Chapter Six Hundred And Fifty Eight – 658

Chapter Six Hundred And Fifty Eight – 658

Felix tested the ground, and watched the thick, stagnant water to either side bubble. Theres a core of rock, but its definitely unstable.

After hours of descent, they had reached the lower portion of the valley. Each step made the advent of spring more impossible to ignore, until the warm damp in the air clung to them like a second skin. Before him, the cliffs and muddy meadows had become an impenetrable swamp. A forest of twisted trees covered the flooded valley floor, so thick that their branches tangled together and their lifted roots created pockets of shadow and lapping currents. It was a maze of game trails and murky, waist-deep water, obscured further by withered vines and curtains of hanging moss.

The Eidolons stood some distance away, their weight entirely too much for the strange, floating ground. Chanters, Vess, Evie, and Beef had ventured a bit closer, while a small Pit, Yin, and Hallow balanced atop them all.

Huh. Seems fine to me. Archie bounced his full weight on the mass of mud, moss, and tangled roots. It barely shook.

You weigh less than whats left of my legs, Harn grunted from Oruns arms. He shifted himself until the cloth wrapped around his waist tugged tight. Beef. Put your hoof down.

Sure. The kid turned sideways to slip through the Eidolons, careful not to bump Orun or Telyn. Just like, step here orWHOA! The seemingly solid trail squelched as it was immediately inundated. Beef pulled his leg back up, hoof now coated in muck, and it made a sound like a clogged toilet. Thats just gross.

Cant we just fly over it? Evie asked.

Ooh! Pit perked right up. Im real big now! I could hold everyone, probably!

Wards.

Felix closed his eyes for a moment. Of course. What wards, Laur?

The Elven Chanter had his own eyes closed too, his hands turning in the empty air as if feeling his way through dense weeds. They are thick about this place. Subtle, but strong. And very old. He met Felixs gaze. If we fly too high, something will notice us.

Archie spread his arms wide, as if to gesture to the world around them. Who? Were not exactly in the center of civilization here.

The thiefs got a point, Evie said, begrudgingly.

Laurs hands kept moving but now they wove closer and closer to the water. Then, with a sudden thrust, he shoved a hand below the surface. Mana pulsed from his palm, and the murk turned crystal clear for several paces in every directionand revealed a sunken, bone-white statue.

That looks like a Dragon, Hallow said.

Vess sucked in a sharp breath before fumbling with the book she kept at her waist. She very nearly dropped her spear in her rush to flip through its thick pages.

Vess? Felix said, stepping closer. Instead of answering, she shoved the book into his hands, which had been opened to a page covered in a fine, looping script. More importantly, however, were the detailed drawings of a coiled Dragon statue, planted beside a wide road.

This is the Gloaming Way, she said, pointing to the unstable trail beneath their feet. Or whats left of it. We cannot stray from it, or else we will lose the path entirely.

But from the air

The ward is tied to these statues, Master Pit. I can see the knots clearly here, and they are as convoluted as some of those I spied at the Vault of Nine Kings. Laur flicked water from his fingers and stood. This is what would notice us, I think, and its influence is wide. If it functions as Lady Dayne suggests, then we might end up lost even in the air.

The Dire Hound pup crossed his forepaws and pouted hard. But I wanna fly.

Felix took in as much of their surroundings as he could with his Perception as well as flaring Manasight for good measure. Mana was everywhere, of course, but now that he knew what he was looking for, he could spot the tendrils flowing from the submerged statueand even spotted a few more around a hundred yards distant.

We have a path, we just need to walk it. Beef, Archie. Felix waved the two Unbound closer. Archie stepped out onto the unsteady trail, but Beef hung back. We need to talk about training.

Training? I thought we were just trying to get through this swamp.

We are Beef, and thats why I called you in particular. I want you to bolster this trail with your Keratin Conception Skill.

The kid looked nervously between the treacherous path and Felix. Youre serious?

I am. While we came down the mountain, I spent my time thinking. Felix gestured at them both. All of us need to advance. Im nearly at Master Tier, and my stats are good. Beef. Youre strong, and your Skills are keeping up, but youre not nearly where you could be. And Archie; from what Ive seen, youre only brushing the edges of what you can do. Stress and challenge is what pushes our Skills to their limits, and Ive devised a way to train you both.

Train? To fight your war? Archie folded his arms. Not interested.

Its not Felixs war, dude. Its everyones war.

Says you. Some of us havent gone native.

