"After that, she kept calling me a weirdo whenever we met. But I was just glad she wasn’t feeling sad inside anymore." Luke smiled softly after finishing recalling the past. Most of the days afterwards were pretty much the same and Gin found them soon after. Ria was the one affected the most so Gin took her in while Ria refused to go unless Luke came along. "You’re making me feel like I wasted a bunch of my time ahaha." Isolde laughed. "Having someone to share a past with, someone you can reflect and look back on the time you shared. I don’t have someone like that. The kids I raised, the people I knew, none of them are around anymore." Isolde smiled while looking at the flickering fire. In her pursuit of revenge, all she’s been left with is loneliness and regret. Nothing more, nothing less. "But having someone like that is also a weakness. It’s a weapon for your enemies to exploit and force you to make bitter choices of sacrifice. However... it is also a motivation for you to work harder and get stronger." Isolde glanced over to Luke. "So work hard young man." "Mnm. But it seemed like we got intruders. Rest well, let me take care of it." Luke nodded with a smile. Isolde watched the young man stand up. Strangely enough, his back seems wider than before. More reliable. Right now, Luke has truly achieved the mindset that Allura had spoke about. Walking towards the entrance, Luke had one hand behind his back while the other held a grimoire. His face was cold and a set of piercing eyes glared at the bestial intruder. Around the cave entrance, 16 silhouettes could be seen. Each a manifestation of his chess pieces. Before him stood a black armoured beast with two sets of violet wings. A crown of energy and a pulsing core. Its armoured tail slammed into the ground behind it and shattered the earth and a devilish grin appeared on its face. "I knew I smelled something delicious nearby. So it was a human after all." His voice hissed through the gaps of his teeth as energy burst out from his body. Judging by the aura, Luke estimated him to be a six star beast on the verge of Lordship. Perhaps, it was even a Lord but he doubted it. He had seen the power of Lords up close and personal, the ’essence’ of a Lord wasn’t there. While favoured by the Abyss, this beast has not yet gained its recognition. "For a beast that’s lived long enough to be on the verge of Lordship, I thought one would be endowed with intelligence. Yet you stand before me unable to judge the danger you are in. Seems like most of your life can be attributed to... Luck." Luke spoke calmly. No fear in his voice. Just pure unfiltered confidence and cunning. Before the beast could even reply, Luke had appeared behind him. "What are you waiting for? Were you not going to say that your strength is not luck? If so, why are you holding back?" Swinging his arms back, the beast froze after realising his attack had missed. Luke was already back in his original spot but this time, the grimoire was open. "Cowardly beast lacking in intelligence, come. My neck is open for you if you can claim it." Luke raised his chin, exposing his own neck. Violet energy coursed out and the beast lunged. Yet the moment it did, chains burst out from the ground. Two Paladins pulled at the chains, snapping tight against the beast’s body. Just as he wanted to break out through brute force, Bishop pieces rushed forward, firing point blank Void Fluxes. The damage was low but Luke achieved his intent of marking the beast. Rook pieces took an offensive stance. With a flash of blue, lightning burst out from their feet. Their silhouettes disappearing while slash marks appeared across the beast’s body. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs n0velfire.net "WORM!!!" The beast roared, pulses of violet energy bursting out in an attempt to push away the pieces surrounding him. Slamming his hand down, four singularities spun to life behind him. "Unfortunately for you, I have a friend who’s far more experienced when it comes to using Void abilities. Your demonstration? Not even worth looking at." "!!!" The beast froze. Luke stood on his head while blades pierced the singularities, cancelling them out before forming properly. Raising his foot, he applied buffs to himself and slammed his heel down. Forcing the beast’s head against the ground, several spears and chains pierced the body and strung up his prey. Realising the danger he was now in, the beast opened his mouth. But before he could say anything, Luke slammed his mouth shut with a spear. "I have an injured patient inside that cave. Visiting hours are over so let’s not call more guests." Luke narrowed his gaze. One by one, he’ll eliminate the beast’s options. And at the end of this sequence, there will only be checkmate. Turning around, Luke closed his grimoire. He wasn’t worried about the beast. The only thing he was