Of course, if there was one person desperately yearning to return to the Central Plains from this desolate land, it would be none other than Helena.
She herself had inadvertently inspired Raven’s motives without even realizing it.
Long before Raven’s brief stay with her, immediately after parting ways with Afkon and venturing out alone, Helena had relentlessly searched for a way back home.
The first possibility she explored was traveling by sea.
She didn’t have to pass through Luinngard, in fact. They, after all, were not the only seaport on this island.
However, other ports had fallen under the dominion of monsters. If she were to attempt that route, she would have to reclaim the area, construct a vessel while fending off rift creatures more often than not.
As desperate as she was to escape this desolation, she, unlike someone else, recognized the fine line between recklessness and foolishness.
So, she had never actually committed to that path. However, she had ventured to the other ports, conducting numerous explorations and uncovering several facts.
Raven had witnessed her casually discuss them.
And Raven was convinced that there was much more… so much more that Helena knew but was not revealing.
There was probably no one in this entire desolation as knowledgeable as she was, even when accounting for the natives.
Raven had personally verified this fact herself.
The natives didn’t even know half of what Helena did.
So while the map they came to steal was crucial, her hidden agenda was to persuade Helena to join them.
The map plan she had proposed was a contingency in case Helena refused to accompany them.
Of course, she had skillfully kept this truth concealed from both her cohorts.
Helena scratched her head in stunned silence. After hearing Raven’s words, she could have sworn a fleeting sense of hopefulness washed over her, if only for a second.
But then she recalled how foolish Raven was.
The disparity between Afkon and herself was evident, yet she still boldly attempted to kill him.
If there was one thing she understood, it was the fact that Raven was too consumed by conviction to possess common sense, restrain herself or even consider the danger she might be putting others in.
She was likely a simpleton who believed that everything would fall into place given time.
Rather than controlling the tide, she would ride it… that sort of person.
Helena let out a long sigh.
But there was something that still perplexed her.
She was certain that Raven had a serious confrontation with Afkon.
Given Afkon’s immense power, she couldn’t fathom how Raven managed to escape, let alone as a mere Drifter or perhaps a Nomad; she wasn’t sure.
She at least knew that the beautiful, stubborn girl she had known a couple of months ago was not a Master.
Even as a Master, fleeing from an Ascendant was akin to a child attempting to extricate himself from quicksand.
It was… very, very… very impossible.
And yet this girl had somehow managed precisely that… without even being a Master.
Helena was curious.
She squinted her eyes, diverting from the main discussion.
“How… how did you manage to escape Afkon again…?”
Raven responded without amusement.
“I didn’t escape. We fought, I won, but there was no way I could have killed him. My weapon shattered against his skin.”
Helena blinked, remaining silent, but obvious surprise gleamed on her entire face.
Of course, there were certain kinds of weapons that could slay an Ascendant.
Usually, weapons of the Lordly rank and above could always accomplish the task.
But it also depended on the unique body formation the Ascendant possessed.
And there were diverse formations, always finding their root in the soul and their link in constellations.
As a Sage, even Helena was still uncovering the immense role constellations played in their soul formations, and a semblance of it was beginning to reflect in her own soul.
Perhaps Afkon, an Ascendant, would understand better, and she was sure a Paragon would have fully realized this enlightenment she pursued.
They, after all, were said to exist in a different realm of power entirely.
Capable of wielding special abilities such as the Mental World and Stellar Unification.
It was such a realm that Afkon was a step away from.
And yet… this… girl… claimed to have defeated him?
It made no sense.
Helena scoffed.
“I almost believed you for a moment.”
Raven frowned slightly.
“He let his guard down and decided to fight me without using his talent abilities. He was mistaken to think he had a better grasp of raw battle than I did. I grew up in a family of killers.”
Her tone seemed to rise slightly, but her expression remained unchanged.
Helena studied her.
‘What did she mean by growing up in a family of killers…’
She was curious.
But that was not going to make her foolish enough to entertain this stubborn girl’s delusions.
Raven was delusional.
And what awaited delusional kids like her was nothing but death.
Helena let out another sigh and stood her rod on the ground, gently leaning on it.
It was quite remarkable how the weapon remained steady despite her weight on it.
Even Raven almost spared it a glance, but Helena spoke.
“Look, worm. It might take some time due to your stubbornness, but you will eventually realize how stupid and delusional you are.”
She leaned away from the black rod and folded her arms.
“I just hope that when you do, it’s not too late, and you have not dragged many people into the hell you are creating.”
Raven frowned in confusion.
“All I’m trying to do is return home. What’s so wrong with that?”
The feral Sage suppressed a laugh, then looked at Raven.
“Return home? Seriously? I thought you were just a worm, who knew you were a nimrod too!”
The laugh she was holding back managed to escape, but she quickly halted it and glared at Raven.
“Look at me, kid. I’ve been here for the past ten years. You think I have not searched for every possible way to leave this damned continent and make Rugsbourgh pay for throwing me into this hell?”
“You probably have searched… but have not tried.”
Helena’s gaze froze on Raven for a few seconds, then she tilted her head back slightly, sounding frustrated.
“What more could I possibly do?!”
This stubborn worm’s eyes seemed to glow with a more bloody spark than usual as she said:
“The rifts… you have never even been to one of them.”
Helena’s gaze became weary, visible lines of stress formed beneath them.
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[A/N]
While keeping my grammar construction and word choice simple for the sake of reading experiences, I am at the same time compelled to strife for betterness.
Do tell me if you guys find this chapter a bit to complex, I don’t mind reverting back to the usual. I’m after all, just a growing author.
Thank you all for the usual support. It’s really been a long way and words cannot appreciate how happy I am to have you guys sticking through despite the flaws.
I would be glad to take this to the very end with you guys and of course more readers.
Thank you.