Avures was perfectly still. Sitting on the ground, his hands on his ankle's shackles and his legs crossed, he kept his eyes closed and his breathing steady. At the time when he denied Korkolo's ultimatum, Avures had done so without a single plan in mind. It was all theory and floating ideas... Things he needed more evidence and verification for. Thinking on what had transpired during that conversation, Avures had gotten somewhat emotional in his thoughts and response. It was a strange sensation... Something unfamiliar to him that he couldn't grasp on to or ascertain. And when he tried to recapture that feeling... He just couldn't summon it up.
Regardless, while he meditated, he recalled a few details from his studies. With some testing... He figured out a plan of action.
Manacite: A material derived from forging Mana-reactive steel, which makes up most weapons in the world, and fusing it with Mercury during the cooling process. The result is a type of hyper-active metal that reacts to Mana like a vacuum. If it is touching something with circulating Mana, it will immediately drain Mana from the affected location and deposit it into the closest physical thing which doesn't contain Mana.
Calcianite: A type of poured stone made from the Calcium deposits on rocks mixed with cement and solidified Carbon. The result is these dark bricks which help disperse and block Mana, but only when these blocks are massive. Essentially, Mana-Sensing is based on the actual casting of Magic itself. Casting Magic creates a Mana residue that is like a stain or scent in the air and whatever it came from and touched. This is simply known as a Mana Signature. Mana Signatures function like signals, bouncing off of solid objects and liquids in unpredictable and random ways. Calcianite disperses these signals on contact, disallowing any travel of those signals. This effectively makes it impossible for one to locate a Mana Signature through, and sometimes even around, walls made from Calcianite. Injecting or placing Mana into Calcianite also results in the Mana being dispersed and slowly broken apart by the stone.
Avures quickly understood what was in play at that moment. Actual Anti-Magic binds and restraints were way more pricey than most small towns could afford. They were also more effective and reliable in exchange for the high price tag. But, as a cheaper substitute for a prison that could be used to hold a powerful Magic wielder, villages built small jails using Calcianite bricks with Manacite chains burrowed into them.
The premise and effect was simple. Anti-Magic directly attacks sources of Mana and depletes them for most cases. This made those tools a premium as they could easily retain a mage once they were thoroughly drained. The combination of Calcianite and Manacite was more oriented towards cheapness and practicality. Manacite's property of vacuuming Mana only functions when it touches Mana. Through the circulation of Mana through one's Leylines, Mana had to eventually pass through an area covered by a Manacite shackle and chain. It was then immediately siphoned out by the material. This made casting impossible by stopping it outside of the source, rather than attacking it directly. The Mana siphoned by the Manacite would then be transferred to the Calcianite bricks and dispersed.
So, with that knowledge at his disposal from his own personal research, Avures was able to pinpoint what could work or wouldn't work based on his circumstances.
To note, there were shackles over his wrists, ankles, upper arms, thighs, waist, and chest. These shackles were double, or even triple, chained. The Calcianite bricks were large, thick, and relatively undamaged by time. However, the ones in the cell across from his own seemed to have wear and tear on them. The bars on the cell also seemed to be constructed of Manacite.
The shackles essentially encircled the core of his Mana, preventing it from leaving through the passages of Leylines. The chains connected to the shackles were multiple in order to lessen the strain of trying to hold someone back, giving it less chance to break. A known trick to beat Calcianite bricks was to overwhelm it with Mana... But it only worked on smaller bricks. Bricks that big were nearly impossible to overwhelm, especially for Avures by himself. And the chains only allowed him to barely remain out of touching distance for the cell bars...
That all known, it was a perfect setup for the cost. It would have been incredibly challenging to lock up a conscious prisoner in this cell... But, once someone was in... They were not able to escape unless there was an inherent flaw within the cell. The only way one may have been able to escape was by using sheer strength to break the chains. Avures was not someone with that sort of physical power. By all angles, this was able to imprison any normal caster...
But Avures was not a normal caster. It took him hardly any time to discern his first move.
"I know you said it was just a trick and I shouldn't rely on it... But, this is most certainly that time and place!" Avures reveled in the solution to his problem, knowing exactly just how to get out of this situation.
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"God... Is it really going to be this easy?" Kataline's heart was racing. A mixture of terror and delight. She strolled at the side of Rael, who seemed rather content and at ease compared to her earlier disposition. Everything was going according to her last minute plan...
The streets were empty... Somehow, The Sergeant didn't make a mess of the village which was essentially bonus points for the plan. Kataline had expected to have to rope Rael around a blood bath to avoid her seeing it. The Sergeant himself was nowhere to be found. Though she debated using Mana Sensing to locate his exact position... She didn't want to give away herself in the process. Addle was none the wiser to her actual intent...
"And the best part?... Korkolo is-..." Kataline halted the moment she felt the presence of a deep and terrible Mana behind her. It was almost as if her thoughts had brought the exact scenario to life... "No way..."
"Avura! What in the hell do you think you're doing?" Korkolo's voice bellowed out from behind her and Rael, ceasing any sort of cohesive thoughts in Kataline's head. Rael stopped shortly ahead of Kataline, tilting her head at the back and forth she was now witnessing. "I thought I gave you orders."
"I didn't think he'd wake up so soon! Shit!..." Kataline had no idea how to proceed. She had to come up with some excuse... Something to just get him off of her back... She slowly turned herself around... "Well... They wanted to go for a walk."
"You know damn well that she shouldn't be out here right now..." Korkolo's eyes narrowed in on Kataline, his presence growing more intense as his aura concentrated.
Rael's eyes shifted from Korkolo to Kataline... And then back to Korkolo. She wasn't exactly sure what was going on.... But she knew that something was being hidden from her. It was too easy to tell. Meanwhile, Kataline was tripping over her own thoughts... Then, she had an idea.
"Well. They're getting antsy about their friend. It was either this, or that..." Kataline told the truth in the moment... At least, a twisted version of it. A version of the truth that wouldn't make Rael speak up about it as long as she was a reasonable person. To which, with a small air of silence, seemed to work.
Kataline understood fully that the moment she got out of town... She won. She'd sedate Rael the moment they were both out of sight and take off with her. Then she just had to make her way back to Temptation with Rael. Once that happened, it would all be over for anyone who opposed Temptation. The General was able to hold back one witch. In that regard, he was already punching up with the help of his Shade. But two witches? He'd stand no chance against the sheer destructive onslaught that could be unleashed. And then, Kataline could get what she truly wanted...
All she had to do right now was play the last few cards at her immediate disposal...
