The Beginning After The End novel Chapter 514

Chapter 514: Atop Their Bones

ARTHUR LEYWIN

What followed was a mad rush of preparation.

I bid the Glayders farewell before they quickly returned to Etistin to organize and prepare their own troops. Emily Watsken rushed off in order to oversee the set-up and activation of all newly designed long-range teleportation units—the ones modeled after Nico’s design—in order to allow a rapid dissemination of Beast Corps pilots across the continent. Lyra Dreide and Saria Triscan offered to be our messengers to Blackbend, where Helen Shard oversaw the efforts of the Adventurers Guild. From there, the pair would head on to the Wall, and then to the Alacryan refugee villages and elven encampments beyond.

Carnelian Earthborn and Daglun Silvershale were quick to agree that they would send dwarven mages all throughout Sapin, and the rest of the dwarven lords immediately fell in behind them. Although I was surprised by this sudden sense of comradery with the wider world, I was glad to see that even the stubborn dwarven lords saw reason in the face of catastrophe.

Two hours after the first pieces of Epheotus fell, I found myself standing far underground within an observation deck, looking out at the vast laboratory Wren Kain had carved out for the development and testing of the exoforms and their fire salt-imbued weapons. Although I chafed at so many delays, I couldn’t leave until I knew Dicathen was prepared—or as prepared as it could be—to hold off the continuing bombardment of its surface by Epheotus.

Rows upon rows of exoforms, each one unique based on the specific combination of beast components utilized, stood open before me as freshly trained pilots streamed in from Vildorial and beyond. All over the laboratory, cores were spinning up, sending light and mana spilling through exoforms that then shifted, adjusting stances and rolling arm and neck joints in imitation of their pilots as the connection was formed.

Claire Bladeheart and a handful of other ranking pilots were directing the soldiers, who maneuvered their machines into formation as each one finished its initialization.

“They may not be as powerful or versatile as the strongest mages out there,” Gideon said, “but absent official channels of leadership, I can maneuver them around where they need to be more quickly than begging soldiers from Darv or Sapin. Good that you’re taking a few with you, though. You’ll finally get to see them in action.” He looked me over seriously, and his surprisingly intact brows rose. “You know, Arthur, I’ve been rethinking the designs on some of those ranged weapons—”

“Tell him, Gid. I still think it’s a gross failure of Arthur’s creativity that I wasn’t given a couple of bazookas attached to my sides,” Regis cut in.

“Ba…zookas?” Gideon asked, frowning curiously. “A strong name for a projectile-based system, perhaps one that—”

I waved a hand as if brushing their words out of the air. “We’ve been over this. It’s not a road you want to go down.”

A few minutes later, Claire and the other nine exoform pilots who would be accompanying me—ten of the best Gideon had—were ready to go. It was a long walk through the tunnels back up into Vildorial.

“I’ll admit, Arthur, I’m still a little fuzzy on what we’re doing here,” Claire said, falling in beside me as I hurried along. Her exoform towered over me, and its clawed feet left bright scratches in the stone floor with each step. “With three Lances, a Scythe, a couple of white core level mages—I mean, you have two asura going with you. What do you think ten non-mages”—she winced and quickly adjusted her wording—“ten exoforms are going to add?”

“Didn’t Gideon cover this with you?” I asked, surprised.

She gave an uncertain shrug and the exoform copied her, a movement that almost would have been amusing if the machine itself wasn’t so strange to look at. “Master Bastius is…not always exactly clear in his communication.”

I chuckled. “Fair enough.” Before I answered her question, however, I paused to choose my words carefully. “I don’t expect you to fight Wraiths or Vritra. Your weapons are highly proficient at bypassing shields, which the Alacryan mages rely on entirely for their defense. If there is a battle, you represent an unknown for the Alacryans. Except for maybe anyone who was also at the last battle of Vildorial, no one there will know what you are or how best to counter you.

“But also, Claire, you—the Beast Corps, these exoforms—represent an important path to empowerment for all those without mana in both Dicathen and Alacrya. I’m not doing you or these others a favor, I’m putting you into danger, and I want you to keep that in mind, but…I wanted the Beast Corps to have a place here.”

Claire was silent for some time as we strode on, the line moving at a quick pace. Just as I thought our conversation was over, she spoke again. “Thank you, Arthur, for this.” Within the exoform, she gestured down to its mesh of beast parts, mechanics, and magic. “Don’t mistake my question. I’m glad to be going to Taegrin Caelum—for the chance to fight back against those who attacked us in Xyrus all those years ago.”

I couldn’t bring myself to smile, but I did incline my head slightly in acknowledgement. “Your squad will be the vanguard if we face opposition outside of the fortress, under the command of Seris. I will attempt to breach whatever barriers have been put in place, and then the Lances, my companions, and I will take the fight directly to Agrona inside Taegrin Caelum.”

When we reached Vildorial, we found our path forward blocked by a dense crowd. In the distance, rows upon rows of dwarven soldiers passed through a portal, and the entire population of the city had come out to watch them. It was a somber affair, with little or no ovation for these soldiers.

I considered searching for another path forward, but Claire stepped forward. The crowd separated by necessity, pressing back into one another until there was room for the hulking machine to pass through. Once at the front, she began to clap, her metallic hands crashing together like a hammer against an anvil.

For a moment, those around her were startled. Then, though, the air began to change. Smiles appeared on dour faces, slow but inexorable. A scattering of applause joined her, and then the audience erupted into a full-blown roaring cheer. The rest of the exoform pilots joined in, but their applause could not ring louder than the cacophonous roar of the crowd.

Pulling up my hood to hide my features, I wove through the crowd to Claire’s side, clapping for the dwarves alongside everyone else. “Well done,” I said.

