On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Four Hundred And Seventeen

An oppressive League radiated out from the bear, and Motoko, Natsumi and even Kana and Daiyu were pale, faces twisted unpleasantly. It wasn’t quite as high as mine, so I was able to weather it easily enough, but the Tengu who weren’t part of the Four Directions were likewise suppressed, and they staggered backwards. If it has this League even dead, then when it was alive… That thought in mind, I watched, alert, as the skeletal bear rose, bones clicking, faint threads of aether functioning as muscles and tendons, allowing it to move, the Lost Flame spreading over it, clinging to the bones of the ribcage and jaw, burning in the empty, staring eye sockets balefully.

“Great Tarōbō surely never expected this…” Shungbō said, voice cracking with fear. “The power of it…”

“No need for cowardice now, Summer South.” Arangbō boomed reassuringly. “It may be powerful, but we are the defenders of mount Atago. Great Tarōbō is no fool, he surely believes we have the strength to overcome all!”

While the Directions readied themselves, I dropped back. “Motoko, Natsumi, I don’t think you can do much here. Chen Na, look after them.” I looked at Kana. “You too.”

“No, I… I can help” Kana said bravely, though her pale face and trembling lips betrayed her unease and fear. “It’s what I came for.”

“It’s your first battle.” I said the words quickly, as the bear was starting to gather itself, ready to attack, and we couldn’t leave the Tengu to fight alone. “You can help most by keeping everyone safe. If you see a chance to attack at range you can take it, but only when we’ve established its safe. I’m confident we can win.” With that I turned away, as the bear roared, and a surge of Lost Flame, like a yellow, red and black blizzard gushed out, filling the cavern. Chen Na reacted without my words, throwing up a bubble of energy around us, and the fire was halted, but even though it was blocked, the spirit lights around me, as well as Haru-san, all suffered greatly.

“Haru-chan, are you all right?” Kana said, horrified as she fell to her knees, clutching her head, shrieking, while the glowing spirit lights continued to obscure my vision, dancing around me frantically. I was torn between going to Haru-san’s aid or the Directions, as they were beginning to engage the great bear, Haanōbō calling up a wave of water and ice that blocked one boulder-sized paw as it swung down at them.

“Shit.” I cursed, annoyed that at the end of the dungeon there was a boss. Worse, one that seems able to leverage the effects of the Lost Flame, otherwise this would have been no problem, the girls could have waited outside while the rest of us finished it off… My thoughts churned rapidly, and I considered dismissing my Material body, but the strength of the skeletal bear, while powerful, wasn’t in the realm I thought I couldn’t handle, even if with some difficultly. And the Four Directions are here too… Resolving to recall my other body and start up the Split Thoughts if necessary, it was then that Haru-san let out another great cry, this one pained and defiant, yet also proud.

“I… am… not… weak and afraid!” she cried, light element shimmering around her like a halo, the indigo shimmering to blue and back again as it was converted between darkness and light and back to darkness again. “I’ve been through the worst… that can… happen.” She ground her teeth, furious. “I died. I was abused, tortured and died. It was horrible…” As Motoko and Natsumi went to comfort her, she waved them aside, eyes locked on me. No, not me… on the spirit light of Tsukiko-san. “…It was terrible. But I am not the only one who suffers. You died too, and…” She raised her hand, and I could see that she was pulling in fragments of the Lost Flame from the air, the sparks passing through Chen Na’s barrier now. “…so many others have suffered. This Flame… it is of evil, yet not evil itself. Such a sad flame…” She was burning, her intangible form smoking and smouldering, yet she paid it no heed. “…it lives to consume the evil of others, and leave them purified and ashes. In doing so, it becomes steeped in that corruption…” She raised her hand, and the Light Of Muted Emotions spread out, though it didn’t enfold her, just the spirit lights around me, who calmed once more.

Behind me, the Four Directions were engaging, and I could see Haanōbō looking back, wondering what was taking me so long. Vines whipped out and battered the bear, but bony claws wreathed in flame sliced them, and then fire struck it as Shungbō completed his chant, and for a moment the bear staggered, Lost Fire dimming, before Shungbō’s flames were scattered by its mighty roar, the cavern shaking, the girls clutching their ears, expressions pained.