"And I mean, after all, The Sergeant took care of your little problem... So you shouldn't have to worry about it anymore. But..." Kataline glanced around. There was no way Korkolo didn't know something was up with the lack of any other cultists around. So, she had to improvise a little. And who knows? Maybe Korkolo would see The Sergeant's actions as backstabbing and kill him... Another tied up loose end. "It seems that he might have recruited the town in this effort..."
"Might have?" Korkolo furrowed his brow as he took his eyes off Kataline. In his mind, there were certainly more pressing issues around than whatever she was doing... But also knowing that she seemed to only try to make an ass of him... Frustration began to seep into his mind once more as he thought about everything he needed to check on. Korkolo decided that the catnap was not worth it. "Fine. Stay out of trouble. I have to go find out what's going on with that..."
As Korkolo began to waddle away... Kataline couldn't believe how much fortune seemed to sway in her favor. She was careful not to let her excitement show, but turning back to Rael and seeing how clueless she was made her almost giddy. It was going to happen...
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Were it the right era... Were it the right circumstances... Were I truly favored by God...
I would have been born the Magi. And I would have dutifully served the world and life itself until I died.
But that wasn't my destiny.
Where humans will spend most of their lives trying to discern their purpose... I was no different.
I was blessed and cursed. Blessed to be born with the tremendous and reality shaping powers of Primordial Magic... But cursed to have simply not been the Magi.
There were many great omens to be born under in this terrible world. I was born with two of them.
It was an omen to be born with the ability to weave Primordial Magic. Something that only occurred under a Blood Moon with a chance so low that one was more likely to be struck by natural lightning. The Blood Moon inspired natural fear in people... And to have come out of the womb a Magic prodigy with the abilities to wreak havoc... Primordial users are naturally feared.
Primordial Magic is formed when Anti-Magic would naturally overtake regular Mana.
Anti-Magic is obtained by inducing it into one's Mana Pool willingly, allowing it to devour one's Mana Core and Leylines. The result is that Anti-Magic takes hold where those metaphysical concepts used to be.
One can be naturally born an Anti-Magic user under a Blood Moon, where the red discoloration of the Moon's surface radiates Anti-Magic onto the world... Rendering any manifestations created by Mana to be destroyed.
Thus, the interaction to form Primordial Magic can only occur at birth when the Mana Core finally finishes developing. The Anti-Magic that naturally radiates during the Blood Moon infuses into the unfinished formation of the Core and twists both itself and regular Mana into Primordial Magic. And that itself can only occur by mere chance.
It functions the same as regular Magic, but with no distinctive element. Instead, it is a pure force of power, free from the limitations of regular Magic. It also contains Anti-Magic properties which allow it to easily overpower traditional Magic. However, because of these, one who wields Primordial Magic cannot naturally wield Flow as it gets overpowered.
My other omen was being born under the cursed star of Esiasm. A constellation that only brings misery and pain to those whose spirit is invariably tied to it.
My presence was naturally feared, even among those who were supposed to be my family. I never made friends. I only encountered people who wanted my help, but then complained that I either overdid it or didn't do enough. I was seen as a blight for living, and one who needed to prove my worth of living. Strangers and fellow townsmen alike damned my existence, and mocked my stature. And any time I wished to change this perception, it only became worse. Damned if I do, damned if I don't. It wasn't so much that I needed the validation of others, but I desired the peace they never allowed me to have for circumstances out of my control. In a way, this blockage from what I truly wanted made me the short-tempered person I am today.
To that end, I wondered and speculated why I wasn't born the Magi. If I were the Magi, no one would have hated me so. I would have been revered as god. I wouldn't have been belittled and mistreated like I was. It didn't take long for me to realize what the problem was.
The Magi was still alive.
After all, only when a Magi died would another be born. What was supposed to be my destiny was shot off course because of some lucky bastard wasting away somewhere else in the world. So, naturally, the most reasonable thing for me to do was to issue an open challenge to the Magi. I declared my intent throughout the entire continent...
A few mages had shown up, thinking themselves to be the Magi. They were blasted to smithereens. Ultimately, my challenge stood for several years... And eventually, foolhardy opponents quit showing up. All of whom I killed were not the Magi. But throughout it all, I learned a lesson that stayed close to my heart.
Why should I care? In fact, why not just kill the people who treated me this way?...
Needless to say, several slaughters later and I was one of the more renowned criminals roaming free in the country. But my sprees of violence weren't just contained to people who wronged me, but to anyone who crossed my path. Lancers, bandits... It made no difference to me. But I eventually found it all so boring. I looked for a purpose and found one.
After all, with most of my life being predicated on not being the Magi, why not find common ground with their greatest enemies? I found solace in the idea of Ozix and his resurrection. Because the more I learned about Ozix's prior life from the very few writings that remained, the more I realized that I was like him.
I spent several years in the cult, rising to prominence and power within. They wouldn't make me the Flow Priest because of my inability to use Flow... But my word carried much greater weight than most other priests.
However, after a while, I noticed that the leadership had resorted to this stagnation. If the final goal was reviving Ozix, I understood the main issues and problems in the way... The last Flow Priest to successfully muster up the power to revive Ozix almost succeeded... A figure by the name of "Geylsix"... However, they were defeated at the hands of Mathias and his band of allies. So I found that the Ozix Cult was at the whim of someone unsure of how to proceed and terrified of failing... But I soon met someone who changed the course and direction of it all…
"Korkolo Dunis... Was it?"
"That's right... However, you better have a damn good reason for not calling me "Priest"..." I spun around with a vindictive expression. Too many times had my pride been dismissed in my life. And even as a Primordial wielder, there were some Priests among the cult who didn't respect me.
"My mistake... Priest Dunis." Meius Valkir bowed his head in front of me, showing a form of humility that most among his rank refused to do.
"Priest Valkir... Is there something you need?" I was never able to remember when exactly Meius appeared in our ranks, or how he got to be a Priest... But he was exactly what the cult needed. With a great, wide smile on his face... He extrapolated on a world-shaking idea.
The contents of the conversation were blasphemous to all aisles of the world. It took me by surprise when he told me about how he planned to become Flow Priest... How he planned to force the resurrection of Ozix... How all the ones we served under had grown complacent and weak... And I couldn't agree more...
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"What... Did... You... Do?!" Korkolo dug his nails into the side of his head as his eyes bore witness to a field of massacred bodies just behind The Sergeant.
