Numbers x Casket-Chapter 34: Everything Turned White

"Guys! W-What’s happening?" Daniel stammered.

Then he glanced at the appraiser, his eyes asking a question about their next course of action, but Efraim kept his silence.

’Did my assumptions go wrong?’ he pondered.

He raised his hand one more time to give them another drop of blood. However, he noticed a change in the two equators’ complexion, which made him stop for a while.

They continued to cough up several mouthfuls of blood, but the blackness of their veins started to dwindle.

"It’s working, the poison actually leaving their bodies," Efraim uttered.

In light of this fact, he ordered Daniel to change their positions; from lying down on the ground, they made them face each other’s backs so that the blood would flow out from their mouths.

"They won’t die due to blood loss, will they?" the warrior asked. Though still worried, he was now relieved as he saw his friend’s situation getting better.

Then, he glanced at the appraiser. He wanted to ask him about what he did, about how his blood saved their companions, but he dismissed the idea right away.

He realized that he was not in the position to question his methods; if not for him appearing at the right time, they would be dead by now. Thus, instead of asking him about it, he faced him and kneeled with his head touching the ground.

"Thank you! Seriously! I don’t know how we can repay this, but I’m very thankful for your arrival," Daniel expressed his gratitude.

Efraim was startled by his sudden action, but upon seeing how sincere he was, his lips curled into a smile.

However, it soon disappeared as a certain thought echoed inside his mind. He saved them at this moment, but he was bound to bring chaos and destruction sooner or later.

"Raise your head, you don’t have to; it’s alright," Efraim stated, his voice flat and emotionless.

Then he stood up and turned around.

"I’ll make a round in the area to check if there are still monsters hiding; you can leave without me once they regain consciousness," he said and left without waiting for the warrior’s reply.

Daniel looked at his back and bowed his head once more. Then he went back in, monitoring his friends.

Several moments later, Michael and Nathan opened their eyes, and Daniel gave each of them a warm hug.

"You guys don’t know how worried I am," he articulated.

"What happened?" Nathan asked as he pushed the warrior’s body away.

For them to know what they went through, Daniel filled them in; he told them everything without leaving a single scene unsaid.

Michael looked around, and he felt a shiver down his spine upon seeing the countless carcasses scattered on the ground.

"If it’s not you who’s saying things, I wouldn’t believe that a single person dealt with all of this," he said in a low voice. His mind was still in the process of digesting the scene before his eyes.

The equators waited for the appraiser to return while recovering their strength. Time went in a blink, and an hour had already passed, but the appraiser had not come back yet.

Thus they proceeded to leave without him. While walking, the pathfinder noticed the mage’s solemn expression.

"He’s a lot stronger than us; your worrying about his safety is out of the question," Nathan commented.

As a response, Michael gave him a glance and smiled.

"You’re right," he replied.

Then he sighed and focused his gaze forward.

"I’m just wondering if we would see him again. I just want to thank him in person, after all," he added.

"I’m sure about it! We’ll still be able to see him! That man is set to be a legend; he will soon rise as one of Celestia’s greatest warriors," Daniel chimed in.

"And I hope we’re still alive when that day comes!" he added, his soft chuckle echoing along with their footsteps.

"Don’t jinx it, you musclehead," Michael exclaimed and gave him a smack.

Then, their laughter reverberated as they walked their way back to the capital.

. . . . .

The appraiser explored the ruin’s vicinity like what he had said earlier. Webs were still present, but they were a little bit scarce in his current location. He tried searching for monsters, but he couldn’t find even a single presence around.

"I guess I already killed them all," Efraim said with a deadpan expression.

Then, he halted his steps and glanced at the sun dipping into the horizon. The sky was painted in a tapestry of darkness and crimson hue.

’It would be nighttime soon; maybe I should head back now,’ Efraim thought and resumed walking.

With only the sound of his footsteps accompanying him through the ruins, his mind started to wander, contemplating a plan to execute his revenge. After all, he would face an entire faction; storming towards the place without any kind of plans was mere suicide.

