Capítulo 96: Your Highness
'This is not what I've been told about the temple.'
Adrian thought as he observed the people kneeling with such intensity that they perished in that position.
While he didn't harbor much sentiment for the individuals, he couldn't fathom the motivation behind why they would choose such a fate.
"Did they do it willingly? Were they praying for something for her? Whose statue does that belong to?" Adrian questioned, grappling with a cascade of uncertainties and unanswered questions within the temple.
Standing beside the stairs, none of Adrian's questions found answers. He desired to investigate further, but a lingering fear restrained him, apprehensive that he might end up like those who knelt before.
'Kneeling?'
The sight of the kneeling figures jogged Adrian's memory about the cryptic message on the altar. It explicitly requested him to kneel as well.
'Did they all kneel because of that message too? Considering their state of decomposition, it appears they entered as a group.'
Engaging his mind to unravel the enigma surrounding him, Adrian advanced to get a closer look at the statue. It seemed oddly blurry, prompting him to examine it more closely.
As he moved forward, passing through the kneeling figures, Adrian couldn't help but notice that their eyes were still intact, fixated on the statue as if they were unable to avert their gaze.
Although their conditions were severely deteriorated, Adrian could discern a diversity of age groups among the kneeling figures.
Among the 27 kneeling individuals, Adrian could even discern the presence of children, adding a disconcerting layer to the mystery.
'What made them kneel here?'
The question nagged at Adrian's mind: under what circumstances would he find himself taking Emilie and kneeling in front of a statue? The incongruity of such a scenario perplexed him.
Having traversed through the group, Adrian reached the front of the statue. Examining it up close, he couldn't help but marvel at the lifelike craftsmanship.
"Whoever crafted this seems to have known exactly what they were doing," Adrian mused, acknowledging the skill and precision evident in the statue's construction.
Just as Adrian was about to trace his fingers along the statue, a noise behind him grabbed his attention.
Turning around, Adrian noticed something that sent a chill down his spine, causing beads of cold sweat to form on his forehead.
'Is their direction of kneeling…. changed a bit?'
The figures, who had been kneeling before the statue for an indeterminate period, were now slightly tilted in Adrian's direction, causing a sense of unease to settle in.
'What is going on?'
While someone else might have left by now, Adrian found himself without much choice, given the lingering presence of the skinwalker outside.
Driven by the need to unravel the mystery of his presence, Adrian pressed on. He sought to understand why She had sent him to this place and what significance lay behind the notion of receiving a gift within the confines of this peculiar punishment.
Adrian found himself no closer to answers than when he started, still enveloped in a cloud of unanswered questions.
'Is she the so called Arcanara the Nightseamstress?'
The signs seemed to point in this direction, yet Adrian remained clueless about who she was and the connection between the lady in the statue and Her.
'What does she want from me?'
Exhausted from the relentless cycle of wandering that only birthed more questions, Adrian grew weary, feeling trapped in a perplexing maze with no discernible way out.
No longer concerned about the kneeling figures or anything else, Adrian boldly stepped forward and touched the statue. Observing no immediate reaction, he withdrew his arm and delivered a punch to it in frustration.
Fatigue settled over Adrian. Gratitude for the bestowed core not withstanding, he couldn't shake the conviction that all she did was for her own benefit.
Uncertain of what exactly she sought, Adrian felt the weariness settling in, his energy depleted mentally.
His punch struck the statue, but it remained steadfast, unaffected by the force. The kneeling figures showed no response, prompting Adrian to deliver another punch in frustration.
"My punch seems to have lost its power entirely," Adrian thought, reflecting on the ineffectiveness of his physical exertion against the unyielding statue.
Realizing his punches had no effect on a statue crafted from stone, Adrian withdrew, acknowledging the futility of his futile attempts.
Just as he contemplated departing, a realization dawned on him.
'I observed the difference around the altar when I was in shadows.'
Without dwelling on it any longer, Adrian plunged into the shadows once again, greeted by a sight that differed from the reality he had just left.
The shadows in this chamber were noticeably denser than those outside. However, the pivotal revelation that startled him was the presence of the statue and the figures, all replicated within this shadowy realm, made of shadows.
Typically, in shadows, everything retained the same form but in black. Yet in this particular shadow realm, the figures and the statue seemed to manifest as genuine entities crafted from pure shadows, as if they originally existed in this shadowy form.
Gazing upon this surreal scene, Adrian couldn't help but wonder which version represented the true reality.
'So, I'm meant to navigate this temple in the shadows to uncover anything significant.'
His train of thought was on the right track.
Adrian maneuvered around the statue, and this time, he distinctly observed the figures shifting and altering their orientation towards him.
Observing this potentially unnerving scene, Adrian felt an unexpected calm. Then, he executed an action that would have left other shadow manifestors dumbfounded.
Adrian approached one of the kneeling figures, whose eyes now appeared as black dots in the shadow realm.
"I know you can see me."
"..."
"No need to play dumb. You moved when i moved."
"..."'
"You are not going to answer me?"
"..."
"Fine I'll burn your body then.'
"..."
Noticing no response from the figure, Adrian remained unconvinced that these individuals were truly deceased. Just as he contemplated leaving the shadows to confront the motionless figure in reality, another one trembled slightly.
'Finally willing to talk?'
Adrian thought as he advanced to the last row, reaching the figure that had displayed some movement. Standing before it, he couldn't help but observe the darker shade of black that enveloped this particular figure.
"So will you talk or do you want me to burn your body as well?"
As he uttered those words, Adrian witnessed the figure trembling.
"I... I will talk, your highness," stammered the figure.
'Your highness?'
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES 
samandridaku
samandridaku In shadows deep, where mysteries abide,
A figure kneels, whispers the name with pride.
"Your Highness," echoes, a regal refrain,
In the realm of shadows, where titles reign.
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder