Chapter 5: (Book Three) 156: The Abyssal Flats
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Chapter (Arc 5) (Book Three) 156: The Abyssal Flats
Vir crossed the Ash Boundary not really knowing what to expect. On the one hand, the Ashen Realm was a place full of mythological beasts and terror. It was the stuff of bedtime stories and campfire tales. It didnt feel real.
On the other hand, Vir had good reason to believe it was ripe with Ash Prana. More than hed ever experienced in his life. When put together, delusions began to form in his head. Of him wielding prana like the greatest Mejai. Of fighting beasts with Balar Ranks that had far too many zeroes.
A living god.
He wasnt sure when the idea really took root. Perhaps it was back at Daha, when hed first learned the names Prana Swarm, Mahakurma, and Wyrm. Or maybe it was when the idea of entering the realm became more than just a delusion.
For a moment, Vir couldnt understand what he was looking at. A thick haze blanketed the air, almost pitch-black. It was like a fog bank of death had rolled in, reducing visibility.
No. Not death. Ash!
The electrifying realization sent shivers down his body. The prana was so dense, it resembled a thick cloud. When he looked closer, he noticed prana of all colors present in far more abundance than they were in the human realm.
But dominating them all, by far, was Ash prana. It soaked the air, giving it a heaviness that couldnt be put into words. Perhaps those delusions wouldnt be delusions at all.
Vir turned and noticed the Boundary was missing. The mesmerizing wall that pierced the sky was nowhere to be seen. There was only ash. Endless fields of ash.
His boots sunk into the soft material, coming up to his knees. The ash was everywhere, blanketing the ground, covering the jagged black mountains that loomed in the distance, and falling from the dark thundercloud skies high above. He couldnt tell whether it was day or night, but such concepts held no meaning in this place.
Ashen power! Ah, how I have missed you! Cirayus bellowed, raising all four of his arms to the sky. Now, as I was about to say before you recklessly rushed inside, expect pain. A great deal of it.
Vir had half a second to take in those words before the pressure pummeled him, as if Cirayus had just activated Balancer of Scales at its maximum setting.
No, worse. He couldnt breathe.
Virs knees buckled. He put a hand down to stabilize himself but found that it, too, sank deep into the ash, coming away blackened with soot. To make matters worse, small ash particulates entered his lungs, triggering a violent coughing fit.
Breathe, lad. Just breathe, Cirayus said. Focus inward.
Despite willing himself to do exactly that, Vir found the task nearly impossible. It took all his willpower to suck in even a mouthful of air, but when he did, the ash entered his mouth, triggering another fit.
Mustering every ounce of willpower he had, he retrieved a cloth and tied it around his nose and mouth.
Breathing became even more difficult, but the mask at least blocked most of the ash.
Great. One debilitating problem down. Only a handful more to go.
His delusions of grandeur steadily slipped away like a dream that never had a hope of ever coming true. At this rate, he wouldnt even get the chance to fight Ash Beasts in glorious combat. Hed succumb to the very air. That wasnt just tragic it was pathetic.
Vir didnt understand what ailed him. And lacking that knowledge, he had no hope of finding a cure. Was this the prana poisoning everyone talked about? Or was it something else?
In a fleeting moment between the throbs of pain and his other afflictions, Vir noticed Cirayus hadnt sunk into the Ash, but rather stood on top. Vir had expected the giant to sink to his waist, given his weight.
Ah, right. Balancer, he thought, gasping for air. Each breath came heavy and slow and brought in only the tiniest amount of air.
Cirayus wasnt looking at Vir. In fact, the giants back was turned to him, his attention occupied with a swarm of black creatures that encircled them.
Scorpions! These were unlike any hed ever seen. The one hed plucked out of Maiyas hair during their trip to Saran had been the size of a finger. These spanned easily two paces across, and there were dozens of them.
Were doomed, Vir thought. Not even a minute after theyd entered, Ash Beasts had come to consume them. To say nothing of the fact that Vir was slowly dying of unknown causes.
If Id come here alone He gulped. It wouldve been a pitiful, miserable end.
He threw a concerned glance at Cirayus.
