"Caught? How were they caught?" A smoke filled tavern was full of the cries of men and women as they gambled with food and drink consoling the losers while the winners passed around their wealth. In several dark corners, cloaked people seemed to quietly enjoy cheap food and drink, but one was having a terse meeting.
"The target somehow found them but we do not know how. The soldiers took our agent into custody in the Council Palace." The gender of the voices was impossible to discern but the content clearly referred to the assaniassiton attempt on the recently arrived guests. The Heavenly Maiden Sect made the news travel far and wide as the women of that sect were stunning in power and appearance.
The 2 individuals auras were impossible to grasp due the formations woven into their cloaks, but the frustration from the grasped fist of one told of their anger.
"Idiots! It is just a Soul Realm! Our honor cannot be besmirched. Take care of them both!" The angry figure stood up and swept from the tavern. No one looked up but it did not mean no one noticed, they simply enjoyed being alive more than satiating their curiosity.
"Always so hot blooded, but your orders will be obeyed." The much calmer figure finished their cheap wine and left a few low grade stones before leaving the tavern. Again, none responded to the people leaving, yet the tavern keeper quickly swept up the stones and cleaned the table. It was the only acknowledgement people had left and the table was quickly filled by more raucous men pulling some waitresses with them as they spent their winnings freely.
****
The Council Palace was a massive complex centered around a large circular hall that held the Central and Outer Councilors that ran the Crimson Halls. The Central Councilors mostly lived and stayed in the capitol but the Outer Councilors were the true representatives of the mid-grade power. Each part of the Halls were literally divided up their old sect territories but reorganized as 1 power.
It was easy to find Violet Conclave and Wind Conclave promoting old teachings once in line with the Violet Sect and the Wind Sect. The problem was after the beast tide that there were so few people to rebuild all the various sects and central power. Thus, as pragmatic as cultivators could be, they combined into a single power while honoring those that had sacrificed so much for others to live.
It sounded nice to Lind, but he suspected the part omitted was the survivors saw a chance to get all the secret techniques and skills under one power while looking righteous doing it. The Council Palace looked a great deal like a larger version of old Roman style mixed with an eastern flair where its roofs were concerned.
The pillars making the large circle were spaced evenly but the roof stuck out in sharp points above each pillar. Lind thought it was a bit inefficient but then he saw the formation woven into the very structure and applauded hiding a defensive and attack formation inside a design.
The lower structures were offices at first that Lind recognized were very similar to Earth style as well which made Lind suspect another reincarnator had once been in the Crimson Halls. The rest of the city was much closer to the Lotus Empire style of eastern styles as Lind would identify them.
He was in the middle of the 3 Heavenly Maidens since they did not want to take anymore chances, but he felt like all eyes were being drawn to him due to this. His skin shivered as many people were trying to perceive what made him so special, but it all faded as they finally came up on a massive gate guarded by more soldiers.
These were all peak Stone Tier at the gate, but Lind noticed most of the soldiers ahead of their group were either peak Soul Realm or low Sand Tier. The human woman was mid-Sand Tier from what Lind had seen before the collar snapped on her neck. After that, it was as if she was a mortal again.
"Lind, you can relax, we will keep you safe." Shoti had sensed that Lind was still exerting himself but he only glanced at her while he returned to looking ahead.
"I am not looking out for myself, I trust you all to protect me. I am more concerned about my assassin." All 3 women looked at him as if he was off kilter but he could not explain as his Eyes once more saw something snaking through the air.
Emerald flames gushed from his staff as a dome of light and wind suddenly surrounded the woman within the group of soldiers. Before anyone could react the shield deflected something then shattered. Lind felt his Qi backlash from the attack but as it was deflected, he only suffered minor injuries.
Qing was by his side with a healing pill while Tyr once more took to the skies. Her figure blurred off to the left as that was the side the shield shattered from. Shoti stared at Lind in a mixture of worry and anger before retrieving her whip.
The Qi of water and darkness entwined as she extended it to the woman in the soldiers group and yanked her out of there. The woman looked terrified as Shoti stood over her. Without her cultivation, Shoti may as well have been a god.
"You have one chance, and once chance only to explain. Why are you after Lind Frey and who tried to kill you?" The woman had mousy hair and would blend into a crowd without being right in front of a person, but Lind knew this was a natural gift, not a trick of cultivation. Despite Shoti's threat, the yellow eyes looked resolute. She did not want to die, but she would not give up her clients.
"It doesn't matter, Shoti. I am pursued by several powers, but only 1 can come this far." Lind weakly stood up as Qing supported him. His Eyes revealed a lot of formations going up, but he suspected it was far too late. "Trynith had his plans ruined and he does not seem to be the kind to forgive and forget."
Both Ryu and Cyntilla had warned him, but it had been far sooner than expected. Lind thought about a few things as to how he was being hunted but then recalled what Qing and Tyr told him about the teleportation arrays.
"This is as far as I can safely teleport, isn't it?" Lind looked at Qing and saw her nod while Shoti's eyes widened in realization. Their enemy had quickly sent a message and payment ahead of the most likely path or several paths, but all within the limit a Soul Realm could teleport.
