Kyle sighed in exhaustion, having spent the past 20 minutes questioning the Elf who now lay unconscious but still tied up to the chair. Soren had knocked him out once more, Kyle silently questioned where he even got the pan from.
Kyle had extracted all the information he required from the Night Elf, all the information someone of his standing could possibly contain that is. Making use of visual illusions, physical threatening and mind games Kyle had induced a state of constant fear upon his subject. The Elf held nothing back, answering each question at the best of his ability.
Once finished Kyle made preparations to deal with the next problem, this Elf was an inspector and Kyle doubted the city wouldn't miss his absence. So taking into account several factors he came up with the best possible plan for dealing with the situation.
Kyle left the man sprawled out and face-down on the corridor floor, broke a decent chunk of the ceiling and placed it behind the man as if it had fallen on his head.
"This will never work." said Soren as he stared at the scene in utter disbelief.
"Ah but my dear Watson, it is not about how good the lie is but how well you present it." responded Kyle in a joking manner as he took a core out of his inventory, summoned some (Illusionary slime) and created a Golem.
Nothing but a mass of see-through white goo the Golem was very obviously a common slime with a strange colouring "I'll name it…Delusionary Slime" said Kyle before willing the small slimy Golem to slime its way onto the Elf's back "Now we hide, and watch." He told Soren before stepping towards the kitchen door and pulling out a crystal which he then pressed grasped tightly.
Both of them suddenly disappeared, gone invisible through Steph's crystal magic that was sealed inside the magic stone. Fearing detection Kyle even used his Spirit to activate the spell, causing the crystal to overload slightly and make the doorway's door invisible as well…But Kyle didn't think it'd matter.
Once ready, he willed the slime to start eating the Elf's hair. It's goo dissolving the material at alarming speed until it reached the clothing and quickly dissolved that too leaving a large hole on the Elf's coat before suddenly getting started on the skin.
The Elf jolted awake as a burning pain like boiling water touched his back, he screamed and quickly stood up shaking the poor slime off his back as he spun around. His eyes were wide, his mouth trembling as he looked at every corner of the corridor he stood in. He glanced over the chunk of stone by his feet, and then his eyes rested solely on the white slime that slowly approached his legs.
The Elf whimpered away from the slime, reached back to feel his back and then his hair to see a large chunk of both his clothing and hair were missing. He then reached up to his head, grimacing as the pain from Soren's several pan bashes hit in.
"What the…" the Elf mumbled as he glanced back at the chunk of stone, then glancing up at the ceiling "Well that's…being deducted from my salary…" he sighed then looked back at the slime in slight confusion "Del…usional slime…Ah…hahah…" he began to chuckle awkwardly.
That is until the slime reached his legs and began dissolving his boots, he stepped back again and away "Where in creation has this thing come from?..." He leaped back another few steps when the slime's surface suddenly expanded with blueish spikes that rattled around ferociously. Yelping at the sight he raised his right hand forward and muttered a quick spell "F-Fireball!"
The Elf's palm gushed out a ball of flame that burst down at the slime incinerating it, opening his eyes again to only see a scorch mark on the ground and a smoking core the Elf sighed in relief. Before clearing his throat and arranging his attire, as well as he could with a gaping hole on his back "I should…report this in?"
Slowly and carefully the Elf stepped around the core and quickly dashed under the broken ceiling, slowing down right after to glance around anxiously as he reached the door. Opening said door he quickly left the building, locking the door behind him.
Kyle dropped the invisibility spell "Huh that actually worked."
Soren stared up at him in disbelief "You…"
"Well not entirely, we have more time than if we kept him here but less time than if he never came. I suspect guards to be sent to scout this place, if not the entire block." Kyle sighed as he glanced at Lilior above her core within the kitchen "And there's no hiding that from a full search."
"What will we do then?" asked Karnage who hadn't left Lilior's side.
"We'll have to go undercover." responded Kyle with a smirk.
"Ain't the twig get-up just that?" asked Soren.
"I mean literally." said Kyle before he turned to the Fairy "Lilior you've taken over this entire room correct?"
Lilior nodded "Yes master."
"Good, can you remember it's exact shape and look?" he then asked.
"Yes?..." she then responded, tilting her head in confusion.
"Then I want you to dig down until you find the sewage system, don't touch it but make us a room somewhere around it. Once you're done with that and we've followed in, fill in the hole in this room while making sure the structure isn't about to fall apart. Lastly pull back your corruption from everything but the created room, understand?" Kyle explained his plan.
