Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Chapter 128 Awakening of Blood (1/2)
Chapter 134: Chapter 128 Awakening of Blood
Erik gazed at the Spiritual Gateway formed of numerous grey remnants, feeling waves of fear deep within his heart.
If it hadn’t been for Byrne asking him to pass through that gateway, Erik would never have dared to cross over, instinctively feeling it was something not to be touched.
During the years he lived within the Fischer family, Erik had always been filled with gratitude and admiration for Byrne.
He was not only his family head but also a teacher and almost like a father.
Because he did not grow up in Nasir Town, Erik had almost no memory of his grandfather, Old Ramon; he was only on good terms with his father, Hugh.
When he learned of his father’s death, Erik felt as if the sky had collapsed, his mind went blank, void of the desire to think any further.
Then, he was taken away by the people of the Fischer family, stayed in the orphanage for a short while, and was subsequently brought away by Mr. Byrne.
Erik, who had lived all his life in a remote village, couldn’t understand many things about Nasir Town and instinctively feared a great family like the Fischer’s.
Fortunately, after coming to the Fischer family, he didn’t need to understand much. He only needed to learn about various medicines and the properties of Extraordinary materials as requested by Mr. Byrne, practice mixing potions, and help Mr. Byrne with miscellaneous chores.
Mr. Byrne was a very gentle person, much kinder than his father, who had been a blacksmith.
He also possessed a lot of knowledge and was always very composed. On the rare occasions that Erik made mistakes, he would just show a helpless smile, never resorting to any harsh scolding.
Gradually, the image of Mr. Byrne began to overlap with that of his father in the depths of Erik’s heart.
He was acutely aware that his departed father was nowhere near as gentle or learned as Mr. Byrne, yet both men were equally important to him.
“Let’s go, Erik.”
He was startled, jolted from his thoughts, and saw Mr. Byrne gazing at him with a smile.
“Okay!”
Erik nodded hastily in reply, and followed the people of the Fischer family through the Gate of Calamity, while he also stole a glance at Darren’s figure.
He actually envied Darren, who was born with the Fischer family’s Bloodline, while he could never truly become Byrne’s genuine offspring.
But Erik was merely envious; he harbored no jealousy whatsoever, instead hoping that Darren as Byrne’s son would grow up smoothly.
Otherwise, the emotionally invested Byrne would surely be particularly saddened.
Everyone except the fearless Irene held their breath in silence, passing through the Gate of Calamity one by one, with ten-year-old Darren following at the end.
He was afraid of the despair and fear that the gateway brought, but still clenched his teeth, silently reminding himself to be strong, to become a man who could protect his sister, to become like his father.
In the end, Darren closed his eyes and rushed through.
“We’re through!”
After getting past the Gate of Calamity, Darren saw the figures of the others and let out a sigh of relief.
Then, instinctively, his gaze was drawn to his surroundings—everywhere was scorched as if it had been blasted by Blazing Fire for several days and nights, a ghastly, charred landscape.
What place was this?
Darren felt fear rising from within him and had to forcibly endure it.
“Prepare for battle!”
He suddenly heard his father, Byrne, who stood in front of everyone, bellowing.
“Darren, don’t wander off; stay right beside me.”
Aunt Irene stood by him calmly, responsible for his protection, while Uncle Chris, expressionless, extended his hand and pointed out the position of the enemy immediately.
Darren stared in shock as creatures that resembled reanimated corpses crawled out of the scorched earth, black and covered with burning ashes, eyeless yet with gaping mouths, screeching as they charged toward the group.
He felt utterly tense, too nervous to move from his spot, watching the people of the Fischer family engage in battle with the creatures.
Even the still-youthful Erik was fighting using the Power of Consecution of a “Craftsman,” while he himself was useless.
If only I could be of some help. I’ve promised my sister many times that I would become someone who could protect her!
For the first time, the thought “It would be great if I had strong Extraordinary power too” crossed Darren’s mind, growing rapidly intense.
Even with such thoughts, he could only stand by and watch the battle from start to finish.
The scorched-earth corpses were completely unaffected by fire, but they could still be destroyed by regular attacks. Although their fire-resistant capabilities made it quite troublesome for Byrne to deal with, with Chris there, the few people from the Fischer family ultimately finished the fight unscathed.
Darren noticed that Uncle Chris was very powerful. The blades he wielded in both hands emitted silver light, and each strike vanquished a creature!
Of course, it was actually his own father who was the most formidable!