"We have to leave, now." Tyr returned but there was no sign of battle, only frustration as she bared her fangs.
"Heavenly Maidens. Our masters will not let this slide! We cannot abide such an attack on our guests, so please stay here, where it is safe." The captain of the soldiers was actively sweating now. The man clearly had not thought things were this serious, but only professionals would try to clean up both their own assassin and their target once more.
"He is right, Senior Tyr. I can't teleport right now regardless and leaving by any other method invites a crowd of strangers." Caravans and flying treasures were hardly on a regular schedule to the Heavenly Maiden Sect. Lind had learned that there were serious costs to a flying treasure. The mortal world seemed to resist letting people fly before they were a Sky Realm.
"The courtyard we have is heavily warded and–" Shoti tried to add on to Lind's words but Tyr's aura blasted out causing all to nearly keel over. The pale blue woman was no longer mischievous or teasing, but a resolute powerhouse making her will known.
"I have spoken! Follow me. Tell your masters I do not blame them, but they should not allow this woman to die until I return!" Tyr tossed the assassin like a sack of wheat back to the soldiers who bowed profusely. Once a Sky Realm was angered, it was best just to shut up.
Lind was then experiencing a similar sensation as he was picked up physically while he saw Shoti and Qing pull out what appeared to be talismans. They glowed with a pale gold light and attached to Tyr as they took to the skies.
Lind had just settled his stomach but he left it somewhere on that stone street as he was compressed onto Tyr's shoulder. He did not feel himself slip but his instincts were screaming at him that he was going to die. The scenery was a blur until whiteness filled his vision before breaking into a view that sent all his worries right out of his head.
White fluffy clouds floated in all shapes and dimensions as a glorious sun shone down from a crystal blue sky. The wind was not harsh but it was cool and the Qi was immensely higher quality than he was used to.
"At last, I feel so much better up here." Tyr's words actually sounded sincere before a shadow appeared above them all. Before Lind could ask, they whipped around and came to the top of what looked a great deal like a tea cup.
Instead of the hollow cup, it was capped off with a surface only sunken into the waist on Lind if he was standing on it. The place where the handle would be, was pointed outward while Qi glowed gloriously from it to his Eyes but it hurt to look too long. It was a Sky Realm artifact!
"I miss flying with you, Elder Sister." Qing's voice was suddenly below Lind and he saw Shoti and Qing standing next to each other at the railing. Lind was then gently laid down as reptilian eyes carefully looked him over.
"How are you feeling, Lind?" If he had never flown in an airplane before, it might be too much, but compared to a plane, this was a dream! Lind smiled wide before he found his legs were unsteady. He nearly fell but he was laughing. He had never felt lighter since he left his mother's herb garden nearly 2 years ago.
"This is amazing!" All 3 women smiled as Tyr moved off towards the pointed end. The artifact smoothly turned but Lind felt no discomfort. The normal gravity effects seemed to be nullified as they began sailing through the clouds. "Can they still follow us?"
Lind asked the question but no one answered. Tyr was busy guiding the artifact while Shoti and Qing looked dampened by his question.
"A Sky Realm artifact is the only one that can fly. Unless Trynith emptied out his coffers, they cannot follow us this way." Lind wanted to relax from Qing's words but he saw Shoti looking sternly at the horizon. His Eyes revealed nothing as the Qi was too thick for him to sort it out yet.
It would be good practice for his World Touch and Sky Eyes up here. Lind took the chance and assumed a lotus position but was immediately yanked back up to his feet.
"No you don't! We are finally reunited and you were nearly killed right in front of me. Come, we will go below and we will catch up." Shoti made it seem like he should follow but he was being bodily dragged off! Qing smirked but did nothing to stop her while Tyr finally smiled.
"Fine! I can walk! Shoti! I can walk!" Lind kept trying to get her to let go but her grip was stronger than any steel. He finally gave up and simply let her do what she wanted. He had to admit, it was nice being back with her again. Shoti was a breath of wild fire. He could never predict how she would react to something.
Just as they were about to reach a formation, Lind felt a sting in his right cheek. At first it was mild, but then it rose in strength and all the joy faded from him. He looked far to the west and a bit north. It was in that direction. She was in that direction.
"He is hurting her." His words brought Shoti to a stop. A deep frown now on her face but all of them were impotent to do anything. Lind suddenly felt it. The dark abyss was opening in his heart and he really assumed a lotus position before anyone could react. He started his exercises, but the burning on his cheek kept shattering his concentration.
"Lind! Focus on my voice. We have practiced this." Qing's voice became an anchor. Lind focused hard on her voice as she spoke of her elements, cultivation, anything to keep him distracted and able to meditate.
The darkness faded but Lind felt heavier now. The pain finally stopped but the mark was still there. Cyntilla was alive, but in what condition.
"I will come back. I will come back for you, Cyntilla." The artifact fell into a tense silence after that as they all looked to the west and prayed to the spirits the demoness would be safe.