“Long time no see... Playing tricks on a child is not very nice.”
After Ogre had completely left the clock tower, the white-robed Abel took out a pitch-black bead.
“A... Abel, it really is you! You really didn't die.”
The black bead transformed into a black dove and soared into the air, and then Fula's voice began to echo from the black dove's beak.
It carried an obvious trace of excitement.
“Are you... Fula?” Abel's voice also carried a hint of surprise. “I thought the first one to come see me would be him...”
“It's me, it is truly wonderful to meet you... Don't worry, I bear no ill will toward that child. I came to find you for another matter... It is roughly like this...” Fula began to recount the recent events.
“No wonder you would use this spell... Are you already prepared for that?” Abel looked down at the shackles on his body.
These were the items he used to restrict his own power.
“To sacrifice for the Church! For humanity! I prepared myself long ago!” Fula recalled the day he had taken his oath in the past.
From that moment on, his life was no longer his own.
As an orphan, he was willing to burn himself out before the dawn arrived, to bring about justice.
‘Before the dawn arrives, I shall transform into a torch in the long night, burning myself to become a flame! To illuminate the path ahead!’
—《The Divine Words of Dawn》, Chapter of Believers: Oath of Allegiance.
“Humanity... What a pity.” Abel looked at his pale, bloodless palm and let out a soft sigh.
He had already died on the eve of dawn and lost his soul; some things could not be erased by time.
“I am no longer a believer of Dawn... I do not possess that qualification.” Abel lowered his palm.
“No, you do! No one can strip you of your qualification!” Fula cried out excitedly.
No one would have expected that Fula, who was always calm and indifferent, would express such intense emotion.
“The Holy Light has departed from me, for I betrayed it... Now, Truth has accepted me.” Abel stood up, put away the books on the desk, and walked over to the bookshelf.
“But we are the children of Dawn!” Fula, in the form of the black dove, flew in front of Abel.
“Fula, over these years, I have learned many, many things...” Abel slid the book back into the bookshelf. “For example, beholding Truth.”
“Are you truly this cold-hearted...?” Fula asked in disbelief.
“Truth does not require believers. Or rather, anyone who believes in Truth is a part of Truth. Truth exists within everyone's heart... and I have merely witnessed Him within my own mind.” Abel turned around and spoke calmly.
Truth and Dawn were never enemies.
“You have changed...” Disappointed, Fula reverted back into a bead, falling silent.
“I will make a trip there...” Abel picked up the bead that Fula had reverted into.
He had never given up hope—hoping that one day, by relying on knowledge, he could turn back into a human.
“Even when facing death, I have never felt fear. But I truly do not want to pass away with this identity...” Abel tucked away the black bead and let out a bitter laugh.
With his status, obtaining some blood to sustain his life was actually not difficult.
He would not even need to harm anyone.
However, Abel was unwilling. Because he did not want to sink into depravity this way, he became afraid, he became terrified.
He was worried that he would completely abandon everything that made him human because of it.
Therefore, Abel chose to use pain and willpower to suppress his appetite and instincts...
Over the years, he had not fed even once.
“I have never feared hell... because I am currently standing right in it.”
The vampire's instincts and hunger tortured him.
They consumed his already dwindling 'vitality.'
If things continued like this, then one day, he would turn into a stone statue and truly 'die.'
“O God of Dawn, when will You look upon this devastated land and answer Your believers...”
In the swaying darkness, a pristine white fire ignited on Abel's body—the Holy Light had never abandoned him.
It was just that his body could no longer accept this power.
His body would be harmed by the Holy Light. There was nothing more despairing to a believer of Dawn than this.
“Aaargh—!”
Only after the flames died down did Abel stop his body's instinctual screams of pain.
It was through this exact method that he suppressed his bloodlust and his instinct to slumber.
“Haa...”
Watching his charred skin regrow flesh and blood, Abel finally felt a sensation of being 'alive.'
Pain, hunger, drowsiness.