Within the bounds of the forest, just outside of the town, dead cultists were all strewn about. Some were missing limbs, others horribly disfigured by blunt attacks, and others who were simply killed in the manner of lethal wounds like a slit neck or stab wound to the heart. Cultists were laid against trees with knives jammed into their torsos, or hung over thick branches of the trees.
"It's not what I did. It's what they did." The Sergeant had his weapon stowed and was approaching Korkolo. He had no nerves or regrets in his heart. The Mana Signature was obscured, hiding his own doing of this. Sure, he was the only one alive among these and it might be unbelievable that one Woe Cultist did all that... But The Sergeant knew most would overlook something like that for evidence of Mana. "I hate to leave a mess here... But I got them. You can see them... A little bit of them there... There... There..."
Korkolo observed The Sergeant point between different objects. Trees, a puddle of mud, blades of grass... All stained with a large splattering of blood. And, sure enough, Korkolo was able to make out the same trace of Mana between all of them. It was a strange combination of anger from the fact that this one Woe Cultist ran through this many of his own... And joy in that they were nothing more than a few splashes of blood now.
"Hm. From the looks of it... They only got about half of them... Too many as is... But at least it wasn't the entire chapter." Korkolo scoured his mind for the right words that could calm his fury a little more. The giant purge had lowered them to two chapters... And now he had half of one (to his knowledge).
"I suppose I must apologize for indirectly using your numbers as fodder. It was... Hard to lure them out." The Sergeant took a few steps past Korkolo. He needed to break away from Korkolo and figure out what was happening in the distance with Kataline.
"I suppose at the end of the day... They are just that. Useful idiots... Fodder..."
"Right..."
Korkolo sighed, the black aura from earlier radiating around his body... The Sergeant let out a silent, relieved breath. It seemed that he managed to avoid getting caught somehow... However, the thought of someone using a Zero-Sum twice in one day... It doubly made him realize just how dangerous this entire idea was... It also quickly reminded him of his prize trying to depart from the town.
Without another word, The Sergeant made haste for Kataline's position. Korkolo gave not a second thought to him taking his leave as he got to work. The Sergeant was not going to let Kataline leave this place until she fulfilled her end of the deal...
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"Hmm..." Rael posed her hand to her chin while marching on ahead of Kataline. She observed the nature all around her, trying not to give any sort of indication on what she was thinking. Kataline followed a few feet behind her as she kept careful calculations on how far away from the village they were. Numerous trees were starting to encompass their path ahead, and the lower grass gave way to lesser cut fields with blades that came up to their calves.
"Just a little bit farther..." Kataline hid her right hand away in her pocket. She had a single needle between her middle and ring finger with a sedative mixture dripping from the tip. All she needed was a single prick...
"Oh! I get it!" Rael snapped her fingers and spun around on the tips of her toes. Her face beamed with wonder and intensity, seeming like she just figured out the mystery of a lifetime. "Your name is Avura!... Right? That must make you Avures's sister!... Right?"
"Uh-!..." Kataline stopped in her tracks with a frozen expression of confusion. The shadows from a nearby tree enveloping her face as she had just finished walking into the coverage from the sun provided by leaves. Her eyes darted around. The sun was starting to set... The reality of the moment hit her upside the head like a heavy rock. Today had been a lot of waiting around... It shouldn't have been that surprising. But, it worked in her favor. The cover of night had the ability to give her an easy escape.
"See... Cause siblings are usually named similarly and names usually come from papas... Except me, I guess. But that's different." Rael pointed her thumb at herself with a crooked and silly smile. However, she still relented for Kataline's answer.
"Well..." Kataline figured she was far enough from the village at this point. She just needed Rael to be off-guard. However, from all her previous interactions with and around her, Kataline had no idea what Rael being "off-guard" looked like. It appeared like she was always this goofy or childish at any given moment besides when Addle was pissing her off. However, it also brought into question the girl's intelligence. Was this a trap question?... Or was she genuinely clueless? "... Yes. I was trying to keep it a secret..."
Kataline rubbed the back of her head with her left hand as she watched the expression on Rael's face change. First it was confusion, then she narrowed her eyes like she had suspicions... Then... Her eyes lit up with a bright flame while her smile outstretched further and showed off a big toothy grin.
"Ah! I can't believe it! Avures never told me he had a sister!" Rael bunny-hopped closer to Kataline until she was mere inches away from her face. Her head tilted to the side while her crimson eyes locked onto Kataline's own. "Sheesh. Your eyes look almost the same as his!..."
"Right..." Kataline tried to take a step back for her own personal space, but Rael persisted and moved in tandem.
"And your hair- It's pink? Why is it...? Oh! I get it! It's-!" Rael shot her left hand towards the top of Kataline's hood, aiming her fingers for a low-hanging strand of hair. However, the moment her fingertips nearly touched the strand of hair, Rael was stopped dead in her tracks.
Kataline yanked her right arm and right hand out of her pocket and gave a quick jab upwards towards the underside of Rael's left arm. It was a soft punch... But it accomplished what Kataline needed it to as she ducked her right hand back into her pocket and disposed of the needle.
"Sorry!-... Don't touch my hair... Please." Kataline took a step back, her cheeks reddened by the up-close encounter.
"Ow. It's okay. Jeez." Rael made a frumpy face as she took a step back and rubbed the underside of her left arm. She tried maneuvering her elbow and arm in such a way to get a look at the underside. However, she was unable to do so and gave up that attempt. "It feels like a bee stung me or something... Do you have sharp nails?"
"Sorry..." Kataline began to rub her arm awkwardly... She was trying to put on her best act while the sedative would take effect... But with direct control over those things... It should have already knocked Rael out by now. "What gives?..."
"It's okay. I forgive you. Anyways... You should tell me all about yourself, Avura! I mean... I'm the most important person in Avures's life!... Maybe second-most important now... But still I wanna know about you!..." Rael grabbed at her wrists after putting her arms behind her back, leaning forward with her ever-bright expression.
"Oh... Well... Where do I start?..." Kataline was beginning to panic. Something was wrong... Then, it clicked. "Oh!... How could I forget?! I need to use a Curse, poisons won't work! Shit!"
"Hm... Maybe we should wait until we get to the pond..." Rael saw the hesitation on Kataline's face and decided to back off... She was beginning to turn around...
The moment Rael's line of sight broke off of Kataline... Kataline silently prowled forward, closing the gap between the two of them... Her left hand was becoming enveloped in a dark, blue energy...
"Yo! Rael!"
Kataline shunted herself back, dropping the Magic over her left hand and spinning around. Rael flipped back around and smiled. Lylas stood some ways behind them all, waving over to the two of them.
