The spine-drinkers encircle Darkchild, separated into two groups of six, with the alpha mother hanging back. The demonic mutant keeps a lowered stance, eyes scanning her opponents with ax in hand. Her tail, the only emotive part of her body, flicks back and forth with impatience. I watch from my place on the fort wall, a bird's eye view of the entire courtyard displayed before me. I let out a sharp whistle, giving the spine-drinks the command to begin.
Two of the spine-drinkers from the first group lunge for Darkchild, attempting to catch her in a pincer movement. Darkchild rolls to the side, ducking under a swipe from one of the spine-drinkers and reaches up to grab one of its tentacles. The beast lets out a light yelp as Darkchild spins around, whipping it into its attack partner. I click my tongue and the other spine-drinkers in the first group thrust their tentacles forward, launching spikes towards Darkchild. She uses her ax to deflect, block, and smack the projectiles out of the air as she charges towards one of the beasts. She spear tackles it, showing off the deceptive strength that many heroes and villains possess, transitioning into a roll that ends with her back on her feet and charging forward while using the poor spine-drinker like a riot shield. She charges right into another spine-drinker, sending the two beasts to the ground before she leaps into the air, twisting mid-arc to avoid more spikes before slamming cloven-hoof-first into the head of another spine-drinker. As the last spine-drinker of the first group lunges at her, she uses the flat side of her ax to smack it across the face, sending it to the ground.
I click my tongue twice, leading to the entirety of the second group pouncing her. Darkchild is saved from being assailed from all sides by two stepping disks, one in front of one half of the and one directly above the other group, springing to life. Unable to stop their momentum, one group charges through the portal, falling directly on top of their siblings with their entire weight and momentum, becoming a pile of flailing limbs and tentacles. Darkchild seizes the opportunity presented to her and drops her ax as she dives directly into the pile, grabbing every tentacle she can and tying them into a horrible knot that would put a rat king to shame. Another stepping disk sees Darkchild freed from the pile, her body covered in scratches too shallow to bleed. She eyes down the alpha mother as she picks up her ax, the two engaging in a contest of growls. I let out another sharp whistle, causing all of the spine-drinkers to stop their aggressive behaviors and relax.
"I think you've beat up our war dogs enough, don't you?" I quip as I float down from the wall, patting the alpha mother as I land next to her. "Also, who do you think has to untie that knot? That's gonna take at least half an hour."
"Do it in half of that. Your progress in training these mutts to fight is impressive, enough so for me to consider us ready to begin amassing my army."
I begin untangling the spine-drinkers, getting low purrs from them as I give them all the pats in the world.
"Uh-huh. Would you like to actually share how we're gonna do that?"
"Like the spine-drinkers, weaker demons with greater intelligence form tribes to survive the harshness of Limbo." She holds out a hand to the horizon before tightly clenching it, as if laying claim to the landscape itself. "We will track down these tribes, kill their leaders, and enslave the survivors."
I take a moment to process the caveman shit that Darkchild just spewed at me. Over the past few days, and from my years of comic reading, I learned that she had a very violent approach to most issues. Roadblock ahead? Smash it. Need food? Pillage it from others. Someone mouth off to you? Threaten extreme violence with full intention to follow through. I knew that such a mindset was the result of both living in Limbo and having Belasco hammer it into her head, but I don't know which one shouldered more blame. But, when in doubt, blame the pedophile and play the role of Jiminy Cricket.
"Or, and this is just a thought, we approach them neutrally and offer an alliance. These are already people who hate Belasco like we do, and you just said that they acknowledge strength in numbers. If we do this peacefully, we won't have to kill anyone, which means more allies and less built-in resentment from would-be survivors. Win-win."
"Every time you speak I am given a stark reminder of how naïve you are. If we let the leaders live they will conspire against us, either to usurp my position as leader or to sell us out to Belasco to earn favor. And without a show of force no one will believe we can fight Belasco's forces."
"Isn't betrayal the risk of any alliance? I'm not saying we trust them, just that we try a benevolent approach before a hostile one. It could help us avoid a 'crabs in a bucket' scenario." Darkchild gives me a confused look. "Let's say you're a fisherman, and bear with me for a moment, please. You've caught a bunch of crabs and are keeping them in a bucket. There's enough crabs in the bucket that one crab might be able to climb over the others to escape the bucket. But when it tries to, other crabs pull it back down. 'If I can't be free, then neither can you'. If we try to frame what we're doing as liberating everyone from Belasco's rule instead of just wanting to conquer Limbo, we might be able to avoid thoughts like that. Or maybe I'm just talking out of my ass."
