NOVEL NEXT Chapter 20: Chosen of Light
Two days. That's how long they had to prepare for Elena's favor.
Raze stood in Lord Magnus's manor receiving hall. Morning light streamed through tall windows. The ceremony was brief. Official.
Magnus placed silver badges in their hands. Each engraved with Thornwick's crest. A mountain peak surrounded by stars.
"By the authority vested in me as Lord of Thornwick, I recognize you as the city's official protectors. These badges grant you rank equivalent to Guard Captain. Authority to investigate threats. To act in defense of all citizens."
The weight of the badge was substantial. Real silver. Real authority.
"Thornwick thanks you. The kingdom watches you. Don't make me regret this trust."
Outside the manor, crowds had gathered. Word spread fast in a city this size.
Cheering erupted as they emerged.
"The Four Stars!"
"Thornwick's heroes!"
Children waved. Parents bowed heads in gratitude. The celebration was genuine. Overwhelming.
Raze felt his face heat. His A rank Charm drew attention but this was different. This was earned respect. Not manipulation.
They navigated back to their base through celebrating streets. Merchants offered free food. Guards saluted. The transformation from three days ago was complete.
Inside the renovated warehouse, Aslan lay in bed. His shoulder wound was healing but slowly. The Executor's poison had been vicious.
Kael examined the injury carefully. His expression darkened.
"This wasn't just Void Serpent venom."
"What do you mean?" Raze approached.
"There's a secondary compound mixed in. Something designed to interact with corrupted mana." Kael pointed to black veins spreading from the wound. Different from Black Cough. More aggressive. "This was meant to trigger Mercurian transformation. Force you to lose control in public."
Aslan's silver eyes widened. "They know what I am."
"They know. Which means the Syndicate has information on Mercurian experiments." Kael continued cleaning the wound. "They were trying to discredit you. Make you look like a monster."
Silence fell heavy. The implications settling.
"How's the cure research?" Mariabel asked quietly.
Kael's hands stilled. "I made progress. The Phoenix Ash helped but it's not enough. I need something rarer. Phoenix Marrow. The inner bone material. More concentrated. More stable."
"Where do we find that?" Raze's Absolute Genius was already processing.
"Three places in the kingdom sell it. All in the capital city's black market. Each dose costs fifty gold." Kael met their eyes. "We need three doses minimum. One hundred fifty gold total."
The payment from Magnus was one hundred gold each. Four hundred total. Enough for the marrow with funds remaining.
"We use the payment," Raze said immediately. "Aslan's cure is priority."
"But that leaves us with limited operating funds," Mariabel pointed out.
"We'll manage. Aslan stable means we're all more effective." Raze looked at the Mercurian. "You saved Kael's life. Controlled yourself enough to throw the Executor instead of killing her. That's progress. We finish this."
Aslan's expression was conflicted. Grateful but guilty. "I remember everything from sixty percent. Every detail. Every broken rib. Her screaming." His hands clenched. "I don't want to remember things like that."
"You won't have to. Not after the cure." Kael's voice was firm. Determined.
Knock knock knock.
Sharp rapping at the door. Raze's Combat Reflex activated. He moved to answer, Azure Edge within reach.
Elena Corvus stood outside. Her Shadow Authority flickering at the edges. Shadows that shouldn't exist in afternoon sunlight.
"May I enter? We need to discuss your assignment."
They gathered around the central table. Elena spread documents across the surface. Maps. Intelligence reports. Surveillance notes.
"Duke Gregor Valdris. Age fifty two. Expert Peak. Collector of Old Kingdom artifacts." Her finger traced locations on the map. "He's been acquiring relics from pre Calamity ruins. Specifically Authority Amplification artifacts."
"Authority Amplification?" Mariabel leaned forward.
"Artifacts that enhance existing Authorities. Or theoretically grant them to those without." Elena's expression was grave. "The Old Kingdom fell because they tried to mass produce Authority wielders. Create armies of incarnations. It destroyed them."
Raze's game knowledge confirmed this. The Calamity had been triggered by Old Kingdom experimentation. Reality itself had rejected their attempts to artificially create gods.
