Chapter 811: The Picture in the CatacombsTranslator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
After pa.s.sing through the door opening and going underground, there wasn’t a sliver of natural light in front of Klein and Alger. The ceiling was intact, preventing any crimson moonlight from seeping in after penetrating the mist.
Alger raised the lantern in his hand, lighting up the area up ahead with a limited dim yellow glow.
Klein took a glance and discovered at least six stone statues of both s.e.xes. They were entirely grayish-white in color, and even their clothes looked like they were engraved.
These stone statues included elves, giants, and humans that had an ancient dress sense. Apart from their frozen expressions of pain and despair, there wasn’t anything similar.
Klein felt a chill down his back when he saw their eyeb.a.l.l.s watching him without moving, having made the connection that they were once alive. He felt that darkness ruled the depths of this pa.s.sageway, as though a terrifying monster had widened its mouth as it lay in wait for the two to walk into its belly.
Reining in their stirring emotions, Klein and Alger remained silent as they pa.s.sed through the grayish-white statues with warped expression, and they proceeded forward.
After walking for more than ten seconds, Klein didn’t need to use Senor’s night vision to see the damaged and dark murals thanks to the lantern.
There were a few murals that were relatively intact, allowing them to recognize what was being depicted. They were no doubt focused on the cross that glowed and the grand figure that stood before it.
This blurry and solemn figure either faced cities that had been flooded, stepped upon fractured lands, or looked up at the starry sky where it locked eyes with the pairs of evil and maniacal eyes.
When the apocalypse happens, the ancient sun G.o.d will rescue the world? This is somewhat similar to the murals that Little Sun and the others found in the True Creator’s temple… Or perhaps it’s just plagiarism from both sides, with no one giving up on working towards this goal. After all, it’s to emphasize that “They” were once the messiah and a deity worthy of one’s faith… Klein quickly swept his gaze across the wall as he slowly entered the depths of the pa.s.sageway.
Alger was also observing the damaged murals when he suddenly suppressed his voice and said, “I suspect that the True—Fallen Creator’s description of ‘Himself’ has references to some of the content here.”
Indeed, everyone has the same views… Klein lowered Death Knell and chuckled.
“I won’t be surprised if we see matters related to the True Creator up ahead.”
“That might be a particular connection between ‘Him’ and the Creator that the City of Silver believes in.” Alger agreed with Gehrman Sparrow’s judgment.
The duo continued ahead as they tried hard to soften their steps. However, there were still some echoes that reverberated in that extremely silent environment.
At this moment, Klein’s spiritual perception was triggered. He immediately took two steps forward and put himself in front of Alger, blocking out most of the lantern’s light.
Less than two seconds later, he heard a dull sound emitting from afar.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The ground shook gently as the sounds became clearer. Then, Klein saw a figure nearly four meters tall walk out.
It was also grayish-white in color, with armor plating patterns engraved on its body. Its head had goat horns and a mouth that resembled a hound’s. Its half-opened mouth revealing snarling fangs.
And what attracted attention the most were its pair of eyes which burned red and the six pairs of white-membraned wings.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The monster held an eight-meter-long stone trident as it slowly entered a pa.s.sageway. It shook the land with every step as its great weight was spread out.
Although Klein hadn’t seen it before, he instantly recognized what it was.
It was a six-winged gargoyle!
Its core crystal was one of the main ingredients of a Marionettist, and the Beyonder powers it possessed were extremely special and indefensible!
Based on its external build and from what it’s made of, it definitely has extremely potent combat strength while not being afraid of most damage… All it needs to cause terrifying damage is to storm over and perform a downward smash with its stone trident… Klein relaxed his left hand and wasn’t in a rush to react.
He and Alger remained on the spot, one using his body, and the other using his clothes to conceal the lantern’s light.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The six-winged gargoyle didn’t look towards the duo, and it instead pa.s.sed through the pa.s.sageway, its footsteps slowly distancing themselves from them.
Indeed, it’s not very perceptive… It’s no wonder Qilangos was able to venture deep down and return safely… Klein proceeded forward again when the footsteps were undetectable as he went past the crossroads.
In fact, with his current strength and gear, and his understanding of his target, killing a six-winged gargoyle wasn’t something too dangerous. Furthermore, The Hanged Man could provide him with help. The reason why he gave up attacking it was because he had no idea how many six-winged gargoyles there were in the catacombs. Once a battle ensued, any large commotion could result in them swarming over. When that happened, they could only escape using Traveling. In addition, if they were to stir the existence in the ruins that even nearby Beyonder creatures were afraid of, the problem would only worsen.
