Sundial Guardian

Blinding light fell on the ground, scorching the verdant plains with sizzling rays.

Megissa ought to have been burned alive, yet she was still breathing. Rattling chains swung left and right, throwing her out of the way before retreating to Louise.

They slithered like living snakes, reconnecting with the Ombre's flail whilst her gaze went to their attacker.

"Focus, Mathematician. I won't save you another time." Her voice was cold and her words harsh, but she was right. Megissa was too distracted - she could only blame herself had she been hit.

Louise's armor clanked as she stepped forward, oozing overwhelming Mana. Her dark-green hair swayed with each pulse of power, shaking the earth itself.

"I am in no mood right now, so I'll end this quickly. Offer yourself without resistance, and your death shall be painless."

Gradually, the mysterious figure approached, revealing a lifeform the young Mathematician had never seen before.

Clad in strange coppery plates, the being before them had no head. Or rather, whatever he had didn't look like one. A hollow, metallic solar circle sat atop his human neck, with an eye-shaped bronze disk floating in the middle. Two petrified hands held his 'skull' from one side each while a second set of arms carried a sundial-crowned staff.

Towering at an eerie height of three meters, he elegantly raised an idle limb, golden Mana glistening between covered fingers.

"What's this…?" She listened to Nihil's quiet words, her expression frozen from disbelief.

A rhythmic throb suddenly assaulted their ears, mimicking ominous sounds they had never heard. Melodic vibrations merged together in chaotic cacophonies, akin to a constant grating.

"I am afraid I cannot oblige your request, servant of Shadow." His answer resonated within their minds, loud and deafening.

'He's… using a completely different method of communication. None of those sounds should make sense to me, so why can I understand him?' Her thoughts blurred, but she managed to maintain her focus. He just attacked, so she needed to be prepared for a fight.

Although… Of what use would she and her friends be?

A single glance was sufficient. Their current adversary was way out of her league. Such individuals belonged to a scale of their own, nearer to the realm of Gods and Sorcerers than the common mortals.

Despite all of this, Andromeda remained unfazed. The Ombre patted her forehead, seemingly annoyed by the echoing voice.

"Damn this annoying thing. And here I thought only Puppis' ramblings could give me headaches." Her eyeless glare locked on their opponent. "Before I blast you to pieces, care to tell me why you are blocking the entrance, tinhead?"

"This is an order from my Lord. No creature must interfere inside the Biome."

"Your Lord? Hm. Sundials and bronze constructs… You're one of Oromasdes' dogs, a Yaeva." The Ombre readied her flail, a smile creeping on her face. "I'll send you back to your Master in assorted pieces of junk. Perhaps it'll teach him not to interfere with our business."

Both of their Mana erupted, birthing sparks and shockwaves in dangerous surges.

"Nihil! Megi!" Decima immediately lunged in front of her friends, using her body as a shield.

"Well, well, you seem to be having quite the fun time around here." A new presence emerged, slowly materializing from pure shade between both fighters.

It was Nathan of Crux.

Louise and the Yaeva aborted their prepared attacks at his sudden appearance. Glancing at Megissa and the twin Homunculi, his usually creepy grin intensified.

"Nathan! What do you think you're doing?!"

"That's an odd greeting, dear Louise. May I say you look fabulous today? Those gained pounds really do suit you. The added meatiness goes well with the clang of plate-..." A spiky head swept his skull, though it only seemed to phase through. "Oh, my, that one would've hurt had it touched my actual body. Save your efforts, Andromeda. This is but a projecting spellcast."

She clicked her tongue. "Get on with it then, I don't have your time. The boy's trapped inside a Mana Biome. What do you want?"

"To correct a miscalculation, hopefully." Nathan's flickering image playfully hovered around the Yaeva. "I've reached an understanding with the Lord of this playground. Aeden needs to exit the Swamp by himself, with no outside help. Only then will he be free."

Louise raised an eyebrow, and Megissa frowned. What was happening?

"Is Tristan aware of this?"

"Indeed. He's also furious about your little mishap with the Fae. The sole reason he ordered you to tail him was to avoid a similar scenario. Fortunately, we've been lucky this time."

