Chương 37: Chapter 36: Ascent

The stairway wasn't actually a stairway - it was more like a guard house in the middle of an indefinitely prolonged explosion. What made it surreal seeming wasn't the thousands of feet between us and the solid ground, nor the fact that we were having to carefully climb objects that sometimes gently spun or bobbed slightly yet did not respond to our weight at all. It was the silence. The only noise that made it into our little bubble of being was our own heartbeats and breathing.

The wind that raged in a tunnel above us, and then around us as we rose, didn't make any noise at all. The birds just... watched us inside the storm, circling, coming nearly within touching distance in wide spirals, and each time we tensed and stood ready on whatever ground we were on.

The stormhawks would draw close enough for us to look into their eyes, close enough that I could have jumped on one, close enough that I could see that they were indeed wearing armor, close enough to hear their breathing as we stared them down before they'd spiral out again into silence and twilight once more. Silence was our companion - and we kept it as we rose... and rose... and rose, our path growing harder and harder, steeper and steeper. Soon, we had to start tying ourselves together.

The three adventurers tied themselves together, with Torch at one end of the rope, Fel tied directly to me, and Roxala moored to the three of us, as she weighed the greatest of us, each with maybe twenty feet of length between. Fel was the first to show signs of fatigue at the climb, and then Roxala, in her heavy armor, began to grow tired as well. Torch and I, and of course Gelidia who didn't actually need to climb and could simply float as she pleased, were soon the only ones not puffing for breath.

"I need a moment" Fel said at last after a particularly difficult climb onto a desk on some flagstones proved to yield only a series of bricks for handholds and a chair above that as the next leg of our ascent.

"Aye... we rest here a moment." Roxala panted, and let her shield down onto the tabletop. The birds hadn't bothered us at all - they'd been watchful, certainly, but until right this moment, they'd been entirely peaceful, though they'd come close a score of times before now. We didn't react right away - not until glinting blades flashed and at the last, a piercing shriek came, of course the moment Roxala had let her guard down!

Then, they were on us as quick as lightning, snatching Fel off the platform with massive talons, sinking into his shoulders deeply as he cried out in terror, dragged over the side in an instant! Roxala hadn't been braced at all - nobody had, and suddenly, with a jerk, she went with him as his full body's weight and the might of the bird hit her hips by the loop around them, jerking her sharply over the edge with a scream!

The rope almost pulled me with it, and Torch, who was also still fresh-ish with me, managed to grab onto the desk with a shout! My hips jerked hard, and Fel screamed in pain and terror as the bird wrenched at him, tried to drag him away - only to find us stuck together! It was let go of the man, or lose control - and the bird chose, releasing our Wizard and letting him simply drop!

All the while I could only watch in horror and try to keep myself from being sucked off the edge too by the combined weight of the Shield-Maiden Roxala and the bird's furious tug, then the released pressure as he dropped away and began to swing directly towards the stair way. Time seemed to slow. Several points occurred to me as if being explained patiently by a kindly matron. First, Fel would almost certainly hit the stairs with enough force to kill him.

He was in no state to catch himself - I could see that the gouge in his shoulders was deep, and he was bleeding pretty badly. I didn't know what he'd do to recover, if there were potions or something in this world, but that looked like serious damage to me. Maybe it wasn't as bad as it looked, but it wasn't a... right this second problem. It could wait for a moment. Second, I was heading for the edge myself. My momentum needed to change, and now.

Sohei spoke to me, the most clear and direct thought I'd ever received from the gentle guidance of the skill, and I listened. Widen your stance. I did so in that crystallized moment of time before Fel's full weight hit me. Get a hold of the ropes. Roxala's full weight hadn't hit Torch or I yet either - she was still swinging too. If Torch took even part of that weight he'd go over too, handhold on the table or not. If I wanted my friends to have a chance, and to have one myself...... I had to take the weight.

I hit the tightening ropes with my forearm, and dragged across them to pull them both into my grasp, looping the ropes around my arm once, twice, then grabbed on as tight as I could. Almost immediately, my shoulder began to report damage - it was way too much weight, but... I could be stronger, couldn't I? Yes, a third thought told me. You can. But you need something to hold onto. You need leverage. I shot my hand out and grabbed hard onto the desk with my free hand as my feet skid across the flagstones.

