Infinite Realm: Monsters & Legends

Chapter 582: Erdania

The Last Survivors of Terra

Erdania reached Ryun high above the Dragon’s Peak, his giant wolf vessel dissolved, and a smaller, human looking vessel was formed. The light shone again, as his authority stopped influencing it. The utter darkness was replaced by day once again, and a sense of relief rippled across the city. Scorn rose up from Ryun’s vessel, growing out of the body made out of black Essence, creating realistic flesh and skin, then clothes.

“Ryun,” Erdania said slowly as she approached, gravity bending around her to allow her a makeshift flight. She took a moment to take him in, looking for any signs of his mental state. Their bond was open once again, but it was filled with so much anger and fear that Erdania couldn’t get much from him. Then, in a quick burst she moved forward and embraced him. “You can’t block yourself off from us, we made a promise.”

His body was warm, but it didn’t breathe, it stood still.

“I am sorry for that,” Ryun said back, there was no breath on her neck when his mouth moved just next to her skin. His voice manifested through will and manipulation of Essence in his throat, not vocal cords and air. “I did not want to burden you with my anger.”

His arms came up around her, and she sighed in relief. He wasn’t the most affectionate of people, so when he did show it, she always appreciated it.

Sometimes she worried that he was like Selia, and that he was only indulging Erdania’s desires against his own will. The fact that he almost never initiated anything had festered her worries before. But with the bond, she knew that he enjoyed such displays of affection too, if perhaps not to the same level as she did. But that was fine, the three of them were different people, they were together and they supported one another. Their love was about the sum of everything they were.

That he felt the way he felt now, so angry and afraid, and had decided to keep it away from them… it hurt her. She made sure to pass on her feelings through the bond, have him understand how what he had done made her feel.

“I understand, but we are here to support one another, all you accomplished was to make us worry more,” She added with what she showed him through the bond.

“Were you worried that our feelings for you would change if we felt what you feel?” Selia’s voice spoke inside both of their heads.

“Perhaps,” he responded over their bond. “I’m sorry for hurting you,” he whispered in Erdania’s ear.

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It made Erdania feel better to hear him say it. He often looked so sure of himself, of what he did and said. To know that he too had insecurities and things he worried about made her own struggles lesser.

“Don’t let your anger and fear control you,” Erdania said as she pulled back from their embrace. “Remember what happened last time.”

Their fight against Ra’azel had brought out a lot of anger in him, his desire for vengeance. Erdania felt the same from him now, perhaps even worse.

Ryun shook his head. “Last time I was nearly overcome with the memories of the Reaper, that can’t happen again.”

“That isn’t the only risk,” Erdania said. “We shouldn’t force ourselves not to feel, I agree, but our emotions can at times overcome us. You and Selia helped me see this, it is my turn to remind you now.”

Ryun opened his mouth to respond, then paused and looked down. Erdania did the same, their attention was drawn to the commotion beneath them in the gathering hall that was now open to the sky.

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There was movement, yelling and even a small scuffle.

“Should we head down there and deal with it?” Erdania asked.

Ryun narrowed his eyes, then shook his head. “Anrosh has it under control.”

As soon as he said it, a giant wolf filled the podium. Anrosh in her Evolved Form, her armor rippled over her body in all the colors of the rainbow, covering her fully. She growled in the way that carried across the mountain, and everything stopped once again.

Erdania took the moment to look around, the fleets surrounding the peak had moved back, creating a circle around the city, keeping their distance from Ryun. Bera’s warnings seemed to have worked.

“The Sects will follow you?” Erdania raised an eyebrow.

He tilted his head, listening with his perception, then nodded. “They will, Anrosh is already organizing.”

“What will you do?” Erdania asked.

He opened his mouth to answer, but then paused. The wind shifted and she turned to see Zacharia approach them.

“Yes,” Zacharia said. “What will you do?”

“What I said I would,” Ryun answered. “The Exalted Empire ends along with everyone in my way.”

“The Exalted Empire is more than the people that attacked us. It is the people living under their rule, it is those born into a way of life and knowing nothing else. Those who have no choice in the matter. Innocents who had no say in this war.”

Ryun’s eyes narrowed and Erdania paused.

“There are no innocents. Everyone has a choice, they chose to follow the leaders that struck at me and mine.”

“And so here we are again,” Zacharia said with a sad expression on his face. “The world is not black and white. Actions of a few are not condoned by the many who only seek safety and purpose. You know that the decision to attack us was not made by those who will suffer if you go off the rails again.”

“I do not leave my enemies alive, I don’t give them a chance to try again and succeed. I will not risk the lives of those I love, of my unborn children, for strangers who I care nothing about.”

Zacharia glanced at Erdania, as if he was looking for support. She didn’t actually disagree with Ryun. They were attacked, they couldn’t let them go without consequences. The Infinite Realm was a cruel place, and the strong ruled. Those who were innocent would see what was coming, the smart ones would leave. She did not think that Ryun would pursue once the Exalted Empire was broken.

When Erdania said nothing, Zacharia shook his head, as if in disappointment.

“So, everyone in your way. Like last time?” Zacharia asked.

Ryun’s face twitched. “I thought that was behind us.”

“Forgiveness does not mean I forgot, it does not mean I condone. You wiped out an entire world, you killed innocents, you turned us all into monsters. Do not misunderstand me. I did horrible things to serve my crusade against you, I matched your monstrosity with my own. But I believe that everyone deserves a second chance. I struggled with it, but in the end, I have given you one. I thought that you learned, that you grew.”

Ryun shrugged. “This is on the Exalted Empire, those who are part of their faction will die, their actions have consequences.”

“And how many innocents will you kill to accomplish this?”

“There are no innocents,” Ryun answered.

“No?” Zacharia tilted his head. “Was my daughter not an innocent?”

Ryun froze.

“I found her body,” Zacharia continued. “I held the broken pieces you left in my arms. A child stood in your way, so she wasn’t an innocent, right? So, some day you might do something horrible to someone else, that means that all those who follow you will be marked as guilty. Your children should bear the burden of your mistakes, right?”

Erdania swallowed, looking at Ryun. Her own fears rose within, mingling with his. Their children had nearly died alongside them, before they even had a chance to be born. She hadn’t felt fear like this before. Ryun hadn’t either. They were both struggling with it. Zacharia’s words made her think about it. There was truth there.

“Are we wrong?” Erdania sent to Selia over their bond. “I know what he did before, but it is different this time, right? Would Ryun really do what Zacharia is saying?”

“We are alive, we are here to keep him from going to far,” Selia answered. “I don’t think that he would kill children.”

“He is very angry, you can feel it,” Erdania added. Selia had nothing to say to that.

Ryun grimaced. “They nearly killed my unborn children; you want me to just let them get away with it?”

“Of course not,” Zacharia responded. “But being part of a faction, of an organization, doesn’t make them automatically guilty.”

“An Empire such as theirs cannot exist without the support of its citizens,” Ryun gritted out, his anger was growing, consuming him.

Zacharia narrowed his eyes. “Everyone deserves a chance to choose differently. Your condemnation of everyone is wrong, you must see it.”

“I see nothing,” Ryun whispered harshly. “Nothing but their End.”

Zacharia sighed, bowing his head as he closed his eyes. “So here we are,” he said slowly. He took a deep breath, then he raised his head and gazed at Ryun with conviction glowing in his eyes. “Once again.”