“I… I understand. I too am what is left after sorrow is created. My spirit, my existence, just a ghostly flame, an Onryo. But… those of us Lost can sometimes be found, recover things that make the sadness fade. Slowly, it may take a lifetime.” She paused, a faint smile on her lips. “… or a deathtime. But time is what we have.” She looked at me then, her will shining in her brown eyes. “Go, Akio-kun. I will protect the spirit light of she you tried to save, no, you did save. For who knows better than me that this death is no worse than life. If I can do everything I could before, see my daddy, meet my friends again, laugh, cry and live… then it’s the same, it is living. Just be careful. Their spirits are unformed, weak. If it gets too burned, it won’t be good.”

I see. “Haru-san, you’ve become strong.” I nodded turning to the battle, reassured.

“Call me Haru. I don’t need the -san. After all, other than daddy, aren’t you the person I owe the most to in this world? Don’t get the wrong idea though.” she warned teasingly.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” As I made to go, Daiyu stood beside me, and I looked at her, searching her eyes, and her resolve convinced me.

“I can fight. The pressure of the bear is strong, but I too have a strong will. I will not be deterred. Besides, I do heal fast, I am like the fenghuang, that you call a phoenix. After all, I too have been through the shadows of death, adrift in the endless ocean, betrayed and broken, yet I have come out the other side reborn.”

“I know.” I said quickly. “I have no doubt of your abilities. But fast healing isn’t always a good thing. I don’t want to see you hurt, Daiyu.”

At my words Kana laughed, her fear momentarily forgotten. Bell had joined us, unlimbering her bow, and she whispered to me that I should say nice things to her too, even as she loosed an arrow, striking the bear, though causing little more than a sting to it. Daiyu flushed, her face pink, before she nodded slowly.

“I have no wish to cause you pain, nor to suffer it. But we are Dao Companions. We walk the same road, suffer the same hurts, and advance to the heights together.”

“In that case… I have nothing more to say!” As Bell unleashed more arrows, pouring in her aether to empower them, we charged, and as the bear swept aside more of Arangbō’s vines, before deflecting a surge of iron spikes from Fungbō, Haanōbō spoke to us, exasperated.

“You are quite tardy! This is no festival, for you to make merry and try and flirt with others.”

“Jealous much?” Bell laughed, and Haanōbō gave her a flat look.

“Do not be such a fool. Why would I have jealousy? No, I simply seek to win, to achieve what my father asked of me. You wish it too, no?” she said to me, and I agreed.

“Of course. I gave my word I’d cleanse the flame, and I intend to. Now…” I looked up at the towering, blazing skeletal bear, and my Eye shone. I didn’t receive much more information, but I was searching it to see if I could find any weaknesses. As I did so, I drew on earth element, the red bricks of the floor shattering, and the bear stumbled, footing shaken.

“Press the advantage!” Arangbō boomed, his staff growing, the wood expanding, and one blow hammered into the bear’s knee joint, shattering it, though aether and the Lost Flame surged, reaching out like tendrils to pull it back together. That’s it… The Lost Flame on the bear’s head and shoulders resisted Shungbō’s flaming barrages, only dimming a little, but it gave me an idea.

“Try and focus on one area and break it!” I shouted, Body Enhancement thrumming, my mind working. Time seemed to slow a little as I processed it, and though I wasn’t splitting my thoughts, what I was thinking became clearer, and I realised Split Thoughts, while useful in many circumstances, was also a bit of a crutch, limiting the growth of my mind in other ways. It’s not bad to try other forms of training sometimes…

The ground exploded, and spikes of rock slammed into the bear’s other knee, and bone shuddered, before the socket popped out. It roared, both paws slashing down, and Arangbō blocked one, his staff shuddering, only for vines to erupt, binding the arm. The other, I caught, muscles straining. It was like trying to catch a speeding truck, and the impact pushed me back, the difference in strength not insurmountable, but the sheer mass of it overcoming inertia. I ground my teeth, muscles clenching, and Foehn roared into life in my hands. Damn, that’s hot… Foehn is even hungry for me. Luckily, I know how to insulate it…

