132 Waiting to Be Found
The next day.
A Solar Nomad was leaving Surrey, and a colonel was assigned as the driver.
Inside the carriage, I glanced with concern at Rose Hightower, who sat opposite me, and asked gently, "Shouldn't you be resting for a few more days?"
Rose had changed into a long-sleeved white dress to conceal her wrist—the same dress she wore while reciting and writing the manual of Harmonious Quartet for me all night. The image of her slumped over the table from exhaustion remained vivid in my mind: her furrowed brow and the slight tremor of her thick eyelashes during her restless slumber seemed as if they had occurred just yesterday.
"There's no need. The wound is bandaged, and the physician has given me regenerative medicine. It will heal in a week or two at most. We mustn't delay our task." She now worried that Peter Volare might return the Sun-Shattering Bow before we even set out. If he returns it to Surrey, that would be fine—but if he returns it to H.A.R.M. Seattle, John may never get a chance to obtain it.
To avoid awkward silence, Rose steered the conversation back to the task at hand. "After thinking it through last night, something doesn't add up. Peter Volare knows that H.A.R.M. holds both his and his wife's lives in our hands. So why would he recklessly steal the bow and use it to destroy Cloud Citadel's Hall of Valor? This isn't just some minor offense—Cloud Citadel may consider this a life-or-death feud."
Hearing this, I raised an eyebrow and glanced at the money bag beside me.
Two hundred thousand dollars to settle a life-or-death feud?
Being unfamiliar with these factions' affairs, I asked, "Is he trying to frame H.A.R.M.?"
Rose shook her head. "It won't work. Although the Sanctum of Cloud Citadel wouldn't dare show their animosity towards H.A.R.M., they would still approach H.A.R.M. and discover we weren't the culprit. Peter Volare knows that we Vampire Hunters have his essence sample. Cloud Citadel can definitely track him through us."
Her brow furrowed as she continued. "His movement techniques are excellent, but in actual combat, he's no match for those Templars' Will Embodiment of Sword... Yet he dared to steal their manual. Cloud Citadel would hunt him to the death—even at the cost of their own lives. With martial arts manuals, borrowing and returning simply isn't an option."
Even if the original were returned untouched, there's no way to know if someone made a secret copy.
"What's a Templar?" I asked, unfamiliar with the Sanctum of Cloud Citadel.
"The Knights Templar were ancient Christian warrior monks who had long been disbanded," Rose patiently explained, knowing my humble upbringing. "After the apocalypse, Earth was overrun by beast vampires. Among the surviving humans arose a great Christian revival, with faith and prayer once again becoming central to most people's lives."
"From among these Christian population emerged the Great Paladin," she continued, her eyes flashing with respect. "He was the first human to break through to Crystal Realm, discover the Path of Redemption, and later ascend to the fourth realm. Though beast vampires vastly outnumbered humans at the time, they advanced through the realms much more slowly. None could match the Great Paladin, who led the great push that drove the beast vampires into the mountains and deep seas. This ushered in the Long Peace. During the Long Peace, faithful warriors established fortresses to watch over the remnants of vampiric fauna. Within these strongholds, the Warrior Templars were reborn. The Sanctum of Cloud Citadel was one of them."
"What is 'Will Embodiment'?" I was curious.
"It's similar to Harmonious Quartet in concept, but much more advanced," Rose explained briefly. "Instead of just striking once, essence is condensed into an object that can be manipulated by one's will for an extended period of time and strike many times—just like a real object. However, it requires the large essence reserves of Crystal Realm experts. This kind of martial art is rare throughout Cascadia. For example, Arnold Stark practiced the Will Embodiment of Cloud Crane, which is why he was able to resist the Mountain Lord despite their difference in cultivation."
I nodded thoughtfully.
The Admiral had not yet returned. I had neither encountered true Crystal Realm martial arts nor faced a Crystal Realm martial artist in combat.
Being caught in a dispute between two first-rate powers meant I had to tread carefully.
With these thoughts weighing on my mind, I closed my eyes to rest.
Rose lifted the curtain to gaze out the window, stealing occasional glances at me before quickly averting her eyes.
...
Two days later, the Solar Nomad halted on a narrow, winding road that snaked through a valley dominated by the imposing presence of mountains. Mountain peaks, shrouded in a swirling mist that shifted like a restless spirit, pierced the sky with an almost defiant grandeur. Waterfalls, slender ribbons of silver, cascaded down the mountainside, their roar a constant undercurrent to the wind's mournful song. The air itself hummed with an almost palpable energy, a silent testament to the power that resided within those mist-shrouded peaks.
