Ascension of the Dark Seraph - Chapter 93

Chapter 93: Awakening: First Vestal (1) Chapter 93: Awakening: First Vestal (1) Devotion to the Blood God is the only thing in mind throughout her entire life.

It was engrained into her blood since she was little.

Her dream of becoming one of the blessed ones-and ascending to the rank of Blood Sisters was branded into her mind, and it could only be achieved through relentless, devotion.

It was the reason why she became a nun in the first place.

A dream that flashed in her mind whenever she closed her eyes in the night.

A dream that curled her toes in anticipation and excitement.

She aspired to become the most devoted out of all the people in the city because of that.

Become a Blood Sister was her destiny, that is the doctrine that kept her going.

A reason that made her pursue her dream further-the divine light from the Blood God.

However, that was all shattered at this moment.

Now that she had taken her fate into her own hands, she was punished instead.

Maybe it was already written in the scripture of her destiny, that she would die here without ever achieving what she wanted, she would die here right when she tasted the tip of power, she would die a meaningless death.

But accepting that destiny was another thing entirely.

She had tasted control, she had tasted power, and she wanted to live it.

And thus, she was compelled to pray one last time.

“Please, don’t abandon me!!” She shouted at the top of her lungs in desperation.

Suddenly, a loud crash resounded from the side and when Catherine lifted her gaze she was greeted by a one-winged man, coming to save her.

An answer to her prayer.

Catherine could see that he was clearly wounded and yet he still slapped the strike away.

Heroically, the one-winged man saved her from death.

Not stopping at that, the man grabbed the sword lying on the ground and dashed forward.

He leaped at the massive proselyte and stabbed the sword with force.

It struck the proselyte hard and hurled him to the entrance, crashing outside of the church.

Once he did that the one-winged man landed on his feet gracefully with his back turned.

He was standing with his back straight like an arrow, and was gleaming with light in Catherine’s vision-the answer to her prayer.

Just then, the man looked over his shoulder and smirked, displaying his bright golden eyes.

His fang poked out as he did this.

Moreover, Catherine beheld the man’s golden eyes-veiled in the hue of crimson blood.

His robust, and mighty wing was undergoing the same transformation, its natural color, melting away to reveal a deep, ominous red beneath.

“His Angel…?” Catherine uttered whisperingly, her eyes widened completely.

Seeing the likeness of the man with the Blood God, she believed that he was an Angel.

Pivoting around, the one-winged man approached.

As he became closer, Catherine realized that it was a familiar person, Lucivar.

Compared to before when she first encountered him, his appearance changed drastically.

He looked the same but his features were not-covered by a veil of magic.

Nevertheless, it seemed her answer was already here all along.

“Sir Lucivar…” She uttered, her voice shaking hard.

“Are you His prophet?” Lucivar stood in front of Catherine who was slumped on the ground, looking down at her.

His gaze was filled with mockery as he looked at Catherine.

“As expected,” He cackled.

“your devotion to Him is meager best, you’re a disappointment” “Eh…?” Catherine was stunned she didn’t expect this at all but she soon recovered out of her trance and refuted.

“What do you mean?!

I’ve dedicated my entire life to Him-obeying all his rules without fail!

I really tried my best!” “And yet, in the end, your faith wavered…” Upon hearing this, Catherine’s breath was caught in her throat as her body trembled.

She wanted to refute but she couldn’t say anything, Lucivar was right.

It was true that she had been devoting herself to the Blood God, doing anything, that would please Him but in the end, her faith wavered.

“Your lack of devotion caused your sufferings, all of this is the product of your doings” Lucivar added.

“Product…

M- My doings…?” She stuttered in shock.

Countless torturous questions stormed into her mind when she was faced with reality.

Catherine couldn’t help but wonder what if time was her real test.

What if the Blood God was testing her through time?

What if she was so close to getting the blessing, but the end made her ineligible for it?

Such thought processes made her go insane, and her breaths began to come out heavier.

Seeing her shaking, Lucivar smirked, ‘A little bit more and she would devote herself to me…’ Moving, he began to circle the helpless Catherine slowly.

His echoing footsteps rang inside her ears, amplifying the tension in the air.

It made her heart race uncontrollably from despair.

“Even when you have power, you hesitated to kill that thing” “B- But killing another of His servants is against His rules…

and he is also my husband.

I fear damnation” “Do you think that thing is His servant…?

A monster corrupted with the Crossers’ power that brought death to the devotees in this city?

A few words and he managed to manipulate you.

You are as weak as your devotion” Upon hearing this, Catherine clutched the edge of her clothes from the turmoil inside.

Her emotions were in a complete mess.

“You could not devote yourself to your husband fully, and you even failed to protect him from the Crossers’ power,” Lucivar whispered to her ears-intensifying her insecurities.

