On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Ninety-Five

We headed back towards the Boundary version of the Las Vegas strip, careful to avoid the sandworms lurking within the sparkling dunes. In the distance the jagged rock formations were rising from the earth, towering into the sky. Using aether and wind we raced across the sands at a rapid speed, passing by small groups of scuttling scorpions and hyenas, but since we didn’t have much time we bypassed them. I want to end the night with a bang…

Reaching the rocky part of the desert we slowed down, safe from the dangerous worms. Behind me, Shaeula spoke. “They were most unpleasant indeed-indeed. I would have enjoyed exterminating such abominations, but I fear we do not have time…”

I couldn’t help but smile. She sure has become more aggressive now she’s mastered the fire. Perhaps her personality has turned fierier too… “Yea, I bet they’d have been quite profitable to kill, but to be honest I think that earth element would be better against them.”

“Very well, I shall follow you as always.” She agreed. “I shall find us some suitable prey-prey.” She gazed around, her eyes burning bright. As she looked around her expression turned troubled. Noticing this I asked her what was wrong.

“There are many powerful elemental essences I can see-see. Most of them seem to be converging on one location. And in that place I see a rare element indeed. Elemental lightning.” She pointed, and following her gaze I could see one rocky spire towering over the others in the distance. Squinting, I could just about make out flashes of something from the sky, followed by a dull rumbling noise a moment later.

“I see. Are there any better targets?” I asked, thinking. I know I’m eager to maximise our gains, but being too greedy could be poison…

Shaeula nodded. “There are smaller groups of those with strong essence I can spy-spy, though my mystic eyes can only observe those who have strong spiritual properties at this distance. I can not-not predict how many others will be accompanying them.”

She still looked unsure, so I asked her what she wanted to do.

“Elemental Lightning… it is a composite element, and one the Queen herself wields-wields. It and Nature, which I have heard some mortals refer to as Wood, are considered the Royal elements within the Seelie…”

Oh I get it… “So, since it is of Royalty, you’re curious, right? I guess it would be a rare opportunity to observe it… Oh well, If you want to see it, I guess we can. We can watch from a distance, and if the situation looks bad we can always cut the night short and return to the Material, right?”

As I spoke, my body shivered, cold around my lower body. I guess I am pretty nervous. If I know my anime and manga, lightning element would be fast and deadly… Putting that aside I asked Shaeula a question that had been on my mind a while. “Your eyes are pretty special, aren’t they? It’s been a huge advantage for us, you being able to see hidden things and essences. We wouldn’t have come so far without them. Are they common in the Fae?”

We started racing towards the distant conflux of strong opponents, bypassing the smaller groups Shaeula had observed. As we ran, wind behind us, Shaeula answered me. “Both the Queen and King of the Seelie have such eyes yes. My father too, and my sister and youngest brother. The Fae can often see what others can not-not. The Unseelie… they too have many bearers of mystic eyes amongst them-them…” she spat, expression disgusted. “However, their eyes bring naught but destruction.”

“So, they are common then?” I confirmed, and Shaeula scoffed.

“Yes, but not in the way you are thinking, master.” She was proud, striking her chest with a small fist. “My eyes are potent indeed-indeed. Few can see the hidden as well as I. And…” she looked at me, smiling. “They have been growing in strength ever since I was chosen as your ‘hero’ when you gifted me my new Throne. Back then, my gaze would not have extended over such a distance… I suspect as we continue to grow in power-power, so too shall my eyes continue to strengthen.”

It makes sense. I wasn’t able to see the level of her Unique skills before, but her other skill levels have gone up a lot, as has her Aether…

“Are you not grateful you met me, Akio?” she gloated, and I agreed with a smile. We were coming up on the lightning now, seeing forked bolts of varicoloured energies flashing down, striking the ground with a roar of thunder. Rock pillars were lying shattered on the stony desert, tipped over, and the cries of battle could be heard in the muted air of the Boundary.

