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UE Rewrite: B4 — 19. Valdar’s Crossing
🕑 Added 2025-01-31 23:17:46 +0000 UTCPoV:
1. Elinor (Our Lich Empress!)
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Water began to seep down from the tunnel walls, a gentle trickle that rapidly grew. It pooled at Elinor’s feet, spreading fast, dragging flopping shadows with it. Fish—monstrously large ones—jerked and thrashed as they were carried along with the flood from the lake above. Their gaping mouths snapped at air, eyes wide and glassy as if they couldn’t comprehend the new, crumbling world they’d been pulled into.
Moving through the rising waters, Elinor stepped onto the hot, glowing molten slag of the hole Jennifer had used to breach the Royal Nest of Camellia’s mother. The air shimmered with residual heat, the smell of her burning flesh rising up her nose as she proceeded, Garu on Ash’s horse.
Undead heart pumping slowly, she paused in the hole to look back at the dismembered corpse of her unnamed Intelligent and Unintelligent thélméthra. She placed a hand over her throbbing chest.
I’ve lost three souls…
Ash lowered his head, his cracked crown and skull showing with Garu’s own frustrated face, the flesh stripped from his leg and arm that would require time to repair. Ash’s bone damage, on the other hand, couldn’t be repaired.
“My apologies, Empress. I wasn’t able to save the drone the moment you stopped his threads.”
Garu’s fingers tightened around his dagger, gaze on her smoldering feet as she studied the mass of unintelligent undead that the mutant ri’bot had slaughtered. “The drone was far more useful and had a higher Rank than me.”
Nonsense. Elinor didn’t smile, unbothered by the scent or pain of her melting flesh. There is an argument to be made that your higher level is of greater importance since you’ve broken into the Rare Grade. Prioritizing soldiers by importance is critical in war, as uncomfortable as it is, but you are far from dispensable, Garu, and have talents I can’t easily replace.
Tilting her head, she turned away as water gradually rose higher. The clash of titanic forces rippled through the earth from Camellia and Varnak’s battle. Yet, the battle was already won in her mind. She moved further into the nest through the 12 foot long hole to touch cool, soft silk.
Perhaps it was my miscalculation to tell Varnak I feel the deaths of my subordinates. Obviously, when Camellia showed up, he’d kill whoever he had in his web… And I was the one who had control. I should have anticipated that he could break my chains and used [Chain Break] to further challenge him.
Slag bubbled on the cavern floor where Camellia’s sister’s egg had been taken. Melted stone, blackened and slick, sprawled all along the expansive nest in a cone shape that led up to the opening in the ceiling, 3 meters in diameter.
She stopped at the edge of the hardened stone, small streams of liquid trailed down it from the light drizzle that fell into the hole. Her gaze remained steady, despite the destruction and her escaped target. Her father was riding to the opening above them after getting an update from Ash. It wouldn’t be long before he jumped down.
Her mind spun on what needed to be done and what came next. The battle was won, but the war still rages on in the west. Just because the Xaltan’s leaders are dead, doesn’t mean their army has stopped. Dad?
“Should I join you?”
“No. We’re coming up in a moment. Soon this whole tunnel system will be underwater.”
Camellia informed her of Varnak’s demise but it didn’t come with much satisfaction. However, the mention of giving what remained of him to Tiffany to find her sister, and thereby Jennifer put a small smile on her lips.
Join us, and collect the drone limbs… I’d like to start a tradition with our fallen undead soldiers. They should all be remembered and their actions recorded in service of the empire.
“Yes, Empress.”
Sensing the determination and anger at having her little sister stolen, Elinor let her stew on it. She figured the topic would come up when she was ready to discuss it.
With that, she walked up the rough stone, its surface still warm beneath her feet and the running water. Below the surface of hardened stone the molten rock was insulated and would release heat for weeks.
Raising her hand, chains shot out. One tug—and the entire group was propelled upward in a swift, unrelenting ascent. It must have been at least a hundred meters. The wind shrieked in their ears as they shot through the tunnel, breaking free of the earth.
Whatever technology this nalvean has, with power like this, it should have been easy for him to cut even Dad to ribbons… Why steal Jennifer away instead of handling me when I’m stretched so thin?
Shooting out of the breach, she tilted the next chains to pull them to the side, landing in the mud of the jungle floor beside her father.
The only answer I can think of is that he has plans for me… Is his intent to use the information he has on Jennifer to draw me in or help him with something? Or, perhaps, this is a bigger game that Shade is playing in the background. Whatever the case, that’s a worry for another day. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose.
