Chapter 1,406 – Rebirth

A tremble made the hallways of the Meiu Ancestral Tomb shudder, heralding reality’s collapse. Lompo immediately raised his hand and began sacrificing Imperial Merit to keep the memory running a while longer. A voice reached him from the other side of the door a few seconds later.

“Don’t bother.”

Lompo acquiesced, and the sturdy walls turned into lines of rubble, while open sky greeted them overhead. The thick gate separating him from his master was completely gone, giving Lompo a clear view of the Sixth Hierarch’s tomb. Kaltosa Lu was lying inside the broken sarcophagus, surrounded by a mesh of pitch-black wires. Lompo inwardly groaned upon seeing the state of the roots.

He’d held out a small hope that the network had survived beneath the surface. The roots had clearly clung to life for quite some time, as they hadn’t been reduced to dust, but eons had passed since they were able to produce the life-giving sap. There was not a single drop for his master to absorb in the sarcophagus, yet he seemed reluctant to get up.

“So that paradox succeeded after all,” Kaltosa Lu sighed as he looked at the sky.

Lompo followed his master’s gaze and immediately spotted the new addition to the Mercurial Court’s pillar. It held mainly an illusory aura with hints of Temporal Dao, but Lompo could vaguely intuit that something profound was hiding beneath these common concepts.

“Still, what’s the rush? He could have waited until I was done here,” Kaltosa Lu continued.

“Shall I calculate a new route, Young Master?” Lompo offered.

“I wouldn’t mind another dip, but is it possible?” Kaltosa Lu asked.

Lompo hesitated for a moment. “The fate of this court is ever moving, and retracing one’s steps holds certain challenges. However, with a small sacrifice and some Imperial Merit, I might be able to open a path.”

Truthfully, Lompo wasn’t confident. Reaching the Meiu Ancestral Tomb hidden in the depths of the Citadel had already tested his limits, despite the guidance of a fated mark. The endless city instinctively tried to eject all outsiders, and the resistance grew stronger the further one went. Even if they waited for a memory wind to arrive next door, it was unlikely to reach the tombs again.

“… Forget it. Enjoying a whole sarcophagus of [Millennial Upland Sap] is a rare luxury, but a second bath won’t yield enough benefits to motivate the cost,” Kaltosa Lu shrugged. “And my wives will think less of me if I keep insisting on forcing fate.”

Lompo resisted the ingrained response to offer empty platitudes. While his master usually enjoyed the lighthearted banter, there was a dangerous fury smoldering behind his indifferent demeanor. Lompo’s intuition warned that the wrong word would lead to a far deadlier outcome than a make-believe demotion. Better to remain a dutiful—and silent—attendant until someone else could take on the Young Master’s fury.

“I have to hand it to you, Lompo,” Kaltosa Lu said with a light voice, still gazing at the halo above. “You managed to see through the falsehoods and deduce I’d lose a Primordial Rune.”

“I—” Lompo’s words failed him.

What was he supposed to say? Should he accept the compliment and open himself to further inquiry, such as his failure to provide an adequate countermeasure? Should he admit that his divination was mostly a shot in the dark? Looking for answers in this pressure cooker of imaginary timelines was no different than searching for specific grains of sand in a desert storm.

Lompo had figured that divulging this potential outcome was a good way to urge caution so that his Young Master didn’t overextend. Because it was an undeniable fact that terrifying storms of Destiny were bound to clash on that island. An early warning would trigger an early escape, yet now his divination almost seemed like a curse.

The lingering silence demanded an answer, and Lompo could only find one way out: deflect and remind the Young Master of meritorious service.

“Shall I pack away the beacon, Young Master?” Lompo asked as he floated over to the intricate array that helped transport his master from imminent disaster to a rare opportunity.

Naturally, Kaltosa Lu saw through the guise. Lompo was counting on it, and it achieved the intended effect. The ominous clouds surrounding Kaltosa Lu parted as he finally emerged from the grave.

“I’m just teasing, Lompo. In fact, I’m quite happy with the outcome.” Kaltosa Lu scoffed when Lompo failed to provide an adequately convinced response. “You think I’m putting on a brave face? Then take a look at this.”

Lompo curiously watched the spiritual recording appearing above his master’s hand. The aura of the golden heart sparked an immediate connection, and his hunch was confirmed when the filth began pouring out.

“The Grand Preceptor’s Dreamforged Avatar was destroyed?” Lompo blurted. “But our investigations—”

“I’m as surprised as you are. We knew there was more to our Draugr friend, but he exceeded my expectations in more ways than one,” Kaltosa Lu laughed. “He cracked it open before I could even figure out a way to do it myself. The realm’s augmentation was much stronger than I anticipated.”

“Was it—”

“No, that old thief was busy dealing with the invasion,” Kaltosa Lu said.

“Sure, that shifty Draugr went on to pull a fast one on me, causing me to lose my Epistocratic Constellation. Who cares? I killed Descartes Belial. What do you think my Grandpa will do when he finds out that I severed the Belial Tribe’s last chance at reincarnation? With the very poison he devised all those years ago?”

“The Lord will be gratified to see such a display of filial piety,” Lompo said.

Gratified was the understatement of the Era. The Centigrade Pryer had left them with strict orders to destroy anything connected to his old enemies. To actually kill one of their direct descendants, someone marked by the Ultom Courts at that, went far beyond the decree. A replacement rune would be the least of the rewards the Lord would shower on them upon their return.

Kaltosa Lu’s smile widened as realization dawned on Lompo. “Sure, the Mercurial Court has a few amazing things left in its vaults, but those things have no fate with me. It’s the same with whatever’s left inside Ultom. Anything at that level will be taken from me the second we leave. This way, I’ve secured almost unlimited funding for my Royal Harem.”

“Very astute, Young Master,” Lompo praised. “About that Draugr?”

Kaltosa Lu answered after some thought. “Sometimes it feels like he’s got more lives than I do. I don’t think it’s worth the effort going out of our way. We’re already equipped to deal with the final step. We’ll make another attempt if our paths intersect.”

Lompo began calculating on his fingers. “It’s only preliminary, but his connection to the Mercurial Court appears to have weakened.”

“Good. He’ll be someone else’s problem after he’s helped that greedy toad snatch whatever item she’s looking for,” Kaltosa Lu said as he began to fiddle with an unfamiliar token. “In the meanwhile, what say you we look for some other sealbearers to play with? The second string should start dropping in over the coming weeks.”

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“This lodge is but the manifestation of what Sevona considered a safe, happy location. It’s the summer palace her parents took her to as a child,” Idiche said with a lingering smile. “How could there be treasures left here?”

“I don’t believe it! My nose for goodies is never wrong, and I demand restitution for services rendered!” Esmeralda hollered, not the least fazed by Idiche’s bottomless aura.