Chapter 71 - 70- Ritual Went Wrong

"Soul pact?" Zach uttered with his voice full of confusion. "Isn't that the pact where two people swear loyalty to each other or something?"

Aria was surprised to see that Zach was aware of the meaning of the soul pact. She nodded and said, "Yes."

"Why would I form that pact with you… wait a minute…" Zach furrowed his brows and squinted his eyes at Aria before asking, "Don't tell me you are still planning to stay at my party."

"Am I not allowed to?" Aria wondered.

"Why would I let you be in my party now that I know who you are?" Zach waved his hand at Aria and said, "Go back to your domain. Shoo."

"I have heard that the players can get out of this world if they beat the angels and later the gods. Is that true?" Aria asked curiously.

"That's what they said." Zach shrugged his shoulders and added, "But… I have trust issues."

"If there is a possibility that I can get to kill those filthy traitors, then I will be damned if I miss this golden chance," Aria asserted with a furious look on her face.

"Can't you just go and kill them in your world? I mean… isn't that the simplest solution?" 

"I wish I could. But unfortunately, I can't even enter the heavenly realm, so there is no way I can enter the divine realm where the gods exist."

"I thought you were supposed to be strong," Zach commented in a low voice.

"I am… strong. But I can't win against my own powers," Aria uttered in a disdainful tone. "Not without your help."

Aria was one of the two sisters who the gods exiled by voting and threw them somewhere far away. 

Aria was the one who contributed everything to create the humans, worlds, realms, skies, and everything between them. Including all the powerful security mechanisms to protect the heavens from the greater evil or entity who could endanger heaven by invading it.

Aria did all that with her sister when they were in their prime state. Now, however, millions of years have passed, and she lost her main source of power— that came from heaven. She hasn't grown weak, but the gods have gotten powerful.

Even if Aria managed to bypass everything and kill all the twelve gods, she was no match for the higher gods who created her. That's why, she needed Zach, who was similar to her.

Of course, she couldn't tell all this to Zach yet. She thought Zach wouldn't help her if he got to know that she was the one who created the gods. 

Aria wanted to gain Zach's trust first, and that's why, she chose to enter this death game— Gods' Impact as a player. However, it backfired.

"Listen, let's forget our first meeting and start a new relationship as a companion," Aria asserted. "What do you say?"

"Before I answer, I want to know the reason why you are so… what happened to you? You are acting a little… different."

"What do you mean?"

"Uhh.. right. You are acting like Ameria. Stop acting all meek," Zach snorted. "It doesn't suit you."

"I am not acting meek. I am acting sincere— I mean, I am being sincere," Aria retorted.

Zach pondered for a while and said, "Well, I still don't trust you 100%, but if we are forming a soul pact, then you won't be able to betray me."

"So… am I officially joining your party now?" Aria asked with a curious and excited look on her face.

"I know you are strong, and you will be a good addition to my team. So yeah," Zach nodded. "Welcome to the party."

"Umm, your party doesn't have a name?"

"Not yet. But we can discuss that with Aurora tomorrow."

"Alright. So let's start the ritual?" Aria asked Zach to confirm.

"I am ready."

Aria smirked under her breath and started chanting something. After a few seconds, a purple magic circle appeared on the floor and covered the entire room.

"Let's make it a 50:50 pact. It's equal for us both, okay?" Aria asserted.

Zach didn't say anything and nodded in response.

Aria once again started chanting something, and the color of that magic circle changed to green. Then, the magic circle began to rotate, and another magic circle appeared that covered Aria and Zach's bodies.

After that, a white thread came out from the magic circle around their bodies and connected with each other.

"It's almost done," Aria stated. "Now, repeat these words after me."

"Okay."

Aria started chanting the spell, and Zach repeated after her. Everything was going well until the green magic circle repeatedly started changing colors.

"What's going on?!" Zach asked.

"Oh, shi—" Before Aria could say anything, the entire room was enveloped by a bright light that blinded both Zach and Aria.

After a few seconds, Zach opened his eyes and saw Aria on her knees. Her face was pale, and it looked disappointing, as though she was fed up with her life.

'She is making the same face she was making when I saw her for the first time in her domain,' Zach thought.

"What's happened?" Zach asked with a curious yet calm look on his face. "Was the ritual unsuccessful?"

"It was successful," Aria uttered in a monotonous tone.

"Then what's wrong?" Zach asked in a relieved tone.

"I forgot that I currently have only 10% of my powers."

"And…?"

"The pact was altered because of that," Aria answered.

"What changed?"

"Instead of 50:50. Now it's 30:70 with you at the 70," Aria informed in a disdainful tone.

"So… does that mean… I am your…"

Aria gazed at Zach with a fierce glare in her eyes and said, "Don't say it."

Zach ignored Aria's warning and said, "Does that mean I am now your master?" 

Aria bit her lips and continued glaring at Zach before uttering, "Yes."

****

Total players in the game 410469.

0 new players logged in.

32 players died.

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[Weekly Quest.]

«300 power stones or 100 Golden tickets - 1 chapter.» 

«500 power stones or 200 Golden tickets - 2 chapters.»

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Author's Note- What a fantastic twist.

GG to Zach. 

F for Aria.

Also, one more twist in the next chapter!