"Hmm..."
Aerin rubbed her temples, scanning the Chaos Cultists around her. A headache throbbed behind her eyes.
Hunting moles was never her strong suit.
She’d stood on the altar for ages, scrutinizing every face—yet no traitor revealed themselves.
"...Sigh."
After a long pause, Aerin gave up. "Forget it. Let’s deal with the Church’s scout team first."
She stepped down, waving for the cultists to follow.
Soon, they ambushed both sides of the road where the Holy Light Church’s squad would pass.
Silver figures emerged in the distance. Undeniably Church knights.
"Listen up!" Aerin hissed. "Wait for my signal. Charge only when I say."
She motioned for silence. Heavy CLANG—CLANG—CLANG echoed as armored boots struck stone. The silver ranks drew closer, filling her vision.
They marched straight ahead, oblivious to the ambush.
250 meters.
100 meters.
50 meters.
Just as the squad entered striking range—
The knights suddenly whirled, holy golden light flaring around their spears.
WHOOSH! Golden spears rained down on the hiding spots. Explosions ripped through smoke and debris.
"How?! They knew?!"
"Fight back!"
"Stay calm! Take cover—return fire!"
Chaos erupted. But under Aerin’s sharp commands, the cultists retreated while dodging relentless barrages.
BOOM! BOOM!
The knights’ spears reduced the streets to rubble in seconds.
"The mole leaked our position," Aerin muttered, shielding her followers with dark magic. She scanned the panicked faces—but saw no telltale signs. *Too subtle to spot by eye.*
Her head pounded. She’d rather swing her greatsword than play detective.
As she fell back, the knights abruptly abandoned their scattered attacks. Like hounds scenting prey, they charged *her* alone.
"What?!"
*Did the mole expose me?*
Danger flared. Aerin retreated under her cultists’ cover—but the knights bulldozed through buildings, ignoring all else to hunt her down.
"Deacon! The main Church force is coming! Our brothers are scattered—what now?!" Despair choked the cultists beside her.
Aerin halted. "They’re slaughtering civilians to reach us. Running’s pointless. We fight."
She positioned her remaining followers—
*Fwip.*
A cold blade sliced past her ear.
*THUNK.*
Aerin’s eyes flew wide. A dagger buried deep in her back, piercing her heart. The traitor had masked his presence perfectly.
"*Cough... cough...*" Blood thickened the air. She twisted to see a grinning cultist sheathing a pale-gold knife into her flesh.
"Sorry, Deacon. The Holy Light Church walks the true path." His whisper slithered into her ear. "This blade seals your Chaos power. Rest easy."
Aerin’s gaze swept the dead cultists around her. *Him. The mole.*
His smile triggered a searing pain in her skull. Shattered memories surged—
*"...Aerin... forgive me..."*
*"...My family’s happiness... required your betrayal..."*
*"...My sister needed medicine... and your bounty was high..."*
*"...Don’t hate me for this..."*
Rage, ancient and bottomless, erupted from her core.
***KRA-KOOM!***
Black energy detonated from Aerin, flattening everything within ten meters. The mole leapt back, shock freezing his grin. That hatred... it felt older than lifetimes.
*"...Traitors... die."*
Before he could react, Aerin’s obsidian greatsword descended. *SLASH!* His body split cleanly.
"OVER THERE! GET HER—"
"—What is that THING?!"
The charging knights met the same blade. One swing erased them all.
"...The Church... Damn you, Holy Light!"
Just seeing their silver armor ignited soul-deep fury. Black mist coiled around Aerin as she vanished toward the city gates.
Outside, the Church’s vast army advanced like a steel tide.
Aerin saw only prey.
***WHOOSH!***
A black streak tore into their ranks. Her greatsword rose and fell—waves of darkness harvesting lives. No knight could withstand her wrath.
Alone, she butchered the entire army.
Without hesitation, she piled their corpses onto the altar and reignited the Sacrifice Ritual.
Aerin cleared the stage.
---
Silence swallowed the black mist. Not just from her terrifying rage—but from her absurd victory.
After a long pause, Seth exhaled one word:
"6."
This black-haired girl’s playstyle out-crazied Aelora’s. The Church army was meant to be a countdown timer—a threat to *avoid*.
She’d slaughtered them, then used their corpses to fuel the ritual meant to *stop* them.
*...Is this backwards?* Seth wondered.
Beside him, Gwen stared, awestruck.
"She... has a beauty in her strength."
