By the time they finished loading the unconscious lightweavers into the wagon, fatigue tugged at Raina and sweat beaded her brow. She sat down on the temple step next to Al to rest a moment while Jack secured the occupants of the tightly packed wagon using Shadowtitan’s shadowy hands and his Skill. Raina didn’t understand the exact capabilities of it, but the Skill appeared to give the blue-skinned man control over fantastical elements.

“Did Jack rank up to D-rank?” she asked Al. Back at the wall, Jack had said he could only manipulate air, earth, fire, and water; however, from the looks of it, he could manipulate shadows as well. It was possible he had simply lied but Raina tried to believe the best about people.

The elf blinked at her, flustered as though surprised by her question. “Uh, yes?”

“Are you asking me or telling me?” She teased.

“Ah, my apologies. Yes, he did say he ranked up. I believe it was after the first fight,” Al said.

“Huh,” she said softly. Her mind drifted to Jack as Al appeared to lose himself in thought. Once again, an ugly emotion she’d thought gone reared its head. Despite having a magic Skill, Jack handled himself in melee as good as she did. In the last two fights, he had taken out more enemies than her. Sure, he fought like a brute, but he wasn’t unintelligent and his Skill gave him versatility. It wasn’t just him either, Cordan’s abilities were amazing and his experience shone through in nearly every aspect of his demeanor. Then, there was Al, a magical powerhouse with a heart of gold. Each offered a unique contribution to the group’s dynamic in a fight.  What did she offer? A decent sword arm? Positivity? Two fights showed her the answer and it wasn’t flattering.

Jack called out to them, “Time to go!”

As they walked, Raina tried to look on the bright side of things. I just got here. I can’t expect to be as good as these guys who’ve all been in Fracture for years. Cordan is a high rank and Jack and Al have been running from some of the most powerful people for who knows how long. Besides, my blade instructor said I had talent with swordplay. Cordan said Warriors are really strong later so this is just growing pains…

However, for each positive thought, a darker one whispered in the back of her mind. Even given time, would she amount to anything? Her key attributes were below average for a Warrior and everything special about her from her swordplay to her master-crafted blade came from Ciel. How would she have fared if she hadn’t had the support of a Celestial? She brooded on those questions and more as they made their way to the great barrier.

The group continued on in silence, each member marveling at the power on display as the Twilight King assaulted the other end of the light wall.  The assault caused shockwaves through the wall and their impacts created thunderous booms.  

 Jack singlehandedly pulled the wagon through the desolate streets despite Raina’s offer to help. Alindal and Cordan took point watching for threats while Raina guarded the flank. The job felt pointless since they’d eliminated all the threats in the temple and any other dangers would likely come from above. The ever-silent Shadowtitan walked next to her and Dorek, the only conscious lightweaver, sat in the back of the wagon staring at the ruined landscape with a blank gaze. Occasionally, a pang of sorrow and mourning bled from the man through the mindlink but he never spoke; he just stared. With everyone connected by the mindlink, Dorek’s misery colored their moods on the way back in a darker, more somber tone than the walk to the temple.

The journey passed uneventfully at first with Jack only needing a single break near the halfway mark. Unfortunately, it didn’t last.

When they were only a few streets away from the barrier, the entire atmosphere changed in an instant. The stagnant air shifted subtly like a specter rousing from its slumber. The dry heat became cloying and oppressive as a foreign pressure manifested over them all. The light in the sky intensified from the direction of the castle. A voice rang across the domain of the Eternal Light.

“Arcen, you poor misguided child, what do you hope to accomplish with these attacks? Has your mind finally failed you in undeath?”

Raina recognized the speaker. It was the same voice that had spoken before the temple statue had attacked. She asked, “Anyone else recognize that voice?”

“It’d be hard to forget it,” Jack responded. To Cordan, he said, “Use Psycho Boost. I’ve got a bad feeling and it’s time we picked up the pace.”

The notification for Psycho Boost appeared in her mind’s eye and a rush of strength came with it. Jack grunted as he surged forward pulling the heavy burden of the wagon. Raina fell into a light jog to match the group’s new speed. The powerful voice echoed radiated from the castle again.

“Is it loneliness that drives you? Do you wish to join your dearest wife in the Eternal Light’s embrace? Are you racing to salvation, my wayward child?”

Alarm spiked through the mindlink. It came from Alindal who stared wide-eyed at the castle in the sky. Raina turned her gaze to the radiant bastion and her breath caught. A flood of creatures poured out of the castle. She couldn’t clearly tell their individual shapes or sizes from so far away, but their sheer number must’ve measured in the hundreds, if not more. For her own comfort, she drew her sword as they ran.

In the distance, the barrier had lost much of its luminance and dark spots covered the length on the end opposite their position. Many of the creatures flew in the direction of the darkened part of the barrier. The pressure in the air increased making Raina’s body heavy.

“Or, is it war that you seek? Be warned, your twice-damned soul cannot bear the Eternal Light’s scorn! The hollow shells of those you have doomed with your unholy hand will be made ash in the Eternal Light’s wake!” The voice grew softer and Raina trembled as a sudden chill pierced her very being. “But that cannot be your intent. You are many things, but a fool? No… Ah, but I worry not. The Eternal Light will reveal all. You can hide nothing from me”

 Raina kept an eye trained on the swarm of creatures emerging from the castle in case any decided to veer in their direction. Soon, they were nearing the wall thanks to the increased speed from Psycho Boost. Only one block away from the wall of light, Jack cried out and the wagon pitched forward jostling the occupants though none of them fell, bound as they were by the shadow restraints.

[Jack has left the Defensive Mindlink.]

The beginnings of a concerned question formed in her mind, yet she never got a chance to speak it.