Curbing one’s greed was a premise for a risky exploration.
Alger was also rather pleased at the crazy adventurer’s calm and rational actions. His suspicion was that Gehrman Sparrow was under the orders of Mr. Fool; thus, resisting his urge to attack the six-winged gargoyle.
The calmer he appears, the crazier he will be when he encounters his true target… As this thought flashed in Alger’s mind, he followed Gehrman Sparrow straight down the crossroads.
The murals on both sides remained damaged, and they were still describing the greatness and holiness of the ancient sun G.o.d.
Finally, Klein and Alger arrived at the ends of the pa.s.sageway. Here, there was an eight-meter-tall stone double door. It depicted various symbols of death, sleep, end, new birth, and beginnings.
“A tomb?” Klein turned to say to Alger.
Alger nodded and said, “It might also be a temple.”
Clearly, he was also wondering if it was both a temple and tomb.
The grayish-white stone door before the duo wasn’t shut completely. It was cracked open with a tiny gap that allowed a child pa.s.sage. Alger glanced at the floor and walked over. Putting the lantern down and securing his dagger, he pressed his hands onto one side of the door.
He slowly drew a breath as he bent his knees, his arm muscles swelling suddenly.
Silently, the gap widened significantly.
Klein p.r.i.c.ked up his brows when he saw this scene, feeling somewhat astonished because The Hanged Man’s pus.h.i.+ng of the door didn’t produce any sound at all.
He didn’t doubt an Ocean Songster’s strength, but he didn’t believe that it could prevent the stone door from making contact with the ground.
As he moved his gaze down, Klein saw a pool of slightly sticky liquid gathered under the door.
He quietly produced a lubricant effect… Mr. Hanged Man is very meticulous… Is this the power of a Seafarer or an Ocean Songster? Hmm, he probably also used the powers of a Wind-blessed to control an air cus.h.i.+on; thus, resulting in this door silently opening… Klein roughly figured out the reason.
Although he approached the stone door, he wasn’t eager to enter it. Through the widened gap, he observed the scene inside.
Reflected in the eyes of the Wraith was the corner of the room where there was a row of grayish-white stone coffins.
It is indeed a catacomb… As for whether it’s also a temple, it’s an unknown for now… As Klein thought, he took out Leymano’s Travels with his left hand. On it were Beyonder powers that were suitable to handle matters related to the Death domain.
Meanwhile, he used a silver dagger to quickly create a wall of spirituality and sealed the iron cigar case to prevent Azik’s copper whistle from causing the dead to rise from their graves.
Alger also drew his dagger again and placed his left palm over it before sliding his palm outwards.
Amidst light crackling sounds, the dagger swirled with silver bolts of lightning that snaked outwards.
Having made their preparations, Klein, who was acting as the crazy adventurer, Gehrman Sparrow, was first to pa.s.s through the door and into the tomb.
Of course, Wraith Senor had already acted as a scout by circling the tomb before he entered.
To a Marionettist, there was no need to take risks on many matters once they had a marionette!
The tomb’s ceiling was soaked with water droplets, a clear indication of the humidity. The room was divided into two regions that each had twelve grayish-white stone coffins. In the middle was a circular region where there appeared to be a beautiful and complicate picture placed on the ground.
Klein didn’t approach it as he stopped Alger. Then, he controlled Senor to appear as it quickly floated to a spot above the circular region.
Admiral of Blood… Alger’s facial muscles twitched.
Although he had already guessed so, he couldn’t stop his subconscious reactions when he saw it with his own eyes.
At this moment, Senor descended and was able to fully take in the scene in the central region.
The picture had dark, dull colors with the background being filled with blurry figures. In the foreground was a long table.
On the table was a figure with a resplendent cross glowing from it, and surrounding the figure were three people shrouded in shadows.
One was handsome and youthful, another solemn and bold, and the last looking wise with his white beard. The three pairs of eyes exuded an indescribable sense of evil, just like the actions of their owners.
One of them had ripped off the figure’s arm, stuffing it into their mouths, and gnawing at it as blood was filling his mouth. Another held up a brain and sucked at its juices, while the last had dug out a beating heart, chewing at it in a ravenous manner.
In contrast to them, in the figure’s chest was a long and wide crack. Sitting cross-legged in there was a dark and sinister infant who was masticating on the intestines that had fresh blood gus.h.i.+ng down.
These four ent.i.ties seemed to sense someone prying into their act as they looked up in unison, as though they were staring at any being that placed their eyes on the picture!