Chapter 50: Chapter 50 - The Mother

A figure stumbled through the dark, cave-like tunnel, the faint light of the exit barely visible ahead.

His breaths came in ragged gasps, each step heavy with fatigue.

His grey hair, now matted with blood, clung to his face, and his torn, stained clothes revealed the brutal toll the journey had taken on him.

"I have to get out... report this to the empire," he muttered, his voice a pained rasp. Every movement was a struggle, but he forced himself forward, driven by desperation.

The exit was near—so close that he could feel the warmth of the outside world calling for him.

With a final burst of energy, he surged toward the light, breaking free from the suffocating darkness of the cave.

The open plain greeted him with a gentle breeze, and he collapsed onto the soft, green grass, gasping for air.

With trembling hands, he reached for a glowing stone in his pocket, clutching it tightly as it began to emit a soft light. Relief washed over him—he could finally teleport back to safety.

But in an instant, his hope was shattered. The stone exploded in his hand, its light extinguished.

A sharp pain shot through his chest.

His breath hitched as he looked down, his eyes widening in disbelief.

An arrow-like dark object protruded from his body, having pierced both his chest and the teleportation stone.

Blood poured from the wound, and with growing dread, he turned his head to face the cave entrance.

Four figures emerged from the shadows, their faces grim and all too familiar.

His former comrades—those who had fought alongside him for so long—now stood against him. His heart sank, the horror of their betrayal twisting in his chest.

"It's... it's you," he stammered, voice barely above a whisper.

One of them spoke, their voice hollow and twisted. "You can't escape. It's over."

Memories flooded his mind—their group had been among the empire's finest, known as one of the strongest ascendant teams. Together, they had accomplished the impossible, resolving countless crises for the empire.

But this time, they had ventured into a ruin unlike any other. What should have been a routine exploration turned into a living nightmare.

They had been transported to a hellish dimension, trapped in a realm of darkness for over a year.

There, they fought day and night against unspeakable horrors, their strength and resolve slowly withering. Desperation clawed at them, and one by one, his companions succumbed to the darkness.

He had been the last to hold on, the only one determined to find a way out.

But now, as he looked into the dead, empty eyes of his comrades, he realized the terrible truth. Their bodies had been overtaken by the very creatures they had fought against.

"How could this happen?" he whispered, his voice barely holding back the anguish. "Jin, Rei, Maru, Tessa... we were supposed to return together..."

The figures stepped closer, their movements unnatural, twisted by the dark forces that now controlled them.

"Join us," one of them said, their voice cold and devoid of emotion.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he stumbled backward, clutching his bleeding chest. "No... I can't... I won't become one of you!"

"There is no escape," the figure who once was his closest friend replied. "You are already one of us. You just don't know it yet."

Desperation clawed at him as he tried to flee, but his body betrayed him.

His steps were sluggish, the weight of despair too great to overcome. "I have to warn the empire... they need to know..."

A sickening thud echoed across the plain as another dark arrow pierced his skull. His body crumpled to the ground, motionless.

A moment passed, then his eyes opened again.

The lifeless body of the grey-haired man slowly stood, a sinister smile curling on his bloodstained lips.

"As expected," he muttered, his voice no longer his own. "His body was strong. It took time, but now it is mine."

The other possessed figures gathered around him, their twisted voices filled with eerie satisfaction. "We are finally free."

"What weaklings humans have become," one of them spat, looking down at their former leader's body with disdain. "These were supposed to be among the strongest ascendants?"

The grey-haired man, now fully possessed, chuckled darkly. "If these are the best human world has to offer, then this world will fall easily."

"But not yet," he cautioned, his tone sharp. "We must lay low. The human emperor... if his bloodline still exists, we cannot afford to be reckless."

A heavy silence fell over the group at the mention of the emperor. The fear was palpable—no one dared challenge that name.

"And the Mother," he added, his voice filled with reverence. "Until she is awakened, we must remain hidden."

The others nodded solemnly. None would dare oppose the Mother's will. She was their creator, the one who held dominion over them all. And she was the Arch nemesis of the human emperor.

"For now," the grey-haired man said, casting a final glance at the ruin. "we return to the empire. It's time to blend in."