The Guardian

Chapter 261: I Keep My Promises

Everyone was stunned, even Aurora, who had seen her sister do such a thing for the first time.

Alice had transformed into tentacles to enter the creature, and she had disappeared completely.

While Aurora understood that Alice was perhaps in her shadow, she could not deny that such a sight was stunning.

She could see Urfin, Meden, Alros and even Siba who was in pure demon form, bewildered.

“GRAAA!”

The big worm let out a roar again and everyone raised their weapons, tired, but determined to continue the fight if necessary.

However, the big worm rolled on the ground as it growled in despair.

It was extremely wounded, with the burns proving to be the most terrifying and it was to the point where regeneration had stopped, but now it was flailing as if the damage it received was unimaginable.

“...”

Then, after several outbursts, the worm finally stopped and when everyone wanted to check the worm’s condition, a black spear came out of the large worm’s stomach.

That black spear split into more tentacles and they all devoured it through their little mouths... To then assimilate them into the darkness.

The tentacles that came out from inside the great worm rose in numbers and the expressions of those watching began to change.

Aurora could see that not only was the imperial group watching, there was also the group further back.

Amanda and Theodore were the closest and both let out mixed expressions.

The ‘Great Worm’ began to be covered by darkness until it formed a large cocoon, only for it to begin to shrink the next moment, leaving nothing behind.

The body of the big worm had disappeared and only the cocoon remained, which became small and opened up revealing Alice.

“Are you okay?” Aurora asked in a worried tone.

Her system had mentioned to her that her sister had been fine when she was hit by the big worm and fell into that hole, but Aurora was worried.

She could tell that Theodore and Amanda, whose expressions could be seen, were frowning with some well-hidden fear.

However, there was also a hint of terror and loathing at the monstrous scene Alice had shown.

And unlike them, Aurora stood by her sister’s side, looking at her worriedly.

“I’m fine...” Alice muttered a little tiredly and, giving a bitter half-smile, she added. “It wasn’t enough to make any progress, though.”

Her progress was referring to strength and Aurora just patted her back so she wouldn’t worry.

She didn’t want Alice to do things she didn’t want to do or be pushed by circumstances, though she also didn’t deny that her help was vital.

“Graa!”

Much of the worms retreated, but those affected by the ‘Chaos’ went into a frenzy of madness as they sensed their progenitor had died.

“I hope you didn’t eat the magic core. That would be too much for you and it comes out expensive,” Siba said in a teasing tone.

His hand had reached out to the approaching monsters, turning the surrounding fire into spears of flame that were sent flying piercing through their enemies.

In the middle of his horns, the flame grew smaller, as if he had lost some of his strength.

“No, I still have it,” Alice replied and, giving him a look, added. “You look good in the new look.”

Those last words managed to make Siba’s expression intermingle between annoyance and laughter... He had started with his joke and Alice strangely answered it.

Aurora knew that her sister was trying to reduce the strange atmosphere that hung over them, and even if it didn’t seem like it, Siba was the same way.

They were the only ones who could be considered outside the ‘norm’ in this group, and that meant some sort of closeness.

“Leave the pleasantries aside. Let’s go to the portal. We need to cover the retreat of the first group before we leave,” Urfin ordered earnestly, giving Alice a nod for her good work.

The group retreated towards the portal, leaving Siba behind in charge of covering the retreat.

The gaze of Theodore and Amanda, who had observed everything, were quite different from each other.

The former was frowning with a certain dislike that he did not hide as he never hid his emotions, but the latter hid her emotions and simply nodded.

Those who had innate, rare, and somewhat grotesque abilities were treated very differently and sometimes shunned because of their strange ability.

The same happened with bizarre magics such as necromancy or other stranger arts.

Aurora didn’t mind any of that, as Alice in her eyes was her friend and her sister... And she would remain her family.

When they reached the portal, they could see the fearful goblins protected by Zorkas, who in his hand was still holding the statue that was already about to crumble.

Adala had been attended to by Marius, who let out a slightly arrogant smile at her helpfulness.

Aurora simply ignored him and looked at Siba who had thrown fireballs at all the monsters that were about to approach.

However, some of them were passing by and still came to this place to be taken care of by Alros.

“You know the order. Move out,” Urfin ordered, without letting his guard down.

Meden had fortified the ground to head for the portal, allowing the group of goblins led by Zorkas to move.

Who moved first were Amanda and Adala to enter the portal for then the goblins to follow.