“All right, time to see just what we are getting ourselves into…”

We reached the rubble at the edge of the battlefield, hiding in the shadows of one of the fallen pillars. I whistled despite myself, quickly putting a hand over my mouth to silence the noise. Holy shit, it’s a full-on war!

On one side a huge army was swarming, hundreds strong. There was a force of hyena-beastmen riding giant sand-coloured lizards, led by a massive armoured one, astride a towering lizard that was nearly three metres tall at its head. They were wielding cruel harpoons on long chains, and were constantly throwing them at the target of their ire, which was positioned in front of a half-fallen rock spire, as if defending it.

Is that a… Thunderbird? I was hardly an expert on American mythology, but most people who had played computer games had heard of them. I also used Thunderbird browser back in the day… nah, no time for that…

The majestic bird, with a wingspan exceeding twenty metres, was struggling, its bright gold and emerald plumage muddied with fierce amounts of blood. Feathers were scattered all over the ground, glittering like jewels, and the sand and stone below were heavy with gore. The hyena-men had many harpoons lodged in it, restraining it. A second force of hyena-men, these ones accompanied by large packs of ugly desert hyenas were also assaulting it, dozens strong. But that was not all. Even as the Thunderbird let out a piercing shriek, lightning answering it, turning a half-dozen charging hyenas to dust, other troops were trying to flank it. There were more hyena-men, huge lizards, desert scorpions, walking cacti and more. Damn, there really are hundreds of foes… multiple hundreds…

The Thunderbird flapped one wing, raising a whirlwind that careened through the flanking forces, flickering with more lightning. It consumed a dozen more foes, but even as it did so needles from the cacti, more harpoons and even blasts of earth from a massive hyena-beastman wielding a tall twisted wooden staff, looking like some sort of desert shaman, all rained down, bringing another mournful shriek from it.

Yeah, it may be strong, but it’s like a frog besieged by army ants. Many will die, but they’ll take it down in the end… it should have flown away at the start, or at least bombed them from the sky…

As I criticised it in my mind my eyes strayed behind it, and then all was clear. Oh. That makes sense.

Behind the Thunderbird, resting on the cracked pillar, which was also riddled with harpoons, the stone cracked and unstable, was a large nest. Within were four smaller Thunderbirds, each the size of a large eagle, cowering and cheeping in fear. A fifth was injured, blood leaking from where it had been pierced in one wing by a long needle.

“It seems to be protecting its young-young.” Shaeula confirmed my observations. “If it was free to fight as it wished, these foes would be naught to it-it.”

“Yeah, it’s a valuable lesson that even the strong can be undone by unfavourable circumstances. So, anyway, have you noticed anything strange about a lot of these creatures?”

Shaeula nodded. “I expected you would see it as well, master. Many of them are soulless abominations, very much-much like your weaselkin copies when we first fought,”

More lightning and wind were pelting the vast horde that was engaging the Thunderbird, but as it tried to defend its young, more and more injuries were piling up on it. Seeing the situation escalating, Shaeula asked me what we were going to do. “Shall we engage them then, Akio? They are distracted with each other, so the advantage of surprise would be ours-ours.”

I once more looked out over the carnage. Sure, we could ambush them and take out a fair few before they even noticed us… but I don’t really like killing sentient creatures unless I have to… My gaze wandered to the Thunderbird, desperately fighting to save its chicks. But then, this does seem rather cruel… with that I made up my mind, course of action decided.

“All right then. You stay hidden for now. You’ve got your new toys ready, right? They are perfect for large pitched battles like this. I’m going to see if we can resolve this peacefully. If I fail, then all bets are off and you can attack at will. We can always retreat if things go south, this is just a bonus to test out our new elemental abilities anyway. Besides… I am very curious to see if these forces are from another Astral Emperor-candidate.” I justified my actions with the need to gather intel.

Shaeula gave me a flat stare. “I find that foolish, putting yourself at risk-risk. But if that is what you wish, I shall support you, even as I lament your softheartedness.” She retrieved the weapons I had crafted for her from her clothes, as they would be more use than the bells and dagger in this massive melee.

