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Paragon of Destruction 293 A Small Bribe
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Paragon of Destruction 293 A Small Bribe

"You say it doesn't want to be left behind?" Karanos looked at Arran with a deep frown on his face. "Then it wants something? And you can sense it?"Find authorized novels in Webnovel,faster updates, better experience,Please click for visiting.

Arran understood the mage's surprise perfectly. He hadn't spent much time with the ill-fated arming sword, but enough to know it held only a semblance of consciousness. And although he couldn't be certain, it was a fair guess that Karanos's weapon would be no more intelligent.

Yet the executioner's blade was different.

Even with Arran's weak connection to the weapon, he could tell that it held an intelligence and cunning far beyond anything a mere treasure should possess. And more than that, it held a sense of purpose — it wanted to escape.

"It wants to leave this dungeon," he said. Then, with some hesitation, he added, "And this world, I think."

"The sword has the right idea," Karanos said. "But now, decide if you want to keep it. Either way, we have to leave."

Arran felt a brief moment of surprise that Karanos would leave the choice up to him, but then, he realized it made sense. Between the two of them, only he had any idea of whether the weapon could be trusted to remain hidden when they left the dungeons.

The decision was a tough one, and there wasn't much time to make it. But as he gave it a moment of thought, Arran realized the risk would be too great. As much as he wished to have a treasure like this, he couldn't stake their lives on his feeling that the weapon meant him no harm.

Yet when he was about to discard the executioner's blade — if he could — he felt a sudden pressure coming from the weapon, as if it was urging him to move. And when he looked up, he realized it was urging him in the direction of the suit of armor stood against the wall.

After a brief moment of hesitation, he moved in the direction of the armor, curious to see what the weapon's intentions were. He came to a halt a pace away from the armor, and there, he felt the sword pulling at his arm — a gentle force, clearly restrained to avoid startling him.

He raised an eyebrow in bemusement, but nevertheless, he moved the sword forward, then lightly touched it against the armor.

As soon as the two objects made contact, a small shred of shadow shot from the sword into the armor. And just a moment later, the jet-black armor collapsed, rapidly condensing into a head-sized ball of dense Shadow Essence.

That wasn't the end of it, however. After a brief pause, the ball of Essence shrank further, forming into a small circle. And then, its darkness faded, until all that remained on the ground was what looked to be a simple iron bracelet.

"It seems your sword has bestowed a gift on you," Karanos said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"A bribe, more like," Arran replied flatly. Yet although the sword's attempt at gaining his favor was far from subtle, he still picked up the iron bracelet, then put it around his left wrist.


He gave the sword a long look, then let out a sigh. "All right, I'll take you," he said, and at once, a feeling of satisfaction emanated from the weapon.

In truth, it wasn't the bribe that had swayed Arran's decision. Rather, it was the fact that the sword had the wit to offer it in the first place. If it was smart enough to do that, then it was smart enough to not reveal them to the Remnants — not by accident, at least.

But Arran did not think the weapon would betray him. Even with what little he could sense of its consciousness, he was convinced it wanted to leave this world. And quickly, at that.

"So you've made your decision," Karanos said. "Good. Let's go."

Without any further words, he headed out of the armory. Arran hurried behind him, though not without casting a last glance at the treasures they were leaving. Some small part of him suspected that he would never see the likes of it again.

But then, he couldn't complain — he had already taken two of the armory's greatest treasures, which was more than he could have reasonably hoped for.

As they made their way through the tunnels back to the surface, Arran realized that the Shadow Essence that flooded the world seemed different from before — thicker, somehow.

"The Essence—" he began.

"It's changing," Karanos interrupted him. "Has been for a while. Which is why I suggest you focus on walking instead of speaking."

To this, Arran had no objections. If the tenseness in the mage's voice was any indication, they were in grave danger. His questions could wait until they reached safety.

When they finally emerged from the tunnels, Arran was startled at the denseness of the Shadow Essence that lay across the city. It had been noticeable — and worrying — even in the tunnels, but here, the feeling of it caused a shiver to run down his spine.

