Chapter 17:

Two days had slipped by since my eerie encounter and demonic deal with Vorlexia. The revelation that an archdemon was behind the horrors in Vedem was still terrifying, but a flicker of hope persisted. I clung to the belief that she would keep her word and refrain from intervening in my escape plans. Demons were described as many things, but from all I’d heard, when there’s a demonic deal involved, they’ll follow it to the letter. If she intended to deceive me, it would likely be hidden in the conditions she’d set for not intervening. That thought gnawed at me - I needed to find another hopeful soul to offer her in place of mine.

If I chose the wrong person, something she seemed to be aiming for, her victory would be doubled. She’d claim both my soul and that of the other person, reveling in the sheer chaos she created. And by her twisted logic, the more turmoil the situation caused, the more valuable our souls became to her.

Sacrifice. The word echoed in my mind. If I did find this ‘hopeful’ person Vorlexia was referring to, how would I even go about sacrificing them?

I had been willing and ready to take Vera’s life, unaware of her true nature, but knowingly leading someone to their doom felt different. Even unwillingly torturing Kenneth weighed heavily on my conscience, and now this? The line between survival and morality was blurring, but I knew I had to push through it - for Ren’s sake.

Amidst these thoughts, Belferon remained elusive. I had asked Walden for an audience with him, but the warden only responded with a vague “I’ll see what I can do,” before likely doing nothing.

Now, as the day of the ritual finally arrived, I found myself clueless on how to proceed. Oddly, it felt like a blessing. Not knowing the plan for my escape meant Lida wouldn’t know it either – whether she read my mind or forced me to speak. I wouldn’t have much to reveal.

Her visit this morning only intensified my urgency to escape.

Her mocking words still echoed in my ears. “Today is the day, my dear Luca! This evening you will be sacrificed. Are you ready to try and escape one last time? You won’t have any more opportunities after today.”

Despite the alarming gravity of her words, I couldn’t suppress a bitter laugh. There was a peculiar irony in the face of impending doom. So, with a twisted sense of humor, I retorted. “Yes. I’m ready.”

My laughter seemed to catch her off guard at first, but her surprise quickly turned into a smile. She mirrored my dark amusement, her eyes gleaming. “Keeping your mind empty to try and get away from me, huh?” she grinned. “It won’t work, I already know what you’re planning. I could stop you right this moment.”

My heart skipped a beat, but I kept my composure. “Maybe you could,” I said, “but I know you’d rather crush me later – when my hopes are at their highest.”

She laughed, clapping her hands in delight. “You know me so well! Oh, I can’t wait to shatter your final hopes of survival, one last time, before Lady Vorlexia takes you.”

Vorlexia…right. I had almost forgotten that, unlike the rest of the villagers and Belferon, Lida knew Vera was an archdemon – and she followed her willingly, regardless.

Lida had left me alone around half an hour ago, and since then, I’d been pacing back and forth across the room, trying to finalize my plan of action.

The topaz ring could be a game changer, but Belferon still had it, and he remained hidden. I racked my brain for alternative plans, anything that could help me isolate Lida and break free from her magic’s control, but nothing came to mind. Her control over us was too absolute.

After a prolonged period of contemplation, I settled on a plan that I believed gave me the best chance of survival – chaos.

I will break Sona, Jhad, and the other captives free from the jailhouse. With a numerical advantage, perhaps we could overwhelm Lida’s control, or at least create enough disorder for some of us to overpower her. It was a risky gambit, but with the noose tightening around my neck, there was no time for caution. The time for action had arrived.

I exited the unlocked confinement room and headed toward the jailhouse. It was already afternoon as I approached, full of anxiety. I hadn’t been here since Lida’s punishment, which was many days ago. I suddenly realized that Sona and Jhad might not even be alive anymore, and my plan could already be doomed. But with no other options, I pressed on.

I rounded the jailhouse, staying hidden from prying eyes, and climbed onto the roof. Moving carefully, I made my way to the familiar roof window and silently slipped inside onto the second floor. As I crouched down, I listened intently to the exchange below.

