Chapter 17 Part 1 of 5 (Patreon)

High Elder Cai Bo entered the area around the totem. It had been sealed off from outside transportation. Dotted around the area were sect members pulled into groups. They were all over level fifty five, each wore at least one piece of Expert level gear, with no gear below the mid journeyman mark. There were nearly a hundred and fifty people present, broken into groups of ten.

Just their gear alone would cost enough to supply a city with defensive formations, barriers, mana cannons.

Nico Tolentino walked into the area around the Totem, leading five groups. Each of them were wearing at least three pieces of Expert grade gear. As they stepped up to the totem they pulled their cloaks tight, hiding their weapons and gear.

“For the Willful Institute we will destroy the Adventurer Association halls, we will tear out their homes! Kill all that support them and whatever you find you keep!”

Nico and the groups with him stepped onto the totem’s pad. One of the members in the group acted as the guide and they disappeared in a flash of light.

Others followed afterwards, all of them disappearing in ranking of seniority, be it personally, or their families connections.

Cai Bo thought back to the meeting a week ago.

“Head Foster, allow me to lead an attack against Vuzgal. We will test their reactions, weaken their position in the Fourth Realm and learn if Vuzgal is part of the Adventurer’s Association or if they are separate. It is their largest location. They have more people training there than anywhere else!” Nico Tolentino.

“You will be at great risk, Vuzgal is unknown, we do not know the true extent of their people’s power,” Cai Bo argued.

“I will send word to the other families, if you are able to take the guild hall in Vuzgal then it will be a great show of strength. You must not be defeated. I will supply you with gear from the sect!”

Nico Tolentino had left Head Foster and Cai Bo alone, not before sneering at her as he passed. “Your time has passed old woman.”

The doors closed and Foster looked at Cai Bo.

“The younger generation is so confident to step over the older one,” He’d clearly heard Nico.

“I don’t think that any of them will make it back from Vuzgal.”

“You hold the city in such high regard?”

“I hold anyone that is able to keep so many secrets back in high regard. Anyone that has developed as fast as they have.”

“Good, then you are not so arrogant to think we can win everything. I think that we will be able to harm the Association Hall there, we might lose some of our people, but most of them will escape. It will be a warning that we are willing to attack anyone anywhere that is supporting the Adventurer’s Association and this attack against our cities. We need to make a show to other people.”

“What if it fails?”

“No matter what we will learn more. Nico was right, we will find out just how strong Vuzgal is.”

Cai Bo opened her mouth.

“They supplied the Adventurer’s Association with a Guild Hall, I am sure of it, with repeaters, ammunition. Trained their healers in their healing houses and their fighters in the Battle Arena. Vuzgal might not be backing the Adventurer’s Association. Though it is one of their most important bases. We need to sever that connection and if we are able to take Vuzgal then we can regain the momentum we need to secure our position. Your man has reported that there are traders and bandits in the area targeting Vuzgal. The other cities in the area are jealous. We have a reason to attack Vuzgal. If we pull in other groups and other people to assist us, then we can lighten the load, gain some allies. Just the loot we could get from taking the city is enough to support our Institute for months, possibly years! I have talked to the associations and they have given us permission. I wouldn’t send out a raiding party if there was any chance of offending them.”

Cai Bo let out a breath, returning to the now as the last team disappeared to cut off the Adventurer Guild halls.

She turned, leaving the area around the totem with Lower Elder Kostic. When a man in a hood walked towards the deserted totem.

Cai Bo saw a glimpse of his face, a chill passed over her as she bowed deeply to the man.

He didn’t pay her any attention and disappeared off in a flash of light.

A sound cancelling formation separated them from the rest of the realm.

“What do you think their chances are in Vuzgal?” Her sharp eyes watched Kostic.

“If they are attacking just the guild hall their chances are high. If they are caught by the Vuzgal guards. No matter what Vuzgal will no longer be on our side. They have only just made it to the Fourth Realm while the Institute has existed there for generations. The associations aren’t offering them protection. With this attack others will know that the associations would be willing to renegotiate, there will be plenty of people that will want to take a piece of the city.”

“With him heading there, the Tolentino clan is making sure that nothing goes wrong. How did your secondary mission go?”

“I was able to communicate with the other nations and cities that were around Vuzgal, many of them voiced their displeasure. I am sure that in the future when we want to attack Vuzgal they would be willing to support us for the right incentives.”

“Good, Vuzgal will be a turning point. If nothing else that arrogant child will let us know what we are walking into.”

***

Nico blinked away the totem light, entering the busy entrance area into Vuzgal. He pulled his cloak tight, moving to the lines that would allow them into the city.

There were all kinds of people in the lines, trade caravans and opulent carriages lined up on one side, while snaking lines were filled with people passing between cubicles where police officers checked people before allowing them entrance.

Nico gritted his teeth at the wait.

You’ll regret letting me enter your city. I wonder what will happen to the guard that lets me into the city. Will they be turned into a public example?

Nico took solace in his dark thoughts scanning the area he saw other members of his fifty person group arriving in Vuzgal and lining up. They’d teleported to other locations first to not raise suspicion.

“Next!” Nico walked up to the cubicle, stepping over a sensing formation.

The guard read some information away from Nico’s sight.

“What is the purpose of your visit?”

“Meeting with some friends to watch the battle Arena,” Nico said.

The guard scanned Nico quickly.

He tapped on the sign next to the serving window that listed out Vuzgal’s main laws.

“Make sure you don’t cause any trouble now, even if you’re from an association we will arrest you if you break the law,” The guard said.

Nico’s lip half lifted before he nodded.

“I understand.”

“Good, entrance fee,” The guard tapped another list.

Nico took out the mana stones and put them into the serving tray.

The guard pulled them onto his side and then put them into a storage crate at the rear of the cubicle.

“Have a good day!”

Nico turned and walked on, his face transforming into a sneer.

Others in his group trailed after him.

They passed through the defenses around the totem, moving with the streaming people.

The area opened up ahead of them, a large square filled with people waiting for those that were teleporting in and large roads that led to different areas of the city. Caravans of trade goods headed off towards the warehouses to store their goods or drop them off.

People dispersed in every direction while carriages carried powerful people off towards their destinations.

Eastern culture mixed with western medieval design with woods and stone creating the many two and four story buildings that butted up against the street.

In the distance the inner defensive wall with the mana barrier towers reached up into the sky, at the center was Vuzgal’s main mana barrier tower, extending proudly into the sky. Between the pillars Sky Reaching Restaurants pierced through the sky, glass shining like a sharpened blade.

Nico led his people through the streets, following the map that Kostic had provided.

They reached a quiet street. It was darker with the buildings closer together. The businesses were closed down, preparing for the night. Strings of mana lights lined the road, looking like used vines. The street was well travelled and showed the signs of nightly revelry.

Nico headed down an alleyway between taverns. It opened up, revealing a large service area between businesses. It was deserted, no deliveries today.

The rest of the group appeared after one another.

“Lets go,” Nico turned and led them down another alleyway towards the Guild district.

The others loosened their cloaks, resting their hands on their weapons underneath or on storage devices, ready to draw.

Seeing the group, people hurried on their way. The group spread out as they reached the main road. The closed in taverns gave way to trading stalls, smithies and workshops selling gear for fighters and resources for crafters.