CHAPTER 613: RA'AZEL

Half The Victory

The Exalted Empire’s technology was often fascinating to Ra’azel. They had ways of doing things that were so complicated but accomplished by arranging simple building blocks. The table in front of them was one such thing. A holographic table, as they called it, projected information above it by manipulating light.

There were five people around the table. Ra’azel himself, the Speaker of the Machine, Commander Alshah leading the seven-person fire-team, Captain Shum in command of a Void Ship assigned to them, and finally Erik Ornn.

The information displayed was sparse, there wasn’t much on their target. Ra’azel had provided some insights into what he had observed in the moments their target created a Way. In the end, Essence was Essence. Will might forge it and define the way it worked, but it had certain properties that were unchanging.

The rest of the information was provided by the Exalted Empire and their information gathering. There wasn’t much more than what Ra’azel had provided.

“Our target was a Sage hundreds of years ago,” the Speaker started. “They disappeared and were presumed dead. What information we’ve gathered is old. They were an influential figure in a faction that no longer exists, a kingdom that fell a hundred and twenty years ago. Their focuses rely on the Essences related to cold, there are no clear records of their actually capability.”

“You should all assume that they are one of the most powerful people in this world,” Ra’azel added.

“Yes,” the Speaker agreed. “What we can confirm is that they’ve achieved a Way. You all have been briefed on what that is.”

People around the table nodded at that. Then Captain Shum spoke up. “I understand what that is, but what can we expect from them?”

The Speaker looked at Ra’azel, indicating for him to answer. “Overwhelmingly powerful will, the ability to manifest their Essence into the world and suppress other laws. Will can opposes it to a degree but expect all of our powers to be diminished and influenced by an outside force.”

“How are we supposed to fight something like that?” Commander Alshah.

“By being prepared,” the Speaker said.

“And attacking with overwhelming power from the start,” Ra’azel added.

“Here is our preliminary plan,” the Speaker gestured at the table and the image shifted.

Now it showed the map of the Infinite Realm, a pulsing red dot was in the center, designating their target, then a line appeared connecting to a blue dot in the Core of the Settled Territories. “Their movements are easy to discern; they are making their way toward their former home in a straight line. That makes them predictable and allows us to set up an ambush.”

“Our plan is to set up a minefield, with the fire-team set up on a high ground in an attack position. The Vision of Nova will take position in the Void above and provide bombardment from above. Ra’azel and master Erik shall stand nearby and ready to engage if necessary.”

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Information kept appearing as the Speaker talked. Data displaying the weapons available to them that they planned to use. “Soul capture devices will be installed nearby; True Death is not desirable. Do not use anything that can cause it.”

“This seems a bit like… overkill,” Captain Alshah said, his mouth tendrils flickering in a strange pattern.

“It is unlikely to kill him,” Ra’azel said.

“You have one of the new Reaction Engines listed,” the Void Ship Captain pointed out. “And you’re telling me that this person can survive that?”

Ra’azel grinned. “Of course, we are going after someone very powerful.”

That made everybody at the table tense up.

Then, Erik spoke up. “Then, let’s discuss what to do in case none of this is sufficient.”

Ra’azel’s grin intensified. Erik didn’t seem too invested in this, which, seeing as how he was here only because he was being paid, made sense. But Ra’azel could feel the man’s power and knew that he would be an asset. And planning would inevitably reveal what he was capable of. And that Ra’azel was very much interested in learning about.

Because who knows, today’s allies could always turn to tomorrow’s enemies.

A ravzor walked through a canyon, following the banks of a narrow river. He used to have a name given to him by family, long ago, but he had moved beyond such things. Names and family both. Now he thought of himself only by his True Name, HE OF THE FROSTED MOON’S GAZE. He had achieved something that was the peak of this world, the second to achieve it in fact. He was proud, though he was also curious as to who had been the first.

His journey was an important one. He was heading home, or at least the place that used to be it. It was necessary for him to see it, to see what had become of that which now just existed in his memories. One last connection he still had to the past.

He had sacrificed everything for enlightenment, to reach for the greatest height. That decision had been sparked out of spite, out of pride. But his time away had taught him how foolish that was. He didn’t need the acceptance of others, didn’t need their praise. His return wasn’t about showing them their mistake, or his achievements. It was for him to see what they had achieved in the same time.

To put in perspective his sacrifice. In the end, it was worth it. The journey was long, but he didn’t rush. He had passed a few settlements as he got closer and closer to the Core. He hadn’t interacted with many of them. He had almost forgotten how to act with other people. But he pushed himself to do it anyway. To acclimate to civilization again. It was harder than he expected it to be.

People were all so… small compared to him. Most were so far below his power that it was actually a struggle for him not to accidentally kill them just by being near them. He had thankfully learned that lesson on wildlife, and hadn’t harmed another person, but it had come close at times.

He had learned quickly how to pull his being inward, contain himself into his body. It made him feel on edge, but it was necessary when interacting with others. Though, out here in the wild, he did let his control loose a bit.

It was fortunate that he had done so, otherwise he might not have noticed the trap before it was too late. Every step he took carried with him a piece of his realm, his Frosted World. He felt the outer edge of it vanish, swallowed up by something buried beneath the ground.

A moment later the wave rose, and a wall of white rose out of the ground. The Sage jumped as the world slowed around him, as the Light and Time slowed and pieces of it froze.

The ground vanished, its Essence destroyed. The walls of the canyon around him fell, the river exploded upward, ground split and bent. Then his Will unfurled, and the attack froze, the world froze. A crazy visage surrounded him, walls of stone frozen as they were in the process of falling, streams of water suspended in the air. And the vanished ground, a white light where an Essence of utter destruction existed, but frozen by his power.

He narrowed his eyes, seeing and comprehending what it was that had attacked him. A Reaction Engine, his power rippled out and he detected more, in the broken walls, in the water, in the air hiding from his sight. This attack was planned; it was an ambush.

The Sage felt a flicker of emotion touch his frosted Soul, but he had little time to indulge in the anger.

A moment later, the sky fell on top of his head.