"Yes master…but…won't the Elves detect my creation magic?" Lilior pointed out.
"I'll be feeding you my Spirit to use for your spells, that should leave your actions undetectable." Added Kyle as he approached the core "With all the anxiety and distress going about this city, I have plenty." He placed his palms over the aquamarine crystal surface and closed his eyes, beginning to flow his Spirit into the Dungeon core and causing its colour to turn bluer.
"I'll get started then master." acknowledged Lilior as she fairy lied down over the crystal core's flat top, seemingly asleep when suddenly the ground below them began to dissipate into mana. Yet they remained afloat, hovering in place with the core.
Soren watched quietly but Karnage spoke as she watched "So what did you get out of that Elf?" she asked.
Kyle began to explain what information he had acquired alongside what he already knew "I was able to confirm the meeting location and nearest entrance, fortunately the bottom floor has no toilets but the decorative water in the room has a self-replenishing system connected to the sewers. I'll just have to figure out how to get there." He sighed in relief at that, he didn't look forward to oozing out of a shitter.
"I've also figured out the Empire's hierarchy. There is four main leading powers in the country as we all knew but it's a bit more complex than that. There is as we know the three Elven Courts of Forest, Night and Tundra but each of these works differently." Kyle continued on to explain as Lilior dug out the downward tunnel.
"The Forest Court is a Democracy, made up of each of the 23 Wood Elf families, each one's chieftan having a say. The Night Court on the other hand is a clan system with three clans lead by the three main families who each look after several more lower class houses. And lastly the Tundra Court is a Monarchy, with the main royal family leading the rest of the Tundra Elven houses-" he was stopped after explaining that much.
"How the fuck are we supposed to reason with EACH of those?!" exclaimed Soren in disbelief.
"We don't need to." answered Kyle, glancing up to see their confused expressions before continuing "I was about to get to it, so listen. The last power is the Elders Hall, or as it is more commonly known here as the Elders Court. These are powerful individuals not through militarized strength like the three racial courts but in influence and singular power. The Elders are the most respected and loved individuals of the Empire, old leaders, ex heroes, retired monarchs and more."
Kyle closed his eyes again to return into focus, sensing the mass amount of Spirit he was producing causing his body to ache "The Three Courts of Night, Forest and Tundra control the Empire's military, navy and Dragon riders but! The Elders control the Dragons themselves as one of the Elders is a Dragon herself, to be more precise she is the leader of Dragon-kind on Chaoz!" he exclaimed excitedly.
"Now there are seven Elders in total, the seventh being the Dragon leader while the other six each being an Elf of some heroic, royal or ex-military standing. Each Elder also has a great power under their control, not exactly a military due to how small a group they lead but a very powerful one anyway." Kyle continued to explain, his tone turning more serious "Each of these six Elders controls what the Elves call a Champion's Order, each Order contains about three of these individuals called Champions who in the last quest were imbued with Durga's power after the quest's success."
"Wait so…six times three that's…Eighteen OP as fuck warriors?..." Soren asked, sighing in exasperation.
"They aren't just powerful but veterans of war too." added Kyle "These are the individuals who brought down the Human Esfeltian Dominion, eradicated the Beastmen clans and practically brought the entire Empire to power."
"Why don't the Elders Court just force the other three to obey then?" Karnage asked dejectedly.
"Because these are still their own people." replied Kyle "Heroes don't turn against what they fought for, if the Elders ordered them to I doubt any of them would listen without the perfect reasoning. Hell even then they probably wouldn't."
"Master I've finished, the sewage tunnels are directly below us." reported Lilior and Kyle stopped flowing his Spirit into the core, opening his eyes he found himself in a circular room that tunnelled upward like a funnel to a hole half its floor's size. The hole being about thirty meters up from the ground and the slanted walls being fifteen feet apart with the core hovering down to the floor in the very centre.
Kyle stepped away from the core once they touched down and looked up to see Soren and Karnage peeking down through the hole "Jump down." he told them.
Soren only shrugged as he heaved his battleaxe and stepped over the edge, panic flared over Lilior's expression as she raised her arms forth summoning a gush of slime that enveloped the Dwarf before he landed "Master we are directly above the sewers!" she then exclaimed.
Both him and Soren glanced at the floor and in unison said "Oh." As Lilior gently placed the Dwarf down, then dissipating her slime.
"Well, I owe the midget one." mumbled Soren once he reached the floor.
