Carrier Raven

Seth’s smile faded, and he asked: “I am. What do you know?”

“He came a few months back, claiming to be looking for a hidden divinity. Of course, we didn’t know you were that divinity and told him it was not one of our people.”

“When we asked more about it, he said that a divinity broke through time and locked the universe’s timeline. He also claimed that someone must have used the Tower’s power. You know he’ll not stop until he kills you.”

Seth sighed and nodded. “Of course, he won’t. I basically crippled him. The tower stepped on his divinity’s pride and even locked him out of seeing the future. Will you guys keep silent about it?”

“We have no obligation to answer to Kronos, but as you keep messing up with the prisons, you might anger some of us, and they might tip Kronos off. “

“Looks like I need to prepare contingencies…” muttered Seth, using his creation energy to make a small letter before extending it towards Raven.

“What is this? Do I look like your carrier pigeon?”

“Cut the shit, Raven. Deliver this for me, and I’ll owe you one. A favor from me is not easy to come by.”

Raven’s eyes had a trace of interest as he said: “Answer something for me, and I’ll do it.” After Seth nodded, he asked: “What happened in the past timeline with us all?”

“I killed you all. Every single one of you.” Replied Seth, his face not changing at all.

Raven didn’t get angry and lowered his head. He then asked: “Was that your trial?”

“One question. Already answered, so it’s time to fulfill your end of the deal.”

Raven raised his head and said: “What if I tell Kronos myself?”

“I planned on sparing you all this time, but I might kill you again.” Replied Seth, his hand still holding the letter.

Raven sighed and nodded: “I’ll still let Augur know. Where do you want it taken?”

“I don’t care about Augur, and he’ll most likely laugh once he hears about it. Razim’s world. A demigod called Blue, you should have no trouble finding him. He’s always by Razim’s side.”

“That’s far.” Replied Raven.

“You’ll manage.”

“And what if the water throne stops me? If you know her, you should know she doesn’t like others getting involved with her paradise.”

“That’s why I asked you to take it to Blue. She’ll not block you if you claim you have a letter for Blue. Stop looking for excuses and go.”

After the letter flew next to Raven and he was about to leave, Seth said: “I will also need your help in this war. Do a small favor for me, and I’ll answer another question.”

Raven stopped and turned around: “The Council doesn’t get involved in human wars. Augur will not allow that.”

“I only need you to intercept a few orders. With your abilities, killing a few carrier pigeons is as easy as snapping your feathers.”

Raven nodded and said: “I agree. Was that your Trial?”

Seth nodded back and said: “Trial of destruction. Destruction of self. Eliminate everything that defines your existence. Friends, enemies, lovers, family… everything.”

Raven sighed and asked: “Do you know what the Trial of air entails? Vayu has never spoken about it.”

“You still haven’t given up? I can tell you, but you’ll never be able to complete it. You’ll owe me more for a useless answer. Fly away, Raven.”

Raven had a conflicted look before slowly disappearing into thin air without saying anything back. The letter also started flying away into the distance.

Seth’s eyes turned tired after Raven was gone, and he closed them again. ‘Damage report.’

<Destruction 56%, leaked 6% progress into the fourth shell.>

‘What about my soul?’

<Negligible damage.>

Seth smiled and nodded weakly: ‘Then I’ll rest for a while….’

Seth fell asleep and remained like that for two days when he finally woke from his slumber. Sitting up, he looked over the capital of Noth and asked the system: ‘How long will it take Raven to reach Blue?’

<Ten years.>

‘So I must make sure Kronos doesn’t find me for at least three times that… Can you track him?’

<Negative.>

‘He must be moving through time looking for my presence. My present should have formed an anchor, so I won’t randomly find myself dead, but I still need Blue’s help… well, worrying about it now is pointless, and all I can do is stop using my divinity so recklessly. Haha, Maya would probably agree to that.’

<Since he had checked host’s world already, the chances of him returning soon are quite low.>

Seth nodded and stopped worrying about it. What happened now was outside his power to influence, so he might as well take care of what he could.

With that thought in mind, he started moving again, heading north towards Oath. With Noth’s influence decreasing over the kingdom bearing its name, his mission there was over.

With his destruction source in shambles, Seth’s journey to the border of Wrath took a lot more time than he had initially estimated.

When he finally reached the eastern side of the Oath Kingdom, where its border with Wrath was, it was already the end of the first month of autumn.

On the way, the system kept delivering pieces of information about the enemy movement. The alliance was ready to begin their assault on Endora, Oath, and the blood race.