The bear roared, kicking out with one leg, but Daiyu slid underneath the blow. “First Strike. Single Palm!” she called, one blow landing, before moving smoothly into her next stance. “Second Strike. Twin Palms!” Two blows now, striking the same spot, injecting Qi, though she was now using earth element Qi with one hand, and water element with the other, the resonance causing further damage internally to the bone. “Third Strike. Four Tiger Claws!” Her hands blurred, doubling the hits. “Fourth Strike. Eight Turtle Blows!” Her muscles were screaming as the punches doubled again, and bone was starting to crack. “Fifth… Strike…” she grated, her expression pained, yet her eyes were elated. “Sixteen Phoenix Talons!” Her own bones and muscles cracked and tore, and blood scattered, yet her blessing healed her as the strikes rained down, and the leg-bone split, and unable to support the weight, the bear lurched downwards.

“Shit…” I cursed, and just as Foehn burned away the arm, snapping it off, it looked as if we were going to be crushed. That wasn’t the issue though. Lost Flame surged, and droplets of it were falling like rain, heading towards the spirit lights around me. It was then a barrage of brilliant bolts of blue and indigo barraged the area, and a bubble of brilliant energy shielded me. Daiyu and Arangbō suddenly sunk into the ground and were swept backwards, out of the collapse, and a greater light burst, shielding Tsukiko-san and Kinneka.

“Careful, Akio-kun!” Haru called, as her light died down. “I’m not worried about you, but… poor Tsukiko-san might be troubled.”

“Not worried about me, huh?” I laughed, leaping clear as the skeletal bear shook the ground with its fall. It then breathed in, and suddenly bellowed, sending torrents of Lost Flame surging towards me in a rolling wave, even as the corrupted fires spread, holding together the broken limbs. It’s working! “Prominence Dusk!” A halo of darkness surged behind me, surrounded by a bright ring of light. The Lost Flame billowed forth, washing around me like a tide, and Haanōbō let out a choked squeal.

“Sanzu-no-Kawa!” A black tide of water struck the flames, trying to douse them around me, and Prominence Dusk started devouring that too, a mixture of flame and water element mixed with my darkness which was flowing out of me, joining the halo, which was now piercing the flames.

“He is fine.” Daiyu was saying, leaping out of Kṣitigarbha’s embrace. “Such a flame cannot bring him down.” I couldn’t see her, even with my Eye, due to the brilliant glare of the flames, but I imagined from her tone she was proud of me.

“That’s right.” I called out. “So relax. We have this!” Prominence Dusk unleashed a twin surge of dark inky-black flames that somehow had no heat, yet were burning everything around them, and a corrosive tide of disintegration that seemed to flow like liquid. The bear skeleton, with fresh makeshift repairs of flame holding together broken bones, let out a mournful, angry cry as the two waves of opposing yet complementary energies struck it, and explosions rang out, the bear collapsing once more, ribs snapping off, one arm gone at the wrist, black flames burning even the desiccated marrow.

“I was not worried. I just had no wish for us to suffer casualties now.” Haanōbō shook her masked head, violet hair dancing, her golden eyes wide as she watched the devastation of my trump card, before looking at the shimmering halo of darkness and light as it faded around me, giving off brilliant sparks. “Pretty…” she breathed.

“The time to strike is now!” Arangbō boomed, staff crashing down, more bones cracking. The bear kicked out, and he leapt back, only for flames to rain down, and this time the bear’s roars were pained rather than furious. Arrows from Bell were hitting it, focusing on areas where the bones were already weak, pitted and cracked, yet the number was larger than I expected and I turned to see Motoko and Natsumi using their own bows from the safety of the back of the cavern, though their expressions were bitter.

“When we strike, our arrows do almost nothing. Even when we use wind to accelerate them…” Motoko said sadly. “Is this the difference of League? I envy you, Kana.”

“You do? Why? I can hardly help, and at least you are brave. I’m shaking so much I’m surprised you can’t hear my teeth rattle.” Kana confessed.

