Chapter 118: Blood’s Oath
The scene was pretty horrific, the building was cleaved cleanly, and the only body inside was... cut in half, with the upper half crucified to the wall with its head missing.
Yosin looked at the corpse with apprehension; he didn't expect the Faceless Twilight to be this ruthless. As if she were making a sacrifice to some sort of evil god.
There was a note pinned onto the corpse's chest, written in Renlounese.
"Does anyone here speak this?", Yosin asked the two inquisitors behind him.
The two cloaked men look at each other, then shake their heads.
"Do you perhaps know who did this?", one of them asked.
Yosin sniffed the air, catching a foul scent. His crimson eyes turned to a corner of the room, seeing a black spot that was slowly fading away.
"I think it was the mercenary I hired... the Faceless Twilight."
The first hit job resulted in the client's death, and some people were skeptical of her practices. But once Yosin asked about her credibility, it was clear how ruthless yet strict she was.
She only takes on jobs targeting evil, and if the client wants to use her, she kills them without batting an eye. And being a citizen of Lacrosa, despite the honorary title, gave her certain immunity in that city. Nobody wants to anger the Steam Bat.
"If we want to know what she wrote... it is best to meet her.", the other inquisitor spoke.
"Though be cautious, it is very clear that she either has Corruption or Malediction as her main Path."
=0=0=
Lea stared at the head in her hands with a cold gaze. The head was forever locked in an expression of agony and disbelief.
After what happened in that mansion, her sense of human life had become dull. She had made a pretty good plan to make those guys angry. Being formerly religious herself, there is one thing that makes every religion seethe with rage.
I hope this work...
Creak...
The front entrance opened, catching her attention. Lea wrapped herself in Cursed Construct armor. With the head in her hand, she tossed it down the stairs...
Letting it roll to Yosin and his cohort's feet.
Their eyes visibly hardened as they stared at the head, then turned to the descending Lea.
"I found quite a bit of interesting information from that guy.", her speech was slow, deliberate, "Would you like to hear what he had said?"
Yosin narrowed his eyes, "Prying around isn't in our agreement."
"Our agreement is that I kill the target, as long as that is achieved, everything is fair game.", she corrected.
"Quite a heretic he was.", she said casually, "Just because of the destruction of a mere army, his faith was shaken... letting 'that thing' tempt him..."
"What are you insinuating?", one of the priests asked.
"Courage and Honor, he decided that the North was... a better choice."
"North...", Yosin mumbled, then his eyes widened with recognition, "The Fog Wall? There is something there?!"
She ignored his question, "He said that what the 'Fog Wall' offered was much better than, and I quote, "Brainless Pig". Quite the turn, isn't it?"
She could see rage fill their eyes. Lea wakes up the Cursed Constructs, ready to pin them down.
This was her domain, after all.
Anyway, from the look of it, there seems to be a connection between the Fog Wall and the North.
Her head hurt a bit trying to remember what the Tome of Light raved about... the North... it is an important location.
"So, like the Church of Sacrifice...", one of the men murmured, "To brainwash someone like that..."
Abandoning faith, abandoning everything he worked so hard for.
"We must take vengeance!!", another raised their sword—
Clank!!
It was promptly knocked out of his hand by Lea, who stared down at them from the top.
"Do not draw your weapon inside my domain.", after all, Lea had never said this place was free to enter.
This is still her property, after all. She could just declare them as trespassers.
"Apology, he got excited.", Yosin tried to mediate, "Thank you for your information, here is the rest of your payment."
He placed a case down. Using her tendrils, Lea retrieves it.
From the look of it, the amount seems to be correct...
"Thank you for doing business...", she spoke as she sank into the floor with the case.
The group of clergy left without saying anything further, after all, it would not be wise to discuss sensitive matters in front of an outsider. But unknown to them, Lea was following closely behind. She wants to know more about the Fog Wall situation, as well as what the church knows.
So, outside of the church built in Lacrosa, Lea hid herself in darkness and ordered the Twilight Gaunt to look out for her.
And then she sank into the mirror world, this time devoid of the other faceless demons. Touching one of the mirrors, she sees through the eyes of the priests...
The Church of the Blood God's Lacrosan temple was modest compared to their grand cathedrals in Vehren and other northern cities. Red and gold banners hung from stone walls. The symbol of crossed swords adorned every surface. The air smelled of incense and old blood, ritual sacrifices performed with honor, as their faith demanded.
Yosin and the two inquisitors entered the private chamber, closing the heavy door behind them. One of them immediately activated a ward, a circle of carved runes that glowed faintly crimson, blocking sound from escaping.
Through the mirror world, Lea watched and listened.
