Soul Chains

Chapter 30: Reversing the Wrongs

The next morning, Eden calls us all to the garden area outside the palace where her, Azuma, Bridgette, and Aidan are waiting.

"I am...not at will to say what I have seen will happen," Eden begins once we're all finally assembled outside in our traveling gear, "but I can select which five of you are purest of heart and which of you will have the best chance of getting inside due to having pure intentions as well."

A few of us nod in understanding and Eden breathes out shakily before she makes her way over to us, starting with Aislinn.

"I will touch your shoulder and read your spirit as I do so," Eden explains, "and if I call out your name, then you will be traveling to Khalida's sanctuary."

"Good luck," Aidan whispers.

"Reine," Eden calls out as she walks down the line, "Ayette, Gabriel, Ciana, and Mikasa."

"You're free to choose any two people you wish to go with you as extra help, but they must wait outside the sanctuary," Aidan adds.

We end up deciding on Dimitri and Renji, although Renee isn't too keen on being separated from Renji. Dimitri refused to stay behind when there could be danger and Renji really wants the chance to see the outside of the sanctuary, considering Khalida is one of his role models.

"Good luck!" Renee shouts as we start to leave the palace.

"Make sure to come back alive, yeah?" Nathan smiles sadly, his eyes pained.

Nathan, Renee, Kaltrina, Shitau, Aislinn, Tsukumi, Eden, Aidan, Azuma, and Bridgette wave us off and wish us well and for us all to come back safely as the seven of us depart from the palace.

We begin our hike towards Khalida's sanctuary that lies beyond Orina in the mountains. Eventually, we reach the edge of the city and begin our ascent into the woods and up the mountain. I glance over my shoulder through the thick trees and brush to see the city slowly beginning to fade the farther and farther away we get. We eventually come to a giant wooden gate that blocks off the woods from the city and Dimitri unlocks it for us, holding the gate open until we all go through before he shuts it.

"We're definitely cut off from society now," Ayette says as she glances around the woods, light shining down through the thick treetops and lighting the dirt pathway surrounded by bushes and rocks.

"Tell me about it," Dimitri mutters as he knocks aside a tree branch.

After about a half hour of traveling up the mountain path, I begin to notice rustling around through the trees and my eyes dart around the area in paranoia.

"Do you guys hear that?" I whisper and Reine stops walking to look around nervously, her hand going to her sheathed katana.

"Maybe it's wildlife?" Ayette asks half-heartedly.

"That's not wildlife," Dimitri scowls, summoning his broadsword.

"It gives off a terrible aura," Renji shudders as he summons his shield and spear.

"Whatever it is, it doesn't know what it's in for," Ciana grins and knocks her fists together, rings of orange glowing runes forming in the air around her wrists.

"I don't like this..." Mikasa whispers and looks around anxiously.

Ayette clutches her necklace in her hand as she looks around and sticks closer to Dimitri.

I begin to feel a familiar sense of my mind being muddled and my eyes widen in realization.

"Kione!" I shout just as a scythe swings through the trees, chopping multiple of them in half as several of us dodge out of the way.