Chapter 351: Homecoming

Cassian thought better of speaking and closed his mouth.

They would be back on the Homeworld soon. His friends could hear the news for themselves and save him the explanation.

The racial rankings finished appearing. First place went to the Void Insects, a surprise to almost everyone. They stood only sixty-eighth on the wider All-Races Ranking.

On reflection, it made sense. Their Lords, Heroes, and troops were all weapons bred for war, and none feared death. Few races were better suited to a contest like this.

[All participating Champions will return to their original worlds in ten minutes. Exchange your remaining Labyrinth Points before departure. Unused points will expire.]

The month-long Race Ascendancy contest—the third and final phase of the Contest of Champions—had ended.

One question remained unanswered.

Who had killed the Lord of the Labyrinth?

No race born Eternal appeared in the standings. The Phoenixes, however, had returned after centuries of absence. Their small population had left them in one hundred and thirty-second place, below Humanity, but their appearance still caused a sensation.

They were born Mythic. A hundred Phoenix Lords working together would scarcely need Heroes or troops. Their flames alone could burn through almost anything.

Before long, they had become the most popular explanation for the Boss’s death.

"An extraordinary result, Lord Cassian."

Lucan Merrow approached before departure.

"The Human Racial Gates are open now. If you ever have time, you would be very welcome in the Ninefold Sanctum."

Ilyse had already left. Too embarrassed even to offer a parting threat, she had withdrawn without another word.

"You’re too kind, Lord Merrow. I’ll be glad to visit when I have the chance."

Cassian’s smile concealed a much less comfortable thought.

Origin Divine Fist was one of the Sanctum’s signature arts.

He had obtained the Skill Book through the Exchange. Monsters could drop books, and over the years, disciples of the Sanctum must have died beyond its borders. There was nothing impossible about its teachings reaching an outside Lord.

Whether the Sanctum would accept that explanation was another question.

When he had been struggling to establish himself, he could hardly afford to worry about every possible objection to a useful skill. Now it might become a problem. With the Racial Gates open, Lords from the great Realms could come to the Homeworld whenever they wished.

Lucan exchanged a few more pleasantries and left. He gave no sign that he knew about the fist art.

Cassian turned to his remaining Labyrinth Points and exchanged the entire balance for Battle Essence.

He also completed the reconstruction of the Domain troops he had lost. The Fountain verified each unit’s belonging and death, consumed the required stored Life Energy and Battle Essence, and returned the same fighters at their existing Levels. Nine came back, as did the six Faerie Dragons lost in the final assault.

After those costs, his Battle Essence balance stood at seven hundred and twenty billion.

Enough to support the growth of nearly two thousand more Legendary Nine-Star troops, if he chose to expand that way.

He did not start recruiting. In a little over a month, he expected to reach Rank XVII. His troops could then advance to Level 90, and he would want the reserves ready.

The ten minutes passed.

Pillars of gold rose throughout the Human Hall. Lords and Domains vanished together.

——

The light had barely faded from around Cassian when the Exchange began chiming.

[Lord Felix has sent you 1,500,000 Aether. Note: Ransom for Lord Croft of Western Beacon.]

[Lord Alis has sent you Aether through the Exchange...]

Hundreds of thousands of notices crowded his view.

Cassian smiled. When he claimed the transfers and checked his balance, the smile widened.

"Six hundred and fifty billion Aether."

A new record. He could work with that.

"Mira and Lyra have outdone themselves."

With the advancement routes already open to him and Divine Dragon Amber in his hands, there were still problems money could not solve. There were considerably fewer than before.

Before he could contact the friends who had lent him Aether, the Divine Province Channel burst into life.

[Nessa Fenwick: We’re still in Divine Province! I knew you could hold it! Mira, Lyra, what’s happening? Where do you need us?]

[Darian Frost: Give us a target. We’ll tear those bastards apart!]

[Mira Calder: You’re back! All of you? Thank goodness.]

She knew the final phase had been more dangerous than either of the first two. Having all fourteen of their Champions return safely was already a victory.

Then another message followed.

[Mira Calder: What target?]

A moment later, she understood.

