Heavy is the weight of sin to who is not suitable to bare it.
As Sel' nursed Tristan's wound she asked "are you feeling any numbness?", he nodded and Sel' followed up with another question.
"Why didn't that thing follow us in here?"
Tristan thought for a bit and replied vaguely, "those who have been taken as hosts cannot see the real world."
Tristan was right, even if these creatures could see the real world it would be altered in their eyes, The duo was probably some weird lifeform trying to kill them.
They could not be blamed only pitid, Sel' did not understand and Tristan didn't explain any further.
20 minutes later the Sel' helped Tristan up the stairs.
When the the two reached the top Sel' stopped in front of the map and Tristan memorized the route.
It was then that he began to breathe strangely and his condition seemed to have stabilized, soon enough he began to walk by himself.
Sel' followed behind quietly her thoughts only known to her.
While moving on this floor Tristan felt something and his expression became vicious.
He suddenly rushed towards a certain direction, Sel' was stunned for a moment but she recovered shortly thereafter and chased after him.
Tristan took a left then a right and before him was a clear path, Tristan stared at the person in front with a nasty expression
"Hailey!! Where's the child?"
The dark shadowy figure in front looked at Tristan then it's head tilted.
"Do you, mean this thing?"
She moved to the side and raised her hand, the thing in her hand was that child but her body was battered beyond recognition, which made it hard to look at her.
Tristan body shook with anger upon seeing this, but if one was observant they could see a strange silver like energy that kept her body intact.
It was like a rope holding onto a loose string, it kept her alive till this point showing the strangeness of the power.
Tristans expression wasn't good as he spoke in an agitated tone, "Monster what have you done!?"
The thing in front smiled and said "I only did some experiments on it."
"It?"
"Yes it's the perfect vessel, it's even better than you're body" Tristan was shocked when he heard this.
Suddenly the child's dull eyes looked at him and she spoke in a weak voice "papa help!"
Tristan world cracked and crumbled, at this moment he began to speak inaudibly beneath, he looked up and his pupils were emitting a red light.
"I'll kill you, I'll kill you I'll kill you ahhhggg!!!"
"Hailey! Die!!"
He rushed forward and utilized his full strength but Hailey only smiled and in but an instant she held the child in front.
Tristans fist which was about to hit the demon was suddenly before the child's chest his eyes widened with horror as his hand went through the child's body.
Hailey flicked her hand to the side as if throwing away garbage but Tristan immediately supported her.
His voice trembled as he spoke "wasn't she the perfect vessel so wh.."
He was cut off by a cold voice "I don't need her body I just need to know what makes her special then i can replicate it."
She smiled but she heard a shout from the side, she turned and saw Sel' rushing over, Haliey's face shown faintly from beneath the black vail.
It wore the expression of annoyance, time slowed to a crawl and she moved it was but an instantant and she reached beside Sel'.
She broke out into a wicked smile then whispered something in Sel's ear, her hand instantly appeared at her chest and her long finger moved.
Time returned to its usual flow and she disappeared.
On the ground Tristan was holding onto the dying child she spoke weakly while gasping for breath "papa, don't be sad."
Her eyes began to dim and that silver energy began to gradually fade.
Tristans eyes were red as he choked up with tears, he spoke with sorrow, "please don't leave I didn't even tell you you're name"
The child's hand rose and was about to fall but Tristan caught it while tears covered his face, "child you're name is Luna!"
The child's eyes shown with light as she said very pretty her eyes dimmed and her body gradually became cold.
Unbeknownst to Tristan the egg in his busom shook and it guided over the faint whisp of silver light.
Tristan raised his bloodied right hand, what have I done, he reched to the side.
But his train of thought was interrupted when he heard her say "remember that cult in the human world."
He turned around abruptly his eyes filled with malice and killing intent "you!"
"Yes it was I but it was just to find the perfect vessel and that was until I found her."
Tristan looked down his expression unreadable the room went silent.
An intense emotion spread out, Tristan's mind and body began deteriorate.
In order to save itself from collapse the brain would find an outlet for trauma, Tristan's eyes widened he didn't roar or cry out he just sat their his face numb.
Rage, regret, sorrow, shame. Such strong emotions clouded his mind.
Sel' walked over and knelt before the child she looked up and with both hands clasped she began to pray.
But with that vail covering her face no one could see her expression.
A childish chuckle rang throughout the floor at this moment which was then accompanied by a few words.
"Here's a gift from me to you"
With a suden snap, the floor changed and in front was a large engraving on the wall.
Floor level -1.
Looking around one could see that the space was vast and empty like a canvas that was without any paint, dark shadows could be seen rushing over from the distance.
Tristan lifted his head and looked looked at something in the air Tristan was angry but he knew that whatever situation they were in wasn't going to be good since that thing intervened.
I'll be waiting
The shadows from the distance became clear they were the vessels these peoples mind were taken over by the parasites and had yet to undergo any physical mutation.
They were approximately 30 of them and they charged over madly the duo waited for the vessels to come over.
The two irupted like a volcano as soon as the vessels got into attacking range, the heads of these brings exploded one after the other.
