Bab 36: City of Ravens (22)
Approaching the building covered in fungus, I carefully avoided any spots where it was. Learning from the previous time I didn't even try to touch it, though it made moving forward difficult. Avoiding the detection of the monsters and moving towards the center of the city made me mentally tired.
Even If my body was in the peak condition, my mind was slowly falling into the darkness. But it was not the time to rest. As I approached the closer to the next building, the group of monsters already passed by this place and I had a few minutes before another shows up.
Next building looked different, which made me hopeful that there is something there that could help me get out of here. It was wide and flat, like a warehouse. Inside I found hundreds of rows of shelves.
Unlike other buildings, this one actually had something in it. On each shelve, there were sixteen boxes made of metal. Curiosity is said to be the first step to hell. But if that was the case, I already took it many times, so I pried it open.
The heavy lid fell to the ground, and to my surprise, the box wasn't filled with items or just empty. It was bones. They looked human but not entirely, on the skull two horns were sticking out making it look like a devil's skull.
I opened two more, one had a single horn, and other one wings. This made me think that it is possible that they added these bones to the body after death. Maybe as a ritual? Either way, it is very unusual.
I searched the warehouse for a while but other them thousands of coffins there was only a small hole with fungus growing around it. Curiosity…
I went down. It was probably the worst decision I could make in my situation, but I still did it. Inside there was not a lot of fungi that I had to avoid, making it not too hard of a travel. On the roof of the tunnel, there were thin fibers of fungus growing,
The surface that was now rumbling with hundreds of monsters searching for me, unlike it the tunnel was completely silent. The stillness and silence of this place made me drowsy.
Further, I went down the temperature increased, and the air became moist. I could see the end of the tunnel, hundreds of thousands of the same monsters that were on the surface right now looking for me were laying in cocoons. The smaller cocoons were surrounding bigger cocoons where monsters the size of a house were sleeping.
This is serious. Just the monsters that were looking for me now were enough to make a huge dent in the Hunting Grounds defenses, but if they all get out… it will be a disaster!
I need to warn the MCA! I need evidence. If they don't believe me and these monsters attack…
Waiting for my phone to turn on I examined the monsters that were sleeping inside the cocoons. It was difficult to make out the different shapes and features through the cocoons, but I could count at least six or seven different kinds of monsters.
When I opened the camera app with shake hands, I took a picture… with the flash turned on. Through the cocoon, I could see the eyes of the monsters move and look towards me.
I ran.
Back in the warehouse I quickly found a way towards the tallest building, and I stopped searching them focusing solely on finding a way out. I know there are two possibilities that a sky panther could've got in this place. One there is an exit similar to the one I fund somewhere around the city.
Two, there is an exit somewhere close to the temple I found. That would also explain how I got out last time. My best bet was that it was option two. A Sky panther fell and made its way down through the city or the tunnel and later was killed by one of the monsters.
The ground started shaking, it must be the monsters from the cocoons! I was a few dozen buildings away, but I could see monsters purring out from the warehouse like a tide.
I didn't stop but speed up, using my soul image on my legs and expanding them to the limit my speed was the fastest it could be.
The light from the soul image attracted nearby monsters, and a chase began. Running on top of rooftops, jumping from one to another while monsters were trailing behind me. For the first time, I regretted finding this place!
But knowing that tens of thousands of people can die if I fall here propelled me forward! In my vines was now more adrenaline then blood and the symbols on my arm burned my body from the inside. With each jump, I climbed higher, with each step closer, with each breath more exhausted.
When I reached the tallest tower, I was forcing my body to move, but there was more to go. I could waste time searching for an entrance, so I broke one of the walls and got inside. I searched and found a staircase which I ran up to as fast I could.
The sound of stone breaking down and monsters screaming were continually coming from behind me. When I was nearing the top of the staircase, I summoned as many black feathers as I could and made them all smash against the stairs. Screams of monsters falling and rocks smashing against them filled my ears, but as I got further away, they slowly died down.
When I reached the top, I found a slightly opened door, I ran through it and looked around. Murals and writings that looked familiar, I didn't pay attention to them but kept running. Soon I arrived at the place where I met the ghost, the symbols on my arm flared up, and my mind was filled with the thought that were not mine.
They told me to go closer to the altar. To rest there. It is safe there. Nothing would happen to me. 'I' would be safe. But what about others?!
This was not the time to think why did this happen, but I knew getting rid of these symbols was my next priority! I continued running, and I passed through the area that I explored and then through the exit.
I looked, I looked everywhere. AND I FOUND IT! A small speck of light far away. I made my way to it, and there I found a tunnel that was leading upwards.
More and more light was visible, and the earth became muddier as I approached the surface. When my lungs breathed fresh air, it felt like needles were poking at my chest, I was just too exhausted.
All I wanted was to fall on the ground and sleep, but I couldn't. I run as fast I could without using any more soul essence that was slowly running dry. I was still in the hunting grounds, and if I now get attacked by a stronger monster, it would be a disaster.
The rain limited visibility and made the ground unstable. Covered in mud I went through the checkpoint, they asked me if I was ok. But there was not enough time to explain it.
"I need to go to the MCA and tell them about the monsters! I need to go now!"
"Monsters? What about?" One of the workers asked.
"Hord… no, AN army. I don't when will they get here. I NEED to go to the MCA."
"Are you sure?"
"YES!"
"Bob, help the kid get to the MCA, Put the Hunting Ground on alert two. Make sure none falls asleep."
"Alert two?! Are you sure? What if this guy is laying?"
"Just do as I say! If something happens and we are attacked unprepared, it will be a disaster. Bob get in the car with the kid and go. They will make the final decision."
"Yes, sir."
We got into a car, and while the worker drove towards the town, I called to the phone I left with Emily. After three signals I heard her voice. "Hello?"
"Emily, it's me. Did you translate it?"
"Mostly. Some minor details are still missing, but I got the important parts done."
"That's good. Bring the translation and the phone to the MCA I will tell someone to bring you to me."
"Are you sure? Did something happen?"
"Not yet, I will explain everything when I see you. I just arrived at the MCA building, come here as fast as you can."
I ended the call and got out of the car, the driver slacking behind I walked towards the building.
"Stop!" Before I could reach the door, a voice shouted out and cold air spread around the street freezing the falling rain. "You are really hard to find Dominique Blake!"
"You… get out of the way, I need to talk with the MCA!"
"There is no need for you to do that, you are coming with me. And this time I won't let you run. ICE PRISON!"
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Haron
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