Chapter 1210: Eternal Contract On the Verge of Termination: Part-2

[⚠️Alert: Current Pseudo Owner of the Eternal Contract is on the verge of Termination. Please transfer the Contract to a stable candidate!!]

His face twisted into horror. He quickly turned to the side—only to see that Nyx wasn’t there.

"Nyx?"

He wore his night clothes and rushed out of the room. The moment he stepped outside, he noticed..... The sky had turned blood-red.

The BloodDawn.

Aether swallowed hard. She must have gone into the land of the dead... but wasn’t this routine?

It had happened before a lot of time.

Why was the Log reacting this time?

"Log, what’s going on?"

[⚠️Alert: Current Pseudo Owner of the Eternal Contract is on the verge of Termination. Please transfer the Contract to a stable candidate!!]

No sass, no mocking commentary.... just a mechanical response. That meant it was serious... Dead serious.

Aether didn’t waste a second. He hurried to the next room, flinging the door open. Inside, Nightfire was curled around a pillow, snoring softly.

"Nightfire, emergency!!" he shouted.

Nightfire jolted awake, eyes wide. "E-Emergency? LET’S RUN!!" She scrambled off the bed, only to trip over the blanket and slam face-first onto the floor.

Aether winced slightly... not because she suddenly reacted, but because the way she fell down... damn man!

Nightfire rubbed her nose, eyes watering as she sat up. Then she glared at him through teary lashes. "Pervert... if you want to fuck me, just do it while I’m asleep! It’s exciting, you know! Why the stupid lie?" she muttered with a pout, her dignity already gone.

Aether froze, torn between questioning that insane comment and focusing on the urgent matter,,. He chose the latter.

"No, it’s serious. And... why aren’t you transformed?" He pointed at the blood-red sky. Normally, Nightfire would be forced into hiding during the BloodDawn. Yet she looked perfectly normal.

Nightfire blinked, then glanced at the sky. She looked down at her body, then back at the sky. "Hmm... What the fuck?" she whispered, just as shocked as he was.

Aether exhaled. "Whatever. Let’s go find Nyx."

Nightfire stiffened, eyes wide. "Y-You mean that ghost place," Her voice trembled with horror. "Last time they nearly made me into soup, and now you want to go back?!"

Aether nodded without waiting for her approval, grabbing her wrist and dragging her toward the front door.

They reached the entrance. Instead of opening the door as usual, Aether turned to the left side. He pulled the door, as the door parted.... another realm opened before them.

Nightfire gulped audibly. Together, they stepped inside.

As they entered, Nightfire frowned when she saw the sky...

The sky above was empty... no stars at all.

That could only mean one thing.

"T-The ghosts... they must be lurking here," Nightfire whispered, clinging tightly to Aether’s arm.

Aether scooped her into his arms and kicked off the ground, soaring into the air.

As they flew deeper into the realm very fast, a chilling sight greeted them.

A horde of ghosts, countless and unending, gathered below.

"My god..." Nightfire muttered, her eyes wide. "How many souls did she collect?!" Her voice trembled at the sheer number; it was way bigger than before.

Was Nyx picking it like some kind of Pokémon?

"Why are they here? Did someone trespass?" she frowned. "They only appear like this if someone tries to break into this ground."

Aether clenched his fists, a grim thought twisting inside him. ’If someone trespassed... could something have happened to Nyx?’ His chest tightened.

Was that why the Log had been screaming at him?

They landed at the edge of the sea ghosts.... Instantly, the horde reacted.

Every ghost turned in perfect unison, their heads snapping around to face them with eerie precision.

Nightfire’s blood ran cold. Her grip on Aether tightened,’Oh my shit!’ she thought, shaking.

She wanted no part of this. Not again or ever!!

Especially not with the way those hollow eyes glared straight into her soul.

As soon as Aether’s boots hit the ground, the ghosts began to stir.

"Why did you come here? Get out, you ignorant husband!!" one of the ghosts roared, its hollow voice echoing as it raised a spectral bow toward Aether.

