Leon, Myria and Jing Mingyun, on the other hand, were less shocked. If anything, only a bit surprised that was such a project under the wraps.
Jing Mingyun asked, “Then, how much of my strength will this chamber allow me to recover?”
Queen Demetria hearing this paused for a moment before she finally responded, “Sigh! I’m not sure as the chamber was never tested since its competition. In theory, however, it should allow for an increase of time in a 1: 100 ratio which means one day would be no different from 100 years. Still, while it could function properly, there is always the possibility of it encountering malfunctions. Heiress Jing, do you still wish to take this risky chance?”
Queen Demetria had a serious look on her face as she waited for Jing Mingyun’s reply. Leon who heard this thought to himself, “In such circumstances, it would be truly unwise to undergo such a risky ordeal...”
Feng Yu looked at Jing Mingyun who had now closed her eyes for a moment, as she closed her eyes, a scene soon became visible only to her eyes. A place filled with a grand kind of aura, a beautiful woman with long black flowing hair stood calmly and proudly above a stairway that reached the heavens.
She stood at its summits where a massive star was in plain sight glowing with runes that seemed to calculate all things. After a short while, she moved her eyes away from the star and looked behind her gazing into Jing Mingyun’s eyes while speaking a few strange words:
“Your destiny resides in the east, in a faraway kingdom... where Chosen's are born as the Ancient Dragon rises, all Fate will eventually yield to Destinies devises, but know this, my child, that no matter what arises...”
Upon speaking to her, the woman’s face split into two becoming part of the face of a handsome red-haired young man whose eyes glowed with wisdom while the other half remained as hers, they both continued her final statement in two different ways:
“Destiny is what you make it...” the youth said.
“Destiny will forever be up to your own devices...” the woman said.
The instant these words sounded within Jing Mingyun’s mind, she opened her eyes awakening from her world of thoughts.
She then gazed into the eyes of Feng Yu with a soft light before looking at Queen Demetria with an even firmer light as she spoke, “I will take the risk, it may be dangerous, but I must walk this path.”
Feng Yu hearing her reply pressed down his concern in his heart as he nodded with praise, Leon hearing her words also looked at her with an in-depth look on his face while Myria looked on with a curious look.
Queen Demetria hearing her words nodded as she spoke, “Good! You may enter the chamber in the same way as the others. I hope that the Goddess of Destiny will be on your side...”
As she said this, she walked to the side giving way for Jing Mingyun to pass the chamber. Not wasting any time, Jing Mingyun walked forward placing her slender, but sickly-looking palms onto its transparent glass-like surface.
After being absorbed by the unique Healing Chamber, the strange liquids started to submerge her form. Using the very last of her consciousness, she looked towards Feng Yu before sending a message to his mind.
“I will be fine...” As she said this to him, her entire body became submerged soon after entering a frozen state.
Buzz! Following a loud sound, the space around the chamber began to warp as the forces of time made the world unstable.
Feng Yu seeing this was worried, but soon it recovered its stability leaving only the inside of the chamber affected by times constant motion. He then looked towards Queen Demetria who was walking towards her in a different chamber accompanied by Myria before turning around nodding his head towards Leon who also decided to exit the chamber room.
However, as they both reached the exit, the voice of Queen Demetria could be heard from a distance behind them, “Chosen Yu... Myria... Leon... please do take care of the fairies and the alliance members during this period. I’m not sure when it started... but I have started to feel a terrible sensation from the essences that govern nature... as... of... l...a...t...e...”
Her voice fading away with her consciousness as she fell into slumber, leaving behind an atmosphere of rising tension with this still and quiet chamber room...
Chapter 128
The Invasion of the Dark Palace’s Army!
The air grew dismal as the chamber room now carried a heavy silence; as if one could feel its density, a thick ominous fog had started to rise, bringing with it a soft wind that swept into the room from the narrow passageway.
Currently, three individuals could be noticed standing in silence, each carrying a solemn look on their faces as they gazed upon the sleeping beauty that rested within a Healing Chamber. One of them had a pensive look in his eyes as his mind had wandered off into the deep contemplation.
“A change in the atmosphere? What did Demetria sense that was capable of causing her to say such foreboding words?” Leon thought to himself while knitting his brows, he then looked towards the solemn Myria and spoke, “Myria, what did she mean by her words? Do you also feel anything strange within the atmosphere of the Radiant Woods?”
Myria hearing Leon’s words couldn’t help but frown as she made a thoughtful expression; she then closed her eyes and drew upon her inherent 'traits' as a member of the fairy race. After closing her eyes, she quickly became one with her surroundings drawing upon the powers hidden within nature. As if they sensed her calling, the essences of the world started to flow towards her miniature floating form, traveling from the environment of the Fairyland as well as the encompassing Radiant Woods.
Feng Yu seeing her actions looked on with a dark look in his eyes as he said to himself, “I have a bad feeling about this...”
As if complying with Feng Yu’s thoughts, Myria suddenly opened her eyes with a grave expression as she spoke, “It’s not good! The fiends have managed to invade the Radiant Woods! Judging by their energies, they seem to be the main forces from the Dark Palace...”