"Yo! It's getting late!... Let's just turn in for the night!" Lylas continued to wave over at the two of them.
"Oh... Okay!" Rael skipped past Kataline without a second thought or word to her. Kataline was stunned, unable to move as she watched her entire moment of victory slip out of her hands.
She replayed the last few moments in her head... She could have gone for the Curse regardless... But would she have been able to fight this guy off? What if it didn't immediately kick in either? Then it would have been two-on-one... It felt like she had just let everything she worked for go... All because some idiot guy happened to come after them... Without Addle or anyone else stopping him...
"This was the worst moment for my luck to run out... Between forgetting the poison immunity of a witch body... And this simpleton showing up..." Kataline strained every muscle and fiber in her body trying to hide her frustration.
But the worst of it came when Rael passed by Lylas... And Lylas had turned around slowly and made direct eye contact with her... They shared a brief exchange of glares... Kataline's eyes unable to hold back the venomous intent in her being. And Lylas's eyes showcasing and giving context to the smile on his face... He was taunting her... And Kataline was livid.
He eventually turned away from Kataline to stroll back into town with Rael... But the damage to Kataline's ego and psyche was done... She was frozen in place... Watching them go...
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The walk back was uneventful between the two of them. At first, they were completely silent... But as if on cue and waiting for it, Lylas broke the silence and Rael indulged...
"Figure out anything?" Lylas kept perfectly in stride with Rael while keeping his volume low.
"I figured out that whoever that was is not to be trusted." Rael carried a bored and unamused expression on her face. She crossed her arms under her chest as she gave off a sigh.
"I had a bad feeling all around, so I snuck out to follow ya. What happened to all the people? They were here yesterday..." Lylas shook his head as he gazed up at the sky. The sun had finally set, the light vacating the area entirely and leaving only the lamps of the village to guide their return. "Anything else?"
"I have no idea about the people... The dwarf-guy called her Avura... I knew something was wrong as soon as I heard that."
"Avura?...That sounds like-"
"Like it would be someone related to Avures? Yeah, because it is... Or was..." Rael pulled her arms a little tighter as she took a deep breath... "I played dumb and asked her if she was his sister. She said yes... Right to my face... As if I didn't know that Avures's real sister is dead."
"You're kidding..." Lylas turned his face and peered at Rael's expression. Her face appeared like it had when Addle was antagonizing her. This greatly annoyed and frustrated look sat as clear as day on her. "Hm. She probably had no idea ya knew. That was smart, Air-head."
"I want Avures back..." Rael's face turned more scornful as she kept her arms wrapped around herself... "I want him back so we can leave this place..."
"There's no doubt that there's people out to get us here... I dunno how deep it goes... But... I'll figure it out." Lylas placed his hands in his pockets while turning his gaze downwards... "Don't tell anyone else about what we know..."
"Why?" Rael's irritated look shot up and pierced right through Lylas... However, he maintained his composure with a deep breath. They stopped at the foot of the dirt road into town.
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"They'll freak out. Muscle-Brain might just start fighting... Bitch will get testy and fight too... And Blue-Blood won't back down if those two get riled up. But ya? I trust ya, Air-head. You've been keeping your cool so far..." Lylas placed his hand on Rael's shoulder, squeezing and lightly shaking her.
"I have too... Avures would..." Rael stayed still as she pouted further. She was stuck in between two lines of thought. Listen to Lylas... Or lash out...
"So... Trust me... I'mma investigate a 'lil bit... Keep a handle on the other three for me, please?" Lylas tried to stir her further, hoping to knock her out of this slump...
"I trust you... But..." Rael picked her head up. Her fiery red eyes tore an imaginary warpath through the empty village. She turned to face him fully. "If you end up captured too... Or worse... I'll burn this entire fucking village to the ground trying to get you and Avures back."
"Hey... That's fine with me..." Lylas let go of Rael's shoulder. Instead, he balled up his hand and held it out to Rael. She held back at first, examining Lylas fully as if she had never seen him before... But even Rael knew that her inhibitions at this moment were pointless. Lylas had never led them astray before... She smiled, easing up on her horrid temper and pounding his fist.
"What are you going to do?" Rael pulled her fist away from Lylas...
"I have a feelin that we might have a surprise-buddy..." Lylas put his balled fist into his pocket. "There was someone else watchin the two of ya back there... I'll tell ya all about it once I meet em..."
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Kataline glued her eyes shut while trying to maintain her composure. Her head was bowed with the open end of her hood concealing her eyes, only revealing her nose and lips. She clenched and squeezed her hands into tight fists, cursing under her breath while her heart raced.
"Goddammit... Who the fuck are you?... Why the hell are you alive?..." Kataline thrust her left fist up to her face and pounded it against her forehead over the fabric of her hood. Several times over she repeated the process... Several times thuds of the self-harm emitted out quietly to only her ears. The blunt force she inflicted upon herself soon stopped. However, it gave way to her opening up her fist and digging her nails into the top side of her scar. Slowly, she scraped away at her own scarred skin, causing a small wound to open up in the shape of the seared disfigurement.
A small trickling of blood passed over the lower-diagonal half of her face, dripping out and tickling the surface of her skin below. The warm, liquid sensation was sobering... Kataline put an immediate end to her self-punishment and used the sleeve of her robe to wipe away the small mess she created. She sniffled, taking the time to fully dry out the blood with her cloth.
"I've seen all I need to... This woman is a loon. But... I've finally pinned down what's going on here..." The Sergeant meandered out from behind a nearby tree, concealing his presence for the last few moments he needed to. With a single hand on his hip, and his other twitching with anticipation... He stepped out into the open to greet Kataline.
"... It's you." Kataline's eyes had dark circles underneath as she turned to greet him. Her lips were pursed open slightly as she awaited what was to come next. The Sergeant eyed the scar... It was normally the first eye-grabbing thing he noticed about her each time he found her again, but he spotted the irritation immediately...
"I fulfilled my end of the deal. Korkolo is cleaning up the mess as we speak... Your sedative didn't last as long as I had hoped..." The Sergeant remained firm in his stance and composure as Kataline's face took on varied expressions to his own words.
"I had- hoped he would have fucking killed you..." Kataline's lips trembled, almost spilling out her thoughts as her exhaustion continued to set in. Once again, she was reminded about how her plan suddenly fell apart, and now how each leg of it also turned up short. Resentment made her decrepit appearance take a more sinister turn. Still, she tried to maintain a cordial attitude despite her face indicating otherwise. "-I thought it was enough."
