章節 22: Upcoming Danger
With a nod from Lila and a small smile from Lady Roxanne, he slipped into the darkness, his cloak billowing around him like a shadow come to life. His boots made no sound on the damp earth as he moved, his twin blades a silent promise of protection against the whispers of the forest. The air inside the shrine was thick with the scent of mold and decay, the remnants of countless candles that had burned for the lost souls over the centuries
The space was small, with only a handful of benches arranged before an altar that had been defaced by time and the elements. The walls were lined with niches, each one containing the remains of those who had sought refuge here, their bones picked clean by the forest's scavengers. At the center of the room, a staircase descended into the earth, the darkness below as absolute as the void.
Aldwyn felt a shiver run down his spine, his instincts screaming at him to flee. „There is something very powerful down there..."
He returned to the doorway, his face grim. "The room is clear, but the corridor downstairs is problematic... I sense a big threat."
Lila and Lady Roxanne exchanged glances, the latter's hand straying to the hilt of her own weapon. "Perhaps we should rest here for the night," Lila suggested, her voice steady despite the tension that thrummed in the air.
„Have you not listened to what I just said?" Aldwyn couldn't help but get upset on the inside.
Aldwyn silver eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "We'll set up camp outside," he said. "But I'll keep watch."
Lila nodded. "Understood," she replied, dismounting and leading her horse to a patch of grass near the shrine's entrance. Lady Roxanne followed suit, her expression a mask of stoicism.
„I don't feel any danger out here... It's only the case as soon as I get closer to the downstairs. Does this mean that the danger is not a living being, but the room itself?" Aldwyn thought about the possible danger.
They set up camp quickly and efficiently, their movements a dance of silent coordination. Aldwyn's eyes never strayed far from the shrine's entrance, his senses on high alert. As they settled around the small campfire, Lila handed him a steaming cup of tea.
"Tell me, Lady Roxanne," he began, his voice low and measured. "Do you know anything about the Shrine of the Forgotten?"
Her pink eyes studied him for a moment before she spoke. "It's an ancient place," she said, her voice filled with a hint of reverence. "A sanctuary for those lost to the forest, a place where their spirits are said to find peace."
„Then why do I feel such a sense of danger as soon as I get closer?" Aldwyn still didn't understand.
As Lila and Lady Roxanne drifted into sleep, their breaths deepening into the rhythmic cadence of slumber, Aldwyn found himself unable to rest.
He examined the stairs leading down again, his eyes drawn to the abyssal darkness that beckoned from beneath the shrine. His instincts screamed at him to leave it be.
„My feeling is unnatural... The threat that lurks down there is probably even deadly for me."
....
Meanwhile, there was a lot going on at House Valthorne. Craig Gaines appeared before the leader of House, Deole Mitchell.
"Your grace," he began, his voice tight with tension. "I would like to thank you for hearing me out. We have a big problem and I need your help."
Mitchell leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "Speak," he said, his eyes never leaving Gaines'.
Gaines took a deep breath, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "The Crimson Merchant," he began, his voice low and urgent. "He was the one that stole the goods from our warehouse."
Mitchell's eyes narrowed. "And what makes you so certain of this?" he asked, his tone even.
Gaines explained him the whole process, that he hired Aldwyn to figure out who was responsible for the thefts. The result was the Crimson Merchant, who is a big deal in the underground market and has ties to the Hollow.
Mitchell's expression darkened. "The Hollow," he murmured, his voice filled with loathing. "Return to the Merchants' Guild, myself and my people will take over from here!"
....
The next morning, the shrine stood tall in the center of their makeshift camp, the sun's early light casting eerie shadows through its ivy-covered stones. The air was heavy with the scent of dew and the distant calls of birds, a stark contrast to the stillness of the night before. As they broke camp, the tension remained palpable, the mystery of the shrine's underground chamber a constant presence in their minds.
Aldwyn rolled up the map with precision, his eyes tracing the path they had taken from Helgarde to the shrine.
"We need to press on," he said, his voice calm despite the unease that lingered in the air. "Our next stop is the village of Eldenbrough."
The journey through the Darkwood Forest was fraught with tension, the shadows seeming to stretch and twist around them as they rode deeper into the heart of the woods. The trees grew denser, their twisted branches reaching out like skeletal fingers to snatch at their cloaks and horses' manes. The only sounds were the distant calls of unidentifiable creatures and the occasional rustle of leaves underfoot.
