In the aeons before the Scourge, when he was only a young child, Li had loved the storms that frequently swept over his homelands. He’d spot those dark, voluptuous clouds rolling in from the distant horizon and he became like a shark catching the scent of blood, dropping anything and everything he was doing to rush to his perfect watch spot. He’d come across a hut long ago, which had been hidden beneath large and hefty, green and white striped palm leaves. It was tucked into a small clustering of towering palm trees and was a tight squeeze for Li to tuck himself into the structure, made out of driftwood and bark; leaving him just enough room to keep himself dry as he basked in the fresh humidity and the cleansing smell of Morje’s turning tides.
He’d watch as dark clouds quickly became battlefields of lightning flashes and deep, earth-trembling booms. He watched as those battlefields began to weep, mourning their dead; and so that dreary sky cried and cried. It was the natural cycle of the storm. The rain washed away the remnants of the battle before, leaving the land sparkling and renewed. And if Li was able to watch long enough, ever so slowly, those clouds would dry up – still gray but not nearly as dark as they once were – and move along, onto their next battle.
What truly took his breath away was what the clouds left in their place. Pure and bright colors arched along the sky, the sun’s rays shining and rippling. Always the same order, the colors were always magnificent and little Li’s chest would swell at the sight. Aeons later, as Li outgrew the shabby hut, he would build an updated, more spacious hut near the shore with a perfect view of the Eastern Wind; where many storms found their way to their isle of lands. And one dey, before he knew it, he found himself with company.
Anela was a wonderful storm-watch partner. Not only did she enjoy watching the battle in the sky with him, but her eyes lit up in a way they never did with anything or anyone else, when the arch of colors gleamed its beauty proud against the pale sky. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen such joy on someone’s face. There was a time when she had looked at him like that. And though he kept hope, deep down, he wondered if he’d ever see that look on her face again.
Back then, the sky was his favorite battle to unfold before him. Now, the sky had become his strongest ally; forewarning him of any severe or sudden changes in weather and any possible threats coming from above. His Shadows only took him so far on land, but in the sky near the shine of the sun, they were mostly useless; unless there was a storm. Li had gotten so good at foretelling the sky’s moves, there was usually no doubt in his predictions for the dey. So, when he’d heard the beginnings of a storm on the dingy, tin roof of the pirate base, he was both taken aback by the unexpected weather change and pushed into a sense of urgency. Thankfully, once he’d exited the base, the first thing he saw was Kitt; readying herself to climb. They’d need to get out of this canyon as quickly as possible. From the fast-growing puddles on the stone floor and the once rather low stream that was quickly transforming into an overflowing river, they would need to start climbing now or risk getting caught in the flood.
Those swords of hers remained out, the steel gleaming from the flashes of the storm. Even in the downpour, Kitt looked every bit the warrior. But when those swords were suddenly trained upon him, he thought he’d spotted a tremble to them. Her eyes flashed with surprise then to complete disbelief. When she’d spoken, his earlier suspicions were confirmed.
You’re still here.
And there it was.
Though they’d built a shaky alliance, Li had been wondering how much of said alliance was built on genuine trust; not just her desire for bloodshed. Kitt might’ve gathered scraps and bits of trust throughout their minimal time together, but all of that was gone now. He realized then, that he’d gone too far. He’d gotten too caught up in his searching and before he’d knew it, lost all sense of time. Sure, his reasons were valid but that didn’t make his actions feel any less self-serving. He had to remind himself of his vow then; how this was the type of situation where it was necessary for him to take these kinds of actions. Actions that brought him closer to the fulfillment of his vow and aligned with what was required of him; his full and complete dedication.
So when guilt struck his chest, he pushed the feeling deep into his gut, where he felt his power stirring, wild and eager. Between the unexpected storm, the building intensity of heartbeats, and incantory chanting that slithered towards them, Li didn’t have to guess what was coming.
Harpies were the Overlorde’s eyes in the sky, as the half-female, half-hawk beasts were of the fastest aerial forces in the land. Before the Overlorde they were less beast, more elegant; more akin to fae with large feathered wings and sharp talons instead of nails. But the females were of the last species in the land to side with the Overlorde and since then, He’d bred the harpies for many aeons, evolving the species into something much more brutal, more ‘efficient’ to His standards. He’d made the species even faster than they’d been before and their loyalty to the Overlorde had become a trait He cherished. He’d completely altered their very blood; how their species evolved.