"Right..." The Sergeant allowed her to attempt to sell this act to him. But as someone who knew masks well and could see through them... The Sergeant recognized her demeanor for what it was. Both her energies gave away her intent, and the stench of deceit was enough indication. However she decided to conduct herself to him now no longer mattered though. The only thing that remained was getting that information from her, and refocusing his mission on her. "Anyways... The deed is done. Spill this information."
"Assertive, are we?... I could hold back... But he technically did a much greater favor for me than what this will mean to him... And it still keeps another chance to get that girl in play..." Kataline's eyes went blank while taking it all in... There were still things going in her favor along with cards to play. If she played the part perfectly, she would have Rael... "A deal is a deal... Do you know Muradin Pomos?"
"Vaguely. He's a member of the Forsaken who's working on some sort of project involving beasts...?" The Sergeant crossed his arms while maintaining his observant approach.
"Correct. These beasts have a level of strength and resilience equal to three or so top-notch Lancers... At least, that's the idea." Kataline's eyes lost their blankness and glazed look, a certain insidious nature taking hold.
"Ah-huh. And you probably know about this from that Meius guy... Right?"
"Exactly. But what you and no one else knows... Is that Muradin's position is similar to my own..." Bowing her head and grinning, Kataline took a deep breath as she took pride in her position in all of this. "He and I are well-connected and hold similar views..."
"... What are you trying to say?"
"Muradin is going to betray the Forsaken." Kataline locked gazes with The Sergeant, lifting her head back up with a revitalized expression. "Specifically, he's going to join with Temptation and use his beasts to help free her from The General's entrapment..."
"What?!... You're bluffing! Lying!" The Sergeant was hit with a tremendous amount of vertigo and bewilderment upon hearing Kataline's words. It sounded so ridiculous that he was convinced she was lying. But as he stared her down, there were none of the tell-tale signs of lying within her energies... Still, he was in denial. "You're full of it..."
"Am I? What reason do I have to lie? I might have several reasons in your eyes... But I'm just trying to play the winning side here..." Kataline shrugged and turned away from The Sergeant. Her smug attitude only furthered his confusion. Though the last thing she had said was a lie... She gave him the honest truth as she knew it.
"Play the winning side, huh?..." The Sergeant remained still, frozen... It was as if he was physically shocked to hear it, but his spirit seemed unfazed or surprised in the slightest. He had an indication of her being willing to spare the truth when they made this initial deal. He knew that whatever she was going to say was meant to befuddle him... However he fell into another pit trap he created for himself. "To think I believed we were working together cordially in some manner... I almost forgot how these types of monsters act and conduct themselves... The three of them... All rotten... Fine..."
"I hope you're satisfied with that. I don't plan on giving any more info or help out to you. After all, if I did that... It might start to look like a fair trade." Kataline gave one last glance back, her hood sitting above her eyebrows from The Sergeant's position. Her eyes were open wide and filled with a sort of crazed look. One eyebrow was raised and her lips were curled into a cruel smile. They exchanged one last glare towards each other before she strode away in confidence, leaving him behind.
"I'm not so egotistical or prideful that I'll retaliate against her solely based on her smug attitude... But she'll be in for a rude awakening when I pull the rug out from under her... After all, I know what she's after in this place..." The Sergeant took a deep, calming breath as he evaluated his position. The information she provided would be invaluable to keeping The General out of harm's way. No one he had met has been able to lie without a spiritual giveaway thus far... So he was certain he could maintain the notion of Muradin's possible betrayal to be true. However, he was guilty of possibly helping her more than he helped himself... But that would be rectified as swiftly as possible. The Sergeant had one more thing to make certain of...
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The Sergeant breezed his way past a few streets and quiet homes. He stepped quietly along the path that had influenced the events from the last twenty-four hours. Though not direct causes or influences, an event which had shaken and stirred the way everything should have gone... For better or for worse?... It was hard to tell. Only the end of this all would reveal that. It was one final question for him...
The Sergeant rounded the corner and marched towards the largest building in the town... The only one with a double-wide entrance. The prison which only currently housed one prisoner... He had a slew of questions, but he knew he needed to pick the right ones. As he drew closer to the building, he grazed his hands along the bricks of the wall... Understanding that there was only one way in.
"Yo." A familiar, yet unknown voice called out to The Sergeant from behind him. It wasn't Addle, nor was it Kataline or Korkolo. The Sergeant craned his neck around and locked gazes with the well-equipped boy with messy brown hair.
"What are you doing out at this hour?" The Sergeant was taken aback, never thinking that someone would sneak up on him like this so easily.
"Ya don't seem very pleased to see me." Lylas waltzed over to the wall of the building next to The Sergeant and leaned against it with his arms crossed. "So... This is where Avures is. It shouldn't surprise me..."
"What makes you think that he's here?" The Sergeant kept his hand pressed up against the wall as he glared at Lylas.
"Why else would ya be here?..." Lylas grinned, turning his back fully to the wall as he rested against it. He bowed his head. "Ya were talking with that girl... Weren't ya?"
"I don't like how nosy you are." Though The Sergeant wasn't going to allow previous events to block out every conversation... He found it hard to not see this as another proposition where he loses because approaches like this aren't uncommon.
"Relax. I think we're on the same team here..." Lylas uncrossed his arms, putting his hands up as he lifted his face to The Sergeant's. "I caught sight of ya and tracked ya for a bit. My guess is that ya put two an' two together... Woman claims she is "Avura"... Your prisoner is "Avures"... So ya probably think he can give ya info on her... Am I wrong?"
"... Let's say you're right..." The Sergeant accepted Lylas's explanation, allowing him to do the talking. The teen seemed genuine... But something about Lylas threw him for a loop. He was tricky at heart... "What does it matter to you?"
"It ain't so much what it matters to me... It's what it matters to ya... I can tell you're different from the others we've met, not affiliated for one reason or another. Why else would ya try to spy on them?..." Lylas lowered his arms back to his side, digging his hands into his pocket while keeping his attention on The Sergeant. "Avura is the name of his dead sister. Dead... Sister... For one reason or another, she purposefully uses it as an alias... And they're targeting him... Whatever is going on can't be good... And I think ya know that as much as I do. And whoever that woman is cannot be trusted."
"... I agree that she cannot be trusted. But I think you're misplacing your own trust. That would be a dire mistake."
"I ain't placing any trust here. I'm just making observations and statements. I just figured we had a common enemy. It ain't anything I need to hide... I don't wear masks..." Lylas's grin drooped down into a frown over the course of his open thoughts. Their gazes were locked in... A long, dead silence sifted between them as a mutual animosity took shape... The air of aggression only finally stopped when The Sergeant scoffed at Lylas.
