The Lone Wanderer

Chapter 598 – Never again

Micky maintained a precise and deliberate pace as he travelled towards Twilight City. On one hand, he didn’t want to spend too long on the road, so he strove to move faster than a galloping horse. It also helped him project a certain level of strength outwards to prevent nearby bandits from getting any funny ideas.

All things considered, he was walking about as fast as a Green.

Well… technically, Micky himself was a Green, though he was far from a typical mage of that grade. Between his beast affinity, his second core, and however much of his boosting art he could use while hiding his mana signature within the concealment enchantments of his invisible Cloak, he could run several times faster if he wanted. Hell, he could have just flown to his destination in his crow form or by simply using his domain.

On the other hand, he understood that he had to be cautious now that he didn’t have Percy or Archibald by his side, which was why he’d greatly limited his speed to that of the average noble. This had unfortunately extended the trip by a couple of weeks, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

Besides, he was almost there now, so it didn’t really matter. If anything, his casual journey had given him a chance to practice his shapeshifting. He’d assumed a different human appearance each time he’d passed through a new town, partly to expand his repertoire of shapes and get used to the Mimicry trait, and partly to reduce the odds of somebody recognizing him.

Other than training, he’d also spent his days contemplating what he wanted out of his life, trying to fix whatever was wrong with him.

Sadly, it appeared that somebody had managed to pick up his scent, despite his abundant caution. Micky wasn’t sure how – he’d felt quite confident in his disguise – but he’d caught fleeting glances of a person that had maintained a fixed distance from him for a couple of days now.

The mysterious man was walking several kilometres behind Micky, visible only whenever the curvature of the road allowed him to see that far. Micky hadn’t managed to learn much about the person’s soul from that distance, as his version of Soul Vision was inferior to Percy’s due to the missing mutation. Mana Sense hadn’t revealed much either, probably because his pursuer was using concealment runes too.

To add insult to injury, Micky couldn’t stare at the man for too long at a time, otherwise his pursuer would realize that he was onto him. Suffice to say, he hadn’t figured out the man’s grade either, though he had some guesses.

‘He clearly knows who I am, and he’s still gambling his life to follow me. He must be confident in his strength,’ Micky deduced.

This probably meant that the man was at least a Blue – though there was a good chance he was a Violet. His senses were sharp enough to keep track of Micky from quite far, and his endurance sufficient to follow him for days without resting.

Micky’s icy heart leapt to his throat as he realized how much danger he was in. Could it be Machaon or one of his people?!

‘No… that doesn’t sound right,’ Micky thought, forcing himself to calm down.

He should be able to hold his own against a Violet without help, but he didn’t stand a chance against a White even with Percy by his side. Had the disgraced patriarch found him, he would have seized the opportunity to eliminate him while he had the chance – there was no reason to hesitate.

Micky had only dared to set out for Twilight City on his own because he hadn’t expected anyone to detect him – including Machaon.

There weren’t that many Violets on Remior that didn’t belong to the Divine Order – only about a thousand or so. Most would never consider leaving their House unprotected to chase after Micky, nor provoke Percy given his current status.

‘This narrows the list down massively,’ Micky realized.

His pursuer was presumably a male Violet who wasn’t necessarily connected to the Great Houses. He hated Percy or Micky enough to risk the destruction of his entire family to go after them. He also possessed the means to see through Micky’s disguise – a rather peculiar requirement.

Luckily, Percy had left his knowledge of Remior’s noble Houses accessible to Micky. Not that Percy knew of every bloodline in existence like Nesha or Archibald might, but Micky possibly had enough information at his fingertips to make an educated guess.

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Going over the shared memories, however, he quickly realized that he might not even need Percy’s help to identify his pursuer. He already knew somebody who fit the culprit’s description to a tee.

Feeling somewhat confident in his assessment, he sighed, halting his steps. This wasn’t as bad as he had initially feared, though it was still dangerous. That said, it was better to eliminate the hidden threat here and now, before it became a problem.

“Is this place remote enough, Lord Parnassus?” he asked as he turned around, making sure that he spoke loudly enough for the Violet to hear.

Examining the tiny silver flame flickering inside a slightly larger human-shaped dot a few kilometres away, Micky still struggled to estimate the man’s grade. That said, the way his pursuer’s soul shuddered in surprise made Micky more confident in his guess.

