The sun sank below the horizon, spilling a crimson glow that seeped through the shattered stained glass of the sanctuary, painting the white stone walls with streaks that looked like fresh blood. Shadows stretched long like bony fingers, creeping across the floor in a silence broken only by the distant echo of a roar still ringing in Renn's ears from the battle against the Supreme Goblin Shaman. The air hung heavy with an oppressive weight, a mix of ash and something darker—something that smelled of death and broken promises. Renn rested a hand on the entryway frame, his gaze fixed on the clearing beyond, where the tracks of the recent massacre still scarred the earth.
"I'm exhausted, but we can't just sit idle," he said, his voice graver than usual, as if the day had carved deep grooves into his spirit. "That roar… it wasn't just an echo. Something's out there, waiting. We need to eat, stay strong."
Lilith turned to him from the altar, where she was organizing the few remaining Sacred Energy Crystals, her red eyes glinting with a mischievous spark in the dim light. "Oh, my lord, what a marvelous idea!" she exclaimed, giving a little hop that made her dark, gold-trimmed habit ripple. "Let me handle it. I'll prepare a feast that'll make you forget that cursed roar for a while."
Renn managed a tired smile, a flicker of warmth cutting through the tension gripping him. "Always so enthusiastic, Lilith. I don't know how you do it."
"It's easy when it's for you," she replied, bending a bit more than necessary to pick up a crystal, her tone sultry like a whisper dancing in the air. "Besides, a hungry lord can't lead, can he?"
Seraphina, who had been watching from a corner with her regal poise, stepped forward, her white habit with gold and red accents catching the sunset's light like a beacon. "Unity will sustain us, my lord," she said with that quiet authority that seemed to bend even chaos itself. "I'll join in this. I don't live solely on the wisdom of sacred texts; I also know how to tend a fire."
Renn raised an eyebrow, amused despite himself. "You, cooking? This I've got to see."
She met his gaze with a faint smile, almost imperceptible but enough to show she wasn't above a challenge. "Don't underestimate an Abbess, my lord. Light purifies, but it also cooks."
With the plan set, they stepped into the clearing, the grass still slick with the day's goblin blood. Renn drew his dagger, its edge reflecting the sky's red hue, as he scanned for something to hunt. Lilith pointed to a rustle in the bushes. "There, my lord!" she cried, her childlike excitement clashing with the grim atmosphere.
It was a Mutated Goblin Rabbit, level 3, larger than normal, with long ears and red eyes glowing like embers in the dusk. Its fangs jutted out, sharp and stained with a black liquid that dripped to the ground, leaving corrosive marks. "I'll handle it," Renn said, stepping forward, but Seraphina raised a hand in a firm gesture.
"Don't sully your dagger with that abomination," she said, her voice sharp as a blade's edge. She extended a palm toward the rabbit and intoned, "Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus." A beam of golden light shot from her hand, striking the rabbit with a crackle that reduced it to ashes in an instant, leaving only a clean, purified corpse on the scorched grass.
Renn whistled, impressed. "Well, that was… efficient."
"Purifying light is both weapon and blessing," Seraphina replied, bending to retrieve the body with an elegance that belied the act's violence. "I won't let corruption taint what we eat."
Lilith clapped, bounding over to take the rabbit. "Perfect, big sister! Now, my lord, brace yourself for a feast fit for a king."
Back at the sanctuary, Renn chopped wood for a fire in the clearing, each strike of his dagger echoing with a sound that seemed to stir something in the surrounding mist. Lilith skinned the rabbit with surprising skill, humming a soft tune as blood dripped into an improvised stone bowl. Seraphina gathered sacred fruits from the spring, her movements precise and measured, as if each step were part of a ritual. The aroma of roasting meat soon filled the air, a warm contrast to the chill creeping in from the forest, though even that comforting scent couldn't dispel the feeling that something watched from the shadows.
