136 The Sound of Thunder (1/2)

People mentioned that they didn't understand Amara's motivations or character very well. I took the time to elaborate on it this chapter and set up a fun next few chapters. Hope you guys enjoy.

Panic swelled in my chest, but I stomped it out. I tapped my forehead with a loose fist, wondering what to do. As I wondered, another message popped up.

Torix Worm, of Darkhill(Time: Undefined) - The others and I are positioning ourselves near you. Althea’s scouting with Hod. He’s mastered something he calls a ‘shade form.’ We’ll see if it’s of any use. Knowing Hod, I doubt it.

I’m certain Yawm will sense the Breaker’s approach, giving you some warning. We’ll assist as we can. Good luck disciple.

I kept thumping my head for a minute before sighing. Over the last month, I researched common traits about Breakers. They cleansed high class bounties across a planet when they arrived. Anything that was around level 3,000 and unknown fell into that category. I fell into those requirements.

To protect myself, I stood up and walked over towards Yawm. Reminding him about the breakers and what not was a good idea. I reached his room, finding Yawm behind his desk. Along the back wall, he stood with a hunched back between two tall bookshelves. Yawm pressed a hand onto a vine growing through the floor.

He stood up straight, turned towards me,

“Did you sense them as well?”

I raised an eyebrow, “Who exactly?”

Yawm rubbed his hands together, “An excellent question, isn’t it? Something came here. Many of the fauna here discovered a blinding flash of light in the sky yesterday night. The trees and grass know nothing of the light, but I have an idea.”

Yawm stepped up, walking past his desk in a few strides,

“Atmospheric entry. A shuttle arrived here, one big enough for more than a few people mind you.”

Yawm raised a finger, “After that, they disappeared from the view of this planet’s plant life. Now why would they go through such lengths for stealth? The answer’s rather obvious, isn’t it?”

I nodded, “Yeah, they’re probably after us.”

Yawm gripped his fists, “And they know where we are. Considering I relax within a gargantuan rift, they’ve discovered my location. When they come here, I’ll sense their entry.”

Yawm spread out his hands, “But I won’t know their exact location. We’ll need to work together for that.”

I frowned, pointing at my chest, “You want me to find them?”

Yawm looked around, “Well, uhm, yes.” He raised a hand at me, “You discovered the Old One’s plot to slowly destroy our minds. In my eyes, you’ve proven that your senses are well beyond keen. They’re tremendous.”

Yawm clamped the hand pointing at me into a fist, “And once we find them, we’ll disintegrate them into a fine vapor.”

Yawm laughed, excitement leaking into his voice. His hands shook a bit like lightning coursed through his veins.

He raised hands, “We’ll show them what they’ve come to fight. Here is a storm, and we will show them this storm’s lightning.”

His exhilaration was infectious. I banged my fists together,

“And they’ll hear the sound of our thunder.”

Yawm walked up and smacked my back, “Your words are vigor. Let’s go and show them a battle.”

We walked towards the doors leading outside the room. Yawm raised a hand, pushing them aside. The bolt of the door snapped, slamming the doors outwards. The doors crashed against the walls, Yawm’s heels pounding against the floor. He walked up towards Amara’s room.

He knocked onto the doorway,

“Do you have time to discuss something?”

Amara’s voice muffled through the doorway,

“I don’t have a choice but to join your hunt, do I?”

Yawm laughed, “Of course you do.” Yawm tapped his chin, “Though remaining by yourself here does leave you vulnerable. Considering that both Daniel and I are far more effective in combat than you, I advise you join us.”

Amara opened the door, leaving one hand raised towards us. The eye on her palm stared at Yawm with a narrowed eye,

“If you’ve decided it, then I’ll follow.”

He turned towards me, “Let’s come up with a plan of action.”

I shrugged, “I can sit behind you and CC the enemy with gravity and telekinesis. While I pin them down, you can blow them away.”

Yawm laughed, “I doubt it’ll work out that easily, but we’ll work with that as the foundation for our plans. Let’s discuss it as we walk.”

I frowned, “Where are we going exactly?”

Yawm’s footsteps shook the building, “Towards my world tree. Within it carries a few advantages we could use.”

We paced towards the edge of his ice palace, talking about refinements on our strategy. Yawm’s greatest strength was his long range combat. His antimatter explosions, singularity bs, and all his other shenanigans destroyed people from afar. Considering he and I owned extreme regeneration, wearing an enemy down was inevitable.