By fingertips - just my fingertips - I got a hold. Now! Now I poured mana into my muscles, and felt heat as the Wolf flooded into my body, surging every muscle, every tendon, with desperate strength. I only realized I'd sunk forty mana into the action, as much as I could possibly stand, when the full weight of the pair hit my shoulder. This had two effects. First, it arrested my momentum... almost entirely. Second, it sped up their swing a little! Not good!

The grip, a fourth thought told me calmly, and my arm, wouldn't hold forever. I needed a better grip, and to take the strain off my shoulder itself. Pulling would further speed up Fel's swing towards the stairwell. The chair. The chair was as frozen in place as the desk was. I could get a grip on that as I passed by! What I had to do... was let go of the desk and grab the chair instead.

I could see with my Wolf-Ren that this would also bring Roxala and Fel closer together - the ropes would have less distance from him to her. He'd hit her... and SHE would hit the stairs. But she was in armor, and she was a hell of a lot tougher than the Wizard was. In one heart-stopping moment, I let go of the desk.

Very, very quickly, I slid down, and shot out my hand to snag the chair instead with the full grip of my hand as, still in this moment of slow motion, I saw a falling Roxala realize what I'd done, and turn her back to the stairs to catch Fel in her arms as I held their entire weight. They hit the stairs with a SLAM that sounded painful.

As the heavy THUD and the clatter of armor hit my ears, I screamed - screamed in defiance, and in agony, as red-hot fire spread up across my shoulders and my joints protested fiercely! But I didn't let go - I couldn't. With a titanic effort, everything I could muster in me, with my Wolf in full alignment, I dragged the arm holding my friends upward, inch by inch! And as I did, I took their weight off of Torch entirely. Torch made the most of it. His crossbow came around, and it was still loaded from earlier.

From a crouching three-point stance on the desk, he sighted on another Stormhawk diving towards him. I could see the steadiness of his hand, and the serene expression on his face in my Wolf-Ren as he took a calm breath... and fired. The bolt shot forward from the crossbow, and adopted a slight spin in the air as it flew straight and true, striking into the creature's neck as it tried to turn aside. He didn't bother trying to reload the thing.

He just let it drop on its strap as the bird began to drop and smacked into the stairs head-first, shattering into motes of white light. His long blade came sweeping from its scabbard, and he turned to face a second bird that was even now swooping towards him. That's the image of Torch the Scout that I hoped to keep for the rest of my life - him, standing juxtaposed against the twilight sky, blade glinting gold, his face calm as he faced down the giant hawk coming for his throat.

With a dancer's precision, he twirled out of the way of the creature's pounce, and brought his blade up, then down again, snickersnack. The bird didn't know it'd lost both of its freaking wings in a heartbeat - it just flew past him as its wings spun in opposite directions of its body, blood misting over Torch's face and chest in slow motion droplets before the bird plummeted to its death, turning to motes of light before it even vanished from sight. Then Gelidia reacted at last.

She'd gone wide-eyed as this initial assault had happened, and had spent the intervening moments mustering her power as I saw her face crease, more and more, into lines of fury. The air around her seemed to thicken, her hands crooking as lightning crackled between her fingers and the storm, eternally spinning around us, darkened and resonated with her will. Power gathered around her as if a giant was taking a deep, deep breath, and then she made as if winding back to throw a spear.

As she did, a searing lance of green lightning formed in her hand, seeming to be unsheathed from the air itself as she drew it back. The storm licked it, strokes of lightning hitting her arm and chest as she floated in defiance of gravity, and any illusion of a need of the grip on the desk itself. She threw it so hard she actually bent over double, letting out a 'HUH' as if she were a martial artist releasing her breath with a strike - which, I supposed, she kind of was in this moment!

Another of the birds was unlucky enough to be swooping around for another pass with its fellows - four more in total. Then there were three - the stricken bird flashed into flames and came apart in white motes. Only then did the KRAKOOM of a thunderclap hit the air and make my vision spin a moment! Time resumed, and I didn't relent - I kept... pulling. Pulling and pulling, making progress from my awkward angle only by inches at a time. It seemed to take forever, and I didn't pay any further attention to the fight.

I just... devoted every fiber of my being to getting my hand, the one holding by friends' ropes, upward... to grab the chair too. Once I had that grip, I let go with my other hand. My fingers barely wanted to respond - they'd locked down so hard! Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Seizing the rope again, I leaned to look at my friends as another thunderclap sounded. Roxala was recovering, and She was holding Fel tightly.

