Chapter 687: Darker Sky

Clyde finished the first stage of the ritual. The five types of flesh lay scattered across the ground, each carefully sliced into smaller pieces, arranged at separate points.

Their positions formed the outline of a shape that resembled a pentagram if connected by lines, but the lines were unnecessary.

He rose to his feet and turned toward Mina.

She was still standing a short distance away, her twin daggers already drawn and held firmly in her hands. Her eyes swept across the surroundings, searching for any sign of danger.

Even though nothing had appeared to threaten them, she was rigid, ready to move at the slightest disturbance.

Clyde couldn’t help smiling at the sight. Mina looked like she expected a battle to erupt at any moment. Her grip tight around her daggers, barely seemed to relax.

It was almost as if she were eager to prove that she could protect him from whatever came their way. The thought touched him.

But he couldn’t help thinking that she was putting too much pressure on herself. She seemed to expect the worst from every situation.

Seff’s voice sounded within his mind. Good. Now we can proceed to the next stage.

What do I need to do? Clyde asked.

Draw the symbols at the center of the arrangement using your own blood. They do not need to be large, but every mark must be precise. Do not allow the blood to spread beyond the designated area.

Clyde glanced at the space between the five points of flesh. He retrieved a small knife and made a shallow cut across his palm.

Blood welled from the wound. He crouched over the ground and began drawing according to Seff’s instructions.

The first symbol consisted of a narrow, crooked line that curved inward before splitting into three branches.

Beneath it he drew two intersecting arcs, then added several short marks that extended out like the roots of a dying tree.

The final symbol was the strangest of them all. It resembled an eye, but its outline twisted in upon itself, with a small diamond at its center and three uneven lines descending from its lower edge.

The entire arrangement looked like a collection of abstract marks.

He studied the symbols as he finished the last stroke. He had never seen anything like them.

What do these symbols mean? he asked Seff.

Their meaning comes from an ancient language associated with the Outer Gods.

Clyde just nodded.

As he waited for her next command. The sky had begun to darken.

Clyde didn’t notice it. His attention was fixed on the ground.

But Mina noticed the change almost immediately. She raised her head and looked toward the sky. A moment ago the pale clouds barely stood out against the light, colorless expanse above the Ruin. Now thicker layers of gray clouds gathered, gradually dimming the landscape.

Her brows drew together. The change was so sudden. She hadn’t noticed any approaching storm, or heard the wind picking up. Yet the sky was growing darker by the moment.

She glanced at Clyde. He was still crouched beside the ritual ground, apparently unaware of the change.

Mina looked back toward the clouds. She couldn’t feel any strange magical energy. It might have been nothing more than ordinary weather.

Even so, the sudden darkness made her uneasy.

Mina tightened her grip on her daggers and continued scanning the surroundings. If something was approaching, she intended to notice it before it reached Clyde.

Meanwhile, Seff continued guiding him through the ritual.

The next step requires the minerals. Take them out of your storage bag and place them beside the five points where you arranged the flesh. Each mineral must remain close to its corresponding material.

Clyde immediately followed the instruction. He opened his bag and retrieved five small bundles wrapped in cloth.

Inside were several unusual stones and mineral fragments he had gathered over the previous weeks. Some were dark, with metallic veins running through their surfaces. Others had a dull reddish-brown color, one appeared gray and translucent, its surface catching the dim light in a way that made it resemble frozen water.

There were also rough pieces of ore with jagged edges and tiny crystals embedded in their surfaces. One fragment had a faint green sheen, while another was so dark that it seemed to absorb the light around it.

Clyde had collected them because Seff specifically requested them.

He placed the minerals beside the corresponding pieces of flesh.

As he worked, he could feel the familiar presence of Seff within his soul, quietly observing his progress.

They will help stabilize it. The flesh establishes the physical foundation while the minerals provide a framework through which the energy can flow. Each component serves a different purpose. If you place them incorrectly, the connection may become unstable.

Clyde checked the arrangement one more time, making sure every bundle sat in the correct position.

Once he finished, he sat back on his heels and waited for the next instruction.

Seff’s voice returned after a brief pause.

Now comes the incantation.

Clyde’s expression became more serious.

A sequence of unfamiliar sounds entered his mind, each syllable pronounced with a strange rhythm that didn’t resemble any structure of any language.

Ng’ah thu’vak... kwo’rath en’kai... vhul na’eth, shaa’koth... Orr’akh ven thuul... na’keth va’ruun... thra’ghul, ehn’oth...

Clyde listened carefully, trying to memorize the sounds as Seff continued.

The words were difficult to follow. Some sounds seemed to emerge from deep within the throat, while others were sharp.

Certain syllables blended together. The sequence seemed to follow a rhythm that felt unnatural.

Clyde tried repeating the first few sounds silently, but he quickly realized that memorizing the pronunciation would take more effort than he expected.

What language is this? he asked.

The same ancient language associated with the Outer Gods. I can remember the sounds of the incantation, but I cannot explain how its words are written or what every syllable means.

Clyde frowned. So you can teach me how to pronounce it, but you don’t actually know how it’s spelled?

Right. The language was never meant to be understood by us. The sounds are more important than their written form. You must reproduce them as accurately as possible and maintain the proper rhythm.

Clyde took a slow breath and focused on the unfamiliar sounds she had taught him.

He repeated them silently, memorizing their rhythm and the way each syllable flowed into the next.

Behind him, Mina continued guarding the site. The sky had grown darker, much much darker.

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