Scarlett wasn’t sure why she’d expected anything to look different just by glancing at her hand. The fragnt from the altar hadn’t entered her, after all. It had been absorbed by Thainnith’s legacy, where the other Anomalous One fragnt already resided. And her connection to the legacy was more taphysical than physical.
Still, she was feeling sowhat odd now, even if she couldn’t quite put a na to the sensation. The closest word might have been disjointed — a hazy mix of release, power, and…distance? Not detachnt, exactly. More like standing a step outside herself. Though that feeling was quickly fading.
Honestly, she’d had no idea she could absorb the Anomalous One’s power like that. The idea had flickered through her mind the mont she saw the altar, but the actual outco had still caught her off guard.
She flexed her fingers slowly, testing them. The movent felt normal, if a bit numb. But that might’ve just been the blood loss.
The stolen power did feel out of reach, but that wasn’t surprising. It was still sealed. She wasn’t sure how much of the Anomalous One’s essence had been in that altar, and the legacy didn’t give her any clear sense of it. To get a better grasp, she’d likely need to be within the Hall of Echoes or sowhere similar.
But at the very least, it was…interesting.
She turned — and found Kat staring at her like she’d just grown wings.
Scarlett paused, considering the woman, before speaking calmly. “There are still so…unique aspects of myself that I have not quite yet shared, as you may have noticed.”
“Yeah, no, I got that,” Kat said, not breaking eye contact. Eventually, though, her gaze drifted to the altar behind Scarlett. “...Well, at least that thing’s not giving off its creepy aura anymore.”
“It is not,” Scarlett replied, glancing back at it.
She wondered how many more of these things the Cabal had. Could she neutralise all of them? How much of the Anomalous One’s power was actually stored in these? How much had she already claid?
She didn’t know what absorbing more would do to her. But now that she knew she could... not doing it almost felt like a waste.
That, however, would have to wait.
She turned to Fynn, standing silently beside her. His white hair was tousled—it nearly always was—and he bore a few scrapes and unhealed cuts from the battle with the Cabal Ascendants, but nothing too serious. He’d co through Scaive’s Crimson Requiem in better shape than she had.
At least, outwardly.
“Are you all right?” she asked.
Fynn nodded. “I am.”
Scarlett narrowed her eyes, studying him. The flicker she’d seen earlier in his irises was gone, and he didn’t seem to be lying. But still… “Did your ancestors attempt to control you again during the battle?”
He fell silent, his expression tightening slightly. He looked down at his hand — at the pale, bone-white ring encircling his finger.
“…They tried,” he said quietly. “But I forced them down.”
Scarlett’s brow furrowed. This could beco a serious problem. But she didn’t know how to solve it. She couldn’t send him away, and dealing with the issue properly would likely an going to the Whitdown Mountains, which wasn’t an option right now. She’d just have to rely on him handling it himself.
“If anything else happens,” she said at last, “tell imdiately.”
Fynn gave another nod. “I will.”
She gave him one last look, then glanced at Kat before walking toward the others. Her leg was still bothering her, but the pain had started to dull. That was probably a good sign. Whether it was her healing or Kat’s didn’t matter.
When they returned, Shin and Allyssa were both seated on the ground. Allyssa was tending to Shin’s leg, wrapping it carefully and wiping away so blood. She looked up as they approached, her gaze sweeping over them and lingering on Fynn for a beat before she let out a soft, relieved breath.
“What were you up to over there?” she asked.
“Apparently exorcising abyssal, cursed altars or sothing,” Kat muttered, shaking her head. “Don’t ask . I still don’t know what happened.”
Allyssa blinked and looked at Scarlett. Shin raised an eyebrow in mild interest. Arnaud gave her a questioning glance.
“You may have noticed that so of the Cabal mbers carried a strange artifact,” Scarlett said, answering their unspoken question. “I suspect it played a role in how they accessed this place. I do not know its exact purpose, but I believe I managed to neutralise its influence using the legacy.”
“I was wondering how they even got here.” Allyssa frowned. “I thought this place was supposed to be, like, basically impossible to reach. It surprised that we ran into anyone else at all.”
Arnaud’s brow furrowed. “What ‘legacy’ are you talking about?”
“Oh, right — Dad…” Allyssa gave him a quick glance, then looked back at Scarlett. “She’s got this…Zuverian library thing in her head. It was created by so super ancient, crazy-powerful mage or whatever.”
“Thainnith,” Shin supplied. “A Zuverian divinarch.”
