Chains of Vengeance

Chapter 146: Ascension Part 3

Meanwhile, Aym crept along the desolate paths of the Silk Cradle. The air was filled with a strange hum, the constant squeak of spider legs scraping against stone and cobwebs. Sometimes the sounds were distant, but other times they seemed so close that his black fur bristled involuntarily. Despite this, he remained calm, his moon-tipped spear always in a defensive position.

The cat watched carefully every shadow, every movement among the petrified branches of the trees. He knew that the giant spiders that inhabited this place were relentless hunters, but he was not looking for trouble. His strategy was clear: avoid unnecessary combat and conserve his strength. He did not mind taking all the time in the world, as long as he arrived at the temple prepared.

Aym pressed his lips together, his face marked by a frown that almost seemed natural to him. It wasn't true anger, but an expression he had adopted in the Veil, imitating Narinder. There, his master rarely seemed relaxed; there was always something that irritated or worried him. Unwittingly, Aym had absorbed that gesture as if it were a reflection of the seriousness he now tried to project.

As he walked, he nimbly dodged the thick spiderwebs that crisscrossed the paths like invisible traps. Occasionally, his hind legs would get caught in a loose strand, but he would quickly free himself, muttering under his breath.

"A god doesn't get caught in nonsense like this," he thought, though a slight feeling of insecurity stung his chest.

The longing to become a god drove him forward. He wanted it not just for power or glory, but for something deeper. He didn't want to be left behind. He couldn't let Baal, his brother, take that place before him, nor did he want to disappoint Narinder. Aym had to prove himself, to prove that he too was worthy of the crown.

Night came quickly, though to him, the darkness was like an extension of his sight. Aym climbed with feline skill to the tallest tree he could find. From there, he looked out at the horizon, where the outlines of the ruins of the temple of war were barely visible. "There's still a long way to go," he thought, his tail curling around his body.

For a moment, his mind returned to Baal. The road was lonelier without his brother at his side. They had been together for so long that even in the shared silence, he found comfort. But this test was something he had to do alone. Baal would have to prove his worth, and Aym, his.

Settling himself on a thick branch, Aym closed his eyes, his spear resting on his shoulder and his tail twitching nervously. The buzzing of spiders surrounded him, but he didn't feel scared.

"A god does not fear solitude," he thought, though his brother's absence still weighed heavily on his mind. Slowly, tiredness overcame him, and the cat drifted into a light, alert sleep, ready for whatever dawn might bring.

-

In parallel with the twins' adventure, Narinder remained in the dimness of his room, sitting on his large, luxurious bed, hugging his legs tightly. His face rested on his knees, and his normally imposing silhouette seemed smaller and more vulnerable under the soft moonlight filtering through the window.

It had been his decision to subject the twins to the tests simultaneously. He believed that, by ascending at the same time, neither of them would feel envy or compete for the recognition of being the first to reach divinity. In his mind, it was the most logical and fair thing to do, but now, with the house in complete silence, he realized how much he missed the noise.

The fear of loneliness was something he never admitted, not even to himself. During his confinement in the Veil, he had grown accustomed to enduring isolation, but now that he had the option of company, being alone seemed much heavier. His thoughts wandered, remembering the endless years in the Veil, where the only sound was the echo of his own suffering.