The pain receded, replaced by a pronounced coolness that touched his soul like a wet blanket.
The transformation had been harrowing.
Blake expected the visible signs of someone who had undergone a transformation like muscularity and maybe... a strange power, but looking at his current state, it didn't seem as though something at all happened.
'what a freaking liar.'
Was the orthodox playing a crucial joke on him?
Blake felt petrified for a while.
Been granted these powers are akin to been given a second chance to life but still...
what was he able to gain out of all these?
'Oh shoot!'
Immediately, he turned towards the other end of the cave...
This was were the entrance was sealed from even gods themselves..
Powers or no powers, the Underworld Groove was being penetrated.
Blake could only think of one person who's greed strongly holds meaning towards the creatures of the Underworld Groove, and that person is none other than Duke Ferilando.
That man is a swine...
If only there was a way to get out right now.
'Also, where the heck is Tera? These witches ditched me.'
It was as though they read his mind and instantly, both Tera and Evie materialised within, staring at the poor Blake in apology.
Blake couldn't help but scoff at them, still not realising the obvious fact that he was trapped in for all eternity.
But lucky him... the Orthodox crane had decided to bless him with powers. Was it his first kill that had granted him the powers? Energies had their own special entities which lies beforehand with the emerging gods.
The emerging gods known as the higher gods...
Blake would never understand these logics. His mind wasn't fully developed to take in such knowledge.
Each gods was bestowed with an enormous peripheral of dark unseen powers which some were able to be converted into bad and good energies.
Orthodox crane was not only a power entity. It also depicts a creature of the underworld groove which happens to surpass all other creatures and then, earning it's tittle, engulfing hidden attributes... which emanated from the origin of it's reign akin to a dark god.
Every part of it was exhilarating.
He remembered something that instantly flashed past his mind like Oblivion.
Dread washed over him for a while as he caught a glimpse of some strange mark... The Orthodox Crane must have made mention of such...
Oblivion suddenly overwhelmed him.
He forgot. Blake felt as though he had forgotten something so vital, anyways the gods are always Supreme in their actions.
Blake still remained upset with the ladies who just showed up...
His face simply glowed with absolute irony. Mirth was also evident and he commented on their sudden appearance.
'Traitors!'
Tera didn't feel scared walking towards him but the overall fear kick-started when she was supposed to look into his eyes and begin with an explaination.
"Actually Blake, your life is... uh... should I call it ruined?"
Blake's eyes turned bloodshot at her remark.
"What do you mean?"
His question came out crisp and short.
Meanwhile, Evie who remained indifferent at the scene that was unfolding spurted out,
"we forgot that you are not a witch. Only witches enters the underworld groove and leaves. And if you are not one then you are trapped for the rest of your life."
Evie was quite straight forward which seem to bother her any less. The only person brimming with concern at the moment was Tera.
Blake's eyes widened in realization.
No wonder they had disapparated without him.
Plus he guessed that their magic must have enveloped him but... the Underworld Groove did not allow the magic on his own side to take effect which means, only the girls disappeared... not him.
If his theory is right then really... his life is ruined.
Plus there was no longer any way for him to rescue Jotham from the impending doom of the battling Heirlocks.
Within his thoughts, invisible question marks started dropping one after another.
"Sorry Blake, we did not know that you were the invisible one under the rain."
Tera said realising Evies reluctance in speaking up. Plus the way in which she had non-chalantly opened the truth was enough to put one into a trance.
"Now what should I do here, battle deadly creatures all day?"
Blake roared out of anger and Evie still feeling calm tskked before remotely replying in two words.
'I guess.'
Blake peeled his face away from both girls. They had caused nothing but pain for him.
Running away from an insidous Heirlock wasn't bad enough and now this.
Trapped in an Underworld with no direct way out of its treachery.
What a fate had befallen him. The only good thing now was that he was blessed by the crane gods which had given him a mark.
That mark had actually fallen into Oblivion. He didn't remember it.
The last time he heard the Crane's undulating voice was when he was wailing in agony of the transformation but he didn't get the information too well.
