Chapter 332: A Question of Strength

A few minutes later, an invitation appeared before Cassian.

[Caedric, Lord of Fivefold Heaven, invites you to form a progression team. Accept / Decline?]

He declined without hesitation. Darian and the others did the same.

The answer brought a quick response.

More than a dozen Human Lords in gleaming armor flew toward the Homeworld’s section of the hall. Thousands of powerful troops followed them.

"Those are all Legendary disciples."

"And there’s an Ascendant with them."

"I don’t think they’ve come to welcome us."

Ilyse led the group. She looked down over the gathered Domains and spoke in an even voice.

"This is the Homeworld’s contingent? The following Lords, come forward. Cassian Vale. Orion Valcrest. Darian Frost. Nessa Fenwick. Elara Vayne. Lana Whitmere..."

Understanding spread through the watching Lords. The Crown had refused the invitations.

Jade Court, Western Beacon, and Black Banner Champions watched with barely concealed delight.

"Still too proud to bow," Piers sneered. "What’s so shameful about yielding to someone stronger? Does Cassian think he’s still on the Homeworld?"

"Don’t complain," Gavin said with a smile. "Their stubbornness has served us very well."

He glanced toward the approaching troops.

"We have Mount Celestia and Shatterstar Reach. Bharan has the Elder Buddhas. The Golden Lion quietly accepts support from the Logicians, and the Black Banner survives under its Evil Gods. With the Crown’s foundations, it might have united the Homeworld long ago if it had been willing to attach itself to a greater Human Realm."

Odette spoke without looking at either man.

"Cassian is no weaker than those Legion Commanders. You may be celebrating too soon."

Above his own Domain, Cassian rose to meet Ilyse’s gaze.

"Lady Ardent. I take it you’ve come about the teams?"

"You command the Homeworld’s forces?" She lifted an eyebrow. "Then why refuse when you know what we’re trying to achieve? Do you intend to leave the work to everyone else?"

So that was how she treated a lesser Realm.

Cassian remembered the courteous invitation she had extended to the other commanders. With him, she had gone straight to an accusation.

If he had not needed Humanity to stand together, he would have been tempted to slap that expression off her face.

His voice remained calm.

"I believe we’ll accomplish more on our own."

Before her frown deepened, he raised a hand.

Four-winged Dawnwings rose behind him, their white wings spreading across the air above the Domain.

Ilyse’s gaze shifted sharply.

So many four-winged Angels. They appeared to be a line from Mount Celestia. Had this Lord built an Angel Pool?

Then the allied Crown Lords revealed their own forces.

Hill Kings. Elemental Sovereigns. Tempest Wyverns. Golden Behemoths. Light-and-Dark Templars.

The variety was startling. The numbers were worse. Almost every one of the dozens of Lords below commanded as many Legendary troops as a Lord at this stage could reasonably support.

Cassian watched her take it in.

"Well? What do you think?"

The Homeworld was far stronger than she had expected. Lords with forces like these would indeed be better used clearing checkpoints individually.

Admitting it before this crowd was another matter.

If she retreated now, what authority would she have left? How would she lead the newcomer Humans, let alone earn Humanity’s Paragon?

"A few thousand assorted Legendary troops," she said coldly. "Is that enough to disregard a joint decision of the twelve leading Realms?"

She turned slightly toward the middle-aged man behind her.

"Ascendant. Please show them why they should listen."

She did not intend to kill anyone. A demonstration of overwhelming strength would settle this much more neatly.

The watching Lords went tense.

The Ascendant did not move.

His pale gold eyes passed over the Dawnwing ranks, studying them one by one. Then his attention settled on Veyra, standing below within Cassian’s Domain.

"Ascendant?"

"My lady." His reply came through a private transmission. "That woman in his Domain may be my equal in battle. And there are at least several dozen Angels at the very peak of Legendary Quality among those troops."

Ilyse stared.

A champion who could rival a Mythic troop, and dozens of peak Legendaries?

That force scarcely fell short of her own. How could it belong to a newcomer Lord from a lesser Realm?

Her Ascendant possessed Golden Truthsight. He would not mistake what he saw.

Had she known, she would have approached this Lord quite differently. A courteous invitation, a chance to bring him into her camp. Instead, she had made a public demand she could not easily enforce.

Another group arrived while she was still searching for a way out.

Lucan Merrow of the Ninefold Sanctum greeted her with a smile.

"The challenge is about to begin, Lady Ardent. Surely you can afford a little generosity toward a Lord from a lesser Realm."

He gave Cassian a brief, meaningful glance. Let this end here.

Ilyse took the opening.

"Since you ask, Lord Merrow, of course."

She looked back at Cassian.

"Your strength is adequate. You may proceed alone. I hope you will make good use of the consideration I’ve shown you."

Even as she spoke, she was wondering how she might bring him under her influence later.

Cassian only smiled and lowered his hand.

The Crown Lords immediately withdrew their troops. Dozens of Lords, each with a powerful army, returned to their Domains at one quiet gesture.

Both Ilyse and Lucan felt a chill.

They led their Realms’ contingents, yet neither could expect such immediate obedience from every Lord under their command. For an instant, watching Cassian had been like watching a Lord direct his own troops.

Lucan studied him more closely, then offered a small bow.

Cassian returned it politely.

The confrontation ended there. Among the spectators, those who had hoped to see him humbled were bitterly disappointed.

Once Ilyse and Lucan had gone, Cassian turned to his friends.

"We’re nearly out of preparation time. Get ready."

They nodded and left for their own Domains.

——

A few minutes later, Cassian took out his Prism Bridge and activated it.

Light unfolded across the air. A bridge ten meters wide stretched from inside his Domain to one of the hall’s enormous walls, its far end vanishing into the stone.

Bridges appeared all across the gathering. Each marked a Lord preparing to enter the Thousandfold Labyrinth. Some joined in midair, two or more paths merging into one where their owners had chosen team progression.

Rhea stepped forward.

"I’ll scout ahead, Lord."

She set foot on the bridge and disappeared into its light.

From the Deep Layer, Faerie Dragons, Crystal Maidens, Kinetic Mechs, and the rest of the army followed without a sound. Once more than half his force had entered, Cassian stepped onto the bridge himself.

It felt nothing like passing through a Gate. Colors streamed around him, flowing past without giving him any sense of distance. He could not tell whether the crossing lasted an instant or much longer.

Then solid ground met his feet.

He stood in a passage a kilometer wide and hundreds of meters high. A solid wall closed off the way behind him. Ahead, the passage divided into three routes.

[Progression task begun: Find and occupy your first checkpoint within 24 hours.]

[Failure to occupy a checkpoint within the time limit will end this attempt and return you to the Human Hall.]

Before Cassian could give an order, Seven reported from her Echo Crystal Bat form.

"Left passage: a Winged Folk fortress, twenty kilometers away."

"Middle passage: a Troll city, thirty kilometers."

"Right passage: a Flowerfolk fortress, forty kilometers."

Cassian considered the choices for a moment, then pointed down the middle passage.

"Move out."