Felix held up his hands, cutting both of them off. Look, this isnt about the Ruin. Not really. Its about today. Tomorrow. You saw how nasty those Bethir were, right? And those were just Master Tier equivalent monsters. What happens when you face a Grandmaster? A Paragon? Will you survive it, all on your own?

Beef swallowed audibly. No.

You! The Unbound snapped his teeth shut on his words, as if biting them in half. He took a breath and continued on in a quieter tone. Youre right. Sorry. I told you this wouldnt work, Felix. I tried your idea out, but its gettin me nowhere.

Harn let out a soft, surprised grunt; Felix supposed he was the only one who could hear it apart from the Eidolon that carried the warrior. He was surprised too. In the short span of time theyd known him, Archie had rarely apologized. I have an idea. Will you let me help?

Archies frown flattened into something guarded. Help how?

I can guide you through a visualization process. Something that helps me. Do you have your Intent unlocked?

One of those Harmonic stats? No. Just Alacrity, whatever that is.

Alright. How about this, Felix stood and waved his hand. With a sudden schlorp every bit of mud on the man was flung back into the swamp. Archie jolted in surprise, and Felix walked close. Step back onto the bank, and listen to my words. If it doesnt work, then we can try something else.

Fine.

Archie stepped back into the shallows just alongside a portion of the ruined Gloaming Way where Beef hadnt laid chitinous supports. A slab of stone that had once sat level was askew, jutting a corner of its pock-marked length up into the warm air. Plantlife clung to those cracks, filling them up with moss and grasping tendrils, anchoring dirt to the base of the road. Dirt became mud became shallow waters teeming with vivid green algae. Archie flexed his toes as he sank further.

Okay. Shuffle your feet, Felix said.

Shuffle myright. Fine. Archie slowly slid his left foot forward, churning the mud and ankle-deep water. Then he slid his right foot.

What do you feel?

Cold.

Describe it.

Archie gritted his teeth, pushing the words through them. Its like someone stuck my feet in an ice block. The mud is oozing through my toes, and Ive scraped myself against a dozen rocks and roots.

Focus on that, Felix said. Focus on the sensation of it. The grittiness of the mud. Felix let the moment stretch as Archie kept shuffling forward, one slow step at a time. Now, activate Stoneswim.

I told you

This time, focus on moving through the mud. Not the water, ignore that. Pay attention to the earth and roots and stone all around your feet.

Nothing happened. Archie continued to shuffle ahead, step after squelching step. His eyes were scrunched closed so hard that his nose wrinkled and his mustache quivered. Felix flared his Manasight.

Manasight is level 93!

Imperceptible flows of power coursed through the Delven, circulating through his pathways in a way that reminded Felix of his own Sovereign of Flesh. Another set of flows exited his channels at his feet, pulsing through the muck before dissipating a few feet from his body. It hummed a tune that reminded him of Stone Shaping, which made sense.

Cmon. I know this can work. Felix licked his lips. It might just need a little push.

Astrum Ascendence!

Cosmic flame sprouted from Felixs fingers and jolted across the short space between him and Archie. Like a heat seeking missile, the ribbon of flame hit him square in the back of the neck, right at the base of his skull.

Ah! Archie gasped.

The ribbon of fire shot through his channels, spreading as it hummed its strange blend of Dissonance and Harmony. Felix hadnt used the Skill on someone else before, but the flame seemed to know what it was doing. He barely guided it at all once it reached Archie's channels, but it fanned out across the whole of the mans Mana system before it struck home in his core.

Archie stumbled. The tune of his Skill twitchedand for a moment, he slid forward with all the ease of an ice skater.

Astrum Ascendence winked out. Archie stood there, at the edge of the swamp, and stared down into the mud at his feet. Felix raised his voice. You okay?

Yeah II think I felt something.

You did? Felix clenched his Spirit tight, despite knowing the guy didnt have the ability to sense emotions yet. What was it?

The Skill itGod, that crazy youve been spouting is infecting me now. It sounded like my Skill was singing. Archie moved his feet, splashing them in the scummy water. Singing.

Without another word, Archie slid his foot forward again. The hum of his Skill switched on as he did itand this time, there was no squelching. He moved as if gliding across a waxed floor in fresh, fluffy socks.

Well damn. Thats annoying, he said as he coasted to a stop. He looked back over his shoulder, at Felix. You were right.

Felix, over a hundred feet away, simply smiled.