Chapter 1046: A Sense Of Malice
There comes a time in your life when you see something that your entire existence rejects. Perhaps it’s fear, perhaps caution.
But the undeniable primal instincts buried deep in your consciousness screams at you to turn around and leave.
To not look back.
To keep running as far as you can.
That’s what Tobi felt in this moment.
The instant the fourth crystal site came into view, every fibre of his being rejected the notion of approaching it.
"No, no, no, no! Hell no! Please don’t tell me we are approaching THAT." Tobi immediately shook his head, making his discomfort known to the rest of the party.
Rika had the same look on her face. Her fingers tightened around her arm as she held back the urge to turn around and run.
Yama faired a little better but his trembling finger gave his thoughts away.
None of the members of the party was comfortable with the fourth site.
Before them stretched a large crater. A cavity carved into the wastelands as though an invisible hand from the heavens reached down and scooped out a chunk of the land.
Layer upon layers of broken stone spiralled outwards while vein like fractures spread across the land. Within the cracks, a strange energy pulsed in a similar manner to Feris’s fragment.
A beating of the heart.
And within the centre of this crater rose a black sphere. It hovered motionless above a pool of purple and silver liquid that rolled down its surface before dripping from the bottom. A sphere unaffected by gravity.
No chains or supports to keep it suspended in the air.
As for Noah, he paused for a moment before turning to Feris.
At this point, Tobi realised that Noah was still considering it if Feris wanted to go.
"Boss man, my captain, my saviour, if there is a time to listen to me, it is now. Do you now feel the absolute MALICE that thing is radiating? I have NEVER felt anything like that. There is just so much... Malice! I don’t know how else to explain it!" Tobi grabbed Noah.
However, Noah smiled apologetically.
Right now, Feris was standing on the cliff edge with her fingers clenched around the fragment. She could feel the beating of its heart, the pulse of energy. The sense of... familiarity she felt with the crystal and whatever was hidden within the site.
*Badum...
She felt her own heart resonate.
Ah~... she wanted to find out what was inside. A piece of herself that she never knew.
Every pulse of energy, every second she spent looking at the crater, she felt as though something was calling for her. She wanted to descend into the crater, she wanted to touch, to understand.
She wanted to-
Feris turned around. The excitement in her eyes halted as she saw the expression on her friends faces. The words she wanted to say lingered in her throat.
Tobi looked like he was moments away from arguing with Noah if he suggests they should venture deeper. Rika’s teasing smile was gone. Her eyes fearful as her body was tensed, ready to flee at the first sign of danger.
Even Yama looked like he was on the verge of panic.
Feris blinked.
Slowly.
Then, she glanced down at the fragment around her neck.
The excitement and longing in her chest was slowly cooled as she turned her eyes towards Noah.
Depending on what she chose, he would follow. But if the location was as dangerous as everyone was fearing it to be... could she have the heart to ask him to go?
A bitter smile appeared on her face briefly before she took a deep breath.
*SLAP!!!
Hitting her cheeks to snap out of it, her actions caused the party to blink in surprise.
"Feris?"
"Argh! Oh well. We should leave." She smiled, resting her hands on her hips.
The others froze.
"We already confirmed the location of the site and... well, Ciel never asked us to actually venture inside, right?" She shrugged. "We can just report back and come again later if there are no leads anywhere else.
The moment those words left her mouth, the others visibly relaxed.
"THANK F*CK!" Tobi nearly collapsed as he clutched his chest dramatically. Though the beating of his heart said otherwise.
He was truly terrified a moment ago.
"Feris, I swear this is the smartest thing you have ever said in your entire life. When we get back, I’m treating you to a meal."
Rika visibly relaxed while Yama let out a long breath he didn’t realise he’d been holding.
Even Noah’s shoulders loosened slightly.
Seeing these exaggerated reactions, Feris stared blankly for a moment before pursing her lips.
"How rude. Did you all think I was selfish enough to force everyone into that kind of danger?"
"Yes."
"Absolutely."
"Without question."
The group answered in unison as Feris’s smile twitched.
A pout quickly formed on her face.
"Tsk, well screw you guys too." She mumbled, folding her arms.
