CHAPTER ASHBORN 411: MEJAI OF THE ALTANI (MAIYA)

Ashborn Primordial

“We are here to stop you, Kin’jal handmaiden.”

“I must admit you have me at a loss,” Maiya said, addressing the two Altani mejai. Each wore robes in the brilliant white and sky-blue of the Altani, and each wielded blazing white two-handed staves. “With Sai being allied to Kin’jal, shouldn’t you be aiding us?”

The two mejai regarded Maiya with amused smirks. Maiya could just feel the ego oozing off them.

Ego that was admittedly earned, if the rumors were true.

“Not all among the council are content with watching innocents die,” the tall, lithe man on the right responded. “Even if it does mean a change for the wider good.”

Maiya frowned at that. Princess Ira had been in contact with elements in the Altani. High-up elements who had even provided arms to Riyan’s rebellion. Sai’s downfall was a net good from Sai’s perspective. With both Hiranya and Sai’s new regime allied with them, the power balance in the northern hemisphere swung decisively in the Altani’s favor.

It seemed the situation was more complex than what either Ira or Maiya had anticipated, however.

“That almost sounds like the Altani have a rift in their governance.”

Both mejai frowned. “Nothing like that. Just that some people have a conscience.”

Maiya’s expression darkened. “You’re both accomplished mejai. I’ve little doubt you’re aware that sometimes, we must do distasteful tasks for the greater good.”

“The greater good, is it?” the mejai said. “Tell me, Handmaiden, what is your definition of the greater good?”

Maiya’s frown deepened. She had expected the mejai to stop—to tell her that the time for words had passed. Yet their postures indicated they were only too happy to continue chatting.

It didn’t take much thought after that to understand their plan.

“You aim to stall me,” Maiya said. “To prevent me from linking up with Riyan’s forces.”

“Was it really so obvious?” the stockier man on the left said, examining his fingernails. “I might just need to improve my acting skills.”

The two mejai chuckled. Maiya didn’t bother to reply.

“All hands, high alert!” Maiya shouted to her squad of handmaidens. “These two are mejai of the Altani! Do not underestimate them. I want everyone standing off. Long-range magical bombardment only. Engage!”

Maiya flew into action almost before the words were out of her mouth. She had to admit , she was a little nervous. Nervous… and excited.

She hadn’t ever fought an Altani mejai before. Nor had anyone she’d ever spoken with. The last major conflict between Kin’jal and the Altani was ages ago, and in the time since, their mejai had earned something of a godly reputation. Stories speaking of their divinity were more common than one might imagine. Or of their super speed, or magic so powerful that even the lowliest among them could level entire cities.

Maiya didn’t believe half of it. Still, if they were even a tenth of their reputation. Maiya was sure she’d have a grueling fight on her hands.

Her hunch was proven correct when she fired off a B-Grade Razor Gale. A devastating attack from the Wind Affinity, Razor Gale sent a half-dozen blades of pure wind prana hurtling at her enemy. Enough to slice limbs and cut through even the hardest plate armor… Her attack withered and died in front of the two mejai.

Their smirks grew wider. “What? Is that all?”

“Not even close,” Maiya said, replying with a grin of her own.

A dozen spells from every affinity erupted all at once, signaling the start of Maiya’s handmaidens’ attack.

From Fireballs to Water Spears to Lightning Bursts, the mejai were bombarded with one precharged spell after another. Maiya didn’t stand idle, either.

She brought out her largest orb—Tempest—and activated it.

This was one of the reasons she’d asked her handmaidens to back away. Like most spells, those belonging to the A-Grade failed to differentiate between friend or foe. Just that their area of influence tended to be vast, exacerbating the problem.

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As the orb activated and the winds picked up all around Maiya, fluttering her armored skirt, Maiya hoped the mejai had at least A-Grade defensive orbs to match. If they didn’t… Well, there wouldn’t be much left when she was done with them.

The winds grew louder and stronger, deafening Maiya to her surroundings. Everything that wasn’t bolted down on the street rattled and shook, and gashes suddenly appeared on the cobblestone road.

This was Tempest—a killing field of deadly razors of wind. Anything and everything caught in its path was shredded to pieces. That wasn’t to say that each individual blade of wind was weak, however.

On the contrary, B-Grade Razor Gales couldn’t even compare. Such was the vast chasm between a B and A-Grade spell.

Anyone lower than a Mejai of Realms would be devastated by such an assault. While Maiya fully expected the Altani mejai to survive, they’d be hurting after this.

And Maiya hadn’t come with just one A-Grade spell precharged. She’d hold nothing back against this foe. She’d wield every weapon in her vast arsenal… And she would crush them.

Which was why, when the winds finally died down, revealing a ravaged battlefield that was only barely recognizable as the street it had once been, Maiya was confused by the sound of slow clapping.

