"You're nothing more than Ash Heath."
Why did his name suddenly feel like an insult?
Ash Heath, a name, a gender, a crime—Ash Heath.
Ash lay on the ground, bound and filthy, waves of pain radiating from his back. It hurt so much that he whimpered helplessly, lacking the energy to refute the Eternal Everlasting's words.
The necromancer beside him shook his head in sympathy. "So you really were framed, Ash? I thought that was just another one of your terrible jokes. Back then, I even thought, 'Wow, the Four Pillars cult leader actually has a sense of humor.'"
"I think he's just stupid," Igula sneered. "How could he be so blind to the situation? His life is literally in their hands, yet he dares to haggle with them. Do lumberjacks show mercy to trees just because their axes are wooden?"
"Instead of groveling to earn a place as their axe, he acts like a cockroach flaunting itself. That they didn't squash him outright is a testament to their patience. This is the kind of fool who negotiates benefits and contracts during a job interview for manual labor."
Harvey had initially wanted to defend Ash but stopped when he noticed Ash glaring at Igula, muttering curses only he could hear. Harvey figured Igula's taunting was probably intentional—stoking Ash's anger to distract him from his physical pain.
Still, Harvey couldn't shake how strange Igula's tone was. If Ash had actually gone through with the Eternal Everlasting's request, it would've been Harvey and Igula screaming right now. So why did Igula sound like a disappointed parent chastising a child? Was he truly hoping Ash would climb over their corpses to survive?
Before Harvey could dwell further, a cacophony of wailing pierced the air.
"Waaah! Daddy! Mommy!"
"I want my mommy!"
"Mommyyyyyy!"
The shrill cries of children filled the underground hall, causing both Igula and Harvey to grimace. Their disgust wasn't directed at the Four Pillars cult for targeting children but rather at the racket itself. Blood Moon citizens were notoriously intolerant of noisy brats.
But as Igula listened, he frowned. "Why are they all calling for 'Mommy' and 'Daddy'? Are those this kingdom's heroes or something?"
Ash almost laughed at the question.
Though he'd never heard these specific terms of endearment before, the children's cries were unmistakable. Even first-timers can figure this out. It's always some variation of the same sounds.
"Yes," Ash said dryly. "If you call for them, your 'Mommy' and 'Daddy' will come running to save you."
Harvey, taking the response seriously, asked, "Even if we're foreigners, will they protect us too?"
Ash felt a flicker of amusement but found it quickly fading. He didn't answer. Soon, the children were led closer, shackled by miracle-forged chains just like the trio. Their cries ranged from quiet sobs to ear-splitting wails. Each child was a delicate, doll-like figure, no taller than the wheels of a cart—around the same size as the Eternal Everlasting herself.
"Do children even have value as sacrifices?" Igula murmured.
"In the Four Pillars cult, children symbolize 'purity,'" Ash explained, his expression darkening as he recalled Heath's criminal record. "They believe only the untainted minds of children can embody pure hatred, pure joy, pure love, or pure evil—like flawless gemstones. They're not the best sacrifices but definitely the easiest to obtain."
"Look at that girl," Harvey suddenly said, nodding toward a white-haired child.
Ash followed his gaze and was momentarily struck by how doll-like she appeared. For a brief second, he thought Harvey's tastes had taken a turn for the normal. At least his interest was in someone alive this time.
But then he noticed what Harvey meant—the white-haired girl was too calm.
She wasn't crying or frozen in fear. Instead, she was carefully observing her surroundings. When she caught the trio's gaze, her eyes softened into a pitiful expression, tugging at the heartstrings. It was a flawless act, as if pleading for a savior to whisk her away from danger.
"A born drama queen," Igula scoffed.
Ash and Harvey sighed, disappointed. For a moment, they'd hoped she had some hidden ace up her sleeve. But no, all she had was an uncanny ability to weaponize cuteness.
Meanwhile, the cultists began clearing a large space in the center of the hall. Above the trio, the suspended braziers let loose rivers of flame that spiraled into four burning circles, encasing them along with the children. The rings of fire isolated them from the rest of the hall.
A haunting chant echoed through the cavernous space:
"Endless brilliance, endless forms, endless possibilities…"
"The Herald of Frost, serene and blue, suppresses the profane…"
"Eternal flames, undying life, perpetual exile…"
"Dreamlike freedom…"
"We offer this prayer with utmost sincerity, beseeching the mercy of the Four Pillars!"
When the prayer concluded, the Eternal Everlasting's soft, childlike voice rang out: "The offerings decreed by divine oracle have been gathered."
"In the name of Serlina Bright, I present these sacrifices to the Four Pillars: three outlanders and sixteen pure souls encircled in flame!"
It's over.
Igula closed his eyes, despair washing over him. Of all the ways he could've died, this wasn't what he'd expected. Not during the jailbreak, not in pursuit by the Scourge Hall—but here, as an offering in a cult ritual.
Essentially, I'm dying because of Ash Heath.
If only he hadn't approached this naïve newcomer back in prison… If only he hadn't seen Ash as an easy mark…
But then Igula chuckled softly, snuffing out the tiny spark of regret. No, he wouldn't change a thing. Better to die in a spectacular jailbreak and a grand Blood Moon trial than rot away in the monotony of prison life.
In a way, he was grateful to Ash Heath. The so-called cult leader had pulled him out of the drudgery of incarceration and set him on a glorious path toward death.
They say evil souls must cross six layers of hell before resting in the Void. Every victim an evil soul has wronged waits eagerly for their chance at revenge, ready to inflict suffering tenfold.
Dear cult leader, with your impressive résumé of sins, there's sure to be a long line waiting for you in hell. But don't worry, I'm a bad guy too. I'll keep you company.
Igula turned his head toward Ash, expecting to see the same hopeless resignation on his face. But to his surprise, Ash's expression was defiant. His trembling body straightened, and he raised his voice to the heavens:
"In the name of Ash Heath, I offer a new sacrifice to the Four Pillars—every cultist in this underground hall!"