Seeds of Discordia

Liam and the others slowly moved through the aquatic looking forest. After a short discussion with Lolita, Liam came to understand how she was able to track where her mana was. She had mentioned that her man was leaking from the strange Shadow blobs it was tracked in.

Liam was confused by that. If her mana was leaking then why hadn't anyone noticed, felt, saw, or even smelled her mana at all. Especially the Fae who had Mana Smell. After asking Lolita, she had explained that the amount that leaked was a faint thin line of it. However, even if it was faint, she was still able to sense it and follow it. She collected what she was able to during her travels, but she wasn't able to get much of it back.

While Liam was happy to learn that they now had a way to trace where her mana was, he was also concerned by what else she had informed him about. The fact these Naga bastards were able to collect a lot of her mana and tested its efficiency on island, effectively putting the blame on Lolita and her team, even though no one else knew who it was.

He wondered if that was the case with Kala as they started to move. Last time he ran into her and Jude she had claimed she was having a hard time keeping her abilities under control. Did these Nagas collect her mana without her knowing when she lost control or did they collect her mana on the earlier islands when she lost it? He couldn't and wouldn't know because he didn't know when Jude had met up with her and her group.

Either way it was still both dangerous and a mystery. Albeit, the biggest mystery still laid with how they were able to get their hands on these advanced Shadow-like blobs that could withstand holding both Kala's and Lolita's Deity given seed's mana. Did they have someone within their group who had the ability to make these or were they working with some other group?

Liam's thoughts suddenly remembered something as he slowed to a stop. He remembered that group that had attacked them on the night he ran into Jude and Kala. None of them were Nagas. Was it a possibility they were a part of the Children of the Primal Nature, sure. However, his gut told him no that wasn't the case. If it was, Vesely would have found the symbol he sent in some sort of records tracing back to them…maybe. With the Fiddler Web's ability to gather information on almost anything they set their minds to, there would have been someone who got that information somewhere…right?

"What's wrong?" Lolita questioned as she walked up next to him.

Liam was about to respond but then stopped as he heard fast footsteps off in the distance. Judging by how they were getting louder by the second he judged they were heading in their direction. With a swift response he said, "Someone's coming."

Liam then looked at Roman. Roman didn't need any prompting as he crouched down, placed a hand on the ground, and focused. After a few seconds he informed, "Only one person is making their way. Their trajectory is within our direction…" He paused for a moment before saying with a relieved sigh, "Nothing to worry about."

"What do you mean?" the tall, scaled man questioned. Shortly as they started making their way from where they were, Liam had found out more about Lolita's team. This man's name was Zalas. He was a Bearded Dragon Lizard-folk who had a class known as a Rock Knight.

"It's exactly as I have said. Its nothing to worry about. The one heading to us is a member of our team," Roman said as he turned to look at Liam, his facial features had become stern as he added, "It's Mercer."

Liam understood what he was saying without him adding more to his sentence. If Mercer was heading to them by himself, then where was the rest of the team he was with? That didn't sit well with him and the rest of his team. They would get their answers soon though since he was shortening the distance between where he was and to them very fast.

When Mercer arrived at the location of where Liam and the others were, he was surprised and slid to a halt right before Liam. He was about to say something but stopped as Liam swiftly questioned, "Where are the others?"

Before Mercer responded he looked at the group of people he wasn't familiar with. As he looked at Liam and saw the nod he understood he could speak freely and replied, "Avery, Blair, and Gimmel are at the ritual site still searching for where the Nagas hid the items we believe they are using. We still don't have a clue what they are using nor where they would hide them. Gimmel spotted you and I came to intercept you before the guards spot you. They are on edge and aren't too kind to us being there at the moment."

Liam nodded as he took in the information. He was relieved to hear that the others were safe and not in any immediate danger. The concerned look on Mercer's face gave him some hesitation, but he quickly linked it to the part where he said they still didn't know what or where the items they were searching for were located. Something he needed to update him on.

"There's not much we can do about the guards, but I do have an update on the other thing," Liam started before letting him know what they had discovered. He introduced Lolita and told him what she had told him.

Mercer took it all in and thought over everything. After absorbing and processing it all he asked to reconfirm, "So you're saying that all those islands weren't your fault, the Nagas have been testing and using the mana you left behind on islands to test out the potency of it and recollected it before it could disappear and they might have been doing the same with Kala's, are using an advanced version of the Shadow Blob thing, and you can follow the trail of your own mana?"

Lolita nodded, not feeling the need to confirm it verbally. As she stared at the newcomer she felt oddly at ease like he shared something similar to her. She was also amazed he didn't freak out at the way she looked since many did all the time. She noticed he saw her staring at him oddly and interjected him before he could ask the question she knew he was going to ask, "Sorry, I was just confused as to why you aren't…freaked out by my appearance."

