“!”

Closing the distance in an instant, I attack Mr Kell just as he ducks beneath Norf’s arrow. He twists his body just in time, and as the spearhead passes his face, he takes a cheap swipe at my leg with his knife. My spear plants into the wall behind him and I use the leverage to pull myself over his attack. Hearing a familiar swooping sound, I suck in my stomach as Minna’s rope wraps around my waist and pulls me out of range of Mr Kell’s rising strike. As I unwind myself from the rope, I strike the weight with my weapon, launching it at Mr Kell’s body. He dives out of the way, only for Norf to fire a at his mid-air state.

“!”

Crack!

“Damn! Don’t stop! Keep attacking! !”

Once again, I engage Mr Kell in armed melee, fully exploiting my spear’s superior reach compared to his dual knives. However, far from overwhelming him, I am barely keeping him at bay as all my attacks hit air. Because of these corridors, Norf can’t manoeuvre himself to get a clear shot, and Mr Kell is too skilled to leave himself open. Minna is ricocheting her weighted rope to assault from different angles, but the time between her attacks is too long. I have to make an opening for-

“!”

“Damn!”

Evading my jab by mere millimetres, he suddenly accelerates forward with his knife up to my face. However, instead of recoiling in shock, I relax my legs and allow myself to fall onto my back. Not expecting my drop, his attack misses, but more importantly, it leaves him wide open to Minna and Norf.

“!”

“!”

“!”

We all use our skills at different elevations, but as before, he manages to evade everything with incredible dexterity. Jumping over my spear, he kicks off Minna’s swinging weight with impossible precision. He then uses his knives to attach himself to the ceiling as Norf’s arrow passes between his legs. I immediately roll back as Mr Kell descends like a falling blade, only to be forced back by Norf’s rapid shots.

“!”

Fwoosh!

“Damn it!”

“… I admit. Yoov got sum good teamwork and plentee of grease on ya hilt,” he says casually as he evades my thrusts, “but ‘onestlee, ya’ll are more disappointun dan Enbos’ brat. At least he was willin’ ta fro away his life.”

“No thanks for the advice, Kell. We don’t fight for ourselves: we fight for our friends and are stronger for it! Because as much as I like a heroic sacrifice, I’d much rather have a tale where we all go home together.”

“*Sigh* You fools,” he says as he catches my spear with his blades. With Enbos’ likeness, he gazes at my bleeding stump as I push with all my might. “You bind yor fate to uvers of feebell flesh instead of an immortal Lord. All it takes iz one blow to ya weakest link, and yor tower of leaves falls. I’ve seen it, time and again, from bands of five to lifelong lovers… to ya friend Eric over dere.”

“W-what?”

“Keh. Did you think you were his only pals? We didn’t jus’ take hiz limbs to teach ‘im, ya know?”

“You son of a-!”

BOOM!

All of a sudden, there is a deafening blast followed by a rush of smoke that fills the entire corridor. He jumps back and submerges into the darkness, while I retreat closer to my companions.

W-what the hell just happened? No, more importantly, who will Mr Kell attack now? He said something about attacking the weakest link, which would make the exhausted Lili a prime target. Then again, taking out Minna or Norf would make much more sense in this-

Whoosh!

Me!?

Out of conditioned reflex, I immediately knock down the surprise attack before it touches my body. However, I belatedly realise it was a throwing knife… and he didn’t just throw one.

“Oh shi-!”

“!”

Like a guardian angel, Minna steps in front of me and deflects all the knives with her twirling rope. The wind from her technique disperses the smoke, however, Mr Kell is no longer in sight.

Did he run off to find reinforcements? No, he’s-

“Lili, the shadows!”

“!”

Understanding my message, Lili fires her magic at the ground, and from Norf’s shadow, Mr Kell is forced out of hiding. Norf quickly fires several shots, but to my horror, he weaves between the arrows and ducks below Minna’s weight. Lili is desperately trying to cast a barrier, but it’s clear she can’t-

BANG!

“H-huh?”

“What now!?”

The second loud sound startles Mr Kell as he hastily jumps back for safety. Likewise, we are equally surprised by the sharp sound as we cautiously turn our heads. Despite the stinging smoke, my eyes widen upon spying the diminutive figure standing over the bandaged corpse.

“H-Hachirou!?”

“I can’t believe it...”

“Hachirou actually won!”

“Haha, way to g-”

Thud.

“… HACHIROU!”

