Sacrifice (2)
Gulp... An anxious swallow echoed, though no one knew whose it was. With all factions locked in confrontation ahead of the holy war, only two beings were on the move.
One was a mainstay of the Father God's forces, arrived to sweep away the Black Sun. The other was a mysterious man who had suddenly descended from the sky.
No one had anticipated this visitor, and everyone present felt utter confusion. Who the hell was this guy? And how could he so casually deflect a vampire's attacks?
No one knew the answer.
'I'm a fan.' Only the excited man himself hid his pounding heart in secret, facing his devotee.
# Belladys Rozeria. The brightest star in the legion, the redeemed vampire.
Her top priority was, naturally, finding the vanished Father God. For the cult, and for herself. Nothing else could quench this endless thirst or grant true happiness.
Even shrouded in veils, she was confident she could live basking in His loving gaze.
Right now, though...
"Die, or get out of my way."
The unidentified man standing before her was seriously getting on her nerves. That inexplicable unease she'd felt since earlier—it tickled at her insides.
What the hell was it?
'Mental interference?'
The moment their eyes met, her strength drained, nearly buckling her knees. Belladys couldn't accept what was happening to her. So she attacked with all she had.
Clang! Clang!
But the man deflected every blow, looking down at her with infuriating composure. His gentle smile never faded. He kept spouting nonsense, trying to engage her in talk.
She had no idea it was all a ploy by some guy who'd come down personally for a fan meet.
"You... who the hell—"
The more they talked, the more that unease gnawed at her. Tensions rose with every passing second. Belladys's patience hit rock bottom, and she was winding up for a massive strike—
"...!"
A clear killing intent from somewhere froze her body. Chills raced up her spine, senses sharpening to a razor's edge. That hated, familiar presence had arrived.
The Black Sun.
The divine power that had plunged her life into hell closed in on them in an instant. Eyes half-mad, foaming at the mouth, it hurtled forward at eye-blurring speed.
The one empowered by absolute force was a priest and apostle of the Black Sun. Black Sun priest robes fluttered in the air, a deadly whoosh slicing the wind.
"...!"
Belladys reacted to counter, but the man in front of her was a distraction. The split-second confusion threw off her judgment.
And so...
The apostle, backed by Black Sun holy power, breached her attack range. A slash wreathed in black flames tore through the barrier and slipped into the man's guard.
The impenetrable shield that had withstood her onslaught shattered effortlessly before the apostle's strike.
Splurt!
Belladys's cheek splattered with his fresh blood. The brutal sight left her rattled. Why? Wasn't he on their side? Was he really unconnected to the Black Sun, like he'd claimed?
'Then why...'
Why block them? As the question formed, a cold sensation pierced her mind.
Blood Memory (A)
Her innate trait activated, dragging up a familiar memory from the past.
"...Ah?"
Belladys wiped the splatter from her cheek with a puzzled expression. From the warm, still-wet blood on her fingers, an unbelievable reality hit her.
The familiar scent invading her nostrils, the sensation, the memory. In the hellish basement of the Black Sun cult, the saving hand that had rescued her. The goddess who came bearing His will, and the god who opposed her alongside.
The surging memory tormented her. Every cell in her body awoke, pointing to her master's presence right here on this earth.
The man who had taken the apostle's blow in her stead.
Impossible. It shouldn't be.
'Why?'
Why did he carry the exact same scent as her Lord God? She knew it was a foolish question.
She just couldn't accept it.
"...Gasp."
Blood-soaked wings folded gently. The man's body began to collapse, as if it could no longer hold on.
It was a strike infused with a constellation's power. No mere human could withstand harm from a superior being—but if they shared the same rank, it was different.
Before reason caught up, instinct shoved her back. Belladys leaped toward the plummeting man in shock.
Thud.
And caught him. She supported the man's frame, blood still oozing.
"Ah, why, no."
Her trembling lips fueled the chaos. Belladys plunged into full-blown panic. Her crimson eyes shook violently as she scrutinized the man in her arms once more.
He was beautiful. Like if you painted her Lord God and brought Him to life in this world. Even as life ebbed, he was mesmerizing, elevating it to decadent allure.
Belladys's body reacted to the man. She knew him. She couldn't deny it.
"Vera."
The pet name she'd craved spilled from his lips.
"I'm so happy to meet you like this."