Vir shook off that thought. Cirayus was beyond powerful. While Vir floundered on the ground merely existing in the Ash, Cirayus had crossed the entire realm. He didnt have the luxury of worrying about his guardian; if he didnt come up with a way out of his predicament, he wouldnt be worrying about anyone, ever.
Control yourself, lad! Its the prana. Its trying to get inside you! Focus on that!
Compared to him, Vir felt stunted. Hed blocked out that very prana that desired to rush into him. Prana that would have strengthened him. Doing so had saved his life, but it also meant he received none of the strengthening benefits of the dense atmospheric prana.
Back at Brij, hed been weak and prana-starved. The moment hed learned to keep it from leaking out, his vitality and endurance had soared. He had more energy, and he could run miles without resting. With this much prana around, he could scarcely imagine the feats hed be able to achieve.
He didnt need to imagine. One look at the demon beside him showed him. In the Human Realm, Cirayus had been an apex warrior. Strong, skillful, but still mortal. Now? It was as though hed turned into a demigod.
You seem better now, the giant said.
Vir nodded. No thanks to you, he said in a voice that was harsher than hed intended. I mean, you couldve given me a tip or two.
And who was the one who let their hormones get to their head? Who was it who rushed headlong into the Ash, hmm?
Vir averted his eyes. Not the smartest move, admittedly.
Lad, everyone deals with the weight of the prana in the Ash differently. For most, it is merely an uncomfortable experience. Ive never seen someone have such a violent reaction. Im afraid nothing I said wouldve helped.
True enough. Vir had had to rely on his ability to purge prana from his body, as well as Parais techniquewhich Cirayus didnt even know about.
Are you better now? the four-armed demon asked, rising to his feet. Wed best get a move on. The Abyssal Flats are no place to linger.
You Vir coughed. You know where we are?
Aye, I recognize it. 'Tis both a lucky and tragic place to wind up. Lucky, because we are somewhat nearby to some items I stashed before exiting this realm. Items we absolutely need if we are to make it across.
Whats tragic about it?
It is as far as we can be from all known Ash Gates. We have a long journey ahead of us, Im afraid. A long and arduous journey.
Vir tried to stand but found his legs buckling from under him. It wasnt that his weight was greater here, at least he didnt think it was. Rather, the prana in his body was out of balance. By struggling to purge the prana from him, hed overcompensated and burned away too much.
And yet, if he broke his concentration for even a moment, the prana would rush into his body, triggering a thousand needles of pain and suffocation all over again.
It was like someone was trying to inflate his blood, filling it to capacity, then stretching it until it burst.
Vir shuddered. If such a thing ever happened, he would surely die.
Taking a moment to center himself, he worked Parais Reverse technique, tuning it to allow just enough prana in to feel normal. It wasnt too difficultso long as he was sitting down, concentrating on it. But the movement he tried to get up, the lapse in concentration sent prana pouring into his body again.
Over the next half hour, Vir stumbled and lurched, until Cirayus called out more dangerous threats approaching. Scavengers, hungry to gorge themselves on the feast of dead scorpions that ringed the place, circled high above.
Cirayus picked Vir up gently, hoisting him onto his shoulder.
It is alright. You survived the initial few minutes. The rest is merely a matter of time, and we'll have plenty of that later. More than plenty.
There was something about Cirayus tone that piqued Virs interest. Like the giant was leading him on.
What do you mean? Didnt you just say we didnt have enough time? Isnt that why you wanted us to enter right away?
Aye. Its just that time in this place does not progress at the same rate as the other realms. It is something only those of us whove spent a great deal of it inside are aware of.
You mean time progresses more slowly here?
Cirayus stroked his beard. Not quite. Time is... fluid, here. One day in the Ash is closer to one week outside where we currently are. But as we venture deeper, the opposite becomes true. Deeper into the Ash, one week here is more like one day outside, though it is hard to measure. As I said, we have plenty of time to achieve our goal.
Our goal. You mean making it to the other side, right?
The giant smiled evilly. Oh no. That was never our goal, young Vir. Our goal is to forge you. To temper you. To hone you into a walking force of devastation so powerful that when we emerge, the denizens in the demon realm wont dare resist.
Vir shivered. There was a fanaticism behind Cirayus words that made him uncomfortable. That, more than the Ash itself, scared him. It terrified him.
