I'll Be Here

Before You Go

Rex Lapis was an unbelievable warrior.

With one hand, his spear called for waves of earth that slammed down into Hydro mimics, crushing them into puddles; with the other, he summoned golden jade shields that protected his adepti from giant waves that rose from the pools at random.

Xiao had never seen anything like it. He slashed another Hydro mimic into droplets of water, protecting his eyes uselessly from the spray with his already-soaking sleeve. He blinked hard, but the water clung stubbornly to his eyelashes. Fatigue settled into his muscles.

"Don't stop now!" Rex Lapis shouted from his position atop a nearby ruin, rallying the adepti again. Xiao gathered his energy and surged forward.

It had been five days since Guili city had been leveled and the Archon of Dust had been just another casualty of war. Only five days since the ruin that Rex Lapis now stood upon had been a part of a whole city. Just five days since Jing reported back that the Chi of Guyun was responsible for all of it. And five days since Rex Lapis had smiled.

Water stung Xiao's eyes. He was past the point of wondering if he was crying or if the salt water of the deep pool was just a permanent fixture in the air now.

He didn't think he was crying.

He didn't think he remembered how.

"The frequency is decreasing!" Menogias was yelling from a little distance away. "I feel like it's almost over!" She spun in a circle, blasting flames everywhere. The salt water explosions from the mimics around her evaporated off her skin but only served to further soak everyone else.

"Thank you!" Bonanus yelled back at her. He was frowning; his feet were sinking in the oversaturated earth.

"About time," Bosacius gasped from next to Xiao. He had had the most difficult time trying to be effective without accidentally electrocuting everyone else in the process. With the saltwater all around them, Bosacius had resorted almost exclusively to physically demanding melee attacks. Indarias offered him healing, and he shook his head at her.

Menogias grinned at them, shooting flames out everywhere again as her mask appeared on her face. Pyro energy flooded the area, vaporizing Hydro mimics in a good radius. Menogias rose up into the air, eyes glowing behind her pear-shaped mask. She drew her bow up close to her face and started sniping mimics all around her, laughing wildly even when a Hydro boar dashed at her and clipped her leg.

Xiao made short work of it with a pass of his spear.

The jade shield resonated as one last giant wave crashed against it before receding from the pool and back into the ocean. Xiao looked up as Rex Lapis finally dropped the shield against them. "Finally," he heard the powerful voice sigh from above him.

Antheas froze the spray around her from the falling shield. Little ice crystals fell to the ground. She did not look at Xiao, but she kicked some shards of ice away from him. "You are very strong," she mumbled. "Good job."

"Yes!" Pervases added eagerly. "Xiao, you're amazing! It would have taken me, like, twenty hits to destroy that mimic, and you beat it in one shot! Will you teach me?"

Xiao nodded. He wasn't really listening. His head felt simultaneously hot and also cold, and his hair was plastered to his face and neck.

Sky Bracer, one of the stag adepti, swung his head abruptly at the yakshas, and Xiao flinched. "One thinks that there is something wrong with the Pyro yaksha."

"What?" Pervases swung around, and the other adepti turned to look.

Somnius was dangerously close to the burning ends of Menogias's clothes. "Menogias!" He was crying out desperately. "It's over! It's fine!"