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THE ETERNAL SHROUD

The sun, that was supposed to be bounding the high-skies around now, was nowhere to be seen . Instead, the entire eastern horizon was blocked in a swath of a black mist, one so thick and terrible it sucked away any light that approached it .

Formed along the ridge of the plains just outside the City of the Sun, hundreds of thousands of soldiers quivered; some few braver ones stepped up front, trying to shield the terrible winds doused in Qi of Desolation from hitting the weaker ones . At the far front, Lino stood isolated, his expression terrible . The odd feeling that had woken him up not a week ago manifested today -- as far as the eastern shores of the Western Continent reached, they were doused in Primal Qi of Chaos . Over two hundred Primes nestled there, behind the nearly a whole million of the ordinary Cultivators .

His fingers were curled up in a fist, the horrid wind gently passing him, as though too terrified to touch him, causing his hair to billow backward like smoke . Just behind him, arrays lit up, yet still failed to properly defend against the winds -- after all, no one in the Empire accounted for the Primes joining the war, especially against them . Ella, Hannah, Titus, Amadeel, Val, and a few others did their best to suffocate the winds, while Eggor, Tim and Primul worked rapidly on a makeshift array to contain it .

Barely a quarter of army was assembled at the moment; should the fighting break out, they would be at a monumental disadvantage -- yet, it would break out . The other side had no reason to wait for him to assemble his forces completely . If they were smart enough, they would even employ the deadly dash -- send hundreds of thousands hurdling toward them, eventually overrunning them, capturing the City of the Sun .

His expression still twisted, he glanced back, noticing the expressions of suffering and agony across the tens of thousands . Very few were ever exposed to the sheer brutality that the Chaotic Qi can impose upon one’s Will, which meant that very few were equipped to withstand the horrible winds .

Gritting his teeth, he unfurled a pair of black-feathered wings, taking to the skies under the loud protests of those just behind him . He ignored them all, however, wanting to learn why Primes chose to suddenly join the war, and, more importantly, why were they against him . Against Ataxia .

He came to a halt in front of the imposing figure that stood at the forefront; a massive behemoth of a creature, oval-headed yet lacking any features, two long arms extending down the sides of its skinless body, all the way to the floor . It stood sunk slightly forward, the head spinning in a circle occasionally . Tentacles abound exploded from its skin, wiggling about like worms . Hundreds of them, at the minimum .

Though terrifying, it still failed short of some other creatures Lino saw lingering in the thick shadows . Monstrosities and abominations that would cause even his bravest Generals to retch their guts out . I can’t let them fight this, he thought, I have to prevent it... somehow .

"--who are they?" Lino mumbled lowly into his jaw, but Ataxia remained silent . No reaction . "You knew what that feeling meant . Why didn’t you warn me?"

" . . . "

" . . . suck a dick, bastard . "

"Don’t bother, human child," a choral, yet eerily melodic voice, trickled into his ears as he focused onto the featureless head . "You may be Father’s Chosen, but we are his Children . He is merely occupied by trying to solve the problem of sending us back, buying more time with false promises . "

" . . . if we fight," Lino said . "You’ll exhaust yourselves without achieving anything palpable . Is it really worth it? Just to pull me back down slightly?"

"What do you know of our goals, human child?" the creature asked, the head spinning once more . "Nothing . As ignorant as a newborn babe, you are . "

" . . . you are supposed to at the very least stay neutral," Lino mumbled, his right eye burning in flames of fury . "What the fuck are you doing?!"

"You could not--"

"It was a rhetorical question, you goddamn fucking imbecile," Qi seethed about him, morphing into corporeal shadows temporarily that danced off his skin like tendrils . "If you really do attack," he added, taking a deep breath to calm himself down . "I swear upon all I have, I will eradicate you all -- whether you’re Ataxia’s children or his whores . "

" . . . can you, though?" the creature asked with a faint trace of bemusement in its voice .

