Chapter 51: It’s Candy!
Kestrel finally stood at the base of the immense white building. It wasn’t until this moment that she grasped its true size—peering up from the base, the roof was almost beyond her line of sight.
Here, the night sky shone even brighter, adorned with a slow-spinning dance of multicolored lights, swirling into miniature vortexes. Beneath this spectacle, the pure white walls glowed with a radiance akin to fine porcelain, bestowing a sense of reverence and solemnity.
The tiny kitten she’d been carrying seemed unnerved by the sight of the building, wriggling restlessly in her arms.
Kestrel put the kitten down, freeing it to explore the surroundings.
The area was eerily silent, void of any signs of life. Kestrel sent out her psychic incarnation, only to be halted by the wall before her.
This was the first time she’d encountered a barrier that could seemingly impede her psychic incarnation. It wasn’t an immediate blockage, rather a slow and sticky resistance. It was as if her incarnation tendrils were caught in a thick jelly, struggling to advance, their perceptions growing disordered.
Nonetheless, she could vaguely sense a large entity within, a significant psychic incarnation. It resided within the building and seemed to notice Kestrel’s probe, stirring subtly behind the dense barrier.
Kestrel reached out, gently touching the porcelain-like wall in acknowledgment.
A firmly shut door was embedded in the wall, its surface etched with numerous ancient scenes. These images depicted the sea, boats, monsters, and gods— narrating the myths and legends of the ancient maritime world through simple lines.
In contrast to the old-fashioned door was a state-of-the-art sensor lock.
From her pocket, Kestrel took out the slim round disk Ren had given her and lightly tapped it against the lock.
The immaculate door made a soft ’ding’ sound and began to creak open, revealing a pitch-dark interior. Her psychic incarnation eagerly rushed inside. They were always fearless and brave.
Kestrel was brave too. She pushed the heavy door open further and stepped into the engulfing darkness.
Past the door was a staircase that gently climbed upwards. Kestrel navigated the steps by feeling the frosty wall. It reminded her of the Tower, with its countless winding stairs spiraling up towards an unreachable summit, though the Tower was much more extensive and grander.
After going up the staircase for some time, Kestrel finally saw a glimmer of light. The dome-shaped ceiling was made of glass, letting the starlight seep down from the high roof, casting a dim illumination over the entire space. Aside from the entwined stairs, the hollow tower was empty, except for one giant "tree" or, maybe, an enormous "pillar".
Kestrel struggled to put into words the creature she was beholding. Regardless, at first sight, she comprehended Muros’s description, "It’s enormous, like a tower, you’ll know it when you see it."
Without a doubt, this was the Backbone she was seeking. It resembled a towering pillar, holding up the world. The pillar’s form was composed of countless entwined pure white arms. The arms descended, hands opened wide and anchored deep into the earth. Upward, numerous hands reached out as if grasping for the heavens.
Kestrel recalled what Ren had said, "Whether it’s arms, hair, or eyes, anything taken from the Backbone can open the exit portal of the Polluted Zone." She hadn’t quite comprehended at the time, but now, looking at the densely woven arms, she understood what taking a piece of the Backbone meant.
She began to climb down the stairs, a task that wasn’t easy for Kestrel, but she eventually made it to the bottom, drawing closer to the massive pale Backbone bathed in starlight.
Embedded in the vast body of the Backbone was a colossal human face. It bore gentle, serene, and gender-neutral features, with drooping eyelashes as if in slumber. It, he or she, had a mass of thick, curly silver hair that blended seamlessly with the towering pillar. Upon a closer look, the hair too was formed by innumerable slender, long white arms.
The starlight focused on the pristine face, casting an aura of beauty that was both unnerving and captivating.
Standing at the very base of the pillar, Kestrel looked up at this colossal structure, much like a pillar supporting the universe, and the sleeping figure embedded within.
A soft sigh seemed to resonate from the ether. The giant face’s long, silver eyelashes gently lifted, revealing eyes that sparkled like the starry sky above, radiant and multihued.
The face shifted its gaze downwards, looking at the diminutive Kestrel standing below.
"Oh, a beta," the beautiful face smiled, its vibrant eyes reflecting a gentle expression, "It’s been years since I last saw a beta, quite nostalgic."
Kestrel felt some of the long, silver arms reaching out to her, lightly brushing her psychic tendrils.
They brushed against each other courteously, in a manner of greeting.
At this soft touch, their psychic forms exchanged a superficial understanding, attaining a fundamental awareness of each other.
They were like two mighty beings, cautiously exploring one another while maintaining their own robust defenses, preventing any easy penetration.
"You’re tiny, yet so powerful. How delightful," the silver-haired face showed a gentle smile, "So it was your arrival that woke her up early. I wondered why she’d awaken prematurely... So much time has passed, and beings like you still exist in this world. I don’t know if I should feel relieved."
She concluded her mysterious words, then posed another question, "What brings you here?"
"I’m looking for the key," Kestrel responded, "The key to escape the Polluted Zone."
The striking face lowered her silver eyelashes, studying Kestrel with a patient gaze.
A silver strand of hair extended, hovering before Kestrel. This strand was a lengthy, supple arm, with a palm at the end, animated. The ’hair’ detached itself in front of Kestrel, and the small, pure white palm fell, rolling to Kestrel’s feet.
It was a dainty hand, just as exquisite as the countless arms on the Backbone, slender and stunning.
After detaching, the palm hardened into a piece of stone-like, sturdy, and glossy material, resembling a small piece of porcelain artwork. As elegant as an orchid, as white and shiny as jade, it lay quietly at Kestrel’s feet.
Kestrel picked up the jade-like beautiful "hand," holding it in her hand. It felt cool and was shining.
"Thank you," Kestrel said. She opened her mouth, sensing that she still had much to say to the entity before her.
But at that moment, her tendrils tensed, swirling into a defensive posture.
At some point, a layer of blackness had soaked the roots of the Backbone. The deep black spread out, rapidly ascending.
"She’s coming," the colossal face showed a shy smile, "You must run quickly, otherwise..."
Her words remained unfinished as her eyes closed, the multicolored lights within obscured. The entire face fell into silence, transforming into a motionless statue. A gentle smile lingered on the corners of her mouth, as if what was about to emerge was merely her mischievous sibling. Her final command to run quickly seemed nothing more than a trivial jest.
However, Kestrel knew that something highly dangerous was happening, and she had to depart right away. Without uttering a word, she turned around and began to run.
