Alier felt the familiar feeling of cutting into flesh, the resistance of bones, and the severance of tendrils and veins. A pained look flashed on his face as his eyes moved rapidly below his closed eyelids. He felt tearing agony and lament as he killed Ethan.
A moment passed as Alier felt something strange. The sound of dripping blood entered his ears as he jolted awake. His vision blurred and he felt as if his heart was tearing apart.
In a daze of confusion and agonizing pain, he opened his eyes wide.
In front of him stood Ethan with a gentle smile on his face. He looked handsome like a heavenly angel who was the most innocent in the world if not for the addition of the dagger in his hand.
After he had struck, what he hadn't seen was a faint glow around Ethan as the dagger had stabbed Ethan's heart. However, no blood flowed out neither a wound was made. In fact, the dagger became stuck in place as if the reality was rewritten by a strange phenomenon.
It was hard to say if this was the power of illusion or something else entirely.
Ethan's smile stretched ear to ear making one doubt if he was an angel or a devil. There was not a hint of hesitation or regret in his demeanor as he coldly looked at the dumbstruck Alier.
"Good Job Afriel and goodbye for now. I guess the paralytic poison also worked. You can rest now Afriel. I will take care of the rest, until next time then." Ethan muttered out loud calmly.
"Yes… Master… Take… Care." Afriel who was in the Garden inside the temple in front of the Frosty Sapling, spoke up as his figure faded and then disappeared.
Ethan grabbed the hilt of the dagger tightly as he drew closer to Alier. His eyes narrowed with a dangerous glimmer as he focused his mind with the utmost concentration.
Ethan could sense the frosty tree inside the temple, filled with the mystical power of his Ancestral Blessing. He could also sense the depleted Elemental Essence of Alier that was very similar to his. 'Here it goes, it's the same kind of power… I can sense it. But mine is superior in purity. And if that is the case… Then…' Muttered Ethan inwardly with a dubious smile.
Alier could feel the life draining out of his body. His entire body was stiff and he couldn't move a finger. Although he was momentarily muddled, but shortly gained some of his rational senses.
Alier mobilized his Elemental Essence to fend off the poison in his body and to freeze the wound in his heart. He didn't even have enough time to think about what was happening. All he had in mind was his survival.
Ethan acted quickly not giving Alier any opportunities as he pushed the dagger deeper into Alier with his feeble strength.
pαпdα Йᴏνê1,сòМ At the same time, he made a connection with the Sapling Tree inside the Garden. The tree acted as a gateway to connect himself and the temple using the mystical powers of his Ancestral Blessing as a catalyst.
Out of desperation and urgency, this was the first time when Ethan managed to form a deep connection with the sapling. With undeniable authority and prestige that had a hint of his Ancestor, The White Mystic's Aura—Ethan commanded. "Devour!"
The small sapling suddenly shook violently as its tiny branches extended toward the sky creating an enchanting scene inside the temple.
Just as Alier's Elemental Essence came to the surface, working to remove the poison from his body, an vivid, ethereal tree branch colored light blue appeared around Ethan's arm wiggling about, and abruptly shot out from Ethan's arm stabbing into Alier's wound.
Alier did not have enough time or presence of mind to understand what had happened. The wound in his chest was life-threatening and although his heart wasn't pierced, but the blood flow was starting to restrict due to severe internal injury that needed immediate attention. He simply felt his precious Elemental Essence and the comprehensive knowledge of his blessing rapidly getting sucked by the tree branch.
The most baffling thing was that his Ancestral Blessing showed absolutely no resistance to this and even went out happily as if it was simply returning to its mother's embrace.
Ethan closed his eyes in exhilaration and immense joy as he felt his strength grow immensely. He was proud that his theory was correct.
'I was right! Since I have the Temple which is created by the energies and Essences of Gods as well as the purest bloodline closest to the first Ancestor among the White Family's predecessors—along with the weakened state of Alier, I managed to devour some of his strength. Hahaha!' Ethan thought proudly in satisfaction as he opened his eyes once again.
A few moments passed and Alier could no longer resist. The paralytic poison spread throughout his body as all his active Elemental Essence was sucked by Ethan.
He could see faintly the bluish-white particles traversing from his body to Ethan's using the strange ethereal tree branch as the instrument.
Soon after, the tree branch glowed as frozen leaves sprouted all over it, wiggling around with vitality as the branch then withdrew inside Ethan's body.
Alier felt his insides churn as he stumbled backward in shock. He looked down in disbelief only to find the dagger in his heart drenched in blood as Ethan took a step back, removing his hand from the handle of the dagger.
Alier raised his head and looked at Ethan stoically. His legs trembled and he collapsed on the ground.
Ethan walked forward as he saw the barrier on the verge of breaking from the corner of his eye.
Alier looked at him lifelessly and muttered in a muffled voice, "How? How is… This… Possible?"
Ethan showed a slight smile as he sat on the floor on his knees beside Alier.
"You went through all this trouble. And I must admit that the plan was great. Have the bandits or mercenaries ambush us while you sneakily use one of the most rare artifacts, creating an isolation barrier separating me from the knights. And then you 'fight' with the ambushers who are just so strong. Oh I know, they must be from the cult! Or how else would they have an isolation barrier at hand? Is that the kind of story you were going for?" Ethan spoke scornfully with sarcasm.
