Enoch spent the next few days living off the land as he travelled further North.
As a young Prince he had learned how to hunt, which, with the flames of Kurohono and shadow step, was a lot easier.
For the time being, he avoided civilisation entirely. He was sure that the news of his death had started to spread, and knew that showing his face would cause problems.
His mortality balance along the Hellbound Path was at 75%, which meant that he had not strayed any further towards evil, or righteousness.
His soul level progression was still at bronze, and only 5% through, which made sense. After all, he had not eaten any gods yet, or used his abilities in real combat.
But although Enoch had not made any significant progress towards his next soul level, it did not mean that he had not been plotting.
It was the third night of his vagabond life, and as he sat in his makeshift camp, he withdrew the Angelbird from his soul space, sending it into the spirit realm.
Once there, it waited.
Like before, he felt a constant presence resting upon the spirit of the Angelbird. Like beings beyond his comprehension were watching him.
Enoch wondered what would happen if he were to swap places with the bird there and then.
Would the gods sense his immoral path and set upon him to take him down?
He would be lying to say he wasn't tempted. It would grant him direct access to his next divine meal after all.
But he knew to be patient. Not to rush.
Jane De Blyth's golden spirit light fluttered towards the Angelbird, somehow easily finding him once again.
Once arrived at its location, the bird and the spirit exited the spirit world, and were brought to where Enoch was sat by the fire.
Enoch returned his senses to his physical body, and Jane's fluttered around him. She seemed frantic and desperate, as if something was wrong.
"Your majesty, you need to get away from here! Don't you know what's going on?" Jane's words came rushed.
Enoch raised a brow. "I am north of the capital, nearing our border with the land of giants."
"Yes! Have you not heard? The Dragoni are here now. They have smashed through our border, and King Jacob has ordered the northern towns and villages to evacuate."
Jane's words made Enoch twitch.
Things started to make sense. He recalled hearing a large group of people in the distance travelling south, away from the border and towards the capital.
They were evacuating from our Dragoni enemies, who have already laid waste to the giants.
Jane watched the young Prince rub at his chin.
"Why did you call me here anyways, your majesty?" she asked in confusion.
"Because I need your help."
"Of course. I can guide you through the spirit realm, and take you somewhere else within the Kingdom to get away from the danger—"
"No, no." Enoch interrupted. "You must take me to Iudaha, the home of your god."
Jane's spirit light froze. "My god? Why do you wish to meet my god?"
A thousand thoughts ran through her mind.
Does Enoch know Khovar, the God of Blood?
…
Would it not make sense for an evil being to know another evil being?
"Do you… know the god that granted me my sainthood?"
Enoch did not. He could not let her know this, otherwise she would question why it was that he wished to meet them.
So he took a wild guess.
"I know all evil gods." He spoke casually.
That was all it took. Jane felt a jolt in her spirit as she struggled to process her thoughts.
Enoch smiled. His guess was correct.
There were a few reasons why Enoch was able to tell that Jane was granted sainthood from what she believed to be an evil god.
The main reason was, if Jane had been granted sainthood by a god other than the True Creator, there were only a few reasons to keep it a secret. After all, others might be able to worship said god, and earn favour themselves. Spreading the word of a newly discovered righteous god was always beneficial amongst ones people.
Instead, she allowed others to assume it was a blessing from the True Creator, which was the most common method of becoming a saint.
This suggested that she was afraid of revealing the truth of her blessing, due to the nature of who it came from.
"Do not be afraid. I am not friends with this god. In fact, my reasons for wishing to meet them are the exact opposite."
Enoch had to be careful speaking aloud. Instead of wording his intentions, he gestured to his own neck, pretending to slice it with a sword.
Jane picked it up instantly and couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"You want to…" Her words trailed off. Enoch nodded his head.
She wanted to ask how. It made no sense, and was surely impossible for a mere mortal to pull off.
But at the same time, she found herself questioning the strange powers and capabilities of the Prince.
He had come into possession of a pure Angelbird, despite being immoral. He wielded black flames, and a shadow form, which were both skills belonging to a class unfamiliar to her.
But surely slaying a god was impossible? He was nothing more than a Bronze-Souled Awakened, regardless of the strength he had displayed so far.
Yet if it were somehow true, it would get rid of the heavy weight that rested on her conscience. It would help her get rid of the "evil" god weighing upon her soul.
"If I brought you to Iudaha to face… him." She refrained from using the god's name. She never knew whether it was listening or not. "And you somehow failed, then I would surely be destroyed for helping you."
But Enoch shook his head. "You're wrong. Your god does not know why I wish to meet him, so as long as you pretend to have been misinformed, then you would be fine if I were to fail. However, this would only apply if I had the capacity to fail, which I do not."
"What makes you so confident in yourself?" Jane had to ask. It irked her.
Enoch remained silent for a few moments. He would not reveal his class to her yet. Not until she watched her god be devoured.
"Take me to meet your god, and I will show you."
Jane hesitated for what seemed to be a full minute. She only came to a decision when she remembered that the Dragoni were travelling through their country at that very moment.
The golden light opened the portal back to the spirit realm and flew towards it.
"Okay… Follow me."