Chapter 105 - The New Zand (Part Two)

The Union’s hub was a lot more crowded than usual. A gloomy bunch resided within. Demons of all sorts were spread across the stone. Some had groundsheets underneath, but most simply lay or sat on the stone next to their weapons and belongings. Most looked bored, or dissatisfied, as if about to snap at any moment.

A select few were working. Blacksmiths were smithing steel blades, offering them to those that didn’t wield a weapon. Woodworkers were crafting what looked like handcarts. A small squadron of swordsmen were taking practice swings, though their movements were sluggish. Nobody was smiling.

“Two hundred and sixty members,” Ven said. “That’s how many we counted. That’s a hundred and seventy less than the members we had prior to Zand’s falling. A lot of members either died or joined other gangs.”

Aang kept a composed expression, but Vivi knew he was upset. He walked slowly, thank the gods. Vivi’s legs still burned as she struggled to walk after him. She forced herself to stand through the pain.

Aang received a few nods as he passed, though most members looked away, ignoring him. He used to receive a lot more salutes before.

“It’s a miracle people aren’t rioting,” Ven said. “Considering The Union lost the war practically on the first day. For now, we provide food and shelter, which keeps everyone in order, but food alone is only one of many needs. Now that monsters aren’t respawning anymore, members lack purpose. There’s nothing to distract people from the reality of the situation.”

“We provided jobs to as many people as we could,” Aang said. “But there’s only so much work to do with our limited resources in this little cavern. Physical labor is tiresome when rations are so low. Members are choosing to save their energy.”

“Feni said rations would last for a week or so,” Vivi said.

“More realistically, a day,” Aang said. “Aang’s hub is a good defensive stronghold. That’s about it. There’s nothing for us to gain here. We’re slowly losing resources.”

“Quickly,” Ven corrected.

To Vivi’s left, a man was lying on the ground, tired eyes facing the ceiling. He looked totally spent, yet he wasn’t sleeping—merely waiting for something to happen. Many more similar sights filled the cavern. Even the few demons working on projects looked unhappy. This place wasn’t much of a community. More so, it looked like a neglected survivors’ camp.

“We have no choice but to relocate somewhere with more resources,” Aang said. “Other gangs are keeping us contained. They know we have nothing down here, so they’re suffocating us. We’ll have to fight our way out.”

Vivi looked at the squadron of soldiers taking practice swings. Worhard was the only one looking somewhat determined. Everyone’s stances looked good, but most of the soldiers had steel weapons and little ether to strengthen their swings. No gang would be intimidated by this little army. It was no wonder the Union had lost.

“Do we stand a chance?” Vivi asked.

“Our members are weak,” Aang said. “The Union, by design, invited weaker nimrods to our ranks. The membership offered cheap services and food for those that struggled to compete. It was the job of our elite members to keep the weaker members protected.” He frowned. “A lot of those elite members have now joined other gangs. Only thirty or so remaining members are proficient at fighting.”

“But we have the Hollow Phantoms,” Vivi said. “And my runeswords.”

Aang nodded. “I still have my ascension skill, Alisa has her discharge skill, though she’s unconscious, and you have Thorn Sword. We have enough to max out four members. Once fully recovered, four Hollows, equipped with runeswords, should be strong enough to gather food. We need to be strong enough.”

Vivi knew she wasn’t in any shape to fight yet. Not without abusing ether again. If she abused ether further, who knew when she’d recover?

Aang turned to a workstation on the right. It was a new one, built while Vivi was asleep. Tables and laboratory equipment formed a square underneath a small canopy. Potions vials, racks, as well as microscopes and some ether-powered devices Vivi couldn’t identify. Lydi was examining a piece of bone with the microscope.

Lydi flinched when the group of three entered. She spotted who was coming and relaxed. “Ah, it’s just you…”

“Everything working well?” Aang asked.

“No,” Lydi said. She wore her usual outfit, though her ashen hands were covered with gloves. “I’m slowly going crazy, working in the open. Just as I start to focus, some idiots walk in and ruin everything. One kid already tried to steal my equipment.”

“Did you catch him?” Aang asked.

“Worhard kicked him out of the Union,” Lydi said. “I had no objections. Damned rat.”

“It’s best if you work outside,” Aang said. “You’re showing others that we’re making progress.”

