Tale of Eldramir

It had been three days since Ezekiel had fought with Invera against the Winged Broodlord. Their recovery had taken longer than expected, but since their injuries were mostly physical, it wasn’t too long. A day and a half of bed rest did mean that they weren’t able to do much, however, and it was a surprise for the other Guardians of the Feathered Peaks when they finally returned from their long-range patrols.

Currently, Ezekiel was on his own, with Riley having gone to keep busy by assisting with clearing out most of the rubble from the attack. At the same time, Invera had returned to taking out the weaker Cruor and Umbral Beasts in the surrounding areas, while the rest of the massive tribe had begun preparing to move.

While she was gone, Ezekiel had gone to have tea with Elder Welt, who had welcomed into his hut with a bow and words of thanks. Ezekiel waved the man off, saying that he had saved his life once before, and no debts were owed between them.

Shine had not come with him. He had asked his Spirit to watch over the twins, whose conditions had apparently improved by a great deal. It wasn’t as if Shine couldn’t immediately [Jump] to his side whenever they needed to anyway, so there was no risk.

He then got to work with a project he found he was able to do while sipping tea easily enough.

“You are certain that there is nothing more I can do to help?” he had asked once he had finished the current batch of his little project.

“You have already done enough,” Welt said while he handled the countless Void Pouches that Ezekiel had been making for the Tribe to use as needed. “These will allow us to take far more with us when we relocate further west. Besides, we can’t rely on you too much. Not when you will be leaving as soon as you can.”

Ezekiel winced at the mention of him leaving as soon as possible. While there hadn’t been any news from the Archipelago, Ezekiel didn’t want to stay away from home any longer than necessary.

“Well... I will at least be staying to move the Ancient Glacial Pool when it is time.” This was one of the things that Ezekiel had agreed to do in exchange for what the Feathered Peak’s Tribe had done for his sister. “That will not be up for discussion.”

Welt just chuckled but nodded in agreement. “As you say, Exalt Ezekiel.”

The reference to his status in the world made Ezekiel fidget, but he took it in stride.

“Will the Feathered Peaks tribe have any trouble after moving? I know that you said that a space has already been prepared for you, but this is a lot of people.” He turned to look out the window of the Welt’s hut. While he couldn’t see everything with his eyes, his senses covered the entirety of the mountain city that the tribe called home.

There was a flurry of activity as the majority of the people on the mountain were packing up everything that they could that wasn’t nailed down.

“Elder, we need more--”

A Hunter that had entered Welt’s hut found his arms filled with more Void Pouches than he could count. He smiled and bowed to Ezekiel and Welt, before tossing the pouches outside where they were picked up. This continued for several minutes while Ezekiel and Welt drank the tea that the elder had set out for them previously.

“... I still find it hard to believe that you could just make more Void Pouches in an hour than an entire Cathedral could in a year...” Ezekiel could hear the awe in Welt’s voice, and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

Just then, a pulse of Radiant mana filled the air. Not enough for Welt to have sensed, not anyone else that was outside on the mountain, but enough for Ezekiel to turn his head.

‘Ezekiel, you need to get to the central chamber right away. Something is happening in the pool.’ Shine’s words made his heart clench up. It was only the fact that they hadn’t sounded panicked that let Ezekiel stay long enough to say goodbye to Welt.

That’s not to say he immediately [Jumped] to the meeting chamber with the Ancient Glacial Pool. Instead, he sped up his relative [Time], and [Accelerated] through the tribe as fast as he could. It took him seconds to arrive at his destination, and he was greeted by a wall of light that filled the room.

One that totally blocked off access from the outside. To the point where even [Jumping] would have risks of creating a magical disturbance.

He sent Shine a message, and waited to see if things could be settled peacefully, or if he’d have to break the wall down himself.

----------

Beyond the wall of light, two of the Feathered Peak’s Guardians were perched and watched as the Ancient Glacial Pool glowed with a brilliant, cold, gray light. It was a strange much that they wouldn’t have expected from the mingling of Radiant and Obscure magic.

“What do you suppose is happening down there?” Feynari asked her brother as they both peered down at the pool. “This didn’t happen when Ezekiel bathed in the pool to recover his soul. Do you suppose this is a gift from the Ancients?”

When she did not receive a reply, Feynari looked to her brother, only to see that he was concentrating on something with his eyes closed. The wall of light that covered the room seemed to shimmer for a moment, and she knew what her brother was doing.

Before she could speak up, a different voice called him out instead.

