Chapitre 220: The suspended city, intermission
Inside a large tilted steel structure that is leaning against a snowy mountain. Flickering lights send waves of illumination through the dim halls. Through cracks and unfinished segments in the walls, snow drifts in as many workers try to mend the openings. Their reflector stripes create an interesting scene of silvery light whenever the lamps flicker back to life before going back out.
Deeper within, in the core of the structure, lies a pool of liquid. A light fog dances above the liquid as the moisture inside the air is condensed into water fine water droplets due to the freezing temperature coming from the liquid.
A red core with countless purple runic patterns engraved into it is suspended above the pool. Every few seconds a weak tremor runs through the core akin to a weak but steady heartbeat.
At the edge of the pool, a lady is sitting with her feet submerged in the liquid. Two large butterfly wings emerge from her back, glowing with a dark purplish light they make her seem like an evil fairy.
The sound of a metal door being opened seems to wake the lady from some sort of trance. Her body tenses up a bit and for a short moment, an expression of pain surfaces on her face.
Her left hand continues to press against the left part of her abdomen where a purple liquid is slowly seeping out between her fingers.
"The jump was successful and we are now in the snowy mountains on the other side of the continent. They shouldn't be able to find us here."
A man speaks in a low voice and steps toward the edge of the pool. His eyes dart to the blood-stained hand the lady is pressing against her abdomen. His face hardens and the eight long spider limbs on his back grow agitated. His eight light blue and round eyes stare at her unblinkingly as his frown grows deeper.
"Settle your agitation, Morn. Being emotional makes you reckless and stupid. While bothersome, this injury isn't capable of threatening my life."
Her calm and soothing voice seems to light up the room. However, the frown on the man's face persists stubbornly.
"Still, for you to be wounded on my watch... I am a disgrace to the hall!"
"I was already in this state when you arrived. You were busy elsewhere and have no part in my accident. We couldn't have known that he would arrive so quickly and have grown strong enough to breach my limit."
"Tch, if you hadn't been forced to defend the city your limit wouldn't have been lowered to that point. In a direct confrontation-"
"He would have still surpassed me even if I were to fight him directly. He only barraged the city with his physical strength. We learned long ago that his emphasis lies more on magic than strength. I should have eliminated him back when I first heard of him through my daughter."
"We could inform the government and the halls about his true nature. Once the other halls know of it they would surely take action."
"Sigh, the government is already skeptical of us and the failed city plan won't help with that. We only became a hall because we offered them many benefits and they still see us as monsters. If we accuse a popular adventurer of being a monster they will begin to antagonize us. Especially because his disguise seems to be able to fool their tests.
"As for the other halls, we aren't on good terms with them so why would they listen if we lack proof. Not to mention the ones who'd perhaps listen wouldn't be his match."
"Regrettable."
"Veritably. But what of the city and the people?"
The man's frown only grows deeper.
"The city is badly damaged. The stampede and the hurried spatial jump damaged the entire structure. Cracks and fissures are everywhere and we don't know how long fixing everything will take.
"Our forces stayed inside the city and remained largely unscathed with no casualties at all. However, the adventurers that were sent to accompany us were hit hard. Most of the weaker ones died and the stronger ones were outside when I initiated the spatial jump."
The lady's brows furrow ever so slightly.
"Then we abandoned them there?"
"We didn't abandon them! We saved the city! They were already outside the dungeon and shouldn't have any trouble escaping by themselves."
"We left them behind in a stampede! With both him and that dumb lizard there we'll be lucky if one or two of them manage to elude death. The government won't be pleased with this development. What of Ruby Kings, did she succeed in killing that lesser wyrm?"
"..."
"Speak!"
"Miss Kings fought the lesser wyrm but couldn't kill it quick enough."
"Quick enough for what?"
"According to the supervisor, the lesser wyrm broke the control panel for the bridge release. Miss Kings tried to quickly kill it and then destroy the bridge. However, after the creature proved difficult to finish off she tricked it and tried to take out the bridge first."
The man pauses in fright as the delicate lady before him begins to exude a scary aura. Frustration is evident on her face now and the former poker face is wholly broken apart.
"Continue."
"The lesser wyrm... It tackled miss Kings when she tried to destroy the bridge. She was pulled along by the lesser wyrmʼs weight and ended up outside the city."
Silence. The ladyʼs fury disappears as if swallowed by an invisible creature. She once again looks calm and collected. However, her voice is icy and laced with a sharp, steely undertone as she speaks.
"That is a... problem. Should Ruby Kings perish we will be at odds with the berserker king and the entire Kings family. Not to mention the trust of all other large families weʼd lose for letting a direct heir die under our watch.
"Contact the hall and have them send a team to find her, discreetly. Have them go under the guise of providing assistance to any survivors but focus on Ruby Kings."
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone