Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 263: Palace heist 3

They pressed their backs to the stone wall just before the heavily secured door. The muffled chatter of guards drifted through the thick metal. About five men were laughing, completely unaware of the dangers lurking mere steps away.

"...and I told him, if the Empress was still out there, she’d have turned us all to ashes by now," one voice boasted.

The other snorted loudly. "Her? She’s done. The prince made sure of that."

Seraphina clenched her fists so tight her knuckles turned pale. Lucas could feel the rage building in her aura. Nyx gently held her elbow to steady her before an outburst gave them away.

Their attention shifted to the door. A lattice of glowing runes pulsed faintly across its surface, forming interlocking sigils that sealed the lock in place. A specialized spell. A binding barrier. Intricate enough that even Seraphina looked defeated as she whispered with frustration.

"There is no way we can open this without drawing the entire palace guard. Only the stationed soldiers have the activation sequence... and even I do not know the cipher."

For a moment, silence fell. The group felt the weight of failure creeping in.

But then Lucas stepped forward, his eyes narrowing with determination. He placed a calming hand on Seraphina’s shoulder and whispered close to her ear so that only she heard him.

"Trust me. Please step back."

She blinked at him, startled. "Xavier... this is no ordinary seal. It is powered by celestial energy. If you mishandle even a single rune, the alarm will..."

"I know," he interrupted gently, meeting her gaze. "Just watch."

Slowly, Seraphina moved aside, still uncertain, but something in his tone compelled her to give him space.

The others watched silently as Lucas raised his palm and started to work on it. The runes on the iron door flickered in response, sensing a foreign power. A normal cultivator would have triggered them instantly, but Lucas did not force the door.

Instead, he closed his eyes and listened.

Tiny patterns in the runes twisted like threads in the air. He traced their rotational flow with careful gestures, his fingers dancing through invisible lines. His Qi fused into the gaps between symbols, gently separating the seals from reality rather than breaking them.

Lira whispered in awe, unable to restrain herself. "He... he isn’t unlocking the door. He is slipping the runes out of existence temporarily..."

Nyx smiled faintly, her earlier fear melting into admiration as she breathed.

The runes slowly dimmed one after another, like lanterns being snuffed out.

Seraphina stared, wide-eyed. "What kind of technique is this...?"

Lucas opened his eyes then, a small confident smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"One I discovered when I had no other choice."

With a soft metallic click, the final rune dissolved.

The seals vanished.

And the dungeon door unlocked soundlessly.

Lucas stepped back and gestured politely with a slight bow.

"After you."

Seraphina could not hide her astonishment. "You... you just unraveled a complex lock as if it were easy."

Lucas shrugged lightly. "We all have our strengths."

Nyx smirked proudly at Selene and whispered, "Look at him pretending it was nothing. If he was not our man already, I would steal him."

Selene crossed her arms and glared playfully. "Try it. I dare you."

Even Mirielle managed a small smile through her lingering sadness, grateful to witness a spark of hope.

The Ice Belle peeked out from Lucas’s cloak and chirped happily, clearly proud that her chosen person had impressed everyone again. She flapped her tiny wings with excitement, though Lucas quickly hushed her with a finger so the guards beyond the door would not hear.

Seraphina took a deep breath, steadied her blade, and nodded firmly.

"We go in quietly. We eliminate only them. We find Her Majesty, and we leave with her alive. Understood?"

Everyone nodded.

The heavy iron door opened just wide enough for Seraphina to slip through first. She moved like a phantom. Lucas and the others followed in a tight formation.

Five guards patrolled the corridor between the cells. They barely had time to react before Seraphina formed a small arrow head with earth and pierced the first man’s throat. Lira’s wind blades twirled silently and severed another guard’s tendons. Nyx lunged forward, her ice claws flashing as she ripped through the armor of the third and took him down with a swift strike to the heart.

Selene brutally cut off the head of the fourth guard before his scream could escape.

The last man stumbled backward in terror, desperately trying to activate a rune etched into the wall behind him. Lucas rushed forward, but his boot slipped slightly on the slick stone, giving the guard just enough time to complete the gesture.

A faint purple pulse traveled along the stonework... a silent alarm.

