Chapter 7: A Lingering Blessing

The dagger fell, its blade a mesmerizing, deep red. Lyne glanced at Kaega's face, pale from blood loss.

"You used your own blood to enchant it... but aren't you also sick? Aren't you afraid of dying?"

The coldness on her face softened slightly. Lyne found a safe and comfortable spot and laid Kaega down, making sure he was always within her line of sight. Once that was done, she turned back to the dagger.

"My mother also enchanted some weapons, but to use blood... he's too reckless. Is this thing even worth such a risk?"

Lyne hesitated. The dagger, with its alluring, blood-red hue, lay in the center of the magic circle as if waiting for a worthy master to claim it. Her heart beat a little faster in that moment.

–ha....

She took a deep breath, her gaze firm. Her left hand reached down and snatched the dagger from the ground.

Thump-thump!

Lyne's heart pounded in her chest as she held the dagger. The blade reflected the dim light of the mana stones. The exquisitely carved magical runes made the dagger feel slightly heavier. But as she held it, an indescribable sense of familiarity washed over her.

"What is this familiarity... Agh!"

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her head. The questions she had been forced to answer flashed through her mind.

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

But perhaps this time was different. Lyne didn't lose control of her body; she just clutched her head, her hand tightening around the dagger.

"The arm of the one you hate the most."

–Why am I remembering these questions...

A strange sound echoed in her head, a familiar voice...

–"Give up, let me..."

...an obsessive, haunting voice. The pain in her head gave her no time to recognize who it belonged to.

–Ah... Stop it.

Her pained voice uttered soft moans in the darkness.

"The place where you killed her..."

–No... I don't want to remember anymore...

Lyne seemed to be trying to escape from those questions. The voices in her head wanted her to face them.

–"You have nowhere else to go... stop running."

It made her feel hopeless. Her eyes lost their focus, but deep within them, a light had not yet been extinguished. Her right hand had, at some point, clenched the dagger tightly. A gentle, azure light flowed into the dagger, causing the runes carved on it to glow.

"Are you regretting..."

The forced memory stopped. Lyne gasped for breath in fear. She collapsed, looking exhausted.

"Why... I was only lost for a year..."

Lyne unconsciously looked towards Kaega, as if searching for something to believe in. He was still lying there, unconscious. His face was still pale and gaunt.

"Kaega... can you really help me kill him?"

Lyne no longer looked cold. Instead, she was someone searching for a sliver of hope. Though it was small, she was determined to take the gamble.

Lyne sat up, finding a place to rest... Leaning against a cold wall, she faced the unconscious Kaega. Despite her bet, she still couldn't fully trust him.

"Is there any miracle... that can help me kill him?"

Her gaze was on Kaega, but it was vacant, without a destination. Then she buried her head in her knees, resting for a moment to keep from collapsing from exhaustion.

...

Two hours later, she was helping Kaega out of the room. As they emerged, they came face to face with a hound entering. He wore a crying mask, and she recognized him.

"One of the magic users?... It seems he managed to defeat that monster."

Lyne looked at his body. He was tattered and torn, one arm mangled. However, he showed no emotion as he advanced toward them.

–"Oh great Karizanis, you who have saved the faithful... Please grant this selfish one a flame to burn the unbelievers..."

A dark mana flowed around his body, forming a Fireball aimed at the two of them.

"Damn it, he's casting a spell, we have to dodge!"

Just as Lyne was about to move Kaega out of the way, she felt a wave of terror so intense it made her want to vomit. The Fireball forming in front of them suddenly stopped. Looking again, the hound before her was headless. Its head was now in the left hand of another man.

–AHA! The hunt is over. The useless dogs will be eliminated.

A figure that had haunted her every sleep, that always appeared in her helpless nightmares. A towering body with arms that reached his knees. Two deep, black eye sockets with no pupils. A smile full of deceit.

Her eyes trembled violently. Her shoulders couldn't stop the deep, subconscious shaking. But her mouth still had to whisper the name.

–Head Measurer...

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

His congratulations carried no joy, only a mocking tone for their efforts. Then suddenly, the person she was carrying on her back stirred.

"Kaega? He's awake, but how?"