" . . . can I?" Lino mumbled emptily . "You’ve slumbered too long if you ask that . "

" . . . ha ha ha, perhaps," the laughter burst out, not just from it, but from virtually every Prime . "Though, you’re hardly the first to threaten us with extermination . Alas... words are wasted . Engage us, if your blood burns so . We are here, and we’ll be here until the last remnant of a human race is wiped from this continent . It is time the cycle was restarted, human child . You’ve had enough fun . "

" . . . " Lino said nothing for a moment, glancing back, meeting Ella’s and Hannah’s eyes . Looking about, he also saw Amadeel, Titus, Ivon, Myveen, Cain, Alex, Lucky... everyone was here . At least everyone who could make a difference .

He cast one last glance at the Primes before turning around, landing next to the small entourage that quickly gathered around him .

"Ella and I will keep the Primes at bay," the tone of his voice was suffocating, so much so that no one -- not even Hannah or Ella -- could voice a complaint . Cold, desolate, tired . "Hannah and Amadeel will lead the central charge . Amadeel, you’re tasked with ensuring the remnants of the higher battles don’t reach our forces . Bring them closer to the clash safely . Hannah, you’ll be taking on the Descent with Lucky’s support . Lucky, take four-five most experienced Shadows, those who won’t cave under pressure no matter what, and ensure she doesn’t get overwhelmed .

"Titus and Myveen, take a ten thousand strong force each and start circling on the flanks . Mostly regimes with good bombarding Arts that can cover a lot of ground, a few speedy Shadows to act as scouts . Alex, Cain, you’re in charge of holding the rear; support wherever you see the line being pushed back . Ivon, stay near the Commanders and Generals in the War Room, and protect them whilst relaying the orders . Summon as many Legions as possible -- don’t care about the costs . If need be, unlock the spatial void temporarily to let them through . "

" . . . " all the while he spoke, the small group held their breaths, unable to interject or reply -- merely capable of nodding their heads in agreement, as though it was the only possible answer .

"By the end of this goddamn hell," he added, his voice growing even colder if possible for a moment . "I imagine a good chunk of us standing here today will be dead . Good luck to you all . We’ll meet in the infinity . "

He spun on his heel, unfurling his wings once more, taking to the sky . Ella glanced at the group and nodded, following right after him, catching up . She glanced sideways at his expression, one which caused her heart to stir, her eyes nearly tearing up .

" . . . this isn’t like you . " she said . "What’s wrong?"

"--nothing’s wrong," Lino replied . "I’m just angry . "

"Never this much . "

"Plenty times," he said, glancing at her . "It was just that usually, I was not strong enough to act on it . "

" . . . do you fancy we can really take on over two hundred Primes?"

"Most are useless caprices that may as well be helpless blobs," he said . "By my estimates, there are only four-five that can threaten me in a direct confrontation . The rest are probably going to be used as a distraction or be sent to the battlefield . That’s why I’ll charge directly while you’ll stay behind, preventing the stragglers and supporting me when you see me being overwhelmed . "

" . . . many will die today . " Ella mumbled, glancing at the blacked horizon of smoke and ash . "Too many . "

" . . . let’s ensure, then, as few as possible die . "

"Rather than thinking of them," she said, suddenly putting her hand on his shoulder . "Focus on keeping yourself alive . They aren’t the ones fighting the Abominations of Chaos, Lino . "

"--no," Lino replied simply, suddenly smiling . "Another such abomination is . "

" . . . looks like you aren’t quite right in the head," Ella said, squinting her eyes . "Maybe I should take the lead . I am quite strong, you know . "

"I know," he nodded, his eye shining in a mysterious glint . "But today’s not the day for you to show off . The cost would be too big to bear . "

" . . . " Ella said nothing, merely shifting her gaze on the front as the two came to a halt .

Prime after Prime, abomination after abomination, took to the sky, meeting them head-on . A small stretch of space separated them, the distance that meant nothing to those on their levels . Rather, the entire continent was probably too small to contain them, let alone the few hundred meters currently separating them . The armies bellow had already begun moving, Eggor and Primul having finished the makeshift array, temporarily blocking the winds .

"So... you choose to die with honor," dozens of voices trickled about . "As the Empyrean should . "

"Die?" Lino chortled . "I can’t die . Life’s... too much fun . You, though, can go to hell . No, wait -- you will go to hell . No, wait, I’ve destroyed hell already . Eh, you’ll go where you’re meant to go . Damn all of you . "