Rune Seeker

Despite part of him knowing he’d gone to sleep out under the stars, it wasn’t really a surprise when Hiral woke up in his bed. Considering how soft the pillow was under his head, he couldn’t complain either.

With the light streaming in through the window, he didn’t even try to force himself up as months’ worth of memories cascaded through his head.

How long was it this time? Another six months… Huh.

He nodded to himself as the influx of new information ceased, then rolled out of bed to put his feet on the floor. No pain like the last two times—that was a plus—and he started reviewing what had happened since he’d gone to sleep. They were back into the light cycle—obviously—with the city’s construction almost finished, and…

The Fallen’s crystals had been installed!

Hiral leapt up, not even bothering with a shower, then pulled on his Second-Skin of Ur’Thul. A quick activation of Foundational Split brought his doubles out, and he grabbed his other equipment. Not even a minute later, he swept the door open to find Seena standing there, her hand raised like she was getting ready to knock.

Seeing her face brought out a whole new flood of memories and emotions, completely washing away thoughts of the towers. The first month after their talk under the stars had been the hardest. He remembered some nights spent avoiding her to try to keep his own feelings in check, and others they’d spent sitting together like nothing had changed. Over the following months, with support and understanding from the others, they’d somehow managed to find a happy balance.

Teammates, of course. Friends, never in doubt. More than that…? Not until they dealt with the Fallen. And that… that was okay.

“Guessing you’re remembering all the same things I am, huh?” she asked.

“I… think so,” she said. “Damn, we’re pretty amazing.”

“Well, yeah. Where are the others?”

“Waiting outside. The Fallen have been here since yesterday.” Seena stepped aside to let Hiral come out of his room, and the two of them headed down the hall.

Walking beside her, there were none of the butterflies in his stomach or awkwardness he half-expected to feel. Being with her was just the same as it had been prior to waking up last time. They were comfortable with each other again.

What was the point of the PIMP even putting us through that?

Without an answer to that question, they stepped outside, and Hiral pulled the hood of his coat up over his head, the magic of it shielding his eyes from the sun’s glare. Almost like he’d walked out of his own home back on Fallen Reach, a familiar skyline greeted him. Completed buildings stood tall and proud in all directions, and people bustled through the streets on last-minute errands. Part of him wouldn’t even be surprised if a hulking Shaper rounded a corner, or Gauto came running to greet him.

“It looks just like home,” he said, nodding in greeting at Seeyela and Yanily.

“Pretty different than last time we woke up,” Seeyela agreed.

“They got the Fallen in the towers while we were sleeping.” Yanily pointed over the nearby roofs to where a tall crystal glinted in the sun at the top of a narrow tower.

“And… and people are coming through the portals today,” Hiral said, more memories bringing themselves to the forefront. “Wow. The crystals came through yesterday, and they’re already in place.”

“How did we sleep through that?” Yanily asked. “Why did we sleep through that?”

“Great questions,” Seena said. “We’re supposed to go meet Dr. Benza anyway. Let’s go.” She started off down the street without waiting to see if anybody would follow her—though they all did.

“If I’m remembering right, we’re looking at the portals being open for around three days,” Seeyela said. “About half the population should come through. Enough to start getting businesses and production in place for the other half. Am I missing anything?”

“These are going to be the older people coming through.” Hiral pointed at a group of people obviously new to the city. They had to be in their late teens, with large sacks over their shoulders and eyes so wide they almost rolled out of their heads. “I think Dr. Benza said only those who were over fifteen? The ones who can handle learning how to take care of the animals, grow crops, and apply the other skills needed to keep the islands going. The younger ones will come next year.

“Oh, and everybody on this island are Makers, because they need to spend time around the Measure to bond with it over time. Or something like that.”

“Balance,” Seena said in her best Dr. Benza voice, and waved a hand. “I swear, every time that man doesn’t want to answer one of our questions…”

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

“Or doesn’t really know the answer,” Yanily interrupted.

“… he chalks it up to balance,” Seena finished with a nod towards the spearman.

“Can I ask something?” Seeyela spoke up.

“Sure,” Seena said.

“Why are we walking? We’ve got to meet him at the portals, and that’s almost fourteen miles from here.”

The party just stopped and looked at each other.

“That’s a good point,” Hiral said. Stopping in the middle of a large intersection, he looked in each direction to make sure nobody was too close, then called out Drake.

The Dracolich burst into the road with a mighty roar, shaking the buildings and making everybody in a ten-block radius whip around in fright. More than a few stared wide-eyed at the towering, skeletal dragon. Others still turned on their heels and sprinted away as fast as possible.

