AuthorSME
patreon
UE Rewrite: B4 — 12. Storms Tempered, Souls Forged
🕑 Added 2024-11-29 22:57:50 +0000 UTCPoV:
1. Grace (Our Hare Man and Nungal Enthusiast!)
--------------
The wind howled, carrying the tang of rain and earth through the humid air that lifted Grace’s lips. He stood motionless on the jagged outcrop, his posture lax against the tempest’s fury, his ears tilted forward, tracking the buzz in the distance. Below the jungle canopy, the brush and foliage churned like a restless sea, thrashing under the remnants of the hag’s storm.
Lightning split the horizon, illuminating the dense mist with sharp flashes, and in those fleeting moments, a swarm of sleek insects became a dance of glistening iridescence.
Large things, he noted, shifting on instinct to an angle to cut the wind resistance from a change in direction. Perhaps the same size as a horse? No, slightly larger. Four wings, membranous by their sound, Six legs…and iridescent scales that make them glitter like a rainbow amidst the lightning. How beautiful.
Valentina was only now catching up, claws extended while climbing up the slick branches. He rubbed the red-stone shackles on his wrist as she braced herself on the swaying platform he stood upon; her feline grace was giving her an edge but more refined movement would take many more months of training.
A low hiss rumbled from her throat as she caught sight of their target within the misty veil. “What kind of rainbow moves like… Hold up! There’s like…thousands of them! That’s what I’m talking about. Finally, something I can sink my claws into.”
“Patience,” he whispered, knowing her sharp ears would catch his words. He felt his goddess drawing near with the hail of rain that peppered his bare chest. “Nungal will provide a way. Listen for that pluck within your breast that directs you. Observe, and be a beacon for her glory.”
“Sour puss,” the Tiger Girl grumbled. “You could take them out in a single slash, couldn’t you?”
Grace didn’t respond to the girl’s testing taunts; she’d made a game out of trying to get him to snap at her, which was mildly humorous. His focus was on the task, though, the target.
Precise movements, he gauged, head tilting to the left as they raced against the wind, finding exact currents to find the path of least resistance. Unnaturally precise. A slight delay…following key members of the swarm.
Silver eyes tracing the ebb and flow of their formations through the dwindling hurricane winds, he took note of each pattern, locking onto the leaders and sub-leaders.
“This is no natural hive acting on primal impulse,” he instructed, finding his hands behind his back and shifting with practiced ease to smile down at the impulsive tiger, still struggling against the gales. “A foreign will guides them.”
Valentina’s mouth bunched to the side, her breath coming in sharp, measured draws, a predator’s cadence in the thick of a hunt. Her newly acquired Feats had her eyes wide, pupils dilated, locked in for the hunt. “You haven’t even seen me really fight. I’m ready!”
Her bound, thick hair stuck to her face and back. The rain slicked her tiger-striped fur across her chest and waist area, tail drawing still as the droplets tracing the lines of muscle beneath. Even as her posture screamed readiness, Grace caught the subtle quiver in her tail—a tell of frustration, tightly wound and barely contained.
In some ways, you are, he thought, his gaze never leaving the swarm with his wide field of focused vision. That fire can temper you into steel or burn you to ash.
A ripple of warmth spread through his thoughts as Nungal’s voice stirred within him, slowing space and stilling the tempest. Like a distant bell echoing in the chambers of his mind, her amused chuckles sounded.
“Let the empress’ pupil find her own path. Nurture the Seed with care—observe, guide her growth, and build her confidence. Teach her well, then reveal my hand. These insects, as you’ve noted, aren’t driven by instinct but bound by unseen chains in their Spiritual Core. When the time comes, free them, Wanderer. For now, stay with Val.”
Your wisdom is radiance, My Will and Sword. Grace closed his eyes briefly.
“Grace,” Valentina hissed, her voice low yet sharp enough to slice through the storm’s din. “We’ve been watching for what feels like forever. They’re almost right over us! If they come any closer, I can take out the first few, but then they’ll—”
The tempest waned, giving way to a lulling bubble of purple hues that draped over the nearby jungle like a hushed breath. The wind played with his long ponytail, slick and glowing as he slowly reached for the hilt of his blade.
