Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.

After Zane somehow managed to convince Kairon and the other Enforcer to let him go inside, he knew it wasn’t over yet.

Kairon had said it himself.

The moment someone gives the order to kill Zane, the Enforcer won’t wait for their change of mind.

Nevertheless, right now he was safe as he went inside the back door of the Cathedral.

A small cubicle welcomed him and that was all it was.

No windows, no other doors.

Just a room.

A table and two chairs waited in front of him and behind the table, a man fought with bookshelves.

The walls were painted with orange and yellow color and as bright as the color was, Zane still struggled to breathe.

The Enforcers closed the door behind him and the sound alerted the man in white pristine robes.

The man turned around from the bookshelves and his eyes met Zane.

Zane licked his lips and bowed his head.

"Good morning, Emberlord."

It was Priest Coin.

"Morning, son. What brought you here?" Coin asked and again went on to meddle with the bookshelves.

Did he forget me? And what is he looking for there?

"I came to return something." Zane said.

"Is it?"

Zane frowned.

Coin acted normal.

As if the relic meant nothing to him. As if he didn’t even remember the relic.

"You gave me the relic, father. The coin. I am here to return that."

"Oh. Yes. Yes. Right. Place it on the table. I am busy at the moment."

"... As you wish."

Zane didn’t argue and carefully took out the coin.

He moved towards the table but didn’t place it.

"I am keeping it on the table, father. I have really bought it. Please turn around to see that I am not lying."

Zane didn’t trust his luck.

Anything could happen.

His kind was already considered as the bloodline of a thief.

The Emberlord stopped what he was doing.

He looked over his shoulder.

Coin’s eyes were devoid of any expressions and Zane gulped.

Did I go off limits? 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Zane wasn’t feeling threatened by the Priest so he had said all that but now that the man stared at him, he remembered he wasn’t in a safe place.

He bowed his head.

"I didn’t mean to offend you, father. I am simply afraid of things happening to me." He spoke while placing the black plastic bag on the table.

Coin saw the bag and his gaze softened.

"Don’t worry. I know you have brought the Relic. Just place it and go to the Cathedral. The prayer will take place any second now."

Zane sighed in relief.

It worked.

He had deliberately shown the plastic bag to Coin. It had the idol of the First Flame that increased his chances of survival.

Coin again got busy with the books and Zane finally placed the Relic on the table.

He touched nothing that was kept on the table, even if it looked like trash.

"I look forward to your teaching in the Cathedral, father." Zane said and turned towards the door.

But he stopped as Coin replied:

"I won’t be in the Cathedral, child."

Zane’s brows quivered.

"I only visit when something extremely important happens and deserves my attention. Otherwise, Flamekeepers handle the daily prayers."

Zane nodded.

"Thank you for enlightening me. I will take my leave now."

Zane couldn’t care less who handled the prayers. He simply said that to show respect.

Coin didn’t reply and Zane turned towards the door.

He felt his pants’ pocket out of habit and his heart sank for a second.

The relic wasn’t there.

But then he shook his head.

You just returned it, idiot.

A thousand pounds of weight had lifted off his shoulders. One less worry for him.

He raised his hand to knock on the door but then another weight hopped on to him.

The Enforcers were outside.

There was nothing stopping them from harassing Zane anymore.

Nevertheless, he couldn’t stay in the room forever so with a deep breath, he knocked on the door.

In a second, the door opened and Zane had only one idea to save himself from the guards.

He bent his knees and dashed out of the room.

He didn’t look left and right and ran straight.

He didn’t even give the Enforcers any chance to do something to him.

He ran on the wet green grass that also moist his feet as his shoes had holes in them.

Nevertheless, he was away from the Enforcers and they wouldn’t leave the door as long as Coin didn’t order them.

He turned to look at both guards and as expected, they were fuming at him.

Zane couldn’t help but smile.

TUN!

His smile vanished.

The bell had rung.

He stared in the sky.

The sun had finally shown up.

It was time for the first prayer of the day.

He looked around and each person stopped what they were doing.

All heads moved to the Cathedral and then the legs.

Students, Lectors, Priests, workers, each and every person who could walk and hear strided towards the Cathedral.

Zane also did the same but in his mind, he wasn’t sure if he should also come with Milo.

Not many people had seen her and from what he had gathered, no one really cared about her.

Should I take the risk? What if they punish her for not attending the prayer? What if she is bullied if she attends the prayer?

Zane went onto deep thinking and since it was for Milo, he would reach an answer no matter what.

And he did.

She will stay in her room.

Zane made up his mind.

If she is punished, I will face it instead of her. But if she is bullied, I am not sure if the people would like a murder in the Cathedral.

He locked the decision and finally walked towards the Cathedral himself.

He met many other students along the way.

Hena, her bodyguard, the Halocrat who had asked his bodyguard to trip Zane, and some other gilded trash who stared at him with those same unwelcoming eyes.

He ignored all of that and reached the front of the huge door.

It was open but he waited for everyone else to go inside first.

He didn’t want someone to stab him in the crowd.

He waited in the side and watched the people coming from all around.

He didn’t know any of them but soon, he recognised a hairstyle.

He quivered his brows and stood on his toes.

He believed he knew someone but that someone was behind a crowd.

He wasn’t able to see them but as the crowd dissipated, he saw them.

The moment he saw them, his mouth went agape.

He dashed straight towards them.

Towards the man.

Towards the man he knew.

Towards his first Ashbearer.

Towards Xavier Reivax.