This left them with a massive problem. In just a few moments, the Sapientia would likely decide it was worth the risk of exposing themselves to send in a task force to clean up this mess. This meant that an army the likes of which Madeleine had no chance against would definitely making its way here, likely led by dao experts.
It took Madeleine days to make it here while fighting a battle, so it should only take a few hours, at most, to make it back to Middle Lily City on foot. If they made it back, even if dao experts came, they could do nothing to them.
However, would it take dao experts hours to make it here? Definitely not! This was especially so considering Primus definitely didn't bar their use of the teleportation formations.
To make matters worse, destroying the teleportation formations was impossible. They were the property of the tower and were therefore protected under its rules.
Suddenly, the solution hit Madeleine like a ton of bricks.
"Zaire, Lyla!"
"Two steps ahead of you, big sister." Lyla smiled brightly.
It only took a moment. Middle Sapientia City, or what used to be Middle Sapientia City, flashed with a calm halo of light. In that instant, it was no longer Sapientia Territory, it was now Lyla's territory!
"Everybody enter the city!" Madeleine's voice carried over.
Madeleine was almost kicking herself for worrying. After all, didn't Zaire and Lyla just complete their middle tier trial? Not only did they complete it, they passed to the level only True Gods could.
Unfortunately, their rewards weren't as grand as Madeleine's two year protection. This could only be expected considering they hadn't had the chance to take a Martial Saint Pill yet. However, this didn't matter. They were still given 6 months each.
"Zaire." Madeleine called to her little brother.
"Yes?" Zaire propped up Virvor who seemed to have fallen unconscious. The moment the tension he had been under broke, a wave of mental fatigue had taken him over.
"It's a shame we had to use Little Lyla's reward in this way, but it can't be helped. As things stand now, we have 6 months of protection here and about 1 year and 6-7 months remaining in Middle Lily City.
"Help prepare everyone for teleportation back to Middle Lily City. Soon, I'll lose consciousness, so I can only rely on you two.
"If worse comes to worst and I don't awaken for a long while, be sure to use your reward on Middle Lily City. That will extend the time we have to just over two years."
"And then?..." Zaire asked expectantly.
Madeleine smiled. "Dyon has never lost and I don't expect him to start now."
Zaire's and Lyla's eyes flamed with passion.
When Damaris saw this, her reaction was nothing like it had been before. When she first heard of Dyon, she had felt a hidden defiance within herself and a will to knock him down a peg. But, after so long on Soul Rending Peak and watching the Mortal Alliance grow to what would one day be the Mortal Empire… She felt that she too understood that passion in their eyes.
It was an undying belief that as long as there was even the small path to victory remaining, even if no one else could, he was the man who could grasp it.
There was a very simple reason Madeleine chose to stay here instead of escaping to Soul Quadrant: her fellow disciples.
While she could leave whenever she wanted, the women who had fought by her side couldn't do so. She refused to leave them like this… It was her responsibility as the one who led them into battle to see this through to the end.
Unfortunately, the only person capable of giving them permission to enter Soul Quadrant was Dyon and even Madeleine didn't know where he was now…
She could only believe.
As her power faded and Damaris caught her just before she fell, she had a faint smile on her face, one that said she didn't doubt what the result would be for even a moment. When next she awoke, the Sapientia would be defeated.
**
Not far from Middle Sapientia City, a young man was uproariously laughing. In fact, he was laughing so hard that his torso spasmed and tears fell from his eyes. One would think he was experiencing the greatest comedy to ever be created.
He was surrounded by a group of half a dozen men of various shapes and sizes, all of whom were shaking their heads at his exaggerated reaction. Aside from them, there was an army of several million to his back who had erected numerous tents.
If others saw this scene, their lips would twitch at the absurdity. Who the hell set up camp in the middle of a danger zone like this? This wasn't a campsite!
The young man had a plain appearance. Short black hair, shining black eyes, and an average facial structure. Though, he did seem incredibly meticulous. He was cleanly shaven, there wasn't a speck of dust on his purple robes, and he gave off a fresh aroma only someone who recently took a bath would emanate.
This youth was none other than Emytheus, Aritzia's marriage candidate and leader of the Brotherhood of Guardians who had been making waves on the celestial floors in recent years.
He was currently having a grand time watching the Sapientia implode from the inside out.
Suddenly, a pinging sound came from a tablet he kept in his spatial ring. Since it was within his spatial ring, no one noticed. When he realized who it was who had messaged him, his laughter grew fiercer.
[Ah, if it isn't Madame Aritzia. Don't you feel ashamed messaging this lowly Emytheus using a system created by your enemies? A bit shameless, don't you think?]
Emytheus' throat grew dry at his laughter, it really was too much. The previous Sapientia Network couldn't message people in this way, only the newly reformed Mortal Network could. Yet, Aritzia freely used it as though there was not a single hint of irony.
[It is a useful tool, no matter who made it.] Aritzia messaged back plainly. [I see you made your decision.]
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