Chapter 8, The Crown That Refused To Behave
The rain was coming down so hard it felt like the whole sky was trying to erase the town from existence. Rena and I sprinted down the street, boots splashing through mud, our shadows stretching in the flashes of lightning behind us. The inn was now missing a wall and probably half its customers.
We ducked under the porch of an abandoned shop. The roof leaked in six different places, but at least we were not being clawed apart. Small victories.
Rena wiped her sword with shaking hands. "It is gone. For now."
"I cannot believe I survived a demon scout because it tripped on a windowsill," I said. "This town needs better architecture."
Rena shot me a look. "You are making jokes."
"I am coping. Badly."
She exhaled, long and controlled. Then she turned toward me fully, eyes focused. "Lairn. Why did it look at you first. Why only you."
"Because I am charming. Or cursed. Probably cursed."
"Lairn."
There it was. The tone that meant stop deflecting before she throws me into the rain.
I rubbed my forehead, trying to calm down enough to think. The crown inside my pack pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat muffled under cloth.
"Fine," I said. "But you need to promise not to freak out."
"I do not freak out."
She freaks out politely, but I did not mention that.
I sat on the stairs, letting the storm fill the silence. "The crown spoke earlier."
Rena froze. "Spoke. As in words."
"Yes. Voices in my head. Very fashionable."
"What did it say."
"It said the creature had a mark. Something connected to demons. And before you say anything, no, I do not know what it meant. The crown likes being mysterious. Probably thinks it is cool."
Rena crouched slightly, serious now. "You have been hiding something. Ever since the ruins. You have not explained how you got the crown off your head."
"I did explain."
"You said it popped off."
"That is an explanation."
She glared. "Lairn. Tell me properly."
I groaned. Then sighed. Then realized she would wait all night if she had to.
"Alright. But if I relive this, you are experiencing my suffering with me."
I closed my eyes, letting the memory drag itself up like a bad stomach ache.
---
Flashback, The Moment The Crown Finally Let Go
It happened right after we crawled out of the ruins.
And yes, we crawled. Walking was out of the question. My legs were noodles. My soul was noodles. Everything hurt.
We sat on a rocky ledge overlooking the collapsed entrance. The sunlight hit differently after hours in dark tunnels. Too bright. Too honest.
I tried to pull the crown off for the tenth time. It refused. It clung to my skull like a stubborn parasite with trust issues.
Rena leaned closer. "Does it hurt."
"Yes. It feels like someone welded it to my spine."
"Let me try."
"No thank you. I would like to keep my head."
She ignored me and reached anyway. The crown hummed ominously when her fingers approached. A faint ring pulsed through the metal.
She flinched back. "It reacted."
"I think it hissed at you."
"It did not hiss."
"I heard a hiss. Very clear. Very personal."
Before she could argue, the ground behind us trembled. A massive chunk of stone loosened and rolled down the slope toward us.
Rena jumped aside with the grace of someone trained since childhood.
I tried to jump but my foot found a root, because luck enjoys ruining my self esteem.
I fell face first into the dirt. The rock missed me by an inch and smashed into the ground beside my head, sending a shock up my spine.
The crown pulsed.
Hard.
Like it was shocked that I survived something so stupid.
Then it glowed red.
Symbols flickered along the surface, almost like a language trying to form itself.
A voice whispered in my head. Cold. Mechanical. Detached.
"Stability compromised. Vessel misaligned. Releasing hold."
"What do you mean releasing hold."
The crown heated for one instant. Then let go.
Not gently.
It literally launched itself off my skull like it was spring loaded.
It shot through the air, hit a tree branch, bounced, crashed into a nest, sent a confused bird flying straight into Rena's face, then finally dropped directly into her hands like it was politely handing itself over.
Rena stared at it, stunned.
I stared at her, covered in dirt, stunned in a different way.
She whispered, "Did that just… eject itself."
"It rejected me like a disappointed parent."
