59 Ashen Heart II

"Come in." Rebecca's familiar voice welcome Daniel. He clutched his chest, feeling his heart heavy. He gave the door in front of him a weary look, before he gave a long sigh and managed to put a smile on his face.

He raised his left hand, holding the doorknob tightly. Daniel felt he was holding a block of ice as he gripped it tightly and slowly opened the door. Through the crack that was slowly opening in front of him, golden rays of sunlight shone, giving his pale face a somewhat healthier glow and gently caressing his cheeks with their warmth.

He had to squint his eyes for a moment to deal with the brightness of the room. As always, Rebecca sat by the open window next to her bed. The morning light shone on her blonde hair, giving it a golden luster. Her green eyes were full of energy as she gave Daniel a smile as bright as the sun rising outside.

"It's been a while, Daniel." She said in a warm voice. Looking at her eyes, Daniel knew she was genuinely happy. This made him feel even worse.

"It is good to see you again." Daniel said with a forced smile, but he couldn't hide the pain in his eyes as he looked at her.

Seeing him, Rebecca's expression changed slightly. Her eyes showed worry as she gazed at him, and she gestured for him to come closer. Daniel was taken aback, but when he saw the worry in her eyes, he slowly approached her bed.

"Come here." Rebecca said as she pulled him into a hug, making Daniel freeze in surprise. His eyes widened and his mouth opened as he tried to say something, but no sound came from it.

"Thank you for what you did." Rebecca said tenderly, hugging Daniel even tighter.

"No need to thank me." He managed to say after he recollected himself. "There was no way I would let him get hurt."

As Daniel spoke, Rebecca gazed at his right arm. A black gauze covered it from the shoulder to the tip of the fingers, and Daniel wore long-sleeved clothes to hide the deformities in his arm. He hesitated as Rebecca asked him to show his arm, but seeing her unwavering gaze he could only acquiesce.

He rolled his sleeve and slowly unraveled the gauze protecting his fingers, eventually revealing all the skin he had up to his upper arm. Rebecca's green eyes seemed to dim greatly as she looked at the scarred and deformed skin, as well as the missing chunks of flesh that made his arm uneven.

"Oh, Daniel…" She lamented with trembling voice. Daniel silently covered his arm again, acting as if it was all normal.

"It is not so bad." He said, trying to cheer Rebecca. "Fifth Elder helped me deal with it."

As he spoke, he focused his divine sense, controlling the Qi in the broken meridians of his right arm to move it and move his fingers, making sure Rebecca saw it all.

"Natasha always had some very novel ideas." Rebecca said, trying to smile. However, as she looked at Daniel's right arm her smile faded away, and her expression showed nothing but sadness.

"I owe you too much." She said a she lowered her head, making her blonde hair seem to be set ablaze under the sun.

"I am sorry." She said in a heavy voice. "Going to the Scavenging was my idea."

"Forget it, auntie." Daniel shook his head and his brows furrowed. "We decided on it together. Moreover, I lowered my guard, so the fault is on me. If you talk like that again I'll be mad."

He rebuked her and wanted to put an end on the topic. He had to speak about matter of greater importance. His expression turned solemn as he gazed at Rebecca, and she saw the unwillingness in his eyes.

"The Hellblaze Secret World will open again in six months." Daniel said with a stern gaze, his brows furrowing even further. "I was selected to go… as well as Amon."

Daniel did not know a better way to say it. He knew this was a sensitive matter for Rebecca. As he expected, her face turned cold, and her aura seemed to change. A deep frown showed in her face as she pondered.

"Why?" She asked after a long while, looking at Daniel with a serious gaze.

"I don't know." He shook his head. "All I know is that something big is about to happen."

His brother had warned Daniel to be very careful. Daniel asked why, but it seemed that even Jake did not know the real reason behind the danger or the opening of the Secret World. No matter how Daniel looked at it, it was strange.

He knew from Rebecca that the Hellblaze Secret World would be sealed because of Lloyd, but he was not sure about the specifics. The Hellblaze Trials were an event organized with the cooperation of the Five Sacred Sects. For the Abyss Sect alone to simply decide to open it and just notify the other sects was suspicious. This situation was abnormal for sure.

Even stranger than that were the choice of members of the Body Tempering realm. More precisely, Amon. He was still not in the late stages of Body Tempering and, considering his identity, he would usually be the last person to be chosen for such an event.

It was almost as if the Abyss Sect wanted trouble. Such a train of thought made Daniel worried. He spoke with Rebecca because she knew more about the situation than he did. If she reached a similar conclusion, Daniel did not know what he would do.

Rebecca had her green eyes closed as she pondered for a long time. When she looked at Daniel again, there was nothing but a chilling coldness in them.

"They most likely want to force my husband to act." She said in an indifferent voice. "The fact that Amon will be involved is to verify if we are spies or if Lloyd still has any attachment to us."

"We will be traitors or hostages by the end of this, depending on what happens." Rebecca spoke as if the matter had nothing to do with her, as if what she analyzing was not her own situation. "Because something will happen for sure, and Lloyd will be responsible. As such, we will not be left alone."

Rebecca Skoller might have been abandoned and might have been betrayed, but she knew what she needed to know about Lloyd Kressler. When he wanted something, he would take it. When he stole the Hellblaze Gateway, it was obvious that something he needed was in the Hellblaze Secret World, and that he would not be able to take it through conventional means, nor relying on his own strength to simply rob it.

There was a catch, and the only way to get past it was using the Hellblaze Gateway. Not only that, what Lloyd wanted was important enough for him to throw away his position in the Abyss Sect and his family.

If he wanted something so much, he would certainly take it as soon as possible. He had five years of preparations to do for this moment, while Borgin changed his mind just now. Rebecca was sure Lloyd would come out on top. She gave a wry smile as she thought of this.

"Maybe we should leave." Her voice was low, almost as whisper, as if she didn't really wish to utter the words that were coming out of her mouth.

Yes, maybe it was time to leave. Staying in the Abyss Sect would only put them in risk. Rebecca did not have the power to protect her and her son anymore. Adding to that, given their history, neither Daniel nor Amon would ever have a standing firm enough in the sect to guarantee their own safety.

Daniel's face fell as he heard her words. He knew what she meant, and he knew why she was thinking like this. Nevertheless, it was not a simple matter to discuss. The real problem, however, was different.

"It is too late." Daniel had a wry smile on his face as he shook his head.

Rebecca did not deny him. She knew it was most likely true. If this event was indeed a bait to attract Lloyd, them there was no way the sect would lose the chance to have Amon involved. Lawrence Meyer and Lars Borgin had probably already put them under surveillance, to make sure they would not get away and ruin their plans.

Rebecca sighed. She closed her eyes as a tired expression showed in her face. Daniel felt that Rebecca had suddenly aged decades as she gave that sigh. He could feel her situation weighing on her, and the burden that it truly was.

"I'll do my best to protect Amon, and my brother will help." Daniel tried to cheer Rebecca. "He will also do his best after the Hellblaze Trials are over."

"Thank you." Rebecca said in a warm voice. Still, the weariness in it did not go unnoticed by Daniel. He clenched his fist tightly, as his nails dug deeply in the palms of his hands.

"I'm sorry." Was all he could say in a regretful voice.