Chapter 348: Temple of Endless Darkness - Concept (1/2)

”Another time, I believe we have a more pressing manner. How long have you been here?” I uttered darkly. The Life Span of God should be endless in a sense. But one thing I know is that they should not be frail like Gurvel. He had no muscles, just a boney skeleton. Should I cut his finger, I was sure no blood would flow.

”I do not know, but it's less than a cycle, but my body tells a different tale, doesn't it.” He weakly informed. Barely able to stand, Gurvel placed his hands around his back within his robes that hung loosely. Trembling with each step, he continued. ”It's curious. I have lived for Seven Dao Cycles, yet I am about to die. Merely by standing in the presence of this temple.

”Guessing escaping is not going to happen,” I muttered, following behind as we approached the veil of darkness hiding the temple beneath.

Gurvel reached out and nodded. Bitterness, apparent as day gleaned from his hollow eyes.”Yes, escape is impossible. I do not even know how I came here, but here I am... My Dao was not even darkness, you know, but rather destruction.”

Placing his boney hand upon the veil, a gentle force pushed his fingers away, ”I do not have long, my boy. It seems like we are destined to perish together.” He uttered softly, falling to his knees, shattering them with ease. Keeling over, I walked to his side.

Tracing my eyes over his trembling body, I turned towards a ripple of darkness, acting somewhat like a lake. Drawing closer, my hands pressed upon it. Witnessing the flow of elegant ripples spreading out, my fingers were also knocked away.

”It's like a Lake.”

”Yes.” He whispered from below, ”Like the Mirrored Lake you and I found. That seems to be the only clue.”

Looking down at my shadowy fingers, I clenched my fist, feeling the humming sensation. Along with something else, something attempting to look for food. Like a snake, it slithered throughout my body, leaving nothing unturned.

Observing the Sliver of Darkness within my body, I turned to Gurvel, ”That sound was it you're doing, was it not. To keep others away.”

”Yes,” He wheezed to say, ”My qi can escape, but I cannot. I did everything I could to escape, but when I figured I could not, I made traps to keep others from falling as I did. ”

”Sitri! Soloman, Areon!” I shouted out. But I could not feel anything.

”It's useless, boy.” Gurvel grunted, ”We are in the Abyss, one formed of darkness. There is no hope of escaping. I have tried everything.”

”What Concept do you think resides in there?”

”I do not know. It could be anything. Concepts are the core of everything. When they gather together, Dao is formed. So out of the almost endless Concepts, the Monarchs used Seven.” Gurvel faintly stated, growing silent.

Hearing his heartbeat growing weaker and weaker, I knew he would not even survive a week, much less four.

Placing my palms back onto the veil, I attempted to study the... Mirror of Darkness in front of me. If it acted like the Mirrored Lake, why not treat it as such.

Pushing me away once again, I frown, sensing another sliver of darkness enter me, joining together with the one from before. It grew larger when I felt my life force beginning to drain.