The Chronicles of a Scalebound Sage

WM [79] Actually Fun

The group followed the orange line, which, according to the text over the desk in the lobby, would lead them to the Aetheric Processing Core Room. Tanisha wasn’t entirely sure what that entailed, but given that it was their only guidance, she hoped for more instructions once they arrived. 

The facility’s interior was just as sterile and unwelcoming as the lobby, its walls bare and illuminated by the clinical glow of overhead lights. Passageways branched out like a spider’s web from the main corridor they navigated, creating a labyrinth of sterile white hallways. Occasionally, a new colored line would merge with the orange one they followed, only to veer off at another junction, disappearing down a random corridor as if leading to unseen corners of the sprawling complex.

As they moved at a brisk pace, Tanisha’s thoughts drifted back to the meeting with Bjorn’s mother. Well, an abridged version of it, one that conveniently omitted the fact that the True she spoke to was Bjorn’s mother or that he was a True himself. The weight of the news from that encounter still lingered. Fuyumi, especially, had been visibly shaken by the revelation of a potential world-shattering event they now had to prevent. By contrast, Aurelius had remained composed, his demeanor like a stone wall, offering nothing to hint at his thoughts or emotions.

“The line turns up ahead.” Aurelius said.

The group turned the corner and was greeted with a metal blast door. They looked around until Bjorn hissed loudly and Tanisha noticed he was standing next to another of the thin rectangular devices she had to put aether into. She nodded and walked over placing her hand on the black metal thing and pushed magic into it. The device greedily devoured the aether, but there was no other reaction. Frustration mounting, Tanisha pushed more and more magic into the device, emptying her reserves until she was completely drained. She slumped down, winded.

“What’s wrong?” Fuyumi asked, her voice tinged with worry. “Why didn’t it open?”

Tanisha sat down. “I don’t know.” Tanisha turned to Bjorn who looked equally confused. “Maybe it needs more aether than I have and Bjorn doesn't seem to have any ideas either.”

“Maybe there is another way around. I can scout some of the halls we passed.” Aurelius added as he thumbed back down the hall.

“That is a good idea, but don’t go too far.” Fuyumi said as she examined the door. “We haven’t seen anyone or run into traps but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any.”

“Okay,” Aurelius said as he took out his sword. “Be back soon.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Tanisha watched the elf closely, now that she knew his magic was primana and not corruption she wanted to see how it worked. As she watched she saw his magic circulate through the air into his unusual sword. She noticed that she had never really looked at the blade. The sword was a bluish crystal etched with intricate carvings, and as she focused, she noticed the primana weaving through the lines, both on the surface and deep within the crystal.

The sword glowed with energies that felt like monster magic but as he held the blade forward it refined for the briefest moment. If she hadn’t been watching so intently she would have missed it. Then, for the briefest moment, the primana refined itself, shifting into something else… mana, aether, material energy. It felt like all of them at once. In that same instant Aurelius was gone. His speed left him as little more than a flash of light with the trail of primana lingering in the air before it too dissipated. 

“I am going to see if I can force the door open.” Fuyumi said as a comically large ice bat with spikes appeared in her hands. “I recommend stepping back.”

Still drained of magic, Tanisha doubted she could stand, but before she could voice her predicament, Bjorn’s tail wrapped around her waist and lifted her with surprising ease. He draped her across his back like luggage, earning a huff of amused protest from Tanisha as he moved to a safer distance. Fuyumi glanced at them and gestured for even more space, her tone firm but calm. Bjorn obeyed without hesitation, ensuring they were well clear of whatever magic Fuyumi was about to unleash.

The two watched as the yuki-onna took a step back from the door gathering her mana into the summoned weapon. The temperature in the area around her quickly dropped. Bjorn had to back up further as the sudden shift in temperature caused an implosion of wind that nearly lifted him off the ground and pulled them towards Fuyumi. Tanisha saw as the air in the area began to condense and pool on the floor. The change in pressure made it more difficult to breathe and Bjorn again had to back up.

Fuyumi’s mana manipulation was mesmerizing. Tanisha watched as the pressure she exerted on the oversized ice weapon steadily increased, causing it to compress visibly. The once massive, jagged bat glistened as if it were no longer ice, but instead  polished metal. It groaned under the strain, shrinking from a colossal weapon larger than Fuyumi herself to a compact, gleaming baton. The sheer force radiating from it made Tanisha’s eyes widen.

“Bjorn! Run! We need to get back further!” Tanisha yelled, her voice sharp with urgency.

Bjorn didn’t need to be told twice. He turned and bolted as fast as his legs could carry them both, Tanisha bouncing slightly on his back. The deafening boom of Fuyumi’s strike came an instant later, the sound crashing through the corridor like thunder. The force of the impact sent a shockwave rippling outwards, catching Bjorn mid-stride. Both he and Tanisha were flung into the air as if caught in a cyclone.