"Do you have any more American proverbs to preach at me?" Darkchild askes sarcastically.
The Grimoire shifts, granting me compatibility with the Unison System used by Unison Devices. Mostly useless to me, since I don't have a Unison Device, but it also made me better at working with a partner, so not a complete bust like the healing wand or Mystic Eye Killers.
"Well, if you're just gonna put the soapbox right in front of me, then I might as well. One of the presidents of America followed something called 'Big Stick Ideology, which basically boiled down to being cordial to other nations and negotiating with them peacefully while being strong enough to beat them down if things turned out badly. Sometimes the threat of violence can be just as effective as the use of violence." I recited what I had learned from my summer essay.
"Yes, yes it can be." Darkchild is silent for a moment before holding out a hand to me. "The map."
I summon the magical navigation tool and pass it to her. She sulks off, pouring over it while I keep working on untangling the spine-drinkers. Working with them these past few days has done a lot to lessen my fear, but I don't think I'll ever fully get over it. A little more elbow grease and all the tentacles are untied. The spine-drinkers made their appreciation known through engine-like purrs and affectionately bumping their heads against me.
"If you're done, then we leave immediately." Darkchild calls out before approaching the alpha mother. "There are too many spine-drinkers for me to teleport, so we will only take the alpha."
"Whatever." I brush myself off, changing into my suit with a twirl and flash of light as I walk over, a new Mankai gauge sitting on my collar. "If it's all the same to you, I'd like to know what we're getting into before we're in the thick of it."
"One of the strongest tribes of the wastelands is led by a demon known as B'ravwen. They occasionally raid settlements further inland, pillaging their supplies and conscripting those who impress them. B'ravwen covets strength, seeing it as the means by which all aspects of life are decided. This philosophy has seeped into her followers. Killing B'ravwen in front of them will earn their loyalty."
I pinch the bridge of my nose, a frustrated sigh leaving my lips.
"Illyana" –Darkchild's eyes, full of malice at the use of her real name, snapped to me– "This whole violence-first game plan you subscribe to, has it ever actually gained you anything?"
"It was this 'game plan' that saw me usurp Belasco's rule when I first took the throne of Limbo!" Darkchild snarls.
"A throne that you lost!" I snap back, shoving her away from me. "Do you think Belasco's the kind of idiot to fall for the same tactic twice? If he was, you'd have already overthrown him again! You're trying something new, something that requires a different approach. This won't work if you're just as unlikable as Belasco."
"Do not assume to know what does and does not work in Limbo, child. You are soft, untested, and have never known true struggle!" Darkchild gets in my face, her expression full of wrath. "And never liken me to Belasco. You know nothing of me and what I've endured."
The alpha mother let out a low growl as the spine-drinkers began to circle us.
"But I do know! I know what it's like to be dragged away from your family! I know what it's like to be brought to a strange and scary land, never knowing if or when you'll go home! I know what it's like to be turned into something you're not against your will! And I know what it's like to be afraid that your family won't recognize you if they see you again!"
I pant as I backed away from her, desperately trying to recover from boiling over and erupting at Darkchild. I run my hands down my face, wiping away the tears at the corners of my eyes as I wrestle back control of my breathing.
In……Out……In……Out.
I close my eyes and sit on the ground, legs folded under me.
In……Out……In……Out.
The outside world slowly fades away as I look inward.
In……Out……In……Out.
There's no reason for me to get so mad at Darkchild.
In……Out……In……Out.
It's this past month getting to me.
In……Out……In……Out.
Being brought to this universe, Doctor Strange not being there when I need him, the boy in the dump, Mister Hyde, and now this.
In……Out……In……Out.
Darkchild doesn't deserve the brunt of my frustrations. She's just an easy outlet. My senses return to me one by one. First taste, then smell, touch, hearing, and sight. I open my eyes to Darkchild sitting several feet across from me in her own state of meditation. Her goat legs look uncomfortable under her, but I know it's been a long time since she's known comfort. The spine-drinkers had laid around me protectively, with the alpha mother curled around me like a giant cat.
I pat its head as I stand up. When I do, Darkchild opens her eyes and rises to her feet. We stare at each other for a moment as I wave the other spine-drinkers off.
