The first ray of sunlight slipped through the cabin's cracks like a golden spear, slicing through the dimness and trapping dust in its glow. Renn lay on the rumpled bed, Lilith still curled against his chest, her wings folded like a dark cloak over the sheets. The holy crystal on the wall pulsed with an amber light, casting restless shadows across the succubus's skin, marked by white runes that seemed to faintly smolder. The air smelled of sweet jasmine and the acrid smoke of burned herbs—an echo of last night's battle mingling with Lilith's presence.
"Wake up, my beloved succubus." Renn shook her with a rough jerk, but his fingers lingered a moment too long on the curve of her bare shoulder, betraying the gruffness of his tone. "The System waits for no one."
Lilith stretched her wings with a silken whisper, the glowing veins in them flickering in time with her low laugh. "Forgotten last night already, my lord?" Her claws traced a lazy circle over Renn's chest, right where her lips had left a faint purple bruise. "The forest is still whispering our little secret."
Renn grunted, swatting her hand away with a gesture more theatrical than dismissive. "Save your tricks, Lilith. We don't have time for cuddling." But the glint in his eyes gave him away for a split second before a sharp buzz cut through the air.
The bracelet on his wrist sprang to life, projecting a blue hologram that floated between them like a specter:
[System: Lilith has ascended to Seraph Succubus. Level 25, Holy Hierarchy. Abilities: Veil of Sacred Shadows, Divine Illusion, Wings of Shadowed Light, Light of Expurgation. Special: Absolute Devotion (Loyalty 100).]
Renn whistled, tilting his head as if appraising a freshly forged sword. "Level 25 and Holy Hierarchy, huh? With that Light of Expurgation, you could fry an army and still have sparks left to toast bread."
Lilith rose with a feline grace, letting the sheets fall to reveal golden flames now edging her transformed habit. She leaned toward him, her voice a whisper drenched in devotion and something more dangerous. "Only if you ask me to, my lord." Her red eyes flashed, and for a moment, Renn couldn't tell if he wanted to kiss her or push her away with his dagger.
Another buzz interrupted them:
[System: Mission 'Silent Hunt' in progress. Lord Ardyn's scouts are approaching the perimeter. Pending reward: 300 Holy Crystals, Partial Elven Map. Current resources: 151,850 Holy Crystals, 1,000 Epic Materials.]
"Damn it." Renn leapt from the bed, snatching his dagger with a sharp motion. "Nyra's probably already out there barking orders at someone."
Stepping out, the main sanctuary greeted them with a chorus of female voices bouncing off the stone walls. The Templars—six for now—clustered around the marble altar, where Nyra scratched lines in the dust with the tip of her knife. Her black habit flared as she turned to them, a smile sharp as shattered glass crossing her face. She placed a gloved hand on Lilith's shoulder, squeezing with a mix of pride and possession. "My little pupil," she said, her voice soft but laced with a fervor that seemed to hum in the air, "do you feel the weight of his greatness in your wings? You make me feel like a proud mother."
Lilith tilted her head, caught for a second under that purple gaze that seemed to unravel her. "Well, someone had to take the first step, right, Nyra?" she replied with a giggle that was half challenge, half reverence.
Seraphina, standing by the altar like a statue bathed in light, inclined her head with a calm that seemed carved from marble. Her silver hair cascaded over her white robe, glinting as if catching fleeting stars. "It's the natural order," she said, her voice a serene murmur that soothed the sanctuary's chaos. "A ritual every devotee embraces when the time comes. Your light, Lilith, now burns purer for him." Her golden eyes settled on her, bright as sun trapped in amber, offering a silent approval that weighed more than words.
Valka approached Renn with steady strides, her white armor creaking like clashing shells. She gave him a couple of backslaps that echoed in the space, her gauntlet cold against his cloak's fabric. "The water sang last night, my lord," she said, her tone calm but edged with a playful lilt that softened her solemn air. "A strong current. But don't forget your other devotees, eh? We're a whole river, not just a drop." Her ice-blue eyes sparkled with carefree camaraderie, as if battle and loyalty were a game they played together.
The Templars broke into low laughter, a sound that rang like distant bells. Melisa, her short brown hair falling in messy strands over her freckled face, stepped forward, her silver armor clinking with each move. "Lilith beat us by a wing!" she exclaimed, her voice brimming with mischievous enthusiasm that lit up her green eyes. "When's our turn to shine, Abbess?"
