Chapter: 531 – How it Might End

Tala was panicking—internally at the very least—even as she tried to keep herself calm enough to think. As her thoughts were most of the problem, it wasn’t working very well.

Lyn’s eyes had widened, having likely recognized Meallain from the few of Tala’s memories that she’d seen. Well, she’d also probably pulled up a picture of the woman—and all notable members of the House of Blood whom Tala had seen—while they were flying their way home.

Rane stood, resolve painting his features, even as he tried to figure out their next course of action. “Do we put on all possible speed? And hang the consequences to Reality?”

On the display, almost as if in response to Rane’s question—though that was actually impossible—Meallain crouched and launched herself after the flier.

Tala’s voidsight showed the ripples that the woman was making in existence by her passage. She was absolutely brimming with power, and Reality did not like how fast she was moving through it.

The magical resonance was quite literally insane.

Tala’s eyes widened. “She doesn’t care if she calls every magical creature in the region. No wonder she was able to catch up to us…”

Alat’s voice rang out, “-At our best speed—assuming we don’t rip a hole in reality and die in some unspeakable manner—she would catch us before we were halfway to Alefast.-”

Lyn grimaced. “We should have gone faster, but that option is gone now. With perfect hindsight, it would have been worth a bit of abrasion on Reality to now be behind Alefast’s walls.”

Tala shook her head. “No, we don’t know that doing that would have turned out better. If she could see we were fleeing fast, she might have put on this much speed sooner.” She barked a nervous laugh. “I suppose that, for all we know, she’s been going this fast since she said she was coming. That would make you correct, but we have no way of knowing even now. We made the best choice we could at the time.” She hesitated. “If she has been going almost this fast for the whole time… The fallout from that level of resonance is going to catch up soon, and I… I don’t know what it will actually look like.”

Rane grunted, twisting back and forth once to pop his back. “Well, that will come regardless. The current problem is an elf bearing down on us, and for that problem, we have a solution. I’ll go to meet her. Set the flier down a bit away from me. It seems like she and I need to have a talk.”

Tala stood to her feet beside him before kissing him. She was nervous, but they’d used much of the flight time discussing how they’d handle situations like this one if they were caught by whoever was pursuing them. “Rane, be careful.”

He huffed a laugh. “I remember her from your memories, Tala. I won’t underestimate her.”

She noticed that he hadn’t promised to be careful.

-I’ve notified Master Grediv of the changing situation… He said that Master Xeel is engaged with another arcane on the western side of the cycling cities. He can’t get away.-

Lyn hmmed. “I think we should bring the Talons in on this. She is a threat to Ironhold, and this is one reason they exist at all, aside from sating your curiosity.”

Tala bit the side of her lip and grimaced. “She’d go through them like an alchemist through reagents.”

“Really? If they truly would just die before her, I won’t say anything more, but remember, they have your magical density and they’ve been trained and outfitted to a reasonable degree, even if neither is as much as we would like. Again, their magical density is higher than even Rane’s, Tala. They are becoming better fighters, and they’ve had weeks now to train with their new capacities since you advanced to Paragon. I think they will surprise you, and if they can surprise you?” A half smile came to her lips. “They might just do the same to Meallain.”

Finally, Tala grunted. “Fine. Let me know when Ron is ready and have the rest of the Talons gear up and form up, defensive focus. They can use the gear that Master Simon has been gushing over.”

That caused Lyn’s eyebrows to rise. “Are you sure? They’ve been training with it, but it’s still not battle tested.”

“There is no time like the present. If we’re going to do this, we’ll do it properly. I won’t deny them gear that could keep them alive.”

Lyn gave a hesitant nod, sending messages. “He’ll be ready in less than two minutes.”

That’s fast, but I suppose they were all notified of what was going on when we began fleeing north…

Alat made a surprised sound, drawing Tala’s focus. -Master Grediv said that our defender unit is almost to us. They were informed of our plight, and set out to meet us as soon as they were able to gather their gear. A few others are with them too. I have the list, and I’ll let you know when those specifics matter.-

But… they’re Refined, maybe with a few Paragons if we’re lucky? Tala was torn. The unit were skilled fighters and anyone who came with them would be as well, but she and Rane were now more advanced than them—at least than their unit—and she and her husband were outclassed by Meallain. She didn’t want Masters Clevnis, Girt, and Limmestare, nor Mistresses Cerna and Vanga to be harmed because she and Rane were in need.

-They are being informed of the situation. They’ll make their own choices. They know you two are Paragons now. They won’t come in blind or ignorant.-

Tala almost laughed. Their defensive unit would, ironically, be less powerful than the Talons, if far more versatile and experienced. …Alright. How far out are they?

-Less than an hour.-

How much less?

-I don’t know. They aren’t updating their location constantly. I’ll let you know as soon as I have a better estimate.-

Thank you.

“Terry!” Tala called.

A moment later, Terry appeared on her shoulder, seemingly already sensing the atmosphere.

Rane grinned at Terry. “Will you be ready to back me up?”

Terry trilled, then held up one foot, flashing the talons, seemingly already mostly informed by Alat.

Rane laughed. “Yes, you and the Talons.”

Terry chirped in a way that seemed to convey both happiness and determination.

Rane manifested his bone golem armor—the soulbond that he used least often—and stepped over to Tala once more. “I love you, my wife.”

She stood, going up on her tip-toes to kiss him. “I love you, my Rane.”

With a wry smile, he kissed her back, then willed himself to the superficial, appearing on the highest hilltop in the surrounding area.

Alat guided the flier to touch down behind the next hill further toward Alefast, Waning.

Meallain slowed her reckless charge as soon as Rane appeared, but she didn’t stop by any means. She even kept creating magical resonance, moving fast enough to stay ahead of her own building wave of dissonant power.

Still, instead of reaching Rane in moments, it looked like it would take her nearly twenty minutes to cover the distance.

That was still insanely fast, and the whole region was still filling with overlapping, building magical resonance of a power level Tala had never experienced.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Most of those of the upper levels of power know better. Meallain knew better too, she just seemed like she didn’t care.

Alat was still giving a view of Meallain and Rane on the large display, and to Tala’s surprise, she could see a manic edge to the elf woman even across the great distance that separated them.

She looked a bit gaunt, as if she hadn’t been eating enough of late. She also had clearly visible, dark circles under her eyes.

“What’s going on with her?” Tala spoke quietly, but not so quietly that Lyn didn’t hear.

Lyn glanced toward Tala. “She wasn’t always that… manic?”

“No. She was usually incredibly put together, professional and driven.”

“Well… she definitely seems driven now.”

Ron indicated his readiness through Lyn a moment later, and Tala willed him to the sanctum, only touching him to the superficial for an instant in between to allow for the journey.

Tala was momentarily startled, seeing his gear with her own eyes for the first time.

It was familiar as she’d not only approved the plans but seen it within Kit for days, but it was still something to actually see in person.

He was in what would likely be called half-plate… Tala thought… She never really paid too much attention to specific armor names.

Regardless, he wasn’t in full plate. Instead he had plates of white steel—inset with iron mesh—affixed over the most vulnerable parts of his body.

A rounded helm was tucked under his arm. The face guard looked to only cover the jawline with the same white steel and iron, but Tala’s threefold perception picked up material shrouding the whole face.

Yet another use for the refined elemental fleece.