Vengeance of the Returner

Chapter 147: Cinzia's story (3)

They were sent on missions to capture cities, collect followers, explore labyrinths, Seeking Sublimity. One year passed and Damian's patience decayed and hate towards Angels and gods grew more and more as time passed. 

Gods of Integrity weren't bad people. In fact, they were striving for the welfare of their followers yet, they had a sense of rivalry towards Corrupted gods. Corrupted gods indulged in evil things while Integrity gods protected and while building their forces. And the blunt reason was to fight Corrupted gods.

Outsiders hoped for freedom which they didn't get. Times of clan wars and missions had surely increased their levels but that did not readily give them freedom. They were in the clutch of Gods as puppets.

This cyclic suffering of Outsiders was happening over a century and beyond, far before his Transmigration.

Damian complied with the Gods, He kneeled before them, prayed for answers, He was practically begging every day.

And after months he was tired of serving them. He went in search of answers and it always ended in failure. He was not even able to travel to other continents thanks to the mandates of Gods. He sought Dragons, Celestial beings, and other higher beings of Empyrean. They did not give an answer either.

One thing was for sure. Gods had humanity by their side along with a few people from various races. The Celestial beings and Dragons were different, they did not accept Humanity as their followers. They were satisfied with their loyal followers that were people of other races.

At last, he left the idea of leaving Empyrean and began to tread a new path. A path for Freedom to at least let him live a peaceful life. He created a Company, The silver spear, one year ago. Possessing a number of fifty members and a mid-tier clan. 

Nate's goal was entirely different. He introduced members who were practically criminals into the company. He was rather insidious and barely opened up. Though he never betrayed and gained a strong connection with the core members.

Upon serious research, Damian found a weapon that'd play against gods. Empyrean is a world that was vast with a rich history. Moreover, it contained a massive amount of mysteries.

There were several eras and phases of Empyrean. Firstly Empyrean was a singular world that was thrice the size of the earth. It was connected with two planes namely Underworld and Ether world. These two were actually tightly connected to the mid world and there was no concept of going to the after world once a singularity died they mix with the Primordial cosmo and are reborn in the nopath. This was what happened before the Gods descended.

Celestial beings, Dragons were beings that were already existing since the ancient days and revered by the lower beings along with the Supremes. 

To put it simply, Empyrean was a world of abundance. It was literally a world that'd give birth to gods. There were many things that even higher existence needed.

Some things far beyond a human can handle. What he discovered was one of those things. It was the eternal flame. The fire that gave birth to Empyrean. If one were to tame or ingest it they'd have the chance of becoming a god by amassing the souls as their existence and soul expands.

Meaning he'd break through the barrier that was stopping him. The thing was it was in the center of the ocean. Buried under the depth. Actually, there was history about humans that went in search of the Eternal flame and died. Even Kingdoms were destroyed in pursuit of such power.

If one were to even absorb the slight essence they'd be able to escape from the shackles called leveling system. Cinzia as usual followed her brother. They went beyond the restriction of the Angels.

After months of searching, they were attacked by a Kraken. To worsen the situation it was storming for some reason the sea was glittering in green sending rejuvenating energy.

"Cinzia! Rafila! From here on, take care of our Company!"

Damian yelled.

Both Damian and Nate fought with the Kraken driving a small boat and sent off the ship that they used to sneak out of the southern continent.

"What should I do?"

She froze in her place and turned towards Rafila.

"Grab the helm."

Rafila uttered.

That's when she noticed the captain lying dead on the cabinet.

"I'll drive. Take command!"

She yelled and grabbed the helm and began rotating it towards the south gazing at the compass.

The members threw harpoons and shot turrets. The Kraken slammed its tentacle and swam deep into the abyss grabbing the boat which carried Damian and Nate.

"Dami..."

Just as Rafila was about to jump, Jack grabbed her.

She cried out loud. While Cinzia drove the ship towards the land. They went months and months before reaching the land.

What lies beyond the seas was months of misery. There were no clues about Damian and Nate. What awaited them were Angels and soldiers of the Royal Dynasty.

"Upon gods command you are all here by captured!"

The angel said in a loud voice and gave a document to Rafila.

