Fate To Fake: Loved by the Fallen; Fated to Kill the Divine-Chapter 77: Rise of the Fallen: Part-2

In ancient times, the world, Gaia, was swallowed by a darkness so thick and absolute that even light seemed to forget how to shine.

The Gods and Devils, once supreme and mighty, were the first to fall. The darkness didn’t just attack them—it consumed them from within, seeping into their minds like poison. Their thoughts turned corrupt, their will twisted, their power turned into chaos.

Nothing—absolutely nothing—could stop the tide.

Until...

A lone human stood against it all.

No one knew where he came from, or how a mere mortal could face such terror. But they gave him a name. One that echoed through time like a sacred title.

The Fated Human.

He stood tall while the divine crumbled. Not even the Gods dared to face him. That Fated Human pushed the darkness back—further and further—until it was buried beyond anyone’s reach.

One by one, he defeated those touched by corruption. And at long last, Gaia took a breath of freedom, the curse lifted by the sacrifice of a single soul.

But he couldn’t destroy the curse.

He could only seal it.

And to seal such a thing... it cost him everything.

He gave up his life—willingly.

As centuries passed, the darkness waited. It didn’t die.

It simmered, festering beneath the seal, its rage growing.

How could a mere human bind something so ancient, so infinite? It waited, snarling in silence.

And then... nineteen years ago, the air across Gaia changed.

A prophecy, faint and cryptic, echoed across the lands.

It spoke of the seal weakening, trembling beneath the rage.

It would break.

And when it did... darkness would rise again to swallow the world.

Jing’s voice was steady and low as she recited the tale. Her tone carried no emotion, but her eyes burned with seriousness. She looked at Ophis and Valra—both frozen, their faces pale with disbelief.

"T-That means..." Ophis began, her voice cracking. Her hands clenched slightly as she forced herself to speak. "...my Champion was touched by that darkness? His mind... it’s been corrupted?"

Jing gave a slow nod.

"Not just your Champion. Anyone it touches. Man or god... it doesn’t care. The darkness crawls into your soul, twisting everything you keep hidden. It knows your deepest desires—the ones you bury so the world doesn’t see. It drags them out. Makes them real. Turns them into chains."

She took a breath.

"And once it starts... You begin to lose yourself. Little by little. Until one day, you look in the mirror... and you don’t even recognise who you are anymore. Same body... but everything else has changed."

Ophis had already dressed, but the way she hugged her arms across her chest showed how shaken she was. Beside her, Valra swallowed hard, her throat dry. Sweat beaded down their temples, cold and bitter. Their faces told the truth—they couldn’t believe what they were hearing.

Valra spoke up in a broken whisper, "E-Even the Gods?"

Jing nodded solemnly.

"The darkness... it doesn’t stop at stealing your mind. It tears apart your divinity. Even the Gods lost their sense of self. They became something... other. Something corrupted."

She paused.

"In the ancient times... they were called the Fallen."

Ophis and Valra flinched.

Jing leaned forward slightly, her voice sharpened with warning. "Whatever happens, don’t let it touch you. Not even for a second. If it does... You won’t come back. I mean it. You will lose everything—your mind, your soul. Your purpose."

"B-But then how do we fight?" Valra asked, her voice rising with panic. "There has to be a way! Shouldn’t we tell the Mage Association? They’ll do something, won’t they?"

Jing slowly shook her head.

"This has already been decided. This is inevitable. That’s why Eden didn’t get involved with the wars happening now.

They’ve known... somehow, they always knew. These Fallen would return. Sooner or later."

She lowered her gaze.

"All we can do now... is pray the Lord still watches over us."

Ophis said nothing. Her face had gone pale on her already pale skin. But deep inside, her mind screamed as she remembered her father’s words.

Leo... The Fated one.

She turned toward his unconscious body lying on the bed, eyes wide with trembling uncertainty.

’D-Don’t tell me... he is the one?’ Her heart pounded. Without wasting a moment, she turned to Jing and asked,

"Does that mean... another Fated One will be born? Someone new who will seal the darkness again... like before?"

Jing looked into her eyes. For a second, she said nothing. Then she gave a slow nod.

"Yes. The prophecy didn’t just speak of the seal breaking... it also whispered of a new Fated One. But no one knows who it is. Eden’s hiding that truth—very carefully. They don’t want the world to know. Maybe because that person... is their last hope."

Ophis bit her lip. Her eyes clouded with emotion as she looked back at Leo. Confused, terrified, and lost in a maze of doubt.

Then—

"Arrhh!"

The sharp groan cut through the room like lightning.

The trio flinched in sync. Ophis and Valra rushed to Leo’s side.

Leo groaned again, his body shifting slightly under the blanket. His eyelids fluttered before opening, just a little. The world around him was a blur, spinning slowly as his senses returned.

"Leo?"

"Little boy?"

Two voices called out to him, gentle but urgent.

Leo blinked. His vision was cloudy. He rubbed his eyes slowly, confusion etched on his face.

"W-What’s going on...?" he mumbled groggily.

Then, his sight cleared, and he saw them.