“You boast that you prayed, you bled, and you suffered for Him?

Tsk, tsk, tsk…

this is why the Blood God has allowed your suffering to go on” “Your hope of getting His blessing is futile, He already abandoned you” He added sharply.

His words were akin to daggers, they cut deep into Catherine’s very essence.

She could feel her entire being breaking rapidly, the truth was too painful to hear.

Despite her best, she was undoubtedly a failure through and through.

Noticing that Catherine was already hyperventilating, clutching her head with tears drizzling down her face-Lucivar, could see that he had already broken her.

Due to his manipulations, she was now a blank canvas once more, ready to be painted by his colors.

As her despair grew stronger, the desire for a white knight bloomed inside of her.

And that is exactly what Lucivar gave her.

“But I…

I have enough strength to give, enough power to share” He said whisperingly.

His voice was tantalizing and hypnotizing at the same time.

It prompted Catherine to instantly turn towards him with tears-filled eyes.

“Really…?

You would help me?” She asked, sobbing in between.

Lucivar turned around and went over to the broken altar-his steps were deliberate and once he reached it, his eyes fixed on an item, “I was like you once, clinging to hope but I’ve learned the hard truth.

Empathy never rescued me-being kind never served me, being hopeful never rewarded me but being evil…

now that’s something” Grabbing a small miniature of the Blood God’s totem, he turned around.

He showed what he had in his hand to Catherine.

“Your Blood God, left you weak.

He made you a pawn.” He said, forcing Catherine to focus on the miniature in his hand.

“But I can make you a queen among mortals, I can help you attain a life you’ve always wanted” As the words flowed out of Lucivar’s mouth, Catherine’s heart began to react.

Her entire life was shrouded in darkness but Lucivar-he was the only beacon of light.

Someone who could lead her out of the darkness of abandonment.

“Pledge yourself to me and you can change your fate,” Lucivar extended his hand, which was holding the Blood God’s totem miniature.

“The Blood God left you.

But I am here and for what it was worth, I will never abandon you” Immediately after he uttered the last word, Catherine rushed to his feet.

She looked up at Lucivar and clasped her hands together as if she was praying to him.

Desperate to turn her life around, she yielded to the promises.

“I want it,” She begged-tears streaming down her eyes.

“I will follow you and devote myself to you!

Power, freedom, a new life!

I want it all!

Please, make me yours!

Show me the path to free myself from all of this!” Lucivar didn’t look at Catherine, he kept his eyes fixed ahead.

“And what do I get in return?” He asked.

Upon hearing this, Catherine’s sobs stopped, she froze at the moment.

But soon determination flashed across her face.

“Everything!

Yes, everything I have!

Give me your blessing, allow me to be in your light!” As soon as that answer came out of Catherine’s lips Lucivar couldn’t hide his smile anymore, he had successfully obtained what he wanted.

Catherine had sold her soul to the Devil-and he, he was that Devil himself!

Shoving the miniature towards Catherine, he looked at her meaningfully.

Realizing what he wanted her to do, she quickly channeled her power.

She burned the Blood God’s totem miniature, rendering it into ashes in mere seconds.

It was an act of her sealing the deal with Lucivar.

Nodding his head, Lucivar gently placed his hand on Catherine’s head.

Feeling that her life was about to change-Catherine looked down submissively and clasped her hands once again, ready to receive the blessing she desperately wanted.

Following that, Lucivar’s ring, Gleipnir’s Echo glowed with a vibrant energy.

As he willed it, three magical mirrors appeared behind Catherine.

Lucivar fixed his gaze on the middle mirror, the one with the scroll symbol.

He then used all five essence bars he gathered in the ring to activate the middle mirror.

Upon the cost being fulfilled, the mirror cracked and broke.

It spat out torrents of green energy and gushed to Catherine’s body, seeping into each of her orifice with force.

Naturally, she felt this sensation overwhelming her, and caused her eyes to glow green radiantly and her body to levitate.

Just then, Gandr appeared on Lucivar’s shoulder, excitedly viewing the sight.

He was always watching Lucivar from the inside.

But this scene, in particular, is a scene he didn’t want to miss seeing first-hand.

“Did you plan this from the very start?” “Not from the very start, from the moment I saw my power reacting to her” “In case you’re wondering, that’s the very start I meant” “Oh…” Seeing Catherine being morphed by Loki’s power, Lucivar smirked.

He spreads his arms to the side with the same excitement and curiosity as Gandr had.

Gandr then intervened, “Quick, bless her with a title to brand her anew!” Lucivar nodded his head-and focused back to Catherine who was now engulfed in her own flames, mixing together with Loki’s power.

She surrendered herself completely to the power, and in return, the power morphed her freely.

“Awaken, my first Vestal!” Lucivar chanted.

“I baptize you as Saintess of Emerald Devilry!” Swoosh!!