"Karnage come down, gently!" Kyle exclaimed up at Karnage.
"The Dwarf called me a midget…" mumbled out Lilior in disbelief, she suddenly grew to her normal Fae form and began glaring at Soren coldly.
"Okay…" said Karnage as she leaned over the edge and chanted "Wind's dance…" a greenish breeze suddenly formed around her legs as she stepped off into the hole, gently flowing down to the ground.
Kyle turned back to Lilior, surprised to finding her in her Fae form as she obviously preferred her Fairy form "Lilior now close back the hole, to the point that the above structure's stability isn't problematic. Also open some ventilation, tunnel out small and hide the exits to nearby tree roots. We need to be able to breath after all."
"Yes master…" responded Lilior in annoyance as she glanced away from glaring at Soren, closing her eyes she focused and suddenly the hole above them began to fill in with stone while several small holes formed on the walls. "Done, should I abandon my claim now?" she then asked after completing those tasks.
"Yeah but not this room, reinforce the stone and use the remaining Spirit you have to create a barrier-like veil to mask our mana like we did with the kitchen and my body." Kyle told her as he kneeled down on the floor and began knocking away at the ground "How thick is the floor?"
"I've reinforced it but it's only five centimetres stone thick, I'll created a hole into the sewers…I'm done now master." She responded while rising from her crystal and morphing back to her Fairy form, hovering over to rest in between Kyle's ears.
"Good job, take a break for now." He told her with a light pat on the head causing the fairy to smile as she snuggled in to his right ear.
"So exactly how are we going through the sewers?" asked Soren as each of them gathered around the small hole, no thicker than an arm "The piping might be too thin, are we gonna dig?"
"No, you two will stay here and watch. I'll be sliding my way through as a Slime." Kyle explained as he moved to sit crossed legged beside the hole.
"You." Began Karnage as she kneeled down next to him "Are not going in there alone!"
"I'm not." said Kyle calmly "Not the actual me anyway, I'm about to try something I've never tried before. So…let me focus."
Karnage and Soren glanced at each other as Kyle put his hands together and closed his eyes, they both stepped back and watched as a blueish, almost entirely see-through slime tentacled out of his back. The slime formed into a single thin tentacle who's end angled off to Kyle's left, where the end suddenly began to thicken and expand.
The slime formed a humanoid shape, slowly gaining more specific appearance traits until finally…Kyle stood before them, tails, ears and all. With a cord growing out of his back, connecting to the Kyle that lay sitting cross-legged on the floor.
Soren and Karnage stared at the second Kyle in awe, as he opened his eyes and spoke "I've merged several skills to come up with something entirely new. Using [{Ooze}] I created a body of (Spirit) slime, using [Shapeshift] and [{True Slime}]'s subskill [Body Shift] I copied my own body's traits perfectly onto the expanded body and using [{Be One With Slime}] in tandem with [{True Slime}]'s other subskill [Is Slime] I can transfer my consciousness, senses and all to this new body without putting my soul or core in danger."
He then gestured at the single tentacle connecting this new body to his actual one "The only problem is this cord, which is a severe weakness in this skill."
"That's amazing and all but…why not just use a Golem?" Karnage then asked.
Kyle sighed "Golems I create have a 21 meter radius, I can't control them any further than that. This way I can move away from my actual body for as far as my mana can keep up with [{Ooze}]."
"Oh, that makes sense." Soren agreed as he glanced between the two Kyles "It is still creepy as fuck. What you calling this one?"
Kyle thought it over briefly..."Doppelganger." he then announced and a notification appeared into view.
Through a feat of ingenuity you have created the active skill [{Doppelganger}]!
"Which the system accepted!" exclaimed Kyle before sharing the skill's description with them both.
[{Doppelganger}] (Set Skill Stats): Create a slime copy of yourself, connected to your true body with a cord of slime. This body is as real as your own, yet not. You may see, feel, hear, smell and speak. You may cast magic and have your passive's benefits but your physicality is that of a slime and not comparable to your actual body.
Mana cost: 1700 mana / 650 Spirit
"By the way, why the cord?" Soren then asked.
"Ah…that's my magic's main weakness." responded Kyle with a sigh "My slime begins to quickly dissipate after not being in direct contact with me for a couple minutes. Also, I cannot control it unless it is still in direct contact with me. What I can do like my [Slime Cannon]'s ammo is give the slime a reaction to an event through the skill creation, basically I just think what happens if something happens and the system accepts that." He quickly explained.
