Defiance of the Fall

"I should have known better than expecting my suffering to be over after making it home in one piece," Ogras groaned. "Fine, I've already boarded this pirate ship. The first problem is the barrier. I'm guessing this is why you needed to bring in outside muscle?"

"It's an important reason," Zac nodded. "The Great Wall of Resolution spans the whole entrance to the Imperial Graveyard. A normal Monarch can't force their way inside, let alone us."

"So what good are those skeletons? Zurbor is sealed just like Zecia. Their sealed Monarchs won't be enough, if they can even teleport them over. Isn't it almost impossible?"

"It's prohibitively expensive because the highest battlefronts are Peak D-grade," Zac nodded. "Any determined Monarch let loose behind enemy lines could wreak havoc. Just bringing one will eat up a good chunk of the Kavriel Province's accumulated Faction Merit, though they are trying to have more sneak into Zurbor from the outside."

"So what then?"

"Their Monarchs aren't the important aspect. Only they have the means to drag the [Epiclesis Bell] to the Zurbor Sector. The bell's the key to breaking through the barrier."

"I was wondering why you hadn't dealt with that thing yet."

Zac carried a ball of shame over still having done nothing to help Vilari despite Galau having mastered the ritual more than five months ago. He'd even turned the core features into an array disk. If Zac's understanding of the necessary bait was correct, he could have replaced the sacrifices with himself and easily pulled the bell over.

Yet he'd held off, watching from the sidelines as it consumed more and more Kan'Tanu. Some of its damage had already been mended according to reports, which probably made the danger Vilari faced even greater. Ralz Calzood maintained her belief it was for the best, that the benefits outweighed the dangers for her disciple. Zac wasn't convinced.

"Uh," Ogras coughed upon seeing Zac's face. "So how do the Undead Empire factor in?"

"Sacrifice," Zac sighed, explaining the method to summon the bell.

"What a nasty thing," Ogras said with scrunched brows. "But why would we need the Undead Empire for that? If you're willing to go that far for your plan, can't you pick a world in the Zurbor Sector with particularly nasty cultists and call it over?"

"Zurbor is too far away. Even if the bell manages to sense the summon, the pull will be so weak that it can resist the attraction. Instead, we have to create a trail of breadcrumbs to follow."

"You've had the Undead Empire set up sacrificial rituals at worlds between Zecia and Zurbor," Ogras exclaimed. "The logistics involved..."

"We've picked six unorthodox factions at the border of the Eternal Storm. The advance forces should have arrived already."

The System clumped together habitable regions into sectors, with large chasms of nothingness between them. The Eternal Storm was more random, and you could find isolated worlds peppered throughout if you looked carefully. Even Ogras, who'd left a trail of bodies on his long journey home, looked slightly taken aback.

No matter how you massaged the facts, the reality was that six factions unrelated to their struggle would be slaughtered on his order. Unorthodox or not, some innocent people were bound to live on those worlds. Zac wasn't proud of it, but neither did he waver in his decision.

This was a war for survival. For Earth, for Zecia as a whole. Summoning the Foreign Gods was perhaps their only shot left at making it through alive. Getting the final piece of his seal was nothing before that fundamental desire for survival. If some planets had to fall for that to happen, so be it. Zac would carry that weight. If anything, he would go even further to save his people.

"All this effort… Is the bell really that powerful?" Ogras muttered.

"It's the thing hiding inside I'm after. There's something very wrong with that entity. It might be a spirit from a previous Era. Both the Heavens and the System have gone berserk every time those things have been exposed, and they've devastated whole regions to take it out. The Great Wall is strong, but not strong enough to withstand true Heavenly wrath."

"What if the Undead Empire doesn't hold up their part of the bargain? Or if they mess up?"

"It's a risk I have to take," Zac sighed. "I'm betting on Kator's greed and the importance the Undead Empire places on this trial. Gaining access to the Imperial Graveyard and a huge amount of merit should far outweigh the value of the bell and ensure there'll be no trickery. If they betray us, it's most likely after we've entered the graveyard."

"So I think I get it," Ogras said, massaging his glabella. "We sneak as close as possible, and the skeletons summon the heretical bell. We crack it open and unleash Armageddon, somehow surviving the thunder and the cultists who will no doubt sense the intense energy fluctuations."

"While also saving Vilari."

"Of course. So we sneak inside during the chaos, praying the commotion and our allies can stall any pursuers long enough as we follow your tracker to the ancient puppets. And then what?"

"Well…"

"And then what?" Ogras repeated, his eyes thinning with suspicion when the silence dragged on. "Don't tell me—"

"Uh, yeah. The details aren't really ironed down beyond that point," Zac coughed when he saw Ogras's incredulous expression. "I mean, I've already had to change the plan a couple of times. We'll have to take things as they come."

"As they come? In the middle of a deadly region where even Monarchs must tread carefully? Which is heavily guarded by our enemies? Can we escape the Zurbor sector through the Imperial Graveyard after we're done?"

