Septem stands above me. His helmet retracts to reveal his face, emotionless but clearly unsure of what to do next. His gaze turns to the sky and I see it. The Roil. A dark cloud of Nanites billows over the mountains and approaches us. A few minutes away at most.
There’s indecisiveness in Septem’s green eyes. He wants to pursue Remus to the others. But he’s also aware of the Roil on his heels. I feel cold as I watch the man I loathe, helpless in the proverbial shadow.
My vision fades. In the coldness that takes me, there’s one warmth that comforts me. I think of Sarina. For the first time in a long while, my mind is at peace.
Chapter 44: Sarina
At Our Parting
“LET’S GET THESE THINGS STARTED!” I call out as we finish packing the rest of our equipment into the repulsorcart.
The garage is a crude thing, not even completely walled in. We reached the bikes after a few minutes, but it’s taken some time to load everything. Vyck and Devin work quickly to prep the bikes while Abrax tends to Vivían. She’s still unconscious, but stable.
Aida and I hook up the cart to the back of a bike as Devin preps all of the engines. Anxiety builds within me. Amidst the screams and explosions, the faint hiss of the Roil can be heard in the distance. I reckon it’s perhaps five minutes away from engulfing the canyon. My heart pounds in my chest, and I can feel my body starting to stress.
There’s been no sign of Remus and Tálir, and I’m starting to fear for the worst. They should be here by now.
“Come on!” Vyck says in a hurried voice. “Everyone get on a bike. We need to get out of here!”
We push the hovering bikes out of the garage and into the open space. We’re at the edge of the village, and we have a clear shot to flee through the winding paths of the canyon.
Propping Vivían in front of him on the bike, Vyck situates himself and revs the engine. The hissing grows louder, and I glance over my shoulder to see the Nanite storm creeping over the mountain. The Roil has arrived.
“What about Tálir and Remus?” I ask, my voice noting trepidation. “They should be here by now!”
“We’re leaving them a bike!” Devin says desperately. “That’s all we can do now. Come on, Sarina. Hop on.”
I hesitate for a moment. A noise rouses me. I turn to look again and see the Remnant transport taking off and fleeing towards the western part of the canyon—away from the Roil. After a moment, it’s gone. They chose to flee rather than pursue us.
For some strange reason, I feel an ominous sense of dread at seeing the transport flee. But I don’t have time to dwell on it, and I turn my attention back to the group. I prepare to clamber unto Devin’s bike.
“Aida—” someone calls weakly from behind us.
Everyone turns suddenly to see Remus limping from within the village—his hand pressed against his armored stomach. I feel a wave of horror as I see the puncture mark of a sword—blood seeps from under his hand. Aida immediately rushes towards him, taking his arm over her shoulder as he almost collapses. Something portentous is in Remus’ eyes. It’s a look of surrender.
“Where’s Tálir?” I ask desperately, nearly running towards him.
He gives me a defeated glance. “Don’t— Know—” Remus sputters weakly. “Septem— Beat— Him—”
I feel a mixture of emotions upon hearing that news. Apprehension, anger, and confusion swirl within me like a typhoon. My eyes sting and I fight back the tears. No! He can’t be dead! But deep in my heart, I know something terrible has happened. Tálir would’ve been here along with Remus. Septem defeated him. And Remus fled.
“Why did you leave him?!” I nearly scream. Aida makes a calming gesture to me.
“He— Told— Me—” Remus replies weakly. His breaths are ragged. “Told— Me— To—”
I bite my lip bitterly. You noble idiot, Tálir! He’d chosen to sacrifice himself to let Remus see Aida one last time. I admire and hate him at the same time. Hollowness eats at me. The morning sun has been entirely eclipsed by the Roil, and the world takes a shade of gray.
“Remus,” Aida says weakly, her eyes glinting with tears. “You’ll be alright. We just need to get you to shelter and we can—”
“No—” he coughs; traces of blood can be seen in his mouth. “I’m— Done—”
“Don’t talk like that,” Aida says, her voice cracking. “I can stop the bleeding.”
