CHAPTER ASHBORN 427: FINAL MOMENTS (ONE)

Vir fumed. To think Fate had chosen this moment to stymie his efforts to this degree. Worse—the communication orb hadn't lit up even once since then. This despite asking Ashani to carry a mobile Gate tied to the demon realm. A relay for the orb.

He didn't even know how Maiya was doing. Was she hurt? Was she in distress?

Vir’s mind wandered to cold and dark places, but Ashani’s hand on his shoulder brought him back to reality. To a different kind of darkness. To the sky-scorched realm that was the Ash.

“We keep trying,” Vir said, though he knew he needn’t have. Neither he nor Ashani required rest, and the wolves certainly didn’t. They’d spent more than a week in the deepest depths of the Ash, trying to find Tears that led to less dense regions.

As if the situation wasn’t bad enough on its own, his every effort to master Aspect of the Demon God had failed. It proved just as stubborn as Balancer of Scales had, and in the brief minute he’d spent with Shardul—the only of his predecessors he had access to who had also mastered the tattoo—the demon had said the tattoo responded to strong emotions of justice and loyalty. Whatever that meant.

And while Vir didn’t strictly need the tattoo, being able to use it would certainly give him more confidence. It had been a long while since he’d fought humans. While he was immeasurably stronger now, was he stronger than Andros? Could he defeat the entire Balarian Guard to get to Maiya if needed?

Vir would take every weapon he could get. But to wield that power, he first had to reach the Human Realm. A task that was proving far more difficult than he’d feared.

Normally, Vir encountered the opposite problem—closer to the edge of the Ash, it was far more difficult to find a Tear that led deeper. Now, all he could find were local Tears that led to similar areas. He’d lost count of how many Gates he’d jumped through at this point. He’d already recharged Ashani’s core twice.

Leaping to a nearby Tear, Vir tried again. He’d long ago given up on finding one that led to the periphery of the Ash, and so they instead concentrated on even the slightest difference in prana. Thankfully, Ashani was quite attuned to sensing such small fluctuations. If a Tear led even slightly further away, they stabilized it and went through, repeating the process ad nauseum.

“This is a good one,” she said, feeling the prana at the Tear.

Vir couldn’t feel a thing—to him, the concentration on the other side felt identical to his current area, but he didn’t even think of questioning the goddess. She’d never been wrong before.

Vir stabilized the Gate, and they stepped through, repeating the process for the next several hours.

Finally, at long last, they got their lucky break. Once the prana density had decreased to a high, yet noticeably lower level than the core of the Ash, they found a Tear whose relative lack of prana even Vir could feel.

Once through, they encountered Tears leading away from the core with increasing frequency, and it was only a few hours past that when they arrived at the edge.

“Now comes the hard part,” Vir muttered. “Finding a Tear leading to the Human Realm…”

As searching for a Tear that led to Sonam was a lost cause—he could spend weeks and not find a single one—Vir decided using the airship in the Human Realm was a better plan. Still, he needed a Tear large enough to fit Ashani, so that she could hop through and create a larger Gate, big enough to fit the airship.

All while time ran against them. At the core, time was slowed, but here, it ran fast—even faster than the real world. Every second counted.

Leaping from Tear to Tear, Vir searched desperately for any that led to the Human Realm. Rare as they were, they weren’t difficult to spot—the Human Realm was a desert, even when compared to the relatively low levels of prana at the Ash’s periphery.

Most were too small for even Vir to fit through, however, and his desperation grew with every failed attempt. The dread that something had happened or would happen to Maiya enveloped him.

And then he found it. A nearby pitch-black Tear, about half his height. It wouldn’t be a comfortable passage, but at least it would admit them.

“Ashani?”

“Already on it.”

Ashani stabilized the Tear, and Vir injected his own prana, allowing her to pass through.

“You lot stay here,” Vir said to the wolves. “We’ll be right back for you.”

While none appeared enthused about the prospect, they obeyed, watching Vir with keen eyes.

Then, holding Ashani tight against him, he jumped through the dark opening.

It took Vir some moments to realize this Tear had been high in the air, and he fought to reorient himself in midair, until he realized he could use Balancer of Scales for this purpose. 𝐑𝔞ΝőʙЁs

Stolen story; please report.

Now right-side up, he slowed their descent, setting Ashani down gently on the rolling plains.

“It’s marvelous!” Ashani said, staring up at the sky. “Is it always nighttime here?”

Vir looked up, wondering why something felt off. It had been so long since he’d experienced the darkness of night, it temporarily disoriented him.

“No,” he said. “The Human Realm experiences day/night cycles. Much like your Imperium in the Age of Gods. But now is not the time for chitchat. Ashani, can you make a Gate back to Stronghold Vijaya?”

“Of course,” Ashani said, seriousness returning to her face.

A Gate appeared and Vir went through, ordering his demons on the other side to bring the already-dismantled airship through.

It was only when his demons hesitated, staring fearfully through the Gate, that Vir realized the significance of what he’d just done.

For the first time in the history of the realms, a stable Gate had been established linking the Demon and Human Realms. A historic occasion, but Vir was in no state to appreciate it.

Stepping back to the Human Realm, Vir had Ashani create another Gate to their point of exit in the Ash, allowing the wolves to bound through. They had no qualms about entering a new realm. In fact, they seemed to share the same anxiety Vir had.

Vir and Ashani assisted with the airship’s transport and assembly, readying it in a matter of minutes.

From there, Vir took to the sky, relying mostly on Prana Vision to guide him.

“Do you have any idea where we are?” Ashani asked from behind him, shouting over the wind.