"The voice you heard. It said you were misaligned."
"Which is rude. I try very hard to be aligned."
She sighed, rubbing her temple. "This crown is dangerous. It reacts to you. It responds to you. That means something."
"I know. I hate it too."
The ruins behind us groaned, then collapsed fully, sealing the entrance forever. A cloud of dust rose into the air.
Rena clutched the crown tightly. "We need to bring this to the guild."
"No. We need food. Then the guild."
"You are unbelievable."
"Yes. The crown confirmed that."
---
Back to the Present
The flashback faded as the rain continued its steady assault on the town. Rena watched me quietly.
"That is what happened."
She rubbed her forehead. "Lairn. The crown removed itself because of instability. That means it chose you."
"I hate that."
"It means you cannot run from it."
"I hate that even more."
The crown pulsed faintly from inside my pack, as if agreeing with her.
Lightning cracked overhead.
Somewhere near the southern district, a bell rang.
Slow. Heavy.
A warning bell.
Rena's eyes hardened. "The town is waking up. They will come looking."
"For us or the demon."
"Both."
I groaned. "I just wanted a nap. Maybe a meal that did not involve screaming."
"We move," Rena said, stepping into the rain again. "Stay close."
"I would stay closer, but demons keep trying to chew on me."
She almost smiled. Almost.
We moved down the street, mud splashing under our boots.
Lanterns flickered.
Shadows shifted.
The storm was not calming.
Something else was coming.
And whether I liked it or not, the crown wanted me right in the middle of it.
The storm did not let up. It only grew louder, as if the sky itself wanted to warn the town but did not know how to speak. The bell ringing through Morinvale was heavy, slow, the kind of sound meant for events that nobody wanted to admit were happening.
Rena and I moved through the muddy street, each step splashing cold water up our legs. The lanterns along the road flickered and buzzed, shadows stretching unnaturally long.
Rena's hand stayed close to her sword. "If the scout is still near, it will avoid the open roads."
I nodded. "Good. I am also avoiding the open roads. The feeling is mutual."
She ignored my bravery.
The first group of guards appeared near the well, the same spot where we had seen the hooded watcher earlier. Two of them, soaked through and clearly miserable, held their spears like wet sticks. A third guard, older, kept glancing into the shadows as if expecting something to crawl out and give him a heart attack.
He spotted us. "You two. Did you hear the bell."
"No," I said. "The screaming lightning drowned it out."
Rena cut me a sharp look before stepping forward. "What happened."
The guard lowered his voice. "Body found. Alley near the bakery."
"Human?" Rena asked.
"Was," the guard said grimly. "We think… demon involvement."
I met Rena's eyes. She did not need to say anything. We were thinking the same thing.
The demon scout.
Or worse… someone connected to it.
The guard squinted at us. "Didn't you two come running down this way earlier."
Rena opened her mouth to explain, but I beat her to it. "Yes. We were chased by something that did not have the decency to look human."
The guards froze.
"You what," one whispered.
"It came through the inn wall," I said. "Very rude, no respect for property. I think it wanted my blood or my personality. Hard to tell."
The older guard turned pale. "If that's true… we need to alert the captain."
Rena stepped closer. "It is true. And we need to see that body right now."
The guard hesitated, then nodded. "Follow us."
We moved as a group through the narrow streets. Torches sputtered, rain hissing against the flames. Every alley felt too dark. Every shadow felt like it was watching.
Rena walked in front, alert.
I walked behind her, because survival is an underrated hobby.
When we reached the bakery street, the smell hit first.
Something sharp. Metallic. Wrong.
The body lay under a soaked cloth. The cobblestones around it were cracked, as if something with claws had dragged the victim trying to hold on. The rain had washed away most of the blood, but enough dark staining remained to make my stomach twist.
The guard lifted the cloth.
Rena inhaled sharply.
I nearly threw up.