Micky waited patiently for the suspected patriarch to approach, scanning him carefully from head to toe. By the time the figure crossed the halfway point, Micky had seen enough to be certain.

The Violet looked like he was in his early thirties, his unassuming features appearing eerily similar to those of another person who had haunted Micky’s nightmares for several years – at least back when he still slept.

The old mage’s unkempt brown hair fluttered erratically in the wind, his expensive robes wrinkled and dishevelled. Dark circles were visible around his eyes as Lord Parnassus clearly hadn’t slept in days. He also stopped once he was a couple hundred metres away.

‘Do you need help?’ Percy suddenly asked through their connection, their shared soul rippling with worry. ‘I can probably reach you in a day or two if I rush. You just need to keep your distance from him and fly toward me to buy time.’

Micky wasn’t surprised that his friend had kept an eye on him – especially after what Phoebe had told them right after their separation. Still, he mentally shook his head. ‘It’s fine. I appreciate the offer, but I think that this is something that I need to overcome by myself. I should be able to hold my own against a Violet… even him.’

‘Are you sure?’ Percy asked, not sounding very convinced. ‘The fact that he tracked you down means that he possesses the same bloodline as his son.’

Micky sent a nod back. ‘I know, yet that’s another reason for me to do this. I’ll need to borrow our domain for the next few minutes though.’

‘It’s all yours,’ Percy replied without hesitation. ‘Just remember that I’m always here if you need me.’

Grateful as Micky was for the support, he didn’t say anything. He and Percy were closer than brothers, and there was no need for such words between soulmates.

He turned his attention back toward the Violet. “Out of respect for your loss, I’ll give you exactly one chance to leave and never bother me again.”

The patriarch’s eyes flickered with hatred at the mention of Acton, though the emotion died down as quickly as it appeared. As much as Lord Parnassus despised Micky and Percy, it was clear that targeting them wasn’t just an impulsive decision. It was calculated.

“My son’s… murder… flushed our family’s reputation down the toilet. Percy’s ability to control powerful beasts was the final nail in our coffin,” the Violet explained in a hoarse voice. “I doubt the gods will ever bother supporting us again, now that a much better bloodline than ours has emerged.”

“So what?” Micky asked, still struggling to place his finger on the patriarch’s motivations. “Have you given up on your family’s survival? Gambling your life away for a final shot at vengeance before everything comes crumbling down?”

Lord Parnassus shook his head. “Finding hope where there is none is a leader’s duty. Today, that hope lies in your connection to Percy and, by extension, the Starry Wasps.”

Micky felt an ominous presence radiate from the Violet, worming its way into his very being, trying to bind him in chains. He’d obviously expected the patriarch to use his bloodline against him at some point – simply due to how well it countered him – but it was only after listening to the man that Micky understood what he was after.

‘He wants to capture and use me to blackmail Percy!’ he thought with a gasp, as shocked as he was impressed by the old mage’s boldness.

The whole planet was practically at a loss when dealing with his fellow aspect, with almost nobody willing to get involved in the conflict between Percy and House Asclepius. Meanwhile, Acton’s father had sought out a way to benefit himself and his family amidst the chaos.

He’d probably travelled to the outskirts of the Camelot province upon hearing that Micky and Archibald were heading home. Then, he’d waited patiently for Micky to leave by himself, using his bloodline to locate and follow him despite his disguise. Finally, he’d waited until Micky had travelled far enough from anybody who might try and help him – all to create this opportunity.

The patriarch’s gambit might even succeed if he forced Micky under his control, and the odds of that happening weren’t bad on paper. Micky had advanced with both cores since his captivity under Acton, but the Green-born’s father was a grade higher too, so the same gap existed.

Countless ethereal chains tightened around Micky’s heart, in some ways reminding him of his connection to Percy. However, unlike the bond of equals that he enjoyed with his friend, the patriarch’s encroachment on his mind felt suffocating.

In the past, Micky had been powerless to resist the insidious influence of the bloodline, but there was a lot more to a person than their grade, and Micky was no longer the naïve crow that the Holy Child had subjugated.

A deep sense of revulsion rose in his chest as the chains reminded him of the decades of imprisonment in the coliseum and those under Acton’s thumb. Micky wasn’t sure what he wanted out of his life anymore, but he was absolutely certain of a few things that he wouldn’t tolerate.

“Never again!” he yelled, his mind slamming violently against the chains.