Echoterra: Rise of the Verdant King
Chapter 94: Day 60

Chapter 94: Day 60

Day 60.

It felt like a lifetime ago when they started the journey from Verdis Hold.

On the way, they battled Behemorphs, fought Scorchlords and Scorchladies, survived a Behemorph stampede, and even survived a harrowing battle between 2 Thorn Crown Verdant Warden Behemorphs.

And finally, here they were... the first destination of their journey.

The team reached the Scorchpaths Outskirts, a volcanic wasteland of ash dunes and glowing Scorchshrines.

Clayton led, Shedskin cloaking his Verdant Lord aura, Regalia in spear form, Thornshade Dagger ready.

Torren, Veyra, Lorn, Kaelin, and Soren followed, pagers steady.

The Aphid Network, now just 36 minions, hunted minimally, Spore Crown gaining Genesis Embers, one minion lost to a spore trap.

Territorial Sentience sensed Ashen Covenants’ Ember Witches, their matriarchal council wielding Embers in rituals.

As soon as they arrived, they met them.

"Stay calm". Torren muttered.

A Scorched Clans blockade; ten Initiate Ember warriors and a Luminous Seed Scorchlord barred the path, demanding Embers. The Luminous Seed Scorchlord called himself Taryx.

A Codex fragment on Taryx’s Pyreaxe glowed.

["Ashen Covenants, mothers of flame, bind Nexus’s will."]

For a few seconds, there was silence, Clayton wondering what would happen, trying to predict Torren’s likely decision from the personality profile that he already built of his team leader after 60 days of traveling through Behemorph infested-territory with him.

Clayton realized what would happen, and he got ready, then...

"Stand!" Torren roared, Flamevine Wrath erupting to bind a warrior.

BZZZ!

All hell broke loose!

WHOOSH!

Veyra’s Thornstrike arrows felled another Scorch warrior even as Lorn and Kaelin moved at the same time; Lorn moving to shield Soren, whose Emberblade slashed even as Kaelin blended into the smoke.

Kaelin’s Ashveil Cloak dodged a Pyreaxe, striking precisely.

Clayton?

BAM!

He thrust Regalia’s spear, impaling a warrior, then fired root arrows, shredding another within just seconds, the transition from spear to bow and arrow as smooth as a babe’s ass.

If Clayton’s first 3 months on Earth after the Genesis Protocols were him getting used to his Aspect, understanding his power and abilities, the past 2 months forged him into a proper Awakened warrior.

Clayton’s efficiency while circulating his Genesis Embers was smoother than ever before, as he learned directly from Torren, a tried and proven veteran.

And having gained over 2,000 Genesis Embers in this period of 2 months, Clayton was still Initiate Ember ranked but he was a vastly different Awakened warrior than he was 2 months ago.

He was faster, deadlier, more ruthless than ever before.

He already went through a proper Genesis baptism.

Clayton killed 2 Scorched warriors in seconds, but he was not done. He was just starting.

He went for the head.

WHOOSH!

Thornshade Dagger slashed Taryx’s arm, taking the Luminous Seed Scorchlord off-guard, the dagger’s venom disrupting the Scorched warrior’s Emberheart Surge.

"Bastard!" The Scorchlord growled.

Clayton quickly retreated back 2 steps right in time to dodge a devastating counterattack from the Scorchlord.

This was another important aspect of his that improved in 2 months... his combat sense and instincts.

Now, he no longer survived on pure spite.

These days, he survived more on skill than spite.

Fighting against a Luminous Seed was no longer as dangerous as 2 months ago, or even a month ago.

Clayton stood his ground while holding back Aphid Network still, commanding minimal hunts.

With him holding down the fort, the others had the privilege to go all out.

Torren’s pyro-roots and Veyra’s arrows downed six warriors, Soren and Kaelin felling two more as dread overtook the others.

Taryx?

The Luminous Seed Scorchlord fled, the blockade broken.

In the past 2 months, if Clayton learned one thing, it was that defeating a Luminous Seed warrior in battle was one thing, but making sure that he ended up dead was another thing entirely.

Every single one of them were elites stronger than the average warrior, forged through grit, blood, and sweat.

They were all survivalist experts.

Killing them would take far more than doing the bare minimum.

The system notification finally lit up.

DING!

~----~

[Enemies Defeated: 9 Scorched Clans Warriors (Initiate Ember), Taryx (Luminous Seed, Escaped]

[Aphid Network Losses: 1 Initiate Ember Minion]

[Genesis Embers Acquired: 54 (Team Kills)]

[Genesis Embers Acquired: 5 (Random Network H unts)]

[Genesis Embers Total: 4,424/6,000]

[Aspect Strain: Moderate]

~----~

The team stood at the Scorchpaths Outskirts, Nexus’s pulse a low hum.

Torren grinned. "We made it, wanderer".

"You’re still calling me that?" Clayton smirked. "Just the start. Africa’s waiting".

Veyra, eyes on the horizon, said. "Ember Witches are real. I feel it".

Sorren nodded. "My brother’d push us on".

Everyone silently groaned. They were tired of Soren’s repeated brother phrases by now. They wondered what triggered it in the first place.

Maybe the journey was just that harrowing and triggering.

Kaelin, steady, laughed. "You’re stuck with us now, Clayton".

Lorn’s smile sealed their bond. The team, forged in fire, prepared for the Ashen Covenants, the Nexus’s dread ever-present.

But then, Torren noticed... Clayton was different.

Looking upon the volcanic wasteland of ash dunes and glowing Scorchshrines, Clayton seemed to blank out as if countless memories were being triggered in his head.

"Hey... you good?" Torren patted his shoulder, shaking him off his reverie.

Clayton snapped out of it, still slightly groggy as he turned his head to look at Torren.

He forced a smile. "I don’t know if I told you guys before, but... I was born here".

"..."

"..."

"....."

There was a still and stunned silence as the group of 4 stared at him, different shades of surprise printed all over their faces.

Kaelin spoke first. "What???"

Torren grunted. "Huh?"

Veyra just stared at him in silence, a question mark written on her face. Soren too as they waited for him to explain.

Clayton sighed, looking back to the horizon as he tried to organize his thoughts. So many memories flowed through his brain, memories from over 300 years ago, memories from when the world was dying but was yet to be corrupted by the Genesis Protocols.

Memories from when the world was still normal, but mad too in its own way.

Memories from when humans were still mundane.

Clayton looked at them, smiled, and said...