That girl…
Her soul was so pure that every instinct in Drake’s nature was involuntarily drawn to her.
To break.
To defile.
To subjugate.
That purity irritated and attracted him at the same time. The instincts inherited from the incubus blood whispered only one thing — destroy her innocence, stain that light, prove to himself that no purity could withstand the darkness.
“Gkh…”
Drake flinched sharply and looked away.
He clenched his teeth, forcing those thoughts to disappear.
Apparently, there was still far too much filth left inside him.
Five years of war did not pass without a trace.
“Are you all right?”
The candidate for sainthood carefully stepped toward him. There was neither fear nor suspicion in her voice — only sincere concern.
But at once, a man in armor stepped between them.
The commander of her guard.
A tall, broad-shouldered knight with graying temples and the heavy gaze of a man who had spent a long life on the battlefield.
He stepped forward and slightly inclined his head.
“I am the personal knight of Saint Candidate Selina. My name is Albert.”
His voice was calm, but his eyes carefully studied Drake.
“We are immeasurably grateful for your help. I am ready to hear what payment you ask. Do not doubt it — the king himself will reward you for saving the saint.”
Drake froze for a second.
His thoughts were still a little tangled after the battle.
The adrenaline in his blood was slowly receding, leaving behind a cold crity.
“My name is Drake. I am the apprentice of the witch Moraena from the Dark Forest.”
Albert went pale.
The hand resting on the hilt of his sword slowly dropped.
He immediately sheathed his weapon.
“Oh…”
The knight exhaled heavily.
“I knew this ndscape seemed terrifyingly familiar…”
He looked around.
Dark trees, thick moss, a strange silence in which even the birds could barely be heard.
“But how could we possibly have strayed so far off course… This is the bordernd of the Dark Forest…”
For a few seconds Albert sank into his own thoughts.
Meanwhile, Drake calmly surveyed the clearing.
Bodies.
Blood.
Broken branches.
The traces of battle.
After letting out a breath, he said:
“Allow me to help you with the burial rite for the fallen warriors. After that, my teacher will decide whether she needs any service from the king or not.”
Selina smiled softly.
Her smile was astonishingly warm.
“Thank you, apprentice…”
Drake frowned slightly.
“Just Drake. Let’s do without titles and the rest of that nonsense. We’re not at court right now.”
Selina looked flustered.
“Oh… h-how should I… I mean… all right!”
The girl’s cheeks turned visibly red.
Drake looked at her in confusion.
Albert cleared his throat.
“I think we should attend to the matter at hand.”
?
Drake raised his hand.
Mana gently flowed toward the ground.
The soil obediently parted, forming two deep graves.
The knights exchanged uneasy gnces.
Such control over magic was rare even among court mages.
In one grave they id Selina’s fallen knights.
In the other — the bodies of the attackers.
While Drake dealt with the graves, Albert and the remaining knight gathered supplies and checked the horses.
At some point, the knight frowned as he studied the map.
“It seems… our guide was a traitor.”
Drake turned at once.
“Which one of them?”
He pointed toward the bodies of the dead.
Albert hesitated for a moment.
Then he pointed at one of the fallen knights.
Without another word, Drake jumped into the grave.
He lifted the body.
And carried it over to the pit with the attackers.
Albert frowned.
“Why did you do that?”
Drake calmly brushed the dirt from his hands.
“Traitors do not deserve to ascend to Baal’s halls.”
Albert flinched.
“What kind of ceremony are you pnning to perform?”
Drake looked at him in surprise.
“Every warrior must go to Baal. There he will fight and enjoy the gifts granted to fallen warriors.”
Albert narrowed his eyes.
“Who taught you that?”
He looked at the youth intently.
Far too intently.
Drake shrugged.
“I served for a long time in one of the demon extermination units. We buried worthy fallen warriors exactly like this.”
Albert slowly shook his head.
“You’re not even twenty yet…”
Drake smirked.
“Actually, I’ll turn eighteen in six months.”
Albert paled.
“Gina Almighty…”
He exhaled heavily.
“Boy… what in the world have you lived through?”
Drake merely replied calmly:
“Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
He smiled.
But there was something far too heavy in that smile for such a young face.
Selina quietly watched the conversation.
Her heart tightened.
She had always considered her own childhood a difficult one.
But before her stood a young man who, at seventeen, spoke as if he had lived several lives.
“I respect your traditions…” she said softly.
“But these warriors were followers of the goddess Gina.”
She folded her hands.
“They must ascend beneath her prayer.”
Drake thought for a second.
He scratched the back of his head.
Then he waved his hand.
“All right. Do it your way.”
?
The ritual began.
Selina stood by the grave.
With her hands folded, she quietly recited a prayer.
Her voice was soft.
Calm.
But there was strength in it.
A warm light barely touched her palms.
The knights lowered their heads involuntarily.
Drake stood aside and watched in silence.
And for the first time in a long while, he felt the presence of divine power.
Bright.
Warm.
Nothing like demonic energy.
The sensation was strange.
But… it was not unpleasant.
Thirty minutes ter, the ritual ended.
The graves were filled.
The horses were ready.
The small group — Selina, Albert, the remaining knight, and Drake — slowly moved on.
Deeper into the Dark Forest.
The trees grew denser.
The shadows longer.
And somewhere ahead, deep within the forest, the witch Moraena had already sensed the approach of guests.
A saint.
Knights.
And a youth with incubus blood flowing through his veins.
Moraena slowly opened her eyes.
And smiled quietly.
“It seems… my apprentice has brought trouble again.”