By the spirits, d-did that cultist get him? No, I don’t see any major wounds and he’s still breathing. Mr Kell seems bewildered, but the worst we can do is to let this chance pass us by. Hachirou has pulled his weight, now it’s time we do the same.

(… Minna, Norf, do you remember when we subjugated that Colossal Mantis?)

(… Got it, Sen) “.”

(Count?) asks Norf.

(Forty- no, fifty seconds. Use instead of .)

(That long?) asks Minna as she continues spinning her rope. (I know I need time, but Kell is not a feral animal. His awareness is way too good.)

(I can activate to draw his attention, although I would lose all mobility. The window will be small, but-)

(*Huff, huff*… Sen, I can…)

(No, save your magic, Lili. Hachirou will need it when we’re done with Kell.)

(I can manage. But about your little problem…) says Lili as she kneels by the bloodstained magic circle. (… I have an unorthodox idea.)

“Brother Colligo…”

Bested by a mage’s apprentice, I’m left dumbfounded as one of our most devout agents lay dead on the ground. Although this entire capture mission has been a mess thus far, it pales in comparison to losing a member of the inner circle, along with the connection to his flock. However, as I question the divine meaning behind this turn of events, Hachirou then collapses alongside him, immobile but very much alive.

I see, I see! My brother has fulfilled his divine duty. He has incapacitated the target and delivered himself to His side, as all believers should. It was foolish of me to falter for even a moment and I shall endeavour to follow his example.

“!”

Ting!

“Grrr!”

“Eva da oppachoonist. Seems ya don’t understand yor not in my leeg.”

Repeating the same attacks, I evade every one of Sen’s techniques while maintaining my close distance. In the back, Norf has notched several arrows while Minna is spinning her weight at greater speed. I’m tempted to just stab Sen in the heart then use his body as a shield, but the damn Mellivorath hide armour is no decoration. Still…

“Yor gettun slower, Sen.”

“Damn it! !”

“Keh! Hahaha! Fool!”

As Sen empowers himself with enough strength to fend off a treant, I leap over his head and dash toward Minna, Norf and, most despicable of all, Lili. Be it shock or resignation, they don’t react to my approach as I-

“!”

“Wat!?”

All of a sudden, Sen cuts me off and thrusts his spear with great force. I barely in time, but Sen gives chase and continues to drive me back with powerful swings. Unlike Hachirou, he isn’t pressuring me with pure strength or dexterity, but a combination of the two along with years of experience.

Wasn’t supposed to immobilise him!? Did he bluff the activation of his skill? No, he’s definitely stronger than before. Then how- Huh?

As I glance towards his legs, I realise he’s not moving in the slightest. Instead, he is standing atop a plate of mana that is moving around for him. As I dodge another thrust to my head, I spy Lili in the back, with her hand atop the magic circle from earlier.

“Tsk! Bludee heathen.”

It’s a petty trick, but a troublesome one nonetheless. The only drawback to Sen’s strongest skill is effectively gone. I have no choice. I didn’t want to divert power from His Holiness’ flock, but…

“O Maleosis watching from beyond, I invoke our !”

Clang!

“Wha-!”

To Sen’s astonishment, I brush aside his paltry strike. The trio behind him are shocked still as they watch a halo appear above my head. A torrent of mana pours into my vessel, ravaging my organs but fuelling my tattooed enchantments.

“S-Sen, get back! He’s doing the same thing as-”

“!”

Almost immediately, Sen is forced onto the defensive as I launch my counterattack. My bends his wooden spear, and with evident alarm, he forces away my attack and focuses on evasion. Lili notices his distress and begins shifting him backwards. However, she’s misjudged the gap in our power. Sen can neither dodge nor deflect my blessed attacks. Unable to move on his own, he uses his leather bracers to deflect the sheer force of my blows.

“!”

“Ugh!”

“Sen!”

“Really, dat armour’s too good fer da likes of you. How about ya stand on yor own two feet fer once…”

Faking a swipe from my blade, I launch a swift kick that shatters the he is standing on. The short stumble breaks his stance and deactivates his skill, leaving him utterly helpless. As I pull my arm back for the killing blow, I can’t help but imitate Enbos’ voice.

“Enbos was right. You know nothing about resolve. Nothing but a selfish idiot.”

(… Forty-nine… Fifty!)

All of a sudden, Sen drops to the floor as Norf fires three arrows towards- No, he already fired them before Sen ducked to the ground!

