[BL] Guardians of Fate
Chapter 69 - 18: Curses and Sacrifices [9]

Chapter 69: Chapter 18: Curses and Sacrifices [9]

Some time earlier...

-

Ardyn left the church and hurried to the center of the bridge, his mind racing with possibilities.

His Summoner couldn’t possibly have left the city, so he had to be somewhere nearby. Since it was dangerous to try to leave while the tendrils were still attacking sporadically, it was more likely that the man was seeking safe refuge and waiting for the Calamity to be sealed away.

But as Ardyn ran, something caught his peripheral vision, causing him to stop in his tracks and stare.

His mouth fell open in shock.

What the hell?!

There, before his eyes, not too far away, was the monster itself.

It loomed menacingly, seemingly closer than he remembered, shrouded in an ominous darkness. Its grotesque form seemed more distinct than before, and the malevolent glow of its eyes intensified.

Ardyn stared in morbid fascination as massive tendrils twisted and lashed out from its body, stretching across the skyline. From this distance, it looked like it had come from the depths of hell itself, and it scared the living daylights out of him.

Okay. Calm down for a moment.

He quickly turned his head to where the White Castle stood. It still looked as majestic as ever, and the garden beside it never lost its beauty despite the dreary atmosphere.

He could no longer see the glowbeetles though, which made sense. After all, even the Lingers

flew away at the Calamity’s presence, which he himself had witnessed earlier. Souls themselves that were already dead.

I don’t think he’s at the castle. The gates are locked, after all. Plus, it’s not safe to be inside such a huge structure.

He thought about it for a moment. He was still overly paranoid about the Calamity just standing there, but he couldn’t leave this area just yet. He needed to find his Summoner first. His heart had already made that his top priority.

But what about the garden?

He squashed that thought as quickly as it came.

No, no. Being in the garden would be dangerous. If the castle falls, the rubble will kill him. It’s not safe anywhere near there.

Following his instinct, Ardyn hurried down to the end of the bridge and then to the lower level. He exhaled deeply, his heart pounding from the adrenaline.

Geez! That was scary. Good thing it didn’t notice me.

He looked ahead and swallowed. The stairs were destroyed, but the right side was still intact. He could probably get down there, but the problem was that he didn’t know his Summoner’s whereabouts at all. He didn’t know where that man might have gone or where he might have hidden in the meantime.

Damn it. Can’t I communicate with him telepathically instead?

How does this bond thing even work?

Ardyn scowled as he hurried down the right side of the stairs. He hid in a nearby alley and sat down on the cold ground, relieved to be out of sight and under the shade for the time being. For now, he needed to concentrate.

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

I’ll have to go with my gut feeling for now.

Is he in the area? His brow furrowed in concentration. Maybe I can sense his aura or something? He’s my Summoner, after all.

I can do this. Maybe I just need to tap deeper into this instinct thing. I’m his Guardian, aren’t I?

The thought of it made him cringe slightly.

Ugh... that sounds so cheesy. I don’t think I can ever get used to such a title!

"Ah, forget it!" he said aloud, shaking his head vehemently. "I’ll just wing it!"

Ardyn huffed and started to look around. He couldn’t stay here for long. The Calamity’s roar and the trembling beneath his feet began to unsettle him. Even though he was far away from the battle, its effects could still reach him.

The shaking had intensified now, and he had to get up from the ground quickly. It seemed the tendrils were back.

My god! What the hell is happening over there?!

Evan, you better be safe!

The echo of collapsing buildings rumbled through the empty streets as Ardyn hurried along, ducking into alleys whenever the roots reappeared. The scent of destruction hung heavily in the air, making him feel a bit dizzy.

His pace quickened, each step echoing in the eerie silence. Every now and then, a distant explosion sent shockwaves through the air, making him feel a sense of helplessness in his gut.

He had absolutely no idea what was going on over there, except for his encounter with Blade earlier. Judging by Blade’s reactions, they were doing well, but the battle seemed to drag on. At this rate, they were bound to be exhausted.

The sound of another explosion reached his ears, but this time it sounded closer than expected.

Shit.

Ardyn reached down the stairs and took cover behind a pile of rubble, panting heavily from the shock and fear. This wasn’t good. What if the explosions reached here as well?

He was frustrated. He still had no leads. But it seemed that the monster had retreated for now. He could try to wander around, but that would be dangerous. After all, there was no telling when the next tendril attack would come.

Or... I could try entering these houses.

Should I?

Ardyn bit his lower lip in agitation.

Let’s just do it! He might be inside one of them.

He approached the first house and hesitated for a moment before carefully pushing open the creaking door. This one was also unlocked, which made him think that maybe these people had been in too much of a hurry or had been too distracted to lock their homes before evacuating.

He entered and scanned each room with a mixture of hope and trepidation. He turned on every light, but no one was inside.

The lights will remind me that I’ve checked this one, Ardyn thought as he closed the front door behind him. That way, I won’t get confused.

As he moved on to the next house, his steps became more purposeful. This time, the door was locked, so he assumed that no one was home. He tried to peek through the windows, but he had a nagging feeling in his heart that his Summoner wasn’t there.

How do I know if I’ve already checked here? Ardyn wondered, taking a step back to examine the house in its entirety. Well, some of them look the same, so... I’ll just check in chronological order from each row.

As he ran towards the next intersection, he clutched the silver-blue butterfly wings in his hand so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Come on, he pleaded in his mind. Give me a sign. Give me some kind of sign that you’re nearby.

Anything at all.