Sorry for the day or two delays. I struggled to write this chapter for some reason. I don't know why, but enjoy!
As Sethis showed Nelson to the guest room, he couldn’t help but wonder if there were any hidden passages or spaces within the mansion. Although not as large as the King’s castle, there was no reason not to suspect the nobleman wouldn’t have things he would rather hide away from the rest of his peers.Especially something as secretive as his desire to become a God. That would mean Nelson had some more exploring to do. He had noticed nothing major the last time he had been here, but he had found the real journal under the floorboards.Nelson concluded Sethis had a love for hidden things. Then there was the old spirit that had been lingering around here. One that loved those who were sly and sneaky. Things were certainly lining up.“So, what is the gemstone for, anyway? Do they sell for a lot?” Nelson asked, sounding far less interested than he truly was. “I have never seen them sold back over in the Falanthyst Kingdom.”Sethis beamed a smile. “They’re used to help boost magic,” he repli
Nelson closed his eyes while leaning back against the headrest of his bed. He had agreed to help Sethis with his task, but he didn’t know the full extent of it yet. The who and the why were still unknown to him, but he had a terrible feeling about all of this.The gemstone that powered up a magical spell of some kind, the request to put someone to sleep. The knowledge that Sethis wanted to be a God… was all connected, but Nelson couldn’t figure out the complete picture. Sethis had assured him, within the next few days, his assignment would be clear.Nelson knew that this meant his time to find something tangible to report back to Fenryn and Vaughan was growing more limited by the day. He knew he had to up his game if he hoped to get the information he needed.Listening for any sound of movement, Nelson waited until almost all the people within the mansion were asleep. All except Sethis, it seemed, and the odd guard here and there. It was the perfect moment for Sethis to sneak into his
As soon as Nelson returned to the mansion and to Sethis’ side, he knew something wasn’t quite right. Had the man ordered someone to follow him? He didn’t believe so, but then the way Sethis seemed to have been waiting for him with a knowing smirk told him to be wary of this man and what might come next.Had Sethis been smarter than Nelson gave him credit for? Had he let his guard down enough to be fooled by this man?Nelson took in a slow, deep breath and kept his expression natural and continued towards Sethis. He could feel his heart pounding, however, as he knew something was off about this whole thing. He mentally made a list of how he would escape if Sethis attacked him, including using several hidden items he had on him. If he needed a smokescreen or two, he wasn't against using them.“You know,” Sethis began as he motioned for Nelson to join him. “I could get rid of your debt to the King if you asked.”Nels
The group made their way into Sethis’ mansion. They each felt the tension swirling between them, but none dared speak their minds. This plan had them on their toes. They knew Sethis was going to surprise them with something or another, but they didn’t know how yet.They only hoped that he tried to attack Fenryn when they were ready for it and not a moment too soon. From what Nelson had seen and known about everything Sethis had planned, he believed they would need to be down in that room with the mages for this to work, but he was prepared for that not to be the case.As they reached one of Sethis’ many large study rooms, he reached his arms out wide and offered an obnoxiously wide smile. “Ah, Fenryn my son! And Larry! Welcome! I’m glad you two were in the city already!” He said cheerfully.At first, Nelson gave his two companions a puzzled look that asked, ‘who is Larry?’ but when he noticed Vaughan’s irritated scowl, he realised it was him. Did Sethis get his name wrong deliberately
Vaughan was getting more and more anxious with each second that passed. He hadn’t yet escaped the restraints, but he needed to give the two some time to get into place before he joined them. So far, everything was still silent in the room below, but he knew that wouldn’t last much longer.As he did finally get out of the bonds, he quietly sneaked over to the entrance and listened out for the signal to join the three below. He knew he couldn’t go down too soon, or else it would put his King in danger and that was never something he wanted to risk. He just had to have trust in the two men to know when it was best to act.Fenryn waited to act as well. He knew very well that Sethis needed his blood or life, and until he was ready for that part, there were other things Nelson would need to do to sabotage stuff if it was possible. In the meantime, Fenryn checked his surroundings for signs that he might also help with doing so.He spotted the gemstone
Fenryn’s eyes widened as the soul was aiming straight for him. He was no longer unsure if a soul could possess a normal person in this fashion, as his blood had clearly changed the rules of how things worked. Mixed in with the ritual, he couldn’t take anything for granted anymore. He needed to find some silver, but he panicked trying to find some on his person.“Look out!” Vaughan’s voice called out suddenly from behind as Fenryn abruptly found himself being picked up and moved out of the way by force. Just as he landed on his hands and knees, Fenryn turned to face his old friend. Horror filled his eyes as the soul leapt into every hole in Vaughan’s face.Seeing what had just happened, Nelson knew they couldn’t stay down in this cavern under Sethis’ home for much longer. He had no way of knowing what foul monstrosities the possessed people would become and there was no guarantee Vaughan would be friendly towards them once
Taking hold of the bed rope, Fenryn was the first to get down from their current location. Their side of the house had bent so much that he knew it wouldn’t be long now before the entire building would come down around them. Many of the guards had gotten out, but others were still calling out from inside. He felt for them, but he had to get out of the blast zone of the rubble that would surely pose a risk to him.Turning his gaze on Nelson, the King saw a large crack quickly zigzagging under the window. “It’s now or never, Nelson! You’ve not got much time left!” Fenryn called out, urging the man to hurry. They might not have had a good start to their meeting, but he had learned he could depend on the ex-bandit. At least enough to worry about his safety.Nelson peered down at the King. The bedsheets wouldn’t have held both of them, but now that Fenryn was on the ground, he could finally get down himself. With the way the King had urge
While the King kept his focus on the chasm, Nelson looked around for signs of movement. He could hear something not far off, but he wasn’t sure if it was survivors below the rubble or the possessed group. The tips of his fingers were tingling annoyingly, but he ignored it and carefully made his way towards the sounds.He hadn’t known what to expect, as he had never seen a possessed person before. He wondered if they looked anything like the demons he had faced before. If so, he believed he could handle them just fine, but nothing could prepare him for what he finally saw.Stumbling down a large piece of the rubble, Nelson almost didn’t see the thing in front of him. Ashen black skin covered what had once been a human from head to toe. They almost blended in far too well with the rubble and the dust still lingering in the air.As they turned around to face Nelson, he noticed how tightly the skin seemed to cling to the bones, making them appear e