The Automaton hadn’t moved an inch.
“It’s just staring at us,” Vir reported, leaving the shadows.
“Well, then I s’ppose we wait,” the giant said, taking a seat.
Shan circled a few times before lying down.
“Is there really nothing we can do?” Vir asked.
“Can’t fight it. Can’t outrun it. All we can do is hide. Let this be a lesson, lad. Never let your strength go to your head.”
“Hard to, when all we can do is cower in fear and hope our enemy moves on.”
“Aye, that might be easy here in the Ash, where every other beast reminds you of your own impotence,” Cirayus said. “But what of the Demon Realm? Lad, when you entered the Ash, you were weaker than most demons. That is no longer true. But strength doesn’t make you invincible. Even the greatest among us die.”
“I know,” Vir said softly. “I won’t be nearly as strong outside the Ash. Even if I retain the same level of prana within my body, I’ll have to ration it carefully.”
“Not only that,” Cirayus said. “Your powers… They’re unlike the tattoos demons use. Quite unlike them, actually.”
Vir narrowed his eyes. “Which means if I want to stay hidden…”
“You’ll have to hide your abilities as well. Dance of the Shadow Demon is out of the question,” Cirayus said. “Everyone knows that’s an Iksana Bloodline ability. And you are not a ghael.”
Vir mulled it over. “Leap and Blink should be fine, right?”
“Yes. We’ll have to inscribe fake tattoos on you—temporary ones—to make it look as though your powers stem from them. Movement arts won’t be an issue.”
“I see. Then I can use Haste, too. And Prana Vision is invisible, so I should be able to use that freely. What about Prana Blade and Blade Launch?”
“Plenty of strike enforcement magics exist,” Cirayus explained. “Though, none that use Ash prana. We can claim your katar is an Artifact that channels Ash prana. Shouldn’t be much of a stretch, seeing how you have a true Artifact already.”
“Sounds like Dance of the Shadow Demon is the only power I’ll have to hide?” Vir said. It didn’t sit right with him that he’d have to hide one of his most versatile abilities, yet there was something that worried him as well.
“What about the Iksana?” he asked. “You’d mentioned that you’d inscribe fake tattoos on me, which will work for most people, but what about the Iksana who have Sight? The moment they see me, they’ll learn who I am, right?”
“Aye. Thankfully, the Iksana rarely venture out of their caves and tunnels, though we’ll require a solution eventually.”
Vir thought of mejai armor, and how it scrambled the wearer’s prana signature to his eyes. Imperium metal had a similar quality.
Might be something Prana Current could help with? he wondered. It was something to test once he got to the Demon Realm.
Over the next hours, Vir alternated between meditating on his Foundation Chakra and spying on the Guardian.
To their frustration, the Automaton hadn’t moved. Whatever made it take an interest in them remained.
Vir’s tension began to mount. Even after a full day, the Guardian remained. While they had food and water for days, the claustrophobic environment weighed him down.
Ironically, it was that exact pressure that helped his meditation. He was close to the Foundation Chakra. He could feel it. He’d also used the time to pull prana into his body, further expanding his blood capacity.
He wasn’t sure if he’d have such a chance once he left the Ash, so he strove to push his limits every moment he could.
Just that even if he learned it, it’d be useless.
The Chakra? What if…
“Cirayus?” Vir asked. “Have you ever tried fighting an Automaton?”
“I value my life, lad,” Cirayus replied, narrowing his eyes in concern. “Not even your father was that reckless.”
Vir’s heart began to pound.
“Does that mean you’ve never tried attacking it?”
“Never. I’ve only ever come across such a being twice before, and each time, I hid as quietly as I could.”
“So, you’ve never tried using your chakra attacks against it?”
“I have not,” Cirayus admitted. “But, lad, this is an Imperium creation. We should assume it has complete mastery over its chakras.”
“Maybe.” A smile crept onto Vir’s face. “Or maybe not… Hear me out.”
58STRANGE COMPANY
“You mean to say that the gods had no concept of chakra?” Cirayus asked, unconvinced.
“Rather, the chakras may not even have existed before the fall of the gods. Cirayus, whatever happened to the Imperium changed the world in ways I’m not sure anyone understands. There was a moon! A bright circle in the night sky, many times the size of the stars!”
“Aye, you mentioned that before, lad. Just hard to comprehend, is all. Let’s say you’re right. This is still quite a risk. Demons don’t fight Imperium Automatons. Not the ones who wish to live to tell a tale, anyway. Even if my chakra attacks work on it, who’s to say I’ll even get the chance?”
“That’s where I come in. Shan and I will serve as a distraction until you can land a blow.”
“No,” Cirayus replied firmly. “’Tis too dangerous for you.”
“Look, I’d much rather flee, but we’ve been here a full day and that thing hasn’t moved an inch. What choice do we have?”
“There is another option,” Cirayus said quietly. “We make for the summit.”
“Those peaks are ravaged by lightning. It’d be suicide.”
“Not for me, lad. And, I suspect, not for you, either, with your newfound abilities.”
“We don’t know that,” Vir replied, mulling over Cirayus’ plan. True, Prana Armor had grown far stronger thanks to Current, he just wasn’t sure if it was sufficient to weather a blast of Lightning.
“There are tricks to traversing the ravaged peaks,” Cirayus continued. “We walk while crouching as low as we can. Makes it less likely we’ll be hit that way. Least, that’s what I’ll do. You might not have to, with Dance of the Shadow Demon. Shadows are stronger up on the peaks.”
Vir grimaced, debating between the two options. Neither was especially palatable. Risking life and limb against an ancient, possibly deranged Automaton built by the gods, or against Bhumi—mother nature—herself.
“At least we can hit the Automaton,” Vir muttered. “But I see your point. Alright. Let’s do it your way—”
“Hold, lad,” Cirayus said, peering into the Artifact orb.
“What’s wrong?”
“The Artifact. ’Tis glowing brighter. Brighter than before, when we entered.”
“That’s… It’s moving?” Vir asked. “Is that even possible?”
“Apparently so.”
“Wait,” Vir said, paling. “Does that mean the Artifact it’s paired with in the Demon Realm is here?”
If so, their chances of exiting the Ash safely had just plummeted. Ash Tears were a dime a dozen. Whereas true, proper Ash Gates that were stable enough to safely travel through? Those were beyond rare. Vir had seen only a handful in his time here. Without the Artifact, they’d be relying on dumb luck like Amarat—the demon in Balindam’s Undercity—had done.
“Could mean anything, lad. But if it is here, it means we’re not alone. Someone must be carrying it. Or, gods forbid, something.”