Elements: The Ancient Tomb

Chapter 23: "Land of gods"- Part 11: "Dead or alive?!"

"...Yelena almost lost her spirit after indirectly causing Toan's accident. Suddenly she heard a strange voice in her ear. It wasn't Linh's, and Yelena realized only she could hear.

'Can you hear this voice?'

'Yeah. I can. Who are you?'

'Your lifespan is not over yet. You still have a long way to go. Stand up!'

'What do you mean? Are you the god of death to send me to hell?'

'No. You are currently the owner of what the humans call the Element Card. So you can hear me. I will teleport you to another dimension. It only takes a few seconds in real life.'

Suddenly Yelena's mind was surrounded by a golden light. She closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a strange place. In front of her, there was no longer Linh's presence, where she was standing was not Linh's office anymore, but a fanciful space that she feels like heaven. There was nothing around her but whitewashed space. Before she could understand anything, a spirit-like entity appeared in front of her, 50 meters away from her.

That spirit took the form of a demon similar to the fairy tale 'The ghost in the Viking' that she read as a child twenty years ago. The demon came closer and closer, scaring Yelena and forcing her to step back with high precaution. Seeing Yelena's confused, bewildered, and wary face made the demon laugh. The demon introduces himself:

'Hello, I am Thedus- the guardian god of the creator of the Element Cards and the owner of one of them.'

'So are… are you one of the four gods who guarded 'the treasure of the ancient tomb' thousands of years ago? It's unexpected to see you in your true form.'

'You were the first to do it after we woke up from that thousand-year slumber. I need to tell you one thing: time in this dimension is slower than in real-time So we can talk freely without worrying about being disturbed by anyone.'

'Really? That surprised me quite a bit. Does that mean I can talk to you for as long as I like?'

'Exactly. You didn't mishear.'

'I thought this was just a dream three minutes ago. Now I believe it's true. I'm really curious as to what happened before you sealed yourself in a coffin and spent a thousand years long sleep. Do you mind telling me?'

'Sure. 1000 years ago, I and three other gods were created to rule the cathedral. And then an earth-shattering war called the 'War of the Light Force and Dark Force' happened, we were forced to fight on our own, and then when the war was over, our souls were sealed inside this thing. We woke up because someone woke us up. I don't know if it was intentional or accidental. But the truth is, I have lost contact with the remaining three gods.'

'War of the Light force and Dark force'?! It sounds so strange. Why don't any of Linh's documents mention it?'- Yelena thought for a moment

'Hey, you. Can I ask you something?'- Thedus asked

'Yeah, sure.'

'The Element Cards was the name you mortals use to call them right?'

'Yeah. Can we keep calling them by that name?'

'No problem, as long as it makes you mortals convenient.'

Yelena felt more relaxed. And then she asked- 'So those gods used to be his comrades and also owned an Element Card corresponding to the element that they represent, right?'

'Correct. How can you know so much about Element Cards and us?'

'I've been researching you for a long time. Don't mind about this.'- Saying that, Yelena turned back against Thedus, snapping her fingers as if she realized something, thinking: 'So what Toan told me and the documents I read from Linh's office are all correct. So, I can confirm with him something to clarify my suspicions.'

The part when Yelena took the initiative to approach Thedus with unbelievable confidence, in contrast to her shyness earlier, she boldly asked:

'Can you tell us how that war happened, and what entity you guys were up against?'

Thedus just smiled, saying in an open-up attitude:

'One day you will know. Now we have more important things to talk about. Listen, the power that I am about to give you is taken in part from me. I'm sealed in the Element Card so I can't use my power but can only give you a small part and let the user use it, but don't worry, with only a small part, that's enough to make you stronger than normal people. In other words, you can fight against anyone to protect yourself with this power. Now it's up to you to decide whether to take the power or not. Your life is threatened by the Element Card you hold, but that thing can also save you. In short, your life depends on whether you will make a contract with me or not.'

'What if I accept part and all of your power?'

