Rite under the Starry Sky

The figure with the crown of thorns disappeared from the underground quarry.

Aside from that, the Cursed Beast was charred by the crimson flames, and Skyler barely stood up as she witnessed the spectacle along with Elijah. In the midst of that scene, Elijah, who was holding himself up with the aid of the silver sword, walked towards Skyler with slight exhaustion.

Seeing the crimson flames illuminate the dark underground and burn the Cursed Beast at the same time, Skyler breathed a sigh of relief.

It was all over. Their nightmare through blood, sweat and tears, had come to an end. The Trial had reached its epilogue.

"Whoa, we finally killed the beast, but... who was that figure?" Elijah wondered to himself.

Upon hearing that, Skyler wiped away her bittersweet tears with her slender hands, looking at her necklace that had stopped shining. She felt a strong sense of bitterness in her throat, which was possibly due to the presence of the figure illuminated by the holy light.

"Well, anyway, we passed the Trial, and we can only thank him that we're still alive." Elijah exclaimed, catching up with Skyler.

Skyler nodded weakly. "Yes, it's thanks to him."

"Uuwaa, I thought our plan would fail, but luck is on our side, heh heh." Elijah laughed wryly, scratching his bushy hair.

But deep down in Skyler's heart, Elijah was right. After all, if that figure had not intervened and put an end to the Cursed Beast, both of them would have certainly died. Although Elijah's plan was to have Skyler use the parchment to cast the remaining spells while he kept the Cursed Beast busy, the figure's presence had saved their lives from a tragic outcome.

Their plan was doomed from the start, but luck, as Elijah said, was on their side.

"I wonder why I felt these emotions…" Skyler thought, pursing her lips.

It seemed as if those emotions had been there for a long time, and that until now they had only been repressed. Her heart still burned with bitterness as a grim silence fell between them.

"Anyway, I didn't think you fought like that. You're really good if I've to say." Elijah leisurely expressed, breaking the silence.

Skyler waved her hands and twitched her lips. "Eh, w-what are you saying? I d-didn't do a-anything special!"

"Aaah, what's gotten into you? You were amazing at throwing those fabulous kicks and using the dagger like that. Uuwa, for a second I thought it wasn't even you." Elijah retorted with a stunned expression.

He seemed thrilled by his behavior. At such behavior, goosebumps ran boiling down Skyler's spine, which made her lips tremble. Her mouth moved, she wanted to say something, she wanted to express her opinion—

"You have completed the Trial and defeated the Cursed Beast. The ancient gods are dead, but you are officially Daredevils. The power of the gods will be bestowed upon you as a reward for your tenacity. May the divine light of the Mother Sovereign of Heaven and Earth bless you."

A whisper chimed. It was a voice reminiscent of a forgotten god that arose, piercing through the silence that fell between Skyler Hall and Elijah Seinhorn, and even the world itself. Akin to an ethereal melody that pierced right through their ears, caughting their attention. 

In the next moment, under Skyler's astonishing eyes, glitters entered the very edge of her field of vision. Lowering her head, she noticed the source of the small glimmers was coming from her hands, but it wasn't just her hands that were giving it off.

Her feet, her shins, her hips, every part of her body was emitting the same shimmers. Glancing at Elijah, who was standing in front of her in amazement, she noticed that his legs were fading into little sparkles. Witnessing all this, she inexorably understood what was happening to her.

"Oh, I guess this is our farewell," Elijah said, smiling at Skyler. "It was a pleasure completing the Trial with you, witch."

"I mean, how many times do I have to tell you that I'm not a witch!?"

"Whoa there, you literally caught me off guard. Look, there's no need to scream, I can hear you just fine. Anyway, thanks for helping me."

Hearing Elijah's words, Skyler's eyes widened in surprise. As their bodies gradually faded into small, glittering pieces, she could not help but feel grateful that she had Elijah by her side.

"Ehm listen, I... well, I also thank you for helping me. Thank you so much!" Skyler's lips trembled as she shouted out.

With her cheeks blushing up to her ears, she had strongly declared it. In her heart, she was in debt to Elijah. On the other hand, if it weren't for Elijah's help, she undoubtedly would not have gotten very far in the tower. 

Though she was now annoyed by his last word, deep down she felt a sort of respect for him, for the one in front of her who was smiling bitterly. 

