Chapter 28

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THE OATH she had been reciting came to an abrupt halt. A strange sensation washed over me — unfamiliar, yet oddly comforting. I couldn’t quite describe it, but it lingered in a way that made me feel strangely at ease.

I scanned the garden, my mind suddenly realizing the absence of Zacharias. He wasn’t here. I turned back to Seraphim, who now floated slightly above the ground, her expression softer than before. Only moments ago, her gaze had been cold and sharp, but now, a gentle smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

“Where is Zacharias?” I asked, my voice calm but firm. Seraphim flinched, her smile fading. She looked away, avoiding my eyes.

I narrowed my gaze, suspicion coiling in my gut.

“Bring him back, Seraphim,” I commanded, my tone leaving no room for argument. I knew where Zacharias was. She still had him, trapped somewhere in that twisted dimension she played with so casually.

Her lips twitched as if trying to hold back a smirk. “Can’t I just—”

“No,” I interrupted.

She huffed, her pout almost childish, but there was no mistaking the malice behind her eyes. “Fine.”

Seraphim began to chant, her voice low and melodic, the syllables alien and ancient. Shadows swirled around her, coiling like smoke as a dark arcane circle flickered into existence beneath her floating form. The air crackled, vibrating with power, and then the shadows began to take shape — a tall figure emerging from the gloom.

Zacharias.

He stumbled forward, his chest heaving, drenched in sweat. His face was a mask of exhaustion, his eyes red and hollow. The dried streaks of tears on his cheeks betrayed the torment he had endured.

“You!” Zacharias’ voice was hoarse as he glared at Seraphim, his hand reaching instinctively for his sword. He started to move toward her, but I quickly stepped between them, stopping him in his tracks.

He stared at me, disbelief and anger flashing in his eyes. “Move, my lady,” he said, his voice low, the edge of his sword glinting at his side.

Seraphim shifted slightly behind me, ready to respond, but I raised my hand to stop her.

“Don’t,” I said quietly, holding her back as Zacharias stood before me, still seething.

Zacharias’ sword gleamed in the dim light, his stance shifting, ready to strike. He wasn’t playing games anymore. The calm, composed knight I’d known was now a storm of controlled fury. But I wasn’t about to let him hurt Seraphim — not when I had just tamed her.

Behind me, Seraphim floated uneasily, her eyes flicking between Zacharias and me. I could sense her urge to step in, her hesitation crackling in the air. She wanted to help, to fight, but I held her in place with a single glance. She was bound to me now, and she knew it. Her power meant nothing if she couldn’t move without my command — and I wasn’t ready to let her act just yet.

I had no weapon on me. The two daggers I usually carried were sitting useless at home, far from reach. My mind raced. I wasn’t defenseless, but facing a swordsman with nothing was far from ideal. Still, I had never needed to play fair, had I?

“You’re really going to try and stop me?” he asked, his voice low, his eyes narrowing as his grip on the sword tightened. “You know what she’s done.”

I stepped back, feigning retreat, but I was thinking, calculating. “Oh, I know exactly what she’s done, Zacharias. But that doesn’t mean you should kill her,” I said, a sly smile tugging at the corners of my lips. “You wouldn’t want to cross me, would you?”

He lunged, his sword slicing through the air with precision. I dodged just in time, the blade missing me by inches. My heart raced, but my expression remained composed. I couldn’t afford to show any weakness now.

I grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground, hurling it into his face. He recoiled, blinking rapidly as I seized the moment. Not much, but it would buy me seconds. I darted around him, staying just out of reach of his blade, making sure to keep him guessing.

“Is that your plan? Throw dirt at me and hope I miss?” he growled, wiping his eyes. He advanced again, his movements swift and calculated.

“Underestimate me all you want,” I taunted, sidestepping his next swing. My gaze flicked around the room, searching for something— anything —I could use. There, a broken staff in the corner. That would do.

I lunged for it, rolling across the floor to snatch it up just before Zacharias could land a strike. I spun around, gripping the staff tightly as I blocked his next blow. His sword clanged against the wood, and for a moment, we were locked in a standstill, his strength pressing down on me.

“You’re persistent,” I said through gritted teeth, forcing him back with a shove. “But you’re fighting the wrong battle, Zacharias.”

“I’m fighting to stop this madness!” He stepped forward again, his blade cutting through the air in a series of quick strikes. I parried with the staff, my hands vibrating from the impact. I couldn’t keep this up for long — his skill was clear. But I didn’t need to beat him. I just needed to outlast him.

“You think killing Seraphim will fix anything?” I circled him, trying to keep the conversation going, hoping to distract him. “You’re wrong. I’ve got her under control now. She’s tamed, Zacharias.”

“Tamed?” he spat, his eyes narrowing as he swung again. I deflected the blow, the force of it nearly knocking the staff from my hands.

“Yes, tamed.” I smiled, the sharpness in my voice unmistakable. “You’re too blinded by your precious righteousness to see what’s really going on here. You think I’d let her roam free if she wasn’t mine to control?”

He hesitated, just for a second, but it was enough. I lunged forward, jabbing the end of the staff toward his midsection. He dodged, but I had already anticipated it, spinning around to strike at his sword arm. The hit wasn’t hard, but it made him stumble back, giving me space to breathe.

“She’s dangerous,” he growled, still circling me. “You can’t control someone like her.”

“Oh, I can, and I have.” I stepped closer, the staff held firmly between us. “But you? You’re just swinging that sword around, hoping to solve your problems with violence. How typical.”

His eyes flashed with frustration. “I’m trying to protect—”

“You’re trying to protect yourself from something you don’t understand,” I interrupted, cutting him off sharply. “Do you really think you can win against me, Zacharias? I’ve already won. Seraphim is mine, and you’re wasting your time.”

