BALPHAKHOR’S POV:

Damn it, to think I was stunned to the extent I would omit an important thing.

“It’s all because of you Gen!! If you did not distract me, ‘that’ wouldn’t happen!!”

“Oii!!! I’m sick of it so just focus on filling this year’s quota”

“When the lord finds out about it, we’re doomed. I swear on my existence that it wasn’t reaped’’. Yeah, there was no trace of the reaper when we returned to collect the vessel, the soul had escaped, which means it still held a fragment of the seed. No, that’s not possible, the one we harvested was intact.

‘’ahhhhh! Fu*k”, the ridiculousness of this situation was straining me.

I stared up at Gendael who was laying on the ceiling, he did never care about the problems that happened nor their consequences. He turned away the back of his hand, unhiding his sleepy eyes, and opened his mouth.

“Bal, we searched for it for four weeks yet we found nothing, I’m not doubting the time you spent as disciple of Al-Marahiyyin, but you sensing the traces left by the reaper is unreasonable, you’re not some high demon or ifrit to begin with…”

“If you’re not helping, don’t hinder me” I glanced at the corner of the stone chamber where the vessel was, and continued “He, who ordered us to bring it back will surely_”

“wouldn’t find anything if you keep your mouth shut”

My words were cut off by Gen who floated down and approached the vessel, diving his hand deep within it and taking out a tiny black crystal formed within its vein.

“Never the lord asked for a vessel to be brought back after serving its purpose…”

“After coming this far, you too should be aware of it, this piece is second to none. Proved its worth alive, and so will serve greater things dead”

Our eyes locked as he finished his word, my lips bobbing up and down to retort back, but no words emerged. I’ve thought of this possibility many times, while looking to prove my actions rather than quietly accepting that I might be wrong. But I’ll never put my pride down and admit my mistake.

“I’ll cut it short, since talking to a rock would be better than convincing you. Until we are done with this quota, I will refrain myself from bringing up my judgment on this matter. Fair enough?”

All I received in response was a sigh. As I thought, it won’t be easy to make him shrug off my blunder.

“Do as you wish, I’m out of_”

Rushed steps echoed behind the door until a minion barged in without announcement.

“Sir,Sir!”

“You’d better have a damn good reason or things will not end well for you!”

I responded immediately to the out-of-breath soldier. He was wearing the Collector division leather set, the color of which matched his mahogany skin perfectly. His legs trembled, and he fell to his knee as he recognized his blunder.

“Intruder Sir, the Watcher in position detected a powerful Ember heading to our base!”

Powerful he says. What a bunch of useless, never capable of completing their job without being a nuisance.

“How many useless are in the base right now?”

“Excuse me sir?... I mean twenty-four, sir”

And you can’t deal with a single intruder, are they taking me for a joke…No; as if you weren’t enough, those lowly underlings are doubting me as their head, how did they find out about my blunder that no one but Gen knew about.

“sir…sir…sir”

It seems I leaked my rage, as I saw the soldier trying to catch his breath. I will be sure to get you all after we are done here

“Sir please we might not have enough time to prepare. Your order?”

“Ha! what do you mean?”

“The intruder has been detected in a radius of six kilometers. He seems to be stealthy, but his Ember energy failed to keep him concealed at such a close distance”

What…? The watcher should have been able to perceive a fluctuation for more than thirty kilometers, and a certain detection in half this distance. How the hell did they…

“Did you say it was a single person, a powerful ember, what degree did it have?”

I grabbed the soldier by the collar urging him to answer. Gen seemed to tense as he shifted to my side, while no answers came out from the man. His red eyes moved from side to side, as If he had never heard those words before.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

It was all it took to make me sweat while locking eyes with Gen, who also seemed too, struggling to believe what his ears had caught, or more accurately, what they didn't. My mouth was still agape, trying to muster a word before he declared.

“I will try stalling for time, while you flee and secure the vessel!”

“Stop!!!” Before he could step-out of the entrance, I grabbed his hand shifting a quizzical look at me.

“My command. I go, You stay! I am better than you at talking”

Yeah! Do you think I will let more blame hang on me, nice move but not falling for it. I will make sure to talk it out at the front, but if things go south, you will be my scapegoat.

“Let us go!” I grabbed the soldier by the collar of his armor set and moved through the door.

