Saint Bôrakos went past her words and asked something else instead: "Are you not worried about your real self? I shouldn't have to explain to an expert like you what karmic links are"

She chuckled as she looked at him and said: "Maybe I should be the one to tutor you on such a topic, youngling"

Saint Bôrakos frowned. He certainly did not like the way she addressed him. How many centuries had it been since someone dared do such a thing? Saint Alvaro chuckled and went between them before Saint Bôrakos tried anything funny and stupid. He looked at the remnant and asked: "If you were to be revived, your real self's soul would be half-severed. Are you truly willing to go down such a path?"

She smiled silently before asking back: "What makes you think that she's still alive?"

Bôrakos was stunned into silence like everyone else. It was a taboo to say such things, especially in here. This place was filled with the remnants of experts. They lived with a duty, a privilege and a pride. That pride was that their real selves ascended and moved on to cultivate further.

That was what was supposed to lay beyond the End Point and this was why everyone cultivated with the goal to cross beyond the End Point. To ascend.

To cultivate was to go against the heavens in order to overthrow them. Becoming a god, an immortal or something even beyond that... That was the goal. And that was what people believed stood beyond the End Point.

However, no one ever came back to prove it. It was nothing more than a belief. As long you believed, it was the truth but once you could no longer believe... You begin to doubt the choices that you made. Your entire path, built upon sins, comes back to haunt you. Why did you kill so many? Why did you torture so much? Why did you inflict pain everywhere you went?

Here, the remnants had nothing but that pride built from that belief. If it shattered, what would be left?

Only a drive to leave.

And that couldn't happen.

The Saints had to protect the remnants from thinking so. They did not want to doubt their beliefs either. They were still alive and walking towards the End Point. If they doubted now, they would likely never reach it.

That was why everyone was silent and they glared at her with pure anger in their eyes. Her words seemed simple and about herself but there were many hidden many things. More than anything, she was questioning cultivation itself. And the ascension. In the place most related to it.

It was a sigh from one of the oldest remnant that disturbed the silence. It moved next to Sarina and told her: "Even if you believe no longer, you should remain here. For the next generations"

Sarina snickered and stated: "Do your thing, I'll do mine. There shouldn't be any need for debate. What I did is done"

Saint Alvaro cut in: "That is right. Forgive us for the sin we will commit for you brought this upon yourself"

She snickered once more and coldly told him: "You better pray that he doesn't succeed or your two bloodlines will end within a thousand years"

Both Alvaro and Bôrakos frowned and began to revolve their energies. They began to chant and hand signed at a rapid speed. The older statues sighed while the younger ones watched curiously. It happened many times in history but it was a first in recent years. Then again, most of the very oldest remnants faced this punishment long ago. Time does act up in strange ways on the weaker psyché.

Only after enduring the lack of freedom would one despair and hope about it.

Sarina Sempress began to feel her stone body harden. She sensed that everything was leaving her grasp. Soon, she would no longer be able to move. A complete stone statue retaining consciousness...She would truly be trapped after that.

She took a mighty pose and stated: "You better pray for the heavens but, between us, they won't help you..."

The two did not stop under the watchful gaze of every remnant. Regardless of whether they disagreed with Sarina, she was still a remnant comrade of theirs. For imprisoning her like so, the two Saints would be despised by the remaining remnants until the end. They knew but didn't stop as it would not impact them.

And, just as the final hand signs were done, Sarina spoke one last time: "...Pray. For I will remember"

And she was petrified completely. The entire hall was silent.

Saint Bôrakos asked: "Now what do we do with her?"

Saint Alvaro looked at him and stated: "We take her to the other crypt where the others in similar situations are held"

Saint Bôrakos remained silent after being answered but one remnant did not. It was Cheng. He said: "Leave her here"

Saint Alvaro turned to the remnant that spoke and recognized it. He asked: "Why, Cheng?"

Cheng laughed as he did not hide his evil intentions: "Torturing her like this will keep me entertained for decades!"

Bôrakos wanted to rebuke him but Alvaro waved him down and nodded at Cheng. Then, he turned around and stated: "Alright, have fun"

He began to leave the place. Unbeknownst to anyone, he was grinning as he exited the room. Behind him was a confused Bôrakos who did not understand why he did so.

And the doors closed.

...

After a few moments, the oldest remnant here, a male remnant who had been here for 212 500 years, asked Cheng: "How did you make it happen?"

Cheng laughed heartily before turning to the petrified Sarina and saying: "I did as you asked, you better uphold your end of our deal, Sarina. I'm so tired of being confined here! Ahahahahah!"

At those words, all the remnants understood. They had all been played. Sarina was not the only one who hoped to escape this place...

Quite a few remnants approached Cheng in order to negotiate...