The fire crackled in the center of the clearing, spitting sparks that rose like fireflies into the darkening sky, while shadows danced at the edges like lurking specters. Renn sat on the edge of his newly built bed—a simple wooden frame creaking under his weight—holding an improvised plate of juicy roasted rabbit and a handful of sacred fruits glowing with a faint golden light. Lilith settled to his right, her knees brushing his with an unhidden closeness, while Seraphina sat to his left, her posture upright even at rest, like a living statue of divine authority.
"This smells incredible," Renn said, slicing a piece of meat with his dagger and bringing it to his mouth. The flavor was rich, earthy, with a hint of sweetness from the herbs Seraphina had added. "Lilith, you've got a gift for this. And you, Seraphina, weren't kidding about the fire."
Lilith giggled, leaning into him with a playful glint in her red eyes. "My lord, if you knew all I can do with these hands, you'd be even more amazed." Her tone was a purr, a blend of sweetness and tease that made Renn smile despite the fatigue weighing on his shoulders.
Seraphina, with a slight curve to her lips, sliced a fruit with surgical precision. "Simplicity has its virtue, my lord. It keeps us strong for what's ahead."
Renn nodded, but his gaze drifted to the bracer on his wrist, buzzing with piled-up messages from the lords' chat. He sighed, knowing he couldn't ignore them any longer. "Let's see what those idiots have to say now," he muttered, opening the holographic interface. The bracer's blue light illuminated their faces, casting sharp shadows as the messages popped up, each more biting than the last.
[Lord_Torin]: "So, Renn, your nuns took down a horde? With church hymns or flashing their skirts? My Rare Level 3 Dragon torched a whole goblin camp while you played dolls."
[Lord_Elara]: "My Rare Level 3 Phoenix could burn your sanctuary in a blink, Renn. What've you got? A troop of sanctimonious cooks?"
[Lord_Kael]: "Cute, Renn, you're still alive. Enjoy your peace, 'cause tomorrow without that shield, your prayers won't be worth a crystal. My Rare Water Elemental's ready to wipe you out."
[Lord_Soren]: "Pathetic nuns. My Rare Level 3 Ogre smashed 50 goblins with one punch. What do your girls do? Embroider tablecloths?"
[Lord_Gav]: "Summoned a Rare Level 3 Minotaur. What've you got, Renn? A prayer group? Even my grandma fights better."
[Lord_Mira]: "My Rare Spectral Wolves cleared a forest in one night. Your nuns wouldn't last an hour against them."
[Lord_Veyra]: "Rare Level 3 Centaur, Renn. 200 goblins crushed under my hooves. Your nuns don't stand a chance, weakling."
Renn clenched his jaw, his hand curling into a fist around the bracer. "Damn idiots," he growled, his voice a whisper thick with restrained fury. "They talk like my girls are a joke. After what we did today, still…"
Lilith leaned closer, her hair brushing his cheek, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone. "Oh, my lord, they're so full of themselves they can't see what we've got. Makes me want to laugh… or rip that arrogance out with my own hands."
Seraphina, from his other side, rested a hand on his leg with surprising tenderness, her fingers sliding gently along his thigh in a gesture that contrasted with the ice in her words. "I understand it stings, my lord," she said, her voice soft but sharp as a frozen blade, "but this prattling trash gives us an opening. They're impulsive, cocky, and easy to manipulate. We can turn their scorn against them."
Renn turned to her, caught between the warmth of her touch and the edge in her tone. "What's your plan?" he asked, his voice lower, almost a murmur, as the fire crackled and cast dancing shadows across their faces.
She met his gaze, her golden eyes blazing with an intensity that stole his breath. "Send a picture of this meal," she said, her hand stroking his leg with a sweetness that belied the ruthlessness of her scheme. "These arrogant insects will see a supposed weakling like you has food while their troops starve. Torin, with his gluttonous dragon, will charge into the mist out of spite. Elara, with her vain phoenix, will do the same to prove her superiority. Kael, Soren, all those worms… their pride will drive them to lose troops in the mist, chasing what they think they lack."
Lilith giggled, resting her chin on Renn's shoulder, her warm breath grazing his neck. "Isn't she brilliant, my lord? We let them dig their own graves while we eat in peace. I love it when big sister gets this twisted."
