CHAPTER 96: HOPE THAT MATTERS

Anna walked out of the shrine room and made her way towards the gates of the Night Tower with measured steps.

The pupils of Night Tower smiled or even bowed to her as she passed them. To them, she was already a member of the Night Tower after what she had done during the beast wave at the island seven.

Anna also greeted them with a nod and continued on her way out.

Soon, she reached the gates of Night Tower. She had hoped to see Hanna and Neo there, but they were not.

She walked towards a Seeker who stood guard at the gate and asked in a soft voice.

"Have you seen Miss Lavina?"

The guard had his face opposite to her, turning around with an annoyed expression, he opened his mouth to tell the person to go away. But he stopped after seeing who it was.

His eyes widened as he stepped forward and questioned in an excited yet doubtful tone.

"Are you Miss Golden Angel?"

Anna blinked a few times and replied with a reluctant nod.

"Ah! It’s a pleasure to meet the Golden Angel." He stated as he bowed deeply.

Anna looked at him with a frown as she questioned what was on her mind for quite some time now.

"Why do you treat me as something revered? Have not the guardians of the Night Tower been doing the same thing as me for decades now?"

The guard lifted his head and gave her a wide smile as he pointed towards the moonveil city and answered her.

"This land... or sea is full of danger; we can die anytime here. So we tend to tie ourselves to every bit of hope we can find so we don’t lose ourselves in the grief of life."

Anna looked at him for some time, then she turned towards the moonveil city and mumbled.

"Hope..."

"More so after the deed of your group, the act of jumping from such height without caring about oneself just to save more islanders from those merkins." The guard commented with his eyes sparking in admiration.

Anna looked at him in bewilderment and thought.

’What? I didn’t do it to save more, though?’

The guard didn’t notice the change in her expression and continued in the same tone.

"Then there is ’The Broken Blade’... He fought those monsters for the sake of the islanders, even though he is unawakened himself."

Anna stared at him with a deadpan look.

’He is physically as strong as an Ignited, though...’

"And lastly... ’The Graceful Vine’, she made sure that none of the injured ones lost their lives."

Anna nodded at his words. Hanna did what she did not because she wanted to prove herself, not because Anna had told her to; she did it because she wanted to do it for herself.

"Without you three, a lot of lives would’ve been lost. Sir Michael was always our Radiant Arrow, but with you three in tow, the islanders fell more peaceful, more hopeful."

He added as he turned towards Anna and bowed.

"And I can’t thank you enough for it."

Anna looked at him with complicated thoughts hidden beneath her gentle and thankful smile.

The people of Aquadra may think of her deeds as a sacrifice, as something she had done for the good, for the people, even though it endangered her life. But that was nowhere near the truth... Anna could read the threads of existence themselves; she could read the very fibre of creation? Why would she take steps leading to her own demise?

The whole of what had happened was simply a plan she had formed with as much information as she had obtained. Heck, she wouldn’t even feel anything about their deaths until long enough after all, her trait would take away the very emotions she needs to ’care’.

Calling her someone who helped others because of her emotions and care was like calling a beast human, and Anna knew it.

So, she didn’t say anything. It may be false hope, but it was hope nonetheless.

"You don’t have to be so thankful. I did what I felt right," she commented with a smile, which appeared like the radiance of the sun... she was truly an angel for them.

The guard lifted his head and smiled widely, his eyes, which had held admiration before, now held reverence similar to how they looked at the saintess.

Anna had turned towards the fantastical crystal city... its architecture was straight out of fantasy, even considering that she was atop a floating island, the city didn’t feel ordinary in any way; instead, it felt more unreal.

The vines of vibrant trees, which had bathed themselves in star essence for decades blend with the dark crystal walls, runic lanterns, and braziers with colourful flames in them stretched across the street. The moonlight scattered when it fell on the crystal, giving it a mystic charm. The grouped islands may not be as marvellous as the Capital of Xyonthar, but the Moonveil City was much greater... There was no comparison between them. One was the city of noble historical architecture blended with modern design, and the other was simply otherworldly.

It was a true metropolis... Anna smiled bitterly as she remembered what she had said about this magnificent city the first time.

’A metropolis built upon the bed of divine, yet it fears its own worshippers the most.’

The guard had turned silent, looking at the visage of Anna, who stood silently as she gazed at the Moonveil city, her near enthralling face was illuminated by soft moonlight; she appeared no less than an angel the fairytales spoke about, a true angel.

Whoever had given her the moniker of the Golden Angel must have been entranced by her face.

He shook his head and spoke softly.

"As for your question... I believe Warden Lavina had left for her mansion with the Broken Blade and the Graceful Vine."

Anna turned towards him, she nodded and questioned.

"Where is her mansion?"

"At the southwest of the city is a lake, Warden Lavina’s mansion is beside the lake."

Anna nodded at him, stepping forward, she left for the mansion.