Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy
chapter-778

Darius, probably the impulsive one in the group, was already formulating a plan. "If we can align our temporal flow without making any mistake, we will be undetected… However, I think the castle was protected by a strong Formation Arts."

"It's fine… I already analyzed their Formation Art a while ago. We can do something about." Jin muttered.

Giorgi smiled after hearing this.

"No wonder you're our leader. Let's go!"

Jin just laughed it off as he led his small team to the castle. He looked at the Barrier for a moment before his hand formed a seal before it got distorted and created a hole, allowing them to pass through it without any issues.

It was a simple time manipulation ability, but if he didn't consider the base and source of the Formation Barrier, he would still alarm the Arcanists inside the castle.

Darius and Giorgi just smiled at this since they would probably need at least a few minutes before being able to do what he did. Of course, destroying the Barrier was basic for them, but passing through it without making a commotion was a bit more complicated.

Upon reaching the castle, the Time Manipulators melded with the shadows, their presence as inconspicuous as the passing of seconds.

"Let's focus on the traces of the Vampire." Jin muttered as he started searching the castle.

The castle itself was a labyrinthine structure of towering spires and deep dungeons, its walls steeped in history and most of all, Arcane Protection.

They moved silently as they searched for the Vampire. At this time, their senses were already attuned to the subtlest of vibrations in the temporal fabric.

It wasn't long before they discerned the Vampire's precise location—a secluded tower bathed in the silver light of the moon, its windows aglow with an otherworldly luminescence.

"Mhmmm… A perfect spot for a Vampire." Jin muttered as he looked at Giorgi.

Giorgi then nodded as he used another Temportal Magic allowing him to witness the corridor's past…

This allowed to see Vampire's appearance!

"Beautiful…" They all said at the same time when they saw the black-haired and pale-skinned Vampire.

The Vampire, a figure of ethereal beauty and deadly grace, walked on the corridor where they were at with an air of regal solitude.

Her eyes, pools of nocturnal mystery, scanned the surroundings as she headed to her secluded tower.

Based on the images they'd seen, she had just come from the King's Throne Hall and must've been served by the King himself.

After confirming the location and the appearance of the Vampire, Jin immediately discussed his plan.

Indeed!

The Time Manipulators did not strike immediately.

Instead, they began the intricate ritual to seal the castle, a complex weave of temporal locks and chronal barriers!

Jin started the ritual as he used a sacrificial item, a bronze pocketwatch!

He then raised his hands to the sky, palms facing the moon. He chanted the Invocation of Temporal Anchors, an incantation that called upon the fixed points in time to serve as pillars for their seal…

"In shadows deep, our voices blend,

Time's threads we twist, and paths we bend.

Bound in silence, unseen we move,

Seal this castle, none shall prove."

As his voice echoed into the night, ethereal chains materialized from the ether, shimmering with the light of bygone eras, and anchored themselves to the castle's walls.

Giorgi then began the Dance of the Chronal Weave, his movements were smooth even though he didn't really like this part of the ritual.

Nonetheless, they had to do this.

With each step and turn, he wove the fabric of time into a protective cocoon around the castle.

''Whispers soft, a veil of night,"

Mysteries shroud, out of sight.

Beyond the walls, in echoes call,

Time's embrace, enclose them all."

The air around the castle shimmered as if heat rose from the ground, but it was the weave of time that enveloped the structure, blurring its edges and making it untouchable. This wasn't noticed by anyone in the castle except the Vampire…

The reason she noticed this was because she suddenly lost her connection to the familiars she had placed outside the castle!

This was something that not even the Time Manipulators considered, as they weren't really experts in such matters!

Nonetheless, Lisa couldn't do anything as she still felt confused! She could only start using her Blood Connection to find her familiars!

However, at this point, Darius held aloft a Chronometer, an ancient device that measured not hours, but the flow of time itself.

He adjusted its dials, synchronizing the castle's temporal signature with a moment frozen in perpetuity.

"Through the hours, past and yet to be,

Seal this fortress, none shall see.

Secrets kept, in whispers told,

Mystic forces, forever hold."

The castle's surroundings slowed, its presence fading from the current timeline, as if it had always been a relic of the past.

Together, the Time Manipulators completed the ritual with theFinal Convergence, their voices uniting in a powerful decree that sealed the castle's fate!

"By the power of past, and the echoes of futures unseen,

We bind this stronghold in between.

Let no force, dark or divine,

Break this seal of the threefold line."

A brilliant aura enveloped the castle, a dome of light that solidified into an invisible barrier.

The ritual was complete, the castle sealed within a bubble of time, cut off from the continuum, its fate now in the hands of the Time Manipulators.

"Whew… I don't want to do that again…" Giorgi muttered as he really disliked dancing.

"You did a great job… Darius would make a mistake if he did that." Jin replied.

"Then you should let him practice more!" Giorgi complained, but Darius and Jin just chuckled.

Giorgi also knew that he was the only one capable of doing that complicated dance while voicing the chant that was imbued with Temporal Energy.

Even Jin may not be able to do that, as it has been quite a long time ever since he learned and practiced it.

With the Chrono Seal in place, Jin, Giorgi, and Darius advanced toward the Vampire's Tower with undeniable confidence.

They were already sure that no matter what, the Vampire would no longer be able to escape from them.

Nonetheless, they were still ready to fight…

Although they have an unfathomable ability, they are aware of their own weakness.

As they walked, their steps were silent, their forms seemed to be flickering in the fabric of time, as they approached the heart of the Vampire's domain.

Lisa, the Vampire, stood vigilant atop her tower, her senses alert to the approach of the Time Manipulators.

"Who are these people?" Lisa frowned after noticing their presence…

Though they bore no overt malice, she sensed the latent danger they posed. Her heart, long stilled by the embrace of undeath, thrummed with a semblance of nervous anticipation.

"I have to inform Vale in case something happens to me…" This was her immediate thought as she quickly tried to connect to her summons…

Unfortunately, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't really connect to them…

She could onl sigh at this as she decided to try differently while the three intruders were taking their time.

With a wave of her hand, she summoned her thralls and blood hounds…

Then, she summoned her bats that was formed from her blood. She sent these bats away as she planned to use them to send a message to Vale…

But once again, they somehow disappeared after reaching a certain area!

"An unknown offensive-type Formation Barrier." Lisa muttered as she decided to use her communication crystal instead.

Then, she left a message in this crystal for Vale before she ordered one of her thralls to take it away and hide somewhere in the castle.

She was preparing for the worst…

However, she recalled something and stopped the thrall… Then, she produced a drop of blood on her palm. It was her Vampire Blood Essence, and she infused it into the thrall before sending it away.

This was to ensure that the thrall would have enough strength to reach Vale's castle safely.

Haaa…

Lisa took a deep breath as she prepared for the confrontation.

She donned her Sovereign Artifact, the Red Bruiser, a glove that hummed with destructive potential.

Vale had obtained this from Laura, their previous opponent, before it was given to her…

This Red Bruiser had three abilities.

The first ability was called Space Breaker.

This ability had even surprised Vale, as its power allowed it to annihilate almost anything it came into contact with during its brief activation.

"I trust you…" Lisa muttered as she kissed the back of her left hand, which was wearing the glove.

She only had a short 5 seconds to destroy something with her left glove, but it was certainly a terrifying ability.

Furthermore, this ability could only be employed thrice a day, and was limited to physical objects, rendering it ineffective against spells, spiritual beings, or summoned entities.

It should be perfect against the three unfathomable enemies that were coming at her.

Thud!

Unfortunately, upon the arrival of the three, she quickly discovered she was utterly outmatched by them!