Renn frowned, feeling the weight of the idea. "But isn't that… dirty? I mean, are we the good guys here?"
Seraphina tightened her grip on his leg—not hard, but with a softness that made him shiver—her voice turning glacial. "My lord, in this world, there's no good or evil, only what serves your will. The purification we bring isn't against what they call 'evil.' It's against anything that stands in your way, noble or vile in others' eyes. We are your swords, your shadows, your killers. If you order us to slaughter an entire village, we'll do it without hesitation, because our Gospel is you."
Lilith nodded, her tone dropping to a sultry whisper. "Our morality is your desire, my lord. If you want those idiots dead in the mist, just say the word, and we'll make it happen with a smile."
Renn swallowed hard, his mind reeling at the revelation. He'd thought the Sacred Order was a religious cult, something pure and pious, but this… this was a cult of death, a band of women trained to kill and bend the world to his will. "I never saw it that way," he admitted, his voice hoarse. "You're more than nuns. You're… my strength."
Seraphina smiled, a slight but sharp curve. "Exactly, my lord. Now, use their arrogance. One picture, and let their pride do the rest."
Renn took a deep breath, feeling Lilith's warmth on his right and Seraphina's resolve on his left. He opened the bracer and snapped a photo of the juicy, golden roasted rabbit alongside the gleaming sacred fruits. With a quick flick, he sent it.
[Lord_Renn]: "Dinner at the sanctuary. [photo]"
The replies flooded in, each more smug than the last.
[Lord_Torin]: "Wow, Renn, that's the best you've got? Cooking's all your nuns are good for, huh? If I wanted, I'd tell my dragon to fetch a whole buffalo from the mist, not settle for your rabbit scraps."
[Lord_Elara]: "Looks tasty, Renn. Could you share the recipe? That's rabbit, right? My Rare Phoenix always burns its kills; I could use a trick like yours."
[Lord_Kael]: "Nice feast, Renn. My elementals don't eat—they just destroy. Enjoy your meal; tomorrow the mist will handle the rest."
[Lord_Soren]: "How sweet, Renn. My Rare Ogre crushed three goblins and ate them raw. Your nuns couldn't even clean its teeth."
[Lord_Gav]: "My Rare Level 3 Minotaur flattened a camp today, Renn. What've you got? Nuns playing house with that dinner?"
[Lord_Mira]: "My Rare Spectral Wolves hunt in silence, Renn. Your nuns wouldn't hear the first howl before they're gone."
[Lord_Veyra]: "My Rare Centaur massacred 200 goblins in an hour, Renn. You? A dinner and prayers. You're not even in the game."
[Lord_Renn]: "Thanks, Elara. Yeah, it's purified goblin rabbit. Just need fire, forest herbs, and a touch of divine light. Hope your Phoenix enjoys it."
[Lord_Soren]: "Keep dreaming, Renn. While you're swapping recipes, my Ogre's already hunting its next meal."
Renn gritted his teeth, his hand trembling over the bracer. "Soren again with his damn taunts," he growled.
Seraphina stroked his leg tenderly, her voice a whisper of ice. "Ignore them, my lord. They're filth that'll choke on their own arrogance. Let them charge into the mist out of envy. We'll stay here, growing."
Lilith laughed softly, brushing her cheek against his. "Look at them squirm, my lord. It's almost cute."
Renn snapped the bracer shut with a click, his gaze fixed on the fire. "They're right to talk. Our actions will outshine their words."
Night had fallen fully, the sanctuary cloaked in thick darkness broken only by the faint amber glow of the central crystal pulsing like an anxious heart. The wind howled outside, slipping through cracks and carrying whispers that seemed to mutter threats in a forgotten tongue. Renn stepped into the newly built bedroom—a simple wooden space with two modest beds, one for him and Lilith, the other empty for now. He'd given the second room to Seraphina, who retired with a silent nod, leaving him alone with Lilith.