“Order all fighters to the front gate in a minute. All in defense formation”

“Yes Sir”

The base we occupy is an old two-story mansion located deep in a forest. We keep the special treasures and earnings at a vault in the basement, and since the later orders of the lord are confidential to many underlings, we preserved the vessel at our wait room, and made it appear as a kill-time toy, hoping the spies wouldn’t get interested in such a trivial behavior.

I arrived at my room and closed the door behind me so I could change into my battle armor, which sat on a stand near the desk. I never thought that a time will come again when I will use it on the surface, while I hope my precautions would be unnecessary and things will get resolved peacefully. Against those calamities, words of mind do not solve issues and so brute force is also useless, my only hope is to appeal his soul with an offer or servitude until they are satisfied.

Before stepping out of the door, I turned to look over the wooden showcase where one of my precious memorials -a necklace- laid. It dates over two millennia now, and made me remember the days when not even those called redeemer then -out of hope- could break from their bond of submission, and were turned low. Whenever there is a great one there is a greater.

It took me few moments before I reached the main gate, and as of my command, the mansion is now empty from its inhabitants. While stepping out, I felt the chills of the cold night, as the mist enclosed our surrounding announcing the near dawn.

The creaking of the gate should have been enough for everyone to take their positions, alas the peace and treaties they used-to, and what little skirmishes they engaged in, rendered them lousy and mentally unprepared for greater threats.

I faced the head soldier, and walked towards him at the front of the group. There were about twenty members, most of them wore light armors, since the usual missions are about gathering and implanting resources across the tangible realm. Few were in casual clothes that foreigners might think they are on a trip, if not for them holding bows and daggers.

As soon as I reached the front, past the head soldier who soon after noticing me started shouting orders to the battle group. Annoyed looks disappeared as he made clear that everyone was listening, and so I briefed them for what awaits them.

“Long story short, uninvited are coming. Who are they? foes or allies, soon will get to know.”

“What you have to do is stay on your toes, as their power outranks us all. So, my order rules whether we fight or submit”

“Their envoy will come at any moment, and as they hold the power over your lives… just pray this matter will be closed auspiciously, keep your thoughts inward and obey the orders.”

Not waiting anymore, I turned my back to them facing the direction where the intruder is supposed to come from. As silence befell us, everyone gulped their saliva and stiffened while anticipating what would come.

A figure started to appear slowly from the mist surrounding the trees as if walking on air, no sound was heard from their footsteps. Wearing a black suit that’s commonly used by humans, appeared and what supposed to be a white haired old human male, if not for the cloven hoof that spoke the identity of a morphed djinn, he could easily be mistaken for a human.

“What a cold welcome you have prepared for me. Are those everything you have?”

Said the man in a deep baritone voice, before coming to a halt about fifteen meters from me.

“We were not informed about the coming of a higher being, we ask for forgiveness. May we know what thee, a mighty one is visiting this lowly place?”

I responded, tiptoeing every word before I speak while maintaining my gazes low.

“Tsk. That’s why I don’t like dealing with weaklings.”

What should normally supposed to be inner thoughts, was voiced out for everyone to hear. Glad that I already warned the underlings beforehand, or worse could happen for the lousy behavior of those Marid creatures.

Without further response, he pointed with his left hand somewhere behind us, while palming his face with the right one. I was midway turning my head when my skin started to chill, and then I realized the mistake I’ve made.

“EVERY ONE, DISP…!!!”

-click-

But it was already too late as I perceived a malicious grin erupting under the intruder’s hand. An instant later, my sight was blocked by a dense fog that turned into a blizzard. I tried to move out only to be forced down as my feet froze in place, and so other parts were going numb.

I’ve lost track of time while attempting to imitate a hibernation state —at least play possum as a last resort— by directing my ember to my vitals.

“Hoho, you’re still awake. I didn’t expect that much…”

“Just who are you, and what have we done to be treated like that?”

“Yo, chill old man… ha-ha, that was really good I nailed it two times now ha-ha. Well, I was getting annoyed with that seriousness of yours…”

“Is that what we get from treating you with respect? Unfair demise??”

“Tsk, you’re just getting serious again. I’m just here to save the sleeping princess, and as a knight I should also take down the dragon imprisoning her… ah yes there was that also, so stop blabbering he can’t escape anywhere.”

His tone quickly changed from amusement to irritation, as if flipping a coin. So, he was after ‘that’, and Gen may not even make it out alive. At least, give me a name to curse you for eternity…

“… a name, at least I should know who killed me.”

Exasperated, I spoke my last words and…

“Eh. You, just go to sleep.”

Was what I got as a response. Then he snapped his finger again, and everything went dark.