Chapter 1379 The Perilous Mountain Giant <TOC> Chapter 1381 Traces of the Ghost
Translator: SumTLMan
As they crossed the plains, they were met with a dark chasm that stretched out like an abyss, splitting the horizon from one end to the dark unknown, much like a line that separates dusk from dawn, cleaving the world in two.
Angel gazed at this unfathomable void, his eyes clouded with bewilderment.
In Fairytale World with its three-layered plane, the topography should remain consistent. Angel distinctly remembered that at this exact location in the Outer World, there should have been a continuous basin. Why then, in the Inner World, did such a pit manifest?
“It’s the Sunbird’s Fall,” Sanders provided an explanation to Angel, “It’s said to have been created by a legendary wizard during the time of planar fusion.”
The so-called Sunbird is, in reality, the ancestral form of the Fiery Molten Bird.
In the Middle World, Angel had witnessed a sky filled with Fiery Molten Birds, their numbers were astonishingly vast. Each of these creatures possessed the power similar to a half-step wizard, and their majestic arrival, like a blazing cloud, would make even wizards step aside in respect.
However, these Fiery Molten Birds could only thrive in the Middle World, where the concentration of magic sustains them. The Sunbird, on the other hand, can only survive in the Inner World, much like the mountain giants.
“Whether the Sunbird was too powerful, or there were those who coveted its flesh, in the end, it was slain by a legendary wizard. This pit is a remnant of that time.” Sanders paused, pointing to the chasm, “But because of its proximity to Black Castle, it was later utilized by them.”
Utilized? Angel cast a puzzled glance at Sanders.
Gazing deep into the abyss, Sanders posed a question, “Haven’t you been to Black Castle before? At that time, what was the most prominent thing you observed around it?”
After a moment of reflection, Angel responded with unwavering certainty, “Ghosts.”
Sanders mused, “Where there are ghosts, there must be corpses. How many such remains have you witnessed in Black Castle, Angel?”
Indeed, within the confines of Black Castle, Angel had stumbled upon countless bodies, even coming across several mass graves. Among them was where Sparrow Blossom had been discovered.
However, juxtaposing the sheer volume of these lifeless forms with the vast number of restless ghost, there was a stark discrepancy.
It’s noteworthy to mention that Angel’s close brush with crafting the Mysterious Object within the castle’s walls was due to its unending reservoir of ghost. The stars had aligned, granting him the perfect blend of elements, culminating in that alchemical triumph.
Such an overwhelming number of ghost surely would correspond with a sea of corpses. Although the vicinity of Black Castle was strewn with bodies, the number hardly matched the count of the wandering souls.
With a furrowed brow, Angel queried, “Are you implying, Mentor, that this abyss is brimming with the departed?”
Sanders nodded in affirmation, “Precisely. Though the remains of the Sunbird have long vanished, the lingering ember of its essence remains palpable. Initially, the castle utilized this abyss for the disposal of these bodies.”
“Moreover, beneath lies a network of tunnels that lead directly to the heart of Black Castle, designed for corpse transportation. Centuries ago, a transcendent being ventured into these tunnels seeking a lost beloved, eventually infiltrating the castle… Regardless of the outcome, the presence of the deceased down there is undeniable.”
He continued, “However, as the mound of corpses grew, they started to overshadow even the Sunbird’s fiery aura, resulting in the scene before us.”
Pausing briefly, Sanders cast a skeptical glance at the abyss, “Oddly, this area usually teems with wandering ghost. Where have they vanished now?”
Scanning the pitch-dark surroundings, indeed, there wasn’t a hint of spectral energy.
“Could it be the handiwork of Black Castle’s inhabitants?” Angel speculated, “After all, with the return of the Twilight Queen, there must be a difference between her and Isabella, right?”
Angel once encountered Isabelle. While she was a soul-based witch, her temperament was utterly different from Isabella’s. At least in Angel’s perspective, Isabelle didn’t exhibit the traits of “killing without reason” or “bathing in the blood of pure maidens.”
“Perhaps,” mused Sanders, “Isabelle hails from a millennium ago. Records suggest though she wasn’t bloodthirsty. The eerie and ghost-infested aura of Black Castle still emerged from her actions.”
“Let’s move on. Once we pass this pit, we’ll be within Black Castle’s vicinity.”
The chasm was profound, but only a few hundred meters wide. As they flew over it, Angel could distinctly sense a palpable, ominous aura rising from below, accompanied by the pungent stench of decay.
A slightly weaker extraordinary being, when confronted with such dense morbid air, might succumb to illusions. If there were lurking ghost nearby, the outcome would undoubtedly be tragic.
Merely this deathly aura hinted at the immense atrocities committed by Black Castle.
