Chapter 51: “Vikarn,” Reunion
Empty. Desolate.
Devoid of human life.
Devoid of any life at all. A silent tomb.
A long shadow stretched across the floor, its slow, measured pace stiff, like that of a dying man.
Cold, sterile air and lifeless machinery filled the space, the accumulated dust and rust a testament to the passage of time.
“Finally… here…” a voice murmured, then erupted in manic joy. “Finally! I can see her again…!”
After so many years, returning to “Vikarn,” long-buried memories resurfaced.
The desire, the overwhelming need to see that beautiful face again was a burning fire within him, a fire he made no attempt to extinguish.
Salred looked different now, far from the composed figure Bai had first encountered. The bandaged side of his face was fully exposed, his distorted pupils shifting erratically.
His body was broken, covered in corrosive black blood.
Vikarn’s security systems, most of them failing, no longer recognized the Gatekeeper’s bloodline, attacking indiscriminately.
After much struggle, Salred finally reached the last door.
“Visitor, logging.”
A cold, emotionless voice echoed through the air, and an almost invisible laser scanned Salred’s remaining eye.
This was the most secure, and best-preserved, part of Vikarn, its systems still functional.
“Verification complete. Designation: Gatekeeper.”
“Welcome back to Vikarn, Dawn Laboratory.”
“Please do not engage with designation—(static). We wish you a productive workday.”
With a rumble, the door opened, revealing a pristine interior, unlike the rest of the complex.
“The Weapon of Vikarn… she…” Salred whispered, his voice trembling with excitement, dragging his broken body forward.
He had finally reached the place that haunted his dreams, but his face paled as he looked at the transparent container filled with an unknown liquid.
“Why? Why… is she gone?”
The container was empty, except for a few severed tubes, otherwise intact.
But she was missing.
“Impossible, impossible, impossible…” Salred muttered, his voice rising in a frantic crescendo.
“Where is she? Where is she? Where is she? Where is she? Where—”
“—Where…?”
His voice abruptly cut off, Vikarn returning to its usual silence.
The laboratory door slowly closed, as if nothing had happened.
…
After obtaining the ring, Sasha didn’t linger, quickly retreating.
Lugner’s appearance meant Little Sister Bai was safe; she had no reason to stay.
And the ring was too important to risk losing.
…Especially to the Demon Hunters.
The ring was the key to Vikarn, crafted by the ancients to also serve as a vessel for a fragment of Authority, granting the Gatekeeper considerable power.
Although not as strong as a true Calamity Class being, it was enough to handle most opponents below that level. And for those above Calamity Class, the ancient empire had other measures in place.
However, the Demon Hunters weren’t after the Authority fragment.
Their plan was to use the ring to enter Vikarn and gain control of its Weapon.
The Weapon of Vikarn was, as far as humanity knew, the only thing capable of directly confronting the entire Abyssal Demon Realm.
But Sasha knew more than they did. The Weapon of Vikarn was a terrifying force, potentially even more dangerous than the Abyss itself.
She would never allow the Demon Hunters to access it. That’s why Lugner had entrusted the ring to her.
Sasha clutched the ring tightly, a flicker of memory in her eyes, and sighed.
“Vikarn… I’m back.”
She couldn’t escape her past.
“I’m back too, Nisha,” a cold voice suddenly said, using Sasha’s true name, a name she preferred to forget.
“Who’s there?!” Sasha whirled around, then looked at the newcomer with surprise. “Little Sister Bai? No, you’re…”
The woman looked remarkably similar to Bai, or rather, Bai looked remarkably similar to her. Both had gray hair and blue eyes.
But while Bai was a young girl, this woman was a tall, elegant young lady.
“Don’t you remember me, Nisha?” the gray-haired woman tilted her head slightly, her expression unchanged. “I’ve been looking for you. I didn’t expect you to return here.”
Sasha’s face flushed, her voice filled with disbelief.
“You… you’re Little Ice Lily?”
Ice Lily nodded slightly, then frowned. “My name is Ice Lily.”
“Little Ice Lily.”
“Ice Lily.”
“Litt—Mmm-mmph! Ice Lily, Ice Lily…”
Ice Lily melted the ice forming on Sasha’s face, her expression impassive.
“Alright, why are you looking for me? Our deal ended a long time ago…” Sasha said, discreetly concealing the ring.
Ice Lily’s expression turned serious, though not much different from her usual demeanor.
“A year ago, the Abyssal Demon Realm sensed the awakening of the Abyssal Lord.”
“Abyssal Lord?” Sasha’s eyes widened. “But wasn’t she sealed…?”
“Someone broke the seal. Not completely, but a part of her power, deep within the Abyss, is resurfacing,” Ice Lily said calmly. “To prevent her from awakening from a memory, we erased all knowledge of her existence. Aside from the title ‘Abyssal Lord,’ we don’t know what she looks like, or where she is.”
“Even the Abyssal Demon Realm doesn’t want her to awaken?”
“Of course not. She is a calamity. None of us want to see her return.”
Ice Lily’s tone was grave, and she didn’t elaborate further.
“If you sealed her once, can’t you do it again?” Sasha asked.
Ice Lily sighed. “It’s not that simple… There’s no second ancient empire on this continent, and the Abyssal Demon Realm isn’t unified. Several factions would welcome her return.”
“It seems we’re all the same…” Sasha chuckled coldly, as if remembering something.
“The fallen ancient empire must have records of the Abyssal Lord. We can use those to find her and reseal her before she fully awakens.” Ice Lily paused, then continued, “That’s why I’m here. I need your help.”
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