Unbound

"The mountains moved," Karys repeated.

"That's what they said. A folk tale, maybe.”

“Or something true buried in legend. I can see it."

Felix had thought the same. The more the Tusknights had talked about it, the more he'd felt certain in his bones that there was something true hidden in the trappings of old tales.

"Could be a Supreme Elemental." Felix had met a volcanic Supreme Elemental once. It had been captured by the Red Shield Hold and near death—but even so, it was a devastatingly powerful creature. Only by using its power had he been able to survive his second encounter with Imara. "The one I had met had been harvested for pieces. Not sure how the Dwarves even trapped the thing, but it was huge.”

“More than huge,” Karys agreed. “That poor Elemental was likely turned into the Dwarves’ Undermount itself.”

Felix frowned. “The Undermount was beyond huge…but I suppose that makes a lot of sense. And something like that could easily move mountains across a country, right?"

Karys hummed. "True enough. But they are so incredibly rare that it is unlikely. The one you met in the Vault of Nine Kings was likely the last outside the Interior.”

“There's more out there?" Felix could hardly imagine it. What sort of world was it like beyond his apparently small corner of the Continent, where even a handful of mountainous Elementals could stride the land?

"The Continent is far more vast than you have seen, Felix," Paxus cleared his throat. "Given their rarity and their propensity for…discontent, I would say an Elemental of any sort is exceedingly unlikely. Additionally, what I have gleaned and the tidbits Knowledge has accumulated all point to Etrionn. The Singing Fields, while vast, were always limited in number. The Green Wilds was bright then, but there were always forces pitted against us.”

Etrionn. They Who Hold Up The Sky. The Walking City. Felix had found evidence of the creature in only a few places, namely in artifacts or monstrous remnants from Ages past. Paxus had described it as a center of learning, that it had held the core of the Golden Empire, bearing both the Elysian and the Empyrean Halls, but precious little details otherwise.

Pit dove, without warning, and Felix gripped the pommel a bit tighter. Tempest Fugit slung through his wings, piercing Gnawlings straight through their muscled thoraxes before bursting into arcing bolts. For every frozen lance that struck true, four others perished. Pit crowed in heady victory, tearing through another and gobbling down its core.

Felix adjusted himself atop his massive steed as he bucked. It was hard having a conversation while his Companion fought. "Paxus, what are the Singing Fields?"

At his side, the miniature spirit folded his hands into his opposing sleeves. "Places of inviolate Authority where the Empire was strongest. The Halls maintained expansive Spirit Tree Groves to keep them that way."

"Really?" That was interesting for a number of reasons, not the least of which because he had a Grove of his own. But he couldn't be distracted. “So the Singing Fields were called that because…?”

“The Chant was used to aid the growth of the Groves.”

“How?”

"That is Lost to me. I recall only that the Singing Fields were our bastions in times of crisis, oftentimes the final line of defense when the enemy proved more…difficult." Karys' voice, normally so steady, shook with effort. "It was... The Great War was an unending nightmare. To have the Singing Fields with their synchronous meadows, song-tilled earth, and bountiful harvests was to have a slice of the heavens awaiting our return."

Another grip of monsters burst, this time to a scouring of moonbeams. Pit was getting really good with that Skill.

"I could not recall that until now." The wonder was clear in Karys' voice. "Etriann. It walked between the Singing Fields, always on the move. Threats were never-ending, but the support from the Elysian and Empyrean Halls could turn the tide on the ever-shifting fronts."

Karys' voice cracked. "Such things I have seen that I had forgotten. They return, and I almost wish they hadn't."

Felix traded glances with Paxus. The spirit, though clearly shaken, had a bemused smile on his face. "I too feel some pieces of me have returned. It is clearly tied to the expansion of your Authority, Your Majesty.”

“Do you guys remember more than that? I don't want to push you into anything painful, either one of you, but we need whatever we can get."

“We understand, Felix.” Karys’ voice gained some steel. “It is confusing and painful, but we will persevere.”

"As my colleague says.” Paxus spoke through his teeth but his tension faded swiftly. He shook himself. “What I do recall is that finding Etriann will be simple, even in this vast range.”

Felix surveyed the vista around him as Pit barreled through another clutch of Gnawlings. The Sunsend Peaks extended for miles, and he was barely into them. “How big is this thing?”

"A match for any Supreme Elemental.”

"Jesus.”

“Indeed. The Walking City was an apt moniker."

Pit tore through another Gnawling, this one a bit bigger and burlier than the last. Less like a wasp and more like a mantis, its claws tried to clamp through the tenku's hide, but merely fried themselves against his Mantle. Pit hauled his neck back, and Felix leaned away in the saddle, avoiding the charred appendage that tore free.

"How’re you doing, bud?"

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"Perfect. These things are pretty tasty." Felix made a face, and Pit squawked, indignant. "You've had so much worse!"

"Your Majesty, what I find most compelling about this place is something that we have not gathered in our research. These Mountain Princes, their Kings, and this Queen are intriguing. The fact that they have grown so strong to have overtaken the entire mountain range leads me to believe that they have found a piece of potent Mana. The creature, Etriann, was a singular being, and it was a fount of Mana in those days, revitalizing the land wherever it wandered, and even the weather parted before its approach. If such a thing were trapped here in the Peaks, then it would be gushing Mana, enough to warp any creature after these many Ages."

"Right. So, find the Queen.”

“Yes, that would be my advice.”

“Easily done. But there's one other thing you guys need to know about.” From the makeshift pouch his Garment had formed at his lower back, Felix withdrew the artifact he had only just received. "This is the Crucible of the Grand Magi."

