Unbound

Pit was among the first to greet the Chimera. As his friends disembarked from the ships, Pit and A’zek approached the line they made around the star-shaped platform. Lots of sniffing and excited jostling marked the line of Chimeras as they came close, but not too close, to the Manaships, as if there were a line in the sand they were unwilling to cross.

“Welcome brethren!”

“A tenku and a harnoq from away. That is amazing!”

“Hello there!” Pit shouted, tromping up to their line.

The tenku ranged in sizes, though few were smaller than Scylla. Most were larger, though none approached Pit’s massive dimensions. Their furs ranged in colors from creams and whites to darker purple-blacks to even subdued browns and greens. Their beaks were every shape imaginable, from long and needled to stubbed, and their limbs varied in the details. Some had paws, others had bird-like claws, and some even had hooves like a Minotaur. Their wings were mostly feathered, though a few were more bat-like, but all of them had tails that shook vigorously as Pit greeted them all.

The wyverns were different. More uniform, though they still seemed a hodgepodge of Dragon and some sort of bird. They were very long, their feathered tails twice the length of their bodies, and from what Pit could tell, about equal to their wingspan. They, too, were excited to meet the both of them, moving forward with their forelimbs that were also the folded edges of their wings, like a bird taking to all fours. Their scales were iridescent green, black, white, even silver and red, while their feathers were more varied still. Crests like lion manes framed their Dragon-like faces and horns, while their wings were coated in similar striking plumage.

“Who is that?” A’zek asked the crowding Chimera, just moments before a shadow laid over them all.

The Chimera backed up at once, their excitement quieting as a large tenku landed among them, shaking the earth with his arrival. He was heavily muscled across the chest and shoulders, and his head was shaped like a blunt hook. His fur was green, chased by silver, and scars marked his face and throat with pale patches. He stared Pit down, despite being half his size.

Pit stared right back.

The words felt formal to Pit, as if the guy knew exactly who they were and was just asking for show.

"Bearer of Harmony," Scylla said with a bow, "allow me to introduce A'zek, Traveler of Lost Light, and Pit, Shaper of Chaos. They are brethren, lost in the storm."

"Do they seek refuge?" the bearer asked. There was a beat of silence before Pit realized he was expected to talk.

"Oh! Yes, for me and all my friends."

"Yes," A'zek added.

The Bearer of Harmony regarded them like the face of a cliff given life. There was nothing there but a stern solemnity, and Pit could hardly stand it.

Gah! Say something.

"Pit and A'zek, Chimera from lands beyond…" The Bearer's empty face split, and a bright smile marked his cheeks. "Welcome home.”

Authority Recognized, Bearer of Harmony.

New Arrivals Have Been Offered Guest Privileges.

Screeches and roars tore into the sky as spirits were unveiled. Pit was buffeted by waves of joy and elation as the Chimera stomped their feet, and even Scylla had a grin on her face.

"It is good to have you among us," the Bearer announced above the din. "We had feared for a long time that no more Chimera existed beyond the shelter of our storms."

Pit started. "You've never met another Chimera at all?"

"You two are the first in all the long years the Enclave has existed. In fact, A’zek, you’re the first harnoq we've seen in living memory. We’ve not seen a wendigo in just as long. We do not know if they even still exist."

“That’s…there aren’t very many of us left, are there?”

“Not as many as there once was,” Bearer said, his joy tempered by a returning solemnity. “The Fall hurt us almost as much as the Nym themselves.”

Right. Because of the Ruin. Pit shook the thought away, though, and focused on the eager faces around him. "It is good to see so many of our kind, though.”

“That it is,” A’zek agreed. “Are there truly no harnoqs in this place?”

“Sadly not. Sunara is a realm of flight, owing to the eternal storms that ravage its lands. Those same storms are all that have sheltered us through the long Ages, allowing us to retain as much of our culture and history as we could. The harnoq…Perhaps our elders know of what lands they favored, before the Fall.”

The dark panther nodded, and Pit felt him emanate gratitude. “I would like that.”