I immediately deflect all his shots out of pure reflex. For a fraction of a second, I brace for another arrow from Norf, but…

"!”

“Kugh!”

… Sen manages to knock me off my feet. I tuck my chin to avoid slamming the back of my head against the floor, but by the time I recoil from my landing, Sen is already upright, his spear ready to impale my heart. I can see my corpse reflected in his hardened eyes. However, as his spear falls, I reach out to the shade beside me.

“!”

“ Huh!?”

I can’t relocate!?

Ting!

“Ngh!”

“Die, Kell!”

With barely a fraction of a second to spare, I cross my knives and narrowly block Sen’s attack as he presses down with all his strength. My blades are pinned to my chest, but Sen is unable to break the tempered steel. He continues to glare at me with fevered rage, but I’m looking elsewhere as I hold back his spear.

There was never a shadow, only a patch of black soot. Damn, how could I make such a simple mistake? No, this feeling is…

Looking past Sen, I cast my attention to the other heathens. Sure enough, Lili is still atop the magic circle, with her hands pointed toward me.

“DAMN YOU, WITCH!!!”

With all my strength, I launch a vicious kick into Sen’s side, however he endures my blow even as blood drips onto my mask. He’s teetering on the edge. Another kick should-

“!”

Minna unleashes her spinning weight, and to my horror, I watch as it strikes the top of Sen’s spear.

THUMP!

… I’m dying. There was a metallic sound, followed by a burst of pain, then coldness as blood drains from my impaled heart.

The realisation of the inevitable sparks a myriad of emotions, but one-by-one, they all fade… to nothing.

Anger… nothing.

Humiliation… nothing.

Regret… nothing.

Despair… nothing.

Everything is returning to the void… exposing the empty, faceless husk I am.

My thoughts… are fading. There is nothing… to reminisce. Nothing to celebrate… across my life. Only one memory… one promise… remains.

“*Ack, cough, cough*… M-Maleosis,” I say… with my own smile, “I deliver… myself and… to thee.”

“… The deed is done. You can rest easy now, my friend.”

“Geez, could you not say it such a misleading way, Sen?” says Minna. “After all, Eric is still alive.”

“Actually, I was thinking about Sig, but yes, Eric and the rest of us are alive. He will never have to suffer this sadist ever again.”

With a solid heave, I dislodged my spear from the stone floor and out of Kell’s lifeless husk. As the red subsides from my sight, I wince from Kell’s parting gift: a broken rib from his final kick. Fortunately, it’s only a blunt injury instead of a cut from his poisonous blades. I feel a great sense of relief knowing that this menace will never walk amongst our midst. Even in death, he’s still an aggravating existence, with his Enbos-like disguise evoking concern about our missing friend.

… Come to think of it, none of us have seen “Mr Kell’s” true face. It may be pointless, but at the very least I can stop imagining Enbos’ dead-

Crackle!

“Wow!”

All of a sudden, Kell’s corpse bursts into flames, starting at the head. A professional monster to the end, but I guess that’s the only face I ever need to know. I cover my nose and retreat to the others, unable to stand the smell of burning flesh in this tight space. Looking ahead, Lili is holding Hachirou while Minna and Norf watch on in concern. For some reason, Lili has pulled up her hood, although I can tell she has a strained expression. She really did go above and beyond for all of us.

“Li… Lili?”

“Hachirou! Thank God my magic still works.”

“I… I’m sorry for going off on my own. I-it was-”

“It’s okay now, Hachirou,” says Minna. “We can carry you back to camp so rest on Norf’s back. Sen, could you go fetch Eric?”

“Sorry Minna, but I’m not in great shape. To be honest, Kell’s last kick might have fractured something, or rather, somethings. Could you go instead?”

“I suspected as much. Lili… could I impose on you to treat Sen, if only a little?”

“Of course.”

“… Thank you,” smiles Minna.

As I drop to my knees, Lili begins channelling healing magic over my side. The weak light and periodic dimming of her magic is troubling, but I can already feel the pain fading away. Beside me, Norf offers to carry Hachirou, but the kobold instead looks at him with disconcerting silence.

“Norf, about how you exposed Mr Kell by tapping his shoulder… D-did you already know Enbos secret?”

“… Yes. To the bone.”

“Eh?”

“Wha- How!?” reacts Lili. “H-how in the Lord’s name did you discern Enbos’ true appearance? Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”

“It was from you, Lili.”