Valentina’s breath caught as her claws flexed, her muscles coiled like a spring. “Finally! Are we doing this? Should I uh, should I duck? Don’t kill all of them! Grace?”
His voice harmonized with the wind, the very air vibrating with the light violet aura that infused him. “Grant your servant clarity, Nungal. Let my actions honor thy will and guide the very heavens to obey thy dictate.”
Silver irises gleaming with the surety of divine dictate, he opened them again, spreading his stance as the wind and rain moved to circle them in a hot embrace.
Grace’s hand stilled her with a faint gesture, his expression serene and unhurried. “Hold,” he instructed, his tone carrying a calm weight that rippled through her taut energy. “No need to be nervous. Nungal’s arms surround us; the elements and Lesser Gods heed Her command.”
He unsheathed his blade in a fluid motion, the curved metal catching the light of a distant lightning flash. Rather than striking, he raised it skyward, the blade seeming to drink in the charged atmosphere.
“What are you…” Valentina trailed off as the sword’s curved tip illuminated, carving an elegant circle through the air.
The shackles around his ankles flared and vanished, the sound of chains tickling his long ears. A violet glow trailed in its wake, the line pulsing as if alive, resonating with the storm around them. The circle completed, the hum grew, vibrating through the ground, the air, and his chest. The purple line expanded, a gentle ripple turning into a growing wave.
The storm’s remnants bent to its influence, swirling around them. Dark clouds above churned and spiraled, gathering into a vortex that consumed the heavens, causing Valentina to drop to her butt. The wind’s cry softened into a melody—haunting, resonant, and divine.
“No way… This is just, next level…”
“The wind hears Her voice,” Grace murmured, his words as soft as a prayer yet echoing with unshakable certainty. “It carries Her will, a cycle eternal, bending all within its grasp to the rhythm of Her command… None shall escape until She wills it.”
The circle pulsed brighter, and the vortex began to expand. The swarm, once so sure in its precise motion, scattered as the winds caught them. The insects tried to flee, wings buzzing frantically for a way out, but the unseen force twisted their paths back toward the vortex’s heart. The canopy overhead was a swirling abyss, yet the jungle below remained untouched—a testament to the precision of his mistress’ power.
Valentina’s mouth parted, her golden eyes wide. “This… This is crazy.” She snorted, her lips curling into a crooked smile. “That’s it, huh? That’s what goddess power looks like. You didn’t even touch the jungle! Just wrapped everything up like it’s in a big ol’ box with a bow on top.”
Grace let the faintest smile tug at his lips, pleased by her reaction. With measured grace, he resheathed his blade and lowered himself to the swaying platform, his movements unhurried as though the maelstrom were merely a passing breeze. He sat, back straight, his twin blades resting against his left shoulder.
“Now, Valentina,” he said, folding his hands lightly atop his knee, “the field is yours. Battle to your heart’s content. Should you falter, of course…” His smile deepened, faintly teasing. “You may always return to me for a hint or two. They can be slippery.”
Valentina blinked at him, her tail twitching with lingering energy. “Hints, huh?” she huffed, the corner of her mouth twitching upward. “Right. Like I need your help.” With a sharp exhale, she bounded forward, claws gleaming in the violet light as the vortex roared above, isolated from the rest of the jungle.
Inside Grace’s mind, Nungal’s voice rang with warm amusement, like a melody carried on distant winds. “A charming display, my Will and Sword. You honor me with every motion.”
Her laughter was playful, a teasing edge in its timbre. “Keep tending the little tiger. Her fire will suit me well when the time comes. Imagine how she’ll bristle when I nudge her onto my path. Truly, your devotion makes it so much fun to shape these mortals.”
Grace inclined his head slightly, an imperceptible acknowledgment of her presence, his focus never leaving Valentina as she tore into the swarm—at least, the few she managed to catch who got trapped in the cyclone, trying to escape.
The mist curled and danced around the edge of the vortex, the cyclone’s roar outside muted into a steady hum within its tranquil core. He silently observed Valentina as she darted between targets, her tiger-striped form weaving through the violet glow of the storm’s grip. Every movement she made was raw, untamed, but brimming with potential. A predator learning her hunt, unrefined but fierce.
