Chapter 275: Infinite (1/2)

-Victoria Novas-

Looking around, I made sure Alastair and I were prepared for the battle on Blegara. Obolis mentioned in the last war meeting that these last few days of fighting with Daniel and his guild were critical for our guild. He wanted us to get to know the people there and create lasting relationships.

That made me nervous. I wasn't good at making friends. Not at all. I waddled back and forth, unable to sit still because of those thoughts. They just bounced around in my head like a little cub in a bounce house. I wished I could control myself better. It was weird. I always struggled with doing the right thing, even though I usually ended up succeeding in the end.

But it was never easy.

By comparison, Alastair looked forward, not a worry in the world. The big guy just punched things. That gave him a natural affinity for the Harbinger. I knew that Daniel liked Alastair more than me. I was sure of it, though I hadn't found proof yet. Today might be the day I discover the truth of the matter on that specific issue.

This was our second day fighting on Blegara. Things worked out the first day, mainly because of Obolis and the Harbinger's guild. They were a team made entirely of hard hitters. There was the uptight but smart lich, the shadow walker Hod, the mysterious Althea, and the hemomancer that healed, Kessiah. It was hard to get to know any of them, especially Althea. She didn't say much, but she was a good listener. I heard from Caprika.

Speaking of which, I had no idea how Caprika warmed up to her so fast. I tried starting, like, fifty conversations with her. The planeswalker just brushed me off with casual comments about the battle and how now's not the time to talk. She was right, but I just didn't know how else to strike up a conversation. Making friends while fighting was hard.

My thoughts honed in as a portal appeared in front of us. The edge of the warp was smoother, even smoother than Obolis's, so only one person could make them. Helios stepped out, his mood nonchalant and confident as always. He was a cool cousin, and he both hated and loved me. That loving disdain came from the fact he believed I outshined him.

That was crazy talk. Helios ruled two whole planets. I kept Olstatia safe on our homeworld. Comparatively, his station outdid mine by an insane amount even for his age. He was older than me, sure, but that didn't change the fact he accomplished twice as much as I had when he was my age. Speaking of age, according to Florence, the Harbinger was younger than all of us. I found that hard to believe, and the person telling me exacerbated that issue. Why? Well, it was Florence.

It seemed like the Harbinger was whipping him into shape, though. Speaking of the Harbinger, the man himself walked out of the portal. He was tall, overly so. Most tall guys looked handsome, even if they weren't. This guy was so big he bordered on scary instead. His armor carried a craggy, organic sort of edge, making it look and feel alive. He also never did his hair, which would've been cute if it wasn't for his scars and eyes.

Those eyes stared through people. He also spoke like iron, and even around Obolis, he showed no signs of feeling any pressure whatsoever. Because of that, I couldn't read him. Florence told me he's actually a nice person once you got to know him. Once again, that's Florence.

Anywho, the Harbinger's other guildsmen walked through the divide, the lineup stellar. I locked eyes with Althea, the slender, silver-skinned woman being beautiful as always. I was kind of jealous, but hey, who wouldn't be?

I gave her a smile and a wave, but she didn't see it since I was wearing a mask. I hated these things. They always made me awkward. That was a lie. I was just terrible at talking. Althea waved back and even walked over to me. I kept my excitement to myself as she spoke up,

”It's good to see you guys. How are you all holding up?”

I stood tall, trying to sound calm and confident,

”We're managing. It's been quite a shock since the rebels managed to worm out a victory.”

Althea frowned, ”Yeah, I know I've been thinking about it a lot lately. It's hard not to worry.”

She worried too, huh? I wondered if she thought about talking as much as I did. I kept myself together as I continued,,

”As have I. We're lucky the Harbinger can hold Lehesion back. It will be up to us to stop everyone else, though.”

Althea winced, ”That's a lot of pressure.”

Tell me about it.

I raised a fist, ”We'll make it.”

The others met up within our divisions, and the well-read lich gave a breakdown of the situation. He spoke with calculated precision, every word measured, and every gesture planted. At first, I thought the necromancer was fake, but I was wrong. This wasn't some facade he put on. It was too consistent. The sorcerer actually preferred talking like this. The few moments his true self came out, he was a brutal, ruthless individual.

