Chapter 979 Silent Shore <TOC> Chapter 981 The Immortal Brigade
Translator: SumTLMan
Who hums? And what is being hummed?
At the moment, no one could tell.
As the humming became more discernible, Duchess Bel’s pace slowed down, each step taken with a conscious caution.
At this point, Angel too, could hear that humming, imbued with a tinge of poignant sentiment.
If one were to set aside the stifling atmosphere within the cathedral and listen to this hum objectively, Angel discovered that the humming was rather beautiful.
It was slightly tantalizing, tickling one’s heartstrings.
Yet beneath this superficial allure, it concealed an undercurrent of unresolved sorrow.
While Angel’s musical prowess might have been rather elementary, his capacity to appreciate music was an indispensable skill befitting his noble lineage.
“Beneath the charm, a hidden sorrow,” Angel murmured softly. What did the humming express?
Was it reminiscing about someone?
While Angel was still analyzing the emotional turbulence brought by the humming, Duchess Bel had already arrived at a stone stele.
“Odd, this stele wasn’t here when we last visited,” Duchess Bel lowered her voice and informed the congregation within the cathedral.
The congregation shifted their gazes to the stele. The shape of the stele was irregular, appearing more like a misshapen rock. However, it was referred to as a stele by Duchess Bel due to the inscription it bore.
The language used in the inscription was unfamiliar to Angel, but for some reason, just looking at the strangely patterned inscription made Angel feel an intense sense of sorrow, coupled with a hint of reluctance.
“This is Abyssian,” Madeline murmured.
On the surface of the Abyss, three languages are currently understood by wizards: Demonic, Ancient Demonic, and Abyssian.
Demonic and Ancient Demonic, as their names suggest, are languages of demons. However, Abyssian is more elegant and potent, only mastered by a select few demons with ancient heritage.
Abyssian extends far beyond a simple dialect, serving as a universal language within the world of wizards, typically used by the original inhabitants of the Abyss. However, the semantics of Abyssian are largely discernable to demons and beasts.
The inscription reads: “Resting place of the Immortal Expedition.”
Upon Madeline’s utterance, a wave of mutual glances swept over the group. Bruen, his brow knotted in contemplation, queried, “Could this refer to the Immortal Expedition?”
“We can’t be certain, but there are tales of the Immortal Expedition never returning from their journey. Could this be the final resting place of that lost army?” Velite added, his face etched with bewilderment.
As the conversation rippled back and forth, Angel began to grasp the intricacies of their predicament.
Immortal Street was the final sanctuary to which the remnants of the Emberstone Titan were moved, constructed collaboratively by humans, half-demons, and a portion of the original Abyss dwellers.
Its name, Immortal Street, is a tribute to their most formidable battalion, the Immortal Expedition.
If the inscription is to be believed, this is the resting place of the Immortal Expedition. Why, then, was there no previous indication of this inscription?
Could the monument have been erected only recently?
And might the person humming in the distance be responsible?
“Do we press on, or should we circumvent this area?” Bruen posed the question.
“And where exactly would we divert to? Let’s press on. The Immortal Expedition was composed entirely of half-demons. If someone is commemorating them, they likely aren’t exceedingly powerful.” As Sineva uttered these words, she paused briefly, “After all, the establishment of Immortal Street was a testament to the goodwill of half-demons. We should venture forth. If the inscription speaks truth, we may have the opportunity to return the remains of the Immortal Expedition to Immortal Street.”
With Sineva’s decision set in stone, no objections were raised by the group.
Duchess Bel led the way, but Sineva commanded her to maintain a leisurely pace.
If this truly was the final resting place of the Immortal Expedition, a brisk pace might disturb their eternal slumber. Moreover, it may well incite the ire of the one who erected the monument.
As Duchess Bel carried on for a while longer, the daylight outside abruptly gave way to darkness.
Sineva, with a sudden burst of energy, thrust open the doors of the cathedral and stepped out.
The outside world was shrouded in a disheartening darkness, as though the day had abruptly ceded to the night.
In the chasm of the Abyss, the concept of day and night is elusive, a plane of eternal twilight where darkness and light blur. Now, a profound obscurity envelops the surroundings, akin to a moonless midnight.
Sineva wore a stern expression, addressing the congregants exiting the cathedral, “We may have stepped into a plane akin to an alternate dimension.”
Under the shroud of “Nocturne”, even the turbulent elements seemed to have quieted, a striking contrast to their previous encounters on the Silent Shore.
At Sineva’s command, Duchess Bel retreated but remained within the confines of Nocturne.
“Since we cannot withdraw, we proceed onward,” decreed Sineva, “toward the source of the humming!”
Although they found themselves in this bizarre location where the celestial brightness had shifted, the environment transformed, and even the intensity of elemental activity altered, there was one consistency — the resonating hum.
It lingered in their ears, more lucid than ever!
Duchess Bel led the way toward the humming for a brief moment when those at the cathedral’s threshold began to notice anomalies.
