The image of the Hero walking to the training ground became something that the cityfolk looked forward to. A sign of the sun rising and the day beginning in earnest.
Many began waking earlier just to glimpse his passing gallant silhouette. Even with his face covered, his golden hair and stature lit a flame of inspiration in their hearts.
He would walk on his own, sometimes with the sister trailing behind him and today he wasn't alone.
Or so it seemed from afar.
A closer look revealed that he was walking a little slower than usual, and the figure behind him didn't seem to be walking, yet it still moved along the Hero's pace.
The Hero was carrying a wrapped body on his back.
Confusion rippled through the morning crowd. Was it an ally who had fallen by his side?
Or someone the Hero himself had slain?
The Hero didn't bother explaining the situation and continued his silent stride, aloof and unbothered by their stares.
***
Tak Tak Tak
Three knocks sounded from behind Corven's office door, although his hands were currently full with an unforeseen situation he recognised the knock.
"Come in, sir Hero." Corven would like his help.
The door opened slowly and a white mask peeked from the gap, it was indeed the Hero. Corven's eyes narrowed when he noticed the bundle over his shoulder.
"What did you bring?"
"I felt dark mana emanating close to the Cathedral," Cael replied. " When I went to investigate I found this."
Lowering the body on the ground he unwrapped it, a cloaked man with his head cleanly severed was inside it.
"So you came across one as well?"
"As well?" He repeated, feigning confusion.
"Yes, multiple patrol teams recounted the same thing. This one makes a total of five cloaked men." He flipped through the papers sitting on the desk, his eyes scanning the rest of the report.
"Have they found anything?"
"Unfortunately, no. when they apprehended them they had foamed at the mouth and died before questioning." He made a troubled expression.
"That makes sense." Kneeling down beside the corpse, Cael flipped the body revealing a gash along its back.
"The moment he noticed me he turned to flee, I aimed to give him a shallow slash so I could question him." Peeling the cloak back a little, he revealed sigils carved along the man's flesh.
Lines carved so precisely as if the man's body had been used as scripture.
"That's!" Corven instantly understood.
"Yes, I disturbed the anchor with that strike and managed to get him to speak."
"We're yet to investigate the other bodies, but I had my doubts. What did you find?"
"Not much. They are kidnappers. Started with slum kids first then moved on to commoners, most likely the bottom of the barrel in the group they serve."
"Vile scum." Corven grumbled angrily.
"They were going to take the children to Rotmere." Cael straightened, rewrapping the corpse.
"Rotmere… that place should've stayed buried."
"It's the perfect hiding spot for their kind of villainy." He crossed his arms. "I suggest we act quickly. If they have ties beyond the slums the entire capital may be in danger." His voice carried calm righteousness only he could afford.
"..." Staying silent Corren fell in deep thought, "Very well. I'll issue a mission under your supervision."
"Understood," Cael said, hiding his satisfaction. "I'll do what I must."
***
Leaving Corven's office Cael was intercepted by Elyra. Her expression was gloomy most days after his outburst, but today she was especially gloomy.
"Ah– Arlen…" Her eyes looked anywhere but at him.
"Hm?"
'What happened with her?'
"...The Priestess is calling for you." She held her head down and interlocked her hands in front of her.
'Does she think I don't want to meet the priestess?'
"Haaa..." A sigh unknowingly escaped his mouth.
'She would be right.'
Her shoulders tensed at his sigh, as if she'd been expecting an angry reaction instead.
"She's waiting for you in her private quarters, like usual." She slightly bowed and excused herself.
'How did she know that I'm not too thrilled about seeing her again?' Cael was slightly confused because of her mannerisms, he thought that Arlen and the Priestess had a close relationship and that Elyra knew that.
'Is it because I didn't visit her once after last time? I guess from how that conversation ended and when Arlen who used to visit her often suddenly stopped she could see it that way…'
And Cael's reason for not visiting her even when pretending to be Arlen was because he simply didn't want to. She is the biggest risk to his identity, he got lucky last time with the "Worldwound's shadow" and if that was connected in any way to his dark affinity growing he felt that the shadow would've only gotten bigger.
His secret is safe.
