Defiance of the Fall Chapter 1399: The Fisherman and the Oriole

Idiche recognized the trajectory of the situation and found it deeply unsettling. “Do you truly believe lightning will strike twice? They are clearly anticipating an ambush after our previous tactics. That barrier isn't just designed to conceal them from the lodge; it possesses formidable defensive properties as well.”

“I’m aware,” Zac replied.

Just as Idiche had noted, the shield was a versatile C-grade Array. Based on the soldier nearby with a gaping hole in his chest, their arrival was far from welcomed by the occupants. The barrier offered protection primarily through stealth, masking their presence and any moonlight they managed to harvest. It was being sustained by a dozen soldiers alongside the C-grade mage. Forcing a way through in a short timeframe was impossible. However, Zac had no intention of choosing such a blunt approach.

Idiche remained unsatisfied by his brief response. “Even if your gambit succeeds, is the risk worth it? Wasn't the goal to secure the Divine Core while bypassing our foes? We could simply slip inside without them ever noticing us.”

“That won't suffice,” Zac muttered. “They’ve nearly breached the entrance. If they were willing to endure some casualties, they could force it open this very moment.”

Esmeralda nodded, echoing his concerns. “The situation isn't as favorable as I’d hoped. They have the entire structure under tight surveillance. Just keeping the two of you concealed is straining my capabilities. The moment we open that door, they’ll detect the shift in energy flow and lose their minds when they realize someone else is reaching for the Divine Core. We’d end up in the same fight, just without the benefit of a surprise attack.”

Zac kept other worries to himself. While he believed Idiche could unlock the door, there was no certainty it would allow all three to pass. He wanted to inflict damage now in case he became separated from the group. Furthermore, there was no guarantee the path led directly to the Divine Core. It was possible Idiche’s subconscious was steering her toward a different objective entirely.

“What if we just wait and slip in alongside them, then?” Idiche suggested, making one last, halfhearted attempt to dampen the growing intensity in Zac’s gaze.

“Don't worry. These types of chaotic events usually sort themselves out,” Zac said reassuringly. “I’m quite a lucky person, and for me, lightning strikes twice all the time.”

“He speaks the truth. I’ve witnessed it,” Esmeralda added with a giggle, firmly backing her protégé. “There were times the lightning was so frequent I feared I’d lose my sight.”

By the time their talk concluded, the massive barrier was nearly saturated with blue mist. Zac launched his attack the moment the collected moonlight was directed at the sealed entrance, striking the invaders while they were occupied. They were completely unprepared for the obsidian blade that manifested silently within the heart of their defense.

The edge of Pure Death and War sliced through the ranks in an instant, cleaving the barrier from the inside out. Severed limbs and gore sprayed in every direction, and twelve new marks immediately appeared on the scroll hovering behind Zac. None of the marks belonged to the two Monarchs, and the strike only caused the barrier to shudder.

Zac’s secret weapon was [Desperation’s End], fueled exclusively by Void Energy and bolstered by [Spiritual Void]. This combination permitted an instant activation that bypassed the barrier's exterior entirely. He had only committed to this plan after ensuring the shield possessed no hidden wards or marks beyond his ability to circumvent.

Eliminating a dozen subordinates was a helpful bonus, but it wasn't the primary target. His finishing blow was aimed at the two Monarchs, who were now engulfed by the massive blade. It appeared as though they were standing on the threshold of death but refused to cross over. Though caught off guard, they had managed to trigger a backup defense.

A flurry of sapphire mirrors materialized out of thin air, lifting them several yards into the sky. [Desperation’s End] burned through half its potency shattering those panes. The incredible velocity of the strike allowed the remaining power to bite into the targets before they could use skills or talismans, but Zac saw it wasn't a fatal blow.

A depleted [Desperation’s End] lacked the raw power to shatter their Inner Worlds. While the Monarchs were covered in deep lacerations and had clearly taken damage, they were far from defeated. Zac let out a disappointed sigh when he realized even his primary target had survived.

Zac had hoped to at least shatter the sapphire atop the mage’s staff. He sensed a terrifying power within it, as if it were a concentrated antithesis to the lingering divinity of Sevona. His gut told him the barrier existed more to shield that sapphire than the invaders themselves. It was clearly vital to their operation, and he had hoped its destruction would set off a secondary blast even greater than his own ambush.

Zac hesitated between retreating or pressing the attack when the sapphire emerged with only minor surface fractures. He still held several trump cards. He could pull the entire area into [Eye of Desolation], allowing him to warp inside the barrier and isolate the Monarchs. However, such a move would leave him dangerously low on resources for future encounters.