“They’re soldiers, and they’re going into incredible danger to people who’ve offered them little respect—who not so long ago, they considered enemies.” Through the transparent mana shielding, I could just see the woman within, her gaze forward, fiercely on the dwarves as she spoke. “For some, this will be the last time they see their home. They shouldn’t leave it in sullen silence.”

We stayed for a few more minutes, watching the dwarves march through the portal in twos and threes. When I could stand idle no longer, I knocked on the exoform’s hip to get Claire’s attention, then began up the crowded, curving highway, the line of exoforms following me. I could already feel the mana signatures of my companions in the distance, near the top of the cavern at Lodenhold.

The highway in front of the palace had been cleared, and only a handful of guards remained. Many of the dwarven lords, who were almost all mages, were accompanying their soldiers to Sapin. This had been Daymor Silvershale’s idea. The young dwarf had argued that he hadn’t received a spellform just to hide within the ground while death rained down on the surface, and had then been one of the first through the portal.

“Is everything ready?” I asked as I reached the others, looking around at the group who would be accompanying me to Alacrya: Varay, Bairon, Mica, Tessia, Chul, and Sylvie. Seris and Cylrit were missing, likely still dealing with the portal.

“We were just waiting for you and your exoforms,” Varay answered.

Virion, who stood with Tessia, grunted. “We’re already starting to get messages back, and the first few dozen refugees have arrived.” He looked over the edge of the highway down to where a cluster of frightened-looking humans were being led from the tunnel connecting to the replaced teleportation gate. “Our efforts are proving effective. I’m…” He hesitated, his gruff voice suddenly harsh with emotion. He cleared his throat. “I’ll be heading to Elenoir immediately. The few groves that have already started to take root there—we don’t want to lose them.”

I gave him an understanding half-smile. “Protect your home, your people. Don’t give an inch.”

He coughed and wiped a hint of moisture from his eyes, then pulled me into a hug, smacking my back forcefully. “You take care of my granddaughter, brat.”

“Of course, gramps.” I returned the gesture more tenderly.
“Grandpa! I’m right here,” Tessia said teasingly.

Faster than expected, his hand snapped out, grabbed her by the wrist, and pulled her into a group hug with us, laughing. Soon Tessia and I were laughing along with him.

“Adorable,” Mica said nearby, rolling her eyes but unable to suppress a smirk.

Sharp steps drew my attention to Lodenhold’s main entrance, which loomed above us. Seris was striding in our direction, Cylrit at her side and Emily hurrying behind them.

Virion cleared his throat and pushed his way free of the hug he’d initiated. “Well? The sky is falling, brat. This is no time to just stand around.”

“The portal is calibrated,” Seris said without preamble. “I’m aware of a receiving platform north of Cargidan, inside the Basilisk Fang Mountains. It’s occasionally used to move larger numbers of soldiers to and from Taegrin Caelum for training operations. We won’t be able to teleport directly to the fortress, but this will get us as close as possible. I’ve already sent a message to Caera for our soldiers to begin tempus warping there to meet us.”

Emily fiddled with her glasses as she regarded us nervously. “Not to rush you, Regent, but Gideon would like this portal for transportation of the other exoforms once you’ve left.”

“We should go immediately,” Cylrit added. “We’ve already lost precious hours.”

Varay gave me a fierce look, nodded, and led the way, followed by Mica, Cylrit, and Seris. Sylvie squeezed Virion’s hand, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, then motioned for Chul, and the pair of them trailed after the others.

Bairon stood tall but stiff in front of Virion. “Sir, it has been an honor. Thank you for the opportunity to support you as your Lance.”

Virion, already red-eyed, scratched at his stubble and glanced away, but only for a second. When he looked back, his gaze glinted with the steel of a man who had been king, who had led the entire continent in a war at unwinnable odds. “And thank you for your support, Bairon Wykes, Lance of Dicathen.” He strongly emphasized the last word.

Bairon saluted his commander, spun on his heels, then marched toward Lodenhold. I gestured to Claire, and she led the exoform pilots after Bairon.

Tessia started to walk away, stopped, and ran to Virion, kissing him on the other cheek from Sylvie. “You be safe, okay?”

I tapped two fingers to my temple in a sort of casual salute, then Tessia and I followed the others.

“Art, before we go…” Tessia began haltingly. She produced something from her pocket and held it out: the dark, multifaceted stone I had used to see my mother and sister from afar.

“Oh, hey, the Creeper’s Stone,” Regis said. “Looks broken again,” he added, drawing my attention to cracks running through it.

I took it and turned it over in my hand, inspecting the fractures.

“I found it at your mom’s place,” she said. “Ellie told me it had been broken.”

“To save it from Windsom,” I confirmed, recalling Ellie mentioning it in the weeks we stayed in Epheotus after “Agrona’s” defeat. Aether bloomed from me, spilling down my arms in individual, bright motes as Aroa’s Requiem activated. The motes danced across the relic’s surface, fusing the cracks. _{freёwebnovel.com}

I resisted the urge to check on Ellie and Mom, instead storing the relic in my dimension rune.

“Thanks,” I said, brushing her fingers with mine.

Tessia walked up and gave me a similar expression. “Ascending together, huh? Is this some kind of Alacryan slang I’m not familiar with?”

Both women began to laugh as Tessia slipped an arm through Caera’s. “I don’t think I ever saw this side of him,” Caera said, tossing her navy hair. “Ascender Grey, as I knew him, was the most serious, brooding man I ever met. Funny how even here, at the very precipice, looking upon the literal end of the world, you seem better now, Arthur Leywin. More…yourself.”