The Sorcerer's Handbook

Chapter 171: Arrested Once More

Gerard shook his head, his voice thick with regret. "If I had killed him that day, perhaps everything would have turned out differently. You were merely victims of the Four Pillars Cult. Had you never met him, you wouldn't have been bewitched, and your quiet, prison-like lives would never have been torn apart. Ashe Heath is truly a source of calamity."

Ronna's voice cut through him, calm yet firm. "I don't shirk responsibility, nor do I believe I was bewitched. On the contrary, I am grateful to him. Without this chain of events, my ritual would never have been completed, and I would never have gained emotion.

"However, we do agree on one thing. He is undeniably charismatic. He creates ever-shifting stages of fate and lets people break free from the monotony of daily life... like wings."

"Wings?" Gerard asked, skeptical.

"He lets people like us, bound tightly in heavy shackles, rise into the air. What else could that be, if not wings?"

Gerard's patience waned. He pointed his sword at Ronna. The Miracle he had silently prepared during their conversation flared to life. Moonlight condensed into chains, wrapping tightly around the last remaining escapee. "Congratulations on gaining emotion. It seems you can now spend your days repenting and praying."

Ronna did not resist. He spoke with a calm, eerie certainty, "The fifteenth of each month is the Night of Blood Blaze, when the Blood Moon lies closest to the earth. The first of each month is the Night of Blood Gloom, when it is farthest away.

"The Moonshadow Clan possesses a unique trait. The brighter the Blood Moon shines, the stronger we become; when it dims, we weaken. We are strongest on the fifteenth night and weakest on the first.

"And I am a traitor to the Church, a disgrace to the Moonshadow, a beast even the Blood Moon rejects."

Ronna's voice rose, fervent and unyielding. "Only on the Night of Blood Gloom do I become whole. Look, the clouds themselves now veil the blood moon."

Gerard looked up. A dark cloud drifted across the night sky, swallowing the already dim moonlight. The camp's lighting had been toppled during the chaos, and without the moon's glow, the surroundings sank into deep gloom.

Bang!

The chains binding Ronna shattered. Dense shadow engulfed him, transforming him into a grotesque, malevolent creature of the abyss. The darkness thickened, almost alive, and for reasons he could not explain, Gerard felt the blackness surge with an emotion called hatred, as if hundreds of wolves were watching him from within the black.

Kerr and the other priests tilted their heads upward in awe. "Wow.

" Their mouths hung open, and they began to applaud. "That's... incredible."

***

Ashe supported Iger as they moved through the Virtual Channel. "Hurry. Make a wish. Beg me now. If you don't, I'll throw you back. I am Ashe Heath, leader of the Four Pillars Cult. I can do anything. Saving your life without forcing you into a slave contract already shows my mercy. If you won't even make a wish, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Iger, pale as a ghost, managed a laugh. "Fine. Let's sign the slave contract. Need help drafting the terms? I'll give you a twenty percent discount."

Ashe nearly dropped him on the spot. Damn it.

Once inside the channel, Ashe found Iger lying on the ground, bleeding heavily. Gassas's sniper shot had torn away a large chunk of his flesh, and Gerard's Blood Art had slammed him to the floor, leaving him hemorrhaging.

Iger was no combat sorcerer. He might have pushed forward on sheer willpower, but the delay allowed the pain to overwhelm him. After Ashe casually applied the Slash Me Miracle, Iger could barely stand and had to crawl like an infant. Unable to bear the sight, Ashe helped him up and dragged him along.

Abandoning or killing him would have been perfectly reasonable. Their bond barely exceeded sand-level camaraderie and would collapse under the slightest breeze.

Moreover, Iger still held one wish over Ashe. As long as the man lived, Ashe would have to worry even in the most private moments that Iger might command him to stand on his head, and then seize the chance to kill him. Eliminating this male Veela would have been the rational choice.

However, Ashe soon reconsidered. What if this is a test?

If he struck or ran, Iger might immediately use the wish and send him back to kiss Gerard's toes. Iger delighted in manipulating hearts. He was despicable, shameless, and fond of schemes that harmed others even at his own expense. This was exactly the sort of trick he would use. Ashe had to remain cautious.

Deep down, Ashe also had to admit that despite their exploitative relationship, Iger had helped him greatly. Without Iger's planning, neither their escape nor entry into the Virtual Channel would have succeeded.

For Ashe, doing something as drastic as burning bridges[1] required preparation. "Doing evil" was an active skill with a casting time. The decision window for abandoning Iger was too short, so he chose to support him and escape.

Still, Ashe had a plan. If Iger used his wish now, he would lose his leverage. Meanwhile, Iger understood game theory just as well. A trump card held in reserve carried the greatest threat. No matter Ashe's threats or temptations, Iger remained silent, shamelessly freeloading, leaning on Ashe's support, and taking full advantage.

They soon reached the end of the passage. Ashe let out a sigh of relief. "Finally..."

Iger panted. "You didn't take a wrong turn, did you? Step out, and we might see Gerard's delighted face."

"I wouldn't... probably not?"

Ashe trailed off, uncertainty creeping in. The passage was supposed to be one-way, but while lifting Iger, he could hardly be sure they hadn't doubled back. Damn that bastard Iger. Now I'm doubting myself.

If they really had gone the wrong way, he'd demand a transfer to another Blood Moon prison, or Iger's mockery would haunt him for the rest of his life.

With chaotic thoughts swirling, Ashe steeled himself and stepped into the unknown with Iger.

Before them was not a massive crimson moon but a lonely night sky, and a brightly lit highway stretching into the distance.

The sensation of stepping into empty air hit him immediately. As Ashe dropped down, it dawned on him. Another Virtual Channel suspended mid-air!

Exploring such channels was perilous. Aside from their instability and hostile foreign nations, many explorers fell to their deaths the moment they stepped out.

Now that he thought of it, the priests' blessings for adventurers included light feather suspension. So it's meant for situations like this!

He instinctively unfurled his Silver Wing and shouted, "Iger, spread your wings!"

Iger needed nearly a full second to process. "Huh?"

By the time he unfolded his Silver Wing, both of them had already fallen into a cage.

Ashe shoved Iger aside and stood to assess their surroundings. Harvey slept inside the cage as well.

At the same time, a comforting fragrance filled the air. It smelled like sun-dried blankets, like a home-cooked meal drifting out before you even step through the door...

An ambush. A trap.

Ashe instinctively tried to cast Slash Me on himself, but his thoughts slowed, and his mana stalled. With great effort, he turned his head. Through blurred vision, he saw only a graceful violet figure standing outside the cage.

"According to the prophecy of the Gospel, only three foreigners would arrive tonight. Bind them. Fit them with spell-lock collars. Leave immediately.

"Let us hope this gift satisfies the Four Pillars Cult."

1. In Mandarin, the quote "burning bridges" means ending a relationship or abandoning someone after they've helped you. ☜