The mighty castle was the most mediocre one Michael had ever seen. It was a square castle with one tower accompanied by four mini square towers in each corner. Each of the towers had four archers looking in all directions. In addition to the archers, two groups of soldiers walked back and forth on top of each wall.
It wouldn't be easier to avoid the archers, soldiers, trebuchets, giant crossbows, and magical arrays placed around the castle without getting detected. So, using the dark clouds as their cover, the trio scanned the castle for weak points. Yet as far as they could see from above, the walls contained no holes, the soldiers patrolled the walls and the compound with full vigilance, and the magical arrays protected the castle from an intruder entering the castle through the tallest tower.
The only way to enter the castle seemed to be the main gate which was flanked by two groups of soldiers led by one Soul Refining stage cultivator in magenta robes, symbolizing the high status among the Rottgards. No one could get inside or outside without the Soul Refiners' knowledge.
"This is troublesome," Gaya used her senses to see the translucent shield covering the entire castle. Normally, people would place additional runes to keep the arrays hidden but the Rottgards didn't bother to. Hence, the three of them could see the arrays and runes engraved on the castle walls from above. For naked eyes, the castle looked no different than any building but to Michael, the castle almost looked like a Christmas tree with decorations thanks to the glowing runes.
"We can go all out if you think you can take them out," Gaya said to Michael,
"Or I can summon spectral wasps to carry the potions into the castle undetected,"
Gaya's second option drew eve's attention. Eve was oblivious to the fact Michael had weaponized the plague and contained it in several vials as potions. The problem was however how to send the vials into the castle without exposing the drones as Michael planned to send the drones carrying the plague vials.
That's where Gaya came in. The spectral wasps were just a cover-up to hide the drones and Spyders from Eve's eyes.
"What potions?"
"You will see," Michael calmly said. Although Michael had told Eve about using the plague against her enemies, he still hadn't revealed he finished weaponizing the plague. So instead of explaining, Michael wanted Eve to witness the plague in action. Besides, Eve wouldn't complain about his methods after he helped her family to get back on its feet.
"Spectral Wasps," Gaya pretended to cast the spll by waving her hand and creating dim balls of light, just bright enough to hide the drones within.
Hovering beside Gaya and Michael, Eve saw the several orbs of golden lights materializing in the air before them. Under her curious gaze, the balls slowly started to float towards the castle under cover of dark clouds.
"You sure those won't get detected by the arrays?" Eve asked Gaya.
"We will find out soon enough," Gaya didn't show any signs of concern or anxiety on her face because she was calm. Compared to everything Michael and her went through, wiping out a family seemed like a chilling vacation to her.
The golden balls gradually lost their glow and disappeared from Eve's eyes. But her full focus was on the thin blue layer of light enveloping the castle.
Unlike Eve, Michael could see the drones flying through the thin light layer without triggering the arrays. If it were before Elidyr, the arrays would have detected the drones despite having been built with junk metal. Now all of Michael's drones and Spyders had Elidyr's special cloaking runes that prevented almost ninety-eight percent of the arrays from detecting them.
While piloting the drones via his mind, Michael carefully paid attention to the video feed transmitted by the drone camera to his mind. The drones may have fooled the arrays but they were still visible to the naked eyes, especially the vials they were carrying atop them. So any archer or a soldier could still see them and shot them down from the air. Hence, Michael carefully piloted the drones to the center tower's highest point.
"No problem until now," Gaya felt the excitement coursing through her veins. If the drones got detected, which was highly unlikely, she could go rampage on the Rottgards. Otherwise, she could walk through the main gate and kill the plague-stricken Rottgars, which would be as easy as killing insects.
Either way, the fate of the Rottgards was sealed. She almost felt pity for the Rottgards but didn't show her emotions to Eve. To be honest, it was quite common in Awor. Like any other continent, Awor wasn't an exception to the rule of killing or being killed. If you were not strong enough and you were in someone's way of getting more powerful, you were as good as dead in Awor.
The Voldigards put survival over helping others, which led them to be almost exterminated by the Rottgards. However, Gaya admired how Rottgards handled themselves. As soon as the plague hit Thera, Rottgards closed their compound to anyone and ordered everyone to stay put except for a few groups. They completely cut out any ties from the outside, including drinking, eating, or having physical contact with others. Compared to Voldigards, they certainly had better scholars who gave proper advice and safeguarded the Rottgards.
