79 Sacrilege (1/2)

Sailing across the open ocean, a large merchant vessel went along as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Yet looking at any of the sailors one would see a far different reality. They went about their tasks as mind-controlled drones, their eyes empty of the previous vigor of a skilled and well-traveled crew. All at the behest of a single man.

Beside the helmsman of the ship, stood a tall demon with white long hair and red eyes that looked no more than a man of 40. His legs were covered in fur and his feet in hooves along with a long black pointed tail at his back. He needed to occasionally maintain this form to reinforce the powers of the Incubus over the whole crew.

Demon Prince Fang in his black cloth attire looked out over the crew as the tracking mage he put under his power so long ago gave him a status update. A long black cloak covered the Demon's body despite the sun that beat down upon him.

”I can only get a general sense of her location,” The grey-haired Mage, renowned in the North for tracking, spoke. Yet his eyes no longer carried any of the luster of knowledge and magic they once did. Only a fervent expression of worship towards the power of a Demon who far surpassed him.

The [Greater Demonic Reaper] growled at the news. But punishing mindless drones was a futile affair.

”Do the Dragon Isles disrupt you so?” He asked. Growing up here, he knew full well of the occasional weirdness that sometimes affected magic of a more sensitive nature. Some Mages' stories even attributed it to their greatest, but accidental, findings.

Though for such a prominent tracking mage to be disrupted made no sense. The effect should not be so great for the man he trapped under his control.

”It is the Half-Demon...I do not understand but there is some strange interference around her.”

”Keep the ship on its course,” He simply spoke, before his body became covered in bluish scales and his head became a mix between fish and serpent features. Moments later, in a blur, he vanished with only a few ripples on the surface of the water.

Hunting souls had always calmed him down. And he couldn't afford to end up stranded at sea because he let his temper get the better of him. They'd stay mind controlled for at least some time without him there to reinforce it.

On the beach of the island, Rainer soared straight up into the sky. Looking out over the distance he used [Arcane Revelation] to make up for the lack of light beyond just the moons and stars.

While it wasn't anything like night vision, he could see Souls when combined with his knowledge of [Soul Detection]. Even further in the distance, a great deal away, he could see a tree that not only stood above the rest but did not seem native to the environment. A clear sign of a world tree branch and perhaps some larger settlement.

He smiled. A decent sized gathering of Souls was not too far from where they landed, likely some village. Only a single presence that contained both Aura and Mana, but not particularly high, existed among the gathering of people. The rest had nothing but their Soul along with a few that had some Aura.

”There's a village not far from here. We'll head there once I return,” If such a weak gathering could survive on this island, he had enough assurance to go meet with Talvara in [Sleep Learning] once more.

”Was it a success?” Talvara entered and asked Rainer just moments after he had Luna cast a sleeping spell on him.

”I'm ready, when should I leave?” Rainer said, a part of his mind still using [Void Detection] on the strange soul connection.

”The moment you leave this space, I'll send word to my followers to provide a distraction. I have already canceled the Bounty after our first meeting. But Aurora would not know of this. I will send a message the moment she is free from the Barrier.”

”Any warnings about who's guarding her?”

”Aurora would not have been caught, if they were ordinary Priests of a Divinity,” Talvara started, ”It is for the best you avoid any conflict and leave it to my followers to provide a distraction. Even they will seek to run the moment you are clear and they are able.”

Ranier gave her a look of confusion, as to how her followers ever competed against such individuals on their plane, let alone how the rest of this world did if Void Lords matched up so poorly. She soon answered his unasked question.

”Channeling Divine power, beyond the pittance they regularly have as priests, expends their body if not even their life. They do not use it lightly. Or at least, they shouldn't. Aurora seemed to have been caught by one far more lax in valuing their life. But nonetheless, do not fight one if you do not have to.”

Wasn't planning on it.

Rainer thought. It wasn't hard to tell that despite his misgivings towards the magic-hating empire, Aurora was definitely more at fault than them. He saw no reason to kill the people capturing her even if in the future he knew his Academy could make him an enemy of the whole empire.

”I'm off then,”

”Do not forget [Archon], often the best course of action is merely to flee,” Talvara warned one last time before Rainer awoke.

