Legacy of the Dark Sage

Kyran need not telling though. He knew how troublesome it would get if they were found and a fight broke out between them. So far the movements he sensed came from one spot, meaning there was only one being outside. But that did not mean it was alone.  That being\'s companions might be scattered around the forest.

Outside, a red mist crept toward the ancient tree. From a distance, a woman in a red tight-fitting dress, that matched the red veil hiding its face looked at the massive tree with narrowed eyes.

"I know you\'re there," the woman drawled and a mischievous smile could be seen vaguely under her veil. "Come out here and I might spare your life."

Kyran\'s brow furrowed at once. He found the woman\'s voice familiar. Unfortunately, he could not remember where he heard it. Kyran\'s memory were better than most, thus, not recalling where he heard the woman\'s voice was strange to him.

Frankly, it was not really that strange. For the most part of Kyran\'s encounter with that woman, he had been put under an illusion. She also made it sure to alter her voice. Nonetheless, since she was not adverse in Sound magic, the alteration in her voice was minute.

\'Sh*t,\' Dusk cursed inwardly. He was not using his magic sense to observe the surroundings outside. Like Kyran, Dusk only used his natural senses to observe what was happening outside. Nevertheless, he might not be able to see what was outside, but he recognized the owner of that voie. There was a slight change, but since he almost bumped into that woman in the last city he went to, he knew how much change she did to her voice.

Nevertheless, that woman was not that good at tracking, which was why Dusk was surprised she found him so soon.

His camouflage was impeccable, not to mention he possessed a pseudo-orb that was similar to the concealing ability of the rumored Heart of the Cosmos. There was no way for the woman to locate him that fast.

Dusk then turned to Kyran and cursed again. This guy\'s magic might have done something to the camouflage he left at the cave that was why the woman managed to track him down.

Void magic\'s nature was too complex, after all. Nevertheless, one of its nature that they already confirmed was how badly it could distort space. Dusk had a first hand experience on that during their first encounter.

Sensing Dusk\'s fierce glare, Kyran looked at him with raised brows as if to say: \'What\'s your problem?\'

Seemingly reading Kyran\'s thoughts, Dusk telepathically spoke to him.

[That woman is Deception, one of the representatives from Flos\'s faction.]

Dusk smiled wryly as he recalled something. He then added:

[But I suppose you don\'t need any introduction of who she is since she came to infiltrate the Human plane back then.]

Unfortunately, Kyran stopped listening to Dusk after he saying who the woman was. Because he knew her and it was because of her that he fell into an illusion, which then almost risked Cyneah\'s life.

Kyran still did not know how Cyneah\'s soul entered his sea of consciousness back then. But if not for her, he would not have been able to leave the illusion world Deception created and might jeopardize the safety of his people. He was grateful for what Cyneah did, but after learning what he put her through so she could wake him, he felt the need to make Deception pay. Regrettably, Kyran did not cross paths with her after that one time, thus failing to collect what was due between them.

[The ancient tree is full of mana.]

Dusk continued to speak with Kyran telepathically.

[It should be able to fend any of her attempt to use her magic. So just stay still and don\'t make a sound— oi!]

Dusk\'s eyes almost popped out of their sockets when Kyran made his way out of their hiding spot. Dusk wanted to pull Kyran back but the coldness in the latter\'s eyes forced him to stop.

Dusk stopped not because he was frightened by Kyran\'s eyes. Though Dusk knew shit was about to go down if he did not stop Kyran, he felt the young man had a plan.

Dusk knew Kyran had a reckless streak, but somehow the result of his actions seemed to be part of a well-thought of plan. Of course, Dusk did not believe Kyran had thought of a plan in the span of a few seconds but he allowed the latter to go, nonetheless.

As Kyran stepped out, the color of his hair changed to blonde and the color of his eyes turned green. The contours of his face also changed making him look very much like Achim.

Wearing a cold and stern expression, Kyran exited Dusk\'s hiding spot and looked outside.

\'Hm?\' Deception frowned upon seeing the person hiding under the ancient tree.

The truth, Deception did not come to that place because she picked up Dusk\'s tracks. As a matter of fact, she never went to the cave nor was Dusk\'s camouflage seen through. Deception came there because she was hunting a different person— or, to be precise— she was hunting a complete being. But that complete being was so good at hiding that she and the rest following her was led into what they feared had already turned into a wild-goose chase.

In any case, the person that emerged from the tree was not the person Deception expected but that did not alleviate her shock because she knew him.

Prince Achim, the favorite nephew of the Armakea King.

It was not strange for Deception to know who Achim was even though she was not the one investigating Armakea.

Every Sovereign representative that came to Somuli were more or less familiar with its state of affairs, and knew every key figures of each nations. They researched these key figures\' Family background, character, affiliation, Divine Armament, and many others.

The only one they had trouble researching was the Eidum\'s Saint because the Abbot had kept a very tight lid on her information.

