Chapter 707 Into The Light

Voss had told him that he discovered the Cryovail Veil when he was a child. He had told Liam that he had spent years hiding his identity, secretly investigating Eldric, trying to gather enough evidence to expose him without putting himself in danger. He had believed that he had discovered something Eldric didn’t know about. He had believed the cloak gave him an advantage over the village elder. But if Eldric already knew about the cloak, then everything Voss had done over the past decade suddenly looked completely different.

Liam’s eyes hardened.

Eldric had knowingly allowed Voss to discover it.

He had knowingly allowed a little boy to take that cloak and disappear into the shadows.

He had knowingly allowed Voss to spend years watching him, studying him, following his movements, and searching for evidence.

And that meant every year Voss had spent believing he was secretly hunting Eldric could have actually been the exact opposite.

Eldric had been watching him.

Liam’s thoughts raced faster.

Then another realization struck him, and this one made his stomach turn.

Why leave a little boy with it?

Why give a child access to something that could conceal his existence from everyone in the village and allow him to perceive the souls of others? Why would Eldric permit that unless there was a reason?

Liam slowly looked toward Eldric’s fading silhouette.

If Eldric truly needed soul essence to restore his lost cultivation, then Voss was not merely another villager.

Voss had been wearing the Cryovail Veil since childhood.

For years.

His body had grown alongside the artifact. His soul had been exposed to its power for more than a decade, and whatever effect that had on his spiritual essence, it would have made him different from every ordinary person in Elaris. His soul essence would likely be stronger, denser, more refined.

Liam’s eyes widened slightly.

"You were cultivating him."

The words escaped his lips quietly.

He suddenly understood the horrifying possibility.

Eldric hadn’t simply allowed Voss to survive.

He had been cultivating him.

Keeping him alive.

Letting him grow.

Letting his soul become stronger and denser year after year until the day he finally became useful.

Voss had spent ten years believing he was preparing himself to defeat Eldric, when perhaps Eldric had been preparing Voss for something entirely different.

A sacrifice.

A source of soul essence far greater than anything the ordinary villagers could provide.

Liam’s expression darkened as the pieces finally connected. The mysterious cloak, the cold entity, Voss’s childhood discovery, his years of investigation, Eldric’s knowledge of their meeting, the villagers who had been killed, and the treasure beneath Elaris all formed a single horrifying picture.

Eldric had been planning several moves ahead.

And Voss had been one of his pieces.

From somewhere in the darkness, Eldric smiled.

"It turns out you’ve already figured it out."

Liam’s eyes snapped toward the voice, but Eldric was already backing farther into the shadows. Only his faint silhouette remained visible now, his smile barely illuminated by the pale light of the chamber.

"One step ahead," Eldric said softly.

He paused.

"I am, and always will be, one step ahead."

Those were the last words Liam heard before Eldric disappeared completely into the darkness.

———

Irina finally reached the door of Eldric’s house, her expression cold and determined as she stared at the wooden entrance. She didn’t bother knocking. Irina reached for the handle, turned it, and opened the door immediately before stepping inside. The moment she entered, the familiar darkness of the house surrounded her. It looked almost exactly the same as it had the previous day, but there was something even more disturbing about it now that Irina understood what kind of person lived there. Despite the fact that it was still morning outside, barely any sunlight entered the house, leaving the interior almost pitch black.

Irina’s werewolf eyes immediately changed, the faint supernatural glow returning to them as her enhanced vision pierced through the darkness. She slowly looked around the room, searching every corner, every piece of furniture, and every shadow for signs of Mira. The silence inside was unsettling, but Irina refused to let it slow her down. She moved farther into the house, her footsteps quiet against the floor, until something caught her attention near one of the corners.

Someone was crouched there.

Irina narrowed her eyes and saw Mira sitting on the floor, hunched over as she quietly ate something with her hands. The sight immediately made Irina’s chest tighten. This woman had been kept in this darkness for who knew how long, reduced to eating alone in a corner like she was afraid even to exist anywhere else.

