House of Amarin

There were constant rumblings, the sound of raw energy clashing against the protective shield around the city, which was aimlessly floating, lost in No-Space. Rinzen's ice, infused with the powers of the Realm Key and Lia's last will, ensured that they were protected. As for how long? Nobody could tell… It was hard to know how long they had been here as there was no change of scenery, no days or nights, only the constant, swirling clouds, unnatural lightning, and the sound of a never-ending storm. Thinking about old legends describing purgatory, the survivors were sure this was it.

“Come… you need rest…” Raufon walked into a room where Koadriana was sitting beside the bed of Keily, where he had been lying, unconscious since the day he was injured. Was it yesterday? Four days ago? Or maybe a week had already passed? She couldn't tell.

"I'm fine…" Koa replied, her face sunken in, black bags under her eyes, and all her previous playfulness was gone. She was watching Keily's weak breathing, afraid if she missed it, he would stop drawing in the air and die.

"No, you are not! I'll take over and watch him."

“No… I’m fine… really…”

"Nobody is!" He groaned, leaning down, picking her up, and putting her next to Keily's body. "Then sleep next to him! As I said, I'll sit down and keep watch." With that, he took Koa's place, watching the two, letting out a long, depressed sigh.

None of them talked, as neither wanted to bring up what happened. It was… not something they were ready to mention. At the same time, the same conversation was happening at a different part of the city where Simbad tried to make Ceiline go and lie down for a little.

"You are barely standing!" He complained a bit more forcefully than Raufon.

"At least I can still stand up…" She mumbled, wanting to head out of the room, but Simbad stood in her way. "I still need to check up on many of the injured and try to get Rinzen out of her room."

"We can face the truth after everyone rested enough!"

"Facing the truth…" She repeated, her eyes swelling up with tears, looking away.

"Yes…" Simbad whispered, walking closer, gently hugging her body, and starting to stroke her hair. "I hate it just as much as you… but that won't change it."

"..."

Ceiline had no answer; she just held onto him, forgetting to control her claws, cutting into Simbad's back, but he didn't mind it. The pain and fear were more dreadful in his heart… especially thinking about how they would tell the news to Reyra once they returned to reality. There was another Misfit who was having the same thoughts and sitting atop one of the towers of the main palace.

Sion couldn't help but watch the vast, endless horizon of No-Space in the past days, unable to rest or sleep, not to mention looking into the other's eyes. He just couldn't forget that he held back Aurora from helping. He should have let her go and also joined in. Then maybe things would have turned out differently. How will he stand before Reyra? What will he say to her?

"..."

There was the sound of a slight shuffle next to him as Aurora appeared, looking down at him. She didn't do anything for a while, but then she suddenly leaned forward and forcefully pulled him up. Turning him around and looking into his eyes, she abruptly slapped him so hard it made Sion flinch and bite his lips, shedding blood. But it told everything that Aurora thought.

"Don't blame yourself. It isn't your fault."

She didn't have to write it down or sign it in any way. She just hugged him as strongly as she could as they remained up there, silently snuggling up to each other, wanting to find a little solace in the chaos.

The only one who didn't have anybody to hug, nor did she want to, was Rinzen. Since Lia's death, she retreated to her room, sealed it with ice, and just laid in bed, hiding below all the blankets and pillows she could find. She didn't know how to deal with it, how to process all of it. It should have been her as this was her city, people, and responsibility. Yet it was Lia who lost her life. It shouldn't have been her, not when she was clearly stronger and on the road to surpassing even her mother… all of this was wrong and nothing but a cruel joke. Rinzen only hoped that when she climbed out of her fortress of blankets, everything would turn out to be nothing but a nightmare.

…
..Earlier..
……

The battle between Reyra, Arcus, and Killieth was intense and deadly. They fought the Supreme Elder for hours after he ambushed their camp, killing two Three Ri experts and hundreds of soldiers. They tried to hold him back to end his existence, but he proved challenging and more slippery than any opponent they had ever faced.

