Chapter -135: Under the Voltaic Gaze
No matter the size or shape of the Titan, there was always enough of them present to describe what they looked like: Majestic, gentle, wise...
But Voltneir was in a league of it's own. Carrying a gaze that devoured the attention of all those in it's presence, it loomed over all, the brief flashes of it's appearance forcing it's captive audience to keep watching in the vain attempt to comprehend it fully.
The electric beast was quiet when it came to speaking for a few moments, the sparks spreading along the metal precinct of Pulsa Minoria doing all the talking for him.
And Sarajin, still recovering from his efforts in bringing him back, could only stare up into it's eyes, feeling like it was staring back yet also, staring into the eyes of every living being here.
It was only when it's tail lurched up into the clouds, filling it with an electrifying array of red and violet light, that it spoke once more.
"So, this is the new Tribe you built in my absence?" Voltneir chuckled, "I shall admit, I am impressed you found a new way to harness the power of electricity without the blessing of my power..."
His eyes narrowed and with it, his tone soured with a grizzly growl, "But that is all that impresses me."
With the sound of a booming thunderclap at his side, he raised his voice to echo throughout not just the city walls, but beyond them too, "Now! Who is the one who has called me back to this plain of existence?! Step forth in confidence! So that I may discern your motives..."
Sarajin's heart started fluttering fast against his chest, with Justek attempting to prop him up closer to the towering Titan.
"Well? Aren't you going to say something, Sarajin?" Justek murmured.
"Y-Yeah, just...just give me a moment to-" As he stared the beast in the eyes again, his attempt to speak in respect was canned by the roar of it's beastly thunder. He froze still with knees trembling.
The Titan's eyes continued to narrow subtly between the lightning flashes, ending with them fully sealed and his disappointment mounting, "Grrr, fine, be silent then. But do not cast blame upon me if I do not discern you from those who have earned my wrath."
"Hey, sparky!" Disconnected from all the awe-inspired silence was Temporis, whose sudden outcry led to the Titan lurching it's head forward and leaving all beneath it with goosebumps on their skin.
Temporis waved at the god of all Electricity like it was a pet and then waddled up to Sarajin, patting him on the shoulder, "This is the guy who summoned you!"
"T-Temporis...!" Sarajin grunted in discomfort.
She nudged him on the back a couple times and then gave him a thumbs-up, which Sarajin didn't feel he could return with a genuine sense of gratitude.
Voltneir growled, but it was a gentle one, full of curiosity. He then chuckled, sounding a little nostalgic as he spoke henceforth, "Ah...a Cloudwalker. I should have known a child of my winged brother would be responsible."
"H-Hello...Voltneir?" Sarajin said, unsure of what he was saying.
"Yes. He is I, who commands the storms and relays the thoughts of the world through thunderclaps...I am, and shall always be, Voltneir."
In spite of the fierce growl in his tone, he was a friendly Titan like all the rest. And feeling that sense of warmth exuding from his gaze at this point helped alleviate Sarajin's hesitation to speak.
"If one of your kind has summoned me back, then it must be because Twinbeak has deemed it urgent. So speak, child of the winds. What is the message you herald from him?"
"I-I'm not a messenger from Arc Hurricanos...sir," Sarajin swallowed deep and then with wobbly eyes continued to struggle looking the beast in the eyes, "I am-"
"What is going on here?!"
The trio looked behind them to find Valic running up to them with Rai not far behind. Valic shoved himself past Temporis and managed to force all of Voltneir's attention onto him.
"Ah," The Titan's tone dulled with disinterest, "Are you the leader of this...'reborn' Tribe of Electricity?"
"I am the lead scientist," Valic declared, thrusting his finger straight up at the Titan's face, "And in the name of my ancestors you shunned, I, Valic Ioncharger declare your presence redundant, oh 'mighty' Titan. Leave here at once!"
With a few thunderclaps that mixed with his laughter, Voltneir brought his electrifying visage to the ground level, consuming all the structures around it and draining them dry of their electricity.
It crossed it's paws beneath it's body and then looked down upon Valic and him alone, "Such a feeble roar from a feeble man."
Valic curled his hand into a fist and leaned forward with a scowl, "You have no right to mock me! When I, like so many others before me, have accomplished far more for our people than you ever did!"