What does he mean? Whats that supposed to mean?
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Chapter (Arc 5) (Book Three) 156: The Abyssal Flats
Vir crossed the Ash Boundary not really knowing what to expect. On the one hand, the Ashen Realm was a place full of mythological beasts and terror. It was the stuff of bedtime stories and campfire tales. It didnt feel real.
On the other hand, Vir had good reason to believe it was ripe with Ash Prana. More than hed ever experienced in his life. When put together, delusions began to form in his head. Of him wielding prana like the greatest Mejai. Of fighting beasts with Balar Ranks that had far too many zeroes.
A living god.
He wasnt sure when the idea really took root. Perhaps it was back at Daha, when hed first learned the names Prana Swarm, Mahakurma, and Wyrm. Or maybe it was when the idea of entering the realm became more than just a delusion.
For a moment, Vir couldnt understand what he was looking at. A thick haze blanketed the air, almost pitch-black. It was like a fog bank of death had rolled in, reducing visibility.
No. Not death. Ash!
The electrifying realization sent shivers down his body. The prana was so dense, it resembled a thick cloud. When he looked closer, he noticed prana of all colors present in far more abundance than they were in the human realm.
But dominating them all, by far, was Ash prana. It soaked the air, giving it a heaviness that couldnt be put into words. Perhaps those delusions wouldnt be delusions at all.
Vir turned and noticed the Boundary was missing. The mesmerizing wall that pierced the sky was nowhere to be seen. There was only ash. Endless fields of ash.
His boots sunk into the soft material, coming up to his knees. The ash was everywhere, blanketing the ground, covering the jagged black mountains that loomed in the distance, and falling from the dark thundercloud skies high above. He couldnt tell whether it was day or night, but such concepts held no meaning in this place.
Ashen power! Ah, how I have missed you! Cirayus bellowed, raising all four of his arms to the sky. Now, as I was about to say before you recklessly rushed inside, expect pain. A great deal of it.
Vir had half a second to take in those words before the pressure pummeled him, as if Cirayus had just activated Balancer of Scales at its maximum setting.
No, worse. He couldnt breathe.
Virs knees buckled. He put a hand down to stabilize himself but found that it, too, sank deep into the ash, coming away blackened with soot. To make matters worse, small ash particulates entered his lungs, triggering a violent coughing fit.
Breathe, lad. Just breathe, Cirayus said. Focus inward.
Despite willing himself to do exactly that, Vir found the task nearly impossible. It took all his willpower to suck in even a mouthful of air, but when he did, the ash entered his mouth, triggering another fit.
Mustering every ounce of willpower he had, he retrieved a cloth and tied it around his nose and mouth.
Breathing became even more difficult, but the mask at least blocked most of the ash.
Great. One debilitating problem down. Only a handful more to go.
His delusions of grandeur steadily slipped away like a dream that never had a hope of ever coming true. At this rate, he wouldnt even get the chance to fight Ash Beasts in glorious combat. Hed succumb to the very air. That wasnt just tragic it was pathetic.
Vir didnt understand what ailed him. And lacking that knowledge, he had no hope of finding a cure. Was this the prana poisoning everyone talked about? Or was it something else?
In a fleeting moment between the throbs of pain and his other afflictions, Vir noticed Cirayus hadnt sunk into the Ash, but rather stood on top. Vir had expected the giant to sink to his waist, given his weight.
Ah, right. Balancer, he thought, gasping for air. Each breath came heavy and slow and brought in only the tiniest amount of air.
Cirayus wasnt looking at Vir. In fact, the giants back was turned to him, his attention occupied with a swarm of black creatures that encircled them.
Scorpions! These were unlike any hed ever seen. The one hed plucked out of Maiyas hair during their trip to Saran had been the size of a finger. These spanned easily two paces across, and there were dozens of them.
Were doomed, Vir thought. Not even a minute after theyd entered, Ash Beasts had come to consume them. To say nothing of the fact that Vir was slowly dying of unknown causes.
If Id come here alone He gulped. It wouldve been a pitiful, miserable end.
He threw a concerned glance at Cirayus.
