Chapter 11 – The First Steps
Adrian, stepping out of the house, looked at the scene of destruction before him.
— What kind of war would be needed to kill the being that created all of this? — he said, staring into the vastness of the divine domain.
Cordelia:
— Adrian, let's go!
Adrian:
— I'm coming.
— How long have you been here? — he asked, walking behind her.
Cordelia:
— I've been here for a month. Feels like an eternity — she replied.
Adrian:
— I see...
Noise — Arr… Arr…
— What was that? — Adrian said, turning toward the sound and seeing a group of soldiers like the ones that attacked them, gathered in front of a crumbling castle.
Cordelia:
— Looks like they regrouped over there. Don't make any noise and follow me — she said as she slipped through the destroyed streets.
She glanced back to make sure they hadn't been spotted.
— Looks like we're safe for now — she said.
Adrian:
— Wouldn't it be easier for you to just use your powers and finish them off? — he asked, confused.
Cordelia:
— Adrian, you need to understand that in this divine domain, those soldiers are just weaklings following the orders of that thing in the castle.
If I kill too many of them, I could end up attracting it — and if we don't know its power, we'll all die.
Then I won't find my parents, and you won't find your inheritance. Got it?
Adrian:
— Got it — he said, looking seriously at Cordelia.
Adrian thought:
"I let myself get carried away after defeating those two soldiers… Cordelia's right. This place is dangerous. One mistake and everything's lost.
I have to be more careful from now on. After all, this place was built by a god...
Who knows if the diary's protection will even work here? What if I get killed instantly by a monster before it even activates?"
Cordelia:
— So you understand now, right? I'll go to the left, and you go to the right and search for clues.
We'll meet back here in four hours, before it gets dark — she said, leaping onto a rooftop and disappearing from Adrian's view.
Adrian:
— Alright... let's look for clues — he said, turning toward a pile of ruined houses.
He walked from house to house, searching.
— How many hours have passed? — he said as he ate some of the food he brought.
— It's already been two hours of searching… Alright, let's keep going.
Adrian walked slowly until he saw a faint glow drawing him in.
He carefully approached to see what it was. The light was coming from inside one of the abandoned houses up ahead.
He crept closer and opened the door slowly.
Inside, he saw a skeleton seated at a table, with a glowing stone in front of it.
Adrian approached to confirm and saw that the figure was truly dead.
Then, he turned his attention to the stone.
— This must be the power stone Cordelia was talking about…
He stepped closer to pick it up and noticed a note underneath it.
Adrian grabbed the note and looked at it.
— This is...
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