If they did come at us, I channeled my mana and slowed them down. Once they reached us, we would show them our teeth as Amara put it. We swam through the lake, pacing up a root of the world tree. As we did, the discussion slowed. Once it stopped, I turned toward Amara.

She glanced around with her hands, inspecting our surroundings. To my knowledge, Amara stayed in her room 99% of the time. Seeing the outside world for the first time engrossed her. With a bit of curiosity spurring me, I sent her a message.

Dimension C-138, Harbinger of Cataclysm(Time: Undefined) - Hey, why are you helping me instead of Yawm?

Amara, the Lost One(Time: Undefined) - Allying myself with you has a higher chance of survival and a lower chance for corruption. Why do are you asking?

Dimension C-138, Harbinger of Cataclysm(Time: Undefined) - I’m just curious.

Amara, the Lost One(Time: Undefined) - I’m curious as well. Why are you even fighting Yawm? Schema has bitten into you many times. If anything, Yawm guards you from him, and he enjoys who you are.

Dimension C-138, Harbinger of Cataclysm(Time: Undefined) - Eh, I think Yawm’s trying to bait me. Besides for that gut feeling, he’s trying to use people who mean a lot to me. He doesn’t listen very well either, so I don’t think I can convince him to stop.

Amara, the Lost One(Time: Undefined) - No. You won’t be able to convince him.

Dimension C-138, Harbinger of Cataclysm(Time: Undefined) - Thanks for the support.

Amara, the Lost One(Time: Undefined) - I’m not insulting you. I’m pointing out the obvious. No one can convince him to change his mind once it’s made. He thinks of himself too highly for that, and he doesn’t trust anyone else enough either.

Dimension C-138, Harbinger of Cataclysm(Time: Undefined) - Yeah, that’s true. I’m still wondering what you want to do after all this is over with though. I mean, I get you want to survive and all that, but what about after we’ve gotten away from Yawm?

Amara, the Lost One(Time: Undefined) - I could ask the same question for you. Give me an answer, and I’ll give another in kind.

Dimension C-138, Harbinger of Cataclysm(Time: Undefined) - That’s fair, I suppose. I honestly don’t know what I’ll want to do after Yawm’s gone. I’ll probably try and explore the galaxy some. Maybe set up a base here on Earth and help a few people out. I haven’t really thought it through yet.

Amara, the Lost One(Time: Undefined) - I find myself in the same position. Surviving is all I’ve been thinking about since I was freed from my prison. Before that, however, I dreamed while in my prison.

I imagined a day where the eldritch and sentients could...coexist. Perhaps there will still be conflict, but it won’t be an ongoing war at all times. Unlike Yawm, I believe there’s nothing wrong with the eldritch. I am proud of my lineage. I am proud that we eldritch survive, even as we’re thrown into another dimension.

Dimension C-138, Harbinger of Cataclysm(Time: Undefined) - Yeah, but if you guys didn’t attack everything on sight, we wouldn’t kill you guys.

Amara, the Lost One(Time: Undefined) - That is a lie. Many times I’ve offered peace. Many times your kind has snapped at my hand as I offered it. Your fear clouds your judgment. You offered me a chance because you never feared me. Anyone else would have killed me for status in your world.

Dimension C-138, Harbinger of Cataclysm(Time: Undefined) - You gotta be aware of how destructive most eldritch are. You’re the only eldritch I’ve ever seen that isn’t trying to eat people. I’ve killed tens of thousands of eldritch too, and every single one tried killing me too.

A minute or two passed before a message popped up.

Amara, the Lost One(Time: Undefined) - There are three kinds of eldritch. Those that are relentless in their hunger, those that are nihilists, and those like me. The hungry eldritch want to come to this dimension and feast. They are the eldritch you most commonly see.

The nihilists come second. They’ve understood that their hunger leads to nothing. Once we’ve eaten everything that can be eaten, what lies next in our lives? I’ve discovered the answer; there is null. Our incessant greed leads to a full belly. That is all.

It’s a harrowing realization that all of your instincts are meaningless. These eldritch sit and wallow in self hatred. You’ve likely never seen an eldritch of this sort, as they hide from the probing eyes of others. I’ve seen into them, and I’ve been one of them. I understand their plight.