Odyssey of the Renegade Sovereign

The glowing fragments dissolved into nothing before Astrael's wide eyes. His breath caught in his throat as panic surged in him in addition to the poison searing deeper in him. Albeit slowly, due to the newly gained poison resistance skill, but spreading inside him like a leech.

Wha—" he tried to move forward, but his legs buckled beneath him.

Then Baldoc's rough hand caught him by the collar, steadying him like a ragdoll. The old man smirked faintly, the kind that never reached his hollow eyes. "Relax, boy. I was joking."

From his sleeve, Baldoc drew another vial, this one humming faintly with golden ripples of divine energy. Without waiting for permission, he shoved it against Astrael's lips. "Drink it. Unless you prefer dying here."

The liquid burned down Astrael's throat like fire, spreading through his veins with searing intensity. He gasped, clawing at his chest as the venom writhed inside him—then suddenly, the burning cold receded, replaced by a clarity so sharp it made him dizzy.

Clawdia growled low, as if still suspicious, her fur bristling against Astrael's side.

Baldoc straightened, dusting his hands off casually. "There. Now, the poison is gone, and you will be better in no time. Consider it a reward… for your courage and bravery."

He tilted his head, those abyssal eyes narrowing. "Or perhaps… a debt."

Astrael blinked, still on his knees, his chest heaving as the warmth of the potion spread through his body.

"…A debt? What do you mean by that?" Astrael rasped, his voice low and suspicious.

Baldoc's lips curled faintly, but his gaze drifted away, dismissive, as if the question were beneath answering. "Nothing, nothing."

Astrael clenched his jaw. "What—"

But the rest of his protest was cut short as his stomach lurched violently. He doubled over, hacking and gagging. A thick, black liquid splattered onto the ground, steaming against the cold earth. The stench was sharp and acidic, carrying the unmistakable reek of venom.

Clawdia whined, pawing anxiously at his shoulder as more of the corrupted blood forced its way out of his lungs and throat.

Baldoc only watched, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. "Good. Let it out. That's the poison leaving your body. The vial was the holy water that purged it, but the remnants must be expelled."

Astrael coughed again, spitting another mouthful of black blood, each drop hissing faintly as it struck the ground.

When the fit finally subsided, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, pale but breathing easier. His sharp eyes flicked toward Baldoc, searching. "You knew this would happen."

Baldoc's smirk deepened. "Of course."

Astrael steadied his breathing, the bitter taste of venom still coating his tongue. His grip tightened on his knee as he finally forced himself upright, Clawdia pressing her side against him for support.

Baldoc, meanwhile, stood tall and calm, dusting off the sleeve of his shabby robe as if nothing at all had happened. His eyes—those hollow pits that had once gleamed with cruel amusement—now held a flicker of something harder to read.

"You'll live," he said flatly, turning toward the shadowed trees at the cave's edge. "That's all that matters."

Astrael's brows knit. "Wait. You're leaving? After all this—you drag me through this hellish trauma, give me a cure, and now you just… walk away?"

Baldoc paused, glancing over his shoulder. "I don't drag anyone. You chose your steps, boy. As for me… there's work yet to be done. Things you're not ready to understand."

Clawdia let out a low growl, sensing the weight in the old man's words.

Astrael's fists clenched. "…You could at least tell me what you really want."

But Baldoc only chuckled under his breath, the sound dry and humourless. "Someday, perhaps. For now, survive. Grow. Don't waste what you've been given—or you won't live long enough to ask me again."

With that, his shabby figure began to blur into the night, each step fading as though the forest itself swallowed him whole. His voice drifted back one last time, faint but sharp enough to cut through Astrael's thoughts:

"We'll meet again. Whether you're ready or not."

And then… he was gone.

Astrael stood alone in the forest, and once again, the silence fell over the region, pressing. He exhaled slowly, shoulders slumping as the weight of exhaustion finally set in. Clawdia nudged at his leg, her silver fur streaked with grime, but her eyes steady.

"…It's over," Astrael muttered under his breath. His gaze fell to the serpent's massive body, already crumbling, scales flaking into motes of ash that swirled away on the night wind. The remaining part of the beast, which was once a formidable beast, now crumbled to dust. And he also learned a lesson that no matter how much powerful you are, you can be defeated.

He tightened his jaw, gave the remains one last glance, and turned. "Come on, Clawdia. We need to reach the City."

The two figures slipped into the forest shadows, leaving behind nothing but silence where a battle of monsters had once raged.

Further along, deeper into the woods, Baldoc walked alone. The shabby hood concealed his face once more, his gait steady, until suddenly, he stumbled.

Hkkh!

A harsh cough tore from his chest, crimson spraying against the ground. He pressed a hand against his ribs, knuckles white, before staggering upright again.

"Tch… damn it." His voice was a low rasp, thick with frustration. "I really… have grown weaker."

His breath rattled as he leaned against a tree; the weight of years and earlier battles fought made his already weak body weaker.

"That technique… I shouldn't have used it. This body is not used to be what it was…" He coughed again, blood dripping between his fingers. "… Ah, I have grown old."

Yet despite the pain, a faint, bitter smile curved his lips beneath the hood.

"The boy… he might just grow into it. But as for me…" His eyes, hollow and weary, lifted toward the moonlit canopy. "…my time is running short."