Chapter 26 - Over Then Under

"Are you sure you want to spend your time outside with me?"

"My father doesn't have better stories to tell than you do."

A hoarse laugh sounded. An old croaky man with long frail wispy hair that fell to his shoulders patted a child on the head.

"Aye, your father… he was just a boy when I met him first. I think he was under one of the Second Bloods beneath me at that time. Green he was! Alas, he met the end of his Path so soon. I don't know how he sired you and your elder brother…" The same voice sounded, his voice raspy and stern.

"Well boy, what would you like to hear?"

The child paused, seemingly lost in thought at the old man's question. He didn't spend much time outside, so he used much of it to learn and listen.

But he arrived at a decision and asked:

"How did you lose your eyes, elder?

The old man brought a slow hand to reach for the bandages that wrapped around his head, over his eyes. It was once white, but the cloth-like material aged with time, turning into a soft pale yellow as it frayed along its edges.

"Long, long ago boy. Why must you ask something so long ago?" The elder croaked out.

"I didn't know!"

The elder laughed, and when he stopped, he obliged to the boy's curiosity. Slowly he unraveled the knot at the back of his head, just enough to pull down the cover. As he did, the cloth revealed two impossibly dark and hollow pockets where his eyes should be.

The old man's weathered hands brushed against them and asked:

"Scary, isn't it? The Band Leader always asked why do I bother hiding them."

"It is you old coot! Cover them up, I didn't want to see them!" The boy quickly snapped back.

Instead of harshly scolding the boy, the elder coughed and howled in laughter. But as he stopped, his face turned grave erratically.

"The Ordeals, boy. Even from the very first one. The others in the Band don't show it, but they change you. Both within and after. For if the change is for better or for worse, I don't know. Such are the Paths. You'll understand this better when you come of age. Or perhaps not understand at all, and that is fine." The elder said coldly.

"Something you don't know?" The boy pointed out.

"Aye. In my youth, I sought to understand, and I thought I came closer and closer to doing so. But it led to nothing. Maybe it was a trade, a trade for greater power. But both inside and outside the Band, you'll find true monsters — some that'll lead you to think there are no flaws, no trade for such strength, and all of the sudden you stop thinking about such things."

The boy took in a deep breath of air as he listened. He didn't understand much, so he'll try to remember as much as he can. Sometimes the old man who seemed senile had his moments as well.

"Anything else, boy? I'll have to leave the Great Mountain soon, the northern front awaits me. Besides, you must return to the hollow chambers soon as well…

The boy shook his head, he already knew his time outside was almost gone, as well as what the old man was trying to say. But, with a long pause, the boy came to another question:

"What will you do north?"

"Bah! You're asking for secrets!"

"Is it?"

"Not a secret for you though. The only one you'll talk to as you return is the Band Leader, the very one who ordered me to keep such a secret. I'll give…"

"Myself and the other old ones will slay the Tailed Brothers. Save the Band in glory!"

"Really?"

"Indeed! You know how strong I am, boy? The brothers born from fire… they're nothing compared to me. The next you'll see me, I'll be riding back to the Great Mountain, the scaled brother's heads in tow."

"Are you sure it'll be that easy?"

"Ho? Of course! And if I can't, then come with me in a few more years, boy. You'll pay back for the stories I've told you by then."

The boy shook his head at the gloating old man. He was truly senile it seems — he'll throw his back out if he laughs any harder. The boy won't make it in time to help the old man if he croaks right now…

Alas, their time together came to an end as the elder snapped his head forward and stood to his feet. Finally stopping his laughter, he began to say his goodbyes.

"A few years, Osias. You and the entire Band will thank me!" The elder said as he began to tighten the knot behind his head, covering his hollow sockets.

The boy began to wave the elder off and turned around to return to the hollowed mountain once more.

But away from his sights… the elder walked drearily, deprived of his once high spirits and beaming face.

A somber, but grave face replaced it as he left the boy.

—

"Zevir…" A muted whisper sounded from beneath the crimson helm that covered Osias's head.

Within a few blinks he was awak-

Suddenly a deafening crash sounded right atop of him.

He turned and whipped his head as he shot to his feet in alarm.

There, he found within a few steps away Kiran's spear was embedded deep inside an odd creature.

Black all over, but it was all made of a dark wispy fog, there wasn't any solid to it except where Kiran pierced. By its center, there was a round dull gold-colored object. Surrounded by a mass of the dark fog.

It was incredibly difficult to see the outline of the creature, perfectly molded and blended into the very mist itself. Without Kiran's spear penetrating the center, Osias could easily find himself wondering why a small floating object was wandering the obscured forest.

