NOVPUB
Chapter 404: 404
Rattan had been constantly surprised and stunned since meeting Chief, but nothing compared to the feeling that washed over him at these words. "He had... magic?" The thought echoed in his mind, incredulous. Was he somehow one of those powerful beings from the tower, beings to whom even his masters bowed their heads? Did he possess the same talents as them?
Rattan’s mind raced, trying to reconcile the idea of himself wielding magic. It seemed impossible, absurd. He was just Rattan, a slave, a ratman. Magic was something reserved for the elite, for the mages in their towering spires, for the powerful beings his masters feared.
"But... the spider," Rattan stammered, his voice barely a whisper. "What about the spider? What is it?" He looked towards the space beside Chief, but he no longer saw the creature. It had vanished as suddenly as it had appeared.
Chief’s expression turned grim, the joy replaced by a deep-seated fear. "The spider..." he repeated, his voice low and ominous. "It’s... one of them."
"One of who?" Rattan asked, his confusion deepening.
Chief took a deep breath, steeling himself to reveal the truth he recently found out. "One of the empire’s enemies," he said, his voice heavy with dread. "The ones my people sought out in our desperation for power." He paused, his gaze fixed on some unseen point in the distance. "The demons."
The word hung in the air, chilling Rattan to the bone. Being capable of posing such a problem to the empire and their mages, the idea that such a creature had been... There, watching him, was deeply unsettling.
"But... why?" Rattan asked, his voice trembling. "Why would a demon... be with you?"
Chief shook his head slowly, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and resignation. "I don’t know for certain," he admitted. "But... it might have something to do with my stubbornness, my refusal to succumb to her will. It seems to please her. Watching me writhe in pain, watching me struggle... It brings her great joy. Her chuckle at those moments has been a constant source of nightmares for me."
He looked at Rattan, a warning etched on his weathered face. "I know nothing of magic, nor of your abilities," he said, his voice firm, "but I can tell you one thing: never, not even for a moment, let the thought of that spider cross your mind. Never stare too closely at her. Never even think about her." He paused, his gaze hardening. "That is the only way to keep her at bay."
Chief began to pace restlessly around the small dwelling, his brow furrowed in deep thought. He ran a hand through his coarse fur, his movements agitated. Finally, he stopped, his gaze settling on Rattan. A look of grim determination had settled on his face.
"I thank you for your hospitality, boy," he said, his voice heavy with regret. "But for your safety, and for the future of our race... I have to ensure I’m not anywhere near you. She has already shown a slight interest in you, and that... that can be nipped in the bud before it turns into something else."
Rattan’s heart sank. He had finally found someone who understood him, someone who could teach him about his people’s history, about their technology. And now, that person was leaving, driven away by fear of a creature Rattan couldn’t even fully comprehend.
"But... Chief..." Rattan began, his voice pleading. "Where will you go? You’re still injured. You can’t..."
Chief held up a hand, silencing him. "I’ll manage," he said, his voice firm. "I’ve survived worse. What matters now is your safety. And the safety of any other ratman who might cross your path." He looked at Rattan, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and resolve. "She is a predator, boy. And you... you have caught her attention. I cannot risk being the bait that draws her closer."
He turned to leave, his large frame filling the doorway. He paused, looking back at Rattan one last time. "Remember my words," he said, his voice low and urgent. "Never think of her. Never speak of her. Never... invite her in."
Seeing the Chief’s determined figure ready to depart, Rattan felt a profound sense of urgency. It was as if the most important moment of his life was unfolding before him, and any choice he made now would irrevocably shape his destiny. He looked at the older ratman’s lonely back, a figure burdened by regret, responsibility, and a rising sense of pride. Then, his gaze shifted to the scattered rubble of steam tech left behind, seemingly entrusted to him for study.
Rattan found himself taking a step forward. It was a small step, almost hesitant, but as his foot touched the ground, he heard a faint, shattering sound, like glass breaking. His vision flickered, and for a fleeting moment, the world around him transformed. The barn, previously dull and drab, was now bathed in vibrant colors, teeming with small, luminous lifeforms that danced and swirled in the air. It was a breathtaking, almost overwhelming sight, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared, leaving him blinking in the familiar dimness.
The experience, however brief, had propelled him forward. His steps led him directly to Chief, who was peering through the open doorway, waiting for the opportune moment to slip away unnoticed. Chief felt a light touch on his shoulder and turned to find Rattan standing behind him, his eyes now glowing with a soft, yellow light.
Chief’s eyes widened in surprise, his breath catching in his throat. He opened his mouth to speak, to perhaps reiterate his warning or question the strange glow in Rattan’s eyes, but the young ratman’s words stopped him in place.
"I’m not afraid," Rattan said, his voice clear and steady, a newfound confidence resonating within it. The yellow light in his eyes pulsed softly as he continued. "And I won’t let you face this alone."
Meanwhile, deep within Rattan’s core, where Phantom resided, the intricate construct of a tree entwined by a serpent was dissolving. In its place, Rattan’s core now shone with an intense, almost blinding light, as bright as the sun. Phantom smiled, a genuine expression of joy, as he witnessed the complete unraveling of the seals.
A few moments prior, he too had been surprised that Rattan could perceive the spider. The boy’s nonchalant attitude, assuming it was a normal occurrence associated with Chief, had initially baffled Phantom. It then dawned on him that his own presence within Rattan was influencing the young ratman’s perception, allowing him to see things beyond the normal creature spectrum.
The appearance of the spider and the woman’s face had been a brief, but significant, interaction between Phantom and Vorenza. The demon queen had been observing him, and he had been doing the same. Her smile had been a knowing acknowledgment of his apprehension. Phantom had sensed her immense power, a force he could not yet contend with. Thankfully, the dissolving construct within Rattan had reacted to Vorenza’s attention, briefly flaring and revealing Ikenga’s presence, which was enough to make the demon queen turn her gaze away.
Phantom now focused his attention on the outside world, where he could see the brightly lit flames of ambition burning around both Chief and Rattan. He eagerly anticipated their next move, the choices they would make, the path they would forge together.
Far away, within the heart of the empire, in the towering structures where most sixth-stage powerhouses resided, the change in Rattan, the breaking of the seals, was detected. At the empire’s capital, within the grand palace, a robed figure sat upon a massive throne. In his open palm, he held a large, intricately carved orb, a prison of seals. On one side of the orb, a crack had appeared, spreading like roots throughout its surface.
The robed figure sighed, a deep, resonant sound that echoed through the vast chamber. "It seems the ratman race must be dealt with," he said, his voice imbued with ancient power. "Ensure their demise serves a great purpose, a significant blow against the demons." Hazy, phantom-like figures, beings of immense power at the sixth stage of cultivation, materialized around the throne. They bowed their heads in silent acknowledgment before vanishing as quickly as they had appeared, tasked with carrying out the emperor’s decree.
The robed figure sighed again, his gaze fixed on the cracked orb. "Just a century left for the results to bear fruit," he murmured, a hint of weariness in his voice. "It can still be redeemed."
Ikenga who led to the breaking of the seal noticed the moment it broke so he didn’t react much to it. He was looking forward to the actions the mages will take, if they went this far to make the seal it must mean something and he was ready to find out what that is.
Back in the world of Nana, changes were taking place. Ikenga’s absence was becoming increasingly noticeable. Farmers, accustomed to the predictable growth cycles of their crops and the expected harvest times, were beginning to observe unsettling discrepancies.
