Helena stood squared, with her black rod over her shoulder, slowly tapping it while her gaze sat warily on Raven.
Raven was also looking with a dangerous spark dancing in her eyes.
“Where is it first?” Helena outstretched her hand, “Where is what you stole from me?”
“I can’t return it to you.”
Helena’s brows furrowed, she glared at Raven for a few seconds and scratched her neck.
“Are you testing me? Or are you just that dumb? I helped you when you were about to be killed by Afkon, sheltered and protected you, even helped you escape, only to find out you stole my precious shield.”
She took a moment to breathe.
“Usually, when someone says they have a proposal to one that they’ve strongly wronged, they come with a way to right their wrongs. You worm, the only way to right your wrong is to return that Ravenheart to me. Even after returning it, I don’t think I’m ready to let you walk away from this place in one piece.”
Raven stared at her absentmindedly for a while, then she lowered her eyes and said in a somber tone.
“I can’t return the Ravenheart shield for obvious reasons. And I still want you to take this offer because it could be our only cue to returning home.”
Helena froze… and blinked a couple of times.
“Huh? What did you say now?”
—
Meanwhile…
Upon entering, Northern stifled his nose with two fingers to block out the thick air saturated with the scent of aged parchment and exotic spices.
The interior was cozy yet eclectic. Against one wall, a rustic bookshelf groaned under the weight of leather-bound tomes and well-thumbed journals.
Tattered maps, their edges frayed with use, adorned the walls. Northern paused in front of the maps for a while, studying them.
He placed his hand beneath his chin.
‘It’s almost as if she’s looking for something…’
The maps were like pieces of puzzles desperately trying to fit together, one look at them and Northern could tell of the desperate efforts Helena was putting in pursuit of something.
Maybe it was something, someone or somewhere, he did not know.
But one thing he did know was that Helena is currently searching or maybe was…
‘This does not seem to have been here for a while.’
Northern turned his head to a corner, where sat a sturdy oak desk that served as the heart of the cottage, its surface cluttered with half-finished sketches, cryptic notes, and artifacts waiting to be cataloged.
A flickering oil lamp cast a warm glow over the scene, illuminating the intricate carvings adorning the desk’s legs.
Nearby, a plush armchair beckoned invitingly, its cushions worn with age but still offering comfort to weary visitors.
A handwoven rug, its intricate patterns reminiscent of ancient symbols, covered the worn wooden floor, muffling the sound of footsteps and adding to the cozy ambiance.
The centerpiece of the room was a massive stone pillar, its rough-hewn surface a testament to the cottage’s sturdy construction.
Rising majestically to support the timber-framed roof above, for a while Northern stood dumbfounded, admiring the structure and wondering exactly how Helena had managed to build a place like this.
Although there existed the possibility that she could have just found this place, Northern didn’t think so; this place looked too rough on the edges to not have been built by Helena herself.
Northern let out a soft sigh and turned back to the direction of the table, and suddenly heard a slight sound. It was subtle; he was sure there was a sound.
It was impossible for him to make a sound because [Night Terror] was supposed to shield him completely in darkness.
That meant that this was a much greater ability than just becoming invisible. Northern was like a moving darkness, although not an obviously visible one.
It was equivalent to say he was not here at all, so how could he have made a sound?
This caused Northern to squint his eyes.
‘Someone is here.’
From the invisible depths of the darkness, blue light subtly emanated from Northern’s eyes as he dove into the weaves of the reality around him, using the [Unseeing Eyes].
Processing hundreds of millions of interwoven azure threads all at the same time made him feel like his brain was continually tearing apart and mending together, especially in this moment where he was trying to see beyond plain reality.
Each thread pulsated with an unseen energy that weaved every fabric of existence.
These ethereal strands danced and intertwined, forming an intricate lattice that stretched across the expanse of reality, connecting every particle and possibility in a mesmerizing symphony of light and shadow.
Amidst this web of intertwined threads was a subtle disturbance in the delicate weave of reality, a slow but moving ripple that danced on a couple of threads that strewn across the sturdy table and plush chair, like a pebble dropped into a still pond, creating subtle eddies and currents that hinted at something.
Northern could tell in that instance, ‘Caught you, bastard!’
He headed towards the area and slowly extended his hand to touch the disturbed thread.
In that moment, the thread straightened as if being put back to order by his slight touch.
Simultaneously, a figure with wavy, shoulder-length jet-black hair froze in movement, blinking as he observed that he could see himself. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
‘Eh? What’s going on?’
His form again began to fade away but at the last moment flickered and faded back to reality.
The man looked at himself and tried again.
This time, it didn’t work at all; he just flickered like a faulty bulb of light and found himself standing, obvious and visible to everyone with his elegant white armor.
He frowned and looked away, slowly moving the black scroll in his hand to his breastplate.
Before he could, however, something slapped his hand, causing the scroll to fall and roll.
Immediately, he threw himself forward to grab it, but something… was faster than him.
Black lustrous hands picked the scroll, the enigmatic figure slowly stood straight, staring at him with four blue eyes.
Instantly, the man felt cold sweat drip down his body, his hands and lips tremble at the sight of the abomination.