They were not the only ones fighting as at different points, all the others were trying to catch and kill the rest of the Supreme Elders… without success. Reyra was keeping her cool even under the frustrating fact that it seemed Killieth was about to escape. It was then that it happened.

The explosion of Yuya's body was so great it not only ripped out the inner city at the epicenter, sending it into No-Space but its effect could be felt sweeping through the entirety of Meriath. The sky remained open, only showing signs of gradually closing up. It was causing unrepairable damage to many the moment it appeared. No-Space was a force that no living being could resist. Those still living in the invaded territory of the fallen House of Berison felt a tug on their souls when it opened up.

Mages could resist, but even then, below the 4th Tier, many of them simply fell over, their souls ripped out of their bodies. Worse, they almost immediately rose back up as automatons, attacking the rest. It became utter chaos once again. But it was not all. Many civilians who survived the initial battles now died without a chance to survive. They had no power to fight against it and were consumed in a flash. Their souls were falling into the machinations of the Undead and tunneling toward their hidden realm as if they were being slurped up by an invisible entity through a straw.

Only those were unaffected, who lived at least 3-400 kilometers away from the crux of Yuya's death, and even then, the injured, the weak or the sick were greatly affected. Sometimes even killed… This alone was a massive blow to the forces of Six as on the Soulbound Sect's side, this meant instant replenishment of souls to consume, which could heal their 'injured' and a new stream of bodies to occupy.

With the sudden lapse in both Arcus and Reyra's attention, drawn away by the explosion, Killieth quickly escaped, heading straight towards the tear in the sky, where they would finally establish their own outpost… His plan was to keep the incision on space itself open and create an area that is simply untouchable for most mages. They now could have a place that they could call their main headquarters. The foothold that the Sect Master wanted… and he, Killieth alone, delivered.

"Thank you, little sister…" He thought to himself, standing below the torn fabric of Real Space and using his magic to stabilize it and keep it open while the crater of the old capital city lay below him. "I knew your wild appetite would be useful, exactly how I wanted, ahaha! You served me well; I will miss you… just a little~!"

While he was reveling in his victory, at the other end, Reyra was being propped up by Kawu, keeping her standing as they just received an urgent message from Parthorn… Lia's candle in the family's castle just went out… it was no longer burning; that could only mean one thing… She, along with the city of the Berisons, were gone…

"Somia!" She groaned, holding her chest, instantly pushing to find Lucian.

When the Headmaster heard the news, his legs trembled, and he sat down, raising his bracelet on his shaking hand to the air, but there was no answer. Even after shouting at the thing, Somia didn't answer… not until two days later.

"I was looking for Erias." She explained when she appeared before Lucian and Reyra, ignoring their haggard looks. "He went into hiding, so I couldn't talk with him. If he hides, not even I can contact him, and I will have to wait for him to reappear… With what happened here, the other side got agitated, too. This is dangerous-"

"My daughter! Say something about her!" Reyra interrupted, not interested in the other news at all.

"If she is smart, she listened to my advice. If not, her soul has already been consumed."

"..." Neither Reyra nor Lucian could say anything. The way Somia explained it, there was no chance of questioning her… it was their last hope of good news, but it was squashed like a bug. Reyra simply turned around, not wanting to stay in the same room as Somia at that moment, leaving with hurried steps and disappearing from sight for the following week.

Lucian wanted to do the same, but there was no time for that. Instead, he went to find Lakhmu. There was only one thing for him to do: forcefully ascend to the 9th Tier and fight for the last of his breath and make sure every and all Undead perishes. He would refuse to die until the last of those monsters are burnt away.