Walden seemed to be present this time, addressing Jhad. “Shut your mouth, Jhad! I can’t believe you’re finally getting the axe today.” he proclaimed. “In all the hundreds of years I’ve done this, you’re the most annoying motherfucker I’ve ever had the displeasure of locking up here.”

Jhad’s reaction was unexpected. He just laughed maniacally, without uttering a single word.

I peered down from the second floor and spotted Walden standing in front of the cell. A set of keys hung from his belt, and on his right hand’s index finger, he wore a hematite ring. Other than that, he didn’t appear to have any other minerals or weapons - at least none that I could see from my vantage point.

Suppressing my concerns, I steeled my resolve. Whatever other minerals he might have, I couldn’t afford to back down now. With a deep breath, I decided to take the initiative, opting for a bold approach.

This is it – my last attempt at freedom begins now.

Quickly dismissing thoughts of potential consequences, I rushed down the stairs, seizing the element of surprise. With a burst of momentum, I lunged forward, aiming to leap onto Walden before he could react. The plan was risky, but time was running out.

The surprise worked in my favor. I pounced on the unsuspecting Walden, sending him crashing to the ground. A brief struggle ensued, our bodies grappling as I tried to grab the keys from his belt, while gasps echoed from the cell, following our clash.

Walden regained his composure quickly. Using the power of his hematite ring, he enhanced his strength, effortlessly lifting me off him. With a smirk, he taunted. “Looks like Lida will get to punish you one last time before the ritual.”

But the last laugh was mine. I lifted my hand, revealing the set of keys I had managed to snatch during our struggle on the floor.

Without hesitation, I tossed it toward the cell. Jhad and Sona eagerly scooped it up and fumbled to unlock the door.

Walden, caught off guard, dropped me to the floor. His reaction was swift as he turned and sprinted toward the cell, determined to stop them from opening it. The door could only be unlocked from the outside, and Jhad and Sona struggled to reach the keyhole from inside. Realizing I needed to buy them more time, I grabbed onto Walden’s foot just as he neared the cell. I yanked him backward, sending him stumbling to the floor, buying Jhad and Sona the precious moment they needed to unlock the cage.

The sharp click of the lock echoed through the room as the cell door swung open. Jhad wasted no time, charging out without a word and delivering a forceful kick to Walden’s face as he lay on the ground.

But Walden, fortified by the power of his hematite, shrugged off the blow. His head didn’t even move, the impact seemingly minimized to nothing. With a burst of strength, he flung me off his foot and, in an impressive display of athleticism, somersaulted to his feet, assuming a combat-ready stance. His eyes locked on Jhad, with Sona standing behind him, now holding the same knife she had tried to kill me with.

“Last time you pulled something off because you had the numbers, Jhad.” Walden said, mentioning their previous riot. “But this time, it’s just you and the girl. You should get back in the cage if you know what’s good for you.”

As he spoke, I managed to pull myself up, my eyes shifting to the now-empty cell. The realization hit me – there were no other prisoners. Only Jhad and Sona were left. My plan to overwhelm Lida with numbers had fallen apart.

Jhad and Sona exchanged a quick, understanding glance, then, in perfect synchronization, they surged forward, launching a coordinated attack on Walden.

Sona’s agility was impressive. She quickly closed the distance between them and unleashed a series of swift stabbing movements with her right hand.

Walden, quick on his feet thanks to the hematite, dodged her initial strikes and even attempted to grab her arm in return. But Sona seemed to anticipate the speed difference between them, skilfully retracting the knife just in time, narrowly avoiding his grasp each time.

Jhad, meanwhile, tried to get behind Walden, likely aiming to immobilize him so Sona could land a strike. But the warden’s enhanced physical capabilities denied Jhad any openings, while the strength of each of his counterattacks posed a serious threat. A single punch could inflict severe damage, even break bones - blocking wasn’t an option.

My instinct was to jump in and tip the balance, but then I noticed movement at the jailhouse entrance. The door creaked open, and I heard voices outside – reinforcements. The pair of guards stationed outside were about to enter, seemingly oblivious to the fight unfolding inside.