He hid that under a mask that was much more effective than our own.

He reminded me of Helios, though Torix kept a more relaxed kind of attitude, somehow. Unlike Helios, Torix didn't resent the mask he was forced to wear. Maybe all the years of practice made the jovial wizard persona easier to keep up. It may have eventually became his persona over time.

I was always worried about that. I tried to make my family proud all the time. I really just wanted mom and dad to look at me with a smile, and I wanted our uncle to say my name with some pride. That was more than just a little tricky. The Empire carried some ridiculous standards for the Novas family.

Despite how well I did, I'd always been outshined by Helios up until recently, in fact. He fumbled when trying to intimidate the Harbinger by threatening Althea. It made me wince just thinking of how callous the guy was. I'd never do something like that. I didn't think I would at least.

Even after flopping on his face like that, Helios managed to stay friendly with the Harbinger. To me, that made no sense. I couldn't understand guys half the time at most. At least Alastair made sense. The lovable lug just walked around, said what needed to be said, and fought well. I was proud to be his sister, but I was too scared to ask if he was proud to be my brother.

I really, really hoped he was.

Torix finished his breakdown, the insights in his speech both profound and well thought out. That sorcerer was a scary individual, his mind always thinking of possibilities. He mentioned that the rebels would just channel an endless stream of Hybrids at Schema's forces, wearing them down. It seemed like a real possibility, the kind that made a shiver run up my back.

I often wondered if the Empire made the right choice allying with this guild. They were all good, each and every one of them. We were in the frontlines against the Adair's because of that, and I didn't think that was worth it. Some disagreed, the most vocal being Florence of all people. The party boy mentioned the rebellions on the Empire's worlds were inevitable.

He acted like forging ties with the Harbinger's Legion was a proactive move, and that Caprika's genuine friendship with several members was invaluable. Florence even suggested we ally with the Harbinger's Legion earlier on before we were also attacked by the Hybrids. Obolis always seemed to take Florence's insights seriously too. If I had my way, I'd tell Obolis, 'Hey, this is Florence. Remember?'

Speaking of Florence, Mr. Irresponsible was missing during the siege today. I expected as much. Working two out of every three days would be a challenge for the guy, especially with his previous track record. The goofy bird person was missing too, but I'm sure he had his reasons.

Anyways, with the new intel and plans going forward, we set up a formation with Daniel leading the charge entirely. Alastair and I guarded Helios, Kessiah, and Althea. It was kind of insulting since Alastair and I were well-trained knights. We could fight on any front line. Sure, the Harbinger fought one on one with Lehesion, but we were still the best of the best.

Helios, ever perceptive, caught wind of my dissent. He raised an eyebrow at me, ”Ah, you seem rather annoyed. Perhaps it was your expectation to lead with him, perhaps?”

I frowned, not wanting to give too much away,

”Of course not. It does seem strange that he wouldn't let us guard his back while he ran in, but his decision stands at the end of the day.”

Helios grinned from ear to ear, ”I assure you, he will not need any assistance today. We will be cleaning up the mess he leaves behind. Nothing more.”

I leaned back, remembering that we were clearing Blegara together the day before yesterday, ”You're acting like he's a different person.”

Helios shook his head as if admitting defeat, ”Victoria, I once believed I was master of all and a jack of none. Since meeting him, I have discovered that this galaxy is vast, and the universe is wide. Many may not outrank me, but many are my better.”

Helios took a deep breath and sighed, ”He is a true anomaly.”

I rolled my eyes, ”Look, you're being melodramatic today. Are you in one of your moods, maybe? I know you get self-destructive sometimes.”

Helios stared off in the distance, likely planting the gesture to add emphasis,

”No. I've just been thinking about who I am and what I'm doing. That is all.”

”Oh yeah, that sounds like one of your moods.”

I doubted what I was saying as I said it. Helios spoke all that with such a foolproof lie that I almost believed him. Almost. I knew Helios, though. He was a cunning cutthroat, and he was likely just trying to unsettle me before we ended up fighting. He'd look better than me then, and that played to his favor in the long run.

