Traveler of the River of Time and Space-Chapter 454 - 53: Fireless Sacrificial Altar 2

Sister Fried nodded and said, "An ancient ritual."

"The Firekeeper is to have her eyes removed."

"Only by embracing the darkness can they guard the flame."

Sister Fried hesitated slightly before saying slowly, "I might need to go back to the Fire Transmission Ritual Site."

Go back?

Su Ziyu furrowed his brows and asked, "What for?"

Sister Fried showed the eyeball in her hand and said softly, "Give it to the Firekeeper."

"To approach the First Flame."

"We will need the Firekeeper's help."

Sister Fried must have remembered something, but she was unwilling to elaborate. Instead, she looked up at Su Ziyu and asked, "Can you trust me?"

"Perhaps I have a way to extinguish the First Flame more easily."

"But you need to give me the other Lord's souls as proof."

Su Ziyu was silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay."

"But at least let me understand what you're planning to do."

Sister Fried contemplated for a while and spread out the eyeball in her hand, saying, "This is a curse."

"The Firekeeper's curse."

"It can help us gain the Firekeeper's assistance."

Su Ziyu's expression was somewhat incredulous as he asked, "Giving this eye to the Firekeeper, will she aid us in extinguishing the flame?"

"Yes." Sister Fried nodded and replied, "Because it will show the Firekeeper an era where the flame will eventually extinguish."

"And a glimmer of hope for the future."

Su Ziyu remained silent for a while before nodding and saying, "Alright."

"You can go."

"I trust you."

After speaking, Su Ziyu took out the souls of the other three Lords.

The refinement speed of the Demon Gourd was not fast; the other souls had not yet been fully refined, and those souls of the Lords were stored in Su Ziyu's private space. Even if Sister Fried ran off with the souls of the Lords, the gains he had already received during the previous battles were substantial, including a lot of Divinity Value.

Moreover, he still somewhat trusted Sister Fried.

The stance of Sister Fried was aligned with his own; even though she had concealed some facts, Su Ziyu still chose to trust her.

Furthermore, Sister Fried's return to the Fire Transmission Ritual Site this time also carried risks; the souls of the Lords should serve as a validation, a token of trust for others.

The two did not linger long at the Fireless Sacrificial Altar.

This place was too oppressive and dark.

Disquieting.

Aside from a maid awaiting death, there were no other living beings to be seen.

A belated hero led to the extinguishing of the flame here, and the abandoned Fireless Sacrificial Altar was sealed in the deepest part of Lothric Royal City; there might be a convoluted secret here, but it has long been buried in history.

Sister Fried directly teleported back to the Fire Transmission Ritual Site using the Spiral Sword Fragment.

While Su Ziyu retraced his steps, preparing to head to the Ancient Dragon's Peak as per the plan, requiring the cooperation of Lothric's Twin Princes.

Fire Transmission Ritual Site.

Amidst drifting sparks, Sister Fried's silhouette appeared directly by the central bonfire.

As her figure appeared, the entire Fire Transmission Ritual Site fell into dead silence.

Not far away, Hawkwood crouched in the corner, staring agape at Sister Fried, opening his mouth to say something but ultimately swallowing his words.

"Why do you dare to come back?"

An elderly voice resonated, seemingly from the throne.

Sister Fried turned with an expressionless face, directly gazing at the Lord on the throne, an elder with sparks burning on him, his legs already burned away. She said calmly, "Why shouldn't I come back?"

Finished speaking, Sister Fried directly pulled out her Giant Scythe, looked at Rudus on the throne, and said slowly, "A Lord is not required to be alive to be kindling."

"Rudus."

"Do you understand?"

Upon hearing Sister Fried's words, the Lord Rudus on the throne visibly weakened, his speech became somewhat stuttered, and he angrily said, "This here... this is the Fire Transmission Ritual Site!..."

Sister Fried turned her head to her side, and in the darkness, a female silhouette emerged. She said slowly, "Of course I know this is the Fire Transmission Ritual Site."