“All right then. Here I go.” I stepped out into the battlefield, trickling a little aether to amplify my voice as I shouted out. “Hey everyone. Could we stop fighting for a minute? I’d like to parlay!”

Most of the hyena-beastmen turned to face me, distracted, but the Thunderbird and the assortment of ‘soulless abominations’ continued their battle.

The massive hyena-beastman on his giant lizard looked at me, sneering, yellow spittle flying from between his fangs as he turned to his followers. “Fresh prey for the master, grr. Kill it.”

So much for trying to negotiate. I was trying to be nice and pick up some info at the same time. Oh well…  I could just feel Shaeula looking at me with scorn.

“I think you are making a mistake…”  I warned them as forces peeled away from engaging the Thunderbird to move towards me.

“No mistake, grr.” The shaman-like hyena-beastman coughed, waving his staff at me. I reacted quickly, darting out of the way as the ground exploded, jagged stone spikes rising from the sands below to impale me. “If we kill you, master will reward us. Much prey, many treasures, grr.”

Well, I guess their master could well be another candidate then… “I guess negotiations have broken down. Last time I try to be nice… oh well, my aim for coming here was to test out my new powers, anyway. Try not to regret this…”

My stores of fire element were low, as I had only just awakened my solar plexus chakra with flame, but I had a back-up plan. The two bluesteel batteries on my back were shining yellow with energy. Pulling it out I focused on the unique flame I had absorbed within me to my lunar node. Raising one hand I gestured towards the oncoming pack of hyenas and their beastmen handlers.

“Time to burn. Foehn, Inextinguishable Blaze!” The energy was consumed, turning into an amazing scene. A roiling mass of yellow, orange and red flames rolled out like a cloud, setting everything in its path ablaze. The hyenas squealed and barked in pain as they were seared down to the bone, their following handlers also engulfed, thrashing and burning. The tide continued, heading towards the shaman and his followers, who raised barriers of earth and stone to block the torrent. The flames rolled up the wall, clinging to it, and some scattered over the top, landing on the arm of a beastman, setting it alight. As it frantically tried to put out the fire burning it with desperate, exaggerated gestures all it did was spread the flames further, setting fur and flesh to flame.

As the initial tide died down, leaving dozens of charred corpses and a lot of ether, which I gratefully accepted, the very ground was still burning, yellow flames giving off acrid smoke and joining the hideous smell of charred flesh. It was like a vision of hell. Ugh, if I was back in the Material I’d be vomiting by now. Still, Foehn is scary… it was like a cloud of napalm…

The beastman riding the huge lizard let out a roar of rage as many of his allies were reduced to smouldering ruin. Gathering his own forces he turned away from the Thunderbird and charged me, cruel harpoon ready to impale me, his lizard riders following.

Any time now…

“Grr, I’ll take your head to our master and he’ll mount it on his throne!” it growled. Behind me the shamans were trying to smother my flames with summoned dirt and sand, but it just squirmed through the gaps, continuing to burn.

And there we go… right on time, reliable as ever!

“Silence, little doggy-doggy. It is your head that will be resting below my throne!” Shaeula spoke proudly, as a series of thin cords wound around the charging beastman and his lizard. “Farewell-farewell.”

With a tug she pulled at the metal handles she was holding in each hand. There was a brief whining noise, and suddenly the beastman burst apart, body sliced into numerous pieces, metal armour falling with a clang, sliced like cheap tin, and the head fell clean off the giant lizard, landing on the ground with an audible thump before scattering to ether.

Shaeula grinned at me. “That was too easy. These ‘pinwheels’ are a most noble weapon indeed-indeed.” She tugged on her handles again and a pair of shining blue metal disks, made of multiple overlapping blades, like the pinwheels children were given at festivals, were hanging in the air, exuding jade wind energy, trailing fine metal wires. “So, who is next?” her gaze went across the battling horde, gaze hungry.

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