The succubus nun was already there, smoothing the sheets with a grace that belied the day's harshness. Her dark, gold-trimmed habit clung to her figure in a way that made it hard to look away, and when she turned to him, her red eyes glowed with a mix of warmth and something deeper—something that quickened Renn's pulse.
"Well, my lord," Lilith said, her voice a soft purr as she approached, "looks like this is our first night together in a real bed. Are you ready to rest… or for something more?"
Renn scratched the back of his neck, a flush creeping up his face. "Lilith, don't start that now," he muttered, but a crooked smile slipped through. "I'm beat, but… there's something I should tell you."
She tilted her head, intrigued, and sat on the bed's edge, patting the space beside her. "Oh, I love nighttime confessions. Tell me, my lord, what's on that little head of yours?"
He sat next to her, the mattress creaking under his weight, and took a deep breath, staring at the floor to avoid those eyes that seemed to see right through him. "It's silly, I guess, but… I usually hug a pillow when I sleep. Always have. And now that we're here, so close, I might… I don't know, hug you by accident."
Lilith stared at him for a moment, then burst into a giggle that echoed through the room like a mischievous chime. "Oh, my lord, that's the most adorable thing I've heard all day!" She leaned into him, her shoulder brushing his, her voice dropping to a warm whisper. "I don't mind your touch, my lord. I crave it, actually. If you hug me, I won't complain—I'll feel honored."
Renn looked up, caught by the sincerity in her tone, a lump forming in his throat. "You're… incredible, Lilith. You were the first to stand by me in this damn world. I don't know what I'd do without you, without that way you make me laugh even when everything feels like it's falling apart."
She smiled, a soft curve brimming with affection, and rested a hand on his cheek, her skin warm and smooth against his. "And you're my world, my lord. There's nowhere I'd rather be than here, with you."
They lay down together, the small space forcing a closeness Renn hadn't anticipated. He tried to keep his distance at first, but Lilith's warmth enveloped him like a living blanket. Eventually, he gave in, his arm wrapping around her—awkwardly at first, then with more confidence as she nestled against him, her head resting on his chest. The scent of roses from her hair filled his senses, and despite the initial nerves, a strange peace settled over him.
"This isn't so bad," he murmured, barely audible, as his eyes drifted shut.
"It's not," Lilith whispered, her breath warm against his skin. "Rest, my lord. I'm here."
Sleep claimed him, but it wasn't restful. In his mind, Renn walked a dark path, mist swirling around him like living snakes. A colossal figure loomed ahead, shrouded in shadows, its red eyes piercing the gloom like burning daggers. "You shall not pass," it growled, its voice an echo that rattled his chest. Renn tried to fight, but his dagger bounced harmlessly off the shadow. Just as black claws closed around him, a blinding light erupted from behind, pure and searing, banishing the figure in an instant. He couldn't see who saved him, but the presence was warm, powerful, and filled him with an urgency that yanked him awake.
He jolted up, sweating, his breath ragged, heart hammering against his ribs. Lilith slept peacefully beside him, her arm still draped over him. Renn stared at the ceiling, the echo of that light lingering in his mind with a certainty: he needed more power, and he needed it now.
Dawn arrived cloaked in dull gray, as if the sun feared to rise over the sanctuary. Mist clung to the ground like a shroud, and the air carried a bone-chilling cold, accompanied by a constant murmur from the northern woods. Renn emerged from the bedroom with heavy steps, the nightmare still weighing on him. Lilith followed, adjusting her habit with a yawn, while Seraphina stood at the altar, her imposing figure still in silent meditation.
"Good morning, my lord," Seraphina said without opening her eyes, her voice steady as ever.
"Morning," Renn replied, his tone darker, laced with an urgency he couldn't shake. "I had a dream last night. Something dark's out there, and we need to be ready."
Lilith stepped closer, resting a hand on his back. "A dream, huh? Was I the heroine saving you?" she teased, but her smile faded at the gravity in his expression.
"Not this time," he said, forcing a weak smile. "But there was a light, something powerful. I think it's a sign. We're heading north today. We can't wait any longer."