"It's body is weak. One of those mind-corrupting Path Beasts. But this one is only of the First Ordeal. Doesn't feel too dangerous. Perhaps it thought it could make quick work of a sleeping Ordinary… did anything happen in your sleep, Osias?"

"Mm. I had a dream, but that was it. A little odd how I remember it vividly."

Kiran viciously pulled his spear out as the fog-like creatures dispersed as the dull-gold orb shattered.

'Probably dead.' Osias thought.

But then Kiran responded:

"It is not certain that it gave you that dream, but it is likely…"

"Grab your sword, we're going."

Osias agreed, still a little dazed from the sudden awakening, but grabbed his sheath and walked outside the overhang they slept under. Waking up abruptly seemed to come in hand with the mist…

Once again, another dark grey sky and a boundless mist that shrouded everything appeared before him.

'Will the day turn even darker?' Osias frowned.

While there have been hills and risings, Kiran told him that much of the land they put behind them was descending.

Osias himself couldn't have noticed the gradual change, but Kiran did. It was worrying, the vast land below the mist still had no end in sight.

Kiran took the lead embracing the familiar sights.

Looking behind, Osias sighed, and glanced at the shattered remains of the beast and shook his head. Another death he evaded with the help of his brother. Who knew just how many more times he must be saved before he could help his brother?

Nevertheless, they marched.

They continued to where Kiran felt was north, traveling through the endless forests. Silence hung the air between them, neither was eager to talk amidst travel unless either one of them felt so — though it was usually Osias.

This continued for hours until what should've been the evening approached, as the dark expanse faintly became even darker.

Kiran stopped, stayed silent for a moment as he slowly waved his head and then added:

"Stay, I'll take a look."

Osias quickly threw a nod and dashed to the nearest area that had a semblance of ability to hide him, leading him to a small and curved rising of the earth. Just enough to cover his back.

Kiran switched directions away from the supposed north and headed east, at least until as far as Osias could see. He couldn't see much of anything, so the few times Kiran told him to stay was frightening.

So he stood guard like the many times before this…

Nothing seemed so out of place or peculiar as they traveled today. Though there were fewer trees and forestry in the last stretches of land they crossed, it wasn't enough to throw Osias into a loop. They were probably headed for a rolling open plain soon.

As he warily stood guard, minutes passed and Osias began to feel a little shaken. Must've been five or so.

But then ten minutes passed, and Osias began to adamantly look at his surroundings as if doing so would calm his mind and make Kiran appear faster.

"Osias, come with me." A voice cut through the mist. Then a giant figure appeared and loomed in the distance, approaching him.

Fortunately, it was Kiran.

Kiran's sudden voice took Osias out of his reverie. As his elder brother approached, he looked at where Kiran pointed, squinting his eyes, but he couldn't see anything other than veiled trees.

"Anything?" Osias asked. "You took a while."

"Aye. Come, we'll continue north." Kiran replied.

They came upon the direction where Kiran pointed, and what was uncovered from the thick mist took Osias aback. A large ivory-white structure was jutted through the ground and seemed to endlessly stretch beyond his sight. This area wasn't like the Ashen Maggot's, the mist was thick and he couldn't see much of anything.

"It's a bone, part of a vast skeleton that stretches hundreds of meters. These should be the fingers, the others are missing, but they connect to an arm I traveled up to."

It was blood-curdling. For such a large creature to exist in the same world they live in. A colossal beast, it must've been at the very least, a Fourth Ordeal. A titan of its kind. Even the Ashen Maggot seemed to be dwarfed by this skeleton… at least what he could see of the Ashen Maggot above ground.

Osias felt a cold shiver run down his spine. Such an ancient beast must've lived for centuries considering the lifespan of the higher Ordeals.

"We'll stay here for a while, no more traveling north," Kiran said. "Come, make camp."

Osias scrunched his face into a frown, "Making camp beside this?"

"Mm. The skeleton does not surprise me. Such creatures are bound to exist upon the Outer Valleys. We are simply fortunate enough to not come upon it while it was alive. Sing your praises, Osias." Kiran said, waving Osias past the titanic finger.

"The ribcage, most of it is embedded into the ground, perhaps the beast died as it was burrowed. Or it is so ancient that it died above ground and its corpse sunk deeper, the earth devouring it. I traveled up the bones of its arm to its spiked spine above ground. " Kiran added.

Kiran led him under the bones of the colossal creature's arm towards its ribcage. As they walked, Osias looked above as the bone loomed beyond where the mist allowed him to see. He thought It seemed impossible to think such a large creature was once alive, and he wondered if the presence of this skeleton was the reason for their uninterrupted march somehow.

