Secret of the Keepers
Everyone turned towards the entrance of the room, their eyes widening in alarm. Al, his complexion pale and weariness evident on his face, appeared remarkably better than before.
"We can't afford to encounter another one of those creatures. Ellie, you need to stay invisible and ensure our path is clear." Cesar instructed.
Ellie nodded in understanding, swiftly leaving the room to gain a head start. Jin and Al followed suit, while Kesha gazed at Cesar, who didn't wait and scooped her up before sprinting out of the room with the others. At each turn, Ellie would become visible momentarily to signal that it was safe to proceed.
After the fourth turn, just as she was expected to reappear, she didn't, causing Jin, Al, and Cesar to come to a halt. Al was about to sprint to the tunnel's end when an invisible force slammed them against the wall.
"Shhh!" Ellie whispered, her voice almost pleading, as she hurriedly covered them with her mirror. Focusing her Reflective Will, she transformed her mirror into a liquid mercury-like form, enveloping the five of them. A low rumble shook the ground, the same menacing sound they had heard before, only louder. To their horror, two Dawn-keepers swiftly entered the tunnel.
Fortunately, Ellie managed to cloak them, rendering them invisible. The angelic beings of death flew directly overhead, completely oblivious to their presence, and disappeared into the distance.
"Let's go! Head left, the opposite direction they were flying," Al instructed, prompting Ellie to move forward. The group for her to gain some distance. However, to their dismay, Ellie abruptly halted her run and turned right toward the direction of the rumblings.
"What the hell is she doing!? We have no idea what's causing the ground to rumble like that." Al exclaimed in frustration. As they ran after her and once, they reached the tunnel's end, it became apparent that their only viable path was to the right, as the left side was a dead end.
After some more running a door became visible. Ellie, however, was nowhere to be seen.
"Guy's, you have to see this!" Ellie's voice suddenly pierced the air. She appeared out of nowhere; the group reluctantly followed her into the room.
The room was bathed in brilliant illumination, far larger than the previous one, and at its center stood something horrifying. A 5-meter (15 feet) tall demonic humanoid beast, resembling a twisted amalgamation of human and demonic features, was impaled by a dozen metal spears, binding its limbs and torso.
Despite the cruel sight, no blood flowed from the wounds, yet the beast's dark body possessed impressive muscularity. Naked and devoid of reproductive organs, it sported an ox-like tail. Most strikingly, the creature possessed a metallic almost machine-like humanoid face, with engravings of teeth where lips should be and two holes in place of a nose. It appeared as if it was wearing a horrifying mask, yet the metallic countenance moved with an eerie semblance of flesh. But what truly captured Al's attention was the broken orange gemstone adorning its forehead.
As the group observed the imposing creature, it became apparent that it had noticed their presence. Raising its head, the beast's piercing eyes locked onto Al. Those blood-red orbs exuded a profound and seething hatred, shaking Al to the core. Stumbling backward in fear, he felt his ring pulsating in his mind, its urgent message shouting repeatedly: "Run! Run! Run!"
Before Al could convey the urgency to the rest of the group, a piercing scream erupted from Ellie, accompanied by a radiant light emanating from her mirror. The brilliant glow flowed into the broken orange gem atop the dark metal demon's head.
As the gem began to glow, Ellie collapsed to the floor in agony. In response, the beast unleashed a deafening roar, causing Al to feel as though his eardrums would burst. They had undoubtedly discovered the source of the haunting noise and rumblings. The gem on the creature's head appeared to be slowly regenerating.
Al sensed a crisis even more deadly than the encounter with the Dawn-keeper. Overwhelmed by panic, he seized Ellie by her robe and began dragging her away. "Go! Go! Go!" he bellowed at Jin and Cesar, who swiftly scooped up Kesha once again and raced out of the room.