"Mmm, thanks for telling me. I hope we'll meet again." Elijah expressed, looking away.

Skyler clenched her fists, taking a few steps forward. "I hope so too! I-I'd be very happy!"

With her reply, ripples rose within Elijah's brown eyes. His lips quivering, Elijah's cheeks had a slight blush at Skyler's bold behavior.

"Well, if you happen to visit my homeland, you'll certainly be welcome." Elijah muttered with sincerity.

Amidst the crimson ashes, in the midst of darkness, as their bodies were fading into luster, a bond formed between them. Even as the end was coming, a bond was beginning to blossom.

And because of that bond, they would make a promise to each other.

Right there, in this tower, in this place, Skyler and Elijah stared at each other with smiles plastered on their faces.

"I'll definitely come! After all, it's a promise between us, right?" Skyler exclaimed.

Elijah took a break, as if gasping. Having received Skyler's words, in that instant, surely all part of his body was in a state of dumbfoundment. The lowered part of his body vanished completely, and his arms began to fade along with the rest.

Just as her hips and waist disappeared, Skyler clutched her necklace tightly in her hand like to engrave the promise she had just made.

"Yes, it's a promise between us after all." Elijah then closed his eyes as he smiled. "So, see you again, Skyler. It was nice to meet you."

Upon saying that, upon arriving to bid their farewell, Elijah Seinhorn's figure completely disappeared behind a charming smile.

Just like him, while her blue eyes were full of sorrow, Skyler vanished. She disappeared into little pieces of light. Her falling tears faded into shining glitter. Everything was coming apart, everything was vanishing, the end was coming as expected.

However, this was just the beginning that would change their lives forever.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

In the wink of an eye, Skyler did not know where she was.

Breathing a stunned sigh, she gazed down at her hands. She could see. Of course, there was light here, there was color. She could see where she was standing. She was standing in an expanse of water—there was an endless expanse of water.

As she glanced around her surroundings in confusion, she could see that everything above her was bright. There were stars, bright stars that were chasing away the darkness that surrounded her.

They were myriads, and they stretched brilliantly across the infinite space she found herself in.

"But where am I now?" Skyler wondered in disbelief.

Tinkle! Tinkle! Tinkle!

But as soon as she took a few steps on the water that danced swaying, something caught her attention. From the starry sky, strings of silver light wove breathtakingly into a fascinating net, creating a heptagonal constellation that stood in all its beauty.

Right from the heptagonal constellation, a star shone—one of the seven stars of the constellation shone bewitchingly, warmly welcoming Skyler Hall.

"So this is where people who complete the Trial end up…" Skyler muttered.

Tinkle! Tinkle! Tinkle!

Walking slowly, Skyler admired the clear water, however her feet suddenly stopped. The reason for why she reacted like that was because, just beneath her—a large, bushy silver finger lay beneath her.

It was fidgeting. Its nail was long and sharp, like a claw. Normally, Skyler would see its hand or paw, but it was nonexistent—or rather, hidden. It appeared like the entire body was obscured by the water itself, as if to deny Skyler a view of it.

"What is that thing? Why…" Skyler was mesmerized.

She watched the finger move with eyes wide open. Her mind was conflicted by strange emotions. The finger shivered, yet she felt a strong empathy, though the creature was in deep pain. Realizing she was feeling similar emotions, she quickly backed away.

Why was she feeling empathy at this moment? What was so special about the creature that made her feel such emotions? Why did she have the overwhelming urge to console it?

Her fingers went numb, and even as she tried to repress her empathy, her body moved against her will, bending her knees.

While she continued to watch in astonishment, she reached out to touch its finger—

"Don't touch it. It would spell your death."

A voice echoed. An ethereal and feminine tone full of melancholy, touched the depths of Skyler's subconscious.

"Wha—" Skyler trailed off.

She could not continue. Her words would never come out.

Before she even realized what was happening, a grayish-black fog was starting to envelop her. Whilst panting faintly, in front of her, a jagged silhouette was manifesting itself in female features with slender limbs and long, flowing hair.

That silhouette shrouded in fog that contained an unimaginably strong emotion, the ethereal voice filled with sorrow, and the oddly indescribable sensations she was experiencing at this very moment were things she was familiar with. After all, that figure was without a doubt the same one that appeared in the underground quarry.

