Ashes to Ashes

Morning dawned, casting a golden glow upon the trees that lined the path Cesar, Jin, and Agnethe were moving through. Al and Ellie were still nowhere in sight, so Agnethe followed Cesar's suggestion and diverged from the group to retrace her steps in search of them.

Agnethe hailed from a clan settled within the territories of the Lightning-Stone Leaf, composed of several distinct families with a lineage stretching back centuries. They had cultivated a unique bloodline, children who manifested their Will always exhibited a Titan Will. They received years of training before eventually embarking on their unique paths of cultivation.

This system shattered the conventional parent-child dynamic, as some parents, including Agnethe's, outlived numerous generations of offspring.

Losing a child as an infant was one thing but losing them after they had grown into adults was an entirely different tragedy. As a result, her parents remained emotionally distant yet provided care and support, particularly given Agnethe's exceptional aptitude for the clan's Titan Will.

Agnethe continued retracing their steps until she soon arrived at the location where Jin had vanquished the colossal bat, opting to turn eastward.

The lingering unease that had gripped Agnethe had started to dissipate, but Ellie continued to occupy her thoughts. While Agnethe had never truly considered someone a close friend, she and Ellie shared numerous similarities, despite their outward differences.

As for Al, there was something she had always wanted to clarify after their sudden breakup, but even now, she couldn't quite put her finger on it. At the time, she believed that when she fell for him, it wasn't really her. Upon entering the Mental Domain, a newfound self-awareness washed over her, making her previous relationship with Al feel insincere.

However, she had lacked a way to explain this to him until he entered the Mental Domain now, she was just waiting for the right time. Still, she had gone back for them after she felt a deep sense of dread come over her which was now gone.

Agnethe followed the footprints, believing them to belong to a deer being pursued by two individuals who she presumed to be Al and Ellie. After about an hour, she cautiously continued onward, and it became apparent that a significant altercation had taken place in the vicinity.

As she moved forward, Agnethe suddenly heard a muffled groan, resembling someone caught in a nightmarish slumber. Moments later, she found herself standing in an open area where a campfire had once burned. The sight that greeted her sent shivers down her spine, leaving her utterly shocked and horrified.

A man was cruelly impaled against a tree, every other inch of his body pierced by sharp copper nails, rendering him utterly immobilized. His entire skin was peeled off of him and nailed to the tree, leaving a gruesome sight. Copper wire tightly sealed his mouth shut, while his eyes remained wide open. Agnethe's breath caught in her throat, repulsed by the horrific scene before her.

A woman with jet-black hair, her hands stained with the man's organs, appeared to be the perpetrator of this grotesque display. The sight of the knife in her hand was enough to turn Agnethe's stomach. It was unmistakably Al, a realization that sent a surge of panic through her. She frantically looked around, but there was no sign of Ellie.

The woman seemed to sense Agnethe's presence and swiftly turned towards her. Her mouth was smeared in fresh blood, but what truly captured Agnethe's attention were the tightly bound bandages concealing the woman's eyes.

The horrifying scene unfolded in a matter of seconds, leaving Agnethe with no time to react. Al, trapped and in excruciating pain, recognized her presence but could do nothing to warn her. He strained against his gruesome bindings, desperate to urge her to flee, but his efforts were futile.

Agnethe, with a swift decision, began growing, rapidly transforming into a colossal figure towering at 60 feet. Yet, before she could even grow further, the sinister woman unleashed a malicious laugh and directed a green fire at her, instantly engulfing Agnethe. There was no time for a scream; it was over before she could even comprehend. She was reduced to ashes.

The strange woman turned towards Al sensing he was about to break free impaled her copper nails even deeper into him. Finally, he passed out from the intense pain the last thing he saw was ashes falling "Mmmhh another little girlfriend of yours?" The woman said before letting out another laugh. "I guess I should get going now, don't want to make that old bag of bones angry hahaha." She said out loud speaking to herself.

With a swift motion, she brought Al down. She tossed his etheric shell atop him, then with an eerie mastery, the copper nails obeyed her will, binding him like a captured animal allowing him to slowly begin healing.

Pulling out a peculiar brown pouch, she opened it, the pouch seemed to defy the laws of space and time. With a single thought, it drew Al from the ground and swallowed him whole.

With her sinister task complete, the woman resumed heading East.

Meanwhile Cesar and Jin continued although they had slowed down in case Ellie, Agnethe, and Al were to catch up.

A little over a week had slipped by, leaving them a mere day's journey from the 19th Mortal Ring of the Evergreen Leaf. Despite their progress, the other half of their Phantom Seed remained missing. Arriving at their destination, they took a moment to regroup and make their final preparations.

Cesar made a difficult decision to venture back in search of their missing comrades. He left Jin at the designated spot, so he could study the upcoming competition and ready himself. Despite Jin's heartfelt protests and declaration of his willingness to lay down his life for them, Cesar stood firm.

Cesar argued that if the rest of their team had truly met their end, there was no sense in sacrificing all their lives needlessly. As the captain of their Phantom Seed, he bore the weight of responsibility, a burden Jin did not have to share. Much like a captain going down with his ship, this duty was uniquely Cesar's to bear.

Thousands of miles away, the blindfolded woman finally arrived at her destination a bewildering silver city filled with hovering cars and bustling inhabitants. People moved about with an air of detachment, seemingly lost in their own worlds. Despite her conspicuous and unusual appearance, the citizens paid her no mind as the city's streets buzzed with illusory images.

As she walked amidst this surreal place, she couldn't help but murmur to herself, "If I didn't know better, I would say that Babylon itself has risen from the ashes and grown even more extraordinary."

Meanwhile, Al slowly began to regain consciousness. Although he remained unable to move or see, he found himself immersed in complete darkness. Faint voices and distant sounds from the outside world reached his ears, providing a tenuous connection to reality.

The mysterious woman made her way toward the city's tallest building, mirroring a journey she had embarked upon long ago in the ancient city of Babylon. During those time she was a mere mortal, she had made her way towards a towering structure in which resided their king—a man who possessed no cultivation or acolyte powers, yet his might rivaled even the most powerful among them.

Thousands of miles to the west, Cesar stood amidst massive footprints, evidence of Agnethe's presence. Beside him stood Jin, who had quietly followed Cesar despite his initial orders. In truth, Cesar was secretly relieved to have Jin by his side. Together, they surveyed the area, the aftermath of a battle unmistakable.

As they took in the scene, a heavy silence settled over them. Both were at a loss for words, grappling with the harsh reality before them. Neither wanted to accept the truth that surrounded them. They spent the night in that desolate place, the weight of their loss bearing down on them.

When morning light finally broke through, Cesar broke the silence, his voice filled with determination. "I swear, I'm going to track down whoever or whatever did this, and I am going to kill them." Jin met Cesar's gaze, his eyes burning with an electrifying intensity.