“But you didn’t run away.” Natsumi pointed out. Like Motoko, she was determined to stand and fight, though even as she loosed another arrow, jade energies scattering, she frowned in disappointment as the arrow struck bone and bounced off, wind elements scattering off it barely causing a scratch. “And you acted to save Daiyu and the Tengu.”

“That’s because… why would I? Akio’s here, and we have Chen Na’s barrier.” The woman looked surprised at being mentioned, and Kana sighed. “It’s not my own bravery, I’m just borrowing it from my belief in others.”

“Is that not bravery in itself? There is only one time a warrior can be brave.” Motoko disagreed. “When they know fear.”

“That’s right. Fear is the voice of reason. It’s just sometimes it gets the better of you, forces you to bad choices when it gets too bold. But you are still thinking. You’re right. Akio’s here.”

“Enough chit-chat.” Haru said, her light melting through more bones, laser focussed, while her free hand was constantly bathing me in her Light Of Muted Desires.  She looks rather terrible, still burning with Lost Flame… I hope she’s all right. “Relying on Akio-kun is all very well, and I get it. I lean on him too. But Kana… are you good at everything you do the first time? I know when I started work, I made mistakes. Everyone does. Just… do your best, all right?”

As they continued to talk, I drew Storming Moonlight. The bear had swatted side most of Shungbō’s cleansing flames, but it was having an effect. The Lost Fire was too spread out now, having to hold together a number of shattered bones, cracked joints and missing pieces, and now the bear was more flame than bone. Vines wrapped it, and the ground under it rippled, Kana working her Divine Favour hard.

“We have to deal with the flames.” I pointed out again. “I have a way, if you can trust me.” I said to them all. Though I’ll only have one shot at an instant kill, so I’d like to spread the Lost Flame thinner, first.

“We have little time for arguments.” Arangbō spoke for them all, as he was pushed back, his enlarged staff splintering under a mighty paw, the bear somehow growing fiercer and faster. My Eye glowed and I realised why. I was not alone, as Daiyu, who had come up beside me, pointed out. Her arms were covered in blood, and on seeing that she looked slightly apologetic.

“I am sorry. You did say you hate to see me getting injured. But I never thought I could reach the Sixteen Strikes. Even the Eight before pushed me to my limits… no, that is not what is important now.” She shook her head, finishing her thought. “My Qi Perception has noticed. The brute is drawing in the Sacred Flame as well!”

“Yes, but it’s clever. Lost Flame has burned through the bone parts of the hearth, and now there’s a channel through the ground…”

“It’s a problem. But we can handle it!” I called out to the Tengu, outlining my plan. “We need to split up. Some of you have to close the channel, and then I can finish the bear skeleton off.”

“I will hold it here. Fungbō, you too!” Arangbō ordered, and with a searching look at me, the Tengu agreed. Flames cascaded down, and I started unleashing earth element, strikes of rock and heavy bullets of stone barraging the roaring bear corpse, breaking as much of the bone as possible, spreading the flame thinner. No, that won’t work… behind us, the Sacred Flame flickered, dimming a little, and Fungbō cried out that my attacks were weakening the flames we were supposed to be protecting.

“Is that your aim? Destroying what you swore to save?” he spat, incensed, his metal body allowing him to pass through the rain of sparks and ashes that were constantly falling from the huge bear.

“Brother, do not be such a fool…” Haanōbō chastised him, but he merely growled, his anger rising.

“You would side with him, sister. Or should I not call you that now? You pathetic crow, go flit around your new brother. Perhaps you planned this with him, everything a farce? Yes, yes, that makes sense!” At that insult Haanōbō was taken aback, gasping, wings trembling.

“Are you mad, Fungbō?” Shungbō grasped his shoulder, and then his hand was knocked aside. “We all lost. And Great Tarōbō gave his blessings. Do you think he is easily fooled? We must focus on what matters. The flame, brother, the flame!” he reached out once more.

Fungbō knocked his hand away again. “Yes, you are correct. I was carried away by the situation for a moment. The flame. Of course. But what can we do?”