He slashed again, but I blocked it, pushing him back. I could see the uncertainty creeping into his eyes. He didn’t want to believe me, but he was starting to realize I wasn’t bluffing.

“You’re making a mistake,” he said, his voice quieter now, the fight leaving him bit by bit.

“No, Zacharias,” I said, stepping closer. “You are. But I’ll let you in on a secret. If you hurt Seraphim, everything I’ve done, all the control I have over her, it’ll be gone. She’ll go back to being wild, unpredictable. And that’s something you really don’t want.”

He lowered his sword slightly, doubt flickering across his face.

I smirked. “You’re good with that sword, I’ll give you that. But you’re not thinking. I’ve already won this fight. Now, stand down before you make things worse.”

For a long moment, we stood there, the tension heavy between us. Then, slowly, Zacharias lowered his sword, though his gaze stayed sharp.

“This isn’t over,” he muttered.

“Oh, it never is,” I replied, my smile widening as I dropped the staff to my side. “But for now, be a good knight and listen to reason.”

He was about to reply, but an explosion outside the Imperial Palace interrupted him. The ground trembled slightly beneath us, and I raised an eyebrow, masking my interest behind a sly smile.

“Perhaps we should handle the more pressing issue first, don’t you think?” I teased, my voice dripping with mockery. He shot me a brief, irritated glance before leaping into the nearest tree, his movements swift and fluid.

“We’ll discuss how you tamed her later, Lady Arthemice,” he called over his shoulder, quickly vanishing among the towering branches of the garden trees. I exhaled sharply. The act was draining. Keeping up appearances like this for days on end—it was wearing me down.

“Master...” Seraphim’s voice pulled me back to the present. She was watching me, her expression unreadable, but there was a glint in her eyes, like she was holding onto a secret.

“I, uh... might have played with the tree earlier,” she began hesitantly. “And... maybe accidentally let some monsters out?” Her awkward chuckle betrayed the truth.

I narrowed my eyes at her. “Accidentally?” I repeated, unimpressed. “Don’t lie to me, Seraphim.”

She scoffed, landing softly beside me. “Fine, fine. I’ll take you to the tree. You’re the only one who can stop this now.” She rested her chin on my shoulder, her presence light but distracting.

I glanced up at the sky, noting the eerie brightness of the moon. It was a strange phenomenon, casting everything in an ethereal glow. The moon had been like this for two days now—unnaturally bright, casting the palace in its pale light, like a never-ending eclipse. The whole thing felt off, but the strangeness of time didn’t bother me as much as Seraphim’s antics.

“Why me?” I asked coolly. “You’re the one who caused this mess. You should be the one to fix it.”

Seraphim huffed. “Of course, you’d say that.” I didn’t need to see her face to know she was pouting.

But then something she said clicked. “Wait... Tree?” I turned to face her fully, the realization settling in. “Did you say that tree? The colossal one beneath the palace?”

Seraphim blinked, then shrugged nonchalantly. “Yes, the very same. That’s where I hatched, remember?” She gave me a smug smile. “You’ve seen it, haven’t you?”

I had. A few days ago, I’d stumbled upon the tree by accident, its massive roots twisting beneath the palace like ancient veins. At the time, I hadn’t thought much of it, but now… Now it made sense. That tree—his tree—wasn’t just some old growth. It was the source. The source of all the monsters.

It hit me all at once. Of course! The missing piece of the puzzle. The secret chapter I’d never accessed. This tree held the key to everything—everything that had felt off, rushed, incomplete.

I kept my voice even, my expression calm, though inside I felt a surge of realization. “So, the tree is the source of it all,” I said slowly, the pieces falling into place. “And here I thought you were just causing trouble for the fun of it.”

Seraphim’s smile widened, her eyes gleaming with amusement. “Oh, master, you have no idea how deep this goes.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could, a glowing holographic image materialized in front of me, casting a cold light across my face.

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Sub-predicament

Defeat the Beast of Lythroskaar, the Otherworldly God

Reward: Power level increase, ability summoning unlocked, and upgrade to your two daggers. Failure: Death.

Decide your course with great caution!

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I blinked, staring at the words, my heart skipping a beat. Otherworldly God? Could it really be…?

Before I could finish the thought, Seraphim’s voice cut through the air, panicked and urgent. “Master!”

She yanked me down just as the ground shook violently, a loud crash echoing from outside. I caught a glimpse of rooftops beyond the Palace walls crumbling to dust, whole structures collapsing like brittle shells.

My breath hitched. “What the hell is happening?” I muttered, trying to steady myself as Seraphim hovered anxiously by my side.

“I—I didn’t release that monster, Master! I swear!” Seraphim stammered, her usual bravado gone, replaced by something that unnerved me—fear.

I clenched my teeth, my mind racing. No, that wasn’t just any monster. I knew better than to believe this was some accident.

This was something far, far worse.

The ground shuddered again, as if the very earth recoiled from the presence of whatever had been unleashed.

How did it come to this? My thoughts felt scrambled, racing between the image in front of me and the devastation outside.

The system had always been cruel, tossing me into its twisted challenges, but this… This was beyond anything I’d faced before.

Death. That word sat heavy, like a stone lodged in my throat.

Seraphim’s wide, glowing eyes locked onto mine, pleading silently for some kind of direction. But what could I tell her? How could I plan for something that defied even the system’s warped logic?

“Shit,” I muttered under my breath, clenching my fists as the pressure mounted.

My eyes flickered back to the hologram, then to the destruction beyond the palace walls. Time was running out. I had no choice but to act—and soon.

fin.