THE ETERNAL SHROUD

The sun, that was supposed to be bounding the high-skies around now, was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the entire eastern horizon was blocked in a swath of a black mist, one so thick and terrible it sucked away any light that approached it.

Formed along the ridge of the plains just outside the City of the Sun, hundreds of thousands of soldiers quivered; some few braver ones stepped up front, trying to s.h.i.+eld the terrible winds doused in Qi of Desolation from hitting the weaker ones. At the far front, Lino stood isolated, his expression terrible. The odd feeling that had woken him up not a week ago manifested today -- as far as the eastern sh.o.r.es of the Western Continent reached, they were doused in Primal Qi of Chaos. Over two hundred Primes nestled there, behind the nearly a whole million of the ordinary Cultivators.

His fingers were curled up in a fist, the horrid wind gently pa.s.sing him, as though too terrified to touch him, causing his hair to billow backward like smoke. Just behind him, arrays lit up, yet still failed to properly defend against the winds -- after all, no one in the Empire accounted for the Primes joining the war, especially against them. Ella, Hannah, t.i.tus, Amadeel, Val, and a few others did their best to suffocate the winds, while Eggor, Tim and Primul worked rapidly on a makes.h.i.+ft array to contain it.

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Barely a quarter of army was a.s.sembled at the moment; should the fighting break out, they would be at a monumental disadvantage -- yet, it would break out. The other side had no reason to wait for him to a.s.semble his forces completely. If they were smart enough, they would even employ the deadly dash -- send hundreds of thousands hurdling toward them, eventually overrunning them, capturing the City of the Sun.

His expression still twisted, he glanced back, noticing the expressions of suffering and agony across the tens of thousands. Very few were ever exposed to the sheer brutality that the Chaotic Qi can impose upon one's Will, which meant that very few were equipped to withstand the horrible winds.

Gritting his teeth, he unfurled a pair of black-feathered wings, taking to the skies under the loud protests of those just behind him. He ignored them all, however, wanting to learn why Primes chose to suddenly join the war, and, more importantly, why were they against him. Against Ataxia.

He came to a halt in front of the imposing figure that stood at the forefront; a ma.s.sive behemoth of a creature, oval-headed yet lacking any features, two long arms extending down the sides of its skinless body, all the way to the floor. It stood sunk slightly forward, the head spinning in a circle occasionally. Tentacles abound exploded from its skin, wiggling about like worms. Hundreds of them, at the minimum.

Though terrifying, it still failed short of some other creatures Lino saw lingering in the thick shadows. Monstrosities and abominations that would cause even his bravest Generals to retch their guts out. I can't let them fight this, he thought, I have to prevent it… somehow.

"--who are they?" Lino mumbled lowly into his jaw, but Ataxia remained silent. No reaction. "You knew what that feeling meant. Why didn't you warn me?"

"..."

"... suck a d.i.c.k, b.a.s.t.a.r.d."

"Don't bother, human child," a choral, yet eerily melodic voice, trickled into his ears as he focused onto the featureless head. "You may be Father's Chosen, but we are his Children. He is merely occupied by trying to solve the problem of sending us back, buying more time with false promises."

"... if we fight," Lino said. "You'll exhaust yourselves without achieving anything palpable. Is it really worth it? Just to pull me back down slightly?"

"What do you know of our goals, human child?" the creature asked, the head spinning once more. "Nothing. As ignorant as a newborn babe, you are."

"... you are supposed to at the very least stay neutral," Lino mumbled, his right eye burning in flames of fury. "What the f.u.c.k are you doing?!"

"You could not--"

"It was a rhetorical question, you G.o.dd.a.m.n f.u.c.king imbecile," Qi seethed about him, morphing into corporeal shadows temporarily that danced off his skin like tendrils. "If you really do attack," he added, taking a deep breath to calm himself down. "I swear upon all I have, I will eradicate you all -- whether you're Ataxia's children or his wh.o.r.es."

"... can you, though?" the creature asked with a faint trace of bemus.e.m.e.nt in its voice.

"... can I?" Lino mumbled emptily. "You've slumbered too long if you ask that."