“You do realize that the only reason your wall still stands is out of concern for his sisters. Not out of respect for you.” Shine lifted into the air, their avatar manifesting next to their blade. “You might’ve managed to keep the sudden shift from most of the mountain, but my partner is far too good to be deceived by a trick like this. He was already aware before I sent him a message.”

It was rare that Shine spoke aloud, so Feynari paid extra attention when they did. Even more so since her brother was, apparently, acting out against a Mythical being.

“... It was his failure that led to my children being in this state.” Callrond was quiet and focused harder on maintaining his wall. “I see no reason to let him in when his presence could very well make things worse.”

Feynari sighed, “You are being foolish. Why do you even care so much? You have never given any attention to your other children in the past.”

“My other children were not missing a massive portion of their souls when they eventually returned to me!” Callrond opened his eyes to glare at his sister. “Had they died in battle then I would’ve accepted it. But what happened to them was an affront to the very nature of the world itself!”

A soft snort echoed through the chamber. Feynari wondered if Shine was just making noises to mock them. They didn’t have a noise to snort with, after all.

“You are merely upset that it was your own element that did this, and you now fear your power, and the helplessness that comes with being unable to do anything in this situation.” Shine momentarily disappeared while Callrond reared back with his talons digging into his perch.

They reappeared with the edge of their blade touching Callrond’s neck. “... You are an ally, a friend. But you are letting your anger force you into lashing out at the wrong target. Do not forget that this happened because Ezekiel wasn’t there. Once he found his sister, and your daughter, he was the one who removed the corruption from their souls and gave them a chance to recover. Now let him in, before he simply breaks through by himself.”

The glittering figure of Shine’s avatar stared Callrond down as the wall of Radiant mana began to shudder. Radiant energy filled the avian Spirit’s eyes, even as he visibly strained from maintaining his spell. Feynari couldn’t help but imagine that something incredibly powerful was ramming against the barrier with all its might.

Then she remembered that Ezekiel was an Exalt, and it was more likely that he was tapping on it with one finger.

“Brother, while Shine’s words are blunt and crude, they are not wrong. Absence does not equate to fault, and if it were not for Ezekiel your daughters would’ve had their souls shattered long ago. Now let him in. He has already shown you a great deal of respect in the face of your antagonism.” Feynari joined Shine in staring down her brother.

While she didn’t like picking a side in this way, it was clear that her brother was in the wrong.

With a sigh, Callrond dispelled his barrier, and the wall dropped to allow Ezekiel entry into the chamber. It immediately sprung back up once Ezekiel walked in.

Just in time for another flash of light to flare up from the pool. This time accompanied by a great splash of water, followed by four bodies.

Two humans, and two Spirits.

----------

Seeing his sisters and their Spirits be ejected from the Ancient Glacial Pool wasn’t what Ezekiel expected to walk into when he arrived at the chamber where the pool resided. But he was able to react quickly enough and caught both of them before they could hit the ground.

Two soft thumps were heard as the two Legendary birds in the room landed beside him. A silent [Jump] also saw Shine once more taking their place on Ezekiel’s waist.

“What happened? Are they okay?” Callrond asked with a hurried voice.

“Give me a moment, and do not try to examine them with your mana right now!” Ezekiel was harsher than he’d intended to be when he gave Callrond and Feynari orders. “Given the nature of what happened earlier, we don’t need them reacting to your mana in a negative manner right now.”

Callrond nearly lashed out, but Ezekiel negated their mana like it was nothing, and at the same time spread his senses outward, while focusing them on his sisters.

He didn’t do a deep dive into their souls. All that was needed at this time was a surface scan. Enough to get a feel for the weight of his sisters’ souls.

“... I think it worked,” he said after a few seconds of inspection.

It had been over a year since he’d last sensed Ellen’s full soul, but from what he could tell, Wendy’s was fully recovered. With an increase in strength and size from where it was before her dip in the pool.

At the same time, Ellen’s soul felt just as robust as her sister’s. Only it had several minute differences that marked her as a separate and unique entity that was different from her sister.

While, physically, they were the same, beyond hair and eye color, it was these spiritual differences that made Ezekiel feel confident that the pool had done its job and returned their souls to their previous state.

With the strain and efforts involved in healing them contributing to both of their growth.

At this point, Ezekiel wouldn’t be surprised if they reached the upper Steps of Tier three after a few weeks in the Mana Chambers he’d created.

To jump from the lower Steps to the upper Steps as rapidly as they had was a feat that only Ezekiel had previously achieved. That too, purely because his soul was so old that he was already in the Legendary Tier when it came to his soul since the day that he’d been reborn.

