Chapter 48: Fuel for the Next Generation
It felt as if countless burning needles were spreading from her chest to every part of her body. The pain raced through her veins, slipped beneath her skin, and settled deep inside her bones.
"Breathe, child," Takra instructed. "Do not hold your breath."
Maeve tried. She truly tried, damn it!
But every breath felt difficult when it seemed as though her heart was being ripped apart from the inside.
Cold hands pressed more firmly against her back. The ancestors were lending her their strength, helping her remain upright as her body trembled uncontrollably.
"Good," Takra said. "The blood is accepting your body."
Accepting? Maeve wanted to complain because if this was acceptance, she didn’t want to know what rejection felt like.
"Maeve." Ikarus’s soft voice reached her ears. She couldn’t open her eyes, but she knew he was probably staring at her. "You’re doing well."
If she were being honest, Maeve wanted to tell him that she was absolutely not doing well. But every time she opened her mouth, the only thing that came out was a pained whimper.
In the end, she said nothing. For some reason, though, Ikarus’s voice had a strong effect on her. The pain was still there, but at least she knew she wasn’t in danger. She was in a safe place.
She found herself imagining that she was a wounded seal that had been rescued by humans. To the injured animal, those people probably looked terrifying. But even if the treatment was painful, it was being done for the seal’s sake.
"It won’t take much longer," Takra said again. "Just hold on a little longer."
The moment she heard those words, Maeve suddenly realized that the pain throughout her body was slowly beginning to fade.
Her heart no longer hurt every time it beat. Instead, it felt lighter and lighter, as if her body no longer had to work so hard to pump blood through her veins.
"That’s good... that’s good. Your body is accepting his blood well enough," Takra said. "This is truly a miracle."
A miracle? Did he mean her chances of dying from this damn ritual had been much higher than she thought?
[Why are you still thinking about that, Host?] Pinky’s annoying voice suddenly echoed in her head. [Who cares how likely you were to die? The important thing is—]
’What were my chances of dying?’ Maeve cut Pinky off.
Pinky didn’t answer for several seconds. Then it finally replied, [Around eighty percent.]
Oh, damn it! That was way too high!
How was she still alive with such terrible odds? Was it because of her lucky charm again?
[This time, it isn’t just because of your lucky charm, Host.]
A deeper frown appeared on Maeve’s face. If it wasn’t because of her lucky charm, then what was it?
Sure, her bond with Ikarus had become stronger after their souls were connected. But she didn’t believe a bond alone could make her body strong enough to survive something like this.
Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—she got her answer when Takra finally allowed her to open her eyes.
"What... happened?" she asked weakly. Her voice sounded hoarse. As she looked around the chamber, her confusion quickly grew. "Why are there fewer of you?"
Before the ritual began, she could have sworn there had been countless ancestors surrounding her. But now... Almost half of them were gone. At first, Maeve thought they had simply returned to their coffins.
But the moment she heard Takra’s answer, it felt as though a bucket of freezing water had been poured over her head.
"Your body was too weak to receive Azuryn blood," Takra began.
"That’s why we had to do everything we could to strengthen it." His expression grew heavy. "Unfortunately, some of the ancestors didn’t have enough energy to endure the process. That’s why, their souls were gradually worn away and in the end, they became fuel to strengthen your body."
For a moment, her mind went completely blank, and she simply stared at the empty spaces where those ancestors had once stood.
Gone.
They were gone because of her.
As the last thread of golden blood entered her heart, Maeve finally managed to take a deep breath before collapsing onto the cold ground.
Her hand immediately moved to her chest. She could feel her heart beating strongly beneath her palm. It was healthier than before, stronger than before, and yet somehow, it only made her chest ache even more.
"What’s wrong?!" Ikarus asked in panic. The moment she fell, he rushed to her side. He carefully pulled her into his arms, holding her as if she might break apart at any second.
"Does your heart still hurt?" he asked.
It did hurt, but not in the same way as before.
"No..." Maeve replied softly. "I just... feel bad."
The pain she felt now was emotional, something that couldn’t be healed by medicine or the ancestors’ aether energy.
"I killed your ancestors," she said softly.
Ikarus looked completely caught off guard. For a moment, he simply stared at her.
"Why would you say that?" he asked at last. "They were already dead long before this."
"But their souls were still here before this," Maeve said. "Now they’re truly gone."
If she had still been living in her old world, she would never have believed that anyone would be willing to sacrifice so much for her.
After all, she had never considered herself that important, and yet now... she had suddenly found herself in a position where people were willing to give up everything just so she could live and suffer a little less.
She knew she was important to the tribe and she knew everyone saw her as their hope. But still... Wasn’t allowing their souls to be worn away an enormous sacrifice?
"They’re not completely gone," Ikarus said gently. His voice was calm, as though he was afraid she might blame herself forever if he didn’t explain.
After making sure she was looking at him, he continued, "After we die, one part of our soul returns to the Light of Life, while the other part remains behind to watch over our descendants."
"That part of their soul exists for one reason," Ikarus said softly. "To make sure their descendants continue to live and thrive and if they have to give up that part of their soul so their descendants can survive, they will do it without hesitation."
Ikarus looked at her with such gentle eyes. "Why?" Ikarus asked before answering his own question. "Because the Azuryn Tribe was never built by just one generation. We exist because of those who came before us, and we will continue because of those who come after us. Every generation protects the next one. That is how we protect our home, our people, and our future."
As he spoke, he gently placed his hand over hers. The hand that was still resting against her chest.
"Their souls haven’t truly disappeared, but they’re living inside your heart now." he continued. "They are helping your body adapt to this world, they’re helping you carry our child, and they’re making sure your pregnancy doesn’t place too much strain on your body."
For a moment, the chamber fell silent. Maeve lowered her gaze to her chest, feeling the ache in her heart was still there. But somehow, it felt warmer than before.
It felt less like grief and more like gratitude.
Her eyes slowly brightened when she thought, ’How could they see sacrifice in such a beautiful way?’
More than that, it felt as though the Azuryn people saw life itself as something precious. Selfishness seemed completely foreign to them. Even after death, they continued to give. They became fuel for the Light of Life and never hesitated to do whatever was needed to protect the next generation.
For them, the tribe was never just about themselves. It was about everyone who came before them and everyone who would come after them.
"Don’t feel guilty about what they did for you," Ikarus said gently. He took both of her hands and held them firmly between his own. "They did it because they wanted to. That’s why the only thing you need to do now is live a good life."
A small smile appeared on his face. "So that one day, you can pass that kindness on to the people who come after you."
Takra spoke up as well. "He’s right, child. We were only doing our job, and our job is to protect you."
The remaining ancestors nodded their heads at the same time. Although they couldn’t speak, they wanted Maeve to know that she had done nothing wrong.
Maeve wanted to say something in return, but before she could, Pinky suddenly made an announcement.
[Congratulations! You have completed the side mission: Endure the Heart-Blood Ritual.]
[Condition Completed: Stay awake until the ritual is completed.]
[Reward: Pain Resistance +20%]
[Additional Reward: 400 Coins]
[Remaining Coins: 2,550]
Not long afterward, the chamber door finally opened. Cerus immediately rushed inside and dropped to the floor beside Maeve. "Maeve! Maeve! Are you alright?"
At first, his eyes were fixed on her face. Then his gaze slowly traveled downward. "Why are you naked?!"
