Chapter 63—Kind of Clingy |
Seven cycles—days—later, Hiral’s feet settled on the familiar dock where everything had started. Not far from him was the large warehouse that dominated the corner of the small island, owned by the man with whom Hiral’s close friend—and previous boss—Arty had regularly traded. Though the owner, Caaven, was nowhere to be seen, the front door of the nearby house opened almost like Hiral had been expected.
And considering who came out, that was probably exactly the case.
“It’s been seven days,” Seena—Caaven’s niece—said, “and I can count the number of times you’ve come to check on me on my fingers.” Thankfully, the quirked smile on her face told Hiral she wasn’t actually angry at him.
“We both know if I let myself do that, I’d never leave,” Hiral said, “which would mean I wouldn’t get anything done. How are you feeling?”
Looking at his party leader, his friend, the woman he loved, there was an ease to her shoulders and posture. Lingering pain and fatigue had followed her for days, keeping her nearly bedridden from how far she’d pushed herself. Only Li’l Ur’s assurances had kept everybody from getting too worried. She just needed time to recover. She’d escaped any permanent damage… barely.
“Much better,” Seena said.
“My Mistress is quickly regaining her strength,” Li’l Ur said from her shoulder. Like his Mistress, the lich showed signs of drastic improvement. His little robes had completely reformed, and he had all of his body parts again. More than that, his solar energy had a solidness it had been lacking since the battle with the Raze. “She shall soon be ready to take her rightful position as queen of this world.”
“Not looking to be a queen of anything,” Seena said, “other than maybe a couch for a few more days. Still a little stiff,” she added upon seeing Hiral’s worried look. “It’s getting better every day. I’ll be ready to get out there and deal with the rest of the S-Rank squids in no time.”
“We aren’t in any huge rush,” Hiral said while his sensory domain told him how the Grower islands were doing, namely the new additions. “Looks like you weren’t entirely bedridden while I was gone.” With the words, he thumbed toward thick new roots connecting the islands beneath Fallen Reach.
Thick, powerful roots practically glowing with solar energy to Hiral’s senses might change that.
“It was like stretching a sore muscle,” Seena said, though there was a hint of red crawling up her neck at getting caught using her abilities. After she’d been instructed to do the opposite of that. “And it’s something I can do to help. To really help. That doesn’t involve burning something.”
“You enjoy burning stuff,” Hiral pointed out.
“Oh, I love it,” Seena said with a laugh. “It’s just nice to not do that sometimes.”
“I understand completely,” Hiral said. “It’s why I’ve been away from you so much the last few days. I’m sorry about that. I…”
Seena closed the distance between them and put her finger to his lips. “It’s fine. I don’t know what you’ve been up to—and I’m real curious—but I can tell it’s important to you. That means it’s important to me. Just tell me… how much longer?”
Hiral smiled. “I’ll be finished in a few hours.”
“That soon?” Seena said.
“That soon. I came back to gather up a few people who should be around when it happens.”
“I don’t know how you’ve been keeping this a secret all this time,” Seena said. “Other than you flitting around the bottom of the islands like a hummingbird the last few days, nobody has any idea what you’re up to.”
“I wasn’t flitting…” Hiral mumbled.
“Left and Right aren’t saying a word on it, either,” Seena continued, completely ignoring his objection. “Do they even know?”
“They probably suspect,” Hiral said. “They know how I think… but we haven’t had to combine since they can recharge their own solar energy now.”
“That’s still kind of amazing,” Seena said.
“It is,” Hiral agreed. “They can have their own lives, if they want.”
“That doesn’t mean they’re going to leave you,” Seena said, punching him gently in the shoulder.
“I know, I know,” Hiral said. “And even if they wanted to, that would be fine as well. They’ve earned it.”
“They’re always going to be there when you need them,” Seena said. “Probably to save you from yourself again.”
“Bully,” Hiral chuckled.
“So,” Seena said, clearly changing the subject, “you want some company while you gather people up?”
“I’d love some,” Hiral said. “I was hoping Seeyela could help me fetch a few people from the Cradle.”
“I’m sure she will,” Seena said, “and if she doesn’t, I’ll drag her away to give Favela and Trev a much-needed break from her. She’s been… kind of clingy the last few days.”
“I can only imagine,” Hiral chuckled. “She got her second advanced class because of her unwillingness to let things go.”
“If she doesn’t give them some space soon, they’ll get smothered,” Seena laughed.
“Speaking of advanced classes,” Hiral said, “we haven’t really talked about your new one. The Eternal Sun?”
“My Mistress has once again proven her greatness,” Li’l Ur said. “No longer does she need a sponsor. No longer must she walk in the shadow of another. No longer is she anything other than what she should be.”
Hiral’s eyebrow went up at the statement.
“What’s he’s trying to say—dramatically—is that my relationship with the Mother of Flame has changed,” Seena said. “It’s more… a partnership on equal footing than a sponsorship now. Her power is a part of what I am, but it isn’t my path.”