“Huh?”

“I saw your expression after Enbos was struck by that treant. Your despair and disbelief were stuck in my mind. After he revealed he was a necromancer, I began piecing together his peculiarities, before finally uncovering the trick behind his brazen name.”

“T-trick?”

By the looks of things, Lili seems to already know Enbos’ true face, although she seems incredibly confused by Norf’s assertion. A trick? Is there something to Enbos weird name? Meanwhile, Hachirou seems to scratching his mask with an air of awkwardness.

“… Oh my God.”

“Lili?”

“I am such a dunce,” she says as she hunches over and pulls her hood over her entire head. She seems oblivious to my concerns as she buries her face in her palms.

“Lili, are you okay?”

“All those hours spent discerning his identity, and the answer was right in my face all along. T-this is so embarrassing. How… How did I not notice sooner!?”

“Um, i-if it’s any consolation, Lili, far more familiar individuals still have no idea,” says Hachirou sheepishly.

“Seriously, what are you three talking about. What’s the deal with Enbos’ name?”

“I’m sorry, Sen,” says Norf as he covers his lips. “His secret stays with me.”

“Thank you, Norf.”

“Okay, fine. Hey Minna, what do you… think… of…”

… N-no. No, no, no, no, NO!

“MINNA!”

“Huh?”

Minna is collapsed on the floor. I rush to her side and scoop her into my arms, jostling her for any reaction at all. There is no response. I almost scream out in despair, but I bite my lip before putting my ear to her chest.

… S-she’s still alive, but her breathing is far too weak. S-she needs-

“LILI, HELP HER!”

“Lay her down, Sen! !”

With a fading light in her palm, Lili hovers her hand over Minna’s body, trying to find the source of her weakness. I almost shout at Lili to work faster, but I can tell she is only barely keeping herself from collapsing on top of Minna. Seconds later, Lili’s hand suddenly stops over Minna’s right arm. I help tear the sleeve to reveal a large patch of discoloured skin around a narrow cut.

“T-this is?”

“Mr Kell got her. She’s been poisoned by one of his weapons.”

“Oh my god, back during the smokescreen…”

“The cut is shallow and her condition is better than when I found Sig, b-but it’s spread far and my mana is… is…”

“Oh my god, i-it hit her dominant arm. And I told her to swing a bloody weight for fifty seconds straight! I-I… I’ve-”

“You idiot, Sen… If I hadn’t, Kell would have… killed us all.”

Hearing her chiding words, my mind is awash with joy as I let out a choked laugh. However, my tears betray the truth of the situation. With a touch so fragile, Minna raises her hand and brushes my miserable face.

“W-we’ll get you back to base, Minna,” I promise as I clasp her hand. “We’ll get you back to the holy knights and then they’ll heal you in a snap.”

“Sen… I’m not sure I can-”

“WE WILL…! There is still time, s-so please, don’t give up on me, Minna. O-our pursuers are down and Eric’s tracker is gone, so…”

Even as I try to comfort Minna, my voice trails off as I reckon with the reality of the situation. The way back has probably been changed, and there are plenty of cultists left to replace the ones here. The only one of us in good health is Norf, but as bulky as he is, he can’t carry Minna, Eric and Hachirou all at once, while Lili and I limp behind him. W-what can I do?

“… The antidote.”

“Huh?”

“Mr Kell… has the antidote,” whispers Hachirou

“Wait, really Hachirou?” asks Lili.

“Last time, we beat Mr Kell by using his own poison against him. If I were him… I would bring a cure with me.”

“I-I see- Damn it! His body is burning as we speak!”

As I’m about to rush to Kell’s corpse, Minna suddenly tightens her grip on my hand, stopping me in my tracks. I look down to see Minna’s pleading eyes, and with conflicting feelings, I return to her side. Both of us are afraid that it would be the last time we can feel each other’s touch. Norf has inherited my distress and is busy batting the flames with a dampened cloak. Lili is defying her base instinct and is trying to meditate instead of squeezing more magic out of her soul. Everybody is doing their best, but it doesn’t change my despair as Minna’s grip slowly loosens.

“… It should have been me.”

“Sen?”

“After the Tiel Plains, I told myself that I would shape up for your sake, a-and yet… you’re still picking up after my mess. A-all this time, you’ve been watching my back, helping me realise my childish fantasy, a-and yet… I’ve done nothing for you. The one person I cannot imagine without. I-if it meant losing you… I would never have left the village.”

