Chapter 67: His Borrowed Strength

Raziel guided Odessa and Lucian back through the secret passage.

The tunnel went up in an uneven slope.

The stones were slippery with dampness.

Lucian held the torch.

Odessa walked behind Raziel, breathing hard.

“Where are we going?” she finally asked.

“To the supply depot,” Raziel answered without turning back. “We need gear.”

Lucian snorted.

“Gear? Raziel, we have no weapons. We have no armor. And we definitely don’t have an army.”

Raziel didn’t answer.

He opened the wooden door at the end of the tunnel.

The sunset light sliced in like a knife.

They came out into a narrow alley between two Academy buildings.

Raziel closed the door behind them. “Follow me.”

The depot was empty.

Raziel pushed the rusty door and entered.

Wooden shelves full of jars, scrolls, and dusty fabrics.

Lucian wrinkled his nose. “Smells like mold.”

Raziel ignored the comment and headed to a shelf at the back.

He took a small jar of silver liquid.

“What is that?” Odessa asked.

“Diluted Moon Dust.” Raziel put it in his pocket. “To hide magical presences.”

Lucian raised an eyebrow. “How do you know it works?”

Raziel didn’t answer.

He kept searching.

He took a scroll, a ceremonial knife, and three vials of healing tonic.

Odessa watched in silence. “What is the plan?”

Raziel stopped searching and turned around. “I need you to listen to me carefully.”

Odessa crossed her arms. “I’m listening.”

Raziel took a deep breath.

“We are going to infiltrate ’The Withered Rose’.” His voice was firm. “But we can’t face twelve acolytes head-on.”

Lucian nodded. “Obviously.”

“So we are going to divide their attention.” Raziel pointed at Odessa. “I need you to get reinforcements.”

Odessa frowned. “Reinforcements? There is no time to go to the Paladin Headquarters.”

“I’m not talking about the Headquarters.” Raziel stared at her. “I’m talking about Kiera.”

Odessa blinked. “Kiera?”

“You said she helped you escape.” Raziel crossed his arms. “That means she is operating off the Inquisition’s radar.”

Odessa clenched her jaw. “It’s dangerous to involve her.”

“It’s more dangerous to let Seraphina complete the ritual.” Raziel didn’t yield. “If Kiera has contacts, we need them.”

Odessa hesitated.

Finally, she nodded.

“Okay, but only her and a small team. Three paladins max.”

“Enough.” Raziel looked at Lucian. “You come with me.”

Lucian straightened up.

“Where?”

“To the catacombs.” Raziel pulled out the scroll he had taken. “There is an underground passage that connects the Lantern District with the old sewer system.”

Lucian went pale. “The catacombs? Raziel, that place is full of…”

“Dead people? I know.” Raziel rolled up the scroll. “But it’s the only entrance Seraphina won’t be watching.”

Odessa looked at the scroll. “How do you know that passage exists?”

Raziel stayed silent for a moment.

“Trust me,” he finally said.

Odessa evaluated him with her gaze. “And me?”

“You enter from above.” Raziel pointed to the imaginary roof. “The buildings in the District are connected by wooden bridges. If Kiera attacks from the front, you come down from the roofs.”

Odessa nodded slowly.

“Frontal distraction. Underground infiltration. Aerial attack.” Her expression was one of surprise. “It’s a three-front assault plan.”

Raziel nodded.

“The target is Aerion. No one else.”

Lucian frowned. “What about Ayres?”

Raziel tensed up.

’There it is.’

’The question I knew was coming.’

“We don’t save Ayres,” Raziel said.

Lucian blinked. “What?”

“We don’t save Ayres,” Raziel repeated, firmer.

Lucian took a step forward.

“He is Aerion’s brother and he is the King’s son. Why don’t we save him?”

“Because he isn’t Ayres anymore,” Raziel said in a low voice.

Silence fell like a stone slab.

Lucian stared at him. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Raziel didn’t look away.

“It means that whatever Seraphina did to him, it can’t be undone.”

Lucian shook his head. “You don’t know that.”

“Yes, I do.” Raziel’s voice was sharp. “And if you try to open his chains, you will die.”

Lucian took a step back.

“Raziel…”

“What?” Raziel challenged him with a look.

Lucian swallowed saliva. “How much of the future do you actually remember?”

The question hung in the air.

Raziel felt the weight of all the deaths.

“Enough,” he finally answered. “Enough to know we shouldn’t open that door.”

Lucian pressed his lips together and looked at Odessa, looking for support.

Odessa just held his gaze.

“I trust Raziel,” she said. “If he says Ayres can’t be saved, then we don’t save him.”

Lucian let out a shaky sigh.

“Okay.” He raised his hands. “Okay, Prince Aerion. Only Aerion.”

Raziel nodded.

“Thanks.”

Odessa headed to the door.

“I’m going to find Kiera and we’ll meet at dusk at the edge of the District.”

Raziel nodded. “Careful.”

Odessa shot him a look. “Same to you.”

She left the depot.

The door closed behind her.

Lucian and Raziel were left alone.

Lucian sat on a wooden crate. “You know what’s the most fucked up thing about all this?”

Raziel looked at him. “What?”

“That I trust you.” Lucian let out a bitter laugh. “I don’t even know why. But I trust you.”

Raziel didn’t answer and Lucian rubbed his face.

“If we die tonight…”

“We won’t die,” Raziel interrupted him.

Lucian looked at him skeptically. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because I have a plan,” Raziel simply said.

Lucian snorted. “Your plan sounds like suicide.”

Raziel smiled slightly. “Welcome to my life.”

The sun set and the sky was dyed orange and purple.

Raziel and Lucian waited at the edge of the Red Lantern District.

The cobblestone streets shone under the light of the lanterns and the air smelled of cheap incense and alcohol.

Raziel checked his gear which was moon dust, healing tonic, ceremonial knife…

Lucian approached. “Ready?”

Raziel nodded. “Ready.”

A figure appeared from the shadows.

Kiera, and behind her, three paladins in light armor.

Odessa arrived from the other end.

“We are in position,” Kiera said. “We await your signal.”

Raziel nodded. “When you hear the first scream, attack.”

Kiera smiled coldly. “Understood.”

Odessa approached Raziel. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

Raziel looked at her. “I’ll try.”

Odessa patted him on the shoulder. “Good luck.”

Raziel and Lucian headed toward the entrance of the catacombs.

A rusty grate in a dark alley.

Raziel opened it with effort, they went down the stone stairs while darkness wrapped around them.

Raziel lit a small flame in his palm.

Enough to see, and they walked in silence for several minutes.

The passage narrowed, the walls dripping with moisture.

Suddenly, Raziel stopped.

A sharp pain went through his head.

[ALERT: SHADOW ECHO ACTIVATED]

[CAPABILITY: KILLING INTENT DETECTION]

[RANGE: 1600 FEET]

Raziel gasped and his vision expanded.

He could feel hundreds of dots.

Pure Hostility, Bloodlust, Wrath, and Hunger.

The entire District was burning with killing intent.

Raziel fell to his knees.

“Raziel!” Lucian grabbed him. “What’s wrong?”

Raziel looked up and his face was pale.

“Lucian…”

“What?”

Raziel swallowed saliva. “It’s not twelve acolytes.”

Lucian frowned. “What?”

Raziel closed his eyes. ’Hundreds, there are hundreds of them.’

“We aren’t going to a rescue.”

Lucian looked at him without understanding.

Raziel stood up, trembling. “We are going to a war.”

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