Chapter 369: Sacrifices of The Past

"We meet again young kindred spirit… You have once again come to a crossroad on your path to kinghood… The abyssal egg of chaos is on the precipice of release, whether you pass or fail shall all depend on you… Welcome, to the road of sacrifice..."

Everything was black… Like an endless abyss with no bottom… As soon as that voice arrived, it disappeared… It left him wondering of who it was addressing and what did it mean. But, wondering was limited, a luxury he did not have as he was thrust into a world and experience unknown yet so familiar at the same time...

"..."

"..."

"Huh…" He opened his lazy eyes and blinked several times as droplets of water fell on his forehead.

His memories were hazy along with his vision, he could barely remember anything other than the basis of what he was… No matter how hard he had squeezed his mind, nothing but tiny fragments would reveal themselves.

*Crash* 

That was when lightning struck, and vitality was restored to his senses, and an unknown crying sound engulfed his ears… When he tried to look around, he was unable to do so… When he tried to even move, he was also unable to do so… It was almost as if his body was numb. However, what was odd was that although he thought that was the case, the feeling of the hard, rocky ground stabbing at his fragile back and head were vivid, the pain was all too real.

As such, he simply stayed put, staring blankly at the gray, dark, raining sky and the two blocks shrowding his vision. It was a view he had not seen in a very long time… Such darkness was never a problem but now was something that stuck out like a sore thumb.

The only sounds he could hear was the roaring thunder and rain of the sky and, the crashing footsteps from up ahead.

There was a hideous smell enshrouding everything he did, the feeling of horrid unease followed his unmoving body that was still uncertain of what to do…

He simply peered up at this strange reality and waited patiently for something to happen with an uneasy heart… He had no idea how long he waited, but when his nightmare ended, it was as though two angels had swooped down from heaven to save him… But, that was soon instead replaced with another vision as their shadowy faces drew near... Indeed… Their faces were too attractive and sly to be angels, more like mischievous foxes. 

Thus, the unknown crying exemplified, yet the two figures seemed unhindered as they drew near, reaching their hands out towards him. 

And, without even attempting to move an inch, his body toppled to the side and was about to hit a puddle, almost as though it moved on its own. But, before that could happen, he was snatched away quickly. 

"There, there child…" Their movements were swift and elegant, despite its speed, he suffered no injuries… Before he even knew it, he found himself tightly placed in the hands of one of those shadowy beings, close to her chest. 

Her face was blocking the cold, unforgiving rain from hitting his face, and her warm skin wrapped around his freezing flesh like a tender fireplace, warming his mind, body and soul... As he looked up towards her brilliant visage, the unknown crying stopped, now replaced by an awe and dead silence. 

He bore no concrete memories of what a "woman" would look like, but he could immediately recognize this giant carrying him as one of the most beautiful girls he had ever laid eyes on. Her hair was pitch black, bearing the brilliance of a hypnotizing abyss, the strands that fell down on his flesh smooth as silk. Her eyes shined bright like green emeralds, and her smile was supple, as though telling him that all will be fine without uttering even a single word.

Fear no longer existed in his world, almost as though it was whisked away by a river of bliss, even when lightning and thunder roared, it meant nothing to him. He felt like no place was safer than in this woman's embrace. 

"There, their child…" Her soft, gentle voice entered his ears once more, her hands rubbing his head slowly.

"Horace, what do you think? Should we keep him?" She smiled, looking over towards the man to her side.

He was a man tall as he was proud. He was indeed handsome, just like the feeling he received from the shadows initially approaching him. His thick black beard covered most of his face, and his eyes were a similar shade of emerald to that of the woman holding him. His square-faced face was structured, and his eyes were like that of a lion. Had they not acted in such a way in his presence, he would have thought them to be siblings. 

"Serena, why do you speak in such a way? Keep this within the links of our minds…"

"Oh… Don't worry… I want this child to hear us too…"

"Hmm? Fair, I'll respect your decision dear. But, what use have we raising a human?"

"I-I'm not sure… But, something about this child draws me near… I have a feeling that this one is quite special indeed…"

"Special? Special H-" Horace scoffed before suddenly, he stopped motionless almost as though he had seen a ghost. 

"Th-that…What, what's going on! What is that thing!?"

There, a sudden unknown aura of black engulfed the boy's vision. And once again, without even moving his body, his head began to turn, and a frown was put on his face along with hints of tears as he noticed the woman holding him was in great pain, but despite the pain, her smile did not disappear as she looked down towards him. 

"Serena! Let go of that child! What kind of being is that? No wonder it's abandoned! Kill it! Kill it now! That thing is an unclean abomination!!"

"No Horace! I will not abandon this child! NOT AGAIN! Help me contain him! Now Horace! Pop a bubble around us!"

"Okay!I really hope you know what you're doing!"