novelraw Chapter 463 - 462 - Masks
Chapter 463 - 462 - Masks
"What do you mean you can't find Triton?!" Elder Thorn was enraged as the guards she sent to escort Triton came back empty handed.
"Elder, his room was left in an extreme hurry but there was no blood or sign of fighting anywhere. Worse, several other known subordinates are missing as well. They seem to have left before Elder Arianna returned." Thorn felt her blood pressure rise as magma began to float around her.
"Thorn, calm yourself. Their masks were ripped away and they fled. It only gives us more confirmation of what Lind Frey gave us." Korath sat calmly as he stroked his beard next to her. He hardly seemed bothered by the news but then again he was known to be cold until a weapon was in his hands.
"We do not know how many there are, only what was uncovered! Warders are not all who live here!" Thorn's words made Korath narrow his eyes. Still it brought up a difficult topic.
The reason Triton and the others were not caught was due to a key factor. They were not using the Fiend technique Lind Frey had discovered over 30 years ago.
Once it was known, it had become a scourge to uproot completely. Testing for it was fairly easy but did not catch the sympathizers nor normal cultivators that still served the Fiends. More tangible evidence like artifacts or other damning items were needed to confirm that.
Unfortunately, many storage treasures could be hidden all too easily and never found unless one knew where to find them.
Still, incidents had seemed to decrease but it seemed all of them had underestimated the plans of the Fiends.
The long view was quite normal for cultivators but it was something terrifying when dealing with those living nightmares. Severis Island would be expunged as soon as a force could be gathered but time was slipping away.
If Severis was simply the official front, the real lair could be hidden far away and unknown to all.
Given enough time, the trail could grow cold!
"Even the best communication jade stone can be intercepted. What do we do?" Elder Arianna was on the other side of Thorn. She brought up a frustrating point. Aside from specially paired stones, the Warders only had general communication stones.
Few powers would stop or interfere with an emergency call normally but if Fiend agents were set up, they could directly stifle the relay of the new information.
"A messenger is no better and would take far longer. Surely there is some other method one of us still held on to?" Korath looked around the room but all were silent. Once becoming a Warder, many severed all connections to make the pain quick and without regrets.
They all wondered what they could do when a pressure descended over their heads.
Moving swiftly outside they saw a massive projection of an endless one sided strip encircled on itself. The symbol of Moebius Sect!
"Attention all residents of the Floating Isles. If you are hearing my voice and seeing my sect's symbol, then I ask for your time. I have already revealed what I found to the Warders that guard Wild Heart Isle, but it is worse than I imagined." Lind Frey's voice! He was speaking somehow to the entirety of the Floating Isles!
How?!
The Matron at the Voracious Jungle Island had a fierce look on her face as several beasts were brought before her dead. Their corpses were vile inside and they had also found larders around their island somehow.
She was assisting Annabelle to project everywhere all at once. It was a dangerous skill for a Sky Realm but child's play for an experienced Star Tier.
"By now, messages should have arrived at the Heavenly Maiden Sect, the Hellfire Sect, and to the Wilds. Please note what information I can prove I have given. Anything else is guess work but the following is not." A change came over the projection.
An island appeared that was highly organized and regulated by smoke coming from many chimneys and warehouses. It was Severis Island. It was the very island they wanted to raid and he was already displaying it to all.
"I know you can hear me. I do not know all about you but I am not letting you hide anymore. If you know nothing of what is going on in Severis Island, flee that place. NOW!" Lind Frey's voice boomed and caused many windows to rattle.
"Fiend agents are using that island as a processing center to preserve and prepare cargo at the very least. Caravans leave that island and come to places like Wild Heart Isle, Star Forged Island, and so forth. Locations have been given to the supreme sects." The image flickered before a handsome face with dark green eyes and dirty blonde hair appeared.
"One last thing. Wild Heart Isle is my home now. Per the request of the leaders of the territories, I now control the teleportation array and tunnel that leads here. Anyone attempting to enter by other routes will be killed as intruders at the lord or lady's discretion. Good luck." The image then vanished.
Thorn and Arianna were stuck there with their mouths open in shock before Korath began to laugh. Both swivel their heads to see the old demon slapping his knees in the most joy they had ever seen.
"EXCELLENT! That is how youth should be! Smash your enemies hopes and declare yourself openly! I like you boy!" Korath shouted to the air before Thorn actually felt the tension drain from her shoulders.
They were about to head back inside when screams reached their ears from the city.