Even if I knew that Helios's acting was superb, I couldn't shake off what he said, so I stared forward, filing into formation. With the supporters at our back, we went ahead with the Harbinger leading. He tore through a wall, opening us to the ocean around Saphigia. With an extraordinary control of gravity, he somehow kept the water out of here without jerking us out at the same time.

I tried wrapping my head around that several times on how he did that, but I still didn't have an answer. A second passed as he turned to us, and his voice rang in my ears like steel,

”I'm heading out. Give me some breathing room today. I'm trying out the furnace.”

Helios raised his eyebrows, ”What happened to storing the furnace in your dimensional shield?”

A small but cocky grin popped up on his face, ”I don't think these guys will touch me, and I can just keep it protected while I use my magic.”

Helios scoffed, ”If that's what you wish.”

I leaned back, my eyes widening. I turned to Helios, who nonchalantly stared down at his claws after talking with the Harbinger. Helios didn't even look at my eyes, but he grinned all the same. He murmured,

”Your expression, it's priceless.”

I whispered,

”Is he trying to kill us? A furnace? Really?”

”Indeed. He can already use it.”

”No, he can't. That's impossible.”

Helios shrugged, and I turned forward, ready for a nuclear shockwave to come roaring at us. It wasn't like I could do much in the wake of a catastrophe like that, but I'd at least try. A few seconds passed, and the Harbinger shook in place. He grew primal, animalistic even. I trembled, wanting to run as his ascendant mana crawled out of his skin like a disease.

Alastair held his ground, pulling an orichalcum shield from his pocket storage. The guard thudded against the coral beneath us, and it kept the mana at bay. The Harbinger rolled his shoulders before cracking his neck. It sounded like metal girders crashing against each other, each pop of his neck a dull thud.

Bending down, he shot himself forward, keeping the momentum of his jump insulated from us with a dozen gravity wells. He sliced through the water without slowing down, and his armor glowed white as energy rippled from his frame. A grin grew on his helmet, and another shiver ran up my spine. He channeled an untold amount of mana, his entire structure ablaze with vibrance and vitality.

Reminding me of Lehesion, he made the entire ocean boil.

The Hybrids isolated in this section of Spahigia squirmed, their mindless bodies wishing to run. A psionic force compelled them forward against their will, and they sprinted towards the glowing Harbinger above them. Each and every one of them disintegrated from an unseen, bloody aura. The Harbinger pulled out his dimensional shield, keeping water from entering it with yet more gravity wells. Instead of running and crushing the Hybrids, he unleashed simplistic, almost childish magic on them. He used the most basic of his gravity spells, two gravity panels layered over one another. These panels did not lack in lethality despite their simplicity, however.

He smashed hordes of Hybrids between these gravitational forces. Without moving, he waved his hand at each Hybrid and blighted one. The smashed enemies' remains were melted into spears. The umbral monster used those spears made of corpses to kill their allies. These jagged metal lances froze and shattered the remaining forces, the Harbinger shifting from ascendent mana to quintessence without batting an eye.

In fluid strokes, he fueled incantations that rivaled an armada's worth of destructive potential. A swarm of those molten spears, made from the corpses of Hybrids, cascaded across the sealine. The cloud grew so dense and so large, it cast a shadow over the entire cityscape. In its wake, the Hybrids and vagni trembled under the might of his magic.

I trembled as well. How he enacted this kind of magic was beyond me, but here he wielded a sort of terror I'd never seen from anyone but Obolis. At least in person. The sight left me shaken, my ideas of who and what I was falling to turmoil. I turned to Helios, and he watched with his fists squeezed tight. The destruction decimated city block after city block, the Harbinger culling the Hybrids without ceasing.

Helios stared with his eyes opened wide, though they did not see,

”Do you understand now? We're fighting among gods, and we are the mortals under their feet.”

I turned towards the Harbinger, and he melted entire sections of Saphigia. No piece of Blegara's capitol would remain unscarred. It would be a wasteland when this behemoth was finished, his mark absolute and complete. Helios grimaced,

”We believed we were royalty. We believed we were chosen to be leaders, born higher than mere backwater savages. Daniel showed me his home town just yesterday. It was a primitive wasteland.”