…
….
……

It was cold, not like when winter came, but when you realize that you forgot something and there was no time to do anything about it. You had no chance to rectify the problem, and you are were to face it and its consequences any moment now. It was a horrible feeling and was soon joined by another. A firm grip, the sense of your stomach being squeezed, dragged down, fear escalating, terror cruising through your veins, and gripping your mind with sharp, freezing claws. Everything was horrible, and everything was pointless. Resisting was futile, and it was time to… let go. Let go of everything and accept the fate that you failed everybody and, most importantly, yourself.

"Focus."

It was a different voice. It was ethereal, and it spoke in a vigorous and uplifting tone. It was warm, friendly and supportive. It helped loosen the dark feelings with just one word alone.

"You are doing good. Follow my voice… That's it. Focus… focus…! Think about who you are. What you are. Yes… you are doing good, girl! Can you tell me your name? Think about it! Think hard!"

“L… Li… Lia… my… name is Lia…”

"Of course you are! See? It isn't hard to remember it! Come on… think harder! Keep your focus!"

“I am… Lia…”

She repeated it again and again while the invisible grip on her loosened. It was weakening the more she thought about who she was, what she was… from where she came. By the end, with the constant encouragement of the other voice, she finally managed to break free of the cold and the constraints. It felt like coming up for air after almost drowning. The darkness she saw all around her finally gave way to light as she realized that she had eyes to see with. A moment later, all her other senses came back to life, and she could feel her body floating. It was like being carried away by the currents of an endless ocean. No… It was not her body that was floating… but her soul.

“I feel… weightless…” She murmured, her voice weak, and she could barely move herself.

"You are. Kinda. Souls weigh about 21 grams in my experiments, although the fat ones, like the Soulbound Sect bastards, can exceed that. Probably weighing around a fuckton-of-nonsense."

"Am I… dead?"

"Yes. Yes, you are." The voice answered, and Lia could feel a hand slowly touch her back, bringing her up into a 'standing' position so she could look at the owner of the voice. "You almost disappeared in spirit too! You were being siphoned into that old bastard's soup of souls! I got to you the last moment before he ate you… But now we must hide… he sensed me, and that undying fuck is a problem… even for me!"

"Erias…" Lia murmured, knowing that face full well. She just never expected it to be so… vibrant… and full of power.

"Yep! That's me, girlie! I wasn't happy you joined me so quickly; I hoped to call upon you only after you reached the Three Ri stage… but oh well! We can correct that!"

"I… I don't get it…" She blinked her mismatched eyes, looking lost and confused, but Erias simply patted her head.

"For now, rest. Your soul is fragile… you almost perished, so it is natural that your thoughts are in a jumbled mess. But we have time, as time here has little to no meaning. It can be fast, slow, or nonexistent. It's a full fucky-wucky situation if you ask me! So don't worry! I will tell you all in due time, but first, meditate! I will help you get your strength back in a jiffy!"

With a wink, he forced Lia into a lotus position, helping her mind to stay focused and look into herself while drawing in energy from all around them… energy that was purer than anything Lia sensed before… something that was not of this world.

Corty

We are back! I hope you all are fine, healthy, and had a great week! I was... pretty busy, to be honest! After only one day, I jumped back into writing and managed to finish a week's worth of chapters. What does that mean? Let me explain!

There will be five available advanced chapters on my Patreon in the following setup:

• One advanced chapter for the 1$ tier!
• Four more additional chapters for the 5$ tier!

Of course, this is all optional. The schedule is back to normal, with chapters coming through Monday to Friday. I made this announcement on my Discord and profile back on Friday, so if you go and visit my Patreon now, don't be surprised by this chapter being the 1$ reward. This post was scheduled, so I will need a few hours to update Patreon. Also, later on today, I will add chapter 194 when it's done, keeping those of you who sign up ahead of the curve! 

Please don't feel obliged to sign up; only do it if you can afford it or think my work is worthy of monetary support. I know things are hard; I am feeling it, too. My works will remain free as promised; I just thought of providing some extra options~!

Thank you for reading, and please take care of yourselves, friends!

PS: Did you really think I would come back without new images? 

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