“C’mon, we should get them to the healer’s quarters to ensure that there are no lingering effects,” Ezekiel muttered as he stood up, lifting both his sisters as they clung tightly to their Spirits. “So long as the medics don’t find anything, they shouldn’t be out for more than a day, with a bit of proper bed rest being all they need to finish recovering.”

Callrond and Feynari remained silent as Ezekiel took charge. Both seemed to be nervous as Ezekiel stepped out of the room, and he couldn’t help but wonder why.

‘You’ve released your mana. It’s not emitting pressure, but just your presence is enough to make weaker Spirits bow to you in reverence.’ Shine spoke up as Ezekiel’s thoughts passed through their bond. ‘It was probably your worry for your sisters that prevented you from noticing.’

By this point, Ezekiel had already made it outside, and much to his shock, the entirety of the mountain had seemingly assembled outside. With the Spirits bowing their heads in reverence, while the Hunters and Mages all looked on in concern.

It seemed like his mana had attracted more attention than expected.

“Ezekiel... are your sisters, okay?” It was Riley, who had been assisting with clearing out some of the rubble, that approached and spoke first.

The reason Ezekiel had come here wasn’t a secret, and it was likely that Every Hunter, Mage, and Spirit in the area knew that his sisters were within the Ancient Glacial Pool.

“... It seems like the Ancients have performed another miracle. Medics! I need assistance.” Ezekiel gently passed his sisters to the Life and Death Mages that rushed forward in response to his words. “Callrond and Feynari will continue to keep watch, and I will return once I have finished moving the pool to its new location. It shouldn’t take more than a few hours.”

A quiet cheer spread through the assembled tribe, and Riley sagged with relief. She looked at Ezekiel before glancing at the twins then back at him. He nodded, and she went off to follow the Legendary Spirits that had taken flight to follow the medics.

“Elder Welt, let’s get started.” He waved at the elder who had slowly made his way to the peak where the pool’s chamber was. “It will be necessary for me to have a guide to ensure that the pool is appropriately moved.”

A moment later, he retreated into the room with the Ancient Relic in it.

All while Shine chuckled in the back of his mind at him fleeing from the revenant gazes of those that remained outside.

‘They look at me like I’m a god...’ He had noticed this before but had ignored it for the most part. Now, he couldn’t, and he wasn’t sure he liked it.

For the moment, however, he had other things to worry about besides the obvious increase in his responsibilities.

----------

Moving the chamber with the Ancient Glacial Pool had been harder than expected, and they had needed to send a message for Invera to have her return before they began. They couldn’t leave the mountain defenseless, after all.

During the wait, Welt explained how they would need to move the entire chamber, but that the thing had been built to be self-supporting, and the structure around it was built around the chamber that housed the pool, not the other way around.

Once Invera returned, however, it was a simple matter of [Jumping] to the new mountain peak that was located over a hundred kilometers away.

The whole process took the better part of the rest of the day, but by the time they met up with the tribesmen that had set out weeks prior, it was a simple matter to put the chamber and the pool in the space that had been created for it.

Then, it was just a matter of resting long enough to regain his mana and return to the Feathered Peaks. With a wonderful surprise waiting for him.

“Brother!”

Two human shaped missiles struck his chest, and he took a few steps back to let the impact be absorbed. Less for him, but more for his sisters.

For a moment, he felt utterly elated to see his sisters healthy once more, but then he saw Ellen crying, and his mood turned more toward worry.

“I’m sorry!” Ellen cried before he could say anything. “I’m sorry I’ve caused so much trouble! I’m sorry I was so weak!”

For a moment, Ezekiel felt a startling sense of familiarity. He immediately understood where his sister was coming from. The same thoughts and emotions had filled him when he was younger, after all.

“Do not apologize. None of this was your fault.” He held his sisters tighter as he looked at the others in the room.

Tina and Kare were perched silently on the cot to the side, while Riley and the two Legendary birds watched from another corner.

“Instead of being sorry, be angry! Be angry at the Cult, the Kindled, and the Cruor. Be angry at the ones who hurt you and grow stronger to make sure they can’t do it again!”

Ezekiel knew that his words were not the most comforting, but he knew that what his sister needed wasn’t comfort. What she needed right now was understanding, and he filled his voice, his [Will] to spread out and be filled with his thoughts and emotions.

His sister gripped him tighter and looked up at him. She didn’t say anything, but her tears were no longer falling, and she gave him a shaky nod.

All while her eyes glowed with a ferocious golden light.

“Will you help me?” she asked.

Next to her, Wendy looked on with the same question sitting quietly in her eyes.

