“What do we have here?” Corvin asked, amused as he watched Graves sort through all kinds of relics.
“Mostly defensive and communication relics, and one teleportation gate that leads to the barracks of the Crimson Centuria, but it’s locked and cannot be used without a password.” Graves explained.
“Let me see; maybe I can do something.” Corvin grabbed the round relic made to resemble a small gate, with runes shining along its outer edge.
[Teleportation Gate]
Rarity: Rare
Type: Transportation Relic
A relic used to travel back to a specific location. The coordinates cannot be changed, and only authorized users can activate it.
Number of Uses: 8
Omega, anything we can do with this? He asked hopefully.
[Nothing at the moment, but if you manage to take control of the Crucible, you might be able to do something about it.]
Omega replied mysteriously.
Alright, sounds promising.
“I’ll take this one; the rest you can do whatever you want with,” Corvin said.
“Now then, everyone, be ready to move in half an hour,” Corvin ordered and returned to the largest tent, starting to pack everything inside. Once he was done with the contents, he stored the entire tent as well.
“You just took everything like that?” Graves stared in astonishment.
“Never leave behind anything that can be sold or used later.” Corvin chuckled.
“How about you? All done?” Corvin added.
“We have packed everything of value into our bags.” Graves nodded.
“What about your mage?” Corvin asked.
“She will go with us. We managed to calm her down.” Graves explained.
“She probably wants to stick around next to the handsome demon.” Lucian teased and laughed.
Graves ignored the odd cat and gathered his party. “We are moving toward the sea. Let’s go!” He ordered.
***
Twelve hours later, in the empty field before what remained of the Centuria’s camp, a large gate opened and a burly man with long flowing red hair, wearing a golden cuirass and leg armor over a silver tunic, stepped through. Moonlight shone across his unshaven face.
Behind him appeared three men, each dressed in a similar outfit but bearing a different beast motif upon their cuirass. A wolf, a boar, and an eagle upon their chests flashed with soft light.
“My Prince.” The three men knelt, awaiting commands.
“That damn brother of mine sent a Centuria under my command on a mission and actually lost contact with them.” The man growled, his voice low and furious.
“Lead the First, Second, and Third Centurias to investigate this entire region. If you find anybody even remotely suspicious, deal with them as you see fit.” The man ordered and returned through the portal into the barracks of his legion.
Three groups of eighty men bowed and, in orderly fashion, passed through the portal.
***
The man returned to his office and sat down with a loud sigh.
As he did, a shadow flickered before him, and a Beastkin cat-woman revealed herself.
“Marcos, I bring news.” She said with a seductive smile.
“Neyrea, you are a sight for sore eyes.” He smiled as the light of a crystal lamp shone across her slim, feline body, covered in tight leather armor that barely concealed her chest.
“What did you find out?” He asked, his voice growing stern.
“Alexius sent Linnus on the advice of Chancellor Ovid to deal with his wife’s former lover and Guildmaster. The one whose family has served Bishop Leon the Cruel for generations.” The woman said.
“Amazing. He really is an idiot. Do we have any proof of this?” Marcos asked.
“Nothing concrete. Only if you can make Ovid testify, but seeing how your father favors Alexius, it won’t do you any good. And the Crimson Centuria, while under your Legion, was still an independent unit created for such tasks.” She added.
“I know that, Neyrea,” Marcos said, clenching his fist. Over which a simple claw-shaped Icon flickered crimson as he did. “So, I’m his babysitter now, after all these years. Nothing has changed...”
“Well, we could always assassinate him.” Neyrea chuckled.
“Hah! He is a piece of shit, but ten of us couldn’t lay a scratch on that body of his. Though we could arrange for him to lead an army north and guard the Worldpass in case the Scourgefell falls.” He mused aloud.
“With Lady Marjory pregnant, the King won’t allow it.” She said.
“Fuck. Keep spying on him. If anything important comes up, let me know. I need to clean up his mess and make sure nobody finds out that an entire Centuria was wiped out without a trace in the middle of fucking nowhere.” He growled and chugged an entire jug of wine.
“As you wish, secret husband.” She chuckled as the shadows swallowed her whole.
***
Two days later, Corvin’s group arrived at the shores of the Empire, looking out toward the tip of a long archipelago in the distance.
“That’s the nation of Velastra, home of all Velestridians alongside the Fae,” Ortho said proudly.
“Is it part of the Empire as well? And how come the Fae live alongside you?” Corvin asked, intrigued.
“No, we are allies of the Empire, but our land is our own. Fae and Velestridians have lived alongside one another for generations. They protect the surface and the natural world while we live underground in our cities. While they protect us during the day, we protect them during the night. It’s a nice arrangement.” Ortho explained.
“I see. Could we swim there? It doesn’t look that far.” Corvin thought out loud.
