After ensuring the chaotic waves within Lucille had stabilized, Ashrik brought her to the cottage by the river. He lived there alone, unlike the others who occupied the much bigger, second cottage.
Hazel hurried along, knowing she was still needed.
Their captain's action was quite strange! She didn't expect that their aloof captain would bring the injured young lady to his personal abode.
Was this because the young lady was a friend of the captain's deceased sister?
Or, was there something more?
Though Hazel was intrigued, she simply kept her thoughts to herself.
Ashrik carried Lucille inside his cottage. It had two rooms, one washroom, one kitchen and a small living room. Comfortable enough for him.
Ashrik carefully laid Lucille on his bed. Even though he didn't care about dirtying the sheet, the sight of her face and clothes being caked by dried blood and mud distressed him.
His countenance remained frosty, but one could see fury and anguish beneath his dark eyes.
"Hazel, please take care of her." Ashrik glanced at the healer who stood nearby. "Notify me if she wakes up."
"Don't worry. I can handle this," Hazel replied seriously.
Ashrik took one last look at Lucille before bringing the jacket to the room next door. He approached the desk by the window. A wooden box sat on it.
'Vivi, just a little bit more. I'll let flowers surround you.'
Ashrik exhaled a breath. A piercing ache suffocated his heart. He carefully put the jacket inside the wooden box before placing the lid on.
Then, Ashrik reached for the metal given by Felix before leaving the cave earlier. He ran his thumb over the round, glossy gem-like stone on the surface, feeling a pulse course through his veins.
Whummm—
As he closed his eyes, Ashrik perceived how this sensation was stronger than before.
This metal was not an ordinary object. This was the core of the ancient relic that set forth the apocalypse four years ago. The heart of seven missing fragments.
But how did he know?
All from his younger sister's last message before she disappeared, and also due to his ongoing fight with Genesis.
Genesis was the organization that tried to dominate the world by possessing this relic. With this relic core in Ashrik's possession, it could only dream.
Even if Genesis had successfully gathered all seven missing fragments of the relic, it could do nothing without the core.
Ashrik himself had possessed three of the fragments. He stole one of them from Genesis last year.
As he bore his gaze on the box, Ashrik parted his lips. His voice flowed, edging with a fiery determination.
"Vivi, I'll avenge you. I'll reset this damn apocalypse and restore the order. I might meet you sooner if I've to pay it with my life."
Four years ago, he had failed to save her, his only sibling. The only thing he could do to let go of his regrets was to fulfill her last wish.
Until now, he remembered the message she had sent secretly before going into hiding.
His dear sister sacrificed her life by burying herself with the relic core. She was already gravely injured. To prevent Genesis from repossessing it, she chose death.
At that time, Ashrik was just a white-collar worker at a conglomerate, living an ordinary life. Tall and lanky, he knew nothing about fighting and surviving.
Until the apocalypse began.
Ashrik brushed his thumb on the box. "Don't worry about me. Also, don't worry about Lucy. She's injured but safe. I'll help her to recover."
Ashrik turned around and left for the hallway. He heard faint noises from the other room. As he thought that Hazel was cleaning Lucille, he didn't go inside.
Ashrik headed to the basement built underneath the second cottage. It was dim and cold, the air thick with mildew and the scent of rusting iron.
Chains clinked against the concrete floor as Captain Gao, Ian and Danny writhed. Fear consumed them alive.
One of Ashrik's men was a fire wielder. Named Isaac Mu, he didn't join the mission at the cave earlier. He had already thawed the ice blocks that confined the trio.
But they were far from freedom.
Captain Gao and his men's arms were bound behind their backs to chairs with iron chains. Weight balls shackled their ankles. Rough cloths gagged their mouths, and their eyes were bloodshot with fear.
Isaac and Felix glanced at the narrow stairs once they heard footsteps. Ashrik entered, still dressed in his black outfit.
The suffocating pressure of his presence filled the room like a creeping frost. His sharp gaze swept over the trio without any hint of pity.
Ashrik glanced at Felix, "Do it."
The young man grinned. As he ran forward, Felix swiftly landed his fist on Ian's face. Enhanced by his ability, his shockwave punch sent the man flying across the room.
BAM!
With just one strike, Ian fainted, blood dripping from his head and his bones cracking. He was lucky enough that he didn't die on the spot.
"Umph! Umphhh!"
Captain Gao and Danny teared up in fright. Shaking their heads, they begged for mercy. They knew they couldn't subdue Ashrik, much less any one of his men.
Ashrik ignored them. He reached for something on a nearby table. He picked up the dagger, the same relic that pierced through Lucille's back and broke her core.
Ashrik twirled the dagger, its blood-coated blade caught the faint basement light.
Captain Gao's heartbeat rose again. He feared the sharp blade would strike him next!
No! This couldn't be!
Why did he take this assignment? Why was this villain involved in this?
Everyone, including ordinary survivors, had heard of Ashrik Zhai, hailed as the Frozen Hell Yama. He alone had wiped out several battlefields using his impressive ice and wind dual-elemental abilities.
People had various stances about him. Some said he only annihilated the bad guys, while others condemned him for killing indiscriminately.
No matter what, the fact remained that he was one of the most terrifying figures among the espers.
No matter what, he was doomed!
DOOMED!