Just a week earlier, the cloud of Shadow Essence had been like a thick fog. But now, it felt almost like a liquid that weighed on his shoulders and stifled his breathing.

And that wasn't the worst of it.

The moment they stepped out of the tunnel, Arran Sensed three massive Remnants in the distance, all in different directions. And if he could Sense that many, the city must be absolutely crawling with the monsters.

"It's worse than I thought," Karanos said. "If I had known—" He cut off mid-sentence. "No matter. We'll have to find a way through."

The hours that followed were some of the most unnerving Arran had ever experienced. Crouching amid the crumbling ruins, they made their way through the endless city as best they could, moving in complete silence as giant monsters wandered the city's remains around them.

And the creatures were giant indeed.

A few weeks earlier, Arran had been shocked when he encountered a Remnant that was hundreds of feet tall. But now, there were many that were far larger than that. Some were so large he could not even Sense their entire bodies — which meant they must be miles tall.

For a time, he thought the titanic creatures merely wandered around aimlessly. There seemed to be little sense to their choice of direction, as if they were moving around without goal or purpose.

But then, he began to notice subtle differences in the cloud of Shadow Essence that covered the city. Although it was thick and oppressive wherever he went, in some places it was denser than in others.

And the Remnants, he realized, were constantly moving toward those places where the Essence was densest. Like a herd of cows grazing a pasture, constantly seeking out those spots where the grass was thickest.

The thought brought Arran little comfort.

If the monsters were like cows, then he was like an unusually bountiful stalk of grass, filled to the brim with the Essence they feasted on. And if any of the creatures Sensed him, he had little doubt that it would consume him whole.

Karanos and Arran spent several hours navigating the city, their path constantly twisting and turning as they moved to avoid the Remnants. Several times, they had to wait as lumbering Remnants passed in front of them, hoping that another would not stumble upon them.

Yet amid the constant danger, Karanos's Sense proved an excellent guide. Time and time again, the mage avoided threats long before Arran could even spot them, somehow finding a safe path past the creatures that roamed the city.

Still, he soon discovered that even Karanos wasn't infallible.

On a seemingly safe and empty stretch of land — one of the few they had encountered in the city — Arran sensed a sudden feeling of alarm in his sword, so intense it nearly caused him to cry out in surprise.

"Stop!" he hissed at once.

Karanos came to a halt, then asked in a low voice, "What is it?"

"The sword," Arran whispered. "I think it Senses danger ahead."

Karanos raised an eyebrow in apparent bemusement, but nonetheless, a look of intense concentration appeared on his face a moment later as he faced the path ahead.

Several moments passed in silence, but finally, the mage turned back to Arran. "Ah," he said, and although his tone was calm, there was a barely veiled hint of shock in his voice. "I overlooked that."

They hurriedly set off again, changing their route to avoid whatever danger it was that Arran's sword had Sensed.

It took them nearly a month just to reach the city's edge, their pace often slowed to a crawl by the vast number of Remnants that dwelt amid the ruins. And during this time, Arran's sword saved their lives over a dozen times, its Sense often picking up threats long before Karanos noticed them.

Yet eventually, they left the ruins behind. And although the blanket of Shadow Essence that covered the lands was just as thick here as it had been in the city — more so, in fact, since it grew denser by the day — there seemed to be fewer Remnants around.

They stopped for a brief moment of rest when the ruined city was half a day's travel behind them. And as Arran rested his weary body, he asked, "How much farther do we have to go?"

Before, he had not dared ask the question — not with mortal danger lurking around every corner. But now that they had left the city, he was beginning to feel hopeful.

"Not that far," Karanos replied. "Barely half a year, assuming we make good pace."

"Half a year?" Arran looked at the mage in astonishment. "But the Essence… It's growing thicker by the day."

Karanos nodded, his expression serious. "Indeed," he said. "So we'll have to hurry. While I don't know what is going to happen, I think you might not want to be here when it does."

"Then this isn't just the arrival of winter?" Arran asked.

Until now, he'd tried to convince himself that the ever-increasing darkness was just the arrival of winter that Karanos had mentioned some weeks earlier. Every passing day made that explanation seem less likely, but he'd clung to the idea nonetheless, fearing what the alternative might be.

