Defiance of the Fall Chapter 1398: Lodge

Zac let out a long breath as the violent storm of ancient intent finally subsided. Although the powerful pursuer surely possessed specialized techniques for navigating the core territory, the chaos they had sparked likely rendered the river crossing suicidal for the time being. Furthermore, the ancient dagger had disintegrated into nothingness. Zac guessed it had exhausted its lingering essence to deliver their party to a secure location within the lodge. Locating it again, let alone gaining access, would be a monumental task.

The price paid to reach Sevona’s Hunting Lodge was lower than Zac had anticipated. His pools of Miasma and Mental Energy remained deep, and he possessed enough Vigor to continue utilizing his Hidden Nodes without restraint. Aside from a faint spiritual fatigue caused by the prolonged activation of his Warbringer Idols, he felt fine, and he knew exactly how to remedy that exhaustion.

While his teammates moved out to scout the immediate vicinity, Zac began to circulate the [Warbringer Dharma]. He had skirted the edge of death several times in the last ten minutes, and it was precisely in these moments that the Dharma proved its worth. Narrowly surviving the wrath of a superior being was the most effective way to temper oneself, second only to winning a desperate struggle for survival. Enhanced by a second Idol to bolster his cultivation, Zac felt his Dao Heart stabilize and grow increasingly resilient at an incredible speed.

This state of heightened cultivation persisted for a minute until his physical form settled. By then, the ancient intent had fully quieted, seemingly satisfied after the repeated clashes against the enemy general’s fragments. The crossing of the seventh river had provided as much refinement as the previous six combined. He had already processed a quarter of the intent, a feat that far outstripped his initial projections.

Zac recognized this as a rare stroke of luck that could not be forced. It was unlikely he would again find a multitude of foes marked by a High Autarch or a potential Supremacy. In fact, avoiding another such encounter was probably wise. He had just acquired this ancient intent and needed to determine the most efficient way to apply it; besides, his spiritual form was beginning to show signs of strain from the rapid infusion.

This resistance was partly due to the sheer volume of conflict essence absorbed in such a brief window. It was similar to his human physique, which required years of steady tempering to achieve a Life-attuned state. The other issue was the lack of integration depth. If his spirit was a vessel, every burst of ancient intent acted like a heavy stone dropped inside.

The bucket was filling rapidly despite the attunement being incomplete. If he maintained this tempo, the vessel would overflow, causing the precious ancient intent to go to waste. Zac realized he needed to master at least the basic stages of the [Thousand Axes Chapter] to grind those stones into fine sand, allowing the Dao of Conflict to saturate his spirit without leaving any gaps.

A sudden wave of familiarity caused Zac to freeze. He shifted his focus to a bronze token floating quietly within his Soul Aperture. It was the [Soul-Sealing Knot] he had acquired at the Transformation Docks. Since its purchase, the soul-enhancing artifact had been emitting subtle pulses to stabilize his Soul Aperture.

Esmeralda’s previous explanation of the artifact’s function perfectly mirrored the dilemma Zac now faced with his partially attuned spirit. Since the [Thousand Lights Chapter] served as a supportive technique linked to Soul Cultivation, perhaps the treasure could assist him here. While it wasn't a permanent substitute for a dedicated method, it might buy him the time needed to address more immediate threats.

A sudden vibration from the lodge’s interior shattered Zac’s concentration. His sight blurred, and for a fleeting second, he felt as though he were perceiving multiple overlapping dimensions. The feeling was hauntingly familiar, but a wave of intense misery washed over his mind, drowning out his ability to investigate the source. Only his resolute Dao Heart and his experience sparring with Vilari allowed him to push back the crushing sadness.

He couldn't prevent tears from falling, and an unseen pressure forced his Soul Sense back into his body. Though his Danger Sense remained silent, Zac knew better than to trust his gut implicitly—especially when a heavy blow landed on his left shoulder, nearly knocking him off balance.

Zac spun around instantly, his murderous aura flaring as his axe shimmered with the cold light of death. He pulled his strike back just inches away from the thick neck of a strange beast. It was a coal-black bull sporting massive golden horns infused with the power of Earth, its hide decorated with matching runes. It appeared to be a powerful creature capable of holding its ground on a chaotic battlefield.

The impressive beast showed no aggression, nor did it attempt to strike again. Instead, it shook uncontrollably, paralyzed by the raw killing intent radiating from Zac’s weapon. Zac wiped his face and finally took in his surroundings. He was still in the stables, but they were now teeming with activity. The area had transformed; a dozen employees were busy at work, and the stalls were mostly occupied by beasts.