“Sen,” she whispers with a soft smile. Seeing such tenderness terrifies me when compared to her usual demeanour. “I’ve always told myself the same thing. Sometimes, I would daydream… that we’d return to Travillis and settle down for good. I would imagine you… running errands for the village, tilling the earth for our lame neighbour… *Giggle* before hitting a stone and breaking the hoe…”

“… while you would read the same old book under that same old tree, chiding me every step of the way,” I smile weakly. “Spirits know how you never get bored.”

“… And then we’d watch the green windmill spin together… until the moon comes out in full. That’s what I thought… I wanted. I was wrong.”

“Huh?”

“When we fell… under Lili’s spell, I didn’t dream of home, but of our adventures… Slaying monsters and helping villagers… Tracking bandits and exploring new lands. I… I finally realised. I wasn’t happiest just being by your side… I was happiest seeing you be the kind of man I always knew you are… a hero.”

“I… I don’t know about that. I only ever chased after Eric’s shadow, but… the only reason I’ve come this far is because you were there, Minna.”

“I see… Sen, I… I-I…”

“Yes, Minna?”

“… C-could you come closer? It’s getting… harder to hear.”

I readily oblige and lean in closer toward her ear. All of a sudden, she clasps my head and gently pulls me in… until a soft sensation spreads across my lips. Her embrace seems to last forever, until the remaining strength in her arms slips away. Soon, my confusion is replaced with alarm as Minna closes her eyes, with a serene smile on her pale face.

“I love you… Sen…

…”

“M-Minna?”

“…”

“H-hey, Minna, y-you can’t just-“

“…”

“Damn it, not like this! HURRY, NORF! I’m losing her!”

Norf immediately rushes back with two charred containers in his hands. Hachirou calls out to him to come over, and after inspecting the contents, Hachirou then points to the small pot in Norf’s left hand.

“It has to be… this one. The vial in your right… smells like Mr Kell’s knives.”

“Quick, pass it over!” I say.

Norf readily passes the pot and I immediately apply its contents to Minna’s arm. But as much as I smear it on her skin, her condition doesn’t seem to be improving.

“Stop using so much, Sen! It should be more than enough.”

“H-how long until it takes effect?” I ask Lili.

“I-I don’t know. I don’t know what kind of poison or medicine this is. It might be hours before it cleanses the toxins. Unless… pass it over, Sen. I need to check.”

Handing over the salve, Lili dips her finger into the pot before raising it in front of her. She focuses intensely, and after a few seconds, it suddenly changes colour from white to slightly red.

“A-as I thought,” says Lili as she uses the red salve to write runes on the infected area. “It’s a magician’s salve. The medicine might be effective in and of itself, but it needs magic to permeate the body more quickly. H-however…”

Lili finishes her enchantment mid-sentence, but with shaky movements, she strains to hover her hand over the wound. Just drawing the spell took everything from Lili, yet she’s still pushing herself for Minna’s sake. The applied medicine starts to take a pinkish tint, but all of sudden, Lili almost faints as Norf catches her in time.

“*Huff, huff.*”

“She’s burning up, Sen,” says Norf.

“No, I can still-”

“T-that’s enough, Lili,” I say weakly. “You’ve done more than enough. H-hachirou?”

“I-I’m sorry, everyone. I am so sorry,” Hachirou apologises profusely. “I-I focused so much on spirit arts t-that I never asked Enbos to-”

“I’ll do it.”

“Norf!?” we both exclaim. He nods in response then places his hand over Minna’s injury.

“Ever since my first magic lesson with you and Enbos, I kept practising what little I managed to learn. I’ve found a sensation for my mana but… I need your guidance, Lili.”

“… How do you perceive your mana, Norf?”

“A quiet ringing sound, low but crystal clear.”

“Then how much can you sense?”

“Only a single source, somewhere in my torso. However, it is fleeting. Sometimes, I question if it is there at all.”

“Focus on that single point, Norf. Focus on that one spark of mana like it’s the only thing in a vast void. It is there, it is real, and its resonance rings out in all directions.”

“…”

Lili’s impromptu lesson continues, but without , I have no clue if Norf is making any progress. All I can do is hold onto Minna’s hand as warm tears continue to pour. Lili lesson eventually stops but Norf’s fierce concentration continues, while I’m left squeezing her hand like an abandoned toddler.

