The two Wendigos and the three Night Harpies attempted to defend themselves and counterattack against the metal projectiles coming their way, but after a minute, they all started to flee, running or flying away from the area in an attempt to escape.
As soon as these Sky Sovereign creatures began to move away, Vicente used his third skill and reappeared before the entrance to the cave. He then targeted their minds, causing them to make numerous mistakes in their movements.
Then, metal stakes, daggers, swords, and various other metal structures struck their large bodies.
Vicente's mental attack almost instantly destroyed the two Wendigos, while the three Night Harpies sustained severe injuries but remained whole. Nonetheless, they emitted high-pitched screams as they plummeted from the sky, continuing to be struck as the magnetic forces within their bodies persisted.
In just two minutes since they arrived in the area, more than 500 creatures had fallen to the powers of Vicente's group members, littering the surroundings of this sparsely wooded mountainous area with blood and brains.
Vicente halted his use of powers as he reached the cave entrance, where the five monsters had previously been guarding. He quickly sensed that the entrance to the secret high ground in this area was right before him.
As he began to step forward, Torne alerted him, 'Master, there's someone here.'
'What?' Vicente stopped immediately.
'Do you see the stone door at the end of this cave? There are two ways to close the doors of the order's secret altars. One is the correct way, using the altar keys. This method is perfect and seals the doors completely, making it very difficult for even Paragons to break in.
The other way is the wrong way, which is manual. If someone doesn't have the key to the place because they lost it or simply don't have it, they can try to close an open door to prevent the magical fluctuations in the area from escaping and attracting the attention of magical beings. However, in this state, these doors cannot prevent Paragons from entering the place.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})That's how this stone door is now. It has been manipulated by hand. We can't sense the auras inside this secret altar and don't know what's inside. But whoever knows there is an entrance here can easily open this passage.' Torne explained this detail.
'I know there's something inside because the way it was closed could only have been done by someone inside the altar.' He added.
'I see. Well, I'll be careful.' Vicente kept his guard up as he walked toward the inside of the cave.
He soon arrived at the stone door that led to the actual entrance to the altar. Vicente didn't need to use his necklace to get in. He just pushed the stone door open, revealing the inside of the real entrance to the secret altar.
As soon as he did so, he saw blue flames appear on the area's walls, especially on the light fixtures of this place.
'This place has been invaded.' Torne commented as he saw the last door on their way into this altar partially destroyed, but also leaning against it as if someone had tried to close it after breaking in.
'Be careful, master. It would take a very powerful Paragon to break into a place like this.' Torne commented as he stood by to help Vicente in case a creature too strong for them was around.
How strong would it have to be to invade a place like this? The strength of a Low-level Paragon or the strength of a High-level Paragon?
It wasn't that simple. The power needed to break into such a place was predetermined, but a magician's power could vary depending on their talent and magical form.
For example, Casey's power didn't allow him to destroy things physically. He could even use his mana to increase his physical strength and then use his fists and feet to break things. But someone like him would probably have to be an Archmage to be able to break into a place like that.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})On the other hand, Layla's power might allow her to destroy things with small amounts of mana. For example, if she were a Low-level Paragon, she could threaten the place's defenses.
So there was no way of knowing the level of the creature that had entered that place and might be there to threaten the party!
Thus, Vicente and Torne braced themselves for the worst as they passed through the actual entrance to this post and soon encountered the typical interior of the first level of the order's secret altars.
Vicente wore the Cataclysm Moon Pendant around his neck, as there were traps and other things in this place that he could need it for protection.
As soon as they started exploring the place on their own, Torne noticed that there was indeed a Paragon on the second level of the place, where the training and cultivation room of this post was located.
'There is a Mid-level Paragon here. They seem to be a Dark Path creature, but I don't know if that's good or bad, master.' Torne warned, noticing the creature's aura before Vicente did.
'Let's see who they are. They had already noticed us, so it won't make any difference if we leave now.' Vicente commented to the ghost and went to the second level of the building. Meanwhile, he could feel the being in that training room watching him.
The moment Vicente entered the training area of this altar, the creature waiting for him, sitting on the floor with his back to the entrance of this room, opened his mouth, and a frightening voice came out of it.
"You are quite brave to come here even after sensing my aura, ghost." Said the creature, which was basically made of darkness, as if he were a 3D shadow with no defined body contours.
It looked like a pile of mist with the silhouette of a man dressed in black.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})But there was a very distinctive weapon in his lap, a large, shiny scythe.
"Dark Reaper, watch your tone. You stand before the Darkness Master!" Torne said as part of his spiritual body appeared in front of Vicente.
"The Darkness Master? That's funny." The Dark Reaper turned his face sideways as he looked at Vicente with his invisible eyes while laughing darkly.
"There is indeed a bit of darkness in him, but is that all?" The Paragon asked, someone Torne was sure they could not stand against.
Dark Reapers were extremely powerful. They were creatures of the shadows, the natural hunters of the lost souls that haunted this world.
Normally, Dark Reapers would not act violently against beings who had nothing to do with the lost souls of this world. But these beings had their own will and pride, so anything was possible.
The strength of a Dark Reaper was unparalleled, especially regarding their ability to manipulate their special weapon, the scythe.
The scythe of these creatures was not just any weapon. It was part of their power and could even separate the soul from the body and inflict damage that could kill or even maim souls!
That was the natural enemy of ghosts like Torne, so this guy couldn't help but appeal to the fear of the Dark Reaper to avoid his own death and serious problems for Vicente.
"Don't be so hasty. Feel the true power of the master of this altar!"