Nearby, four well-armed warriors were chatting. The sudden noise caused them to pause, though they didn't seem hostile. They watched Zac with a mixture of amusement and bewilderment, and Zac caught a mocking comment about "crybabies." Seeing that the situation was under control, the stable workers returned to their chores.

Zac realized he hadn't actually been attacked. He had simply materialized directly in the path of a bull being led to its stall. The stablehand holding the beast's lead looked just as startled as Zac, bowing low once he regained his composure.

“My apologies, Sir! I must have lost focus. I didn't see you there.”

“It’s alright,” Zac replied, returning his axe to its sheath. “I’m just a bit on edge.”

His companions were nowhere to be seen. If Idiche had been pulled into this same vision, she had likely already hidden herself. Zac was on his own to navigate this. He needed intel but had to avoid blowing his cover. The dull ache in his shoulder confirmed that these phantoms could inflict real physical damage.

“I’ve forgotten—where am I supposed to go now?” Zac asked carefully, suppressing his aura further. This allowed the Early Beast King Bull to relax, though it still eyed Zac with deep suspicion.

“If Sir is finished with your beast, you are free to roam. There’s a gathering in the courtyard, or you might wish to tour the lodge,” the worker explained, gesturing toward the exit and the stairwell. “The hunt starts in three hours. Not many people stay inside the lodge once it begins.”

“Thank you,” Zac nodded.

“I’d suggest finding a group to hunt with, though you don’t seem like the social type,” one of the warriors remarked, strolling over. “And no offense, but the pros probably won't want someone so jumpy in their squad.”

A more experienced warrior stepped forward then, studying Zac closely. “You reek of slaughter. Are you stationed at the border forts?”

Zac gave a slow nod after a moment of thought. He didn't know the names of the forts, so he kept his answer vague. He only knew they existed because of a vision he’d experienced upon arriving on the island. A significant portion of Sevona’s realm bordered a wasteland infested with monsters and aggressive tribes.

A look of newfound respect crossed the younger warrior’s face. “That explains the nerves. I’ve heard those savages can strike out of nowhere.”

“It’s manageable. It’s just difficult adjusting to the atmosphere here,” Zac remarked.

“I understand,” the veteran sighed. “Skip the party. You should wander through the Royal Lodge instead. A prayer at the Hall of Abundance will steady your spirit and bring you luck in the hunt.”

“Am I actually permitted to enter such a sacred site?”

“Why wouldn't you be?” the younger man scoffed. “We aren't like those heathens beyond the border. They’re too terrified to even carve idols of their gods. Her Majesty believes the divine is for everyone.”

The workers nearby nodded proudly. Zac tried to ask more about the Hall of Abundance, but the vision dissolved with a heavy sigh before he could speak. He was left with a lingering feeling of grief. Idiche suddenly appeared to his left, her eyes red and puffy from crying.

“Did you experience that too?” Zac inquired.

“It seemed like a happy memory, so why did it feel so heartbreaking?”

“It’s the sorrow of something that’s been lost,” Zac answered, looking at Esmeralda as she landed on his shoulder.

“Hurry, put this in your bag,” Esmeralda urged, holding out a scrap of bark.

Zac complied, stashing the item in his [Mercurial Sack]—the Early C-grade one he had taken from Guild Leader Marai. He wasn't sure if he’d get to keep it once the hunt concluded, but for now, it was much faster at manifesting items from illusions than his standard gear.

Moments later, Zac was holding a solid piece of inscribed bark. He studied the markings with curiosity. They didn't match any Dao he knew, nor did they follow the scripts established by the Apostate of Order. The symbols also lacked the raw, fundamental power he’d seen on Pre-System relics like the Stele of Conflict.

Nevertheless, his degraded [Primal Polyglot] allowed him to sense the intent behind the carvings. It felt like the item transcended the Dao despite only being E-grade in power. While Zac couldn't explain the paradox, he realized the bark was an information storage tool, much like a modern Information Crystal.

“Where did you find this?” Zac asked, carefully probing it with Mental Energy.

“Swiped it from that arrogant knight while you were busy being a distraction.” Esmeralda grinned and patted his shoulder. “Just as I taught you.”

The bark contained a letter from the knight’s uncle, filled with advice. It was packed with insider tips from a past participant. Most of it—like the best spots to hunt or which rivals to avoid—was irrelevant to Zac. However, one specific detail caught his eye.

“Check this out,” Zac said.

“Human avarice,” Idiche whispered. “Who would be greedy enough to collect a whole moon’s worth of that?”

