Arc 2: The Party Crasher and the Escape - Chapter 17: Speculation and Truth

Lyne and Kaega were set down by Elina in front of the safe zone. After she removed their blindfolds, Kaega and Lyne saw more than 10 children standing at the door, waiting for Elina's return, and she had also brought back a bag of food.

-Alright, we've arrived. Let's go inside.

Elina announced again. Kaega and Lyne went in. The inside was still the same, not much had changed after a day. Kaega and Lyne went into Elina's room, and the owner of the room also actively entered.

-Miss Elina... Could you help me use your spiritual comfort ability on her while I talk...

Kaega whispered to Elina. She was surprised that Kaega would ask her to do that, but she nodded gently.

-Tell me, Kaega, what's this about the Head Measurer being dead? It's clear that the one that night was a fake, so how could he be dead....?

-I need you to calm down first... if you're like this, it's very difficult to explain everything.

-YOU KNOW WHAT HE DID TO ME, DON'T YOU?? MY ONLY WISH IS TO KILL HIM WITH MY OWN HANDS! TO TAKE HIS HEAD AND TRAMPLE ON IT!. HE CAN'T DIE IF I HAVEN'T ALLOWED IT.... YOU TELL ME TO CALM DOWN, BUT HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH??

Lyne seemed to go mad at the news of the Head Measurer's death. Kaega frowned at her but didn't reply. After a period of screaming that made even Elina feel uneasy, Lyne suddenly froze as if she realized something.

-Perhaps he was dead from the very beginning, right? And you didn't say anything to me...? What was that about a promise to help me cut off his head...? You were also trying to use me like a puppet, just like him, weren't you?

-”THAT'S RIGHT, HE'S BEEN USING YOU FROM THE BEGINNING. NOW KILL HIM AND ESCAPE FROM HERE!!”

-”IF YOU CONTINUE TO STAY WITH HIM, IT'S NO DIFFERENT FROM BEING CONTROLLED BY ME....”

-Agh!!!

The voice in Lyne's head rose up again, strong and out of control. This time, Lyne truly clutched her head in pain. Kaega shouted loudly.

-This is not good, Elina, use your spiritual calming spell now!

Elina acted quickly. She used her spell, and a divine golden light enveloped Lyne, helping her to become clear-headed and no longer feel the headache.

-You've calmed down now, haven't you...

Kaega looked at Lyne's face, who was panting after being calmed by the spell. As for Elina, she was still the same, but her face was also very confused, not understanding what was happening.

-Thank you again, Miss Elina. And Lyne, I hope you will now stay calm and listen, to avoid losing control of yourself to the Head Measurer.

Lyne, still panting, suddenly froze. She was afraid she had misheard, so she only dared to whisper softly.

-Alright. You can speak....

Kaega sighed. Remembering the day he entered that coal cave... Unpleasant images flooded back... Although his expression didn't change, his tired voice offered his speculation.

-If I'm not mistaken, the Head Measurer will be resurrected in terms of consciousness... and the one carrying that consciousness is you, Lyne...

Lyne's eyes widened as she looked at Kaega, her shoulders trembling, her mouth stammering...

-I... am carrying the Head Measurer's consciousness?

"YOU LITTLE BRAT, YOU'VE FIGURED IT OUT."

Lyne heard the indirect confirmation from the voice. Her eyes widened in astonishment. And the final sentence made her believe Kaega's words even more...

-I can't think of any other reason why they would want to capture you alive... You're already partially controlled by him....

Elina was also surprised to hear this.

-Resurrection... there are many kinds, even the Holy Nation of Agenel has its own resurrection or summoning techniques for heroes with divine power from the past... but most of them have very strict requirements and are mostly secret arts that are hard to find.

This time, Elina ignored Lyne and directly questioned Kaega.

-On what basis do you claim that Lyne is one of the conditions for the Head Measurer's resurrection?

Kaega took out the book on a resurrection technique he had found in the ruins and then stated his judgment.

-As Miss Elina here has said, there are many ways to resurrect someone... and the foundation for most of them requires the consciousness and memory or the soul of the deceased... and many other complex related conditions.

Elina was surprised to see the book Kaega took out, but before she could say anything, Kaega glanced at Elina as if to say something. Lyne was becoming uncontrollable again, and Kaega was signaling with his eyes, hoping Elina could quickly calm her down.

-”YOU CAN'T ESCAPE FROM ME, LYNE.... YOU CAN'T ESCAPE....”

-A...aGh!

The voice in her head continuously appeared in Lyne's mind. Elina once again had to use a calming spell. Kaega said reluctantly.

-Lyne's every action when she's scared, and the times when her mental state is constantly unstable, all show... Lyne's consciousness is being destroyed by the Head Measurer's consciousness... and this is not just a resurrection plan....

Kaega took a deep breath...

-Perhaps this is not exactly resurrection, but... he wants to kill Lyne's consciousness and let his consciousness take control of her body. In other words, body snatching. And his final move will be on the night of the Blood Feast.....

