Ascension of the Dark Seraph-Chapter 352: Led to Utter Defeat

Sha heard Zibbo’s calling.

A Vestal shared the power of the God she worshipped, so there was a connection between them.

One that was stronger than even his connection with Lucivar.

Zibbo’s rank was no higher than Nerissa’s or Morriva’s. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

He couldn’t see her, but he could feel and hear her.

"Talk," He placed his hand on Leandra’s shoulder, doing what Sha told him to do. "She’s listening."

Other than the passing vehicles, nothing was there.

Zibbo nudged his chin at empty air.

Impatiently, Leandra opened her mouth; she was about to tell him to speak clearly as time was not on their side, but the moment his hand was on her shoulder, she sensed something. An entity was present in front of them.

It couldn’t be seen, but it was there.

"Speak. I’ll deliver the message to the Blessed Oracle."

"Blessed Oracle?"

Leandra’s face hardened, realizing that she was talking to an entity close to Godhood.

She quickly shook her head, focusing on the matters at hand.

"Tell Lucivar to come back right this instant. Drop everything and rush back now. I was attacked, Master Tobias arranged a family vacation, and Ravenna is hurt after going to the mansion. Just tell him to come back home."

"Always the burden, I see. Can you even do anything without him?"

Leandra clutched her fists on the sides.

As much as she wanted to deny it, that statement was undoubtedly correct.

She didn’t know what to do.

Had it been anything other than Master Tobias on the other end, she could’ve done something.

But against him, everything was going against her.

Her mind was clouded, her body shook uncontrollably, and her heart was in crippling pain.

It was simply too many emotions for her to handle.

Compared to her, Lucivar, who was more detached from his own emotions, would work effectively under this kind of situation. In fact, he would probably thrive. What Sha said couldn’t be refuted; Leandra was helpless at this moment.

Moreover, she couldn’t feel more at ease even with Mirel and Bakar in the picture.

Only Lucivar’s presence could assure her that everything would be alright.

Not because it would be alright on its own, but because even if it’s not going to be alright, she believed Lucivar would force it to be alright no matter the cost. It was just the kind of person he was, unrestrained by normal standards.

"Just deliver my message to him."

"I will... after you admit you were wrong. Doing good doesn’t change anything. Not in this world."

Leandra’s body tensed, and her face contorted into something ugly.

All of the problems at hand pressed on her from all sides, threatening to crush her and shatter her entire world for good—and yet Sha seized the moment not to help, but to humiliate her, degrade her, turning her suffering into a spectacle to grind her pride into the dirt when she was already on her knees.

Her chest burned with something familiar.

The heat was rapidly climbing to her throat like crawling lava.

But she held it back, exercising what little patience she had left.

"I want to talk to Lucivar directly; can you connect me to him?"

"Not possible. He has better things to do than rescue a worthless damsel. But like I said, I’ll make an exception if you admit that you’re wrong; admit that you’re naïve to think there’s any chance of pulling the Blessed Oracle from the darkness."

Sha, who was still invisible, leaped onto the dumpster right beside Leandra.

No personal space between them, Sha had bulldozed through it.

"No..." Leandra’s voice was lighter than a whisper. "It’s because you’re also manipulating him."

"Manipulate him?" Sha scowled even though Leandra couldn’t see her. "I don’t need to manipulate him when he chooses to be in the dark. Not to mention, even the world is going against you for rewarding evil handsomely. I don’t need to do anything but stay put and watch you lose."

Leandra lowered her head and turned away.

Beside her, Zibbo, who was listening to the conversation, held her shoulder tighter, just in case.

Slowly, she reached for her ear; her fingers brushing against the skin as the sound began.

It started as a low, piercing ring that surged without warning, and it only grew louder with each passing second; sharp enough to cut through thought, to drown out the world. A wave of dizziness crashed over her as Sha’s words sank into her deeply.

She staggered a step backward, her vision tilting. Narrowing.

Gritting her teeth, she shook her head as if that might scatter the sound, force it out somehow.

But the ringing only intensified, drilling deeper into her skull.

Sha was merciless.

"In all the mortals I’ve watched over through the eons—trust me, it’s not a small number—I’ve never met with a Star Witch Hybrid as pathetic and naïve as you," She mocked; her words crushed Leandra’s sense of being. "Do you think you’re special? Do you feel chosen to help the Blessed Oracle—because that woman of light asked you for help?"

Leandra’s breath turned shallow and rapid.

Like she couldn’t quite catch it.

Her chest rose and fell in panicked bursts, heart hammering a wild rhythm against her ribs.

Feeling her strength slipping away, she reached blindly, desperate for something to help anchor herself.

