On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Ninety-Six

“I suggest you surrender, for I am in no mood-mood to be merciful.” Shaeula crowed, her pinwheels spinning in the air, throwing off sparks of emerald energy, the ultra-fine wires of bluesteel that unwound from their spindle-like structure hanging in the sky, vibrating menacingly.

Bluesteel may not be the strongest of metals, in fact, it was worse than steel in my tests, but when I discovered that it had the ability to easily absorb and hold elemental essences, I had a few ideas…

As the shocked hyena-beastmen looked on, frozen momentarily, the Thunderbird used that freedom to launch more lightning down at the soulless scorpions, cacti and other beasts that continued to assault it, turning more into ashes.

“Too late. Since you seem to wish for death, I shall grant you the honour of dying at the hands-hands of true Seelie royalty.” Shaeula gave them little time to consider, shocking me a little with her ruthlessness. Her pinwheels suddenly changed directions, spinning outwards to drag their razor-sharp vibrating wires across the bodies of the foes, slicing them apart in a welter of gore.

Ether was flooding me and I could see silverly letters confirming level-ups blinking across my vision, but I had little time for that. The remaining beastmen, led by the shaman with the staff, were finally free of the Foehn’s deadly spread, and were barking orders at the forces they commanded, trying to reform the shattered ranks.

“Grr, slaughter the interlopers. The bird can wait. Master will be displeased, but we cannot fail here, growl. The proud Wyrmtooth Gnolls cannot fall here, our ancestors would cry out in bitter shame, grr.”

Gnolls huh? I’ve heard of them in fantasy stories before, but they aren’t as common as orcs… nah, who cares, it doesn’t change what I have to do… Trying to ignore the bright laughs of Shaeula, who was twirling her pinwheels through the enemies with reckless abandon, sending severed body parts flying everywhere, I clutched my spear and raced towards the lead shaman. A cactus-creature stepped in front of me, showering out a volley of needles but I evaded them, my spear tearing through it, the edge sharp with wind. Yeah, the bluesteel really makes my wind techniques stronger…

The ground erupted, stone turning into spikes pointed at my heart, and a few others conjured dust storms that hampered my vision. Several more cactus-needles bounced off my new armour, and a scorpion reared out of the sands, stinger poised to strike me. Too slow. I swept to the side, my spear piercing the head of the scorpion, easily killing it, before looking up at the gnoll shamans. They were barking and growling in rage, keeping well away from the still-burning tongues of Foehn that littered the desert.

All right then, here we go… I had only a little fire element left, but I poured it into the head of my spear. The blade began to heat up, yet the effect was minor. Still, I had a way to strengthen it. Pouring in most of my remaining wind energy the fire devoured it eagerly, and the spearhead shone a vivid yellow, the head wreathed in fires that fountained out into a half-metre long blade of scorching energies. Running with all my strength, consuming aether to increase my speed I raced through the burning sands (careful to avoid what was left of the Foehn, as there was no way I wanted to die to my own ability…) and swung my fiery blade, bisecting several gnolls that stepped in my path to block me from the shamans.

Ignoring the smell of roasted meat I continued my charge. Thrusting my spear forwards I released the fiery energies and they shot out like wyrm-breath, turning a half-dozen more foes into corpses.

“Pathetic. If this is the best you can do-do, I would be ashamed to be your master. But then, your master, unlike mine, must be worthless if he is saddled with you trash-trash.” Shaeula was getting carried away, taunting them. Her pinwheels were slowing down as her wind energy diminished, but the design was amazingly efficient, so she would be able to keep up her massacre a bit longer. I staggered a bit as the aftermath of another stormy tornado from the Thunderbird buffeted me, but righting myself quickly I engaged the first of the shamans. They were so… slow… compared to me, it was almost as if I was playing a video at half speed. My spear, now wreathed in wind, my fires spent, quickly penetrated, and I was onto the next one. Stone spikes rushed at me once more, but yet again I dodged, and a second fell, head exploding. I speared a third quickly, leaving it dying, before coming face to face with the larger shaman with the tall staff.

“Grr, I’ll stake you out in the desert to die, until nothing is left of you but… grr, bleached bones! Come forth, my stone…” the shaman began to draw on earth energies, the ground trembling, but his spell was cut off suddenly, only howls escaping from his maw. I had thrown my spear, and it had pierced through its shoulder, before discharging the wind energy it contained, blowing its arm clean off. Dropping the staff it fell to its knees, clutching hard with its remaining hand in a vain attempt to stem the blood pouring from the injury.

