Reaper(Cradle #10)(112)

He dashed forward with the Burning Cloak, clashing against the armored construct’s fist as it emerged.

Madra detonated, flames sweeping away warped white flesh. The construct stumbled back, missing a hand, but it hadn’t been defeated. Chains of wind aura grabbed at him, and light aura blinded his eyes.

But the last he saw, it was halfway inside the portal.

“Close!” Lindon shouted, and he felt the surrounding aura release.

He fell to the ground, and had to roll out of the way before the smoking front half of the construct landed on him. It had been sliced in half.

“That’s exactly why you shouldn’t use expensive weapons in battle unless absolutely necessary,” Reigan Shen noted. “I have a dozen of those.”

Two more portals bloomed to either side of Lindon. These weren’t Monarch attacks, like Lindon had experienced before, but they were roughly Archlord level.

Lightning blasted at Lindon from one portal as fingers of acidic liquid reached for him from the other.

From the space of his void key, Lindon summoned a shield to block the lightning. For the liquid, he met it with an Empty Palm.

“As I said, this should be the perfect place for you,” the Monarch went on. “Your home turf, as they say. Your den. It’s full of hunger, and you’re not hungry enough.”

Lindon called bombs; explosive single-use constructs he’d created months before. Shining orange-and-red orbs flew at Reigan Shen.

He lifted his chin, and a bright golden marble flew from a pouch at his side. It detonated when it hit Lindon’s bombs, wiping all of Lindon’s constructs away in an instant.

Lindon held nothing back.

Launcher constructs fired from his void space, and they landed on a Forged silver shield that materialized in front of the Monarch. A cannon drifted into Lindon’s hands, and he fired.

With his Blackflame madra and his will joining it, the shot cracked the silver shield in two.

Through that crack, a line of dense white-gold madra shot out and speared through Lindon’s arm.

He gritted his teeth to keep from screaming and tried to move his arm, but not only was the arm burned clean through, but even his madra channels were sealed shut.

Reigan Shen wasn’t even watching the battle. “I, on the other hand, I want it all. I want the Dreadgods, and I want the Monarchs. I want their people, and I want their Remnants. I want this world.

“And I want you, Lindon.”

More portals appeared around Lindon, but Reigan Shen stood up again. He walked up to examine Lindon. “You could consider all this a test, if you like. I’m impressed. You almost fight like a real Sage.”

“Gratitude,” Lindon said through teeth clenched tight against the pain. He was reaching out to the aura around him, following them back to the natural treasures. He wanted more soulfire.

“Swear to serve and follow me in all things, and I will take you out of here.” His lips quirked up in a smile. “I will begin the oath this time, if you like. I, Reigan Shen, sole Monarch of the Rosegold continent, swear on my soul and my power to take Wei Shi Lindon safely away from this place in my service and protect him as long as he remains loyal, in exchange for his promise of fealty.”

Lindon felt the promise settle on the Monarch, and it trembled in the air between them unfulfilled.

Time seemed to slow, and not because of Dross. Lindon’s mind was working overtime. He had played every one of his pieces against Reigan Shen, and they had all been dealt with. The Monarch had clearly never seen him as a real opponent. He hadn’t used a single Monarch-level weapon, nor most of his Path’s techniques. He had to have more than just portals into his void spaces.

Lindon suspected Reigan Shen could defeat him physically, even without using his Path. Therefore, there was only one option.

He had to swear.

Lindon had gotten this far by doing whatever he had to in order to accomplish his goals. What was one oath? It would naturally end when Lindon ascended, and it still didn’t bind Dross. That was an oversight that would one day stab Reigan Shen in the back.

Then again, Reigan Shen had his own way out. He could break the oath whenever he wanted, as far as Lindon knew. It was all about who would betray who first.

But as long as Lindon could make it out of the labyrinth, he’d have a chance.

So, for lack of a better option, Lindon was prepared to make the promise. He didn’t really have a choice.

The hunger all around him seethed. His arm twitched.

It was the same reason why he had been forced to leave Orthos behind. The same reason why Ziel and Mercy had escaped: they had no choice. Reality didn’t change just because you wanted it to.

Unless you were a Sage.

Lindon felt the hunger all around him, and it resonated with the Void Icon. It shook his spirit. And it awakened something in him.

“I don’t think I agree with you,” Lindon said politely.

“Oh?” Reigan Shen didn’t seem upset. He swirled his goblet. “How so?”

“You’re not hungry enough.” Lindon forced his way to his feet, and though both of his arms were now crippled, he stared into the Monarch’s eyes. “You want the Dreadgods? You want to be the only Monarch? You’re satisfied with ruling this world?

“Well, I’m not.”

Reigan Shen took another sip and then backhanded Lindon’s jaw.