"Something about being marked by the gods.. and then being the only generation of a vile gods of the earth.
A terrible premonition hits him like a hurricane. He seemed to remember, but then it all went back to Oblivion.
Well, he would find out soon but not when these two witches still remained in here.
Immediately, Tera cuts in to remind him that they were still here with him. And that was after witnessing him zone out.
"Listen, uh... we would be by your side during this time. At least this would be our compensation for causing this to you."
Evie cocked her head to the side.
"We would?"
She asked not sure but they ignored her question.
"The Underworld Groove varies in comparison to it's current state right now. A cave isn't actually what depicts the underworld... it is the various world's outside of it. Creatures would keep emerging from the other end of this cave and we would have to fend it off eventually.
Killing that one Vampire has been enough work already.
What if they come in their numbers? Would you both be able to keep your words or probably chicken out like last time?"
Blake was flashing an acussing stare at them.
Both girls thought for a while before going to respond positively about being able to stand when danger comes.
"Perhaps, if we continue from here, there might be a way out that no one has ever been able to discover.
Probably... a gate that was hidden awy from existence, which may act as a projectile to bring us back to the real world without needing to make eventual appearance." Tera said.
Blake thought for a while, the girl was right though.
Who knows, there might be an entrance hidden from the eyes of all creatures which if carefully searched for... would be found.
"Shall we?"
Evie asked brandishing her sword the Ghost Steel and Blake seeing her take the first move grinned at the wild burn of energy which flickered in her dark irisis.
And in an instant he approved.
"Sure."
Tera had her own sword with her which was a Gold Blade... it was dark and stark far from its name. Its handle betraying that it had gold. Freckles of dots lining the edges of the handle in an ever-changing manner.
They walked deeper into the cave.
Then, they saw the dead body of a deranged vampire laying stone cold on the marble floor... and the ladies turned to him with a stoic glare.
"You killed it?"
Their shock was evidently.
While Blake remained bitter in response.
"Should I let it kill me?"
Blake was staring back at the dead creature with an expression he never had on him before.
The trio had walked farther into the cave without bumping into any other creature dwelling within.
The Underworld Groove is a vestiges of what depicts true horror itself.
The creatures in there could be classified based on their ranks. There were ranks that Blake was able to kill.. but there are also ranks that Blake realised was able to kill him without batting an eye.
These ranks were Diseased, Potential, Dark, Fallen, Evil, Terror and Calamity.
The highest of them being the Calamity.
Right now, Blake can do away with the Diseased and can try to destroy the potential but the dark is above his class... or he probably has no class at all given that the blessings of the gods had not even kickstarted.
The Orthodox crane gives power according to class and right now, he was dormant.
These classes are, Dormant, Awakened Crestfallen, Awakened Bloodbane, Ascended Titan, Ascended Ancient and Transcendent Immortal.
The dormant, as he currently seem to be now is like, having the blood... or the lineage of the gods only that, the powers is not awakened.
Which means, he had to pass a certain set of trials to evolve his rank.
From dormant to an Awakened Crestfallen.
An awakened Crestfallen is like a legacy of new powers which becomes potent to an individual. It's a lower rank of power which needs a lot of training to will.
Not needing to elaborate further into those details which would come later, the trio continued to transverse deeper untill the sullen rays of a vintage moon peered through an exit.
'I guess this is where the cave ends'
They reached it's exit and paused only walk back in... as if a certain something was attached to the darkness only to discover that there was nothing.
Sighing, Tera spoke.
"You know, that bloodthirsty Duke came to Blackshire forest and enslaved numerous humans and some of our kinds."
She recieved a hostile stare from Blake.
"What did you do about it?" He asked.
"What else could we do, hide. Besides bodies and blood is being lithered around and seems like the massacre is still ongoing and in full swing!" Evie said getting a nod from Tera.
Blake exhales deeply.
"Have you guys thought about standing to fight?"
"Are you crazy? Get enslaved by enthralled Heirlocks. And asked to do forbidden things with our magic and then rewards are curses from the goddess of light, no way." Tera said.
The three continued to discuss not knowing that there was other beings stucked at the cave ending.