These things, which ordinary people avoided at all costs, were things he had to actively pursue just to experience.
Abel placed his hand over his heart once again.
There had long been no heartbeat there.
...
“You...”
As night fell, Yade, who was preparing to go on patrol with a lantern as usual, suddenly froze at the entrance.
Clatter—crash!
The lantern in his hand slammed heavily onto the ground at this moment, making a shattering sound.
“Long time no see—Yade.”
Under the moonlight, the white-robed man threw back his hood, revealing long hair that had turned white due to the loss of his vitality.
“A... Abel! Abel!” Yade raised his hand tremblingly.
He stood rooted to the spot, his eyes filled with utter disbelief.
He wanted to step forward, yet he did not dare to. He could only stare blankly at the person before him, terrified that it was merely an illusion...
“You are injured.”
Abel stepped forward slowly until he was in front of Yade, grasping his arm.
Then, light suddenly flared. A gentle, familiar power was applied to Yade's wrist, slowly regenerating his missing flesh.
“You...”
Yade looked down at Abel's palm, which was being burned by the holy light, and was momentarily speechless.
Abel released his burned hand and said with a smile, “Let us go for a walk together.”
“Alright.” Yade lifted his foot, stepped over the shattered lantern, and followed Abel out of the Dawn Cathedral.
“I met a child today. He said you sent him.” Abel looked up at the starry sky.
Now, only the night could accept him...
“Was it Ogre?”
“It was him. He is very much like Nether...” Abel said as he walked ahead.
“How is he doing now?” Yade asked.
“I ate him.” Abel turned around, baring his fangs. “He was truly delicious.”
Yade shuddered, but soon composed himself. “You are lying to me.”
“I know what your purpose is. In the depths of that child's heart, I felt a fiery obsession and a trace of darkness.” Abel retracted his fangs and turned back around. “In his current state, it will be very difficult for me to teach him...”
“I have another disciple. He is very much like you used to be.” Yade unraveled the bandages wrapped around his hand. “His name is Serandic.”
“I have already come to terms with it. My life is nearing its end.” Abel allowed the night wind to ruffle his white hair.
“Do you still hate me...?” Yade recalled the events of the past.
‘Yade! I will never forgive you!’ — That was what Abel had said when the two of them had fallen out back then.
“I only wanted you to move on... yet after so many years, you are still the same.” Abel shook his head slightly. “I only hate myself for not being strong enough back then.”
“I... only wanted you to live.” Yade gave a bitter laugh. “That was the worst decision I have ever made.”
It was he who had fed the flesh and blood of the Vampire Archduke into Abel's mouth back then.
He simply could not accept his dearest friend dying like that.
Yet he never expected that it would lead to this outcome... in the end, he had still lost everything.
“Death is not terrifying.”
Abel said, stopping his footsteps. “You only need to escort me this far...”
“Abel... you...” Yade subconsciously raised his hand.
“Love can encompass all things, but it cannot confound right and wrong.”
Abel turned around and said solemnly, “Yade, do not keep making the same mistake...”
“I... I understand.” Yade lowered his hand, ultimately choosing not to try to make him stay.
The things one cannot obtain, even if forced to stay, will eventually be lost due to all sorts of reasons.
“Do you still remember what Teacher said back then?” Abel softened his serious expression and offered Yade a faint smile. “The Stone of Dawn pronounced the darkness in our hearts, so we should never have inherited these two names—but Teacher said, ‘In this world, there is no one who is naturally meant to die, let alone anyone born of darkness...’”
“Do not fail the names we have inherited... Yade, there is still time for everything.”
...
“Justice is glorious yet humble; justice is pale but not powerless.”
—《The Divine Words of Dawn》, Chapter of Sages.
Inscribed by: Wubi.
“Child, do not let borrowed ideals weigh down your kindness and your body—even a wild rat in the corner has the right to gaze upon the dawn.”
—《The Divine Words of Dawn》, Chapter of Sages.
Inscribed by: Abel (Sage).
...
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