Chapter Forty-Four

Despite almost every part of her desiring to smite the encampment, Elysia slowed down as she approached. She knew they knew where she was, so she was at a disadvantage, but going in blind was also stupid.

Besides, as she neared, the painful pinging through her bond with Ione lessened in intensity. It was still there, but whoever was hurting her bond must have noticed her approach.

Taking advantage of the lull, she sent a flurry of images to Ione asking her if she was ok and what was the situation like.

After a few second delay almost hesitant, blurry images reached her. They showed thousands of Changed surrounding a blood covered Ione. She wasn’t sure if the blood was hers or from the hundreds of dead Changed floating in the surrounding water.

Like Ione, the dammed section of the ocean was red. Spikes and frozen sections littered Ione’s surroundings, but none appeared to hit have her. Though it was hard to tell with how red her fur was.

The last image showed a green hair man with vibrant emerald lightning writhing his body. Hatred and hunger flowed through their bond as the last image reached her.

Elysia froze as she stared at the image. He didn’t feel like a Changed. Something about him felt similar to her, but different. Her lightning felt almost prideful and violent while his radiated a calm confidence.

Unlike Ione, she didn’t feel a powerful urge towards him, but a subtle pull directed her attention in his direction. However, that might be because most of her attention focused on Ione. She couldn’t even feel rage at him for some reason. Maybe the feeling his lightning gave off affected her more than she thought.

Taking advantage of the calm despite its worrying source, she continued her advanced, now able to hear the sounds of battle. Oddly, despite being so close, no Changed teams appeared. Maybe because she was the only threat left that they knew of, so they grouped up to wait for her.

Ione was doing a number on them too. As she neared, the pain through their bond vanished almost entirely. Excitement and murderous fury warred for supremacy now.

Somehow Ione found fun in their situation. She was a predator after all, but she hoped Ione didn’t get carried away. No way could they beat everyone at the encampment, going by the images there were thousands and growing. They probably recalled everyone for the encounter.

The numbers alone made things impossible, and that wasn’t counting the strange man. Based on what Ione’s senses told her from the image, he was really powerful. Likely at the peak of the dungeon, and that was just his power. Who knew what tricks he had up his sleeves?

Their best option was to smash and make a run for it. The Changed likely knew it too, but they had to take the chance.

Elysia asked for more images focused on the direction she was coming from before acting. If they were willing to give them time to prepare, she would take advantage of it.

The first image was Ione in the water, surrounded by even more bodies. Besides her panting, she didn’t seem in bad shape.

She wasn’t sure why they kept throwing Changed at Ione when it seemed pointless. Ione had to have killed hundreds by now and looked capable of killing hundreds more if they kept throwing Changed at her. Something was definitely fishy about their actions, but as long as Ione remained okay, she didn’t mind their wasteful attacks.

Based on what she felt through their bond, neither did Ione, though the excitement diminished a bit, replaced by a bit of disgust and annoyance. The annoyance targeted at the walls and the green lightning man.

Following the first couple of images showing Ione’s current situation, she received several more detailing the encampment focused in Elysia’s direction. Strangely, a vast majority of their focus appeared to be on Ione. Only a few teams watched the jungle, many of which were nervously glancing at watches, confirming her assumption they knew where she was. Though if they knew it seemed odd how so little attention focused on her.

A feeling of uncertainty about her plan of action formed. This felt too easy. She could take out every Changed between her and Ione within seconds for an easy escape. Even the Changed surrounding Ione were much thinner in her direction. They seemed focused on stopping her from escaping into the water, not land. The only wildcard was the green lightning guy surrounded by several strong Changed, a couple of which she recognized as the team that chased her in Port Alberni.

It felt like they were baiting her. Were they confident to intercept her? The strongest force, along with the green lightning guy, stood on the east side while she came in from the west. Still, despite the short distance, if she gave Ione an opening, it should be a near instant escape.

Again, uncertainty built. Since the Changed didn’t seem willing to attack her, Elysia climbed a tree using her throwing knives to help.

While straddling a branch dozens of meters up, she looked over the encampment. The first thing she noticed was Ione’s standoff. Ione treaded water near the center of her red ocean pool, predatory violet eyes focused on the green lightning man and the surrounding Changed.

Curious, she turned her attention in the same direction, only to freeze. Emerald eyes met her gave. A smile flashed so fast she wouldn’t have noticed if she wasn’t staring at him before he returned his attention to Ione.

Well, that proved it. Something was definitely up here. Was he confident in taking her on? Did he even want to attack her? She didn’t detect any hostility toward her, despite how many Changed Ione killed. If anything, he seemed more interested in Ione than her, and not in a hostile way. What was the point in attacking her if he didn’t want to hurt her? Nothing made sense.

Now that she felt him with her own senses, she didn’t feel much danger, but her instincts told her it would be a bad idea to engage him. He was strong, that was for sure. Similar power to her, but he had the number and likely the experience advantage.

