Chapter 990: Summoning
The explosions outside sent ripples across the placid lake's surface. Lunasia anxiously made her way to the circular stone clearing in the middle of the lake while carrying an injured individual on her shoulder.
Her anxiety spread to everyone present, and the albino children turned to look at her in unison.
They gathered around and cast regretful gazes at the injured individual in Lunasia's arms. As they stroked the wounded individual's face, moths descended and engulfed the individual.
When the wounded individual revealed a satisfied smile, the moths stopped moving, and a stream of information entered Lunasia's mind. The individual's memories and consciousness were divided into many pieces, and they entered everyone's minds before being reborn in everyone's thoughts.
Lunasia instantly knew everything there was to know about the wounded individual as well as the "moths," which seemed to be seeking a way home. In the blink of an eye, Lunasia obtained a lot of information.
The moths were devoid of any physical form, and they were supposed to be sealed within a certain painting depicting a forest.
Upon leaving the painting, however, they immediately existed in everyone's minds as if they were worker ants in a colony. At this moment, Lunasia had also become a "moth."
She became aware of their abilities and their grudge against the Shattered God. The enmity spanned many years, and it already existed before the IMF was founded.
When Lunasia came to her senses, the albino children looked at her. "The Red Moon's iron and flames are gnawing away at our Wood, but more frightening still is there are more. You ought to use your blade, not your heart."
They all stood up in unison, retreating toward a distant cave. "Wield your blade and block their path. We shall repeat again among the stars."Lunasia raised her right hand and stared at the green flames scorching her forearm. When her eyes grew determined, the green flames erupted, sweeping toward the albino children before her.
Everyone present was astonished. The moths in the air tried to block the attack, but they were too late. The moths and a few albino children were reduced to ashes.
The black and white spotted moths scattered their fluorescent powder, creating a scenery straight out of a dreamscape. However, this couldn't be further from a dreamscape as they divided rapidly and swept toward Anna like a tidal wave.
However, they found nothing as soon as they arrived. Anna had melted into the ground down below. Seconds later, she emerged from a distant wall with a smile tugging at her lips.
"No!" Anna's face distorted in terror. "You can't! Lunasia would never betray the Moth!"
Anna screamed, seemingly wrestling control over herself. Finally, she threw her head back, and then her head dropped limply in front of her chest. Moments later, she reached up to pluck and crush the two moths beneath her eyelids.
Beneath the gazes of the moths and the children with albinism, Anna looked up, revealing a faint smile of satisfaction. "Altering my memories, distorting my cognition? Who gave you the courage to do that to me?
"I've already been playing with people's hearts before you were even born."
The albino children were astonished to realize that their connection with Anna had been severed—this was unprecedented.
Three green fireballs appeared in the air above Anna, and they grew larger as they spun rapidly. The pale green light reflected on the lake's surface and the moths' compound eyes. The tides of the battle had changed in an instant.
However, Anna had decided not to act. There were still explosions outside, and she wasn't in a hurry. Moreover, she remembered that they had a collective consciousness.
Anna just had to stop them until the followers of the Shattered God were here, and her task was complete.
"I've been wondering about the location of the memory-altering Anomaly that is in your hands, but it turns out that you guys are the Anomaly itself," Anna remarked. "Let's talk, Moth. Why do you call the Shattered God 'Red Moon'?
"And from the fragmented scenes I saw earlier, it seemed like you two are mortal enemies."
The moths immediately saw through Anna's attempt to buy time. People under their influence rushed out from the adjacent stone cave, attacking Anna with weapons in hand. There were even Fhtagnists among them.
However, Anna had a complete grasp of the Fhtagnists, so they weren't her match at all. She also spared no quarter despite facing her own people. Screams quickly echoed throughout the cavern as a Fhtagnist was reduced to ashes.
The moths couldn't retreat in the face of Anna's blockade. They could only remain trapped in the middle of the lake. Their strongest ability was the ability to take over one's consciousness, but it was useless against Anna.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion echoed, and a fissure appeared on the ground, spreading across an entire wall. Towering stalactites as high as an adult human being fell into the lake, disturbing its peace.
Time was running out, and the moths' situation grew even more precarious. Left with no other options, they decided to change their tactics.Nôv(el)B\\jnn
Those under their control ceased their attacks on Anna. Then, they opened their mouths and spoke in unison along with the albino children. "Red Moon is cunning and fickle. It is better for you to make a deal with me than work with it."
Anna's quivering head emerged from the water. She swept her gaze across the moths in the air and said, "By capturing all of you, I will still get what I want, and it's safer that way as well."
Earlier, they could have worked together, but they were already fighting to the death, so Anna believed that there was no longer any room for negotiations.
"You were once connected to me. If we don't let you obtain what you need, then you'll get nothing at all. Let us go, and we can do many things for you."
Anna was quiet, pretending like she had fallen into contemplation to buy some more time.
Just then, the crowd pointed at the black diamond ring on Anna's finger.
"I can feel it. That thing is a relic of a deceased, and your feelings for him run deep. We can communicate with the dead. In exchange for letting us leave, I can summon him and let you talk to him."
Anna froze before bursting out into a peal of laughter. She laughed so hard that she felt like tears would come out of her eyes. "You have the potential to become a comedian. You actually made me laugh."
"You don't believe us?" The albino children tilted their heads in unison. "We are one with Winter, and our special ability is to communicate with the dead."
"Oh? Is that so? Summon him, then," Anna said. She removed the ring and threw it toward the clearing in the middle of the lake. "I'm the one who brought the Shattered God's people here.
"If you manage to summon him, then I will definitely make them let you go."
There's nothing else to do, anyway, so I might as well entertain them to buy time.
"I can sense your sincerity from your shadow. It's a deal," they replied at once.