“You two move ahead. I’ll—” Zac stopped mid-sentence as the entire barrier vanished with a faint pop, leaving the invader squad completely vulnerable.

It was the perfect opportunity, and the lodge responded with expected violence. A massive rune manifested on the decaying door, and Zac felt his skin crawl as it locked onto his coordinates. Fortunately, the lodge’s energy was limited, and it prioritized the more immediate threats. The C-grade mage’s pale face suggested he realized the same thing. He attempted to move, but an unseen force held him fast.

The Monarch’s features contorted as malignant growths erupted across his skin. By releasing his corruption, he regained his mobility, but it was too late. A pillar of divinity, far more powerful than the previous strikes, erupted from the gateway. It slammed directly toward the struggling Monarch, though not before incinerating several mist entities charging the door. Two charred bodies were left in its path.

“No!” the mage screamed, as a monstrous, sin-stained phantom head appeared to shield him.

Zac felt a wave of irrational fury wash over him as he stared at the distorted face. He had to fight the impulse to charge through the wall and attack the creature. It was an artificial reaction; the mage was using a defensive taunt similar to [Arbiter of the Abyss] to buy time to escape.

It was futile. The lodge refused to let its prey go, and even the moonlight seemed to recoil before the strike. It felt as though destiny had been sealed. The Monarch flickered like a failing light, yet every attempt to teleport failed to move him an inch. The C-grade warrior nearby was not so restricted, however. He managed to reappear across the hall, leaving only a severed arm behind.

Only after reaching safety did the second Monarch turn to help his peer. A gauntleted hand, appearing as immovable as a mountain, rose in front of the taunting phantom. That split-second delay was decisive. The divine beam moved too fast for a calculated defense, and the gauntlet was pulverized before it could fully manifest.

The phantom head behind it fared little better. It drew the aggression as intended but shattered instantly when it tried to consume Sevona’s divinity. The beam punched through the back of its skull, and the mage only managed to draw enough power from the sapphire to conjure three more azure mirrors.

The end was inevitable. The mage let out a cry of agony as the beam tore his physical form apart. A localized spatial storm of corruption and divine remnants exploded in the lobby, causing absolute chaos. Three survivors were shredded instantly, while others were left with horrific wounds. Even the remaining Monarch was caught in the carnage, suffering a brutal hit after an unlucky stumble.

Idiche watched the carnage with wide eyes, her plans of sneaking away forgotten. Esmeralda wore a wide grin, clearly enjoying the sight of her enemies' demise. Her only disappointment was likely her small role in the event. Zac, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on his axe.

Before the chaos could settle, a sapphire orb ignited like a miniature sun in the center of the wreckage. The dark energy within the sapphire was unleashed. Instead of a messy explosion, the energy seemed directed. It condensed to withstand the divine pressure before darting toward the gateway at incredible speeds.

The holy rune had already vanished, and the wood of the door looked more rotted than before. The entrance had exhausted its reserves for that final strike, leaving it defenseless. The azure orb exploded in a flash of light. When Zac’s vision cleared, the great door and sections of the wall were simply gone.

From their position, Zac couldn't see what lay beyond, but the pull of the Divine Core had intensified. It seemed the lobby did indeed lead to the Hall of Abundance. Zac glanced at Esmeralda and signaled for her to stay put. She gave a knowing nod.

“Enemies! Deploy the seal!” a soldier shouted, and those still standing threw a handful of inscribed orbs.

The metallic spheres hummed with azure light as they scattered. Simultaneously, the massive window flared with light, flooding the lobby with moonlight. Rather than entering the new breach, the light chased after the floating spheres. Only a small portion lingered at the broken threshold to form a wall of blue smoke.

Zac watched as their hiding spot and the hallway were enveloped in the mist. He briefly regretted not heading for their original side entrance, but he hadn't stayed out of mere curiosity. The situation had changed, and his plans had to change with it.

The front door was open, and their rivals were decimated. Fighting two Monarchs and dozens of troops was suicide, but a single injured Monarch was a target Zac could handle—especially with a hidden ally in the mix.

Zac was certain a third party was involved; the sequence of events was too perfect to be accidental. He had hoped [Desperation’s End] would rattle the barrier enough to provoke the lodge, but that wasn't what had happened. The shield's collapse hadn't been caused by his strike. Someone had exploited the confusion to strike from the dark, using a technique so subtle Zac still didn't understand how it was done.

