Chapter 68: His Red District

Kiera advanced through the side alley of The Withered Rose with three paladins flanking her.

The lookout post was ahead.

A two-story house, boarded-up windows and a door reinforced with iron.

Two hooded figures guarded the entrance.

Kiera raised her hand and the paladins stopped.

“Two guards, Probably four inside.”

The paladin to her right nodded “Do we go in through the door?”

“No.” Kiera pointed to the roof. “You and Darren go up. Me and Martin go in through the front.”

There were no more questions and they moved.

Kiera and Martin approached from the shadows.

The hooded guards didn’t even turn around.

Kiera unsheathed her sword and the first guard fell with his throat open.

The second turned, but Martin ran him through with his spear before he could scream.

CRASH!

The door gave way with a kick.

Kiera entered first and inside were four corrupted acolytes, dressed in black robes stained with blood.

One of them raised a hand and launched a projectile of black energy.

Martin blocked it with his shield, but the impact made him step back.

Kiera jumped forward and her spear cut the air.

The acolyte dodged, pulled out a short dagger and counterattacked.

Kiera spun, blocked the blow with the shaft of her spear and kicked him in the chest.

The acolyte slammed against the wall.

Another acolyte summoned shadow threads that coiled around Martin’s arm.

“Shit!”

The threads started to burn his skin and Martin let out a scream.

Kiera threw her spear which went through the acolyte’s chest.

The threads dissolved and Marcus gasped, holding his arm.

Darren and the other paladin came down from the roof.

An acolyte welcomed them with a wave of corrupt fire, purple and twisted.

Darren rolled to the side, took out his bow and fired.

The arrow stuck in the acolyte’s shoulder who grunted.

The last acolyte started summoning something, his hands glowing with rotten mana.

Kiera ran towards him, ripped her spear from the corpse and threw it again.

The spear went through the acolyte’s abdomen.

Silence.

Kiera recovered her spear and looked at Martin.

“Can you continue?”

He nodded, although his face was pale.

“Yes.”

Darren approached “These guys aren’t common novices, they use necromancy mixed with stolen Gifts.”

Kiera frowned “I know that’s why Stay alert.”

They advanced towards the next post.

Raziel and Lucian went down deeper into the catacombs.

Raziel put out the flame in his palm and they moved in the dark.

Lucian whispered “How many more are there?”

Raziel closed his eyes and felt the echoes of killing intent “Too many.”

A corridor stretched out ahead.

Raziel heard steps and voices.

Two guards.

Raziel raised his hand and activated [Trauma Acoustics].

The dissonant melody burst from his throat and the guards stopped.

One of them put his hands to his head “What…?”

The other fell to his knees, vomiting.

Raziel and Lucian moved fast.

Lucian hit the first guard on the nape with the pommel of his sword.

Raziel used his ceremonial knife and cut the second one’s throat.

Hot blood splashed the floor.

Lucian looked at the corpse without saying anything and they continued.

At the end of the corridor, a door sealed with glowing runes.

Raziel activated [Secret Whisperer].

The runes flickered and their structure was revealed in Raziel’s mind.

A three-layer seal: divine block, drain trap and alarm.

Raziel whispered words in an archaic tongue and touched each rune in sequence.

The first layer dissolved.

The second cracked.

The third flickered and went out.

The door opened with a click, Raziel pushed and they entered.

The light revealed rows of rusty iron cells and inside, people.

Men, women and children, all with pale skin and sunken eyes.

Lucian took a step forward “What…?”

Raziel approached the first cell.

A young novice, maybe sixteen years old, sitting against the wall.

His robe was torn and his chest rose and fell weakly.

Raziel touched the bars.

The System flickered.

[ANALYSIS: GIFT DRAIN – LEVEL 4]

[SUBJECTS STRIPPED OF DIVINE POTENTIAL]

[ENERGY TRANSFERRED TO: ???]

Raziel gripped the bars “They stole their soul.”

Lucian looked at him “What?”

“They turned it into fuel” whispered Raziel.

Lucian approached another cell.

A middle-aged woman, with chained hands and cracked lips.

“For what?”

Raziel didn’t answer and went from cell to cell.

Missing novices from academies of the continent, nameless peasants with “divine potential”, children who should never have been here.

All empty.

Raziel felt bile rise in his throat.

Lucian hit the bars with his fist “DAMN IT!”

The echo resonated in the corridor.

Raziel grabbed his arm “Shut up.”

Lucian was breathing heavily “Raziel, this is…”

“I know” said Raziel with a sharp voice. “Now focus, we need to find Aerion.”

Lucian nodded, although his hands were trembling.

They advanced towards the end of the corridor and A door was ajar.

Raziel felt the echo of corrupt mana but pushed the door.

The room was wide and in the center, a ritual circle carved on the floor, glowing with black symbols.

Standing next to the circle, with a cold smile, was Seraphina.

Her robe was stained with fresh blood and her eyes shone with a feverish light “I knew you would come, Raziel.”

Raziel stopped.

Lucian unsheathed his sword.

Seraphina tilted her head “You were always predictable.”

Raziel looked around.

To the left, kneeling with a collar of dark mana around his neck, was Aerion.

His face was pale, sweaty and his eyes barely open.

Lucian took a step forward “Aerion!”

Seraphina raised her hand and Lucian stopped “One more step and the collar rips his head off.”

Lucian gritted his teeth.

Raziel spoke with a cold voice “What do you want, Seraphina?”

Seraphina smiled “What do I want?” She approached the circle. “I want the same as you, Raziel. I want to change the future.”

Raziel frowned “You don’t know anything about the future.”

“No?” Seraphina tilted her head. “Then, why do you act like you know everything? Why do you move like you have already lived this before?”

Raziel didn’t answer.

Seraphina laughed “I knew it, you are a Regressor, right?”

Raziel kept his gaze fixed on Seraphina “Let him go.”

“No.” Seraphina took a step towards Aerion. “I need him, His royal blood is the key to open the door.”

“What door?”

Seraphina smiled with madness “The door to the true power that Zhalyr closed a thousand years ago.”

The System flickered.

[ALERT: CATASTROPHIC EVENT DETECTED]

[SUMMONING RITUAL: HERETIC LEVEL]

[OBJECTIVE: OPENING OF DIVINE SEAL]

[CONSEQUENCE: CATASTROPHE]

Raziel swallowed saliva.

“You are going to destroy Phaedra.”

Seraphina shrugged “Maybe but the knowledge I will obtain will be worth it.”

Lucian roared “YOU ARE CRAZY!”

Seraphina ignored him and raised a ceremonial dagger.

She approached Aerion and put the blade against his neck.

“Now, Raziel, You have two options.”

Raziel felt his heart beat strongly.

“You join me, help me complete the ritual and we share the power.” Seraphina pressed the dagger. “Or Aerion dies here, now, and the ritual is completed anyway.”

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