Omega Ascension System[BL]

Chapter 327: _Expectation

Elian’s POV

*****

At long last all three of them were out of the illusion pocket dimensions. And now they stood in a circle, hands locked while Kyren weaved crimson energy runes that pushed hard against the cursed energies.

[Alert! Heart crystal curse showing signs of early fracturing. Current stability: 99%.]

Elian’s lips quivered with a smirk, his grip tightening slightly on Lucian’s hands. He didn’t need the system to explain what this meant.

"Kyren," he turned to the Rogue king as he weaved the final threads of his runes. "The system says the curse is already losing stability. It’s currently at ninety-nine per cent—"

"Which means it’s still far from being completely vanquished." Kyren chimed, voice cold and sharp. He lowered the free hand he used in casting the runes, grabbing Lucian’s hand with it. "We’re taking zero chances. Rules are the same as last time... do not break the circle for any reason and let the curse burn between us."

He gave Elian one last look, crimson eyes softening for a second despite the intensity.

But then—

The runes set themselves, levitating above them until they swirled mid-air. Dull crimson light fell on them, while the energies in the room flowed slowly into the runes.

Witnessing this in real time through the system’s scans almost distracted Elian.

[Focus, fruitcake. This is your official first push of freedom away from Amara’s claws. Don’t fuck it up.]

Hades be damned he does.

[That’s the spirit!]

"By the power of the forces at the dawn of Solara!" Kyren suddenly shouted, tone solemn. "Today, we begin this ritual. This incantation to break the curse pulsing between our bonds..."

Elian held his breath, filling a shift in the air. The energies coiled heavier, so much so that a suffocating pressure filled his lungs and heart.

Silence.

No words were said and even the runes and energies quieted down. As if reality itself had listened to Kyren and paused.

But that changed quickly.

The runes above them hissed, spinning faster.

Elian gasped, gritting his teeth as black lines manifested across his arms. They spread, heating up his insides and covering almost every inch alongside his veins until they reached his face and head.

"It’s... It’s manifesting," Lucian whispered, rubbing Elian’s knuckles. "Hold, love. We’ve done this before and we’ll do it again. Together."

[Cute pep talk... except breaking a curse is far more dangerous than splitting and weakening it.]

A shiver ran down his spine, his teeth biting his bottom lip softly as the pain worsened.

[Curse stability: 92%.]

Soon, Kyren shifted the incantations. He chanted words in the old tongue, so complex that he sounded guttural. Through it all Elian bore the pain of the black veins across his body.

[Curse stability: 85%... 82%... 80%...]

At the stroke of eighty, something snapped. Elian’s pulse stuttered, the bond thrumming with a sharp feeling that made him stumble.

When Lucian curled his fingers tighter on his hand for comfort, however, the Alpha Prince grunted. Elian’s neck whipped to him, just in time to witness the other part of the curse finally appearing.

Black and sickly green veins popped up all over Lucian’s body, moving like snakes and simmering with heat. The Alpha Prince’s head bobbed, flinging back. Silver light spilt on both eyes, flickering like dying stars.

[There we go... Curse stability: 70%.]

Turning his head to Kyren, he noticed he, too, had black veins sprouting from his palms to the rest of his exposed skin. But the Rogue king didn’t make any sounds outside his chanting, crimson light burning like embers in his eyes.

[Curse stability: 65%!]

"It’s..." Lucian growled, glancing between Elian and Kyren. "It’s breaking. I can feel it..."

"Not nearly broken enough," Kyren mumbled, raising his head to the runes above them. Elian followed his gaze, watching the runes spinning in a circle, swallowing all the energies around them. "This is the hard part. And the most important... So hold."

With a roar, Kyren continued a new round of incantations, this time in a different, deeper intoned language. The room trembled; old sigils, carved on the obsidian walls, finally revealed themselves.

And then it happened.

Like lightning, a force pulled out of Elian. He whimpered in pain, feeling something shake at a deep level.

His soul.

[Curse stability: 59... 56... 55%.]

A heavy wind whooshed through the room, the energies screaming.

[50%!]

Pain rammed into Elian’s chest like a hammer. The metallic taste of blood filled his tongue, a bead of crimson spilling down his right nose.

Then—

—A thin purple stream of light flowed out of his chest, twirling up until it connected with the crimson runes. Next came a silver stream of light, then a crimson stream, chaotic and divine energies pulsing between the bonds spontaneously.

[Curse stability: 35%!]

The energy streams locked on the runes, fastening like chains. The runes spun faster in turn, shrieking and pulsating with wild energies.

"Don’t. Lose. Focus!" Kyren shouted, narrowing his eyes on Elian. "It’s up to you now, little flame. FIGHT."

Elian could feel the final invisible bolts holding the curse to them breaking. He raised his hands alongside the others, yelling with everything in him.

[29... 25%... 20... 19%...]

The curse fought back with the last of its energies. The last of Amara’s will holding it in place.

But in the face of a divine fragment, a Celestial sovereign and a transcendent cored hybrid? Even her will stood no chance.

BOOM!

When the energy streams finally stopped pooling out of Elian, the crimson runes exploded. Everyone fell back, hitting the ground with heavy thuds.

[Congratulations! Heart jewel curse successfully eradicated!]

However, Elian didn’t have the time for celebrations. He could taste his own blood at the corner of his lips, joints strained from the pressure of the fall.

And the manor—

"The manor is collapsing." Kyren rose to his feet first, grabbing Elian’s hand first.

Wards flickered to life around the room, dust raining from the ceiling. The floor shook, cracks splitting through it.

With a flick of Kyren’s wrist, crimson light swallowed three of them.

They reappeared outside, just a few meters away from the stealth craft.

Lucian snapped his neck, running first. Elian followed, glancing back at Kyren. The Rogue king stared too long at the collapsing structure, white hair swaying behind him.

"Kyren?" Elian called out, pulling at his hand. "Come on."

Taking one last look, Kyren sighed.

It wasn’t exhaustion. It was expectation.

As they boarded the craft, settling on the seats, Elian couldn’t help but breathe out in relief.

Especially when the system sprawled a few screens in front of him...