The vortex suddenly shifted as a section of the swarm broke free, the iridescent dragonflies veering toward them with unerring exactness. Their scaled bodies blended seamlessly into the rain, making them nearly invisible for the girl until they struck.
His sharp eyes caught the shift of metal strapped to their legs—some kind of device—as they dove toward the tiger girl, releasing jets of concentrated water that sliced through the air like knives. Not one targeted him.
Valentina growled, her movements quick but frantic as she bobbed and weaved, lashing out. Her claws glinting as they tore into one of the creatures, sending it spiraling into the cyclone’s winds, two wings ripped away.
“Center yourself,” Grace calmly instructed, noticing the shift in her stance to a more aggressive momentum. “Their movements follow a rhythm. Find it, exploit it, and you won’t need to come to them, they’ll come to you.”
“Easy for you to say!” she snapped, flipping to another branch as a jet of water shattered the one she had just vacated. “They’re flippin’ spitting bullets at me over here! Ah! That almost hit my tail!”
“Thoughts?” Nungal asked, her voice resonating with his soul.
Mmm. He rubbed his chin, tilting his head the opposite way as the teen had to time the blast of each group that twisted in and out, attacking her at virtually every angle. She has sharp instincts. She’s noticed they run in packs of twenty five and attack as one. Allowing her to identify where the gaps will be since they’re all uniform, yet… The subtle quiver in her tail betrays her frustration.
“Indeed. Yet, she has the most talent out of every human girl within Elinor’s empire.”
The small shifts in motion… There it is, she’s taken to the sky. Good. Use their dance. Find the rhythm. Make them sing for you…
Valentina spun around the peppering bullets to land on the leader’s back, but she knew better than to take out the commander—they made the swarm predictable. No, her focus was on the drones around him. A smile lifted the girl’s lips as her claws found another target, slashing through the membranous wings of a dragonfly with a guttural snarl.
Using it for momentum, she leaped to the next just before it tumbled into the swirling storm, its iridescence fading into the mist. Grace allowed himself a slight smile as another group from the swarm dove at her exposed flank, the teen’s eyes widening when they unleashed a rain of condensed water ripping through their comrades she rode on.
“Perhaps a little help,” his goddess mused with a giggle. “I’d rather not have her armless.”
With a flick of his unsealed wrist, Grace summoned a spectral chain from the void, its shimmering violet links materializing in an instant. The spike chains lashed out, locking all twenty-five creatures mid-dive, freezing their entire souls.
“Focus, Valentina,” he murmured, his tone unhurried. “Your fire is strong, but fire needs direction, or it burns out. Expect the unexpected. Bend with the wind. Flow with the water. Strike like the rock.”
Valentina’s tail twitched as she accelerated, jumping in quick succession from insect to insect, eviscerating them in quick succession. The dragonflies took notice of his strike, redirecting toward him from the command of a single sapphire leader hovering high above the swarm.
“I’m doing fine!” she barked, but her movements began to shift, her impulsive strikes giving way to sharper, more deliberate motions. Another insect fell under her claws as she timed her drop to land on a new cluster moving toward him. “Watch yourself!”
Grace fluidly took one of his sheathed swords and held it in front of him, tilting it in order to intercept each blast of water, his posture unshaken.
“They’re about to change the dances… Careful.”
Each strike she made, each adjustment in her form, he noted with precision. She’s learning quickly… I expect she will grow into something formidable if she can temper that impatience and trust her instincts more.
A warm, feminine chuckle echoed faintly in his mind. “She’s coming along nicely, isn’t she? Such a spark in her—wild and untamed. Imagine what she’ll be when her fire dances to my chains. ”
Grace inclined his ears slightly, the soaked fur causing water to drip onto his nose. Your chains, My Mistress, are not bonds but keys. They unshackle those imprisoned, freeing them from the frailties of flesh and the blindness of mortality. Through them, they ascend beyond their limitations, becoming instruments of your will—perfect in form, grace, and purpose.
His silver eyes flickered with a faint light as he added, She may yet resist, but all wild flames find their hearth in time. Under your guidance, even this untamed fire will burn brighter, unyielding, and eternal.
Nungal’s laugh lingered, teasing. “You give me such praise, my faithful wanderer. Tend to her well. Her place in my plans with our dear empress will amuse me greatly—and perhaps give me new ways to trouble and pester her.”