The man's chest was torn as if something dug into it searching for something inside. His eyes were open, frozen in terror.
But what bothered me was not the wound.
It was the mark.
A faint sigil burned onto the skin above the heart, its shape twisting like the ruins' symbols.
Rena knelt, tracing the air above it without touching. "This is demonic… but not the same type as the ruins."
I swallowed. "So there are multiple demon problems in this town. Lovely."
The guard covered the body again. "Who would do this."
Rena stood. "Not who. What."
The sigil pulsed faintly under the cloth… like a last whisper of the creature that made it.
And then the crown in my pack answered.
Not loudly.
Not aggressively.
Just a faint glow.
But Rena saw it instantly.
"Lairn," she whispered. "The crown is reacting."
I shook my head quickly. "It reacts to everything, including me falling down stairs."
"No," she said firmly. "This is different."
The guards stepped back, watching us like we might explode.
I took the pack off slowly and opened it just enough to look inside.
The crown glowed a faint red, like embers under ash.
A whisper brushed my mind.
Soft. Too close.
"Mark detected… corruption unstable… presence nearby."
My pulse spiked.
"Oh good," I muttered. "Cryptic horror messages. My favorite."
Rena tightened her grip on her sword. "What does that mean."
Before I could answer, thunder cracked above us.
And the bakery window exploded.
Shards of glass flew across the street. The guards shouted and ducked. Rena grabbed me by the collar and pulled me behind her.
Something moved inside the bakery.
A shape.
Slow.
Dragging.
Not the demon scout… something else entirely.
Rena whispered, "Lairn. Run."
"No," I whispered back. "If I turn around now, I bet the crown explodes or starts lecturing me."
The shape stepped into the light.
A man.
Or what used to be a man.
His body twitched like he was controlled by strings. Veins on his skin pulsed with faint red light. His eyes were empty. Hollow.
The mark on his chest burned through his shirt.
Rena drew her blade. "He was infected. He turned."
"He turned into what," I asked.
She didn't answer.
The creature opened its mouth. Not to speak.
To scream.
A long, broken sound that scraped against bone.
The guards shook. One dropped his spear and ran.
The creature lunged.
Rena blocked the first strike. Sparks flew. The impact drove her back a step, boots sliding in the mud.
I grabbed the nearest thing I could find.
A wooden crate.
Half–broken.
Half–useless.
Perfectly aligned with my life.
I threw it.
It hit the creature in the face.
It actually stumbled.
Rena blinked. "How did you…"
"Luck," I said. "Or anti luck. Or whatever cosmic joke is ruining me lately."
The creature hissed and charged again.
And the crown in my bag grew hotter.
The whisper came again.
"Corrupted vessel. Remove or suffer collapse."
"What does collapse mean," I hissed.
No answer.
Because of course the cursed thing refused to explain itself when I needed clarity.
Rena shouted, "Lairn. Move."
The creature lunged at me.
And the street exploded into chaos.
The creature lunged with no hesitation, the kind of mindless aggression that said there was nothing human left inside. Its fingers curled like claws, mud and blood mixing at the tips. The rain blurred its outline, turning it into a smear of shadow and movement.
I stumbled back, slipped, cursed every god that ever existed, and barely dodged as it scraped the ground where my head had been. Mud splattered across my face. My dignity died instantly.
Rena moved like lightning. Her blade cut a bright arc through the air, slicing across the creature's shoulder. The flesh smoked where the steel touched it, like the thing resented physical contact.
It stumbled, hissing, then snapped its head toward me again.
Of course.
Rena shouted, "Lairn, stop attracting it."
"Tell it that, not me. I am not handing out invitations."
The guards behind us regained their courage only enough to stab the ground near its foot. Bold strategy. Very effective.
The creature leaped again.
I dodged right, slipped again, and grabbed the side of a rain barrel to stop myself from face planting. The barrel tipped, water soaking me even more.
