B2 Ch. 23 Putting a Team Together.

Like stepping into a cold shower, the realization that he would have to head straight into the land of the enemy to find the Bloom shocked him free of his meditative state.  Before he knew it, he had slammed back into his body and sat up retching as the sensations of the physical world momentarily overlapped with his spiritual perception.

Kindle squawked in protest, having settled to sleep on his warm chest during the break. She quickly relocated to his shoulder as he tried to collect himself.  The notification icon had started flashing as he came to and he opened it to try and get his mind off his rolling stomach.

Congratulations! You have uncovered significant truths of the spiritual realm:

Spirit Walk Level up!

Spirit Walk Level 14 > 17

It was good to see all of his work in Meditation have such an immediate impact on another skill. Tilly cleared the screen, trying not to think about what he would have to do next if he wanted to be free of the Corruption. The group had thinned considerably while he had been out, and Tilly was surprised to note that the day had progressed to early afternoon. However, seeing he was back in his body, Ichiro, Hiro, and now Franklin all headed over from their nearby position at the edge of the wall, discussing rear stares.

“Sorry, that took longer than I expected.” Tilly crooked, swallowing down one last wet burp, and offering Kindle a few comforting strokes as he got to his feet. These days touching her felt like touching a silk sheet fresh from the dryer, and he almost always found himself stroking her soft feathers when she settled on him.

“Well, did it work?” Hiro asked his inscrutable crystalline gaze taking in the odd human elemental pair without blinking.

“Good news and bad news,” Tilly replied, nodding a greeting to Franklin as he joined in with the little group.

“I figured out how to pick up a directional heading for the Bloom. It took a while, but I am pretty sure I could do it much faster next time, and I should be able to use this method to track and find its location.”

“Good, it was getting difficult to plan without knowing how you were going to find it.”  Hiro nodded.

“Well, that's the good news. The bad news is…” he said, hitching his thumb over his shoulder, toward the army of literal bloodsucking death slowly filling the far end of the plains.

“It's that way.”

Hiro’s face didn’t change at all, and Ichiro allowed a slight tightening of his eyes to mar his otherwise perfect calm.  Franklin, on the other hand, stared wide-eyed over Tilly’s shoulder as if struggling to process the implications of this news.

“Great ancestor help us…” He uttered, his wide green jaw slowly clenching in a nervous frown.

“Pretty much how I feel, Franklin. Well anyone got any ideas?” Tilly asked turning from Franklin to the two stoic Lapins who shared a look.

Instead of waiting for their reply, Tilly looked up, examining the sky over the wall for the first time in detail.  He noticed for the first time that the line dividing the two areas of influence was clearly demarcated by a distinct difference in hues.  Not that it was abnormal for Tilly to see strange things happening at the edges of the Boon’s reverse time dilation field.

The sky Inside the barrier had blurred once the Boon activated, still moving between night and day, but in a vague sort of way, without showing any of the particular or peculiar celestial bodies that could be found on Nephesh.  But on his patrols, he had always been in the forest under a canopy when they skirted the barrier.

Now right here on the edge, without any trees or mountains blocking the divide between territories, Tilly noticed two things. First, the hue of the sky beyond the wall was purplish and cloudy.  The land still seemed to be moving between day and night, but the cloud cover was thick and persistent, and Tilly realized that in all his visits to the wall, he had never seen anything but a cloud-covered sky over the brown and yellow plains.

Second, as he followed the path of the sky to the still distant force, he saw the clouds progressively get darker and more menacing until they were the steely grey of a pregnant and angry storm.

“We had hoped otherwise, but assumed that would be the case. Preparations have already been made.” Ichiro finally said, his face so placid that Tilly was afraid it might crack in half.

“We always knew you would have to set out to find the last piece of our territory requirement. The question has been, who do we send with you to give this mission its best chance without weakening our defense too much to hold until you succeed.”

“Ok, now that we know it's a strike into enemy territory, who are you thinking of sending with me?  We need to be able to move fast, survive, and hide if we are going to make it to the Facet. Then we need to somehow obtain its patronage and get it to cure me…”

“The ideal party would have a healer, but none of the ones we can spare will survive the trip, and the only one we know would survive is bound to serve this land for a year.”  Ichiro chimed in on Tilly's grocery list of requirements.

“So we opted for a utility build for this mission party.  No party member will fill any role perfectly, but each will make up for it, with lateral skills and abilities.  Am I correct in assuming that Honored Kindle will soon be able to sustain flight?”  He asked turning to Tilly’s shoulder which may as well have held an empress for the way she preened at the Lapin's respectful term of address.

