Is this really a Game?!

The team settled in to wait, each member finding their own way to pass the time while Drayce and the queen worked on deciphering the runes. Hours passed slowly, tension mounting as they awaited the results of the investigation.

The two Transcendents had at first been deciphering the runes by themselves before joining hands and doing it together. With the wealth of experience and knowledge both the Queen and Drayce had, it was only a matter of time before they managed to decipher the runes and find out everything there was to find out about them.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Drayce and the queen emerged from their study, their expressions calm as they waited for Reign and the others to arrive.

After about 3 minutes, they arrived and stared with interest at the two.

"We have deciphered the runes," Drayce announced, his voice calm. "And what we have discovered could be a bit troubling."

The queen nodded, her expression mirroring Drayce's. "The runes are indeed derived from Abyssal runes, but they are not directly connected to the Abyss itself."

"Instead, they are connected to another place, one that even the two of us can't really figure out as it is found in another layer of existence, without knowing which layer, the coordinates that have been drawn by the runes are useless."

Drayce then sighed before taking over. "You see, there are coordinates here, just like any runes that are drawn for the purpose of creating a portal would have, but there is no mention of the layer, which means that they manually connect the portal with the layer, leaving no trace left."

"We won't be able to find out which layer it is without interrogating those responsible for this," The queen said while shaking her head. "And if things are as troublesome as you told us they are, then that won't be easy at all."

"We have, however, managed to uncover some other things," Drayce added with a smile on his face.

"First of all, the ones responsible for this are almost certainly humans, we have come to that conclusion by the way the runes are structured and how they were created, after all, they are derived from Abyssal runes, if they were made by other humanoid beings, there would be some differences."

"The way humans draw runes can be quite … basic."

"That doesn't mean that it's bad, however, let me explain."

Drayce and the queen explained that the structure and intricacy of the runes indicated a human origin. While various humanoid species, such as elves or dwarves, might also use runes, their approach tends to differ significantly from that of humans.

Elves, for example, often incorporate more natural and flowing elements into their rune designs, reflecting their deep connection to nature, runes such as these would not be used by any elves, except for maybe dark elves, but even they would make them a bit more … intricate and nicer to the eyes.

Dwarves, on the other hand, prefer more geometric and sturdy designs, reflecting their pragmatic and industrious nature. If dwarves had been those that made these runes, the edges would be even sharper and there would be no rune or symbol that wasn't sharp. Other species may have their own unique styles and methods of rune crafting.

Demons, for example, would usually use blood to make the runes, not to mention that they would extend the edges usually, creatures from the abyss usually made them very mysterious, and dragons had their own unique spin on it as well …

Humans, however, tend to focus more on the practicality and functionality of runes. Their designs are often simpler and more direct, lacking the nuanced aesthetic touches found in other species' runes. This pragmatic approach is evident in the runes found in the corrupted areas, suggesting that humans were behind their creation.

Furthermore, the manner in which the runes were constructed indicated a level of familiarity and expertise with rune crafting that is commonly associated with humans.

Because of all of that, the queen and Drayce were certain that it was humans who had made the runes.

"To think there was that much going on with runes."

"Yes, even the same exact runes will look slightly different depending on the person drawing them, or the species, because they usually made them differently."

"Of course, there were exceptions, like Laura here, for example." The queen said as she glanced at Laura with a smile.

"Because she is possessed and because she has many memories from the demon, the way she draws runes is more akin to a demon than a human being, but even then, her runes are somewhere between, not exactly the same as either race would make."

"Now, the second part," Drayce said as he leaned against the wall.

"The runes and symbols were there to create a portal, but there is more to it than that."

"The runes were also there to serve as a signal to someone, and they were also used to somewhat monitor the surroundings."

"What do you mean by that?" Reign asked Drayce who smiled in response.

"Whoever is leading the enemy faction knows that you were there, the runes can't transmit sound or images, but they were able to send a signal back that auras had appeared, the enemy probably knows how many of you there were, as well as how powerful your auras were."

"Now, even though these runes are usually not used for that, there is a slight chance they were able to send a trace of your auras back, which means that the enemy will be able to recognize your auras in the future, even though chances for that are very low."

"Tch, so the enemy managed to find out that much about us already, huh?" Wolf asked as Drayce sighed before shrugging his shoulders.

"It's still just a guess, it's a possibility, but it depends on how much the other faction has prepared and whether they have made a rune center, which is a place that is used to monitor the runes, as well as to gather the response sent by them."

"If the center is a good one and well-equipped, they might have been able to get all of that."

Reign frowned, processing the implications of Drayce's words. The idea that their enemies could potentially recognize them using their auras was unsettling, to say the least. It meant that they would need to be even more cautious and strategic in their movements moving forward.

"So, what's our next move?" Shadow asked, breaking the tense silence that had settled over the room.

Drayce and the queen exchanged a glance before Drayce spoke up. "For now, we will focus on deciphering the rest of the runes and gathering as much information about them as we can."

"You guys need to continue what you have been doing, go after the sources, take down the portals, copy the runes and symbols, and if possible, capture one of the enemies."

"If you can uncover the purpose behind these portals and the extent of your enemies' capabilities, you'll be better equipped to formulate a plan."

Reign sighed and nodded at Drayce before they all left. Reign didn't forget to take the communication crystal and tell everything they had learned to Gabriel, who was patiently waiting for news as well.

As the team made their way to the building, Reign couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air. The revelation that their enemies were likely humans, and that they had the capability to monitor their movements through the use of the mysterious runes, weighed heavily on his mind.

Reign walked with the others in silence, his thoughts racing as he contemplated their next steps. He knew that they needed to proceed with caution, especially now that their enemies were aware of their presence and abilities. The possibility of being recognized based on their auras added an additional layer of complexity to their mission.

Once back in the building, Reign gathered the team to discuss their plan of action. They needed to focus on gathering more information about the runes, the portals, and their enemies' capabilities. It was crucial to uncover the purpose behind the portals and to determine the extent of their enemies' resources and intentions.

"Without capturing at least one of them, finding that information out won't really be feasible," Beast said as the others nodded.

"The best way to do so is for some of us to be in the jungle, we can go in groups of three, one group should stay in the jungle after we are finished hunting, stay with Gabriel," Mia said as Reign glanced at her before sighing.

"I agree, that is the best way, if at least 3 of us are in the jungle at all times, then we will be able to respond to the spread of corruption much faster, but … the group has to have at least me or Greenie in it, we won't be able to track the corruption down as quickly otherwise."

"I can provide shelter for you in the clearing, creating a small house and placing some beds is not an issue, I will try my best to make it as comfortable as I can," Gabriel said through the crystal, making the others nod in thanks.

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