What is a sinned soul? It is a sinner who has done the sin of dying. Why is dying a sin? That is because dying is wrong.
But everyone dies at the end. And so, everyone is a sinner.
It doesn't matter how one's life ends. It doesn't matter if the death is because of natural causes. Or if the death is actually a murder. Or a suicide. There is no excuse. All shall become a sinner at the end of their lives. This is the world's law. Or the law of hell.
However, some humans still dare to ask. Is that really the truth? Or is there something more to it?
***
Mor can feel something is wrong with the knight. It is releasing something that is much darker and twisted than the knight.
The crushed body of the knight is laid on the ground. It doesn't look any different from just some scraps of metal. But there is something sinister within that is being released into the world.
The little flesh inside the knight expands and grows to an abominable size. It is unnatural and shouldn't exist in such a state. Mor and every Chosen can feel the repulsiveness towards it.
The flesh ignores the world limitations and touches the sky. The flesh looks rotten and made up of many thousands of sinned souls. It is an abomination that has gain one perfect sentient.
It molds itself into a shape that is questionable as it isn't a shape. It expands it different dimensions that can't be perceive by Chosen.
The sinned soul is now as large as the mountainous soul once was. Or maybe it is even bigger. The count of the number of sinned souls within it is double when compared to mountainous soul.
It is larger and so does its hunger for violence.
The creature grows and attacks each and every sinned soul of the mountainous soul. Chosen attacks the fleshy body but fails to prevent it from taking their prey.
The mountainous soul that once threaten everyone. Now is being devoured by another. But isn't satiated yet.
The [Unholy knight] once was a frozen blessing who wielded another blessing in its hands. [Path given by bishop] is called upon by the sinned soul.
Calus who had it in his grasp couldn't even stop it from escaping. The pull of its desire is far too strong.
Mor remembers that a sinned soul is an amalgamation of Chosen and their blessings. But that doesn't mean it can use these blessing. Afterall, a messes mind of a sinned soul cannot comprehend a blessing.
But it can learn.
Mor shivers and runs towards Calus to protect him from the Master of the knight's attack.
Suddenly, every Chosen experiences a large spear being pierced through their body. The spear came out of nowhere. It had no sound, no weight or no existence before it pierced them.
Every Chosen in the battlefield is pierced down to the ground. They're not dead though. A Chosen can't die just by a single attack. But it has made easier for the Master of the knight to kill these unmoving preys.
Mor has been pierced by two of these unknown spears. He can't understand how does a blessing can change so much in the hands of a sinned soul. But isn't a concern. He needs to makes sure that his soldiers are safe or not.
He had taken the attack for Calus to himself. Calus just watches at Mor had taken a whole attack for himself.
Mor orders.
"Go and search for what happened to my soldiers. Help me."
Calus isn't sure what kind of help he can provide. But he has instructed something to do. Then he has to do and so he leaves.
More breaks the spears one after another. He watches the gigantic Sinned soul that has taken place of the mountainous soul. He can guess that if the Knight had left on its own devices. Then the Master of the knight might have escaped later rather than sooner.
This is actually a good scenario though. If Mor hadn't break it open and it had open somewhere near human civilization then the death toll would be unimaginable.
Even if says that. He can understand that this situation is bleak. The threat is much too strong. Even if there are so many wild Chosen are here. They can't kill it anytime soon.
He isn't sure what happened to Midori. He would like to talk to her and discuss the plan. But as the things are going. He just has to fight the Master of the knight until his last breath.
***
Skin killed every sinned soul of the puppets. Even the sinned soul that came out of Midori's corpse. Her sinned soul was quite annoying as it could go invisible for short amounts of times. But it looked like it couldn't control that part of itself.
It was still quite interesting and a fun fight for Skin. She enjoyed having slaughtering them once again.
This is the fun part of killing Chosen. You get to kill them once again after they die. It is like get to enjoy killing one thing twice. She just loves such a beautiful existence.
For now, she is even more excited to meet Man-man.
Skin loves him and it is quite obvious. But after that incident after the dark crown. Her love for him has become even stronger. So much so that she has relinquish her blessing from her other lovers.
She has released her blessing from those who she had left in her secret treasure cave. The Limbless Chosen will soon die without her blessing and be forgotten. Such a sad end.
