My mother had been on Crystal’s side since the day she had come to the imperial capital. It was so obvious, it was almost laughable. There was no telling what lengths my mother would go to just to keep their secrets. I wouldn’t even put it past her to tamper with the paternity test results.
Kiefer carefully deposited the cloth into his jacket pocket, collected Arron, and then set out for the imperial palace. I, too, gathered the remaining soldiers and led them to Lee’s lair.
According to the clowns, they only had two bases. One was in the villa, and the other was in the amusement park. Despite the fierce battle that had ensued there in the villa, Lee had never shown up. I could only deduce that he was still at the park, presumably holding Crystal captive.
My heart hammered inside my chest as I thought of Crystal. She was one of the few warriors whose strength I acknowledged and even admired, and I hoped fervently that she would hold her own. At least, until I got to her.
“Please don’t die,” I muttered under my breath, a short prayer that I sent out into the wind. I still needed her to explain why her son was the spitting image of me.
Crystal’s POV
I opened my eyes in a daze, only to find myself in a dark room. What little sunlight that filtered into the space came through the skylight above my head.
I shook my head and blinked several times. When I finally came to my senses, I realized to my horror that I was in my underwear. Worse still, I was tied to a cross.
Then I heard a murmur. Someone was chanting a prayer, his voice low and deep.
I looked over in the direction of the sound and saw a werewolf on his knees. He wore a black robe and a skull mask, and he was praying diligently as though he was confessing his sins.
And the idol he was confessing to was neither the Moon Goddess or… or any god that I could recognize, really. It looked hideous. Even from a distance, I could tell that it was a demon, a fiend.
The statue was made of black stone, and a shimmering, silver veil was draped over the head. It did nothing to hide its features, though. Its visage was distorted in awkward angles, its limbs dislocated. It was straight out of a nightmare.
“Please forgive me. It is all my fault. I shouldn’t have let the intruders desecrate this place with their presence and destroy the joy that we built. I offer myself up to you for punishment.”
No sooner had he finished saying this than the sky rumbled with thunder. I was creeped out despite myself, and I felt a chill race down my spine.
“Please quell your anger! I will make sure to punish the intruders. I shall use their blood to wash away their sins and remove their taint from this sacred place…”
I couldn’t bear to hear any more of his disturbing litany, so I interrupted him by clearing my throat. “Are you Lee, by any chance? I didn’t expect you to be so pious. But the deity you worshiped looks so… odd.”
Lees head whipped around. His mask looked particularly terrifying in this slant of light. “You’re awake,” he said in a calm tone, surprising me a bit. “Now that you’ve awoken, accept your baptism and wash away the filth from your body. Only then may you speak to my Lord.”
“I don’t want to talk to your Lord, though,” I said, raising an eyebrow. “Just let me go, and we can have a fair match.”
“I am not one to waste my time on pointless things,” Lee chuckled before picking up what looked to be a dipper. He shuffled over to a nearby tub and scooped its contents, holding it up to his face and taking a big whiff. Ah, it smells so pure.”
I was disgusted, yet scared at the same time. Whatever liquid was in the tub was murky, and I had the sense it contained both blood and mud in it. It also emitted the putrid smell of rotting vegetables.
Release me this instant, or I promise you, you won’t live to see another day!” I struggled against the hemp ropes that bound me, to no avail. In the end, I tried using witchcraft, but that, too, was in vain. I reached deep inside me, but it felt like all of my black witch powers had disappeared. How could this be? What did that damn Lee bastard do to me?
“Shhh, be quiet. If you disturb my Lord, you will only bear great suffering ” Lee spoke the most vile and hateful words in the softest voice. It was eerie. He reached out and dragged his long, black nails along the line of my shoulder, and then up to the artery vein in my neck. The next thing I knew, he had buried his revolting nail into my skin.
All at once, I felt like choking, like my blood was flowing backwards through my veins and back into my heart. I shuddered in horror.
