The chase was still ongoing and could have lasted anywhere from only 20 minutes to several hours. The only thing anyone could agree on was that it felt eternal. It was so incredibly difficult to gauge the passage of time. Every second blurred into the next, filled with harsh breaths, panicked glances, and the relentless pounding of footsteps and buzzing wings.
Suddenly, Zareth cursed under his breath, sharp and sudden.
Without even knowing the reason why, Kain's heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. Nothing good could come out of their normally stoic leader cursing.
The others barely had time to react before his wolf skidded to a halt.
One by one, they stumbled to a stop behind him, breathless, hearts still pounding from the creature still closely pursuing them. A few contracts immediately looked like they wanted to collapse once they stopped running, the adrenaline leaving their systems.
Kain, seeing the exhaustion of their mounts, switched to 3 fresh Vespid guards for him, Serena, and Malzahir.
Fortunately, this stop did not result in their deaths by the creature behind them.
Heck, although it felt a little cruel to say, if not for the delay caused by Jamie's tragic sacrifice it would likely already be on Kain and the others by now.
"What is it now—?" Pete began, but the words died in his throat as his eyes followed Zareth's gaze.
The path ended.
Or rather, it didn't end—it was torn like the path itself had been ripped into nonexistence by a god-like entity. A yawning chasm stretched out before them, swallowing the entire width of the corridor and extending so far forward that even the contracts with the best eyesight or the use of spiritual power to enhance their eyesight could allow their gazes to touch the bottom.
There was no sound, not even a distant echo of falling debris from the rocks they accidentally knocked over the edge during their frantic stop.
Just bottomless emptiness.
😍 Casual Date is just a click away!
Sign up & start meeting women in your area today.
Ads by Pubfuture
"The path in the map must have collapsed," Zareth growled. "This wasn't here before."
Kain stepped forward slowly, peering over the edge. The drop was so sheer and the pit so vast it made his skin crawl…and familiar.
A memory surfaced unbidden—Absorbing a core fragment containing source energy, fading sigils, collapsing tunnels, the sound of snapping support beams, and the momentary silence that came before everything dropped as Vauleth sheltered them all from the tons of collapsing snow and stone.
'Oops…I hope this collapse isn't related to the one Serena and I triggered before…'
Glancing guiltily at the others, Kain elected to keep his mouth shut about his potential role.
Fortunately, the chasm did have another side that they could land on if they managed to cross.
Far, far across the chasm, barely visible through the lingering haze and dust, a soft white glow shimmered at the edge of the darkness.
"The relic core…" Lina murmured in a bittersweet tone. Happy that the end may be in sight, but devastated that it was without Jamie. "That has to be where it's located"
"But we're not the only ones who might be able to cross," Pete added grimly. The flightless lizard carrying him shook its tail nervously beneath him, agitated by the proximity to the drop.
Its claws scraped restlessly against the stone, clearly wanting to retreat. The tension in its limbs mirrored the taut nerves of its rider, who gripped the reins as if they might be the only thing keeping him grounded.
The groaning and tearing of stone behind them reminded them of what was still following. The abomination. All of the distance that they'd barely managed to open, was rapidly reducing.
"Maybe it can jump," Pete muttered. "Or, with our luck, maybe it can grow wings and chase us across."
"Don't give it ideas," Kain replied dryly.
He summoned one of his Vespid guards and pointed toward the glow across the way. "Go. See what's over there."
The insect buzzed once and launched itself into the air, wings slicing the stillness with a whine of motion as it zipped toward the other side. They watched in silence, the dark figure shrinking into the distance. Its form wobbled as updrafts buffeted its wings, then steadied again. It moved like it knew time was precious and wouldn't waste a millisecond.
Then—nothing.
Kain blinked. His brow furrowed.
😍 Casual Date is just a click away!
Ads by Pubfuture
"I lost it," he muttered.
"What?" Serena turned to him.
"Our spiritual link is gone. It wasn't nearly as strong as the one I have with my actual contract, but we still had one. Now I don't. It's like it flew into a dead zone or…" He shrugged. "Guess it's not worse than what's behind us."
There was a beat of silence. Then Pete snorted.
"That's your bar for risk now? 'It can't be worse than that thing?'"
Kain didn't answer. Instead, he summoned two more Vespids. One hovered at Pete's side, waiting.
Zareth, the only other one with a non-flying mount also recalled his wolf in favour of what looked like a giant eagle made of steel. Its claws scraped restlessly against the stone, clearly wanting to retreat.
Pete eyed his new mount warily. "You're sure this thing can carry me?"
"Yeah…," Kain said gesturing to himself, Serena, and Malzahir. "But if you start falling, scream loud so I can try to retrieve your space ring before you splatter at the bottom."
"You're joking," Pete said flatly.
Kain gave him a look. "Am I?"
The additional Vespid guard Kain called out was used to lead the path forward in case of any unknown dangers. Once it was in front, Zareth and Lina were already on the move. His eagle launched itself into the air after it. Lina's moth soared after him, silk-lined wings glittering in the dim light.
Kain and the others, now all on Vespids, followed closely behind.
Behind them, the tunnel rumbled again. Dust and small pebbles dropped from the ceiling, and a distant, wet growl slithered through the stone.
The creature had not given up.
But it couldn't chase what it couldn't reach.
And for now—only for now—they were one step ahead.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!The only sounds were the furious beating of wings and the roar of wind rushing past their ears.
Kain's teeth clenched as he leaned forward on the Vespid's back, his gaze locked on the distant ledge where the white glow pulsed like the beacon of a lighthouse in the dark. Behind him, Serena and Malzahir flew in close formation. Ahead, Zareth and Lina were already past the halfway point, steadily gaining ground.
They just had to keep moving.
Then—
A thunderous crack echoed behind them.
Kain turned instinctively, his heart lurching. At the edge of the chasm, shadows broke apart like splinters as something massive slammed into the stone. Cracks spiderwebbed outward, chunks crumbling and tumbling over the steep cliff.
Their pursuer—the predator in this never-ending hunt—had arrived.
Still, its body remained hidden behind the gloom of the tunnel, but one grotesquely long, jointless limb unfurled out from the darkness, slick and glinting unnaturally under the dim light.
And it moved. Faster than the eye could see it whipped forward.
To Malzahir bringing up the rear.
"Malzahir—!" Kain shouted.
The Vespid carrying him banked sharply at the last second, reacting on pure instinct. The limb missed, but the sheer force of wind that followed it sliced the air like a blade. A pained screech and the frantic buzzing of damaged wings echoed across the chasm.
Kain's blood turned to ice.
