Chapter 236 - Black Capital ( Part 3 )

"I can help you gain access to the Imperial Palace."

The words echoed around the watchtower as if they were clouds of smoke.

Jennie fixed her gaze on the stranger in front of them.

Rudy did not move from next to the stone table, her hand touching her hidden dagger. She sized up the stranger, observing the signs of hostility in their body language.

Snow stood between them and the two girls. His ears were high and his tails swaying. He prepared himself to attack at the slightest provocation.

Nobody trusted the newcomer.

Probably the only sane choice they’ve made since coming here tonight.

Jennie crossed her arms and spoke with the coldness of someone who knew too much about betrayal in the past millennia.

"What is your name?"

The stranger cocked his head to one side. Slow and curious.

"Is it relevant?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"So I know whose neck I cut when you betray me."

There was an uncomfortable pause.

Then the stranger burst out laughing.

He was not nervous. It was sincere laugh—a sign that he enjoyed it when she mentioned it.

"Got it."

Jennie’s face did not change. "What do you get?"

"Why the Demon Generals want you."

Everything changed.

Snow bent slightly, his claws extending and scraping against the ground. Rudy’s hand holding her dagger clenched into fist and her breathing quickened.

Jennie stayed still but the five Divine Swords responded to her tension inside their spatial seal. Excalibur flared first, then Leviathan, Tempest, Eclipse, and Gram.

"Explain."

The stranger glanced at the far Black Capital. Its red light reflected in his eyes and made them look like pools of violet flames.

"Not here."

"Then you shouldn’t have chosen such a place to approach us."

"Perhaps. But I needed to see whether the rumors were true."

"And?"

The stranger looked directly at her. His gaze was not scared but not foolhardy.

"They are."

Jennie sighed. She started to dislike this man.

"Last time. Name."

The stranger lifted his hood off his head.

The two curved horns protruded from a head of dark silver hair, reflecting the red light of the sky like the polished metal. His skin was pale grey, patterned with the black designs that started from the temples and ran down to the jaws. His eyes were the violet color, piercing and bright, and a small scar was drawn across the left half of his face, starting from the cheekbone and finishing at the chin.

He looked almost human.

But then Jennie noticed the pointed ears, some faint scales on his neck and the pressure of his aura, making the air around them heavy.

A demon.

A very powerful one.

The stranger pressed his hand on his chest and bowed slightly. It was a formal gesture but not one of subordination—it was the bow of someone used to being in the company of the strong.

"Vaelric Duskborne."

Then he stood straight again and fixed her with the gaze of his violet eyes.

"Former Lord of House Duskborne, one of the seven noble houses serving the Imperial Court."

Rudy blinked. "Former?"

Vaelric smiled bitterly. The smile was thin and reminded her of the wine gone bad.

"Accurate description. My house had been deprived of its title, lands and most of the survivors because we refused to assist the Emperor in the ritual."

Snow’s eyes narrowed. "Then you are a disgraced noble."

"Fallen noble," Vaelric corrected him. His voice sounded like it was carrying a lot of pain. "Disgraced means that I did something wrong."

"Those seem to be rather close."

"Only to those who have never lost anything."

Snow opened his mouth to reply.

Jennie raised her hand. "Enough."

She looked at Vaelric. Her eyes searched for any deceit in his expression.

"You oppose Zuko."

"I do."

"Why?"

For the first time, the demon lost the expression of mirthfulness.

The mask of indifference fell apart, revealing something hidden beneath it for a long time.

"Because I saw what happens when people confuse power and salvation."

His voice was low, but it echoed in the damaged tower like a funeral bell.

"My family served the Demon Empire for centuries. We fought its wars, guarded its boundaries, and buried our dead under its flags. And when the Emperor began preparations for his restoration, we were told that this is necessary to save the continent."

Vaelric’s violet eyes darkened. The crimson light of the sky dimmed around him.

"We believed him."

He hesitated. The silence stretched like a suspended breath.

"Until the sacrifices started."

The wind whistled through the gap between the walls, bringing with it the smell of ashes and blood.

Continuing to speak, Vaelric became even colder with each word.

The villages disappeared. The ruins of ancient times were dug out and cleared. Whole bloodlines were exterminated because some of their ancestors possessed remnants of the power needed by the Emperor. Every doubt raised regarding the preparations was called treason.

The expression of Rudy softened. Her golden eyes were filled with pity or with the realization of something.

The talks Jenne heard in Varkesh came to mind. The mercenary whose sister was taken from him. The old demon who spoke about generations sacrificed in the name of the Emperor’s ambition. Scared faces of people who lowered their voice when the Imperial soldiers passed them.