"Duke Valdris is trying to recreate that research," Elena continued. "He has co conspirators across the kingdom. Nobles. Merchants. Even some military commanders. The conspiracy runs deep."
"What's the target?" Raze studied the estate layout she'd provided.
"His private study. East wing second floor. During the annual noble gathering tomorrow night. Two hundred guests expected. Security will be divided between the party and standard patrols." Elena pulled out a separate document. "I need everything in his study. Ledgers. Correspondence. Lists of co conspirators. Evidence I can take to authorities who won't bury it."
"Why can't Night Wardens act directly?" Kael asked.
"Political immunity. Duke Valdris has connections in the Royal Court. Someone protecting him. If I move without ironclad evidence, it becomes a political incident." Elena's jaw tightened. "But you four? You're independent. Deniable. If caught, I can claim you acted alone."
"Comforting," Mariabel said dryly.
"The favor you owe me. This is it. Get those documents. I'll handle everything after."
She left as abruptly as she'd arrived. Shadows swallowing her.
The team stared at the estate layout.
"Noble gathering." Raze's mind was already planning. "Mariabel, can you get us invitations?"
"My family name still has some weight. Barely. But enough." She examined the guest list. "I can get two invitations. One for me, one for a guest."
"You and Raze infiltrate during the party," Kael said. "I'll prepare alchemical aids. Aslan and I provide external support."
"I'm useless," Aslan muttered. "Can't even walk properly yet."
"You're our emergency extraction. If things go wrong, Kael gets you mobile and you cause chaos as distraction." Raze met his silver eyes. "We're a team. Everyone contributes."
The afternoon passed in focused preparation.
Mariabel worked her connections. Sent messages through merchant channels. Called in favors from distant relatives. By evening, she had two invitations. Official. Sealed with the Duke's crest.
She cornered Raze in the training area. "We need to discuss your etiquette."
"My what?"
"You killed a Master rank cultivator but you're about to enter a noble party. Different battlefield. Different rules." She gestured to a chair. "Sit. We're practicing."
The next hour was torture.
How to hold a wine glass. Which fork to use. Proper greetings for different noble ranks. Dance steps for formal events. Small talk that meant nothing but said everything.
Raze's Absolute Genius absorbed it quickly. His body memory integrated the movements. But it felt wrong. Artificial.
"Why are there six forks?" he asked after the third explanation.
Mariabel laughed. "Because nobles need ways to identify outsiders. You use the wrong fork, everyone knows you don't belong." She adjusted his posture. "Stand straighter. Chin up. You're not a dock worker anymore. You're Lord Raze Dragonheart of\\... we'll say the Eastern Reaches. Distant enough no one can verify."
"This is harder than fighting."
"Different kind of combat. Words instead of swords. Status instead of strength." She stepped back, evaluated him. "Your Charm will do most of the work. That face gets attention. But you need to not embarrass yourself the moment you speak."
They practiced until midnight. By the end, Raze could navigate a formal dinner without obvious mistakes. Barely.
Meanwhile, Kael worked in the alchemy lab. Grinding compounds. Mixing solutions. Testing effects.
He produced several items by morning.
"Invisibility powder. Throws this and you're invisible for five seconds. Not true invisibility. More like\\... you're very forgettable. People's eyes slide past." He demonstrated with a pinch. For a moment, Raze's perception couldn't focus on him. Then the effect faded.
"Lock melting acid. Silent. No smoke. Pour on any lock, it dissolves in ten seconds."
"Knockout gas. Thirty second effect. Non lethal. Break the vial, anyone within ten feet goes down."
"Smoke bombs for distraction. Standard but effective."
He also showed them a small crystal. "Mana recording device. Press here, it captures images of whatever you're looking at. Limited storage but enough for documents."
Raze took the items carefully. Secured them in hidden pockets of his formal coat.
The evening of the gathering arrived too quickly.
Raze dressed in borrowed finery. Dark formal coat with silver threading. White shirt. Black pants. His white hair was styled properly for the first time. Mariabel had insisted.
He looked in the mirror and barely recognized himself.
Mariabel emerged from her room wearing an elegant dress. Deep purple silk. Her black hair arranged in complex patterns. She looked every inch the noble lady.
"Ready, darling?" Her smile was sharp.