Grace’s lips twitched in the faintest of smiles. Your plans are radiant and all-seeing, My Goddess, he whispered, his eyes never leaving Valentina as she leapt toward her next target. It seems my time has come to step in.
The heavens churned, the sapphire dragonfly above the swarm commanding their retreat with sharp, precise movements. Valentina’s growl cut through the thinning storm as her tail flicked with frustration. Bloodied claws glinted in the violet light, the air heavy with the scent of rain and ozone.
She crouched low, teeth bared in a triumphant snarl, her gaze locking onto her next target. Below her, the shredded remains of the dragonflies she’d taken down spiraled into the swirling vortex of the tempest. She landed on the last of the squad. Then, all at once, they surged upward at a rhythmic beat from the sapphire leader’s command.
Grace’s eyes narrowed, ears rising as they scattered, leaving her without a platform to leap to. The teen’s ears flicked back, muscles coiling to jump, but the space above was vast, too far to reach another insect, and escaping below at the sudden rise in elevation was suicide.
The leader hovered above the vortex, its sparkling figure a sentinel of the swarm, its will rippling through the synchronized hum of countless wings. The swarm shifted higher, pulling Valentina with them. The iridescent canopy of their bodies tightened, forming a glittering dome above her, while the jungle grew more distant.
Valentina crouched lower with the buffering winds of the altitude that threatened to buck her off her mount, her tail twitching in sharp, agitated arcs. Their blood streaked her claws, mattering her bare skin and fur, her teeth clenching as her golden eyes darted for an opening—none to be found.
A tisk sound hummed from deep within Grace, Nungal’s words a picture of disappointment that the training had come to an end. “Bravo, hidden opponent behind insectoid eyes She loses.”
“Damn it,” the Colombian teen muttered, the words slipping through her teeth in a low growl that pricked Grace’s ears as hers flattened, pressed back against the rain-slicked tangle of her hair. “I was doing so good.”
The hum of the swarm deepened, a resonant drone that vibrated through the atmosphere. Droplets of water gathered beneath the dragonflies, coalescing into shimmering spheres that hovered like knives held aloft. One by one, the spheres elongated, becoming concentrated bullets aimed squarely at the tiger girl. The sapphire insect pulsed with a flicker of blue light…and the swarm fired as one.
Liquid tore through the air, a coordinated assault from every direction. Valentina’s claws flexed as she braced herself for the onslaught. She didn’t falter, didn’t flinch. Grace could see every thought racing through her head—she calculated how many she might counter, how many she might survive, her feral instincts screaming for action. Then…the world slowed.
Well, she knows her limits.
The violet light of the cyclone he’d summoned swirled more languidly, its tempo drawn out like the final notes of a melody. The rushing streams of water froze mid-air, their sharp edges glinting against the faint glow. Grace rose slowly to his feet, the motion almost imperceptible against the slowed chaos around him.
His swords hung against his shoulder, still rain streaking their sheaths. His illuminated silver eyes lifted toward Valentina, his gaze calm, unreadable. The faint clink of his shackles resonated softly, barely audible beneath the stillness.
“Hand her a blade,” Nungal murmured directly in his soul, her tone carrying a note of playful intrigue. “Offer her the path.”
The faint scent of lilac and starlight seemed to brush against him, a reminder of her embrace. Grace’s lips curled into the faintest smile as he reached for one of his clothed swords and held it aloft. With a deliberate motion, he traced a smooth arc through the time-frozen air, the blade carving an ethereal rift into the fabric of space itself. The tear yawned open, violet light spilling forth, and he stepped through, his soul expanding with every step as he whispered the phrase.
“Soul Expansion: The Boundless Chain’s Ascent.”
Valentina’s eyes widened as he emerged into the sky, walking on air as if it were solid ground. The violet glow enveloped her, steadying her precarious perch on the dragonfly. She flinched, nearly losing her balance as she gripped the creature’s slick carapace.
“What the hell?!” she barked, her claws scraping against the dragonfly’s back as she looked around at the time-frozen world. “You just—did you—are you walking on air?!” Her eyes darted to the rift still hanging in space, its edges swirling like liquid fire. “Did you cut space and walk through it with a sheathed sword?!” Her voice cracked between awe and indignation. “That’s so… Eh, no, I’m fine! I don’t need your help!”