Vaelric’s story was easy to believe.

That didn’t mean that she trusted him.

"Your house revolted," Jennie said. It wasn’t a question.

"We refused to give the people we protected to the Imperial ritual."

"And Zuko’s Generals destroyed your house."

"They destroyed the reputation of my family, its territories, and its future." The mouth of Vaelric tightened and the scar on his face became even more pronounced. "Some of my relatives were executed. Others disappeared in the Imperial prisons. I survived because I was out of the capital when the order arrived."

Looking at the black tower, Vaelric’s face became immobile. The mask of the fallen noble fell down, revealing something simple—man who lost everything and nothing to lose now.

Then the familiar bitterness returned. The walls went up again.

"That is the reason I oppose him."

Carefully, Jennie studied the demon.

Anger could be heard in his voice, but it wasn’t the blind rage of someone who wanted revenge after an insult. It was something else. Something older and tired.

He hated Zuko because he believed the Emperor destroyed his people.

And maybe he was right.

But none of that was the answer to the most important question.

"What do you want from us?"

Meeting her look, Vaelric’s eyes became unflinching.

"Help me stop the ritual."

Without hesitation, Jennie said.

"No."

Turning to her, Rudy asked.

"Jennie..."

"No," Jennie repeated. "We are here to save Lilia. We aren’t here to join a civil war."

Vaelric’s face remained unchanged. He knew how the answer would sound.

"I expected that answer."

"Why ask then?"

"Because you are the only person I know who might disrupt the ritual without being immediately devoured by it."

Jennie narrowed her eyes.

"Explain."

Pointing to the distant tower, Vaelric’s voice became colder.

"The ritual wasn’t designed for the ordinary restoration of Zuko. It requires the Legendary Divine Marks, resonance of Divine Swords, and a vessel able to withstand the accumulated power within the ritual."

He stopped for a while. Looking at the place where the swords of Jennie were hidden.

"Your swords are part of this."

Jennie felt how her stomach clenched.

She remembered the words of Azrael on Ashen Isle. Five are not seven.

She remembered the inscription found under the island. When the King returns, the seven blades will awake.

And she remembered how the black tower reacted on five swords the moment they arrived at the capital.

"You’re asking me to stop something I barely understand," she said.

"I’m asking you to prevent the restoration of the being who intends to use you in his ritual."

"That doesn’t make your problem my problem."

Unreadable expression was on Vaelric’s face now. But something in his eyes was visible—he respected her.

Jennie’s voice became harder.

"I don’t care about the Demon Empire’s throne. I don’t care which noble houses support Zuko and which hate him. I don’t care who should rule this continent after he’s gone."

Taking a step closer to him, Jennie’s golden eyes blazed with cold fire.

"I came here for Lilia. I will find her, take her back to Seraiya and go. If Zuko blocks my way, I’ll kill him. But I won’t let you turn my rescue mission into a war for your kingdom."

These words echoed in the ruined tower. They were absolute—a declaration of intentions without any possibility of argument.

Quietly watching Jennie, Rudy understood her.

Snow remained silent.

But Vaelric wasn’t offended.

Instead, he nodded slowly. His lips curved in a smile.

"Then we want the same thing."

"Do we?" Jennie narrowed her eyes.

"Yes. I want the ritual stopped. You want the Queen rescued. And now these goals don’t conflict with each other."

"And after the ritual?"

A tired smile appeared on Vaelric’s lips again.

"After the ritual, we can argue about politics."

Snow snorted.

"I dislike him."

"Me too," Jennie said.

"And me three," Rudy added.

Putting his hand to his heart, Vaelric smiled.

"Encouraging start."

Jennie paid him no mind.

"Why should we believe anything you say?"

"You shouldn’t."

"You certainly seem to like this particular answer."

"Because trust is costly, and what little I have to give is nearly depleted."

He put his hand into the fold of his robe.

Snow opened his jaws and exposed the fangs. He rumbled, and ice began gathering around his paws.

Vaelric halted, then drew back his hand, revealing it to be empty.

"Calm down. If I were going to assault you, I would have given myself away with a shout."

"You would say that if you were planning such an attack," Snow replied.

Vaelric gave it some consideration. "...Fair enough."

He put his hand back into his robes and took out a small black disc. He laid it upon the stone table.

It bore the crest of a silver crown that was split in two. It was old and worn, and its edges were cracked and frayed, yet the symbol remained legible.

Rudy leaned closer. "What is that?"