“Not a clue,” Vir replied, though he felt something familiar about the air here. A feeling he couldn’t quite place. “But Sonam is located closer to the Ash. It’s hard to tell since it’s been so long, but I feel we’re in a more deficient region.”

“Then you’ll be wanting to go that way,” Ashani said, pointing to the right. “The prana is denser there.”

“Changing course,” Vir said, throwing the airship into a bank.

He urged the craft as fast as it would go—well beyond the speeds Acira were capable of.

At that pace, it wasn’t long before Vir spotted the lights of a city. As for which city, that became apparent when he drew closer.

Vir couldn’t help but laugh despite his nerves. Or maybe it was because of it.

“What’s the matter?” Ashani asked.

“Oh, nothing. Just that Fate seems to have a sense of humor. We’re in Hiranya, and since we’ve been traveling east, I’d wager we crossed into this realm not far from the town of my youth.”

“Is that so?” Ashani said, looking down at the lights below. “I should very much like to see it someday.”

“I’ll make sure you do. For now, brace yourself, because I know exactly where we are and where we need to go.”

----------------------------------------

“You know? I always felt Sonam would be taken from within. I suppose I was right.”

Whose voice is that? Maiya thought. Where am I?

Her eyes fluttered open to find the deep blue of predawn light. Every part of her body throbbed in pain, but none more than her stomach.

And when she tried to move, she found herself unable—bound by shackles on her ankles and wrists.

“You’re awake?” the voice asked, and this time, Maiya recognized it.

“Ira?” she croaked, her voice cracked and barely audible.

“Alive and breathing,” Ira said. “Though I doubt I’ll be able to say the same before long…”

“What happened?” Maiya asked, sitting up. It was only then that she noticed she wore nothing but a cheap, dirty rag. As did Ira. The princess was also shackled, but unlike Maiya, who’d been allowed to lie on the floor, Ira’s arms were bound high. So high that her shackled feet just barely touched the ground. It was a cruel way to hold a prisoner, and the longer the duration, the worse it got. Ira’s thin wrists bled from the cuts inflicted by the metal shackles, her blood running down her arms in rivulets, staining the rag that covered her torso.

“Quite the question,” Ira said, with none of her usual joviality. “To put it simply, I failed. I failed everyone.”

The memories came in one at a time as the fog smothering Maiya’s thoughts lifted. Her rescue attempt and subsequent escape. Her one-sided fight with Andros.

“How am I still alive?” Maiya asked, touching the wound on her stomach.

“When they brought you here, you were bleeding profusely. My father had a Life mejai heal you, though judging by your state, not fully.”

“I don’t understand,” Maiya muttered. “Why heal me? Why not kill me?”

“Because my father is a sick freak who enjoys the spectacle of death? Because making a public event of my execution solidifies his control over the city while crushing the rebels’ morale? I can think of any number of reasons.”

“Forget that. You’re hurt,” Maiya said, scrambling to her feet. At least she tried. Her shackles prevented her from standing all the way, forcing her to hunch over.

“Don’t bother,” Ira said. “Even if you could free me, which you can’t, Andros took away all of your orbs, and there are about thirty Balarian Royal Guard standing right outside.”

“Then we escape when they move us from here,” Maiya said, mind already whirring with potential plans. “We’ll fare much better once we’re outside.”

For all his strength, Andros ought to know nothing of her status as the Blessed Chosen. If she could maneuver a few more of the Children into position, they’d have a chance. Not a great chance, but a fighting chance.

“Andros will be there himself,” Ira said, shaking her head, and the single act showed just how hollowed out she’d become. Though her body bore no bruises, the signs were all there. The princess looked like she’d aged a decade in a day. Mere imprisonment didn’t do that.

“He tortured you,” Maiya muttered. “Your own father tortured you…”

Ira let out a feeble chuckle. “Not much of a father. Not much of a family, either. I’m a traitor to the nation. Traitors have never been treated well. I’m so sorry, Maiya.”

“You’re sorry?” Maiya asked, bewildered. “For what? You’ve suffered so much!”

“For dragging you into all of this. If only I'd known Andros had agents within my handmaidens... I selected them so carefully! I nourished them! I... underestimated him. And now, you will pay the price for my mistakes. If only I’d gotten a message out. I could have ordered you and the other Handmaidens to stay away. Instead, he used me to lure you into a trap. Now… Now, you will be forced to share the same fate as me.”

“We’re not dead yet, Ira,” Maiya scolded. “I won’t have you giving up until the life leaves our bodies.”

Ira smiled, but it was a painful smile, full of regret and anguish. “Look at you, so full of hope. I only wish I could share your optimism. Maiya, I have no power. No Balar Rank. No magic to speak of. In that regard, the rumors were right about me. I am physically weak. Frail. While you might attempt an escape, I would only be a burden. Don’t risk your life for me. Don’t make me drown in yet more guilt!”

Maiya rolled her eyes. “Looks like losing has made you quite the drama queen. Just keep quiet and follow my lead. I can’t promise we’ll succeed, but we’ll be Ash-damned if we don’t try. Andros should not have brought the two of us together.”

Some of the light seemed to return to Ira’s eyes. “Do you mean that?”

“I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t,” Maiya replied with a small smile. “Believe me, I do not want to be hanged today.”

“Then you are in luck,” a deep, commanding voice rumbled from a corner of the room, causing Ira to stiffen and Maiya to spin around.

Andros emerged from the shadow, his face set in an expression full of smug cruelty. “For you will not die today by hanging from the neck. You are both to die by boiling.”