Sitting within her shrine, Ebonheim gazed down at Ardeunius kneeling before her. His head was bowed respectfully, his face hidden beneath the hood of his cloak. Behind him stood a group of similarly dressed soldiers. They carried heavy packs and weapons.

"I greet the goddess of this domain, Ebonheim," Ardeunius said formally, his voice low and measured. "We have arrived as agreed." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Thank you for allowing us passage through your territory. We will be sure to compensate you for your kindness."

Ebonheim didn't respond immediately. She took a moment to examine the men standing behind him. There were a lot more than she had expected. At least a hundred or so...and each of them looked well-armed and ready for battle. They didn't appear to be the least bit intimidated by her presence either.

"It is not necessary to repay me," Ebonheim replied eventually. "You may rest here before you depart for Old Drakon Castle. My followers will provide you with whatever supplies you need for your journey."

Ardeunius glanced over his shoulder at his men before turning back towards her. "Thank you. We appreciate your generosity. However...we cannot afford to stay long. We must leave as soon as possible." He hesitated briefly before continuing. "Will you join us? Your presence would help greatly in defeating those demons."

Ebonheim suppressed a sigh.

She'd known they would ask her that. It was inevitable given the situation. But...she still couldn't bring herself to decline their request. Better she than anyone else in her town.

"I'll accompany you," Ebonheim answered slowly. "However...there are conditions. You must agree to them first."

Ardeunius straightened slightly. "What are your terms?"

"I'll be at the vanguard," Ebonheim began. "You will follow behind me, staying within a certain distance at all times. I won't be responsible for your safety once we engage in battle with the demons. And I'll leave the second I see fit to do so."

Ardeunius bowed deeply. "That is more than acceptable. We accept." He rose to his feet and bowed once more. "We shall leave as soon as possible."

With that, he turned around and exited the shrine. The others followed after him.

Once they were gone, Lorne stepped forward and knelt before her. "Ebonheim..." he greeted with a respectful nod. "Thank you for allowing us to assist the Order of the Burning Shield. I'm sure they will appreciate our help."

He hesitated briefly before continuing. "I must apologize on behalf of my company. Had we known about this beforehand...we would've declined the Order's request to accompany them. But...are you sure you won't change your mind about participating directly in this conflict? It seems like the perfect opportunity to gain more believers and expand your influence."

Ebonheim kept her eyes focused on the ground in front of her. She didn't want him to see how conflicted she felt about everything right now. Even though she understood why Lorne had volunteered his company to help the Order...she still couldn't shake off the unease she felt about allowing them to proceed.

"I know that part of being a mercenary group is to take on risky jobs..." Ebonheim said quietly. "...and I shouldn't be asking you not to follow your code. However, please...consider this as an exception. You can act as their escort and support—but please don't get directly involved in any fighting unless absolutely necessary."

Lorne raised an eyebrow at her request. "That goes against our agreement with the Order...we promised them protection during their crusade. And yet you ask us to stay out of battle entirely?"

Ebonheim nodded without meeting his gaze. "Wasn't your mission to escort them to the castle ruins and nothing more? You were never tasked to participate in their crusade, were you?"

"I suppose that's true..." Lorne admitted reluctantly. "But—"

"If you must get involved," Ebonheim cut him off. "Please do so as a last resort only. Otherwise, keep your distance." She glanced up at him. "I'll do the fighting. Are we clear?"

Lorne stared back at her silently for several moments before finally nodding. "Understood...as you wish. Please forgive me for overstepping my bounds."

"There's nothing to forgive. You didn't overstep anything," Ebonheim assured him with a soft smile. "This is just my selfishness speaking...please don't take it personally." She walked over to him and placed her hand gently on his shoulder. "I'm counting on you, Lorne."

Lorne nodded. "I won't let you down." He rose from his bow and as he was about to turn around and leave, he suddenly paused mid-step, turning back towards her. "Goddess. There's something else you should know..."

"What is it?" she asked curiously.

"Right before departing from Kerkenberge to return here...we heard rumors of a deity being captured by demons and imprisoned at Old Drakon Castle. That said...the rumors didn't mention anything specific about this god's identity, but the ones who shared this with us believed this information to be true."

Ebonheim blinked in surprise. "A captured deity? Are you certain?"

"Yes," Lorne answered. "Ardeunius seemed more skeptical than concerned, but...this news worries me."

"Ardeunius didn't bring that up earlier..." Ebonheim murmured, furrowing her brows.

"It's possible he didn't consider it important enough to report—or considers the rumors false. It's not like anyone ever went to confirm if there was a deity imprisoned in Old Drakon Castle. "That said, if this rumor is true...then we might face a worse situation than previously anticipated. And even if it's false...it still sounds like something you should know about."

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Ebonheim nodded. "Thank you for telling me. I'll keep this in mind."

Lorne bowed once more before leaving.

Once he was gone, Ebonheim returned to her seat and resumed her vigil.

"A captured god..."

Could this be related to the missing deities that Xellos mentioned to her before? Could they have been captured by demons? How? Why?

And if so...who was the captive deity? What god would ever fall victim to demons? Or did they get captured because they got careless or lured into a trap? Couldn't it be someone who deliberately surrendered themselves for a reason? How long ago was this?

These demons must have been strong or numerous enough to capture a god. Thinking back to her weaker self—when she first came into being as a Dawn Stage lesser goddess—it only took a few Kungwans to almost kill her. A lesser god captured by demons...a handful of demons could overwhelm a god easily enough. She could easily imagine a small band of demons ambushing a lower-ranked deity and incapacitating them.

