NOVEL NEXT 215. The Witch in The Wood That Sucks…
215. The Witch in The Wood That Sucks…
An indistinguishable sensation, neither wet nor cold, washed over Zetius's skin as he disappeared into the rippling abyss.
A faint scent of sulphur whiffed through his nostrils, causing him to wrinkle his nose. But that wasn't the strangest part. He had walked into a cavernous catacomb, illuminated by the flickering torchlight on its ancient walls.
"Whoa…" Cubie gasped, drifting toward a column draped with hooked chains and shackles.
"Where are we?" Zetius muttered, turning to the massive dark wall, which still oscillated in a hypnotic pattern behind them. His boots clicked on a metal grate in the middle of the chamber. He paused to inspect it. "The hell?"
Through the grate, his red eyes spotted a viscous, black substance creeping below. It irked him to even guess what it was.
"It's just tar and cloth," Cubie shared her observation, her light focused on the burning flames of the torches.
"I see. So we are not in the Dreamless Realm, huh?" Zetius mused, cupping his chin.
"Yep, the laws of Earthly physics still govern here," she added firmly.
The chipped walls, covered in scratches and grazes, spoke of the ruin's long history. They would have expected a sign of life, a rat or even an insect, but found none. Something felt so wrong when the only breathing ones were just Zetius and Cubie.
"No discernible features here. Just walls with rectangular holes," Cubie added, perching on his shoulder.
"Only one path, it leads to another long hallway," Zetius noted, scanning the area before glancing skyward.
No luck. The ceiling, though cracked, covered the entirety of the space. There was no night or day, no sense of direction, no clue as to where they had been teleported.
"Well?" Cubie asked reluctantly.
"Only one way to find out," Zetius grumbled. He disliked how a simple investigation had morphed into something else entirely. I didn't prepare for this.
As Zetius proceeded into the long hallway, his boots echoed on the cobblestone floor.
Suddenly, the long, eerie hum of a woman's voice returned.
Zetius froze mid-stride.
"…Ze~Zetius!" Cubie exclaimed in a hushed tone.
"Yes, I heard it. Tch…" He gritted his teeth. What he had hoped was just the wind had become his new reality. "So it wasn't the wind whistling through a shaft."
"The witch in the wood… or in wherever this is," Cubie spoke the thought in his mind.
"A succubus, perhaps," Zetius swallowed, a knot tightening in his stomach. "I hope a succubus isn't resistant to fire. Otherwise, I'll have to deal with that demon and a succubus with Astrapyion." He could already feel the excruciating pain of that choice as he absentmindedly kneaded his palms.
The eerie hum came in waves, alternating with a silence that was equally unsettling in this place.
Just as Zetius was about to move on, Cubie stopped him. "Wait! Let me look through the arc library." A HUD screen projected into the air. Unfortunately, a large sign greeted her.
[No connection]
"How?! Wh~where on Earth are we?!" she stammered.
They paused, suspended in the quiet that followed her outburst.
Still silence.
Zetius exhaled softly in relief. I'd rather not get ambushed again.
Sensing his unease, Cubie proposed another idea, her voice brimming with eagerness. "What about… I try to punch them with a projection?"
"No. What if they hurt you while you're casting?" Zetius countered, worry etched on his face.
"They don't know that, so I'll position myself behind you~Safely!" Cubie whispered.
"No," Zetius said curtly, walking away.
"How about only when necessary?" Cubie persisted.
Closing his eyes, Zetius sighed in resignation. "Fine."
Deeper they went into the winding hallway. A flicker in his peripheral vision. A whisper on the edge of hearing. Zetius would glance back, his hand ready. Nothing. Always nothing.
Casting wiggling shadows in all directions, the torchlight played tricks on his eyes, adding a nerve-wracking layer to the oppressive atmosphere. The walls weren't always blank; some were stained with black soot, while others held window-like openings that remained pitch-black, even when he shone a light into them.
"Tsk…" He clicked his tongue, exasperated. He wanted out. Maybe he should just turn back.
Before he knew it, cold sweat gathered on his neck. He adjusted his collar, feeling uncomfortably hot and cold at the same time.