The man was conscious, and so was she - that was good! The Orcish shieldmaiden looked up to me, and tried to turn so she could grip the stair as well, suddenly taking the weight off my body as she sheltered the Wizard against her massive form while he recovered. I got my feet as well, but kept my grip as tight as I could as my body reported panicked messages of damage! Arms, on fire! Shoulders, aching! Bumps, scrapes and bruises!

I struggled to get my breath back, and each exhale came with a growl interlaced with it, as if I were a great panting beast.

"How is he? How are you?" I asked. My voice barely sounded human to even my own ears. I can't imagine how rough it sounded to Roxala, but she met my eyes.

"Not as bad as it looks. It's a trickle - I figure they got his shoulder muscles instead of deeper. Slow and steady." and I instinctively knew she was talking about blood. I knew that people who had a pierced artery or something, their blood pulsed as it came out, right?

"I'll be fine." HOW WOULD YOU KNOW THIS? My wolf sounded interested, and upset by what had actually happened. I could feel her anger, and something else - something I couldn't make sense of in that moment. I used to watch a lot of TV and read stuff. I figure she knows that too. Maybe it's something she's seen before? PROBABLY. YOU THOUGHT FAST. My wolf said, and... it had scared her? No, not fear... not actual fear as such, it was... something nuanced, something I didn't quite understand. GOOD.

We're a team, you and I! Let's pull them up, okay? WILL SHE NEED HELP? I think so.

"Roxala - can you carry him? I'm going to get my feet too and help you pull him up." I said, and forced my arms to obey me. I'd never have been able to do this when I was human... but now, it was almost easy, now that my friends weren't straining my arms at maximum tension. Even if I was strong enough to pull down a steel and wood door, I'd had leverage then. The leverage I had had a few moments ago had been terrible, with no way to use the core of my body's strength. And yet...

just my upper body strength had been enough? An assisted pull up on the rope, helping take the excess weight off of Roxala, helping her climb, it was easy by comparison. That wasn't to say it felt... nice, though, not with my shoulders screaming at me and my arms hurting so bad that tears beaded in the corners of my eyes. While the fighting persisted above and around me, I shifted my weight to sit on the edge and brace my foot on the frozen chair.

With that leverage, it was easy enough work to keep hauling and take up the slack for Roxala and Felorikaan. Hand over hand, I hauled them upward, crossing the gap and dragging them bodily onto the small platform with us. Then Gelidia was beside us, hesitating over me for a moment, before moving to check on our friends. Roxala was stiff, and I figured she'd have a huge bruise tomorrow, but Fel, his arms were like noodles. He could move them, but only barely, and tears streaked his cheeks.

He didn't cry out though, and his expression was serene as his lips moved in silence. I couldn't make out the shape of the words, so light were the movements, something about... mother of creation? I tried to understand - it gave me something to focus on that wasn't my own aching body and cooling muscles, and... I must have used Inspection [SPELL] Mantra of Serenity He was... casting a spell? What was that? Had I just... caught him in the middle of casting a spell? What was a Mantra, anyhow?

either way, he didn't resist as Roxala moved his arm, and produced bandages from a pouch at Fel's hip, which Gelidia used to wipe him clean once the Orc maiden pressed them into the Shade's hand. At her nod, and stiff instruction, Gelidia pressed them against the wound as Roxala's hand moved behind her again to the same pouch. A thin phial of red liquid was produced, and with some mild regret, her lips a thin line, the orc maiden bit out the cork and tipped the liquid to Fel's lips.

"Drink - potion." she commanded, and the man obeyed, interrupting his mantra. Almost immediately he winced, but gulped the liquid down and I could smell a sharp odor from the man suddenly. What had happened? I tried to analyze it, even as I watched with wonder while his wounds rapidly began to close. Had he... been fighting pain with that... what was it, a mantra? It seemed so. How that could work was beyond me, but... I transformed into a wolf sometimes, lifted my friends with my upper body, and tore apart doors.

Who was I to say what was possible with magic of all things? My distraction was interrupted as Roxala clapped me on the back soundly with a slap slap, the message clear.

'Good Work' - my heart surged with pride and relief in equal measure as I slid my arms around Fel and clutched him, still growling, soft and low. That had been close. The last pair of stormhawks fled while Torch covered us. Once they spun away into the storm, he wiped his blade clean with a cloth and slid it home again to its sheathe. Then, the notifcations hit us! Good Girl! 4x Stormhawks, level 6, have flown the coop! Bonus XP was gained for a legendary feat of strength!