“No— Time—” he mutters as his legs give way and Aida lowers him to a kneeling position. “Roil— Too— Fast—”
Devin gets off the bike and starts to move towards him. “Shut up, you damn fool. You’re coming with us.”
Remus’ bloody left hand generates a faint cackle of energy, stopping Devin mid-stride. The wind is starting to pick up, causing the makeshift tents to flap. The Roil has completely swallowed the mountain as it starts to seep into the canyon. I estimate we have a minute before it’s upon us.
At its current speed, I don’t think we can outrun it. My body tenses with apprehension. Unless there’s a way to slow the Roil.
“I— Cover— Escape—” Remus strains to say. A grimace forms on his pale face. “Can— Hold— Off— Roil —”
“Remus, please!” Aida pleads, putting her hand to his bearded face. “Don’t do this, I can still save you!”
Remus gives her a genuine smile, and I can see tears welling in his eyes. “You— Already— Did—”
I feel my heart sink in my chest, and I can detect everyone else’s sense of dread. Time seems to slow as Remus gazes at Aida, as if trying to memorize her face. He then presses his forehead to hers and closes his eyes, his matted black hair falling into both their faces.
It’s hard to hold back the welling emotion watching Remus say a farewell to the woman he loves. Upon seeing Aida cry as he kisses her, I can’t hold my tears any further. They run down my cheeks as someone approaches me from behind. Devin’s hand gently grips my shoulder. I look at him, and his expression is sincere. From the corner of my eye, I see Vyck bow his head.
There’s emptiness in my heart. Tálir is gone, and now Remus is spelling his own death. Our world seems so dark at this moment. Like all hope has been sapped away. The man I care about is gone, and another one prepares to take those steps.
“We’ll— Meet— Again—” Remus says quietly, opening his eyes. “Aida—”
Aida says nothing, but she cups his bearded face in her hands and kisses him one last time.
“You have the true heart of a Maven Knight, lad,” Abrax says as strongly as he can. “You are more worthy of that title than most.”
Remus looks at the old man with an honored glance before nodding with respect. His eyes find mine, and a story can be summarized by the look he gives. A look of warning, respect, and a deep remorse. Remus’ eyes tell me how sorry he is about Tálir’s choice.
Before I can respond, Remus stands up and starts to back away from us. A look of calm determination is etched on his face, and he removes the kryos from each gauntlet. The marble-sized crystals shine faintly in the shade of the storm. He holds a kryo in each hand as he turns towards the incoming Roil.
“Go—” he grunts, looking over his shoulder. “GO!”
Aida gives one last look at him before turning to flee as the rest of us follow suite. We all board the repulsorbikes as the engines whine. I board Devin’s bike and tuck Silverlight into my belt. Sand kicks up underneath the vehicles as they take off. As the bikes speed away from the village, I look over my shoulder and see a heroic sight.
Remus smacks his palms together, seemingly crushing the kryos and unleashing a massive flash of emerald light. He’s using them without the conduits! I can see every inch of armor glow the same shade as the magic stones. Sage bolts of electricity erupt from the suit, arcing into the air and striking the ground. He looks almost like an ethereal being; the glowing deity in the darkness. As if the Sage God himself stands to protect us.
There’s a loud bang, and a wall of energy erupts in front of him as he splays h
is arms. The wall stretches to barricade the entire width of the canyon and raises high into the air. The sage energy is almost the size of a tower in Z’hart City. It’s a magnificent sight.
As the Roil slams into the energy barrier… it holds, miraculously. The bikes gain nearly a kilometer before I see it start to falter. Even at our distance, the canyon echoes everything. There is a prolonged yell, an electrical hiss, and then the thunder of an explosion. Emerald fire subsumes Remus, and he vanishes.