Vir shook off that thought. Cirayus was beyond powerful. While Vir floundered on the ground merely existing in the Ash, Cirayus had crossed the entire realm. He didnt have the luxury of worrying about his guardian; if he didnt come up with a way out of his predicament, he wouldnt be worrying about anyone, ever.
Control yourself, lad! Its the prana. Its trying to get inside you! Focus on that!
Compared to him, Vir felt stunted. Hed blocked out that very prana that desired to rush into him. Prana that would have strengthened him. Doing so had saved his life, but it also meant he received none of the strengthening benefits of the dense atmospheric prana.
Back at Brij, hed been weak and prana-starved. The moment hed learned to keep it from leaking out, his vitality and endurance had soared. He had more energy, and he could run miles without resting. With this much prana around, he could scarcely imagine the feats hed be able to achieve.
He didnt need to imagine. One look at the demon beside him showed him. In the Human Realm, Cirayus had been an apex warrior. Strong, skillful, but still mortal. Now? It was as though hed turned into a demigod.
You seem better now, the giant said.
Vir nodded. No thanks to you, he said in a voice that was harsher than hed intended. I mean, you couldve given me a tip or two.
And who was the one who let their hormones get to their head? Who was it who rushed headlong into the Ash, hmm?
Vir averted his eyes. Not the smartest move, admittedly.
Lad, everyone deals with the weight of the prana in the Ash differently. For most, it is merely an uncomfortable experience. Ive never seen someone have such a violent reaction. Im afraid nothing I said wouldve helped.
True enough. Vir had had to rely on his ability to purge prana from his body, as well as Parais techniquewhich Cirayus didnt even know about.
Are you better now? the four-armed demon asked, rising to his feet. Wed best get a move on. The Abyssal Flats are no place to linger.
You Vir coughed. You know where we are?
Aye, I recognize it. 'Tis both a lucky and tragic place to wind up. Lucky, because we are somewhat nearby to some items I stashed before exiting this realm. Items we absolutely need if we are to make it across.
Whats tragic about it?
It is as far as we can be from all known Ash Gates. We have a long journey ahead of us, Im afraid. A long and arduous journey.
Vir tried to stand but found his legs buckling from under him. It wasnt that his weight was greater here, at least he didnt think it was. Rather, the prana in his body was out of balance. By struggling to purge the prana from him, hed overcompensated and burned away too much.
And yet, if he broke his concentration for even a moment, the prana would rush into his body, triggering a thousand needles of pain and suffocation all over again.
It was like someone was trying to inflate his blood, filling it to capacity, then stretching it until it burst.
Vir shuddered. If such a thing ever happened, he would surely die.
Taking a moment to center himself, he worked Parais Reverse technique, tuning it to allow just enough prana in to feel normal. It wasnt too difficultso long as he was sitting down, concentrating on it. But the movement he tried to get up, the lapse in concentration sent prana pouring into his body again.
Over the next half hour, Vir stumbled and lurched, until Cirayus called out more dangerous threats approaching. Scavengers, hungry to gorge themselves on the feast of dead scorpions that ringed the place, circled high above.
Cirayus picked Vir up gently, hoisting him onto his shoulder.
It is alright. You survived the initial few minutes. The rest is merely a matter of time, and we'll have plenty of that later. More than plenty.
There was something about Cirayus tone that piqued Virs interest. Like the giant was leading him on.
What do you mean? Didnt you just say we didnt have enough time? Isnt that why you wanted us to enter right away?
Aye. Its just that time in this place does not progress at the same rate as the other realms. It is something only those of us whove spent a great deal of it inside are aware of.
You mean time progresses more slowly here?
Cirayus stroked his beard. Not quite. Time is... fluid, here. One day in the Ash is closer to one week outside where we currently are. But as we venture deeper, the opposite becomes true. Deeper into the Ash, one week here is more like one day outside, though it is hard to measure. As I said, we have plenty of time to achieve our goal.
Our goal. You mean making it to the other side, right?
The giant smiled evilly. Oh no. That was never our goal, young Vir. Our goal is to forge you. To temper you. To hone you into a walking force of devastation so powerful that when we emerge, the denizens in the demon realm wont dare resist.
