On the castle steps of Drudar, the fire was dwindling contrastingly as Eleana's eyes were dilated. Caria, with her sharp, shining sword, thrust at Kerin. Kerin, who was looking ahead like a thinker, was suddenly stunned as he uttered, "Ahh.." as he sidestepped just at the last second.
Caria missed at the last second as she tilted and her focus broke. Her pretty eyes were confused as a circle of strange runes lit up near her, surrounding her and separating her from Kerin, who had a twisted smirk.
Caria tried to withdraw as she noticed Kerin's gaze, but she was a bit late.She screamed, but she was stuck for some time, and that was sufficient for Eleana.
Eleana reached her in an instant and put her sword to her forehead as the sword shone, illuminating the beautiful figure of Eleana. She muttered, "Moon Bind..."
Caria screamed as she tried getting up, "Kerin, I will kill you. "
Kerin nodded at Eleana as she thanked him and made a face as he laughed menacingly, looking at Caria, "You traitor !! I knew it! You really are a monster in a human's clothing..."
Shining moonlight dropped on Caria as her beautiful figure became even more dazzling, but her hazy face was twisted in anger, as strange white shimmering ropes came into existence, binding her from foot to neck as she became bound.
She struggled as she tried to break free, as Eleana gently got closer and spoke in a sad voice, "You can forget breaking them for now..."
Eleana spoke in a grave voice, "So, Caria, who are you really?"
Caria's face was dark, and her teeth gritted as she looked at both of them.
She looked at Kerin as she said, "You really wanna do this, Kerin?"
Kerin mocked as he said angrily, "You.....what even are you....you forgot what you did to me just some time ago..."
Caria said gravely, "That was necessary, and listen, Kerin..."
"That item with you is not safe for you...."
"Not safe for me... Huh.....?"
"You could have asked me....you mocked me, Veer, and insulted Lythria, and now you want forgiveness..."
"There is a limit to your hypocrisy..."
Kerin said angrily.
Eleana stopped Kerin as she said, "Kerin, stop it."
She looked at Caria and said, "Don't divert the topic, Caria...You killed hundreds....just what is wrong with you...."
She got closer and put the blade close to her neck as a trail of blood started to flow.
"One more nonsense and I will not hesitate..."
Just then, they sensed something....
Kerin and Eleana looked back as they saw a white lotus blooming, which was faintly visible near the giant cross near the castle foot.
Kerin muttered gravely, "Just what is going on....Is that Lythria's doing...."
"You are understimating them....hmmm..ahhhh" said Caria as Eleana pressed the sword harder.
....
Somewhere outside the bounds of the castle, Sythris was feeling a pain in her neck. But it was not comparable to the pain in her heart and mind. Her mind was lingering with questions as her face was grave.
"What was that dream?"
"Why was Veer suffering like that?"
"Why did the dream cut off suddenly, and I only saw Veer being caught by a strange lady?"
Her body felt drained as she thought," Was it just a trick of that woman or somehow my memories are manipulated..."
Suddenly, she exhaled.
"I ...I need to first kill that woman."
"That woman might have something that can peer or alter memories..."
As she became determined, her eyes went to Canthia.
Just then, she twisted her body as she parried another two knives from Caria, who had a strange smile as though she was genuinely enjoying this.
"Damn Caria..."Sythris had a very low stance as she clashed with Caria.
As she fought with Caria she observed something. Caria's movements seemed somewhat stiff as though she was bound by invisible threads. Also, blood was flowing from her neck.
"Whatever !! I must finish this."
Canthia didn't get to execute any other magic as Sythris suddenly gained the upper hand, as she stopped Caria and bound her in just a breath of time.
"Low Monk," she uttered and gave Caria a tight hand strike on her back as Caria collapsed.
Then she looked back at Canthia.
Two women now looked at each other as dead bodies surrounded them with Sythris ready to strike.
...
As Veer entered from the east gate, as he fastened his pace, he found that many common people were dead. Most people had died by fire. What caused the fire? Everywhere many mages and bronze knights who are generally not included in realm protection, just like ordinary soldiers, were dead.
"Damn it, war should not have reached here!! What is happening?"
As he surveyed, he suddenly found a person screaming, "Ahhh no please, my brother!! spare him!! Spare him o.."