"You can’t blame us for that. You literally tried to jump into a rift that only you saw earlier." Rika smiled helplessly.
Feris almost choked on her own saliva as... she wasn’t wrong.
"That was different okay?" She looked at Noah for help.
Seeing those puppy eyes, Noah was going to say something when Tobi nudged him with his elbow.
Coughing awkwardly, Noah was about to say something when the sphere showed signs of change.
*RUMBLE!!!
A pulse so strong that it shook the earth. Feris was knocked off balance as she stumbled back, about to fall when Noah quickly grabbed her and swung her over his shoulder.
"What the hell is going on now?!" He frowned, scanning the location around them.
It was there when he noticed the sphere starting to change as a bad feeling overwhelmed his heart.
He wasn’t going to stay around to see what was wrong!
"Yama! Grab Rika. Tobi run as fast as you can. Rika, give us a barrier!" He shouted as the others didn’t hesitate to run.
Behind them, cracks spread across the sphere as the air distorted around it. Space itself twisted unnaturally, bending light into warped fragments.
A layer of dust was shook of the sphere as it began to shift.
Its surface split apart, peeling back layer after layer like flower petals. Thin arcs of purple light spilled through the gaps as crystalline growths appeared across its surface.
Parts of the sphere expanded outwards while others collapsed inwards. It’s as though a black hole had opened within the body as chunks of the sphere started to disappear, its body no longer making sense.
The movement slowed while the party kept running. The only one still watching at this point was Feris.
Her eyes were glued to the structure.
Beneath the sphere, its ’blood’ started to flow upwards, defying gravity and formed rings around the structure.
Inverted rain.
With a flash of light, the sphere opened up. Hidden within the centre of this strange mass of material, hidden beneath the layers of shifting crystals and stone, a single eye swivelled to meet Feris’s gaze.
A chill shot down her spine but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the strange sphere.
Even though the group was running as fast as possible, Feris understood it instinctively.
They couldn’t get away.
With its flesh now transforming into wings, it shot through the air with its gaze locked onto the party.
A pressure beyond their comprehension crashed down as the group was forced onto their knees. Blood trickled from Rika’s nose as the barrier was shattered in an instant.
As the eye drew closer, the fragment hung around Feris’s neck exploded with the same purple light that coronated the sphere’s birth.
*BANG!!!
The earth collapsed beneath them.
The entire cliffside shattered apart as the group was swallowed by darkness.
Feris reached for Noah instinctively while gravity twisted around them violently.
Up became down.
Left became right.
Countless colours exploded across their vision as space folded in ways they’ve never seen before. Purple crystal formations duplicating, stretching and reflected across countless mirror like surfaces.
"Noah!" Feris cried out for help.
Clenching his teeth, Noah reached out, barely managing to grab Feris before pulling her into his embrace, using his own body as a shield.
*SHATTER!!!
Breaking through the mirror like surface, a suffocating miasma overwhelmed their senses as they immediately realised they were thrown deep into the Abyss.
Beasts could be seen flying through the sky as they swooped towards the party.
Yet an invisible force continued to push them through the realm. It wasn’t satisfied with just dragging them into the Abyss. No, it wanted to take them further.
As the flying beasts drew closer, space shifted as a line stretched across the air.
In that instant, the beasts were cut in half.
Confusion spread across Noah’s face as he looked for a place to land.
"Hold on tight!" He shouted. Feris squeezed her eyes shut and entrusted her safety to Noah.
*BANG!!!
With a thunderous crash, the group slammed into a strange island.
The sense of falling disappeared, as did the pressure that prevented them from escaping.
Only when Noah was sure the surroundings was free of danger did he finally let go of Feris.
"What the hell..." Tobi mumbled. His voice reflected his confusion while the rest of the party was silent.
Slowly, Feris opened her eyes and the world was reflected in her gaze.
A strange world broken into fragments. Countless floating islands stretching as far as the eye could see. Stars reflected above and below. Water floating between islands, strange beasts looking at them from afar.
Even without anyone telling her, Feris felt as though she knew where this place was. The air that felt different to the Abyss and the Surface. A realm that captured her heart.
The stellar sea reflected through the crystals.
Right now, the group had been tossed into the Void.