"Oh yes, you are quite accomplished..." Voltneir lurched it's head up and mocked him, "One needs only ask the planet of your exploits. Let its blood-curdling screams fill the air with your name! Ha ha ha...!"
"You find this amusing?" Valic said in a scornful tone.
"Not in the slightest," Uttered Voltneir, "Nothing you have done is amusing."
He then turned his head slightly ajar towards Sarajin and said, "Now then boy, before I was so rudely interrupted..."
"Hey!" Valic shouted, causing Voltneir to groan as this weak little man stood between him and Sarajin, "I am not done with you, you electrified cur!"
"Yes you have made that very clear." Voltneir murmured in a soft, dismissive tone. Following a pair of lightning flashes, the beast had scratched it's claws against the ground and sent trails of static towards Valic's feet.
No amount of protection could stop him from being flung back many feet through the air, skidding along the ground past Rai with his hair now singed a dark gray.
Sarajin's heart skipped a beat and he stared at Valic with pupils shrunken in fear and awe. Moreso that, despite the ease with which the Titan had discarded him, Valic raised his twitching body off the ground and walked right back towards him, defiant in his scowl.
"Did that tickle?" Uttered Voltneir, filling the air with his amused laughter.
Valic glared at the beast straight-on and said in a foul and disgusted tone, "Just because you've returned doesn't mean we'll fall to our knees and let you lead us astray!"
"I have no intention of being the wolf that shepherds you sheep. Even after thousands upon thousands of years, you continue to lose your way..." Voltneir crossed it's front paws and sighed, "I was wrong to assume that humility would kindle a humble soul. No no, all that has done is kindled disrespect and ungratefulness towards us Titans."
"YOU abandoned US!" Valic shouted. Suddenly, he found Rai grabbing him by the shoulders to try and restrain him.
"You need to stop, Val!"
"Get OFF!" Valic shoved him away with ease and then stepped one foot closer to the Titan.
The beast's eyes narrowed and grew darker, with the lightning within the cloud growing violent, the thunderclaps scraping the sky like rusted nails.
All were silent and in reverence save for Valic, who only felt the tiniest bit of fear as his stare shook to remain focused on this beast.
"Poor, deluded soul...Your ancestors have trained you well," Voltneir raised it's head with a sneer, "How does your leash feel? Ha ha ha...They forged it from many lies through many generations."
"S-Sir Voltneir..." Sarajin bravely muttered, causing the wolf's eyes to turn his way, separate from the rest of his head.
"What is it, Cloudwalker?" He said with restrained politeness.
"I...I was kind of hoping you could tell us the truth about why you disappeared all those years ago," Sarajin closed his eyes with a tense gulp and then looked him clear in the eyes, "And if it was related to the feud between Oreore and Pulsa Minoria."
"Ahhh..." He let out an intrigued sigh, "Yes...I suppose history has become muddled quite a bit since I last manifested myself in this world. As repayment for what you have done, I will tell you the truth..."
He then turned his gaze upon Valic, "And you, will remain silent and listen, for perhaps this will burn away your leash, little pup."
The beast then rested it's head atop it's paws and lowered it's voice to a more subdued pitch, giving gravitas to every word he spoke.
"Yes, it all started with the early days of the war. I watched over my kind, the wise people of Denkai. Though our power contributed little to the affairs of the world, we were still loved by many for our relaxing atmosphere, and ability to guide the storms away."
"But when the Tribes turned to violence, it was not long before Denkai's peaceful ways made them an easy target for attack, with the neighboring Oreore taking full advantage of this to strike first."
"My intentions at the time were good-natured. Valuing my people's safety above their sanity, I told them to fight back, showing just enough power to scare their attackers off..."
"But history has been a cruel teacher, and there is no harsher lesson than seeing what power does to a man. With the ability to call forth the rage of a storm upon their foes with just their mere fingertips, the wise sages of Denkai became drunk with power. They started lashing out aggressively at their attackers, reducing body and bone to ash."
"And I could only watch on, my voice failing to reach their ears over the roar of thunder they carried across the land."
"And with every lightning bolt the ground paid the price. With every searing bolt the ground cried. And I...could no longer take it."
"Ashamed of myself and disappointed in my people, I could not bring myself to punish them as a God should have...Instead, I stripped them of their power entirely, reducing them to mere nomads."