After one look, she knew he was an elemental like her, which both interested and scared her. Was he a part of the Lightning elemental council? Maybe a scouting force. If he was, that would explain his lack of hostility toward her and Ione. He might want to recruit her to his side and was just tagging along with the Changed.

No, that didn’t feel right. He was definitely a part of their force. He gave off the feeling he was their leader. All the Changed near him stood straight, as if wanting to act their best around him.

Though it could be that they held the elemental in high regard. Elementals were superior, after all. She knew no single Changed could stand against her lightning, and it was likely the same for him.

Elysia shook away her elemental induced thought in favor of refocusing on the encampment. They looked ready to hold the beach for the long haul with dozens of tents, some of which were large enough to sleep a hundred or more.

Why lure them here? Even in the best case, they would do a lot of damage.

Uncomfortable with the suspicious setup, Elysia glanced at Ione as she sent a series of images asking her if she could escape toward her.

Ione scanned the surrounding Changed, lacking her usual pride. Her gaze lingered on the elemental before landing on the weakest section of the Changed barricade, only a few hundred instead of the thousands on her sides and front.

Like Elysia, she looked at the obvious weak spot with suspicion, but after a moment, she returned a few images of her potential path of escape. Worry and uncertainty radiated through their bond with each image.

Seeing no point in delaying things, Ione burst into motion. Instead of going directly toward the escape point, she shot to her left with a powerful flap of her tail.

Elements flew in her direction, but strangely, they didn’t seem to target her. Instead, they hit the surrounding water, freezing or creating large splashes, but it did little to slow her down.

Elysia frowned as the elemental and the Changed surrounding him did nothing, as if waiting for something.

That something didn’t seem to come as when Ione reached shore, she disappeared with a few sparks of violet lightning being the only evidence she was even there. A moment later, she reached the base of the tree as Elysia shimmied down.

Elysia paused for a moment, unsure if she wanted to ride the bloodied Ione, but she hopped on anyway, knowing time was of the essence.

With one last look at the Changed Encampment, which was mobilizing toward her, they took off. Just as the Encampment disappeared from their view, a pair of emerald eyes met hers. Why was he smiling? It didn’t make sense.

A few minutes later, they returned to the tallest tree at the center of Mezo. When she reached the top, her already pale skin turned white.

It made sense now. No wonder he was smiling. He was only buying time. They weren’t trapped in the encampment. They were trapped on the island.

In every direction, fleets of ships converged on Mezo. Some of which she recognized as the fleet that chased her sister. Others were simple fishing boats. Tens of thousands of people surrounded Mezo, leaving no holes for escape.

Where the hell was Urus? Did she really abandon her? Though she couldn’t blame her. If she was her, she wouldn’t want to risk her Chrotile against such a force. It looked like the most boats within a hundred miles surrounded Mezo.

Why though? It couldn’t be because of her. No way was she that special. Did they want Mezo? Was the reward that good?

A horrifying thought came to her to a moment later. Were they fattening them up to harvest later? With those numbers, there was no way she could hide forever, so maybe they were throwing numbers at her, then they would strike.

That would be so wasteful. While she was an elemental, so she was worth much more than some lowly Changed, why waste the loyal forces for some unknown reward? Did they want to cull the Changed?

Every time Ione looked at Changed, she sent disgust through their bond and she didn’t feel particularly enthused about dealing with them either. Maybe the elemental really was trying to kill them off. Why else would he send them to their death against Ione?

What didn’t make sense was why they jumped to their death like lemmings. They must have offered them something worth dying for. Or he forced them in some way. Either way, if they kept throwing the Changed at them, she would have to kill them. She couldn’t spare them any longer. Voluntary or not, they were her enemy.

From her high vantage point, she watched thousands of Changed marching toward her. Off in the distance, barely visible, was the elemental staring in her direction, still surrounded by a couple dozen Changed who must be valuable enough to not sacrifice.

She tore her gaze from the army back to the boat barricade surrounding Mezo. Should she try to make a run for it? No, that was probably what they wanted. If they were really after her points, she would forfeit them if she ran.

Was it worth her life, though? Despite the barricade, if they targeted the opposite side of the Island from the water elementals, they might make it under water. It would be a perfect victory for them if she forfeited her points and still got captured.

Her eyes hardened. She would find a way to win and escape. If they wanted to win Mezo so badly, it must be a huge reward. A reward she would need to ensure her freedom and survival.

Out of nowhere, an urge caused her to look to the west, only to freeze, realizing something was missing. Why couldn’t she sense Sereia? Tears of despair formed, but upon checking her bond list, she found Sereia’s name and it wasn’t red. She focused hard on the name, but nothing happened, as if something blocked her.

Where was she? Did they capture her? No, that didn’t feel right. If they did, she wouldn’t have received a warning like with Ione. Wherever she was, she hoped she was safe. She would try her best to make it out of this and reach her.

Suddenly, as she turned back to the barricade, her bond with her sister blinked, directing her gaze downward.