“I-I’m losing my grip, Lili.”

“Relax and try again from the beginning, Norf.”

(Even now, I can’t do anything right by you. I-I really wish I had given you more attention. After all these years, y-you must have dropped so many hints, but I was just too dense to notice…)

“Y-you’ve bent your mana circuit too far, Norf. Try again.”

“Yes, Lili.”

(… That’s why, I want to respond to your feelings properly. I-I’ll arrange a venue and everything. I’ll even handpick the bouquet. I promise you, Minna, and I’ve never broken one to you yet. Because only a real hero keeps his word and saves the woman he loves. T-that’s why… come back to me, Minna. Please…)

As I press my forehead against her hand, I feel a few light taps on my shoulder. It’s Hachirou, but with his masked face, I can’t tell his intentions as he points toward Minna’s upper arm. With breathless anticipation, I slowly turn to Norf and Lili… to find they are smiling. The reddish salve has seemingly dissolved into Minna’s skin. I almost have a heart attack as I notice another sensation: Minna just tightened her grip on my hand. She’s still asleep, but…

“… Thank you, everyone. Thank you… thank you…” I say through ceaseless tears. “I-I don’t know how I can ever repay all of you.”

“Only strangers worry about debts, Sen,” says Lili. “We’re lifelong friends, and that’s all the reason we will ever need.”

“*Sniff* Yeah,” I say as I rub my burning eyes. “I just so happened to have the greatest companions in all the lands. That includes you, Hachirou. Minna- No, all of us, are alive because of you.”

Directing those words to Hachirou, he seems flustered by my praise and everybody’s smiles. However, looking down at Minna’s still-breathing form, he humbly lowers his head while feeling mollified. There is no way we could have made it this far without him, and now, he has finally accepted this fact.

“I was just doing the right- Huh?”

“What’s wrong, Hachirou?” I ask as I grab my spear.

“I-I hear something coming down the corridor!”

“Oh no, did we take too long to recover?” asks Lili.

“Damn it! Norf, go get Eric. We have to-”

“W-wait everyone. I don’t think it’s another cultist force. Whatever is coming is alone and sounds far too small to be a human. And judging by the smell, I-I think I know what it is.”

Sure enough, something the size of large rat is scampering its way in the darkness. It might actually be a rodent, but nothing we have seen suggests the cultists have a vermin problem. Hachirou seems relaxed as he steps forth and scoops up the creature in his hands. He then turns around to reveal…

“Enbos’ ugly pet!?”

“Erm, if I recall, he named it Mr Bonny,” grimaces Lili. “But if that’s here, then that means-”

(*Ahem* Testing, testing. Is this magic core working?)

“Enbos! You’re alive!”

“Can you hear us, Enbos? Are you alr-”

(Wait, what am I even saying? This is just a recording…)

“Don’t play with our emotions like that!”

(Anyway, I would love to explain what happened since we left, but I’ve got more important things to share. You see, I finally know how to take down Tascus, but… I’m going to need all your help. To save Maximillian.)

Thump.

After being carried for several minutes, I’m eventually dropped onto the solid floor. I can hear chains being wrapped around my body before metal nails are hammered into the ground. Since Agnes cast , I’ve been unable to see a thing nor move a single muscle. Nonetheless, I’ve been conscious throughout my capture, conserving my dwindling supply of mana. All I need is a God-given opportunity to strike, but every passing second is diminishing my chances.

Eventually, Agnes’ spell unravels, but not before the cultists finish my new prison. As feared, I’m bound in cursed chains and trapped in a cage of dark mana. Worse, I’m not alone. The rest of the Tascus elimination squad are imprisoned in their own circles, unconscious… and arranged in a large ring. We are in a great hall, and all around us, rows upon rows of cultists are chanting blasphemous hymns. Taking stock of my surroundings, I then turn to glare at Tascus who is accompanied… by Agnes.

“Ah. So, you were still conscious, Maximillian,” says Tascus as he walks closer to my circle. “Welcome to the ritual room, the place where the Watchful Light was born. Although it would fill you with despair, you are blessed to bear witness to my Ascension, firsthand.”

“…”

“*Sigh* Such hatred. It didn’t have to be this way, Maximillian. If you had just agreed, any other member among your order would have sufficed. Now, I must use your bones to build the new world.”

“… I see. You didn’t barricade your forces in here to buy time; you cornered yourselves to lure me and my men in. You needed our holy souls for this unholy ritual.”

