Chapter 66: His Fallen Paladin

Raziel stood still. “An army?”

Odessa nodded, trembling.

The blood on her armor smelled rotten.

That sweet and metallic smell Raziel knew too well.

Dark magic.

Lucian lowered his sword, but his face remained tense.

“Where is Kiera?”

“Back there.” Odessa pointed at the grate with her healthy arm. “Watching the entrance. We couldn’t risk them following us here.”

Raziel stepped closer.

“What happened exactly?”

Odessa slumped against the passageway wall.

Her breathing was irregular, raspy.

“We tracked Prince Ayres.” She closed her eyes. “The last place he was seen was a brothel in the Lantern District called ’The Withered Rose’.”

Raziel knew that name.

He remembered it from the previous timeline.

A nest of corruption disguised as a pleasure house.

But in his past life, the place had been shut down by the Inquisition years before Ayres’ coup.

’Another change.’

“Did you go in?” Raziel asked.

Odessa nodded.

“Aerion insisted.” She gritted her teeth. “He said if his brother was there, we would get him out before dawn.”

Her voice cracked a bit. “It was a trap.”

Lucian tensed up. “What kind of trap?”

Odessa opened her eyes.

The look she gave back was empty.

“Twelve.”

“Twelve what?”

“Acolytes.” Odessa spat the word like it was poison. “Twelve bastards corrupted with black magic waiting for us in the main hall.”

Lucian went pale.

“Twelve?”

“Seraphina had prepared them.” Odessa clenched her fist. “They all wore white robes stained with dark runes. They smelled like death.”

Raziel felt a chill run down his spine.

“What were they doing there?”

“Waiting for us.” Odessa coughed. “The moment we crossed the threshold, they sealed the doors. Containment circles at every exit.”

Lucian ran a hand through his hair.

“Shit.”

Odessa continued, her voice steadier.

“Aerion tried to break the main entrance seal. I covered his back.” Her jaw tightened. “The acolytes attacked in formation.”

Raziel knew what that meant.

Training.

Coordination.

’Seraphina isn’t playing necromancer. She is building a militia.’

“How many did you kill?”

“Eight.” She said it without emotion. “Three with my sword. Two with light magic. Another three when they activated a summoning circle and I had to purge the demon before it took form.”

CRASH!

The memory of the impact echoed in her voice.

Lucian whistled.

“Eight out of twelve. Not bad.”

Odessa glared at him. “It wasn’t enough.”

Raziel took a step forward. “What happened to Aerion?”

The paladin lowered her head.

“They separated him from me.” Her voice became almost a whisper. “The last four acolytes used a technique I had never seen.”

Raziel felt his stomach churn. “What kind of technique?”

“Threads.” Odessa raised her wounded arm. “Silver threads that moved like snakes. They pinned me against the wall.”

Raziel stopped breathing.

’Silver threads.’

The same technique Arawn had used to behead the assassin in the archive.

The same magic he had seen cut flesh like paper.

“Silver?” Raziel repeated, keeping his voice neutral.

Odessa nodded.

“They wrapped around my wrists, my neck, and my waist. The more I struggled, the tighter they squeezed.” She touched a red mark on her throat. “I thought they would cut my head off.”

Lucian swallowed hard. “How did you escape?”

“Kiera.” Odessa exhaled. “She arrived just in time. She broke the back door seals and fired a flare of holy light. The threads dissolved.”

Raziel processed the information quickly.

’Four acolytes with the anti-paladin technique.’

’That means Seraphina has access to Inquisition combat methods.’

’Or worse.’

’She has someone trained by them on her side.’

“What happened to Aerion?” Raziel asked.

Odessa closed her eyes.

“They dragged him to the second floor while I was pinned.” Her voice cracked. “I saw him. He screamed my name.”

Silence.

Lucian looked at Raziel. “We have to get him out.”

Raziel didn’t answer, he was doing calculations.

’Twelve acolytes.’

’Four with anti-paladin technique.’