"No," Lucas whispered under his breath. With a swift twist of his wrist, space folded and he appeared behind the guard, skewering him through the back.

The man fell, lifeless... but the damage was done.

Lucas inhaled sharply, a cold dread sinking into his chest. "That was a silent signal rune."

Lira froze. "Meaning...?"

"Meaning Ken knows someone is in the dungeon," Lucas said through gritted teeth. "We must hurry. He will be here soon."

Seraphina’s brows furrowed intensely. "Then we move faster. Her Majesty needs us now more than ever."

They began to call softly.

"Your Majesty... Empress... can you hear us?" Nyx called out, careful but urgent.

No reply came.

Selene increased her volume, almost pleading. "Empress! We are here to take you out!"

Still nothing. Only the quiet dripping of condensation and the occasional whimper of prisoners clinging to despair.

Then Seraphina spotted a familiar face. "Counselor Theron!" she gasped, rushing to a cell where the elderly counselor stood watching them.

"Seraphina... I prayed the heavens had not abandoned us. Please tell me you came to rescue Her Majesty."

"Yes...we are here to free her," Seraphina said, gripping the bars with trembling hands. "Where is she? Which cell?"

Theron lifted a shaking hand and pointed down the row. "The last one... but prepare yourselves. She has not spoken to any of us, not once since she arrived."

Lucas and the others followed his indication, their hearts tightening with every step.

The final cell lay cloaked in heavy shadows. The stench of damp stone and despair thickened. Lucas reached it first and peered inside.

There, in the far corner, the Empress sat curled into herself, knees pulled tightly against her chest. Her silver veil hung in tatters. A thick celestial-binding ring constricted her neck, glowing faintly as if feeding on her energy. Her once radiant aura... was gone.

Mirielle gasped, covering her mouth. "Oh no..."

Seraphina’s voice cracked as she whispered, "Your Majesty... it is us. Please... please look at us."

The Empress did not respond. She did not lift her head. Her shoulders quivered with silent sobs she tried to hide.

Lucas felt a deep ache gripping his chest. This woman had once descended from the skies like divine fury, unstoppable and unshakable.

Now she sat broken. Betrayed by the one she loved above all.

Selene clenched her fists, tears pricking her eyes. "We have to get that ring off her. We have to get her out... right now."

Lucas nodded firmly. "Stand back. I will remove the restraints. Then we fight our way out."

Lira stepped beside him, her voice steady but layered with fear. "Quickly... Kenn will not come alone."

The Empress still did not acknowledge them.

It was as if her spirit had retreated somewhere far away.

Lucas swallowed hard and reached for the lock on the cell door.

Seraphina’s breath caught in her throat as she stared at the Empress curled helplessly in the corner. The metallic collar etched with sacred symbols glowed in the cell, draining every drop of her strength. The cruel sight made Seraphina’s hands tremble. Lucas’s eyes hardened as he assessed the heavy lock that sealed the Empress behind the thick enchanted bars. Runic etchings pulsed across the metal like veins of authority and ancient restriction. It was impossible to break quickly. It would take time. Time they did not have.

Mirielle glared at the runes, irritation rising in her voice. "That seal is designed by the royal archcultivators. Even with your skills, it will take too long. We must go before Ken arrives."

Nyx stepped closer and swallowed nervously, trying to remain steady. "We cannot afford being captured here. If Kenn traps us inside this dungeon, we lose everything. We need to return with reinforcements or another plan."

Selene scoffed, clearly panicking beneath the surface. "Or we die horribly in these disgusting halls while smelling like sewer waste. Either way, I would rather not be here when Kenn decides to show up."

The Ice Belle clung to Lucas’s shoulder, shivering with displeasure. She squeaked as if aware of an approaching threat. Even the little creature understood the urgency.

Lucas continued examining the lock, fingers hovering just inches away, his mind working relentlessly. His jaw clenched and his voice dropped low with determination. "I can break this. Just give me a moment."

Lira stepped forward, her eyes full of desperate concern. "There is no moment left. The silent alarm has already been triggered by that guard. Kenn will realize the dungeon has been breached. I cannot allow any of you to be captured. Especially not you."

Lucas did not look at her. His voice could have frozen fire. "I am not leaving without her."