Seraphina opened her eyes, her golden gaze sharp as a blade. "I'm ready, my lord. Corruption doesn't wait, and that roar wasn't an empty echo."
After a quick breakfast of the remaining sacred fruits, Renn activated a Chalice of Revelation, the crystal glowing with a cold light in his hands.
[System]: You used a Chalice of Revelation. The Mist of Faith is dissipating. Countdown: 10, 9, 8…
The mist receded slowly, revealing a forest that seemed more alive than it should—trees twisted like skeletal hands, branches creaking without wind. The whispers were audible now, a chorus of broken voices muttering unintelligible words, while shadows darted between trunks, vanishing when Renn tried to focus on them.
"This place is cursed," Lilith murmured, her voice tight as she clutched her prayer tome to her chest. "I feel eyes everywhere."
Seraphina stepped forward, her white habit billowing like a flag in the gloom, a faint light radiating from her that barely pierced the dark. "The corruption is strong here. We won't turn back."
The path led them to a clearing where the air thrummed with malevolent energy. At its center, an improvised altar of bones and black stones pulsed with a reddish glow, surrounded by goblins warped by corruption. A Level 10 Goblin Warlock led a ritual, its staff raised as it chanted guttural words that shook the ground. Around it, Level 11 Corrupted Goblin Guards in bone armor wielding poisoned spears patrolled like caged beasts, while a Level 12 Shadow Stalker—a spectral figure with red eyes—drifted among the shadows. Beyond, black wolves with rotting fur, summoned by the Warlock, growled from the clearing's edges.
"They're summoning something big," Seraphina said, her voice cutting through with icy calm as she raised a hand. "We won't give them time."
Renn drew his dagger, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and resolve. "Let's end this."
The battle erupted like a whirlwind of chaos and light. The Corrupted Goblin Guards charged with spears dripping black venom, their snarls echoing through the clearing. Lilith raised her tome, her eyes flashing with cunning. "Let them dance their own deaths!" she cried, casting Mass Confusion. The goblins stumbled, some impaling themselves on their own spears, others crashing into each other with the crunch of breaking bones.
Seraphina advanced like a beacon in the storm, her voice slicing the air: "Domine meus, in tua luce pereant!" A burst of Purifying Light incinerated three Guards in an instant, their bodies crumbling to black ash as they shrieked. The summoned wolves leaped from the shadows, jaws gaping, but Seraphina spun with lethal grace, conjuring a Divine Shield that repelled them like insects against glass.
"Lilith, the wolves!" Renn shouted, dodging a poisoned spear and slashing a Guard's throat with a precise strike.
"At your command, my lord!" Lilith replied, her voice a mix of glee and ferocity. She raised a hand, and a Shadow Barrier sprang up before a wolf, tripping it with a yelp. "Clumsy beasts!" she laughed, casting another barrier that sent a second wolf crashing into a tree with a dry crack.
The Shadow Stalker materialized behind Renn, its dark tendrils hissing through the air. "Look out!" Seraphina yelled, lunging in front of him with a Divine Shield that absorbed the blow, light sparking against shadow. Renn spun and stabbed the Stalker, his blessed dagger cutting through the shadow like flesh, but the creature recoiled with an inhuman hiss.
The Goblin Warlock intensified the ritual, its staff blazing with infernal red as the shadowy figure on the altar grew, its red eyes now visible, a guttural roar shaking the forest. "It's close!" Lilith cried, her voice trembling for the first time.
Seraphina strode toward the Warlock, her imposing figure parting the mist like a spear of light. "You shall not fear the terror by night, nor the arrow that flies by day!" she recited, her voice booming with a force that drove the remaining goblins back. She seized the Warlock by the throat with one hand, lifting it like a broken doll, her golden eyes locked on its with frigid contempt. "Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus!" A blinding glow erupted from her palm, burning the Warlock from within. It screamed, its skin cracking and blazing, eyes melting in an agonized wail as she watched unflinching, her face a mask of ice.