Making their way to the center, Kiran's words proved true. They came upon the ribcage, each bone wrapped and embedded deep into the earth. They even came close to each one, close enough for Osais to see what Kiran said.

Dirt, stone, and whatever was below the ground filled the empty cavity of its decrepit chest.

"The bones themselves… I can only make scratches with my spear."

"Have you tried collecting all the external blood essence you gathered into a small knife?" Osias asked.

"I already tried… The difference between focusing all that True Extraction blood into a small blade or something larger like a spear isn't all that much. It won't suddenly bring it all the way to the Fourth. I still need a vast amount of powerful blood."

"I see."

Kiran remained silent for a while as they walked, but then asked:

"Osias, do you recall the feeling when you use Blood Reave?"

"I do… I try to keep it under control when I reave blood. It's been taught and hammered into us from young to keep the blood lust as well as Blood Reave in control."

"Tell me, do you feel anything right now?" Kiran asked.

But Osias just frowned at the question. Of course, he wouldn't feel it. Aside from keeping it tamed, he sensed it well enough for his blade to feel the same connection. But it all came the same, hand or blade — he needed to use Blood Reave to feel that rapture of blood.

"No, not now. What are you trying to ask?" Osias responded curiously. "Should I be?"

Osias ran ahead a little to face Kiran who abruptly stopped. Kiran didn't return a look, simply staring into the ground below their feet.

"I feel it. Strongly. Not the rapture itself… but more as though my spear was right behind a bleeding neck." Kiran said coldly.

Kiran had a cold gleam off his flinty black eyes.

Suddenly, Kiran crouched down and brought his hand deep into the ground. He closed his eyes before saying:

"As children, we were taught to sense our control over Blood Reave… even before we were taught to manipulate our own essence. It made sense though, all the children varied greatly. Our Innate Ability was that— Innate. Some children in the womb took too much, too fast, and killed their mothers. Some were too weak and upon birth, they were half dead. From the moment we were birthed our control over Blood Reave was honed, our fathers cut open a wound below their wrists."

With a cold shiver, Osias felt the ground below him shift slightly.

"As our father's wrists bled, drop by drop we were guided slowly. Then as a reward for weening for this control, they'd let a flow of blood spill right atop of our faces, a tradition, but also to test if we could take in an abundance. To test how vast were our reservoirs."

Osias's face grimaced slightly at his brother's words.

"Those who were greedy took in a lot of blood, enough to fill their slightly larger reservoirs. Some who were weak were still unable to leave the few drops earlier."

The ground below them twisted and churned, increasingly becoming more violent.

"You were almost never born, Osias. I almost killed our mother — brought her half to death despite the constant provisions given to her whilst she carried me. As I was born, and upon tradition, our father bled his wrists atop me. Again, he was brought half to death as well despite the midwives urgently bringing in more blood mules — captives of the band."

It felt as though the earth itself shook, the skeleton shifted slightly from the change in the ground that supported its immense weight.

"I wasn't like you nor the greedy children who took mindlessly. I had control from birth. My reservoir was near empty at birth like the others as we naturally dispelled and exhausted while being carried. I almost killed our parents consciously."

A loud groan sounded, and more bones were shifting, after what could've been a millennia of being motionless.

"But my essence reservoir was vast, impossibly so. I drained several blood mules to death before it was full. My connection to blood is close and deeply rooted in my mind and body — stronger than others at the same level. Perhaps True Extraction was granted to me because of this. Truly innate…"

The ground stopped swirling and churning below, and Kiran lifted his hand from the earth.

With it, was a spear, the same as all his others, but the color… it was nigh black all over. The deepest shade of crimson Osias has ever seen before.

In the next moment, another spear appeared, the one he always held as they traveled. It then dispersed, flowing right into the almost black spear and added to it, yet Osias could barely see any change as the two merged.

He remained silent, just as their surroundings were. It was eerily quiet once more as they stood under the spine of the colossal creature.

Kiran too, remained silent as he leisurely walked to the nearest curved rib that stabbed into the ground. Osias followed quietly and looked at the bone.

It was thicker than the largest of trees, ivory and pale. But then Kiran brought his spearhead behind and swung fiercely into the bone with a groan.

And the rib… it was cleaved through. Not entirely, but enough so easily that Osias was taken aback. He recalled that Kiran tried earlier, barely leaving a scratch.

But then Kiran broke the heavy silence between them:

"It could've done more — been more. So much of the blood essence has dispersed over time. Even True Extraction cannot compensate for something that has returned to the world…"

"Yet there is myself as well. For a day where my strength wasn't enough to wield a weapon at its best." Kiran let out a rare chuckle to himself.

Tonight, Kiran obtained a weapon formidable enough to slay a titan of the mist.