Angel’s expression was somber. As they crossed the chasm, it felt as though countless voices whispered tales of their innocence, anger, vendetta, and insanity.
Even though Angel had been stunned by Black Castle’s aura previously, the emotions resurfaced with equal intensity upon revisiting.
While slaughters were not uncommon in the Wizarding World, the sheer scale of Black Castle’s atrocities, especially against commoners, was unparalleled and frowned upon by other wizards.
It’s believed that before Isabelle’s return, Black Castle was in dire straits. Isabella even sought to align with Bogula, hoping their union might salvage the precarious state of the castle.
…
After passing the Sunbird pit, they arrived at a shrubbery.
However, the majority of trees here were lifeless husks, standing in pitch-black silence, bereft of both leaves and vitality. When swayed by the wind, they resembled grotesque creatures, their eerie, twisted branches seemingly beckoning those who wander near.
Walking in such an environment brought a palpable oppressive atmosphere.
Moreover, the sky had amassed dark clouds. With a roaring clap, thunder preceded a flash of white lightning.
Angel realized, even without Sanders mentioning it, that they had entered the domain of Black Castle.
After all, upon entering another’s territory, they ceased flying and alighted, advancing cautiously into the dense underbrush.
“It’s odd,” Sanders mused with a furrowed brow. “Logically, having entered Black Castle’s alert zone, we should’ve been detected by its occupants. Yet, I sense no eyes upon us.”
Their arrival was not clandestine, so by all accounts, they should’ve been spotted.
But now, all seemed eerily still.
Angel also felt the peculiarity, murmuring, “It seems almost too quiet here.”
Sanders understood Angel’s sentiment. The vicinity of Black Castle was known to be teeming with restless ghosts. These souls, when devoid of living essence around, roamed freely. They weren’t always silent — some wailed, others whispered. However, they had been traversing the thicket for several minutes and hadn’t heard any spectral sounds. Only the rumbling thunder from above and the rustling of their feet on dried twigs were audible.
“Could the current situation be linked to some incident at Black Castle?” Angel inquired.
The very reason they were here unannounced was due to an unforeseen event at Black Castle. This incident had disrupted communication with the outpost in Sky Mechanical City.
But as to what exactly transpired at the Castle, they were in the dark.
“Mechanical Beast Emperor” Rosen seemed to be privy to some information, as Sanders had once gleaned a tidbit from him — that a month prior, Isabelle had made contact with him. Yet, Rosen chose not to lay bare the full extent of the truth.
Thus, the only way to unravel the mystery would be to set foot in Black Castle themselves.
Sanders mused, “It’s hard to say, but it might be as you speculated earlier, that Isabelle has cleared out the ghosts.”
While he voiced such thoughts, an inner quandary plagued him: Even if one were to purge the ghost, wouldn’t it be extreme to do so to such a thorough extent?
They pressed forward.
Having trekked for roughly half an hour and scaled several mountain ridges, they encountered numerous skeletal remains and highly decomposed bodies along the path. Yet, there was no trace of any ghosts.
Now, they stood amidst a graveyard.
“We’re not far from Black Castle,” Sanders observed, momentarily halting, “but there’s still no sign of anyone from there. Something is certainly wrong. Let’s take a brief respite while I probe the current state of Black Castle.”
With that, Sanders channeled his mental energies, stretching out to sense the state of affairs in the surrounding domain.
Truth be told, he could’ve tapped into this sense much earlier. But out of respect for being in another’s territory, he had restrained himself. Now, however, the conspicuous absence of any scouts from Black Castle signaled that something was definitely awry.
While Sanders was engrossed in his sensory exploration, Angel directed his mental energy towards his bracelet.
Within the bracelet, Popoca was fussing over his appearance in a mirror.
After several scrutinizing glances, a dejected Popoca touched his unsightly face, a shadow of sadness crossing his eyes.
“If you’re not content,” Angel offered gently, “I can cast an illusion spell for you.”
Angel’s voice resonated in Popoca’s ears. A sudden rigidity overtook him, and his once-fluid movements now appeared stilted, reminiscent of a marionette being manipulated awkwardly.
“Angel, you… why the sudden visit?” Popoca remarked, realizing the absurdity of his question given he was trapped within Angel’s bracelet. He quickly coughed to mask his unease, adding, “What I mean to say is, did you seek me out because…”
Popoca’s voice trailed off, barely audible.
While Angel didn’t catch Popoca’s subsequent words, he could infer the essence of his query.
“You’re not mistaken; we’ve arrived at Black Castle,” Angel declared. Upon hearing this, Popoca immediately adopted a formal posture. “However,” Angel continued, “we haven’t reached Sparrow Blossom’s location yet.”
Chapter 1379 The Perilous Mountain Giant <TOC> Chapter 1381 Traces of the Ghost