"That mercenary knows too much.", the first inquisitor said, removing his hood. His face was scarred, middle-aged, "We should eliminate her."
"She's under the Steam Bat's protection.", Yosin countered, sitting heavily in a chair, "Killing someone in Lacrosa would bring consequences we can't afford."
"Then we ignore her, simple.", the second inquisitor suggested. He was younger but with sharper eyes, "Focus on what matters."
"What matters is that the Fog Wall is actively corrupting our followers now.", Yosin repeated slowly.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
"Kael was just one person.", the younger inquisitor argued, "One weak-willed heretic who—"
"Who was a temple guard months ago!!", Yosin slammed his fist on the table, "A devout warrior who never missed morning prayers! And something from the North turned him into... that."
The older inquisitor crossed his arms, "The Church of Sacrifice is already mobilized. They're planning their expedition to breach the Fog Wall within the month."
"Fools.", the younger one spat, "The Goddess of Madness has them convinced they'll succeed."
"Maybe they will, or maybe they'll die.", Yosin said quietly, "Either way, they're doing something while we sit here debating."
Silence fell over the chamber.
Through the mirror, Lea absorbed every word. The Fog Wall, North, the Church of Sacrifice's expedition. Pieces of a larger puzzle she didn't fully understand yet.
"The fact that the Fog Wall made its move at all...", the older inquisitor spoke carefully, "That's what concerns me. For centuries, it's been passive, just existing. Blocking all attempts to breach it. But now?"
"Now it's actively recruiting.", the younger one finished. "Offering people what? Power? Knowledge?"
"Something better than brainless pig worship, apparently.", Yosin said bitterly, echoing Lea's earlier words.
The older inquisitor stood, pacing, "One person turning could be a coincidence. But if this is the beginning of a pattern... if the Fog Wall is reaching out to other churches, other faiths..."
"Then we need to act first.", Yosin finished, "Before more of our people are corrupted."
"You're suggesting we mount our own expedition?", the younger inquisitor looked shocked, "Without coordination? Without the other churches?"
Yosin then pointed out, "They're marching on faith alone. Why shouldn't we?"
"Because we're not mad cultists following a prophesied child," the older inquisitor said flatly, "We're warriors. We need strategy, planning, and resources."
"And time.", the younger one added, "Time we might not have if the Fog Wall is actively turning our people."
Yosin stood, his decision clearly made, "Then we don't have time to waste. I'm recommending to the High Priest that we organize an expedition. A small force of elite warriors."
"When?", the older inquisitor asked.
"As soon as the Church of Sacrifice makes their move.", Yosin's expression hardened, "Let them go first. We'll learn from their mistakes, and then we'll succeed where they fail."
"And if they succeed?",the younger one asked.
"Then we claim our share of glory by being second.", Yosin moved toward the door, "Either way, the Blood God's faithful will not sit idle while the North stirs. We will face whatever waits behind that Fog Wall with honor."
He paused at the door, "Courage and Honor demand no less."
The other two stood, placing fists over their hearts in salute, "Courage and Honor."
The ward dissolved. The meeting ended...
In the mirror world, Lea pulled back from the reflection, her consciousness returning to her own body hidden in the shadows outside.
So the Fog Wall is actively recruiting now. Turning faithful people from their churches. And both the Church of Sacrifice and the Church of the Blood God are planning expeditions North.
Charlotte's request suddenly made more sense. She didn't just want Lea to anger the Blood God's church; she wanted to ensure they went north. To add another piece to whatever game she was playing.
Lea felt cold despite the shadows wrapped around her.
Whatever was happening in the North, it was Cosmic-level big. The kind of events Charlotte manipulated from the shadows while pretending not to care.
The Twilight Gaunt returned to her side, silent as always.
"We're going back...", Lea whispered to it, "I need to think."
She dissolved into shadow.
=0=0=
The next few days, there wasn't any assassination commission. But a few requested Hex talismans from her; the Branding one is quite expensive, but it was worth it.
All the while, Lea had been thinking of what to do.
To trust Charlotte and play into her hand again? Getting the ship she wanted so badly to travel to Australia.
And something to handle the depth...
So her next destination is clear.
Aipotu is the second most advanced nation in the world. If there is a reckless invention needed for testing, she could offer herself up.
But for now...
She will have a look at her ship.
"Chosen One of Time;
Embracer of Origin, Child of Purity and Silver..."
She held her breath for a moment, then finished the chant.
"The Monarch clad in Argent Light."
Lea expected Charlotte to appear right in front of her. But then something knocked on her door.
Before she could even speak, the silver-haired alien monarch walked in, smiling as if she had expected it.
"Hello again, Lea."