Chapter 456 - Bead of Red

This was a fun one to write Light flashed. Stone cracked. The narrow corridor exploded into chaos. The red light shining from Hump’s staff

This was a fun one to write Light flashed. Stone cracked. The narrow corridor exploded into chaos. The red light shining from Hump’s staff

This was a fun one to write

Light flashed. Stone cracked. The narrow corridor exploded into chaos.

The red light shining from Hump’s staff quickly turned blue as he called upon his essence. His mind snapped into Accelerated Thought. Time slowed for him. Spells and blessings surged from both friends and foes, so bright and sudden in the small space that Hump could barely process them.

Through the confusion, his eyes locked onto a shimmering blade hurling straight for him. Hump twisted, swinging his staff, Parry Shield flashing and deflecting the dagger, sending it spinning off into the stone with a metallic clang.

There was movement to his left—Celaine. Her blades flashed as she blocked an attack, already engaged with an opponent. Someone screamed, but Hump left the left flank to her.

When the first round of attacks ended, two of Daston’s men were down—one pierced by a dagger, the other groaning from a blast of magic. Dylan slammed into a wall, grunting, but the ghostly form of the Aspect of the Bear that burst forth around him, bellowing a furious roar that echoed through the hall, told Hump he was alright. On the other side, four of Kassius’ men were already down, but more rushed in from farther down, shouting as they tried to coordinate.

Then came the fire.

Scarlet light flared behind where Kassius and the others had emerged, blazing off the white walls. Flickering. Writhing. Powerful.

“Move!” one of the warlocks bellowed, forcing his allies to the wall.

“No!” Kassius shrieked, cowering to the ground.

“Down!” Bud roared, dragging him clear by the collar and pinning him to the ground. They needed him alive.

Hump didn’t think. He thrust his staff forward, heart racing. In tight quarters like this, his role shifted. He couldn’t be an effective offensive combatant. It was too narrow with too many allies close together. Even his accurate spells ran a risk of friendly fire. Others were better at defence, so instead, he would do his best to be disruptive. His Soul Manifestation gave him a way to stop the warlocks that none of the Chosen here possessed.

And he used it now.

Violet light surged from him as he let his soul loose and brought down the weight of his intent. The first test of his newly achieved Rank 6 strength against actual enemies. There was a storm of power. The very air crackled.

And he called the fire to him, and immediately, he recognised this was no ordinary fire.

He recognised this intent—that frenzied, desperate hunger. The need to consume.

Hellfire.

How was that possible?

He didn’t think twice. He’d done this before, and he’d do it again.

Hump smiled, already sculpting it to his will with the Wielder of the Winds technique. He brought out his spellbook, the pages whirling open to the rune of fire, and Hump pushed his essence through it as he reached for the flames.

They fought him as he dominated their will, but this flame was nothing compared to the strength of Karlac’s. It lacked the strength to resist him. Hump took aim at the caster. All he had to do was give it a new target. An easy feast.

But that won’t do, Hump realised. The smoke and desperate flames were too risky. He couldn’t unleash that here, not on their own territory.

Instead, he squashed the flames with his mind. They swirled around him in a storm, but the blaze quietened, siphoned off into his staff where the flames surged in the focus. And then, bit by bit, he squashed them out until nothing remained but essence.

And he turned that essence into a Focused Beam launched straight back at the caster. They tried to block with a spell, but it shattered, the beam striking them straight through the stomach. Blood splattered the walls, but the man didn’t fall.

A scream tore through the corridor—high and inhuman. His face peeled back. His bones pressed to the surface of his skin. Claws stretched from its fingers, and eyes glowed yellow in its skull.

“Demons!” Hump shouted. “There are demons amongst them!”

Bud’s sword flashed, carving into a warlock’s thigh. The man shrieked and crumpled. Emilia parried twice, ducked a blow and lunged, stabbing deep into a woman’s thigh only for her to surge forward anyway, maddened and snarling. Dylan caught the assailant with a sweep of his staff, knocking him back.

Count Daston strode amongst them, unconcerned by the powers around him. His fists shone with silver blessings, the power of Avaroth granting him strength and protection. He didn’t even need the strength Hump had witnessed from him in the past, he simply smashed his way through the enemies one by one, striking aside their attacks with a sweep of his muscled arms.

Hump ducked a spell that made it past the count. Celaine loosed an arrow at the demon, taking it through the neck. It fell, clutching at the wound before falling still.

