Chapter 46: Boundless Darkness and the Tinkling Wind Chimes

"Hurry, everyone! Take only essentials. The beast tide is coming!" Cindira stood at the entrance of the Blackrock Mountains, directing fleeing townsfolk toward the mountain stronghold.

The stronghold’s able-bodied youths joined the Gentleman’s Advance Association members, helping Crescent Town’s residents escape.

"Sister~ Has Brother come back yet?" Little Bobo clung to Helle’s chest, eyes red-rimmed.

"Be good, Bobo~ Brother will return!" Monaluna coaxed nearby.

"Sniff... I’ll never be naughty or greedy again. I won’t trouble Brother anymore. Waaah, Brother, come back!"

Suddenly, a figure streaked across the sky and landed before them. Recognizing the newcomer, the Old Mage beamed and rushed forward.

"Ster! You’re alive?!" The Old Mage embraced the Sacred Beast tightly.

"Cough... I’m afraid not." Ster slumped into the Old Mage’s arms. "I wiped out the Raven Sect... but couldn’t dodge their final explosion. Their lethal poison has seeped into my bones. Truly... the continent’s deadliest assassins."

"Grandpa Ster!" Bobo’s face was a tear-streaked mess.

"Little Bobo... running off again when Grandpa wasn’t looking. I won’t punish you this time... cough!"

"Enough, Ster! I can save you!" The Old Mage frantically pulled potions and reagents from his Spatial Ring.

"John... don’t waste your strength. The Raven’s Verbal Spirit... has no cure."

"Damn them! I’ll hunt them to the ends of the earth!"

"Cough... Forget that. Where’s Mashang? I have something... to entrust to him."

"He’s—" Princess Komor pointed toward Crescent Town, about to reveal my whereabouts—

**BOOM!!!!** **"URRRGH!!!!!!!!"**

The Old Mage froze, staring at the Blackrock Mountains. "Why? A dragon’s roar?! Could it be?!"

A blood-red pillar of flame erupted skyward. The Dragon Princess’s divine pressure radiated outward, wave after crushing wave. The Old Mage barely raised a barrier in time.

"*Sigh*... He truly went that far. Should I be surprised? Chosen by the Goddess herself... He’d throw away his life for Crescent Town. Perhaps... he really can save this world." Ster’s voice echoed magically in the Old Mage’s mind.

"You’re *praising* him?! He’s about to kill himself!" The Old Mage spat. "Fusing directly with the Dragon Princess’s divine core? Does he think Creator’s blessings grow on trees?! Even if Her Majesty had no desire to possess him, the residual divine power alone would reduce him to ashes!"

"What? Klath?!" Monaluna turned deathly pale. She drew Wingside Breeze and sprinted toward the flame pillar.

"Nana, wait!" The Old Mage reached for her, but she dodged.

"I’m going too, Master. Take care of yourself." Helle placed Bobo back into the Deep Blue Heart, bowed deeply, and followed Monaluna.

"Qifei! Organize the evacuation! I have urgent business!" Cindira swept her loose violet hair back, activated her family’s secret technique, and shot toward the town like lightning.

Bobo floated over on the Deep Blue Heart, swaying gently before Ster. "Sniff... Grandpa Ster~"

Ster stroked Bobo’s head. "Be brave, little one. Grandpa won’t protect you anymore. I’ve summoned your father. Someone will fetch you home soon."

"Bobo doesn’t want to leave Grandpa! Or everyone! Don’t leave me, Grandpa Ster! Waaah!"

"Master... I must go to the town. This crisis started because of me. I can’t stand aside."

Kasa, maintaining order nearby, paled. "Your Highness! You can’t risk yourself!"

"No more arguments. My mind’s made up!"

"Fine! Both of you, follow me!" The Old Mage sighed deeply. He lifted Ster, gathered Bobo, and cast wind magic, soaring toward Crescent Town.

"Yes, Master!" Komor summoned her own magic, trailing behind.

"...So magic makes you special? I’m injured here!" Kasa muttered helplessly.

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*Where was this? So dark. Wasn’t I in Crescent Town?*

Endless blackness stretched in every direction. Distantly, tires screeched—a violent crash, then an explosion.

I followed the sound. Two wrecked cars lay tangled. One’s front was crushed inward.

"*Dad? Mom? Me?*" Pain lanced through my chest at the sight. I turned to the other car. Darkness filled it. Silhouettes moved, but no face ever came clear.

*Whoosh.* The boundless dark swallowed it all. Light vanished.

*Click.* A door opened behind me. Now I stood in a hospital room. My grandfather lay on a bed as doctors fought to save him. I strained to see their faces—only darkness stared back.

*Thud! Thud!* A gavel hammered. I stood in a courtroom.

"*Grandma?!*" An elderly woman with silver hair stood at the defendant’s stand. My fists clenched until nails bit my palms. I scanned the room—still no clear faces.

