Chapter 681 Her Sacrifice
Lady Vinegar, despite her bandages and the recent chaos, was more resilient than any ordinary being. Her demonic nature afforded her a strength and recovery beyond human understanding. As she blasted the helicopter open with a surge of darkline energy, she was determined to rescue Father Black, despite her own injuries.
She used her one healed bandaged but functioning arm to reach for Father Black, but as she did so, she could see the grave extent of his injuries. It was clear that he was on the brink of death, his life slipping away with each passing moment.
Lady Vinegar was torn. Her double souls, Vine and Gar, engaged in a fierce internal debate about their next course of action.
Vine, ever the strategist, suggested they merge their consciousnesses to become a stronger, more formidable version of themselves. With only a portion of their power recovered, combining their souls could potentially amplify their strength significantly. This option was tempting, promising not just survival but the ability to confront the undead commander with enhanced power.
However, Gar, looking at the dying Father Black, felt a different pull. The power they had recovered, while not enough to fully restore them, could be used to save Father Black. It would mean sealing his wounds, giving him a chance at life. But this act of compassion came with a significant risk. Using their power for Father Black would leave them vulnerable, potentially at the mercy of the undead commander who was steadily approaching.
The decision was agonizing. On one hand was the opportunity to increase their own strength, to fight back against the encroaching darkness with newfound power. On the other hand was the chance to save a life, to preserve the existence of a man who had fought tirelessly for his people, a man who, even now, lay dying because of his selfless actions.
Lady Vinegar, torn between Vine and Gar's perspectives, knew she had to make a choice quickly. The undead commander was drawing near, his presence a growing threat with each passing second. Her dual nature, both a gift and a curse, now forced her to decide between self-preservation and self-sacrifice.
As she looked down at Father Black, his labored breathing and grave wounds a silent plea for help, she realized that her decision would not just determine her fate, but potentially the fate of all those still fighting and fleeing within the territory. With the weight of this realization pressing upon her, Lady Vinegar prepared to make her choice, one that would resonate with the outcome of the battle and the future of all who remained.
Lady Vinegar's decision was made with a heavy heart but a clear resolve. She echoed her terms to the undead commander, a desperate plea for the lives of those she was leaving behind. "I'll go with you! But you must promise me that you will withdraw your army and spare their lives."
The undead commander halted, his face breaking into a knowing smile. He understood the weight of her offer and the desperation behind it. Placing a hand on the purple stone glowing at the center of his chest—the Invitation Stone that gave him life—he made his vow. "I swear by the Invitation Stone that gives me life. If you come with me as my prisoner, I'll let them live." The stone pulsed with a low light, a sign of the oath being made, a dark pact sealed between demon and undead.
Lady Vinegar, seeing the glow of the Invitation Stone, knew she had to trust this promise. It was a risk, but one she was willing to take for the chance to save others. Gar had convinced Vine with the simple yet powerful reminder, "Lenny will come for us!" It was a statement of faith, in both Lenny's strength and his bond with Lady Vinegar.
With her decision made, Lady Vinegar turned her attention to Father Black. She placed a hand on his chest, letting cosmic energy flow into his body. The energy worked to stabilize him, to bring him back from the brink of death. His dying breaths steadied, a small mercy in the midst of the unfolding tragedy.
She gave Father Black one last look, her eyes conveying a message of farewell and a plea for remembrance. "Remember to tell Lenny that I gave it my all!" she implored. It was important to her that Lenny knew of her sacrifice, of the choice she made in the hope that it would mean something in the end.
Turning to face the undead commander, Lady Vinegar presented her hand, a sign of her willingness to follow through with their agreement. "Let's go!" she declared, her voice steady despite the uncertainty and fear that such a decision entailed.
The undead commander, with a nod of satisfaction, signaled for his army to halt their advance. The creatures, once a relentless tide of death, stopped in their tracks, their movements ceasing at the command of their leader. It was a surreal moment, the battlefield momentarily suspended in a tense and eerie calm.
As Lady Vinegar walked towards her fate, the survivors of Glenn's territory watched with a mix of relief and sorrow. Her sacrifice was a glimmer of hope, a chance for survival, but it came at a personal cost that was profound and painful.
Father Black, now stabilized but still gravely injured, understood the magnitude of what had just transpired. As he was carried to safety, his thoughts were with Lady Vinegar, with the people he had tried to protect, and with Lenny, the one who would need to know of the sacrifices made this day.
The territory, though momentarily spared from complete destruction, was forever changed. The battle had left scars, both physical and emotional, that would take time to heal. And as the survivors regrouped and sought to move forward, they did so with the knowledge of the great and terrible events that had unfolded, of the choices made in the darkest of times, and of the hope that, against all odds, persisted.
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