Chapter 651
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Chapter 651
The void of space was often said to be cold, and by an absolute measure perhaps that was the case. But for a cultivator able to regulate their own heat, the fact that it was not actively draining made it a simple inconvenience. Thus, it did little to cool down Antons anger.
What mitigated his fury was time. Time spent in Inistra, uncomfortably tying up loose ends, and then a longer time traveling between systems. Even so, Anton was still seriously considering destroying Ekicts sun. Not as an overreaction, but as a calculated maneuver to end the war. And there was a war.
Incoming information told him Ekict in fact had dozens of Integration cultivators. Not Assimilation, but actual Integration. Antons first thought was that they had been fully consumed by the Trigold Cluster and were simply a trap for people like himself. But hed felt the resonant truth of Aoibhins hatred.
That was where hed made the mistake. He assumed their traumatic experiences with the upper realms and eventual victory would lead to the same results as the Trigold Cluster. Instead, it had left them broken and bitter. Perhaps they wouldnt trust anyone else.
As for how they had Integration cultivators, Anton could only speculate. But based on how they captured Assimilation cultivators at great cost, the theories all lead to the same idea. Stolen cultivation, by some method or other. And nobody would have had an inkling if they hadnt detected the Twin Soul Sect.
He should have returned immediately upon learning that information. He could have done what? It was only knowing what he knew now that he had any cause of action. Trusting people was not wrong. But perhaps it had been given too easily.
So he would destroy their star. They had far too many Integration cultivators. The fact that they had retreated to their system after the initial assault, their defensive formations around their system they likely could not compete directly. But that did not mean they couldnt kill many people during a war. And they couldnt be allowed to get away with no consequences- there was every reason to believe they would simply repeat their action, but stronger. Depending on if they could steal Assimilation cultivation, which they had to assume was possible or they would have been crazy to attack. And Anton didnt think they were fully insane. But perhaps theyd been pushed past the point people could withstand.
The way things had happened was Antons fault. But he struggled to accept that more than that it was the fault of the Trigold Cluster, and most of all Ekict. Because no matter what happened to them previously, they made the choice for hate when friendship was offered.
-----
After some time, Anishka didnt even feel cold. Sure, her body was still stiff. Some of it was probably freezing. Would she get frostbite? Her tempered body would prevent that in normal circumstances, but she wasnt merely left somewhere cold. Active formations drained life and heat from her body. It tried to drain her consciousness too, but she somehow kept a spark of fire inside herself, despite the restrictions on her cultivation.
The bindings werent perfect.
And if she were stronger, she could have exploited that instead of merely surviving. Instead, she just lived. Day after day. The sect head came to ask her questions, but Anishka didnt have answers for her. There wasnt anyone else to give up. Except the Sergeant.
Perhaps Anishka might have given her up, if she werent the other one who came to visit frequently. It was almost comical to see her carrying a tiny crust of bread, as if it were moving on its own. Yet it was always exactly the amount the Sergeant could move, and she would place it in Anishkas mouth. She would chew it and swallow. Then over a series of dozens of trips, the Sergeant would carry drops of water to her.
You can just let me die, Anishka said. Theyll find you.
I cannot, the tiny ant signed, slowly. Stiffly. Frost covered some of her joints. We will get you out of here.
Who is we?
Then there was a pop. And explosion of natural energy, small but distinct. Anishka responded by instinct as an explosion of power nearly tore off her wrist and her natural energy responded, protecting her.
She looked down, and saw a now-mangled manacle. And upon it, a chunk of some sort of precious stone larger than her held aloft, was the Sergeant. Then the gem cracked, and Anishka could see the Sergeant signing as it crumbled.
... been here the whole time. Should have said something.
... What? Its been days. Dont tell me you were chewing on the manacles for days?
Dont be silly, the Sergeant responded, slowly. Ice was even more prominently visible on her limbs. Tiny crystals that greatly hindered movements. Im not that strong. Im usually here chewing on the enchantments. Though it does take like an hour to get food for you.
Anishka couldnt help but laugh. It hurt, as her throat cracked from dryness and cold. But the relief made her body want to do everything it could. You were here the whole time? Did you eat anything yourself?
Well, I-
Besides natural energy.
No response.
Anishkas brain was still barely functional, but eventually she realized. She could manipulate natural energy. Her first act was to remove the frost covering her companion, who began to move about a bit less sluggishly. The Sergeant hadnt grown at all, but she immediately crawled towards Anishkas other side, and the other manacle. Without its pair, it was only restricting that arm, instead of her whole internal energy flow. Seeing the chunks of energy the ant ripped out of it, Anishka expected it to be dealt with in a day. But instead she yanked her hand out. It wasnt even that hard, as she was little better than skin and bones, and she retained some flexibility from Body Tempering.