Lee let out a small, amused laugh. “It’s so easy to scare you. It makes things so much easier for me, then.”
“Fuck off!” I spat out, glaring at him with all the loathing I felt. “Take your filthy paws off me! Don’t you dare touch me again, you bastard. Scare me? Ha! I never feared a thing in my life!”
“Interesting. Let me play with you for a little while.” Lee loosened his grip on my throat, and then proceeded to pour the nasty liquid on me. The sludge felt cold and sticky, and I shuddered yet again.
Damn it all to hell, it was blood! “You devil! Is this all you’re capable of? If you’re so sure of yourself, then let me go and let us have a proper fight!”
To my utter revulsion, Lee only grew more excited by the second as he continued to pour scoopful after scoopful over me. “Now, now, be patient. I assure you, you will grow to like it. All this blood used to belong to little boys, the freshest you can ever find! Be quiet, and you will soon find the joy in this!”
“Fuck off, you monster!”
Crystal’s POV
I struggled and cursed, repeatedly using my strength to free myself, but I failed miserably. Lee extended his fingers to pinch my lips and whispered in my ear, “Be quiet. If you keep being noisy, I will have to cut your tongue off.” I shot him a murderous glare.
Lee placed his palm over my eyes and sighed. “Don’t look at me like that, or I’ll want to scoop out your gorgeous eyes and make them a specimen.”
I shivered slightly, but finally managed to restrain my anger and shut up.
“Good girl.” Lee gave me a satisfied smile. Then he dipped his index finger into the pool of blood on my body and drew a strange pattern on my chest.
It felt like some kind of ancient spell.
His icy fingers traveled from my chest to my belly and then to my back. He seemed to be wrapping me with the invisible lines he drew. My entire body felt uncomfortable and I was getting increasingly uneasy. He seemed to be offering me as a sacrifice. I recalled his prayer and repentance just now. He was sacrificing my blood to some kind of evil god. No!
No! I hadn’t rescued my son yet. I couldn’t die like this!
I struggled to free myself. “Don’t waste your energy. I won’t release you till the ceremony is done. Besides, I’ve tied you with a nylon cord. You won’t be able to free yourself,” Lee commented as he painted my body with blood. He looked incredibly serious, as if he was creating a piece of art. When his fingers reached my ass, he almost grazed my vagina.
I couldn’t take it anymore. I was going to fight him with everything I had. Fortunately, he stopped at that moment and said, “It’s done.” Then he swept his eyes over my body and said, “It’s been a long time since I have created such a perfect work. It seems that my Lord likes you very much.”
I was feeling so cold that I shuddered violently. Then I realized I couldn’t even speak anymore. My fingers gradually became stiff, as if they had been soaked in ice water. Even my muscles and bones went rigid and numb.
Lee’s drawings on me must have brought this on.
The power in my body suddenly returned. I tried my best to summon it, but I couldn’t control it. I was so agitated that cold sweat beaded my forehead.
The piercing coldness had spread to my heart. I suddenly began gasping for breath and felt suffocated.
“Do you feel cold and unable to breathe?” Lee gently pushed my wet hair from my cheeks and said in a reverent tone, Relax. You’ll be happy soon. Just be patient.”
I ignored him. I felt like my bones were being reconstructed after getting run over by a car. It hurt immensely and I thought I was going to die.
Just as I was about to stop breathing, the temperature of my body started to rise. The chilliness began to fade and warmth returned. The rigidity of my body also began to dissipate, allowing me to move. I could breathe and speak freely again.
I shrieked, “What did you do to me? You bastard! You’d better not give me the chance to fight back, because if you do, I will make your life a living hell. I’ll disfigure you, just like the evil god you worship.”
“What a remorseless bad woman! How could you still have the energy to struggle?” Lee said with a nonchalant laugh. Then he scooped up more blood and slowly poured it down my shoulder.
I got scalded and my blue veins popped out. I gritted my teeth, swallowing my scream.
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