novelraw Chapter 597 - 596 - Phantoms
Chapter 597 - 596 - Phantoms
Conquering a city was nowhere near as simple as the villages. While it had fallen in less than a night, the true logistical nightmare had just begun.
Once the slaves were freed, they had smashed their pens and started a slaughter while the Two Rivers invaded. Their forces also included many freed slaves. Lind did not approve of cruelty but he had no mercy for the wholly corrupted natives of Dar.
Still, he was glad to see that babies and very small children were spared if very frightened. Briel and Benny were put in charge of those as they were the first true children they had come across since they invaded months ago.
The one plus of taking the city was the resources they badly needed for their ever growing army.
Those that chose not to fight, or could not, had been sent back on a safe path to the Two Rivers Empire. The remaining Minister Council was running the empire in his absence.
He still got many requests but one of them included manpower for various projects and many sent back could help with much of it.
Clerical work did not need much movement and the children could easily help them too.
On Lind's side, he was quickly repairing the walls but was stunned to find demonic refiners and formation masters in the slaves. Until that moment, he had pretty much found manual labor slaves.
He also got to work on freeing the Soulless but that was a tragic process. Oddly, the ones he used as puppets recognized him when they woke up and wept on his shoulders in thanks for freeing them all.
Out of the 1000 Soulless, only about 300 chose to die. Even the offer of revenge would not stop them and the few that explained why made even the hardened slaves from the villages weep.
They were given painless deaths and cremated.
All of that chaotically passed in less than a week when the scouts looking at the other cities confirmed a force of Soulmancers and soldiers were on the move.
Retaliation had been expected but clearly they had been having issues with the army. Namely, Lind had crushed it 50 years ago when the last attack happened. Also, they did not bring any slaves so the major hold up was likely learning how to run a camp without them.
The repairs to the outer wall were done long ago but the formations were still damaged because a human cultivator was unavailable. Lind had been having the arrays modified by the demons but there were limits.
His weaving ability was already pushed to its limits with the emerald sky above. He had no doubt the Soulmancers had tried to find the engraved sigils at the edge of the Empire but there were none.
Lind had learned how to anchor a weaving to himself and tie its effect to a certain resonance of items he set up.
They would be like normal blank artifacts that few would care about.
He had made sure to bury or hide them so they would not stand out. Even if they were found, he had covered his bases with backups but if enough were moved, a hole would form and he would feel it instantly.
It did put his weaving under constant use but that was easier than remaking the dome everytime they broke his weavings.
It also tied up their forces looking for something that did not exist.
Lind sat in a large hall with scorched walls and a charred table at the center. Gravis and Sheena were with him on his left and right while the rest were representatives of the slaves. There were 5 demons, 3 demoness, and 1 aether child.
"While we are grateful for your liberation 'Emperor Frey,' we will decide how to run our lives." The massive demon was covered in scars and missing an eye. Normally that would indicate a seasoned warrior but he had been chained in the chambers of a noble that lead the city.
His son enjoyed venting his anger on the demon slave that was in much better shape than himself.
Lind had heard only pieces of that family had been found to date.
"I am not asking to run your lives, I am asking if you want to help in the coming battle or leave Dar entirely." Lind had been arguing in what it felt like circles for the last few days. The village slaves had been thrilled to conquer a city but they also resisted officially joining the army.
Lind had no problem with that as he understood but his followers were a different story. It took an enraged order from him to leave them be that actually impressed the former slaves.
"This city is ours now. You will follow our orders." A well built but slim demon supported the other. They had no names exactly. The large demon had been called Cyclops by the nobles so he despised it.
Lind was about to continue when his eyes narrowed.
"GET DOWN!" Gravis and Sheena with the soldiers immediately obeyed. The aether child and 2 of the demoness did as well, but the others sneered until faint blue shapes pierced the walls.
Lind quickly flared his emerald harmony to make a dome but it was too slow. The vague shapes became firmer until all looked in horror at wailing humans screeching but they could be seen through!
What were those things?!
