Balance of Death Page 21

  “It feels weird the culmination so close.” Lucius says. Lamot nods in agreement. “Makes me wonder who Ruvaen will select to join him on the meeting with the clans.” Lucius wonders.

  “Remember they can only bring a few, as they want to give the impression of a smaller scale culmination.” Lamot adds hoping to put Lucius’ mind at ease.

  “True, but still who he chooses will tell us who is most important, and who he trusts with such an important task.” Lucius continues.

  Up the road from them is a bank. The bank is as tall as a two-story building, but only because it has a vaulted ceiling. The building is made of mostly concrete with a steal doorway and placard above it displaying its name. Thromb and Oenopain sit on the building across the road from the bank, and a clutch of the circle’s men wait just below.

  Oenopain and Thromb wearing dire hide black leather armor with two blades on their back and the symbol of the circle on their chest.

  “Oenopain I cannot stress enough; you need to only use our physical Soten. We must not give them a reason to believe anyone, but the circle killed these men.” Thromb reminding Oenopain.

  “I am already wearing this ridiculous outfit, so I would say I am pretty committed already.” Oenopain jokes.

  “Once we kill the lord we must aid the men in the bank robbery, then leave as quickly as possible. If we take too long and the Synithis back-up arrive. We will either be killed or forced to use Soten blowing our cover. As you know if Amneka and their clerics learn of a clan attack we are as good as dead.” Thromb continues

  “We must complete the whole robbery?” Oenopain complains.

  “Look alive. It is almost time.” Thromb explains. As he finishes the carriage rounds the corner and drives up towards them. They both perform Soten increasing their weight and fusing their skin with more chakra.

  Oenopain smiles and balances his sword on his shoulder as he quickly composes a Soten before pointing his finger at the bottom of the carriage. His chakra flows to his finger transforming into kinetic energy. It builds up until finally Oenopain releases it sending it tearing through the air and exploding into the bottom of the carriage blowing a hole in its side. Causing the carriage to drop to the ground. Grinding at the front as it comes to a halt.

  “No more.” Thromb instructs before Oenopain leaps off the building. As he lands his weight breaks the concrete below him. Oenopain stands on the side of the carriage closest to the bank and a large man with a cloak steps out. Oenopain smashes his sheathed sword into the concrete increasing its weight as he does allowing it to sink into the concrete holding it in place. He jumps to the large man’s shoulders and starts unleashing blows on his head.

  At the same time Thromb drops down and enters the carriage; he notices Lucius is unconscious, but before he can do anything another large man with a cloak grabs and tosses him out of the carriage. To the opposite side of Oenopain. Thromb surprised by the strength at first. Until he surmises it must be a high level guard with alchemic enhancements. Thromb did not expect to run into such powerful forces so early.

  The other men of the circle run over to the bank past the men and the carriage. Oenopain on the guards shoulders realizes he has alchemic enhancements. The guard attempts to crush Oenopain between two chakra cannons attached to his exosuit formarms.

  Oenopain leaps off tearing away his cloak and rolling over to his sword. The guard is a man suspended in an armor frame. His hand is jointed metal pieces mirroring the movements his real fingers and hand inside of it.

  Before the guard can react Oenopain runs past him cutting a support bar to his augmented feet. This drops the guard to his knees, but as he does he twists his body drops back, and begins firing chakra from the large chakra cannons attached to his forearm pulling chakra from a previously charged crystal housed on his back.

  Oenopain narrowly flips over the blasts; unable to use Soten to counter as he is barraged with chakra blasts he leaps up and kicks off of the carriage to jump in the alley between the bank and another building. Affording him time to plan his attack.

  Thromb on the other side of the carriage trades blows with the alchemically enhanced guard until the guard opens his palm and intends to strike with a chakra blast Thromb grabs his hand and twists it just enough to graze him and hit the guard with his own attack. Thromb capitalizes on the moment and twists his arm around forcing the guard to his knees.

  Thromb is surprised as he is unable to break the arm of this enhanced guard. The guard begins to regain himself. Thromb thinking quickly jumps up and wraps his legs around the guard’s arm. Thromb’s increased weight brings the guard to the ground, and Thromb using his whole body snaps the arm.

  Thromb rolls to his feet, before bringing his foot up and driving his heel down into the back of the guard’s neck. Breaking a weak point and snapping the guard’s real spine.

  Oenopain cursing Thromb for his no Soten rules as he is pinned in the alley. He jumps and kicks off the two buildings; back and forth until he is on the bank roof. He walks over to the edge pulling his sword from its sheath, and jumps down towards the guard.

  He drops to the ground increasing the weight of not only himself but his sword. This weight is too much for the guard’s armor as it comes down piercing through his head and down into his torso.

  Lucius exits the carriage dazed. Once he sees Thromb standing above a dead erevno guard he attempts to flee, but Thromb catches up and grabs him; “You’re a piece of a larger evil.” Thromb says before snapping his neck.

  Oenopain pulls his blade from the guard and walks towards the entrance of the bank. “Well, let’s finish this.” Oenopain wanting to get this part over with.

