Extra's POV: My Obsessive Villainous Fiancee Is The Game's Final Boss-Chapter 232: Breaking In

The morning sun was slowly making its journey to the middle of the sky, hiding behind the carpet of gray clouds as Ren and Lilith stood on a windswept hill overlooking Edenhold.

The holy city sprawled out before them, looking like something out of a storybook, its white stone walls inlaid with glass in the shape of diamonds, that shimmered even under the overcast sky.

The towers stretched like blades into the heavens, reminding Ren of the story of the tower of Babel. Men building towers to touch the sky.

The city of Edenhold had been designed for one sole purpose only. To display the Church's dominance, power, and wealth. And they'd definitely succeeded.

But beneath that breathtaking beauty, Ren could feel something else. Something he couldn't put into words. But it felt… old. Twisted. Festering. Like something that shouldn't exist.

Their horses shifted restlessly in the chill breeze, the silence of the morning disturbed only by the occasional rustle of grass. freёnovelkiss.com

Ren adjusted the white cloak draped over his shoulders. Somehow, the cloak felt heavy around his shoulders today. As if he shouldn't be here. As if something was telling him to turn back.

Lilith, who was beside him, was also wearing hers. Her white hair was tied back tightly, her expression as calm as it had ever been.

"Ready?" He asked quietly.

"Always." She replied, a small smile coming upon her face.

They turned away from the rest of the group, Thorn, Elias, and Valen, who waited in a thicket of pine trees, hidden behind a rise. Their part would come later. For now, it was up to Ren and Lilith.

The plan was straightforward in design, if not in execution. Infiltrate Edenhold by baiting a patrol. Take their place. Disappear into the city. Then regroup and begin their real work.

Ren and Lilith rode together down the slope, the tall grass brushing against their boots, the sound of hooves muffled by the damp soil.

As they reached flatter terrain near Edenhold's eastern watch, Lilith closed her eyes and raised her hand.

The soul energy within her ignited to life. Faint blue energy began gathering around her, but she contained it. This wasn't supposed to be a light show. She gathered as much energy as she could, compressed it all into a focused point, and then, she released it.

A thunderous crack tore the world open.

The earth split. Soil buckled. A pillar of smoke rose into the sky like a funeral pyre. The ground trembled with the force of the explosion, and flocks of birds scattered across the horizon.

From the distant walls of the city, they could see signs of activity, alarms rising as the smoke of the explosion obscured the view.

"There they come." Ren muttered, squinting.

Minutes passed before a group of mounted Chosen thundered out of Edenhold's eastern gate. Eight in total.

They rode hard, clad in white and gold armor that caught what little light filtered through the clouds. Each bore the sigils of the Shivering Tree. Their faces were like a canvas of urgency, until they spotted Ren and Lilith. Then, it was replaced with confusion.

"Halt!" One of them shouted, drawing up short. "Identify yourselves!"

Ren reined his horse to a stop, keeping his face half-shrouded in the cowl of his cloak.

"We were sent from Summerhold." He said in a clipped, military tone. "We spotted plague signs in the highlands. There may be infected hiding in the grasslands."

The Chosen exchanged wary glances. This wasn't protocol, but the mention of the plague stirred immediate concern. Their ranks loosened.

That was all the opening Lilith needed.

Her soul threads lashed through the air, weaving into the souls of six of them. It happened in seconds. Their pupils shrank. Their postures sagged, then straightened like puppets tugged into place.

The remaining two Chosen noticed too late.

Ren exploded into action.

He leapt from his horse, drawing a blade and slicing across one's torso in a brutal arc. Blood misted the air. The other turned to react, but Lilith's threads lashed forward, sank into the woman's chest and yanked out her soul. A seconds later, her head was lobbed off.

The fight was over before it began.

Two bodies lay in the dirt. The others stood still, glassy eyed and waiting for orders.

Ren walked forward, eyeing the group. "You chose well." He smiled at Lilith. "We'll replace the two who are dead. Our physiques are similar enough."

Lilith nodded. She bent to one of the bodies and began removing the armor. Ren followed suit.

Together, they buried the corpses behind a nearby rock formation. Ren summoned thick vines from the underbrush that coiled around the dead, dragging them into the earth. The soil sealed itself behind them like nothing had ever happened.

They quickly put on the armor, their white cloaks taking its place around their shoulders, and falling into formation beside the controlled six.

"Back to Edenhold." Lilith gave a single nod which Ren returned.

Without a backwards glance, they rode in silence, the rhythmic clop of hooves filling the air. As they approached the gates, guards raised their spears, but only briefly. One of the soul-bound Chosen flashed a hand sign, and the gates opened without resistance.

Inside Edenhold, everything gleamed. The cobbled streets were immaculate. Beautiful lamp posts lined the avenues, and smaller churches dotted the intersections.

Citizens moved through the city like gears in a perfect machine, disciplined, devout, and quiet. Or at least, that was how it looked.

Instead of heading to the barracks behind the walls, Lilith steered the group through the first wide street, then took a turn down a narrower lane that branched away from the main traffic.

They passed through an older part of the city. Stone homes with shuttered windows. Empty fountains. The echoes of their hooves felt louder here.

Finally, she signaled for them to dismount.

A few minutes later, they were in a dark and narrow alley, out of sight. Lilith's eyes glowed softly as she ripped out the souls of the Chosen.

One by one, they dropped to their knees. No sound escaped them. Their bodies slumped, and Ren finished the job. Then, he summoned his vines again. One by one, the corpses were dragged into the stones beneath them, leaving no trace.

Lilith stepped back, brushing her fingers off.

"We're in."

And with a nod at her, Ren disappeared.

Then, he appeared outside the city, where Thorn, Elias, and Valen stood waiting.

"Now." He said.

The three gathered around him. Ren wrapped his arms around their shoulders. In a flash of distortion, they vanished.

They reappeared beside Lilith in the alley.

Ren and Lilith pulled off their Chosen cloaks, stashing them in the spatial pouch. "Let's get a lay of the land. For now, we're not Chosen."

And with a nod of collective agreement, the group slipped out of the alley and into the city.

Ahead of them rose the heart of Edenhold, the holy cathedral. Its towers were illuminated in golden light, gleaming like the crown of a god.

But even as Ren stared at the radiance, he could still feel it. Something that shouldn't exist was in Edenhold.

And now, they were in there with it.