But putting the matter of the Saint\'s information aside, Deception wondered why Prince Achim was there.

"\'Might spare my life?\'" Kyran repeated in a voice very different from his own.

Dusk, who could only listen in on what was happening outside was surprised to hear Kyran\'s voice. If the voice had not spoken too close to the ancient tree, Dusk would have thought there was a third person outside.

\'That\'s the Dark Sage?\' Dusk thought in surprise. He did not expect Kyran was proficient in Voice Alteration especially when it used Sound magic, which was very different from his Void magic.

Unbeknownst to Dusk, Kyran did not use a Voice Alteration spell. The change in his voice was simply him adjusting his vocal chord— a skill he learned as a child along with the Regis Techniques. He rarely used it though, because there was still a limit to how much he could adjust his vocal chord and if he used it too frequently he might end up with a course throat for days.

Deception might still be a distance away, but Kyran recognized her attire and aura. Not to mention, the red mist crawling toward the ancient tree was all too familiar. "Taking out words out of my mouth left an unpleasant taste on my mouth. I\'ll give you five seconds to come up with a good reason why I should not kill you right here, right now."

Deception\'s eyes narrowed. She knew about Prince Achim\'s arrogance. But unlike most spoiled arrogant royalties she knew that could not back up their attitudes, Achim could. If he said he would kill her, he would and could do it.

Deception was only an essence and her mage level was only comparable to a Magus. Moreover, the magic law in Somuli restricted her use of magic. Thus, her illusions were not as effective as she would like them to be.

Donning a beautiful smile on her face, Deception used her magic to change the color of her hair and eyes. Though her veil hid her hair and face well, in case she could not avoid a fight, she had to disguise herself as a complete being.

"Oh? If it isn\'t his highness, Prince Achim." She curtsied and retracted her red mist, willing it to circle around her instead, before continuing. "Why would a highly-esteemed person like yourself, be in this such a place?"

"You think you can pretend nothing happened after threatening me, wench?" Kyran responded and raised his right hand. A golden sword appeared on his hand hand as he took a stepped toward Deception.

Deception\'s eyes constricted after being called a wench. But she managed to reign in her annoyance and maintained her cool. She Let out a sultry laugh and said, "Oh, that? Please pardon my words. Those were not directed at you, your highness. It\'s just that I thought you are the b*tch I was after."

Kyran frowned, but did not say anything. Inwardly, he caught on her words and knew the person she was after was a female.

Under the ancient tree\'s hollowed space, Dusk also heard Deception and sighed in relief. If she was after a woman, then obviously she did discover his tracks.

But who was she after then? Another representative? A beast-like? Or a complete being?

Dusk strained his ears to listen in on what was happening outside. Frankly, he thought Deception would have attacked Kyran by now. Because, no matter how or what Kyran did to appear like Prince Achim, his aura and presence were different. But recalling they were close to the ancient tree that had an abundance of mana, anyone\'s senses would be dulled by it.

That might be why Deception was convinced of Kyran\'s disguise. That, or Deception did not know how Prince Achim\'s aura and presence felt like.

Dusk frowned inwardly as he thought of something, \'Did Dark Sage consider the ancient tree\'s mana that\'s why he decided to show up in disguise? My magic is far from possessing Earth magic nature, thus, my transformation ability is not that good. If I showed up in front of a mage who specializes in Illusion magic, even if I have the advantage in mage level, I will be found out almost immediately. But Void magic\'s nature is far from Earth magic. How did he manage to fool her?\'

Dusk\'s doubt was not really strange, since he did not know about Kyran\'s face-altering mask. With a wry smile,  Dusk shook his head at the irony of their situation.

Kyran managed to deceiveDeception, who was supposed to be a master of deception.

"And you think that is enough to convince me?" Kyran growled.

Deception immediately realized her mistake and shook her head,  "No, of course not, your highness. But it is the truth. I swear that on my name."

"Name?" Kyran snorted. "And who do you think you are that I can put my faith on your name?"

Deception lowered her head immediately and said, "It has not been announced yet, but I am a newly appointed Aide to the Sovereign. My name is Lady D."

Dusk\'s expressions turned grim. He did not expect Flos\'s side had already gotten pretty deep into the Sovereign\'s good graces to appoint Deception as his Aide. It seemed the negotiation between them was as good as done. If this was the case, there was no point for the other representatives to stay.

Not that it mattered to Dusk. After all, his mission in Somuli was not solely to convince its Sovereign to join their faction. 

Kyran had a different take on what Deception had said, though. In his opinion, the negotiation between her faction and the fake Sovereign was still underway and the reason the latter gave her a position was so she could move around Somuli unhindered. However, that was only one of the fake Sovereigns two reasons.

As for the other reason, it was to draw out the negotiation because he was a fake.

Kyran scowled at Deception as he said, "Why is someone from Cretea in my land? I\'ll take your head, for trespassing in my Armakea\'s soil."