Chain Melody 16

The world of Niol, a world made of intertwined gods and a tree so great as to cover a large portion of the northern hemisphere. Below the boughs of this great tree, the Builders’ Tree, a god in the form of a great bird known as Sol brought day and chased off the monsters born of the Ash hidden beneath the surface. Resting on the surface and below the branches of the Builders’ Tree the Northern Kingdoms of the Five Great Theatres of Civilization carried about their daily lives as best they could with at least two of their number crippled by the Chainmaid and the Princess of Highroot both. Whereas the Princess of Highroot had control of her situation, enwrapping the city of Aperture in her shadowy web, Chain fought to hold her footing atop the spear she stood upon as the temple she stood in shook with tremendous and violent energy.

“What are you doing you idiot?!”

Though Chain yelled at him for an explanation Professor Plume Beaks did naught but offer her a smile in answer before taking another bite of the green apple he held. In his other hand the two-way radio he held provided him a report of what caused the tremors he ordered. The so called Condor Points that reported in about portal start up procedures were in fact the grounded zeppelins of the once five zeppelin core airship known as the Condor. Situated in a five point star position on the edges of the great cavern that held the Sacred Sword Shrine and the city-like compound that surrounded it the vessels opened their cores and channeled energy through the Builders’ Song into the very earth. Ignited by crackling lightning the cooled magma of the cavern floor surged to life in fiery eruption and a magic circle encompassed the floor of the cavern anchored by the airship sections. Chain herself was well attuned to most magicks and could immediately tell that a portal of tremendous power was being called into being.

“You idiot! What are you thinking?! If you move the temple then there’s no guarantee the seal holding the Demon Lord will hold!”

“Then you best delight me with your abilities in a forge Chainmaid.”

“UGH! You grandiose idiot!”

Giving up on maintaining her footing atop Elliot’s spear Chain leapt across the heart of the temple to where Finch sat sprawled on her knees holding onto Finch.

“Look, I get you had your own plans and that you care about that rodent to no end, but I doubt any of us can stop the Demon Lord here even if we all worked together.”

“But…”

“Look I get it! But we don’t have any time! At the very least my ritual will directly connect your rodent to the heart of the Great Spirit Well of Fire and the Great Spirit of Fire himself! If anyone can save them it’ll be them!”

Finch looked up at Chain disbelieving yet pleadingly and all Chain could do was grit her teeth faced with the absurdity of the situation that faced her. Desperate not to have to face a Demon Lord of legend however, Chain sheathed her sword and held out a hand towards Finch and pleaded with the child Hero with but a single word.

“Plaese!”

Finch could not deny the desperateness in Chain’s eyes and voice and after being frozen for but a moment closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Wiping away her tears she looked up at Chain with a much more controlled expression and forced a smile.

“You better bring him back. Matches has been my friend for as long as I can remember and won’t forgive you if anything happens to him.”

“I won’t make any promises, but if you have to blame anyone blame the Great Spirit of Fire.”

Chain offered Finch a smile of her own though hers was far more genuine it could not disguise her desperateness. Finch was amazed by Chain’s strength in that moment all the same and her own smile became significantly more earnest.

“Honestly, I’m the Hero Chainmaid.”

“And I’m the idiot who just happens to know the only technique that can be used to reforge a Sacred Sword.”

“Then go do it Chainmaid. Be a Hero in my place and save the Stormroots.”

“I’ll do my best, and then maybe you can help me save Melody and the three of us can actually sit down and talk about how you two became friends in the first place.”

“Let’s do that Chainmaid. Now go, save my home.”

Fighting to keep a smile on her face as her tears ran freely down her face Finch held Matches out towards Chain. Chain nearly lost her own smile seeing the faith clear as day on Finch’s face that she was putting into her. Shaking her head Chain donned her typically cocky smile and took Matches in her right hand.

“Alright you unfortunate rodent, let’s go meet a Great Spirit and Demon Lord both.”

“You’re a fool Bandit Eater! I won’t let a Sycamore save my kingdom!”

Looking over her shoulder Chain frowned upon the Bandit King as he struggled to move the heap of muscle he had been reduced to.

“No one said I would succeed you grinning idiot. But you might as well put your faith into a Sycamore because you’re in no shape to challenge a Demon Lord.”

“Damn you Bandit Eater!”

Roc’s words brought a degree of satisfaction to Chain’s cocky smile and she rather joyously spoke as she turned away from the Bandit King.

“Didn’t you know? I already am!”

Starting into a light run Chain made for the dais and the Sacred Sword that stood at its center, thrust into the crimson ice that held the Demon Lord below. As she reached the steps of the dais she was stopped to her chagrin by none other than Elliot.