Entering the portal stable and in perfect condition, that portal swallowed the figures of that heroine and the paladin, then all the goblins.

They needed to send someone from their human group first in case the other side was dangerous and Amanda being chosen was for her ability to pray to her god.

On earth she would have a greater ability to pray to her god, allowing her to protect the goblins that were to arrive next and even if necessary, call on the Church of Time and Space for support.

They didn’t know the status of the other side, that was why they played it safe.

Her group stayed down, taking out all the incoming monsters while the hundred goblins went through the portal.

“Ready?” Siba asked when he saw the goblins disappear and after Urfin’s nod, he watched the monsters in the distance.

There were only a few left, but he waved his hand again, creating a powerful barrier of fire.

When the flame in the middle of his horns disappeared, his body did not return to its former form, but he lost some strength, returning to being an S-rank.

“UGH...”

Then, to the surprise of Aurora, Theodore and Marius, Siba broke his horns with his hands, while letting out a sound of pain.

His new horns were large, but now they were broken from the base.

“Then I’ll have to make them smaller,” Siba muttered, throwing the rest of his red horns at the wall of fire.

Was it to not want to look like a pure demon?

Breaking his horns to not look like such individuals, it was possible that was his reason for doing so.

The group moved toward the portal where Zorkas waited with his cracked statue in his hands.

Theodore looked relaxed, but he wasn’t the only one. Marius was too... Too relaxed.

“Today was a great day. I saw a demon pray to a demon god and become a pure demon and at the same time I saw a grotesque monster,” Marius said looking at Siba and Alice respectively, and giving a big smile, he added. “A day that everyone will surely remember.”

His smile carried a certain contemptuous feeling and revealed his true personality.

He wasn’t stupid and had been quiet since he had been caught trying not to disturb others and trying to make his presence important enough for them to mediate with Alice.

Now it was different, the portal was there, several feet away from him, and that made him relax and laugh.

Marius took a few steps forward and turning his back to them as he walked.

“Have I not been valuable today? You guys used potions and scrolls, but without me, Adala would have ended up in pretty bad shape,” Marius said with an amused tone and with seriousness, he stated. “No one will tell me anything.”

Everyone stopped, including Marius, who had his back to them.

Was he letting his stress out? It was possible that the stress of being in silence surrounded by people who treated him as an enemy and having no ally was too much for him.

That was why he now spoke relaxed.

“Once I get out, no one will say anything to me for killing those idiots. Dan? Cedric? Please, it’s Romania,” Marius said, turning his back and letting out a laugh, he pointed. “I’m the leader of the Guild ‘The Custodians’, I just have to pass money around some places, silence others and that’s it. Acquitted.”

Laughing as his shoulders shook, he continued.

“Besides, I haven’t committed any crime. Where does it say it’s wrong to murder someone in another world? And even if they claim, it was akin to murder inside a dungeon. How long will the trial take? Months? Years?” Marius added with a laugh and slowly turning around, he stated. “In the end, I’ll get out and be free...”

His eyes widened at the sight of them... No, at the sight of Alice waving a black sword-shaped arm at him.

It was extremely fast to the point that Marius the next moment was clutching his neck as he noticed blood starting to come out and unable to help himself, he fell to the ground.

“Ugh...”

“What the...”

His groan of pain and daze came from his throat as he slowly bled out and doubt came from Theodore, who froze as he watched the scene.

Urfin, Meden, Siba and Alros only watched without interfering, but Aurora had her hand on the handle of her sword and gave them a look so they wouldn’t interfere.

All the while Alice had a charming smile as she watched Marius’ expression fill with terror and fear.

Marius tried to cast a healing spell, but Alice pierced his stomach with another black spear that came out of his back.

“I told you, didn’t I?” muttered Alice approaching and crouching down in front of Marius who was trying to run away, gave a big smile and announced. “I told you I’d cut your throat and watch you die. I keep my promises.”

Marius’ expression was filled with terror as he clutched his neck trying to stop his bleeding, his gaze darted to different sides, but the only one who at this moment could help him was Theodore.

And he glanced to the side, knowing he could not intervene.

It was hard, there was a black spear stuck in his stomach and his neck was cut bleeding out, but he was still conscious, desperate to try to live... He was still alive.

That alone showed the strength of an S-rank and the specialty of a healer with his own body state.

“Ugh...”

However, now it only succeeded in making his pain amplified in time.