He met my eye, ”Tell me this. If we are so special given our circumstances, then what is he?”

I stared on at the wake of his destruction, and I didn't have an answer.

-Daniel-

I stretched my back as we landed in another coral building in Saphigia. We finished the day early on Blegara, a beachhead established at the center of its capital city. I used the furnace today, all the meditation from yesterday paying off in spades. Without having to watch out for Alastair and Victoria beside me as well, I let loose in a way I rarely got to.

It was fun.

I tried to see just how many lances made of melted Hybrids I could hold at once using gravity wells. It left me stunned when I was casting a moving shadow over Saphigia of spears. In the end, I smothered the Blegarian capital with my magic. The only issue was watching out for friendly fire on the vagni, but it wasn't exactly challenging to avoid attacking them for the most part.

They tended to horde around temples, rifts, and specific tactical chokepoints. The temple guys were almost always civilians looking for a place to stay safe. They were praying to their old gods, the eldritch, for protection. From what I saw, the eldritch were terrified of me, and they avoided the city for that reason.

As for the vagni standing at rifts, they were usually priests praying to their old gods to give them protection. The vagni at tactical chokepoints, they guarded those places with their lives, the rebels forces mixed in among them. The vagni there fought us with vigor and zeal, and I admired them for it.

They made good warriors, their minds in the right place. They couldn't muster much of a defense against me, however. Killing them was poor sport, and I made sure they didn't suffer when they passed. It still left me numbed on the inside, however. I was getting better at switching my mind to that kind of mode recently.

That scared me.

My anxieties aside, we ended up sieging the entire center of the city. The Hybrids no longer crawled from every nook and cranny, and that gave us a tremendous amount of leeway in where we set up camp. That meant establishing a central location for handling the rest of the city's sectors was more than possible.

We were so far ahead of schedule, the Empire lacked the troops and resources to expand their new base further. I was a big part of that, but my usual magic lacked the sterilization necessary for absolute security. Victoria and Torix handled most of the smaller stuff I left behind, so I got to run wild. In particular, Victoria's light magic worked wonders for clearing out the Hybrid nanomachines.

I could've used Event Horizon for that purpose, but having someone else handle that cleansing for me gave me extra time. I used those moments to ravage everywhere else. In that way, I really got to stretch my legs and go full blast. That's why we had a camp established here with albony troops running about.

In the middle of the temporary camp, my guild packed up and got ready to leave. The albony mages established an aquatic air bubble sustained by magic. They fueled it using mana crystals harvested elsewhere, and tents composed the majority of housing so far. It wasn't much, but it was a first step.

That energy from victory got everyone riled up as we finished getting ready to go. Helios got a warp read right after, so Torix and Althea waved goodbye while I made sure everything was safe before heading out. Doing all that, I noticed Victoria looking around, her demeanor always calm and collected. I gave her a thumbs-up as I passed by,

”Yo, good work with clearing the Hybrids. The nanomachine soup is a pain in the ass, and you're doing a good job with handling it.”

I turned to Alastair, the giant standing beside her,

”You too. Keeping Kessiah safe is extremely important. Healers of her caliber are rare, and she's why we're able to save this many people. Keeping her safe is an integral piece of this siege, so excellent work.”

Alastair looked down, ”Uhm, er, thank you.”

The guy didn't talk much, and I liked that about him. We had to spare someday just so I could see what he was made of. I turned towards the warp to Mt. Verner, ready to walk away. As I did, Victoria lifted a hand,

”Uh, thanks for doing our jobs for us. We, er, appreciate it.”

She stared down after saying that as if she said something wrong. I knew that feeling. I gave her a sad smile,

”No problem. Killing this many people isn't fun, but someone has to do it.”

I stepped through the portalled veil,

”It's good you're thankful it isn't you that has to do this. Don't let that feeling go.”

The warp closed behind me as Helios followed. A brisk wind whirled on my back as the sun set in the distance. We were back along the outskirts of Mt. Verner. Stepping on soft earth, I soaked in the feeling of Earth. The smell of pine trees and open woods filled my nose. It was good to be back home.

