The news broke Jackie and she did not say a single word.
Tears stread down her face and she began regretting every decision she made today.
If only… if only she hadn’t separated with her Master.
If she hadn’t done that, he would’ve been alive now.
Why did their Master stupidly split from them? What need was there!?
They were Players too and wouldn’t die so easily. Why did he not take that into consideration?
Why?
Just why was he so stupid?
Jackie had a lot of grievances whereas Alia was silent, deathly silent, not uttering a single word.
She would’ve usually called out her lord’s na multiple tis if this was a normal situation, but she did not ntion her lord even once after her Master’s death.
[The constellations are silent.]
Even the constellations couldn’t believe that such a promising young man’s journey had suddenly co to a halt.
He shook the entire Tower while being a nobody Rank 1. Such a man with such a boundless future t his end like this?
The constellations couldn’t understand this.
anwhile, in a random place within theTower, a tall raven-haired lady was covered in a black cloak, passing through a busy night market.
Her steps ca to an abrupt halt and she gazed down, as if she could see what was beyond the ground.
’This boy… he died?’
’Again?’
This was the 2nd ti he died within the Tower. The first ti was when he drowned in the trials, and the second ti was now.
Last ti, he had an item to resurrect him, but now…
’Hmm… troubleso… this is indeed troubleso…’
The tall lady was no one else but El, Julien’s godmother.
’Ah well… seems like I’ll need to intervene. I really shouldn’t, but well, this ti my input is necessary…’
El drifted through the night market like a ghost and disappeared.
…..
Alia was shocked to her core. She could not believe her Master would et his end like this.
This looked like a harmless floor, and it did not even have a boss. This place shouldn’t be as threatening as there really weren’t any powerful monsters.
However, she failed to take into consideration that a swarm of lower level monsters could be dangerous too.
A single rat could not do anything, but a big group of rats could very well eat a person alive.
Alia wanted to slap herself for her not realizing this earlier.
If only she hadn’t separated from her Master, he would be alive today.
Instead of that, even if she had jumped into the battle a bit earlier, she might’ve been able to cast a healing spell to seal his wounds and keep him away from death’s door.
But she was a step too late.
Regret filled her heart and she really had no idea whether she was worthy enough to even walk the path of a priestess.
In her monts of turmoil and absolute distress, a soothing and gentle voice called for her.
’Child…’
For a second, Alia was really confused as she looked around.
’Do not look around, for I am in your heart.’ The voice said.
’Lord?’ Alia asked, confused.
’Child, what’s bothering you?’ The voice asked.
’Lord, is that really you? Are you finally listening?’ Alia had tears well up in her eyes as the soothing voice called.
’My child… I have always been listening.’ The voice replied.
’Oh lord… if you were always listening… always watching… then why did you let such tragedy befall? What wrong had my Master done to deserve this?’ Alia couldn’t help but ask and question the unfairness.
’It was that child’s fate.’ The feminine voice answered.
Before Alia could interrupt and ask sothing again, the voice continued:
’Dying was that child’s fate, however, eting you… it was his destiny. My child, his destiny is now tied to you, and what you wish for, is what will happen.’
’If I wish for him to be alive, is it possible?’ Alia asked while biting her lips hard, to the point where blood oozed out.
’Yes.’
’How!?!’
’The answer to everything is in your heart.’ The voice faded away after saying so.
Alia was utterly confused at this point when suddenly, she had a flashback.
It was an underground stone chamber, illuminated by flickering candles.
In the middle of the chamber was a bizarre arcane spell and on it were placed multiple grotesque objects.
Darkness took over Alia’s vision as she rembered this scene.
The scene then changed and she saw a woman in black priestess’ robes, wailing and dragging herself towards Alia.
Her legs were chopped off and she was crying tears of blood as she dragged her body with her fingerless palms.
"…A-Alia…"
Darkness flashed in Alia’s vision again. The scene changed and Alia saw a twisted entity right above the arcane spell.
It had curled horns and multiple eyes on its forehead. There was a bloody smile biting onto a pair of woman’s legs.
"#$%@!****!" The entity said sothing in its demonic screech while chewing and making loud crunching noises.
Alia was not too horrified back then and could not decipher anything the entity was saying or had any idea about the situation.
Now that she was looking back at it, everything was suddenly clear.
The entity was saying:
-To call back the lost, one must first offer the taken. Life does not return without a price… and the dead do not walk without another taking their place.
The entity then let out a low, distorted chuckle, its jagged teeth glistening with fresh blood.
-Do you wish to bargain, little one? Or will you rely weep at the gates of the departed?
Alia was going to pass out, but was unable to do so in the presence of that evil entity. She could only continue to watch and wait for the entity to leave so she could run away.
-You do not step forward. Are you afraid? Or rely waiting for the weight of fate to crush you?
It let out a guttural chuckle, the sound reverberating through the chamber like a dirge. Its jagged teeth parted slightly, revealing the remnants of its last offering.
-But I am pleased… A priestess of the church. A high-ranking archbishop. And so many more, bled dry in devotion. Such reverence, such obedience to the laws of balance. Yes… this, I will take as a bargain.
The entity lood over the spell’s markings, its curled horns casting long shadows.
-A life for a life? No, no. That would be too simple. Too expected.
A deep, velvety murmur followed, dripping with dark amusent.
-I shall grant you a spell. A ans to bring back the lost… And all it will take is the purity of a maiden. A price far more fitting, don’t you think?
Dark, viscous energy pulsed from the arcane markings beneath it, seeping into the air like an ink stain spreading across parchnt. A mont later, a surge of knowledge—ancient, forbidden—rushed forth, embedding itself into the depths of the nun’s mind.
The entity leaned back, letting out a deep, resonant laugh that rattled the very walls.
-A nun, raising the dead… A healer, wielding a spell born from the suffering of so many. Oh, how delightful!
The laughter grew louder, more distorted, as its form began to dissolve into the surrounding darkness.
-I will be watching. And I will be most… ecstatic.
With those final words, it vanished, leaving behind only silence—and the weight of the knowledge it had given.
The flashback ended.
Alia was in a daze, unable to calm the raging storm in her heart.
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