All of a sudden, something aimed at Blake in full speed and slammed him on the chest, throwing him back.
A whirlpool of energy descended and Blake felt a mighty suppression and then... He crashed unto the wall causing the cave to shudder and quake tremendously almost sending spikes down.
His body groaned in endless pain.
"Wait, what? Are these Mallocks?" Blake wondered because if they really are then, he stand no chance fighting against a domineering fiend.
Besides they were of the Evil rank three ranks above him.
Their resilence was ardous and mighty, with thick spikes and bone protrusions shooting out of their backs...
cladded in thick armor and dark moat to resist weapons penetrating through.
"What the actual fuck?"
Tera escaped from the snarl of one of these Evil by vanishing only to materialise right in front of Blake. She helped to him stand.
The Mallocks were actually hiding from something... and that was why they flocked the exit. This exit had a dark chamber. That was where they nested. Anyone who arrives would be blinded by that fact..
"Are you alright?" Tera asked staring behind in alert just incase they attacked.
"God am still in pain."
Blake hissed and stared at the mallocks which were advancing at them slowly. They were like hundreds of them which were already leaving the dark embrace of the shadows.
Blake couldn't help but wow that these mallocks had something to do with the [Shadows Affinity]
Several, seconds were turning into minutes and Tera turned to face him with a face full of shrewd.
"Blake, do we still have to stand and fight?" She asked and of course Blake was not stupid. He didn't want to end his life because of a common Legacy. So he sighed.
"Although, I believe in that Legacy, stand and fight, I also do not want to die, let me distract them while you and Evie find a place to camp. Please Evie, can I have your sword?" Blake demanded and she just shrugged before handing it down.
The blade Ghost Steel looked a lot lighter in his hands. Immediately a Mallock lunged at him, making both girls to vanish.
Blake had to use both the Ghost Steel and Night Tide to deflect all of the mallocks devastating blows.
But blades could not make up for the disparity in rank. Their strength was too massive for him.
The mallocks were coming in their numbers, madness danced in their eyes like wildfire which glared at Blake...
He had to mutter a curse loudly before dodging incoming blows in order to stay alive. The Legion Stale weaved itself in whirlwind of sparks into reality and was ebbed on his feet.
Now he was able to become faster and keep up to the Mallocks moves that made up for the difference in speed..
They really wanted to rip Blake apart which apparantly was their main goal for now.
Meanwhile the ghostly color of Evie's blade simmered endlessly.
Raw energy was kindled from it that even the void bent in an abnormal manner.
Still, the Mallocks refused to even die.
Their armory couldn't even be penetrated. This was exactly what Blake called fighting a losing battle.
There will be massive Editing of all chapters in this book!
Blake was utterly devastated.
His moves, his attackes, his comebacks were utterly useless and pointless. Worst of all, he could not deal any damage to the Mallocks.
Instead, the Mallocks were being even offended.
Blake felt doom on like any other, he stepsided an attack while using the Night Tide to save his neck from being ripped apart.
It happened that a Mallock just fell into the shadows and used that particular affinity against him. One of their perpendicular Scythe's lunged at him as it pireced the air around him also drawing out blood from him...
The Mallocks were ready to cut him to shriveled pieces of meat but, he acted fast by using both the Night Tide and the Ghost Steel to act as a wedge, preventing the Mallocks from drawing forward... his life was saved... For now.
But still, everything he did to kill or to save himself only added to make the Mallocks much more furious, as if incuring their wrath.
Their dark golem eyes were radiating an intense bloodlust and Madness, plus they were too many of them.
Some looked ghastly as terrors and Blake couldn't help but gulp.
These creatures are classified as EVIL but they had the madness which were classified in the terror ranks so right now, they had only bloodlust and not intelligence.
He only had to decieve them in order to escape because, being the only one soloing countless terrors might result in his inevitable death.
Right now, he needed to run.
Blake managed to dodge an incoming blow from a Mallock which he used the Ghost Steel to maneuver only to fall into the hands of another one, who's head has the weight of three mountains put together.
'Crap...'