Nyra let out a soft laugh, a warm sound that wrapped like a blanket but cut like a hidden edge. "Patience, my little ones," she said, her purple eyes gleaming with amusement. "Everything comes at the right time, for our lord's glory."
Lilith flexed her wings with a faint hum, but Seraphina raised a hand, her voice falling like still water over the murmur. "Every devotion nourishes the Order. Today, we hunt elves in his name."
The Templars struck the ground with their spears, a unified thunder that shook the altar's dust. Melisa winked at Renn, leaning toward him slightly. "Will you give us more sisters today, my lord? Make them as fast as me!"
Renn activated his bracelet with a crisp snap, ignoring her wink with a half-smile. "Sisters and communication crystals. Ardyn won't even know how he fell."
The wind lashed like a whip as they left the sanctuary, carrying the creak of bare branches and a chill that bit into the skin. Renn led the march to the Cathedral of Ascension, his boots splashing in the mud. Lilith followed, her wings buzzing with white flickers, while Nyra brought up the rear, her black habit billowing like a living shadow. The six Templars advanced behind her, their silver armor reflecting the amber light of the purifying towers like living torches.
The Cathedral rose amid the shadows, its white marble gleaming under a gray sky that promised a storm. The amber crystal in its tower pulsed with a deep thrum, filling the interior with a golden glow that smelled of ozone and hot metal. Renn paused at the altar, brushing the cold marble with his fingers before activating his bracelet with a sharp flick.
The blue hologram cut through the dimness like a knife:
[System: Current resources: 151,850 Holy Crystals, 1,000 Epic Materials. Summoning available. Cost per Templar: 500 Holy Crystals, 200 Epic Materials.]
"Let's stack the deck," Renn growled, his voice echoing in the sacred space. The amber crystal roared like distant thunder, and three figures emerged from the altar in a whirlwind of light: Astrid, a scar slicing her left eye like a battle line; Vera, her helm revealing only a sharp smile; and Lin, clutching her spear with slightly trembling hands. "We serve the lord of the Holy Order," they intoned in unison, kneeling with a sharp thud that echoed on the stone.
The bracelet buzzed again:
[System: Summoning completed. Remaining resources: 150,350 Holy Crystals, 400 Epic Materials.]
Melisa whistled from the altar's edge, leaning on her spear like a walking stick. "Talk about serious faces, sisters! Relax, we're painting the forest red today." Her green eyes sparkled with mischief that clashed with the moment's solemnity.
Nyra leaned over the altar, tracing a map in the dust with her knife. "Nine Templars," she said, her voice warm but sharp as an icy wind. "Ardyn will send elves. We'll hunt them where the terrain betrays them." She looked up at Renn, her purple eyes seeking his. "Eryn, with Selene and Thalia to the ravine. Lilith, with Melisa, Vera, and Sigrid to the clearing. Me, with Lin, Lirien, and Astrid to the river."
Renn yanked the Banner of Faith from the altar with a swift motion and pressed it into Eryn's hands. A golden wave pulsed from the fabric, warm as an invisible embrace.
[System: Banner of Faith activated: +50% regeneration within a 100-meter radius.]
"Take it to the ravine," he ordered, his tone solid as a hammer strike. "Keep your three standing, no matter what."
Lilith brushed his arm as she passed, leaving a trail of warmth he pretended to ignore. "And my Light of Expurgation, my lord?" she suggested, her voice a seductive purr that clashed with the steel in her eyes. Renn grunted, nudging her away with a gentle shove. "Save it, Seraph. This is a skirmish, not a bonfire."
He snapped his fingers, and three blue crystals gleamed in his palm like shards of broken sky.
[System: Purchase completed: 3 Communication Crystals (-3,000 Holy Crystals). Remaining resources: 147,350 Holy Crystals, 400 Epic Materials.]
"Report every move," he said, handing one to Nyra, another to Eryn, and the last to Lilith, who scratched his palm with a claw as she took it, smirking like she knew something he didn't. "No stupid plays, got it?"
The nine Templars struck the ground with their spears, an echo that reverberated through the Cathedral. Lin, the novice, swallowed audibly, her voice quivering as she spoke. "What if Ardyn sends more than we expect?"
Nyra placed a hand on her shoulder, her claws pricking the armor just enough. "Then you die for our lord, little one," she replied with a calm that chilled the blood. "Any problem with that?"
Lin shook her head, her eyes gleaming with a mix of fear and resolve. "No, Abbess."
