**C477**
The sun was setting.
In the Ruins of the Demon God, the expressions of the Gray Tree Clan members were tense.
Night would arrive soon.
And with it, the prophecy would begin.
It was tradition for the Priestess's prophecies to be shared with the entire clan.
It was a precautionary measure: if something went wrong, at least someone would survive to pass it on to future generations.
*Whisper—*
The leaves on the trees swayed in the wind.
*Whisper—*
The trees surrounding the village, the four towers guarding the ruins...
All their leaves were shaking violently.
—……
The Captain of the Warriors, substituting for the unconscious Priestess, looked at the sky.
—"Captain, it looks like it will rain."
The sunset sky was clear, but red.
However, the furious wind announced that something more sinister was approaching.
—"...The prophecy is coming."
The Captain closed his eyes for a moment, then stood up.
—"Here he comes."
Cale Henituse, whom the Priestess had called "Savior," arrived at the clearing in front of the healing center.
—"As soon as I give the signal, open the gates."
The Captain hurried toward Cale.
—"Mister Cale. We were all waiting for you."
Clopeh Sekka, pushing the wheelchair, did not respond. Instead, Cale spoke:
—"Let's start right away."
The time of sunset was short compared to the approaching night.
He had to complete the second purification here before it got dark.
—"It seems everything is ready."
The clan members filled the clearing, prepared for anything.
Although there was no joy on their faces, only fear.
—"Yes. We will open it now."
The Captain stepped back, and Cale signaled to General Mol.
—……
Mol relayed the order.
—……
—……
Soldiers from the Demon Kingdom and the territories surrounded the center.
—"Hmm..."
—"¡...!"
The clan members felt uneasy.
Although they were excellent archers and warriors, the presence of so many troops was intimidating.
Especially since they had brought food and decorations, thinking of a celebration... but now they only felt anxiety.
—"Brother."
One of the clan members recognized a soldier who used to visit.
—"You..."
—"Brother, everything will be alright."
The soldier smiled, calm and happy.
There was no trace of fear in him.
—"He will heal everyone."
The others looked at him, and the soldier added:
—"And happiness will come too."
There was no time to ask what that meant.
*Clank!*
The doors of the healing center, sealed for days, swung open.
—"¡...!"
Although they had been warned, the clan members held their breath.
The warriors, however, acted quickly.
*Clank!*
*Bang!*
*Thud!*
The windows, reinforced with planks and metal, were uncovered.
The process was efficient, as if they had planned it.
—"Please, get on the designated areas."
The clan members began to fill the clearing.
With the help of the soldiers, the place was soon crowded.
—"Huh?"
A warrior opening the back door stopped.
—"What was that?"
Something brushed his foot and entered the center.
He couldn't believe what he had seen.
*A snake?*
A transparent, tiny snake had passed by him.
—"¿...?"
He looked down the hall, but there was no trace of it.
—"Hmm."
—"Is something wrong?"
—"N-no, nothing!"
He thought it had been his imagination.
Something so small and transparent was difficult to distinguish.
*Plop. Plop.*
He did not see the drops of salt water falling from the ceiling. Nor did he notice them seeping through the cracks.
—"Check inside."
Choi Han entered the center under Cale's orders.
But by then, the drops had already disappeared.
*Whooosh—*
The wind blew inside the center, now completely open.
*Ssshh—*
The transparent snake approached a patient on the second floor.
A clan member, infected up to his nose.
A viscous liquid was dripping from his body.
*Ssshh—*
The snake touched the liquid.
As it had done with Cale's gray droplets, its body began to be dyed the same color.
It grew a little bigger.
Then, silently, it moved away.
But he couldn't escape completely.
—*Human, I'm moving you!*
*Whooosh—*
The wind lifted Cale, who was leaning on his cane.
—"Here is fine."
Cale landed on the roof of the healing center.
*Ssshh—*
The snake stopped.
It had felt Cale's presence.
It didn't know who he was, but its instinct told it to avoid him.
—……
Cale looked down.
Everyone was watching him.
The doors of the center were open, revealing the interior.
—……
—……
No one could speak.
The soldiers held their breath as they saw the infected.
The clan members, recognizing family and friends among them, clenched their fists.
—"At night, they will turn into monsters."
—"They will attack their loved ones."
That was the reality they had avoided looking at.
Until today.
—……
—……
A mixture of emotions filled the air:
Fear, nostalgia, sadness, hope...