"Hey."

Mira froze.

She had clearly assumed that the sound of the door opening meant Eldric had returned. The moment she heard a woman’s voice instead, her entire body stiffened with fear. She quickly pushed herself backward and scrambled behind a nearby table, desperately trying to hide herself. Irina’s expression softened slightly when she saw the reaction.

"Hey, it’s me," Irina said gently. "I came yesterday, remember?"

Mira remained hidden, her eyes peeking nervously from behind the table. She knew she had heard that voice somewhere, but fear had clouded her thoughts so thoroughly that it took several seconds before the memory finally surfaced. Yesterday. The young woman who had come with that man. The woman with the intimidating presence who had stood beside him while they spoke to Eldric.

Slowly, Mira crawled out from behind the table.

Irina immediately moved toward her, reaching down to help her stand. Mira’s body was so frail that even the simple movement looked difficult, and when Irina took her hands, something caught her attention. Her eyes dropped to Mira’s wrists.

Chains.

Irina’s expression changed instantly.

Anger filled her eyes as she grabbed the restraints and examined them for only a moment before tightening her grip. She didn’t even need to use much strength. With a sharp metallic snap, the chains broke apart beneath her fingers and fell uselessly to the floor.

Mira stared at the broken restraints in disbelief. Her eyes widened as she looked from the shattered metal to Irina’s hand, clearly unable to comprehend how someone could break chains so effortlessly.

Irina didn’t give her time to dwell on it. She grabbed Mira gently by the arm and said, "Follow me."

Mira immediately became nervous again. Her eyes darted toward the door, then back toward Irina as uncertainty filled her face. "W-Where are we going?" she asked in a trembling voice.

"I’m taking you away from here." Irina’s voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. She looked directly into Mira’s eyes, and for the first time there was something warmer in her expression. "I know what you must have been going through for years, and I’m sorry I couldn’t come earlier."

Mira stared at her.

For a moment, she seemed unable to respond. Then her lips slowly curved into a small smile as tears began rolling down her cheeks. She nodded silently, unable to find the words to express what she was feeling. Irina gently took her hand and led her toward the door, guiding her out of the house and into the morning light.

The moment Mira stepped outside, she immediately raised the back of her hand to shield her eyes. The sunlight was almost painful after so many years spent in darkness, and she instinctively squinted as tears gathered in her eyes. She stood there frozen for a moment, staring toward the sky as though she had forgotten what morning looked like. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt sunlight against her skin. The warmth seemed almost unreal.

"Hold on," Irina said.

Before Mira could even understand what she meant, Irina bent down and swept her off the ground, lifting her effortlessly into her arms.

"W-Wait!"

Mira barely managed to get the word out before Irina suddenly dashed forward.

The speed was terrifying.

The world around Mira instantly became a blur as Irina raced through the village, her werewolf strength allowing her to move at a speed no ordinary human could possibly endure. The wind slammed against Mira’s face, forcing her hair backward as she instinctively wrapped her arms around Irina. Her stomach seemed to drop with every sudden change in direction, and the sheer speed made it impossible for her eyes to remain open.

Mira quickly squeezed them shut, afraid that if she continued looking at the world rushing past her, she would become dizzy enough to pass out.

Then, suddenly, everything stopped.

The violent rush of wind disappeared, replaced by complete stillness.

Mira slowly opened her eyes.

Irina lowered her gently onto the floor, and Mira looked around in confusion. They were inside a house, but it was completely different from the place she had just escaped. The room was brighter, warmer, and filled with dozens of gift packages scattered across the floor, the same gifts the grateful villagers had given Liam and Irina after they arrived in Elaris.

Mira stared at the unfamiliar surroundings before slowly looking back at Irina.

Something inside her finally broke.

Without saying another word, Mira dropped to her knees, wrapped her arms around Irina’s legs, and began crying.

"Thank you," she sobbed. "Thank you for taking me out."

Irina looked down at her in silence as Mira continued holding onto her, crying as though years of fear and suffering were finally leaving her body all at once.