Book 2 Chapter 41

“The Titans are dead they said. You can’t declare war on the gods without taking down the Titans, too. They’re not unstoppable forces of nature. They’re not our allies in the fight against the gods. The Titans have lived longer than humanity or their supposed creators.

Terrastalia on land. The Leviathan in the seas. Aeros in the skies.

Nothing but death, destruction, and disease follow them. I don’t know why the archmages don’t just band together to eliminate them all.”

—Manyu Paul
Vice Guild Leader of the Arctic Chapter, Allied Cult Hunting Authority

It didn’t take Lillin and the Woodson siblings to join the rescue efforts. What Caitlin lacked in speed and flexibility, she compensated with ridiculous strength. Nox believed she could easily overpower Ernest in a contest. She did the heaviest lifting while he assisted, helped them out of the way, or safeguarded against collapses. When structures appeared on the verge of coming down on rescuers, Lillin used her gravity magic to keep everything stable.

Meanwhile, Alexander used his squirrels to manage everyone. They slipped through gaps in the rubble, looking for survivors. The summoned rodents carried messages, sent for emergency medical aid, and directed volunteers.

Michelle and the local healers set up a medical tent in front of Ratra’s Knightly Brews. The shop supplied healing brews of varying strength. The Taylors contributed clean fabrics for bandages. Still functional eateries provided everyone with warm soup, bread rolls, and soup. Everyone had a job or found a way to contribute.

It came as no surprise when Alex and his gang of little thieves gathered in the alley behind the store. They lived in the open, below porches, or in the crawl spaces under buildings. Some had perished. Many more had suffered cuts, bruises, and broken limbs. Kishan displayed better manners as he helped Nox and Aisha tend to them, starting with the more urgent cases.

Conditions in the rest of the neighborhood had significantly improved. Nox and the party’s assistance helped the guard focus their rescue efforts elsewhere. Apparently, the university and Nobles Quarter barely suffered any damage. Meanwhile, conditions in the outer sections of the city were significantly worse than in the Market Ring. Panic had taken over, requiring all of the student police force to abandon their Seventhday plans and report to duty.

Refugees camping and lining outside the walls were fleeing in droves. Nox heard it was the same for many who had successfully entered the city. Historically, Terrastalia had never appeared anywhere within view of Ygg. They had hoped the tree’s canopy would grant them safety. Now, they knew their belief wasn’t necessarily true.

When Nox finished with the urchins, the sun had set. The smell of dust, smoke, and blood filled the air. The glow of fire stained the darkening sky. Since the circle’s alarm bells were no longer ringing and none rang nearby, Nox guessed the flames burned somewhere beyond the Nobles Quarter. Things would probably get more chaotic beyond the walls.

The staff had finished cleaning the store by the time Nox returned. He ascended the stairs tired, covered in dust, and splattered in blood. Nox wanted nothing more than to eat, bathe, and fall asleep. Lillin was still out assisting with cleanup, and he guessed the Woodsons would be doing the same. Their magic made such jobs reasonably easy for them. Unfortunately, he found Joey and Kris waiting for him.

“Do you need me for city defense or delving?” Nox asked as soon as he saw her. “My Artisan’s Arm needs an oiling, and the mana gems could use a few hours to recharge, but—”

“Relax,” Kris said. “Your party and you need time to rest. A journeyman rift without the Beauforts will require no mental fatigue or strain and full mana wells. Joey will be going with you.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Nox gave Joey an apologetic shrug. “He’s a good combatant with excellent instincts, but I don’t know if he’s ready. No offense, Joey.”

“None taken,” Joey replied. “I agree with you. My presence is going to drag the party down. I would’ve rejected Kris’ instruction if not for Lorenzo’s private lessons.”

“I’ve been assisting Joey with his spell work. He and Professor Wolfhammer have trained alone in the dungeon’s lower floors. Joey might not have his license yet, but this is an emergency, and you’ll need him.” The professor turned to her second apprentice. “You’ll do fine as long as you stick to the practiced spells and don’t let the Djinn Fire burn free.”

“Got it.” Joey nodded. “Minimize intent-driven casting and stick to spellscripts.”

