God Ash: Remnants of the fallen.-Chapter 1377: Fettered Angel (3).

The creature’s hand remained extended for a moment, then lowered.

"Suspicious too. Good. That will serve you well." It clasped all four hands together again. "The first task is simple. I need you to recite something. Specific words in a specific order at a specific location within this chamber."

"What words?"

"Ah, that’s where it gets interesting. The words aren’t in any language you currently speak. They’re older than the Empire, older than the Demon Wars, older than the Grigori’s fall. But don’t worry—I can give them to you."

Nero’s eyes narrowed. "How?"

The creature took a step closer.

Nero tensed, his dagger coming up slightly.

"Relax," it said. "I’m not going to hurt you. I’m just going to... share. A small transfer of information, nothing more. It will feel strange, but it won’t harm you. You have my word."

"Your word means nothing to me."

"True. But you don’t have much choice, do you? Unless you know ancient Primordial Script, which I very much doubt."

Nero’s jaw clenched. The creature was right. He needed this information if he was going to complete the task.

And he needed to complete the tasks if he wanted to get Arthur and Jacob out of here alive.

"Fine," he said. "But if you try anything—"

"Yes, yes, you’ll stab me with your little knife. I understand." The creature moved closer, now standing directly in front of Nero. It was slightly shorter than him, he realized. Just a few inches.

Up close, the details of its body were even more disturbing. The welts weren’t just growths—they pulsed slightly, as if something moved beneath the grey skin. The blue glow that wept from the boils dripped down its body in thin rivulets, disappearing into the fungus-covered ground.

And that mask.

That white wooden mask with its carved features and the darkness behind its eyeholes.

Nero could see that darkness more clearly now, and it wasn’t empty. Something moved within it, shifting and coiling like smoke or shadow or something that existed between the two.

"This will only take a moment," the creature said.

Then it raised one clawed hand and pressed a single finger to the center of Nero’s forehead.

The world exploded into light and knowledge.

Information flooded through Nero’s mind like water through a broken dam. Not images or memories, but pure understanding poured directly into his consciousness. Words that predated language, symbols that existed before writing, meanings that transcended translation.

He gasped, his body going rigid.

The words weren’t just sounds. They were concepts, each one carrying weight and significance beyond mere communication. They tasted of copper and ash on his tongue even though he hadn’t spoken them. They resonated in his bones even though he hadn’t heard them.

He saw—no, understood—the pattern they would form when spoken. Saw how each syllable would build on the last, creating a structure of sound and meaning that would...

Would...

The creature removed its finger, and Nero staggered backward, nearly falling.

His head was pounding, a sharp pain behind his eyes that made his vision blur. But the words were there now, etched into his memory as if he’d always known them.

"What..." he gasped, his voice rough. "What was that?"

"The first task," the creature said simply. "Those words, spoken at the correct location, will weaken one portion of the seals binding me."

Nero’s hand went to his forehead, half expecting to find a mark or wound where the creature had touched him. There was nothing. Just his own skin, slick with sweat despite the cold.

"The second task?" he managed.

The creature gestured with two of its arms toward the fungus-covered ground.

"You’ll need to draw runes. A specific pattern, quite large actually. It will take some time and precision. The runes must be exact—even a small error will cause the entire structure to fail." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"What kind of runes?"

"I’ll provide the designs, of course. The same way I just gave you the words. Though these will be simpler—you’ll need to draw them in the fungus itself. Use your blade to scrape away the growth in the correct patterns."

Nero’s mind was still reeling from the first information transfer, but he forced himself to focus.

"And the third task?"

The creature’s mask tilted upward slightly, as if looking past Nero toward the pool behind him.

"The third task requires ingredients. You’ll need to gather some of the blue fungi—quite a lot of it, actually. Crush it into a fine powder. Mix it with water from the pool and a small amount of blood."

"Blood," Nero repeated.

"Just a bit. A few drops. Your blood specifically. The mixture needs to be placed in a vessel—I’ll provide that—and positioned at the center of the runic array you’ll create. The combination of the spoken words, the drawn runes, and the prepared mixture will complete the ritual."

"And then you’ll be free."

"Not entirely. These tasks will only weaken the seals enough for me to manifest more fully, to regain some of my power. Full freedom will require... additional steps. But those are my concern, not yours. Complete these three tasks, and I’ll fulfill my end of our bargain."

Nero’s mind was working furiously, analyzing every word the creature had said, looking for loopholes or deceptions.

Reciting unknown words in an ancient language. Drawing a runic array. Mixing his blood with the fungi and pool water.

Every part of it screamed ritual magic. The kind of thing the Church warned against. The kind of thing that got people executed as heretics.

But what choice did he have?

"How long will this take?" he asked.

"That depends on you. The words themselves can be spoken in moments. The runes will take longer—several hours at least, given the size and complexity of the pattern. The mixture is simple enough once you have the ingredients. All told?" The creature made a gesture that might have been a shrug. "Half a day, perhaps. Maybe less if you’re efficient."

Half a day.

Arthur and Jacob would need water by then. Food eventually. And his own injuries, despite Vineheart’s healing, were still severe enough to slow him down.

"There’s one more thing," the creature said, its tone shifting to something almost conspiratorial. "A piece of advice, free of charge. When you draw the runes, don’t look at the pool. Don’t let yourself be distracted by what’s in the water. Keep your focus on the task. The entity that slumbers there... it’s better left undisturbed."