Heaven's Laws - Lifetstone - Chapter 58 - Part 1

Baros remained hidden as Harnish sped by. The sage wasn’t alone. There were at least two elders and six juniors. These were the most favored juniors. Testing the array was a job that wouldn’t have even been offered to them.

He had never been favored no matter how well he performed. The position of core disciple was saved for the children of elders and political allies. Was it bitterness over this that led him to consider leaving the sect? No. He didn’t deny there was a grain of bitterness, but it was the methods of his sect that weighted on him.

As soon as the sage and his followers had passed by, he waited for a few long moments before darting into the chamber they’d just been in and in the opposite direction. Dvora had asked him to warn Tao and Fen’er, so that’s what he’d do.

When she’d told him that they had caught the murderers, he suspected that they were professionals brought in by Sage Pangfua to track them down. Tao’s personality put that in doubt, but it was a wide world and he wouldn’t pretend to know everything. Even as he shot down the stairs to the second floor, he was trying to puzzle the man out.

Maybe he was like Senior Tu, the husband of Ice Phoenix Sect Elder Sya. Baros had multiple run-ins with the man, all of which were positive. There were few people he’d met that were just a joy to be around and seemed genuine to the core. Tao was just as genuine but lacked the same power of personality.

What does it matter? He was betting that what Dvora had said of them was right. If not, he’d likely never see her again.

But even if he didn’t completely trust her, he trusted her abilities. Both the Night Pearl Sect and Morning Midst Village had the same beginning. Close to a millennia ago, they’d been the same sect unlit a much larger sect invaded. To survive, they were forced to develop skilled of subterfuge. Their women became wives to the invading sect. The men servants. Then one night, many decades later, the men that had taken their women as wives never woke up. The masters that had taken their men as servants and had grown to trust them, experience the same fate. When morning came, the invading sect was no more, and the Night Pearl Sect and the Morning Midst Village were born. It was a mostly forgotten history.

He neared the place the couple usually cultivated in with their group from the joint sect. It was out of the way from the main route, but he’d periodically been keeping an eye on them—especially after what Dvora had said.

How long had it taken him? He’d come as fast as he could. Seeing the last entryway, the hurled himself through it.

He stopped abruptly only to find a blade firmly against his throat. The usually well-mannered fairy in orange that followed her husband’s lead had reacted faster than his senses could interpret. Across the room, Tao was also already on his feet with this sword out. He saw Fen’er’s expression, then her husband’s. Even with the blade at his throat, he inwardly cheered. It seemed his Dvora had been right.

Only then did the rest of the room come to its feet. A tawny-skinned fire cultivator was first, followed by a blond ice fairy. He then saw the newly scarred Eu-meh. The cut was straight from the corner of her eye down passed her cheek. It was like an eternal tear had been etched there. He’d always found the fairy beautiful, but never sought her favor—nor would he. She was still undeniably beautiful.

He didn’t have to say anything when Fen’er recognized him. Her blade was slowly retracted. “Do you seek death?” She rebuked.

“Sage Harnish is in the spire,” he rambled. “He plans on trapping Pangfua with the vault’s defensive array. Dvora said you could—”

The entire space started to shake. It was like the growl of a massive beast. He was losing his sense of balance.

“Husband,” Fen’er yelled, cutting through the noise.

The noise cut off abruptly. Baros saw Tao’s expression. There was no fear or rage. There was just—nothing. That was until the beginnings of a snarl appeared before disappearing again.

“Where is he?” Tao said. It was as breathily as a whisper but the volume was like getting smacked in the face.

He hadn’t believed Dvora’s description of what this man had supposedly done to the murderer. But no there was no denying it. He feared even answering the man’s question. It was like there was some horrifying beast just under the surface. If he answered, it might show its face, but if he didn’t? “He’s already there.”

The married couple’s gaze met.

Baros breathed lightly when the man retained control.

“You will all follow us as quickly as you can to the third floor,” Fen’er commanded. “Stay back a few rooms so as not to get in our way.”

“Wait,” Baros cried, louder than he intended. “The Morning Midst Village is outside the spire. Besides Harnish and a few men, the first floor is clear.”

The deceptively strong fairy seemed to weigh their options. With a nod from her husband, she said, “You will gather our joint sect at the Ice Phoenix Palace’s mobile palace and have them take refuge inside. It’s a defensive treasure. Use my name if you have need.”

“Yes, Master,” the blond fairy shouted, giving the others no room to disobey.

He then found Fen’er, a fairy half a head shorter than him in stature, giving him a somber stare. “Stay with them. Even if your sect ceases to exist, you will be spared.”

The next thing he knew the two of them were gone. He’d expected them to be hiding their cultivation after all that had happened, but the blond fairy had called the woman master. That could only mean…

“Let’s go,” the fairy demanded. The group of joint sect disciples had their weapons at the ready.

He filed in with them, trying to get close to the front. Once in the next room, he called out. “If there are any surprises, I’ll try to distract my sect.”

“Good.”

He couldn’t help but glance back the way they had come. “Who?” He said mostly to himself.

“Don’t worry,” the tawny fire cultivator said from his position directly behind him. “Unless they’re too late, Sages Chao and Huifen will not let any harm come to them.”

The color drained from his face. The overlord killers? “They’re of an upright sect,” he objected. “Why the deception?”

Deception he understood, but it wasn’t something a sect as powerful as the Ice and Fire Phoenix Sect made use of. They didn’t have to. Sage Pangfua, if it wasn’t for Harnish’s underhanded tactics, could likely wipe out their entire sect in an afternoon except for the Sect Master himself. Even Harnish wouldn’t last long.

The explanation unexpectantly came from Eu-meh who was right in front of him. “The Northern Continent.”

Making it to the stairs to the first floor, they reached the bottom without touching a step.

The Northern Continent was after them? Baros felt weak. So not only was he dealing with the two deadliest sages on Monolith, now the Asura Cults were involved? He was second guessing taking Dvora north. Not only were the Asura Cults bloodthirsty, but they were also perverse. You never knew what grisly fate you’d end up with if they caught you and meant you harm.

Perhaps. He looked at the Ice and Fire Phoenix disciples in front of him. Maybe they could head south.

***

She wasn’t sure she could trust Baros, so Huifen had threatened him. It hadn’t been direct, but he now knew they were considering the annihilation of his sect. It was just as obvious he hadn’t known who they were.

Staying ahead of Chao, she couldn’t focus solely on the danger her Big Sister Pangfua was in. She’d seen his reaction. He wouldn’t just be out for blood. She knew that now. She’d spent so long fantasizing over how she’d get revenge on the Aureate Empire, that as out of character as the same darkness seemed in her husband, she understood it fully.

Part of her—the dominate part—wanted to just let him go. To act on his most malevolent desires. It was that same part of her that wanted to save her Big Sister, and destroy everything that got in the way. It even felt right to do so. It was natural. But if she let him, was there any turning back?

She didn’t believe his fall would happen so quickly. Darkness was deceitful. It wouldn’t show up all at once. A person fell slowly by degree. One small compromise after another. It was the fact it felt so right that made it so dangerous. If they lost control this time, the next it would be that much easier.

Reaching the third floor, she got her bearings and flew down the most direct path. They were coming. “Big Sister, wait for me.”