Elinor didn’t need to ask about Dalria as her father helped her up onto his horse. She was dead. The feeling in her chest told her everything, the hollowness spreading like a slow echo of finality. Now that her real mother could be reclaimed, the pain the Komath Xaria had caused felt empty.
She glanced at Garu and Ash before exhaling, the horseman telling her privately that Valentina and Grace were approaching. Her attention was one the flames flickering faintly over their frames. A mix of green and red light—[Minion Break] and [Domination] coursing through their very essence. The green was fading, yet it would still be a short while before [Domination] faded.
I can feel myself getting close to Level 30. By the end of this, I’ll probably reach it. Considering how many lives and EXP I’m getting from the death I feel flowing from the west, it’s crazy to think how little I’m actually receiving… Maybe I’ll have to ask the hag about it.
“Empress.” Grace smoothly flew out of the canopy to land beside her with a peaceful swagger. “I saw a green streak fly across the sky and over the mountain that appeared to be a human and a scaled salamander. Should I deliver my report now? What would be next on the agenda?”
Valentina jumped down, branch by branch, the seventeen-year-old tiger girl practically wheezing upon reaching them. “W-We beat—giant dragonfly army… Huge tornado!”
Elinor couldn’t help a smile at the sweating teen. Light cuts marred her body and patches of blood soaking her fur, yet she was smiling with a wagging tail. Her gaze slid back to the hare man, though, a measured glare aimed at the extremely capable follower of Nungal.
“Of course, you saw Jennifer escaping and let her go…or should I say Nungal let her go. I want to strangle your goddess, which…is not a feeling I often have as of late.”
She could feel her father’s mirth as Camellia moved below, gathering the bodies of the fallen drones to rejoin them. Grace simply showed a serene smile, ears tilting to the left before reaching up to scratch an itch.
“Oh, I understand that feeling, Empress. I had many such fantasies when I was a young boy, following her whims. I’ve learned to find her antics amusing and accept them in stride, which…actually annoys her.” He flashed his teeth. “It’s fun taking the fun out of her sail from time to time but I think they are allowed slights against her.”
Valentina snorted. “Wait, Grace, are you saying Nungal likes pouting and getting huffy at her followers?”
“It seems that way to me,” he stated without batting an eye. “So, Empress, what shall we do?”
“Clean-up,” Elinor replied without missing a beat, looking eastward. “We won the battle here, but not the war just yet.”
Camellia arrived moments later, carrying the items she’d been tasked with. She bowed, dropping the large bundle of silk beside her as her striking figure burned with raging flames. “Empress… I’ve been thinking about a few things.”
Your sisters…and your mother? Elinor asked, hugging her father from behind as they went on the move, heading east to meet up with the armies she’d sent to surround the Xaltan. It was better to talk about important things in the Nexus, where Shade wasn’t listening. Yes, I’ve been considering everything you’ve told me thus far since discovering your new sister. Go on.
“You found me in a cave far from where I died, underneath Ke’Thra’Ma’s black city,” Camellia murmured, skipping beside them through the dense foliage as the light mist of rain fell over them within the dark. “I understand we are still at war and I am needed. I want to run after that brazen nalvean who stole my sister and rip him into pieces…
“I’ve…never had these types of raw emotions as a thélméthra, which makes me believe it is from taking in your DNA to better adapt to your way of governing and understand what you require of me. Yet, I know that is a stupid decision that will cause me to waste so much time. Logically, I should find my sisters and mother while you handle discovering where our target is.”
Elinor hummed, catching her father’s tilted head toward her; she could feel his anxiety and longing for her mother. He was already looking forward to what the hag had promised and that was a topic for a bit later. One she was also looking forward to and somewhat dreading.
Turning her thoughts back to her struggling Monarch of the Hunt, Elinor studied her lithe form and precise maneuvering. Even after facing an incredibly dangerous enemy only a moment ago, she was as energetic as ever, holding the sack of goods on her back. And this creature of destruction was supposedly clumsy and extremely weak compared to her sisters and mother.
You aren’t wrong. With my [Warlord Passive] I can raise any Monarch Military Unit regardless of Grade, restricting them to my highest current Grade, which is Rare. It would be interesting to see where your family lands…
She took a moment to think it over, half-listening to Grace report his battle, Valentina already being carried in his arms since she couldn’t keep up.
Hmm. Very well. Now that Jennifer is out of the picture with their chief, it is only a matter of time before the Xaltan fold, if they haven’t already. We have the full military might of four clans converging on them from two directions to deliver the hammer and anvil tactic…
“Meaning?” Camellia asked, hope blooming in her chest.
