Facing off with David, Oliver couldn't spare any attention to his surroundings.
The David that he rembered was an A ranker. But the current David, in which the Wraith had possessed him was unknown.
'How strong is the Wraith?'
Six years ago, Oliver was only a C Ranker. Now? He was an S- Ranker.
"Hehehe."
Inside the forest, he could hear the sound of children laughing.
'...It must be them.'
Hearing the sound, Oliver's heart started to grow heavy. For so reason, the dolls only contained children?
Why?
'Then… What happened to the missing Rankers?'
"Hurrrrrrr—"
His question was soon resolved, as a huge Wraith Beast erged from the bush.
Oliver's eyes widened at the sight. He had never seen a Wraith Beast with such thick miasma.
'I see.'
But that was all he needed to know to confirm what exactly transpired.
In other words, they were being fed to Wraith Beasts. The huge Wraith Beast must've greedily consud most of the Rankers.
aning, the beast was at the peak of its strength. Estimating, it was most likely in the A category.
Oliver's stomach started to churn as he thought about it.
"Hoo.."
Taking deep breaths, Oliver stepped forward.
There were no other backups, and the Wraith Beasts were currently way too strong for the children behind him.
Oliver had enough of running away.
This ti…
It was his turn to protect.
Glancing at Sarah from behind him one more ti, Oliver walked forward.:
Looking up, David's eyes were closely following him.
Step—
As soon as he stepped within radius, threads appeared and tried to coil at him.
Snap.
With a snap of his fingers, the threads imdiately burned away. At the sa ti the curse flas dispersed as well.
But from that…
Oliver could tell.
He was definitely stronger than the current David.
However…
"Hurrrrrr—"
The Wraith Beast jumped and appeared to mangle him.
Waving his hand, curse flas materialized in the air. Pushing his palms forward, the flas pierced through the air and struck the Wraith Beast.
BOOM—!
As soon as it did, an explosion resounded in the forest. The curse flas exploded like bombs. Green flas had started to fill the area.
At the sa ti, threads once again coiled around like snakes.
Noticing, Oliver imdiately jumped back. Waving his hand around, each thread would burn and the flas would disperse at the sa ti.
The flas dispersed right in his face, blocking his view. As soon as the sight was clear, a palm appeared and thrusted in his face.
Thud—!
Oliver skidded back several ters. His face was etched with cuts.
Drip. Drip…!
Blood had started dripping from his face from the cuts.
"Hurrrrrr—"
At the sa ti, the Wraith Beast yet again, mangled him from the side.
With his quick reflexes, Oliver imdiately skidded back several ters.
Snap.
Snapping his fingers, curse flas erupted from the Wraith Beast's foot.
BOOM—!
The green flas towered above, burning everything in its wake.
Just like that, a Wraith Beast that had consud over 300 rankers was killed.
Yet again, at the sa ti, threads lood around him. However this ti, it managed to grab hold of his leg.
Realizing his leg was caught, Oliver waved his hand to try and burn it away.
However…
Swoosh—!
He was imdiately pulled towards David. David swiftly maneuvered the fingers in his other hand. As soon as he did, threads from all over coiled in the air.
Flicking his head, Oliver clapped his hands vertically.
BOOM—!
Curse flas erupted from his right side, imdiately burning away the threads.
Yet at the sa ti, he had already appeared before David.
David's fingers suddenly turned into claws, most likely, ford with threads.
Before David could graze him…
'Zone: Blazing Hex'
At that, the threads burned away. All of a sudden, the atmosphere gradually shifted.
Using David's torso, Oliver imdiately kicked and recoiled back.
The ground suddenly blackened, turning into an expanse of cracked obsidian.
The sky distorted, a roiling vortex of gray and green gradually filled the sky.
Green ash and embers started to flutter in the air.
The forest that was once there had disappeared. And standing between all that was Oliver and David, looking at each other face-to-face.
"David…"
"Zone, huh? Not bad, human."
The first words that David—
No, the Wraith had ever spoken to Oliver.
"David, I know you're in there."
Oliver knew it was less likely…
But…
He had to hope.
Hope that his ntor, and friend was still in there sowhere.
It was all wishful thinking.
The sin had continued to eat away his sanity for six years.
"David, I'm sorry for abandoning you on that day…"
He clenched his fist.
"I'm sorry I couldn't save Emma."
Drip. Drip…!
And tears started flowing down his cheek.
"I should have stopped you from going that day."
He gritted his teeth.
"I should have done all I could just so you could have been with your Family instead of facing off with that fucking Wraith."
He looked up.
"It should have been who had placed that binding vow."
Most curse affinity users had binding vows.
An ability only available to them.
He lifted his head down and stared deep into David's pitch black eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Sarah…. Emma."
Drip. Drip…!
Oliver wasn't sure who was to bla.
Was it him?
Or was it actually no one?
In the first place, they didn't know that tragedy would befall them that day.
"Haaa…."
In the end, it was all just miserable luck.
Wrong place,
…Wrong ti.
"Huuu…"
He took deep heavy breaths.
And…
Voooosh–!
Curse flas erupted, surrounding him like an aura. With proficient control, the flas didn't touch him, despite being close enough.
His eyes started to glow a neon green color.
With tears in his eyes, Oliver took a step forward.
Step—
***
—Minutes before Oliver entered the forest.
"Brandon."
"What?"
"Co."
Brandon imdiately followed suit. Oliver leaned close to whisper.
"Destroy the dolls."
Brandon's eyes shot wide open and his expressions turned grim.
"Why?"
"The Wraith won't die, as long as its soul is still bound sowhere."
"..."
"Inside those dolls…"
Oliver paused for a second. Taking a deep breath, he muttered.
"...Two souls, the children, and the Wraith itself."
A sudden chill bore down on Brandon's spine after hearing those words.
He couldn't respond to that. How could he?
The souls of children were inside of the dolls. And yet Oliver was telling him to murder them.
Brandon clenched his fist.
No, they were already dead the mont the Wraith got to them.
He gritted his teeth.
"Damn it."
After all the people present, why did it have to be him?
As if his thoughts were seemingly read, Oliver added.
"You aren't like Raven Blackheart. I know you're capable of cold logic. I can see it from your eyes."
"..."
"You probably assu so degree of sacrifice is needed to make certain to achieve your goals."
"..."
"Now is that ti, Brandon Locke. Please, help save Everglade. Help save David."
"...So this was the kind of help you needed."
"I'm sorry..."
"How selfish. You knew this whole ti, didn't you?"
Oliver didn't respond. But that silence was all that Brandon needed to confirm.
"You knew and yet..."
Brandon clenched his fist.
"...You fucking let Emma die."
"I didn't know!"
Oliver scread. Taken aback, all eyes were fixed on him.
Calming down, Oliver pulled Brandon to the side where the others couldn't hear him.
"How was I supposed to fucking know that Emma would beco a victim!?"
"Coward. And now you're putting the burden on ."
"We have to do this. More lives will be taken if we don't."
"I know."
Clenching his teeth, Brandon look down. Frowning, he looked up to et Oliver in the eye.
"Please turn yourself in after all of this is over... If you're even alive that is."
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