Ascenders Rift

Chapter 129: An Unexpected Encounter, The Scarlet Dancer

Time passed quickly, and Evan, Layla, and the rest had returned to Earling Star; though everything seemed to have not changed, they couldn't help but notice the crowds of armored individuals that moved about the streets, as if it were some ancient film setting. Each of these people included both those of the militia and ordinary civilians that have become Ascenders.

Soon, they ventured towards the Golden Palace, the main branch which was under the jurisdiction of Alan's men. Here, there were quite a lot of noble individuals from upper society, as well as famous individuals from large groups.

Amongst them, some seemed to be different faces, garbed in excellent equipment; they stood at equal grounds with these famous individuals that would have normally been out of their reach. In fact, if one looked around the room carefully, one would notice that most of those of the influential parties were showing flattering looks to these once regular people.

Joe was a bit surprised by this as he whispered, "It's as if those guys came straight from fiction, with a little bit of power they are already climbing high into society's high ranks."

Emilia and the others chuckled at those words, but Evan shook his head, not bothering to think about these individuals; instead, what had caught his eyes was a lone girl that sat in a corner while drinking. She wore a dark reddish cape over fine-looking leather armor as her dyed red hair made her stood out as bold and confident. Yet, if one looked at her round-shaped eyes, one would realize that it carried a cold look as if she had gone through hell and risen through bloodshed.

While many of the Ascenders in the room had a much similar experience, her current state signified that her experiences had far outweighed everyone else's.

Evan's eyes narrowed as he caught sight of this girl, he couldn't help but think, 'Susie, isn't that Susie? Where has she been all this time? She seems different somehow; I should ask her what happened to her mother.'

After clearing his thoughts, Evan looked at Joe and the others before he spoke, "You guys find yourself a nice seat and order something, I'll be right back."

Joe and the others looked at Evan for a moment before their eyes veered off to where he was previously looking; there, they noticed a familiar face.

Rick's eyes flashed as he recalled saving her before in the Training Zone, he looked at Evan and spoke, "Isn't that your cousin? She doesn't look so good,"

"Yes, she is one of those that went missing as well, I had believed it to be RADA's doing, but now that she is here I can't say for sure if that's the case," Evan replied with a complex expression.

Rick also narrowed his eyes, he shook his head and spoke as he pointed to a nearby empty table that can seat six individuals, "I see, well, do what you have to we'll be over there,"

After speaking, Joe and the others also followed Rick while casting glances towards the somewhat lifeless looking Susie that sat in silence. Evan sighed as he made his way over towards her table at a steady pace.

While Evan was moving towards her direction, a few of the individuals who were being flattered looked towards him. While it didn't seem like it before, each of them was, in fact, staring at the red-haired beauty. However, for some reason, they each kept their distance and didn't try to intrude on her personal space.

One of them was a slim faced man with a pointed born, sharp eyes and spikey hair with earrings. He sat with his feet on the table and wore flashy clothing instead of armor. Surrounding him, were a small crowd of gorgeous women dressed in scanty formal clothing, feeding him the food on the table. Another was a chubby man that wore heavy armor and a helmet over his face, revealing only his brown eyes.

At this time, a few onlookers couldn't help but speak as they notice that both men were facing Evan's direction, watching as he walked towards the girl in silence.

"Who is he? What could have given him the balls even to try his hand at that famous, Scarlet Dancer?" One of them spoke to his companions.

"I don't know, but he truly must have guts made of steel, maybe there is something special about this man," Another person said, his eyes flashed as he used his inspection ability.

Soon though, his eyes narrowed as he spoke, "Hmm, not even at level 1, just what the hell is fool thinking? She'll rip even a Level 2 to shreds with those odd blades of hers much less of those like him."

"Haha, it doesn't seem like he'll have long to live later, after all, look at who's also staring at him, who doesn't know of the affections that both Human Hawk Kieran and Armored Finlay share for that disaster of a beauty?" Someone else replied with a sneering smile, paying attention to the movements of the slim man in flashy clothes and the chubby man who wore heavy armor.

The others also laughed as they heard this, as they were now expecting a bloodbath to begin. Evan didn't care about their words; he had now arrived a few feet away from Susie's table. It even seemed that she had sensed his presence, not even bothering to look up, a powerful scarlet energy rose from around her as it swept towards him from all sides.

Evan smiled as he saw this, but as if he didn't care about the attack he stood still, the crowd look at this action in madness, but soon, their eyes opened wide as they saw an unexpected scene.

As if he didn't even need to dodge, the energies that hit his body vaporized, showing no direct influence on his being.

"This... how? I've seen that same move demolish quite a few ignorant Level 1's. Are you telling me that he's beyond that?" Someone asked in shock.

"Can't you see, he's stronger than he appears, I don't know what he did, or how he accomplished it. However, he's able to shroud his stats from our eyes; it could even be that he's gotten himself a nice treasured artifact to conceal one's true abilities," Someone else said with a look of greed on his face.

As the person said this, many of the others gathered in the room had changes in expression, showing looks of greed on their faces. Both Kieran and Finlay also looked at Evan with strange eyes, as if calculating something.

Evan, having resisted the powers of Susie meant to repel anyone and all things, walked by her side and lowered his stance. As he did this, he couldn't help but notice the lifeless look in her eyes; he sighed knowing full well what this kind of look meant, he gently reached his hand out and patted her head and spoke, "There now Susie, you can tell cousin what happened?"

As if Evan's voice, was an oasis in the desert, a light in the field of darkness. Susie's somewhat lifeless looking eyes flickered as they slowly came around. Upon doing this, only now did she realize who was standing before her.

The eyes that looked at Evan now had a depth of sadness like no other as if deep at its core was a broken soul that could never be healed. Susie wanted to cry and pour all her heart out, but she recalled why her mother went to prison, the vision of what transpired flashed in her head, warping her thoughts.

Now, she didn't only blame the bastard that killed her; she also blamed everyone and everything else, including Evan, who was the cause for her falling from grace into despair.

Though she blamed him, however, it didn't mean she viewed him as an enemy; she gritted her teeth, causing blood to flow down her chin as she shrugged his arm from her head and stared away from him while speaking, "Evan... please, please just leave me alone..."

Evan frowned as he heard those words, he looked at her carefully before speaking again, "Susie, I know that we've never really seen eye to eye in the past, but I need you to understand that we are at the end of the day, family. You do not need to hide away and bare all the sins of the world on your shoulder. If you don't seek a place to poor your worries, they will only grow to burden you..."

Susie knew full well what Evan was saying was the truth, but the fact that he was a cause for her mother's death was also correct. She tried her best to reign in on her anger and spoke again in a louder voice, "Evan, I don't care, just leave me be please, I don't want your help, I don't need anyone's aid, my own hands shall determine my future."

Evan sighed at her words; he gave one last look before he turned around and began to walk away. Susie felt better seeing these actions, but she soon heard his voice, "I don't know what happened to your mother, and what caused you to become like this, but if there is one thing I'll tell you. It is that no matter where you go, what you are doing, or how much you try to hide it, we will always be family."

Following those words, Evan had left Susie's location, headed towards Joe, and the others who were now eating around a distant table and conversing.

While no one heard what Evan and Susie talked about, when they saw Evan left, their eyes opened wide as they noticed that Susie had started crying. Her tears flowed down her soft cheeks from her large round eyes, giving her a pitiful look like no other.

A few individuals were shocked, but not like the likes of Kieran and Finlay, who held deeply hidden affections for the beauty. This scene only caused them to be enraged, as a coldness rose in the room. Now, their eyes fixed onto the back of the man now deemed as their enemy, having a murderous glint.