The tunnel leading into General Kassius's fortress was dark and narrow, the walls damp and slick with age. Pyris moved silently, his every step deliberate. Behind him, Mira followed, her presence barely a whisper in the void, blending effortlessly with the shadows.
The air was thick with the ancient-like magic that protected the fortress, and Pyris knew that any misstep would alert the entire estate yet he seed casual as he was a master when it ca to such things.
Magic traps and wards? His company made them, unless it was sothing purely magic and with no technology, sothing only witches perfected in!
Reaching into his cloak, Pyris pulled out a small, shimring crystal, its surface dark and swirling with unknown energy—the Void Matter. Pyris had designed it himself, an artifact capable of absorbing mana present in anything and deflecting energy, perfect for bypassing the complex magical defenses of the fortress.
He channeled his void elent into the crystal for perfwct results although purely his mana was enough.
Watching as it lit up with a dull glow, responding to his energy, carefully, he placed the Void Matter on the first magical seal etched into the ground. The seal was designed to trigger alarms throughout the estate, but with the Void Matter absorbing its energy, the seal flickered and went dormant.
"First one down," Pyris muttered under his breath, moving forward without hesitation.
For the next several minutes, Pyris and Mira advanced through the tunnels in perfect silence. Both wore shoes made from Void Matter, which allowed them to walk undetected by the magical sensors spread throughout the castle.
With their shared void elent, it was like they moved outside the realm of the physical world, their presence invisible to the alarms that would have otherwise revealed their intrusion.
As the CEO of the company that created such technologies, Pyris knew the ins and outs of magical sensors like the back of his hand. He ca prepared, and in the quiet darkness of the tunnel, the intricate defenses of the fortress were little more than minor obstacles.
The general wasn't aware what was coming his way!
Eventually, they reached the entrance to the castle's interior, the sound of cursed warriors moving through the halls faintly reaching their ears. Pyris and Mira pressed against the wall, their breaths shallow as they waited for an opportunity.
The cursed warriors, their glowing blue eyes scanning the darkness, marched with chanical precision.
"They're everywhere," Mira whispered, her voice so low it was barely audible. "We'll need to move fast."
Pyris gave a small nod. They couldn't afford to be seen by the cursed warriors. These were once n, but now, they were corrupted shells, controlled by the arcane gauntlet Kassius wore, mindless soldiers that would hunt down any intruder.
For what felt like an eternity, the pair waited, concealed in the shadows, as the cursed warriors continued their patrol. There was no opening—no mont to slip past unnoticed.
Suddenly, the silence was shattered.
BOOM!
The ground shook violently as the deafening explosion echoed through the halls. Dust fell from the ceiling, and the walls seed to tremble with the force of the blast. Pyris's head snapped toward the sound, his instincts kicking in.
Sothing had gone wrong—or perhaps, sothing had gone right.
The cursed warriors reacted instantly, their stiff bodies jerking toward the source of the sound. Without hesitation, they rushed toward the gates, leaving the hallways sparsely guarded.
"Looks like our distraction worked," Pyris whispered, his dark eyes gleaming.
Mira grinned. "Lucky break."
With the cursed warriors gone, only three guards remained in the corridor. Pyris's gaze sharpened, his body tensing with anticipation. These n were not cursed—they were living, breathing soldiers, but that didn't an they were any less dangerous.
With a flick of his wrist, Pyris summoned two dark daggers, their edges coated with death energy that crackled faintly in the air.
He moved swiftly, his form a blur as he closed the distance between him and the first guard. Before the man could even react, Pyris plunged the dagger into his throat, twisting it with deadly precision. The man gurgled, his eyes wide with shock, but he was dead before he hit the ground.
Pyris didn't stop. His body moved with lethal grace, slipping into the shadows as the second guard turned toward him, confused by the sudden silence. Pyris erged from the darkness behind him, his dagger slicing across the man's neck in a clean, silent arc. The guard dropped without a sound.
