Terrhina's Advent

In the underground Vultau temple of Hualien, Guardian Fariix and his Vultau apprentices struggled to stop Fanghui from opening Terrhina's sarcophagus.

"Herald's Hand: Skadi Destrudo!" Fanghui lunged a palm forward, summoning a burning blizzard that scalded their skins.

"Stop this, Fanghui!" Guardian Fariix begged. "Why do you seek to open Terrhina's sarcophagus?"

Fanghui didn't answer. The remaining apprentices grabbed their clarinet spears to charge at the Supreme Herald.

"Herald's Hand: Tsunami Strike, Raging Kraken!" Fanghui spun his body in a cyclone thrashing with kraken tentacles that whipped the Vulpi into bloody shreds.

"You leave me no choice, Fanghui!" Guardian Fariix summoned his leafy lyre and played a tune to command giant vines to whip Fanghui.

The vines repeatedly struck Fanghui's mercury barrier in vain.

"All you Vulpi are the same," Fanghui's mind cycled the horrid memories of the Waxing sickle slaughtering his family. "You're all thieves who torment humans and steal what doesn't belong to you!"

Concentrating all of his fury and narrowing his tearful eyes, Fanghui touched his finger to the ground. "Herald's Hand: Mountaincry, Lyngbakr!"

Guardian Fariix shuddered as the underground halls crumbled. A stone whale as big as an island breached under Hualien, burying Fariix and the entire city in its giant mouth. With the city's decimation, Fanghui walked inside the empty tomb to open Terrhina's sarcophagus.

***

"Don't think of the past nor the future, but listen to the present," Master Seniel said to Isrina's group in the underground SHRIKE base. "For fish don't fear when the current emerges. They are faithful to Makiyu, who provides for all musical life."

Master Seniel curled her fingers across the strings of her aqueous guzheng to play mystical notes that softened everyone's ears. Isrina's group and other wounded soldiers rested on the tattered beds, feeling Seniel's music soothe their weary bodies. Their wounds closed as if they were never present. Nashura and Oreic's wounds were gone.

"I didn't know there were human Vultau masters," Rahim noticed that Seniel was the first human Vultau master he'd ever seen.

"Humans can be Vultau masters too!" Seniel finished her song, morphing her guzheng into a ball of water.

"Thank you, masters," Isrina watched her Little Chickadee lying unconscious beside her. "Thank you all for saving Shien."

Seniel and Psyinen bowed.

"Glad to see you people are well," Yanshi walked in. "But you all should still rest. The fighting outside is as fierce as ever."

"Where's General Covinski?" Rahim asked.

"The General will catch up with you after he's finished contacting Master Fermato. That old buzzard is late."

"Hey, Isrina. I know that Kyrinna interrupted our conversation," Oreic elbowed her. "Didn't you want to tell me about your nightmare?"

"Yes, thank you for reminding me."

As the two walked out of the medical bay, Niode tucked Tetsuyin and Mivangeline in their beds. Shien and Mivangeline had their visors plugged into makeshift outlets of the rocky walls.

"At least we get to rest here," Niode told Rahim as Lansen snuggled on his lap.

"Yes, but we keep on running into problems," Rahim groaned. "How will we ever get to Choro Emplexion at this rate?"

Naphthien signed to him not to worry. The two watched over their sleeping daughter.

"Niode," Rahim patted Nashura's head. "You still remember the directions?"

"From our previous location, yes. But it's going be tough since we're in a different place."

"Oh, great," Rahim muttered.

"Don't worry, I can ask these SHRIKE men for a map, and I'll locate Choro Emplexion from there."

***

Oreic and Isrina walked across the ruined subway. Fractured train cars rested on the dirty railways as SHRIKE soldiers took care of the Vulpi refugees. The Vulpi kids were playing with the soldiers' German Shepherds.

"I saw three women surrounding Shien," Isrina explained her nightmare. "They drank his blood."

"Yuck, and what did these women look like?"

"I only remember they had an element. Earth, Ice, and Death."

The Vultau master froze. "T-the Prognosticus Trinity?"

"Who are they?"

"Um, well," Oreic scratched his head. "Those three sisters are wicked Omaunukai prophets."

Isrina blinked. "What's Omaunukai?"

"Let's just say they're opposite of us Vultau. I hate to say this, but based on what you told me, the dream sounds like an omen."

"So, the nightmare is real?"

Oreic took a moment to think before rubbing Isrina's back. "Don't worry, we'll make sure that doesn't happen. I'll talk to the other masters to see what we can do to protect your son from this omen."

Isrina hugged her Vulpi friend. "Oreic, thank you for always watching over Shien."

"It's my pleasure!" He comforted Isrina until they heard girls screaming.

Isrina and Oreic ran across the ruined subway toward the commotion. Terrhina's earthly-robed apparition chased the terrified Vulpi girls. SHRIKE soldiers fired in vain as the German Shepherds barked at the phantom. Isrina gasped at Terrhina's eyes and nostrils pierced with horns, recognizing the Earth Sister from her nightmare. Oreic blasted a fireball at Terrhina to shoo her off.

"Not good. Guardian Fariix has fallen," Oreic frowned. "Somebody opened Terrhina's sarcophagus."