Chapter 132 Interjection (2)

A thick, heavy snort broke the silence.

"You may think you hold some power in this world, but it is only through the support of those around you. And even they can be easily killed by a newly ascended ascendant who is still struggling to control their magical abilities" The assassin pointed out "Yet, instead of protecting them, you would rather stand idly by and watch as they are killed before your eyes, all for the sake of some nebulous goal, blindly waiting for a better tomorrow despite having no understanding of how the power structure and its dynamics truly operate".

Segal retorted "I kn….".

"Segal" The assassin interrupted "Don't you understand?… You are a man who doesn't want to die yet because he foolishly believes that he has something worth living for".

Segal's mouth clamped shut. The words echoed in his mind as he froze in place.

"In a kingdom filled with citizens and kings from various fallen kingdoms, trapped within its walls due to the dreaded phenomenon that turns anything it touches to ice... Tell me, who is more pathetic?... Is it the man who has resigned himself to his fate and given up, believing there is nothing more he can do? Or is it the man with little power, who clings to hope for a better tomorrow, convinced that only he can achieve the impossible and that, once he arrives, everything will fall into place?" The assassin posed the question.

Regardless, Segal remained silent.

"Segal?" The assassin shook his head.

"Your King might be a pathetic and miserable old man, but you are even more foolish and pathetic... Hahh!!! I guess it runs in your kingdom, The assassin scoffed.

Segal continued to stare blankly.

That should be the last of it" The assassin said, ignoring Segal as he examined the cart. "Now the only thing left I need to do is-"

"Something... is wrong" The assassin's voice turned cold.

Segal snapped out of his trance. Even as a normal mortal, he could sense the sudden influx of immense magical energy infiltrating their territory.

Without hesitation, he jumped up to his feet, and ran forward, screaming "EVERYONE TAKE COVER AND HIDE!!".

Bad. Bad. Bad. This is bad!! This is bad!!

He had no idea how or when, but a strong ascendant was nearby. An ascendant with such 'power' had discovered their hideout.

However, his efforts were in vain as the people he shouted at remained frozen in silence. No one spoke. No one moved. And then...

A bright light shone brilliantly into the warehouse.

"BOOOMM!"

Everyone felt the heat!

Segal watched in horror as a raging ball of fire, a bright and deadly sun, collided with the warehouse-sealed gates. But, it didn't stop there. It seared into the room, set everything ablaze and licked at everything with vicious glee. The large mass of overbearing flame was unstoppable.

"EVERYONE!!" Segal screamed.

Despite the intense heat and raging flames, Segal knew he had to try and reach his people. They were the ones that bore the full brunt of the inferno, so he couldn't just sit back and do nothing. Yet, he was unable to reach them, the flames were too fierce and unyielding. He was forced to retreat, left to stand and watch as the inferno consumed everything.

Soon, the air was filled with the panicked screams of both men and women, and the stench of burnt flesh assailed Segal's nostrils.

"THIS!!" Segal watched in disbelief. He tried to vocalize his shock, but, failed woefully.

In the blink of an eye, everyone and everything within the warehouse was reduced to cinders.

"Gah!" His sobs hung in his throat as his clothes, hair and body were seared away from the heat.

Slowly, the flames dissipated. The chaos and destruction left in its wake were immense, but, from within it, -'He' emerged.

Segal remembered "him". He strolled in with the same swagger and attitude as before, but this time with flames surrounding him instead of his body being set ablaze.

As he halted his steps, the veil of apathy that surrounded him tore and he surveyed the burning warehouse in shock and awe. Was he surprised by the devastation he had wrought? Or was he basking in the glory of the destruction he had brought?

Segal watched all this with a pale expression. He couldn't tell!

The man's gaze was drawn towards him, and 'his' eyes, locked with his…. And then…..

"SWOOOSHH!!" The wind churned and a figure emerged from the shadows.

"BANNGG!!!!"

