Chapter 27

I wanted to wait in Toukal for the verdict from the Guardians as to if, and how they could help us. But extending our Sphere over Falritas was just too important to hang about on if it was possible. Once Life and Devotion activated their Spheres and added them to mine, we would be able to add Sania’s to the mix. I just hoped that would be enough to cover the planet.

With that on my mind and having no idea how long the Guardians would need, we headed back to Far Reach and I called Devotion, Peace, and Joel to the temple.

They arrived with a mixture of expressions ranging from concerned to intrigued in Joel’s case.

“Listen up! I have a lot to tell you, but that can wait. All you need to know right now is that we’re expanding the Sphere.”

“Now?” Joel asked with surprise.

“Right now. Make it happen. I’m going to create a Channel to Nuinaer to tap into the Dark Neuma down there. Sania, Get ready to add your temple to the mix when the Sphere expands. Let’s get Falritas safe.

Once they were all off about their tasks I summoned a solid bar of Dark Neuma from my core, plunged it into the ground at an angle, striking directly for the heart of Nuinaer and Darknesses old temple.

It took seconds to reach my target and then altered the structure of the power to draw Dark Neuma through. I took the neuma into myself first, reveling in the temporary increase in my own power. It would disappear once I stopped the action as my core would only hold a certain amount, but I’d achieved what I wanted. A steady flow of Dark.

I eyed the power torrenting from the altar in all manner of different ways, and searched out the power strands responsible for the Sphere. It was easy enough to find as it was the thickest band of power, and it was also in the process of adapting. It didn’t take a genius to work out it was responding to the addition of the Life and Devotion’s Spheres.

In the end, it was easy enough to attach the Dark Channel to the construct and the Altar controlled the flow from there, taking what it needed to balance the powers out in the Sphere.

It was still abundantly obvious that we were lacking Void Neuma. Worse still, we hadn’t covered the planet as I’d hoped.

“Mother fucker!”  I growled to no one in particular. That meant no space Sphere, which meant I’d have to create a channel of void Neuma and risk Hakan finding it.

A risk I’d have to take, and trust that Kai knew what she was talking about.

“Clive!” Joel said, pulling me from my planning.

“Yeah mate?”

“Something’s wrong with the Sphere mate.”

“I know. It didn’t cover the whole planet.”

“No. Worse than that,” he huffed marching over to the altar. As he did so, Destruction, Life, Peace, and Devotion returned, along with Danivra and Natom. He ignored their arrival to continue.

“It’s not a sphere anymore. It’s being blocked from expanding south and west by Vemerak and Holse.”

I checked what he was talking about with Spirit Sight and saw the problem as clear as day. We had all of Delosha, Kalabri and Akomoka covered comfortably, but where the Sphere hit the lands of our enemies the Sphere was stopped. Only a bulge into the North of Elvia could be seen, and by my estimation, that fell way short of where it should have.

“Shite! I get Vemerak, because War is still at large, and he’s linked to Hakan. But how Holse? Light’s fucked. I broke the bonds from her to her people and she’s in my storage.”

“They were bonded to Hakan through her. Perhaps those bonds transferred over to him,” Life suggested.

“Something to check. If that is the case then we need to cut those bonds. I can’t have him having such a presence down here.”

I cast out my Spirit Sense again over Holse and attempted to check on the people. I was halted from my inspection a few thousand feet above the land. Some unseen barrier. It wasn’t a Sphere, but Hakan had definitely done something to prevent me from looking inside. “Dirty bastard,” I growled under my breath then refocused on my friends. “I can’t see into Holse properly. Hakan has some kind of barrier.”

Joel cleared his throat to speak. “It’s a shit show for sure and one that needs sorting. But from what I can tell, even if you were able to clear them and the Sphere expands to it’s true size, it’s not going to be enough. We need to make sure that when you do open Holse up, we’re strong enough to cover the planet.”

“We do. Has Sania join her Sphere yet?”

He shook his head. “She’s working on it, but it won’t help. Her Sphere is tiny, mate. We need the likes of Danivra, and Natom to get their Spheres. Like, now.”
I slammed my hand down on the altar in frustration and an unintended tremor ran through the whole building. The temple was unharmed, but my friends looked worried.

“Sorry everyone. I never meant for that to happen. I’m just frustrated.” I looked back at Joel. “They can’t make Spheres yet. They’re all stuck behind their Immortal Shell development, because I removed the Follower stage. Which means we’re looking at around 160 days before they can create a Sphere. So either I reinstate the Follower stages, or they reach Level 1000.”

“How much does it matter?” Destruction asked, clapping her hands together to get our attention. “You could put a Distortion Field around us, or we can remove them from their land and destroy their temples. As long as the Sphere covers all of the land mass on Falritas that will be enough until the others reach an adequate level.”

“It’s gonna be too risky sending out armies. If Hakan comes, then they’ll be wiped out in a heartbeat, which means we’ll have to do it ourselves. Hopefully the Guardians can provide some support. We’ve just found out the Distortion Field isn’t infallible, it makes us blind as well, which I can’t risk. I don’t think we have much choice but to go after Holse and Vemerak.”

“There is one option that hasn’t been discussed,” came the quiet voice of Devotion.

“There is?”

“Yes. You won’t like it, but I’m fairly certain it would solve two of our major problems instantly.”

“It can’t be that bad. Hit me with it. I can be pretty amenable to most things if it means we can protect ourselves..”

Devotion drew a deep breath to prepare herself for whatever she was about to say. That had me really worried.

