Fall of the Spectrum

Chapter Twenty, Part Two

Their hour within the Training Facility, while productive, still hadn't gone quite as well as Gwen hoped it would. True, she had managed to change into another form, much like she had during her lessons the day before. But the Glamour had only lasted a few minutes before vanishing.

Moreover, it had left her feeling drained. Forneus had just convinced her to try again when they were interrupted by a council aide entering the facility, informing them that it was time to head to their destination: Chikurin-ji Temple.

"I admit, I'm no happier about this than you are," Forneus told Gwen as she strapped the last ethereal blade to her thigh, "but under the circumstances, we have little choice. My only solace is that the Third Unit is set to strike one of Apophis's other bases while we infiltrate this one. Even if they manage to find nothing there, at the least they'll be providing an adequate diversion on our end."

"That's only if the other base calls for backup from the Temple," Gwen pointed out, sighing. They had discussed the mission from beginning to end and back again during her training, and it still had far too many holes for her liking. "Is it just me, or are they getting bolder? I mean, I know they attacked in broad daylight before," she absently rubbed her shoulder, recalling the injury given to her by the bird monster during their mission in Trikala City, "—but they seem to be doing it a lot more, lately."

She looked at Forneus, studying him. His expression turned thoughtful, one finger absently tapping his chin. "In all likelihood, you're right. Apophis is getting bolder. And why shouldn't he, now that our numbers are dwindling while his continue to grow? Between the power his generals have amassed and those he has coerced to his side, I doubt he's concerned over being seen by mortals. Not anymore, not when he's this close to victory."

"Well, that's not going to happen." Gwen flushed at the approving grin lighting Forneus's face at her words, and held out her arm. "I guess it's now or never, right?"

Forneus's grin became a full-fledged smile. "That's the spirit," he said, looping his arm through hers. "Perhaps you'll pull off that Glamour of yours, yet."

Gwen offered him a shy smile in return, but as the pulsating colours of the room turned into a dizzying swirl around her, the smile faded. Nausea not entirely owed to the teleportation settled heavily in the pit of her stomach, stretching and contracting until she thought she was going to be sick. It was only with her eyes squeezed tightly shut that she managed to keep it from happening, and in the space of a breath, her feet found solid ground once again.

When she opened her eyes, it was to see that they were standing on the edge of a forest, tall pines and elms towering in front of them with the peaks of winged rooftops beyond, obscured by the gathering storm clouds overhead. The clouds, dark and swollen with rain, grew darker still, until Gwen could no longer tell whether it was night or day. Barely a sliver of light cut through them, and if not for the stark whiteness of the stone path they were standing on and the faint outline of the trees directly before them, she highly doubted she would have been able to make out much of anything.

"It's so dark," she murmured, still clutching Forneus's arm. "Is that the temple?" She pointed toward the second building far off to the right, squinting at the multi-tiered wingtips of the roof that vanished into the low-hanging clouds.

"In part," replied Forneus, gently pulling her toward the first row of trees. "We should keep moving. No doubt Iris and Reeves have plenty of soldiers skulking about. Right now, what we need is—ah, this will do."

Gwen didn't get to ask what "this" was before Forneus directed her toward a vast elm. In the time it took to blink, a familiar dizziness swept over her, the ground vanishing beneath her feet to be replaced by a naked branch. Forneus stood next to her, balancing on the pale limb with the ease of a trapeze artist.