"Oreore was able to claim their land with ease in the aftermath...But it was a land that had long since been abandoned. For the people of Denkai, no more than striplings, wandered the wastes in fear."
"While I, with my winged brother's aid, scattered across the magnetic field of the atmosphere, removing each and every cloud so that I may not be tempted to act upon my rage."
"And from there the people of Denkai were brought under the protection provided by the benevolence of my sister, Luminesca, where they were to be born anew..."
Voltneir's gaze wandered to the upper right, his tone tired and scornful, "Or so I thought..."
Justek nudged his glasses up and was left a little surprised by the summary of the whole story, "So in the end Oreore wasn't at fault for taking the land. The people of Denkai...had brought their fate upon themselves."
"That is correct." Voltneir stated decisively.
"Lies!" Shouted Valic, "And how could you possibly know of anything that happened after you abandoned us?!"
"Because my consciousness was scattered throughout the planet's magnetic field," Voltneir answered, "So while my senses weren't as sharp as they used to be I could still hear. I could still see. I could still feel."
"And I have felt much pain from this world in my absence."
"WE have done nothing wrong." Valic uttered.
"You have done everything wrong," Voltneir snarled, "Have you not paid a single iota of attention to what I have been saying? Or have you been conditioned so thoroughly to deny me, the voice of reason and He of Ten who burdens the Truth?"
"If you claim to be the truth then you must be silenced!" Valic stated, "Because all your words can do is lead us down the wrong path again!"
Voltneir chuckled, carrying a sinister air around him this time, "Oh, you needn't require a god's power to accomplish that."
"Enough!" Valic started to reach for his pockets.
Volteir reacted faster, flicking his longest claw up with a silencing, static-filled snap in the air.
Then, that silence was broken by the air being scraped hard and loud. Without warning, a massive red lightning bolt fell from the empty sky and pierced through the tower containing the massive weapon Valic had deployed some time ago.
The trio of Sarajin, Justek and Temporis turned wide-eyed and blinded as the electrifying light filled the tower to burst, and burst it did.
Like a firecracker it launched explosive sparks into the sky, the upper half of the tower now nothing more than peeled back burnt metal attached to a sizzling bottom half.
The mighty weapon, which could make even a titanic Rot Walker retreat, fell from the sky and impaled itself in the center of the once standing tower, now little more than a melting chunk of metal and glass.
Valic began to tremble all over, letting the remote in his hand drop to the ground.
And Voltneir raised a howl of amusement at his misery, a sadist in all but name. And by the time his amusement had come to an end, the true ferocity of the wolf began to show...
"It was a mastercrafted delusion you had built upon this ground of thievery and lies..." The way Voltneir's head sat made it look like it was smirking, "And yet, it was felled so easily, like it was little more than a toothpick."
Valic looked over his shoulder, trying to be brave. But only his eyes attempted to muster a flicker of bravery. The rest of his face had already begun to admit defeat...
"Eons would have to pass before your science could ever hope to match the power of a god."
Valic drove his hand into his pocket and pulled out his miniature gun, poising it shakily at the Titan's snout.
"So you still deny me?" Voltneir's tone had become deprived of any semblance of humor or kindness. It was cold, distant, feral...
"Y-You...will not decide our fates!" Valic screamed in panicked defiance.
"I decided nothing..." Said Voltneir, "As I spoke before, I relay the messages of the world. And the world has tired of screaming..."
"You're insane! The world doesn't have a voice!"
"My brother of stone would find that rather...amusing, were he not still writhing in pain."
Sarajin recalled what Johnathan had told him about their Titan and now, hearing the way Voltneir described the planet being in pain made him feel like he was in pain himself. His heart beat fast, and he laid a hand on his chest, imagining the Titan of stone squirming around violently like it's skin was on fire...
"O-Oreore's Titan...?" Valic seemed to be having a moment of clarity before he doubled down on his denial and laughable ignorance, "We've never attacked their Tribe, we couldn't even if we wanted to!"
"Such pathetic ignorance from the world's 'genius inventor'. Tell me..." Voltneir's eyes sizzled with millions of volts of pure electricity, "When you created that railgun, did you believe you were going to save the world?"
"D-D-Don't pretend like you understand my intentions, you manic beast!"
