Chapter 118 - The Final Fragment
Elliot rushed to Valerie, slashing his sword but was blocked by a wall of fire.
"You–"
"Silence!" Elliot was cut off by one of the Elder Succubus. "To send the Heir's soul to Inferno, he must die."
"You can revive him," Priestess Geneva said to Elliot, making him widen his eyes and look at her. "I could feel that man's power in you. I am confident enough to send Connor in this temple since I felt your magic."
Elliot's friends looked at each other but said nothing more. They knew Elliot kept his secrets but for now, they weren't going to pry him to open up.
"In an hour's time, resurrect Connor," Priestess Geneva said. "I should be finished by then."
–
"P-Priestess…" Connor could only stutter seeing the beautiful maiden in front of him. "Priestess, why am I here?"
"You died, Connor,"Priestess Geneva said. "But it's within my calculation. Only souls can enter this temple due to the sealed metal door in the entrance."
Connor nodded, "Is that why you didn't take me when I was alive?"
"Yes," Priestess Geneva replies. "But you know, this is the moment that everyone is waiting for. For you to receive the final fragment of the flames."
"But I died… Again," Connor sighed. "At least it's not painful. I just felt a pinching sensation in my chest, then I died."
"Let me have your hand," the priestess said, opening both her hands for Connor to place his. "I will weave the final flames of the Cauldron. And you shall regain the power of the Unawakened Eternal."
"Unawakened?" Connor creased his brow. "I'm not a full-fledged Eternal?"
The priestess shook her head and sighed, "I'm sorry, but you have to take wield the Eternal Rock first. A crystalized power that was left by the previous Eternal. It is the accumulation of their knowledge and power that could only be received when the owner decides so."
"And where can I have that?" Connor asked, the priestess answering him with a shrug.
"The Ruler we have right now is not an Eternal, and even he does not know," Priestess Geneva said. "I believe you have been informed the wrong way, or perhaps there was a miscommunication. But someone who runs a Realm does not make them an Eternal. An Eternal is essentially a guardian, one who guards, protects, and rules their realm."
"So, Biankka was wrong," Connor muttered. "Where is the Infernal Eternal Rock now? Do you know anything about its whereabouts?"
Geneva shook her head, "I'm sorry, Connor but I wasn't conscious when the previous Eternal ruled. You see, the Cauldron and I are connected. Once it sees a candidate to become an Heir, it wakes me up. When that happens, I would guide the soul of the Heir and embed the flames in them."
The temple shook, alarming both of them. Geneva took Connor's hand and dragged him in to a stone tablet.
"What is happening?" Connor asked.
"Someone is trying to get inside, but I won't let them," Geneva said, her eyes glowing with a bright orange color.
"You know what to do," she said and let Connor lay down the stone tablet.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, doing something that he often did not so long ago.
The feeling was familiar yet foreign to Connor. Back when he was a slave, when he was always alarmed about everything, and was bind to the necromancer, he was always in fear. Always afraid.
Looking back at it, Connor wondered how he even cut ties with the necromancer.
As the Priestess prepared for the ritual, Connor recollected his memories. When he was in the Strike to earn money to addord food and send his parents, he met Elliot.
The strings that tied him down severed. Like a pair of scissors cut them off of him, freeing him from the shackles of the necromancy.
It all started when Elliot saved him.
"I will start," the Priestess Geneva said, interrupting the flow of Connor's thoughts.
She had a small wisp in her right hand. It was the last fragment from the Cauldron of Eternal Flames. She cupped Connor's jaw with her free hand, caressing it slowly.
"Take a deep breath," she instructed. Connor complied, inhaling deeply.
As his chest arose, Geneva's hand that had the flame slammed into his chest. She was pushing the flames inside, Connor wringling to get out of the tingling sensation.
"Your soul knows its missing part," Geneva said. "Connor, with this flame, I am declaring you, the Heir of Inferno."
Connor's body was engulfed with a bright orange fire. The fire formed a mouth-like feature, swallowing the piece from the priestess's hand.
When the blue flame entered the fire that surrounded the boy, it glowed even brighter. The Priestess Geneva had to back away, seeing the bright scorch the boy that was swallowing the boy.
Connor, meanwhile, felt like he was high up in the skies. His body was burning but it didn't hurt him, it gave him a weird sense of pleasure instead.
"What's happening?" Connor groaned, feeling the pleasure override his mind. "Why do I feel so hot?"
"The flames will devour your soul and give birth to another," Geneva said. "You shall become an Infernal when that happens. But your power is still low. I'm trying ot–"
"Don't tell me I'll skin?" Connor opened his eyes. He pushed the feeling away and suppressed the skin. "You mean I'll become a lava guy?"
The Priestess snorted and shook her head, "No. But you will unlock half of your potential when that happens. You can still morph into your Infernal form, but your default form is human."
"Oh," Connor let loose of the flames as it engulfed his body once more. "I can't believe this would feel good."
Connor was levitating in the air, the light from his flames was lighting up the temple.
A large banging of the metal door of the temple sounded. It happened again before there was a momentary pause.
"Don't worry, I had fortified this temple with spells, Ancient Spells," Priestess Geneva said confidently.
The third bang blew the door away, prying it open with such an incredible force. The dust was formed into clouds from the attack, making it hard to see what was outside.
"Here you are," a voice said, the mist that was formed from dust slowly cleared, revealing a man with long horns.
"Lagerick," Priestess Geneva gasped. "Don't come any more closer."
Lagerick scoffed and took a step inside. This prompted the priestess to let her eyes glow with a bright orange color and conjure flames in her palms.
"You will stop walking and let the Heir be," Geneva threatened. "The end of Garmuz's rule will end right by Connor's hands."
"Connor? Is that his name?" Galerick grinned devilishly. "I will write that name in his blood in front of the Ruler."
"Try it then," Geneva waved her hand and fired large orbs of flame into the man.
Galerick rolled his eyes and took the large swords from his back. He rushed to the flames and sliced them up one by one without breaking a sweat.
"That's the power of the Great Priestess Geneva? The one in the legend–"
Four pillars grew around the man in an instant. The pillars lit up while Geneva waved her hands to cast.
"Temple of Flames."
The flames from the pillars connected, surrounding Gelrick with only the top portion as an opening.
"What?" he gasped when the tip of the pillars formed a dome, locking him inside. "So, this is the spell that locked the Ruler before, huh?"
"Connor, how long till you completely absorb the powers?" Geneva panted. "That spell drained my mana. But it should hold for a while–"
"Embered Slicer!"
Geneva's spell was cut in half, a pair of swords cutting it with nothing but a turn from Gelrick.
"I don't know how the Ruler was locked up in that but, damn," Gelrick lowered his sword and glared at Geneva. "It's weak."
Gelrick slowly walked towards them, dramatically dragging his sword that ringed as it scratched the stone floor.
"I-I have no choice," Priestess Geneva said. "The Heir won't absorb the powers for a few more minutes and I lost all my energy. Looks like I have to take this risk."
"No!" Gelrick yelled. "You cannot do that!"
"Abel! Abel! Abel!"
Gelrick backed off, "What have you done, Geneva?!"
A blink of flaming energy burst throughout the roof and into the ground, a tall man kneeling on one knee as he regained his strength.
Connor's eyes widened, seeing the familiar face of the man.
"Cain!"