All Chapters of Where Ashes and Oaths Collide: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

79 Chapters

Chapter 51: Cidade dos escravos

The silence outside felt too perfect– too still for a city under siege by an army reputed for its brutality. Whatever game was being played here, Luz intended to play it aggressively rather than passively reacting to whatever surprises Cidade dos escravos had prepared. Meanwhile Darm made his way upstairs and climber out of one of the small dormer windows protruding from the roofline. The roof is worn and uneven, textured with age and exposure to the elements. Surround the Estate is a tightly packed cluster of smaller buildings arranged within a fortified inner courtyard. These building vary in height and design but share a similar aesthetic, they have steep roofs, dark stone walls, timber accents, narrow windows and layered construction that feels organically expanded over centuries.Some rooftops are patched and irregular, while chimneys, tiny spired and weathered shingles decorate some of the rooftops. The entire district is enclosed by enormous stone walls that are

Chapter 52: The Cathedral

The wooden stairs creaked under Lady Escuridade’s boots as she ascended to the watchtower’s platform. The morning sun cast long shadows across the stone walls, and she could hear the distant sounds of their army forming ranks below. Amelia stood near the railing; spyglass pressed to her eye as she scanned the city and the surrounding landscape. “Morning,” Amelia said without turning, her voice carrying a note of nervous energy, not just because of the upcoming battle, but also because she did not know whether she should trust Lady Escuridade or not. “The view from up here is incredible. I can see all the way to Cidade dos escravos’s walls.”She lowered the spyglass and turned to face Lady Escuridade, her expression shifting from curiosity to concern as she noticed her grim demeanour. “Is everything okay? You look like you have something important to say.” Lady Escuridade moved closer, her tattered robes swirling around her

Chapter 53: The Dungeon

The inside of the Cathedral was breathtaking, immense in scale and rich with intricate detail. Towering stone columns rise on either side of a main aisle; their surfaces carved with delicate patterns and sculptural details. These columns branch upward into pointed arches that interlock high above, forming a ribbed vault ceiling. The ceiling itself is painted in deep blue tones and adorned with fine fold accents, giving it a celestial, almost nigh-sky-like appearance. Along the upper walls, tall stained-glass windows stretch vertically, each filled with vivid colours– reds, blues and golds– that depict intricate patterns. Sunlight streams through these windows in angled beams, illuminating floating dust particles in the air and casting multicoloured reflections across the stone surfaces.Hanging between the columns are long blue banners decorated with gold emblems and these banners add a sense of identity and grandeur. Anna stares up in awe, mesmerizing by the beau

Chapter 54: Supervivente

Amelia looks over the prisoner’s posture, he sits curled inward with his knees drawn close to his chest, his shoulders slumped heavily forward. One arm loosely wraps around his legs while is head tilts downward. His expression is weary and haunted, with deep shadows beneath his eyes and a gaunt face partially hidden beneath long tangled strands of wet dark hair. A scraggly beard covers his jaw and chin. His skin looks pate and dirty, smeared with mud, bruises and grime. The dim lighting accentuates every contour of his thin body, making the bones in his arms, shoulders and legs starkly visible. Behind him, iron chains are fastened to the wall, suggesting he may once have been restrained there.Nearby sits a small clay jug and a shallow bowl, likely for water or food. There object appear old and neglected, and Amelia can’t help but feel sorry for the man. “Mestre Escuro,” the prisoner said with a hoars voice. “He sent you?” a spark of hope i

Chapter 55: Ablaze

The rest of the people had gathered on the left side of the cathedral. A few men held candle sticks out to protect themselves, not that it would do much good against the prisoners who wanted revenge on their captors. Suddenly a warm rush of energy emanated from the man beside Amelia. She looked over at Supervivente and felt an immense amount of power and anger radiating off him. She stepped away from him, but his gaze was fixed on the people gathered on the left side of the cathedral and suddenly the wall behind them caught fire. “What are you doing?" Amelia asked in a panic. “If you do this, we are all going to die in here.” Supervivente remained quiet and the fire started spreading.Roaring flames started climbing up the walls relentlessly. The fire spread in vertical streaks, longing along the stone pillars and tracing the architectural lines, as if the building itself has been set ablaze from within. The once cool grey stone now glows in shades of orange

