Crimson

Chapter Forty-Six

Time melted before him, his presence shifted tumultuously as his very being swelled then shrunk, in turn. Stretching for hours, Pligal swirled within a vortex of agony as his spiritual essence flooded into his corporeal form. Moaning softly, unable to move, a series of clicks and grunts peppered around his audioles.

Many others gathered around him with concern etched upon their scales as their lighting mechanisms flickered agitated. Adorned with cerulean hued wrappings, six others surrounded Pligal's pit. Within their personal Hall of Gloom, similar in size to his temporary homestead under the command of San Zilterra, it lay far outside Reyopa, as part of a forward command unit.

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Adjacent to the Hall of Gloom housing Pligal and the 23rd Centuria, many Ak-Wo worked diligently as the promise of war loomed. Assigned the task of alerting the Supreme Commander as well as being the funnel of most of the information coming in from Vior who continued to chase information while the Torsons continued their slow glide closer to the world of the Ak-Wo, this small unit of elite Legionnaires became the life fluid of their world. As the Vior and the respective Glain worked to build readiness in their own commands, preparing to defend against the impending conflict, tensions weighed them down.

Bleakness distinguished in their lighting mechanisms flickered dully as their bodies ached from responsibility of their missions. Each message as urgent as the last while new material continuously flowed inward from the southern Xiantu and Eron, alike. Thousands of legionnaires would soon marshal nearby, all fitted with a mighty Asun, Sec, Cin, or staff for the ill-adept individuals.

The Asun, a dangerous, yet mighty weapon only given to those able to wield it effectively and safely held the potential to slay many torsons with its sturdy handle being the only safe location to place one's talons around. The remainder glowed pink miasma as it melted anything it touched, cutting through the thickest of stones while with the greatest of ease. Requiring much dexterity and awareness of one's surroundings, this powerful weapon, nearly always remained in the power of the Clathor.

The Sec, a versatile contraption of the hardest vines bent then strung together with the finest hairs of the tulac woven together could send projectiles radiating plasma to ignite foes or pierce their hide. While dexterity is needed for such a weapon, a keen eye allowed its lethality to blossom far beyond the Asun.

The Cin, a largely defensive weapon, which held the potential to decimate those who touched its fiery center, acted as a wall for those wielding the Sec to take aim and unleash a terrible onslaught to their enemies. Held close to the Legionnaire's body, the Cin, fashioned of the jade orsis, found deep in the adjoining hills near the brilliant city of Reyopa maintained the only material the Asun could not penetrate.

Absorbing the power of the pink miasma of the Asun, it repelled forces by propelling that same energy back upon them, burning them while keeping the wielder safe. A turning point in the former battles of the clans, so long ago, the Vior fashioned small divots to house miasma to maintain the repellant to future foes. The result being a defensive weapon that pushed back waves of enemies. Many with the Cin placed their weapons close together, forming a nearly impenetrable barrier, from above and below, slowly walking deeper into enemy territory; they allowed the miasma to burn through and rebuff those who sought to harm them.

The staff, common to the weapon each legionnaire trained upon, this one fashioned of stone held one major seat at the tip where miasma funneled from within to eject a huge plume of destructive energy. Easy to wield, the Glain, the least technical of the combatants buried many of their foes. However, this weapon provided much consternation among the legionnaires as it was seen as a "hatchlings" weapon. Too easy to use for those who lacked the skill for the "superior" tools of war.