The giant metal poles impaling the beast erupted in bright flames, swiftly engulfing its form. They, became red-hot, prompting another thunderous roar from the creature. Breaking free from its restraints, it launched the searing-hot metal fragments that had once held it captive in the direction of the fleeing group.
Once the five of them escaped the room, they passed a group of more than ten Dawn-keepers just a few meters away from them. Before either party could make a move, the wall at the room's entrance exploded, sending debris hurtling toward both groups.
Al managed to land on his feet, though grazed by a few fragments. Concern gripped him as he thought of Kesha. Spotting Cesar shielding her from a massive block of cement, Jin rushed to lift it off him. Kesha, now unconscious and bleeding from her arm, was carefully being carried by Cesar as the three ran towards him.
Helping Ellie get up, the group immediately continued to flee without daring to look back. The cataclysmic scene unfolding behind them surpassed their capabilities and comprehension.
Crashing through the wall, the colossal demonic beast clenched the heads of two Dawn-keepers in its formidable grasp, causing their skulls to erupt in flames. The remaining keepers retaliated with their potent spells, triggering a powerful explosion that unleashed a torrent of flames, threatening to engulf Al and his companions as they continued their desperate escape.
After a short while the sound of explosions had seized, they stumbled upon a ladder and swiftly ascended its rungs. As Al opened the hatch at the top, a breathtaking sight greeted his eyes—the morning sun rising in the sky.
A profound sense of relief washed over him. However, as he emerged from the ladder, a loud honk pierced the air, followed by the blinding flash of headlights. In an instant, a jarring impact reverberated through Al's body as an SUV struck him with force, flinging him like a ragdoll.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry! Please, stay still! I'll call an ambulance!" an older woman exclaimed in panic as she rushed to Al's side. To her astonishment, the boy she had just collided with rose to his feet, seemingly unaffected by the accident. Despite the throbbing pain in his head, Al reassured the lady that he was unharmed and urged her not to call for help.
Confused and still in a state of shock, she observed as Al proceeded to assist a man carrying an unconscious girl out of a nearby sewer. Shortly after, a girl and another young man joined them, all donned in gray robes, except for the unconscious girl.
The lady's concern transformed into terror as she tried to make sense of the surreal scene unfolding before her. However, the group swiftly fled the area, leaving her alone on the deserted road.
With her mind spinning, she frantically dialed the emergency services, recounting the strange events that had just transpired. In a matter of minutes, what was once an empty street became a hive of activity as police officers and even military personnel swarmed the area in response to her call.
Al and the rest of the group dashed through the empty streets; their pace so swift that anyone who caught a glimpse of them would only see a blur.
"It's best if we steer clear of my mother's house. They have likely searched my car inside and out, gaining access to my identity and address. Any competent police officer will assume we killed the priest." Al explained.
Jin, running alongside Al, nodded in agreement. "We must return to the Blood Leaf's 15 Mortal Ring and share every detail of what just occurred. The Dawn-keepers seemed to be conducting experiments on that creature—whatever it was. And, Al, don't forget that you still have the container, that needs expert examination" Jin added.
Ellie, keeping pace with the group while remaining concealed, interjected with her own suggestion. "Jin is right, but first and foremost, we need to ensure Kesha's well-being. We should return her safely and allow her to place the blame on us. That way, she won't face any legal troubles," Ellie proposed.
All agreed, and Cesar looked down at the unconscious girl cradled in his arms. He could detect her faint and shallow breaths, a sign that she was still alive. Expressing genuine concern, Cesar voiced his worry. "We should anonymously drop her off at the nearest hospital. They can provide the necessary medical attention," Cesar suggested.
Al, however, became infuriated at the idea. "And leave her there like some injured animal? Do you have any idea how her father will react? Her friend kidnapped her and abandoned her in a hospital, clinging to life like some dog!" Al's anger flared.
Cesar, familiar with Al's explosive nature, was unfazed by his outburst.