-Body snatching!?

Elina realized the meaning of Kaega's speculation. Usually, because the conditions for completely resurrecting a person are very difficult and require many conditions, those who want to resurrect someone can only borrow a body and then resurrect them. Although it is also complex, it is not as much as a complete resurrection.

-So in the end, I'm just a vessel for that guy in 3 more days...?

Lyne was devastated because she was about to become the person she hated the most, the one who forced her to kill her own mother.

-”ACCEPT IT... YOU WILL BE ME AND I WILL BE YOU.”

Lyne no longer had a headache, she showed no emotion. But suddenly Kaega laughed.

-Ha..haha...hahahaHa

Lyne looked at Kaega. Elina looked confused and angry.

-Kaega, what are you laughing at?

-HAHA... sorry, I'm just laughing because I know he brought his resurrection material close to someone who once destroyed the resurrection ritual of a god...

Elina suddenly realized the incident three years ago when she was determined to find and prevent the resurrection of the Moon God, and that was also her initial goal for staying here.

-Could it be that three years ago, when the Blood Cult suddenly disappeared, it was because of... and that curse too.... impossible.

Elina stammered, but Kaega didn't pay attention to her. Kaega just approached Lyne, placed the crimson Dorgan dagger in her hand, and said.

-I will destroy his resurrection and help you get his head, so don't worry.

Lyne looked into Kaega's eyes. Those eyes were emotionless, not comforting, but that promise remained. From the promise to help her survive until the Blood Feast to the promise to take the Head Measurer's head, he had never gone back on his word.

-”KAEGA! YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING EITHER.....”

The Head Measurer's voice in Lyne gradually grew quieter and faded away, allowing her spirit to slowly recover.

-Kaega... You're not lying to me, are you.... So what should I do now?

-I don't know either, but always hold this dagger tightly and move forward. I will always think of a way for us to live as long as possible, and you will definitely be a part of it...

Lyne closed her eyes to calm her spirit, then she put the dagger back by her side.

-I don't know which of your words are true and which are false, Kaega... I can only... hope that you can lead us to a miracle...

-Miracles have never come to me; I have to create them with my own hands. And you have to create your own miracle too, Lyne.

Although Lyne was still very confused and lost, Kaega's words somehow made her feel better and know what she should do now.

-And Miss Elina, do you have anything to ask me?

-Did you really sabotage the resurrection of the Moon God...

Kaega closed his eyes and sighed...

-I don't remember clearly anymore... 3 years since I got the curse... my body has been constantly weakening and in pain... many things from the past have also gradually faded because of it.

Kaega opened his eyes, but within them, a fire was burning deep inside his cold exterior.

-But I remember that feeling clearly... the feeling of a presence so great it's indescribable... a pressure that cannot be resisted... a body formed from blood... and with just a gentle point of a finger, a curse is placed on another....

-It really was him... but this curse is still very weak, which means that resurrection ceremony was indeed severely sabotaged.

-Ha... how would I know? At that time, I just wanted to save the person they wanted to sacrifice.

-What was that person like?

Kaega's face saddened, his mouth hesitated...

-I... can't remember anymore.... all that remains in my memory is purple hair and the name Lira...

-So in the end, did you succeed in saving that person...?

-No, I failed... that was the first failure... maybe I should have used another way to save her...

Elina used a spiritual spell on Kaega, and his mood immediately improved.

-Doesn't using spiritual spells continuously consume anything?

-Of course it does, but it was necessary for you...

-You're too good for someone who is being corroded by this city.

Elina returned to her seat and then said.

-So you two are planning to participate in the Blood Feast, right?

-Yes, we will both deal with that Head Measurer. Do you have any plans?

-Oh, you noticed... hmmm, it seems I will lead the children with good hearts left here out of Aquila and to the Holy Nation of Agenel. After all, this place is no longer the Braum of 100 years ago....

-Ha... this place is really a terrible place to live... a place where kindness is slowly dying....

-But sometimes there are still people like you living here.

-I don't think I'm a good person anymore. My hands have betrayed and killed many people.

-Me too...

Kaega and Elina talked for a long time before they said goodbye. When Kaega left the room, he saw the children playing outside. Lyne was practicing nearby.

"It seems there's still a lot of work to be done... I just hope this time it's not another failure...."

In the darkness, no one noticed Kaega's cold, emotionless eyes. His mouth mumbled softly...

-”Head Measurer... you and that bunch of monstrous Gods born from the chaos of Braum will soon be visited by me.... and you will be the first to fall under my blade.”

His eyes were as sharp as a blade in the dark. His body, though not overly imposing, still gave others a sense of strength. In the dark corner, Kaega looked at Lyne, who was absentmindedly practicing in the yard.

"You will be my first knife, Lyne.... I just hope you are sharp enough to draw his blood."

When Lyne looked back into that dark corner, Kaega was already gone.