"Haha…"
Ciel couldn't help but laugh as she stared at the to—which was disintegrating right in front of her eyes.
"It's happening."
The to that had given her—and Jin—access to his system.
Brandon Locke's system.
She had fully manipulated the boy to a full blown extent.
From giving him the idea of becoming a ranker, to him being forced to explore the forest.
And the final piece of the puzzle that wove the events together.
The man known as Lucas.
Regardless of who was in control of the body, it was a tragic event that was set in stone.
Just that, the schedule was pushed forward for the current progression.
Belle Locke's death.
And now things were about to beco more interesting.
Just how would her death affect the current Brandon Locke?
They had to break him.
Break his will.
Break his system.
"And in the end, he will consu him."
We will consu him.
***
All Brandon could hear were ringing sounds as he held his dear sister's arms in his hand.
"Belle… please."
He was desperate.
"Skill Weaver!"
The system notification popped up.
"Sovereign of Creation!"
He scread.
"Please… I beg of you… save my sister."
His voice cracked.
[Error!]
Yet the system refused his plea.
"Please."
[Error!]
"Please…"
[Error!]
"Please!"
[Error!]
Drip. Drip…!
He wasn't even looking at the system as his head lay on Belle's chest. Blood sared his hand, as well as his cheek as tears stained Belle's clothes.
He knew there was no life in her.
Her heart had stopped beating. Brandon refused to accept it.
"Brandon…."
All of a sudden, a familiar voice reached his ears, and he felt soone embrace his back.
He didn't need to look to know that it was Alia.
She too had shared his sorrow as he could hear the sound of her sobbing.
For Alia, she had lost her one and only best–friend.
And for Brandon, he had lost his one and only sister.
The person he had fully accepted as his family in this new world he was thrusted in.
And yet again, it was taken from him.
Drip. Drip…!
"Please…"
[Error!]
Sob. Sob.
He felt his chest tighten as if it gripped his entire being.
"Huaa…."
His breaths ca in ragged gasps, each one more painful than the last.
The world around him blurred, his vision clouded by tears that refused to stop. The weight of loss was unbearable for him.
"Why?"
He whispered, his voice barely more than a breath.
Alia's arms tightened around him as her own tears soaking into his shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, Brandon."
She choked out as her voice trembled and cracked.
The monts they had shared—the laughter, the argunts, the quiet tis—flashed through his mind in that instant.
Belle's smile, her reassuring words, her unwavering support—they were all gone, just like that.
"Please…"
[Error!]
His hands trembled as he clung to Belle's lifeless form. His heart grew heavy with each and every passing second.
The system, his one hope, had failed him.
The powers he had relied on this whole ti—they were all useless in the face of this adversity.
Sob. Sob.
Alia's sobs grew louder, and she buried her face in his back.
Raising his head, Brandon's tears fell onto Belle's still figure, mixing with the blood that stained her clothes.
He felt utterly helpless.
"Belle… I'm so sorry."
He murmured, his voice breaking.
"I should have listened to you…. I should have…."
After all, Belle had told him not to embark on this journey.
Brandon knew.
He fucking knew.
All of this was indirectly his fault.
If he hadn't helped Lumian—offering him water.
If he hadn't fought Lumian….
….Then Lumian would've left the forest.
He was looking for an exit, yet Brandon had delayed his escape.
Due to the battle that ensued, Belle must've heard the fight from a mile away, and quickly followed the source of the sound.
Belle and her subordinates wouldn't have encountered Lumian.
"This is all my fault…."
"What are you talking about…."
Alia suddenly spoke.
"It's my fault, Alia…. Belle's like this because of !"
His voice continued to crack.
"Brandon, stop!"
Alia tightened her embrace and Brandon's shoulders relaxed, his shoulders, trembling.
"It's not your fault. It's no one's fault. It was an unfortunate encounter."
"Please…"
[Error!]
He clung to Belle, wishing for a miracle, begging for one last chance to see her smile, to hear her laugh.
All of the tis she had consoled him.
And not once had he ever done anything to repay her kindness.
"Skill Weaver… please."
[Error!]
"Damn it!"
He lashed out and punched the system. But his fist phased through.
"Useless."
[Error!]
"Useless…."
[Error!]
"I'm fucking useless…"
[Error!]
Brandon raised his head and glared at Belle's subordinates. Their expressions were one of sorrow, just like his.
But…
"Bullshit."
He cursed.
"Don't give that. What were you fuckers even doing?!"
They all looked at him. But none had the courage to speak up as their expressions turned grim.
"I saw all of you. You all stood still and watched that bastard kill my sister!"
He shook his head and clenched his forehead.
"You all killed her as well…. And you…."
He glared at the man with the strongest mana signature.
The man's brows raised but he remained speechless, listening to Brandon.
"The fuck were you doing?! Aren't you the strongest one here?! Why is my sister dead?!"
"Please, calm down."
Another man spoke. With blonde eyes and blue hair, adorning a military uniform.
"It all happened so abruptly—"
"Bullshit!"
Brandon cut him off.
"You're telling none of you were able to react fast enough?! Why are you even an officer if you can't save your own?!"
Thwack!
He forcefully smacked the ground. By now, the [Curse Assimilation] skill had already deactivated.
"How could you expect to save a life when you couldn't even save my sister?!"
"...."
At this point, he knew was being unreasonable.
If there's anyone to bla, then it was the Wraith.
But he couldn't help it.
He turned his attention back towards Belle.
His system was still open.
"...."
It was then when he realized.
[Binding Vow: Locked]
Binding Vow.
A skill exclusive to only the curse affinity.
From the information that flooded in his thoughts, he knew exactly how it worked.
"Alia, stand back."
"What are you—"
"Please."
He pleaded. Alia stood up, supporting herself with her hands and stood back.
Brandon crouched down and extended his hand forward.
"What are you doing?"
The man who he deed the strongest suddenly spoke.
"Sothing you fuckers can't do."
Vooosh—!
All of a sudden, black flas engulfed Brandon's figure.
His hair gradually turned ink–black, as well as his eyes.
"Don't tell you're going to burn her body?!"
The man with blue hair suddenly scread.
He stepped forward and extended his hand. Magic power gradually coalesced around him, and a sudden chill perated the air.
Crash!
But it was then when a magic sword pierced through the air and struck the ground, just in front of the man.
It was Alia—who looked as if she had decided on sothing.
"Ridiculous."
She shook her head.
"That's his sister. You really think he's going to do that?"
"But—"
"Quiet. As of this mont, I, General Constantine, will now take over this operation. You will all follow my commands, and you will all stand down!"
Alia authoritatively instructed.
At that, the officers present stood down and lowered their hands. The mana in the air dwindled.
With the commotion settled, Brandon focused all his attention on the flas.
This had to work.
A life for a life.
His life for hers.
A sacrifice.
With how useless he was, he might as well just die anyway.
With such thoughts, Brandon muttered under his breath.
"Binding vow."
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