"Pretend? Ha ha ha! Pretend, he says!" Voltneir relayed his laughter with a gruesome howl strong enough to make the sky laugh with thunderous applause.
"No, we understand all too well the path humanity can tread when gifted with power," Voltneir's eyes began to shift into a searing green color, "A railgun wouldn't be the end of this road. Given time you'd likely figure out how to turn electricity into a nuke."
"The scars your ancestors had left on this world are deep, but your sins are deeper, Valic Ioncharger," Voltneir's eyes turned electric sapphire and then shifted straight to deep crimson, "I had shown mercy to your ancestors because flawed as they are they were my children."
The painful moans of metal lurching and creaking came from behind the group, and they watched as the building in the unexplored Sector 2 began to split .
Guided by little more than tiny fields of electricity, hundreds if not thousands of guns and grenades were magnetized around Voltneir's body with ease.
"But you, oh architect of wretched designs...You and your kind are as far removed from their blood as you are my love." The guns around him spread out in all directions, the triggers being pulled back ready to fire.
And with panic incited among the general populace of Pulsa Minoria, Voltneir gave his final word without a shred of mercy, reminding them all what it means to cross a Titan...
"You bore witness to the Benevolence of Luminesca so that you may be humbled...Now you shall bear witness to the Wrath of Voltneir, so that your burnt souls may be judged."
"W-What...?" Uttered Sarajin, watching as many of the guns were pointed at Valic.
"I...I didn't want this!" His mind was racing and panic was reaching an all-time peak for him.
Voltneir's only pause, was to look the center of his rage square in his fear-fraught eyes and say, "Do you have one last bark in you, little pup?"
Rai somehow stood tall by Valic's side and shouted, "Lord Voltneir, wait!"
Voltneir narrowed his eyes and muttered, "It is too late for your reverence."
The triggers were being pulled. Nanoseconds stood between the people of Pulsa Minoria and certain death.
Sarajin didn't know what he was thinking when his foot kicked up and he bolted straight ahead. All he could hear was Justek calling out his name in stunned disbelief...All he could see was Temporis looking at him briefly with surprise.
It didn't matter to him what would happen in the next few precious moments...He refused to let these people die.
"STOP!" He screamed out from deep within, standing between Valic and the barrel of one of his guns with his arms swung out, and a tense, unfocused gaze towards Voltneir.
"T-This isn't right, Sir Voltneir!" He stood there, gasping for breath as the sound coming from the triggers went silent.
Voltneir then groaned, "Step aside, Cloudwalker, or I will not hesitate to shoot through you."
"N-No! You're going to kill everyone here!"
"They have brought this judgment upon themselves and yet knowing their crimes, you would step forth in their defense?"
"Y-Y-Yes, I would!" Sarajin yelled.
Voltneir looked down upon this mere, shaking boy and for a brief moment, his desire to pull the trigger subsided, the triggers snapping back to their original place.
Voltneir then laid it's head down atop it's crossed paws and stared at him, chuckling, "Why do you care what happens to these people?"
"W-Well..." Sarajin had to look away for a moment to think, not helping things being Voltneir's sheer size and bright appearance making it hard to see the rest of the city.
"I...I think the 'electronics' they built are...cool."
"Cool?"
Sarajin swallowed hard and then continued on following a gasp, "Y-Yeah! Even without your help, they've figured out how to power an entire city so everyone living in it can live happy, peaceful lives."
"And yet those same benefactors were preparing to arm their people for battle. How would you defend the creation of weapons that can scar the planet and burn holes through the living?"
"I...I can't," Sarajin said, hanging his head, only to spring right back up and declare, "I-I want you to see there's more to what they've done than that though! They CAN do good things with the power of electricity."
"A simple enough task, and yet they couldn't even accomplish that."
"W-Well what if they could?" Sarajin was running on autopilot, not out of fear but out of a growing sense of faith in the good of those around him.
"Hmmm...?" And Voltneir, curiously, raised a brow.
"Give them a second chance, Voltneir!" Sarajin yelled, swinging his arm out in emphasis of his plea.
"I have already done so, why should I grant them another?"
"B-Because...we're not going to be able to save this planet unless we all work together!"
Voltneir let out a long, grizzled growl, then sighed. Tapping his longest claw on the ground he muttered, "...When you approached me, Cloudwalker, you said a very interesting set of words..."
