Chapter 4 : I'll Bury The Heaven

[ Present Day ]

Valerian reflected on his unfortunate past with a bitter sigh. Despite the bleakness of his future, he felt a sense of hopelessness creeping in.

Staring at his tattered roof with vacant eyes, Valerian chuckled bitterly as he drifted off to sleep, haunted by memories of his tragic past.

The beatings he had endured the day before left him mentally and physically drained, leading him to fall into a deep slumber for ten hours. Groggily waking up, Valerian rubbed his heavy eyelids, struggling to rise from the bed.

Though his body still ached, the pain had lessened enough to be bearable.

Pushing open his nearly broken door, Valerian stepped out into the courtyard, noticing the sun high in the sky. Squinting at the warm glow, he felt no comfort, only the coldness and darkness of the harsh world around him.

Making his way to the back of the courtyard, Valerian approached a small well, one of the reasons he had chosen to reside in this rundown place. Despite the water not being pristine, it was better than nothing.

Drawing some water from the well, he winced in pain, testing the coldness with his fingers before taking a refreshing gulp and using the rest to cleanse himself.

Feeling rejuvenated, Valerian washed his tattered clothes and laid them out to dry on a patch of weeds. Changing into a new set of ragged garments, he ventured out of the courtyard, navigating the maze of alleys until the towering city wall of Star River City loomed before him.

Valerian cautiously surveyed his surroundings, ensuring that no one was nearby, before approaching the corner of the wall. In that particular spot, a type of grass known as devil grass grew.

Devil grass was characterized by its thick, black leaves adorned with sharp thorns that resembled the horns of a devil. This plant had the unique ability to rapidly cover walls and fences, hence its fitting name.

As Valerian pushed aside the devil grass, he revealed a small hole that could only accommodate a small child. He had stumbled upon this hidden passage while fleeing from a city guard after pilfering a few copper coins.

The hole provided a direct route to the outskirts of the city, a secret escape route that Valerian had kept to himself, never divulging its existence to anyone.

Curious as to why such a clandestine passage existed in the city wall without anyone's knowledge, Valerian remained indifferent. He viewed it solely as a means of escape should the need arise.

The hole served as a discreet exit strategy, a safeguard for Valerian should he ever desire to flee the confines of the city.

The reason he avoided using the city entrance was due to the strict regulations prohibiting commoners and mortals from leaving without a valid reason.

At times, the city guards would not permit their departure. The only exception was when Valerian was granted permission to exit the city to bury the elderly couple.

Valerian cautiously surveyed his surroundings before squeezing through a hole in the city wall. After a strenuous struggle, he emerged into a vast expanse of grass. Spotting a narrow path to his left, he began his journey.

After traversing the path for over thirty minutes, he arrived at a small hill. Upon reaching the summit, he discovered a clearing with four weathered tombstones.

Two of the tombstones bore the names "Dad" and "Mom," while the other two were inscribed with "Grandpa Grimm" and "Grandma Merlyn."

Valerian stood before the tombstones he had erected for his parents and the elderly couple.

His parents had tragically passed away when he was just five years old, leaving him with the responsibility of their burial. However, it was the city officials who ultimately took charge of laying his parents to rest in a mass grave located west of the city.

As Valerian knelt before the tombstones, a somber expression crossed his face. "Mom, Dad, Grandpa Grimm, and Grandma Merlyn. I have come to pay my respects once again. I hope you are at peace in the afterlife," he murmured softly.

With a heavy heart, Valerian spoke aloud, his voice hoarse with emotion. "You need not worry about me. I am managing just fine," he reassured them, a faint smile playing on his lips. The only response he received was the eerie howling of the wind that surrounded him.

Valerian continued, recounting the events of the previous day. "Yesterday, I was accosted by two thieves who not only stole my money but also left me battered and bruised. However, rest assured, it was nothing more than a few minor injuries."

As he stood before the tombstones, Valerian found solace in sharing his experiences with his departed loved ones, knowing that they were watching over him from above.

After speaking for ten minutes without receiving a response, Valerian smiled bitterly, realizing that no one was there to answer him.

As he gazed at the tombstones of his beloved family members, tears streamed down his face. "Mom, Dad, Grandpa Grimm, Grandma Merlyn, I miss you all so much. I wish you were here," Valerian said, his voice choked with emotion.

Observing his trembling shoulders and solitary figure, one could not help but feel pity for Valerian. He was truly heartbroken, having lost his parents without knowing who was responsible, let alone being able to seek revenge.

The only individuals who had shown him kindness and support in this cruel world had also been taken from him, leaving him unable to seek justice for their deaths. His life had been consumed by burying and mourning his loved ones.

Softly muttering to himself, Valerian questioned, "Why am I the one left to bury my loved ones? Why does this heartless world insist on taking everything from me?"

His voice grew louder as he exclaimed, "I refuse to accept this fate. Why must life be so unjust to me? Why must the world be so cruel?"

In the end, all that remained in Valerian's heart was resentment and bitterness.

As he gazed up at the sky, his voice thundered once more, "Heavens, why are you so cruel to me? What have I done to deserve this punishment?"

Suddenly, an absurd thought emerged in his mind, and he exclaimed, "This cruel world is forcing me to bury my loved ones. If I had the power, I would bury this world, even Heaven itself, just as it has made me bury my loved ones."

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BOOOOOOOM

A deafening explosion reverberated through the air, signaling the sudden gathering of inky dark clouds in the sky above the Desolate Domain and beyond, shrouding the entire world in darkness.

Within moments, the once bright afternoon sky over the Heaven Vault World was completely obscured, plunging the entire realm into an eerie and impenetrable darkness. It was as if the darkness itself was heralding the arrival of a new ruler.

This unprecedented event sent shockwaves through the countless experts residing in the Heaven Vault World, their faces etched with fear as they gazed up at the ominous clouds looming above.

BOOOOOOM

Another thunderous explosion followed, splitting the sky into two and unleashing a malevolent aura that filled the air with a putrid stench.

Sinister tendrils of inky black lightning crackled across the sky, accompanied by sporadic thunderclaps that added to the ominous atmosphere.

While the spectacle may have appeared magnificent to some, the seasoned experts and ancient beings of the Heaven Vault World could only feel a deep sense of dread. They feared that the world itself was on the brink of destruction.

Unexpectedly, a single bolt of red lightning emerged from the rift with a deafening boom.

What was even more peculiar was that the red lightning seemed to possess intelligence, swiftly moving towards a specific direction as if it had a purpose. Wherever the red lightning passed, every living being would immediately lose consciousness.

The red lightning headed towards the Human continent, known as the Sky Continent.

The ancient monsters residing in seclusion on the Sky Continent feared that the red lightning was a harbinger of destruction. However, it quickly vanished towards one of the nine domains on the Sky Continent, the Desolate Domain.

It rapidly navigated its way to the Sun Devouring Empire, specifically Star River City Black Sun Kingdom .

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Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Star River City, behind a hill, Valerian was consumed by his intense hatred and disdain for the world and the heavens, completely unaware of the events unfolding around him. Suddenly, a powerful force struck his head, causing him to lose consciousness.

The last thing Valerian heard before blacking out was a chilling and emotionless voice in his mind, saying,

"System Loading..."