“Light is willing to take a bond with you and fight with us.”

“Not a fucking chance,” I replied quickfire.

Devotion held up her hands to fend off my reaction. “Clive, I don’t like her either. But you Soul Bond her it would tie her to us and most likely give us both Holse and the Sphere around the planet. Will you at least think about it?”

I nodded. “I will.”

She seemed surprised by my response. They all did, and my words apparently prompted Peace to agree with Devotion.

“It certainly would help as long as you could control her. I’d accept nothing less than a Follower bond, or some kind of sworn oath bond.”

“I agree,” Life added softly, her expression was conflicted, and sad, but she seemed resolved. “With all that we have against us, this could really work in our favor.”

“It really could,” I agreed. “It’s the answer to a few of our major problems and after hearing all of your thoughts I’ve made a decision.”

They all looked at me expectantly. “That fucking bitch can fucking rot in there till end of time. Let’s work out a plan to burn down their temples and have the people either swear to me, or be portaled to another planet.”

“And if they do not go through this portal?” Destruction asked curiously.

I frowned at her and kept my reply simple. “I think you can guess.”

Life clutched her chest. I thought she was in pain at first, but the feeling through the bond was of extreme anguish. “This isn’t wise, Clive.”

“Probably not. And I’m really sorry, all of you. But, deep down, in the very it of my core, this is one occasion I really don’t give a fuck what you all think. Nobody should get the amount of chances she’s had, and she’s not being handed a get out of jail free card just because she’s powerful. That’s not a good road.”

“Are you really so certain of yourself?” Life asked again.

“He’s sure,” Danivra said, walking purposefully away from the group. She touched her hand on my shoulder as she passed me, then said loudly enough for everyone to hear. “I’m going to rally my people and we will begin planning our attacks on Vemerak and Holse while you deal with the Guardians Clive.”

I sensed one of her portals open up behind me, and her presence was gone a second later.

“Well that was dramatic,” Destruction said with a smirk. “Come on Natom, we should go get the others and meet up with Danivra. If anyone is destroying Vemerak it will be me.”

I heard Natom grumble something as they left. He was easy enough to ignore.

“I’ll be off too,” Joel said with a thumbs up for me, unaffected by the tension in the room. “I’m not exactly slack for things to do.”

Soon only Life, Peace and Devotion remained. The three who had most reason to hate Light.

“Will you at least listen to what she has to say, Clive… for me?” Devotion pleaded. “If you speak with her and still feel the same way, I will not ask again. But she was once our sister and there are so few of us left after this war.”

“I opened my mouth to refuse, but Devotion’s mention of family caused the words of refusal to die on my lips. It was one thing to be set on a point, it was another thing entirely to refuse any middle ground with the people I was closest to.

“For you, D, I’ll listen. But don’t expect miracles.”

“I know you well enough to expect miracles and to know that honeyed words seldom sway you. So thank you, Clive. This is all I ask.”

As the three of them left, I held to my promise to Devotion and headed straight into the void storage.

I generally tried to avoid looking at Light, but this time, my eyes zeroed in on her frail form. She was looking right back at me.

As I closed the distance, she rasped out words from a dry, tired throat. “Finally you will speak?”

“I’ll listen. Make it quick as I have little time and less patience.”

She nodded. “You were right about everything. I can see it all now and I was a fool, blinded by a pretence of power. We were set up by Hakan to suppress our own people and oversee the end of the universe through our own ignorance and lust for dominion. He never cared for us, and he doesn’t see us as anything more than animals. I am truly sorry, and I beg of you to let me make amends.”

“Thing is, Light, I judge people by the way they treat those weaker than them  and I distinctly remember being treated like an animal by you, not so long ago. Hakan wasn’t here then, but yoursuperiority complex was.”

“I know, and I can only apologise and make it up to you all.”

I ignored her and carried on. “I hadn’t done fuck all to anyone when I got here and all I did after that was try to survive. You might not like my manner, but I’ve been fair from the very beginning, and you threw all of that in my face. I begged you to meet me halfway, not once, but many, many times and you spat venom back in answer. Now you’re all woe is me? You’ve seen the light! We have a saying for that back home. Closing the barn door after the horse has bolted. And you better believe the horse has fucking bolted, Light. Long gone.”

“I will take whatever bond you require. Even a servant bond if I must. You will not be sorry if you give me the chance to avenge myself against Creation.”

“Chance? You’ve had all of your chances twice over. I came in here to listen to your bullshit for Devotion. Now I have, that’s off my conscience.”

I spun on my heel and marched for the exit. “Wait! I might have a way to kill Hakan. I know of a weakness. Let me free and I will share it with you.”

I turned back and returned, “You’re really not getting this are you Light? I’m going to keep you imprisoned until I save the universe with the help of my friends. And when we have, I want you to see it. I want you to see the wonder of a universe free of you and Hakan. A universe you could have been part of. Until you killed Sania. Then I’m going to imprison you again for a hundred years so you can dwell on that shit. Then, and only then will I kill you.”

Her jaw hung open at the threat. I had to admit it was pretty fucking harsh even for me. Whether I followed through on any of that I didn’t know, but I said it with enough conviction that Light believed me. To my utter disbelief she began crying.

“It was killing Sania, wasn’t it?” she sobbed. “You’d have forgiven everything else…”

“Goodbye Light.” With a push of Neutral Neuma, I send her and her bonds hurtling backward, deeper into the Void storage. Then I extinguished the Light Everlasting. Safe to say, I was in a shitty mood.