"You had wished to know the truth about the feud between the people of the Earth and people of Electricity. At the time, it appears I had misjudged your intentions as being that of curiosity. Instead, it seems there was more to it."
He chuckled, laying his claws to rest beneath his chin, "You seek to unify the Tribes once more, is that it?"
Sarajin gave a tiny nod, leading Voltneir to chuckle louder, "It is far too late for that. Nearly every Tribe has dipped their hands in blood of some fashion."
"M-Maybe," Sarajin muttered, the thought unnerving him a little, "But...I still want to try my hardest to make that possible. Anything's better than letting people continue to die for nothing."
"Hmmm..." Voltneir closed their eyes and looked like they could be smiling, "I sense no deceit in your heart, Cloudwalker."
Sarajin recoiled as a green and blue light both glowed from the middle of his chest.
"And it appears my siblings Ividae and Coralcea have already granted you their blessings..." Voltneir's tone was tinged with familial nostalgia, "Bleeding hearts though they may be, they would not have given you that power without a deep trust in your soul."
He thrust his eyes open and stunned Sarajin in place as he spoke, "Ha ha ha...Very well, Cloudwalker. I will grant these stray lambs ONE more chance to prove me wrong. But YOU will be the one to watch over them, not I."
"If I hear my brother of stone cry out in agony once more, then make no mistake...I will turn this city of progress into a smoldering crater, and you too, will be reduced to ash."
Sarajin's heart skipped a beat, no doubt understanding the severe sincerity of the Titan's words.
"Do you accept these terms, Cloudwalker?"
Sarajin closed his eyes, took in a deep breath and then remarked with the utmost certainty he could free from his shaken heart, "I-I do, Sir Voltneir!"
"Excellent, ha ha ha...! Then you shall be the first soul of whom I've shared the Wellspring's power with in many millennia!"
With a mere raise of it's claw, Voltneir called forth a deafening thunderclap, heralding a spear of yellow electricity to descend from the sky and smite Sarajin where he stood.
For a second that felt like an eternity, Sarajin couldn't even feel his thoughts. There was this overwhelming numbness throughout his body.
When his sense of touch returned his hairs were standing on end and he felt tingly all over. Despite the raw power Voltneir had put into this bolt, there was no lasting damage to Sarajin's surroundings, not even to himself.
Instead, Sarajin discovered he was once more garbed in new clothes. This time, a yellow robe with the bottom having white electric bolts pointing up. His poncho had turned into a white nylon shoulder cloth that turned yellow or violet as it moved around.
Finally, his hair was now sticking up all spiky and yellow.
Voltneir rose up on all fours and Sarajin craned his head up to follow his gaze and give him a proper bow, "T-Thank you for this, Sir Voltneir!"
"Do not disappoint me, Cloudwalker. And be careful of the company you keep..." On that foreboding note, Voltneir snickered and said, "Oh, and if you could deliver a message to my brother Twinbeak...Tell him that I am doing well in the skies above, and that he need not worry for my health."
Voltneir then reared it's head back through a series of mighty lightning flashes and, following one final howl, disappeared into the readily dispersing clouds.
All he left behind were a few flickers of static in the air, and in a matter of seconds the city of Pulsa Minoria regained power. Then, the many guns he had gathered clattered to the ground like heavy rain drops, smoldering and unable to be used.
But now much had changed in it's appearance with the destruction of one of it's towers and most of Sector 2, and the people only really had Sarajin to look towards for answers.
He met many of their confused gazes while in the middle of observing the tingling sensations at his fingertips.
He had this feeling of power inside of him that made him feel weary, like he knew exactly what the people of Denkai had felt so long ago...Such a tempting, frightening urge...
Sarajin focused on himself to return to normal and let out a sigh of relief.
The tense moment was broken by Temporis walking up to him with her hands behind her head and a shrill whistle, "Wow! So that's what a Titan is like up-close and personal? They're really, really strong!"
She clearly was the only one unaffected by everything that happened, even treating Sarajin's new appearance with the impact of a little jab to the gut.
"Hey, now that you got a new element think you can show off for a bit?" She asked, tilting her head forward to closely examine Sarajin's body.