I still had my wyrmfang javelins left, not having had chance to use them yet, so I pulled them free, holding one in each hand. Behind me, the cries of battle were dying down, and a third level-up message graced my vision. Okay, pitched battles are the way to go. Levels, ether… it’s all so very profitable… I threw one of my javelins, head-shotting the last of the gnoll shamans. There were still a handful of gnolls left, but they held back as I advanced on the writhing head shaman and grabbed my fallen spear, holding the point to its neck.

“Well, I think we won here, haven’t… holy shit…” I trailed off, surprised. What I looked out over was the scene of a massacre. Shaeula was standing amidst a massive ring of blood-soaked sand, severed body-parts and diced lizards everywhere. Her pinwheels were circling around her, humming, and the remaining handful of gnolls who had survived were keeping their distance, hissing and growling. Scorpions, hyenas, cacti… all of the ‘soulless abominations’ had continued to rush to their deaths, not intelligent enough to evade without specific orders, and Shaeula had butchered them, the Thunderbird slaying those that lagged behind.

The fallen shaman was glaring up at me with hatred in its eyes, but I couldn’t worry about that. “All right then, if you surrender and give me some information, you can still get out of here alive, that cool with you?”

“Grr, very well, you monster.” The gnoll growled through the pain.

“Shaeula, round up the survivors.” As she did so I turned back to the gnoll, who had covered the open wound where his arm once was with a layer of stony energy, almost petrifying it, to stop the blood-loss. Okay, that’s pretty cool. I’ll have to remember that trick. “So, just where is this master of yours? I’d love to meet them and have a friendly conversation. I can’t help but think all this could have been avoided.”

“Grr, why should I tell you, you vile interloper? The Wyrmfang and Lizardscale tribes have fallen under your blades, growl. Now other tribes will gain the favour of our master…”

I leaned in close, looking the gnoll in his yellow eyes. “You should tell me because I won. Don’t you value your life?” Damn, I’m threatening him like I’m yakuza now. And yes, I can hear you laughing, Shaeula… “I can spare the rest of you if you can get me an audience with your master. Talking to another Astral Emperor-candidate would be a goldmine of insights. I daresay he would find it valuable too. I just hope he isn’t too pissed about losing all of his forces.”

“My master’s army is as numberless as the very desert sands, growl.” The gnoll spat. “He will not fear you!”

It was then I noticed several cacti and scorpions heading this way from the distance. They seemed to be acting on instinct. Of course… if these are from a Spawning Spire or similar building then it’ll be just like when I was attacking Shaeula’s Territory. If they are queued to replace losses here…

Lost in thought I didn’t notice that the gnoll was reaching for his staff with his remaining arm. Seizing it he unleashed his remaining earth elemental energies, launching a small greyish orb of smoke at me from point-blank range.

“Look out, Akio!” Shaeula’s voice echoed across the desert as she spotted the danger. Enraged, she used her pinwheels on the remaining captives, reducing them to ether in moments. As the orb was about to strike my face I spotted it, leaving me a moment to react. Instinctively I exhaled, my breath full of elemental wind, and the smoke was blown backwards, striking the gnoll who had cast it, his leg turning to grey stone where it touched him.

“Grr, damn you to…” the gnoll cursed, before my spear ended his life. The shaman turned into ether as he died, only leaving his petrified leg behind, staff dropping to the ground.

Shaeula stomped over, fresh from her massacre, and after tossing a few wind blades to purge the incoming reinforcements, she inspected me from head to toe, her face alarmingly close to me.

“You did not get injured did you Akio?” She asked. “That beast was using foul earth elemental curses. If you breathed any of the smoke in-in, it would prove fatal…”

“No, I saw it in time, though if he aimed for my legs I probably wouldn’t have spotted it… I don’t get why he threw his life away on such a gamble though… unless he was blinded by rage over the death of his kin? We did… pretty much genocide them…” Shit, now I am starting to feel bad. I much preferred fighting non-sentient monsters such as the scorpions, it didn’t sting my conscience so…

Seeing the expression on my face, and relieved I was uninjured, Shaeula patted me on one shoulder. “I am pleased you are unharmed. Still, you are far too naïve and forgiving, Akio. This was a battle, and in battle only victory matters-matters. The future will be full of those you have to defeat, and some, perhaps even many-many of those will be beings such as you or I. But if they stand in the way of protecting what you hold dear… mercy is but harm to your kin-kin.”