Unbeknownst to anyone.

A shadowy figure emerged in the darkness, holding an invisible sword, gazing at Sister Fried with disdain: "Sister. Do you actually dare to return?"

Yulia.

Yulia of Londor, the leader of the Black Church, and also Sister Fried's younger sister.

Beside her stood another ember without flames, dressed as a witch, watching Sister Fried with interest, occasionally glancing at the Firekeeper by the bonfire.

The Firekeeper stood quietly in place.

Yet, everyone noticed she had already placed her fair hand on the Spiral Sword that was thrust into the center of the bonfire.

"You've betrayed the flames!..." Rudus, as his gaze fell upon the Firekeeper, showed a hint of subtle fear in his expression.

The situation inside the Fire Transmission Ritual Site was eerie.

Almost everyone was watching for changes in the Firekeeper's expression. Though she appeared harmless, all the unkindled embers knew that each generation of Firekeepers was extraordinary. The amount of souls a Firekeeper carries is terrifying; she is a vessel, and it's she who helps the unkindled embers transmute souls into power.

The Firekeeper cannot be killed.

Once, an unkindled ember had ambushed and killed a Firekeeper, but she soon revived from the bonfire, casually thrusting the Spiral Sword into the ashes. Only by completing her mission can the Firekeeper attain the repose of death.

The Firekeeper will not zombify; no matter how many times she dies, she can revive.

"I have not betrayed the flames." Sister Fried's attention remained on the Firekeeper as she slowly revealed the Lord of Cinder souls given to her by Su Ziyu, displaying them to the others, and in a deep voice said: "I simply used that nameless king."

"To help me obtain these kindling."

One after another, dazzling soul glows emerged.

The Cinder Lord soul of the Falan Undead Squad, the Cinder Lord soul of Giant King Yum, the Cinder Lord soul of Eldritch, the Devourer of Gods.

Sister Fried stood there calmly, slowly saying: "While you all have gained nothing."

"I am already close to success."

"As soon as the right opportunity arises, I can claim all the kindling of the Lords of Cinder."

The Firekeeper stood with a slightly furrowed brow.

She gazed at the Cinder Lord souls in Sister Fried's hand, sensing something seemed to be missing among them.

However, she still softly spoke: "Welcome back."

"Great Unkindled Lord."

The atmosphere in the Fire Transmission Ritual Site instantly relaxed, and after the Firekeeper spoke, the others fell into silence, gazing at Sister Fried with unclear intentions.

Sister Fried slowly approached Yulia of Londor.

But as she passed by the Firekeeper, she seemingly inadvertently touched the back of her hand with her little finger.

"Sister."

"You can't fool me. You don't really want to transmit fire." Yulia said expressionlessly, staring at Sister Fried.

Sister Fried sighed softly, slowly saying: "Do you think others don't know why Londor wants to transmit fire?"

"King of Wandering Souls of Londor?"

"Heh."

Sister Fried's lips curled into a mocking smile, softly saying: "To be king of a bunch of zombies in such a hopeless world?"

"Does it even matter?"

Yulia remained silent, only saying in a deep tone: "The era of divine rule has ended, and the age of humanity will eventually arrive."

Sister Fried shook her head, saying: "Humanity?"

"Just a heap of conscious undead."

"The flames will eventually die out."

"Can a bunch of undead endure the era of fireless darkness?"

"Do you still believe in the lies of the World Serpent? Give it up! Only through destruction can you welcome rebirth!"

Yulia was silent for a moment, then looked up and said: "As long as we seize the First Flame, humanity will have enough heroes to sustain the flames."

"Stubborn." Sister Fried said coldly.

With that, she turned directly to leave, heading in Hawkwood's direction, causing the man to uneasily step back.

The Firekeeper remained quietly standing by the bonfire.

Sister Fried glanced back at the Firekeeper, before finding a quiet place to sit, as if waiting for the right opportunity.

.........