"... ha ha ha, perhaps," the laughter burst out, not just from it, but from virtually every Prime. "Though, you're hardly the first to threaten us with extermination. Alas… words are wasted. Engage us, if your blood burns so. We are here, and we'll be here until the last remnant of a human race is wiped from this continent. It is time the cycle was restarted, human child. You've had enough fun."

"..." Lino said nothing for a moment, glancing back, meeting Ella's and Hannah's eyes. Looking about, he also saw Amadeel, t.i.tus, Ivon, Myveen, Cain, Alex, Lucky… everyone was here. At least everyone who could make a difference.

He cast one last glance at the Primes before turning around, landing next to the small entourage that quickly gathered around him.

"Ella and I will keep the Primes at bay," the tone of his voice was suffocating, so much so that no one -- not even Hannah or Ella -- could voice a complaint. Cold, desolate, tired. "Hannah and Amadeel will lead the central charge. Amadeel, you're tasked with ensuring the remnants of the higher battles don't reach our forces. Bring them closer to the clash safely. Hannah, you'll be taking on the Descent with Lucky's support. Lucky, take four-five most experienced Shadows, those who won't cave under pressure no matter what, and ensure she doesn't get overwhelmed.

"t.i.tus and Myveen, take a ten thousand strong force each and start circling on the flanks. Mostly regimes with good bombarding Arts that can cover a lot of ground, a few speedy Shadows to act as scouts. Alex, Cain, you're in charge of holding the rear; support wherever you see the line being pushed back. Ivon, stay near the Commanders and Generals in the War Room, and protect them whilst relaying the orders. Summon as many Legions as possible -- don't care about the costs. If need be, unlock the spatial void temporarily to let them through."

"..." all the while he spoke, the small group held their breaths, unable to interject or reply -- merely capable of nodding their heads in agreement, as though it was the only possible answer.

"By the end of this G.o.dd.a.m.n h.e.l.l," he added, his voice growing even colder if possible for a moment. "I imagine a good chunk of us standing here today will be dead. Good luck to you all. We'll meet in the infinity."

He spun on his heel, unfurling his wings once more, taking to the sky. Ella glanced at the group and nodded, following right after him, catching up. She glanced sideways at his expression, one which caused her heart to stir, her eyes nearly tearing up.

"... this isn't like you." she said. "What's wrong?"

"--nothing's wrong," Lino replied. "I'm just angry."

"Never this much."

"Plenty times," he said, glancing at her. "It was just that usually, I was not strong enough to act on it."

"... do you fancy we can really take on over two hundred Primes?"

"Most are useless caprices that may as well be helpless blobs," he said. "By my estimates, there are only four-five that can threaten me in a direct confrontation. The rest are probably going to be used as a distraction or be sent to the battlefield. That's why I'll charge directly while you'll stay behind, preventing the stragglers and supporting me when you see me being overwhelmed."

"... many will die today." Ella mumbled, glancing at the blacked horizon of smoke and ash. "Too many."

"... let's ensure, then, as few as possible die."

"Rather than thinking of them," she said, suddenly putting her hand on his shoulder. "Focus on keeping yourself alive. They aren't the ones fighting the Abominations of Chaos, Lino."

"--no," Lino replied simply, suddenly smiling. "Another such abomination is."

"... looks like you aren't quite right in the head," Ella said, squinting her eyes. "Maybe I should take the lead. I am quite strong, you know."

"I know," he nodded, his eye s.h.i.+ning in a mysterious glint. "But today's not the day for you to show off. The cost would be too big to bear."

"..." Ella said nothing, merely s.h.i.+fting her gaze on the front as the two came to a halt.

Prime after Prime, abomination after abomination, took to the sky, meeting them head-on. A small stretch of s.p.a.ce separated them, the distance that meant nothing to those on their levels. Rather, the entire continent was probably too small to contain them, let alone the few hundred meters currently separating them. The armies bellow had already begun moving, Eggor and Primul having finished the makes.h.i.+ft array, temporarily blocking the winds.

"So… you choose to die with honor," dozens of voices trickled about. "As the Empyrean should."

"Die?" Lino chortled. "I can't die. Life's… too much fun. You, though, can go to h.e.l.l. No, wait -- you will go to h.e.l.l. No, wait, I've destroyed h.e.l.l already. Eh, you'll go where you're meant to go. d.a.m.n all of you."