"Haa!!" Segal gasped incoherently in confusion.

The assassin emerged from the shadows and intentionally launched a surprise attack, but was kicked back and sent flying across the warehouse and crashed into a pile of charred wood.

Two!!

There were two of them! Both stood with a shred of surprise and shock shared across their faces.

"I can't say that I wasn't expecting an ascendant to be with them, considering the information you gave me" The newly arrived, identically strange 'man' said in amusement.

".…." The other man didn't respond.

"You promised not to harm them! Now, they are all dead!!"

"I didn't know that I could cause this big of damage considering that I only wanted to blow off the door" He sighed, heavily. "Now, this is more awkward than I had imagined".

Only after a few conversations did Segal suddenly utter a word.

"Yo-u!" He uttered. His words came out more primitive than he intended. The conversation stopped and they both turned and gazed at him.

A chill ran down his spine.

He staggered backwards 'He' approached. Which one was which, he couldn't tell any longer.

"Segal" 'He' called out his name.

"Y-Y-ess" Segal stuttered involuntarily, still in a daze, as 'He' - the figure in front of him transformed and became someone familiar. Someone he remembered. Someone that fed him when he and his group struggled to find food and someone that he tried to kill just to save his skin.

"Nina" He spoke, loudly. "Y-You". He stuttered, struggling to form the words. "You killed them…. You killed all of them".

His face morphed into anger and tears leaked down from his eyes, "YOU KILLED ALL OF THEM" He roared, unable to contain his emotions any longer.

…....…

Nina flinched. Her reaction was justifiable, after all, this wasn't how it was meant to be. She turned her head to the side to gaze at the burnt corpses and scanned each one of them.

She recognized their faces. Every one of them has been fed and properly taken care of by her when they had nothing and were treated as nothing more but invaders.

Wait!!

Her eyes scanned the corpses one more time. A sudden glow found its way into her eyes as she turned her attention back to Segal.

"That goodness" She sighed in relief. "Where is Stella?" She asked.

Although she was sorry about their death, as long as Stella and her kids were alive, then they didn't matter. They had tried to kill her after all, so, the grudge in her heart, subsided when she saw their burnt corpses.

She didn't feel as though she was being hypocritical, because, they still died even with her efforts to save some of them.

Segal's eyes widened at Nina's question. They darted around wildly before he finally looked back at Nina.

"You... You killed her too" He accused.

Nina frowned. She noticed the hesitation in his voice. "Where is Stella?" She asked again, her doubt clear in her voice. She was certain that Segal was lying to her.

"YOU KILLED HER, DAMN IT!" Segal shouted, unable to hold in his emotions any longer. "THE ASSASSIN KILLED HER BECAUSE SHE HAD EXPOSED OUR SECRET TO YOU! SHE HAD TO DIE ALL BECAUSE OF THE CONTRACT YOU MADE WITH HER!".

Nina's face went blank. Her expression turned dull. "S-she died" Her words became unsteady.

"Yes! She died all because of you" Segal growled. "The assassin knew that you were still alive and would come back to ask for more information from her. So, he killed her!"

Nina balled her hands into a fist. Her previous dull expression turned into one of pure hate and anger "And you watched all this while it happened?".

Segal was stumped for words. He hadn't expected such a question. "I... I" He stuttered.

"You what?…." Nina's eyes burned with rage as she glared at Segal. "You stood there and watched as she was killed?"

Segal gulped. "She had to die. It was your fault for not minding your own business," He responded. His eyes darted frantically around the room, trying to avoid making eye contact with Nina.

Heat! The air above him was scalding.

Segal snapped his head upwards and looked at Nina. Her face contorted with rage and her palm was engulfed in flames that seemed to grow by the second.

"You know, I considered killing all of you as revenge" Nina laughed bitterly. "But Stella was the only reason I even considered sparing your lives. I know her, and she would have done everything in her power to protect you all if she could".

Nina didn't know when tears escaped her eyes.