Chapter 469: 1 year has passed  

Seeing Roki one of the strongest men in the Empire, breaking them free came as a surprise for the Redwing members. However, it just reminded them of the crazy story Ray had revealed to them all. It turned out that there might be some truth to it after all.

"Brother, you can't break us free." Slyvia said with her hands held on the bars.

"What brother would I be if I was to let you rot in a cell like this, and your friends, of course," Mathew said, giving them a little wave.

It was nice to know they were at least an afterthought.

"You know what I mean. If they find out what you did, with your position in the Alure kingdom army. It will make the Alure kingdom and the Empire enemies."

"About that, the Queen was planning to break off her relationship with the Empire anyway. We are happy to support and form an alliance with the Redwings. Liz has been worried ever since her son had run off to the Redwings, and with Lenny there and others. We aren't as short-sighted as the other kingdoms, maybe not now, but in the future, the Redwings will be a force that can take on an empire with or without a king."

In his hand, Roki held the keys, and the rest of the group was free. Waiting down the tunnel and keeping guard were the two contestants of the Alure kingdom and with them, there were many bodies on the floor that had been knocked out.

With Roki's help, it was fairly easy for them to break free. He had prepared everything, even bringing the strange carriage that they had brought with them. With his position, anything he asked for, people would do it without a second thought.

A high official who was also a celebrity, but after today, he would be giving all that up. To go to a new place and his reason for going there, he wasn't even sure if he was still alive.

The rest stayed in the carriage while Roki was out front and of course, even the guards were happy to let him out. They would still note it down as requested, but by the time Alexander woke up and found out, they would be long gone.

Their destination was the Redwing kingdom, and it would take them a while to go through each of the different places just like they had done on the way here. During their journey, they got to know a bit more about Roki.

He was a king sweat man, an older gentleman in his Frites but he looked younger than that. Apparently, he used to work for the old leader in his party, but most of them had moved over to other parties or were killed when the new leader had come into power. Then when she went running away. His party was non existent in the kingdom.

They didn't even get a vote anymore as no one had taken over the seat. Roki being the only loyal follower was offered the position, especially since Alexander thought he had him under his control but Roki refused, thinking he wasn't deserving of it.

Speaking of this, the topic of Ray came up a lot. They were starting to wonder what if Ray suddenly appeared back in the Empire. Had they all just left him there?

With the messaging system as well. It was impossible for him to know how the others were doing, and they just hoped he didn't go on a wild one.

Thanks to Mathew, they were granted safe and easy passage through the other kingdoms. It seemed like his involvement might not have been revealed to the others, but that still didn't change the fact that they had planned to team up with the Redwings.

Eventually, they had reached the Alure kingdom, and it was time for Slyvia to say goodbye to her brother. More than anything, he was deeply concerned about her Shadow eye. Even after all this time, one of her eyes was still black. Covered with an eye patch of course so no one would be scared off when they saw her.

She told him not to worry, if there was anyone who knew how to fix this or what to do with it, she had the best people in all of Bronzeland, Lenny and Bliss.

When they finally arrived at the Redwing kingdom. Roki couldn't believe his eyes. There was a steam like technology, things that he hadn't seen before, yet some things looked a little similar to himself.

"Everyone's reaction is like that when they first see Avrion." Slyvia said. "All of this is thanks to our little Dwarf."

"You guys have Dwarfs?" Roki replied, knowing he knew it. He really had made the right decision in coming here.

Everyone in the Redwing kingdom was excited to hear their tail of what had happened. However, there was a weird atmosphere between both camps. Those from the Redwings were looking at the group wondering where Ray was, and at the same time, Slyvia and the others were wondering if Ray had returned.

A Council meeting had been placed, and this was where Slyvia would tell all. The secret of Ray's disappearance was kept away from most of the Redwing members. The only ones that knew about it were the council members and those that belonged to the original Red Wings, such as Sloth and Badger.

Things were going so well for the Redwings lately, and a lot of that was because they knew they had such a strong king backing them. What was spread, however, was their position. How they had won sharing the prize.

Which was a bit strange in itself, but they had to give some details out, so the others wouldn't; get suspicious. They were sure eventually travelling merchants would bring forth the real news.

After the meeting was done, Sylvia had gone to meet with Lenny and Bliss in the newly formed Magic academy. It was small and really was only a single building, this was because there weren't many students, to begin with.

At the moment, it was more used as a research lab by the two of them. Rather than a school to train students.

"I was wondering if you could do something about this?" Slyvia asked, taking off her eyepatch showing what was underneath the two of them.

They asked Slyvia several questions and compared it with the shadow extract that they had from the shadow continent land. They also needed to extract some from her eye, which was an extremely painful process, but Slyvia bore thru the pain.

Finally, it looked like Bliss and Lenny had some results.

"First let me give you some good news. If it's about getting rid of the shadow in your body. Then it is possible using the same method as we have done with the land. As for the bad news. There is no longer any solution. Until we are able to create some more, you will have to live with it."

In her head, Bliss was wishing Ray was here right now. Although his blood wasn't pure. There was a chance it could do something, the closer he got to become his former self.

"There is more bad news," Lenny said. "The shadow you are infected with, and the shadow the continent is infected with is different. Although similar, it is clear they share different properties and different hosts. When the shadow is removed, it usually rises up and joins with any other shadow closest, before heading back to where it once came from. But your shadow, it reacts, dfifferently, it doesn't like the other shadow.

"Our guess from everything you told us, if the Empire was able to find a way to create an artificial source of the shadow. The creature currently acting as the host would be the Ant creature you talked about. It was why your body had such a strong reaction when you met it."

Hearing this was the worst news of them all Sylvia thought. They were already having enough trouble dealing with the regular shadow. If by accident, the Empire had created a new enemy, she feared things would start to get a lot more complicated around the place.

More than that, she was worried about Ray.

'I know you're alive.'

Deep in the Shadow continent, wearing his gauntlet on one hand. A figure was seen staring at a large cloak. He was in a dark room with no one else inside, and he just stood there waiting. The clock itself had been built into the crummy workmanship of the castle.

Then finally it had ticked over.

*Dong *Dong

The bell went, as it was the start of a new day.

"Ray, a year has finally passed, it's time we meet again, my dear friend," Gary said.

*****

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