The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'-Chapter 325 - A Snake That Chases Two Foxes Catches Both

Chapter 325: Chapter 325 - A Snake That Chases Two Foxes Catches Both

An illusionist’s footsteps made little actual sound as she followed the retreating russet form that had interrupted her time with Qatrand. She wasn’t entirely sure why she was pursuing the creature so vigorously, but she could think of at least two reasons.

The oddity of its presence in an incursion area was part of it. Putting off helping that woman long enough that she might get *herself* killed was another. Both were severe distractions... which she somewhat needed.

Her spirit contracted its bulk tight around her form as she moved further from her husband-wife. Using only what little was needed for efficient deception on the target and to thinly scout in a sphere around herself. But she still groaned and whimpered with each step she took away and each step Qat took deeper into the camp of civilians.

It wasn’t that the separation pained her irreparably... but the comfort and certainty of her beloved’s presence had become so *fundamental* again when she had been ’seen’. The edges of the shell around her spiritual core had become a little porous. A little harder to hide.

But no one - except someone on the same spiritual level or higher - should be able to tell anything about that.

The fox paused at a fallen tree with its ears twitching as it glanced back. Its eyes reflected the moonlight with unusual luster. Not the immediately skittish behavior of a wild animal, but something more... contemplative as it looked about for signs of prey or predator.

"You’re an interesting little thing, aren’t you?"

Her monotone voice barely disturbed the night air - and definitely did not get past the sphere of gasses she kept around her form. Yet the fox’s ears flicked again before it darted deeper into the undergrowth. At a speed not too much to follow, but still enough to make it more effort.

’Do I need it for anything?’

Elua considered abandoning this little diversion to retrieve Kefa as promised. Yet something about the creature’s behavior tugged at ancient instincts. Ones that had kept her alive through countless dangerous situations in the past.

She catalogued the evidence methodically: a beast showing unusual awareness of being followed, yet also unaffected by the dull disturbance of essence caused by the incursion points... and moving with too much purpose after growing far too close to their intimate moment earlier.

’Well, even if I can’t find any reason to care for it, someone may take it. Perhaps Nohre? After I train it well...’

A small curl of a Primalist’s essence field extended from her fingertips before spiraling out in all directions. Calling specific gas molecules from the surrounding air. Compression of desirables, calculation of pressures and shifted temperatures, and safe release of the excess types.

Her command of the essence might be too theoretical to most Enchanter level cultivators, as she was ’supposed’ to still be - but millennia of practice with raw essence had refined such imaginative expressions of reality into an art all its own.

’Shaping a blankness into your Element is a Defier’s benefit. But I am rather lucky that my own is almost constantly around me. Very easy to practice, very easy to manipulate without carrying extra!’

The liquid she had her appropriate disciple carry, the pile of particulates that she suggested Fusand keep on hand, and the acid she once used to keep vials of in her past life. All of it was very cumbersome to her current ability. For that matter, her ’fortress’ was even luckier.

Such a fundamental force had very few locations where it could not be found to manipulate. As long as two things held any closeness... there would always be the pull between them. And for her part, Elua intended to never leave her Qat alone for too long.

Reddish brown fur suddenly stopped its rush forward. Its nose raised as it sniffed the air and attempted to backtrack. But it was too late. The carefully regulated mixture of sweet smelling gas had completely surrounded it.

To induce a drowsy state. To capture it without harm.

Seconds later, the reincarnator approached when the creature’s legs buckled. Its eyes grew heavy and slipped into slumber. A very simple anesthetic she had been introduced to during her medical career. One which would not keep it under for long once she stopped providing it.

She knelt beside the fox, stroking its soft fur. Despite its unusual behavior, it appeared to be a relatively ordinary animal. No hidden markings that a Guild might place or unusual spiritual signature from another cultivator.

"So you’re just a slightly energy aberrant species like the Skydancers. Curious, I’d thought most of you had died out since my time. But I guess some bloodlines remain."

With practiced movements, she lifted the creature and draped it across her shoulders like a sleeping child. For that is what it was made to think, through her illusions piercing into its mindscape. Its steady breathing tickled her neck as she continued her journey.

Now, her attention could be turned toward finding the wayward Ironclad Order member.

"Now to find that woman and convince her to stop looking at my Qat like she’s a meal."

El thought that, if she had to gas and force the woman asleep like this fox... she probably would drag her back by an ankle instead of giving the woman such a nice ride.

<⦑ ⟠ ⟠ ⟠

"You don’t seem as bothered by Kefa now."