“Of course. But I still want you to live your lives. You’re already more advanced than you were before, so it won’t be too hard to reach your current peak. However, we’ll have to hold off until we get back to the Archipelago. Understood?” As much as he wanted to help his sisters right away, he knew Ellen needed more time to adjust to being free and adapt to the power she now had.

Fortunately, it seemed that neither Ellen, nor Wendy, were too eager to begin, and both agreed to wait until they returned to the Archipelago.

Come the next day, as the remains of the Feathered Peaks were cleared out to move to their new home, Ezekiel and his group also departed.

----------

Deep within the Desolate Lands, yet another meeting was being held by the nine Broodlords of the Cruor. Eight were silent, with a few of them seething at the failure of the ninth, who had just finished reporting his situation and the results of his assault on the Feathered Peaks.

“This is not a good thing. You know that, right?” Rafael, the Fanged Broodlord, growled as he addressed Derrick, who was slumped over in his spot among them.

“I am aware... but even you cannot say that you would survive making contact with a rift in Space!” Derrick would rarely raise his voice to his seniors, but given what he had been through, a small outburst was accepted by the others. “I had half my body torn to shreds as it tried to be in multiple places at once. The only time I’ve felt anything similar, was when I was introduced to the Winged Brood at the central seal!”

The other Broodlords sucked in a sharp breath at the mention of their masters’ prison. At the same time, Drake shifted in their amorphous form.

As one, the Broodlords looked to their silent leader, awaiting whatever message the Chaos Broodlord was receiving for them.

After a few moments, a cacophony of voices filled the area.

“... How could we do that!?” Leon, the Bone Broodlord, shroud and rose from his place in shock and dismay. “To leave the Herald alive would be the same thing as letting him get strong enough to kill us all! Unlike the other Exalts, the Herald is not limited to the first Step!”

The other Broodlords looked just as shocked as Leon. It was apparent that they were under the belief that they would be mobilized to take out the Herald as soon as possible.

Even Rafael seemed perturbed, but the Chaos Broodlord remained silent. They had conveyed their masters’ orders, so there was no more reason for them to speak.

“... I think I understand.” Tryskan, the Wyrm Broodlord, spoke up after a few moments of thought. “Our masters wish to use the Herald, don’t they?”

Dake’s form shifted in what the others assumed was malicious glee. It seemed that Tryskan was correct in his hypothesis.

“What do you mean?” Rafael asked.

“The Herald has proven that he can rip a hole in Space. Such a thing, if utilized correctly, could accelerate our ultimate goals. I don’t need to remind you all where our masters are actually sealed, after all.” The other Broodlords looked contemplative as they pondered over Tryskan’s words.

“... It is a risk. The long method might still be best.” Jilian, the Swarm Broodlord, whispered with a buzzing voice. “Gathering the mana necessary to create the Ichor needed to free our masters is a guaranteed method. Using the Herald... are we even certain that he is strong enough? The Void was more powerful than the other Ancients, after all.”

That was one of the biggest concerns. If they needed the Herald to reach Tier six to fulfill their masters’ desires, then it would be impossible for them to survive.

Drake shook from his spot in the meeting once more. A sigh of relief escaped Jillian’s swarm.

“Even if the middle Steps of Tier five should be enough, I still don’t see why we can’t simply kill him and take our time?” Her question was answered with silence before Rafael found an answer.

“You forget what the Herald has been providing for the world.” Rafael said with his eyes closed as he slouched over in thought. “Given that the Herald broke through on his own, it means that humanity has a means of reaching the Mythic Tier without crippling their ability to progress further. The original method would’ve required several decades of bloodshed. Along with easing up again in the future to let humanity repopulate. Now, it is possible that we will be outnumbered before such a thing can happen.”

The other Broodlords flinched at the thought of humanity gaining even more Mythics. Let along Mythics that could rise past the first Step. Such a thing would mean that they would be overpowered far more easily.

As Broodlords, they were the strongest of the Cruor, but they were also limited in number. Their power was also determined by the will of the masters.

With the path to the higher Tiers opened to humanity, and the fact that fighting a war would aid Hunters in developing their souls, would mean that they would grow in quality as they shrank in quantity.

“Leave the Herald, and simply fight the war as we had intended. Once the Herald is strong enough, we shall figure out how to use him. Our masters will have a plan. It will simply be up to us to enact it.” Each of the Broodlords nodded in response to Rafael’s words.

One by one, their figures disappeared, each one filled with a focus and determination to ensure that the war went their way.

Regardless of the factors that were now a problem for them.

