Chapter 136 – The Temple of Memories (3)

The first thing I did was expand my senses, assessing the damage to Cartia.

It was…bad. Worse than I’d anticipated.

The outskirts, where the civilians had sheltered, were relatively intact. But the central districts, around the mainland…devastated. Like the eastern ruins.

At least…they hadn’t used the civilians as bait for Valoran.

Though…many had still died.

But Rubia…wouldn’t have to bear that guilt.

We ran, the sound of Rubia’s ragged breathing echoing behind me.

“Noah…maybe…we should…rest…”

“What?! But…we don’t have
time
…” Rubia stopped abruptly, startled, looking around anxiously. “…There’s not a single intact building…”

“Exactly…”

We could just…sit down…on the ground…

“And…I’m covered in…dust… I need to…wash up… I mean, I
could
just…clean myself with magic, but…it’s not the same…”

Wash up? A shower
would
be nice, but…
now
?

What was she even talking about?

“No bed either… Maybe we should go back to the outskirts…”

“Rubia…?”

“Yes?”

“What…are you talking about? Washing up…? A bed…?”

Rubia tilted her head, confused.

“Isn’t that…what you meant…?”

“Meant…
what
?”

Rubia’s face flushed crimson.

“Oh…um…that’s…my fault…”

“
My
fault?!”

“Yes! You…you kissed me…and then suggested we…
rest
… Of course I misunderstood!” She turned away, her hands clenching into fists. “Don’t…look at me like that…”

She was utterly flustered. It was…adorable.

A rare sight, indeed. Today was my lucky day.

“Hmm… Rubia’s a pervert.”

“I am
not
!”

“A total pervert.”

“Well, whose fault is that?!”

Normally, she’d be teasing me right back, but she was too flustered. It was…cute.

I giggled.

“We’ll…continue this…later. All of it.”

“Later…? Really? Are you sure you can handle…
all of it
? Can you take responsibility for those words? Even
I
don’t know what I’ll do…”

“Um…maybe…just a
little
of all of it…”

“Pfft… What’s ‘a little of all of it’?” Rubia hugged me gently, her voice soft, almost shy.

“I like you, Noah.”

Before I could respond, she pulled away, tugging me forward.

“Let’s go. Serr and Hermilla are waiting.”

“…Okay.”

Her voice was subdued. Almost…sad.

***

“Almost there.”

Rubia stumbled over a chunk of rubble, her breath catching in her throat. She looked around, her expression grim.

I scanned the area with my senses, taking a deep breath.

The stench of death was overwhelming.

The air, thick with dust and the metallic tang of blood, burned my lungs.

The ground was a churned mess of gore and debris, littered with shredded flesh.

And beyond…

Grotesque creatures, barely recognizable as human, crawled across the ground, slapping pieces of flesh onto their mangled bodies.

At the top of the hill, the Temple of Memories was surrounded by a massive earthen wall, like a tomb. The air pulsed with the shockwaves of battle.

Serr, her face a mask of grim determination, her body covered in wounds.

Hermilla, fighting one-handed.

A headless, armless torso, dragging itself across the ground.

And a man, at the forefront of the monstrous horde, wielding a massive blade.

“Serr…Hermilla… They’re badly hurt… We have to hurry…”

I squeezed Rubia’s hand.

She squeezed back, divine power flaring, a miniature sun blazing in the sky above us.

…Was she always this powerful?

“They’ll sense our arrival. Let’s go.”

She took a step, and the miniature sun exploded, scattering into motes of light that rained down like snowflakes.

The light touched the grotesque creatures, purifying them, transforming them into more motes of light, forming a shimmering sea.

And then…

Drip.

A single drop fell into the sea of light, creating a ripple that expanded, growing into a massive wave that washed across the wasteland, cleansing the earth, healing the wounded.

…Impossible.

“Noah?”

“Ah…yes…”

Rubia, as if this miracle were commonplace, took my hand, leading me forward across the purified earth.

Soft soil, where moments ago there had been only death and decay. Now, fertile and vibrant.

It had happened…instantly.

[She’s…different. Stronger. Faster.] Kartia’s voice, weak and strained, echoed in my mind. [Are you…ready?]

‘I have to be.’

I nodded, matching Rubia’s stride, then pulling ahead, leading the way.

We crossed the shimmering sea of light, ascending the hill towards the battle.

The stench, though lessened, still lingered. New corpses littered the ground. Torn flesh clung to our boots.

A wounded adventurer crawled away, blood seeping from their mangled armor.

And beyond…

Tens of thousands of monsters, surrounding the earthen wall.

Their eyes rolled, necks snapped, bodies contorted.

And then…they saw us.

Their gazes locked onto us. Rubia and me.

I summoned Frey, shielding Rubia.

My Will flared. Carpeng’s bloodlust enveloped me. Tylant’s chill spread, freezing the air. Valoran’s feathers drifted down from the sky.

Rustle.

A single feather touched the ground, and the horde charged.

I adjusted my grip, bloodlust enhancing my movements.

One step. Icy energy surged into Frey, amplifying my power.

I swung, following the trajectory etched in my mind, unleashing the dark magic of Fallen Heaven.

The strongest attack I could muster.

A third of the horde vanished.

“Haa…ngh…” Exhaustion threatened to overwhelm me, but I raised Frey, ready to face the rest.

Removing the Bracelet of Verdure would make this easier…but it was too dangerous. Two days of constant fighting, without the bracelet’s restraints… My mind was already fragmented, too many Wills vying for control.

And Kartia…was too exhausted to help.

I gritted my teeth, preparing to charge, when—

Crack!

The earth beneath us surged upwards, forming a staircase leading to the top of the hill.

Serr’s voice, strained and urgent, called out to us.

I grabbed Rubia’s hand and ran.

Monsters leaped onto the staircase, using their comrades as stepping stones.

Frey sliced through them. Rubia’s divine power obliterated their cores. Serr’s spirits swarmed them, tearing them apart, collapsing the grotesque mounds of flesh.

But some still reached us.

Completed Masters.

I let go of Rubia’s hand, gripping Frey with both hands.

Spells hurtled towards us, dispelled by Serr’s spirits. Arrows rained down, stopped by Rubia’s barrier. Blades of energy sliced through the air, deflected by Frey.

I didn’t stop running.

And then—

CLANG!

Hermilla, radiating a menacing violet aura, slammed into the completed Masters.

“Noah! You’re safe!” She grinned, despite her missing arm.

“Your arm…” Rubia gasped, her face pale.

“I left it…in another world. Hee hee.”

“What…?”

Hermilla chuckled, ruffling my hair with her remaining hand.

“So glad you’re alright, Noah. You’ve done well.”

“…Thank you.”

“Shall we? So much to discuss, but…no time.”

I nodded, adjusting my grip on Frey.

“After the trial…dinner? All of us? You, Rubia, Serr, and Sirin?”

“And coffee at the smithy,” Rubia added, her voice soft. “I want…Noah’s coffee…”

Their words were light, but their gazes, fixed on the Temple of Memories, were heavy with grim determination.

“Sounds…lovely.”