NOVEL WEB Chapter 266 – Departure
Deep underground, inside the maze of endless tunnels, the remaining enclave of dwarfs reached their destination after long days of constant traveling. It was a second, smaller city in the belly of the Wall of the World, built in complete secrecy, its existence only known by the Sages and their closest subordinates. Thousands of dwarf laborers were brought here and forced to build it up before being killed so they won't leak the secret. While traveling underground, every tunnel they went through was obliterated behind them, ensuring they wouldn't be followed. The dwarfs' numbers were just a fragment from before, only a few thousand, but these people were the most elite scientists and their loyal subordinates.
The city itself was built with precision, looking like it was designed by someone with a deep compulsion to make everything symmetric. Every road and building was angled and mirrored perfectly, missing any randomness. Luckily, it was equipped with everything they would need, able to house millions of their own if required. Since the fall of their old Kingdom to the ents, their leaders always made sure there was a 'Plan B.' After the first Sage, Otto's rise, he proposed building a second city that could be their shelter if something terrible happened; they wouldn't need to start over from scratch.
"Now, it is going to take less than a thousand years to get back to our feet!" Marian looked around, watching their people starting to occupy their new homes.
"Make it into a few hundred years instead!" Luca answered with a fired up, uplifted voice, same with Otto as neither of them bothered with the thought of a million dwarfs left behind, abandoned, maybe even massacred by now.
"Sadly, I had to sacrifice two Dreadnoughts, but I can perfect its design with the one that remains. Then we just need to hunt down a new fuel source." he crossed his arms, watching golems after golems also arriving, bringing their most essential projects along. "But it also provided a lot of new data; I can develop another version that can be piloted remotely; we could call it a 'drone.'
"Good thinking; I was also about to bring that up!" Marian nodded. "It would be even safer! Now that we know there are big differences between these 'demigods!' We can't risk our lives like before! That was too dangerous and reckless!"
"Yes!" Luca agreed, "We also need to eliminate the suits and golems' weaknesses to lighting! That was a big mistake!"
"Which of us would imagine there are beings who are capable of controlling lightning to enter into the machines? To find our armors' weak points and slip inside?" Otto snorted. "The second time, we will make sure the surface burns!"
As he said that, the new city of theirs started to suddenly darken. The shining, blue crystals that were lighting up the place simply dimmed, and before long, the whole colossal cavern was cast into the blackness, just like when night comes to the surface.
"I don't think you get the big picture." Kaizer's voice echoed from everywhere at the same time. No matter how they looked and searched, be it golems or the dwarfs in their power armors, not even their mechanical senses could see anything but the descending void engulfing everything.
"Who?!" Otto shouted, but his only reply was an eerie laugh.
"Darkness itself~" Kaizer whispered into everyone's ears, feeling great and excited, as he always liked to show off like this to his enemies. Throughout his life, he was constantly reprimanded by Athos, calling him 'drama queen' every time he caught Kaizer doing something like this. But to put it simply… This was such a satisfying feeling to do; he couldn't stop himself! By the time the unnatural blackness receded, only the golems had remained in the untouched city, standing next to empty armors as all the living dwarfs were simply gone in a minute.
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On the surface, days later, Ren listened to Allfather while the immortals were standing behind her calmly, like bodyguards.
"Don't mind them, please…." Ren sighed, urging Allfather to continue as the ent leader always stopped what he was saying when one of the siblings moved a little. Their natural aura was terrifying for even the demigod of the ents.
"For now, most of the dwarfs have been confined to their city. A mix of your people and a mix of demons are keeping constant watch over them. We have dismantled around 80% of their golems and weapons by now; we should finish with it by the end of the week." Allfather said.
"I see. So you have come to a decision?" Ren asked as the demons and ents debated what to do with them in the past days. They had sat down multiple times, always arriving at an impasse. Some ents wanted them exterminated, and some demons agreed with them. But the other side saw it differently, saying this was all the 'trees' fault to begin with. It was grueling mental work to finally reach an agreement acceptable to all leading parties of the forest.
"Mostly." Allfather nodded after a brief pause. "Their leaders will be executed, alongside their so-called 'top researchers.' The sins soaking their hands are too much. They are too cruel! With the help of Ariana and the one called Orsi, their interrogation revealed everything they did. Even for a human, that was… simply too much!" Allfather said, still feeling angry remembering how they described their experiments.
"I can't and won't argue with that!" Ren agreed. "And the rest?"
"We are going to heavily guard and supervise them. We are about to set up a conclave from our side to act as their leaders underground. We will see how they adapt and how it will turn out."
"That is going to be… troublesome." Ren sighed, leaning backward.
"It is true. But I'll stay here and oversee everything! I am going to root myself down and drill right above their city. If they rebel and continue to threaten the surface, I will finish what I started thousands of years ago!" He explained with a staunch expression, voice, and posture, "But if they can change, we can coexist peacefully. What happened can't be changed, but what will happen can be!"
Ren only nodded with a small smile, and after Allfather left, Ophila tilted her head with an interested look. "Fascinating life form! At our side, there are so few demons left!"
"I heard about something like that." Ren looked at them, "What happened?"
"War." Kaizer explained calmly, "We were still not Immortals yet when it happened. The sentient, new races waged war against humans but lost. Since then, they were put down anytime they appeared. They were simply too inexperienced to survive for long."
"Not to mention the Gods." Invictus added, "They swayed many people with 'miracles' and decreed to do it! It was a holy war to gain as many followers as quickly as possible."
"I think it was mostly Alfina and Oynega who facilitated it." Ophila scratched her chin. "Surprisingly, Skoorn's followers were not the biggest group, massacring others for once!"
"When we stepped forward and started our own sects," Kaizer continued, "We gave shelter to the surviving demons. Any demon you see in that part of the world is a part of one of our sects!"
