Chapter 205 The Soul Life Orb

"The vessel is the capturer's son and this poor twin-tail is stuck with him… Let's start. Show me the orb." Lady Vix'i motioned at Keng. Keng turned to look at Lee Seng.

"He has it." Keng pointed. Lady Vix'i looked up at the boys. "Show her." Lee Seng clawed over his heart. The three older foxes watched as a large orb started to pull out.

"It's huge." Zixin spoke in a tongue Lee Seng could oddly understand.

"It's radiant." Nabi whispered. Lee Seng fully pulled the orb out and looked at Lady Vix'i.

"Strange," Lady Vix'i spoke in the unknown tongue. "The madman's orb fused with their soul bead… What did you do?" Lady Vix'i looked up.

"Uhhh… Why can I understand you?" Lee Seng curiously asked. "What language is that?" Lady Vix'i gave Lee Seng a strange look.

'Of all things, he questions the tongue of foxes, first?' Lady Vix'i thought to herself. 'He's a strange one.'

"The tongue of foxes." Nabi answered. "You know it because Keng knows it." Lee Seng turned to look at Keng, who simply nodded.

"What did you do to your soul? Why is it.. Like this?" Nabi asked in English.

"The hatman made me choose, so I chose the golden bead. It turned into an orb and fused with my soul. Now it looks like that." Lee Seng pointed at the orb.

"May I see it?" Lady Vix'i asked. Lee Seng looked at Keng before handing it over to her. She studied it for a while, peering into it and nodding. Lady Vix'i handed it back. "It's design looks familiar to Chimera's but the size of it reminds me of Jyu'so. It radiates… powerful energy."

"P-powerful energy…? What do you mean by that, Lady Vix'i?" Lee Seng asked. The Lady studied Lee Seng for a while, allowing it to become silent.

'Could it be the result of the mutation, then? Or is the Death King playing his games?' Lady Vix'i wondered.

"Did the… Death King do anything in particular during your trial?" Lady Vix'i asked.

"The Death King meaning the hatman?" Lee Seng asked. Lady Vix'i nodded. "Well… He neither toyed with me or really helped me. He asked a lot of questions. Saying the shadows thought I would 'save them.'"

"Save them? Why would the Death King say that? Doesn't he know…" Lady Vix'i's voice trailed off.

"M'lady, aren't there a few foxes who have radiant abilities? The Saviors…?" Nabi asked.

"There are no Saviors. I've lived long enough to know that there aren't any Saviors anymore. They all died."

"Then why would the hatman say something like that to Lee Seng?" Keng asked. "'These souls think that if they offer themselves to you, you'll actually be fine.' He ended up giving us souls because we entertained him."

"Entertaining the Death King is a feat in itself." Zixin acknowledged. "It still doesn't answer the question."

"What was your reasoning for picking this bead?" Lady Vix'i pointed at the golden and silver orb.

"Well…" Lee Seng bit his lip. "It looked like the sun. It was different from Limbo. The black, white and grays made it stand out."

"This means one thing, then." Lady Vix'i sighed. "Nabi, Zixin. We'll have to guide him to the Saviors' tomb."

"We-we're going to the Saviors tomb? Why would we go there?" Nabi asked.

"Commune with our brethren and allow the twin foxlings to seek their answers there." Lady Vix'i stood up.

"But he–"

"If God King trusted the twins to me, I believe he will trust my instincts as well. You may come if you wish, but I would appreciate the help. The Saviors' tomb is far from the village. We'll have to leave now if we want to make it before nightfall."

"Should we bring more experienced foxes with us, m'lady? The three of us and these foxlings aren't quite–" Lady Vix'i hushed Zixin. She turned her attention to the two six-tailed foxes.

"Our abilities will be enough to guide the twins to the Saviors' tomb. Plus, if he is truly the capturer's son who has Eshra's blood running through him, I will trust he can handle himself."

"Will we be going on foot?" Lee Seng stood up.

"The only way to travel is by foot because you do not have the ability to fly." Lady Vix'i answered. "Come, let's go. I'll let Demetrius know we're heading out and he's responsible for the time being."

The group made their way out of the tower. Lady Vix'i met with Demetrius, a slim eight-tailed fox. She told him where they were going and he had insisted on bringing more with her, but Lady Vix'i declined.