Renn crossed his arms, the morning wind slipping through the cracks and tugging at his cloak's edges. "Let the hunt begin."
The ravine was a chaos of boots and growls: twenty kobolds with rusty spears and ten elven mages in green robes advanced, flanked by an elf leader with a glowing amulet and a light-armored warrior wielding a curved sword. From a ledge, Eryn watched, her crimson cloak flapping like a banner in the biting wind. The Banner of Faith glowed in her left hand, while the communication crystal pulsed blue in her right. Selene, bow taut, and Thalia, gripping her spear, waited at her side, their faces bathed in the golden glow.
Eryn adjusted her helm with a quick flick and spat on the ground. "Let the feast begin," she muttered, her voice low and sharp as a freshly honed blade.
She leapt without hesitation. She drove the Banner into the earth with a solid thunk, and a golden wave erupted, tinting the air with warmth. Her spear whistled as it descended, piercing a kobold's chest with a wet crunch. She hoisted it like a trophy before slamming it into another, the bodies colliding in a spray of blood and bone. "Come at me, you bastards!" she roared, twirling the spear to crush a third's skull, the bone giving way like mud under her boot.
An elven warrior charged, his sword slicing toward her flank. Eryn leaned back, the blade grazing her helm with a screech, and countered with a punch that smashed the elf's nose in a red burst. "Nice try," she growled, wrenching the sword free and driving it into a nearby mage's chest, the steel splintering ribs with a dry snap. With a wide swing, she beheaded two more kobolds, their heads rolling like pebbles across the dusty ground.
Selene fired from above, her arrows humming like angry wasps. One sank into a mage's throat, dropping him with a choked gurgle; another pierced a kobold's leg, and a second shot blew out its eye, splattering brains against a rock. "Keep moving, Eryn!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos as she nocked another arrow.
Thalia descended like a whirlwind, her spear flashing under the banner's light. She rammed a kobold with her shoulder, sending it sprawling, and crushed its chest with a stomp that echoed like splintering wood. "The banner holds us!" she cried, laughing with a mix of fervor and adrenaline as a gash on her thigh sealed under the golden glow.
The elf leader raised his staff, a green orb crackling at the tip. "Destroy her!" he shrieked, but a mage beside him flinched back, whispering in a trembling voice, "What the hell are these lunatics?" Eryn's spear flew again, pinning the leader to a rock with a scream that drowned in blood. She charged a kobold unarmed, dodged its clumsy thrust, and smashed her elbow into its windpipe. "Sleep," she spat as the creature collapsed, gurgling.
A green bolt sparked toward her. Eryn rolled beneath it, the heat singeing her cloak, and rose behind the mage. With a quick twist, she snapped his neck with a dry crack. "Next," she snarled, yanking her spear from the leader's corpse with a tug that sprayed red earth.
A wounded elf crawled, raising trembling hands. "Mercy, please!" he whimpered, his voice broken. Eryn stared down, spear dripping in her hand, her shadow stretched by the banner. "Mercy's for the weak," she said coldly, and a vertical slash split him in two, blood splashing her face like warm rain. The ravine fell silent, a field of broken bodies under the golden light. "Secured," she reported to the crystal, wiping her face with the back of her hand.
Mist shrouded the trees like a ghostly veil, the air cold and sticky against the skin. Melisa adjusted her spear with a wild grin, while Lilith wove her Divine Illusion: a fake banquet flickered into the clearing, the scent of roasted meat drifting through the haze. Eight kobolds and three elven mages advanced, their eyes glassy from the mirage. Melisa leaned toward Lilith, whispering with a giggle, "Time to break their hearts, little sister."
She sprang into action, her spear spinning like golden lightning. The tip pierced a kobold's eye with a wet snap, and with a twist of the haft, she swept another's legs, crushing its skull as it fell with a dull thud. "Dance with me, uglies!" she shouted, laughing like it was a game. A green bolt sparked toward her; Melisa dodged with a sideways leap and hurled a dagger that sank into a mage's chest, dropping him with a gasp.
Lilith unfurled her Veil of Sacred Shadows with an elegant flourish. Black thorns erupted from the ground, impaling a kobold from below and hoisting it like a broken puppet, its blood dripping onto the grass. Vera dropped from a tree, her spear flashing: she sliced a kobold's arm with a clean cut and slammed it against a trunk with her shoulder. "Stay still," she murmured, driving the tip into its gut with a crunch of guts.