Renn and Lilith froze, jaws dropping, as the Warlock's body fell to ashes at her feet. "By the gods," Renn muttered, his voice shaking with awe. "That was… terrifying."
Lilith laughed, a sound torn between nerves and wonder. "Big sister's magnificent, my lord! Look how they trembled before her!"
Seraphina turned to the altar, where the shadowy figure still loomed, weakened by the ritual's disruption. "Let's finish this," she said, her voice a command echoing through the clearing. "Judicium Caelestis!" A beam of celestial light crashed from the sky, piercing the shadow with a roar that shook the earth, scattering it into a burst of black ash.
Renn rushed to the altar, stabbing it with his blessed dagger to ensure the ritual was dead. A white light flared, purifying the clearing, and the remaining goblins fled screeching, leaving behind an Ancient Map Fragment and a pile of Sacred Energy Crystals.
[System]: You defeated the Goblin Warlock (Level 10), Corrupted Guards (Level 11), Shadow Stalker (Level 12). Reward: 200 Sacred Energy Crystals, Reliquary Map Fragment. Current Resources: 220.
[System]: Profile Updated: Lilith: Succubus Nun, Rank: Acolyte, Level 8. Skills: Enhanced Shadow Barrier, Mass Confusion, Shadow Devourer. Special: Absolute Devotion (Loyalty 100). Description: A loyal succubus, ascended through epic battles, her shadow power grows, her beauty seduces, and her devotion remains unshakable.
[System]: Profile Updated: Seraphina: Aasimar Abbess Nun, Rank: Abbess, Level 9. Skills: Purifying Light, Divine Shield, Celestial Judgment. Special: Celestial Aura (Loyalty 100). Description: A divine Aasimar, her celestial authority and power magnify, guiding her sisters with lethal light toward her lord's will.
Renn took a deep breath, staring at his nuns with a mix of awe and pride. "You're… incredible," he said, his voice breaking with emotion. "If it weren't for you, I'd be dead."
Lilith winked, wiping a drop of goblin blood from his cheek with a finger. "We'll always protect you, my lord. It's our pleasure."
Seraphina bowed her head, her gaze still cold but softened by a hint of satisfaction. "The light of your will guides us, my lord. This is just the beginning."
The group returned to the sanctuary, the weight of the map fragment in Renn's pocket a reminder of the threat still stalking them. The mist seemed thicker now, as if the forest held its breath, awaiting their next move. Midday arrived with a dim light barely piercing the gray veil, the sanctuary standing as a fragile refuge in a world growing ever more hostile.
"Let's build something useful with these crystals," Renn said, his voice firm but tinged with grim resolve. "That dream… I need more strength for what's coming."
Lilith nodded, her tone unusually serious. "A workshop will give us better weapons, my lord. We'll need them."
Seraphina pointed to the altar. "And the sanctuary must be stronger. Corruption won't rest."
Renn activated the bracer, selecting the construction of a Sacred Workshop.
[System]: Construction Complete: Sacred Workshop. Cost: 50 Sacred Energy Crystals. Remaining Resources: 170.
The workshop rose beside the sanctuary, a white stone structure with golden accents, its interior echoing with the sound of unseen hammers. Lilith and Seraphina worked together, crafting holy spears and upgrading Renn's dagger with an edge that glowed with a faint but lethal light.
Then, Renn ordered a sanctuary upgrade.
[System]: Upgrade Complete: Sanctuary Level 2. Cost: 20 Sacred Energy Crystals. Boost: Attack +10%, Defense +10%. Remaining Resources: 150.
A surge of energy swept through the building, cracks in the walls sealing with golden light, the amber crystal pulsing stronger.
"This keeps us one step ahead," Renn said, but his mind lingered on the dream—the dark figure and the light that saved him. "It's still not enough. That map fragment… we need more power to chase the reliquary."
Lilith looked at him, her expression softening. "The Orb, my lord. It's time."
Seraphina nodded, her voice an echo of certainty. "The light calls us, my lord. Summon the one who'll guide us closer to the reliquary."