“We really don’t have the time Elliot. It really is now or never. The portal that grandiose idiot has put together is just a moment away from taking us who knows where. Wherever it ends up being though you can bet the seal won’t be able to take the stress.”

“Then promise me Chain. Promise me that you won’t give in to the evils of the Demon Lord and give in to the destructive will that swirls within you.”

“Destructive…?”

Chain started to question Elliot’s words but suddenly closed her eyes and smiled as she banished her confusion. Opening her eyes she looked on Elliot with unmatched confidence.

“Look you idiot. I’m a monster of my own making. Not because of a Relic I can barely control, or a dragon who insists that I’m one too, or even sharing blood with Lewis Sycamore. The girl Link Sycamore has been gone for a long time and only the Chainmail Maiden remains. A monster so frightening I’m even going to give the gods and demons a reason to fear her.”

“In that case Chain, good luck.”

Elliot offered Chain a gentle and encouraging smile of his own and stepped to the side allowing Chain unrestricted access to the dais. Chain offered Elliot no response but a smile as she lowered her head hiding her eyes behind her bangs. Stepping past Elliot she lifted her left hand and the sphere of light within began to twist and burn like a barely controlled inferno as Chain began her incantation.

(Don’t worry about it Chain. Sure you don’t have a clue what you’re doing but if they believe that idiot’s techniques can repair a Sacred Sword then it just might be what he’s been doing all of these years. And if that’s true, then we just need to make contact with the Great Spirit and they can tell you what you need to do.)

“~ Heart of a star touched by man ~
~ Spirit of Fire itself, spilling forth from the First Well ~
~ Through contract of fire and spirit, flesh and blood, I call upon you ~
~ I make this object of your will the catalyst and call forth your being ~”

Strolling across the crimson ice as the light of Beaks’ portal began to fill the temple Chain let spill flames from her left hand. As the flames touched the ice they flared as though they spilled from the skin of a star and began to trace a magic circle within the columned borders of the dais. Watching the scene with utter delight Beaks began to extend his power and all who could hear the Builders’ Song heard it rise up in verse around them.

♪~ The order has come and so we sing ~♪
♪~ Of fire and forges, of portals and gateways ~♪

As Chain reached out for the hilt of the dull blade of molten light she intended to complete her incantation to begin the ritual that would connect her to the Great Spirit of the Well of Fire. The eyes of all of the heroes present were on her knowing that she was their only chance to keep the Demon Lord sealed, all but one whose weapon began to stir again with the return of the Builders’ Song within the heart of the temple. The Heroes all failed to notice though and would not see the stirring of chains at all as the light of Beaks’ portal engulfed everything and then gave way to the blinding reflected daylight of the Great Bird Sol within the chasm that held Bright Rift’s capital, Aperture. Surrounded by the flames of her incantation and aglow with the light of Sol Chain appeared transcendent as her cape whipped around her in the sudden wind as the majority of the temple collapsed around her. Beaks would not be able to take in that view as a heavy and towering shadow appeared behind him.

“What?! You recov– –?!”

Beaks as well as the verse he summoned to create the forge Chain would need were cut off as the Bandit King’s hand closed around his head.

“You messed up Plume Beaks. You had the chance to kill me and wasted it. Now it’s over.”

Roc’s toothy grin split his face with a maliciousness that had not been seen before as he crushed Beaks’ head as one would a tomato. Below where his head had once been Beaks’ body collapsed unceremoniously to the ground as blood spilled upon it from Roc’s clenched fist. Turning his attention from Beaks, the Bandit King turned his malicious grin onto Chain.

“And now it’s your turn Bandit Eater.”

Roc did not even manage to take a step in Chain’s direction though before mad laughter that could be made by no mortal filled the air. The laughter caused everyone to look around and in that moment Elliot and Finch became aware of Beaks’ demise and looks of disbelief and terror appeared on their faces. They would have no time to react further though as the inhuman laughter gave way to words spoken with the most chilling of twisted glee.

“You’re finally here southern maid! Finally, finally, finally, finally here! We’ve been waiting sooo~ long! But you’re finally here! Now we can begin! Begin the end of it al!. Eh, he, he, he, he… EH~ HA, HA, HA, HA!”

As the wild laughter returned tendrils of shadow came out of nowhere and snatched Chain straight out of the floating remains of the Sacred Sword Shrine. Elliot and Finched watched in helpless terror even as the crimson ice began to crack and splinter. Roc however knew naught but rage as the subject of his fury was snatched out before him and grinded his teeth as his toothy grin grew ever more malicious.

“Little Corvina, now you’ve done it!”

Copyright © 2018 Joshua D Tarwater