“Thank you for the breakfast… We’ll be leaving now,” Aether said, drying his hands as he looked at the middle-aged couple with a small nod.
The man returned the gesture, though his expression carried a faint shadow of concern. “I know you’re trying to make your wife happy,” he said, his voice tinged with worry, “but be careful out there.” He reached out, patting Aether’s shoulder in a gesture of encouragement.
Aether held the man’s gaze briefly before glancing at the woman. Without a word, he pulled out a large pouch and handed it to them. “Here… use this to move to the mainland. It should cover at least a month or two of living expenses.”
The couple froze, stunned. The woman stammered, “W-What is this? W-We can’t possibly accept—”
“Opportunities like this rarely come twice,” Aether interjected firmly, “Take it. Who knows what the future holds?” Without waiting for their reply, he turned away following Sandra.
Just as they stepped outside the inn,
!~Ding~!
[+10 Ethereal]
[Soul: 896/270↑]
Aether paused, glancing back toward the couple. He caught sight of them through the slightly ajar door. The man was holding the pouch of money, his other hand gently rubbing the woman’s tummy as both shed silent tears of joy.
Aether’s gaze lingered on her stomach for a moment before Sandra’s voice broke his thoughts.
“She’s pregnant,” she said softly, her tone neutral.
“I see…” Aether muttered, nodding as a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He shook his head lightly, a bittersweet expression crossing his face before he resumed walking.
Sandra watched him for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly as if studying his reaction, before silently following.
They soon arrived at the outskirts of Ebonhollow Village, its emptiness just as haunting as before. However, Aether led them off the beaten path, weaving through the dense woods…. toward the twin mountains where the altar was said to be located.
The forest was eerily silent as they walked, the usual rustle of leaves and distant animal calls absent. Sandra glanced around, her unease growing, “There aren’t any monsters here…” she mumbled, her voice uncertain.
“Yeah…” Aether replied, his tone low, matching her unease. His eyes darted across the surroundings, searching for any signs of danger or unusual activity.
They continued walking, the silence stretching between them until Sandra’s hesitant voice broke it. “Hmm…”
Aether glanced at her, raising a curious eyebrow. “What is it?”
She hesitated, her lips parting slightly before she sighed. “Nothing,” she muttered, shaking her head.
He didn’t press her, understanding that she needed time to process her thoughts. Their relationship was complicated, and he knew that the involvement of her daughter only made it more so.
Still, inwardly, Aether gulped, ‘I wonder what her reaction will be when she finds out… about everything. And her daughter…’ He wiped the beads of sweat forming on his brow, already imagining the chaos that revelation would bring.
That bloodbath is going to be legendary…
The tension in his thoughts melted away as the valley between the twin mountains finally came into view.
Trrrrrrrrrr!!
Aether froze, his eyes widening at the sound of something stretching and grinding against stone…. He knew that sound!
He hurriedly climbed up the rocky incline, his breath hitching as his gaze fell on the sight before him.
A circular stone slab—once the altar was now levitating several feet off the ground. Thick, twisted roots had coiled around it like screws, suspending it mid-air as it slowly rotated on its axis.
“Wow…” Sandra’s voice was filled with awe as she climbed up behind him. Her wide eyes were fixed on the spinning stone, the faint glow of ancient symbols etched across its surface casting eerie light patterns on the ground.
“So this is it… the Ebon Pillar of Eternal Rite,” she murmured, her voice tinged with disbelief and curiosity.
“Yeah…” Aether muttered, his brow furrowed as his eyes scanned the area. He instinctively searched for any sign of guardians or monsters that might be protecting the altar, but the area was inexplicably empty.
Sandra approached the floating slab cautiously, reaching out a hand to touch it. However, the moment her fingers got close, an invisible barrier repelled her, sending a ripple through the air. She frowned, trying again with more force, but her efforts were futile.
“It’s no use,” Aether said, his tone calm but laced with frustration. “Even Sovereign couldn’t break through the barrier.”
