Defiance of the Fall

"I have no relationship to the theft you mentioned," Zac said. "As for why I triggered your treasure, I'm not at liberty to say."

Declaring himself a Holy Son had a huge chance of backfiring. He'd amassed no Imperial Faith and no item to corroborate his claim. He couldn't replicate the resonance from before even if he wanted to. In that moment, he'd truly believed he was the chosen of the Empyrean Chalice, and there'd been nothing in his heart to refute that claim. His conviction had affected reality, like how his Heart had formed a hatchet out of nothing.

"Forgive me if I cannot trust your word alone," the general responded.

"What about me? I am vouching for his innocence. Contact my master if you don't believe me," Joanna said.

Her assertion confirmed Zac's suspicion. It wasn't that the identity brand on other trial takers was hidden inside memory domains. It was rather that Joanna wasn't using a borrowed identity. Entering as herself was more than enough, at least to Imperial Soldiers who revered Godking Eyler.

"You did not arrive together," the Monarch countered. "You cannot guarantee that he did not come in contact with the heretics out of your sight. A thorough investigation and search of his belongings and person is the only way to prove his innocence."

Zac absolutely couldn't allow a search. There were many ways to hide treasures, so scanning his Spatial Ring couldn't fully absolve him of guilt. If anything, the unusual contents of his Spatial Rings would raise more questions than answers.

"So that's it," Joanna sneered, her face burning with righteous indignation. "It seems to me you're using the heist as an excuse to line your own pockets. Who's to say you haven't already retrieved the relic yourself?"

Zac played along by looking at the Monarch suspiciously. Her say-so wasn't enough to clear his name, but it might be enough to muddy the waters. There was hope so long as they could long as they could buy time. Escape was currently impossible, but that was because they were right in the middle of the memory domain. But so long as they could get closer to the edge…

The Monarch looked at Jonna a few seconds before raising his hand, prompting two Peak Hegemons to approach. "I'll take a step back out of respect for your master. The order contacted me two days ago, informing me a Cardinal has been dispatched to assist in the search. He should reach us within ten hours. I assume there won't be any problem clarifying your circumstances to him."

Zac didn't let his alarm show. The Cardinals were the blades of a templar order. At the very least, they'd be Peak Monarchs who could fight above their weight class. Most were Autarchs. They were also fanatics who spread the Emperor's glory through slaughter. Joanna's barbed words would be useless against someone like that.

"Don't leave the camp. If you do, I'll take it as an admission of guilt and personally cut you down. The following inquiry can determine sin."

Joanna looked ready to argue further before Zac interjected. "That's fine. I'd be honored to meet one of the pillars of the Empyrean Chalice."

The general disappeared after giving Zac a warning look. The two guards stayed on, their gazes never leaving Zac. The bestial instinct granted by [Inborn Predator] also indicated a Monarch was observing him from the shadows. Going by the level of attention, he wasn't just a lead. He was their prime suspect. He'd probably be tortured for information already if not for Joanna.

"Miss, don't worry about me," Zac assured. "Let's check out the camp while we wait. Maybe some of my clansmen are here to speak on my behalf."

Joanna slowly nodded. She didn't seem to understand why Zac called himself a Wendimar, but she knew enough to go with the flow. The two made their way through the bloody battlefield, which was already being cleaned up by a logistical division. Corpses were gathered, beasts dismantled with speed and precision. This wasn't their first rodeo.

A huge army camp was already set up far from the frontlines. Unfortunately, not as far as Zac had hoped. It would take Zac at least ten minutes using [Skystriker] to reach the memory's border—more than enough time to be caught or killed. The Monarch's watchful eye would also prevent the use of escape talismans, if they even worked inside a memory domain.

All hope was not lost. The camp was set up right next to a collapsed town wall. The city it once protected was quite large, possibly enough to reach the edge.

"What happened here?" Joanna asked after seeing Zac's look.

