Unbound

The night moved on. Darkness held fast as the campfire was doused and everyone eventually retired to their beds. Or retired to the perimeter, like the Eidolons, where they stood like sentinels.

Do they sleep? Pit wondered. Does Karys?

The thought hadn’t ever occurred to the tenku before. They all had artificial Bodies, so his guess was no…but he made a mental note to ask the Chancellor of Nagast the next time he could.

“Is she sleeping?” Hallow asked, her multilayered voice echoing slightly. She stood next to him, a four-foot tall creature that looked like a Human roughly cut from stone and exposed Mana crystals. The latter glowed with a blackened-green radiance that seemed dim in the orange glow of the elemental core nearby.

Pit tracked her crystalline gaze to where Evie sat, propped up against an outcropping beside a calmly resting Harn. For once, the man wasn’t sweating and restless, though his hands were still tight on the hilts of his twin axes. Evie’s eyes were closed, her breathing deep and even despite her hunched posture.

“She is. It seems exhaustion has finally claimed her,” Yintarion said, and Pit was surprised to hear a note of sympathy in his Spirit.

“Your Companion was able to eat the Titan’s light from Harn’s legs?” Hallow asked Pit.

Pit lifted a rear leg to scratch at his head. It was so much easier to do when he was in Dire Hound form. “He was. Took a few tries though. Way harder than with Archie.”

Hallow hummed to herself. “I did notice the thief was sleeping soundly. He barely complained at all.”

Yin stroked his small white beard with a clawed hand. “And why hasn’t the Autarch regrown the warrior’s legs with that Unite the Lost Skill of his?”

Pit had wondered that too, so he’d asked. Felix had only shaken his head, clearly saddened by the same thing. “It’s not a healing Skill, bud. It can’t fix our choices for us.”

To the others, Pit merely shrugged. “Doesn’t work.”

“Hm. Yet it can restore ancient temples. My Companion once said it even cured someone afflicted by a Primordial’s flesh curse. Is that right?”

“It did. Felix says it has something to do with choice, being Lost, and a bunch of stuff that I kinda zoned out on.”

“Zoned…out?”

“It means he stopped paying attention,” Hallow explained. “You shouldn’t have. We need to have a complete understanding of our Companions’ Skills.”

The fur along Pit’s neck lifted up. “I am in harmony with my Companion.”

“I didn’t suggest otherwise. Apologies if I came across that way,” Hallow said, though her echoey voice conveyed nothing but a matter-of-fact tone. “I have been working with Beef to get a true grasp on his abilities, and he is moving quickly toward Adept Tier.”

Yintarion stretched out atop his glowing core. It was the brightest point in their camp, even if it had diminished significantly since Pit had seen it last. “I think neither of our Companions have quite the spread as Pit’s. The Autarch has, what, twenty Skills?”

“Something like that.”

“And you have a few yourself. Hard to keep track of all of it.”

Pit shifted. “Some got combined, now. For both of us. Besides, we’re both strong enough to take on anything. Skills or no Skills.”

“Even gods?” Hallow asked.

Pit bounced from one small, russet paw to the other. “Don’t even need Felix for that! I’ll take ‘em on alone.”

Yintarion snorted. “You have grown, young Chimera, but you are not so strong as that.”

“Then you can help!” Pit looked eagerly between the Wyrmling and Humunculus. “Like with the Unbound, we’re all stronger together.”

“Perhaps you are, Pit. You’ve already hit your Second Evolution. And Yintarion is closing in on his First Evolution if that slowly shrinking core is any indication.” Hallow pointed at the glowing, molten ball Yintarion was lounging atop. “While I remain unchanged.”

“Don’t you like,” Pit made a smushing motion with his paws. “Change into armor? For Beef?”

“I do. I’ve worked hard to protect him, but I fear the effectiveness of my hide is wearing thin. I need to Evolve, but I don’t know how.”

“Hm. You are a Homunculus. That is a Type I am not familiar with…but from what you and my Companion has told me, you are composed of the remnant powers of a Primordial, potent stone, and Mana crystals. Yes?”

Hallow’s eyes glowed. “Yes.”

