Magical Soul Parade

Chapter 314: Law of The Pact

"And it is not just for Ossuarists, either. Arcanists can lose their soul bound beasts or artifacts in the same way. The connection is severed by the city’s rules and handed to the one who proved themselves superior," he paused, then his voice took on a different tilt. "It is as I said earlier... This place is free-for-all."

Finn snorted at the explanation, not failing to notice the change in Cade’s tone towards the end. "Basic knowledge says a soul mass is powered by the soul of its owner. What happens to the soul debts? What about the spiritual rejection?"

"The pact handles all of it," Cade replied with a shrug. "The debt is transferred along with the mass. It’s the unique nature of this place itself. The environment naturally acts as the bridge, making Stratus a perfect haven for those who have the strength to take what they want. It makes things very exciting, wouldn’t you say?"

Cade continued to lead them forward, but Finn was no longer listening to the noble’s sales pitch. In his own mind, he had originally thought he would only pass through this place to get information on Althea and the Transcendents. He wanted to move fast and hit his targets before they knew he was coming. But now, he was genuinely intrigued.

He knew this phenomenon was not normal. Unlike Madoc and Osmund, who seemed to have accepted Cade’s explanation as a simple property of the world tear, Finn could see much deeper. This wasn’t a natural property of the environment. It was the work of someone with a very specific, very powerful Transcendent fragment. Someone was manipulating the laws here on such a massive scale, it was enough to even pass as a natural phenomenon!

Finn looked at the back of Cade’s head. He knew the boy had been eyeing Ryuga since the moment they met. He could see the greed hidden behind the noble’s polite facade. Cade likely believed that he could eventually maneuver Finn into a pact and claim the obsidian dragon for himself. Finn almost smiled at the thought. The arrogance required to think one could take a soul mass from the Errant Heretic was truly impressive.

Cade eventually pointed toward a cluster of high-end buildings on a luxurious island. "My family has a temporary residence there. I would be honored if you and your colleagues would join me. I still haven’t learned which family you hail from, and I’m sure my elders would love to meet someone of your... caliber."

Finn didn’t even look in the direction Cade was pointing. "I’ll find my own place," he said. "I’ve seen enough of the tour. I appreciate you showing us around, but we’ll be going our own way now."

Cade’s expression flickered with a brief moment of irritation, but he quickly masked it with a polite nod. "I won’t bother you then. But if you change your mind, House Thorne is not hard to find. We are at the center of everything here."

Finn nudged Ryuga forward, branching away from Cade and his entourage. As they flew deeper into the residential districts, Finn drew a massive amount of attention. He was flying Ryuga at a much, much reduced size, but the dragon was still nearly a hundred feet long. Its black scales shimmered like polished glass, and its serpentine body moved through the air without the need for wings, a sight that was exceedingly rare even among the most powerful Ossuarist families.

People stopped what they were doing to watch him pass. They looked at the wingless dragon with wide eyes, whispering to one another about its origin. Behind Finn, Madoc and Osmund stood stoically, their alien features and white fur marking them as outsiders that no one recognized. But the pair didn’t look at the crowds, their eyes were fixed forward as they followed Finn’s lead.

Finn himself was the main subject of their scrutiny. He looked very young, yet he was controlling an ancient, regal creature that clearly possessed immense power. The crowds parted before him like water before a ship. He headed toward a series of floating islands that looked more like common residential abodes, seeking a place that was less prestigious than the central districts.

On his way, he saw another pact take hold in a smaller arena below. This time, it was a battle between two Arcanists. One had been beaten down by his opponent, and his tamed beast — a large, winged panther — was now being relinquished. The animal roared in confusion for a split second before its eyes cleared. It walked toward the victor and lowered its head in total submission. It was as if the years it had spent with its previous master had been erased from its mind.

Finn noted the efficiency of the transfer. It wasn’t just a physical movement of the creature. The beast’s very loyalty and the spiritual connection required to command it had been rewritten. It carried over everything needed to properly function under a new master. This realization made him even more eager to find the person responsible for the city’s laws.

He glanced toward the upper reaches of the artificial dome. High above the rest of the city, at the very highest point of Stratus, was a single, grand landmass. It was obscured by clouds and defended by a layer of shimmering golden energy. Finn was sure that was where the architects of this place were hiding. But he chose not to barge in yet. He was after retribution, and for that, he needed more information, but he wasn’t going to go about this like a mindless brute.

He also made a mental note to be less flashy from now on. He had already announced his presence to the entire city by flying in on Ryuga, but going forward, he wanted to stay under the radar. The eyes on them were too many, and the whispers were becoming a nuisance.

They eventually landed on one of the larger residential landmasses. The structures here were more modest, made of grey stone and iron. As they touched down, Finn noticed that no one was willing to approach them.