Last Born Of The Desdemona

Chapter 467: Chapter 467: Falling From The Sun

Chapter 467 – Falling From The Sun

[Goddamnit, Cassius!] The System immediately cried out, and its voice was the last thing Cassius expected at that precise moment.

He was confused for a moment, but it didn’t take him long to gather himself, his mind working fast.

’I mean, what do you want?’ he said. ’I need to gather some allies for all this mess coming at me from all sides, don’t I?’

[By Collecting Mothers??]

’You gave me the Title, didn’t you? Stop acting like you don’t know the implications. No, before all of that, wait a damn Queen’s blessed minute. Since when are you able to talk to me like this?’

[Since forever. I just don’t like talking to you.]

’You bloody—!’

"Hahahah!!"

Cassius’s discussion with the System was cut short by Blanche’s loud, grating laugh. Laughter so loud and resonant that the fire around them seemed to laugh with her, and it was not a sight for the faint of heart.

Explosions occurred in waves, each one feeding into the next, reaching such a staggering intensity that Cassius was sweating, his lips twitching at the horrific sight of a sun that seemed about to explode.

This laughter could almost be heard across the earth below, and the sun glowed even more searingly hot, forcing the people of the Heartland to soak their clothes just to survive that horrid day.

"I... I am happy that you’re laughing, but... uhm... I don’t think I am THAT funny," Cassius managed to say amid the chaos of flames, smiling wryly, and Blanche’s fit of laughter slowly died down.

And with that, the fire breathed low and gentle once more.

’Queen’s skirt.’

Now Cassius could see Blanche’s face, and he had to admit that the White Phoenix with a joyful expression was more majestic and beautiful than any woman he had ever seen in his lifetime, with the sole exception of Isolde.

And that was saying a lot, for Cassius was surrounded by women of high standing, with even goddesses among them.

But Blanche...

’Bright like the Sun,’ he thought. ’And just like the Sun, she becomes all the more beautiful when she smiles with joy and peace, rather than when she is lost in gloom and sorrow. Ah, I have no words, and goddamn it, that’s rare for me.’

"You never cease to surprise me, Lightbringer," she said, wiping away a small tear that had escaped her divine eye. A tear of joy. The first in forever. "I have never witnessed anyone ask to be adopted the way you do."

"Well, yes," he said, smiling. "I think I am starting to become a little weird after all this knowledge."

"Shall I welcome you into our group of eccentrics, then?"

"Let’s not put the milk before the cereal, dear Phoenix," he replied. "I’m still a baby."

"Who needs a mother?"

"Talking with smart people is just so satisfying."

Blanche laughed again. "Humor me, Cassius. Tell me, how many mothers do you have now?"

Cassius’s lips twitched at that question.

He tilted his head to one side, pensive, hand on his chin as if calculating the number. That simple action made the White Phoenix shake her head in slight disbelief.

Finally, he replied, "I think I have five of them. Six, if you want to count my master."

"This is absurd. Is this your own version of a Harem?"

"God forbid a man wants sugar mommies to spoil him. Is that a crime? And mind you, Phoenix, among all these mothers, I willingly chose only one. And that’s my biological mother, Sefira. Don’t count Marvela, that was my last-resort choice to avoid some trauma."

He then made a difficult expression, as if pained and burdened by all this motherly love.

"All the others decided for themselves. And who am I to refuse such love? The love of a mother is the purest thing in this world, after all."

"I suppose I should be delighted that you asked me yourself."

"I like talking to—!"

"Don’t you dare say that sentence again."

Cassius shut his mouth, smiling helplessly, then shrugged. ’People don’t like compliments anymore. Sigh. What a hard world.’

Blanche could almost guess the thoughts coursing through this boy’s brain. Once more, she remembered the past timelines, and noticed one crucial thing.

Cassius was quite different.

His Core hadn’t changed — he was still a family man. But some of his attitudes were no longer the same.

He was bolder, more shameless, and certainly more talented and powerful.

’Is it the influence of being born among people who love you? Of growing up in a family that doesn’t seek to chain you, but instead supports you? Of having friends and mentors who are always ready to lend you a hand? Of being loved by goddesses so deeply that they willingly bestowed their True Blessings upon you?’

Blanche was amazed by how much one’s environment could affect and transform a person.

