PLOC!
A drop struck the stone.
The sound echoed through the corridor.
A few steps ahead...
Another detached itself from the ceiling.
PLOC!
Oryn walked among the torches.
His hands remained clasped behind his back.
The spaced-out flames cast his shadow against the damp walls as his footsteps crossed the underground corridor.
TOC...
TOC...
Water trickled between the stones.
Ran down through the joints.
Gathered in the small irregularities of the floor.
Oryn passed beneath a low arch.
Two inscriptions had been carved into its sides.
Golden.
Almost erased by time.
Farther ahead...
There were others.
Oryn continued.
TOC...
A white strip crossed part of the wall to his right.
Golden symbols ran across the fabric.
A few meters later...
Another.
Then a third.
The corridor narrowed.
The stones became larger.
Darker.
Thick iron fittings emerged between them.
Penetrating deep into the walls.
Oryn passed the first.
A thick chain disappeared into the stone.
A few steps ahead...
Another.
Then another.
All followed the same direction.
None was attached to anything that could be seen from there.
CLINK...
The sound came through the stone.
Oryn kept walking.
TOC...
TOC...
The water continued dripping.
PLOC!
Ahead...
The flames of the torches began to move.
There was no wind.
Still...
One of them tilted.
The next shrank against its holder.
Oryn discreetly raised his eyes.
He continued.
TOC...
He passed through another arch.
This time...
There were not merely two inscriptions.
Dozens covered the stone.
Golden runes descended along the sides.
White strips wrapped around the columns.
Seals had been fixed between the joints.
Some intact.
Others darkened at the edges.
Oryn crossed the arch.
The air changed.
Became heavy.
Dense.
With every breath...
It seemed to remain inside his lungs for an instant longer.
Oryn did not alter his pace.
PLOC!
The drop fell behind him.
The sound seemed smaller.
TOC...
His footsteps as well.
The silence ahead seemed to swallow part of the corridor's noises.
CLINK...
Oryn did not stop.
His eyes remained fixed on the darkness.
FSSHH...
The nearest torch crackled.
CLINK...
Metal scraped against stone.
Slowly.
CLINK...
CLINK...
The farther he advanced...
The more chains appeared.
Some crossed through the walls.
Others disappeared through small openings in the ceiling.
All converged toward the end of the corridor.
Oryn passed another row of seals.
His sleeve brushed against one of the white strips.
The golden inscription upon it glowed for an instant.
Then...
CLAAAAANK!
All the chains went taut.
The impact traveled through the walls.
The torches trembled.
FWOOM!
Dust fell from the ceiling.
A laugh crossed the corridor.
"Hm..."
Low.
Distant.
CLINK...
A chain dragged again.
"Hmhm..."
The laughter grew.
"Hahahaha..."
CLANK!
"Hahahahahaha!"
CLAAAAANK!
Another pull.
Stronger.
The laughter died suddenly.
Silence.
Not even the water fell.
Oryn continued.
At the end of the corridor...
The stone gave way to a single door.
Tall.
Thick.
Built from dark metal.
There was no handle.
No exposed hinges.
White strips crossed its surface in different directions.
Vertically.
Horizontally.
Overlapping.
Golden symbols covered each one.
And the inscriptions did not end at the door.
They continued along the frame.
Climbed up the walls.
Crossed the ceiling.
Descended to the floor.
There...
They formed concentric circles around the entrance.
Oryn stepped between them.
The pressure in the air became greater.
His robe settled against his body.
The flame of the last torch compressed in on itself.
Oryn stopped before the door.
CLINK...
A chain moved on the other side.
He remained motionless.
CLINK...
Another.
Then...
A short laugh.
Almost muffled.
Oryn brought his hand to a small rectangular plate in the center of the door.
CLICK.
His fingers touched the lock.
SCRRREEE...
He pushed.
A small opening appeared.
Oryn brought his face closer.
For a few moments...
Nothing moved inside.
The little light from the corridor passed through the opening.
Reached the black stone floor.
A circle of golden inscriptions occupied much of the chamber.
Another had been engraved within it.
And another.
Layer after layer.
At the center...
A chain.
Thick.
Taut.
Oryn's gaze followed the metal.
Another chain crossed that one.
Then another.
They all converged on the same figure.
Kneeling.
Its head remained lowered.
White strips wrapped around almost its entire body.
They descended from the shoulders.
Crossed the torso.
Pinned its arms against its own body.
Layer after layer...
Like a straitjacket built entirely from seals.
Golden symbols covered the fabric.
Hundreds of them.
Overlapping in some places.
Reinforced in others.
The strips climbed up the neck.
Covered the face.
Only the nose and mouth remained uncovered.
A thick metal ring encircled its neck.
From it...
Three chains extended toward different points in the chamber.
Others crossed its torso.
Two more disappeared around the ankles.
Oryn watched.
CLINK.
The head rose.
The figure's mouth began to open.
Slowly.
