Chapter 37: Crimson Shadows Stir
The trek back from the Forbidden Market was steeped in silence.
Every step Kael took through the ravine echoed with tension. His mind was heavy with the Archivist's words, and his senses strained to catch even the smallest sign of danger. They hadn't been followed—or so it seemed—but the weight of being hunted now hung in the air.
Valeria walked beside him, quiet and thoughtful. She cast frequent glances at Selene, Thalaria, and Nysera, her eyes lingering longest on Nysera, who seemed unreadable.
"She said someone may already walk in the shadows," Kael muttered.
"I don't trust coincidence," Valeria replied. "The Rooted One isn't playing fair."
Thalaria, ever the warrior, huffed. "Let them try. I'll carve out their secrets one by one."
Selene's hand brushed Kael's arm. "We should perform the sacred rite soon. If it deepens our resonance, we need it."
Kael nodded. "Tonight."
Nightfall – The Camp Beneath the Ridge
They made camp beneath a stone overhang, a safe haven wrapped in illusion wards and silence barriers. The flicker of campfire light danced across their faces, painting them in gold and shadow.
Kael sat in the center, watching his wives as they unpacked supplies. Thalaria sharpened her glaive, eyes ever watchful. Selene boiled herbs for minor wounds. Valeria sat cross-legged, meditating in silent focus. Nysera, surprisingly, lounged back and stared up at the stars, as if trying to divine something from the sky.
"I've felt it growing," Kael said. "That connection between us. It's deeper now. Like our souls are... syncing."
Selene nodded. "It's the Crown. The sacred union was only the beginning."
Valeria's lips curved faintly. "And the battle ahead will test every bond we've forged."
Before they could prepare the ritual, Nysera stood abruptly. "We're not alone."
Kael was on his feet instantly. "How many?"
"Too many to count," she said grimly, her voice low. "They've masked their presence well. Advanced soul-binding cloaks."
The trees whispered. Then they screamed.
Figures erupted from the forest—twenty, maybe thirty, all clad in crimson robes, their faces hidden behind grotesque masks shaped like twisted grins. Their movements were silent, coordinated.
[System Alert: Ambush — Crimson Tongue Assassins Detected]
Kael drew his blade in a flash, parrying the first strike that came his way. Sparks flew. Selene shouted an incantation, flames erupting in a protective ring around them. Thalaria slammed her glaive into the ground, sending a ripple of lightning through the approaching cultists.
Valeria moved like a ghost—her sword a whisper of death.
And Nysera vanished.
Kael spun, slashing through three masked enemies, his system humming.
[Sin Resonance Rising… 82%]
[Sacred Union Ready — Eligible Partners: Selene, Thalaria, Valeria, Nysera]
[Unique Effect — Group Resonance Pending Unlock]
He ducked, rolled, and lashed upward, catching an assassin across the chest.
Suddenly, one attacker broke past the frontline and lunged at Nysera. Her back was turned—Kael's heart dropped.
The blade grazed her shoulder, drawing blood.
Kael roared, "No!"
He blinked forward with [Flamewarp Step], his blade finding the enemy's heart.
Nysera winced. "I'm fine…"
"Not anymore," Kael growled. "Everyone, form the circle!"
They drew inward, backs together, facing out. The assassins encircled them again, preparing for a second wave.
[Sacred Union: Group Resonance Initiated]
Flames danced from Selene's body, thunder pulsed from Thalaria's skin, light shimmered from Valeria, and Nysera's aura turned pitch-black with slivers of moonlight. Kael stood at the center, the Crown of Sin glowing on his brow.
A pulsing ring of dark energy erupted outward.
Each of them felt it—the deep, intimate connection, the sacred resonance of their bond. Memories flashed through their minds: laughter, pain, union, desire.
Kael's power surged.
[Group Bonus Activated: Sin Crown Harmony +45% to all stats for 10 minutes]
[New Trait Unlocked: Sin-Link Reflex]
The assassins charged again.
They were ready.
Selene scorched the air with flame whips. Thalaria struck down a dozen with one spinning leap. Valeria's blade glowed with holy fire, cleaving through their cursed steel.
Kael ducked and weaved, cutting enemies apart in a whirlwind of fire and fury. Nysera danced through the chaos, her blades singing with silent death.
Then a new figure appeared.
He strode through the battlefield untouched—tall, cloaked in red and gold, his mask etched with runes that moved like living ink.
The assassins halted. The air froze.
"You wear the Crown of Sin," he said, his voice deep and calm. "I am Malgareth, High Inquisitor of the Rooted One."
Kael's stance shifted. "You'll die like the rest."
Malgareth chuckled. "Bold words from a boy barely past his awakening."
[Boss Encounter Triggered: Malgareth the Inquisitor — Realm: Sovereign Wound, Peak Tier]
He raised a finger. The earth cracked. Vines made of flesh burst from the soil, lashing toward Kael's group.
Selene deflected with fire, Thalaria sliced through three. Valeria warded Nysera with light barriers. Kael roared as he sliced them apart.
The battlefield turned into chaos—again.
Kael clashed with Malgareth, their blades locking. Power surged through both. Every strike was met with equal force. Malgareth whispered dark truths into Kael's mind, trying to unravel his will.
"You're no savior," the Inquisitor said. "You're a vessel. The Crown is a curse."
Kael growled. "Then I'll curse the world back."
They broke apart. Kael charged again—slower now. Exhaustion built. The union's boost was waning.
Suddenly—
[Sin Power Surge: Emergency Trigger — Bond Threshold Reached]
[Kael has achieved: Sin-Bound Ascendance (Temporary State)]
[All stats doubled for 3 minutes]
Kael's eyes glowed red. Flames burst from his back in wing-like shapes. He screamed as power flooded through him.
And then he struck.
The sword pierced Malgareth's barrier. The High Inquisitor staggered back, blood trailing from his lips.
"This… isn't over," he hissed. With a final glare, he vanished into smoke.
[Boss Battle: Malgareth — Incomplete. He has Escaped]
Kael dropped to his knees, panting. The bond glow dimmed, his power ebbing.
His wives gathered close, touching his shoulders, checking his wounds.
[System Update — Quest Completed: Sacred Rite of Unity]
[Kael's Status Updated]
[STATUS WINDOW: KAEL VIREN]
Level: 11
Title: Sin-Bound Ascendant
Realm: Celestial Flame Realm — Tier 6/9
Race: Human (Evolving)
Bloodline: 12% Awakened
Physique: Flame-Touched Core (Advancing)
Strength: 78
Dexterity: 65
Endurance: 71
Intellect: 53
Willpower: 70
Charm: 96
Partners:
Selene — 97% Love
Thalaria — 94% Love
Valeria — 96% Love
Nysera — 92% Love
Kael smiled faintly. "We survived."
Nysera knelt beside him. "Barely."
Valeria nodded. "We need to heal. And then… prepare. Because next time, they won't miss."
Kael looked to the skies. "Then let's make sure we don't either."
End of Chapter 37