The Eminence in Shadow: The Dark Swordsman

Chapter 43: The Pact And The Promise

Alpha and Epsilon stood on the peak of the mountain, gazing down at the smouldering ruins of the Sanctuary in Lindwurm.

"The Holy Ground is finally erased," Alpha said, a mix of relief and solemnity in her voice.

"So it seems," Epsilon replied, her eyes scanning below.

"What about the retrieval of the Holy Sword and the core?" Alpha asked, concern etching her features.

"They were both evaporated," Epsilon responded, her tone resigned yet unwavering.

Alpha chuckled, a hint of admiration in her voice. "The safest and simplest solution. How like him."

Epsilon's eyes gleamed with pride. "The only one who could actually accomplish this is Lord Shadow alone."

Alpha nodded in agreement, her expression softening. "That is true."

With Cid...
Kirito, Cid, and Aurora found themselves standing in the middle of a dense forest, surrounded by towering trees and the chirping of birds. The scent of pine filled the air, a stark contrast to the chaos they'd just escaped.

Cid, ever the nonchalant one, leaned against a tree with a smirk. "Well, that was one way to go out with a boom."

Kirito, his face a mixture of exasperation and annoyance, walked up and smacked Cid's head. "Thanks to your genius, that is."

Cid clutched the back of his head, wincing dramatically. "Ouch!"

Aurora, standing nearby, watched the exchange with mild amusement. She shook her head slightly but couldn't suppress a smile.

Kirito slapped his own forehead, sighing deeply. "I can't believe you touched some weird artefact in the Holy Ground, and everything blew up!"

( Cid totally pulled a "distract and detonate" manoeuvre on the Holy Ground, leaving Kirito and Aurora too busy to notice. )

Cid rubbed the sore spot on his head, still looking more amused than remorseful. "Hey, how was I supposed to know it was going to explode?"

Kirito, clearly exhausted, waved his hand dismissively. "Forget it, the deed is done now. Thankfully, I managed to get all of us out of there quickly enough."

He paused for a moment, his brow furrowing in thought. "Although... there was something strange about that explosion."

Aurora tilted her head, curious. "Strange? How so?"

Kirito's eyes narrowed slightly as he recalled the event. "It felt weird. Almost like I sensed Shadow's magic during that explosion."

Aurora, her eyes widening with sudden realization, pointed her finger accusingly at Cid and exclaimed, "Of course, it's because he is Sha—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Cid lunged forward, hastily covering Aurora's mouth with his hand, his eyes wide with panic. "Shh! We don't know who might be listening! Maybe he was involved, but we have no proof!"

He quickly released Aurora, shooting her a meaningful look, and cleared his throat. "Right, Miss Aurora?"

Aurora, completely oblivious to Cid's hidden identity and the reason for his sudden caution, blinked in confusion. "Uh, yeah, I think..."

Kirito scratched his head, his expression thoughtful. "I guess you're right, but I feel like you're hiding something from me Cid."

Cid's eyes widened, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he stammered, "Wh-who, me? I was almost useless down there, and you think I might be hiding something?"