A flash of light and power washed over the group. She froze stunned and blinded. Daggers of heat pricked against her flesh. Fear, the primal guardian of man, warned her. It told her to run. Her instincts screamed that she was being watched. A predator lurked beyond sight. She had to run. The moment stretched on into eternity.

When her vision returned, her heart seized in her chest.

An angel glared down on the group borne aloft by large white-feathered wings. Like a true divine champion, it wore golden armor engraved with the mark of the Eternal Light on the breastplate. Its eyes were yellow orbs of judgment and scorn. They swept over the group slowly lingering on each member. All except Cordan who was nowhere to found.

Panic scratched at the core of Raina’s mind. Where was Cordan? She could still hear Jack on the ground groaning in pain. Had he been hit? Alindal stared at Jack with a look of shock burned across his face, seemingly oblivious to the angel in the sky above them who’s gaze lingered on the Shadowtitan. In its hand, the angel manifested a luminous blade of hard light.

Abruptly, Cordan’s voice sounded over the mindlink bestowing a calm determination that banished her fear. He spoke quickly “Raina, Alindal. When it goes for the Shadowtitan you need to run. Run as fast as you can. We can’t win this fight.”

She barely had time to process his words before the angel moved.

[Cordan has used the skill Amplify Boost.]

• All attribute bonuses from Skills increased by 100% for 5 seconds.

The angel appeared in a flash beside Raina. Its blade stabbed through the Shadowtitan dispersing it into a cloud of wisps in an instant. As soon as the restraints were gone, Dorek dove from the wagon and took off. Raina activated Combat Surge and ran as well but her instincts screamed out at her after she took the first few steps. Heat burned her back. She turned sword raised in defense as her eyes watched the angel’s blade of light descend on her. She couldn’t get out the way in time. The strike would bisect her from shoulder to hip. The massive bonus from Cordan’s Skills and the adrenaline of Combat Surge are the only reason she got her blade up in time. The blades clashed and by some miracle, the blade Ciel had given her held. Her body was another story. The force of it crushed her sword against her body sending her flying. Pain lanced from her wrist and she lost her grip on the sword. As her body struck the brittle stone wall of a nearby ruin, darkness claimed her.

***

[Warning: The Eternal Light’s Embrace ailment has increased in severity.]

Eternal Light’s Embrace

• -15 Stamina
• -15 Willpower

[You have left the Defensive Mindlink.]

[The Shadowtitan has been destroyed. Call of the Shadowtitan has no more uses left.]

Agony wracked his entire body. His mind became a slave to the pain’s cruel impulses while the fear destroyed any hopes he had of freedom from the torment. He registered the notifications and several emotional pulses of the Blue Heart. He understood the implications behind it all but he was powerless to act on the information. He could only writhe pitifully on the ground, unable to even bear his suffering in silence. With his mind in shambles, memories long buried over the years in Fracture reared their ugly heads. They joined the bodily pain in tormenting him with visceral images of his failures and loss.

Something crashed into a nearby stone wall causing it to collapse. He saw some a pair of bare feet and the hem of yellow robes bolt past his line of sight just after the crash. Another sudden wave of heat hit his body from the side followed by the smell of burnt flesh. He barely managed to push himself onto his hands and knees as a golden boot kicked him in the side onto his back. The power of the strike cut through his Ethos like a stone through glass driving the air from his lungs. From his back, he gazed up at an angel of vengeance glaring down at him with righteous fury. The angel raised its raised blade of light in the air to stab him but paused. Its head tilted to the side and condemnation gave way to curiosity in its eyes.

Then, an enormous bolt of lightning slammed into the angel. The volatile energy arced through the golden armor which covered the angel’s entire body. The power behind it made Jack flinch away. Once the blast dissipated, the angel turned its head to look at Alindal, unfazed. His friend was already in the midst of channeling another spell through the Weaver’s Needle.

Jack raised a hand and tried to call out. However, the pain and fear stayed his tongue. He watched in silence as the angel raised a hand shrouded in light and shot three beams of light at Alindal. The part of his mind still whole enough to understand the situation tried to martial itself. He tried to activate his Skill, to gain control of the beam’s, to do something. He failed.

The first beam struck Alindal through the arm and in the chest. The second and third lanced into his upper abdomen. Their eyes met as his friend crumpled to the ash-covered stone.

The angel turned its attention back to him. Anger joined his fear and pain. Those three cultivated a fiery hatred and the hatred pushed his anger to rage which overpowered all else. He lunged at the angel.

He had barely moved before the angel drove one of its armored boots into his shoulder slamming him back into the ground. He grabbed at its leg straining his muscle to pull the angel off balance. Nothing happened. It wouldn’t budge. The angel pushed its boot harder into his shoulder causing Jack to cry out in pain as even his reinforced body began to buckle under the force being exerted.

He caught sight of Alindal laying facedown in the ash and the strength in his arms waned. The rage fizzled under a tsunami of regret and sorrow. He stopped struggling. His eyes locked onto the blade of light as it descended. He welcomed it.

However, instead of stabbing him, the angel slashed twice at his chest. The blade easily passed through his protective vest and shirt. With one hand, the angel pulled back the fabric revealing the Blue Heart. Its eyes lingered on the World Core for several seconds. It reached for the blue core with a hand shrouded in cold light. The Blue Heart practically cried out in fear as the hand drew near.

“Stop.” The voice from earlier called. The angel froze. Jack had guessed earlier that it belonged to Pope Bohum; however, that information seemed distant to his stunted mind. “Bring him to me.”

Jack got one final look at his friend’s body before his ears filled with the sound of rushing winds as he was dragged into the sky.