novelraw Chapter 279 - 278 - Mask
Chapter 279 - 278 - Mask
The moon was missing from the sky. It was not a cataclysmic event, it was simply the night of the new moon when it was darkened. It was the darkest night of a month and that night, a shadowed form was flowing through the forest.
It was a simple shirt and pants but no skin was exposed even to starlight. Even the little light from the star was absorbed to make the figure seem more like a phantom. The trees held beasts that shivered as the figure passed by.
Not even a peak Iron Tier beast dared stop the figure running in the night.
There was not even a flash of a face in the night due to the blank mask on their face. Only 2 slits left anything to be perceived, but even those were covered by some material that prevented even that level of identification.
A sound not of nature finally reached the racing figure's senses and they slowed to confirm a direction. There was not a ripple of Qi the entire time, yet clearly the clothes were using some kind of formation or inscription to blend into the night.
Even so, not even standing next to them could the greatest experts in detection know someone was there without seeing them.
It was the one weakness of the outfit was that it could only blend, not actually become invisible but tonight it may as well have been. The sound of metal clinking came again and the figure now moved forward half the speed before.
It was still fast but far quieter. They slowed as a flickering light was revealed.
Demons.
They had the emblem of Darkmoor on them but all of them also had a convoluted beast head beneath that. Cygnus Clan was represented by what looked like a mix between a wolf and a goat. Usually the horns with a wolf head, but the full shape was on the cover of the horse nearby. It had goat hooves.
It had no name aside from the clan name.
What was important was the group was camping for the night in a rather strange place. It was a forest full of aether beasts as well as little known resources. It was a fine place to raise beasts, but the demons were outfitted for conjurers or weapon masters.
Maces, swords, and a spear marked most of the part but a few were clearly practicing some Arts as well. The figure made no move to advance. They simply scanned the group and shook their head.
They then backed off as quietly as they approached.
"Wrong group again." A distorted voice came from the mask, something no cultivator knew was possible. Masks were not commonly made and usually unique to an individual so there was little demand for powerful ones.
The current one would be valued as a low grade 4 treasure.
The figure moved back into the greater forest and circled around the demons. It had done it 2 times before in the last few nights. One thing of hope was that the group was better outfitted than the last one.
"Getting closer, now where are you?" A whispered voice came again but the masked being scanned the woods before seemingly finding something. They moved off like a shadow in darkness and flew to the horizon.
A third of the night was gone but time was left yet to find the main group. The ones found so far were scouts, but the last one was beefier. It clearly was an outer guard group to replace sentries.
Said sentries had not even known their perimeter was pierced.
The figure froze suddenly. It seemed fixated on a tree not too far to its right.
"Clever. Sentries but a formation setup as well. Pity." The figure suddenly vanished from its spot and appeared beyond the treeline marking the formation. Shadow transference was an impressive but limited Art. Its chief weakness was any form of light, even starlight, could make it stray from its target.
The figure, however, did not seem to have any such issue.
They began moving but much more slowly. They encountered more defenses but it was a good sign They had finally found their target.
Finally, the flicker of fire light came through. The black clothed from stopped and then seemed to disperse into the air. It was the first flow of Qi from them but it lasted only a heartbeat before serenity resumed.
"Is this the only way?" A male demon in full armor removed his helm to look at the leader of their group. He had rugged features and some beard growth to show the journey had been some distance for them.
"Calim is getting their paws into it, but my father wants us to stake a claim." The woman that answered was voluptuous. If Temptress of the Demon Empire was there, she was the only woman the head of the caravan would lose to.
She had a mix of dark pink and violet hair that complimented her pale lavender skin. Her eyes also seemed to glow a cerulean blue that made them mesmerizing.
"That empire has always suspected us of hiding something, but how?" A younger demon, clearly related to the woman, spoke and she smiled at him. The boy was odd in that he was clearly at the peak of the Soul Realm but could be no more than 11 or 12 years old. A true prodigy should not be in the middle of nowhere.
"We fled to Darkmoor Kingdom with the Blood Empire on our trail. We all know the history and it is quite possible some of our servants back then fled for their lives. If a few survived, they likely spoke of what we brought with us." Tessa liked that her little brother Kalen was with her. She would likely have to swallow being the bride to a human to secure their legacy.
"My Lady, surely there are other ways!" Tessa stared at her head guard but not sternly. She smiled sadly and shook her head.
"We need legitimacy to take the mines and lands around them. You saw the reports, the resonance was clearly in that area." The man swallowed his frustration and nodded but was not about to give up.
"What about rumors of Tur claiming him?" Tessa's eyes narrowed as she knew about that as well.
"I think that is our fault. That greedy fool thinks we know something valuable is in those mines and wants to keep it to themselves. They just want more time." It would work too because the demonic clan could not exactly explain their interest in such a lower stratum kingdom.
"Seluthir should know the risks of offending our clan." Tessa patted her little brother's head which he brushed off but finally made a giggle come from the guards.
"Come, we have surveyed all we needed to. We shall make our final offer to Seluthir tomorrow." She made all those that could rest and checked that none of their formations had been triggered. She then sent her brother to his tent next to hers.
She was about to disrobe when an instinct screamed at her. She summoned several bladed weapons that closely resembled shuriken.
"Gua–" She was about to call out when her voice failed. She felt nothing! How was that possible?!
"You would be wise to understand I could have killed you, your brother, and the entire camp before any guard was aware. You felt a disturbance in Qi as I finished the formation plate. I mean no harm, Princess of Cygnus Clan." A distorted voice seemed to come from all around her. She could not pinpoint the source!
"..." She tried to speak but nothing came. Further, the signaling arrays were not triggering! How was such a thing possible?!
