Dreadgod (Cradle Book 11) (130)

Then Yerin struck with her full strength and every single technique she had.

She hit Malice like a Dreadgod.

The Monarch flew backwards for miles, landing on a stretch of hills that somehow hadn’t been despoiled by battle already.

Malice abandoned her armor and Lindon was waiting for her. He watched himself reach out with a pale right hand and Malice swipe through him with her staff.

The illusion faded into Silent King madra, and Lindon grabbed the back of her neck through her phantom-like hair.

“Begone!” Malice commanded.

The authority shook him…but not for long.

He Consumed that too.

Black and violet scales dropped from his left hand as power flowed into his right. The Heart of Twin Stars couldn’t purify her madra as fast as he could absorb it.

And this madra didn’t belong to him anyway.

A construct exploded from her soulspace, shoving against him with the force of one of her blows. He endured it and kept Consuming.

Yerin appeared and put the black tip of her sword against Malice’s eye.

“Try something else,” Yerin said. “Try one more thing.”

Malice’s lips twisted into a smile, and she did.

Another construct activated from her soulspace, and this time it distorted space. Shadows twisted around her, dragging her away. Yerin shoved her sword forward, but Malice herself had warped into darkness.

Lindon punched his left fist into the Way and seized her wrist, but her authority wrestled with his. Thanks to the construct she’d prepared, she was growing further and further away. If he continued holding on, he would be pulled in with her.

He let go, and Malice escaped.

As one, Lindon and Yerin disappeared and reappeared at Mercy’s side. Charity had already taken her back to Moongrave, but it didn’t matter. Lindon and Yerin could follow her anywhere.

They were in Mercy’s office, where she’d been laid on a bed. Archlords loomed over Mercy’s unconscious form, and Charity stood with hands folded in front of her. Even Pride was at her side.

Lindon looked over them all and fully unveiled his spirit. He cycled his madra freely, so they could feel how much madra he still had left. With his will, he pressed down on the Archlords and Charity.

The knees of the Archlords buckled, and that was before Yerin joined him.

“Get moving,” Yerin said, “or get moved.”

Charity managed to stay standing, but she dipped her head to them. “Please. She needs treatment.”

Lindon scanned Mercy’s spirit. “We can treat her. Stand aside.”

Charity hesitated. She glanced around as though looking for help. Then, helplessly, she moved.

Lindon bent down to pick Mercy up, but one person stood up to him. Pride covered her. “We’ll take care of her,” the Underlord insisted.

Lindon picked Mercy up anyway.

“When I see you again,” Lindon said, “I hope we’re on the same side.”

Then they left, because no one could stop them.





23





Iteration 300: Vesper





While Suriel stitched together yet another ruined world, she left Ozriel with little to occupy him.

There wasn’t much she could do about it. This was part of her role as his caretaker. She had to keep him in her presence, under observation, and from using any powers without her permission. Therefore, while she dedicated her concentration to an important task like restoring the laws of reality to an entire world, she commanded him to do nothing.

Even without his powers, he could still access the private Abidan network for entertainment, education, or catching up on what he’d missed. Given that there had been a world-spanning war from which they were desperately trying to recover, he should surely have much to learn.

Instead, he drifted around her and talked.

“Oh, they’re already fighting Malice!” Ozriel said brightly. “Yes! Get her! Stab her once for me!”

Suriel reconstituted an entire continent from nothing. It had started to dissolve into the Void, so it was harder than usual. “I’ll catch up on the Report later.”

“Did I tell you Dross was back? I kind of liked the other one, but it’s nice to hear his old voice again.”

Suriel’s finger twitched. She wanted to see.

The gray featureless ghost of a woman appeared over her shoulder as her Presence manifested itself. [Suriel requires her full concentration for this task, and you are proving a distraction. I will accompany you instead. One moment, and I will temporarily seal her hearing so that you and I can watch together.]

Suriel wondered once again if it was possible to have a full-powered Presence with a cooperative personality.

Her Presence turned to her and folded its arms. [Permission to seal your hearing temporarily, for the purpose of having a private discussion with Ozriel?]

“Hurry up!” Ozriel insisted. He was looking off into the distance. “Malice is about to try transporting Mercy away.”

Suriel’s Presence shuffled a little closer to Ozriel. It kept its thoughts disciplined, but Suriel knew it wanted to go watch.

“Permission denied,” Suriel said irritably. “We can watch later. There’s work to do.”

Ozriel gave her a put-upon look. “You know there’s something different about watching live!” He sighed. “It’s even better watching from the inside. Being there. It’s so much more fun than downloading thought-records from an infinite number of kilometers away—”