Fortunately, her hand slammed against the rusted edge of a dumpster, fingers curling around cold metal as her knees threatened to give way. "Stop it," She uttered, begging once she balanced herself, "I’m only doing this because it’s the right thing. Nothing else."

"And look at where you are," Sha grinned, "Begging to be saved by the man you’re trying to save."

"S-Stop it..."

"Go on. Admit it. Say that you’re wrong, and I’ll deliver your message."

"I don’t need to admit it." Leandra was breathless. "Y-You’re only saying this to torment me."

"Then the Blessed Oracle will not help you. And the blood of those who died will be on your hands."

"Just please, deliver my message..."

"Or what, pathetic Star Witch Hybrid? Are you going to do something?"

"Stop. Please, stop..."

"Can you even do something?"

Leandra clutched her head as Sha kept going, continuing to mock her for being weak and helpless.

Someone who only burdened Lucivar.

Someone not worth saving.

"STOP!"

Leandra’s voice rang loudly, sending echoes throughout the empty street.

She took in a deep breath and glared at where Sha was supposed to be; gone was her weakness.

It was replaced by a sudden conviction that burned through her eyes.

Even the ringing sound and dizziness that were assaulting her senses disappeared like the fleeting wind.

"I’m not pathetic, and I’m not going to be swayed by your wicked words." Her voice was firm. Strong. One that carried authority that was never there before. "So what if the world only rewards evil? So what if it’s naïve to try and help? So what if I failed in the end?"

Leandra looked at where Sha was, eyes lit up like fireballs.

"Nothing else matters, as long as I do what I believe is right." She gripped the edges of the dumpster—with both hands, steadying herself. "In fact, if the world truly only rewards the evil, then I’m anything but pathetic. I’m defying it. You, on the other hand, go along with the flow like the pitiful entity, creature, whatever you are."

"Leandra...?"

Hearing a familiar voice, Leandra’s body tensed up, and her eyes widened.

She turned around and gasped; her breath stuck in her throat.

Behind her was a radiating purple portal that tore through the fabric of the dimension; the purple ether along the edges—constantly fought back the fabric, from closing to keep the portal open. Beyond it was an entirely different terrain.

It was a lush forest, rich with the sound of insects and the blowing night breeze.

And standing directly across from her was a figure. A man. His golden eyes looked at her with a mixture of surprise and confusion, questioning whether what he was seeing was real. Beside him was a familiar blonde woman and an unknown priestess, no, saintess.

Lucivar stood across the portal, with Nerissa and Morriva peeking from behind him.

"Did you make this?" Lucivar looked at the portal in marvel.

Leandra snapped from her trance and realized that Lucivar was talking to him.

But she was also uncertain about the answer.

It should be her who created this portal; her bloodline has this power, but she was still unsure.

Just then, she sharply turned to look at where Sha was; her eyes widened in shock.

’Did she taunt me to activate my bloodline? To help me?’ Leandra questioned inside; she did not want to believe that it was Sha’s intention all along, and it wasn’t. ’No, she didn’t do this to help me. She was proving a point.’

Sha wanted her to admit that she was naïve to think she could pull Lucivar out of the darkness.

Pull him out by using the light.

Leandra adamantly stood her ground, not admitting to anything at all.

All she said was stop, not giving Sha anything at all.

But the constant mockery, the constant pressure from Sha, cornered her back against the wall.

Her panic turned into something sharper, darker, and that ignited the power within her bloodline.

Oblivious to Leandra, her eyes shone like stars, and constellations branched around them.

She summoned the portal that allowed her to speak with Lucivar directly, but it was not hope or any noble intention that fueled this power. It was spite. Pure, unfiltered, venomous spite toward Sha. A dark emotion, sharp and consuming, and yet it gave her exactly what she needed.

Even though she now had what she wanted, to speak with Lucivar directly, she had proven Sha’s words.

Only the darkness of evil can make a change.

Only the darkness can call out to Lucivar, and the proof was directly in front of her.

But the worst part: it came from her.

Sha smiled.

She could see clearly that Leandra realized that her outburst earlier was going against her.

It might feel like she won the argument, but in reality, she lost miserably.

Leandra couldn’t see the smile, but she could feel it.

Even though the triumph was hers, Sha didn’t gloat; she simply vanished into thin air, leaving nothing more than desolate silence. It was fleeting, but the statement was loud in Leandra’s ears, and it felt a lot worse than Sha rubbing it on her face.

"Leandra," Lucivar called again; this time, his voice louder. "What is it? Don’t waste my time."

Upon hearing this, Leandra looked up toward the night sky.

All the stars above her sparkled, but it didn’t give her any comfort whatsoever.

She inhaled deeply, then exhaled through her nose.

It sucks—the feeling of knowing that her actions led to her defeat, but she had to move on.

"We have a big problem, Lucivar. And you have to know about it."

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