Chapter 421: The Aftermath (1)
The Demonic Sea...
— Shizclar Bay —
Upon those vast, restless waters, where the waves never calmed and relentless storms lashed the sea with howling winds and dense fog...
Even though a long time had passed since the battle between the Empire and the Ultras, this place still bore the scars of that conflict.
Lightning still cracked across the skies, striking down with fury, further stirring the turmoil below.
Few dared venture near the bay when the sea raged like this .. not even the nightmare creatures dwelling in these waters.
Yet, cutting through the raging waves was a single black ship, devoid of any flags or markings. Its origins unknown, but its crew... carried names that shook the world.
On an urgent mission to find Maekar Valerion and the others, this marked the seventh day of Vendrick’s voyage through these treacherous seas.
Standing at the ship’s prow, clad in his usual tattered garb, Vendrick let the harsh winds whip through his disheveled hair.
"..."
He remained silent, but those with him had long grown uneasy .. none more so than Blattier, the High Priest of the Church.
Draped in his pristine white robes, the archbishop scowled at the horizon.
"We’ve been in this cursed place for days, yet found nothing but ourselves adrift in these godforsaken waters. No enemies. No beasts. Nothing."
It was as if they’d stumbled into a place completely cut off from the rest of the world. Since entering Chizklar Bay, Vendrick’s team hadn’t encountered a single soul.
There were many strange places in their world, but Vendrick knew well .. this was no natural phenomenon.
"It’s a labyrinth."
Those words, spoken by Mist Umbra who materialized silently behind him, broke the tense silence.
"A labyrinth?" the delegation from the Church and the Shadow Court echoed in confusion, glancing at each other.
Unlike Vendrick, Mist was generous enough to explain his thoughts.
"It’s a closed loop. You may not have noticed, but we’ve been sailing in circles ever since we entered these waters."
He pointed toward a violent thunderstorm in the distance.
"That’s the fifth time we’ve passed that same storm."
Realization slowly dawned on their faces as they started to grasp the situation.
It was hard to notice such patterns when lost at sea with nothing but endless waves in every direction.
But people like Mist, with sharp instincts, could piece the truth together.
Vendrick, of course, had realized it long ago.
"A Labyrinth Spell."
Vendrick spoke plainly. Having spent much of his life alongside Millicent, he was familiar with most of the world’s magic.
But the labyrinth they were caught in... was on a whole other level. Nothing he had seen before compared to this.
A massive spell covered the entirety of shizclar Bay.
"A closed loop... keeping us trapped here, endlessly circling."
Every time they neared the bay’s edge, they inexplicably found themselves back at the beginning.
Blattier frowned, his concern growing, placing all his hopes on Vendrick.
"How do we break such a spell? Should I try flying above its range?"
Vendrick shook his head.
"Won’t matter. Whether by sea or sky, you’ll end up right back where you started."
Having observed the waters for days, Vendrick had come to a single conclusion.
"These labyrinths are powerful... but not unbreakable. Of course, it would be a different story if the witch who cast it were still here."
For a labyrinth of this scale, its power source had to be inside it.
Vendrick was certain Beatrice wasn’t present .. based on the reports of what had transpired on the Ultras Continent during their journey.
That could only mean one thing ..the key to breaking the spell was somewhere nearby.
"The source of the spell... is down there."
Vendrick pointed his sword at the ocean depths. Doubt flickered among those who didn’t know him well.
But Mist and Blattier’s trust in him was proof enough.
Vendrick knew .. somewhere below the waves, Beatrice had left them a trap.
It would be dangerous to dive into those depths. Who knew what horrors lay in wait?
But the Empire had no choice.
So, at that moment...
Three figures dove into the sea without hesitation.
Vendrick. Mist Umbra. Joseph Blattier.
The three of them plunged into the depths of the demonic sea, descending into the labyrinth Beatrice had prepared for them .. unaware of what awaited in the darkness below.
...
...
...
Back on the Imperial side...
A full day had already passed since Frey and his companions returned home.
The entirety of their time spent on the Ultras Continent had only been seventeen days.
But for them, those were seventeen days of pure hell.
Upon their return, Frey was the last to step out of the portal, draping his cloak over the princess to conceal her demonic horns, shielding her from the curious eyes of those waiting outside.
Yet as soon as they drew near, Sansa vanished into the shadows without a sound, as if swallowed by darkness itself.
Frey knew that the princess would face a difficult road ahead within the imperial palace, having completely lost her humanity.
But his mind was far too drained to dwell on anything more.
The moment Ada embraced him ..and Carmen approached soon after... Frey felt his body finally relax, a weariness unlike anything he’d ever known before washing over him.
His entire body, and even his soul, were completely exhausted.
After fighting harder than anyone else, Frey Starlight had completed an impossible mission.
And another, far more difficult task still awaited him.
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Main mission: Survive the Pursuit (Completed)
Reward: 10,000 Achievement Points.
Final mission: Save or Kill Danzo.
Reward: [Screenshot] Skill.
Penalty: Half of the main characters will die.
Time Limit: 1 Month.
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Staring at the mission screen, then at Danzo’s limp body being carried away—rushed to his only remaining family, his father who ran to his side without hesitation—Frey found himself unable to do anything but watch.
Resting his chin on Ada’s shoulder, Frey leaned on his sister completely, surrendering to the exhaustion.
"Frey?"
Feeling her brother’s weight lighten as his body relaxed, Ada realized that Frey, his eyes already closed, had finally fallen asleep.
He had stayed awake every single moment of their time on the Ultras Continent.
Now, at last, the young man had reached his limit.
He allowed himself a brief rest, a well-earned reprieve in the only place he could truly call home .. by his sister’s side.
Despite all the hardships he had faced, and the trials yet to come, Frey had earned this one moment of peace.
Carmen took over carrying him as the Starlight family quietly withdrew from the scene, slipping away from the chaos stirred by the recent events.