"Ugh…complicated." grumbled Soren as he raised his battle-axe ahead of himself "Bash, slash and ram. Why can't everything be that simple?"
Karnage chuckled "Then we'd still be stuck in medieval times with no medicine, ease-of-life items and constantly at w…you get my point."
"Bleh, I'm too lazy for that crap. Leave that complex shit to others, rather be the muscle." grumbled back Soren.
"You're skinnier than a skeleton, what muscle?" joked Kyle.
"Fuck off into the shit-water slime-boy, we're against the clock." retorted Soren.
Kyle saluted "Slime-boy out." And his body suddenly collapsed into blue sludge that flowed down the hole.
Elders Hall
Elders Court Council
1 hour later
Like an island the room's floor was surrounded with a pool of deep water, the ground itself shaped in a crescent moon. Around the very edge of the room was a path that took all around, only connecting to the island with a bridge from the room's only entrance.
The walls were entirely covered in vines and leaves forming the Empire's insignia on each wall, a Dragon spreading its wings. The ground was tall green grass cut at perfect height, only stopping at the bridge's wooden flooring. The ceiling's edge was vines and roots surrounding a large green crystal that shone down a dim green light onto the room.
Coming down from the ceiling were tree-like pillars that lined the island while lining the centre of it were six thrones, each carved out of a blue stone seemingly like marble. Carved into the thrones was the design of vines, leaves and less so, trees. Like magic imbued runes the carvings glowed green, a fluffy light that seemed to flow through the design.
Before the six thrones, at the inward curve of the crescent island was a seventh much larger throne half submerged below the water.
In total the room was massive, large enough to be called an actual hall.
As the minutes passed several groups of individuals made their way through the only entrance, in groups of four, six groups made their way inside. From each group the lead Elf would break off from the other three and move on to a specific throne while the other three lined up on the path at the hall's sides.
Each of the three from each group wore sets of full white plate armour with black trimming design similar to the thrones. Yet each wielded a different weapon, from a sword to a halberd and even a glaive each Champion wielded something different.
The Elders themselves, unlike the Champions, each dressed completely differently from the others.
On the first throne sat a tired grizzled Wood Elf with long greying brown hair and goatee, his eyes a deep blue and features sharp. He wore a shimmering blue robe of cloth tied up with golden silky straps and a blue beret lined with a golden chain.
Almost at attention over the second throne sat a muscular Night Elf with short black hair and solemn crimson eyes, his appearance bulky for an Elf. He wore a full suit of black plate armour lined with silver at the edges and a violet crow insignia fired to the chest. A chain and sickle of similar colouring lay strapped to his waist.
Casually leaning into the third throne was a young Tundra Elf, her age seemingly no older than a human teen yet her violet and silver differently coloured eyes shone with great power. Her short pale golden hair ever-flowing like a flame. She wore a simple black one-piece dress that reached her knees, giving her the appearance of a pale doll.
Impatiently waiting on the fourth throne was a lanky Night Elf with long silver hair and green eyes, his crimson red armour the very meaning of cosmetic as it lay lined with expensive violet jewels and expanding with shoulder-pads, neck guard, elbow guards and pointy boots that did not look very comfortable.
Half asleep sitting on the fifth throne was a very old Wood Elf, barely a hair on his head but a full long white-grey beard reaching his feet. His eyes seemed to be mulitcolored but in a different way than the childish one, constantly changing like a seizure inducing effect. He wore old, slightly tattered brown cloth robes that at first sight he'd seem more like a beggar than one of the most important individuals of a grand empire.
Gracefully and patiently waiting over the sixth throne was a beautiful female Wood Elf with long light brown hair and golden-yellow eyes. She wore full light green leather armour with light brown hard-leather plates, strapped over her back was a common longbow while strapped to either side of her curvy waist were two full quivers made of green dyed hard-leather.
"How long will she keep us waiting?..." impatiently asked the bejewelled Night Elf.
The beggar chuckled weakly "Drakons wait for no one but will keep anyone waiting."
The childish Elf laughed hysterically "Just for you Eikel! Just for you!" she then exclaimed with a wide grin.
"Humour aside, we have too many sensitive things to discuss." Grumbled the Night Elf warrior.
"You all already know my say in such matters." said the grizzled Wood Elf with a prolonged dramatic sigh "Let Dragons be Dragons, alas they might eat us all."
