Chapter 128: Struggles Of She Who Observes The Stars

Space bent and twisted, their perception of time warped.

All they could see was the constantly twisting light of space as they punctured through reality.

It was disorienting, it was nauseating, and their heads ached, their senses dulled. And when all these feelings just felt as if they were about to climax... it all vanished.

Their perception was so warped they didn’t understand that they had barely spent a fraction of a second crossing through the portal.

Everyone blinked as their vision slowly cleared, their previous discomforts diffusing with the wind, though the ache in their heads still persisted.

Massaging his forehead, Seth looked to the sky. Instead of pristine blue, he was met with encompassing crimson.

"Great, we just had to fall into a corruption zone!"

Uriel stepped forward, observing their surroundings, which seemed to be what was left of an urban town now reduced to ruins.

"It gives us a chance to give the survivors a safe zone. At least until the government is ready to expand again, they can be safe."

Brandon nodded. "So let’s get to clearing it."

But behind them, Elaine stared worriedly at Trisha, who just gazed at the sky as a single tear lined her cheek beneath the black cloth over her eyes. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Maybe because she finally had someone of the same gender accompanying them, Elaine was closer and more accepting of Trisha compared to the others.

"Is something wrong? Are you okay?" Wearing a rare expression of concern, she asked worriedly — her voice finally attracting the attention of Seth and the others.

They all hurried back close. "Is something wrong? Was she hurt?" Uriel asked worriedly.

But Elaine shook her head, signaling her lack of knowledge.

Finally, Trisha spoke. "A star has been extinguished..."

Everyone’s heart chilled, the gales of the wind becoming colder.

They all knew what this meant: one of their targets, a pillar of the human race who was supposed to contribute to the advancement of both their race and civilization, had died.

Someone they were meant to protect... gone just like that.

Seth let out a breath. It was hard for him to get emotional at this point.

That was just how humans were — they adapted quick, too quick. The first death he ever witnessed might have shaken him. His second, he had to do himself.

And from there it just spiraled out of control, so much so that he hardly felt anything at the news or sight of death.

Seth stared at his palms for a few seconds, trying to search for emotions that should be there but... they just weren’t.

He clenched his fists, sighing once more — helplessly this time.

He wasn’t alone. Even Elaine, a lady who was meant to be more susceptible to empathy, felt nothing.

Especially for someone she didn’t know and hadn’t met, it was hard to feel that loss.

Staring at Trisha as she shed a tear, her fists clenched, drawing to her chest.

Would she ever be able to feel such emotions again?

Definitely, but that was if—

"No, I would never let that happen." She quickly shut down the thought as soon as it reared its head, her heart steeling with conviction.

She grabbed Trisha by the shoulders, hugging her as she consoled, "There was nothing we could do, but we can still save the others before they end with the same fate."

Trisha sobbed. "I know... But, but, every day I see stars dying out, pillars meant to support our race snuffed out. It’s not fair."

"I know... but we can only keep fighting." Elaine consoled. She could finally understand Trisha’s curse.

Unable to see anything but the stars that kept going dim, lives the humans kept losing.

Honestly, if her mind was any more frail, she would have been broken already.

A secret Trisha never shared with anyone was that as the Prophetess of the Stars, she was linked to them all.

Each death took a toll. All their fear, their pain, their hopes — she felt them for those brief seconds it took their lives to extinguish.

It was a terrifying curse that tormented her day in, day out. How many stars were there?

How many died daily? Her resilience was waning. That was what really prompted this mission. If she was to keep holding on, she needed a win for once.

And recalling this fact, she collected herself and wiped her tears.

"I’m okay now." She assured Elaine and the others.

Only then did they proceed to what was the easiest task of this mission so far — but one that had almost cost them their lives — clearing the corruption zone.

...

"Hahaha, good job Celvic. The high priests will be pleased. With the holy hour near, your reward draws closer with it. You will soon ascend!" An obese figure seated on a throne carved from stone and quenched in blood praised.

He wore familiar crimson robes, but the rims were embroidered with a bronze sheen.

His beady eyes focused on the figure kneeling before him — the same man wearing crimson robes rimmed with black embroidery.

His hood was down now, his face in full reveal, his head bald and his features stunningly handsome.

At his superior’s praise, his fists clenched tighter, his eyes burned brighter and more fervently.

"Immortality draws close. Once the gods turn me and I become one of them, shedding mortality, I will see what those Tyrone bastards have to say when I go to destroy them." His eyes flamed with revenge at the thought of his family back in Canada who abandoned him in a corruption zone in cold blood.

"Have you collected the blood?" A cruel smile twisted the lips of the obese figure.

Celvic bowed deeper. "Rest assured, Blood Father Hart, it is secured and stored. I didn’t waste a single drop."

Blood Father Hart’s beady eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Good, good. Make sure to remember — the quantity and the quality determine how great our reward will be."

"Yes, Blood Father."

The Blood Father’s smile stretched wider. He waved his oversized arms. "You may leave."

Just as Celvic stood up, the entire mountain forth shook and rattled, the earth rumbling as pieces of debris fell from the ceiling.

Celvic’s eyes widened, his heart filled with worry. ’Could something bad have happened? No, I need to take the Blood Father to safety,’ he thought.

Only for him to turn around and see a big pasted grin on the face of the Blood Father.

He couldn’t curb his curiosity. He had to ask. "Blood Father, do you know what is happening?"

The Blood Father swung his bare head back, laughter booming. "The gods have blessed my Blood Order!"

He turned to Celvic. "That’s Vikone, the Sixth High Priest, to collect the blessing of the gods. He has ascended! Now we have six demi-gods among our ranks!"

Celvic’s eyes turned reverent at the words demi-gods. These were figures so powerful he couldn’t even fathom. He had seen them reduce a boss monster to nothing with a single wave of their hands.

If another had joined the ranks of the Blood Order, who could possibly stop them?!

He bowed righteously, chanting, "TO HONOR THE DESCENT!!"

The Blood Father’s laughter grew even bolder, echoing across the mountains.