On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Fifty-Eight

After a relaxing afternoon, during which we were too drained to do much more than relax and play around, watching TV and gaming (although I did have a quick spin on the roulette, adding another fifteen hundred Pounds to the pot) we entered the Boundary. The tide was diminishing even further, the sky looking almost normal (for the Boundary, anyway) and the flakes of rainbow snow were much diminished in frequency.

On our return I called for all our forces, as it was time to prepare for the final task before heading to my hometown, defeating the Raven Knight and securing the area. As they arrived, Grulgor and his trolls, The White Snake, the kobolds and the weaselkin, I received a shock. There were now two Kamaitachi!

Shaeula puffed her small chest proudly. “When I increased my power my ability to restore my kin improved and I was able to return one of my fallen sickle-weasels to life-life!”

“Good job!” I approved, activating my ability to see Shaeula’s prowess, to sate my curiosity about how much stronger she had become.

Holy crap! No wonder she was so powerful when she got annoyed at the shrine. Most of her stats have almost caught up with mine, to say nothing of the epic boost to her Aether! And the jump in her skill levels… My skill levels had gone up too, and I was feeling pretty good about that, but Shaeula’s had soared. I guess that’s her natural talent, being a noble Fae of the wind. Still, without my training regimen and the knowledge I had imparted to her she never could have grown so much. That’s right. She’s worked hard but I can take some credit too I think!

“You are looking rather smug, Akio. I do not think I approve-approve.” Shaeula sniffed, breaking my reverie.

“I was just admiring how strong you’ve grown.” I praised her wryly. “I really thought I’d have a breakthrough first, and while I have improved, you have surpassed me. You win our bet, so I’ll do anything you wish. What would you like?”

“Hmm, let me think about what I wish from you. I shall decide in due course-course.” She responded, eyes gleaming.

Hmm, I’m totally not nervous at all about what she is going to demand. Anyway, enough worrying. Clearing my throat awkwardly I outlined the objective and the plan for the mission. “I think it is time we dealt with the Raven Knight and made this area secure. I don’t expect it will be easy, but with all of us working together it should be possible. I’ll leave the kobolds in charge of the Territory while we are gone. As for the rest of us, we will advance on his territory en-masse.”

“Grul says he approves of the plan.” Grulgor gurgled. Behind him his trolls were working themselves up into a frenzy at the thought of battle. “Grul says he will crush the annoying little bird-man once and for all!”

“Well you’ll get your chance. Since you are the strongest of us all and hardest to injure you’ll be leading the charge. I want our weaselkin, especially the Kamaitachi, to support with ranged attacks. Shaeula and I will be flexible, responding to unexpected circumstances, and attacking as appropriate.”

“And what of ussss?” The White Snake asked. “What will our rolessss be?”

“Well, I wasn’t sure if you wanted to be a part of this battle, seeing as you have only just joined us. I was intending to keep your forces back, in case of any unexpected trouble.”

“Have no fear, we will be happy to assssssisssssst you. We have our own conccccernssss regarding thissss Raven Knight. Besssst to deal with him oncccce and for all.”

“Well in that case, I am glad to have you on board. I don’t have a solid grasp on your combat capabilities though, so I’d need to know more before I can assign you roles in our attack.”

“Very well. In that casssse…” the White Snake began, and for the next hour we amended the battle plan. It turned out that The White Snake and his serpentine followers were what one could describe as mages, I guess, mostly specialising in earth elemental abilities, though the White Snake itself could call upon its divine power to perform stronger acts. (Though it made pains to point out it had extremely weak divinity, being only a minor kami with few worshippers and a rundown shrine.)

The White Snake would assist Shaeula and me in mobile defence and offence, responding to the tide of battle, while his kin would support the trolls and weaselkin defensively. Once everyone had agreed and knew their roles, it was time to commence the hopefully final battle.

Approaching the graveyard that we had not been able to bring into our Territory the sky began to darken, and an ominous presence could be felt, the air still and cold. A slow pulsing could also be felt, absorbing aether and elemental essence from us, growing in strength as we moved closer to the heart of the enemy Territory.

“You feel that?” Shaeula asked, shivering a little. “That is elemental darkness. Some few of the Seelie possess such a rare affinity, though most of those who do are kin of the Dark Court, the Unseelie.” She shuddered again. “I do not accuse the Raven Knight of associating with such vile fiends, but-but…” she trailed off.

“It’ll be all right.” I reassured her. “If the Raven Knight isn’t a Fae then I doubt he has any connection with them. And if he is… well, we’ll soon find out. Whatever happens, I’ll protect you.” I declared boldly, bringing a retort.

“As if I require your protection.” She snorted. “Still, as my master you should definitely offer it. I will allow you to keep some pride and accept-accept.”

