EnCoffin Me Chapter 62
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 62
Just a wall apart, Lucius held the special communicator used to contact Theo. Listening to the breathing sounds mimicked by the vampire next door, his mind remained calm. No matter how much those shadows whispered by his ear, just hearing the breathing was enough to ensure the clarity of his consciousness.
Moreover, he had recently begun recalling more memories related to Alexio. Those memories flowed into his mind like a stream, glowing faintly, like a swarm of tiny light sprites. As he recalled them, he smiled softly to himself. He thought this was probably the only thing from his past that he could truly hold onto. This was why, even when he went mad, he hadn't altered a single word in the notes pertaining to these memories.
He kept reviewing the notes, comparing them with the images in his memory. Outside the dilapidated church, pigeons flocked in the sunlight, the shadows of their wings falling on the vampire seated at the pulpit. A sly smile appeared on the vampire's face, his fangs peeking out at the corners of his lips.
【We were both injured from confronting each other in the abandoned little church. We clearly knew that if we kept fighting, neither would gain anything.】
【I intended to escape, but he kept his eyes fixed on me… Was he waiting for an opportunity? Did he want to kill me?】
【Fifteen minutes had passed. He'd been staring at me for fifteen minutes. What was the vampire trying to do?】
【He sneered at my messy hair.】
【Angry.】
【He took out two bottles… of drinks? Why would a third-generation vampire carry something like this? Could he really match me while carrying all these bottles and jars? I'm too weak.】
【He asked me if I wanted to drink.】
【…Absolutely not.】
【He drank both bottles himself!】
【Angry.】
【Still angry remembering it now. That's enough for today's diary.】
【…Angry!】
He and the vampire had gradually come closer over time, remaining wary of each other, but sometimes sharing words. In his diary, he wrote down a myth told among dark creatures called ‘Flowers of Heaven,’ a story the vampire had shared with him. He was surprised that in the stories of dark creatures, two goddesses could reconcile and then tell a long tale spanning three thousand days and nights.
So, what about them? Now that they sat together telling stories, could they…
The communicator beeped, pulling Lucius out of his memories. He closed the notebook and looked at the device. He had undoubtedly won first place in the long-standing ‘who can hold out longer’ contest. He thought Theo's fighting ability was far weaker than Alexio's. At least Alexio, when angry, could go three days without speaking to him.
【Theo: Your answer?】
【Lucius: You dare ask me after using your domain on me?】
【Theo: That was just a… harmless little joke. Didn't you break free anyway?】
Lucius tapped the communicator with deliberate force. Theo couldn't possibly be unaware of the lingering shadows. It was a way to lull him into false security. After a pause, Lucius replied again.
【Lucius: So, you, now, want to, cooperate with me, somehow.】
Although Theo was no longer the same as before, a trace of fear toward commas still lingered in his subconscious. He knew the hunter on the other side was venting frustration, so he needed to offer some incentive.
【Theo: What do you need?】
He boasted.
【Theo: On the northern front, my power is far greater than you imagine.】
【Lucius: Oh? How do you prove that?】
【Theo: Tomorrow, there will be three light bursts.】
He ended the communication with the saint, making his point without elaboration. Theo thought that when the light bursts struck the camp tomorrow, the saint would gain a deeper recognition of his strength in the north. He could also take this opportunity to warn the Federation, which kept reinforcing troops on the northern front.
Theo could indeed control the light bursts in the north. Lucius stared at the communicator. Suddenly, he heard a somewhat muffled sound from next door. Almost immediately, he guessed that Alexio, used to a big bed, had accidentally fallen to the floor while turning over on the too-small bed.
Kitty falls.jpg
In the darkness, he smiled.
With Alexio on this front, Theo posed no real threat.
Alexio had fallen once in the middle of the night yesterday, but it didn't stop him from being energetic the next day. Normally, after dark creatures arrived at the northern front, they were supposed to rest quietly for three days before cooperating with the military for defense activities. But with Alexio, that waiting period could be completely skipped.
The three kids had already undergone cold weather training at the center. Combined with their own enhanced dark powers, they weren't afraid of the harsh environment of the northern front. Especially Helgodon, who felt as comfortable here as if he were home. He had already transformed into a giant silver wolf and had rolled around in the snow an unknown number of times.
