Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1216: Please... come back

Nyx’s Personal Realm,

Nightfire let out a long yawn, stretching her arms lazily. ”Why is it taking him so damn long...?” she muttered with a tired tone, her voice laced with annoyance and drowsiness.

Her eyelids drooped heavily as she groaned, ”I swear... if he makes me wait any longer, I’ll just collapse right here. I wanted to sleep, you know!”

Turning her head, she squinted at Starla with a curious look. ”Oi, come to think of it... I’ve never actually seen you out of this place, not even once. Why is that? What’s the deal?”

Starla gave a small smile, ”Our Queen didn’t want to use us as her tools, so we rarely fight outside. Most of the time, I stay by her side and protect her. Like the time a bastard tried to lay his filthy hands on her... I turned him into ashes before he even realised what happened.”

”...” Nightfire’s face slowly twisted into horror, her pupils shrinking as her body stiffened. ”T-That’s you?” she stammered, instinctively stepping back from Starla, retreating a few cautious meters.

Starla’s grin widened, ”Yeah... but not exactly, only my powers. My sword could roast you all alive if I felt like it~” She leaned slightly forward, smirking as she watched Nightfire react like a cat cornered by something it couldn’t understand... skittish, trembling, desperate to bolt.

Nightfire swallowed hard, her throat dry. ’Yup... no doubt about it, we definitely need to stay far, far away from her!’ she thought frantically. But even as the fear clung to her chest, curiosity burned in her eyes. She frowned and blurted out, ”But seriously, why are you so big? Like... what the hell happened with you?”

Starla blinked once, tilting her head slightly. ”Am I?”

Nightfire nodded rapidly, her expression serious, almost offended by Starla’s nonchalance, ”Of course, you are! You’re the freakiest, tallest, and most muscular woman I’ve ever seen in my entire life... it’s honestly insane. What race even produces someone like you?”

Starla tilted her head further, confusion flickering across her face. ”Not sure. In my home, I’m the smallest one, actually.” She gave a casual shrug of her shoulders, as if the statement were the most natural thing in the world. But her body stiffened suddenly. Her eyes flickered, narrowing.

”Lord is back.”

”Oh? Aether came back?” Nightfire’s lips curved into a smile, relief flashing in her expression. She eagerly stepped forward, ready to greet him—

But before her foot even touched the ground, Starla’s strong hand shot out and caught her wrist, yanking her back with startling force.

And then—

BOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!

The entire realm shook violently as an earth-shattering crash tore through the air. Nightfire’s eyes widened in raw horror when she turned her head and saw it—just barely, barely an inch away from where she had stood... a colossal mountain had appeared out of nowhere, slamming into existence with devastating weight.

Aether stepped out from behind the mountain, his figure slowly emerging as dust scattered off the giant stone mass. He sighed heavily, his boots landing with a solid thud on the ground as he bent forward slightly, taking in deep breaths. Somehow... he had managed to drag this monstrous thing into the realm.

The timing, however, had been a razor’s edge. A fraction later and the entire door to the realm might have been crushed into oblivion.

”Sigh... I-I am not doing this again,” he muttered weakly, rubbing the back of his neck. His tired gaze drifted forward... only to catch sight of Nightfire standing there, completely frozen, not even moving an inch.

”What happened to her?” he asked aloud, his brows furrowed, as he slowly walked closer.

Nightfire’s blank eyes were locked on the mountain, her mind unravelling in spirals of terror... picturing over and over the countless ways she could have been smashed beneath that colossal weight if Starla hadn’t yanked her back in time.

”Nightfire? Are you alright?” Aether asked softly, his hand rising to pat her cheek with genuine concern.

Nightfire suddenly snapped out of her daze. Her eyes focused on him, blazing with fury and disbelief. She grabbed his collar with trembling hands and screamed, ”You holy motherfucker! You almost killed me!!” Her entire body shook with the horror of what had nearly happened.

Aether blinked, caught off guard, before his face grew firm. ”Of course I would not!” he answered with a serious tone, pulling her into his arms in a tight embrace, trying to steady her trembling.

”Y-You! Don’t think hugging will let you off the hook—hmm~ ahem, I-I mean... even kissing wouldn’t help y~hmmm...”

Her words faltered, her voice crumbling into embarrassed murmurs. Nightfire’s cheeks burned crimson as she crouched down slightly, burying part of her face. Her heart twisted painfully, her mind caught between rage and shame. She questioned herself in silence... why was she falling for this bastard so easily?!

’Awww~’

Starla, standing nearby, watched the whole spectacle with a barely hidden smirk. Amusement flickered across her face at Nightfire’s pouting, flustered expression.

But her eyes soon turned back toward the enormous green mountain looming in their midst. Her tone dropped low as she muttered, ”Grenthollow? You brought that thing here? Why?”

”GRENTHOLLOW?!”

Nightfire’s voice cracked in raw horror the moment she heard the word. Her head whipped back toward the colossal stone, her pupils shrinking as she took in the reality of what stood before her—an ancient, green, stony mountain.

