Marina lingered in the manor doorway, scanning the halls for any sign of Trey.
Is this what he felt guilty about?
Her fingers twitched against the doorframe. The silence was heavy, suffocating. She took one more glance over her shoulder before stepping out into the cold air.
He probably fled then, right?
Her boots crunched against the gravel path as she started down the road toward the village.
I'm free now… So I don't have anything to fear. But—what if he's still there?
The night wind carried a sour, metallic tang that made her stomach twist. She slowed her pace, unease creeping into her limbs.
Why did he kill all the servants? Just to erase witnesses?
As she reached the village gates, the stench of blood hit her full force. It was rot and something far worse. Her hands flew up to cover her mouth.
Bodies lay sprawled in doorways, their faces twisted in confusion and terror. Blood streaked the wooden frames of windows.
"So he killed people here as well?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Why?"
Her gaze darted wildly across the carnage.
Wait… the half-elf. Where's Cecilus?
She broke into a sprint, her breath ragged, her shoes slapping against the blood-stained path. Every corner revealed more corpses, every house silent.
He must've gone to check on his family… and if Trey isn't here—
The thought clicked, freezing her mid-run.
"The only place Trey could be if he's still nearby… is Cecilus's home!"
She didn't hesitate. Marina bolted down the road toward the Crow Manor.
***
Cecilus had realized something was terribly wrong long before he arrived. A black column of smoke rose high into the night sky, blotting out the moon.
When the burning outline of his home came into view, he stopped dead. The manor was engulfed in flames—walls splintering, the roof sagging inward. Through the smoke, faint specks of violet shimmered like dying stars.
It's not as much as before… but there weren't many servants anyway.
He drew in a deep breath, the air thick with ash, and summoned a golem to shield him from the blaze as he forced his way through the front. The second one failed to appear—a hollow echo instead of life.
Why isn't it responding?
No time to wonder. He pushed forward, boots crushing burning debris underfoot as the heat clawed at his skin. The sound of steel on steel reached his ears—a clash somewhere deep inside.
He followed it, weaving through the flickering corridors until the hallway opened into a large chamber.
Reymund stood at the front, battered and panting, his sword arm trembling. Behind him, Ayas clutched Zylee's limp body. The girl's small frame was soaked through with red.
And at the far end of the room stood Trey, his blade dripping, face eerily calm—until he noticed Cecilus. The calm shattered instantly, replaced by a sliver of recognition and disdain.
Reymund's eyes caught Cecilus in the doorway. "You're here! Cecilus! I knew you wouldn't be killed off that fast!" His voice was full of desperate relief, but the exhaustion cracked through every word.
"They took your mother! Go—grab Ayas and run after them!"
Before Cecilus could move, Trey lunged. The sword came in low—a strike aimed at Reymund's ribs. It hit an invisible wall and rebounded with a sharp ring. Reymund stumbled but stayed upright.
"Don't worry, Cecilus! I can buy time here—just go!"
Cecilus didn't move. His eyes had fixed on Zylee. Her tiny hands were limp in Ayas's arms. Her spirit shimmered faintly above her body, whispering in confusion.
The whispers weren't anything special. Calling out for her brother and feeling confused.
What little child wouldn't be confused if they had just experienced death?
His chest tightened.
He placed a hand on Ayas's shoulder. "We have to go." His tone was flat, stripped of gentleness.
"N-No! We have to help her first! We can save her!"
"Shut up! She's dead!" Cecilus's voice cracked, a raw edge breaking through his composure. "That's not your sister—it's just a rotting pile of flesh! Listen to me!"
Ayas shook his head violently, tears streaming down his cheeks. "But you're strong! You can save her!"
Cecilus gritted his teeth. "Do I look like I can resurrect the dead? Father's fighting for our lives right now! You want to waste the time he's buying us!?"
The sound of steel scraping filled the air. Reymund coughed hard mid-swing, blood spilling from his mouth.
Ayas looked toward him, trembling. "Then leave me here with her."
"What!?" Cecilus's grip tightened.
"I'll protect my sister." Ayas's eyes were unfocused, distant.