"It doesn't look like it," Zac scratched his head. "There seems to be an incredibly dangerous region in the depths, essentially cutting off access to the real Eternal Storm. That's why we can't sneak in the back door."

"So we'd have to return the way we came to reach a teleporter? Past our enemies' stronghold, where a whole lot of very angry cultists will probably be waiting."

"Something like that."

"Well, the best of luck to you."

"What are you talking about? You're coming with, of course," Zac said. "As is Esmeralda."

"Are you crazy?!"

'Absolutely not!'

Esmeralda appeared in a flash, clearly having listened in on their conversation from some hidden spot.

"I have no idea how difficult it'll be to activate the Foreign Gods or what kinds of defenses might be blocking my way. I will need my two most skilled infiltrators on the job," Zac smiled.

'Why should I join you on such a dangerous mission? I'm already hiding from the Heavens as is! This is not part of our contract.'

"Well, I can't force you," Zac said with an innocent expression. "But the pillar's ascent was brought forward by half a year because of the Centurion Lighthouse. Who's to say what'll happen when the real Centurion Project is dragged to the surface and activated? The System might whisk us away to the inheritance right away. Are you sure you want to stay behind and risk missing the boat? My undead body has no choice but to go because of my agreement with Kator."

'This—this—' Esmeralda frantically signed while stamping the ground in agitation. 'You're forcing my hand, breaking the spirit of our agreement!'

"I'm simply explaining the situation. Also, this scenario isn't covered by our agreement," Zac said, feeling a great sense of satisfaction from throwing back Esmeralda's words in her face.

Honestly, Zac wasn't too broken up about losing out on the ancient toad's bloodline talents. He'd never included them in any of his plans, and her trickery gave him the perfect excuse to bring her along on this admittedly half-cooked caper. Since he was already on a roll, Zac turned his attention to Ogras, who looked ready to run for the hills.

"I know you've enlisted and checked out the exchange by now. There are some pretty amazing things, aren't there? Things you'd need to keep up your momentum when our resources run dry. But how will you get the merit to get your hands on the good stuff? We've already abandoned the frontlines because it became too dangerous. Oh, you also need another piece for your seal."

Ogras's face flickered with indecision until greed overcame caution. "What if the trial doesn't start when you finish your quest?"

"I don't know," Zac admitted. "Depends on the Foreign Gods. Maybe we can ride on their shoulders as we steamroll the Zurbor Sector. If that doesn't work out, we'll have to hide inside the Imperial Graveyard until the trial begins. It shouldn't be hard. It's almost as large as the Million Gates Territory and way more chaotic. The Undead Empire is planning on sending multiple units with that strategy."

Of course, Zac wasn't planning on telling Ogras these units who'd sneak inside on separate vessels were disposable deathsworn. They'd act as a diversion while searching for seals. Coming back alive, whether they became sealbearers or not, was not something Kator planned for.

"I guess it's about time you advanced to blowing up whole sectors," Ogras sighed in defeat. "And I admit the plan seems feasible in a deranged way. I bet those curse-cultivating maniacs will turn into natural lightning rods when the Heavens descend on the area."

"That's what I hope."

"So when are we going?"

"We have a hard deadline to set out with Kator in a month," Zac said. "We could go even sooner if something changes."

"And until then?"

"We'll keep at it, figuring out ways to increase our chances of survival," Zac said. "And first on the docket is cracking open the Ensolus Ruins."

"Well, the ruins will still be there tomorrow," Ogras said and took out a ceramic vat covered in odd scribbles. "I think I need another drink after hearing your master plan."

Ogras stayed a few more hours before returning to Azh'Rodum. Zac dispersed the alcohol from his system and teleported to his own cultivation cave. His chat with Ogras had helped settle his heart, and seeing the demon's exaggerated reactions even helped alleviate Zac's misgivings about the mission.

Zac spent the rest of the night cultivating his soul, letting the vast amounts of Mental Energy wash through his spiritual body. The [Thousand Lights Avatar] had long since reached the limits of the technique he'd picked up from the Eidolon elite. Going any further required an actual spirit body, while the upper layers remained exclusive for Eidolon.

The spiritual form spanning both his bodies was slightly different from the original. There were weak hints of his Branch of the War Axe in the previously unattuned framework. Adding it wasn't very difficult. He cultivated his soul with a war between Life and Death, which he harnessed and amplified with his Dao Branch as he let the shockwaves from his Soul Aperture spread through his body.

It was still far from becoming anything close to the [Thousand Axes Avatar] he'd envisioned, nor did it have any effect in combat. Zac still kept at it to observe the transformation conflict brought to spirit. Achieving his goals would require a comprehensive rehaul of the Eidolon technique, for which he only had some theories so far.

The rehaul would require a herculean effort of trial and error or Ultom's epiphany. But even the latter wouldn't work without a foundation and direction to build upon. The suns had already been up for hours when Zac appeared in his compound, and he enjoyed the fresh sense of clarity of rotating his Mental Energy.