“You know your magic better than anyone.” Kris placed a hand on Joey’s shoulder as she spoke. “Judge what works best for you and do that. Just remember that Nox and his party aren’t as experienced as Wolfhammer and I. They might not know how to react if you lose control.”

“This conversation isn’t exactly filling me with confidence, you know?” Nox quenched his thirst with a cup of now-cold tea. His throat felt hoarse from communicating with fellow rescuers over crying and collapsing structures. Talking to fellow patients and reassuring them didn’t help either. “I trust you, though, Kris. As long as you follow all of my instructions to the letter, Joey, we’ll be fine. Do you have any idea what could’ve caused this? None of the records talk about Terrastalia displaying teleportation powers. Something doesn’t feel right.”

“No, but I have theories. Terrastalia has walked this world long before our ancestors came out of their caves, started farming, and built walls. Our two thousand years of recorded history is but a fleeting moment when compared to his long life. It's possible he’s used such abilities before, and no one recorded it.”

“That doesn’t sound like a Kris theory,” Nox stated. “Tell me what you really think.”

“The idiot city guard didn’t accurately report the blighted pattern killings in the Outer Ring. I only found out about the details Fifthday morning.”

“Don’t tell me they were closer to ritual killings?”

Kris nodded. “I only got around to investigating three scenes before Terrastalia appeared. Then everything descended into chaos, and half the sights are now buried. The evidence will be too tainted for me to come up with a provable hypothesis. The little I saw suggested that they could be a part of a greater ritual. I didn’t see enough to determine its purpose.”

“But is it possible for a ritual to teleport Terrastalia to the city?”

“Not quite. Long-distance teleportation magic is expensive and demands powerful relics, resources, and massive spell scripts. Transporting an entity the size and power of Terrastalia would demand more than a few dozen lives and the mana gems we have available in the city.” Kris helped herself to a cup of cold tea, as well. “ It is more likely the ritual was used to attract Terastalia here or create a target for magic cast elsewhere.”

“In the old stories, shamans and priests sacrificed lives to their gods in exchange for power,” Joey said, catching Nox and Kris off-guard. “What if someone traded the lives for a miracle?”

“Miracles haven’t performed in centuries,” Kris said. “The gods don’t have enough power left to pull off something of this magnitude. However, not all of them have fallen, and Lord Smythe’s little coven was only a cell in a larger cult. It’s a theory worth considering.”

“ When do we head out?” Nox asked. He wanted the conversation to end so he could have time to himself before they headed out.

“First light,” Kris replied. “The diviners tell me a couple of the rifts are already on the verge of breaching. You’ll be targeting the furthest one. I’ve arranged an airship for you and the other party.”

“What about you?” Nox asked. “Are you coming with us?”

“Unfortunately, not. I’d have preferred to be present for Joey’s first delve—given Djinn Fire’s unpredictable nature and what not. Dean Woodson believes my magic will do better on the walls. Terrastalia showered the landscape with monsters, and most are making a beeline for the northern wall.”

“That’s where the refugee camps are.” Nox frowned, wondering about the reason behind the beasts’ unnatural actions. Several villages, towns, and cul de sacs dotted the land around where Terrastalia had appeared. He would’ve expected the dungeon-born to target them first. He guessed Ygg or the dungeon under her affected their behavior. Given Kris’ siege spell, she’d have little trouble burning through wild hordes. “Are you sure my magic won’t do better on the walls? Ratra’s Bow can—”

“I’m sure.” Kris cut him off. “Between Dean Woodson and the other professors, we have enough power to defend the city and Ygg. If the rifts breach, things won’t be as pleasant for the refugees on the road and neighboring settlements. You can help by giving me half of all of your flame slime concoctions.”

“Just half? What do you want me to do with the rest?”

“Take them with you,” she replied. “The airship won’t just be transporting delvers. They’re also scouting the countryside for budding nests. The captain has been told to listen to your instructions. If you sight any myconid clusters, have the airship fly overhead and bombard them.”

“Yes, professor.” Nox grinned. The idea amused and excited Nox. “That sounds fun to me.”