Taboo Online

Luke started toward the edge of the bridge, but Lauren caught his sleeve.

"That tower is too far for a normal jump."

"Then I’ll use Quickstep."

"You’ve already used it once, and your mana is dropping quickly."

Luke studied the distant tower. "Show me the landing anyway."

Her fingers remained around his sleeve for another moment before she touched two fingers to his wrist. A brief vision passed into him, revealing a narrow branch extending beneath the tower. It was barely wide enough for one foot, but living bark still covered its surface.

"That branch should hold you," Lauren said.

"Should?"

"It is the only landing where you stay on your feet."

"Good enough."

"I would prefer a wider one."

"So would I."

"Land before you start celebrating."

"I wasn’t planning to celebrate."

"You usually start before your feet touch the ground."

Luke could not argue with that.

The three creatures attacked together. The elf met the first while Lauren pressed her palm against the bridge. Green light rippled through the pale wood as the Heartroot responded to her connection, and a curved root rose beneath the second creature’s hooves to throw it off balance.

The third forced its way around them and charged Luke.

He waited until the red thread above its shoulder tightened. The creature’s muscles resisted for a fraction of a second, and Truth Behind Motion exposed that hesitation before the forced charge began.

Quickstep carried Luke beyond the creature and across the gap, placing his boot on the narrow branch beneath the tower. The wood flexed sharply beneath his weight, but he recovered and drove the spear into the broken wall to steady himself.

Some of the tension left Lauren’s shoulders below as Luke climbed through the opening. A hooded figure stood at the far end of the ruined tower, red threads wound around every finger of her outstretched hands.

The controller turned toward him, but Luke attacked before she could react. Rapid Magic Flurry divided Arcane energy into three linked currents along his spear, sending the first thrust into the needle beneath the roof and the second through the anchor behind the broken beam.

The hooded woman pulled both hands back, causing the third needle to skid across the floor.

Luke had already selected it as the final target. He could not switch to another anchor, but now that he could see the controller directly, Truth Behind Motion revealed which way she intended to pull it before her fingers moved.

"Lauren, now!"

Far below, Lauren pressed both hands against the bridge. Green light spread through the living wood while several roots coiled beneath the nearest corrupted creature, ready to rise.

Luke turned with the skill’s momentum, kept the moving needle in line, and drove the third thrust through it. The anchor shattered against the floor, snapping every red thread at once.

The final current left his mana almost empty. Weakness returned to his arms, but he kept both hands around the spear and looked down toward the bridge.

All three corrupted creatures collapsed.

The nearest toppled across Lauren’s side exactly as she had predicted. The wounded elf threw himself into its flank, slowing the fall while the roots she had prepared burst from the bridge.

The Heartroot caught the creature inches above her.

Its black bark scraped across Lauren’s shoulder as she stepped away, but the roots held the body and prevented its full weight from crushing her.

Luke exhaled and turned back toward the controller, who had already retreated to the edge of the tower. A pale mask covered her face, and the remaining threads around her fingers had gone dark.

"You are not supposed to be here," she said.

Luke pulled his spear free from the broken anchor. "People keep saying that."

She raised one hand, but with her anchors destroyed, nothing answered. Her heel came down on a small metal plate hidden beneath the dust.

A black escape sigil flared beneath her boots.

Luke rushed toward her as the sigil opened into a shallow portal. The woman stepped backward and vanished through it before he could reach the edge.

The portal snapped shut, leaving the scorched outline of the sigil behind.

"Of course she had an escape route."

With too little mana left for another Quickstep, Luke climbed out through the broken wall and carefully worked his way down the narrow branch toward the bridge.

Lauren waited beside the wounded elf. A shallow cut crossed her shoulder where the creature’s bark had scraped through her outfit, but she remained upright.

Luke reached her and touched the torn edge of the leather.

"Hold still."

Lauren angled her face toward his damaged shoulder. "You’re in no position to fuss over me."

"Yours is fresh."

"And yours is deeper."

"Then we both get checked."

"That is at least less hypocritical."

Luke examined the cut. It was shallow, and the bleeding had already begun to slow.

"The roots took most of the weight," he said.

"The Heartroot moved them. I only showed it where they were needed."

"You had them ready before the threads broke."

"You gave me enough warning."

Luke glanced back at the ruined tower. "Narrowing the vision helped too."

"It did."

He smiled. "I was hoping you’d notice."

"I noticed." Her fingers brushed against his wrist. "You’re already pleased enough with yourself."

Before he could answer, Lauren caught the front of his clothes and drew him closer. Her lips brushed his cheek and lingered.

For a second, Luke forgot they were standing in the middle of a burning village.

He stared at her when she pulled away. "What was that for?"

"You stopped me from looking past the answer I already had."

"I should give useful advice more often."

"Let’s see you manage it twice before we make plans."

The wounded elf cleared his throat, prompting Luke to step back, though Lauren kept hold of his hand.

The warrior looked between them before lowering his blade.

"My name is Caelir," he said. "Third Warden of Lethariel."

"Luke."

"Lauren."

Caelir’s attention settled on the green light beneath Lauren’s skin.

"The Heartroot opened the lower passage for you."

"It did."

"Then perhaps the Queen was right."

"About what?" Luke asked.

Caelir turned toward the center of the village.

Beyond the burning homes, a silver tree rose above every other structure. Its branches spread across the canopy, though several had already turned black. Golden light pulsed inside the trunk with the same weakening rhythm Luke had felt underground.

"The Queen said the Heartroot would send help before the end."

Another explosion shook the village, and part of the silver canopy collapsed.

Caelir’s face tightened as he watched the burning branches fall. "The Ruinborn have breached the inner terraces. They are not trying to destroy the Heartroot."

Luke followed his gaze toward the silver tree.

"What are they doing?"

"They are cutting it free."