Sofia followed Erredis through the paved roads and stairs of the Obsidian Mountain Sect. Most people looked curious about their identity, but seeing the entry permits around their necks, no one stopped them.
“Are you just walking randomly?” Sofia asked after a while when they were on a path with no one else in the vicinity.
“Not really? The entry point inside the mountain with the most guards is at the top of the mountain, so that felt like a good place to start.”
“We need to get inside?”
“Well, I haven’t located anyone looking like you outside, so she’s probably there. The Dragon’s there too.”
“Then… Can I not just get us inside through the ground?”
“There’s protection, a Dragon lives there, remember? Honestly I’m surprised he’s still not coming out, because there’s no way he doesn’t know I’m coming.”
“Preparing his defenses?” Sofia tried, only getting a laugh out of Erredis.
“As if he could defend! I’m being polite by respecting his home, but nothing he can ever do could stop me from getting in there if I want to. Let’s just keep walking, see if something happens before we reach the entrance.”
When they reached the highest third of the mountain, they were stopped by a single guard, human this time, looking like a young adult in a golden uniform.[Fighter - Lv.300+]
Some guard that is! This guy could rule a kingdom on our continent if he wanted.
“Sorry ladies, only inner disciples of our sect are allowed on the peak.”
“Oh, sorry, we did not know.” Erredis started, “We were told the sect leader wanted to meet us. What should we do?”
“He does? What business do you have with our esteemed leader?”
“Indeed. But are you certain a guard is in the right to know about such matters?
The guard coughed. Then puffing his chest ever so slightly, he answered, “My lady, it is only normal that you wouldn’t know, but I am an elder of this sect, I guard this place to protect those inside. If anything I should not handle showed up, our great sect master would come directly, so there is no need to worry about anything.”
“Alright, girl, tell that man what your second trial ranking is,” Erredis commanded with a faint smile. The guard seemed unimpressed.
Oh, we’re doing this? System-enforced lie protection is nice to have, uh.
“I’m first,” Sofia said like it was nothing.
“Uh?! Boss got dethroned? That doesn’t seem right…” The guard produced a scroll out of a storage ring, unrolled it and activated the magic within. “Can you say that again, please?”
Illusion and lie detection. Erredis explained telepathically.
“I ranked first in the ranking spire. I’m currently still number one.”
“Fuck me sideways, Boss really got overtaken so fast… No wonder the leader would want to meet you then. Well, congratulations on your ranking, can’t believe so many people get past floor 96… Give me a second.” The man searched within the inner pockets of his uniform, fishing out a whistle. There was no sound when he blew into it, but Sofia could see streams of mana leaking out.
Boss?
Three seconds later a red-skinned Orc in a very fancy sect uniform fell from the sky and landed near the road, kicking up some dust. “Is something the matter, Elder Zent?”
[Supporter - Lv.250+]
“Take my post for a while, Curtis; I have guests to handle.”
“It will be my honor, Sect Elder.”
“Thank you. Now, ladies, please follow me.”
Elder Zent, which Sofia found was a hilarious name considering the man looked like he was seventeen, took them all the way to the entrance of a golden pavilion near the peak of the mountain. They did not pass by many people on the way, but everyone in that part of the sect was level 200 at the lowest. Eight guards guarded the estate, three Orcs, two dwarves, two humans and an elf, all also above level 200, two of them even above 250.
Like the elite forces of a country all regrouped on a single mountain. This feels wrong. And there are multiple places like these? Thundercloud Palace or whatever the name was?
Hmm, now that I think about it, the elven capital is pretty much the same thing. Maybe the high-level people just have a tendency to want to live together?
I hope Alith and Ihuarah aren’t worrying too much…
The guards did not stop them, some of them greeting the elder as he went through. The golden wood the pavilion was made of was surprising, but Sofia couldn’t admire it too much, the elder stopped in the middle of a large ritual circle. “Please stand still until the ritual fully activates,” he explained as he powered it up.
Some kind of security check?
The environment around the trio changed from the golden house to a closed room.
