Chapter 463 Talking to the Empire Spirit of Lanthanor
Daneel had felt much calmer after arranging everything with the crazy King, as he was at least starting to form a plan to save his best friend.
Although he didn't know the details and whether it would work or not, it was a start, and it was much better than his position before where he had been clueless about everything that was happening.
In this regard, he had to thank that crazy King for choosing him as an opponent.
Not allowing himself to dwell on everything he had learned right now, Daneel decided to take care of the other pressing matter first.
The matter of the red light that had been shining from under the door behind which the Empire Spirit of the Kingdom of Lanthanor was.
He had had to think long and hard before coming to the decision to go and check it out, as there was a small possibility that the Empire Spirit could find out that he was ignoring it even though he knew that it was giving an indication that something about it had changed.
He had been so excited to unlock its level before, and if nothing had changed, he would have joyfully run to the library to find out if he had unlocked another level so that he could get more benefits such as the "awesome" Ruler's Inheritance.
However, now, he was well aware that Empire Spirits were backstabbing as*holes who just wanted body bags to inhabit.
The only consolation was that one needed to use the techniques given by the Empire Spirit repeatedly in order to get possessed, and he had done no such thing with the Ruler's Inheritance.
Hence, the chances were low that there was any danger to him, especially if the Empire Spirit still believed that it was successfully deceiving him.
Daneel had found out just how Faxul had become infected with the Mind Control spell, and he wasn't afraid of that either, as the system had assured him that if the same scenario played out, it would be able to hold off the attack until he managed to extricate himself from the situation.
So, all in all, considering the different risks between ignoring the call and heeding it, Daneel chose to go and check it out, as it seemed to be the safer option.
Besides, who knew, maybe he would be able to find some clue which would allow him to better make a plan to save Faxul.
However, after arriving at the door inside the library, Daneel started to hesitate again.
He was currently still blind in one eye, but the camouflage spell made sure that no one would be able to observe that the King of Lanthanor had had his ass handed to him.
According to the system, regenerating the eye wasn't a big deal, and it just needed a lot of Ker gems for it to happen. Hence, he had left that task until the time when he returned to the sect.
The Empire Spirit could know what he was thinking, so he acted as though he was talking to someone through a communication trinket, while trying to control the frustration that had appeared inside him at the thought of talking to that arrogant bastard who had led him around by his nose like a damn circus animal.
That was also partially the reason why he had paused here.
Every time he remembered just how pitiful he must have looked when he acted so excited at receiving the Ruler's Inheritance, curses came to Daneel's mouth which he had to swallow down with great difficulty.
Again and again, this inculcated the lesson inside him that he had to be very careful about what or whom he trusted.
Finally calming down, he was about to enter, but he decided to take another precaution - the ultimate one.
Using the memory editing feature of the system, he made sure that he was the same king from before the trip to the Sect of Hedon, who was very excited that there was a change in the 'hidden treasure' of the Lanthanor Kingdom.
The memories of this encounter were definitely going to make him want to puke in his mouth, but he would just have to live with them.
A second later, all he remembered was training for the past few months rigorously with the goal of obtaining as much power as possible, quickly. Right now, he was just here because he had received a very urgent communication about the red light.
Walking in, an expression of excitement came on his face as he hurried forward and placed his hands on the sides of the stone podium.
Immediately, a voice sounded inside his head which would have shocked him very, very badly if he hadn't taken that step to edit his memories.
"King Daneel! Your friend, King Faxul is in danger! Someone who was once a brother of mine will soon take control of his body! You must put a stop to him!"
"What? Faxul's in danger? And what do you mean a 'brother' of yours?! I thought you were just an artificial intelligence placed inside to guard the secrets!"
As Daneel asked in a naive manner, the Empire Spirit seemed to sigh with frustration.