Aether frowned, "What’s going on here? Where is Nyx?"

The ghosts stood shoulder to shoulder, forming a wall that blocked his path. Their pale, flickering faces twisted in mockery.

"You don’t belong in this place!"

"Yeah, wicked husband!"

"You’re not worthy of our Master!"

"Sniff... sniff... You just... sniff..." another wailed, dripping ghostly tears that evaporated into mist before they hit the ground.

Aether’s frown deepened, his eyes hardening to ice. His voice dropped lower.

"Where... is my wife?"

The ground trembled at his words, but the ghosts merely smirked.

"Your wife?" one spat, its face contorting. "Why don’t you go and crawl back to that other woman you like so much?" It hurled its fury straight at Nightfire.

Veins bulged on Aether’s forehead, "Call... Starla."

Nightfire gulped, stepping back. She could feel the air changing—Aether was truly angry this time, and that never ended gently.

One ghost sneered. "Oh? Our general? Do you really think you have the right to—"

"STARLA!!!"

Aether’s voice erupted, booming across the entire realm. The sound shook the very foundations of the domain, rattling the ghosts like leaves in a storm.

A moment later—

Thud!

A massive greatsword fell from the sky, stabbing into the ground just inches from Aether’s feet. The ghosts immediately parted, forming a path. From the shifting mist, a tall armoured woman stepped forward.

Starla!

Her armoured boots stood before him, hand resting on the sword as she addressed him with calm indifference.

"What is it... my Lord?"

The crowd of ghosts gasped, frowning in disbelief. Their general—addressing this man as Lord?

Aether didn’t flinch. He held her gaze, though the edges of his eyes trembled. "What happened to Nyx? Where is she?"

Starla’s cold eyes lingered on him for a long, silent moment. Then, at last, she answered.

"She is fine."

Relief flooded Aether’s chest. He exhaled deeply, his shoulders loosening. "Where is she? I need to see her."

But Starla shook her head. Her voice turned sharp. "Forgive me, my Lord... but if I may, answer me this. What is your relationship with that woman?" She pointed toward Nightfire, who was clinging to his back and peeking out like a frightened cat.

Aether frowned. "What does that have to do with Nyx?"

Starla’s tone hardened. "Answer me. What is your relationship with her?" Her eyes narrowed, her eyes slowly turning cold and indifferent.

"She is my wife." Aether answered truthfully.

Nightfire blinked, stunned, and her mouth fell open.

Wife? He just—said it? Out loud?

What about the ceremony? The gifts? The feast?

She bit her tongue, deciding to ask later. For now, she just shyly smiled, her face heating up. ’Hehe... I’m his wife now. Finally,’ she thought, grinning like a child who’d been given the world’s sweetest candy.

She never imagined those words would ever apply to her.... never ever thought she would become a wife?

Life was truly a miracle!

Starla’s stare lingered. At last, she nodded once. "I see." She grasped her massive sword, pulling it free from the ground. Her arm flexed as she lifted it, pointing the blade straight at Aether.

"I will honour my Queen’s last words."

Aether froze, eyes widening. "Last words? What do you mea—"

Before he could finish, Starla swung the blade downward in a cleaving strike. The air ripped apart with its force.

Aether clutched Nightfire in his arms and slid back, his boots grinding against the earth as sparks scattered.

"No one shall pass through us," Starla declared. Behind her, the entire ghostly horde shifted in unison, their formation snapping into place like a trained military unit.

Each ghost raised its weapon, its hollow eyes locked onto Aether and Nightfire.

Nightfire’s face went pale, her lips trembling. "G-Guess this really is an emergency, Haha... ha.. ha...." she muttered, nearly fainting.

Aether gritted his teeth, his thoughts racing. He didn’t know what had happened.... what Nyx’s "last words" meant—but one thing was certain.

He had to find her.

And now... this.

Last time, he had managed only because Grace had helped... just for a few precious seconds.

But now...

How was he supposed to fight them?