Chapter 569
Vorenza looked at Phantom, the being Ikenga had indicated could offer help. She fell silent, her mind racing as she considered how useful he might truly be. She then glanced at Ikenga, who remained quiet, observing them both. If it were possible, she would have preferred Ikenga’s direct assistance, but their brief exchange had taught her not to push him further, lest he do something undesirable purely out of spite.
"I am outnumbered," she stated, speaking to Phantom. "At my peak, these three mages wouldn’t have been an issue. Sure, I might struggle, but a complete loss is far from the truth."
Vorenza continued, a hint of desperation in her voice, "I need to pick them off one by one, but that’s impossible to achieve without some help." She looked expectantly at Phantom, hoping he would offer some ideas.
Phantom glanced at Ikenga, who remained impassive. "I can’t directly help against a sixth-tier being, nor am i of much help in a direct confrontation," Phantom stated. "But I can create the necessary chaos for a diversion. It won’t affect the sixth-tier mages or the army leader, but the rest of the camp will fall into disarray."
Vorenza nodded, a plan quickly forming in her mind. She waved a hand, drawing memories from Rattan’s mind about how the fortress was maintained. Turning back to Phantom, she said, "When the time to act comes, I believe you’ll know. And I trust you’ll provide the chaos you spoke of."
Turning to Ikenga, whose form was now shimmering and fading, Vorenza offered a rare, apologetic tone. She felt a prickle of unease, a slight regret for her earlier brinksmanship, but it was overshadowed by the sheer desperation that had driven her. "I ask you to excuse my recent actions," she began, her voice softer than before, "but I’ve simply come too far to die at the hands of some mere mages. My entire lineage, my very being, depends on this."
To her surprise, Ikenga paused his departure, a faint, almost imperceptible shift in his expression. "I do not mind," he responded, his voice still layered but now with a hint of detached interest. "Besides, my sister is curious how you plan on overcoming something she deems ’inevitable.’"
With that cryptic remark, he was truly gone, his shimmering form dissolving into nothingness. Vorenza stood rooted, his words echoing in her mind. Inevitable? The word hung heavy, carrying a weight she couldn’t quite decipher, a chilling prophecy she hadn’t anticipated. The implication that an entity as powerful as Ikenga’s "sister" had already judged her efforts was unnerving. It took a long moment for her to process the statement, the full weight of its meaning slowly settling in. Finally, with a sigh that seemed to deflate her very essence, her own figure began to fade, drawn back to her physical form.
A short while later, Rattan stirred, his eyelids fluttering open. He was met instantly by Chief’s familiar, weathered face, etched with a mixture of concern and a subtle, almost paternal disappointment in his gaze. Rattan could feel the unspoken question in those eyes: What have you gotten yourself into now, boy? The awareness of his guardian’s presence, so often a source of quiet exasperation, now brought a strange, complicated comfort.
"I once hoped your path and growth was pure, with no hands at play behind it," Chief said, his tone heavy with disappointment.
Rattan, still reeling from the surreal encounter he’d just encountered, took a moment to fully process Chief’s words. He wasn’t a child anymore; he understood that Chief was referring to "His guardian"—the unseen force that had shaped so much of his life. A sour retort spilled from his lips. "What do you know? Even the great goblins couldn’t have gotten to where they are today if a greater hand wasn’t at play in their fate."