Vir shivered. There was a fanaticism behind Cirayus words that made him uncomfortable. That, more than the Ash itself, scared him. It terrified him.
What does he mean? Whats that supposed to mean?
Chapter Arc 5 Book Three 156: The Abyssal FlatsVir crossed the Ash Boundary not really knowing what to expect. On the one hand, the Ashen Realm was a place full of mythological beasts and terror. It was the stuff of bedtime stories and campfire tales. It didnt feel real.On the other hand, Vir had good reason to believe it was ripe with Ash Prana. More than hed ever experienced in his life. When put together, delusions began to form in his head. Of him wielding prana like the greatest Mejai. Of fighting beasts with Balar Ranks that had far too many zeroes. A living god. He wasnt sure when the idea really took root. Perhaps it was back at Daha, when hed first learned the names Prana Swarm, Mahakurma, and Wyrm. Or maybe it was when the idea of entering the realm became more than just a delusion.For a moment, Vir couldnt understand what he was looking at. A thick haze blanketed the air, almost pitch-black. It was like a fog bank of death had rolled in, reducing visibility.No. Not death. Ash!The electrifying realization sent shivers down his body. The prana was so dense, it resembled a thick cloud. When he looked closer, he noticed prana of all colors present in far more abundance than they were in the human realm.But dominating them all, by far, was Ash prana. It soaked the air, giving it a heaviness that couldnt be put into words. Perhaps those delusions wouldnt be delusions at all.Vir turned and noticed the Boundary was missing. The mesmerizing wall that pierced the sky was nowhere to be seen. There was only ash. Endless fields of ash.His boots sunk into the soft material, coming up to his knees. The ash was everywhere, blanketing the ground, covering the jagged black mountains that loomed in the distance, and falling from the dark thundercloud skies high above. He couldnt tell whether it was day or night, but such concepts held no meaning in this place.Ashen power! Ah, how I have missed you! Cirayus bellowed, raising all four of his arms to the sky. Now, as I was about to say before you recklessly rushed inside, expect pain. A great deal of it.Vir had half a second to take in those words before the pressure pummeled him, as if Cirayus had just activated Balancer of Scales at its maximum setting.No, worse. He couldnt breathe.Virs knees buckled. He put a hand down to stabilize himself but found that it, too, sank deep into the ash, coming away blackened with soot. To make matters worse, small ash particulates entered his lungs, triggering a violent coughing fit.Breathe, lad. Just breathe, Cirayus said. Focus inward. Despite willing himself to do exactly that, Vir found the task nearly impossible. It took all his willpower to suck in even a mouthful of air, but when he did, the ash entered his mouth, triggering another fit. Mustering every ounce of willpower he had, he retrieved a cloth and tied it around his nose and mouth.Breathing became even more difficult, but the mask at least blocked most of the ash.Great. One debilitating problem down. Only a handful more to go.His delusions of grandeur steadily slipped away like a dream that never had a hope of ever coming true. At this rate, he wouldnt even get the chance to fight Ash Beasts in glorious combat. Hed succumb to the very air. That wasnt just tragic it was pathetic.Vir didnt understand what ailed him. And lacking that knowledge, he had no hope of finding a cure. Was this the prana poisoning everyone talked about? Or was it something else?In a fleeting moment between the throbs of pain and his other afflictions, Vir noticed Cirayus hadnt sunk into the Ash, but rather stood on top. Vir had expected the giant to sink to his waist, given his weight.Ah, right. Balancer, he thought, gasping for air. Each breath came heavy and slow and brought in only the tiniest amount of air.Cirayus wasnt looking at Vir. In fact, the giants back was turned to him, his attention occupied with a swarm of black creatures that encircled them. Scorpions! These were unlike any hed ever seen. The one hed plucked out of Maiyas hair during their trip to Saran had been the size of a finger. These spanned easily two paces across, and there were dozens of them.Were doomed, Vir thought. Not even a minute after theyd entered, Ash Beasts had come to consume them. To say nothing of the fact that Vir was slowly dying of unknown causes.If Id come here alone He gulped. It wouldve been a pitiful, miserable end.He threw a concerned glance at Cirayus.Vir shook off that thought. Cirayus was beyond powerful. While Vir floundered on the ground merely existing in the Ash, Cirayus had crossed the entire realm. He didnt have