Chapter 104: All Under His Control

That put a little life back into Aurelia’s expression. Celia looked over too.

"They keep mistaking your troops for Heroes," Celia said.

"Good for your reputation. You haven’t even drawn your sword."

She gave him a dry look. Cassian smiled and turned back to the fighting.

Rank VII was close now. Most Buildings gained something substantial at Levels 7, 12, 18, and 25. The Lord’s Hall would open a fourth standard Hero slot at Rank VII, and he was looking forward to seeing what his other Buildings would gain.

"Lord."

Celia’s voice brought his attention back.

"Why didn’t we save Lysa?"

She had been holding the question for a while.

"There are casualties in battle," Cassian said.

After tonight, even Black Banner’s slowest officer would know that its infiltrator had turned. Kara’s cover was finished. She could no longer send him useful information from inside their operation.

She had come to Riftward to spy on him and, if possible, kill him. He had no sympathy to spare for her. Her death had freed a place in the Mindseal Tower.

He already knew who he wanted next.

——

"We can’t beat them! Scatter!"

"The Bats are too fast!"

"Lord Cassian, Rook deceived me! Spare me and my family will pay a ransom!"

"Are you still dreaming? We’ve seen his army. Do you think he’ll let us leave?"

The Black Banner formation had broken completely.

Some tried to escape. Others shouted offers of surrender. A few turned back and fought as though they could still take someone with them.

None of it changed the result.

Swordmasters fell one after another. The lesser warriors died even faster. Without the defensive item Corvin had thrown out at the critical moment, the battle would already have ended.

Yet the surviving Lords began to notice something strange. Cassian’s troops were cutting down the fighters around them while carefully avoiding the Lords themselves.

Ten minutes after the battle began, bodies covered the ground inside and outside the Domain. A few dozen Lords stood among the remains of the force they had brought to kill him.

Cassian looked over them and smiled.

"Welcome to Riftward. I hope the reception was to your liking."

Severin dropped to his knees.

He lifted his sword in both hands, offering it hilt-first, and bowed his head.

"Lord Cassian, your strength has earned my respect. I finally understand why Lady Lysa chose to serve you. Allow me to do the same."

"Rook!" Corvin snapped. "I misjudged you!"

Cassian looked at the officer.

"A soldier to the end. Sigrid, kill him."

"Wait!"

Corvin fell to his knees before the Valkyrie could move.

"My grandfather is General Hale. If you kill me, he will make you pay for it."

Cassian stared at him for a moment.

This was the first time someone had knelt in front of him to make a threat.

He turned away from both men and pointed to three of the other Lords.

"Take those three back first. I’ll question them in batches."

Cassian had no intention of releasing them. But killing wealthy Lords before they emptied their treasuries would be a waste.

Kara’s Epic Communication Seal covered a wider area than Severin’s Rare Spatial Lock. His troops could take the prisoners beyond the space lock without letting them contact anyone outside.

Cassian went with the first three. Once they were clear of the lock, he opened a Warden Gate back to Forgotten Shrine.

Dark-violet light fell over the prisoners as they entered the Domain.

"Enslave."

The three men stiffened. None could resist the Level-6 Tower, and within moments they were kneeling before him.

[Mindseal Tower | Enslave Capacity: 5/7]

The two other infiltrators still occupied their places. Kara’s place was empty.

"Lord, we were wrong!" one of the prisoners sobbed.

The other two bowed their heads beside him.

"Good," Cassian said. "Then hand over everything you own. After that, pay for your offense with your lives."

"Yes, Lord!"

They sounded grateful.

Aether transfers arrived one after another. Food followed, then equipment, Troop Sigils, and Blueprints. The three men emptied everything they could send from their Inventories and warehouses into his hands.

When they had finished, they bowed to him once more.

Then each drew his sword and cut through his own neck.

[Mindseal Tower | Enslave Capacity: 2/7]

"Six million from three Lords."

Cassian nodded in satisfaction.

They did not belong to Black Banner’s greatest houses, but even their families had considerable wealth. They had come well supplied.

