Chapter 620 Cassandra 1
Cassandra was going through one of the most horrible times of her life.
Days ago, she had been kidnapped by some entity that was far more powerful than her.
She didn't know where she was. She didn't even know if Aran was alive, as they had been taken together. And she didn't even know what the f*ck the motive of the culprit was, unless he just got off on watching them suffer.
During the brief time of respite that she got between the ordeals that tested her mind and body to their limit, she would often wonder this, and shout out her questers at the bare stone walls of the room she was trapped in.
Of course, there was always only a single answer, given in an emotionless voice that did not belong to anyone she knew.
"Reach the end of the Road if you wish to leave."
Oh yes, the Road.
Room after room of pure hell, where even a moment of not giving her all would have taken her life.
She had crossed vats of boiling lava that would fall on her if she were even a second slower in crossing a wide area full of traps. She had gone past poisonous arrows that she had had to deflect with all her might using every magical trick she knew unless she wanted to die by being hit by one. And she had even had to, at one point, completely deplete her Mageroot while defending against a boulder that had been about to crush her.
Each time, she would think that that was it. That it was all over, and that all the goals she had worked toward in her life would never be reachable.
Yet, somehow, she would pass that stage by pulling out power that even she didn't know she had.
Each time, it would also feel like she was reaching closer and closer to something, but that there was just one last barrier that was stopping her from reaching it.
After every ordeal, a spell would put her to sleep and when she woke up, she would find food waiting for her.
Of course, she didn't waste a single morsel, as she still had hope of getting the f*ck out of here.
Today had started like any other. She had been through an ordeal and rested for an unknown amount of time, and she had woken up and eaten the food.
When she was teleported to the next room, though…it was empty.
She had waited for some threat to appear. But there were really no signs whatsoever of the typical traps that would always be there.
After a few seconds, a yellow smoke entered the room, and she instantly went on guard.
Making two fireballs appear over her palms, Cassandra carefully looked around, waiting for the threats to appear so that she could overcome them.
However, all she heard was…laughter.
Laughter from three people, who were very, very familiar to her.
"Cassie dear, how have you been?"
NO!
Cassandra immediately began to back away from where she stood.
The fireballs had disappeared, and she looked just like a helpless woman who had no means to defend herself.
She kept backing up more and more until she hit the wall, and even then, she tried to keep moving but stopped as there was nowhere to go.
The yellow mist began to fade, and because it had been clouding her vision till now, this resulted in her being able to see what was in front of her much more clearly.
A woman wearing a green cardigan, holding a little boy in her hands who was dressed neatly with his hair combed carefully to the side.
And a thick-set man with broad shoulders who had his hand on the woman's shoulder, while he looked at her with a small smile on his face.
All three of them were smiling at her, and it was the woman who had spoken.
"Sis, you really did become a Mage! So cool!"
This was from the little kid, and her father spoke next.
"Cassie, why are you scared? Don't worry, we are but remnants who were invoked by a spell. You never forgot us. And you never let go of your guilt. The one behind this was able to use that to make this happen."
Saying so, the man patted the woman's shoulder, who walked forward slowly with her hand stretched out.
The little boy came, too, but he showed much less caution.
He immediately ran up to his sister and hugged her legs tight, and this finally opened the floodgates.
Sobbing, Cassandra hugged him back, and she could feel his skin as if he really was present in front of her.
Her mom soon reached her, and she was pulled into the hug, too, while Cassandra bawled just like she had all those years ago, when she had been left alone with three motionless bodies.
Her father also walked forward and joined the little family, and as he did so, Cassandra felt complete.
For years, she had been holding the guilt close to her heart while moving through life, endeavoring to never show anyone that she was broken inside.
The truth, though…was that she was very much a wreck, and that revenge had been the only thing holding her together.
Now, however, when she felt the warmth of her family again, she realized that it hadn't been just revenge.
No, it was grief, too, and the fact that she couldn't let go of them.
Cassandra wished that this moment would stretch on forever. She really did. Yet, a sound interrupted them.
"No welcome for us, little girl? Did you miss us?"
A voice that made rage fill Cassandra's mind was heard from near her, making her immediately move forward and shield her family behind a barrier that she instantly conjured.
2 men were standing in front of her. Both wore black clothes with a few grey spots here and there, and they wore masks on their faces.
Their voices, though…were unmistakeable.
"It's not just your family whom you didn't let go of. You killed us with a tiny break knife, but you still remember us with hate every damn day. It's all useless, though. You don't believe me? Then just try and stop us while we do the same thing one more time. And just like last time…you won't be able to do a damn thing."
…
In a room nearby, both Faxul and Kellor had their eyes fixed on Cassandra, who had just shuddered where she lay on the ground.