“Well done!” one of the mejai said. “Well done indeed! Where was Kin’jal hiding such talent? Have you considered coming over to our side instead? With our training, we could make you ten times the mejai you’ll ever be!”

Maiya stared in disbelief. When the dust cleared… the mejai were standing in the same spot, looking just as nonchalant as they had been moments prior. Not even the edges of their robes were torn.

“That’s impossible,” Maiya muttered, refusing to believe what her eyes were telling her. The only way for them to be this strong meant they had A-Grade elemental protection orbs. Not just that—it meant they were capable of charging them in combat. Something Maiya couldn’t do, even to this day.

A cold sweat ran down Maiya’s back.

These weren’t Mejai Sorcar, or even Mejai of Ash.

They were Mejai of Realms. And while Maiya herself had just barely attained that rank, these mejai were very clearly veterans.

And thus far, they’d been content to take her attacks. When they themselves started attacking?

Maiya’s heart pumped like mad. They’d be annihilated.

They had one chance, and one chance only.

“Fire with your strongest spells and do not stop!” Maiya roared, producing two more A-Grade orbs. This was everything she had.

She couldn’t let them attack. Couldn’t let up on the pressure.

For, while she didn’t have a fool’s hope of defeating them, perhaps she didn’t have to. If she could rely on the ambient prana… If she could starve the local area, then it mattered not if they were lowly Praniks or the Prime Mejai himself. All magic would cease to function.

Yet these Altani weren’t revered as the ultimate mejai for nothing. Intuiting her plan, they each produced an orb of their own, and by their size, Maiya knew them to be A-Grade.

Panicking, Maiya activated her Blizzard and Tempest orbs at the same moment they did, mirroring her spells.

This was about to be a disaster. Four opposing A-Grade orbs would mean utter catastrophe.

“Retreat!” she hollered, her voice barely audible above the cacophony of brewing destruction. She could only pray that her handmaidens had heard her.

The Altani mejai launched their own Blizzard orb, as if to prove their superiority.

But then… Then they did something Maiya didn’t think anyone was crazy enough to dare.

They launched a Firestorm orb. The devastating A-Grade spell of the Fire affinity.

Fire was among the most destructive affinities, limited only by its range. Here, though, that was wasn’t a concern. On its own, the spell was fearsome enough.

Except, it had just been launched into two Tempest spells, whose winds were being whipped around by Maiya’s Tempest.

Maiya’s eyes flew wide. She had no time to watch the spell arc through the sky, no time to contemplate her impending doom… She was far too busy fleeing for dear life.

Desperately, she canceled all of her physical defense orbs, focusing purely on Elemental Fire defense.

She prayed it would be enough.

By the time Maiya regained consciousness, there was nothing left. Not even a hint of the city street that had existed prior. For a hundred yards in each direction, only managed dirt and blackened stone remained.

Every structure had been leveled. Every trace of Maiya’s spells was gone. Her elemental defense orb was completely wiped of

Ears ringing, Maiya got up to her feet, coughing. There was so much smoke in the air that Maiya could barely see her own fingers, and her eyes stung.

“Anyone? Is anyone out there?” Maiya shouted, regretting it immediately. The thick, humid smoke choked her lungs, sending her into a fit of coughs.

Maiya forced the panic down and took calming, deep breaths before thinking the situation through.

Never in her life did she think anyone would be insane enough to have attempted a steam combustion explosion with A Rank magic, of all things.

“Milady!” a voice called out from somewhere nearby.

“Here!” Maiya shouted, ripping the fabric off a sleeve and tying it around her neck to cover her nose and mouth.

One of Maiya’s handmaidens appeared through the smoke, wearing a similar piece of cloth.

“Did everyone make it? How many casualties?” Maiya asked, dreading the reply.

The woman shook her head. “None, milady. We were just outside the blast radius, thankfully. How did you fare?”

Maiya heaved a sigh of relief, finally pausing to take stock of her situation.

“All of my defensive orbs are drained. They seemed to have absorbed most of the damage, though.”

Maiya’s armor was certainly worse for the wear, but it had done its job. Armor was easily replaced.

Rather, there was a much more pressing concern to deal with.

“Where are the Altani Mejai?” Maiya asked, suddenly panicking. They could be anywhere in this smoke, planning their next attacks. Maiya went to recharge her Fire Affinity Protection Orb , and froze. She couldn’t.

Trying again, she met with the same result.

“Unknown, milady. We’re searching the area for them, but they seem to have disappeared.”

Maiya laughed hoarsely. “And I know exactly why.”

At their core, Altani were mejai. Trained in the physical arts, yes, but they couldn’t hope to compare to Kin’jal elites in physical combat. Let alone an entire squad of them.

“I’d bet seric they fled the moment the prana in this area ran dry.”

Fate, it seemed, was with them tonight.