They swiftly changed their course, heading towards the nearest hospital. However, Kesha, who had remained silent until now, mustered the strength to object. "No... no hospital," she managed to say between gasps for breath. Cesar glanced at Al, uncertain of what to do next. Al immediately halted, causing the entire group to come to a sudden stop.
"What if we try teaching her Jin's Spearmint breathing technique?" Al suggested, addressing the team but focusing on Jin, who possessed the most expertise in the technique. "I mean, it usually takes years to master, unless your Will has awakened. In that case, it depends on the rate of her A.R.C.," Jin explained.
Al looked at Kesha with a determined smile. "Kesha is one of the toughest people I've ever met. I know she can do it. Let's get off the road and set up camp near the woods," he proposed, swiftly leading them away from the main road.
Later, Al sat beside Kesha, who had regained consciousness the bleeding in her head had stopped. Jin sat in front of her, patiently explaining and demonstrating the breathing technique repeatedly.
Kesha, being a boxer and familiar with breathwork from her athletic background, naturally grasped the concept. However, despite her efforts, she was still in intense pain, and progress seemed elusive.
"It's because your Will hasn't awakened yet, so the breath isn't being converted into Will by your A.R.C.," Al clarified, observing Kesha's perplexed expression.
Al desperately tried to recall the time when Supreme Immortal King Godfrey had mentioned awakening his Will. He vaguely remembered being told that his Will had indeed awakened, but the details eluded him.
However, he couldn't help but ponder the peculiar circumstances surrounding his ability to see the black sheep before he even knew about anything related to once A.R.C or Will. On the other hand, Cesar had required initiation to awaken his own Will.
"Is it possible that my Will awakened naturally because I've been cultivating for longer than I realized?" Al wondered, his thoughts racing as he searched for a way to assist Kesha. "Moreover, Kesha wasn't able to see any the Dawn-keeper until after she witnessed me getting stabbed and disemboweled" he mused, drawing connections in his mind.
"Kesha, do you remember when we were both 13 and you insisted on boxing with me? Even though you knew it could tarnish your undefeated record," Al began, watching as Kesha nodded slowly while continuing to practice the breathing technique.
Her curiosity was evident as she wondered where he was heading with this. Al smiled warmly, continuing his reminiscence, "You used to say you could beat any guy your age in the gym. Despite challenging everyone, none of the guys stepped into the ring with you simply because you were a girl. We had been friends for a few years, and I could sense the frustration you were experiencing. So, I decided to get into the ring with you."
Kesha stared at Al with suspicion, her eyes narrowing. "Yeah, and I remember kicking your ass fair and square. After that, I went on to win my first tournament," she retorted. Al hesitated, finding it difficult to continue. "Well, um, that's because I let you win..." he confessed.
Before he could explain himself further, Kesha, consumed by anger, abruptly stood up. However, her fury clouded her judgment, and she soon felt a wave of dizziness washing over her. Forgetting about her head injury in the heat of the moment, she lost her balance.
"Yes, focus on that feeling! Kesha, perform the breathing technique now while concentrating on how your emotions and thoughts aligned with your Will just now." Al urged, displaying an understanding that most disciples took years to grasp.
If Romann had been present, he would have been impressed by Al's comprehension.
Kesha, sensing the shift in Al's demeanor, quickly sat back down and followed his instructions. At first, she felt no discernible difference. But after a few seconds, a cool sensation began to emanate from her abdomen, specifically her navel.
Gradually, the coolness spread throughout her entire body, reaching her head. Then, suddenly, a loud cracking sound echoed, followed by Kesha's piercing screams as excruciating pain coursed through her head. As the coolness penetrated her mind, she lost consciousness, her face turning pale.
Al gazed at Kesha, remorse filling his eyes, and then turned to Cesar. "Cesar, can you pick her up? We'll take her back to her house, as Ellie suggested, and then we'll run at full speed to the 15th ring," he instructed, his voice filled with a mix of concern and determination.