Since there had been no developnt in harvesting the rare stone, Freya ordered so of her team to return.
They were not with her this past few days because she had tasked so of them in finding the one who killed Owen and the rest. Because they had conclusive evidence that the one who killed them was not the Quilin.
At first they thought the killer was among those people who trespassed a few weeks ago. But they had evidence that after the death of Owen, Dess and Quinne's death, a number of Templar Code mbers were chasing the trespassers in the forest outside Noser City.
If those trespassers went back to the ruins, it would be impossible for them to suddenly appear in the forest. The Shaiha ruins was too far from the forest and even if one burned a number of teleportation tokens, it would be impossible to get that far away.
It was also impossible for those people to set up a transportation array while on the run. Even if they could, they would definitely target a different location to be transported to.
With this in mind, Reuben, had suggested letting the Templar Code's Research Departnt simulate the killer's physique. Then they requested for the Commander's approval to perform an augury to confirm whether the simulated appearance of the killer would show up in the near future.
However, the augury results had been negative. This piqued the Commander's interest and ordered the Research Departnt to co up with more simulation of the killer's physique.
To their surprise, after several attempts, when they had used the most unlikely physique of the killer which was a young man with above average build, not too buffed, nor too tall, they finally produced so results.
Based on the augury results, that young man would appear in the western empire soon. They could not pinpoint the exact location but according to the augury, that young man would wreck havoc in the west.
Whether the young man was the real killer or not, just the fact he posed a threat in the west where the Templar Code resides, made the Commander issue an order to review the border records and investigate every young man on the list.
So far their investigation ca out negative. They confird the whereabouts of most young man during the cri and those few that could not be confird were still being checked.
Freya had her team focus on finding the killer while she take care of harvesting the rare stone.
The Commander agreed.
But now, Freya was forced to call Reuben and Max because of what the Quilin did.
She did not want to admit it but if the Quilin died, it would be counterproductive for them. For one thing, they would lose the source of the rare stone. Because as far as they knew of the Quilin, even if they cut off his horn, given enough ti, it could heal and restore it.
But if the Quilin died, then its horn would not be restored.
"How was the investigation?" Freya asked Reuben.
Reuben nodded, "We managed to narrow down the list. Currently, we are investigating Chairman Noir's disciple after hearing what he did to Mattias a few days ago."
Freya's brow furrowed.
Chairman Noir's disciple, Tyr, had been one of the suspicious ones left on their list, because his background was shrouded with mystery. However, his magic record were too average that they could not connect him to the killer that could crush their armor with a single attack.
"We have to stay put for now because he has been working in the Blacksmith Order for days now. Apparently, he promised to compensate a number of custors who had been 'inconvinenced' when he dealt with Mattias."
"He has kept a low profile, why is he suddenly making a noise."
Reuben shook his head, "We have not found anything yet."
"Keep updated."
"Yes."
Freya looked at the map ang changed the subject.
"Have you read the report?"
Reuben nodded, "Yes, I have."
Then he frowned slightly recalling what he had read and added, "We have been focused on harvesting the Quilin's horn we have not checked much on the temple. We all know the Quilin is guarding sothing inside. But I did not expect the Quilin to willingly offer its life force to protect what is inside."
Freya nodded her head.
Since they had no way to destroy the temple's defensive array they had focused on luring the Quilin and harvesting its horn. But that did not an they were not interested in what was inside the temple. As a matter of fact, the Templar Code's Research Departnt had started researching a magic item that had a capability to bypass the temple's defensive array and venture inside. They were still in the early stages because the temple's defensive array were too complicated for their Array Specialists to decipher completely.
"Is there really no way to communicate with the Quilin? If it dies, we will lose the rare stones. And I have a feeling whatever it is guarding will be destroyed too," Freya said.
"The Research Departnt has not yet produced a magic item to translate its language," Reuben replied with a sigh. "And I don't think it will be willing to negotiate with us after all this ti."
This, of course, Freya already knew.
With a derisive smile, she said, "If we do establish a ans to communicate with the Quilin. We will not really agree to its terms. At most, we will appear to agree but then force it to submission."
Reuben's eyes widened as he realized what she ant. "You an, have Max try and enslave it?"
One of the ancient clans from the north, the Estyr Clan, which Max was part of, had a unique ability and that was to enslave beasts.
In the last war that decided where the Ylfaen Empire's north borders would lie, the Estyr Clan had played an active role in stopping the Ylfaen's advances. The Ylfaen Empire would have lost their north borders if the Regis Clan had not stepped in to stop them.
