"Please! Don't go!" Archmage Denayd said, his forehead pressed to the ground. Azura looked down and felt nothing for the man. Nothing for him or the others here.

"You had your chance. I'm looking out for my own."

"We need to work together! Don't you see that?!" Denayd cried.

"I do," Azura said. She met Denayd's hopeful expression with an icy indifference. "But the mages don't. We're just disposable tools to you. Nothing will change." She turned, ignoring the continued pleading. With a gesture, the gathered kin all began running down the road. Back toward Deepmere. Away from the mists. Azura waited until the last kin left the open gate before looking back. On the horizon, the wall of mists loomed tall over Fortunia, its shadow covering the town in darkness despite the sun cresting the horizon. It wouldn't be long now. She lowered her gaze to those of the hostile mages around her. All except Denayd gave her hateful glares. Nothing had changed between them. Azura turned her back on the city before starting a light run. They had a lot of ground to cover today. Not just today or for this single trip. They all had a long way to go down the path of the cultivator. She only hoped they reached their destination before the mists got to their home.

Azura shuddered as a wet, cold wind blew past her from the west. Time. The true enemy here wasn't the mists but time. Could the kin get powerful enough before it was too late? She was the first cultivator, but that wasn't enough. They needed more. A lot more. The race had begun, and it was impossible to tell who would arrive first.

***

Denayd watched as the kin disappeared from sight. He'd hoped his display would convince the Magebane to stay and fight. There was little chance it would work, but he had to try. Now, there was one course of action left.

"General Darkfall," Denayd said, brushing off his robes. He ignored the humiliation of groveling before the Magebane. Such concepts of pride never bothered him. He would do anything to meet his needs.

"Yes, Archmage," Darkfall said, walking to his side.

"I must inform the council of the events here. Your orders are to hold Fortunia as long as you can."

Darkfall stiffened. "You expect us to hold here? There's no ambient mana. The elves left last night. The Dageth mages left even earlier than that. We'll run out of mana-capable mages in a few hours or less. What do you expect us to do?"

Denayd shrugged as he hefted his pack onto his shoulders. He'd prepared everything last night just in case. "I have every confidence in your abilities."

"Abilities!?" Darkfall scoffed. "We'll be down to spears and arrows soon. Most of my forces have never even picked up a weapon."

"An unfortunate oversight on your part," Denayd said, walking toward the gate and the stable beyond. He didn't want to be here when the mists arrived. Denayd interrupted what would no doubt be an endless tirade as Darkfall began to sputter.

"Hold the line as long as you can, then get out. Destroy anything of value and get the strongest mages out. Leave the others to hold the wall."

"You want me to abandon my men?" Darkfall said in a dark whisper. Denayd could feel the man's anger, but didn't care.

"I want you to look at the bigger picture. This battle is lost. We need time to gather more allies and prepare. The losses here will rally the nobles to our cause."

Denayd shifted his pack into a more comfortable position as he stepped outside the gate.

"I don't suppose I have a choice," Darkfall growled.

"You don't," Denayd agreed.

He set a fast pace toward the stable. A glance over his shoulder sent a shiver of fear that started at his head and ended in his balls. The mists loomed over the city like a mountainous wall collapsing inward.

Denayd grabbed the first horse he saw by the reins. He got into the saddle with the agility of a much younger man, born more out of fear than skill. He pointedly ignored the fearful looks of the mages at the gate. Without another word, he sped off as fast as he dared back toward Deepmere.

***

"Spineless parasite," Darkfall muttered as the Archmage quickly rode out of sight.

"What do we do?" Fester asked.

It was a good question.

"Are the civilians evacuated?" Darkfall asked.

"Mostly. A few stubborn ones refused to leave."

"Fools," Darkfall muttered. There was no time to worry about them. He set a brisk walk back to the keep, his aid following. "Get everyone armed. Those with mana left are to defend the western gate. Once they exhaust themselves, have them rally at the gate toward Deepmere. Have everyone else ready to raze the city. We'll burn everything down before we let the corrupted take it."

"Yes, sir," Fester said, running off. He was already shouting commands.

Darkfall looked up at the keep as he drew closer. It had been his home for over a decade. Ever since he took up the post, he would miss it.