"I've weathered thousands of winters in these lands," the mage replied, "and none of them were anything like this. This is something different. This world is changing, and more rapidly than I had expected."

"I guess we'll have to make haste," Arran said. Suppressing his worries, he added, "It's just as well, I suppose. Not a lot of sightseeing to be done in this place, anyway."

They set off again some minutes later, moving through the pitch-black landscape as fast as Arran's body would allow. A few weeks had allowed him to recover somewhat, but he had yet to regain most of his strength.

It was another problem that he had no way to solve, and one that was especially troublesome in their current situation. Pressed for time as they were, his weakened state was no small hindrance.

And that they were pressed for time was clear. Even ignoring Karanos's words and the thickening Essence around them, Arran's sword emanated an aura of urgency that came very close to fear.

That caused Arran more worry than even Karanos's words had. Because already, he had seen enough of the weapon to know that when it sensed danger, the threat wouldn't be far away.

Chapter end

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<<Prev
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Catalogue
Chapter 419 – Into Harm's Way (1)
Chapter 418 – Final Preparations
Chapter 417 – Breakthrough
Chapter 416 – A Simple Task
Chapter 415 A Path Forward
Chapter 414 The Strength of Bloodlines
413 Fruits of a Poisonous Tree
412 The Citadel
411 Assassin
410 The Ruiner's Temple
409 Bloodlines
408 The Master's Bloodline
407 The Archon's Summons
406 Arrival
405 Confrontation
404 Suppression
403 Into The Desolation
402 The Dangers Ahead
401 An Invitation
400 The Oath
399 An Unwelcome Gues
398 Enlightenmen
397 The Wolfsblood Army
396 Decisions
395 Reunion
394 The Missing Piece
393 Finding Enemies
392 Master of Shadow
391 Comprehension
390 Knight's Watch
Chapter 389 - The Knight's Apprentice
Chapter 388 - An Imperial Knight
Chapter 387 - An Old Friend
386 A New Plan
Chapter 385 - Newcomers
Chapter 384 - Reaver's End
Chapter 383 - A Sea Of Shadow
Chapter 382 - A Questionable Shelter
Chapter 381 - A Storm Of Blood
380 The Road To Sacrifice
379 A Quiet Departure
378 What Lurks In The Bligh
Chapter 377 - Words of Warning
Chapter 376 - Facing A Knight, Again
Chapter 375 - A Duel
Chapter 374 - Challenge
Chapter 373 - An Unwelcome Invitation
Chapter 372 - A New Journey
Chapter 371 - Delivery
Chapter 370 - Breakthrough
Chapter 369 - Preparations
368 An Exchange
Chapter 367 - Broken Company
Chapter 366 - Settling Debts
Chapter 365 - A Debt
Chapter 364 - The Road Back
Chapter 363 - A Foundation
Chapter 362 - Sleepless Nights
Chapter 361 - Citizenship
Chapter 360 - Rannoc's Orders
Chapter 359 - The Desolation
Chapter 358 - Revelations
Chapter 357 - An Offer
Chapter 356 - The Strength Of Lords
Chapter 355 - Outrage
Chapter 354 - Lord Rannoc
Chapter 353 - A Knight's Power
Chapter 352 - Defending The Gate
Chapter 351 - Breaching The Defenses
Chapter 350 - Prison Break
Chapter 349 - Prison
Chapter 348 - A Lord's Mercy
Chapter 347 - A Small Disturbance
Chapter 346 - Down Below
Chapter 345 - Provocation
Chapter 344 - Unwelcome Company
Chapter 343 - A New Tool
Chapter 342 - Weapons And Training
Chapter 341 - Studying Strategy