The guard wobbled mid-flight. One wing—shredded. The other—bent at a crooked angle. It flailed wildly, trying to keep balance, but it was already too late.
They were falling.
Malzahir didn't scream. His eyes were wide with shock as gravity yanked him downward. The Vespid tried to stabilize, but the descent only quickened.
"NO!"
Kain sped forward to clutch Malzahir's outstretched hand and slow their descent, but the huge load of another of its kind, plus another human, was too much for his current mount and soon it too began to sink down—albeit at a slower rate.
However, the slowed descent was all he needed.
Another Vespid was summoned by him.
The new guard dove, catching Malzahir as Kain let go and below, the wounded Vespid finally gave out. It vanished as Kain recalled it. Fortunately, under the care of its mother, it should return to fighting condition soon.
Ads by Pubfuture
Kain exhaled through his teeth while the new Vespid climbed, inch by inch, fighting gravity like it was dragging Malzahir out of the jaws of death itself.
Finally, finally, it crested back into the group's altitude. Malzahir clung to his new mount, arms shaking. His face was pale, bloodless, but alive.
No one said anything, still shocked by the sudden attack.
Kain fell in beside them, eyes scanning Malzahir's face. "You good?"
Malzahir opened his mouth, then closed it. His nod was tight. Wordless.
'On the Brightside,' Kain thought, ' it looks like Malzahir's resignation to die was no longer so strong.'
After all, anyone truly resigned to death wouldn't be so panicked when the moment finally came.
They kept moving, not because they wanted to—but because they had to.
Behind them, the creature growled again, low and grating, and then fell eerily silent.
As if watching. As if thinking and plotting how to continue its pursuit.
And Kain, still not blinking, felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck at its gaze—but he only kept his gaze trained on the white light guiding them forward.
The glow on the far end of the gap became clearer now—less like a beacon and more like a threshold, alien and absolute in its brilliance. Whatever lay beyond it, none of them could guess.
Kain prompted the Vespids guard leading the way ahead when he saw it pause in hesitation. The loyal guard darted forward obediently, its wings a blur as it broke from the cluster.
The abomination roared again behind them—frustrated now. Its massive limb swiped again through the empty air, but none of them were close enough to strike. Still, it moved along the wall of the tunnel, trying to trace a path along the ceiling or ledge. There was no telling how much reach it had—or how long before it found a way across.
Kain could already see it testing the sturdiness of the walls and ceiling. The last thing Kain wanted to see was this massive horror attempting to crawl across the ceiling reminiscent of a possessed person in a horror movie.
Kain's gaze flicked forward again just as his scouting Vespid passed through the wall of white light.
And then—his connection with it completely vanished.
Not a cry. No resistance. Just… gone.
"Stop!" Kain barked, yanking his mount back with such force it nearly knocked into Serena's.
The group skidded mid-air, wings beating erratically in tight space as they all hovered in place. Pete clung tightly to the Vespid carrying him, face pale.
Serena turned to Kain, brows furrowed. "What happened?"
"I lost contact with it again," Kain said grimly. "Just like before."
Lina's expression turned sombre. "Another one?"
Kain nodded, jaw tight. A heavy silence followed.
Then Kain muttered, "Maybe… maybe we should all switch to Vespids as mounts. I can summon more if needed. Queen can replenish them in time. If something goes wrong beyond that light, we don't risk our main contracts."
Ads by Pubfuture
Serena said nothing, her eyes unreadable. But Lina frowned.
"I see your point," Lina said carefully. "But if it's that dangerous, maybe we need our strongest creatures ready. Not stashed away. If something destroys a spiritual creature without warning, I'd rather be able to fight back before that happens."
Kain hesitated. It wasn't an unfair point.
Zareth cleared his throat.
"There's no time to keep debating," he said, voice calm and final. "I'll go through first. Me and my partner. If something happens, you'll know, and we'll keep the loss limited."
"Wait—" Kain started.
"I'm the leader," Zareth interrupted, shooting him a glance. "This is what I'm supposed to do."
"But it might be safer if we all go at once," Serena said quietly.
Pete, pale and clutching his Vespid due to the unfamiliar feeling of flight, gave a tired nod. "If one of us is doomed, we might all be. No sense in staggering the risk. Might as well share it."
Zareth sighed, then relented. "Fine. All together. No hesitation."
They tightened formation. Kain looked back one last time and caught a glimpse of the abomination backing away from the ledge.
Then—they crossed.
The white light washed over them like a veil of fireless heat.
It did not burn. Did not push. It simply was.
For a moment, there was nothing.
Then—
"Ghhh—!" Zareth grunted, clutching at his side.
Lina gave a sharp gasp. "Something's wrong with our contracts—!"
Kain spun, alarmed.
Zareth was still on his mount, teeth gritted. Lina hunched forward, one hand to her chest, eyes wide with confusion and pain. But there were no injuries.
Kain looked to their mounts—both still flying, still whole.
Nothing had attacked them.
"What is it?" Serena called.
"It's not them," Zareth said through clenched teeth. "It's—my contract. I can feel it fading. It's like—something's taken an eraser to remove the connection we have."
Lina's eyes were frantic. "Mine too. Not my Nyxveil itself." She said gesturing to the black moth beneath her. "The bond. The contract itself is coming undone!"
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!They didn't wait.
Zareth spun his mount around and flew rapidly out of the bounds of the light curtain. Lina followed, clutching the moth supporting her even as it flickered in the air.
Kain turned with them, heart pounding. Malzahir and Serena kept pace.
As they burst through the barrier again, a wave of cold relief hit him.
Zareth and Lina groaned again—but this time, it was more breath than pain. They didn't collapse. The colour returned to their faces. Their creatures steadied.
Kain blinked rapidly, rechecking every link he had.
Bea?—fine. Aegis?—stable. Queen?—present. Vauleth?—napping without a care.
"It seems like as long as they remain in the star space it should be fine," Kain murmured to himself in relief.
The Vespid guards being used as mounts?
The bonds felt thinner like threads stretched taut over too long a distance. Kain wouldn't have noticed it at first, not without the others reacting.
They hadn't cried out, hadn't weakened. But the already thin connection he had with the Vespid guards looked like it would snap in around a minute.
"My links to the Vespids are affected as well but I don't really suffer any pain from their loss. The dissolving of the contract is also not as fast as for you two," he muttered.
Kain suspected it was because it was only a tertiary link—via secondarily linked Queen who was bonded to him via his primary contract, the microscopic Eve—and so whatever force was acting to sever bonds was less aggressively targeting him.