"The seal of House Duskborne. Prior to the Emperor’s stripping me of my status, my ancestors were responsible for several administrative divisions in the capital. I know the guard shifts, the secret routes used by the guards, and the positions of the defensive formations that are no longer listed in any official records."

Jennie observed the seal without touching it. Her golden eyes followed the lines of the broken crown, searching for any signs of deceit.

"And you can get us inside the Imperial Palace?"

"I can lead you through the outer zones and into the inner zone of the city. Entering the palace itself will take some preparation."

"Why don’t you just spill all your information then?"

"Because information is worthless if those who receive it are dead before they can act."

He leaned forward. The violet hue of his eyes picked up the red glow of the fire, and for a brief moment, they seemed to glow.

"And because there is something you need to know before you attempt to free the Queen."

Jennie’s eyes narrowed. "What?"

Vaelric fixed his eyes upon her. His voice was soft but every word sounded like a stone dropped into calm waters.

"Lilia KingHeart is not being tortured."

Silence.

For a moment, Jennie thought that she had misunderstood him.

"...What did you say?"

"The Queen is alive. She is being kept inside the Imperial Palace, heavily guarded. However, according to my sources, she hasn’t been injured."

Jennie stared at him.

Rudy slowly straightened up.

Even Snow seemed taken aback.

"That doesn’t make any sense," Jennie said.

"Why not?"

"Because the demons took her during the invasion and dragged her across the entire continent to conduct a ritual with her. How come they left her unharmed?"

Vaelric’s expression darkened. Shadows seemed to deepen on his face, and the scar on his forehead deepened as well.

"Because they need her consciousness intact."

Jennie’s fingers clenched. Her heartbeat speed up.

"Explain yourself."

"The ritual needs more than the presence of the bearer. The Legendary Divine Mark cannot be simply removed from one body and inserted into the formation like a precious stone. The mark and the bearer are bound to one another, and the bearer has to be mentally capable of taking part in the process."

Rudy instinctively laid a hand upon her chest. Her mark burned underneath the palm.

Vaelric noticed it. His violet eyes flashed and darted to her.

"Especially in your case."

Rudy went rigid.

Jennie stepped between them. Her voice was sharp.

"Don’t look at her."

Vaelric immediately broke eye contact.

"No harm intended. But the final stages of the ritual need the bearers to be alive and capable of reacting to the formation. Otherwise, the mind of the bearer might crumble, causing instability in the mark."

He fell silent for a moment.

"And instability of the mark means failure of the ritual."

Jennie stared at him. Her mind was spinning with possibilities.

"You mean they need Lilia alive."

"Yes."

"Not only alive, but conscious as well."

"Correct."

"Then why didn’t you tell me that first?"

"Because I want you to understand that the absence of physical damage doesn’t mean that she is safe."

His tone chilled. All warmth of his previous amusements vanished.

"The Imperial Court keeps her unharmed not out of mercy. They preserve something they need."

The words hung above the ruins of the watchtower like a cloud.

Jennie’s mind began to work faster.

Lilia had been captured alive during the battle of Seraiya. Morgatha and Lokiar had immobilized her with magic, but they haven’t killed her. Azrael had told Jennie that Lilia was alive.

Now Vaelric had just told her that the Empire was preserving Lilia’s physical and mental health precisely because it was needed in order to conduct the ritual.

Willfully.

The word struck Jennie like a thorn.

"Wait."

She looked sharply at Vaelric.

"You said the ritual needs her willing consciousness."

"Yes."

"Do they need her cooperation as well?"

"Not necessarily in the way you think." Vaelric crossed his arms. "The original inscriptions mention the resonance between the bearer and the mark. Physical coercion will not bring about the proper response. The bearer has to be mentally present and capable of making a decision."

Jennie’s expression turned sullen. "And what happens if she refuses?"

"I’m not sure of that."

"Guess."

Vaelric hesitated for a second. For the first time, he looked hesitant.

"Well, based on what I found out, it might break the resonance. But the Empire has been preparing for this moment for centuries. I doubt they would attempt to do this without knowing how to overcome that obstacle."

Snow’s tails swayed nervously. His voice was low.

"Which means they have another way to coerce her."

"Precisly."

Rudy looked at the black tower. Her mark seemed to gleam faintly under her cloak, beating with an increasing intensity.

"So they are not waiting for us to arrive," she whispered. "They are preparing to compel the marks."

Vaelric nodded. "That is why I need your help."

Jennie did not hear him.

Her mind was once again with Lilia.

She saw herself standing in the Imperial Palace with guards and magical defenses surrounding her. She saw the blonde-haired queen sitting in a cold room knowing that every minute brought the ritual closer and closer.

