novelraw Chapter 277: Divine Sacrifice
Chapter 277: Divine Sacrifice
Chapter 277: Divine Sacrifice “Tazzith you fucking asshole!” Soren screamed so loud, he almost killed his throat.
The world around him felt like a blur as his entire body raced toward the distant cloud of mist. Strangely, he expected himself to die from going at such speeds, but even during their ascent through the chasm, Soren didn’t feel much discomfort at all. Even his hands which were gripping the sword’s pummel suspiciously never slipped.
He couldn’t help but observe the sword more keenly. Tazzith called it Noema—a fitting name that truly did invoke heavy thoughts. And heavier still was the blade itself. In his hand, it bore a close resemblance to a claymore—a broad, intimidating blade anchored by an elongated crossguard. Deep crimson jewels were set into the tip of each quillon, pulsing similarly to the Heartdrinker Sigil. As for the blade itself, it was wrought from a dark, sinister aura. As if Tazzith had plucked his own evil thoughts and forged them into steel.
From what he understood of Spirit Bodies, the blade itself was likely a fragment of His true form. However, it could also be something He had created through magecraft or alchemy. Whatever the truth may be, he decided it was best not to verify it. Using [Eyes of the Fairy] in a scenario like this was no different from wishing to die. There were far too many Divine Authorities around him—a simple glance at their secrets might even cause his soul to fracture.
Before long, the sword pierced through the first layer of the dark mist, racing toward the center. Soren noticed his senses wavering slightly, as if being erased. He suspected that the Nameless Mist’s effects would likely increase significantly the deeper he went.
There’s no choice. . . He reminded himself. No matter what happens, he needed to free Cassia from Merlin’s control. If the Vynasians somehow acquire the Hollowed Star fragments, no one—not even the Gods—will be able to stop the ruination of this world.
“Biblion, make sure to frequently use [Record] on me.” He knew that eventually, the mist might start impacting his memories as well. He needed to make sure he could survive long enough to save his senior apprentice.
The sword flew for a while longer. Despite its speed, Soren could still tell there was a lot more distance left to cover. It felt as if the space itself wasn’t moving at all.
“Are we stuck in a loop again?”It reminded him of what happened in the frozen caves. Trying to trace back his steps only led him to walking through the same passageways on repeat.
Next to him, his Soul Weapon’s pages began to flip on their own, revealing a new message from Figment:
“I doubt it. According to Tazzith, the Shepherd of the Nameless Fold stands no chance against Guntharion. Although He is suspicious, I see no reason why He would stand in our way. Our goals align, after all.”
Soren’s frown deepened. Although his logic was reasonable, there was still a lot of uncertainty to be had. For one, there was no telling whether Guntharion cared for this world’s destruction or survival. All he knew was that he held some kind of vendetta against Merlin. Perhaps He might even desire the Hollowed Star fragments for Himself.
Secondly, Soren believed there had to be a connection between the Shepherd of the Nameless Fold and Guntharion that he wasn’t aware of. Both of them wielded the Nameless Mist, after all. And from what Tazzith was able to gather after His summoning, Guntharion seems to be focused entirely on stopping the Holy Maiden.
All of this made it hard to assume whether or not he could trust Him. If not for the strange Vynasian entity, Tazzith would have likely preferred coming with him from the start rather than leaving it up to His sword. . .
Because of the seal on the Star Apostle, the Heartdrinker Sigil was really only able to obtain two or three cast’s worth of anima through [Bloodrune Catalysis]. Their first usage of the Fate Star Realignment spellform was used to gather all of His Spirit Body fragments. Now, they only had one more chance to truly fix this world’s fate.
The dark sword flew even further into the mist. By now, Soren couldn’t even tell how long he had been there. His sense of time itself seemed to have been erased. All he knew was that they were definitely getting closer to their destination. Below him, he could see piles of dark corpses strewn across the shrouded floor. All of them seemed to only possess a skeletal frame covered in layers of solid shadows.
Although they all seemed anatomically different from each other, Soren was still able to recognize them.
“Soul Skinners…”
The very same creatures the Holy Maiden commanded. As they flew further into the shadowed battlefield, it became more and more apparent to him that they had likely perished while battling against each other.
The ones possessing more animalistic features likely belong to Guntharion. From his previous experience during the Dungeon Break, Soren could tell that the ones with a human physique served under the Shepherd of the Nameless Fold. She only seemed to possess those types of Soul Skinners under Her command. The rest of them likely served a different master.
“I was right, their abilities are really similar. . .” Though, he still believed there were differences between Guntharion and the Holy Maiden that he was still unaware of.
More time passed without much of a change in scenery. The battlefield he was crossing stretched for miles on end with only devastation and death to be seen. A part of him started to doubt whether or not his destination even existed—If not for the erosive properties of the Nameless Mist, Soren might have started panicking by now. His emotions had certainly been affected.
