Chapter 309 (1/2)

Chapter 309

I could feel Old Broke Beak’s blood purasp as he jerked in shock

Two of the three scarred warriors that surrounded their chieftain i so that their sharp beaks were aiest of the three remained still

A deathly silence descended on the cliff at the sudden turn of events, no one willing to make a move as I held their leader’s life inchieftain, aht be able to kill me before I snap your neck…or will you call them off?”

The old bird stiffened at ht you were smarter than that,” I muttered as I stamped my footAn audible crack resounded as Old Broke Beak’s left leg snapped near his ankleThe chieftain let out a hoarse honk as he writhed in pain

Panicked cries echoed through the peaks as the three soldiers brought their ain?” I asked, voice frigid

Old Broke Beak let out a pained cahile s

“Th-there! Old Broke Beak has told everyone to stay back, yes!” he squawked, hobbling on his good leg

“Good” Keeping e’s neck firm, we slowly oing to guide us to where you hid your tribe’s portal piece”

The chieftain nodded his gangly neck fiercely“Yes, yes! Then ascenders will let Old Broke Beak go?”

“I’ll let you go after we have the portal piece,” I confirroundShe was breathing is deep in recovery e“Where to?”

“B-back to this one’s ho fro

With a crackle of violet lightning, the three of us arrived in front of the chieftain’s humble straw hutAbove, I could see the tribe had exploded into a frenzy as they descended from the cliff we had teleported from in an attempt to follow after their leader

I looked around at the ee“Where is it?”

“Down below, in a hollow beyond the village, yes!” Old Broke Beak squawked, his cracked beak chittering anxiously

I God Stepped once more to put some distance between us and the crazed Spear Beaks, but with two passengers and an aether-hungry beast feeding offwith each use

“I don’t see anything,” I said, et into, yes! Need to go around that bend,” the chieftain said, pointing with a wing

My vision swept across the narrow canyon, which was tucked into the steep cliffs at the edge of the Spear Beaks’ village, and after sifting through the information each of the aether paths had relayed back to me, I God Stepped once lances behind us to where the Spear Beaks circled in the sky, waiting for their chance to dive in

Letting out a sigh, I gently placed Caera on the ground and wrapped

A clean snap echoed off the canyon walls along with the rasping squawk of the old bird as his wing jutted down at an i Old Broke Beak’s face next to mine, I spoke calth ofI break will be your neck”

“Y-yes…” he wheezed before giving thy instructionsAs I expected, the chieftain had been trying to buy tiy in hopes that I’d run out of God Steps like the Shados

The old bird’s instructions led us farther down into the canyon to a hidden cavern, which was covered by a woven net laced with feathers and layered with snow so that it blended seauided us to this exact location, I knew that it would’ve been near impossible to find the portal piece

“Into the tunnel, straight ahead,” he said weakly, his broken left leg dragging in the snow

Adjusting Caera, as again slung over my shoulder, I walked farther into the dark, unlit tunnel until it opened up into a dead end

Despite how dark the cavity was, I was barely able to ht ahead, and what I saw left ’s hoard was a collection of gold coins, precious jewels, and artifactsAnd while it surprised ht of this trove of priceless treasures ry

How many ascenders had the Spear Beaks tricked and killed in order to get all of this? While the question hung on the tip of ue, another part of me didn’t want to hear the chieftain’s answer

“G-Grey?”

My eyes widened“Caera!” Abandoning Old Broke Beak, I lowered the Alacryan noble to the ground and leaned her back against the cavern wall“How do you feel?”

“Heavy and—” Caera let out a sharp breath as her eyes fell on Old Broke Beak“He…why is he…”

“Someone needed to help us find the portal piece,” I said with a soft s”

“The Creator’s piece is here, yes! But hard to see without light, hard to find,” the old bird said, gesturing to the pile of artifacts with his good wing

Letting out a scoff, I headed toward the back of the pile, where a particularly strong aetheric presence glowedMoments later, I had the smooth slab of white stone in h as she sunk back into the wall“Finally”

Old Broke Beak stared dureat ascender has found the pieceOld Broke Beak will be released, yes?”

“Not quite yet” I turned to the Alacryan noble, pointing back to the large pile of treasure“We don’t have o to waste”

Caera glanced back at Old Broke Beak, whose eye quivered in dread, before givingonto the Spear Beak chieftain, I let Caera go through the pile in search of anything she wanted in particular

Even with Caera’s di broken, I had expected her to try and take quite a bit of artifacts, but she ca only one ite?” I asked Caera, staring at the thin h the sin, I couldn’t sense what it could do

“Mh to absorb my soulfire,” she explained“I don’t knohat it does, but a the countless artifacts I’ve held, this is the first one that’s interacted with that part of ed“Are you sure you don’t want to clai else? Even if it’s worthless, you could probably old”

Caera slipped the bracer over her left hand, and I could have sworn the metal band shrunk to fit her forearhty look“I already have old than I can care to spend”

I rolledCaera only take one iteh of relief that was cut short right as I imbued aether into my dimension rune

In a e as a Four Fist was co off”

“N-now Old Broke Beak can go?” the chieftain asked as he ground his beak together in seething anger

Letting go of his neck, I pushed him forward“Sure”

The old bird hobbled on one leg, barely keeping hi to keep hio this soon?” Caera asked, her voice icy

“I have a plan,” I said softly, going down on one knee“Here, get on my back”

“I-it’s fineI should be able to run in aa weak step back

Raising a brow, I asked, “Would you rather I carry you like a sack of rice, or have you recently developed the ability to teleport as well…”

After a pause, Caera cleared her throat and slorapped her ar herself againstmy companion from his hibernative state

‘What’d Ion,’ Regis sang

Shut it, I growled

Taking an even breath, I turned sI could sense Old Broke Beak hobbling closer to the exit

I didn’t have oing to need your help,” I said

“Of course”

After explaining an to take in the infor routes of aether, seeking out one in particular

At the same time, I worked to replenishju out the aether-laced surroundings, I focused on the unique signatures that each of the Spear Beaks had as more and more of theh…

Minutes trickled by as my concentration continuously shi+fted between the aether routes and the Spear Beaks that were aht outside

I could feel Caera’s heart beating faster against is remained silent and tense within me

Now!

The world shi+fted in a blink as tendrils of violet lightning coiled around meIn front of me was the canyon cliff directly on top of Old Broke Beak’s secret cave that we had passed byAbove us were a flock of Spear Beaks, each of which broke into a frenzy of squawking and cawing, feathers flying as they bumped each other in their rush to come after us

“Caera!” I roared as I spun onher legs wrapped aroundher soulfire, she released a torrent of black fla an avalanche of snow, ice, and rock doards Old Broke Beak and the large chunk of his tribe that aiting at the caveru out the panicked honks and caws of the Spear BeaksThe bird people above, however, had begun to follow after us, diving down in streaks of black and gray, their wicked talons outstretched

I sidestepped a pair of Spear Beaks as Caera fired off bolt after bolt of black fire, but as an to surround us, ere forced to stop