Suddenly, he tilted his head to one side and dodged a snowball thrown by Zhen. Letting out an ‘awoo,’ he charged toward Zhen and Lucy.
Alexio let them play roughly in the snow. Play was natural for cubs, and this kind of attack-and-defense game was all benefit with no harm. He kept half his attention on the children while gazing toward the front of the camp.
“Did the dark elements only spread as far as the camp?” he asked.
“Yes, Your Highness,” Cravenson replied respectfully. “Because four dark creatures arrived all at once this time, the military expects to push the front line forward by about thirty kilometers.”
Thirty kilometers… too short.
Seeing his slight frown, Cravenson quickly continued speaking.
“The current dark element infusion devices simply don't have that much power. Everdark stones can store dark energy, but their absorption is uncontrollable, so we don't dare let the dark creatures use them.”
Alexio thought for a moment and then understood. Even these relatively lively and healthy dark creatures of his initially suffered from an imbalance of light and darkness within their bodies. It was something he had to gradually adjust for them afterward. The everdark stones' energy absorption was uncontrollable. If they absorbed too much too fast, it would be deadly to the dark creatures.
But… the dark creatures now following him to the front lines were gradually regaining their former strength and glory!
Alexio's ears twitched. He sensed the calm before the storm, as if something about to erupt in silence. Perfect timing. He called over the three and gave one of them an everdark stone already fully charged with his energy.
“Use this if you run into danger,” he said. Then he stood upright, staring at the distant mountains, and told Cravenson, “Now, go sound the alarm. The light bursts are coming.”
Cravenson was shocked. The military had calculated, based on the concentration of nearby light elements, that there would be no light bursts within the next three days. There had been one recently, so it seemed unlikely for another to occur so soon. But he absolutely trusted Alexio. Immediately, he spread his dark wings and flew toward the main camp where Marshal Olsen was stationed.
Around the camp, Alexio's senses felt the stillness before the storm. But he didn't rush to reveal his black scythe. Instead, he turned to Helgodon and the other two.
“There's suspicious accumulation of light elements deep within. There might be a huge light mutant. I'll handle that. As for the light bursts…
“They're expected in two or more waves. You'll need to work together to defend the camp.”
Lucy clenched the edge of her clothes tightly upon hearing this. Having previously resisted the aftereffects of the light burst under Alexio's protection, she had gained some experience and naturally knew how difficult it was to withstand the surging tide of light when it erupted.
Alexio noticed her hand's movement. Although he wanted to be stern, in the end, he sighed with helplessness.
“This time the area isn't as large as before. If we focus our efforts, we can handle it.”
The lich's eyes brightened. She watched as Alexio flicked his cloak, the shadow wings spreading behind him. The vampire swiftly took flight, heading into the roaring, brilliant tide of light.
After he left, Helgodon let out a few low howls. Lucy and Zhen gathered by his side, listening to his howls for a while before exchanging glances.
“That sounds… pretty good?”
“Alexi is definitely going to be impressed!”
“So… shall we do it?”
“Yeah!”
Alexio had no idea that the three of them had instantly agreed behind his back. With the lunatic guarding the camp, he didn't worry about the children' safety. He flew at great speed, teleporting frequently, his figure almost invisible in the air, with only the surging light roaring beneath his wings.
His expression was stern. He sensed the light elements ahead suddenly intensify like never before. Immediately, he shielded the front with his bat wings, blocking the nearly blinding brilliance. After a brief, dazzling flash, he spread his wings wide, hovering in place, and saw the newly born colossal creature exposed before his eyes.
Unlike Zhu Qing, who transformed from a human into a light mutant, the one before Alexio had been born at the heart of the light burst. Alexio had read some research on this. Mutants born this way were not only stronger but also had absorbed fragments of information from the world, shaping their appearance into a strange mix of features from various species.
The light mutant before Alexio looked like a fusion of a butterfly and a spider. Its eight legs moved with great agility, their tips gleaming with a sharp metallic sheen. Wings of light grew from its back, fluttering slowly with its breathing and writhing. Dozens of golden eyes dotted the wings, spinning endlessly.
