Rise of the Devourer
Book 4: Chapter 34 — Lunar Cultists Pt 2

The cultists spun toward them in perfect unison, their chanting immediately shifting to combat magic. Lunar energy began to crackle around their hands, and the temperature in the chamber plummeted to lethal levels.

Noah activated his enhanced eyes, time seeming to slow as his perception accelerated to supernatural levels. He could see the lunar magic forming in the cultists' hands, as he tracked the trajectory of their spells before they were cast, and analyzed the weak points in their defensive formations.

He triggered Metamorphosis immediately, as he appeared in the middle of the cultist circle while unleashing the Bloodwyrm Swarm. He followed it up with runic chains that erupted outward like a steel web, but this time he pushed the ability far beyond its normal limits. Instead of simple binding, he began forging weapons directly from the chain links, using them as arms—a spear materialized in one of his chains while a curved blade formed in the other, both crackling with runic energy.

The first three cultists barely had time to register his presence before his newly-forged weapons were in motion, thrown at them. The spear pierced through the first cultist's magical barrier like it was made of paper, while the curved blade swept in a devastating arc that caught the second cultist across the chest. The third tried to retreat, but Noah's chains wrapped around his ankles and tore him apart.

But even as Noah's enhanced senses tracked every movement, Selethara was already responding to his presence. The spirit's massive form lashed out with tendrils of pure energy, each one moving with speed that challenged even his accelerated perception. Noah twisted between the attacks, his metamorphosed form allowing impossible feats of agility, but the cosmic cold was so intense that ice crystals formed on his skin with each near miss.

The lead cultist's silver tattoos blazed with malevolent light as he raised his staff. "You think your parlor tricks can stand against the might of the cosmos?" he sneered, his voice making the air itself vibrate. "Witness true power!"

Lunar magic erupted from his staff in a concentrated beam that could have frozen a man solid in an instant. But Noah was already moving, his enhanced eyes having seen the attack forming seconds before it was unleashed. He used Arcane Step to appear behind the cultist leader, his runic chains reforming into a massive war hammer that he brought down with bone-crushing force.

The cultist barely managed to raise a barrier, the impact sending shockwaves through the chamber. "Impossible!" he snarled. "No C Ranker should move with such speed!"

Noah's response was to forge twin daggers from his chains and launch into a flurry of attacks that forced the cultist to give ground. Each strike was precisely calculated, finding gaps in the man's defenses that shouldn't have existed.

Meanwhile, Aurelia had engaged four cultists on the left side of the circle, her flames blazing with unprecedented intensity. The contrast between her fire and their lunar magic created violent thermal reactions, steam and ice crystals filling the air as opposing energies clashed. She drove her flaming fist into the first cultist's chest, the impact sending him flying across the chamber, but the others were already coordinating their attacks.

"Burn in the light of dying stars!" one of them shouted, unleashing a wave of ice that simply evaporated, unable to compete with the intensity of her flames.

Erwest was forced to divide his attention between the human opponents and Selethara, whose presence was growing stronger with each passing second.

"By Hellion's light, you shall end here!" Erwest shouted, directing a concentrated burst of purifying energy at the nearest cultist. The holy magic struck true, but instead of falling, the cultist's form began to shift and change.

"We are already beyond death! Anything for th—" the cultist laughed as he turned into a spirit—losing the ability to speak.

Selethara's massive form began to pulse with increasing intensity, and Noah could feel the anchoring ritual reaching its final phase. Each heartbeat sent waves of energy through the chamber, and cracks were literally appearing in reality itself.

Time was running out. If they could get the damn cult leader, kill him, then they could end this.

Noah pushed his abilities beyond every limit. His runic chains became a constantly shifting arsenal as he moved through the cultist ranks like a force of nature. Whenever the cultists tried to work together, or if they had any opening at all, he would directly trigger Arcane Step, appear behind them, with his chains forming massive swords that pierced their chests or beheaded them.