Kaega's face was pale and gaunt, his eyes still full of the same contempt and hatred as before. He stood up on his own two feet, facing the Head Measurer.

–You're still taking it easy... aren't you? If you have time... go see a priest, you psycho.

The Head Collector's eyes narrowed slightly in annoyance at his recovery. The smile remained on his lips as he mocked.

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

–Ha, don't paint yourself as a good person... didn't you say from the beginning that the hunt was over? You saved us only because it's the law, and you can't do anything but wag your tail and follow it.

The Head Measurer, realizing he had just been compared to an animal, flew into a rage.

–You little brat! I'll tear you-

As he was about to throw the head in his hand at Kaega, something seemed to stop him. He suddenly froze, only throwing a glare of wrinkles and pupil-less, hostile eyes at him. Kaega smiled arrogantly, his gaze directed down the stairs.

With a look of pity and contempt, a proud and mocking smile.

–You can't act when it's not hunting time during the bloodbath, can you? A being whose will and actions are imprisoned. Like a dog whose master, the one you worship, forbids it from biting those who provoke it. How pathetic...

The provocation was met with a furious silence. He said nothing more, simply vanishing into the darkness of the ruins. After that, Kaega couldn't hold on any longer, quickly collapsing, but was caught from behind by Lyne. Though he wasn't unconscious again, he was very weak.

–Lyne, help me get out of the ruins.

Lyne looked at Kaega. Though she showed no emotion, her eyes had lost some of their coldness.

–You want to go back to Aquila now, don't you?

Kaega looked at Lyne and smiled.

–You understand me better now.

They carefully made their way out, avoiding the magically regenerated traps. That was a characteristic of the ruins; unless the mana core was destroyed, the traps would always be restored. As they neared the exit, they saw the corpse of the mutated form along with four messy puddles. Three smiling masks and one crying mask lay upon them. Kaega quickly searched for anything useful and managed to find some money on the corpses.

When they got outside, the sun had not yet risen, but Kaega guessed it was around dawn.

–We have to go to the Faith God Guild's territory.

-Alright.

The two of them headed straight for the northern part of Aquila, where the Faith God Guild was located. It was a guild that had mutated from the faith of a religion belonging to the Holy Nation of Agenel – a nation with a strong faith that stretched across the continent of Ragak and some regions of other continents. The land of Braum was no exception.

"After the event 100 years ago when the Ashborn empire was overthrown, most of the clergy left Braum. A few chose to stay to save souls but were gradually corrupted over time, becoming fanatics of their own twisted doctrines..."

According to Kaega, although the Faith God Guild was powerful, they didn't act unless outsiders trespassed. Towards the common people, they acted normally as long as those people acted like them.

When they reached the city gate, two figures in clerical robes were standing guard. Kaega offered two silver coins and shouted:

–All reverence to the great savior!

Hearing this, the two guards let them in without any further questions.

–"I thought you didn't believe in gods."

Kaega didn't reply. Though his face showed that he was a devout follower, his eyes were cold and uninterested.

–"Looking at you, I would have thought you were a local."

Lyne realized he had no faith at all, but was just acting to get into their territory.

–O FOLLOWERS OF THE SAVIOR! HERE IS A HERETIC WHO DARES TO DEFY THE FAITH!

In the center of the square was a high platform. On it, a priest holding a torch stood next to a woman tied to a stake. Her eyes were rolled back, tears streaming down her face, her body struggling but her mouth gagged. The crowd below was chanting.

–BURN THE WITCH! BURN THE WITCH! KILL HER, KILL HER!

"KILL HER"

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

–They're not just madmen who want to kill her... they do it because they're afraid. Afraid to speak the truth. If they say something that could save that girl, they'll be put on the pyre by the other fearful ones. Thus, creating an era of madmen who kill for belief and fear...

Kaega looked at the crowd with pity, but his words were ice-cold.

-That's why I said... there are no gods in this hell...

Kaega looked away and led Lyne into an alley.

They reached Rat Alley. Though not as dangerous as the Silver Mask's territory, there were still those who would eye what others were carrying. But Kaega wasn't afraid of them and quickly entered the Gray Dust Tavern.

