Chapter 33
Only a few minutes had passed since the Purge Decree was issued by the king.
But a king's words carried absolute authority.
The moment the decree left his mouth, it became law.
The entire kingdom of Rugraiy, which had been peaceful throughout the day and night, was plunged straight into chaos and destruction. Soldiers and battalions moved at once, spreading across every city under the crown's control.
They did not march to fight bandits.
They did not hunt criminals.
They were sent for children.
Newborns. Infants. Any child five years old or younger.
They were slaughtered without mercy across the kingdom.
The once peaceful land collapsed into screams as parents cried and ran, desperately trying to save their children. But what could they do. Some of them were cultivators, wielding spells and techniques they had trained their entire lives for. Yet it was not enough.
Most of the soldiers were cultivators too.
And civilians were not attacked by one soldier, or even a handful.
Entire battalions descended on them.
The bloodshed was overwhelming.
Children fell one after another, eyes filled with confusion and terror.
The wails of parents echoed endlessly across the kingdom, grief tearing through every street.
Meanwhile, not every city had been struck yet.
Some remained unaware of the looming nightmare.
One of those cities was Lurbi.
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Inside the delivery section of the city infirmary, two parents gazed at their newborn son with pure affection. They smiled at him endlessly, watching him as if he were a treasure they had stumbled upon and would never let go of.
Their expressions were genuine. Warm. Overflowing with love.
So much warmth that it made Vastro feel something strange.
Why are humans so emotional.
He could feel his human body responding, emotions swelling in ways he did not like.
As much as he wanted to deny it, he knew deep down that what he felt could only be called childlike affection toward his two human parents.
Disgusting. Cringe.
That was what he told himself.
His rogueish looking father played with his cheeks, muttering nonsense sounds, clearly trying to make him laugh. By now, it should have been obvious that it was not working. Vastro's face remained serious.
Unfortunately, due to his baby features, his attempt at looking stern only made him look adorable.
The parents misunderstood completely.
They believed he was enjoying the attention, their joy growing even more.
Vastro ignored them.
His mind shifted to more important matters.
He did not know what kind of trouble he would need to survive, but he was certain it would not be easy. The difficulty of the Hell Quest was always set to hell difficulty. Almost impossible.
If he had even a fraction of his previous power, nothing in this pathetic world would dare stand in his way. Surviving infancy would have been trivial.
But then it would not be difficult.
And difficulty was the point.
Vastro was not afraid.
In fact, he was curious.
Excited.
He wanted to see what this quest had prepared for him.
Maybe a wild animal would attack. Maybe a nurse would find him annoying and wish him dead. If that happened, he was confident his parents would not stand aside.
And the best part.
He could already tell his apparent father was no ordinary man.
A cultivator.
Vastro relaxed, settling into his fragile body.
For now, he would lie back.
And watch the show unfold.
Sorry, mom and dad.
You will have to pay for being unlucky enough to give birth to me.
Vastro thought it calmly.
A part of him felt guilty. The human part. Small. Weak. Easily drowned out.
The rest of him was thrilled.
The thought of the trouble this cringey pair would face just for being his parents sent a twisted spark through him. That thought alone made Vastro grin.
He was smiling.
"He's finally smiling," Selene said softly.
Callack looked at her, then back at the baby, flashing a proud grin as if all his efforts had finally paid off.
For a brief moment, the room felt warm. Peaceful. Whole.
Then everything shattered.
The door slammed open.
A nurse burst in, breath ragged, face pale with panic.
"Hurry. Get out. Now," she shouted.
Vastro's pulse spiked.
So it's starting already? Assassins? Beasts? Something finally coming for him?
But the nurse's next words froze the room.
"The kingdom has issued the Purge Decree. Every newborn and every child under five is being killed across the entire kingdom," she said. "An entire battalion is already on its way here."
Silence fell.
Callack and Selene's expressions changed instantly. Fear. Terror. No confusion. No denial.
Only one thought remained.
Their son.
They grabbed him without hesitation.
They had to run. Right now.
The family was stricken with terror.
The baby was shocked too, but for a completely different reason.
Vastro had known danger was coming. He had prepared for assassins. Wild animals. Even a deranged nurse.
What he had not prepared for was the king himself wanting him dead.