Elinor chuckled at her enthusiasm, thinking about how excited she’d be to go look for her parents, and even Butter, if they’d all been killed and I could see them again.
Meaning, you can go investigate. Do you have a lead as to where to start?
“I do, Empress!” Camellia became a blur as she broke northwest, toward the Wandering River. “My family was killed by Ke’Thra’Ma. Mother prepared a giant battling nest below his fortress, breaking into their bottom floor and destroying their protective barrier. I can follow their trails from there. There may even be remains of the White God from our battle that Tiffany can use!”
A shiver ran through Elinor’s spine, recalling what Grace, Black, and Ash had discovered in the quen’talrat northeastern mine—a barrier-blocked pathway to what appeared to be an underground passageway into the impenetrable city.
If you can find us another way inside… That is my next goal. Look for your sisters and investigate to see if there are any breaches into the city. The war with the Xaltan may be won, and we have the valley under our control, but Krava is rallying the Great Clans of the Lowlands against us. It will be the perfect buffer in case we need it if we cannot hold them at the southeastern choke into the valley.
“Understood, Empress! I won’t let you down.”
Camellia’s connection drew more distant by the second, and soon enough, she was out of range. The army waited for them to the east. Grace’s report was far more casual and humble than it should have been. Elinor wanted to strangle Nungal for a second time upon hearing the tale.
If you can give your followers the power to control literal higher beings within an area to do your bidding out of fear…and use them as a freaking wind cage, something is wrong with you! No, you just want to make me bite my hair and pull it out. You’re taunting and teasing me. I know you can hear me, you purple-haired diva! What is your end-game, to see how much I struggle to reach your throne before killing me again?
Not long later, [Domination] ended. And all her internal and quite private curses at the goddess snickering at her from beyond the veil died when they got word from Black about a new structure and landmark for the valley.
Elinor leaned forward slightly into her father’s back, listening intently to Black’s report—something vast, colossal, and newly crafted, splitting down the center of the Wandering River. A structure shaped by Valdar after he’d broken away from their group. She already knew the results before the horsewoman informed her.
What were your last moments, Valdar? Whatever it is…the greatest thing you did was place your faith in me. I will see your vision through.
The last vestiges of the rain trickled through the jungle canopy as Elinor rode behind her father in silence. The warhorse beneath her expertly maneuvering through the foliage, its steps muffled by the soggy ground. The moment they exited, her father couldn’t help but bring them to a stop.
Low-hanging mist flowed over the river, yet it couldn’t hide the impossible structure that stretched across the kilometers-wide waterway. Moisture misted off the massive bridge ahead, glistening in the dim light as morning began to rise. Its black wood gleamed as if carved from obsidian, and thick red vines coiled around its structure like arteries, pumping life into the whole valley.
The cables shimmered with magic, crimson threads catching the sparse sunlight breaking through the clouds. The central support pillars towered like guardians of a forgotten age, disappearing into the mist above.
Her father’s breath came in a visible frost as he reined in and stared across at the colossal structure, awe softening the usual sharpness in his gaze.
“I gave Valdar a book on architecture we had from Earth that had the Golden Gate Bridge in it to explain more about my profession,” Edmon murmured through the Nexus, his voice distant. “To think that would turn into this… That this would be his legacy.”
Garu traced the water’s passage under it, following a pack of wild torlim who were tentatively investigating it at its base. “I knew the Grand Plant Caller had power…but this is beyond even something my people couldn’t have accomplished.”
“And he did it in a single hour,” Ash commented, glancing to their left at where Grace and Valentina stood, mumbling to one another about it. “You’re on the bridge now, Black? How is Red?”
“Surviving,” the Horseman of War chuckled. “Don’t worry about me, Brother. I’ll figure something out. Go on, Black, tell them what we’re planning.”
“…Against my better judgment, I’m taking him with me.”
“Harsh, Big Sis!”
“I sent the Roxim to take shelter with the Wixum for now and am going to ride to their land to tell their people to relocate to their lake. It will be temporary but I figured it was the best solution with them being so vulnerable at this time. I…don’t know if Red will ever recover due to the bone damage. Still, he can’t do nothing or else he’ll start killing people.”
“Exactly! I can still ride on my horse and cut people in half with one hand. Just because I lost an arm and leg doesn’t mean I’m useless. Will that be acceptable, Empress? Oh, and Quin…”
Is off to the southeast, fighting with the army. I feel her making her way back now, which tells me all I need to know. Elinor’s gaze followed the massive support cables, tracking their ascent to the central tower to where Valdar no doubt waited. It’s acceptable. Ash, Garu, go meet up with Quin and prepare everything for my arrival… I’ll be addressing the Xaltan citizens.
