Chapter 284 Karanos (2/2)
”What kind of enemy?” Arran asked at once
”That, I do not know,” Karanos said ”Though I suspect their eneical in nature — only that can explain their hatred for uards its secrets And that, too, ht into the nature of their true ene another enean, unsatisfied with Karanos's answers, ”ould they invade the borderlands? If they're already at ouldn't starting a second one weaken thee replied ”And the Shadowflame Society stands in the way of their escape” He paused briefly, then continued, ”Unless I'h that Ninth Valley of yours and carve out a dominion on the other side of the ht be safe”
”They want to invade the Empire?” Arran asked, eyes ith shock While he had known the Hunters had plans against the Valley, he had not expected that they would have designs on the Empire itself And even if years had passed since he had left the E invaded still caused hie
”That is what I believe,” Karanos said ”Though it's uess — as I said, little infor I cannot ied, even after half a millenniu about the ith Arran infore of thethe favor by detailing the war's beginnings
To Arran's disappointment, there was little Karanos could tell hi-forgotten battles, but the things he really wished to know — the true nature of the Hunters' society and their supposed enemy — turned out to be as much of a mystery to Karanos as they were to Arran
Finally, during a lull in the conversation, Arran decided to change the subject
He gave Karanos a curious glance, then asked, ”What are you?”
”What ae's white eyes showed no emotion, the rest of his expression betrayed soic you used…” Arran hesitated, then continued ”It's unlike anything I've seen before, like you were using Shadow as a weapon Are you… a Sage?”
”A Sage?” A thoughtful expression crossed Karanos's face, as if it was a question he had never considered before ”I was barely an Arche when Amydon fell, but now…” He paused for soht above his white eyes Then, he shook his head ”I do not believe so”
Arran looked at the e or not?”
Karanos sht believe Five centuries in the dark have greatly i of Shadow, but I feel there is still ht have started on the path toward beco one, but I do not believe I have reached that destination just yet”
The answer did little to satisfy Arran's curiosity, but it seemed Karanos truly did not know the answer He frowned, then asked another question — one that had caused hiiven your strength, why haven't you left this city? You are powerful enough to defend Ae er Ah to defend ainst foes such as your Shadowflame Society? Such power is still far beyondenough to face the Shadowflaht, and you are at least their equal in power”
And even that, he thought, was an understatehtblade and Karanos, he suspected the latter would hold the upper hand Not just because of raer — sohtblade had in abundance — but because Karanos soht completely impossible
And Arran was almost certain that it was, in fact, Shadow Essence that Karanos had used He still had numerous bruises on his body that were left by the man's spells, and the strikes had felt completely different fro hit by Shadowfla hit by Fire Essence, and Arran had little doubt that the saed with other types of Essence Yet Karanos's attacks had contained not even a trace of Fire, Force, Wind, or any other Essence Arran had encountered
”Perhaps you've seen the Society's leaders fight,” Karanos replied, ”but there are others who stand behind theer than them”
He narrowed his white eyes, then added, ”And much the same holds true for the ones you call Hunters You should not believe that what they show the world is their full strength — there are greater powers they keep hidden for desperate times”
The ansas an unwelcoes backing it, he had not known the Hunters had similar backers But then, it made sense — the Hunters would not have driven back the Ninth Valley for centuries if they couldn't h talk of war,” Karanos said ”You are my first visitor in five hundred years, yet already, I tire of the subject” A small smile passed his thin lips, and then, he asked, ”You came here to find the mines, did you not? If you wish, I can show them to you”