Chapter 195


    Atop the mountain peak, Mari sat cross-legged in meditation, bathed in the cool moonlight that


    flowed over her like a silvery stream, rendering her a vision of ethereal beauty, as if a goddess had


    descended amongst mortals. Cuddled at her side was what appeared to be ''vin,'' their bodies


    pressed close together in intimate repose.


    Elder Connas rushed to the summit in haste, forcefully grabbing at ''vin.''


    Whoosh! Garments fluttered, scattering twigs and branches all around. This was not vin, but


    merely clothes propped up with sticks.


    Adirich and the others paled in shock, and their minds were reeling. How could this be?


    "Mari, where''s vin?" Elder Connas demanded. His voice sounded dark. The fire of his anger


    was nearly tangible. They had been duped!


    "He missed home," Mari opened her eyes. Her gaze was cool and clear, as serene as a stillke.


    "What do you mean?"


    "He left ahead of us."


    "Left to where!" Adirich was beside himself. Had vin truly escaped right under their watchful


    eyes?


    By the Grand Elder''s own directive, they were to create an unfortunate ident on the road,


    ensuring vin''s demise. But now, scarcely a day into their journey, vin had slipped through


    their fingers.


    "vin left a message for you, would you like to hear it?" Mari''s voice was cold and indifferent.


    "Out with it!"


    "It''s somewhat unpleasant."


    "Speak!"


    "Don''t take me for a fool; Go back to wrangling chickens and butchering hogs with your petty tricks.


    I will serve you no longer!" Mari''s voice was as delicate as a daisy, soft and pleasant to hear, but


    it conjured the image of vin standing before them, sneering and scoffing.


    Elder Connas was fuming. His fiery rage was finding no outlet, for he surely couldn''t strike Mari,


    could he?


    "Mari, you conspired with vin to deceive us!" Adirich felt like aplete fool.


    Mari stood, and her gaze was icy as she addressed them. "Deceive you? How so?"


    Adirich fell silent and choked up.


    "I hadn''t realized you were all so concerned about vin. He''s gone, but what''s there to be anxious


    about?" Mari prodded deliberately.


    Elder Connas quickly regained hisposure. "It''s unsafe for vin to travel alone. We must catch


    up to him at once."


    "vin can make his way back to Azure Mountain by himself. You need not worry on his behalf."


    "Our duty is to ensure his safe arrival at Azure Mountain; gather your belongings; we leave


    immediately!" Elder Connas barked the orders, eager to set off without dy.


    Mari spoke, "It''s the dead of night, and the forest is treacherous. We can pursue at dawn."


    "You need not apany us," Elder Connas shot back with a frosty nce.


    "Suit yourselves. Just leave a horse for me."


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    "We may not have the luxury of waiting for you."


    "I''ll return to Cobalt Strike."


    Without wasting a moment, they hastily packed and mounted their Golden Horned Horses, charging


    into the night. Elder Connas seethed internally – was this vin''s cunning n all along, to use


    Mari as a distraction?


    Mari stood quietly on the mountain top, her expression cool. Clearly, they had intended to kill


    vin and did not shy away from their motives. Each of them was desperate to drag him back. She


    wanted to ask, was it worth it? What on earth did vin''s parents owe the Grand Elder to warrant


    such persecution? For eight years, they oppressed him and ridiculed him, and now that he posed a


    threat, they sought to snuff out his life without hesitation!


    At that moment, she felt her beloved Cobalt Strike was not as glorious as she once believed.


    Not long after Elder Connas and his men departed, a figure emerged from the base of the mountain


    and approached the summit, watching the direction they had taken. "Indeed, they intend to kill me.


    Tell me, is there any reason for me to stay in Cobalt Strike?"


    It’s vin!


    He hadn''t actually fled but had instead concealed himself. If he truly had run, given Elder Connas''


    prowess and the speed of the Golden Horned Horses, they would have caught him in no time. He


    wasn''t foolish enough to try to outrun them. His ruse was to lead them astray, letting them frantically


    search ahead while he took a detour.


    "The Grand Elder has gone too far," Mari said softly.


    "My eight years of suffering are his doing, and now that I''ve turned the tables, he''s the one who


    can''t stand it the most and is unwilling to spare me. I just didn''t think he''d be so ruthless, so tant."


    "Impatient, showy, and cruel – the Grand Elder truly has no regard."


    "He doesn''t even consider the Commander a threat."


    "If the Grand Elder is determined to execute you, he may not spare your family at Azure Mountain


    either. Are you prepared?"


    Elder Connas led his team in a relentless nighttime search, scouring forests, valleys, andkes with


    great diligence, but by the following afternoon and then evening, they found no trace of vin. He


    had promised the Grand Elder that vin would meet his end in the Cloudveil Woods, never to


    return to Cobalt Strike.


    Elder Connas thought it would be an easy task, but who could have foreseen vin being so


    cunning, and escaping on the very first day? He was bold enough to brave the Cloudveil Woods


    alone. Was he unafraid of being devoured by Magi-Monsters?