Li had only run into the harpies once before and they’d barely survived the encounter — them being himself and his now-dead mentor. Between the harpie’s improved speed and the incapacitating storms they brought to the skies with them, the harpies had become one of the biggest threats to the land; and therefore, a threat to Li’s vow.
Li pushed his Shadows as far as he could, getting a sense of the fifty or more droplet trails coming from the harpies tearing through the downpour. With their immense speed and the force of the storm upon them, he tried to gauge how far the harpies still had to go and exactly how much time he and Kitt would have before they were face to face with the winged-beasts. From what he could tell, they’d have to be quick. Even then, depending on what route they decided on, they’d still be risking confrontation.
So, Li only took to the next rock face and started climbing, throwing a shouted command over his shoulder, “Quickly, follow me!”
Li didn’t look back to see if Kitt heard him; he was too busy using his Shadows to scout out the fastest route for them. Most of their options of escape either left them with more climbing than they’d be able to manage — even with Kitt’s extra advantages — or dumped them off into the everfull, ever-rushing Strait of Vaezda. Li knew he could make that swim, but Kitt? There was no way for him to know if she’d ever had the opportunity to learn the skill of swimming at all, and if she had, she wouldn’t know how to navigate the waters they’d be jumping into. Swimming in Vaezda’s waters was unlike swimming in any other body of water; her tides were ceaseless and ever-changing. Over the aeons, Li had figured out the pattern to Morje’s tides, as they were very similar to Lunir’s waxing and waning cycles. But the strait was entirely unpredictable, going from mellow waters to rushing tides in moments. You could think you have the waters under control then a few skips later, you’re squeezed through a tight passage in the strait and the tides are dragging you under.
Li rolled through their options as he climbed. Every so often, in a rare moment of silence splitting through the downpour and the harpy’s incantatory screeches, he heard Kitt’s swords slicing into the rock below. They were headed towards a crag, meaning he needed to make his decision now, or never. Running routes in his mind through a logical lens left him with outcomes in which neither of them would survive. But if he were to go with his gut…
It would have to work. They were out of options. A risk would have to be enough.
Li shouted back to Kitt again, getting her attention so he could motion for them to head right; towards the nearest overhang. Li didn’t let himself register the spike of fear in his chest nor the lightheadedness from the fresh adrenaline, only remained intent on his next task; on making it atop the steep overhang ahead. Even without the downpour making every grip and foothold slick like ice, the angle of the overhang would be a challenge. His muscles were already straining for traction. So now, when he reached for the first grip on the overhang, his core and legs were screaming at him. He only continued on, keeping his arms straight for support, though they trembled slightly from the effort.
The symphony of high-pitched screeches had slowly become an oncoming mantra that dug into Li’s head like talons as the harpies continued towards them, closer and closer. It took everything inside of him to resist the instinctual urge to cover his ears against those ear-splitting calls.
His ears had always been a sore spot, whether it be the constant ringing in his left ear or the shooting pains that occasionally plagued him from loud, sharp noises. The magic imbued in the rings on his ear were capable of fighting high-pitched or loud sounds, but the magic could only handle so much noise before it was overloaded, left buzzing and hot to the touch. But over all these aeons, he’d taught himself how to focus past sound all together. And when his Shadows came to him, it made the shift that much easier; a new sense to replace the other.
So those screeches – once piercing and consuming – were now compressed into something null and entirely void in Li’s head. Suddenly, he felt as if he were one of his Shadows; slinking along the underside of the overhang and breaching overtop the shelf with little effort, like he was weightless. The moment Li stood fully upon the stone shelf, he was focused on the threat before him. He reached back into his gadget-stuffed pack, his hand grabbed a worn leather handle of the many crystal-arms he’d taken back and pointed the hefty, gleaming crystal-point directly at the screeching, mocking beasts.
Drawing upon his power took very little effort these deys, as it always seemed to be boiling beneath the surface; writhing deep in his gut, licking up his throat, pushing beneath his skin. So when Li pulled for a sizable blast of power, instead, a horizon of bright and unquenchable flame roared through the downpour, straight towards the band of harpies. He was met with piercing cries that pushed against his soundless state as more than half of the winged beasts dropped to their deaths, falling out of the dark sky like balls of fire — but Li heard none of it. Only the steady beat of his heart as he aimed for the remaining harpies still charging at him, persistent as ever.
He was preparing for another blast of power when a loud, yet gruff, cry cut through Li’s null state. For only a moment, Li was left dazed and disoriented, his eyes darting around for the owner of the cry. Then more grunting and sounds of struggle rose to meet him and he was jolted into action, crawling to the ledge of the overhang where he found Kitt — hanging by her swords and top set of arms. Her bare feet dangled freely in the open air and her other set of arms were busy fighting a charred harpy.