”Rainer?” Sarah spoke to the suddenly awoken [Archon].

”Time to go, her people are preparing a distraction,” Rainer spoke, ”Step back.”

As he waited for more room, he armed eight [Arcane Lance]s and used [Arcane Presence Armament] in preparation.

Luna flew back and sat on Kara's head, not insisting she should go. After all, Rainer was staying in this world.

Arcane filled the air as Rainer manipulated power from the Arcanium, weakening the very fabric of space itself. With the magic of the Dragon Isles still distorting the pathway, though less than when near the storm, Rainer prepared and focused a bit more than usual on his upcoming Void-walk.

And with nary a fluctuation of space, the [Harbinger] walked across the Void.

Rainer passed through the barrier around the cell with ease, immediately assuming it was meant to keep people from leaving rather than entering.

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He glanced down at the chained and unconscious Abyssal Elf. With a quick use of his [Arcane Blade], he cut through her bindings.

Grabbing her roughly, Rainer didn't even pay attention to the guard outside the cell room rushing outside to, likely, warn others. With the Aura inscription still working on her manacles, Rainer only spared her a moment's inspection with [Void Detection], finding her lacking in Void Will on top of the imprisonment.

He operated the Void Will in his body as he poured his power into [Void Detection], piercing through the barrier and [Void-walking] several hundred feet outside in an instant.

Weaker than the World Tree's, indeed.

Without even a moments glance at the dark surroundings, Rainer Void-walked rapidly away from any semblance of life.

He then wasted no time sinking into the fastest [Eldritch Flight] he could manage. Sounds of distant battle went out behind him, the distraction as planned. But a single man covered in a white aura blurred in the sky flying towards him.

Repeated Void-walks in an attempt to escape landed Rainer on a beach.

A barrier blocking his next Void-walk, caused him to throw the now awake Aurora to the side. She slammed into the sand within the barrier, a great deal away from the arriving combatant.

The white phantom descended from the sky and with barely even disturbing the sand beneath landed in front of Rainer, revealing the man behind the power.

”Who else but a mage to rescue the murderer,” The spear-wielding warrior spoke, a hint of Divine power now surging through him and distorting his voice slightly.

Rainer felt an [Appraisal] effortlessly pass through him, reminding him that his companions knowledge on the certain subject matter was not absolute. He returned in kind.

[Human, Male, Spear Master lvl 17(2nd), Priest lvl 6(2nd)]

[Title: Priest of Malur]

Rainer glanced around the barrier, having no intention to fight the man in front of him. He considered himself a third party. There was no reason to kill wantonly.

But before he could Void-walk to Aurora and then leave the weak protection, it increased in power. And the man in front of him let out a yell in pain as his original brown eyes glowed with white Divinity. The body nowhere near capable of holding such power, bled from its eyes as underneath the Divine light the sclera of his eyes turned red to match.

”You have chosen your path poorly, wretched Defier.”

The choice to fight was not his to make any longer.

Rainer did not even bother to appraise the changed man, knowing there could be consequences and he'd likely not see anything worthwhile even if there weren't. The power that partially inhabited the now failing body was clear.

With not giving said Defier a chance to respond, the changed spearman rushed forward, his blond hair blowing back against his sheer speed as his body became wrapped in a glowing white aura.

Within the barrier, [Void-walking] proved no more difficult than outside it. The spear stabbed forward only to meet empty air. And the assault of eight [Arcane Lance]s fired one after the other.

The spear wrapped in the Divine power, parried each of them, their power releasing around the possessed man.

The moment after he had Void-walked, Rainer already prepared an [Arcane Combustion] immediately following the armed release. The Arcane-Fire exploded directly on the target.

An instant later, a man covered in burns rushed out of the explosion, his spear stabbing forward with strong skill and a Divine grip wrapping around Rainer to prevent him from [Void-walking].

[Arcane Awakening] entered its maximum as Rainer activated Surge as well. His mind and body reached new speeds.

Rainer dodged to the side, trying to parry with his [Arcane Blade] as he summoned the hilt to his right hand, but was too slow. A final use of [Arcane Awakening: Shield Mode] prevented his head from being stabbed through and, instead, the Divine power glanced and cut along his cheek. Rainer grimaced in pain as he felt his very Soul assaulted, but the Divine power invading him stopped short.