Let me tell you the similarities and differences between the two possibilities. The similarity between them you will face inevitable death. The power within you, more or less, will gradually destroy every organ in your body, turning your healthy body into an old, weak, vulnerable body in a short time, and In the end, death is your destination. About the difference...'

'Well, you don't have to say anymore. I guess the difference between them is only in the short length of your life, and how much impact on the body with each of the possibilities you just came up with. What I need to know is that once I receive this power, more or less, death is already destined for me, that's enough.'

'Right. Either way, you will die in any possibility. I want you to prepare yourself mentally before considering and deciding whether to perform the transfer of power or not.'

'Understood'- Yelena said with some nerves on her face.

'How do you feel after hearing that? I saw your nerves on your face.'

'Yeah, a little bit. But I'll still die under any circumstances, right? I thought taking over your power or not doesn't matter.'

'Really? How interesting you are!'- Thedus exclaimed.

'By the way, I never thought a god would try to make a deal with a mortal like me. It sounds like... Haha...'- Yelena said with a smile.

'This girl... is so crazy'- Thedus thought.

'So how is the process of every organ in my body destroyed by the power you grant me?'- Yelena asked with a relaxed face.

'That process will be slow. You will gradually feel the pain penetrating every bone, all organs, flesh, etc... Your mind will go crazy with persistent headaches aching to the bone, making you just want to come to death to be freed from this hell on earth. Regardless of the case where you take your own life first, the person carrying this power will die at any time, even while sleeping. So I want you to think carefully before making the final decision.'

Yelena remained silent for a while and thought for a moment. Suddenly, beautiful memories of Toan, Uncle Oliver, Nhan, and especially her biological uncle appeared in her mind. And then when she thought about them, she remembered Nhan and their promise: 'Let's live for the promise between us.'

'I know how you're feeling...'- Thedus continued- 'You should consider it carefully. This is a risky exchange, which you do not want. Tolerating those symptoms is too much for you. Compared to letting that power torture your body and mind, it might be better to die at the hands of Linh. Believe me, you will experience those horrible, terrifying experiences in the future if you receive my strength.'

'I've decided. I will accept it.'

'How can you decide so quickly?'

'I will never regret this decision. I caused an accident for someone who cared for and trusted me wholeheartedly. It is not clear now whether he was alive or dead in the burning car. Either way, my fate is set. But I can't die right now. One more thing I have to do is...

'Bring EC to the ancient tomb, fulfill Toan's wish, right?'

'How do you know?'

'Toan often mutters about that and I overheard it while in the EC dimension. I guess only by doing that will you be able to feel some relief, later on even if you die, you can close your eyes with peace of mind.'

Yelena nodded, and said in a soft, reassuring voice:

'It was the best I could do. Since I'm the one who started it all, I'll be the one to end it. Only then can Toan rest in paradise.'

'Your personality makes me a little curious. Why don't you think for yourself but only for others? I guess you're the type to put yourself in danger for others, right?'

'I learned from my mother. She is a self-sacrificing, selfless person who always cares for others more than herself. A god-like you might think that's silly, but not to me. I admire her for her good personality. When I was in this situation, I felt that my actions were right.'

'So you mean…'

'Tell me how to make this transition, Thedus.'

Suddenly the tears in the corners of Thedus' eyes slowly rolled down his cheeks. He smiled, wiped away his tears with his hand, and said with emotion, and respect for Yelena:

'You are the bravest, strongest person I have ever met. This was the first time I fell in love with such a human. This was a procedural question before the initiation of the ritual: 'Are you ready to receive my power?'

The part when Yelena nodded in agreement. Thedus showed a very satisfied smile. Then he waved his hand, and a beam of light immediately surrounded her. Thedus gave her strength and said, ' I've done my job. It's time to say goodbye.' and vanished.

Suddenly a golden light appeared in front of her. Yelena realized it was the exit and ran to it and reached out her hand to touch it...

Returning to reality, at this moment Linh was chanting a spell to activate lightning to defeat Yelena, Yelena's hand immediately touched the Element Card in her hand and shouted: 'Let me show you my new power, Linh. I'll make you pay for those, I swear'.

