novelraw Chapter 452 - 451 - A Little Play
Chapter 452 - 451 - A Little Play
Romana had been called a few more times to see the Elders but with the release of her oath, she was able to reveal a bit more that would have triggered it before. The new information was not large but it did confirm that Lady Lira attacked Lady Gua for some reason and lost miserably.
Triton looked fuming mad as every avenue of his theory was shot down not only by Romana's report but the other elders. The thing that struck her, though, was why Triton was so sure it was there yet seemed to not have proof at all.
He seemed obsessed with the idea but then a report came back from the farthest reach of one of their sister island branches. The last son of Lady Frostfang had barely escaped and was getting the necessary process completed to move to another island safely.
The Warders were one of the few organizations to help with that but anything dealing with Star Tiers was treated as necessary to avoid complications in the Alliance.
The boy, now calling himself Ban, informed the branch that the fall of Lady Lira inspired his mother to move on and Lady Gua had even offered to take him in. It confirmed that Lady Gua had risen in prowess as he reported her having 4 elements when the last report only had 2!
Such an increase was not small as it left only 2 elements to add before she would reach Moon Tier!
Triton had to let it go but Romana wondered why, of all things, he was so dead set on proving Lind Frey was on Wild Heart Isle. Many organizations were looking for him but assumed he was using his vast resources and contacts to hide his movements.
The Babylon Guild also was looking for him but it was a simple formality. The Moebius Sect was recognized by them but they had to send a representative to register the final details. One of those was the location of the sect but likely they would not be doing that anytime soon.
Finally, she was able to resume her job but she did not immediately go to the sect. There were a few obstacles.
The biggest was the chaotic lands between her and the sect. The fallout from Lady Frostfang leaving was ongoing and only suicidal fools would enter at such a time. Some beasts would ignore her but far more simply see a free meal to grow stronger.
The other hurdle was Triton.
Romana was certain she was being watched. She could not be certain but her old instincts when working for her sect came back to her as an itch between her shoulder blades she could not scratch.
She may not have been the best of her sect but they trained all disciples in battles. The world was not kind to the unprepared.
She also felt a trace of fear she could not pin down. Why was she afraid? Was it the last warning from the senior Black Shelled Tortoise or was it the coincidental invitation so soon after?
Too much was happening and she wondered why her twilight years were becoming so dangerous!
She was about to head back from her patrol when silence descended on the forest around her. It was not the silence of beasts waiting to entrap, but of fear! Something made all the noisy beasts hide away!
A large shadow suddenly appeared in the sky and Romana was stunned to see a massive prismatic scaled sinuous body descend on her.
"You are a Warder?" The question was clear for all to hear but the tone was very curt. Romana felt sweat break out as she slowly nodded and showed her badge. Ethry brought her massive snout very close and Romana felt her body shiver in fear.
The sharp teeth glinted of death if she so much as sneezed!
"I have been bothered by beasts saying you are looking for my mate, has something happened to him?" The pressure was real and Romana understood why the beasts had gone into hiding. Ethry was mad!
Romana also confirmed Ethry was at the peak of tier 6!
"I-I do not know of anything like that, Miss Ethry!" Denying her identity would be pointless as she was the only dragon in the Floating Isles. There were some drakes but they were nothing compared to the august presence of Ethry.
The silvery eyes narrowed at her as Ethry loomed over her.
"You claim to know nothing, then who is that?!" A scream suddenly came from behind Romana and she turned to find one of the juniors of the Warders ensnared by a kind of burning ring.
She saw it was of all elements so escape was near impossible but the quality was almost tier 7!
The young man was only a tier 4 but the gray in his hair showed he was nearing the end of his potential.
"Please excuse my junior. We always have help nearby if needed." Romana was not making up a random lie. If it was suspected a Warder would be near a dangerous spot, a pair would be sent in fact while one of them would conceal themselves to not alarm the beasts.
Still, normally it would be a pair of later tier Warders, not a junior and senior like then.
"Do you take me for a fool?! Speak boy! Why are you 2 here?!" Ethry's rage was very real. What was going on? Romana was not planning on heading to the sect today at all but soon.
"D-damnable beast! You should know your betters!" Romana cursed internally as the foolish words. She instantly shattered a jade stone in her storage pouch. Space parted as Elder Thorn appeared.
