Chapter 16.1 (1/2)
Chapter 16: The World Faraway (Part 1)
[Six Years Ago]
[West of Aslan Empire – Gelanerte – Heart]
On one side of the long corridor is a tall stone wall so tall you cannot see the top. It’s carved from strong white rock with abnormally intricate and beautiful patterns imprinted on it. The mobile lines are commonly used to adorn the buildings in the water source. On the other side are arched doorways situated one after another. The bright rays of the sun s.h.i.+ne in, forming neat shapes on the ground.
This is the underground of Gelanerte. In theory, it should be dark as night, but the harsh light from outside allows one to see even the tiniest hair on a person’s body. There is no one questioning this unnatural phenomenon. In the heart beneath the palace of the imperial capital, there are many, many more happenings that cannot be explained by physics and common sense. For example, there are countless walls of water in this underground castle where the liquid perches vertically in the air as if there is no gravity. Another example is that large piece of crystal buried in the deepest part of the place.
Nether and Thalia is currently crossing this corridor. They move on to a spiraling staircase to head even deeper into the ground.
The two of the only became lords a short while ago and neither had many chances of coming to the Heart. To be summoned by the Silver Priests directly like today is even more rare. Both of them stay wordless the entire way. Nether’s expression is dense and cold as usual, as if he’s a ghoul that just rose from a grave. His firm torso is exposed in the air, emitting heat, brewing an evil sense of s.e.xiness. The charming smile remains on Thalia’s beautiful face as usual as her eyeb.a.l.l.s rotate agilely while she makes discrete detections all around. The murkiness of her pupils are like surging clouds.
What greets them on the lower level is another corridor. The rays of light from before are gone, leaving behind sealed stone walls at the two sides of the walkway. The light source of the corridor comes from intricately carved crystal lamps s.p.a.ced out on the walls. To be more specific, instead of lamps, they are mirror-like crystal after crystal inlaid on the walls where they radiate a dazzling and colourful glow. As if fire or rocks or some other element are rising and falling in each crystal. Under the illumination of such a light source, the entire walkway seems like a long and large breathing being.
And yet, this is not the most shocking thing of the place.
What shocks them the most is the ground of the corridor.
“This is..….water?” Thalia stops and directs her gaze forward. The end of the corridor is hidden in the dark, connecting them by the long and pitch-black water. “How do we go over?”
Thalia looks at the dim surface of the water beneath her feet. Logically, in an enclosed s.p.a.ce like this, the surface of the water should be as still as a mirror. However, the water before them have continuous ripples. From time to time, splashes can be heard, as if there are countless high-speed monsters lying low in the water. Thalia’s eyes are already filled with surging whiteness, as if wanting to see through the secret beneath the waters.
“You can just construct an ice bridge.” Nether laughs coldly, not bothered by the situation.
As if she cannot hear him, Thalia’s eyes are focused on the straight line of waters that extend all the way to the end of the corridor.
Nether sees that Thalia did not respond to him and understands it as her dismissing his words. He moves forward and crouches beside the pool of water. With a smirk, he says, “Although the waters are much too long and it will be difficult for soul powers to reach so far, even more difficult to maintain such a long icicle without knowing how deep the water is……but I am the new Second Lord, Thalia, you’re underestimating me……” After saying that, he reaches out towards the water and taps the surface with a pale and slender finger.
“Do not touch the water!” Thalia’s sharp voice echoes along the enclosed area, as if trying to pierce through a person’s eardrums.
At the same time, boom-----boom.
After a consecutive sounds of explosion, a few silver icicles leap out from the surface of the water. The black silk dress on Thalia’s body expands rapidly. Two strands of white silk rolls from underneath her black dress and wraps around Nether before dragging him back. With a few cracks, the sharp icicles graze past Nether’s chest. The blood spilled sprays through the air.
The rolling white silk spins back into Thalia’s body and envelopes her figure tightly. Her complexion is pale as her chest rising and sinks with her frantic breathing as if she has not recovered from the danger of before. Nether half-squats on the ground. He reaches out a a hand to wipe at the wounds on his chest. The wounds heal slowly as he places his finger into his mouth and sucks on the metallic sweetness of his own blood. The uninhibited dark smile remains on his lips but quickly, the smile freezes.