Zareth wiped the sweat from his brow, face grim. "It was definitely not slow for us. My bond was coming apart second by second."
Lina nodded. "If we'd stayed another 10 seconds, I think… I think the contract would've broken entirely."
Pete shivered. "But why? There's no enemy. No attack. It's just light."
😍 Casual Date is just a click away!
Ads by Pubfuture
Kain turned back to the barrier.
Silent. Unmoving. That same fireless white glow, like a frozen curtain of sunlight.
The glow had an almost holy, indifferent quality. But that cold holiness made him reluctant to re-enter.
After the horrifying soul-deep pain they experienced, Kain could also see that Lina and Zareth were also reluctant to re-enter.
"Wait," Lina said sharply while pausing. "Do you hear that?"
The air trembled. A rhythmic chitter, faint but rising in pitch, echoed from the collapsed tunnel behind them.
Pete gasped, pointing. "Up there—look!"
Long spindly limbs originating from the abomination chasing them had reached the cavern ceiling. It was no longer content to sit and watch them get away. Long, clawed limbs extended outward, testing the stone above like a spider examining web strands. The unnatural creature began to ascend the walls of the underground ruins and then crawl on the ceiling—upside down.
This was probably the clearest image they'd gotten of the horrifying creature since they'd first encountered it—and more of its massive body was still exiting the tunnel behind. Its limbs ended in rusted scissor-like pincers, and in its open mouth were rows of millions of needle-like teeth resembling a leech and 4 bulbous purple eyes.
Veins of seething, black and violet crystal pulsed where its spine should have been, and its underbelly was a patchwork of mechanical tubing and exposed ribs, as if it had been stitched together from a mechanical wreckage and corpses. Thick cables trailed like intestines beneath it, dragging against the stone. Every motion was slow and deliberate like a predator savouring the chase.
'That is something straight out of a nightmare…'
"It's coming," Zareth said, voice more tense than Kain had ever heard it. "It's going to try and crawl across the ceiling…to reach us."
"It'll be above us within a minute."
Kain's mouth was dry. They had seconds to choose. Forward through the soul-severing light, or back into the waiting jaws of a nightmare.
"We don't have a choice, we use my contracts," Kain said at last, voice flat. "Zareth and Lina can't bring their partners through without risking irreversible damage to their souls due to the broken contract. Heck, the pain from the broken bond may cause your contracts to be unable to finish the flight across. But the Vespids don't have that issue and should still be able to carry us across."
Lina glanced at him. "You're sure they can finish the trip? They'll listen to you?"
"Not 100% sure," Kain admitted. "But I'm confident. They're different. Hive-minded. Not individual contracts. They aren't separate entities given names and power—they're Queen's children. Extensions of her will. Extensions of mine now too. So even if our already tenuous bond is broken, they should still listen to me…for a period. Not to mention because the nature of our contract is different, it does not hurt me nor them when it is broken."
He exhaled slowly, expression tightening. "They'll get us across. I'll just… have to give up most of them."
He didn't delay. One by one, Kain summoned six fresh Vespid guards, sending his currently weakened mount back to the star space.
Then after a careful balancing act reminiscent of a show belonging in the circus, each person carefully hopped onto their new temporary partner.
Ads by Pubfuture
"Are you sure about this Kain? What if there is some harm to you, that you just can't sense yet?" Zareth asked.
"Your contracts are too valuable to risk. If those bonds break completely, you're defenseless." He gestured to the trembling insectoids. "These are expendable."
The word tasted bitter. But it was true.
Kain couldn't help but look around at them, knowing that if Queen couldn't re-establish a connection with them, not a single one was likely to remain.
He felt a pang of sadness at the thought.
These were not mindless tools. He remembered each one. Although they looked remarkably similar, there were slight differences in appearance and personality.
He remembered how long each one had survived since hatching. The ones who'd carried him out of the crumbling tunnels, across caverns, to escape too-strong enemies, who had sacrificed their own bodies at critical moments to block an attack for him.
Yes, technically they were 'expendable' and more will be born to replenish their numbers with time, but it won't be the same ones.
Before entering the curtain of light again, Kain reached out and rubbed the head of each one; some clicked their mandibles, others wiggled their large abdomens, and some shook their antennae up and down.
They'd never spoken. Never protested the often dangerous tasks assigned to them. But they knew him and had bonded with him over time.
Kain swallowed hard.
"Queen," he murmured, "I'll try to recover them. But if I don't… thank you."
A distant hum echoed in his thoughts. Sad. Accepting.
The group began to shift. The Vespids closed ranks, wings beating with purpose. Now atop a newly summoned guard, Zareth and Lina dismissed their partners.
Kain kept 4 Vespids not carrying anyone around the group, flying in a supportive ring—just in case.
Kain took the lead since the guards were most used to following him. "Keep tight. We go fast, and we don't stop."
Crash
A portion of the ceiling behind them caved in to remind them of their relentless pursuer.
"Move!"
They plunged into the light.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!The white veil swallowed them whole and Kain could only use his senses to try and navigate the group forward rather than in circles.
The effects of this light took a while to show, but once it did the change to the Vespid's was immediate.
Kain's bond with each Vespid trembled—flickering like candles in a storm. The clear, crisp clarity of his mental link grew muddled, sluggish. Commands were not disobeyed, but delayed.
But another minute longer and Kain's tertiary bond to the Vespids, completely shattered, lie glass under a hammer. The guards' disciplined formation collapsed instantly.
But they didn't fall, and after Kain repeatedly calling out instructions in a soothing voice they calmed down…slightly.
The guards buzzed in alarm, wings beating faster as if searching for reassurance that no longer came.
They were scared.
Their most important connection, to their Queen Mother, was gone. They had only Kain now.
He grit his teeth and leaned lower. "Just a bit longer. I know you can do it."
They responded—not with words, but movement.
Despite the broken bonds, the Vespids remembered. Months of training, of battle, of carrying this human through hell—it was etched into their instincts. They lurched forward, wings beating unevenly.
But they pushed forward.
Buzzing became wilder. Erratic. The deeper they flew, the worse it got. The Vespid just beneath Kain jerked slightly in the air, but kept going.
At each level Queen would produce 6 more children, meaning that she could produce a maximum of 30 guards while at green-grade. Kain had entered this relic with only twenty-five (losing some on the way to the relic). He lost nearly half of them since engaging in various fights, although a few new ones had been born during that time as well. Two had vanished in their first probe of the light curtain. With six now ferrying them and four more acting as guards, Kain did the math in his head and swallowed hard.
'When this is over, I may be able to count all my remaining guards on one hand…'
😍 Casual Date is just a click away!