"As I'll ever be."
The carriage ride to Duke Valdris's estate took thirty minutes. Mariabel used the time for final coaching.
"Keep your responses brief. Smile. Nod. Let people make assumptions. Your Charm will make them think you said something clever even if you said nothing at all."
The estate appeared ahead. Massive. Easily rivaling Magnus's manor. Three stories of white stone. Gardens that could feed a district. Wealth on obscene display.
Carriages lined the drive. Nobles emerging in expensive silks and jewels. Guards checked invitations at the entrance.
Crunch crunch crunch.
Their carriage wheels on gravel. They stopped. A servant opened the door.
Raze stepped out first. Extended his hand to help Mariabel down. Noble courtesy. She'd drilled it into him.
The entrance guards examined their invitations. Stamped them. Nodded them through.
Inside was overwhelming.
The main hall stretched impossibly large. Chandeliers hung from a ceiling three stories high. Hundreds of candles provided warm light. Two hundred nobles mingled. Drinking. Talking. Playing political games.
Servants moved between groups with wine and delicacies. Musicians played somewhere. The sound barely audible over conversation.
Raze's Inspect activated automatically.
Ding ding ding ding.
Status windows bloomed above dozens of heads. Most were Initiate or Adept rank. Nobles who cultivated for health and longevity rather than combat.
But scattered through the crowd were serious threats. Expert ranks. Some with combat focused skills. Private bodyguards pretending to be guests.
His perception tracked them unconsciously. Threat assessment becoming second nature.
Then he saw the Duke.
Duke Gregor Valdris stood near the center. Tall. Gray beard. Expensive robes that probably cost more than a house. He moved through the crowd with practiced ease. A word here. A laugh there. Perfect host.
Raze's Inspect activated.
Ding.
Duke Gregor Valdris
Name: Gregor Valdris
Age: 52
Rank: Expert (Peak)
Core: Refined (Peak)
Bloodline: Noble's Mandate
Authority: None
Talent: Silver Tongue
Strength: B
Agility: C
Endurance: B
Mana: A
Mana Well: B
Will: A
Perception: A
Charm: A
Skills:
Swordsmanship B
Persuasion S
Political Maneuvering S
Mana Manipulation B
Artifact Appraisal A
Status: Ambitious, Paranoid, Connected
Expert Peak. Not a Master but close. His real danger was in his skills. Persuasion and Political Maneuvering both at S rank. This man manipulated kingdoms with words.
Mariabel took Raze's arm. "Smile. We're mingling."
They moved through the crowd. Mariabel's noble training evident. She knew exactly who to greet. Who to ignore. Who mattered.
Raze let his Charm work. Smiled. Nodded. Said little. Let people's assumptions fill the gaps.
Noble ladies noticed him. His white hair drew attention. Whispers followed.
"Who is that?"
"Lord Dragonheart. Eastern Reaches."
"Quite handsome."
"Is he available?"
Mariabel leaned close. Whispered. "You're causing a stir, darling. Try not to collect a harem before we steal documents."
Raze bit back a laugh. Maintained his noble facade.
They positioned themselves near the Duke. Waiting for the right moment.
A servant announced dinner. The crowd began moving toward an adjacent hall. Long tables. Assigned seating.
This was their window. During the meal, security would focus on the dining hall. The east wing would be less guarded.
Mariabel caught the Duke's attention. "Duke Valdris. Your estate is magnificent."
He turned. His Perception immediately evaluated them. His eyes lingered on Mariabel.
"Lady Valtee. A pleasure. I heard you'd returned to society." His smile was practiced. "And your companion?"
"Lord Raze Dragonheart. Eastern Reaches. He's visiting Thornwick. I offered to introduce him to proper society."
The Duke's attention shifted to Raze. Evaluating. Calculating.
"Dragonheart. Unusual name. I don't recall that family."
"We keep to ourselves," Raze said simply. Let the Duke's imagination fill details.
"Mm. And what brings you to our fair city?"
"Opportunity. Thornwick is changing. I wanted to see it myself."
"Indeed it is. The Syndicate raid was quite dramatic." The Duke's eyes were sharp. Watching for reactions. "Four young cultivators killing a Master rank. Unprecedented. Do you know them?"
