Corriel appeared unfazed, his kind smile still lingering on his lips as he stared into Burg's light-gray eyes. They dilated in panic as reality sank in. Although Myur had taken possession of the elder, he hadn't yet been deprived of his ability to see, hear, or think. It wouldn't last for long, however. Corriel knew his consciousness would soon fade as he turned into a puppet for Myur to play with, although he would rather the elder stayed conscious, as blacking out felt too merciful. If only Burg could stay conscious all along, unable to do anything but watch as his body moved on its own, taking him to his demise...
Yeah, it'd have been better.
"This feels a little anticlimactic," Corriel shook his head, a feeling akin to disappointment and emptiness gripping his guts. He stared at the elder a moment longer before turning his attention to Layla, who stood behind Burg. "Did you encounter any problems?"
Layla responded by tilting her head, a questioning look on her face. She seemed to be asking why she would have encountered a problem. It made Corriel heave a discreet sigh, unsure how to feel about the girl's lack of reaction and unawareness. He had noticed before, but it was even more apparent now. Layla couldn't tell how incredible she was, nor did she realize she had done something no one could. She was oblivious to how frighteningly strong and dangerous she was.
Maybe it was better that way, maybe not. Corriel couldn't tell. It wasn't his place to tell, either.
At this time, Layla should have been locked in the cellar with the other warriors, yet she wasn't, thanks to Nyell's little subterfuge. In the morning, his son asked for the door to stay open during the day so that they could breathe some terribly needed fresh air. The warriors on guard allowed it. After all, they were to stand by and watch the cellar all day, meaning that they could see and catch whoever was idiotic enough to try to escape under their noses. Their eyes were locked on the open door and the rolled-up ladder, and as such, they were convinced no one could leave the cellar without them noticing unless they were a ghost.
In normal circumstances, they would have been right.
No one in the Black Moon tribe could have imagined a being like Layla existed, not even Corriel, who had gathered a vast knowledge over the years as the chief. Layla's stealth skill wasn't so much of a stealth skill but more like the ability to mess up people's senses regarding her existence. If she so desired, Layla could make people's subconscious either believe she stood right beside them or wasn't present at all. It didn't matter what their eyes saw or what scents their noses picked up. They sent contradictory messages to the brain, creating a discrepancy with reality that was practically impossible to detect. As such, the warriors trapped in the cellar felt like she was still with them, sitting in a corner, while the guards never noticed her leaving. She walked right beside them, yet none realized she was there.
Of course, her ability wasn't God-defying and didn't last forever. If she didn't return by tomorrow afternoon, the people inside the cellar would finally notice something was amiss. They would realize what they thought was there wasn't and get confused. They wouldn't know when exactly she had disappeared, but they would realize she was gone. However, Corriel was planning to settle everything in the morning and release the people who had been unfairly confined. With the last elder gone, no opposition should be left; even if there were, he could always use his authority as the chief. At the end of the day, his orders were law.
"Alright, then," Corriel beckoned Layla to come closer, no longer paying any heed to Burg. "I guess it's time for you to knock me out. Be gentle, will you?"
A nod was his answer. Both knew he couldn't be left unscathed, not when the guards around the house had been knocked out cold. It'd be weird if he were the only one unaffected while Burg was spirited away. Either everyone's memory was played with, or everyone was physically disarmed. There could not be a mix-up with both methods. It would be too suspicious. Thus, Corriel braced himself for the incoming pain. His poor, old neck was sure to hurt like hell tomorrow morning, as Layla had no conception of 'gentleness' and didn't restrain herself, hitting him at full strength. The blow rendered him unconscious almost instantly, and only one last thought managed to fly through his mind before blacking out.
'This little girl is ruthless! Though I'm not even sure she understands that concept, either.'
***
When Burg regained consciousness and control over his body, he was stranded in a familiar cave. The last time he had seen it was years ago, but he could never forget it. At the sight of the carved talismans on the wall, he was reminded of the day they dug the holes to bury Dangu's mangled body. His corpse had to be dismembered and sealed off at different cardinal points for the array to take effect. Of course, he had ordered his people to cut Dangu's body apart discreetly, as he was sure Hulien would have been sent into a fit of rage if she had seen how they handled her brother's corpse. There was only so much she could accept. She knew they would seal it for safety purposes, but she had no idea how. He had assured her they would treat her deceased brother with respect, which they obviously didn't.