After getting back to our base, I reviewed my messages, making sure I wasn't missing any meetings. So far, I only missed one - a meeting with Amara, Hod, and Florence. I gave them a quick reply apologizing for my lateness, along with rescheduling the time. Florence replied in an instant, and before I knew it, a plan was already in motion.

I met with the three unlikely compatriots, each of them offering strange perspectives. They grouped near Amara's lair for eldritch research on the second floor. She tamed these monsters in reinforced cells, each holding several monsters who 'got along' so to speak. That just meant the eldritch couldn't kill each other too quickly, and that they were evenly matched.

That was about as good as you'd get for most eldritch.

The most vocal of the three chatted while Amara and Other Hod listened, all of them standing beside a prison cell full of gunk. Some slimy eldritch made its home there, and they talked as some green slug crawled around beside them. None of that surprised me.

What did was watching Florence chat away with both of them, the albony somehow making friends with those two,

”That's incredible. I never knew that eldritch had systems like that in place. Those systems, they mirror little societies. It's a wonder Schema hasn't already established some kind of contact with you guys. Some of you are pretty civilized, especially given the circumstances.”

Amara lifted a palm to Florence, her chin held high,

”Of course we are. Wolves run packs. Though we are insatiable in our hunger, there is never an endless amount of food. That is why we organize and spread the food amongst...amongst...”

Amara froze in place, spotting me as I passed a corner. I raised a hand, ”How's it going?”

Amara and Other Hod stood stunned, neither even able to move or breathe. I waved my hand in front of their faces, ”Are you both alright?”

Florence scoffed, ”What? These two alright? They've both been through hell and back. It will take more than just you walking up-”

Other Hod stammered, ”Please. Stop. Flowing. Mana.”

Oh yeah, the furnace. I dampened the mana flow, making sure I kept some restraint with its bonuses. I raised a hand,

”That better?”

They both took deep breaths, speaking in unison,

”Yes.”

”Thank you.”

Florence frowned under his mask, ”Well, I was wrong. Apparently, you walking up is enough to make the two fall apart. There's still so much I need to learn.”

I tapped my chest where the cipher hummed, ”I got this yesterday. I'm letting it run, and apparently, it's pretty horrific to most eldritch. After seeing my own mana, I know why now. It's like a...squirming hydra.”

Florence grinned at me, ”I'd expect nothing less from the Harbinger. Come, we've much to discuss.” The chatty albony wrapped his hands around his new eldritch buddies,

”Scared or not, we've got a plan to show him that we've thought up. Chin up. I'm not about to let you both stumble when you've put this much work in.”

Amara took a breath or two, ”I...Yes. We...shall.”

I doubted it considering how shaken they both were, but Florence gave other Hod a firm pat on the back,

”You as well. You saved your species from imminent peril. You and the Harbinger have that in common. Go on. Act like it.”

Other Hod stood taller after hearing that. I pointed towards the central elevators, ”Come on, let's go somewhere secure to talk this out.”

We worked our way up to the third floor, finding an empty meeting room. Once there, we sat down. Amara and Other Hod stared at me as if I were a literal demon from hell spawned to devour their souls. Florence took the floor, saving them from themselves,

”Seeing as how your stature has left them stunned, I shall offer up my skills and speak for them.”

Florence raised his two hands, ”I'll begin by describing a few important details I learned about the vagni and then detailing some important footnotes about the eldritch. These tidbits give context for my follow up for our plan. After discussing the details, we're open to any suggestions you have for changing the plan going forward.”

He turned a palm to me and smiled, ”Does that sound good?”

I gave him a nod of approval. Florence snapped his fingers, ”Perfect. The first detail revolves around Blegara and their worship of the eldritch. We knew they followed them as their old gods, making sure to offer sacrifices and the like to stronger eldritch. This was supposed to appease them.”

I frowned, ”It probably didn't.”

Florence raised a finger, ”And that is what's most surprising - it did.”

I leaned back, ”What?”

Florence leaned back at the same time, ”I know, I too was stunned by that realization. According to Schema, the eldritch are unable to be reasoned with, but my assumptions about them were correct. We've all been believing in lies, and this rebellion, along with Amara and Other Hod's insights have made that clear.”