"Bastards! Who’s there?! Show yourselves!" I roared, sobbing. "COME OUT!"

Silence. Darkness reclaimed everything.

I cursed. I screamed. I wept.

Until I realized—I, too, was stained by the darkness.

*******************************************************************************

The Old Mage’s group reached the flame pillar. Countless魔兽 crouched before it, paralyzed. Farther out, not a single beast remained.

"Such overwhelming pressure... it crushes even the will to flee," Ster murmured.

"That reckless boy... he really used *that* method? Foolish old me! Why did I tell him? Foolish!"

"Klath! Klath, can you hear me?!" Monaluna shouted toward the pillar. No reply came.

"Nana, stop. He can’t hear you." The Old Mage sighed. "Drowned in raw energy and psychic trauma, his core consciousness sank into his deepest, darkest memories. His most painful moments."

"What do we do? How do we wake him?" Cindira pressed urgently.

"We can’t. We know nothing of his past. We can’t pull him from those memories. Unless he finds peace... the endless cycle will grind his soul to dust."

"Brother! You promised to tell Bobo stories! Bad Brother! Stinky Brother! Big liar!" Bobo yelled at the shadow within the flames.

"............" Helle gripped her skirt hem until her knuckles turned white, eyes locked on the pillar.

Monaluna stared at the flames, then suddenly spun and ran toward the manor.

"Nana! Where are you going?" Komor called after her.

"I’ll be back! Watch him—I know how to wake him!"

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"Finally... I see your faces. Or rather, *your* faces." I spoke to the endless dark.

"*Oh?*" A voice, neither human nor beast, echoed from the depths.

"Hello, Dark Twin Gods."

"*Hahaha! Sharp little one. Worthy of Her choice!*" Two figures emerged from the shadows, wearing masks—one weeping, one laughing.

"Why? I never stood in your way."

"*Don’t flare up so easily,*" said the weeping mask.

"*We mean no harm,*" said the laughing mask.

"Then why trap me here?" I forced my anger down.

"*We cannot free you,*" wept the first.

"*You imprisoned yourself,*" laughed the second.

"Why are *you* here?" I frowned.

"*We received an invitation,*" wept the first.

"*From this realm’s master. You,*" laughed the second.

"How do I escape?" I dropped the wordplay.

"*We do not know,*" wept the first.

"*The answer lies with you,*" laughed the second.

I glared at the mismatched pair. This was my own heart’s prison. My strength alone couldn’t break free. The darkness thickened. Time was running out.

***Ding~ Ling-ling~~ Ling-ling~***

A crisp chime rang above me. Warmth flooded my chest. The darkness receded from where I stood.

***Ding~ Ling-ling~~ Ling-ling~ Klath~ Can you hear me?***

Voices called my name.

"*Brother~*"

"*Brat!*"

"*Darling~*"

"*Senior Brother!*"

"*Young Master! Klath Young Master!*"

*"............"*

Light blazed around me. I felt myself rising.

The black-robed Dark Twin Gods stood stark against the white radiance.

"*We’ll wait for your return!*" The weeping mask waved.

"*For the darkness hasn’t faded!*" The laughing mask waved.

*******************************************************************************

I opened my eyes to worried faces. Monaluna was closest—I lay on her lap.

"Klath! You’re awake!!!"

"Nope! Still sleepwalking. Don’t disturb my beautiful girl’s lap pillow!" I squeezed my eyes shut, savoring the softness and fragrance against my cheek.

*Huh? Why isn’t she pulling my ear?*

***Plink...*** A drop hit my face. I peeked open one eye.

"Nana, don’t cry! Everyone—stop crying! I’m fine. Really awake this time."

"If you ever do this again... I’ll kill you. I’m not joking." Monaluna wiped tears, her threat trembling with sobs.

"Uh... One more time and I’d be dead anyway!"

"No problem, Young Master Klath. We’ll hire a divine healer to resurrect you first. Then we’ll kill you *pleasantly*!" Helle smiled sweetly.

"No resurrection needed! I don’t mind... *things* with corpses!" Cindira swayed her violet locks.

"Waaah! Brother’s a liar! Bobo won’t talk to you ever again!" Bobo pouted, cheeks puffed.

"*Ahem*... Let’s not be so grim, everyone~" I scanned their faces, cold sweat trickling down my spine. *Why does escaping death feel like stepping into a bigger danger? Dark Twin Gods, please—take me back. Right. Now.*

"Huh! What a beautiful wind chime!" I gazed at the one in Monaluna's right hand—it was the gift I'd given her that night. "Exquisitely crafted and sounds lovely! The maker must be quite the artistic soul, right?"

"You're dead wrong," she shot back. "The guy who made this wind chime is the biggest fool in the world!"