He poured [Arcane Invigoration] throughout his body as the Divine power gripping him surged in strength. Everywhere in his body tightened with pressure and pain. The spear pulled back, but slightly off balance from being redirected by Rainer's shielding and with the [Arcane Blade] already in position, it took only the slightest movement for the spear head to be cut off.

But the spear wielder paid no mind to his missing point and lunged forward closer and slammed down at the [Archon]. A shining hammer of Divine power covered the end of the spear's shaft.

The all but dead man in front of Rainer had even more Divine power coursing through his body.

[Divine Hammer] met [Arcane Blade] as a clash of powers rang out, blowing sand away all around them and further brightening the moon-lit night

Rainer gripped his enchanted hilt with both hands as the spear turned hammer by the Divine power carried with it a pressure that covered his entire body. Only a use of [Arcane-Spatial Domain: Spatial Shift] kept the far stronger attacker at bay. Even despite the figure being able to resist a part of the magic.

Mana and Arcane Power poured from him as he focused on using the Spatial Shift to push back the physically superior foe. Rainer switched to [Arcane Awakening: Might], as every other portion of his mind focused on the fight and warding off the Divine power pressuring him with [Arcane Invigoration].

The webbing between his thumb and finger tore slightly. The pressure increased. His feet sunk into the ground. A use of [Arcane Presence Armament] turned the world violet amidst the glowing white. Rainer pressed down on his opponent in turn, but to no avail. His enemy already choosing the death of their vessel, poured as much power as the bleeding body could handle.

A passing moment of clarity to a different time, a time when he fought Devils by the thousands reminded him that he did not wield just a weightless blade, but a magic one. Might became Surge, the [Arcane Blade] vanished, and an increase of gravity, aimed not at the opponent but the spear, followed. The knowledge of a skill followed through his body as his posture slightly shifted.

And with an Arcanum Step, the divine spear moved a minuscule distance past Rainer's body, and toward the ground, as the [Archon] himself surged forward. Magic flowed from his enchanted hilt once more.

The Divine being had only a moment to defend. The shielding around the spearman's broken body flickered as the [Arcane Blade] cleaved him in two.

A scar tore across in the straight line where the spear struck the ground, and a severed body hit soon after. The already exhausted body faded to death immediately. Its Soul sucked to somewhere else.

”There will always be one willing to serve my will, [Archon],” The voice warned, and yet Rainer did not even pay attention to it. He turned around with his [Arcane Revelation] covered eyes and issued but a single command.

”Jor. Devour.”

With a burning rush of power, the scaled violet Serpent soared out of Rainer's shoulder and opened its maw as the leaving Divine power instead found itself pulled in another direction. Even the clearly small part of the Divinity's true power struggled but against Jor, who freely ate and devoured the roots of the World Tree, it lost ground.

A final stunned and confused cry, not matching any of the previous detachment and confidence, spelled a temporary end.

”Sacrilege...” The voice vanished into the maw of the Serpent.

The Divine barrier flickered out of existence. Rainer immediately Void-walked to Aurora, his Serpent flying behind him and keeping a wary slitted eye on on her. Its eyes far less translucent than before were entirely black with the exception of a violet line in the center.

”So I did get your eyebrows,” he remarked amidst a groan as his organs healed with [Arcane Invigoration].

The Abyssal Elf only sneered at him as she removed her cuffs, having already damaged one of them earlier it was only a simple matter to use [Void Call] to remove the rest. Though, under the restraints, it cost her a large portion of her Void Will.

The moment she left the Divine Barrier, she received a message of the Bounty being no more. But it did not lessen the indignation of being thrown around as a sack of garbage. She did not even register that she was saved by him.

Rainer turned around seeing this, though he kept a close watch through [Void Detection]. Despite her currently all but empty pool of Void Will, he didn't completely let down his guard.

Just as he was about to walk back to his party, he felt a tiny presence of Void try and attach itself to his Soul. Something he could have never felt without his recent advancements.