Chapter 45: Sarina
Light in the Darkness
STILLNESS IS IN THE AIR despite the wind blowing into my face. Everything seems quiet—I can barely hear the whine of the bike’s engines. No one speaks. I can feel the hollowness return to my chest, but it’s no longer spurred by guilt or regret. It’s filled with sadness.
I’m on the rear of the repulsorbike as Devin currently steers the vehicle through the canyon. He says nothing; his focus is on guiding the bike through the veering paths. I look back and see the blistering cloud of emerald energy form into a mushroom. Expanding over the canyon walls, the fire looks like it’s expanding as a flower blooms in spring. A howl echoes through the canyon. It gradually dissipates as the Nanite swarm blows through it. And although the Roil is pursuing us, Remus’ sacrifice delayed it long enough for us to escape its reach.
The morning sun climbs into the cloudless blue sky, untouched by the Roil, as we exit the crags. The maroon stone blends seamlessly with the blazing light from the sun. As if it’s upon a canvass, the crags smear into the blue skyline like acrylic paints.
We’re safe from the storm, the Crimsons, and the Remnant because of Remus. Although I feel immense gratitude, I also feel the emptiness of loss. He gave his life to save us. To save Aida. I can still feel the tears in my eyes, and they continue to run down my cheeks. The wind blows them away.
As the emerald fireball vanishes and the Roil grows distant, I reflect on the cost of our journey.
Vivían’s torture, Abrax’s wounds, Tálir and Remus’ sacrifice… I realize that none of us will make it through without loss, without hardship. We are mortal individuals after all, and there can be no success without hardship. They have all taught me that throughout this journey. I can feel their pain and their loss, for they are more than just friends.
Our struggles are shared. Our successes are shared. And our destinies are shared. In my mind, that makes us stronger than friends. It makes us family. I never would’ve thought it possible, forming such bonds with people I’ve known for a short time. But life changing experiences let people grow together, not just individually.
I should’ve realized this long ago, when I chose to fight my battles on my own. They share that battle with me, just as I share theirs. In this moment of darkness, when all hope seems lost, they are the light. To defeat that darkness, I must cling to the light no matter what.
In the midst of the emptiness, I feel a sudden surge of determination. I won’t abandon hope. The hope that we can bring Septem, Centum, and the entire damned Remnant to justice for the pain they’ve caused. Not just for us, but for the world.
But for now, we must flee to safety from the Roil, regroup, and recover. Traumas will need to be healed, and wounds will be mended. But then we will fight back. We’ll fight back with the ferocity of a pride of lions—a pack of wolves. I will lead the others to defeat Centum, find Providence, and save this world. We won’t cower next time.
The bikes finally break through the crags and we enter an expansive valley within the Marün Canyons. Opening my palm slightly, I glance at the parting gift Tálir gave to me.
A single kryo shard. His legacy passed to me.
I close my eyes as tears streak down my cheeks. My palm closes tightly around the kryo and I bring it to my mouth—kissing it as a type of promise.
The quest for Providence is still present in my mind. As it is in everyone else’s. But I suspect that our journey there has just begun. We will have to battle the Remnant harder and more frequently in the future to come. Alliances will need to be made if we’re to fight them, and all of us will need to grow as the journey continues. But a spark of faith ignites within me.
So, I make a solemn promise. Rescue Sahari and all of Z’hart. Defend my friends. Defeat the Remnant. Save those who need me. Save the world. Protect as a Maven Knight would do.
END BOOK 1
Index
The Arc: the common religion worshiped by the three nations. Belief revolves around the benevolent and life giving Sage God and avoiding punishment in the various eternal Hells.
Asi: a massive country of land exclusively inhabited by Outlanders thousands of kilometers east of the three nations.
Avah: meaning “hunter” in Outspeak.
Avah'kal: meaning “hunting dog” in Outspeak.
Bim: meaning “leave” in Outspeak.
