Chapter 132: Kestrel Was Taken (2)
"I didn’t have a choice," Taja whispered with a sigh. "I’m just an average girl, and I couldn’t fight against it. I’m really sorry for what happened to those alphas."
"Join me, Kestrel. You’re a beta, and the deity likes you. It swore it wouldn’t hurt you," she said, her face breaking into a timid grin. "I’m fond of you too. Be my friend. I promise I won’t be mad at you again."
Behind Taja’s innocent-looking smile, the swarm of alphas closed in, creating a heavy, tension-filled air.
Kestrel hesitated just briefly before saying, "I’ll come with you, but he stays." Her voice was cool and firm, pointing to Ren who was standing next to her.
In that moment, Kestrel recognized her own clear-headedness. She knew she was no match for the group, so she swiftly figured out the best way to handle things. She’d go with them but would ensure Ren, her exclusive alpha, would be safe.
Even if she’d given up Ren, she alone wouldn’t stand a chance against so many alphas. Besides, Kestrel had originally planned on heading where Taja was leading.
Taja looked unsure for a second, then finally said, "Okay. We’ll leave the alpha. But you come with us. Now."
Within the psychic landscape of Ren, the waters became turbulent. It was as if they could sense something; they tried to cling onto Kestrel, who was swimming through them.
The dress of Kestrel’s psychic form billowed, and her tendrils trailed behind her. She swam upwards, breaking the water’s surface and leaving its warm embrace.
Above, the sky was thick with storm clouds, with thunder echoing. The waves rose fiercely, crashing onto the shore. Their white foam surged forward, brushing against Kestrel’s tendrils that touched the sand.
She didn’t glance back; she just walked on.
The waves seemed to follow her, almost desperately. Every so often, a tendril would reach back, caressing the waves, as if saying a silent goodbye.
In time, her silhouette disappeared against the glowing horizon.
...
After what felt like an eternity, Ren woke up in darkness, still in that same room.
He was unharmed, lying on the floor. His magical blade was back in its scabbard, silently hanging by his side.
Everything was eerily quiet, without even the whisper of the wind.
Taja, the eyeless alphas, and Kestrel — none were there. It seemed that he had failed to protect his chosen beta.
Though he hadn’t been in control, Ren knew exactly what had happened.
He could only watch as Kestrel gestured towards him, saying, "He stays, I’ll go with you."
Ren then sat up, crossed-legged, in the dark and pulled out his blade. He wiped it down carefully with a cloth.
"Getting ready for some action?" The slit on the sword’s handle, which moved like a mouth, remarked, "Looks like it’s going to be fun for me."
"But," the odd voice from the sword added, "I was there too. The being down here is no joke; you won’t stand a chance."
Normally, Ren found his sword’s constant talking a nuisance. But right now, he was kind of thankful it could talk. At least in times like these, he wasn’t drowning in silence.
"Listen, this isn’t like anything we’ve ever faced. It’s ancient, powerful, and scary — and believe me when I say, no human can beat it."
"If you see a chance when it’s distracted, run as fast as you can and you might just make it out alive."
"It’s after the beta. It won’t harm her. That young Kraken seems like she could grow strong here."
"Hey! Are you listening? Don’t go in there, it’s too dangerous."
"Hey..."
Holding his vibrant red blade firmly, Ren ventured deeper into the shadowy underground maze, battling every obstacle in his path.
He’d lost his beta. He needed to find her, no matter what.
This city, now hidden underground, was from a time when humans were at their peak in tech skills. After it was taken by the Polluted Zone, time seemed to stop in its tracks here. Within its depths, there were treasures from that era, especially the potent healing pills.
Ren walked cautiously, each step deliberate and confident. This was no place for errors. He was on a mission — to dive into the deepest parts of this city and rescue his beta.
As he moved deeper, he discovered numerous potions and techy medical gadgets from that golden age. The medicines from then were pretty awesome — they could mend serious injuries in a flash and recharge someone completely drained of energy.
His journey wasn’t smooth. He’d face a foe, get hurt, treat his wounds with those awesome potions, get his strength back, and face another foe. And the cycle continued. Every now and then, he’d inject himself with another dose of the healing potions...
His blade, now splattered with stains of combat, never left his side. He had faith that he’d get to the very end. He wouldn’t stop until he’d found Kestrel and got her out safely — that was the pledge he’d made to her.
"Are you nuts? Stop with the injections! Your blood’s starting to smell weird, like those pills."
"You know that’s a booster, right? Not some sweet treat."
"How do you keep going? It feels like it’s been forever. Seriously, I’m so done."
"*Burp*~ It’s been a while since I felt this full from drinking blood."
...
After what seemed like endless battles and days that stretched on, the unstoppable Ren finally got to the last level.
He was covered in so much blood that it was hard for him to see. The dim light gave everything a red hue.
"Is that... is that you? The... the alpha..." Taja, wearing a pristine white dress, spotted him. She quickly coiled her unique tendril and hurried off.
As she made her escape, she cried out, "Kestrel, Kestrel!"
Teeth clenched and gripping his battle-worn blade, Ren pulled together every last bit of energy and charged after her.
Deep within the suffocating shadows, Ren felt a presence he recognized. Something inside him stirred, causing him to suddenly stop in his tracks and raise his gaze.
Above him, the darkness was absolute, a silent void. Soft movements whispered in the black, as if shadows were alive and shifting. Without warning, a barrage of tendrils erupted from the void.
These weren’t the youthful, delicate tendrils that often encircled Kestrel. These were different — thick, mighty, colored a deep and ominous red. They wriggled and squirmed, each movement accompanied by a damp, slurping noise.
Deep within the writhing mass, a set of gleaming golden eyes emerged.
Their gaze was chilly, detached, haunting, and entirely devoid of warmth or humanity.
"Kestrel?" Ren cautiously uttered, gripping his knife even tighter and retreating a few steps.
A voice, one that Ren found eerily familiar yet different, replied from the shadows, "Hmm? How do you know my name?"