Weve got to go, Sergeant, Anishka said. If they see one broken shackle She stretched out her finger towards the little ant, and nearly crushed her when her wrist twitched. It seemed she might have damaged something. The Sergeant didnt hesitate to step onto her finger, despite the sudden movement.
Patka is trying to get keys, the ant signed as Anishka brought her up next to her face, so they could communicate as she looked at the restraints on her ankles. The metal was so cold, and the way the numbness was leaving her reminded her of how much they had done.
She couldnt get her feet out the same way not and walk. But she had an idea. Cold steel. She was also cold. And so the steel grew colder, and she grew warmer. Inside her, Anishka felt as if her organs suddenly began to function again as they woke from their near cryotic state. She kicked her ankle against the wall, and the manacle shattered. You chewed on all of these, didnt you?
The Sergeant confirmed that. I realized I should focus on one. But before that I ate a lot of their energy and nibbled on some of the fancy runes.
The final binding shattered, though Anishka nearly twisted her ankle in the process. She hadnt moved in so long. And she had to conserve her energy. Unrestrained, she could draw some from the surroundings- she understood cryo cultivation, after all, and it was half of her style. But her body still needed sustenance to act, something she had been missing for far too long.
Now, how to get out without being caught? She wished she knew where there were guards. She looked at the Sergeant. That, at least, she could ask.
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Chapter 651
The void of space was often said to be cold, and by an absolute measure perhaps that was the case. But for a cultivator able to regulate their own heat, the fact that it was not actively draining made it a simple inconvenience. Thus, it did little to cool down Antons anger.
What mitigated his fury was time. Time spent in Inistra, uncomfortably tying up loose ends, and then a longer time traveling between systems. Even so, Anton was still seriously considering destroying Ekicts sun. Not as an overreaction, but as a calculated maneuver to end the war. And there was a war.
Incoming information told him Ekict in fact had dozens of Integration cultivators. Not Assimilation, but actual Integration. Antons first thought was that they had been fully consumed by the Trigold Cluster and were simply a trap for people like himself. But hed felt the resonant truth of Aoibhins hatred.
That was where hed made the mistake. He assumed their traumatic experiences with the upper realms and eventual victory would lead to the same results as the Trigold Cluster. Instead, it had left them broken and bitter. Perhaps they wouldnt trust anyone else.
As for how they had Integration cultivators, Anton could only speculate. But based on how they captured Assimilation cultivators at great cost, the theories all lead to the same idea. Stolen cultivation, by some method or other. And nobody would have had an inkling if they hadnt detected the Twin Soul Sect.
He should have returned immediately upon learning that information. He could have done what? It was only knowing what he knew now that he had any cause of action. Trusting people was not wrong. But perhaps it had been given too easily.
So he would destroy their star. They had far too many Integration cultivators. The fact that they had retreated to their system after the initial assault, their defensive formations around their system they likely could not compete directly. But that did not mean they couldnt kill many people during a war. And they couldnt be allowed to get away with no consequences- there was every reason to believe they would simply repeat their action, but stronger. Depending on if they could steal Assimilation cultivation, which they had to assume was possible or they would have been crazy to attack. And Anton didnt think they were fully insane. But perhaps theyd been pushed past the point people could withstand.
The way things had happened was Antons fault. But he struggled to accept that more than that it was the fault of the Trigold Cluster, and most of all Ekict. Because no matter what happened to them previously, they made the choice for hate when friendship was offered.
-----
After some time, Anishka didnt even feel cold. Sure, her body was still stiff. Some of it was probably freezing. Would she get frostbite? Her tempered body would prevent that in normal circumstances, but she wasnt merely left somewhere cold. Active formations drained life and heat from her body. It tried to drain her consciousness too, but she somehow kept a spark of fire inside herself, despite the restrictions on her cultivation.
The bindings werent perfect.
And if she were stronger, she could have exploited that instead of merely surviving. Instead, she just lived. Day after day. The sect head came to ask her questions, but Anishka didnt have answers for her. There wasnt anyone else to give up. Except the Sergeant.
Perhaps Anishka might have given her up, if she werent the other one who came to visit frequently. It was almost comical to see her carrying a tiny crust of bread, as if it were moving on its own. Yet it was always exactly the amount the Sergeant could move, and she would place it in Anishkas mouth. She would chew it and swallow. Then over a series of dozens of trips, the Sergeant would carry drops of water to her.
