His body was nothing more than a streak of night, hatred distilled to velocity. But Flaxseed had seen the gambit the instant it sparked. He stepped in rather than back, scoffing, “Still unrepentant!”
Three golden charms blossomed in golden light before him. Celestial might radiated from the surface in blinding waves as the charms fused into a towering shield engraved with words suggesting the suppression of evil.
Crack! The poisoned bone dagger struck the golden shield and vaporized, shards of toxin-laced bone bursting like dust motes in golden light.
A counterforce thundered down the shield, Dioz was flung backward, limbs flailing, before crashed against the palace gates. He crumpled there, coughing black blood in gouts that stained the marble steps, life ebbing with every ragged breath.
Panting hard, Flaxseed advanced one measured step at a time, charms orbiting like a constellation of paper stars. His gaze was winter-cold. “Where… Are… The divine souls of the Flaxseed clan?!”
Dioz forced his eyes open, hatred burning even as life faltered. “Y-You’ll never find them… They’re… At the headquarters…”
“The headquarters?” Flaxseed’s eyes narrowed, his aura snapping like a storm-lash. “Speak clearly! Where is it?”
Dioz’s answer seeped out with the last of his strength, black blood threading his teeth. “The branches keep only worthless divine souls. The expert divine souls, such as those from the Flaxseed clan, were sent to the headquarters. Whether they’re refined already… I… I can’t say…”
His head lolled, aura dissipated.
Rage flared in Flaxseed’s eyes. With a savage flick of his wrist, hurled a cluster of Explosion Charms onto Dioz’s corpse. The blast boomed through the ruined palace, when the smoke cleared, not a fragment of the body remained.
“B*stard!” Flaxseed spat, the word echoing through the smoldering air like a vow.
A shrill scream fractured the stale air inside the palace. Lunaria staggered through the crimson doorway, bare feet slipping on polished stone as burst into the courtyard.
One glance at the carpet of corpses, and at Flaxseed and Jared standing amid the ruin, drained the color from face. Panic slammed into chest. She whirled, desperate to run.
“Trying to flee?” Flaxseed’s eyes iced over.
In a blur, blocked path, slapped an Immobilization Charm against shoulder, and froze where stood, arms half-raised, breath trapped in throat.
Fingers coiling in hair, slammed to the ground. Stone bit into cheek. Stars exploded behind eyes. The Immobilization Charm’s spell shattered on impact, leaving limbs loose and trembling, thoughts scattering like frightened birds.
“M-Mercy… Mr. Flaxseed, please… Mercy! I know nothing… Let me go, I beg you!”
Tears glittered on lashes, yet Flaxseed’s gaze held not a drop of pity, only a hatred hammered hard by days of silent rage.
Lunaria’s pleading reminded of nights when had pretended to submit while secretly plotting his death. The memory fanned his fury.
“Mercy?” His laugh crawled up from someplace cold.
“I’m ending you!” He yanked at dark cloak, ripping fabric to pin arms. Lunaria shrieked and kicked, but strength was no match for his. “N-No… Please… Don’t… Please!”
Deaf to sobs, Flaxseed hoisted over his shoulder and strode into the palace’s shadowed heart. Her wails echoed through the ravine long after the pair vanished.
Jared watched, expression carved from stone. He knew Flaxseed’s agony ran deep, some debts demanded blood, and Lunaria had chosen side.
Turning away, Jared lifted the Dragonslayer Sword. A golden flame whirled along the blade, scything through the last remaining Demonic Cultivators. Bodies charred to ash before they could scream.