"You... who are you? What do you want from me?" Skyler asked, voice weak.

The feeling of the thick fog stinging her pale skin. The sight of the starry sky submerged in mist. The stifling pressure engulfing her surroundings. And the world that fundamentally lost its life.

"You are not yet eligible to know that. Not now." The silhouette replied with a voice so overflowing with sorrow that it sounded like it was about to melt.

"Am I not eligible?..." Skyler was puzzled.

Her throat rapidly drying up, Skyler's body stiffened as she forgot how to breathe. Bound by the overwhelming pressure, she turned as rigid as a prey being stared down by a predator.

At that moment, the silhouette reached out, gently touching Skyler's necklace. "Skyler Hall, you are now a Daredevil with two Attributes in the Altar. You are different from the others."

While she spoke, the necklace began to glow intermittently as though it were reacting to her actions. 

Skyler's body froze in place. Feeling her heart beating rapidly, she felt for strange reasons a strong desire to embrace the figure. However, despite these emotions, her body refused to move.

"When the time comes, we will see each other again. But until then, I will watch over you." The silhouette declared.

Skyler's eyebrows widened in surprise. "What do you mean we'll see each other again?"

Whilst tilting her head, in the blink of an eye, the fog quickly vanished along with the jagged silhouette that began to dissipate into mist under the starry sky.

"Skyler Hall, beware of the Angel of Miracle."

Such an incomparable discomfort was melted by the silhouette that seemed to show Skyler the way and then fading away.

White, bright, tall, precious, beautiful, sweet, light was what she was facing. And then Skyler Hall vanished, engulfed by the bright light.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

Upon that moment, Skyler awakened her sleeping consciousness from the depths of slumbers.

"Haa… Haa…" A weak sigh spilled out of Skyler's mouth at first.

She slowly looked around, finding herself in her room. The pentagram drawn with blood, which was on the floor, disappeared completely. The candles, which until recently had been in crimson color, were scattered smoldering on the floor.

Trying to sit up, Skyler instinctively looked at the palm of her left hand, seeing that the painful wound she had inflicted on herself was healed as if nothing had happened.

With shaking knees and a lack of balance, she stood up awkwardly. Approaching the ornate mirror, her pajamas, which must have been stained with blood and sand, were completely clean.

"It's not possible... So, the Trial was like a dream, yet it was all so real…" Skyler thought to herself.

The memory of the Trial and her farewell with Elijah were so imprinted on her mind that to dismiss them as a mere dream was blasphemy.

Lost in thought, she felt sharp, stinging pains on the back of her neck, though someone had whipped her repeatedly. All the colors around her seemed to be saturated. Browns were browner, oranges were oranger, and blacks were blacker. The intense colors blended together like an impressionist painting.

Slowly, the surroundings became distinguishable. All the colors returned to their original as the mirror reflected her bloody body engulfed in crimson flames.

"Ah, AHHHHHHH!!" Skyler screamed.

She blinked instinctively as she took a few steps back. In an instant, the reflection in the mirror returned to normal like nothing happened. Nevertheless, she felt her head swell. She felt like it was being yanked apart. 

Apart from that, afterimages came across her field of vision, followed by harrowingly ethereal whispers that chimed deafeningly in her ears.

"Skyler… Blood… Light… Darkness… Zarathustra… Disaster…"

Skyler's brain throbbed in burning pain. An agony like her skull was being bored through repeatedly by a red-hot iron that exploded within her. She slapped her forehead with her hand due to the agony that visited her with waves.

"Skyler… Blood… Light… Darkness… Zarathustra… Disaster…"

Frowning, she hurriedly shook her head, and breathing a weak sigh, her headache started to subside.

"This means I can now use blood…" Skyler muttered.

She bent her knees and picked up the knife from the floor, pressing the tip of the blade hard against the thumb of her left hand. She gritted her teeth, the sharp pain tearing through her as she pointed her bleeding hand at the window.

Oof!

A pin of blood shot at an abnormal speed against the window. The hard impact scratched the woody window frame which opened abruptly, akin to a strong blowing. The pin flew out, quickly disappearing from her sight like a locomotive.

"I don't believe it, I can create pins with my own blood! This power is… is simply fantastic!" Skyler exclaimed internally.

Watching the wound on her thumb heal on its own, her brain came to a conclusion. Skyler Hall has officially become a Daredevil.