"One of the clues our unit was following up on led to this town," one of the guards answered. "The general sent an advance squad to investigate, but something must have gone wrong. The beast tide appeared out of nowhere. The city had already been razed to the ground by the time we arrived."

"The scouts?"

"Presumed dead."

"So they're looking for the relic," Joanna said, pointing at the large number of scouts going through the wreckage.

"Or clues about what happened to the heretics. Our advance party should have had enough time to hide a report before the city defenses were overwhelmed."

Zac only gave the ruins a cursory look before they stepped into the camp. Residential districts with rows of barracks formed a protective wall around a block of medic bays and administrative buildings in the middle. It looked like they were preparing to dig themselves in.

"When did you arrive?" Zac asked.

"Four days ago," Joanna said. "I got caught in a storm, couldn't even see my hand. Suddenly, I found myself surrounded by soldiers with beasts bearing down on us. Been fighting ever since."

Zac was anxious to get his plan going, but he couldn't give the soldiers any more reason to suspect him. "Let's see if this regiment has anything good. Where do I exchange my credit?"

The guard wasn't as forthcoming when Zac asked. He only grunted and nodded in the direction of a large building in the base's center. They walked over, and Zac found the setup quite similar to the war exchange. There were large crystals containing lists of wares, only part of which were accessible by external helpers.

Rather than a common and limited exchange, it was divided into direct and reservation. The army quartermasters wouldn't carry a fortune into battle, and most of the good stuff required you to pick up the treasure at a base. Zac obviously wouldn't do such a thing, not that he could afford any real treasures after a single day of fighting. He spent most of his merit on Spiritual Crystals to give his human side some pocket money. The rest were used to buy a bottle of decent healing pills.

The pills weren't for himself. They were in case he needed to help someone out in future memories. Zac regretted not snatching any Spatial Rings from the fallen on his way to Joanna. Preparing a decoy spatial treasure seemed prudent at this point.

Joanna wasn't very interested in the exchange. It was only on Zac's suggestion that she bought a similar set of resources. Zac's theory was essentially proven by the deference she was shown. Joanna received a 30% discount on her purchase, while a descendant of a founding family only got 10%.

"It's too stuffy just sitting around. How about we take a walk?" Zac said with a smile.

They spent the next hour aimlessly drifting across the camp, giving off the air of someone not the least worried about the upcoming inquisition. Casual conversations provided quite a bit of information. A captain paying her respects to Joanna even provided a very detailed map.

They were currently visiting a much later epoch than in Black Zenith. The Imperial Road Project was in its later stages, and key cities along its paths had already been cleansed of Earthly Taint. In contrast, the world outside had grown incredibly dangerous. Displaced taint and constant upheavals ravaged the lands. Whole regions had been reclaimed by the wild, reaping countless lives.

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The unstable environment provided the perfect breeding ground for discontent. Wherever the empire lost control, rebels, and profiteers extended their reach. The attack on the monastery was only one of many similar raids in the area. The Imperial Legions were putting out fires left and right. The soldiers even whispered about the involvement of Selvari, despite the Left Imperial Expanse being nowhere near close to that particular battlefront.

Zac grew increasingly aware of the looming threat as the minutes passed. The general's ten hours could be a ploy. Eventually, Zac felt like they'd waited enough. He glanced in Joanna's direction. It was better if she took the lead.

"Alright, let's head into the ruins."

"I'm sorry?" a confused guard responded.

"It's a waste of time just sitting around. The quickest way to clear our name is to find the relic. So call over a few helpers and have them assist us."

"There are thousands of scouts searching already," the guard hesitated. "If they can't find it…"

"He's a Wendimar, and my master has taught me a few tricks. It wouldn't hurt to try it out."

The guard agreed after confirming with his superiors. They were led into the city five minutes later, accompanied by another four guards and two scouts. Zac also sensed a second Monarch joining their tail. The preparations wouldn't matter. How could they possibly anticipate they'd escape simply by walking out of the domain?