Nobody came closer.

“Just had to make a scene, didn’t you?” Hiral asked the mount.

A quick scratch on the bone plate at the base of one of Drake’s horns, and Hiral leapt up with a touch of Rejection. Left and Right climbed up beside him—Drake could easily carry the three of them—and Hiral checked on the others. Also already mounted up, though Bliss was giving him her customary look of utter contempt.

He stuck his tongue out at her, then patted Drake just in front of the saddle.

WHOOMP! The Dracolich shot straight up with a powerful beat of its wings, a circular swell of dust washing down the side streets. Hiral could only shake his head—nobody looked to be hurt, and a few of the younger ones below even tentatively waved at him.

A short wave back, and then Drake took off towards the inner side of the island’s edge—the area closest to the other islands, and where the party had originally arrived. Miles zipped by beneath as they passed over the fully constructed city, heads turning up at the four shadows passing over. The workers who’d been building the city over the last year had gotten more than familiar with the unique mounts, and some of them even waved and shouted greetings as the party passed. To the new folks, though, it was a sight unlike anything they’d seen.

Within short minutes, Drake crossed the border of the city. What had been little more than plain, flat landscape had evolved into lush fields with crops, animals, and farms spread to circle the city. There would be miles of it in a perfect ring, including small forests to grow limited lumber, and several large lakes for fishing. And even though Hiral had never really flown above his Fallen Reach, he easily recognized the same landmarks from his home.

The only thing that was really different was the line of people stretched out below him. Without flying mounts of their own, the newcomers to the island were forced to take the long journey from the portal to the city on foot. There were several carts and carriages offering rides to some, but most simply walked. They’re all young and strong. A few hours’ walking won’t hurt them…

But, even as he thought that, he spotted some in the distance who clearly weren’t walking; they were running.

“Something’s going on,” he said into the party chat. “People running near the back of the line.”

“Excited to get to the city?” Yanily asked, but Thunderclaws pulled ahead of the others and swooped down low to skim above the crowd.

While he did that, Hiral looked towards the far end of the line, his high Atn picking out details he’d rather not see at the same time Yanily spoke up.

“Blood,” the spearman said. “Lots of injuries. Should we stop and help?”

“No,” Seena said. “We’re better off finding the source of what’s going on.”

Within another minute, the crowd below only growing more disorganized as chaos spread up the line, the large, semi-circular portals leading out of the dungeon came into view. Three of them, each standing about thirty feet tall and wide, the edges glowing a familiar blue, dominated a central area cordoned off specifically for their use. Where normally they’d usher in the new residents to the island, along with supplies and resources from the outside, they also seemed to have let in an unexpected guest.

Or, more accurately, a swarm of guests. Thousands of the dog-sized black shapes spewed out of the portal entrance like an endless wave, washing over the closest unfortunate souls. More people staggered through with the push, as if there were so many of the monsters on the other side of the portal they couldn’t help but carry victims along like debris on a wave.

“Those are Bristle Rats,” Seena said, shock clear in her voice. “I’ve never seen so many of them, though. We’ve got to get down there.”

Staring a second longer at one of the creatures, Hiral’s view activated.

Bristle Rat – Low-C-Rank

It didn’t take more than another few seconds for him to spot the source of the name. One of the rats sort of puffed up as it leapt at a victim, and what had looked like a long, sleek fur coat suddenly ballooned out, making it appear more like a porcupine than a rat. Each of its needle-like hairs now three inches long, the monstrous rat hit the poor child in a shredding flurry of needles, teeth, and claws.

Enough!

Hiral’s Runic Blunderbuss fell into his hands while Death Knell, Stormstrike, and the Reinforced Blightsteel Sabre came out to float around him. Taking aim, he pulled the trigger, the bolt of Impact crashing into the horde of rats near the back and sending rodent bodies flying.

“Plan, boss?” Yanily asked, though a trio of Chain Lightning+ bolts arced into the charging rat swarm and tore its way through.

“Hit the monsters hard,” the party leader said. “Protect the children.”

A pair of fireballs followed her words a split second later, and monster-rats died by the dozen. Seena’s carnage didn’t end there, though. From the Ashes+ triggered, and flaming rats rose from the craters.

Killing Spree+ was already racking up in the corner of Hiral’s vision, and he quickly swooped near Seena and activated Shared Strength to give her a copy of the powerful ability. With that done, Hiral and his doubles leapt off Drake’s back, the Chord of the Primal Echo strumming to life as he hit the ground.