You can just let me die, Anishka said. Theyll find you.
I cannot, the tiny ant signed, slowly. Stiffly. Frost covered some of her joints. We will get you out of here.
Who is we?
Then there was a pop. And explosion of natural energy, small but distinct. Anishka responded by instinct as an explosion of power nearly tore off her wrist and her natural energy responded, protecting her.
She looked down, and saw a now-mangled manacle. And upon it, a chunk of some sort of precious stone larger than her held aloft, was the Sergeant. Then the gem cracked, and Anishka could see the Sergeant signing as it crumbled.
... been here the whole time. Should have said something.
... What? Its been days. Dont tell me you were chewing on the manacles for days?
Dont be silly, the Sergeant responded, slowly. Ice was even more prominently visible on her limbs. Tiny crystals that greatly hindered movements. Im not that strong. Im usually here chewing on the enchantments. Though it does take like an hour to get food for you.
Anishka couldnt help but laugh. It hurt, as her throat cracked from dryness and cold. But the relief made her body want to do everything it could. You were here the whole time? Did you eat anything yourself?
Well, I-
Besides natural energy.
No response.
Anishkas brain was still barely functional, but eventually she realized. She could manipulate natural energy. Her first act was to remove the frost covering her companion, who began to move about a bit less sluggishly. The Sergeant hadnt grown at all, but she immediately crawled towards Anishkas other side, and the other manacle. Without its pair, it was only restricting that arm, instead of her whole internal energy flow. Seeing the chunks of energy the ant ripped out of it, Anishka expected it to be dealt with in a day. But instead she yanked her hand out. It wasnt even that hard, as she was little better than skin and bones, and she retained some flexibility from Body Tempering.
Weve got to go, Sergeant, Anishka said. If they see one broken shackle She stretched out her finger towards the little ant, and nearly crushed her when her wrist twitched. It seemed she might have damaged something. The Sergeant didnt hesitate to step onto her finger, despite the sudden movement.
Patka is trying to get keys, the ant signed as Anishka brought her up next to her face, so they could communicate as she looked at the restraints on her ankles. The metal was so cold, and the way the numbness was leaving her reminded her of how much they had done.
She couldnt get her feet out the same way not and walk. But she had an idea. Cold steel. She was also cold. And so the steel grew colder, and she grew warmer. Inside her, Anishka felt as if her organs suddenly began to function again as they woke from their near cryotic state. She kicked her ankle against the wall, and the manacle shattered. You chewed on all of these, didnt you?
The Sergeant confirmed that. I realized I should focus on one. But before that I ate a lot of their energy and nibbled on some of the fancy runes.
The final binding shattered, though Anishka nearly twisted her ankle in the process. She hadnt moved in so long. And she had to conserve her energy. Unrestrained, she could draw some from the surroundings- she understood cryo cultivation, after all, and it was half of her style. But her body still needed sustenance to act, something she had been missing for far too long.
Now, how to get out without being caught? She wished she knew where there were guards. She looked at the Sergeant. That, at least, she could ask.
Chapter 651The void of space was often said to be cold, and by an absolute measure perhaps that was the case. But for a cultivator able to regulate their own heat, the fact that it was not actively draining made it a simple inconvenience. Thus, it did little to cool down Antons anger.What mitigated his fury was time. Time spent in Inistra, uncomfortably tying up loose ends, and then a longer time traveling between systems. Even so, Anton was still seriously considering destroying Ekicts sun. Not as an overreaction, but as a calculated maneuver to end the war. And there was a war. Incoming information told him Ekict in fact had dozens of Integration cultivators. Not Assimilation, but actual Integration. Antons first thought was that they had been fully consumed by the Trigold Cluster and were simply a trap for people like himself. But hed felt the resonant truth of Aoibhins hatred.That was where hed made the mistake. He assumed their traumatic experiences with the upper realms and eventual victory would lead to the same results as the Trigold Cluster. Instead, it had left them broken and bitter. Perhaps they wouldnt trust anyone else.As for how they had Integration cultivators, Anton could only speculate. But based on how they captured Assimilation cultivators at great cost, the theories all lead to the same idea. Stolen cultivation, by some method or other. And nobody would have had an inkling if they hadnt detected the Twin Soul Sect. He should have returned immediately upon learning that information. He could have done what? It was only knowing what he knew now that he had any cause of action. Trusting people was not wrong. But perhaps it had been given too easily.So he would destroy their star. They had far too many Integration cultivators. The fact that they had retreated to their system after the initial assault, their defensive formations around their system they likely could not compete directly. But that did not mean they couldnt kill many people during a war. And they couldnt be allowed to get away with no consequences- there was every reason to believe they would simply repeat their action, but stronger. Depending on if they could steal Assimilation cultivation, which they had to assume was possible or they would have been crazy to attack. And Anton didnt think they were fully insane. But perhaps theyd been pushed past the point people could withstand.The way things had happened was Antons fault. But he struggled to accept that more than that it was the fault of the Trigold Cluster, and most of all Ekict. Because no matter what happened to them previously, they made the choice for hate when friendship was offered.