"Bring the next three."

The second group stepped through the Gate. Their eyes found the bodies on the ground, but the Tower’s light fell before they could react.

The transfers began again.

Batch after batch, the captured War Lords gave up everything they owned and killed themselves at Cassian’s command. The others still believed he was taking them away for questioning. None resisted when their turn came.

Severin and Corvin were brought in last. The Tower took them as easily as it had taken the others.

[Mindseal Tower | Enslave Capacity: 4/7]

Their treasuries gave Cassian another pleasant surprise.

Severin Rook held sixty million Aether. Corvin Hale had fifteen million.

And that was only what they had brought into the newcomer Realm.

If Cassian let Severin return to his family’s world and gather more funds, he could probably bring back at least ten times as much. The thought was attractive. The risk was not.

The Mindseal Tower was an Epic Building. Severin came from one of Black Banner’s strongest houses, where there would be people powerful enough to break its control.

Cassian kept what was already in his hands.

The captured Lords had surrendered a hundred and fifty million Aether between them, along with the food, equipment, Sigils, and Blueprints they could transfer.

"How thoughtful of them."

He was about to build a fleet. They had delivered the money just when he needed it.

Then he checked the battle’s other total.

[Battle Essence Gained: 98,000,000]

Ninety-eight million.

Almost a hundred million from one attack.

The Dawnwings’ growth costs looked much less troublesome now. This could turn new recruits into whole squads of Level-20 Dawnwings.

Cassian enjoyed the figure for a moment, then turned back to Severin.

He could spend the rewards later.

"Contact Varek. Tell him the mission is complete. Then..."

"Yes, Lord."

Cassian gave him the remaining Epic Communication Seal Scroll.

——

In Sable March, Varek had no thought of sleep.

He paced across his Domain, waiting for news of the operation he had pushed Nadia to arrange. Every time the channel remained silent, he looked at it again.

At last, a call arrived.

Severin Rook appeared in the image, smiling broadly. His own Domain lay behind him, with Corvin Hale standing at his side.

"Warden Varek. The task is done. Cassian is dead."

Varek struck his palms together.

"Excellent!"

He gave both men a small bow.

"You’ve done Black Banner a great service. It won’t be forgotten."

Severin smiled.

"You didn’t send troops, but without your efforts this operation might never have happened. It’s only fair that you receive a share."

Three item records appeared in the channel.

Varek leaned forward.

"Legendary equipment? Three pieces?"

"Open a portal. We’ll bring them over and celebrate."

Something about the offer felt odd. The sight of those three records soon pushed the feeling aside.

He would be receiving them in his own Domain, surrounded by his own troops. What was there to fear?

Varek opened the portal.

Severin and Corvin stepped through, followed by Aurelia and Celia.

"Who are—"

Severin tore open the Communication Seal Scroll.

Varek’s smile vanished.

"Rook. What are you doing?"

Aurelia’s power erupted through the grounds.

Every Hero and troop around them took an involuntary step back. For that instant, the entire defensive formation hesitated.

Celia moved.

[Quiet Step]

She crossed the space between them before either Swordmaster guarding Varek could recover. Lifeless Edge flashed twice. Both guards fell.

Celia caught Varek, threw him over her shoulder, and carried him back through the portal.

Only after she had vanished did his troops find their voices.

"Put the Lord down!"

"Kill them! Bring him back!"

Varek had kept his people loyal. Every Hero and troop turned on the intruders, ready to fight for him.

"Stop!"

He came back through the portal before they could strike.

The voice was their Lord’s. The order was clear.

His troops halted.

Varek turned to Severin and Corvin. Celia had taken him back to Forgotten Shrine. By the time he returned, the Mindseal Tower had claimed him too.

"Thank you both," he said. "You’ve shown me what my life should be."

"Then help Ysel and Maera see it as well," Severin said gravely.

"Of course."

Varek nodded at the mention of his younger sisters.

"Ysel. Maera. I’ll put you on the right path."

Minutes later, the three Sorn siblings knelt before Cassian.