"I have some questions, if I may ask them," said Vess as she stepped forward through the crowd. A contingent of Legionnaires, giants, Henaari, and Chanters stood at her back—not even close to all of their troops, but enough to make a statement. The Bearer looked at her with caution, but Pit was quick to pull her farther into their group.

"This is Vess,” he said eagerly. “She's the leader of our group. She's good.”

"Vessilia Dayne, a Lady of Nagast and Dragoon of Pax’Vrell," Scylla offered to the Bearer.

The larger tenku bowed his head slightly. "How might I help you, Lady Dayne?"

"You call this the Enclave of the Chimera, and while I noticed many tenku and wyverns, I also see Korvaa and Sylphaen.”

“And you wonder why.”

“I do.”

“The Enclave is sheltering them against the shadowbeasts." A rumble of discontent rolled through the crowd at his words. "They fled to us after the Sylphaen city had been attacked. Here, hidden behind ancient wards and powerful magic, they are safe.”

“For the moment," a resonant voice called, and it was almost drowned out by the thunder of wings from above.

Pit whipped his head up, watching as a small army of armed and armored Chimera, Korvaa, and Sylphaen landed on the dome just beyond the Chimeric crowd. Their wings were wide, casting shadows upon the platform as the sun blazed behind them. Among them, much like the Bearer of Harmony, was a massive Chimera, this one a wyvern.

The Bearer bowed, as did the rest of the crowd, the Chimera. "Thalgrym, we have welcomed our brethren into the Enclave."

"And their army?" the wyvern asked in a deep voice that made Pit’s beak rattle against itself. The setting sun painted him in fiery colors, making his feathers appear to blaze.

"They are with us," Pit said, stepping forward. A few Chimera murmured around him, but Pit couldn't catch what they said.

"You may be accepted by the Enclave, but your fleet represents a threat to us that cannot be ignored."

"What? We're not—"

"Your leaders will come with us to the Hall of Song. There we shall bear witness to your testimony, Outsiders."

"It seems like we're in trouble,” Pit whispered.

"I think we are," Evie whispered back.

"It will be fine," Vess insisted. "You will see."

Pit glanced at the armored escort around them as they walked down a paved pathway edged by blossoms. The Korvaa, Sylphaen, and Chimera around them were stern and reeked of strength, the kind not found in training, but real battle.

He wasn't sure it would go as smoothly as Vess hoped.

Pit, A'zek, Vess, Evie, and Yin all walked together, representing the leadership of their team. Tzfell and Laur had been left behind to command the soldiers in their absence. For all Vess' optimism, he'd still seen her silent instructions to them before they'd left.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Pit just hoped Chimeras didn't know handsign.

The pathway terminated in a large square where a fountain sat front and center. A statue of a large tree sprouted from its middle, made of the same bone-white material as the bridges and buildings. As they passed it, Pit couldn’t shake the impression that something was wrong with its design.

What a badly made tree. The trunk's all twisted, like it's made of wire or lightning.

Beyond the fountain was a tall building. It was familiar to Pit, though it took him a few minutes to remember why—then he grasped it: it was extremely similar to the Bastion of Atlantes. It had the same layout, with outer and inner walls, though the architectural details were significantly different. The Bastion had been heavily designed by the Henaari, while this place took inspiration from an entirely different set of sensibilities.

Their escort led them through corridors and antechambers, and Pit clocked hexagonal tiles covering the floors in a cool green stone, save for patches where grass and trees rose up from the naked earth. Insects and birds flitted around them, bathed in the light of the setting sun through huge windows that faced both east and west.

Soon enough, they entered a final chamber, one clearly designed for the meetings of rulers. This, too, was familiar. The vaulted ceiling was patterned with overlapping, many-pointed stars, until they comprised a nest of complicated lines. Hexagonal pillars stood along every wall, shaped and sized the exact same as the wide tiles beneath their feet, as if the ground had just lifted up to the ceiling.

A circular table sat in the center. Dominated by a throne-like chair made of Crescian Bronze, it was heavily carved, the lines describing an image of a hand holding an eight-pointed star aloft. Thalgrym was there, the large wyvern seated in the throne, along with six other Chimeras at the table. Sylphaen, six of them, had seats as well, and beside them were six Korvaa. All present were wearing fine clothes and finer mantles made of a cloth that looked like liquid metal, even the tenku and wyverns.

