Abyssal Awakening
Chapter 719 - 719: Ayla

"My my~ I thought you would've gotten more out of it. Instead, don't you think this tale is rather. . . half baked?" Zal-Ka'Rith asked with a raised eyebrow.

In his hands, he held the Tale of 'Lilith' that was meant to be a show of sincerity from Voruth'Zal.

However. . . By the end of the fight, he was far more interested in the three that arrived instead. Rosalyn the Abyss Lord of Scarlet Ruin, Ria and Luke.

"There's only do much I can do with a rushed vessel that fulfils the conditions to become a tale for you." Voruth'Zal frowned but didn't deny the fact that it was a little lacking.

"Sigh~ I even had to take a step back from observing my favourite tale right now. How will you compensate me?" Zal-Ka'Rith smirked but Voruth'Zal shot him a warning gaze.

"We both know you still have your eye on her. You simply can't talk to her since doing so will make her turn on you."

As an Outer God, Zal-Ka'Rith had the most vessels by far. While his vessels may not be the strongest, they are numerous in number.

Collecting tales for him and increasing his power day by day.

The girl next to Alice right now was simply one of many, dispensable.

"That's how it should be to begin with. A reader shouldn't interfere with the story.

"However, I simply had to make sure my eyes have a way to observe this tale. Otherwise, even if I have her follow the girl, it won't take long for her to die." Zal-Ka'Rith laughed. "But I'd rather keep things brief between us. I may have agreed to your offer but we are still enemies in the end."

"I'm very much aware. We'll simply use each other until we deem it fit to aim for one another's throats once more." Voruth'Zal nodded his head.

With Voruth'Zal understanding things, Zal-Ka'Rith smiled and followed behind without a single word.

Alice's tale was going to be a long one, one that he wished to witness till the end. Therefore, certain preparations need to be made.

But if there is one regret. . . Zal-Ka'Rith wished he could talk a little more to Isolde. His departure was a hasty one and there's no doubt that Isolde realised that he was gone.

Knowing what she is like, she definitely isn't pleased about that.

Unfortunately, he couldn't make himself known anymore. At least not yet.

That final awakening Alice did to seal the deal. . . That eye of hers. If he showed up now, she'll definitely sense his presence.

'Stand strong Isolde, I haven't forgotten our agreement.' Zal-Ka'Rith smiled.

###

Isolde sat motionlessly in the room. Her limbswere bound with cuffs of blood that Rosalyn had placed earlier.

Not that she was planning on escaping in the first place.

Her eyes were hollow, her hair dishevelled.

A smile no longer on her face.

Zal-Ka'Rith has left. Did her Lord abandon her? Like all the others before this point?

No matter how she called out, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't sense him at all. Not even the faintest whisper.

He would talk to her often, recounting certain tales that he heard while she listened intently. But now there is only deafening silence.

His powers remain, the contract between them are unbroken. She could feel the Eldritch energy pulsing in her veins but he was not here.

It felt like yesterday that they were still talking about the coming fight, how he'll be away for a short while since he'll be borrowing Kazira's old body.

And yet, he never returned. In fact, he betrayed them since Voruth'Zal was unharmed. But if that was truly the case, why does she still have the contract?

So many questions yet no answers. Just cold empty silence.

She felt truly alone.

Isolde looked down at the floor. . . Perhaps it was because she couldn't make a move, that Zal-Ka'Rith didn't talk to her, that she began to remember the past.

What life was like before she embarked on this path of vengeance.

A life where before these hands were soaked in blood, she would cradle the children that lived in her orphanage.

Stitching clothing, making toys under the moonlight. They didn't have much but under the blessing of the Moon Goddess, they felt content.

Isolde believed in the gentle moonlight cast down from above. A gentle voyage where all souls drift. . .

She was allowed to accept any child that has been abandoned by the world. Regardless of how many side effects they showed on their body, she accepted them all without prejudice. She believed that what she did was right, that the goddess expected this of her.

Like the gentle moonlight that illuminated the night sky, her mercy will extend to everyone.

