Chapter 440: Chapter 440 - Burying One Lie In A Mountain Of Disconcerting Truth
Cutting off the start of a look from Corde - that seemed to be offended at taking her honor as a warrior lightly - the teenager made a face of her own. Not quite a sneer, not quite a snarl, but certainly something that the Yecine would never allow a member of their family to use out in public.
Even if some of them used such faces freely behind closed doors. Or directly, around her, in the case of her father. Though she did not want to compare to him.
"We would be better served figuring out why they came here. And what we are going to do next, since their apparent leader had these."
Ondua’s voice cut through the tension as he stepped forward. He’d never really needed to use it, but as a high ranking member of the Ironclad Order... not to mention being a Hero of the Last Before Last Descent... the brunette did keep Void Defense Society evidence submission boxes. Clear but airtight containers with sigils that were meant to squirrel away dangerous items.
Supposedly, only able to be removed with a special keystone from investigators, according to what he was told. Though Qat herself felt that this was not a hard and fast rule and that sufficient force or sufficient sigil knowledge would be capable of cracking into one of them - both of which her wife likely could have employed. But of course, she wished that to never be *necessary*... it was worth knowing that it was possible.
’Because one exception to a rule does not prove there are others, but at least acknowledges that the rule is not supreme.’
Holding up and revealing the two items that had been recovered from the failed kidnapping attempt made everyone’s stances harden. At the very least, because of the most obvious one of the bunch - as the more mysterious artifact had yet to be explained to those they asked merely if it was familiar to them.
"The first one is exactly what it looks to be. Negavigor coating. But the second is what made its presence here, in this infiltration of the Goltbred’s estate far more upsetting. For anyone paralyzed by the other item would have then been immobile against it’s power to cut through cultivator defenses."
"It’s a mass incapacitation device. An old... well on that, the debate ranges between prison management tool or assassination assisting device. I’ve seen similar ones in Shadow Whisker archives."
All eyes turned toward a certain dusty cloaked scout, who quickly defended her knowledge from her position near the hall that lead from the kitchen. Sevra’s aloof expression of competence was ruined by the sugary citrus glaze on her cheek. When dragging the last of the corrupt Saltfire through from outside, she had seen that there were just so many unserved desserts sitting unprotected.
"Works a little like the interference field of the Voidlings, was designed to overwhelm even defensive Astralisms though. Records I’ve seen says it has worked on every Primalist it was tested on... and considering that it does so even against many of them in a group at once... it probably would work on a realm even stronger than that."
She really thought she got away with stealing one - and that the little looks she was getting was just suspicion about her not having been there when the party started. Yatrel planned to have another word later with the woman. Not because she wanted repayment or was particular upset that someone got to them before they were ’served’.
If even her glutton of a daughter could sneak food without any visible trace, how could an adult seriously walk around with the evidence out in the open so boldly? She absolutely had to be the one to tell her - and glared at her husband and the others more than once with eyes that said ’do not say a single thing’.
"Wait. You’re the individual from that Guild who went missing with Elua er Goltbred. Months ago."
The scout nodded without hesitation. Corde hez Iralev was a lot less imposing without her namesake weapon. Most people were a lot less imposing, after spending the time with the heiress. The heroes didn’t shake her at all... just Yatrel and those similar mint eyes that kept looking like there was a ’talk’ to be had!
"I was. I’ve just returned. Alone. Long story. She’s safe, but intends to remain away for several more years. Private matter."
All of the confidence and nonchalance in the tone kind of irked the famed woman. Like not explaining such a story was acceptable.
’Or like I am not someone who she feels the need to answer to...’
"And you just happen to arrive and have expertise in exactly the type of artifact that could have been used to kill us all? Convenient."
"Shadow Whisker Sorority specializes in courier work and artifact ’retrieval’ sanctioned by the Void Defense Society. I’d hardly call recognizing the longstanding effort of my organization - and yours, I might add - as only *convenient* to be appropriate, Lady Iralev."
While she actually was a well respected member and a professional when it mattered, who easily could have responded this way to a lot of people in her time... it did finally strike her that her tone was just a little bit... El.
’Almost like... I am doing *you* a favor, so shut the hell up? Oh no, it was only half a year, did she rub off on me so much?!’
Meanwhile, a certain mother kind of changed her plans. She would still embarrass her for eating without asking... but she would do so by wiping it from her cheek and smiling - in a more friendly than condescending way. Because while she did not get to punch the swordswoman, hearing her admonished was just as excellent!
"All of this means that, without the other impressive artifact that activated to protect tiny Onya, all of us would likely be a very impressive collection of corpses. Is that right?"
Lirades opened her mouth to move the conversation along. As well as to be the one to field the lie of a cover story... about just what was responsible for what they personally experienced. Without missing a beat, a brunette man tapped on the clear container in his hands.
"Yes. That sounds to be the gist of it. The question now is what we do about it. The Saltfire Storm Alliance is not in any position to handle their own affairs and it is clear that their bad actors intend to spread fear, destruction, and death among the established powers."
"First we turn that box over to the council of Guilds. All of them need to know what level of problem they’re dealing with is growing. A problem for every cultivator and mortal on the continent, if rabid dogs are left to roam."
The normally quiet hero who had taken a liking to Navuill was the one to respond, as the others still processed how they might have been targeted. It did not matter that, by the looks and explanations of things, it was a single child the members of that Guild were aiming for this time.
It barely mattered why at all. For in the end, what could be classified as a ’kidnapping attempt’ would lead to a coordinated response that every hero there would get behind.
Even the one who was unfooled that such an Illusion artifact that *felt* like Elua er Goltbred could ever exist. For if it did, then it was an even greater threat in her eyes. Because it meant that the girl was a number of things more terrifying than she thought than a manipulator alone.
And she would work harder to deprive such a taboo spiritualist of any willing backers.