Ascension: Cursed Blood-Chapter 38: Potential Defeat

Once again, Kain lost the money he had recently received, but he didn't worry about it too much. He didn't know much about the Rune Society, or how things worked inside, it was just obvious that as a Keeper, he would be taken care of and given some privileges right away.

It was night, the first quiet night since the Astral Dimension. Not that the watch tower next to Kreyn was very dangerous, but at the Orlion Tower, Kain felt at ease.

A rustle sounded behind him, and a silhouette emerged from the trees, approaching the young man who was watching the starry sky in the distance.

Kain glanced over his shoulder.

"What are you doing here?"

"Pffft!" Sylvia snorted. "I have the same question for you. Looks like you're pretty lucky to have survived."

"Is that coming from a Golden Contender? Just go away. I have no desire to talk to you."

"Really? You're that kind of guy?"

Despite his displeasure, she sat down next to him. She didn't know what tact was.

"So what if I come from a rich family? If I'm lucky enough to be born in a place like this, I should take advantage of it, shouldn't I?" she turned to him. "Or are you saying that if you were me, you'd be helping everyone gratuitously?"

Kain took a deep breath, rising from his seat.

"No, I don't help strangers for nothing, but you're being disgusting. Being polite is free. Have you ever heard of that?"

His muffled footsteps echoed.

"I doubt it."

Before he could walk away, Sylvia jumped up and exclaimed:

"Stay where you are!"

Runes ran down her arm, forming a circle, but the symbols didn't stop. She hadn't used her Order yet.

"Oh, I see..." he wheezed, stepping forward. "You want to fight? Here and now?"

"That's up to you. I'm not going to let some lucky guy ignore me! Now, apologize for what you said!"

A red light fell on Kain's face as the crimson cross flashed over his hand.

Yet, his eyes filled with coldness.

"Go ahead. Use your Order."

Sylvia bit her lip, she stepped back.

"What? You didn't expect anyone to answer you?" Kain lifted his chin, looking her up and down. "But, you started it, not me."

Thrust.

The thorn pierced his hand as he thrust his arm forward with his palm wide open.

Before anything irreparable could happen, Sylvia responded in kind, but it seemed it was too late.

This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.

Suddenly, a shadow appeared out of nowhere, pulling Kain's wrist aside.

A frosty blast whipped at the nearest tree, freezing leaves, bark, and even half of the sturdy trunk.

Kain's face smashed into the ground, as Loir twisted his arm at a painful angle.

"Grh!" he groaned, but made no more sound.

"What the hell did you do here?" Loir narrowed his eyes.

Crackle.

Kain twitched his arm, rolling on the ground. He cast a menacing glance at Loir and walked away, not turning in Sylvia's direction.

It was clear from the look in his eyes.

"And?" Sylvia exclaimed indignantly. "You're just going to let him walk away like that?!"

Loir shrugged.

"My job was to stop you, not punish you. I'll leave that headache to someone else. More to the point..."

Narrowing his eyes, he approached the tree.

With a single knock, half of the trunk shattered into icy debris.

"I don't know why its bloody-looking ability causes ice, but it's dangerous. I don't know if you'd have survived it, but you'd be in terrible pain for hours from hypothermia."

Sylvia gulped.

Loir had no reason to lie, she realized that, and it made it even scarier.

"Anyway. Spoiling things with that guy is best left out. His Rune Brand wasn't like yours. He went through some real shit at the Astral Dimension. So... Go back to the tower."

Loir disappeared into the shadows, a smirk covering his face.

'Heh, saving him that day turned out to be the right decision. If he doesn't die on his next trial, he'll accomplish a lot. Perhaps our tower will finally be noticed.'

...

The next morning, many people gathered at the Orlion Tower.

The Stellar Fortress was on the border between inner and outer circles - gathering talents from all over the dome. It wasn't the closest way, but they weren't going to walk.

Five military trucks stood off to the side. They were rarely used in the forbidden lands, the noise of the engines gathering too much attention, attracting monsters. But, for traveling within the dome or to distant regions, they were fine.

Besides Kain and Sylvia beside them were two other youths, a girl with a cold stare and a joyful guy for no reason.

"Khm." Kserx coughed as he stepped forward.

To his left stood Lurra, to his right, almost imperceptibly, was Loir.

"As you know, each of you first traveled to the Astral Dimension from here - from the Orlion Tower. I'm glad I was the one to tell you about this frightening yet amazing place. You are all back, you are no longer Contenders but Keepers, but the official ceremony will only take place at the Stellar Fortress - Ms. Lurra will take you there."

Lurra nodded deeply, looking over the four youths with a stern gaze.

"She will be in charge of you until you reach the fortress." Kserx smiled kindly. "Then, your journey will begin, your new life."

Loir narrowed his eyes. "Does anyone have any questions?"

The joyful boy raised his hand. "Me! What's going to happen next? What happens after we become Keepers officially?"

"Well." Kserx scratched the back of his head.

"It all depends on you. As you know, you'll have three months to one year to think things over. That's the time the Arcane Scripture will give you. You must decide where you want to do your service, here, working for the government for the glory of the Rune Society, or traveling the Astral Dimension.

"That will be your decision, as will the consequences."

Kain glanced over. In Sylvia's blue eyes, he saw determination.

'So, she's not just rich. She actually has goals, right?

Clap.

Lurra clapped her hands together.

"Alright, the sentiment is over. Everyone gets into the trucks quickly. If everything goes according to plan, we'll be at the fortress by tonight!"

The engines started as the trucks moved into motion.

For the first time in years, Kain had left his village, and a whole horizon of uncharted possibilities lay before him.

In both worlds.