Falling. That's what I was doing now: headlong toward the sea below. With my pursuers watching every minute of my spiralling dissent, I tried to control my fall to make it look as though I’d intended to go down.

I doubted it was a very convincing attempt. Hitting the water hands first with what turned out to be an impressive dive all things considered. I realized that I actually did not know how long I could hold my breath under water. I mean I was massive and heavily muscled, which led me to believe my body would need a lot of oxygen. But then, so was a whale.

Accepting that I wasn’t a whale, I began swimming into the depths, relying entirely on Constitution and Stamina to keep me alive. Knowing full well that my enemies would be fast approaching above and would be scouring the area I’d entered the water.

As the momentum of my initial entry waned and I was entirely under my own steam, I began heading at a right angle to the course I’d originally been on. I couldn't bear the thought of using energy and oxygen to travel in the wrong direction, but I had no choice if I wanted any chance at remaining free. If they caught me, I doubt I’d get free again.

After a good long minute of being submerged, I acknowledge that when I first entered Falritas, I would have drowned thirty seconds ago. Now I wasn't even struggling. If I could keep this up for a good while and get far enough away from the Justiciars to somehow be classed as out of combat, I would get the notifications and points for the paladin's I had killed. That should allow me to level up and refresh my Neuma with the growth of my core.

After around 8 minutes of swimming, the first tugging to breathe on my lungs began. I continued in the direction I’d chosen, slowly coming to the surface over another minute, activating Neuma manipulation as I rose.

As it came alive, the water burst into life with far more colour than I expected. The water itself a very dark blue, though it had an energy about it that illuminated it from the water. Then I could see the fish all around me, hidden from physical view, but clear as day to my Neuma view. It was fascinating, but not what I had activated it for. I turned onto my back so I could look upward before I broke the surface of the water for my fateful breath.

As my face peeked up from the gently sloshing sea and I took in deep breaths through salty lips, I looked around for the tell-tale signs of the Justiciars. They were distant to my physical senses, but my Neuma vision picked them out back off in the direction I had come from. No more than half a mile away, they had spread out and they appeared to have been joined by at least another ten people. All searching the surface of the water for me. Some of them even diving into the water in their desperation to find me.

Satisfied that they couldn’t locate me with whatever sense they normally did, I took one last deep breath and let myself slip back the water.

This time I set off swimming mainly westwards towards my destination, though with a slight southward angle, ever further away from my pursuers.

I managed to stay under for another ten minutes before resurfacing and on that occasion; I was further away and looked to be finally safe.

Relieved but always filled with a healthy paranoia I continued to swim under the water in case it had anything to do with preventing them finding me.

Around five minutes into that third stretch, the notifications finally began to hit.

Congratulations: You have defeated one level 71 paladin for a total of 710 experience points.

Plus 10 points for every level your opponent was above your own, plus 50 points

Congratulations: You have defeated one level 97 paladin for a total of 970 experience points.

Plus 10 points for every level your opponent was above your own, plus 310 points

Congratulations: You have defeated one level 64 paladin for a total of 640 experience points.

Minus five points for each level opponent was below your own. Minus 10 points

` prolonged activity.

Constitution: 218

The ability to withstand physical punishment.

Mental Statistics:

Intelligence: 55

Knowledge and its application

Charisma: 38

Charm, coerce, inspire.

Perception: 66

Awareness of surroundings

Spiritual Statistics:

Ethereal Awareness: 0

Attunement with the Gods and spirits of Gulithea. (Necessary for Ethereally supplied magical ability.)

Internal Connection: 65

Attunement with oneself. (Necessary for cultivation of one’s own inner power)

Singularity: 25

Innate understanding of universal essence (Neuma). Will increase with personal level. (Cannot be leveled by other means.)

World sense: 8.12% Knowledge of Gulithea.

Experience Points to next level: 820/3350

There was a certain amount of uncertainty with investing in Internal connection because of my early days training with Natom. He always indicated that it wasn’t an important resource for me to worry about. He’d even told me his own was still quite low and obviously, I believed him. Of course, at the time I had no reason not to, but as time passed I now believe he'd been filling me full of shit. Time and time again, particularly as the battles I was pulled into increased with difficulty, a strong Internal Connection seemed ever more important.

On my next resurface, I was tempted to take to the skies again as Justice’s people appeared to be completely out of the picture now, but I was sure I caught a glimpse of Silver Neuma off in the direction I’d travelled from. Swimming even in this form was slow as hell. Admittedly, having no legs didn’t help matters.

I decided to continue on underwater nonetheless and attempt to use my Neuma to fly under the surface in case the water was shielding me. It could have also been because up until now I had depleted both my Neuma and Ethereal reserves, so I didn’t stand out as much.

Decision made, I dove back under the water moving deeper before I added my Neuma to the escape plan again. ma swim through the water instead of the air.

Within a couple of minutes of flying through the water, there was a clear problem. Fish. I'd been hit in the face by a couple already and I just prayed I didn’t fly into a shark or something else. Who knew what kind of fucked up sea creatures Falritas had.

I suddenly became very nervous with my current mode of travel and reactivated my Neuma sight. That made things even more unpleasant as the array of lights flashed by in a dizzying array. Feeling slightly queasy, I deactivated the vision and swam with my hands out ahead of me instead. Once I’d found a rhythm, I ignored the occasional impacts and focused on the map for the Northern Protectorate.

