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Chapter 618 The Priest\'s Tale

As they approached Otiga, she greeted them with a playful smile, but her keen eyes quickly noticed the seriousness etched on their faces.

"Why the long faces?" she quipped, trying to lighten the mood. "Did the cultist escape, or did he turn to dust like the one you found before?"

"Oh, he\'s here alright..." Anna mumbled, looking at Ashton.

Ashton was yet to explain his plan to her, so Anna kept making random remarks at him. Hoping Ashton would say something, but so far, he was as tight-lipped about it as ever.

Ashton hesitated momentarily before answering, "The cultist is here but dead. I killed him."

"Dead? How did that happen?" Otiga\'s eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I\'m pretty sure you wanted to capture him alive."

Ashton and Anna proceeded to tell her about the events at the Emperor\'s court, the battle against Krathos, and finally, how Ashton had dealt the fatal blow to the Priest.

"Alright, let\'s see him then..." Otiga mumbled, handing everyone a pair of gloves.

Ashton gently placed the lifeless body of the Priest before Otiga. The once powerful cultist now lay defeated, his secrets waiting to be unveiled.

Otiga\'s eyes glinted with curiosity as she looked at the body before her. Her expertise lay in gathering information and uncovering hidden truths; this task was right up her alley.

"What do you need me to do, Ashton?" Otiga asked, her fingers itching to delve into her work.

"I need you to find out everything you can about this Priest. His species, his planet of origin, and any information about his identity before he joined the cult. We need to know as much as possible," Ashton said, his eyes locked on hers.

Otiga nodded, understanding the gravity of the task at hand. She reached for her tools, including some vials to store the Priest\'s blood for testing purposes.

"I\'ll start with analysing the DNA," she said, her voice focused and determined.

Ashton nodded appreciatively, knowing that Otiga was best at what she did. He stepped aside as she approached the lifeless body of the Priest, floating in the air thanks to the ridiculous technology Flintmace had given them access to.

As she hurried off to begin her work, Ashton turned his attention back to the lifeless body of the Priest. He knew he had a powerful tool at his disposal - his newly acquired [Memory Reading] ability. He knew that he could extract vital information from the Priest\'s memories.

"This is the part where I tell you about my plan," Ashton told Anna before activating his vampire and precursor genes.

to do. He knelt beside the Priest\'s body and closed his eyes, focusing his mind.

With a deep breath, Ashton steeled himself for what he was about to do. He knelt beside the Priest\'s body and closed his eyes, focusing his mind.

The [Memory Reading] ability was still relatively new to him, and he hoped he could handle the influx of memories that awaited him and not black out like the last time.

Sinking his fangs into the Priest\'s body, Ashton activated the ability. The world around him faded, and he was transported into the vast sea of the Priest\'s memories. He was now an observer in the Priest\'s life, experiencing it as if he were physically there.

In his earliest memories, Ashton saw the Priest as a young boy living in poverty on a desolate planet. He struggled to survive, scavenging for food and shelter. It was a harsh world where kindness was scarce, and the weak were often preyed upon.

Ashton felt a pang of empathy for the young boy, seeing himself reflected in those desolate eyes. He understood the pain of a difficult childhood all too well.

The memories continued, showing how the Priest\'s life took a turn when the cult swept into his village.

They offered him a chance to escape the hardship, promising power and prosperity beyond his wildest dreams. It was a seductive offer for a boy who had known nothing but suffering.

Ashton watched as the Priest was initiated into the cult, becoming a devoted follower. The cult\'s teachings filled the void in his heart, giving him a sense of purpose and belonging. But with every step he took deeper into the cult\'s embrace, the darkness consumed him.

The memories revealed how the Priest was tasked with spreading chaos and discord among neighbouring planets, using his manipulation abilities to instigate conflicts and fuel hatred.

Ashton\'s heart sank as he witnessed the Priest\'s involvement in countless atrocities, knowing that his hands were stained with the blood of innocent lives.

"It\'s funny how we had a similar start to our lives, but then we turned to be on the opposite ends of the spectrum of morality," Ashton smiled wanly as he continued watching the Priest\'s life.

"I can\'t excuse the horrors you committed, but I can understand the desperation that led you down this path."

The memories continued, showing how the Priest rose through the cult\'s ranks, gaining power and influence. But with each step, he became more entangled in a web of deceit and darkness.

He was no longer the young boy Ashton had seen initially - he had become a cold and ruthless fanatic.

"Hm... there wasn\'t much to go by, but I at least found a couple of names that could be useful."

Ashton opened his eyes, finding Otiga standing beside him, holding a data pad with a thoughtful expression. While his head rested on Anna\'s lap. It seemed he blacked out after witnessing the Priest\'s memories.

"I\'ve completed the DNA analysis," she said. "The Priest\'s species is known as Zelians, a race known for their manipulation abilities. They were thought to have been wiped out centuries ago, but it seems the cult has kept their existence hidden all this time."

Ashton nodded, the pieces fitting together perfectly. "And what about his planet of origin?"

Otiga tapped a few buttons on the data pad. "It\'s a remote planet in the outer regions of the galaxy, far from the reach of the empire\'s influence. It\'s a barren world."

"Then it\'s a perfect place for Cultists to operate from," Ashton concluded what was going inside Otiga\'s head. "Do we have any missions I need to take care of?"

"At the moment, there are a couple of them," Otiga replied, going through the list of jobs the Ghosts have been getting since Ashton\'s reputation shot through the roof and the faction gathered more fame for themselves.

"Fine, I\'ll deal with those, and then we can head for the planet..." Ashton scratched his head. "What was the planet\'s name again?"

"Zeom."

"Got it..." Ashton replied, finally getting up. "Thanks for everything."

"Any time," Otiga replied with a smile as the couple left her to her devices and a corpse to dispose of.