Chapter 75: Freedom?

(Chapter 75 Freedom?)

"Were you the one responsible for the unconscious guards outside?"

The Grand Sage asked, narrowing his eyes as he crossed his arms, his tone cold and accusatory as he glanced at Nahida floating in her confinement.

"Azar, I must insist that you clarify your accusation. I do not understand what you are talking about. Please elaborate."

Nahida's voice, though calm, carried a firm undertone of defiance as she looked at the Grand Sage.

"Playing ignorant, I see..."

Azar muttered, his gaze drifting toward the scattered bark pieces littering the floor around the base of the tree. His eyes narrowed further as he inspected the damage.

"I suppose you expect me to believe this is merely a coincidence?"

Azar's eyes flicked back to Nahida, narrowing with suspicion before shifting to the contingent of guards behind him.

"Search the area. I won't be fooled, Buer."

He ordered coldly, his voice laced with authority.

"There's someone else here, and I intend to find them."

"Do whatever you wish, Azar. You've never believed a word I've said, not even once."

Nahida responded coldly, her voice edged with quiet defiance as she turned her gaze away from him.

"Huh?!"

Azar spun around abruptly, a sudden chill crawling up his spine. He could have sworn he felt something, or someone, reaching for his neck, though no one appeared to be there. His eyes darted around in suspicion, scanning the room for any signs of movement.

"What is the meaning of this, Buer?!"

Azar's voice echoed loudly throughout the Sanctuary of Surasthana, a mix of anger and frustration in his tone. His sharp eyes fixated on Nahida as if expecting her to be behind the strange occurrence.

"You're simply being paranoid, Azar. Has the weight of your responsibilities finally caught up to you? Or is it that your obsession with control has left you imagining threats in every shadow?"

Nahida's words were measured, like a gentle reprimand, yet they carried the weight of truth. She remained composed, her small figure unmoved by his accusations.

"You dare talk back to me, Buer? Have you forgotten your place? You are nothing more than a prisoner here, bound to the tree, and your defiance will not change that. No matter how many times you try to resist or speak out, your fate is sealed. This sanctuary will remain your cage, and you will never escape it."

Azar's voice sharpened with indignation, his eyes narrowing as he stepped closer to Nahida.

"Your purpose will serve us one day, whether you accept it or not. That is the reason we keep you here, an asset to be used, not a god to be revered. And when the time comes, you will do exactly as we command."

Azar said his gaze darkening with a twisted sense of satisfaction as he surveyed her small form floating.

"So keep struggling, if you must. It won't change anything. You're here for one reason, and you will be useful when we decide it's time. Until then, your words hold no power. You hold no power."

Azar crossed his arms, his smug expression deepening.

Tempest, watching while invisible thanks to his Ghost suit, gritted his teeth in frustration. His eyes were fixed on Nahida, whose previously defiant demeanor had now crumbled into a solemn resignation. The weight of Azar's words seemed to press down on her, evident in the way her shoulders slumped and her gaze fell to the floor. It was clear that despite her inner strength, she was painfully aware of her powerless situation.

'Why are you stopping me from doing it, Young Pasha?'

Tempest's thoughts reached out to Nahida, his frustration is evident. He silently questioned why she would hold him back from pushing Azar off the ledge. His anger and resolve were palpable, yet he sought understanding in her response.

'Isn't this what you've wanted? To be freed from his tyranny? If I pushed him off this ledge, it would end his tyranny right here and now. Why do you prevent me from doing what's necessary?'

Tempest's mental voice was filled with a mixture of confusion and desperation. His gaze remained fixed on Nahida, who was enduring the oppressive weight of Azar's control. He wanted to act, to end Azar's reign over her, but he needed to understand why Nahida seemed to restrain him even in this dire moment.

'Tempest, I must emphasize that I am not like you. I am neither willing nor capable of taking a life, even if it could lead to my freedom from this prison. If you were to kill Azar, know that another would simply take his place, and my situation might become even more precarious.'

Nahida's mental voice was steady but filled with a profound sense of resignation and resolve.

'The cycle of oppression and control is not something I can end through violence. If you act on your impulse to kill him, it would only perpetuate a cycle of conflict and replace one tyrant with another. I fear that in doing so, you may only make my plight worse, and my situation more desperate than it already is.'

Nahida replied to Tempest, through his mind.

'I'm sorry to say this, but that's just pathetic. You, yourself, are pathetic...'

Tempest's mental voice was sharp and unyielding, carrying a sense of cold disapproval. His words struck deeply, causing Nahida to slump even further within her confinement. The weight of his judgment seemed to add another layer of heaviness to her already strained spirit.

"We couldn't find anyone, Grand Sage."

