Dreadgod (Cradle Book 11) (92)

Then he unleashed everything he had into the Bleeding Phoenix.





Yerin felt Redmoon die, and she sensed the Phoenix manifest a small portion of itself onto Redmoon Hall.

The aura from the natural treasures around her died, the winds falling. Now nothing concealed the bodies of the Silent King thralls who had tried to attack her while she advanced. They had posed a threat to her while she was in the middle of advancement.

But not when she had finished. Then, they faced her new purpose.

“To kill monsters.”

Yerin was certain the Blood Sage was mortally injured, but she felt him squeeze out the last of his spirit to face down a copied Phoenix. They clashed.

Fresh out of advancement, Yerin’s mind was clear. Perhaps clearer than it had ever been.

The newborn Herald appeared on the deck of Redmoon Hall.

The small copy of the Bleeding Phoenix had morphed into something that resembled a storm of claws and blades. It was shredding Red Faith even as he responded in kind. Each cut on both sides sent blood and sword aura spraying into the air.

She could feel the sword aura resonating with her sword, and now she could feel a hum in the blood aura as well.

Yerin’s whole body rung like a bell, and the crimson vital aura resonated.

The tiny phoenix exploded.

It started gathering itself together immediately, but Yerin Forged the Netherclaw technique. More than ever, the binding in the sword felt smooth and simple to use.

The claw swept the deck clean, and the influence of the Phoenix faded.

With the battle finished, Yerin looked to the Sage…or what was left of him.

He resembled a bloody pile on the deck, and though he was still twitching, Yerin was certain he wouldn’t be able to pull himself together. Kahn Mala desperately poured a shining green elixir over him, but Yerin could feel it was too late.

Her black-bladed sword moved in front of the Archlady.

“Take three steps back unless you want to kiss his Remnant,” Yerin said.

Kahn Mala looked up in shock and horror. She seemed reluctant to move. But when scarlet lines began drifting up from the Sage of Red Faith, she saw reason.

Yerin had always thought of the Blood Sage as a crimson skeleton, and that was almost exactly what his Remnant resembled. There was only one difference: the eyes.

Red Faith’s Remnant had no eyes in its face. Instead, eyes floated up all around him, separated but still part of the spirit. They looked in every direction, observing. Watching. Learning.

Yerin had been prepared to fight again, but she didn’t sense hostility from this Remnant. Only endless, hungry curiosity.

She opened her void key.

“Strike you a deal,” she said. “Squeeze in there, pack yourself up, and I’ll use you to finish off your research.”

The skeleton tilted its head. All the eyes swiveled for her.

“The Void Sage has a way to take me up so I’m stabbing Dreadgods. Could use your techniques. Stick with me, and you’ll start up a new generation of Monarchs.”

The Remnant considered her deal.

Then it slid into Yerin’s void key on its own.





When Jai Long swept out with his spear, his first strike should have destroyed Jai Chen, Kelsa, and most of the street.

Kelsa used her Foxfire to attack him, but attacking this Dreadgod’s halo—the Silent King, Lindon had called it—with dream techniques was like attacking a flood with a watering can.

Living snakes of madra flew at her, and she was sure the last thing she was going to see was a set of shining white fangs.

A locket hanging behind Kelsa’s badge cracked open.

Dross’ voice flashed through her head at the speed of thought.

[Is that hostile madra I sense? Then the time has come for…protection.] The spirit’s laugh was disturbing.

Destruction madra erupted from her locket like tendrils of black mist. They dissolved Jai Long’s techniques in an instant. All of them.

The white light hit the shadow of destruction and died.

“Dross?” Kelsa asked.

[If you find yourself stuck in a mire of confusion, know that this is only a recording. Remember that I am not truly here with you and despair.]

The controlled Jai Long tilted his head in confusion, then white lines crawled all over his skin. He crouched and braced himself to attack.

Jai Chen steadied her feet and stretched out both hands. “Fingerling!”

She and the dragon unleashed a basic Striker technique: a stream of madra that resembled Lindon’s dragon’s breath. Jai Long used his spear to hold off one technique and slipped around the other, but Jai Chen’s madra had strange properties. The pink energy crawled up his spear and followed him, seeking his spirit.

Until he blew it apart and rushed at Kelsa in a blur of speed.

Technique was only a match for raw power up to a point.

Kelsa used the Foxtail Enforcer technique, distorting the appearance of her body to throw off his aim as she ducked and threw a punch at his midsection. It wouldn’t work, but she had faith in the protection Lindon had left her. And she had to try something.

At her belt, another construct activated.

It was a burst of force and wind that Jai Long back several paces, which also meant Kelsa’s punch didn’t connect. Dross’ voice filled her mind again.

[An Underlord, is it? I wonder which Underlord messed up so badly to have earned this punishment.]