Despite this, his rationality still told him that the distances he was crossing were real. The amount of corpses he was seeing was certainly growing the further the sword traveled through the cloud of mist, signalling that they were indeed approaching something. . .
But before his mind could spin up any theories, the usual scenery before him suddenly changed for the first time. Soren emerged from the shadowy fog into an open field, surrounded by the dark mist on all sides. He felt as if he had entered the eye of the storm.
For the first time in a while, the sword Tazzith lended him began to slow down, as if knowing it had fulfilled its duty. He glanced ahead of him and noticed a strange, dark floating sphere hung from strands of the same material. Soren found its visage to be similar to that of a cocoon.
“What the. . .” He took a step forward, only to hear a loud voice reverberate in his ears.
[Do not get closer.]
Soren’s eyes widened. He immediately recognized who was speaking.
“Old Man Gunther…”
The darkness surrounding the cocoon stirred, as if it were a dying flame that had just been given more fuel. Looking past the shrouded mist, Soren could see the twinkle of nine miniature stars shining brightly. It became obvious to him who rested within that dark imprisonment.
[As you may have guessed, the child you seek is indeed in there.]
“Let her go!” Soren yelled into the sky, unsure of where to look. Guntharion was speaking to him from any and all directions.
[I’m afraid that won’t be possible.]
“. . . Why not?”
[Because she is no longer the Cassia you knew.]
Soren couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Bastard, don’t you feel anything for your daughter?! Save her! The Nameless Mist—just use it to revert her back to normal!”
[It is already too late. A Divine Authority has hijacked her body. She is nothing more than a vessel now.]
“What. . .”
[It seems He doesn’t wish to perish. Preventing Him from possessing her is practically impossible—not when my focus is drawn elsewhere.]
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
“Elsewhere?” Soren grit his teeth. “What could be more important than your daughter’s life!”
Refusing to hesitate any longer, Soren gripped Tazzith’s sword and threw it in the direction of the cocoon. Surprisingly, his tactic worked. Noema scorched the air in its wake, leaving a trail of sparks. Its speed was faster than what his throw could register by a mile. . .
I did that? The thought didn’t last long—his vision now focused on the distant swathes of shadows that had been cleanly sliced through. In an instant, the contents of the cocoon spilled out onto the floor. Indeed, Cassia had been in there all along. She remained utterly passive, except for when it came to executing Merlin’s orders. Her hands were still tied to the Hollowed Star fragments, as if she had been nurturing them as her children.
Soren took another step forward, prompting Guntharion to warn him again:
[Your plan will fail, Soren.]
The word ‘fail’ caused him to freeze momentarily.
[I know what you want to do. You wish to allow Cassia to become one of your Anchors, correct? My knowledge on the Faerie Court is limited, but I am certain that is what you have in mind.
[Indeed, it is a very smart idea. If she were to become your Anchor, you could then allow her to travel to the Faerie Court, where she would be able to escape Merlin’s control permanently. However, as well intentioned as this is, you will only jeopardize your own existence in the process.]
Soren stood still for a moment, allowing his thoughts to roam freely.
“That Divine Authority you speak of. Is it the one belonging to the Serpent of Untruths?”
[Correct. It was called the Fabricated Expanse during ancient times. Reality itself warps in its presence—lies become truth and truths become lies. Belief becomes anchored in the individual rather than in logical consensus. My ability to remove this corruption from Cassia has been countered completely.]
Soren grit his teeth. “So He wishes to use her even more? After everything He has subjected her to!”
The answer never came, but Soren already knew why. Indeed, just as Merlin had stated, the Old Gods each had a resurrection plan, and the Serpent of Untruths used Cassia for that purpose. The Soul Weapon He bestowed upon her was never a blessing. It was a curse that had followed her lineage ever since the fall of the Avalon Empire. Sacrifice after sacrifice mounting for the sake of His revival. . .
And now, the final stages of His plan are manifesting before his very eyes. Cassia, who had just altered the next era’s fate, will finally usher in the wish of all her ancestors. The price, however. . . would be her life. Her Soul Weapon—Figments of the Serpent—were indeed manifestations of the Serpent. He will be born again with her flesh and blood as His vessel.
Ignoring Guntharion’s warning, Soren walked forward unhesitantly. He kneeled down before the little girl and held her up by the shoulders. Despite her hollow eyes remaining open, Soren could tell she could not see him. She was completely fixated on the Hollowed Star fragments in her grasp.
His heart couldn’t help but sink slightly. “I have to try… I have to. Sienna must have altered my fate for a reason—I know she would have wanted me to try and save her.”
[Turning her into an Anchor won’t save her. You will only give the Serpent of Untruths an additional reward. The Gods are not all on one side, after all. This world may be collapsing, but the forgotten rune that you possess remains a valuable asset.]
