The Church patrol's bells grew louder as Cedric and Lynne hurried away from the marsh's edge, dragging the unconscious figure of the would-be Demon Lord between them. The man's armor, once gleaming with false divine blessing, was now tarnished—and Cedric knew the Church scouts would either arrest them both or slaughter them at sight.
> SYSTEM NOTICE
New Function Unlocked: Trace Overload (Disrupt Nearby Mana Weaves)
XP: 44/300 → 192/300
He helped Lynne navigate through the reeds, activating Trace Overload to dampen the corrupted mana still clinging to the false lord. The air around them grew still, the sickly red glow fading.
"Better," Lynne whispered. "Let's move."
They skirted the burning tower's ruined base to avoid the patrol's main route. Cedric glanced back: half the Church's men had split off toward the smoke, horns echoing through the marsh. The other half must have doubled back toward the road.
They crossed a shallow creek, the water clear again under the weakening influence of Trace Overload. On the far bank lay a narrow footpath leading into a copse of alder trees.
"He'll wake soon," Lynne said, pointing. "We can't carry him far."
Cedric nodded. He helped position the unconscious man behind a cluster of roots just large enough to conceal a body. Then, quietly, they wiped mud over his armor and discarded the Church sigil from his breastplate.
"This isn't justice," Lynne murmured. "But it's mercy. Better he wakes alive than as a martyr."
Cedric paused, hand on the man's shoulder. "When he wakes… he'll know he was used. Maybe then he can help expose the Church."
> QUEST UPDATED
Name: Expose the Usurper
Objective: Wake the False Lord; gain testimony against the Church
Reward: +50 XP; Increased Influence
They pressed on through the forest's edge, trading ghostly silence for whispered plans.
---
A Hidden Sanctuary
By dusk, they reached Whisperfall, a secluded hamlet carved into a mountain's lee. A rotting sign read, "Safe Haven for Lost Souls." Instead of the usual scorn, the villagers offered water and bread without question—an unspoken allegiance to those hunted by the Church.
Cedric counted them: fifteen souls, each marked by exile—mages, scholars, survivors of failed rites. Their eyes were wary but hopeful.
Lynne approached the old well at the center. "This place… it's protected by ancient wards keyed to outcasts."
A pale-faced elder, leaning on a gnarled staff, met her gaze. "Refuge is owed to those who stand against false faith."
Cedric stepped forward, revealing the Memory Core and the slain false lord's battered breastplate. "We bring proof of the Church's lies, and a man who can testify to their corruption."
The elder nodded gravely. "Rest here. We will tend to your wounds and guard your charge."
---
That night, Cedric and Lynne sat near a fire's embers. The System's glow pulsed faintly in their minds.
> CORRUPTED SHARD INTEGRATION: 45%
Seal Integrity: 69% → 72%
Next Sync: True Demon Lord's Awakening
Lynne passed him a cup of tea. "You're pushing too hard. Tomorrow, we wake him. But tonight, rest."
Cedric sipped, thinking of the path ahead: more fragments, more ancient vaults, and ultimately, the true Demon Lord's rise. But first, he would unmask the Church's propaganda, using the false lord's testimony to rally those still faithful to truth.
He locked eyes with Lynne. "We're unmaking their lies, one revelation at a time."
She smiled softly. "Then let tomorrow come."