The two had dispatched 30 opponents in but a minute, Sel' panted heavily but Tristan just stared at this calmly then proceeded to walk forth.
But that oddly shaped lizard looked at the corpses and with a swift motion it stood beside the corpses it sniffed then it began to tear into it.
Tristan only glanced at it then proceeded to practice, even though he could use powerful techniques to bypass his limitations his body he was still weak so he decided to trane.
He moved slowly practicing each stance and move to perfection, after completing each set of movement his body began to produce steam.
Their was no rush but soon enough another horde of vessels came rushing over this time their numbers were three times the amount
But with new found strength Tristan attacked feicly the vessels this time were showing slight traces of mutation.
He took note of the changes and continued to do another round of practice, the lizard that we will call shadow was now double its size.
Sel' went up to shadow but it growled at her thinking she would steal its food, but Sel' only smiled warmly and patted it's head.
It calmed down and continued to eat. Tristan looked at this scene his expression unreadable.
At this moment the sound of rumbling could be heard in the distance more half mutated vessels charged over their numbers tripling everyime.
The two atacked but this tome they encountered feirce resistance, the half mutataed vessels were powerful with each movement the ground would split of the celing.
Runing away the more they killed the more they multiplied the two searched for a way out but to no avail.
They rested and recovered but the mutated vessels came rushing over, 'shadow' seemed to bebthribing in this violent environment its strenght increasing rapidly and its dubbled every time it ate
By the time they new it they were so rounded they had to fight in rotation each person taking on a large burden so the other could rest
The creature took on a lot of pressure but it didn't seem to mind infact it was enjoying it, over time it began to unlock its in born abilities and became a true monster.
One hour two hours maybe four but who cares they were tired beyond belief and due to such large physical consumption.
At this time children began to rush over their bodies becoming distorted and strange the two people's heart shook with trepidation as they attacked.
Not even the children were spared in this godforsaken place, . . . how many more would they have to kill how many more.
There were even a few who had yet to lose themselves but in the end they did and were mercilessly dispatched by the three.
Not knowing when but the trio were being pushed towards a certain direction, as time moved onward more and humans came rushing over.
But their features were becoming more distorted and strange. Is their no end to them Sel' shouted this shout out of frustration.
They were tired even if the vessels stopped attacking they would probably collapse due to the exhaustion.
But they managed to push through even when they were exhausted beyond compare, Tristan and Sel' fell on their backs while panting for breath
Shadow looked at them then looked at the corpses and began to eat vigourosly
For a short duration the trio had some time to rest Tristan stared blankly at the damaged ceiling above.
Tristan eard twitched as he heard some noise to his left he looked only to see Sel' nibbling on a hand.
It was an eye brow raising moment but he kept his thoughts to himself, he watched as she stopped herself from throwing up.
Cyah!
Several thousand mutated vessels came rushing over, the two stood up their energy somewhat restored.
But looking at Tristan one couldn't help but pity him, his eyes were dead and his emaciated body was even scrawnyer than before.
It was no different from skin sticking to bone, if a strong breeze blew he seemed like he would be knocked over but he kept pushing on.
The fully grown shadow looked at Tristan then its throat vibrated and it sent out a unique sound wave.
"Food, must eat."
It came over with a nawed corpse, Tristan looked at this and let out a chuckle, he rubbed shadow's head and walked towards the enemy.
But shadow sent out another unique sound wave, Tristan turned his head and Sel' seemed to be in agreement with this.
He sighed and they began to move deeper into this floor, it was white so white that it hurt ones eyes.
As they moved Tristan thought this floor felt familiar, he sigh and said is this the we ended up at the start, he sighed again.
Sel' looked over and asked "whats wrong?"
Tristan didn't reply which left her a bit frustrated, the trio realised that as they moved in deeper strange blue lines on the ground.
And at this moment the swarm caught up to the trio but they were prepared they attacked feircly and as the swarm got into the attacking range they attacked they began to retreat.
They knew that both their strength and stamina was insufficient to completely whipe them out so they implied this tactic.
As they retreated and atacked the duo didn't seem to realize tthe blue lines on the ground getting denser.
During this short period of time they noticed that if the horde wasnt completely whipped out they wouldnt respawn with double the number of vessesls
Their was but a hundred left after an hours time, but the trio was tired even after implying the attack but retreat method.
The trio was tired so the dicided not to attack but to put some distance between them, with but a word the trio retreated.
The few remaining vessels rushed after them for sometime but they stopped shortly after the trio reached an area densely covered with blue lines.
Not knowing as to why the swarm stopped they looked around bewildered, but Tristan felt a chill at this moment then and he looked down, "shit we've been trapped!"
"Huh?" Sel' turned to look at him bewildered as to what he was blabbering about, but in the next moment noise seemed to have disapeared from this room and only the sound blood flowing could be hear
The corpses that littered the ground were suddenly dried and the lines on the ground gradually turned red.
The ground shook as if it had been hit by an earthquake, then in the next moment a red light shot into the air then encapsulated the entire floor.
Battle saint challenge has been accepted candidates 3 failure of completion is death.
10hrs remaining.
...