Chapter 162: Stop Cockblocking Me, I’m Trying to See the Hot Priestess
The ground convulsed with a heavy quake, mud bubbling and sliding toward the widening hole. Chaos erupted instantly.
Knights and adventurers panicked in unison, stumbling and scrambling for safety. Some slipped in the muck and face-planted with clangs of armor, rolling like overturned turtles. The ground shook again, rattling everyone’s teeth.
Finn groaned. "Of course. It’s not the town that sucks—it’s the landscape. Who could’ve guessed?"
"Finn, please stand by me if any more trouble comes," Isolde whispered, drifting closer like a phantom.
He didn’t need to be told twice. Finn moved instinctively toward her, brushing his hand onto her shoulder. She didn’t flinch—in fact, she seemed to welcome it.
A far cry from Silvara. If she were here, she’d be shoving his hand away unless he absolutely had to touch her. Probably didn’t even like being touched at all. Or maybe just not by him.
’Well, damn.’
The ground cracked and collapsed in sheets, swallowing those unlucky enough to stand too close. Screams echoed as they tumbled into the abyss below.
Finn and his group remained on steadier ground—for now—but the violent tremors threatened to toss them in any second.
Behind him, Majestria shrieked at the top of her lungs, still thrashing in the mud. "THIS ISN’T HOW A GODDESS SHOULD BE TREATED! PAY ATTENTION TO MEEEEE!"
No one did. Which, of course, only made her louder. She was less "fallen deity" and more "toddler denied candy."
Above, the crows that had circled around where Moistvile had been—erupted in a frenzy, squawking as they broke formation. Their flight spread outward into a strange, deliberate shape...a wing stretching across the sky.
’...What the hell is that supposed to mean?’
From the collapsed pits, fog billowed upward, thick and choking. It spread across the ground, rolling low like a flood of smoke—then stopped abruptly, as if hitting an invisible wall.
Isolde’s cool hands clasped Finn’s shoulders, pulling him close. "Please, try not to move. I will get us further away from here."
Finn blinked, his stomach twisting. "What about my friends?"
"Do not worry. They will be fine. Master Theron never leaves a task unfinished—especially not retrieving strays." Her tone was calm, ghostly, as she began gliding across the trembling ground with Finn in tow.
The earth split further, fog surging and spilling as the land groaned under its own weight. All around them, people screamed, shoved, and fled.
It was chaos. Again. And Finn was right in the middle of it. Again.
As Isolde glided them further away, the violent rumbling finally began to subside. Cracks stopped spreading, the quakes eased, and the bubbling pit fell eerily still.
By then, Finn and Isolde had regrouped beside a cluster of knights and adventurers.
Everyone stood in grim silence, bracing for whatever horror might claw its way out. The knights looked terrified, armor rattling like dice cups. The adventurers, at least, seemed slightly more mentally prepared—though "mentally prepared" really just meant "less likely to piss themselves."
Isolde released her hold on Finn. He backed away, scanning the crowd. Not a familiar face in sight.
Until—
There they were. Seraphina and Elise.
Finn’s heart practically somersaulted. Thank the heavens! Both alive, both in one piece, both absolutely glorious.
Seraphina, radiant as ever, moved gracefully from person to person, tending wounds with her divine touch. Some of the men she healed clearly didn’t even need it. They were just lining up for the chance to be blessed by her hands.
’Damn bastards... totally unfair.’
Meanwhile, Elise stood rooted in place, arms limp, staring blankly at the smoldering void where Moistvile once oozed. Her expression flickered between relief that the place was gone...and misery that her entire job had gone down the drain with it.
Finn’s chest swelled. He couldn’t help himself. He had to see them. He practically skipped forward—completely forgetting Isolde, Theron, and literally everyone else. And the looming threat that was approaching.
But before he could take more than a few steps, a knight stepped into his path, steel boots splashing mud.
Finn froze. "Uh. Who are you? Get out of my way, I’ve got people to see."
The knight lifted his visor, revealing grey hair and a scowl. Finn squinted. Looked familiar. But... not.
"Do you seriously not know who I am?" the knight demanded, clearly insulted.