A beam of light surrounded and transformed Yelena's body into an entity form. Yelena could feel a power spreading throughout her body. She realized that was the power Thedus had spoken of. Linh fell with a scared and surprised look after realizing that the Element Card was gone. Before her eyes were no longer Yelena in her human form. Yelena slowly lifted her body surrounded by a golden light into the air with glowing eyes, like a spiritual entity in a fiction movie she's seen before.

Yelena immediately vented all her anger by strangling Linh and shouting:

'Why are you acting so scared? Why don't you show interest? Isn't this something you've always been curious to see? The power I've been given isn't free. I exchanged it for it at the cost of my own life. Now just look at it, and show the excitement and joy you've been trying to hide, I'm thinking what should I do to you after all the sins you've committed.'

Suddenly a scary laugh came from Linh, from a panic state, Linh turned to excitement:

'Hahaha… That was unexpected. I am now witnessing a portion of God's power. This is what I've been looking for for a long time. Oh my gosh, I'm so happy! Even if I die now, I'm willing to do it.'

'That is a great idea. Then I will give you your satisfaction.'

Then Yelena used the energy from her spiritual will to lift Linh's body and throw it out of the door, causing Linh to be hit hard against the wall without hesitation. Linh was in quite a bit of pain but still smiled proudly. It made Yelena even angry. She grabbed Linh's shirt with her hand, threw it against the wall again, and then threw Linh's body very hard to the ground with no mercy. This time Linh no longer laughed, instead groaning in pain, saying:

"Please… kill me. I cannot bear it any longer. That's the only way to avenge Toan, release the hatred within you, and take the guilt out of your heart... '

'My torture is beyond your endurance, isn't it? I'll do as you please, of course. But first I need to let you experience physical pain and have to scream and beg for my life. Only then did I feel satisfied...'

The part when Yelena used her own spiritual ability again, grabbed Linh's neck, and then squeezed it with all her strength. Linh only managed to exclaim 'No...!' before she started to feel short of breath, rolled her eyes, opened her mouth wide, and gradually lost consciousness due to Yelena's strangulation. She was standing on the line between life and death at that time and seems to be getting closer to the opposite of life...

When Yelena was about to finish Linh, a phone rang. Yelena realized that someone was calling her, but not seeing the name of the guy who was calling her through her phone, just temporarily stopped the torture, kept Linh who was unconscious in the air by her ability, and took out her phone to listen. There was a faint male voice on the phone:

'Hello. I'm Toan. Are you okay?'

Yelena realized it was Toan. Yelena stood still for a few seconds, gradually loosening Linh's body and then slowly lowering her to the ground, exclaiming with joy:

'Oh my god, Toan. You... you're alive. You... how could it be... It's you, Toan, isn't it?'

'Yes, it's me. I'm fine, just almost lost my life. The wound is not very severe.'

'Where are you now? I'll come to get you right away!'

'Do not need. I will walk there. I'm 500 meters away from that place. Go straight to the rendezvous point. Talk to you later.'

'Are you really okay? Your voice is so weak.'

'It's okay, I'm fine. My health is still very good, not dead yet. I will wait for you there.'

Yelena breathed a sigh of relief after that conversation. She no longer felt guilt in her heart. She looked at the dying Linh with sympathy instead of hatred as before:

'You see that. No matter what you do, you can't harm good people like me and Toan. We are different from you. Good people are always good people. You lie here and continue to repent. If anyone comes here in time to save you, you should feel lucky, because even if I don't kill you, I don't need to save you.'

Say that and then run to the door. Outside, Yelena suddenly stopped. She realized it would take two hours by car to get there. So she tried using the teleportation ability she got after being empowered. Immediately, she was at the place where Toan's car had an accident after only two minutes. It is raining outside right now. Seeing that the scene was only rubble, there was not even a spark but only smoke drifting from the car, so she guessed that the rain had extinguished the fire here long ago. Since Toan was nowhere to be seen, she assumed he might have arrived at the rendezvous point. So she pressed the switch to open the protective barrier at the ancient tomb about 500 meters away from her and then teleported there.