"She's here." Pointed out the ranger Wood Elf, her keen eyes watching the water's surface as it suddenly split open making way for the massive creature that ascended its depths.
Rising from the water and slithering onto the large throne was a thick serpentine creature with a white crystal-like spikey scaled body that shimmered with the room's green light. The being's long pointy snout was similar to a blade's tip but made of reflective crystalline rock, its serpentine eyes a bright shining gold. The creature had little that resembled a Drake, nothing that resembled a Wyvern but a Wyrm only in shape.
It's massive serpentine body floated out of the water revealing to be encircling the island two times over. Several feet below its head were three sets of long arms ending in crystal clawed hands. Over its back below the head and several more times around its body were a total of nine sets of closed crystalline-scaled wings with a golden leather netting.
Each Elder stood up from their throne and bowed their head down respectfully "Welcome Dragon Mother, Queen Luna Draconae." Each spoke out in unison.
Luna glanced around at each Elder, without moving her jaw she spoke each one's name and a greeting "As I welcome you all too." her honey sweet voice rebounding throughout the room "Elder Isaac, Elder Jeilen, Elder Io…" her eyes focused seemingly in annoyance as she spoke the fourth name "Elder Eikel, Elder Jaik'ial and albeit only seeing you last moon, Elder Fion'e."
Each Elder bowed a few inches lower once their name was spoken, sitting back down right after.
"Now I understand we are short on time, so let us discuss…." continued on Luna once each Elder had sat down "What shall be the fate of our world?"
Io chuckled maniacally "Those fools dare act without even informing us! If it were solely up to me they'd all go through the rack!"
"Elder Io, we cannot simply go through each upstart royal and torture them into submission." Argued Isaac, dramatically waving her comment off.
"Something must be done." Stepped in Fion'e "The Dragons were already sent to stop the navy's advance but they are ignoring the warnings. If we do not act, stop them or join them…the people will be severed into conflict."
Eikel hummed in thought as he spoke "Indeed, I must agree. Doing nothing will waver the citizen's beliefs. If we join them we massacre millions to gain more Champions and temporary Godly aid against the otherworldly threat the Fae discovered. If we stand in their way, we are faced with a civil war."
"It is much more than that Eikel." now spoke Jeilen gruffly "I fear what would happen if the three familia Courts gain Champions of their own! It would send our Empire's entire hierarchy into chaos!"
Fion'e snorted in amusement "More likely they are looking to overthrow our positions." she added grimly, causing a brief silence to fall upon the hall.
Which Luna then broke "It seems quite obvious to me what options lay before us. Join the Crusade and go forward with the Night, Forest and Tundra Court's plans. Deal with whatever struggles come after and then prepare for the otherworldly threat that is to come…Or…Enforce our word as law, punish those who stepped over the line and make examples of them. But doing so would then mean joining this…diverse…Chaoz Alliance."
"So we vote!" announced Io.
Luna nodded "Who is for the Crusade…speak now. For I say yes. Dividing our people would be disastrous, but less so if the Elders weren't the ones to take the initiative. Let those children play their games of war, we are ready and waiting."
Eikel grimaced as he nodded "For once we agree." His statement causing Io to gasp in overly dramatic shock "Let them make the mistake of starting the infighting for power, the people will stand with us."
"Hmph!" Io leaned into her chair as she huffed in annoyance "And I am against! Those fools dare insult us! I say we teach the children a lesson that is not to be forgotten!" her voice turning fierce as it was imbued with thick mana.
Jaik'ial chuckled weakly, speaking for the first time since greeting the Dragon Queen with the rest of the Elders "I am also against, it is foolish to believe we know what threat we shall face in the days to come. Put the children in their place, let us join this…Alliance…for the time being and as a singular force protect our world. Diplomacy can come before and after the battle."
"Fascinating votes we have today." quickly mused Isaac before speaking again "We can afford to lose some face with the families, I am in agreement with Elders Io and Jaik'ial."
Jeilen sighed as he glanced at his fellow Elders "A difficult choice this one is…I-"
But the warrior was suddenly cut off as a chilling aura filled the entire hall, each Champion disappeared from where they stood only to reappear wielding their weapons and surrounding their respective Elder.
"Please forgive my intrusion." Spoke a beastly, cold voice from the farthest tree trunk-pillar as a blue slime began to take shape ahead of it, having left a path of slime all the way up to the ceiling with its completely silent descent "But…I may have a third option to present you with." offered the white-haired, silver eyed Foxling after finishing taking its full form.