"M-Maybe later, Temporis..." Sarajin nervously chuckled and as he prepared to turn around, Justek walked up to him whilst struggling to keep his glasses up.
"Honestly, sometimes I wonder if I'll ever get used to these crazy acts of yours..." Justek then crossed his arms and remarked, "But, it seems you've averted genocide here...somehow. And got another Conduit Form to boot."
"And the answer to the feud between Oreore and Pulsa Minoria..." Sarajin didn't feel too happy about that one, directing his attention to Rai and Valic.
Rai was trying to help Valic stand but he swatted his hand away and marched on up to Sarajin, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt to hoist him up.
"Look at what you've done, you dumb child!" Valic shouted, gritting his teeth.
Sarajin winced as Valic's grip tightened. Rai came right up and pulled Valic off, with Sarajin landing on his feet.
"Chill out, Val! He just saved all of our lives!"
"Saved?" Valic replied, scoffing in a blunt, unhinged manner, "Is...is that what you call this?!"
He swung his arm out towards the sear marks across the city and eventually, pointed back at the obliterated tower, "Thanks to him summoning that arrogant wolf we've lost all of our defenses!"
"Yeah, well maybe that's a good thing..." Rai remarked, rubbing the back of his head in hesitation for what was to come next.
"Excuse me?" Valic replied, his pupils shrinking and his eyes widening.
"I had been trying to tell you for months how bad of an idea the railgun was but you just kept brushing me off," Rai looked at him from the corner of his eyes and got serious in tone, "It was a waste of resources that could've gone into building like...Actually beneficial stuff. But you were so dead set on proving that you could make it work that-"
"Don't. Misinterpret. My intentions..." Valic said with snarling teeth, "We NEEDED that much raw power on our side."
"Why?" Said Justek with scorn, "So you can slaughter the people who try to attack your home?"
Valic turned aside and thrust his arm towards the city's entrance, "So we can slaughter that thing that casts it's shadow over us all!"
The atmosphere suddenly got cold and tense, with the hairs on the back of Sarajin's neck raising.
Rai shook his head quickly and then gasped in disbelief, "THAT'S what this is all about? The last thing we need is to incite that monster to fight us!"
"Think Rai, think!" Valic pointed at both sides of his head, then snapped his fingers, "You're trying to treat that thing like it acts human. The only thing human about it is it will age and die like the rest of us, and even THAT I'm not sure about!
Valic threw his hands behind his back and frantically paced around, "It's foolish to assume that this 'peace' will last forever. We're all at the mercy of that thing's whims. All it'd take is one impulse on it's part and it could come and slaughter us for fun!"
"And even if we're so lucky to avoid their hunt, when time finally claims that beast what then? War resumes and you can be assured Oreore won't hesitate to march on our doorsteps."
Rai slanted his brows and pointed out, "They wouldn't have a reason to hate us that much if we didn't steal from them all the time!"
"Oh don't try to wash your hands now, Rai," Valic said, wagging his finger at him, "You've signed off on many of our drones' excursions to gather materials."
"T-That...!" Rai stumbled over his words for a few moments and then grit his teeth and swung his hand out towards Valic, "But now I see that was wrong of us!"
"Oh, because of the words of one beast, a beast who, need I remind you, was gleefully proud of abandoning it's people to wander powerless in this world?!"
"But he did that to HELP you!" Sarajin proclaimed.
"Help us? Help...US?!" Valic shook his head violently, "The Rot consumed the world and War consumed the rest and yet what have our 'gods' done? Nothing. They are perfectly content to watch us for their own amusement while our people suffer and die!"
"Luminesca didn't..." Rai murmured, "We wouldn't be alive today without her."
"Yes..." Valic was quiet, and a little mournful, "And you KNOW what that led to..."
Rai sighed, with Valic scratching the side of his head before sighing himself, "Our ancestors stumbled upon greatness when they made the first 'electronics'. I've...always wanted to surpass their greatness by creating something that could truly revolutionize the world."
"With this power that no other Tribe has been able to make, we might even be able to stop the Rot for good," Valic raised his head and aimed a scornful glare at Sarajin, limply pointing his way, "But thanks to you we're now defenseless."
With a slightly unhinged, tearful laugh Valic said, "And if by some miracle that monster chokes their last breath tomorrow, Oreore will repeat the past and run us over, claiming what's wrongfully theirs."