He's not thinking straight… I need to—
Before Cecilus could act, Ayas's body seized violently. His limbs twitched, then burst. The explosion sent blood splattering across Cecilus's hair, hot and wet.
He stood frozen. Ayas' body then emitted a purple soul above it.
In Ceclius' head, a voice lingered.
"It's okay, Zylee. We'll be fine. Cecilus will save us. Father said he's powerful. Powerful enough to become king…"
And then—
"Why am I so high up?"
Cecilus had found out early in his life that despite the lack of eyes, souls could recognize their own body's presence and how high they were floating. He figured it out by connecting points between the many souls he had seen.
Cecilus shut his eyes, forcing back the sting in them. I hope you both meet again soon… then you can discuss how strong I really was.
"Cecilus!" Reymund's voice cut through the haze. "Go after your mother! Only you can save her!"
"No! Father, I can help you! We can defeat Trey together!"
"How naïve are—"
Trey moved. A silver blur. Reymund's arm was sliced clean off before he could finish.
"Shit!" Cecilus tried to rush forward, but slammed into an invisible barrier that rippled like glass.
He blocked me out?
Reymund stood firm, his wound sealed by invisible layers of barriers. His breath came ragged, eyes bright with grim pride.
"You see, Cecilus… I meant it. Barriers are for protecting my family." He looked toward Ayas and Zylee's bodies and laughed bitterly. "What a great father I am, huh?"
Trey pressed the attack, relentless and silent.
Cecilus struck the barrier once, twice—it didn't even tremble. He turned, intending to find a way around, when pain erupted through his abdomen. His scream tore through the roaring fire.
What's happening!? Did I drink the poison?
But no—the pain wasn't physical. His body was unharmed. The agony burned deep in his soul.
When I drank that wine, I opened a small portal to my soul world to summon part of my golem's mouth… Golems are immune to most poisons—but this one…
He realized it then. The poison's killing my golem, and I'm feeling every moment of it.
***
Reymund caught sight of Cecilus collapsing.
No… was he poisoned too? No, he's smarter than that. He wouldn't—
Panic clawed at his chest. I still have so much I haven't told him… The documents and will I had prepared in case of emergency—they're all gone in the fire!
He slashed upward, drawing a thin barrier under Trey's feet. Trey stumbled, only to twist his sword mid-fall and slice upward, grazing Reymund's eye.
The cut blinded him on one side, blood streaming down, but the older man didn't falter. Trey's silence was eerie; he fought with surgical calm, dissecting rather than dueling.
Trey knew that Reymund had barriers focused on the vital points, so slowly chipping away at everything else was a more efficient strategy. Although Reymund was given the perfect opportunity to attack after Trey tripped, it was all deliberate.
A master like Trey could easily overpower Reymund in any situation, no matter how much of a disadvantage was added. The stark difference in skill could not be closed by a few meager tricks.
Reymund grabbed his eye.
He's analyzing my defenses… cutting away the weak points one by one.
Reymund's thoughts raced even as his vision blurred. My barriers will hold for a little longer. That's all I need—to give Cecilus strength to run.
He then thought back to his time early on with Cecilus.
Cecilus, a child, kneeling in the dirt beside a writhing insect. His first contract. The joy on his face as the creature's fragmented thoughts bled into his own.
Back then, Reymund had recorded everything they discovered about soul contracts—how Cecilus could hear the creature's thoughts, feel its instincts, absorb its memories. They'd tested hundreds of variations.
They soon realized that insects took up too much space in the soul world so when Cecilus defeated a stone golem, he replaced the lesser creatures with that powerful summon.
But that raised the question Reymund could never shake: What happens if Cecilus binds with a human soul?
They tried. It failed. The contract couldn't pierce the will of another sentient being.
Until one night, Reymund had a terrible thought. What if a human didn't resist? What if someone willingly surrendered their soul?
Blood dripped down his chin as he met Trey's cold stare.
It's time.
He staggered backward, drawing sigils in the air with trembling fingers, layering barriers to buy a few final seconds.
Trey lunged again, blade flashing.
Reymund smiled faintly through the blood.
"Cecilus!" he shouted, voice raw. "I'll give you my soul."