"Tonight's the double crimson moon. We need to be ready for unruly creatures running about. Leave the manpower here where it's needed. Brother Zixin, Sister Nabi and the twin foxlings will be enough." Lady Vix'i spoke. "The God King will be back in three days' time. We need to make sure the Family is protected."

"I understand, Lady Vix'i. I just worry about the foxlings. Will they be able to tread such lands?" Demetrius whispered.

"If my theory is correct, they won't suffer like the rest. We must take our leave now. Take precautions and make sure the hunting crews are back before nightfall, alright?"

"Yes, m'lady. Take care." Demetrius bowed. Lady Vix'i, Nabi and Zixin bowed and moved to the back gate.

"There shouldn't be any problem until we reach the land where the Saviors decided to reside." Lady Vix'i told them.

? "Where did they reside?" Keng asked.

"Where Life and Death meet." Lady Vix'i, Nabi and Zixin began to run.

"What do they mean by that?" Keng asked Lee Seng.

"Cryptic." Lee Seng shrugged. "Come on, let's not get left in the dust."

They ran for hours. Lee Seng easily matched their speeds. Zixin seemed most surprised by this, but the two women didn't indicate much. The flowery landscape slowly changed into a forest. They traversed the forest, cutting through it and eventually appearing where Life met Death. Lady Vix'i put her hand up and they all came to a stop. The luscious landscape around them met with odd colored grass and trees. Purple vines climbed up trees and sapped life out of trees, leaving them dead.

"Be careful from here on out. The sun is starting to set so we must make the last trek in darker conditions. Do not be swayed by the forest of death." Lady Vix'i warned. "I hope you two can see in the dark?"

"Kinda." Lee Seng and Keng answered. Lady Vix'i clicked her tongue and nodded.

"Just stay close to us." They ran into the death forest. They followed the overgrown trail as it lead them deeper into the forest. Zixin and Nabi easily made work of anything in their way, slicing it up with their bare hands. Lady Vix'i pushed aside the dead trees and overgrown weeds with ease. The forest closed in on them and darkness quickly followed suit.

"Stay close." Nabi told them. A single blue fox flame flew in front of them. The growls of the forest around them grew louder.

"Tch, the beasts know we're here." Zixin spoke.

"Clear only what you need to clear." Lady Vix'i instructed.

"Yes, m'lady." Zixin and Nabi spoke. They winded down the path as Lee Seng's ears started to twitch.

"Ignore it." Lady Vix'i told him. "Your senses are sharp, but that one is unnecessary." A loud roar came from in front of them and Zixin's wicked smiled returned. He leapt forward and slashed with his fingers. Flame erupted out and the beast howled as it instantly died. Nabi lifted two fingers into the air and slashed to her left. Two beasts went flying as she quickly spun and swatted with her tail.

"Gnawers." Nabi told them. Lee Seng could hear more beasts quickly swooping in from behind. Lee Seng sighed and looked at Keng.

"Don't do it unless you have to." Keng warned him.

"I know, but they're starting to annoy me." Lee Seng's ears twitched as a Gnawer flew at him. Lee Seng whipped around and slammed a fist straight into the Gnawers face. He caught a glimpse of the Gnawer and noticed it looked like a mix between a hound and a cat. It's body blended well with the death forest. He rocketed the Gnawer backwards and quickly jumped back into formation.

'His strength is abnormally stronger than a regular human.' Lady Vix'i observed. Keng and Lee Seng lit up in wisps as Keng punched another Gnawer away. 'They have their incomplete aura form down, too. It looks like it might manifest into something stronger soon.' Lee Seng and the group made work of the Gnawers as they continued forward. Lady Vix'i sighed and clapped her hands together. Everything around them immediately ripped away, creating a spot of fading sunlight where they once were.

The trail started to open and a large mossy cobblestone building started to appear in front of them.

"Handle the beasts. I will open the base." Lady Vix'i instructed. The six-tailed foxes simply nodded and slid to a stop as Lady Vix'i continued forward. Lee Seng and Keng passed the six-tailed foxes and slid to a stop as Lady Vix'i came to a stop. Lee Seng could feel his chest starting to rumble. He glanced at Keng who was touching his chest in response.

"W-why's it rumbling?" Lee Seng asked. Lady Vix'i quickly started to weave her hands together as the mossy cobblestone started to react.

"Stay close, foxllings. It's gonna get loud."