Grace’s shoulders trembled, his body shaking with silent laughter, though his expression remained composed. He stepped closer until he hovered three meters from the insect, its wings—the same as every other temporal thing—frozen in a stilled hum around them. His violet aura shimmered like a shield, encasing them in serene stillness.
“It is not I who offers a hand, young tigress,” Grace chuckled, his voice low, carrying the serene certainty of his faith. He held out the sheathed sword he’d used to reach this lofty position, its hilt glowing faintly a deep crimson. “Tell me, Valentina—do you believe in Her power? Do you trust Her to lift you to realms on high, as she does for me?”
Valentina blinked at the blade, her lips parting as if to speak, but the words caught in her throat. Her claws flexed against the dragonfly’s back, her gaze darting between Grace’s tranquil expression and the glowing weapon.
“I…” She hesitated, swallowing hard. Her tail flicked once, then stilled. She released a sharp breath and glanced down at the open space between them, her hand trembling slightly. “I…believe she can do anything after watching you.”
She extended a cautious foot toward the air, and, to her credit, did not expect to fall—she didn’t. Her toes met something solid—unseen, but unyielding. Her eyes and smile widened as she took another step, her weight shifting tentatively onto the invisible path. The air held her, firm and steady beneath her feet.
“This is…” She faltered, her balance wavering. Panic flashed across her face as she stumbled. “Nungal!” Her cry was sharp, instinctive, as she lurched forward, grasping the sword’s hilt. Her fall abruptly stopped, the blade anchoring her in place as Grace’s hand steadied her.
He pulled her up onto the swirling violet light beneath him, his movements unhurried, his gaze steady. “Why did you doubt?” he asked, his tone even, but a flicker of warmth touched his words. “Your actions matched your belief… It was strong.”
Valentina gritted her teeth, her tail flicking in irritation. “I wasn’t doubting—I just… Maybe I did have my doubts. It won’t happen again.” Her eyes darted away, the faintest flush warming her cheeks. “Dammit. It’s just…that was intense. Okay? Something like that… I guess only the Empress has made me feel that way before. Wait… Really?!”
Grace’s faint smile deepened as he placed the sword in her hands. “The path is yours to walk,” he softly replied, stepping back. “Now, follow it.”
He moved away, the violet aura shifting with him as he turned his gaze skyward. The sapphire insect still loomed above as he parted the time-locked rain drops in passing, its swarm poised mid-strike. Thousands of glinting liquid streams hung in the air, ready to unleash their fury the moment his expanded soul retracted.
Grace exhaled slowly, his posture relaxed as he closed his eyes. “Nungal,” he murmured with reverence. “Let my blade guide her. Let no drop of rain above strike the earth and let the glory of the moon shine her glory upon us.”
Unbound by shackles around his wrists and ankles, he grasped his remaining sword with both hands outstretched. His lady’s presence surrounded him, her arms a phantom embrace, her voice a whisper against his ear. “Show her the path to transcendence, my faithful wanderer. Let her see the world through your blade.”
Grace unsheathed the unhallowed steel by an inch, the sound a clarion cry, cutting through the stillness. He slid it back, the motion deliberate, precise. Time seemed to hang in the pause, the air heavy with anticipation.
Then, silence.
The vortex above unraveled, its winds dissipating into nothingness. The clouds parted, revealing a pale pink moon hanging low in the sky, its glow casting a tranquil light over the jungle. The swarm was gone, vanished without a trace. The storm in a kilometer diameter had passed, leaving behind an eerie calm.
Valentina blinked, her claws still gripping the sword’s hilt. Her ears twitched as she glanced around, searching for any sign of the dragonflies or the rain. “What… What just happened?”
A cold gust swept through the canopy, carrying with it the faint sound of clinking chains. The violet aura faded, the last echoes of its light dissolving into the air as Grace turned back to her. He extended a hand, his silver eyes calm, unyielding. “Will you follow the path of Nungal?”
