Chapter 263: A Muted World (2/2)

Norman, Arthur, and Ellen were in the middle. While being the 'weakest,' they were also the most important people in the team.

Even with such protection, Arthur didn't feel safe. The silence was keeping him on an edge, but this wasn't the main reason for his worry. This place reeked of their stench, their power, but he couldn't pinpoint the source.

The unknown was dreadful. The circle began to move slowly, heading toward a random direction. They couldn't even hear their breathing, driving them almost insane.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, Arthur finally saw a change. A distance away, several bones started to shift and roll. Without his high perception, he would have missed it.

He turned Norman's attention towards it, where he turned the consultants' attention too. Soon, everyone was looking at the moving bones in the distance. Arthur felt something move underneath him.

The bones started shifting like a wave and rising, making everyone lose their footing and roll. Arthur used his skill to stay hovered. He grabbed Ellen and looked at the gathering bones that have gathered to form a giant creature.

Two flames lit in the darkness, resembling eyes. A giant fish-like creature that was made of bones looked at them in the silent word. It was as big as the mountains that surrounded the fissure, making everyone's faces go pale.

Without roars or screeches, the fish lunged itself at them the same way a wave would roll toward the highland. There was chaos as everyone tried to grab into a haven. Arthur's mana was draining but he tried to hold on, to fly higher, but a wave of bones slammed into him and separating him from Ellen.

”Ellen!” Arthur tried to reach out to her but she fell into the sea of bones where there was no resurfacing. He looked up to find the giant head of the fish above him. It felt as if a mountain was falling on him, tip first.

”Loathsome parasite,” Arthur said, despite producing no sound, and retracted his right hand until it was above his right shoulder. Liquid fire gathered in his fingertips as he was ready to use his rune.

The fish descended above him as if the world was ending. He was about to slash with his hand when a white scarf wrapped itself around his body and pulled him away from the fish's descent.

Before he knew it, he was being pulled into the sea of bones far away from the fish. His body slammed to the wave of bones and they broke as a result.

After a few minutes of enduring the pain of being slammed into the bones, he reached a tunnel where he rolled on the ground. His body ached all over as he raised his head to look at the culprit who pulled him.

'So much for not being here for me.' Arthur thought to himself with a weak smile. 'I don't even know if I'm happy to see her or simply annoyed.'

Before he could stand up, Rae was grabbing him by the wrist as she slipped a ring on his finger.

'A bit early for us to get married.' Arthur thought inwardly.

'Shut up!' Rae's voice boomed in his mind, almost making him faint. 'Food! I've been here since last night!'

She then began to shake him and Arthur took out a meal from his subspace and gave it to her. She started eating it right away as Arthur looked at his ring.

'A telepathy rune.' He concluded.

'Yup. This place isn't the best to hold a conversation, idiot.' Rae said as she licked her fingers. 'That was delicious.'

'What do you mean you were here since yesterday?' Arthur stood up as he looked around. They were inside a tunnel made of bones; one he couldn't see the end of.

'After your ungrateful attitude, I went around playing around.' Rae said as she patted her belly. Arthur was amazed at how fast she finished 500g of steak. 'I found a giant black dome, so...'

'Of course, you went inside.' Arthur sighed inwardly. 'Why did you pull me underground?'

'I guess your brain has yet to understand this simple fact. If you stay above ground for a long while, the bones will form that fish and try to kill you. It's better to stay underground.'

'I see,' Arthur started walking through the tunnel. 'It's time to find Ellen and leave this place, as soon as possible.'