The icicles that just attacked him are twisting slowly as they slide back underwater. However, the scene before them is much too strange – although turning water into sharp ice arrows or into other solid states like ice walls to attack is common, but what they are seeing now……the scene before them, if you really want to describe it, is that the icicles before them are “soft”. This is a peculiar description for in the real world, soft ice and hard water, cold fire and burning snow, they do not exist. These only exist in the most ridiculous realm of dreams, and yet those white icicles are indeed like large octopus’s tentacles that are sliding back into the dark waters softly and disgustingly. The friction between the icicles result in crackling sounds that prove that sharpness and rigidity……this is much too difficult to comprehend……
“The two of you even dare to be so careless in this place. You must think much too highly of yourselves.” An ambiguous voice emits from the depths of the dim corridor. The tone of the voice is clearly full of disdain.
Thalia looks over and sees a messenger crabbed in white hooded robes in the darkness. He is wearing a mask and only his bright eyes can be seen in the dim lighting. “Stand there are do not move.”
After saying that, the messenger moves forward and pulls out a silver long object from his sleeves. It seems like a small white snake but also a snow slug.
The white being slides into the water with agility and the dark surface of the water seem to be boiling. Large waves and bubbles start to form. In the next moment, piece after piece of white square brick steps rise from the other end of the corridor and extend to Thalia and Nether’s feet. The square tiles on the water form a while floating bridge.
“Walk over.” The hoa.r.s.e voice of the messenger is emotionless.
Thalia and Nether looks at each other, unsure of what sort of situation they are in. However, all they can do is move forward from the command.
The distance between each floating piece of ice is different. Every time Thalia lands on a brick of ice, she can almost hear a strange m.u.f.fled sound coming from the depths of the water. The sound is so strange, as if someone is weeping underwater……Thalia thinks as she shoots a glance at her feet. The blood drains from her face instantly when she sees what is beneath her feet.
“This……”
To shock a ruthless a female lord who has seen and experienced so much is not an easy task and hence Nether leaps over a few floating steps to stand beside Thalia. He reaches out and holds her shoulder before asking with a low voice, “What’s wrong?”
Thalia says nothing but lower her head as she hints at Nether with her eyes.
Nether’s complexion pales as well when he looks down.
In the dark waters beneath every piece of floating ice is a pair of pallid and skeletal hands holding the bottom of the ice up. Those ghostly white arms are covered with bruised blood vessels and swollen skin, but they can see nothing else in the deeper waters. They can only see pairs of hands like this, holding up every piece of floating ice. Then, every time they step on a piece of ice, the m.u.f.fled sounds coming from deep within the water, aren’t they……
Thalia’s hands are cold as she lifts her head to look at the white-robed messenger at the end of the corridor. Trembling fear fills her gaze. She finds this place even more horrifying than that place……
After moving across the unsettling waters, Thalia and Nether stands before the white-robed messenger. The messenger points towards the heavy stone door on the right as he says, “Enter. The Silver Priests are waiting.”
Thalia and Nether moves in. Thalia pauses after a few steps and turns to look at the messenger. The messenger’s face is still submerged in hazy dimness, “The two of you enter first. I am expecting someone else.”
Thalia worries her lips as she reaches out to push the heavy stone door open.
The pattering of footsteps sound.
After a while, steady footsteps come from the corridor. The white-robed messenger had been folded into the darkness like a lifeless statue, but when he hears the sound, it is as if he becomes alive again. He lifts his pupils that are hidden in the darkness and watches the three coming over through the corridor.
The footsteps only originate from two people.
One person’s footsteps are elegant and controlled. When the soles of the boots inlaid with metal and precious stones. .h.i.t the st.u.r.dy ground, only a soft sound can be heard. From this point, is can be seen that this person’s personality is very rational and controlled, at the same time unfathomable.
The other person’s footsteps are clear and even somewhat unbridled. His steps are obviously faster and seems more sharp and forceful. The sound of the boots. .h.i.tting the ground are like a clear battle drum, filled with masculine power.
And the person moving in the middle seems to be walking on air. His platinum-casted boots seem to be stepping on clouds, making no sound at all.
The white-robed messenger slants his stiff body forward in a bow of respect, “You are here, Lord to the First Degree, Gilgamesh.” His voice is still low, but it is obvious that through his cold voice, there is a faint fear. “Allow me to relieve the seal on the water surface for you. The waters have been fixed with strong attacking soul powers by the Silver Priests……”