Finn tilted his head. "...Nope. Not ringing a bell. Move aside."
The knight sputtered, about to retort.
Trip.
Face-first into the mud.
Finn didn’t even break stride. He just walked right over the man’s armored body like it was nothing more than a doormat, heading straight toward Seraphina with stars in his eyes.
***
The ground rumbled once more harder now, but Finn didn’t care. He couldn’t care. His eyes were locked on Seraphina like a starving man spotting a buffet.
She had just finished "healing" some random guy who clearly wasn’t hurt, unless having a stiff back from sitting wrong counted as life-threatening. Still, she went along with it, because of course she did.
"Seraphina!" Finn called out. His voice cracked and all but disappeared under the growing noise of panic and shaking earth.
Scowling, he picked up his pace, weaving past people until he was nearly breathless. "Seraphina!"
This time she heard him. She turned, eyes widening with surprise—and something that looked dangerously close to relief.
Just as he drew close. Half the knights around him suddenly drew their swords, steel flashing as they pointed toward the pit. Finn ignored it. Obviously, they were just jealous of his reunion. Or maybe they’d finally noticed he was the only one here without a weapon and decided to bully him about it.
He stretched his arms toward her. "Are you okay? Where have you been?! I was worried about you."
"I—I..." Seraphina froze, words caught in her throat.
He pressed on. "Like seriously, where were you? When everything was collapsing?"
"Oh..." She glanced aside, trying to remember. "The maid girl came in and grabbed me. Carried me out before it all fell apart."
’Bless you, Silvara—wherever the hell you may be!’
"But what about you?" she asked, her voice softening. "Shouldn’t you be with your squad or... someone?"
Her gaze dropped to the ground. She fell completely silent. The guy she was supposed to be healing groaned loudly about being ignored, demanding attention.
Seraphina didn’t move. Didn’t even blink. She just kept staring down like the weight of it all had finally landed.
It felt like the chaos around them melted away—just her and Finn, standing in their own little bubble of shaky ground and unspoken things.
He opened his mouth, ready to push her gently toward saying something—
And someone shoved him.
"You think you can just get away with what you did?!"
Finn stumbled forward, arms flailing. "Why is it always me?! Why does everyone kick me, shove me, jump me from behind—like, do I have a target painted on my ass or something?!"
Finn spun around—and of course, it was the same guy he’d tripped earlier. This time, the man looked absolutely livid, steam practically shooting out of his helmet.
He jabbed a finger hard into Finn’s chest. "You think—"
Finn smacked his hand away before he could finish. "Calm down, man. My shirt’s already ruined. Don’t make it worse by poking me with your greasy finger."
The knight’s face darkened. "I’ll make you pay—for handing me over to that woman and for everything else you’ve done!"
Finn blinked. "Woman? What the hell are you even talking about? The ground is literally collapsing, people are screaming, and this is what you’re mad about? Dude, fix your priorities."
The knight’s jaw worked, but no words came out. Just pure, seething silence.
That’s when Isolde appeared behind him—ghostly quiet as ever. She glanced at Finn, then at the man. "Is this fellow bothering you, Mr. Finn?"
"Yes," Finn said immediately. "He touched me and started harassing me about... I don’t even know what. Just nonsense."
"I see." Her voice was calm, almost sweet. "Then it would be best if we leave. Things are... getting worse."
Finn shrugged. "Yeah, I guess..."
The knight clenched his fists, clearly about to lash out—until something behind him caught his eye.
He froze. His face drained of all color. Then, slowly, he turned around.
And what he saw made every ounce of his fury vanish, replaced by raw, trembling fear.
Finn squinted at the guy, unimpressed. "What the hell is it now?!"
Then the sunlight vanished. Which was extra rude, considering he’d just found Seraphina again and was trying to have a moment.
A massive shadow swallowed the entire area, plunging the field into an eerie twilight. Finn tilted his head back, and for the first time in a long time, every ounce of his bravado shriveled. Cold horror tore through his body like ice water.
He hadn’t expected this. Not in a million years.
Something tugged at his arm—Isolde. Her usually calm face was creased with worry. Her voice came low, almost trembling.
"Mr. Finn... we need to leave. Now."