Chapter 18: Annihilation

Even though it was an odd reaction from a monster, I had just barely escaped and needed to see for myself since I wasn't sure what was going to happen next or whether the dungeon could heal my full hand.

I just got through the gate as the spell locked me back into the total darkness. I slumped, grasping the stub where my arm once was. I hadn't slain the hobgarch, but I'd survived; that was enough to be proud of.

I awoke to my mother's voice inviting me to the dining table to eat breakfast. "Dajit, it's morning. Come out and have your breakfast.

I stretched out and replied, "Yes, Mom." As I shook the sleep from my eyes and responded in the same way I did every day, a stunning realisation struck me at my core. 

"Huh, I am back in my room."

I am sure I was in the dungeon only a few moments ago; why am I back in my room? It couldn't have been a dream. I had a white ring in my hand, which was proof of the veil of destiny artefact, like I explained earlier. "The agony and memories were too genuine to be false, but—"

My arm was back. Relief flowed within me, yet bewilderment gnawed at the borders of my mind. "What was the message at the end of the trail, and why am I not at that fortune teller's pace again? Why am I in the inn? My clothes are back to normal, like what has been happening to me. What am I getting more mysteries than answers about this damn ability of mine and regression?" 

Trying to put together a fuzzy recollection. It felt like two days had passed, and here I was, waking up the next morning like that entire dungeon time line was just seven hours, although I'm sure a lot of time was spent at level two when I was forced to confront my previous regrets. Nothing made sense. like who is the powerful organisation pulling these strings and why it is related to my sub-star, the keys, and my destiny.

It could not have been a dream, but I could feel a white ring on my right forefinger, which was a certified ancient artifact. Curious, I focused on it, attempting to figure out its features by seeing its details through details, and the status window appeared in front of my eyes.

[Veil of Destiny: Level 1: User can store goods in 1 m3 cubic volume]

"Why does it have a level?" I thought. As I opened my status window, everything began to fall into place. The ring was strangely associated with my second sub-star, Cosmic Abyss. It was more than simply a ring; it was recorded as a talent beneath the star cosmic abyss, which is the place reserved for skills, serving as a conduit for its power. However, the star itself was still at Level 0, indicating that I hadn't unlocked it. The realisation caused me to halt and delve into deep thought, but my mother's words brought me back to the present.

"Dajit, hurry up!" this time with greater urgency.

"Coming!" I yelled back, swiftly brushing off the thoughts and walking towards the dining room.

Everyone was already seated at the table, including my parents, Luna, and Uncle Minho. As I arrived, I overheard Minho talk quietly.

"Did you hear?" he enquired. "Last night, a group of men wearing white cloaks attacked the slave market. All of the owners were slaughtered, and all of the scales are on the run, despite the fact that knights have been ordered to retrieve them."

My mind raced. Could these be the same people I met yesterday? What did they want from the slave market and me? Recently, there have been more queries than responses in my mind.

As we ate, a young man, covered in mud, dashed towards us, carrying a scroll. The guards tried to stop him, but my father, Aiden, waived them off and went towards the men, as he already knew that man was an informant who transferred important information to my father in an emergency. 

The stranger handed my father the scroll, which he started reading; his hand became shaky. I watched his face get pale, and then his legs gave out. He sank into the ground, shocked to the core.

Everyone hurried over. My mother, Lina, swiftly grabbed the scroll and began reading it aloud, her voice shaking. "Our whole village has been exterminated by the third son of the duke from the Kurokage family, who rules our state. There is a bounty on your entire family. Please leave the state immediately."

The reality hit me like a blow in the stomach. This had not occurred in my prior life. Panic swelled in my chest. The idea of losing Grandpa Kaewon and the wooden box of memories, as well as the only proof of my biological family, brought back the feeling of powerlessness from my past life. 

"Is this all because I tried to change things?" I muttered harshly. "Even the stars appear to be against me, guiding me to my demise." What sort of destiny is this when you can't even safeguard the people you care about and forget about love and relationships?

Luna started crying as she sensed the tension between us, and my parents started to talk about, like, why did this happen? My mother grabbed her up and tried to soothe her crying while my father and Minho started discussing the next steps.

Father nodded, his voice steady but full of resolve. "Yes, we should leave for the Faunara state. I have a shop in the capital; it would be our best bet."

Minho was the first to comment following the shock. "Sh*t, Aiden." "You need to leave the state immediately."

Though it seemed weird for him to support a criminal where, if detected, his whole family or even town may be executed, at this moment we were willing to accept any help to get out of this circumstance.

My father nodded, his voice full of regret and calm resolve. "Yes, we will go to the Faunara state. I have a shop in Thalorus City, near the capital. That's our best chance to escape more here because the state is far away from us, and there is another state in between both the faunara ruled by Beastfolk, the Duke of Beastbond Power, and Yami no Kuni, ruled by the Duke of Dark Power, which is Sylvarin ruled by the Dwarf and the Duke of Earth Power."

"But we can't go through the state; we'll have to go through the desert that surrounds the country to avoid the guards and the duke family of our state."

Minho paused for a bit before proposing an idea. "I know someone who can assist you in going across the Aridune Desert without alerting the Kurokage Clan. Change into desert attire, and I'll provide the supplies. Get ready."

"Let's do this then as our last hope, and I am truly thankful for your aid in these stressful times, even though we have only known and been together for one and a half months." My father said his voice was deterministic.