Fate To Fake: Loved by the Fallen; Fated to Kill the Divine-Chapter 76: Rise of the Fallen: Part-1

Thud!

A shadowy figure dropped down from the sky, landing deep within the heart of the forest.

Trees and plants were smouldering crisps, the animals gone silent. The air carried a heavy stench—a mixture of ash and fresh blood—that drifted slowly with the breeze.

The figure stepped forward, its form cloaked in an old, tattered robe that fluttered slightly with its movements. The fabric, aged and worn, concealed every part of its body. No skin, no features—nothing could be seen beyond the shadow of the hood and the folds of the cloak.

"Tsk... don’t tell me I arrived late?"

A low, womanly voice flowed out from beneath the cloak—seductive and confident, yet tinged with irritation. She scanned the area with sharp eyes hidden in the shadows, clearly searching for someone... someone she had come here to protect.

And then she saw him.

Lying still on the charred ground was a boy with reddish-black hair, motionless and pale. Without a second thought, she rushed to his side, her steps quiet but swift. Dropping to her knees beside him, she placed two fingers on his neck and waited.

Seconds passed.

And then she exhaled—a warm breath escaped her lips as her shoulders eased just a little.

There was a pulse.

Weak, but steady.

"Thank goodness... he’s alive."

She whispered to herself, relief softening her voice. But then her gaze sharpened as she studied him more closely, noticing something that didn’t quite match.

"Hmm? He looks... a bit different than the image I was shown."

She mumbled the thought aloud, but quickly shook it off. It didn’t matter right now. Gently, she scooped Leo into her arms, cradling him with care.

Rising to her feet, she turned slowly, her eyes scanning the chaotic remains of what had once been a dense forest.

That’s when she noticed it.

Amid the ashes and ruined roots, something pulsed faintly—partially red, meaty, and twitching like raw muscle. It resembled a fragment of a heart. But before she could approach, the piece shivered and disintegrated into glowing dust, vanishing as if erased by nature itself... as if it never meant to exist.

She adjusted Leo in her arms, preparing to leave—when a faint sound pricked her ears.

Her gaze snapped to the left.

There, lying some distance away, was a small figure with pink hair. A little girl, unmoving. Her tiny form almost blended with the scorched earth. For a moment, the cloaked woman hesitated, staring in silence.

Then she moved.

She grabbed the girl and hoisted her over her shoulder like a sack, showing no softness in her hold—unlike how she carried Leo.

With both in tow, she leapt into the trees and vanished from the destruction, heading toward the city. The rising sun had already begun painting the sky in shades of orange and gold behind her.

The streets below had started waking up, people wandering about. So she stayed above—running along rooftops, jumping from one building to another with practised ease. Her cloak fluttered behind her like a shadow until, finally, she reached her destination:

The Temple.

The same place Leo had once stepped into—before it all began.

She stepped through the tall, heavy gates, her footsteps echoing softly. Inside, as if by fate, Jing Lianxi stood waiting.

Calm, composed, her eyes met the cloaked figure.

Without a word, Jing raised her hand, ready to take the girl—Ophis—but the cloaked woman shook her head.

"Take him first,"

Jing didn’t argue. She nodded once and walked over, easily lifting Leo from the woman’s arms despite her slender frame. With quiet strength, she carried him deeper into the temple, into one of the inner rooms.

The room inside was simple yet calming—two wooden beds, a few carved chairs, shelves of medicinal herbs, and the soothing aroma of tea still lingering in the air.

But one of the beds was already occupied.

Valra lay there, unconscious, her face peaceful but pale.

When Leo had activated the teleportation stone on her—whether by accident or fate—she had been transported here, near the temple’s boundary, unconscious and gravely injured. Jing had found her collapsed just outside.

Now, she gently laid Leo onto the second bed, carefully removing his clothes down to his underwear. When her eyes settled on his body, she froze.

There wasn’t a single wound.

Not one scratch, cut, or bruise.

She raised her eyebrows in quiet disbelief. After everything he’d gone through... it was like his body had healed beyond natural means.

She watched it a little longer, then exhaled.

"He’s stable. No danger," she confirmed.

The cloaked figure gave a silent nod and handed over Ophis next. Jing placed the girl beside Valra on the bed and began undressing her as well—leaving only the innerwear—before carefully examining her body.

Because Ophis was a vampire, most of her wounds had already begun healing on their own. Her supernatural body had already dealt with most of the bruises.

Jing nodded slightly.

"Good. There are no signs of corruption."

She said, more to herself.

Then her expression hardened as she turned to the cloaked woman, voice firm.

"Who are you? And why are you here?"

But the figure didn’t speak.

She simply stood there, silent, unmoving, eyes fixed on Leo as if standing guard.