Ads by Pubfuture
The white veil began to thin.
The glow dimmed, fading into softer, more natural colors. Shadows crept back into the world.
And then—ground. Solid. A new ledge.
They broke through the final wall of light and hit the new platform heavily, wings trembling. Each rider dismounted quickly, and the Vespids, adrenaline gone, collapsed.
Then came the light.
Not the hostile brilliance of the barrier, but the soft, radiant glow of lanterns embedded in stone. The walls around them stretched high, circular and vast, with every surface carved in delicate reliefs and murals that shimmered with runes.
Murals of people. Both humans and elves, strangely. But also—beastmen, dwarves, and other longlost humanoid species too. They were depicted kneeling at the base of an immense tree with a purple crystal embedded in its center—another fragment of the planet's core, Kain suspected. All along the bottom of the murals were text.
Kain stepped forward, frowning as the language formed in his mind.
"…Ancient Elvish," he murmured. "I can read this."
Pete raised an eyebrow. "What's it say?"
Kain narrowed his eyes and read aloud.
"Sanctuary. For those who walk without the aid of spirits. For the weary, the wounded, and the faithless. You may find rest—but not power."
He paused. Below the main passage, a smaller inscription trailed along the mural's base.
"No spirit shall step into the hallowed space nor wield their power here."
Kain stared at the runes.
They hadn't been attacked.
They hadn't been cursed.
They were simply violating the rules of this place.
Kain translated grimly. "This place nullifies contracts. Permanently, if you stay too long. It was designed so pilgrims would approach on foot, leaving their spiritual creatures behind." He gestured to the gaping chasm behind them. "But since the path to here is gone…"
Ads by Pubfuture
"We had to fly," Serena finished. "Using our contracts as mounts."
Pete groaned. "So we're stuck here? With that thing still out there?" He pointed back at the light-barrier, where the abomination's shadow loomed on the ceiling, cautiously approaching the edge of the barrier of light.
Zareth's voice was quiet. "Not necessarily." He nodded to the far end of the chamber, where a narrow staircase spiralled upward. "If this is a sanctuary, there's got to be more to it than a curtain of light."
Buzzz
Kain looked over and froze.
Two Vespid bodies lay crumpled near the edge of the new platform—those he had sent ahead to scout and lost contact with earlier. One was utterly motionless; its limbs twisted inward like a crushed leaf. The other still moved faintly, legs twitching as it dragged itself in a slow circle as if searching for its companions. Its wings buzzed feebly, scraping against the stone with a sound that made Kain's chest tighten.
He stepped closer, crouching beside it, and extended a hand. The creature lifted its head, mandibles clicking in a soft, pleading rhythm—recognition, desperation, both. Kain tried to recall it, to summon it back into the star space. Nothing happened. The bond was gone.
He hesitated, glancing down at the dying guards and wondered if he should summon Queen. But remembering the inscription he stopped.
He couldn't risk releasing Queen. Not until he better understood this place. A broken bond with Queen, and Eve within her, would definitely not be so harmless to him.
Unable to get help, one by one, the other Vespid guards collapsed where they had landed. The ones who had flown in formation around the group shuddered mid-air and spiralled down like leaves, striking the stone with sickening thuds. Wings twitched. Limbs curled.
There were no wounds. No blood. No visible cause. Just a quiet, awful stillness creeping in.
Serena knelt beside one, brow furrowed. "What's wrong with them?" she whispered. "There's no injury. No poison. They're just… stopping."
Kain's jaw clenched. "They can't survive without her."
She looked up at him, confused.
"Wasps. Bees. Ants. Creatures like these aren't meant to live alone," Kain said softly. "They need a Queen. That bond, that presence—it's their compass, their purpose. Without it…" His voice caught. "They're dying. Not from wounds or sickness. From heartbreak. They don't understand why she's not answering. Why they've lost that connection."
The twitching slowed. One reached out toward Kain with a trembling limb, brushing his boot before falling still. Another tried to crawl toward a fellow Vespid's corpse, their antennae briefly touching before both went limp.
It was the quietest death Kain had ever witnessed. No screams. No battle. Just a fading will to live.
He crouched beside them, one hand resting on the nearest shell. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "You did well. You brought us here."
There was no answer. Just the soft drone of wings finally falling silent.
When it was over, silence returned.
With a solemn bow of gratitude to the dead bodies to thank them for their service and as a silent apology, Kain turned and followed behind the others already headed to the stairs.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!Huff Puff
Huff
"Wow…Who would think that a 6-star beast-tamer could be so out of shape?" Lina said somewhat ribbingly to the panting Pete.
However, Kain had to agree with her comment. Although 1-star level beast-tamers were only slightly stronger than the average person, with each increase in rank and increasing feedback from their contracts, their bodies would improve.
Kain personally felt like he wouldn't have been panting so heavily even when just a 2-star beast-tamer.
As a 6-star beast-tamer Pete's physique should be comparable to a decently powerful spiritual creature…but he sounded more like a sedentary couch potato on the verge of an asthma attack because he has to climb some stairs.
Now that Kain thought about it, more than even the now normal Malzahir, Pete requested breaks the most often. And during any stretches of travel that would exceed 10 minutes walking time he would summon one of his contracts to carry him.
Now in an environment where summoning a mount was impossible, he was really struggling.
This combined with his often sleepy appearance, made it hard to believe that he was one of the elites of the empire carefully recruited and screened to join the Order.
'Is it possible to bribe your way into such a prestigious organization backed by the government? …Surely not.'
"Huff. Look…look what you've—huff—done. Even if you—ugh—want to tease me…don't make the newbies doubt my supreme—cough cough—power. See how they're—huff huff—looking at me now?" Pete replied before succumbing to a long coughing fit.
'I don't think Lina is the reason…It's kind of hard to notice the loud wheezing noises coming from your direction with the enhanced senses of the Awakened…'
Seeing that Pete's mouth was so dry he could barely string together a sentence without looking like he would end up coughing to death, but definitely wanted to clear his reputation, Zareth took pity on him.
😍 Casual Date is just a click away!
Ads by Pubfuture
"It's a side effect of his gift." Zareth clarified. "Think back to when we first left the Order, do either of you have any memory of Pete?"
Hmm…
Kain thought back long and hard, as did Serena, and no matter how much they scoured their memories they did not have any impression of Pete.
"Really—huff— guys?" Pete wheezed upon seeing their blank expressions, evidently hurt by their lack of recollection of him. "I went with you two and Zareth—huff— to the Obari tribe to find the antidote for the scorpion venom? Cough cough…My partner and I weren't able to bring anything back—huff— but that's no reason to forget me!"
