Bloodbound Oath: Between Realms

Darnell was slightly stunned by what he heard. In truth, it wasn’t that surprising—he had expected Sullivan to use the barrel of thunderpowder for something like this. But in his opinion, it was somewhat impractical, given the danger it posed to them as well. With a hint of reluctance, he asked, "Are you sure? Do you even realize how sharp the senses of mid-tier Arcane Masters are? Even if we throw the barrel suddenly, they’ll likely notice it. Not to mention, we might bring the hall’s ceiling down on our heads and bury ourselves along with them."

Sullivan wiped the sinister grin off his face and replied slyly, "Enough with the fear. Trust me."

’As confident as ever. I still don’t know what he’s really relying on,’ Darnell sighed inwardly. After a brief silence, he answered, "Fine. What do you want me to do?"

"Just hold this, get ready to light it, and throw it." The moment Sullivan handed the barrel to Darnell, he closed his eyes and shifted his senses to Noctis. Truthfully, he didn’t trust Darnell and didn’t want to leave his body unguarded while he was away. But his current circumstances left no room for hesitation—time was running dangerously short. A delay of even a few minutes could ruin everything.

...

Inside the hall, the battle was nearing its end. Most of the soldiers had fallen, leaving only a handful standing, their bodies riddled with injuries. Juror Sergius had been backed into a corner, his strength waning, and his Auraxis energy reserves nearly depleted. Despite being on par with Commander Roland in terms of level, his opponent hadn’t expended nearly as much energy—a testament to Roland’s vast experience and countless battles.

As Juror Sergius staggered unsteadily, Commander Roland managed to land a shallow slash across his stomach. Sergius, however, didn’t let the blade linger—he quickly retreated, gritting through the pain. Despite his composure, fear began creeping in, and the thought of escape crossed his mind.

"Damn, this is bad." Sullivan realized things were about to take a turn for the worse. Quickly focusing, he scanned his surroundings carefully—and it didn’t take long for him to spot his target: a large control lever embedded in the wall near the massive gate. The lever was made of solid metal, wrapped in worn leather strips that had decayed over time, making it look like a tattered relic.

Moving silently through the shadows, Sullivan reached the lever. He examined it and smirked. This lever controlled the ceiling lights—and clearly, the first person to enter the treasury had already activated it.

With a faintly amused expression, he opened his eyes and looked at Darnell, who was watching him in confusion. "Get into position quickly. Light the fuse, but don’t throw it until I give the order."

"Got it." Darnell moved swiftly, positioning himself in a slightly hidden corner opposite their enemies. In his mind, he traced the trajectory he’d use to throw the barrel. Summoning his energy, he ignited a small flame at the tip of his finger and lit the fuse, which began burning rapidly. The moment half of it had burned away—

Sullivan issued a command to Noctis, who emerged from the shadows and yanked the lever with force. At the same time, Sullivan barked, "Now!"