So It asked smiling a wide smile at Lyra The kind of bland empty thing that Randidly would never actually bother with The kind of smile that hid cruel intentions
Ignoring it Lyra moved forward running across rooftops avoiding the subdued people that walked around the interior ignoring the patrols of guards decked out in police riot gear Instead she ran towards a gaudy hotel that rose above the nearby buildings If she were a dumb king she would probably choose that spot for his hideout
Still ’ Lyra thought looking dubiously up at the buildings in front of her I won’t be able to manage this with normal methods ’
Now what The fake Randidly/real Tribulation asked still smiling Lyra stopped and turned and looked at his face even worn by another Inwardly she felt something give
She had sworn she would stop doing this but
There it was within her the elusive violet mercury energy that she held within her chest That everyone held Ice cold and earth’s core hot it pulsed in time with her heart She touched it and her whole existence burned lighting up like a visual representation of computer’s orgasm all bright lights and sizzling plastic Then she moved
Within the next second she was standing atop the large gaudy hotel having teleported 100 meters upwards She swayed unsteadily wincing It would take days for her to replace the energy she had lost there And even then Lyra worried that her levels had been reduced too much past the point where it was harmless to use
Still Lyra thought her mouth quirking up It was worth it if just for the rush
Her careful senses caught the mana fluctuation as the Randidly illusion appeared next to her a long thin tendril running from this spot off into the distance
That was powerful you certainly are an extraordinary mage The projection said its tone humble But Lyra ignored it staring off into the distance as if she was lost in thought
After a few seconds her eyes snapped back into focus her gaze amused The trail had gone cold She needed a few more data points
Now we break in and say hello
Chapter 89
The fake Randidly was perhaps just as willing to break things as the real one was quickly locating a likely looking skylight and shattering it the two of them employing their individual magic means to descend to the ground They stood in a grand ballroom with high crimson pillars with gold trimming looking oddly cheap in the twilight
By unspoken agreement they strode together to the door Luckily the ballroom only took up the Eastern half of the uppermost floor the West was the penthouse Two guards in riot gear stood outside the door Fake Randidly raised his hand and wiggled his fingers and those two slumped to the side asleep
Lyra glanced at Kim Lath She knew she was playing with fire but
She was almost there Following that thin thread a little farther feeling it worn to almost nothing by her senses just a bit more
No matter how powerful Randidly was if he could see his foe he could not fight it To track the down the Tribulation perhaps they had enough bodies now in Donnyton to do it eventually but if had escalated to the point that the whole of Donnyton knew the exact danger it represented it would be much more difficult to find
Lyra knew this was a gamble but she also knew that no one would know anything about it except the result So as long as she succeeded
They opened the door and stepped into well lit room
Two figures sprung to their feet from the spots they had been lounging within Lyra put her hands on her hips
Well don’t bother getting dressed on my account She said frankly scanning the two individuals in front of her but then she frowned You both have classes But your level is so low
Kal and Vivian both dressed in barely anything more than underwear looked at Lyra stunned If it was Lyra from a month ago she would be delighted to find the leads of the movie she was working on looking so bedraggled and gaunt Now she just felt pity covered in a thin film of disgust
You what How Kal spluttered Lyra just waved her hand
They forgot to lock the door I guess Are you two princesses then trapped in a tower And where’s Ellaine If there is going to be an orgy I’d want to sample all of the forbidden fruits
Vivian’s face instantly twisted into a scowl You foolish bitch You’ve doomed yourself by coming here And likely us too
I thought this was the bastion of civilization the last holdout of humanity Lyra said dryly her frank gaze moving from one to the other Was the king not the saint that everyone said he was
It’s not Constance it’s Kal hurried to explain but a noise interrupted him the soft ding of the elevator Fake Randidly stepped up to Lyra and touched her shoulder and she felt a strange skill activate Her initial reaction was stifled as she struggled to maintain her cool demeanor A thin film of mana settled over her but it didn’t appear to be geared towards affecting her
Kal and Vivian blinked uncomprehendingly and Lyra realized that they had become invisible Although this was an incredibly useful skill and study of its structure could let her try and imitate it Lyra’s focus spread outwards rushing after that thin thread of mana tracing it all the way back
The thread slowly faded like all the others but Lyra’s eyes glowed a vicious blue
Gotcha’ She thought her mouth curving slowly upward
Lyra’s gaze focused and she saw how Kal had sprinted to the door and shut it and then came back to the couches forcing himself to casually lay even as he awkwardly twisted gazing at the door with dread With trembling hands Vivian sat at a desk across the room slowly brushing her hair in front of the mirror
There was some commotion outside and the door was kicked in several more guards covered in riot gear bursting at their seams with muscles walked in waving guns
After a brief search where both Kal and Vivian were dragged to the front the guards retreated to the door and stood at attention The sound of wood on marble filled the room as a small stooped woman walked forward Her long hair had faded to grey and her face was a maze of wrinkles
Babi Taka w w what are you doing here personally Kal whispered his eyes wide
The old woman shrugged casually her eyes slowly methodically sliding over every inch of the room Lyra leaned forward curiously Who would win the Tribulation’s hiding spell or the mean old lady gaze
Seemingly satisfied the old lady turned back towards Kal I had a strange feeling and then I come to find my guards sleeping on the job My instincts must be getting pretty sharp in my old age kekeke
Lyra rolled her eyes and held up a finger gun pointed at Babi Taka
Bang ’ She mouthed
With a sharp snap a crack appeared in the wall behind Babi Taka The old woman jumped spinning around with a speed that should be impossible for someone her age The two guards sprinted to put themselves between their mistress and the wall guns raised
For several seconds everyone stood there waiting Fake Randidly looked at Lyra reproachfully his hand still on her shoulder She rolled her eyes at him
What’s the point in having magical powers if you don’t have fun with them every once and awhile
Nonplussed and scowling the old woman whispered to her guards and hurried away leaving the room Right before they left one of the guards that was standing outside tossed a figure into the room Bound hand and foot the figure flailed and fell to the ground
Making a low concerned noise Vivian hurried forward helping the figure up fumbling at the bindings Lyra frowned It appears that this bruised and tied up prisoner was Constance the King the Previously Fearsome
His breathing was even his movements sure this huge spear of bone continuing to cut a wide path through the monsters Randidly’s addition of the Thorn Rampart had done one thing for sure and that was bunch up the monsters who could either impale themselves or only approach Franksburg from certain directions
As such a huge number of monsters were milling around ready for slaughter However Randidly slowed his slaughter and distanced himself from the horde proper moving like a ghost back out and to the fringes He stopped for two reasons the first was simple he wanted a chance to check in on his notifications The second