Ascending Pride

Holy Curse

Sebastian spent the next two days sending letters out to the families associated with Viscount Dunning's family.

The entire family was immediately shunned when word the girl had attacked two guards of the palace after following Calix's carriage. Rumors that the girl hadn't even gone home the night before to watch the duchy villa gates were also spreading.

Ashton was lazily laying out as court proceeded, Wilbert had decided to move his chair beside Ashton's lounger. When Wilbert tried to speak to him Ashton held up a hand and indicated not while the nobles were actively holding court.

The souls of the damned were three fold their usual as they clawed at Wilbert with reckless abandon. Ashton had been hoping to learn about the delays but between the damned, and Wilbert trying to get his attention, he could only vaguely hear what the court was saying.

The topics were important, but not to the empire. Three holy women had been attacked and one even abducted. There were rumors that a lesser beast was attempting to eat the holy women to draw out a beast god or trying to ascend. Since only the uncivilized nations were making such claims Wilbert wasn't even sure why it was coming up in discussion. Most of those gods had not even been sighted after the Great War a thousand years ago.

It was believed the gods were ascended beasts, not truly immortal as the legends claimed. There were only two nations that actively worshiped gods. Adar who believed their beast of Diligence Alaina, was the daughter of the Sea Goddess. And Ophion, who believed a winged serpent was god of the Wind watched over them. The barbarians even sacrificed women to be wives of this supposed god.

Wilbert wouldn't be surprised if the abducted holy woman had simply fled since they were sacrificed during their coming of age ceremony.

Anyway, no matter what topic the nobles picked, Ashton would not acknowledge him. Wilbert wasn't sure how to take the rejections, Ashton clearly wasn't paying attention, nor had he agreed to meet with anyone of the faith outside of this afternoon.

Wilbert continued to watch as Ashton sipped his tea while snacking on fruit and pastries out of the corner of his eye.

Ashton ignored the first probe of soul magic; his gut had clenched at the effort to keep himself from reacting. The second probe was longer, and much more thorough. Ashton turned his face to glanced over the priest. Between only hearing maybe a tenth of the conversation, and the souls now focusing on himself and Wilbert, these normally petty annoyances were the final straw.

Wilbert barely noticed the nobles leaving the room as he continued to search... nothing... he almost believed Ashton was just a mana-less, normal person.

"Paladin Wilbert, I find your gaze offensive." Ashton informed letting his irritation be heard.

Wilbert immediately jerked back as his eyes started to burn. He covered his eyes and had to stifle a groan. Wilbert jerked forward but did his best to not collapse on the floor.

Everyone still in the room stared in horror, Wilbert's face had steamed rising from it for just a moment. A heartbeat later Bodin and Promise came rushing in, clearly alarmed. Promise rushed to Wilbert's side as he let out a groan. Wilbert's eyes had a foggy red sheen to them.

Ashton lazily stood up, "Next time you use soul searching magic on me or mine, you'll be permanently blind." Ashton let his presence fill the room, he may have been physically smallest, but none dared look down on him.

Bodin fell to his knees before Ashton, "Please forgive us." His goal to distract the young beast was a little too effective as the pressure increased around him so quickly his knees and teeth cracked.