With each successive circulation of Qi, the physical pain was shaped away and relief slowly set in. Repeated absorption followed by rapid usage of the Qi had put great stress on his body, especially his Qi circuits and all of this happened because of the undesirable horrible voices that filled his mind now that he was back in the settlement. Still, as he kept absorbing the Qi and gently circulating it through his Qi circuits, his body and Qi circuits started recovering.

The physical pain went away as the number of circulations kept increasing, even that uncomfortable feeling, a feeling similar to being suffocated, a feeling similar to being starved. Though the physical pain was erased, mental anguish persisted.

His mental landscape was desolate, empty of all thoughts, devoid of all emotional colors. It had to be so as this was the only thing that shielded him from the constant buzzing noise that had made his every passing moment miserable. When outside, this void isolated him from the effect of these insidious whispers but whenever he returned to the settlement these voices became more and more intense. Inside the settlement, it was always a balancing act, something that had been broken when he had performed the first jump to get into that sub-sector.

Even now the voices kept buzzing, one but many, understandable but incomprehensible. He endured, enduring was the only thing he could do, enduring was the only thing effective against them. Just enduring.

***

Inero-ie put away the Refined Core and recovered enough that it would not pose a pose during his mission. Threads spread even further in the surroundings, passing through the columns of ice that rose above, holding within them the dead bodies. Wherever the Threads passed by, he got a complete awareness of his surroundings.

Suddenly he gained the awareness of a crowd that was gathered together in one place, currently making prayers for their dead.

With but a thought, the Threads spread even further increasing the radius of his awareness and so he slowly started moving through the massive columns of ice, constantly scanning the surroundings to make sure he did not come across anyone.

This place was not the capital, and though it was supposed to follow the same laws as those followed in the capital, the greed of those in power would not allow their power to be snatched away or diluted. That was also why this was his first time up here. Before he did not need to even though he could.

Inero-ie’s movements were quick but quiet, carefully planned so that he would be as far as possible from the noblemen performing the prayer for their dead. This place was completely lit up, the darkness banished, and not even the shadows were allowed to exist making his Melding useless until the light went off and darkness once again regained its throne.

***

If he opened his eyes, he was sure he could see the door but the problem was the retinue of guards standing outside the gate.

Inero-ie once again started the climb. Swiftly moving up the column until he arrived at the arches connecting the columns with one another, stabilizing these massive structures. Getting up on the arch, Inero-ie walked above them until the wall of this Grave Tower was directly in front of him. He then jumped.

Once again a suction force appeared and he was soundlessly attached to the wall. Then he started crawling down towards the exit door stopping when he was just fifty meters away from it. The Threads were already spread outside, so he knew the position of each and every guard making him even more cautious. After tightening the Qi leakage of his technique, he silently moved at a steady pace, slowly approaching the exit.

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A few more steps and he would be out

“Strange… All of you, go and check the surroundings and report back. Make sure to be thorough, there is something here,” he could he what seemed to be the leader say that, with the hair on his body all standing up.

“Yes sir,” and with that more than half of the guards spread around, checking the surroundings.

After they had spread out, Inero-ie who had receded back, once again started moving, eventually exiting the forever open door of the Grave Tower.

Among the guards that had spread about, a few had gone to the forest that was just ahead, their backs towards the tower. Threads were extended to maximum, to make sure no one was looking at the space he would using to climb atop this tower housing the dead.

“It’s just like that time with the Specters,” Inero-ie could hear that same guard who had just ordered others mutter.

Outside was bright and warm, unlike the Grave Tower which was cold and filled with lights that provided no warmth.

Inero-ie crawled up the massive structure, silently, quickly all the while aware of where each and every eye looked and using that awareness to adjust his position. Soon he arrived at the top which was nothing more than empty space that would most likely be put into use when a new layer was constructed on top of this one.

Just like in the capital, he could feel the warmth on his skin, it was colder but still pleasant nonetheless compared to the cold everpresent in the layer below. It was warm enough to allow this sparse forest to grow throughout this floor.

Massive mansion filled the whole floor which he could see from up here. Their number was much less compared to those in the capital but each and every one was like a castle, imposing and extravagant. Then there was the central tower that appeared blurry from his current position.

Inero-ie stared at the castles, each like an island among the sea of green. He did not know which was which but an idea quickly appeared in his mind. Threads extended and covered the exit of the Grave Tower.

Though he did not know which castle was of the Nyob family, he knew their symbol and had seen it among a few nobles present inside the tower. Once they made their way back, he could just follow them.

***

“Was Lord Vissble’s visit of any use?” Inero-ie could hear one of the nobles ask another who had insignia of the Nyob family as they made their way out.

“It might as well be useless. He had been even more angered since his return. Even though he and nobles from other settlements had gone as a singular group, the only thing Mus-Draik’s told them was that they were trying.” replied the scion of the Nyob family.

“Maybe it is a ploy?”

“Unlikely. From what I have heard, even the princess of the Mus-Draik’s has gone missing. It was due to this the Lord had no choice but to quietly drink his anger.”

As they continued chatting, aerial vehicles sped over, slowly descending near them.

“Come over, I want to know more about it.”

“Some other time maybe. At the moment I have urgent matters to take care of.”

“Still not done with it yet?”

“I have been stuck and the date to hand in the research is fast approaching.”

As their conversation came to an end, Inero-ie had already made his way down and into the forest. Using it as a cover, he circled towards the ship.

Many more ships had landed by the time he had arrived at his desired spot and a few groups had been formed.

Inero-ie climbed on a tree and waited within its lush crown for the ship to fly. As the scion of the Nyob family made his way inside the aerial transport vehicle, Inero-ie became ready, his Thread spread around but also gathered towards the ship. As the ship started floating, slowly reaching the height of the tree, Inero-ie jumped at an angle that would cause the eyes of all present to fail to capture his image.

He landed with almost no impact, so low that not even the artificial spirit inside the vehicle could detect the impact.