Defiance of the Fall

"How is it?"

The bridge was full of activity, with a dozen people controlling the Yphelion's many systems. None among them emitted very strong auras, and most of his sealbearers stood to the side so as not to get in the way. Like himself, most of his direct subordinates specialized in battle. Unfortunately, few issues inside the Imperial Graveyard could be solved with a well-aimed cut.

"We're being squeezed between two major storm formations. The turbulence will only grow worse before it gets better. It should be within our shielding capacity," Mark Marshall answered as Zac walked over.

The earlier chaos and high pressure didn't seem to have broken the former fighter pilot's concentration, even if his face was pallid like most of the other non-combat personnel. Thea's uncle was the pilot in command, and now also their only one. Over a dozen of Zac's crew members had their minds destroyed by the combination of the [Epiclesis Bell] and the Sangha's Dharmic world. Among them was one of the most promising outside hires, a D-grade pilot who'd lived in the Million Gates Territory for over a millennia.

His skill in traversing unstable regions like the Imperial Graveyard far eclipsed Mark's. The Marshall descendant had stabler foundations and a better class thanks to the Atwood Army's heavy investment, but that wasn't enough to make up for the huge gap in experience. Mark was only the head pilot because Estra Wind was such a recent hire and couldn't be fully trusted yet. Mark had also trained in the Yphelion before, and understanding the vessel you piloted was of utmost importance.

With Estra Wind dead, Mark had to carry the responsibility on his own. Others could take over when he needed to rest, but their control was not nearly as good. A pilot didn't just steer in a certain direction. Energy and array management was a critical aspect of their job. They constantly calibrated the motors and arrays to achieve the greatest results with the least amount of strain and energy consumption.

The Yphelion could automate this process, but a seasoned pilot could reduce consumption and strain by as much as thirty percent. That was of critical importance in a region like the Imperial Graveyard that would push any Cosmic Vessel to its limits and beyond. A D-grade ship's arrays couldn't possibly react to sudden and unpredictable changes either.

Zac thanked their lucky stars that the System had upgraded the Yphelion. Everything from engines to energy generation had seen significant improvements, which gave his novice pilot better margins to work with.

"So what's the problem?"

"The lightning stirred up the spatial energies in the region. It's caused a domino effect that destabilized the traversable paths. It's like we're flying inside a maze with constantly shifting walls. We'd be in deep trouble if we didn't use a scouting vessel," Jaol, whose station was right next to Mark's, explained. "It was manageable until recently."

A series of screens appeared, displaying the incredibly complex environment of the Imperial Graveyard. Even that was a simplified version of the immense amounts of data a navigator had to analyze on the fly, considering space flight in the Multiverse included dimensional shifts. Zac frowned at their mapped-out path, seeing the reason for the constant shakes.

The Million Gates Territory was very dangerous since anomalies could appear at any moment. However, most of the territory remained relatively calm. It was possible to set up small bases, and Emily had survived being adrift for over a year. There were also relatively safe pockets that even held worlds, though these spots generally moved about. That wasn't the case with the Imperial Graveyard.

Calling it a labyrinth was apt. The Yphelion was a dot traversing a tunnel surrounded by two clashing storms filled with resentment. Their neighboring dimensions were even worse. They would have to keep going inside the calmer corridor until they reached an intersecting path. If they missed it, they would have to endure the brunt of the storm for at least ten minutes until reaching the next exit.

The anomalies, from spatial storms to dangerous natural formations, were placed far more densely. There were no true calm spots, putting any explorers under constant pressure. The path they entered was long gone, and they would have to find a new one if they reached a dead end. It was all in flux, and no D-grade vessel's defenses would do you any good if you got stuck in the wrong place.

"The fragile balance received a second shock just before we called you," Jaol said as the map expanded to showcase a larger section of the region. The further the map went, the less detailed it became. Eventually, the expansion stopped, and a marker appeared on the map. "Somewhere around here. There was an incredible burst of energy. It agitated the environment, causing ripples even further than our location."

"Two Mystic Realm colliding?" Zac asked.

"No, it should be manmade. It's impossible to get a proper reading through all this interference, but I think it might be a battle between Monarchs. Or a Monarch who's been forced to unleash their strength to break through," Jaol said.

"Monarchs?" Zac frowned. "Are they heading this way?"

"It doesn't look like it. However, the strong burst has awakened some things, and we've been targeted."

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"Shit."

"Our path is being intercepted, and we're left with no room to maneuver."

Zac understood the crux of the problem. The density of energy and dangerous formations were just the first of the dangers explorers faced. The Imperial Graveyard's name wasn't random. It was the remains of one of the Limitless Empire's high-grade battlefields, leaving it filled with powerful resentment and animosity. The Mystic Realms were fragments of Inner Worlds and shattered dimensional fragments from the clashes between high-grade cultivators.