Chapter 56: Spreading the Heat

“By the Gods,” Cassandra muttered, raising her shield instinctively. “That is no ordinary fire– it is magical in nature.” Luz’s amber eyes narrowed with calculation rather than panic. The prisoner’s ability to disrupt holy wards with fire was unexpected by potentially game changing. “Darm,” Luz ordered sharply over the growing crackle of flames. “Get closer– see if you can pinpoint the source of this energy signature. If this prisoner knows how to break holy barriers…” his voice trailed off as more flames exploded from the cathedral’s main entrance, illuminating figures fleeing into the marketplace. Among them were several escaped prisoners. As the cathedral started collapsing, an old man in tattered clothes and a dark blue cloak walked out of the large doorway.“That is him,” Amelia said quickly. The old man’s presence commanded attention despite his ragged appearance. An a

Chapter 57: Barricade

Luz’s grip on the hilt of his sword tightened until the black steel groaned under the pressure. “She was there? His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “Estela personally supervised your torture for decades while claiming to be a beacon of righteousness?” he took another step forward, his towering, armoured form casting a menacing shadow over the old man. Cassandra approached, standing beside Luz. “Commander,” she whispered hurriedly. “If the wards are down, should we not go to the western entrance and let our army in?” Luz’s amber gaze flickered toward Cassandra, the tactical logic of her suggestion cutting through his rage like a blade. The western entrance– of course. That was the entire point of this operation: create an opening for the Corrompido army to secure the city and eliminate any resistance.“Right,” Luz said sharply, forcing his mind back to the mission. “Leo, you and Sol take point

Chapter 58: Sergeant

The Cidade dos escravos guards spotted the approaching group and their formation tightened. A burly sergeant with a scarred face shouted order, positioning his men with spears levelled. “How the hell did they get inside the walls?!” sergeant yelled out in surprised confusion, his voice cut through the air, his surprise at seeing Luz’s group inside the city walls evident in his tone. His men shifted nervously behind their barricade, spears wavering as they tried to form a cohesive defence against the approaching commander. “Leo, Sol– flank right,” Luz ordered without breaking stride. “Cassandra, shield up. Darm, prepare a wide-area suppression spell.” His amber gaze never left the Cidade dos escravos sergeant’s face, studying the man’s movements and calculating weakness in their formation.Leo and Sol flanked right, jumping over the barricade. Cassandra’s shield stops an arrow flying right at her. Amelia grabs S

Chapter 59: Along the battlements

Luz’s amber gaze followed Amelia’s movement to his side, her presence beside him feeling both familiar and dangerously distracting. “Good job yourself,” he replied curtly, his attention shifting back to the tactical situation. His armoured form turned to face Supervivente, the old man’s offer of assistance registering with calculated consideration. “Opening the gate from inside requires either the captain’s key or several keys; or magical disenchantment. Which one are you capable of?” The massive western stone gate loomed ahead. The street ahead was empty, made from weathered cobblestones forming a wide thoroughfare between rows of tall timber-framed buildings.These buildings lean slightly over the street, their upper stories supported by dark wooden beams. Canvas awnings hand above shopfronts, while wooden barrels, benches, and small planters line the edges of the road. Dark banners displaying a white lion emblem hang from sev

Chapter 60: Western Gate

Arrows continued to fly, but Lau kept the pressure on. Each time an archer found a clear shot, a crossbow bolt seemed to arrive from another angle. She moved constantly, never remaining in one place long enough to be targeted. Soon the dozen archers were scattered along the battlement rather than fighting as a unit. Sol threw an explosion ahead and vaulted onto a low section of stonework and landed among a cluster of opponents. His daggers sliced through guards while his quick footwork kept him moving. The explosion above knocked numerous archers off balance and off the battlement, drawing the attention of guards below. Lua covered Sol from above, whenever several archers tried to regroup, a well-placed bolt disrupted them before they could organize. Within minutes, the battle had shifted completely. The battlement was littered with abandoned bows and scattered arrows. Lua and Sol exchanged a glance as they waited for reinforcements.Leo and Darm scaled the wall on the right

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