Neron''s breath caught, his usuallyposed demeanor cracking as his eyes widened.


    "What?"


    The Cult Leader''s voice remained steady. "Legris Damien, Reed Sterling, and Frankfurt Lawcroft... they were all killed during the mission. The barrier concealed more than we anticipated. What they encountered was beyond their capacity to handle."


    The words hit Neron like a physical blow. He closed his eyes, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.


    "Legris..." His voice was barely above a whisper.


    Karlia ced a hand on his shoulder, her grip firm but not unkind.


    "I''m sorry, Neron."


    The Cult Leader rose from his seat, his presencemanding. "Their sacrifice will not be in vain. We are closer than ever to realizing our goal, but we must remain vignt. The path ahead will only grow more treacherous."


    Neron didn''t respond.


    His mind was elsewhere, reying memories of hisst conversation with Legris. The confidence in his friend''s voice, the determination in his eyes—it was hard to believe he was truly gone.


    "I''ll need time," Neron finally said, his voice steady but cold.


    The Cult Leader nodded. "Of course. Take what you need."


    Neron turned on his heel, his cloak billowing as he exited the chamber. Karlia followed silently, her usual chatter absent as they walked down the dark corridors.


    For the first time in a long while, Neron felt the weight of their mission press heavily on his shoulders.


    And for the first time, he wondered if the price they were paying was too high.


    *********


    The days after learning of Legris'' death passed in a blur.


    Time had little meaning in the wake of such a loss. The Nether Cult''s stronghold felt like an endless abyss, every hallway a reminder of the life Neron once knew before he had be part of this dark and unforgiving world.


    His every thought was consumed by the image of Legris—his partner, his best friend—lost in the void, never to return.


    Neron walked aimlessly through the darkened corridors, his boots echoing off the stone walls. His hands were clenched into fists so tightly his knuckles ached.


    The ache wasn''t enough topare to the hollow pit inside his chest, but it was something he could focus on.


    Something tangible.


    Grief and anger coursed through him, and he didn''t know where one emotion ended and the other began. He thought back to thest conversation he''d had with Legris before their separation, his voice still fresh in Neron''s memory.


    "This is my chance, Neron. I''ll prove myself. This will be the one thing that makes me worthy of this ce."


    Legris had wanted to earn his ce in the Cult, to be something more than the weak link, to finally stand beside Neron as a true partner.


    And now, he was gone.


    Killed on a mission for a cause neither of them had ever fully understood.


    The rage began to bubble in Neron''s chest, growing with each passing hour, each step in the dark hallways.


    It wasn''t enough to mourn anymore.


    No.


    It wasn''t right to mourn without action.


    He would do what Legris could not. He would finish the mission and find the people responsible for his death.


    He stormed through the Cult''s halls, his footsteps echoing with the fury that filled him.


    He didn''t care about the guards, the whispers of the other members. He didn''t care about anything except getting to the Cult Leader.


    Bursting into the leader''s chamber, Neron''s eyes burned with the kind of intensity that could set the world alight. The Cult Leader, young and seemingly unperturbed, nced up at him as Neron mmed the door shut behind him.


    "Neron," the Cult Leader began, his voice neutral, though his gaze held a hint of knowing.


    "What is it that you need?"


    Neron''s voice was raw with fury. "I want to go to the site. The ce where Legris died. I''m going to finish what he started."


    The Cult Leader''s expression remained unchanging, but the veiled woman standing behind him seemed to stiffen.


    "Neron," the Cult Leader said slowly, his voice measured. "I advise against this. The mission you would be walking into is far more dangerous than you realize. We do not yet fully understand the nature of the threat. You will be walking into certain death if you are not careful."


    "I don''t care." Neron''s voice was low, menacing. "I will finish this for Legris. And if you stand in my way, I will leave the Cult. I''ll find another way to do it, but I will make them pay."


    The words hung in the air between them, thick with defiance and unspoken consequences. The Cult Leader''s gaze hardened, his lips pulling into a thin line. He leaned forward in his chair, folding his hands together.


    "You would leave?" The Cult Leader''s voice was almost a whisper, a quiet menace beneath the calm exterior. "You do realize the gravity of your words, don''t you? If you leave, I will have no choice but to have you killed… to preserve our secrets."


    Neron''s eyes shed, but his resolve did not waver.


    "I would rather die on my own terms than live under the shadow of this ce. You don''t get it, do you?" He stepped closer, his voice rising. "Legris gave everything for this. And you just let him die for a cause none of us fully understand. So if you truly want me to stay... you''ll send me to finish what he started."


    The Cult Leader''s eyes narrowed, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest of his chair. For a moment, silence reigned.


    Then, the leader''s lips parted, his wordsced with dark finality.


    "You think you can challenge me?" he asked, his voice sharp. "You think that by making threats you can bend the world to your will?"


    Neron didn''t flinch. He stared the Cult Leader down, his entire being radiating an undeniable confidence.


    "I don''t care what happens. I''m going. If you stop me, you''ll regret it. If you want me to stay, you''ll send me. And I''ll get it done, no matter what."


    The Cult Leader''s eyes gleamed with something cold, something dangerous.


    "You speak as if your life is yours to throw away. Very well." He stood, his presence filling the room like a storm cloud. "Go. But understand this: if you fail, you will note back. You will be lost, just like your friend. I will not be responsible for your actions if you proceed."


    "I don''t need your protection." Neron''s voice was a promise, a vow. "I''ll finish it. I willplete the mission and bring the one responsible for Legris'' death to justice."


    The Cult Leader stared at him, his gaze piercing.


    Then, slowly, he nodded. "You may go. But do not expect us to intervene. This is your choice, Neron. And the consequences are yours alone."


    Neron''s eyes burned with unshakable determination. "I''ll get what I want... no matter what."


    With those final words, he turned and left the room, his steps resolute. The door mmed behind him, echoing through the halls. The Cult Leader watched him go, his face unreadable. The veiled woman''s gaze lingered on the door for a moment longer before she spoke, her voice barely a whisper.


    "Do you think he can truly survive this?"


    The Cult Leader''s eyes narrowed, his lips curling into a faint smile.


    "I don''t know, Mother. But only time will tell."


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