They were surrounded by almost forty soldiers while the survivors were just ten. They were immediately captured and thrown into prison and stripped of their Outsider powers and system.

The prison of Ranrak was crueler than ever. The walls and chains they were restrained by continuously drained their mana. The whole building was mana absorbent so that they wouldn't escape from their clutches. 

"Fuck me!"

Cinzia cursed and headbutted the soldier that dragged her. Along with her were her members.

"Cinzia...Comply! What are you doing?"

Rafila whispered the members were startled. 

"You bitch!"

The soldier kicked her and dragged her by her hair in a different direction while her members were taken to a different side of the prison.

"She began fighting and caused a commotion."

The soldier reported to a muscular man that came towards her and restrained her.

"I will show you hell!" Cinzia spat on his face.

"Hell huh?"

He smirked and pushed her towards a soldier.

"Take her to the Elibre"

Elibre is a place where Dark elixirs were brewed. This was banned by the integrity gods. Yet, the king follows it. The process is extremely gruesome for once to witness. It was said that they derived techniques from the underworld to shatter a soul's will to exist and damage it beyond resurrection.

The soldier grabbed her arm and licked her neck as he led her to the basement chamber of the prison. There were screams resounding throughout the alleyway. She scanned around. Everything seemed gruesome. Soon the man stopped before a cell.

A dense smell of iron and blood entered through her nostrils making her shiver.

The man smirked and opened the gate.

"Get in you adamant bitch!"

He yelled and kicked her in.

Surprisingly that was when she noticed both the walls and the metal gates were in translucent blue color. The chains were the same as slave restraining chains. As she walked in she found several other racial people.

As she laid her eyes inside the dark lair. A little girl with thick wolf ears and a long furry tail was wagging her tail as soon as she heard the footsteps.

"Mom! Mother! Is mother here!"

The little girl asked, deliberately grabbing the soldier's leg.

He kicked her and said. "Your mother is d..."

Cinzia kneed his crotch before he could finish his sentence, noticing the little girl's complexion that went pale.

"Your mother will come back soon."

Cinzia smiled at her. The girl smiled back innocently believing her words. Yet, she reflexively fell back.

The cell was smaller and could barely contain two people but contained four members.

Cinzia was separated from her company members. Thanks to her adamant attitude which she grew as a habit. It was partly because of Damian who spoiled her. She was a pathetic newbie without him. In many ways, this was her first time staying alone and the experience that changed her perception.

"Lady...Do you K-Know- My mother?"

The girl asked hesitantly hiding behind a frail young lad.

"No"

She said with a saddened expression and drifted her eyes towards the young man who was similar to her.

The young lad seemed to be around the age of eighteen who seemed like he was starving to death. Next to him was an adult man with shabby hair and an unkempt beard lying shirtless on the blood-stained ground.

There was also a slab where rotten flesh in a plate was kept. It seemed like something one shouldn't eat. At least the girl seemed healthy. Probably her family members gave up their food.

Their clothes were torn and tattered it showed how much they have gone through. Cinzia did not have the courage to ask any question. She sat quietly embracing herself as her body trembled when she noticed a man throwing the bodies of a butchered beast woman into the next cage.

This also cleared up her question. All of them were severely scarred too. The girl seemed to be around the age of eighteen. But her mental age was something around 13. It was the same for the young lad. The adult was not able to speak.

As the moon glimmered in the sky. Their meal came. A single loaf of bread. And a butchered body. Cinzia did not dare to look at the corpse. The men rushed towards the corpse and hid it from the girl. While the girl began crying and approached the body.

"Lady~ Lady you said mother will return! This is not my mom? Answer me!"

She kept on nagging and pulled Cinzia's face and made her face the corpse.

She fell back in a startle. She instantly regretted making the girl feel hopeful. The Soldier smiled at her and left with a cheerful whistle.

This was one of the methods they used to shatter souls.

It was simply hell. Cinzia retched, unable to endure.

Both the little girl cried and the men began weeping and finally, Cinzia cried along all night.

Their cries resounded along with the other prisoners. The Elibre was exactly hell. A place of suffering and was on par with the underworld.