Scepter of Savras
After days of careful contemplation, Leylin summoned Xena and agreed to the Goddess of Wealth’s conditions. He handed over all matters pertaining to the native empire to Isabel and Tiff, while he followed Xena’s ship back to the Faulen Island. He was currently back at his wizard tower.
Although this tower had already been upgraded several times, Leylin still found it too crude. This wasn’t an issue with design, rather that he’d advanced too quickly. The basic facilities of this place couldn’t keep up with his demands.
Thankfully, he did not have high expectations for the environment he was to be in. With the wizard tower’s isolation abilities as well as his own divine force as a cover, the preparations were complete.
*Chiu! Chiu!* Inside the enormous forge at the core, a golden staff floated in mid-air. Threads of pure gold flames were dispelled in the surroundings, forming the figure of a large, gorgeous bird.
What had been the Red Dragon Staff had undergone massive changes and improvements. The coarse and solid staff was now more slender, and the dragon claw at the top had been refined, forming the claw of a bird. The most important part, the soul within the crystal, was now replaced by the flaming bird.
[Beep! Red Dragon Staff has been re-smelted. Connection and containment perfect. No conflicts in energy.] The A.I. Chip projected large amounts of information before him.
[Item Name: Blazing Sceptre. Rank: Legendary 3. Length: 0.76m. Weight: 2900g. Materials: Dragon Crystal, Dragon Bone, Dragon Blood, Dragon Scale, Divine Spirit, Divine Blood]
[Item abilities: 1. Storage. The staff can contain spells: Rank 9 (1), Rank 7 (3), Rank 5 (5). (Currently Empty) 2. Blazing Skyfire, legendary spell. (Can be used once every twenty days). 3. Domain of Terror. 4. Blaze: Absorbing the strength of divine souls, the staff can deal a one-time mental attack or boost itself. Will harm the imprisoned soul. 5. Fire Immunity.]
[Description: This staff once imprisoned a powerful legendary dragon soul, but its owner attempted a more terrifying experiment, sealing the soul of a divine being. All who use it without permission will suffer the wrath of gods!]
‘What I gave Tiff was symbolic of the church. This suits me better…’ When he conquered Debanks Island, Leylin did indeed come into possession of the flesh and souls of other demigods. However, this staff was still his most perfect creation. Although what he’d given Tiff was a demigod weapon, it was impossible to upgrade it. This staff had a limitless future!
‘I can upgrade this staff at any time as long as the materials I have on hand are suitable. It could even become a divine weapon…’ Leylin was very confident in this.
Having completed the Blazing Sceptre, Leylin did not opt to rest, instead going to another room. He closed his eyes as if in meditation, but his mind was actually communicating with the A.I. Chip. ‘A.I. Chip, how goes the task I set you on?’
[Beep! Analysis of legendary arcane spell, Chain Contingency at 100%. Transmitting into Host’s mind. Beginning preliminary branding…]
The A.I. Chip’s robotic voice sounded. It had never let Leylin down before.
“On the continent, a demigod means power at the apex. The Debanks Island is too remote, and it’s impossible to dispatch large armies and labourers to go on long journeys here. So… if they really want to deal with me, there are only a few methods. This is the one with the best chances of working…”
Leylin pursed his lips as tremendous spiritual force and arcane energy declined. A continuous stream of divine force made up for the losses just in time, creating a unique cycle.
After a night of this, he finally set up the Chain Contingency on himself.
While he had his own conjectures, he still chose to do as had been planned. After all, it was just foolish to offend a goddess without any evidence.
Besides, he had his own plans as well, and he needed her cooperation to complete them.
“I hope all this is all in my head… But it’s not bad to make preparations against it, right?”
Immense divine force surged out, erasing the spell branding aura on Leylin’s body and hiding it in the aura of a god.
Not long after Leylin completed all this, Bishop Xena visited him.
“Our church already has leads on the Scepter of Savras. However, we need some help from Sire!”
Xena looked respectfully as she spoke, eyes showing she was not faking any of this.
“Looks like this bishop always thought that the true mission was finding the scepter…”
Leylin sighed, and then smiled, “As long as we do things according to our agreement, I’m fine with it…”
……
At the borders of the Dambrath Kingdom, at the west of the werejackal mountains.
