Chapter 8 Part 3 of 3 (Patreon)

He ran for the nearest cover as the world shook from the impact, tree, dirt abd building rained down through the tower they’d slid down.

“Keep running! All around security!” Roska said, tearing a detect life spell scroll that spread out over the area.

Rugrat fired into a Ka’tell, giving Erik a close-up look as it hissed and screeched from the burning round It looked like a mix between a panther, a viper and the shadows.

It shot away, Erik swore it became mist before the round in its side exploded, coating the world in green and gore.

“Move it!” Erik yelled.

They ran deeper into the remains of the city as the ship continued to fire from above, sending sections of forest crashing through to the underground city.

“Will you piss off,” Erik grunted as he fired at another Ka’tell.

The ground erupted underneath one of the Special team members, the ground seemed to snap together into a pod before it started to retract underground.

George let out a roar slicing out with his paw, it cut through the underside of the pod leaving deep grooves in the ground.

The pod shattered as the team member within cast a spell.

A screech sounded in the distance.

“Stop using your spells, only use elemental attacks!” Edmond yelled.

“The hell are you talking about?” Robert yelled back, killing another Ka’tell. It was only a matter of time until another appeared.

“Everything in the Violet Sky Realm is attracted to mana.”

“So what?” Robert said.

“Just trust me!” Edmond looked at the Alvans.

“Melee!” Roska yelled.

Erik pulled hammers from his storage ring as they all pulled out different weapons, storing their mana-railguns.

Egbert pulled out a necklace and hung it around himself, creating a powerful suction as he drew in the surrounding mana.

“This way,” Kameela said.

They ran through the city.

Roska grabbed Erik as a section of the roof fell, smashing into where Erik would have stepped.

“Thanks.” If I had a domain I would have seen it. Fuck.

They ran for several minutes, hiding in a half-broken building.

“Something is coming,” Kameela said.

They hid within the building as a rustling noise filled the street.

A pod appeared in the street, like the pod that had captured the team member.

Everyone stiffened as Rugrat aimed at it.

Another pod appeared, they opened, revealing their hooked teeth as they twitched in the air, more pods appeared, they grabbed onto the ground dragging whatever was at the end of their vines.

A ka’tell jumped from a building for a pod. The pod snapped around and swallowed the Ka’tell and disappeared, a dragging pod turned into the air, tasting it, searching.

The dragging continued, the pods revealed their source. The largest pods were on vines hundreds of meters long and the width of a man. They got smaller and thinner, growing in number as they closed with what looked like a one-root bush, its single root leaving a wet trail on the ground.

Something shone in above, Piercers thudded into the ground, striking the shambling creature.

Its screech hurt even through the helmets as the Piercers pinned it to the ground, their grey lower aprons falling over the creature, covering it in acid.

The shambling creature lashed out with its pods, a pod was cut off, but it regrew back in a matter of seconds to attack the Piercer that had taken away its old pod mouth.

Dozens of piercers fell, stabbing into the creature.

Even its monstrous regenerative abilities weren’t able to save it.

“Come on, lets get out of here while they’re distracted.”

“Make sure to watch the ceilings and the floor.” Roska said.

They slid out of the ruin, moving between cover, the barrage returned in earnest, causing the creatures of the undercity to hiss, screech and roar in defiance.

“Getting the cardio in today!” Erik yelled as they gave up cover for speed as a cannon shot pierced the ceiling above, crashing into the ground and exploding, destroying buildings that had survived the passage of time. Sections of the city above collapsed, raining down on the group as they ran through the broken buildings.

Creatures noticed them, but they didn’t stop to fight.

***

Louis reloaded his pistol as he looked over Le Glaive’s.

“The last of the loyalists have been secured,” Captain Kline Adamus said.

Louis couldn’t read his expression. Did he feel anything killing his own cousin?

Louis cleared his throat.

“Very well, as agreed I will take command of Le Glaive, Samara will take command of the Aquilion. The rest of you should return to your ships,” He looked at the other captains.

“Sir!” They saluted him, he returned it as they left the bridge.

He turned to face Richard Gerrard, a nephew that would be his second in command.

“What is the situation with the Marsh- Edmond Dujardin?” He cleared his throat.

“He got into the undercity, we collapsed the area with cannon fire. Creatures from the under city attacked back, there has been no mana signatures from the undercity and we increased our altitude to not draw in anymore creatures.”

Louis grit his teeth.

“We tore up the city, there shouldn’t be anything left.”

Louis rubbed his storage rings.

“He died a cowards death running from battle. We’ll set off on our pre-planned route towards the Treasure Hall.”

“Yes sir.”

“Prepare to move in an hour.” Louis turned, crafters worked on the bridge consoles, repairing them and cleaning away the blood.

The area where the sect leaders and Elders was blackened and twisted with explosions, the map table warped and broken-leaking mana. The bodies had been looted and spells applied to remove them quickly. A clean line ran through the ceiling, walls and floor where the skeleton’s barrier had protected the retreating group.

Those Alvans are a tricky pawn on the board.

He moved through the broken doors to the private quarters and meeting rooms behind the command throne.

Guards were posted within the rooms. Louis nodded to them, eyeing their blue and white broaches that marked them as fellow conspirators.

He stepped into the bathroom and pulled out a soul slate.

It remained perfectly formed and healthy.

He’s still alive down there in the undercity. I hope one of the creatures down there does what my cannons couldn’t. He put the slate away and threw water on his face. He pressed a towel to his face, thinking on his next moves. Milo will secure the clans while I need to come back with the greatest rewards possible to cement our future and bring the clans onto our side. He wasn’t scared about Marshal escaping the Violet Sky Realm, the transition points were surrounded by the strongest of beasts in the Violet Sky Realm that would be a challenge to someone from the ninth realm.

He looked into the mirror but saw only Markus’ body as the life fled his body.

Louis shook, he gritted his teeth turning his head to the side.

I can’t focus on that, this is what I signed up for. I agreed to this and orchestrated it. I have to see it through now. For my kids future and the children of the rest of the Sha we will forge a future together.

Louis looked into the mirror, into his own eyes, a snarl spreading across his face. “Do the fucking job.”

He hit the counter, feeling the pain in his knuckles for a few fading seconds as he pulled his uniform tight and turned towards the door.

Three months and we’ll return victors on the winds of change.