Rena kept the creature away from me with short, precise strikes, each one pushing it back a step. She was strong, but not unbelievably strong. Her movements were crisp, trained, but not flashy.
Still, the creature didn't fall.
And I hated that.
Its eyes flicked toward my pack again.
The crown.
The crown was glowing red, brighter with every second.
Like it recognized the corruption in the creature.
Or it wanted something from it.
Rena gritted her teeth. "Lairn, the crown is provoking it."
"No. No. We are not calling this my fault. I am already cursed, wet, tired, and emotionally unstable."
"Get the crown away from here."
"Where. Into orbit."
But she wasn't wrong. The thing was reacting more to me than her. It lunged again, this time ignoring her blade completely.
I tripped backward over a crate. The creature pounced.
Rena tackled it midair, slamming it into the cobblestones. The impact shook the ground. She pinned it briefly, her teeth clenched from effort.
"Go," she barked. "Get distance."
I scrambled up, slipping on the wet stones like a drunk duck. My lungs burned. My legs hated me. I sprinted toward the nearest alley.
Behind me, the creature roared again.
The sound rattled the lanterns on the wall.
I made it halfway down the alley before I looked back.
Rena was being pushed back. The thing was getting stronger, not weaker. Its veins glowed brighter, pulsing with something that definitely screamed demonic energy.
My pack buzzed again.
The crown pulsed hot.
Another whisper filled my head.
"Vessel destabilized… corruption connected… anchor must be present."
I froze. "Anchor. No. No thank you. I do not want responsibilities."
Then something clicked.
The creature was not hunting me for fun.
It was reacting to the crown.
Something linking us together.
Rena didn't know. She was fighting blind.
I ran back toward her.
Because apparently I enjoy making stupid decisions while tired.
"Rena," I yelled. "It wants me."
"No kidding," she shouted back, blocking another strike. "I noticed."
"No, I mean it wants the crown. Something about corruption and anchoring. Or whatever the cursed object is mumbling."
"Lairn, this is not the time."
"It is exactly the time. This is when we accept that my life is falling apart and work with it."
The creature broke her guard, swinging its arm in a wide arc. She ducked under it, but the impact of the swing cracked the stone wall behind her.
I felt the crown heat up again.
Fine.
If I was the anchor or bait or whatever, then I had one job.
I stepped forward. "Hey. Ugly. I am right here. Come ruin my day properly."
Rena nearly choked. "Why would you taunt it."
"Because it works on you, so maybe it works on demons too."
The creature turned toward me.
A slow, twitching movement.
Its empty eyes fixed on the pack.
Rena swore under her breath. "Lairn. If you die, I will kill you."
"That sounds fair."
She stepped beside me, sword in one hand, my sleeve clenched in the other. "Do not run toward it. Let it come to us."
"I am very talented at being chased, so no worries."
The creature let out another scream.
Then it lunged.
Rena braced herself. Her boots dug into the mud.
The creature slammed into her blade. Sparks exploded between them.
She pushed it back with a grunt of effort.
And that was when it happened.
The crown inside my pack glowed so brightly I felt the heat through the fabric.
The creature screamed again.
Its body spasmed.
Its veins flickered like dying fire.
The whisper echoed again.
"Remove corruption."
"What does that mean," I shouted at the crown. "Use normal words."
But then I realized.
The creature was not trying to kill me.
It was trying to reach the crown.
To touch it.
To use it.
The crown was rejecting it.
And the rejection was tearing its body apart.
Rena pushed harder, driving her sword into the creature's shoulder. It shrieked, grabbed the blade with inhuman strength, and snapped the steel clean in half.
Her eyes widened. "That should not happen."
"No kidding," I said. "But at least the blacksmith gets more business."
The creature lunged again.
Rena grabbed me and shoved me back instinctively.
Its claws grazed her cheek.
A thin red line appeared.
She didn't flinch.
But her eyes burned.
I threw myself between them before my brain could protest.
