Fields and abandoned settlents swept before Kain’s eyes, gracing his view through the truck’s window.
Whether Lurra knew what had happened last night or not was unknown, but Sylvia was along for the ride. She was looking in the opposite direction with puffed up cheeks.
"I would have beaten you easily," she muttered unhappily. "That ice trick... It couldn’t hurt , I’m sure of it!"
Silence.
It was the best weapon against Sylvia, and also the best way to piss her off.
"You’re ignoring ? Pffft!" she snorted. "I’m sure you’ll be afraid to challenge to the opening battle of the ceremony."
"Hmm?"
That got Kain’s attention.
"The opening battle? What’s that?"
"Hah, no wonder you don’t know anything, peasant!"
Kain shrugged, turning away. "You don’t want to talk, don’t talk. I’ll find out soon enough anyway."
"Tsk! Fine!" Sylvia grunted. "After the ceremony, the young Keepers will have a chance to fight under the supervision of their elders, simple sparring, but in fact, it’s a good opportunity for many to show what they can do. By accomplishing a crushing victory, you can gain the attention of the stronger Keepers and whatever."
"You don’t seem to have much interest in that, though it is people like you, the prepared ones, the Golden Contenders, who will be the ones willing to show their skills."
Sylvia waved her hand. "I do not intend to linger long in towers or fortresses, or even in our world. The power lies in the Astral Dinsion!
"I’m not sure what the future holds, but you can’t skip the first call of the Arcane Scripture. Three rejections and you will ruin your fate, forever."
Unlike Kain, she knew about all of this even before Rune Brand appeared. She was preparing for this day and here she was.
Kain’s curiosity was quickly extinguished.
He wasn’t going to fight.
Why?
Well, the answer was simple.
’I’m going to lose,’ he thought. ’There’s no point in fighting, but... training? That’s another matter entirely.’
Kain had no illusions about his skills. He realized that if not for his ability, he would most likely lose to Sylvia in battle or any other trained person.
She knew how to fight, and he didn’t. The few street fights in the village were far from peak martial arts.
There was nothing wrong with being weak, the wrong thing was to stay one.
...
Following Lurra’s words, with the first light of the blue moon, the five trucks approached their destination.
Kain’s eyes went wide, he could not hide his shock.
The great structure covered an extended slope overhanging the great canyon, the abyss. Even within the dos, there were places with a remote connection to the forbidden lands. Such places required special attention.
High walls concealed towers with peaks pointing to the heavens and complex structures connected by overhanging bridges like an ancient, forgotten castle.
Despite the lights and silhouettes burning in the windows, the nacing atmosphere spread for kiloters.
’The Stellar Fortress ans?’ Kain thought as he looked down. ’Sothing tells there’s sothing dangerous in that abyss.’
Crackle. Crackle. Crackle.
The trucks stopped. Lurra and her n quickly led Kain, Sylvia, and the others to the entry gate.
They were t by two n, but they were dressed in white, combat robes with tal parts.
’Hah.’ Kain smiled bitterly. ’There’s better security here than at the do’s border. This place is more like a secret research base from the movies than a celebration site.’
In the yard, not far from the main building, was another twenty or so trucks. They were slightly different, from tower to tower, but all had arrived with the sa purpose - to make the Contenders the new Keepers, officially.
Lurra looked at her watch.
"Good, we even got here a little early. I have so things to do, so my man will escort you next. I’ll et you at the ceremony."
The silent man led them onward. He kept a close eye on each of the four, if any of them wandered into the wrong place they would be in trouble, serious ones.
Soon they found themselves in an almost empty room, they were just here to wait.
Outside the walls echoed the noises of incoming trucks, more and more, there was still ti.
’Khm, so we weren’t the last ones? All these people are the new Keepers, the Tainted that survived.’
Kain shook his head. Such events were not to his liking.
The more people there were, the worse it was. The number of people was directly related to the amount of problems.
At least Kain thought so.
Half an hour later, a ssage ca on the man’s bracelet as he jerked his head. Before the last corner, he left them - there was only a tall, steel door ahead.
Sylvia stepped forward confidently, opening it.
Bright light fell on their faces, the lamp lines running along the sparse steel pillars supporting the main hall.
Inside, the crowd of people gathered in the hall. All of them were young, as they should be, for they were Contenders, until not long ago.
People kept coming from the doors on all sides, yet there were no adults to be seen, no ordinary people or Keepers.
Kain glanced around.
’Tsk, if I didn’t know why I was here, I’d think we were all gathered in so kind of arena. This place doesn’t look friendly at all.’
However, there was no panic. No one could stop the young n from talking, so soon the hall was filled with whispers, and then a perceptible murmur.
Kain leaned back against the pillar. He wanted it to be over soon, yet his eyes traveled over the crowd.
So were dressed plainly, so were prepared and wearing expensive festive attire, mostly girls, and so, like Kain, were still in Astral Dinsion clothes. One guy was wearing armor in the first place.
Then, Kain’s eyes stopped, his pupils narrowed, seeing what seed like sothing impossible.
A girl with crimson hair in a black battle robe stood serenely among the crowd like a shadow, she was near everyone but alone with herself.
Slowly, she turned, sensing Kain’s gaze.
Thus, Morbia and Kain t for the second ti, back in their howorld.
At the sa mont, five figures in white coats erged from the main gate, striding confidently forward.
Lurra was one of them, walking on the edge, giving her full attention to the tired-looking man with green hair in the middle.
The head of the Stellar Fortress had arrived.
The ceremony was ready to begin at any minute.
Reviews
All reviews (0)