"I'm sorry." I begin. "I just-"
"Do not explain yourself. I know that, in the past, I have done the same as you. I also know that I have not always had the decency to apologize for it." A look of long-held regrets briefly flashes across her face before the uncaring mask reforms. "This alliance of ours will not work if we allow such vitriol to brew."
"Right. It won't happen again. I promise. Anything else I should know about this B'ravwen?"
"She and her brother are the strongest of their tribe. Only they will give us trouble in a fight. I will…attempt…your approach first." Darkchild speaks with the effort of pulling teeth.
"Thank you. And if a fight is necessary" –I summon the Iron, Dust, Titanium, and Glassteel rings to my hand– "take two of these. Better vision, take harder hits, hit harder, move faster. One per hand."
Darkchild eyes the jewelry before taking the Titanium and Glassteel rings and slipping them on her fingers. I slipp on the Iron and Dust rings, causing a light layer of magical nanomachines that resemble flecks of golden dust to form on my body. My vision blurs, giving me a light headache. I take off my glasses, instantly clearing up my vision, and pocket them.
The Grimoire shifts, giving me one of its largest additions yet. The Red Mage class from Final Fantasy is one of the most versatile, but has a lower ceiling in exchange. It's the definition of the phrase "Jack of all trades, master of none, though oftentimes better than a master of one". Basic Black and White magic is now available to me, meaning that the healing wand finally has a purpose, though the Fire and Blizzard spells are a little redundant with my elemental alchemy. Maybe when I evolve to higher tier spells I would swap it out, but for now I don't see a point. That is, of course, all under the assumption that I would "level up" the Red Mage class though fighting or training. I'm brought out of my thoughts by Darkchild snapping her fingers in my face.
"Cody, I need you present with me for what comes next. If you are this disoriented from our spat then I will leave you here."
"No, no." I shake my head. "Just got lost in my thoughts. I'm ready."
Darkchild nods as I call for the alpha mother to join us. I bring out Raising Heart and center myself as one of Darkchild's stepping disks springs to life beneath our feet and rises up. Unlike my other experiences with teleportation, there is no wave of nausea as our surroundings change. Maybe I'm starting to get used to it? Regardless, we're now standing in front of an encampment surrounded by 25-foot-tall, wooden stake walls, with a single gate guarded by two orc-like demons. The demons wear simple leather armors and wield slightly rusted maces, which they hold defensively as they eye us with open hostility.
"How are we playing this?" I ask.
"We require a show of force to announce our presence, they will not give us the time of day if we do not. Knock down the gate."
I roll my shoulders before drawing my fist back–
[IMPACT CANNON.]
–and throwing it forward, launching a sphere of mana directly into the gate. It shatters on contact, sending wooden shrapnel everywhere and tossing the guard demons to the side.
"That good enough?"
"Adequate. I will do the talking."
Darkchild strides forth with confidence, making a point to step on the downed guards. I follow after her, stepping over the groaning demons as the alpha mother trails me. Our stunt has predictably alerted the entire camp, so around three dozen demons of various colors, all humanoid, but with widely varying sizes, are there to greet us. Most have a few inches on me, my height only being five foot eight inches, but some are half my size with fewer being almost three feet taller than me. They had all poured out from various tents, with a larger, more ornate one in the center of the encampment, likely the one that B'ravwen stays in. They carry various weapons, from swords to spears, to maces, and are cautious of us, specifically the alpha mother.
Towards the back of the camp, away from the crowd, I can make out a demon that looked like a taxidermist's attempt at a human-bird hybrid. His head is like a crow's, only enlarged and placed on top of a human body, with beady and unblinking crimson eyes and a beak that hangs open as he stares at us. His exposed chest is exactly like a human's, though possessing an immense amount of musculature, numerous scars, and light spattering of feathers, as if he molted and never regrew his feathers. His left arm was amputated just below the shoulder, and a brutal, spiked slab of rusted iron in the shape of a blade was jammed into the wound. The only clothing he wore was a long, tattered tunic that covered him from his pelvis to his thighs, leaving his bare feet exposed. He made no move to approach us. He simply stayed back and watched.
"B'ravwen!" Darkchild cries out. "I would have words with you!"
The demons surrounding us glance among themselves, unsure of whether to jump us or wait for their leader to respond. None of us had to wait long, as the flap to the center tent was moved aside. A bird demon, greatly resembling the one in the back, steps from the tent. Unlike him, she was dressed in red and black clothes that seemed like a mixture between armor and robes. A much fuller coat of jet-black feathers adorned her body, and, at her side, she carried a sheathed sword that I can feel wants to kill me. I've never seen a cursed object before, but I know that that sword is one.
