A few minutes ago.
In a secluded pristine forest somewhere in the Genesis Empire.
The life samples of millions of races were being stored and secured into an ancient tree when an intruder broke in.
"You..." Asherah looked at the radiant Aurora with a complicated gaze.
"Hello, Asherah." Aurora smiled, suppressing the resentment that was about to boil over.
"How did you find me...oh, never mind." Asherah shook her head and bit her lip. "So, he really healed you, huh. That’s why he seemed so weak that even I could defeat him."
" Then why didn’t you?" Aurora asked, eyes narrowing.
"...If he dies, then it’s either Hades or Ophion. All living beings will face hell." Asherah answered without even thinking.
Aurora clenched her fist, fingers digging into the flesh and dripping blood.
Her ’mother’ cared about all living beings, so much so that she’d kill trillions to save them. So much so that she’d help someone who beat her up not long ago.
Such a selfless woman.
A terrible mother.
’No. It makes sense. Only that kind of woman would be...’
"And why did you visit me? Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill you now that’s he weakened?"
Aurora didn’t even bother with the obvious provocation and produced a long list of things. "His life is under threat. If you don’t get these materials as soon as possible, he’ll die under Hades. Then, Undead will reign."
Asherah’s nonchalance broke and she grabbed the list. With a light pause, she looked up at her with a scrutinizing gaze.
"He made the list? All of these materials are from the Relics Hall."
Aurora nodded.
"How long do I have?"
"A few minutes, if we’re good."
"Wait here!" Asherah’s aura was pushed to the brink and she vanished instantly.
Meanwhile, dozens of ’Sia and Enigma’ were moving all across Eden, collecting various precious materials.
’Collecting’ was a loose word.
They would’ve paid if there was enough time. There’s no time even for that.
They were just breaking into treasuries, vaults and grabbing the things needed.
While the clones were venturing into the safer areas, the main bodies were in the risker regions.
Time seemed to crawl.
Aurora walked back and forth, rubbing her sweating palms as she prayed for him to survive.
Sia and Enigma both volunteered to be here. But she rejected them both.
’Maybe my loving mother would kill me the moment she sees me.’
That thought didn’t even cross Aurora’s mind. She’s too fixated on Varian’s survival to think about anything else.
’Brother-in-law, don’t die, don’t die, don’t die. If this is retribution for me wanting to live longer, I will accept my death. I just want you to live. Please.’
From the depth of her heart, Aurora gave up any desire to live. She’s fine dying as long as he got to live.
Three minutes later, a panting and exhausted Asherah arrived.
Dozens of materials collapsed to the ground, as did the All Mother.
Aurora didn’t even spare a glance at her and ran out with the materials.
The ghost ship, fully charged, entered the space channel that was constructed in those three long minutes.
She was quick. But she was still slower than the pale Sia and Enigma who were waiting in the large workshop.
"Hurry!" Sia urged, eyes bloodshot.
Aurora poured the materials into the center of the workshop, where Sarah and Isadora were seated, face to face.
"Isadora, we can’t fail." Sarah arranged the materials in order as she took one deep breath.
"No, we won’t." Isadora emptied her mind and focused on her origin.
The ’experience sharing’ through Origin wasn’t simply visual, auditory or any other senses.
It’s the whole package. In a way, it gave the POV experience.
Due to their high level of synergy, they were also able to control the flow of time to a degree.
So, they already replayed the formations and the knowledge of them dozens of times by now.
And Varian himself sent his own interpretations and explanations about them.
They could also see his own experiments and how he applied the knowledge he taught them.
There’s no better teaching than this.
And yet.
The knowledge was too complicated, too advanced.
Sarah and Isadora spared no effort. They didn’t waste even a single thought.
They also used extremely expensive materials from the palace of God Emperor himself. Many of these materials were helpful even to rank 2s.
This should’ve made it easier for them to succeed.
Yet, they failed in creating the formation.
Sarah’s face was pale, as she glanced at the dysfunctional disc forged from the materials.
The symbols she and Isadora engraved on them weren’t glowing. They weren’t channeling the aura properly.
It wasn’t even 30% successful.
Sia and Enigma looked at each other. And then they rushed out.
"Wait!" Sarah yelled. "Don’t rush there! You’ll only be hostages and get him killed!"
That’s the only thing that stopped the two. Sia collapsed to the ground while Enigma looked at the sky in desolation.
"He knew this would happen. The formation doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be there. This could work." Sarah consoled them. And her herself.
"We’ll hide outside. If it works, it works. If it doesn’t..."
"I’ll kill myself." Aurora said. "And he doesn’t have to do any of this. He can return to Hortus, recover slowly and avenge me."
Hearing her words, they all fell silent. No one said a word against it. But they looked at her differently now...closely, affectionately.
"If Varian in a position that he can’t even escape...then I’ll self-destruct." Enigma said, looking at Sia and Isadora.
Self-destruction of one meant the three of them would die.
Neither Sia nor Isadora objected.
"If you three aren’t enough," Sarah added. "I’ll join."
The four women stared at each other before a small chuckle broke out. Unlike the tense atmosphere earlier, they were now lively.
Because they knew, no matter what’s going to happen, they’ll bring him out alive.
Whether three of them died or all of them did, he would be saved.
If nothing else, their own death would push him to the brink and bring out his deepest strength, allowing him to survive this ordeal.
Aurora joined the group and in a minute, they reached the forbidden region.
The advanced formation from Heaven tribe, forged from the precious materials in God Emperor’s palace was sent into a space crack that opened outside.
Now, they waited.
For his life. And for their death.