One of Azar's guards reported, his tone laced with frustration.

"You mean to tell me that despite your thorough search, there was no one here? You're all useless..."

He turned his gaze back to Nahida, his expression a blend of disdain and anger.

"Do not think this matter is settled, Buer. Your situation is far from over. And remember, your resistance will only make things more difficult for you."

Azar said with satisfaction, while Nahida remained silent and resigned in her confinement.

"Three of you, remain here and keep vigilant watch. Ensure that no one enters or exits without my explicit permission."

Azar instructed his guards, his voice sharp and authoritative.

He then turned his back on the group, his posture rigid with impatience and frustration.

"The rest of you, follow me. We have more pressing matters to attend to."

"Mmpf!"

Azar stumbled abruptly, a startled gasp escaping his lips as he felt an unseen force strike his leg.

The guards rushed to assist Azar, helping him regain his footing. However, as soon as he attempted to walk again, he stumbled once more, his foot catching on an invisible obstacle. The unexpected trip sent him reeling, and he barely managed to stay upright with the support of his guards.

"Is something wrong, Grand Sage?"

One of the guards asked, concern evident in his voice as he steadied Azar.

"Let go of me! I'm fine!"

Azar snapped, shaking off the hands of the guards who had been trying to support him. His irritation was palpable as he gestured for them to step back. Determined to exit the sanctuary, he strode forward with a mix of annoyance and defiance.

However, just as he reached the threshold, he stumbled once more, tripping awkwardly. His foot caught on nothing visible, sending him off balance and nearly him to fall. His frustration grew as he glared back at his guards, who exchanged uneasy glances but made no move to assist him further.

"The old man's age is catching up to him."

One of the guards stationed at the sanctuary remarked, watching with a hint of amusement as the doors slowly closed behind Azar.

"I know, right?"

"Huh?!"

Tempest's voice cut through the silence as he responded to the guard's comment. Without a moment's hesitation, he struck swiftly, delivering a precise chop to the back of the guard's neck, rendering him unconscious. The two remaining guards, startled, raised their halberds in defense. Tempest moved with efficiency, incapacitating the next guard with a similar strike.

"Intru-"

Before the final guard could complete his alarmed cry, Tempest moved swiftly, silencing him with a chokehold. After a tense moment, the guard's struggles ceased, and he slumped to the ground, unconscious. The sanctuary was now eerily quiet, with Tempest the only figure standing amidst the stillness.

"Look at me, Young Pasha."

Tempest removed his Ghost helmet, the cloaking effect fading as his form became visible. He turned towards Nahida, who remained with her head bowed, her expression a mixture of exhaustion and resignation. Tempest's gaze was intense, reflecting both the weight of his actions and his concern for her.

"Your words hurt, Tempest..."

Nahida muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. Slowly, she lifted her head, revealing a face etched with exhaustion and sorrow. The sting of Azar's cruel words had already taken its toll on her spirit, and Tempest's harsh judgment had only deepened the wound. Her eyes, heavy with the weight of her struggles, met his, reflecting a mixture of pain and resignation.

Tempest sighed deeply, his expression softening as he realized the impact of his words.

"My apologies, I didn't mean to speak like that. It's just… this whole situation is frustrating."

"Just go, Tempest..."

Nahida's voice was soft, yet burdened by a deep sadness. Her eyes avoided his, looking down at the prison that bound her as if it were part of her fate.

"Even if you were to free me right now, it wouldn't change anything. No one in Sumeru would recognize me as their true Dendro Archon. Their faith, their devotion… It all still belongs to my ancestor. They cling to the legacy of the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata."

Her hands clenched into small fists as she continued.

"I'm just a by-product, a mere shadow of what came before. No matter what I do, I'll never be seen as anything more than that. So, please... Just go. I'm fine in here, as fine as I can be."

The words hung heavily in the air, her voice trailing off with an overwhelming sense of resignation as if she had already accepted her own isolation.

"I'm not taking no for an answer."

Tempest declared, his voice firm and unwavering. His eyes glinted with determination as he raised his hand, palm open to reveal a swirling, golden flame flickering to life.

"I'm going to free you, whether you like it or not."

As Tempest extended his hand, the golden flame flickering fiercely in his palm, he moved to strike the tree that bound Nahida. But just as his fingers were about to make contact, the flame suddenly extinguished, disappearing as if it had never existed. His eyes widened in shock, his heart skipping a beat.

"What…?"

Tempest muttered under his breath, staring at his empty hand in disbelief. His brow furrowed as a wave of confusion and frustration washed over him. Did he lose Ra's blessing?

'Thou shall use my power solely for the benefit of Fontaine. My flame is to burn in my name and that of the Hydro Archon, not for the whims of foreign gods.'