The Celestial Way

Chapter 24 - The Way Crumbles

CHAPTER 24 – THE WAY CRUMBLES

"It is believed the legacy of the fabled Magisters of Arceria was lost forever during the Great Equalizing, when the Transhuman Order arrived in the Zvezda System. According to the world's local history, the Magisters knew all secrets of the Great Cosmos and could practice any kind of magic, without regard for limits such as energy expenditure, quantum flux resonance, and ontological paradoxicality. Knowledge from this caliber is regrettably beyond the grasp of modern Conduits. Seven centuries later, even the most advanced biomorphologic augmentations or the greatest of mystical schools struggle to break the hard limits seemingly wrought into reality itself.

Some believe transhumanity will never surpass those barriers. Others believe that we, as a species of shared consciousness, have simply not attuned ourselves properly to the Æther."

– Sir Dr. Reibwyr Draus, "Forlorn Laments Of The Æther Age", Datalinks

Three days later, Ilsorin, the Radiant Knights' last bastion

"Are you sure about this?" Airo asked.

"I am," Kiana replied. "I want to show what's left of Dragon Retreat to the whippersnapper. It's the only place where I've been at peace since I awoke to this whole fubar."

"What about the constant warpstorms? How are you going to brave them?"

"Heh, I've got it planned." Kiana thumped the fuselage of the stormjet behind her. "Turned out these bad boys can operate even in space if necessary. I'll just climb into low orbit and then descend upon the location of our destination."

"If it still exists geographically," Airo muttered.

"Oh, I bet it does, Fearless Leader. That settlement had some top-notch E-beacons – ya, I didn't know about them before, but I used my time there to educate myself – same as you."

They were in one of the hangars at the top of the mountain stronghold. Kiana, with help from Bernard and Zeromon, had modified one of the Radiant Order's remaining stormjets, so she could fit alongside Nightsong in the cockpit, since her soulkin now was slightly larger than an adult human, but her wings and tail gave her an additional bulk.

"I do not know how much more we will all live, but I do hope you will return," Veralla said. She was about the same size as Nightsong, as the two rapidly grew in almost parallel fashion.

"Oh, we're definitely gonna return," Nightsong replied. "I just wanted to see the outside world at least once, and Kiana's suggestion sounds very nice indeed if... well..."

The two fledglings hugged, saying nothing more. Airo turned his gaze back to Kiana and clapped her shoulder.

"Take care," he said. "Both of you."

"We will," Kiana nodded. She then smirked. "Aww, has Fearless Leader suddenly become all soppy and emotional?"

"Hey, I am a different person now," Airo protested, frowning.

"Yah, and I'm a Radiant Knight," Kiana said. "Oh wait, I am. Hot damn, the world's gone crazy!"

"In more ways than one," Airo added, and they both laughed.

"Guess we gotta go," Kiana sighed, and made to put on the helmet of the heavy-duty vacsuit she wore, when suddenly someone shouted from the other end of the hangar.

"Kiiiii!" Zuckeroff shrieked breathlessly, approaching at full sprint. "Ki, wait for meeee!"

"Gamebrain, you dork!" Kiana snapped as the astrior stopped before her and Airo, panting heavily. "I told you I was leaving an hour ago! What smacked you to arrive late again?"