Chapter 340 - A Warm Welcome
Chapter 339 - The Blood Ruin
Chapter 338 - Three Monsters
Chapter 337 - Battle
Chapter 336 - Diggers
Chapter 335 - Into Darkness
Chapter 334 - What Lurks Below
Chapter 333 - To The Mines
Chapter 332 - Lord Kadun
Chapter 331 - The Spoils Of Battle
330 A Taste Of Battle
329 Battle Approaches
328 Imperial Politics
327 A New Deal
326 Arrival
325 The Wolfsblood Company
324 A City Of Tents
323 The Fate Of Refugees
322 Advice
321 Into The Imperium
320 The Border
319 Leaving The Borderlands
318 A Steward's Aid
317 The City Of Esran
316 The Road To Esran
315 Preparation
314 Studying The Forms
313 The Fores
312 Searching The Battlefield
311 A Choice
310 A Knight Of The Imperium
309 Suffering
308 Into The Battlefield
307 Facing A Hunter
306 Thieves And Robbers
305 Pills
Chapter 304
Chapter 303
Chapter 302
Chapter 301
Chapter 300
299 Into The Ligh
298 Departure
297 Waiting For A Sign
296 Hidden Treasure
295 Homecoming
294 To Leave A Dying World
293 A Small Bribe
292 A Fitting Weapon
291 Shards of Living Shadow
290 Amid The Ruins
289 The Shadow Realm
288 Darkness
287 A Step Into Shadow
286 Trash And Treasure
285 The Mines
284 Karanos
283 The Hidden City
282 The Caves Of Amydon
281 A Break
280 The Final Stretch
279 A New Foundation
278 A Quiet Place
277 The Fall Of Amydon
276 Amydon
275 Hunter
Chapter 274
Chapter 273
Chapter 272
Chapter 271
Chapter 270
Chapter 269
Chapter 268
267 Brightblade's Orders
266 A Small Wager
265 Brightblade's Fortress
264 Effor
263 Festivities
262 Gifts
261 An Heir's Estate
260 Treasures
259 The Matriarch's Plans
258 Aftermath
257 A Fight To The Death
256 The Duel
255 The Dueling Grounds
254 Brightblade's Challenge
253 Offending an Elder
252 Facing the Elders
251 A Fruitless Search
250 Questionable Plans
249 Questions of Power
248 After The Battle
247 Ambush
246 Shields
245 A Brief Respite
244 Destruction Essence
243 Effor
242 The First Day of Training
241 A Final Night of Res
240 Brightblade's Background
239 A Palace of One's Own
238 An Agreemen
237 Reunion
236 A New Teacher
235 A Small Bit of Talen
234 The House of Seals
233 Shadow and Swords
232 A Step Into Shadow
231 The House of Shadows
230 Brightblade's Vow
229 Form and Function
228 Forms
227 A New Teacher
226 To the House of Flames
225 Return to the House of Swords
224 Snowcloud's Departure
223 Snowcloud's Potions
222 Reunion
221 Recovery
220 Insigh
219 A New Approach
218 Hidden Estate
217 The Road Ahead
216 Training Days
215 The Thousand Cuts
214 Bad Teacher
213 Show of Power
212 A Small Demonstration
211 Unreasonable Demands
210 A Change for the Worse
209 Houses of the Ninth Valley
208 An Invitation
207 Alder's Farm
206 Into the Valley
205 A Long Journey
204 A New Path
203 The Patriarch's Summons
202 The Patriarch
201 Barrier
200 The Patriarch's Palace
199 The Valley's Gate
198 Toward the Valley
197 The Iron Mountain Camp
196 A Final Deception
195 The Edge of Victory
194 The Way Back
193 Hunter
192 Facing a Master
191 Setting the Trap
190 The Road to Uvar
189 A New Plan
188 Iron Mountain Adepts
187 Unexpected Allies
186 The Way Back
185 Dragon's Ruin
184 Dragon's Fligh
183 Escape Plan
182 Leaving the Blood Pool
181 Blood Battle
180 Blood Crisis
179 Dragon's Blood
178 The Best Way to Kill a Dragon...
177 To Fight a Dragon 4
176 To Fight a Dragon 3
175 To Fight a Dragon 2