Fortunately, Tanisha’s Chain Breaker’s Mantle had already activated when the temperature dropped, and Bjorn’s Aetheric Scales shimmered faintly, protecting them from the brunt of the blast. Still, the landing wasn’t graceful. Tanisha saw Bjorn tumbling end over end before she herself was sent spinning toward the ground. Before impact, however, Aurelius appeared, rounding the corner at full speed and collided directly with her.

The resulting tangle was a whirlwind of limbs and surprised shouts. Aurelius and Tanisha tumbled across the floor, their momentum only stopping when they crashed into an equally disoriented Bjorn, who lay sprawled out on the ground. The three ended up in a heap, groaning and disheveled.

“What in the name of the Divines is going on?” Aurelius groaned, his voice muffled as he struggled to sit up. “Is she fighting something down there?”

Tanisha, caught somewhere between exhaustion and amusement, burst into laughter. The absurdity of the situation was too much to hold back.

“No,” she finally managed between giggles. “She wanted to see if she could break the door down. That was actually kind of fun.”

Aurelius blinked, looking incredulous. “That? That was her trying to open the door? You sure she wasn’t trying to blow up the ruin?” He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “Nearly getting turned into an icicle doesn’t exactly scream fun to me.”

“Come on,” Tanisha teased as she rolled off him, still grinning. “We were far enough away. Besides, I’m pretty sure we’d survive standing right next to her as long as she doesn’t hit us.”

“Your definition of fun needs serious reevaluation,” Aurelius muttered, brushing himself off as he helped Tanisha to her feet. “Let's go see if she opened it.”

Bjorn groaned from where he lay, tail flicking lazily in defeat, but even he couldn’t suppress the faintest of hissing chuckles. Tanisha patted Bjorn’s exposed belly while she had the chance before the Hydra got up and followed after them. 

As they approached, they found Fuyumi standing beside the door, a shattered, brittle baton of ice in her hand. Despite her formidable display of power, the door itself bore no visible damage, its surface as smooth and unyielding as ever. The only evidence of her efforts was the bone-chilling cold still lingering in the air, frosting the walls and floor around her.

“I didn’t find much,” Aurelius admitted as he arrived behind them. “Most of the other passages have doors like this one. Whoever built this ruin made sure everything was locked up tight before they left.”

“So, what now?” Fuyumi asked, her breath misting in the frigid air. “We need to get in there.”

Tanisha nodded thoughtfully. “I guess I just need to keep pushing aether into the device until the door powers up. I’ve recovered a decent amount of power by now, so I can give it another shot. Unless anyone has a better idea?”

No one spoke, and the silence hung heavy between them. Taking that as agreement, Tanisha approached the smooth black panel affixed to the door and placed her hand on it. The surface was cool to the touch, sending a faint shiver up her arm. She closed her eyes to concentrate—but a faint vibration from her bag interrupted her focus. She frowned for a moment before realization dawned. The communication device. Someone was trying to contact her. She reached into her bag and pulled out the device, turning away from the group.

“Hello?” Tanisha asked.

“Tanisha,” Signe’s voice quickly responded. “We have news of Joha and a warning. An anomaly has been spotted in the region. The mana storms have formed a mana hurrican I advise returning to Yuhia and we will arrange another transport for you.”

“I won’t be able to do that. I am in the middle of the anomaly right now.” Tanisha admitted urgently. “What news do you have with Joha?”

“He was last spotted on a direct heading for the Force Isles. We believe he will be in the country within a few days. He also had been shedding items from his inventory. We have what is left of your wagon. Monsters were apparently attracted to some of the items contained within it. Our people have gathered what they could. Now what is this about you being in the middle of the anomaly. That is not good, you need to leave.”

“I don’t think we can. There is an avatar of the True Great Serpent here and the corruption is so high outside that leaving is not an option.”

“What in the name of the Forest Father?” Signe exclaimed. Her voice betrayed both shock and worry.

“Signe, we need your help,” Tanisha said. “Let me explain.”

She quickly recounted the events leading up to their current predicament, including their discovery of the ruin, the door they couldn’t open, and the lingering danger outside. Carefully, she left out which True had delivered the prophecy of destruction. When Signe assumed it was the Forest Father, Tanisha chose not to correct her.

Signe exhaled audibly as she thought. “There are similar locks that enchanters use. The less sophisticated ones only require a steady flow of mana to unlock. But more advanced locks are different. They’re designed to require mana to flow in specific patterns—like a key fitting into a lock. I’m not familiar with aether, but instead of flooding the device with raw power, try to trace the path the aether takes. Use your magical senses to feel for any patterns or manipulations the mechanism might need. It’s delicate work, but it could work.”

“I’ll give it a try,” Tanisha said. “Thank you, Signe. We’ll keep you updated.”

“Be careful,” Signe warned. “And if the situation worsens, don’t hesitate to call for help. May the Forest Father guide you.”

Tanisha ended the call and turned to the group, determination hardening her expression. 

“Let’s try this again.” Tanisha said.