Chapter 436 434-The Unyielding Dart
On the fringes of the Shadow clan's territory, Dart, grievously injured, and a few renegade members of his clan sought respite beside a clump of wild grass.
Dart's eyes were bloodshot with unyielding resentment.
He was so close to his final triumph.
Who could have imagined that Sherry would attain such formidable Power of Shadow?
Was it possible that the Hero Spirits of the Shadow clan had entrusted all their might to Sherry?
This was something Dart found utterly unbelievable.
He had always seen himself as the future of the Shadow clan.
A deluge of negative emotions engulfed him, compelling him to stand and bellow in rage.
"I am the one who should be the new High Priest of the Shadow clan! I am destined to be the hero, the savior of our people! That cursed woman, Sherry, bringing an outsider against me! I will never give up!"
The eyes of the Shadow clan members around him were devoid of any spark of hope.
They knew their future was nonexistent.
Following the failed rebellion, they were all exiled from the Shadow clan.
Now they were left to wander, their fate uncertain, with no assurance of finding refuge.
After his outburst, Dart finally calmed down.
He realized the necessity of maintaining composure.
No amount of regret would change their current plight.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Dart arrived at a plan.
If Sherry could seek help from outsiders, so could he.
His spirits lifted, he addressed his fellow Shadow clan members, "We can certainly seek aid from other powers. Do you remember the God of Curses I once mentioned?"
The mention of the God of Curses instilled palpable fear in his followers.
This deity was among the most dreaded by the Shadow clan.
According to their legends, the God of Curses had once bestowed an eternal curse upon the Ancient Deities, driving them to madness with their undying state.
These Ancient Deities, being Second-generation Deities, lacked the high divinity of the Primordial Deities.
After being cursed by the God of Curses, their divinity dwindled even further.
The decline in divinity left them unable to maintain their sanity, and these crazed Ancient Deities eventually plunged into a cataclysmic divine war.
However, following the fall of numerous Ancient Deities, the God of Curses seemed to have vanished.
Only mad creatures or legends spoke of this deity.
"Dart, you're lying!" one of the renegades accused, his faith in Dart completely shattered. "The God of Curses doesn't exist! The High Priest said that the Ancient Deities had destroyed him. How could he possibly lend us assistance?"
This rebel believed Dart had lost his mind, resorting to seeking help from a deity that didn't even exist.
Dart regarded the skeptical Shadow clan member with a cold gaze, understanding that the doubts expressed were shared by many around him.
Most of the Shadow clan did not believe in the possibility of the God of Curses returning to their world.
Dart knew he had to prove that the God of Curses could indeed descend upon this realm once more.
"I don't blame you for your disbelief," Dart began, his tone no longer harsh but rather composed, as if he had regained his calm.
He intended to thoroughly explain his plan to those who continued to follow him. "I am fully aware of what the High Priest told you and understand why he did so."
"The High Priest claimed that the God of Curses could no longer descend upon our world to make you feel safe in your situation. However, the God of Curses has always existed. He has blessed me before, bestowing upon me immense power. This power prevents me from being directly controlled by the Hero Spirits of the Shadow clan."
As Dart spoke, his words gradually persuaded the other members of the Shadow clan.
They had indeed witnessed Dart resisting control from the Hero Spirits in the Valhalla of the Shadow clan, which lent credibility to his claims.
"As for the assistance the God of Curses can provide us," Dart continued, his voice laced with finality as he uttered the next words, "he can grant us immortality!"
When he spoke of eternal life, there was a resolute tone in his voice.
Dart was well aware that immortality was not a blessing but a true curse in its essence.
"If eternal life were a blessing, why would it be bestowed by the God of Curses? What he offers are curses, not blessings."
The Shadow clan members seemed to grasp the grim implication in Dart's words.
Some began to regret their decision to join Dart's rebellion.
One of them stood up, addressing Dart directly, "I regret this now. I no longer wish to act alongside you. I plan to seek forgiveness from the new High Priest."
After declaring this, the fearful Shadow clan member swiftly fled towards their camp.
Surprisingly, Dart did not attempt to stop him.
Once the deserter was far gone, Dart turned slowly to the remaining Shadow clan members and said, "Does anyone else wish to flee? If so, do it now. If you choose to stay, then you must follow my orders. I have no way back, and if you act with me, neither will you."
Dart had no intention of having everyone accompany him on his quest.
He was acutely aware that a larger group would not necessarily make his mission more successful.
The words he spoke, coupled with the events that had transpired, caused many of the Shadow clan members who had initially followed him to waver in their resolve.
The realization that following Dart might not be the wisest choice dawned on them.
They began to scatter in small groups, preparing to flee back to the Shadow clan.
Dart, true to his previous stance, did not hinder their escape.
It was only when he was left with three or four individuals that he continued.
"Those cowards have fled. Those of you who remain are the ones I can truly trust. You must be willing to accept the gift of immortality from the God of Curses. Besides eternal life, he will also bestow upon you immense powers."
The three remaining members of the Shadow clan were eager for the God of Curses' more potent aid.
They had no intentions of returning to the Shadow clan, their hatred for Sherry deep-seated and unyielding.
Dart led the small group to the dark edges of Shadow Moon Lake.
There, on the lake's gloomy shore, he began the summoning of the God of Curses.
"Great God of Despair, mighty Deity of Fate, profound Source of Curses! Your most loyal servant, Dart, seeks your gaze. We implore you to grant us the power of immortality. With this power, we shall aid in the fulfillment of your grand design!"
As Dart began to recite the prayer to the God of Curses, the waters of Shadow Moon Lake underwent a dramatic transformation.
The once placid surface churned into raging waves.
The moon in the sky vanished, replaced by a colossal red eye, the physical manifestation of the God of Curses.
Dart and the three Shadow clan members with him instinctively lifted their heads, their eyes fixated on the massive red orb above.
They all felt their powers burgeoning rapidly, but this increase was accompanied by immense pain and eternal despair.
The God of Curses, born of despair, naturally inflicted despair upon his servants.
The despair of any being could bring about powerful curses, which was why the God of Curses was so formidable.
Dart had no regrets about his current situation.
Having decided to wage a relentless battle against Sherry and Ethan, he was prepared to pay the necessary price.
Eventually, Dart obtained a power from the God of Curses so potent that he could now regard himself as the deity's avatar in this world.
He even felt confident enough to directly summon the God of Curses if needed.
After gaining the God of Curses' power, Dart did not choose to immediately return to the Shadow clan's territory.
He was acutely aware that he needed ample time to familiarize himself with his newfound abilities.
"We need not head straight back to the Shadow clan's land," Dart announced.
"We must make for the Endless Sea. Our journey to the Endless Sea will provide us with the perfect opportunity to fully master our powers. Once we have complete control over our new abilities, it will still be timely to seek vengeance against Sherry and Ethan!"
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