Chapter 157: The ritual (2)

The ingredients needed to do the transfer ritual were given to the maidens. They all dressed formally, and had veils covering their faces.

It was a cave, lit by blue crystal, and at the very middle sat a pool.

The head maiden stepped forward and knelt by the pool.

"Nyanl."

The one behind her handed her the powdered substance.

She poured it into the water.

"Clioi."

They handed her a small liquid in a small glass. She uncorked it and poured it in.

"Beast core."

They handed her the cores that had been ground into powder.

"Ginlir."

"Daplan."

One by one, nineteen different ingredients were passed. After mixing all the ingredients, she straightened up and turned around.

The rest of them followed her.

The last ingredient was in the hand of Fin. He stood by the edge of the cave.

As they went by, they bowed slightly. The head maiden got to him and reported.

"All done, young master."

He stepped in afterwards.

When they had already left the palace, he uncorked the bottle and poured in the green content. The water colour immediately changed. It went from colourless to a deep blue, and then misty.

The chill spread out slowly, but the boy was fine.

He turned around to leave when Elias helped the blindfolded Richard in.

Fin stared at Elias for a moment, before tilting his head.

"Are you hurting, brother?"

"Oddly, no," Elias replied.

They got to it, and they left Richard to step in by himself. The water rose above his ankle, then his torso, and finally, his chest, until he was deep in.

The water colour changed. This time, it turned dark completely, like a starless night.

Richard fell unconscious as a result, the restrained energy bursting out, slamming against the cave walls. The pillar trembled.

"Yikes." Fin glanced around.

A minute later, the chaotic energy soon settled into a calm hum. Both brothers sat beside the pool and watched their unconscious father.

Silence returned for a moment. Then, Fin cleared his throat.

"Ir...ue?"

"Yes."

"Well...I...you see..."

"How did I use a chain ability in the duel?" Elias asked.

"Yes! How...how did you know?"

"It’s a guess." Elias glanced at him. "Mastery of chain ability, meet Mona. He loves chains."

"But ain’t you Mona?"

"Yes."

Fin smiled and stood up. Then he ran out in search of Mona.

The process was a long one. It took hours. Elias just watched, until the water began to lighten up.

This was the clue. As soon as the water returned to its original state, Richard’s eyes snapped open.

He pulled the blindfold off.

He didn’t look any different or full of vigor like anyone would have initially thought. In fact, he seemed to be more bored. But his energy was undetectable, like a person without an ability.

His eyes went to Elias.

"The chill didn’t get to you?"

"It didn’t."

He walked out of the water, the liquid sloshing around him and releasing droplets. The mark was gone from his chest. He swept his hair behind his forehead.

"Then, do you want to have a duel with your old man?"

Elias stared at him for a moment.

"A duel?"

"Did I stutter?"

Elias sighed. "You just finished the ritual."

"And?"

"You should rest."

"I’m fine."

Richard stretched his arms and looked around the cave. "Besides, I want to see what you’ve learned while running around Salvador."

Elias stood up. "Here?"

"Anywhere is an arena boy."

Elias narrowed his eyes and stepped away from the pool. The moment Elias stopped, Richard raised his hand.

A dark circle opened beneath Elias’s feet. He immediately moved. The portal tore open where he had been standing, expanding across the ground like a black lake.

Elias jumped backward.

The portal followed.

He landed on one foot, spun, and created a long spear in his hand.

He threw it.

Richard raised his hand. Another portal opened, and the spear vanished into it.

Elias tilted his head.

"Your ability is unfair."

Richard appeared behind him.

"Not everything is fair."

Elias turned, and saw a portal opening between them. He instantly stepped away. The edge of the portal brushed against his sleeve before disappearing.

Richard blinked slowly.

"You really can’t be caught by it."

"No."

He opened three portals at once.

One above, one beneath, and one behind Elias.

Elias looked up.

A sword appeared in his hand, and he stabbed the ground. The impact launched him sideways just as the portal beneath him opened.

The portal above closed.

The one behind him vanished.

Richard clicked his tongue.

"Annoying."

Elias landed and created two short blades.

"You’re the one who wanted a duel."

"Use your remaining abilities." Richard walked to him.

"Then use a blade."

Richard tilted his head. "I haven’t used a blade in fifty years."

Elias’ eyes widened.

’He hasn’t used a blade in fifty years? That trance should be during my birth period. I’m not even twenty yet.’

"Wait, are you not supposed to be in your forties or fifties?"

"I am." Richard replied.

"..."

"..."

They both stared for a moment.

Elias changed stance, ready to change forward, when a voice cut through the air.

"What are you both doing?!"

They turned around and frowned together.

"Fighting right after the ritual is completed?!" Sienna stormed in. "How is this gender reason sometimes!"

They exchanged glances.

"Do you know her?" Richard asked.

"She’s your wife, man."

"Is she?"

Sienna got to Richard and grabbed his cheek, moving his head left and right.

"Fighting when you’re supposed to be resting! Your clothes are wet too! What if you caught a cold!"

"Sowwwy..."

"Don’t do it and apologize afterwards!"

Elias rolled his eyes.

Her eyes snapped to him.

"Did you just roll your eyes at me, young man?!"

"No ma’am."

"Better!"

He caught Richard’s hand and began to pull him away. "You’re taking a long sleep. You’re not allowed to get out of bed until seventy two hours later!"

"That’s a punishment."

"It is!"

Elias released a breath of relief.

"Yvonne used to yell like that sometim..."

He blinked.

’Come to think of it, what else do I know about her, apart from her name? Yvonne Sharad. Sharad...’

"Brother!"

He turned around.

"Where is father?" Jordan walked in.

"Something about a seventy two hours punishment or something like that."

"Mother dragged him off?"

"Yep." he walked to Jordan. "Want to say something to him?"

"No, actually, I was searching for you," Jordan waited for him to walk by, before following. "I caught that man. Joran, was it? His name annoys me because it sounds like mine."

"Hmm,"

"But, how did you know that he will try to escape without his daughter?"

"Hunch."

"And why is he here if he’s trying to escape?"

"I used a vital curse on him."

"Oh..." Jordan glanced down at himself. "I forgot we can do that. Where the hell is my sealing stone?"

"Where is he now?" Elias asked.

He tilted his head slightly and smirked. "In the dungeon, awaiting execution."