Chapter 521 Haunting City
Archer couldn't help but feel bad for the people who once frequented this place, whose lives were now reduced to forgotten artifacts.
In the corner, a pile of dust caught his attention. He saw what appeared to be a forgotten pile of shopping that's turned to dust.
Metal shelves were all over the floor, while others stood tall. Archer looked at them and wondered how they survived this long but shrugged.
He looked around and noticed he was standing among the checkout counters. That's when a weird feeling suddenly hit him.
The air around him changed as a ripple in time revealed a scene from the past. He felt the world's mana showed him what life was once like.
Archer stopped walking when he saw a scene of a family choosing food from an old dusty shelf.
The air shimmered before him, and he found himself momentarily confused. A lively store appeared before him, its shelves neatly stocked with long-forgotten items.
Turning around, he peeked outside the store and was surprised by the busy sight of people passing the shop.
He got close to the windows only to see rows of shops lining the street, and the citizens were immersed in shopping with smiles on their faces.
Archer could almost smell the nostalgia in the air. The sight reminded him of an Earth shopping center, where families once gathered to enjoy their days.
In this strange vision, a family strolled through the aisles. With a warm smile, the father led the way, while the mother, filled with joy, guided three excited children.
The kids looked around with big eyes, fascinated by the stuff on the shelves. Archer watched as the family checked out the shop.
They pointed at different things while the parents quietly laughed together as they watched over the three, who seemed to be choosing things out.
Other people, shadows of the past, joined the scene. Some were chatting animatedly while others browsed the shelves.
The vision stirred memories in Archer, returning him to his outings back on Earth with his mother and siblings when he was younger.
Archer could hear laughter, people talking, and merchants selling their wares from the stall while citizens walked past as they spoke.
He continued to watch the scene with amazement as he saw weird wagons getting dragged by unknown horse-looking beasts.
Archer peered through the shop window, observing the street. The once peaceful sky suddenly darkened in the vision, casting an ominous shadow over the bustling city.
Continuing to observe the scene, he heard the piercing sound of an alarm bell reverberating through the air. Its urgent clang cut through the usual hustle and bustle of the busy street.
The people below halted in their tracks, their joyful expressions giving way to a mix of concern and panic.
Abruptly, a tremor reverberated through the vision, shaking everything but Archer. He glanced at the family, the same one he had initially spotted.
Panic gripped them as the ground beneath the family quaked, a low rumble filling the air.
Horror flashed across the parent's faces as they hurriedly gathered their children, desperately attempting to make a swift exit.
The once-happy atmosphere turned chaotic in an instant. Archer stood frozen in the remnants of the ancient shop, the echoes of the vision still resonating in his mind.
The air felt heavy with the weight of the past as he tried to think about the abrupt shift from a bustling shop to the desolation before him.
As he pondered the vision, the surroundings grew darker, and the air seemed to constrict around him.
Without warning, the vision changed. The once lively scene of the family happily exploring the shop turned chaotic.
The ground shook violently, causing shelves to collapse and merchandise to scatter. He saw the expressions on the family's faces twisted into fear as they approached the shop's exit.
Archer wondered why they were panicking as the scene continued, and the whole city shook like an earthquake.
He could feel the despair and chaos seeping through the vision. Suddenly, the vision shifted once more.
Archer stood outside this shop and felt the city fall into the underground chamber while the citizens screamed.
The scene plunged into darkness as he tried to make sense of it. All he could hear was the family's screams that appeared next to him.
Lights lit up the streets and illuminated the scared family and other shoppers, but then he heard faint chittering sounds from all directions.
The noise got louder, a confusing mix of unsettling sounds closing in on him. Archer's instincts urged him to respond.
But he couldn't move as he saw dark shapes heading for the people while snatching others, which caused everyone to panic.
As Archer watched this, he felt sorry for the family but knew this had happened thousands of years ago.
The family, frozen in their panicked escape, stared back at him, their expressions etched with fear and desperation.
When they did this, it confused Archer as it felt like they could see him watching the last minutes of their life.
But that's when the vision suddenly changed, and in an instant, he found himself back in the abandoned shop.
The shelves were still in disarray, and the remnants of the vision lingered in his mind like a haunting echo.
Archer shook his head before walking out and continued looking for another tunnel, but the bad feeling grew.
Walking along the street, he stroked Zahara, who hissed as she spoke. ''They are still close, master. They are watching you.''
He searched for a tunnel entrance as he answered. ''I know. They smell like humans mixed with something foul.''
Zahara nodded her small head. ''Yes. Yes. They are soaked in evil magic.''
Archer stops talking and starts paying attention as he moves through the old city. The only thing he could hear was his footsteps.
The aged structures enclosed him as he journeyed through the desolate city. Amidst his travels, faint whispers seemed to brush against his senses.
Initially, he paid them little attention before dismissing them as they faded into the background, no longer reaching his ears.
After walking, Archer reached the city square, a once-grand hub now reduced to a ghostly space.
He stood in the center, surrounded by towering structures that loomed over him like a monster waiting to pounce on him.
The ground beneath his feet, worn with time, told stories of the countless lives that had traversed these streets.
Suddenly, an odd sensation enveloped Archer. The air around him shimmered, and the surroundings blurred as another vision unfolded.
Instantly, he found himself in the heart of a bustling market. It completely changed from a devoid square into one where hundreds of people shopped.
People strolled through the market, their faces adorned with smiles as they engaged in lively conversations.
Vendors sold their wares, and the air was filled with the enticing smell of various foods. The beautiful colors of fabrics and goods showed how busy it was.
Archer marveled at the liveliness of the scene, taken aback by the stark difference from the desolate city he had been exploring.
Families walked hand in hand, children giggled, and merchants cheerfully called out to attract customers.
As he wandered through the market, absorbing the sights and sounds, Archer couldn't shake the feeling that this was more than just a glimpse of the past.
It felt like a window into a world now buried beneath the weight of time. The vision held him captive until it dissipated just as abruptly as it began.
Archer found himself in the quiet city square, surrounded by the remnants of a forgotten civilization.
That's when he noticed skeletons all over the square covered in dust. Archer approached one and used wind magic to uncover it.
As the dust vanished, a human skeleton lay there with a rotten shield and a sword. He crouched down and tried to grab the sword, but it crumbled to dust.
The skeletal remains of market stalls hinted at a lively past, now lost to time. His attention was abruptly drawn away from the scene as he sensed a sudden rush of movement.
On instinct, Archer quickly turned around and used his tail to impale the creature charging him. A sharp gasp escaped him as he saw the writhing form on the end of his tail.
The sight was unsettling. The creature looked human, but its skin was as dark as obsidian, creating a creepy look.
Bright red eyes that gleamed unnaturally, and its teeth and claws were sharp. It looked like they could tear through metal with ease.
Archer took a step back, studying the creature with surprise. The whispers in the air seemed to converge around this creature as if it connected to the haunting city.
The creature struggled against his strong tail, but it was useless. Its red eyes fixated on Archer.
Despite the ominous appearance, those eyes had a strange emptiness devoid of humanity. The air crackled with tension as Archer contemplated the next move.
[If there are any mistakes, point them out, and I'll edit it. Thanks]
Visit freewe𝑏n(o)vel.𝑐𝘰𝑚 for the best novel reading experience