worried about was where Ria and the others were. "Why won’t you accept it already. You’ve shown improvement and progress. But what use is it, if you don’t take advantage of the power inside of you?" Astrelya asked with a frown. Ria was currently strung up by a tree and her blood being slowly drained away. Her face was pale and she tried to break out. "To what end?" Ria asked weakly. She’s been fighting none stop these days with Astrelya finding beasts to keep her occupied. And the moment she wanted to rest, an ambush type beast would always get her. "To what end you ask? Hmm... Isn’t it your power to begin with? Why reject it so." She scratched her chin. She couldn’t fathom why Ria would be so stubborn . It’s not like she’s accepting Enris by using that power. "Because I don’t like it." Ria took a deep breath and focused her mind. She couldn’t ask Astrelya to break her out all the time. She wanted to get out of this alone. "So if the power took on a different form, you’d be inclined to use it?" "Law of equivalent exchange. To gain something, something of equal worth must be given up. "So tell me, what would I have to give up if I accept Enris’s power?" Ria chuckled. She had enough of that. She was sick of it back in the blood pits. Sick of being their butcher. Sick of Enris’s whispers polluting her mind. She was done with the cult and everything it stood for. Astrelya leaned back. "Didn’t you accept bounties and Sigils without questioning what you were giving up? So why does it change when it comes to Enris. Don’t you think that’s a little... hypocritical?" "Hah! When did I say it wasn’t hypocritical? I know I’m not a good person. The things I did back then are enough to send me to hell." Ria laughed. Lightning coursed through her body as afterimages appeared around her arm. Activating two fold lightning, she broke her arm free. "So then is it because you simply dislike the Eclipse? Why not usurp her power, her position. Change it from the inside out? Or maybe even use her power to dismantle the cult you despise so much?" Converging lightning into a single spark, Ria tossed it into the air before detonating. Lightning bolts crashed down, splitting the tree. Freeing herself from bindings, she summoned her sword, unleashing a flurry of attacks. "I could. But only when I know that power is achieved through my own work. If I simply accept Enris’s power, how am I any different to those that cling onto her? How am I any different from those I want to kill?" Destroying the tree, Ria frowned after realising the ’core’ of that beast had ran away. "But what about you? For someone who wants to die an ecstatic death, why aren’t you just fighting the Apostles or Gods? Or is it because you’re scared? Scared it’s going to be one sided and you won’t be fulfilled?" Ria smirked, turning the question back to Astrelya. She had been suffering these questions for multiple days now, it was time for her to take the lead. "What trivial provocation. I don’t seek them out because fundamentally, we are not compatible." Astrelya shrugged. "Kazira was too focused on keeping herself alive in the past. She wouldn’t have been able to give me the death I desire. And Deva... Dying to someone like that is kinda gross." She pulled a face of disgust. "Arax is too busy with family, Shiera doesn’t care about fighting to the death. Griselda has gone soft and looking for redemption while Nanna is teeming with jealousy. "Allura is one foot in the grave while Kaden is busy trying to look for a cure. Tell me, which of those six come close to what I crave?" Astrelya asked with a dismissive wave. "Then why don’t you go after the Old Lords that Alice mentioned or even the Outer Gods like the Great ones? Hell, you could even take a jab at the Gods if you wished to die. Isn’t your philosophy and Enris’ rather similar?" Ria narrowed her eyes as Astrelya revealed a wide grin. "The Dreaming One, the Ascended one and the Formless one. All of them have their own desires but I can say for sure that the Ascended one cares not. As for the Gods... Solaris is too busy putting up a mask for the people and bathing himself in their attention. Lumiria cares not for the world but is enraptured by her own lust. What use do I have for them?" "You haven’t spoke about Enris yet." Ria pointed out as Astrelya chuckled. "Enris... Indeed. If I could have a battle with someone like her and die under that blade, I would be fulfilled. But unfortunately it’s not possible." Astrelya sighed regretfully. "But are you sure you have the leisure to ask questions? It seems like your prey has come back for round 2." She pointed at the countless roots surging towards them from the ground. "Tch, annoying." Unsheathing her blade, Ria dealt with the beast while Astrelya watched. Indeed, if she could die under Enris’ blade it would be a dream come true... If only it was possible.