Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 370

Chapter 370: Interception II

Aiden nodded, his mind racing. He scanned the chamber, identifying key points where the leyline energy converged. If they could disable those nodes, the ritual would collapse.

“Kira, target the nodes on the left,” he ordered. “Marcus, take the right. The rest of you, cover their positions. I’ll handle the center.”

The team moved into position, their movements synchronized and precise. Aiden waited until everyone was in place before giving the signal.

“Go.”

Arrows flew, striking the leyline nodes with pinpoint accuracy. Explosions of light and energy erupted across the chamber, and the chanting faltered as the robed figures scrambled to stabilize the ritual.

Aiden surged forward, his blade flashing as he cut down the nearest acolytes. He reached the central node and drove his sword into its core. The crystalline structure cracked, its glow dimming as the leyline energy began to dissipate.

Salvara turned, her eyes blazing as she took in the scene. “You dare—” she began, but Aiden was already moving, his team retreating under the cover of smoke bombs.

“Fall back!” he ordered, his voice cutting through the chaos.

The team moved swiftly, evading the disoriented guards and the enraged Warden. As they exited the cavern, the ground shook violently, and a deafening roar echoed behind them. The ritual had collapsed, and with it, the Celestial Court’s plans.

But Aiden knew this was only the beginning. Salvara wouldn’t let this go unanswered, and the war was far from over. For now, though, they had won a critical victory—a single move in a game that would determine the fate of the realm.

The team didn’t stop moving until they were far beyond the fissure, their steps synchronized as they melted into the dense forest under the cover of night. The tremors from the collapsing cavern still reverberated faintly beneath their feet, and the sky to the south was alight with an unnatural glow—a testament to the leyline energy unleashed by the destruction of the ritual site.

Aiden’s breaths came evenly despite the exertion, his blade sheathed as he led his team to the designated rendezvous point. Behind him, Kira glanced back toward the mountain, her expression tense.

“That Warden… she’s going to come for us,” Kira said, her voice a mix of worry and adrenaline. “There’s no way she’ll let this slide.”

“She will,” Aiden replied coolly, his tone devoid of fear. “But that’s exactly what we want. She’ll prioritize hunting us down over stabilizing the region. It buys us time to move forward while their forces are in disarray.”

Kira nodded, though the concern in her eyes lingered. Myne, walking a few paces ahead of her, smirked. “You heard the boss. Let her come. I wouldn’t mind testing my shadowmancy against her firepower.”

“Focus,” Aiden said sharply, cutting off any further banter. “We’re not out of the woods yet—literally or figuratively.”

They reached the rendezvous point—a small clearing where the undergrowth was thick enough to obscure their presence from above. Aiden motioned for everyone to huddle together as Liam’s spectral form appeared, flickering slightly from the strain of maintaining their connection.

“Good work,” Liam began, his voice calm but urgent. “But we’ve got a problem. The leyline’s collapse created a surge in nearby energy fields. It’s drawing attention—fast.”

Aiden frowned. “Define ‘attention.'”

“Multiple factions are converging on this location,” Liam continued. “Not just the Celestial Court. Scouts from the Black Sun Syndicate and the Silver Moon Concord are already on the move.”

The names were enough to make the operatives shift uneasily. The Black Sun Syndicate was a ruthless organization of mercenaries and warlords, while the Silver Moon Concord was a guild of battle-hardened mages known for their surgical precision in combat. Neither group was the kind to stumble upon an opportunity and let it pass.

“Let me guess,” Myne said dryly, folding her arms. “They think there’s something valuable left in that cavern?”

“Most likely,” Liam confirmed. “And they won’t care who gets caught in the crossfire.”

Aiden’s eyes narrowed. “How much time do we have?”

“Minutes,” Liam said. “They’re faster than I anticipated. You’ll need to move—now.”

“Damn it,” Kira muttered, gripping her bow. “Do we head back to base?”

Aiden shook his head. “No. They’ll track us if we leave a trail. We hold position until they pass, then we move under the cover of their chaos. Let them tear each other apart.”

“Bold,” Myne said with a faint grin. “I like it.”