----------

With Ezekiel and their group, it had been over a week since they had departed the Feathered Peaks, and they had taken their time to fly above and beyond the reach of the forces in Tarquessa. Though, with their own troubles on the eastern coast, it was likely too much for them to bother finding and tracking the Anathema of the Cult of Light.

They did stop by a few villages and towns to resupply. But only briefly, and never directly. Ezekiel just [Jumped] money in place of the items they needed. Due to their swift departure from the Fjorya, and the fact that the tribe needed supplies more than them, they had left with the bare bones needed to get some distance between them and the mountains.

Now, they were over the water, having stopped briefly at an island to properly rest, but keeping their identities a secret. Ezekiel didn’t want to be hounded by the different officials at the islands they would be forced to stop at, and it would be only a few more days before they reached Sanafalls.

“Will things be, okay? After we reach Sanafalls, I mean.” Ellen had been much quieter since her recovery, but her desire to grow stronger had helped in bringing her out of the mood she had been in.

She still woke up from nightmares every now and then, but Wendy had clung to her like glue, and was always there to comfort her sister when she woke up at night.

“Things will be alright. You’ll be with mom, and you’ll get the best training possible. Give it a couple more years, and you’ll be more than ready to reach Tier four on your own.” Ezekiel wasn’t joking or speaking with empty encouragement.

Given their current progress and growth, his sisters were only a few dozen intense battles from having their souls reach the brink of Tier four. From there, it would simply be a matter of gaining an [Understanding] that they could internalize and infuse into their mana.

“However, I don’t think you’ll be going to the frontlines. Not right away at least.”

Wendy looked somewhat upset at that, but Ellen seemed unsure of something.

This wasn’t a topic he was willing to debate, however. As far as he was concerned, his sisters would not be entering the Desolate Lands until after they had reached the Legendary Tier.

He knew that such a thing was hypocritical of him, given his own experiences, but the simple facts of the matter was that he was better than them at surviving at their age.

“... Can you help me with my magic again?” Ellen changed the topic before things could devolve into another argument, which Ezekiel was thankful for.

Given the near silent sigh from Riley, he could tell that she was thankful for it as well.

So, with a slight shuffle from his spot-on Celia’s back, he moved next to Ellen and Tina, while Wendy and Kare watched in silence as he instructed his sister on how to better use her Radiant magic.

This continued until a familiar island finally came into sight. While it was a tiring journey for Celia, with Ezekiel’s [Jumps] it was easy enough for them to make the last stretch without any additional stops.

At the docks, Ezekiel could see the ships that had gone ahead of them. Each one bore the family emblems of the different members of the Alliance from Morathi.

‘It seems like you’ll be dealing with that before going to war as well.’ Shine quipped as Ezekiel sighed in annoyance at the work he’d have to do.

Keeping their group Shrouded, and [Jumping] to the central areas of the Cathedral, Ezekiel and his group quietly met up with Scarlet, who had been silently messaged when they landed.

Of course, they refused any sort of fanfare, and all mentions of a welcoming banquet or feast were shot down for the moment. Even as Scarlet complained at the behest of the other Grand Scholars that were leading the Cathedral.

Instead, he and his sisters hurried to the underground space where his mother still resided. Though, if Scarlet’s words were true, then it was likely that their mother would be out before long.

“Mom!” Twin cries of joy were followed by a rush of movement.

“Girls!” Evelyn’s reply was accompanied by a grunt of effort as she embraced her daughters after they had leapt at her.

As his sisters smothered their mother, Ezekiel smiled and slowly walked into the room.

Seeing him, Evelyn turned and gave him a sad smile. He could tell that the smile was both a thank you and an apology. For the sisters he had brought back, and for his father, who he hadn’t.

Shaking his head, he pushed those thoughts away. This was meant to be a happy time.

Given the fact that such moments would be fleeting in the future, he needed to hold onto them as much as possible.

“Come here.”

His mother’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

Stepping forward, he wrapped his arms around his family.

In that moment, Ezekiel could ignore the horrors that had occurred in the past year or so. While also allowing himself to truly relax, knowing that his family was still alive. If incomplete for now.

‘We’ll get him back. He’s not dead yet, even with what the Cult did to him. You dad’s a strong guy. He’ll hold on until we get the chance to save him.’ Shine’s words gave him a sense of confidence that he had lacked before.

He held his mom and sisters tighter. All while holding back the churning mana within him as he glared at the wall.

‘Of course,’ he replied to his Spirit. ‘We’ll make the Cult pay for it in blood as well.’

A sense of agreement filled him, and before he focused on his family once more.

Yet, in the back of his mind, thoughts of war, and revenge, continued to linger. A driving force that would push him to the brink in the coming years.