A multitude of solemn tombstones and haphazardly placed stone coffins began to appear.
Bruen furrowed his brow, “Could this be the necropolis of the Immortal Expedition?”
“Whether it is or not, the humming leads there. We proceed to investigate.”
As Duchess Bel advanced further into the cemetery, they began to decipher the inscriptions on the tombstones. The cryptic symbols on them confirmed their suspicions — this Immortal Expedition was indeed the expeditionary force venerated by the original inhabitants of the Abyss.
Despite this confirmation, no one dared disturb the coffins. Instead, they prepared to meet the humming entity.
After a while, Duchess Bel halted.
All eyes fell upon a luminous dwelling in front of them. Each looked to the other in silent bewilderment.
Deep within the cemetery, a solitary room was aglow — perhaps an unremarkable abode of a gravedigger, one might assume.
But this dwelling was exceptional. It was not merely a room; it was a…
Tavern!
Although devoid of a signboard, the tavern’s distinct wooden railings, coupled with the brightly illuminated cloth barrier lit from within, unanimously declared its identity as a tavern.
Furthermore, a single word was inscribed on the barrier, an emphatic declaration in Abyssian: “Ale!”
Peering beneath the cloth barrier, a smattering of tables and chairs, along with a tavern counter, were discernible.
The wind, a gentle whisper in the graveyard, teased the barrier into a subtle sway. Through the undulating gaps, they could even catch a glimpse of a pair of pallid hands, nails painted a vivid vermilion, rhythmically crafting cocktails atop the tavern counter.
The source of the humming they had previously heard was traced back to this very tavern.
Each face wore a different expression, but the eyes were all fraught with the same question: Why was there a tavern here? Amidst the vast, silent graveyard, was this tavern intended to entertain the ethereal patrons?
“Who are they trying to bamboozle with this facade?” Sineva hopped down from Duchess Bel, striding unflinchingly towards the tavern.
However, before Sineva could approach the tavern, a dull sound of stone scraping echoed.
Turning around, she saw a nearby sarcophagus being pushed open. A hand, clad in armor, grasped the coffin’s edge, its owner concealed within. Accompanied by the sharp metallic ring of armor, a humanoid shadow rose from the coffin.
A knight clad entirely in armor emerged, a broad and hefty sword slung over his back.
The armor, however, was decrepit and the sword broken in half, revealing signs of corrosion.
As soon as the knight appeared, not only Sineva but everyone else braced themselves for combat. Yet, to their surprise, the knight paid no heed to the palpable tension, and accompanied by the steady “clack-clack” of his boots, he walked into the tavern.
The moment the knight entered the tavern, lifting the cloth barrier, they caught a fleeting glimpse of a graceful woman behind the counter. The knight’s arrival seemed to warrant a break in the humming from within.
“Are they really hosting a spectral soirée?” Angel, now outside the cathedral, couldn’t help but ridicule the scene.
Sineva huffed with disdain, cursing under her breath about the opaque situation, but she strode towards the tavern without a moment’s hesitation.
However, as she extended her foot to step inside, a gentle luminous barrier abruptly appeared at the entrance of the tavern, forcefully repelling her. Flung back, Sineva found herself airborne, but the exertion was no real threat. She adjusted her posture in midair, touching down with grace and precision.
Once she landed, a flicker of rage lit up in Sineva’s eyes. Flames ignited from her clenched fist, and she ferociously thrust it towards the tavern.
But, the moment her fiery fist came into contact with the luminescent barrier, the force was reflected right back at her.
As much force as Sineva had exerted when she struck, the barrier returned in kind.
Fortunately, Sineva was merely testing the waters; otherwise, she would have been injured when the force rebounded.
The situation was now clear: this tavern nestled within the graveyard seemed to be refusing service to Sineva.
Looking towards the interior of the tavern, a hint of trepidation flickered in Sineva’s eyes. Her initial trial didn’t raise any alarm, but after her second attempt, she started to sense something amiss.
The radiant barrier was emanating a terrifying aura. This aura was overwhelmingly strong; even if she hadn’t been cursed, she couldn’t hold a candle to such a force.
Perhaps, only the esteemed Mengke could match it.
Meaning, the entity that set up this barrier was at least a peak being of the third level of true knowledge!
Although she didn’t know whether this peak being of the third level of true knowledge was present in the tavern, Sineva knew she couldn’t act recklessly anymore. Should anything go wrong, she might not even have the time to forcibly construct a planar passage.
Her expression shifting, Sineva addressed the tavern, with an air of unease: “My previous actions were impulsive, primarily due to my craving for a drink. I was in the wrong.”
After Sineva’s apology, there was no response from within the tavern, but the humming sound did cease.
She continued, “May I enter your establishment for a drink?”
As her query hung in the air, the tavern finally responded to Sineva——
Chapter 979 Silent Shore <TOC> Chapter 981 The Immortal Brigade