The morning after the grand reception, Ery gathered his friends to discuss his conversation with Tessa and the invitation from the Karat elders. Reactions were mixed. Those who knew Tessa and had been working closely with the Karat family viewed it positively, while others were more suspicious, particularly due to Tessa's ambiguous responses and the fact that Ery was instructed to co alone.
Magus Rosia voiced her concern first. "I hear their faction conflict has escalated even worse. I think you need to reconsider."
Despite their concerns, Ery felt confident in his decision. With space magic and his Khaos Gate, he believes that he can escape any kind of danger. What they needed was to get the Karat family on their side. If they can't secure the Karat support, they might have to consider migrating the whole Terra faction away.
Grand Magus Shena, always the voice of reason, added her thoughts with a worried frown. "You should at least bring Senior Lilith with you."
Ery rejected the idea, feeling troubled by Ishtar's threat and her two Grand Magus guards. He needed the powerful Dark Salamander to guard the city. The threat was significant enough that Ery sent a ssage back to the Earth-Moon base, ensuring that his senior, Fuxi, remained on high alert for the next few weeks.
Despite his resolve, one voice of dissent broke through. "I will co with you," Morgana said firmly.
Ery considered her offer carefully. He nodded, recognizing the value of her presence. Not only could Morgana wait inside his domain, but he also needed the Khaos guardian, Killgragah, to be with him during this trip.
Before the appointed ti, Ery spent his days delving deeper into the intricacies of the Karat family. He studied their strength, their interests, and their internal conflicts. This knowledge was crucial for understanding their position and how best to approach them.
At noon on the day of the eting, Ery used the teleportation gate to Golden City. He let Morgana enter his domain and then headed to the Karat family estate, located hundreds of miles outside the bustling city. The once-leisurely estate, previously a serene sanctuary for Supre figure Rosin Karat, had transford into a fortress teeming with dozens of magus. Ery couldn't help but recall the ti when this place hosted King Alduin during the Academy Bloody Incursion.
When Ery arrived at the estate, he faced a thorough identity check by a group of magus, overseen by a stern grand magus elder. Despite not using spirit reading, Ery sensed the tension among them due to the family's ongoing crisis.
As expected, the eting wasn't held there. Within the fortified estate lay another teleportation gate. "You may enter," the grand magus elder finally said, leading Ery towards the concealed chamber where the gate awaited.
[Karat Planet]
Situated within the sa solar system as Golden City, Karat Planet was reachable within a few hours by a common spaceship. However, it was an exclusive domain, strictly limited to the Karat faction and their honored guests. The planet functioned as a heavily fortified stronghold, with advanced weaponry positioned in its orbital defenses capable of repelling multiple warships even supre magus-level threats.
Upon stepping out of the teleportation gate, Ery found himself amidst a formidable security presence, overseen by another grand magus figure. Beyond the secure periter stretched the "Burning Desert," an expansive terrain bathed in shimring gold hues under the unyielding gaze of the system's sun. Ery embarked on a trek across this striking landscape, navigating through dunes of golden sands that seed to shift and ripple in the heat.
After traversing a challenging hundred-mile journey through the desert, Ery finally beheld the fad Golden Mansion of the Karat faction. Its imposing silhouette erged on the horizon, a testant to both architectural grandeur and defensive fortification. The mansion's massive golden do reflected the sunlight, casting a radiant glow across the surrounding landscape. Surrounding the mansion were towering pillars adorned with intricate carvings, their heights seemingly reaching for the heavens, symbolizing the faction's legacy and influence across the sector.
As Ery approached the towering gastructure, he couldn't help but be awed by the sheer scale of its defenses. The outer periter bristled with multiple layers of defense structures, each manned by magus-operated weapons and vehicles. The air humd with the presence of vigilant sentinels, their eyes keenly watching every movent.
Passing through the formidable outer walls required navigating through a gauntlet of security checkpoints, where Ery sensed the presence of a thousand magus personnel and at least two dozen grand magus.
