Scorched Twilight

Chapter 27: Paradoxical Promise

Chernobog, Ursus

Y/n woke up a few minutes later, his eyes restless and bloodshot. He noticed how quiet it was, the three occupants who was here earlier was gone.

Mostima: Yo, you woke up.

Y/n: How long have I been asleep?

Mostima: Roughly 30 minutes... You really love shuffling in your sleep.

Y/n: You should've woken me up sooner...

He placed his hand on the crate next to him as support, trying to clear his brain from the jarring sensations that comes from waking up.

Y/n: Where are the other three?

Phoenix: They went out on their own.

Y/n: Brilliant, the least we could do is not allow them to be caught in the crossfire. Let's go then? This will be probably be our last break before we reach the tower.

Y/n waited by the door for Mostima's signal that it was safe outside. Once he got it, his hand twisted the rusting doorknob and pulled the door open with a soft creak. It was empty outside, devoid of people, a dark hue coating everything due to the dark clouds up above.

A white substance caught his eye, then another, and another. It was small, but noticeable if looked hard enough, Y/n placed his hand out and caught one of them, realizing the moment he brought it to his eyes, Phoenix was the first to say it before he could.

Phoenix: Snow...?

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The giant chunk of ice that was FrostNova's prison was starting to crack, the surface too blurry to see the actual person inside. Men, women, children, all sorts of people in black and purple cloaks surrounded it and prayed to it in various ways, most made prayers while standing, some kneeled and prayed that way, while some started to read passages from a book.

"What is this?"

One of the cloaked women looked at the direction of the voice and gasped, recognizing the face of one of their important figures in their beliefs.

"I-It's you! His Incarnation!"

The word, "Incarnation" spread like wildfire among the group, as they turned their heads to Seraphiel who kept a blank expression, his interest solely on the prison of ice that he was pointing at.

Seraphiel: What's that.

"It's a offering, sir. For a Reaper to inhabit their body and consume their soul.

Seraphiel: Interesting. I've never seen how one is made, so this will be a first time.

"If it is, then would you like to learn how to perform a complete prayer?"

Seraphiel: No, I have no interest in that. Do not even dare to bother me while I watch.

"Y-Y-Yes, sir."

He was silent the whole time, observing the ice prison as it cracked every now and then. The cloaked crowd murmured in anticipation like they were about to watch a play.

Snow fell from the dark clouds above, the air dropping down to a temperature where steam escaped their chapped lips. The chunk of ice released misty cold fog, lightly dusting debris-ridden road with a layer of snow.

"Huff... huff... huff..."

The head came out first, ice cracking apart and into small crystal-like pieces like precious diamonds, her breaths could be seen coming out in short intervals, freezing the air it touches. Both of her hands was next, ripping away from the prison and breaking the rest of her body free with a heavy pound of her fists into the freezing surface.