Mage And Wolf
Chapter 199

Chapter 199: Chapter 199

The cloud of black energy begins to form around me again, and I can hear a new set of voices shouting. Someone has reinforcements, or a third party joined in the fun.

"Highness, we have determined the identity of the intruders. The Celestial and Moon God forces are playing capture the flag." A guard announces through the door.

Capture the flag? Since when is that a Death Sport? There is a lot of Death Energy being released for a game of any sort.

"Good news. Those aren’t murders you’re feeling. They’re Shadow Grenades. The Celestial forces use them to slow down the Children of the Moon Goddess." The King tells me, barely audible through the fog of my breakthrough.

Shadow Grenades? I wonder if they’re something like this cloud, holding their target in place with Death Energy anchored to a single location.

My cultivating has reached the pinnacle of The Mortal Realm now, and lightning has started to crackle on the cloud again, though not as strongly as during the battle with the Titans. A sense of infinity, of eternity becoming available begins to fill me, not really a shock for someone already expecting to live a thousand years, but then I see further, the possibility of ten thousand years, to out living the Earth itself. Now that is an eye opener.

The feeling fades as the energy surrounding me is absorbed and my cultivation settles into the Immortal Realm, leaving me feeling more than a little bit empty. It was all in my reach, but this is a far as I made it. Maybe that is what breakthroughs in the Immortal Realm of cultivation feel like?

I can see the path ahead of me now. Spirit Ocean Completion, Soul Transformation and Ascendancy. After that begins the comprehension of Natural Laws as a newborn Diety level cultivator. Those are the phases I must pass through to reach Divinity, though I can sense the path is different for everyone.

Some paths are very short, some very long. It all depends on the individual cultivator. The First step for me will be to fully form the world within my Spirit Ocean, whatever that might entail.

No longer are the divisions cut and dry, instead cultivators power levels blur together, even between adjacent stages based on a cultivators foundation, species and cultivation style. As such Immortal Realm Cultivation can only truly be measured with progress towards divinity as the standard.

In addition to physical and Mystic cultivation, Pure Enlightenment becomes a valid path forward. Building towards divinity through knowledge instead of power.

I open my eyes after absorbing all the new information I’ve gained, only to find myself looking directly at a Grey muzzle full of teeth. A Lycan muzzle.

"I know your eyesight isn’t that bad, you can look at me from a few meters away." I tell whoever is right up in my face.

"You’re a funny one Little Lycan. Cute ears too, are you part human? No, you smell part Demon. Or was your human side corrupted by your cultivating method like so many of the humans who become Lesser Demons?" The Lycan says not bothering to introduce himself.

The King clears his throat and the man turns around to nod a greeting to him. "King. We’re playing capture the flag. You know the rules, everyone plays."

The King shakes his head in annoyance "She’s not from the Moon Goddesses Kingdom. She’s a dragon priest here as our guest."

"She’s still Lycan and we’ve still got the flag, so she needs to play." He insists.

"Explain. Now." I tell him in my best Alpha voice and he pats my head.

"We steal a Princess from the Celestial Kings and have them hold a flag. They chase us all over the Upper Planes. You should play, it’s fun."

They do what now?

"The record is twenty seven hours, there’s only fifteen minutes until we make a new one, but we need more blockers, the shadow grenades are really slowing us down." He wastes no more time, pulling me past the guards and out the door in a flash.

Everywhere we go in the castle are Lycans and Werewolves stuck in black clouds. I draw in the energy as fast as I can, absorbing it much more efficiently now than when I was still a mortal realm cultivator. As soon as they’re free, they’re off in a blinding blur, returning to the game to block the Celestial Army from retrieving their Princess.

"You’re good at this game. You should come play all the time." The Lycan carrying me laughs.

"Is there a point to harassing the Celestial Princesses?" I ask, freeing another two Lycans.

"They’re cute. They hold the flag, the Alphas get a chance to court them." He shrugs making me bounce. This all makes sense now, it’s a mating game, trying to convince their chosen to agree they’re worthy and capable of protecting her. Plus, sometimes it’s just plain fun to go for a run.

"Off we go then, let’s get all the blockers free so the flag carrier can escape." I cheer, pointing towards the courtyard.

Compared to me, this Lycan is ridiculously fast. The aura he has screams Alpha, but he’s not with the flag, so either it isn’t his turn, or he’s agreed to become a stronger Alpha’s second in command instead of taking over a pack of his own.

The Celestial army is roaring in frustration and beginning to chase us as they notice I can free the Blockers from their immobilization type Shadow Grenades. They’re throwing bolts of Paralyzing energy at us, trying to stop us without serious injury, but my ride is narrowly able to dodge them. At least he was until we came around a corner and were tackled to the ground in a giant bear hug.

"I’ve got you now you trouble makers. No way are you setting a new record today." The Celestial holding us says before even more pile on to keep us trapped.

We haven’t been in the ground long when I can hear whooping and cheering followed a few minutes later by a distraught roar in the distance. They must have retrieved the flag.

"Good game, Priestess. Beta John." The Celestial says, getting off us. So this Lycan is someone’s second in command.

"Priestess? Oh, when did you put that on?" John asks, finally noticing my outfit.

"This morning before breakfast. I was wearing it when I broke through to Immortality and after that when you grabbed me to come play." I inform him and he nods before changing the topic.

"There will be a feast. Since we’re in the Nephilim Kingdom, we will go to their castle for dinner before the Princess gives the Alpha her answer and everyone goes home."

At least I don’t have to walk back through this muddy field. Wait, I’m into the Immortal Realm now, I should be able to fly on my own.

Maybe later, it’s faster just to let Beta John carry me for now.