His face, drained of massive blood loss, looked gaunt. On the verge of death, he pitifully drank in Belladys's image.
Belladys could pretend no longer.
"L-Lord... God...?"
"Do you recognize me?"
Her breath hitched.
"H-How...?"
Constellations taking human form was easier than granting blessings—a known fact. History even held rare cases of constellations becoming human directly.
But they rarely stooped to a mere creature's shape; it demeaned their authority.
Yet this impossibly rare event happened right before her. Her Lord God, the One she'd die for, had descended Himself.
Belladys's despair didn't end there. That Lord God was gravely wounded by an external force. The reality alone tore at her guts.
"Ah, ah..."
Gazing at the blood pooling in her arms, Belladys felt a surge of impulse. Even now, you wretched thing, revealing base desires.
"I couldn't bear to see you hurting any longer."
Belladys's Lord God, Ron, willingly opened his mouth to convey his will.
"Seeing you all hate each other, hurt each other, drag yourselves to hell..."
Huff, huff. Breaths ragged as if about to snap, he stroked Vera's cheek with his hand. It smeared blood, dirtying her face, but the warmth transmitted clearly.
"Grahhh!!"
The Black Sun apostle, oblivious to the mood, went berserk and charged. But Belladys's murderous glare met him.
Boom!
Mana calibrated not to harm her Lord God blasted the intruder far away. The unconscious apostle showed no sign of rising.
'Avatar of the Black Sun' screams while watching her own devotee.
Ron ignored the message window from somewhere and focused on his devotee.
Damn.
She's got some serious charisma.
Watching her beauty up close flip from fury to puppy-dog vibes in an instant was like prime acting from a top star—a spectacle.
Her rage-filled face softened toward him, peeking at his reaction like a rain-soaked pup. The whole sequence was so endearing Ron wanted to flip out of his disguise and cartwheel.
'Hold it together.'
The unease, the dramatic reunion—tensions were sky-high. Sacrifice, the true virtue of a constellation. These moments built leadership, cycling back as precious resources.
'Faith Value,' that is.
Will you use Holy Blood on devotee 'Belladys'?
Yes. Too late for effects now, but it's all about the memories.
Belladys, sensing the anomaly, reacted with fresh shock. The wedge driving home her near-certainty.
"Th-this is..."
"Vera. My love, my child."
For the finale, Ron decided to gift his devotee. The gift? Self-love. Even now, as she berated her bloodlust, Ron felt the same.
In this game-turned-reality, player Ron wanted his devotee happy. For the cult's sake, for everyone's.
But...
So what now?
He'd nailed the dramatic climax, but missed the recovery cue. Ron was stuck as the dying constellation in his devotee's arms.
'Gotta do what needs doing.'
"Will you promise me one thing?"
"Lord God."
"No more hating yourself. Promise me."
Ron figured he'd just close his eyes mid-sentence.
'Avatar of the Black Sun' asks, then what about me?
Oh right. He snapped his eyes open instead of closing them.
Just fading out would shatter the Black Sun cult.
"...And one more thing. Please stop the holy war. I'll be fine."
"Y-yes, my Lord God. I'll do as You wish. So please...!"
Seeing Ron's dire state, Belladys pleaded desperately, on the verge of tears.
"Hoo, no need to worry. I'm already recovering slowly."
To reassure her, Ron showed his wound. The bleeding had stopped, and it was healing on its own.
"So."
With that, Ron finally closed his eyes, feigning unconsciousness. Belladys's embrace was cozier than expected, too.
Having descended as a constellation, nothing could truly threaten him. Ron was just enjoying the ride.
Accepting the limp Ron, Belladys lifted him in a princess carry.
Ah, this is kinda...
Ron felt embarrassed by the pose but couldn't bail now. At least she was obediently heading back as ordered.
Crunch.
Crunch.
In the hushed silence, Belladys quietly spoke.
"We're heading back. With our Lord God."
"Ahh...! Father God...!"
"Sob...!"
Sobs echoed from all around. Ron hadn't checked with his eyes, but he was sure everyone was shaken.
Perfect fan meet achieved.
'Good now?'
'Avatar of the Black Sun' nods grudgingly.
'Huh? Hooked?'
'Avatar of the Black Sun' hurriedly sends applause.
Everyone won. The situation wrapped up perfectly.