Defiance of the Fall Chapter 1398: Lodge

Zac let out a long breath as the violent surges of ancient intent began to subside. Their formidable pursuer certainly possessed unique ways to navigate the core zone, but the chaos they had sparked likely rendered the river crossing suicidal for the time being. Furthermore, the ancient dagger had disintegrated into nothingness. Zac guessed the weapon had exhausted its lingering spirituality to deposit their party in a secure location within the lodge. Locating it again, let alone reaching it, would be a monumental task.

The price paid to reach Sevona’s Hunting Lodge was lower than Zac had anticipated. His pools of Mental Energy and Miasma remained deep, and he possessed enough Vigor to utilize his Hidden Nodes without hesitation. Aside from a faint spiritual fatigue caused by the prolonged activation of his Warbringer Idols, he felt fine, and there was a simple remedy for that exhaustion.

While his allies moved off to scout the immediate area, Zac began to circulate the [Warbringer Dharma]. He had brushed against the abyss several times in the last ten minutes, and it was precisely in these moments that the Dharma proved its worth. Narrowly avoiding destruction at the hands of a superior being was the most effective way to temper oneself, second only to winning a desperate battle for survival. Augmented by a second Idol, Zac felt his Dao Heart mend and expand at an unprecedented rate.

This heightened state persisted for a minute until his physical form relaxed. By then, the ancient intent had fully quieted, seemingly satisfied after the repeated clashes against the enemy general’s fragments. The crossing of the seventh river had provided as much refinement as the previous six combined. He had already processed a quarter of the intent, far outstripping his original hopes.

Zac recognized this as a rare stroke of luck that could not be forced. It wasn't every day one found a sea of enemies branded by a High Autarch or a potential Supremacy. In fact, avoiding a second encounter of that scale was probably wise. He had only just acquired this ancient intent, and there were likely more efficient ways to harness it. Additionally, his spiritual form was beginning to show signs of strain from the sudden influx.

The resistance was partly due to the sheer volume of conflict forced into his spirit in such a short window. It was similar to his human body, which required years of steady tempering to develop a Life-attuned constitution. The second problem was the quality of the integration. If his spiritual form was a vessel, every burst of ancient intent acted like a heavy stone dropped inside.

The bucket was filling up before the attunement could finish. If he maintained this tempo, the vessel would overflow, and the ancient intent would be wasted. Zac understood he needed to grasp at least the fundamental level of the [Thousand Axes Chapter] to grind those stones into sand, allowing the Dao of Conflict to saturate his spirit without leaving any gaps.

Suddenly, a powerful sense of familiarity washed over Zac. He shifted his focus to a bronze token floating quietly within his Soul Aperture. This was the [Soul-Sealing Knot] he had acquired at the Transformation Docks. Since its purchase, the soul-enhancing artifact had been stabilizing his Soul Aperture through subtle vibrations.

Esmeralda’s explanation of the artifact's function mirrored the exact problem Zac was currently facing with his spiritual body. Given that the [Thousand Lights Chapter] was a supportive technique tied to Soul Cultivation, perhaps the treasure could assist him now. It couldn't replace a dedicated cultivation method, but it might buy him the time necessary to handle more urgent matters.

A sudden pulse from the lodge's interior broke Zac’s concentration. His vision blurred, and for a moment, he felt as though he were witnessing multiple realities layered on top of one another. The feeling was vaguely recognizable, but a wave of intense sadness crashed into his mind, drowning out his attempt to identify the source. Only his steadfast Dao Heart and countless sessions with Vilari allowed him to push back the crushing grief.

Even so, he couldn't stop tears from rolling down his face, and an invisible pressure forced his Soul Sense back into his body. Though his Danger Sense remained silent, Zac knew better than to rely solely on instinct—especially when a heavy impact on his left shoulder sent him stumbling forward.

Zac spun around, the aura of slaughter reigniting as his axe shimmered with the cold light of death. His blade stopped mere inches from the thick throat of a strange creature. It was a coal-black bull sporting massive golden horns infused with the power of Earth, its hide decorated with matching runes. It appeared to be a powerful beast, capable of charging through a chaotic battlefield.

The magnificent animal showed no aggression, nor did it attempt to strike again. Instead, it shook like a leaf, paralyzed by the overwhelming murderous intent behind Zac's aborted strike. Zac wiped his eyes, finally seeing the reality of his surroundings. He was still in the stables, but they were now vibrant and full of activity. A dozen workers moved about, and more than half the stalls were occupied by beasts.

