CHAPTER 126: THE SALISSIC VEIN, INTEGRATING.

The Salissic Vein bastion thrummed with tense anticipation, its concentric walls brimming under layers of wards as the 201 Divine Constructs integrated with the defenses.

The 200 Limbo Tier Constructs, their black dust forms flickering with pale flame eyes, scattered efficiently into groups, fanning out to key defense points.

Battlements overlooking the churning horizon, chokepoints along the outer perimeter, and reinforced gates where the ground already trembled with distant rumbles.

Each group moved with synchronized yet humanoid grace to maintain their agenda of having individuality. However, their asymmetric horns glinting under the alien sky as they positioned themselves like silent sentinels, communicating in low, airy whispers that carried Samael’s direct tactical intent.

The Lust Tier Construct, towering above its kin, directed the deployment with a sweep of its amalgamated wings, its radiant voice carrying across the field like a commanding melody.

It definitely wasn’t needed at all, but it sure appeared menacing and natural.

"Secure the diviners first—they’re the linchpin against the illusions," it instructed, its crimson-black hair flowing as it gestured sharply.

Limbo Tiers peeled off in pairs, assigning themselves as bodyguards to the bastion’s diviners, who chanted atop the walls, their robes billowing in the wind like sails caught in a storm.

These ethereal figures, hands weaving spells of clarity and warding with intricate finger movements, were crucial—dispelling the Hollow Aequor’s psychic assaults and providing buffs to hold the line, their voices rising in harmonious incantations that shimmered the air even before the conflict happens.

In a way, they also soothe the people of the bastion, and motivate the military forces of the bastion.

Seeing it in action throughout numerous lenses of the Limbo Tiers, Kivas wondered if she could somewhat replicate such an effect for her own Vaingall.

Then again, her constant presence was enough of a motivation to everyone in Vaingall. The Claturians worshipped her greatly to the point of overtaking empty plots with too many temples dedicated to her.

And the Vaingall’s current military force was essentially Samael, who was always motivated whenever she was near Kivas in action.

Somewhere in the future, Oizys would also follow this path and be capable of churning out her own version of Limbo Tiers. If that day happened, then Vaingall would be enough of a threat in their offensives where they could stand toe to toe with some of the main playing factions of Fathomi.

Of course, the major factions were still out of their league for the current moment.

"So these are the reinforcement we get huh."

"They look menacing, and possibly strong."

"To think that a skill or technology exists to make these beings."

"What if they are their own species entirely?"

"I don’t know, they give off the same vibes as the puppets of the Umbra Kingdom."

"One of them helped me with my grocery just a moment ago, I think they are not the same with those creepy puppets."

"Look, one of them is protecting the diviner!"

A Limbo Tier would hover near each, its void essence ready to shield or strike if illusions pierced the defenses, forming a protective circle that allowed the diviners to focus without fear of sudden ambushes.

Meanwhile, the Lust Tier glided toward Morgina, who stood on a raised platform overlooking the inner field, his skull mask casting stark shadows as he gripped a staff etched with blood runes.

Morgina’s posture was rigid, his cloak fluttering erratically, a subtle tremor in his hands betraying an internal struggle.

He muttered under his breath, his masked gaze darting left and right as if battling unseen foes, his usual commanding presence frayed at the edges, fingers clenching and unclenching around the staff like a man trying to hold onto sanity itself.

Back in Vaingall, the hallowed sanctuary around Yoiglah’s colossal form that served as a viewing chamber, the divine holographic screens floating like windows into the distant chaos.

Kivas leaned forward, her halo pulsing with concern as she studied Morgina’s image, her fingers tapping a thoughtful rhythm in the air. "That Morgina—the bastion’s leader—he’s under some influence... Look at his stance; it’s like he’s fighting two wars at once, one external and one gnawing from within."

Samael, arms crossed as she paced slowly behind the group, nodded with a faint smirk, her draconic horns catching the screen’s glow.

She flicked her wrist, syncing her senses through the Lust Tier, her red-black hair swaying as she paused mid-step, her expression sharpening with focus.

"Through the Lust Tier, I can feel it—a curse-like state, acute madness gnawing at him. Not natural either, tied to the quakes, maybe, but targeted, like a precision strike on his mind."

Azulus, her ledger open in her lap as she sat cross-legged on a stone bench, glanced up with a neutral furrow of her brow, her quill hovering mid-note, her mouse ears twitching slightly as she absorbed the information. "The Karasu reports confirm it—Salissic Vein’s been hammered by mass illusions and psychic quakes for days, short intervals, relentlessly.

"Could’ve worn him down, or made him susceptible to mental tremor, especially if he’s the focal point of their assaults."

Samael halted her pacing, leaning against a pillar with a shrug, she crossed her arms tighter, her gaze locked on the screen with a mix of analytical detachment and subtle concern. "But the others aren’t affected like that. Look at the diviners, the soldiers, and the Hunters—they’re sharp, focused, moving with purpose of the mind like how a normal being appeared to be. Morgina’s the outlier as of now, like someone’s painted a target on his back."

Oizys’s black feather wings rustled softly as she tilted her head toward Azulus, her grin sly but curious. "Got any background on this Morgina guy in your archives? Karasu must have something—founder types don’t stay anonymous, especially not when they are a collaborative partner."

