Capítulo 33: A Sudden Ambush
'Sacrifice my Soul corruption,' caspian thought.
[Ding!]
_________
Sacrification Successful.
Points Allocated- [0]
_________
"Hooo...," Caspian exhaled softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "So it worked... I didn't think it would."
He turned his attention to Luna.
"Luna, can you check again? Is my soul still corrupted?" Caspian asked.
Luna blinked, startled by his request.
"I can, but... why?," Luna thought.
Without waiting for his response, she closed her eyes and activated her blessing, [Soul Gazing].
As her emerald eyes glowed faintly, her vision shifted to perceive the essence within him.
Moments passed in tense silence.
Then, Luna's eyes flew open, filled with disbelief. "How? How is this possible?!"
"What?" Eirlys asked,"What do you mean?"
"His soul," Luna said, her voice laced with confusion, "it's... not corrupted anymore. It's clean. Pure."
Eirlys's head whipped toward Caspian. "Cas... tell me. What did you do?"
Caspian smiled faintly, leaning back against the chair.
"It's a secret Eirlys," he said.
Eirlys's expression darkened, and in a rare show of familial tenderness, she stepped forward and placed her hands on his shoulders.
"Don't call me by name like that. Call me sister, okay?" Eirlys said.
Caspian's eyes widened briefly at her words.
He nodded, a small, genuine smile breaking. "Okay... sister."
______
VROOOOOM!
The car sped down the highway heading towards Arcwright estate.
Caspian sat by the window, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery, while his brothers, Jaxar and Eirak, lounged in their seats, speaking in low tones.
Across from him, his mother, Eleana Arcwright, sat upright, her hands clasped in her lap.
The S-rank dungeon that had recently appeared in Nyxoria had caused quite the stir, and she had insisted on making this trip to offer prayers for protection.
Caspian had no intention of coming at first.
The idea of spending hours in close proximity to his mother and brothers didn't appeal to him.
But Eleana had requested—no, begged him.
It was unlike her, and he had finally relented, though the reason for her insistence still eluded him.
"Look at that river Vitalis, Caspian," Eleana said, her voice breaking the silence as she gestured toward the wide expanse of water visible through the window.
"Yes, Mother," Caspian replied flatly, barely glancing at it.
Undeterred, Eleana continued.
"Do you know, Caspian, that river is the second largest in the world? It starts from the northwest of the human kingdom, and after weaving through more than half of our lands, it crosses into the Elven Continent."
"Oh, is that so?" Caspian replied, his tone disinterested.
She smiled softly, trying to draw him in.
"It's said that the waters of this river have magical properties, you know. Some claim it carries blessings from the heavens, granting strength to those who drink from its purest sources."
Caspian raised an eyebrow, though he didn't look at her. "Interesting," he muttered, the single word carrying no real conviction.
Eleana pressed on, undeterred by his lack of enthusiasm. "Your father and I visited this river once when you were a child. I remember thinking how beautiful it was, how peaceful. It felt like time stood still when we stood by its banks."
Caspian sighed softly, shifting in his seat. "I see."
Jaxar snorted from his seat, casting a glance at Caspian. "He doesn't care about rivers, Mother. He's probably just thinking about how to avoid getting involved in anything important."
"Exactly. Why bother appreciating the world when you can just sit in silence like a statue?" Eirak added.
Caspian didn't rise to their bait, his face remaining impassive as he stared out the window.
Eleana, however, shot her sons a warning look.
"That's enough, both of you," she said firmly. "This isn't the time for petty remarks."
Turning back to Caspian, her tone softened again. "Caspian, I just want to talk to you. Is that so wrong?"
For the first time, he turned to look at her, his expression unreadable.
"Why do you keep trying, Mother?" he asked. "You've barely spoken to me in years, and now you can't seem to leave me alone."
Eleana hesitated, a flicker of sadness crossing her face. "Because... I realize now how much time we've lost. I made mistakes, Caspian. I should have been there for you more. I want to make up for it."
Caspian's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he looked away again.
"You can't change the past," he said simply.
"No, I can't," she admitted, her voice trembling slightly. "But I can try to make the future better. For both of us."
Caspian didn't respond, his focus returning to the river as the carriage rolled on.
Eleana sat back, her hands tightening in her lap as silence settled over the group once more.
Despite her efforts, the wall between them remained intact, unyielding.
But she wasn't ready to give up—not yet.
"Aaaaooooouuuuuu!"
The chilling howl pierced the air, sending a shiver down Caspian's spine.
"What was that?" Eleana's voice was sharp.
She twisted in her seat to glance out the tinted window, her blue eyes widening in shock.
Through the glass, she saw them—beasts shaped like wolves, but far too large, their eyes glowing an unnatural crimson in the fading light.
Their black fur shimmered like oil, and their jagged teeth glinted as they snarled, saliva dripping from their gaping maws.
"What... what are those things?!" Eirak exclaimed, his voice trembling.
"Lupivores," Caspian muttered.
These creatures were notorious in folklore, C-rank monsters known for their pack hunting and relentless pursuit.
"Driver, speed up! Now!" Eleana ordered, her voice rising above the mounting panic.
The driver slammed his foot on the accelerator, and the car lurched forward.
But the beasts were fast—unnaturally fast.
Through the rearview mirror, Caspian could see them closing in, their claws tearing through the road as if it were paper.
One of them leapt onto the back of the car, its claws raking against the trunk, leaving deep gouges.
"Hold on!" the driver shouted, swerving violently to shake the creature off.
Suddenly, a massive figure emerged from the shadows—a Lupivore, larger than the others, its fur streaked with a sickly green glow.
It stood directly in the car's path, its glowing eyes fixed on them.
"LOOK OUT!" Eleana screamed.
The driver yanked the wheel, but it was too late.
CRASH!
The impact was deafening.
The car slammed into the monster, its front crumpling like paper.
Smoke billowed from the hood, and sparks flew as the engine sputtered and died.
The force of the crash sent everyone jolting forward.
THUD!
Caspian's head hit the back of the seat in front of him, dazing him momentarily.
His ears rang as the car groaned under the strain, and a faint smell of gasoline began to fill the air.
"Everyone, out! Get out of the car!" Eleana shouted, wrenching the door open despite her shaking hands.....
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