Large in size, fast in movement, with a wide field of vision… Alexio quickly assessed the situation. However, the creature's body was heavy and it couldn't fly, which made things much easier.
His scythe appeared in hand. Due to the overwhelming concentration of light elements in the surroundings, Alexio could only rely on his inner dark energy. His expression remained cold and indifferent. Tilting his bat wings, he teleported to the front of the light mutant. Without the slightest hesitation, he swung his scythe to sever its head.
The light mutant sensed danger. The many eyes on its flesh wings spun wildly and unleashed crisscrossing beams of light toward Alexio. But the vampire neither dodged nor blocked. The beams struck his body, which instantly dissolved into countless shadow bats. After evading the beams, he reformed without pause and swung his scythe in a wide arc, severing the mutant's head.
The head fell and disintegrated into light elements, but Alexio remained alert. His prediction had been accurate. The mutant's flesh wings detached, while its eyes lifted and hovered above its body, becoming tendrils with a distinctly alien quality, allowing it to fire beams in more flexible directions. At the same time, its body expanded again, crawling on the ground as it let out a roar toward the vampire in the air.
Alexio looked down expressionlessly. A black line slowly spread along the mutant's spine, tearing through its body. The power gap was too great. He could finish it in the blink of an eye. Not wanting to waste time watching, Alexio raised his black scythe, ready to finish it quickly and return to camp. He still didn't know how the kids were holding up.
Suddenly, he felt that familiar warmth again. He turned his gaze to the nearby mountains and moved deeper in. Faint voices gradually grew clearer, though the words were still blurred.
【I… am… deep…】
【Power… supplement… restore…】
Alexio narrowed his red eyes. Now he was genuinely interested. Given his proactive nature, he would come to investigate with the lunatic within the week.
Suddenly, the light mutant on the ground lifted one last tendril, firing a powerful beam at him. Before Alexio could block with his scythe, several bone shields appeared layered in front of him, completely nullifying the beam's force! The light mutant screamed in agony as the silver giant wolf tore it in half. The wolf's rider, Zhen, slowly withdrew the mental control he held over the beast.
“Alexi!” Zhen waved happily at him. “Were you surprised?”
How had these three kids dealt with the three waves of light bursts so quickly? Alexio was surprised, but his expression softened soon after. His bat wings spread as he gently descended to the ground.
“Mm, you did surprise me.”
“That's because we worked together!” Zhen smiled brightly. “The idea came from Helgodon, and Lucy took charge of the overall plan… Lucy?”
The lich, now fully alert, had drawn a dark veil around them. Hearing her name, she shyly lowered her head.
“I just thought maybe if we combined our efforts, it might work.” Encouraged by everyone's gaze, she continued boldly, “Helgodon is great at charging ahead, so with him up front, I could calmly counter the light bursts from behind. I even used some energy from the everdark stone for that.”
She lowered her head apologetically. “My ability allows me to control some of the light mutants, which is quite useful. Together, we pushed forward in one go, and along the way, we also used the energy from the everdark stones to replenish the surrounding areas.”
That really was… pushing the front line forward by over a hundred kilometers in one stretch.
Alexio stroked the heads of the kids with approval. He asked Zhen a few extra questions about controlling the light mutants. Apparently, they were recognized as living beings by Zhen's domain, which meant they could be controlled. That would definitely make a big difference on the battlefield going forward.
As they spoke, the faint, indistinct sound still echoed in Alexio's ears. He asked both Zhen and Lucy, but they said they hadn't heard anything unusual.
“Did Alexi hear something?” Zhen asked.
“Nothing much. Just that the wind feels stronger. It might snow in the next couple of days.” Alexio didn't want the still-growing kids to take too many risks, so he said no more. His gaze passed over Helgodon, and he suddenly noticed Helgodon's wolf ears were standing straight up.
The royal black-striped ears twitched slightly now and then, as if picking up some vague noise.
“Helgodon?”
The giant wolf turned back, its ears relaxing to a slightly tilted position as it whimpered affectionately twice.
Unsure if Helgodon had heard the sound, Alexio decided to ask privately. He checked a message from Cravenson on his lightbrain, confirming the camp was secure, then set off back with the three kids.
Helgodon walked lightly, his ears twitching occasionally.
