Apotheosis

Raphael was trying to figure out a way out of his dilemma, but there was simply no way he could get his hands on so many divine crystals so quickly.

When Gant spoke up, Raphael was greatly surprised. He gave his nephew a strange glance. "First, why would you help me? And also, how did you get your hands on that amount of divine crystals?" he asked.

As far as Raphael knew, Gant's father had refused to provide his son with financial support after they fought over Gant's plans to go to the Dragon City.

Gant looked coldly at his uncle. "Where I got the divine crystals is none of your business. As for why I'll help you, I have just one request. Tell me about Eira," he said bluntly. "And if you don't, I'll leave you to the dubious mercies of these Oneness Guards."

The Oneness Guards, listening to Gant and Raphael, felt even more disdain for the fraudulent sword-seller. They wondered how such a man could be part of the Su Clan. At any rate, the Su Clan or not, they would make him suffer if he declined his nephew's offer and failed to give them their divine crystals.

Raphael was hesitant, but he knew he had no other choice. With some reluctance he agreed to Gant's terms.

He studied Gant with trepidation, wondering if he really had hundreds of thousands of divine crystals on hand.

Gant turned to Zen. "Flag Master, please!"

Zen extended his hand, turning up his palm. Light flashed from his space ring. In a moment, a pile of divine crystals appeared in his hand.

The Oneness Guards collected them, gave Raphael a last mocking sneer, then turned and left them alone.

As soon as the Oneness Guards were gone, color returned to Raphael's deathly pale face. What a close call! He shuddered to think what would have happened if Gant hadn't bailed him out.

Gant had no time for further distractions. He asked, "Well? Where is Eira? Is she all right?"

Raphael sighed and seemed to be deep in thought. "The truth is that she is very weak. She hasn't been able to recover any strength and has been in a coma because too much of her blood has been drained..."

"How could they do that?" Gant murmured. A vision of Eira's pale, bloodless face came to him, and his own face darkened. His heart ached.

"I'm afraid they won't stop until they've squeezed everything they can out of Eira," said Raphael gloomily.

The weapon refiners of the Su Clan, famous for their skills, were also notorious for being rather cold-blooded in exercising those skills. The refinement of legendary weapons often required a higher price than just effort and diligence. Raphael was one of the exceptions—he did not approve of the lengths to which the Su Clan

can regard it as a timer. Think of it as a grain of sand falling from the sand clock... it is a sign of the degradation of order into chaos."

"Can you be more specific?" Zen sounded a bit frustrated.

"No."

"Well, then..."

Zen sighed. It wasn't the first time that No. 9527 said something mysterious and indecipherable.

He walked with Gant and Raphael past the stone, and around the huge Nine Edges Weapon Refining Array. Eventually, they reached a simple building.

Raphael entered the building first. He emerged a short while later, waving for Zen and Gant to come closer. "Remember, you must leave as soon as you have seen Eira. If your father finds out about this, all of us will be in big trouble."

Gant and Zen quietly slipped inside. Raphael led them to a room with a small blood-red array in one corner. A girl dressed in white lay at the center of the array.

The young girl was quite pretty. But her lovely face was white as a sheet, and her breathing was slow and shallow. It was obvious that she had already lost too much blood.

The red array flashed, and more drops of blood oozed out of the young girl's body.

"Eira!"

The sight of Eira, so pale and weak, sent a pang of pain through Gant. He rushed forward as though to pull her to safety.

Raphael seized him by the arm. "Stop it!" he hissed. "Are you insane?"

Gant was furious. "They are the ones who are insane! Eira is dying, and still they drain her of more blood!" he shouted. He tried to shake his arm free, but Raphael maintained his grip.

"You know there's nothing I can do! If you want to save her, good luck persuading your father to do so! After all, you don't have the ability to remove her from the array either... or do you?" Raphael asked. He met his nephew's eyes.