Damn, she’s right. I’ve been through this in my head before. Do I learn so slowly? How do they manage this in isekai stories? They are chopping up goblins pretty much from hour one… No, I’ll firm up my resolve, but I won’t forget my humanity in the process. It’s likely that the threat to Earth will come from other intelligent civilisations…

My mind made up to toughen up and do what needed to be done, whilst not going overboard or descending into a bloodthirsty tyrant, I smiled at Shaeula. “Thanks for that. I can always count on you to put things into perspective. Anyway, I’ll do what needs to be done, yet I won’t forget mercy when I can spare it.”

“I see. In that case, regarding what needs to be done-done…” Shaeula turned and nodded towards the badly injured Thunderbird, who was watching us warily, between us and the nest that held its young chicks. “… what shall we do about this creature? I suspect if we were to… dispose of it, you would grow stronger, and the materials left behind could be quite useful indeed-indeed.” She bent down to pick up the wooden staff the gnoll shaman had dropped, another spoil of war that had remained.

My gaze went to the Thunderbird, which let out a warbling hiss of aggression, wings lifted up to make it look larger and more threatening. It then strayed to the pillar holding its nest, where the chicks were still chirping in fear, one lying down, injured. Shaking my head I let out a long sigh.

“I know what you mean, but I can’t do it. If it attacked me first, then sure, like the wyrm, but it has chicks, and we fought on the same side here… sorry, but I have to draw the line at this. My conscience couldn’t stand it.”

“Soft-hearted as ever, my master.” Shaeula mirrored my sigh. “But still, that is why Eri and Aiko are so fond of you, is it not-not? I admit, it would not sit well with me either, to slay such a noble creature, but as a princess, I could harden my heart and do what benefits us-us…”

“We’ve achieved more than enough today, besides, I also like your kinder side.” At my words Shaeula looked down, blushing a little.

Walking towards the Thunderbird, I made sure to stow my weapons and give off no hostile intent.

“What are you doing Akio?” Shaeula asked, following. She was holding her pinwheels in her hands, but had not put them away, ever ready to respond to a threat. As we approached the Thunderbird it began to summon lightning, the air filled with the tang of ozone, but I made soothing noises and talked to it calmly.

“I might be able to help your injured chick. Just trust me.”

The Thunderbird seemed to understand, though it was wary, and a small bolt of lightning landed by my feet. Shaeula made to respond but I held her back. “If it wanted to attack us it could have. I think it’s just warning us.” I clambered up to the nest using the footholds left in the pillar by the gnoll harpoons and reached the nest. The Thunderbird flapped up painfully behind me, droplets of ruby blood falling to the ground. Shaeula let out a muted yelp of surprise, her eyes glowing, and then she began to gather the blood-soaked sand below.

Reaching the nest I climbed in, the chicks backing off, hissing frantically, all but the wounded one, which was in a lot of pain and immobile. Ignoring the warning cries from the Thunderbird I went to the ostrich-sized chick and pulled out the cactus-spine that had wounded it. The bird yelped, cheeping mournfully, but I ignored that too, concentrating, pouring in aether and using my Ether Healing skill. Yeah, this is tough, but also informative. This bird contains some lightning energy, as well as wind and fire…

Static was crackling over my armour and my hair was standing up crazily as the Thunderbird watched nervously, but I persevered, and a few minutes later the chick sat upright, warbling in surprise, flapping the wounded wing.

“There. All better.” I smiled, the good deed soothing my heart over the massacre Shaeula and I had committed earlier. Turning to the Thunderbird I smiled at it. “See, now your chick is fine. I think you should find a new nest though, this place is hardly safe. If you’ve caught the eye of an Astral Emperor-candidate, then when they replenish their forces, they’ll likely try again…”

With that I climbed down and returned to Shaeula, who had torn off the hem of her outfit and made a crude cloth bag to hold the bloody sand. I suppose we did collect the wyrms’ blood too, not that we found a use for it yet…

“We should return to the Material. Eri and Aiko will be wondering why we are not awake-awake.” Shaeula said, and I had to agree. Still…

“No, just one thing to do first.” I pointed at the distance, where a few ‘soulless abominations’ were coming from, seemingly respawned. “We’ll quickly follow their route until we find out the location of their Territory. Then tomorrow night…”