“Yeah, him,” Allyssa said, waving a hand vaguely. “Sa guy who made this whole place.”
Arnaud’s eyebrows rose. He looked at Scarlett for a long mont. “...You continue to surprise, Baroness.”
“It is not my intention to do so,” Scarlett said. “But it seems to happen often regardless.”
“…Speaking of surprises,” Arnaud continued, his tone sharpening, “what exactly is your connection to the Cabal? They seed to recognise you. And you them. I think one of them even ntioned a debt.”
A quiet tension fell over the group as they locked eyes.
“…As you have surmised,” Scarlett said after a pause, “I have had prior encounters with the Hallowed Cabal. Confrontations, most would call them. Both they and I possess knowledge few others do, and our goals have clashed more than once. Eventually, both sides concluded that continued conflict would likely lead to mutual destruction, so…we ca to an agreent. Neither would act directly against the other.”
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“You made a pact with the Cabal.” Arnaud’s expression darkened. “And you’ve had intelligence that could aid our efforts against them, yet kept it hidden?”
“As I said, I could not act directly against the Cabal without endangering myself and those around .” Scarlett’s voice grew colder. “However, that does not an I have done nothing. I have aided both the Shields Guild and the empire when I could. I suspect you do not fully realise how much I have done to reduce the dangers threatening the empire. Assisting in the search for Beld Thylelion was only one such effort. Preparing certain groups ahead of the Tribe and Cabal’s assault was another.”
Arnaud’s frown didn’t vanish, but it eased slightly.
“As you yourself made abundantly clear during our first eting,” Scarlett continued, “if forced to choose between your daughter and your duties to the Guild, you would act with caution. Is it so strange that I exercised the sa restraint?”
He didn’t answer imdiately. His eyes moved—to Allyssa, then Shin, then Kat—before returning to Scarlett.
After a mont, he folded his arms and sighed lightly. “You’re well-prepared for these kinds of conversations, aren’t you? I may not agree with your decisions and argunts, but I can’t dismiss your reasoning completely, either.”
“I find that is often the case when one allows common sense to guide one’s decisions,” Scarlett said.
Arnaud let out a short scoff. “If there’s one thing people are unlikely to attribute to you, it’s common sense, Baroness.”
Scarlett frowned faintly, though judging by the others’ expressions, no one disagreed.
She felt that wasn’t entirely fair.
Arnaud’s tone shifted again, more serious. “But I hope you understand that once this is over, I can’t just look the other way. You might receive so leniency, given your situation, but dealings with the Cabal are serious.” He held her gaze. “If they threaten you or anyone close to you, the Guild can offer protection.”
Scarlett t his eyes. This was why she hadn’t wanted soone like him involved. Whatever arrangent she made with him or the Guild, things would grow botherso. Her actions weren’t minor infractions to be hand-waved away. Whatever her motives or contributions, she’d crossed a line, and avoiding consequences entirely would take more than words.
“I suppose we will have to discuss the matter further once we are finished here,” she said. “I am certain the Guild will have its considerations to weigh — if doing so serves the empire and its citizens best.”
Arnaud studied her in silence, his expression unreadable.
“…You have a talent for walking the edge of things.”
“I will not deny it. Though I would argue it is born more of necessity than choice.”
“Is that so?” Arnaud murmured. He didn’t press further.
Taking the pause as the end of the discussion—for now—Scarlett turned her attention to Rosa’s still unmoving form on the ground. “How is she?”
“She’s fine, I’m pretty sure,” Allyssa said, kneeling beside Rosa again. “She hit the back of her head, but Kat’s magic seems to have taken care of most of it. I’d guess she’ll be up in a few minutes.”
“Good. We have little ti to spare.”
Scarlett’s gaze swept across the shattered terrace, pausing on the bodies of the fallen Cabal Ascendants. In a perfect world, they might have salvaged so gear, but most of it was ruined. So armour pieces had warped or lted completely. Worse, a few looked like they’d ruptured from within rather than from any external force.
It wasn’t a particularly pleasant sight.
But maybe that was for the best. With this company, stripping corpses didn’t exactly feel appropriate. And they did need to move. Until now, they’d tried to keep a steady pace, but after this, it might beco a race.
Her eyes drifted to the edge of the terrace, where Arnaud had fought Moor. There was no sign of the muscular old man. She wondered if he’d actually died. It would be for the best if he had. If not, the Cabal would learn what happened here sooner or later.
Then again, they probably would regardless.
And once they did, whatever truce she’d had with them would be gone. There would be no more ‘neutral’ exchanges.