“What?!” Leon hearing exclaimed in shock. He looked towards Myria with a severe expression as he spoke, “That’s impossible! There is no way a fiend can enter much less traverse these woods due to the restrictive spells! You have always been a little too mischievous, are you certain that you’ve sensed things correctly?”
Myria’s expression sunk even more as she heard his words, she looked at Leon and spoke with her princess temper, “You! What do you mean by that? I’m of authentic royal fairy blood, my senses are no different from my mother’s. If I were to make such a simple mistake, then how can I be considered a fairy? You should be more concerned about your own traits, Mr. Broken Hammer Prince!”
“You!!!” roared Leon in a rage as he heard her words regarding this shameful title.
Feng Yu seeing that two of them were going to start a war interrupted, “We don’t have time for this... if it as Myria and the Queen says, we will need to make preparations, so we are not caught off guard by the fiends.”
Myria and Leon who heard his words both put on a complicated expression on their faces before recovering and replying in unison, “You’re right!”
Leon gave one last glance towards the sleeping Zyne before he snorted and walked towards the room's door, his voice echoing in the room as his figure left through the door, “I’ll head to the Dwarfin Elders and notify the clansmen to make suitable preparations. I will see both of you again in the main hall after I have made the necessary arrangement with my clansmen. This, however, shall take quite a bit of time...”
Myria looked at Leon’s disappearing figure silently for a moment as a vague flicker shone in her eyes before it disappeared. She then replied, “Fine, since many have already departed, and prior preparations have to be made… our emergency meeting will then have to begin in three days...”
After saying this, Myria then looked towards Feng Yu and spoke, “Chosen Yu, I will head out to handle the clan affairs, please be ready for the meeting at that time...”
The moment sh
e finished her statement, her body turned into the beam that vanished through the entrance of the room leaving behind the now silent Feng Yu who was looking towards the white-haired frozen beauty with a gentle expression on his face.
“Yun’er, rest well... I shall do my part to keep you safe until you recover. We will need more powerful warriors if we hope to conquer these zones...” Feng Yu said with a sharp look in his eyes which sparkled with the flames of war. Quickly, he made his way towards the door soon after vanishing from the room into the narrow passageway...
∞ ∞ ∞
At the outskirts of the Radiant Woods, a place that was always shrouded by perpetual showers falling from the ever so gloomy heavens. A huge group of fiends numbering in the hundreds of thousands slowly marched forwards as they paved the way before them with unstoppable momentum. If one looked closely, they would see that each of these fiends wore unique looking armors that carried an ancient air, each glowing with strange runes that formed small semi-transparent barriers over their bodies.
The dense mist within the Radiant Woods fuelled by the energies coming from the mystical trees started to disperse outwards as the army of fiends continued their unyielding march. Still, there was even more unusual scene within this dreadful army, a strange looking object which floated within one of the commanding fiend’s possession.
An unusual piece of parchment which was dark in color with sinister lustrous inscriptions on its surface, it pulsated with an energy that seemed to have not belonged to this very world. As this objected hovered up and down within the hand of the commanding fiend the mist of the environment would continue to dissipate seemingly afraid of its power.
“Such a useful treasure, to think that a common item to them could solve the problem that had been bothering us for so many ages,” said one of the 1st Tier Fiend Lieutenants who was walking beside the commanding fiend. He was a rather tall and bulky figure who wore cloth garments instead of armor as his muscular physique was clearly defined.
"You should address the excellencies with more respect..." A seductive floating figure said as she flapped her water-like wings, her ice-like face was filled with indifference.
The other nearby fiend leaders also responded with similar comments concerning the treasure given to them by the mysterious person.
“Silence! All of you, Ulan! You shall also pay heed to your words for as Kiria mentioned, the person you speak of is of a lofty status!” The commanding fiend said with a look of fierceness in his eyes while glancing at the accompanying elder fiends.
"Chet! Fine! I shall heed the words of Troop Commander Vandus!" Ulan said, as he also no longer paid attention to female Nymph Kiria who was now looking at him with scorn.
Instantly, the scene became quiet as all of the previous chattering fiends looked on solemnly.
Vandus nodded as he saw their reaction, he then glanced towards the rear of the army through the corner of his eyes at a special looking carriage being pulled by two large fiends. This carriage was strange, as a dark aura continually shrouded its exterior making such that no one could tell who or what was happening inside of it.
"Whew!"After slightly wiping his sweat, Vandus once more shifted his gaze focusing on the hovering parchment in his palms, his eyes gleaming with a light of at excitement as he thought to himself, “It won’t be long now, we shall weed out these rats from their hiding places and gain complete control of this space. If we manage to win this era’s Ancient Dragon Battlefield War, we will even have a better chance if we return to that 'Realm' with the secrets of these natives entirely within our grasps...”
Upon thinking here, Vandus then moved his gaze towards the endless scenery of trees which was shrouded by the everlasting mist that stood before his eyes.
A cunning gleam within his fiendish eyes as he muttered in a voice that only he could hear, "Huhuhu! They will never see it coming, that bunch should have already accomplished their missions..." He then pointed forwards before shouting. “March faster! We must hit them swift and hard leaving them no time to react to our sudden assault!”