The only thing worth consideration was the Holy Relic. They had just stepped past the wall, and Zac already sensed two pulls of fate from beneath the rubble. Scouts were flying right past the spots without noticing, meaning only Zac could sense them. The signals were probably just random treasures hidden away in underground vaults, but what if they actually found the real thing?

The Holy Relic had to be quite the treasure for the response to be this intense. He was already being treated as a thief, so maybe he should act the part.

----------------

"How is it?" Esmeralda asked.

"It's just a matter of time now," Zac said from the comfort of Esmeralda's pouch. "What about us?"

"Aren't we fine? Of course, things will probably get hectic soon. My illusion won't last much longer."

They'd left the pocket realm over an hour ago. Esmeralda was moving at a breakneck pace, but it'd take half a day to escape the ant queen's kingdom. Zac already had the queasy feeling that usually preceded a disaster caused by his hand. Esmeralda was the opposite. Her face was almost split in two from a wide grin.

"Why are you so happy?"

Esmeralda giggled as she bounced forward, jumping from stalk to stalk. "Seeing the reaction from a safe distance is the most fun part. The reward is secondary. Almost."

"I don't know if this qualifies as safe. Also, does that mean you don't want the thing you took away?"

Esmeralda studiously looked away. "What thing? What are you talking about?"

Zac shook his head, wondering how such a good thief could have such a bad poker face. "I might have been out of it, but I'm not blind. Don't you think I noticed you digging through the rubble? And what you did was not as simple as setting up an illusion array."

"People asking too many questions are liable to get burnt. You shouldn't be lusting after the other's hard-earned riches," Esmeralda said, poking at Zac's head with one of her fingers like she was trying to push him deeper into the pouch.

"If that's not the pot calling the kettle black," Zac scoffed, slapping the hand away. "And I'm not after your treasure. I'm simply trying to learn. I won't always have you by my side. Right now, I have nothing but my instincts and high Luck to rely on."

Esmeralda said nothing for a few moments. Eventually, she sighed and took out a deep-green rock. Zac looked at it, finding it wholly unremarkable.

"That realm wasn't a spatial pocket and it wasn't another memory domain. The whole thing was a Heartworld created by the will imbued into the Natal Treasure. The piece you used for tempering was only the nucleus. The Heartworld had clearly been around for a long time, which meant there had to be a piece of the treasure left.

"While you dealt with the nucleus. I sniffed out the piece and had it absorb the rest of the realm," Esmeralda said, a proud grin appearing on her face. "I'd say 80% of the energy is stored in this stone."

"So I got the soup while you ate the meat?" Zac asked. "Was that why the nucleus faded faster than I could disperse it?"

"Well, yes," Esmeralda coughed. "I couldn't perfectly control the absorption in my current state. And it doesn't matter. You got what you needed. Any more would be a waste of such a precious resource."

"So why do you need it for? Will eating it help temper your Heart?"

"I'm a former Supremacy," Esmeralda said with disdain. "Do you think one can reach that point without an immutable heart?"

"Then why?"

"For its original purpose," Esmeralda said. "It's only a damaged piece, but it was once a Natal Treasure with crystallized Destiny. The missing Destiny will slowly return with the right nourishment. At that point, it'll be very useful in strengthening one's Heavenly Ladder. It can even stabilize Heavenly Territories. Well, the benefits on a territory from this small piece would be negligible. I doubt the treasure can recover more than a percent of its original fate."

"So it'll help you recover faster after you get rid of the curse," Zac said, looking at the innocuous stone with interest. "So it's essentially a B-grade treasure?"

"The embryo of one, but yes," Esmeralda said, quickly putting it away after seeing the look in Zac's eyes. "It's useless to Hegemons and it's not ready."

"I told you, I'm not trying to steal your stuff!" Zac rolled his eyes. "Can you teach me how you did all this, though?"

"It's impossible. My actions are the result of accumulated experience and knowledge. Give it a few hundred millennia, and these things will come naturally to you."