"You did?" Kain asked, eyes rolling as he tried to recollect, "That wasn't you…that was—" Kain compared the features of the male in the unsuccessful group to Pete and had to acknowledge that they did have some slightsimilarities—mostly the eyes. But they had one huge difference. The Pete before him now, while not stick thin, had a normal physique of someone with a bit of a beer belly. However, that teammate…had been huge. At least 4 Kain's could fit inside of him.
Likely seeing the conflicting mixture of realization and disbelief on Kain's face, Zareth confirmed his guess.
"That was indeed Pete. Pete's gift allows him to convert the fat stored in his body into power. Therefore, the bigger he is, the more strong he is. However, due to the frequent battles since entering the ruins, and the lack of abundant food supply, Pete had burned through most of his fat stores and was unable to replenish them—hence his current weakened state."
'There truly are all kinds of gifts,' Kain thought while looking at the powerful beast-tamer that looked as though he'd be helplessly outrun by a toddler.
After having his current state explained for him, Pete tried to stand upright with his chest puffed out to portray a more powerful front. Unfortunately, the thick layer of sweat and the wet hair sticking to his forehead made this front useless.
Thankfully, the idle chatter of the group helped to make the time pass quicker, and in what felt like no time—at least for everyone but Pete—the group arrived at the end of the ascending staircase.
At the end of the long winding staircase was a large chamber, which once again had the words 'The Sanctuary' written in Ancient Elvish above the arched entryway.
The moment they crossed the arch, a hush fell over the group—less from the weight of silence and more from sheer awe.
The Sanctuary was vast. Unfathomably vast.
Its ceiling arched high above them in soaring domes, carved with painstaking detail into scenes of a world long gone.
From floor to ceiling, every surface had been etched, inlaid, or sculpted with care. Realistic marble trees carved by a master wrapped around support pillars, curling their branches into the stone canopy above. Waterfall mosaics shimmered along the walls in rippling violet hues, with threads of gold leaf so fine they glimmered like liquid starlight.
The craftsmanship was divine. Regal. Timeless.
And yet—for all its beauty—it was not the craftsmanship of the room that demanded the group's attention the most..
Ads by Pubfuture
Encased in thick, off-white transparent crystals with a faint violet tinge, stood thousands of figures—all facing inward toward the center of the Sanctuary, as if waiting for something—or someone.. The crystals pulsed softly, like hearts caught in slumber.
Kain's breath hitched in his throat as he slowly approached the nearest one.
Inside, a pure-blooded elf woman—a kind not seen by the Empire's civilians in centuries— stood tall and proud, long silver hair cascading down like a waterfall of moonlight.
Beside her, preserved in an adjacent pillar, was a male elf with stern features and a sword clasped to his chest.
"They…might be alive," Serena whispered behind him, voice tinged with disbelief.
And they just well may be. At least it appeared that way to Kain and the others. Not truly dead, nor wholly alive—just… paused.
As they moved deeper into the chamber, the diversity of its inhabitants became more clear. A few dwarves, bearded and broad, one wielding a hammer the size of a wagon wheel, the other clad in enchanted plate armor with a shield strapped to his arm. A female dwarf with a sturdy but curvy figure and calloused hands.
Beside them stood a pair of orcs, their tusks smaller than what Kain recalled seeing in paintings of their kind, likely young. Despite their youth though, their muscles were large and defined like action figures made of flesh.
A pair of cat-eared beastfolk, tall and lithe, stood curled together in slumber near the edge. Further on, Kain saw a trio of horned lizardmen, shimmering scales catching the crystal light, each with different tools or weapons clasped against their chests.
And then—creatures not seen in any age Kain had studied.
A seraphic wolf with six wings, each feather carved looked so delicate that Kain felt like they'd fly off if he breathed too hard in its direction.
A treeborn turtle, its shell a literal miniature forest with vines frozen mid-bloom. A two-headed stag, antlers covered in crystal blossoms.
A feathered serpent with some features of a rooster such as a comb and a wattle-like organ beneath its massive head.
There were thousands of crystals, and most of them contained only 2-5 members of the same species, and in every grouping, there was always at least one male and one female.
Kain walked the aisle in silence, his boots echoing too loudly.
'Is this…' he swallowed, feeling strangely small beneath the vaulted ceiling.
'…Is this Noah's Ark?'
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you soHe stopped before a cluster of what looked like long-extinct dragonkin—more humanoid than beast. They looked a lot like kobolds yet with wings and a quiet, noble sorrow—rather than the typical bootlicking manner of the kobolds Kain was accustomed to—perhaps an ancestor?
Their eyes, frozen in crystal, seemed almost aware—like statues waiting for a bell that would never ring.
'No… not quite Noah's Ark,' he amended his earlier thought. 'There's no ship. But the intent is the same. A sanctuary. A preservation. And coincidentally all of these are creatures that do not currently exist or have been seen on the continent in centuries. Even rare creatures, like the True Red Dragons, were not seen here. Did they predict that their own extinction was at risk?'
At the center of the room was the only truly dead creature, a massive dried-out husk of a tree that had long since petrified, with a glowing violet orb in its crumbling center.
Kain could sense the Source energy coming off of the orb, and admittedly he still craved it, but more than that he realized that it had a more important identity—it was the core of this relic…and their ticket out of there.
Zareth walked over and stood beneath the tree's arching branches, then he reached in and pried the core out of the dead tree with little resistance.
The violet orb pulsed once, then again, in a steady rhythm with his spiritual output as he began to saturate it with his own spiritual power to gain control of it. Once he did they would be free.
Sweat beaded on his brow, but his expression remained composed like usual—steady, as though he were simply completing an everyday task.
The others fanned out, knowing that there was nothing they could do to support him, their footsteps lost amidst the chamber's silence. Even Pete, previously on the verge of collapsing, wandered toward a cluster of feathered foxes with gossamer tails—his eyes wide with wonder, fatigue is momentarily forgotten.
Lina and Serena discussed the possibility of the crystals being like stasis pods—an advanced kind of suspended animation that the Empire had been supposedly researching.
Serena theorized that the Sanctuary had been built with the intent of surviving some great disaster—likely related to the Abyss.
😍 Casual Date is just a click away!
Ads by Pubfuture
Serena pointed out faint runes on the floor, possibly a ritual circle, now dulled with time and unreadable.
Malzahir crouched beside a floating crystal containing a mermaid-like figure with hair like liquid silver. Considering he'd been raised in the desert and had never seen the ocean or any aquatic creatures, he seemed especially curious about the people that looked to be half human and half fish. He pressed his fingers to the surface in wonder and curiosity but recoiled at the faint thrum beneath—like touching a heart encased in glass.
