Some time later…
The secret tunnels beneath the Azurefell Family were cold and damp, their crude stone floors slick with moisture that leaked through the ground and dripped from the endless rain above. Dim lights burned weakly along the walls, casting long shadows that twisted across the passage like ghastly, grasping hands in the endless darkness.
Lilly was dragged through one of these corridors.
Her wrists were bound, and the heavy collar around her neck faintly rippled with spiritual energy, making every step feel far heavier than the last.
"Let go of me!" she cried, struggling violently as two guards pulled her forward.
They didn't slow down at all, and they showed no remorse for this traitor.
As she was yanked forward again and again, her feet slipped against the wet stone.
Suddenly—
She lost her balance, and Lilly crashed hard into the ground! Mud splashed across her clothes as her body slid along the floor, causing her to scrape her arms and knees against the sharp stones that had been submerged in the mud. Pain shot through her limbs, but the guards barely reacted, choosing to violently pull her up.
"Get up!" One snapped!
He jerked the chain connected to the collar forward, forcing her back to her feet!
Feeling his malice, Lilly tried to resist.
"I said, let me go!" She twisted violently, trying to pull free, but the collar around her neck painfully tightened the moment she forced spiritual energy through her body.
The special runes flashed as her strength vanished instantly.
"…Ngh!" A sharp pain stabbed through her chest!
Before she could even recover, the guards hauled her upright and continued dragging her down the corridor like nothing had happened.
Lilly couldn't understand where their hatred for her had come from! She had no idea that the Bloodline Curse each member of the Azurefell family was suffering from was pinned on her!
No one spoke to her because no one cared for her life or death…
-
Time passed, and eventually, the passage returned to the surface.
They had entered the depths of the family territory, a bit away from the main residence.
Looking forward, they saw a large, desolate stone building not far away, half-submerged in a large hill.
When she saw it, Lilly froze in fear!
It was an instinctual fear, something that she had developed from a long period of exposure.
"…N-no!" She knew this place!
It was a 'training' hall, or at least, that was what the family called it.
In truth, it resembled something far closer to a small, sealed temple. The interior chamber that was visible through the large front door was wide and circular, its stone walls carved with ancient runes that glowed faintly beneath countless layers of dust and vines.
In the center of the room stood a large platform surrounded by metal restraints.
Luna knew that this was where personal disciples were 'trained' to 'serve' the Guardian...
The training temple stood apart from the main structures of the Azurefell Family, built on a slightly raised platform and surrounded by tall trees and weather-worn walls.
The structure was simple and compact, constructed from massive blocks of grey stone that had darkened with age. Moss and faint cracks ran between the seams of the stonework, giving the building an ancient, almost forgotten appearance. Everything was covered in mud and vines, combined with the rain, the whole structure looked ancient and eerie.
The doorway remained permanently open…
The roof rose in layered tiers of strange stones, forming a short temple-like spire that had been crowned with a small, gilded ornament that didn't seem to originate from the current era. From the outside, the building looked quiet and still, almost peaceful in a hollow sort of way, but the moment someone crossed the threshold, the structure revealed its true purpose.
Hidden arrays embedded throughout the walls would immediately activate, and the entrance would be sealed shut with a heavy stone barrier, locking the occupant inside.
Runes carved into the inner walls would awaken, forming a suppressive formation that prevented escape by force, teleportation, or even outside interference! The interior chamber was largely empty, its smooth stone floor marked with faint rings where training formations had been activated countless times in the past.
In short!—
Despite its appearance as a sacred shrine, once someone entered, the building became a closed world!
It was cold, lonely, and hopeless…
Once you entered, you were completely at the whims of another!
Lilly had been here once before, but back then—
It hadn't felt like this!
She didn't know if it was rose-colored glasses, but something immediately felt off, more lifeless, like the temple had lost its vibrant vitality. Tonight, the room felt colder, darker, and the clan members standing around the chamber all looked at her with hollow expressions, scaring her into a trembling silence.
Their expressions were not filled with anger, not hatred, no, they were just… empty. It felt as if they were observing a tool, or a sacrifice, a necessary loss in their eyes…
One of the elders stepped forward, but Lilly didn't recognise him. She was handed off to him, and he promptly dragged her into the room.
No matter how hard she struggled, Lilly could not resist!
Once inside —
"You will undergo a special treatment." He said in a cold tone that caused her to tense up.
Lilly turned, already half sitting in the room.
She clasped one arm with the other, but she could not stop herself from shaking.
Hearing the hidden meaning in the elders' words, Lilly's stomach dropped.
"W-what…?"
What did he mean?
What were they going to do to her?
Another man approached from behind, carrying a small wooden box.
Inside were several black pills.
The elder calmly explained. "The clan has decided your fate. Your physique will be quickly matured, then you must complete a simple task as a punishment. As for your sister, that has yet to be decided, but don't even think about refusing."
"The Guardian cannot wait, so after you undergo a full awakening, we will extract a part of your power and use it on the Guardian. After this, the Lunar Echo Physique will fall into a dormant state, so you won't be able to feel it for some time. In a month or two, it will return to normal. During this time, you will be entrusted with a task, and after you complete that task, you will be free to go."
Hearing these words, Lilly's eyes widened.
She didn't know why, but she felt as if everything he said was nonsense!
"…No!"
Regardless of her protest, the guards forced her down onto the platform!
Her arms were restrained as her legs were locked in place.
"W-wait—please!"
She struggled wildly.
But the collar flared with light, suppressing every ounce of strength she had left.