Mercer gave her a confused look as he asked simply, "Why would I be?"

"Because I am half Tiefling and half Crimson Elf," Lolita stated. "The mixture of both makes me look demonic."

Mercer looked like he suddenly understood what she was talking about and then surprised her as his skin color completely changed. Not only that, but horns suddenly grew on his head as a tail swished back and forth behind him and his eyes turned to look like fully formed orbs as they turned one entire color.

"If I was afraid of the way you look then I'd have to be afraid of myself," Mercer stated. "We also have a Crimson Elf in our group as well and as hot blooded as she can be she's also our companion. As for the demon part we also have a half Succubus so unless you are a member of the Seven Immoral Vices, which your not since Liam here doesn't want to kill you, then I see no reason to freak out over your appearance."

Lolita was taken completely aback by this. She wasn't ready to hear that there were others who were fine with her appearance. However she was till confused by something. "If that's the case then why hide how you look?"

Mercer gave her a mischievous smile as he answered, "Because I am a merchant at heart. I find it is easier to deal with people if you look more human than what you are. Now if I was around more of my kind then I'd switch to my…natural form…sorry still getting used to saying that. But until then I feel this," Mercer switched back to his more human-like appearance before finishing, "will help with my endeavors much easier. But I am rather curious. If you're so worried about your looks then why haven't you tried to look more human."

Lolita stared at him. "It's not that I am worried about my looks. I just feel that there shouldn't be a need to hide what I truly look like…"

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Zalas let out a cough getting everyone's attention before saying, "I don't mean to interrupt, but I believe we are in a hurry." He then looked at Mercer and asked, "You said you came here to intercept us before the guards could. Is it right to assume if we continue further in we would come across the ritual site?"

Mercer nodded as he replied, "Yes. That would be correct. Why are you…" Mercer paused as he came to realize something. "The trail you are following leads to the ritual site doesn't it?"

Lolita nodded. "Yes and the closer we approach the ritual site the stronger I can see my mana."

Liam heard Mercer let out a slew of curses as he looked both pissed and concerned. He then asked, "Is it just you who can see your mana? Can you following it through Mana Sight?"

Lolita stared at him for a long moment before replying, "Since its leaking out of the shadow blobs slowly, yes I should be the only one who could see it. If more of it was being leaked then anyone should be able to."

"What about if a bunch of the blobs are leaking it? Would someone be able to see it then?" Mercer questioned.

"I don't believe so. If that were the case then someone would have spotted it by now," Lolita stated.

"Damn it," Mercer said as he looked to be thinking of something. "If that's the case then we really need you to come with us. However, Adva doesn't know you and it would make the guards tense up even more after seeing you…no offense." Mercer gave her a sympathetic smile.

Lolita shrugged as she said, "None taken. However, if you are worried about someone freaking out after seeing us there then I have a solution." Everyone looked at her as she reached a hand out, palm up. A couple of seconds later shadows started to gather and form an inky blob. Liam was taken a bit aback as he watched the size of the blob. It was much bigger and a lot denser than his. That told him her level on it was much higher than his and it made him kind of jealous. After watching that happen he was shocked once more as Lolita and her group suddenly vanished as they approached her from behind.

"Whoa!?" Roman shouted, completely taken off guard. "Did they just…"

Lolita and her group swiftly reappeared a moment later as Mercer asked, "How powerful is that stealth ability? How long can it last? Can it fool higher leveled people's senses?"

"My current stealth ability isn't too low but its also not very high," Lolita started to explain. "However, with how high my Shadow Manipulation is, I can use the Shadow Blobs to not only blanket me and my group well, but it can completely keep us from other people's senses…As long as they don't get too close to us."

"How close are we talking?" Mercer inquired.

"Hm…about five to seven feet close," Lolita answered.

"Hm," Mercer muttered as he started thinking. "That could work. Are you able to speak while its active? Or will that deactivate it?"

"As long as no one spots us then it will remain active until I deactivate it. Oh, the only other issue is that we have to walk. If we run it will disappear as well," Lolita informed.

Mercer looked at Liam and said, "What do you think? I'm not the Shadow Magic expert here."

"I wouldn't call me an expert either," Liam retorted before adding, "This seems like the only way we will be able to get her close enough to see if she can spot where those bastards placed those items. How close can we get to the ritual site before we are spotted by any of the guards?"

"Not very far," Mercer stated. "They will need to have it activated here before we get any closer. That's assuming they didn't try to follow me when I left."

Liam looked at Roman who stated, "I didn't feel anyone else." Liam nodded as he then said, "Alright then lets hurry up. The ritual has been going for some time, and we don't know when or exactly where they will allow the mana being held unleash."