But that was a mistake.

She remembered that day when one of the priests of the Moon came to the orphanage. Clad in fine white robes trimmed with silver thread, their faces hidden behind pale moon masks.

They requested some children to be taken to the capital with them, to receive the blessings of the moon mother.

She thought it to be an honour. A blessing granted by the moon mother herself? That was the greatest thing to have happened to them.

The children were bitter, they didn't want to leave her. But according to the priests, they could come back here if that's what they wished. Once they had been blessed, they were allowed to come back.

How foolish of her to believe their words.

The thought that the Goddess was cruel never even came across her mind. After all, why would a Goddess stoop to such a level?

Her faith was unwavering.

Days, weeks, months.

Nothing. She believed that the children probably lived better lives with the church. After all, they were chosen to be blessed by the Goddess.

If they were blessed, then that surely meant the church treasured them right?

They would occasionally ask for more and Isolde didn't question them. She complied despite the growing doubts in her chest.

"Momma… I don't want to go." A young girl tugged at her sleeves with tears in her eyes.

Alya, the youngest and the one that loved Isolde the most. A shy girl who didn't want to leave Isolde's side regardless of what happened. A young girl who was abandoned on her doorstep.

Even if she adopted everyone in the church, Alya was perhaps the closest to a daughter to Isolde. One that she raised since she was young, one that wouldn't leave her side. Always helped when she could. . .

Isolde wanted a better life for the girl.

Isolde gave the young girl a hug, she wanted to suggest that maybe she didn't have to go but the priests shook their head.

This was an order from the Moon Goddess, one that they couldn't refuse.

It took a lot of convincing but in the end, Alya agreed to go. But they will keep exchanging letters no matter what. After all, they could only live this life thanks to the Moon Goddess. Rejecting her summons and blessings would be biting the hand that fed.

But Isolde was glad they'd be exchanging letters since she was a little worried about the other children.

At first, the letters came frequently. Talking about how they showed her around the church, how nice things were.

A lot of the time, the contents were rather similar but perhaps it was simply a case of not knowing that many words.

Isolde didn't find it weird. . .

Then the final letter came. Alya said that she needed to focus for a bit, saying thank you for everything. That she loved her.

It was strange. Too strange. Alya wasn't one to say goodbye like this.

Isolde made a choice.

She wanted to see Alya no matter what.

She entrusted the orphanage to a friend and made her way to the church, she asked about the children that were brought here. Her children.

She asked about Alya, her daughter. She asked about the priests that requested the blessings but she got pitying gazes instead.

On the third day, a priest came for Isolde. He told her that he'd bring her to Alya, that she's been looking forward to seeing her.

Hearing this, Isolde felt reassured, nothing bad happened. Why would it?

She was taken down to the depths of the cathedral, a strange place for the blessed to be. The unnerving atmosphere sent chills down her spine.

. . .

Remembering up to this point, tears began to well up in Isolde's eyes. She never wanted to remember what she saw at the bottom of the cathedral ever again. The sight of 'Alya'. . .

Why couldn't she have figured it out? Why couldn't she have see the patterns? The signs?

Alya was a smart girl, she loved puzzles. She often made puzzles with Isolde and the two would solve it one by one.

If she had read her letters carefully, if she had read between the lines. Maybe, maybe she could've stopped it.

[Momma help me. They're doing weird things. I'm scared. Help me momma.]

All the letters that Alya had sent, they were calls for help. Written to make sure the priests didn't know what she was saying.

All of them.

Without exception.

Why?

Why?

Why?! WHY?! WHY??? WHY??????? WHYWHYWHYWHYWHYWHY?!

Why couldn't she have seen it? Why did she sent her precious children to be killed?!

Why did Alya have to die like that?!?!

Her daughter cried out in such pain yet she was deaf to it!

Holding back her tears, Isolde bit her lips. Zal-Ka'Rith hasn't taken back his powers yet. She can still do something.

Alice Agnelia.

A girl who managed to kill an Apostle.

This will be her new path to revenge.