“That’s not the whole reason, but yes. As magnificent as the lich ascension circle is, it was only ever designed to accept ten sacrifices at most,” explains Tascus as he walks around each of my compatriots. “The souls of this age are far too inferior, and they have to be holy in nature for the spell to work. I earnestly tried to modify the ritual, to sacrifice a dozen of our own for a single one of you, but alas the wisdom of the ancients was too great. That’s why I had to arrange for your cross-border expedition, although I honestly didn’t plan for your intervention at Kasseus.”

As he says this, he glances towards Agnes who is watching with a passive expression. I feel sick in my stomach as I recall her signing our visas to the Reinsol Kingdom. However, as I’m looking in her direction, I notice the furnace breathing purple flames in the back, with Horizon’s Edge laying on a nearby table.

“Ah, yes. The other reason I had to bring you here. The reason I couldn’t make do with any of the Path’s other knightly orders.”

“You plan to melt down Horizon’s Edge?”

“Indeed. For a magic circle of the highest order, it needs to be inscribed with a material of equal value. Otherwise, the extreme mana circulation will burn out the runes before the spell is even active. Sadly,” pauses Tascus as he traces his finger along the inscriptions on the ground, “the original medium deteriorated after three thousand years. Rather, it was probably expended during its original activation.”

“Which is why you need Horizon’s Edge, whose mana conductivity is of the highest grade. You… You knew I would bring Horizon’s Edge to our battle!”

“I hoped for it, despite all the red tape the Church has introduced over the years. I was confident you would bypass their processes… because that is exactly what a Cleansing Sword would do.”

“...”

“Don’t bother biting off your tongue, Maximillian. I’ll just heal you, less your appendage.”

There is nothing I can do. Nothing I can think of to disrupt Tascus’ plan. Nothing short of a blessed miracle could stop him at this moment. At the very least, it will take a while for them to heat up the furnace and melt Horizon’s Edge. Hopefully, it will be sufficient time for Lili and the others to escape. I know she will make it, but I will do everything in my power to delay this ritual until then.

Noticing the look in my eye, Tascus then slowly shakes his ram-shaped head.

“Even now, you still believe the Path will endure. Although I would rather hasten the Church’s decay and focus on building His true kingdom, I could easily grind the great cathedrals to dust if I so choose. Accept it, Maximillian. The Church’s reckoning is upon them.

“This is far from the end, Tascus. You call it your Ascension, but in the end, it is nothing but a means of increasing your raw power and your lifespan. Your feats of terror will never be seen as miracles. And before the vast scale of human history, your reign will be but a minor detour from the one, true Path.”

“*Chuckle* You misunderstand, my child. My Ascension may be preordained, but it’s only ever been a means to an end. Look over there.”

Following his gesture, I turn to find a massive stone door of circular design, inscribed with tens of thousands of arcane runes. Tascus walks towards the door with his arms spread wide in apparent awe.

“Behold. The Vault of the Watchful Light. Within it are the tools the great undead used to sow the seeds of civilisation. However, it is my belief there are still gifts to be be had. The Watchful Light was reawakened to restore humanity’s faith in Maleosis, but at the time, the mana flow in the World Stream was still weaker than it is today. Far too weak for relics of the Golden Age to be used. Humankind’s inheritance lies behind this fated door, and it shall usher in an eternity of prosperity.”

“Is that it, Tascus? Is that your so called destiny? All this death, all this misery, all this betrayal… just so you can steal a monster’s identity and rob its possessions?” I say as I glance toward Agnes, who casts her eyes slightly downward. “You disgust me, heretic.”

“… No, Maximillian,” replies Tascus as he lowers his arms and turns to face me. “The Ascension would only allow me to wield His divine tools, not open this ancient door. Even if I achieve my perfect form, my soul will still be my own, and this domain will never recognise it. Despite all our efforts investigating the Great Ark, the door will only ever open for the Watchful Light.

… or their reincarnation.”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, there is a low rumble and I turn to find a different door being opened. The surrounding cultists begin chanting louder and louder, seemingly encouraging the intruder to push through the massive stone panels. My eyes widen as a pair of wooden antlers emerge from the gap, followed by black-cloaked body and a silver sword at his hip. As the heavy doors are sealed behind him, the lone mage stares straight at the hierarch and his army of murderous fanatics.

“Welcome, Brother Enbos. I have been expecting you.”