”Why the hell did you bring this thing here?!” she shouted... Just looking at it made her feel like her soul had been dragged out of her body and flung into the abyss.

She had been worried about him dragging in trouble... but this wasn’t trouble. This was a disaster.

A disaster multiplied a thousand times beyond anything she could have imagined in her worst nightmares.

Aether didn’t reply to her. He remained silent, instead walking toward the casket he had carried. He carefully lifted Nyx from within, his movements gentle, almost reverent, and laid her near the base of the mountain.

Then, taking the Pasa rope, tying one end securely to Nyx’s delicate hand.

The others exchanged uncertain glances, curiosity flickering in their eyes.

”What is he doing?” Nightfire asked shakily.

Starla shrugged her shoulders, her eyes narrowing in focus. ”I don’t know...” she admitted quietly.

They watched as Aether took the other end of the rope and slowly approached the massive staircase carved into the mountain’s side. His hand extended, brushing against something unseen. The invisible barrier surrounding the mountain shimmered faintly, still standing strong, still protecting whatever was inside.

Aether’s expression shifted, thoughtful and serious. He hummed softly, then used the rope as a test, pressing it forward. Just as he had expected, the rope managed to pierce through the invisible barrier.... Carefully, he set the rope down upon the first stair.

He stepped back slowly, his face unreadable, and waited in complete silence.

Nightfire leaned forward curiously, tilting her head as she asked, ”What are you doing?”

Aether glanced at her, his voice calm but heavy, ”Waiting for a miracle.”

Nightfire frowned at that vague answer, but she stayed quiet, her eyes following the rope as well. Silently, she too waited for this so-called miracle. For several long seconds, nothing happened... the silence stretched endlessly... but then—

From Nyx’s still hand, a faint pulse rippled into the rope. Like a stone dropped into water, the energy flowed outward in waves, shimmering through the rope before spreading toward the mountain.

The green stony surface trembled... then rippled like liquid, as though the entire mass were water disturbed by invisible hands. The waves travelled upward, climbing higher and higher until they reached the very peak.

At the top, a shadow flickered.

Aether’s eyes widened. His breath caught as he recognised the silhouette—Nyx, standing at the very top of the mountain, her figure cloaked in wavering light.

Shock and relief surged through him all at once. His lips parted in a whisper, ”Thank goodness... I took it before she entered the Samsara...” He hadn’t expected her soul to reach the summit so quickly. That could only mean one thing...

She had never committed any sins.

Aether rubbed his forehead... though he quickly shook it off. This was not the time to think too deeply.

His plan was honestly just not 100% sure, just a testing one... This rope not just captures the souls but also feels them whenever he captures the souls, using which he could feel their presence and some kind of feeling or will... So what he did was simple: using her body connection, he thought maybe she could call her soul back, too.

That’s how he thought... looks like it worked!

Before anyone could react, the shimmering silhouette of Nyx was suddenly flung down from the peak, descending until it landed near the staircase.

Her shadow trembled violently as she stood before the rope’s end... her soul hovering just a few inches away from her true body lying below.

Seeing that pale, half-formed silhouette, Starla’s voice broke in desperation. ”My Queen! It’s me!! Are you alright?!” She stepped forward, her body ready to rush in—

—but the moment her foot crossed too close, an unseen pull lashed at her. Her body nearly got dragged into the mountain itself. Starla cursed and leapt back with a sharp frown.

”Tsk.” She clicked her tongue bitterly. Of course... ghosts were souls as well. If they wandered too near the mountain, they would be pulled mercilessly into the cycle.

Nightfire’s eyes widened as she noticed Starla’s reaction, ’Something will definitely happen to me too if I get closer, right?!’ Without hesitation, she scrambled backwards, putting ten whole steps of distance between herself and the cursed mountain.

Aether moved closer, pressing his hand against the barrier. His gaze locked on the trembling silhouette of Nyx. Unlike other souls he had seen, hers wasn’t fully visible. The wavering outline looked fractured, incomplete... a half soul.

”I honestly expected her to be like half a split figure...” Nightfire commented from behind, slicing the air with a vertical motion to illustrate what she meant.

She frowned when she realised it wasn’t the case at all.

”Nyx... can you hear me?” Aether called softly, his voice carrying a gentle smile despite the storm raging inside him.

Yet the soul gave no response. It hovered in silence, eyes empty, its presence bound to the rope but its will adrift.

”Please... come back.” His voice cracked as he clenched his fists, desperation seeping into his words. He wasn’t sure if she heard anything at all—or if his pleas were falling into the void.

And then—

The shadow turned... Slowly, almost coldly, it stepped away. Each footfall carried it further up the staircase, retreating from him.

”WAIT!!!”

Aether slammed both palms against the barrier. His voice thundered, tearing out of his chest. ”Nyx!! Turn back!!”

His fists shook as bloodshot eyes locked on her vanishing figure. If only he had a way to cross the barrier, he would have grabbed her by the neck and dragged her back himself.

”NYX!!”