174 To Fight a Dragon 1
173 The Eve of Battle
172 Plan of Attack
171 The Enemy Appears
170 The Dragon's Lair
169 Unexpected News
168 Dumber Than Rocks
167 Chasing Dragons
166 Journey to the Dragon Lands
165 About Dragons
164 Spirit Crystals
163 Fear
162 Enemies
161 A Long Wai
160 Into the Ruins
159 Parting Ways
158 Eidaran Ruins
157 Hiding the Evidence
156 Leaving the Castle
155 The Next Mission
154 Riverbend
153 Hunting the Survivors
152 Novices
151 Fighting an Army
150 Bai
149 The Eve of Battle
148 A Decision
147 The Dragon's Proposal
146 At The Castle
145 Weakness
144 Tempered
143 The Tempering, Take Two
142 Destruction Realm
141 The Tempering
140 The Dragon
139 Titan
138 Danger Illustrated
137 Contac
136 Forced March
135 Trus
134 Control
133 Bloodlus
132 Preparing for Battle
131 Stoneheart's Misfortune
130 A Familiar Face
129 Smooth Travels
128 Injuries
127 Leaving Goldhaven
126 Rapid Training
125 Windfall
124 Picking Treasures
123 Truth Be Told
122 The Power of Lies
121 Troublesome Treasures
120 The Golden Hall
119 Ingredients
118 The Formula
117 Lord Sevaril
116 Goldhaven
115 Exchanging Knowledge
114 A Debt Repaid
113 Blood Magic
112 Assault on the Fortress
111 Fighting Dirty
110 The Deserters' Fortress
109 The Bracele
108 Exposed
107 Shadowsigh
106 Fighting Blind
105 Blindsided
104 Crystals
103 First Steps
102 Answers
101 Questions
100 Running
99 Urgent Matters
98 Oathbound
97 The Valley
96 Snowcloud
95 Defeated
94 The Tournament Continues
93 The Tournament Begins
92 Before the Tournamen
91 Darkfire's Decision
90 Unexpected News
89 Zehava
88 Stonehear
87 Stoneheart's Army
86 Searching for Answers
85 Amaya
84 Lunch with the Governor
83 An Unexpected Invitation
82 The Victor's Spoils
81 The Arenas of Hillfor
80 New Techniques
79 Judgmen
78 A New Arrival
77 Darkfire's Ordeal
76 Leaving the City
75 Governor Eddarin
74 The Gray-Robed Lady
73 The Shadowblood Novice
72 Tournamen
71 A Small Figh
70 Darkfire
69 The Border City
68 The Story So Far
67 The Edge of the Empire
66 Leaving the Stronghold
65 Birds and Dragons
64 Facing the Archmage
63 Resistance
62 Assaulting the Prison
61 A Change of Plans
60 A Clear Path
59 The Prisoners
58 Prison Break
57 A Way to Escape
56 Windblade
55 Panurge's Punishmen
54 The Old Man and the Trickster
53 Words of Chaos
52 Looting Treasures
51 Senecio
50 The Bandit Fortress
49 Wounds of Battle
48 Ambush
47 Leaving Silvermere
46 Saying Goodbye
45 Lord Jiang's Gifts
44 Newfound Power
43 Breaking the Seals
42 Revelations
41 Duel
40 The Magistrate
39 The Starmetal Sword
38 Faster, Higher, Stronger
37 Feast of Treasures
36 Body Refinemen
35 Continued Training
34 Training with Lord Jiang
33 The Estate
32 The Price of Power
31 Lord Jiang
30 Power Overwhelming
29 Stormleaf's Gif
28 Unlikely Companions
27 Dinner with Enemies
26 Redwater
25 The Journey Ahead
24 Master Zhao's Treasures
23 A Difficult Choice
22 Memories of Murder
21 Disguises
20 Aftermath
19 The True Face of Magic
18 Preparing for Battle
17 An Unexpected Arrival
16 The Valley
15 Drunken Masters
14 A Breath of Wind
13 Opening a Realm
12 The Wind Realm
11 Stages of Magic
10 Windsong
9 Master Firehear
8 A Taste of Magic
7 The Black Pill
6 A Harsh Lesson
5 On The Road
4 Magic
3 The Blue Angel
2 Master Zhao
1 The Academy
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