To break the silence, Lila spoke up. "What do you think we'll find in Eldenbrough?" she asked, her voice light despite the gravity of their mission.
Lady Roxanne's gaze flicked to Aldwyn before she replied. "Hopefully a place for us to rest before we continue our journey."
Aldwyn nodded, his eyes still scanning the surroundings. "And perhaps some useful equipment or information," he added.
"Ah, I've heard tales of Eldenbrough," Lila said, her voice taking on a wistful tone. "They say the village has a tavern that serves the best mulled wine in the region."
Lady Roxanne's lips curled into a small smile. "Perhaps we'll have the luxury of sampling it," she said, her gaze lingering on the horizon. "But for now, let us focus on the road ahead. There are many dangers in these woods, not all of them human."
Their conversation grew more relaxed as they fell into a comfortable rhythm, the clop of their horses' hooves a steady beat beneath the canopy of leaves.
"Tell us of your past, Lady Roxanne," lila said, curiosity piqued by the woman's enigmatic demeanor.
"My past is not unlike a tapestry," Lady Roxanne replied, her eyes unfocused as if looking through the veil of time. "Intricate, filled with threads of joy and sorrow, victory and loss. But it is not for me to unravel here."
„Too bad, I would like to learn more about the history of her family. For example, why they are not one of the 5 great houses..." Aldwyn thought to himself and didn't make a comment.
The journey continued, the tension in the air thickening as the shadows grew longer. They encountered no other travelers, the path before them seemingly abandoned to the whims of nature. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the forest transformed into a realm of twilight, the air thick with the promise of secrets and danger.
The village of Eldenbrough emerged from the gloom like a mirage, its thatched roofs and flickering candlelight a beacon in the sea of darkness. The village was smaller than they had anticipated, surrounded by a wooden palisade that bore the marks of recent repairs. The gates stood open, but the absence of guards was notable.
Aldwyn's instincts screamed danger, and he raised a hand to halt their approach. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the silent streets, searching for any sign of life. The air was heavy with a scent that was both sweet and putrid, a cloying miasma that clung to the back of their throats.
"Something's wrong," he murmured, his voice barely carrying over the rustling leaves. "The village is too quiet."
Lila's hand hovered over the hilt of her sword. "What do we do?" she whispered, her eyes darting from shadow to shadow.
Aldwyn dismounted, his boots silent on the soft earth. "We proceed with caution," he said, his voice a low growl. "But we need to find out what happened here."
They approached the village on foot, their horses tethered outside the palisade. The gate was open, but the usually bustling sounds of village life were replaced by an eerie silence. The scent of death grew stronger, a nauseating perfume that filled their nostrils.
The first house they entered was deserted, the furniture overturned and the floor stained with a dark substance that could only be blood. The silence was deafening, save for the occasional drip of liquid echoing through the room.
In the center of the village, they found the source of the foul odor: a massive bonfire, around which the charred and twisted remains of the villagers lay in a gruesome display.
„What the hell happened here... Did bandits did this?"
As Aldwyn surveyed the carnage, a figure emerged from the shadows, tall and gaunt with eyes that burned like embers in a skull-like face.
It was a creature of bone and ash, its limbs elongated into spindly, claw-like appendages.
"What have you done?" Lady Roxanne gasped, her hand flying to her mouth to stifle a scream.
„What do you mean by 'what have I done?' Fucking hell, I have no idea what this creature is...." Aldwyn was extremely shocked himself.
The creature turned its fiery gaze upon them, its bony frame seeming to quiver with malicious glee. "What was done," it croaked, "was for the greater good."
„It can talk?! What the hell is that thing?"
Its form was a macabre parody of a human, stretched and distorted into a grotesque mockery of life. The skin had been burned away to reveal the charred bones beneath, yet it moved with a fluid grace that belied its skeletal structure. Its eyes were twin pits of burning embers, flickering with malevolent intent. The skull grinned, a twisted smile that sent shivers down their spines.
"Lady Roxanne, Lila," Aldwyn's voice was firm and commanding, his eyes never leaving the creature. "Get to the horses. Now."
Without hesitation, the two women retreated, their boots thudding softly on the packed earth. The creature's grin widened, showing a mouthful of jagged teeth.
"You will die here," it rasped, its voice like dry leaves rustling in a grave.
Aldwyn's eyes narrowed. "I doubt that," he replied, drawing his twin blades.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票