Four well-equipped warriors stood nearby. The sudden noise had interrupted their talk, but they displayed no hostility. They watched Zac with a mix of amusement and bewilderment, and Zac caught a stray comment about "crybabies." Once they saw the situation was under control, the stablehands went back to their chores.

Zac realized he hadn't been under attack. He had simply manifested directly in the path of a bull being led to its stall. The worker holding the beast's lead looked just as startled, offering a deep bow once he recovered his wits.

“My apologies, Sir! I must have been daydreaming. I didn't see you there.”

“It’s alright,” Zac replied, returning his weapon to its sheath. “I’m just a bit on edge.”

His friends were nowhere to be seen. If Idiche had been caught in the same vision, she had likely already hidden herself. Zac was on his own to navigate this. He needed information, but he was wary of blowing his cover. The stinging pain on his shoulder proved that these phantom memories could inflict real damage.

“I’ve forgotten—where am I supposed to go next?” Zac asked, carefully suppressing his aura. This allowed the Early Beast King Bull to relax, though it still eyed Zac as if he were a monster in human skin.

“If you have finished with your beast, Sir, you are free to roam. There is a gathering in the courtyard, and you are welcome to tour the lodge,” the worker explained, gesturing toward the exit and the stairs. “The hunt starts in three hours. Most people will have left the lodge by then.”

“Thank you,” Zac nodded.

“I’d suggest finding a group to hunt with, but you don't seem like the social type,” one of the warriors remarked, strolling over. “And no offense, but the veterans probably won't want someone so jumpy in their squad.”

An older combatant joined them, studying Zac with a piercing gaze. “You carry a heavy scent of blood. Are you from the border outposts?”

After a moment's thought, Zac gave a slight nod. He didn't specify which one, as he didn't know their names. He only knew they existed from the vision he had seen upon arriving. Half of Sevona’s realm was bordered by a lethal wasteland teeming with monsters and aggressive tribes.

A look of respect replaced the younger warrior's mockery. “That explains the nerves. I’ve heard those savages can appear out of thin air.”

“It’s manageable. It’s just difficult to adjust to the atmosphere here,” Zac said.

“I understand,” the veteran sighed. “Skip the party. Go for a walk inside the Royal Lodge instead. A prayer at the Hall of Abundance should settle your spirit and bring you luck in the hunt.”

“Am I actually permitted to enter such a sacred site?”

“Why wouldn't you be?” the younger man laughed. “We aren't like those heathens outside. They're too afraid to even make icons of their gods. Her Majesty believes the divine should be shared with everyone.”

The laborers nearby nodded with obvious pride. Zac tried to ask more about the Hall of Abundance, but the vision dissolved with a heavy sigh before he could speak. A lingering sadness remained. Idiche reappeared to his left, her eyes red and puffy, her face streaked with tears.

“Did you see that too?” Zac inquired.

“It seemed like a happy memory... why did it feel so heartbreaking?”

“It’s the grief of a loss,” Zac answered, looking toward Esmeralda as she landed on his shoulder.

“Quickly, put this in your bag,” Esmeralda urged, holding out a shard of bark.

Zac complied, sliding the item into his [Mercurial Sack]—specifically the Early C-grade one he had taken from Guild Leader Marai. He wasn't sure if he’d be able to keep it once the hunt concluded, but for now, it turned illusions into physical reality much faster than his standard gear.

Within seconds, Zac held a piece of tangible, inscribed bark. He studied the markings with curiosity. They didn't match any Dao he knew, nor did they follow the scripts established by the Apostate of Order. The symbols also lacked the raw, primal essence found on Pre-System artifacts like the Stele of Conflict.

However, his degraded [Primal Polyglot] could still sense the rules woven into the bark. It seemed to exist beyond the Dao, yet it was roughly equivalent to an E-grade item. While Zac couldn't grasp how such a paradox existed, he could tell this was a data storage device, much like a modern Information Crystal.

“Where did you find this?” Zac asked, sending a thread of Mental Energy into the object.

“I swiped it from that arrogant knight while you were providing the distraction.” Esmeralda grinned, patting his shoulder. “Just like I taught you.”

The bark contained a letter from the knight’s uncle, filled with advice. It was packed with insider tips from a former hunter. Most of it—like the best spots to track prey or which rivals to avoid—was useless to Zac. But one specific detail caught his eye.

“Check this out,” Zac said.

“Human avarice,” Idiche whispered. “Who could be greedy enough to hoard a moon's worth of that?”