Ah, teleportation. I guess we’re inside the mountain now.
Are these doors made of wood and paper? This room reminds me a bit of Old Breeze’s dojo. The real thing is on this continent too, I guess it’s just the popular architecture around here.
Zent slid the doors open, revealing a very long, straight corridor. All the doors look the same. This whole place is lit with lightstone lanterns. That has to be annoying to maintain, these are too small to stay lit for too long before needing a mana refill.
Erredis was also looking around as if the place interested her but Sofia could hear her voice in her head.
He’s not far. Let’s see what he has to say.
Zent led them to a door that looked exactly like every other one, he knocked twice on the wall. “Sect leader, your guests are here.”
A somewhat muted male voice answered from the other side, “Ahah, yes… My guests… Thank you Zent, you can return to your post.”
“My pleasure, Sect leader,” Zent answered, bowing to the door before nodding to Sofia and Erredis, and walking back the way they came.
A long silence followed, during which Sofia could see Erredis’ smile slowly fade away.
“P- Please… Come in…” the uneasy voice called from inside.
The door slowly slid open by itself.
The room seemed to be some kind of alchemical research facility. Everything was clean and white, the tables covered in dried plants and strangely shaped glassware. A ‘human’ with slick black hair and narrow eyes was sitting behind a table covered in papers, Sofia could see his legs shaking wildly despite being planted firmly on the polished floor.
[Artisan - Lv.400+]
“W- Welcome! Oh, venerable guardian. I was… Inconvenienced. And could not come out to welcome you. What owes me the honor of your visit?”
His forced smile pained to hide his discomfort. A bead of sweat rolled down his face as he spoke.
“Guess.” Erredis replied, her voice showing no emotion.
The man’s expression twisted further. Despite his best efforts, he kept stuttering as he answered, “I have no recollection of ever doing something worth the attention of the mighty guardian…”
“Are you sure?” she asked again, in a more playful way this time.
“E- Extremely sure! I have been doing nothing of interest! Nothing at all!”
“Good. Whose son are you? What’s your name?”
The man cleared his throat anxiously, “I am Zephir, son of Vlakirr.”
“No way! Lak has a kid now? She never wanted one before. How old are you?”
“Six forty…”
“Hmm, so young, and you’re already running a place with so many people? Not bad. You can stop shaking, I’m not here for you.”
Zephir seemed to relax a bit, before going right back to his previous state, “Then… Why? Do you need this human to enter my sect?” he tentatively asked, looking at Sofia.
“No, but I’m here because of her. You see, it seems you rescued her sibling on a floating island a few years ago.”
“WHAT?!” the man yelled, standing up so fast he knocked down the table in front of him. He looked at erredis, then at Sofia, then at Erredis again. His expression was still uneasy, “Venerable guardian, I dare not doubt your judgment but… Even Patriarch Avross assured me the sibling was definitely dead… I had to call in favors from my mother…”
“Avross did? Are the years getting to him?” Erredis turned to Sofia to explain, “Avross is one of the oldest of our Kin, his specialties are divination and soul magic. That he couldn’t find you… Are you certain you’re alive, Sofia?”
“I died quite a few times but I can say with high certainty that I am currently still alive, yes…”
“Well, there you have it, kid, she’s alive. Seems Avross was wrong,” Erredis stated with a shrug.
“How… How could he possibly be wrong?”
“Just being old and powerful doesn’t give us infallible truth, I trust my own opinion more, though, and I’m quite sure Sofia here is who she says she is. As for how exactly Avross could have failed… I suspect Godly interference.”
“Godly… She is a Saint…”
“Of Scripture,” Erredis added.
“Scrip-... That doesn’t make sense," he mumbled, visibly confused. "How could such a weak God…”
“The system seems also involved somehow, which could be the reason why, but don’t sweat the details, kid. The end result is the same, we have two separated siblings to reunite, you get me? And you’re lucky to be telling the truth, or I would be beating your scaly ass all the way to the other side of the moon, son of Vlakirr or not.”
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