All of them eventually tried the same thing: bringing the massive crystals into their storage rings, only for nothing to happen. This further supported the theory that those encased in crystals are likely still alive—and thus, unable to be brought into the space rings.
But Kain didn't have that limitation.
Kain stood quietly in the shadow of one of the biggest crystals, out of sight of the others, his eyes skimming over the faces preserved in the nearby crystals. So many species. So much history. Lost. Hidden. Frozen.
And ripe for the taking.
The thought didn't just tempt him. It practically consumed him. Every molecule of his being with an interest in scientific research couldn't resist the combination of ancient with the futuristic alien technology provided by the System.
Thousands of rare or extinct species—each one potentially powerful, unique, or valuable beyond reckoning. A priceless library of genetics. Any researcher, any organization, would kill for the right to control even one of these creatures. And he could have them all.
'The System could easily scan them, categorize them, hold them without any strain… but how to do it without alerting the others…'
He looked down at his palm. All it would take was a touch. One thought. The System could siphon the entire Sanctuary into the Storage Hall in minutes.
But…
He frowned.
Was it truly the right thing to do? After all, they were creatures of this world, and he essentially wanted to take them away to fulfill his scientific curiosity about each of them…
These creatures weren't just specimens or assets. They were people. Possibly families. Pairs deliberately preserved. Each crystal held a cultural history, a bloodline, a story.
Kain clenched his fist.
Ads by Pubfuture
The pragmatic part of him argued. 'What if someone else gets here? What if another group finds this place after us and before the Empire can send more people and take them? At least I have a reason to keep them safe. I can study them. Protect them.'
He exhaled slowly but suddenly a System notification stopped his internal debate.
Ding
*Alert: A large amount of genetic material suitable for the Cradle is detected*
*Source Energy originally directed to restore the Training Arena can be redirected to instead unlock the Cradle*
*Would you like to unlock the Cradle?*
>Yes
Kain's heart skipped a beat at the timely notification from the System, and, although he missed the Training Arena, knew what his best option was. However, he couldn't resist making one last snarky comment: 'What's the point of even asking when you're only giving one option?' Kain thought with a roll of his eyes, about to click the button.
But before he could select 'yes' the System window disappeared and his heart skipped a beat wondering if he'd blown the opportunity.
Ding
*Alert: A large amount of genetic material suitable for the Cradle is detected*
*Source Energy originally directed to restore the Training Arena can be redirected to instead unlock the Cradle*
*Would you like to unlock the Cradle?*
>'Yes. Although I am an idiot, I know that much'
>'Yes. I'm only mostly incompetent, not entirely.'
>'Yes. Thank you, oh wise System, for showing mercy to this feeble-minded moron.'
Kain: "…"
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!Kain's face twisted briefly before he tapped one of the System's snide options randomly—after all, they all had the same effect and he didn't particularly want to acknowledge which insulting option was ultimately selected.
So he didn't even register which one he picked. He just jabbed aggressively at the screen like someone swatting an annoying fly—'a fitting analogy…' Kain thought about his often irritating partner.
But after making his selection. The screen simply vanished.
He waited.
And waited.
But nothing happened.
The chamber remained eerily still, no great unlocking, no dramatic swirl of energy, no bright pulse of light. The creatures trapped in the massive crystals didn't stir. Their poses remained frozen, their expressions untouched. Kain frowned.
Then came a quiet ding.
[Alert: Objective completed. Genetic archive successfully acquired. Please enter the Cradle for more information.]
"…What?" he muttered aloud.
His eyes darted around, but everything looked exactly the same. He extended his senses, searching for a change in aura, energy levels, anything. Still nothing. No creatures missing, no crystals broken, no visual confirmation of anything having changed at all.
Yet beneath that stillness, there was an almost imperceptible shift in atmosphere—like the ghost of something precious being stolen from under their noses. It was the kind of silence that followed a crime unnoticed—or it may just be Kain's slightly guilty conscience due to feeling like he's acting under his allies' noses.
If this 'genetic archive' had really been taken by the System… then it had been done quietly. Discreetly. The way a thief might slip a coin from behind a merchant's stall.
Ads by Pubfuture
He'd have to enter the System itself to see what exactly had been taken.
Before he could act, the ground trembled.
Boom Boom Bang
A violent jolt shook the chamber, followed by a low groaning rumble that rose up from the earth like a distant avalanche. Dust spilled from the ceiling. Crystals swayed ever so slightly in their fields of energy.
Boom Bang
Then a second quake struck—sharper, more violent.
Everyone immediately turned, tense and ready.
"What was that?" Pete asked, staggering forward, eyes wide as he instinctively reached for his weapon.
"The abomination," Kain said coldly, voice clipped. "It found us again."
Lina gasped. "But I thought only species allowed could enter the Sanctuary. No spiritual creatures without authorization—"
"It's not technically a spiritual creature. Not to mention, as a byproduct of the creators of these ruins, it may just have authorization. Or it may not…," Serena murmured. She placed a hand on a glowing crystal-embedded wall that was beginning to crumble from the ruckus outside. "Time has a way of weakening all things, the restrictions may not be so great on a creature so powerful after all this time. It sounds like it is forcing its way through."
The crystal under her hand trembled again, thin cracks spidering across its smooth surface. A low, keening whine echoed faintly—almost like the room was groaning under the strain of an immense weight.
Zareth stumbled slightly as he stepped back from the tree, his hand still glowing faintly violet from where he'd finished linking with the relic core. Sweat drenched his hair, and he looked pale—but he gave them a weak smile.
"…It's time to go," he said hoarsely.
A collective exhale swept the group.
"Oh, thank the gods," Pete muttered, slumping with relief.
Malzahir sighed deeply, casting one final glance toward the preserved merfolk.
Even Serena and Lina looked reluctant as their eyes drifted back to the many frozen faces. Strange, wondrous creatures. Silent witnesses to a past they could barely imagine.
"We can't just leave them," Lina whispered. "What if that thing breaks in?"
Serena frowned, her brow furrowed in worry. "They can't defend themselves. They've been preserved for who knows how long. If it destroys them—"
"They'll be fine," Zareth interrupted gently, his voice conveying a reassuring certainty and authority. "Now that I've controlled the core, I understand the relic a bit better. Although its ultimate goal is not fully clear to me, I know that its issue is with us. This Sanctuary was made to remain sealed unless permitted otherwise. It allowed us in, yes—like Serena said wards preventing our approach may have weakened, or humans were always allowed in as one of the creators of this place…Why we could enter doesn't matter since when we, the invaders, leave…" He exhaled slowly. "It will stop trying."