"It's begun", said Kellor, to which Faxul nodded.
"Such a strange formation. Daneel said that it puts one in the most traumatic situation of their life again, right? If they get that final push and break through, they resolve that incident and become free of any guilt they might have, depending on the nature of the incident. If not, though…it will completely break them, and I should pull her out if there's a risk of that happening. In many ways, it is cruel, but seeing the way these two had to get to the final stage…its possible that they might have taken a very, very long time to break through naturally."
As Faxul said this, Kellor nodded, but he still had his eyes completely focused on Cassandra.
He had never had any other family except these two, until Daneel had come along. He cared more about them than anyone else in the world, and it had been practically torture seeing them struggle so much through this Road.
However, he knew that it was necessary.
All his life, Kellor had never prayed to the Heavens for anything.
His Master had always told him that praying was an act of desperation. Only when one is sure that they can no longer affect a situation using their own power, should they pray, and hope for the best.
Well, now he was desperate.
Closing his eyes, he prayed.
…
Meanwhile, Daneel and Elanev had just been through almost all the areas of the Fortress of Unyielding Might.
The thing that stood out most was the extensive effort that had been put into creating various types of innovative facilities that all sought to develop each and every aspect of a Fighter.
In fact, this place reminded Daneel a lot of the army training camps that he had seen in videos back on Earth. Of course, with the addition of magic, there was so much more danger, but also so much more potential that could be dug out by those who went through them.
In particular, Daneel had been quite impressed by a 'Movement' training course, where there was a vertical wall which had to be scaled by Fighters.
Unlike Mages, Fighters didn't have the facility of simply flying to wherever they wanted. They had to learn to be able to cross any terrain, and this was just one of the types which were tested and trained.
The peculiarity, though…was that there was a time limit. If one didn't get to the top in that time limit, a formation would make gravity surge, making the candidate fall to the ground, where there would be a pit of fire waiting for him.
Of course, the objective was not to kill those who failed.
No… it was to embarrass them.
Each one who fell would have their ass set on fire, and as they leaped out and hurriedly put it out, there was a communication eye that recorded them and played their footage on a display trinket that was set up nearby.
So…unless a Fighter wanted to be seen with a blackened butt, they would strive to only test themselves here when they were sure that they could pass.
And if they wanted more resources, the only way was to pass such tests.
Nearing the end of their tour, Daneel and Elanev approached a gate through which many Fighters could be seen going out and coming in.
This was when they noticed something peculiar.
Those who were leaving the gate had very sullen expressions on their faces, while those who were entering the Sect had broad smiles.
Daneel got a faint suspicion when he saw a few buildings past the gate, and it was confirmed when their guide spoke.
"Beyond that gate lies a settlement which is fondly called the 'Fortress's Mistress'. As you must know, all people have certain needs which, if not satisfied, can end up distracting them in the long run. This village was established to prevent that from happening. Men and women can go at any time, and it is encouraged as there are a lot of perks given to all those who bear the children of Fighters. According to the Chief, we have a duty to populate the continent with more people who have the chance of having a higher Body Potential. It is completely voluntary, and the stronger you are, the more doors are open to you in there. There is also the standing record regarding the number of simultaneous…"
"Oh, we don't need to know about that. Let's go."
As Daneel said this and interrupted their guide, they moved on, but weirdly, the three of them moved in three different directions.
Assuming they were going back, Daneel turned around.
With the intention of going forward, their guide had walked on.
And as for Elanev…he turned left, and headed straight to that gate with a hungry expression on his face.
Daneel turned around on seeing no one near him, and sighed as he saw his elder brother forgetting everything else.
Conjuring a hand, he was about to drag him back by his collar, but he was stopped by the guide who said, "Let him go. You'll see why."
Raising an eyebrow on seeing the tone of the man and noticing something amiss, Daneel dispersed the spell and followed Elanev along with the guide.
Passing the gate, they came across a wide road on the two sides of which were numerous stone houses.
The Fighters who were in front of them randomly walked up to houses and knocked on the doors, following which they would either be pulled in, or left standing there.
If there was no response, they would get a dejected expression on their face and move on to another one.
Elanev was a quick learner, so he ran up to the first house and knocked.
Striking a dashing pose, he waited, but there was no response.
After a few moments, sure that it was a mistake, he knocked again, following which a voice was heard from inside.
"We know who you are. And here, no doors are open to those who get things without deserving them. Piss off."
The guide spoke up while Elanev went eerily still.
"A rival of ours holds a lot of sway here, and he is one of those who are displeased about you. Y-"
The guide choked on his words as two burning eyes had just locked onto him.
They were Elanev's, who had turned around while bloodlust burned in his eyes.
In a chilling voice, he said, "Point me to him. I'm going to murder that f*cker."