We got off our hoverboards and started walking as the hover boards were a bit noisy. Being stealthy in situations like these helped minimize casualties.
As we walked, the air suddenly became heavy. All of us could sense heavy mana coming from the surrounding redwood forest. This place was also known as the Progenitor forest due to the presence of the Progenitor’s throne. Osiris asked everyone to be on their guard from here on out.
Then we stopped in a secluded area enclosed by the dense trees. Several soldiers went out to scout. Some were guarding the place. All while being surreptitious of course.
We set up camp and began revising our plan once more. According to our plan the army would be split up into twenty regiments. Each general would lead a regiment and surround the forest. The Latix family has the highest manpower among the seven high noble families, so that came in clutch. They’ll hold off the other families while me, Asher, Clara and Osiris would destroy the throne. Heina did not participate in this war because she is not a combat type. Her attribute is to blame.
Then noon arrived, it was about time we moved.
----------------------------------------
As we ran through the forest, a dagger came flying from the forest and grazed my cheeks. Blood trickled down my cheeks. It was so fast and sudden that I couldn’t react in time. A young boy who appeared to be about fourteen, wearing purple armor emerged from the dense forest. He had dark circles under his eyes and had a face full of psychotic joy. He flashed an eerie smile at us.
“Do you think you can just walk through the Progenitor forest which is known as the deadliest forest like it’s a tourist spot?”
Osiris came forward. “Elphis, stop this right now. More than a quarter of your family has perished due to Eldan’s greed for the throne.”
“You needn’t worry about the Wycan family. We’ll soon prove that we are the strongest of the demon nobles. My brother will rule over the Demon continent. A few pawns dying amidst that shouldn’t pose a problem.”
“Do you seriously consider your family, your own bloodline as mere pawns for the Wycan ascension to the throne?” Judging from Osiris’ tone, he was furious.
The boy cried out,”General Marvid!” A man in his forties appeared behind Elphis. I didn’t notice him before Elphis called out to him. Did he have the ‘Stealth’ attribute? A group of soldiers, numbering in the thirties, appeared and started marching towards us as General Marvid gave command.
“The Latix shall fall.” The boy said before cutting down dozens of soldiers.
Osiris cried out, “Generals of the first and second regiments! Stall them here!”
Then two men in their fifties hollered.
“Aye Patriarch!”
“Yes, Captain!”
While they stalled the Wycan troops, we went further into the redwood forest. The sounds of swords clashing could be heard everywhere. And in the places where there were no sounds coming from, there could be traps or people who had attributes that enabled silent attacks or silent movement like the Stealth attribute.
We carefully navigated our way through the forest and found an area where the density of mana was the highest, it was the Elva temple which encompassed the Progenitor’s throne. It was also the place where the most battles happened. Numerous families could be seen fighting. They could be differentiated looking at the color of their banner. The Latix had a red banner, the Wycans had purple, Torrix had orange, Lauers had blue, Dakus had yellow, Kamiras had gray, and the Valicos had green banners.
The place was a battlefield for all out fighting. Some people were flying, some used their defense attribute to block attacks, some threw rocks with their powerful strength attribute, some turned invisible and caused chaos across the battlefield and a few others used their support type attribute to heal others. In the end, everyone present here used their attributes and have strengthened their base skills just like me.
On the left, people holding green and orange banners were fighting. They must be the Valicos and Torrix. On the right, gray, yellow and purple banners could be seen. They must be the Kamiras, Dakus and Wycans. In the middle, the Lauers…huh? They didn’t choose a specific target and attack like the rest. Instead they were attacking everyone in the battlefield recklessly without a proper formation. Their forces were scattered all over the place. If this continues, they will be wiped out in no time.
Asher looked at the Lauers army and denoted, “They are afflicted by some kind of high level spell”
“How can you tell?”, Clara questioned.
“I just know it. I have the Mirage attribute, remember?”
So the Lauers family is afflicted by a spell that put them in a trance to fight mindlessly.
Osiris commanded the third, fourth, fifth and sixth regiments to take care of the left side—Valicos and Torrix. The seventh, eight, ninth, and tenth regiments take care of the right side—Kamiras, Dakus and Wycans. The rest ten regiments are currently surrounding the forest and acting as reinforcements.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Everything went according to plan. Although the Lauers family’s activities are suspicious. Now, the remaining—me, Osiris, Asher and Clara had to go into the Elva temple without anyone noticing. The ten regiments who were dispatched would help with that. But to be on the safer side, Clara used her attribute Abacomancy. She touched the dust that had collected on the floor pavement in front of the Elva temple that had collected over the years and nodded to herself.
