When We all Come Together
Rachel sent the final time to Emil and Cramnal and the guard and the siblings moved to positions on Millay, Uta, and Sibba.
"There is a new sacred place on this continent?" Confusion laced Shain's voice.
Cramnal looked toward the government building that once bound the previous Milana.
"The Milana purified our grandmother and the location she was bound to purified itself and became sacred. The vines are the same as the ones that grow where her soul weapons are, if I am not mistaken."
She was right. The siblings looked at the building in a different light. This was now a place where their grandmother's soul had a profound connection to the realm. Perhaps even more so than where the family visited to honor her memory.
They all knew their grandmother's corrupt form had been purified by Rachel but they had not know the place had become sacred to the realm. There had not been a new sacred site in over two thousand years. And sacred sites were believed to form when many people died at once or when the realm had to heal itself. Was the battle that severe that the realm needed to heal, or was Lanncey just that special to the realm?
"We will begin setting up the formation." Yanira looked to Cramnal. "Did the Milana send spirits that can help?"
He nodded and four forms materialized behind him. "She sent these four."
The beings were all hooded and stood over seven feet tall. Power rolled off of them in waves. Yanira looked to them with an approving nod.
A wide door opened and the group of five walked through it - to return to Millay. The door swung shut with a loud sound of metal on metal.
Several hours later the skies high above Millay, Sibba, and Uta were all a sight to behold. Three large magic circles, with their centers positioned directly above the center of each continent spanned outwards, each circumference larger than the continent they covered.
They were made of three thick bands of runes. The inner and outer bands moved clockwise while the middle band moved counter clockwise. These were the main magic circles of the formation and they anchored and fed the formation. Magic flowed into each from the abyss below. They were like great funnels as magic swirled upwards in large voluminous arcs.
Magic began to flow up from the hill directly below Sibba and add to the circles. This magic was old and it had direction and began to lead the rest of the magic through the loop of the formation.
Adding both strength and cohesion to the formation itself.
Strands of magic came up from the hill, went through the eight point star hole of the monument on top, and sent strands to each point and out into the "coin" and back down to the first alter and then to the second within the hill.
It was a self sustaining loop that fed the formation and the its anchors.
When the circles were saturated the formation solidified. When it solidified others, who had been awaiting their turn tethered the circles to points that would feed it more magic as needed.
When all was done the circles and strands shimmered and disappeared.
With the formation complete they set up camp on a string of clouds. They moved the clouds together so that they formed a large cloud mass and then set up tents.
They set up watch over the formation, at a point above Sibba, and they took shifts ensuring that the formation remained stable.
Rachel's voice flitted through the minds of her siblings, and the Azmin Guard Commanders. 'Good job on the formation. It's strong. Now you need to enter the abyss. Struns and Rebecca have entered the abyss with me many times and they can lead you. Leave the bulk of the guard above with two commanders. If anything happens on Sibba we need to know immediately. Rebecca lead those going into the Abyss to the location. There is a hill there. You will need to protect it as I attack the being that has entered our realm.'
'And what about you?' Anis could not wait any longer and the questions burst froth from her.
'Rebecca, Struns, and I, will defeat the owner of the tendrils.'
'Take care sister.'
Rachel did not reply.
The abyss
Rachel's wounds were healed. They were still walking in profound darkness, seemingly aimlessly.
One breath two breaths. They was seeking a thing that truly defied explanation. Something that was ancient, devious, malicious, and capable of devouring every realm they knew.
Three breaths, four breaths, five breaths.
Struns and Rebecca were mentally preparing. Struns' muscles bulged and four genie type spirit beings floated behind Rebecca, ready for her command.
Rachel was a relatively young Milana and she only had two Antrunie. Hence the three were use to fighting together. They had fought in other realms and in places within Trannisa that they found unimaginable and utterly fantastic.
Struns' heart beat a little faster and a little harder as his mind registered the rolling "hills" before them.
Rachel nodded. 'This is it.'
'What in the nine deaths is it?'
'I thought it was a trick of the eye but it is breathing.'
Rebecca looked ro Struns with pursed lips before she remembered his soul magic was miniscule. Maybe it could feel like a visual illusion without soul magic.
But there was no denying when one of the hills moved dramatically and changed its position. At that point it was 'okay. One of these hills is not a hill.' But when all five realigned he had no words. Struns' mind was blank.
The fifth "hill" rose high into the air. It was the head of a fanged demon with four horns, two rising straight up from the center of the head and one on either side curving outward left and right.
'Not looking like a trick anymore is it?'
Struns said nothing as he prepared himself.
The pools of blackness between the hills were its snake like body with the remaining four hills being gruesome swellings along its length as if it were digesting multiple meals.
As the head continued rising above them Struns swallowed hard and suddenly he felt Rachel's power reach into him and his senses became sealed and a protective power swirled into his soul well.
Rebecca stood taller as she sensed the same happen to her soul sea.
As his thoughts began to clear Struns realized he was gripping two long bladed daggers and his body had tensed and readied for battle, even as he slowly and methodically walked toward the abomination before them.
The demon's head swung toward them and he suddenly wished Rachel had sealed his vision as well. The demon's head had the clearest, most tranquil sea green eyes he had ever seen. They called to him and drew him in and for a moment he jolted with fear thinking he would not be able to resist. But suddenly the swirling magic in his soul well surged out and flooded his body.
He was forcefully snatched from the grip of those eyes and his head swam as he gripped his daggers all the tighter. His body tensed in a way that told him this was going to be a battle like none he had ever had before.
He no longer looked directly into those eyes only peripherally. He suddenly saw viscous black blood drip from them and knew that Rachel had cast a spell without him fully knowing. This only told him that this battle was going faster than he thought and he would need to use his assassin skills much more.
"Milana. I would never harm what is yours." Its mouth opened wide in a dramatic yawn. Three rows of sharp teeth looked menacing in the muted light.
"I do not seek to cause problems. I will leave your realm and never return. Allow me to take my babies that you did not destroy and let there be peace between us."
Both Struns and Rebecca were hearing it speak second hand, in real time - through Rachel. He didn't question it. Rachel was capable of too many things. What made their spines shiver was the mention of babies.
Struns attention half slid over the swellings that he took for hills earlier and his body stiffened.
Rebecca focused on the conversation, always eager to learn new soul and mental techniques.
"Leave?" '…Let there be peace between them?" Struns' eyes fell on Rachel. If she allowed this creature to leave would it destroy his dimension?
He felt peace overtake his thoughts as if he heard Rachel tell him to calm down. She stepped forward and he instantly knew what he needed to do.
He and Rebecca fanned out and the battle began in earnest.