Chapter 64. The Siege of a Lone Warrior (4)
Lost in the chaos, Owen’s mind drifted back to his childhood dreams of becoming a Holy Grail Knight ever since he first took up a sword.
So, this guy wasn’t quite skilled enough to get into the Paladin order or any of the Empire’s knightly crews. He was just a regular local kid, who knew his way around a sword and the armor that his old man left him.
That was pretty much the extent of Owen’s talent.
Until, of course, he got lured in by Raela’s offer of becoming a Paladin with crazy divine powers, super strength, and skills.
Even though he was walking a shady path, he couldn’t help but admire the Holy Grail Knights.
When he met Isaac, his show of respect was genuine.
Actually, he kinda looked up to this young Holy Grail Knight.
Even though they were now enemies, he was stoked to go head-to-head on an even playing field.
‘But then…’
Owen was flat out struggling against these never-ending tentacles. These things were tough, didn’t snap off easily, and the ones that did stuck to his armor like leeches, chipping away at it.
Even the black mist protective layer around his armor was useless. It felt like these tentacles were just gobbling it up.
“This evil…!”
The power he borrowed from the Red Chalice was some dark and freaky force that he couldn’t wrap his head around. What kind of craziness was this? Was it even legit? More like a monster, right?
One of these tentacles dug into his armor, giving him a world of hurt in his calf. It burrowed in and started crawling up to his thigh. That’s when Owen snapped back to reality.
‘I gotta take this thing out.’
A strong sense of purpose lit up in Owen’s mind.
If he was just following orders before, now it felt more like a personal mission.
Owen remembered how Isaac, pretending to be a Paladin of the Codex of Light, was off on a noble journey, getting all the praise.
Can you believe it? Is that even allowed?
Owen pictured the terrifying form this evil thing would morph into once it had garnered enough admiration.
‘I gotta shut this down.’
The guy standing there wasn’t the Black Knight Owen, under the grip of the Red Chalice, but the young dude who was starting to look up to the Holy Grail Knights.
Owen jumped into action against the tentacles trying to worm their way all over him without a second thought.
Isaac’s eyes widened, but Owen, willing to risk it all, went for a full-force strike.
Crack!
And then, everything just went black before Owen’s eyes.
His sword swiped through thin air. He couldn’t make out what happened, but he could feel blood streaming down his face. He wiped his eyes, thinking maybe blood had gotten in, but he couldn’t see a thing.
Something squirmed and itched all over his body.
“That was gutsy, Owen.”
The Holy Grail Knight he admired applauded him. But Owen couldn’t really feel good about it.
He swung his sword towards the voice, but it felt like no dice.
Thump, crack, crunch.
He heard these popping noises all over his body, like boils were blowing up all at once.
“I’ve filled you up with parasites from who-knows-where. Tough exterior, soft insides?”
Parasites? Owen was clueless. But he could feel these tiny insect-like critters squirming around inside his armor and skin.
That’s when it hit him – he lost his sight because these parasites had crawled up to his eyes and busted out.
“Don’t be too bummed. It’d be a waste to off you now. Let the parasites work their magic, and you might become something useful like Zihilrat…”
“Was I even a real threat?”
Owen was totally out of moves but managed to stay standing.
“Hey, did I give you a run for your money on your epic quest?” Isaac took a moment to think before replying, “Yeah, kinda?”
“Well, then I guess I’ll just have to keep it up,” Owen quipped before muttering something under his breath.
Suddenly, the early morning mist turned crimson around them. Isaac watched in shock as the fallen soldiers nearby were inexplicably drawn towards Owen, as if he was a magnet.
Thud, thump! Not just the deceased soldiers, but also the wounded and even those by the gate were being pulled towards Owen, creating a grotesque mound of bodies. It was a chaotic and eerie sight, with the living and the dead mingling together.
Isaac realized they were all merging around Owen, like he was the epicenter of some dark storm. The parasitic entities that Owen had unleashed were now buried beneath layers of flesh and consciousness, devoid of their own will.
Isaac knew exactly what this monstrosity was. ‘Abomination…’ It was a terrifying creature summoned by the Red Chalice Club, a clear sign that Raela was dead set on halting Isaac’s plans. One of the soldiers, now part of the Abomination, struggled to speak out, “If you can’t face this challenge, your journey ends here, Holy Grail Knight.”
***
Meanwhile, Hesabel, a seasoned assassin, quietly made her way to Raela’s room, trying to ignore the commotion outside. Finding Raela’s room was not hard – it was the only one illuminated at this ungodly hour.
The door was ajar, but instead of walking in, Hesabel transformed into a crimson mist and skillfully slipped inside. The room was opulently decorated with lavish items fit for royalty. Raela was seated in the middle, gazing at the red mist. Hesabel reverted to her human form without a sound.
