Chapter 770 (2/2)

My imprisonment… Shal understood. More than I realized, it reminded him of things he would rather forget… Randidly thought. His gaze was solemn as he followed the hunched and twisted Phantom as it slashed with its strange claw again.

All the while, Shal’s spear slid forward.

BOOOOOOOM.

It took several seconds for Randidly to recognize what happened. There was dust and debris everywhere, filling the air. Honestly, the first thing that was clear to Randidly was that Shal’s face was warped into a scowl.

“Bah, they fled already,” Shal muttered. A breeze blew through, carrying away with it a large amount of the clouds. What was revealed was the scarred rubble that had once been the Engraving Guild Headquarters, as well as most of the buildings in the surrounding area. “Perhaps they are more intelligent than I suspected.”

“They are associated with the Wights,” Randidly said slowly, his eyes scanning through the broken stone and gold trim. But other than the impressive facade, it was a somewhat disappointing core. “But this was a business, correct. Is it usually so… empty?”

“No,” Shal said grimly. “I myself have come here on several occasions. Hundreds work here. And yet now there is nothing? Perhaps you are correct. Spies among us. But from who?”

Frowning, Randidly turned to Shal. “Shal, what do you know? What is this war? Why have the Masters remained quiet for so long?”

“It-” Shal began, but another voice cut him off.

“It is not his place to say. It is mine. But as I do not know you… I’m afraid you will need to be satisfied with what you can piece together.”

Randidly turned slowly to face the speaker. Standing calmly amongst the debris was a slight woman with her dark hair twisted up into an elaborate braid. The spear at her back was simple, yet Randidly’s eyes easily noticed the high level of refinement of the base metal. Although it wasn’t a complicated thing, that spear would not be weak. There was even a pulsing engraving that spiraled across it. As Randidly watched it, it shifted from one form to another.

His eyes narrowed. Now, now, wasn’t that an interesting ability to have in an engraving?

A split second later, a man appeared behind the woman. He was huge, with bulging arms that strained at the confines of his shirt. His sharp yellow eyes skimmed over the woman, the rubble, Randidly, before finally settling on Shal.

“A good spear,” The man said simply, his blazing eyes speaking volumes more. “A little rough for inside my city, isn’t it?”

Shal simply grunted while he met and held the man’s gaze.

The woman frowned. “Aylwind, let it pass. I’ll owe you a favor in the future. After all, Shal here was just avenging the injustice perpetrated against his… student. Isn’t that right?”

“Bah, of course. Besides, if Aegiant knew the boy was here… heh, it would infuriate him. Just for that, I’m willing to let him live… although he is…” Aylwind, who Randidly realized with a start was probably Aylwind Sky, focused his gaze on Randidly. “...strong. Hum. Boy, if you survive this, I will take you on as an honorary disciple.”

“Unnecessary,” Shal growled.

Aylwind shrugged, a sly smile on his face. “What comes is a cataclysm; I will survive without a doubt, but will you? Keep it in mind.”

Then Aylwind disappeared, leaving a sizzling pool of melted rock in his wake. Sighing, the woman shook her head and then gave Shal a pointed look. Shal’s expression tightened.

Then the woman turned to Randidly with a warm smile. “Well met, Mr. Ghosthound. I’m Ophelia Vade, Leader of the Heart School. I must say, I would love to hear your story again, in person. It was so hard to hear the first time I listened in.”