"How exactly?" Salaark wasn't supposed to intervene but curiosity got the best of her.
"Because that's how the Yggdrasill expects things to go based on their current information, but that's incomplete." Tezka replied. "The last time I infiltrated the Fringe to steal Yggdrasill wood I was much weaker than I am now and, most importantly, I was alone.
"The World Tree has no idea what the Organization by itself is capable of when its members act together, let alone if we have the aid of powerful white cores…" He pointed at Silvering and Surtr.
"A mage tower…" Tezka's finger moved to Baba Yaga. "A greed of Dragons…" Then it was Valtak's turn. "And a not-so-much esteemed colleague of mine who goes by the name of Orulm the Breaker. Have you ever heard about him, little brother?"
"No." Lith shook his head while Baba Yaga and Silverwing crushed the armrests of their chairs with the sheer strength of their grip. "Who is he?"
The tension in the room had become palpable. Young people like Jirni, Balkor, and Lith looked around in confusion as even Salaark knitted her eyebrows in a scowl.
"An Eldritch almost as old as me." Tezka replied. "He was the strongest member of the Organization before the Master turned us into hybrids and recently he has joined our ranks. I think he's the perfect guy to deal with our problem."
"He most certainly can." The Maiden looked at the Abomination-hybrids with renewed respect and a tinge of worry. "You see, Lith, Eldritches and white cores are close in power.
"Eldritches, however, are better than us at killing at destroying while we are better at everything else. Orulm is the most dangerous of them. His Eldritch ability, Break, is capable of dismantling both matter and energy beyond saving.
"If he destroys your arm, your life force loses its memory of ever having it. If you try to heal the wound, no new arm will grow from the stump and you need Body Sculpting to make the arm from scratch with all the problems it implies.
"In the same ways, if he strikes at an array or an artifact, the damage is permanent. There is no repairing it. You can only scrap them for materials and remake them from scratch."
"Which means we can establish a foothold in the Fringe with his help!" Lith said.
"And it also means we are dealing with a dangerous murderer!" Silverwing had a hard time sharing his enthusiasm. "The Breaker has killed more white cores than anyone else on Mogar. Even the Guardians are wary of him."
"Really?" Lith was both shocked and impressed.
"Indeed." Salaark nodded. "White cores still have a life force. If Orulm manages to destroy a vital organ, the boundless vitality and regeneration abilities of a white core are for naught.
"Guardians are no different, but thanks to our colossal bodies and great powers, dealing that kind of damage to us is hard, if we keep our guards up. That was before the Master turned Orulm into a hybrid. Also, you said he was stronger than you, old fox."
All eyes shifted from Salaark to Tezka again.
"What about now?"
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Supreme Magus