The Grand Weave

As I entered the room, I heard Panasia shout.

"So there you are! I've been waiting for you!"

I blinked and found myself wrapped in a hug that easily carried me off the floor. I stiffened and heard air block out whatever it was the half-beastkin guildmaster said as she spun me around.

Eventually, I tapped her arm, and she released me, dropping me to the floor. "H-hello to you too. Should you be up?"

She slapped a hand on my back that sent me sprawling. "Nonsense. Thanks to you and Teddy, I'm more than capable of moving around."

I pushed up and repressed the anger that swelled. It demanded I get revenge, but I slapped it away and pushed it back into its cage.

She can literally break my bones with a high-five. And you're angry over this? Fuck off.

It growled, but I ignored it and stood up. Sereza watched me; her eyes narrowed while the others focused on the guildmaster.

"Me first. Where's the rest of the guild? I don't sense anyone inside the building. I saw people outside, so is the city still running?" Panasia asked.

Teddy sat on the edge of the bed and shook his head. "No. We don't know where anyone else is; you're the only one we know of inside the building. There may be more hidden pockets storing them, but you were the only one we found."

"Hidden pocket... Annoying," she growled.

"And the city is currently under some kind of mass mental manipulation. They can't see or acknowledge us unless we disturb them, but they go about their day as if everything is fine."

"No noticeable burst of aggression?"

"None."

Panasia tapped the air, and I heard a light tapping as the air around her fingertips seemed to harden. "It's already second Wuld? The last date I can recall was first Telsas."

"First Telsas," Celanae asked as she pulled out a journal. She began scribbling an entry and shut it. "That means you were trapped for at least a week. It matches the last date in your journal."

"You have my journal?" Panasia asked, surprise coloring her voice.

In response, Celanae summoned the pink journal and tossed it over. Panasia caught it and made it disappear in a single motion before glaring at the elf.

Celanae ignored the glare. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Panasia frowned. "The sound of a little kid crying for help. I figured it was one of the receptionist's children. Slow day, nobody does anything on Wuld. So I headed up, thinking they must have gotten hurt."

"And then?"

She shook her head. "Then nothing. Just the vague memory of pure rage and chewing off the face of some sea creature as I punched its brains out."

"You remember nothing else? Anything at all?" Isaac asked accusatorily.

"Hey!" Panasia roared. "I may be weakened, but I can still take you on, pipsqueak. I said what I said."

Isaac began to move, but Igas swung his sword into his path, forcing him back.

Teddy nodded at the oni and crossed his arms. "Elanor is coming. She didn't have a creature controlling her, but the rest of her men had parasites in their necks."

"Anything recognizable?"

Celanae shook her head. "No. Looks like a standard burrower, went toward their spinal cord, and used mental manipulation; how did you describe it, Cyrus?"

"Like chains holding it down, constricting their thoughts," I answered.

"Damn... Damn!" Panasia shouted, the wind picking up around her as the fur on her ears bristled. "I knew something was off when they recalled Richard."

"Richard?" Sereza asked.

"Richard Graves. Elanor's father and the only publicly known tier three in Helio," Teddy explained.

"Got it."

"Was there a reason to suspect an issue?" Celanae asked, steering the question back on track.

"Yeah. The Grey Warden never leaves his pillar. Richard would only leave Helio if the crown called for him. Speaking of which, why are you guys here? And when did you get here? Last I learned from the guild was that you guys were part of something massive for the bi-decade rift."

I kept my face a mask of calm and deliberately ignored the glance the others threw my way.

"Unimportant, but we got here today. We were in the capital before we got a... warning to come here," Celanae said slowly.

Panasia narrowed her eyes. "And who exactly warned you to come here... Celanae."

"I can't say."

Mana flared to life, and the others squirmed. I felt mana bite at my skin, but whatever pressure forced the rest to grit their teeth, I couldn't feel it.

Sereza, in particular, looked ready to fall.

"Cut it out. I don't care what tier you are, but if it weren't for us, you would be a mindless slave. So stop," I warned, sending mana through my channels.

Panasia turned to face me, wind whipping at her tattered clothes. I remained still.

She shook her head and grinned. From the looks on the others' faces, Panasia had reeled in the pressure. "Interesting. I really want to take a look at your status sheet. You shouldn't be standing."

The switch from near bloodlust to the hunger that donned her face had me uncomfortable, but it wasn't the craziest thing around here.

"My God warned me. Take that answer however you want to, but that's all you'll find out."

Her eyes shined with green light. "And why has your god informed you but not the rest? Just who are they?"

I kept silent and met her stare with my own.

"Fine," she relented.

Panasia crashed to the floor and smashed her head backward, creating a loud thump.

Teddy let out his aura skill, and the guildmaster closed her eyes.

"Not as recovered as I would like."

Before Teddy could offer her a hand up, a thunder of footsteps came rushing from down the hall. Eodyne rushed out, bow drawn.

But a second later, she stepped back into the room and stared at Panasia who looked up with a raised eyebrow.

"Elanor's men are at the end of the hallway, weapons drawn," Eodyne said coolly.

"Oops?" Panasia offered.

--------

Elanor pinched the bridge of her nose. "Guildmaster. Now is not the time for games."

"I already apologized, guard captain," Panasia argued.

I could see Elanor's frustration take form in the bubbling of her armor. The chains around her waist and arms tightened and loosened, back and forth, as she glared from underneath her hand.

"It's fine. Are you capable of accompanying us?"

Panasia opened her mouth and stuck out her chest but then deflated under the quesitoning gaze. "Aye. I am still recovering. Physically, I am fine, but my mana channels are a wreck. I can accompany, but I am not at full strength."

Elanor looked cold, her steely eyes calculating. She dipped her head. "Let's go. Broken Tower, felkins. We have a situation with one of my men."