Avery stared down at Gimmel who was placed against the trunk of one of the closest Coral tree. She was both worried and irritated at what had just transpired. First Mercer ran off on his own to gods knows where without telling her what was going on and then Gimmel suddenly passed out. Things weren't looking good since he was the eyes in the sky for them. Not only that, but she still didn't know where Liam and the others were.

She saw movement coming from her side which made her swiftly turn her head to see Blair heading over to them with two guards not too far behind her. As Blair approached she told Avery in as quiet of a voice as she could, "Adva informed me where Mercer went."

"And?" Avery asked. She could feel how anxious she was starting to feel.

"He told Adva that Gimmel had spotted Liam, and he went to go grab him. Artem and the others were with him, so they'll be coming as a group," Blair replied before looking down at Gimmel. Avery could see the concern in her eyes as she looked at him. "Do we still not know what happened to him?"

Avery shook her head as she said, "No. He just suddenly collapsed from what I saw."

Blair was about to say something but stopped as she and Avery heard one of the two guards not too far behind them say, "This is annoying. Why the hell do we need to babysit outsiders when the sacred ritual is going on?"

"Its because of their connections with Adva and Miss Omira," the other complained.

"I don't care who they have connections. The rules are set for a reason. I mean if you're going to finagle your way to watch this then at least have the decency to stay awake. Its not like the rest of us aren't tired after so many hours of preparations and channeling," the first guard added.

Blair and Avery glared at the two men who had their backs facing them. Avery wanted to smack them a few times with the pointy end of her sword to shut them up but then shifted her attention when she and Blair heard mutterings start to fill one end of the area. What caught their attention the most was when they heard someone whisper, "Really? Their letting an Orc witness this Cleansing Ritual? Maybe it will cleanse him while its fulfilling its purpose."

The two turned their heads to see Liam, Ariyana, Artem, Mercer, Roman, and Val making their way through the crowd. During their way back to the ritual site, Val had met up with them. She had informed Liam that the bird Gimmel had following her suddenly dropped from the sky giving her a bad vibe. She had told Jungle Mimic and his group to keep searching the island for clues before rushing to try and find them. Apparently they weren't too far from their location, which made it easy for her to find him.

In turn, Liam had updated her on what he had found out and what they were doing. She was shocked after hearing all of their findings as well as feeling like her attempts were pathetic since she came back empty handed. The trail they were following felt like it had some promise, but when they arrived at the area there was nothing there.

What they were checking out was an area they were given a tip on where someone thought they saw a few snake monsters gathering in the coral forest. When Val, Jungle Mimic, and his crew arrived at the location there was nothing but floral and a small pool of water. Val wanted to inspect the small pool of water. However, right before they could that was when the bird puppet fell from the sky.

The moment the group saw Gimmel they all quickly rushed over to them. The guards when to stand in their way to stop them and say something, but a single glare from Artem and Liam made then swiftly back off and move out of the way.

"What happened?" Mercer asked as they reached them.

"We don't know," Blair stated.

"He fell unconscious right after you left," Avery added. "He hasn't woken up yet, so we aren't sure what caused this."

"That's not good," Ariyana muttered as she looked down at the teenager.

Mercer glanced at Liam, who was also looking at him. Blair and Avery noticed the look. Blair looked around to see if any of the guards were still around them and saw the two from earlier still close by. She quickly called out, "Hey. If you two don't have anything better to do than complain like a couple of unhappy toddlers than I suggest you go find something better to do."

The two guards turned around and were about to open their mouths to make a comment but stopped as Avery chimed in, "If you open your god damn mouths I swear I will go grab Key and that big as Bear-folk man and tell them how you are not happen that outsiders are here. I'm sure they would be more than happy to make you really unhappy outsiders are here."

The two guards glanced over to see Key and Uncle Naro glaring at them. Deciding that it wasn't worth it having those two make Avery's threat really happen, they moved away. As they walked away, Avery flipped them the middle finger before turning back on Liam and Mercer and asking as quietly as she could, "Okay spill. What did you find out?"

Liam then informed the two what had happened and what they discovered. Avery and Blair's eyes slightly widened as they listened, especially the part about what Lolita had told them, but they remained silent. After he had finished, Blair asked, "Where are they now?"

"Since there were too many guards cloistered up near the entrance they are waiting nearby," Mercer said. "However, Lolita had told us as we got close that she can feel her mana piled up somewhere here in the ritual site."

"Shit," Avery cursed as she felt her anger and annoyance.

Liam was about to say something but suddenly stopped as he felt a hand grab his shoulder. He was about to turn around, but was stopped as he heard Lolita whisper, "We've got a problem."

"How did you get in here? I thought you were going to stay…," Liam started to question causing Avery and the others to look at him with confusion. However, before he could finish his statement, a familiar taunting power caught his attention on one side of the island. Not only did it caught his attention he also noticed that it was moving. Not slow, but fast. Right towards their direction.

"Fucking Hell."