As the ti of the ritual was about to start, Shane felt that the temperature in the main village dropped.
By dusk, the preparation has already been completed.
Then, it didn’t take that long before the rumored The Crimson Robed Arcanists, the elite practitioners of the Psychic Arts Faction, had finally arrived.
They were a group of twelve, wearing crimson garnts with marks of the Psychic Arts Factions.
"Not bad..." Vale muttered as he sensed their power. There was no doubt that these Arcanists were strong. He didn’t expect that this faction had such a trump card being hidden from the Arcane Bureau.
’I guess every faction should have a secret of their own...’ He thought.
Vale watched their presence creating a suffocating pressure to those weaker Arcanists around them. To be exact, it wasn’t a pressure related to Arcane Energy, but ntal pressure because of their stronger Mind Energy.
It was quite an interesting sight as Vale observed everything that was happening.
Anyway, the leader of the group, a tall woman with white hair and violet eyes, held a staff with an embedded Sanguine Crystal.
Vale heard from one of the Crimson Robed Arcanists that her na was Lady Cyrilla, a Grandmaster Arcanist and one of the key figures in the Psychic Arts Faction.
Vale, on the other hand, was a bit curious, as he looked at the couple figures standing behind her. They were actually two Half-Immortals acting as her supports. Vale couldn’t help but guess why they were hiding behind her.
Anyway, he continued to watch stealthily.
The energy emanating from the group was formidable, though it didn’t intimidate him. Instead, it piqued his curiosity.
After a few more arrangents were adjusted by the Crimson Robed Arcanists, the grand hall of the main village beca the stage for the ritual.
The weaker villagers were instructed to remain outside, forming a wide circle around the hall.
"Ohhh... It’s here..." Vale muttered as he soon heard their chants.
Indeed! The ritual had officially started as the chanting began.
"This isn’t Oardic or any familiar language. Is it a Devil’s Language?" Vale muttered as he used the latest version of Recording Crystal being sold only to select individuals. It was completely different from the ones available in public.
Here, the recording could capture a wider range and could focus on various details even after the recording was made. Furthermore, it had a great function where it could voices or noises very clearly if adjusted by the user.
Vale was really fascinated with this item and could only thank the various Arcanist working hard to advance their magic technology.
It wasn’t sothing he’d have the patience to do so, after all.
Anyway, the various Runes on the hall’s walls finally emitted a wave of Arcane Energy. However, it wasn’t simply magical energy, it felt malicious as if it would hurt the very summoners themselves.
Within the grand hall, the Crimson Robed Arcanists ford a circle around a massive summoning array etched into the floor.
Vale had, of course, recorded this array without missing anything. He may not be an expert but could ask Constance or even Magnus about this and perhaps, they could make sothing out of it and use it for their benefit.
Anyway, the array glowed a blood-like color. Soon, several phenona occurred as the ritual proceeded to resonate with the Sanguine Crystal’s glow.
In the center of the array lay the ritual’s key components that Vale had already known thanks to the reports from the Arcane Bureau and from the villagers over the past few days.
There’s the Sanguine Crystal from the staff, the Essence of a Thousand Minds in the form of a translucent orb, and the Chalice of Ebon Blood, which seed to contain traces of a powerful devil’s blood.
’Interesting... Those three are really special once they’re gathered together. I wonder where did they get those...’ Vale mused.
Soon, Lady Cyrilla raised her staff as she proceeded with the ritual. "Tonight, we transcend the limits imposed upon us. Tonight, we summon forth power to reshape our destiny!"
It seed to be a signal for everyone. After all, the chanting intensified, and the Sanguine Crystal’s glow grew brighter.
Vale could also tell that a small crack was ford in the space and it seed that what he could sense was the Ancient Devil from the other side of the ritual...
"They really made a path for the Ancient Devil..." Vale was shocked but also interested in this phenonon. After all, it could actually break the Tiless King’s seal!
Soon, the ground started to shake as if it could barely handle the power contained in the ritual.
Anyway, Vale didn’t make his move just yet.
He observed the ritual closely, sensing the imnse buildup of corrupted energy that would try to widen the space rift more.
"They’re skilled, I’ll give them that," Vale thought. "But do they truly understand the forces they’re trying to summon?"
Vale was confused...
After all, he had a feeling that once the summon beca successful, these people would be killed imdiately...
He couldn’t understand why these Arcanists would want to get themselves killed just to create chaos within their continent.
Vale felt that there was sothing more about this desperation coming from them.
Nonetheless, as the ritual reached its peak, the rift above the summoning array started growing larger... As the rift expanded, an ominous voice echoed...
"Who dares call upon , Astarith, the Bound Oblivion?
The Crimson Robed Arcanists faltered montarily. The power from that voice made their defenses crumbled...
Vale watched them carefully and saw their expressions were a mix of fear and reverence.
Lady Cyrilla, however, was able to maintain with the help of the two hidden Half-Immortals
"We call upon you, Astarith, to lend us your power. In exchange, we offer these tributes!" She gestured toward the Essence of a Thousand Minds and the Chalice of Ebon Blood.
’So those things are actually tributes...’ Vale thought to himself. He couldn’t help but feel curious why an Ancient Devil would want that, so he made a few guesses in his mind.
Anyway, the voice from the void laughed, a sound that seed to rattle the very bones of those who heard it.
"Tributes, you say? Pathetic offerings for one such as I. Yet... I sense potential. Very well. I shall descend, but know this! Power cos at a price."
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