" The Towering Worlds : Hell's Chalice. ™"
A Story written By @mohhdude.
(Be warned, there will be references from other series in this book!!)
Alternative Names -
"TTW : HC.™"
"Protocol — Hell's Chalice. ™"
"End of Earth, Beginning of Hell. ™"
Chapter XXV :
" I'm sorry. "
Act I : The Dungeon Tower of Hell.
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" Your worst sin is that your betrayed yourself for nothing. "
— Fyodor Dostoevsky
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Gudo gripped tightly on Leif's arm, trying to pull him up. But the beating from earlier didn't give him enough strength to do it alone. He bit his lip deeply as it started to bleed. Gudo's eyes were teary. Kaori's words kept echoing in his head, he was panicking, not knowing what to do.
He either had to save Leif and let the others get slaughtered by Kaori or let Leif go and save the others from a massacre. Gudo thought of his memories with Kalon and how Leif saved him. " Please please please Aria please… please let him live please I beg you… "
Tears fall on Leif's face, as Gudo was smiling whilst crying. " …Gudo… ", Leif whispered. " Please Leif.. please forgive me… I can't let the life of a child get slaughtered… ", Gudo's voice was shaky, but Leif smiled back at him.
" … I… understand… let go, Gudo.. ", Gudo's eyes widen. " I.. I don't know what to do Leif… Please… I want to let you live... ", Gudo was panting as his heart raced. " … You want to save the many… That's admirable, there's a kid on our team… Can I trust you to take care of Kalon and the rest… Gudo? "
Gudo felt his throat slowly closing up the more he looked at Leif, his hand was shaking as Leif looks at him. Leif smiled gently at him. " Take care, Gudo. ", Gudo nodded his head, he was hesitating. He spent a few months with him and he felt like Leif was his own brother.
" Leif… ", Gudo's voice turning slightly raspy, with nothing but regret filling his heart, let's go of Leif's hand. Leif nodded as he slowly closes his eyes, he fell down the fissure as the light of the surface slowly got further and further away.
" … I'm sorry, Aleks. I couldn't see those eyes of yours again… I didn't even know if you were in this world all along… ", Leif thought of his last words in his mind. Leif's eyes slowly close as he fell to the bottom of the fissure.
At the surface, Gudo's eyes felt strained from shedding, he sniffled, as he cleared his throat. Blue mana dust emerged as Kaori's cloak faded. " Well done, my boy. ", Kaori knelt as she rubbed Gudo's head. Looking down at the fissure. " … Good to hear that I raised a smart kid. Your friends will live. "
Gudo shuts his eyes, " Could you just… leave me alone… ", Kaori got up, looking down at Gudo. " Sorry, kid. But I'll have to take you with me, too. ", Gudo turned his head to Kaori, looking over his shoulder. " …Will you hurt anyone… ? "
Kaori shakes her head no, " Nah, as long as you join the Paradox. I'll leave them alone. ", Gudo hesitated for a second. " … Okay... ", But if he refused, the life he just let go of was for nothing. Gudo got up, as Sheri and the others were awake, Kalon was bruised, Victor's head was bleeding, Aurum's arm was broken, and Sheri was depleted of mana.
" … Can I at least go an check on the rest…? ", Gudo turned to Kaori and asked. " … You got 10 minutes, take any longer and I'm killing your friends. ", Gudo nodded as he rushed over to the castle. The guards were busy outside making sure the citizens are alright.
Sheri quickly tried to get out of the castle to check on Leif, as she used the wall as support. Gudo ran into Sheri, Sheri looked up at Gudo. " Gudo! Thank goodness… How is Leif?! ", Sheri grabbed Gudo's shoulders for support due to her legs being exhausted.
Gudo bit his lip as he looked at Sheri. He looked down instead of looking at her eyes. " Gudo! Tell me, how is Leif? Is he okay?! ", Gudo held on Sheri's shoulders while bowing his head. He was on the verge of crying yet again.
" I'm so sorry Sheri… ", Gudo was shaking as Sheri's eyes widen with her throat feeling like it was closing, " G-Gudo…? Where is Leif… ", Sheri's pupils shrink. Gudo hugged Sheri tightly, " Please forgive me… ", Sheri pushed Gudo from the hug, she had a nervous smile.
