Until the Last Drop of My Blood (The Legends Saga #1)

Chapter 9

This chapter is dedicated to BlueKarnasyon. Your support to my book has been invaluable to me. Thanks for keeping me motivated and my sanity in check. If this book ever makes it to the bestseller list, I'll personally name a dragon after you!
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As the descendant cut my palm with the glistening blade he held, blood trickled onto the amethyst crystals scattered in the obsidian bowl before me.

A deafening silence echoed through the chamber, matched only by the pounding of my heart. Talin's accomplices gathered around, though I was certain these were merely some of his followers. I grew even more tense under their scrutinizing eyes, especially his piercing gaze. They stood meters away, waiting for the ritual to end. Some looked bored, others serious. Never had I felt so exposed. I was accustomed to hiding in the shadows, and his gaze did nothing to ease my discomfort.

I shifted my weight to my right foot, careful not to step outside the chalk-drawn circle enclosing me, even though I wanted to run back to my chamber, feeling like the main course at a feast.

Dismissing my absurd thoughts, I focused on the bowl. As the blood continued to drip, the male descendant, who looked like an ordinary scion of Valor, spoke.

"By the unseen moon and the divine Valor, You stand before this sacred altar."

Unfortunately, I made the mistake of looking up, and my eyes met his. I dropped my gaze immediately.

"With your blood, you vow: No secret shall pass your lips, No truth shall leave your heart."

While Talin had succeeded in binding my tongue with the promise, the ritual ensured the consequences I must face if I broke the oath. Now, I began to see the truth in his words because it looked like they truly had no choice but to take me, and they would gleefully watch me die if I revealed their secrets.

"Break this vow, and forfeit your life; By blood, you are bound, By silence, you are sworn. So mote it be."

The descendant then bound my palms with a cloth embroidered with unfamiliar runes, and my palms burned for a moment as he chanted a final prayer to seal the oath.

After the ritual, I was left alone with Talin and Astrid. Astrid insisted on showing me around the lair at Talin's command, which I obeyed without complaint, but before we could even leave the ritual chamber, the audacious woman beside me dared to request Talin's aid in healing my palms. I refused, but she insisted that, despite being a healer, it would save time if Talin did it instead of her searching through her little book.

Even he hesitated to grant her request, but after a moment of contemplation, he approached me to take my wounded palm. My breath hitched as I felt his cold hands and his eyes on mine. Because of how tall he is, I'm fairly sure he can feel my nervous breath on his chest. Talin's eyes glowed gold as he summoned his magic. Beside him stood his panther, and I began to think they were bound for life. I wondered if I could kill the panther, perhaps then he would die too. That way, I wouldn't have to confront him directly.

"Don't even try."

My gaze dropped to the panther growling at me, and I stepped back in shock. Talin and Astrid seemed to notice because I heard Astrid snorting and Talin raising his brows.

"He can speak to you in your mind," Talin said as he released my hand, confirming my thoughts. "Though, fortunately for you, he cannot read your mind. But I assume you wish to kill me with your stare." He walked past me, not breaking his gaze, and I continued walking with Astrid. She spoke of many things about the lair as we paced, and surprisingly, I laughed at some of her insulting remarks about the other descendants in this place.

Only now did I appreciate the beauty of their stronghold. Thankfully, it did not resemble a rat's lair or a place where rebels might hide. It looked like another city, and I had no idea how Talin had managed to build something so beautiful despite his ugly soul. Perhaps they had stumbled upon it by accident. The latter seemed more logical, so I settled on that and tried to think of other things.

Multi-colored luminescence seeped from the dwellings carved into the towering rock walls. Vines and flora cascaded from ledges and railings, and bridges made of glowing stalactites arched gracefully between outcroppings and the river. At the heart of the cavern, a waterfall cascaded from an unseen source above. Dominating the landscape were colossal plants, their massive trunks and sprawling roots, their enormous leaves forming a verdant canopy.

In the waterfall, I saw spirits swimming around, appearing less harmful than the one I had encountered in the Gloom Mountain. A staircase made of water suddenly emerged from the falls, providing us a way to the second level.

Unlike the ground floor, where a hallway was visible, the upper floors had none. The only means of moving from chamber to chamber was the staircase creating a path for us, accommodating our needs.

We stepped into a chamber that, like all the others, was fashioned from stones that glowed green with sparkling crystals.

I was surprised to hear the noise of descendants who were too busy discussing and arguing to mind our presence. While I was certain that some were descendants of Valor, I was confused by the number who seemed to hail from different keepers. I must be missing something. It was unusual to see them work together, and I could only recall a few instances where the keepers allowed their descendants to collaborate. Their differences and ideals often led to conflict, but the people before me reeked of cooperation, though some were shouting in each other's faces over an argument I couldn't hear.

"Welcome to our archive, where the Geniuses decipher ancient texts, analyze and review records that might aid our quest for Malik's Obsidian. Though you see descendants from different keepers, they are here to coordinate with the team," Astrid explained as we walked inside.

The Geniuses are descendants who, aside from the gifts inherited from the keepers, possess extraordinary intelligence that sets them apart. They are the minds of this realm.

I looked around and noticed that at the heart of the chamber was a large wooden table surrounded by high-backed chairs and cushions, where some Geniuses frowned in concentration over their work. There seemed to be no walls, only towering bookshelves filled with ancient tomes, scrolls, and manuscripts.

"Welcome." A man in a deep indigo robe embroidered with silver threads approached us. He stopped before us and studied me with intelligent, deep violet eyes framed by silver wire glasses that glimmered subtly.

"Afia, meet Elowen, a descendant of the celestial keeper, a Genius, and the leader of the research team."

Elowen offered his hand, and I accepted it with a smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is reciprocated, Afia."

Elowen was a wise man. He walked us through the chamber and explained their work, though I understood little except the parts about sorcery and dark magic.

I found that, while they were doing commendable work in deciphering and studying matters connected to Malik's Obsidian, they had only a few clues about its whereabouts. This might be a long journey. I would have to stay with them until they had a definite location for the Obsidian, though despite the oath, I would still find a way to communicate with my brother and plan, as there were loopholes in the oath. I could circumvent it without ending up on my deathbed.

After our visit to their chamber, Astrid brought me to another chamber entirely different from the archive. She explained that this was where the combat team worked.

Truly, the contrast was stark. Where the archive welcomed me with towering bookshelves, the next chamber greeted me with an axe flying in my direction.