A small surge of [Arcane Rage] and [Soul Manipulation] later, the connection snapped and a surprised gasp rang out behind him. Still under his skill's effect, Rainer moved with supernatural speed, and landed a boot into her stomach, sending her flying several feet as she landed harshly in the sand.

”No wonder you got captured…” He gave a final remark as the Abyssal Elf herself Void-traveled away, a cough echoing out from her along with a pained gasp.

Rainer also vanished, returning to his party just as those, the other Void Lords who stalled the priests, made their way to the scene of the battle.

Rainer returned to the now relieved members of his party.

Kara went up to give him a welcome back kiss only to pause as she saw a small slightly angled horizontal scar under his right eye.

”Rainer...what happened?” She asked confused, running a finger along the mark.

Rainer's own hand replaced her, and a single use of [Soul Detection] told him what he already suspected. He glanced at the recently gained skills, altered title, and experience in the meantime.

[Skill Gained: General Magic Blade Mastery lvl 1/10]

[Skill Gained: Arcane Blade Mastery lvl 1/10]

[Title already held: One who Defies Divinity. 5% Bonus Experience gained added to title.]

[Experience Gained: 0.01%, 4.3%]

”A bit of a complication. Otherwise, it went well. I'll tell you about it later, I'm just kind of hoping we can get some sort of Guest Quarters at that nearest village,” He joked. He wouldn't even mind some straw after so long in a boat meant for its trips to be measured in feet not miles.

Kara nodded, guessing already what was involved whenever Rainer had a bit of a complication.

Sarah looked at them strangely at the heavy mood brought from just one scar. Wasn't his whole body just covered in them just a week ago?

With the distance not particularly far, they decided to walk. No reason to surprise anyone by flying in. Lilia, however, took Rainer's shoulders. He misted out Arcane-Ice as usual, the night was cooler but for the mostly normal Lilla, the heat still affected her far more strongly.

This, of course, resulted in complaints from Sarah, until Kara agreed to give her a ride on her shoulders and abruptly grabbed her up there.

”Wow, your hair is really soft,” Sarah remarked, now happily resting her arms on Kara's head.

Kara's attempt at embarrassing a Nvos by carrying them failed for a second time, now with the younger version.

They came upon a larger than expected village for the area, the entire place surrounded by a tall wooden wall.

”Halt,” A guard called out, ”What the hell are you do-” The younger guard started talking only to receive a slap on the back of his head from an older one, not even in uniform apart from his wooden spear tipped in metal.

”Pardon Hunter,” the man said, fully detecting the Aura of the group and recognizing by gleam more than a few enchanted items, ”Would you like me to guide you to the Hunter's Guild Inn in town?”

Rainer raised a surprised eyebrow, before realizing that perhaps this village was less of a fishing one as he originally assumed, but perhaps a way station for monster hunters wishing to explore the island? Or maybe there was once a well-visited Dungeon that warranted the building of a Hunter's Guild. He certainly didn't see anyone that would be a Hunter apart from a few with a small amount of Aura and single strong presence.

”We'd like to meet with the head of the Village,” Rainer responded mixing a bit of Arcane in his voice.

With the added Charisma and sheer power in the words, the older guard decided it best to simply agree. After all, it wasn't as if they could stop them in any case. And the Chief made his larger house pretty obvious to find.

A few quiet minutes later, walking through the small town that was, in fact, a fishing village by appearance, they were at the largest house, a bit of a ways up in the center of the village. Noticing how very far the World Tree still was, Rainer wondered if there was a larger port further south, and closer to the tree.

He noticed right away that neither guard was human. Both had small ears on top of their heads rather than next to them. Rainer ventured them to be from a Tiger, given the result of the [Appraisal]. The young guard had hair mixed with both orange and black, while the older one was a simple black, including his ears and tail.

”Sav, Sav!” The older man yelled as he knocked on the door.

”Come in and take a seat,” the man responded, having already heard them coming and detected both the Aura and Mana. He found himself more than disturbed by why they were here.

Entering the room, Rainer was led to a larger table to sit down.

