Chapitre 36: Chapter 36: Bastard!
"Bastard!" shouted Patriarch Kellan of the Shadowfang Clan, his voice reverberating through the hall. He slammed himself into the elegant chair, his face twisted with fury. The finely crafted chair creaked under his weight as he clenched his fists, barely containing his rage. "If that bastard Valen hadn't interfered, we would have had Lyanna by now."
His words hung in the air, laden with venom and frustration. The mere mention of Valen, the leader of the Dawnfire Brotherhood, sent waves of anger crashing over him. Valen's intervention had derailed their plans, and the image of Valen's smug face after rescuing Lyanna only fueled Kellan's rage. His eyes burned with a desire for vengeance, and his mind was already scheming their next move in this relentless conflict.
The First Elder of the clan, a venerable and wise figure with silver hair and a stern expression, stepped forward. "Patriarch, what should we do next? Without the Darkheart, our plans will be severely hindered."
The Darkheart, originally discovered by Darius in the Secret Realm, was a source of immense dark energy. When Darius found it, he was overjoyed, knowing that the artifact could accelerate his cultivation. He believed it might even allow him to surpass his older brother and father in the clan's hierarchy. However, due to his arrogance, Darius couldn't keep the discovery to himself and boasted about it to all the disciples present in the Secret Realm.
This indiscretion reached the ears of Aeliana and Lyric of the Dawnfire Brotherhood. Realizing the catastrophic potential if the Shadowfang Clan grew more powerful, they decided that the Darkheart needed to be kept out of the Shadowfang's hands. Together, they orchestrated an attack on Darius, and through their combined efforts, Aeliana managed to seize the Darkheart.
Infuriated by this turn of events, Darius had no choice but to report the loss of the artifact and tell his father everything. Kellan was stunned upon hearing what the Darkheart could do. If they could retrieve the Darkheart, there was a significant chance that he could break through to the peak of the Mystic Core Realm or even ascend to a higher realm.
Because of this, the Shadowfang Clan had no choice but to confront the Silverleaf Consortium and demand that they hand over the Darkheart or face death. Unfortunately, the Silverleaf Consortium refused to comply, and a fierce battle ensued. The Shadowfang Clan, being more powerful than the Silverleaf Consortium, managed to kill many of their disciples. However, the Shadowfang Clan also suffered considerable losses among their own ranks.
The air had been filled with the sounds of clashing weapons and the cries of the wounded. Blood had stained the ground, and the losses were felt deeply within both factions. Kellan had been elated at the prospect of finally obtaining the Darkheart, believing that it would secure his breakthrough and elevate his clan's power. But in the end, it was all for naught. Their sacrifices had been rendered meaningless because of Valen's timely intervention. Leaving Kellan with nothing but his seething rage and thwarted ambitions.
-----
Kellan, a towering figure at 6'6" with a commanding presence, was in his 40s. His sharp features and piercing eyes conveyed both intelligence and ruthlessness. His dark hair, streaked with gray, framed a face that was weathered by years of battle and leadership.
Before Kellan could respond to the First Elder, the Third Elder suddenly said it with a worried voice.
"Patriarch, what if the Dawnfire Brotherhood attacks us now that we don't have enough strength to stop them?" asked the Third Elder, Jareth. Jareth had a scrawny appearance and a raspy, unpleasant voice that grated on the ears.
Kellan's expression hardened, and he replied with unwavering confidence, "Valen would not dare, even if he had a thousand guts."
The elders exchanged puzzled looks, clearly confused as to why Valen would not dare to attack. One of them finally voiced their curiosity: "Why do you say that, Patriarch?"
Kellan leaned back in his chair and sighed. "You are not aware of this, as only the Patriarchs, Faction Leaders and Sect Leaders know, but there is no harm in you finding out now."
He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts, before continuing. "My eldest son, Lucian, is on the verge of becoming a direct disciple of an Elder from one of the major sects in the City of Aurelia. If he becomes a direct disciple and the Dawnfire Brotherhood dares to attack us, Lucian will have every reason to seek assistance from his Elder."
The elders listened intently, the implications of Kellan's words sinking in. Kellan continued, "However, if the Dawnfire Brotherhood does not attack us, the Elder will have no reason to authorize an assault on them. Their sect's rules forbid initiating attacks without a valid reason. If we provoke an attack without justification, there is a significant chance that our clan will be the one targeted for retribution."
The room fell silent as the elders absorbed this new information. The strategic importance of Lucian's potential position became clear, and they understood the delicate balance that needed to be maintained.
Kellan looked around the hall, his sharp eyes scanning the faces of the elders. "Does anyone know what happened to Darius?" he asked, his voice carrying a note of concern mixed with irritation.
One of the elders stepped forward with a cautious look on his face. "Patriarch, I saw Darius chasing Aeliana and three others right before Valen intervened."
