As the conversation played back, I couldn’t help but find I agreed with Nexxa.
They were Fronting idiots.
The conversation had continued for another few exchanges after the fact they were all soul-bombs had been revealed before Nexxa had her outburst.
That had been triggered by another line delivered by the first apprentice. “Th-they didn’t force us. We’re volunteers.”
My excessive neural dynamics meant I processed the entire conversation in a second, though it did cause me to freeze in place as it worked. Luckily I could play it off as my shock at my sister’s outburst.
After her outburst, Nexxa sat back down, leaning forward and grabbing the apprentice by his collar as she continued her interrogation.
“Ah, it seems the kids spoiled Sis’s surprise.” Starbreaker popped another one of the chips into his mouth, though his smirk had faded. “As I’m sure your own sister will soon inform you, Sis insisted on some insurance. You touch the kids, you’ll regret it.”
“What sort of insurance?” Ari asked, not having been able to process the other conversation.
“The lady was worried for the safety of our apprentices, and gifted them all with special enchantments.” Katanek waved his hand and an illusion rose above his meal. The transparent image showed the third apprentice on a table in an immense room, with several elves gathered around, holding hands while singing. In the center, a single woman worked with several tools I could only infer the purpose of.
Considering she’d turned her kin into soul-bombs, I figured at least one of those purposes was to carve an enchantment into a person’s Astral form.
Even as I inspected the image, Katanek continued, “If our young compatriots are harmed or forcefully removed, their souls will detonate in such a way as to shred the Astral forms of all those within a hundred miles. A simple preventative measure.”
For a fraction of a second, he flashed the entirety of the enchantment. I suspected it was supposed to be a hint that didn’t allow us to glean much from it.
After all, we were mere Pegasus-souls.
Even without Memory Palace, my neural dynamics allowed me to hold onto the image and start breaking it down. While I’d need time to understand most of it, I could confirm several things from just a few seconds of study. Which I did while Ari reminded them in polite yet not kind words that such an act was in violation of their roles as representatives of Terra Vista, and that it was within our rights to immediately evict them.
Either they’d been misled or they were lying to us.
The apprentices couldn’t leave. Not even if they wanted to. The way the enchantments worked, they’d become bombs the second they arrived. If they left, they’d detonate. No forceful exit required. I was pretty sure I could simply teleport them outside our territory, to somewhere isolated, and the only ones to die would be the apprentices. Even that would be a risk though.
Besides, Nexxa had teased out that the apprentices hadn’t known exactly what they’d volunteered for until after the bombs had been implanted. They’d volunteered for a new procedure to make them into ‘real’ mages. The enchantment had been the price of reaching Pegasus. If that wasn’t bad enough, once the one had figured out part of its function, the matriarch had told them it would protect them by making them too dangerous to hurt.
Wish it surprised me she’d left parts out.
Katanek was trying to feed us a line about the myriad responsibilities of the Terra Vistan Risen Council when I interrupted, making sure to study their reactions, “If those kids leave, they’ll die.”
Starbreaker had been looking away, affecting boredom. His eyes snapped to me then away again that if not for my high neural dynamics, I doubt I would’ve caught it. His voice was level as he asked, “Are you threatening my family?”
“Not a threat. A diagnosis. Those bombs are active.”
Katanek’s thick bushy eyebrows drew together. “That is a rather serious accusation. What are you basing such upon?”
“The enchantment. It’ll consume their Astral-form and tear apart their soul to power the explosion. Look at that enchantment again, it’s not even hidden. Your matriarch sent a bunch of kids and made them into their own hostages.”
“That… sounds like something Sis would do,” Starbreaker said, letting out a long sigh. “Dragons divide us. Are you certain?”
“Starbreaker-” Katanek started only to be interrupted by the elf raising his hand.
“Can’t be certain without inspecting the enchantment. And I’m hesitant to do that, since it looks like it has mechanisms built in to trigger if anyone looks with too much force,” I said even as I reviewed the image again.
“It would appear your reputation as a prodigy was not exaggerated.” Katanek reverted the image to the brief glimpse he’d shown of the enchantment. “You are correct. They were chosen because replacing them will cost us little.”
The table cracked under Starbreaker’s fingers. “I knew that bitch sent me here as punishment. But this is too much, even for her.” His next words were so quiet I could barely hear them. “Sure, they’re a bunch of stupid kids, but that doesn’t mean they’re disposable.”
“They most certainly are. That is precisely why they were selected for this duty. They understand the honor.” The simple way Katanek stated it made it seem he believed what he was saying.
In which case, I could write him off as a lost cause. The fact Starbreaker was glaring more at his companion gave me some hope. His following words to said companion were even encouraging. “I should kill you where you sit.”