And the creature froze.
Completely froze.
Its eyes locked onto the crown.
Its body convulsed.
A burst of red light exploded from its chest.
The guards screamed.
Rena shielded her eyes.
I stumbled back as the air shook.
Then the creature collapsed.
Face first.
Motionless.
Rain hit its back, steaming slightly.
The sigil on its chest flickered, dimmed, and went out.
Rena stared at it, panting. "Is it dead."
"I think so," I said. "Or it is playing dead, which is rude."
She nudged it with her boot.
No movement.
The guards finally approached, trembling.
"What happened," one whispered.
I exhaled. "Demons happened. Again. And somehow, I am involved. Again."
Rena turned toward me slowly. "Lairn… we need answers."
"I know. And unfortunately, the crown is the only thing that knows anything."
The crown pulsed faintly inside the pack.
Not hostile.
Not dangerous.
Just… waiting.
And I hated that more than anything.
The rain washed over the corpse until the muddy water around it turned a faint, dirty red. The guards stared like they were waiting for it to get back up and do something horrible again. Honestly, I was half expecting that too.
Rena knelt beside the body, examining every detail. Her hair clung to her face, soaked and dripping, but her focus never wavered.
One of the guards stepped forward, voice shaking. "That thing was a villager. I know his face. He bought bread every morning."
Rena did not look up. "He was corrupted. Whatever attacked the inn infected him before he died."
That made the guards step back.
Another whispered, "So anything it touches becomes this."
"Not anything," Rena said. "But someone exposed to demonic influence for too long can be twisted."
I stood a few steps behind her, clutching my pack because the crown inside it felt like it was listening. Like it was waiting for something.
I hated that.
One guard looked at me. "You. Why was it focused on you."
"Because the universe hates me personally."
He blinked. "That is not an answer."
"It is the only answer I have."
Rena stood and wiped her blade against her sleeve, even though the steel was cracked and useless. "Take the body to the guardhouse. Seal the area. No one approaches without permission."
The guards nodded shakily. They lifted the corpse with visible hesitation, hands trembling as they wrapped the cloth around it again.
When they left, the street felt emptier.
Wider.
Heavier.
Rena exhaled slowly. "This is not random. These creatures are being directed."
I kicked a stone and watched it skip across the muddy street. "Great. Directed demons. My favorite genre."
"You need to take this seriously."
"I am taking it seriously. I am taking it seriously in a sarcastic way, which is my only functioning coping mechanism."
She sighed and wiped rain from her forehead. "We need shelter. Somewhere secure. The inn is not safe anymore."
"No kidding. I am sure the innkeeper will be thrilled about the new ventilation in his wall."
The wind shifted then. Cold. Sharp. It carried a faint smell of burnt metal, the same smell I remembered from the ruins.
I froze.
Rena noticed. "What is it."
I pointed down the road. "Someone is watching us."
She looked immediately, hand on her broken sword. Under a flickering lamplight, a figure stood at the far end of the street. Hooded. Motionless. Same height. Same posture. Same presence I saw earlier near the well.
Rena's voice dropped. "Stay behind me."
"Absolutely not. I am allergic to getting stabbed."
The figure did not move.
Not forward.
Not backward.
Just stood.
Watching.
The guards had disappeared around the corner by now. The only witnesses left were us and the storm.
Rena stepped forward. "Identify yourself."
No answer.
Her jaw tightened. "State your affiliation."
Again, nothing.
I took one step closer to her. "He is doing the suspicious silent thing. That usually means bad news."
The figure finally lifted a hand.
Slowly.
And pointed toward me.
A full second passed before I processed what that meant.
Rena reacted first. She reached for me, pulling me back.
The figure flicked their hand casually.
And the street lantern beside us exploded.
Glass flew everywhere. Sparks hissed in the rain. The light vanished completely.
Rena did not hesitate. She grabbed my sleeve and dragged me into the nearest alley. "Move."
