Chapter 82
The scene shifts slightly to the past...
"The ancient being, your partner has come..." As the book on the altar was read, the amber-colored crystal began to glow more intensely, levitating in the air. "Kyaa?! Ah...!!" The chains wrapping around Marika's hands also started to emit a brighter light, and she began to groan in pain.
"Brother... please stop..." She tried to plead for mercy amidst the overwhelming pain, but he remained impassive. "The time of endless cycles has passed, and the moment has arrived. Now, end your wandering and achieve true autonomy..."
....! Suddenly, an intense, dark flash occurred, warping the surrounding objects with a supernatural phenomenon. "Aaahh -?!" Marika's screams grew even more desperate, but Abram seemed to desire this chaos.
"Now your era begins, descend... Use the sacrifice we prepared as a foundation to prove our beliefs to the world..." Creak! Creak!! The amber crystal floating in the air began to vibrate violently, emitting an unstable roar.
It seemed the ritual was nearing completion... "Take this flesh, corrupt its original owner and inhabit it, and we will dance in joy!" "Kyaahh!!" As her voice filled with madness, Marika screamed in agony, as if her head would burst.
"Please stop! Brother!! This isn't right!!" Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!! The pain in her head was relentless, and despite the waves of electric currents hitting her, she desperately resisted the chains, but it was futile.
"With your power, alongside a chosen partner..." Crack...!! The crystal, which had started to crack earlier, reached its climax along with the incantations... Crack――!!! The growing fissure eventually penetrated the core of the crystal. "Now... arise..." The space around suddenly becomes a silent void, as if all sound has been cut off. A cold and dark stillness seems to mark the end of her time, a silent tribute of sorts.
Crash! The brief silence is shattered by a refreshing sound, accompanied by the release of an ancient darkness. "...?!!" The darkness seeps into Marika, beginning to completely consume her.