Qat made the observation as they were curled against a tree trunk, shortly after they stopped making out. The brunette’s hands had started to claw too fiercely at the Yecine’s ribs and shoulder blades as they kissed. Because of that, the blonde knew they had gone over the wise limit and put a stop to it.

While thinking of anything she could to distract herself, as mint eyes looked up at her in a sort of begging disappointment... she recalled how she had noticed her wife glared less at the woman since they made it back. Since the stories started to circulate.

"I still don’t like her thinking of you that way. But she’s serving her purpose better than I anticipated. More believable than if you or I told it. My admiration is just as genuine... but your relationship with her is different."

The girl sighed.

"Also, as she is a veteran combatant with Descent experience, her word carries more than mine would to those who recognize this. Age really has its own value..."

Curls of distaste could be felt in Qatrand, orienting on the term ’your relationship’. While the taller teen knew the meaning was in the general sense, it still reminded her of when she was told by the smaller what lay in the woman’s spirit.

"I felt... really strange about her interest. Not flattered. Almost..."

"You were ’repulsed’. I felt it. Really made the kiss that much more electric..."

Elua supplied with some dreaminess in her voice. While the current elongated session of smooching was nice, being taken with that feeling in the other girl’s heart - to prove that she was no one else’s but the Goltbred heiress’s spouse - had been jolting and melting in a whole different way!

"...Yes. I didn’t... really expect to feel that way."

"I found it remarkably sweet, actually. I knew you can be a little jealous at times, and I’ve never had thoughts about either of us being unfaithful, but... and don’t get me wrong dear, but..."

"What?"

"Your possessiveness towards me, that goes full circle into acknowledging a sort of ownership of each other. I didn’t expect it. And I really liked the feeling, Qat... of you truly, viscerally wanting me to be the only one for you."

Pigeon blues quickly averted from the soft face, lips, neck, and everything of her cute wife.

"I’ve felt that way for a while about you, though perhaps I show it differently."

"You certainly showed it earlier. That was very... effective. If I hadn’t prevented her from seeing it, she might have understood you were not going to be tempted. Might have affected her storytelling."

A soft rumbling chuckle came from the swordswoman as her arms wrapped the girl in a tight hug.

"You’re more than enough temptation, mint-drop. Now, be good. We’re trying to calm down."

"Are we? I thought I was waiting for you to be ready to kiss me again~"

⟠ ⟠ ⟠ ⦒>

Elua sensed the other cultivator’s spirit long before she saw her. A turbulent, agitated knot of energy partially hidden behind a dense thicket. Hiding from the darker, colder presence that made the slumbering fox twitch against her neck on instinct.

’So that’s why it wasn’t too afraid to come out and look around...’

The brunette slowed her approach as she studied this quality of the beast, careful to step silently despite the mirror floating at her back thrumming with illusive processes. When she pushed through the final layer of foliage, she found the twin-blade wielder crouched behind a suspiciously placed rock... staring intently at something ahead. freewēbnoveℓ.com

The woman’s hands rested on her weapon hilts, her body tense with spikes of adrenaline and fear. It was rather similar to her reaction to the leader-class Voidling. But Elua knew that’s not what was waiting down below.

"Honestly, did you have to wander so far? I’ve been looking everywhere."

Kefa startled violently at the ’sweet’ voice so close, spinning rapidly with blades drawn before recognition stopped her. While the points had been aimed at throat and abdomen, the heiress had not flinched at all and just kept talking. Even smiled ’innocently’ despite almost being skewered.

’Or so she thinks...’

Elua was not smiling or where she aimed at all. Not at first. It was only when the woman dropped her stance some that the brunette approached where she was ’supposed’ to be.

"What are... how did you find me? And... is that... a pelt on your shoulder?"

The slumbering fox shifted slightly at the commotion, or perhaps the insult, but didn’t wake. The heiress made a show of stroking its flicking tail absently while her gaze moved past Kefa to what had captured the woman’s attention. A structure of sorts lay half-exposed in artificially flat looking land ahead.

Ancient stone formed what might once have been a ceremonial location. Several pillars, cracked but standing tall, rose around a central depression in the earth. The ground around the location seemed unnaturally disturbed... as if something had recently been unearthed.

Most ’concerning’ - and likely the whole reason the Order member was on alert - was the unnatural wavering in the air emanating from the central pit. A bend of reality like a heat haze that pulsed and danced in what seemed like irregular rhythm, unless you watched long enough for the patterned repetition to begin.

’Very few would have the patience or spiritual fortitude to try.’

"I found you because I am quite good at finding things I’m looking for. This is just a fox I found while looking for you."

’Yes... just a normal fox. Pay no attention to it with your thieving mitts!’

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