Chapter Three Hundred And Twenty - 320The Manaship had not landed atop the Waystone, but it was so close as to make little difference. Darius Reed glared at the craft, wishing he could simply send a windblade at it and finish this task once and for all. His ward was likely in dire danger while he dealt with frustration after frustration a thousand leagues away. The urge to let loose his Strength and the tempest within him was strong, curtailed only by the inevitable fallout his actions would cause. They Redcloaks hadn't landed atop just any roof, but the roof of the Governor's manor. As the Duke of Pax'Vrell's Chosen Hand, attacking it in any capacity would be the same as an attack by the Duke himself, and Reed refused to ruin his Duke's reputation on a whim.
Reed scrubbed his hand over his face, clamping his Willpower over the urge to scream. At anyone. Everyone. He remained quiet, however, still and contained. To do less was to be unworthy of his position.
"Four Redcloaks have exited the Governor's manor, sir," one of the Haarguard answered. "Southern exit."
"Two more have exited to the west," said another. "North exit reports another two."
"Stay here. I'll handle the south," Reed ordered. "Keep watch. We let none of them leave that manor."
"Aye, sir. And the west and north?"
Reed loosened his massive sword in its sheath, and grunted in approval. "Kelgan has the west, and the north will have to sweep around to the east to reach the Waystone anyway. Send the remainder of men to the Waystone, now."
Authority Recognized, Inheritor!
For Defeating A Local Threat, Seven Territorial Threats, And Raising A Legendary Ranked Spirit Tree
You May Lay Claim To The Lost Territory Of Nagast!
Do You Wish To Establish Your Authority?
Y/N
Felix stared at the notification in a combination of disbelief and outright frustration. He shouted up into the dark ceiling. "Now? You're dumping all this on me now?"
The System didn't answer, and he didn't feel the soft bundle of threads that he'd poked at while in the Path. For all Felix knew, getting a direct response from the System was never going to happen again. Mana vapor was condensing and steaming all around him, pulled into the silver sigils in a way that was compacting it into a silver layer that grew more lustrous as he watched. The air hummed and the array gleamed, glowing steadily now.
"Karys?"
It is an exceptional offer. And considering you already hold Authority over Naevis, I do not suspect you will have any issues with accepting this as well. Just...
"Just what?"
This is far more than just a city, Felix. It is a Territory. And different than any you've encountered.
Felix had noticed that. But wasn't that the same as Cal's Authority, then? "I've seen Territorial Authority on offer before. What makes this different?"
It is a Lost Territory. You are reestablishing lines that have faded with time and Ruin itself. I cannot predict how it will go.
He had a point there. So, ignoring the window asking about Authority, Felix focused on what he could see and sense. The array around him was complicated to the point of being nonsensical. Similar in how the Eidolon's arrays were above and beyond any he'd seen on a Golem, these were the same amount of advancement beyond even that. It almost hurt to look at, and they covered all of the floor, walls, and ceiling and even extended out into other rooms beyond that one. Pit was still poking around at it, though he hadn't strayed far, and he chirruped curiously.
Felix. Found something.
Wincing at the flare of pain from his Bastion, Felix strode forward to his Companion's side and saw him pawing at a series of carvings circling the central portion of the chamber. They were words, not sigils, in a tongue Felix could somehow read as easily as English. "Enter If You've The Will, Claim It If You've The Right."
The ancient challenge. A rite as old as the Ages.
At the center of the arraysome thirty feet awayamong the swirling lines inlaid with brightening silver, was an empty space. Right where a central, controlling glyph would go in a normal array, there was only bare stone. It was typically the linchpin or keystone of an array, the thing that provided an overarching meaning to the rest of it.
Felix could hear it call, a link between his hooked sword and the array. Between him and the array.
Felix, I think
"Yeah, me too." Felix swallowed nervously. "I think I have to go in there."
"Diurnal Reach!"
"Shatterstrike!" Kelgan hissed in response, his spear glowing briefly before intercepting and bursting apart a volley of light Mana bolts. He spun it defensively, deflecting two arrows that sought his kidneys, and brought the blunt end down hard upon the nearest Redcloak.
You Have Defeated An Unknown Initiate of the Inviolate Inquisition!
XP Earned!
Another flare of Mana followed his own, intercepting two more arrows with projectiles that shone green-gold. Karp fired arrow after arrow, his quiver almost empty, but each one knocked back the two hidden Initiate's shots. Until, with a single bright flash, one of his struck true and the top of the opposing building was abruptly festooned in tangling vines.
You Have Defeated An Unknown Initiate of the Inviolate Inquisition (x2)!
XP Earned!
"Got em, Kel," the archer grunted.
"Good. Meera and Watts. Go and collect our friends. Bring em back here," Kelgan gestured to his feet, where another Haarguard was tying up the Initiate he'd knocked out. It had been extra difficult fighting to subdue rather than outright kill, much as he wanted tohis orders were clear. "Don't rough em up too bad."
Meera and Watts saluted and hustled off, heading to one of the wooden stairways that lined the outside of almost every building in Setoria. Practically beggin' for thieves.
"Lieutenant!"
Kelgan jerked in surprise, flaring his Strength. He'd hopped a full eight strides away, spear spun at the ready, before realizing who spoke. "Blind gods, Lady Zara. Warn a man."
Zara stood close by, flanked by those guards he'd set to watch over her and Thangle. Everyone was puffing for breath, the Gnome in particular, but Zara seemed utterly composed.
"Is this all the Inquisition you've faced? Three?" Her bright blue eyes swept over the prone Redcloak at her feet and then, unerringly, found the two above. "That seems a paltry number."
No. Not entirely calm. Kelgan could see sweat on her brow, and her fingers shook slightly before she clenched them tight in a fist.
"Maybe they're afraid of us," Karp suggested.
"Foolish to think so," Zara rejoined without much heat. Her eyes glazed over slightly, a look he recognized as someone accessing their enhanced Perception. "Reed has positioned men all around the Governor's manor, covering all exits. He's captured six himself, and more of your fellows have reached the Waystone to"
She cut off, ice blue eyes wide. Kelgan followed her stare, turning to see the monolithic Waystone over the tops of nearby buildings. He'd seen several Waystones in his travels, and this one looked the same as all the rest. It was huge, a white sentinel against the night sky, topped with metal spires shaped into fluted spirals that the operators inside would adjust before sending out messages to another Waystone far, far away.
And, right then, the spires were lifting. All of them.
"They're already at the Waystone! They intend to contact Amaranth!"
"What!" Kelgan gripped his spear and started running. "Everyone! On me!"
"There is no time!" Zara snapped, before aquamarine light bloomed from her arms and legs. "I hope you have not just eaten?"