Trap question. Raze kept his expression neutral. "I've heard the stories. Impressive if true."
"Oh, it's true. I've confirmed it through my sources." The Duke smiled. "I always verify interesting information."
A servant approached. Whispered in the Duke's ear.
"Ah. Dinner is ready. Please, enjoy the meal. We'll speak more later."
He moved away. Mariabel maintained her smile until he was out of earshot.
"He's suspicious. Didn't fully buy the Eastern Reaches story."
"Doesn't matter. We just need him distracted during dinner." Raze checked the crowd. Most were heading toward the dining hall. "I'm going now. Keep him occupied."
"Be careful."
Raze slipped away as people filed into dinner. Used the crowd as cover. Moved toward a servant passage he'd identified earlier.
His Combat Reflex tracked guard positions. Two at the main stairs. None in the servant areas. They expected threats from outside, not from inside the party.
He climbed service stairs. Narrow. Dark. Designed for staff to move unseen.
Second floor. East wing.
The hallway was carpeted. Expensive. Quiet. Doors lined both sides. The Duke's study would be the largest. Corner position for natural light.
There. End of the hall. Double doors. Two guards stationed outside.
Raze pulled Kael's invisibility powder. Held it ready. Waited for the right moment.
One guard yawned. The other adjusted his stance. Both looked bored. Expecting a quiet night.
Raze threw the powder.
Poof.
The substance dispersed. For five seconds, he was forgettable. Perception slid past him like water around a stone.
He walked past the guards. Right between them. Neither reacted.
Reached the door. Tried the handle.
Locked. Obviously.
Five seconds up. The invisibility fading.
Click.
The lock was simple. Kael's acid would work but the guards would hear the door opening.
Raze's Absolute Genius processed options. Then smiled.
He used Instant Transmission. Calculated the space beyond the door. Visualized.
Blink.
Reality shifted. He materialized inside the study.
The disorientation hit hard. Spatial displacement through solid objects always felt wrong. His stomach lurched.
But he was inside.
The study was exactly what he expected. Luxury and paranoia combined. Massive desk. Locked drawers. A safe behind a painting. Bookshelves covering three walls.
And warded. Magical protections woven through everything. Touch the wrong thing and alarms would trigger.
Raze pulled out the mana recording crystal. Activated it. The device hummed softly.
He started with the desk. Used Inspect on each drawer.
Ding.
Trapped. Warded. Connected to alarm system.
The safe was worse. Multiple layers of protection. Opening it would take hours even with proper tools.
But the Duke kept current documents accessible. Had to. Running conspiracies required constant reference.
Raze found them on a side table. Not locked. Not warded. Just\\... there. Arrogance. The Duke didn't expect thieves to reach his private study.
Ledgers showing artifact acquisitions. Dates. Sources. Prices.
Correspondence with nobles across the kingdom. Coded but his Absolute Genius parsed the meanings. Offers. Agreements. Threats.
A list of names. Fifty at least. Nobles. Merchants. Military officers. All involved in the conspiracy.
Maps showing Old Kingdom ruins across the continent. Dozens marked. Many in Elmore Empire territory.
One location circled multiple times. Near Elmbridge Academy.
Raze's breath caught.
The Academy. They're targeting Academy ruins. In the game, those ruins contained the most powerful artifacts. World changing weapons. Reality bending relics.
If the Duke's conspiracy got them first\\...
He photographed everything. The crystal capturing page after page. Then took physical copies of the most critical documents. Folded them carefully. Secured them in his coat.
A reference to "The Collector" appeared repeatedly. Someone funding the Duke's operations. Someone with resources that made the Duke look poor.
Raze photographed those too.
Then he heard it.
Boom.
Distant. From the main hall. Shouting. Panic.
His Combat Reflex screamed danger.
Something was wrong.
He grabbed the documents and moved to the window. Looked out over the estate grounds.
Flames. The main hall was burning.
Not an accident. Controlled. Deliberate.
Mariabel's flames.
What happened?
Raze secured everything. Prepared to escape. But then the study door burst open.
Crash.
The guards entered. Swords drawn. They saw him immediately.
