Chapter 413 - Created

"Where are you going?" Gin asked with a pout. 

He had been complaining for a while and it seemed the Koutaishidenka already had enough and decided to go away. 

"Don't leave me here Ryuu-chan,"he begged like a spoiled child and Ryuu looked at him as if he'd gone insane. 

"Stop calling me that,"Ryuu grumbled but sat back down. 

To pacify him, Gin stood up to fill a goblet of water for him. But as soon as he did so, he felt an intense dread and his hand let go of the glass. It fell and shattered on the floor with a loud crash. However, Ryuu didn't ask what happened as he too stood up stiffly on high alert, his eyes out of the camp towards the cavern.

Purple light shone as lightning flashed amidst dark clouds that shifted in the horizon. Then, a beam of purple light shot from within the cavern towards the sky before it broke into dazzling sections.

"The seal is broken,"Ryuu announced and he immediately ran out of the camp. 

"Soldiers, prepare! The seal into the inner lair is broken. Prepare for another wave of enemies," he yelled and didn't wait for the men to take positions. 

He returned in the camp to find Gin spitting out blood as he clutched at his ċhėst. Ryuu's blue eyes widened in alarm. "What did you do?"

"I… I tried to search… for my brother…" Gin said before spitting out more blood and doubling over. 

Ryuu caught him in time before he hit the floor. The two of them were bewildered. 

"Disconnect!"Ryuu ordered as he hoisted him back onto his feet but Gin shook his head. 

"I can't… We need to find him," he said stubbornly. 

Perun and Stribog could connect to each other when they're in the same dimension and sometimes even not. With Gin injured like that, there was no question that Perun received the same fate. 

Or worse…

"Ryuu, let's go find him," Gin said and Ryuu took him out. 

To cover his injuries, Ryuu released his aura and used it to catapult into the sky. Seeing as his master jumped, Mavara took the cue and flew towards them, catching them midair as they started to search for Perun. Using Gin's connection to him, they followed where he was. However, the connection was cut midway. 

"NO!"

Gin struggled to reconnect with his brother, but couldn't. This only made their worry increase. But the Wind God remembered enough where Perun's location was before it disappeared. Soon, the two of them arrived at the forest in between the Dark Valley, Ovid, and Ritz. 

"This…"

The two recognized the place as Perun's and Shitara's old home. They descended in great speed, scanning the area for any sign of the couple. 

And they found it— at least one of them. 

"Brother!"

Perun lay in a pool of blood. His eyes closed but they could still see the faint rise and fall of his ċhėst. 

Gin immediately cradled him in his arms. "Brother!" he called out in desperation as he looked around. "Ryuu, find my sister-in-law!"

But Ryuu didn't move. 

"What are you standing there for? She might be in danger!" Gin yelled as he started giving energy to Perun, hoping to ease his condition even just a bit. The gaping hole in his ċhėst looked horrid. 

"Attend to father-in-law. I will return to the army,"Ryuu said and Gin looked up at him in shock. 

"No! You better find Yuuka first!"

"There's no need,"Ryuu said which startled Gin. 

"What do you mean?"

"Is your brain not working again? Who do you think hurt father like this?" Ryuu said before clamping his mouth in a rigid line. 

Gin was about to argue but Perun opened his eyes at the point in time. "Go and protect the people…"

"I will,"Ryuu said and didn't waste time to leave. 

"Brother… what happened? Is it really sister-in-law?" Gin asked. 

He couldn't believe it. He had seen Yuuka and he was so sure she was a blank soul. How come she was able to hurt his brother? Why? 

Perun smiled bitterly despite the pain. "Stribog…We've been had…"

"What do you mean?"

"That old fool… He was… He was serious with his promise… Everything he did… All this time… All this time, he wanted me to be free…" Perun mumbled, and Gin's brows knit. 

Kresnik and Shitara… 

Two deities locked in battle to the death. 

======

"YOU!"

Alinea and Ivan looked at the man in shock. 

"Why do you have my father's face?"

The man behind the mask looked similar to Perun. Just like Stribog, he was similar in countenance although the coloring was different but exuded a different air around him. However, unlike what she had been expecting, this man… didn't really look like a villain. 

There was nothing evil about him in spite of the horrible surrounding. Also, notwithstanding the gore and bloodshed outside, the inner lair looked immaculate albeit dark. Even the stench of rotting flesh was absent. In fact, the air in this area had the same celestial vibe akin to the celestial plane. 

Could it be… 

The man smiled. "Didn't you already know the answer? Why are you still asking me this question?"

Alinea bit her lip. If he said that she already knew the answer then did it mean that he was indeed her father's brother? 

"Why?" she asked. She wanted to know the reason behind all the sufferings they had been through. "If you are their brother, why did you turn into an enemy?"

Silence hung in the air as those scarlet eyes bored into hers as if judging her. He then threw his head back and laughed again. His shoulders shook as he reigned in his mirth.

"My silly grandchild, I did not turn into an enemy. I was created as the enemy…"