Elder Cultivator

Chapter 1067

Chapter 1067

“Cultivators of the Silver Fang!” Prospero projected his voice across the enemy fleet. “We have come to discuss terms of peace! If you negotiate in good faith, no blood need be spilled today!”

Hoyt grinned slightly. “You think it will actually work out like that?”

“That depends entirely upon them,” Prospero said. “Even if nothing is accomplished, we must take the steps.”

A few moments later, there was a response from one of the Silver Fang. “Have your fleet maintain that distance, and we shall meet personally between our fleets.”

“Very well,” Prospero agreed. He then called out to their fleet. “Scarlet Alliance, match velocity!”

It was quite pleasing to see their own ships move in synchrony, while the enemy ships staggered. They clearly found it more difficult to reduce their forward momentum, with each ship performing differently. But with a bit of twisting and turning, the fleets ended up immobile relative to each other some hundreds of kilometers between them.

“Should I come with you?” Hoyt asked.

“Just remain on guard,” Prospero said. “It appears my counterpart is moving alone as well.”

Hoyt nodded. “Good fortune to you.”

Prospero left the ship behind, flying forward to meet the other man. They stood perhaps ten kilometers apart in empty space, barely visible to the naked eye. Yet for Augmentation cultivators, they were practically touching.

“My name is Prospero Vandale, of the Scarlet Alliance,” he introduced himself. “And yourself?” They had some information on the leadership of the Silver Fang, but even those on their own planets didn’t know all of their elders. Many cultivators intentionally limited the spread of even such basic information.

The man who looked back at Prospero was covered in wolf furs- and had a wolf skull atop his head, fangs in front of his face. “I am Grand Elder Rafiq, of the mighty Silver Fang. You spoke of terms of peace... and we are willing to allow such, if you pay proper tribute to us.”

Prospero supposed it would be like that, even though it was clear he was intending to offer terms of the Silver Fang’s surrender. “Return those who you have captured, surrender your resources, and we will not have to burn down your forests.” The Scarlet Alliance wasn’t actually going to do that, of course. They would prefer to kill the cultivators responsible directly. But they were still in the simple threats stage.

In theory, the negotiations would work towards a middle ground. Prospero wouldn’t mind too much if they accomplished nothing on the current day, as he doubted Rafiq could truly negotiate for the whole of the Silver Fang. But they could have established a connection.

Unfortunately, as he had suspected from the moment the man first spoke, that was not to be. Barely a few more words were exchanged before the Silver Fang fleet fired their weapons... and Rafiq charged Prospero with his spear.

Prospero caught the spear just in front of his eye, negating the man’s momentum as his defensive energy absorbed the extended aura of the spear. He had kept his internal energy ready, and fire flared around him.

The enemy fleet’s weapons were enchanted ballistae, no less effective against defensive barriers than energy beams. But they were also not any more effective... and they were quite well standardized throughout their fleets. With barriers adapted to that particular style of weapon, none of the Scarlet Alliance ships were damaged. It was still possible to break through such a barrier but it took significantly more power or a wider variety of attacks. Their own cultivators might be more flexible... but they had to last that long.

The wolves were not possessed of great sapience... but the understanding of animals was also not completely based on instinct. They knew the humans were enemies... and so Fuzz and Spikes intended to show the humans their foolishness.

Chidi followed behind as the two crashed into one of the local Silver Fang compounds. And crash they did, the two of them together like an apocalyptic meteor descending upon the sect. An explosion of fire and a shockwave of earth toppled many buildings after they broke through the formation... but they were just getting started. The very land beneath the sect bent to Spikes’ will, twisting and bending to attack her enemies or block their assaults. Fuzz filled the area with flame, melting any weapons that actually managed to make it past various other barriers.

They could have probably destroyed the whole compound with just the two of them, but that wasn’t the ultimate purpose. Intead, Chidi landed secretly near the edge of the compound and began to slip apart the formations supporting the barrier. But he wasn’t completely destroying them... instead, they were modified. Without adding anything, he could only make his modifications temporary- then the barriers would slowly collapse. But before then... well, they would see what it was like when the wild beasts could get to them without age old barriers.

It wasn’t the most efficient way to defeat the Silver Fang. Once again, Fuzz and Spikes alone could have probably accomplished the same thing with great thoroughness. But the Scarlet Alliance very much wanted the Silver Fang to be forced into submission. They had no interest in eradicating their population, nor did they wish to conquer all of their planets. Besides, trying to establish a permanent foothold within the Trigold Cluster would be asking for further trouble. They just wanted them to stop their assault, with the Scarlet Alliance showing proper strength to discourage others in the future.

Aconite followed behind Chidi, leaving not a trail of poison but instead one of temptation, scents to attract the local wolves as well as other cultivating beasts. Perhaps the open barriers would be enough, but if they wanted maximum damage they needed to be attracted en masse.

For their escape, Spikes pulled together a giant pillar of stone. It was a completely unnecessary effort, given that everyone could just fly away with their energy. But it was extra insulting to have a mountain of stone torn from under their sect grounds. It could be seen from other cities, not all of which were under direct control of the Silver Fang. They controlled the planets, but other minor sects still existed, as well as those who weren’t serious cultivators filling up the cities.

The latter was a waste of potential, but Chidi wasn’t about to start giving the Silver Fang prosperity advice.

-----

Velvet took a good look at Durff. “This is perhaps the most insane method I’ve ever heard to free slaves,” she said. “I need to know how confident you are it will work.”

“One hundred percent,” he said. “Assuming the ships are there waiting.”

That was good enough for Velvet. “Then I will help you set that up. It’s... less risky. Though we’ll have to come back for the rest later.”

Durff nodded. “But we’ll get all the ones that are together. And then maybe everyone can join the... Smashed Shackles?”

It took Velvet a moment. “Do you mean the Shattered Chains?”

“Oh, yes. That. I heard there’s a really cool guy in the lower realms who established that sect. The crew of those new ships that have lots of people were talking about it.”

Velvet nodded. “Devon won’t be able to personally oversee their progress, but there are a sufficient number of members of the Sect ascending to establish their own foothold here. And whoever we free, whether formerly of the Alliance or not, should be given the opportunity to join. We just... need to get them all.”

They had been freeing slaves on the planets they assaulted, of course, but without completely conquering a planet there was only so much they could do at once. Durff’s plan might accelerate that, though only for certain groups. Then again, they had to take things one step at a time. While he was busy with that, Velvet might make sure a few people responsible for maintaining the despicable trade within the Silver Fang never woke up.