Darkfall made his way to the keep, barking orders as he came across his men. Others, he gave reassurances to those who needed it. After an hour, he climbed the stairs to the empty entrance chamber. The entire place was abandoned as Darkfall made his way up to the mana cannon. The kin servants were gone, and the mages were arming themselves as best they could. Soon, nothing would be left.

How had everything gone so wrong? It was a question he'd repeatedly asked himself since the Magebane had returned. The conclusion was evident as ruin came for his city. They'd failed to see the kin as more than a people to exploit. That was it. It was so simple that he couldn't believe he hadn't seen it earlier. If they had just worked together…

A loud bell interrupted his thoughts. Was it happening already? Darkfall abandoned his dignity and ran the rest of the way. He barreled into the doors at the top of the tower, exposing the mana cannon. His eyes went wide. The mists were already here. How did it happen so quickly? Flashes of spells came from the walls. A brief barrage, then it was over. The mages had consumed the last of their mana. He watched his soldiers start to retreat when tendrils whipped out from deeper inside the mists, snagging them.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"God's above..." Darkfall said as a monster stepped out from the mists. It was taller than the walls. The fucking thing was bigger than an elder dragon. The walking calamity resembled an enormous pig. Its skin was a sickly yellow, and it pulsated at each lumbering step. Hundreds, no thousands, of long tentacles writhed on its back. Each acted like an individual organism as they launched themselves at his men. The titan swine ignored the mages as the tendrils hunted them. Instead, the beast focused on gouging the wall with tusks the size of battering rams. The defensive runes shuddered. They would soon shatter, allowing the mists to flow in. Not that they'd last long anyway, with no ambient mana.

He'd seen enough. Darkfall quickly configured the mana cannon's crystals to reflect the power inward. The cannon couldn't fire but held some reserve power to give the initial charge. That mana should be sufficient to detonate the weapon. He was distracted when he noticed the smoke from the opposite end of Fortunia.

"What the…" Darkfall muttered. There shouldn't have been a fire over that way yet. It was the only way out. Darkfall rushed to the other side of the tower.

"FARSIGHT," Darkfall chanted as his low mana pool dipped further.

His stomach fell as hope left him. Two figures stood before the gates, blasting corrupted energy into groups of mages as they tried to flee. The impacted mages fell to the ground as they began to change. Those could only be the Eldritch Lords the others told him about.

He canceled the spell, not wanting to see more. This was it then. A calm settled over him as a loud crack echoed up to his position. The walls had collapsed. The mists had entered the city. The lumbering giant had done its work. Darkfall slowly walked back to the mana cannon. It would take too long to overload, but there were other options. Darkfall reached inside his robes, taking out the manticore jerky the Magebane had given him. He looked at the gift, turning it over slowly in his hands. Darkfall gave a silent thanks before wolfing it down. Dense mana filled him as he readied himself.

***

Eldritch Lord Gelish gleefully watched as two more mages fell, twitching before him. Soon, they would be on the path to greatness or become food for others.

"GREATER FORCEBOLT!" The last mage chanted as the bolt of destructive power was hurled at him. With a slight flex of will, a disk of eldritch power formed before him, deflecting the blast upwards. Such an attack would hardly harm him. The indignity of having been struck by such a weak attack would be far more detrimental. The attacking mage dropped to his knees, exhausted. His mana was gone. Weakling. Another flex of will sent the disk of power crashing into the mage, the eldritch energy flooding the man's system. The mage screamed as he collapsed, twitching as the change started. Gelish walked past him toward the keep. The doors to the stronghold were already open, welcoming him inside. This would make a fine new home once things were… improved. As if in agreement, the mists followed behind him, settling into place as eldritch motes floated inside.

Gelish didn't linger. He found the entry to the high tower and began ascending. Fitting. How he would rise as the mages fell. Gelish took his time. His altered feet were like a raptor's talons, so his footing was unstable. Regardless, he soon breached the highest balcony. There was the damned mana cannon that had caused them so much trouble. Such a weapon would be invaluable when turned against their foes. His musings were interrupted as a mage stepped out from behind the weapon. His hand resting on the device.

"I'm afraid the Keep isn't seeing visitors today. You'll have to reschedule."

***

Darkfall watched the creature chuckle at his words. The thing was grotesque, with an arachnid-like face set above a nude male human-like body except the feet. It was the most normal-looking abomination he'd seen, somehow, that made it worse.

