Six weeks had passed since Vicente's group left the Valley of Lightning after the Manticora's death.

They had traveled a long way within the northern region until they were very close to reaching their goal, the home of Nixlas' Shadows.

Contrary to what had happened so far in the group's journey, they had hardly faced any magical creatures during these weeks.

Perhaps because this territory is already under the control of monsters, who may have been neglecting the surroundings out of sheer confidence, or because of the group's caution, they had only had one fight on this journey.

It was a battle they had just left the Valley of Lightning.

As they entered the territory to the west of the Vinia Empire, they hadn't been involved in any trouble so far, and were now only a few days away from reaching the headquarters of Vicente's target sect.

They were standing still to allow Lina to use her powers and predict what lay ahead of the group.

...

While Lina was using her powers, the group was on the outskirts, positioned discreetly among the trees in the area, silently waiting.

Vicente was monitoring the terrain to the west, seeing nothing of concern from his position.

The others were in the same position, each of them breathing cautiously in anticipation of the end of Lina's vision.

While the group heard tree leaves swaying in the wind, but also the sound of tiny insects and animals far away, Torne was talking to Vicente.

'When we finish this current journey, you will be able to activate the altars of the order, master. With your current powers, I believe we can simultaneously activate 5 Awakening Altars. That will definitely give us some advantages,' Torne said excitedly.

They knew already that the continent was experiencing a new crisis amid the current problems, something to do with the non-awakening of young magicians who every day reached the age of awakening their powers, but because of the problems in the Congregation of Revelations, could not awaken their skills.

This would obviously be a magnificent opportunity for Vicente!

'That's good. But I have several doubts about how we're going to do this. How will people know that we can awaken their powers? More importantly, won't enemies be aware of our movements?'

Torne said with a confident tone. 'The monsters won't stop us, if that's what you're worried about. They might try to do something against you because of your powers. But they won't act like that because of the altars.

But we'll have to hire people to spread rumors in towns near the altars that we'll use to awaken new magicians. I think it'll be a while before we get what we want.

The order's altars could also awaken Light Path magicians, just as the temples of the Congregation of Revelation could awaken Dark Path magicians. As such, they wouldn't necessarily 'attract' those with an affinity to one path or the other.

The difference is that those with a negative elemental affinity might be more likely to subordinate themselves to Vicente after awakening their powers.

This was Torne's goal for the revival of his old religion/organization, while Vicente intended to use this to strengthen his domains.

From the news they had heard around the continent, states were falling and only a few large cities in these already devastated areas had held out so far. He imagined the same would happen in the south eventually, which meant he would have to take matters into his own hands and establish his own territory, ignoring old borders and even absolute families.

It wasn't Vicente's initial goal to become sovereign of his own domain, but as things developed, he would sooner or later become something of a monarch.

There was a limit to how far he could go as leader of the underworld, a limit he believed the continent had already reached.

Gaining more people through the awakening at his altars would be an important step for him to implement the plans necessary for his people's resistance against the vampires.

'We'll see about that in the future,' he murmured to Torne, seeing that Lina had just awakened from the vision she was having.

"There are no prominent dangers until we reach the entrance to Nixlas' Shadows. All the territory ahead belongs to the sect. As the area is shrouded in darkness and the vampires themselves seem to protect its boundaries, as well as this being the home of powerful magicians, there are hardly any vigilantes in our way." She explained as she looked at Vicente.

"The danger will be in entering the sect. There's a Beginner Archmage in that place, Vice."

"Oh? I didn't think Nixlas' Shadows were so strong... That must have something to do with his alliance with the vampires," Vicente said before asking. "Is this Archmage human?"

"Yes."

The group sighed in relief. It would be very different if such a being were a monster from the Dark Path, an inferior vampire or, worse, a superior vampire.

"Very well. Let's move on. We should reach our goal in less than a week. I'll take care of the Archmage and the Paragons of this sect." Vicente said in a decisive tone and added. "Our goal is to rescue Lauren. But if we can exterminate our enemies, that's our secondary objective. Be aware of that."

With those words, the group started moving west again.

...

As Vicente's group headed towards the Nixlas' Shadows headquarters, a woman and three men, all of them Sky Sovereigns, stopped in front of the entrance to the sect's headquarters.

In front of a gigantic castle, built around a mountain surrounded by dark fog, the group could hear a mixture of sounds that sounded like crying, screams of pain, but also laughter coming from the building.

Around the entrance to the place, where there was a fosse circling the entire area, a red liquid, similar to blood, highlighted the activities in which the group behind this place was involved.

From the bridge where the four magicians stood, they could also smell rotting meat, something that would put off any ordinary magician, but which to them was just a normal odor.

They didn't find the smell pleasant, but it was something they were so used to that they honestly didn't mind smelling it.

The giant iron gates in front of the castle entrance opened, revealing a passage into the sect, while a cadaverous-looking man welcomed the group back.

"Miss, it's good to have you back. How was your mission?" asked this Dark Path magician, a being with millennia of existence, the head doorman of the headquarters.

"We did well. I'm back in the sect to start my seclusion. I hope to advance to the 5th stage in the next few days," Lauren passed the gatekeeper, heading towards her training area, leaving her men in charge of taking care of the bureaucratic matters of the mission they had completed to the south.

As she walked ahead, watched by her companions and the old Mid-level Paragon, she clenched her fists, unable to stop thinking about her previous meeting with Vicente Fuller.

'At our next meeting, things will be different!'