We ran through ankle deep water, turning corners blindly while the storm tried to drown out the sound of everything else.
Footsteps followed.
Not fast.
Not rushed.
Confident.
That was worse.
We ducked behind a stack of crates near a quiet courtyard. Rena pressed me against the wall, her breath heavy but controlled.
"Stay quiet."
"I am already quiet. I am very talented at silence when death is nearby."
Her hand was still gripping my sleeve. Tightly. Too tightly.
She did not even notice.
The footsteps grew louder.
Steady.
Calm.
Measured.
The hooded figure entered the courtyard.
They scanned the shadows slowly, like they knew exactly where we were but enjoyed dragging out the moment.
Rena's grip tightened even more.
Then the crown in my pack glowed faintly again.
Red.
Dim.
But very much reacting.
The figure stopped moving.
Their head turned toward our hiding spot.
Rena whispered, barely audible. "If I tell you to run, you run."
"No. If you tell me to run, I pretend to run, then trip and die dramatically."
"This is not the time."
"It is always the time."
The figure took one slow step toward us.
My heartbeat slammed in my ears.
Rena readied the broken sword, her stance sharp even with a ruined weapon.
Then the figure stopped again.
Not because of us.
Because someone else had arrived.
A voice echoed through the courtyard. Calm. Tired. Slightly annoyed.
"Enough. You are not authorized to operate here."
The hooded figure turned.
Another man stepped into view from the opposite alley, holding a lantern shielded from the rain. He wore light armor, polished but scratched from real use. A short cloak hung from his shoulders. A guild emblem was pinned to his chest, silver and shaped like a quill crossing a sword.
Rena's eyes widened faintly. "The Guildmaster…"
He did not look at us yet. His focus stayed on the hooded figure.
"You are interfering with a guild matter," he said. "Withdraw."
The hooded figure hesitated.
For the first time.
Then… slowly… stepped back into the shadows.
And vanished completely.
No sound.
No trace.
Just gone.
Rena finally released my sleeve. It felt like my arm had nearly lost circulation.
The Guildmaster turned to us at last, eyes cold but oddly calm.
"Rena. Lairn. We need to talk."
Which is exactly what people say before your life gets worse.
And I was very, very sure things were about to get worse.
The Guildmaster's lantern cast a soft glow over the courtyard, just enough to outline his face. Strong jaw. Tired eyes. The kind of man who looked like paperwork haunted him at night more than monsters did.
Rain dotted his shoulders. He didn't bother wiping it off.
Rena lowered her broken sword and straightened her posture the way nobles always did when authority was near. "Guildmaster Therin. Why are you operating at this hour."
He ignored the question completely. His eyes moved from her to me, then to the faint glow pulsing through the cloth of my pack.
And he frowned.
Not surprised.
Not confused.
More like… disappointed.
"Rena," he said quietly. "Who told you to investigate the lower ruins."
She answered honestly. "No one. We investigated after witnessing unusual activity."
"That unusual activity was not for you," he said. "Those ruins are under sealed investigation."
"Then why were there no guards," I asked. "Or signs. Or a hole that says please do not fall into this death pit."
Therin glanced at me like I was an unexpected side quest. "Many things are not announced to the public."
"Perfect. I love secrets. They make my life so relaxing."
He didn't even blink at the sarcasm. Impressive.
Rena stepped forward. "Guildmaster. There have been multiple demon incidents since last week. The ruins were active. We encountered a scout. And just now, a corrupted villager."
Therin's jaw tightened. "I know."
"You know," I repeated. "How comforting. And here I was thinking it was a unique personal nightmare."
Therin walked toward the courtyard wall and rested a hand against the wet stone. His shoulders lowered slightly, as if carrying weight we couldn't see.
"The southern region has shown signs of demonic interference for months," he said. "We have been trying to contain the spread quietly."
My eyebrows rose. "Quietly. As in, let the public stay ignorant while demons redecorate the countryside."