'You should practice this method every night going forward,' Esmeralda said from within her subspace.

"You think my soul will be important for the trial?"

'Who knows? But I felt like I was given a luxurious mud bath when you practiced.'

"So that's it," Zac scoffed before teleporting over to his other planet.

The group was already assembled and waiting outside when Zac arrived—more than half his sealbearers. Ogras was missing, but a flickering shadow indicated he was nearby.

"Let's go," Zac said and flew into the sandstorm.

The rest followed behind, and they soon found themselves in the Ensolus Ruins. A haze covered the ruins, limiting vision and making it look like the root-covered city was in the middle of monsoon season despite being placed in the middle of a desert. Zac glanced at Galau, who nodded and took out an array disk.

The illusions popped like soap bubbles, exposing one magnificent temple after another. The temples and mansions of the Ensolus Ruins looked exactly as grand as they did when Zac first unearthed them. No, that wasn't strictly correct. They were even more resplendent, having benefited from Ensolus' upgrade to Middle D-grade Energy.

"To think these things were hidden among the rubble," Ogras exclaimed as he stepped out of the shadows, drawing surprised looks from the others. "Makes one want to start digging for treasure."

"You're back! No wonder all those demons popped up over the night," Emily exclaimed, looking at the demon expectantly. "Do you have a way to pierce the barriers? Is that why we're gathered today?"

"We'll see," Ogras muttered, only half-listening as he directed hundreds of shadowy strings to burrow into every nook and cranny.

"It's no use. We've already scanned the area in various ways. If there's still subterranean ruins or spatial pockets hiding, they're sealed so tightly even a Spatial Monarch would find it hard to unearth them."

"Guess I'll have to take your word for it. Who could have imagined a worrywart like you would become a blinding sun?" Ogras grinned and put his arm around Galau's shoulder. "I was sure you'd get yourself killed after you were sent off to the army."

"It wasn't easy, but we got him on the right path," Bubbur nodded, looking at Galau like a proud mother.

"Grand Formation Master. Weaponsmith. I even hear you've conquered this feral little thing. A real triple threat."

"Want to test if your shadows are flammable?" Emily glowered. "If anything, I'm the conqueror here, alright?"

"That's what you're worried about?" Galau rolled his eyes. "And I don't know about a triple threat or sun. I was simply fortunate enough to get swept up in this mess and survive. Most are not so lucky."

"I heard there's been casualties?" Ogras grunted, glancing at Zac.

"We've lost five. More than ten times that number if you count repeated casualties to the same seal," Zac confirmed.

"It's like it's become harder and harder to hold onto the seals," Emily sighed. "Meanwhile, it's like those who got picked early have a guardian angel. Oh, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's true," Lissa said with a weak smile.

"It'll be ok," Carl muttered, seemingly telling himself as much as his wife.

Zac could empathize with Carl's fears. Not a single of his original Sealbearers had fallen, even if Rhubat and Ra'Klid were on bed rest, recovering in specialized arrays after nearly dying in battle. Rhubat was the worst off, having their body almost completely shattered shortly after seizing the second piece of their seal. The Zhix leader had been in a sealed state for over four months, only kept alive through the enduring nourishment of Faith Energy from the hives.

Meanwhile, it almost felt like the seals had become death sentences to those who got them late. Fate was testing the candidates and their worthiness, and most came up short. The seal-inflicted deaths had hit his second-generation Hegemons the hardest, including two Valkyries and Harvarth, the demon captain who'd fought by his side since day one.

Lissa was his most recent sealbearer and an accidental one at that. The demoness had stepped down from active duty to care for her daughter, instead taking up a job as an elite guard in Purgatory. An ill-fated prison escape had cost Zac a Zurbor-native navigator and Ogras the final piece of his Hollow Court seal.

Admittedly, Lissa was the final piece of the puzzle. He now had two full cycles, with two sealbearers to spare. Zac had already given up on forming a third, even if there was a small chance of success through the Imperial Graveyard. Instead, they'd focus on completing the seals they already had.

Only two had already accomplished that feat—Emily and Janos. Their experience was the same; the final epiphany was even greater than the first two. Janos was still caught in a near-catatonic state as he digested the insights. Zac hoped he could provide the same thing to a few more of his sealbearers before running out of time, which was why he'd brought so many today.

"Can you get inside?" Zac asked when he saw Ogras inspecting a barrier.

"No way," Ogras said without hesitation. "I have learned some infiltration techniques, but they won't work against this kind of absolute defense."

Zac had expected as much. He'd visited a few times over the past months, hoping his accumulated experience and progression with [Void Mountain] would be enough. It wasn't. His keen senses couldn't find a weakness in the barriers, and neither could the Void force a path.

'Can you do it?' Zac asked through the mental connection with Esmeralda.

'…'

'What is it?'

'You never said the ruins were a blessed city! These temples are the training grounds of Imperial Templars!'