But Selethara was the real threat. When it lashed out with a tendril of pure lunar force, Noah barely managed to forge a shield from his chains in time. The impact sent him sliding across the chamber floor, his enhanced constitution the only thing that kept his bones from shattering.

"Your struggles are meaningless!" the lead cultist taunted, his silver tattoos creating a disorienting strobe effect. "Selethara's manifestation cannot be stopped!"

The spirit raised both massive arms, and the very air began to freeze solid. Noah felt the cold seeping through even his enhanced constitution—it was as intense and powerful as Aurelina’s fire—it was so cold that it felt like very soul would freeze.

Noah gripped his spear tighter, channeling Void Annihilation energy through the weapon until it blazed with destructive power. He summoned Bloodwyrm Swarm, manifesting dozens of spectral serpents, but even pushed to his absolute limits, he found himself slowly being overwhelmed. The combination of more cultists appearing, the lead cultist being a pain in the ass and an immensely strong spirit they couldn’t do much damage to was beyond what their group could handle.

That's when the lead cultist made his fatal mistake.

"You fight well for a mere C Ranker," he sneered, raising his staff for a killing blow. "But when the lunar dominion rises, this pathetic world will be nothing but—"

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Erwest's concentrated holy magic struck him from behind. The paladin had been waiting for the cultist to focus entirely on Noah, and his patience paid off. The divine energy sent the cultist staggering forward, and Noah took the chance. Using Arcane Step, he appears in front of the lead cultist, and the man stumbled right into Noah's waiting spear.

Noah activated Valkyrie's Call, the weapon's true power awakening with a sound like breaking thunder. The Scarlet Valkyrie spirit manifested around his spear as he drove the enhanced weapon through the cultist leader's heart.

As the leader's life force dispersed, the ritual circle collapsed. Selethara let out a soundless roar of fury as its anchoring process was disrupted, its form wavering and becoming translucent.

The remaining cultists let out desperate screams as they tried for a final attack, but without their coordinator or Selethra’s assistance, their magic was chaotic. Noah, Erwest, and Aurelia, a natural enemy for the cultists who hadn’t turned into spirits, moved through them like reapers, overwhelming the disorganized resistance.

With a final pulse of energy, Selethara collapsed in on itself, dispersing into snowflakes and wisps of white that drifted down.

Noah deactivated Metamorphosis, falling onto his knees as he breathed heavily, every muscle aching from pushing his abilities so far beyond their limits.

“They’re getting stronger,” Aurelia said, biting her lip. “Just an hour ago, there were barely any proper spirits, but now…”

Erwest’s expression was grim as he agreed. “I nearly had to invoke Hellion and become a Holy Vessel. The fact that it came to that…”

Noah grit his teeth and stood up. “Let’s continue. We can’t waste any time.”

As they neared the royal chambers, the transition was gradual but noticeable. Stone walls showed fewer cracks, torches burned with steady flame instead of cold silver light, and the oppressive weight of the lunar cultists’ magic began to lift from their shoulders. The defensive positions were being maintained—the sounds of battle outside grew louder—and Noah could hear the organized footsteps of guard patrols moving through the corridors above.

"We need to be more careful now," Erwest whispered. "These are loyal, if misguided soldiers, not corrupted beings. We can't just kill our way through."

“I know,” Noah said, agreeing with him even though he knew the pains suppressing his power enough that it wouldn’t kill would bring. Besides, some of the royal guards were B Rank—at that level of power difference, any hesitation on his side meant a loss.

Yet they couldn’t just kill innocent people, could they?

They emerged into a service corridor that connected to the main castle—as long as they passed through this service corridor and re-entered the secret passage, they would reach the king’s chambers. Through the window, Noah could see the dragon's massive form that was much more visible now, its roars shaking the very foundations of the building. An hour more, and it would be able to breach the city wall.

