novelraw Chapter 95: Axorhibis
Chapter 95: Axorhibis
Statues—a wall of them behind the group—frozen in ash in grim poses of despair. Their hands stretched forward as if trying to grasp something they would never reach. Their faces were filled with anguish, resignation, and fear; all of them together, as if something had dragged them into those humiliating positions.
Mitsuki was left breathless. The sight reminded him of his first night in this world. It was exactly like the wall of statues that had formed when he ran toward the castle.
’What is that...? Where are we?’
Like him, the rest of the group was just as confused. Azel looked visibly frustrated and worried. Nothing remained of the laid-back guy from before. And how could he not be? This was his fault, after all.
Meanwhile, keeping his composure, Marco looked at the structure behind them. That wall of statues behind the podium was... chilling to him, but even so, he shook his head as if it didn’t matter.
The oldest and wisest of the group, Monar, tapped the ground with his staff and examined the surroundings.
"This is... a church of the Goddess of Light?" said the dark elf, drawing Mitsuki’s attention.
’Goddess of Light?’
Marco turned around, looking at his companions.
"I think the Transportation Spell has brought us somewhere far away. For now, we need to figure out how to get back—we can’t afford to waste time. Since we don’t know exactly where we are, we have to expect the worst at all times. Understood?"
Azel and Marco nodded, but Mitsuki was still staring at the wall of statues in fear. Monar decided to step in.
"They’re not specters like the ones we encountered in Holylight. This is literally a wall made of beings frozen in ash."
"Uh... yeah... I just... don’t have good memories of ash statues. Still, what makes these statues different from the specters we faced before?"
Marco crossed his arms and answered for Monar.
"Monar already said it. They’re just lifeless statues. Something must have created them from living humans, because no twisted art could replicate human despair this perfectly."
A chill ran down Mitsuki’s spine. He turned his attention to the large double doors at the end of the hallway. The group followed his gaze, then looked at each other to decide their next move.
"We should hurry. I have a very bad feeling about this," said the dark elf, taking the lead.
They walked in silence for a few seconds, but Azel couldn’t hold back any longer. The source of his frustration and concern had to be addressed.
"Monar... what did the Lord of Green take from you?"
The elf seemed skeptical of the question. Meanwhile, Mitsuki looked at him suspiciously. Earlier, Elyndor had mentioned something about a god. In that case, was this Lord of Green the one who granted Monar his power?
Fortunately, the dark elf didn’t stay silent. He replied in a calm voice.
"Nothing important. I simply lost some memories from my childhood. But you know my childhood was boring, so it’s not a great loss."
"I see... I’m sorry."
Monar shook his head.
"Considering where we are, anything could have happened, so there’s no need to apologize. In the end, we accepted the risk of interfering in a beast’s lair. If anything, the fault would be mine for agreeing."
Marco’s expression dimmed slightly. Then he stepped forward to walk beside Monar.
"Thank you. You saved us in many ways," said Blondie. "Since I’ve never been good at using magic, I really appreciate that you’re there to help me be strong when I need it."
The elf smiled softly with a quiet chuckle.
"I appreciate your honesty, Marco. Moments like these are when you show how kind and thoughtful you are, so thank you for that."
Mitsuki lowered his head. It was the first time he had seen Marco act like that. It was almost funny, but given the situation, he couldn’t laugh.
They reached the door. Azel and Marco placed their hands on each side and pushed. On the other side, they found a long corridor, dirty and stained with ash, with statues along the walls in poses of fear—as if something had terrified them before they turned to ash and died.
Parts of the ceiling were destroyed. Large banners hung from the walls, bearing the symbol of a flame cradled by two hands holding light between their palms.
Monar frowned and waved his staff. A small flash appeared above his head, and from it, a book fell. He caught it before it hit the ground and handed it to Mitsuki.
"Page 120, Mitsuki, please."
"Uh... sure."
Mitsuki obeyed and opened the book as he walked alongside the others. When he reached the indicated page, his eyes widened in fear, his hands trembled, and his breathing stopped.
"Tell us what you found," Monar said.
Mitsuki’s lips trembled.
’Damn... damn... this isn’t good...’
With a nervous voice, he spoke:
"The banners hanging on the walls bear the symbol of the Goddess of Light, an ancient divine entity who helped the people of Nemoria many times with their diplomatic issues and wartime conflicts. She was known for favoring two kingdoms in particular: Holylight and Axorhibis. The latter was the kingdom most loved by the Goddess of Light, as it was where the bravest and most powerful princesses were born."
A memory of the girl who accompanied Arturo in his memories struck him suddenly.
"The Goddess blessed many princes and princesses with her divine power, but when the prophecy of the Herald of the Unnameable appeared, she vanished without a trace. Her whereabouts are unknown..."
"Page 200, Mitsuki."
Mitsuki nodded and turned the page. When they reached the end of the corridor, they passed through the final large door. The scenery confirmed what Monar had made Mitsuki read—it gave reason to it.
Large three-story buildings were spread across the area; a vast plaza surrounded the cathedral behind them. The houses were similar in structure to those in the Kingdom of Holylight, but the feeling they gave off was far more sinister.
In the distance, tall towers with conical roofs stood along the nearby walls. And if one looked to the left, a beautiful, sturdy castle rose above the kingdom.
Mitsuki looked at page 200. There was an illustration of a castle.
"Axorhibis... We’re in the capital of the Kingdom of Axorhibis."
[ Rewards will be granted. ]
That message appeared before Mitsuki, but it soon glitched.
[ Your title "Prince of Misfortune" resonates with your soul... ]