  They walk into to find the men still fighting with the synithis in the bank. This is a problem they should’ve been done already. Thromb and Oenopain leap over the desk, the circle’s men are using as cover in their firefight with the Synithis.

  Oenopain runs through dodging chakra blasts and cutting down the enemy. Thromb grapples with the men, directing one of their hand cannons and firing on the other synithis, before wrapping his arm around the man's neck and killing him. Once they’ve killed the remaining synithis. The other circle men run out and quickly get to the door, putting on special gauntlets, they begin burning the hinges on the main vault door.

  “We really have to wait for this shit.” Oenopain whispers to Thromb.

  “It has to look like a normal circle robbery.” Thromb replies quietly. After a moment Thromb glances around and quickly performs a Soten. Once he is done he closes his eyes and holds his left hand’s middle and index finger with his right hand in front of his face; bowing his head and closing his eyes. Sensing energy signatures from a far.

  As time goes on Oenopain grows restless and concerned. It is getting too close to a full response time with only moments left before the cities main synithis, erevno, and perhaps even opsmen respond. As Oenopain paces waiting for the men to burn through the hinges of the door Thromb’s eyes suddenly open. He grabs Oenopain by the shoulder pulling him in. “They are setting up a barrier; that will prevent us from leaving even through the ground.” Thromb tells Oenopain.

  “I got this.” Oenopain quickly replies as he leaps to a desk crushing it before using it to jump through a window high up. He makes his way to the rooftops, and begins moving from building to building at an incredible pace; as he runs he sees in the distance at a four-way intersection synithis are setting up a large teardrop piece of machinery. The top of the tear drop opens up; fins dropping down exposing a matrix of crystal on the inside. He knows this must be one of the barrier devices.

  With all those high level erevno in alchemic suits it is likely he will be forced to use Soten, but he figures if he can kill them all it shouldn’t matter. Oenopain swings his sword as he jumps off of the building right before the intersection flinging his shethe into the air freeing up his blade. He lands slashing his blade through the neck of an erevno guardsman decapitating him. Another lifts his hand to blast him, and
Oenopain throws his sword into the guard’s weapon nullifying the cannon and giving him time to close the distance. He reaches the guard and strikes key points on the armor’s neck support. Once weakened enough he snaps the man's neck without the resistance of erevno’s exosuit.

  The last two left start blasting at him. He pulls his blade out and with one hand composes a Soten using it on his sword slashing each blast with it dispersing it around the blade and himself. He does this closing in on one as the other begins to flee. He leaps at one wedging his blade into the side of the guards head through his armor. The last guard is a good distance away already; Oenopain doesn’t think he has many options so he weaves a Soten and small amount of earth forms around the fleeing guard’s foot tripping him.

  Oenopain sprints toward the remaining erevno as he charges up his cannon and breaks the concrete holding him. He notices Oenopain getting closer and quickly points his cannon. Chakra fires out leaving Oenopain with just enough time to shield himself with his forearms. The blast makes contact and sends him flying backwards; the guard scrambles back to his feet and flees.

  Oenopain stands his forearms red and smoking from the damage.“Son of a bitch.” Oenopain frustrated. Without hesitation he composes a Soten pointing his fingers out like a gun; one arm at the guard one at the device. “You wanna play that way.” Oenopain with a smirk sends a blast of kinetic energy from each hand one penetrating the armor at the back of the erevno’s head exploding his skull; the other blast destroys the device. Oenopain briefly looks at his wounds then quickly returns to Thromb.

  Thromb is still with the men as they finally break the door down, and they begin grabbing crates of Amnekian credits. They all start running across the street towards another alley. As the last few make their way into the alley Oenopain drops down; “Everyone done fucking around?” Oenopain remarks his arms charred and bloodied. Thromb takes notes of his wounds, but knows they must move quickly.

  “Now.” Thromb commands, and both him and Oenopain compose a Soten. The earth forms up around each of the men, then collapses back down bringing the men and their payload with it.

  Chapter 18

  At the heart of the unclaimed lands of Prodessi Asta and the old man are training. In a desert terrain where jagged mountains haphazardly jut out from the ground. Disconnected from one another creating narrow paths between giant vertical peaks. Asta and the old man stand at a cross section looking at a large thick cliff the size of a six story building.

  The old man with his hands in front of him. His left hand’s index and middle finger extended and his other hand grips them. Using this Soten he evaluates Asta’s chakra. “Yes, all of your chakra has been expended all that is left is that of you victim’s.” The old man declares letting her know they can begin their test.

  “Why is this chakra different from my other chakra?” Asta still doesn’t completely understand.

  “Your victim’s blood exposed to conscious energy creates chakra. But, you shouldn’t be able to fully control this chakra as it isn’t born of your corporeal form: the one your consciousness is linked to.” The old man explains.

  “That is why most vampires cannot use Soten? Why am I able to create chakra, and other vampires cannot?” Asta thirsty for more information.

  “We must hurry and conduct our test before your body creates more chakra again.” The old man insists. Asta begrudgingly accepts.

