Defiance of the Fall

A welcoming wave of Death filled every pore of Zac's body, and he took a deep breath of contentment. Only now did Zac realize he had actually never really felt the Dao of Death in this calm and natural state. Twilight Harbor and its trial Realm, Earth, and Ensolus all had Life mixed in with death. Even the Death-attuned world disks in Twilight Harbor or the Deatly region in the Orom World had felt like pockets of sanctuary assaulted from every direction.

That wasn't the case here. It was as though the laws of the universe had been inverted, where Death was the natural order. There wasn't a hint of conflict or instability in the air. The Miasma was tranquil as it permeated everything. Zac felt like he'd come home, but his companion didn't seem to share the sentiment.

"Heugh—"

Zac wryly smiled as he took out a couple of Divine Talismans and put them on the little Sky Gnome who had appeared on the teleporter next to him. They formed a protective bubble, rebuffing the surrounding death, and Zac placed a Divine Crystal in Calrin's hand to bolster the effect. Normally, the Sky Gnome could care for himself, but the shock had paralyzed him.

"Wha—Liar! Where have you taken me?" Calrin wheezed when he finally came to.

"Welcome to Kavista," Zac said as he moved the merchant away from the teleporter.

Calrin looked like he was about to have an aneurysm, and Zac couldn't blame him. Zac had to admit it was a bit of a low blow bringing the merchant to the Kavriel Province, but he was the best suited for the job. First, he enjoyed some special protections through the Mercantile System, though his status had become a bit muddied since Zac became the majority shareholder of the Thayer Consortia.

Also, the Sky Gnome had, by far, the best understanding of the Atwood Empire's coffers and Zecia's market. Calrin knew what Port Atwood needed and what everything should cost. The only alternative was Vikram, but Zac wasn't sure he'd be able to withstand the environment. He also wasn't nearly as shameless.

So he'd visited Calrin on his way back from the Eighth Battlefield, saying that a huge opportunity had presented itself. Only at the last second had he swapped out his living body with his Draugr one, and the two had been teleported away before Calrin had the chance to realize he'd been misled.

"I never lied. I did take you to a C-grade continent to see if you could secure some resources and sell some of our stockpiles," Zac coughed, quietly adding when he sensed four people closing in. "Hold that thought."

Zac turned to the Revenant guards, all of them Hegemons, who appeared unsure how to act. One of the arrivals was a Dreamer, someone who absolutely shouldn't appear in Kavista, of all places. Normally, they'd just kill or capture him, but his companion was an esteemed Pureblood Draugr radiating an aura far surpassing theirs.

Ultimately, they opted to bow and wait for further instructions.

"I am Arcaz Umbri'Zi," Zac said. "I am here to see Tavza An'Azol and Kator White Sky. I am expected."

"U-Umbri'Zi?" the leader stuttered before bowing again, this time even deeper.

"Lunacy… This is lunacy," Calrin cried to the side.

"Don't be like that," Zac said. "See this as the opportunity it is. The Kavriel Province is slowly moving away from its isolationist policy with this war, yet they still lack real connections with the upper factions. Meanwhile, I hear that the Mercantile System has mostly been sealed off like everything else, cutting the Kavriel Province off from the empire heartlands.

"Our goal has always been to turn the Atwood Empire into a major trading hub and the link between the Living and Dead of Zecia. This is our chance to take the first step in that direction while getting our hands on things we desperately need. Just imagine the profits if our consortia can pull this off. Even the earnings from my Cosmic Vessels will pale in comparison."

"That's… Huh," Calrin said, his saucer-wide eyes gaining a calculative and greedy gleam. "Maybe—"

The Sky Gnome got no chance to finish his thoughts before a series of immense auras descended, drowning the whole region. Zac snorted upon noting the Teleportation Array had dimmed down. He moved closer to Calrin, who was suddenly wrapped in dozens of protective spheres. The two stepped out of the small chamber, finding themselves in a secluded square surrounded by towering black walls.

Zac had hoped to get a glimpse of what the capital of a C-grade continent looked like, but the sprawling city that no doubt surrounded him was completely cut off by the fortifications. They reached over one hundred meters in the air, and huge turquoise sigils hung above. The sigils only held the seal of the Kavriel Clan, but just glancing at glowing runes filled Zac with alarm. They looked ornamental, but the things clearly contained deadly force.

Above the walls was only an open sky. The Kavriel Province was covered in the same aquamarine sky that Earth almost had ended up with, though it was much deeper. No vessels were flying about, which made sense considering this likely was a highly restricted area. There were, however, a few floating constructs in the sky, and they messed with Zac's perspective.

Zac could tell at least of them was a planet-sized War Fortress similar to the ones built in the Allbright Empire. Yet it was only the size of a small dot while still inside the atmosphere. The sky had to be hundreds of times higher here than back on Earth for something like that to be possible. Then again, what else could you expect from a proper continent whose size was so great Zac could barely compute it?

There was no more time to inspect the surroundings before a familiar figure stepped out of the air, prompting the guards to fall to their knees inside the teleportation room.