Spells collided. Steel Rang. Screams echoed.

And then, almost as quickly as it began, it was over.

The stench of blood and rot was thick in the hall. There was some smoke, but not much. Seven lay dead or dying, the floor running slick with their blood. Kassius was still on the ground in the middle of it all, curled on his side, shielding his head with his arms. His breath came in shallow gasps, his whole body trembling.

Hump stared down at the prince he had once respected. The prince he had seen a future serving. Now… he was a shadow of that man. Whatever had happened to him following Bledsbury Dungeon, it had changed him. The façade from before was gone, and what was left was a cowering and terror.

Count Daston stepped up to the man, brushing off a mark on his cloak.

“Prince Kassius,” he said, voice like granite. “Might I ask what, precisely, you are doing down here in such company?”

Kassius dragged himself upright, swaying slightly as he looked around at the bodies strewn across the corridor. His composure returned in flickers, like a candle struggling against the wind.

“I understand, Count,” he said with a shallow nod, as if acknowledging a game lost.

Daston narrowed his eyes. “Have you found the seal?”

Kassius turned his gaze on the count, the twitch in his jaw betraying his restraint. “I said I would come with you. I didn’t say I would speak.” His tone hardened, defiant. “You cannot comprehend what’s coming. The gods you cling to are hollow. Their thrones will crumble. We will remake this world.”

“Bind him,” Count Daston said.

Dylan manifested some of his vines for the task, tying his wrists together behind his back.

They moved together through the winding tunnels back toward the main chamber. As they stepped into the vault antechamber once more, the other search parties filtered in from the corridors, forming a loose circle around Kassius. All eyes turned toward the disgraced prince.

Then, without warning, Kassius staggered and collapsed to his knees with a strangled gasp. His arms, still bound in glowing essence vines, jerked as he fumbled for his pocket, but the vines restricted him too much.

“Please…” he rasped, eyes wide and unfocused. “I need it. I need my medicine.”

Daston tilted his head slightly. “Medicine? For what, exactly?”

Even as he spoke, Hump’s eyes caught Kassius’ skin beginning to split. Thin cracks opened along his cheeks, revealing blistered flesh beneath, angry and red. The burns went deeper than anyone had realised.

“Please…” Kassius begged, his voice cracking. “My front pocket.”

Count Daston moved to investigate but Wizard Aldric held up a hand for him to stop.

“Have you found the seal yet?” Aldric asked.

“Please!” Kassius shrieked, pain overcoming pride.

“You can beg all you like,” Aldric said coldly. “But you will talk.”

“I found it!” Kassius screamed. “But I can’t get inside! It’s protected.”

“Where?” Aldric demanded.

“The tunnel where you found me,” Kassius said through clenched teeth. “At the bottom.”

Daston and Aldric exchanged a glance—grim, silent.

“Take your party and confirm it, Karlun,” Aldric said. “Make sure nobody else is lurking down there.”

“Yes, Count,” the man said, his party already moving with him. They were fast and Chosen from the look of them.

It was only minutes before they returned.

“The tunnels are empty,” Karlun said. “What he said is true though. I saw no way in.”

Count Daston gave a nod. “We’ll return to the seal soon. First priority is getting Prince Gregory to safety. And getting Kassius locked away.”

“My medicine…” Kassius choked out. “Please.”

Aldric moved quickly, rummaging through the prince’s coat. He produced a small vial of shimmering green fluid and uncorked it. Kassius drank greedily the moment it touched his lips.

The change was immediate. Colour flushed back into his face. The cracks in his skin seemed to stop spreading. His breathing eased, though he still trembled from whatever pain lingered beneath the surface.

Together, the group made their way back through the vault to where Prince Gregory waited. He stood just beyond the sealed chamber doors, flanked by guards. His eyes narrowed as he saw Kassius dragged in shackled and weakened.

“We found him,” Count Daston said. “He’s confirmed the seal’s location. We’ll return to it soon, once we secure him.”

Prince Gregory gave a nod. “Good work everyone. Kassius… I was truly hoping I was wrong about you.”

“Don’t give me that,” Kassius scowled. “I don’t need your pity. This is far from over.”

Daston gave the order to reseal the vault. Guards moved into position, and heavy wards were reactivated to close it tight. Then the group made their way up into the courtyard of the Keep.