Valentina hesitated, her tail stilling as her gaze locked with his. She gripped the sword tightly, her knuckles whitening. Then, with a sharp exhale, she nodded, her voice low but steady. “If it means doing cool shit like that… Ahem. Yeah… Yeah, I’ll follow. So…what’s next?”
Grace’s faint smile returned as he took her hand. Together, they began their descent, the canopy rising to meet them as the last traces of the violet light dissipated into the tranquil hum of the jungle below. “Next? You obtain your shackles.”
He stood silently as the last flickers of violet light faded into the stillness, the hum of Nungal’s presence retreating to the quiet edges of his soul. The jungle around them was eerily silent, the remnants of the tempest dissipated, leaving only the rustle of leaves disturbed by the faint evening breeze.
His gaze shifted to the teen as her feet touched the slick wood of the canopy, her grip tight on the sword now glowing faintly in her hand. The weapon pulsed, its crimson hue deepening as it responded to her essence.
Grace watched without a word as the blade’s light intensified, the glowing metal losing its solid form and flowing like liquid flame into her palm. The light coursed through her body in intricate, branching streams, coiling around her wrists, ankles, and tail. He noted the faint tremor in her hands, her wide-eyed stare as the crimson energy solidified into gleaming ruby shackles, their surface etched with subtle, shifting patterns like celestial chains.
“She has accepted you. The shackles are not burdens but symbols of your strength and Her guidance. They will remind you of what you now carry and will manifest again in a way comfortable to you.”
Valentina shifted, flexing her fingers experimentally as the light faded into her skin, the shackles glinting faintly in the moonlight. She twisted to glance at the band encircling her tail, her brow furrowing before her ears twitched.
“Alright,” she muttered, her tone sharp yet tinged with curiosity. “This is cool and all. I got a ton of levels and crazy new Feats… Nungal’s Chosen is a cool title, but…what exactly am I supposed to do now? Punch harder? Glow a little brighter? Do I get the sweet purple aura, too?”
Grace regarded her with a serene chuckle. “Now, you must learn how to sheath your claws,” he said, his tone deliberate, as though offering her a lesson she had yet to grasp.
Her head snapped up, golden eyes locking on his. “Sheath my claws?” she repeated, the words slow and incredulous. A sharp laugh escaped her, echoing in the quiet. “That’s it? After all of this, you’re telling me to stop scratching things up? Seriously? After that display—you cut every flippin’ rain drop, my guy!”
His faint smile deepened, carrying a hint of amusement. “Restraint, Valentina, is the difference between chaos and mastery,” he said, his tone calm but firm. “Power without control is destruction. Power guided by purpose? Creation.”
Finding his hands behind his back, he gave her a deliberate wink. “A storm unleashed will destroy all in its path.” His gaze lingered on the shackles, their faint ruby glow mirroring the steady rhythm of his words. “A storm tempered can carve rivers, feed lands, and bend even the skies to its will. That is the lesson: when to strike, and when to stay your claws. When She demands it through you, all beings tremble and obey, be them elementals…or gods.”
Her claws extended and retracted reflexively, her tail flicking once before settling. She snorted, her lips quirking into a grin. “Fine, fine,” she said, shaking her head. “But don’t think I’m giving up on the whole ‘tearing things apart’ thing just yet.” She flexed her fingers, the shackles glinting faintly. “I’ll try this ‘restraint’ thing…just don’t hold your breath if I have a few scratching posts.”
Grace laughed and nodded, his gaze lifting briefly to the canopy as the quiet hum of the jungle returned; in the distance, he saw a streak of blue light, heading over the southern mountains. It seemed this war was about to end.
How will Empress Elinor feel about this conclusion?
“That is all I ask. Now, let’s return to the Empress’ side. I am sure she has already concluded her war with the Xaltan. You must take joy in victories earned. Hard work should be rewarded,” he said, ruffling the cat’s soaked hair and making her growl and glare up at him. “Life is joy, death is peace, and service is fulfillment.”
“Yeah, okay grandpa… Maybe we can get a bite to eat on the way back. I’m starving!” she groaned, cupping her belly. “I’m… Huh?”
Bend down, he smoothly lifted the collapsing tiger into a princess carry as her eyes sagged and her stomach snarled. “I shall have a wonderful meal prepared when you awake. You have earned your rest.”
-------------------