Sensing I was growing close to where I could teleport back, I was overjoyed to find the mental map agreed. There was a specific boundary that marked the area I apparently protected. But beyond that there was a kind of fuzzy buffer zone where I suspected I could still use my powers to a limited degree. It was strange to have this unlearned knowledge, but I knew instinctively one of them was to teleport. Though, I also knew there would be no option for a return trip, which was fine by me.

With my confidence swelling by the minute, I contacted Sania. She’d tried to contact me a few times throughout the battle and my subsequent flight. But apart from a brief acknowledgment of, I'm okay. Speak soon. I hadn’t communicated properly with her yet.

I could feel her worry now as I thought about her as clear as I could feel my own at what else lurked in these water with me. More than that, I could feel the worry of each and every single follower I had. While overwhelming, I was glad to have had them. They must have been praying like crazy, too. Because my ethereal reserves were increasing steadily. It was time to put their minds at ease. I spoke to Sania first, and included Danivra and Grigor in the communication.

“Hey guys. I'm almost at the point where I can use the Protectorate title to teleport back to you. Hopefully, I'll be there within half an hour.”

“Clive! Thank the stars you're okay,” Sania said. “I don’t have the words to describe how worried I was.”

“It is good to hear your voice, Lord Clive. Congratulations on your escape,” Grigor said.

“I am desperate to hear how you were able to escape from a Nova Hasian prison,” Danivra added.

“Ha, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” I laughed. “And I'm not back yet guys. I need to focus again, but I should be okay. I'll speak to everyone now because there’s a lot of tension across the bonds, and I’ll see you guys soon.”

“Okay, Clive. Hurry.” Sania replied.

“Of course,” I said before moving on to a speak to everyone. As I focused on all of their bonds, I felt a rush of their care and concern for me. It would have been a heart-warming moment if I didn’t nearly drown from the shock of the power from it.

I had to surface for a second to cough and splutter, and refill my lungs. A bolt of silver energy hit the water by my head, and I had to dive again. Not even seeing the source of attack.

More attacks sizzled the water around where I was. A Justiciar suddenly plunged into the water nearby. I just went for it, propelling myself through the water at high velocity, trying to stay calm so as not to worry my aspirants of the attack.

As I shot away from the area of attack, I spoke briefly across the bond I’d accessed. “Hey everyone! Don't worry about me. I'm alive and well and pretty much free making my way back to our army.”

Six hundred concerned responses came back in an indecipherable flurry as massive explosion went off in the water near me, altering my course dramatically, pushing me even deeper, which worked for me under the current circumstances.

I couldn’t believe they’d found me, and damn were they desperate to either put an end to me or recapture me. I wasn’t about to let either of those things happen. I was recharged, and I had at least a couple of ethereal balls to throw. If I could get Gladivel, I’d be a happy man.

It felt as though I had lost them temporarily after their explosion and an extended swim, but when the time to resurface for air came again, I was nervous. Moving at a forty-five-degree angle toward the surface, head facing back the way I’d came from I could have just poked my head out in a stealth move, but if someone was waiting I could end up with a face full of Justice. So instead as I approached the surface I formed two balls of power and as I broke the water there were a mix of Justiciars and paladins hurtling to my position. They clearly didn’t know exactly where I would come out and where delayed in their attack.

Unlike me. I shot off both projectiles, taking a deep breath and diving back under, forcing myself faster and faster as I escaped unscathed. I had no idea if I’d killed or injured anyone, and I didn’t care. Nor did I try to change direction to confuse them as I had previously. That would probably confuse them all the more.

As I swam like a seal on speed, I kept a close eye on the map and my protectorate menu. It was a close thing between reaching the buffer zone where I could teleport from and the need to breathe. Unfortunately, the latter won and after thirteen minutes under water, I needed to resurface or pass out.

Darting up at a similar angler as before, projectiles at the ready in each hand once again I broke the surface like a Dolphin with a firework up its arse, fired the two blasts, was hit by five powerful blasts in quick succession and was sent spinning wildly out of control at speed. I hit the damn water like a skipping stone, the skin on my chest almost completely burnt away as I came to a top and started to sink.

A thick meaty Nephilim hand grabbed me pinning my hands to my sides. It was the one handed Tanalay MonQuine. His massive eyes glared at me, his face a feral grin of victory.

“You thought you escaped?” he boomed. Hauling me out of the water. “No one escapes Justice and I will have my revenge.”

As he spoke, the other Justiciars and Paladins that had been hunting me arrived, looking awfully pleased with themselves. I was still half dazed, fighting to get my bearings from their combined attack.

“Drop him, Tanalay,” Gladivel snapped as he came close.

As soon as he dropped me, I was hit by a wave from one of the other Justiciars.

You have been neutralized. External use of Neuma unavailable for 20 minutes.

I was swept up again by Tanalay completely helpless. I’d been so close to escape. Only half a mile more and I would have…how far had their attack blasted me?

I quickly checked the Protectorate Map, my eyes goggled at what I saw. I couldn’t help myself, though. Focusing on Gladivel. “Before you do anything more I just need to say that you’re an epic bunch of wankers and I’m going to kill you all. Oh, and Justice blows the other gods for spare change.

With a two one fingered salutes, I focused on where Sania was and appeared there.

.