[Mira Calder: Oh. The invasion? That’s been over for nearly half a month.]

Elara stared at the words.

[Elara Vayne: Half a month? How did it end so quickly? Did the other twelve Crown Provinces force them to withdraw?]

From what they had learned, that was the best outcome anyone could have hoped for. The coalition had sent ten War Marshals.

[Mira Calder: Only the Fenwick Lords from Southreach came to help. And we didn’t force the army to withdraw. We destroyed it. All ten War Marshals. All their forces. None escaped.]

For a moment, no one replied.

[Nessa Fenwick: What happened?]

[Mira Calder: Guess.]

[Nessa Fenwick: You’re doing this on purpose! Tell us!]

Nessa was nearly bouncing with impatience. Mira laughed and stopped teasing her.

She gave them a short account of the battle at Riftward: the coalition allowed inside, its communications cut, and the Five Elements Temple striking the separated armies from thousands of kilometers away. Then came the captured Lords and the ransom payments.

There was no reason to keep the Temple secret anymore. The whole Homeworld already knew.

The returning Champions listened in mounting astonishment. By the time she finished, the same thought had occurred to every one of them.

Divine Province had become a fortress.

"The Five Elements Temple..." Darian muttered. "That’s what my father saw! No wonder his whole attitude changed afterward. Then I asked him, and he wouldn’t tell me a damned thing."

He found several more things to say about Edran’s fondness for keeping secrets.

Once they had absorbed the news, Mira asked about their own journey.

[Mira Calder: What about the contest? Did everything go well?]

Nessa smiled sweetly.

[Nessa Fenwick: Cassian was magnificent. After today, everyone in Humanity’s hundred and eight Realms will know his name.]

[Mira Calder: What did he do this time?]

Nessa laughed to herself, then made her reply look perfectly solemn.

[Nessa Fenwick: Guess.]

Mira stared at it.

That had come back to bite her remarkably quickly.

She did not have to wait long. Other Homeworld Champions were already spreading the news, each adding another part of Cassian’s achievement.

[Humanity took fifty-eighth place!]

[Cassian beat the commanders from all twelve great Realms. First among the Human Champions!]

[Eight thousand to every attribute? I’m Level 85, and my attributes only average five thousand!]

[More than a hundred Legendary Troop Souls. That’s enough to create an entire force of Legendary troops!]

[Humanity’s Paragon! He’s practically gained another A-grade War Talent!]

The returning Champions had not known about the Temple. The Lords at home had not known Cassian had surpassed Humanity’s finest newcomers.

After a brief exchange of news, both groups understood.

Divine Province was becoming a power they could no longer ignore.

——

Gavin, Piers, and Nerissa had expected to return to a very different Homeworld.

However strong Cassian became, losing Divine Province would have torn away the foundation beneath him. They had looked forward to seeing the famous Lord reduced to a fugitive.

Instead, the invasion had been annihilated, and he had returned with Humanity’s Paragon.

Their fury brought little comfort. Beneath it lay a growing helplessness, and something dangerously close to fear.

To assault the Province now, they would need Mythic fighters capable of enduring the Temple’s attacks while an enormous army advanced behind them. A dozen War Marshals would not be enough. Perhaps even several dozen would die just as uselessly.

Given more time, Divine Province might gain the strength to invade its neighbors. The Black Banner would be first in its path.

A long silence settled over the meeting room.

Nerissa broke it through clenched teeth.

"We cannot let Divine Province found a Nation."

She looked around the table.

"A hundred National Fortune. A Rank-XVIII Domain. A Founding Writ. Those are the three requirements. The thirteen Crown Provinces already have enough Fortune between them, and the Domain Rank won’t hold them back for long. Whatever it costs, we must keep the Writ out of Cassian’s hands."

"On behalf of the Jade Court, you have my full support," Corven Talcrest said at once.

Then he frowned.

"But the Outer Realm campaign began half a month ago. The Realm has even announced how to obtain a Founding Writ."

His gaze moved between the others.

"With the strength Cassian has shown, if he goes to the Outer Realms, who among us could stop him? Anyone short of a Mythic?"