"Son of E—ahem, young man, welcome home," Laz Tem'Zul said, his face rife with emotion. He almost looked at Zac like he were a long-lost son. "We have eagerly anticipated your return."

Zac bowed at the Draugr guardian he met during his negotiations with Catheya. The puppet he used back then had conveyed the immense power of the Monarch, but it was nothing compared to feeling it in person. His aura was refined to perfection yet perfectly contained. Not only that, but Zac could feel a sense of belonging in Laz's abyssal eyes, something he hadn't felt even when looking into Catheya's.

It was as though Zac had been transported back to his bloodline visions where Eoz swam in the depths of the Abyssal Lake. Laz Tem'Zul might not be of the three upper branches, but his bloodline was undoubtedly incredibly pure. More than that, it had undoubtedly been awakened to a very high degree using the Abyssal Lake.

"Greetings, senior," Zac said. "It feels good stepping onto actual death-attuned soil, but my friend here has some problems adjusting. I'd appreciate it If you could assist with this matter."

Laz glanced at Calrin with passing interest, and a protective sphere appeared around the merchant. Zac could tell it protected him from the Monarch's inherent domain and Kavista's environment in general.

"Thank you, great lord," Calrin sighed.

"For now, let's—" Lez began, but the Monarch shook his head when two people stepped out of thin air.

The most attention-grabbing was the towering Izh'Rak Reaver in the front, whose aura felt like a storm of blood and death compared to the sheathed blade that was Laz Tem'Zul. Zac could tell the Monarch had to be one of the upcoming elites of the White Sky Phalanx and possibly one of the three strongest beings currently in the Zecia sector. It was Brigadier Toss, the Dao Guardian to the Reaver next to him.

When they left for the Perennial Vastness, there had only been four Izh'Rak Reavers in the Zecia Sector, though the Undead Empire was trying various methods to increase that number. Yet there was no mistaking the reaver next to Brigadier Toss for anyone but Kator White Sky, the Warchild of the White Sky Phalanx.

Izh'Rak Reavers were one of the most warlike species in the multiverse, evidenced by their whole society being organized through a military hierarchy. And it was clear this chosen hadn't grown up inside some protective environment. The whole square dimmed as immense pressure weighed down on Zac's shoulder. However, Zac noted it wasn't a skill or a Dao, at least not in the conventional sense.

It was Killing Intent, refined and transformed into something resembling a mix of an Illusion and Restrictive Array. It was just like the techniques Commander Kaldor had used during their duel in the Orom World, though not quite as refined. Of course, while Kator didn't have the skill of the Divine Monarch, he wasn't restricted by anything. Zac could feel how the madness of war tried to drag him into a delirious state, and it was lucky that Calrin was shielded from the onslaught.

The crushing pressure wasn't passively released by the reaver; this was intentional. A test, and a challenge. Showing who's boss right out the gate.

Zac wasn't sure why the reaver had adopted such a strong stance, but he knew it wasn't just the combative nature of the reavers that made Kator act out. Catheya hadn't been able to share much about the chosen, but Zac had managed to piece together a few things. He carried himself forthright and openly, but a ruthless warrior and commander hid behind that facade.

It was worth remembering that Kator was different from Tavza. She had been born into her role, carrying the bloodline of Azol. And while Kator was a direct descendant of one of the top generals of the White Sky Phalanx, he still had fought with the elites of multiple generations for his current role. Nepotism was considered a weakness; only individual power and contribution mattered in their society. And it was generally those with both brains and brawn who managed to fight their way to the top.

Unfortunately for Kator, he had picked the wrong method to push Zac down a peg. His Void Self kept him ensconced in a world of nothingness, distanced from the madness around him. And while the pressure was enough to force the guards behind him to a prone position as they gasped for air, it wasn't enough to make Zac bend. If anything, it had triggered the bloodlines in his body, where the Adamance and Conviction of Eoz not only resisted but rebuffed the pressure.

"Is that it?" Zac asked, his voice cutting through the madness as he released restraints on his brutal nature.

The ground shook as a torrent of murderous intent roiled out of his body like dense waves of bloody mist. It was nowhere near as controlled or refined as Kator's, but it was boundless and unstoppable, like a storm rolling down a mountain slope. The crude display was fueled by decades of slaughter and living on the edge of life and death. The true edge, where you lacked any support system as you repeatedly put your life on the line. Where you never knew if you'd see tomorrow's sunrise.

It was clear that Kator had ample experience in war and killing, but his Killing Intent lacked that vicious ruthlessness that Zac's experiences had forced upon him. As such, the murderous waves of Zac's domain ripped into the Intent Array, slowly consuming it.

"Not bad!" Kator laughed, seemingly exhilarated rather than embarrassed by the display. "I was starting to wonder if your kin lacked any true warriors. You might be worth dueling, after all."

Zac was about to answer, but a sigh echoed through the square as Zac found his Killing Intent dispersed.

"Is this the best use of our time?"

The calm voice was followed by two more figures appearing on the square. The first of the two was another Draugr who also had the aura of a tempered warrior. She felt vaguely familiar, even if they'd never met. She reminded him of Catheya, even if their appearances were completely different. Zac had a decent idea who this was; Enis Umbri'Zi, the Monarch who had originally been tasked with bringing him into the fold before the Left Imperial Palace derailed everything.