"They discovered something?" Teddy asked, stepping forward.

"Yes."

We followed Elanor and her guards, three squads of four each, toward the northern district. We passed a familiar square and came to a stop at a building I only barely remember.

"There's a problem with the church?" Celanae asked.

"Yes. A pair went inside to scout the building for people. Two went in, one came out. The other was lost."

"I thought every squad had a minimum of three guards. Why was there only two?"

"Because out of all buildings, the church should have been the safest. They were meant to go in and out, no longer than three minutes."

"The church should be untouched..." Celanae muttered.

"And yet it isn't. So either the gods have abandoned this church, or there is a problem," Eodyne jutted in.

She didn't glance my way but I felt the spike in her mana pointed in my direction. The squad of guards didn't notice, nor did Elanor, though she looked suspiciously at Eodyne's back.

Teddy stepped forward and turned around to address the group. "I hate to say it, but should we leave it alone and wait for tomorrow?"

Elanor froze. "I have a duty to my men. If you don't accompany me, then we'll proceed without you."

Isaac smirked. "The cold blade has a heart? That's a little out of place for you, Captain."

Isaac...

Before the guards could explode, Panasia briefly raised her hand, suppressing them as they all collectively hitched in their breathing.

"Calm. Something affecting the church should be addressed as soon as possible. The last thing we need to do is to anger the gods."

"Fine, but sending in every one would be a mistake. There's only so much room in the temple, and we can't risk losing everyone if something happens."

Elanor's guards bristled while a few older ones kept their faces neutral.

The guard captain herself crossed her arms. "I trust my men, but perhaps you are right. Squad eight and four, you'll guard the building's perimeter. Be on the lookout for anything approaching or leaving. Squad three, you're with me."

"Should we take those potions now?" Sereza whispered.

Teddy nodded. "Yeah. If there's something as strong as the creature from before, we could use all the help we can get."

As one, we pulled out our potions and downed them while Elanor and her guards frowned.

"Right. Will you be taking the lead?"

Teddy responded by pulling out his shield and mace while activating several aura skills. The effects of his aura washed over the group and extended to Elanor and her squad.

"Battle formation, Cyrus, be on the lookout for spatial pockets. If Magnus discovers anything, let us know no matter what."

"Got it," I replied, getting into position.

I kept Magnus by my feet and Sturmrorex and Áine on my shoulder and neck. Spear out, potion drunk, the effects running through my body as a slight tingle across the base of my neck; we were ready.

Teddy and Igas entered, followed by Isaac darting to one side while Sereza approached the other. She had her tail poised and ready and daggers dripping with venom.

Eodyne entered next, and I moved forward with Celanae at the rear. As soon as we stepped in, I felt a blanket of mana wash over my senses.

Magnus bristled, and his fur crystallized, but there was confusion in his head that trickled through the soul link.

"Magnus? Anything?"

"No, Master. It's not mana."

That made me pause. The energy felt familiar, but not entirely. It was foreign and unknown, but Magnus was right.

It wasn't truly mana.

"Guys, what are you feeling? Describe it."

Celanae gripped her staff and raised her hand. "Heavy pressure, not the same as Teddy's parents, but similar with less strength. It feels like a light brush against your skin. Why?"

"Magnus says it's not mana; I agree. I don't have those symptoms either, but I recognize it; I'm just not sure why.

Isaac summoned a clone and sent it further into the empty grand hall. "That's not helpful."

"It's all I got, take it or leave it," I retorted, closing my eyes to briefly sift through my memories.

I found nothing.

"Enough. Heads up, Elanor! There's a foreign aura encompassing the interior of the hall."

She marched in with her squad, her sword drawn and her armor sprouting three thick chains from her back. Her squad reacted differently, but they reported the same feeling as Celanae described.

"Proceeding, did your guard tell you where they went first?" Teddy called out.

"Yes. Hall of Divinity, followed by the sleeping quarters," Elanor answered.

Teddy took several more steps into the empty grand hall, and when nothing happened, he motioned people forward.

"Anything from your clone?"

"No," Isaac replied. "The divinity room is just as empty. Statues and murals look untouched. There's not even dust."

"Proceeding."

As one large group, we pushed into the far hall and continued unimpeded. Once Teddy stepped into the large room on the other side, again, nothing happened.

Except Magnus roared in my head and backed up into my leg. He didn't need to say it because I could already feel it, and by the others' reactions, so could they.

"Something's not right; it's increased," Celanae whispered.

"Magnus, can you try absorbing the energy?"

He tried, and I felt him activate his skill, the crystal along his body opening its pores to pull in the energy, but nothing came. It continued to push against his body, lightly pressing down, but nothing he could absorb or perceive as harmful.

"Magnus has nothing. Can't even absorb the energy."

One by one, we joined Teddy, and as I got closer to the room, I began seeing the intricate artwork towering over the floor, each statue of the divinities taking up its own pedestal and section of flooring.

The one directly revealed once I stepped in was empty, simply a floating orb with wisps coming off its sides. Unlike the stone statues, it was made of black metal that shifted different hues.

Strange god.

As soon as Elanor and her guards stepped in, I briefly closed my eyes to check through Magnus' senses, but he roared, as did Sturmrorex.

Áine gently tapped my cheek, and I opened my eyes to find the room empty, save for two people.

I turned my head and found Broken Tower, as well as Sereza and Elanor and her squad, absent from the room. Letting my mana rush into my spear, I held it forward and pointed it at the man in robes sitting under the floating sphere.

His snow-white beard and kind eyes were offset by the iridescent tattoos running up and down his arms. He moved his hands to his lap and met my eyes.

"This one greets the Scion of Calstrax," he solemnly chanted. After dipping his head, he raised it and smiled. "It's an honor to meet you, Cyrus."