Kain's eyes narrowed. "How can you be so sure?" Unlike the others who were immediately relieved he was still reluctant to leave all these frozen people here. After all, the other had no way of taking them all—if given enough time, he realistically could.
"I don't know," Zareth admitted. "I just feel it. And the relic does too. It's not designed to destroy everything in its path—it's designed to wait. To guard these ruins. And once we're gone, it can do that again."
The others exchanged glances, uncertain but trusting. One by one, they nodded.
Pete looked back toward the feathered foxes. "Guess this is goodbye, weird fluffy fellas."
Malzahir whispered something in his native language no one, not even Kain, understood, brushing his fingertips once more against the crystal holding the mermaid.
Kain lingered the longest. His eyes roved across the field of preserved beings. Something about it still gnawed at him. But he knew he wouldn't get any answers right now.
They gathered around Zareth at the base of the dead tree, where the relic orb now floated steadily. The runes across the chamber began to shimmer faintly once more.
A hum filled the space.
Then a light—bright, clean, and colourless—rose from the orb and engulfed them.
As it spread, the world around them blurred. Crystal. Stone. Dust. Creatures. Faces. All melted away into nothing but a pure, white glow.
A final tremor rolled through the chamber just as the light consumed them, and far in the distance behind layers of rock, something massive roared.
And then—
The world around Kain faded to white.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!Woosh
"Ugh—ptui-ptui!" Kain couldn't help recoiling and spitting out a mouthful of sand that had blown into his mouth.
Kain's heavy eyelids remained closed.
But he didn't need sight to know that his surroundings had changed. The brittle chill that had clung to his skin like frostbite was gone. In its place came a dry warmth, heavy and pressing.
A grainy, soft texture cradled his body—sand, he realized distantly, coarse and cushioning. A slow, arid breeze rustled his hair, teasing the edges of his clothing, while the long absent sunlight poured across his face with an intensity far stronger than he was used to.
He grimaced and sat up slowly, fingers already tugging at the thick winter layers he no longer needed. The air clung to him, the heat making the fur-lined coats unbearable. Still squinting against the brightness behind his eyelids, he tugged the last sleeve free before opening his eyes.
A pale wasteland stretched before him, dunes rippling in the distance. A familiar horizon. A familiar sun. They had made it back.
His gaze swept across the sand until it caught the figures nearby—scattered, slowly stirring.
Serena was already standing nearby a just-coming-to Malzahir, brushing grit from her sleeves with practiced grace. Lina knelt beside Zareth, who still looked drained from linking to the core so quickly—Kai remembered that in his previous mission that relic core had been steadily saturated with spiritual power over the course of days. But Zareth managed a shaky nod when Kain met his gaze. Pete was stretching with a groan, wincing at some pain in his side. And then there was—
He froze. Counted again.
Six of them.
Six, if he counted Malzahir.
Five, if he only counted the Order.
They'd gone in with twelve team members. More than double their current number. And among those lost was their original team leader—Idrias. Yeah, they had 'succeeded' in this mission, but it was hard to feel that way. Kain exhaled through his nose, jaw tight.
Their bodies were still inside. Preserved in the cradle of that ancient relic. Alone. Cold. Waiting.
😍 Casual Date is just a click away!
Sign up & start meeting women in your area today.
Ads by Pubfuture
But not forever.
Zareth would return. The relic core now rested in his hands. Once he handed over the core to the Order, Kain was certain that others from the Order would come. They would recover their bodies. They had to.
Movement drew Kain's attention. Malzahir was still curled on the sand, the last to stir. It made sense—the man was the weakest among them since his cultivation was abolished, though he had shown remarkable endurance. But it wasn't exhaustion, or a lack of physical strength, that kept him down.
It was the look on his face. That blank, hollow stare toward the empty sky. The same look he'd had when they first met him in the ruins and he'd talked about going off on his own—beaten, betrayed, and emotionally broken.
Kain walked over quietly. He crouched beside him, eyes steady. *"It's not over,"* he said, voice low in a language the others, aside from Zareth, couldn't quite understand. *"You know it. That pain you're feeling—you know why it's still there."*
Malzahir didn't respond at first. His hands trembled slightly, fingers digging into the sand.
*"We're going back to the Empire,"* Kain continued. *"If you want revenge—real revenge—not just pain thrown into the void, then come with me. I'll help you get it. You've seen what I can do. You've felt it. So stop wasting time wallowing in confusion and self-pity and start doing something about it."*
A silence stretched.
Then Malzahir turned his head. His dark eyes met Kain's—and for a long moment, he simply stared. But the emptiness was gone. Replaced with something harder. Sharper.
Determination.
*"I'll come,"* he said quietly.
Kain nodded once, stood, and offered his hand. Malzahir took it.
The others had gathered by then. Serena gave the pair a small nod—of course, she had expected this outcome.
But Pete blinked in surprise, and even Lina tilted her head with a questioning look. Zareth, also gave a brief surprised glance at the temporary addition to their team suddenly becoming a little more permanent.
But none of them objected.
Whatever doubts they may have held about the foreigner had been erased in the relic. Malzahir had survived and proven resourceful. He'd bled beside them. Fought beside them. And that was more than enough.
Their small, scarred group turned toward a seemingly endless sea of sand with no distinguishing characteristics. Miles of desert stretched between them and home.
—————
It took them around five days to reach the southern border of the Empire.
😍 Casual Date is just a click away!
Ads by Pubfuture
Five days of walking, rationing, and fighting.
The desert gave nothing freely. Even the path home required blood.
Still, no one else died.
That fact alone felt like a miracle considering that they were now a much smaller, more exhausted, team than when they first entered the cruel desert.
"Is that…?" Pete's voice cracked from the dryness. He pointed, arm shaking slightly.
There, beyond a thin ridge of dunes, stone pillars jutted from the horizon like the bones of a long-dead titan. The gate to the Empire's southern watchpoint. It was the last checkpoint before entering the safer, patrolled lands of the Empire. A distant banner bearing the imperial crest rippled in the wind.
Kain didn't answer. He didn't have to. They all saw it.
Relief passed silently between them like smoke, no one voicing it in case it vanished like a mirage.
They quickly closed the remaining distance, a sudden burst of adrenaline coursing through them with their destination in sight.
Packed sand gave way to dry, cracked earth. The wind smelled different too—less of dust, more of heated stone and faint iron. And more importantly, people. Soldiers on patrol. Shouts from training yards. The clang of metal on metal. Civilization.
