Age of Adepts

“Alice, your accusations earlier are severe.”

Khesuna glared at her with a dark face.

“You are accusing Leader Circe of intervening and interfering in the affairs of your Fate Witches! Do you insist on this accusation, or are you willing to take back your words?”

Alice smiled tragically, her beautiful face filled with sorrow and sadness.

“What is there to avoid talking about? Are all my sisters here unable to see how the Dark Witches oppress us on a regular basis? Or is this the so-called unity in everyone’s mind? To shiver cowardly and remain silent? It doesn’t matter who wins in the conflict between Maysa and I. That is an internal matter of the Fate Witches. But ask yourself! All of you here! Who amongst you have not put me down, in public, or in the shadows?”

“Is this the so-called independence of the witch branches? The neutrality you all like to speak of?”

The witch leaders’ expressions didn’t change when they heard Alice’s sorrowful accusations, but none of them stood up in objection.

They were neither blind nor deaf. Everyone knew what they had been doing behind the scenes, despite the appearance of unity on the surface.

Now that Alice was bringing everything to light during the council, their expressions were ugly, but there was nothing they could say in defense.

“Every witch branch had its own eras of prosperity and ruin. No one can ensure that their branch will remain forever powerful. We of the Fate branch had our legacy severed because the Great Witch Maysa continues to siphon the fate power of the World of Adepts, resulting in backlash from the planar consciousness on the Fate Witches.

“With the Battle of Fate this time, I was only able to obtain the identity of the leader of the Fate Witches due to intervention from the planar consciousness. Naturally, what comes next is a showdown between I and Great Witch Maysa. It has nothing to do with any of you.

“However, in the short time that I have been trying to rebuild the clan, I have faced countless aggressions and suppressive actions from my witch sisters. You might have perfectly acceptable reasons for doing so, but ask yourself: if a new seed of your branch were to be suppressed by their companions one day in the future, what would you think?

“We of the Fate branch have never excelled at combat. We require the aid of our sisters to successfully grow and develop. Yet now, sisters on my side have become accomplices of my enemy. What else can I do aside from finding help and allies from the outside world?

Of all the witch branches, the Deceit Witches, the False Witches, and the Coldwinter Witches all had intervened in the battle of Fate between Alice and Maysa to varying degrees. Their expressions were awkward upon hearing Alice’s speech.

However, amongst them all, Dark Witch Leader Circe was undoubtedly the most involved in the conflict. She had practically participated personally. As such, her face was dark as the lead. If they weren’t here in the witch council, she would already have jumped at Alice.

Khesuna, who had fury written all over her face, suddenly sighed. She spoke once more.

“It is our past negligence. Great Witch Maysa is truly skilled at bending powers to her will. She has dragged us all into this unnecessary conflict. Alice, we are sorry for what you have suffered!”

Alice’s eyes turned red when she heard the kind words come from Khesuna’s mouth, who had always been cold and vicious to everyone. Tears almost rolled down her cheeks.

“The unity of the witches cannot be marred!” Khesuna stood up and glanced at all the witches in the hall with her cold gaze. “The battle between Alice and Great Witch Maysa is an internal matter of the Fate Witches. All other branches are henceforth no longer allowed to be involved in any fashion. I don’t care what dealings you have with Great Witch Maysa behind the scenes, or if you are only obeying the orders of the respective Great Witches of your clans. From now on, no witch is allowed to participate in their battle of Fate.

“Anyone that breaks this agreement will have made an enemy out of all the witches of the Death branch!

“Don’t blame me, Khesuna, for what comes after, should this ever happen again.”

Khesuna glared at Circe and walked out of the council ahead of everyone else.

The other witch leaders looked at each other and frowned. They left with solemn faces.

When Circe and Alice were the only two people left in the hall, their eyes met each other’s. For a long time, there was only silence.

“Why? Is Greem so important to you? That you would risk conflict among the witches just to protect him?” Suddenly, Circe spoke, her tone morose and filled with endless frustration.

“Because he has always helped me! Whether it was before I was a witch leader or after, he has always helped with all his might and every fiber of his being! Moreover, as I have said, he will become my husband! If you dare to turn your spears against him, I will publicly and thoroughly split up the Northern Witches.”

After a momentary pause, Alice continued, “You are free to slaughter every last one of us Fate Witches. This way, we can let all the other adept organizations see how united we Northern Witches really are, how we bully and suppress our own sisters.”