Royal guard patrol, coming this way, Aurelia communicated with the bracelet, making Noah press himself back against the wall, his mind racing. Luckily C Rank. They needed to get past without killing these guards, but they also couldn't afford to be captured or even cause enough of a mayhem that the other guards were alerted. The patrol consisted of four guards in full armor, their weapons drawn and ready. If they could cross this, then they’d reach the king.

He went through countless options of what they could do, and just when he was about to go with direct confrontation, Erwest’s voice echoed in his head.

I can put them to sleep. You just have to distract them and hold them steady for just a second.

Noah blinked, but then nodded. He looked down on himself—all the blood that coated his body made him practically unrecognizable, he was sure. As the guards rounded the corner, Noah stepped out with his hands raised, his runic chains subtly positioned but not yet activated.

"Guards! Thank the dragons we found you," he said, his voice carrying perfectly imitated desperation. "We were trapped in the lower levels when the attack started. The cultists—they're everywhere down there."

The lead guard's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You're…." His words cut off as Noah's chains erupted from concealment, wrapping around all four guards' arms and weapons with binding force. He could only maintain it for a second, but that was all that had been needed.

The paladin’s holy magic coated the guards. "By Hellion's mercy, grant them peaceful rest," he whispered, his hand glowing with soft golden light. The guards' eyes rolled back, and they slumped forward, their bodies carefully lowered to the floor by Noah's chains before the enchanted links retracted.

"Help me move them," Noah said, already lifting the nearest guard. "We need to get them somewhere safe."

They found a small storage room nearby and carefully moved all four unconscious guards inside. Erwest checked each one to ensure they were breathing normally and would wake unharmed.

"They'll wake up in an hour or so," Erwest explained quietly.

“That’s more than enough time,” Noah said as he secured the door from the outside, ensuring the guards would be safe from any corrupted beings wandering the halls—if they got this high.

The last of the secret passage they had to traverse according to the map was… very peaceful. There were no lunar symbols that had been carved into the walls, the torches were normally lit, and there weren’t even many guards present.

"There," Noah whispered, pointing to an alcove at the end of the corridor. "The entrance to the king's personal chambers."

Walking up to it, Noah pushed the plain brown door open, revealing a chamber that seemed to exist in another world entirely. Where the rest of the castle had been corrupted by lunar magic and twisted by battle, the royal chambers appeared completely untouched. Elegant tapestries hung undisturbed on the walls, polished marble floors reflected the warm light of crystal chandeliers, and the air itself felt clean and peaceful.

At the center of the room, seated on his throne with a peaceful, dignified bearing, was King Draxius. For a second, he did not look panicked or angry or display any emotion at all—he was far too calm, too serene, as he looked down at the floor absentmindedly. If not for the chaos raging throughout the rest of his kingdom, Noah might have thought they had imagined the entire crisis.

At least, that was until he looked up at them.

***

Kaelan moved through the castle's lower passages with practiced stealth. Seraphina and Valeria trailed behind him, ready to leap into battle at a moment’s notice.

The prison passages were eerily quiet compared to the battle raging in the upper reaches of the castle. Here, beneath tons of stone and enchanted barriers, even the dragon's roars were muted to distant rumbles. Emergency torches cast dancing shadows on the walls, their flickering light making every corner seem threatening.

"The holding cells are just ahead," Kaelan whispered, pausing at a junction to listen for patrol sounds. "Be ready. The guard rotation should be disrupted by the lunar cult’s presence; most of them will have been called to defend against the external threat."

Valeria sighed grimly, her hand resting on her weapon hilt. "We should expect—"

A soft sound from ahead cut her off—the shuffle of feet and low murmur of voices. Kaelan held up his hand, signaling for absolute silence as they crept closer to investigate.

What they found made Kaelan's blood run cold.

The main detention area had been transformed into something far more sinister than a simple prison. Lunar symbols had been carved into the stone walls, and mist drifted through them. A dozen hooded figures moved between the cells while swaying, and at the center of the activity stood a figure that made Kaelan's heart clench with disbelief.