" Come on, dude! Where is Leif??? This is not a funny prank… ", Sheri shakes Gudo by gripping his shoulders with teary eyes. " Please… ", Gudo said with a gentle voice. " Please tell the others that… I have to go… ", Gudo turned his back, as he tried to walk away.
" Where the hell are you going?! And where is Leif?! ", Sheri shouted. " Leif is dead… I have to go. Please understand that… I'm doing this for your sake especially, Sheri… ", Gudo was holding it in. Sheri was in despair as she heard the first three words.
Sheri leaned her back against the wall as she was pondering what was happening. Sheri was dumbfounded by the situation as well. She slid her back down the wall as she sat in a position of that of a ball. " Please… Please tell me your words aren't true… ", Sheri asked Gudo.
Gudo stopped. Looking at Sheri. " … Sheri… I'm sorry but… this is where we part ways. ", " WHAT?! ", Sheri yelled, as Gudo walked down the stairs, Sheri got up and used the wall as support to get to Gudo. She grits her teeth as her body was aching from overusing mana.
Kaori was waiting at the front door for Gudo, Kaori looked at Sheri, then at Gudo. " You…! You were the woman that kidnapped Gudo! What do you want?! ", Kaori looked back at Sheri. " … To take my son. ", " Gudo, you aren't planning to go with the woman who starved you, are you?! "
Gudo was quiet, he looked down as he clenched his fist tightly. " Oh my god… you are… ", Sheri stepped back. " … I'm sorry, Sheri. ", Sheri grit her teeth. " Leif would never want this, Gudo! What the hell are you thinking?! "
" … To keep you all safe. To keep you safe, Sheri. ", Gudo turned to Sheri. His gaze softened at the sight of her, yet it shatters his heart that he has to leave. " … I have to leave. I'm sorry. ", Sheri quickly rushed forward and held his wrist.
" Please, Gudo… Please don't go… ", Sheri tried to hold in the tears. " … ", As he wanted to comfort and reassure her, Gudo snatched his wrist back from Sheri. Walking to Kaori. " Sorry… Tell Kalon if we see each other again, I will bring him the best candy. "
Kaori looked at the sight. " Yeesh, never knew teenagers could be so dramatic. ", Kaori formed a sword from a burn scar, cutting the air and forming a portal. " We will see you around, Red Head. ", Kaori winked at Sheri. Sheri was in despair, speechless at the thought that Gudo joined the Paradox.
" Leif… died… and Gudo joined the Paradox… ", Kaori left with Gudo as the portal was sealed and vanished in thin air. " Leif died… and Gudo joined the Paradox… ", Victor rushed down the stairs. Aurum was carrying Kalon in his arms.
" Sheri! Where's Gudo?! Where's Leif?! ", Sheri looked at Victor with sorrow washing over her. " … Gudo joined the Paradox… and Leif is dead… ", Victor, quite shocked from this information, " … Sheri… ", felt sympathy for Sheri, Victor felt a slight bit of rage. Is this what Gudo meant by "Hero of Justice?"
" I'm sorry. ", Victor rests his hand on Sheri's shoulder. " … Let's tell the others… Aurum is on his way down here, We'll do a quick rest and then go to Kanónas to recover, okay? ", Sheri nodded. She was in disbelief, after telling Aurum about what had happened, they went to a hospital for a quick rest.
Sheri was in her room, as she was sitting on her bedside, with mana potions on the side. She was processing everything that happened, Victor had a bandage around his head, Aurum's arm was wrapped in linen with a strap around his neck to keep his broken arm supported.
Kalon had a few band-aids on his face, as he was sleeping. Sheri, Victor, and Aurum were all in one room. " … Leif died, huh…? ", Victor was leaning against the wall. Aurum was sitting on the chair, and Sheri was sitting on the bedside.
" … and Gudo left to join the Paradox. Damned bastard… ", Aurum looked to the side. Sheri looked at Aurum. " … Please don't say that, He had a reason… He left to protect us… But I… I… ", Sheri couldn't process any words. The memories she had with Leif and Gudo hit her hard like a tidal wave.
Sheri sighed as she rubbed her forehead with her index and thumb. Aurum and Victor looked at each other as they nod, " Sheri, we're gonna leave the room for a bit. You want anything to eat? ", Sheri shakes her head no. " No, thanks. ", Victor and Aurum walked out of the room.