Sigrid advanced with steady steps, deflecting a spell with a twirl of her spear. "Pathetic," she growled, landing a side blow that shattered a mage's ribs, the echo ringing through the fog. An elf tried to flee, stumbling in the mist. Melisa caught him with a leap, piercing his flank and hurling him against a rock with a heavy thud. "Not so fast, handsome!" she sang, kicking the corpse with a chuckle.
The illusion faded, leaving a silent clearing strewn with bodies. Lilith adjusted her wings with a faint hum and spoke to the crystal: "Clearing secured." Melisa spun her spear in the air, winking at her. "Easy as stealing candy from a kobold."
The river roared like a living beast, its waters crashing against the rocks. Nyra waited submerged, her black habit blending with the shadows of the depths, flanked by Lin and Astrid, their golden spears glinting underwater. Lirien, crouched behind a rock, gripped her weapon with tense fingers. Thirty scouts—twenty kobolds and ten elven mages—stepped onto the bank, mud swallowing their boots.
Nyra rose without a sound, water dripping from her form like liquid blood. Her Veil of Sacred Shadows erupted, and black tendrils sprang from the river, wrapping three kobolds and smashing them against the rocks with dry cracks. "Silence," she whispered, her voice sharp as a knife's edge.
Lin leapt after her, her spear flashing. She sliced a kobold's tendon, dropping it, and finished it with a neck strike that stained the water red. "For the lord!" she cried, her voice trembling with exhilaration. Astrid blocked a green bolt with her spear, the flash lighting her face, and advanced. She drove her weapon into a mage's thigh, toppled him, and crushed his throat with a swift stomp. "Next," she grunted.
Lirien burst from her hiding spot, her spear tracing a swift arc. It pierced a kobold's chest, and with a twist, she smashed another's skull against a mossy stone. "Don't stop!" she shouted, her voice steady for the first time.
A mage conjured a portal, green light flaring in his hands, but Nyra raised a palm. A Sacred Blood Bond snared him, red chains yanking him from the air and slamming him to the ground with a brutal thud. "Not so fast," she said, spinning her spear to sever a kobold's arm, the limb splashing into the river as the body crumpled.
Lin, Astrid, and Lirien finished the last, their spears moving like extensions of their bodies, the water turning a dull red. Nyra emerged from the river, her silhouette dripping blood and water. She gathered the elven crystals with a cold gesture and spoke to the crystal: "River secured," her voice a whisper that cut through the water's roar.
Beneath a twilight sky, the Templars returned to the sanctuary, their crimson cloaks soaked in enemy blood, the clink of stolen crystal sacks marking their steps through the mud. Eryn returned the Banner of Faith to the altar with a solemn gesture, its golden light pulsing like a living heart. Nyra knelt before Renn, her black habit pooling dark stains on the marble. "Your will rises over their corpses, my lord," she said with a calm that hid a lethal edge, her purple eyes blazing with fervor.
Lilith draped herself over Renn's arm, her bubbly laugh breaking the silence. "We're their worst nightmare, my lord! Did you see how their spears dropped from sheer terror?" Renn kicked a crystal with a sharp grin. "Ardyn will learn to fear us… or figure out how to break us."
[System: Mission 'Silent Hunt' completed. Reward: 300 Holy Crystals, Partial Elven Map. Resources: 147,650 Holy Crystals, 400 Epic Materials.]
"Just the beginning, Seraph," he said, pulling her close as the amber crystal hummed in the gloom, a heartbeat promising more blood to come.
In the Sylvan Bastion, green torches flickered with a sickly glow. Ardyn slammed his branch-woven throne, his youthful face twisted with fury. "Shadows, spears, traps! What kind of lord fights like this?" he roared.
Darion, standing at his side, bowed his head. "No patrol returned, my lord. Not a single message."
Kael, eyes blazing, stepped forward. "Double the scouts! Crush them once and for all!"
Ardyn cut him off with an icy glare, drumming his fingers on the throne's arm. "No," he growled, his mind racing. "That's exactly what they want: to bleed us dry, crystal by crystal. I'm not fool enough to fall for it." He stood, his voice cracking like a whip. "Order the retreat of the groups that just left. I won't lose more men to this trap."
Kael scowled, but Darion nodded slowly. "Wise decision, my lord."
Ardyn crushed a dry leaf in his hand, green dust falling to the floor like ash. "Tell them to prepare. This isn't over."