AA. 212

Book 3 epilogue

“Are you sure Baba is okay?” Selia asked, adjusting her strapless top covering. It was in no danger of falling off as she rose from the hot spring. However, the locals were far more leery than on Ashe Fall. “He didn’t look particularly well or happy.”

“This will be good for him,” Nil said. He didn’t bother waving the onlookers away. It was a pointless task, and Selia reminded him she was as capable as him. She'd get rid of them herself if they bothered her too much. However, when he offered her a hand to comfortably ascend the final few slippery steps, she didn’t reject his offer. Selia was good at making him feel needed. “The last year or so has been stressful for him. The move, my time in Death Gauntlet, Emmy’s joining of the arena, and Sammy’s obsession. It’s all probably too much.”

“I noticed the new heart medicine by the sink.”

“I did too. Baba has never been good about putting that kind of stuff away.” Nil handed her a tower before drying himself. “Do you want to eat now or after?”

“After is fine.” Selia tied the local traditional wear around herself. It resembled a wrap-around dress and flowed beautifully around her toned, battle-molded form. Besides her arms and legs, Selia wasn’t overly muscled. She had never been and appeared even more dainty and elegant since her body ascended to the Gold Realm. “But should he be alone right now?”

“I think it's what he needs,” Nil answered. “Working at the Forge and Nexus has taught him a lot about Control Worlds, and he received a decent briefing on Ashe Fall. Layla sent him images and recordings. It seems the beauty and seemingly utopic setting helped with his concerns. Since it's just a few months, Baba is almost concerned it's like a summer camp or program. This will give him a nice break, and he trusts me. Baba has accepted that Sammy and Emmy are in good hands and out of trouble until they return.”

“It's safer than home.” Selia nodded. “As long as he’s happy and relaxed, it's all good. Baba looked healthier when we left.”

Nil smiled, putting his arm around her as they walked off the stones together and toward the beach. “I love that you’ve started calling him that.”

“I know we’re not married or engaged or anything, but it felt right.” Selia paused, looking up into his eyes. “Please don’t take that as a hint or my expectation.” She sounded flustered. “We haven’t been together that long in time relative to home, and you’re still leaking. I get how complicated the thing with the symbiote and Aisha—”

“There are no expectations or pressure.” Nil laughed, kissing her and guiding her along. “I get it. You don’t need to explain yourself. It’s all good. We have plenty of time to figure things out.”

“Good.” Selia nodded. “I’m glad we’re on the same page. Is the new technique ready?” Her concern seemed to melt away as she changed topics. “Or do you need some more time?”

“I think it's usable,” Nil answered. “There is no point in just practicing and not using it. Given my track record, live combat seems to be the best teacher and training ground. Besides, you’ve got my back in case I fuck up or get stuck.”

“Always,” Selia said, giving it a light squeeze.

The couple walked through the crags and trees onto Look Out beach. Soldiers prepared on the sands, setting traps, arranging themselves in formations, and priming ballistae. Some set up seemingly flimsy barriers. Nil knew from experience that they had the power to withstand focused jet streams capable of cutting steel and water blasts more powerful than any riot police hose. The time for the crustaceans’ daily attack was almost upon them, and Nil looked forward to feasting upon their flesh for dinner.

Layla had offered the couple several locations for their getaway. Many destinations were like Ashe Fall and also included the Control World. They’d have palatial accommodations, access to the best food and sites, and luxury only the most rich and powerful of the universes enjoyed. Nil and Selia struck all such locations off the list.

Instead, they went down the list of worlds that Control World residents used to train their cultivators and harvest valuable materials. Maui’s Garden was one such planet. The rich and powerful used it for vacationing on the endless archipelagos, enjoying the sites, and feasting on delectable seafood. It was mostly peaceful except for the invasive, rapidly reproducing crustaceans that raided the beaches at night, looking for mammals and reptiles. The Silver Realm threats proved excellent for training. Since time flowed at a third of the rate of on Earth, it was perfect for the couple.

They helped defend the beaches for a couple of hours at sunrise and sunset. The rest of the days were theirs to cultivate, relax, feast, frolic, and explore. Instead of the palaces carved into the volcano behind them, the couple chose to reside in the tree-houses near the hot springs. Sea air kept them cool. The food the working class cooked appealed to them more. It also gave them a chance to get to know the locals, socialize with the soldiers, and find sparring partners whenever they desired.

“It’s almost time,” the beach’s guard captain told the duo as they joined the frontlines. “How many apiece do you hope to take down today?”

Nil shrugged. “My numbers will be low. I’m trying something new, and it's more defensive than offensive.”