“Yes, Troop Commander!” responded the army of fiends as the pace at which the marched increased exponentially, leaving only the sound of their metallic armor stepping through the misty forest shrouded by its endless torrents...
∞ ∞ ∞
Three days later, within the Fairyland, at the conference area of the Fairy Palace.
The scene at the Fairy Palace was a gloomy one. All the previously departed leaders had currently gathered back together with even more alliance members who had only now arrived at the palace. The mood was solemn as each of the leaders wore deep looks on their faces as if they heard the most outrageous news.
Seated at the central position of this meeting room was Feng Yu, Myria, and Leon who had moments ago notified the congregation of leaders about the queen’s words along with Myria’s sense of foreboding. However, it was a pity for the leaders as all wore incredulous expressions refusing to believe the words they were hearing.
“How can this be? Princess Myria, I’ve long since heard of your mischievous nature as well as your bad habits. While you are the princess of the Fairy Clan that stands at the core of our alliance, it would do no good for you to spout such nonsense at this crucial time!” One of the leaders of the native race said, a powerful-looking man who had long ears and a scaly body.
Myria hearing his words became angered as her face glowed with a shade of red. She looked at the leader and replied coldly, “I don’t need you to remind me of my past actions, for I know myself better than anyone else, and right now the situation is far too dangerous for me to go around playing around or causing mischief. My mother has sensed the change of the forest, and after using my own senses, I have felt the very same danger. I sent my will to the remnant core of the forest, and it spoke to me of the danger, one coming from the fiends who have found an unusual method to traverse its bewildering mists!”
The powerful-looking scaly leader hearing her words finally went silent as he saw her serious expression; he couldn’t help but move his vision towards Leon and Feng Yu.
Leon seeing his look spoke directly, “Myria is indeed correct this time, a fairy’s senses were always out of the ordinary, and she is of royal bloodline and her senses are even greater than those belonging to the common members of her kind. The queen is injured, and thus I assume that even her senses couldn’t properly tell of the details regarding the strange changes in the forests. As the situation stands, the more time we waste bickering about right and wrong will only serve to the enemy’s benefit. Therefore, I shall step things forward, we Dwarfins will begin to finalize our preparations for the oncoming battle! We will strike them before they strike us!”
The remaining leaders looked on in silence as they contemplated Leon’s words, a slender but overly tall looking man with green skin glanced towards the scaley man before speaking in a calm and soothing manner.
"The will of nature is pure will, as such, it can never speak its concerns nor answer the calling of those bearing malicious intent. I too have sensed this danger, but due to limits of the curse placed upon my kind, I am no longer capable of sensing things as clearly as the princess. I... or rather, we of Treekind have decided to believe their words!"
The powerful-looking scaled leader closed his eyes for a moment before opening them and spoke once more with a firm light that shone within their depths.
“Fine then! Since Treantous has spoken, we of the Azure Scaled Lizard Clan will also begin our preparations!”
“The Supreme Ogre Clan shall rally its strength!”
“........................”
While the other leaders of the alliance members were voicing their agreements, Feng Yu nodded as he thought to himself, “Good! Although it took longer to convince the remaining leaders this can be considered a great step forward. Now, all we need to do is find their locations, and once preparations are ready, we can launch---”
As Feng Yu was about to fin
ish his train of thought, there was a sudden commotion as a figure staggered into the meeting grounds. He was a skinny fellow with large hawk wings on his back who wore a common type of armor for his kind.
The leaders were about to reprimand this figure who suddenly staggered inside their domain, but as soon as they saw his condition, they became stunned into silence.
His wings were missing many feathers as one of them was even slanted in a deformed angle while his body was heavily injured, his common armor broken into pieces was barely hanging on his form. If one looked beneath their cracks, they would see many deep wounds that were bleeding nonstop, as the once pristine crystal-like tile floors became stained by his pouring blood.
“Huff... huff...” The heavily injured Hawkman panted heavily as he fell to his knees now that he had reached his destination, using every ounce of his remaining energies he lifted up his head and spoke to the gathered leaders. “The... the fiends... they have attacked the outer towns and destroyed the villages! I beseech the leaders for their help... please... protect... the... t...o...w...n...s...m...e...n...”
As he finished his last words, the Hawkman finally collapsed onto the ground losing all signs of life. His blood slowly spreading out even further, filling the area with its metallic-like scent.
A feeling of oppression soon came over the gathered leaders as one of them exclaimed, “What?! Why are they within the regions of towns so soon?!”
“Dammit!”
As the leaders started to create a commotion, Feng Yu frowned as he looked at the scene while muttering, “They were faster than we had initially anticipated... it seems that trying to convince these leaders had taken more than the time we needed to prepare for attacks.”
Leon hearing his words gritted his teeth as he replied in agreement, “Damn! If these fools weren’t so stubborn this wouldn’t have happened as more preparations would have already been made; now it seems that we can only use our initial preparations to meet their forces head-on.”
The Conqueror of Zones Page 6