Raziel looked at Odessa. “How many were there last time?”

Odessa blinked. “What?”

“When you faced Seraphina in the Royal Monastery crypt.” Raziel kept his tone firm. “How many acolytes accompanied her?”

Odessa frowned. “She was alone.”

Raziel felt the weight of those words.

“Now she has twelve. Minimum.” He paused. “How long do you think she has been doing this?”

Odessa stared at him.

Realization hit her face like a hammer. “Years.”

Lucian went pale.

“Wait, wait.” He raised a hand. “Are you saying Seraphina has been recruiting in secret for years?”

Raziel nodded.

“She isn’t a lone necromancer.” His voice lowered. “She is building a faction.”

Odessa clenched her fists. “Dammit.”

Lucian ran both hands through his hair.

“Then what do we do? If she has an army…”

“We still go,” Raziel interrupted.

Odessa looked at him like he was crazy.

“Did you hear what I said? Twelve trained acolytes. Thread magic. Containment circles.”

“I heard.” Raziel didn’t look away. “But Aerion is still alive or they wouldn’t have captured him, They need him for something.”

Odessa narrowed her eyes.

“How do you know?”

Raziel ignored the question.

“How long has it been since you escaped?”

“Three hours.”

Raziel did the math.

’48 hours since Seraphina captured him.’

’Minus Odessa’s three hours.’

’45 hours left.’

’If the ritual requires royal blood, they will keep him alive until the exact moment.’

’That gives us a window.’

Raziel looked at Lucian. “Did you bring the bandages?”

Lucian nodded, taking off his backpack. “Here.”

Raziel knelt in front of Odessa.

“Let me see the arm.”

Odessa hesitated. “I’m fine.”

“You are bleeding.” Raziel pointed to the dark stain on her side. “If I don’t heal you now, you will bleed out before reaching the District.”

Odessa clenched her jaw, but finally extended her arm.

Raziel unwrapped the bandages carefully.

The cut was deep.

It went from the shoulder to the elbow.

’Threads.’

Raziel pressed the wound with the bandage.

Odessa hissed in pain.

“Do you know what you are doing?”

“More or less.” Raziel tied the knot. “Hold on.”

Lucian approached with a vial.

“Basic healing tonic. It’s the best I could get.”

Raziel opened it and poured the contents over the wound.

Odessa gritted her teeth, but didn’t scream.

The tonic bubbled upon contact with the blood.

Slowly, the flesh began to close.

It wasn’t perfect. But it was enough.

Raziel finished bandaging the arm. “Done.”

Odessa flexed her fingers. “Thanks.”

Raziel stood up. “Now tell me exactly where ’The Withered Rose’ is.”

Odessa looked at him with suspicion. “Why?”

“Because we are going in.” Raziel crossed his arms. “But not through the front door.”

Lucian blinked. “Do you have a plan?”

Raziel nodded. “More or less.”

Odessa stood up, wobbling a little.

“You are crazy if you think you can face twelve acolytes and Seraphina.”

“I’m not going to face everyone.” Raziel pointed to the grate. “I just need to get Aerion out before they complete the ritual.”

Odessa narrowed her eyes. “What ritual?”

Raziel hesitated. ’Saying too much is dangerous.’

’But saying nothing will kill them.’

“Seraphina needs royal blood.” Raziel said it directly. “Probably to open a portal or summon something worse.”

Odessa went pale. “How do you know that?”

Raziel didn’t answer.

Lucian intervened.

“Does it matter?” He looked at Odessa. “If he’s right, Aerion is in danger. If he’s wrong, Aerion is still in danger. Either way, we have to get him out.”

Odessa pressed her lips together.

Finally, she nodded.

“Alright.” She straightened up. “But I’m going with you.”

Raziel evaluated her, she was wounded and exhausted.

But she still had fire in her eyes.

“Can you fight?”

Odessa unsheathed her sword with her healthy arm and the blade glowed with a faint light.

“Try me.”

Raziel smiled slightly.

“Then let’s go.”

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