Ataraxia Abyss
Chapter 52: The Seven Ancient Flames

They both had a life and death fight. It made them exhausted and ended up setting up camp in the dark hallway with no torches burning at all. Regal split the space with his sword and took out some items such as firewood, pots and cooking ingredients. The two of them ended up eating in the dark passageway together.

No matter how sick or tired he is, Kallen can feel he is starting to feel better after eating rabbit meat soup cooked by Regal. But he felt guilty, from the way he walked and breathed he could already see Regal more hurt and more exhausted compared to him. As the eyes of the two of them looked at each other, Regal finally asked. "What's wrong?"

Kallen shook his head and replied. "No! There's nothing..." Regal and Kallen finally continued eating, but Kallen was still thinking after he saw Regal's trembling hand. Kallen finally asked... "We agreed that we would take turns to stand guard, but it seems we have no choice but to do so..." Kallen begins to take off his jacket and buttons one by one, knowing that Regal is a soul-consuming Incubus, so Kallen tries to sleep with Regal so he can recharge.

But suddenly Kallen stopped undressing when Regal drank a bottle of red liquid. "Hmm, Regal? What'sthat?" Regal then stopped drinking and finally replied. "This is a potion I made using the blood of the virgins I slept with, with this potion I can recharge my soul energy in an emergency." Regal finally continued to drink the potion, looking at the insensitive Regal, Kallen finally put on a blanket and slept first with an angry face.

Regal who saw it knew that Kallen wanted to sleep with Regal, but after all this was a Domain belonging to a Surtr. If they do that here, Regal is afraid to come out in a different form. After throwing some firewood and seeing the fire warm Kallen, Regal stood up and called Garm from his back and said. "Take him while I'm gone." Regal finally left the place. He continued to follow the passage, until he finally came to a large door. Looking at the door, Regal said. "I've passed the test... I'm here to talk."

The sound of that key mechanism that was now unlocking sounded extremely loud. The door opened and there finally Regal arrived at the throne room. The room looked deader than the throne room of Adrian, Regal then saw Surtr who was sitting on his throne and greeted him. "Tarasque and also Firfur? You have a very powerful contracting creature by your side Surtr..." Surtr then replied. "After so many years, you've finally come. That means you got the message?"

Regal then went forward and replied. "You know? Somewhat impudent goes into someone else's dream when that person has sleep problems. But you have a pretty good offer, so... Where's Surtr's soul?" Surtr is a mysterious creature, he is a fire giant but he has the ability to give blessings to those who contract with him, just as the Gods do. That was one of the reasons why the Gods feared for his existence and placed him in a different dimension.

The huge fire giant with its legendary flaming fire sword could intimidate anyone to the point that even the Gods dared not speak to him. But not for Regal... Surtr put his own hand into his chest and took out a fire. "When this world was created, it was revealed to the world for the first time. However the fire was too strong and eventually had to be divided into 7 different flames, the weakest one finally descended to earth and became a fire that anyone could ignite. Your mother sacrificed herself to be devoured by that weak fire, for the people of the Holy Kingdom it was an execution, but your mother did it as a sacrifice. For the sake of helping that person, he prayed that the soul of that person could fuse with one of the 7 ancient flames..."

Regal then opened a bottle, but the one that Surtr took from his chest now flew up and entered the bottle. Regal then saw a fire inside the bottle that was lighter in color than any fire in the world. Regal then knelt down and thanked him. Regal then went outside the throne room, he could hear the sound of the door closing back but he did not turn around and continued to stare at the fire in the bottle. Regal then walked past Kallen, he patted Kallen on the head until he woke up, and when Kallen woke up he saw Regal was done.

"I got my stuff, but let's go home..." Kallen sees Regal smiling but he can feel something strange from her husband. Regal split the space with his sword and created a portal. Kallen, who saw Regal enter the portal, saw him shed his tears... Kallen who saw that clearly knew something was wrong. But as soon as he chased Regal through the portal, Kallen saw Regal who stood upright sculpting, as soon as he saw the surroundings, Kallen and Regal were now surrounded by knights belonging to the Holy Kingdom...

———

"Mercenary Regal and Princess Callen Belterre! You have entered the jurisdiction of the Holy Kingdom without permission! Surrender yourself and prepare for the trial under the supervision of Goddess Aria!" Kallen who was already preparing to fight suddenly saw Regal stepping forward.

"When all the people here are starving and your troubles go away and pretend not to see... But when we people whose beliefs are contrary to yours enter the territory you have left behind, do you now deploy the Templars to this place? Oh my... I've had a pretty hard day... If you want to die, then try to step closer!!"

Suddenly a powerful aura came out from within Regal's body. When the Aura hit the Templars, they all suddenly split into two halves... There was a cut on the neck, there was a body split in two, and there was also a cut until his head was split in two. The Templars were all split into two parts either any part of the body that was cut off. Kallen and the citizens who were hiding also saw it all, they were all split in two even when Regal had not moved in the slightest.

Everyone's heart was pounding and their breaths were all disordered, but once they calmed down, they could see the Templars were not hurt at all and were fine. Kallen who saw that was clearly shocked, as well as the Templars who could feel the pain and also the sense of life leaving their bodies. But it's all just an illusion. Regal then turned around and walked away from the Templars who were in shock on the ground. Kallen followed him and finally they mounted their horse and left the place.

Regal looked more moody than before. Kallen wanted to ask but it seemed that this was not the right time. Yet he could feel his anger just by looking at Regal's face, it was like he had almost reached his lowest point. In Regal's heart, his hatred of the Gods as time went on, Adrian could not save his mother was natural. But Celestia? They have power, they can see it but they close their eyes as if nothing happened...

———

In the Homonculus manufacturing laboratory, Regal handed the fire in the bottle to Adrian. But Adrian who saw Regal's expression finally asked. "It looks like something's stuck in your brain. Is this about your mother?" Regal did not answer and finally left after handing over the bottle. Adrian who saw it was clearly worried, Regal almost reached the lowest point where he could be damaged at any time. But this was not a situation he could resolve.

Adrian looked at Regal and said. "When your father was depressed, he never asked for my help. Your mother's always there for her, I suggest you do the same considering you're married son..."

Regal kept going and ignored Adrian's talk. Adrian just sighed and looked back at the Homonculus in the big tube and said. "It seems that a fake family can't fill the hole in his heart. If that woman can't touch her heart, I wonder if you can..."

...***...