novelraw Chapter 1031 - 1030 - Shifts in Perspective
Chapter 1031 - 1030 - Shifts in Perspective
"Prince Petryn, the parties report while the trackers are confirming she has the statue but like her soul slate, the tracking is blocked somehow. She really does not want to be found." A man in silver and blue robes was kneeling in front of Petryn on his minor throne.
He was not the crown prince but still an important member of the family. He had his own hall and was currently frowning as a few ministers stood to the side. The report was more for his edification than any order he could give.
"I thought we confirmed that while she changed the soul slate, she still kept the statue in case of emergencies. How is that being interfered with without it ceasing to function?" His question actually perked up a few of the ministers.
His silver eyes noted a few summoning jade communication stones to no doubt confirm his question.
The scout nodded in confirmation but then shrugged.
"However her Highness is hiding from our detection abilities, she has somehow been able to preserve the functions." The robust young man was only in the peak of the Diamond Tier but his opinion was valued by all in the room.
Petryn dismissed him as he sat back on his silver throne. The red velvet padding was accentuated by the red lining for the inscriptions on the throne. It was from that seat that the Imperial family enacted their responsibilities.
Each throne assigned to a member would update the Emperor and relevant offices immediately.
"What will you do, your Highness?" A woman spoke from the ministers but they were all from the minor offices. They only had the power to affect some minor policies. Still important but limited in their abilities.
"There is little I can do but try to think what the goals of my esteemed sister still are." He dismissed the ministers but meant what he said.
When word reached them that the Eternal Flame Sect had lost its Sect Master, hope had bloomed. The truth took time to be discovered but the Starhide Wolves had moved back into their ancestral lands.
Kun City was destroyed and Ogros Kingdom had been claimed by the Shandor Syndicate. It took close to a decade to get all of it but once confirmed, his mother had been dancing in his courtyard.
His father sent out parties instantly to bring his daughter home but it was a massive world.
They only knew she was to the east based on the reports. It was the warmest he had ever seen his parents.
Yet, despite such a solid lead, she slipped away. She apparently used the new gateways spreading across the world to go somewhere undisclosed. How it was undisclosed was also unknown but she did it!
They also heard of the Triple Maester with her that was just stunning! She had found a supreme master to follow!
Petryn recalled his own siblings getting excited as if their empire had roped in a Triple Maester, it would be a massive boost to stabilizing their position among the supreme powers!
He thought they were assuming too much. There was also the mystery of how his sister had returned. No one had answers but testing of the barriers confirmed they were still cut off in both directions.
He got up and moved through the massive hallways to his personal courtyard. He had nothing to order in regards to the search but he had been learning more about his sister in the years since her return.
Amber Scale City, the newly built place in the east, was their best lead overall but the leadership there was being very stubborn. The dragons ruled there and refused to give any help in regards to finding Sister Delenn.
It was too far for them to throw around their political weight as well so there were limits.
It was not long after, however, that Crescent City had a lead! He had heard of the Divine Ruin at the edge of their eastern border and the war there. It seemed a waste of resources but he had no decision power there either.
He felt frustrated the more he realized the limits of his power. He was still stuck in the Sun Tier so until he became an Immortal, he had little hope of making a constructive addition to the empire's efforts.
"Where are you, Sister?" He spoke aloud his thoughts but was stunned when he got a response.
"You were not even alive when she disappeared, little brother. You should not worry about such mundane matters." A man was leaning against the wall ahead. He had steel gray eyes but his warrior physique was clear to anyone with eyes.
The broadsword at his side and well fitting armor spoke of his power. It was not shiny nor pretentious but fully functional and used! None of the imperial family was allowed to laze about, no matter their realm.
Those that tried faced harsh repercussions.
"If you have seen mother and father, you know why I am worrying big brother Nest!" Petryn nearly screamed at him because that big brother of his had been able to avoid that scene over and over since the Eternal Flame Sect lost its leader.
"You should become an Immortal then and get a duchy assigned to you!" Nest smiled wide as Petryn marched right by him. The 2 brothers looked nothing alike because they had different mothers.
The Emperor had had 3 wives officially and only 1 concubine when 2 of them died but never had a child with her.
Petryn always wondered about that as it was rather low for an Emperor but his father was a bit odd in several respects.
"I am close. I can feel the bottleneck loosening every year." It was the true state of affairs that even in the best environment, bottlenecks were near impossible to overcome in anything less than 50 years when it came to Immortality.
Nest nodded as they moved into his quarters.
"Is there something you need, Big Brother?" Petryn wanted to work on his bottleneck for the rest of the day but Nest had come all the way to see him for some reason.
"It is not exactly by choice. The scouting party from Amber Scale City reported something odd and Father wants me to take you with me to check it out." Petryn froze. He was being allowed out?!
He was so close to being an Immortal. Going outside would put that in danger!
"Why would father shift his stance on this?" It was not that Petryn did not want to go outside, it was literally that his parents had forbidden it. He was put in real combat situations over the centuries but it did not change the fact he had hardly left the capital city!
Nest put a gloved hand through his shoulder length burnt orange hair. It was his most distinguished feature but Petryn thanked the spirits for his more muted colors. Silver and steel eyes were the closest feature they shared but all knew his siblings by something distinctive like the hair.
"It was actually the Empress that came up with an idea to overcome our dear sister's ability to hide from us. Namely, you." Petryn was confused until he realized he was thinking too literally.
"You are talking about my bloodline?" Nest nodded and proceeded to pat him on the head! Petryn smacked the arm away as his brother laughed.
"You are a bright one! Sister knows about us but she has no idea about you. Why would she when there were not supposed to be any more siblings?" He nodded at Nest's words.
If not for some of his older siblings dying, their father would not add to the family any further. Even though Delenn had gone missing, it was confirmed she was alive.
After the civil strife, however, some new blood was needed. The difficulty in Immortals having children was only discovered at that point.
It was already somewhat difficult but had become almost impossible after the Corruption spread across the land. He was the only child born in the last million years to his family!
His siblings had been given permission to also start families if they so wished which was usually restricted outside of acquiring spouses.
The Corruption had forced a change in perspective for Immortals. Now, such a shift would perhaps catch their missing sibling off guard.
It was a good chance! Petryn got excited as he would finally get outside the Empire let alone the city.
"Ah, I made that face my first time too. Maybe we can find you a wife while we are at it!" He blushed deep crimson as his elder brother continued to pick on him!
"Maybe we could find you a new one to reign you in!" He shouted and some servants jumped which only made his embarrassment worse!
Nest broke out into deep laughter only to freeze when a new voice spoke up just outside Petryn's courtyard.
"Oh, you find that funny, my Beloved?" A woman with azure and black hair braided beautifully with silken robes of obsidian and crimson was standing with her hands on her hips looking at them.
She had deeply tanned skin and dark eyes. Her curves were temptation incarnate but Petryn was simply containing laughter as his previously confident older brother was pale as a ghost.
"D–d–delia?! I was just–" The pair vanished and a breeze was felt by Petryn who knew what had happened. His sister-in-law was adept at air elemental movement to the point of defying space!
Wherever they had gone, his brother would be back for him. He had to prepare for the trip and wonder how many limbs his brother would have when he got back!