Chapter 7: A Lingering Blessing

Lyne timidly approached, her hand trembling slightly as it touched the crimson Dorgan dagger. The moment her fingers closed around the hilt, a cold impulse shot up her spine, and chaotic voices screamed once more in her mind.

– Ah... it's happening again!

"Which of your arms did he destroy first..."

The questions from the mechanism in the ruins echoed back, sharp as a razor, stirring memories she had tried to bury. This time, her body didn't lose control, but a fierce headache assaulted her. She clutched her head, her hand still gripping the dagger as if it were her only lifeline.

A strange yet familiar voice spoke, sweet as poison.

– "Give up... let me take over..."

– SHUT UP, YOU BASTARD! – She screamed, her cry lost and desperate in the silent space.

"The place where you killed her..."

– No! Don't make me remember!

– "You have nowhere left to run... Stop running, Lyne."

The voice persisted. Her hand trembled violently, but her indomitable will wouldn't let her release the dagger. And then, a stream of warm, familiar blue energy flowed from her palm into the dagger. The magic runes on the blade flared to life, absorbing the mana. The pain in her head subsided, and the chaotic voices fell abruptly silent.

She panted, holding on to a fragile thread of consciousness. After a moment, she carefully sheathed the dagger and then helped Kaega to a corner, letting him rest more comfortably. Once that was done, she resumed her unfinished task: searching for anything useful among the remains.

Two hours later, she helped Kaega out of the room. Just as they stepped out of the secret passage, she froze. A "hound" wearing a crying mask was standing there, as if he had been waiting. His body was tattered, his cloak in shreds, clearly having just survived a terrible battle.

"A magic user... Did he manage to defeat that monster?"

– Oh, great Karizanis, savior of the lost sheep... Please grant this servant a flame hot enough to incinerate the heretics...

A thick, dark mana swirled around him, coalescing into a fireball aimed directly at them.

"Damn it, he's casting a spell!"

Just as Lyne was about to pull Kaega away, a horrifying pressure suddenly descended, a primal fear that made her want to vomit. The forming fireball instantly dissipated. The "hound" before her was still standing, but his head was no longer on his shoulders. It was resting in the left hand of a man who had just emerged from the shadows.

– AHA! The hunt is over. Useless dogs should be disposed of.

The man stood there, a worn leather cloak on his shoulders, a large broadsword in his right hand. Lyne's shoulders trembled, her eyes wide with shock, but a flicker of hatred still burned deep within them. Her lips softly uttered a name she cursed every night.

– The Head Measurer...

– Greetings. Haha, congratulations to you and that loud-mouthed brat for surviving the third night...

His congratulations held no joy, only the utmost sarcasm. Just then, the person she was supporting stirred.

"Kaega? He's awake?"

Kaega's face was as pale as a leaf, but his eyes were open, sharp and lucid. He stood up on his own, facing their greatest enemy.

– You still have too much free time, don't you? If you have the time, go see a priest, you psycho.

The Head Measurer's face twitched, but he maintained his terrifying composure.

– Look at you. Is that any way to talk to the one who saved your lives?

– Ha, someone like you would save us? Or is it that the name you all worship won't allow us to die so easily?

The Head Measurer's composure finally cracked. He roared, his voice filled with killing intent.

– YOU BRAT, HOW DARE YOU INSULT THE MASTER! I'LL–

He was about to throw the head in his hand at Kaega, but some invisible force stopped him. He froze, able only to shoot a hateful glare at him. Kaega smirked, his gaze flicking down toward the bottom of the stairs.

– You can't act when it's not the designated hunting time during the Bloodbath Ceremony, can you?

Then, Kaega's voice dripped with pity.

– A puppet constrained in both will and action. Like a dog being led around by the master you worship, isn't it? How pathetic...

The Head Measurer said nothing more, simply melting back into the darkness of the ruins. Once he was gone, Kaega could no longer hold himself up, stumbling and falling, only to be caught by Lyne.

– Lyne, help me... get out of here.

Lyne looked at Kaega. This time, the coldness in her eyes had thawed.

