Contents
Chapter 18
Overview
Aris awakens captured by immortals serving “Lordship,” fights free, and cuts down most of them. Forced toward a rot-lined crater by a mind-controlling crimson blade, she resists, kills its wielder, and he hurls the cursed weapon into the pit. Harlan Raker arrives, revealing he watched the struggle and coldly orders her up.
Summary
Aris regains consciousness being dragged by immortals who covet her bonded sword and plan to offer her to “Lordship.” Pretending weakness, she impales one, then fends off a wave of attackers, switching briefly to a familiar bronze blade to cut through the rot-cracked fanatics who revere death as an offering.
Remembering Stellan’s training to kill fear, Aris steadies herself and methodically carves through the group. She reclaims her own sword just as the last immortal with a crimson-glowing blade slams her into a tree and drags her to a strange, patterned crater where the poisoned ground churns.
The crimson weapon seizes Aris’s blood and bones, puppeting her toward the pit. Noticing the wielder is also straining and pinned by her sword through his foot, Aris fights the control with sheer will, wrenches free, and drives her blade through his chest. In his final act, the immortal throws the crimson blade into the crater, which swallows it and stills.
Exhausted and filthy, Aris collapses—only to see Harlan Raker, who had been watching without intervening. Showing little concern, Raker checks if she is wounded and, satisfied she isn’t, curtly orders her to get up.
Who Appears
- ArisProtagonist; awakens captive, slaughters immortals, resists a mind-controlling blade at a rot crater, and survives alone.
- Harlan RakerPact-bound companion; silently observes the battle, offers no help, then coldly orders Aris to rise.
- ImmortalsRot-cracked zealots serving “Lordship”; abduct Aris, revere blood offerings, most are killed by her.
- LordshipUnseen entity the immortals serve; nearly summoned at the rot crater; associated with the crimson blade.
- StellanDead mentor; his training mantra helps Aris steady herself and overcome fear mid-battle.