Chapter 580: Borealis
The cloud of stars shimmered, growing translucent as it collapsed inward. The silhouette of the colossal bird vanished within its depths, the cloud shrinking past where its bulk had once been. When the last star winked out of existence, R’lissea and I stared in wonder at the ice demon.
"It’s...tiny?" R’lissea said, tilting her head.
Hovering just a few feet before us was a regular-sized, if icy, bird. Its transformation preserved the delicate beauty of its crystalline features while softening its savage edges. It reminded me a lot of Fable’s own change, which left him far gentler and more huggable than his full form.
The bird squeaked and lifted into the air, its wings catching the fading sunlight. Any fear that lingered from its previous appearance evaporated as it did a playful loop around us, but I didn’t yet lower my guard. Its soul no longer suppressed everything around it, but it remained in the seventh level’s middle stages. Even in this condensed form, it would be able to contend with anyone on a similar level.
Fable tossed his head and turned, no longer sparing it any attention. Most of the demons had moved ahead, but his powerful strides took only a few seconds to carry us into their midst. The ice demon trailed behind, diving and wheeling through the air as it slowly acclimated to its new size and maneuverability.
Tormod’s Breach wasn’t so much a valley as a sheer chasm cut through the mountains. The wall spanning the entire mile-wide entrance was gray and worn, rapidly aging into disrepair following the destruction of its magical wards. Gaping holes marred the structure where the mana cannons had exploded, acting like gates for the horde of demons to stream through.
Fable didn’t bother waiting his turn, opting instead to leap the wall directly. My heart lurched in my throat, and by the time I managed to breathe, we had landed smoothly on the other side.
"F-Fable!" I cried, pounding his back helplessly with both hands. "Don’t do that."
R’lissea giggled. "I thought that was fun! That wall must have been like fifty feet tall, but he cleared it like it was nothing. How far do you think he could jump if he really pushed himself?"
"Too far," I muttered, shuddering as memories of countless ’adventures’ with Korra and Fable in the Blue Canyon flooded my mind.
"It must be incredible," R’lissea mused, her eyes sparkling. "Soaring through the air without a care in the world, the wind in your hair, the world stretching out beneath you..."