“There is another player here. Can you detect them?” Zac whispered.

They couldn't move until the threat was identified. This hidden actor was both skilled and patient, even if they weren't strong enough to wipe out the invaders directly. Idiche was a suspect, but Zac was sure she hadn't acted behind his back. He had monitored her closely, and her Qi had remained steady.

That meant a stranger had reached the lodge. The ideal scenario was to force this person into the open to take the heat for the chaos. Then, Zac could slip away to claim the Divine Core. The issue was that the newcomer likely had the exact same plan.

“I sense nothing,” Esmeralda admitted, and Idiche looked just as lost.

The surviving Monarch looked furious as he returned to the center of the room. His injuries were knitting together, but his erratic aura betrayed the severity of the damage.

“Fan out and search the side halls,” he commanded. “Find the vermin hiding in our shadows.”

Zac’s eyes flashed at the tactical error. He wasn't about to complain if the enemy leader wanted to feed him easy targets.

“I’ll eliminate the search party and then push in. Try to trap a few in an illusion and head for the Divine Core,” Zac instructed, but a new voice cut through his plan.

“Cancel that order, you idiots.”

The soldiers stopped mid-step and bowed low to the figures entering from outside. “Greetings, Lord Descartes!”

One of the newcomers was the powerful outsider who had lost an arm earlier, only for it to be restored. He was indeed allied with the invaders from the alternate timeline. The sheer terror in the soldiers' eyes suggested he was the true commander. Beside him was another Monarch with a very unstable aura. While Descartes seemed untouched by the journey, his companion had clearly struggled.

Descartes seemed unbothered by the corpses or the loss of the sapphire.

“Failures who can't even tell they've been compromised,” Descartes spat. “Are you coming out, or do I have to fetch you?”

Zac tensed, ready to bolt. In that moment, a recognizable voice rang through the area.

“You have sharp eyes and a solid Foundation. It’s a pity I’m already over my limit. Lompo would kill me if I brought home another mouth to feed.”

“No way,” Esmeralda whispered as the warrior’s form began to warp.

“WH—” The Monarch was cut off as a torrent of starlight erupted from his mouth.

Zac watched in stunned silence as the light coalesced into the form of Kaltosa Lu. The host body collapsed behind him, twitching and unable to speak. Within seconds, the man withered, and a lethal mist poured from his body. It was a terrifyingly concentrated poison.

“Passable, but not perfect,” Kaltosa Lu remarked. “Not enough time to properly tune the host.”

The Elemental ignored the surrounding enemies, and Descartes didn't signal an attack. He kept scanning the room, and Zac realized why. Descartes knew Kaltosa Lu wasn't the only intruder present.

“Shouldn't we assist him?” Idiche whispered.

“So he can kill us afterward?” Zac replied with a frown.

“You recognize that elemental?” Idiche asked. “Is he a friend?”

“Neither. And both,” Zac muttered, his mind racing.

Kaltosa Lu’s sudden appearance explained the barrier breach. He had been hitching a ride inside the Monarch’s body. Given his background and mastery of arrays, he likely had countless ways to sabotage the shield. He had simply waited for the door to be breached before revealing himself.

What confused Zac was how Kaltosa Lu had arrived so quickly. He was supposed to be at the Mercurial Court’s pillar. The timing didn't make sense unless he had never left the Transformation Docks, yet his halo had definitely been lit during Zac’s journey.

It was possible he had crossed the Peregrine Ocean, but to reach the heart of the archipelago and find a host to parasitize so fast? It was incredible.

Zac was not happy about Kaltosa Lu showing up at the finish line. He was powerful, but Zac would have preferred any other Disciple. A normal Disciple might want the Divine Core, but they wouldn't necessarily kill everyone else. Kaltosa Lu, however, might find it easier to just wipe out the competition for Ultom. And there was no way he hadn't noticed them.

“My friend, are you going to keep me waiting? I’m starting to think your talk of a partnership was just a lie,” Kaltosa Lu said with a sigh, causing the soldiers to look around in a panic.

“What’s the move?” Esmeralda asked.

“Stay put. I’ll try to create an opening during the fight,” Zac said.

Esmeralda offered a warning.

Zac responded.

Esmeralda chuckled.

Idiche, not following their silent exchange, bowed deeply to Zac. “Thank you for your trust. I will finish this hunt, even if it costs me my life. These bastards won't win.”

“Good luck,” Zac said, stepping out from Esmeralda’s hidden space.

This was going to be difficult.