Kale's arms weakly rose, wrapping around Liliana as she sobbed against him. He held her as tightly as his trembling limbs allowed, feeling the life flowing back into his veins, still faint and surreal, like the echo of a song half-forgotten. They clung to each other, the silence around them deep and raw, until a subtle shift in the air brought a familiar, dreadful presence.

The blood god lingered, towering over them, his form as solid and fearsome as before, yet somehow different, more watchful.

Valtharion's voice filled the temple. "Bladeweaver, you have returned from the final breath. But such gifts carry their own cost—one that cannot be bargained, delayed, or denied. The road ahead will test you in ways no mortal should endure."

Kale straightened, holding Liliana tighter for a moment. His voice came out hoarse, reverent. "I… understand."

He didn't. Not really. How could he? He had been dead—truly, utterly gone—and now he was alive again, breathing, speaking, only because of Valtharion's will. The god spoke of cost, but Kale couldn't grasp it, not yet. It felt distant, unknowable, like a debt he hadn't begun to pay.

"Thank you." The words felt small, unworthy of what he'd been given. He hesitated, grasping for something more, something that could capture the enormity of it. But what could he even say?

Finally, he swallowed hard and settled on the only promise he could make. "I won't waste it."

"I know," Valtharion said, neither approving nor condemning. He regarded Kale a moment longer before turning to Liliana.

"You, my blood-daughter, have drawn deeply from the wells of my power. You know what is required. My gifts are sustained by sacrifice—blood given, blood taken. This is the way. It has always been the way. But understand this: they are not for the timid, nor the merciful. Strength is the only path. You will carve your way in blood, and you will do so without hesitation."

He leaned closer, the depths of his hood swallowing the light, an abyss where no mercy dwelled. "Should you falter, should weakness stain your heart or mercy soften your resolve, know that my gifts will consume you. The blood you command will turn upon you, and you will be stripped of all power, left as nothing more than an empty husk, forgotten among the corpses you failed to claim."

He lingered a moment. "Prove yourself worthy, or be devoured by the power you sought to claim."

Liliana met his stare. "I will not falter. I know the cost."

"You will forge your path in blood, grow stronger with every life taken, and test your might against Xeroth himself. When his blood spills, you will claim it—an offering unlike any before. Let it flow, let it be taken in my name. And in that moment, blood-daughter, may it strengthen us both."

A long pause followed, and the temple seemed to darken around them.

"But know this," Valtharion said. "Should you deny me what is owed, should Xeroth's blood be spilled and not offered, I shall claim you both as recompense. No god, no blade, no power will shield you. See that you do not disappoint."

With a slow, sweeping gesture, Valtharion extended his hand, and the blood staining the temple began to ripple, summoned toward him in a torrent. The thick streams coiled around him, drawn into the god's essence until every trace was consumed, leaving the temple pristine and spotless, as though untouched by battle.

As he began to sink back into the stone, his parting words echoed through the hall. "Spill rivers of blood, grow stronger with each sacrifice, and remember—I am watching."

The temple stood cleansed, yet the blood remained—not in sight, but in purpose, in debt, in the path she could never turn from.

Kale and Liliana held each other's gaze, the silence between them filled with an unspoken understanding. She reached up, her fingers lightly brushing his cheek. She spoke softly. "Thank you, Kale."

He opened his mouth, struggling to find words that could convey what he felt, but nothing came. Instead, he nodded, his eyes never leaving hers.

Liliana took a deep breath. "It's time to go. We need to find Rika and my father."

She rose to her feet, her movements unhurried, yet steady. She stood before Kale, bare against the dim, cold light that now filled the empty temple.

Kale swallowed, his eyes tracing over her without meaning to. Naked and utterly indomitable, she stood before him, perfect, untouched, and unashamed. There was no trace of doubt, no hint of hesitation, only the calm certainty of someone who had endured every trial and emerged unscathed. For a moment, he couldn't quite close his mouth.

She caught him staring, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Careful, or you'll catch flies."

