The Broken Halo

Akaza stared at Sonya for a few seconds.

The clean cloak could not hide the thin cut on her cheek and other parts of her body.

Alarm bells were still ringing outside, and three high-ranking Black Horn officials stood inside Simon’s room.

He slowly placed the medicine box on the table.

”I don’t know what is going on,” Akaza said. ”But somehow, I still know you caused it.”

Sonya’s lips twitched.

”You’re beginning to annoy me. Do you know that?”

”Same way I feel about you everyday.” Akaza scoffed.

”Enough.”

Korran did not raise his voice, but the pressure in the room increased slightly.

Akaza finally looked away from Sonya and faced him. The cold expressions of the two officials behind the Iron Examiner made it obvious that this was not a friendly visit.

Korran’s eyes moved across the three demons before stopping on Sonya.

”The city can deal with what happened in two different ways,” he said.

Sonya raised a brow and Simon narrowed his eyes.

”If this is treated as a private battle, then you entered an underground hideout on your own, fought more than twenty demons, pulled their base through a public street, and caused the deaths of fourteen Velmora residents and injured over thirty civilians.”

”I was fighting rebels, not random street thugs,” Sonya replied.

”You were,” Korran said calmly. ”But the civilians were not rebels or street thugs, and fourteen of them are dead.”

The faint smile on Sonya’s face disappeared because she could see that Korran was not going to let this matter slide.

”The families of the dead can demand blood compensation. The owners of the damaged buildings can demand payment. The city can also hold you responsible for leaving before the guards arrived.”

Sonya’s pale eyes narrowed.

Before she could speak, Korran lifted one hand, signalling for her to hold on.

”Or the Black Horn Office can declare that you acted during an emergency operation connected to the Earth campaign.”

The coldness in his voice reduced.

”If that happens, the war treasury will handle most of the compensation and repairs. Your actions will be judged together with the rebel cell you exposed and the greater explosion you prevented.”

Akaza folded his arms.

”That sounds much better.”

”It does,” Simon said calmly. ”Which means there is a price.”

Korran looked at him.

The two demons stared at one another for a moment.

From the moment Korran entered the room, Simon knew he did not come only because of the ruined street. If he wanted to arrest Sonya, guards and formations would already surround Pipeline Inn.

Instead, Korran came with only two officials.

He held punishment in one hand and protection in the other. Whichever one Sonya chose, he intended to gain something.

Korran slowly nodded.

”For the Black Horn Office to recognise her actions as part of an emergency operation, she must belong to Velmora’s war force. She must swear an oath.”

Sonya stared at him with the same indifferent expression he had from the beginning.

”For how long?”

”For the Earth campaign.”

Akaza’s brows furrowed.

”And how long is that?”

Korran looked at him.

”That depends on the campaign,” He said with a flat tone.

The rift would open in two months, but nobody knew how long the war would last. Velmora might establish a foothold within weeks, or the campaign could continue for years.

An oath tied to the entire campaign had no clear end.

Once Sonya accepted, Velmora could order her to fight, hunt rebels, protect important locations, or take part in anything connected to Earth.

And Sonya was only the first target.

Simon and Akaza would not abandon her. Korran knew that. By binding one of them, he could slowly pull in the other two.

... Or so he believed.

”What kind of oath is she going to take?” Simon asked.

One of the Black Horn officials stepped forward.

”A Black Horn War Oath,” he replied. His voice was deep and formal. ”Her blood and demonic energy will enter Velmora’s Black Horn Tablet. The oath will record her orders, merits, and offences.”

The official glanced at Sonya.

”If she betrays Velmora or refuses a direct military order without a valid reason, the oath will burn her demonic pathways and mark her as an enemy of the Darkness Kingdom.”

Sonya laughed once, but there was no amusement in it.

”You want this Honourable to swear loyalty because a thief stole my ring and because I killed a bunch of your fucking rebels?”

”Not loyalty,” Korran corrected. ”Service.”

”That is loyalty with an uglier face.” Sonya immediately sneered.

A faint twitch could not help but appear at the corner of Akaza’s mouth.

Korran ignored the remark and looked at Simon.

”The offer is not limited to her. All three of you can take the oath. Velmora will provide restricted training grounds, medicine, war supplies, information, and instruction from Greater Demons before the rift opens. You’ll be given more priority compared to other recruits.”

Simon’s eyes flickered with a calculating glint.

’There it is. Your main goal.’

Simon chuckled inwardly.

’Trying to kill three birds with one stone.’

Korran had seen their affinities, physical strength, and combat ability. More importantly, he knew Sonya and Akaza listened to Simon despite his lower rank.

A group like theirs was more valuable than three unrelated recruits.

”What happens if Sonya refuses to take the oath?” Simon asked.

”The investigation continues normally,” Korran replied. ”The commander of the city guards will submit the deaths and damage to the Judgment Hall. Sonya will be summoned, and the families will make their demands.”

”You make it sound like the result is already decided,” Simon said with a slight tilt of his head.

Korran shook his head.

”It is not. But I know the attitude of the commander. I also know that the Judgement Hall would not be happy after hearing that she caused the death of fourteen residents and also caused injuries to over thirty civilians.”

Simon tilted his head slightly.

”But how do you know that?”