"Does this place bring back memories?" a languid voice asked, snapping Burg back to the present. He turned around, and his gaze met Allen's. The White Moon tribe's chief was sitting on a half-rotten trunk, one leg nonchalantly thrown over the other. "I must admit, this burial ground you and your cronies worked on is quite impressive. The array encasing the canyon is marvelous, so intricate that even I had to study it for a while to understand its mechanisms. It's a rare, long-forgotten one."
A shiver ran down Burg's spine at these words, a foreboding feeling throbbing in his guts. How much did Allen know?
"You see, I couldn't help but wonder where you found its script, and who helped you lay its layout and find its components. Because, let's be real: it's not something your tribe should have known how to do. This array is way too ancient and complex. Only a powerful and knowledgeable shaman could put it in place, but there's no such person in your tribe, and there has never been. But fortunately for you, I know the people who can and have the knowledge required to build that array and transmit how to maintain it to your shaman. Now, I wonder: are you curious about their identities?"
The elder took a step backward, panic creeping up on him. The White Moon tribe's chief knew. And he was furious. But how?! They had assured him the array was untraceable, and no one would ever find out, not even the White Moon tribe's chief!
"Oh my, it seems like you're not curious. But I am. So, would you mind telling me who among the goddam forsaken White Moon tribe's elders helped you? I'd very much like to have a word with them."
"…It was the previous chief," Burg lied through gritted teeth, aware he could not hide the fact that the array was brought from the White Moon tribe, not if Allen already knew about it. It didn't mean he wouldn't try to deceive him, however. Since the previous chief was dead, there was nothing Allen could do to verify his claim. Even if he didn't believe him, the elder just had to insist until Allen had no choice but to accept it. He knew all too well what would happen to his soul if he uttered the name of the culprit, and eternal torment was not something he desired.
But at these words, Allen burst out laughing. He looked at Burg as if he were but a foolish child. It was almost a gentle look, so gentle that the elder was taken aback. Something was wrong, and he felt it deep into his soul. He could almost see the impending doom loom over his head.
"Your claim is a little weird," Allen brought a hand to his lips, as if to hide his smile, "for I have no memory of helping lay out this array in my previous life. Although I guess I do have a hunch of who did. Only three to four people could have done it around the time you trapped Dangu's spirit here. It's a little annoying to investigate, so maybe I should just get rid of all of them in one swift loop. What do you think?"
Burg could not process the words coming out of Allen's mouth. He understood them separately, but they did not make sense put together. He looked at the young man blankly as a sense of dread spread inside him. And then, a question came to his mind. What exactly was he?
"Wasn't having memories of your past lives supposed to be a secret?" Dangu's ethereal voice resounded, crushing Burg. He fell to his knees, holding his head, which seemed about to split apart. Warm blood trickled from his ears and nose, soon dripping on the muddy ground. "Yet, you said it so carelessly."
"We're the only ones here," Allen waved a hand. "And it's not as if he'd come out of here alive, or his spirit would ever be able to leave this place. The array I drew is far more potent than the one trapping you, and I doubt anyone in this era knows how to break it."
"W-what…?" Burg's broken voice echoed faintly. His face had turned pale as fear drained the blood away. What did he just say? What array?
"Why so surprised?" Allen cocked an eyebrow. "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. Isn't it fair that those who participated in sealing Dangu's spirit will also have their freedom stripped away from their souls? You lot dared to hurt the family of my long-awaited mate, and there is hell to pay for your crimes. Oh, but don't worry, the traitor who enticed and helped you carry out your ridiculous schemes will join you soon. I guess I'll not be lying low in this life. And here I was hoping to laze around this time… Hope springs eternal, as they say."
At these words, Burg's world was shattered into pieces. He finally could make sense of Allen's words. Oh why? Why did he listen to that devil and antagonize this god-like monster? He should never have grown greedy and should not have sent Dangu to his death after being promised power and endless resources. But it was too late to regret. Fate awaited, and he could not escape its claws, not anymore.