Rise of The Abandoned Husband

I held Clarissa Johnson suspended by her throat, watching her face turn from white to red as she struggled for breath. Her flowing robes swayed with her desperate movements, feet dangling uselessly in the air.

"You expect me to believe that you came to warn me?" I loosened my grip just enough to let her draw in a ragged breath. "The same woman who stood by while Barrett Hill tortured innocent people?"

"I didn't know!" she gasped, clawing at my hand. "I swear I didn't know what they were planning for your wife!"

Kenneth stepped closer, his face a mask of suspicion. "She's lying, Master Knight. The Covenant keeps no secrets from its inner circle members."

I studied her face, searching for deception. Fear was evident in her wide eyes, but something else lurked beneath—desperation, perhaps? Or was it genuine ignorance?

"Put her down," I finally said to myself, lowering her until her feet touched the ground. I didn't release her throat completely. "Talk. You have one minute before I crush your windpipe."

Clarissa rubbed her neck the moment I let go, coughing violently before finding her voice. "Barrett never told me the full extent of the plan. I was just following orders, handling administrative matters for the Covenant."

"Administrative matters?" I scoffed. "Like organizing kidnappings and torture?"

"No! I kept records, managed resources, scheduled meetings." Her voice cracked. "I knew they were doing experiments, but I thought they were consensual subjects. Poor people being paid for their participation."

Kenneth made a disgusted sound. "The naivety defense. How convenient."

I circled her slowly, keeping her on edge. "Let's assume for a moment I believe you didn't know everything. Why come here now? Why risk your life to warn me?"

"Because I saw what they did to your wife." Tears welled in her eyes. "They brought her in while I was working late. I heard her screams. When I questioned Barrett about it, he threatened me. Said I'd be next if I didn't stay quiet."

Her words painted a vivid picture of Isabelle's suffering, stoking the rage I constantly fought to control. The dark energy within me surged, wanting release.

"And you expect gratitude for your belated conscience?" I asked coldly.

"No." She shook her head. "I expect nothing. I just couldn't live with myself if I didn't try to help her. To help you."

I exchanged glances with Kenneth, who gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head. He didn't trust her. Neither did I.

"You said they're coming by dawn," I said. "How many?"

"Everyone." Clarissa's voice dropped to a whisper. "Rex Osborne himself is leading the operation."

The name sent a wave of fury through me. Rex Osborne—one of the Covenant's founding members and Julian Hawthorne's closest associate. The man had centuries of blood on his hands.

"Take us to them," I demanded suddenly. "Take us to the Covenant's headquarters in the Mystic Realm."

Her eyes widened. "What? That's suicide! They have dozens of elite cultivators, ancient formations, deadly traps—"

"I didn't ask for your assessment," I cut her off. "Either take us there, or die here. Those are your only options."

Clarissa looked between Kenneth and me, clearly recognizing the futility of resistance. "I... I can take you to the main entrance. But I don't have access to the inner chambers."

"That won't be a problem," Kenneth interjected with a grim smile. "I do."

I turned to face him. "How confident are you in navigating their defenses?"

"Very," Kenneth replied. "I helped design many of them. And those I didn't, I studied extensively as a Realm Master."

The plan was forming in my mind. A direct assault on the Covenant's headquarters would be bold—perhaps even reckless. But it would also be unexpected. They were preparing to attack me, not anticipating I would strike first.

"Man with the Mustache," I called out, sensing him hovering nearby. "Come out."

He stepped from behind a pillar, twirling his facial hair nervously. "You know I hate confrontations, Liam. Especially ones involving suicide missions into enemy territory."

"I need you to stay with Isabelle," I instructed. "Guard her with your life. If we don't return within twelve hours, use the emergency talisman Mariana gave me to call for help."

He took the jade talisman with obvious reluctance. "And what exactly am I supposed to do if those corpses decide to get more animated while you're gone?"

"Run." I wasn't joking. "Take Isabelle and run. Her safety is all that matters."

With arrangements made, I turned back to Clarissa. "Lead the way. And remember—one suspicious move, and Kenneth won't need to kill you. I'll do it myself."

She nodded meekly, then began guiding us through the ancient sect grounds toward another part of the Mystic Realm. The journey was tense and silent, with Kenneth constantly scanning for traps and I watching Clarissa's every move.

