A screeching trail of black necrotic fire ignited the freezing upper atmosphere two miles above Crater Island.
Inquisitor Thorne-Crow descended like a falling spearhead of obsidian and spatial lightning, leading fifty Saint Vessel Early and Mid Censorate Executioners in a tight arrowhead dive. Behind his black iron breastplate, the silver Soul-Lantern of Oakhaven pulsed with cold blue light, holding the four captive soul-embers of his family from Realm 409.
“Strike the chimney,” Thorne-Crow’s dual-toned voice echoed through the gale like grinding stone. “Shatter the volcanic vents before the boy crosses hour forty-two hundred.”
Behind him, fifty executioners drew curved crescent blades, their edges glowing with corrosive blood-fire. They aimed their descent directly toward the central thermal intake of Crater Island’s Spirit Vein.
On the terrace below, Princess Valeria and Elder Sterling gripped the stone balustrade.
“Fifty Saint Vessel assassins,” Valeria said, her golden daggers humming with defensive qi. “They are moving at terminal velocity. If they hit the outer vents, the compression array will destabilize.”
Deacon Vane raised his repeating crossbow, sighting along the barrel toward the clouds. “They brought shadow-leech talismans. If they touch the stone, they will drain the spirit veins dry.”
Linnea stepped up beside them, pressing two jade ward-plates against the balustrade. “The lower wards are anchored. We will not let a single spark reach the young master.”
