Chapter 88

The Sea of Fire (II)

“Ramblings of the dead creep into my ears; I can hear them, no matter where I go. They are inviting.”

Historic Diaries

They were here, in full force. Noah glanced around and sighed, his expression heavy, eyes revealing a trace of helplessness. Everyone on the ramparts, including Olivia, Asandra, and numerous guards surrounding the Princess had frozen, their legs appearing as though they would give out in a moment. He saw all that fervor, hope, and passion flicker out of their eyes within a singular second, vanishing like a wisp of smoke.

Asandra was the first to recover, glancing at him and meeting his gaze. Her expression fell, realizing why he had her stand by Olivia’s side. The Princess was beyond shellshocked, standing and shaking, unable to utter a sound. How was this the image of the holy one who would sacrifice her life to fight with the people? She looked nothing more but a scared little girl, but Asandra could hardly blame her. Men twice her age and thrice her courage were exactly the same, unable to move or speak.

She pinched the Princess’ sides, causing the latter to exclaimed softly and turned toward her, the amber eyes appearing weepy. Asandra saw a plea, like a beggar at his knees praying, inside those eyes. But she couldn’t help her. Rather, Asandra suspected she was even unable to help herself, let alone the Princess.

“… relax,” Asandra said, taking a deep breath. “You won’t have to fight them. Just do as Noah taught you, and I’ll take you away.”

“I—I—I-…” Olivia stuttered, unable to say a word. However, nobody around had the mind to blame her or chide her, let alone laugh at her. What they were seeing were the Kindled from the ancient histories, yet they were not.

Just like Noah before he first went out to see them, most people here either had some vague knowledge or just the general knowledge of the legends. They knew the Kindled were 'the creatures of fire', and that they 'scorched the holy lands' before 'the heroes swept through them and cleansed the world'.

Noah also knew one extra thing over them, perhaps the most important piece of information relating to those giants of fire – they were just like the Illuminated, the barely-born children of Fire. Yet, he as well did not know as to why there was such a difference. One could be that the Kindled did not come from a ‘Fake God’, while the Illuminated all did. However, even if that was the case, Noah suspected there wouldn’t be such discrepancy; otherwise, how could have the Fake Gods taken over the Aspects in the past?

He saw Olivia glancing at him with a helpless gaze, so he quickly smiled and nodded his head, assuring her everything would be fine. For this trickery, he had prepared top-notch daggers and was ready to toss over twenty extremely quickly, as he knew Olivia’s attack would do less damage than an ordinary fart. While he himself wouldn't be able to do much, at least his attacks would elicit a reaction from the Kindled.

Taking several deep breaths in a row, Olivia recovered a tiny sliver of courage and forced her gaze forward. It truly was a sea of fire, just like the stories said. However, the stories lied. Everyone lied. As hopeless as she felt, she felt twice as angry; her Father must have known of this, yet he never told her. However, she was also angry with herself.

When she glanced at Noah, he looked as though he had expected this; how could someone who barely spent a year within Lumina and studied its history only shallowly have expected this and she didn’t? Once again, she truly felt a little girl beneath his gaze. He was in charge of planning all this out, virtually blinder than her in terms of knowledge, yet he didn’t quiver while she did. Were it not for Asandra and him, she would have stood stiffed until the giants swarmed over and set everything on fire. She would have died not even knowing how or why.

“D-dear brothers… and… dear sisters,” she choked the voice out of her by force, causing it to be somewhat unnatural. However, it still shocked those surrounding her out of their terror. They glanced at the Princess, their gazes fervent. “We all see it. I see it. Just as you… just as you, shock binds me. My heart feels fear. So much fear.” She took a deep breath and glanced around at her surrounding forces. She felt incomparable sadness assail her soul, yet did her best to prevent it from seeping into her expression.

“I have promised you so much,” she said. “But… it seems I will not be able to fulfill those promises. All I can do… is fight till my last breath by your side.”

“No!” someone shouted. “You should leave, Your Highness! This isn’t a place someone with your kind heart should perish!”

“Yes, Your Highness! We were all lied to! Quick, before those demons charge over! We’ll do our best to stall them!”

“Escape, Your Highness! At the very least, I can die knowing we’ll be in your heart and that you’ll continue fighting for us.”

