A World With/Out Home

Chapter 18: Echoes (Part 4)

"Oh no," Riften paled. "Mori is in danger. We need to leave now!"

Karen made the decision, "Everyone out!" Her skin had become much paler just like many of the others. Despite what she had said, it really wasn't over.

No longer composed as they were, the Mercenaries of the Ever-Garden rushed out of the temple ignoring everyone they passed. The death of a friend was rare, but scarier was still was how sudden it came. They all knew how strong they each were and Orpheus was no exception. Whatever was waiting for them back home was going to be trouble. The problem however wasn't what was waiting for them but what was already there.

Outside the temple a large crowd had gathered and trying to calm them were several robed bishops and the knights of the church. The reason for it was clear. Their battle with the Human God had focused their attention and all the while the situation in the city had turned. The sky was dyed in red and the once white clouds were stained black. Far to the horizon where the city's edge met the plains a shimmering wall of light blockaded their view.

The Mercenaries broke out of the temple unceremoniously. Their presence caused the crowd to gasp and the bishops turned in surprise.

"Who? How did you get here?" the oldest among them looked them enraged. "How dare you walk on the blessed grounds of our God. May he smite you for your insolence!"

Karen stepped past him, "Trust me he tried. Now get out of our way." The knights came to arrest them but were brushed aside and unconscious before they realised what happened. "Lav what's going on...? It feels powerful."

"It is," the girl, a master of barriers herself, trembled. "Give me a minute. All I can tell so far is that it's locked us inside."

Riften stepped up beside Karen, "We don't have time for this. Orpheus is dead which means Mori is in danger as well. Who knows how long she can last."

Ellen agreed immediately, "Riften is right. We need to leave. I'll break this barrier by force if I have to." She huffed clearly agitated.

"No stop!" Lav let out in a panic. Her hands were placed on the ground reading the current of mana flowing through the city. She gulped, "It's a bomb. If we do something wrong the entire city will blow up."

"What!?" the bishop who had been listening shouted. "Lies! This is a proclamation of our God! A challenge to our faith that which we must praise and obey for the sake of humanity."

A swift chop to his neck knocked him to the ground causing the crowd to gasp in shock. Edgar leaned over the collapsed bishop and rolled his eyes, "I never like the crazed religious type."

Karen was deep in thought. Her eyes swam around the crowd of onlookers. They weren't armed or dangerous. Just ordinary people trying to make their way through life. Their beliefs were skewed by the church but in the end they were all simply human.

Lav continued, "This barrier... it's not anything I've seen before.... No- that's insane why would they-?"

"What's wrong?" Estile slowly came up beside her.

"It's building up mana at a crazy rate. If we don't act soon it'll explode! Why would they do that? Even if they want to keep us here, to kill us- to sacrifice an entire city...."

"It was a trap all along," Karen bit her lip. "We've been fooled."

"But who would do that?" Sephie asked perplexed. "One of the other pro-human states?"