The demons part as B'ravwen makes her way towards us, the groupies moving to surround us. The alpha mother nips at a demon who got too close, causing them to yelp and back up, loosening the ring they had formed around the four of us. B'ravwen holds her hands out to the side and cocks her bird head.
"Well, here I am. What business do you and this" –she looks me up and down– "human have with us?"
If Darkchild is affected by the insinuation that she herself isn't human, it doesn't show on her face.
"Don't forget to play to the crowd." I lean in and whisper to her.
"Belaso's time is near its end. I will lead an offensive against him and bring a new age for Limbo. One free of scarcity, where betrayal and deceit are not the law of the land. And I would like your…help…doing so" Darkchild barely avoids spitting out that last part, but she's doing alright for someone out of their element.
"Would you now? How very interesting." –B'ravwen gestures to myself and the alpha mother– "You get a pet human, tame a few beasts, and suddenly think people will believe the empty promises you pass out. Where was this change the last time you were in charge?"
Darkchild stiffens at B'ravwen's words.
"Oh yes, I recognize you. Belasco's personal project. Do you know what we natural-born of Limbo call you? 'Illyana Rasputina of The Empty Throne'. You had an opportunity to do what you're talking about, but did you? No. In fact, you didn't even rule at all. You left. Abandoned your throne, abandoned your people, abandoned Limbo itself. For years these lands were lawless, until the throne passed from person to person. The idiots S'ym and N'astirh, the ones called Doom and Darkoth, the Szardos mother and daughter, and, finally, back to Belasco. What they all have in common, is that they all actually ruled, unlike you. Empty Throne indeed."
Some of those names are far more familiar than others, and I would have tried to dissect those unfamiliar ones were it not for the Grimoire shifting. This time it grants me the ability to magically create martial weapons, like swords, staffs, spears, maces, and whips. I can shoot them Gilgamesh-style or puppet them around, though doing so requires some level of skill that I don't have. Something to practice later. I refocus on the conversation, noticing that Darkchild is giving me a look that said she wants to skip to the fighting. I give her a pleading look and, after a second, she acquiesces, turning back to B'ravwen.
"I will admit, when I first took the throne, I had no interest in ruling, only in leaving, but this time will be different. I will be different. I will not abandon Limbo again. I will change it for the better."
"Hmph. Words are weak. Only strength can create change, and you were not even strong enough to attempt change."
I sigh and begin stretching. I've consumed enough media to know what's coming next. Darkchild's already glowing eyes practically shine with eagerness as she sees an opportunity to move on to fighting.
"If words are too weak for you," –Darkchild levels her ax at B'ravwen– "then let me show you how much stronger I have grown."
"Hmmm. Yes, let's. C'romaler!"
The hulking bird demon in the back walks forward, silent as ever. The other bandits part like the Red Sea as he stands beside B'ravwen, almost a full head taller than her. B'ravwen points at me and speaks a language I don't understand, nor have any context for.
<⤻⮞⮜🠃↙🠞⮜🠚>
"Uh, what was that?" I ask Darkchild as the demons around us start to hoot and holler.
"Demonic Script, the language of Limbo. She has ordered her brother to mutilate you."
"Oh, okay. How fun. Guess I'll be dealing with him." I deadpan before turning to the alpha mother. "Make sure the others don't get involved, okay?"
The alpha mother snorts and turns her attention to the crowd. I stance up with Darkchild as B'ravwen brings her sword in front of her and slowly unsheaths it. Its blade is a deep red, and the feeling of bloodlust from earlier intensifies as B'ravwen drops her scabbard to the ground and drops into a stance that wouldn't look out of place in an old samurai movie. The four of us engage in a standoff for a few seconds before C'romaler makes the first move. He squats down, the muscles in his legs bulging as he prepares to rush me.
I summon the Hyperium Foci and slam it against the ground, bringing myself, Darkchild, the alpha mother, B'ravwen, and C'romaler under its chronal magics before unsummoning it. Even with his flow of time slowed, C'romaler shoots towards me like a bullet. I leap into the air, flying backwards as I try to put distance between us. I come to a stop 40 feet away, point Raising Heart forward, and expend one of its cartridges to fire a powerful shooting spell.
[AXEL SHOOTER VANISHING SHIFT.]