Kain felt the weight in his chest loosen just slightly.
"Thank the stars," Pete muttered. His knees almost buckled when they stepped onto the road.
Lina let out a dry laugh. "You'll thank the medic first, once we find one."
They passed through the outer checkpoint without delay. The guards, seeing the insignia on Zareth's cloak and the badges provided to them by the Order, saluted hastily and parted the gate. Kain noticed the way their eyes lingered on the state of them—filthy, sunburned, and half-dead. But no one questioned them.
Inside was a variety of strange and familiar sights. Vendors selling food, armour, spiritual creatures, and specialty items only available in the south.
Kain didn't stop to appreciate it. His eyes drifted to Malzahir, who had said little since agreeing to join them.
The foreigner walked with the group but never within it. Always just a half-step behind, as if waiting for someone to tell him to turn back. Kain hadn't—because he wouldn't. Not now.
Malzahir caught him watching. "This place… is your home?" he asked, voice low and hoarse.
Kain shook his head. "Not quite. Just a step closer to it."
A pause. Then, softer: "It's weird."
Kain smirked faintly. "Get used to it. It'll be yours now too."
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Zareth checked out the largest suite available in the city—large enough for all 6 of them to lounge around comfortably while they waited around for the local staff to finish booting up the teleportation array.
The room he had rented felt sterile in its luxury—high ceilings, pale marble floors, plush seating—but it couldn't quite wash away the faint unease that clung to the group like damp clothes. Even the soft lighting and rich fabrics couldn't mask how every single person sat just a bit too stiff, backs a bit too straight, eyes flickering more than they should, on guard for a sudden attack.
One would think that they'd immediately be lounging around and resting in the warm embrace of their home country—but, while they were happy to be home, they were just as tense now as they were in the South.
They were safe now. Above ground. Resting. Alive.
But this kind of peace after a storm was often its own kind of uneasy.
So used to frequent battles they still weren't quite used to the idea of being 'safe'
Kain lounged near the back of the room, Serena and Malzahir on either side of him, a drink untouched in his hand, his gaze flickering between Malzahir, next to him, and Zareth, on the other side of the room.
The older man stood near the window, speaking into a sleek black phone, his voice low and clipped as he wrapped up some final confirmation. Unfortunately, Kain was only able to pick up a few words.
"…yes. One outsider, accompanying the team…access… I'll take responsibility." A pause. "Yes…questioning…understood…He's not to wander around…of, course."
Zareth hung up and turned back toward the room. "It's done," he announced. "They'll finish warming up the array in less than an hour. Then we'll all leave."
Silence answered him.
😍 Casual Date is just a click away!
Sign up & start meeting women in your area today.
Ads by Pubfuture
Kain narrowed his eyes. "They're letting Malzahir into the Headquarters?"
"Temporarily…not quite," Zareth nodded. "They will hold him somewhere else nearby since they want to ask him a few questions."
Malzahir, who had just finished his meal sent to the room, and froze. His shoulders locked up like stone, lips twitching downward into a scowl. *"So I'm to be detained."*
*"No,"* Zareth said, switching languages, to hopefully calm Malzahir down. *"You'll be hosted as a guest. There's a difference."*
Kain frowned. *"That sounds like the same thing. We're not technically allowed to bring outsiders in. Come on, Zareth, he was our ally for weeks, be honest with us about what he is in for…"*
*"I am being honest, Kain,"* Zareth replied, *"Obviously I don't want anything to happen to him either. I'm telling you that this isn't the first time, there are ways to grant provisional access to non-members for special investigations by the Dawnbringers. This is within the protocol."*
Malzahir's mouth flattened, and Kain also didn't look comforted, *"And what will this 'investigation' entail?"*
Zareth met Kain's gaze evenly before speaking directly to Malzahir. *"Questions. Answers. A sealed wing of the compound. Not a prison—but not open grounds either. If your story checks out, you leave. That's all."*
Neither Kain nor Malzahir looked remotely satisfied.
Zareth, noticing their tension, spread his hands in the universal gesture of peace. *"Look, I understand. You have reasons to be cautious. I would too. But you'll be fine. Just cooperate, and this will be over before you know it."*
Kain's jaw clenched. He didn't want to say what he was thinking—that he didn't trust the Order not to find a reason to make things harder. That the idea of losing Malzahir—someone who had proven to be both useful, trustworthy and, to Kain's own surprise, likable—rubbed him the wrong way.
Suddenly he felt a warmth covering his hand.
His eyes flicked downward in surprise, to identify what it was—Serena's hand, lightly covering his own. Soft. Steady. Her fingers didn't squeeze or tremble, just rested there as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
He blinked.
Then looked up, his expression uncertain.
Ads by Pubfuture
Serena met his gaze, cool and calm. "It's alright," she said softly. "I think it'll be okay."
"…You think?" he echoed.
"I like Malzahir," she said simply, as though that settled it. "I wouldn't say this if I didn't mean it. He's not dangerous. Not to us—he doesn't even have a contract. And I'm sure Zareth already filled him in on everything he did for us, his current status, and that his reason for entering the Empire is to repay you, his saviour." She finished, emphasizing a logical backstory that Kain and Malzahir hadn't yet even thought about coming up with.
Kain stared at her. It was always hard to read her—the kind of hard that made him more irritated than he wanted to admit—but her unshakable confidence immediately got rid of most of his anxiety.
She tilted her head a little, her hand still over his. "Besides, this has precedent. The Starchasers I was on a mission with once found someone from overseas hiding out in the Empire's eastern forests. We brought them back. The Dawnbringers only wanted to check if they were spies. They cleared them and let them go."
Malzahir listened quietly, saying nothing. His expression was unreadable.
"The Order will be suspicious," Serena continued. "But if they find nothing suspicious, they'll let him leave. No scars. No torture…Although you guys may need to be prepared to be followed for a period of time."
Kain took a long breath and glanced sideways at Malzahir.
*"Did you understand?…You okay with this?"*
Malzahir's eyes flicked to him. Then to Serena. Then to Zareth.
A long moment passed before he nodded.
*"…Fine,"* he muttered. *"It's not as though I can refuse anyways…"*
The hour passed in uneasy quiet. No one really spoke, but the tension gradually unravelled. Serena withdrew her hand at some point—Kain hadn't noticed when—but her words lingered.
When a soft chime rang out from the doorframe, Zareth stood.
"They're ready," he said.
They made their way to the building with the teleportation wing. While tense, Malzahir couldn't help glancing around at everything like a curious child.
The staff on duty gave Zareth a respectful nod, typing something into the console next to one of multiple teleportation arrays.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!