The owner called out loudly:

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

–A Devil's Call.

–And the garnish, sir?

–Mermaid's Tears.

–Then please proceed to private room number 6. Your drink will be served.

After that, Kaega left a few silver coins and the two of them went upstairs to room 6.

–A code phrase?

–Yes.

–How did you know?

–You get used to it after living in Rat Alley for a long time.

About 15 minutes later, a woman in clerical robes entered.

–It seems you called for me.

–An uncorrupted cleric? A rare sight indeed.

–So, who did you call me to heal?

Kaega held out his injured arm to the woman. She asked no further questions and began her healing spell. A pure, blessed light entered Kaega. His eyes were filled with surprise and wonder. He had never seen this kind of healing light before.

"This light... it's so warm."

Kaega's gaze softened. He felt a comfort he had long forgotten. His complexion gradually improved.

After a while, the healing stopped. The priestess sighed, looking weary. Kaega's brows furrowed, his teeth clenched for a moment, but then he relaxed, his face returning to its usual cold mask.

-Haa... I've done my best... but for now, I just hope you don't overexert yourself.

-thank you... though it was a risk, it meant a lot to me...

Kaega didn't need the priestess to name her price. He took out 15 silver coins from his pouch and gave them to her.

-though I'd like to pay you more for what you've done, I can only offer you the standard price outside of Braum...

The priestess's voice trembled slightly.

-Are you from the outside?

Kaega smiled faintly and shook his head.

-No madman would want to enter this hell... I just happen to read the news more than the rats in the alley.

Kaega's voice was surprisingly gentle this time. Lyne was also surprised by his demeanor and had to observe the man before her, wondering how saintly he could be.

The priestess took the money but didn't leave immediately... she seemed hesitant but quickly acted.

–Though I can't fully help you... I know you might need him.

The priestess handed him a piece of paper with a location written on it.

–He was once a friend of mine. Though I don't want to introduce him, go meet this person here and say my name: Elina of the 16th Order. He will be able to help you.

–Why are you... doing this? Didn't I say I'm not from the outside?

Kaega felt a familiar sensation, a selfless kindness. Something he had forgotten, and it was now confusing him...

–Though I don't know if I'm still the person I used to be... I still know... you're not like the others out there... and you still have it.

Kaega was silent, his face a mask of complex emotions. But not long after, he replied.

-Thank you for this experience... I hope you can hold on to your will...

–You too...

With that, the priestess left, leaving the two of them in the room.

–Do you know her?

–No.

–Then why do you trust her?

–Because she's one of the rare few who still possess selfless kindness that I've been lucky enough to meet...

–You have too much faith in your own eyes.

–It's what I've relied on to survive here...

The two of them didn't talk much more and stood up to leave.

–We have 9 silver coins left from the hounds. Money isn't a big problem. With 9 silver coins, a family can live for more than a month, but for us, it's not enough... more importantly, there's no way to deal with the hounds tonight.

Lyne looked at Kaega, who was calculating a solution for the hunt.

–Aren't you planning to let the Faith God Guild and the Silver Mask Guild fight each other...?

–I had that intention, but they won't actively start a war. And posing as a priest or cleric is too risky.

–So what are you going to do?

–Hide...

After that, the two of them went to an eatery. Kaega offered a silver coin and was served a lavish meal. Lyne looked at the meal, surprised at Kaega's spending.

–Alright, eat up. It's not our money anyway.

–But you said it wouldn't be enough, so why are you spending so much?...

–But right now, we need to make sure we can survive until then, so eat.

Seeing Kaega eating, Lyne didn't hesitate and started eating as well. And so, the two of them rested until nightfall.

The moon was almost full now, and the night was brighter. The two figures wandered the cold, empty streets, sleepless. But as they walked, nothing happened.

–Strange, the hounds should have arrived by now.

Kaega was silent, just walking on. Suddenly, a fog rolled in, obscuring their vision... In front of them was a terrifyingly familiar figure... He was standing there alone, as if he had been waiting for them for a long time.

Kaega's eyes widened when he saw him. His heart skipped a beat in surprise.

-No... way...

Kaega couldn't believe that this man could actually be a hunter. But the presence before him shattered his confidence.

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