Despair, fear, disbelief and terror... Blood was starting to fall from Marius’ neck covering his hand and forming a small puddle, all while being watched by Alice.

Alice had said she would kill him, and she kept her promise completely.

She wasn’t going to stand idly by and even more so when she was angry, that was why when they met again, she didn’t back down with her action... And Aurora accepted it.

Now, with her hand on the handle of her sword, she made it clear that she would stop anyone who tried to interfere with her sister’s affairs.

It was a cold-blooded murder, and Aurora made no excuses. She only showed her full support for Alice’s actions.

Marius slowly lost all his blood until his breathing stopped, causing his corpse to turn cold.

For her part, Alice, with her black arm, tossed his corpse to the cliff without giving it a thought and then watched the group with a smile.

“...”

That charming smile in a normal moment would be very attractive, but now it made Theodore and even some members of the Imperials shiver.

“Done,” Alice said, nodding like a ‘good girl’.

That ‘done’ had quite a bit of meaning.

She had already completed her task and that meant she could move on, but she also already felt more relaxed after having done what she wanted to do.

Yes, ‘relaxed’ was the right word to describe her emotional state.

She didn’t make excuses or cover herself with empty words, it was made clear that there wasn’t a hint of remorse.

“That’s why you let Amanda and Adala go first.” Theodore muttered in understanding and giving her a look with a frown, he warned. “I won’t cover for you.”

With those words, he stepped past the pool of red blood and into the portal.

Theodore’s words were correct.

Adala would have reacted in such a way that she would surely try to avoid murdering Marius and there would be conflict, as for Amanda, she seemed too rigid.

The only one who let on that he was colder turned out to be Theodore, who just as they expected would not budge for someone he did not know.

“This is the only thing I will do, as for the others... I can’t stay silent either,” Urfin said, taking his role as captain solemnly.

He was taking his responsibilities seriously, which meant that should he be asked to confirm Theodore’s words, he would report the truth as such.

Alice simply shrugged her shoulders regardless, and Aurora gave her a grateful nod.

That he ordered Amanda and Adala to go first was enough to not generate further trouble.

Giving a signal, Urfin stepped into the portal with his team, and Aurora gave a long sigh.

She didn’t scold Alice and didn’t say anything to her, she had nothing to say when she had supported her from the beginning.

“The statue is about to disintegrate already,” Zorkas said, without changing his expression.

He had been waiting at the portal and while he had already stabilized the portal, it was possible that something would happen when the statue broke... When the will of his guardians ended.

Aurora nodded and received the statue.

The others began to enter the portal, and Aurora stayed until the last one watching in the distance.

The wall of fire had already ended, and the monsters were still fighting, she waited a moment when everyone finished entering.

There was something she needed to see, and she waited until the statue broke into pieces.

The large black pillar, which was now more translucent behind her back, disappeared, releasing a ripple that spread into the distance.

Aurora frowned at the incoming light as the clouds were swept away by those shockwaves.

The light came from the two suns of this world, one was larger and the other was smaller, managing to illuminate the lands resplendently.

Bringing brightness from a fantastic world, but also letting her see that the light from those suns could not change the end.

“...”

Aurora was silent as in the distance she could see the land being destroyed by the black sea and perhaps whatever was in those places.

Chaos had destroyed this world, corrupting everything in its path until there was nothing left.

Now the plants began to lose vitality, some dried up and others began to mutate into repulsive beings.

The most aberrant monsters began to change, becoming even more grotesque monsters, before the Chaos that had been beyond this place.

Before the Chaos that the remnant will of the guardians of this world had stopped.

Aurora, with this world being destroyed at her back, stepped into the portal and her vision went dark.

She couldn’t see or hear anything, but unlike when she arrived, she could now feel some stability in the journey.

She put all her thoughts aside and raised her guard, ready for whatever was to come.

Then, her vision began to have color and when she took a few steps, she could see a large light.

Frowning at the light, Aurora could feel on the other side of her group, and when she steadied her gaze, her expression changed.

The light was coming from a tower shining brightly on what looked like a military camp and as she scanned the surroundings, she could tell it was a camp dedicated to protection in case something came out.

She could see all her groups with relaxed expressions, perhaps seeing that people and soldiers were arriving from the camp.

As Aurora was about to see what was happening, she turned around to look at the portal.

That large portal trembled for a moment and as they stood on guard, it began to grow small, until it disappeared.

The Abyssal Portal had closed.