First...
A smile.
Then the jaw descended farther.
And farther.
Far beyond what should have been possible.
Rows of irregular fangs emerged one after another.
Between them...
A long, thick tongue slid out.
It slowly snaked along the corner of the mouth.
As if tasting the air.
CLINK...
The head tilted to the side.
"Hmhm..."
Oryn closed the opening.
CLACK!
His hand descended.
One lock was released.
Then another.
CLANK!
CLANK!
The golden inscriptions on the door lit up.
One after another.
Oryn waited.
The glow disappeared.
Then he pushed.
GRRRRRRRR...
The metal moved slowly.
Oryn entered.
For a few seconds...
PLOC!
Only the distant sound of water reached the interior.
His footsteps ceased before the figure.
The tongue was still snaking between the fangs.
"Oryn..."
The voice came out light.
Almost cheerful.
The head tilted a little farther.
"You're late."
A small laugh escaped between the fangs.
"I was starting to think you didn't want to play with me anymore."
Oryn remained before him.
His hands calmly returned behind his back.
"Waiting was the only freedom you had left."
The tongue slid over one of the fangs.
For an instant...
The smile seemed to widen.
"Of course."
CLINK...
The torso advanced a few centimeters.
The chains tightened.
The figure did not retreat.
It remained at that distance.
"You always come back."
Oryn did not answer.
For a few moments...
The two remained in silence.
The figure's smile widened by a few millimeters.
"Hm..."
The tongue withdrew between the fangs.
"Today you came in different..."
Oryn remained motionless.
Not a single muscle in his face moved.
"How strange..."
The voice became almost a whisper.
The figure brought its face as close as the chains allowed.
CLINK...
It inhaled calmly.
As if sensing the smell of the air.
An even wider smile appeared.
"You smell like fear."
Oryn did not answer.
For a few moments...
He simply held that smiling mouth before him.
Then a nearly imperceptible smile touched his lips.
"All these years imprisoned..."
His eyes traveled over the strips covering the figure's face.
"And apparently they weren't enough to dull your senses."
The tongue emerged again between the fangs.
"Hmhm..."
Oryn discreetly tilted his head.
"I must admit, Ravana..."
He paused briefly.
"I expected to find at least one thing in you that had managed to deteriorate."
"Hahah..."
The laughter grew.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
CLANK!
Ravana's body shook.
The chains trembled.
CLANK!
CLANK!
The links struck the stone.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
The golden inscriptions beneath his knees glowed.
One of the strips trembled against his chest.
CLAAAAANK!
Oryn did not move.
He only watched.
The laughter continued for a few more moments.
Until it diminished.
"Hahaha..."
"Ahh..."
Ravana let his head hang to the side.
The smile still occupied his mouth.
"That's why I like you, Oryn."
The tongue slowly passed between the fangs.
"The others felt fear and started lying to me."
A small laugh escaped.
"You feel fear..."
The head tilted a little farther.
"...and you try to make it still look like part of your plan."
Oryn did not look away.
Ravana's smile remained.
His tongue stopped.
His nose moved discreetly.
Once.
Again.
"Hm..."
He inhaled slowly.
"You've been with Gideon."
Oryn remained motionless.
Ravana inhaled again.
A small laugh escaped between the fangs.
"How curious..."
The tongue slid along the corner of his mouth.
"You still carry the same scent."
For an instant...
Oryn's gaze wavered.
"Hmhm..."
Ravana sensed the hesitation before a single word was even born.
"Don't make that face."
His voice came out almost amused.
"Some men change names. Others, faces."
The smile widened.
"The scent tends to be more honest."
Oryn did not answer.
Ravana waited.
One second.
Two.
"What did you come here to do?"
The head tilted to the other side.
"Hm..."
CLINK...
The chains moved a few centimeters.
"No..."
A small laugh escaped.
"Let me guess."
"Today you didn't come to play with me."
Oryn remained silent.
His eyes narrowed discreetly.
Ravana felt that small change.
The smile remained between the fangs.
Meanwhile...
Outside the walls of Arkhel...
The sun had already risen into the sky.
The light now fell hard upon the fortified passage.
Where dust had once covered much of the terrain...
The light now revealed what the clashes had left behind.
Craters occupied entire stretches of the passage.
Cracks crossed the stone in different directions.
Blocks torn from the fortifications remained scattered among the debris.
In different places...
Enormous stakes of ice rose from the terrain.
Some pierced through the stone.
Others had shattered under impacts, leaving translucent fragments scattered around them.
Among them...
Small golden points still floated in the air.
Fragments of blades of light.
Slowly losing their shape.
Dissolving beneath the light of day.
In another part of the passage...
Long grooves cut across the stone.
Some ended in deep craters.
Others disappeared beneath mounds of rubble.
Impact marks reached even the base of the walls.
And above all of it...
On the Second Wall...
The sentinels remained silent.
Some watched the craters below.