Acting quickly, I rushed toward the door, slamming into it with my shoulder, closing it on them as they tried to enter. Planting my feet firmly, I used my body weight to block any attempts to force it open, holding them off for a moment.

The guards, realizing that something was wrong, began pounding on the door and shouting.

Noticing my struggles, Sona deftly grabbed the set of keys from the cell door while dodging Walden’s furious punches and tossed them to me. I caught them and immediately locked the door, still pressing my weight against it. It was a simple wooden door - the lock would slow the guards down, but it wouldn’t hold them for long.

A quick glance at the ongoing struggle revealed that Walden’s enhanced strength was overwhelming Jhad and Sona. With minimal effort, he caught Sona mid-stab and hurled her against the wooden wall with enough force to leave a noticeable crack on it. The knife clattered on the floor between them.

I watched with concern as Sona, clearly hurt from the impact, slowly rose from the ground. She tilted her head from side to side, her expression indicating the pain she felt, but her eyes burned with intensity. She wasn’t down yet.

Meanwhile, Jhad proved to be far more skilled than I had anticipated. He dodged Walden’s hook with a graceful split, attempting to lock his legs around the warden’s. As I watched, I wondered about his plan. The hold seemed effective, but I was skeptical about how long it could last given Walden’s inhuman strength.

It seemed Walden shared my skepticism. Glancing down at Jhad, he prepared to unleash a devastating blow. “What’s that supposed to do to me, idiot bandit?” he chuckled, pulling his arm back for the strike. But just as he lifted his arm, Sona rushed at him again.

She grabbed the knife from the floor and, in one seamless motion, leaped onto Walden’s back. Using her petite frame to climb him, she aimed the blade at his throat, while Jhad maintained his hold on the warden’s legs.

Visibly surprised by her agility and ferocity, Walden was momentarily caught off guard. But what happened next was both wild and unexpected. He tightened the muscles in his neck and jaw, tilting his head just in time to catch the blade between his shoulder and jaw.

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Sona, stunned by his swift reaction, had no time to recover before Walden grabbed her and hurled against the same wall she had collided with earlier, deepening the cracks on its surface.

As Walden straightened his head during the throw, the blade fell down. Jhad, still locking the warden’s legs, caught it mid-air. With a swift motion, he drove the knife into Walden’s thigh, eliciting a pained reaction from the warden. Clearly satisfied with himself, he screamed almost maniacally. “How do you like that? Not an idiot now, am I?”

Walden, slightly thrown off balance by the initial stab, found himself at the mercy of Jhad’s relentless assault. The bandit leader continued stabbing the warden’s thigh, each strike accompanying his furious shouts.

Walden struggled to break free from Jhad’s grip, his control over his hematite seemingly wavering. He threw a punch, but the bandit anticipated the move, rolling sideways to narrowly avoid the blow. Jhad quickly jumped to his feet, brandishing the knife in front of him, ready to strike again.

Meanwhile, the persistent sounds of the guards intensifying their assault on the door echoed through the jailhouse. I wasn’t sure how long the locked door and I will be able to hold them at bay. We needed to end this, and fast.

Jhad’s strikes proved to be effective - blood was gushing heavily from Walden’s thigh, and the warden’s expression twisted in pain.

“Stand up, brat!” Jhad shouted at Sona. “I want you to watch as I take my revenge.”

Sona, struggling through her obvious pain, slowly rose to her feet. “Shut the hell up, Jhad.” She muttered through gritted teeth.

Walden’s once-confident demeanor was visibly faltering, and his eyes fixated on the corner of the room. Following his gaze, I saw what he was after - a sword, resting just a few steps away from the door where I stood.

Injured and limping, Walden began his slow, deliberate walk toward the sword, dragging his wounded leg behind him. His back was now turned to Jhad and Sona.

Sensing revenge was upon him, Jhad seized the moment to taunt the warden. “Like a dog with its tail between its legs.” he sneered, his words dripping with disdain. “You’re not so tough now, are you?”

Sona, aware of the danger, urged Jhad to act quickly. “Hurry up and finish him before he gets to the sword! You’re the one with the knife.”