Coming out of a back room, Sav brought a jar of wine with him, along with several clay cups. He glanced at the strange group in front of him, wondering what Hunters, or whoever they actually were, were doing here in this season. The monsters were far too deep inland as of now to be worth going hunting for. Not that most of the monsters on this island would go within 10 miles of such a powerful party.

”And how can I help ya, Magus?” Sav wasn't too worried about the man in front of him. The Mage Guilds had a tentative peace at the moment with the Dragon Isles. And few would be stupid to act with abandon in lands that weren't completely welcoming to their kind. The enchanted items and far too pretty face made him think this Magus to be a Guild-raised one.

Rogue mages may flock here to get away from either the South or the North, but just as they hid here so too did bounty hunters pursue them. There were, of course, some Rogue mages who were running from Mage Guilds for reasons other than crime, but gold was a universal motivator.

A bounty was a bounty and old scars of war had healed slowly for those who experienced the wide ranging might of magic.

”Just passing by, I was hoping for some information on the nearest port town,” Rainer said as he appraised the older man, looking to be in his 70s but still quite fit. His hair was entirely gray, matching his ears.

[Tigerkin, Male, Spear Hunter lvl 25]

[Title: Spear Wielder]

Sav raised an eyebrow, not understanding how they even got here then.

”We ran into a... magical storm. It destroyed our ship, but I managed to fly us quite a bit and ended up here. Frankly, we'd like a place to sleep as well.”

Sav gave a gruff laugh before responding without even thinking, ”What kind of moron runs into a Ship Killer?” But when he saw the face of the person across from him his face went white. Before he could even try to stumble out an apology and devolve to begging the grossly powerful group of people not to kill him, he was met with laughter instead.

Rainer sank down into the chair, while Kara covered her mouth as she laughed. He didn't even have it in him to pretend to be some Lord Magus who got offended. Not that he would have for no benefit in the first place.

”This moron right here,” Kara said with mirth as she placed her hand on Rainer's head, only for him to playfully swat it away.

”Are they that easy to avoid?” Rainer asked, now feeling the loss of his ship. With all that time spent in [Sleep Learning] sending Mana through and exploring every single part down to the very grain of the wood, he doubted he knew an object better.

”I'll get you a map,” Sav responded, deciding to temporarily leave the room before the powerful mage in front of him changed his mind and chose to be offended. He didn't even question how he ending up reaching here not knowing of to avoid such easily avoidable magical storms. What mages did in their free time was beyond him.

Rainer glanced around the room in the meantime, noticing a spear of a far higher quality than anything else sticking out. He rubbed his scar for a moment, an unpleasant reminder that he wasn't as resistant as he thought, and went to study the weapon down to every inch with [Arcane Revelation].

A simple strengthening enchantment for the likely soon to be Trial taker, wouldn't be a bad deal for services rendered.

Within a circular room, a meeting between two Guildmasters of Mages went on.

The Tideborne Guildmaster hid his annoyance as Yarik continued to speak about taking action against the Foreign Enemy Magus.

He didn't necessarily disagree, but rather couldn't stand the oddly mustache-less Skyborne Guildmaster putting up the act of a grieving son. But one thing he did enjoy, was the subtle shift in what was once a Skyborne dominated alliance between Guilds. It was never overt. But often times Maverick was forced to make concessions to the Skyborne when it came to any deals.

Group Spells were powerful, but any long-sensor could notice them and they could be prepared for accordingly with one's own strength. No Mage Guild nor country lasted long without a proper defense against Group Spells. Or at least a way to limit the damage.

Yet what truly gave the Skyborne the edge beside the enchanting legacy they inherited from the once widespread Northern Empire, was their now former protector, Yazir.

The man's Cursed Lightning was widely known and viewed as mostly incurable, especially after a past war with the Dragon Isles and much of the North. And he himself was a formidable combatant beyond that. Frankly put, Maverick couldn't help but hold a bit of fear towards the people that managed to kill the old monster.

The long brown-haired Maverick raised a hand to stop Yarik from speaking.

”The Dungeon meet is too close to risk action of such a level. I apologize Yarik, but the chance to reach the third tier and whatever other rewards, such a tier 2 level 25 dungeon could offer, take precedence,” Maverick himself had a level 24 tier 2 class, along with a level 18 tier 2 class.