Heretical outbursts aside, Florence spoke about their pasts with depth. In fact, he might even understand more about Amara and Hod than I did. Florence did that in only two days, their histories unveiled to him. To me, that was damn near awe-inspiring.

Florence continued, ”There are many classifications of eldritch. They carry many shapes, sizes, and forms. They arrive in many different ways as well, and their manifestations are often worshipped by primitive cultures. This is particularly true for cultures where Schema isn't present before the eldritch arrive. Given Earth's lateness in arriving in Schema's universe, I'd imagine your ancient cultures spoke of gods and deities as well?”

He was right about that. The Greeks worshipped titans and the Olympians alike. Many cultures invented tales that were extensive and far off from reality too. If what Florence said was true, then that wasn't a mere hunch anymore. It was a fact. I nodded,

”Yeah. We had all kinds of figures like that.”

”That's my point exactly. It isn't as if the eldritch aren't here then arrive in a single day as Schema would have you believe. They come in a slow, meticulous process from dimensions clashing. It takes time for their forms to materialize from the ambient energy they normally manifest as. At least wherever they come from.”

I frowned at Other Hod and Amara, ”Guys, why didn't you tell me any of this?”

Other Hod raised a hand, ”You never asked.”

I bit my tongue, swallowing my words. Yeah, I never had. I accepted Schema's status quo because it was easier to do so. I didn't want to deal with guilt or doubt when I was trying to survive. For the most part, I lacked the time and resources for those second thoughts. That wasn't the case anymore.

I winced, ”Yeah, you're right. I should've talked to you guys about it.”

Other Hod raised his hands, ”I didn't mean that as a criticism. Why would you want to know about monsters that are trying to kill your kind? We're natural enemies.”

Florence shrugged, ”There are several reasons, actually, and it wasn't the wisest idea to neglect the two of you as resources for so long. Aside from that, it's always a smart move to understand one's enemies.”

Florence met my eye, ”Of course, I mean that constructively. You don't mind my saying that?”

I shook my head, ”Not at all. You're right.”

Florence raised a fist, ”That's why I'm glad I can help you catch up. I'm actually useful for once. My point is, the eldritch have systems and wants. We can abuse those wants for our plan on Blegara. Amara, tell him what you told me about his mana crystals.”

Amara stayed silent. Florence nudged her, and she sighed,

”The mana crystals, they look delicious to us.”

I pulled one out of storage, the crystallized quintessence shining white,

”This looks good? Is it like, I don't know, candy?”

Amara drooled. Yup, it was candy.

I turned to them both, ”Why not ask for some, then?”

Other Hod raised a finger, ”That is your flesh and blood, refined into a more palatable form. Asking for an important resource for mere pleasure seemed...absurd.”

Amara's eyes on her palms narrowed, ”He speaks for himself. I never wished to become a pet.”

I tossed her a mana stone, ”Don't think of it like that. You're both working hard here. Think of this as payment for doing my guild a service. I can give you both some of these as payment since neither of you is that interested in money.”

I tapped my chest with a closed fist, ”I do right by my own. If you want something, just ask. At the very least, I'll consider it.”

Other Hod caught the mana I tossed, and Amara stared at the crystallized mana with the intensity someone starving. He offered her the entire crystal,

”You've worked very, er, hard lately. Here.”

Amara snatched it out of Other Hod's hand, and he stared on as Amara opened her maw. She put the crystal in her mouth and began sapping out its energy kind of like a giant, mana loaded jawbreaker. Other Hod looked on, envious yet wanting her affection. It was obvious the guy liked her. I tossed another mana stone to Other Hod, and the poor guy rejoiced as he chowed down. Florence raised his eyebrows,

”They do say that a good leader gives his flesh and blood for those he leads. I see you take that quite literally.”

I shrugged, ”I'm just glad I can give them something they actually like. Anyways, what else did you figure out?”

”Aside from their hunger for mana, it would seem that there exist ancient versions of the eldritch that the vagni worshipped. Considering these are the old gods they worship, they should be the ones we target when tackling Blegara.”

I crossed my arms, ”Ahh, that makes sense. If we get their old gods on our side, we get the vagni too.”