Jhad laughed at her concern. “Don’t worry, he won’t reach the sword. I’ll make sure of it.”

He lunged at Walden with the knife, aiming for a decisive strike. But the warden reacted unexpectedly. He spun around and delivered a powerful stomp with his healthy leg. The wooden floor shattered into splinters, and the resulting shockwave sent both Jhad and Sona sprawling backward, the knife slipping into the broken floorboards.

I stumbled as well, and could feel the door giving way – any moment now, the guards will break through.

Walden, limping but resolute, continued his approach toward the sword. A shift in strategy was desperately needed. Abandoning the door, I rushed toward the sword, grabbing it and aiming the blade at the approaching Walden.

His laughter was pained but mocking. “Have you ever even held a sword in your life? You scrawny nobody.”

As his words echoed through the room, the two guards finally breached the jailhouse, brandishing their swords in support of their injured commander.

But I had a plan. Responding to Walden’s taunt, I retorted. “Never held a sword in my life, but…I bet he has.”

In a swift, unexpected move, I threw the sword across the room, deliberately out of Walden’s reach. All eyes followed the airborne weapon as Jhad, anticipating its trajectory, caught it mid-air. Without hesitation, he moved in one fluid motion, rushing toward Walden and striking him down with a single, clean blow – severing his head.

Then, seizing the moment, Jhad swiftly turned to the shocked and disoriented guards. With two precise strikes, he cut them down, eliminating the immediate threat.

The sound of steel slicing through flesh, followed by the dull thud of bodies hitting the floor, echoed through the jailhouse. Within seconds, silence fell over the room.

I stood there, watching in awe at Jhad’s formidable display of swordsmanship. The bandit leader, who at first seemed more bark than bite, had proven himself to be a master of the blade.

Taking control of the situation, Jhad moved to the door, peeking outside through a crack before closing it with a resounding thud. “Villagers are watching.” he reported, his voice low and measured. “Those guards stirred up trouble. The bitch will surely be here shortly. We need to move. Now!”

Sona slowly rose to her feet, her movements labored. I found myself inching toward her - not out of genuine concern, but because her role in my escape plan remained pivotal. She still had a part to play against Lida, and she might even be the soul Vorlexia expects me to sacrifice in my place.

Speaking of the soul Vorlexia wanted, my eyes shifted between Sona and Jhad. Both fit the criteria. Both of them seemed desperate to survive Vedem by any means possible.

On the one hand, there was Sona, who had already told me she needed to save someone - a friend? A lover? A family member? It didn’t matter. Her determination to survive this was palpable.

On the other hand, there was Jhad. While his reasons were likely selfish, his will to survive was equally strong. To the point he sacrificed his own men for it. It was my assumption since it struck me as odd that while the rest of his crew had been sacrificed to Vorlexia, he - their leader and the main thorn in Walden’s side - was still alive.

There was still Belferon, of course. The old man’s will to outlive death itself made him more than fit the criteria – he might even be the most obvious choice of the three. And that was precisely why I hesitated. Vorlexia could’ve set this narrative up, leading me to believe Belferon was the one I needed to sacrifice, when in reality, it could be Jhad or Sona.

There was no room for error as well. If I chose the wrong person, I’d lose my soul.

Since Belferon’s whereabouts were still unknown, I couldn’t make any decisions yet. But until then, I needed to keep the other two options close to me.

I moved to check on Sona, but before I could assess her condition, Jhad suddenly closed the distance between us, the sword he wielded now aimed menacingly at my throat.

“And where the hell have you been for the past two weeks?” he demanded, his voice low and threatening. “Are you part of the bitch’s plan too?”

Surprised by the sudden shift in dynamics, I knew I had to lie my way out of this. “I was imprisoned by Lida.” I said hastily. “She threatened to kill my friend for talking with you last time.”

Jhad’s eyes remained skeptical. “You expect us to believe that? That you’re not just another pawn in her sick game?” His voice carried a dangerous edge, the sword still pointed in my direction.