“Those invaders aren't content with their own timeline, so they’ve come for ours. That sounds like greed to me,” Esmeralda remarked before looking at Zac. “I didn't find anything else.”

“Then we move. We can't give the person outside any time to close the gap.”

The entrance to the lodge swung open silently after Esmeralda enchanted the hinges. As soon as a gap appeared, the overwhelming stench of decay hit them.

“The area is under watch; give me a moment,” Esmeralda whispered, beginning to gather her power.

Shortly after, she blinked the three of them through the opening, and the door shut without a sound. They found themselves in a small foyer crafted from ancient timber. Based on the ruined items scattered about, Zac inferred it was a cloakroom where those coming from the stables could change into more formal attire.

The walls and ceiling were rotting away, with corruption tunneling through the wood like pests. Small holes in the outer wall allowed the blue moonlight to filter in. The light mingled with the dust, forming small, ominous clouds. Luckily, these azure mists seemed unable to grow past a certain size.

The lodge was resisting; a prehistoric energy filled the structure, battling the rot and preventing the interior from collapsing entirely.

“Touch nothing and stay close to me,” Esmeralda warned. “This area was recently searched and is being monitored by a concealed formation.”

Zac wasn't shocked to find they had company. The opposition had Monarchs and a ten-hour head start. Fortunately, the Divine Core seemed intact, continuing to power the lodge's defenses. The inner door and the nearby walls were marked with fresh damage, but they had withstood the attempt to force them open.

“They went this way,” Esmeralda noted, and Zac gave a slow nod.

“Let's go,” Zac agreed, only to notice Idiche’s gaze had gone blank.

He quickly grabbed her shoulder before she could lead them into a trap. “Did you see something?”

“What? Oh, no. It just felt like... something was calling to me,” Idiche said, blinking rapidly as she pointed toward the damaged door. “Actually, I think I know how to open that. The internal pattern feels familiar for some reason.”

Zac didn't ask for an explanation. They moved closer so Idiche could examine it. Her confidence grew, but Zac prevented her from channeling any energy into the mechanism.

“Opening it might set off an alarm. I want to find the people who did this first.”

It didn't take long to find their targets, and they encountered no further memory fragments on the way. The Lodge wasn't a massive structure like a Technocrat station; it was only a few miles wide—a small fort by Multiverse standards. After five minutes, Zac heard a low thrumming ahead.

Two minutes later, they reached a hidden spot in a servants' quarters. A hole in the rotted wall provided a view of the grand lobby. It was much larger than the foyer, spanning nearly a hundred meters with thirty-foot ceilings and a massive circular window above the main gates.

The space might have felt like a holy cathedral in its prime, but now it was utterly defiled. Moonlight flooded through the window, turning the pillars into jagged shadows. The corruption here was far more potent than the small leaks they had seen earlier. It was clearly the enemies' primary base.

More than thirty cultivators were gathered in the hall, protected by a powerful barrier. Zac didn't see the mysterious stranger, but he identified two Monarchs among the group. One was a warrior scanning for threats; the other was a mage holding a staff topped with a massive sapphire.

The mage was using the staff to pull the moonlight into their barrier, preventing the Lodge from purging it. The light thickened into a dense fog until the enemies were hidden from view. Then, the mist surged out of the barrier, taking the form of a spectral army of soldiers and beasts.

This misty legion threw itself at the great doors leading deeper into the Lodge. Based on what they knew, the Hall of Abundance was likely just past that corridor. Every time a mist-construct hit the gate, a pulse of divine energy struck back. It only took a few counters for the gate to dissolve an attacker.

“There are living soldiers in there too,” Idiche breathed. Zac eventually spotted them.

Real soldiers were hidden within the mist, cloaked in moonlight. They mimicked the movements of the summons, but their assault was calculated. They were targeting specific weak points while the constructs served as a distraction.

The soldiers would retreat to the barrier before their disguises failed. However, one was too slow. His cloak flickered out just before he reached safety, and the Lodge responded instantly. A beam of pure energy shot from the gate, punching a hole through the man’s chest. He tumbled into the barrier, his fate uncertain.

The barrier was already recharging with moonlight. The attackers were launching a wave every few minutes. Zac didn't know how much more the gates could take, but he doubted they would last more than ten more hits.

“So that’s how they're using the moonlight,” Esmeralda whispered. “What’s the plan?”

Zac thought for a moment before looking at Idiche. “How certain are you about opening that other door?”

“Maybe eighty percent?”

“Good enough,” Zac grinned. “We’ll go back, but first, I’m going to give them a surprise.”