Weight of the World

Chapter Forty-Seven

—Crooked Forest—

For a Priest of the Old Religion, her enemy looked—weirdly normal. Lulu had envisioned a man looking not unlike Ashkaar, robed in black, wielding some monstrous weapon like a scythe, and leaking the Rot wherever he went. She had imagined a monster as her quarry, and so, when Kellaran teleported them deeper into the Crooked Forest and pointed to a pair of lovers wandering through the trees, Lulu had been certain the prophetess was mistaken.

Osric was a relatively average looking man, average height and build, with dark brown hair, and clean shaven. He wore plain clothing that would help him in a terrain such as this, and there was nothing outwardly about his appearance that suggested he had as much power as she was told. The woman at his side was much the same, a pretty blonde.

It had taken less than a minute for Osric to sense their arrival, however. Lulu's plan to eavesdrop was thrown out the window as Osric whirled around, a ball of fire balanced above his palm as he positioned himself between them and the woman with him.

"Your light betrays you," Osric growled in their direction. "Whatever quarrel you wish to start with us, know that I will end it."

There was no more reason to hide. It would only allow Osric and the woman the opportunity to escape, and so, Lulu stepped out from the underbrush in which they had concealed themselves. Her dad's sword once again in hand, she felt confident as she glanced from Osric to the woman with him. It was clear just from that one glance that the woman was the key to subduing the Priest. He was protecting her and from the shifting of his gait, he was ready to intervene should they target her at a moment's notice. The woman, however, didn't seem helpless. She remained behind Osric, but in her left hand, she held a glass orb. A substance within glowed softly.

"You serve Virmira Tanadall," Lulu began as the others stepped out behind her. "Call her here."

Osric chuckled darkly. "You didn't really expect that to work, did you?"

"That bitch took the woman I love. I've tracked down every lead possible, traversed worlds to find her, but I've found not a trace of her. Not until you. I won't let you leave here without gaining her attention."

"Am I to be a message, then? You wish to leave me broken and bloody in the hopes that it will spur Virmira into action? I can assure you, no matter what you do here, my lady will not be baited by such savagery. There are far grander things that require her attention."

Lulu smirked. "Trying to dissuade me? I know you're here looking for the Mistborne Caverns, and I know what's inside. We've already sent the Path ahead to secure the area. You'll never reach it now."

"Indeed? You located the Mistborne Caverns so easily? Without this?" He held up some sort of circular stone disk. The arrogant glint in his dark eyes told her that she had miscalculated her bluff. "However did you manage when the caverns open for no one unless they possess this?"

"Fuck it," Lulu rolled her eyes. "Worth a shot. Whatever's in there doesn't actually make a difference to me. But I will kill your mistress. Make no mistake, and if you manage to escape, tell her Elusia Vale's coming for her."

Osric let out another dark chuckle as he straightened himself. "Do you even know who I am? I am Osric von Zola, High Priest of Tahar. I command power far older than you can even imagine, and you are here, in the Crooked Forest, in my domain. You have no comprehension of the danger you are in."