Ascension: Cursed Blood-Chapter 39: Stellar Fortress

Fields and abandoned settlements swept before Kain's eyes, decorating his view through the truck's window.

Whether Lurra knew what had happened last night or not was unknown, but Sylvia was with him. She was looking in the opposite direction with puffed-up cheeks.

"I would have beaten you easily," she muttered unhappily. "That ice trick... It couldn't hurt me, I'm sure of it!"

Silence.

It was the best weapon against Sylvia, and also the best way to piss her off.

"Silence? Pffft!" she snorted. "I'm sure you'll be afraid to challenge me to the opening bout of the ceremony."

"Hmm?"

That got Kain's attention.

"The opening bout? What's that?"

"Hah, no wonder you don't know anything, commoner!"

Kain shrugged, looking away. "You don't want to talk, don't talk. I'll find out soon enough anyway."

"Tsk! Fine!" Sylvia grunted. "After the ceremony, the young Keepers will have a chance to fight under the supervision of their elders, simple sparring, but in fact, it's a good opportunity for many to show what they can do. By accomplishing a crushing victory, you can gain the attention of the stronger Keepers and whatever."

"You don't seem to have much interest in that, though it's the likes of you, the prepared ones, the Golden Contenders, who will be eager to show their strength."

Sylvia waved her hand. "I do not intend to linger long in towers or fortresses, or even in our world. The power lies in the Astral Dimension!

"I'm not sure what the future holds, but you can't skip the first challenge of the Arcane Scripture. Three rejections and you will ruin your destiny forever."

Unlike Kain, she knew about all of this even before Rune Brand appeared. She had been preparing for this day, and here she was.

Kain's curiosity was quickly extinguished.

He wasn't going to fight.

Why?

Well, the answer was simple.

'I'm going to lose,' he thought. 'There's no point in fighting, but... training? That's another matter entirely.'

Kain had no illusions about his abilities due to his string of victories. He realized that if not for his ability, he would most likely lose to Sylvia in battle or any other trained person.

She knew how to fight, and he didn't. The few street fights in the village were far from peak martial arts.

There was nothing wrong with being weak, the wrong thing was to stay one.

...

Following Lurra's words, with the first light of the blue moon, the five trucks approached their destination.

Kain's eyes went wide, he could not hide his shock.

The great structure occupied an elongated slope overhanging the great canyon, the abyss. Even within the domes, there were places with a remote connection to the forbidden lands. Such places required special attention.

High walls concealed towers with peaks pointing to the heavens and complex structures connected by overhanging bridges like an ancient, forgotten castle.

Despite the lights and silhouettes burning in the windows, the menacing atmosphere spread for kilometers.

'The Stellar Fortress means?' Kain thought as he looked down. 'Something tells me there's something dangerous in that chasm.'

Crackle. Crackle. Crackle.

The trucks stopped. Lurra and her men quickly led Kain, Sylvia, and the others to the access gate.

They were met by two men, but they were dressed in white, combat robes with metal parts.

'Hah.' Kain smiled bitterly. 'There's better security here than at the edge of the dome. This place is more like a secret scientific base from the movies than a party place.''

There were about twenty other trucks in the courtyard, not far from the main building. They were slightly different, from tower to tower, but all had arrived with the same purpose - to make the Contenders the new Keepers, officially.

Lurra looked at her watch.

"Good, we even got here a little early. I have some things to do, so my man will escort you next. I'll meet you at the ceremony."

The silent man led them onward. He kept a close eye on each of the four, if any of them wandered into the wrong place they would be in trouble, serious ones.

Soon they found themselves in an almost empty room, they were just here to wait.

Outside the walls were the sounds of trucks arriving, more and more while there was still time.

'Khm, so we weren't the last ones? All these people are the new Keepers, the Tainted that survived.'

Kain shook his head. Such events were not to his liking.

The more people there were, the worse it was. The number of people was directly related to the number of problems.

At least Kain thought so.

Half an hour later, a message came on the man's bracelet as he shook his head opening the door. Before the last corner, he left them - there was only a tall, steel door ahead.

Sylvia stepped forward confidently, opening it.

Bright light fell on their faces, the lamp lines running along the sparse steel pillars supporting the main hall.

Inside, there was a multitude of people clustered into one large crowd. All of them were young, as they should be, for they were Contenders, until not long ago.

People kept coming from the doors on all sides, yet there were no adults to be seen, no ordinary people or Keepers.

Kain looked around.

'Tsk, if I didn't know why I was here, I'd think we were all gathered in some kind of arena. This place doesn't look friendly at all.'

However, there was no panic. No one could stop the young men from talking, so soon the hall was filled with whispers, and then a palpable murmur.

Kain leaned back against the pillar. He wanted it to be over soon, yet his eyes traveled through the crowd.

Some were dressed plainly, some had prepared and put on expensive holiday attire, mostly girls, and some, like Kain, were still in Astral Dimension garb. One guy was wearing armor at all.

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Then, Kain's eyes stopped, his pupils narrowed, seeing what seemed like something impossible.

A girl with crimson hair in a black battle robe stood serenely among the crowd, like a shadow, she was near everyone but alone with herself.

Slowly, she turned to feel Kain's gaze.

Thus, Morbia and Kain met for the second time, already in their homeworld.

At the same moment, five figures in white coats emerged from the center gate, striding confidently toward the center.

Lurra was one of them, walking on the edge, giving her full attention to the tired-looking man with green hair in the center.

The head of the Stellar Fortress had arrived.

The ceremony was ready to begin any minute now.