A targeting reticle pops up on Raising Heart's arch as she begins to lock on to C'romaler. When the spell locks on, 12 bolts of mana fire out of Raising Heart's tip, lancing towards the bird demon. He looks up at me before performing a standing jump that launches him a good 10 feet above me in an instant. The bolts from my spell track him as he brings down his arm with enough force to kick up winds.
[ROUND SHIELD.]
A barrier springs to life in front of me that C'romaler's arm sword tears through like paper, crashing into Raising Heart as I put up a panicked guard. A terrible scraping sound rings out as our weapons clash, and the force of C'romaler's blow sends me crashing into the ground below. I let out a grunt of pain before thrusting my arm towards him, earth alchemy rings springing to life around me and shooting pillars of stone into the sky. He twists mid-air as he descends, dodging most of the pillars before one clips him in the shoulder, slowing him down enough for my Axel Shooter to catch up to him and pepper him with explosions. I fly across the ground away from the falling C'romaler, banking upward to over the crowd as I check Raising Heart. C'romaler had hit her so hard that her shaft had a noticeable dent in it. Definitely don't want to get hit by that.
I briefly consider bringing out the Silver Shard before deciding against it. As scary as this guy is, he might be an ally by the end of the day, and the last thing I need is an ally with unhealable wounds. Instead, I thrust my hand forward and put one of my new spells to use.
"Thunder!"
Lightning crackled in my hand before leaping towards C'romaler, striking his chest and arcing across his body. He stayed as silent as the dead as his body lightly twitched, before shaking off my spell with a flex of his muscles. I vaguely feel the Grimoire shifting and growing as C'romaler bent down, placing the tip of his arm sword on the ground before swinging it upwards, sending shrapnel towards me. I twisted through the air, dodging the scattershot, keeping an eye on C'romaler as he raised a hand towards me. Before I could act, I heard the sound of wings flapping and crows cawing. I hazarded a glance around me as I–!
"GAAAAH!"
My face explodes in pain as talons rake across my eyes, blinding me as demon crows peck and scratch at me.
"FIRE!" I scream, summoning a burst of flames around my body, panicked squeaks telling me that I managed to roast the crows.
I bring a hand up to my face, feeling the blood pouring down i–!
"GUUGHK!"
Something slams into my gut with almost as much force as Mister Hyde, sending me crashing into the ground hard and fast enough to carve a ditch. I swing Raising Heart in the direction I was hit from and expended two of her cartridges.
[SACRED CLUSTER PLUS.]
What must be a Touhou worthy amount of mana bullets launch out of Raising Heart as I summon the healing wand and point it at myself.
"C-cure."
The pain all over my body rapidly fades and I blink rapidly as my eyesight returns. I look around wildly for C'romaler, only to find him right next to me with his arm raised high! I activate Memory Combustion and create a ring of earth and water alchemy circles that launch a mudslide into him. C'romaler is launched back as I catch my breath. That last attack had launched me outside of the encampment. Gotta think of a way to beat this guy without killing him.
"Thunder!"
Lighting shot from my palm, once again hitting the bird demon and causing his muscles to spasm once more.
"Oh, don't like lightning, do ya? Not something you're used to dealing with? Raising Heart, can you integrate that Thunder spell I just did into one of our bombardment spells?"
[UNKNOWN. MORE INSTANCES OF LIGHTNING-BASED SPELL REQUIRED TO OBSERVE NECESSARY INFORMATION.]
"You got it." I thrust my palm towards C'romaler. "Thunder!"
Another hit and another series of spasms. C'romaler flexed again to get his spasms to stop. He raised his hand at me and my ears were once again filled with the sounds of crows.
"No you don't!" I surrounded myself with wind and fire alchemy rings, creating a protective dome of fast moving flaming gales.
When the sounds of dying birds stopped, I lowered the dome just in time to see C'romaler rush at me once again. Another two cartridges are ejected from Raising Heart as I aim her at him.
[DIVINE BUSTER.]
A massive beam of mana shoots out, striking C'romaler dead on, consuming him in an explosion large enough to kick up my coattails. I eject Raising Heart's clip and replace it with a fresh one while eyeing the dust cloud caused by my Divine Buster. I steal a glance at my Mankai gauge, seeing only two of its five petals lit up. The heat in my chest from Memory Combustion is starting to get unbearable, so deactivate it as C'romaler's form begins to become visible through the smoke.
"Tough bastard, aren't ya?" I began to wave my hand back and forth, hurling lightning into the smoke cloud. "Thunder! Thunder! Thunder! Thunder!"