Due to working as a team, the reward is reduced. Roxala grunted, and grinned to herself!

"I just leveled." She said matter-of-factly, and Torch smiled at the sunset.

"Me too." he said, and glanced down at the man he loved as I squoze the squeaking wizard quietly, and he clutched me back.

"How is he?" he asked, and... I could hear the concern and pain in his voice. He wanted to be down with us, fussing over Fel more than anything, but... he was firmly on watch. HE IS A GOOD BOY He is!

"I think he'll be alright - Torch, that was amazing!" I said In the last fight he hadn't been very impressive, but in this one? He'd really saved the day. He could have been useless and we'd all have died for sure.

"Should have seen him, you two! He shot one in the throat, and killed a second one quick as you please! Cut BOTH its wings off!" I gushed, and let go of Fel at last, helping him to his feet so he could at last slip into a hug with Torch.

"And Gelidia - that was such an awesome spell! You threw like a lightning javelin at one of them and they just - FWOOSH, exploded! Oh wow my arms hurt." I said, and the Shade chuckled, pleased, nestled close into my side.

"Good thinking - that took a fair bit of nerve yourself, Emily - I reckon you saved Fel's life just now. Mine too, come to that." Roxala said as we sat together on the edge.

"Damn glad you're here." and then she got to her feet. Her shields were strapped down onto her back again, and she grunted.

"Alright, status - how are you all doing?"

"Eighty percent mana, I'm fine." Gelidia said. I checked my own status. [Health: 175/220] [Stamina: 140/250] [Mana: 105/130]"I'm a little hurt and tired - couple minutes of rest and I'll be alright." I said dutifully.

"Spent a little stamina and mana there, but I'm fresh." Torch said.

"I've... regained forty percent from the potion, and... that's excellent news because I lost eighty percent of my life pool." Fel said. Roxala grunted.

"As for me... I lost just under half my health points as well." she growled, reached into her bag to consider another of those red potions. She sighed, and bit out the cork on that one too before knocking it back into her mouth and tossing the bottle into the abyss.

"... Shit, I'm just glad you're not dead, Fel, I thought for sure I'd be lighting a funeral pyre for you when you went over the edge, little brother." Fel rolled his shoulders as if testing them, and nodded firmly.

"Next time... I will be more attentive." he said firmly.

"Yeah, don't you dare get caught off guard again" Roxala teased"How dare you almost die and scare me half to death. Unforgivable." she said, and looked him over, fussed over him like a mother hen as she reassured herself that he was still whole.

"Are you alright to continue?" she asked, and the man nodded easily.

"We both used a potion... that brings us to four left, right?" he asked, and she nodded gravely.

"So those potions... are they rare? Valuable?" I asked, and Gelidia crossed her arms, tilting her head a little towards the conversation with interest.

"Yes, they're made from seasonal ingredients that are hard to cultivate - they're very expensive." Fel said.

"Healing magic is hard to come by as well, as the traditions of the Light Sage - the Radiant Necromancer - are largely lost. There are very few schools that remain on the mainland, and few practice it on this continent."

"... Really? That's a shame. When I was alive, the kingdom seemed to have many, many such potions - they were..." Gelidia gestured vaguely"Ubiquitous! Everywhere. They MUST have been able to cultivate the Moongrass." she said. The adventurers looked at each other, eyebrows climbing Roxala's head as Fel began to grin a bit.

"Were there many Radiant Necromancers in your time?" he asked, and Gelidia nodded.

"It was a practice folded into the Temple of the World, largely - clerics practiced it. Do you still have Doctors as well?" she asked, and the adventurers nodded.

"Yes, but their service comes dear." Torch said "They serve the aristocracy of the Republic almost exclusively." I blinked.

"so what's the difference between a healer and a doctor?" I asked, and Fel smiled a little as he replied.

"A doctor physically heals the body with an understanding of how it works, while a healer simply pours power into the body to repair it. Many Light Sages are also doctors, so the point is largely moot - a study of anatomy is a factor of their craft, after all" he explained as we stood on ten square feet of flagstones and a table. I was suddenly glad I largely healed myself, and quickly, and that Gelidia had no body to wound.

"We must keep going. Are you rested? Fel? Emily?" Roxala asked, and the wizard nodded. I did as well shortly after, and we resumed our climb.