“You’ve really mastered using my miracle, Hesabel,” Raela acknowledged. The Red Prayer was a powerful ritual granted by the Prophet of Red Flesh, giving the ability to manipulate one’s own body at will.
Hesabel showed a hint of respect, knowing the delicate balance of power between them. “You must’ve known I could’ve reversed your miracle and dropped you out the window as soon as you came in.”
Raela fixed her gaze on Hesabel, “I’ll offer you one final chance. That’s why I brought you here.”
Hesabel stayed silent, indicating she was listening. Raela’s smile was enigmatic as she spoke, “Tell the Holy Grail Knight you’ve taken care of me. Then return to him and, if he’s still kicking, end him with a knife. If you follow through, your family will continue to receive my blessings.”
The Ducal family of Gulmar not only guzzled the blood of the Red Chalice but also had the blessing of the Prophet of Red Flesh, giving them a serious edge. While most angels did their thing in the afterlife, the Prophet of Red Flesh was a big deal in the mortal realm, throwing their weight around.
“Your uncle disappears and the heir goes rogue, the Ducal family will be in deep trouble. The family head is already losing it. Are you planning to let your father down?”
“I…” Hesabel hesitated. She had caved to Isaac out of fear. But what if her decision spelled disaster for her family? The relatives depending on her, her siblings who looked up to her, her father?
The Red Chalice Club doesn’t go easy on the fallouts.
“Hesabel.” Urged by Raela, Hesabel shut her eyes tight. Time was running out. This could be her last shot.
On her knees before Raela, Hesabel made a quiet move. Raela grinned, satisfied.
Just as she reached out to assert her dominance over Hesabel, the latter turned into a red mist in an instant.
The mist swiftly surrounded Raela. A vampiric power kicked in, capable of vaporizing a regular person within moments.
Crack.
But in the blink of an eye, Raela had her hand around Hesabel’s neck. Gripping with a force that defied her slender appearance.
“What’s the deal, Hesabel?” With twenty fingers on her right hand, Raela prodded Hesabel’s neck, pondering. Hesabel tried to tap into her abilities, only to find them all locked down.
“Why would you toss your place, career, and family in the Ducal house for that Holy Grail Knight? Just fear? Forced obedience? There’s gotta be more to it.” Raela searched Hesabel’s eyes for answers. She never expected Hesabel to fight back.
Letting Hesabel in was a means to uncover the truth about Isaac. Then, Hesabel spoke up. Raela eased her grip a bit, anticipating a confession.
But instead of words, a tentacle shot out from Hesabel’s mouth, piercing Raela’s eye.
With a crunch, Raela lost control momentarily. Hesabel slipped away, gathering herself, and swiftly stabbed at Raela’s supposed heart with a dagger she had at hand.
Stab, stab, stab!
In a heartbeat, Raela’s heart was in shreds. Done and dusted.
“Was it really that easy?” Hesabel was taken aback by how smoothly it all went down.
Isaac had mentioned merely attempting her life would suffice, but Hesabel wasn’t about to do a half-baked job.
Sure, Raela could catch her. Her miracles were a no-go. In front of Raela, she was just another ordinary soul. Yet, there was a twist.
Raela’s powers extended only to the Red Chalice Club’s miracles.
Hesabel had cashed in on Isaac’s power to snag herself an extra miracle.
The tentacle miracle.
A simple yet effective gift from the nameless chaos.
With a quick pat on her back for a job well done, Hesabel pondered on whether she should go for Raela’s head too. After all, angels don’t die, they just take a temporary break.
Then she realized Raela was still standing.
Hesabel gazed up at her, whoa, that hole where the tentacle had pierced Raela’s eye looked freakishly big. It was like the dark void was looking right back at her.
All of a sudden, white fingers creeped out from the eye socket. They widened the hole and started squeezing out.
Witnessing that horror, Hesabel bolted without a second thought, thinking she had already gone above and beyond what Isaac wanted.
“Hey, Isaac!”
Thump, thump-thump, thump-thump-thump!
Hesabel screamed as she dashed through the corridors like a madwoman. The whole castle was buzzing and vibrating with strange noises.
It felt like the entire castle had turned into a pulsating heart. With Raela out of the picture, what was her next move supposed to be? Didn’t Isaac mention she’d figure it out?
And then, she spotted something rushing towards her from the opposite end of the corridor.
White armor, blonde hair.
The Holy Grail Knight she kinda looked up to, Isaac.
She never expected him to come charging to her rescue, but hey, she was glad to be seen as a valuable ally.
“Isaac, thank goodness you’re here to save me!”
“Nah, I’m in a jam too.”
Isaac replied as he zipped past Hesabel.
Thump-thump-thump-thump!
It was only then that Hesabel realized the strange vibrations in the castle were getting closer. And then, she spotted a huge mass of flesh filling the corridor, barreling towards them.
Hesabel wasted no time in chasing after Isaac.