Paxus gasped, hands lifted to his mouth. "Incredible. The Crucible was meant for the hands of the Herald’s chosen few.”

“You know of it, then?"

"Only as a rumor. It was a rare tool even among the Empyrean Halls. Only the Cadre Corporeal, Ethereal, and Cognitive were worthy of its aid—I never even approached such status. Shaping magic was always beyond me. All I can manage is the small amount of life Mana I can affect by virtue of my bond with the Abundance Anima."

Karys hummed in agreement. "I, too, never was selected for such an honor. While magic was a potent part of my service, shaping was never my fate. Such a tool would have been wasted on us. But for you? This is a remarkable find, indeed. How did you come across it?"

Felix told them both of the ruin, the Chest, and Korsk in general.

"Interesting. What sort of Quest would grant this as a reward? Place the sword nearer the Crucible, please."

Felix tucked the wide belt closer to his hilt. Motes of green-gold light flitted from the Inheritor's Will and the Crucible vibrated in Felix's grip like a struck tuning fork.

"It is a potent tool, Felix. One you will find much use for. But I would be careful. This thickening of the Realms it mentions is dangerous. These enchantments drag at the world around it. If I were you, I would find a way to test it. Carefully."

A great bugling roar tore through the air as a serpent of exposed muscle and twisted horns burst from the side of a lower peak. Stone and snow trailed off its twisted body as it curled in the air like a question mark whose only answer was befanged violence. A thousand small insect wings filled its back, buzzing from it like a million cicadas and forcing its sinuous body to twitch erratically.

Pit crowed. "Finally! We've been waiting for you!”

“Take it on, bud." Felix kicked out of the saddle as Pit launched forward, crashing into the Mountain Prince.

Sonata of Dominance!

Air swirled beneath him, holding Felix aloft as he tucked the potted plant into his pouch. He flared Unseen Beholder. "Mountain Prince Bhaan. Manawarped like all the rest, and just as strong as the last guy."

"A formidable creature," Karys said. "High Tier, it has clearly been bathing in a potent source of magic for a long time. Not too strong, compared to you, Felix. This would be a good test for the Crucible."

Paxus nodded eagerly. "Indeed, but I would suggest you refrain from shaping magics for now."

Felix raised an eyebrow.

"We need to see how it affects you at a baseline before we start fiddling with fundamental magics."

“Makes sense to me." Felix strapped the Crucible around his waist. It was simple enough, a length of Scourge-leather (whatever that was) and Crescian Bronze plates that clung to him with a comfortable weight. The moment it was around his waist, the heavy mechanical buckle at the front latched together by itself, pulling Mana from the very air to engage ratcheting threads of metal through either end. It cinched tight, but not too tight. The thing was wide, its metal plates taking up a solid ten inches of his torso, but its segments allowed him plenty of flexibility.

You Have Bonded The Crucible Of The Grand Magi!

Tread Carefully, Magus.

The Realms Refute You.

"Right."

Immediately, his Sonata stuttered and shook, as if he were hauling them against stormwinds. He held on, shaping the winds regardless, but he could already feel the strain. "Interesting. Fine, then. What about this?"

Adamant Discord!

The blue Bonds burst alight around him. Felix seized one tying him to the sky and lightning crackled between his scaled fingers. It was easy, the Skill somehow entirely unaffected by the Crucible.

Why?

The Mountain Prince screeched as Pit rained moonbeams upon it, flying in twisting circles around its crooked form. It chased after, spitting streams of fire from its fanged mouth like a demented Dragon.

"Okay. No shaping." Felix clenched his fists, banging his knuckles against one another. "Let's do this." He hauled on a Bond to his Companion and launched himself forward, straight into the line of sight of the Mountain Prince. Immediately, it pivoted, spinning around in the air as its fanged maw came for Felix.

He jolted ahead, lightning wreathing black scales, and hit its snout with his leading fist. Bhaan’s scales buckled beneath the force, folding its head backwards. Felix latched onto a fang and spun as he released Adamant Discord. He twisted, his grip sending him rotating fully around its head to slam his feet into the side of its wedge-shaped jaw. With a buckling crack, the entire thing sheared free. Ichor rained down as its buzzing wings sent its body into a convulsive frenzy.

The tail of the creature lashed up, slashing against Felix's back, splitting open his Garment and striking hard enough against his scales that he even felt it. Felix frowned. He was breathing hard. His hands ached from the grip he held around the creature's fang, and the soles of his feet were sore from smashing into its toughened hide.

Interesting.

Bright red eyes glared at him from inches away. Felix snorted a laugh. He shoved a fist through it, right into whatever passed for its brain. His talons caught on something hard and faceted, and with more effort than he expected, he drew his arm back. His hand clutched a bright, still-shining core.

You Have Killed The Mountain Prince Bhaan!

XP Earned!

New Title!

Rigorous Regicide!

You have killed two Mountain Princes in one day! A feat not accomplished since Kverk Korsk fought the Scarred and founded a city upon their corpses.

+Increased Animosity From The Beasts Of The Sunsend Peaks

+Increased Perception For Tracking Princes And Below

Adamant Discord sizzled around him as he held onto the sky. The Mountain Prince fell to the forested slope below, crashing through thousand-year-old oaks and pines with all the grace of an avalanche.

"That didn't take long," Pit said, flying up next to him.

"No, but it took longer than I expected," Felix said through heavy breaths. "Are you okay?"

The Realms Refute But The Crucible Rewards:

+5 STR

+5 END

+5 DEX

+1 WIL

"Yeah, Pit," Felix said through a grin, "I think I'm gonna be very okay."