Chapter 1215 Turning Danger into Safety <TOC> Chapter 1217 Gusia’s Corpse
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Translator: SumTLMan
On the barren and desolate range, a swath of structures constructed of black magma were strewn across.
This monotonous hue, along with the bare mountains surrounding it, instilled an aura of lifelessness into the formation of structures.
Even from a mere glance from afar, one could discern that this was undoubtedly an abandoned settlement.
Shattered and collapsed stone materials were strewn everywhere, while the mottled walls were covered with dry, cracked lines. Any building adorned with colors had been obscured by the drifting volcanic ash.
Hovering in the sky for a moment, the passengers of the Gondola confirmed the absence of danger, after which Angel and the others disembarked.
The structures extended from the mountainside all the way to the peak. If compared to the cities of the Goldfinch Empire, the size of this architectural area could match that of an ordinary township.
Upon closer contact, it was just as they had seen from afar: derelict, time-worn, and utterly silent.
Due to the active fire elements in the air, the Young Fire Demon Greaves quickly toured more than half of this area, taking advantage of the leaping flames.
“There are no signs of life, however, there are many skeletal remains,” said Greaves, leading Angel to a winding street that led to the mountaintop.
This street, littered with volcanic ash, was filled with bones, each varying in pose and cause of death. Some died with their heads plunged into the ground, some had collapsed skulls, some had disjointed bones…
Close to Angel, one particular skeleton even had its entire spine shattered, as if it had fallen from the sky and broken upon impact.
“The times of death are not from the same era; this one died at least five hundred years ago, while this one may have been about two hundred years,” Popoca casually pointed to two skeletons lying close to each other. Without context, one might have thought they were close friends who died at the same time.
“Most are native inhabitants of the Abyss, with only a very small number being demons… No, half-demon skeletons,” Greaves also added.
Due to his limited knowledge of the Abyss, Angel couldn’t discern much from the surface.
However, as a traditional noble, he was well-versed in appreciating art, including architecture. The architectural style here was markedly different from the Demon Castle, filled with curves and reliefs. These reliefs rarely conveyed religious meanings; they were mostly decorative patterns depicting daily life.
In terms of refinement, although they didn’t surpass human nations, they were far more delicate than the Demon Castle!
Moreover, the structures here were quite petite, with doorways roughly the same size as those of humans.
Therefore, all these signs suggest that this place was likely a town of Abyss natives before it was abandoned.
“If this is where the Abyss natives resided, why are these skeletons so unusual? Not to mention the variety in causes of death, but also the disparate times of death… It’s as if they died elsewhere, then were moved here,” pondered Angel.
With the passing of eons having nearly turned these skeletons to dust and erasing almost all traces of their origins, this made it challenging to determine if this was the place of their final living moments or place of rest.
“Have we uncovered any information about this place?” Angel sought answers.
Greaves replied, “Some carvings refer to this place as Mantan. However, I’ve never heard of this name, and no other leads seem to present themselves.”
“It seems, even with the discovery of native-made structures, we still haven’t unearthed any tangible findings,” Popoca lamented, the uncertainty of their location undermining any hope of escape.
After a moment of thought, Angel countered, “Not exactly fruitless, we can at least confirm this place was once home to the Abyss natives.”
Pausing momentarily, Angel turned to Greaves and asked, “I recall reading that the Abyss natives primarily inhabit its surface layer, correct?”
Greaves nodded, “Indeed, amongst the natives, some possess remarkable capabilities. They occasionally appear in the inner layers, but as for settlements within these depths, I’ve heard no such tales… Moreover, according to the Abyss Treaty, the natives’ habitats are mostly confined to the surface layer Abyss, if not its very surface.”
“The Abyss Treaty?”
“It’s a treaty drafted by the Gazing Abyssal Eye, outlining the rules of engagement between demons and Abyss natives. However, very few demons choose to abide by it…” Greaves explained.
“Ah, the Gazing Abyssal Eye, always seems to have time on its hands.” The one who quipped was Popoca. Since the Profound Lord had designs on the Gazing Abyssal Eye’s powers, Popoca was somewhat familiar with its activities.
Greaves cast a sidelong glance at Popoca and directed his attention back to Angel, “By asking about the natives’ settlements, are you suggesting we’re in the Abyss’s surface layer?”
Angel affirmed with a nod.
“There’s a good chance we are, though my knowledge about the Abyss’s surface layer is rather limited. Lady Olucia might know something, but she hasn’t awakened yet.”
“No matter, we should keep going. We might stumble upon something intriguing.”
Since this location yielded few clues, Angel didn’t linger. Instead, he steered the Gondola onward, heading southeast.
Perhaps because they had entered a “once-civilized area,” their subsequent journey was free from volcanoes and lava. What met their eyes was an endless expanse of rolling hills or, one might say, boundless wilderness.
“The skeletons in that town strike me as odd. If outsiders brought them there, wouldn’t it be too much of a hassle? If outsiders didn’t transport them, could they have ended up there on their own?” Popoca wondered.