"Intruder! East wing!"
Raze didn't hesitate. Drew Azure Edge. The blue steel gleamed.
The first guard charged. Raze's Combat Reflex tracked the strike. Parried. His C rank Swordsmanship barely adequate.
Clang.
The second guard flanked. Trying to surround him.
Raze used Scarlet Leap. His body blurred backward. Distance created.
Then Instant Transmission through the window.
Blink.
Reality shifted. He materialized in the garden outside. Thirty feet down. His B rank Endurance absorbed the landing.
Thud.
Pain shot through his legs but nothing broke. He ran.
Toward the main hall. Toward Mariabel. Toward whatever chaos had erupted.
The scene was devastating.
The Executor stood in the ruined main hall. Wounded but functional. Her mask was different. Reinforced. Three more assassins with her. All Expert rank.
Mariabel faced them alone. Her flames creating walls of fire. Keeping them at bay. But her mana was dropping fast. Forty percent already.
The Duke had evacuated. His guards protecting him. Smart man. Knew when to run.
Other nobles scattered. Servants hiding. The beautiful hall was rubble and flame.
Raze burst through a servant entrance.
The Executor's head snapped toward him. Recognition in her eyes.
"The tactical one. How convenient. Now I can kill both of you."
The three assassins moved. Coordinated. Professional.
Raze engaged the nearest. Azure Edge meeting steel.
Clang clang clang.
The assassin was skilled. Expert Low. Faster than Raze. Stronger. His Combat Reflex was the only reason he survived the first exchange.
Slash.
His blade scored the assassin's shoulder. Deep. The man stumbled.
Whoosh.
Instant Transmission. Raze blinked behind another assassin. Azure Edge flashing.
The blade bit into unprotected back. The assassin screamed. Went down.
Two left plus the Executor.
Mariabel launched Flame Lance times three. Her Authority allowing simultaneous casting.
Fwoosh fwoosh fwoosh.
The attacks forced the remaining assassin to dodge. He wasn't fast enough. One lance caught his leg. The smell of burning flesh filled the air.
"We can't win this!" Raze shouted. "Burn it and run!"
Mariabel's grin was slightly manic. "Finally. Permission to go wild."
Her Authority flared. Flames turning white hot. The temperature in the hall spiked.
Everyone still inside felt it. The air itself burning.
Cataclysmic Inferno.
The spell was massive. A dome of flame fifty feet across. Stone melted. Metal ran like water. The heat was apocalyptic.
But Mariabel controlled it. The flames parted around Raze. Around the injured assassins who couldn't escape fast enough. They burned. Screaming.
The Executor threw smoke bombs. Vanished into shadows. Escaped.
Again.
Raze grabbed Mariabel. "Go! Now!"
They ran. Through the burning hall. Out into the gardens. Mariabel leaving fire walls behind them. Slowing pursuit.
Guards everywhere but confused. Disorganized. The attack had been too sudden.
They reached the estate boundary. But the Executor was fast. She appeared ahead. Blade ready.
"You're not escaping twice."
Then smoke exploded between them.
Poof.
Kael appeared with a cart. "Get in!"
They jumped. Kael drove at full speed. His Iron Flesh enhanced strength letting him control the spooked horse.
The Executor chased. Her S rank Agility keeping pace.
Kael threw explosive vials behind them.
Boom boom boom.
Fire and smoke covering their escape. The Executor forced to slow or burn.
They made it six blocks before stopping.
A safehouse Kael had prepared. Abandoned building. No one around.
Inside, they collapsed. Gasping. Wounded.
Mariabel's mana was at ten percent. Burns covered her arms. Her dress was ruined.
Raze had cuts from the assassins. His ribs ached from impacts. But alive.
"Did you get them?" Kael asked.
Raze pulled documents from his coat. Slightly singed but intact. "Everything. Maps. Names. Correspondence. All of it."
Aslan limped in from the back room. His shoulder still bandaged. "Magnus sent urgent message. The Duke is claiming you attacked his party. Caused destruction. Theft. He's demanding your arrest."
"Of course he is," Mariabel muttered.
"And there's more." Aslan's silver eyes were troubled. "Royal Inquisitors. They're coming. Arrive in ten days. They're investigating everything. The Syndicate raid. Tonight's incident. You."
