On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Thirty-One

I’ll need to burn the webs like before… that seemed the safest plan. If I could pull it off I’d roast most of the enemies alive, and we could attack those behind. Gathering my aether I tried to form the image, but it met resistance, as if I was trying to push the image physically through a sticky wall of tar. Aether was leaking out from me, wasted, so I withdrew my attempt. As I did so the larger presence behind the web let out a cry of triumph, in a surprisingly feminine voice, and it raised a couple of multi-jointed chitinous arms (or maybe legs, it was hard to tell in the gloom) in victory.

As if that was a signal the other foes redoubled their efforts, attacking faster and more fiercely, driving us back with surges of flame. Behind the web the scorpions began to shoot large bony needles through the gaps, each as long as a ruler and dripping with acrid venom. I barely managed to block one with my spear, and another grazed me, causing pain far more severe than the small injury would have suggested.

As I clamped my mouth shut to keep in a groan I stole a glance at my companions. The sickle-weasel was unharmed, although his fur had been scorched a little, and Shaeula was fighting well, her snake-weasels of wind deflecting the incoming projectiles.

I’ll have to step it up. I might have been on par in terms of strength, better even in some areas, but I definitely lacked practical combat experience. Using the wind I darted about, striking blows with sharp drills of air wreathing the blade of my spear, and several of the spiders were killed. The larger orb-like creature moved surprisingly swiftly, large fang-filled maw snapping shut a mere inch from me, drenching me in burning spittle. Jerking away I barely avoided flames spewed from the lesser arachnids, and was hit several times in the ribs and thigh by needles from the scorpions. Pain flared, and I felt a chill spreading. Shit, they are probably poisoned.

Using aether I ripped free the needles from my wounds and also spurted out the nearby blood, figuring that would work to remove any venom. Ignoring the wave of weakness I felt I channelled my wind into one sharp blade, slashing at where the webs were anchored to the walls and ceiling. The webs were strong, like steel cables, but against my vibrating wind blade that was viciously sharp they were unable to withstand the force and with several loud twanging noises the strands parted, the whole structure coming crashing down, entangling all of the spiders as if it was a net.

“How-how did you do that?” Shaeula asked, her wind weasel-snakes striking through the scorpions, now that the web that was shielding them had fallen.

“I’ll tell you later.” I answered, rushing forwards behind her wind attack, using the opportunity to stab several spiders through the head as I passed. I slew one scorpion and was wheeling to face another when suddenly I felt a nagging sensation in my head, as though something was whispering to me… to jump and throw?

All right. Leaping into the air I imbued my spear with most of my remaining wind energy and hurled it forwards into the darkness. As I cleared the ground the heap of webs quivered and then tore apart, the huge toothy orb surging upwards, snapping jaws shutting on where I was standing a moment before. The jaws closed on a helpless scorpion-beast and ripped it in half, a welter of gore spraying everywhere.

Damn, that could have been me. I shivered in the air, even as I began to drop towards the spherical beast. Suddenly a beam of darkness shot forwards from the shadows, a series of inky orbs like a string of black pearls, devouring Shaeula’s wind snake-weasels as it passed. It was heading towards me and I’d have little time to dodge. Time seemed to slow as I searched my mind for a solution, but nothing was forthcoming...

Suddenly there was a feminine screech of pain and the beam of darkness veered off course, slashing downwards and neatly bisecting the fanged orb, slicing it into two parts. As I landed between the halves, grimacing at the horrific stench, I sent forward my light orbs and I could now see the leader of this dungeon, who was clutching a pair of severed stumps, inky gore fountaining out. My spear was stuck in the ground beside it, covered in its blood.

As I landed I could feel Shaeula’s blessed wind leaving me, its power spent. Wow, the odds of that outcome were miniscule. That blessing can be really powerful. I think it is definitely the last piece of the puzzle I need for the next stage of my plans…

Shaking my head to clear my racing thoughts I observed our foe, as Shaeula and the Kamaitachi cleared the surrounding enemies away with wind. The opponent looked like a woman, except she had… or had had eight chitinous spider legs jutting from her back. Now two of them were gone, my spear having destroyed them. Her old grey kimono was smeared with dark blood, her face pale. Threads of silk were connecting her with the spiders and scorpion-beasts, although most of these were now hanging limp, their owners slain.

“It is a Jorogumo.” Shaeula said in surprise. “A dark creature… a Yōkai from this land-land, one who controls monstrous spiders of flame. They are sometimes foes-foes of the Seelie, oft allied with the Dark Court, and powerful. We have done well-well to survive against her.”

“Well, we haven’t survived yet.” I replied, rushing forwards to grasp my spear, drawing it to me with aether, having to force it through the denial of her Territory with extra expenditure. As I approached her she seemed to shake off her pain, and she turned to me, her expression twisted into a hateful one.

“We will kill-kill her!” Shaeula insisted, sending her weasel-snakes forwards, leaving her sickle-weasel to deal with the other remaining enemies as they struggled free of the fallen webbing. Darkness gathered at the end of the remaining spider legs and the Jorogumo spat out a bitter howl as she released the orbs of darkness once more. As the wind snakes approached they were consumed, the darkness devouring them. Several orbs impacted her remaining scorpions, shredding them to pieces, and others even gouged chunks out of the solid stone walls.