These realms still held some of the wills of their original owners, except they had been twisted after being forced to linger for such an incredibly long time. He'd seen what had happened to the Tool Spirit in the Centurion Lighthouse. Time was a cruel mistress, and not even the will of Autharchs could endure the test of time. Furthermore, there were no pure wills left. The constant storms had mixed and matched, destroying any real ego left behind.

Between malignant Troves and ambient resentment, it was like the whole graveyard had the instinct of a rabid animal. They were trapped in a long-forgotten war, lashing out at anything that came close. These broken spirits were usually slumbering and spread out through the spatial storms. However, high bursts of energy or Dao risked waking them up, and even Monarchs were reduced to prey to the stronger entities.

Thankfully, C-grade storms were quite rare according to their limited intelligence, and Jaol would have looked far more worried if that was what they were dealing with. Still, being targeted by anything posed a huge threat when the slightest delay could trap you in a spatial storm.

"So we need to deal with the blockade or retreat?"

"Which would move us toward the Monarchs and the chaos their battle is causing."

"What are we dealing with?" Zac asked. "Natural Formation or Trove?"

"Energy signatures indicate a small Trove with Late D-grade energy signatures," Jaol said.

"I'd hoped we had more time before facing this headache," Zac said before turning to Galau. "Have you guys figured out their method?"

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"I'm afraid not," Galau said. "But these Troves should have some form of core. If we destroy it, the resentment should lose its anchor and disperse into the storm. Even destabilizing it should give us a window to escape. Our best guess is that the Kan-Tanu are using specialized strike squads or sacrificial soldiers to deal with them so quickly."

They knew being intercepted this way was a common occurrence, even if the timing was worse than usual. However, Zac had never managed to find out how the Kan'Tanu explorers dealt with the threat. There had to be a special method to quickly deal with the threat before the surrounding storms caught up with you.

"I guess we'll have to figure things out ourselves," Zac muttered, turning to Ogras and the others. "Are you guys ready for an excursion?"

"Ha! This is the adventure and excitement I've been waiting for! It's time for Kruta to plunder some ancient treasure!" Kruta grinned, turning to Ogras who looked at him askance. "What?"

"Well, enjoy this moment," Ogras said. "I have a feeling you'll be sick of these opportunities soon enough."

"How is that possible?" the barbarian guffawed. "Don't worry, I'll pick up any baubles you leave on the ground. A chieftain has to be frugal and enterprising, or his wives will start sneaking into other tents when he's away."

Zac didn't have the heart to tell the orc that most Troves held nothing of value, holding risk and no rewards. Any treasures that might have been left behind had long since been corrupted or extracted by the Kan'Tanu. There was always the chance for a jackpot, especially now that the whole region was stirring. New and unexplored pockets were unearthed all the time, so even the thoroughly plundered outer reaches could hold unexpected riches.

"How much time do we have?" Zac asked.

"Thirty minutes, give or take," Jaol said. "You need to deal with it in less than twenty. Any longer, and we'll have to retreat and pick you up later."

"Got it," Zac said. "Squads one and two, gather in the hangar in fifteen minutes."

'Boss, wait!' Jaol's voice appeared in Zac's mind just as he was about to leave.

'What is it?'

'I got the hidden scanner to work without exposing our location! There's good news and bad news.'

'Well, I could use some good news.'

'There should be a seal of the Daedalian Court inside the Trove.'

Zac's brows rose in surprise. To think they had struck gold right from the beginning. Their journey had been bumpy until now. This was hopefully a sign things were turning for the better. Galau already had two seals after blazing through his designation quests. Getting the third and final piece would provide a huge boost to his abilities.

Considering a seal was hidden inside the approaching Trove, it should be in a decent state as well. There might actually be treasures for Kruta to plunder.

'And the bad?'

'Uh, it kind of looks like using the scanner stirs up resentment. It's like they sense the aura of the courts.'

'Wait, were you the one who attracted this thing?' Zac glared.

'That's... No. But suffice to say my actions didn't help.'

"That's perfect," Zac muttered.

"What is?"

The voice came from behind, and Zac turned around to face Kator looking down at him.

"Nothing. It's time to earn your keep, comrade."

"I feel I've contributed plenty already," Kator said, his body language reeking of annoyance.

Zac's mouth tugged upward, but he didn't antagonize the Reaver more than necessary. It wouldn't do them any good if Kator decided to stay behind on the Yphelion. With the [Solidarity Link] in play, they would have to enter any Trove or spatial pocket together.

"A Trove has targeted us. We need to enter and deal with it," Zac said. "Unless your side had figured out a better idea?"

"We had," Kator nodded. "We would use Autarchs with exceptional energy control to disperse them."

"Well, that's not happening."

"Already caught like a fly in a web. Well, let's get on with it," Kator shrugged.

Zac had nothing to prepare, so he led Kator to the hangar where their smaller boarding ships waited. Minutes passed in silence as they waited for more information from Jaol and the scientists.

"So how is it, Draugr? Figured out a counter yet? Hiding the brand from the Heavens should have some effect. Then again, it should take a while for a D-grade bloodline to exhaust it."