*Whooosh—*
Then, they heard the sound of the wind.
Of the sea.
—"Ah."
They looked up.
The red sunset sky.
And under it, Cale, with his blood-red hair.
A gray mist, warm and comforting, emanated from him.
—"Hmm..."
—"¡...!"
Happy memories enveloped them.
—"Ah."
—"Ah—"
Sighs escaped here and there.
Some relived the moment their children hugged them.
Others remembered peaceful days in the village.
Even the smells of those moments returned.
*Ssshh—*
The gray snake scurried towards the ground, avoiding the mist.
While everyone watched Cale, she fulfilled her mission.
Someone else saw her.
—"Ah, ahh— Mom—"
—"Hmm."
The wanderers Cho and Ryeon, tied up, were paralyzed.
Cho relived memories of his childhood, so buried under the pain that he had almost forgotten them.
Ryeon was also absorbed in the visions.
Choi Han and Eruhaben watched, busy looking for spies.
—……
Cale, calculating the time, hurried the purification.
—"Damn it."
Although the sunset was still shining, dark clouds were approaching.
*I have to hurry!*
*Whooosh—*
Small gray particles emerged.
The clan members looked at them with hope.
—……
Ron, arriving late from Midisi, stopped.
*Tok. Tok.*
On and Hong approached.
—"I saw something weird."
—"Huh?"
—"A water snake came out of the center and vanished into the ground."
On, watching from a tree, had seen everything.
—"It was water."
The snake had turned into liquid.
—"Water, you say—"
Ron acted fast.
—"Hong."
—"Yes!"
—"On and I will go after that snake."
—"I saw where the water flowed."
Ron looked at Hong.
—"When the ritual is over, inform Cale."
They couldn't interrupt him.
—"Understood!"
Hong nodded enthusiastically.
Ron exchanged a look with Choi Han, who approached.
—"What's wrong?"
—"We saw a water snake."
That was enough.
—"It was going towards Midisi, but it seeped into the ground. I don't know where it went."
Water snake.
Choi Han immediately thought of the Third Emperor.
—"...I'll go to Mikashi."
Choi Han left in the opposite direction.
*Plop. Plop.*
The first raindrops fell.
On looked at the sky.
Dark clouds covered Midisi.
—"On."
Ron's voice brought her back to her senses.
—"The more urgent it is, the calmer we must be."
*Whooosh—*
Then, the wind brought Cale's voice:
—*"—Return to your original form."*
A gray Milky Way enveloped the center.
The infected floated, purifying themselves.
*Plop. Plop.*
Gray drops fell to the ground.
—"Ah."
A clan member cried as he saw his son heal.
—"Brother. Didn't I tell you not to worry?"
A soldier smiled, calmly.
—"Yes. There is nothing to fear."
Although the Priestess's last prophecy had been terrifying, now they had Cale.
The soldiers, with their hearts full of happiness after remembering precious moments, were ready for the night.
*Plop. Plop.*
The rain began to fall.
—"Eh?"
—"Hmm?"
The clan members smiled.
They didn't feel the cold.
*Plop. Plop.*
Cale also noticed something strange.
—*The arm is almost purified! Only the shoulder and torso remain!*
Super Rock reported.
—*Drowning. Something cool...*
The Glutton Priestess kept complaining.
—……
The drops on Cale's skin felt abnormally cold.
The back of his neck prickled.
—"A gray water snake?"
—"Yes!"
Hong climbed onto the roof to report.
—"Damn it."
Cale frowned.
That wasn't just any snake.
The gray could only mean two things:
Purification... or corruption.
And Cale was sure it was the latter.
—*Cale, if that snake explodes—!*
He knew that contagion occurred through fluids.
If that snake was really the Third Emperor's water...
—"This is a disaster!"
He understood what the variable in the prophecy would be.
—"Raon! Tell Ron, On, and Choi Han!"
And most importantly:
—"Don't touch the snake!"
He couldn't allow his allies to become infected.
—"General Mol! Warn the city! Avoid any gray water or snakes!"
Cale set off for Midisi immediately.
*Whooosh—*
The rain intensified.
The sky, now dark, promised a long and dangerous night.
—"Damn it!"
Why did it have to rain right now?
Everything told him that tonight would not be easy.
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These last chaps are really boring, it's a shame because it's my favorite novel and it's losing points with these boring arcs. I hope the novel comes to a conclusion soon
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