Chapter 977: Contact
The timing of Zarolas' resurrection at the Night Lord's Crypt and the Great Rebirth was too close. However, while he reserved a basic level of suspicion, Izroth did not believe that it was intentional.
'The chances of a Night Lord being sacrificed just as a means of distraction is too unlikely. Then, it just means our luck is rather unfortunate. If a fourth Night Lord appears in the Mortal Realm, the balance of power will be disrupted or unchanged, depending on the success of the upcoming raid. Either way, there is only a downside for the allied forces.'
Even if the allied forces stopped Zarolas' revival, it would be as if he never perished with the emergence of another Night Lord. But, if they failed to stop Zarolas' return, then the scales of power would tip more into Malentansium's favor.
"This Great Rebirth—do you know where it's taking place?" Izroth inquired.
"Only those Dukes who qualify to take part in the Great Rebirth will come to know of its exact location. But it's rumored to be held somewhere in the heart of Malentansium. Before you get any futile ideas, Lord Sorkoza is not partaking in the Great Rebirth." Valga said in a meaningful tone.
Valga was unsure what Izroth had in mind; however, she did not want the Duke getting mixed up in his human schemes.
"This person is too dangerous. The further away they are from the Duke, the better." Valga thought to herself.
She was not oblivious. From the way this human spoke, Valga knew that it was this human who made the Duke speak such nonsense about being complacent.
Before today, such words would have never left the Duke's mouth. Yet, after coming into contact with this human, Valga could feel something stirring in the Duke.
That's why, for the sake of the Duke and the Vretis under his protection, Valga wanted nothing more than to accomplish the task given to her to escort these two to the border.
...
Approximately thirty minutes later...
BANG!
The large body of the Night Howler Beast crashed into the ground before coming to a full stop.
"This is as far as I go," Valga said as the Night Howler Beast lowered its body closer to the ground.
The next moment, Izroth and Ranazera got down from the back of the Night Howler Beast and briefly scanned their surroundings.
'I don't sense any other lifeforms nearby. The terrain here is also easy to transverse even without a Night Howler Beast.'
"If you continue east of here, in less than fifty steps, you will reach the territory of Duke Verkesrie. I must remind you that Duke Verkesrie is not on friendly terms with Lord Sorkoza. Once you set foot there, even if you get into any trouble, Lord Sorkoza will not be able to help you. You will be on your own." Valga warned.
"Your concern is appreciated, but we are more than capable of taking care of ourselves from here. Be sure to send Duke Sorkoza my regards. Let's go." Izroth said as he glanced over at Ranazera before he started to make his way east.
Ranazera followed after Izroth; however, after she took a few steps, the sixth princess stopped and looked back at Valga.
"I know that you'll probably never change your mind about humans. Maybe I'll also never fully change mine about the skounae. But, even then... I'm glad I was able to hear your words. So, I guess, thanks..." Ranazera said before she quickly turned and ran to catch up to Izroth.
Valga narrowed her gaze as she watched the two head further away. After they were out of view, she released a heavy sigh.
"What's with that human...? Saying whatever she wants..." Valga muttered to herself.
...
A few hours ago...
Vincent returned to the Gates of Aegis along with the unconscious Aurelius and the other soldiers that accompanied the Prime Eques.
Right now, all those who were present at Aurelius' defeat were gathered in a private meeting room with a look of despair and anxiousness on their faces. They had been like this ever since they returned to the Gates of Aegis.
Vincent inwardly sighed as he looked over at the unconscious Aurelius lying down on the bed in the room's corner. He knew that he had delayed the matter long enough.
"I wanted to wait until the young lord regained his consciousness, but... If I delay any longer, there may be no room left for survival." Vincent thought to himself with a heavy heart.
The next moment, Vincent stood to his feet. This simple action startled those present as their gazes all traveled toward the center of the room.
Vincent walked over to the room's center and stopped before an orb the size of one's head that rested upon a cushion atop a sturdy podium.
Vincent unsheathed a small dagger hidden behind his waist and pricked the tip of his finger as a single drop of blood flowed out from his fingertip.
He held his finger over the orb as the drop of blood fell down and made contact with the orb. The instant it did so, the surface of the orb became wavy and resembled that of a pond that had a stone dropped into it.
Vincent quickly returned his dagger to its sheathe as the orb on the podium started to emit a faint crimson glow.
Then, a few seconds later, a gathering of mystical light red smoke formed within the orb as the faint crimson glow became clear and stable.
"You are not of the Windstorm family, yet you dared use the Bloodright Orb. You better have a good explanation, or it won't end with just your life as the price." A voice echoed from the orb.
"Vincent Galius greets the head of the Windstorm family," Vincent said respectfully as he kneeled before the orb.
"Galius? I see. Since the Galius family has served the Windstorm family well over the years, I am willing to overlook your offense this once—should the reason you provide satisfy this head." The voice from the orb spoke.
"My apologies for using the Bloodright Orb; however, since it concerns the young lord, I was left with no other alternative. I beg the head's forgiveness."
"Vincent Galius... So, you're the brat that follows around that foolish grandson of mine. Tell me, what trouble has that foolish grandson of mine gone and gotten himself into this time?"
"Yes, reporting to the head..."
Vincent went on to explain the events that unfolded. He made sure not to leave anything out. He started from the point when the sixth princess first appeared at the Gates of Aegis and ended it with their conflict at Duke Sorkoza's border.
"FOOLS!" The voice from the orb reverberated, causing the entire room to tremble.
Vincent and the soldiers' expressions turned pale as their gaze fell to the earth from shame and fear.
"Such an unfilial grandson...! Will that brat not be satisfied until I confine him to the family home?! How dare someone look down on my Windstorm family! And that Sorkoza—hmph, I'll be sure to properly settle things with him!" The voice from the orb said in a furious tone.
The voice continued on for a few breaths before finally somewhat calming down.
"I will take care of the mess caused by my foolish grandson. For now, you are to stay where you are. I will have someone escort my grandson and all those involved back to the Windstorm family home. For your sake, my grandson's life better not be in danger."
"...Yes, head. Rest assured; we will take care of the young lord to the best of our-"
Before Vincent could finish, the light on the orb dimmed as the light red smoke within dispersed. The connection had been forcibly terminated.
Once the orb disconnected, the room fell deathly silent and the atmosphere grew heavy.
Over... It was over! This was the single thought that flowed through the minds of all those present.
Several of them wanted to run away, but no one dared to disobey the words of the Windstorm family's head. After all, it would not just be them who suffered, but their families as well.
Vincent could only release a sigh of defeat. He thought back and figured maybe there was a way he could have stopped the young lord from acting so recklessly. However, he knew Aurelius' temperament well. Such a thing would have been impossible.
...
Meanwhile, somewhere in Malentansium...