“I don’t think the Union members are impressed by research,” Lydi said. “I’ve been frowned at more in the last four days than the rest of my life combined.”

Aang looked troubled. “How has research moved?”

“What are we researching?” Vivi asked.

Lydi turned back to her microscope. “I’m trying to find out how old these bones are. This is taken from the Death Tyrant’s skull. I estimate that it’s over six thousand years old. Perhaps even older.”

“That means…” Ven said. “The bones are older than the age of typhoons.”

“Yes,” Lydi said. “And I believe the Death Tyrant has been alive all that time. The bones aren’t just six thousand years old; the boss itself has been alive for that long. The Death Tyrant wasn’t a reanimated monster. It was a true, natural being.”

Aang and Ven looked serious. Lucius, too, was curious. Vivi was confused. She didn’t understand the implications behind this. Was this important?

“The Death Tyrant dropped ether,” Ven said, “But Aang claimed it wasn’t reanimated. It really was just a large skeleton?”

“My research would agree with Aang’s words,” Lydi said. “Regular reanimated monsters wouldn’t have this sort of bone formation. You said the monster shot through the ground beneath the boss arena?”

“Yes,” Aang said. “Beneath the arena, the cavern continues. I don’t know how much room there is, but there was rich soil. And a forest. The most beautiful forest I’ve ever seen.”

Lydi lifted her head from the microscope. She looked Aang in the eye. “If that’s true, whatever is beneath is older than the age of typhoons. The Death Tyrant survived through the hunting season.”

Hunting season? Vivi was confused. She didn’t understand any of this.

“Vivi, think about it for a minute,” Lucius said. “The age of typhoons is known as the age of legends. Almost all of today’s legendary skills were discovered during that time. They say dungeons were special back then. The typhoons had passed, covering the world with insane amounts of ether. Thus, the hunting season started. Legendary monsters filled every dungeon.”

Vivi really should have studied dungeons more before being sent to the fourth level…

“Lydi says the Death Tyrant was over six thousand years old. The age of typhoons happened five thousand years ago. The Death Tyrant was older than the hunting season. It’s no wonder it dropped such a rare skill.”

“This is serious, then,” Aang said.

“Six thousand years old, huh?” Ven asked with a funny smile. “Aang, do you know your history? Have you heard of the hunting season?”

“My mother told me legends,” Aang said. “She made sure I was raised as normally as possible. Until she left.”

Ven’s smile fell. “Sorry,” he said.

“No, it’s fine,” Aang said. “Lydi, you’ve figured out what we needed to know. Prepare to move your lab.”

“Again?” Lydi asked.

“We’re running out of rations,” Aang said. “We have no choice but to relocate the Union. Vivi, do you have your swords in spatial storage?”

“Um, yes, Lucius collected the ones Uundref stole,” she said.

“Lay them out,” Aang said. “Ven will stay to defend the hub.”

Vivi glanced around herself. “Out here? In the open?”

“The Stewards aren’t here to control us anymore,” Aang said. “There is no need to hide our strength anymore.”

Vivi thought about it for a second but then called forth her excess swords. The first crystal mithril sword, Solace, the nix sword. Calling them in the open felt weird. Vivi would have to get used to her runeswords getting more popular.

“Will you survive with just one sword?” Aang asked.

“I should,” Ven said. “Rohan can probably help out if I get in a pinch.”

Aang nodded. “Wield Solace, then. Vivi, carry the rest. It’s too early to offer swords to union members. Our advantages disappear if our enemies steal one of Vivi’s swords.”

Vivi retrieved the rest of the swords. Aang looked ready to depart.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“I’m taking you to scout the outside world,” Aang said. “We’ve been holed up in the Union’s hub for over a day now. Before we can make a move outside, we need to know what we’re working with.”

Vivi frowned, feeling her legs. I don’t think I can follow Aang without ether. How bad is it if we strengthen my feet just a little bit?

“As long as we don’t get to fights, it’s not too bad,” Lucius said. “Just a few wisps should be enough to help you walk. That amount won’t make things worse. It might even help a little bit.”

Let’s go, then, Vivi thought. She nodded, then followed Aang up, out of the Union’s hub through the main path.

Not one minute into the ascent, a freshly killed dead body blocked their path.