Aether’s gaze returned to the rotating slab, his frown deepening… The glowing symbols etched on its surface seemed eerily familiar, and with his 40% comprehension ability, he could now decipher fragments of the forbidden words but not too much.
“It’s similar to what happened in the Pyra Empire,” he muttered under his breath, his mind racing as he recalled the cryptic words of the white-haired man, ‘Pure beings, nurtured with ten years of love and care, discarded by their own blood.’
Aether’s fists clenched as he stared at the stone, “If this is activated… then does that mean these two empires are destined to collapse first?” His voice was a low growl, frustration and uncertainty swirling within him.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm his thoughts…. Still, one question burned in his mind, ‘How did it activate all of a sudden?’
Meanwhile, Sandra stood still, her eyes fixed on the twisting roots encircling the Ebon Stone.
She knew that her empire—her home—was teetering on the brink of destruction. If she didn’t act swiftly, everything would crumble.
As she stared at the ominous stone with a contemplative expression, something caught her attention. She tilted her head slightly, her voice barely above a whisper, “That’s… deep.”
“What is it?” Aether frowned, his gaze following hers until his eyes locked on the massive abyss beneath the altar.
His brows furrowed as realization dawned on him. The cliff dropped into a dark, seemingly bottomless chasm, “Wait a second… wasn’t there something else here before?” His tone sharpened as he rubbed his chin, the gears in his mind turning.
“Don’t tell me…that’s the reason not a single monster here?” Aether muttered, his vigilance rising as his eyes darted around, scanning the area.
Sandra crossed her arms, her tone laced with curiosity and concern. “What are you getting at? What’s wrong?”
Without tearing his gaze away from the surroundings, Aether spoke, his voice grim, “You see that valley? It wasn’t always empty like this. It used to be filled… with the bones of sacrificed children.”
Sandra’s face froze in shock, her frown deepening as she stepped closer to the edge, peering down into the darkness. “Sacrificed children?” Her voice trembled slightly, disbelief creeping into her tone. “That’s… impossible. Look at the size of it! That kind of depth—it would’ve taken…”
“Millions of children,” Aether finished her sentence, his expression hardening.
Sandra turned to face him, her eyes wide with horror, “Millions? Are you serious? How is that even possible?”
Aether let out a weary sigh. “I’m not sure about the exact timeline, but from what I’ve heard, they were performing those rituals for thousands of years… maybe longer.”
Sandra staggered back, her hand flying to her mouth, “You’re telling me this village has been sacrificing children for millennia? That’s… monstrous!” Her voice cracked with a mix of anger and disgust.
Aether let out a bitter chuckle, his lips curling into a wry smile.
Sandra’s face turned cold, her expression darkening. “Then whoever killed the villagers—or whatever happened to them—must have known about this and put a stop to it, right?”
Aether shook his head, his tone uncertain. “I don’t know for sure… maybe. But what I can’t figure out is why those mysterious people would take the body of an old woman. What could they possibly need it for?” He paused, as he inwardly added, ‘Unless her body has some connection to the Origin Emperor… or maybe it’s the ring that they’re after, the one that should’ve been mine.’
Sandra sighed, her frustration bubbling to the surface. The situation was far more chaotic and convoluted than she had anticipated.
She raised an eyebrow and asked, “And what about the millions of skeletons? They’ve just vanished into thin air? Did those people take them too?”
Aether exhaled slowly, nodding. “We need to investigate further. I’ll check the mountain for any signs, and you—”
Before he could finish his sentence,
Blink, Blink…
Continue your journey with My Virtual Library Empire
Sandra frowned, retrieving a small orb from her pocket. As she held it up, a hologram materialized above it, casting a faint glow…. The projection revealed Celestia, her face drawn with a serious, almost grave expression.
“What is it now?” Sandra asked, her tone sharp and cold.
Celestia bowed her head respectfully, “Apologies for interrupting, Your Majesty, but… I bring urgent news.
The Hero—the Savior of a Million People—Mortimer Frostblade…” Celestia hesitated, her voice faltering before she finally continued, “…has now become Po…”