"My guess is, if a lot of demons learn about this forest, they will travel here, no matter the distance or dangers, crossing either the desert or the treacherous mountain ranges," Invictus commented. "I am 100% sure this would be their promised land of legends!"
"Are there a lot of demigods amongst them?" Ren asked as she furrowed her brows.
"A handful of, yes," Ophila replied.
"Then, for now, don't spread it… not until we have more in our ranks! The peace we achieved here is still too fragile! I don't want to risk it, and I would hate to see myself returning and dealing with power-hungry outsiders!"
"Understood!" the three siblings answered at the same time.
"Master!" Ariana's voice came as she hurried into the tent. "Sect Head is back!"
"Oh?" Ren smiled widely. "Then he finally succeeded!"
"Yes!" She nodded with a happy expression. "And he sent a message to call you back as soon as possible!"
"I think I can do that!" Ren stood up, looking back at the Immortals. "There should be no big problems here anymore! Go, fetch Valen and Kyu for me; I'll bring them back too!"
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Coming back to the Sect, before everything else, Ren visited Aerthus with the Immortals in tow, having a meeting with him behind closed doors. What they talked about was never really revealed, but it was the moment it became set into stone, whatever came in the future, the Immortal Wonders Sect and every member of it were staunch followers of the way of the Immortals. It laid the unshakable foundation of making them one of the strongest defenders of the Realm in the far future, alongside their allies, the Lotus Mandala, the Everlasting Flame, and the Midnight's Shadow Sect.
After the hours-long talking, Ren finally returned home to meet with her parents after being away for so long. They never brought it up, acting like she never even went away, returning to simpler days when they lived as one family in the Capital of the Empire. Ren did not break up the idyllic picture for a few days, only introducing the siblings to her family later. Of course, the moment Invictus met with Xendar, it was like the two were long-lost brothers, going out drinking, something that Xendar did not do in a long, long time! Ophila mostly hung around Anya, wanting to learn everything about Ren's childhood, hoping to know more than Ren decided to tell them. Kaizer, in the meantime, happily took over Ariana, Kyu, and Valen, starting to teach them, enjoying the attention and the fact he could pose as a grand tutor for his own Master's disciples and her own brother!
The parents, finding it weird that three almost mythical beings were this open with them, were calmed down when they learned from Ren that she would travel with the 'guests,' acting as the Sect's first ambassador, visiting the other side of the Western Desert. Now it was somewhat making sense that they wanted to build a good rapport with them if Ren would serve as the bond that ties west and east together. Hearing that Ren was about to leave and going farther away than ever before prompted her disciples and friends to come and visit her, one after another.
Surprisingly, the first to arrive was Kitten, Sentios, Seya, Rabout, Keina, and Veponia, with 01 and 02 in tow. Seya had to be calmed down, saying that she was going to do just fine, especially because she was already handling things exceptionally in the Kingdom. Rabout was about to suggest he wanted to come along but was quickly shut down by Keina and Sentios, forcing him to stay, as they needed his knowledge here. The most torn were 01 and 02. Ren simply laughed, seeing their faces, 'ordering' them to stay with Veponia, as she said, "It is not like I am going away forever! Blockheads!"
It was a line she had to repeat multiple times as soon as some of the leaders of Thunder Valley, namely Kang, Olup, and Pongo, had also arrived. Only a few days later, Emi and Poli, followed by Zern and Isha, came back too, rushing here from the dwarfs' territory after hearing the news. Even Eisen and Sezel returned, the former accompanied by Kago as he was worried she would give birth on the road, traveling like this. Hearing Ren was about to go away, they did not know when they would see her again, so none of them wanted to miss saying goodbye. When all of Ren's current disciples flocked back to the Sect, she held a dinner for all of them, including Toobu, Wyland, their partners, and of course, Lulu and Yanda. She couldn't help but feel the warmth inside and smile happily, seeing their faces, looking at them like part of her family while they had a long, relaxing time together that day.
When the news spread in the Sect that Immortals had arrived and they were raising a new building called the 'Gateway,' everyone became excited, only able to talk about that. It meant that there would be a way to transport people back and forth with the other side of the world! Of course, they were told this building would take years or even decades to finish and only used by the approval and order of the Grand Elders. Still… the opportunity to travel into a completely new 'world' was the epitome of excitement for the disciples of the Sect. In reality, the formation was already ready and working by the time it was announced.
Before departing with the siblings, bringing along Ariana and Kyu, Ren took an entire month for herself, doing nothing but spending time with her parents, little brother, and disciples. She was visiting the Capital, meeting with Feynor, and saying her goodbyes. For now. Sometimes she just walked around the land alone, remembering everything that happened in her current life since reincarnating.
When the day came, Ariana and Kyu were already standing with the three Immortal siblings, excited, watching the formation come to life and a giant, mirror-like gate slowly rose from the ground. The others who were present were Levictus, who operated the formation, Xendar, Anya, Aerthus, and Dermitos.
"It should teleport you into the Fields of Flowers, Master," Levictus said, looking at Ophila, who just nodded as it was a property of her Sect.
"When we arrive, I'll get to build the anchor in our Sect." Ophila replied to her disciple, "Then we can have a true, stable connection!"
"We will do it too!" her brothers added, "Then we can come and go anytime we want!" Invictus laughed.
"Be careful, okay?" Anya whispered, stepping forward and hugging her daughter as Ren smiled, peacefully enjoying her embrace.
"I'm off…." She whispered after she let her go, receiving a proud nod from her father. Stepping before the Gateway, she gently turned, looking around everyone as she just chuckled, waving at them before being the first to step into the mirror-like gate, disappearing from their views, reappearing in a field of flowers, blooming all year around in all of the colors nature could come up with.