Others kept their eyes on the figures still moving among the wreckage.
Number Two remained motionless.
Her gaze traveled across the passage.
First...
The craters.
Then the grooves cutting across the stone.
The enormous ice formations.
Finally...
The golden fragments still dissolving in the air.
Her eyes remained there for a few moments.
"That's their level..."
Alina turned her eyes toward her.
Number Two kept her eyes on the passage.
Below...
CRACK!
One of the ice stakes broke apart.
Golden light passed through its interior.
BOOOOM!
The stake exploded.
Fragments of ice crossed the passage.
Selvaria emerged among them.
Three Alarics advanced toward her.
One from the front.
Two from the sides.
She did not retreat.
She advanced against the one on the left.
Alaric raised his sword.
Selvaria waited for the beginning of the cut.
Then stepped out of the line.
A single step.
Her body passed alongside the armed arm.
The Claymore rose in the same movement.
SHHK!
Alaric was opened from hip to chest.
He dissolved into particles.
Selvaria continued advancing.
The other two had to change direction to follow her.
For an instant...
They stood one behind the other.
Selvaria pivoted on her forward foot.
Her sword described a short arc.
CRACK!
The ice followed the movement across the ground.
A crystalline blade broke through the stone.
The first was struck.
Exploded into light.
The second crossed through the particles.
Selvaria was already expecting him.
CLANG!
The swords met.
This time...
The impact remained.
Ice began to travel along her blade.
Alaric broke contact.
He did not retreat.
He shifted to the outside of Selvaria's sword and advanced alongside the withdrawal of his own weapon.
His shoulder entered first.
Selvaria lost ground.
One step.
Alaric twisted his wrist.
The sword returned from the side.
Selvaria tilted her torso.
SHHK!
The blade passed before her face.
She answered even during the evasion.
The tip of her sword advanced toward Alaric's ribs.
He lowered his elbow.
CLANG!
The forte of his blade knocked the tip downward.
Selvaria allowed it.
The sword touched the stone.
CRACK!
Ice exploded from the point of contact.
Alaric saw the formation rising toward his leg.
Light condensed beneath his foot.
FWOOSH!
He disappeared.
The stake pierced only the glow left behind.
Selvaria raised her eyes.
Alaric was already above her.
The sword descended.
Selvaria did not try to move away.
Her foot pivoted upon the stone.
The sword rose.
And a layer of ice grew across the back of the blade.
CLAAAAANG!
The impact cracked the ice.
Selvaria's arm yielded a few centimeters.
But Alaric's sword stopped.
Their eyes met.
Selvaria twisted her wrist.
The broken ice detached from the blade.
Alaric saw the fragments coming toward his face.
He released the pressure.
Pulled his head back.
Selvaria broke through underneath.
Her sword came with her.
SHHK!
Alaric disappeared in a golden trail.
The edge cut through empty air.
Selvaria completed the turn.
Stopped sideways.
A few meters ahead...
The light took form again.
Alaric touched the ground.
Selvaria calmly straightened her blade.
Fragments of ice fell from its edge.
CRACK...
Neither advanced immediately.
Selvaria watched for a moment as the last golden fragments dissolved in the air.
Then...
Her eyes returned to Alaric.
"I'm not Kaizer."
Her voice remained serene.
"How long do you intend to keep playing this game?"
Alaric did not answer immediately.
The golden sword rested beside his body.
"Until the Eso you have left runs out."
Selvaria remained silent.
For an instant...
A brief laugh left her lips.
"Be careful, Alaric."
The Claymore rose slowly.
Her ice-blue eyes remained upon him.
"The sun will not remain in the sky forever."
FWOOSH!
Selvaria disappeared.
Alaric's eyes moved.
Behind him...
The Claymore was already coming for his neck.
Alaric turned.
CLAAAAANG!
The golden sword intercepted the cut.
The impact sent fragments of ice between them.
Alaric knocked the Claymore outward.
Selvaria followed her own movement.
She pivoted on her forward foot.
The blade returned from the opposite direction.
Alaric leaned his torso back.
SHHK!
The edge passed before his chest.
Selvaria advanced with it.
She gave him no distance.
Alaric parried the next strike.
CLANG!
"I had forgotten..."
Selvaria broke contact.
The Claymore advanced again.
CLANG!
"...how you manage to remain faithful to your promises."
Alaric yielded half a step.
The tip passed before his throat.
SHHK!
His eyes followed the blade to the end of the cut.
"Even after all these years."
Selvaria did not withdraw the Claymore.
She used the end of the cut.
Twisted her hips.
The blade returned before Alaric could recover his stance.
"I should have thought of that..."
FSSHH!
The edge passed through his torso.
Alaric's body dissolved into golden particles at the instant of contact.
The glow passed through Selvaria.
She followed the movement from the corner of her eyes.
Behind her...
The particles converged again.
Alaric regained his form.
Selvaria turned only her face.
"...before touching Laziel."