Yintarion ran a claw through his white beard. “In my long years, I have learned a great many things, including how best to advance myself upon an optimal path. For months, I have hunted creatures bearing the requisite amount of Mana, consumed them and condensed their power into my own core. Due to several factors, including the interference of the Titan, my original plan was spoiled…but then fate decided to offer me a new one.” Yin patted the orb, which was several times larger than Hallow. “The gaining of the Superior Elemental’s heart was not planned or expected, but when the Autarch gifted it to me, I pounced upon the chance. It was what I originally needed! But in its last moments, the elemental gave too much of itself to the Autarch. The core is weakened. Not much, but enough that my Evolution will be hindered. I must hunt now for another piece to my puzzle.”

Pit looked between the Wyrmling and the glowing core he sat upon. “Wow. This must be some Evolution. What exactly do you need?”

“There is a powerful creature that roams the Rimefangs. Capturing it was my original plan.”

“So you’ll just eat this monster, then bam: you Evolve?”

“I need to finish this core first, but…yes.”

“I am well and truly envious, Yintarion,” Hallow said, sitting down with a sigh. “But what does that have to do with my composition?”

“Simply this: there is more power within you, Hallow. I can feel it. Those that the System deems monsters must grow ourselves through consumption. Some take in plants, and some devour powerful beasts to expand our cores. To unlock your inner power, I believe you will need the right materials.”

“What materials?”

“I do not know,” Yintarion admitted.

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Pit barked. “Then we’ll find out. Together.”

The next morning found them traversing the steep sides of a mountain. Thankfully, most of the mountain was composed of Tier IV rock, which made it easy for Felix to Stone Shape them into paths and ledges wide enough for even the Eidolons to walk on. Before long, they were down the sharp cliffs and impassable gorges. There the terrain was still extremely steep, but the soil and increasing number of trees provided ample trails to tread.

“Our camp,” Felix said after an hour of silent walking. “Where I woke up. I noticed we were farther down the mountain than before.”

Vess nodded. “You kept mumbling something about…about Avet. I had hoped if we moved from the location of his Shrine, then his influence would lessen.”

“The Shrine wasn’t there anymore,” Archie pointed out, and it didn’t sound like the first time. He had hitched a ride atop one of the Eidolon’s shoulders. “And gettin’ him down that cliff was dangerous. We don’t have your knack with rocks, Felix.”

Evie hopped up and smacked him. “Didn’t hear you comin’ up with anythin’ better.”

“Ow! That hurt!”

“Psh, you’re wearin’ a hat.”

“You’re wearing gauntlets!”

“Get a helmet, then.”

“I appreciate it,” Felix said, ignoring the peanut gallery. He threaded his fingers through Vess’. “Truly.”

She grinned, bearing that dimple in her dark cheeks. “That you are unharmed is thanks enough. I—” Her smile faltered, but her grip tightened on him. “It terrified me, Felix.”

He brushed a lock of her hair back behind an ear. “I’m not going anywhere.”

The sparsely forested slopes thickened and leveled out as snow-packed mountain glades overtook the cliffs. The early spring sun was hot and bright, drawing a sheen of sweat from every single one of them as they trudged onward. That didn’t last long, as soon the interwoven branches cast enough shadow to blunt the morning’s edge.

“Which way are we going?” Archie asked, shading his eyes from atop Telys’ shoulder. “Just…down?”

Vess smiled as she stepped lightly between moss-covered stones. “Yes. Into the valleys between these last minor peaks. From there we should find the Gloaming Way. That will lead us toward Pax’Vrell.”

“Gloaming Way…High Roads. Low Roads. Lotta names for some streets,” Beef said.

Evie shrugged. “Streets are pretty important for logistics and trade.”

Silence met those words, followed by a gravelly chuckle. “You’ve been studyin’,” Harn said.

The ferocious chain warrior blushed through a grin.

Vess traded a glance with Felix, suppressing her own smile. “Evie is correct. Roads are the lifeblood of any Territory. The Gloaming Way is a relic of the ancient kingdom that once dominated this area, one even older than the Nym.”

“And just as Lost,” Tzfell said.

Vess sighed. “Yes. Not even their name is remembered. We will be lucky if a few pebbles still mark the path.”

Archie smirked. “So into the woods, then outta the woods, and home before dark?”

“A fair sight longer than that, but you have the right of it,” Vess agreed. She tapped a book strapped to her belt. “So long as the markers in this book remain, we shall navigate the Way with all due haste.”

“And if they don’t?” Beef asked.

“Then we’ll find our own path,” Felix said. “But for now, we’ll follow Vess’ lead.”

