Invincible Blood Sorceror

Chapter 213: Bio-Mecha woman

The sensation was indescribable.

Grace felt as though she was being stretched and compressed simultaneously, as if every atom in her body had briefly existed in multiple places at once. Colors that had no names flashed behind her closed eyelids. Sounds that couldn’t possibly exist in a vacuum rang in her ears.

Then it stopped, and everything settled into an eerie calm.

D-Triggon descended through Vael’thoria’s atmosphere with the smooth grace of a vessel designed for exactly this kind of operation.

AJ-X08 handled the transition expertly, adjusting for atmospheric density, compensating for wind currents, and maintaining perfect stability despite forces that would have torn apart less sophisticated craft.

Grace pressed against a viewport, watching the landscape below with wide eyes. Deserts stretched to the horizon, broken by rock formations and scattered oases. Mountain ranges rose in the distance, their peaks touching clouds.

And as they descended further, they saw a river cutting through sand dunes, a floating island suspended above the water, and three settlements clustered together in defiance of the harsh environment.

Brownhill Dunes.

"Where would you like me to land?" AJ-X08 asked, her voice professional but carrying a hint of nervousness. She was bringing an advanced Earth vessel to an alien world, about to make contact with a civilization she’d only heard about through corporate briefings and Imperial diplomatic reports.

"The open area east of the Nor’vack settlement," Jorghan directed.

"It’s large enough for the ship and far enough from inhabited areas that we won’t frighten everyone with our landing approach."

It was behind Sigora’s dwelling, a place with nothing but rocks and meadow.

AJ-X08 adjusted course, bringing the ship down in a gradual spiral that let everyone in the settlements see it approaching. By the time D-Triggon touched down, raising clouds of dusts with its landing jets, a crowd had gathered at a safe distance.

Elves of all three clans, Nue’roka, Nuwe’rak, and the inhabitants of the floating island, the Nor’vack, stood staring at the massive triangular vessel with expressions mixing awe and concern. Some had weapons ready, unsure if this was an attack or an arrival. Others simply gawked at technology they’d never seen before.

Jorghan moved to the boarding ramp as it extended.

"AJ-X08, power down offensive systems. These are my people. They’re not threats."

He stepped onto the ramp, and the moment his feet touched Vael’thoria soil, the crowd recognized him. Whispers rippled through the assembled elves, relief and confusion mixing as they tried to understand what they were seeing.

Jorghan Sol’vur had left on a giant white bird weeks ago.

Now he was returning in an alien spacecraft, accompanied by humans, having apparently accomplished whatever impossible objective had driven him to Earth in the first place.

*

Sigora emerged from the crowd, her eight-foot frame making her instantly visible, her expression showing relief that warred with exasperation. She reached Jorghan and pulled him into a brief embrace that lifted him off his feet despite his protests.

"You’re alive," she said simply.

"I wasn’t sure you would be. Crossing to Earth without a ship, attacking the humans there, accomplishing your objectives, and returning—any one of those things should have killed you."

"I’m harder to kill than that," Jorghan replied, extricating himself from her grip.

Sigora glared at Grace and the boy behind her.

"I thought you would have killed them," she asked Jorghan.

"I thought about it too, but it would be mercy."

"Mother, they’ll need quarters," Jorghan continued.

"Somewhere comfortable and secure. And post guards."

"I’ll handle it," Sigora confirmed.

She gestured to her clan members and ordered them to keep in the small building beside her dwelling.

Once they were gone, Sigora turned to Jorghan with a more serious expression.

"We need to talk. A lot has happened in your absence. But first, there’s someone here who needs to see you immediately. She’s been waiting for three days."

"Who?" Jorghan asked.

"The shaman witch, Ekatarina Wisett," Sigora replied.

"Kael’var and Aetheus brought her."

Jorghan’s expression darkened slightly at the mention of Kael’var.

"What is their relationship with her?" Jorghan asked.

"I’m still not sure about it. Even Korreth doesn’t know about it. But they seem to have complete loyalty towards her, and she is saying she will only talk with you and had been waiting for you."

"That sounds dramatic," Jorghan observed skeptically.

"She’s not given to exaggeration," Sigora replied.

"I’ve met her before, years ago. She’s a legitimate shaman witch, one of the few with a genuine connection to ancestral spirits and foresight abilities. You should be careful when talking to her."

Jorghan sighed, exhaustion from the journey and recent battles finally catching up with him. "Where is she?"

"My chambers. I offered her hospitality while she waited for your return. She’s been meditating mostly, communing with spirits. But she asked to speak with you immediately upon your arrival."

*

Sigora’s dwelling was one of the larger structures in the Nor’vack settlement, reflecting her status in the clan. The interior was comfortable without being ostentatious, with functional furniture, weapons displayed on walls, and maps and documents covering tables showing the constant administrative work required to manage a clan.

Korreth was no longer living with her, as he had built a new one with his new wife.

In the main chamber, sitting in a meditation posture on a cushion, was a figure that immediately commanded attention.

Ekatarina Wisett had skin the color of a cloudless sky at midday, cerulean blue so vivid it seemed to glow with internal light. She was tall by elven standards, with a slender build that suggested physical capability despite appearing delicate. Her hair was black, falling past her shoulders in elaborate braids decorated with crystals.

Her eyes were the most striking feature, completely white, with no iris or pupil visible, just milky orbs that somehow still conveyed sight. Those eyes opened as Jorghan entered, focusing on him with intensity that made him instinctively assess her as a potential threat.

She wore robes that appeared to be made from some kind of organic fiber, covered in symbols Jorghan recognized as ancestral script but couldn’t fully read. Around her neck hung multiple necklaces made from teeth, claws, and gemstones, each one probably carrying spiritual significance.

Behind her, standing with barely concealed hostility, were her companions.

Aetheus, his expression was neutral, but his body language suggested he didn’t want to be here.