There was once a time in her life that she would cry rivers if even one of them died. She loved them all. But perhaps, nobody loved her back for what she done to them.
Skin might be a heartless monster. But to her, it doesn't really matter as long as her love is with her. Man-man is the only love she needs. She will die or kill anything for him.
Her obsession for him isn't health. But she never was a sane Chosen. One talk of heart to heart won't fix her.
Skin returned to the outside of the king's chamber but didn't find Man-man anywhere. He did promise to meet after he has found something. She believed him without a question.
It was a promise too.
Skin still trusts him that he would return. Her heart tells her that he wouldn't betray her ever. So, she waits for him to return. While she is waiting, she passes time by cleaning herself up.
Her body is covered in blood. Not her own blood, her own wounds have already healed. Her self-love is far too strong. The blessing works far too well for her own body.
Or maybe Skin is forcing her love on herself too. She wants to love herself as fast as she can. She doesn't have time for self-discovery. She rather skip that part entirely and get to the good stuff.
But now that she looks at her skin. She really does look different. Her burnt marks are gone and every other injury that she ever had is gone as well. Is this what love means? Caring about the person you love?
She never bothered to think but what even is love? She wants it. However, she doesn't know what is it. She always thought it is just sex and unending attention. She doesn't understand much.
She also doesn't know about her own blessing. Its healing is quite strong and a blessing that can be shared with other Chosen is also rare. She might have a treasure in herself and she doesn't even know.
"Doesn't matter. I want Man-man."
Skin waits for a while but nothing happens. Man-man is nowhere to be found and she is starting to get bored. She has no idea how much long will that man take to find that frozen blessing of his.
Speaking of frozen blessing, Skin didn't leave Midori's frozen blessing. That odd looking mace. It made puppets so maybe she can use it to make puppets of her too.
"Sounds like a pain. But I will keep it as a souvenir…for my victory."
Skin never ever collected any souvenir for winner against a fun enemy. But she can start from today. Having a frozen blessing is quite rare and Man-man would surely appreciate it if she shows him.
This makes quite happy. Very much happy.
Since she came to blood valley. There have been many ups and downs. But right now, she is quite satisfied. This never happens with her. It is a foreign feeling but a welcoming one.
But then, she feels a presence of a sinned soul outside. It is quite big and strong. Its presence is sinister and familiar. If she has to compare it to then she would say the knight.
This presence does make her want to leave and fight it. She also almost left to fight it too. She started salivating from her mouth. But that excitement to kill it vanishes when her heart felt cold.
"Man-man? What? No. NO…"
She feels her heart pain. A connection to her love being hurt and damaged. She can feel him dying. But she doesn't how or where is still feeling coming from. She never felt it before.
She always had a connection to whoever she loved. But not like this. This connection is stronger.
But that isn't important, she can think about her blessing's capabilities later. Currently, she needs to save him. Wherever he is.
That is the question though. Where is he? She has no idea. Even if she knew. It would take her too long to reach him.
Skin can feel the pain of her getting closer and closer to death. Why? This shouldn't be happening. She curses herself for prioritizing Midori over Man-man.
She doesn't want to lose him. He is only one who she can cling to. He is the only one who can keep her alive. But should she do to save him?
Then it happens. The dark crown is mocking her.
The moment she has touched that frozen blessing. She has been feeling something so strange. Something unknown that has made a home in her body. But it is so small and insignificant. It doesn't have a voice or a body.
But it does have a way to show that it is watching.
Skin isn't sure what this frozen blessing is or what it can do. But if she can use it and gains its strength. Then she might be able to save him.
Why does she think that?
It is because its strength. The power of dark crown is far too much. It can modify or corrupt her blessing.
That is enough reason for her to gamble it all. She doesn't care as along as Man-man is safe.
As she enters the king's chamber again. She is alone with the crown again. It is watching her and calling for her. What it is. It wants to be awoken.
Skin picks up the crown and feels a rush of her past memories come back in her head so clearer. She can feel every terrible emotion that she felt while killing her parent.
She grinds her teeth and push through it. As she does, her body feel the pain and change again. But that is just by holding it. She has to wear it on her head.
Why does she know that? The crown told her. It is speaking and so she puts the crown on her head.
The dark crown is on her head. The king's frozen blessing is being worn by someone else. Skin braces herself for the pain and the pain of change enters her body.
The crown is setting its roots in her.