“Just as I was Ur’Thul the Undying, or—before that—Ur’Thul of the Limitless Tome,” the lich said, “my Mistress is now the Eternal Sun. It’s not just a class, but an identity. She has ascended to the next stage, much like you have, my would-be apprentice.”
“It’s a bit different than Yan or Seeyela,” Seena said. “They both have S-Rank advanced classes, but the nature of them isn’t the same. I don’t think so, anyway.”
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“Probably because Yan has two S-Rank advanced classes—because of course he does—and Seeyela needed something very specific to get us all home again,” Hiral said. “Something I’m sure Gauto will love investigating. Ugh, I should probably ask Seeyela to grab him from Trevallen as well when I beg her to bring some of the Eidolons over.”
“Ooooh,” Seena said. “So, all this is about their new home. I knew it!”
“Of course it is,” Hiral said. “That was never a secret.”
“You’ve been so tight-lipped!”
“I wanted it to be a surprise.”
“I’m sure it will be,” Seena said, interlacing her fingers with his. “Where do we need to beg my sister to bring them all?”
“Up to Fallen Reach,” Hiral said, and the statement made Seena’s face scrunch up.
“Is that where you’re going to announce whatever it is you’ve been up to?”
“Something like that,” Hiral said, then threw in a wink for good measure.
Seena just groaned.
***
“We definitely have to get those permanent portals set up,” Seeyela said. “Don’t need you coming around and interrupting my family time whenever you want me to grab somebody from Trevallen, or the Hanging Garden, or the Cradle.”
“Stop complaining,” Seena said. “I think Favela sprinted out of the house the second you were distracted. And Trev? He went out the window.”
Seeyela crossed her arms and glared at her sister for a solid three seconds before slowly blowing air out between her teeth. “It’s possible I’ve been a little possessive of their time since I returned.”
“Possible?” Seena asked, crossing her own arms and matching her sister glare for glare. Standing opposite each other, in casual Grower clothing, the resemblance was uncanny.
And Hiral was very much glad those glares were not directed at him.
“I missed them!” Seeyela grumbled. “I thought I would never see them again.”
“And now they think you’ll never let them out of your sight,” Seena said.
“They’re safe there,” Seeyela said.
“Don’t think they completely agree with that.”
“Ugh… I know,” Seeyela said. “It was good you came and got me when you did. I know that, too.”
“They’re happy you’re back,” Hiral said, “and they know how much you love them. You just have to get back to the right balance. You’re going to leave the islands from time to time, and so are they.”
“Favela is getting into that school your parents are setting up,” Seeyela said, turning her glare on Hiral. “You’re going to make sure of that.”
“I don’t have to do any such thing,” Hiral said, but when Seeyela’s narrowed eyes were aimed at him, he continued, “They’re going to make the schooling open to anybody who wants in.”
“Great in theory,” Seeyela said. “It won’t be able to start that way. It’ll have to start smaller and scale up. Favela is getting in early. Got it?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Hiral said, somewhat proud that didn’t come out as a whimper.
“Almost everybody you asked for is here, Hiral,” Nivian said, walking over with his brother and saving Hiral from Seeyela’s ire. “Representatives from the Eidolons, Growers, Makers, and your special invites.”
“Other than our raid party,” Wule said, “why aren’t there any Bonders? Or Possessed?”
“This isn’t for them,” Hiral said. “They already have a home.”
“This field is very nice,” Nivian said, looking around the empty space on the edge of Fallen Reach, “and it has a nice view of the Ocean of Giants right now, but I somehow don’t think this is your endgame.”
“It’s definitely not,” Hiral said, his eyes going over the edge to the vast, deep blue below them.
Named after the mammoths slipping beneath the waves of the deep ocean, it was one of the least explored areas along the path of Fallen Reach. Really, all anybody had was visual mapping of the area. Without a lot of true flight options, other than the occasional person with a Disc of Passage or something similar, few went down during this long leg of the journey around Genesis. Since there weren’t any dungeons—that anybody knew about, anyway—there was even less reason to go down.
Something that’s going to change, I bet, with more people increasing their Ranks. Then again, who in the Nine Hells wants to do a water dungeon?
“Knowing Hiral,” Loan said, coming up behind the twins, “he’ll tell us when he’s good and ready. Not a second before. He’s too stubborn for that.”
Seeing the big Shaper on his feet brought a smile to Hiral’s face. He’d talked to his previous trainer a few times in the recent days, but this was the first time he looked whole. The injuries—not to mention the loss of Ilrolik—had hit him hard. There were still lingering shadows of the pain lurking behind the man’s eyes, but he was definitely doing better. And just as Hiral had suggested, he’d officially joined Nivian’s party.