Rena shot me a look. I ignored it.
Therin sighed. "You are not wrong. But panic helps no one. Rumors attract opportunists. And opportunists get people killed."
He turned back to us. His eyes met mine, steady and unsettling.
"Lairn. The creature that chased you… why did it focus only on you."
I opened my mouth. Closed it. Opened it again.
Rena answered for me. "Because of the crown."
Therin's expression shifted just slightly. A flicker of recognition. A hint of something he had hoped not to hear.
He stepped closer. "Let me see it."
"No," Rena said instantly.
I nodded. "Agreed. My head almost exploded once already."
Therin lifted one brow. "If the crown is what I think it is, I need to confirm it."
Rena stood her ground. "It reacts dangerously when touched. And it responds only to him."
"Unfortunate," Therin muttered.
I stared. "What do you mean unfortunate."
He studied me. Like he was deciding whether to lie.
Great.
Finally, he said it. "There are old records. Very old. Some say demon lords have artifacts left behind by failed vessels. Crowns. Seals. Shackles. Each one marked by… probability."
"Probability," I repeated. "Are you telling me I am wearing a math problem."
Therin didn't laugh. "Those artifacts do not choose their hosts. They test them. You are lucky it let go."
Rena looked sharply at me. "Lucky is not the word I would use."
Therin continued, ignoring both of us. "If that is truly one of those relics… then the attacks will not stop."
I felt my stomach drop like a drunk pigeon.
"Excuse me," I said. "What do you mean they will not stop."
Therin looked at me with the patience of someone explaining doom to a toddler.
"Artifacts like that radiate unstable mana. Demon servants can sense it from far away. The closer the Demon Lord's influence, the stronger the reaction."
"So you are telling me," I said, "that demons will keep sniffing me out like a cursed perfume."
"Yes."
"Wonderful. I have always wanted fans."
Rena stepped forward, voice steady but sharp. "Guildmaster. We need to secure him. And the crown. The infection is spreading. Morinvale is not safe."
Therin nodded. "You are both coming to the guild hall. Immediately."
I raised a hand. "Hold on. We just fought two monsters. Three, if you count the inn's structural integrity. We are exhausted."
"You can rest inside the hall," he said firmly. "Not out here where anything can reach you."
I glanced back at the shadows. He was right. Something could be watching us right now.
Probably was.
Therin turned and walked toward the main road. His lantern light flickered like it was struggling against the storm.
Rena nudged me gently. "Come on."
I followed, grumbling, soaked, cold, and armed with nothing but sarcasm and trauma.
The rain didn't let up.
The wind howled.
And the crown in my pack glowed faintly like a silent heartbeat.
Waiting.
Listening.
Plotting.
Whatever came next, this town was not prepared for it.
And honestly… neither was I.
The road to the guild hall felt longer than usual. Maybe it was the storm. Maybe it was the corpse. Maybe it was the fact that my life was turning into a collection of poor decisions stitched together with luck and regret.
Rena walked beside me, matching Therin's pace. Her fingers twitched near her broken sword, even though it was more decoration than weapon at this point. I could tell she hated relying on something unreliable.
Welcome to my world.
Morinvale was different now.
Not busy.
Not loud.
Not normal.
Doors were shut. Windows were locked. The warm glow of evening lanterns was gone. Only a couple remained lit, flickering badly in the storm as if the wind was trying to kill them too.
Somewhere behind a closed door, a baby cried.
Somewhere else, a dog barked twice before going silent.
Everyone could feel it.
The fear.
The wrongness.
The stain that demon corruption leaves in the air.
A couple of citizens peered through cracks in their shutters as we passed. Their gazes lingered on Therin first, then on Rena… then inevitably on me.
And I absolutely hated how fast their eyes shifted away afterward.
Like I was something they should be afraid of.
Or avoid.
Or pray about.