Immediately, its head slammed upon Blake, rattling his internal organs tremendously, at the same time, blasting him backwards upon a wall and the wall crumbled causing spikes and stones to rain down like hails.
But the Mallocks were made mostly of alloys and deep moat, so it was Blake who cared for safety right now.
The spikes and heavy stone might fall on them but he would die and the Mallocks would live.
"What to do, what to do?"
The Mallocks were coming forward and not even an iota of idea was popping in.
Where he stood now was safe from the raining spikes so moving out of was like endangering his life the more, but if he stands there, wasn't he also putting his life at risk?
The Mallocks would end up killing him.
There was no way he would solo an undulating tide of creatures being merely a dormant immortal like.
As an immortal, it doesn't mean that he would never die. There are certain wordings to the meaning of something and it needs to be focused on. As a blessed, everyone was made to understand that even though you've accomplished most of the trials and become a Bloodbane or even a Titan, no matter how the word [Immortal] is written or is being spelt, there is always something that can kill you.
Currently, being a dormant immortal is risky enough because, anything at this point in time can kill you and it takes one so much of luck to accomplish the first step of trials to go through evolution and become a Crestfallen, which Blake is trying to do now so desperately.
Stay alive... kill the creatures under his ranks... and then try to accomplish impossible missions left behind by a god to complete the trials.
Tera and Evie are far from being here. If they were here, they would have teleported elsewhere but right now, it was just him wanting to survive. But these abominations are three ranks above him so fighting them were pointless. Realising his class, he knew that he had to come up with a plan to decieve them.
All of a sudden, a gust of wind picked up causing the mallocks to be distracted.
'Yes.. this was it. The distraction.'
Blake was pleased. The wind was levitating particles of dust off the ground and the next minute, the dust latched unto Mallocks vision. Blake grinned widely as he crept past them and then disappeared into the darkness wondering where Evie and Tera were.
"They went to find shelter, how long does it take one to materialise back into a cave?"
Coming out of the cave ending, the dark sky was enveloped with rough and thick black clouds which looks to be seperating. After a minute or so, the sky was far from being clear and the next minute, a blining radiance filled the land. It was obviously light from the moon.
Its ghostly light bathed the sky spreading faster over the horizon, until the moon emerged out of the clouds completely hanging proudly above as if on a mission to eviacerate anyone under its gaze. Blake immediately left the shade of the cave and walked into the vasty land. He took three steps in and all of a sudden, a certain pressure began to build deep within his soul.
The very soul he had managed to aquire which is a dormant soul was on the verge of being destroyed. It felt as though, a mysterious power was sucking the life out of him.
Immediately, with the strength left in him, he retreated and was back into the cave's entrance to feel a certain coolness grope him.
"What the fuck?"
'It seems like the vintage light from the moon was meant to obliterate lives or is there another reason why?'
Blake realised.
'No wonder the Mallocks in their numbers camped here.'
There was no other reason to justify why the Mallocks decided to keep themselves trapped in the dark confines of the cave plus being in the embrace of the shadows.
Somehow, the light was still able to affect them while inside the cave but not to the extreme. This was another reason why they fell in the dark embrace of shadows.
Now he get why.
The moon was a demonic blood moon. It was forged from the thick golems of a dark god centuries ago, and it was created for goodwill. Several entities of the dark gods required a means to shadow light and pursue daemonic thralls, and they created a moon which needed sacrifices of a thousand humans to burn so that it could release its harmless light into the night, do its work on the daemonic thralls and their Affliants which mysteriously broke free from hell.
But due to the scarcity of humans in the underworld groove, the moon stayed hungry. But later on, the moon turned wild and vile. It started haunting out its food by itself by making its killer radiance harmful to all living things. Descending its vintage light which was capable to eviscerate any living organism embedded under its wicked gleams.
Right now, Blake didn't mind going because Tera and Evie was somewhere down there.
Who knows, they might be experiencing the same thing. Plus, he did not want to stay in the cave any longer. Immediately, he checked his weapons racks.