The third guard, realizing what had happened, barely had ti to draw his weapon before Pyris materialized from the shadows, his dark energy surging as he thrust the dagger into the guard's chest. The man gasped, his eyes rolling back as death overtook him.
"The floor's clean," Pyris said quietly, wiping the blood from his daggers with a cloth. He glanced at Mira, who watched with an approving smirk. He didn't bother with their essense as it was tainted to the core by the curse of the gauntlet.
"Killing three Rank 14 guards in a matter of breaths," she said, her voice teasing. "And you're still only Rank 13. You never disappoint , Young Lord."
Pyris allowed himself a small smile. "You flatter too much, Mira." He knew he had to stay focused, though the praise ward him. He tucked it away in his mind, careful not to let his ego swell.
This mission was far from over.
With swift precision, they moved the bodies into a corner, hiding them from view. Pyris didn't want to leave a trail for the cursed warriors to find once they returned. They had to remain undetected for as long as possible.
_____
After a series of sharp turns and narrow hallways, Pyris and Mira found themselves on the top floor of the castle. The grandeur of the space was imdiately apparent. The stone walls gave way to marble flooring, polished and gleaming in the dim light.
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Tapestries hung from the walls, depicting ancient battles and the rise of the Midnight Dominion.
This floor was lavishly decorated, a stark contrast to the utilitarian design of the lower levels. Golden sconces lined the hallways, casting a soft, eerie glow that highlighted the intricate carvings along the walls. It was clear—this was the heart of General Kassius's domain.
But the real threat stood at the entrance to the bedchamber.
Two robust cursed warriors stood imposingly by the door, their glowing blue eyes locked on the hallway in front of them. Their armor was thick, black as night, and pulsating with dark energy.
Pyris's breath caught as he analyzed them. 'Status,' he commanded in his mind, and Lia, his internal system, responded instantly.
[Cursed Warrior!] Rank: Rank 15
Pyris pulled back slightly, his eyes narrowing.
These warriors exuded death energy, the power radiating from them far more intense than any he had encountered so far.
Rank 15—it would be nearly impossible to take them down without alerting the entire estate, or worse, Kassius himself.
[Are you going to use it?] Lia asked in his mind.
Pyris shook his head. 'Not yet,' he thought. 'I'll need 'that' when I face Kassius. Using it now would be suicide.'
He glanced at Mira, who caught his eye and gave a subtle shake of her head. She had already said she wouldn't intervene unless he was in a life-threatening situation, and he respected that.
This was his mission, and he had to handle it.
'I need a plan,' Pyris thought, his mind racing. The cursed warriors weren't invincible, but attacking them head-on would alert every guard in the estate.
Suddenly, an idea sparked.
With a quick flick of his wrist, Pyris sent a small lightning bolt streaking toward a nearby window. The bolt struck the window fra with a loud crack, leaving a scorched mark on the stone. The cursed warriors jerked in response, their minds tethered to the arcane signals of Kassius's gauntlet.
They rushed toward the window, convinced that the intruders had reached this far.
Mira snorted softly. "Brainless," she muttered, watching the warriors with disdain. "Just like I thought."
Pyris smirked. "Easy enough."
As the warriors inspected the scorched window, Pyris blended into the shadows once again, his form slipping into the dark like smoke. He moved quickly, leaving only faint afterimages of his movents, using both his dark elent and superspeed to reach the grand bedroom.
The door creaked open slightly as Pyris stepped inside, and the sight that greeted him made him pause.
On the massive, grand bed, draped in black silk sheets, lay a woman.
Her body was sprawled out in a languid pose, dressed in little more than black lace lingerie. Her figure was striking, every curve accentuated by the dim light. She slept soundly, as if the chaos outside held no aning to her.
Pyris's breath caught in his throat. This… this was not what he had expected.
[Is this the general?] Lia asked in confusion.
'Status!' Pyris commanded silently, his mind reeling as he awaited the answer.
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