"And with our demise, vanishes any hope of saving this world."
Sarajin's hands shook and he found himself biting down on his teeth softly.
Valic bent down, picking up one of the smoldering guns and examining it over before sticking it into his pocket and turning around.
"Val, where are you going?!" Rai shouted, attempting to follow him.
"To rebuild what's been lost."
"You can't do that! Lord Voltneir-"
"Save it, Rai," Valic gleaned over his shoulder, "If the authority of the 'gods' can't stop me, then neither will you."
"I'm your leader!" Rai exclaimed, putting his foot down hard, and bitterly murmuring, "And I thought...your friend too."
"..." Valic paused for a moment but then shook his head, hiding his trembling eyes and withered scowl, "If the 'gods' are to bring their Wrath down upon me, so be it. But I will never stop making progress..."
He continued to walk, his last words being determined, "For I love this world and it's people more than any 'god'."
Sarajin clenched his fist up against his chest and stared longingly at Valic until he disappeared behind a smoldering building.
Rai started rubbing the back of his head as he let out a sigh. He then turned to Sarajin, who had to wonder even if no one could answer, "Did I... do the right thing?"
"I couldn't tell you but," Rai tried to elevate the mood with a smile, "I'll always be grateful that you stood up for us, Sarajin."
Sarajin looked past him and wondered, "But Valic-"
"Leave him to me," Rai glanced over his shoulder, "He's probably just...got a lot to think about now."
"S-Still...I caused so much damage to the city..."
"Relax," Rai said with the warmth of an older brother, "The worst damage is to Sector 2 and the tower. It'll take some time but we should be able to repair them. It'll probably be easier now that we won't be devoting resources to weapons."
Sarajin breathed somewhat of a sigh of relief, with Rai commenting, "Still...It might be a good idea if you didn't come around as frequently for a bit. I mean, I'll always welcome you in, Sarajin, but Val, he might..."
"Seek revenge?" Temporis said.
"Yeah, something like that."
Sarajin slowly nodded but then remarked, "I'll keep checking in to see how progress is going though. I really want to see what type of ideas you guys come up with next."
Rai crossed his arms and grinned, "Hey, yeah! Maybe now Val will ease up and let me share a few ideas I've been cooking up, ha ha ha...Aaah..."
He rubbed the back of his hanging head and sighed, "Alright, well...I better get going and check up on the citizens. Take care you three."
He walked off and left the trio to sort out the aftermath of this experience.
And the only thing Justek had to offer was a sigh and a comment of, "Then perhaps we should depart ourselves. It's certainly been a long day..."
Sarajin craned his head back and noticed the sun had set enough that the sky was getting to be dark blue. This felt like such a dour note to end the day on but...It might be good to get some rest and think about what happened back home.
"Awwww, really?" However, Temporis' disappointed outcry reminded the two of a rather...interesting predicament.
She put her hands behind her head and pouted, "Let's go somewhere else, the day's still fresh!"
"Sorry Temporis, but we gotta get back home before it gets too dark." Sarajin remarked.
"Mmmrgglll...!" Temporis glared and then threw her head back with a sigh, "Oh fine, guess we can go to another Tribe some other day."
"And just where exactly will you be going now?" Justek pondered.
"Well we can't just let her wander around alone, can we?" Sarajin remarked.
Justek gave him the stink-eye and said, "Sarajin, as delightful as her presence has been, she's still a member of royalty. We'll get into trouble if she's not returned home."
"Y-Yeah, but she doesn't want to go back..." Sarajin waggled his hand around and wondered, "Couldn't she just...stay with your parents?"
"Absolutely NOT that's not even a good joke!" Justek proclaimed with his arms firmly crossed.
"Guys," Temporis leaned between them with her fists propped up against her hips, "Stop treating me like a child. I can take care of myself."
She then pulled back and with a lackadaisical attitude said, "I'll just head on back home and relax. Now that I know how to get out it'll get easier and easier for me to keep doing it!"
"You sure?" Sarajin wondered.
"Oh absolutely," Temporis wagged her fingertips down, "And if I ever want to meet up, I know how to reach you. So just look forward to more of my letters in the future, ok?"
Sarajin smiled and then held his hand out, "Well, I'm glad I met you Temporis. It's always nice to make new friends."
