Chapter 294: Walking Fortress

Chapter 294: Walking Fortress

Douglas rushed through the dark stone corridor with Mudcloaks clinging to both of his legs for dear life while another hung from his back like a cape. However, unlike a cape, its claws dug deeply into his suit, and it made terrified whimpers in his ear.

"Guys, can you get off me?" Douglas pleaded, "I know the mountain is trembling, but your 'protection' is unnecessary."

"We will die for the king!" "Protect the king!" "Scary mountain!"

Douglas let out a sigh at the little menaces' chants. It didn't even make sense. The Mudcloaks would only get in the way if something could kill him. They were getting in the way right now as he headed down an emergency corridor he had built a while ago that led straight to the illusion grove where Elaine should be cultivating.

I have no idea what is happening, but please be safe, Elaine. Douglas had never felt Ashlock unleash this amount of Qi, so clearly, something terrible had happened. The Qi is actually flowing downward toward the east through the mountain. Perhaps a battle is happening?

Whatever happened must be above him as he was yet to be informed. Douglas knew Ashlock could speak to anyone he wished at any time with telepathy, so he must not be deemed worthwhile enough to know.

The corridor suddenly shook even more as the roots growing along the walls flashed with power, and pieces of rock rained down on him, pummeling his back. The Mudcloaks cried out as the two clinging to his legs were smacked off by stray debris, but Douglas kept going despite their protests.

Up ahead, at the end of the corridor, he could see a wooden door inlaid with a runic formation. Reaching it and inserting some earth Qi, the door unlocked, and he pushed it open. Emerging into the moonlight, Douglas clambered out of the leaf-covered hole and glanced around. He was on the side of the mountain path that connected Red Vine Peak and the White Stone Peak. Many small paths winding through the trees led off either side of the mountain path to the groves, and in the distance, he could see some Redclaws fleeing back to the White Stone Palace.

"Douglas?!"

He spun around at the familiar voice and saw Elaine running toward him.

"Hey—oof." He stumbled back a step as she threw herself into his open arms and nestled her head into his shoulder. Douglas was bewildered for a moment. His arms slowly closed around her, embracing her in a hug, and he patted her head.

"Elaine?"

The blob of light pink hair replied with a hum before she tilted her head up to look at him, and they locked eyes for a moment. She looked a little shaken, and her glasses had been pushed off center. "S-Sorry about that," she lightly stepped back, and Douglas released her from his embrace. "I'm so glad to see you, Douglas. I was worried something terrible might have happened to you when I was thrown out of my cultivation, and the mountain was ablaze with Ashlock's wrath."

"Nothing happened to me, I am fine." Douglas was relieved to see she was also fine, but he could see the deep concern on her face, "Are you alright?"

"I'm good, but..." Elaine looked over his shoulder, and he followed her gaze. The night sky was illuminated by a column of lilac soul fire that seemed to reach for the heavens. A vortex seemed to surge up Ashlock's trunk before merging with his vast canopy, where every leaf burned bright with power. It was a breathtaking display that made Douglas's soul tremble from inadequacy.

So that is what the peak of power looks like. It feels like if Ashlock directed even a fraction of that wrath toward me, I would spit blood as I died a pathetic death. His own inadequacy aside, something serious must have happened to cause the usually lowkey Ashlock to go all out.

"Do you know what happened?" He asked Elaine.

Elaine lightly shook her head, "No, I was hoping you would."

Let's think, what could have happened? All I can think of is that Stella and Diana left for the Tainted Cloud Sect to hunt down that Albis Lunarshade person.

Douglas suddenly had a dangerous thought, and the blood drained from his face. Turning to Elaine, he almost choked on his words, "Y-You don't think something happened to Stella, do you?"

Elaine's eyes widened, "Oh no, that's the worst-case scenario. If Stella got hurt or even died, I fear Ashlock would destroy everything in rage."

Douglas wholeheartedly agreed with that assessment. Ashlock was relaxing to be around and likely the most reasonable spirit tree in the realm when he was in a good mood. But at the end of the day, he was still an incredibly powerful demonic tree with a hunger for flesh and blood and an inescapable reach.

If Stella really did die, I wouldn't be surprised if he slaughtered everyone.

Douglas glanced down one of the side paths, and through the gap in the trees, he got a clear view down the side of the mountain of Darklight City in the distance. Not only was the entire forest between him and the city ablaze with soul flames but so were the trees within the city.

A terrible feeling brewed in his gut, and he clenched his fist. Ashlock was usually so careful, constantly restricting the flow of information and keeping his existence a secret from the wider world. Few things could shake that foundation, and Stella's death was undoubtedly one of them. Would this be the end of the sect as he knew it—

"Yo!" A blonde girl wreathed in spatial flames materialized before him, causing his heart to almost leap out of his chest. Stella patted his shoulder with a shit-eating grin on her face, "Just the man I was looking for. Are you ready for war?!"

"War? With who? Huh?" Douglas's mind blanked. "You're fine?"

