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Chapter 221 – The Masquerade of Death
Chapter 221 – The Masquerade of Death
The night stretched long and silent as Seraphis stood outside the third Valefor estate. This one was smaller than the others, a lavish yet unassuming manor on the outskirts of the noble district. But she knew better.
Inside these walls lurked Darian Valefor—a man who prided himself on his secrecy. Unlike his fallen kin, he was not a warrior.
He was an intellectual.
A schemer.
And if the information was correct, he had been directly involved in the Sleeper Experiment.
Seraphis exhaled, steadying her pulse.
This would not be an open fight.
This was a hunt that required deception.
She would become the predator hidden in plain sight.
She closed her eyes—
Her body shifted.
Her form twisted, bones cracking, muscles shifting. Her height shortened, her curves softened, and her dark assassin’s garb melted into a maid’s uniform.
When she opened her eyes again—
She was someone else entirely.
A simple housemaid, just another faceless servant in a den of monsters.
She smoothed her apron, fixed the small cap upon her head, and stepped forward into the manor.
The hunt had begun.
The Silent Infiltration
The grand doors loomed before her. Two guards stood at attention, their armor polished, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords.
She walked toward them, posture relaxed, as if she belonged.
They didn’t even blink.
Her illusion magic weaved through their minds like a whisper, planting memories that had never existed.
To them, she had always been here.
Always another maid in the background.
“Evening,” she said softly as she passed.
The guards nodded, not even questioning her presence.
Too easy.
The moment she stepped inside, she melted into the bustling rhythm of the estate. Servants hurried through the halls, carrying trays, polishing silver, preparing for the master’s late-night affairs.
Seraphis moved among them, unseen and unnoticed.
With every step, she gathered information.
With every glance, she mapped out her path.
The third floor.
That was where Darian resided.
Where he hoarded his secrets.
Where he would die.
She moved with precision, never rushing, never hesitating. Every turn, every movement was calculated.
And then—
She reached the staircase.
The guards here were different. More alert. More dangerous.
She needed one more push.
She focused—
And pushed deeper into their minds.
To them, she was the head maid.
“Move aside,” she ordered. “Lord Darian requested me personally.”
The guards stiffened—then immediately stepped aside.
And just like that—
She was past them.
The Third Floor – A Dance of Blades
The door to Darian’s chamber loomed before her.
She placed a hand on the handle—
And stepped inside.
The room was dimly lit, shelves lined with books and documents. A grand desk sat in the center, cluttered with research papers.
And standing before the window—
A man in dark robes.
Darian Valefor.
He turned, his sharp, calculating gaze locking onto her.
“You’re late,” he said.
Seraphis said nothing.
Darian’s eyes narrowed—
Then widened as her illusion faded.
The moment he realized—
She struck.
Her dagger whipped forward, aiming for his throat.
But Darian was fast.
Faster than expected.
He spun, dodging at the last second.
And then—
The shadows attacked.
Seraphis barely had time to react as dark tendrils lashed toward her, slamming her back against the bookshelf.
Pain exploded through her ribs, but she gritted her teeth.
Darian was chanting, his hands weaving intricate symbols in the air.
A sorcerer.
Not a fighter—
But deadly nonetheless.
She rolled, dodging another strike as the shadows tore through the floor where she had just stood.
Then she moved.
A blur of speed.
Her blade flashed, slicing through the air—
Darian countered with a burst of magic, sending her skidding back.
He smirked.
“You think I wasn’t prepared?” he mocked. “I knew someone was coming. I just didn’t think it would be a—”
Seraphis vanished.
She reappeared behind him.
A dagger sank deep into his shoulder.
Darian screamed, staggering forward.
His blood splattered across his desk.
Seraphis lunged—
But Darian was desperate.
He threw up a ward, a wall of energy blasting her backward.
Breathless, Seraphis hit the floor, her vision swimming.
Darian panted, clutching his wound. His confidence had shattered.
His arrogance was gone.
He knew he was about to die.
And Seraphis would make sure of it.
The Decapitation
Darian raised a trembling hand, one last spell forming at his fingertips.
Seraphis didn’t give him the chance.
She moved.
Her dagger sliced clean through his throat.
His body went rigid.
His eyes widened—
And then—
His head rolled from his shoulders.
Blood pooled across the floor.
And just like that—
House Valefor lost another heir.
The Basement of Forbidden Knowledge
Seraphis wiped her blade clean and turned toward the desk.
Papers, documents—notes on the Sleeper Experiment.
She scanned through them, her sharp eyes memorizing every detail.
More names. More locations.
Then, she spotted something else.
A key.
And Darian’s body—
Was missing one.
Her gaze snapped toward the bookshelf.
There was a hidden compartment.
She pressed against it—
A passageway opened.
Inside—
More books.
More than she had ever seen before.
Rows upon rows of forbidden knowledge.
Tomes bound in ancient leather. Scrolls humming with latent power.
Seraphis took them all.
Her bag weighed heavy with the secrets of the Valefor bloodline.
And then—
She turned, her eyes locking onto another door in the back of the chamber.
Something strong lurked behind it.
She pressed her hand against the cold iron—
The door creaked open.
And inside—
Artifacts. Spells. Magic never meant to be seen again.
She stepped forward, her heart pounding.
This—
This was power.
She claimed it.
And then she left.
The Destruction of House Valefor
The night air greeted her as she stepped out of the manor.
She turned back one last time, gazing at the house that had sheltered so much darkness.
She reached into her cloak—
And tossed a single firebomb onto the roof.
The explosion tore through the estate.
Flames erupted, consuming everything in their wake.
Seraphis watched, unmoving.
Another name crossed off her list.
Another monster erased from the world.
And the hunt was far from over.