Chapter 14 – Shadows of an Ally
The fog was thick with the stench of smoke and steel. Lucian's arms ached from the relentless flurry, and Kaelen's breath came in ragged bursts beside him. Yet the Seraphic Blades pressed forward, tireless, their masked visages betraying no strain, no doubt—only divine certainty.
Then came the arrow.
It had struck true, forcing one Blade to stagger back, their flaming sword sputtering for the briefest of moments. The other two fanned out, their focus sharpening, but Lucian seized the instant. He lunged, his blade slicing across the weakened assassin's arm. Though the wound barely slowed the creature, the momentary falter gave Kaelen space to retreat and reset.
"Another hunter in the fog," Kaelen hissed, eyes darting to the rooftops. "Friend or foe?"
Lucian didn't answer. The stranger's shot had been precise, intentional. Not meant to kill—yet not meant to miss. A warning. An invitation.
The Blades seemed to sense it as well. Their formation shifted, defensive now, as though wary of the unseen bow. One of them called into the mist, voice resonant, unnatural.
"Who dares interfere with holy judgment?"
No answer came. Only silence, and the faint creak of bowstring drawing taut again.
The standoff broke when the wounded Blade slammed a palm against the cobblestones, igniting a wave of white fire that burned the fog away. The alley glowed like day, shadows scattering. Lucian shielded his eyes, Kaelen cursed—but by the time their vision cleared, the Seraphic Blades were gone.
Smoke lingered where they had stood, and on the ground, a feather of silver light shimmered, fading as quickly as breath in winter.
"They'll be back," Kaelen muttered. "Next time with more."
Lucian slid his sword into its sheath, his heartbeat still hammering in his chest. "Then we'd better be ready." He turned toward the rooftop where the archer had stood. "And find out who else is playing this game."
As if summoned by his words, a shadow moved above. A cloaked figure dropped soundlessly into the alley, bow still in hand, face obscured beneath a hood.
"You fight well," the figure said, voice low and steady—feminine. "But against the Blades, skill is not enough. You'll need allies… or you'll die."
Lucian met her unseen gaze, his jaw tight. "Then speak your name, if you mean to stand with us."
The hood shifted, just enough for the faintest smirk.
"Selene," she said. "And whether you live or die will depend on how fast you can learn the truth."