How the beast had gotten to them so fast — even after Li’s blast — was astonishing. Kitt was putting up quite the fight, given her compromising position, but the harpy was practically feral with fury. The harpy swiped with her talons, catching Kitt in her side. Kitt let out another snarled cry before swinging her dangling feet up and pushed right off the harpy’s face, using that momentum to reach with both sets of arms for the ledge at Li’s feet.
But the harpy was relentless, having fallen only a little ways down and latched back onto the rock face, climbing her way back up towards them – with speed she shouldn’t have been capable of, given her condition. Li’s blast had left her in a severe state; once long and flowing hair was now entirely seared down to the scalp, feathered wings now raw and blackened, same as her flesh. She was actually shedding blackened bits of flesh as she ferociously climbed, bits of the harpy’s chant reaching him.
“End… the Nekros-” The harpy missed a foothold, cutting off her chant and leaving more flecks of skin and rock to fall to flood below.
The loyalty bred into the harpies astonished him. The harpy would not stop until their orders were seen to. If Li were to guess; their orders were to kill him and bring Kitt back with them, for Titan’s knows what. How the Overlorde was able to make their loyalty to Him into a breedable trait – something He could grow stronger and stronger with each generation of harpy – Li couldn’t know for sure.
But he didn’t have time to think about it, before aiming his crystal-arm straight down at the beast’s charred temple. This blast wasn’t as widespread as the last, though it had just as much force, a direct line of blue and orange flame piercing through the harpy’s forehead and continuing on until its flame was quenched by the rising water below. The beast’s body followed, the rushing flood snatching her corpse away like feral animals. A harpy engulfed by a symptom of their own power.
Li kept his attention on the harpy only long enough to ensure the beast was truly dead and gone, before kneeling to help Kitt. She’d almost gotten over on her own and probably would have, but when Li positioned his grip under her shoulders, a small whimper escaped her lips. She’d tried to hide it, reacting to his touch with a snarl and shoving him away the moment she cleared the ledge. When she’d stood fully though, Li didn’t miss the sway in her stance. Noted the glazed-over look in her eyes and the blood mingling with rain, dripping down her side.
But Li’s scan over Kitt had cost him and he hadn’t realized it until the screeches were practically in his ear. And when he whirled to face those screeches, he only had time to bring his crystal-arm up halfway before being met with the feeling of being hit by a boulder.
Li and the harpy fell to the stone with an oomph, knocking all the air from his chest. When the harpy reared to attack, he didn’t hesitate before blasting a head sized hole in the beast’s chest. There was no relief though, as more harpies joined them on their small stone shelf, the rising flood now closer to their respective ledge as the storm continued. Not only did the harpies meet them with battle, but those incantatory cries became much clearer as they continued on with their chanting, even in battle.
“End the Nekros Kapote! End the Nekros Kapote! End the Nekros Kapote!”
The same phrase over and over. But Li didn’t let this distract him and neither did Kitt. Even with her injuries, Kitt didn’t hesitate to pounce upon the nearest harpy, teeth already sinking into the harpy’s throat. The harpies were like moths to his flame as he sent out more blasts of his power. Some of them hit and the ones that he missed would’ve cost him dearly; if he’d been alone.
But he was not alone.
No, Kitt fought with the same viciousness he’d seen back at the pirate base, tearing apart the harpies Li had missed and dodging any rogue blasts – an ease to her movements that left Li pleasantly surprised. Every harpy talon was blocked by one of her swords, countering with one of her claw-tipped fists in the beast’s gut. Another harpy came towards him, maw so wide he could see the beast’s blackened throat. Good. Even these harpies didn’t fully succeed in eluding his blast. Finishing the job, Li put a fist-sized blast through the back of the harpy’s charred throat. When that harpy crumbled, he found Kitt finishing the last of her own attackers, kicking the last harpy in the gut and sending her flying off the stone ledge with a final high-pitched screech.
“That won’t stave them off for long! We need to go!” Li shouted to Kitt, the downpour only letting up slightly. Which told Li there were plenty more harpies nearby to keep the storm going at this pace. The flood had risen to high enough to cause Li worry, but he pushed it aside and pointed to the last rock face they’d be clearing. “One more!”
Kitt nodded but he wasn’t sure it was exactly a response to his commands. Even through the downpour, he could see her eyes were struggling to keep up with the input, instead, blankly scanning up the next rock face.