Rena noticed it too. She slowed just half a step so she could stand closer to me, an unspoken shield against judgmental stares.
I appreciated it.
Silently, of course.
Therin remained silent the entire walk, lantern held high. Its light carved a small space of safety around us. Every few steps he glanced into alleyways, as if expecting one of those corrupted creatures to lunge out.
Honestly, I was expecting the same.
The storm grew thicker. Rain slapped my face so hard it felt personal. My cloak was soaked and heavy, sticking to my skin like regret.
Rena's hair clung to her cheeks, but she didn't complain. Of course she didn't. She looked like she was carved from discipline.
"Lairn," she murmured without looking at me, "how is the crown."
"Annoying," I muttered. "Like always."
"Is it reacting."
"A little."
She frowned. That was enough to unsettle me.
However small the reaction was… she knew what it meant.
Therin spoke suddenly. "Keep your voice down. Something might be listening."
Rena nodded immediately. I didn't. Not because I'm rebellious or brave, but because the crown pulsed right then.
Just a faint heartbeat of heat through the fabric.
But enough to make my stomach knot.
"Therin," I said, lowering my voice, "do you have any idea who that hooded freak was."
He didn't turn around. "Yes."
I blinked. "You actually do."
"He belongs to a faction that should not be inside this town. If he is here, something has gone very wrong."
"More wrong than demon scouts ripping through walls."
"Yes."
Perfect. Great. Exactly what I wanted to hear.
Rena stepped closer to the Guildmaster. "What faction."
"Not here," he said.
"Why not."
"Because you are asking questions in open streets on a night when monsters are roaming. Be patient."
Rena hesitated, then nodded.
We kept moving.
A moment later we passed the fountain at the center of town. It usually had children running around it, splashing water or throwing coins. Now it was just a silent stone basin full of rainwater, reflecting broken pieces of lantern light.
A single guard stood there, spear shaking slightly in his hands. He looked at Therin with visible relief.
"Guildmaster sir. South patrol reported two missing. No bodies yet. Just…"
He swallowed hard.
"Just blood."
Rena's breath caught.
Therin nodded grimly. "Tell them to fall back. Do not search the alleys. Only stay near lit areas."
"Yes sir."
The guard ran off, almost tripping in his hurry.
Even Therin's shoulders seemed to sink a little as the storm thickened around us.
"This is escalating too fast," he muttered. "Faster than anticipated."
Rena spoke quietly. "Because of the scout."
"No. Because something else is here. Something watching."
I shivered. Not because of the cold.
The guild hall finally came into view around the bend. The large wooden structure looked almost intimidating now. Its emblem shimmered faintly under the rain. Lamps were lit at the entrance. Two guards stood watch, but even they looked uneasy.
Therin slowed. "Once we go inside, the hall will be sealed for the night. No one leaves. Not until we finish our assessment."
"Assessment," I repeated. "That sounds like the start of a nightmare."
"Correct," he said.
Rena touched my arm. "Stay close."
"I was planning to be glued to someone at all times, thank you."
Therin walked up the stairs. The guards stepped aside instantly.
Before he opened the door, he looked back at us one last time.
"Inside this hall, you will answer everything. No lies. No jokes. No avoiding the subject."
He looked at me specifically.
"And you, Lairn. You will show me the crown."
My stomach twisted.
Rena stepped forward. "Guildmaster. He is exhausted. The last time we handled it without caution, the ruins collapsed."
"I am aware. But this cannot wait."
The crown pulsed again in my pack.
Once.
Steady.
Quiet.
Almost expectant.
Rena tightened her grip on my sleeve again. A silent promise.
I hated how much it helped.
Therin opened the heavy guild door. The warm light spilled into the rain, painting us in gold and shadow.
"Inside," he said. "Now."
Rena walked first.
I followed.
The door closed behind us with a heavy thud.
And for the first time since we left the inn,
the world outside felt very far away.
*Chapter Ends*