Unsevered Ties

Limited Run 3

3

Sega ran down the winding stairs, long legs struggling to push harder and faster. He held onto the banister as another quake shook the castle. He couldn't tell if the castle wanted to crumble or if the land had taken all it could and now protested with its own shakes. His body wobbled against the wall and Riel grasped his arm, helping to steady him.

"You okay? You just did whatever you just did. It was a lot. Are you feeling okay? We can get you to the safest place we have for now."

Sega shook his head, "no it's fine. I just exerted a huge amount of energy in one go. I didn't know I could, to be honest. That dome, it's an entity from the God Night's blood. It's called the black and Leiodus is the origin of it all. He is actually called Void, and he is not Shashiva. It steals the bodies of people, of important people, then it lives as if it is the person. That's how he's built all of this. Lifetimes of collecting people, letting them pass down his words, convincing their children to praise and accept the Black magic. It has turned Void into a God amongst mortals, and I am to be his new body."

Sega started down the stairs again, "Esga, my Black, it took on my anger and sadness and became that. Until you two broke me out of it, I don't know what I was about to do. Whatever it was, I wanted nothing but destruction. Thankfully, some clarity seeped through, and I was able to mold Esga into something else. Esga will devour any Black Ones that try to pass it. For now, the problem is taking out anything that got caught inside its shield."

"Is Esga not able to do something about these beastly things that have gotten into the city limits?"

"No, I barely changed its shape to defend instead of attack. No matter how calm I seem, right now everything in me is torn. I can't try to do anything with it on a large scale at the moment. I might hurt people."

"Damn, Aiden informed me of the bigger details, but I had no clue about some of it. I suppose you'll have to fill us in as we go. Whatever you did, whatever caused it, you're saving our asses. Those things were streaming in like a landslide. We need your expertise right now Sega, you are a Mountain King now."

Sega paused again, his heart hurting with a pain he'd never felt before. "Liathan, I need you to gather any hunters you can and go down to the lake quickly! I need you to search for Aiden. He could..." Sega slumped against the wall. He felt too afraid to speak the words. Aiden's heart left his body and then, just like everything Sega had come to love, it disappeared in front of his eyes. "At least... at least his body..."

Liathan slid past Riel, griping Sega's shoulder. "Don't push yourself to say it. I'm on it, whatever you need."

"If you say he fell from where you two held your ceremony, it would lead to the great river from the back mountains." Riel shook his head. It'd be easier if Aiden had fallen to the lake. By now their King could have floated a great distance, especially if the tremors jostled the water too. "Liathan, take Jon, Krista, Julista, and Kellon. They know that river with their eyes closed."

Liathan nodded his understanding, moving past Sega on the stairs as they all began to descend again. Before they could get past the floor with the Royal bedrooms, a commotion caught their attention as guards shouted and appeared to try to trap and grapple with something.

"Easy! Easy! That's Vio! Try to contain only! Do not injure him!"

Liathan recognized a fellow Field member, and he turned in Strider's direction. He, Sega, and Riel all saw the group of four guards trying to keep something from leaving the King's chambers.

"Vio?! Is something wrong with my brother? What has happened?"

Sega moved to grab Liathan, stopping him from going forward. "Wait Liathan, something is wrong. Stay here, don't come in." Sega rushed past the young man, his heart dropping at the scene. It was clear they were catching the last of it, but it was enough to see the blue-haired young man finish a force shift into a black beast. "Shit..."