【Child of god and wolf… this generation's Helgodon…】
【I will grant you… my final strength…】
Something stirred within his blood. Helgodon stopped in his tracks, narrowing his eyes as the world before him seemed to multiply into countless shadows. He began to perceive the emotions of more distant beings, including but not limited to creatures on the ground, birds in the sky, and even the breath and pulse of the entire snowfield, along with the emotions buried deep within it.
The stirring grew louder. The ancient song of the werewolves echoed lightly through his mind.
Heat spread through his limbs. His soul burned. He barely had time to let out a low ‘woo’ before the world plunged into complete darkness. Only a layered, muffled voice calling his name remained. Alexio's voice.
That voice felt as if it came from beneath a veil of water, faint and blurred.
“…Helgodon? Helgodon!”
When Alexio returned to the camp, his expression was heavy. He carried Helgodon, who had reverted to a wolf cub, in his arms. He hurried to find Noah, hoping to use the advanced instruments there to discover what was wrong. Noah worked quickly, finishing all the tests in no time and finally reported that aside from a slightly elevated temperature, Helgodon was physically healthy.
“Did he encounter something outside?” Noah asked. “If it's something magical, I'm afraid my equipment might not be able to help…”
“It's not magical power,” Alexio shook his head. If it were, he would have noticed by now. Just to be sure, he called the lunatic over, who also confirmed it wasn't a curse or anything similar.
“Then why did Helgodon lose consciousness? How long before he wakes?” Alexio gritted his teeth and tried to stand, but the lunatic pressed him back down with one hand.
“Don't get worked up. Stay calm and tell me everything that happened on your way here.”
Alexio took a deep breath, pulling himself out of his restless emotions. Suddenly, he realized his left hand seemed temporarily numb, unable to move.
He glared at the lunatic.
“There's no helping it. Every time I try to stop you, my emotions spike,” Lucius said flatly. “I don't want to either. What good does it do me if you just sit quietly? None.”
Alexio felt the force with which he was touching his wings and let out an exasperated laugh. Wasn't he touching them with great enthusiasm?!
He forced himself to ignore the lunatic's actions and recounted everything that happened along the way, including conversations, the environment, and even some of his own psychological activities, to him. After a moment of pondering, the saint offered one suggestion.
“You said you heard a voice, and you think Helgodon heard it too.”
“Is it possible that he really did hear it, and that the voice triggered his unconsciousness?”
Alexio considered it. That was indeed the most likely explanation. But since he hadn't fully understood what the voice was saying, and couldn't get answers from the unconscious Helgodon, he found himself at an impasse.
“I don't think you need to worry too much,” the saint said. “If that voice brought you a sense of familiarity, it probably wasn't from a malicious source. The unconsciousness could also be a preparation for growth.”
“You mean…”
“Helgodon still cannot take human form up to now.”
Alexio's eyes widened. Werewolves in this era generally didn't have human forms. Some even believed that the ‘human’ in werewolf referred only to human intelligence. He had tried many times to get Helgodon to shift into a human, but whether it was timing or age, Helgodon remained in his wolf form, completely unlike the wolf cub Alexio had raised before.
“Like the everdark stone, this world, where light was overly rampant, was also affecting dark creatures. Now, it's merely a precursor to change.”
This new theory eased Alexio's mind considerably. He stayed by Helgodon's side a while longer, then sent Lucy and Zhen, who had come to check on him, off to rest. Only then did he return to his temporary quarters and yawn. What a tiring day it had been.
The lunatic's schedule was always regular. Alexio could hear steady breathing from next door. He was probably fast asleep by now.
…Wait a moment.
The breathing sounded different from what he was used to!
He knew the lunatic's breathing too well. He could even tell how his breathing rate should be during sleep based on what he'd observed throughout the day. Although steady now, something about it felt off.
Alexio knocked on the door next door, but there was no response.
It was late at night. Apart from the patrolling soldiers, the entire camp was silent. No voices, no movement.
A cold weight settled in Alexio's chest. He pushed the door open and saw the playback device neatly placed on the bed.
The lunatic was nowhere to be found.
A sinking feeling grew in Alexio's heart. For some reason, he instinctively knew the lunatic had gone to the source of the light burst, those perpetually snow-capped mountains.