Popoca’s puzzlement was destined to remain a mystery, a cryptic riddle no one could decipher.
As time ebbed away, half an hour later, they once again beheld the sight of a second settlement, a town sculpted around a hillock.
However, much like their first encounter with Mantan, this little village, christened Zoltan, was abandoned and adorned with an abundance of skeletal remains.
Regarding other clues, they were still drawing a blank.
Next, they stumbled upon several desolate indigenous gathering places. But they were more or less similar to what they had seen before, the only variance being the variety of skeletons.
Among them, what took them by surprise was the sight of human skeletal remains.
And there was more than just one set.
After some skeletal analysis, it appeared that these human skeletons belonged to individuals of likely modest power during their lifetime. Most of the bones lacked any energy property, suggesting they were probably mid to low-level apprentices. Of course, there was also the possibility they were mere mortals, although the likelihood of a mortal in the Abyss was quite slim.
This led them to one conclusion: they were definitely somewhere on the surface layer of the Abyss.
After all, it would be far-fetched for mid to low-level apprentices to venture into the inner layers of the Abyss. Even the second layer of the Abyss was rarely visited. Mostly, they would be found skulking in the surface layer.
This suggested that this place could be a plane aspect within the surface layer of the Abyss or a Void Continent, perhaps?
As Angel pondered these possibilities, they stumbled upon yet another Deserted City.
Perhaps driven by a youthful curiosity, Greaves displayed the most enthusiasm towards exploration. Initially, Angel had no expectations from these cities. After all, even if they found the city’s name, they still wouldn’t know its specific location.
However, this time, Greaves brought forth a pleasant surprise.
A skeleton, clad in a tattered wizard’s robe, lay before Angel.
This was what Greaves had found in the city, christened as “Dagestan”.
“There are more human skeletons inside, but this one bore a distinctive emblem. I thought you might recognize it, so I brought it out,” Greaves indicated a side of the wizard’s robe, where a unique emblem was present.
A Golden Witch Flower.
The Witch Flower, a prime alchemical material, bore a striking resemblance to roses but flaunted vivid hues of black and red, appearing as seductive as a captivating witch. Potions and fragrances with the flower as a key ingredient usually had skin-restoring properties. It was an essential ingredient in youth-preserving potions. Because it was sought after by witches and was mainly used by females, it was named the “Witch” Flower.
Angel recognized the Witch Flower. But an organization that used the Golden Witch Flower as their emblem was unheard of to him.
Angel turned his gaze to Popoca, who had been a veteran in the Wizarding World for much longer. Perhaps, he might have some insights.
Popoca studied the emblem for a while before hesitantly saying, “I seem to recall seeing this emblem somewhere. It appears to be the mark of a wizard organization… But, it doesn’t seem to be from the Southern Region Wizarding World.”
“Not from the Southern Region Wizarding World?” Angel looked at Popoca, “Are you certain?”
Popoca shook his head, “I just have a vague recollection, but I can’t be certain.”
Angel furrowed his brow in thought for a moment, then looked towards Greaves, “Are there any native inhabitants of the Abyss in the other Phase Planes?”
Greaves nodded, “Yes, but like the Wasteland Plane, according to the Abyss Treaty, these natives primarily dwell in the surface layers of the Abyss.”
Angel massaged his temples, “If there are natives on the other Phase Planes, could it be that we have arrived on one of them?”
Popoca was clueless about what a Phase Plane was, looking at Angel with confusion on his face.
Angel gave a brief explanation of the structure of the Abyss, then looked towards Greaves, hoping to glean an answer from the lips of this demon noble.
Greaves hesitated for a moment, shaking his head, “I doubt it. To reach another Phase Plane, the primary route is through a Translayer Gate. All of these gates are guarded by Demon Lords, so we are likely still on the Wasteland Plane.”
If they hadn’t crossed to another Phase Plane, then the skeleton before them, could it possibly have originated from one?
But how could it have crossed the Phase Plane to arrive here?
In the end, Angel couldn’t figure it out, left with no choice but to continue his journey, his heart laden with doubts.
This time, they flew for close to an hour before they spotted a new cluster of buildings. Like before, Greaves enthusiastically set out to explore, while Angel watched with furrowed brows the town that lay upon the wilderness.
It wasn’t the largest cluster of buildings they had come across, yet it instilled in Angel an odd sense of unease.
“What’s wrong?” Popoca asked, puzzled as he looked at Angel.
Angel gazed into the rain-soaked edge of the wilderness, “I have this faint feeling… the sense of a calling seems to be getting closer and closer… Perhaps, it’s coming from this wilderness.”
…
“Shop owner! I’ve found two bodies!”
While Angel was silently sensing the “calling”, Greaves’ voice suddenly echoed.
At first, Angel didn’t pay much mind, but soon, Greaves’ second shout reached him, “These are fresh bodies! And, they are human!”
Hearing this, Angel and Popoca exchanged a glance and without hesitation, leapt from the ship.
Chapter 1215 Turning Danger into Safety <TOC> Chapter 1217 Gusia’s Corpse