“Did you finally get your head around the Flowing Mountain technique?” 

“I’d like to think so. It takes a fair bit of concentration, and I don’t know if I can replicate it successfully in combat.”

“Well, it's a good thing you have us watching your back then, young master,” the captain replied. His eyes shifted to the waves. “Positions! Ready to fire. The Cresting is upon us.”

Nil and Selia rushed to the front where the other Bronze and Silver Realmers present for training stood. The former stayed near the back, where soldiers lingered on either side, ready to cover them. All who had soul weapons manifested them, and those who didn’t pulled out spirit companions. The couple was among the few on the front lines with both.

Sunmetal chains dangled from the hilt of Selia’s weapon. The links clinked as she wrapped a part of it around the spear’s shaft just under the head. Meanwhile, Nil prepared constructs of his own. They were bulkier than the standard knuckle daggers, covering more of his fingers. The blade that extended from it didn’t jut out far to the side. Instead, it extended along the side of his arm like an edged tonfa. The blade started just before the elbow and ended four inches past his fist, looking like a longer, better-formed version of the three-finger blade.

Beyond the length and increased width, the weapon carried one stark difference. Instead of the standard crimson of Chaos it glowed with the dull silver of Order. The air cooled around it as Nil slowly infused the construct with Absolute Array’s effects. 

The crustaceans emerged from a crashing wave. Most resembled lobsters, moving on several long, spiny legs. Each had a giant claw but also a more delicate opposing limb that had no trouble gripping the glowing, alien rune-covered coral spears they all carried. A few among their forces resembled crabs. More delicate lobster folk rode on their bags, bearing staves that pulsed with powerful primal magics. 

Jet streams and water cannon blasts began straight away, and Nil blocked one easily with a raised weapon. His weapon froze and stopped it, robbing the blast of heat. Galvanized also helped, and he didn’t worry about splashes burning him.

“Are you good?” Selia whispered, letting the incoming ranged attacks phase through her. “Do you need more time? We can retreat, or you can switch to Chaos or—”

“No,” Nil interrupted. “I can do this.”

He took a deep breath before slowly exhaling. Nil’s lower body resisted at first, locked in place by the effects of Order. Then, as he altered the flow of energy through his body, following the patterns laid out by the manual he received as part of his Cleansing rewards, his knees unlocked. Next, his ankles followed his instructions.

The enemy charged, and Nil squirmed, jaw clenched. It was challenging to split his attention between blocking enemy attacks and pulling off the Flowing Mountain technique. Supercharged speed and reflexes made things easier but it wasn’t enough. 

You can do this. You have to do this!

Nil’s foot moved a centimeter. He shifted his hips and rotated, breaking a powerful blast with his conjured blade. Absorb helped him catch the rest of it on his body. Then, a crustacean leaped at him. He didn’t risk his body against the coral spear, deflecting it with the Order weapon. A new scar on his shin stood as evidence of its penetrative power. The giant claw struck him a moment later, but Absorb took care of the attack. Then, the shiver blade cleaved off the smaller pincer, and Nil pivoted out of the follow-up attack. 

“You moved!” Selia exclaimed, dancing around three lobster people. She had successfully kept them off Nil while the other Silver Realmers engaged with the enemy front line. “You did it, Nil! You moved.”

Celebrating took the form of diving into the front line. Fluid movements, as detailed by the technique, were still too much for Nil. Most of his focus went into countering Order’s limitation that locked him to a location. Achieving full lower body mobility would take considerably more time. However, brief movements empowered by Toggled Supercharging gave him sudden bursts of speed, and Anti-Friction Lattice helped him take advantage of it.

Nil cleaved through a crab’s smaller claw with a single swing, but the giant appendage stopped his swing. He shot back, sliding away, but left the carapace frozen. Selia shot past him and shattered the shell, destroying the monster’s most powerful weapon. Several coral spears thrust at Nil, and Vector Change got him out of their way, ensuring he didn’t infuse himself on them. He laughed, descending on the warmongering lobster people that enslaved other magical sea life to serve in their conquest.

The Shiver Blades cleaved, sliced, and froze. Nil wasn’t as fast or effective as when using Expend or his Chaos constructs. However, he now had the means to add more offense to his defensive form, and despite the significant infusion into supercharging speed, his energy levels refused to dip. The constant melee blows or water cannons striking and glancing off him, respectively, kept his energy levels topped up.

Nil still had a long way to go, but he was sure the remaining two months in Maui’s Garden would give him what he needed. He intended to leave the Control World’s Qi-rich training and farming world with Flowing Mountain Technique trained and ready for the arena.

END OF BOOK 3