Ophis and Valra.

Valra was already crying. Her arms flew around him without warning, holding him tightly as if she feared he might vanish again.

"W-What the hell are you making me worried!!" she yelled, her voice choking with emotion. Her whole body trembled against his.

Only she knew how much it had broken her when she disappeared. When he forced her to escape while he stayed behind.

She thought she’d lost him. Truly lost him.

Like, she lost Envy.

The memory of it shattered her.

Leo stared at her, his own memories slowly sliding back into place. His eyes softened, filled with something tender as he reached out and touched her back.

"Thank goodness..." he whispered, "You’re safe..."

Valra’s lips trembled. She pinched his shoulder hard, tears still flowing. "What about you, idiot?!"

Leo managed a weak smile. "But I’m fine, right?" he said with a soft laugh.

Yet deep down... something felt wrong. His chest ached—not from wounds, but from a weight he couldn’t place... Like something had nested inside him.

"Wait! Where is Ophis?"

"I am here, Little Boy."

Ophis stood beside Jing, arms crossed over her chest, her posture proud as she spoke with her usual haughty tone. "Looks like you made it out... barely."

Leo gave a soft smile upon seeing her—the little girl was alive.

Even though they had always been enemies, something in his chest loosened just by seeing her again.

His eyes softened as he exhaled in quiet relief.

Ophis’s cheeks turned red, a light blush creeping over her face. She was acting all narcissistic, you know!!

Her gaze sharpened as she frowned and stepped forward, finally noticing something odd. Her eyes lingered on his features. "What happened to you?"

Leo blinked, confused, then turned toward Valra. She had lifted her head, too, and her expression quickly morphed into horror.

His hair—once its usual color—was now a deep, dark crimson, and his eyes... darkened red.

Valra’s voice trembled, "D-Did that darkness... touch you?" ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

Before Leo could speak, Jing answered calmly, shaking her head. "No. He wasn’t corrupted. I checked him thoroughly already."

"Then... why does he look like that?" Valra asked, unsettled.

Jing put a hand to her chin, her brow furrowing thoughtfully. "Could be the result of exposure to heavy magical elements. Maybe his body adapted... Not uncommon if one stays too long in a place where raw magical energy clashes."

Valra paused. That sounded... plausible. And Jing was no fool. But whatever the truth was, Valra didn’t care. Her eyes rested on Leo, and she simply sighed, her heart full of gratitude.

He was alive.

That was all that mattered.

Leo’s voice came softly, but there was weight behind it. "Anyway... what happened? What about Envy... and Pride?"

His question landed like a stone in a quiet pond.

His expression turned grim.

Valra and Ophis took a moment. Then, slowly and carefully, they explained everything—the corruption, the nature of the darkness, what it does to people, what had happened outside.

Leo sat there in stunned silence as the words sank into him like shards of ice. His lips parted slightly, his eyes widening with disbelief. What he heard... it didn’t feel real.

He didn’t know how to react.

He couldn’t find words—only a tightening in his chest and a deepening frown on his face.

"Wait... does that mean... they’ve become Fallens?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jing gave a soft shrug. "Highly unlikely."

Leo frowned.

She continued, "From the information I’ve gathered, it seems both Envy and Pride knew what the darkness was. And if that’s the case... then it’s very likely they took their own lives before they were consumed. Because once you’re fully devoured by that darkness..."

Her voice grew colder.

"There’s no coming back."

Leo’s whole body tensed. His eyes quivered as he bit his lower lip.

He lost Pride.

He lost his partner.

That was the end of it.

His fingers curled tightly into fists, knuckles white, as his throat dried and a painful sting scratched at it. Holding back the ache, he asked hoarsely, "S-So... that means... we’re no longer part of this war?"

Jing nodded once, simply. "Indeed."

Leo let out a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding. A small part of him felt relieved... but the sting of the loss remained, like a wound not yet scabbed over.

"Anyway, leave me alone now," Jing muttered with a wide yawn, clearly indifferent to the emotions filling the room. "I need to rest. Don’t expect me to care about your personal tragedies."

Leo pushed himself up to stand, but—

"KYAA!!" Ophis suddenly shrieked, covering her face with both hands.

"WHAT THE—!!" Valra gasped and spun around instantly, her face burning bright red.

Leo stood there... practically naked. Only a pair of underwear covered him.

Shit.

Leo’s face turned crimson as he quickly grabbed the nearby quilt and yanked it over himself, covering his exposed body in pure panic.

"You guys... wait outside!"

He snapped with a flustered expression, hiding under the blanket like a child.

Ophis and Valra scrambled out of the room, still red-faced and speechless.

Except for Jing.

"You too," Leo told her, voice muffled under the blanket.

Jing didn’t move an inch. She stretched out casually, walking over to the empty bed and lying down without a care in the world.

"You can change," she said as she yawned again, already half-asleep. "I’m not leaving."

Leo blinked at her in disbelief, then shook his head. She was already snoring lightly.

With a sigh, he stood and began putting on his nearly-torn clothes.

Then he paused.

"...It’s small?"

Leo frowned and looked down, confused.