Chương 45: 045

The bodies in the corner formed a macabre heap of mismatched races—elves, beastfolk, dwarves, and others I couldn't name—stacked carelessly against the wall. Their belongings had been stripped away, leaving ritual stab wounds exposed at the center of each chest, neat and deliberate. The smell hit me next, sharp, cloying, and thick enough to coat my tongue. My stomach lurched. Swallowing hard, I forced myself closer.

"Any idea what this was for," I muttered, "or why I didn't see it earlier?" Time hummed, thoughtful and distant. There are traces of two magics here: dark and illusion. Given the king's abilities, it is likely his control-based power affected your perception—though not to the extent he intended. I'd known something was wrong here, could feel it in the prickle along my skin, but there hadn't been anything tangible to act on. To think that bastard king's power had hidden all of this without even fully controlling me…

I shoved the thought aside and focused on the circle carved into the stone floor.

"Do you recognize any of these?" If we were lucky, the symbols might tell us what he'd summoned. Time was silent for a long moment before sighing. Some are familiar. The spiral along the northern arc is common to summoning rituals. The mark beneath your feet, however, denotes 'of another realm.' I stepped back immediately, eyes tracing the symbol with renewed caution.

"So it could be anything from outside Nexus." A humorless breath slipped out of me.

"Fantastic." Pinching the bridge of my nose, I closed my eyes.

"I didn't think mortals could access that kind of power. Spirits, sure, but not people." Spirits didn't have fragile bodies to burn out. No limits imposed by flesh. Disgust rippled through our bond. Ordinarily, they cannot. A mortal, even one bound to a spirit, has finite mana and stamina. Their body would fail long before completing such a ritual…unless sacrifices were used to fuel it. My gaze snapped back to the bodies. Heat and fury swelled in my chest, tight and suffocating.

"It shouldn't surprise me. He threw a child into a battlefield to save himself. What's a few dozen strangers to someone like him?" Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Silas's smug expression flashed in my mind, that casual cruelty. He was lucky death had been quick. He'd deserved worse. I agree, Time said quietly, sorrow threading his voice. And knowing my wife, she would as well. But the dead have been avenged.

There is nothing more we can do for them now. A pause. The symbols offer little beyond what we already know. It would be unwise to linger. Grateful for the excuse, I turned away from the rot-soaked chamber.

"Are there any spirits who might recognize the markings?" I asked as I slipped into the corridor, checking each direction before moving on. The further I went, the more opulent the halls became, polished stone, gilded trim, and excessive ornamentation screaming of royal indulgence. Where before the castle had twisted me in circles, the path now ran almost straight. Another subtle use of his power, no doubt. The spirit of Knowledge may know, Time replied, his voice heavier now.

But I will need to rest before contacting him. With luck, Karma will recover sooner and reach out in my stead. The last word dragged, almost slurring. Concern stirred. You okay? I pressed. You sound like shit, and it's getting worse. Dry amusement brushed against my thoughts. Your candor borders on rudeness. But yes. I will recover once I take mortal form. That snagged my attention. Then why haven't you done that yet? The king's dead. The worst is over. What remained was cleanup and information gathering.

He shouldn't need to stay incorporeal for that. Time didn't answer right away. By the time he spoke again, I'd reached a set of massive wooden doors. I checked the hallway, then slipped inside and closed them quietly behind me. When I take mortal form, he said at last, his tone grave, I will be as vulnerable as any other flesh-bound being. While we remain inside enemy territory, doing so would be… unwise. My stomach twisted. I hadn't fully considered what mortal meant for him.

Please tell me you at least know how to use a weapon. He scoffed. I have never needed such knowledge. Spirits cannot kill. Even in a mortal shell, that limitation will persist. Of course. Why would anything be simple? That left us with two people who couldn't fight, no armor, no backup, and Silas's generals still unaccounted for. Generals who, by his own admission, hadn't been controlled and were powerful enough to rival him. Perfect. Just… perfect.