As they’re escorts led them to the edge of the table, Thalgrym tapped his winged limb on its surface, and the sound boomed. "We are gathered within the Hall of Songs today to hear testimony from the accused, so that we may dole out judgment."

Murmurs of assent came from the other counselors. Evie wasn't quite so content.

"Accused," she said, gripping the chain around her waist. "Accused of what?"

"Of bringing an army of uncertain intent into our midst during a time of war," Thalgrym stated, his tone cool and calm.

Vess placed her hand on Evie's arm, and the woman relented. "Our presence was welcomed by your own Wayfinder," Vess said. "If we are to be judged, then why were we allowed entry?"

"The Wayfinder will be subject to her own tribunal. Now we speak of your transgression."

A Sylphaen stood and spoke, cutting off Thalgrym. Their voice was like a fluting bird and rushing wind, and they went on at considerable length before a slate-gray Korvaa stepped forward to translate.

"The Honored Rell speaks of the blessings of the Tempest for all that shelter within Euphonia. These people have been afforded Guest Privileges by the Stormwardens."

"The chair acknowledges the Honored Rell. The Stormwardens have given their blessings based on the judgments of our people, not theirs. I cannot disregard the threat of their presence," Thalgrym said. "If our worries cannot be assuaged, my Authority will ensure all privileges will be revoked."

Another Korvaa stepped forward, dressed in cinched robes of pale cream with a stole of metallic silver that was stark against his glossy black feathers. "I wish to hear from the accused."

Pit jerked in surprise as the guy stood. He knew him. That's Wonderment! From Echo’s Reach in the Void. How the heck did he get here?

“The chair acknowledged Honored Wonderment. I, too, wish to hear from the accused.”

Vess cleared her throat. "We have spoken of our intentions with your Wayfinder, Scylla Skysunder. I assume she has conveyed those details to you."

"She has," Thalgrym said.

"Then you know we are here to aid you against the shadowbeasts."

"We do not need your aid." The words were not boastful or even aggressive. The wyvern spoke as if it were an immutable reality. "Our warriors have engaged with the shadowbeasts and have returned successfully time and again. The monsters cannot even locate our home among the storm, let alone breach our defenses."

Vess inclined her head. "I acknowledge that your presence is stronger than I had feared. But those shadowbeasts aren't just any monsters. You know this."

"We do. The gods have come against us, just as they did in Ages past."

Pit chirruped curiously. "When?"

"When the Nymean fought their disastrous war. The same one that led to the death of thousands of our ancestors when the Ruin wiped the Nym from the face of the Continent. Even if two Chimera are on your side, that is not reason enough to allow you and your army within our borders," Thalgrym gestured beyond the hall. "The Wayfinder says you are both bonded to a Companion."

"We are," A’zek admitted.

"As am I," Yintarion announced, stepping forward and ahead of Vess. "What of it?"

Thalgrym scoffed. "It is yet another mark against anything you say. It is an act of selfishness and the road to Ruin. No Chimera of this Enclave would willingly enter into a pact bond. We've learned our lessons from our forebears all too well."

Another Korvaa, this one resembling a large heron, lifted her tall neck. "I wish for clarity on a previous statement, Lady Dayne. You said we are better off than you feared. How could you know of our plight?"

"Our leader has a unique perspective into things. They have witnessed the gods come after you. Specifically, after one of you," she said.

Not only Thalgrym, but all of the counselors leaned forward, their Spirits veiling even tighter than before. A’zek growled, and Pit spread his paws a little wider.

C’mon Vess, talk us through this. I really don't want to fight this whole place.

"Let me be clear," Vess continued, "so that there is no misunderstanding, either now or in the future. We know that an Unbound lives among you."

Fear and anger rolled through the Enclave, and the armored Chimera around the perimeter of the Hall of Songs tensed, as if expecting battle. Pit groaned and readied the edges of his Mantle.

