Chapter 0169

Tempest railed in her mind space as she watched someone else manipulate her own body to kill Hannah Trellis.

This was wrong.

Tempest knew everyone in the cave had to die. Treasures from the chaotic rift were too valuable to let anyone know. For a few moments, Tempest considered killing the members of her group to keep her secret. Treasures from a chaotic rift was that alluring. She wasn’t sure her group members wouldn’t stab her in the back for the treasures. Since Tempest considered silencing her group members, who she was somewhat fond of, Hannah Trellis, her enemy has to die.

She didn’t want Hannah Trellis to die like this.

Tempest wanted to kill Hannah with her own hands, by her own efforts. When Hannah Trellis was killed by someone who possesses her body, Tempest felt cheated.

It was Tempest who put in the effort to hunt Hannah Treillis down. It was Tempest who planned and attempted to kill Hannah Trellis, yet at the last moment her kill was taken by someone else.

It was like Tempest played a dungeon game and went all the way to the last boss but before she could kill the last boss, her account was hacked. The hacker used her character to kill the last boss.

All the praise and compliment would land on Tempest’s door, but it would be empty. Even though she put in the effort, she would be the imposter.

It was a hollow victory and Tempest resented the entity who possess her for it.

Furthermore, Tempest didn’t agree with the torture method. Hannah Trellis was irritating and Tempest was going to kill her, but Tempest believes she deserves a clean death, not one where her pride and dignity were broken.

Tempest also resent the entity who possesses her for showing her a side of herself she didn’t want to see. It unsealed a part of her she had long caged in the deepest recesses of her mind and exposed the Tempest, no it exposed to Tempest the Athena when she was at her lowest.

Tempest did not want an up close and personal reunion with that side of Athena. Athena died sealing that part of herself, or maybe it was mutual death considering that side her pushed Athena to commit suicide as a form of redemption.

Regardless, that side of Athena, now Tempest, is a big no-no.

Added to the stew of hatred/betrayal/self-recrimination was guilt. Hannah Trellis’ request, in the end, made Tempest feel guilt.

Looking from another perspective, and since Tempest was looking at herself from another perspective she might as well look at Hannah Trellis from another perspective as well, Hannah Trellis wasn’t evil. She was stupid, greedy and unlucky but not evil. Evil people, even at the time of their death, would never think they were wrong.

Hannah Trellis had a moment of clarity and in the end, she chose to keep her friendship with Skylar Sedonis as true and pure as it can be.

Tempest respect her for that. Hannah Trellis chose to remain true to her memory of her friendship with Skylar Sedonis. Athena tried to hold true to her memory of sisterhood with sisters. She failed since her sister asked her to live and she kinda commits suicide.

Hannah Trellis kept her memory pure and clean. She succeeded where Tempest could not.

It made Tempest feel guilty and the guiltier Tempest felt, the angrier she became.

Tempest directs her anger towards the entity that possesses her.

“I’ll get you for this.”

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Astrapi wiped the blood off Lightning Twist, the chain whip katana Tempest got out of the Weapon Pavillion but never really bother to use, with the practice move of a pro. She turned towards Tempest’s group member and was surprised they were huddled together, staring at her as if she was a monster.

Astrapi cocked her head to the side a bit. At first, she was puzzled over their behavior but then she remembered she didn’t reign in her aura.

Powerful mages emit a presence or aura when they get emotional. This aura serves as a warning to everyone around the mage to get the hell away or suffer the consequences.

Cardis also emits a powerful aura as well but Cardis channeled his aura towards a more sexual inclination. This aura was the cause of women flocking towards him from all over. Tempest later learned Cardis was in a state of lovelorn depression for almost all of his life.

“Really, these children are frightened by this bit of power leaking out of me. They need to toughen up before they get killed.” Although Astrapi grumbled over the quality of Tempest’s group members, she did weaken her aura.

Still, Tempest’s group members had their guard up against Astrapi.

Actually, Graden and the rest weren’t frightened by Astrapi’s aura. They were frightened by Tempest’s drastic change in personality.

They were used to Tempest being a silly little money grubber. There was a good chance Tempest was hiding another side of her personality but then she has to be a fine actress to avoid the detection of the rest of the group. Starm aside, the rest of Tempest’s group is very astute and sensitives to the intent of other people.

Suddenly, Tempest changes from her weird carefree attitude to a skilled assassin who looks down upon the like she was a goddess among mortals.

The changes in Tempest’s bearing, aura, personality… everything except her appearance changed. It caused the members of Tempest’s group to put on their guard.

“I’ve heard ghosts, evil spirits and remanent souls can possess other people.” Li Ming said bluntly.

“That is Big Sis Tempest. I would know her anywhere.” Starm refuted Li Ming.

“Then how do you explain the weird way she is behaving?” Li Ming hissed at Starm while keeping her eyes on the Astrapi possessed Tempest.

“I don’t wanna explain it.”

“Will you two shut up,” Fenix yelled at them but she too was keeping a wary eye on the familiar stranger approaching them.

“I can hear you talking to each other,” Astrapi said in disgruntlement. These brats have no right to look down on her beloved. Whether it is beauty or cultivation, Tempest would outshine them within five years. As for intelligence… well, Tempest has a pure heart.

Our child is too pure. She needs someone to look out for her.

Who’s the fault is that? Astrapi countered Ventus through their connection on the spiritual plane.

Fault should not be assigned. A parent should accept their child as they are.

Hmph. You’re just saying that because she takes more after you in this lifetime.

Tempest had always been Tempest. Ventus solemnly replied although there was an up swirl in the air around Astrapi.

“Uh umm, Tempest are you alright?” Fenix’s question interrupted the conversation Astrapi was having with Ventus.

“I am fine, but you won’t be if we don’t hurry up and get a move on.” Astrapi could tell the members of Tempest’s group didn’t believe her assertation. She didn’t care. She was here for Tempest. She didn’t come to the mortal plain to babysit other spirits mortal.

“The magical beasts-”

“Aren’t the issue here.” Astrapi interrupted Graden. “It’s the man who summoned the Abyssal Chimera that’s the problem.”

Surprise and unease pervaded the group. Abyssal creatures live in the Primordial Chaos, a void of endless space filled with creatures beyond their wildest imagination.

To prevent these creatures from wreaking havoc, each realm has a barrier surrounding it and the Primordial Chaos. A realm can not be completely cut off from the Primordial Chaos. Permanent chaotic rifts exist. It acts as a gateway for certain things to cross the realm barrier.

Despite the presence of permanent chaotic rifts, tearing a hole through the realm barrier requires massive amounts of energy or the right combination of spirit veins. Only those cultivators who are close to being an immortal or is an immortal can open a tear in the realm barrier. Cultivators with space attributes can open a tear in the realm barrier, but space is one of the hardest powers to grasp.

Therefore, the person who summons the Abyssal Chimera had to be extremely powerful or immensely talented.

As for him summoning an Abyssal Chimera, well, none of Tempest’s group members wants to be in the same area as the insane psycho.

“We should get going,” Fenix said as she looked towards Astrapi to lead the way.

“Indeed we should.”

“I don’t want to be near an insane madman.”

“Indeed.”

Astrapi smiled and started to head deeper into the cave system with the rest of Tempest’s group member in tow. “Perhaps this lot isn’t so bad after all.”