Opening his eyes wide Keneth spoke in extreme seriousness, the other Carrien nobility straightening out slightly as he spoke, "The Inquisitors of the crown will come and wipe out every last trace of its very existence, religion is taken very seriously in Carrien when a new deity is either discovered or a territory wishes to instate a new deity as it's deity it must first be documented and filed with the central intelligence agency of Carrien situated in the religious capital of Fenadir, then it must be approved by the crown as a legitimate deity unless it is an ancient deity that is already recorded and it's legitimacy proven by death itself in the scriptures of the beginning, all others will be wiped out without exception should they step foot in Carrien regardless of whether they are doing good or evil."
That changes things slightly doesn't it?
But first...
".....Is Veru one of the ancient deities recorded in this 'scripture of beginning'?" I said half nervously.
"Of course, she is the youngest of the ancient deities now thrown into slumber, she is considered both ancient and deceased by the central church since no proper organization worships her." Keneth replied evenly.
"And what would happen if an organization worshipping her would arise?"
"They would not be a target of the inquisitors, but would be required to undergo an inspection by the central intelligence agency with the assistance of the inquisitors to determine if that is truly who you are worshipping and to make sure that there is no foul play involved."
Silence filled the room for a few moments.
"Clay, you are a merchants son correct?" I suddenly asked.
"That's right, Lord?" Clay replied weirdly having been called out suddenly.
"Do you know the way to Fenadir or a way to get a message there quickly?"
A few moments of silence passed.
"Well, the Prince should have a special item capable of contacting the Royal Capital of Carrien, if we use that and ask for an official of the intelligence agency stating our business, then we could get the message across in but a single day, though the inspection team would take at least a month to arrive here, the inquisitor team, however, would take less than a week, as their nearest base is in Otol, the port city." Clay said evenly.
I see, very good.
"I see, and what would happen if we told the inquisitors in Otol of an evil deity, would they investigate on their own or wait for orders from above?" I asked curiously leaning back in the head chair slightly.
"I have no idea, the way the Inquisitor's Order under the crown works is a mystery, only those few things pertaining towards religion is known due to the insurrection that happened in the mainland almost a century ago where an evil deity named 'Laminas' rose with a large army of slave fighters and attempted to kill Atsafire and her champion the current emperor, but was instead struck down, hundreds of thousands died in the conflict on both sides and Laminas disappeared."He replied as if it was common knowledge.
Laminas? That Laminas?
Oh, dear.....
It would take a month for the people from Fenadir to arrive and a week for the inquisitor's branch in Otol to arrive, meaning that to take out the large and well established Loijon syndicate, we will have to take drastic measures.
The moment that they determine that we are sending messages out not only to Fenadir but to the Inquisitors in Otol, things will likely become very violent very quickly.
The most reliable thing to do now is to speak with Nova in person over the matter and then proceed.
"I see." I replied in a deathly still tone, "I will decide on our course of action from this point onward tomorrow evening."
I know what has to be done now.
"Lord, there is something we must report as well," Netman said lightly seeing that everyone else had finished speaking.
Nodding lightly he continued, "Our intelligence agents found several small stashes of weapons, inside of which are people with black flame tattoo's on their foreheads, they couldn't get too close but they say that it is eerily quiet within despite them having had to have been active just an hour before since the tracks were followed from just outside the city gate."
"How many men in total?" I asked evenly.
"They found three hundred men in total, however, they speculate that they are using the sewers beneath the city to connect the stashes, perhaps a massive underground labyrinth filled with possibly thousands." Netman said nervously, "I believe that they are planning something big soon."
Damn it.
That's right, Laminas has been here for at least more than half a century, it wouldn't be strange for his disciples to have a firm foundation of brainwashed soldiers and deep roots in the lands, but for them to have a labyrinth capable of holding thousands right below the capital is just....!
Perfect.
Grabbing a pen and some paper I noted down pages worth of words turning to a certain white-haired boy.
"Satree, I wish for you to lead a force of five hundred men back to Durlivan and give this letter to Shion, your task from that point forward will be to escort the person specified within the letter back here to Durlivan, can you do it?"
Shocked Satree's eyes essentially opened half an inch wider, "O-of course I can! I will allow no harm to come to our escort."
"Keneth, Anept, I will have you two teach me as much about both noble and knight culture for the next three months, whenever possible, in exchange I will be training you all personally, Alias will train your soldiers with the help of Huantu and Senal." Firing off orders I stood leaving for my private tent.
The council was dismissed just like that.
Let's get things straight.
First, I need to understand this enemy, so what do I know about them?
They can enforce control over those they have marked.
How do they mark them?
Unknown.
They can manipulate the powers of fairies using their Qi as a conduit for their spells.
Fairies under their control however can resist as seen before by the fairy that mouthed of the troop positions of Matel's army.
What else?
For the rest of the night, I continued to run the battle through my mind picking everything apart to its finest details writing everything down.
The sun rose quickly and with it, I did too.
"Alias, relay to Netman that the stashes are to be kept under extremely strict surveillance and anyone who comes or goes is to be documented on paper for a report, every one of their actions, even the movements of their eyes and rhythm of their breaths." I ordered putting on my cape.
"Last night another report came in on that, it seems that people are being taken underneath the city through these stashes, a few people were caught attempting to transport people in bags into the underground." Alias said disgustedly.
"I see." I replied ruthlessly, "Continue to observe, do not engage in any way."
"Yes." Leaving quickly after Alias disappeared around a corner.
Showtime.