Was there a group of higher-ranked demons among the ones residing at Old Drakon Castle who then carried the weakened god away? And if so...what had they done with them since? Did they intend to keep this god imprisoned forever? Or perhaps use them as leverage against other gods?

These questions kept buzzing around in her mind. She had no answers for any of them. But one thing was clear—if these rumors were true...then it meant that the situation at Old Drakon Castle could potentially grow more dire than she had originally anticipated. It might even turn out to be beyond the Order's capabilities to handle.

For now, she needed to focus on dealing with these demons first. And then after that...she'd try to investigate this matter further.

As she ruminated over these thoughts, she caught sight of Kelzryn approaching her shrine, taking his usual place beside her.

"How did your investigation go?" she asked him. "Did you discover anything useful?"

Kelzryn folded his arms across his chest and nodded. "Yes. Many Asuras are residing at Old Drakon Castle," he confirmed. "Several of them appear to be higher-ranked ones."

"What's an Asura? Is that the name of a specific kind of demon?" Ebonheim inquired. "Or do you mean demons in general?"

Kelzryn briefly shot her a curious glance. "Asuras...are demonic beings native to the realm of Sutrath. They're considered among the most powerful races of demons. There are many types of Asuras—though not all of them can enter this realm on their own. Most require summoning rituals or gateways created by other beings to cross over from Sutrath to here."

He paused for a moment before adding: "I do not know how these particular ones ended up gathered together at those ruins—but I can assure you they pose a significant threat."

"I see..." Ebonheim said slowly. "Do you think the Order will be able to handle them?"

"If they approach the battle carefully and prepare thoroughly beforehand...perhaps they can manage a pyrrhic victory against them. But in my estimation...their chances of winning against such foes are slim—not with the numbers they currently possess."

Ebonheim's lips pressed together into a thin line.

Was this why she had felt so uneasy about this whole situation? Had she subconsciously sensed something off about those demons even before Kelzryn told her about them? Could there really be a captured deity inside Old Drakon Castle too? And if so...could this be connected to the missing gods Xellos told her about?

"Lorne told me about rumors regarding a captured deity in Old Drakon Castle..." Ebonheim murmured. "What do you think? Did you sense anything unusual?"

Kelzryn closed his eyes for several seconds before shaking his head. "I didn't sense any deities nearby—but that doesn't necessarily mean one isn't imprisoned somewhere inside those ruins." He opened his eyes and gazed directly at her. "This could explain why these Asuras haven't left the area yet...if they're guarding a prisoner."

"So those Asuras are strong enough to capture a deity? And keep them captive for this long?"

Kelzryn shrugged. "Fledgling deities aren't very powerful if they haven't ascended beyond their first stage yet. Most would probably struggle to defend themselves against even a single Asura. So I imagine capturing one wouldn't be too difficult under the right circumstances."

"Do you think I'm strong enough to defeat these demons if I go all out?" Ebonheim asked him.

Kelzryn seemed taken aback by her question. "You plan on engaging in direct combat with these Asuras?"

She nodded. "Yes. I'll lead the charge against them myself. And if need be...I'll fight alongside the Order of the Burning Shield. So, what do you think? Can I defeat them?"

Kelzryn hesitated briefly before answering. "Against the lesser Asuras...you should have no problem overpowering them. But the higher-ranked ones...that might prove more difficult. Especially if they're actively working together as a group."

"So they'll work together to overwhelm me if I don't strike fast enough?" Ebonheim guessed.

Kelzryn nodded. "Asuras generally prefer attacking their enemies individually rather than collectively—but in certain situations where they face stronger opponents...they may team up temporarily against a common foe. If those higher-ranked Asuras have formed a cohesive unit...then it would indeed be wiser for you to retreat rather than fight."

"I see..." Ebonheim murmured. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Alright. I understand. Thank you for your advice."

She lowered her gaze to the floor in front of her and remained silent. This information didn't make her feel any better about allowing the Order to proceed. In fact...it only served to strengthen her growing unease. Perhaps she should reconsider allowing the Silverguards to help them. Maybe there was still time for her to change her mind.

But before she could say anything, Kelzryn spoke up again. "My offer still stands—I can deal with these demons for you," he said firmly. "If this concerns you so much...then let me handle this. It won't take long at all."

Ebonheim lifted her head to look at him. His expression remained neutral but his eyes burned intensely as he met her gaze. She knew he wasn't joking around. He'd do whatever she asked of him. But even so...she couldn't bring herself to ask for his help. Not this time.

"Thank you...but no," she replied quietly. "I appreciate the offer, but I need to deal with this myself." She sighed softly. "I have to learn how to deal with problems like this eventually. Otherwise...what kind of god would I be?"

Kelzryn watched her closely for a moment before nodding in understanding. "Very well...if that's what you wish." He unfolded his arms and placed them behind his back instead. "But know this—if things take a turn for the worse...call for me. I will come immediately."

Ebonheim smiled faintly. "I will...thank you."

She turned her attention back towards the outside world beyond her shrine. She could see Ardeunius and the other members of the Order camping along the outskirts of town. They'd make preparations overnight and head out first thing tomorrow morning.

The whole time she gazed upon them, her mind remained troubled by the events to come. But she had no intention of changing her mind now. If there really was a captured deity imprisoned at Old Drakon Castle...she would have to find a way to rescue them herself.

"Kelzryn, I'm going to join the Order's expedition. Please keep watch over the town while I'm gone."

"Of course," Kelzryn assented readily. "Be careful."

Ebonheim rose from her seat and nodded. "I will. Thank you." With that said, she left the shrine and headed towards the campsite.