Oh god, I love that tsun. Back to her old self. Still, I need to remember to ask about the Unseelie later, this is the first time she has mentioned them, I think. If Grulgor and his trolls and this Duke Formor are part of the Seelie, than the Unseelie must be pretty bad…

A grey mist was swirling about now, making it hard to see any great distance. Looming towards the centre of the graveyard was the oak tree that I had stolen a branch from to make my spear, but unless my eyes and the fog were playing tricks on me… it had grown, being half again as tall as before. As we approached it cautiously, troops spread out in formation, the fog was pierced with the glow of dozens of pairs of yellow eyes, and the still air was filled with raucous croaks and caws.

“I think we’ve been detected. Everyone, ready for battle!” I ordered. Here we go. Conditions are bad and we are in someone else’s Territory. This won’t be easy…

Immediately everyone took up their weapons, only for sudden screams and howls of pain to ring out. Giant ravens were swooping down from the sky in large numbers, supported by shadowy humanoids kept aloft on large black wings of razor sharp feathers. Several weaselkin fell, though they did manage to defeat some ravens with their retaliation.

“Watch the skies!” I ordered, sweeping out with wind, joined by the two Kamaitachi and Shaeula. The fog blew away, revealing a host of flying creatures. My blades slashed one of the winged humanoids, felling it, while several more were slain by my companions. Even as those did though, others were coming, soaring up high above us, large boulders clutched in their clawed feet. The enemy Territory was resisting us, making our attacks harder to manifest, and in addition the cloying air of darkness was hampering us further.

“Oh shit. Scatter!” I ordered, as the bombardment began. Boulders streaked down like meteors, hammering into the ground with an earth-shaking roar, sending lethal debris made of shattered walls and tombstones everywhere. The white snakes brought forth shields of mud and rock with their powers, but even so several trolls were injured, and more weaselkin fell.

This is one hell of an ambush. Even as we struggled more ravens and winged fiends left the sanctuary of the dark oak, and their true terror was revealed. Dark feathers started to cloud the sky like barbed arrows, launched at high speed, raining down on us incessantly. One struck my shoulder, grating off the wyrmscale mail, but several others pierced one of the Kamaitachi beside me, leaving one arm dangling useless, blood splattering the ground.

“We need to press the attack. The tree itself will offer some cover.” I advised, and we hurried through under bombardment, only the earthen shields conjured by the white snakes allowing us to get there with relatively light casualties. It was then, as the first trolls and Grulgor lumbered into safety, I realised I had made another mistake…

“Grrrr… Grul says he is stuck. There are giant webs here…” Grul thrashed as thick sticky ropes tangled his arms and legs. Beside him other trolls were flailing about too, but were unable to break free. Hidden by the darkness and fog a giant web had been set up between the tree and the ominous mausoleum at the centre of the graveyard, and it had caught us like flies…

“We need to cut the trolls free as quickly as we can, else they will be worn down and slaughtered.” Shaeula quickly made her move, using the new thin blades of air she had mastered to start slicing the ropes. Even as strong as her blades were they slid through slowly, taking several seconds to cut each strand. “We must beware other foes. The Raven Knight proves clever indeed-indeed.” she gave grudging praise, as troll blood slicked the floor, many of them looking like birds themselves they were stuck with so many barbed feathers. I joined my efforts in freeing Grulgor and he soon staggered out, bellowing, while the Kamaitachi tried to slay as many of the fliers as they could. Feathers were deflecting from Shaeula’s and my armour, though she had a cut across one sleeveless arm from a glancing blow, while I was limping from where shrapnel from a boulder had shredded the flesh on my lower legs.

Just as we were starting to make headway the next trap sprung, graves bursting open to disgorge a swarm of shambling zombies. They were not a large threat though their numbers could certainly prove a problem, but what followed was a series of giant spiders and scorpions with mutant human faces clambering out after them, using the corpses as shields and belching out poisonous flames.

Damn, it must be… even before I could finish my thought the outline of the enemy I suspected was visible on the roof of the mausoleum, glaring at me hatefully. She gestured, and with that contemptuous wave another group of a half-dozen even larger spiders scuttled out of the building, being ridden by swarms of winged humanoids, these ones armed with spears, axes and swords.

This looks really bad… I turned, looking at our avenues of retreat, but great webs had been hoisted up all around the battlefield, trapping us like it was a cage match. Wicked laughter rang out, and with another curt gesture she sent a rain of sticky strands outwards, carried by the many ravens, falling down upon us and binding many of our troops in place again, where they started to fall to the aerial threat.

What do we do, what do we do? As I searched frantically for a solution another figure mounted the mausoleum. This one was tall and slender, human-shaped yet shrouded in a voluminous cloak. Behind his back lay a pair of jet black raven wings, and peeking from the hood of his robes was an ornate metal beak, perhaps from some sort of helm. He raised the staff he clutched in one hand high and declared for us all to hear.

“Welcome to my little trap, foolish little half-Fae.”