That was fine, though.
She hadn’t expected otherwise — not after Beld Thylelion.
The only question now was what she’d have to burn to keep the rest standing.
They walked for a long ti without speaking.
Leon didn’t much care for the silence, but it gave him ti to think. To sift through the clutter in his head and try to make sense of it all.
The halls narrowed as they went. The ceiling dipped slightly, and the walls were etched with what Leon thought might be sharper glyphs and lines, though that might very well just have been his mind playing tricks on him. At this point, every stretch of corridor looked the sa.
Da Smythe’s crystal cast long shadows in front of them. Her pace was steady, untouched by their surroundings. The princess walked just behind her, quiet and thoughtful.
Leon kept to the rear, keeping his footsteps light. His thoughts drifted — to the princess, to what she was doing here, what she’d said, what Beld Thylelion truly was. To all the new questions, and the truths that now lived alongside them.
Eventually, Princess Regina broke the silence.
“Sir Leon,” she said softly.
He looked to her. “Your Highness?”
She didn’t face him. Her eyes stayed forward. “Do you…think poorly of ? For leaving the palace. For leaving the empire, my father, my sister… when things were as they were.”
Leon didn’t answer right away. The question didn’t surprise him, but the way she asked it did — not defensive, but bracing.
He lowered his gaze. “…I don’t think it’s my place to judge, Your Highness.”
“But you have thoughts.”
“I do,” he said. “But I don’t think I’ll share them. They’re the thoughts of a knight who lacks the knowledge to weigh what you’ve been through. Let alone pass judgent on it. That said…I believe I at least understand your reasons. And you couldn’t have predicted everything that would happen in your absence.”
Leon noticed the subtle release in her shoulders as she stayed quiet for a few more seconds.
“Thank you,” she said eventually. “That…ans sothing to .”
“I’m glad I could offer so reassurance,” Leon replied. “Though I’ll admit, I’m not particularly skilled at comforting won.”
That earned a small breath of laughter. “I pity your fiancée, then.”
“I…don’t think that’s necessary, Your Highness. If I recall, you’ve spoken with Baroness Hartford before. You should already know what kind of person she is.”
“Oh, that’s true. She has a rather striking character.”
“That’s…one way to describe her.”
There was another soft laugh from the princess. Da Smythe, still leading, said nothing. The silence that followed felt easier.
They passed through two more chambers, neither particularly large, each holding peculiar effigies and smaller tallic guardian constructs. Leon ant to deal with them, but Da Smythe surged ahead, cutting them down in flashes of steel and azure light.
She didn’t speak much, but her movents said plenty.
Leon couldn’t help but admire her technique. The discipline in her stance, the efficiency of each strike, and the unwavering calm. She moved between threats and the princess without hesitation. Not for show, nor even out of duty, it seed. Simply because it was the natural shape of her instincts.
He was sure she would have made an excellent Solar Knight.
Leon would’ve liked to spar with her. To test steel and asure intent, the way knights sotis did when words weren’t enough. He suspected he’d win, but she definitely wasn’t to be underestimated.
Their trio continued in silence until the corridor split ahead.
Da Smythe raised a hand. They stopped.
She stood still for several seconds, then slowly turned, eyes sweeping the passages ahead. Her fingers shifted slightly on her sword’s hilt.
Leon watched, one hand on his own sword.
Then Da Smythe stepped forward, towards one of the corridors.
She moved with quiet deliberation — like soone walking toward a fixed point in space.
“Have you found sothing?” Leon asked.
She didn’t answer.
The princess glanced at Leon and gave a faint shake of her head, as if to say: Let her work.
They moved again. The corridor sloped downward. It was subtle at first, then more noticeable. Before long, a wide archway ca into view, opening into a darker, broader chamber.
Just before they reached it, Leon stopped.
His breath caught, just slightly. A prickle slid over his skin, like stepping into a current flowing the wrong way. Almost instinctively, his aura stirred, reacting before his mind could catch up.
There was sothing ahead that was causing this reaction.
This was the first ti he’d felt anything like it in Beld Thylelion. Was it a new danger?
The princess noticed his hesitation. “What is it?”
Leon’s grip tightened on his sword. He scanned the archway.
“I’m not sure,” he said slowly. “…But there’s sothing there.”
Da Smythe had paused a few steps ahead. She looked over her shoulder at him, then turned back.
“She’s here,” she said.
Leon tensed. “Who?”
The Oathbound drew her sword. A blade of brilliant blue surged from the hilt with a low hum.
“The one I swore to.”
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