novelraw Chapter 1065 - 1064 - Vile Recruits
Chapter 1065 - 1064 - Vile Recruits
"The Fionan Empire knows?!" A dark room held an emergency meeting. Men and women in dark cloaks and formations to hide their identities sat around a dark stone table. There was no light source but each of them could see thanks to the refined inscriptions on their cloaks.
"Not just anyone but a prince of the imperial family!" A distorted voice came from the head of the table as the person held their head in their hands. "We have no time to consult the masters. If the Empire comes with array masters, we will be in grave danger. We have to commit all the forces under our control!"
His opinion was not weak but it was far from accepted.
"We cannot weaken ourselves nor expose our bases to attack. We have been given strict orders from the masters and given the rewards to go with it!" Another voice spoke up but it was swapping between male and female. The slim figure could be either.
Many heads nodded but the one at the head of the table slammed his fist on the stone causing it to crack!
"Fools! We have consumed many of the pawns we would normally use. We can recruit from the survivors but do you really think they can stand up to the Fionan Empire? The array will have some sway but only until that blasted Maester protects them!" His point brought silence to the room.
It was true they had been constantly recruiting spies and agents from the Vile powers on down, but the truth was they had used them up in the sect wars.
They would have to move agents currently in far more important jobs and it would take months if not years for them to arrive. They did not have that kind of time!
Their heads hung low before a new voice spoke up from the shadows around the table.
"I have gathered the recruits and they will be assaulting the war towers in a day. There are only 4000 of them at best and the highest realm is at the Moon Tier." The man at the head sighed at the report.
"We have no choice. Prepare our forces to join them. Don your old robes and we go to war!" Debating would only waste time. They would not have to leave their bases defenseless but they would at least take all they could spare.
The meeting adjourned leaving the man alone. He slowly pulled a head back to reveal a young face that was frustrated.
Steel gray eyes looked at the cracked table surface in anger.
"I will not be trapped in this layer forever! I will escape it!" Anyone from the Fionan Imperial family would be shocked to see a kin of theirs in that room. His hair was a mix of pale violet and dark brown. It showed he was a distant relation from the main family.
He knew the terror of the Empire far better than any at that meeting and he knew it.
If they found out about the bloodline array, they were one of the few supreme powers with the resources to spare dispersing it. If that happened, their masters would make them wish for death!
He would not be treated like that after coming so far! He had risen above those arrogant main branch members and reveled in joy that their famed Forging Princess was lost to them. He heard what had happened and found it appropriate.
The fools had no idea of the viper at their breast but a single viper was not enough to stop the Emperor from going wild against their plans!
He got up and moved into the shadows. The recruits awaited his instructions and he would then guide the array to bring all the forces he could down on their enemies.
They had let things go on too long and now they had to rush. Still, it was comforting knowing their enemy could not take advantage of the moments to come.
⬧⬧⬧⬧
Ranger was quietly waiting in the shadows of a tree. Leaves had covered him as well as some brush he brought with him. He essentially looked like part of the forest to the point both beasts and animals did not react to him.
He was just background so far as anything alive was concerned. His current Master had taught him many new tricks that broadened his horizons in many aspects.
He had a gift for stealth he had not realized before for instance! He did not even need his shadow Qi to do it!
He was currently letting his Art confirm the movements of their enemy. Just as planned, they were on the move but their numbers shocked him.
The various sects had suddenly stopped fighting as if given an instruction. None found it odd they were now allies but the only ones still in range were the wicked forces.
While their numbers at close to 4 or 5 thousand were worrying, it was not a threat. The weavings and formations would not even strain at their current strength against them.
The issue was their realms. They were too low to be a threat to grade 7 formations and Law Grade weavings. It would be like an ant striking a metal plate. Absolutely nothing would happen!
It all changed when a surge of people suddenly joined them from various directions. He did not need to check where they had come from. The area he had found the bloodline array eyes was the source of new personnel.
He had been spending the last few months marking the areas he could find with his Art but there were powerful defenses even he could not breach. The flow of people gave him a rare opportunity.
His senses danced across the land and finally found an entrance! He found a complex that made his skin crawl just being inside with his Art! He frowned also at the strange feeling the walls gave him but he cut off the Art quickly.
He felt a shift in the formations and had to pull back before he could get a full map.
"Master will want this!" He moved slowly and carefully back to the city. Haste would lead to death with so many enemies around him. Even so, he had a more pressing reason to live.
He was going to be a father. Katara and he simply chose to get together to pass the time. He was happy to be under a good master and she found him 'wonderfully tempting.'
A demon and human could have a family but it was difficult. Compounding the fact was he was far lower in cultivation than her.
He blushed as he recalled he was also far lower in skill!
Ranger was almost back to the city when his eyes narrowed. There was something new ahead that had not been there when he left a week ago.
His shadow Qi flew across the earth and pain lanced his dantian instantly. It was minor but if he had been directly above it, he would have been crippled or worse.
"Dantian spike traps. Nasty and a popular tool of the Harkon Blood Sect. I did not see any members around though." His time hunting for survivors and the many battles he fought in had given him a broad base of identification knowledge.
The trap was self explanatory. A cultivator would walk over it and their dantian would be shattered. Some Arts would let it work too but he did not use any.
Still, the pain was not a good thing. If he strained himself, the damage could become serious.
He summoned a vial with cobalt blue swirling with black. He downed it and the pain vanished like it never was.
His master was amazing!
He focused once more and found more traps blocking his way forward. Was there anything he could do?
"Stuck, Ranger?" He nearly jumped out of his skin. Maester Cord stood right next to him!
"How did you know I was here?" He whispered the question but only saw the tanned face smile back at him.
"This close I can easily detect you but using one of my own elixirs is like setting up a flare. It also told me you ran into the newest additions our company had made for us." Ranger understood his master had known of the situation but not his position.
Actively scanning, even with the wards to protect him, would have triggered the traps. So how did he know they were there?
"Explanations later. Why did you come back?" Ranger narrowed his eyes as he relayed the fortunate discovery at one of their targets. He handed over the jade slip and saw his master's eyes widen then gleam in a way that sent shivers down his spine.
"This is better. This is a much better idea…" His master began to mumble before Ranger realized the world shifted around them. They were on the living quarters floor of the most rebuilt tower!
He was impressed by the casual display of lost power once more.
"Chu! We have a change of plans!" Maester Cord shouted into the halls but he was smiling. When he turned back, Ranger was reminded what it was like in the stories when facing a dragon.
No hope of victory crossed his mind facing those emerald orbs. All he saw was death!
He almost pitied their enemies, almost.