KABOOM!
It was a huge blast that covered about twenty yards.
Approximately 26 bystanders had lost their lives in that explosion and those who survived became permanently scarred both physically and mentally.
"Damn Sardes bastard"
Luxe ranted out as his body laid flat on the ruins of the neighbor's former house. His hand stretched out to the sky in a post snap posture.
By the looks of it, that explosion was his handy work, a last-ditch effort in finishing off the Thorne family. But since Fern was present, he wondered who he chose to save.
The Thornes or the innocent bystanders.
"Did you save them, Akerman?"
If he had not erected a barrier to protect himself. He too would have been caught in the blast.
After that stunt, he knew that the cards were no longer present in this place anymore. They were unclaimed and would naturally vanish in search of chosen individuals.
There was no reason for him to stick around. Facing a Phoenix Ranked assassin like Fern was not in his to-do list.
And so, Luxe fled the scene via teleportation.
***
_It hurts…Everything hurts_
Connie felt an overwhelming and all-consuming pain. Every nerve in his body screamed in agony as the aftereffects of the blast ravaged him.
His whole body was badly injured to the point that his skull was partially visible on his face. Both of his arms were gone, and his entire lower body was completely gone.
_I... I can't move_
His limbs felt unresponsive through the maddening pain. His vision was completely blinded and all he could see was the black empty void.
The pain was too much, too intense, but the thought of dying here filled him with a cold dread.
He could feel his consciousness rapidly slipping away. With it, the intense pain was slowly fading.
_Is this karma? I should have known, stealing from all those people would come back and bite me. It's a shame I had to drag them down with me_
At that moment, past memories started to flash within the empty void. It was basically his life flashing before his eyes, sort of.
Clear and vividly, he could see everything that led to this moment.
_Mom, dad…I'm sorry. I turned out to be a bum after all_
Knowing all the horrors he has put his family through, resting in peace seemed too much a mercy to him.
Sudden rage erupted within him – no, it was more than that – it was hatred. He had read somewhere that the dead can return from the afterlife to seek revenge for an unnatural or unjust death against their murder(s), these are known as Vengeful Spirits.
If he had to become one to repent, then so be it.
Even though it seemed a bit farfetched.
_I swear it. I'll make them pay. Every last one of them will suffer_
The flames that burnt his home to the ground, and the merciless murders who took his parents from him. He swore at them relentlessly.
Even when his soul sank deeper and deeper. He spent his final moment hissing at them.
....
...
..
.
It responded.
Unbeknownst to him. His skin began to knit itself together, the torn flesh mended rapidly. His bones realigned and reformed new ones. Same went for vital organs and muscles that were ravaged by the explosion, even his lower body was regrowing.
Something bizarre was happening to his body.
It was regenerating.
Weak at first. His heartbeat grew stronger with each passing second. Connie began to feel his senses return to him again. His vision was blurred at first, but it became clear.
The darkness receded as the world came back into focus.
"Wh, whaa…What the hell?"
He spoke shakingly.
His mind struggled to understand what was happening. There was no pain, he examined his body and to his surprise. There was not a single mark or remnant of the incident, his skin was unharmed even though his clothes were completely burnt.
Adrenaline coursed through his veins as he began to panic. His hands swiftly surveyed his chest, abdomen, limbs and face.
Those gruesome injuries were all gone.
"Am, am I dreaming? That can't be right. The explosion felt too real to be a dream."
Connie remembered the moments of the blast. The sheer force that swept him away and shattered his bones. The scotching heat that destroyed his whole body. And the certainty of death and dreadful fear.
That was not a dream!
"I can't believe it. You actually survived that"
Connie jumped back in a sudden fright.
As he turned to look, he saw the same man responsible for the deaths of his parents, Fern. The youth's face twisted, expressing an enraged look.
"Glad you made it out in one piece. Now I don't have to go back empty handed. Thanks to you"
"Bastard!!"
Connie shouted at the top of his newly formed lungs.
However, Fern was all smiles. He was also unscathed, even though he was at the center of the blast.
He staggered to his feet; it was as if the ground below him was unstable. He felt a surge of nausea, a sickening dread that twisted his stomach. Once more, he found himself on his knees gasping for air.
"Why? Why did, why did mom and dad have to die? All for some stupid cards"
Backtracking a bit. Connie recalled how the root of the problem started when he stole those cards. How did things escalate so quickly? All for petty theft.
He lost his home, his family and possibly his humanity. Somehow, he was spared. Why was he allowed to live? It was all too much to bear.
"Your parents? Don't worry, they're safe in this"
From his hand, emerged a silver goblet. The top surface was turned over to Connie hopeful eyes. There they were -or rather, very tiny mini versions of Jinah and Thal- unconsciously submerged in a pool of water.
The water did not spill even when Fern held it like that.
"I had to drop Luxe so I can get them out of the way. This was meant for him, had I got there sooner. This wouldn't have happened. The old man is going to have a field day with me. At any rate, they are safer here"
"What the hell. What the hell are you people?!"
As he attempted to lunge at Fern, he suddenly felt heavy and fell to the ground. Just like that, he was out like a light.
Fern stepped closer to inspect his unconscious body. Next to Connie's hand, he noticed a card next to it. His usual smile broke for a moment and then returned to him, as a smirk.
"Looks like I didn't screw up too badly. She'll definitely be happy"