Chapter 71

Hesperus Point of View

"I will," I promised her.

"Good luck, sun and moon. May the divine energy guide you on your journey," she said, and her voice slowly faded.

I was alone in the room, with the necklace in my hands. I looked at the crystal, and it was still glowing, but its brightness slowly died down. I wore the necklace around my neck, and I felt the warmth spreading throughout my body.

"Okay, let's do this," I said to myself.

I got off the bed and headed towards the door. I touched the door, and it slowly opened, revealing another room. The room was bigger than the first one and had a similar design. In the middle of the room, there was a circular platform made of marble and gold.

I approached the platform, and I saw that it had a holographic map of the world. The map showed that I was in the middle of a large continent, and I had to travel through the forest to reach the temple.

I examined the map and saw that there were two paths to take. The first was the shorter one, but it was marked red, indicating danger. The second was the longer one, but it was marked green, indicating safety. I had to make a choice.

I thought about it for a moment. The map was made by the goddess herself, so I could trust it. However, the Seven Deadly Sins were after me, and they would do anything to get the divine crystal. The safer path might take longer, but it was better than risking my life.

I chose the safer path and activated the map. The platform shook, and I felt my body being lifted off the ground. Suddenly, the room disappeared, and I was transported to the outside.

I saw that I was standing on a hill, overlooking a vast forest. The sun was shining brightly, and the wind was blowing gently. I felt a sense of calmness wash over me, and I took a deep breath.

"Let's do this," I said to myself and headed towards the forest.

As I walked towards the forest, I saw something moving in the distance. I stopped and squinted my eyes, and I saw that it was a group of people. They were walking in my direction, and I could see their faces clearly. They were the same people I saw in the town before I blacked out.

I hid behind a boulder and watched them pass by. They were all wearing black robes, and their faces were covered by hoods. They looked like they were searching for something, and they were armed with swords and knives.

I stayed hidden until they disappeared into the forest, and I continued my journey. I didn't know if they were the Seven Deadly Sins or not, but I couldn't take any chances.

The forest was dense, and the trees were tall. The leaves were green and fresh, indicating that the forest was healthy. I walked for hours, and the forest became more eerie. The trees became darker, and the leaves started to wither.

I felt like I was being watched, and I could hear voices whispering. It was unnerving, but I had to keep going.

Suddenly, something grabbed my leg, and I tripped. I fell face down on the forest floor, and I felt my nose bleeding. I quickly got up and saw that it was a root that tripped me.

"Stupid root," I muttered under my breath.

As I walked, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around, and no one was there. I was getting paranoid, and I wished that I had brought a companion. Then I remembered that I had the Divine Pendant, which could help me in times of need.

I took out the pendant from my pocket and held it tightly. I felt the warmth spreading throughout my body, and I felt my strength increasing. I continued walking, feeling more confident than before.

After a few more hours, I saw a light coming from afar. I ran towards it, hoping that it was the temple. As I got closer, I saw that it was a clearing. In the center of the clearing, there was a small pond, and next to it, there was a woman.

As I got closer, I saw that the woman was crying. She had long black hair and was wearing a white dress. I approached her cautiously, not wanting to startle her.

"Excuse me, miss. Are you okay?" I asked her.

She looked up, and I saw that her face was covered in tears. Her eyes were red, and her lips were trembling.

"Leave me alone," she said, sobbing.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude," I said, taking a step back.

I turned around and walked away, but something made me stop. I felt like there was something wrong, and I couldn't leave her alone.

I turned around and saw that she was still crying. I approached her again, this time slowly and cautiously.

"Miss, I'm sorry if I intruded. I just wanted to know if you needed any help," I said, trying to be gentle.

She looked at me, and I saw that her eyes were full of pain and sadness.

"You can't help me. My husband is dead," she said, crying.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Do you want me to help you find your way out of the forest?" I offered.

"No, I'll be fine. Thank you," she said, wiping her tears.

I didn't know what to do. I wanted to help her, but she wasn't willing to accept my help.

"Okay, take care of yourself," I said, turning around.

As I walked away, I felt something pulling me back. It was like a magnetic force, and I couldn't resist it. I turned around and saw that the woman was looking at me with pleading eyes.

"Please, help me," she said, grabbing my arm.

"What do you need?" I asked her, trying to be gentle.

"I need you to help me bury my husband. He died in the forest, and I can't leave him here," she said, crying.

"Of course, I'll help you," I said, feeling sympathetic.

"Thank you, thank you so much," she said, hugging me.

I felt her arms around me, and I could smell her perfume. It was a sweet fragrance, but it quickly turned into a pungent one. Suddenly, I felt weak, and my vision became blurry. I tried to shake her off, but she was clinging to me tightly.

"Let me go," I said, feeling my strength leaving me.

"It's too late, Sun and Moon. You've fallen for my trap," a voice said.

I looked around, and I saw that the woman was gone. In her place, there was a man. He was wearing a black robe, and his face was covered by a hood. He was one of the Seven Deadly Sins.