"And of course, thirty strong cultists against you alone. Although you managed to slaughter all of them, you suffered 'severe' injuries and I, unfortunately, died during the skirmish along with these six knights. What a great plan, you would be hailed as someone who tried his best to protect his dear nephew, suffering severe injuries in the process but in the end, you couldn't. My father wouldn't suspect a thing as he's so blinded by familial love and your wish of killing me would be fulfilled without a hint of suspicion. And as for the so-called cultists, no one knows their true identities much like the Shadow Dwellers. It would be easy to fabricate them as the cultists, no?"
"So the question isn't 'how'. Rather, the question is 'why'. Why did you do all this? For what purpose? Why are you so eager to see Luce as the heir?" Ethan asked calmly.
"Ha… Haa! Hahaha! So… that's how it was. I… Don't know how you know all this… And your bizarre power… But I see now. You are a little devil, aren't you? Dear Nephew." Alier said playfully as he coughed up blood violently soon after.
"Won't you answer?" Ethan asked once again with a plain tone.
"You knew… From the beginning… How… Why… Why did you wait? Why didn't you tell your father? Why like this?"
Alier ignored Ethan's question as he asked his own. His body was stiff and turning cold. He had no strength left and blood was constantly flowing out from his chest. The only reason he was still alive was his unusual physic and the strength of his Ancestral Blessing.
A complicated feeling arose in Ethan's heart. He could sense that Alier seemed almost relieved and proud in a way and that baffled him greatly.
"You know my Father better than me. He would never believe that his brother is a malicious backstabber. He would subconsciously deny the reality and even if I were to give him proof, that would do no good. Not to mention that he would become a broken man. I do not wish for the White Family to break down. I know it was you who commissioned the Shadow Dwellers. I knew you wanted me dead and I knew that today was the best chance for you to act. Don't worry, the original story will be slightly altered. You will be a great hero who saved his nephew at the cost of your life. It makes a better story and how admirable, no?" Ethan said mockingly.
"This way, I get to keep my cover. You will not be the villain and so my father will not feel backstabbed. I will tell everyone that the cultists were behind all this and father will find a new goal, a distraction if you will. He will probably go hunt them down in rage. This will also give me more mobility." Ethan explained further patiently.
"Haha! So… I was. Dancing on your tune all along? Haha! Good…" Alier said as he looked at Ethan with a profound gaze.
Ethan's senses tingled abruptly as he suddenly felt agitated. His instincts told him to use his Appraisal skills and so he did.
After using his skill, Ethan saw a dark haze of shadowy particles leaving Alier's body. His eyes widened as he thought inwardly, 'This… Is this the influence of the Seed of Evil that The Disgraced One has left in everyone's heart? The power of Sins…'
Alier's eyes softened as he gestured at his pocket with his eyes. Ethan cautiously checked Alier's pockets and found a pocket watch.
Handing it down to Alier cautiously, Ethan watched keenly.
Alier held the pocket watch in his hands tightly, keeping it closer to his heart as he muttered in melancholy.
"Rose… it was her final wish. She wanted our son to live extravagantly. She wanted him to thrive and not feel her absence. She wanted him to be the heir. However, when he grew up, I noticed his unusual tendencies. I knew grew more and more anxious about his future and the final conversation I had with his mother haunted me. I loved her dearly… All I wanted was to die with her… But I was a coward. So in the end. I decided to fulfill her wish." Alier said as his eyes involuntarily began closing.
"Luce… He is your brother.. He is innocent and has nothing to do with me. Don't do anything to him… Okay? Promise me… This." Alier muttered in a faint and almost inaudible voice as he gazed at Ethan pleadingly.
Ethan hesitated for a second and heaved a sigh. With a bitter smile, he nodded and stood up.
Feeling relieved, Alier finally closed his eyes as he fell into eternal sleep.
"BOOM!"
The loud noise of the barrier breaking rang as Ethan jolted. He quickly moved and checked all the corpses around the vicinity closely to find any clues. However, he found nothing.
Ethan went back to where Alier's corpse was with an apologetic expression, he carefully and masterfully created more wounds on Alier's body to make it seem as if Alier had fought in a desperate and tough struggle.
He then looked at the six dead knights and bowed deeply. 'Good thing that I asked Fred and others not to come with me today… ' Thought Ethan with a sigh.
In the end, Ethan gritted his teeth seeing the barrier on the verge of collapsing. He grabbed the dagger with shaking hands and gritted his teeth harder.
"Fuck it!" Ethan shouted, squinting his eyes in fear as he began making shallow wounds on his own body.
"Agh!" Groaning in pain, he threw the dagger away after making a bunch of wounds on his body.
Seeing the blood flow and the agonizing pain assaulting his mind and body, Ethan fainted.
As Ethan fainted beside Alier, the barrier finally collapsed. The runic circles disappeared and the barrier disintegrated into fleeing particles.
A/N:- The first volume ends here, although there will be a few epilogue chapters coming up. But if you have read it so far, then please give me a review guys. Thanks for your support so far.
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