"There has been a change in ownership," the creature said. The words were… wrong, like the corruption had affected sound itself.

"As the current owner, I don't recall signing any agreement," Darkfall said as he channeled more mana into the mana crystals.

Come on, you blasted thing! Blow already!

"You must be Darkfall." The creature gave a mocking bow. "How fortuitous. We will glady welcome you onto the path of greatness."

The creature's hand flashed forward, a beam of corrupted energy hurling toward him. Darkfall was ready for this.

"ABSOLUTE DEFENSE!" It was his greatest skill. One that had earned him the rank of General.

The corrupted energy splattered against his defense, deflecting off it. The creature frowned as its attack stopped.

"Impressive," the creature mumbled. "You've earned your rank with good reason."

Darkfall didn't know about that. His barrier wouldn't have held if it weren't for the dense mana inside him. He gobbled the rest of the jerky with his free hand as his mana pool refilled. He just needed a bit longer. As if in agreement, the mana cannon whined, followed by some rather sharp chimes as crystals fractured as the overload continued.

The creature's eyes went wide in realization. It gave up any notion of taking him alive. This time, the creature's eldritch power became corrosion incarnate instead of a corrupting force. A ray of wrongness enveloped his shield.

His barrier was strong. That didn't seem to matter. At least the ray of power was deflected slightly. It was all that saved him. Strange, he thought there would be some pain. That surprised Darkfall till he glanced at his arm. Or where his arm should have been. Oh… it was gone. That would be why there was no pain, that or the adrenaline flowing in him. At least there was no corruption. That attack had been much stronger than the last. Perhaps these creatures could sacrifice the corrupting nature of their attacks for more power? Seemed likely. Not that it mattered as he channeled one final burst of mana into the weapon. It gave a high-pitched whine before going silent.

Neither the General nor the Lord made any move as if waiting for the roll of the die. Then, the mana cannon exploded. Darkfall felt nothing as he was obliterated into motes of dust. The Eldritch Lord fared better. His empowered body was only partially destroyed. Perhaps he could have survived if the tower hadn't collapsed atop him, along with the rest of the keep. As Gelish fell to his death, he could only marvel at Darkfall's last act of defiance. The man was worthy of being a General. He could offer no higher praise as oblivion claimed it's due.

***

Azura turned back toward Fortunia. The city was far out of sight but not out of mind. Had she done the right thing? It was an easy choice at the time. One she would make again. Still, she couldn't help but wonder what could've been if they had put their differences aside. She would never know.

Elise and her mother stopped beside her, following her line of sight.

"You made the only reasonable choice," Coralline said.

"I know. It just felt like a lost chance," Azura sighed.

"A lot was lost back there," Elise said. Azura regarded her sister. She had lost a pillar of her life yesterday. Perhaps she could seize this chance before it too passed by.

"You could come with me," Azura said hesitantly. Elise gave her a considering look.

"You don't have to," Azura continued in a rush. "I can see you back safely to Deepmere if that's what you want. I just thought you might be interested in… more. More power than just what mana could provide. More worldly experiences. And more… family."

"Ah!" Coralline said, wrapping her up in a hug. "You're so cute when you're serious!"

"Mom!"

"Give the girl some time," Coralline said, releasing Azura and embracing Elise. "You don't have to decide anything now. We have a long trip to get back to Deepmere." She released Elise, who seemed somewhat flustered.

Elise wiped a tear from her eye as she joined the rest of the kin who were flagging already. The newly created cultivator's mana supply was exhausted once she taught them how to invert their mana pools. She did not reveal that until they were away from the city. Best to keep some secrets as long as possible.

Azura sighed as Coralline began barking orders for a meal and a rest. She left the preparation to others as she crested a hill overlooking the surrounding area. There, a lone tree stood sentinel overlooking the land. She felt a strange kinship with the lone tree as she leaned against it. It was funny how much had changed since she was told her mana pool was too small. She had utterly upended her little corner of the world. As Azura looked out at the landscape that stretched as far as she could see, she had to wonder. What would happen next? The rise of cultivators had only just begun. She looked down at the kin, picking out her friends among them. Soon, she wouldn't be the only one. That was when she noticed the last of the rations being handed out. Deep ponderings of the future were immediately banished from her mind as Azura raced down to secure her food. She had her priorities straight.

The end of 'The Rise of Cultivators, Book 1: The First Cultivator'

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