Not a secret order.
Not a hidden scheme.
A decree.
Now he was being hunted openly.
"Oh. I'm doomed," Vastro screamed internally.
If the king could kill his own children, then there was nothing he would not do to erase every single target in the kingdom.
This was not trouble.
This was extermination.
Vastro burst into loud cries, snapping his parents fully out of their shock.
"Why would the king do this?" Callack demanded. "There has to be a reason."
"I don't know," the nurse said, voice shaking. "But even the royal children were killed. No one is spared."
Vastro cried harder. Fake tears. Perfectly timed.
Selene clutched him tightly, whispering into his ear. "Don't worry, Rayden. I will make sure you live."
Callack nodded beside her, eyes burning with resolve.
He was ready to fight to the death if it meant his wife and son escaped.
"I might be able to help," the head nurse said, stepping forward.
Helping them might cost her everything. She knew it. And she did not hesitate.
She had fought to bring this child into the world. She had watched him survive a brutal birth.
She would not stand aside and let him be slaughtered by royal soldiers.
"Follow me."
She led them deep into the lower levels of the infirmary, farther down than most people even knew existed. The air grew cold. Damp.
Finally, they reached a wide opening that led into the forest. A narrow but clear path stretched ahead.
"If you keep moving, you'll be out of the city in a few hours," she said. "Far enough to escape the kingdom."
They thanked her once.
Then they ran.
Across open land. Through darkness. Holding their child as the screams of the city echoed behind them.
Meanwhile in the rest of the kingdom,
Children screamed. Parents cried. Dogs barked. Blood sprayed the air as bodies fell one after another. Innocent victims, dying without understanding why or what they had done to deserve it.
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Meanwhile, the child whose birth had ignited this destruction was carried in his mother's arms, sprinting through the forest with full focus.
A sword was strapped to his father's side. Callack unsheathed it, hand firm on the hilt, eyes scanning the surroundings for danger.
He trusted the head healer.... she was a friend.... but the question lingered in his mind regardless. Nothing moved. Nothing attacked. The deeper they ran, the more their nerves began to ease.
They finally allowed themselves a brief pause, crouching to drink the water they had managed to bring.
"How is Rayden?" Callack asked, voice tight.
"I believe he's fine," Selene said, glancing back over her shoulder.
Vastro grinned inwardly. Not just because he was safe.... though that mattered..... but because he was exhilarated. Thrilled by the chaos his birth had caused. He understood, in that strange, small way, why he had always felt a touch of madness inside him.
"Keep going," Callack said, focusing. "We should be out of the kingdom within a few minutes of running."
Selene nodded and pressed forward, face pale and trembling, exhaustion dragging her down. She had just given birth, she was not a cultivator, and she lacked her husband's stamina.
Soon, she faltered, collapsing forward. But Callack caught her, carrying her on his back.
"Rest now. I'll handle the running," he said.
The scene might have been comical if it weren't so tense: Callack charging forward, his wife clinging behind him, baby Rayden safe in her arms, Vastro observing with detached amusement.
He watched his human father run with full force, all while making sure both wife and child remained safe. Vastro found it… strange. A warm, unfamiliar feeling stirred inside him.
His previous father had been primordial. Vastro couldn't even count how many times he almost died under the surveillance and intervention of that ancient being.
He couldn't remember the details.... some memories were sealed..... but he could make guesses. And if he guessed right, he had killed his own father . Yet, he felt no remorse.
Only joy. Pure, reckless glee.
Now, watching these fragile humans struggle and show love, Vastro felt… something strange.
They ran for what seemed like hours. Every step, every sprint, Vastro's senses stayed alert, calculating, anticipating. Finally, they broke into a large open clearing.
Callack took the moment to rest, surveying the surroundings. They had done it. They were close to stepping out of the kingdom. Just a few more meters, and they could escape.
He looked at his wife. Exhausted beyond belief, trembling, almost fainting, but holding on because of their son.
Callack felt a surge of barely contained rage at seeing her weakened.... but he held it back, forcing a smile instead.
"We've made it," he said, voice calm, masking the fury and fear inside.
Then he froze. The sound of footsteps reached him, deliberate, chilling.
"What do we have here?" a cold, chilling voice said.
To be continued…
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