As the climate and food here was suitable, there were huge numbers of werejackals around. There were even high-ranked bloodline holders and professionals in their midst who possessed greater intelligence than their peers. They monopolised the whole mountain, becoming a man-made dangerous area.
All races that were not werejackals only had one fate in the mountains— They would be torn to the bone to be eaten!
There was little the Dambrath Kingdom could do about this. Even a legend that had been employed could only retreat in defeat.
As time passed, the werejackal mountains became a forbidden area. There were even rumours that in the depths of the werejackal mountains, there was a mysterious large door that went straight into the abyss, where there was the god of the werejackals, a sovereign king who loved flesh!
The nearer it was to the werejackal mountains, the more desolate the villages were around the area. On this path, however, there was a group of knights who were hastening on their journey.
Just from their unruffled aura, it was evident that they were not mere elites of the kingdom.
In the middle guarded by knights, were a young man and woman on two handsome horses. However, when it came to the might they had, it was hard to tell who was being protected…
“The lead for Savras’ Scepter is in the town up ahead?”
Leylin sniffed at the air, frowning slightly.
“Yes, Sire!”
This was Xena speaking. Ever since the bishop found out that Leylin had attained a realm she could never hope to reach, she had become increasingly respectful to him. She had even taken to addressing him as ‘sire’, and if Leylin had not stopped her, she might even call Leylin, ‘Your Highness’.
“Based on what the hunter in the village said, he once accidentally entered the werejackal mountain and, at the outer regions of the valleys, saw a terrifying statue and the illusion of a scepter emitting multi-coloured rays.”
“That’s all?”
Leylin’s eyebrows raised.
“After that, we dispatched the legendaries in our church, but… Even two legendaries weren’t enough to break through the layer at the outer regions of the valley. However, the two legends also saw the scepter emitting multi-coloured rays, and the likeness to Savras’ Scepter is recorded in historical records is above 90%…”
As she still needed Leylin’s help, Xena laughed wryly as she explained.
“A boundary that even legends can’t enter? And the scepter?” Leylin nodded.
“In that case, this trip is worth it… But I’ve been staying at the outer seas recently. What’s happening on the continent?”
After hearing that this was not confidential information, Xena gave him a simple rundown of the situation on the continent.
First was the north. The unrest here had attracted the attention of the entire prime material plane, and it might escalate even further.
The two greater gods, the Weave Goddess and God of Justice working together was something the orc gods all feared.
They had first wiped out the reinforcements of Malar and a few other orc gods, and then supported Alustriel as she started war at what had been the north.
After a few large-scaled battles, Alustriel had successfully gathered a few revolutionary forces and taken over a decent amount of land. With the support of a few great noble families in the north, she had ascended the throne a few months ago and reestablished the Silverymoon Alliance.
However, the orcs were still as powerful as before. Orc Emperor Saladin had the help of the divine weapon, Thunder God’s Hammer, and was still one of the most powerful on the prime material plane. If not for Alustriel blocking Saladin personally in a few battles, as well as the orc being afraid of the side effects from using the weapon, success would not have come so easily.
With all this happening, the orc empire that had been dealt a heavy blow raged and began to gather their armies.
Silverymoon trained hard as well, obtaining more support from the nobles and gods of the north.
It wasn’t hard to imagine that sometime in the future, there would definitely be an even more terrifying war breaking out. That would be greatest test for the newly-formed Silverymoon Alliance.
On top of that, there was the short-lived reappearance of the western desert’s floating city.
A number of legendaries had fallen there. The death of just one was enough to stun the entire continent, and on top of that, it had to do with the floating city.
It was just that the western desert was remote, and had blocked off means of communication. News was only being sent out now.
A few churches had verified that the floating city had been robbed by a mysterious person, and they had come up with great rewards for this. It was said that this had caused a mad flurry in the dark world.
Numerous old monsters had been startled out of their shells, pursuing traces of the lich Ilyo. It had to be said that the reason Leylin had kept Ilyo was so that the lich could bear the brunt of the blame.