Arriving at the ancient tomb, she slowly stepped inside. What surprised her was that the lights inside were lit. She looked around and found a person standing at the top of the steps next to the open coffin. She believed it was Toan, and cried out:

'Toan, here I come. Are you sure you've been waiting for me for a long time?'

'Oh no, I didn't wait long'- 'Toan' said while facing Yelena- 'Glad to see you came.'

It was a familiar face that Yelena wanted to see the most right now. So the guilt has been somewhat relieved.

'Uhm... How's your wound, Toan?'

'Ah, just a few minor scratches, never mind.'- 'I'm not going to die that easily. I'm glad you came. Did you bring it? I mean that Element Card.'- he asked.

Suddenly, Yelena got goosebumps when she heard that 'Toan' voice was a little different from yesterday - a strong voice, a bit muffled but not pure. She noticed his relaxed posture, and his graceful gait, some jokes,...- things that were not like Toan before - a person who was always serious with an ungrateful gait. However, the incident at Linh's Archaeological Institute made her very tired, besides, the work between her and Toan was still unfinished, moreover, the guilt had not completely disappeared in her mind, so she temporarily ignored it. Quickly put all doubts about Toan out of his head, raised his yellow Element Card, and said:

'I brought it here. It took a bit of time to get this thing…'

'What did you do to Linh to get the switch?'

'Didn't I just tell you on the phone?'

'Oh…sorry. I forgot what you said on the phone. Maybe it's because of this horrible accident. Well, forget it, if you don't want to...'

'No, I will. In my anger, I tortured her and if it weren't for your call, I would have killed her.'

'Torture? Tell me how you did it, please.'

At this point, she couldn't help but suspect 'Toan', she thought that there was something wrong with 'Toan' that made her feel insecure even though he explained that the reason for forgetting her words over the phone was due to the accident. She especially noticed his weird smile, and lack of seriousness, which was extremely unusual for a person who always acted as mature and calm as he was before, She no longer recognized the person standing in front of her was Toan before. After five seconds of bewilderment, Yelena was called by 'Toan':

'Yelena, are you okay? Why do not you answer me?'

'Sorry. I did it with the Element Card, you know.'- Yelena replied with a slightly tense expression- 'She was badly injured while her body's bleeding profusely.'

'Is that so?'- 'Toan said with a nonchalant attitude.

'Oh my... I thought he was going to say, 'Oh my god. Why... why are you acting like that? Didn't I say just take the switch from her? If Linh dies, what do you think? The police will jump in to investigate the culprit and it will be easy to find out if it's you...?, or something like that... What is going on with him?'

Suddenly Toan whistled, looking at a hesitant Yelena with eyes full of cunning and confidence, making her a little shaky, and sweating...

'You must have been confused right now. Is it could that in the moment of torturing Linh, your rage reached its climax and you were manipulated by that power in your mind, leading to not being able to control your behavior?...'

'At that time, I felt a tremendous amount of energy flowing through my body, entering my veins, making me very excited. When I tortured Linh, I felt very happy as if I was venting my rage on her. Afterward...'

'So my guess is correct. That power magnifies the user's negative emotions. So after this case, what are you going to do? Are you sure you won't go back there? Anyway, the police couldn't tell if it was you who did it because the cameras there were turned off when the incident happened, and no one witnessed the meeting between you two, forcing them to focus on investigating someone who had a close relationship with her in the Institute, but even if they put you on the list of suspects because they find out that you are one of the people who often contact Linh by phone, they still have no evidence to accuse you. No one will know about the power you are holding - the only evidence of your assault, even if you accidentally reveal it, they have no way to prove its existence. In general, you will be the first one to be on the list of outlaws, as long as you don't expose yourself to them.'

'You seem to know a lot about police investigative methods, don't you?'

'I've had relationships with a few policemen and learned a lot from them. So what's your decision on this?'

'Toan' stood shaking his thighs, pounding his shoes continuously on the ground, making a few 'rap, rap,...' sounds like he was anxious to know the answer from Yelena...