the luxury of worrying about his guardian; if he didnt come up with a way out of his predicament, he wouldnt be worrying about anyone, ever.Control yourself, lad! Its the prana. Its trying to get inside you! Focus on that!Compared to him, Vir felt stunted. Hed blocked out that very prana that desired to rush into him. Prana that would have strengthened him. Doing so had saved his life, but it also meant he received none of the strengthening benefits of the dense atmospheric prana.Back at Brij, hed been weak and prana-starved. The moment hed learned to keep it from leaking out, his vitality and endurance had soared. He had more energy, and he could run miles without resting. With this much prana around, he could scarcely imagine the feats hed be able to achieve.He didnt need to imagine. One look at the demon beside him showed him. In the Human Realm, Cirayus had been an apex warrior. Strong, skillful, but still mortal. Now? It was as though hed turned into a demigod.You seem better now, the giant said. Vir nodded. No thanks to you, he said in a voice that was harsher than hed intended. I mean, you couldve given me a tip or two.And who was the one who let their hormones get to their head? Who was it who rushed headlong into the Ash, hmm?Vir averted his eyes. Not the smartest move, admittedly.Lad, everyone deals with the weight of the prana in the Ash differently. For most, it is merely an uncomfortable experience. Ive never seen someone have such a violent reaction. Im afraid nothing I said wouldve helped.True enough. Vir had had to rely on his ability to purge prana from his body, as well as Parais techniquewhich Cirayus didnt even know about.Are you better now? the four-armed demon asked, rising to his feet. Wed best get a move on. The Abyssal Flats are no place to linger.You Vir coughed. You know where we are?Aye, I recognize it. 'Tis both a lucky and tragic place to wind up. Lucky, because we are somewhat nearby to some items I stashed before exiting this realm. Items we absolutely need if we are to make it across.Whats tragic about it?It is as far as we can be from all known Ash Gates. We have a long journey ahead of us, Im afraid. A long and arduous journey.Vir tried to stand but found his legs buckling from under him. It wasnt that his weight was greater here, at least he didnt think it was. Rather, the prana in his body was out of balance. By struggling to purge the prana from him, hed overcompensated and burned away too much.And yet, if he broke his concentration for even a moment, the prana would rush into his body, triggering a thousand needles of pain and suffocation all over again.It was like someone was trying to inflate his blood, filling it to capacity, then stretching it until it burst.Vir shuddered. If such a thing ever happened, he would surely die.Taking a moment to center himself, he worked Parais Reverse technique, tuning it to allow just enough prana in to feel normal. It wasnt too difficultso long as he was sitting down, concentrating on it. But the movement he tried to get up, the lapse in concentration sent prana pouring into his body again.Over the next half hour, Vir stumbled and lurched, until Cirayus called out more dangerous threats approaching. Scavengers, hungry to gorge themselves on the feast of dead scorpions that ringed the place, circled high above.Cirayus picked Vir up gently, hoisting him onto his shoulder.It is alright. You survived the initial few minutes. The rest is merely a matter of time, and we'll have plenty of that later. More than plenty.There was something about Cirayus tone that piqued Virs interest. Like the giant was leading him on.What do you mean? Didnt you just say we didnt have enough time? Isnt that why you wanted us to enter right away?Aye. Its just that time in this place does not progress at the same rate as the other realms. It is something only those of us whove spent a great deal of it inside are aware of.You mean time progresses more slowly here?Cirayus stroked his beard. Not quite. Time is... fluid, here. One day in the Ash is closer to one week outside where we currently are. But as we venture deeper, the opposite becomes true. Deeper into the Ash, one week here is more like one day outside, though it is hard to measure. As I said, we have plenty of time to achieve our goal.Our goal. You mean making it to the other side, right?The giant smiled evilly. Oh no. That was never our goal, young Vir. Our goal is to forge you. To temper you. To hone you into a walking force of devastation so powerful that when we emerge, the denizens in the demon realm wont dare resist.Vir shivered. There was a fanaticism behind Cirayus words that made him uncomfortable. That, more than the Ash itself, scared him. It terrified him.What does he mean? Whats that supposed to mean?