Before I could respond, Sona intervened, her voice surprisingly steady despite the fatigue visible on her face. “He released us and helped take down Walden. If he was under Lida’s control, he wouldn’t have gone this far.”

Jhad’s eyes shifted between us, weighing the truth in Sona’s words. Yet his grip on the sword tightened, and I could almost feel the cold edge near my throat.

“I’d rather not take any risks.” He said calmly.

Sona’s desperate shout pierced the air. “What the hell, Jhad? Drop the sword, now!”

He ignored her, remaining resolute. In that desperate moment, I knew I had to act fast. I recalled our last conversation and decided to play my final card.

“Wait!” I exclaimed, the word bursting from my lips.

He hesitated, the blade still poised mid-air, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. This was my only chance.

“You wanted the healer, right? Well, I found her! There’s a chamber under the infirmary, right next to the giant statue of Vitara. She’s there. Go and kill her.” I revealed, deliberately withholding the crucial detail of her demonic nature. A calculated omission.

It was a gamble, but I had a feeling it would work. He’d sounded determined to kill Vera, though I knew he wouldn’t be able to even lay a finger on her.

Jhad’s eyes flickered between suspicion and the burning desire for revenge. Then, a slow smile formed on his lips. The sword retreated, and with a swift motion, he seized the hematite ring from Walden’s lifeless finger. He spat on Walden’s headless corpse and, without another word, rushed outside, leaving Sona and me behind.

Sona’s anger simmered. “That idiot! I can’t believe he left us behind! And just to kill that healer? Idiot!”

I absorbed her frustration, choosing not to reveal the true nature and status of ‘that healer’.

Jhad’s departure weakened our chances. As unstable and untrustworthy as he was, his fighting skills were undeniable, and we could’ve used that against Lida.

Still, sending him to Vorlexia was the best move. It eliminated the chance of him stabbing me in the back, and possibly, hopefully, fulfilled my part of the deal with Vorlexia. If Jhad was the soul she wanted, what better way to sacrifice him than sending him straight into the belly of the beast? And if he wasn’t? Well, I’d just have to try lying my way out, claiming I sent him but didn’t choose him as the sacrifice. Would it work? On paper, it should, but I could only hope.

Meanwhile, Sona’s frustration shifted into suspicion. Her eyes narrowed as she questioned me. “Was any of that real? Were you really held by Lida for the past two weeks?”

I decided to be partially honest. “Lida did threaten to hurt my friend, so I had to be careful with my moves. But I never stopped thinking about ways to defeat her magic. And I did find Vera. She’s under the infirmary, but we shouldn’t go there.”

“Forget about her.” Sona said impatiently. “Did you find a way to beat Lida? Because as long as she’s around, we’re useless.”

“Well, yes and no.” I replied. “There’s a mineral the old man who lured me here stole from me. If we could find him, we might be able to turn things around with Lida. But without it, we should - ”

“Old man?” Sona interrupted, her voice surprised.

I nodded. “Yes. He wears this strange hat with – “

“Bells?” She interrupted again, and my eyes widened in surprise.

“You saw him?” I asked hurriedly.

“I did.” she nodded. “That day when I tried to kill you.”

“Where did you see him? I looked for him all over the village. Which house was he staying in? Or did you see him outside?” I overwhelmed her with questions.

She looked at me, surprised, almost in disbelief. “Are you serious? I saw him inside the house you were being held in.”

***

Before venturing outside, Sona reached into the broken floor and retrieved the knife Jhad had dropped. She then checked the corpses of Walden and the two guards for anything useful.

“He was right.” She suddenly said.

I looked at her, puzzled. “Who was right?”

“The idiot.” She replied. “Walden did have a fluorite ring.”

She pulled the ring from Walden’s left pocket and held it up for me to see.

“Why didn’t he use it?” I wondered aloud. “He could’ve reacted faster when I rushed the stairs.”

“Guess we’ll never know.” Sona shrugged, glancing at his headless body. “Nor should we care.”

