The Rescue Team

Ryun carried Maleatus up to the airship by holding onto the Air Essence around him with pure strength. It was a difficult thing to do without crushing his body, but he doubted that he could actually do it, Maleatus was strong, so he didn't worry too much about his control. This was a perfect opportunity to practice. They floated toward the ship at a slow pace as Ryun moved his Area Authority through the air. As they got close enough and the ship entered his domain, he was surprised to discover that the Essences that made up the airship resisted him. It made some sense, it was a tool built by people, it held an inherent intent transferred in the process of its creation by its makers. It had a purpose, that made it superior to unbound Essence around them. Still, it was no match for Ryun's own intent, and a small effort on his part allowed his being to pierce through and spread through the ship. Information flooded his mind, the exact make up of the Essences that made up the ship, the formations and arrays that were laid down all throughout its hull. It was a different type of a ship than most of the Sect style ones he had seen before. Most of the Sects preferred a more open design that resembled flying sailing ships, with room or entire houses on the deck. A flying fort or a castle wasn't uncommon. This one was a mix of designs, it was made out a very high tiered Wood in a shape of a bullet, with two sails stretching at its back, one on each side. The air around it was firmly under its control, Ryun could tell because it had a stronger intent than the Unbound Essence around it. It was meant to keep the ship in the air and allow it a greater degree of control as it flew. At the back, there was a deck, with a kind of a hangar door that allowed entrance inside the ship.

Ryun landed as the others all stood assembled to greet him. There were six of them. Selia and Erdania stood in front, faint smiles on their faces. Ryun pushed on his Aura Authority slightly around them, and both of them narrowed their eyes.

"That you?" Selia sent.

"Yes," he responded. He had already shared everything with her, of course.

"It feels like a hug," Selia added, mirth flowing along their bond.

Ryun chuckled inwardly, feeling a lot lighter than he had been in weeks. His anger abated, and only the resolute determination remained. He, or rather his manifested form, walked over and pulled both of them into a hug which they returned. He had missed them dearly. He pulled back and took a look at Erdania, though his other perception could see a lot more than Scorn's eyes.

"You've advanced," he said.

She grinned. "Couldn't let the two of you get ahead of me."

He nodded, they would need all the power they could get. He stepped back and looked at the rest of the people assembled on the deck, though he already knew who they were.

Nayra stood next to Zacharia and Nahamassa, she stepped closer and put a hand on his shoulder.

"You alright?" Nayra asked.

"I am, now," Ryun answered.

She nodded then stepped back as Zach moved forward.

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"I'm sorry for letting them take her," Zach bowed his head.

Ryun shook his. "She wasn't your responsibility. We all make choices, and the Unchaned made theirs. We'll get her back."

Zach looked at him for a moment, then inclined his head.

Ryun glanced at his partner, Nahamassa. "Thank you for coming," he said.

She glanced at Zach, then spoke. "I go where he goes," she said, he voice low and somehow filled with the promise of violence. It made Ryun frown. She had gone to the Ethereal with the rest of them to train, but he didn't remember her voice sounding like that. It wasn't just in his mind, he could detect a ripple beneath the Essence of her voice. It looked like she had gotten something from the Grand Spirits as well.

The last person on the deck was Eratemus, though he didn't look like himself at all, but Ryun recognized him instantly. Eratemus was wearing Zenker's body. The drake body looked both the same and completely different than what Ryun remembered. The scales of the vessel had been polished so much that Ryun could sense the light bouncing when it hit them. The wounds that the body had were gone. He couldn't tell much more than that, as the body's intent prevented him from piercing through, but his skill perception did allow him some insight. Every scale had an engraving etched onto it, so tiny that it could barely be perceived. The armor that he wore was likewise covered in formations, and Ryun could feel its power without even trying to pierce through it.

Eratemus had outdone himself, Ryun had never felt anyone as powerful as he was at that moment, and he could only imagine all the reinforcements that the necromancer had made to Zenker's already powerful body.

Just looking at him was hard, the air around him seemed to constantly shift, and to Ryun it appeared as if the background around him changed constantly, from mountains to rivers and deserts. It was the power of Skills, that much Ryun could tell.

"Eratemus," Ryun approached him, then offered his hand. "Thank you for coming."

"Tali is my friend as well, and besides, I owe her for my failure before," Eratemus said as he grasped Ryun's hand. Then, he tilted his head, his eyes flashing with light. "You've changed." He turned his eyes on the air around them and frowned. "Why am I feeling you everywhere around us? It is as if your... Soul? It is like it has enveloped us."

Ryun let a smile grow on his face. "All in good time," he said. "Tali first, and then we can discuss some interesting things I am eager to share."

They moved into the airship's control room, with Nayra taking the navigator's chair while the rest of them stood around a large table with maps spread all over it.

Selia turned to look at Maleatus, then spoke. "So, where are we going?" She asked.

Maleatus rolled his shoulders. "I guess that we'll see," he said. "I didn't want to do this earlier since the power has a cooldown and their base moves."

Ryun focused on him, very interested to see if he would be able to sense what he was doing. Maleatus closed his eyes, and then a ripple of power exploded out of him. Almost too fast for Ryun to catch, he was certain that he wouldn't have felt it if not for his new state.

Maleatus frowned, a flash of discomfort filled his expression, and then opened his eyes.

"What is it?" Erdania asked.

Maleatus scratched at his neck. "That was a lot harder than it usually is," he said.

"Did you get it?" Ryun asked, leaning forward on the table.

Maleatus nodded. "Yes, yes. They must've made some upgrades, I almost could push through. If you had asked me to do this a few years ago, I don't think that I could've managed to get through."

Ryun filed that information away. He knew how strong Maleatus was now after the elixir had given him a chance to redo his Class, but the fact that his old self wouldn't have been able to do it meant that the Unchain had protections that not even someone at the peak of their focus could easily pierce.

"They are south of here, a long way away actually," Maleatus added pointing.

"Can you give as anything more than that?" Selia asked.

"Nope, just a direction and rough distance. They are most definitely out of the Settled Territories, I think," He shook his head. "We should hurry up, I will be able to track this ping, but I won't know if they move. I can only find their location from the time when I used my perk."

"How long is your cooldown?" Eratemus chimed in with a question.

"A month or so," Maleatus answered.

Ryun grimaced, but nodded. "Nayra, if you please," he said.

Nayra turned to the controls and the hum of the airship spread through the hull. A moment later, they were on their way.