"That's right. You're just like them. You don't hide who you are. Just from observing, I know what you all are. Two natural born monsters too proud to kill themselves before becoming what they fear. A golden child who thinks himself absolute but acts in accordance with complacency. A beast that only guides itself by impulses. A timid and quiet child who is much too incompetent to be able to work himself out of this mess." The Sergeant crept his hand along the wall closer to Lylas as he inched closer to his face. He stopped himself as the eye-holes of his mask became more outlined and visible to Lylas. An endless, black void... "And a confused boy-scout who tries to play a hand when he has no cards at his disposal."
"Hmph. The difference between us... Is that knowing what I am doesn't scare me." Lylas stepped off the wall and turned towards The Sergeant. He curled the right side of his lips into a sly grin as he reached his left index finger out towards the mask The Sergeant wore. Without any hesitation, Lylas flicked the nose portion of the mask upward with a playful ease. His taunting easily pushed The Sergeant to his boiling point.
Though the mask hadn't budged an inch from his flick, The Sergeant moved his hand up to the mask and immediately readjusted it without revealing any of his face. The tension created a thick, heated atmosphere. Hands were tightly bound to weapons for the both of them...
But... The Sergeant let it go. He needed to. If he were to let his pride get wounded by Lylas, it would persist in his mind forever and create a new resentment. A new memory to embolden his cynicism. His hatred for himself would further. The Sergeant placed his hand back on the wall, turning to fully face it.
"What stopped you?... Know-it-all..." The Sergeant recognized the walls. Calcianite. Only sheer physical prowess was able to shatter these. Magic could crack it, but not break it.
"The entry is sealed... And I got no way of knowing the signs or the amount of Mana put in it..." Lylas looked off to the side with a soft smile.
"So, you figured I knew the signs?"
"Well. At first I didn't have a damn clue where he was being held. But I tracked ya and moved ahead of where ya were lookin' to go. That's when I found this place... Then, I found the seal before ya got here..."
"You were totally clueless... Aside from the "Avura" thing, you had no clue what was going on. If you didn't know about that..."
"I'd be none-the-wiser to it all...? Maybe. But the question is... Do ya have a way in?" Lylas turned back to The Sergeant with a serious expression.
"The only entryway is sealed... But I have a key." The Sergeant's hand against the Calcianite wall pressed through the solid rock, passing through with an ease that baffled Lylas. "Despite the innate ability of Calcianite bricks to disperse Mana and essentially block signals and casting... Quantum Tunneling bypasses this property..."
"Eh? Hm..." Lylas strained to not let the shock or worry appear on his face, maintaining a cool composure like he was known for... But it was like a knife being shoved through his chest with how the situation was now out of his control... "Just what do ya plan on doing in there?"
"Ask questions, just like you predicted... Obviously. However, you clearly can't hide the despair you're feeling from me. You have no control or input over what happens next..." The Sergeant tilted his head towards Lylas while keeping his arm halfway through the wall. Lylas was unable to keep his eyes off of the active technique...
"There'll be hell to pay if ya even look at him wrong..." Lylas found himself unable to muster the will to even look The Sergeant face to face anymore. He took Lylas's response for what it was, a half-hearted attempt to save face.
"We'll see what your pal has to say." The Sergeant turned his attention back towards the Calcianite wall as he stepped on forward and through the solid bricks...
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Avures was relaxed back, leaning against the walls of his confinement while slow breaths escaped his mouth and nose. His eyes were shut and his body near motionless as he slept within the dimly lit cell. The sheer silence might have been unnerving to some, but Avures found the slightest bit of comfort within the droning quiet of the prison. That, and it had helped him to fully maintain his focus with ease. However, his rest was needed for the next stage of his plan...
"Get up."
Clashing metal rang out and echoed through the once-silent building. His eardrums pierced by a mighty, rapturous clang, Avures's eyes shot open as he clasped his hands against his ears. The drowsiness clouded his immediate perception, placing him under a shifting daze as his vision swirled and hearing returned... He blinked a few times in rapid succession, swiveling his head around until he found the source at the bars of his cell.
"Awake yet? I'll give you a few moments." The Sergeant stood directly outside of the cell with his staff held with a lazy grip in his hand. Shoving it away into his back bag, The Sergeant crossed his arms as his vision tracked Avures's disoriented movement.
Avures leaned forward from the wall, rubbing his eyes and then tilting himself forward onto his knees. Rising to his feet, one small step at a time, Avures stood hunched over slightly as he shook off the immediate grogginess. With his vision no longer obscured by drowsiness, his gaze shifted over to the source to make eye contact.
"What do you want?" Avures had no difficulty in remembering this man as he was there before he was detained. However, no one besides Korkolo had been down here since then. So, he naturally found it odd that this person decided to approach him.
"Watch your attitude and your tongue. Your fate and the fate of your allies rest on your responses to me." The Sergeant remained unmoving on the other side of the cage. Avures straightened his posture, but did not lift his gaze from The Sergeant.
"Is that a threat?"
"It can be."
"..."
"Who is Temptation to you?" The Sergeant watched Avures's gaze drop to the floor. It was immediately clear to him that Avures had some sort of association and connotation attached to the name. The energies within him swirled slowly, the nature of his thoughts holding unfamiliarity but sternness.
"A witch... An enemy..." Avures furrowed his brow while keeping his eyes firmly on the ground below him.
"Have you met with her?"
"No..."
"... What's your relationship with the red-head? The one named Rael..."
"She's-..."
Avures struggled to find the best wording possible. He knew where this was going as soon as The Sergeant asked about Temptation. It was unavoidable. But what particularly annoyed and bothered Avures was how it seemed that this "Temptation" person and Rael were inseparable. When it came to Yuval, Temptation ruined his life, and he attacked Rael because of it. And now, it was starting to feel like the same thing was going to repeat itself. But Rael was innocent... Avures felt a tightness grip his chest as the cruel unfairness of that circumstance was clearly going to place her in danger again...
But despite that, Avures decided to answer the question within what was asked. Caught between knowing what was to come, and wanting to protect her... Avures swept his mind of his previous thoughts and focused solely on his relationship with her...
"She's my best friend. I've known her all my life..." Avures closed his eyes as he answered truthfully.
However, The Sergeant knew he pressed the right button.