What was going on? Tail him? Did the Ombres follow them after they had left Numidea?

Countless questions clouded Megissa's wits. How could she have allowed that to happen? They didn't consider their presence, talking openly about their plans without a care in the world.

Were they that insignificant?

She glanced at Nihil and Megissa, recognizing the same incredulous, agonizing expression.

They were too weak to be deemed relevant, ignored like infants told to sit while the adults spoke about important matters. Because even if they wished to, they could do nothing. Regardless of their power, irrespective of their mortality… merely gleaning something valuable from their discussion was fruitless.

They lacked the most essential yet basic resource - information.

In her self-conscious lamentation, she missed certain parts of their exchange. Nathan was already preparing to leave.

"Now that everything is cleared up, I'll bid you farewell. I could kiss you goodbye, Louise, but I'm scared to get trapped beneath that layered chin." He phased through another flail strike, which blew a nearby rock to pieces.

The Ombre then turned towards the silent Yaeva. "I do believe we've met. Or maybe was it another one of your kind? He had the same uncanny, floating eye. Lovely fellow. His name was incredibly long, so I dubbed him Bob. Do you happen to be Bob?"

The entity's gleaming staff hit the ground. "My name is Khorram ud-Zar Gulshirin, lieutenant of the Second Yaeva Legion."

"Oh, I see. Pleased to meet you. Do give my best regards to Oromasdes." And with a simple snap of his fingers, he disappeared as fast as he had come.

"Damn that snake, always making me pass for the idiot." Frustrated, Louise finally backed off from the line protected by Khorram.

"Wait. You're seriously going to comply?" Nihil wasn't going to accept it that easily. "You want us to abandon Aeden inside a Mana Biome?!"

"Deal with it, kid. Those are the orders. I'd love to see you try and pass that hulking mass of bronze up ahead." She brushed off the subject, sighing. "Listen, I don't like it either. Stupid plays and deals aren't my thing. I'm only interested in carving up Fae."

"Easy to say for you. It's not your friend who's stuck in a deadly Swamp." It was Megissa who spoke this time.

"You idiots can't be that oblivious." Louise's weapon gradually disappeared in fleeting sparks of Mana. "That boy is the offspring of a Sorcerer, the infamous Fire Singer no less. His power far surpasses mine or any of the 88 Ombres. However, hollow strength is no better than crippling weakness. What he needs is experience. That's the only thing that might allow him to survive in the future."

Her response silenced them. She was right.

"Going there won't change anything. Instead, you'd be more likely to cause his death." Her massive armor cracked the earth as she slumped. "Sit here and wait. Not playing with forces you don't understand is key to a long life."

Her words felt heavy, uttered with concealed wisdom. In spite of her brash demeanor, she intended to wait with them.

'Ombres really are strange creatures.'

Harsh truth often came from the most unexpected place.

Megissa will never forget that bizarre sunset, a looming Yaeva guarding the frontier of a Mystery, Nihil cursing his own ineptitude, Decima worrying about her cherished twin, and a member of the Sorcerer of Shadows' court schooling them on their world's cruelty.

It was then that Aeden's friends took their ultimate Oath, not one of thaumaturgical nature but a philosophical one. If they wanted to stay at his side, they'd need to grow stronger, far beyond their limits.

That's something they all needed to work towards. To be a Sorcerer's attendant meant shedding the flimsy skin of common sentience - a feat many have tried to accomplish.

As his comrades… his companions… they'll reach it.

No matter what, they shall be worthy of that title.

__

Dusklight steadily darkened into the nocturnal shade, its creeping obscurity clasping at the hazy Swamp beneath.

Aeden gently eased Enidra into a woolen bed; pure agony etched on her face. The Swamp Dame was rising from oblivion, awakening her horrific curse.

He prepared to leave the room, not wanting to cause more distress to the young woman. Yet, she caught his hand before the first step, grasping with all her might.

"Stay with me, please." She moaned.

"Are you sure? Last time, you didn't want me to see you in this form."

"I-… I-... Will you shun me if I'm monstrous?"

"Never. You'll always be the same, endearing Enidra. The one who saved my life countless times since I've come here."

"Then… I don't mind."