Solflare: The Painter's Secret

Chapter 188: The Fallen Halo III: Castle of Souls

The eastern part of Tartarus was soaked in blood. Bones of different sizes, natures, and colors were scattered across the caves.

Half-snake, half-human-like beings roamed inside the caves, holding onto corpses of the horned beings. Their long tongues brushed off the rotten skin on the skeletons, which gripped tightly with their tails.

As soon as footsteps traveled to them from ten kilometers away, their green eyes blazed with joy. The skeletons they were finding warmth in crashed beneath them as they dashed toward the cave’s exit.

Meanwhile, the Madhouse squad walked the only valley pathway, which Aurelian had classified as good, and they were following him.

An Lang tilted his head toward the walls whenever rocks rolled and slammed on the ground. He quickened his steps and stopped by Leon’s side.

"Isn’t he sending us straight to what we were asked to hide from?" he asked, but the only response he got was a still look from Leon.

"Didn’t you join the ladies, stating blankly that, ’We should follow him. He’s our only hope to get to the Starfire Opal’. Or you’ve forgotten?"

An Lang’s face turned foolish as he scratched his head. He looked at Leon’s silent face, then shook his head. "Even if I joined, you could have stopped us. But you also followed."

"Three of you already decided. There was no point arguing."

With all the words Leon said, An Lang still tried to make Leon order them to stop following. But he didn’t. They had gone fifty kilometers, and he knew those flying monsters they sneaked past were still waiting to use them for lunch.

Liu Yan walked on the left side of Wu Ze. She consistently leaned in toward Wu Ze everytime Aurelian tilted his head either to the left or the right.

...

After another five-kilometer walk, Aurelian stopped and gestured for them to stop as well.

"Something has spotted us," he said and raised his head. He squinted at the cave holes in the walls and began assessing the land with his eagle eyes.

An Lang shook himself and stepped forward. "It’s just the rocks. Nothing is coming. We need to move. I’m hung—"

"Shh!" Aurelian silenced him before the talkative one could say another word.

As soon as An Lang turned his frowning face toward one of the caves, his spirit left his body. "What the FUCK!" He jumped from where he stood and threw himself into Wu Ze’s arms.

Right from inside the caves, snake-humans erupted one after another.

Leon’s panel shimmered to life when he spotted them.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

Presence Detected.

Scanning...

Name: Serakel

God Title: The Hollow Fang Beneath Heaven

Rank: A

Hostility: Extreme

Domain Influence: Spiritual Suffocation

Unique Ability: Abyssal Fang Scripture

’Another fallen God?’ Leon screamed in his head as he moved a step back.

"Everyone should stay still," Aurelian whispered, then slowly closed his eyes. Smoke erupted from beneath him slowly, and when it cleared, he was no longer there.

"Where did he go?" An Lang screamed, fidgeting, but got knocked out by an invisible force.

As two minutes passed, Liu Yan also fidgeted. But for her, no invisible force slammed into her; only a gust of wind blew her black hair upward.

The Serakel began moving back one after another, dashing into the cave, screaming.

Wu Ze’s eyes widened when she saw Aurelian appear behind Liu Yan. Green liquid dripped from his hands, but he flung it, and the liquid splashed on the ground.

"Let’s move before they come back."

He wasn’t part of them or their leader, but all his commands were being followed as if he had placed a curse on their minds.

...

After another kilometer walk, they stumbled upon a massive building that looked like a cathedral.

Gemstone light glowed inside as they entered. The air moved with a rhythm that wasn’t anything they had ever seen or felt.

An Lang moved quickly to the fountain of water that was pouring down from the walls. "Oh damn... I’ve been thirsty for days."

He lowered his head under the flow and drank from it like a mad person.

For the first time after they had entered Tartarus, Leon saw warmth in Wu Ze’s and Liu Yan’s faces as they laughed their hearts out.

Aurelian looked at each of the Madhouse squad with a flexible gaze. But whenever he got close to Leon or heard the boy say something, his expression shifted into a dreadful one. It was so real and easy to notice, even to Liu Yan, who sometimes shifted gazes between Leon and the stranger.

...

Minutes bled into hours, and hours into days. During those times, An Lang became more foodie, Wu Ze’s emotional attachment toward Aurelian increasing, while Liu Yan also worried about Leon’s cold behavior.

Aurelian kept on doing things that would make him valued among his newfound humans, showing them around, and making sure they were feeling good under his castle of souls.

On evenings when they were served food that looked too nice to reject, An Lang stood up with his mouth full of meat and neared Leon.

"Storm," he whispered, wrapping his hands around Leon’s shoulder. "You seem cold after we stepped foot in this glorious place."

Leon didn’t say a word; he simply smirked.

"Look," An Lang gestured at the food. "There is food, and you’re here eating..." he paused, snatched the cookie from Leon’s right hand, and placed it in his mouth.

Leon didn’t frown; he simply shook his head.

"Since there is no more of that..." An Lang paused and licked the top of his mouth with his tongue. "Wait, where did you get that? It’s so nice."

He tapped his palms on Leon’s pocket, then straightened. "Where did you get that?"

An Lang didn’t even wait for Leon to answer. "Well, it’s now finished. So let’s go and eat that sweet meal over there."

From a distance, Aurelian sat on a chair carved from rocks and something that pulsed like a heart. His hands were folded on his chest as he watched the only boy who hadn’t joined in, still resisting even when his own colleague invited him.

"This kid looks different," Aurelian whispered without opening his mouth. His voice was so soft, yet it traveled and entered Leon’s ear.

When Leon tilted his head, a faint, creepy smile tore across Aurelian’s face.

"Fine." An Lang gave up after wasting the energy he had gained from Leon’s meal. "If you plan to starve yourself, then congratulations on that."

He walked back to the table of meat, then sat down heavily, then turned sideways. "When you die, no. If you die of hunger, I will get the chance to fly the Triarch. So keep on starving yourself."