“Are you crazy?!” Mina shouted from behind.
Ortho laughed loudly. “I am afraid that won’t be possible. The island can only be reached through a gate in the city of Parinth, and you would need a permit to use it. Even I am not allowed back due to... reasons.” He admitted.
“Hmm, alright. Well, we need somewhere to stay for two more days. Graves, you said there is a village around here somewhere?” Corvin asked.
“Yes, north of our current location. It should take us a few hours to reach it.” Graves nodded.
“Alright, everyone, once we get there, lie low. And if anyone asks, we are just hunters hunting deer.” Corvin warned.
***
“Chief, there is a group of armored men and women walking toward the village.” A man wearing simple fisherman's clothes barged into a modest wooden home where an old man sat cleaning fish.
The old man sighed and grabbed an axe resting above the fireplace.
“Lead the way.” He said, his white hair swaying behind him as he left the fish on the table.
***
“Someone is coming,” Corvin said as his Spatial Prediction swept across the entire village.
“Just act normal.” Graves added and stepped forward.
“Like he can do that,” Mina muttered, making Corvin’s eye twitch.
“Hello, good men. We are looking for a place to stay for the night. We’ve been hunting Silverhoof Deer for days.” Graves said with a gentle smile.
“Silverhoof Deer, you say? Indeed, they do pass through these regions.” The old chief nodded, though his grip on the axe handle tightened.
“Though why come all the way to the shore then?” the old man asked as the men behind him grew more serious.
“Look, we only need a place to rest for the night. If you are not comfortable with that, we shall go on our way.” Corvin interjected.
“That would be for the best.” The chief said.
Corvin nodded and turned around. “Let’s go then. We are not welcome here.” He said, and Graves and the rest sighed and followed him south along the shore.
***
“Why were they so suspicious?” Lucian asked.
“Did you not look at us? Covered in blood, dirty, and armed to the teeth.” Liara answered.
“Indeed, though if we were bad guys, we could have just killed them all.” Ortho shrugged.
“It is what it is. Let’s just keep moving. We can still probably find a proper cove to set up camp in, at least.” Graves said.
***
It took them an hour to find a sufficiently hidden cove with a cave-like opening in the ravine wall that stretched above it.
Corvin summoned the large tent he had stolen and placed it within the cove. He filled it with a table, several chairs, and a bed.
“Go in and set up places where you can sleep. There is enough room for all of us to rest here.” Corvin said, tired from their travels and annoyed by both the villagers and Mina, who constantly threw comments his way.
“Corvin, can we talk?” Iris walked up to him as he sat down and tried to rest, closing his eyes.
“Sure, what’s up?” He said, forcing himself awake.
“We are bound to you now, right? What would happen to us if we decided to leave at some point?” She asked, concerned.
“Nothing. My link gives you power in return for working with me. I’m not keeping you enslaved or anything like that. The only thing is that if you try to harm me, you will die, but then again, you would die either way if you tried that.” He smiled darkly.
“I see. And what is your goal?” She pressed.
“To kick demons, angels, and anyone else out of this world who thinks they can rule us. Make us fight each other. And in the end, I wouldn’t mind having a family, being a father like mine never was. But you know, those are just dreams. My current goal is to grow stronger and become someone who cannot be toyed with, someone who can live the way he wants.” He said honestly.
“I see...” She paused. “I like that. I’d like such a life as well.” She smiled gently. “I will stick by you then. You already brought me back once, maybe you can do it again if something happens.” She smiled and excused herself.
She has a nice smile. He watched her leave.
“Father, she seems like your type,” Nera whispered through their link.
“Indeed, and with the path she is on, she could grow strong enough to stand by your side.” Lucian agreed.
Stop it, you two. I have too much on my mind. And I don’t doubt that she does as well. Her life is much more complicated now than it was a few days ago. He sighed and closed his eyes once more as he rocked gently in the chair.
***
“Did you find anything?” One of the captains asked, the one with the wolf emblem on his chest.
“Captain! There are signs of an incredible battle that took place here. By the looks of the damage done to the terrain, at least a Unique, if not even a Legendary Icon holder, fought here. By the evidence left behind, some sort of mage.” A soldier reported.
The captain frowned and cleared his throat. “What else?”
The soldier squirmed for a moment before answering. “There are no corpses anywhere to be found. The entire Centuria just disappeared. And we detected heavy amounts of both demonic and divine energies.”
“The demonic is from that damn Eye the bastard Linnus always uses. The divine could be from the Guildmaster. He comes from a line that works closely with the Church. What a fucking headache.” He spat.
“Take thirty riders and investigate the entire region toward the shore. I will have the others spread west.” He commanded.
“What a fucking mess this is turning into. The Legate will have me punished if I fail this investigation.” He muttered.