There was little discussion after that. The morning progressed into afternoon as they picked their way down the mountain. The snow coated glades diminished as the air grew increasingly warmer and the ground muddier. Felix took to firming up the ground as they went with Stone Shaping, before reverting it to mud behind them. It went a long way toward speeding up their descent, as well as obscuring their tracks.

All the while, he was thinking.

Pit finally hit his Second Evolution. I need to find out what he can do soon. Felix ducked below a bit of hanging moss. But more than that: I need to improve, too.

If his interaction with Avet had shown him anything, it was that the gods had to be taken down. The Pathless most of all, especially if Felix wanted a chance to save his sister.

First order of business: establish my Tenth Pillar.

He knew the direction he wished to take things, and the Rockshaper’s journal had enlightened him in several ways…but the sudden evolution of Cardinal Flame had thrown him. It had gobbled up several of his other shaping abilities, and since it was one of his Tempered Skills it was not viable to be used as his Tenth Pillar. He’d wanted to make a potent shaping Skill as his Tenth Pillar, and that seemed impossible now.

Still, the process of their combination was lodged firmly in Felix’s memory, and he could make use of that. He recalled the thrum and weave of the moment, how it felt as all those Skills became one.

Astrum Ascendence.

A small stream of Mana and Essence poured from his palm before manifesting as a multihued flame around his outstretched hand. Like a ribbon, it danced between his fingers and palm. “Let’s see what you can do.”

As the others walked, Felix pressed his new Skill into new shapes and designs. Spears, blades, and small hovering walls composed of heat and flame and light all intertwined. They were pretty good, cutting easily through low Tier stone and trees…but there was a certainty in his Mind that they wouldn’t be as effective against a monster. Not without a lot more Mana and Essence added, as with the Bethir.

He made the flame colder until it shone purple-blue and deep emerald green. Frost traced the edges of the scales on his palm before fading in the heat of the forest. Felix Willed it outward, splashing against root and rock, leaving bursts of brittle ice. They crunched easily beneath his feet.

“Freaky,” Evie said from one of the trees. “That’s not a normal Skill, is it?”

Felix raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“It sounds weird. Like…all buzzy. What’d’ya call it?” She floundered a bit for the word before snapping her finger. “Dissonance. That thing you and Karys keep talkin’ about.”

“Huh.” Felix stopped walking and let the others overtake him. He looked at the ribbon of flame in his hand. It wasn’t an epiphany or a stroke of genius, but Evie’s words jogged something loose in his head.

He bent his attention inward.

He listened.

It was there, an atonal buzzing that Felix recognized as Dissonance. It sang from the pattern of Astrum Ascendence, but it was layered beneath strains of Harmony. The Rockshaper said Dissonance was interfering in his upgraded shaping Skill. It “fouled” it, because the Dissonance was intruding on the normal pattern.

He could feel that, where the Skill’s song seemed to hitch wherever the strains of Dissonance intersected the pattern. The difference between Felix and the Rockshaper, however, was that he was very much used to Dissonance. It was spat out by the intersection of his two cores as they ground against one another, answered only by the Harmony that swelled everywhere else. On a very fundamental level, the two sounds clashed constantly, until it had become almost a white noise in the background of his core space. They were like oil and water; they didn’t mix.

But what if they could?

That would solve the issues with interference, and perhaps even push him toward a unified shaping Skill. The problem, of course, was that Felix hadn’t the first idea how to do that.

Felix?

Yeah, Pit?

A small red puppy popped out of the underbrush. “Why is the ground doing that?”

What? He’d been maintaining his Stone Shaping Skill to dry out their path. Down near Pit’s paws, where the path was supposed to return to mud, it had instead turned to a vibrantly purple-green crystal. “Did I do this?”

“It wasn’t there before. Look.”

Behind them, for a stretch of perhaps fifty feet, the ground had solidified into an uneven trail of crystal. Where it turned to mud again, Felix spotted charred branches where he’d begun testing his Astrum Ascendence.

He spun, looking toward the retreating backs of his friends. The dry ground bubbled and settled, congealing into crystal the moment they stepped away. He cut off Astrum Ascendence, keeping Stone Shaping active, and the dried dirt turned back into mud as before.

Astrum Ascendence!

He listened again, but this time not to the flame Skill, but to Stone Shaping. The moment he activated his new Skill, the other thrummed like a struck guitar. The sound of its pattern gained a new depth. It changed.

“Holy crap.” Astrum Ascendence wasn’t an offensive Skill. It was an enhancement Skill.

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