As they emerged into open air, Hump felt Nisha’s presence overhead.

Her essence flickered against his senses like a beacon. She circled above, wings cutting through the sky in wide sweeps, watching.

She wanted to come down, to be at his side.

“Not yet,” Hump told her through their bond. “Too many eyes. Too many risks.”

He caught the glimmer of her irritation and worry, but she obeyed, banking higher and out of sight.

“We will stop this, Cousin,” Prince Gregory said once they were back in the sun, cheer in his voice. “You are captured. The Seal of Elenvine is safe. Your allies have failed.”

Kassius laughed—a wet, bitter sound that cracked into a wheeze. “I already showed them everything. They know the way. You can’t stop it now. Not even I could.”

A pulse of red light beneath Kassius’ shirt caught Hump’s eye. It throbbed, slow and steady, strangely bright. As he approached his staff began to glow in resonance, its crystal pulsing to the same rhythm. Alarm rose in Hump’s chest, and he rushed forward, yanking down the prince’s collar.

There it was. A bead of crimson light embedded in Kassius’ chest, growing brighter by the moment.

“What is the meaning of this, Hump?” Prince Gregory asked.

“Look at this,” Hump said. “That’s the glow of a Tree of Damnation.”

“Oh, Cousin…” Prince Gregory whispered, his voice heavy with sorrow. “What did they do to you?”

Kassius’ mouth curled into a wide grin, skin peeling back around the edges like parchment curling in fire. He didn’t even flinch at the pain now. He seemed not to notice it at all.

“The world is broken,” he said, voice feverish. “And we will restore it.” His arms raised high above his head. “Come to me, brothers and sisters! Come!”

The light from the bead flared. His skin reddened. Veins bulged black beneath the surface.

Kassius’ expression twisted. His hands dropped, clutching his chest. “What are you doing?” he gasped. “No… No! Stop it!”

The bead bulged outward, breaking the skin, and Kassius let out an agonised groan. Blood pooled around it. His voice grew desperate, panicked. “Please, my lord. I did everything! You promised me!”

“What’s happening to him?” Count Daston asked.

“An external spell is acting on him,” Wizard Aldric said. “It stems from that bead, but I cannot sense the source.” He approached and levelled his cane at it, muttering a spell. A moment later, a red wave sent Aldric flying back. He landed hard on the ground and groaned.

Hump went to help him to his feet, the man fumbling for his silver flask and taking a swig.

“This isn’t good, Ben,” Aldric said to the count.

Hump’s gaze darted between his staff—the Staff of Damnation—and the man convulsing before him. The staff’s focus crystal blazed. It wasn’t reacting to Kassius, it was reacting to the bead and the immense power radiating from it.

Hump shielded his face with his free arm as essence blasted him. He didn’t step back, anchoring himself in place with his staff. The wind roared just as Kassius howled in agony, his scream tearing through the courtyard. His body convulsed but he didn’t fall—he couldn’t fall. Skin split opened. Blood sprayed. It oozed from across his body. Flowed from his mouth and the cracks in his skin. His eyes bulged, reddened and agonised. Bones cracked and snapped apart beneath his skin. From his back erupted his spine and jagged ribs, stretching skyward. Blood, flesh, and sinew rose with them, fusing into a grotesque spire.

Hump stared on in horror.

Count Daston rushed forward, pounding at the barrier around the man but unable to break through. Even he was pressed back by the sheer amount of energy.

Kassius raised a frail hand toward Count Daston. “Help me…” His voice was so weak. “Help—”

A stifled scream cut him off. He fell to his knees. His hands and feet exploded, flesh and bone bursting outward in a fountain of gore. From the ruins sprouted writhing tendrils, slick and pulsing, lashing across the ground in search of purchase.

The bead rose with the pillar from his back, now embedded within the heart of the mass and larger than before. It grew taller. Wider. Bones knitted and hardened. Flesh thickened. The tendrils anchored into the stone floor, digging like roots. Bark spread like skin, thick and dark, swallowing flesh and bone alike.

A Tree of Damnation towered before them.

Kassius’ head remained near the base, his jaw unhinged, the most raw and agonised scream erupting from his mouth until they became gurgles. His eyes flickered from left to right, and Hump knew he was still in there, somehow alive through all this.

Then, from beneath the bead, the trunk began to split, giving way to a black rift. Dark and jagged, like a wound in reality.

Beyond, Hump saw a legion of demons.