Two figures in blue robes stood sentinel by the roadside, their hands clasped before them in serene anticipation. Fallen leaves, like golden snowflakes, lay undisturbed upon their shoulders, evidence of their patient vigil. Both had youthful faces despite their white hair, their half-closed eyes holding profound gazes.
"Master Arden, Master Rhys." The colonel driving the Solar Nomad pulled on the reins, his voice tinged with surprise. "Why are you here on the mountain road instead of waiting in the preceptories?"
Master Arden, a towering figure with commanding presence, and Master Rhys, slightly shorter, held high positions in Cloud Citadel. They were among the most powerful figures there, second only to the Grand Master, having entered Crystal Realm many years ago.
Master Arden, being more direct in temperament, instinctively started to respond.
With our Hall of Valor destroyed and martial arts stolen, how could we simply sit and wait in the preceptories?
Master Rhys took a quick step forward, blocking him, and bowed. "Cloud Citadel has been robbed. We are grateful to have H.A.R.M.'s support on this matter. You have traveled far; we would be remiss to show discourtesy. May I inquire as to the identity of the commanding officer? Would you be so kind as to step down from the carriage for a brief discussion?"
As he spoke, Rose took the money bag and stepped down from the carriage with me. She handed the bag to the colonel to deliver. "General Laurent heard about this incident and asked me to bring this compensation to ease your concerns. This matter has nothing to do with H.A.R.M.—the Sun-Shattering Bow was stolen from us as well."
Master Rhys respectfully received the money.
The destruction of a dignified first-rate power's memorial hall, along with the hallowed relics of their predecessors, and precious artifacts, made the mere two hundred thousand dollars feel like an insult.
But he was quite satisfied. After all, the one who could authorize this compensation must be General Laurent, and his decision represented the intention of H.A.R.M.
Putting away the money, the two Templars looked at Rose, then at the young man in black beside her, and then looked back at the carriage.
Master Arden, growing impatient, said, "Sir, please step down. We have urgent matters to discuss."
With the Sun-Shattering Bow stolen, why would H.A.R.M. send only two people—a visibly injured Crystal Realm expert and a mere young man?
… …
I looked at the two old Templars bowing to the empty carriage and fell into silence.
Rose lifted the curtain with a casual gesture, revealing the empty carriage interior to them. "There are no other officers," she said. "Colonel Kane is in charge of this matter."
Master Arden stared in shock, taking a moment to shift his gaze to the young man. "What is your last name, sir?" he asked incredulously.
"Kane."
Even the more composed shorter Templar couldn't hide a flicker of disappointment in his eyes at my response.
Master Arden even muttered, somewhat out of sorts, "Ridiculous... Absolutely ridiculous... The Sun-Shattering Bow is such a priceless treasure, and now it's in the hands of that vampire-colluding thief. Who knows what havoc he'll wreak across Cascadia, how many lives he'll claim? How can H.A.R.M. be so negligent..."
Master Rhys pulled him back and managed a polite smile. "Never mind that. We're happy to assist H.A.R.M. in retrieving the treasure, but we need a bit more from you guys. Since the Vampire Hunters possess the thief's essence sample, can you guide us to him?"
Master Arden's unguarded remarks raised my opinion of these first-rate powers. Despite having their own martial arts stolen, they still showed concern for others' stolen treasure.
If possible, I wished I could demonstrate my body-tempering abilities to reassure these two templars.
But sensing my Wave Realm aura, I gave up on the idea. I couldn't simply walk up to the two elderly masters and knock them down one by one just to demonstrate my amazing abilities.
"People's affairs are not for you to worry about," Rose said. She withdrew a crystal-clear essence sample from her silver bell and closed her eyes to sense its direction.
Suddenly, her face registered surprise.
Observing the subtle shift in her demeanor, the two Templars inquired, "Did something go wrong?"
"No, not really." Rose tucked away the essence and turned to me. "He's no more than thirty miles away from us."
Thirty miles would only take a couple of days to walk even for an ordinary person, accounting for meals and rest.
But for a Crystal Realm thief king renowned for his swift movement techniques… It was as if he had stolen Cloud Citadel's martial arts and deliberately lingered nearby—almost waiting to be found by the Vampire Hunters rather than attempting to escape.