The weapon rack is an imaginary repose storage that was forged from magic. A term to clarify a resilence sheath whereby weapons and other things are kept by the wielder who would be able to summon and dismiss any thing they want.
Jotham made all of the weapons. Tera and Evie who trains with Jotham too were the witches who had helped with the magic to will it's enchantments. A rack is like a collection, whereby one stores weapons or any other materials worth safe keeping. Now the question is,
"where do all these weapons or particularly called [Stuffs] go?"
There are going straight to the Hollow Mountains once dismissed. The hollow mountains are inpenetratable because most personnal [Stuffs] are in the Hollow. The Hollow Mountain is a sacred place whereby witches communicate to forbidden [Stuffs] and then will them out to reality. Hollow Mountain is like really imaginary. No one can go, not in this life, not ever.
Most humans and witches tends to come to Jotham for weapons and its special enchantments and then after that, Hollow Mountain would accertain the wielders score and then place a change where you would be able to summon and dismiss any weapons in and out of your collections.
Suddenly, a [Dark Umbrellea] weaved itself into reality.
When Blake looked back into the cave, he saw the Mallocks in the darkness.
They seems to have overcomed the problem regarding the levitating dust but Blake left the cave without wasting any second or else these Evil abominations would rip him in half.
He wasn't even done recovering from being pierced into the flesh by a Mallock so he didn't want any more injuries.
***
Meanwhile.
As the thick vintage moon light showered down at the land in it's fiery gaze, two ladies fought under its radience able to withstand its killing intent and soul devouring will.
Seems like the witches are like embers where by their body are moving freely, and empty while their souls is in the hands of the goddess of light so having no soul was of great benefit.
The moon did not affect them, but that does not stop the fact that once anyone dies, their soul is leaving the hand of the goddess to meet their maker.
A wolf-like creature was snarling at them both. It was also immune to the moon's demonic waves. It was none other than a Scavange Wolf Fiend. They were also known as daredevils and it is none other than a fallen Terror.
Evie had another weapon with her that was not a sword but a spear remembering that Blake was with her only sword.
The maws of the Wolf Fiend opened and a shrill howl echoed alongside a deafening shriek, as if angered... and it lunged at Tera who used the Gold Blade to stab on it's thick furry body.
As if the creature noticed her attack, a dark metal plates suddenly coated it and the blade danced back, flashing numerous orange sparks telling the amount of friction that took place.
The creature now have extreme madness dancing in its eyes as it uncoated. These creatures were fond of coating and uncoating which gave them high chances of being killed. These coatings they have are in a way to destabilize their movements meaning... they had to uncoat to be able to attack.
Immediately, Evie used the Dark Chaperone her biased spear to hit on the daredevil whilst unlocking its heat enchantment. The creature saw that coming and it coated immediately making the spear to land.
The spear shone extreemly red, able to melt metal alloy but somehow it didn't work only for the spear to rain in white sparks just like Tera's blade due to friction and Evie was suddenly feeling her anger rising.
"This thing is way past our level."
Tera yelled out and Evie sghed. She saw an opportunity presented to her and she immediately landed a kick on the creature throwing it several steps away.
Immediately, seeing the chance... Tera closed her eyes muttering quickly only to see have her hand glowing silvery.
She immediately opened her eyes and casted her spell on the Fiend Wolf and a sudden dark energy levitated the creature into the air with it growling and howling aimlessly.
But all of a sudden, Blake descended from above with the [Dark Umbrellae] gliding him firmly, and then the Night Tide and Ghost Steel in one hand.
Staring at the levitating creature with no armour plate covering its neck side, the both blades pierced into its neck. The enchantments flowing and the head falling out, rolling meters away from them.
Black blood spluttered everywhere.
Evie and Tera stared at Blake with shocked expression. They did not expect such attack, descending from above only to sever the head of the wolf they tried to kill in vain.
However, it did not end there, wind picked up causing the atmosphere to turn sullen and jitty that both ladies jolted to the feel of the sudden change.
But Blake did not flinch knowing as this was the same wind from earlier before the Orthodox Crane made appearance.
'Another reward, I guess.'
There will be massive Editing of all chapters in this book!