"Wether you're a god or a devil, I won't allow anyone to hold reign over me"
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It was a long day for hell's foreigners to fully recover from the great wounds they've endured during the battle in Hell's second circle.
Not to mention the heavy amount of untold information they've learned from the supreme generals about the blood war they covered up.
It was all a lot for the younger generation of sorcerers to absorb into their minds. Sure they were aware that sorcerers were never inherently good, but still, to hear more of the heinous atrocities committed by their forefathers was something else entirely…
And despite their hunger for more knowledge of history's golden age, the present moment spared them no time to learn. All they could do now was make their move now that the red sun had descended into the night sky one more.
While the supreme generals stayed behind in the catacombs, the younger sorcerers began their expedition through Hell's treacherous landscapes.
Gathering at the mouth of the catacombs, the young sorcerers each received a small bit of spirit energy from Kahal, which sprouted black blossoms at each of their wrists.
At the moment, their expedition through hell would more than likely prove to be just as difficult as confronting each of the hell lords even in their dormant states of life.
In the tense moments before the younger sorcerers began their expedition, Kahal pulled Jason and Aria to the side, his expression was one of unease as he spoke.
"Listen shrimp… if ya remember those two dead souls from earlier, there's a bad chance that there are countless more out there, and in different levels compared to the ones from before."
Jason and Aria felt their shoulders tense. As if things couldn't get worse than they already were, but they were indeed. Aria seemed to have known that somewhat better than Jason himself.
Kahal glanced down at her dimmed eyes. Feeing a sense of familiarity, or resemblance to someone he used to know.
Once the three of them went their separate ways, Kahal looked back at the girl once more. And snorted, while thinking to himself.
Remembering the times where he saw that same look in spirit king kesean, his former ally's eyes as the old war progressed. But he immediately shook those thoughts from his mind, all he could do now was trust the next generation to put to rest, legends of the past.
***
Not long had passed since Jason and Aria's group had begun stalking the night of Hell. Both them and their former third mate, Kai all walked at the front of their pack.
The night was uncomfortably quieter than usual, with Sidra and Hinari who both walked at the back of the pack.
There was a silent tension between the two. Hinari could feel the quick glances from sidra, but kept her focus on the road ahead.
As for Sidra herself, she distracted herself with the thoughts of what could lie ahead. Thoughts such as what these foreigners could be like, if they were hostile or even if they could be friendlier than what the tribe scrolls described them to be.
From what little the supreme generals would tell about the foreigners in the scrolls were how overwhelming their supernatural powers were, And often described them as hostile savages.
But now after learning the slightest bit more about them, Sidra's curiosity about the world's true history only grew with her questions. For example, the dead souls she, Selene, Jason and Kahal encountered earlier…
Clearly they were foreigners, but something stuck out to Sidra about them. Often during the battle, they would speak in broken speech patterns, almost like an old version of humanity's own language.
And their actions felt as if they were still aware of themselves to some degree. The fact that they killed themselves at the end, and became the sacrifices for the eternal shrines only made her theory more plausible.
Could the foreigners have the power to resist assimilation from Hell's seven circles?
Based on her limited knowledge, the foreigners had the power to permanently kill their own souls, and act as vessels for dead spirits similar to ancient gods in folktales elderly people of the tribes would tell the children.
So many thoughts, so many questions, yet her theories only made her head throb with overwhelming curiosity.
Maybe she could get her answers once they come across the foreigners they were currently on the search for.
***
After hours of walking, the red sun ascended back into the smoke covered sky. Fortunately everyone managed to find shelter in a nearby ghost town which was littered with desolate huts with openings in the stone ceilings.
Jason sat in the dark corner of one hut along with Aria and Kai. He took some breaths while staring blankly ahead, not a single thought in his already tired mind.
Glancing over to Aria who was sitting next to him staring at the floor. He couldn't help but notice the dark shade beneath her tired eyes, and her rubbing her temples.
Scooting closer to her, he said:
"It's weird… seeing you so tired."
The sound of his voice seemed to have pulled her out of her own mind. Turning her head, she looked at him with her tired eyes only half opened and responded in a neutral tone.
"Lately I've been feeling more sluggish than I usually do… and with everything that's been happening in the past few days, and the load of things the adults just dropped on us… it's a lot, ya know?"
Jason nodded with a somber expression dawning on his face.
He too obviously felt exhausted both physically and mentally. But in his eyes, everything for some reason seemed to hit Aria more.
He could see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice. This sight only made his concern for her grow more, and it frustrated him not knowing how to help take even a little of her stress away.
"Aria… is there something else that's bothering you?… you can tell me if you want."
He held his breath, hoping for even a little bit more of her. But she only awkwardly smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder, and said to him:
"Don't worry too much about me… I just want to sleep for a while."
Dropping his tense shoulders, Jason only nodded as she fell asleep on his shoulders.
Suddenly, Kai sat next to Jason. A tense silence between them filled the dark room, before Kai broke it with a low voice.
"While you and Aria were talking, I went ahead and scouted the surrounding space for those foreigners. And from what I saw, there was one just a few miles out from where we are now."
"Based on your grandfather's descriptions, this one, I think, is a dead soul. Doesn't seem to be especially strong, but we should still be careful."
Jason nodded. Unable to think of any words to say to his former friend.
Though Kai shot a side glance over to him and Aria's sleeping face. And thoughts of their time together flowed through his mind.
Suddenly he felt a sense of comfort, being near those he once called close friends. And after a short time, he also let himself fall asleep.
Jason however, felt he could not sleep despite his exhaustion. Tapping his foot while worry for his mother and sister tormented his restless mind.
All he could think of in the short time he had to wait until they encountered the nearby dead soul, was how much of his time with his family that he took for granted.
And how much he now wished more than ever that he could turn back time and cherish even the smallest moments with them just a little longer.
"…"
***
Once again, the red sun fell into the night sky.
Everyone met up outside of the ghost town's shelters. Each of them tense with the thought of facing another, maybe conscious and more dangerous dead soul.
But they had too. Not long after waking up from their short lived rest, they walked until they reached deeper into the town…
And suddenly froze in place once they heard a muffled sound in the distance.
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Continued in chapter 121: The blood stained bride
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