Bahr’s eyes widened, and a name left his mouth. It wasn’t a name I recognized, but there was a title attached to it. One that I knew. One that I feared.
"Saintess Lilith."
She smiled happily in my direction, as I realized that the Church had finally caught up to me.
"I’ve spent all that time trying to find you, Aria. And I’d prefer if you didn’t die now that we have finally met."
Chapter 34: Dockside Encounter
I could feel my blood pulsing through my veins. The thumping of my heart inside my chest was almost audible to my ears. Trepidation and fear had seized me, as I stared up at the woman on the ship, as dark clouds began to form behind her.
"What’s wrong?" Lilith asked, cocking her head. "I’m here to save your life, Aria. Why do you look so afraid?"
I raised my dagger up to guard myself, but that defensive movement was betrayed by the shaking of my hands. Cool droplets of sweat rolled down my face as I opened my mouth slowly. But no words came out.
She continued.
"Well, by saving your life— I mean it in more ways than one. See, I was hoping to not only prevent you from dying here, but I would love it if you came back with me to the Holy Xan Empire. Perhaps there, with enough repentance and enough praying, the Goddess would accept your soul after they execute you for you and your mother’s crimes."
I tensed as a savage smile spread across the Saintess’ face; she had not moved just yet, but I was certain if I tried to make a break for it that she’d instantly bound after me. So I just stood there, voice caught in my throat, unable to say or do anything.
"What brings you here, Saintess?" Bahr asked, seemingly as wary as I was. "Why would the Church send you after a single spellcaster?"
"Oh?" She looked over at him and scoffed. "Perhaps not for an Apostle like you. You’re not even a Herald. The Church doesn’t have time for petty heretics playing small games in some backwater country."
"And she does?" He turned to me, narrowing his eyes.
"Yes," she said, her eyes glinting as they flickered in my direction. "Do you want me to tell him? Or do you want to tell him yourself?"
I did not respond.
"Well, if you must know, that girl right there is the daughter of the Fiend. The great Valeria Aimy Corinna! One of the founders of the Shadow’s Evangelium."
Bahr frowned, thurning to me. "She is?"
"Of course." Lilith nodded eagerly, pointing down at me. "Take off your mask. Show him who you are, Aria. Let me see your face."
I took a step back, fearing an attack. But none came. Instead, the Dark Acolyte called over to me.
"Aria, was it?" He didn’t wait for me to respond as he continued. "Saintess Lilith is known as one of the most ruthless people in all of the Holy Xan Empire."
"Aw, thanks for the compliment. I had no idea my reputation was that well known even amongst the Dark Crusaders. I had thought the Church would be better at keeping word of it from spreading."
He ignored her interjection. "We’ll have to work together if we want to survive."
I hesitated, considering his offer. Why was he offering to help me? I was confused for a moment; I had betrayed the Dark Crusaders before, why didn’t he just leave me to die and run? It was at that moment, it clicked.
He doesn’t know.
Somehow, for whatever reason, he knew nothing about what I had done back in the Free Lands. Those Dark Crusaders the other day knew, but he didn’t. That was why he was uncertain about my name— the wrong name Lilith was calling me by.
Perhaps it was because he was cut off from the Dark Crusaders. He was one of them, however apparently he was not well connected with them, unable to even get too many allies to help him with the Elise. It made sense; the Dark Crusaders were mostly decentralized, so there had to be varying degrees of disconnect the different members or cells in the group had with the Infernalis.
I could use it to my advantage; he could serve as a distraction. He was evil after all. I had come here with the intention of killing him. And yet… why was he so insistent on helping me? Lilith had the same thought.
"Work with her?" The Saintess wagged her fingers sternly. "Come now. I was hoping to give a pest like you a quick death. But offering to help someone who is as much of a threat to the Church as her mother once was— a monster responsible for far too many deaths to count— might just make me hurt you a little before I kill you."
Bahr’s face contorted into that of anger and fury. The Half Elf brought an arm up and pointed beyond the horizon— towards something in the distance. "Monster? The Fiend was no monster. If you want to talk about monsters, let’s talk about you, the oh-so-virtuous and just follower of the Goddess, who perpetuates the survival and will of an Empire that thrives off the oppression of so many peoples? That has brought an entire species to the brink of extinction?"
Lilith just shrugged. "I don’t actually care." Then she leapt off the ship.
I reacted immediately; I sent two Fireballs flying at the woman midair. She effortlessly blocked the spells with her spear, the magical fire being splashed aside like it was nothing. I backed up as she landed between myself and Bahr.
The Dark Acolyte pointed and a flurry of Wooden Spikes flew at her. With a grin, Lilith twirled her spear and tore the projectiles apart. The ones that landed at