However, there was another image she had.

She imagined Lilia refusing to give up. She imagined Lilia raising her chin high, looking at her captors with the same determined look she showed when they confronted each other on the palace balcony.

She’ll find me.

Jennie closed her eyes.

Of course, Lilia would fight.

That was the very reason the demons needed her consciousness.

They could imprison her. They could guard her with soldiers. They could threaten her kingdom and put the chains on her wrists.

However, they could not just substitute her will for theirs and hope the ritual would happen. Not without overcoming the resistance of the person bearing the mark.

Jennie opened her eyes.

"How long do we have?"

Vaelric’s face darkened.

"I don’t know."

"Estimate?"

"Days. Maybe less. The Imperial Court has sped up their preparations after you arrived in the continent."

Jennie’s blood froze in veins. "They know we’re here."

"They certainly do."

"And you’re telling me this only now?"

"I needed to make sure that you were the very person the rumors talk about before telling you what I know."

Jennie looked ready to hit him. Her eyes sparked with rage, and her hand was already moving towards the place where Excalibur was placed in her seal.

Vaelric raised his palms. "I realize that was a bad move."

"An extremely bad one."

"Yes."

Snow glanced at both of them. "May I suggest we get back to the point where we have a limited amount of time before the Demon Emperor restores himself?"

Jennie ignored him.

She turned to Rudy. Her voice sounded softer now.

"How is your mark?"

Rudy pressed her palm against her chest again. The light was shining under her cloak. Steady and warm.

"The pull is still there. It’s not as strong as it used to be, but I feel the tower when I concentrate."

"Does it hurt?"

"A little."

Jennie’s face grew more serious. "Tell me immediately if that changes."

Rudy nodded.

Then she looked at Vaelric. Sharp, piercing eyes.

"If the ritual requires Lilia’s consciousness, what would happen if she lost control over herself? What would happen if she is unconscious, mentally broken or simply doesn’t respond?"

Vaelric studied her for several moments. Something like respect—if not pity—showed in his violet eyes.

"The inscriptions say that the resonance would become unstable. But I cannot guarantee what would happen to her as a result of that instability."

"Could it kill her?"

"Yes."

Jennie’s face froze.

Vaelric spoke slowly, choosing each word carefully.

"Or it could cause the ritual to consume the bearer. I don’t know. The initial documents are incomplete, and the Imperial Court keeps almost all the information about the last stage of the ritual secret."

For several moments, only the sound of the wind penetrating the cracks in the stones filled the air. It was howling through the gaps in the wall, carrying the sounds of the capital—the noise of gates, march of soldiers and beating of the black tower.

Then Jennie spoke.

"Take us inside."

Vaelric blinked. "You refused to interfere in demon politics."

"I still refuse."

"Then..."

"I am not helping you restore your noble house. I am not fighting for your territory. And I definitely have nothing to do with who will take the throne after Zuko."

Jennie stepped up to the table and took the map. Her fingers touched the outlines of the Black Capital’s districts, gates and roads which led to the tower.

"But if preventing the ritual is necessary to bring Lilia back, then I will prevent it."

Her eyes became harder. Hard eyes of the person who had made up her mind and won’t change it.

"And if your information turns out to be a lie, you will regret having approached us."

Vaelric bowed his head. "Understood."

"Good. Tell me everything you know about the palace, the ritual and the quickest way to get to the Queen."

Vaelric started to speak.

However, Jennie wasn’t thinking about the walls of the Black Capital, the Imperial Guard or even Demon Generals.

There was only one thing on her mind.

The demons weren’t torturing Lilia because they couldn’t afford to break her. They needed her mind. They needed her consciousness. They needed her to stay capable of making the choice.

What it meant was that Lilia’s biggest threat might not be the chains on her wrists or the guards waiting outside her door.

It was the choice they would make her to make when the ritual starts.

Jennie squeezed the map in her hand. The paper crinkled under her fingers.

They had to reach Lilia before that happened.

Not after. Not while the tower is awake. Not while the seven marks are resonating.

Before.

Because if the demons succeed in involving Lilia’s consciousness into the ritual, rescuing her might not be enough anymore.

Jennie raised her eyes towards the black tower, visible through the broken doors. It was glowing in the crimson sky like an open wound.

For the first time since they arrived in the capital, she felt something colder than the fear.

Realization.

They didn’t need Lilia to suffer.

They needed Lilia to be herself.

And Jennie had a very bad feeling that the Demon Emperor was going to use it against her.