Cheep, she replied proudly, ruffling her now almost complete coat of azure feathers.

“By that, she means, she can glide, but no flying yet.  Although she assures me that she will be fully capable of flight whenever it is actually needed.”  Tilly said, bumping the side of his head against her warm form playfully.

She pecked him lightly in return and Ichiro’s thoughtful expression turned up in a slight grin.

“Good! Father,  That, along with Tilly and My abilities will cover scouting. I say we go ahead as planned.”

“Agreed. Franklin, I assume you now know why we called you up here now?”

“-Yes.  And I accept.  I have my own obligations calling me beyond our borders. Although I had hoped they would wait until we had gotten more settled. It would be my honor to join in this mission” He replied, readjusting his vibrant blue scarf.

“Great!”  Tilly exclaimed, clapping the Honu on the back of the shell.

“No one else I would rather have on the team. I’m sure that new ice of yours will be all kinds of useful out there.”

“Aside from Mr. Frankin and I-”  Ichiro continued.

“Wait. Won’t you be needed on the wall?”  Tilly interrupted.

“While I would make some difference, my style is much more suited to open-field combat than defense. Plus with my new condition, we thought I would give us unique utility in perception and detection. It is also why I have been training with the rangers.”

“Ok, whose left?”  Tilly asked turning back to Hiro.

“Two others. We have asked Gorock, who is much better outside of formation than in, although he does not seem to agree with that assessment. But when we offered the opportunity to ‘go find others to fight’ he was… enthusiastic in his acceptance.”

“So, that gives us two front lines, one tank, and the other melee damage. We have two ranged options that double as magic attack, and I can close if I need to.  I assume that leaves someone in the support/area effect role.  I would have to guess Amel- I mean Mrs. Cooper would be the best choice out of the options I know.”

“Correct.  She is finishing her work on the boundary now and we will send her to meet you and your ranger escort a mile east of here at sunset.  We do not know if the time of day affects the enemy’s perception capabilities or not.  So far there is not much observable difference between night and day past the wall. Nonetheless, that is when your party will head out. ”  Hiro replied, his stoic expression giving nothing away about what he thought their odds of success were.

“Very well, the elders said they wanted to see me after this, so I will see you shortly Tilly.”  He said, nodding to the other two before hustling off at a much faster pace than was normal for his race.

“See ya in a bit Franklin!”  Tilly called after him, his nervousness at the coming mission pushing him to act slightly less mature than he would normally.  Turning toward the other two he said,

“There is a lot about that guy I would love to know, but I’m glad he is coming with us.  In fact Hiro, this is one hell of a team you have put together, I hope you can hold this pile of blocks without us.”  Tillys said, managing to wink, while continuing to avert his gaze from the darkening horizon and the direction of their near-suicidal mission.

“We will hold as long as need be.  The System sets no hopeless tasks.  This is possible, it will simply be very difficult for all of us.  That being said, don't take too long Human.”  Hiro replied, his gruff voice somehow taking on a lighter tone without changing in inflection.

“I will see you then Jonathan Tillman, I have several things to see to before we leave tonight,”  Ichiro added, his soft smile back in full as he moved to leave bowing to both of them.  Hiro offered him a small but genuine smile then,

“Son, I am proud of you.  I am sorry I do not say it more often.”

Ichiro’s serene smile flattened and some of his constant calm melted away before the implacable gaze of his father. He bowed again, this time much lower,

“We have both made mistakes.  But I am deeply honored to be your Son.  We will see you again…”  Then he turned and left, his smooth effortless motions making his speed seem almost improbable as he descended the large stare still being constructed behind them.

Then it was just the two of them left up on the wall, an island of silence in the midst of a sea of soldiers and workers rushing everywhere to prepare for the coming attack.  Tilly knew he needed to leave as well and collect supplies for his journey, but something held him up there a little longer and he stood on the wall and watched the enemy’s approach with the Samurai Lord, turned Guardian.

“Do you really think we have a chance?”  Tilly finally asked, his voice low amidst the background roar of shouts and preparations.

Hiro didn't look at him, or even acknowledge his question and  Tilly began to wonder if the Lapin had even heard him when he finally responded.

“My people have a better chance at freedom now than they have had in hundreds of years.  It will be a difficult fight, but that was always going to be the case. What we face now, we face together.  I have put my trust in your God, and I think you should begin to do the same.”

Tilly stood there a while longer, thinking over what was ahead of them and what it meant to once again be heading into danger far beyond his ability and level.  After a while, with a nod of thanks to Hiro for the company, he left himself to find a pack and stuff to put in it.