"You have a plan to start over? Putting the Voldigards back on their feet won't be easy." At the same time, Michael was busy piloting the drones into the castle undetected, Gaya started a conversation about the future of the Voldigards.
"I'd rather let my father take of it. He has been leading us for decades and it won't change anytime soon. I only wish we can cure him sooner,," Eve was a great warrior, and Michael could vouch for that. However, her leadership qualities were still hidden. No matter how good of a friend Eve was to Michael, he wouldn't recommend handing over House Voldigard to Eve without knowing how good of a leader she was.
Since Michael planned to make House Voldigard his ally, he wanted someone great to lead the House to a golden age. But Michael really doubted whether Eve's father was up to the task. Although the Voldigards didn't get weaker, they didn't get stronger either under his leadership.
"I know it's not a good time to talk about the future. But give some thought to it. The path ahead of you won't get easier," Gaya placed her hand on Eve's shoulder to console her.
"I will," Eve nodded as she knew Gaya was right and just looking after her. Sooner or later, Eve knew she had to deal with the future of House Voldigard. However, she just wanted to focus on curing them before paying attention to other matters.
On the other hand, the drones entered the castle through the open windows in the tower. He could clearly see the brightly lit throne hall directly beneath the tower. At that moment, a man wearing crimson red robes and a crown with a large rub on the front sat on a lavish throne decorated with gold and gems.
The man on the throne was undoubtedly the Lord of House Rottgard, Ivon Rottgard. He stared at the four protectors of the house who were seated on their own thorns facing the Ivon and Igor on his one knee.
"There is no point in wasting resources on House Voldigard anymore, Uncle Ivon," Igor received cold death stares from the gray-haired protectors. Still, Igor tried to convince the House Lord to focus on capturing House Voldigard's business and stream of revenues rather than trying to kill all the Voldigards as the protectors suggested. For Igor, fighting Voldigards was nothing but a waste of resources. He would rather accumulate power, capture more revenue streams, and make allies than wage war against all their enemies.
"Only if your father was here to hear those words," a bald old man with a goatee snickered at Igor.
"My father fought the Voldigards all his life. What did he get in return? Death," Igor didn't stay silent but talked back with a cold tone.
"All the more reason to wipe the Voldigards off the world,"
"You should have died like your father on the battlefield instead of running away from a young Fusion Stage warrior," Another elder air quoted the words 'Young Fusion Stage' to ridicule Igor. But unfortunately, no one believed Igor and his men. One couldn't blame the elders either because it was extremely rare to see a teenage Fusion Stage cultivator, as Igor told them.
"What did you say?!" Igor raised his voice and was about to dash at the old man when Ivon roared.
"SILENCE!" Ivon shouted echoed through the empty throne hall as his voice shook the hall like an earthquake.
"Every single person who has Voldigard in their name must die," After the echoes stopped, Ivon coldly declared.
"House Voldigard shall cease to exist before the first light. Protectors," Ivon turned his cold gaze towards the four elders flanking Igor.
"See to their destruction. No more excuses,"
"What about their allies?" an elder who ridiculed Igor asked Ivon with a murderous grin on his face.
"Ally of the Voldigards are our enemies. Destruction is what I would grant them,"
"Uncle Ivon. Listen to me, too much power vacuum will open our city to new powers, powers we may not be able to handle,"
"You dare to question your House Lord?!" an elder slammed his throne and rose to attack Igor, but a single glance from Ivon stopped the elder from doing so.
"You are not the House Lord, Igor. The only reason I tolerate you is you're my nephew. But my tolerance has its limits," contemporary romance
Despite being blood relatives, Ivon shared no love for Igor, and it was a known truth to everyone in House Rottgard. As a matter of fact, Igor hated Ivon for leading House Rottgard on a war path, while Ivon hated Igor for being his nephew. Every time Ivon looked at Igor, Igor reminded him of his elder brother, whom Ivon hated to the core.
Only if his ancestor hated Igor as much as he did, he could have killed Igor long ago while Igor was studying in Sil Alari.
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