The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son' Chapter 325 - A Snake That Chases Two Foxes Catches Both

An illusionist’s footsteps made little actual sound as she followed the retreating russet form that had interrupted her ti with Qatrand. She wasn’t entirely sure why she was pursuing the creature so vigorously, but she could think of at least two reasons.

The oddity of its presence in an incursion area was part of it. Putting off helping that woman long enough that she might get *herself* killed was another. Both were severe distractions... which she sowhat needed.

Her spirit contracted its bulk tight around her form as she moved further from her husband-wife. Using only what little was needed for efficient deception on the target and to thinly scout in a sphere around herself. But she still groaned and whimpered with each step she took away and each step Qat took deeper into the camp of civilians.

It wasn’t that the separation pained her irreparably... but the comfort and certainty of her beloved’s presence had beco so *fundantal* again when she had been ’seen’. The edges of the shell around her spiritual core had beco a little porous. A little harder to hide.

But no one - except soone on the sa spiritual level or higher - should be able to tell anything about that.

The fox paused at a fallen tree with its ears twitching as it glanced back. Its eyes reflected the moonlight with unusual luster. Not the imdiately skittish behavior of a wild animal, but sothing more... contemplative as it looked about for signs of prey or predator.

"You’re an interesting little thing, aren’t you?"

Her monotone voice barely disturbed the night air - and definitely did not get past the sphere of gasses she kept around her form. Yet the fox’s ears flicked again before it darted deeper into the undergrowth. At a speed not too much to follow, but still enough to make it more effort.

’Do I need it for anything?’

Elua considered abandoning this little diversion to retrieve Kefa as promised. Yet sothing about the creature’s behavior tugged at ancient instincts. Ones that had kept her alive through countless dangerous situations in the past.

She catalogued the evidence thodically: a beast showing unusual awareness of being followed, yet also unaffected by the dull disturbance of essence caused by the incursion points... and moving with too much purpose after growing far too close to their intimate mont earlier.

’Well, even if I can’t find any reason to care for it, soone may take it. Perhaps Nohre? After I train it well...’

A small curl of a Primalist’s essence field extended from her fingertips before spiraling out in all directions. Calling specific gas molecules from the surrounding air. Compression of desirables, calculation of pressures and shifted temperatures, and safe release of the excess types.

Her command of the essence might be too theoretical to most Enchanter level cultivators, as she was ’supposed’ to still be - but millennia of practice with raw essence had refined such imaginative expressions of reality into an art all its own.

’Shaping a blankness into your Elent is a Defier’s benefit. But I am rather lucky that my own is almost constantly around . Very easy to practice, very easy to manipulate without carrying extra!’

The liquid she had her appropriate disciple carry, the pile of particulates that she suggested Fusand keep on hand, and the acid she once used to keep vials of in her past life. All of it was very cumberso to her current ability. For that matter, her ’fortress’ was even luckier.

Such a fundantal force had very few locations where it could not be found to manipulate. As long as two things held any closeness... there would always be the pull between them. And for her part, Elua intended to never leave her Qat alone for too long.

Reddish brown fur suddenly stopped its rush forward. Its nose raised as it sniffed the air and attempted to backtrack. But it was too late. The carefully regulated mixture of sweet slling gas had completely surrounded it.

To induce a drowsy state. To capture it without harm.

Seconds later, the reincarnator approached when the creature’s legs buckled. Its eyes grew heavy and slipped into slumber. A very simple anesthetic she had been introduced to during her dical career. One which would not keep it under for long once she stopped providing it.

She knelt beside the fox, stroking its soft fur. Despite its unusual behavior, it appeared to be a relatively ordinary animal. No hidden markings that a Guild might place or unusual spiritual signature from another cultivator.

"So you’re just a slightly energy aberrant species like the Skydancers. Curious, I’d thought most of you had died out since my ti. But I guess so bloodlines remain."

With practiced movents, she lifted the creature and draped it across her shoulders like a sleeping child. For that is what it was made to think, through her illusions piercing into its mindscape. Its steady breathing tickled her neck as she continued her journey.

Now, her attention could be turned toward finding the wayward Ironclad Order mber.

"Now to find that woman and convince her to stop looking at my Qat like she’s a al."

El thought that, if she had to gas and force the woman asleep like this fox... she probably would drag her back by an ankle instead of giving the woman such a nice ride.

Elua sensed the other cultivator’s spirit long before she saw her. A turbulent, agitated knot of energy partially hidden behind a dense thicket. Hiding from the darker, colder presence that made the slumbering fox twitch against her neck on instinct.

’So that’s why it wasn’t too afraid to co out and look around...’

The brunette slowed her approach as she studied this quality of the beast, careful to step silently despite the mirror floating at her back thrumming with illusive processes. When she pushed through the final layer of foliage, she found the twin-blade wielder crouched behind a suspiciously placed rock... staring intently at sothing ahead.

The woman’s hands rested on her weapon hilts, her body tense with spikes of adrenaline and fear. It was rather similar to her reaction to the leader-class Voidling. But Elua knew that’s not what was waiting down below.

"Honestly, did you have to wander so far? I’ve been looking everywhere."

Kefa startled violently at the ’sweet’ voice so close, spinning rapidly with blades drawn before recognition stopped her. While the points had been aid at throat and abdon, the heiress had not flinched at all and just kept talking. Even smiled ’innocently’ despite almost being skewered.

’Or so she thinks...’

Elua was not smiling or where she aid at all. Not at first. It was only when the woman dropped her stance so that the brunette approached where she was ’supposed’ to be.

"What are... how did you find ? And... is that... a pelt on your shoulder?"

The slumbering fox shifted slightly at the commotion, or perhaps the insult, but didn’t wake. The heiress made a show of stroking its flicking tail absently while her gaze moved past Kefa to what had captured the woman’s attention. A structure of sorts lay half-exposed in artificially flat looking land ahead.

Ancient stone ford what might once have been a ceremonial location. Several pillars, cracked but standing tall, rose around a central depression in the earth. The ground around the location seed unnaturally disturbed... as if sothing had recently been unearthed.

Most ’concerning’ - and likely the whole reason the Order mber was on alert - was the unnatural wavering in the air emanating from the central pit. A bend of reality like a heat haze that pulsed and danced in what seed like irregular rhythm, unless you watched long enough for the patterned repetition to begin.

’Very few would have the patience or spiritual fortitude to try.’

"I found you because I am quite good at finding things I’m looking for. This is just a fox I found while looking for you."

’Yes... just a normal fox. Pay no attention to it with your thieving mitts!’