Wicked Reincarnation

Chapter 160: Attack

Smoke evaporated from burning buildings. Grotesque corpses piled up on the once white marbled streets now dyed in crimson red. Destruction rode on every crack, raged upon every innocent flesh, tore down the walls of the destroyed constructions where splattered brains and intestines hung from every ceiling.

The proud palace stood strong like an iron tower, its forte with not a single harm while in front of the large plaza, a sea of soldiers stood using severed heads as their red carpets. They protected the palace as if it was their lifeline, as if nothing in the whole universe was more important, had more significant than it, not the lives of many people, not the hearts that have been pierced in agony and not the insignificance peace and happiness stood for.josei

The existence of the palace and the Ghost King, for its survival many have been sacrificed and many more will lay on the ground giving up their everything, to challenge the true guardians that protected the spirits and holiness the heavens possessed.

The buildings, the houses and stores, the busy main streets in the first layer, demolished, ravaged and blazed with an infuriating wrath the red glimmers of the fire provided. Not any, not the tiniest gap, not anywhere one's eyes laid upon, was spared.

The whole first layer of the capital was screaming in anguish, screaming to be set free, screaming for help to levitate it out of the hellish torture and catastrophic nightmare it was placed upon. The tide of the river raised and threatened to wash down all grievings as it couldn't watch on anymore- the blasphemy, the pure inhumane brutality that dared to go up with the smoke to defile heavens.

The whole sight roared for forgiveness, prayed for sinful slaughter, wished for a less crucifying destiny. A memory that bore itself in Lia's deepest veins to flush her whole body with anxiety, panic and hopelessness.

Before she despaired anymore in front of the brutality that greeted her once she came back, her feet moved. Slowly, stumbling across the bloody sea, an inch deep drenching her shoes. Each time the sole dared to step onto the anguished cries of the lost ones, loud, splashing sounds tainted Lia's whole body with the sin she's committing.

Away from the centre of events, away from the palace Lia didn't even want to step anywhere close to it, she made her way through the collapsing houses where once happy families resided, laughter sounded and warm feelings floated around.

Anyone, Lia needed anyone. Anyone to tell her she was just imagining. That this was only a dream, an illusion. To tell her it was going to be alright. To tell her that Xavi and the others would be alright. That no one died. That… That… That…

She was just deluding herself. This was reality and whatever happened here was a cause of carelessness and indifference. To already go so far to kill the immortals, Min was totally crazy. To think anyone would let it happen. What about all the exorcists? What about those with powers? Did they not retaliate? Did they not try to stop what was going on? Or… were they all siding with Min?

Were they all okay with what was happening? As each thought, more depraving than the other, stormed through Lia's head, she picked up the pace and ran through the alleys devoid of any lives, filled with the scent of death.

Anyone. She just needed anyone to tell her anything. Where were Xavi and the others? Where they okay? Could they have escaped and settled down in Mistand? Or anywhere far away from here?

Down the streets in the first layer, searching for any signs of life, the swish of the smoke, the sputtering of fire, filled Lia's ears until from under one building almost burned to ash, an arm made it to the surface.

A small adrenaline surge prompted Lia to rush to the person and pull him out, then she helped him breathe as he coughed all the ash away, "Slowly…"

Lia breathed along with him to regulate his rhythm. She saw the bruises on his skin, then the deep wounds, the broken bones that stood out in the wrong spots, but also saw that he was slowly healing.

Waiting for him to stabilise, Lia sat him up and heaved him on her back as she made her way to the second layer, which from the far looked to be in a much better state.

"Tha…nk…yo…u," from behind she heard his hoarse and pained voice.

"It's ok, don't talk. Focus on healing."

Lia hoped they could arrive in the second layer of the capital soon, however, this was wishful thinking, after all the first layer was as large as a town and she was still in the core of it. After a few seconds, the guy spoke up again, "The soldiers are… still roaming around, be… careful…"

Just when his words faded, Lia spotted two soldiers with bloodied weapons in their hands. With no other option, Lia walked inside a burning building and squatted, "Sorry, but bear with it."

The guy only nodded and Lia counted the seconds, hoping the soldiers would pass by soon. Lia couldn't use her power so easily, after all, it could be spotted in a second.

Like in slow motion they finally disappeared, and Lia quickly ran out, making sure that the guy didn't have any fire on him. Then she started to pick up the pace. She would lie if she said he wasn't heavy but she couldn't waste any more time.

Just halfway across the first layer, the guy patted her on the shoulder and said, "I can walk on my own now. My wounds are healed, thanks."

Lia let him off just as he requested and he stretched his body a bit, "Do you know why this has happened?"

The guy turned to Lia with an unfathomable look, sadness and anger flared up within his eyes before they made way for another emotion, "The hidden families have attacked-"

When he said that Lia's heart leapt into an abyss full of thorns. So her suspicions have been right. Why did they do that? Was it because-

"requesting to let the Ghost King set free the person he kidnapped, but the Ghost King denied it and they started fighting."

Rage overtook him again, "All because of the hidden families. If it weren't for them, none of this would've happened!"

Lia could understand why he was so furious, if she was as clueless as him, if she had been in any of their positions then the anger they were directing to the hidden families was justified, in their opinion.

"How long has the fight been going on?"

"A week."

It was all because of her, because she disappeared and couldn't return sooner, Xavi and the others thought something might have happened to her and they started taking actions.

If they were still fighting, they had to be in the centre. Lia had to return. In her hurry she hasn't even properly searched for them, hoping they wouldn't be in the middle of everything but now this proved to be a mistake.

"Thanks, you should head to the outskirts and be safe," Lia wanted to leave before the guy hissed, "It's nowhere safe in the capital! The soldiers will kill anyone in their sight. The Ghost King and the hidden families are all equally rotten!"

With that, the guy stormed away after he thanked Lia again and bid his farewell. He didn't even question Lia why she didn't know about this, all he wanted to do was to vent his anger and frustration.

He has lost everything, his family, his house, where should he go? Was there any point in living anymore? Should he just throw himself in front of a soldier to kill himself? But then again, Lia wasted her efforts to save him, so he decided to find refuge and then debate what to do with his life now.

Once the guy disappeared, Lia turned heels and ran towards the centre again. Along the way, she picked up a sword and coated it in her life force. Despite soldiers patrolling around the core, there were only a few and posed no threat to Lia. She quickly killed them as she made her way back to the plaza.

But she hid behind a house to not draw the attention of the still-standing army of soldiers in front of the palace, not moving. Lia's eyes hastily darted around but didn't find any of her allies. Did they retreat?

Now that Lia thought about, there were no fighting sounds. So was everything on standby or over? But that couldn't be true after all the soldiers kept guarding the palace seemingly in fear someone might attack, and they kept roaming around the streets seemingly in search for the hidden families.

The only good thing was that at the moment there were no vengeful ghosts, could it be that all the vengeful ghosts have been sent to the Mortal World? If that was true then it wasn't good news for Yano and the others but Lia believed he could take care of it.

Lia didn't find who she was looking for, so the answer lied somewhere else. Maybe Lia's assumption was right, they have retreated and hid in another layer when they realised that Lia wasn't here but now that they've revealed themselves Min would never let them go.

Just as Lia wanted to move to the outer layers, a tired voice made her jump up, "Teacher Kim, you've come back."