"Phantoms!" The single eyed demon actually paled but shoved down the last demoness when his arm was grazed. The arm instantly withered as he screamed in pain.
The smaller demon that spoke up before was not so lucky. He tried to attack but his Qi just passed through them. He died horribly with a single touch to his heart.
"ENOUGH!" Emerald light flared across the room at last. Where it touched the phantoms, they shattered like glass before vanishing. All stared at Lind as sweat covered his brow.
He was at his limits but he was able to stop the attack.
All the demons stared at the flickering layer of Qi as the phantoms kept trying to get at them but they simply dispersed on contact.
As swiftly as the attack started, it ended. Lind quickly used a communication wristband but breathed relief that only they had been attacked.
He was about to dismiss his harmony Qi when more appeared!
Lind popped an elixir and downed it. The golden liquid held a sigil in it. It was specifically to help his soul maintain its power as he quickly engraved new sigils into the air. The elixir was barely enough in his current state.
Soul Power Elixir was damned difficult to make due to the fact he needed to weave at the same time.
His weaving coalesced and the walls now glowed which made the blue figures stop in place.
Unlike his harmony, the weaving simply trapped them. He released his harmony and nearly collapsed but Sheena caught him.
"Do not touch them, their power is unchanged." Lind wanted to sleep or at least cultivate to recover but he had to get up. All watched in awe as he carefully walked up to a wailing man halfway in one of the walls.
It tried to claw at him but Lind merely smiled before his body glowed once more. Every phantom froze at that moment.
"I can hear you. I really can, but you need to tell me what is going on." The large demon was about to speak when the others waved him to silence.
"...must…kill…weaver…" Lind nodded at the barely whispered words. His skill as a weaver let him hear the pleas to let them die but he needed more.
"...retrieve…Shi…" Lind's eyes narrowed. The Soulmancer was in the capital so it told him the attack was not just at the city.
"I see, rest now." His hand glowed and he touched each one to disperse them. The weaving would stay up but there were likely more on the outside. "I will be right back."
He then went to leave but stopped as he saw the withered arm of the demon. He summoned a bright cobalt elixir with a sigil in it.
"Your soul is damaged. This is a woven elixir for demons. It will help you recover." The demons all froze at his words but they could feel the demonic Qi.
"Who made this?" It was the demoness the larger demon saved that asked. Lind smiled and pointed at himself before he left.
⬧⬧⬧⬧
Haim stared at the elixir but nothing warned him as he used his remaining good arm to down it. A soothing feeling filled his pain riddled body. His arm was restored at a visible rate to the naked eye but more than that, internal issues also resolved so easily.
"A Lifemancer!" He looked with his last good eye but then his head burned! He felt his skull itch as the demonic Qi flooded his body and impurities began to be purged.
All were stunned as Haim's Nightfall tier jumped from 5 to 6 right in front of them! His eye also was restored!
The man Gravis said nothing as he looked at them.
"W-we insulted a Lifemancer!" The other 2 demonesses screeched but Gravis then laughed.
"You find us amusing?" Haim was flush with power but his will to be free was unfettered as ever. He was grateful, but he would not bow.
"Emperor Lind does not care about such titles. He never has. He is a teacher and protector. He berated the original exiles from what I am told for daring to fight each other in their near crippled state." Gravis then grabbed his arm and looked meaningfully at Haim. "He also restored my arm but never once asked me to repay him."
Gravis then looked at all of them in the room.
"Think about that carefully. Has he once asked you for anything or only wanted to know what you wanted to do? Stay or fight? Help or flee? Has he once given a command since you met him?" All of them looked at each other.
"Anyone those twisted Soulmancers unleash their pet phantoms on is an ally. I will not kneel but I will be an equal to him." Gravis frowned but then took his own advice. He nodded at Haim's words and left.
Haim was about to sit back down when he saw his brother's withered body. They were all brothers in his mind unless they crossed him. He carefully picked it up and headed out the door to the pyre where many bodies were still being burned.
The first attack failed but Haim knew more were coming.