“Understood.”
“Grace, Valentina, I want the two of you to return to scout the north and gather the Clanless. In the next few days, I’m going to be holding a massive gathering, and the best place to do that is on the cliff near Kel’mal’tha. The Black City will be where I announce my stewardship and the establishment of the Undying Empire.”
Grace bowed his head, ears tilting to the side. “An exciting time, Empress. I look forward to the celebration and demonstrations of power.”
“What does that mean?” Valentina interjected as the pair jogged toward the gate, the tiger girl pestering the hare for details. “I know Nungal told you something. C’mon, don’t hold back with me; I can’t hear her yet!”
That is a good question… What have you foreseen, Nungal? She internally mumbled, staring up at the giant bridge again. Whatever it is…I’m sure it will amuse you, like we’re ants, caught in your little terrarium of madness. Hopefully, that big brother you fear will pull you ears soon. Yes. I wish that evil on you.
Shaking her head, she tapped her father’s arm to let him know that she wanted to continue onto the bridge. They moved slower now, not overtaking Valentina and Grace as the hare forced the teen into a sprint, making her cry in the distance.
“You just want to see me struggle!”
“Indeed, I do. Pain and suffering are what temper the soul.”
“Maybe save it for Monday… I deserve a weekend break! Wait, is it even Monday? Shoot, I lost count. Someone was keeping track back at the lake…”
Their voices disappeared into the fog, and Elinor let the silence wrap around her. Black’s voice was still heard within the Nexus, though, informing her on Valdar’s final project.
So… It took his entire Mystic order and even Nicole to accomplish it?
Her thoughts returned to the twelve-year-old German child. The sad girl had turned into a Faekin Dryad, terrifying her parents and causing them to abandon her and run just before the Crystal barrier separated them, leaving her terrified and alone.
Now she’s lost the old toad man who understood her and made her feel like she wasn’t a freak… Who made her feel special. Hopefully, Nina can take over to be her new role model. She looked up to her great-grandfather and took his side in the end. She has big shoes to fill.
The rain grew heavier again in a resurgence as they advanced across the expanse. Water hardly pooled beneath the horse’s hooves, the red vines along the sides appeared to be absorbing the moisture to release it over the side, preventing a flood. Echoes of the horse’s footsteps reverberated in eerie synchrony with the faint thrum of the bridge’s Plant Caller and Dryad-mixed magic.
Elinor exhaled slowly on their approach to the center of the massive bridge; it really was nearly the exact same size as the Golden Gate Bridge, excluding three support columns instead of two—2.7 kilometers.
A spark through the Nexus jolted her focus. Quin’s voice rang out with the thrill of battle still on her tongue. “Empress. The Xaltan have surrendered. Their remaining warriors—which are very few—knelt to my glory after I entered the field of combat! They will all be ready for execution at your whim. General Ash has told me to give you this report and that he will gather all the leaders to brief you upon your arrival.”
Elinor closed her eyes, letting the news settle in her mind. The war was won, and before she even made it to the actual battlefield. I shouldn’t have expected more, I suppose…especially after the hag’s involvement that broke up their ranks, washing them down river and leaving them in disarray. I bet she’s listening to us at this very moment. In any case, I have another task for you.
“Understood! What is my next assignment? Another rogue group I can squeeze into pulp to feed the creatures of the jungle?”
Chuckling to herself as her father stopped by the massive center pillar, she dismounted. She walked with him toward the edge to look across the moving, misty waters far below within the heavy rain. A weight lifted off her shoulders upon standing upon the impossible structure, somewhat sad that she couldn’t see its construction first-hand. Her father had a similar feeling.
I need you to travel to the northwest and meet up with my sister.
“High Queen Butter?” The giant gorilla woman was already on the move, having also advanced to the Rare Grade during her recent battle. “Is she under siege?”
I don’t know… Elinor caught an approving look from her father, shifting sides on the bridge to look to the west. Butter has been further north than I thought she would go. She may have been forced to go on a long trek into the northern lands to circle around the mountains to enter the valley, but she didn’t take that route when leaving it from what I recall from her trajectory. Plus… Mika’s death and her using her Soul Expansion has me concerned. It can’t hurt to give her more support.
Considering her dumb blonde sister’s position, and how she hadn’t felt her move closer all night put a paranoid stitch in her side she detested.
