Chapter 114: The Eternal Flames and the Sun's Descendant!
Chapter 114: The Eternal Flames and the Sun's Descendant
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Ashley Duve marched straight up to Adrian, her eyes gleaming with irritation. She held out her hand imperiously, "Give it here."
Adrian blinked, caught off guard by her demand. "What?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," she said, her voice sharp, leaving no room for ambiguity.
Adrian frowned, trying to catch up. Suddenly, it clicked. "You mean the map?"
"Good, you're not entirely brain-dead," she sneered, holding her hand out further, as if expecting him to immediately comply.
For a moment, Adrian's fingers tightened around the ancient, worn map hidden in his armor. His pride urged him to resist, to make her wait, to see how much she'd squirm without it. But a glance at Nyala, whose calm expression masked a silent plea for restraint, made him relent. Reluctantly, he pulled out the parchment and handed it over.
Ashley snatched it from his grasp, her lips curling into a triumphant smirk. "Your friends are wise. Maybe you should try listening to them more often." Without another word, she turned on her heel, unfolding the map and studying it with quick, analytical eyes.
Adrian's hand twitched, a latent fire stirring inside him, begging for release. He could practically see it—Ashley's smug face smashed under his fists. But now wasn't the time, not with Tessa's body caught in the crossfire. He sighed and kept his thoughts to himself.
After scrutinizing the map for several minutes, Ashley and Ikehara deduced the path forward, leading the group into a less-traveled part of the city. The streets narrowed, the air thickened, and soon the bustling noise from earlier faded, replaced by a creeping, ominous silence. The path ahead wound into a bleak and barren area, a stark contrast to the city's lively outskirts. Shadows danced unnaturally, and every step felt like an invitation for something unseen to strike.
About thirty minutes into their trek, an eerie stillness settled around them. Out of the dark corners, grotesque creatures emerged—vultures, but unlike any they had seen. These were man-sized, with distorted human-like hands instead of talons. Their sickly yellow eyes glowed with malevolence, and their putrid smell clung to the air like rot. There were thirty-three of them, their hulking forms circling the group with sinister intent.
Ecdy's face drained of color. "My mother always warned that it's meat that'll be my death. Is this it? Is this how it ends—with overgrown poultry about to eat me alive?" He gripped his spear tighter, his voice cracking in fear.
"Vultures aren't poultry, Ecdy," Nyala corrected him, her voice steady though her eyes flickered with unease. "They're scavengers. They feast on dead, rotting flesh. But…these…" She trailed off, staring at the warped creatures before them. "These are something far worse."
Adrian's mind raced, piecing together the foreboding warnings from the city. So this is why the streets were so deserted in this area. Everyone knows... Not a single soul was in sight.
The leading vulture-creature, larger than the rest, flapped its wings menacingly and spoke in a rasping voice that cut through the still air. "Welcome, my dinner. Surrender now, and we'll make your death swift. Not painless, of course—but your bones will make for fine wares."
Adrian stepped forward, the fire in his veins awakening, begging to be set free. His powers had been growing, strengthening since the Eternal Flames had fused with him. But he had kept this hidden, biding his time. His gaze flickered toward Ashley, knowing he needed to maintain his secret for as long as possible. He couldn't afford to reveal his full strength just yet.
Nymff stood next to Ashley, her weapon drawn, ready to strike at a moment's notice. "Poultry or not, they'll regret coming near us," she muttered under her breath.
Ecdy, trying to shake his fear, twirled his spear and shouted, "You overgrown chicken! When I'm done with you, your meat'll be in my stew, and your bones will fertilize my garden!"
Ashley, unimpressed, hung back. She had no interest in playing the hero. If anything, she was curious to see how many would die before she needed to defend herself.
Ikehara watched Ashley intently, his thoughts churning. He had followed Rhemon's commands without question for so long, but Ashley's cold indifference to their fate unsettled him. –'I know my path is dark', he mused, 'but if I continue with Rhemon and Ashley, what happens when they no longer need me? Will leaders like them ever care about loyalty or sacrifice, or am I just another pawn, disposable once I've served my purpose?' Doubt began to creep into the corners of his mind, and for the first time, he wondered if he was walking toward his own doom.
The vulture leader let out a shrill screech and lunged, its massive wings whipping up a hurricane of wind that nearly knocked them off their feet. The other vultures followed, swarming in a frenzy of sharp talons and gnashing beaks.
Adrian couldn't hold back any longer. His fists clenched as he called on the power within, the fire burning deep inside him. "–The fire of the sun, light up my enemies!–" His voice thundered, and the ground beneath him trembled.
In an instant, flames erupted from his body—these weren't just any flames. They bore the essence of the Eternal Flame, hotter than anything the mortal world could produce. They crackled with untamed energy, leaping from his skin and wrapping around the vulture leader. The bird screeched in panic, flapping its wings wildly to snuff out the flames. But it was futile. These flames weren't of this world—they were the fire of the sun, and they consumed everything in their path.
The flames spread like wildfire, devouring the other vultures as they tried to flee. Within moments, the air was thick with the stench of burning flesh and the ground littered with blackened bones and scorched earth.
The fire didn't stop there. It circled back, swirling around Adrian like a loyal guardian before re-entering his body. He stood still, the heat radiating from him, his eyes burning with untapped power.
Ashley, watching from a distance, felt a chill crawl up her spine. She masked her fear with indifference, but the truth was, Adrian had become something far more dangerous than she'd anticipated. The only reason he hasn't turned that power on me is because of Tessa, she realized. He's stronger now. Much stronger.
The remaining vultures, terrified by the sight of their leader reduced to ash, flapped their wings desperately and fled into the sky, their cries fading into the distance.
The Rhemonic warriors stood in awe, speechless. Their eyes were wide with disbelief and newfound respect. Adrian wasn't just another warrior—they whispered among themselves.
"The descendant of Solaris…"
"He bears the power of the sun god…"
"I thought the moon goddess was behind him, but this..."
Adrian paid them no mind. His focus was singular. He had revealed only a fraction of his true strength, but it was enough to send a message—to Ashley, to the vultures, to everyone. He wasn't to be trifled with.
As the group continued forward, the chatter in the air was muted by a palpable tension. Everyone, even Ashley, understood one thing: Adrian was no ordinary ally. He was a force of nature.