, his eyes shining in the light around them, tipped his glasses towards his sister.

“My thoughts, exactly. If the true settlement is elsewhere, there has to be a safe way in. The Beastmaster is likely also looking for it. We find it, we find him,” Raymond said. He was nodding with pride, reaching over to bump his sister’s fist. “Nice work, Mera. I’ll let the Chief Commander know.”

“Whatever you’re doing, make it quick, Ray.” The voice had echoed from Ray’s pocket, but arrested no movement of his. Raymond’s feet moved swiftly away from where they were while pulling out his communication device. “That army really is there. They’re stopped for now, talking with someone, but if they attack, I’ve no idea how long we can hold them off without making a huge PR scandal.”

“Stall as long as you can, Sal. We’re close; I can feel it.”

Meredith watched him go, disappearing towards the edge of the light. Then she looked to Eddie, grinning. He, naturally, stepped back with a look of apprehension. “Mera, what are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking we can find the way in! What we’re looking for is right beyond it, and if we can impress even the Chief Commander, himself…Just imagine!” Eddie didn’t want to imagine; that much was obvious. He was shaking his head back and forth in warning, or perhaps it was embarrassment. Meredith wasn’t sure, but she knew she had to confirm her theory before the Renegades could arrive and wreak havoc.

Her breath evened and Meredith’s Soul Vision slipped on. She couldn’t see everything, but steeled her mind to see only the souls and nothing else. That expanded her sights. A small grouping of souls was gathered there in the settlement, though beyond was the streaming force. Those souls wavered on the edge of her vision, but their slow movement and the few figures at the front, interacting with others, spoke to their identity. The Renegade army was stalled and broken up slightly, but well on its way.

“Come on. There has to be something.” Meredith’s knee began to fall, concentrated more on finding souls than standing. Eddie placed a hand on her shoulder, nodding.

“You can do this. You can find them. You’re so much stronger than you were.”

Eddie’s impromptu motivation caused Meredith to dig her foot in the ground, extending her Soul Vision further. Lips sucked in, she felt her head start to hurt, but kept pushing. It wasn’t as easy as when she was near the Gash, but it didn’t stop her from finding other souls. Some were moving close by at an unprecedented speed, melding into the night, unidentifiable. Others lingered in the land beyond. Then there were those cloaked in the darkness of the magic core, which could only include Vivian and Max.

Underneath it all, however, was where Meredith found the pulsing vein of the alchemic settlement. Souls that thrived underneath, perhaps more identifiable by one that dwarfed all others, drowning out whatever other souls were in the near vicinity and hiding their presence. That beacon identified, the blade on her belt quivered.

“Oh, it’s close. So, we just need to find where the path is.” Meredith wiped at her brow, standing with shaky legs. Eddie was observing the area, his eyes gazing with fire. His stare settled on the aptly-named Abyssal Palace.

“Mera, where do you think is a good place to hide a secret path to a hidden civilization that dabbles in magical, ancient artifacts?” Meredith didn’t give her friend the pleasure of presenting a riddle to her. “You hide it where a bunch of magic can cover you up and confuddle anyone not in the know.”

“You’re telling me…what, exactly?” He grabbed her arm, dragging her away from the light toward the obsidian of the Abyssal Palace. Every step closer made the darkness inside all the more obvious, though it wasn’t quite oppressive; not in the normal sense. With her Soul Vision on, Meredith could see it as more of a shield to confound and test, not attack. The darkness was no enemy, but a neutral force employed.

“The trial site existed long before the Corps began using it, right? So, like every other place, who’s to say it’s not hiding something incredible in its halls?”

“You’re a genius, Eddie! Leave it to a first-rate magic user!” Meredith high-fived her best friend, the two knocking their arms against each other. In tandem, they stepped forward to the steps. Emil wasn’t there yet, but neither stopped. They weren’t aware of the way forward, but Meredith knew they’d be guided there. By soul or sword, they’d reach the inside and report back. Nearly there, Earth-Splitter. One more push.

“A first-rate magic user, indeed. You’re so skilled at peering into the darkness. What other secrets can you find there?”

Meredith’s forehead creased, and she felt pressure on her shoulders, same as Eddie. Someone had put their arms around the pair. She would have thought it to be Jay, acting just as he had before, stopping them from entering the trial while it was closed. That thought vanished, however, when she heard the growling, and felt the finger touch to her throat. Shadows were splitting away, Meredith forcing her Soul Vision off to see who had gotten near them.

Her eyes drifting upwards revealed the dirty-blond bowl cut and freckled face of Caleb the Beastmaster, licking his lips. At their feet was his dog, crawling out of a shadow in the ground that zipped away, returning to some unknown source.

“It’s been some time, girl. You’ve improved,” he said. His tongue made another pass over his lips, twisting his maddened grin. His fingers tightened, eliciting a frightened gasp from both teens. “We have much to catch up on. Please, lead the way. I think we both have a date with the settlement and the Weapon that lay within.”