Not far away sat Balka , looking the same as always . A heroic warrior in the prime of her life , with her huge broadsword lying to the side . If not for the monstrous killing intent roiling off her body , you could have thought she was one of the young blade masters of Kruta’s generation .
Not bad , - Balka nodded after a while . - In fact , pretty good . I can feel how your connection with my great-grandfather has grown much deeper . You are nurturing each other in a way I haven’t seen before . There’s no way you’d manage to figure that out on your own . I guess that place deserves its reputation . -
It’s all thanks to Grandmother giving me the token , - Kruta said , remembering the steel in her voice before .
It didn’t help .
Still , that’s no reason to bang on the gong so loudly . - Balka glared . - I haven’t seen my Udro for almost a century . Ruining our sweet reunion deserves some innovative punish— -
News! - Kruta shouted , the squeals of rutting hogs burned into his mind urging him on . - I have super important news , earthshattering news! I couldn’t wait . -
Oh? - Balka said with a raised brow . - Then let’s hear it . -
Kruta took a deep breath and recounted his experiences inside the Perennial Vastness . Seeing her impatient look , Kruta , unfortunately , had to skip the prepared parts detailing his accomplishments before meeting Zac . He’d save those tales for his little wives .
You fool! You killed an imperial? - Balka wheezed when Kruta reached the point with Valsa . - Do you want to bring a Calamity onto our heads? How can you betray the ancestors like this! -
Well , it was kind of my buddy who finished the job , - Kruta coughed . - I got knocked out within seconds . I just put my finger on the scales a bit . -
The excuse didn’t help him much . Waves of power crashed into him from Balka’s glare , threatening to disintegrate his body . What did the improved constitution of a Hegemon matter when faced with an Autarch’s wrath?
Vastermal was rebuffed by the Perennial Vastness , and the confidentiality of the realm will keep my identity safe , - Kruta croaked . - That guy I mentioned even went and had all imperials killed . No one even knows I was involved . -
What do you know? Nothing is absolute in this world . There is no such thing as a perfect seal and no secrets that can’t be excavated . Not even the Heavens are infallible . - Balka snorted , but she relented . - Well , it does seem like there’s nothing wrong with you , and I can’t find anything inside your body . But remember , don’t mention this to a single soul . You never know who’ll use that information for their own gain . -
Kruta quickly nodded .
What audacity , - Balka sighed . - No wonder you wanted to see me immediately . We’ll have to keep our eyes out , but I think we are safe . -
No , that wasn’t the important part , - Kruta said , his heart shuddering when the bonfire was almost extinguished from a burst of his grandmother’s killing intent .
You better have some honey with that spice , - Balka said with a murderous smile . - I don’t think my heart can handle much more bad news . -
Kruta jumped into the next part of the story , adding some embellishments to protect his hide . No , to paint a clearer picture for his dear grandmother! Who’s to say there won’t be treasures that could become the tribe’s hidden reserves inside the Left Imperial Palace?
Good , good , good! - Balka laughed , her demeanor completely different from before . - Bold and ambitious! That’s how my grandchild should act . Go , go! Get gammy something nice . -
About the princess . . . - Kruta ventured .
Who cares? It doesn’t matter! What , some junior got herself killed inside a trial? Things like that happen every day , - Balka said with a lazy wave . - That old goat , Vastermal , has working hips and over fifty wives . He’ll make new ones . So , what happened next? -
Seeing how well things were going , Kruta decided to add some more honey . It wasn’t about avoiding punishment , it was about having a positive outlook . And it wasn’t really a lie to say that friendship could blossom between him and the Tayn successor thanks to Zac . After all , Kruta was handsome and great company .
Why wouldn’t Iz Tayn want to become his friend?
Friendship with the young princess of the Tayns? - Balka said , her smile growing even wider . - If you can pull that off , forget about the inheritance . Who’d dare mess with us when people learn we have such a backer? Even the Luaris Dynasty would have to treat us with respect . I knew I was right in adopting you . I really have an eye for things . -
Unfortunately , Balka barely had time to finish her sentence before a deep rumble shook the whole world tent . It felt like a Primordial God was using the steppes themselves as a drum , and Kruta’s eyes widened with horror . This wasn’t the sound of the audience drum he’d hit before . This was the Ancestral Wardrum crafted by the founding chieftain himself . A drum Kruta hoped he’d never have to hear in his lifetime .
A Tribal Calamity? - Balka wheezed , angrily pointing at Kruta with fires burning in her eyes . - You troublemaker! -
I—You said , - Kruta stuttered , but he got no further before he found his mouth sealed .
I said nothing! - Balka glared , and they disappeared .
The next moment , the two floated far above the tribe . Kruta could see the citadel stretch out across the horizon , where one powerful aura after another rose to the sky . But what did it matter? Kruta could see the fear in his grandmother’s eyes as she looked up at the intruder . The steppes shivered at their mere presence , and the ancestral threads had dug deep into the ground .
The whole sky had been replaced by fire , stretching as far as Kruta could see . Their citadel held the families of over twenty million elite warriors , but it felt like a speck in front of this burning curtain . Inside the inferno were thousands of anguished faces , each the size of a city . They were indistinct and made of the flames , but were a darker , almost purple fire filled with resentment and despair . It looked like they were trying to break out only to be pushed back in .
A flash of light made Kruta look to his side , where he found two newcomers . One was the war chief of the whole tribe . The second was another of the Grand Elders and the chief earthly shaman , Prata Redleaf . The war chief looked up at the burning sky , his back giving off a desolate aura . There was no fight in his eyes , only defeat and sorrow .
Is this the end of our tribe? - he sighed . - I have failed the ancestors . -
Don’t worry , I have a solution! - Balka said , looking up at the hellscape with a heroic expression as her hair danced in the wind .
You absolutely cannot attack! - the ancient shaman screamed in horror , going so far as to summon four ancestors to hold Balka back . - You fool , look at those flames! They are ratified by the Empyrean Throne! That’s the Thousandflame Galley . We might be able to save some of our tribe through diplomacy , but not if we anger the esteemed one inside . -
Don’t you think I know that? - Balka huffed , pushing the ancestral guardians toward the ground .
I—Uh , - Kruta stuttered , his mind muddled with confusion .
How did they know? He’d just returned , and they hadn’t even sent out the message , yet one of Kolsara Tayn’s disciples had come knocking at their door . Had Zac somehow sent word back? No , that was impossible . He was still inside the Perennial Vastness . The Tayns must have figured things out some other way . Was it because of the seal he’d picked up?
Either case , it saved a lot of time and lessened the odds of his tribe’s involvement in this matter being exposed . At most , it would seem like he stumbled into a lucky opportunity but was captured before the tribe could report it to the Heavens . Not even the Imperial Dynasty could fault them for that , and the horrible reputation of the Tayns should keep the tribe safe .