“I’ll launch my attack shortly. Buy me some time, and try and cut the channel beforehand so I don’t damage the Sacred Flame as much.” I turned to Daiyu. “Go with Haanōbō and Shungbō. Show them where the flame is being drained from.” As she nodded, I turned to Bell. “You’re with me. Arangbō, Fungbō, you two stall it while I prepare Prominence Dawn.” I then paused. “Nobody get in line with me and the bear, stay out of the direct path. This radiance burns.”

Haanōbō opened her mouth to ask what I meant, only for her eyes to go wide behind her mask, a shining ring of brilliant light forming behind my back mirrored by her golden orbs, and a dark penumbra was around it. I felt Foehn rising within me, eager. You’ll get to feast soon enough, don’t worry. Compared to that toad clone, this should be fine, but…

“There is no time for admiration. We must make haste!” Daiyu dragged her away, and Fungbō followed.

“I am over here!” Bell darted away, firing an arrow, distracting the bear, which turned angrily, swatting towards her with its remaining paw, flames scattering. As she dodged, blue hair streaming out behind her, Bell laughed. “It is like fighting Fomorans. They are big and surprisingly fast, but our smaller size can be used against them.”

“Annoying woman…” Fungbō hissed. Covered in metal, flames sparkling around him, he created a massive metal blade and swung, staggering the bear. He struck down again, metal fragmenting, sending shards over a wide area, causing everyone to duck, and he clicked his tongue.

“Fragile, brother.” Arangbō laughed. “Is that how low the Autumn West has fallen?” He created a tide of vines, wrapping the bear and squeezing, though as it was wreathed in flames, the vines quickly began to blacken and char, some snapping and turning to dust and dirt.

“The Spring East seems no better.” Fungbō scoffed bitterly.

“The vein is here!” Daiyu pointed. “But reaching it to sever it is difficult. It is several metres below the surface, and the ground is solid.” That close to the flame, her sweat was smoking, a silver mist rising from her.

“Perhaps…” Haanōbō frowned. “Oh Genbu, Lord Of Winter, Master…” she began her chant, and understanding, Shungbō began his to Suzaku. Elemental energies were swirling, but I had no time to cheer them on, as I was kneading Foehn into the shining halo of Prominence Dawn. Metal shards were falling around me, bouncing off my skin, leaving faint cuts which healed instantly, while the ground churned and boiled. Kana was doing her best to snare the bear, while Haru was sniping it accurately, shattering a bone with every focussed blast of shimmering energy. Even Motoko and Natsumi were helping, their arrows joining Bell’s, mere pinpricks, but enough to enrage the mindless, dead bear.

“Stay down!” As one bony foot sank into the quagmire Kana had caused, Arangbō used his own vines to throw himself forwards, and his staff shattered from the impact, as did the leg of the bear. It roared, belching flames over him, though he managed to shield himself with a wall of vines, long enough for Kana to pull him underground.

“Kana, it is your time to show what you are worth!” Daiyu called suddenly. “We can perhaps pierce the surface, but with your ability, this battle can surely be resolved to our advantage.”

Understanding, Kana shook her head. “I can’t. it’s too far. I’m already at my limit!”

“Limits can be surpassed. If you wish it. Now I could give you all the encouragement I can…” the burning Haru said warmly. “… but I suspect someone else can motivate you better.”

“That’s right.” I called out. “You’re Izumi Kana, aren’t you? You said it yourself, selfish, shallow and always cute. But that’s not all.” The maelstrom of battle was whirling, and I jumped away from gouts of the Lost Flame, protecting the spirit lights from being contaminated. Metal was pouring down, the ground now a carpet of sharp, broken splinters, and Fungbō was driving the bear back. Arangbō roared like a bull and charged, his bare fists crunching brittle bone, before the bear kicked him away, the impact making him growl with pain, clutching his chest.

“No…” I finished, as I had nearly filled the Prominence Dawn. “…you’re also the shrine maiden of Shirohebizumi, holder of the Divine Favour of Kṣitigarbha, and while all that is awesome, what matters most is, you’re my girlfriend, and I want to see you do something damn cool! Win my heart more, make me fall deeper!”

