The ruins of Veylmar stood like broken teeth in the dark woods. Crumbling towers pierced the canopy of skeletal trees, and twisted vines slithered up marble walls where stained glass once filtered sunlight. Now, the light was unnatural—violet flames danced in sconces made of bone and obsidian. The air was choked with incense and whispers.
Liam stood atop a ridge overlooking the structure.
The Cathedral of Hollow Prayers.
A stronghold. A sanctuary. And a trap.
"Confirmed cult presence?" he asked without taking his eyes off the structure.
Kael nodded. "Scouts report at least two high priests, a dozen Void Sentinels, and over a hundred acolytes."
"And the prayers?" Liam asked.
Rune floated beside him, expression grim. "They're not praying to a god. They're feeding power to a creature. Something... not of this world."
"Another demon?" Liam asked.
"No," Rune whispered. "Something older."
[SYSTEM ALERT]Demonic Ritual Detected – Interruption RecommendedTarget:Xal'zhur the Mouthless OneEstimated Manifestation Time: 13 hoursReward for Successful Interruption:– +7,000 Faith Points– Demonic Core Fragment– Suppression of Cult Expansion in Western QuadrantsWarning: Enemy units are actively converting innocents into tethered souls.Morality Impact: High
Liam's fists clenched.
He turned to his commanders. "We attack at dusk. Silent entry. No mercy."
Kael cracked his knuckles. "Been waiting for some real bloodshed."
Mira nodded. "I'll take the rear flank. Cut off their escape routes."
Seraphina stood silent, flame low, but not absent. When Liam's eyes met hers, he saw it again—the shadow of doubt.
And something more dangerous: jealousy.
The assault began in silence.
Liam moved through the forest with his elite unit—the Ember Guard—cloaked in divine camouflage woven by the spirit-forged threads of the Forge of Ignaros. With each step, his stats recalibrated for battle.
[STATS – Combat Adjusted]
Level: 61Strength: 260Speed: 242Endurance: 271Intelligence: 242Charisma: 200Divine Energy: 5,150 / 5,150Active Effects:– Embrace of Serenity (Calming Field Active)– Silent Step (Environmental Concealment)– Ashes to Echoes (Kill-chain Conversion – Chance to convert slain enemies into spirit wraiths)
They reached the base of the cathedral without being seen.
But as Liam touched the outer wall, the stone pulsed with heat—and then moaned.
It was alive.
And it knew.
"Too late for subtlety," he muttered.
Liam lifted his staff.
"Breach!"
Seraphina surged forward, flame erupting into a crimson lance. Kael shattered the blackened gate with a roar. The Ember Guard flooded the entrance like a tide of fury and steel.
Inside, the cathedral's nave stretched into shadow, filled with cultists chained in prayer. Veins of dark magic connected their spines to a pulsing altar of flesh and crystal.
Liam strode forward, and his voice shook the foundation.
"Your prayers are hollow."
He slammed his staff down. A divine pulse rippled outward, severing the tethers. Screams erupted as the cultists collapsed.
The altar cracked.
And something answered.
[SYSTEM WARNING]Emergency Event: RITUAL INTERRUPTEDXal'zhur's Avatar IncomingStatus: Contained Form – 72% ManifestationTime Until Full Descent: 6 minutesSuggested Action: Destroy Anchor Crystals (4)Bonus Objective: Prevent corruption spread beyond cathedral limits.
The walls bled. The ceiling melted into a sky of writhing darkness.
Xal'zhur emerged—not through a door or portal, but through sound. A distortion. An unraveling scream that tore light and reason from the air.
No mouth. No eyes. Just a body of veined void-flesh and gaping runes that echoed agony.
Liam bared his teeth. "Target the anchor crystals! Seraphina—flank the left side!"
But Seraphina hesitated. Her flame flickered.
She turned to Liam.
"She touched you," she said bitterly. "The star-maiden."
"Seraphina—"
"You let her inside. Into your soul."
Liam's eyes hardened. "We can talk about this later—"
But Xal'zhur struck.
A psychic shockwave hurled Seraphina across the cathedral. The others screamed, and two Ember Guards fell—souls instantly consumed.
Liam raised his staff and unleashed Heaven's Wrath. Golden lightning tore a rift in the sky, slamming down on Xal'zhur's core.
The beast shrieked without a mouth, its flesh bubbling.
Rune flew to Seraphina, desperately reigniting her core flame.
Liam sprinted through the chaos, smashing through a wall to reach the first anchor crystal. With a single strike, he shattered it.
[1/4 Crystals Destroyed]Divine Energy: -400Faith Points Gained: +600Corruption Retraction: 12%
The second and third fell within moments, but the fourth—hidden beneath the altar—was protected by a circle of twisted children.
Souls malformed.
Twisted into mockeries of innocence, begging for salvation.
It was a trap.
And Liam knew it.
He raised his hand.
Paused.
Then activated Sanctify Soul.
A blinding wave surged from his body, engulfing the children.
[Mass Conversion Complete]15 tethered souls converted to Followers+2,000 Faith Points
Moral Alignment: Slight Increase
Divine Title Gained: Redeemer of the Lost
With the children crying softly in their restored forms, Liam crushed the final crystal.
The cathedral shook. The void cracked.
And Xal'zhur let out a final, wordless wail as its body shattered into smoke.
Liam dropped to one knee, gasping. Divine energy burned in his lungs.
Behind him, Seraphina approached slowly, her flame dim but alive.
"I'm sorry," she said, barely a whisper. "I lost control."
"So did I," he replied.
And he reached for her hand.
She didn't pull away.
[AFTERMATH – SYSTEM REPORT]
Mission Success:Ritual Interruption CompleteFaith Points Gained: +9,200New Followers: +2,500 (rescued cult converts)Loot Acquired:Demonic Core Fragment (Xal'zhur)Relationship Update:– Seraphina's Affection: Stabilized– Alaria's Affection: Passive Growth
Current Divine Titles:– Flame of Judgment– Redeemer of the Lost– Bearer of the Cursed Tome
That night, they buried the fallen.
Seraphina sat close by the fire, watching Liam in silence.
He held the Demonic Core Fragment in one hand, the light of the Forge flickering in the other.
"Your power's growing," Seraphina said.
"So is the burden," he replied.
She leaned in. "Then share it. With me."
For a long moment, Liam didn't speak.
Then he nodded.
And for the first time since his family's death, he let someone lean against him.
End of Chapter 49