Dusk arrived with a stormy gray sky, heavy clouds swirling like a vortex above the sanctuary. Renn carried the Advanced Summoning Orb to the altar, its gleaming surface reflecting the amber light in restless flashes. The mist churned outside, thicker, more alive, as if it knew what was coming. Scattered goblins lurked at the edges, their red eyes glinting from the shadows, drawn by the Orb's energy.
Renn raised it, his voice trembling with a mix of determination and tension. "Here we go."
[System]: Special Task Assigned to Renn, Lord of the Sanctuary. Offer a song to the altar as a spontaneous tribute. Reward: The summoning will ascend directly to Holy class, eighth tier of the Sacred Order.
"A song? Seriously?" Renn grumbled, glancing at Lilith and Seraphina with disbelief.
Lilith laughed, her playful tone cutting through the tension. "Oh, my lord, sing something pretty! A love ballad for me, maybe?"
Seraphina tilted her head, her expression serene but firm. "Any tune will do, my lord. The ritual demands it."
Renn took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. The tune he chose was an old lullaby from his world, something about a duckling swimming in a pond. "This is ridiculous," he muttered, chuckling at the absurdity as he began to hum. His voice was low, shaky at first, but grew stronger, resonating through the sanctuary with an echo that seemed to defy the darkness outside. "Duck, duck, swim in the cold water…"
The sky roared in response, thunder rumbling as if the world itself objected. The Orb flared brightly, and the system spoke:
[System]: Task Complete.
A blinding bolt of lightning crashed from the sky, piercing the sanctuary's roof with a boom that shook the walls. The light struck the altar, unleashing a surge of energy that swept the building like a shockwave. Shattered stained glass reformed in an instant, the amber crystal pulsed with renewed vigor, and the darkness lurking at the sanctuary's edges recoiled with a high-pitched shriek. Goblins outside, caught in the residual wave, disintegrated into black ash, their bodies dissolving as if they'd never been.
At the altar's center, a figure emerged from the lightning, tall and majestic, her presence filling the space with a power that stole the breath. Sister Valka was a vision of cold, lethal beauty, her voluptuous form clad in light armor with aquatic details and stylized wings, her silver hair cascading to her waist. Her blue eyes blazed with icy intensity, cutting through the gloom like blades, and when she spoke, her voice rang like a deep song vibrating in Renn's chest.
"I am at your service, my lord," she said, kneeling before him, her tone heavy with devotion carved in stone.
Renn stepped forward, his hand trembling slightly as he offered it to help her rise. "Welcome, Valka," he said, his voice breaking with emotion and awe. "You're part of this family now."
She stood, her height nearly matching his, and met his gaze with those cold eyes that seemed to see beyond him. "Thank you, my lord. I sense the reliquary near, but an ancient darkness guards it. A battle awaits that will test our light."
Before Renn could reply, a deafening roar split the air, deeper and closer than ever, rattling the newly restored stained glass. The sound was a challenge, a promise of death echoing through the forest like a war drum.
Renn turned north, his face hardening with a mix of fear and resolve. "Let it come," he murmured, his voice low but steady. "With you three at my side, there's nothing we can't face."
Lilith stepped close, her hand slipping into his with a sly smile. "Oh, my lord, this just got interesting."
Seraphina advanced, her light flaring brighter. "Our lord's will shall prevail."
Valka raised her spear of light, her voice rumbling like distant thunder. "For you, my lord, we'll purify this land."
The sanctuary thrummed with their combined power, a beacon in the darkness now facing an even greater threat. Renn gripped the map fragment in his pocket, his mind racing with thoughts of leadership, responsibility, and the certainty that his path was about to grow far more perilous.
[System]: Profile Updated: Sister Valka: Siren Valkyrie Nun, Rank: Holy, Level 8. Skills: Valkyrie's Song, Spear of Light, Spectral Apparition. Special: Chosen's Devotion (Loyalty 100). Description: A Siren Valkyrie of icy beauty, her power blends song and lethal combat, forsaking her duality to serve Renn with absolute devotion, bearing visions of the reliquary that will guide their fate.