All 3 took to the air as did many guards. Before they even reached the wall of their fortress, smoke began to rise from the city streets as more screams sounded. Thorn narrowed her eyes as she felt a disgusting Qi in the air.
"Fiend agents! GO!" Their masks had been stripped away and now they were lashing out. Anger at Lind Frey flared briefly but Thorn dismissed it as she knew it was better than fearing the dagger in the back all the time.
It still did not resolve the normal cultivator collaborators but the rest were a cancer that needed to be expunged.
She was about to dive in when a roar that shook all the buildings filled the air.
Emerald flames slammed down from the sky as a giant sinuous dragon dropped below the clouds. A trick! Lind Frey tricked them with a pre-recorded message!
Where his flames struck, a strange thing occurred. The vile Fiend Qi seemed to vanish and those hurt suddenly felt much better. Another dragon appeared but this one was prismatic and also roared.
A giant golden bird with black tipped wings descended as did a stone dral.
More aether beasts appeared as did humans, demons, and aether children!
"Kill all of them and capture any that match the scent we know to look for! Qing, help the injured!" Lind Frey's voice echoed across the skies as a gorgeous woman with blindingly blonde hair appeared.
The chaotic situation was quickly brought under control in a few moments as the 3 elders could only stare.
Arianna was stunned, Thorn was relieved, and Korath was fidgeting as if he was about to meet his new bride! The guards cheered them on and quickly began to work with them.
No one was rejected but a beast had to clear them each time.
The emerald flames never stopped for the whole night but no buildings were set aflame. Only Fiend agents screamed in rages as they died and intact corpses were left behind. Moebius Sect had no mercy for them.
Once the battle settled, an exhausted Lind Frey flew down and bowed low to now 15 observing elders.
"Greetings to the Warders. If you will spare me a moment." A strange pillar appeared with 4 prongs on it. Strange Qi flared but before anyone could react 2 red dots appeared. The 2 Elders tried to flee but a massive mountain lion and Fire Hawk stopped them cold.
"This item can only be Forged by me but it detects any Fiend Qi in a body or item." Lind then put it away. "Unfortunately it has some severe limitations but it is highly effective even with a storage treasure."
The 2 elders were human and brought over. They were terrified as their pouches and rings were ripped open. They each had several dark metal artifacts that were vile to be near but a quick blast of emerald from Lind and they were made inert.
"Take them away and keep them under heavy guard!" Obviously any elder that supported Fiends was worth questioning compared to the cannon fodder that started the city battle.
"We are indebted to you, Master Frey. Still, declaring you own Wild Heart Isle–" One of the human elders began to posture when a terrifying set of auras locked on to him. His wrinkled visage crumpled under their pressure.
"Now,now, I will correct them." Lind waved off the Star Tiers and they obeyed! It was as Arianna said, he was in charge!
"To be clear, once and for all. Moebius Sect is only 1 of many residents on the island. While I do lead 2 territories, those are the only territories I lead. My expertise in fighting Fiends is why I am currently leading our battle party. Once this is over, they will return to their areas much as before but with one difference." Lind then looked at a young girl that landed next to him. Her vibrant pink hair was distinct but her tier 8 aura was powerful.
"Senior Thorn and Korath, it is good to see you again. I am glad you are safe." Both elders were surprised as they had never met such a powerhouse in their long lives. A bit of mischief crossed the young girl's face and Thorn felt a shocking jolt.
"Romana?" The young girl pouted at the question.
"It is no fun if you guess senior Thorn! I should not have told you all those stories!" Korath now looked in shock at Romana as did others. There was no resemblance to the former watcher but then they saw her mannerisms and how she spoke to Elder Thorn.
"All masks are off. Moebius Sect is now the bridge between Wild Heart Isle and the rest of the cultivation world. There will be no negotiation on that point given current circumstances. I will reopen the bridge once we are ready to receive guests." Lind bowed to Romana before flying back into the sky.
All looked on as sigils began to blaze from several members of his group before they all vanished with the sound of thunder.
"Weavers, those were grade 5 weavers!" One of the elders spoke up but Thorn and Arianna could only stare at Romana who stayed behind.
"We have a lot to catch up on, but first, I am not a member of their sect nor am I Warder any longer." A pristine white robe appeared on her body and had a golden emblem on her right breast. "I am once more a Heavenly Maiden. There is much to plan for the upcoming raids and little time. Let's go!"
All the elders were in too much shock as the followed the now very young Romana back into their fortress to plan the next stage of their attacks.