Temporis took a brief look down at his hand and then gently clapped it, putting her hands down by her hips, "Yeah, same to you."
She then stood back for a bit to let Justek and Sarajin walk out of the city. But she stuck behind, sputtering between her lips and letting out a crude remark of, "Yeah. Right. No way I'd ever head home now."
She put her hands behind her head and walked towards Sector 4, whistling merrily to herself, "Aaaah, the sweet taste of free-dom!"
With the people busy recovering from Voltneir's summon she was able to slip past them undetected and go between two of the houses. She settled back against the wall and slid onto her rear, stretching her legs out as far as they'd go.
She then closed her eyes and while it was a little cold and uncomfortable, she liked that it was something different.
With a serene hum she thought about the day and found herself focusing on Sarajin the most. With a catty smile she carelessly critiqued him, "That boy's a ditz, but you know...He's kind of entertaining to be around."
"Peace though, huh?" She sighed and ruffled her shoulders, "Maybe it might be fun to keep hanging out with him to see how that goes."
She chuckled playfully, "If it'll be anything like today the fireworks will be fun to watch at least!"
She then shook her head and grumbled, "Then again, wouldn't I be chaining myself down to someone else if I did that? Hmmm..."
Her smile perked up on both sides, "Ehhh, I can think of it as like...Our paths just happened to coincide. Yeah, that sounds good!"
She laid back there for a few more seconds before a shadow loomed over her, lingering long enough for her to slowly creak one eye open. Then they popped all the way as the person spoke fondly their way.
"There you are, princess."
It was the man known as Adderbolt, though compared to when Sarajin and Justek met him, he was looking a little less overweight these days.
Temporis cracked a slight grin and chuckled, "O-Oh hey, if it isn't Big Bolt. You're looking good today. Have you lost weight?"
All her attempts at flattery were stonewalled as Adderbolt closed his eyes and gave a playful chuckle, "C'mon Lady Temporis, cut it out. Your dad is worried sick. It's time for you to go home now."
Temporis bridged her hands diagonally at the fingertips and winked, "Can't you just forget you ever saw me? Pleeeeeease?"
"Haaaa, I know you've probably had an exciting day but rules are rules," Adderbolt extended his hand towards her gently and bent down with a smile, "So please don't cause a fuss this time."
Temporis stared at him for a few seconds and then immediately slammed her hand down on her bracelet before he could blink.
Everything but her turned monochrome and stopped moving. She stood up and ran past Adderbolt, pulling her eyelid down on one finger and sticking out her tongue.
"Not happening, pudgy! Later!" With as short a time as she got to move freely, she hid behind another house a few blocks down and leaned against the wall.
Time resumed and she breathed a sigh of relief, beaming with the biggest grin imaginable afterwards.
With a mischievous expression she whispered, "Geez, why does dad keep so many losers in his company?"
Her eyes widened as he found herself being pulled off the ground and put eye level with Adderbolt's face, a few traces of electricity disappearing off his body.
He was cracking a big, carefree smile and chuckling like he had just finished a game of Tag, "Got you, princess."
Temporis slumped with a groan, "Uuuugh, why did you have to be stationed here today of all days?"
"Your dad's lucky that I was. Any of the other Sages and you might've gotten away," Adderbolt then held up his other arm and in his palm was a sphere of aura constraining what appeared to be pure, electric energy, "Actually...make that two counts of good luck."
"Heeeey, isn't that...?"
"Yep! A part of Voltneir's Wellspring," Adderbolt said proudly, before descending into a timid bit of laughter, "Ha ha, if my reaction was any slower I would've missed out on it."
Adderbolt then put the pouting Temporis over his shoulder and tried to mingle with her to lighten her mood, "Hey cheer up princess. If your father awards me with some sweets, I'll share some with you."
Temporis puffed her cheeks and grunted, "I hope you get a stroke from all the sugar, Big Bolt."
Adderbolt got distressed and sighed, "Why do you have to be so blunt, I'm just doing my job..."
He then spread his wings and bent down, "Alright, well! Time to head back to Sancturia and deliver the good news to your father!"
He then launched off into the sky like a lightning bolt, sharply firing off in the direction of the Aurian city. But there was no way that Temporis was going to let her adventure end here...For her, this was only the beginning.
Next Time: Chained to a Pixie