'Probably…'
***
Standing in front of the big marble door Cael took a deep breath. He made sure to mimic Arlen's footsteps this time.
Holding his hand up to knock on—
"Arlen!" The door swung open before his knuckles could even touch it.
A stunning woman was the one that opened it, her face had a mix of emotion; concern, relief, happiness, sadness. Cael couldn't tell what was happening behind her closed eyes.
"Ah, I'm sorry if that startled you." Her fingers trembled as if she'd been waiting by the door for hours.
"No, you needn't worry about such a thing." He lowered his raised hand.
"Hm? You're using your left hand?" Hearing the rustle of his clothes she figured out which hand he moved.
Cael clenched his jaw, 'Too damn sharp…'
"My right hand isn't as strong or reliable as it used to be, so I'm getting used to being left handed."
Understanding what his words implied, her expression darkened and she let go of the door's handle.
Moving away from the door, she gestured with her hand to let him in.
Her room was the same modest and humble one as before, only a bit messier, the stacks of books on her desk and the papers scattered around reminded Cael of how his own house would look when he started researching something new.
Sitting down on the same stool, he looked the Priestess' way and the more he did the more stressed she seemed; her lower eyelids started to take on a purple hue and some strands of her radiant hair began a rebellious phase sticking out against the rest.
As if reading his mind Solenne tried to brush those strands down with no result.
"What did you call me here for?"
Hearing his cold tone she placed her hands on her lap and straightened.
"I… Understand that you don't need to visit me any longer now that I can't heal you… However, you haven't even come to pray."
She clutched her hands together tightly trying to hide their trembling.
"Have you… Lost your faith?" Her voice wavered.
'I didn't have any to begin with.'
"Perish the thought. I spend all my time reclaiming my power, yet I'm still far from how I was just a month ago." Trying to ease her worries he explained himself. "It would have been fine if the Worldwound was the only threat but now that we have gotten rid of all the generals and most of the Ashborn we unintentionally opened up the borders to attacks. I'm the only reason stopping them but I don't have the power to stop them."
Her face darkened even more.
"I… I want to look at your soul again." She intertwined her fingers.
'Here it comes…'
"I'm ready this time." She said in a determined voice.
Sliding the blindfold off her face, her long lashes flickered with the sunlight.
"Would you allow it?" Her face got closer to Cael's.
"...Go ahead." Surrendering his fate up to luck, he slicked his hair back.
When he blinked a pair of mirrors looked back at him. Solenne's eyes reflected his mask and all the environment around them.
Slightly narrowing them, she reached out with her hands.
"This mask is hiding you." Gently touching the cheeks of the mask she focused on her Hero.
Doing everything in his power to not pull back, Cael clenched his jaw and took a deep breath.
Finally removing it from his face, her eyes twitched and she winced as if feeling something unleash from behind the mask.
She saw the same burnt face, no improvement at all; like he was being burned till moments ago.
A spurious expression appeared on her face and her eyes opened wide.
There was nothing but darkness.
A void without horizon or breath.
The light that was her gift vanished like a dying candle.
The entire world was painted black.
The High Priestess moved her head up slowly.
It was the same shadow from before.
Infinitely bigger.
She was frozen in place.
A soundless pressure filled her ears.
The air turned cold and the clacking of her teeth echoed back to her.
Her entire body trembled.
And the silver color of her pupils dulled.
A crimson eye fell on her.
"Wake up!" Cael put his mask back on and forced her eyes shut with his gloved hand.
Her trembling started to subside, but no words left her mouth.
***
Cael sat on Arlen's bed again.
'I guess I was right…' Opening and closing his fist he recalled what happened to the Priestess.
After he forced her eyes shut, she didn't say a word. Not knowing what to do Cael waited for her to speak but with each passing moment his uneasiness increased and after an excruciatingly long hour he left calling Elyra to take care of her.
From her reaction he could deduce that the curse has become much more potent, yet he felt no different.
And it did not matter to him if the only person affected by it was the Priestess.
'This time she might actually back off…'
Letting out a sigh, his eyes wandered towards the desk where a folded letter rested.
"What now…" Muttering under his breath he got up to inspect it.
The wax bore the emblem of the Sun and the Sword, the royal family's seal.