As had Drahn, who stood a little off from the main group, arm-in-arm with Igwanda. Now bearing the telltale red-and-blue eyes of a vampire, the previous Grower looked to be forcibly keeping himself still. His legs had been regrown, and his PIM healed, but Hiral could see the Hunger clawing at his usual calm. Nivian probably would’ve already left with his party—for Drahn’s sake—if Hiral hadn’t said it was important they were present for the big reveal.
“The council isn’t thrilled with whatever you’re doing here,” Hiral’s father said as he walked over to join the group. At his side, Sera, Milly, and Nat walked with him.
“Well, that’s too bad,” Hiral said. “They can be as not thrilled as they like. Won’t change anything. This doesn’t fall under their purview.”
“Pretty much exactly what I told them,” Elezad said. “With a little less attitude. Somebody has to play politics.”
“There will need to be some discussions later, though,” Hiral said. “I’ll leave that in your capable hands.”
“Are you going to tell us what these discussions will be about?” Elezad asked. “Does anybody here know what my son has been doing these last few days?”
“Probably something OP,” Yanily said, also coming over to join them. Most of the other representatives milled about near the edge of the flying island in small groups, alternating between conversation and enjoying the view. For people like the Eidolons, who’d lived their entire lives underground, standing more than nine miles above the surface—in the sunlight—was a novel experience.
As for people like the Makers and Growers, the fact there wasn’t a storm wall constantly circling a hundred miles out from the islands expanded the view unlike anything they’d ever seen before. Vast swaths of the previously hidden world were suddenly visible. It was almost like when the wall between the two sides of the Cradle of Tomorrow had come down, expanding the world before their eyes.
With every second that passed, the excitement of possibility grew in the crowd. Even the people who didn’t regularly—or ever—go to the surface felt the draw of adventure. The world was open to them in a way never before possible.
“Seriously, Hiral,” Seena said, squeezing his hand, “how much longer do we need to wait for the big reveal?”
“We’re almost there,” Hiral said. “You can see them from here, if you know what you’re looking for.”
“See what?” Seena asked at the same time Seeyela said, “What are we looking for?”
“The tropical islands,” Laseen said, floating over to join them. “Hope you still have that bikini, girlie.” The cackle that followed made everybody in the close-knit group smile.
“I do,” Seena said, turning a mischievous smile in Hiral’s direction. “Am I going to need it?”
“Oh yes,” Hiral said before he could stop himself, though he covered it up with a not-fooling-anybody cough right after. “Just not right now. No swimming needed.”
“But it is the islands we’re here for?” Seeyela said, one hand held above her eyes to reduce the glare of the sun. “I see a big one, and a bunch of little ones.”
“Two big ones,” Yanily said. “Another waaaaaaay over there to the left.”
“The topography of those islands isn’t the same as last time we passed over them,” Sera said. “Did you alter it so the Eidolons could live on one of them?”
“I did,” Hiral said, seeing no need to hide that anymore. “Just a little bit, to make it easier to build homes in some sections. I left most of the mountains and trees.”
“There aren’t that many Eidolons,” Nivian said. “Why did you need to prepare two islands?”
“Only one is for the Eidolons,” Hiral said. “The other is for any Undead we come across. Since the PIMP is treating them as two separate races, I figured they needed different homes. This way, the Undead will have a place to call home as well.”
Nivian nodded at the statement. “That was very kind of you.”
“Isn’t it kind of in the middle of nowhere?” Nat asked. “It’s great they have a place to call home and all, but it’s going to be hard to get to.”
“Probably why I’m here,” Seeyela said with a roll of her eyes. “You want me to build portals, don’t you?”
“I do,” Hiral said, “but not to those islands. Er, at least not in the way you’re thinking.”
“What does that even mean?”
Hiral looked down at the islands in the ocean before he answered. Within the hour, Fallen Reach would be directly above the cluster of small islands, the biggest of them no larger than half a mile across.
“It’s just about time I answered that question by showing you,” Hiral said, igniting his pseudo-aspect and reaching out to each of the gathered members to wrap a scarf around them. “Left, Path of Butterflies, if you would.”
“Of course,” the double said, giving everybody the buff.
“Thank you, everybody, for gathering,” Hiral said, voice amplified by his Rune of Sound. “I know you’re all wondering why we’re here today. Well, I’m sure you each have a guess as to why, but not so much as to why here? The answer to that part is simple: you’ll get the best view from nearby. Before you ask ‘view of what,’ let’s just go and get started.”
With a pulse of solar energy—along with a single S-Ranked step—Hiral and the entire gathered crowd stood almost a mile off to the side of Fallen Reach. Below and behind it, the Grower islands followed in its shadow.
“Today,” Hiral said, “we’re here about homes. A new home for the Eidolons and Undead. A restored home for the Growers.”
As soon as the words left Hiral’s mouth, every head snapped in his direction.
“This,” he continued, hand slowly gesturing across the length of the floating islands, “is not what Fallen Reach was meant to be. I’m going to fix that.”