Zac glanced at Kator with annoyance. The Reaver was the worst person to have catch onto the secrets of his Void Emperor bloodline. Thankfully, Zac had been careful about displaying [Void Mountain] since he got it, especially the external infusion with its incredible efficiency at destroying spirituality. It might have been useless against the Eidolon's B-grade seal, but against the [Solidarity Link]? That was another discussion entirely.

Even then, Kator was correct in that Zac couldn't destroy it right now. For one, it would only cause trouble until they could also deal with Kator and his bomb. The link was also empowered by something similar to the Apostate of Order's contracts. That didn't mean he had to overcome the System to sever the link, but it did add significant durability to the seal.

The brand also held a massive amount of energy. Zac would be in trouble if he accidentally destabilized it in its current state. He'd have to let it weaken on its own for a while before he could destroy it in one go.

"Why would I scheme against a valuable teammate?" Zac said. "Especially one so generous with his Mental Energy?"

"Be careful. Two can play that game," Kator said. "Would you like a taste of the bone-grinding agony of the [White Sky Discipline]? I'd like to see how a being with soft skin will endure the punishment it inflicts on our bodies."

"The [Solidarity Link] suits you," Emily muttered from the side. "Bickering like an old couple."

The two dropped the subject and focused on the task at hand. Of course, that was only on the surface. Kator had planned things out for almost a year, giving him a worrying head start. Zac had [Void Mountain], but there was no way the Reaver wouldn't have prepared something with a similar effect. There were many ways to deal with the Apostate of Order's contractual bonds or at least minimize the backlash for breaking them.

Zac couldn't even rely on the information the Merit Exchange provided about the [Solidarity Link]. He had no way to discern whether the treasure had been tampered with. The contractual bond would have stopped working if Kator made the link too lopsided. It was still possible he'd managed to weaken any backlash he'd face or add something like a one-directional tracking function.

There was no way Zac could wait until the brand degraded to safe levels. He needed to deal with the threat before that. Thankfully, he did have another ace up his sleeve beyond [Void Mountain], and he was currently negotiating terms with her.

'What do you think? How could the greatest thief in the Multiverse lack methods of getting out of binding agreements and unwanted seals?' Esmeralda signed, looking incredibly pleased with herself. 'The question is what you can offer in return.'

Zac looked at the toad with annoyance from his cramped corner, hiding his glee as best as he could. The toad hadn't exposed her presence throughout the earlier ordeal, and only Ogras knew of her existence. She was a variable that should be well outside Kator's expectations.

Esmeralda was a repository of knowledge that eclipsed even the Library he'd inherited. Most of her memories were blocked and fuzzy, but dismantling seals and arrays was part of a thief's skillset. There were many places you couldn't enter without taking oaths or being branded by the sigil of the force it belonged to. An infiltrator would have to possess methods to deal with this to reach the treasuries.

The large toad had recovered by a noticeable degree while Zac had slept. She'd returned to her original color, and the vats on her back were already a quarter-filled. It was a display of the incredible resilience beasts had compared to cultivators, especially those with high-grade bloodlines like Esmeralda.

'Isn't it interesting? Testing your cleverness against this unfamiliar seal,' Zac said as a projection of the [Solidarity Link] appeared before the toad. 'It's almost like breaking into a treasure vault.'

'Ha! Don't try to goad me,' Esmeralda huffed with disdain, utterly incapable of hiding the interest glimmering in her eyes as she glanced at the unique rune.

Zac hadn't forgotten Lova's words back in the Perennial Vastness. Esmeralda was ancient, and her thievery was not as much about the treasures as the enjoyment nowadays. It was part of her path, her very nature. It turned any restrictions into great temptations, like a puzzle that needed to be solved. The scare of encountering an Eternal Servant did nothing to quell that instinctive attraction.

'You know everything I have,' Zac said. 'Name your price.'

'You're essentially a beggar.' Esmeralda rolled her eyes. 'Well. I suppose dealing with this will help me as well, and that skeleton should have a decent background. I want the first pick if you manage to deal with him. Two items, the rest is yours.'

'Deal.'

'Happy hunting,' Esmeralda signed as her mouth opened wide, extracting a scroll from god-knows-where.

Zac reluctantly accepted the sticky parchment, but he forgot about the toad mucus as he unfurled the scroll. He had never seen the complicated patterns on it before, but a smile crept up his face as he unearthed some of its secrets.

The unusual magic circle drawn on the paper should help him give the damned Reaver a nasty surprise. Zac didn't even care that Esmeralda likely had discovered some incredible treasure on Kator's person and used this opportunity to claim it for herself. It was worth it.

"We have visuals!"

The squads had already gathered. They turned toward Galau, who had been added to the second squad. He displayed the Trove on a large screen, causing murmurs to erupt in the room. Zac didn't know what he'd expected, but it wasn't that. Similar looks of confusion and disgust appeared on the others.

"Is that... a rotten eye?"