She slipped the ring into her index finger, then we cautiously approached the jailhouse door, peeking outside. We scanned for any sign of Lida or other potential threats. To our surprise, the area outside was eerily quiet. Instead, we were met with the unsettling sight of lifeless villagers strewn across the ground. It was clear that Jhad had gone on a ruthless killing spree, targeting the not-so-innocent villagers.

Relieved that he had, in a way, cleared a path for us, but still wary of Lida’s threat, Sona and I hurried toward the house where I had been held captive, determined to find Belferon and the topaz ring. We moved with urgency, knowing a single command from Lida could stop us in our tracks.

The first signs of evening were already beginning to show, the sun slowly setting, as if hiding itself from the wicked ritual that was about to take place in a few hours.

Arriving at the house, we paused to catch our breath, our eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger. Sona, still breathing heavily, pointed at one of the first floor’s windows. “He was watching us through this window when I tried to kill you here.” She explained, then her voice took on a questioning tone. “How in the seven hells did you look for him everywhere but under you own nose?”

I questioned myself as well, struggling to understand my oversight. Internally, I tried to justify it - I hadn’t expected Belferon to hide so conspicuously close. I was so focused on escaping my confinement that I failed to consider it might also be a possible hiding spot.

With cautious steps, we entered the house, fully aware that Belferon could be lurking in any corner.

Sona seemed more confident, perhaps underestimating the threat posed by the old man. Feeling the need to warn her, I spoke up. “Be careful. Despite his appearance, he’s not just some ordinary old man. He’s two hundred years old.” I cautioned, my voice laced with urgency.

She shrugged dismissively. “Don’t tell me you believe that crap about eternal life.”

At first, I’d questioned it too, thinking the villagers were just lunatics. But after meeting Vorlexia, I was certain it was true.

“I do.” I admitted with a sigh.

Sona sneered. “Naive much?”

“Regardless,” I continued, “I’ve seen him take down a dreadhowl on his own. Don’t underestimate him.”

She rolled her eyes, and I couldn’t tell if she doubted my account of Belferon’s skills or simply didn’t find killing a dreadhowl impressive. Either way, I hoped she’d approach the situation with the caution it demanded.

“Relax.” She said eventually. “I already scanned the house with the fluorite. No one's here.”

I was relieved to see that Sona was more thorough and careful than she appeared, yet an unexplained sense of unease gripped my heart, recalling the guards from the treasury. An idea suddenly popped into my mind.

“Hey, Sona,” I said cautiously, “would you mind giving me the fluorite ring?”

She raised an eyebrow, her expression questioning. “What for? You don’t trust me?”

I didn’t, but that wasn’t the reason I needed it. I needed it as insurance - a wild, desperate insurance, but one that might prove lifesaving to us.

“I just want to check something.” I replied, trying to keep my tone casual.

“So, you don’t trust me.” She sighed, removing the ring and handing it to me before continuing forward.

The hue of the fluorite was faint, likely nearing the end of its life. I didn’t put the ring on my finger, instead clutching it tightly in my hand.

As we approached the door to what we assumed was Belferon’s room, I recalled his story of captivity in this house. It dawned on me that this might be the very room where his brother had been held, possibly explaining Belferon’s sentimental attachment to the place.

The door was slightly ajar, and a sliver of light revealed his bottomless backpack. Relief washed over me at the sight of it. We were finally close to the topaz ring – close to ending this nightmare.

I whispered to Sona, pointing at the backpack. “The topaz is there, now – “

But Sona, driven by impatience, acted before I could finish. With a forceful push, she swung the door open.

To our shock and trepidation, the room wasn’t vacant - but it wasn’t occupied by Belferon either.

Lida sat on a stool in the center, a sinister grin playing on her lips. Clutched between her fingers was Will’s topaz ring. Her delight at our arrival was palpable.

“Finally! You made it!” she exclaimed, her voice dripping with malice. “Now, kneel!”

The command shot through us, and an invisible force compelled us to obey. We knelt, unable to resist her magic. The ethereal chains manifested around our necks as the pink glow shined brightly around them.

Lida reveled in our submission, her eyes gleaming as she toyed with the topaz ring. My escape plans crumbled in an instant, shattered by her magic. She again seemed to be one step ahead of me.