274. Anna Jade
Inside Dungeon, Northern Coast, Kim Island, Kim Dukedom, Ancorna Empire
The air in the cavern remained thick with the scent of ozone and the coppery tang of goblin blood. While Knight Kalahad and his squad worked to clear the massive pile of rubble blocking the stairways, Ravenna stood before the pulsating, visceral barrier of the Broadleaf Arrowhead Door.
The pale, bloodless limbs woven into the frame seemed to twitch rhythmically, as if reacting to the proximity of her. Ravenna narrowed her eyes, her mind flicking back to the time when she had spent scouring the Reputation System’s Magic Spell Library.
“A teleportation spell...” she muttered under her breath.
She remembered the entry clearly that she searched for when she first arrived on the island, Broadleaf Arrowheads were flowers used in ancient, high-level teleportation magic.
“Your Highness!” Knight Kalahad’s voice echoed through the damp hall. “We’ve recovered another body from the initial blast site.”
Ravenna turned as the knights dragged a figure clad in tattered crimson robes from beneath a slab of fallen stone. The body was mangled, but the insignia of the Herptian Church was still visible on the collar.
“Isn’t that one of the Archbishops who arrived at the harbor?” Knight Kalahad asked, wiping soot from his brow.
“I thought they were the ones who triggered this,” Alice said, her hand hovering near her rifle as she stared at the remains. “I assumed they had all dissolved into the dungeon core as part of that horrific ritual.”
Marie walked closer, her eyes fixed on the fallen archbishop. She stared in silence for several long seconds, her expression unreadable.
“Marie, don’t,” Alice said gently, reaching out to pull her back. “You shouldn't have to see such things. It’s far too visceral for a girl your age.”
“No,” Marie whispered, her voice sounding oddly distant. “It’s... I feel something. A weirdly familiar divine energy is still clinging to him. It doesn't feel like the corruption of the Cult.”
Ravenna’s interest was instantly piqued. She walked over to the corpse, kneeling in the damp dirt. Ignoring the grim state of the body, she began searching the Archbishop's inner robes. Her fingers brushed against something hard and metallic tucked into a hidden pocket.
She pulled it out: a small, intricately carved silver box.
When she opened the lid, the dim light of the cavern was reflected in a brilliant, blinding flash of gold and sapphire. Everyone gasped as the item was revealed.
“A Third Odyssey Ring!” Ravenna exclaimed, the shock evident in her voice.
Alice stepped forward, her eyes wide. “But... why would he have it? If they were corrupted, why keep such a powerful holy artifact?”
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“Maybe they weren't all under control?” Ravenna mused, turning the ring over in her hand. The sapphire felt warm, pulsing with a gentle, protective light. “Even if the high-ranking members were infiltrated, this man must have been carrying it to fulfill the official mission, to deliver it to the Saintess. It seems the Herptian Church’s headquarters isn't entirely under the Cult’s thumb yet.”
She stood up, looking at the ring and then at the Broadleaf Arrowhead Door. A reckless, calculated plan began to form in her mind.
“Everyone, listen,” Ravenna commanded, her voice regaining its authoritative edge. “Knight Kalahad, take the men and finish clearing the path to the lower floors. We need an escape route for when the city guard arrives.”
She then turned to Marie and pulled a Kim Pattern Rifle from a nearby knight’s rack, handing it to her disciple.
“Me and Marie are going to check out the door,” Ravenna stated.
“What?!” Alice retorted, stepping into her path. “Ravenna, that is absolute madness! We have no idea what lies on the other side of that teleportation door. It could lead to the bottom of the ocean or the heart of the enemy's lair! You’re taking a suicidal risk, and bringing Marie with you?”
“I have a safety guard,” Ravenna replied, holding up the Third Odyssey Ring. “Alice, think back to the incident during the battle with the Imperial Navy. Remember the divine light that engulfed the entire island? That was a reaction from the Second Odyssey Ring when it came into contact with Marie. This ring is even more powerful.”
Marie gripped the rifle, her jaw set with newfound determination. She stepped up beside Ravenna, her eyes glowing faintly with gold light.
“You intend to use the ring's divine outburst as an insurance?” Alice asked, her voice softening as she realized the logic. “If it’s a trap, the ring will trigger a massive mana discharge to protect the Saintess, giving you a chance to flee.”
“Exactly,” Ravenna nodded. “I know this door is a teleportation gate. If it leads to a way out, we can bring the rescue teams directly to this level. If it’s a trap, we have a most powerful shield to run away.”
Alice sighed, looking between the Duchess and the Saintess. She knew that once Ravenna Solarius made a decision, no amount of reason could sway her.
“Fine,” Alice relented, though her eyes were filled with worry. “But you turn back the very second it feels odd. Not a step further. Do you understand?”
“I understand,” Ravenna said, her lips curving into a thin, dangerous smile. She looked at Marie and nodded. Together, the two of them stepped toward the door of flesh and flowers.
Sundar Valley, Hidden Path of the Chain-Heart, Somewhere in the Kingdom of Sundravan, Western Continent.
The sensation of the transition was like being turned inside out, a brief, sickening stretch through a void that smelled of old copper and ozone.
Ravenna and Marie collapsed onto a carpet of vibrant, purple grass, their lungs burning as they gasped for air. The atmosphere here was intoxicatingly sweet, thick with a floral scent so potent it felt like a physical weight against their chests. Ravenna pushed herself up, her vision swimming as she surveyed the impossible landscape.
The chamber was a hollowed-out mountain of such staggering proportions that it felt like a world of its own. Thousands of black-robed guards stood in silent, terrifying rows along the diverging corridors, their polearms reflecting the ghostly, flickering blue light of the torches. But Ravenna’s gaze was immediately drawn to the center.
The Great Heart.
The massive, organic structure throbbed with a low, bone-deep vibration that resonated in Ravenna’s teeth. It was a cathedral of flesh and stone, bound by chains that looked like they could hold a moon in place. And there, sitting atop the blackened throne at its base, was the woman she had only known through reports, whispers and the the novel the light’s conquest.
The Witch of the West.
Ravenna felt a sudden, sharp intake of breath from Marie beside her. But it wasn't the sight of the Witch that froze them, it was the sound of a voice.
“Anna?”
Ravenna whirled her head toward a second Broadleaf Arrowhead door that stood a dozen yards to their left. Standing before it were two figures, battered and blood-streaked, but unmistakably familiar.
“Kenric?” Ravenna’s voice was a whisper of shock.