“There are people inside the temple and things seem to be getting heated in there.” She said after careful examination of the dust.
This got Osiris agitated and we urgently went inside.
----------------------------------------
Inside, there were fourteen people.
Osiris muttered, “All the family heads and their siblings are in here.”
I already have the information of all the heads and their siblings. The Orb of Lore had shown me this. The list goes like this:
> Latix family
>
> Patriarch: Osiris Latix
>
> Siblings: Marcus Latix and Petra Latix
> Wycan family
>
> Patriarch: Eldan Wycan
>
> Siblings: Elphis Wycan and Silvis Wycan
> Torrix family
>
> Matriarch : Merlin Torrix
>
> Sibling: Olken Torrix
> Lauer family
>
> Matriarch: Ierda Lauer
>
> Sibling: Calvor Lauer
> Kamira family
>
> Patriarch: Lamser Kamira
>
> Sibling: Lima Kamira
>
>
> Valico family
>
> Patriarch: Viver Valico
>
> Siblings: Sanroc Valico and Sanea Valico
> Daku family
>
> Patriarch: Polso Daku
>
> Sibling: Remy Daku
>
>
Currently, Osiris’ siblings—Marcus Latix and Petra Latix are in a coma due to a strong spell cast by Lamser Kamira, the head of the Kamira family. This world is so advanced that any illness can be cured, but there are some attributes that are able to inflict damage which is not physical but on a mental level that cannot be cured even with the use of advanced medicine. Marcus and Petra were hit by such a spell.
Elphis is in the outskirts of the redwood forest battling the first and second regiment right now, so he also wasn't in here.
The rest were in there.
“Remove it now!”
“Or else what?”
“Kek, you can't manage your own family?”
“It's ludicrous. Hehehe.”
People were arguing with each other. Osiris looked baffled.
“Polso Daku! Release your hypnosis spell from my family members.”, said a woman donned in blue armor. She must be the matricarch of the Lauer family, Ierda Lauer.
“Make an oath that you will forfeit the throne.”, proposed the middle aged man wearing yellow armor. He was the patriarch of the Daku family, Polso Daku.
Right when I was wondering what was going on, Osiris intervened. “What is happening? Why are you shouting at Polso, Ierda?”
At Osiris’ inquiry, all the heads turned toward us. I could sense murderous intent from them. I took a step back instinctively.
“Polso Daku has placed a hypnosis spell on my family members which is making them mindlessly fight without a proper formation. If this continues, then they will be wiped out by the others.”
“I'll release it if she forfeits the throne.”
“Stop fighting. Polso, don't you know what happens when you sit on the throne?”
“As a family patriarch, it would be rather embarrassing if I didn't know.”
“Then why….”
What is this? There was a penalty for sitting on the throne? I hadn't known about this. The Orb of Lore didn't show any information on this.
Osiris turned back to look at us. Me, Asher and Clara specifically.
“I'm sorry. I didn't mention this to you earlier.”, he said.
Okay then tell us at least now. It isn't too late.
“When someone sits on the throne, they gain powers that surpass the constraints of even reality, but in return, they lose their consciousness. They’d get possessed and would seek destruction. The same thing had happened with the Progenitor, and the entire Demon species had to fight till their limit to suppress Him. But it still didn't work. Then, the greatest demon warrior of that time fought till the death and killed the Progenitor. In the aftermath, the demon continent was split into two, half the demon species perished and both the Progenitor and the great warrior Sykic died.”
…Wow
That was some crazy saga that I wish I had known sooner.
“Why don't you duel it out then? The one who loses has to forfeit the throne.”
“Eldan. This bastard. He knows how to manipulate things according to his wish.”, Osiris muttered and continued, “If the two of them fight and one of them wins, the other one’s fighting capability would surely be weakened, so it would be an easy clean up. They both are equally matched after all.”
Polso Daku and Ierda Lauer looked at each other. Ierda stated, “If I win, you should release the spell from my family members and forfeit
the throne. If you agree to that then we can duel.”
“I agree.”
“Then let's begin.”
The duel between the two heads of families would begin now.