Honestly, I don’t want to worry about Butter. I half think she’s doing it on purpose… It feels like something she’d do. But pick up some Unintelligent undead from Carlos on your way past the lake and a maid or two. I’m sure she’d love that with how vain she is… She’s going to gloat that I was frightened for her safety when she returns…
Then again, a wry smirk lifted her lips, I could twist that back onto her. No, I’m liking this plan more by the minute. Make sure she knows I’m ‘deeply’ anxious and distressed about her prolonged absence. Make it…abundantly clear how upset I am.
“You don’t…sound upset, Empress? The exact opposite, actually.”
Snickering, she gave her frowning father a devilish smirk. It’s a sibling—no, a twin thing. One I’m rediscovering and finding quite enjoyable. I know something is wrong regardless. Help my fat sister up and back to her feet.
“Oh, no! She fell and can’t get up? Quen’talrat that grew too fat were all put to death in the mines or drowning! They couldn’t swim! I will run as fast as I can, Empress! I’m coming, High Queen! Don’t roll into the water!”
Somewhat amused by the new and actually quite grim lore of the giant gorilla people’s society, Elinor looked up, allowing Quin to deliver her message.
“That was mean, Elinor. You don’t think she’ll see the trap you’ve laid?”
Butter? Hah! Not in the slightest, Dad. She’s too blinded by her own self-worth. Although, if she does fall for it, as simple as this is, then it will confirm something important.
“Which is?”
The connection faded, leaving only the steady drum of rainfall on the cables overhead. Elinor tilted her head back, the mist cool against her skin. Her lips curved faintly upward in a momentary release of tension before she moved again.
It will confirm that Butter trusts me… That she really does want to put this endless game of sibling murder and machiavellian rivalry behind us to be sisters… Equals. Well, sort of equals. There always needs to be the ‘final word’ person. And that is me.
Her father’s body shook with silent laughter, making her give him a suspicious glance with the nostalgia radiating from his spirit.
What?
“Nothing. It’s just…that’s something your mother used to tease me with.”
Tease? I thought it was law. Mom always got her way in the end.
“…You know, I suppose you’re right. At least with the little things.”
Sure, Dad. Sure.
The central tower rose like a monolith, its sides veined with living red light. Chains manifested at her command, linking to her palm and hoisting her upward. Her father remained at the base, examining the structure with awe. She flew higher until reaching her destination at the heights that should have offered a panoramic view of the valley.
Only, the heavy rain left much to be desired, making it appear as if the rolling clouds beneath her hid an endless abyss. At the summit, she found a friend she didn’t think she’d make—Valdar sat at the edge, encased in living wood.
His hands rested gently on his chest, vines pulsing with faint energy as if his presence still kept the structure anchored to the valley’s fate; it likely did with how connected he was with the jungle. He faced east—toward the distant lands where his former friend now plotted in secret to overthrow everything he’d worked toward.
Elinor moved to stand beside the ghost of the ri’bot who had changed the entire world and likely beyond it. The elder toad who had put his trust in a random alien teenager who had the disturbing power to raise the dead. Her.
Taking a seat beside him, she dangled her feet over the edge and gave him a short glance before facing east with him. “You didn’t live to see it…but this is certainly something to leave as a monument to your legacy, Elder Chief. I have a feeling you’ll be honored on the other side…that you already are…”
She sat in respectful silence for a time, letting the water slide over her soaked hair and damp skin. Whipping away the slick only for more running water to take its place, she let a low chuckle rumble in her chest.
“You gave everything to see your vision of a united valley… Uniting the clans and providing a future for you people…to your race that you saw the other creatures had during the Fire Wars. Your vision was to unify the ri’bot…and I’ll honor that, friend.”
The rain pelted her skin like cold needles. Her thoughts drifted to the battles, betrayals, and unlikely alliances that had brought them here. How he’d been forced to turn against his own grandson to break the shackles of blood feuds that plagued his clan.
She glanced down at the hidden bridge below, a symbol of him uniting the southern and northern valley. A testament to his ideals.
“Something like this becomes a pillar in an empire’s history and growth. I didn’t know you long…but for long enough. I’ll be sure you’re never forgotten for what you did… For the faith you put in me to fulfill your dream. And something like this…needs a name to honor the legacy you made. You built your people’s path with a heavy load on your back… Now rest. I’ll carry it forward. Because, what I achieve, you do, Valdar.”
Elinor reached out, resting a hand on the wooden encasement. “Until we meet again.”
With that, she rose, turned, and left the ri’bot hero to rest.
“Sleep on Valdar’s Crossing, friend..”
Chains descending to carry her back to the bridge base. Landing beside her father, she accepted her father’s hand as he pulled her up. Turning south, she rode to meet with her commanders and prepare for the establishment of her empire.
The war was over.
Now was the time to prepare for the next.
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Comments
Blinglee
Great chapter