First and second shell earth ascended from the Kingdoms of Life and Death were accompanying soldiers to access the Blood race’s cores.

More soldiers were brought from all over to surround Oath, with the most significant number of them being exactly where Seth had just arrived.

The fields after passing Oath’s border were filled with army camps as far as one’s eyes could see, and, even if not visible with the naked eye from Seth’s current position, more and more soldiers would arrive on a day-by-day basis.

The situation for Oath was not better; the academy’s ascended being mobilized to protect each of their borders. The classes were put on break, and the students still in the academy were all forced to study independently. Out of all the ascended of the academy, the only one left to protect the capital was Iris.

As one of the main instigators and players of this war, even with his involvement not being wholly known, Seth’s perception source was being fed negative perception from all sides.

‘How long until the cleansing begins?’ asked Seth, watching the army camp ahead.

<As initially planned, the attack begins at first snow on Oath, Endora, and the blood race.>

‘So I need to convert this guy by then. What is Maya doing?’

<She is silently evacuating all the villages in the incoming army’s path. Also, the knights guarding the border with Wrath were replaced with ascended that would be able to rush back the moment the attack started.>

‘That’s good. What about Oath?’

<Things are going well. With the academy’s mobilization, host’s plan has a greater chance of success. The public anxiousness gave Molly and Cain an easier time playing their hero plan. The play is already in its final stages, but they plan to drop the curtain when the war begins, and the enemy marches on Oath.>

<Evidence had been fabricated of Lian planning to sell off the ascended knowledge and the academy to save his own life. Everything will be revealed as the enemy armies begin marching toward Oath’s capital.>

‘What about the other cities, towns, and villages outside the capital?>

<Soldiers had been mobilized to protect the large Cities, and all encampments without walls had retreated towards the closest city or garrison. The entire kingdom is in a state of alert, but the enemy only has the capital in their sights. They will kill everything they find in their path, but they have orders to ignore the fortified cities.>

‘Everything is going according to plan… how is Henrietta?’

<She appears to be struggling, but she’s been working with Elise, Cain, and Molly to further the plan, so there shouldn’t be any issues.>

‘So everything is in order. Now is the time for me to take care of my job. Give me a detailed profile of this guy. I can’t fight him in the middle of the enemy army. Not to mention my source is still damaged, and, with him being at the limit of the sixth shell, I won’t be able to neutralize his energy easily.’

<Tarquin Warren, destruction ascended, peak sixth shell>

<First pupil of the King of Death, 423 years old.>

<Accepted contract against The King of Death’s orders by working together with Roland>

<Reward includes the rights to rule over the new Oath and a copy of the ascended knowledge in Oath.>

<Disguised as a general from the Kingdom of Home.>

‘He knows he’s being played, doesn’t he?’

<Affirmative. Ronald plans on using him to clean up Endora before declaring the assault on Oath a failure, thus declaring the operation a failure.>

<If Tarquin tries anything, Ronald plans to threaten him by informing the King of Death.>

<At the same time, Tarquin plans to take Endora’s throne by force and renege on the deal himself. He doesn’t care about either Oath or their knowledge; he wants a territory away from Death to build his force.>

‘Haha, who do you think would have won?’

<If I ran a simulation removing host’s presence, the winner would have been Tarquin. He already knew his involvement would become known, but after taking over Endora, he would refuse to deliver it to Ronald.>

‘So Ronald would have still shot himself in the foot. Well, no matter anyway. I’m sure that old fox in Death already knows everything.’

<Affirmative. He is allowing Tarquin to feed his ambition and aiding the alliance in dealing with the Blood Race in the hopes of having the Council appear on the continent again. He also wants to secure Hope’s treasure.>

Seth sighed and shook his head. ‘Even if someone from the Council came, even in their weakened state, dealing with them wouldn’t have been that easy. No matter, I need a way to get close to the guy.’

<Highest chance of success is if host masks his cultivation and controls destruction energy to simulate a human with a great affinity for destruction energy. Tarquin has been gathering ascended of destruction affinity in secret, using Soren’s method to keep them under control before eventually turning against his master.>

<If host appears in front of him as a usual soldier with a strong destruction affinity, host might be able to close the distance host needs and start working your perception energy on him.>

<But for breaking his will, host will need to think of something else.>

Seth smiled as a thought came to his mind. Changing his looks to that of an ordinary soldier before creating a suit of armor for himself, he looked towards the army camp.

“I know just the thing that might work. Let’s start. Show me a teleportation route to him. This place is huge.”