As Sarah and Kenta were making their way out of the coliseum, they were suddenly approached by a royal knight. The knight had a serious expression on his face and was clearly on official business.
The knight bowed his head slightly before speaking.
"Princess Alessia has requested your presence immediately," he said, his voice steady and formal.
Inside the grand halls of the royal castle, the members of the Glazier Cult were gathered around Princess Alessia. She sat on her throne, her expression calm and composed, but there was a hint of tension in the air.
The princess, fully aware of the Glazier Cult's intentions to kill her, gritted her teeth. She knew that, as royalty, she was bound by her royal duties and rules. She had no choice but to bestow the promised "blessings of god" upon them.
She could feel the frustration and anxiety building up within her. However, on the outside, her expression remained composed, the mask of a princess firmly in place.
Eclipse, the leader of the Glazier Cult, approached the princess with a confident demeanor.
"Princess, it is an honor to be in your presence," he said smoothly, his voice betraying no hint of their true motives
The other members of the Glazier Cult stood silently behind Eclipse, their faces concealed behind their masks, their eyes fixated on the princess.
Princess Alessia, aware of the danger she was in, met Eclipse's gaze, her eyes cool and steady. She was determined not to show any sign of weakness in front of the cultists.
Silence filled the room as Eclipse and the princess regarded each other. The tension was palpable as everyone waited for the next move.
The princess, breaking the silence, spoke in a firm voice.
"I presume you've come to receive your "blessings of god'?" she said, her tone betraying a hint of sarcasm.
Eclipse smirked, his eyes gleaming with a subtle malice.
"Indeed, Your Highness. We are eager to receive the blessings promised to us," he replied, his voice smooth and charismatic.
The princess clenched her fists beneath the long sleeve of her gown, her thoughts racing. She knew she had no choice but to follow through with the promise, but the thought of giving such a powerful group the blessing filled her with unease.
She took a deep breath, willing her voice to remain steady.
"Very well," she said, her tone resigned. "You shall receive the 'blessings of god', as promised."
At the princess's words, Eclipse's smirk widened. He knew they were one step closer to achieving their ultimate goal.
"We are most grateful for your generosity, Your Highness," he said, a hint of mockery in his voice.
The princess bristled at the mockery in Eclipse's tone, but she kept her anger in check. She had to be careful not to give them any reason to act against her prematurely.
Instead, she nodded stiffly, her eyes never leaving Eclipse's.
"I expect you to honor your part of the deal," she said, a warning in her tone.
Eclipse chuckled, his eyes flickering with a hint of amusement.
"You have my word, Your Highness," he said, his voice filled with a confidence that bordered on arrogance.
The princess suppressed a shiver, the cult leader's tone sending a chill down her spine. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was in the presence of dangerous individuals who were not to be trusted.
Yet, she had no choice but to play along. She forced a smile, her voice deceptively sweet.
"Very well then. Let us proceed with the ceremony," she said, gesturing towards the designated area for the blessing ceremony.
The princess led the Glazier Cult members towards the royal church, the atmosphere tense and heavy. The church, grand and opulent, stood as a symbol of the divine power that the royal family supposedly possessed through the blessings of the gods.
The priests and priestesses, who were aware of the situation, had prepared themselves for the ceremony. They could sense the danger that these cultists posed, but they had to play their roles as custodians of the religious rituals.
The princess, moving with a regal grace, led the Glazier Cult members to the center of the grand church. The sacred space was filled with an air of reverence and awe, the flickering candles casting shadows on the stone walls.
She motioned for the cultists to stand in front of an elaborate altar, where the blessing ceremony was to take place. The priests and priestesses took their positions, standing nearby to oversee the event.
Once everything was in place, the princess addressed the cultists once more.
"Before we proceed, I have one condition," she said, her firm voice echoing through the church.
Eclipse, standing amongst his team, raised an eyebrow at the princess's condition.
"And what condition would that be?" he asked, his voice dripping with mockery.
The princess, her eyes narrowing, responded firmly.
"I require an oath of loyalty from each of you," she said. "You must swear that you will never harm me or my family once you receive the blessings."
Eclipse's smirk grew wider, his voice dripping with condescension.
"You dare to make demands of us, Your Highness?" he said, his gaze locked on the princess.
The princess, undeterred by Eclipse's reaction, stood her ground.
"It is the condition I have set," she stated firmly. "If you want the divine blessings, then you must swear the oath. Otherwise, I will not proceed with the ceremony."
The priests and priestresses in the church watched the exchange intently, their faces betraying their tension. They knew the importance of the situation, and the danger that the cultists posed to the princess and the royal family.
Eclipse, realizing that the princess was not going to back down, grudgingly agreed.
"Very well," he said, his tone a mix of annoyance and condescension. "We will swear the oath, but know that it does not bind us once we have the blessings power."
The princess clenched her jaw, her eyes narrowing at Eclipse's words. She knew he was unlikely to keep his word once they had the blessings, but she didn't have much choice at this point.
She took a deep breath and spoke, her voice firm.
"Then let the ceremony begin."
At the princess's order, the ceremony commenced. The priests and priestesses began to chant a sacred hymn, their voices merging with the silence of the church.
The princess stood aside, watching as the ceremony progressed, her anxiety growing with each passing moment. She knew that once the blessings were bestowed, the Glazier Cult would become even more powerful and dangerous.
The princess's eyes flickered with a glimmer of hope as she remembered Kenta and Sarah, the two contestants who had surprised her with their strength during the tournament. She wondered if they could become her potential allies in this dire situation.
As the Glazier Cult received their blessings from the statue, a glow emanated from it, wrapping them in a divine aura. Eclipse, standing at the center, felt his power growing with the artifact of Enchance's power.
The artifact, a rare and powerful relic, magnified the user's natural abilities, making them more formidable in combat. Eclipse and the other cultists felt the surge of power coursing through their veins, transforming them into even deadlier warriors.
Kenta and Sarah, having been summoned urgently by the Royal Knight, were rushing through the corridors of the royal castle, guided by the knight. Their sense of urgency and concern for the princess propelled them forward.
As Kenta and Sarah burst into the church, they were greeted by a horrifying sight. Blood coated the walls, the bodies of the priests and priestesses lay scattered on the ground.
The princess, trembling and on her knees, was the only living person in the room.
The sight of the carnage and the princess's frightened expression sent a wave of shock and anger through them. They knew that the Glazier Cult was responsible for this bloodshed, but they had no idea what had happened or how they could help.
Kenta and Sarah's eyes narrowed as they spotted the two Glazier Cult members standing in front of them. One was a man called Phantom, and the other was a woman known as Mirage.
The two cultists stared at them, their faces betraying a mixture of surprise and annoyance at their arrival.
"Well, well, if it isn't the duo from the tournament," Phantom sneered, a sinister smirk playing on his lips.
Despite his sneer, Phantom couldn't help but notice Kenta's katana. His eyes flickered with interest and greed.
"That's quite the weapon you have there," Phantom said, his voice dripping with mockery. "I wonder how it would look in my possession."
Mirage, standing quietly by his side, observed the situation with a calculating gaze. She was assessing the duo, gauging their potential threat level.
Mirage, with a wave of her hand, manifested ten swords in the air, launching them towards Sarah. The shimmering blades surged through the air, each a deadly projectile aimed at their target.
Mirage, her eyes fixed on Sarah, declared her intention to fight. Her voice was cold and confident, betraying no fear or hesitation.
"You'll be an interesting opponent," she said, a smirk forming on her lips. "But in the end, you'll fall just like everyone else."
~Next Chapter "Dou Vs Dou"