“Lies.” Soren’s frown deepened. “This isn’t just about my safety. You need his revival, don’t you?”
He was met with silence.
“The Serpent of Untruth’s Divine Authority would allow this world to flourish for much longer if He was allowed to return. Of course, there is no telling whether or not He would be willing to go that far for this world. For all we know, He might just abandon Yarian entirely to find another distant realm to occupy.”
[Convincing Him isn’t difficult.] The voice shattered his delusions. [I possess something He could never dare to resist.]
“And what exactly is that?”
[The ability to erase the truth.]
“. . . . .”
Soren didn’t know how to reply.
[A lie requires another lie to hide itself. You’re probably aware of this commandment. The meaning behind it is fairly simple—evidence against a lie you tell can only be countered with more lies. And this principle tends to continue endlessly, until the lie is eventually unraveled.
[But what if that evidence never existed to begin with? What then?]
Soren hesitated to answer. “The lie continues perpetually. . .”
[Exactly. That is the power afforded to me through the Nameless Mist. A power the Serpent of Untruths desired immensely during the height of the Avalon Empire. He
wished for me to become His servant. But of course, I rejected the offer—I already served a different Lord, after all. [However, the times have indeed changed. My role has also changed with its passage. I am willing to accept His deal, if He promises to aid us against the ruination.]
Soren grasped Cassia tightly, watching as more of her anima went to empowering [Eyes of the Serpent]. No amount of shaking or yelling will ever free her from the enthrallment.
“And what about Merlin then?” Soren’s eyes sharpened. “Surely he’s aware of what you’re planning? Why would he allow you to fulfill your wishes?”
[Because he has no other choice.]
“. . . What do you mean?”
[Using Cassia as a catalyst for accelerating this world’s collapse was never his first option, Soren. He was initially planning on contracting himself to Tazzith and using Him to aid in that endeavor. Of course, that plan collapsed when you took it upon yourself to alter the Orbits of Fate.]
“But. . .”
The voice interrupted him.
[Yes, your actions still have their own consequences. But to repeat my parting words to you, the Board of Fate is truly an interesting analogy. You were right—we are all formless in the eyes of the board.
[So while it did bear a heavy cost, your actions still provided us with their own unique opportunity. Cassia—she may perish in all of this, but her sacrifice will truly bring about the future her Mistress desired.]
“I refuse!” He gripped her shoulders even tighter. “I refuse to allow my actions to impact her! I don’t care for the reasoning—if Tazzith is as powerful as Merlin believed Him to be, then He should be able to fix all of this without the Serpent of Untruth’s aid!
“Besides, haven’t you been hiding something from me?” Soren grit his teeth as he waited for a response that never came.
“Answer me, you bastard! Those warnings you gave earlier—you told me to not step closer to her, and yet, you made no effort to stop me when I went against them. Why is that?!”
He was met with silence once again. Soren couldn’t help but smile nervously.
“Is it because. . . you can’t?”
The air suddenly turned heavy as he sat amidst the shadows, unsure of what to think. Eventually, the dark cloud surrounding him began to unravel, as if to reveal the truth it had been suppressing.
And that truth shocked him greatly.
Above the cocoon of darkness that Cassia had emerged from were two colossal pillars, extending toward the now visible cosmos above. They stood opposed to each other and nailed to each one was a distinct silhouette that he could recognize.
“Guntharion. . . Shepherd of the Nameless Fold. . .” His eyes widened completely, unable to process what was happening.
“Some kind of. . . sacrifice? Crucifixes. . .“
[Indeed.] He heard a sigh echoing from above. Hovering between the two abyssal crucifixes was a colossal stone tablet, etched in a distinctly unreadable script. It was as if his mind simply refused to grasp what he was looking at—every symbol would be forgotten the moment he blinked. Massive cracks ran across its surface. Soren could see the dark mist erupting from within the fractures.
“I. . . I don't understand. . .”
[Merlin the Magician has always been a man of tricks and surprises. This was one I couldn’t have prepared for.] He chuckled self-deprecatingly. [After entering Aelyne's dream world, he decided to leave behind a little surprise. . . Something called a [Dream Virus]. Although I was able to injure him severely, the Sleepless Guide still managed to escape through his [Dream Seed] connection with that World Collapser.]
Soren’s lips parted slightly then closed. A part of him hesitated to say this, but in the end, he knew he had to obtain an answer.
“So it was never about the ruination—is this the real reason why seek the Serpent of Untruth’s aid? To save Her? But why would you sacrifice Cassia—your only daughter—for Her life?”
There was a brief pause before He answered. Soren saw the smile curve across His face, though the sadness in His eyes was unmistakable.
[Who said Cassia was my only daughter?]