Crossing the lake was just the beginning. Ezra realized the Goddess was not ready to accept him into her abode so easily. And to prove his faith, he needed to survive a baptism by fire.“First she tries to drown her devotees and then burn them alive,” Marlin sneered. “I have to say I am slowly starting to lose my faith in the Goddess.”“But I know she would never harm those faithful to her,” Ezra replied. “It’s time to prove my loyalty.”As Ezra approached the flaming corridor, Marlin became increasingly nervous. “Are you really planning to walk through that fire? There must be another way!”“There is no other way.” Ezra walked into the fire without giving Marlin another chance to stop him. But miraculously the golden flames blazing around him parted as he took his first few steps, allowing him to walk right through them.As Ezra kept walking toward the prayer hall, the flames rolled away, creating a narrow path for him. He followed the hallway and soon reached another door while the
With the water level inside the prayer room rising rapidly, Ezra only had a few minutes to find a way across and reach the divine relic. However, the magic arrows created an impassible barrier, and even his Reflexive Armor would not be able to survive the barrage for more than a split second.While Marlin’s cursed eye was twitching frantically and looking for a way out, Ezra’s gaze was fixed on the statue of the Goddess. Staring at the pearl-headed staff in Ishani’s hand, he snapped his fingers and pulled out his crossbow.“Do you notice something wrong with her idol?” Ezra asked Marlin. “What?” Marlin sounded perplexed. He was too overwhelmed by their current situation to notice any trivial details about the idol. “Are you seriously examining Ishani’s idol instead of trying to find a way out of this shrine?” he barked.Ezra’s lips curved into a subtle smile, and he aimed his crossbow at the idol in front. “Ishani is the answer to all our troubles.” Holding his breath, he pulled the t
A numbing coldness spread across Ezra’s body, chilling the blood in his veins. He slowly opened his eyes to a soothing white light that washed over his face like a tide.There was nothing around him except pillars of white smoke and a cloudless blue sky stretched overhead. It looked like a blank canvas devoid of life. The vast expanse of white nothingness made Ezra feel insignificant and alone. Rolling over, he struggled to get back on his feet, but his strength seemed to have deserted him.“Here, let me help you,” a sweet feminine voice called out.Ezra looked up and saw a veiled lady standing before him. She was wearing a white gown and her snowy white locks were decked with pink roses. Her supple white fingers looked so delicate that it made Ezra wonder if she was some princess from a distant land.“Who are you?” he asked, nervously clutching her hand.The lady smiled and replied, “Someone who has been watching you for years.” With that, she pulled Ezra up, helping him get back on
Ezra had already acquired the relic he was searching for, but he needed to escape the ruined city as quickly as possible. The Cursed Statues were roaming the streets like mindless ghouls, and to make matters worse a few buried ones were rising from the rubble and crawling through the debris.No place seemed safe, not even the shrines and watch towers. The statues were everywhere, and as the night darkened, they started coming out from the shadows and crowding the major intersections and squares.“Now that is what I call, 'out of the frying pan and into the fire'!” Marlin whispered as his eye scanned the ruins.Ezra knew the longer he waited, the worse it would get. It was already past sundown and there was no doubt in his mind that he would have to deal with the undead the moment he escaped the ruins.The only good thing about this situation was the time. Since the sun had disappeared from the sky and the crescent moon was hiding behind a veil of foggy gray clouds, the city was drenc
Never in his wildest dreams had Ezra imagined he would be running into his brother like this. But for Ramel, it wasn’t a chance encounter at all. He had turned every rock and interrogated every man, woman, and child to discover his brother’s whereabouts.“It is so good to see you again, my dearest brother,” Ramel said, jumping down from his Vanquisher. A lot had changed since Ramel had first tasted the sweet liquor of corruption. At that time, he was a naïve young man, looking to carve out a name for himself and rise above his peers. But now, he looked like one of Zepheroth’s most loyal servants.Ramel had discarded his silken robes for a black jacket and a furry gray cloak stained with blood. Half his face was burnt, and black veins throbbed under his eyelids.The spark of life in his eyes was long gone, and he no longer looked like a part of the living world. It was as if he had sold his soul to the Dark Lord and now only existed as a shadow of his former shelf.Ezra took a long loo
As Ramel’s body collapsed on the snowy ground, Ezra’s fingers trembled, and his eyes moistened. His thirst for revenge had pushed him to pull the trigger without any second thoughts. But now that he saw his brother’s body lying on the ground, it shook him to the core.Killing monsters had become a chore for Ezra, but taking a human life was different. As he put his sniper away and landed on the ground, he felt a wave of sadness wash over him. Even though Ramel had betrayed everyone, Ezra could not forget that he had once called him his brother. The memories of those days spent together in training flashed before his eyes, and he felt something tearing him from within.“Why did you have to side with Zepheroth? Why did you betray us?” Ezra pulled Ramel’s corpse by his collar and interrogated him like a stern jailer. “You were a real Romanov, unlike me. You had Lord Sebastian’s blood flowing through your veins. Yet, you ruined everything!”“People are often blinded by their ambitions. It
Inhaling sharply, Ezra put the golden conch shell to his lips while Glenn watched eagerly, waiting to witness the relic’s true power.Closing his eyes, Ezra blew into the conch, creating a sonorous hum that echoed across the mountain and cleared away the ominous gray clouds rumbling overhead. Light pierced the blanket of darkness like a heavenly lance, and the night miraculously turned into day, waking the birds from their drowsy nests and dispelling the shadows.Astounded by the miracle he had just witnessed; Glenn raised his arms and praised the Goddess. “Ishani is the only truth. She is our guardian and savior. The loving mother who never abandons her children.”Ezra finally opened his eyes and put the conch away, his face brightened with a smile.“I bet Tanya can do something even better with the relic. Maybe this is the weapon that will turn the tides in our favor.”“Its power is truly divine,” Zala uttered in a feeble voice, his breathing shallow and erratic. “I wish…I had found
Ezra's expression soured as he contemplated his choices. He knew he could trust Tanya with his secret identity, but he wasn't sure about Marquis Desmond and the others.“Spending the day with Marquis Desmond and his family will help us win their trust and learn about his political ambitions.” Tanya’s voice prodded Ezra, interrupting his thoughts.His initial thought was to devise an excuse to postpone the meeting. But he knew it would only delay the inevitable and raise more questions.Realizing there was no way out of this mess, Ezra decided to play along. “I have heard about the dueling tournament. But I have never been there. When is the next round?”“It’s scheduled to be held tomorrow and my sources have informed me that Marquis Desmond’s son is among the duelists,” Count Gressil replied on his daughter’s behalf. Ezra had already met Marquis Desmond’s son, Rasher Desmond, and he had come off as a snobbish prick. But he still had no clue about Rasher’s dueling skills.“I met Lord R