Chapter 408 The Masters Bloodline (2/2)
���One of them is,” the Archon replied ”Come, follow me”
He walked to the other side of the cha to a halt before a white marble statue in the shape of a tall man with a severe expression
”This,” Roshan said, pointing to the statue, ”is the Master A the Gods, there are feho can ainst the Blight, their foul ics never so ainst them with a mere wave of his hand”
At this, Arran's eyes ide ”He was a e?”
In an instant, the Archon's eyes filled with fury, and he burst out, ”Do not utter such blasphenorance,” Arran said hurriedly, silently cursing hi so careless Of course an Archon would not respond well to hearing one of his Gods called a e
It took the Archon's expression a moment to calh, oddly, it almost seemed like he was more annoyed with hi it
”I forget that you are an outsider,” Roshan said, speaking in a tone that was too friendly by half ”You do not yet fully understand our custoain ”I know little of ht hi a repeat of his earlier reat,” Roshan said, quickly cutting Arran off before he could utter any further blasphereat as the Master's So complete is his control of this world that he can direct even unnatural energies that taint it”
”And his bloodline grants a sih his heart raced If a bloodline could increase his control over ic of others — then its value would be beyond anything he had iined
”A sliver of it,” the Archon said ”But even that is a gift beyond cole bloodline is the reason we have resisted the Blight for so long — the reason that the strongest aic of our ene slowly ”A great gift indeed But how is that related to the dagger?”
”Magical attacks carry treh the Master's bloodline allows one to redirect a part of that power, that is of little use if one cannot get rid of it — the force will merely wreak havoc within one's body until it is completely spent”
”Is there a way to solve that probleh by now, he already knehat the ansould be
”There is,” the Archon said ”There are weapons — Shadowblades, they are called — that can absorb ies One who possesses both the Master's bloodline and a Shadowblade can channel part of the power ofit possible to survive attacks that would otherwise be certain to kill”
Arran paled slightly, though out of concern rather than surprise If what the Archon said was true — and he had little doubt that it was — then the Shadowflaht of the Imperium ever turned eastward
He had uncovered another of the I he could have iined
Now, he understood how Lady Meree of the borderlands so easily — how she had withstood the violent unbound Essence that raged there with no apparent effort whatsoever
And if that was a power shared by all the Ito kill a fish by drowning it
Yet at the saain the Master's bloodline for himself, no matter the cost Even if it would not increase his control over e it would give hinore
”The dagger I possess is a Shadowblade?”
A small smile crossed Roshan's lips as he saw Arran's shocked expression ”So it is,” he said ”And as you can see, the weapon is of little use to you without the bloodline to ain the Master's bloodline?” Arran asked, no longer bothering with subtlety He understood perfectly well that the Archon had deliberately led him to this point
Froain the Master's bloodline And now, the Archon would reveal what it was he wanted in return for the prize he offered
”As you reat as this cannot siiven only to those who are worthy”
”Then how do I provehe was anything but desperate to gain the Master's bloodline No sanesuch a power — and especially not within the Desolation, where it would be invaluable against the Blight
”A good question,” the Archon said, a satisfied smile on his face ”And one to which I have yet to find an answer But perhaps we can reach an understanding Tell me, is it true that Lady Mereed to suppress a groan For all his hopes of avoiding the Imperium's politics, it appeared that he'd already achieved the exact opposite
Yet with the Master's bloodline at stake, there was no choice but to endure
”It is,” he said, forcing a polite smile to his face ”I take it the two of you are already acquainted?”