Kale let out a weak chuckle, scratching the back of his neck. Liliana looked at him for a moment before she raised her hands with a quiet, almost regal confidence. Blood flowed from her palms like liquid silk, dark and shimmering as it twisted and coiled in the air. It wove itself around her body, forming an elegant gown of deep crimson that clung to her like a second skin, every fold precise, every line perfect.

"Right," Kale murmured as he rose to his feet. Then he saw Lifedrinker lying on the floor, its jagged, dark blade radiating a silent, sinister promise. The cursed sword seemed to wait, a thing with a mind of its own, daring him to come closer.

"That sword… We need to take it with us and find a way to destroy it."

Liliana nodded. "Leaving it here would be a mistake."

Kale stepped forward, reaching out to grasp Lifedrinker. The moment his fingers closed around the hilt, a cold, insidious whisper echoed through his mind.

"Yes… Take me. Feed me. Let me taste their screams, their blood… their very souls. Through me, you will wield power beyond imagination, strength beyond your feeble dreams…"

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

A shiver ran through him as the voice slithered deeper, dark and seductive. He felt the blade's pull, a sinister urge tearing at his resolve, urging him to yield. His body tensed, his jaw clenched as the whispers grew louder, scraping against the edges of his mind like jagged glass.

"Kill for me, bladeweaver. Let me drink until you forget what it means to be human."

"Kale?" Liliana's voice cut through the haze, concerned.

He gave a quick shake of his head, as if to banish the voice that slithered through his mind. Steadying his grip, he forced himself to breathe, to stay in control. "I'm… I'm fine," he replied, his voice more strained than he intended. The sword's weight seemed heavier than it should be, its presence unsettling against his back as he slung it over his shoulder.

But his thoughts remained focused. We need to destroy this sword soon, he thought to himself, feeling the danger lurking within it.

Liliana regarded him a moment longer. Then, she nodded toward the temple's rear. Together, they turned and left, stepping into the unknown.

Kale and Liliana exited the temple, emerging into the wide, elegant streets of Nyridia. It was quiet, and the grand city exuded an almost otherworldly serenity, its beauty untouched by time—save for the grim line of bodies that scarred its perfection.

Scattered across the street were the fallen assassins, each clad in the unmistakable garb of House Bloodthorn. They lay in silence, their blood pooling across the polished stone, darkening the city's pristine streets. Kale felt the weight of Lifedrinker hanging on his back, an unsettling presence that seemed to revel in the carnage around them.

"Looks like they made it," he said as he examined the corpses.

Liliana surveyed the scene, a flicker of pride in her eyes, shadowed by concern. "It's clear to see which way they went." The bodies stretched down the boulevard, a breadcrumb trail of death, leading only to more of the same.

As they moved through the streets, Kale felt Lifedrinker's presence forcing its way inside his mind, its faint whispers curling around his thoughts once more. He shoved them back. This time. But for how long?

They rounded a corner and spotted two familiar figures resting beneath the archway of an ornate stone fountain. Liliana's father sat slumped against the base, his face pale but alive, while Rika straightened, her posture tense as they drew closer.

"You made it," Rika remarked, her tone edged with dry humor but softened by relief. "I was starting to wonder if you traded me in for Alistair."

Kale regarded her for a moment, the memory of the temple still raw. "Alistair didn't make the cut."

Kale's words seemed to ignite a flicker of satisfaction in Rika's expression. Her attention shifted to Liliana's father, and for once, her voice carried a genuine note of respect. "The old man's something else. I've never seen anything like it—throwing assassins around like they were nothing. Dozens of them, like it was just another day. Absolutely insane."

The Lord gave a faint chuckle. "I'd like to say it was easier than it looked."

Rika snorted. "Sure didn't look easy. They came at you like a damn tsunami, and you tore through them like paper. Could have sworn I saw one of them try to run. I think some of them cried."

Liliana dropped to her knees and examined her father. "Are you alright?"

He managed a faint smile. "I'll live. Though that cursed sword…" His eyes shifted to Kale, lingering on Lifedrinker. "It's a wound I can't fully heal, though I managed to stop it from spreading."

"We'll find a way to destroy it," Kale said.

A cold, insidious voice coiled into his mind, seeping through his thoughts like poison.