While I silently hoped the Fores’thall turned on each other, Katanek raised one of his thick bushy eyebrows, looking down at his companion. “I serve the matriarch, as do we all.”
“Threatening a few upstarts is one thing.” Starbreaker waved in our direction. “Using our own great grandchildren as suicide bombers? That’s low, even for my sister.”
A heavy sigh escaped Katanek. “This behavior is precisely why you are being punished.” The large man stood. “Very well, if you wish to be reminded of your weakness, let us do so.”
Much as I was happy to hear it, a pair of Djinn-souled battling wouldn’t be good for anyone in the vicinity. Sure, we’d prepared the few defences we could, but it’d be best if they took it outside. Even if they wouldn’t listen, I had to say, “Not here.”
Starbreaker’s eyes flicked towards me before nodding. “Outside, over the lake. Nothing that would harm the surroundings.”
“The lady would be most upset if either of us ruined her prize before she could claim it. Agreed,” Katanek nodded. Then he rose into the air before smashing through the wall as though it were paper. Even if it was easily replaced, I couldn’t help but find his choice rude, considering the door had been maybe ten feet to his right.
Starbreaker followed him out, straight through the new hole.
For a second, everyone in the hall stared after them. Even the ensouled who’d finally remembered they were supposed to be serving the main course. Then we all moved to get a better vantage point. Along with most of my friends, I flew to the crown of the tower. It commanded an excellent view of the nearby lake while still being at a safe distance.
Well, safe-ish.
I’d expected a fight similar to our struggle with the Abyss Emperor. A knock down brawl and exchange of spells, lots of repositioning.
Instead they stood there.
Starbreaker drew a blade so thin that when turned edgeways it was invisible.
Across from him, Katanek held a staff with blue runes floating about its head.
Each channeled their spells through their chosen tools.
It started with an expansive spell that blotted out the evening sky. Which was broken almost immediately by a single ray of cold silver light by Starbreaker.
This was followed by numerous spells, cast at a rate I could barely track.
Starbreaker’s spells seemed to be Star-affinity. Each tore apart Katanek’s more varied arsenal, though didn’t seem capable of penetrating Katanek’s smoky barrier.
At first I thought them equally matched, but after half a minute, it was clear that Starbreaker was barely trying while Katanek’s aura was wavering.
It was a subtle thing, one I wasn’t sure I would’ve picked up on without watching so intensely, or if my neural dynamics had been lower.
After a full minute, Katanek visibly slumped, a beam of cold light piercing through his invisible defences. Even with a hole where his heart should be, I knew a Djinn wasn’t so easily defeated.
The large man waved a hand in a sign that he was surrendering.
Starbreaker ignored him, continuing the assault. A dozen beams of starlight appeared behind him, splitting the sky with cold light.
Katanek’s brows rose and he plummeted as he scrambled for something around his neck.
With how fast the next few actions happened, I wasn’t entirely certain of them until I replayed the memory later.
The beams of light cut downwards, spearing into Katanek. At the same time, Katanek found whatever he was looking for, sending mana into it. Finally, even as the beams tore into him, he vanished in a subtle twist of azure light.
To anyone without the senses to follow, including myself at the time, it would’ve appeared as though Starbreaker had disintegrated his Djinn-souled partner.
With the departure of Katanek, Starbreaker floated over to us. “Bastard got away. Don’t think this makes us friends. You’re still undercutting the Fores’thalls.”
“Don’t worry,” I snorted. “Definitely not friends.”
“Good. That said, if you’re capable of finding a way to remove the… abominations my sister has placed on the kids, I would appreciate it. Would be more than enough for me to wipe my hands of this.”
Arizar, hands folded neatly in front of her, asked, “Why not do so yourself? You are far more powerful than us.”
“Powerful, sure. Capable? Eh. I never did get into Enchanting or soul-stuff. Rather fight.” He sheathed his katana-like blade as he settled onto the stone in front of us. “Wouldn’t even know where to start. Not like this kid.” The gesture in my direction was almost as dismissive as his words. “Once you fix this, I’ll give my sister an earful, I can promise you that much.”
“To be clear, you only care because they’re family?” I asked despite myself. I just… couldn’t understand that mindset.
“World’s full of misery, kid. Gotta know where to set your boundaries.” Starbreaker looked me over, then to the collection of mages watching from a dozen paces away. “Something you’re obviously struggling with.”
He didn’t give me time to reply, disappearing in a fold of starlight.
One second he was there, the next he was… gone. Was pretty sure he’d done it without worlds too.
I turned back to the apprentices who were gathered not far away, standing near Nexxa.
My sister met my gaze. We stared into each other’s eyes for a second before nodding.
Even if Starbreaker was arrogant, with all the charm of a used oil filter, and his house had sent assassins targetting us… he was right about one thing.
I would do all I could to help those kids.