Man that is a dangerous attack, I wonder if it would be considered dark element? Wait, no time to get distracted. Spear in hand I leapt aside as inky orbs sailed past me, sucking in the light. Charging forwards I barely avoided several of the spider legs rushing at me, silk trying to tangle me up. My spear parried one limb, cutting into the chitin, but a second slammed into my ribs, knocking me backwards.

“Holy shit…” I spat, coughing red and silver blood. It had been a while since I had taken such a beating. Flurries of blows were coming my way, as well as a cloud of sharp silken threads that she had expelled from the ends of her wicked limbs. Using aether I forced through quick movement, avoiding them, my spear slashing at her body, which she blocked with more silk, which was as strong as steel.

Damn, using aether here is difficult and costly… I had to convert ether at quite the rate, and as blasts of wind from my companions drove her back I looked for a way to beat the stalemate. Darkness consumed most of the glowing emerald wind Shaeula was unleashing, the backlash from this starting to abrade my skin, leaving me covered in blood. If I can’t rely on aether, it is going to come down to wind and my spear…

Directing my dwindling stock of wind energy to my feet I moved with such speed that my stomach lurched, feeling as if I was leaning out of a moving car, the air slamming into me. Tears were wrung from my eyes from the painful gale, but as the wind died down I used the last of my power to wreathe the knife-head of my spear with a thin edge of vibrating wind. One chitinous limb was severed, inky blood drenching me, and the blade pierced into the Jorogumo’s side. She bellowed as blood flowed out, the cries of rage swallowed by hacking coughs as she mirrored my actions from a few moments ago, blood spraying from her mouth, soaking the front of her drab kimono. The darkness she was exuding began to diminish, leaving me free to stab out again.

My spear was no longer wrapped in wind, I had run dry, but even so the blade was viciously sharp, and it scraped across one chitinous limb, ripping into it. As I struggled to sever the limb completely another whipped into me, ripping my dark-burned flesh, spilling more silvery blood. Another missed my face by inches, causing me to flinch backwards, foot sliding in my own spilled gore.

Shit. Shit. Shit! Damn it! I cursed to myself in my head as I desperately fended off a barrage of attacks from the various spider-arms, my footing treacherous, breath coming in hot pained rasps. The mad eyes of the Jorogumo were staring at me like pits of darkness, and her mouth twisted into a bitter sneer, lips stained with her own dark blood.

“Time to dieeeeeee, invading maggotttttttssssssss!” the Jorogumo howled, words slurred, darkness forming again at the tips of her remaining spider-limbs. If I was to take another hit from that elemental attack it would be the end. I would have to close in fast and strike a fatal blow quickly… knuckles white as I clutched my spear I darted forwards, adrenaline surging.

“Go-go left!” Shaeula called from behind me and I instinctively pivoted, spinning to the left. As I did wind-snakes surged past me, battering into the Jorogumo, tearing cloth and the flesh beneath. A piercing scream rang through the air, followed by a second as blades of wind cut through another spider-limb. The darkness scattered and the foe reared backwards, gouting blood.

“You have done well-well lasting this long. We shall assist you!” Shaeula said proudly, as more wind lashed from her. Driven backwards the Jorogumo let out one more baleful yell, her gaze hot and dark. “I shalllllll remember thisssss!” she spat, drawing her few surviving limbs around herself. Darkness flared, rising into a tower around her, and then she was gone, all that remained of her the puddle of blood where she was standing.

You have successfully driven out the owner of this Territory. You have claimed the area and liberated the held Ether within. You have gained…

The usual silver message scrolled across my eyes and I felt a rush of ether. The resistance I was feeling to using aether vanished as well, the comfortable feeling of being in control replacing it.

“That was quite-quite the battle.” Shaeula observed, gingerly stepping around the bloody puddles. “We nearly did not-not win. She was a worthy-worthy foe. A pity she managed to flee.”

“I can’t say I disagree.” I grounded the butt of my spear, using it to support my weight as exhaustion flooded through me. “Of course, if I could hold as much wind energy as you, I’d have finished her off before she could escape. I hope that is the last we see of her, but I doubt it…”

“You may-may be right. She did seem the vengeful sort-sort.” Shaeula agreed. “As for the elemental wind, that will grow-grow in time. You have only just begun to cultivate it. I have-have been using wind for many years. And speaking of wind… that blade of wind you used-used, it was far more-more dangerous than it should have been, with the energy it contained within. How did-did you do that?”

Letting out a tired chuckle I spoke. “It’s all about pressure and vibration. I’ll explain it when we get back to the heart of our Territory. I think we are done with battle today…”

“Hmmm, see that you do-do.” She acquiesced. “If I could do the same-same, I would be far-far more deadly in battle…”

That would be of benefit to me as well. Forcing down my tiredness and all my savage aches and pains I followed her out of the now deserted metro station. It had been one hell of a fight, but it was hard to say it hadn’t been worth it. We had dealt with a very real threat to our control of this region and obtained a wealth of ether and in addition to that, when our Territory upgraded this place would likely come under our control. It would soon be time to implement the next stage of my plan…

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