He became unconscious as he made sounds. Veer neared him as he tried to wake him. Nearby, a lot were dead.
"Ahhhh....." the man finally woke up as he surveyed the scene. His body was completely covered by blood, and his teeth were out as he saw Veer as though his eyes dimly lit up.
"Oh, hero !! save...save my brother...."
Veer grasped his shoulders as he asked, "Who? Where is he?"
"He ...He was taken by the bishop...the ...pontiff...."
....
Veer gently closed the man's eyes as the man mumbled, "May the goddess bless the dream..."
Veer gently sighed as he stood up, looking at the man who seemed happy as he could share his brother's location before dying.
He looked around as he contemplated, "Just what happened here? There should be golden knights commanded here. Am I forgetting something?"
He looked at the distant castle as he fastened his pace. As he continued, he was stunned and his face grave by the passing second.
Dead people were everywhere. These people were not even knights or mages.
"Just who is doing this? "
He found that he arrived at the junction of two roads. Suddenly, as though he was in conflict, he had to decide which road to take as he shook his head.
He looked far right among the trees, and a structure could be seen that had a cross at the top. On the far right, he could look up and see the red dwindling skies and the top of Drudar castle.
"Should I go to that strange structure? That man's brother might be there."
"Veer? Veer? Is that you?"
Veer was stunned as he looked back to see an injured woman coming towards him. She had long hair and traditional dress, but she seemed strong and determined. She seemed like someone who was a neighbour's aunt."Huh, what ..."
"Hello," said Veer. "Are you okay?"
"Veer, yes! I am okay somehow! But we need to move out."
"Veer! Quickly! Can you take me to him?" said the lady.
"Him?Who?" said Veer.
Veer seemed confused as the lady took a deep breath. She was bleeding from her abdomen as Veer asked, "Do you not remember me, Veer? It's your aunt."
"Let's go quickly....take me to Kerin..."
Suddenly, Veer just nodded as he took out a bandage and said, "Let me help you first."
He helped her and then carried her over his shoulder as he went on the right path....
The woman gazed at the top of the structure as she murmured softly, "At least I saved him from that abomination...."
...
Somewhere nearby, a man was sitting on a strange chair, eating apples.
The architecture was grand with a Gothic design. Faint rays of light were coming through the giant windows. Strange pieces of string with something attached seem to be suspended from above. There was a huge cross at the centre.
There were two golden knights near the man. It was a very large chapel. The man sat with his face completely scarred. It was a miracle that how he was eating. Strange dark threads were emerging from his back as he took a bite and muttered, "Strange, very strange, why did he not come to this chapel of Eriathel..."
"I baited so many things, yet he turned the other way at the last second...Hmmmm"
as he looked around. Hundreds of dead bodies were everywhere.
He stood up.
"Let's take a look outside, Arvus."
He gently got up.
Arvus said, "M'lord, it might be related to that strange woman I encountered. From the official papers, it seems she is the mother of that all-knowing pretending brat, Kerin."
If Veer were here, he would have been surprised to see the golden knight. He was the same man Veer had thrashed, as indicated by Eleana back in the restaurant few days ago.
The pontiff looked ahead as he said, "Most likely No...but maybe...".
He looked somewhere in the chapel.There were sounds coming from there "Ahhhhh"
"Please let me go..."
"I will do whatever you say...please..."
A man was bound to a pillar as he screamed. Blood flowed throughout his body and he appeared as though shriveled.
The strange man continued walking through the chapel on a clear carpet soaked with blood.
Arvus the golden knight said, "Pontiff! Should I finish him?"
The man answered, "Silence him not finish..."
"Its ringing my ears..."
Arvus nodded as he signaled with his hand. A maid came from somewhere shortly and, amidst the screams of the guy, fed him a pill. The guy went unconscious, muttering, "He is waiting..."
Meanwhile as the strange man neared the door, he suddenly laughed, "So that's what it was...my beloved friend is here...."
Suddenly, he transformed into a small boy dancing." La la la....." as he ran somewhere.Slowly Arvus saw that the boy was actually spinning going through the air.
Arvus and the rest just stood there as he muttered,"Veer.... you really think you are some kind of hero...Hah"
If Sythris were here, she would be dumbfounded because the small boy in her dreams was the same as the boy the strange man transformed into.