"It seems that you really don't know what I'm talking about. You were not supposed to find out about this now, but I guess there isn't much of a choice. I am not an artificial intelligence. I was once a Hero who defended the Empire of Angaria from the hordes who sought to invade this great continent. By the request of the Honorable Emperor, I chose for a part of my consciousness to be interred in this stone podium so that the descendants of our glorious Empire will have the means to defend themselves if there was a threat and rebuild the Empire after learning from the mistakes that were committed which led to the catastrophe."
"You mean a hero, as in, you did a heroic deed?"
"No, you…never mind! A Hero, as in, someone who has advanced to the next level after the Champion level, which is the Hero level!"
"Whaaaaaat?"
Daneel made a sound as if his mind had been blown.
This self of his had heard vaguely that the level after Champion was Hero, but the main thing that had startled it was the revelation of the origin of the Empire Spirit.
However, this story was completely different from what he had seen.
Of course, he didn't know this.
With his eyebrows raised so far that they had nowhere else to go on his forehead, Daneel continued listening to the Empire Spirit.
"Sadly, the Honorable Emperor seemed to have miscalculated the greed of his descendants and the rate at which Energy would decrease in the entire Continent. It became harder and harder to find suitable candidates due to the strict criteria that had been set down, but the main problem wasn't even this. No, the problem that he foresaw, but didn't seek to solve was the effect of time. With time, the consciousnesses started to lose their purpose due to the boredom. We are all connected, so when the first of our brethren turned into a sinister lunatic who only wanted to possess someone in order to leave the confines of our corporeal body, we were all shocked. Together, with what little power that was available to us, we made him perish, but more started to follow. One by one, like leaves on a tree, the Noble Heroes of the Empire Of Angaria became lost. Only I and one other remain, while the rest just lie in wait for a host to inhabit. One such brother of mine has managed to trap your friend. In one month, he is going to possess him and become the strongest being on this continent. You must stop him if you want to save this continent, and your friend."
As Daneel heard this fascinating tale, he couldn't help but drop his jaw with awe.
Noble Heros beset with a purpose, but corrupted by time.
It all sounded like a fantasy, but something inside him, which had changed so deeply due to the revelation of the 'truth' behind Empire Spirits, wondered why he should believe this whole story.
As if sensing his feelings, a sign echoed inside his mind, before Daneel found himself pulled away from reality, just like before, when he had witnessed that scene of the figure massacring thousands of innocent people.
After the scene became clear, Daneel realized that he was in a very strange room.
It was circular, and instead of stone or typical materials, the room seemed to be made of gold that shone in the light that looked like it was emanating from everywhere.
Glass windows were set all around, and the intricate pattern etched on them depicted fantastic sights of mythical beasts that Daneel had only heard of.
However, Daneel quickly realized that he wasn't alone, and that something was wrong.
Everything seemed…bigger.
It was as if he had shrunk…or had entered the abode of a giant unwittingly.
As he finally placed his focus on the only figure in the room, he understood that it was the latter.
This man was at least 9 feet(2.75 meters) tall, and his back seemed so broad that Daneel felt sure that it could encompass the length of his own body.
He was wearing regal light-gold colored robes on which the designs looked like they were moving, and his white hair that reached his shoulders was neatly combed back.
Daneel was in the center of the room, and when he heard a door opening behind him, he turned around.
Unlike that other vision where he had interacted with everyone, in this one, it looked like he was just here to watch, as he wasn't paid any attention by anyone.
Numerous individuals entered, and many of them weren't even human.
After a few moments, the door closed, and the man who had been looking out all this time finally turned around.
He had a chiseled face, but the thing that would strike anyone first was his eyes.
They contained such dignity, such presence, such wisdom that anyone would want to just bend the knee and bow down out of sheer respect and reverence.
This urge to kneel seemed to be born from the very soul of a being, and although he was only here to watch, Daneel couldn't resist. He knelt along with all the others in the room, but as he did so, he realized something.
This wasn't his first time seeing this man.
No, he had seen him before.
However, it made sense why it had been difficult to identify that as first glance.
It was because the last time Daneel had seen him, he was busy carrying out a terrifying slaughter.