Silence fell. Heavy. Oppressive.
They'd gotten the documents but made powerful enemies. The Duke knew their identities. The Executor escaped again. And now Royal Inquisitors were coming.
The walls were closing in.
"We need Elena," Raze said. "These documents are her problem now."
As if summoned, shadows coalesced. Elena materialized.
Her Shadow Authority flickered. She took the documents. Examined them quickly. Her expression darkened with each page.
"This is worse than I thought. The Duke has backing from the Royal Court. Someone protecting him at the highest levels."
"So we exposed a conspiracy and we're the criminals?" Raze's voice was flat.
"Welcome to noble politics." Elena's smile was cold. "But these documents prove his guilt. I'll build a case the Inquisitors can't ignore. Carefully. Precisely. It'll take time."
"We don't have time. Ten days."
"Then prepare. They're coming for you. Your entire operation will be scrutinized." She secured the documents in shadow constructs. "I'll protect these. But you? You're exposed. Compromised. The Duke wants you dead. The Syndicate wants revenge. The Inquisitors want answers."
She vanished. Shadows swallowing her.
The team sat in exhausted silence.
"We need more power," Mariabel said quietly. "More allies. More everything."
"We need to survive," Raze corrected. "One crisis at a time."
They returned to their base as dawn broke. Exhausted. Wounded. But alive.
The next morning brought news that changed everything.
Commotion in the streets. People gathering. Pointing toward the main road.
Light. Divine light. Visible from across the city.
Raze felt his stomach drop.
No. Not yet. Not now.
He went to investigate. His team followed.
The crowd had gathered at the city center. Hundreds. All staring at the main road.
A procession approached. Official kingdom banners. Holy symbols. Guards in ceremonial armor.
At the center walked a young man. Around eighteen. Radiating divine light that made normal mage lights look dim. Blessed by the gods. Unmistakable. Overwhelming.
The crowd was awed. Some knelt. Others wept. The presence of divinity made manifest.
The young man stopped. Addressed the crowd in a voice that carried effortlessly.
"I am Alex Dawnsblade. Chosen of the Goddess of Light. I've been sent to investigate recent disturbances in Thornwick. The Goddess guides me to restore order and justice to this city."
His presence was overwhelming. Not threatening. Just\\... absolute. Like standing before royalty. Before divinity itself.
Raze's Inspect activated involuntarily. Against his will. The skill pulling information.
Ding.
Chosen of Light
Name: Alex Dawnsblade
Age: 18
Rank: Adept (Low)
Core: Refined (Mid)
Bloodline: Hero's Lineage (Awakened)
Authority: Divine Light (Granted by Goddess)
Talent: Divine Blessing
Strength: B
Agility: B
Endurance: A
Mana: S
Mana Well: A
Will: S
Perception: B
Charm: S
Skills:
Holy Swordsmanship A
Divine Magic S
Light Manipulation A
Healing Touch B
Smite Evil A
Divine Protection A (Passive)
Status: Confident, Guided, Determined
Raze's blood ran cold.
Adept Low. But his stats were inflated beyond normal. S rank in Mana, Will, and Charm. His skills were far too advanced for his rank.
The divine blessing was accelerating his growth. Making him stronger than he should be.
And he was here. Two weeks early. The protagonist. The hero whose story Raze had been swallowing.
"What do we do?" Mariabel whispered.
Raze watched Alex being received by Magnus. Official welcomes. Ceremonial greetings.
His mind raced. Processing. Calculating.
In the game, Alex arrived to find an active Syndicate operation. His quest. His story. His heroic moment.
But that was gone. Already completed. The villain already dead. The children already saved.
What happened when a divinely blessed hero arrived to find his destiny had been stolen?
"We wait," Raze said quietly. "We prepare. And we hope he's not our enemy."
But he knew. Deep in his bones. Knew that everything just got infinitely more complicated.
Ten days until the Inquisitors.
An unknown timeline until Alex discovered the truth.
And somewhere in the shadows, the Executor sharpened her blade.
They'd changed the story.
Now the story was changing back.
And Raze wasn't sure they could survive what came next.