  Asta composes a stone then reaches her arms out her forearms clench as she does the air feels denser. For a moment it seems as if nothing is happening until finally a deep crack echoes through the cliffs. A break is making its way around the base of the large cliff infront of them. Asta’s face clenching as she exhausts the extent of her energy.

  The crack juts through making its way around the rest of the cliff’s base dust and debris kicked up and spits out from the newly formed cracks. Asta roars out as she begins walking forward as she does the enormous cliff moves in the opposite direction slowly crushing anything it its’ way with ease; a tree is bent over and as the cliff moves further it snaps and breaks underneath it.

  The hovering giant smashes into another huge cliff both breaking apart and huge pieces come crashing down the sound thunders out. Asta drops to her knees exhausted as the cliff falls to the earth. No longer suspended by Asta’s Soten.

  Asta breathing heavy from the exertion of her chakra. “What does this tell us?” Asta questions.

  The old man eyes widened staring at the wreckage. Not from the power displayed, but rather from the results of their test. “The implications are staggering.” The old man murmors still shocked.

  “Is any of this going to help me.” Asta getting to her feet dusting herself off.

  “If you can use your victim’s chakra for Soten that means your power could be near limitless, and give you access to any Ekten!” The old man professes.

  “How would I learn the Ekten though?” Asta inquires.

  “In times past hand signs were a way of teaching and relating concepts. Hand signs have a more visceral relation to one’s self, and allow a greater range of relation to another. So, while one can take these formulas and weave and intertwine them. It was not their intent; they should be used to highlight an understanding or perspective.” The old man enthusiastically explains.

  “How old are you exactly?” Asta while listening intently was slightly distracted by the old man’s knowledge of times long gone. As his past has remained a mystery to her.

  “Use this information to look past the handsigns and focus on what they mean.” The old man ignoring Asta’s question.

  Asta ready to push further for an answer. Until a deep throaty howl runs through the canyons. The howl is unmistakably from a krishunder; the aggression within it is unlike any other. They both turn their heads towards the source. The commotion distracts Asta from her inquiry.

  The old man jumps up to the cliffs. He leaps from side to side. Grabbing at cracks and launching himself further ; Asta follows. As they move through the canyon until they reach a clearing and see a horde of Krishunder viciously fighting over a killed heard of Ngombe.

  Krishunder are humanoid creatures with a furless jackal's head; their body absent any fat. Muscle is developed and honed from the intense surge of chakra through their bodies. The creatures appear and behave rabid.

  They fight amongst themselves as they swarm their kill. Razor claws and fangs tearing through their prey and each other. Unlike normal animals, their wounds and injuries do not abate their ferocity; there is no alpha as there is no quit in any of these creatures.

  “I have never seen more than two Krishunder together before.” Asta staring in amazement at the large grouping of Krishunder.

  “They are not unlike your kind.” The old man referring to vampires.

  “How so” Asta addressing the old man confused by the notion.

  “Where you have bound your consciousness to your corporeal form, they have welded it. Death is your consciousness- unbound by the vessel of your corporeal form- scattering and expanding. Vampirism is binding your consciousness to your corporeal form creating a much stronger connection: meaning chakra levels that would normally cause your consciousness to give way to entropy do not. Think of the Krishunder as an extreme example of that.”

  Asta suddenly very suspicious of the old man and his knowledge. She questions all she has shared with him. Why is he helping her? “Who are you; how do you know all this?” Asta insists.

  “Child I am not sure you are ready.” The old man responds. His use of the word ‘child’ snaps Asta back to when the clerics killed Drekavak. This brings her to the conclusion that this must be some ruse; her deep hatred for clerics and Thatos blocking her from a rational course of action.

  “You’re Thatos’ bitch!” Asta says speeding over striking at the old man with blinding speed. The old man manages to dodge her attacks. With just a blur of color the old man continues to dodge her attacks.

  “You must calm yourself; you have miss calculate
d.” The old man attempts to convince her. But, her memories of Drekavak’s abduction fuel her anger to a blaze. The old man realizing this; weaves a Soten.

  Asta pauses her assault and uses the energy shield Soten she has learned. Forcing a portion of the remaining foreign chakra in her system outward; to protect against whatever the old man is planning.

  Suddenly the old man disappears unlike any teleportation she has seen. She is reminded of the time back near Qilong city where he used an illusion. She chants an advanced mental magic spell used to purge the mind of any illusion. Once the spell takes hold she spots the old man again.

  Before she can react all of her surroundings go black a deep cold feeling runs through her. “Your…” The old man begins, but Asta falls unconscious before he finishes.

  At the capital of Thoraza. Where Daeva is being held in a private prison; constructed in one of Azreil’s mansions. Ruvaen is preparing for the meeting with the clans, but decides to take a detour. He moves through a long nondescript concrete hallway with a member of the Mystico black ops.

  “We are unable to break Daeva’s mind.” The opsmen tells Ruvaen. Most forms of mental magic, commonly referred to as dark magic, are outlawed by Thatos. However, some is lawfully taught, mostly defensive in nature. Protecting one’s mind from outside infiltration.