In an emergency, it was always wise to summon an aether child rather than any other race. Thorn looked at Ethry in shock but then saw the pained expression on Romana's face as well as the red faced youth entrapped in Qi of all elements.
"Lady Ethry, please calm yourself. I am sure–" Thorn was a tier 9, so a mere tier 6 should not have been able to do anything to her but Ethry was a Divine Dragon. The Heavens rumbled in anger and made even the foolish boy stop struggling.
"I am being annoyed for many days now by beasts complaining about you Warders asking where my mate is! If he was here, do you think I would not rejoice and welcome him openly?! Do you think I would tolerate anyone coming near him I do not want?!" Her tirade was very real.
Romana felt true anger and realized Ethry had been angry for a long time. Forced to hide and act meek rather than as the dragon she was seemed to be very against her nature. It obviously had taken a toll.
Thorn looked to her but Romana pointed at the youth.
"I think he may have more answers than me, Elder." Thorn was confused but then quickly summoned the roster to find confusion. Romana was not supposed to be paired with anyone that day!
"Identify and report!" The man seemed conflicted but Thorn was an elder of the Warders. He could not refuse the order.
"High Elder Triton wanted suspicious activities monitored. I was assigned to Watcher 117. Her reports were too suspicious." The man was proud but Romana felt anger rise in her. She may not have reported everything but she did nothing to harm the Warders at all!
Thorn also narrowed her eyes as her aura now flared. The crack of bones was heard clearly before the man coughed up blood.
"Lady Ethry, I believe I know the source of the issue and will address it." Thorn bowed low as did Romana but the dragon's rage never stopped.
"I do not believe you. Humans especially are troublesome. I will take this one to my mountain and you will relay to me all that is done until I return her. If any more Warders come asking for me or my mate, they will be killed and given to the lower beasts." Ethry was dead serious.
They all could feel the clear bloodlust in her voice and aura.
"Lady Ethry–" Before Thorn could say another word, prismatic flames encircled Romana and singed her robes as she was swept into the sky. She was not the only one!
"WWWWWWAAAAAAHHHHHH!" The man was screaming in more pain as his cracked ribs broke and punctured his lungs.
"Do I know my place now, fool?" Terror was on the man's face but anger as well. Romana cursed him as well as he was then moved up and down swiftly as well as side to side. Foam started to form on his lips before she stopped.
"If not for the last order not to kill people needlessly, you would be my first example. Take him away!" The ring shattered as he fell from the sky into Thorn's Cloud Fire Art. It made a soft construct of earth and fire that looked as fluffy as clouds.
It could obscure or protect depending on the density of the Qi. Romana felt the world blur as they moved away from the incident.
"I know he was an arrogant fool, but was that not going a little far?" Romana timidly asked the question but was surprised at the contrite answer.
"Lind said to scare them, so I did. Besides, he was a bad man. I could smell death on him." It was the second time she was told there was something wrong with a member of the Warders. What was going on?
"Also, I am very sorry but you may not leave here again. Lind knows this was a risk but he badly wants to talk to you about your Dao." Romana was surprised. She also had wanted to speak to him but the sect had forbidden it.
Nothing stopped her after but few could find the boy and he was quite busy running his sect.
"It is all right. I have some things to tell him as well. Elder Triton is one of those things also. There is no such thing as a high elder in the Warders." The title worried her. She had not been involved in politics in the Heavenly Maiden Sect and again in the Warders.
It seemed something bad was brewing in the background.
Ethry nodded and then the forest changed to a towering jungle. The speed they were moving was not slow but Romana would guess a Sky Realm would take 5 to 6 days at full speed to cover the same distance.
Before long, something stunning came into view. It was a sect! It was really in the Wild Heart Isle! Moebius Sect stood in the shade of the massive trees of the Mengcong as Romana was carried over the walls to the core area.
Just before she disembarked, she felt her communication jade stone vibrate.
[Romana, the man is dead. He was alive when I left him in the healers ward but now he is dead. There was nothing wrong with him and my examination is being challenged by Triton. Do not return. Something bad is coming.]
Elder Thorn had never directly messaged her before but Romana felt a coldness in her chest. The man had been injured definitely but Ethry could have done much worse than she did. Ethry felt her distress and Romana told her why.
Both dragon and former maiden looked south. What was going on back in the Warders?