The Pillar

The two men, Theo and Tito, exchanged silent glances with Arthur, who mirrored their gaze, holding their eyes for a moment before turning to Jason. 

"What did you mean by the truth of the Isle?" Arthur asked, his voice steady despite the tension in the air.

Jason met his gaze but said nothing. Instead, he turned his head slightly, glancing at a pile not far from their group. Intrigued, Arthur followed his gaze and gasped, bewildered by the sight before him. What he initially thought was a mere heap of debris revealed itself to be a mountain of corpses, some rotting, others reduced to skeletal remains.

Shock washed over Arthur, leaving him struggling to process the horror laid out before him. As he stared, something began to rise from the grotesque mound—a shadow, vast and ominous, composed of countless smaller shadows, each resembling a face frozen in screams of agony, despair, and pain. The air around Arthur thickened, pressing down on him, and he felt his mental state teetering on the brink of collapse. 

Yet, amid the terror, a primal instinct awakened within him. He gasped for breath, overwhelmed by a sensation he had never experienced in his past life. Sweat dripped from his brow, and anyone observing him could see the toll this revelation took on his body and mind.

After a moment of collecting himself, Arthur raised his head to look again at the mountain of corpses, but this time, it appeared as it had before—silent and still. The oppressive weight that had gripped him moments ago seemed to have vanished. 

Is this the truth behind the Isle? he pondered, his thoughts racing. He turned to Jason, seeking clarity. "Is this what you meant by the truth of the Isle?"

Jason regarded him silently for a moment before responding with something entirely unexpected. "They are here."

Irritation flared within Arthur. "Who are they—" His voice rose, but he abruptly stopped, turning to face an approaching presence that sent a chill down his spine.

Shock washed over him as he took in the scene: thousands of people were advancing toward them from all directions, encircling them completely. In that instant, Jason's companions took their positions, flanking the mountain of corpses, determined to keep the encroaching crowd at bay.

As the throng drew nearer, Arthur began to recognize familiar faces—some were patrons from the inn who had visited the previous night, while others were strangers he had encountered on his journey to the center. But then he spotted faces he never expected to see.

"Piro…" he murmured, recognizing the innkeeper from his stay. "Lily…" he gasped, spotting her among the crowd.

As more and more figures emerged, it dawned on him: these were some people of the Isle. No, it was more than that—they were all the people of the Isle, gathering in unison.

Halt!

The crowd came to an abrupt halt, drawing to a stop just a few meters from the group. Arthur's heart raced as he scanned the familiar faces and then looked urgently at Jason. "What is going on?"

Jason met his gaze, his expression grave. "This is the truth of the Isle."

Arthur stared at him, bewildered by the simplicity of the answer. This is the truth of the Isle...

Before he could fully comprehend, a chorus of voices erupted from the crowd, echoing in unison, yet they did not belong to the individuals speaking. "Leave… you're not… permitted here…"

The cacophony of voices reverberated around him, a screeching sound that pierced his ears. Arthur watched in horror as the people seemed to transform into marionettes, their eyes devoid of pupils, dark voids staring back at him.

Then, something bizarre occurred. A dark, mysterious energy began to emanate from each person, coalescing into a single figure—Lily. As the black energy swirled around her, it carried with it countless faces, each one screaming in terror. The souls, extracted alongside the dark energy, merged with Lily's body, creating a haunting symphony of despair.

As the souls continued to be drawn to her, the crowd dwindled, each person merging with Lily until the majority of the Isle's inhabitants perished, their essence forever entwined within her.

Before Arthur's eyes, she underwent a profound transformation. Her once-brown hair turned jet black and flowed gracefully, her darkened eyes igniting with a burning, infernal fire. Her attire morphed into a flowing, gothic gown, and a veil obscured her face. A dark halo of thorns materialized above her head, and a scythe appeared in her right hand.

Arthur stood frozen, bewildered by the spectacle. "She is a vessel," Jason murmured, as if reading Arthur's thoughts.

Arthur's mind raced, questions flooding his consciousness, but he could not voice them. He looked at Lily, feeling as if he were gazing at a stranger. Just then, she vanished from his sight.

Clank!

A scythe materialized from thin air, aimed directly at his neck. In a split second, it was halted by a sword radiating golden light. Arthur instinctively leaped back, narrowly avoiding the lethal strike.

"That was a close call," Jason chuckled, glancing at the figure who had saved Arthur—Tito, standing resolute with his sword drawn.