“Those invaders aren't content with their own era, so they’ve come for ours. I’d say they qualify,” Esmeralda noted with a shrug before looking at Zac. “I didn't find anything else.”

“Then let’s move. We can’t let that person outside close the gap.”

The entrance to the lodge swung open silently after Esmeralda applied a spell to the hinges. As soon as the door cracked open, the stench of decay hit them with full force.

“The area is being watched; give me a moment,” Esmeralda whispered, beginning to gather her power.

A second later, she blinked the three of them through the opening, and the door shut without a sound. They found themselves in a small foyer crafted from ancient timber. Based on the ruined items scattered about, Zac assumed it was a cloakroom where guests from the stables could change out of their traveling clothes.

The walls and ceiling were rotting away, with corruption burrowing through the wood like pests. Through holes in the outer wall, the blue light of the moon filtered in, mixing with the floating dust to form eerie clouds. Fortunately, these azure mists didn't seem to grow any larger.

The lodge was resisting; a faint, ancient power saturated the structure, fighting the decay and preventing the interior from collapsing entirely.

“Don't touch a thing and stay close,” Esmeralda warned. “This room was recently tossed, and there’s a hidden surveillance array active.”

Zac wasn't shocked to find they weren't the first ones here. The opposition had Monarchs and a ten-hour head start. Luckily, the Divine Core appeared to be intact, continuing to power the lodge’s defenses. The inner door and the nearby walls were marked with fresh damage, but they had withstood the attempt to force them open.

Esmeralda spoke, and Zac gave a slow nod.

Zac was about to agree when he noticed Idiche’s vacant expression.

He quickly grabbed her shoulder before she could accidentally trigger a trap. “Did you see something?”

“What? Oh, no. It just felt like something was calling to me,” Idiche said, blinking rapidly as she pointed toward the damaged door. “Actually, I think I can open that. For some reason, I recognize the mechanism.”

Zac didn't press for details. They moved closer so she could examine it. The closer she got, the more certain she became, but Zac stopped her before she could channel any energy into the lock.

“Opening it might set off an alarm. I want to try and get a look at the people who did this first.”

It didn't take long to find their targets, and they managed to avoid any further memory trips. The Lodge wasn't a massive complex like a Technocrat station; it was only a few miles wide—a small structure by the standards of the Multiverse. After five minutes of travel, Zac heard a low rumbling ahead.

Two minutes later, they found a hidden spot in a servant’s passage. A hole in the rotting wall gave them a view of the main lobby. It was much larger than the previous room, spanning nearly a hundred meters with a thirty-foot ceiling and a massive circular window above the main gates.

In its prime, the hall might have looked like a grand cathedral. Now, it was utterly tainted. Moonlight flooded through the window, turning the shadows of the pillars into jagged, threatening shapes. The level of corruption here was far beyond the small breaches they’d seen so far. It made sense that the enemy had set up their base here.

More than thirty cultivators were gathered in the center of the hall, protected by a powerful barrier. Zac didn't see the mysterious leader, but he sensed two Monarchs among them. One was a warrior standing guard, while the other was a mage holding a staff topped with a massive sapphire.

The mage was using the staff to pull the moonlight into their barrier, preventing the Lodge from purging the energy. The light thickened into a dense fog until the enemies were hidden from view. Then, the mist surged outward, taking the forms of spectral soldiers and beasts.

This ghostly army threw itself at the heavy doors leading to the lodge’s core. Based on what they knew, the Hall of Abundance was likely just past those gates. Every time a mist-construct hit the door, a pulse of divine energy struck back, dissolving the attackers within a few hits.

“There are actual people in there too,” Idiche whispered. It took Zac a moment to see them.

Real soldiers were mixed in with the summons, hidden by cloaks of moonlight. They mimicked the movements of the ghosts, but their strategy was different. They were launching precise strikes at structural weak points while the summons acted as a distraction.

The soldiers would retreat to the barrier before their disguises failed, but one man was too slow. His cloak flickered out just before he reached safety, and the Lodge retaliated instantly. A beam of pure energy shot from the gate, punching a hole through his chest. He collapsed into the barrier, his fate uncertain.

The barrier was already recharging with moonlight. The attackers were hitting the gate every few minutes. Zac wasn't sure how much more the doors could take, but he doubted they would last more than ten more rounds.

“So that’s how they’re using the moonlight,” Esmeralda whispered. “What’s the plan?”

Zac thought for a moment before looking at Idiche. “How confident are you about opening that other door?”

“I don’t know. Maybe eighty percent?”

“Good enough,” Zac said with a smirk. “We’ll double back, but first, I’m going to give them something to worry about.”