"Destroy me? You barely comprehend what I am, what I offer… and already, you think to cast me aside? Fool. You will falter. You will break. And when you stand at the edge of ruin, when your strength is gone and your blood stains the dirt, you will reach for me. Not because you want to—because you must. Just wait, bladeweaver… you will beg me to drink."

Kale exhaled slowly. Not a sigh—just a breath, measured, controlled. The sword's voice hadn't been pleading. It hadn't been demanding. It had been certain. He didn't believe in a parasite strapped to his back, no matter how much it believed in him.

"You'll beg," it said.

That was the worst part.

The sword wasn't pleading, wasn't trying to tempt him. It just sounded… certain. Like it knew something he didn't. Like it had all the time in the world.

He didn't need Lifedrinker. He wouldn't. But the damn thing didn't sound worried about that.

"Kale?" Liliana's voice broke through, her eyes narrowing in concern.

He took a steadying breath, pushing down the whispers. "It's the sword. It's… trying to get into my head."

Liliana examined Lifedrinker, her expression hardening. "All the more reason to destroy it. The longer we keep it, the more dangerous it will become."

Kale nodded, the blade's presence brushing against his thoughts, a sinister whisper at the back of his mind. Soon, he thought. We'll end this soon.

With a final look at the trail of bodies littering Nyridia's grand streets, Kale turned to Liliana's father, who was clearly weakened despite his steady expression. Liliana moved beside him, offering support as he struggled to his feet.

"We'll get you to the Bastion," she said firmly. "We have healers there. You need rest if you're going to recover from Lifedrinker's curse."

He gave a faint nod, his face pale but resolute. "Probably wise… after everything, I'd rather not let this wound be what undoes it all."

A mocking whisper sliced through Kale's thoughts, an oily laugh slithering down his spine. "Rest? Oh, yes… let them waste their little magics, their potions and prayers." The voice grew colder, twisting like a thorn in his mind. "But I'll be there, deep in his marrow, laughing. I've tasted him, little bladeweaver. You don't walk away from me."

Kale forced back a sneer, thoughts steeled against the sword's mocking presence. You'll get nothing from me, he thought, nothing but silence. Waste your whispers and watch me fight you every step.

The laugh that followed was hollow, but fainter, tinged with frustration, like a blade striking stone.

"We'll see," Lifedrinker hissed, but Kale only pressed forward, undeterred, ignoring the blade's shadow in his mind like it was already dead.

Rika fell in line beside them, keeping a watchful eye as they began their journey. The streets of Nyridia, wide and pristine as ever, were quieter than before. Only the occasional passerby glanced curiously in their direction, but none dared approach.

As they moved through the gates of the Bastion of the Scarlet Veil, the guards, clad in their white and scarlet armor, looked on with solemn respect. One of them stepped forward, bowing his head to Liliana's father before gesturing to a pair of healers waiting by the entrance.

The healers hurried forward. "Let's get you inside, my lord," one of them said, her voice gentle but urgent as she assessed the injury.

The Lord gave a slight nod, allowing them to guide him into the depths of the Bastion. He glanced back at Liliana, a glimmer of pride in his weary gaze. "You've done well, my daughter. Far better than I ever dared to imagine."

She returned his look. "Rest now, Father. We'll need your strength."

"Hold on a second…" Rika stared at Liliana like she was piecing together a puzzle. "When did you get your body back?"

"It's… a long story."

"We've got time."

Liliana gave a small, knowing smile, nodding toward the entrance. "Let's go inside. I'll tell you everything."

As they stepped into the cool halls of the Bastion, Rika's eyes remained fixed on Liliana, waiting for an explanation. They walked in silence until they reached a quiet chamber, away from the bustle of healers and guards. Liliana gestured for Rika to sit, Kale standing beside her as she began.

"There's a reason we were able to make it out alive," she started, glancing at Kale with a look of gratitude. "When you and my father left, things… escalated."

Rika leaned forward, intrigued. "Well, go on. Don't leave me in suspense. You both look like you died and came back to life."

Liliana exchanged a look with Kale before continuing, the echoes of the battle and Valtharion's presence still lingering in her thoughts as she began recounting the events that had unfolded after Rika and her father had left.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.