After nearly an hour of travel through shifting landscapes—abandoned courtyards giving way to misty bamboo forests, then crystalline caves—we arrived at what appeared to be an ordinary mountain face.

"Here," Clarissa said, pointing to the seemingly solid rock. "The entrance is concealed by an illusion formation."

Kenneth stepped forward, examining the area with practiced eyes. "She's right. Classic Covenant setup." He traced a series of patterns in the air, his fingers leaving faint blue trails. "There... and there... and—"

The mountain face rippled, its solid appearance dissolving to reveal an ornate archway carved with arcane symbols. Beyond it lay a dimly lit passage leading deep into the mountain.

"Well done," I acknowledged, then gestured for Clarissa to proceed. "After you."

She hesitated only briefly before stepping through, Kenneth and I following close behind. The passage descended steeply, the air growing cooler with each step. Luminous crystals embedded in the walls provided eerie blue-green light.

"The main hall is at the end of this tunnel," Clarissa whispered. "They'll have guards posted."

As if on cue, a figure appeared at the far end of the passage—a man in dark robes with the Covenant's emblem embroidered on his chest. Lowell Pauley, one of Barrett Hill's lackeys.

The moment he spotted us, his eyes widened in shock. "Intruders!" he shouted, immediately slapping his palm against a formation node on the wall.

The entrance behind us sealed instantly with a grinding of stone on stone.

"Fool," Kenneth muttered. He made a simple gesture, and the sealed entrance shuddered, then reopened. "Did they forget who trained their Mystic Realm specialists?"

Lowell's face paled as he recognized Kenneth. Without another word, he turned and fled deeper into the complex.

"He's alerting the others," I said unnecessarily. "Good. Let them prepare. It won't matter."

We pursued at a measured pace, Kenneth disabling alarm formations as we went. The tunnel eventually opened into a vast chamber—the Covenant's Great Hall, where I had once been brought as an "honored guest" before their betrayal.

The hall was hastily being prepared for defense. A dozen Covenant members arranged themselves in formation, channeling energy into the floor and ceiling. At their center stood Lowell, whispering urgently to a tall, distinguished man in ornate black robes trimmed with silver—Rex Osborne himself.

"Impossible!" Lowell was saying, his voice carrying across the hall. "Knight couldn't have found us! Julian assured us he was dead!"

Rex's face darkened. "Compose yourself, Lowell. We need to—" He stopped mid-sentence as he spotted our group emerging from the tunnel.

For a moment, the hall was silent, tension thick enough to cut with a blade.

Rex was the first to recover, smoothing his features into a diplomatic smile. "Liam Knight. What an unexpected pleasure." His gaze shifted to Kenneth, and a flash of genuine fear crossed his face before he masked it. "And Kenneth Minnx. I see you've chosen a new master."

"Save the act," Kenneth replied coldly. "We all know why we're here."

Rex raised his hands in a placating gesture. "There seems to be a misunderstanding. The Covenant has nothing but respect for Master Knight. If Julian has acted inappropriately, I assure you it was without our knowledge or consent."

I said nothing, simply observing. Behind Rex, I noticed a figure in completely black robes slipping toward a side exit. The coward was trying to escape while his underling stalled for time.

Rex continued his performance, his voice smooth as silk. "In fact, we were just discussing how to make amends for any grievances. The Covenant values its relationships with powerful cultivators like yourself."

Lowell nodded eagerly, sweat beading on his forehead. "Yes! We would never intentionally antagonize someone of your caliber, Master Knight. There must have been a terrible misunderstanding."

I'd heard enough. Without warning, without even a change in my expression, I released a concentrated burst of dark golden energy. It traveled the length of the hall in an instant, striking Lowell directly in the face.

His head exploded in a shower of gore, body crumpling to the floor as the other Covenant members recoiled in horror.

Rex's diplomatic mask slipped, naked fear replacing his composed exterior. "Wait! We can negotiate! Whatever you want—resources, techniques, information—the Covenant can provide it!"

I finally spoke, my voice echoing in the suddenly silent hall. "I came here for one thing, Rex."

He swallowed hard. "Name it. It's yours."

I looked at Rex Osborne coldly and said, "Stop playing dumb. I'm not here to negotiate with you today, but to kill."