Aengus noticed guards in white patrolling the city walls vigilantly. Even at night, their security was top-notch, with S-Rank warriors among them.
"Lord, how are we going to enter?" Lyra asked worriedly, hiding behind a bush.
Aengus unfolded his dragon wings, their sheer majesty leaving Lyra speechless.
"Don't move," he instructed gently.
He picked her up carefully and soared into the sky, activating his Chaos Isolation Barrier to conceal their presence. Using his mastery of space laws, he effortlessly bypassed the protective barriers around the city.
Under the little girl's incredulous gaze, they landed silently on the rooftop of a civilian house, their descent as smooth as a feather.
"Little girl, where is your mother being held?" Aengus asked while scanning the area below with his All-Seeing Eyes.
Aengus surveyed the Holy Capital City from the rooftop, his sharp eyes scanning every inch of the area below. The faint glow of divine runes etched across the city walls shimred in the night, marking the stronghold as a fortress of sacred power.
Lyra clung to his arm, still trembling from the surreal experience of flying through the air. Her wide eyes stared at his majestic dragon wings before she managed to stamr, "M-My mother... I think she's being held in the dungeons beneath the Holy Cathedral. They said... they would burn her at the stake tomorrow during the morning sermon."
Aengus furrowed his brows. His All-Seeing Eyes activated, their glow faint but piercing as they scanned the city's layout. He could make out the massive Holy Cathedral in the center, its top reaching toward the heavens. Beneath it, faint energy signatures revealed the existence of subterranean chambers.
"Do you think Saintess Lunaria lives there, little girl?" Aengus asked, gesturing toward the grand cathedral at the heart of the Holy City.
It was supposed to be his destination as well, so he decided to confirm.
Lyra, though puzzled by the question, answered nonetheless, "Yes, Lord. She should be... but I might be wrong."
"Alright. Stay here. I will bring your mother back to you safely, no worries."
"I will be happy as long as you keep your word, my lord. I am willing to wait," Lyra replied swiftly, clutching her shoulders as she shivered in the cold.
Aengus glanced at her, pity flashing in his usually cold eyes. Without hesitation, he retrieved a warm cloak from his pocket space and draped it over her shoulders. Explore more at мѵʟ
"T-Thanks..."
Lyra felt warmth spread over her, not just from the cloak but from the rare kindness she'd been shown. She looked up at him with gratitude. It was the first ti soone had been kind to her since her mother had been taken.
Aengus quickly found an empty house nearby and sheltered her there, judging it safer than having her follow him.
"What's your mother's na again? And how does she look like?" he asked, pausing just before he could leave.
"Oh.. yes, Her na is Aliana," Lyra replied, . "She has long brown hair, bright green eyes, and... and she always wears a silver locket with my na engraved on it."
Aengus nodded. "Got it. Wait here, and don't leave this spot."
Without waiting for her response, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, heading toward the cathedral.
Lyra peeked through the cracked window, watching a fleeting shadow move across the dimly lit streets under the pale moonlight. She clutched the cloak tighter around herself, silently praying for her mother's safety.
---
In his shadow form, Aengus glided seamlessly through the darkness, reaching the outer periphery of the grand cathedral's towering structure. His keen senses caught movent—a lone paladin heading toward the restroom on the lower level.
A faint smirk ford on Aengus' lips as he locked onto his target.
"Bam!"
The sharp blow landed on the back of the paladin's head, rendering the S-Rank warrior unconscious instantly.
"Thud!"
The paladin's body crumpled silently to the ground. Aengus wasted no ti. He grabbed the unconscious man and dragged him into a concealed corner.
With a flash of dark energy, Aengus transford his appearance into an exact replica of the paladin, down to every strand of hair and facial expression. He gripped the Holy Sword tightly, a faint glow of divinity emanating from it, ensuring the disguise was flawless.
As a final asure, Aengus placed a hand on the paladin's forehead, using a Shadow Monarch's skill to extract the man's recent mories.
Images of the cathedral's layout, patrol routes, and the positions of other paladins flooded into his mind.
"Perfect," Aengus muttered coldly, his voice now identical to the unconscious man's.
He adjusted his stance, hoisted the Holy Sword, and stepped confidently toward the inner sanctum of the cathedral, blending effortlessly among the guards and Holy knights.
"Sir Ashenvale, why did you co back?" one guard asked near the entrance, his tone laced with suspicion. "Didn't you just go to the restroom?"
Aengus stopped and turned sharply, fixing the guard with a cold glare. "So what? Do I need to answer to you now?" he snapped, his voice laced with the sa arrogance and authority as the real Sir Ashenvale.
The guard stiffened, breaking into a cold sweat. "Ah, no, Sir Paladin. I was just asking..."
"Hmph!"
Without sparing another glance, Aengus stord past them, his high and mighty deanor forcing the low-level guards to shrink back.
As he moved deeper into the cathedral, he encountered several layers of security. Powerful inspection barriers scanned those entering, verifying their identities through bloodline resonance and divine energy.
To Aengus' satisfaction, he passed through them with ease. His transformation skill and the absorbed mories of the paladin ensured he was indistinguishable from the real Ashenvale.
"Fools," Aengus thought to himself, smirking as he strode further into the cathedral. But in the next mont, his expression changed.
"Huh, what's this?"
Aengus grew serious as he sensed an intense surge of Divine Energy emanating from sowhere underground.
He beca more cautious, considering the possibility of intervention from the so-called gods.
Though his transformation skill was unparalleled, it was always better to be careful.
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