"Do you think the legend is true?" Cubie probed suddenly, a hint of boredom in her tone.
"What?" Zetius stopped, looking at her.
"If we lose, will she suck… your soul?"
"Yeah, maybe. I don't know," Zetius replied honestly, starting to regret not taking the demonology and mythology class as seriously as Friederich had. In his defence, those classes had been optional.
"But I don't have a soul…" Cubie said, her voice softening into a whisper.
"Cubie… Of course, you do." Zetius placed his palm atop her cubic frame. "You have the most beautiful soul of all!"
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Her light shone brightly, casting a warm glow on Zetius's chiselled face. "You really think so?"
"Your essence is your soul, and I have never seen anyone as bright as you," Zetius added, his voice steady and resolute.
"Mm! Then we must win at all costs!" Cubie declared quietly. They shared a small giggle.
"Good girl," Zetius petted her gently. The pep talk gave them both the boost they needed.
"Zetius! Over there, moonlight!" Cubie exclaimed, prompting Zetius to spin on his heels.
A high archway at the end of the hall led to another area, and a blue glow shone through it.
"We're out of this tunnel! Come on!" Zetius shuffled forward, keeping his noise to a minimum.
He emerged onto a ledge with a three-metre drop into a withered garden below, filled with unidentifiable flora and low bushes. Instead of the night sky, however, a massive dome stretched overhead. At its centre, a chandelier of burning blue crystals acted as an artificial moon.
"Oh… Gaia…" Cubie whimpered.
"It's not… outside yet," Zetius's shoulders slumped in defeat. This dungeon was so extensive that it seemed to have its own ecosystem.
Scanning the area, he saw other pathways on the opposite side of the dome garden.
"No enemies," Zetius confirmed, before jumping down into the dirt. They followed a walkway of weathered brick stones.
The source of the humming voice was close now. He could feel its vibrations deep in his bones.
It must be at the centre of this garden, no doubt, Zetius thought, nodding to Cubie. Their strategy was in place. Without a sound, she lodged herself against his sternum, hiding her light.
Keeping his back to the low wall of a bush, Zetius crouched and crept closer. He swallowed a thick gulp of saliva, his fingers twitching, itching to unleash a devastating blow.
A hooded figure stood by what seemed to be the source of the haunting hum. A voluptuous silhouette hinted at her feminine form.
What is she even doing?! Zetius questioned.
She was picking berries and some flowers, her movements absent-minded. Even from this distance, Zetius could see pale, glowing skin peeking out from under the hood.
Zetius hesitated, his hand poised to strike.
Then, the woman froze, her lips curling into a knowing smile.
"Come on out," she demanded, her voice sweet yet laced with an immense authority.
Exhaling sharply, Zetius stepped into the light, his red eyes on full alert and his hands ready.
"Don't be rude, shall we? No? Not even a greeting…" the divine voice echoed as the lady turned to lock eyes with him. Her eyes glowed like starlight, like the brightest aquamarine — so mesmerising, so bewitching that when her plum lips moved, he failed to register the words.
She glanced away, tucking her items into a basket. "I do get that a lot," she said, her tone unreadable.
"What?" Zetius snapped out of the trance. "Who are you?"
"I'm just someone," the lady replied, tracing a sharp nail over a leaf. When Zetius stiffened with hostility, she added with a charming smile, "An arcanist, if you must know."
He grunted, his gaze drawn to the deliberate way she tucked back her hood. The movement was a calculated display, flashing an Arcanist's ring on her index finger before revealing the tell-tale point of an elven ear.
"Of Scorpio..."
Not fully convinced, Zetius muttered, "How convenient to see an arcanist, let alone of the Scorpio division… But I'll bite."
"Of course, you will," she murmured, as if everything was preordained, a play she was merely watching unfold.
"Have you seen anything strange—?"
"Strange?" she interrupted, her gaze sweeping over him as though nothing in this place was normal to begin with.
"A man… A demon that came through this passage." He pointed towards the archway. "I've been hunting him."
"Oh, yes. A demonic possession. You don't have to concern yourself over that," she said, smiling as she waved a dismissive hand.