Blaze: Form IV of the kryo magic system. Output must be 75% to 100% for this Form. Blaze is the first lethal kryo Form and appears as a bright flash followed by a large burst of energy. It cannot be blocked by any other Form.
Centum (title): the Maven title that means “First Master” and is bestowed upon the leader of the Remnant Order.
Confit: meaning “harm” in Outspeak.
The Crimson Cross: a clan of Outlanders who worship the religion of the Way of the Cross. Cannibals and pyromaniacs, the Crimsons are a brutal and aggressive clan who venture into the three nations.
Cycle: the name for a hundred year timespan after the Ending.
Det: meaning “prison” in Outspeak.
Deta: meaning “prisoner” in Outspeak.
Discus: Form III of the kryo magic system. 50% to 75% output for this. Discus can only be deflected by Stream and other Discuses. This kryo form cannot be shattered or destroyed once thrown, it must hit or dissipate.
The Domain: the universal governance of the Old World. Made up of hundreds of different races, cultures, and religions, the Domain thrived for centuries. The Maven Knights were born of this governance as their marshals of order.
The Ending: a worldwide catastrophe that ruined all civilization and nearly exterminated humanity. A sizeable population survived and started to rebuild the New World in the Cycles after the Ending.
Erron’s Ville: a small town in the middle of the Pyrack desert. Serving as a salvage market and a supply stop for convoys, this simple town is the home of Tálir.
First Rule: the kryo gem has a finite amount of energy.
Frítolö (Free-toh-lo): an Insurgent code word that means “brother”. This is issued along with a hand gesture to symbolize Insurgent solidarity.
Hara: meaning “in order to” in Outspeak.
Imperials: the royal military guild within the nation of Z’hart. Garbed in silver armor and violet capes, these soldiers police the nation and answer only to the ruler of Z’hart.
Insurgents: a band of underworld rebels based in Z’hart City who were spawned to fight against corruption. Spreading to all nations, their overall goal is to stop the corruption of the Remnant.
Iri: meaning “man” in Outspeak.
Iri’tah: meaning “man of Cross” in Outspeak.
Ita: meaning “woman” in Outspeak.
Kompi: meaning “to complete” or “to finish” in Outspeak.
Kryo (Cry-oh): the Maven title for the magic gems that power their armor and weapons. A finite source of magic, the gems grow from mounds in the earth. They also come in different colors and power capabilities.
Ky: meaning “dog” in Outspeak.
Kysh: meaning “fresh” in Outspeak.
Leir’tah (title): the Crimson title that means “Shepherd of the Cross”.
Li: meaning “take” in Outspeak.
The Marün Canyons: an expansive range of interconnecting canyons and valleys in the far eastern Outlands. The new home of the roaming Crimson Cross clan.
Maven Knight (May-ven): the legendary marshals of the Domain and masters of the kryo magic. Despite nearly being wiped out a mil
lennium ago, their technology, powers, and culture have survived in the form of the Remnant.
Me’a: meaning “meat” in Outspeak.
Na: meaning “no” in Outspeak.
The Night Sea: a large body of water in the Outlands near the Marün Canyons. Polluted and full of bio luminescent algae, the Night Sea is a wondrous landmark but lethal to humans.
Numeron: an ancient dialect referring to one’s title in the Maven Order. This is used when giving titles to various “masters” in Maven culture.
Ones of Aster: a sub-sect of Maven Knights who seek to bring chaos and destruction to Pan'gea.
O’rah: meaning “to the” in Outspeak.
O’ran (Oh-rahn): one of the three nations located in the far north of Pan’gea. Known for their abundance of crops and fruit. O’ran and Z’hart are in the midst of a tense trade war since heavy tariffs were imposed both on ore and crops.
Oreing: the economic standard coin of Pan’gea.
Outspeak: the common language of the Outlanders.
Pan’gea: the massive continent of the New World that is home to the three nations and the land of Asi.
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