"A few hundred millennia?" Zac sighed. "I can barely comprehend the concept."

"You're not even a tadpole," Esmeralda laughed. "I can give you some pointers, but some things can't be rushed. And here's the first lesson—how to elude capture. Quick, block your ears!"

Zac quickly sealed his hearing with Miasma. It wasn't enough to perfectly tune out the persistent piercing wail coming from below. The whole steppes trembled from billions of ants screaming in unison. Subjugated beasts collapsed on the ground. The young and weak directly exploded from the terrifying aura of retribution coming from below.

The colony was waking up, and it was out for blood.

Insects were, on average, weaker than other beasts at the same level. And yet, insects were generally the most feared among cultivators, to the point that hives and colonies would be annihilated upon discovery. The reason was their sheer numbers. Their growth to maturity was much faster than other species, and they required fewer resources. The resources a single Skybeast needed to reach maturity could nurture a hive posing a much greater threat to a faction.

A Monarch could be killed if enough Hegemons were willing to lay down their lives. You'd almost never see such a thing among cultivators, but it was the standard approach for insects. It was just like what Zac had seen during the Pilgrimage of Faith. Eleani Ano, the first saint, had slaughtered trillions of lower-grade insects without breaking a sweat. That wasn't enough. Their numbers were too great, and she was forced to sacrifice her life to finish the job.

The unity of insectoid races sometimes provided another advantage—the harmonization of energy. A whole race could be naturally linked akin to a War Array. This was what was happening now. Tempestuous winds shook the region as billions of streams poured toward eight specific spots. The closest one was an enormous anthill, and Zac could guess what came next.

The hill exploded, exposing a cobalt-blue ant over two hundred meters long. It had no wings like some of its brethren. Instead, its legs were thick and extraordinarily long, like pillars digging deep into the ground. They were covered in markings and emitted such force that the air crackled around them.

It simply stood there and the whole area trembled. Zac held his breath, deathly afraid it would turn its head toward them. The ant was at least a Middle C-grade Beast Emperor, and its power was further bolstered by countless minions.

"Take this big guy, for example," Esmeralda said without a care in the world. "He's searching for us through vibration. The ripples have probably covered half the steppes already. Even the grass has been turned into scanners. I would have a hard time hiding if I were underground. Its effect in open air is much, much worse.

Zac realized that Esmeralda no longer leaped from one stalk to another. Instead, she was gliding between them, careful not to touch anything.

"Even you could avoid being exposed," Esmeralda said. "However, its actions is a trap."

"To force the culprit to rise into the air where they can be spotted?"

"Partly that. It's also meant to make you ignore the real search," Esmeralda said. "It's the screaming. The sound is bounced back into the tunnels below and amplified. Somewhere, the queen or a specialized subordinate is interpreting the information to create a perfect image of the whole steppes. Hiding your aura won't be enough to fool them. Using your powers of nullification would also backfire. It'd create an extremely suspicious blot on their map."

"So, how are you avoiding exposure?" Zac asked.

"The soundwaves are passing through a separate space, making it appear as though nothing's here. It's not a skill or bloodline ability. I'm simply using my Dao of Space to alter the rules of my surroundings. You can achieve similar results with any Dao when you understand its properties well enough," Esmeralda said.

"Your current understanding of your Daos is narrow and mostly limited to your path. That's how it should be. You need to understand yourself before you can understand the universe. But remember, mastering the self is only the beginning. From there, your control needs to expand. Your Dao will manifest into Law, altering the fundamental rules of a targeted area.

"Eventually, your Dao becomes Heavenly Dao, where your perception dictates reality."

Esmeralda said nothing more. Zac didn't know why she was so forthright today. Perhaps it was to make him forget about the B-grade stone. It was worth it. A small hatchet appeared before him. The Warbringer Idol was proof of how far he'd come since the integration. It was also a reminder that the pursuit of Dao was endless.

He couldn't get complacent because of his recent improvements. The journey had only begun.

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