"Eighty-one."
"How long did it take?"
"A few seconds." Seris did not take her eyes off the Cocoon.
This answer worried both of them, if the increase was linear, maybe they still had time.
But now it was clear that the Progress could suddenly jump.
63.7 to 81, in only a few seconds and if another similar jump happened, the Cocoon could reach 100% before Lian returned.
Seris moved closer, the changes in the Cocoon could be clearly seen, the white roots on its surface were no longer still, they slowly contracted and relaxed, like veins.
The golden light inside them was no longer pure either, black lines were moving through the light.
Inside the Cocoon, Selina still had her eyes closed, but the fingers of her right hand suddenly moved.
Seris stopped there.
"Did she move...?" Aren saw it too.
A black vein appeared under Selina’s skin, it moved up from the bottom of her neck, reached the side of her jaw and then disappeared again.
The young Pendragon pulled her sword a little farther out, this time she herself did not know what decision she would make if the percentage increased again.
Lian had told her not to destroy the Cocoon, but Lian was not there.
And if the Progress reached 90, 95 or even 99, there might be no chance left to make a decision.
"What are you going to do?" Aren looked at her sword.
"I don’t know."
This was probably the longest honest answer Aren had heard from her since Lian left and a few seconds later Seris added.
"If it jumps again... we may have no choice." She did not finish the sentence, there was no need.
Aren understood what she meant, but before they could make a decision.
One’s entire body suddenly became completely still, its antennae, which had been pointing toward the Cocoon until that moment, suddenly turned toward the west.
Seris immediately turned her head, she had sensed something, a strange and special smell, a powerful presence was getting close.
Not a Monster, but a smell that was similar to the Cindari, while still being different from them.
Aren also heard the sound of footsteps a few seconds later.
Slow, regular, without hurry, someone was moving through the Dead Zone.
This alone was strange, the Cindari were afraid of this area.
Even Maelor had said that an Expedition of seventy-three people had only three survivors.
But the person coming toward them was not running, was not hiding and did not even seem to be careful around the area.
The footsteps came closer, the sound of shoes touching the gray ground and suddenly a shadow appeared in the thin mist ... then a man came out of it.
Seris immediately frowned and pulled out her sword, she did not know why she suddenly felt such a terrible sense of danger, this was one of the strongest danger senses she had felt in this entire Special Area.
Whatever was coming closer... was very powerful even though it was a Cindari.
And his appearance was different from everyone they had seen until now, he was wearing a long robe that was white and black.
Golden lines ran along his collar and sleeves, he had no heavy armor.
No shield, no large weapon, only a thin sword with a white sheath could be seen at his waist.
A small white crown was on his head, not a fancy crown, more like a very old ring that represented his position.
His long dark hair reached his shoulders, his face was calm, too calm.
The worst part was the way the Dead Zone reacted to him.
The black liquid that was flowing through one of the cracks in the ground seemed to naturally change its path when he got close.
It did not come closer to him.
"Who are you?" Seris pointed her sword forward.
The man did not answer, he did not even look at her and his eyes were fixed directly on the Cocoon.
Aren was also staring at the man, he felt that the face was familiar, as if he had seen him before.
He tried to remember but nothing came to his mind ... then his eyes fell on the white crown.
His eyes opened a little wider.
"Wait ..."
Seris gave him a short look.
"That..." Aren took one step back and for a moment it seemed like even he did not want to believe what he had realized.
"He is the current leader of all Cindari." He said with disbelief.
Seris immediately looked back at the man and the System reacted at the same moment.
[Race: Cindari]
[Level: 35]
Level 35.
Maelor with Level 30 had reached that level of power alone inside Vhalaris with the Territorial Covenant.
Kael was also one of the strongest Cindari commanders.
But the man in front of them was Level 35 and had entered an area alone that most Cindari and no one else even dared to get close to.
Seris held her sword tighter and understood why she had such a terrible feeling of danger, a damn Level 35 was here!
’This could be troublesome...’ A frown appeared on her face.
She had never fought a Monster, an Awakened, or anything else at Level 35 before, and she did not think she could defeat one of them at her current level.
But that did not make her want to back down and run away, until Lian returned, she would continue protecting the Cocoon, no matter the cost... giving up and running away were not part of her teachings or traditions.
But the person they had been talking about was only focused on the Cocoon and then the corner of the man’s lips moved slightly upward.
His eyes remained on the roots that were now pulsing with golden and black light.
"Finally, the fetus is becoming complete." He said very calmly.
And that was when the two of them, Seris and Aren, understood that the real problem was that the leader of the Cindari knew exactly what was being born inside that Cocoon.
And he probably had the answers to all the secrets and mysteries ....