The elder picked up one of the pills.
"Open her mouth."
Lilly thrashed violently.
"No! Stop! Please stop!"
A hand clamped down over her jaw, and her mouth was forced open, and the pill was shoved inside.
"Swallow!"
The moment it slid down her throat—
BOOM! Pain uncontrollably exploded throughout her body!
"AAAAAH—!" She felt as if she had been hit by a truck!
Her back arched violently as her muscles spasmed uncontrollably! An unorthodox energy surged through her veins like burning fire, forcing her physique to evolve at an unnatural speed! Her mind went blank as her body began to undergo a series of unpredictable changes!
She thrashed around on the ground, unable to even stand up.
Her bones cracked!
Her nerves screeched!
Her entire body convulsed!
The clan members silently watched.
No one moved to help her, no one even looked disturbed in the slightest.
Their gaze was so cold that it could almost counteract the pain.
To them, this was simply a necessary treatment in their eyes…
Lilly's childish screams echoed through the stone chamber as the transformation tore through her body, and this would continue for many hours!
Eventually, after all seven pills were forced down her throat, the clan members left the hall one by one.
She was left alone, screaming.
Rumble! The door was slowly sealed, leaving Lilly to suffer alone…
* * *
Deep within the prison, returning to Luna's side—
Silence lingered in the darkness…
Luna remained seated against the cold stone wall, unmoved since Lilly had been taken away. The chains around her ankles rested across the floor, their faint weight no longer noticeable to her. She did not struggle, nor did she speak. Her expression remained as still as water. Across the room, the old man, who had silently returned, stood quietly for several seconds, leaning slightly on his cane as he studied her with a strange expression. His weathered eyes carried a complicated mixture of regret and curiosity.
"…Do you truly intend to remain silent, hm?"
Luna gave no response to his question, not even the slightest movement.
The Ancestor sighed softly.
"I suppose that's fair, after all, you must be worried." His gaze lingered on the collar, then drifted towards the corridor. "You are far more stubborn than your sister, but I thought I would ask you again."
There was still nothing, causing him to faintly chuckle to himself with a hollow laugh.
"Very well." The old man slowly turned towards the exit.
"If you have already made your decision, then there is nothing left for me to say. After all, the family has its own karma, karma that even I'm unwilling to confront…"
Tap, tap, tap…
His feet softly echoed as he left the prison cell, but as his foot fell down—
Tap!
Ancestor: "!"
Buz! A sudden ripple ran through the air!
It was indistinct and difficult to detect, but his strength was not normal. He paused, his small back straightening slightly, as his eyes turned to the side, peering into the unseen world.
For a moment, just a moment, he felt a faint chill…
His brows furrowed.
"That was…"
After a moment of nothing, he decided to leave quickly.
Before leaving, he turned one last time, looking back towards Luna, then disappeared with a single step.
Luna, finally alone, slowly raised her head.
This time, she was sure that the old man was gone.
She smiled; a smile so cold that it didn't reach her eyes. Unlike the old man, she was very familiar with that chill. But to her, right now, right here, it was the most comforting thing in the world.
* * *
- The Poison Sea Sage
This was a title that Petra had given to herself!
It was a very arrogant title, one that even Petra had not fully understood, even at the end. It was unknown whether it was intentional or coincidental, but this name carried far more weight than originally intended.
What did it mean to be a 'Sage?'
A sage was an individual who possessed profound wisdom, sound judgment, and a bottomless pit of knowledge on any given topic! Although Petra had never taken on the role of a mentor, it could also be said that the old her had pioneered a whole 'new foundation' for the field of Poison and the many Biological Sciences for not just her people, but also the entire Earth!
She was fueled by revenge, desperation, and despair, but at some point, these things had unknowingly faded away in the later years of her life. She was tired, losing a lot of the drive that led up to her end. She was never aware of it herself, but Petra, or the Poison Sea Sage, had taken a step into the profound, and created the future 'key' humanity needed to surpass their shackles as a race…
Unfortunately, this genius was on the wrong side of the world.
In the end, she died not knowing what she had achieved, and the title of 'Poison Sea Sage 'would forever remain as a hollow sneer in her mind…
It was truly a [tragedy]…
-
A nameless man stood alone, overlooking the territory of the Azurefell Family. The rain had finally slowed, but the night outside was unnaturally still…
Something landed softly on the windowsill.
The man blinked, confused.
He looked closer, only to find—
A butterfly?
"Where did you come from, little guy?"
Its wings were a deep black, not a dark brown or blue, no, it was a very, very unnatural black! Looking closer, its wings were unlike the common heart-shaped style. Instead, they almost appeared to be a sharp 'X' formed from four flower petals. It had a small body and a concealed head. It was a minimalistic creature, but it held a shocking presence, like a firefly fluttering over the sun, only instead of a radiant light, it was a boundless darkness that stood out in the night.
For a moment, he simply stared at it, not caring, but, as he looked, his eyes narrowed…
The stone beneath the butterfly's feet began to crumble, turning to dust.
His mind turned.
"…What, is this?"
He walked closer, confirming that the windowsill was indeed dissolving.
"…Poison?" He squinted at the faint grey powder that fell from the butterflies' wings.
Before he could look any closer, the butterfly lifted into the air, taking off into the rain-filled sky.
Not wanting to touch it with his hands, the man watched it fly away. He stepped forward and looked out into the garden, wanting to see where it went, but—
In that instant, he froze, and every cell in his body instantly became alert!
* * *