Greem was Alice’s ally. Making an enemy out of Greem was making an enemy out of Alice. And making an enemy out of Alice would draw the ire of Khesuna. But how was she supposed to avenge Shani and retrieve the Orb of Shadows if she did not make an enemy out of Greem?

Circe’s entire silhouette was hidden by a black shadow substance. A ghostly green light shone in her deep eyes, quivering as if she had gone mad.

“Alice, the…Orb of Shadows, the origin treasure of us Dark Witches…might have fallen into the hands of Greem. If…if you can make him hand over the Orb, I…I promise…from henceforth, that the Dark Witches will never interfere in your conflict with Maysa again!”

It was obvious that Circe was having a massive internal struggle while she said this.

“Greem likes to pick up weird stuff everywhere he goes. Even I don’t know if he has the Orb of Shadows in his possession. However, I can try and ask for you! That said,” Upon hearing Circe give way, a smile finally appeared on Alice’s face, “the Orb of Shadows is a Fifth Grade artifact. An item of this is not something that you can just pick up on the street. So……”

“I understand. A price has to be paid for it. Just state your demands!”

“I need……” Alice chuckled, and her voice turned lower and softer.

Soon, the only sounds in the hall were the whispers of the two witches.

…………

Fire Throne.

Greem and Alice went into a hidden room and started whispering to each other.

After a summary of what happened during the witch council, Alice lifted Greem’s right hand and looked into his eyes. She then said, “I agreed to Circe’s conditions without your approval. You won’t blame me for this, will you?”

Greem laughed and pulled Alice into his arms, stopping her from saying anything else with his lips.

After a long pause, Greem finally let go of Alice and laughed, “That’s your punishment for even suggesting that I would do that.”

Alice blushed. She leaned her head on his shoulder and bit his chest lightly.

Greem lifted his head, a lamenting expression on his determined face.

“Alice, I can put a hand to my heart and say that the only two people I trust in the world are you and Mary. As long as the two of you don’t end up fighting each other, I will never be afraid of anything!”

“I was asking you about the Orb. What are you talking about all this for? Are you trying to warn me indirectly?” Alice’s cunning eyes darted around as if she didn’t understand what Greem was trying to say.

“Haha! Ever since I obtained the Orb of Shadows, I knew I couldn’t hold on to it for long. It is the origin magic equipment of the Dark Witches, after all. They would put their lives on the line just to get it back. That’s why I’m not at all surprised that this would happen. Moreover, with someone as smart and capable as you scheming for me, they will pay a hefty price to take it back.”

“You’re a smart one!” Alice was all smiles when she heard Greem praising her.

“That said, I can give up on anything else except for this one single thing. Circe must be able to provide us with something that can replenish your lifeforce. Otherwise, I will not hand over the Orb!” Greem grabbed Alice by the shoulder and turned her around. They stared into each other’s eyes, nose to nose.

“You…you…know about it all?” Alice stuttered.

“What is the Fate blessing you cast on me, exactly? Why would it devour over eighty percent of your lifeforce?” Greem pursued the issue.

“It’s not as much as you make it out to be,” Alice didn’t even dare look Greem in the eyes. “It’s…it’s only seventy percent!”

“Alice, I hope you understand. Our relationship is not one of mutual use. It’s a genuine relationship with genuine feelings. I am already used to having you and Mary by my side. You are my closest family and my lovers. I don’t want either of you to be in danger, do you hear me?”

The embarrassment on Alice’s face faded away when she heard Greem’s honest words. She looked into his eyes, her own gaze filled with love.

“I hear you, and I feel it! I won’t ever do something stupid like this again!” Alice quickly pecked Greem on the lips and whispered in his ears, “Don’t worry, some of the items I managed to win over from Circe’s collection can replenish lifeforce. In addition to the heir of the plane that you brought back with you, I have confidence in advancing to Fourth Grade very soon.”

“Really?” Greem’s eyes opened wide in joyous surprise.

“I want to reach Fourth Grade as soon as possible as well!” Alice leaned into Greem’s chest and sighed. “Fate Witches only get some offensive options once they reach Fourth Grade. Before that, we are just ‘useless beings’ that require protection. I am sick of those days. It’s about time to let everyone witness the might of the Fate Witches!”

Greem laughed heartily at Alice’s bold words. His lips pressed down once again.