The Sinner's Banquet

The Golden Trap

The golden spear of light dropped from the ceiling, cutting a deep gash into the marble floor exactly where my feet had been a millisecond ago.

I dove to the right, my fake silk robes tearing against the stone edges. The blast of hot energy blew my disguise apart. The purple mist dissolved instantly, revealing my true face, my ragged trousers, and the glowing purple shadow hand that replaced my missing wrist.

High Priest Malakai did not look shocked at all. He simply stood by the giant statue, his face twisting into a cold grin.

"Ethan," Malakai said, stepping over the smoking line on the floor. "I must admit, I did not expect you to climb out of the Great Maw so quickly. But did you really believe you could fool me inside my own cathedral?"

My heart squeezed tight as I realized the truth. He had known the entire time. He had known before I even stepped out of the lower tunnels.

"You knew it was me," I said, rising to my feet and raising my shadow hand.

"Of course I knew," Malakai stated, waving his hand toward the side doors. "The moment Julian's mana signature went completely cold in the tunnels, my system alerted me. I simply waited to see what kind of rodent would crawl through my gates. And look what we have here. A dead boy with a stolen identity."

The heavy wooden doors behind me rattled. I turned my head slightly, keeping one eye on the priest. Two mages in white robes stepped into the hall, blocking the only exit. They held long silver staffs that began to glow with intense, blinding light.

"You killed my parents," I said, the words heavy and burning in my throat. "You framed me. You stole my life. I am going to tear down every single thing you built."

Malakai let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "With what power? That little purple hand you found in the dirt? You are level seventeen, Ethan. I can read your status screen as clearly as my own. I have been a high priest for thirty years. My level is fifty-five. You are nothing but an ant beneath my boot."

"He is right, kid," Kaelen warned inside my head, his voice sharper than usual. "Do not fight him directly. The mages by the door are casting a suppression barrier. If that light hits your core, your shadow mana will freeze completely. We need to move now."

I did not listen to the fear. I forced the cold void energy from my stomach straight into my right arm. The shadow hand grew larger, the fingers sharpening into five long, dark claws. I lunged forward, aiming directly for Malakai's throat.

Malakai did not move an inch. He simply raised his left hand and tapped a golden ring on his middle finger.

A solid wall of white light erupted from the floor between us. My shadow claws slammed against the barrier with a loud crack. The impact sent a wave of heat straight back up my arm, cracking the bones in my shoulder. I stumbled backward, coughing up a mouthful of dark blood.

`[Warning: Life Force down to 68%.]`

`[Holy Barrier has damaged your Void Pathways.]`

"Stupid child," Malakai said, walking right up to the other side of the clear light barrier. "You think you are the hero of a story. You think your anger makes you strong. But the world does not work that way."

Before I could recover, the two mages at the back of the hall finished their spell. A thick net of golden light shot from their staffs, flying through the air and wrapping tightly around my torso. The moment the holy energy touched my skin, it smelled like burning flesh. The purple light in my shadow hand flickered and began to fade. I collapsed onto my knees, unable to lift my arms.

"Bring her in," Malakai commanded.

The side door opened, and Lily stepped into the hall. She still wore the elegant black dress, and her face remained perfectly calm. She did not look at me with pity. She did not look at me with hatred. She looked at me the same way she had looked at the slum properties earlier.

"You did well, Lily," Malakai said, turning his back to me once again. "Your brother was easy to trap because he followed his emotions. He came straight to you."

I looked up from the floor, my vision blurring from the pain of the burning net. "Lily... you helped him find me?"

Lily walked over and stood right next to Malakai. She reached out her pale hand and accepted a small, crystal scroll from the priest's fingers. It was the master deed to the entire Lower Ward.

"I told you before, Ethan," Lily said, her voice completely smooth and steady. "You are too soft. When the carriage stopped, I noticed your shadow mana leaking through the illusion. I came straight to the high priest through the back entrance and told him Julian was dead. If I had helped you, we would both be hunted criminals by midnight. By giving you to him, I secure my future."

"I did everything for you!" I shouted, the raw pain in my chest bursting out. "I starved for you!"

"And that was your choice," Lily replied, her dark eyes locking onto mine without a single tear. "But I never asked you to be a martyr. I want power, Ethan. And you are just a stepping stone."

Malakai smiled, raising his silver sword once more. "Take him to the lowest dungeon. Tomorrow, we will drain the rest of his core in front of the public."

The two mages pulled the glowing net, dragging my body across the rough marble floor. I clawed at the stone with my left hand, leaving bloody streaks behind as they pulled me into the dark corridor beneath the altar.