Magical Soul Parade

Chapter 364: The Ossuary vs The Errant (I)

He heard his name being called and his attention was drawn back to the present. He walked up to his father, Cade XIV, who was standing a distance away on a frozen wall of ice. That was where his regiment — the regiment of the Thorne family, had been assigned.

For miles, a great wall stretched across the peaks. It towered about fifty stories into the air, made fully of reinforced rock, ice, and materials found in this frozen region. It was a massive defensive structure that looked like a scar across the mountains.

Apparently, anchor points were being made all along the ridge, but the purpose they served remained unknown to him. From the fact that they were called anchor points, Cade could already tell it probably had something to do with pinning down the Error Bearer in question.

"Cade! Over here," his father called out, beckoning him with a firm wave of his hand.

He reached his father, who pulled him by the shoulder to introduce him to a guest. It was a man who looked older than his father, but still young enough that the position he held was terrifying.

This was an Inner Circle member, but not just any kind. He was an Ancestor of his own family at a relatively young age. Usually, Ancestors were much, much older than this man.

The man in question belonged to one of the most regal Sepulcher families in existence: the Vail family. They were a family that was usually only ever heard of but never seen. Not even in the common sessions of the Inner Circle or at general house meetings were they present. Yet the Ossuary never held it against them... and that was because of the vital specialization of the family.

They were the equivalent of the Ossuary’s assassins. The kind of people the Inner Circle called upon whenever a task seemed too difficult, too delicate, or required immediate, absolute results regardless of the target’s rank.

"Ancestor Vail, allow me to introduce my son, Cade XV," his father said, his voice carrying an uncharacteristic edge of flattery. "He has been eager to meet those who truly uphold the order of the Ossuary."

The man nodded curtly, his face a flat mask of coldness. A younger female stood next to him, and she seemed to be the person Cade had really been called to meet.

"And this," his father continued, pulling Cade closer, "is Orla, the young heiress of the Vail family. It is truly remarkable to see one so young achieve so much. To think she reached the Preceptor rank at an age even earlier than you did, Cade!" his father turned his attention away from him, then addressed the Vail family Ancestor:

"He only achieved the status a year ago, Ancestor, and we thought him a prodigy. Your daughter’s talent truly humbles our modest Thorne family efforts."

Orla, the girl being applauded, nodded without any change to her expression, her deep, abyss-black eyes passing over Cade cursorily.

The look irked him immediately. It felt like she was looking through him rather than at him. As though he were nothing worth mentioning. But he let it slide. He knew just how dangerous it was to slight the greater families. If the normal nobility hierarchy was complex, the Sepulchre Houses family hierarchy was even more violent.

What is the use of all this, though? Cade thought to himself. Already, from the soul emanations coming off Orla, he knew she was powerful... very powerful, especially considering her age. Despite the fact they were both Preceptor-level talents, he had known from the moment he saw her that she was on a different level than he was.

I mean... she is not even trying to hide it.

Her aura was freely loose around her as though she did not care about who was nearby. With the level of passive soul emanations coming from her, any Adept-rank Ossuarist that came close would have a hard time simply remaining conscious from the oppression.

Not so subtle for the heiress of a family of assassins, Cade snorted inwardly, but he continued to smile and nod as his father continued his praises.

"We have much to learn from the Vail lineage," his father added, looking between Cade and the girl with a calculating glint in his eyes. "Perhaps our families can find more common ground in the days to come, once this business with the Error Bearer is concluded."

The Vail Ancestor gave a noncommittal hum. "The Error Bearer is a unique challenge. We are here to ensure the anchor points hold. Nothing more, nothing less."

Cade continued to nod, but inwardly, he was getting irritated by his father’s unusual behavior. At first, he had thought this was the normal, perfunctory buttering-up given to a family of higher status to forge a semblance of goodwill. But right now, it didn’t even seem like that anymore. The praises being heaped on this girl were beginning to make him feel insufficient.

He had always been regarded as a talent in his own right, no matter where he went. But for the past few months since the world tear had opened, he had met people greater than him over and over again. It made him feel like a middling talent.

He simply nodded and pushed on through the pleasantries. At this point, he had finally seen the true goal of his father. Cade XIV was already calculating a potential relationship between the Thornes and the Vails through a link between him and the heiress.

Cade simply smiled and played along, though in his mind he knew he would never allow himself to be a pawn in such a marriage alliance.

After the guests were gone, he walked to the edge of the wall alone. He looked out at the frozen waste and made a vow to himself:

"During this battle with the Error Bearer, I’m going to make everyone see just how superior I truly am..."

"A marriage alliance...? What am I? A chess piece?" Cade hissed under his breath, the thought of the prior exchange making his blood rise again. He looked towards the horizon and his gaze firmed with ambition and conviction. "They simply haven’t seen my true worth yet. They will all know the name Cade Thorne XV before the end of this battle."