Victor and Aurum went into their Aurum's room. As Aurum closes the door, " … Poor Sheri… We should leave her alone for tonight. ", Victor nodded, as he looked at his palm. " … I don't hear responses from Solomon at all… Maybe Leif is really dead… ", a sense of grief washed over Victor.
Aurum walked over to Victor, taking his hand gently with his free hand. " It's gonna be alright, Vick. ", Aurum gently smiled at Victor. Victor looked at Aurum with narrowed eyes… " … Sorry for being a jerk to you, Aurum. ", Aurum nodded. " No need, I understand what you felt when I told on you. "
Aurum held no hostility, despite Leif threatening to kill him. Aurum looked at Victor's hand, his thumb tracing the pact mark. Victor chuckled a little unexpectedly. Aurum looked at him, as he looked back down and kept rubbing the pact mark.
Victor's chuckles turned into laughter; Victor tried to keep it down since patients were asleep at this time. Aurum was chuckling at Victor's laughter. Aurum stopped as Victor was panting from Aurum making him laugh.
" Phew… I should go to bed… ", Victor said, He exhaled sharply as his gaze softened at Aurum. " Thanks for cheering me up, Aurum nodded his head to respond. " Anytime. ", " …Don't you hold like… any grudges at all? ", Victor asked Aurum.
" Nope, you five actually helped me instead… I had a lot of fun on this trip. ", Aurum smiled at Victor. Victor sat on the side of his bed. " … I'll go to sleep, you should too. ", Victor yawned. " Alright, I'll go to my room, have a good night, Vick. ", Aurum says, Victor nodded as he laid down on his bed. Aurum left to the other room as he went to sleep as well.
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At the bottom of that now closed fissure…
Leif was drifting in the water unconscious, but just enough mana to barely hang on. The crystal ball was finally activated, as the crystal ball traveled down to reach the area, landing on the floor. A golden portal formed as Taiyō walked out of the portal, holding a bag of food, water and clothes.
" Good grief… Who would've taught I have to babysit one of my mongrels? ", Taiyō throws the bags of food and water on the floor, summoning a surface beneath Leif who was drifting in the lake in front of the underground lakeside.
The platform floats with Leif atop of it. Gently laying the dampened Leif down on the floor, Taiyō bandages the bleeding stump, and his stomach. As Taiyō kept his hand on Leif's chest. Sending a pulse of mana throughout his body.
Leif woke up as he threw up the water, coughing and gagging. He was panting, Leif's sword was lost, Solomon wasn't responding anymore, Leif is fatigued. Starving and Thirsty, He quickly got up and stumbled to the lakeside, he looked up. " Shit… "
Taiyō looked at Leif with a raised eyebrow. " So, would you mind explaining to me how you have ended up here, Leif Sagamore? ", Leif turned to Taiyō. " … Gudo held my hand *cough* and dropped me. ", " Hm… I see. So he betrayed you, then? "
" That's… *cough* a bit of a harsh word… He wanted to *cough* protect the others from the Paradox… ", Leif clears his throat as he sat down and leaned his back against the rock wall. He held his stomach as he grits his teeth.
Leif inhales sharply as he shuts his eyes tight. " Fuuckk… I should've *cough* instantly run to Antoni… ", Taiyō folded his arms, as he narrowed his eyes. " … I assume you met with Greison Reinhar… Nonetheless, you cannot go back up to the surface. "
" Wait, why..?! ", Taiyō threw a cloak on Leif. " Because, I will make you my personal assassin. You will go by a different name and identity. ", " Again, why?? ", Taiyō shrugged. " Well.. sounds like you don't wanna get your friend… "
" WAIT- WHO TOLD YOU ABOUT THAT?! ", " Why, Sheriel just has a big mouth, I suppose… ", Leif's face was red from embarrassment, as he thought it in head: "I swear, I am never telling her a secret again! ", " Anyway… Are you willing to take this responsibility? You're going to risk your life to save the lives of others… Such as your friends. "
" I'm aware of the responsibilities… ", Leif nodded. As he knelt before Taiyō. Taiyō looked down at Leif smirking cockily. " My my… The vessel of Solomon bows before me… Very well, What would you like to name yourself, Lone Warrior of Al'Adqas? "
Leif responded after thinking… " … I would like to name myself Sasaki, your majesty. "
— Chapter XXV, Fin.