Chapter 5422

Jared ran for his life through the wild woods, Aurelius a heavy, bleeding weight across his shoulders. Warm blood soaked Jared’s tunic, then his skin.

Each crimson drop slowed his stride, and with every falter, the pursuing miasma crawled closer.

Behind them, the roar of countless specter soldiers swelled. The night itself seemed to breathe cold and hungry, ready to swallow king and protector alike.

“Jared… this can’t go on,” Aurelius whispered, his breath tremoring against Jared’s sweat-soaked neck. “There are too many of those cursed souls- no matter how fast we run, they will swallow us whole.”

“Don’t you dare lose heart,” Jared shot back, jaw clenched so hard the veins on his brow throbbed. “We’ll find a way out-we have to.”

“Hope won’t save us.” Aurelius’s head moved in a slow, resolute shake. “Listen to me. The Ritual Manual must never end up in a demon’s hands, yet we’re out of options, Jared, completely out.”

With fingers that already felt colder than stone, he wrestled a small gilded coffer from the folds of his robe and pushed it against Jared’s chest.