Kana blushed, frozen, before nodding. “You are beating me at my own game. Such a tease. But… I really can’t reach, so…” she seized Chen Na by the arm. “…take me closer!”

As Kana was wrapped in a bubble, her footsteps crunching on metal, bone and stone underfoot, she gestured, and the ground churned. It was then that the two chants finished, and suddenly a pair of pillars, water and fire, wound together, just as I had done earlier.

“I can do it!” Kana was straining, as the flaming, parasitical bond of the Lost Flame reached the surface. Water and flame struck it, boiling into a massive steam explosion, the superheated mist buffeting us all, shutting off our vision. Kana squealed, forgetting for a moment she was in a barrier, before looking down, embarrassed.

In the world of hot white moisture, my Eye was able to see clearly. The combined attack had cut the flow of Spirit Fire, a tail of Lost Flame twitching restlessly, like a snake without a head. The bear had staggered, thrown aside, and I leapt, moving to a safe position. “Everyone stand still, I’m going to strike!” I roared, and Prominence Dawn flashed, a beam of light hurtling forward, radiance bearing the power of Foehn bathing the enraged bear. For a moment it held the light back, flames starting to flicker and die, roaring and pushing forwards, steps shaking the ground, but then it stumbled, fire holding it together winking out of existence. Bone began to blacken and char, disintegrating, and soon it exploded, a surge of ether filling me, more than I would have expected, the oppression of the Territory around us collapsing. Further ether was drawn upwards, likely to Tarōbō’s Territory, but the amount I pulled in was welcome, and I immediately started cycling it to aether.

You have gained in strength. Your level has increased from…

Your Skill, Foehn, Inexhaustible Blaze, has…

As expected, it took a big one to get me some levels… As I relaxed, my Eye dimming, exhaustion hitting me, I heard a clang and a scream, a horrible cry of pain, and I felt my Foehn strike something else. As the steam died out, I could see Shungbō, or rather what was left of him, as half of his body was gone, Foehn having burned him away. He blinked, unable to speak, throat scorched, and he raised one trembling hand, pointing accusatorily… He wasn’t there! He was over by Haanōbō, well outside the line of fire…

His hand pointed to where Haanōbō, Daiyu and Fungbō were standing, his finger trembling, before his arm dropped, limp.

“It was Haanōbō, I saw her! She attacked her own brother and threw him into the path of that attack. She must have coordinated with that outsider to kill us all! I was nearly done in as well, but I leapt over here in time. But not in time to save Shungbō!” As Fungbō wailed, Haanōbō standing there motionless, Daiyu adopting a defensive stance, I frowned. The rusted knife plunges into the flames… rusted… I looked down, seeing the carpet of broken metal on the floor around us, already starting to pit and corrode, and everything was clear to me. Of course. You absolute piece of shit…

“Oh really? Considering we’ve been apart this whole time, and only met each other again now, how could we plan anything? I think you’re full of shit. Fungbō, it was you!” my words echoed, and it was his turn to freeze. What? You think I’m just going to think Haanōbō got pissed off with all your bullying and tried to kill you off? I know I didn’t conspire with her. After all, I only taught Shaeraggo a lesson, and he did worse than you to his sister.

As the injured Arangbō looked between us both, horrified, blood soaking his chest and wings, Haru called out, her tone urgent. “Akio, everyone, there’s no time! It’s not over!” The headless snake of Lost Flame squirmed, darting forwards, and it plunged into the corpse of Shungbō, bursting into brilliant flame, a second half of fire mirroring the half of flesh. As the corpse rose, my Eye blazed, and I could see that Shungbō’s dissipating spirit was mostly Lost Flame now, swelling and growing a wing of flame behind it that reached out a dozen metres behind it.

And I thought we’d won… my eyes met Daiyu’s, who nodded. Yes, all we can do is defeat Shungbō and secure that kin slayer Fungbō. Then it’ll be up to Tarōbō to sort his damn kids out… although… I looked at Haanōbō, who was still frozen, eyes wide in horror at the state of her fallen brother. Damnit, I made this my business by meddling. I have to see it through, no matter what!