Stella tilted her head, "Why wouldn't I be? Are you okay? I hope puffing away on all those spirit stones hasn't turned your brain to mush."

"I only have to do that because of unfair workloads," Douglas scoffed as his shock and relief at Stella's appearance quickly turned to annoyance.

"Stella, we thought something bad happened to you," Elaine said as she appeared beside Douglas and glanced between them. "Glad to see you are fine."

"Why would something have happened to me?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's because the mountain range is trembling, the cities are bathed in soul flames, and Ashlock is pumping enough Qi into the land to turn this place into a spiritual spring?" Douglas listed off with a slightly irritated tone. To think he had been so worried for this ditz of a person. How could she be so clueless about the world around her?

Stella lowered her arm from his shoulder and looked around. Her mouth made an 'o' as she realized what was happening. Eventually, she looked back at Douglas and shrugged, "Ash is just overreacting. Don't worry your rock-filled head about it."

"Something did happen then?" Douglas narrowed his eyes. Ignoring the insult.

A familiar presence suddenly bloomed in his mind, followed by a thundering chorus of overlapped voices that threatened to tear his mind apart. "Douglas, what the hell have the Mudcloaks done to Geb?"

"What?" Douglas was surprised by the sudden question as a portal tore into existence before him.

"Come take a look."

Douglas exchanged a confused glance with Elaine before he stepped through with Elaine in hand.

"King!" A Mudcloak wearing a strange uniform of black and red cloth gave him an enthusiastic salute.

Douglas absentmindedly returned the salute as he looked around. They were in a command room with a large table in the middle with a constantly changing realistic model of the surroundings. The mountain range was complete with a forest of stone trees and a replica of the White Stone Peak. Even little stone people were walking around, but the most impressive was the giant stone tree glowing with power atop Red Vine Peak: Ashlock, the demonic tree that lorded over it all.

"This looks similar to the Bastion," Elaine muttered at his side and pointed at a smaller table to the side, "Look, they even have a Mudcloak managing a shield and another controlling a cannon."

"Cannons..." Douglas furrowed his brows."Did Geb always have cannons?"

"No," Ashlock replied in his mind, making him wince, "Nor did he have a fortress city built on his back."

"Huh?" Douglas walked toward the giant runic-enforced window that dominated the command room, and the many Mudcloaks, all dressed in the same uniform, wobbled aside to let him pass unimpeded.

Gazing out of the window, he realized he was high above a city of mud and stone nestled among the forest of red bark trees ending in golden brown leaves growing from the mountain-looking shell on Geb's back.

"What is all this—" Douglas turned, and the words died in his throat as he saw all the Mudcloaks on one knee and looking toward him with their glowing blue eyes. One wasn't on a knee, and it spoke to him clearer than the others.

"Kingdom for the King!"

The stone crown on his head suddenly felt heavier than usual as every other Mudcloak echoed the chant.

"Kingdom for the King!"

"Kingdom for the King!"

"Kingdom for the King!"

The Mudcloak strode toward him as majestically as a Mudcloak could, holding up a ring with its stubby little arms. Douglas took the offering and slid it on with some confusion. The stone ring that could have been a bracelet for the Mudcloak barely fit his finger.

The Mudcloaks cheered and did happy dances once he put the ring on.

"What is this ring for?" Douglas asked with concern. Had they scammed him or something.

"Key for the Kingdom!" The smarter one of the lot informed him, "Control everything!"

Douglas went back to looking out the window. Holding the ring up, the moonlight illuminated it. Much like his crude stone crown, it wasn't awe-inspiring. This is going to be so embarrassing if it doesn't work, Douglas raised his finger and pointed.

"Move," he said intently, almost falling forward as Geb lurched forward with a massive step. It worked?!

Elaine came to stand beside him while balancing herself on a nearby table. "It looks like your subjects have built something impressive for you. I never knew they were so capable."

"Bah! The queen insults us!" One of the Mudcloaks shouted, and the rest went into an uproar. "We Mudcloaks very smart!"

"No, no, I didn't mean it like that." Elaine desperately left his side to try and calm them down.

"You can control it?" Ashlock asked in his mind.

Douglas nodded, "I can."

"Good, then proceed through the portal. The cult of the All-seeing Eye will join you. Your mission is simple: Kill them all, and don't you dare die on me."

Douglas cracked a grin, "Understood."

Reality was torn apart as an immense rift formed right before Geb. Through it, Douglas could see what he assumed was the mountain of the Eternal Pursuit Pavilion, judging by how a swarm of cultivators emerged from it on swords wreathed in a myriad of soul flame colors and heading toward the portal's location.

"Shields up," Douglas commanded, and he felt the Qi surge through the colossal 5th-stage Star Core beast as a murky brown shield manifested over the city. "Walk forward."

Geb trudged toward the portal, and Douglas grinned as he saw streaks of crimson flames soar overhead through the portal. If he counted the number correctly, all the Redclaw Elders were also heading to battle.

"This is going to be a shitshow," Douglas grinned as he stood at the center of it all, "Might as well arrive in style."