Chapter 460: Rift
The first step was the hardest, and I nearly cried out as the mere motion of walking caused my side to twist, inflaming the sunpurge. But I gritted my teeth and, with my tail lashing at the pain, put my other foot forward. Fable shadowed me closely, ready to catch me should my trembling legs give way.
The cathedral was a shattered ruin of its former grandeur. The once beautiful mosaics and tiled floors were now a chaotic mosaic of destruction, littered with chunks of masonry ranging from pebbles to entire sections of the wall. Blood stained every surface, running in rivulets down the walls and pooling on the floor. I was constantly forced to step over the twisted bodies of dead cultists, their lifeless eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.
Once, I made the mistake of glancing towards where the shard had been, only to have my stomach lurch and bile rise in my throat. The two children’s corpses lay amidst the wreckage, their innocent eyes forever closed in death, a silent accusation weighing heavy on my heart.
Eventually, the pain became a dull ache as I adjusted to the new agony. The sunpurge never truly stopped hurting, but with time and experience, I’d learned to push it to the back of my mind. This new tenderness would be no different, though it might take longer to acclimate to, given how much the curse had spread. Even lying down comfortably, not to mention hugging anyone, might be a challenge from now on.
But that was something I could deal with later. I was alive, and I was free. It wasn’t all bad news, either. Unlike almost every other time I’d been left so hurt and damaged in Enusia, my soul was recovering with astonishing speed. The moment I stumbled out of range of the discordant mana field, it began to thrum with warmth, replenishing its reserves. With every passing second, I breathed a little easier, drawing on its strength for support. Was this the true power of a fully healed soul?
It was so trivial, so normal to the experience of others, but it was something I’d never been able to rely on. It had often taken my scared, shattered soul longer to recover than my body, and now, ironically, the roles had been switched. My soul was healed, but the sunpurge left my flesh weaker than ever.
By the time I reached the shattered doors hanging ajar at the entrance, I could stand without the aid of my staff. Tears welled up in my eyes again, but this time they were tears of relief, and perhaps even a touch of joy. I pursed my lips, holding back a sob, and turned my gaze upward, offering my goddess a silent prayer of gratitude.
"I did it," I whispered, letting a tear trickle down my cheek. "I did it!"
My pointed ears twitched as the faint sounds of battle reached me, but they were distant and muffled. I frowned. Had the battle really moved so far away? They’d been just outside the cathedral when I entered. I could feel the souls of my companions in the Nexus, even Kahlen’s, meaning they were at least alive.