"Mistress Umbri'Zi," Zac said with another bow. "I'm sorry for that embarrassing display."

"You had us worried for a while," Enis commented with a neutral voice, though Zac noted her mouth curving slightly upward in satisfaction. "Little Catheya has told me so much about you it almost feels like we know each other. I pray she's helpful during your time off-world."

"Yes, she's been a huge asset. It was thanks to her I—" Zac began, but his voice trailed off as he glanced at the other newcomer. "Pavina?"

The half-orc Revenant's aura was completely different now that the Orom's Prison seal no longer bound her, but she looked the same. Zac had long since learned how the Umbri'Zi Matriarch had freed the captive undead, but he still hadn't expected to see his old mentor here on the frontier.

Of course, seeing how she had placed herself behind Toss, Zac had a decent idea of what was going on.

"Long time no see, kid," the Revenant Monarch smiled. "You're looking good. Your strength has increased by leaps and bounds since we last met."

"Pavina joined our mission because of her fate with you," the leading reaver rumbled, his voice feeling like bones grinding against steel. "I apologize for Kator's display. But judging by your aura, I suspect you fully understand the fundamental law of the universe. That strength is the greatest truth. That it is order and providence."

"Of course," Zac said, keeping his thoughts to himself.

"It is good that you are here; we have some matters to discuss," Toss continued.

"That's why I came over," Zac nodded.

The air twisted as the reaver pointed at Zac, but Laz was even faster. The Draugr appeared next to Zac, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"The meeting room is quite far. Let me escort you," Laz said, and the surroundings distorted before Zac had a chance to respond.

The next moment, Zac found himself standing inside an opulent room. However, it didn't look like a place where you'd hold a meeting, even if it could certainly house over a hundred people. Instead, it was a sprawling living room overlooking a private garden filled with D-grade flowers. In front of him was a simple table with two chairs, one of which was occupied by a young Draugr woman.

Tavza An'Azol.

Zac wasn't too surprised he'd been taken to Tavza before the meeting, and he curiously looked at the leader of the Draugr delegation. As expected, she was a stunning beauty, her features elevated by extreme affinity to the Dao. However, she perfectly matched Catheya's descriptions; rather than cold, her face felt distant and unfeeling as she inspected Zac. If there had been challenge in Kator's demeanor, there was simply nothing to be gleaned from Tavza.

Even then, Zac felt more connected to the woman before him than he did Laz'Tem Zul. He could feel the echo of Azol, the originator of her branch, in her aura. The sense of familiarity momentarily dragged Zac back to the time when the children of the Abyssal Lake first stepped onto those ancient shores. Realities converged, and the line between Zac and Eoz blurred. He was looking into Tavza's eyes, but at the same time looking up at that primordial sky, with Mez and Azol standing by his side. Imparting his mark on the great tapestry.New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on No(ᴠ)ᴇlFire.nᴇt

The feeling passed as quickly as it came, but it left Zac off-balance. Actually, it looked like he wasn't the only one, as Tavza's face had shifted subtly as she blinked a few times. The situation led to an awkward silence, but the Dao Guardian quickly came to the rescue.

"My apologies; I thought it proper the two of you met while the others convened," Laz Tem'Zul smiled. "You handled yourself well. The Reavers wouldn't have accepted you if you backed down."

"My companion?" Zac asked, shaking his head to clear the lingering impression.

"I've instructed a follower to prepare a room and an isolation array where he can rest while we sort out some things," the Monarch said.

Zac nodded in thanks before turning back to Tavza. The woman's unerring stare left Zac unsettled, and he soon found himself forced to break the silence.

"Well?"

"How is Catheya Sharva'Zi?" Tavza asked.

"She... She's good. Won't be returning for a while, though," Zac said, surprised that was her first question.

Tavza nodded, giving no indication of what she thought of the news.

"I thought it unlikely you'd accept our invitation, especially so quickly," Tavza said. "It seems quite out of character for you."

"Well, things change," Zac said. "Is the Abyssal Pond real? Or was it bait?"

"Both," Tavza said. "A pond has been conjured and connected. However, we didn't expect to activate it so soon. It will take a week for it to fully awaken. I suggest you should finish your transition before submerging yourself. We will provide the materials to expedite the process."

"Thank you," Zac slowly said, looking on with confusion as Tavza turned her gaze to the private garden.

He didn't know what to make of Tavza's demeanor. He'd spent the last couple of hours perfecting his excuses while Vilari and Joanna helped formulate a plan. He had teleported the moment the global ladder finished its daily reset, partly to use it as cover and partly to set things in motion before the delegates from the Undead Empire could adapt to the revelations.

He'd expected to immediately be hounded for answers, but Tavza barely seemed to care. He honestly preferred Kator's overbearing greeting to this inscrutable reception. There was some good news, at least. The Abyssal Pond was real, and he hadn't been cut down or thrown into a cell. Of course, Zac knew that didn't matter much, with multiple Monarchs tracking his every move.

Whether he walked out of this in one piece would depend on the next hour.