– Back to Aquila?

Kaega gave a weak smile.

– You're starting to understand me.

They carefully made their way out, avoiding the regenerated traps. Near the exit, they saw the corpse of the aberration along with four other messy piles. Three smiling masks and one crying mask. Kaega quickly scavenged and found some money.

It was still dark when they got outside. Kaega guessed it was around three in the morning.

– We're going to the territory of the God's Faith Guild.

They headed straight for the north of Aquila. The God's Faith Guild was a mutated offshoot of a religion from the Holy Kingdom of Agenel. After the fall of the Ashborn empire, most of the clergy had left, with only a few staying behind, who then gradually became corrupted, turning into fanatics with twisted doctrines.

"The God's Faith Guild is strong, but they don't actively cause trouble as long as they aren't provoked. They treat the common folk normally, as long as those people act... like them."

At the city gate, two clerics stood guard. Kaega tossed them two silver coins.

– All reverence to the Great Savior!

The two guards immediately let them pass.

"I thought you didn't believe in gods," Lyne thought, looking at Kaega's feigned expression of pious devotion.

– O, FAITHFUL OF THE SAVIOR! HERE IS A HERETIC WHO DARES TO DEFY HIS FAITH!

In the center of the square, a priest holding a torch shouted beside a woman tied to a stake. Her eyes were wide with terror, tears streaming down her face. The crowd below roared maniacally.

– BURN THE WITCH! KILL HER!

Lyne clutched her head again, but Kaega placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice cold.

– They're not mad. They're just afraid. Afraid to speak the truth, because if they do, they'll be the next ones put on the pyre by the other fearful ones. That fear has created an age of lunatics, killing for blind faith...

Kaega pulled Lyne into an alley, away from the madness.

They arrived at the Gray Dust tavern.

– Would you like a "Devil's Call" or a "Long, Forgetful Night"?

– A Devil's Call.

– And for the side?

– Mermaid's Tear.

– Please proceed to private room number 6.

Kaega left a few silver coins and they went upstairs. Fifteen minutes later, a woman in cleric's robes entered.

– It seems you called for me.

– An uncorrupted cleric? A rare sight indeed.

– Who did you call me to heal?

Kaega held out his injured arm. She asked no further questions and began to cast a healing spell. A moment later, his wound was completely healed.

– The wound is healed. I've also accelerated your body's metabolism. Replenish your energy and limit strenuous activity.

Kaega gave her 15 silver coins.

– Ah, one more thing. It looks like you'll need to find this person.

She handed him a piece of paper with an address.

– He was once a friend of mine. Go see him and tell him my name: Elina of the 16th Order. He will be able to help you.

– Thank you...

Kaega suddenly felt flustered by this selfless kindness, something he thought he had long forgotten.

"I don't know how much longer I can stay sane... but this is what I should do," Elina thought to herself.

– May you not be devoured...

– You as well...

The cleric left.

– You know her?

– No.

– Then why do you trust her?

– Because she is one of the last vestiges of kindness, fighting against the corruption of this place...

– You have too much faith in your own eyes.

– It's the only thing I've relied on to survive here...

They left the tavern. They had 9 silver coins left.

– Money isn't the issue. The problem is we have no way to deal with the "hounds" tonight.

– Aren't you going to let the God's Faith and the Silver Masks fight each other?

– I had that intention, but they won't actively start a war. And impersonating them is too risky.

– So what's your plan?

– We hide...

They went to an eatery and ordered a lavish meal.

– Eat up. It's not our money anyway. We need to make sure we can survive until tomorrow.

They rested until nightfall. The moon was nearly full, bright and clear. They wandered the empty, silent streets. But strangely, nothing happened.

– Strange, the "hounds" should have arrived by now.

Kaega was silent. Suddenly, a thick fog rolled in. Before them, a terrifyingly familiar figure emerged from the mist, as if he had been waiting for a very long time.

Kaega's eyes widened, his heart seeming to stop.

"THE HEAD MEASURER... IS THE 'HOUND' FOR TONIGHT...?"