The Regis Clan also had a technique to ta beasts, and the reason why the Estyr Clan had fallen was because they managed to reverse the latter's beast enslavent seal.
After the war, internal strife befell the Estyr Clan. No one knew exactly what was the reason but there had been rumors that most wanted to stop using the beast enslavent seal and focus on taming techniques like the Regis Clan.
Because of the internal strife, Max's family had been ostracized. He was forced to leave after his parents were executed. During his exile, the Templar Code's Commander found him and seeing how good he was in beast magic, recruited him into the Templar Code.
Freya nodded, "I know Max said he could not enslave the Quilin because it has a very profound background and magic level. But with its weakened state, it is worth a try."
"Has Max arrived? I rembered he was one of the people the Commander recomnded for the Royal Family's Elite Force and he is in the South."
"Yes, he is already here. He arrived last night and I told him my intentions. At this mont, he is preparing for the ritual. As for us, our task is to lure the Quilin," Freya explained.
This instantly made Reuben smile bitterly.
Based on the current situation, he doubted the Quilin could be lured easily.
Seeing Reuben's expression, Freya already guessed what he was thinking.
"I know, it is hard," she said with a slight smile. "But at least we know its weakness is the temple."
"Alright," Reuben replied, sighing in resignation. He was not confident he could co up with a solid strategy to force out the Quilin, but since Freya trusted him, he would do his best. "I'll plan a strategy that will focus on the temple's defensive array."
"Right now, we can no longer put a scratch on the array," Freya reminded him. "But I already have the Commander's approval that whatever strategy you co up with, we will prepare everything no matter the cost."
Reuben nodded his head, "Very well. I will co up with the proposals and the three of us can discuss it later."
Freya nodded in agreent.
After Reuben left, Freya once again examined the map and also trying to draw out so ideas of her own.
Suddenly, she noticed so of the green lights near the outskirts of the camp flickering.
Her eyes constricted when the flickering green lights dimd and then disappeared. Before she could react, more green lights, a distance away from those that disappeared, flickered.
Three green lights dimd and soon disappeared.
Freya's expression turned cold as she took out her communication device, a golden disc at least three-inches wide with the Templar Code's symbol.
"Alert everyone! We are under attack!" She shouted.
In that sa mont, from another location in the map, five green lights flickered and soon disappeared.
Freya's scalp had instantly gone numb. Not because of how fast their enemies were moving, but because there was no indication of their number whatsoever!
The map showed a real-ti presentation of everyone inside the map. It was an advanced tier array they had set up to keep watch on the reptilian beasts in the vicinity or even possible intruders.
Not even advance concealnt spells could be missed by the array they had setup. For it to fail projecting their enemies… what did it an?
Boom! Boom! Boom!
As soon as Freya issued the summon, the powerful sound of a gong reverberated in the whole make-shift camp, alerting everyone.
A few thousand ters outside the camp, Kyran, looking domineering as ever in his all black attire and the black panther mask, was currently surrounded by bloody mangled bodies when the sound of the gong filled the air.
A ruthless smile tugged at the corner of his lips, his glowing silver eyes glinted malevolently.
"Took your ti," he muttered under his breath. After all, the gong sounded after he killed off at least fifty of their mbers.
He was aware there was a large scale array that could detect any life force. But since he was not planning to do a covert mission to save Zephyr, he did not disable the array. Instead, he used his Draconic magic and used dragon steps to travel at a distance in such a short ti.
By doing this, he gave the illusion that he was not working alone.
'I'll kill off a few hundred of their mbers first then I'll deal with their magic items,' he thought and vanished in thin air.
At the sa ti, inside the temple, a huge beast with half a body of a dragon and half a unicorn lay in front of an enormous glowing multi-colored sphere. The beast was none other than the Quilin, Zephyr.
A small pool of blood had gathered beneath him that ca from the ugly scar right across his chest. The wound on his chest was the one he got from Freya and it looked as if he was unable to heal it even with his monstrous healing ability.
As soon as Zephyr heard the gong, it opened its eyes and the usually listless glow in them, they had been replaced with what looked like... Hope.
He had been dealing with the Templar Code and knew that the sound of that gong was ant to alert their mbers that they were under attack.
It made Zephyr wonder whether the reptilian beasts had appeared nearby. If they did, hopefully they could buy him so ti... Or at least buy 'that person' so ti.
With great difficulty, Zephyr lifted his head and looked toward the temple's entrance. With what remaining strength he could muster he spread out his magic sense to check what was happening outside.
Soon his eyes widened in shock. Then they turned watery as he thought, 'Master... You're back...'
A few seconds later, a reply ca in his mind.
[Stay put. I'm coming.]
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