’And Cassius Desdemona is the reflection of his own. Loving, crazy, supportive, and shameless. Like any Desdemona, and like any Hood.’

The White Phoenix laughed again and focused back on Cassius, sitting in front of her, patiently awaiting her decision.

She was tempted to say yes, to be honest.

She knew being his mother would be fun, no doubt, but also... it would mean she would need to invest so much in him, and investing meant giving him her affection.

And doing that would mean that if he failed again, she would suffer even worse than before, and might not survive the pain. Her heart was barely managing to keep itself from crumbling to dust after all this suffering.

’I need to protect myself, alas, lovely bastard.’

So she opened her mouth to say no – to completely refuse this man, lest he become even more important to her – but the words that came out of her mouth were nothing like the words her mind wanted to say:

"Reach the Sun," Blanche said, her eyes widening at her own words, yet she continued, as if guided by something deeper than reason. "Have you forgotten, Lightbringer? You told me you would reach the sun. You reached it today, but not with your own power."

Cassius’s eyes widened slightly, understanding where she was going.

Blanche smiled, lifted her right hand, and pointed her index finger at him.

"The day you reach the Sun with your own power is the day I will be what you want me to be. For now..."

The flames of the sun snapped and rushed towards the tip of her outstretched finger, gathering and swirling until they formed a beautiful phoenix made of fire.

Immaculate white fire.

"...take this as a Gift, and grow stronger."

Cassius barely had time to react before the Phoenix zipped through the air and slammed into his left eye.

His head snapped back sharply, pain spreading through his body like fire.

His mouth open to gasp in pain and surprise, Cassius didn’t even have time to gather his mana before his body was propelled backward at tremendous speed.

At that moment, he immediately understood what was happening.

The White Phoenix was sending him away from the Sun. At this rate, he would be thrown out of it and fall down to the earth.

His eyes widened in tremendous shock, and he managed to look at the White Phoenix one last time, seeing her smiling widely, seated on her throne like an Empress who had snatched the crown from the Sun.

"Go on, Lightbringer. You once fell after the Sun burned your wings. Now you are falling after receiving a Gift from the Sun." Her smile widened. "Quite the improvement, don’t you think? I hope you survive, and that next time, you walk straight to me, lovely bastard."

"BLANCHE!!! YOU CRAZY—!"

POP!

Cassius burst out of the bloody Sun, his eyes wide with horror, wisps of white and golden fire trailing after him and coiling around his body like smoke rising from freshly baked bread.

For a brief instant, he levitated there, weightless, lying against the dark blankness of the heavens, his wide eyes still fixed on the Sun that remained so terribly close to him.

Without him even noticing, blood was seeping from every one of his orifices, and his chest was tightening, on the verge of exploding in an environment utterly incompatible with his existence.

Yet the Last Born gazed at the untold number of stars now so awfully visible, some of them even glowing brighter and blinking repeatedly like eyes trying to understand whether they were truly seeing what stood before them, as if his presence itself had disturbed the heavens.

He could even glimpse the Moon and other celestial bodies adorning the vastness above.

Awe filled his heart, and for one brief moment, as Cassius beheld the terrible beauty and grandeur of the heavens, he felt as though he had become one with it.

But only for a moment, as his body began to plummet towards the earth, dragged down by a force he could neither understand nor resist, passing through the three barriers surrounding the world.

He screamed, finally noticing his blood painting the dark heavens, tears escaping his eyes only to be burned away by the speed of his fall.

To anyone looking up from the earth below, with good enough divine eyesight, his body would have looked like a falling meteor.

Cassius closed his mouth to stop screaming. There was no oxygen entering his body, and he didn’t want to waste what little he had left.

He grew lightheaded, and the Last Born of the Desdemona knew for certain that he was going to die at this rate.

[CASSIUS!] Ananke suddenly screamed, finally feeling the connection with her Blessed again, only to see him falling.

[WHAT IN THE ABYSS’S NAME IS GOING ON!] Tysche followed, shocked to the core.

[DARLINGGGGG!] Marvela was stupefied.

Cassius was hearing, yet not hearing at the same time, his skin burning away to ash.

However, before it was too late, the Goddesses acted, and Isolde’s Blessing activated with tremendous intensity, making Cassius suddenly disappear, dragged into a Gate.

The Gate of Fate and Secrecy.

—End of Chapter 467—