-----After some time, Anishka didnt even feel cold. Sure, her body was still stiff. Some of it was probably freezing. Would she get frostbite? Her tempered body would prevent that in normal circumstances, but she wasnt merely left somewhere cold. Active formations drained life and heat from her body. It tried to drain her consciousness too, but she somehow kept a spark of fire inside herself, despite the restrictions on her cultivation. The bindings werent perfect.And if she were stronger, she could have exploited that instead of merely surviving. Instead, she just lived. Day after day. The sect head came to ask her questions, but Anishka didnt have answers for her. There wasnt anyone else to give up. Except the Sergeant.Perhaps Anishka might have given her up, if she werent the other one who came to visit frequently. It was almost comical to see her carrying a tiny crust of bread, as if it were moving on its own. Yet it was always exactly the amount the Sergeant could move, and she would place it in Anishkas mouth. She would chew it and swallow. Then over a series of dozens of trips, the Sergeant would carry drops of water to her. You can just let me die, Anishka said. Theyll find you.I cannot, the tiny ant signed, slowly. Stiffly. Frost covered some of her joints. We will get you out of here.Who is we?Then there was a pop. And explosion of natural energy, small but distinct. Anishka responded by instinct as an explosion of power nearly tore off her wrist and her natural energy responded, protecting her. She looked down, and saw a now-mangled manacle. And upon it, a chunk of some sort of precious stone larger than her held aloft, was the Sergeant. Then the gem cracked, and Anishka could see the Sergeant signing as it crumbled.... been here the whole time. Should have said something.... What? Its been days. Dont tell me you were chewing on the manacles for days?Dont be silly, the Sergeant responded, slowly. Ice was even more prominently visible on her limbs. Tiny crystals that greatly hindered movements. Im not that strong. Im usually here chewing on the enchantments. Though it does take like an hour to get food for you.Anishka couldnt help but laugh. It hurt, as her throat cracked from dryness and cold. But the relief made her body want to do everything it could. You were here the whole time? Did you eat anything yourself?Well, I-Besides natural energy.No response.Anishkas brain was still barely functional, but eventually she realized. She could manipulate natural energy. Her first act was to remove the frost covering her companion, who began to move about a bit less sluggishly. The Sergeant hadnt grown at all, but she immediately crawled towards Anishkas other side, and the other manacle. Without its pair, it was only restricting that arm, instead of her whole internal energy flow. Seeing the chunks of energy the ant ripped out of it, Anishka expected it to be dealt with in a day. But instead she yanked her hand out. It wasnt even that hard, as she was little better than skin and bones, and she retained some flexibility from Body Tempering.Weve got to go, Sergeant, Anishka said. If they see one broken shackle She stretched out her finger towards the little ant, and nearly crushed her when her wrist twitched. It seemed she might have damaged something. The Sergeant didnt hesitate to step onto her finger, despite the sudden movement.Patka is trying to get keys, the ant signed as Anishka brought her up next to her face, so they could communicate as she looked at the restraints on her ankles. The metal was so cold, and the way the numbness was leaving her reminded her of how much they had done.She couldnt get her feet out the same way not and walk. But she had an idea. Cold steel. She was also cold. And so the steel grew colder, and she grew warmer. Inside her, Anishka felt as if her organs suddenly began to function again as they woke from their near cryotic state. She kicked her ankle against the wall, and the manacle shattered. You chewed on all of these, didnt you?The Sergeant confirmed that. I realized I should focus on one. But before that I ate a lot of their energy and nibbled on some of the fancy runes.The final binding shattered, though Anishka nearly twisted her ankle in the process. She hadnt moved in so long. And she had to conserve her energy. Unrestrained, she could draw some from the surroundings- she understood cryo cultivation, after all, and it was half of her style. But her body still needed sustenance to act, something she had been missing for far too long. Now, how to get out without being caught? She wished she knew where there were guards. She looked at the Sergeant. That, at least, she could ask.