Approaching her, he raised his hands amicably. "So you reached the same conclusion, Miss?"
"My, my. Please call me Serene. Zetius." The lady smiled, her eyes closed. He felt a wave of relief wash over him, seeing such a goddess amidst these ruins. Yet, somehow, her presence didn't feel out of place at all.
"Okay… Serene. Let's discuss how to handle this situation." Zetius wrapped his arms around himself.
"My! Snap into cooperation already! I'd be thrilled to be of your aid!" She clasped, showing her eagerness.
He nodded. "I'll start. I tried fire. Its skin is resistant… more or less."
"Fire and heat are their natural habitat. The damned souls have been trapped and tortured in cauldrons for eons," Serene explained, weaving a jade projection in the air that resembled a floating head with glowing eyes.
"The damned souls?" Zetius blinked. He had never heard the term before.
A low chuckle escaped her. "How adorable." The light glinted off the sharp points of her fangs as she smiled, a predatory hint beneath an otherwise angelic appearance. She had the composed, commanding stature of a high-born elf, but the fangs told a different story.
"Yeah… um…" He scratched his nose sheepishly, momentarily flustered by the contradiction.
"Oh, boy. Do you even know where we are?" she teased. Her long, silky, glossy dark hair cascaded down in precise locks.
"I have some idea," he answered, hiding the fact that he was utterly clueless.
"Aww… Hasn't anyone told you not to stumble into strange places by yourself? What would you do if you got lost?" She laced her fingers over her chest, a voluptuous curve her black cloak couldn't conceal.
Why is she treating me like a kid? Zetius averted his gaze.
"I was taught to be courageous. Now, would you kindly get to it?" He countered, acting nonchalant.
"This is a small section of Tartarus," she whispered. The hot air touched his skin as though she were right beside him, yet she remained standing metres away.
"Tartarus?! The prison of Hades' realm?!" Zetius's eyes widened in shock, and he stumbled back a step.
It can't be real, he thought, staring up at the artificial blue light.
"Yes, Hades is very real. But I doubt he or she will make an appearance. The divines work in ways too mysterious to imagine," Serene nodded gently.
"And the fissure… it acts as a doorway for the damned souls to pass through." Zetius cupped his mouth, his breathing ragged. This was the worst-case scenario. It all clicked into place — the global event, the missing people, everything was connected. There must be fissures like this all over the world.
"And their hunger shall be satiated by the darkest minds of mortals," Serene concluded gravely.
Zetius grunted. "We must stop this before—"
"I'm afraid the first sign of the sixth apocalypse has just revealed itself," Serene interrupted, shaking her head, her movements poised and calm despite the grim news.
Hang on a second. How does she know so much? Who is this lady? A Lunarius? Her Arcanist ring didn't specify her rank. He began to question her origin again.
"Zetius… what I am trying to say is that we've reached the point of no return," she said grimly. Her words hammered into him, sending a shiver down his spine.
He hissed through his teeth, admitting it. "The truth weighs much heavier than a lie."
He'd never imagined the Moirais' prophecy would strike now, at his weakest. Fates, it seemed, were playing yet another mockery of his life. Especially now, when he was just barely seeing the light again, only for the darkness to creep back in and swallow them all.
Ziyue, Aurelia, Friederich, Astrid, Frain, Lupus… everyone…
Zetius gritted his teeth, his desperation turning to wrath. "Bloody hell…"
"Zetius… Oh, Zetius…" Serene murmured, slowly running her fingers down his shoulders to his arms. "Don't worry. We can fix this."
"We?" Zetius's body sought the comfort of her warmth, but his mind recoiled. "What do you mean—?"
Abruptly, the feral sound of animals crashing and fighting echoed from the distance.
"What was that? The lumberjack?" Zetius gasped, pulling away from Serene.
"Ah… It looks like we may have to deal with that first," Serene said, shifting toward the entrance. "Come, dear. You'd not like to miss it." Her voice was frigid, a command his body felt compelled to obey.
With no choice, Zetius followed, the guttural noises growing louder with every step.