"But you know exactly what she is, don't you?" The Sergeant continued to stare straight at Avures who refused to look him in the eye. "You can't withhold the truth from me. You may be able to hold this cold exterior of yours with ease... Cloud your immediate thoughts with an air of mystique and confusion, accentuating it with a dry outward personality... But your heart tells me that you're in love with someone you know is a monster."
"She's not a monster." Avures shot his face up and locked his glare onto The Sergeant. With his stern brow and ice-cold demeanor, Avures stared down his accuser. "She's done nothing to deserve that label."
"But you're well-aware of what she can be... There's no mistaking it. It isn't a mere coincidence that she has nearly the same physical appearance as the one known as Temptation." The Sergeant uncrossed his arms, letting them fall to his sides as he turned towards the opposite direction of Avures. "This Rael is clearly not a witch... Yet... She's an explosion waiting to happen, a problem... A problem I need to take care of-"
"Don't you even dare try to lay a finger on her. I'll kill-"
"Do you think this is a game?! That this is some sort of story where you can have everything go your way?! As if you're even in a position to tell me what I can and can't do!" The Sergeant stormed through the bars of the cell, catching Avures off-guard as he met him face to face. The heat and fervor that surged off of his body commanded silence from Avures while both of their bodies were mere centimeters away from each other.
With the emotionless way Avures conducted himself, one could very easily assume he was devoid of all emotions altogether alongside any strong intentions. However, those were both mere misconceptions. And The Sergeant learned that in the strangest way, as when the two of them were close enough to be practically breathing on top of each other... The Sergeant felt the overwhelming intent to kill from the boy standing in front of him. Never had he seen someone in such a position elicit that sort of response... Then... He felt a soft poke in his chest right below his heart. Rather, the poke was against the armor he wore.
The Sergeant lowered his gaze to that area... A solid, shadowy black spike was pressed up against the exact area he felt the pressure from. And the origin was Avures's right hand...
"How?... How did he-?..." The Sergeant found himself frozen in place trying to figure out the mystery that lay before him... Avures was bound by Manacite connected to Calcianite... There was no feasible way for him to utilize Mana or Flow... His eyes peered deeper into the clues resting within the teen's energies. Mana leapt out from his hand... But didn't originate from his core... But, despite his curiosity and genuine confusion, The Sergeant allowed Avures to have this victory. He backed away slowly and Avures retracted this black spike back into his hand. "Fine. You can have that one. I overstepped some boundaries."
"To be honest..." Avures shook his head, taking his attention off of The Sergeant as he meandered back over to the wall he was previously resting on. Dropping to the ground and leaning back once more, Avures shifted and adjusted himself to get comfortable once more. "I shouldn't even be worried about her."
"That's not a stance I've ever seen one take in response to the threat of their lover being killed." The Sergeant phased through the bars of Avures's cell...
"She's not my lover." Avures had one knee up with his elbow resting on that knee and his hand holding up his face. "Besides, I doubt you could actually do it..."
"Is that so?" The Sergeant turned his head back, scoffing at the notion of Avures's attitude switching up so easily. It had to be a bluff of some sort. To be so protective... And then dismissive... Either way, The Sergeant knew what he had to do. He needed to take out Rael. If he didn't get to her, Kataline would. In fact, she almost got away with it too and he was almost clueless. He had a pretty good idea of what might happen if Kataline got Rael... "What made you think differently?"
"She's crazy, nuts..." Avures closed his eyes. "Rael would tear you apart and laugh about it."
"I thought you said she wasn't a monster..."
"She's not a monster. She's a psychopath."
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"Hey, hey! Okay! Let's turn in for the night!" Rael hopped down the final few steps into the dig site. She held her arms out straight to her side and hopped forward as if she were playing hopscotch.
"Hm? Already?" Ventrix looked over at Rael with a bit of relief and confusion. "It doesn't feel like it's been that long. Though I'm not opposed."
"Dammit Ventrix... Let's not be like this for once." Rael's vibrant energy was taken down a notch with Ventrix's strange indecisiveness. She just wanted this to be easy...
"Wait hold on... We're almost on to something." Olicia raised a finger up in objection, much to Rael's immediate dismay.
"Not you... Olicia..." Rael's smile began to take a downward turn as she met more resistance.
"Yeah yeah... Hold off for a minute Air-Head... We almost got something." Bif waved off her wishes as well, essentially driving a sword through her gullet.
"You can't be serious..." Rael's approach was already fully deflated... Her hopes of just quickly coming in and getting them to agree by merit of a decisive order were defeated. It would have been much easier to get them to agree...
"Indeed. It seems like this girl has a bit of inspiration." Korkolo waddled over to the side of Rael as he kept his eyes on Olicia. She remembered the man being so much angrier earlier... But he must have calmed down. She was unable to spot that "Avura" from earlier though.
"The Golden Ratio... Is like a line that makes infinitely expanding circular lines..." Olicia traced her finger along the table as she recalled the exact shape it takes at its initial conception. "What I'm not seeing is how it fits within the rest of this. How literal or nonliteral are most of these codes?... What is the fascination with eleven?..."
"Hm..." Bif darted his eyes between the book in his grasp and the spiral door ahead of him... He was no smart guy, but something did stand out to him. He closed the codex and tossed it beside Olicia. "Hey, Bitch. There's like, eleven lines in the spiral for the door. Maybe that has something to do with it...?"
"That seems like way too easy of a solution for it to be right... Unless..." Olicia got up from her seat and swiveled around to face the door blocking their path. Notably, there was a pattern her brain latched onto immediately. She brought her finger up to the etched in spirals and drew the first shape that came to mind... "Oh my God... You might have it..."
"Oh well. Worth a t-Huh?" Bif shrugged, not realizing that Olicia didn't mathematically shoot down his thought the moment she spoke again. But the moment that she admitted he might be onto something, Bif tilted his head to the side with a confused look.
Olicia sprang into action without hesitation. The shape that fit the spirals on the door was the initial shape of the Golden Ratio. It was so simple... Yet the nonsensical phrasing of the codex made it somewhat difficult to discern it as the answer. She felt almost embarrassed that she hadn't realized it sooner. The curve of the spirals was the ratio expanding. And if it was that straight forward... Eleven points of activation was surely simple too.
Channeling Mana the tip of her finger, Olicia carefully traced the beginning shape of the Golden Ratio... She made a small circle which curved in such a way to create a longer line instead of a closed shape. The curve of this extended line reached the edges of the spiral itself, and the line filled in the gap for one of the spirals. With a little bit of inspiration, Olicia figured to leave a tracing of Mana in that spiral. After which, she followed the pattern of the spirals. Using the center as a sort of pivot point, Olicia rotated the curved Mana line while having it leave identical traces in every single one of the eleven lines.