So instead of leaving her behind — ensuring his own survival and saving him precious time — Li back stepped, forcibly moving her body in front of his own, so she was between the rock face and himself.
“Start going up!” Li commanded over another boom of the storm. “I’ll keep up the rear! Go!”
Kitt only stood motionless for a moment; long enough for Li to worry if those harpies scrambled her head for good. But then her head lifted. Shook. Then she was off. Slowly, but he was thankful she was moving.
Starting off slow, she eventually seemed to come back to herself to some capacity as those swords began once again, slicing into rock after rock. But her movements seemed jolted and the blood he’d noticed on her side earlier, had dripped all the way down the side of her leg, streaks of maroon running off her foot. But Li heard no groans of pain, no whimpers above him.
That’s when he realized the screeching chant had stopped; the only sound being the crashes of the storm and the downpour that had yet to slow.
Where were those harpies? He knew they weren’t dead, only stalled. They would not stop until the entire band was dead or their mission was completed. As they continued up the rock face — a slower pace than he would’ve preferred — Li kept reaching out with his senses, with his Shadows. The last thing he wanted was to be caught off-guard.
A sigh of relief escaped his lips as Kitt pushed herself up and over the ledge – Li following suit, immediately scanning around for threats. But there was nothing. Nothing but the dark, thundering clouds for miles and miles over the empty, dreary canyon, the summits of some stone faces protruding into the sky like spears. Li had directed them to a flat summit, with the drop at the other end leading them into a wide passage of the Strait. The wider the passage, the less of a chance they had of getting caught in the strait’s strong tides. At least, that was the best idea he had at the moment. He couldn’t know for sure how the tides would move todey, but he decided based on the knowledge he had at that very moment.
Grabbing Kitt’s wrist, he practically dragged her to the other side of the summit, to the ledge where they’d be jumping. Every time he caught her eye, it was like she was in shock. Between the blood loss and whatever was going on inside that bizarre head of hers, she seemed lost. Like she wasn’t aware of this world at all.
So once they were only steps from the edge, Li stopped and held Kitt out in front of him, his grip firm on her shoulders. He stared hard into those blank eyes; looking for any sign that Kitt was still in there.
“The only way out of here is off!” Li shouted, pointing down towards the dark, rushing waters of Vaezda’s Strait. “The harpies won’t stop until we’re dead. This is our only shot!”
The storm was raging around them. His face ached from the constant slashings of the downpour and flashes of light on Kitt’s face proved to him that she’d be feeling the same – if she was feeling anything at all. He couldn’t tell if he’d broken through her haze, those dark blue eyes scanning around with the same disoriented look. His touch on her shoulders felt icy, her bare skin surprisingly smooth to the touch.
She had to be in shock, Li thought. There was a very strong possibility that she wouldn’t snap out of this state until they were safe; which meant away from the harpies.
In an instant, a screech rang out – closer than Li would’ve expected – leaving his ears ringing once again, the rings around his ear already beginning to burn slightly from the effort. Kitt stayed unmoved, as if his presumption had been correct and she wasn’t really here – on the ledge of a cliff, chaos lashing around them – at all.
So Li moved on instinct. He unhooked the metal disc once more, keeping a firm grip on the smooth metal in one hand. In the other, he’d been carrying his crystal-arm; which he now handed over to Kitt.
“You remember how you channeled those feelings into the stones? It’s the same with this,” Li explained, taking Kitt’s hand to wrap around the handle of the weapon. “When I say shoot, you’re going to point this to the sky and channel all of those feelings into the crystal.”
To his surprise, she took it. He didn’t enjoy giving her such a lethal weapon in her state, but he didn’t have much of an option. Slight understanding crossed her face and that was enough for Li. He couldn’t expect too much at this point; they were too short on time.
Confirming his thoughts, another screech soared towards them, their words the same with every cry, “End the Nekros Kapote!”
Pressing in on the metal disc, the device started beeping upon activation. Wrapping his arms tightly around Kitt’s waist, he dropped the metal disc towards the dark waters. As Li tore them from the ledge after it, he shouted his command.
“SHOOT!”
Just as Li had hoped, Kitt did not hesitate. As the wind wrapped around them, tearing at their hair and their clothes in the freefall, she pointed the crystal-arm to the sky, just as he’d directed. And as the last remnants of the harpy band came over the ledge and into view – diving towards them – she let out a roar that rivaled the booms of the thunder around them.
With that roar, came pure, white light. And from the light came honed and tangible lightning, which reached up like gnarly fingers and fried every last harpy above them to black ash.