Azulus’s mouse ears perked, her deadpan expression unchanging as she input a query into her ledger.

The pages glowed and shifted like they were merely a reflection of thousands, as magical text scrolling like a digital database—her quill dancing across the surface with quick, precise strokes.

"Morgina, one of the ten founders of the Suiyen Concord. Been tied to Salissic Vein for 75 years. Combat prowess on par with an A-rank Void Hunter, but reports suggest he’s hiding his full strength—carefully, too, like a card up his sleeve.

"Leadership’s his forte, that’s how the bastion’s lasted this long. And he’s the one who brokered peace with the Umbra King—volatile as that tyrant is. In the Paradox War’s mess, that’s no small feat, turning potential enemies into reluctant neutrals, heh."

Karen, standing beside Oizys pointed at the screen with a small smile, her gray eyes lighting up behind her glasses, "Wait—that means the bastion’s older than the Concord itself."

For clarity, Karen didn’t wear glasses because she had an eye problem.

She just thought that it looked good on her current setup.

Azulus nodded, her quill scratching a quick note, her voice steady as she flipped a glowing page, her ears twitching again as she cross-referenced data. "The Concord formed around bastions like Salissic—survivors banding together in the war’s wake, in a way. Just like how the New Vaingall Consortium is a united version of everyone within the Vaingall territory."

On the screen, through the Lust Tier’s periphery, the Construct turned its blindfolded helmet toward Morgina, its crimson-black hair flowing as it hovered closer, its needle-like legs silent on the ground.

Its voice carried a flirtatious warmth, conversational and engaging, like a confidant drawing out secrets over a shared drink. "Have you ever dealt with a Hollow Aequor invasion of this scale before?"

Morgina chuckled dryly, his staff tapping the platform as he adjusted his cloak, his masked face tilting slightly.

He rubbed his temple, a gesture of lingering strain, before responding with a weary conviction, his gloved hand clenching the staff tighter. "Never this caliber, no. But personal encounters? Plenty.

"The depths don’t forget faces—or grudges. They’ve haunted my steps for years."

Azulus’s ears twitched again, her ledger glowing brighter as she cross-referenced, her quill pausing in surprise. "That’s new. Karasu archives have no record of Morgina’s history with the Hollow Aequor. Could it be extremly classified? Then again, I’m a Field Archiver so I should be able to access it—or scrubbed clean for a reason."

The Lust Tier leaned in on the screen, its amalgamated wings shifting subtly, its tone probing yet light, as if coaxing a story from an old friend at a tavern. "Any wisdom to share? This is our first tango with the abyssals—me and the legion."

Morgina’s chuckle faded, his voice hardening in tone, "Never believe the sweet nectar of lies...

"The Hollow Aequor consists of chaotic hive minds that can’t even agree among themselves—conflicting psyches, madness in every wave. That’s their weakness... and their strength.

"In a way, they have a mixed reaction with any spell or skill with a maddening effect. But taking a risk on whether they would react aggressively or get fully incapacitated is not of worth,

"Instead, you can try to exploit their senses and trick them through their own inherited madness. Like a shepherd who gives the illusion that the barn is a safe place, words and concise manipulation works wonders for dealing with the abyssal freaks."

"I guess that’s how they targeted this bastion in the first place."

"The Umaska Alliance exploited it with the same kind of psychic herders, pitting them against us. Indeed, what a terrifying faction to deal with."

The Lust Tier’s helmet tilted, its voice thoughtful, a hint of intrigue weaving through as it crossed its arms, mimicking Samael’s casual stance. "And how’d Salissic Vein end up in Yevdat territory? Paradox War’s intense—relocation without any proper preparation seemed to be concerning."

Morgina paused, his masked gaze distant, a faint tremor in his stance as he gripped the parapet, his fingers white-knuckled. He chuckled again, but it was edged with bitterness, his voice lowering as if sharing a guarded secret. "Your kind craves knowledge more than battle, huh?"

"Knowing every affiliated aspect helps navigating for the details. It might increase the efficiency of our operations, you know?"

"Unfortunately, this information might weaken your efficiency instead."

Back in Vaingall, Kivas frowned at the screen, her halo dimming with concern as she leaned closer, "What does he mean by that?"

Azulus flipped through her ledger, the pages glowing as text scrolled rapidly, her quill hovering as she scanned entries with a focused gaze. "Suiyen infighting—among the key players. Not all bastions are under Karasu support, so details are sparse, but it’s not volatile or malicious.

"More like jests, annoyances—rivalries that simmer but don’t boil over, petty squabbles that could distract in a fight."

Samael snorted, her arms uncrossing as she leaned closer to the screen, her eyes narrowing with analytical sharpness, her draconic horns casting shadows. "Politics, huh. We can handle that noise—cut through the drama with a blade if needed."

Oizys twirled her tool, her grin sly as she pocketed it, her black feather wings rustling with a casual shrug. "Or exploit it."

The group fell silent as the screens flickered with urgency, the distant horizon darkening on the holograms.

Morgina’s voice cut through, his tone sharpening suddenly, his staff slamming down on the platform for emphasis, the impact echoing like a thunderclap.

"It’s coming—the psychic quake, and with it, the mass illusion from the abyssal trench."