Vengeance of the Returner

Chapter 140: Underworld

|BOOK-WAYS OF EMPYREAN AND ARTS|

Lore of the Underworld :

The Underworld has been always there since the primordial days of Empyrean. Although according to the history that has been erased. 

The remnants of history strongly depict it as a prison where beings are made to repent for their wrongdoings. Obviously, this information is particularly plain and not clear since the history has been tainted and removed.

There are several things that should have been discussed in this book but, considering the diverse rules and taboos that might bring down problems. Only some clues and a mixed fragment of facts are given.

Now coming back about the transmigration to the underworld. There is a single condition that has to be met. Which is death.

Yes, you read it right. It is Death. Some of the books in Empyrean heavily state that people cannot return from the Underworld.

"Can the dead regress back to the mid-world?"

This was certainly a tough egg to crack. After several days of wandering and researching for the book. Finally, There was an old man on his deathbed in a small village in the North. He was around the age of 90 in an extremely weakened state clinging to his life. 

Upon enquiring, he stated that he was 160 years old.

He also stated that he was punished and torture there for several years until he gained a chance, a chance to leave the underworld. This did clear up the question about the punishment and repenting for their sins.

Upon continuous twisted talks, he revealed that. For over sixty years he climbed to the mid-world.

It seems he reached the Mid World through the Labyrinth's lower level that's connected with the Underworld. This might or might not be true. Considering a Labyrinth's deeper part's strength, it is assumed to be extremely hard for anyone to achieve such feats to climb back from the depths after fighting monsters. And the old man's mind seemed senile.

In the end, this was still a mystery. The old man's statement might be a plain delusion but his statements coexisted with other research materials.

This proved one thing, that is one can or may possibly come back from death.

****

Firstly he felt his body constructing on its own by absorbing the air and mana particles. Soon he felt his limbs and heart beginning to beat wildly. He felt as though he was artificially reconstructed. 

"Ahh-Ahh"

He tried to check his vocal but it seems it takes time. Soon he felt his veins recreating and blood flowing through his arteries. The process was slow.

A soul that dies doesn't lose its powers or its memories. As soon as it dies it gets separated from its mortal body.

They'd be immediately sent to No-path, A place that is a crossway between both the living and the dead, a realm without the conception of time and space. A place that cannot be intervened by gods or any other higher existences.

It is a primordial void that's separated from the rules of Empyrean which cannot even be controlled by gods. It is where the souls regain a body from the universal power of creation, The Primeval Cosmo.

It is where both the fate of souls is declared by the very nature. It is neither a living nor a nonliving thing with emotions. It was a place, Which possessed the power to recreate a singularity from its very fragments called souls.

Souls are unperceivable invisible fragments. They can be damaged when they reside in the mid-world or the other two worlds but cannot be touched in Primeval Cosmo. This was where souls resided in the past and were judged whether a soul was willing to be reincarnated or not before the Gods ascensions, Who altered the rules of nature. 

'Is this underworld?'

He uttered inwardly and slowly opened his heavy eyelids.

The sight was extremely magnificent and mesmerizing. He was floating in the middle of nowhere inside a vast place that stretched out to wherever he looked. He felt more alive and healthier than ever.

In several distances were beings floating in the air.

Abruptly, he felt the air around him getting thick.

For some reason, his body absorbed some extremely tiny golden particles that seemed like mist as he tried to grab them.

[Your soul is absorbing prime dust...]

[Nova manifestation has reached Cosmic rank]

'What?'

He pondered gazing at the message.

According to the rules of the Empyrean universe, this was a lapse of fate that was manipulated by his existence. His system shouldn't be working there and he shouldn't get the power to absorb Prime dust. 

He felt his veins and body rejuvenating and for this reason he was able to consciously notice his very own soul located inside his forehead stretching towards the midsection of his brain.

"Ugh?"

He felt something surrounding his hand as he gazed down.

In his hand were the chains of resentment. It was extremely short, unlike the regular size. He didn't feel its remnant powers being more potent than its past self. As he inserted his mana the chain slightly lighted up. The efficiency was turned extremely minimal. It was surely a good thing he still had it though.

'This is what the contract of eternity means?'

It was at that moment he truly understood the meaning of the contract he made with the Draconians.

Soon a blinding golden light flashed,

"What the fuck is happening! This did not happen the last time I died!"

He exclaimed as his body began to turn into dust. It was so fast that he couldn't understand what was happening.

Swiftly when he opened his eyes he found himself falling from the blood-red sky.  Surrounding his vicinity were several others.

"Ahhh! Ahhh!"

Screams echoed around him.

He gazed down and witnessed nothing but a deep red world void of nothing and felt the extremely hot air piercing and grazing past his skin. That's when he noticed he was nude.

It seemed like there was no end to his fall since all he could see was the red sky filled with clouds and several others falling in front of him and some by his side and few others falling from a higher altitude.

"It seems this is the underworld"

He uttered and clenched his fist.

He stretched his body forward and brought his hands closer towards his body without stretching it like a bird to fasten the process of falling down by keeping his head facing down as though he was diving into the water.

"Help! Help!"

A man screamed and grabbed his foot.

"Fucker!"

Nix cursed and turned back only to be surprised.

It was none-other than Sai-Krish the middle-aged man who accompanied his team in the Forest of scrutiny.

He inhaled air, calmed down, and asked.

"How many days have you been falling?"

"I don't know it's been months... Help me! A devil~ A devil is coming!"

He screamed firmly, tightening his grip over Nix's ankle.

"For months?..."

It was then,

Blood rained down from the sky. He abruptly stretched his hands and legs and slowed his pace. 

Nix noticed that Sai Krish was wearing a piece of black tattered cloth around his waist.

He didn't question where he grabbed it. He pulled it and draped it around himself and kicked his face accurately on his nose and his body drifted further away.

"Ahhh! You fucker!"

He squealed, clenching his bleeding nose.

Nix didn't care and restructured his posture and proceeded to fall again gazing downwards. He didn't know how he'd return. But, his choice was to go with it and trample on everything that crosses his path. From what his vision showed he will be resurrected back to the Mid world and he believed the vision.

He shapeshifted his chain into a dagger as that was all the metal piece could become.

"Human! You dare possess a weapon!"

An ominous voice came from his back.

***

Meanwhile in the mid world,

The members around the destroyed building were startled noticing the disgusting thing began moving.

"Why are you standing! Attack!"

Rebecca ordered and pushed her leg forward. 

"For Transgressors!"

Everyone once again chorused and pushed their legs towards the mummified.

Several footsteps rumbled as they ran towards the ominous being in unison. From a far distance, several arrows shot down the members abruptly making them not unable to reach their target.

Crack!

A rift opened up in the middle of the destroyed building and Felishia walked out of it while covering herself with a barrier.

"It should be somewhere here!!"

She desperately uttered and moved away from the stones and rocks in her path.

{I am here.}

A sinister voice said

She noticed it and walked towards the flag post where a rusty black dagger was struck into the ground attached to a chain

She grabbed the dagger and chain and abruptly teleported away in a far distance.

{Witch, his blood resides in me.}

Astaroth uttered as she seemed desperately looking for a way to resurrect him.

Slowly blood flowed down from the hilt of the dagger. Simultaneously the chain glowed.