“Exactly, Your Highness. Don’t sacrifice your Holy Grace with the likes of us. Just the fact… just the fact that You are standing with us right now… is the proof Light hasn’t abandoned us.”

“…” Olivia choked inwardly, doing her best to draw her tears back inside. Though they were equally in the dark over the Kindled, she felt guilt over the other matter – she was never supposed to fight with them, or die with them. She was using them, just like those she chided in Elucido. How was she any better? How was she any better?

Noah noticed the changes happening to Olivia, causing him to frown. Glancing forward, he saw that the Kindled have begun their final charge toward the ramparts. The time was running out, yet the girl was pondering on her own guilt. He shot a look toward Asandra who understood his intentions, yet still sighed and shook her head.

“Run, Your Highness! They are coming!” Olivia was woken from her slumber by a shout, her eyes darting forward. She would change it! She would change the world! Gritting her teeth, she cried out a roar that shook the ramparts, shocking everyone present, including Noah.

“BY THE GRACE OF THE HOLY,” her cry echoed into the ashened sky, her body suddenly lifting up against the gravity, her clothes fluttering in the invisible wind. She began shining in holy splendor, causing everyone except Asandra and Noah to suddenly kneel toward her. “PURIFY!!”

A pillar of holy light burst out of her and bent down like a blade of a sword. Its length reached several tens of miles, its width starting at just a few dozen feet before explosively growing as the pillar fell. It was as though a column that was holding the sky was raptured and crushed, breaking and falling toward the earth. She remained levitating for just one extra moment before the light surrounding her scattered into shards, and her body fell. Asandra quickly reached out and grabbed her, while everyone else’s attention was stretched toward the pillar.

Halfway toward the fall, the earth beneath rumbled and cracks spread like spiderwebs, jets of fire surging from the maws of earth, coalescing toward the Kindled. Another pillar, one of fire, surged out, its size comparative to the one of light falling down. It exploded upward like a cannonball and crashed directly into the pillar of light.

The world seemed to crawl to a standstill for a moment, every molecule seemingly freezing in awe and terror, before it all broke down at its seams. Space itself raptured around the collision, as the suffocating sound collapsed, an explosion that deafened the world bursting out.

Noah watched in awe as the fire and light surged outward like shrapnel. This was magic, he felt, the same magic he would read in the fantasy books. Everything thus far mostly felt like exaggerated tricks, something still comprehensible. This, however, was not. It was beyond his mind, beyond his eye, beyond his understanding. The lumps in him woke him up as he felt a surge of danger cradle his very soul.

Cloaking himself, he quickly shot over to Asandra and Olivia and without paying attention to the former’s cry, he grabbed both in his arms and leaped off the wall, tossing himself directly into the river and using the lumps of dark to resist the violently surging waters. Just as he entered the waters, the world around him looked to break.

The ramparts, alongside everyone on them, collapsed in the horrible blaze, shockwave rapturing the earth beneath and tossing massive boulders into the sky like an upward rain. It was akin to an apocalyptic scene, one that overturned everyone’s understanding of reality. Noah, however, didn’t dare glance back, from fear of never being able to look forward again.

He swam with every muscle in his body, repeatedly urging the Dark inside of him to assist his strength. Despite carrying two people with him, and despite the currents blasting against him, he still somehow managed to resist and swim forward. Bit by bit, but he saw the shore on the other end drawing closer.

The heat from behind finally caught up, setting his cloak on fire, and even trickling over into his hair. He immediately dove down, forcing both Asandra and Olivia underwater, The surging shockwave, however, disrupted his rhythm and blasted him forward, ripping him out of the water and sending him spiraling like a stringless kite in a wide arc toward the other side of the river.

He grumbled inwardly, preparing for some broken bones as he realized he would be falling against the scorched earth. During his arc, his body turned around and he finally faced the front. There, a massive cloud of thick, black smoke blanketed the world, massive chunks of fire raging all around, seemingly preparing to swallow the world. It was a sight beyond comprehension, one that eclipsed even a detonation of an atomic bomb. Yet… it was the product of a young girl lying fainted in his arms. Thinking of it, Noah shuddered and cold sweat covered him. Fuck, what the hell is going on?!! Wasn’t she supposed to be weak?!