"Where should I start? How can I surprise those bastards without letting them know that I’m still alive?" Efraim uttered.

"First, I need an affiliation to help me cover my tracks while gathering information on how strong they are now," he added without stopping in his tracks.

Then, a face so beautiful flashed through his mind, a woman with a golden pair of eyes.

"Celestia’s Nightfall against the most powerful faction—Bladehaven’s Espada," Efraim murmured.

Seconds later, he bit his lower lip out of guilt. He felt bad for thinking of including Lindsay in his plans.

Thus, he shook his head and inhaled a deep breath.

"I’ll just use them to gather information; it’s my fight after all," he said with an unyielding tone.

Efraim stopped in his tracks and crossed his arms, thinking.

"For that to happen, I need to earn the Grand Lord’s approval," he asserted and paused for a second before continuing. "And she will be the key."

. . . . .

The next day, the crowd inside Celestia’s capital grew even larger, and the streets were so bustling with activities. At first, most of the people were mages, but now there were warriors, archers, and others with unique kinds of professions.

The sudden increase of people was due to the Grand Lord’s announcement; they wanted to partake in the challenge and take home Lindsay Nightfall as the prize.

The appraiser squinted his eyes as he looked at the thick volume of the crowd. The temperature was already hot, and the people wandering and walking down the streets made it even a lot sultrier.

His goal for today was to register himself in the competition, and for him to do that, he needed to go to the Magic Tower, where the registration took place; however, he found himself stuck in the foot traffic.

"I’m starting to hate festivals," Efraim whispered and sighed.

If not for the orbs floating around the city, he would leap from roof to roof to reach his destination as soon as possible.

The next second, while still busy contemplating, he felt a sudden embrace coming from behind.

"Found you," a voice so sweet whispered.

Even without looking back, Efraim knew who it was from her presence alone, and the soft melons touching his back said it all.

"Linds—" he tried uttering her name, but the woman covered his mouth, preventing him from doing so.

"Sshh, keep quiet, come with me! I’ll show you something," Lindsay stated, and without waiting for the man’s reply, she dragged him away from the sea of people.

The appraiser just stared at the woman’s back; despite being dressed in a casual jacket with a hood, it was not enough to hide her dazzling figure.

"Where are we going? I need to register for the competition," he asked and informed the woman.

They strayed away from the direction of the Magic Tower and reached an area with fewer people, but the buildings in there were several times bigger and grander than the ones on the main street.

"You’ll know soon, and about the competition, I already asked Captain to list your name," Lindsay chuckled and gave Efraim a glance.

Her charming smile captivated the appraiser; it was so attractive that he found his heart melting for a second.

"You must have a pretty nice reason for dragging me this far," he replied, excitement looming all over his face.

"Fret not! I assure you, you’re going to thank me later," Lindsay exclaimed without looking back.

Efraim didn’t reply and just roamed his eyes around, appreciating the beauty of the structures around them. Then, after a few more strides, Lindsay stopped and let go of his hand before turning around to face him.

"We’re here!" she said.

She raised her arm and pointed at the enormous house at her back. Puzzled by what it was, Efraim examined the establishment.

It was a three-story building with several trees in front. It even had a fountain near its doorstep.

"Is this your home?" Efraim asked, curiosity laced in his voice.

Lindsay shook her head and smiled.

"No, it’s my grandfather who lives here," she answered.

The appraiser tilted his head and replied. "The previous Grand Lord? I thought he already passed away."

"You’ve got it all wrong; it’s my mother’s home," Lindsay said.

’Her mother? Come to think of it, she never mentioned her before, and I didn’t see her at the ball,’ Efraim thought.

He was about to ask her questions, but Lindsay ran towards the opened gate and gestured for him to come.

"Wait a second!" he yelled and followed her.

However, as soon as his foot stepped inside the premises, everything turned white.

. . . . .