In fact, from the intelligence Ery had gathered, these numbers represented only one-third of the Karat family's full military might. As a grade 4 faction, their collective might rivaled that of all ten serpent factions combined, a testant to their influence and power.
Yet, amidst the imposing defenses and disciplined ranks, Ery couldn't shake the feeling that this gathering of forces was not just for show. The tension in the air made him wonder if another battle was about to start.
Finally, after navigating through the labyrinthine defenses, Ery arrived at the Mansion's grand lobby. He waited patiently for half an hour before being summoned inside. Stepping into the main chamber, he found himself face-to-face with a dozen figures, half of them grand magus.
Among them, Ery didn't spot Tessa, but his attention was drawn to the imposing figure seated at the center—a large, overweight grand magus known throughout Golden City: Hassa Karat, son of the supre Rosin Karat and father to Tessa.
"Greetings to Lord Hassa," Ery spoke with a respectful gesture.
"Yes, yes... I recognize you... you are indeed him, that famous acolyte..." Lord Hassa Karat's voice resonated with a mix of admiration and curiosity as he looked at Ery with sincere interest. His deanor was warm and welcoming, a stark contrast to the restless energy emanating from so of the others in the room.
Among them was Khalid, the elder and one of the four guardians of the Karat faction, a formidable three cosmos grand magus. His gaze was intense, his presence imposing as he observed Ery with a keen eye. Sara, a magus and one of the Karat's chosen council mbers, stepped forward. Her voice carried a tone of respect as she addressed Lord Hassa, detailing Ery's identity and his role as the leader of the Terra faction. She emphasized the nurous collaborations between Ery and the Karat family, highlighting in particular the pivotal mont when Ery had saved Hassa Karat's daughter from pirates a decade ago.
Lord Hassa listened attentively, his expression softening with gratitude and admiration. "What a spectacular young man," he remarked, his voice filled with genuine appreciation. "Not only have you been actively helping our sector combat pirate threats, but you also saved my daughter. For that, I am forever grateful."
Ery nodded respectfully, acknowledging the praise but also sensing the underlying currents of tension in the room. Despite the warm reception from Lord Hassa, he remained keenly aware that this eting held deeper implications.
As Khalid, the grand magus who had invited Ery, began explaining the Terra faction's intentions to join the council candidacy with support from Zodiac City, Lord Hassa Karat's expression shifted from initial warmth to a mix of concern and seriousness. The ntion of the Nephilim and their recent announcents to support the Qin and Croft during the reception seed to weigh heavily on his mind, a sentint echoed by other magus present in the room who confird the incident.
Ery observed Lord Hassa's face grow somber, lines of worry creasing his brow as he processed the implications. "This indeed complicates things..." Lord Hassa murmured, his tone reflecting deep contemplation.
Turning his attention directly to Ery, Lord Hassa Karat posed a direct question "So... my young friend, tell your intention..."
Ery took a mont to gather his thoughts, choosing his words carefully. "Lord Hassa, I ca hoping that we can help each other solve our problems..." His voice trailed off as he began to outline his plan, but before he could finish, Lord Hassa interrupted with a solemn apology.
"My apologies, my young friend," Lord Hassa said gravely, his gaze unwavering. "It appears my people have invited you here for a different reason..."
"What reason?" To Ery's surprise, with Lord Hassa's slight nod, the three cosmos grand magus, Khalid suddenly displayed his overwhelming domain power to restrain him. Ery gasped in shock, his confusion evident as he demanded an explanation. "Why?!"
Lord Hassa Karat took a deep sigh, his expression troubled. "We are on the brink of war... and the last thing we need is another faction like the Nephilim ddling in our affairs," he explained regretfully. "I apologize, but we need to keep you here to ensure that no such interference occurs."
What followed was Ery being escorted to a special chamber, ticulously designed to nullify his ability to cast spells and prevent any attempt at teleportation.
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