"Forgive my rudeness but I need to talk and you will listen. Once I am done you will be able to speak. I believe you are looking for something tied to your Clan from thousands of years ago when you fled to Darkmoor." The direct words were only affirmation but Tessa was not fooled. They could have simply overheard since she could not detect them.
The bodiless voice chuckled.
"I know that look. You think I am tricking you, but remember, you cannot speak. I believe you are looking for Chimeric Accords lost in the Demon Empire millennia ago. Further, I think they suspected your clan of finding them and threatened you with extinction. Nod if I am correct." Tessa's eyes went wide. How was that name available to anyone?!
She slowly nodded.
"Good. Ironically, I had to be sure before coming too far. Also, you may be interested to know that the Covenant knew what you took back then, but made no issue of it as apparently that record is considered useless without the commensurate alchemic knowledge." Tessa was now truly floored. It was known?!
She trembled but then a shape took form in front of her. The body was somewhat broad but the sex was impossible to determine. The mask perfectly covered their face with not a slip of her senses able to penetrate the clothes.
"You can speak now." She put a throat to her voice and found it was indeed unrestricted.
"Aren't you worried I would summon the guard?" She would not. The being in front of her was powerful, very powerful. If she felt nothing, the likelihood of a Sky Realm was not impossible. They would all be killed without too much trouble. The only reason they were alive was due to her figuring out they were after something else, quietly.
"Ah, you could of course, but things would be difficult after that. I now grasp the situation in Seluthir and Tur. I assume Calim Empire has an inkling of the Accords as well?" She slowly nodded. Had they truly not overheard?
"We suspect one of the deserters back then that knew of the Accords and my ancestor's plans to hide it." They nodded but then seemed to hunch down in thought.
"Unlikely. A high power like that would be more direct. The ploy of offering his twin daughters is more like a move to draw someone out." The eyes glinted on the mask at her as a thought went down her spine.
"Me?" They shook their head and pointed to the left. They pointed to her brother's tent! "Why?!" Her panic flooded her body as fear took hold but they held up their gloved hand to stop her from running.
"I doubt several things but now that I understand the prize, I think you are being misled. The odds of something powerful like a grade 5 artifact missing for so long only to be suddenly found in Seluthir? No, I think we are all being played with." A scroll appeared and she took it without thinking.
She saw it was a proposal for Tur and their princess but the terms were strange. The more she read, the more it did not make sense. Seluthir would lose any chance of earning from the mine, only Tur would benefit. What was going on?
"So why my brother?" The figure then put a hand on their masked chin and seemed to think over their words.
"He is a prodigy known all over Sarth. Normally, getting a prodigy is a dream for most powers but demons are a little different. It indicates a particular bloodline rearing up and considering your origins, it seems likely that is the issue." Tessa felt her blood drain from her face.
"The Akashic Bloodline. It is heavily protected in the Blood Empire but our Clan was rewarded with a chance to marry into it. At the time, it was not an issue but the odds of it proliferating is very low. My brother's gifts do align with it. But he has no horns or wings showing!" She was desperate but then the masked figure summoned an ancient jade slip.
"It won't start until the Purgatory Realm. Demon Soul Realm is practically identical to humans and other races. Has he had any itchiness or sudden hunger pangs lately?" Tessa slowly nodded as his food intake had sharply increased.
Part of the reason he was with her was training but also to procure large amounts of meat. Slowly, pieces came together. Reports of possible resonance at last being found in Seluthir, the drying up of their mine at the right time, and Calim's interest.
"The Blood Empire knows! It all happened in the last 10 years!" The figure nodded and she could have sworn they smiled.
"If you want the boy safe, I have a suggestion. A change of destination. One I do not think you will object to." A medallion appeared. It was silver in color but it was not refined, it was Forged!
"A Moebius Medallion?!" These were not easy to get, at all. Many supreme cultivators had sold their souls for a chance to get one. Elixirs and Forging were damned rare in the wider world but slowly that was changing. Even so, the best place was now the Moebius Sect.
"Present that to the guards, they will let you in." The figure began to waver and the Qi she felt made her eyes widen. Demonic Qi! It was the demonic shadow Qi!
Only 1 being worked with demons freely at that sect, the sect master himself! Only 1 being could issue the medallion, the sect master once more. Finally, there was only 1 resident demon at the sect. His wife, Lady Cyntilla!
She had no shadow Qi but if given Forged items, it was well known that other Qi could be employed. Demon Forgers were more rare than Sky Realm veins. There was a demon Forger at the Moebius Sect no one knew about!
She held the medallion close before she realized the formation was gone as quietly as it was put up.
"Briellan! Rouse the men, we are moving out!" Tessa would not wait. If the Blood Empire was truly behind the endeavor, they were far too close to their jaws.
Far away, a figure clothed all in black suddenly materialized before nearly falling over.
"I hope you were not pushing yourself, or your mother will kill you after torturing me." Cyntilla slowly stepped out of shadows in similar garb to the masked person who waved at her cheerily before touching behind their right ear.
A hiss came from it as the mask detached and revealed a sweating Lind Frey.
"It was actually liberating to use demonic armor and artifacts. The Catalytic Prism works perfectly." Lind was about to go bragging when a firm grip picked him up completely.
"Yes, I am sure, tell me about it on the way home! We have guests coming and you need to sleep!" Lind smiled and then a round disc appeared to hover in front of them. Normal Qi flowed and they flew off into the night invisible to all as they had arrived.
It did not take 100 years for Lind to heal, it only took 85 with 5 more years of rehabilitation. The man also progressed his elixirs and Forging in secret. His badges were well hidden but if seen would make many have their hair stand on end.
Peak grade 4 elixir master and peak grade 4 Forging!