Soulbound: Dual Cult Chapter 480: Back to the town

Chapter 480: Back to the town

Lucas and the boys couldn’t afford to venture any closer to the abyss, not after witnessing it with their own eyes and feeling the suffocating weight of its presence pressing against their very souls, because what lay within that darkness was far beyond anything they could hope to confront at their current strength, and Lucas understood with absolute clarity that lingering even a moment longer would be nothing short of suicide, so without hesitation, he made his decision, he had seen enough, and now there was only one thing left to do, he had to return to the town and ensure the safety of Sage Raph and Lady Isabelle before it was too late.

With that resolve driving him forward, Lucas turned away from the distant horror and immediately led the group into a swift retreat, Tom and Patrick following closely behind him along with the four other men, all of them silent as they moved with urgency, the tension of what they had just witnessed still hanging heavily over them, and though none of them spoke it aloud, the same thought lingered in their minds...that whatever was happening in Valerion was far worse than they had initially imagined. They traveled relentlessly, barely allowing themselves time to rest as they pushed through rough terrain and avoided open paths, choosing instead to move through less conspicuous routes to reduce the risk of being spotted, and despite their exhaustion, the fear of what might happen if they delayed even slightly kept their pace steady and unyielding until, in less than twenty-four hours, the familiar outskirts of the town finally came into view.

Their return was anything but careless, as Lucas signaled for caution the moment they approached the perimeter, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings as he quickly noticed increased patrol activity, far more than what would be considered normal, which only confirmed his growing suspicion that the situation had already begun to spiral beyond control. Without drawing attention to themselves, they slipped into the town like shadows, carefully navigating through narrow paths and avoiding the main roads where patrols moved in structured patterns, their movements precise and coordinated as they ducked behind structures, scaled low barriers, and timed their crossings perfectly to remain unseen, and it was only after successfully bypassing the last line of patrols that they finally made their way toward the residence where Lady Cecilia was staying.

When they arrived, Lucas wasted no time as he gave a subtle signal before entering, ensuring the area was secure before allowing the others in, and once inside, the atmosphere shifted immediately as Lady Cecilia, along with Flora and Gwen, turned their attention toward them, the concern in their eyes evident even before a single word was spoken, because their sudden return alone was enough to suggest that something had gone terribly wrong. Lucas stepped forward, his expression grave and his tone steady but heavy as he began to recount what they had witnessed, describing the abyss in detail, the unnatural distortion of the sky, the overwhelming pressure that made it difficult to breathe, and most importantly, the presence lurking within it, something ancient and monstrous that none of them could even begin to comprehend fully.

As he spoke, the room grew increasingly tense, the weight of his words settling over them as the reality of the situation became impossible to ignore, and when he finished, there was a brief silence that followed, one filled not with doubt, but with the chilling understanding that Valerion was no longer simply in danger, it was already on the brink of collapse. Lady Cecilia’s expression hardened as she processed everything, while Flora and Gwen exchanged uneasy glances, the gravity of the situation reflected clearly on their faces, and though none of them panicked, it was evident that the confirmation Lucas brought had shifted everything, turning what had once been uncertainty into undeniable truth.

The room remained tense after Lucas finished speaking, the weight of everything they had just learned settling heavily over them, but unlike before, no one allowed the silence to linger for too long because they all understood that hesitation now could cost lives, and it was Lucas who finally broke the quiet as his sharp gaze moved across the group, his voice steady but filled with urgency as he said, "We don’t have time to sit on this. Valerion will be saved, we’ll need to give the king reports. Right now we need to save Lady Isabelle and Sage Raph, every second we waste puts them in more danger, so we plan this now and we move immediately after."

Tom let out a slow breath as he leaned against the wall, running a hand through his hair before replying, "Then we start with one question, where exactly are they being held, because charging in blind is suicide no matter how urgent this is," and though his tone carried its usual edge, there was no trace of arrogance in it this time, only caution shaped by the fear of what they were up against.

All eyes turned to Lady Cecilia at that point, and she held their gaze calmly, though there was something colder beneath the surface, something personal, as she stepped forward and said, "You will not be going in blind," her voice controlled but firm, and when Lucas narrowed his eyes slightly, sensing what she meant, she continued without hesitation, "The place they are using as their base in this town used to be mine."

Lucas stepped closer, his interest sharpening immediately as he said, "Yeah....that gives us an advantage, a real one, not just guesswork," and Lady Cecilia gestured toward the table without another word before reaching for a sheet of parchment and a piece of charcoal, her movements precise and deliberate as she spread the parchment flat and began to draw, the faint sound of charcoal against the surface filling the room as the others gathered around her.

As the rough outline of the estate began to take shape, Tom leaned in slightly and asked, "That the main entrance there," pointing toward the front of the sketch, and Lady Cecilia nodded as she continued drawing, replying, "Yes, and it will be heavily guarded now, far more than it ever was before, so you can forget about entering through there unless you intend to announce yourselves," her tone making it clear that such an option was not even worth considering.

She continued sketching, adding the inner halls, the courtyard, and the branching wings of the estate, and as she marked certain areas with darker strokes, Lucas watched closely, his eyes scanning every detail as he asked, "Where would they keep prisoners, somewhere central or hidden," and Lady Cecilia paused briefly before marking a section deeper within the structure as she answered, "If they are smart, they will use the inner wing, specifically this section here, it was originally designed for private chambers and it is difficult to access without passing multiple checkpoints."

Gwen frowned slightly as she studied the drawing and said, "That means more guards, tighter security, and fewer chances to slip in unnoticed," and Lady Cecilia gave a small nod before shifting the charcoal to another part of the sketch as she added, "Which is why you will not go through the obvious routes, there are servant passages here," she traced a narrow line along the outer edge, "and a concealed corridor behind this wall that leads closer to the inner section, most people never even knew it existed."

Flora’s eyes widened slightly as she leaned closer and asked, "A hidden corridor inside the walls, are you certain it is still accessible," and Lady Cecilia met her gaze calmly as she replied, "Unless they have torn the entire structure apart, which is unlikely, it will still be there, and it will be your best chance of reaching them without drawing attention."

Lucas folded his arms as he studied the sketch in silence for a moment, his mind already piecing together the path they would take, and then he looked up, his voice low but decisive as he said, "We use the servant entrance, move through the outer passage, and take that hidden corridor straight to the inner wing, we avoid the main halls completely and only engage if we have no other choice."

Tom pushed himself off the wall and gave a slight nod as he said, "That sounds a lot better than walking through the front door and hoping for a miracle, but we still need to be ready for resistance because something tells me they won’t make this easy for us," and Lucas met his gaze briefly before replying, "I’m not expecting easy, I’m expecting dangerous, which is why we do this clean and fast, we get in, we find them, and we get out before the entire place realizes what’s happening."

Lady Cecilia stepped back from the table then, allowing everyone a clear view of the completed sketch as she said, "Then memorize it, because once you step inside, there will be no time to hesitate or second guess your path," and the room fell into a focused silence once more, but this time it was not filled with uncertainty, it was filled with intent, as each of them fixed their attention on the plan that would determine whether Lady Isabelle and Sage Raph lived or died.