Chapter 8 - CHAPTER 8- Footsteps Above

It started as a vibration.A soft hum through the floor tiles. Barely perceptible. Almost dismissible.But Leonis turned his head the moment it began.Kael noticed, too. He paused, mid-stretch, wiping blood off one of his blades with a tattered strip of cloth. "What is it now?"Leonis didn't answer right away. His ears strained.Then the hum became a thud. Then another. Rhythmic. Uniform.Boots."Alert: Hostiles detected. Incoming divine infantry squad. Estimated contact in 3 minutes."Kael cursed. "Of course. We kill one mirror-masked freak and they send a patrol."Leonis's eyes narrowed. "They weren't ready for me before.""Yeah, and now they are.""We're not running."Kael raised both eyebrows. "Says the man with half a skeleton hand and a glitchy death interface in his skull."Leonis began moving toward the main vault entrance—the same spiral they'd come down through.Kael jogged after him. "What exactly is the plan here?"Leonis didn't answer.But when he reached the mouth of the stairwell, he didn't hide in the shadows.He stood dead-center, in full view of the stone spiral.Waiting.The soldiers descended in two columns.Six in total. Standard Pantheon troops—gold-and-crimson armor, faces mostly hidden behind helmets bearing divine seals. Spears tipped with sunmetal. Shields etched with glyphs for banishment and purity.The one in front held a scroll in one hand, the other hand pressed to the hilt of a short blade glowing with light.He saw Leonis.He stopped.And for a heartbeat, nothing moved.Then: "By order of the High Divine Throne, surrender yourself for immediate soul-cleansing and obliteration."Leonis tilted his head. "Do you know who I am?"The soldier frowned.Leonis raised his hand. The silver veins in his skin pulsed—gently at first, then brighter."Warning: Soul Severance prepares upon lethal intent."The lead soldier didn't answer.But he drew.The others followed."Engage," someone muttered.Leonis didn't move.He waited.Waited—Until the front line stepped onto the vault floor.Then he acted."Soul Severance," he whispered.A pulse of nothing exploded outward.The lead soldier stopped mid-swing. His body went rigid. Then limp. He collapsed, gasping—his blade clattering from fingers no longer receiving signal from his soul.The second screamed.Leonis stepped forward, his hand brushing the air beside the man's cheek.Another pulse.Two more dropped.Kael watched, mouth slightly open."This is…"Leonis didn't speak.He didn't need to.The remaining two turned to flee.Only one made it back to the spiral stairwell, panting, stumbling over his shield.Leonis let him go.Kael stared at him, eyes narrowing. "Why spare him?"Leonis watched the retreating figure vanish into the dark above.And then, softly:"Because stories spread faster when someone lives to tell them."