Kellan's face contorted with anger upon hearing Valen's name once more. His fists clenched involuntarily. He wanted to smash Valen's face until his skull shattered. The air seemed to grow thicker with his simmering rage. For a moment, it seemed as if he might lose control, but he forced himself to take a deep breath, his sharp features slowly relaxing as he regained his composure.
"We will deal with Valen in due time," he said, his voice strained but controlled. "For now, we must focus on our recovery. Elders, assist others in healing. Ensure that those who do not have any healing pills receive them to expedite their recovery. We need every able-bodied member to regain their strength as quickly as possible."
The elders nodded in agreement and began to disperse, ready to carry out Kellan's orders. The hall slowly emptied, leaving Kellan alone with his thoughts, his mind still burning with the desire for revenge and the drive to reclaim what they had lost.
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Meanwhile, in the headquarters of the Dawnfire Brotherhood, two people could be seen talking in a dimly lit hall filled with the warm glow of lanterns. The hall was adorned with vibrant tapestries depicting fierce dragons and roaring flames, embodying the fire theme that defined the Brotherhood. Flickering torches lined the walls, casting dancing shadows that added a sense of movement and energy to the room. The floor was made of polished stone, inlaid with intricate patterns that resembled flowing lava, leading to a grand fireplace at the far end, where a crackling fire burned brightly, its warmth spreading throughout the space.
"You can stay here until you recover, Faction Leader Lyanna," said Valen, the very man Kellan hated the most.
Even though Lyanna was injured, her beauty remained undiminished. Her raven-black hair framed a face that, despite the pain etched upon it, radiated strength and determination. Lyanna , a woman in her 30s, nodded gratefully. "Thank you for your help, Faction Leader Valen. Your support has been invaluable."
Though Lyanna did not know why Valen helped her, she was still grateful. She vowed that if she recovered and took revenge on the Shadowfang Clan, she would repay Valen's kindness.
Valen, a tall and imposing figure with a calm demeanor, smiled reassuringly. "It's the least we can do, Lyanna. Rest and recover; you will be safe here."
Lyanna did not know what to say upon hearing Valen's words. She could feel something was wrong with Valen's smile; it was too tender. She didn't know what it meant, but she did not mind it.
"Faction Leader Valen, did you know what happened to Aeliana and the others?" Lyanna asked, concern etched on her face.
Valen's expression softened further. "You don't need to worry about them, I ordered Thorne to help her and the others escape. Even though Thorne is not as strong as Lyric, he is still reliable among my disciples."
"They will be fine. I even sent the Third Elder to follow them just to make sure they had the best chance to get away safely."
Lyanna nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. "Thank you, Faction Leader Valen, again. I owe you a debt of gratitude. When I am healed, I will do whatever it takes to repay your kindness."
Valen shook his head. "There's no need for repayment. Take the time you need to heal, and then we will face whatever challenges come next together."
Lyanna nodded once more, her gratitude evident in her eyes as she settled back to rest, reassured by Valen's words.
Suddenly, one of the elders rushed into the main hall, shouting, "Faction Leader, Faction Leader! Something bad has happened." The elder's voice was filled with worry, and he was slightly out of breath.
Upon hearing the elder's worried voice, Valen stood up and said, "What happened?"
The elder, still heaving slightly, began to explain. "When I followed Aeliana and the others, I discovered that Darius was following them as well. I hurried as fast as I could to catch up with Aeliana, but when I reached the edge of The Veil, I found a dead member of the Shadowfang Clan. I investigated thoroughly to see where they might have run, but I found no tracks leading away from The Veil. Instead, I found a trail leading into The Veil." He paused, then added, "I'm 100% sure Aeliana, the others, and Darius went inside the Veil."
"What?" Valen and Lyanna exclaimed together.
Valen felt a surge of worry for Thorne, as he valued Thorne's potential greatly. He glanced at Lyanna and noticed that she didn't seem worried at all. Valen was confused by her calm demeanor, especially considering that this was The Veil they were talking about, not some trivial place.
"Faction Leader Lyanna, I'm surprised that you are not worried about your disciples," Valen said, his confusion evident.
Lyanna met his gaze steadily. "Because Aeliana has the Darkheart, and you know what the Darkheart can do when there's plenty of dark energy. They can use the artifact to defend themselves."
Hearing Lyanna's explanation, Valen heaved a sigh of relief. He trusted in the power of the Darkheart.
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Back at the Shadowfang's headquarters.
"What did you say?" Kellan shouted, his voice filled with disbelief and fury, at the Second Elder's news.
The Second Elder, visibly trembling in fear of their Patriarch, repeated his words, "Da..Darius went inside The Veil."
"That fucking idiot!" Kellan roared, his anger intensifying.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone