novelraw Chapter 1419 - 1418 - Harmonic Fortress
Chapter 1419 - 1418 - Harmonic Fortress
Many of the visitors expected them to find a city or other common structures to be their destination but instead, the path led continually towards the massive storm at the heart of the Throne.
The profound power of the Throne of Defiance weighed more heavily on them as they approached until a shimmering distortion in the air drew their eyes.
A fine crystalline arch was what awaited them at the end of the road. It almost blended in so seamlessly that they would have missed it if not for the distortion in the air. It was like seeing a mirage in the distance but it stayed there until the various caravans stopped before it.
They were nothing in front of it! It soared into the sky until they saw 2 dragons flapping their wings down to them. One was shimmering with violet scales while the other was almost jarringly cerulean.
It was so bright many believed it was actually made of light!
The pair glowed before transforming into human shapes. One had deep lavender skin while the other actually still glowed with cerulean light!
A demon and a human!
Yet, the demoness did not have the cold metallic gaze of her race but vertical violet eyes like the dragon had!
The human's eyes were the same but cerulean and glowing constantly!
"Welcome to the Western Gateway. There is no physical way to enter the home of the Ancestor but he created these gateways to jump through it to where the Convocation shall be held." The man spoke first. His fair features and gentle voice seemed to lull the senses just listening to him.
Many battle hardened men and women felt their guard drop just looking at him. A few resisted as they realized it was some kind of effect but the man did nothing to endanger them.
"As you agreed, a delegation shall be the representative plus no more than 4 support staff. If you have 2 representatives, you only get 3 staff." The demonic dragon now spoke and the women felt connected to her.
It was like she inspired them or freed their mind of doubts. Some even felt close to enlightenment. The men, however, felt like their mental thoughts had discord. They began to question every choice they ever made and did not like it!
The dragon smirked as if aware of her affect but her partner sighed.
"Deselle, stop that. The Ancestor knows we can't fully tame our harmonies but you are actively pushing it." At his words, her spell was broken but many narrowed their eyes. She pouted but then shrugged as if it did not concern her.
"Many of them have come with disdain and greed in their hearts. Do not tell me it does not bother you?" The dragons openly spoke about them as if the groups listening were air! Yet, no one dared challenge them.
[Enough.] A voice many had heard earlier finally spoke and both dragons instantly knelt towards the gate. [Deselle, you will report to me later. Yurian, open the gate.]
The pair put their foreheads on the ground and the cerulean human infused his harmonic Qi into the gate. Instant understanding flowed over the group.
No harmony meant no access! The near perfect security also answered the likely question about the emerald flame border.
No one had been able to breach it but no 6 elemental had yet to try.
The groups stepped through the gateway but were stunned that they felt no disorientation or shifting of space. It was as if they simply walked from one spot to the next!
"No spatial tunnel or teleportation effect? What is that?" Many voices asked but none had an answer.
Maiden Sera was one of the few who recognized a parallel to the Law Gates described long ago by the Heavenly Maidens that ascended in the last few thousand years.
Many fantastical stories had come up but verification was difficult below the 1st layer. The Heaven Realm Lands were chaotic now that the Fiend War was essentially over as it had been.
Fiends still infested many areas but it was the Celestial Fields they wished to conquer. Powers once united against them now broke apart and fought amongst each other.
One of the supreme powers, the Sanctuary Empire, was founded by none other than Lind Frey.
The caravans moved down a stone and crystal path. Emerald light was everywhere now but not just the ground.
Above their heads was a swirling storm that they finally felt directly. Many dantians strained as the delegations came through. The rest of their parties would set up camp outside the gateway for now.
Supposedly, Lind Frey would allow trade if any dragon wanted to partake in it, but not until after the talks were over.
The groups rounded a corner of the path and froze once again.
They expected a grandiose castle or even a large set of pavilions, but instead a rather humble set of halls were there. It was clearly designed with dragons in mind as the doors were far too massive for just humanoid beings, but all felt the lackluster aura in front of them.
They were simply buildings made for some purpose aside from the Convocation but it was only when they were closer that they felt a shift in their perspective.
The plain walls and dark roofs were actually densely engraved with sigils! Weavings of the Law Grade were everywhere yet they barely felt them.
"An illusion?" Many voiced the question but the door cracked open in the central hall and finally they understood.
The exterior may be mundane, but the interior was far from it.
A massive entrance hall welcomed them with various dragons in human form waiting to greet them. Pillars of pure stellar stone, stone filled with star-like glow in black background, supported the ceiling as they saw places to take for themselves.
Courtyards with a full garden and production stations seemed to be under sun or moonlight as many would like. Some even saw a dragon adjust the environment of such a courtyard as they went about their duties.
Herbs, ores, and other materials were clearly labeled up to at least grade 7! Anything they would need to repair or produce something was apparent but the rules of keeping out production masters now confused them until all glanced at the dragons waiting in front of them.
They were the production masters!
"""Welcome to the Harmonic Fortress. Please choose a courtyard until the Convocation is called."""
A chorus of voices spoke and the various delegations moved but then noticed one final detail. Not all courtyards were equal.
The flying crane of the Frey Clan was prominent and clearly already filled! The golden Heavenly Maiden symbol on a field of white was hanging next to the Divine Sword Sect.
The various guilds also had pre-assigned courtyards that were clearly of higher quality than the rest!
Sovereign Barbatos smiled as a wild jungle courtyard called to him specifically as the dryad went with him.
Several demonic sects of the higher and middle powers also had assigned places. Oddly, not all were allies of the Frey Clan.
The Throne of Living Fire had freed their slaves per an Accord but there was no treaty with the Frey Clan, yet they had their own courtyard. The Golden Vermillion Inn was also there! It was only a major power of the 2nd layer!
Others were set up like that but there was something all noticed at the end.
The dragon clans were not there! Not a single dragon clan was present and it only took a moment to recall the size of the doors.
The fortress had places for beasts to live at their full size! A quick scan revealed the tortoise and other larger beast races were not present!
There had been 3 halls and did all lead to the same place like the gateway that brought them there?
Just how massive was the fortress? Stellar Stone did not just spring into existence and it was notoriously difficult to nurture, yet that and other materials seemed commonplace!
Every power got the message.
What was impossible for them was easy for Lind Frey. Anything he wanted to make, he had the ability to get the material he wanted in any quantity he wanted.
Anything that could be made, he could make a step above.
It was a well thought out powerplay just welcoming them into his fortress! The various powers, regardless of their impression of Lind Frey, now understood clearly just how powerful he was.
He could become a powerhouse unto himself if he so chose and few could find a solid argument to deny him! A True Lord was generally uninvolved unless needed but it seemed Lind Frey was not like those at all.
The Convocation had not even begun and Lind Frey had already played a strong hand against them!
Meetings were called and messages were able to be sent. They had to start from scratch! Their assumptions had just been blown out of the water and those thinking Lind Frey had little to offer now had to hope they could match whatever he demanded!