It was at that moment of completion that it clicked in her head. Something about it felt right. Whether it was her own instincts telling her she was on the right path, or a deep-seated trigger within the seal confirming her theory... She had no clue. But, this was the answer. The rotating shape dispersed, leaving only the glowing, lavender remnants of her Mana within the spiral's hollow lines. The entire room watched on with fascination as Olicia eyeballed the door closer...
And then she gave a light smack to herself upside the head while smiling. Olicia held her right palm out towards the door, gripping her wrist with her left hand as she fine-tuned her control over Mana to a precise degree. Slightly increasing the amount of Mana on the spiral bit by bit, she gauged the exact amount needed... Her hand enveloped by her ghastly Mana's aura, Olicia projected her will onto the seal.
The Mana inside of the spiral lit up, blinding everyone in the room as the beams of light reflected and shone off of every crystal in the corridor. Even Olicia had to squint as the overbearing shine nearly made her lose concentration. But the fruits of her labor and study finally granted them progress. The essence of her Mana absorbed into the door, removing the overwhelming light altogether. Subtle tremors filled the room. The spiral door gave way; The stone shifting, rotating, and recessing into its frame opened the path ahead. Pulling from all sides, a new opening was revealed through the once tall standing spiral door.
Olicia was front and present, being the first one to peer inside the new opening.
The full weight of a new discovery fell right into her laps... And she almost felt a tinge of disappointment as the room appeared rather unremarkable. The new opening was a simple square room. The walls straight ahead and to the right were a brown-black stone while the left wall was fully crystalline. While the room seemed even in shape, the jagged nature of the minerals and earthen structure ensured that the corridor was completely crooked. Against the back wall straight ahead was a crater-like shape, sunken into the wall with what appeared to be illegible characters and words. carved into stone. Within the middle of the room appeared to be a rectangular pedestal which came up to about Olicia's chest in height. Atop this altar were two horns... Particularly, bullhorns which were cut short at the base with their tips pointed towards the wall with the crater ahead. On the floor in front of the altar appeared to be a spiral pattern thinly carved into the ground which led to the crater as well. And finally, to cap off the opened passage, Olicia glanced over to the crystalline wall and saw the prize. Exactly as described within the codex... Sylvano's own tool, the Energy Siphon/Refiner Tool...
A bit of a mouthful to be sure, but that was exactly what it was. And Olicia lamented that it was buried inside of the crystal wall. This also meant that the wall itself was sure to be greatly empowered by the seal...
"Wow. Is that thing the thing?" Bif grabbed at the edges of the doorframe as he swung his head past Olicia.
"Word for word... The exact shape and size. It has to be it." Olicia scratched her head, not paying attention to Bif or the device itself, but rather wondering how she was going to put the rest of this together. Upon hearing Olicia's confirmation, Rael rushed to the doorframe and peered in for a look.
"Should we even be doing this? Whatever these guys want... We shouldn't be doing... Right?" Rael covered her mouth with her left hand, putting pressure on her fingernails and fingertips with her teeth as she tried to hold her composure. Nothing horrible was happening at the moment, but it was still an awkward position since Rael was unsure of what the correct move would be here. Lylas only said to keep a handle on them... Which to her simply meant to make sure they didn't freak out. But this was a gray area. "Uhhh..."
"Ah! You did it! Excellent! Fantastic!" Korkolo strode forward as he clapped his hands together with glee. "I can't believe we didn't even need that kid... Heh... Whatever power over the situation he had is gone! Now I can-"
"Not yet." Olicia put her hand up towards the dwarf man, stopping him in his tracks. "There's still more seals to undo."
"Oh?... Well, it should be easy now. Let's get it done real quick." Korkolo forced a smile onto his face, doing his best to hide the disgruntlement he had over the artifact not being freed yet.
"Hm. I might be able to-" Olicia was about to step forward when Rael yanked her back by the back of her skin tight suit's collar. Olicia yelped as she nearly lost her balance and fell over.
"Actually. Let's do it tomorrow. Fresh day... Fresh mind... Right?" Rael put on the widest smile she could muster with the widest-eyed expression she could as well when Olicia gazed back at her. Nearly immediately unnerved, she stammered in the face of Rael's assertive suggestion.
"Jeez... Not having Avures around must really be taking a toll on her..." Olicia cringed as her lips trembled to find the right words. But it was hard to focus with Rael looking so crazed inches away from her face. "R-right..."
"Mhm-Mhm. See? We'll do it tomorrow." Rael swiveled back in the direction of Korkolo and nodded in the same fashion as a bobble-head.
"Why you-!... No... I'm still in control here... In fact, everything is going smoothly..." Korkolo nearly popped a blood vessel in his head from Rael's forcefulness delaying his goal. But, with a quick bout of thought on the matter... The infiltrator being dead, the seals being undone without Avures being needed, and the three of his lackeys not fighting amongst each other or against him anymore... Korkolo felt as if this plan would succeed and his dream would come to fruition. There was no need to throw it away on the whims of his own attitude. "Fine enough with me. Let's finish this up tomorrow though, okay?..."
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The night dragged on with the chirping of crickets and the rustling of trees carried on a cool wind. The moon was hardly visible as dark clouds inched overtop of it. The village was dead-silent otherwise. No movement, no noises from people... Only an eerie sense of emptiness. Then, at the side of the building where a conversation was recently held... An arm emerged from the solid brick wall. Then came a foot, and the visage of a body peeling out from the structure, side-stepping out into the open.
The Sergeant finished his movement, fully arriving outside of the prison as he dusted himself off and looked around.
"No sign of that kid..." The Sergeant took the time to carefully observe the entire area. Last time, Lylas had been tracking and following him. Though, truthfully, it made no difference to him if Lylas were going to follow him again... However, he was not going to refrain from teaching him a lesson should he find him snooping around him again. But, his eyes spotted no trace of him minus one peculiar object. "Oh?"
Near the wall where they had once conversed, he picked up on small fragments of Mana. The Sergeant bent over and eyed the pieces... Metal... A weapon? Something had completely shattered at the wall and was left behind. Yet, as The Sergeant peered around... There were no other signs of battle or a struggle.
Still, it was pointless to speculate on this now. Despite getting answers from Avures... He still had questions to be answered. The Sergeant let out a long, deep sigh as he trudged forward towards the center of the village. Making his way to the office he first talked to Korkolo in, The Sergeant was going to figure out what he needed to know...