"Lord, please follow me." A butler of Nova's palace had been waiting just outside the barracks and lead me to the throne room.
Going right behind the throne there was a heavy door made of stone which I had to push open, after this point the butler would not move even an inch further.
"Just down the hallway is the secret meeting room for the trade deal." Speaking quickly the man left afterword.
It leads down, a long way down into the darkness.
This...
I walked forward a few steps an ominous feeling surging around me.
..... is a trap.
Quickly spinning around I felt an incredibly powerful force pierce my chest accompanied by a ruthless laugh, "I will take care of your pretty wife, so don't worry and die without regret alongside that mutt~"
Sh...i....t....!
I lost my balance due to the force of the spear falling backward into the abyss, after a while I could no longer feel the stairs bashing my body, having mobilized my Qi I managed to absorb the qi spear into my body, though it did not heal the injury or soothe the pain in any way.
It missed any of my vitals but it still pierced deeply into my chest, I think one of my lungs is severely damaged.
Breathing is becoming more and more difficult.
Shit!
"Not like this....!" I shouted concentrating my qi onto the spear wound ignoring the defense of the rest of my body against the stairs.
If I can just stop the bleeding I can survive this!
I have to survive this!
If I die what will happen? What will happen to Durlivan? Marcus, Huantu, Netman, Nefamiti, Alias, Yu, Hardvar, Leyalt, Nova, Keneth, Clay, Senal, Anept, Satree, Baroli, Seramia, Shion!
I cannot die.
If I do so will they.
They will be next.
I'm losing consciousness, the blood loss is too much....!
Damn!
...
...
... ah, I can't tell if I'm dead or not, I had been in an abyss since long ago.
"Voice-chan?" I called out weakly, my body hurts, 'my body?'
So I'm conscious.
Everything hurts, but because of that nothing hurts, it's a mind-numbing pain.
"Your deity cannot reach you here, boy." Ancient and vast a cruel voice spread out around me.
"Who are you?" I can't even turn my head the best I can do is look around.
Silence filled the empty room as a long breath was expelled something akin to the sigh of a beast, "You do not know who I am despite wearing that skin of mine on your back?"
Ah, I see, so I'm not dead, but I am going to die.
"I'm not of the royal line of this kingdom." I replied evenly, "I got this cape from my wife, the fallen princess of Dra."
"So, that is what all the noise was back then?" The beastly voice guffawed shaking the room like a tempest, "Tell me, how do you wish to die?"
"Fulfilled." I replied angrily, "I just want to die old and happy with Shion, I do not need wealth, just enough power to do so, I want to die fulfilled but now....!"
"But now, you have been caught in a trap by that dog Laminas' servant's and shot with a Negative Qi spear, the poison of the spear had been spreading within you for a long time, but now it is too advanced....." The voice got closer and closer, ".... for anyone but me."
Once it was within arms reach of me I saw it.
A giant wolf.
Supermassive.
It's back touched the roof that is fifteen meters up and its body is so skinny that it terrifies.
However, one thing that is certain here is the spears of negative qi that are stuck inside of his body at every angle.
"Many years ago, there was a battle between the ruler of this kingdom and my kin, a petty dispute they attacked our wandering pack, had it not been for Laminas' damned intervention I would still be roaming free the surface world right now, but instead I was pelted with these spears and forced to provide power to them, but had discovered how to negate the poisonous effect of the spears a year after I was imprisoned, however," The giant wolf laid down, "Had I done so back then when his dogs were at their pinnacle of power, I would have merely been subjugated again with more powerful restraints."
A short silence came.
"So you will teach me how to negate their spears, and in exchange you want me to free you?" I scoffed, "Can you promise me that you won't kill Shion, who is a descendant of the old royalty? Swear it by tooth and nail?"
A mouth that seemed large enough to swallow a bus whole opened a laugh so strong it felt like hundreds of years had hit me all at once.
"I do not care about this petty kingdom that I could have flattened, what I wish for is also not freedom, I am much too old and weak now, I would never recover before dying of old age."
"So, what do you want?" I asked curiously, I'm really about to die you know? Please hurry up.
"The cape, it holds a tiny bit of my will, I wish to die and transfer my soul into it, I will be by your side, however not as a servant but an equal, I will also be capable of being called out in my spirit form, like a fairy but instead a fiercesome spirit wolf." He said sighing deeply, "Even I do not wish for this, but my hatred of Laminas is great enough that the humiliation of being made equal to a human cannot be compared, so do not make me wait."
"Ha...ha...hahahaha.....!" I smirked breaking into laughter blood shooting out of my chest and mouth, "Fine! Come! Save me!"
"Then, it is a deal, following the customs of old, a contract will be formed when blood meets blood, and soul meets soul, with the cape as the catalyst, I declare that I, Dratan Algambus, will sacrifice my physical form for a chance at rebirth in the spirit world as an equal with, this man....."
"Agashi Durlivan."
"....Agashi Durlivan!"
A cold wind blew through the room and for a few moments, I could almost hear Voice-chan screaming something about plot twists and munching on something.
She's like an old lady.
....why did it just feel like I got something thrown at me?
"Hot...." I muttered feeling the Qi in my body suddenly get extremely violent rushing through every crack and crevice of my body at once, my sabers were not spared either, everything on my body was put to the test by my rampaging Qi.
"Boy, keep your Qi within the confines of your body! If it attacks me during this transition I will be forced out and die and so will you!" Dratan's voice shattered the pain in my mind.
I have to control it!