Aiden’s expression remained serious. “This isn’t about being bold. It’s about survival. Liam, keep monitoring their movements. The second there’s an opening, let me know.”

“Understood,” Liam said before his projection vanished.

The team melted into the surrounding foliage, each member taking a position that allowed for both concealment and an ambush if necessary. The minutes dragged on, tension coiling tighter with every distant sound of movement. Aiden’s Spirit Sense stretched to its limit, mapping out the approach of the enemy forces.

The Black Sun Syndicate arrived first. Clad in dark leather armor reinforced with bone plating, they moved with a predator’s precision. Their leader—a towering man wielding a wickedly curved glaive—paused at the edge of the clearing, his eyes scanning the shadows.

“Spread out,” he barked, his voice a guttural growl. “If there’s anything left here, I want it found.”

The Syndicate operatives fanned out, their movements silent but methodical. Aiden remained perfectly still, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword. Beside him, Myne’s fingers twitched, shadow tendrils coiling around her palms like living serpents.

Moments later, the Silver Moon Concord arrived. Their mages wore flowing silver robes that shimmered with arcane runes, their staves glowing faintly as they stepped into the clearing. The air grew heavy with magical energy, and their leader, a woman with cold, calculating eyes, regarded the Syndicate with open disdain.

“This is Concord territory now,” she declared, her voice ringing with authority. “Leave, or be dealt with.”

The Syndicate leader sneered. “This isn’t a negotiation, mage. Step aside, or I’ll decorate this clearing with your entrails.”

Tension crackled between the two groups, both sides bristling with hostility. Aiden watched from his vantage point, his mind racing. If they struck now, they could potentially sow even more confusion. But the risk of exposure was high, and the timing had to be perfect.

Before he could decide, the situation escalated. One of the Syndicate operatives stepped too close to a mage, who reacted instinctively, blasting him with a bolt of lightning. The Syndicate responded instantly, their glaives and daggers flashing as they lunged at the mages.

The clearing erupted into chaos, and Aiden seized the opportunity. He signaled to his team, and they slipped away under the cover of the melee, moving like shadows through the forest.

As they distanced themselves from the battle, Aiden glanced back briefly. The glow of magic and the clash of steel lit up the night, and the screams of the dying echoed through the trees.

“Let them fight,” he muttered to himself, his voice cold. “We’ve got bigger battles ahead.”

The forest enveloped Aiden and his team as they moved swiftly, each step measured to avoid the crack of a branch or the rustle of leaves. The distant clash of battle faded behind them, replaced by the rhythmic pounding of their boots and the whispers of the wind through the trees. They didn’t stop until the chaos was a memory, the glow of leyline energy far out of sight.

When they finally paused, Aiden raised a hand, signaling for the team to halt. His senses were still extended, probing the forest for signs of pursuit. None came, but the tension in his gut didn’t ease.

“We clear?” Myne asked, leaning casually against a tree, though her eyes darted to the shadows around them.

“For now,” Aiden said. His Spirit Sense picked up no immediate threats, but he knew better than to assume safety. “Liam?”

A shimmer of light flickered beside him as Liam’s spectral form reappeared. “You’ve put enough distance between yourselves and the combat zone. Both factions are still fully engaged, though the mages seem to have the upper hand.”

Aiden nodded, his gaze narrowing. “They’ll likely sweep the area once they’re done. If they find any residual traces of leyline energy, it could lead them to other sites.”

“Then we need to make sure they don’t,” Myne interjected, crossing her arms. “If they catch wind of our operation, we’ll be fighting a war on three fronts.”

Kira, still catching her breath, chimed in. “The Black Sun Syndicate and the Silver Moon Concord hate each other enough to keep them occupied for now, but you’re right. If either of them figures out what we’re doing, it’ll get ugly fast.”

Aiden weighed their words, his mind racing through possibilities. “We can’t afford to clean up the site ourselves. Too risky. Liam, can you scatter the leyline traces remotely?”

Liam’s expression flickered with uncertainty. “I can redirect some of the ambient energy, but doing so could draw attention. If their mages are still nearby, they might notice.”