Chapter 190 War of the Madmen II (1/2)

CHAPTER 190

WAR OF THE MADMEN (II)

She remembered it as idyllic; stretches of limestone-paved road weaving in-between the gardens of roses and fields of grass, and streams cascading down the terraced layers of her home, and the lake surrounded by tall and colorful trees looming over the deathly still water like guardians. She remembered it as loud, yet strikingly melodic, the tunes of youth and expectations mingling together in a symphony of life. It was all gone now, she realized.

The lime-stone paved road lay crimsoned, bloodied in its cracks, and the gardens of roses were now tombs of listless and carved, and the fields of the grass were but dull, reddened weed, and the streams cried in bloody red as they carried onward the message of death, and the lake was entirely gone, only a corpse-filled crater left behind it.

Ava stared at the scenery before her with dulled mind and heavy heart. Though the loudness still remained, it was different; it was filled with the warcries, with agonizing wails of the last breaths, with the somber tethering of the broken hearts. Yet, she couldn't remain dull forever; she was supposed to lead them out of the madness that had besieged them, not become overwhelmed by it.

”How's our core?” she asked a middle-aged man standing next to her atop the highest tower within the sect's grounds.

”Still standing,” the man replied with a solemn expression. ”However... at this rate... we'll be done in within a couple of hours...”

”... we're out of Qi Stones?” Ava asked, frowning.

”Down to our last batch.”

”...” she couldn't help but sigh as she glanced at the dome-like cyan screen wrapped around the sect's ground -- the last bastion for all those within it. Outside, hell had already turned the world gray; Demons and Devils alike cackled and laughed as they bashed against the screen repeatedly, trying to break it. Ava had long since ceased counting their numbers, as it was entirely pointless.

”L-lady Ava... you can still make it...” the middle-aged man suddenly said. ”If we take the remaining Qi Stones and activate the array, we should be able to transform you into the Empire's Capital. Once there, you can ask for help.”

”... I've rejected it when we had abundance of them... what makes you think I'll accept it now that we're on our dying breath?” Ava glanced at him and smiled faintly.

”But--”

”No buts,” Ava interrupted him quickly. ”I've made my peace with it. I... only regret being unable to say goodbye to them...”

”...”

”Bring all the kids into the Shelter,” she commanded after taking a deep breath. ”And give them each a single [Mortus Pill]. Tell them to eat it once we fall...”

”Lady Ava... yes.” seeing the determined gaze in her eyes, the man nodded and withdrew, leaving her alone.

She closed her eyes momentarily, enjoying the gentle caressing of the wind as it guided her long hair backward in a flutter. Ever since the battle begun, she knew they had no chance. Yet, she couldn't leave; she knew she had to stay, even if she were to die in the end. She knew it wasn't a grand sacrifice she would commit, nor would it be world-changing choice to make, but it resonated within her. As though a dam broke within, for the first time in her life she was able to sense it... the ever-elusive Will.

Her eyes suddenly jolted open, a brilliant glint flashing within their depths; she extended her right arm outwardly and called out a staff seemingly made out of gold. It streaked in brilliant colors even amidts the falling darkness of hell itself. She felt a surge of confidence overwhelm her, as though she could conquer the whole of the world so long as she had it in her hands. Even if she knew it was but a fool's dream, she held onto the feeling. Though she may fall, she mused, she would make it a grand one, one she could proudly tell her ancestors.

She leapt off the tower and landed on a path passing through the entire sect before ending next to the front gates. Rather than avoiding it all, she decided to take it all in; to take in all the suffering, all the pain, all the death and all the anguish. She would entomb all the images inside her heart and will them into her staff. She, too, had underestimated the miseries of the war. Despite having witnessed it once on a smaller scale, she was never as near it as she was today.