Spear Body Tower, top floor.
"Father, after you."
Anastasia stood to one side before a door of light, lifted the hem of her skirt, and gave Samael an elegant invitation with a slight curtsy.
"Together, together."
Smiling, Samael reached out and grabbed Anastasia on one side and Chloe, who had been trying to slip away, on the other. Without giving them a chance to object, he dragged them both to his side, ensuring they shielded him from every angle before pulling them through the door of light with him.
After being burned so many times, the ancient serpent had no choice but to guard against this unfilial daughter at his side.
As the air rippled, the sensation of passing through a sheet of water came over them, and the scene before them suddenly opened up.
The first thing that entered their sight was a series of ancient stone steps and torii gates erected on either side. The fox stone carvings along the way looked very much like those Samael had seen at Inari Shrine.
Could it be...
Samael's heart stirred. His dark eyes flickered as he instinctively tugged his two temporary shields along and quickened his pace.
After crossing more than a hundred steps, they reached the end.
A gnarled giant tree rose into the sky, its fluttering crimson leaves like clusters of dancing flames. Ema hung from its branches by red cords, their collisions in the wind producing clear, pleasant chimes.
The construction at the summit ahead was somewhat unexpected as well.
It was not a traditional shrine hall, but a circular stone altar dozens of meters across.
Twelve golden spells were inscribed upon it, lighting up in rotation like the markings on a clock face.
Under the reflection of that golden radiance, the entire stone platform resembled a