Jing watched her for a few seconds, brows narrowing... but chose not to push further. She turned back to her patients and took a seat nearby, waiting.

Waiting for them to wake.

Meanwhile, back in the forest...

The Mage Association had already begun securing the perimeter, placing wards and barriers to neutralise any lingering magical residue. Their agents moved swiftly, sealing off dangerous areas and analysing the scorched land. The destruction had drawn attention far too quickly.

Reporters swarmed the outer zone, cameras rolling, voices raised. Civilians who had witnessed the blasts or seen the blinding light were gathering around the site’s edge, hungry for answers.

A barricade lined with yellow police tape had been hastily set up, guarded by a small squad of armed officers.

"Excuse me, sir! What exactly are you trying to hide here?" a reporter demanded, shoving his microphone toward a visibly nervous officer.

"The locals heard multiple explosions and saw a blinding light shoot up into the sky. Can you still claim nothing’s going on? Are you absolutely sure you’re not hiding something from the public?"

The police officer’s grip tightened around the barricade, sweat forming on his temple. These people had no idea what they were talking about. They ignored every warning that the land here was unstable, that a landslide could happen at any moment... and yet they pushed, blind to danger.

More reporters surged forward, their questions overlapping in a barrage of accusations.

"Is the government running secret experiments here?"

"Does this have any connection to the fire incident at Merlin High School a few days ago?"

"Are you diverting attention from something bigger?"

"Is this related to the sealed incident that happened eighteen years ago? What exactly is the government hiding from us this time?"

"Give us the truth!!"

Their voices grew louder, more aggressive, as they leaned into the barricade, pushing their mics and cameras forward.

Then, from among the officers, a man turned and approached the crowd. His uniform was familiar—the same officer Leo had once spoken to not long ago.

His face was grim, his brows furrowed in clear annoyance as he marched straight to the edge of the line.

He stopped and looked at the crowd, eyes hard.

"We’re conducting an active investigation," he said firmly. "And if any of you are so desperate to know the truth—why don’t you put on a badge and join the damn investigation instead of hounding us with baseless connections and half-baked theories?"

His voice was calm but sharp, with just enough anger to silence most of the crowd.

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked back toward the site, joining the investigative team as they carefully moved around the blackened soil, melted trees, and glassed rocks. Every inch of the area told a story of power too great for ordinary minds to grasp.

He stopped in the centre of the destruction, surveying the damage.

"They’re going to rise again..." he muttered under his breath, voice low and solemn. "May the gods protect us all..."

Back at the temple...

"Arghh!"

A groan escaped Valra’s throat as her eyes slowly fluttered open. Her vision was hazy, everything blurry and dark at first. The old ceiling above her creaked gently, lit by faint rays of morning light peeking through carved windows.

"Where... am I? Wait—Leo!"

Her voice rose sharply as the memory came crashing back. She sat up abruptly, panic flashing across her face.

"He’s safe. Just unconscious. He only needs rest."

The calm voice came from her side.

Valra turned her head quickly, her heart thudding in her chest. Sitting beside her, arms folded and expression composed, was Jing Lianxi. She gestured toward the bed next to hers.

Leo lay there, tucked neatly under a thick quilt, his chest rising and falling softly. His face was peaceful.

The cloaked figure who had once stood beside him... was now gone.

Valra released a shaky breath, shoulders slumping in relief.

She wanted to jump out of bed and rush to him, to see him up close, to check with her own hands that he was okay. But the moment she tried to move, pain shot through her body like needles. Every inch of her muscles ached, and she winced.

He needs rest... and so do she.

She leaned back slightly, when suddenly—

"Could you not press on my chest like that?"

An irritated voice rose beneath her.

Valra blinked and looked down. Her hand had unknowingly landed on Ophis’s chest during her movement.

"Ah—sorry! I didn’t notice. It’s just... it’s as flat as the bed."

"..." Veins throbbed visibly on Ophis’s forehead.

Valra smirked slightly but then composed herself, the expression quickly fading as she turned serious.

"...What happened back there? That black thing... what was it?"

Ophis’s annoyance disappeared, her face shifting to concern as she looked at Jing too.

Jing didn’t respond right away. She pressed her palms together, closing her eyes in a silent, brief prayer.

"May the Lord protect us all..." she whispered. Then her eyes opened, calm but distant.

"Have either of you heard the prophecy that was spoken nineteen years ago?"

Valra frowned. Ophis tilted her head.

Valra slowly shook her head. "Not that I can recall. I’ve never heard anything like that."

"I rarely leave my house, let alone talk to prophets," Ophis muttered with a shrug.

Jing gave a quiet hum, her expression unreadable.

"It’s known as... the Prophecy of the Rise of the Fallen."