"We know this," Vess continued, "because we are led by an Unbound of our own."

Thalgrym's eyes widened, a brief but truncated refrain of—Was that hope?Or fear?

"What proof could you possibly offer to support your claim?" Thalgrym asked, covering up his outburst.

Vess simply looked to Pit.

"Do any among you have the ability to delve?" Pit asked, standing tall and turned so that he faced all that would judge him. "To cast yourself into a core space?"

One of the Sylphaen counselors nodded. She was older, but her eyes were firm.

"Then you can check me right now, and I will offer you all the proof you need."

After a moment of barely audible discussion, the Sylphaen flew down from the seats, with a grace Pit wouldn't have expected from her frail form. She spoke, and over her whistling tones, another Korvaa spoke at her side.

"I will delve your core space. Offer your evidence, and I will display it for all to see."

With gentle care, she laid her hand across Pit's chest, her power pressed against him questioningly. Pit allowed it in. He looked to the counselors.

"You've complained about me having a Companion. You've said it makes us untrustworthy and weaker."

The Sylphaen gasped, her eyes wide but unseeing as her hand rested against his feathers. The Korvaa spoke over her staccato language. "Such power."

Pit flared Exalted Conjunction, and the Sylphaen screamed. Several counselors rose to their feet, their voices concerned.

"Release her!" one demanded.

The Sylphaen lifted her free hand, and from it poured an unspooling violet mist. Flashes of gold coalesced within, sparking off one another until a shadow emerged from the center of the image. It blazed with blue-white fire as it was defined into the shape of a man.

Pit raised his voice above the sudden turmoil. "My Companion is Felix Nevarre, Autarch of Nagast, Colossus of Khalheim, Primarch of Gharion, and King of Pax’Vrell and Ahkestria."

A crown anointed the figure's dark head, made of Crescian Bronze as red-gold flame joined the blue across his chest and arms, highlighting his sharp features and the eyes that burned.

"He is Nymean, the last of his kind, and he is the strongest Unbound in all the Continent. He has faced down monstrous enemies that have threatened entire Territories, if not the world. He is worthy of your respect, and so am I."

The Sylphaen woman gasped, and the illusion dropped. Immediately, the Korvaa beside her helped her up, and Thalgrym snarled. "What was that?"

The elderly woman spoke in halting tones. "Companion," she said in the common tongue. "Strongest bond…these eyes…have ever seen."

She kept talking, but her words lapsed back into her native tongue. The Korvaa at her side translated.

"The Seeker Jinar says that their bond goes beyond the Spirit. It is complete in all Aspects." She kept speaking, and the Korvaa swallowed fearfully before looking up at Thalgrym. "She felt his Companion. No other has felt so strong since she first witnessed the Princess."

A concerned grumbling filled the counselors. Conversations erupted between Sylphaen and tenku, wyvern, and Korvaa. Pit glanced at Wonderment, and the Korvaa stared back at him, his beak agape as if he’d just realized something.

Took you long enough.

Vess put a hand on Pit's shoulder. "Thank you, Pit."

To the counselor, she lifted her chin, and her voice was powerful and commanding. "We came here to save you all. These shadowbeasts aren't here for any of us. They were sent by Noctis and Vellus to catch the Sylphaen Unbound in order to turn her into a Vessel for their Divine might."

The counselor's muttering increased, but Thalgrym slammed a clawed wing to the table. "Silence." Their voices drew to a close. "Do any offer supporting testimony to what has been seen here today?"

"I do," said Wonderment.

Pit looked up, eager to hear what the Korvaa said. The raven-like Korvaa cleared his throat, adjusting his silver stole.

"I know this tenku. He and his Companion saved us from certain death at the hands of pirates. They are the reason I am alive. He is the reason any of us from Echo's Reach are still alive."

"Truly?" Thalgrym asked. "This is the one?"

"Yes. I was unsure at first, for he has changed considerably. But there is no doubting it now."

Thalgrym frowned. "Understood. We have heard what we have needed. The tribunal will retire to process your testimonies. We shall reconvene at dawn."

His claw slammed against the table again. "Dismissed."

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